Sermon Snippets

My dad was about 5'11 and my mom is about 5'6. 

I stand at 6'1.

Both my parents had brownish/black hair. 

I share that as well. 

I've had family members remark how I had various facial features that were straight from one side or the other.

Neither sets of grandparents were necessarily wealthy, nor were my parents. But they all shared a love for the Lord and all ministered in various ways.

Of all the possible things I could have inherited from my parents and ancestors, it is this last trait that I value the most. I love sports and dreamed of playing professionally, yet my genes limited me on that front. It would be great to be able to enjoy the luxuries of riches, but my family won't be passing along copious amounts of wealth. 

Time and time again, the Bible reinforces the perspective that a relationship with God trumps all other advantages life can offer (Prov. 1:7, Luke 12:31, John 14:1-6). 

In a very real sense, this principle originates in Genesis 4. Genesis 4 is popularly known for containing the story of Cain killing Abel - the first murder.  But there's something deeper going on in this passage. The chapter is outlining the fork-in-the-road that all mankind faces at one point or another. Eve, Abel, and Seth show the benefits of cultivating a heart for God while Cain, Lamech, and the rest of that family picture the negative aspects of living life apart from God. 

Seth and Cain are particularly held up in contrast to one another. Each begin a family line with Seth's following God and Cain's rejecting the Lord. In the end, it's clear that the best thing we can pass along to our family is not riches or intelligence or fame, but a genuine heart for God.

Music Monday on Tuesday

The inclement weather forced us to cancel church this past Sunday. A much lesser consequence came yesterday as Travel Warnings and my own common sense prevented me from traveling up to the office per my normal schedule.

Thus my current Music Monday - Genesis series could not be continued (the only copy of my list is on a sticky note in my office). In it's place I give you with this:

Music Mondays - Inspired by Genesis

At Milford First Brethren Church, we are starting off this New Year with a sermon series in Genesis.

I am not going to preach through the entire book, but rather the beginning of this book of beginnings (chapters 1-11). The stories we will cover in this series attract attention and debate because of their miraculously incredible content. While some people criticize their historicity, others embark on mountaineering expeditions to search for a really old and really big boat. Genesis seems to be a magnet for debate but these much debated passages are foundational to the entire story of redemption that God reveals to us in His Word.

So as we study these incredible accounts of God's work at the beginning of time, I thought we'd concurrently use the weekly "Music Monday" feature to highlight songs that are inspired by Genesis or speak of it's truths.

For our first feature, I picked a song that has gotten lost in Chris Tomlin's ever-growing and impressive catalog of worship music. Indescribable beautifully calls us to worship because of God's wondrous and powerful work of Creation, detailed of course in Genesis 1-2:

Music Mondays - Songs for the New Year (Part Two)

Due to the crazy weather over the past several days, I've been home-bound and unable to access the rest of my list. But without any further ado, here are songs #5-#1:

5. "Day by Day" - dc Talk

This may be the strangest video on the list, but this remix of a song from the 'Godspell' musical improves the original by about 1000%. It's a perfect song for the new year because it expounds on the daily nature of our walk of faith. In 2014, and every year, we need to depend on God day by day day.

4. "Dare You to Move" - Switchfoot

This has been a favorite song of mine since the first time I heard it. It calls us to become who we were born to be. It calls us out of mediocrity to something greater. It calls us to get back up when we fall. Isn't that the whole reason for New Year's Resolutions' anyway?

3.  "Time Is" - dc Talk

Another song, another dc Talk entry. No official music video for this song, but it's a classic. It speaks for itself, but my favorite part are all the soundbites involving the word 'Time', especially the Star Trek: Next Generation quote from Geordi La Forge.

2. "Beautiful Day" - U2

The only non-explicitly Christian song on my list. But it's too fitting not to include. This song will always be connected to 9/11 in my mind. It was released around that time and I remember it as an inspiring song of hope during that darkest of times.

1. "Alive" - P.O.D.

Another song with 9/11 connections, this single was released shortly before that fateful day and the album itself was set to be released that very day. This song would always pump me up before basketball games. Though in a deeper way it reminds me of the freedom we have in Christ and the power over sin that is ours because of the Cross.

That's it, that's my (belated) New Year's playlist for 2014. What's on yours?