Save the Drama for your Mama! (Excerpts from message: Low Drama Church)

Matthew 6:12

Forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us.

“Low Drama Church”

How much of your life is consumed with Drama?  As a pastor I have stated a strange goal: "I want to pastor a low-drama church!"  I know what you are thinking- that I have lost my marbles and that is impossible.  In our age of drama-instant communication, 7000 text messages a month, reality t.v. land, Bride-zilla, social media explosion, etc etc it is really hard not to get sucked into drama.  I do want to add I am so blessed that we do have such little drama at Clark Fork City Church!! 

There was plenty of internal fighting and drama in the Bible:  

• Before David fought Goliath he had to deal with Saul
• Paul and Peter had a disagreement about doctrine 
• Joseph had some brothers who didn’t believe in him
• Gentiles were not Jewish enough for the disciples, so they said "get out the knife!" or something like that...

As we have been looking at the Lord's Prayer and in a series called "Teach us to Pray," we are learning as we pray we are caught up with Jesus priority of forgiveness.  Deep Prayer=Low Drama!  One caveat- to be in the kingdom means we will have drama and battles and challenges.  Also being a church that wins new converts and reaches out to a city will illicit a certain amount of drama.  That is the good type of drama.  The bad kind of drama is infighting among believers.  Prayer reminds us to excel in forgiveness and mercy and grace!

Here are a few quick points on being a Low Drama Church:

1. Be quick to forgive (Leave your gift at the altar and go reconcile with your brother.)

• Matthew 5:23-24

2. Don’t be in a hurry to miss those outside the church.  Luke 10:25 (Good Samaritan story)

The Harvest is Plentiful Laborers are few!  It’s not a harvest problem…It's a laborer problem. Could it be we are about so many other things we miss a chance to do what is right?

3.  Our Heart is for those within the church:

·        ^{Ephesians 2:19} Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God

·        ^{Galatians 6:10} Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

4. If you are continually offended by something or someone check your heart condition.  Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

5. Don’t criticize- James 4:11-12 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

·        Judging a person does not define who they are, it defines who you are.

6.  My Seat can be someone else’s

·        I am here to serve.  Our church exists also for everyone else that isn’t here yet and I won't allow my own drama to get in the way of reaching people.

7.  Take Responsibility for your emotional state. 

8.  My people prayer list is not an excuse to gossip. 

·        Eph 4:31-32 

·        Explaining your side to someone who does not want to listen and understand you is like using a pencil that was not sharpened, it’s pointless.

9. Forgiveness Makes Room for God to Move- Unforgivness gives the enemy room to move in our lives.

John 13:34-35 -The will know we are Christians by their love one for another.

For an extreme example of forgivness and response to drama- Check out:

Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (amazon) 

Atheists sue to remove Jesus statue from Big Mountain -So what...God Made Big Mountain!

http://missoulian.com/news/local/atheists-sue-to-remove-jesus-statue-from-big-mountain/article_d8e79fcc-527f-11e1-bcdd-0019bb2963f4.html

Here is a little current event post from our very own state of Montana.  I have never personally seen the "Big Mountain Jesus" statue that was created to honor WW2 vets. He (the statue) became famous and even garnered some national attention when a group of concerned citizens wanted him take down because he stands on public lands.


This has been both sad and humorous to me for several reasons:

1.  God made Big Mountain which stands in greater testominy than a statue. He made the mountain! Creation is one of the greatest testimonies of God there is. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." ( Romans 1:20 )

2.  If they tear down "Big Mountain Jesus," we have to tear down a number of other things that stand on public property based on similar reasoning. A Jesus statue on a mountain in Montana seems trite compared to the top of the Washington Monument that bares the inscription "Laus Deo"- Give Praise to God.  That is a much more prominent monument compared to the obscure Jesus statue outside of Whitefish Montana.  If we did some searching an extensive list could be made of government buildings with faith references and quotes. Even in a recession the amount of lawsuits against such things seem to be going up.  Those funds are sadly misappropriated.

3.  Since when did we need a Statue to promote or represent our faith?  I would argue for keeping the statue up for the reason it was planted: as a memorial to WW2 soliders, particularly members of the Army's 10th mountain division.  That's why it should stay.  Jesus doesnt need a statue to win, besides he preferred not having idols of stones- when he is a living God.  It doesn't need to stay up for His name sake, he will get his Glory.  However it is sad that a nation with a rich Christian Heritage would come to this.

4. I guess it could be a subtle reminder to the wayward snowboarder to find his way home...to a Loving God, who gave us a massive playground like Montana to enjoy life and bring Him Glory.