Gigantic Joy!

The word for this week of Advent is "joy". This word has stuck with me as I have journeyed through this week. The word "joy" is found all through out scripture but what is it? GK Chesterton said in his book Orthodoxy that "joy" is the gigantic secret of the Christian. "Joy" when it is used in scripture is always a reminder that it comes as the result of faith and obedience. It isn't an instantaneous sing a couple of hallelujahs and lets have some joy. No joy is deep seated in the Christian narrative. It is burrowed in the story of patience and hope in the midst of trials. The Christmas consumerist experience is a microcosm of our cultural issues. We are all bent on instantaneous gratification. I am going to get what I want and when I want it. And nothing beats the fruition of our labor when we get what we want. It is kind of disgusting when we get to the bottom of it.

Our seeking of instantaneous gratification is slowly killing our souls. We get angry when life doesn't come out the way we think it ought. 

Yet the joy of a Christian isn't one that expects instant gratification. The Christian narrative is one that doesn't gloss over the reality that life is messy. The Christian narrative reminds us that we live in the "here and now" of perpetual "not yets." There are moments of immense happiness (you got a job, you got some good grades, your girlfriend thinks your cute) and really low and sad moments (your parent dies suddenly, you get in a fight with your parents, you got an F on your progress report, your girlfriend doesn't like you anymore or no longer thinks your cute...). The Christian narrative expects these realities. But that isn't the only expectation. We recognize that in the midst of trials that Christ is coming. And we can have "joy." A trial is no obstacle for joy. It is only a means by which we come to experience the joy of belonging to Christ in his fullness. We need to be reminded often of this truth because it is so easy to be sucked back in to our cultural narrative. I feel horrible today... I will order a new iphone. Or get my mom to buy it.

My hope for you is that you would pause during this time of go, go, go and center yourself. Take time to pray and be patient. Take time to pray for your family and friends. Take time to be grateful. Take time to read scripture. 

And maybe along our journey we will continue to experience this secret of joy. Lets take our next right step towards Jesus. 

"Come thou long expected Jesus..." 

{ADVENT}URE and Christmas Party Photos

We finished our {ADVENT}URE  study last night at the Christmas Party. Scripture says, "God's spirit beckons there are things to do and places to go! This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid grave-tending life. It's ADVENTUROUSLY EXPECTANT  greeting God with a childlike "What's Next Papa?"

The Christian life should be one of adventure. Adventure is defined as an "exciting and unusual experience, typically hazardous experience." Adventure is what makes good stories great.

The stories we read of Mary and Joseph is an adventurous and scandalous one. The idea of "Jesus' birth" wasn't a very welcomed one at first for Mary and Joseph. Mary when she first heard of this unusual idea that God was up to was "troubled". And Joseph when he heard wanted to get rid of Mary by divorcing her. How would it look for Mary to be pregnant, unmarried, and a virgin? Her image is at stake. And even more Mary seeing to be with child out of wedlock could be a death sentence. This story has hazard written all over it.

But the story we read in scripture doesn't end with scandal but instead in a glorious resurrection. Christ came in the midst of their messy world. Folks often times believe that they have to get their "act together" before they come to Jesus. Jesus meets us best in the midst of our messy life.

The challenge for many of us is how we choose to handle our messiness. Joseph's original plan with the whole birth situation was giving up and absolving himself of the situation. A friend hurts you so you disown that friend. You make a bad play in a sport so you never play again. Giving up is probably our number one go to with how to deal with problems.

Yet giving up doesn't tell a very warming story. we choose to pray instead of giving up when life gets messy. We choose to dive deeper into scripture and the community of faith. And I know this might seem like the Christian thing to say. But if we read scripture and begin to do what it says a great story arises. And character develops.

I see this story of Adventure playing out with our youth. They wanted to serve more locally so they took on the leadership of helping those in need. It is recognizing that our world is a mess but I am going to be apart of Christ' work coming in to the world. That is a better story. That is the story Christians are to tell. And that is the story we usher in expectation each Advent season. Christ is coming.

So... Merry Christmas! And here are the pictures...  from the party. Enjoy.

Youth serving this past Saturday! 

{ADVENT}URE

The word "Advent" means come. As Christians we believe that Christ has come and that Christ will come again. We live in a perpetual state of expectancy. We all go through moments in our lives where it is hard to grasp on to the reality that Christ is coming. A barren land if you will.

A few weeks ago at Elevate we talked about  that life is adventurous. This word adventurous means an exciting and unusual experience that can be typically hazardous. Life is filled with all sorts of experiences that can go in to the unusual and exciting category. The story of Mary and Joseph wasn't the romanticized version that we portray in our manger scenes. But instead it was quite messy. Mary was 14 years old when she has this encounter with God. And her first response isn't excitement but instead she is "troubled." Mary at the time was engaged to be married to Joseph and being found with child could only mean one thing... she cheated. And this act in itself was punishable by death.

Mary was taking a huge risk. Instead of walking away and being afraid she embraced this calling. She understood what God was doing was worth the risk. What a beautiful story that Christ comes in the midst of our mess! Mary told such a beautiful story with her life. Now what kind of story do we tell with our lives?

This week we will dive deeper in to the story of Joseph. Joseph had a hard time with Mary's calling. How does Joseph explain to all his friends that his future wife is pregnant? Would they buy such a story? Do you buy such a story? So he planned to privately divorce her. Joseph was not prepared.  Football players "prepare" for a game. Cooks "prepare" for a meal. Preachers "prepare" their sermons. Preparation is important in our lives. And as Christians we prepare. Our world is messy. And we are not exempt from it's messiness. But the question is what we do with this messiness. What do we do when we get bad grades? Give up? Or do we keep striving. Reading scripture, praying, serving others develop character in a Christian. So the Adventure continues...