Drew's Preaching Online

A number of people of asked me about how to listen to my sermons online. Just click on the title of this post, or on the link below, to check them out. Feel free to tell me what you think!
Preaching Podcasts in iTunes

My Last 20

My mother died at age 62 from advanced colon cancer. I'm 42. It's hard to believe that when my mom was 42, she was down to her last 20. That got me thinking. What about me? When is my time? I sure hope I'm not down to my last 20, but maybe I am! I can't be sure. I don't even know if I have one day left, let alone 20, 30, or 40+ years. God knows, but I don't.

The other day, these thoughts led to an epiphany for me. I don't have much time left! Whether it is one day, or 20 years or more, the clock is ticking. I've got my dad's side of the family. They all live long, long lives. My grandmother just died at the ripe old age of 95! My grandpa is still living at age 94! If that's me, I've got another half century, at least! But on my mom's side, they all die young. Mom died at age 62. Her sister died a few years later at age 66. Their dad, my Grandpa George, died at age 66 too. Their mom, my grandmother, died around age 70. Three of them died of cancer and one of heart failure. I don't know what to think! Maybe I'll fall somewhere in the middle?

It turns out, if you're not God (and I'm not), it's really hard to say when you're gonna die. So I'm going to start with 20 years. That's my goal. In 20 years, I'll be the same age my mother was when she died. Every year after that will be like the whipped cream on top. In 20 years, my kids will all be grown up. A few might even have kids of their own! In 20 years, I'll probably still be paying college bills, but I'll also be getting close to retirement! In 20 years, I will be able to say I have lived a great and full life, but I sure will want to live more of it! Again, and as usual, God knows, but I don't.

So I made a deal with myself today. More importantly, I made a deal with God. I rededicated my life to the most important things. I want to make the most of the next 20 years! I pledge every new day to Him! I will be faithful. I will be a great husband and father to the glory of God. Of course, I'll make lots of mistakes too! I will work very hard to serve my savior, to learn His Word, to live the life! If I live as if I'm down to my last 20 years, and it just might be my last 20 years, then an amazing 20 years it will be. If I obey more than I have in my first 42, and love more, serve more, study more, pray more, deny myself more, lift others up more, care more, act more, listen more and live more, then that will add up to a life well lived. Whether it's 62 years, 72, 82, 92 or 102, I hope to enter eternity after making the most of the current life we live. I hope you will too.

Out of the Ashes

One thing we Americans are good at is fixing things. It doesn't seem to matter what the problem is, we've got the solution, or we'll find one. For example, I have heard that one woman fixed the problem of her free flying birds pooping on the carpet, the counters, the children's toys and bedspreads at home. She invented "Flight Suits", as they are known, little birdy diapers that fit snugly onto most household birds. Someone else invented hands free binoculars so you can drink your beer and eat your peanuts at the ballgame, but still see the game from the nosebleed section. That's where I usually am. There's the alarm clock that rolls off your bedside table, on to the floor and across the room. You have to get up to turn it off and before you can hit it with a hammer! I even heard there is a motorized ice cream cone so you don't have to turn the cone yourself. Only in America!

In America, we can fix just about anything. One thing we can't fix though is our problem with sin. No matter how much you might want to fix this problem, there nothing in the yellow pages or online that can help. My father-in-law is a great handyman, but even he doesn't have the right tool to forgive me for my sin. Every look in the mirror, every gray hair and wrinkle, every aching joint, every trip to the eye doctor for a stronger prescription, every funeral reminds us that we are formed of the dust and to dust we shall return. Before I know it; in the blink of an eye, the gravestone will read "Here Lies Andrew C. Elling". Trust me, there will be one like it for you too.

At our Ash Wednesday service the other night, we all acknowledged this conundrum. The conundrum is why we showed up there that night in the first place. It's why we put dirty ash crosses on our foreheads. We can't fix this problem, but we have a God who can. Ash Wednesday is an acknowledgement of this. It is the beginning of a journey. Too often we skip ahead to the joy of resurrection day. Jesus didn't do that. He walked the journey there one step at a time. Our faith will not be as deep and strong as it can be until we all walk with him. Walk down the mountain resolutely toward Jerusalem. Stand with him on trial and as the whips tear the flesh off his back. Carry the cross with him up to Golgotha. Feel the nails pierce his hands and feet as if they were your own. Do not let yourself jump ahead too quickly to Easter Sunday. The good news is that day will come. Instead, wait a while first. Walk with Jesus. Feel it. Shed some tears. Gaze upon our bloody and beaten Savior. That Savior is the only possible fix for your problem of sin and mine.

At the service on Ash Wednesday, we all read Psalm 51. You should too. If you feel your failures like King David did. If you admit your weakness, acknowledge the flaws, confess your sin to God, give your life to God, pray for His forgiveness through Christ, then you will live in the end. In fact, you will live starting today. If you can say the same words to God that King David did, then when you die, when you return to the dust, then the gravestone might have your name on it, but you will not be there. Like our Lord Jesus Christ, like King David, you will not be there. It is on your journey to the cross of Jesus that you will find life.

Jesus and the Biker Bar

You might not think much about going to the local biker bar for Jesus. If Jesus came back today, you probably would not go looking in a biker bar for him either. But He might be there. He just might be. What about you?

In John 4, Jesus does not go to a biker bar, but where He did go was at least as controversial. The passage is literally a laundry list of “don'ts” for anyone, let alone the Messiah. The gospel points out that Jesus went through Samaria, talked to a Samaritan, talked to a woman, talked to divorced woman, asked to be served by such a woman, offered to serve such a woman, and offered the gospel to such a woman all in one fell swoop. Imagine your pastor serving in the local x-rated movie theater. That's the equivalent of what's going on here.

This example that Jesus demonstrates for us kind of shatters the common understanding of ministry today, doesn't it? Okay, so maybe you don't start out at the local biker bar or x-rated movie theater, but if we really want the lost to know Jesus, we all have to go somewhere. Jesus did say, “Go!”, and He showed us exactly what He meant.

In his book, “God Space”, Doug Pollock asks the question, “Who should make the first move?” He says, “If I go down to the bar and [invite them to church], how many bar hoppers do you think would be willing to leave their 'club' to join your 'club' on Sunday morning? What would compel someone to give up what he likes to do most on Sunday morning, borrow a suit and tie, sing songs to somebody he can't see, listen to someone speak at him for 30 – 45 minutes about someone who lived more than 2,000 years ago, and then pay for the experience with something called an offering? How many takers do you think I'd have?”

The point is, as believers in Jesus Christ and with the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is our job to make the first move. Start with a simple blessing (Gen. 12:1-3). Start with the folks God has put in your life. Ask a thought provoking question. Trust the Lord to work. Pray. Once you start getting the hang of this, then stretch yourself in faith. This is what Jesus really meant by “Go!”