Last Sunday's Sermon

Here's a link to the audio file of Thomas' sermon from last week if anyone is interested. The sound didn't record for the first minute or two, so be patient. The text is from Ephesians, even though he says it's Philippians at the beginning :-)

EPHESIANS 5:1-21

Last Sunday

I preached in a church. On a Sunday. Like a real church. In a morning service. It was big time.

Around Christmas time, my Pastor here in Vienna came to hear me speak. He and I got together a few weeks later to discuss the possibility of me speaking in church, but we kind of shelved the idea because of all that I am involved with at VCS. Then, a few weeks ago, he got really sick. The Lord was gracious to spare his life but his recovery would be a long process and would limit his time in the pulpit. He asked me if I would join the preaching team and teach some while he got back to full strength.

We are studying Ephesians right now and I was asked to teach on 5:1-21. Great. I've never preached in church before and I get to talk about imitating God (v.1), avoiding sexual immorality and greed (v.3-5), and discussing what it means to be filled with the Spirit (v.18).

I loved it.

And, because of how God usually works, I spent all week applying these verses in my own life and in dealing with situations with students and teachers at the school. Sunday went really well and multiple people encouraged me to speak again when I have the opportunity. That said, I would have to say that this has probably been the most difficult week I have ever faced in ministry because of some things going on with students.

Ephesians 5:8-14 have been the most applicable for me through all of it though. The passage begins a series of contrasts that Paul makes: Darkness-Light; Folly-Wisdom; Drunkenness-the filling of the Spirit. I have come back over and over to the contrast between darkness and light.

When we are believers who are walking in fellowship with God and are being continually filled with the Spirit, we evidence the fruit of light (v.9). This is the natural byproduct of walking in the Spirit because Jesus tells us that He is the light that has come into the world. If He is in us, and we are allowing Him to use us, His light shines through us. That's why He told the disciples they were the light of the world, it wasn't them, but Him in them. The light of Christ that is in us exposes the deeds of darkness both in our own lives and in the lives of the people we are around. And when this happens, not everyone likes it, especially people who love the darkness.

So, be continually filled by the Holy Spirit and walk in the light. Some people will be repulsed by you because they are repulsed by Jesus, and others will be drawn to you because they are drawn to Jesus. That's just kind of how it works.

Dealing With Suffering

I thought I would share some audio with you that deals with the issue of suffering in the life of a believer. The text he uses is from 1 Peter. It's around 45 mins or so but is very powerful because everything is pointed back to Jesus and His cross.

I AM SECOND

This is a really cool site that a friend of mine just sent me. What a great way to describe what it means to follow Christ: "I AM SECOND"

I very much enjoyed listening to several of these powerful testimonies and I hope you guys will as well.

I AM SECOND

VCS Soccer Highlights

Here are some belated highlights from the soccer season. They were compiled by our goalkeeper, hence several of his saves making appearances.

"Mommy, the pancakes taste like garlic."

Mmmmm....they look good don't they?That's assuming that this hasn't made its way into the mix. Now don't get me wrong, Garlic is one of the great joys of my life...just not for breakfast. As a mature and loving father and husband, I'm going to have to own this little mishap.

Mollie made breakfast this morning and, no sooner had she set him up to eat, Thad declared that the pancakes tasted like garlic. We laughed because (A) How many 3 year olds can identify the taste of garlic? & (B) Assuming he was right, how in the world did it happen?

Well, last night when I got home I found a very tired wife who desperately needed a break. I decided that I'd throw together a pasta dish with a side of garlic bread (made with fresh garlic butter). A good idea, assuming you don't use the spoon you mixed the garlic butter with to get more butter from the dish. Apparently that makes all of the butter taste like garlic. Who knew?

So it was the butter, not the pancakes. Hurray for a unique breakfast...but I think I'll keep garlic and pancakes separate from now on.

Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should...

"No, here's looking at you two...idiots."

I realize I'm close to two years behind on this post, so bare with me. So Mollie and I watched Indiana Jones IV the other night, hence my love for the guys in the above picture.

