The Light of Christmas

One of my favorite things this time of year is the lights: Christmas lights. Maybe it’s because it gets dark so early now. Maybe it’s because I don’t generally like things dark. But I do enjoy sitting with no lights on in the house but the Christmas tree lights on. I like driving through Foundation Park and looking for Wanda. I like seeing the light poles adorned with twinkling lights. With the most hectic schedule I eagerly anticipate the candlelight singing of “Silent Night” in the church lit only by candles. Perhaps I like the lights so much because they are a reminder of Jesus, the Light of the world.

The prophet Isaiah says that “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” (Is. 9:2). When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, St. John writes that He is the “True Light coming into the world. The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.” (John 1:5). Later, Jesus says of Himself, “I AM the Light of the World.” (John 8:12). Jesus is light: dispelling darkness, making things bright, even brighter than Christmas tree lights. Brighter than Rudolph’s nose. A Light so bright it destroys the shadows and darkness even of hopelessness, despair and death.

If we are honest we must admit we live in a pretty dark world at times. It’s dark with evil, however you define evil. We live in a world dark with sadness, suffering and sickness. We live in a world dark with despair. Some people are so hurting that they see nothing but darkness all around them. A darkness they so much want to fall into and maybe, seeing no hope, will try to plunge themselves into. We live in a world glaring with the harsh lights of a holiday that few understand. Outwardly, the world cranks up the wattage until it can match the Griswold’s house from “Christmas Vacation” while inwardly it is dying of sadness and gloom with bah-humbuggery and disgust at the whole thing.

Let us remember that into that darkness, angels appeared over Bethlehem. Into that darkness, the Word-made-flesh shows His face from a manger. Into that darkness, the Father places a star to guide magi. Into that darkness Jesus walks, head on. To shine the light of Himself to send our fears and hopelessness scurrying, retreating, fading, and wiping out shadows.

Jesus lights into your darkness too. Whatever that darkness may be: despair, doubts and unbelief. Just when it seems too much to take: families falling apart, death stealing our friends, hurt and sorrow around us. The great emptiness of the world’s Christmas. Into all of it, the Light of Christ shines for you. It is here when the Light of the World begins to glow and radiate forgiveness. Peace, light with no shadows, these are the gifts of the Light of the World. Jesus is the Light of the World. His gifts bring Light to rescue us from every darkness there is.

Maybe that’s why I like Christmas lights. They remind me of Jesus. And whether they give you a sense of wonder and peace or not, whether the whole Christmas extravaganza is something you relish or could do without, know this: Wherever there is darkness, the Light of Christ shines. Nothing can put it out. For He shines to bring His Light to you that you may be forever comforted and never afraid of the dark.

Peace, Love, Joy and Hope:

Tommy 

Season of Thanksgiving

During the season of thanksgiving we will give thanks for things that have always been and things that have never been; we’ll give thanks for the past and the future; we’ll give thanks to God, who is always showering upon us reasons to be thankful: dinner at a new restaurant, seeing old friends, a niece’s wedding, and even getting my coats and winter clothes out of the closet. I have given thanks for each of these things in recent days, and each has been something new – a change from an earlier condition or a recent addition to the world at large.

Now, I don’t know about you, but for me giving thanks for new things or for things that have recently changed takes up most of gratitude time. The new things jump out at us. They vie for our attention. The things that have always been there remain in the background, quietly making our lives comfortable or joyful or meaningful. Because the things that have always been don’t call attention to themselves, we fail to give thanks to God for them as often as we should.

During this season of Thanksgiving, I invite you to think of something that you can’t remember doing without: it can be as basic as breath or your dog’s earnest affection. It can be the simple fact that you’ve always had clean clothes in your drawers or a hot meal on the table. Think of something you’ve never given thanks for because it has silently endured throughout your life, never calling attention to itself and never failing to make your life better. Give thanks to God for this something-that-has-always-been.

Now take a look at the opposite – thanking God for things that have never been. This type of gratitude is possibly even more difficult than the previous kind because it involves stepping into other people’s shoes in order to appreciate your gifts and blessings. When we stand in another’s shoes, we gain the capacity for perspective. Sometimes, it’s difficult to see things when you’re right up close to them and seeing them from the same angle you always do. To give thanks for something you’ve never had, you might need to view your life from that other perspective. Perhaps you’ll give thanks because diseases that have affected people all over the world for hundreds of years won’t affect you because you were inoculated as a baby. Perhaps you’ll give thanks because you’ve never known a time when your stomach was so empty for so long that you forgot how to be hungry. Perhaps you’ll give thanks because every time you slept outside in your life, you did so because you chose to – and you always had s’mores as the campfire died down.

I ask you to think of something you’ve never experienced, something you don’t want to experience because it is unhealthy or degrading or worse. Now thank God that this thing has never happened to you. But don’t stop there. Recognize that the thing-that-has-never-been always is happening somewhere in the world – maybe next door, or a few blocks away, or across an ocean. How can you help make that thing change from an always is to a never again? Sometimes, blessings are hidden within moments of our past that sure didn’t seem like blessings at the time. When we were living through those times, we never expected to give thanks for them one day. But what we forget is that God doesn’t comprehend our lives in the limited linear fashion that we do. God, I think, comprehends our lives as a whole – not as a series of events. We view our lives as though flipping through the pages of a magazine, one to the next. God sees our lives as collages, in which all the pages are pasted together.

I now invite you to give thanks for something in your past that didn’t seem like a cause for gratitude at the time. Reflect on how this event fits into the overarching narrative of your life. What did you learn from it? How did God support you as you went through it? What do you know now that God knew then?

When we take the long view of events in our pasts, we find the ability to thank God for difficult and challenging times that have led our lives in directions we never imagined. This sort of gratitude accomplishes more than simple thanks to God. By acknowledging that we have no idea how our lives are going to turn out, we practice humility in the face of the expansive unknown that we benignly call “future.”

Give thanks for the future. I invite you to give thanks for the vast expanse of possibility the future holds. This sort of thanksgiving is the birthplace of hope – which is the willing expectation that the boundaries of possibility are far wider than we perceive. So give thanks to God for possibility, for newness, for adventure. And then take a step with God into the untamed wilderness that is tomorrow, knowing all the while that God has already explored this jungle and will lead you through.

