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The Run of Your Life

Posted by Michael Breznau on 10:14 pm in Podcast | 0 comments

We often face walls in our lives that may drive us to unbelief. The wall seems insurmountable. It seems as though we can’t go on. Perhaps we are faced with doubts because of a skeptical, atheistic professor or teacher. Or maybe you are being barraged by friends at school who think your belief in Christ is making you a “stick in the mud.”

Maybe it seems easier to revert back to the old way of doing things – to figure out life on our own. Perhaps it seems as though God just hasn’t come through and life is only getting harder, not easier.

What should we do when we are faced with “the wall?” How should we live in the face of doubts or the temptation to “do it our way?”

The Christ-followers who received the epistle to the Hebrews in the first century A.D. were facing a very similar situation. The pressure to turn back from their profession of faith in Christ was very strong, and the social and economic rewards for doing so would have been tremendous. Life wasn’t easy being a follower of “the Way.” However, the book of Hebrews specifically addresses just what they – and we – are to do when faced with this kind of pressure, this kind of “wall” in the “run” of the Christian life. So let’s take a look at Hebrews 10:35 and the following context. We are going to see this passage will help answer our question of what we should do when we are faced with the temptation to fall back – to give into “the wall”….

Listen to the full audio message entitled “The Run of Your Life” by simply clicking on the player below. I delivered this sermon during our Winter Camp Report Night at Evangel Baptist Church in February 2011.

Looking Backward and Forward

Posted by Michael Breznau on 11:58 pm in Devotionals | 0 comments

Have you ever taken the time to look backward in your calendar? We live in a day where the mantra of “successful” people is usually, “never look back, always look forward.” Certainly, there’s merit in keeping a forward focus about life. We need to plan, plot, and program our schedules. Keeping a forward focus is also deeply-rooted in our faith, the Christian hope. We live with a futurist anticipation for the day when all things will be remade – when Christ will return to reign in justice and righteousness on the throne of David (cf. Jer. 23:1-8; 1 Peter 1:3-7).

Yet there is also something about looking backward that is thoroughly centered in biblical theology and Christian worship. We are guided in God’s Word to remember the Lord’s covenants with His people (cf. Gen 9:15, 15:1-21; Jer 31:27-40) and thoughtfully retrace how utterly dead we were in sin and how Christ brought us to new life through His blood (cf. Eph 2:1-19).

The apostle Paul exhorted the church in Ephesus this way: 

“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands – remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:11-13).

Thus, a look into the past can radically change how we respond today. Pondering the Lord’s acts of faithfulness and power in the past will bring us to renewed worship in the present.

Using an old Calendar?

One afternoon this past summer, just before a heavy rainstorm started drenching the landscape around Evangel Baptist‘s campus, I found myself looking through the past four months of summer events, camps, programs, conferences, and outreach activities. There were times when I thought most of us might possibly become totally lost in the flurry of action. Things started out like a rocket ship with our Grad Night celebration, then came NGO (Neighborhood Gospel Outreach) and “Cola Wars”. Summer Camp at Lake Ann quickly followed thereafter, along with intensive training for our teen mission trip. Then off we went to the Teen Leadership Conference at BBC, coupled with our mission work at Restored Church of Wilkes-Barre, PA. Others served Christ at Camp Barnabas during that same time, and then we all stormed back to our beloved Downriver community to ramp up for this year’s VBS and AWAKE outreach. And of course, all these big events coincided with our regular Youth Unleashed gatherings on Wednesdays and Sundays, worship team practices, and much more.

It would be easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of logistics, organization, and energy required to run such a summer operation.  But as I looked back through the months of May, June, July, and August, my heart was instead overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness and power. I was not necessarily drawn to worship Christ for “seeing us through to the completion” of all the events outlined above. No, I was instead drawn to worship the Savior for how he had given us the opportunity to see His Gospel bring life-transformation for some of the teens under our care… and in our own lives as well.

