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Good Quote

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

I had a friend the other day say this:

Be defined, not by what you do in life, but by who you’ve put your faith into.

I think one of the biggest dangers in life (specifically ministry) is when we’ve set ourselves up to find our identity, security, stability by what we do. This was never how we were made. I don’t find purpose and fulfillment in my job. Why? because in the end, the job will change… and if the job constantly changes – does that mean the definition of my life constantly changes too?

Therefore, we should put our faith in the One who does not change… Jesus. Yet so often we become enamored with jobs, money, food, and hobbies despite the fact that they continually fail us. You work hard, but nobody takes notice; you make lots of money, but it doesn’t make you more happy; you enjoy the best of all foods, but still become hungry; you pour yourself into your hobby, but in the end either become frustrated or bored with it. But Jesus never fails us… He’s the one who can satisfy. He’s the one of whom we can trust. He’s the one we should put our faith into…

become defined

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Sunday Morning Reflections / 10.04.09

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Monday, October 5th, 2009

This Sunday was a tough one mostly due to the monsoon that welcomed each of us as we woke up. Despite the rain we had such a sweet time together. There is no doubt that students are needing a break and in 2 weeks they’ll get it with Fall Break. Below are some of my reflections from this past Sunday:

-a rainy day carries with it the potential to come in drowsy & tired… therefore we NEEDED the Holy Spirit big-time today
-there is something about not having a full band that caused me to listen more intently to the words we were singing… and it was good.
-it’s an honor to have parents of college students join us on Sundays. We learn so much about students when we meet their parents! ;-)
-Jesus.
-you want to find meaning in life? look to Jesus.
-I love that students feel free to come up and ask questions… especially in regards to the Trinity ;-)
-I cannot give you an owl.
-what we do on Sunday mornings is only part of what we do; praying with students about real issues is so vital.
-Jesus is the meaning of life because he is life.
-I am still humbled and amazed that we’ve consistently had a TON of college students each Sunday.
-everything is connected to God.
-it really doesn’t matter what you know if you don’t know what matters.
-this upcoming week we have “you ask” and I’m secretly nervous… BUT PUMPED!!

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Don’t Be A Brett Favre Christian

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

As many of you are aware: Brett Favre is back… AGAIN. I suppose this shouldn’t be too big of a surprise – I mean, he’s done this before. I’m really not all that shocked that he’s back – it impacts me in no way personally – but it has taken over ESPN… they’ve treated it as if President Obama were to bail out the NHL unlike Canada.

At any rate, I was talking to my friend Ben, and he shared with me how often Christians act like Brett Favre. I have no idea Brett’s spiritual life – whether he has a relationship with Jesus or not – I have read that he’s a Catholic… but I’ll assume nothing – besides, this is not a post about Brett Favre’s faith. My friend inspired me to write a few brief thoughts on this whole deal of Brett’s comings and goings and how many followers of Jesus act just like him spiritually. So, here is how not to be a Brett Favre Christian:

