Two Messages Collide Today

While I was work doing some mindless work, I was listening to the last sermon in a series, "Stormology" by Dr. Bill Lawrence of Leader Formation International and Dallas Theological Seminary. You can find this series here with podcasts and notes.

In this sermon he emphasizes the importance of a relationship with the Living Word as opposed to obedience of the Word. We traditionally see obedience as doing what the Bible the says but in doing so reduces the Living Word into dead words. We turn Jesus life into our death and miss the point of obedience. Obedience is not conforming to external demands or commands but a response to the Living Word according to the written Word. We are responding to a loving relationship with the Living Word and can only obey the written Word when the Living Word acts through us. We immerse ourselves in the Word that takes us to the Living Word. Wow, that takes some thinking to wrap one's mind around that when you are traditionally taught to obey the Bible, follow the rules, and so forth. (I am not discounting this.) But then we totally miss the relationship with Jesus that propels us to obedience out of love and hunger for both the Living Word and the written Word. Too often pastors make believers "functional legalists" where the focus is on obedience to rules over a relationship with Christ.

His earlier sermons lead up to this one where he drives home the point that storms come. They are a part of life. Are you on sand or solid rock? A transitioning point was made that there is a veil that cannot be penetrated by the Christian to reach the non-Christian. We can explain away, preach, and drone on and on, but it is the glory of God in our lives that will penetrate the veil and draw others to Christ.

This collides with a post from tallgrassworship where she is challenging her choir members to purposeful worship. When we focus on the Great Musician, the Living Word, and our Savior, God's glory goes by us (Exodus 33:22) and shines through us to fellow Christians and non-Christians. What an awesome thing!

Stormology 101 - Dr. Bill Lawrence

I stumbled upon Bible.org in looking for Bible studies on Elijah and some other references. Before downloading the podcasts and materials I wanted to get the background of the website and writers. Then on their home page there was reference to a study that seemed interesting to me - "Why Does God Lead Us Into Storms?" by Dr. Bill Lawrence of Dallas Baptist Theological Seminary. Hmmm....this seemed to hit the spot for me. I downloaded the first podcast and sermon notes. Wow! Stormology 101 was the first sermon and I sobbed through most of it because it cut straight to my hurt healing heart.

If you have some time or are looking for a moving study, try this one and any others of interest on Bible.org. I've also downloaded other Bill Lawrence's studies/sermons that look like they might be good too. I will blog what I find...