The next time you go to the table at your church to celebrate the Great Thanksgiving – better known by its Greek name “Eucharist” – I invite you to hold onto these things for which you have given thanks. As you receive the presence of Christ in the bread and wine, offer your thanksgivings back to God. And in the exchange, know that God is always and forever giving thanks for you. 
Peace, Love and Happiness:
Tommy 

Season of Thanksgiving

During the season of thanksgiving we will give thanks for things that have always been and things that have never been; we’ll give thanks for the past and the future; we’ll give thanks to God, who is always showering upon us reasons to be thankful: dinner at a new restaurant, seeing old friends, a niece’s wedding, and even getting my coats and winter clothes out of the closet. I have given thanks for each of these things in recent days, and each has been something new – a change from an earlier condition or a recent addition to the world at large.

Now, I don’t know about you, but for me giving thanks for new things or for things that have recently changed takes up most of gratitude time. The new things jump out at us. They vie for our attention. The things that have always been there remain in the background, quietly making our lives comfortable or joyful or meaningful. Because the things that have always been don’t call attention to themselves, we fail to give thanks to God for them as often as we should.

During this season of Thanksgiving, I invite you to think of something that you can’t remember doing without: it can be as basic as breath or your dog’s earnest affection. It can be the simple fact that you’ve always had clean clothes in your drawers or a hot meal on the table. Think of something you’ve never given thanks for because it has silently endured throughout your life, never calling attention to itself and never failing to make your life better. Give thanks to God for this something-that-has-always-been.

Now take a look at the opposite – thanking God for things that have never been. This type of gratitude is possibly even more difficult than the previous kind because it involves stepping into other people’s shoes in order to appreciate your gifts and blessings. When we stand in another’s shoes, we gain the capacity for perspective. Sometimes, it’s difficult to see things when you’re right up close to them and seeing them from the same angle you always do. To give thanks for something you’ve never had, you might need to view your life from that other perspective. Perhaps you’ll give thanks because diseases that have affected people all over the world for hundreds of years won’t affect you because you were inoculated as a baby. Perhaps you’ll give thanks because you’ve never known a time when your stomach was so empty for so long that you forgot how to be hungry. Perhaps you’ll give thanks because every time you slept outside in your life, you did so because you chose to – and you always had s’mores as the campfire died down.

I ask you to think of something you’ve never experienced, something you don’t want to experience because it is unhealthy or degrading or worse. Now thank God that this thing has never happened to you. But don’t stop there. Recognize that the thing-that-has-never-been always is happening somewhere in the world – maybe next door, or a few blocks away, or across an ocean. How can you help make that thing change from an always is to a never again? Sometimes, blessings are hidden within moments of our past that sure didn’t seem like blessings at the time. When we were living through those times, we never expected to give thanks for them one day. But what we forget is that God doesn’t comprehend our lives in the limited linear fashion that we do. God, I think, comprehends our lives as a whole – not as a series of events. We view our lives as though flipping through the pages of a magazine, one to the next. God sees our lives as collages, in which all the pages are pasted together.

I now invite you to give thanks for something in your past that didn’t seem like a cause for gratitude at the time. Reflect on how this event fits into the overarching narrative of your life. What did you learn from it? How did God support you as you went through it? What do you know now that God knew then?

When we take the long view of events in our pasts, we find the ability to thank God for difficult and challenging times that have led our lives in directions we never imagined. This sort of gratitude accomplishes more than simple thanks to God. By acknowledging that we have no idea how our lives are going to turn out, we practice humility in the face of the expansive unknown that we benignly call “future.”

Give thanks for the future. I invite you to give thanks for the vast expanse of possibility the future holds. This sort of thanksgiving is the birthplace of hope – which is the willing expectation that the boundaries of possibility are far wider than we perceive. So give thanks to God for possibility, for newness, for adventure. And then take a step with God into the untamed wilderness that is tomorrow, knowing all the while that God has already explored this jungle and will lead you through.

The next time you go to the table at your church to celebrate the Great Thanksgiving – better known by its Greek name “Eucharist” – I invite you to hold onto these things for which you have given thanks. As you receive the presence of Christ in the bread and wine, offer your thanksgivings back to God. And in the exchange, know that God is always and forever giving thanks for you. 
Peace, Love and Happiness:
Tommy 

Move Towards a Hot Mess

When faced with a hot mess that we have made or watched someone makes a big mess and wanted to walk away. We see a person who is a total hot mess and say “I don’t know where to start” so we just walk away. Maybe right now in your life or sometime in your life you had someone who was a hot mess that you wanted to walk away from. Someone who had made such a big mess of their life that you just wanted to walk the other way. You watched the decisions they were making, their actions, and you just wanted to walk or run away from their hot mess. That little voice inside of you was saying “Don’t ask questions. Don’t get involved.” Alarms inside of you are going off, and it was so messy that you just pretend you didn’t notice anything and you walk away. Jesus addressed this very topic. One day Jesus and some lawyers were having a discussing with about thirty or so others around. When asked Jesus relied to the lawyer what does the scripture say about that? The lawyer correctly quoted the Old Testament scripture of love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said, “You are exactly correct. Now go do that!” And as Jesus was leaving the lawyer looking for a loop whole said, “Well who exactly is my neighbor?” Jesus did what Jesus does best, rebuttal with a story or parable to make his point. It is one of the most famous parables we all know the Good Samaritan and it was applicable to the lawyer’s questions as well as to us today. The message in this parable is clear. We don’t have to think hard to understand what Jesus meant or the point Jesus was trying to drive home. But the last sentence Jesus gets us. He says, “Now go and do likewise.” That is a directive that is so much easier said than done. We see a need, we see messy people, and we know we should go and do likewise but it’s so hard. It’s hard to figure out who, the where, the when and the how.  We want to help but there is a fine line between helping and enabling. We all know people in our neighborhood, our families, our friends that when the phone rings and we see who is calling before we answer we already know they are only calling because they need something. What is in us that keeps us from answering. What is in us that as soon as we see the name on our phone we dread the conversation? What keeps us from responding like the Samaritan?

