SWAGGALICIOUS!

Texas monthly recently quoted Fort Worth native and gospel artist and author Kirk Franklin as saying, "My main message is to preach God's word, pure and truthful, but also to make it swaggalicious."

Swaggalicious? That's a new one on me. According to urban dictionary, swaggalicious refers to something that is tight, fresh or cool. I think Kirk is onto something with his approach to sharing the gospel and there is something here we can all learn from.

Is there anything more exciting or wonderful that the gospel of God's good news that he has sent his son to offer you and I forgiveness, peace and joy? There's not, that just can't be beat! As Christians, we have the most wonderful story of how the God of the universe loves us more than any person can imagine and it's our job to take that story to the world.

Our world is changing though and we must be able to change with it. There was a time not too long ago when faith and God's story were normal and accepted parts of everyday life. That time has come and gone. Today, we live in a postmodern age where choices about God are no longer viewed as important or relevant. Faith has become more or less a spiritual grab bag where people choose part of a religion to believe in or even put different faiths together in a way that fits and pleases them. All the while we are expected to be tolerant, to not hold anybody in contempt for what they believe and to be accepting of all.

The problem with this whole scenario is that it completely ignores the concept of truth. Some argue that absolute truth does not exist but that statement in and of itself is an absolute. The reality is that if you and I look around, there is a not a one of us who would say that things in this world are the way they should be. Injustice, pain, evil and wickedness take their toll on a daily basis and we are forced to feel the effects. But in addition to the darkness, we also see goodness, kindness and joy which stand out in stark contrast. Why is this? Where exactly did our concept of right and wrong and good and bad come from?

As we both know, mankind, regardless of how hard we try, is and will always be incapable of doing right all the time. This means the real definition of goodness, truth and justice must be found outside ourselves, in the form of God. So it seems that the concept of a good, holy, perfect God is not bogus or irrelevant after all but rather essential and necessary.

The point of all of this is to say that God's story, the gospel, often no longer falls on open ears but still needs to be told. Most people today don't go to church and don't read the bible but Jesus' command to go and make disciples still applies to every believer. If you and I as God's messengers only quote bible verses and sing praise songs, most people will never understand our message. Fifty years ago they might have but not today. We must be able to share God's story in a manner and language that people relate to and understand.

Like Kirk Franklin, the apostle Paul also understood the huge responsibility we have in how we share God's story. Listen to what he writes in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23. "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do this all for the sake of the gospel." Paul was willing to do whatever it took to communicate how much God loves the world. He lived out God's love in a way that people could see there was something tight, fresh and cool about what he believed. He also took the time to customize God's story each time he told it so that those who were listening at the time could understand.

I'm not saying that we need to ever add or take away from God's story or embellish it in any way but we do need to tell it in a way that people can relate to. Our job is not to convince a person to believe in God, only God can change a heart, but we are responsible for accurately communicating the message in a way that is truthful and reaches people where they're at. When we share and live like this, other people get to experience the aroma of Christ which is totally different than anything else the world has to offer.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 says, "We are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To one we are the smell of death, to the other the fragrance of life. Who is up for such a task?"

We know that our message will not always be received well but that should never stop us from sharing. I Corinthians 1:18 says "the message of the cross is foolishness to those to are perishing," but we should never take rejection of God's story personally. Donald Whitney reminds us of this with a great analogy. "In regards to sharing our faith, you and I are most like the postal service. Success is measured by the careful and accurate delivery of the message, not by the response of the recipient."

So how about you? Is your life and the story you tell about God filled with the coolness, freshness, tightness, and newness that should be true of a person whose life has been dramatically changed by a loving God? Go live swaggalicious today.

Some musical stylings from Mr. Franklin:

LIVING LIGHT

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:29-30

I don't know about you, but sometimes being a follower of Christ to me feels neither restful nor easy. When we look at Jesus' life it seems that he was always helping or serving someone, shouldn't we be doing the same?

