Sunday, January 27, 2008

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

They say the first step in getting help is admitting that you have a problem. Hello, my name is Jay and I’m easily distracted. Do any of you any of you struggle with focus? I am a “brightest light in the room” kind of guy. It takes so little to steal my attention from the task at hand. I can devote myself to prayer and say, “Dear Lord…oh look, a bird!”

Let me give you an example of what I’m up against. My desk at home is usually a land fill, just piles of papers, books, guitar picks and paper clips. About once a month, I make the decision that for the next two hours I’m going to clean things up. I’ve resolved that today is the day. I begin by sorting through the first layer of papers, throwing some away and filing others. Then I run across a magazine that I’ve hung onto that has an article or two I want to save. I open the magazine to find the articles when an ad catches my eye. “That looks interesting,” I say to myself and notice that it has a website with more information.

I boot up my computer and as it’s spinning up, I remember that I need to send an email to a friend. I open my email and before I can send the note, I notice that I’ve received a note from another friend. Well, I’ve got to respond to that one first, don’t I? You can see where this is going. I can sit down with the best of intentions to clean my desk. And two hours later, my desk is still a mess but I’ve read two magazines, checked my email and surfed the web. Folks, I can head into the kitchen to do the dishes after supper and end up mowing the yard…and I can’t even figure out how I got there! I struggle with keeping the main thing the main thing.

I think many of us struggle with focus in our relationship with Christ. We are easily distracted and lose our focus, especially those of us who are involved in ministry. We are in a constant fight to keep the main thing, the main thing. And sadly, for many of us it’s a losing battle. Today we’re going to examine someone who fought the same frustrating fight. We’ll see what Jesus had to say about keeping the main thing the main thing.

As you turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10, let’s set the stage. The Gospel of Luke is the story of Jesus told by Luke the Physician. Before there was Dr. Phil, there was Dr. Luke. Dr. Luke wrote this specifically as a report to person named Theophilis, which means “lover of God”. But he also wrote this to Gentiles or non-Jews in general. The Good Doctor describes this as an “orderly account”. So let’s pick up the story in Luke 10:38-42.

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a
village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home.

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what He taught.

But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to You that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it-- and I won't take it away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NLT)

First of all, Martha chose her absence while Mary chose His presence (v 39-40a).
Mary made a choice to…
…Sit at His feet
…Listen to His word
…Take position of disciple
…Know Jesus!

Martha made a choice to…
…Stay busy
…Throw together HUGE meal
…Be “distracted” (Greek perispao)

Second, Martha chose to labor while Mary chose to listen (v 40b).

Third, Martha chose crisis while Mary chose Christ (v 41-42).
Martha created crisis where there was none
Mary kept the main thing the main thing...and knowing Christ is the main thing!

Paul’s main thing...

I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ. (Philippians 3:7-8 NLT)

David’s main thing...

Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires. (Psalm 37:4NLT)

Jesus’ words...

“And this is the way to have eternal life-- to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” (John 17:3 NLT)



Our relationship w/JC calibrates all our lives.

3 Ways to calibrate our relationship w/JC
Spend time at His feet
Spend time in His Word
Spend time in His Will

Conclusion: Am I a Mary? Or a Martha?
So each one of us should ask the question, am I Mary? Or am I Martha? Do I choose His presence or my absence? Do I choose to listen or to labor? Do I choose Christ or crisis?

Have we lost sight of the main thing? Have we forsaken time with Jesus because we are just too busy? Ministry is no excuse. We can’t give what we don’t have. John MacArthur warns that we can’t let our service to Christ degenerate into busyness devoid of Christ. I ask again, have we lost sight of the main thing?

Keep the main thing, the main thing. And the main thing is knowing Christ.

Jay

From sermon at Freedom River CC on January 27, 2008.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Mountain Tragedy

On Thursday, January 24th, three men were murdered in mountains just across the border in Virginia. Investigators found Ron Hudler, his son Fred and their friend John Miller shot to death at the Hudler family farm in Grayson County. The news floored me.

I had the pleasure of spending several days with the Hudlers at their Christmas tree operation during the height of November harvest. We were working on a documentary for WRAL called "The Perfect Tree". Ron and his sons welcomed us with open arms as we continually got in their way during their most crucial part of the year.

It was a particularly special time because my wife and I have a cabin near their operation in West Jefferson. And the people of the town had just elected Ron's son Dale as mayor.

Just two months later, Ron, Fred and John are dead.

As a result, there are wives without husbands. Children without fathers. Mothers without sons.

Please keep the Hudler and Miller families in our prayers.

