Greatness Defined

At least once a year, I watch “Band of Brothers” created by HBO. The show follows a company of US soldiers during WWII through Europe. It reminds me of the sacrifices of men and women who were part of the greatest generation and makes me appreciate all that I have. But how does greatness get defined in the Kingdom of Jesus?

In Mark 9, the disciples are arguing over who is the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus doesn’t discourage greatness but does redefine it for us saying, “The first will be last and the last will be first”. In Matthew 20, the disciples are again arguing over who’s the greatest among the disciples. Jesus says look, I have an upside down kingdom. If you want to be great, you’ll need to be the servant and slave of all.

In Luke 22 as Jesus celebrates Passover with the disciples one last time before he’s killed, he redefines the Passover meal into what Christians celebrate today as the Lord’s supper or Eucharist. After Jesus breaks bread with them and drinks the watered wine, the disciples begin to argue over who’s the greatest! But Jesus says, “I’ve told you I want you to experience the best life possible and the path to that greatness is not pushing people around but serving those you encounter.”

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of a land owner who went on a trip but before he left, he gave 5 bags of silver to one servant, 2 bags of silver to another servant and 1 bag to the last servant. Upon his return, the 5-bag servant had earned 5 more bags and the 2-bag servant earned 2 more. The master said well done! Let’s celebrate and I’ll give you more because of how you used the resources to gain more.

But the 1-bag servant was afraid of the master so he hid his silver and did nothing with it. Upon the master’s return, the master took away what the last servant had and gave it to the 5-bag servant. So, what’s the moral of the story and how does it relate to greatness in Jesus’ kingdom?

Well, we notice the 5-bag servant put his resources to work immediately…he didn’t wait. Some of us make plans to work in the kingdom but after our kids graduate and leave home or after I get my nest egg built up or when I get different working hours. But Jesus reminds us it’s a mindset. We all have been given “gifts”. Gifts could be time, talents or resources. The point is, whatever we have, if you follow Jesus, start today using that for kingdom.

We also have to realize that all the resources you have (time, talent, physical resources) are entrusted to us and don’t belong to us. Everything we have was given to us by Jesus and while we have it, it’s used for His glory and for his kingdom.

Too many of us have adopted the American mentality of entitlement and owning, using what we have been blessed with for our own purposes. If this is your spirit, your joy and peace will be wrapped up in the stock market and your bank account. But if you realize what you have is really not yours, your joy and peace will be wrapped up in Jesus.

Finally, if you follow Jesus, serve others as one who will give an account of your life one day. The Bible mentions that we are allotted 70 years on earth. The current US average for life is just under 79 years. In the moment, we think we have all the time in the world to live into the life we have but the truth is, it is a very small window to make a kingdom difference.

Jesus is coming back and when he does, he will not say good job my good and faithful social media influencer or good job my good and faithful public school teach. King Jesus will recognize me by the way I stepped into kingdom life and served those around me. I look forward to the day when my Savior looks at me and says, “Well done my good and faithful SERVANT.”

As we live into the greatness of the kingdom of Jesus, we want to be like him which means we serve those around us and recognize, others are more important than we are. Blessings on the journey.

Principles of Calling.

Most of us feel called to a certain career or work. We can feel called to date and then marry a certain person. We can also feel called to a specific philanthropic work. While there is no doubt each of us have specific areas where we are talented and perform well, God has called us to some things even higher.

You see, you have been called to salvation in Christ Jesus. God ultimately wants every single person to be in a relationship with him. Just read John 3:16-17 to discover that. Through Jesus, God’s son, there was a bridge built so that God and we could have a relationship.

You have also been called to sanctification. That’s a second semester word that simply means “set apart” or “holy unto God”. Paul tells us in Romans 12 that we, as followers of Jesus, are not be conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our mind. In other words, we have been set apart to live differently than the world around us. Our lifestyle is called to be holy…to look more like Jesus every day.

And you have been called to serve. As we imitate Jesus, we realize whether it was his Father or the people he interacted with daily, Jesus served. Paul says in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, do it for Jesus…” And we don’t have to have it all together to do this. God actually calls those who are imperfect and untrained (see 1 Corinthians 1:26). God doesn’t call the prepared, he prepares the called.

However, when you answer God’s call for you life, know there will be a cost. When you say “yes” to Jesus, there is a price to pay. Many of you have discovered this. You are the only Christian in your work place. As you try to live for Jesus, you get criticized and experience isolation. As you represent Jesus in the PTA or the neighborhood watch group, you get called crazy for wanting to look like Jesus.

I have also noticed in my own life, God will often use your deepest pain for your greatest calling. I’ve realized that over the last 10 years. I have some personal pain in my life and I have found God wants to publicly use that to point other’s to him.

But even so, I realize that your calling will sustain you. It carries you forward in your story and the story of God. Look at Paul. He endured so much for Jesus’ cause. How did he stay passionate and moving forward? It was not because he was competent but because he was called. In Philippians 4, Paul says “He presses on for the heavenly prize…” And we should as well. Our goal is to lift the Name of Jesus and move forward knowing we will get to live with our Creator forever.

So don’t let the world talk you out of your calling. Don’t let them hinder your giftedness. God offers you salvation. He calls you to a transformed life. He wants you to serve this world through His story. Blessings on your journey.

Time for lavish living is now!

When you’re young and in junior high, you are searching for yourself and ways to fit in, be cool, grow up. I lived in Glenwood, AR in the 7-8th grades and I was searching for myself. About 3 years ahead of me at church was a guy named Doug and he seemed way cool. He had long hair, drove a cool car, seemed to know what he wanted in life. I wanted to imitate him, hang out with him, be him. I’m certain he had many flaws (which I did not see) but one he had I began to imitate. He cracked his fingers. So I began doing that because I thought it was cool. Now, I’m 51 and I still crack my fingers all the time. I wished I had set me sights on loftier things to emulate.

