Metro Life Church: Casselberry, FL http://www.metrolife.org/blog The End of Prejudice http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/the-end-of-prejudice Sun, 27 May 2012 09:45:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/the-end-of-prejudice “I sometimes think that we live in fear and call it wisdom. But we live in fear — fear of the negative influences of the world. We live as though we have far more to fear from the “world” than they have to fear from us. We carry with us the Good News of Jesus the crucified and risen. The explanation of that news changes people; it removes them from the kingdom of darkness and brings them into the Kingdom of Jesus. It is far more a threat to their way of life than they are to us. 
We live in unbelief and call it moral separation. We live in unbelief, and actually deceive ourselves into thinking that we can create a parallel universe and thereby escape the corruptions that are in the world. We are not confident in this message and its power in us and its power toward others. 
Now, of course I am aware of our vulnerability, and of course I am aware of the care of my children, and of course I am aware of all the arguments that can be marshaled for caution and safety and the rest — but I am pressing for the other side. I am doing so because the Gospel calls us. 
We follow the One who was a friend of sinners, who took on flesh and blood as he entered a world in which there was nothing but defilement. He came down into this world, in association with people ruined by sin and living in sin in all its various forms, he lived in the same universe, not a parallel one. He was a friend of sinners and lived in purity at the same time. And he has sent us into this present age with the same mission — to be the people of God in the midst of this world, not to isolate ourselves from the people of this world. God wants believers to have confidence in the Gospel and to pass this on to our children as well. I am simply asking — are we confident? Are we imparting confidence to our children or teach them to live quarantined lives? Are we living in invisible hazmat suits, in a parallel universe?”

by Mark Lauterbach

]]> Faith That Expects http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/faith-that-expects Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/faith-that-expects On Sunday we looked at two amazing miracles and the subsequent advance of the gospel in Acts 9:32-43. It is exciting to see the early church being used as instruments of the healing and saving power of Jesus. But as was mentioned, the passage makes the point that we are all instruments of his power. That's you, that's me, that's each and every Christian.

But even though this is the case, often we feel powerless. We pray and pray and share and share and sometimes see very little fruit or effect. It's in this context that God is doing a work of faith. As was mentioned Sunday,

"Faith is not that we get every prayer for healing answered whenever we want. Faith is forged by continuing to pray even after we have not seen the healing that we so desire. When Jesus comes, will he find faith here? Will he find us persisting, eager, expectant that his power is going to be displayed in this local church like we see it on every other page in the Book of Acts?"

The opportunities to see the power of Jesus displayed are all around us. I hope your eyes have been more open to them so far this week. Let's continue to pray that God would use us as his instruments and let us press forward in expectant faith on the basis of God's Word and not on the basis of what we have or have not seen.

]]> Mother's Day Video http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/mothers-day-video Fri, 18 May 2012 11:15:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/mothers-day-video On Sunday we showed a video in honor of moms for Mother's Day. Here is the video. Because it is a lengthy video, please allow time for the video to buffer fully before trying to watch. Special thanks again to Pat Henderson and his daughters for all their help in capturing the footage from our kids and creating this gift for the mothers of our church!

]]> Transformed By The Risen Christ http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/transformed-by-the-risen-christ Tue, 15 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/transformed-by-the-risen-christ This past Sunday we studied Acts 9:1-31 together. In the message we looked at how Saul, later named Paul, never moved on from his conversion story. Here is how he reflected on his conversion in 1 Timothy 1:13-16:

“…I was a blasphemer, persecutor and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”

Keep considering; don’t drift from this! Make time daily for the Gospel to fall on you afresh. Look at it; it’s our story!

Whatever else may be going on in your life right now, or not going on that you want to see, this is going on; “the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.“

]]> I've Been Neglected! http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/ive-been-neglected Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/ive-been-neglected I have heard from many dear members of Metro about the message, “When Neglect and the Gospel Intersect.” Wow, I was longwinded in that message, which makes your encouragement all the more amazing! I’ll work on getting my windbag to be a little less full! I know that a lot of life has passed by us since that message 10 days ago, but I hope whatever the Lord was doing in your heart is still fresh.

A few friends referenced a section in particular from the message that served them, so I thought I’d post it below, and man, even rereading it, fresh conviction and a desire to grow are hitting me! God bless you, friends!

A Functional Gospel moves us from how we feel to what is real.

• In the text the first thing mentioned is that the number of disciples were increasing. Luke is already setting the stage with that information to help the reader’s interpretive grid.

• The widows could have just started making all kinds of assumptions without any fact finding and that could have led them to every wrong conclusion.

• Too often we equate our opinions or our feelings or our perceptions with truth.