Seriously, what a wretched movie. As a fan of the Indiana Jones films, I felt that this was basically a cinematic atrocity. I had been previously informed that the film would bring about this kind of reaction, but I guess I just had to see it for myself.

*SPOILER ALERT* This movie sucks.

There, I spoiled it for you. The basic idea is that Aliens did something with the Mayans or some other civilization...anyway, it's not important because all this movie did was completely ruin the world of Indiana Jones. Every one of the other films connected reality with something transcendent or bigger than our everyday experience. The first and third films even alluded to the existence of the God of the Bible, which was cool. Even the Hindu thing in the second film was interesting. And then, Lucas and Spielberg went and undid all of that by connecting everything in the ancient world with freaking aliens. Aliens? Seriously? Dang it George, couldn't you just keep Star Wars and Indiana Jones separate? No, you couldn't, and now I dislike you and your films more than ever. And Steven, seriously? How could you let him talk you into this? Every movie you make is good. How could you?

Getting to the point.

One of my other big problems with the film was that it was full of computer generated scenes (just like the new Star Wars films). I'm glad that we have the technology that allows for those things, it really adds to some films (Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Spiderman etc.). But, when a series of films has an established way of doing things, why change it? Just because you can do something, doesn't always mean that you should.

Paul dealt with this idea in 1 Corinthians saying: "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."

And this is what's hard about the Christian Life.

We are technically free to do anything or engage in any behavior that isn't expressly condemned in scripture as sin. This creates a lot of grey areas in life, and most people really like black and white. In fact, we tend to go to one of two extremes to avoid the grey and Jesus warned His disciples about both:

"Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." --Mark 8:15

He's warning them about two types of sin: Religion & Worldliness

The Pharisees were religious zealots who loved rules and regulations. They had stopped serving God and were really committing idolatry by "worshipping" a god they had fashioned according to their own rules and desires. Religion creates self-righteousness and pride, two things the true God of the Bible doesn't like.

The yeast of Herod referred to the followers of Herod (Herodians) who had forsaken their connection to the scriptures and embraced the ideas and practice of the Greeks and Romans. They no longer saw any need to worship the one true God and worshipped foreign gods, all the while indulging their own sensual desires.

Interestingly enough, it was only the person of Jesus and His message that brought these two groups together. In the first part of the Gospel of Mark, these two diametrically opposed groups come together to find a way to kill Jesus. Heathens and the self-righteous folks working together, isn't that sweet? And all of this happens because people who love religion and people who love the world can really only agree on one thing: They HATE Jesus and they HATE Grace.

And this is the struggle for us who look to follow Jesus: That we would really follow Him and live in Grace, avoiding both religion and worldliness. It's easier said than done and only comes out of a growing relationship with Him. The exercise of biblical discernment in the grey areas of life comes only when we are being fed by the Word and walking by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16).

So let us examine ourselves and our conduct. Let us live discerningly and make choices that reflect our Saviour and who He is in our lives. And remember, learn from Lucas and Spielberg and know that just because you can, doesn't mean that you should.

Spring Rolls...yum

So we attempted to make some spring rolls and the whole experience was quite unique. You have to work so fast with the the rice paper and rolling them. We were laughing as we were going and thought this would be a fun party idea.

Anyways... make them at your own risk :)

Relaxed

Last night I had two girls over to cook dinner and have a little bible study time. It was fun and eventful.... namely, while we were talking, the boys flooded the bathroom!! But all is well :)

I love just sitting with them and talking about anything. Right now we're slowly going through the book of Philippians. They also love our boys and enjoy playing with them. As we were sitting there chatting, one of them mentioned it was time to go. The other girl said she was so relaxed and enjoying sitting here with Ian, who was cuddled up in her lap. We love it when our kids can minister to others and we never doubt or belittle their ministry. Before this girl left she said, "Your kids make me want to be a mom." :) Well, nothing makes a mother more happy than to know that her kids instill that kind of feeling in another. That means they are half way decent :)

More than that, it reminded me how important it is to have young people in your home. They need to see how a family can function with the ups and downs of life. Children can be a huge witness for Christ. Never doubt your kids ability to make the truth simple and attractive to others.

