The Why?

Have you ever been around young kids...especially pre-schoolers or early grade school kids? They do something that many of us have forgotten to do. They do something that we often don't like...yet it is so healthy. They do something that we often discourage, yet, I believe Jesus would encourage. You see, Jesus said that we needed to become like little children to enter into the Kingdom of God. Perhaps this is one area he was referring to. I'm speaking of young kids tendency to ask "why?" What a great word! They ask it over and over...and we sometimes answer...but mostly we don't. Unfortunately, we teach them that their "why" questions are not important...or at least not worth our time to answer. What a shame. The older we get, it seems we ask less "why" questions...we seem to acclimate to our surroundings and "go with the flow", so to speak. Whether at home, at work, at church or in our culture...we often do stuff without ever asking why? Which begs a big question...Why? What a shame we have stopped asking this important question. Why questions, when honestly pursued, will often take you to the core...the central truth... the foundation...if you dare to ask of it...and if you dare explore its depths. Often in church circles we do stuff...lots of stuff...lots of churchy stuff...lots of "good" stuff" even...but we never ask why? Shouldn't we? If, as followers of Jesus...Who is Truth...shouldn't we be the biggest askers of "why"? Shouldn't we be the biggest pursuers of "truth"? Unfortunately we often are not... because we fail to ask...why? For example...when asked, why do churches even exist...some would say "to worship God". Now, though this is partially correct, wouldn't a "why" fit in well here? Why is church conducive to worshipping God? Why is church necessary in the worshipping God equation? Why is that the method of choice? Another common answer to why churches exist, some would say, "is to go into all the world and preach the gospel" (known as the "Great Commission" in church circles). Wouldn't this be a good place to ask, "why"? Why do we need to "go"? Why do we need to preach the gospel, and what is "the gospel" by the way, that we are preaching? Though both of these common answers are partially correct...they are not. A simple "why" will take you deeper...to the "foundation" as to why we do these things at all. Why do we worship God together? Why is the Great Commission a big deal? And are these 2 things the "most important" thing followers of Jesus are about? Dare I say..."no!" Why, do I say that? Simple...Jesus was asked very directly what was "most important"...and he answered very directly...and simply...Jesus said "everything" (as in all things...as in even church things...as in life things...as in every single thing!) ..."everything" hung on this (as in hanging like a picture on a nail...i.e. "completely dependent on") ...Everything hung on this..."love God with your whole heart, mind and flesh...and love others as you love yourself". If you ask "why" long enough...and dig deep enough...you'll end up at this central... foundational truth...that EVERYTHING HANGS ON! Why do we gather to worship together? Because we are created to love God AND love each other...and gathering together is very conducive to doing just that. (it should be noted that "if" your gathering together is "not" conducive to worshipping God and loving each other well...then some serious adjustments need to happen...it may begin with a "why" not question?) Gathering ALONE...seperately...may allow you to worship God...but it hinders the second half of Jesus emphasis...the loving people part. Can we gather in mass and not love each other well? Sure...many churches do...sadly, they are missing a key component of what Jesus calls His "church" (His people) to be. But being alone ensures you fail on the loving people thing...cause their ain't no people around for you to love on! Why is the Great Commission so important? Because if you really do love God with all you got...His love will grow in you and you'll naturally want to share that love with others. As you love them, the Great Commission happens...its a natural flow out from your life, as you love God and allow His love to flow through you to others. So what's the danger of not asking "why"? Well, you may gather...or not gather in worship...without fully understanding why. Too many gather because "you should" without knowing "why". Knowing "why" gives you greater motivation...and a more natural flow into worship... rather than it becoming some stale ritual you do, because you are "supposed to". The same can happen with the Great Commission. Too many "do" the preaching the gospel thing...without living it. The result...people are repelled by the gospel...not attracted to it. Without love as its motivation, even evangelism and outreach, can become an exercise in ritual...without the heart to it that Jesus intended. People sniff it out quickly too. People know when you really care and love them...and when they are some project for you...some notch in your church belt...somebody you need for your agenda. May God forgive us for not asking "why". May God forgive us for doing so much churchy stuff...without even knowing why...without even having Jesus heart at the core of what we live. At FRIENDS, our challenge is to become a group of Jesus followers who will always ask "why"...and not be afraid of the answer. If the answer takes us nowhere...then perhaps what we're doing is not rooted in Jesus truth. If that's so, then we need to adjust. If we ask "why" and it takes us back to what Jesus said "it all hangs on"...then we know we are on the right track... motivated by whats right...God's love for us, flowing through us, to those around us...and in that, the Kingdom of God will be expanded...because we dared to ask "why?"