Over the past twelve months…

I remember… finally receiving a bound and completed edition of my Th.M. thesis from Dallas Theological Seminary in January. All praise to God for His great grace toward me so that I could finish this year-and-a-half long project!

I remember… seeing my little Everlynn’s face for the first time on February 6th. Holding my beautiful girly was (and still is) like nothing else I had ever before experienced. She is an amazing gift from our wonderful Creator…

I remember… watching Hudson (3 years old) attempt to carry “Papa’s Bible” into church one Sunday morning. He was so determined to manage the task without any help. Wow, how he has grown. 🙂

I remember… celebrating 4 years of marriage with my Darling, Stephanie. She is the most amazing and wonderful woman on earth. I simply do not deserve her love, devotion, encouragement, and care. She is my partner, lover, confidant, and friend. And she never ceases to shock me with her creativity and ingenuity. God knew just what I needed and I praise Him everyday for the gift of Stephanie.

I remember… the morning when one teenager openly confessed to all their peers how they had wronged other members of the youth group. And they did so purely by the initiative of the Holy Spirit bringing personal conviction to their heart! What a radical change God brought to this teenager’s life…

I remember… the dramatic life-shift occurring in a young man who decided to throw in the towel of “his plans” and wholeheartedly give his life for the mission of the Gospel. And then, getting to watch this guy boldly and passionately preach God’s Word. Wow.

I remember… our “teen missionaries” coming alive with the urgent mission of Christ in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA, as we passed out more than 3,000 water bottles to people thirsty for the One who alone provides eternal satisfaction and peace.

I remember… being given the opportunity to stand before an ordination council for examination of my calling, commitment, and doctrine. And by God’s grace, the council unanimously voted to recommend me for ordination as a minister of the Gospel.

And the list could go on and on…  

What do you remember about God’s faithfulness and power over the last 12 months? I would LOVE to hear about it. 

Life can be busy, cluttered, and hectic. And we always must keep moving forward with a focus on the future. But let’s not forget to take time to look backward too. You may be quite surprised how doing so might radically change how you respond in the present. You may also find yourself totally overwhelmed with a desire to worship God for His great, faithful love.

In Christ Alone,

Michael

Jesus Isn’t the Reason for the Season

Posted by Michael Breznau on 11:35 am in Sermons | 0 comments

Christmas. For most of us the Christmas season makes us think of fighting crowds amid the shopping rush, receiving gifts of all sorts, joining together for family gatherings, singing cheerful carols, and maybe even enjoying freshly fallen snow – especially if you’re from Michigan like me. All of us from Michigan know it is just not quite Christmas if there isn’t snow on the ground. We want snow, great parties, awesome food, cool presents; and on the list goes.

But now that twenty-four hours have passed since the sugarplum dreams danced in our heads, let’s be honest. Jesus isn’t the reason for the season. Jesus isn’t the reason why we storm shopping malls, plazas, and outlets centers on Black Friday (and all throughout the month of December) in order to spend hundreds of thousands – even millions – of dollars on stuff, “stuff” so that we can “get ready for Christmas.”

Let’s be honest. Jesus isn’t the reason why we sing, “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer” or “I’ll have a Blue Christmas without you.” Jesus isn’t usually the reason why we spend hours thinking, planning, and organizing our Christmas events, parties, super-saver sales, and “get-to-togethers.”

Most of the time, Jesus isn’t really the reason for the season at all. It’s as if we get so distracted by everything around this season called Christ-mas, all of the lights, presents, parties, songs, sales, and hype, that we totally lose sight of the One who is more than the reason for the season, He is the centerpiece – the orchestrator of our salvation.

It is as if everything around us is attempting to pull our eyes toward the surroundings of the Christmas event and away from Christ. It’s almost like you and I walking into the ancient manger, a smelly, dusty cave on the outskirts of Bethlehem. And we see Jesus, the very Son of God, cuddled up in a rough sawn trough, and yet we are more preoccupied with the event than with Him. We get caught up talking about how we should clean up the cave, dust off the beams, clean the animal refuse, and decorate the door… and we ignore Jesus.