I hope she is a mom someday and reaps the blessings that come from little hands and feet.

Blogs

I both love and hate the Internet...but most of the time I love it.

Above all else, I really enjoy reading blogs. Specifically, blogs written by people from different theological backgrounds who live in different areas of the country/world. I can think of no better way to keep up with what's going on in the world of Christendom than by reading blogs. I have also really enjoyed being able to download audio and video from various sites for use in class or in teaching prep. So I offer you, my friends, two of the main blogs I read. May they challenge and encourage you as they have me.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/jesuscreed/

This blog is done by a guy named Scott McKnight who is on the more liberal side of the emergent movement. He is a professor of Bible at a school in Chicago and also serves as a pastor. He frequently posts excerpts from books or articles that challenge the fundamentalist assumptions of most Christians. While I disagree with much of what Mr. McKnight believes theologically, I do respect his attempts to reach out to unbelievers. I have found his site to almost always be an interesting read.

http://theresurgence.com/

The Resurgence is a blog that is run by several young Pastors, most of whom are from the Pacific Northwest. It is far more theologically conservative than JesusCreed, but a bit more culturally liberal. It has tons of resources dealing with different topics, some a bit more controversial than others. I find it to be a refreshing read because it tends to focus on the missional aspect of the Christian Life born out of a love for the Word of God.

Anyways, here's a window into my world. Feel free to explore it and discuss it with me (or yell at me) over email if you want.

Our Schizophrenic Blog

Do you guys feel like you're reading two different blogs all wrapped into one? I was just going through and reading our old posts and laughing at how different my posts are from those of my wife. I actually feel like my ramblings interrupt the nice little family pics and cooking things she does. That said, I'm not going anywhere. There has to be some sort of outlet for all the junk floating around in my head. By the way, I am obviously the crazy part to the right of the picture...it even kind of looks a bit like me.

mmm.....Fresh Rosemary...

I thought you might need a fresh picture for today :)

Twist on a Favorite

We love burgers!! Any kind and shape or form :) The other day, Thomas mentioned putting chili and coleslaw on the burger like he'd had in a restaurant a long time ago. Voila! Here is the finished product..


The boys enjoyed it and even though it's very messy, I promise you'll enjoy it too. Just don't put too much chili on the burger like I did or it is definitely messy to eat :)

Here's another view without to much glare from the coleslaw...

By the way, we're all feeling better. And no, this was not a meal we had after we had been sick. This was made before all that chaos. It's only soup and bread for right now until our tummies are strong again.

Wir sind krank.

We're sick. All of us.

The thing that really sucks about all of this is that my buddy Nordogg is here studying architecture and I can't hang out with him because when I'm not getting sick myself I am either:

(A) taking care of my wife who is sick
(B) getting juice for little dudes who are getting better
(C) changing a DVD for my wife or one of the boys
(D) just sitting around feeling miserable

So please be in prayer for us. At least it's the weekend, but we would actually like to see our friend and rest a bit in preparation for another big week at VCS.

Vintage Valentines

http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/free-vintage-kids-valentine-cards/

Go to this site to see some vintage valentine cards. They are free to download and make adorable cards for your dear loved ones.

I know some of you men out there are just looking for a site like this one :)..... right?

Valentine Banner

The boys and I cut tons of hearts out and strung on this red string. It made for a nice banner for Valentine's.

He is remembering family and thinking how much we love them!

I wish I had more pics of his older brother.. but he doesn't seem to want to act out for the camera anymore :)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Drive-by Commenting

I love the internet. Where else can you have the audacity to comment on something someone else has created without having any connection/friendship/relationship/aquaintance with them. And this is the world of the drive-by commenter. Perhaps some of you have experienced this on your blogs. I know I have.

You have to love these people because the "real" world of people and ideas is probably a bit difficult for them. As a result, they do a google search for a topic they have something to say about, and then they post their "thoughts" on a random person's blog, making them feel all big and proud of themselves. Seriously, go out and meet some people and then, once you've established a relationship with them, they may want to discuss your ideas with you. Until then, keep your comments and ideas for your own blog.

Rant over. Hurray for blogging.

