Some of the hats that we wear are expected, they don’t surprise our friends and family at all. Yet other hats surprise even our closet friends when we’re discovered wearing them. When we follow Jesus we are assigned some roles, or given a few hats to wear if you will. Over the next few posts I would like to look at the 4 main hats Christians are to wear and ponder with you whether the world sees them as obvious or surprising.

Hat 1: The role of Healer.

To understand this role we must first see that Jesus Christ has healed us. (Isaiah 53:4, 1 Peter 2:24). Jesus, understanding that we were slaves to sin, came down to this earth in order to release us from our bondage. This required that he pay the price of our sin which was death. His death healed us from the coming punishment of sin. We become healed spiritually. Or put another way we are now spiritually healthy.

Thus the follower of Jesus is a spiritual healthy individual living in a world full of suffering. This suffering is not just limited to one’s spirit either. Many in our world suffer physically as well as spiritually. This illustration is a bit of a stretch but in some ways Christians are like Will Smith in the movie “I am Legend”. We live in a world in desperate need of a cure. The big difference is we aren’t searching for the cure as he was…we know the cure is Jesus Christ. Our role as healer is to offer people access to the healing power of Jesus Christ.We introduce them to the “Great Physician” (Luke 5:321-32).

But we heal in other ways as well. When we enter into the pain of another we are helping them find the healing they need. Remember, Will Smith was immune and we are too. When we seek justice for those who have none, when we offer mercy to those who normally don’t experience it we are healing wounded hearts and in so doing show that we too have been healed.

In a world full of pain we have the responsibility to take on the role of one who offers healing. Of one who points to the source of all healing Jesus Christ. Are you wearing the hat? Are you healing the physically broken, are you carrying the physically wounded to the feet of Jesus?

Community Questions:

Is the church today doing a good job of wearing the hat of healing? Would the world agree with your assessment?

What are some practical ways we can bring healing to the world in which we live?

When trying to navigate the complexities of life consider the third and final guideline to understanding God’s will.

Guideline 3: If you want to know what God wants remember to ask, act and move on.

Are you saying that finding the answers to these questions is as simple as one, two, three? Well, yes. Let’s look at the situation in Acts once again (Acts 1:23-26). The disciples had an important job. They needed to replace Judas. This was a once in a lifetime decision. I suppose if I were making a decision like this it would be easy to stress over making the right choice. Now the disciples had united around the mission of Jesus and also spent a lot of time consulting the Word of God. It was these two things that lead them to understand that Judas needed to be replaced in the first place. After all was said and done though they needed to discover from God who the right man for the job was going to be. They put forward two men that fit the qualifications. Yet who was it going to be. These men certainly did not want to make the wrong choice. Look how the handled their decision.

1. They asked God to make the choice and requested he give them a sign to authenticate which man was to replace Judas. Not all sign requests are improper, just bad ones. Here is the key to when we should ask God for a sign. We ask God for a sign when we are trying to decide between two equally Biblical options that stand before us.

2. They acted. God pointed out that He wanted Mathias to replace Judas and so he was immediately promoted to the office, no questions asked. If we ask, we should expect to get an answer. When we have our answer it is imperative to act otherwise our inaction turns to disobedience.

3. Lastly, the disciples moved on. There were no questions or re-counts. This is important for us to consider. We dare not ask God for a sign and then question it do we? This makes us more akin to Gideon than it does the disciples. When God answers you, move on, the issue is over.

Friends, it is at the crossroads of life that God shows up most clearly. When His children need a sign, He will provide. Let us be people who united around the mission of God and active in scouring scripture come to a living God without shame for the answers to life’s most daunting questions.

Community Questions:

Have you ever considered asking God for a sign to a particular situation you were facing? How did it go?

Why is important to act on the answers God gives?

The book of Revelation pictures the church as the Bride of Jesus Christ (Rev 19:7-8). So if you are a Christian you need to know you’re engaged. When you’re engaged life is different. You are focused on and preparing for the big day. As a pastor I do a lot of pre-marital counseling and one of the very first questions I love to ask a bride-to-be is how many days until the wedding. Inevitably each one of them blurts out the answer without hesitation. If we are engaged to Jesus Christ we should be preparing for the big day too, His return.

In the time the New Testament was written marriages were a little different. Back then a marriage had three important parts the promise, the preparation and the party. The promise involved making  the right connection between the groom and the Father of the bride. When a deal was struck the marriage was considered official, although the couple did not let live together. During the preparation the groom would go off and in many cases actually build the house or apartment in which he and his bride would live. Often this took upwards of a year. Last came the party. When all the work was done the groom would come for his bride and take her to her new home where they would be husband and wife. All this was celebrated by a party!

For Christians, the cross was the promise. There Jesus secured the engagement by making all the arrangements for our sin. The party is coming when he returns for us. This means that right now we are in the preparation phase. Jesus himself even said so: “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)”.