Yet what God simply desires for you and me is this: Worship Jesus. Focus on Him. Put your trust in Him. Find hope in Him. In Him you’ll have all that you need. In Him you will find life forevermore, in relationship with God Himself.

The Bread of Life from the House of Bread

The baby Jesus born in Bethlehem arrived in a village that was entitled by the joining of two Hebrew nouns – one proper noun, the other a genitive (possessive) noun. Bethlehem means “House” (bait) “of bread” (lechem). It is shocking to think a town that was named “the House of Bread” – Bethlehem – hundreds of years before Jesus Christ came to earth, would then be the place where God would sovereignly choose to present the One who would be called the Bread of Life.

Jesus said of Himself in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

You see, Jesus knows there’s a void in our lives that all the distractions, entertainment, and even family gatherings can’t fill. And Jesus came to be the One who would offer a relationship, a new life that would change everything – one that would change you and I from the inside out.

Sometimes I get really distracted around the house. I get so focused on making sure our furnace is working properly, that the leaves are blown out of the gutters, and that there’s food on the table that I tend to get distracted from what really matters. When our son Hudson was one or two years old he would sometimes sense my distracted-ness and come over to me, put his little hand on my cheek and say, “Papa, look at my eyes. Look at me Papa. I want to be with you…”

We can become so easily distracted by everything surrounding the Christmas event that we lose sight of Christ. And God simply want us to look to His Son and worship Him.

Later on in the same chapter in John’s Gospel, in verse 51, Jesus elaborates on the same life-altering message:

“I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” (John 6:51)

Mission: Incarnation

God came. He moved into the neighborhood of sinful, rebellious, ridiculously distracted human beings. Jesus, the second person of the Triune God came down to earth – God incarnate – to offer Himself as the Bread of Life so that we could have real, eternal life and peace with God in Him…in Jesus Christ alone. He did not come to simply be a moral teacher or an example of how to live a nice life and treat people right. He came to be the Savior, the Messiah.

And here’s how He accomplished His mission: He came down from heaven, lived a sinless and perfect life, and then offered up His life as the only perfect and complete substitute for our sins on the Cross. He died and was buried, and then after three days He rose from the dead in victory over sin and death. And after being seen by hundreds of verifiable witnesses, He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven – His saving work is complete.

I believe this is exactly what Jesus was hinting at in John 6:51 when he said, “and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” He is saying, that He would offer Life to all who will believe in Him, through His body, His blood, as the sacrifice for our sins. That’s the Good News of Jesus.

And here’s the crux for you and me: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)

More than a Reason

So let’s not simply “make Jesus the reason for the season,” but instead look at Him – for who He is and what He accomplished through His perfect life, death, and resurrection – and worship Him as the Savior of the world. Look to Him as the centerpiece of Christmas, but not just for Christmas but also for your entire life. Jesus isn’t the reason for the season, unless we actually come to Him and find in Him new life, eternal life, and all that we need.

Charles Spurgeon beautifully declared this truth, “Having made Jesus your all, you shall find all in Jesus.”

Perhaps most of us might say, “I’ve already heard all this before, I’ve heard the Gospel that Jesus came to live a sinless and perfect life, that He died on the Cross to be my substitute, and that He rose again… And I remember the time I placed my trust in Christ alone as my personal Savior.”

But if you and I are honest, we realize that we’ve become just as distracted as the next guy or girl. You realize that you’re more excited and more focused on the event of Christmas rather than on Christ. And God is saying: Come to Jesus and Worship Him. Find in Him everything that you need. Look at the Son.

Yet for others, you think you’ve heard this before too, but right now is the first time it really is connecting, the first time it actually makes sense. And God is saying, “Come to my Son Jesus Christ and trust in Him as your Savior.” Trust in what He accomplished through His perfect and complete life, death, and resurrection. Trust in Him to do what only God can do… come to Jesus. So I invite you to come to Jesus and find new life now and eternal life forever with God.