  2. Don’t be indecisive. Jesus tells us that we’re to be obedient (Matt. 28:19-20; John 15, etc). In many respects this isn’t a delayed obedience (the “I’ll do it later but right now I’d like to eat my gallon of ice cream in peace!” attitude).  This is active obedience. That when we’re convicted to do something, we do it now, rather than later. In the book of James, the half-brother of Jesus, he goes as far to say that if you know what is right and don’t do it; you’re in sin. You see, Brett Favre has been back and forth in his decision making process… and in the end, it hurts his family; his legacy; his fans; and his teammates. This doesn’t mean that you and I won’t from time to time make decisions that we regret – we will – but when we do, be quick to make the changes that are needed and move forward. It seems every other day there is another report that says Brett is retired/un-retired/retired/un-retired/retired… in the end it makes everyone tired.
  4. Don’t show up when it’s convenient. For so many Christians, we’re available to serve, worship, pray, and read the Scripture, when it’s convenient. I understand. I get it. My Dad has always told me that hard work is well, hard work. There’s no getting around it. For Brett Favre, he’s skipped the majority of the hard work required of the rest of his teammates… how is that being a team player? He is also coming into the preseason late – how is that going to help the Vikings? As Christians, we’re to work hard… and sometimes that isn’t convenient, but it is sanctifying. I don’t think the church talks enough about sanctification of a person. What I mean by this is that you and I are a work in progress. Christians won’t be perfect – if they were, there would be no need for the cross. So, we’re constantly being perfected in His image… progressive sanctification isn’t convenient, its tough; but in the end its a delight to those that are disciples of Jesus Christ.
  6. Don’t make your job anything your idol. This is actually a compliment to Brett Favre. He has said before that “when you lose a family member or something tragic happens, that stays with you forever. You never get over it. Knowing that you have to deal with that for the rest of your life… Football is important, but not as important as you once thought it was.” Kudos to Brett Favre. That’s the absolute right perspective. That being said, I would add that in some ways it appears that Brett can’t get enough football. Jesus tells us as much that you cannot serve two masters. It appears that the ‘what if’ question in his head has consumed him to the point that he must do this or he’ll regret it the rest of his life. Therefore, we shouldn’t allow anything to get in the way of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Let’s hope that we don’t let anything impede our relationship with him!

Allow me to reiterate: this is NOT about Brett’s faith; rather how we should press on in these current days. I hope you receive this as encouragement!

enjoy.

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The Wisdom of Mentors

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

I was reading in 1 Kings 12 this morning and a young King Rehoboam has taken power.  The passage describes Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel pleading with him to show mercy towards them and reduce the punishment levied towards them by Solomon.  The people of Israel are associating their lifestyle now to being just like it was in Egypt under Pharaoh.  You can read the references HERE.

So, King Rehoboam gathers around him the elders/old men who stood before Solomon to ask them what he should do… show mercy, or increase the suffering.  He listens to what they (the older men) have to say, which is basically “show mercy and they’ll serve you forever.” Upon hearing this from them, the King “abandons the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.” What did these young men say to the King?  “increase the suffering.”

The King chooses to take the counsel of his young comrades and there is continual hostility between Israel and the King for the remaining time (1 Kings 14:30, 15:6, 15:16). He, being young, thought that he knew better than those who were wiser & older than he.  He failed to listen to those who were older.  Call it arrogance; call it foolish; call it folly – but it’s plain dumb for him to not listen to these men.  He chooses (which BTW, this is all according to God’s plan) to do his own thing and it ends badly for him.

The point?  There is wisdom in mentors if we’re willing to listen.  I am deeply grateful for the men who have taken the time to invest in me… but their investment in me would have been wasted had I not listened to them.
So, to you Rick Cavitt, your investment in me and many other guys has touched God knows how many people.  I will always look up to you… always.

So, to you Andy Dennis, you always pushed me in ways that frustrated me, but grew me… and your love for U2 makes me smile.

So, to you Tom Mosley, you always kept me grounded.  Your zeal and passion for God and His glory causes me to worship Jesus even as I sit here.

So, to you Bud Jones, if it weren’t for you… I very well may have given up on Jesus’ first love.  I love you man – even though you’ll probably never read this.

I plead with you young men and women, find a mentor – and listen to them… listen well friends.  I plead with you older men and women, be a mentor… we need you.

enjoy.

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How Jesus’ Disciples Died

By michaelcriner · Comments (6)
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

As I was preparing for the sermon on Sunday, I came across this list that actually shares how each disciple of Jesus died. Oh to be a quarter of a man like them. How trivial my life is compared to these brave men. Read these and may your heart be stirred with affection for Jesus:

•Peter, crucified upside-down in Rome circa 64 A.D.
•James, son of Zebedee was beheaded in 44 A.D., first of the twelve to die
•John, son of Zebedee, natural causes due to old age, last of the twelve to die, only one of the twelve to die naturally (as mentioned by Christ at the end of his (John) Gospel.)
•Andrew, Peter’s brother, was crucified upon a diagonal cross.
•Philip was crucified in 54 A.D.
•Bartholomew (also known as Nathaniel) was flayed alive (skinned) and then beheaded.
•Matthew killed by a halberd (large axe) in 60 A.D.
•Thomas was killed by a spear in Mylapore, Madras, India in AD 72.
•James, son of Alphaeus, beaten to death with a club after being crucified and stoned.
•Saint Jude was crucified.
•Simon the Zealot was crucified in 74 A.D.
•Matthias, Judas’ replacement, was stoned and beheaded.