It makes me think about our goals for what we want to emulate. What is it that we truly desire? Who do we want to look like? What habits are we latching on to that will help move us toward where we’d rather be?

It’s time. It’s time we lived in a way that screams “we love Jesus”. It’s time to live lavishly so the world will take notice. It’s time to literally live in a state of worship to God everyday of our lives, not just on Sunday. Paul says in Romans 12:1-2, “…give yourselves to God because of ALL he has done for you…YOU be a living sacrifice for him.” Paul is calling us to imitate Jesus with our very lives. We realize to do that, we’ll need to worship him every day of the week, not just on Sunday mornings. So, how can we worship every day?

Well first, we must submit our schedules to him. Give him time, which includes coming together as God’s people on Sunday. But you and I must also commit to daily prayer and reading God’s Word if we are going to discover how we are called to live in this world and know how to imitate Jesus from Nazareth.

Too many do not submit their calendar to God and pay the price of shallow follow-ship. We all want to be followers of the risen King not just traveling with him. Find a rhythm in your daily journey to be in prayer and be in God’s Word, the blueprint for how we are called to live.

Secondly, we are to use our gifts, our talent to serve other people. The Holy Spirit has gifted us with at least one talent. Some of us have multiple talents. But whether great or small, use what you’ve been given for God’s glory every single day. Let your light shine for him. We must become less so that he becomes more. Find a way to serve in ministry at your local church, in your community or at your workplace. Worship Jesus with your servant heart.

Lastly, use your resources to spread the story of what Jesus has done for all of us. If you’re not giving to your local church, then you’re not submitting to the leadership of the church you are a part of. Our call as people who follow Jesus is to share in multiple ways the story of God and how much He loves this world he created. It’s a scary thing to give up something you’ve worked so hard for but doing so will remind you that you trust God to provide for your needs while you are helping someone else discover that Jesus cares for them just like he cares for you.

You see, worship is more than a Sunday morning event. It’s something we do Every. Single. Day. Worship will cost you something. It may cost you time, the use of your giftedness, or your resources. But that’s our call as people who follow a risen Savior. Every day, live lavishly as you sing your praises for what God has done for you by the way you live your life! Blessings on the journey.

Open the gift!

There was one Christmas when I was young and lived in Tennessee that was the most awesome. I came into the living room on Christmas morning to discover I had received so many great gifts from Santa. But one was a full sized GI Joe. He could hang on to a zip line and travel across the room. There were many other gifts but I remember that one most.

You know, there are some gifts that seem intangible…not right in front of you and obvious. Some gifts are actually with you. Sometimes we don’t even know it.

We all have been gifted by the Holy Spirit. However, sometimes, we fail to open and use the gift we’ve received. As a follower of Jesus Christ, we are called to use our giftedness for his glory and story and not keep our gift wrapped.

Paul says to the church in Corinth, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts…a spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 7). Paul goes on to list some of those gifts which include teaching, leading, helping others, healing, speaking different languages. These gifts are for building up the church and those around us according to Ephesians 4.

So, do a self inventory. What are you passionate about? How could that give glory to God? In what ways would your gift or passion help those around you? It’s time to be brave and courageous. It’s time to sit down, unwrap the gift, and start using it in your life and the lives of others. Don’t hold back. Jesus will give you the courage and ability to use what he’s given you.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:16, “Jesus makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” May God continue to bless you on your journey. Grace and peace.

Oh the Single Life!

It’s been decades since I was a single man. I look around and cringe at the dating scene today in our culture. I feel like I would resign myself to be a bachelor. It seems a little scary.

I also know the church and our families don’t make if easy to be single. Most of our ministries in our churches focus on families or couples. We don’t plan well to include single members of Christ’s body. Even with our parents and grands, we get a lot of pressure to find Mr. or Mrs. Right and tie the knot. After all, the Bible is clear early on (Genesis 3) that the two will become one.

But, have we (the church) missed one of the gifts of the Spirit in singleness? When one reads Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 7:7, he reminds the reader he is single, not married. The very next sentence talks about the gifts of the Spirit and we should use them to God’s glory. So if being single is a gift, the church and our families should treat it like a gift. Here are a few ideas I take away from 1 Corinthians 7 as I read about following Jesus whether married or single.

Pursue Jesus. Whatever you do, however you’ve chosen life at this stage, pursue Jesus. Maybe you are married. Together, live for Jesus. Perhaps you find yourself in a single state right now. Maybe that singleness is because you’ve chosen that path; maybe you’re dating; maybe you’ve gone through a divorce; maybe you have lost your mate to death. Paul says, pursue Jesus the Christ with everything you have. Heart and soul, love Jesus.

Paul reminds those who are single to stay sexually pure. Strive to set the example in purity for those around you. Run from sexual temptation. The world is pushing you to experiment sexually outside the covenant of marriage. Paul reminds us to stay disciplined…keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t conform to the world and it’s thinking but be transformed by a disciplined mind.

Finally, pray for patience. Pray that God will give you wisdom and discernment in your relationships to better know what His will is for you. Pray that you’ll patiently follow Jesus and live in such a way as to be a light on the hill for your friends, family, work place and neighborhood.

Paul says when you’re single, you can focus totally on Jesus and building up his kingdom here on earth. So, for those of us that are married, encourage those who are single. Ask them to lunch and dinner. Invite them into ministry with you. Challenge them to live for Jesus. Be a person they can depend on and look to for guidance and wisdom. Everyone is welcomed at God’s table. Let’s actively engage everyone in kingdom family work. Blessings on your journey.