One of the shows my wife and I have recently "acquired" (meaning it's one of the few shows we make a point to watch) is Restaurant: Impossible on the Food Network. In the show, this tough British chef goes to a failing restaurant and brings in a remodeling crew while he overhauls the menu, management, marketing, and service, all in two days with a very limited budget.
One episode that stood out to me was a restaurant that had been in the family for decades that was run by a guy who had no idea how to organize anything. The result was an extremely messy kitchen and a patio that had fallen out of use and cluttered with an amazing amount of garbage, unused equipment, and junk. At the end of each episode, there are a few captions giving kind of a "three-month report card." Most tell of at least moderate success. Sadly, for this restaurant, the caption said that junk had started to pile up again, and they had "temporarily closed."
How could this happen? How could they go back to their old ways after they have been shown something so much better? Don't they want to succeed?
Ephesians chapter 4 takes a similar tone: now that you have been called by Christ, do not live like the world any longer! Why? Because sin is bad and you know better!
Why do Christians continue to sin after they have come to know Christ? This is probably the most convicting sermon (for myself) that I have ever prepared...
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First Baptist Church is a loving community of believers in Jesus Christ. Our history goes back for about a century of serving Jesus in our community. We have exciting ministries for people of all ages, including youth and children. You can keep up with us here for sermons, podcasts, blogs, and events.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Worthy of the Name
Paul spent three chapters in Ephesians teaching about the church as God created it to be. We are ἐκκλησία, the "called-out" ones of God. We are called people with a calling to the the Body of Christ, the Temple of God, the children of God, a holy people of God, a community of priests and prophets who make the glory of God known "in the heavenly realms" as well as among the nations. The church has been given quite a name by God. So, Paul urges, "Live a life worthy of the calling you have received." And then he begins by coming alongside the Ephesian church (and now us) to show us how to live this worthy life, in daily practice. What does a church worthy that is worthy to be called God's "ἐκκλησία" look like? How do we live in this way?
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A New Confidence
"Oh My God"
I heard it again and again as the events of 9/11 unfolded. It slipped out of the lips of people as they stood with their eyes glued to the TV and the estimated death tolls began to be announced. I heard it as more buildings collapsed and as the smoke cleared in New York and you could see for the first time the massive hole in the New York skyline.
A lot of times people wonder where God is in times like these. One answer is that He is on the lips of those who are in the moment. People call out, “Oh my God! Holy … whatever!” Why?
Well, you might say that it’s just an exclamation, with no more meaning at the time than “Wow” or some cuss word, and you might have a point. But the very fact that the words “God” or “holy” are used in this way tells us something, and what it tells us is this:
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
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