The number of people in our world who need to see and experience the reality of God's love is enormous and it can be incredibly tiresome to try and live with the weight of the world's problems on one's shoulders. I don't think God wants us to live that way. While Jesus did give sacrificially and to the point of exhaustion at times, he also knew when to say "no" as we can see in the following excerpt from Mark.

"That evening after sunset people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed, "Everybody is looking for you!"

Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else - to nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." -Mark 1:32-38

If anybody had a busy schedule to keep, Jesus did. With diseases to heal, hurting people to help, and demons to cast out, there was never a shortage of things to be done. As we see in Mark, the disciples come to Jesus early one morning confused as to why he has disappeared when so many people are looking for his help and healing hand. Instead of heading back into town like we and his disciples might have expected, Jesus tells his disciples it's time to pack up and leave.

We can learn lots from how Jesus responded when the world begged for his attention. One thing is that our relationship with the heavenly father must always rank in importance above our commitments or service to others. If we do not take the time to be refreshed and reconnect with the God of the universe, our mission and ministry on his behalf will be compromised. Trying to a be a godly spouse, parent, employee and friend all at the same time can feel like a daunting task and is virtually impossible on our own power. This is why we must turn to the one "who is strong when we are weak" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Spending time with the savior is a choice and one that always requires putting other things on hold. This isn't easy, especially when you have a busy day ahead, but I think you'll actually find that you get more done when you do.

Jesus also reminds us that we shouldn't be afraid of saying "no". The great thing about the body of Christ is that one person doesn't have to be everything to everybody. Jesus didn't have one disciple, he had twelve, and sent them all out to reach different people in different ways. He sends you and I in the same way, as one messenger of many, to impact a select group of people. Trying to make an impact everywhere, all at once, and being stretched to the max will almost always prevent us from being effective at all. Paul reminds us in 2 Thessalonians 5:24 that the God who calls us to serve in a particular place or particular way will be faithful to take care of everything and everyone that we're not. Being part of God's team should never be a burden because we know that what God doesn't do through us, he will accomplish through another.

Where has God called you to be a light and example for him? Focus on that today and on being faithful with the opportunities that you've been given.

BRIGHT SPOT

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, people don't light a lamp just to put it under a bowl...Instead...Let your light shine before men that they may see the way you live and glory your Father in Heaven." -Mt 5:16

We live in a dark, dark world, one disparately in need of light. Our culture and our those around us are blindly searching for satisfaction and purpose in all the wrong places. Success, possessions, fame and recognition are to be had in plenty but the truth is that they never satisfy for long.

King David had women, fame, success and infinite material possessions, but yet he said in Psalm 16:2, "You are my Lord, apart from you I have no good thing." David recognized what our culture today has failed to so far, that making Christ your Lord is the only way to live an abundant and satisfied life (John 10:10).

As Christians we have experienced the abundant life that comes with following Christ and we need to live in a way that shows we are changed people. We shouldn't be boastful or proud in the way we live but we should never be "ashamed of the gospel" (Romans 1:16) or what God has done in our lives.

"Let your light shine." What a cool idea. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says, "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." When opportunities come this week to let your light shine, don't be afraid to share your life with somebody. Don't talk around the fact that you went to church on Sunday or spent time with friends from Bible study last night. Offer to pray for your neighbors and invite people into your home so they can experience God's love firsthand through your family. If we never raise "faith flags" by the way we live or in conversation, how is anybody suppose to know that it's Christ who makes us different? Most people who don't know Christ will never darken the door of a church or feel compelled to crack a bible. If you and I aren't living out God's love around and among them, how else are they going to see the light of Christ?

Max Lucado says in his book "It's Not About Me" that the "human job description can be reduced down to one simply task, to be God mirrors who reflect His glory." The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that when we look upon the Lord, "our faces should reflect like mirrors the brightness of our God." You and I can have the best intentions to shine a bright light but if we are not daily gazing upon the Savior, our light will fade and grow dull until we blend in with the darkness around us. Make sure and spend some time with the Light of the World today and them go out and reflect his love and glory for all to see!