Trial Run

Last night my wonderful bride cooked up a practice run for next weeks Thanksgiving dinner. Now she's been doing this for a good 20 years but she went ahead and did it anyway. It was fantastic and it got me to thinking about Thanksgiving, the response to God's goodness. If Melany's been cooking up fantastic Thanksgiving meals for 20 years but still thinks she needs the practice perhaps we who have been following Christ for a long period of time will not be offended if I challenge you to join me on a little experiment today (or whatever day your reading this) and keep track of all the things that you are thankful for in a day. Identify the things that God brings to your attention and give thanks and write it down. I think if you'll do this you will have a Thanksgiving like you've never had before.

So I ask....Whose with me?

Oh, and please don't be shy. I encourage you to post your responses or what your thankful for today. To do so, just click on "comments" and post away!
Let's get going!


What say you?

Christmas Lights

It's Wednesday! Over the Hump day we used to call it. Just a few short days until the weekend. We have begun an initiative called "Christmas Lights" for the purpose of leveraging the Christmas season to connect with friends, neighbors, coworkers and family members in hopes of presenting the love of Christ to them. We have challenged people to begin asking God to direct them to the person or persons we ought to engage for the gospel's sake and to write the persons name on a piece of paper and put it in an ornament on the Church Christmas tree. Each time they connect with this person (shine their light) we ask that they put a light bulb on the tree. My hope and prayer is that, working together, we will see people take steps towards the truth in response to God working through us. Just by sending a card, giving a gift, taking someone out to lunch or having a cup of coffee we trust that God will provide, through our intentional relationship building, an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.

So, what are you doing for Christmas?

Gee, Thanks

It's Tuesday and while I have been planning for this coming Sunday for a while, today I jump in with both feet. This coming Sunday is our Thanksgiving Sunday and the text is 1 Thessalonians 5:18. ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. This is yet another one of those texts that challenge me in a big way. I would say that I'm a thankful person in that I consistently identify things for which I am grateful but this verse says that's not enough. "Give thanks in all circumstances", like when you get a nail in your tire when your on vacation, or when you stubb your toe in the middle of the night trying to discover what that noise was. These are times when thanksgiving doesn't come natural. Why do you think God wants us to be thankful for things we are not naturally thankful for?

What say you?

10:16pm

What am I missing? Did you notice in this record of a disabled man being healed that he doesn't pay much attention to Jesus other than to tell the Pharisee's it was his fault that he was "breaking the Sabbath".

Today at our Creative Team meeting where we evaluate past services and plan for those upcoming , we were looking at Thanksgiving and I was reminded of the many passages I have preached in years past on thanksgiving and was thinking about what my text ought to be this year. There's the old stand bye- 10 lepers that are healed by Jesus but only one returns to give thanks but that one's been done to death. It really highlights the truth of the statement that too often we are more concerned about the gift of God than we are God, the giver.

Think about this friends. Say that somehow your income was cut by 40% (let's hope you never have to experience that). What "fat" do you have to cut? I think just a brief evaluation of what "luxuries" could go demonstrates just how wealthy we really are- cell phones, cable/satellite, internet service, your home phone, one less vehicle, smaller house.... the list goes on.

How thankful are you and to whom are you thankful?

Lord you have blessed me beyond what I could have ever imagined and far beyond what I deserve. Forgive me for taking your blessings for granted. You truly are so good to me and if earthly riches are not enough you give me all that you are and a place in your presence for all eternity. Thank You.


What say you?

What not to say.

Taking my son to school today he reminded me of what not to say if a police officer pulls you over and asks "Do you know why I pulled you over?" Never, I repeat never say "Because you thought I might have donuts?"


Have a great day friends!!!!

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Something we don't realize is that while it may not take great effort for Jesus to turn water to wine, heal a sick son or cause a lame man to walk, it cost him a great deal.

This week the trouble begins in our study of the seven signs. Jesus walks up to a man who for 38 years is practically helpless and out of nothing but grace, Jesus changes his life. "Get up and Walk!" Jesus says. I wonder, if that was you where would you go first? This man chose the temple but on the way he is descended on like vultures by the Pharisees.