(P.S. This isn't directed at any of you guys who are our friends. We love your comments!)

Fresh Bread!

we just received a wheat grinder from one of our dear friends here in Vienna. I'm so excited!! I've been grinding kernels like crazy and yesterday we baked some bread with our freshly ground wheat flour.

Thad was my helper and enjoyed learning about the seeds that grow the wheat, the "big tractor like Frank in the movie Cars" comes and cuts it down, it's taken to the farm to be separated and then we get the bag of kernels to grind into flour.

Here is a picuture of the whole grinder itself. It is wonderful to have! Thanks to my dear friend :)

If you've never done this before... it's so worth it to get a grinder and buy your wheat kernels in huge bags at a whole foods or organic store. The bread is better and you are getting fresh ingredients with no preservatives. This equals happy tummies and happy children.

Pastor's Conference Audio

This is the audio from a leadership course Mark Driscoll did with a group of young pastors. I really appreciate his focus on the expository teaching and preaching of the word as well as his simple encouragement to continually speak about Jesus. This may be a bit long for some of you but if you are interested in advice about sermon prep or teaching I would highly recommend listening to all of this.

Seminary: Course #1 Prolegomena

"It seems that you've been living two lives. In one life, you're Thomas Gardner , a Chaplain and History teacher at a successful international Christian school. You have a social security number, pay your taxes, and you... help your wife carry out...the garbage. The other life is lived in books and in front of a computer, where you are known as a "seminary student" and spend all your spare time writing...papers. One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not."

Well Agent Smith, your words hold some degree of truth. But, I'm pretty sure the whole seminary thing does play a part in making me the person that I want to be in the future so I'm going to have to impolitely disagree and ask for my phone call.

Yes, Mollie and I have been watching the Matrix. And yes, I am really busy with seminary. So I thought, "Surely, I can come up with a blog post that combines the two."My first class is Prolegomena, which is a big, fancy seminary term that means "first word" or starting assumptions, in this case, of theology. I thought I would share a bit about my courses and what I'm learning so I can share the theological love.

In beginning the study of theology, it is vital to establish the presuppositions upon which you are going to build your system, in this case, a truly biblical theology. There are essentially four pillars of a biblical theology (and some would disagree with one or more of these, but I think they are pretty solid).

PILLAR #1 - The Biblical God Exists
Duh, right? Sadly, there are lots of "theologians" who don't start there. This is THE critical starting point for growing in a knowledge of God from scripture. As Mark Driscoll says, "If you don't know Jesus, you don't know jack about the Bible." This study looks at different arguments for the existence of the God of the Bible using both philosophical and biblical arguments.

PILLAR # 2 - God Has Authoritatively Revealed Himself to Man
This pillar looks at the ways that God has revealed Himself through both general and special ways. Primary focus is given to the Bible as God's authoritative self-revelation and a study of things like inspiration, canonicity, and transmission.

PILLAR # 3 - Man's Ability to Comprehend God's Revelation
This pillar examines ideas such as the origin and purpose of language (that God gave it for the purpose of communication with Him and each other), the effects of sin on our relationships (both with God and each other), and the works of God (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) in overcoming sin and reaching out to man.

PILLAR #4 - Developing a Consistant Hermeneutic
The final pillar is determining how we should read and interpret the Bible. Various hermeneutic methods are examined and critiqued. The importance of the literal historical-grammatical method is examined and critiqued, but found to be the method that most consistently submits to God as the authority in the interpretive process. This method is then applied to scriptural study and reveals 5 major results:
1. Submission to the authority of scripture
2. Recognition of cumulative revelation (God has revealed Himself progressively over time)
3. Awareness of doxological centrality (God's glory is the unifying theme of scripture)
4. A normative dispensational conclusion
5. A clear distinction between Israel and the church

I should be completely finished with the class within the week and that's exciting. My next three classes have arrived but I'll be completing them one at a time over the next few months. The main thing I've enjoyed about this so far is how what I'm learning is so applicable to what I'm teaching in Chapel and in my Bible classes. Pray that God will continue to use this time to grow me closer to Him and that I would come to love Him, and not theology, more and more.