I believe there are three things that keep us from helping. First is inconvenience. Stopping and helping or moving towards someone else mess is inconvenient. Don’t we see people’s hot mess at our busiest time? We live in a busy culture. Being busy is not bad per say but we can be too busy. We can get busy and hyper focused on life so we say to ourselves “I don’t have time for you.” The priest and Levite were busy people. It was not like they were off to do something bad. More than likely they were off to the temple or church for a religious meeting. They were not evil bad people; they didn’t have the capacity of time for this man in their schedule. Sometimes we get so busy that we are too busy to follow Jesus. Here is a question to ask yourself if your life is too busy: Are the people who need you an inconvenience? Do you view them as inconvenience or an opportunity? We are too bust when messy people are inconveniences instead of opportunities to serve God, opportunities to love somebody. The second reason we walk on by is because it’s uncomfortable. Crossing over the street and moving towards a mess or messy people is uncomfortable. We love and walk towards comfort. We strive for our comfort zone. Comfort zones are good but not a great place to live. It we only live in our comfort zone, we may feel safe but we will not be happy. We will never achieve the best version of ourselves inside our comfort zone. We achieve the best version of ourselves outside our comfort zone moving towards the mess. God is using that chaos, that uncomfortable circumstance to help us love and grow. If we insist only on comfort boredom will quickly set in. The third thing that keeps us for moving towards a mess is we are no longer in control. We love control. If you move towards someone else mess you give up control. When you moved towards someone else mess you will learn quickly you could not control their anger, you could not control their drug use, you could control their violent outburst, you could control their very bad decision making. You know it gets frustrating. God doesn’t want you to control your messy person. God doesn’t want you to fix them. God wants you to be there, love them, and walk beside them. So if you are thinking your job is to fix the mess, take some pressure off yourself. God wants you loving and being there. People, especially mess people, are not projects. If you are wired like me, you like to embrace a problem and work until you find a solution. We need to let go and say God you got this. It’s not to address peoples messes the way we think they need to be fixed but to show up, be there, and let God do His thing.

Be nice to one another:

Tommy 

BEST Mess

The one thing we all have in common is we have all made a mess.  Some of us have messed up so bad that we feel that it can never be whole again. Maybe in our finances, marriage, relationships, career, school we have made a mess. We might look good on the outside and still functional, but on the inside we are a hot mess. We say to ourselves “I don’t know where to begin. I’m not sure I can do this.” We have all ignored our own conscious, our own advice and the advice of others. At some time in our life, we have ignored our friends and families members when they warned us. We blew through every stop sign of caution there was and we are left with one big hot mess. There are messes we inherit or just happen upon us but there are also hot mess that is 100% our own fault. Hot messes are what can bring us together with others is the same mess that brings God near.  We have all heard the scripture John 3:16 about God so loving the world that he sent his son Jesus. But many of us stop there. Verse 17 is the most important part. It says that God did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus did not come to get into our face and say look what you have done. He didn’t come to say look at the hot mess you made of your marriage, your finances, your relationships, your children, your parents, your family, your career, your friendships, your reputation. God came into our mess to rescue us from our mess. Therefore, if we are behind or responsible for our own mess, then God came to rescue us from ourselves. The gospels are full of stories of this playing out in the most intimate of ways. Remember the day Jesus was in the temple. They brought to him a woman who was committing adultery. Her life was a hot mess. Her adultery had been publicly brought out. Everyone in town if they didn’t know before, they knew now. Jesus stands up to this woman who had made a total mess of her life and said, “Look at me. I don’t condemn you. I am not going to sentence you to what you deserve.” There was also a time a tax collector was hiding in a tree. What the story usually leaves out was this little tax collector would have had body guards with him. His first mistake was working as a tax collector, over charging people; he had become rich off the hard work of others. Jesus walks along, looks up at this mess of a man and says, “Come down to me. I am coming to your house.” In private, Jesus tells this messy man to leave this life of sin and follow me. But Jesus told him you just can’t walk away. You must first go make things right. Payback what you took with interest times two. The guy paid back the interest and even added more than the law allowed.

Here is what Jesus offers these messy people that he offers to us as well. It doesn’t matter how big your mess is and no matter how big of a hole you dug yourself in. Jesus offers himself. Jesus offers himself as a solution. The clearest picture we have of God is Jesus Christ. If we want to know what God thinks, read what Jesus said. If we want to know how God responds, then look who Jesus responded. Jesus said the father and I are one. Want to know what God is like; watch me. Every person Jesus invited to follow him was messy. Jesus said “I am the way and the light. I will show you the way forward and the way out of your mess.”  Any one of us, who has made a mess in our life, if totally honest, will admit they are in a dark place and need a light. They will admit they are in a mess and need a way out. Jesus did not pull away from messy people he invited them closer. He invited them to follow. In reality you cannot pray your way out of a mess that you behaved your way into.  There is no silver bullet, magic words, or perfect prayer. It is not that God is silent. God provides the light and if we follow that light we would avoid the mess. Our mess was avoidable but we stepped into it not by following Jesus but by following something else that was not God. God invites you to follow his son Jesus out of your mess. God will meet you in your mess. God is not offended by your mess. God will not condemn you for your mess. God views your mess as an opportunity to invite him into your life as He will draw you closer.

Be nice to one another:

Tommy 

“Don’t Invite Jesus to Dinner”

It begins in grade school, carries over with increased importance in junior high school, and then it became vital in high school. Even as an adult it is still of social significance. Who you eat with tell a lot about your character, reputation, and your status in the community. Preachers like to focus on the fact that Jesus dined frequently with sinners, prostitutes, and tax collectors. Those individual who would be classifies as the outcast of society. The marginalized and forgotten to be included in a meal of honor with Jesus was not an insignificant occurrence. It teaches us inclusion as well as gives us a peek inside the heart of Jesus as well.  What some ministers glance over is the fact that Jesus also dined with the Pharisees. Jesus is invited not because he is considered an equal but because he is a curiosity who has been in the news. The esteemed guests are watching closely to see how Jesus fits in. Then Jesus decides to offend the guests. This scene becomes a lesson in how to lose friends and alienate people. Jesus has noticed how the Pharisees look for ways to move up the social ladder—or up the table, on this occasion. He has seen how they try to sit at the places of honor.