Come look at the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the centerpiece. He is the One come to save, redeem, and forgive. Everything else is meaningless in comparison to Jesus Christ. Come to the Bread of life who was born in the House of Bread and find new, eternal life in Him. You will never be the same.

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” (Augustine, Confessions, Lib 1,1-2, 2.5, 5: CSEL 33, 1-5; translated)

Our Christmas Prayer

Posted by Michael Breznau on 6:31 pm in Devotionals | 0 comments

Dear Family & Friends, 

May God bless your Christmas season with faith, hope, and love by the power of His Spirit. We are so very grateful to count all of you as partners in the mission of the Gospel. Here’s our prayer for you this Christmas:

Our Father in heaven, we praise You for Your amazing love! Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, into this world so that we might behold the fullness of Your grace and truth, and receive salvation in Him. We pray You will reveal Your peace and joy to our friends and family, increase their faith, and fill them with a passion to serve on Your mission of Good News, by the power of the Spirit, for Your great glory, amen.

To view our 2012 Christmas Newsletter simply click here:

Christmas News 2012 PDF

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him and lean on His Word!

Confessing Imperfection.

Posted by Michael Breznau on 12:54 pm in Devotionals, Theology | 0 comments

Confession. Perhaps, for you, this term invokes images of a person sitting in a little, boxed-off room talking to a weary priest. Or maybe you immediately thought of an awful memory where you were forced (literally) to stand up in front of your peers and “fess up” to some prank, impropriety, or foolish decision. Gulp. That’s probably happened to the best of us at some point – even though we’d rather not admit it.

The term confession is sort of a dirty word these days. Some of us may remember Bill Clinton’s infamous “confession” about his relationship with a certain White House intern. Others may recall the numerous media-hyped confessions of various televangelists and celebrity pastors. Scandal and humiliation seem to fit “hand-in-glove” with public confession. And so we often shy away from confessing our mistakes, faults, and failures. Instead we choose to keep our issues privatized in the confines of the unwritten journal between us and God.

Yet confession is biblical. Confession, both personal and corporate, is woven into nearly every page of Scripture. The faults, failures, and mistakes of revered men and women in the Bible are hung out on a laundry line for all to see. Some of them admitted their sinfulness, while others tried to cover up their issues with a guise of piety. But in the end, it’s all there for us to see. The shocking honesty of the Bible is one of the greatest proofs for it’s validity and authenticity.

But still, most Christians try to hide their mistakes. I know I have… over and over again. No wonder people outside of Christianity see very little authenticity and sincerity in our lives. That’s the word I hear on the street, anyhow.

Yet open, honest confession is an action we are specifically encouraged to demonstrate as God’s people. The apostle James wrote to believers scattered around the Mediterranean area:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16).

The context of James’ exhortation here is specifically related to physical illness. Nevertheless, the action of open confession is something all believers should practice on a regular basis. Healing and unity within the body of Christ comes only by the work of the Spirit through sincere humility; the kind of humility that openly confesses failure, faultiness, and sin.

Imperfect. For a slightly obsessive-compulsive perfectionist like me, it’s rather difficulty to let that adjective exit my mouth. But that’s what we all are: imperfect. You may be closer to “perfect” than me, but you and I are still less than perfect. And who has the “perfect” measuring stick anyway? Does this mean we just  throw in the toil and forget about excellence and a strong work-ethic? Certainly not. God clearly directs us to live hard-working, disciplined lives.

However, if our pursuit of excellence becomes clothed with a facade that denies our imperfections, then we have fallen into a trap that’s void of humility. Suddenly we lose patience with others because we have forgotten how unbelievably patient God has been with us. We quickly become irritated with people who seem less-organized, less-thoughtful, less-disciplined, less-educated, less-mature, less-loving… less-perfect than us. And we forget the path God has so very patiently guided us down, year after year.

