Billie Jean is definitely not my lover by Jim Parker

I played trumpet in junior high band, sort of. I'll never forget those September nights, marching around on the freshly cut grass of the high school football field. I still remember the feel of my mouth piece bumping against my lips with every step I marched. And, how that plastic music holder bounced around atop my trumpet like a bobble head in an old station wagon.

I was never any good at the trumpet. I guess I didn't have the lips for it or something. When Michael Jackson's song Billie Jean was big our band chose that as one of its songs for our half time show. The trumpets all had this solo we were supposed to play. It was the melody to the chorus of the song. I remember struggling through that solo in the junior high band room trying my best to get it down and failing ever more with each puff on the trumpet. Then it happened. This girl who also played trumpet, I don't remember her name, but her face is still clear in my mind offered me some much needed but little wanted advice. She said, "just play it like it sounds." That statement sent me into a bout of nervous pre-teen angst the likes of which would accompany me through most of my formative years.

I grew up in a really conservative family. We had very little music in the house and what we did have was my Mom's old gospel quartet 78 records. I knew that day that my problem was not that I couldn't hit the notes, master the pitch, or keep the tempo of Billie Jean, it was in fact that I'd never heard the song. Here I was, a teenage boy, and I had never heard this Michael Jackson classic. I assumed at the time there were probably people living in caves in the most remote parts of the Dark Continent and that even they knew this song. I felt like such a loser. It was like I'd try to fake who and what I was all year long and suddenly this girl had grabbed at a loose thread and completely unraveled my persona in one tug.

You know a lot of days I still get that same feeling I had that day in the junior high band room. I've come a long ways since those days of red and white polyester band suits and feathered plastic band hats. The last few years I've really begun to discover who I am and what I'm here for. But when I get around the right people and feel someone tugging at that loose thread those same old feelings of insignificance come right back to the surface. Vision is being able to look into your future and see what God MIGHT do if we are willing to let him. Don't let people make you feel that you can't, that you are less, that you don't fit the mold. Vision is figuring out you can't but that God can. Vision is believing something bigger is ahead on the road of life. Vision is you being all God made you to be and understanding that under every persona there is a scared junior high boy or girl waiting for his world to crumble. Don't be intimadated. Go after the dreams God is dreaming with you and for you. It really won't matter if you know what Billie Jean sounds like or not.

4th Dimension Vision

What would life be like if we all lived with a blindfold on? Can you imagine doing life with a blindfold on? We know that wouldn’t make sense, it would cause all sorts of problems. So why do we insist on doing life without a vision.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Without vision people will perish . . .” Vision in the Hebrew means to mentally perceive, gaze at, to have a vision of. What would it look like to have a vision for your life? What if you had a vision for your family, career, relationship, spiritual journey?

Take a look at this passage again in the Message version- “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals they are most blessed.”

We want to introduce a new dimension of vision, it’s called the 4th dimension vision. The 4th dimension, as you know, consists of seeing, feeling, and experiencing the movie, as though it was happening. Similarly I want this to be true in our spiritual journey. 4th Dimension vision is this: Seeing God and joining His activity.

What would it be like to see God in your family and join Him in what He wants to do?

What would it be like to see God in your career and join Him in what He wants to do?

What would it be like to see God in your relationships and join Him in what He wants to do?

What would it be like to see God in your journey and join Him in what He wants to do?

Let's share
Take some time to recognize where God is . . . Can you see Him? If so, share it with us, reflect on it. If not, why? What is blocking your vision? What is getting in the way of seeing God? Encourage you to share that as well.

7 "Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? 8 Won't he rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" Luke 17:7-10

Are you motivated to serve those around because of guilt or fear or rewards? The idea of, what's in it for me? As long as I get something out of it, I will do it?

Or are you motivated to serve out of love? Maybe it is more about love than it is about you. If we are moving along the spiritual journey continuum and closer to being a passionate Christ follower, what does loving those around you look like?

