Mythbusters: A Christian Nation?

A couple weeks ago I preached a message created after listening to a sermon series by Gregory Boyd at Woodland Hills Church over in the Twin Cities area. After listening I did a little research and I was surprised at how many assumptions about our founding fathers I had adopted into my beliefs with out really checking out. I quickly found contradicting statements on opposing websites and found it tricky to sort out the truth. I may not have the exact truth to ever quote these folks used but I feel like I have a better understanding of the diversity, passion and heart of our founding fathers.

I want to be on the side of truth and justice, but like our founding fathers I am a little sceptical of any system ordained by men. I don't think Christ came to tweak the system but to show us a whole new one. He never joined any party, but operated outside of and separate from them all. He affected change like no other and never bowed to the power systems of this world.

I will never stop fighting for the rights of the weak, widowed and wounded. I want to influence this world like Christ did...the way Christ did it. I will come under and along-side of others and stop trying to gain advantage over. I will lay-down and be willing to be hammered, whipped and beaten like my Savior.

I will intelligently use my vote on every seat, office and position being voted on this election. I will not punch a party ticket. I will be faithful to investigate every individual who makes the ticket. I will be fair, honest and faithful in exercising my civic duty so that I honor those who have sacrificed so much for my freedom.

"Everything hangs on our imitating Jesus...
Even when it looks like we are loosing.
Even when it looks like Jesus is being arrested.
Even when it looks like immorality is winning the day.
Even when it looks like our rights might be denied
Even when we might loose our lives" (Gregory Boyd).

Here are some of the passages that lead to this reflection. Read them over and see what they stirr-up in your heart.

1Pet. 2:11 we are “aliens and exiles” in this world.
Eph. 2:19 we “are citizens…and members of the household of God…”
Phil. 3:20 “our citizenship is in heaven”
1John 5:19 “…the whole world lies under the power of the evil one.”
Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11 Satan is “the ruler of this world”
2 Cor 4:4; Satan is “the god of this world”
Eph 2:2 “the principality and power of the air”

Mythbusters: More than you can handle?

What is a myth? Dictionary.com says that it is, "a legendary story usually without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation." That is what we have been talking about for the last couple weeks at church. We have some distinctively christian myths lurking around that needed to be examined in the light of day.
The first one we looked at was the myth that God would never give you more than you could handle. As christians it is often given as an attempt at encouraging someone who is going through a hard time. I think it often fails at that. One of the scriptures associated with this legend is supposed to be 1 Corinthians 10:13. which is Pauls exortation to those who are being tempted by sin. In those situations, Paul is saying that God will never give you more than you can handle, but he will make a way out. In other words, God won't let you be tempted when there is no way for you to resist sinning. That makes much more sense than when we try to make it say God will never allow more suffering, pain or trials than we can handle.

The scriptures are full of people who appeared to have more than they could handle. The Biblical examples are numerous: Paul (2Cor 1:8); Moses (Num 11:13-15); Job; Elijah; Jeremiah; David and Jesus. Each of these people are recorded in the scriptures as hurting beyond what they could endure. Hurting to the point of breaking. It is God's ability to fix what is broken that is on display in each of their lives.

If someone in your past told you that God would never give you more than you could handle, there is a chance that some of you tried to burry the hurt or pain of having more on your plate than you could handle. There is a chance that some of you have never dealt correctly with that pain and it is hard for you too trust God any more because instead of growing you remain wounded.

The ideal response to the suffering is acceptance and trust. Jesus Christ modeled that for us in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. Ask yourself these questions to see if you have believed this myth.

1)God will often allow you to have more than you can handle. Where in your life do you need to say “or” instead of “and?”

2)What are you holding onto that you need to release to God?