About the Sermon: Accepting Jesus as He Defines Himself

I absolutely adore my church. God has totally blessed my life with all of the people who have become my family at Shoreline. One of the things I have really enjoyed this semester is our women's Bible study, which meets on Monday nights to talk about the sermon from the day before. Between this and subscribing to our podcast (I love technology), I have been more consistant in carrying the message with me throughout the week.

So this week's sermon, via Brian Colmery, was quite a doosey (how do you spell that word??). We covered all of chapter 7 of the book of John, which is a lot of proverbial ground, making the sermon kind of thick. You can check it out on the website, although the end cuts out because of mic malfunction. One of the things I really appreciate and admire about Brian and Scott (our pastors) is that they are committed to teaching truth. So this week was awesome in that I learned a lot about what is really going on in the chapter. It's not some feel-good motivational speech, but actual truth, from the source. (Here a digression: I'm so over being spoon-fed a sermon. I want something that I have to chew. Maybe even some gristle here and there. As Christians, I think that we go to church for two primary functions: fellowship and teaching. We get to commune together as we also learn more about God. Now, I love a good faith, love, etc. talk every now and again, but why rely on funny stories and some random verses that are pulled out of context, when you could legitimately walk through the Bible (ie: the source). If I read the book of John on my own, there's no way I'd get as much out of it as I do on Sundays...because I don't know all the background, original text, etc. that would make it make sense. Yet at the same time, I've taken home Brian and Scott's messages each week this semester for some further mastication--having learned what the text says, I can work with God throughout the week to figure out how to make that truth a reality in the day-to-day) Ok--back to plain font. I was just finishing up my introduction about how fabulous Shoreline is, not because of anything we do, but out of the grace and blessing of the Lord (yeah, I've been listening to the sermons ;). Now on to my topic...

Brian intro-ed by talking about today's all-too-PC focus on identity: you know, all those cliche terms about "not putting on a mask," and accepting people for who they are. "No judgment." "Whatever works for you." The list goes on and on--and don't get me wrong, these aren't bad ideas--they are what they are...but just stay with me on this for a second...

Here Brian transitions (and beautifully I might add) from intro-anecdote to the main point. Like attention-getter-->bridge-->thesis in a by-the-book essay (sorry, I teach high school English). Throughout chapter 7, we see about 13 different responses to who Jesus is--all of which are people's assumptions or attempts to define Jesus on their own terms.

Here is where my mind, as it is infamous for, begins ticking--my logic follows that clearly the Pharisees and other stupid people living in Jesus day were not as mature, modern, and politically correct as we are today, since they failed to listen to Jesus define himself and take him as is. Just like the Israelites and Moses, it's easy for me to quickly condemn the Pharisees for their ignorant, close-minded behavior. Until I realize that I am EXACTLY like them, I tend to scoff at the nation who walks through a parted sea, then walks away from their Promised Land, thinking that the God who can part seas won't be powerful enough to drive out some 9-foot men. Yet this time I think I have a one-up on these just-like-us-today "back to the Bible" guys. Brian asks us, if Jesus were to come in today, would we accept him? In all likelihood, he'd be way outside our little box of what church people should be. Now this is where I start to get all gloaty about having the upper hand--I'm a theatre person. And as everyone knows, theatre people LOVE all that is weird, freakish, and odd. Now, the train of thought screeches to a halt. "But Meredith," says another of my inner voices, "You and I both know that people today are equally as crappy as back then, so there must be a catch." Indeed, that me is correct.

Lest you too should think that we're somehow cooler than the Pharisees for our open-mindedness, I shall explain. Granted, we probably would let Jesus define himself. We let everyone define themselves--but then we throw in this completely illogical catch: "whatever works for you...oh that's great...yes, that may be true for you, but..." I can be beautifully modern by accepting even the most vile people as they are...but I don't have to like them. Perhaps today we would let Jesus be Jesus, but that can't be where it stops. There are many people in my life who I accept exactly as they are...and then there are the people that I love for who they are.