Jesus shows us what that is with his life, but specifically he show us through this passage

. . . . Having loved his (Jesus) own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. . . . he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:1, 5 (portions)

Jesus lived out and called us to love like this. Really, I believe Jesus points us to this; love is as love does. Think about that statement for a minute. Love is as love does . . . . .

What does that look like for you? How is Jesus asking you to live that out with those around you? I am sure it isn't washing your boss' feet . . . but what is it for you? And it's not for you to get a raise, it is to love. Remember love isn't simply a noun or a feeling. Love is an action, love is a verb, love is a choice.

Love is as love does. Share with us what that looks like for you.

The Journey- Pharisee vs. Tax Collector

Take some time and read Luke 18:9-14.

One of the first questions Pastor Bill asked in his journey guide this week was this:

Do you most identify with the Pharisee or the Tax Collector in the story?…All the time or in certain situations?
Explain.

For me. I used to identify with the Pharisee. I had my reasons why I was better than everyone else. I propped myself up upon my religious "accomplishments" and had a pointy finger for those who didn't "measure up" to my standard.

But thankfully God broke me of that. Granted he kicked out my prop from underneath me, but it was a much needed fall from pride and arrogance to grace and humility. Today, I see more similarities with me and the tax collector. I long for a heart that Jesus gently forms and guides.

I believe the times I struggle today with a judging heart is actually with the Pharisee. I have found it more difficult to forgive and give grace to Pharisees. I want Him to keep working with me on that, because the Pharisees need a change of heart as much as the tax collector. Jesus was about changing hearts, if that is the case, then I need to join him in that by him changing mine and being open to how he will use me to guide others.

Journey Guide 3 weeks late

I thought I would follow the journey guide we are doing as a church and interact with you through the blog. I will try and do this weekly or multiple times a week. If you ever miss the week we hand it out at church, it is always downloadable on our website http://www.newlifecommunitychurch.us/ as well as the sermon.

This week we looked at Luke 15:1-10. One of my favorite passages, the lost sheep and the lost coin. The first question I want to interact about is this:

What does it mean to you to be sought after (as in God seeking after you)?

That blows my mind. When I look at God, at times, I am overwhelmed by how awesome He is, I am in awe that he created this world, but so much more, the entire universe and then some. That he has enough care to add delicate detail to a flower and a glimpse of his power in a lightening bolt. Yet, he longs to be in a relationship with me. Yet, he pursues me with a love that is relentless. He will not stop pursuing me or those around me. That blows my mind.

My God, our God is amazing.

What is your next step?

As a tribe, why do we exist? As a church, what are we about, what is our mission?

To help spiritually confused people become passionate Christ followers.

Everything we do as a church, is filtered through that mission. And as I studied Jesus and his interaction with his disciples I saw the same thing. We always assume the disciples are these iconic stainglass figures who started the early church with impecable and fearless faith. We overlook where they started. We overlook the fact that these men were simply just ordinary men who were called by Jesus to, "Follow Me." It was in that pursuit, in that journey where these men, through years of following became passionate Christ followers.

I believe the same is true of us today. But I want to see, what is the bench mark of a follower. What is it that Jesus pushed them on, in becoming a passionate Christ follower?

Mark 3:14 "He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that he might send them out . . . "

Two things come jumping off the page for me when I read this. Jesus wanted his disciples to follow him in two areas, intimacy with Him and influence with others. Because we are all on a journey, somewhere between spiritually confused and passionate Christ follower. It is good to identify, where are we on our journey? And what is the next step I need to take?

Specifically, this week, what is the next step you need to take in growing in itimacy with Christ? What is that next step you need to take where God is more active in your day to day things? Can you ask God, what do you have for me next? Does that draw you closer to him?

Share with us, what it is for you and how you want to be challenged in that next step. Thanks!!

Life a year from now?

Another year is upon us. What will this new year bring? New resolutions, new promises, new habits . . .

What is it for you? What do you want to see happen this year? Maybe not so much about habits and promises as it is God at work in and around you.

What would it be like, a year from now, to see the impact that you left in this world? What would it be? What impact do you want to make this year?