• When that happens we end up further from the truth and the further we drift the more distance we have to cover to get back. And so Paul urges us,

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, what is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

• A functional gospel goes out of its way to think what is the best. A functional gospel is not so eager to find fault or lay accusations.

• When explanation is given that reveals that neglect was not intentional it should make a difference in how we think, feel and respond.

• This is so critical to grasp as brothers and sisters because often times the neglect we think we experienced wasn’t even real; it was imagined!

• If we search our hearts we can find those times where we ended up offended at someone not over what actually happened but what we think happened.

“The offense may have been more imagined than actual, but that made no difference to those who felt overlooked.”1

• It should make a difference! When our perceptions can be served by a true understanding of what happened that should impact and change how we go on thinking about something. If the Gospel is functioning in us as it has the power to do then we will not be a people who quickly equate our feelings with truth. We will increasingly become a people who want to ensure we have rightly understood why we were neglected if we were neglected before we allow any offense or bitterness to take root.

• When Paul calls upon the church to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace he does so because he knows that by simply being human, by being an assembled people who are different, and even the designs of Satan himself, numerous things will seek to thwart that unity!

• Because we live in a fallen world, because we are finite…because we are human beings, we will all experience neglect and we will all neglect.

• In light of that reality, I believe the Lord would urge us to love one another in such a way that we guard against importing or inserting motives into others that aren’t even there!

• Neglect will happen sure enough, but let's not add to it by assuming neglect where no neglect was intended or even thought of.

• The Gospel of Jesus Christ at work in us has the power to overlook a lot, to exercise charity, to think the best.

_____

1R. Kent Hughes, Acts, pg. 94

]]> Boldness - How's It Going? http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/boldness---hows-it-going Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:05:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/boldness---hows-it-going We have been hearing a lot in these early chapters of Acts about the boldness of the early church. So far we have seen it primarily through the Apostles, but as the weeks go on we will read of the boldness of all sorts of people, every day people like you and me. They were not frozen in fear. Peter, who once denied his faith, is now a man filled with the Holy Spirit who boldly proclaims wherever he goes and to whomever is before him. God is eager to make us a community of believers filled with boldness.

I had the opportunity to speak with a few people this week about our upcoming Easter weekend. I took some ‘invites’ with me and I asked them if they would be interested in coming by. I’ve spoken with them a few times before and so we have been building on each conversation. They expressed an interest in coming. I don’t know if they will or not, but here is what I am learning as I seek to experience in my own life the kind of power the early church had to boldly proclaim Christ the Lord. The more I am asking God to fill me with boldness to proclaim, to reach out, and to take interest in the lives of strangers, the more I am finding opportunities and the boldness to do so! I know, profound. God says if we ask, He will fill us. And when we ask He keeps His word!

So how is it going with you? Have you had any opportunities that have encouraged your faith? Have you been able to personally invite anyone to church, into your home or maybe to grab a cup of coffee together? Let’s believe and ASK together for the Lord to fill us with boldness; so much so that we have more and more stories of how God has used us to tell others of His love. Let’s pray together...

“Lord Jesus, you have promised that we would be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we may know the love of God, that we may have power for a holy, set apart life, and that we would have boldness to proclaim your love. Fill us today, we pray, and open our eyes to the harvest all around us. Do this for your glory and the furtherance of your Name, we pray. Amen.”

]]> Mega Grace, Is It Possible? http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/mega-grace--is-it-possible Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:40:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/mega-grace--is-it-possible I read Acts 4:32-5:11 again this morning. I was stirred again by the life the early church was enjoying, all because of Jesus! As testimony about Him was going forth, great (mega) grace was upon them all. R.C. Sproul described the early church this way: “People were excited to be caught up in the mission of the church and to be recipients of all God had poured out on them, which made them willing to part with anything they had in order to increase the kingdom.”

Even though generous giving is evident in this passage, the reason such radical giving was taking place was because the gospel message was going forth and producing “great grace” in the hearts of the people. Christ was at the heart of their giving…except possibly for Ananias and Sapphira!

Mega grace. What can happen in and through a local church when mega grace is on display? How about the full number of a church being of one heart and soul? How about radical giving? How about a corporate witness that is powerful, where salvation is a common experience? How about, to quote Francis Schaeffer out of our study books, a church that can “exhibit simultaneously the holiness of God and the love of God.”

Let’s pray for this, friends. Not just for our mission offering on May 6th. Let’s pray for this oneness and power to be on full display within and among us. And whatever happens on May 6th, may it be a demonstration of mega grace! God bless your week!