be God's!
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas

The Fine Art of Missing the Point

Sometimes I wonder if we miss the point. It seems quite common in our culture to focus on the "less significant" detail and miss the "big point". I wonder if we do that at Easter too. Usually Easter is a time we focus on Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and then rising from the dead in victory 3 days later. Quite a powerful story indeed. Lets face it...that rising from the dead thing hasn't been pulled off by any other great religious leader or philosopher. So that alone should cause us to pay attention. And for some we do...well at least one day a year...Easter. What makes Easter difficult...is not the eggs, candy and bunny thing...but our tendency to focus on the Friday. Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. It conjours up horrible images ala Passion of the Christ. In reality the Passion doesn't show it as bad as it was...the bible says Jesus was beaten so bad you couldn't tell He was a human! Wow, now that's bad. Horrible really. And most of us weigh heavy the consequence of our sins and the cost Jesus paid. We must really suck bad for Jesus to have to innocently take that on. The guilt, shame & heaviness breaks us. The images horrify us. But are we missing the main point here? Is Easter about this horror? Is it about how much we suck and how much Jesus had to pay...because of our selfishness and sin? Is Easter just a final victory lap by God after all we put Him through? Now don't get me wrong...Jesus dying our sins is a huge thing...and His victory over sin and death sealed the deal...but is there something bigger in play here? I'd like to suggest this. This ancient story of betrayal, sin, torture, death and victory is way more than we often think...it is about God's deep desire for us to be in relationship with Him. God craves relationship with us. He knew our sin destroys relationship with Him...and each other. He knew we can't live sinless. Damaged relationships were a part of the imperfect human condition, God knew that. And it tore the very people God loves away from Him...bit by bit...sin by sin...slowly...selfishly. God's deep love for us is "why" He went to the extreme tactic of sending Jesus, knowing full well the death He awaited. He knew sin had to be dealt with for relationships to have an opportunity to be restored. The "Good News" is not that Jesus died for our sins...but that everyone has the opportunity to have relationship with God! It is available to all. God desires us so much that He actually took away any barrier that would keep us away from Him. The opportunity for relationship is available...if you want it. That's the Good News! That's what we often don't share...enough. That's what we often don't make clear...enough. That's what makes Easter such a great celebration. At FRIENDS we rejoice in the Good News, and simply want to proclaim, "God's crazy about you!" Jesus said, "There is no greater love than this, that a man would lay his life down for another." Enough said! Enough done! Now that's the point!

be God's!
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas

Easter Amnesty Into Your Destiny

Amnesty is Granted

by Sammy Hagar

Love's an hourglass

Goes out wide, comes in closer

Time ticks away, it drips away

Leaving empty, sanded shoulders

But who said that love would last forever

I'm growing tired of feeling like I do

All those simple little secrets

Have come between us

And they're pushing me away

And I feel comfort in the distance

And you said that love would last forever

I'm growing tired of feeling like I do

Oh yeah

And there's a time, there's a place

A change of heart, about face

It's about love, it's about forgiveness

It's about our destiny

Tell me now, tell me like it is

No one has to give

Amnesty is granted

And what's done is done for everyone

Come on baby I want to start again

Right now

Amnesty is granted

And I think a lot

Yeah, I've been thinking a lot

I've been thinking about you baby

Lord knows I've been thinking a lot

I've been thinking love should last forever

Been growing tired of feeling like I do

Oh yeah

A change of heart, about face

It's about love, it's about forgiveness

It's about our destiny, Oh

Tell me now, tell me like it is

'Cause no one has to give

Amnesty is granted

And what's done is done for everyone

Come on baby I want to start again

Right now

Amnesty is granted

Come on

Amnesty is granted

Oh baby, come on

Amnesty is granted

Yeah

     All relationships, at one time or another, hit a spot...a place of coldness perhaps...a place of doubt...a place of pain...a place of failure...a place that can seem like you cannot escape?  It is in that time, that place, that we get tired of feeling that way.  It's been said that "when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change" transformation begins.  Easter weekend can be one of those times.  As the song says "I'm growing tired of feeling like I do...And there's a time, there's a place...A change of heart, about face...It's about love, it's about forgiveness...It's about our destiny."  That sums up the opportunity of this Easter season...the opportunity Jesus provides.  To "repent" means to turn, go in the opposite direction, an about face, a change of heart.  Jesus death and resurrection, is His love in action.  Forgiveness in action.  His invitation to each of us to walk with Him...into our destiny...an eternal destiny!  A place where sin & death cannot and does not win.  Love wins!  As the song says "amnesty has been granted".  What's "amnesty"?  It's defined as, "a general pardon for offenses, especially against a government or ruler, often granted before any trial or conviction."  That's the beauty of Easter...our King, our ruler Jesus took the punishment for all our failures...and gave amnesty to us in its place.  Because amnesty has been given...all who recieve it inherit a destiny of eternal life...victory over sin & death.  A message loudly proclaimed that Easter morning! 

     But what about my selfishness...my greed...my lust...my anger...the dark things of my soul? This Easter, FRIENDS wants to remind you...Amnesty has been granted...Love wins! 

be God's
Brian O
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas