Tuesday, June 30, 2009

July Jonah Series

It's 100000 degrees outside. Perfect time for a swim. Come cool off with Mystery as we dive into the book of Jonah in July. It's more than just a story about a man and a fish, it's the story of God's pursuing, saving, sending love for humanity seen in the life of one rather reluctant man.
Along with the Sunday sermon series we will be looking at the book in the context of community on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 at the building. It's like one big Community Group for the month of July complete with food, conversation and missional activity. Make plans to join us beginning July 5th.

Half-Hearted Creatures

From the opening of The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis

If you asked twenty good men to-day what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance. The negative ideal of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point. I do not think this is the Christian virtue of Love.

The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If there lurksin most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Fight Club Tonight June 29th

Men of Mystery who are enrolled in Fight Club. Pastor Steev's group meets tonight at 6:30pm at Pizza by Stout. Be there.

Faithfulness & Achievement

"Live your Christianity as a religion of faithfulness rather than an idolatry of achievement."
- J.I. Packer

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Commands vs. the Cross

2Cor. 8:8 - I say this not as a command...

If you need a new law or a command to give then you don't understand gospel. There is not a law that is capable of changing a man. There is not a rule or regulation capable of perfecting a person.There is not a single statute that can save a woman from sin and death. This is reason for the gospel, the good news of God's unmerited mercy and free forgiveness offered at the priceless expense of his own Son. This is why salvation is all of Grace. Not a cheap grace. Not a merited gift. God did not save us reluctantly or under compulsion. The Father in love chose us, pursued us and adopted us. It is a great grace he lavished upon us while we were dead in sin and enemies of his.

This is the gospel we respond to every week as we come forward to take communion - remembering his kindness, generosity and the grace we have received in Christ Jesus. It is out of this gospel of grace that we give our tithes and offerings each week.

The measure of how much we give is not an issue of commands, but of the cross. As we look at the tree that Christ clung to willing, we are released from the things that we cling to so closely.

The ridiculous Grace of the gospel frees us to be radical in our generosity!
“God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving”
- Randy Alcorn The Treasure Principle

Friday, June 19, 2009

Sacrifice & Generosity

If your giving doesn’t require some change to your lifestyle, it’s not gospel generosity.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Knowing Grace & Growing in Generosity

But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 Cor. 8:7-9

Generosity is the means of most measuring maturity in Christ. Paul tells the Corinthians to examine their giving and willingness to give as a test of genuineness. He says it's one thing to say you believe, to talk of believing, to know what you believe and look like you believe, but it's also important to excel in "this act of grace also"...giving. Our generosity exposes our gospel genuineness. Earnest faith in Christ is seen in eager generosity. Christians are to be radical givers. We know that we have been made rich in Christ so we no longer seek the things of this world to find our significance and security. We are not trusting in treasures or gold and silver but in the most valuable commodity the earth has ever known - the blood of Christ. Jesus left riches, wealth and storehouses of heaven for us a bunch of bankrupt, guilty embezzlers. What immeasurable grace is this - that the God of all would empty himself of everything to make me rich eternally.

Is the grace of the gospel seen in your generosity? Have you Experienced the saving grace of Jesus? Are you Expressing grace, Extending Grace, Excelling at Grace in your time, with your finances and in your willingness to sacrifice your lifestyle for the sake of the gospel which says that Jesus sacrificed himself for you. Are you Enjoying Grace today? Does it show?

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Love and Holiness

"The place God's love and holiness embrace is at the cross." - Philip Ryken

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Absolutely Nothing

One in Five American Christians give absolutely nothing to anything – Translation all their money is spent upon themselves. Is this our right response to the gospel?

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but gfor him who for their sake died and was raised. 2Cor. 5:14-15

Throw it Away

“Money never stays with me. It would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands as soon as possible, lees it should find it’s way into my heart” - John Wesley

Monday, June 15, 2009

June Artwalk

God is Creator. We are made in his image to create and celebrate creativity because it reflects him. From May - Oct Discover Downtown happens the Third Thur. of each month 5:30-8:30pm all along Main St. in Joplin and throughout down town. Mystery is one of the host galleries. Come by and experience music, art, food and fun. We will have things for the kids, multiple exhibiting artists and just a great time of enjoying our city and exploring creativity.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Stewardship Study


As we begin a three week look at the gospel and our money in our Kingdom Economy series we have compiled a study guide to be used by individuals, families and Mystery Community Groups for personal study on the subject of biblical stewardship. You can download it by clicking the link below. There are 18 days of study. That is one daily lesson for Monday-Saturday for each week of the series that coincides with the weekly teaching. Our hope is that you will be challenged and encouraged to trust the gospel and experience the joy and freedom of gospel generosity.
Download Mystery's Three Week Stewardship Study