Pastor Curt’s weekly thoughts on God, The Rock Church, and our faith.
Context is everything. Why we do things, believe things, and love things is largely based on context. For example, I love the ocean. I love looking at it, swimming in it, surfing it, and enjoying all the sea life in it. But in the context of being lost at sea for weeks, I don’t think my love for the ocean would be the same. In fact, it could be my enemy. Context in the Christian life is similar.
“Our failures do not define us…” True or False? Most would immediately say false! And I believe that to be the correct answer. But our answer depends a lot on how we move forward from failure. If we answer false, but never deal with our failure in a way that we truly get over it, then our answer is in word only. With all my heart I believe we can move on from our failures and truly get over them. The solution has everything to do with trusting God’s work in us and God’s opinion of us.
I’m pretty tired of politics. I understand the need to be engaged. I’ve been passionate about some issues. I felt patriotic yesterday watching the inauguration. But I’m tired. I’m tired of the infighting. I’m tired of the hypocrisy. I’m tired of the media’s stronghold on our emotions. I believe it is time for sober reflection, possible reformation, and some intentional resting in God.
It is tempting to fall into pessimism and despair. There is much to lament over due to COVID, politics, world events, and personal struggles. In one sense, pessimism can be good when we acknowledge the realities of living in a broken/fallen world. It makes us honest. And, at our best, it drives us to Jesus. But, at our worst, pessimism can drive us to despair, anxiety, and depression. We must cry out to God to take us to a better place.
The start of 2021 has been rough. There is a temptation when we feel down, depressed, and/or discouraged over life’s circumstances and events to do something to make us feel up, happy, and/or encouraged. Often it takes the form of “treat yourself!” Comfort food. Binge watch. Retail therapy. Favorite cocktail. We can also do things that are genuinely healthy. Exercise. Watching the sunset. Talking with loved ones. Planning something fun. Serving others. But there is an often overlooked thing to be done crucial for our mental health…
Do you ever get tasked with a chore that causes you to ask, “What’s the point?” Of course all of us has. Sometimes we do things over and over again where there is a point, but we forget what it is. Every year we make a big deal over Christmas (and we should!), but we can lose sight of the point of Christmas. This Sunday I want to ask the question, “What is the point of Christmas?” Not in a cynical, nihilistic way. But in a genuine reminder of why Christmas is important to all of us.
We live a complicated existence. On the one hand, we desperately want to be independent and handle life’s challenges without help. There is a cultural value that says, “I’m strong and can do it on my own!” On the other hand, we feel lonely and longing for help. We can feel like the struggles and pain of life overwhelm us. How can we reconcile the two? The simple answer is we can’t. Something has to give.
“The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.” This quote is both silly and true at the same time. But it makes us think. It makes us think particularly about church membership. Are we involved in church? We show up, receive, give when it is convenient, and look out for self above others. Or are committed to church? We have a mindset of giving, service, responsibility, others-minded attendance, and being an example to others by our faith.
May your Thanksgiving be filled with genuine thanks to our faithful God!
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1
Imitation is a crucial element of one’s faith. Jesus called us to imitate him; “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34) Paul even called early believers to imitate him; “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) We need people to look to as examples of the faith. Observation, learning, and imitation are essential elements of discipleship for any individual. Churches also need examples to imitate.
Change can be hard. Change is also inevitable. It seems like many things are changing extremely quickly in our modern world. Technology changes rapidly. Presidents come and go. Fashions change. Even people change. Kids get older. We get older! Change can be overwhelming. But in the midst of all of the changes in life, God is with us. And God is consistent. God never changes. God is our Rock.
In_clu_sion - noun - “the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups.”
We live in a era where people are grappling with the concept of inclusion. What does it mean? How far should it go? Is it meant for me? These are actually questions that span all eras of human history. God has been teaching the human race how to include others throughout history. One major point of inclusion comes in the book of Acts. Are Gentiles to be included in the early church? Or was Christianity a Jewish thing?
In_clu_sion - noun - “the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups.”
We live in a era where people are grappling with the concept of inclusion. What does it mean? How far should it go? Is it meant for me? These are actually questions that span all eras of human history. God has been teaching the human race how to include others throughout history. One major point of inclusion comes in the book of Acts. Are Gentiles to be included in the early church? Or was Christianity a Jewish thing?
Eating clean is a modern desire to eat foods that are natural, unrefined and unprocessed. The goal is to be heathy and natural. People put a lot of thought and energy into getting back to what once was the only way to eat! The Bible has its own form of clean eating. In the Old Testament clean eating meant obeying the dietary guidelines set forth in Leviticus. It was not about health, but about loyalty to God as His separated people. In the New Testament, Jesus changed everything. Jesus declared all foods clean! (Mark 7:19) Then God showed Peter a vision in Acts 10 emphasizing that all foods are clean! Why the change?
Change is hard. It is never impossible with God’s help, but hard. Usually change and growth in our lives include gaining knowledge, adjusting thinking, rearranging lifestyle choices, and trusting God to take control of our lives. If this sounds easy, you are in the minority! How can we prepare for this kind of change in our lives?
The presidential election is less than 5 weeks away. We are flooded with articles, debates, social media posts, and personal conversations. Some say, “I love it! I’m all in for the excitement and drama.” Other say, “I’m done. I can't wait for this to be over.” Maybe you’ve said both! It is easy to be swept away in the rhetoric no matter how you are interacting with politics right now. It is consuming. It is relentless. But there are some helpful principles in which the Christian is reminded of their responsibilities as believers:
Social Media is tricky. On the one hand, we see the destruction it brings with addictions, destruction of self-worth, and flat out meanness. On the other hand, social media can be used for the good in shedding light on issues that need to be brought to light, helping people in need, and getting Christian truth out to a broader audience that the local church. It is time for The Rock to wholeheartedly enter into the social media world for God’s glory, to help communicate as a church, and to spread God’s love to more people. Here are some specific action items for ALL of us:
One of my favorite emojis is the “mind-blown” face. It expresses how we feel in an expressive and accurate way! If Saul (the Apostle Paul) had emojis in Acts 9:1-19, this is the one he would have used (trust me - I’ve studied this one). His life was flipped upside-down. What he once thought was absolute, rock-solid truth - that Jesus and his followers were imposters - was in an instant proven false. In fact, what Saul dedicated his life to eliminating (The Christian Faith) was now his only option to follow! Mind-Blown!!!
Who do you think of if someone were to ask you, “Who is the greatest example of evangelism in history?” Maybe Billy Graham. Or someone from the Bible like Paul, Peter, or John - the big three. Those would be great examples! This Sunday our Acts passage focuses on one of the greatest evangelists ever - Philip. He would not be on most of our short lists, but his role in Acts is huge for evangelism. In fact, his nickname is “Philip the Evangelist.” (Acts 21:8) Philip is one of the great heroes of evangelism - or as Acts calls it, witness.
Everyone misses pre-pandemic activities. Family gatherings. Dinner out with friends. Concerts. Ball games. One of the things I miss is loving our neighbors through service. I miss Family Promise. I miss Homes of Hope. I look forward to serving together in these activities again. We do have a new opportunity to serve our neighbors in a tangible way. The Los Angeles Food Bank is distributing food to 8,000 families this coming Wednesday, Sept. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Lori and I are going. I pray some of you will be able to join us.