Let Jesus be who he is...and love him for exactly that. His grace, his peace, his goodness, his power, his wrath. These must go hand in hand because accepting a person does not imply loving every quirk of their personality--their good qualities along with the flaws. While we are called to love despite the evil traits in others, we don't love those traits themselves. What's great is that with Jesus, there aren't any flaws, so we are able to love ALL of him.

On that note, see the next post...

Is it Possible That I Have Life All Figured Out...Or Has Optimism Devoured a Chunk of my Brain?

This is it. I think I finally hit on something here. I mean, I might be able to retire from the blogosphere due to the brilliance of what I am about to tell you.

Ok maybe not...but I did have another one of my episodes--an "epiphany" of sorts, which I put in quotes because these theories, thoughts, or whatever you want to call them strike me with momentary brilliance like some sort of epileptic seizure. (I'm pretty sure the scientific inaccuracy of that analogy completely disqualifies me from any claim to being politically correct; thus, I beg your forgiveness.)

So let's get to the root of all of this: I'm going to blameshift a bit via citing the sources that motivated my recent ponderings. First is Brian Colmery, 1/2 of the Shoreline Pastor Team and recently discovered master of the balance beam. In yesterday's sermon, the point he made that struck the deepest in me was the idea (which if you listen to his articulation of this concept will make much more sense) that we, humans, prefer to control our own lives as much as possible. Now if you really think about this, it's kind of a dumb idea because we aren't so much in charge of the universe, but we still try to direct our own story as much as possible. Hold this thought as we move to culprit number two: Chrissie Wanke. I call her into question since she heads up our Monday night Bible study. Really, the entire group might be to blame, but it was Chrissie that posed again to us the question Colmery asked from atop a makeshift gymnastics beam: what is it you worry about? What are you trying to control? Where aside from God do you seek security?

Huh...well my mind immediately goes to the two big daddy's: money and men (this really ought to read money and boys, but I felt like working the two M's bit, at the cost of suggesting actual maturity in the males I deal with) I listened to the sermon again this morning in order to prepare for what we might discuss tonight, and I really tried to think about where I seek security. I came to a roadblock. Money? Well...I seemed ok with everything this summer, even though things were a bit tight. But now that I'm a little more financially comfortable, I wonder if I seek security in this. Granted, this is coming from the girl who thinks it would be fun to pack my stuff in a storage unit come my August graduation and just be homeless for a little while because it would be cool to see God really give me this day my daily bread. Contemplating the irresponsibility involved and the fact that this might be testing God in the same way that Satan asks Jesus to jump off a building so the angels can catch him, I probably will not follow through. But I digress...money doesn't seem like a big deal to me because I know that I'll be able to figure things out if push comes to shove (and by "I" what I really mean is God working in me). If money runs out, I'll get a job. If I can't make rent, I'll live in a crappier apartment. This seems so simple to me because I know that if things start to get hard, God will either pull me through or teach me to readjust my means. Non-issue.

I explained this tonight to the girls. Then in classic Meredith fashion, I plowed into my next topic without filtering it through any sort of thought process. What came into my head then directly out of my mouth was this: I don't really think I struggle with trying to control the guy thing. And I don't know if that's because I've somewhere along the line genuinely learned to trust God for that or if I just finally realized that I never had control to begin with (girl's don't pursue, right?) so it was less about "giving it to God" and more about facing the facts. And is thinking about boys all the time the same thing as trying to control that area of my life?

The conversation moved on, but my mind kept working these things out. What do I really seek to control? Where do I find security? Earlier today at work I was teaching my students how to solve basic algebraic equations. I tried to explain that the concept itself was simple. Yes, they will eventually get to much more complicated problems that look harder and take more time, but the basic idea of solving for "x" will be the same every time. Remembering this after Bible study, I felt like I had stumbled upon the secret of life. What if all of this really is that simple. x + 4 = 7, therefore x = 3. I never have to stress because God has it figured out. I mean, isn't this really what Paul means when he says in Philippians not to be anxious about anything? In a way, life really is that simple. Even though it's not. A blanket statement like that obviously begs all sorts of questions: what is the difference between being anxious, cautious, apathetic, or hard working? How do you know where God is leading you in life? Can you trust emotions? And so on and so on.

