jroelive

Bi-Centennial Park

Today I Sabbath-ed (rested for spiritual and physical renewal/commandment #4) in the city of Nashville.
I woke up late—intentionally—got ready for the day and then simply began driving around my city—the city that God has called us to.

I was really unsure where my drive would take me. At first I was going to grab something to eat in East Nashville but turned around instead. I found myself back in the center of the city. I decided to grab an apple from the Farmer’s Market.

As I looked for a parking place for my Suburban, I drove past a homeless man who was drying himself out after yesterday’s rain. He was barefooted—socks and shoes were drying on the bench. I parked and grabbed the cash I had ($4) and a bottle of water. For some reason I knew that I was going to talk with this man. For some very strange reason I knew that I was to give him $4 and a bottle of water.

I walked over to him and he said “Hello.” He was just finishing up his lunch of saltine crackers and sardines. I said, “Hey, how are you?” He said, “I am ok.” I said, “Sir, I am to give you $4 and a bottle of water.” He looked me in the eyes and started singing—in a deep, passionate and clear African-American tone, “Jesus Christ you love me. Jesus Christ you take care of me. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”

I was taken back a bit. He said, “Thank you sir.” I said, “Do you mind if I sit with you for a few minutes?” He said, “Please do.” I asked, “What’s your name?” He answered, “I am the 51 year old Edward Holmes. And you?” I said, “My name is Jeremy Rose.”

Come to find out he is from the Upstate of South Carolina. He moved to Nashville in 1984. He thought he was going to move to Washington, D.C. but upon purchasing the bus ticket he didn’t feel right about it so he asked the Greyhound employee where she thought he should go and she said, “Why not Nashville?” The rest is history.

He has been homeless for over 8 yrs now. At one time he had a home, two jobs and a car. Today he carries very little. I intended to share with him some joy and practical help—instead, Mr. Holmes served my soul. He preached the pure gospel to me, as I have never heard it. Mr. Holmes said, “Mr. Rose, God can handle your needs. He knows exactly what you are looking for. Do not be afraid. Even though the enemy encompasses around you, do not be afraid. Jesus loves you—what else do you need to know to do what it is that God has called you to do? Do not fear man. When their faces are in your nightmares and you are scared of what man can do, rejoice in Christ alone. He can handle it.”

The park where I met Mr. Holmes

He continued, “Sir, you do not have to feel sorry for me. I am homeless for the glory of God. My homelessness is a gift from God.”
I thought to myself, “Dang. This guy is a rock of the gospel.”
He said, “If I weren’t homeless I would not know that God could provide the way I have seen Him provide over these last eight years. If I weren’t homeless, how could I share about Jesus to the needy homeless people in Nashville? They all come to me to tell me their problems. They think I am crazy because I am always happy, but I’m not crazy in the head, I’m crazy in the heart. Jesus loves me and I just cant get over it. Job and Jeremiah are men that inspire me. They trusted Jesus. Hey, that’s a sermon, The JJ’s!
You know, I have seen Jesus as good both when I had anything and now when I have almost nothing.”

I do not have the words to say nor the time to say them to accurately give you a description of my soul after my hour and a half Mr. Edward Holmes. He blessed me. His BIG smile and genuine eyes, man…God sent him to minister to me today. On my Sabbath, God sent Mr. Holmes to teach me the gospel.

He said, “Mr. Rose, I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together today. You are a man who knows much and cares deeply. Thank you for ministering to me.” WHAT? Seriously? He ministered to me. I asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?” His answer, “You already have done so much. Thanks for asking.”

I hope that Mr. Holmes (or as he puts it, “just plain ‘Edward’”) gathers with us on Sunday as we gather as The Axis Church. I am sure that he would be the most honored guest in the gymnasium on Sunday if he can make it.

Take time to listen to those around you. You could be missing out on so much.

Now, time for me to finally eat my apple. 

admin All things for good, Christian Life, The Gospel, church planting fear, Germantown, Jesus, The Gospel, Truth

The Gospel is bad news before it is good news.
It is the news that man is a sinner, to use the old word, that he is evil in the imagination of his heart, that when he looks in the mirror all in a lather what he sees is at least eight parts chicken, phony, slob.