Pastor Tullian Tchividjian painted a shockingly accurate portrait of how this often plays out in the church,

“Instead of a hospital for sufferers, church becomes a glorified costume part, where lonely men and women tirelessly police each other’s facade of holiness. The higher up in the pecking order, the less room for weakness. Perhaps it should come as no surprise when we read headlines of pastors of legalistic churches acting out in self-destructive ways (Rom. 5:20).” [from “Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets you Free” pg. 79-80]

So I encourage you not to think about confession as being always linked with scandal, loss-of-reputation, or embarrassment, but instead to consider confessing your imperfections as a place of refuge. You see, humility isn’t throwing yourself on the sword of eternal humiliation; it’s finding refuge and peace in relinquishing your right to always be right… or perfect (see Proverbs 3:7-8; 12:15; 22:4).

So let’s choose to be radically honest with one other. Confess your imperfections, faults, and sins. Receive the confessions and imperfections of others with grace and humility. I think we’ll be shocked by the healing, unity, and peace God will bring.

Paul reminded the church in Colossae about the same need for open confession and humility when he wrote:

“So as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

Let’s walk in the love of God as we openly confess our imperfections, for the sake of unity and God’s great glory.

Here’s My Confession: I am that Hypocrite. Click on this link to read my confession: https://www.graceexposed.org/2012/12/08/i-am-that-hypocrite/ or simple locate the article entitled “I am that Hypocrite.”

Michael J. Breznau – 12.14.2012

The Cross as our Compass

Posted by Michael Breznau on 12:08 am in Podcast | 0 comments

Identification with “status” is all around us. We are daily inundated with the world’s system and orientation – which screams for more attention, more fame, and more prestige. Unfortunately, we also live in a way that all too often abides according to the world’s system of social status and “professional” association. This way of thinking creates arrogant divisions and prideful discord among the Body of Christ. Churches have been torn apart, leaders have fallen, and ministries have hit the dust as a result of this pervasive sin.

In a world of status symbols, self-adulation, and independent thinking; how can you and I build-up unity within the Body of Christ, rather than tear it apart with our own pride? As followers of Christ and those being followed as leaders in the Body of Christ, how can we avoid the devastating effects of division and disunity?

Our penchant for pride runs deep. I know mine does. We can be driven to want the world’s style and status of success. In many ways this mentality is not any different than the believers’ in ancient Corinth. You see, they also were enamored with personalities and worldly prowess. And, as a result, the church there was also riddled with horrendous division and disunity. Why? They were finding their headship in a personality rather than the Person: Jesus Christ. So, let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 1:10-17…

In Christ Alone,

    Michael J. Breznau 

Click on the player below or subscribe to our iTunes station to listen to my full message entitled, “The Cross as our Compass” [1 Corinthians 1:10-31], delivered at Evangel Baptist Church in Taylor, MI.

I Am that Hypocrite.

Posted by Michael Breznau on 2:26 pm in Devotionals, Theology | 1 comment

I am that hypocrite who arrogantly barked at people for their use of drums in church music, yet rationalized my way into ignoring my anger and lust problems.

I am that hypocrite who wore a sharp tie and sports jacket to church on Sunday mornings, yet pounded the steering wheel and mumbled frustrations about the slow drivers I encountered as a raced to be on time for Sunday school.

I am that hypocrite who would argue for hours with the Jehovah’s Witness kid down the street about his heretical beliefs, and moments later get into a screaming match with my mom about why I didn’t want to do my chores.

I am that hypocrite who proudly carried a big annotated Bible to worship services, yet would rarely pick it up between Sundays… unless I needed to argue with people over an interpretation issue.

I am that hypocrite who openly decried the use (and the people who adopted the use) of Medicaid and Welfare assistance programs, yet rarely cared to donate – above the “required 10%” – to any missions or charities who assist people in their real times of need.

I am that hypocrite who spent 15 minutes making sure his hair was just right, but rushed past more than one person stuck on the side of the road on my way to worship Jesus.

