“Looking in retrospect on my years at Bible college, I see that, despite all the devotional intimacies, Jesus grew remote from me there. He became an object of scrutiny.”
From: The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey 📚
This is, I think, one of the great struggles for not only people at Bible college or seminary, but also much of Protestant evangelicalism. Evangelicalism is buried in information. Jesus, for many, has become “an object of scrutiny.”
When we lose the relational connection to the divine we have lost the very core of what it is to follow Christ. To be learner of Christ is to grow in Christ’s character and competency. These can’t be learned when Christ is nothing more than an “object of scrutiny.”
If you’re into sermons, you can check out my sermon from this morning.
New social plan:
Micro Blog for hosting and creating content (I’m likely upgrading to premium to take advantage of the ability to podcast and post video). This is good as it auto cross posts and easily cross posts to multiple platforms.
Mastodon for consuming content and interacting.
Wordle 974 3/6*
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I love getting 3s! It means that the #OldGal likely can’t win. Let’s see how the rest of thef team #YoungPup fairs as we await her report.
Good morning! May you connect deeply with people who genuinely care about you today. #MorningMug #MorningBlessing
I was reminded yesterday that you don’t have to put yourself on a pedestal. If you do the right thing consistently and you are fully present then people will know you’re the one to call when needed.
Monday, I am going to start sharing quotes and my reflections from this book…
Currently reading: The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey 📚
This Michigan/Michigan State game is way closer than I anticipated. 🏀
Today’s was a disappointing result at St James Park. But a point is a point. Regroup and on to the next! #NUFC ⚽️
Glad to see Newcastle get things turned around the last fifteen minutes of the first half. I feel like they’re going to pull away in the second with a couple quick goals. ⚽️ #NEWBOU // #NUFC
Newcastle is getting it taken to them by Bournemouth at the moment. It’s been a terrible first 30 minutes. ⚽️ #NEWBOU
Why Them?
Psalm 25:1-10; Psalm 32; Matthew 9:2-13
Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and misfits?”
This story about what happened after the calling of Matthew resonates so deeply with me. I just love everything about it. First, the fact that Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to join him as a disciple makes me smile. Tax Collectors were (and are) some of the most despised people in Palestine. He was considered a traitor to his people. Matthew was probably skimming and probably taxing the people a bit more than he ought to line his own pockets. Matthew was not a guy that anyone in Jesus' merry band would have chosen to associate with.
But, then it gets better.
Matthew throws Jesus a party and all kinds of disreputable characters show up. The Pharisees are nearly apoplectic.
Over the course of my years in ministry I have found myself associating less and less with church people. I find myself standing on the outside looking in at Christian subculture. My people are the ones at the pubs and cafes.
It’s pretty funny to receive the scorn of the modern day Pharisees.
I imagine Jesus just smirking and shaking his head as he responded to their critique, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”
Too many of us are way too worried about being “above reproach” and not worried enough about loving well.
It’s just too easy to get focused on coddling insiders than it is to invite outsiders. For pastors, in particular, the insiders are our “customers.” We forget that our primary responsibility is not to the 99 but to the 1. What’s just as sad is that the 99 forget that they were at one time the 1.
This morning I’m pondering the reality that as a pastor I have this dual calling. The call to care for the insiders and those on the outside. How do I orient myself to this dual calling? How do I consistently hold a posture of loving well?
#Wordle 973 4/6*
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The #OldGal has yet to report in. Honeslty, happy with this 4. This is a weird word! I am happy to see at least one of the #YoungPups with a 3!
Good morning! May you do something today that brings you joy. #MorningMug #MorningBlessing
High school hoops! Go Splitters!
We are heading out to our first high school basketball game of the season tonight. It’s weird that we haven’t been yet.
What is also weird is that college baseball starts this weekend.
This majestic crane was just hanging out on the pier. The crane had no cares in the world. 📷
Today has felt like the omelette and the egg thing.
If you are in the Mastodon ecosystem please follow me at @dan@danielmrose.com
I will not be migrating again. Thanks for your patience!
Hey hey! For those in the Mastodon ecosystem one last username change for me…
Please follow along at @dan@danielmrose.com
I promiseise to not Juan you!
One final fediverse username change for those on Mastodon/Sharkey/Friendica/Diaspora/Pixelfed please follow me at @dan@danielmrose.com
Thanks!
Rejoice and Endure
Psalm 25:1-10; Daniel 9:15-25a; 2 Timothy 4:1-5
But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.
Every time I read this little passage from 2 Timothy 4 and Paul’s charge to his protege, I am reminded that there are always two kinds of times. There are good times and there are bad times.
I too often forget that reality.
I tend to be a bit of an optimist and assume that good times are the standard. I have friends who are a bit more on the pessimistic side of the coin and they assume that bad times are the standard. But, the reality is somewhere in between, both good and bad times. We should expect both.
Beyond that, I need to recognize that in anything, good or bad, that it is never all good or all bad. No, the good and the bad are intermingled together. Often times we cannot pull them apart. An honest assessment of any situation is the both/and not the either/or.
As I continue to grow and mature I find that understanding that in any situation there are both good and bad to it, I am able to find contentment.
Paul is famous for saying that he has learned to be content in any situation. I am beginning to believe that contentment is rooted in his understanding that good and bad are intertwined. In other words he expects to experience both. When the good comes, he rejoices. When the bad comes he is not surprised but is able to endure.
I think enduring the bad is able to be done because we are confident that the good is coming.
One of my favorite bands, The String Cheese Incident have a song called “Good Times Are Around The Bend”. It’s a joyful reminder that though we may face something hard, there will be good at some point.
Life is not dualistic. It’s a constant continuum. It’s not either/or but both/and. Not good or bad. But, good and bad inseparably mixed together so that we may rejoice and endure.
Good morning! May you know the joy that comes from a job well done today. #MorningBlessings #MorningMug
#Wordle 972 3/6*
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The #OldGal got a 3 today in our return to the frozen tundra. So a solid tie. Perhaps a #YoungPup scored a 2?
One Who Receives Grace
Psalm 25:1-10; Daniel 9:1-14; 1 John 1:3-10
I love that passage from 1 John that almost feels contradictory.
On the one hand, if we claim to be in the light but still bounce around in darkness we are liars. One the other hand, if we claim to be without sin then we are also liars.
It almost seems hopeless, doesn't it?
How can someone be in the light and still be struggling with sin? Aren't we supposed to be perfect and holy? Aren't we supposed to be free from the darkness?
This to me is the beauty of the Way of Christ. There is a standard that we are called to, a standard of holiness in the light. Yet, there is a reality that we will not be perfect and we will struggle with things. The Way of Christ simply says, “Own it. Embrace the reality that you need grace, forgiveness, and mercy.”
To be in the light is not to be perfect. To be in the light is to be honest. To live with integrity. To be one who acknowledges one's own imperfection.
To be one who receives grace.
What an overwhelming thought! To be in the way of Christ is to be one who receives grace. To be in the way of Christ is not to be perfect, it is not to have it all together, it is recognize that I don't have it all together and nobody else does either.
So, grace abounds!
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