"Why are you carrying your bed? Don't you know it's the Sabbath?" "The man who healed me, he told me to" and instead of focusing on the healing they are stuck with a so called violation of their law. The Pharisees had developed 39 rules about obeying the Sabbath and one of them was that no one was to bear a burden. Interestingly, the one thing they accused him of doing was the exact opposite of what happened. Jesus had just relieved him of a 38 year burden.

Think of it this way, some one you love is sick and they're spiraling fast. You hit the gas to get to the emergency room and in doing so you have surpassed the speed limit. What would be the right response of a policeman- lecture you for 20 minutes on the importance of the speed restrictions? No, of course not he should see the real issue is the life that is in danger and assist you in getting there quickly and safely. They missed it completely. If the law is for the preservation and keeping of life then they should have focused on how this purpose was fulfilled in this man's life.

This sign/miracle became the impetus for the Pharisees to oppose Jesus and would eventually lead to His Crucifixion. All because He showed mercy and exhibited power on the Sabbath.

God has given us much instruction how to live but let's make sure that in following it and teaching it we don't choke the life out of others or ourselves.

What say You? Seriously, write something. ;0)

You Are HEEEAAAAAALLLLLDDDDD!!!!

This week we meet a man in John 5 "who had been an invalid 38 years" . He is laying by a pool along with others in desperate straits. He is ill, he has no friends, and has been in this condition for nearly 4 decades. They were waiting there, according to the text, for a stirring of the waters. (v.7) It seems that, according to local tradition, the first one in the water would be healed, the others were simply left to wait. The Bible nowhere teaches this kind of superstition, a situation which would be a most cruel contest for people who are already suffering..

Interestingly, this is the second of signs in John's Gospel, that involves a healing. So it is appropriate to consider a theology of sickness. The presence of sickness is not hard to explain, we live in a fallen world and the presence of sin brings death. One day, sickness, pain and death will be removed but for today we all live under the scarring of sin. What really stands out to me today is the response to sickness. Consider what this man's view of God must have been. "God's mercy is based on first come, first serve"? It is this kind of confusion that open's the door for others to step in and take advantage of those in desperation because of illness.

I am enraged when I think of "cure" pushers on the radio "Take this pill 3 x's a day ", "other places couldn't cure my cancer but when I went to X they were so friendly, I knew they cared and now my cancer is gone". As disgusted as I am about these folks, the ones that really burn me are the "Faith Healers". "If you just have enough faith" and "If you'd only go to see Y he could heal you". Now I believe that God heals but no where in the Bible do we see such a circus as these "healing services" And if people aren't healed, to pile on top of their pain, they are told "It's because you just don't have enough faith". It's near criminal, especially how through this so called gift these "healers" have enriched themselves in every worldly way. OK, don't get me started. (too late!)

Perhaps we would be better off thinking of such things in the following way. Jesus came, not just to deal with the symptoms of Sin but to deliver us from Sin itself and bring us into a relationship with God. These bodies, like it or not, are dying. What Jesus is most concerned about is your Soul.


What say you?

Trusting God from a Distance

In our passage this week, John 4:46-54, A man comes to Jesus with a great need, a son who is sick and near death. This man pleads with Jesus to come and heal him. Honestly, Jesus response feels a little like one of Job's friends. Where's the compassion? He needs a miracle not a rebuke. The man persists and receives this answer. "Go, your son will live". This man had heard about the things that Jesus was doing and came to him in light of his reputation of power but all he got from Jesus were words. The Bible says this man believed and he turned around an began the 20 mile journey home.

Think of how hard that must have been. Each step filled with questions, perhaps doubt making it's move. "Why won't he come? If I wait until I get home it could be too late." That must have been a hard trip to take. "If he's in Cana, how can he make a difference in Capernaum?"

I wonder, if like me, you have struggled with this dilemma - trusting God with someone when you can't see either of them. Last summer Emily, my oldest daughter worked at a camp in Wisconsin. I had never been there and would not see her for 6 weeks. How could I be the Dad I'm supposed to be and protect her if I can't even see her?