We have been in those awkward situations when we are a guest in someone’s home, standing before the dinner table, not sure where to sit. Most would not take a place at the end of the table, the seat of honor, unless, of course, the host invites us to do so. This kind of common sense would seem to be what Jesus is suggesting, but it is more than that. Jesus criticizes the guests for striving for status. “When someone invites you to dinner, you take the place of honor. Then when somebody more important than you shows up, you’re red-faced as you make your way to the last table and the only place left. You might as well go and sit at the last place in the first place. Then the host might say, ‘Come, sit with me.’ If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. Be content to be yourself.”

We still live in a classed society. Ethnic groups, immigrants, the poor, the homeless, the addicted, and the mentally ill face uphill battles. Lower class, middle class, upper class—we know the class in which we reside. When Jesus finishes insulting the guests, he begins to insult the host for who was included and who did not make the list: “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends, family, and those you’re trying to impress, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite people who don’t have similar interests, who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks, the least of our sisters and brothers, the poorest of the poor. They won’t be able to return the favor, but God will know.” The disciples want to pull Jesus to the side and say, “You might want to back off a little. First you went after the seating protocol, and as if that wasn’t rude enough, now you’ve gone after the guest list. Our host is an influential person. He could do good things for us. All you have to do is act friendly and keep your elbows off the table. We won’t have any more dinner invitations if you can’t get through the appetizers without infuriating the person who invited us.”

Why does Jesus have to stir up trouble? Why does he criticize people who invite him into their homes? Why can’t Jesus leave a pleasant enough dinner party well enough alone? It is because Jesus understands what is at stake. We have to learn that at God’s table there is no need to jockey for position, because all are equally welcome. There are no throwaways when it comes to human beings. Christians are to honor the least among us—the poor and marginalized. While the Pharisees were striving to move toward the head of a rectangular table, Jesus’ table is a round one where no person is better than another. The character of our guest list—who is on it and who is not—has everything to do with whether or not we are being Christ’s church. The followers of Christ have to learn that any table where Jesus is present is a table where everyone is welcome, a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, a foreshadowing of the kingdom where God cares for all and all we can do is give thanks.

Hope to see you in service & worship too

Tommy 

Burnout: Finding Strength

We all have or will experience burnout at some time in some area of our life. Burnout occurs in our careers, our relationships, and even in our faith. Life causes us to become tired, weary, frustrated, and hopeless. Sometimes we need a good night or a good week of rest. We shouldn’t make life altering decisions when we are tired and worn out. We need to get away and rest physically, mentally, and spiritually. We also need to take care of our physical bodies, our mind and our spirit. But others times we need more. One of the deceptions of burnout is we think we can handle it all on our own. For some of us the hardest thing to ever do is to ask someone else for help. Burnout convinces us that if we just work harder, buckle down, and press on we will be just fine. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If we are in the middle of a season of burnout, more work or more pressure only aspirates the problem. The truth is regardless of how strong we think we are, none of us are self-sufficient. We all need spiritual resources to live our lives. However for many of us, when burnout occurs we shy away from where we know the presences of God might reside. We try to distance ourselves for the spiritual resources we need to find the strength to move forward through this tough season of burnout. We need strength.  The strength we don’t have but we need comes from overcoming our vulnerability, overcoming our weakness, and overcoming our fear.  I have witnessed a lot of lives ruined, bad decisions made, and destruction when people reacted out of fear, desperation, and frailty. The natural thing to do is to run and hide from the one true God that can provide for us the strength we need. We can immerse ourselves into a faith community and find strength in the fellowship, comfort and sanctuary that only a faith community can provide. We must be willing to be open to listening and learning of all the diverse ways God works in our midst. It is in community we find unity in numbers and shared experiences. It is in faith community we witness God work in both miraculous heroic ways and in that still small voice of love and comfort. If you are going through a season of burnout in your relationships, your career, or in your faith journey, you will find strength in a faith community that is listening and open to God’s presences. May you find the peace, hope and strength you need to move forward through your season of burnout.

Peace, Love and Happiness

Tommy 

Just Another’s Response to Orlando

As an ordained minister, father, husband, and a guy who lives in America, I feel a painful needed to write a brilliant response to the tragedy that occurred Saturday night in Orlando. I wish I had great words of wisdom that I could pen that would give everyone great comfort, hope, and a renewed since of peace. But I have no words. What we witnessed was unspeakable incomprehensible evil.

 I ask that we as a society for a moment turn down the volume of rhetoric that is increased by the media, politicians, and religious leaders. We must realize everyone has an agenda and it is not necessarily to comfort those who are hurting and whose lives have been devastated. We can all cast blame when we cannot conceptualize such an act of terrorism. If we are courageous enough to silence our own agenda we will find many families that are devastated, hurting, confused, and in a state of shock. We will find a community of liked individuals that were singled out as a target in a state of fear. If we have the bravery to turn down the rhetoric, we will hear a nation that is fearful of the stranger and a trust that has been destroyed. I concede that there are many questions that need to be answered and action taken. But now is not that time.

So let us only look at the facts without any agendas. A disturbed individual filled with hate systematically planned, orchestrated and maliciously murdered and injured a group of innocent people.  That is pure evil. Evil is evil no matter the weapon used or its availability, no matter the religious affiliation, no matter the lifestyle of the victims, no matter the nationality of those murdered, and no matter our government’s effectiveness to protect us. Evil has no empathy for the victims but we as a society should. We should turn down the volume of rhetoric and listen to those hurting, confused, devastated, and in shock in losing a loved one to a senseless act. We should comfort the families that will have to bury their loved one due this repulsive act. Any act of terrorism has two vital components. First is to cause death and destruction with the greatest of impact and causalities. The other is to incite fear, mistrust and divide. The first has happened and we have no control over. The second as a community we have total control over. So let us pray for those who are burying the innocent. Let us support, encourage, and uplift a community that was singled out as a target. Let us stop the rhetoric, finger pointing, and grandstanding because people’s lives have been forever destroyed.  There will be a season to reevaluate, dissect, and analyze if this could have been prevented but now is not that time. We must realize that hate was the catalyst that ignited this massacre. So let’s try to love more, pray more, empathize more, trust more, and listen more. Let us be open not to rhetoric but to the spirit of God and the spirit of humanity. There will be a time we can get back on personal crusades, agendas and debate the issues but now is not the time. Let us as a nation mourn for those that evil took away from us. Let us listen less to the social media and pray more for comfort. We might never know the why but for now remember those who are hurting, confused, scared, and devastated. They are the only thing that matters.  

