Finding worldview in Dave Matthews

I noticed a few trends of what many people value from the lyrics of newest Dave Matthews CD “Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King.” The song “Lying in the Hands of God.” I really like the song, but the lyrics are what first jumped out at me. The chorus reads, “Save your sermons, for someone that's afraid to love, I'll be right here, lying in the hands of God.” DMB holds an agnostic view of God, that is he is real, but they are not sure who or where he is. This song seems to equate God's values with love. Based on the chorus, it seems he's tired of hearing sermons and being lectured on perhaps how to love, or what someone should be or should do. Rather, the value that he clings to is love. 

The message is, if you love anything and everything, then you are in the hands of God and you can live peacefully. I really like that his desire is to love people. Paul says “faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13). The difference from the Christian worldview is that we are to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. The second commandment is like it, to love our brothers as we would love our selves. To really be “lying in the hands of God,” is to have peace with God. Because Christ substitutes his righteousness in our place, we can have peace with God (Romans 5:1). This is the only way. (John 14:6)

I think another point that Christians should disagree with is the fact that love itself is worshipped higher than anything else in the DMB worldview. Unbelievers love creation more than the love the creator. (Romans 1:24-27) This is idolatry. Yes, God is love (1 John), but if we even just worship one part of God over the complete divinity and glory of God, we rob him of his rightful glory.

This song captures that God loves those who love. And this is true. He desires compassion and mercy. But if this is all that God is and wants, then we rob God of his other attributes; his omniscience, omnipotence, his redemptive work, his forgiveness, mercy, grace, the riches that are to come, his wisdom, his suffering..etc..

I think many people agree with this song's world view and they believe that if they just volunteer a lot, work hard in class, treat people with hospitality and kindness, that they are at peace with God. Yet the unbelievers' sin screams louder over these good things. To have peace with God, someone must pay for our sins we've committed against him.

Part 2 later..regarding Family Guy

NBA Finals Musings

Whomever said that the Cavs/Lakers dream series would be the only thing worth watching- they are wrong. This finals has been entertaining, and the Magic actually have a chance of beating the Lakers (they won't). But the Cavs would have no business with the Lakers.

1. The Magic are a legit powerhouse in the East, and are here to stay. With Dwight "make me my own vitamin water commercial" Howard anchoring the middle and Hedo and Lewis bombing threes, they'll have the youthfulness and dominant player necessary to win the East yearly. The Cavs and Celtics better upgrade their teams, or else they won't taste the Finals anytime soon.

2. Rafter Alston is better than Jameer Nelson. I can't stand the analysts who declare that the magic is Jameer Nelson's team. They say this only because he was an all-star this year before getting hurt. But this is Superman's team. You could put the little annoying kid from the Lebron/Kobe commercials at point guard, and he'd get 10 and 7 every night. Alston isn't as good a shooter, but Skip to my Lou has the "Cota Flota" in the lane that is lethal. He's the better player in the playoffs and overall.

3. Kobe has the same demeanor on the court as MJ.

I know I know I know. "Does that mean he's better than MJ?" No. Not yet. And probably won't ever be. He'll always have had more talented teams than MJ. But on the court, he keeps calm even when they are down. He drives to the basket late in games to get to the line (b/c he knows he'll get the calls). He knows when to take over a game, and knows how to out work and outsmart great defenders (see Shane Battier and even Michael Pietrus). The Black Mamba isn't eh best player in the game (that'd be LeBron), but mentally he kills teams in the 4th quarter, and thats why I'd rather have him on my team than LeBron.

I hope Catherine Zeta Jones knocks on my door and asks me for a phone make-over. That'd make these finals even better!

Already but not yet (Part 2)

2  Corinthians 3:18 " And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 

1. “Are being transformed” - Process in santification. Piper says that beholding this glory changes us and heals us. This verse gives me great comfort, because there is no timetable on this. I don't have to be made perfect in certain areas of my walk with Christ today, yet we are to “be holy as he is holy” (1 Peter 1:13-14). This is an interesting twist. I am being made into Christ's character in process, and he is patient with me. Yet, I am still to strive for holiness- which is perfection that I can not attain. So many times I find myself discouraged that I am not holy and never will be. This is the frustration and beauty of God's grace. Although I am to press toward the mark (Phil 3:14), when I fall, he is patient and does not let me go.

