Fight?

Few things anger me. I am annoyed intensely by a lot of things; things such as the Lakers, bad beer or coffee, Terrel Owens, Mary Murphy, use of the NON-word "irregardless", and USC; just to name a few from my very long list of intensely annoying things.

I am not an angry person as there really are only a few things which anger me. I can only think of a few right now. Poverty, oppression, unloving Christians and their 'evangelism', and maybe the Lakers!

Poverty and oppression are growing more and more rampant in our world and country, especially in a world with things like dying economies, human trafficking, and a cultural battle between the church and LGBT communities in which each side sees the other as sub-human, or at least treats each other as such.

I see these very few things becoming more and more prevalent in our world and our country, and I wonder what I am to do.

Psalm 82:3-4 says, "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

I read those things and I prayed this morning, (in a fashion I do most mornings, afternoons, and evenings), "God, show me how to love you and love people." I am learning to trust that God will show me how to love more if I desire it from him.

To serve the poor, I am trying to sacrifice all I have. I am beginning the 7th month of a commitment not to purchase any of my clothes first hand unless I KNOW where and how those clothes were made. I make those sorts of decisions and then read 1 Cor. 13:3.

"If I give all I possess to the poor...but have not love, I gain nothing."

I make as many decisions as I can to be one who serves and fights for what is right, but then I read that and wonder if all is for not if I have not truly done it with great love. Do I do these things for the fight or for the love?

An old grandmother once said, "No one ever wins a fight." I think that is what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 5, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute." This is not pacifism! Just before he said that, Jesus said, "Do not resist an evil person."

When we are angered by things, we want to fight. Jesus tells us to love and pray and be moved with compassion to act, but he never told us to fight.

We fight for things like "honor", but sometimes I wonder if our "honor" is sometimes really pride, fear, or hate that we have called honor.

No one ever wins a fight; but love conquers all.

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LISTENING TO: "9" by Damien Rice and "Sounds Like This" by Eric Hutchinson

The only people for me...

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars."

- Jack Kerouac

Refreshing...

After speaking from Matthew 6 about worry last Sunday, a newer student came up to me and said,

"I like what you had to say tonight. That's totally where I am right now; you know, with all the worry bullshit?"

How many pastors realize how refreshing it was to hear that?

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LISTENING TO: "Absolutes" by Barcelona

Evangelism:

When asked what evangelism is, two Compassion International field staff members said this:

"The true way to evangelize someone is simply to act in a way that causes them to ask, 'Why do you care?' This is what we do."

Simple. Brilliant.

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LISTENING TO: "Mean Everything to Nothing" by Manchester Orchestra

Network vs Neighborhoods: Part 2

Starbucks was created with the intention of becoming "the third place". This is a term made common by many sociologist circles, which says people commonly exist at home and work, and we all need a third place where we escape and socialize for socialization's sake. A place where we have more informal public existence! Most non-American cultures have some third place as a common staple to their culture.

There are a variety of reasons these third places are so attractive and beneficial. One of which is their ability to equalize, to level, to bring together those who would not normally do so.

This speaks to a tendency our culture does have toward networks rather than neighborhoods. Neighborhoods are increasingly exclusive, and on a very small level networks have the potential not to be so exclusive.

Of course, by "network", I mean those realms and places we exist most outside of home and work (coffee shops, bars, cafes, etc.)...these are our "third places". Some of these places (far from all) are places exempt of pretense and comparisons. They are havens from the divisions we place on ourselves outside of them.

At this moment, I am at my coffee shop and I see a doctor working next to a dirty hipster, who is next to a man with ragged clothes and an unkempt beard. Its like a living timeline of American success or importance on one couch. This is the allure of our networks.

If even for a matter of moments, status is put on hold and comparisons at an impasse.

For those literate to Christian lingo, this is fellowship.

These networks are where the mighty descend and the lowly rise. That leveled-out place is a stress killer for everyone.

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LISTENING TO: "The End Is Not The End" by House of Heroes

New Sermon Audio

A few weeks ago, we closed out the "DISTORTION" series at FUSION. The audio of that series is not up on our website if you are interested in hearing any of those.

You can find that audio HERE

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LISTENING TO: "Gone Fishing" by The Cool Kids

City Council prayer (w/out "Jesus")

Almighty God, our Father,

Tonight, we thank you for being the God you are. You are bigger, wiser, and far more merciful than we are. Your love and compassion are far beyond our own, and for that reason, we can only aspire to reflect You here and now.

We ask that you bless our city and community. We trust you; help us where we do not trust you. May we see the best way to love You and love people with our actions, our leadership, and our lives. Help us see the best way to serve and share in the common good that YOU intended and designed. May each citizen of our city see and recognize new ways to contribute to a healthy and peaceful community.

Please give to the Council wisdom to lead with humility and to make integral decisions most people would not envy. Bless them with wisdom to lead our city with compassion, generosity, and integrity.

Tonight I ask that you meet us here and hear our prayer. I ask this in the name of One who has ruined me for the normal and comfortable, but changes my life for the better forever.

Amen

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