That is the tragedy.

But it is also the news that he is loved anyway, cherished, forgiven, bleeding to be sure, but also bled for.

That is the comedy.

And yet, so what? So what if even in his sin the slob is loved and forgiven when the very mark and substance of his sin and of his slobbery is that he keeps turning down the love and forgiveness because he either doesn’t believe them or doesn’t want them or just doesn’t give a damn?

In answer, the news of the Gospel is that extraordinary things happen to him just as in fairy tales extraordinary things happen.

Henry Ward Beecher cheats on his wife, his God, himself, but manages to keep on bringing the Gospel to life for people anyway, maybe even for himself. Lear goes berserk on a heath but comes out of it for a few brief hours every inch a king.

Zaccheus climbs up a sycamore tree a crook and climbs down a saint.
Paul sets out a hatchet man for the Pharisees and comes back a fool for Christ.

It is impossible for anybody to leave behind the darkness of the world he carries on his back like a snail, but for God all things are possible.

That is the fairy tale.

All together they are the truth.

(taken from Frederick Beuchner’s Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale…find it for FREE here)

admin Christian Life, Study Tools, The Gospel Jesus, resource, The Gospel, Truth

What do you think if we substitute the word ‘life‘ for ‘cancer‘ (from Justin Taylor)…

1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

admin All things for good, Christian Life Truth

These are some scattered notes and thoughts from Tim Keller’s lecture at Nashville, Tennessee’s Christ Presbyterian Church on Wednesday night, November 18^th.

They are scattered for two reasons. First, I can only write so fast. Second, I unapologetically found myself more concerned with trying to absorb the content at a deep level within my spirit rather than simply scribbling the content down on paper to reproduce. So with that, here are some of my notes and thoughts.

The majority of this lecture was taken from his new book, Counterfeit Gods.

From Tim Keller:

A sermon is a lecture that gets out of control (LOL).

What’s an idol? Anything you love more than God. Ask yourself, “What does your heart love the most?” THAT is your functional god—your idol. Anything that is more important than God as your meaning in life is a God-Substitute. An idol is anything that you have to have to have JOY.

Sin is not simply doing bad things. Sin is much more than that! Sin is having a really, really good thing and turning that good thing into an ultimate thing. Only our Triune God deserves to be the Ultimate Thing of our souls.

Biblical examples of making a good thing an ultimate thing:
In Habakkuk 1 the Assyrians made a god out of their army (place their identity and security in)—IDOL.

In Ezekiel & Jeremiah the Children of God are told to not worship (place their identity and security in) the “peace treaty”—IDOL.

In Romans 1:25 Paul says to not worship (place their identity and security in) and serve the creature over the Creator—IDOL.

In 1Timothy 6 Paul says to keep ourselves away from the desire to be rich—IDOL.

Stinginess is not a simple, personal characteristic—it’s sin. It’s an IDOL.

There are several types of idols:
-Personal Idols

Keller mentioned an African tribe that literally sacrifices their children to their idols. He compared that to the American parent who, for the sake of success in the business world, sacrifices their children. He considers it the same. They stay late in the office, they hire nannies, they place their kids in day cares, etc—all for success in the business world.

This produces children whose parent’s approval means more to them than God’s approval. They really don’t want their parents, but their parent’s approval.

This produces parents who idolize their children. When the parent feels like a failure, as long as their children are happy, they can cope. They think, “My life sucks, but if my kid is happy then I am OK.”

We must know at a very deep and foundational level that idols will not satisfy—they damn. If you do not continue to feed your idol, it will kill you. Idols are relentless. You cannot continue to live serving idols and experience a grace-filled life of contentment and deep joy. This is why it is so important to know that we are justified before God by grace—NOT works.

-Cultural Idols
Cultural idols are what whole societies worship and adore.

In previous eras you would see pictures and statues of Hitler, Stalin, etc. but today in America you see on billboards, buses, television commercials and so forth pictures of “perfect” women—plastered everywhere. Eating disorders did not exist as they do now 150 years ago.