What can we do? As a community, let us cry with those who are mourning and with those who are hurting.  Let us have the have courage and unity exclaiming to all who will listen exactly what this act is: evil. Evil: unadulterated, pure, and simple.

You can be the light in our dark world.

Tommy 

What Makes You Happy? Pleasure & Happiness

For the past several weeks we have been spending a lot of time talking about what makes us happy. Many have wondered why so long about one topic. For me it’s personal. The one single thing that totally breaks my heart as a pastor, a family member, or a friend is to witness someone I care about undermining their own happiness. I watch from the sideline as they make decisions that will eventually undermine their own happiness. Maybe you have experienced this as well. You see it coming, it’s not a sixth sense or physic powers, but you witness people constantly doing things that undermine their own happiness. It is tragic to watch. We dare not say anything. The truth is there are enough unavoidable things in this life that causes us pain. It is truly heartbreaking when something that is 100% avoidable but somehow people don’t avoid it. There is one thing in this life that is consistent and that Jesus even speaks about. Jesus says in this life everyone will have trouble. So with all the unavoidable trouble why would anyone create more trouble? So it breaks my heart to witness people make decisions or do things that I know will cause them pain and trouble which all is totally avoidable. These people are not immediately but eventually undermining their own happiness.

The reason we undermine our own happiness is confusion about two ideals: pleasure and happiness. And the relationship between these two words: pleasure and happiness. The biggest part is because of the dynamics between pleasure and happiness. God created us with the capacity for pleasure and happiness. God wants us to experience pleasure and happiness. Pleasure is a word that has gotten a bad overtone especially in religious circles. God is not against pleasure. It’s not an either or. The problem is our priority. When we place pleasure a higher priority over happiness, we have a problem.  When we choose pleasure over happiness you get neither. Truth is one leads to the other but the other ultimately undermines the one. Happiness can lead to pleasure but if you only pursue pleasure and forget the principles that lead to happiness and the end of the day you have neither. If you are an adult,  you will know already that pleasure will eventually lose its pleasure and instead becomes a prison. Over time pleasure loses to pleasure. A pastime becomes a pathway to a habit, to an addiction. These are not things that are necessarily illegal, immoral, or dangerous. Pleasure eventually loses to pleasure. The Apostle Paul when writing to the church in Rome about this says when you continually say yes to pleasure over and over again you eventually become a slave to it. It begins to own you. We may say “I’m not a slave I have control over this.” But if we keep saying yes over and over again to our pleasure we are no longer choosing. We have given up control. We become a slave when it becomes something we have to do not something we want to do. Paul’s says you can be a slave to sin, what every separates us, or obedient to the Good shepherd. Happy people already know this. Jesus says sow happiness, sow and sow some more and you will eventually reap happiness. But it’s not immediately but it reaps better. Our trouble is when we are unhappy we want to do something that will immediately make us happy. We go straight to the pleasure to feel good. We feel like we need to do something now to quickly change our status from unhappy to happy but Jesus says is takes time and we got to sow happiness not pleasure.

 Is there any pleasure that is undermining your happiness? Again it doesn’t have to be anything illegal or immoral. You might not want to admit it, even to our self, because you may feel you may have to do anything about it. You don’t have to do anything but you might want to start by being honest with yourself. Is there a pleasure that you have given into that undermines your happiness or undermines the happiness of those you love? Have you ever had a child ask you: "why do you always buy shoes, be on your phone, buy a new car, drink and act that way?" Is pleasure undermining your happiness? If you say yes to your pleasure you are rejecting Jesus’ offer for an extraordinary life. I’m not implying anything was intentional. Without meaning to, have you placed a pleasure over your pursuit of happiness? Only you know the answer. You never ever have to share it with anyone else. But if you continue the path you are on, you will one day look back and wished you would have tried something different. If that’s you, you’re not a bad person, just a sheep that needs a good shepherd and a life that doesn’t drain you but gives you more life. That exchange is one you will never ever regret.

Peace, Love and Happiness

Tommy 

What Makes You Happy?

This week we begin a new exciting sermon series on what makes you happy. What makes you happy can either be a question or a statement.  Some of us already know and have a clear picture of exactly what makes us happy.  We are content, joyful, and at peace with our daily lives. However for most of us we are not too clear on exactly what makes us happy.  We might not be totally miserable but there just seems to be something missing from our lives.  Over the next six weeks we are going to try to inform you of exactly what will make you happy. Please do not take offense to this outlandish statement as what right does someone else has to advise you what will make up your happiness. But for some of us, many of us, we don’t really know what makes us happy. It’s sort of a hit or miss kind of thing. But here is the litmus test: if you keep trying different things to make yourself happy and you’re not happy. If you haven’t reached your goal of happiness then it is possible you are missing the mark. Everywhere we look, TV, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, companies are spending trillions of dollars to tell us or sell us something that they guarantee will make us happy. We have all fallen for it. If we are honest we have all said or thought  if only I had, I drove, I wore, I looked like, I achieved, then and only then will I be happy. Most of the time when we get there we find out what we thought was going to make us happy failed to fulfill us. Even when we have acquired the thing we put of hope of happiness in, we still might not be happy. We might feel accomplished and proud of our achievement but not happy.  Many of us have forgotten either temporary or chronically, what makes us happy. True happiness cannot be marketed or sold. So in the consumer driven world in which we live, you will not hear advertiser tell you this simple fact. You will not hear them talk about what truly, honestly, unequivocally will make us happy. We have all heard the truth that happiness cannot be bought. So if happiness can’t be bought how do we obtain it? Join us for this exciting six week adventure as we look at what makes us happy. Happiness just might be closer and easier to acquire than you think.

Peace, Love and Happiness:

Tommy 

“How Do We Forgive Someone Who Hurt Us?”