So I started to break things down: first with money. God's provided in the past. I have never starved. I fully trust that some sort of paycheck or kind gift will get me through if I find myself in a bind. This one may actually be the easiest to dismiss.

Second, what do I want to be when I grow up? Apparently I'm supposed to grow up next August when I graduate from SC. However, what I've come to realize, which is now the "it" idea moving through campuses nationwide, is that it's ok not to have life figured out when you graduate. I can pick different types of careers and jobs--do one thing for a while and switch around as I feel God leading. Granted, I'll have bills to pay, but this goes back to point number one.

Now there's only one big issue that could trump all of these: boys. Anyone who's read five lines of anything I've written can tell that this may very well be the most vulnerable area of my life, and Satan's sweet spot when he wants to take me out of the game. I willingly admit, if I've got control issues, or any other issues for that matter, they probably factor in somehow to the way I view men. But even here, things seem kind of simple. Actually, I recently started a draft of a post that I had titled "Am I Really Still Looking?" where I discuss the simplicity of finding a husband. Literally. I'm working through the idea that I may have dating down to an art. There is a short list of men that I could name right now that I would marry on the spot if they asked me to meet them at the courthouse (provided I knew where it was). I even made myself an acronym to describe such a match, which also serves to prove my fluency in Christianese and all things cheesy: ChAP, which stands for character, attraction, and pursuit. The idea goes that when I find a man of genuine, Godly character (this of course requires some further definition which I won't get into now), who I am attracted to and compatible with, and who pursues a relationship with me, then I am ready to marry him. I know that this makes quite a few people either roll their eyes and pity my innocence or want to stone me for suggesting that it's so easy. And really, I understand that it's not. But maybe it is. I mean, I would eventually like to marry and have a family. I think many of my motivations may actually be pure in this: I want to be able to serve and love another person within the intimacy that only a husband and wife can share. I'd like to raise my children in a Godly, loving home. And I hope to minister to other women in many different life stages and know how God can uniquely minister to His people with my husband and I as a unit, instead of two individuals. Knowing this, knowing what it means to have Godly character, and knowing (though this may be where my process is least evolved) when I am attracted to someone, it seems that taking the leap into a marriage isn't so scary. The thing is--and this is where everything ties together--you learn as you go. Follow God. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things will be added unto you...just like the verse, just like the song. I already know that marriage will have ups and downs, and some really difficult downs at that, but I also know that it is a commitment I want to make when I find someone worth making that commitment to (and believe me, if you had any idea the kinds of men on my list, you wouldn't worry about me jumping into things too fast). In marriage, you commit to another person what is also a commitment to God, and if you follow Him, He provides security. In jobs and money, you follow God, and He provides security. Follow God, get security. Done and done.

Now, in light of this intensive rant, I almost feel the need to add a paragraph in which I confess all of my deep, dirty sins, lest any of my readers be tempted to think that I am somehow SuperChristianGirl. I have for sure got plenty of yuck in my life. And I can very clearly attest to the fact that life isn't simple when you break it down. I'm still learning all of this, and trying to remember who God is, compared to me, so that my pride won't explode out of control. There's lots of question-begging that I'm sure will fill pages and pages of blog posts in the years to come, and I know I'll probably do all sorts of stupid things that completely contradict what I've written. I'll likely go out with a few more schmucks before I get married and have a break-down over financial issues. This is why I like the Shoreline Women's mantra: the pursuit of progress, not perfection. Yet, I actually find some comfort in knowing that the big picture isn't so complicated after all, especially if you are God and your thinking far surpasses that of any human.

I think God finds my blog kind of funny.