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Crazy Love

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Saturday, July 11th, 2009

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I re-read Crazy Love today… yes, all of it, today.  You should too – it will deeply convict you and challenge you in how you view God, his gospel, and the implications of such a love he has for us.  If you don’t own it, go buy it right now HERE.  Seriously – you should read it for yourself, your family, and your church.  It’s just that good.  There are also some fun resources HERE in regards to the book and such.  Francis Chan always (by the power of the Holy Spirit) challenges me to live life beyond what I am today.  Thanks Francis.

Now – go get the book and read it and be thankful for what Jesus has done on the cross for our sins.

enjoy.

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Mark Driscoll Yelling ‘How Dare You’

By michaelcriner · Comments (2)
Friday, July 10th, 2009

This is for the boys men who read this blog.

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What is the Gospel?

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Thursday, July 9th, 2009

My little buddy Matt proposed a wonderful question in response to what I’ll be preaching this upcoming Sunday.  Let me first say this about Matt.  Matt is someone I love dearly; and at times someone who is a rock in my shoe.  But not in a bad way – seriously.  This is a good rock.  Pastors and preachers shepherds will too often expound rhetoric about the gospel, but won’t ever explain or share the gospel.  As Scott Thomas said yesterday via Twitter: “A sermon where the language is perfectly appropriate and pristine and yet devoid of the gospel is both eloquent & shameful.”

About a month ago, I posted a link to what I think is a great explanation of what the gospel is and who the Gospel is about.  You can read my original blog HERE.  You can read about the Gospel HERE.

That being said – I do want to answer your question rather than sending you all over Cyberspace to find what I perceive the gospel to be.  So, your question once again:
What is the gospel?

Here’s my response:
One of the most clear, detailed, and succinct explanations of the gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.   It reads: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…“ (ESV) emphasis mine.

Like I said, I think this pretty much explains the gospel from a Biblical perspective.  What I love about this explanation is that it begins with Christ – Jesus Christ that is.  It always will be and it always has been about Jesus.  When we read the Scriptures we see a free and even radical God who came-into-the-flesh-lived-the-sinless-life-we-were-created-to-live-died-on-the-cross-for-our-sin-rose-again-from-the-grave-so-that-we-might-now-be-made-right-with-God… this story (the Gospel) is so shocking that nobody could have just “made it up” or “pulled it out of a hat” it’s just that good and true.  I mean, we are the benefactors of life when we deserve death.  That is good news friend!

Then it affirms that the Bible gets it right in regards to Jesus, salvation, life, etc.  Everything that took place, happened in such a way to affirm the way in which God said it would happen (Luke 24:27; John 2:19, 22; Acts 17:2–3; Rom. 1:2–4.  Paul may be thinking especially of Isa. 53:3–12, which describes the substitutionary death and the vindication, after death, of God’s servant, but also of other OT passages.  For the resurrection, see also Hos. 6:2 and Jonah 1:17; 2:1 (Matt. 12:40), and for the OT in general pointing to Christ, see Luke 24:25–27. (thanks ESV Study Bible)!

Now that we have an understanding of what the gospel is, I don’t think that is an oversimplification at all… it’s what the Scriptures say about the gospel. I think we’ve overcomplicated the gospel… or maybe we add to it.  In the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Screwtape says that his aim with Christians is “Christianity and…” The point?  The enemy wants to complicate things for us.  That is his goal.  So, the gospel is actually quite simple to those that believe while it’s foolishness (complicated) to everyone else.  I mean, 1 Corinthians 1:18 says as much: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (ESV).  What I think is being said here is that the gospel is the message of Jesus Christ and what he has done on the cross (gospel) is sheer silliness to those who are hellbent on destruction… but for those who are saved/being saved/will be saved (justification/sanctification/glorification respectfully) it makes perfect sense.