I am that hypocrite who looked down my nose at friends who held hands or kissed before marriage, yet I tried to cover up the fact that I even liked girls. 🙂

I am that hypocrite who perfectly recited every Bible memory verse at VBS and Sunday school, all with just the slightest smirk of pride on my face and pervasive arrogance in my heart.

I am that hypocrite who sang loudly and lifted my hands in praise to Jesus on Wednesday nights, yet totally ignored God’s mission to the lost on Thursday mornings.

I am that hypocrite who winced in pride when another church soloist would go off-key; yet all the while tell my own admirers, “All glory to God, I sing for Him alone.”

I am that hypocrite who openly criticized churches who changed traditional methodologies in order to reach the rapidly growing “un-churched” population, yet daily ignored Christ’s command to share His hope with those who didn’t know Him.

I am that hypocrite who went to India to share the love of Jesus Christ with the hurting and lost, yet ran from a poor, destitute leper like a scared kitten…with my hand on my wallet.

God is Satisfied. 

I am that hypocrite. Imperfect in every way.  A sinner to the core. Pride was my game and perfection was my claim to fame.

Yet now I cling to the only One who is righteous, the Just One who died for the unjust (see 1 Peter 3:18).

A hypocrite I am, yet a Savior I have received. And by His grace my faith does not stand in who I am or in what I know, but in Who I know… and He is everything to me. Praise Him, not me.

And here’s the crazy thing: God is satisfied. But He is not satisfied with me – I cannot satisfy Him by anything that I’ve done, am doing, or will do. He is only and perfectly satisfied in His Son. Therefore, God is satisfied because when He looks at me He sees His Son. And He says that everyone who is in His Son has everything that is the Son’s – His life, joy, peace, love, and wisdom, but most of all a relationship with the Him, the Father. Wow. That’s grace.

I know that God cannot and will not be satisfied with me, a two-faced, messed up sinner. So I cling to the Son. I Trust in the Son. He is the only One who could satisfy the just demands of the righteous Father. And the Son, Jesus Christ, is Enough.

The apostle Paul triumphantly declared these words to the followers in Corinth, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17; italics added for emphasis)

What about you? To what are you clinging?

– Michael J. Breznau 12.8.12

Following the Mission of our Messiah – Mark 8:22-33

Posted by Michael Breznau on 5:19 pm in Podcast, Sermons | 0 comments

People, situations, or even the circumstances of life are not always as they seem. Such was the case for a young, charming woman – a woman who happens to be the personal hero of my wife. This youthful, smart, and witty young girl had a bright future. All seemed refreshingly exciting.

She grew up in a supportive family in the good old Midwestern town of Boone, Iowa. At just ten years of age she was prompted by the Lord to serve Him on the mission field and this desire never left her. Early in her college years she met her would be husband who also had the same desire for ministry. After language studies, Darlene Diebler-Rose and her dear Russell headed off to Papua New Guinea. And they, along with several other families set up a thriving outpost for ministry in the surrounding villages around the small island of Celebes. She was overjoyed with being a part of Christ’s mission.

However, in one short day her life changed drastically for the worst. The dawn of the Japanese invasion of WWII had come to the West Indies. Swiping down island, village, and jungle, the Japanese cleared all that stood in their path – along with the isle of Celebes.

Darlene hurriedly threw some basic necessities into a pillowcase and ran out the door. Her husband was already carted up in a truck headed for a concentration “work” camp. As she reached up to give the pillowcase to her dear Russell, he leaned over and whispered, “Remember one thing dear: God said that He would never leave us nor forsake us.” As the truck drove away only one thing coursed through Darlene’s mind, “What about now, Lord?”

All she felt was abandonment. She would never see her husband again.

She and all the other ladies ended up in a prison camp in Kampili. Over and over Darlene questioned the Lord about her suffering and agony. About one year after she and her husband said their goodbyes, she received notice he had died from dysentery in a labor camp. At 26 she was now a widow. Again she cried out in utter frustration, “But what about now, Lord!?”