We believe in a Messiah that tells us to turn the other cheek but we live in a world that tells us to hit back harder on their cheek. Our society wants us to turn to revenge and retaliation. Make them pay for what they did to us. The problem is that even if we do seek revenge or strike back, the pain of what they did to us is still there. The emotional scars of what happened to us are still there. Even after vengeance, it’s not over, there is still lost we have to work through. So what if there was another way of dealing with those who have hurt us? It brings us to our big question for today: How can I forgive those who have hurt me? In many ways forgiveness is at the core of Christianity. If there was no forgiveness then none of us would be here nor would we be worthy enough to call ourselves followers of Jesus. It is one thing to receive forgiveness but it is another to give forgiveness. The disciples asked Jesus that question how many times should we forgive someone? This indicates that forgiveness has traditionally been at the center point of our religion.

Forgiveness is one of those topics that it is easy to talk about but hard to put into practice. We all can preach forgiveness and agree that forgiveness is essential to our relationship with God and others until we are hurt. When we or a love one is hurt we want revenge. We want the person or persons to pay. There is a huge difference between wanting or demanding justice and wanting revenge. Wanting justice is fine and normal but if we are honest we want more. We have an instinct for justice. That is who we are as humans and God promises justice. Without a system of consequences for wrongful acts then chaos and anarchy rules and peace and security evaporates. We live in a world where there are some messed up things and messed up people who mess with our minds, our security, and our safety which makes it very hard to forgive. Especially when there is physical and sexual abuse it multiplies and when children are abused it goes off the scale. Forgiveness does not mean the perpetrator should not have legal consequences, relationships boundaries and consequences, or letting people off the hook for their actions. Forgiveness is not letting any one get away with something. It is just the opposite. Forgiveness is the hardest thing to do as a Christian. Seriously, feeding people, serving people, clothing people, that is all easy compared to forgiving people. Anger and resentment feels right at the moment but eventually it eats away to you. We feel we reserve the right to be mad. True. But anger reveals a flaw in our understanding of what forgiveness is. It is not letting people off the hook but it is letting people know that their actions or inaction's resulted in pain and hurt. It is letting them know that what they did to you will no longer define who you are or hinder your love or trust for someone else. When it comes to forgiveness, we cannot do this by ourselves. We need help from God, from professionals and the power of the Holy Spirit. We need the encouragement of others. We need to fully understand that forgiveness cannot happen overnight. It is a long process with many stages. Join us for this last part of our sermon series as we lay out the steps and stages of forgiveness so we may all experience the peace in life we all deserve.

Peace, Love & Happiness:

Tommy 

Can American Christianity Stand Up to Persecution?

One of the questions asked by Christians can American Christianity stand up to persecution? If you are a believer and follower of Jesus in American culture it may seem you are under attack. Social media paints Christianity as extremist, judgmental, racists that are only self-serving and closed minded. We are portrayed as agenda pushing radicals. Some in our society view the church as a money hungry financial machine that prey on the weak and vulnerable.  Others view Christianity as talk and no action. Movies have reduced the Christian to sad stereotype. There once was a time in America when attempting to follow Jesus was honorable, noble, respectable, and a good thing. Today Christianity in our nation has been reduced to a bad label. Who is responsible for our current condition? Both sides: while mocked, made fun of, our abilities questioned, and having to stand in the face of opposition, we haven’t really helped our cause out much. Any opposition or attack on our abilities or character can be seen as persecution. The true meaning of persecution is more than an unpopular view or negative post on social media.

Today in 2016 Christians globally are being truly persecuted in a variety of settings. The onslaught of ISIS it is happening daily. ISIS has been around for many years and no stranger to the American government. But in the last year they have gone to a higher level. ISIS has taken over Syria. They have destroyed all Christian artifacts from the city of Nineveh. They have destroyed every Christian tombs, church, ancient artifacts that have been preserved for thousands of years.  On Easter Sunday 69 people were killed and 341 Christian were injured in bombing at a neighborhood park in Islamabad, Pakistan as children and families gathers to celebrate the Easter holiday. Christians and Jews are being systematically raped, burned, drowned, and killed on the spot for their belief in Jesus Christ. This is not 1000’s but 2016. Is it coming to America? Why wouldn’t it? The fear of intolerance has opened the front door. This is not about spreading fear or hate. It is not about Islam as a whole. This is not some type of outlandish psycho prophecies saying there will be beheadings in American streets. Nor is this a political statement about the US leadership. However it is not out of the possibility that Christians will be ouster sized, ridicule, and loss of finances, censorship of our voice.  In Houston a judge ordered a pastor to turn over his sermons. So why should we be shocked to see a pastor arrested and imprisoned over a sermon they have preached in the near future.

Brings us back to our question which has not been answered? Can American Christianity stand up to persecution? Simply No! Not in its’ present state. Persecution can’t stop the gospel from spreading, but it can discourage God’s people if we are not prepared to face it. Join us Sunday as we attempt to address our current predicament in relevant ways. We will uncover things we as followers of Jesus can do to lovingly endure in the face of persecution, not fold under fear and intimidation, and stand graciously in the face of opposition, and not embarrass God in the process.  Real answers to tough questions is the only way we can grow, learn, and share the gospel of love, grace and hope.

Peace, Love and Happiness:

Tommy 

What If The Tomb was NOT Empty?

What if the tomb wasn’t empty? Can you imagine if those who went to the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter morning and found his body just as they laid him three days earlier? No stone removed and the soldiers standing guard.  If the tomb is not empty then Jesus was just another guy like many who proclaimed to be the son of God. If the tomb is not empty we can just chalk up Jesus’ life as a lunatic who helped people. If the tomb is empty Jesus’ words of grace and mercy are just broken promises like a politician’s speech. If the tomb is not empty then we must wait for the real Savior and the authentic Messiah. If the tomb is not empty the crowd and public opinion wins out over truth. If the tomb is not empty then the religious leaders were right and by killing Jesus as they protected the authority of the church. If the tomb is not empty then justice was served and a public nuisance was eliminated. If the tomb is not empty then Jesus is just another martyr who died for what he believed in. Noble yes, but that only has minimal affect. If the tomb is not empty then the stories of Jesus are just a factious fairy tale that entertains us. If the tomb is not empty then miracles are just magical illusions.  If the tomb is not empty then we would just be eating peeps, hiding eggs, and getting together with family to celebrate the coming of spring time.