It was 6 weeks. If I struggled with 6weeks, how will I possibly endure her being away in college? I have had to remind myself time and time again that if I can trust God to watch her while I'm near, I can trust Him to care for her when I'm not.

In what circumstance do you most struggle when it comes to trusting God?


What say you?

The Curse

I've had it up to here! (points to top of eye brows) Today is September 22, 2009, what would be my Dad's 77th birthday and instead of celebrating a birth I am saddened by a death. Every so often I think of how death has cheated me. I never got to see my Dad or my Mom bounce my kids on their knee. They weren't there to see me preach in front of the faculty and student body of Dallas Seminary and they weren't there to see me receive a Masters Degree in Theology (Th.M). They would have been proud, we would have laughed and we all could have been amazed together at what God did through a guy like me.

A long time ago a decision was made to listen to the advice of a liar and reject the Word of God and we fell. As beautiful as the sunsets are, as gorgeous as the colors of Fall we have no idea how good it really was before sin entered in through one man's disobedience. People get sick because of sin. People hurt people because of Sin. I lost the opportunity to grow in a new found friendship with my Dad because sin is everywhere and the proof is everywhere- the penalty of Sin is Death.

When I read in John 4:46-54 of the Official that comes to plead with Jesus to heal his son, I can't help but realize how desperate he must have been. If he was in any kind of political position as many commentators assume, he most likely pulled every string out there, called in every debt, spent every last drachma to make his son healthy again but to no avail. Jesus was his last and only chance.

Only Jesus could reverse the effects of the Curse and in His mercy, he did. Remember the purpose of these signs is to cause us to believe that He is "the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing we would have life in His name" In this "sign" Jesus does indeed reverse the curse and the young man who would surely died, lived demonstrating his divine power.

It's got me thinking, "what else am I missing out on because of the scarring sin has wrought in this world?"

What are you missing today because of Sin?


What say you?

Loose Ends

Once again, the sermon is history and I come to the realization that I left out something significant. While I laid out John's structure of his gospel; 7 signs, 7 sermons and 7 "I am" statements, I failed to connect Jesus "private" sign with his following "public" action in John 2.

Remember those stone pots for ceremonial cleansing? Remember they were empty? They symbolized the condition of Judaism at the time and Jesus turning the water for ceremonial cleansing into wine begins the contrast between the emptiness of the hoops the Pharisees made people jump through and the life and Joy that Jesus offered.

While it is symbolic in 2:1-11 it is literal in John 2 13-16 when Jesus goes to the Temple and finds that it has been turned it into a Den of theives, a place of business as opposed to a "House of Prayer" (Mt. 21)

As I consider this, I began wondering "In what way have I cheapened what God is offering with mere 'religiosity'?" In what ways do we trade an authentic relationship with God for mere insufficient substitutes?

What say you?

By the way, what do you suggest I do to make this sermon series more effective/helpful?

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Aretha Franklin wanted it from her husband, Rodney Dangerfield never got any and without it culture breaks down. RESPECT is what I would like to see in the kids who walk down the middle of the street at night wearing dark clothing and flip you the "tall finger" when you warn them of the danger in which they place themselves. You've been disrespected and it hurts. You want to be treated like a person, not a number or an object.

Respect is one of those issues that comes up in the study of John 2 when Jesus is talking to His mother, Mary (who by the way is never identified by name in John's Gospel). Take a look.

3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

Now, everything we read about Jesus as a boy gives us no evidence that he in anyway disrespected his parents but what kind of answer is this to her concern. I know if I would have called my mom "Woman" I may have had a taste of "Irish Spring".

If you pick up a commentary to read about this unusual address, you find that in Jesus culture it was similar to calling someone "Ma'am" and was indeed respectful but they also point out that is would certainly been out of place to address you mother this way? So what's up with that then? What do you think Jesus intended when he called Mary "Woman"


What say You?

Just Wondering

Hey, is there actually anyone out there reading this blog? If you read this can you let me know by simply clicking on "comments" below and leaving a message?


What say you?

Folk Bible

You've probably heard the story of how Procter & Gamble donates a large portion of their proceeds to the church of satan. It's not true, it never was true but somehow it made it around the "interwebs" and people believed it. Thank goodness for snopes.com!