When the Bottom Falls Out… 

As much as Darlene strained through the frustration, she still could not clearly see how God could place her in such a position of suffering. She could not understand how this suffering that she was going through could be a part of Christ’s mission. In a similar way, you and I may have an incomplete or blurred picture of our Messiah’s true Mission. When the bottom falls out, when the preacher down the road is driving a Mercedes-Benz and you instead are being ridiculed for preaching the clear message of God’s Word, when the stressors of life are overwhelming: who is Christ to you?

Is He your present, earthly savior who you expect will come to rescue, save, and guard you from the suffering of this life? You and I may think we understand what it means to follow in the mission of Christ. But the stark truth and the testimony of most believers tells a different story. Following in the Mission of our Messiah does not offer the “best life now,” or grant us seven keys for success. Following in His mission does not even offer or guarantee the simplest of earthly comforts. If this were the case then Jesus Himself would have lived a very different kind of life.

However, mature followers of the Messiah must clearly understand His mission. We must Clearly See the Mission of our Messiah. Furthermore, we must understand that the Messiah’s mission is one of Suffering before Glory….

This is precisely what Christ unveils for us in Mark 8:22-33. Here in Mark 8:22-33 we find that those who had been following Jesus for quite some time and witnessed many powerful miracles still had an incomplete understanding of their Master and His Mission. However, Jesus would not let them remain in blurry understanding. Thus He unveils for them and us, just how one is to clearly see His true mission and wholeheartedly follow Him. So now turn with me to Mark 8:22-33….

Simply click on the audio player below to listen to the full message from Mark 8:22-23, entitled “Following the Mission of Our Messiah.” I delivered this message at Grad Night 2010 at Evangel Baptist Church, Taylor MI. 

Never Enough

Posted by Michael Breznau on 4:36 pm in Devotionals, Story Time | 0 comments

“We never really have enough; do we? Everyone always wants something more…” Those are the words I heard come from behind the counter at a Five Guys hamburger joint late one evening. This eons-old sentiment came from an aging man, probably in his late 40s or early 50s. With a decent smile for 9:55pm, he told me he had been up since three o’clock in the morning and was ready to hit the sack.

“But,” he said, “That’s what ya gotta do, when the economy’s down and you always want more.” This hamburger flipping expert then went on to tell me that he works two jobs seven days a week, with zero break in between – just several hours of sleep – and then it’s back to work again. “Wow,” I said, “I remember what’s its like to work two or three jobs – as I did when I was working on my master’s degree, but somehow I managed to get a solid night’s rest. Your schedule sounds brutal!”

Soul-Longings.. 

And that’s when he said it. That longing deep within every human soul – “Well, we are never really happy with what we’ve got – it never seems to be enough.”

As I stood there stunned by this brilliant summation of the human condition, I thought to myself, “Man, I wish most two-timing church-goers would be this honest.” What really arrested my attention is what he didn’t say. He didn’t say, “Well, I’m trying to provide for my family” or “Hey man, I’m just trying to pay the bills and bring home the bacon.” No. He said, “We are never happy with what we’ve got…we always want something more.”

As he scanned my face for a response, I asked, “Yeah…why is that? Why do we always want something more? Why does what we have never seem to be enough?” The man shrugged his shoulders and remarked, “I dunno.” “Yeah,” I thought out loud, “it’s like we were built for something more – something beyond what this life offers.”

Just then we both noticed the storm kicking up outside (and I remembered my family waiting for me in the van and the rapidly cooling fresh hamburgers in my hand). So with a quick goodbye and a smile he headed back to the griddle and I headed out into the rain. But I couldn’t shake the thought that we seem to be built for something more.

When this life – with all its appeasements and entertainment – never seems to be enough, such is the moment when we realize there must be something more… something more to live for and hope for.