Today in America, in many circles, it’s family first! Everything is about the family—the individual is nothing.

-Religious Idols
God loves me because a lot of people come to my church. As the Puritans worded it, “mistaking gifts for grace.”

-Deep Idols
Deep versus surface idols…

Surface=a guy sleeping with many women. Deep=power, not sexual pleasure.

Surface=a guy dominating a small group discussion. Deep=power, not just for others to think he’s smart.

How to detect Idols:
-What do you daydream about? You ask yourself, “What would it be like to have _______________?” “What would it be like to be _______________?” “What would it be like to know _______________?”

-Where do you spend your money most effortlessly? Do you love savings accounts (security in savings)? Do you love to buy books but never read them?

-What are your biggest nightmares? “If I loose _________ I will be devastated.”

-Unanswered prayers. “God didn’t answer my prayer. I would follow God if He would ________________.” The “blank” is your idol.

-What are your most uncontrollable emotions? Pull that out of the ground and dangling at the roots will be your idols.

How to deal with idols:
-You can’t think yourself out of idolatry. It’s an affection. You have to expel it with another. What we must do is ADMIRE God. We must taste, feel, smell, see and love Him. Taste how good God is!

-You must have a deep and genuine prayer life.

-iPhone, iPod, Blackberry’s?…the problem is that we don’t know what to do with quiet anymore. We don’t know what to do with a day of prayer.

-Look for the deep idols. Studying for mass knowledge is an idol of human approval. Do you study and read to just know more than the next guy or to be led into worshiping God at a deeper level?

-You must re-engineer your motivation. You may have lost motivation all together.
Are you gifted in music or counseling? An idol can be found if you sing to be needed or to feel popular. Use your gift for good (bringing glory to God)—not for idolatry.

Random thoughts:
It’s harder to handle eating disorders than alcoholism. One you can live without. The other you must learn how to live with.
The most dangerous idols are the ones you can’t see.
You will never be free from idols until you are in the presence of God. ALWAYS be on the lookout for idols in your life…ALWAYS. There are always several idols in your life. Pray.

admin Christian Life, Idolatry, Materialism, The Gospel book review, idols, Jesus, Materialism, Parenting, Prayer, resource, The Gospel, Tim Keller, Truth

So this morning I was jogging around Belmont University and a nice looking Volvo almost hit me! I was surprised because nearly everyone in that part of Nashville yields to the runner—NOT TODAY!

I thought to myself, “Jerk. Some people just don’t get it. How rude?! Who is he to cut me off like that?!?!”

Then the gospel hit me.

“Jeremy, you don’t deserve anything. As a matter of fact you pray for that guy. You need to love him.” I thought to myself, “Seriously? Wow. He just…” The Lord was right. As I was jogging I forgave him and began to come to grips with having to ask Christ’s forgiveness for such wicked thoughts towards another bearer of His image.

Approximately forty seconds later I noticed out of the corner of my eye a car matching my speed. Now this is odd. That car was going so slow it could have received a parking ticket. J

It was the SAME DUDE!

He apologized to me!

He said, “I am so sorry. I enjoy running downtown too. I totally did not see you.”

I’m thinking, “THIS is weird.”

He continues, “Thanks for not throwing me a deserved obscene gesture. I am really sorry.”

I said that is was OK because it really was. I had already forgiven him. As he drove away I grinned and thought, “God, you and your gospel are such fine teachers.”

admin All things for good, Christian Life, The Gospel Forgiveness, Prayer, running, The Gospel, Truth

admin Apologetics Atheist, book review, Tim Keller, Truth

I found this today. This video documentary of Samkon Gado was filmed last year when he was with the Texans. He has since signed with the St. Louis Rams. On his very first run of the season this year he ran for a 77 yard touch down!

Pray for him as he strives to live a gospel-loving, Christ-honoring, repentance-filled life in the NFL. I know Sam personally. He and my brother were roommates back in college.

admin Christian Life, Documentary, Men, Missions college, humility, Liberty University, Men, Prayer Walking, Truth