Unfortunately, folklore isn't limited to rumor, it's also crept into area's of faith. For example have you ever met someone who would swear that "God helps those who help themselves" is in the Bible. Where? They don't know "But it's in there!" We've got to be careful that we back up our beliefs with scriptures.

What does this have to do with John 2? I'm glad you asked. Take a look at verse 11

"This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him."


This verse clearly states that this was the "first of his signs" and yet there are those that claim miracles performed by Jesus when He was an Infant or a young Child. So I recommend (as does the EFCA) that when someone says "The Bible says..." you ask them "where stands it written?".


That's what I think. What say you?

Day off...

You know I once heard a guy say "You preachers, you're so lucky. If it's a nice day you can get up, make some coffee , make some calls or do a little studying and if its a bad day you can turn over in your bed and say your prayers." This tells me two things about this person, he knows very little about ministry and even less about prayer.

Through-out my 20 plus years of ministry, I have typically had Monday's off. Monday's are Family Day at the McGrath house. From the beginning we struggled getting that concept into the minds of some of our friends from Church. One guy would, for the longest time, show up at my door in the mid morning and tell me, "I had nothing going on so I thought I just stop in." I appreciated his friendship but his timing had much to be desired. Melany fought hard to guard the short time we had together on Mondays and found him to be intrusive. "Any day but Monday!" she would say.

Over time we set up boundaries and even left the house most of the day to ensure no "drop-ins". But the biggest battle for me, over the years, has not been the outward interruptions but the inward pull of "getting a head-start" on the week. Just this morning I spent a few hours continuing my study for the up coming series on "The 7 signs of the Gospel of John". What I have learned over the years is that for me to be most productive in ministry, I need to learn how to take breaks from ministry. These breaks are good for my marriage, good for my family and good for my soul. But while breaks are necessary, they can't always happen on a Monday because ministry is life.

I suppose that's how Jesus felt- he couldn't even just hang with family and friends at a wedding without being called to action. Perhaps that's why he would regularly get away from the crowds, even when their cries were the loudest, and go to a quiet place. We live in a world marked by "busy".

How do you carve out time to renew, refresh, rejuvenate and reconnect with God?

What say you?

Details, Details, Details

Through out John 2:1-11 there seems to be key elements that are dripping with hidden meaning. For example; they were at a wedding; the wine ran out; empty water jars for ceremonial cleansing; filled to the brim; water into wine; the statement that "you have kept the good wine for now", and all of this together brought the following result:

11. "This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him."

How much should be made about the details of John's record of this event? Was it just a wedding or was John indicating something to us? Is it significant that it was wine that ran out and not bread? What about the empty pots, later filled to the brim? Is this just clear writing or should something be made of it all?

What say You?

Water into Wine

I am beginning a series on the 7 "signs" in the gospel of John next week. While John is 1 of 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) it is unique from the others in that John develops his purpose, stated in John 20:30,31, by focusing on 7 signs or miracles, 7 sermons and 7 "I am" statements of Jesus. All of "these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

The 7 "signs", a term only used by John to refer to miracles are these;

1. Water changed into wine (2:1-11)

2. Cure of the nobleman’s son (4:46-54)

3. Cure of the paralytic (5:1-18)

4. Feeding of the multitude (6:6-13)

5. Walking on the water (6: 16-21)

6. Cure of the man born blind (9:1-7)

7. Resurrection of Lazarus (11:1-45)

My focus for the next week will be on the first sign, Water changed into wine, where I will be exploring how this event should cause us to BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

So, here is my first question, is the fact that Jesus turned water into a wine an argument for the consumption of alcohol?

What say you?

By the way, click here for an excellent resource for using an online bible.

Let's take a walk

Do we really need another blog? I don't know, but I'm starting one anyway. My hope is that as I write about the study, development, formation and preaching of sermons you will walk with me through the process and perhaps provide some feedback along the way. I hope this will become a dynamic experience where we can ask questions of the text and one another and in doing so, grow together in our understanding of the scriptures, be drawn to a closer more intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and more effectively be used by God in the lives of others.

Who's with me?