]]> Hunger Games, Discernment and Ear Wax Removal! http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/hunger-games--discernment-and-ear-wax-removal Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:10:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/hunger-games--discernment-and-ear-wax-removal I’m guessing a blog on earwax removal was not what you were expecting. Take heart, we won’t discuss that here, except to say to my young friends in Alive that I have to laugh at some of the things that I hear some of you “hear” in a message. My favorites from last week are, “He said we shouldn’t see it”, and “He said it’s evil”, and most of all, “It doesn’t matter what he said; I’m going!” Now I actually didn’t say anything related to going to any movie, except that you should have that discussion with your parents, but I did invite us all to think. Paul wrote the following to the Philippians,

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

If you were at Alive then maybe you were one of the “stirred.” But how were you stirred? Were you stirred by what I did say, or more importantly, what Philippians 4:8 says, or were you “stirred” by what you thought I said? In case you weren’t there, or you were but may not have heard, I did not say don’t go to “Hunger Games” or any movie for that matter. The point wasn’t even about the movie; the point was thinking, and the premiere this week only serves as an illustration. But I do wonder if you have asked yourself, “Why did I get so hooked and emotive over what I thought he said?

The point of the message (which is relevant to all of us even if we weren’t at Alive), and as it relates to our theme this year of being alive in Christ, is well stated by John Piper, when he says, “What does it look like when the blood of Christ governs the television and the Internet and the iPod and the checkbook and the neckline {we can add movies and books to his list}? Most people have never asked this question, let alone answered it. The only way most folks know how to draw lines is with rulers. The idea that lines might come into being freely and lovingly (and firmly) as the fruit of the gospel is rare…movie ratings do not equal biblical discernment…In the end, the sum of all beauty is Christ, and the sin of all worldliness is to diminish our capacity to see him and be satisfied in him and show him compellingly to a perished world.”

Young friend and parents, Paul had a vision from God for the Philippians and for us. Legalism will never be the answer in helping us live alive to God. Philippians 4:8 is a plea to wisely evaluate our media, music, movie and reading intake. It helps us to discern why we react so passionately if we perceive that what we want to watch, listen too, or read is getting challenged. Young friends, could I encourage you, listen to the message again, praying first for discernment. You may still head to the movie, with Mom and Dad’s blessing. But go for bigger reasons than that your friends are going, or you pre-purchased the ticket. Go discerning, so that whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or go to a movie, you can do it to the glory of God! I hope that is worth discerning!

]]> Life Together http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/life-together Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:45:00 -0400 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/life-together I’m still thinking about that key word in the passage from Acts 2:42-47...devoted. There really is no replacement for the time and intentionality that it takes to build a community that is devoted to one another. It also seems there is no lack of tasks to be done, errands to run, and responsibilities to complete each day that make a devoted life seem out of our reach. But let’s remember as we study Acts together that the early church had hurdles to overcome too! The life the early church enjoyed can be ours as well! So together, let’s ask the Lord what increasing our devotion to His community would look like right now. How can each of us individually be a part of what makes Metro Life Church a spirit-filled community? As we pray for that very reality, let the following vision compel our devotion:

“The most contagious thing the world has ever seen is a church whose life, message and love reflect the character of Jesus. Such a life is like fire – it spreads quickly and nothing can stand before it.” – Peter Jeffrey

By the way, a member came up immediately after the service to share that they desire to dust off their sign language skills! So Genevieve, thank you for sharing with us your desire in this regard, and how wonderful of the Lord to already be stirring up this gift in our church!

God bless your week and your opportunities to do life…together!

]]> The Savior Sees http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/the-savior-sees Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:00:00 -0500 http://www.metrolife.org/blog/post/the-savior-sees On Sunday, guest speaker Jim Donahue preached from Luke 15:1-7. This is the parable that Jesus told concerning the lost sheep. He told it to show what kind of heart he has for the lost. I don't know about you, but like Jim mentioned, it is all too easy for me to praise God loudly on Sunday and then close my mouth and put my hands in my pockets throughout the week. With regard to the unsaved it's easy to put forward minimal effort, be content with my little Christian community and remain self-focused thus missing the people and the opportunities all around me.

But Jesus told this parable so that we would see people like he sees them, so that we would have the Savior's eyes. We can see people who fare pretty well in life, with only a bump here or there. Jesus sees people in danger of the eternal fire of hell. He sees people in need of being saved from the wrath of God. We can see people as just one of the billions of people inhabiting our planet. Jesus sees people who are of great value to God, of such great value they are to be sought after until they are found. We can see people as opposed to the gospel, content with their lives just how they are. Jesus sees the joy of people coming into a relationship with God.

Do you want the Savior's eyes? Do you want to see people and circumstances the way he sees them? Jesus' parable is an invitation for us as a church to adopt his heart and proclaim his gospel. Let's ask God to help us to see the danger, see the value and see the joy in God using us to see lost people turn to Jesus. And let's in turn take the step of faith to pursue the lost with this kind of expectancy!

]]>