That being said: there are some implications of the gospel we must take into account.  I think this is where you’re getting to.  I think many of us don’t really want to be saved from our sin… we just want to be saved from the penalty of our sin.  We don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it… we’re merely sorry because God is going to punish us.  I think most of us think the the old sinful life is better than the new life Jesus gives us upon confession and repentance.  This is why the gospel is good news!

  • Because of the gospel; this great and wonderful fact, this truth, we come to new life – peace with God and thus free from the bondage of sin, from hell, from Satan – for the glory of his name.
  • Because of the gospel – I don’t have to worry about momentary things (money, cars, homes, etc.) my focus and perspective changes.  I don’t spend my time thinking about life on earth, I think much more about eternity in heaven.
  • Because of the gospel – when confronted with minor trials I rejoice because my God and King Jesus Christ has endured much much more than I ever will.
  • Because of the gospel – when/if we have kids I can discipline my children with confidence and then promptly share with them Christ’s redeeming work on the cross who covers all their errors (of which they just committed).
  • Because of the gospel – I don’t have to be afraid of what my neighbors think about me; I don’t have to worry about rejection, or feel uncomfortable about talking to them about Jesus.
  • Because of the gospel – I no longer stand in opposition to Jesus rather at his feet as his child.

The list goes on and on and on.  One of the best ways to express this to others comes from C.J. Mahaney who shared with me (in a book/not face-to-face) that when someone asks you how you’re doing, your response (because of the gospel) is “I’m doing better than I deserve.“  Why?  Because I deserve death, punishment for sin, hell, etc. for my sin – but despite that – God in his loving, sovereign, grace and choice am saved… so I am doing better than I deserve.

I love the gospel.  I am striving to live the gospel as well.  Living the gospel changes everything – from how we treat others; how we think of others; how we view ourselves; and how grateful we should actually be for what He’s done.  I hope that in the (brief) time you were in our ministry you found us not just talking about the gospel rather loving and living the gospel as well.

enjoy.

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What I’m Preaching This Sunday

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

A couple of weeks ago, my Pastor asked me if I could preach on July 12th. It’s always an honor to fill his pulpit on any given Sunday, especially since he’s been at First Woodway longer then I’ve been alive. (yes – reread that sentence).

I realized it yesterday, but most of the senior staff won’t even be at church this Sunday – so it’s pretty much the ‘C’ Team being asked to fill in for the starters. At any rate, I’m pretty pumped about it since I get about once a year to preach to the entire congregtion. The Lord had given me some specific things to share and I can’t wait. But it’s funny, because if I get to preach once a year you’d think I’d be preparing the entire year – but it really doesn’t work that way. He’s laid some things on my heart THIS week that have challenged me, humbled me, and encouraged me. Needless to say – I’m learning tons.

Anytime I have the opportunity to preach people will ask: “what are you going to talk about?” and my constant answer has been “sin & Jesus.” For some reason, this gets a perplexed look from people and I’m not sure why… what else is there to talk about on Sunday mornings than the gospel? Sadly, on so many occasions the gospel is the last thing people talk about on Sundays. So, I’m looking forward to his Sunday…

…my aim is to talk about sin and to rejoice in the gospel.

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Tuesday Night Reflections

By michaelcriner · Comments (0)
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Tonight was a sweet night of worship at Camp Remedy here in New Mexico. Below are some of my reflections from the night:

•asking people to repent requires you to be repentant
•repenting publically is the being a good shepherd.
•no matter what we plan, God’s plan will prevail.
•no matter how weak we find ourselves to be, he is still stronger.
•he is risen & there is great cause or us to rejoice.
•music can only take us so far for your word being proclaimed changes lives for eternity.
•yelling & shouting & weeping with conviction is good… when the weight behind it is Jesus & his love.
•being led by the Holy Spirit is the best game plan you can have.
•seeing kids broken | confessing | repenting | worshiping | & coming to know Jesus for the first time stirs my affections for the Lord.

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