2. “Into the same image”- Transformed into the very nature of Christ. Not that we would be equal with God in ability or his divinity, but his nature and character in obedience to the Father. What a thought, that I am being transformed into the same image and character of God himself through the power of his Spirit! This is truly a gift of God, only by his grace.

3. “One degree of glory to another”...This will one day be perfected in heaven, when our glorified bodies will be shown...I'm not sure what this one means...but it shows that we won't become like the image we strive in an instant. It takes time.

   I love that this verse doesn't mean that I have to do much. We grow in community, naked and unashamed, beholding the glory of Christ and that changes us. My role is the behold the glory of Christ in a way where I am not ashamed, hidden, or fearful- for the Spirit gives freedom but the letter gives death. God takes care of the rest and changes us into his image. But we must realize these things to grow.  

Already but not yet (Part 1)

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

These are merely observations about this verse. So if you find theological fault, let me know, we'll get some cokes and talk it out.

1. “We all”- Community. This isn't just to an individual person, but this is to be done with the body of Christ. Those who have an “unveiled face”( v17.) We see this in Paul's other writings as well, that knowing God comes in community. See Ephesians 3:18...”may comprehend with all the saints,what is the breadth, and length height and depth and to know the love of Christ.” It is with ALL the saints that knowing the love of Christ is in full effect, because those who are in Christ are one body and in one spirit.

2. “With unveiled face” My first thought about unveiled face was how we appear to God as naked before him. Chapter 3 talks of how the Spirit brings freedom. If we have the Spirit, there is no need for the veil (like Moses needed). We are to grow together, naked and unashamed of our past because they have been forgiven and forgotten by God. If we cover up our sins, or say we do not have sin, we can not grow (See 1 John 1:7-2:2) But “unveiled” is beautiful in the sight of God when Christ is with us, because we are free as we were in the Garden. Adam and Eve were naked and without shame in the garden, and ever since the moment they sinned, mankind has been covering himself up before God. But now, in Christ alone, there needs to be no guilt, fear or shame before God because he pardons our sin.

3. “Beholding the glory of the Lord”...This one jumps out at me. The reason I don't grow in Christ is simple because I don't put him at the forefront of my mind and my life. I find things associated with my Lord to put in the center; campus ministries, church, making relationships with non-believers, loving my neighbor, serving...and these are good things. But they are not simply beholding God's glory. John Piper makes an interesting point in his book “Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ”. He makes the point that redemption, adoption, forgiveness and justification are all things God does that point to something greater- his glory. (John 17:24)...The more I “behold” or put forth God's glory in my life, the more I will grow. The more I see the most glorious thing, the death and resurrection on the cross, the more like Christ I become (Philippians 3:10)

   I confess that I put so many things God has created as more important in my life rather than the creator himself. I think of how Jesus asked Peter “do you love me?” as the way of bringing him back into the ministry. It wasn't “Peter will you lead my church?, or Peter will you not make that mistake again?...” it was about loving God and making that the center of his life.

Crazy Love

So for my birthday I got a little nutty at the Christian book store and dropped 60 bucks. But so far its been well worth it. I just finished reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I also bought the DVD, and would love to use it in a small group setting.

Chan challenges American Christianity and its response to the love of Christ and the call to be his disciple. He comes down hard on lukewarm Christians in chapter 5, which was a very convicting chapter. He then lists the opposite of lukewarm in his chapter labeled "obsessed" and that those who love Jesus are obsessed with him and his kingdom.

It reminded me a lot of "Don't waste your life" by John Piper, in its similar style of writing which is more like a conversation, and also in its simple yet "get up off your ass motivation to go do something in response to God's love."

To be quite honest, when reading the book, it was more discouraging to me. I realized how little I demonstrate my love for Christ. Sure, I know the verses, do ministry events, but the question of "Do I love Jesus, and if I do, what I am doing about it?" continued to come up in my mind. 

So much of my life is lived in Christian freedom, yet I feel that it quenches the spirit so often. I serve myself more than Christ, take more from others than give, and use my talents to glorify my name and not my Savior's.

Overall its a great read. It'll make you squirm, yet its still a tough book to put down.