Jay

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Jesus & the Master of the Obvious

175,ooo. That's the number of new blogs EVERYDAY! 175,000. Makes me scratch my head about why anyone might want to read what I have to say with so much other stuff out there. Maybe no one will. Well, read on...if you dare!

For those of you that tuned in to our previous episode, you might remember that I'm currently reading 2 Corinthians. Just started it really. Chapter 1 is absolutely chock full of juicy stuff.

In 2 Corinthians 1:19, our man Paul writes, "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy..." Paul is kinda the master of the obvious, isn't he? If a Christian is going to preach, they're certainly gonna preach Jesus, right? Right? Apparently not.

I'm sorry to say that a quick listen or gander of various preachers would seem to make this the exception rather than the rule. Some wink and smile and tell us that God wants to make us rich...very, VERY rich. And they say the Lord will be happy to do just that if we pony up with a "love gift" of $29.95. Such a deal!

Others pound the pulpit and proclaim a "do better Gospel". Sadly, it's nothing but a lethal legalism. You come away thinking that God is sitting on the edge of Heaven with a lightning bolt in His hand just waiting for us to goof up. ZZZZZAP!!!

Still others tell us that God is there like some sort of supernatural life coach. He's ready to make our lives better if we just give Him a call. Operators are standing by!

Where's Jesus? A quick check of the Bible gives us numerous examples of what preaching Jesus looks like. Over and over in the New Testament, they preach Jesus. Peter did...and thousands repented. Philip did...and he got a free chariot ride. Stephen did...and he got stoned. Paul did...and God changed lives all throughout around the Mediterranean. John did...and he got exiled to Patmos. Even Jesus preached about Jesus after His own resurrection to two guys headed home to Emmaus.

Over the past couple of years, God's provided me with the humbling opportunity to preach His Word. Paul's simple phrase in 2 Corinthians 1:19 is a powerful reminder to those of us who are God's errand boys at our local churches. When we preach, we must preach about Jesus...each and every time.

In Christ,
Jay

Saturday, January 5, 2008

1st Blog & 2nd Corinthians

Well, here's my world premiere into the Blogosphere! I'm been threatening to do this for sometime now. But finally got around to it.

What's the purpose of this blog? We're going to figure that one out together as we go along. I'm sure much of it will focus on my service at church as Worship Leader and occasional Teaching Pastor. Some will be reflections on my own study of the Bible. Other topics may well include my work as a Documentary Photographer at WRAL-TV, my family, sports, music, books, movies and any other incredibly random stuff that runs through my brain.

Will you care? I'm not sure. It is rather egotistical to think someone might care the least little bit about what I have to say about anything. My wife wonders if I've finally lost it and should move back into my parents' basement and take my Star Wars sheets with me. With that in mind, I'll try to keep it short and, hopefully on some level, thought-provoking, funny and interesting.

Why the goofy name? Well, "Jelly & Jam" is a combination of two things. First of all, my nickname is "Jelly Roll." It came from a friend(?) at work about 20 pounds ago. And "Jam" comes from my love of music and my role as Worship Leader at church.

I've recently jumped into a study of 2nd Corinthians. For those who don't know, this is a letter from a guy named Paul to a church in Corinth (southern Greece) in about 55AD. He wrote several letters to them, but we only have two: the books of the Bible we call 1st and 2nd Corinthians.

In chapter one, Paul writes about how God is the source of all comfort. Not just some or even most comfort. ALL comfort. And he says that God will comfort us during our troubles. You can take it to the bank. But when you read on, it's apparent that it doesn't stop there. He comforts us SO THAT we can comfort others.

In just five verses (2 Corinthians 1:3-7), he uses some form of the Greek word "parakaleo." Most Bibles translate it as "comfort." But it can be just as easily rendered "encourage" (as a verb) or "encouragement" (as a noun). I think this may be the case in this passage. To encourage someone is to literally "put courage in" them. It's to let someone know that they can make it in the tough times.

"Parakaleo" is a brother to the Greek word "paraklete," often used to describe the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. A "paraklete" is one who comes alongside, especially in times of trouble. Putting this all together in the context of what Paul has to say, God comes alongside us in our troubles. In turn we are to come alongside others when they face hard times. Kind of a supernatural "Pay It Forward" thing.

The bottom line would seem to be that when we face hard times, God WILL comfort and encourage us...and He'll do it through other believers.

So as we head into 2008, let's not hoard God's comfort and encouragement to ourselves. Let's be ready to come alongside others who are in desperate need of a friend. Hey, God has comforted you. Now it's time to "Pay It Forward!"

Jay