However, those of us who have faith believe the tomb of Jesus was empty. Jesus rising on Easter morning was more than a showy miracle to shock and awe his attackers and followers. The empty tomb is more than a miraculous illusion to end the protesting or validate Jesus’ followers. When Jesus rose, he turned the entire order of the universe on its head. The Resurrection shows us that death does not have the last word. The empty gives us hope that there is something greater than the life we have now.  The empty tomb is the pathway between a brief life and life eternal. The empty tomb is a symbol that truth wins out even in the messed up world in which we live. The empty tomb shouts to all who will listen that your sins will no longer exclude you.  The empty tomb reminds us that grace is more powerful than obligation. The empty tomb reminds us that love wins out over hate. Because the tomb was empty we are shown the power in forgiveness. The tomb was empty declaring to all that this Jesus truly is the son of God. The tomb is empty which ignites the fire in the hearts of all who believes that we too can change the world in which we live little by little. The tomb is empty which gives an eternal resting place for our souls and the legacy we leave in the hearts and minds of others. The tomb is empty which gives us peace and hope as we stand at the graveside of our loved one. The tomb is empty that shouts that good wins over evil and that darkness cannot drive out light. The tomb is empty as a reminder that our story will not end. The tomb is empty that allows us to be a vital piece of God’s work and a part of something bigger than ourselves. The tomb is empty and our God defeated our worse fear: Death. The door is open, the tomb is empty, and the truth rings loudly. So let is celebrate that the body was not there and He is risen! 

Be Kind to One Another 

Tommy 

Giving Up Popularity

Popularity is something that has changed over time. The way in which we measure popularity has drastically changed with modern advancements. In one era popularity was measured by how many names on a dance card. In another era, the lunch table or the group of people one socialized with determined ones level of popularity. In today’s culture our popularity is measured objectively by the number of friends, hits or downloads one receives on social media. The internet has replaced the dance card and the lunch table as been replaced by re-tweets. Regardless of the method of calculating ones popularity there is a deep intrinsic need each of us possess and that is to be liked and accepted. Either on a small scale or the larger scale of celebrity status, each of us on some level wants the approval and recognition from others. That in its self is not a bad thing, but at what expense are we willing to go to for that acceptance. It feels good when it’s there and can be heartbreaking when it is absence.  Ministers and religious leaders are not immune to this need for popularity. We see it all the time as religious leaders are exposed as their need for popularity is greater than their commitment to following Jesus.

So how does our need for popularity fit in with our relationships with Jesus? We begin by understanding that Jesus knew something about popularity. As we celebrate what is known as Palm Sunday, we are reminded of Jesus’ popularity. Jesus knew that Jerusalem was packed with over two million visitors there to celebrate the religious holiday. His choice of animal to ride was deliberate as described by the prophet Zechariah. The people singing and shouting “Hosanna” this means “Save us now!”  In the minds of the crowds Jesus was the one to defeat the Romans and throw off the yoke of bondage under which they had suffered for many years. At that moment, Jesus was the most popular man in the city. He would have been elected king and he could have gotten anything he ever wanted. But that was not why he did this. Popularity was the last thing Jesus wanted. Jesus purpose was to save us all from ourselves. Besides Jesus knew how popularity works. Today you are popular and everybody loves you. What about the next day? How will they feel about you then? Popularity was not Jesus’ purpose. Jesus knew that popularity is a very fleeting thing. Jesus knew that popularity is determined by the whims of the masses. Jesus knew that popularity has nothing to do with truth, purpose, and vision. Jesus knew despite the crowd’s parade for Him, Jesus knew he had a larger purpose to fulfill in Jerusalem. To give something up as popularity for a bigger purpose takes tremendous courage. Maybe as we approach Holy Week we too can try to give up our popular status for something even greater. Jesus doesn’t call us to be popular, just faithful. May we all have the courage to distinguish the difference?

Peace, Love and Happiness:

Tommy 

Give Up Death

I have been asked several times throughout my spiritual journey by many different people: “Would you die for Jesus?” Each time it was a postlude to a real life tragedy where someone is murdered. Several school shootings have had some type of narrative, where someone was asked the second before they were murdered, do you believe in Jesus? Another scenario plays out in the Islamic terrorist and their encounter with Christians just before a massacre and I will get that question? If someone was holding a gun to your head and you were asked if you believed in Jesus knowing your answer would get you killed, would you denounce the name of Jesus? While it sounds brave and romantic, I can honestly say I have no idea what I would say if someone held a gun to my head. I think I would tell them whatever they wanted to hear so I could get out alive. Using the precedent set by Simon Peter I believe that Jesus would understand that my will to live is greater than my devotion of announcing my loyalty to a lunatic holding gun to my head. Some of us fear death and that I believe is a natural humanistic instinct. And if we do not fear death most of us would like to prolong it as long as we can.  However dramatic it might seem, that is not what Jesus meant when he talked about giving up our life for Him. It’s about remembering, especially at this time of year, that God creates life out of death, nothingness and hopelessness. The Bible is rich full of such paradoxes where Jesus tells us those who try to keep their life will die but those who give up their life for others will live. We are used to thinking and understanding life in terms of fixed beginnings and ends. When we die, what is communicated to the public in our obituary is the day we were born, the beginning, and the date we died, the ending. We all share a beginning and an end. What makes us unique is what we do in-between the two. However the story of Jesus calls us to throw away our old categories and embrace God’s larger vision of eternal life that begins here and now. When we speak of eternal life, most of us think, that it begins when we die. But in reality it is happening right here and now.  Death is a topic our tradition really doesn’t spend too much time on. We think about it only at funerals, when we reality of death is in front of us, or during Lent, when we focus on the death of Jesus. And if we are totally honest, death and dying are not just an enthusiastic, up lighting feel good topic to discuss. If we are able to give up our fear of death, we have the potential to live a more enjoyable life now. Simply put if we don’t fear death we gain more life. Join us this Sunday as we continue our journey through Lent as we examine was to give up our fear of death so we have a greater life now.

