December 17 - Who Are You?

Acts 19:11-20

But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15 ESV)

The powers of darkness might know your name. They knew Jesus, they were with him in eternity past before being tossed out of heaven during their attempted coup. They recognized Paul. He had made such an impact for the Kingdom that they had taken notice. Word had spread throughout the demon ranks about the preacher Paul.

Are you on their radar? When your life takes you into contact with a new group of people do the spirits of darkness there get nervous? I think they should.

Jesus told Peter that his church would be an advancing church. We don't just sit back and wait for people to come to us, that's fool hardy and pointless. No, we need to step up, step out, and step into enemy territory.

Maybe the enemy will know your name. Maybe not. But when you step into the role that God has for you you will wear the adopted identity of the name above all other names, Jesus. Who are you? You are his!

Celebrate Halloween

Why I celebrate Halloween with my family.

We like Halloween in the King house. For us it's not about spooks, witches, and dead stuff. But it is an awesome opportunity to dress up like a favorite character and have some fun. And we always have a lot of fun.

As a Christian father who happens to be a minister it is really important to me that my son grows up to see how I engage with some of the parts of our culture that evangelicals have made unnecessarily awkward. For years the church has replaced the word Halloween with words like "harvest" or "hallelujah". Which is fine. But they still celebrate Halloween.

Let's be honest. Celebrating Halloween is dressing up, and candy, and all of that other stuff that is so great. Doctoring it up and calling it something else doesn't change what it is. So let's stop being confusing, unclear, and intellectually dishonest.

Rather than pitch a fit over wording, and get lost defending how we "don't celebrate Halloween"—my family has decided to do something different. And we know we aren't the only ones. Instead of pretending like we don't celebrate it, let's just fess up to it, go all out, and enjoy it. Let's see just how much fun we can have. But, and here's the clincher, let's redeem it.

So Halloween for the Kings isn't about demons and darkness. It's not a celebration of dreariness, death, and decay. It is about life. Enjoying life together. We will be who we are in all of our Nerd-filled wonder, and use this fun day to shine the glory of God around us. Who knows, on a day like Halloween someone just might be paying attention.

June 1 -Fear the Good

Read: Mark 5:15-17

And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. (Mark 5:15-17 ESV)

The first portion of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark records the incredible encounter between Jesus Christ and a man possessed by a legion of unclean spirits (demons). Christ sends the demons away from the tormented man, allowing them to enter a herd of pigs. The pigs run down a hill and throw themselves into the water, and the herdsmen run to the nearby community to spread the tidings of this startling event. Afterwards a gathering of curious people come to the site of the exorcism, a graveyard near the coast.

I find it really interesting that the locals were afraid of the events that took place. They clearly saw they changes that had come over the demoniac. He was no longer tormenting himself and loving among graves. He was no longer dwelling in a state of perpetual uncleanliness. He was in his right mind. He was clothed. And they were afraid. What were they afraid of?

They were afraid of the unknown. Jesus did and said things that had never been done before. It rattled people. It was a departure from the known and familiar.

His actions consistently forced people to make a gut check. He was calling people to faithfully embrace the plan of the Father by forsaking the comfort of the status quo. Jesus wanted them to unleash the full freedoms of unfettered faith.

He still wants that. It's time for a gut check. It is time to fearlessly set aside the stale positions of our present in favor of the future set aside for us by God. The difference is drastic. It is the difference between life and death. It is the difference between heaven and hell. The only good we have to fear is the one we fail to follow.

May 31 - When He Saw Jesus

Read: Mark 5:1-20

Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. (Mark 5:5, 6 ESV)

Demons are real and people can fall under their power. I know that sounds like some kind of horror movie mumbo-jumbo, but it is true. There are dark spirits in existence and they want to harm us.

The man from the tombs had tragically discovered the truth of malevolent spirits in the worst possible way. They had led him to place of death, separated him from his people, his culture, and his spiritual heritage. The evil spirits had isolated him in every possible way.

I don't believe in coincidences. I think Jesus knew just where his boat would wash up that day. I think he went there with the express purpose of freeing the man from the legion of demons.

Notice how the situation changed when Christ arrived. The man who had been mutilating himself suddenly ran to Jesus and fell before him. Here is the kicker. His response wasn't out of his human desire to be free from those entities. The action of submission and supplication was actually a response by the demonic spirits to the presence of Christ. Jesus changes everything. When the demons saw his arrival they took note. They cast themselves upon the mercy of the Son of God.

If a demonic legion would seek the mercy of Jesus with such fearful reverence shouldn't we take note and consider our response to Jesus?

March 8 - Authority

Read: Matthew 10:1-4

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. (Matthew 10:1 ESV)

Authority is generally pretty easy to recognize. We recognize the authority of police by their uniforms, badges, or vehicles. Firemen are recognized by their uniforms and equipment. First responders by their sirens and ambulance.

All of these things are not authority. They are only the tools that allow the ones who wield them to utilize and represent their authority by completing their jobs. Police use those tools to enforce the law, firemen to aid civilians and stop fires, and first responders to rescue people of provide emergency medical assistance. Each of these people are operating under a type of authority given to them by a larger governing power.

Jesus was the disciples' larger governing power. As he was the face of God before the Twelve he represented the interest and authority of God. He passed this authority on to his disciples.

The Apostle Paul later wrote that all Christians were Christ's ambassadors. Each of us carry an official mark of authority that recognizes us as official representatives of the Kingdom of God. In some way, on some level, that bestows upon us an inherent authority. The disciples were granted authority to cast out demons and to heal people. What does that kind of authority mean for you and I?

February 24 - Authority

Read: Luke 4:31-37

...and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. (Luke 4:32 ESV)

We all know and recognize authority. Even if we don't like that authority or feel like it is being abused we know authority when we see it. Official representatives of our government carry authority. Officers of the law, firemen, first responders, and other emergency personnel carry authority. Even the IRS has authority.

Authority is power. It is a voice of order. When authority speaks, those of us within the sound of the message have to choose how that we will respond. Compliance or rebellion? The trick I think sometimes comes in recognizing and validating authority. It's fairly easy if a policeman pulls up behind you with their lights flashing and siren going to recognize the authority they should have over you. Sometimes in the world of Christian faith this seems to get a little unclear for people.

As Christians our ultimate authority is Jesus. The demons he cast out recognized his absolute authority. As such, we should filter life's big decisions, personal victories, and private troubles with Jesus. He already knows them, but his authority works in our favor. In fact, in some ways it actually extends to us. Jesus cast out demons because of his authority, and for nearly two millennia his followers have done the same thing while operating as heavenly representatives of his authority.

Also, chances are pretty good that God has placed us under the authority of a fellow believer. Timothy was under Paul, even as Paul had submitted himself to the authority of the disciples and other Christian leaders such as Peter and James. Rare indeed is the occasion that God places us in a position to love and serve Him without living under authority. It's unhealthy and dangerous. Who is your authority? How are you submitting to them?