Should You Bring Your Bag’s To Church Tomorrow?

I’ve said it, and prayed it, quite a few times.  Yesterday, I caught myself.  “Lord, please allow us to drop all of our burdens at the door and come and freely worship you.”  I know what we mean when we pray that.  We want to come to the Lord empty handed and not be distracted by a bunch of junk.  We do not want to be thinking about meatloaf instead of meditating on our marvelous Maker.  But do we really want to lay all of our burdens at the door?

This way of thinking tends to contradict what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30:
 

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Perhaps Jesus does not want us to “drop all of our burdens at the door”.  Perhaps our act of worship is to come heavy but to leave light.  Jesus does not want you to drop reality and real life at the door, sing a few songs, hear a sermon, and then pick all of your baggage up on your way out.  Jesus wants you to “cast all your anxiety upon him.”

I am becoming convinced that Jesus really did come to call sinners.  Powerful worship does not happen when clean, put-together people, offer “service” to the Lord.  Powerful worship happens when dirty, broken, sinners find the answer to their brokenness.  Or perhaps we could say that powerful worship happens when clean, put-together people, praise the Lord that brought them out of the miry clay.  Whether you are broken or healed the Lord desires a heart that does not pretend it’s living in Eden; but rather a heart that knows it is not where it is meant to be and is found longing for rescue.

So, tomorrow when you arrive at your church building to worship bring all of your baggage…but don’t leave with it.

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Originally posted here. 

Two Songs I’m Digging Right Now

I discovered both of these songs last week and I can’t get them out of my head. 

Of Monsters and Men “Little Talks”

The Lumineers “Ho Hey”

You can purchase The Lumineers album for only $7.99 or the single Ho Hey for only .99

You can also purchase Of Monsters and Men’s “My Head is An Animal” album for only $5.99 or the single Little Talks for only .99

The Gospel for Winter Winds

One of my favorite bands is Mumford & Sons.  Their lyrics are phenomenal.  Earlier today as I was enjoying me some Mumford & Sons this lyric started rattling around my brain and filling it with a healthy dose of pain. 

The lyric is from their song Winter Winds:

Oh the shame that sent me off from the God that I once loved
Was the same that sent me into your arms
Oh and pestilence is won when you are lost and I am gone
And no hope, no hope will overcome

I will not pretend to know the specific interpretation of this song.  For all I know Mr. Mumford and his kids could have been talking about the pain of switching from Kellog’s Corn Flakes to the generic brand.  Art is funny that way.  Yet, I do believe that this lyric spotlights something I have witnessed numerous times.  Namely, that shame drives people away from the Lord into the waiting arms of shameful lovers. 

When we sin feelings of guilt and shame come with it.  And though it’s not politically correct to admit this, we ought to feel guilt and shame when we exchange life for death.  Guilt and a sense of shame always comes with forsaking the Creator.  It’s as natural as a trip to a Chinese restaurant being followed by a date with Charmin. 

Our Shameful Response to Shame

Yet what we tend to do with our shame is similar to what Mumford suggests in this lyric: rather than running to God shame makes us run away from Him into the arms of another.  I have witnessed this countless times in the lives of those I’m discipling and even in my own heart.  There is something about shame and guilt that makes us think that unless these abominable qualities are alleviated then the Holy One will never accept us. 

Oddly enough this way of thinking is partially true.  Without atonement your shame becomes you.  That is what you do when you sin.  You exchange glory for shame.  And unless you are cleansed then it becomes your identity. 

As a result of this we run.  We hide.  We mask.  We deafen.  We pursue comfort in the accepting and approving arms of others, who like us bear the mark of shame.  The same shame that makes us run from God leads us into the arms of another. 

Yet it never satisfies.  The fellow shamed cannot heal your shame.  And so the shame, guilt, and emptiness begins to pile up.  “No hope will overcome…” 

Or so it seems. 

Jesus Christ has bore our shame.  He was shamed so that we wouldn’t have to be.  He bore the curse and endured the guilt and shame that should have been ours.  He was crucified in shame outside the city so that we could dance in freedom and joy inside the walls of glory. 

The gospel invites us to come empty. Shameful. Naked. Despised. Broken.  Abused. Foolish. Drunken. Forsaken. Guilty. 

And in Christ we find fullness.  Freedom. Covering. Honor. Glory. Healing. Life. Wholeness. Joy. Love. Grace. Peace. Holiness. Cleanliness. Forgiveness. Hope.

When you find yourself covered in shame don’t run.  Don’t mask it.  Don’t pretend it isn’t there.  Don’t try to find release or freedom or healing at any other fountain.  Turn to Christ and hope. 

And this hope will not disappoint.  Yes, this hope can overcome…

Today in Blogworld 7.6.12

Resolve Conflict ASAP

Paul Tautges gives six biblical reasons why we must not delay resolving conflict.  And he encourages us instead to pursue peace.  In my opinion resolving conflict is one of the most difficult aspects of living out the Christ-life together.  (HT: David Murray)

Free Piper Book

One of the reasons that I love Desiring God Ministries is their desire to give everything away free of charge.  Here is Piper’s newest (actually oldest) book for free.  It is actually his doctoral thesis and has the word paraenesis in the subtitle.  So it will be a little difficult to get through.  But only costs you hard drive space. 

When Parental Expectations Collide With the Gospel

Great words here from Daniel Darling.  He has a new book out called Real:Owning Your Christian Life.  It looks to be aimed at those that grew up in the church.  If it’s anything like this excerpt it’s probably worth a look.  You can buy the book here. 

How Jesus Prayed for You

One of the things (of many) that Justin Taylor does really well is compile Scriptures into a theme.  Here he looks all of the ways that Jesus prayed for us.  It’s startling really. 

9 Marks at 9 Panel Discussion from the SBC Annual Meeting:

Great Book Deals to Fill Your Reader

There are a few pretty good books for under $5 that you can purchase to fill your e-reader. 

Taking his cues from 1 Corinthians Mark Dever gives us 12 Challenges Churches Face:

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Only 66 pages but a practical guide to biblical preaching.  Alistair Begg’s Preaching for God’s glory:

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More from Dever.  This one is a classic that every one concerned with the church ought to read, 9 Marks of a Healthy Church:

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I must confess I have never read this one.  But I have read and respected Voddie Baucham’s other work.  So I believe his latest offering The Ever-Loving Truth would be worth a purchase:

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I’m reading through this book right now.  It’s a fun, simple, and helpful read so far.  You might enjoy it to.  Robert’s Rules of Writing:

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