So are you ready for His return? When the book of Revelation tells us the church is the bride it also reveals how we can be ready; by being clothed in righteousness. And dressing correctly is important, just ask any young woman who is engaged…she is on the hunt for the perfect wedding dress. While not all of us are meant to wear dresses, we are called to wear something appropriate for Christ’s returns. We are properly attired when we live and act in a righteous manner. When we live out the commands of Jesus. When we seek justice, love mercy, offer forgiveness and grace and live in peace.

Are you wearing your best? Are you living like your engaged?

Community Questions:

Why do you suppose Jesus choose to use a marriage metaphor for his church?

What are some ways you are wearing righteousness?

“Eternal life is within my grasp”.

This particular confession is hard to spot because it is a confession based on works. The individuals who believe this are often some of the best “workers” in the church. They are always ready to pitch in and help wherever needed. The only problem is the reason they are so reliable is because they believe that these acts of goodness are steps in their staircase to heaven. Perhaps you know someone like this, someone who believes themselves to be “not that bad” or “better than most”.

The problem with this individual, as nice as they are, is that they believe the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross was not necessary for them. It might be necessary for some, but not for their own benefit. While this might sound harmless what it reveals is that they do not believe the words of Christ when He said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me”. This is dangerous. While these individuals believe they are good, they are revealing that they are against what Christ said. This makes them more anti-Christ than anything else. This modern confession really is in line with an ancient problem…not letting Christ be Christ.

Community Questions:

How can we help those who confess: “Eternity is within my grasp” see what they reveal about themselves?

Have you ever struggled with this modern day confession?

No one wants to be him.

Did you watch The Band of Brothers? Then you know exactly who I am talking about…Captain Sobel. You see, when we are first introduced to Captain Sobel he is a tough no nonsense company commander who is responsible for shaping up one of the best companies of airborne troops to date. But as the series wore on he turned out to be inept in the field. In fact, he became so distrusted that his men refused to follow him. He was not welcome in the band of brothers.

Nobody wants to be Captain Sobel. Nobody wants to be left out.

But many of us come into church feeling like we are one vote away from elimination...why is that?

Why do we sometimes feel that we are on the fringe at church. And I am not talking about the clothes you wear, or the car you drive, or any of that stuff. I mean you just feel like you have nothing in common with the rest of these people in the room.

In 1 John 1:1-4 the apostle John is reminding his readers that there is only one way to have eternal life. It is through Jesus Christ. John says that when you go to the “source” of eternal life you will find real fellowship with others who also at the source. So the question is….are you connected to the source? Church may be a lot of things but at its core it really can be only one thing, a community of people who are trusting Jesus Christ for eternal life.  Don’t confuse the programs of the church for the reason the church exists.

You don’t have to be Captain Sobel. You don’t have to fear being cut from the team a few minutes before you are sent into battle. You can be part of the band of saints who follow hard after Jesus Christ. Just make sure you are connected to the source of eternal life.

Community Question:

How can churches engage those on the fringe of their church communities?

I wanted to make you aware of a great opportunity for you to get involved in missions at your local church. The Building Healthy Alliance Ministry Partnerships Seminar is something I am helping put on in Appleton WI. (Just 3hours from Chicago and 5 from the Twin Cities). This one day seminar is focused on helping churches partner with missionaries and mission fields. You will hear from experts on many different topics. I will be presenting on some issues as well. (I dare not include myself in a list of “experts”…I’m not that vain!). Anyway, let me know if you have any questions or you can follow the link on this pic to register. Cost is $25.00 and includes lunch for the day. Don’t miss out, you will want to be there!

Details:

Saturday October 24, 2009

8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Appleton Alliance Church

Appleton WI, 54916

Register

What’s with the strong dose of recent nostalgia? Don’t get me wrong, I love all the remakes. But could it be that many of us who grew up with these classics never really stopped liking them? I remember each of these hits (calling them classics makes me feel a bit old). Of course I would probably throw Thunder Cats and Fraggle Rock into the mix as well but whatever the final list of remakes ends up being our culture is figuring something out: If you remake an original it becomes something new.

Can this idea be translated into the church?

Each generation has several things that make it distinct from others. There are the builders who love tradition and the boomers who love everything big. Then there is the Gen-X crowd who likes it loose and the millennials who are still making their own distinct mark. Lots of varieties, lots of potential, lots of “new” but in the midst of all this necessary change don’t forget the immense possibilities that a remake offers.

Consider just a few of the benefits:

• A Good remake already has a following of devoted fans.
• A Good remake is already a success; it just needs to be freshened up.
• A Good remake can easily bridge the generational gap.

Remember if you remake and original it becomes something new. What does the church need to make new? Do we really need to just throw away the hymnals? (I’m just asking…you need to answer that question!). Should we look back at the art and icons of the ancient church and allow them to make a comeback? I think what we will find is that some of the best practices of the past are still loved by many, so how can we freshen up the classics? This doesn’t mean we don’t need the new, innovative, and bold as well, I just think a balance should be struck. This needs to be a conversation, not a diatribe. What do you think?

1. What old show or movie would you love to see remade into a blockbuster?
2. Is there any practice or tradition in the church that you would like to see make a comeback?
3. How would you freshen up that practice or tradition in order to attract a younger generation?