Something More… 

I am reminded of Augustine’s grand confession about this inherent part of the human condition: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” (From Augustine’s Confessions, Lib. 1,1-2, 2.5,5: CSEL 33, 1-5)

This longing for real, lasting satisfaction and rest in God is what drove the apostle Paul to shout out, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain! (Philippians 1:21)” He had found what every person longs for. Jesus wasn’t just an end to living a better, easier life. No! He is the end – the end to all our searching, hoping, and striving.  Jesus is the end in Himself. Paul was so jazzed about the Gospel of Christ and the mission of Christ that it infused every part of His being.  If everything else was ripped from his life on earth, Paul knew Christ was and ever will be enough. He is more than a thousand ecstasies, more than myriad happy moments, more than all the pleasures the world can offer. Jesus is the end to never enough. Jesus alone is enough.

To the fledging church in Colossae, Paul encouraged them to center their hope and life on Jesus Christ:

“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with Him.” (Colossians 3:3-4; italics for emphasis)

Only in Jesus is true and abundant life found. Only in Jesus can life be lived as it was meant to be. And one day when Jesus Christ returns we will then live on a remade earth in resurrected bodies, in the same manner in which Jesus was resurrected. Wow. Those are huge concepts to wrap my mind around.

Yet I believe, in my finiteness, that this is what we were ultimately made for – we were made for something more. We were designed to live in community and relationship with God and His people.  And the void everyone is trying to fill with the glimmering yet fading things of this age only proves we long for something only our Creator can provide. It is as if all creation is pointing toward God’s offer of new life in Christ (see Rom. 8:18-25). Yes, it is.

Unfortunately, my conversation at Five Guys restaurant had to come to an abrupt end. But perhaps my hamburger-flipping friend will think about the life-altering idea he raised. Maybe my question will spark a search into the meaning of life. And perhaps, just maybe, I’ll see him again and have the chance to offer the message of hope that puts an end to thenever enough cycle. You just never know. After all, I do like Five Guys.

Did you hear the longing for something more today… in a co-worker, friend, or relative? How did you respond? I’d love to hear about!

In Christ Alone,

    Michael 

10.23.12

Irrational Grace

Posted by Michael Breznau on 12:55 am in Devotionals, Sermons | 0 comments

This past Tuesday, I attended the funeral of Homer Edmonds, a long-time and faithful member of the Evangel Baptist church family. His passing was met with much grief and sorrow, but also with much celebration. He was a faith-filled man who had placed His trust in Jesus Christ alone. And the story woven throughout the service was that the grace of the Gospel was continually on display in his life. He was the kind of man who loved others like Jesus and lived what he preached.

He was the real deal. He lived the Gospel life. His daughter, Debbie, beautifully painted this picture for us as she relayed a story about Homer’s irrational, Gospel-oriented grace….

One day Homer went out for a drive, and it just so happened that a young woman accidentally hit his car, while he was parked. The woman quickly jumped out of her automobile and immediately asked him to not call the police or file a claim with his insurance company. Instead, she said, “let’s exchange our contact information and after you get an estimate for the repair, I will give you a check for the work.”

Well, after he collected an estimate from a local collision shop, he contacted the woman and arranged a time to stop by her home to pick up the amount for the repair. Later that afternoon Homer drove out to her house and pulled into the driveway. But something made him pause for a moment and then, strangely enough, he decided to turn around and drive back home without picking up the check.

Upon his arrival back home, Homer told his wife, Janet, “Dear, I just could not walk up to that house and take that woman’s money after seeing her terribly poor living conditions. I just couldn’t do it. And you know what? You know what I think I’m supposed to do? I believe we should go back to her house not to take a check from her but to bring her one. And that is just what he did…

Irrational grace: The kind of love and kindness that doesn’t make any sense to normal human goals or plans, but instead leaves the Gospel as the only explanation (cf. 1 Peter 3:14-18). This is gospel-living – displaying the totally unexplainable grace of God and offering it to people who will be driven to ask us, “WHY??”

Sure, Homer deserved that check for the collision work. Certainly, the woman deserved to pay for the damage she had caused. But grace says otherwise. It’s underserved, unearned, and free for all to receive.

How will you be as gracious as God is…today?

In Christ Alone,

Michael