Peace, Grace, and Happiness

Tommy  

Give it Up: Superiority

Anyone can become a pastor these days. Anyone can buy an old building, invite some friends, play some music, and have a church. Anyone can preach as all one needs is an audience.  Anyone can start a church with no training or education. But they can’t be a real pastor. I mean I’m a real pastor. I hold a Masters of Divinity Degree from a distinguished reputable institution of higher education. I have studied both Hebrew and Greek in order to interrupt more clearly the ancient scriptures.  I have completed the ordination processes and have reached the highest credentials one can achieve by being ordained by a denomination. Certainly I am a real pastor and the others are not.  I mean they are cute with their little churches and videos but I am the real deal.  Shamefully this was my attitude until I met a group of Orphans in a dilapidated building in the slums of Honduras.  It was being accepted by a group of abandoned children that taught me a valuable lesson about superiority. They did not care what degrees I had, how many people I preach to each week, if I was ordained or that I was American. They just needed to be loved, held, nurtured, played with, accepted and shown the love, mercy and grace of Jesus.  They were totally oblivious to my accomplishments, achievements, and accolades.  All they cared about was I was one person who showed up when everyone else had abandoned them. It was at that moment  I realized before this encounter that I had become a modern day Pharisees. I had become what opposed and questioned Jesus’ ministry and forgotten to live like Jesus. The Pharisee opposed Jesus because they thought they were superior to his ragamuffin group of followers or his unorthodox method of ministry.

When we look at the life and ministry of Jesus we find that Jesus broke all social conventions. Jesus did not fit society’s expectations of a Holy man. He dined with sinners and tax collectors. He spoke to a Samaritan woman alone at a well. He healed on the Sabbath. When confronted by the educated ordained religious leaders, Jesus one each debate with grace, ease, and authority. Instead of a position of superiority, Jesus brought a grace and freedom knowing that in humility we will hear and respond. When the religious leaders were too busy or important to hear or respond to the needs of the people, there was Jesus. Rolling up his garment, bending down, and washing feet serving those who needed him the most. God doesn’t care about the artificial lines we draw to make ourselves feel superior to others.  As I learned, if we are able to let go of our status symbols and judgmental attitude e too can hear Jesus’ call more clearly and respond more faithfully.  And that is what makes a real pastor and follower of Jesus. During this season of Lent, join us as we all learn to give up some of our superior attitude and learn some humility in order to spread the love of Jesus. 

Just Love Somebody

Tommy 

“It’s Not Too Late to Say I’m Sorry”

Many times in life we have more questions than we have answers. Is it worth the risk? Has he truly changed? He has burned us before and taken advantage of us. How do we know he will not do it again? How do we know that he is truly sorry? What about all those in the community that know what he did? What he did has caused tension and awkwardness for this community and his family. So the question is: Is it too late to for him to say I’m sorry and can we have a fresh start.

We live in a cultural climate that thrives on conflict, division, and detachment. We like disguise retaliation as justice and restitution. Even in entertainment we like the bad guys dead or punished harshly and the good guys rewarded. If the villain just apologizes, admits their guilt, and tries to make restitution then we feel slighted. Many times we carry this attitude over into our relationships as well.  If someone we care about says or posts something we don’t agree with or is offensive we quickly delete and unfollow them from our lives. So when we mess up is there a relevant way to say I’m sorry. Is there steps we can do to reestablish what has been lost? Can we move from estrangement to true reconciliation?  We are reminded of a little fellow Jesus me who had a large negative influence on his community. Most of us know him as the wee little man who climbed up into a tree. Jesus tells this man to come down from the tree and that Jesus desired to share at his house.  Like a TMZ special this infuriated the people as to why would Jesus eat with a guy no one really liked.  And in this tension Zacchaeus has something important to say: “I’m sorry.” Zacchaeus honesty admits his mistakes and wrong doings. We on the other hand like to hide our mistakes and rather not admit we disappointed God and others. We can learn a lot from this exchange between Jesus and Zacchaeus. We can learn certain principles that if we apply them to our own life we will uncover that it is not too late to say I’m sorry. They might not change our world but they can change the relationships in your world.

Serve, Love and live:

Tommy 

It's Not Too Late

It is not too late. For many of us that simple statement is hard to believe. Many of us have bought into the lie that it is too late. The longer we believe that it is too late the truer it becomes. I have heard it from couples who are headed for a divorce: “We want to save our marriage but it’s just too late.” Grown sisters as their Mom is placed in Hospice care, coordinate their visits so they don’t have to run into each other: It’s just too late to make amends.  I hear it from the addict who says the addiction to heroin is too powerful, its too late spoken from a 19 year old. A fourteen year old kid comes home, locks himself in his room to play video games. His parents try to follow him on Facebook and Twitter but he blocks him. It’s too late.  I hear it in the husband that comes home, plops down in the lazy boy, turn on the flat screen, his wife comes home but neither acknowledges the other. They both want something different. A commercial comes on, both want to go to the bedroom, hold hands and pray for their children… but there is that awkwardness, he had missed his chance.. it’s just too late.. 

We find ourselves saying that a lot; “it’s just too late.” The children are too old, the marriage is too cold, the friend is too angry, and the dead are too painful, the addiction is too powerful, the reputation is too shot. It’s just too late. That is a lie that many of us believe. It is a lie that is told to us whenever we want to try something different We live in a culture where individualism is valued, we find that times of struggle often seem lonely and hopeless. But we were never meant to live life on our own--and it's not too late to ask for help. We think about making a change then we are told it’s just too late.

Over the next few weeks we will be discovering the truth that it is not too late to make changes in our life. We will uncover how if we have the courage to ask for help it will change the trajectory of the rest of our life.

We will begin with Jesus’ encounter with a crippled man who felt the exact same way. He had been in the same situation in life for 38 years. That is a long time for things to never change. But that one minute beside the pool of Bethzatha, Jesus healed him and changed his life forever. We too can learn from this man’s story. Join us for this exciting sermon series as we debunk the lie that it’s too late for change in our life. Because the truth is it’s not too late to ask for help.

Peace, Love and Happiness

Tommy