Gear up, kids! Sunday School Rejects will be back in January with hilarious articles for you, the viewer, to partake in. January 1st (Not at midnight, though I like your enthusiasm) will be the return of a once successful (though morbidly decrepit as of late) website. Make sure to keep coming back, as we continue to improve different facets of the site. Continue telling your friends about Sunday School Rejects, because we want them to visit too!

Happy holidays to the terrorists out there, and a very merry Christmas to everyone else!

-Sean

I’ve worked at the same job three years now. I work at a college textbook store, and I work in the book department.

There are days when I want to tell customers they are dead wrong and to shut up. Anyone who has worked in sales knows exactly what I am talking about. I’ve been cussed out, yelled at, insulted, and just been treated in the most disrespectful ways.

And all I want to do is punch them in the face. I mean I think a customer would think twice if there was the threat of me dropping some WWE moves on them to convince them “that the price is right Bob!” (Oh Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, with a little Adam Sandler mixed in). I mean every time a customer said: “What the price of the book?” I would grab my microphone (which, according to WWE, we all as humans were born with a microphone and a PA system) and begin to declare to the world how my books are the greatest and I am the all time champion of the textbook world… Okay, time to focus.

Anyways, one time I was helping a customer and her mother, who was buying a history book. I had just written a book review for a class on the very book she needed for her class, so I was making small talk about the book  (which was about Andrew Jackson). The mother informed me Mr. Jackson was the general who was buried one place and his arm was buried elsewhere. I politely reminded her that was Stonewall Jackson she was thinking of. Her reply: “Well, you just don’t know your history very well.”

I think that sometimes, we as Christians say something to the same effect to God. God didn’t just read The Book, He didn’t just write a book review on it, God wrote The Book. Yet we say to God: “Well, you just don’t know the Bible very well.”

It reminds me of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and how they had so many rules to follow. To them Christ who stood in front of them, they looked Him in the face, was not their idea of how it was supposed to work.  We try and tell God it is supposed to work.

I have customers tell me all the time that I’m wrong about a book. In fact, yesterday a customer bought a book, and then came in later that day and told me I had sold them the wrong book. I explained to them the book they thought they needed won’t even be here until the fall. They returned the book and went elsewhere. Then about ten minutes to close the customer called me and said I was right and she was on her way to buy the book again.

We try and tell God what is right and how things are supposed to be and what we “really need”. How absolutely crazy that is to think about. We humans trying to give God the how too on life, He created us. We are fragile, imperfect, finite human beings who are trying to tell the infinite, unstoppable, perfect God of the universe how to run the show.

Here is how it goes in my head:

“Hey God”

“Hello Daniel, would you like to talk?”

“Well yeah, here is the deal Big Man, this whole deal right here in my life. Well I think its kind’ve whack, and we need to come together and talk this out.” (Also, I use 90’s style lingo when talking to God)

“Okay, what are you wondering?”

“Simple, here it is like butter. I want this deal, and I know what I need, I mean I know myself right? Well here is what I’m thinking. You know that verse “ask and it will be given to you…”? I get what I want and You get to follow Your rules. Sounds like a win to me”

“Well Daniel that’s not exactly what I meant when I said that. You see when you follow after me My desires become your true desires and out of the true desires of your heart you ask. See what I’m saying?”

“Right, right I got it but listen this new Super Soaker with the backpack that holds 5 gallons of water is pretty awesome. I can annihilate the kids on the block with watery greatness then as I console them in their defeat tell them how awesome You are.”

“I don’t think so Daniel, that’s not how our relationship works.”

“I think You are the one who is confused”

(Joab, one of David’s mighty men, appears and pulls a Chuck Norris on me)

So many times we think we know what is best for us, but God knows us better then we will ever know ourselves. So don’t think you know what is right and you need. Trust God, He’s got you. He gave us His Son to save us, and His Word to guide us. Seek after His desires.

Two years and two days.

It’s been two years and two days.

What is two years and two days, you ask? That is the amount of time that it has been since I’ve had the opportunity to celebrate the birth of our country by destroying it with fireworks, and I’m livid. Absolutely livid.

I love fireworks. If I could find a way to Photoshop a picture of a heart to show how much I love them I would, but I’ve only had about five hours of sleep, so saying that I <3 fireworks will have to do. Most people enjoy the aspect of spending time with their family, quite a few people enjoy eating banana pudding (Pronounced, “nana puddin” if you’re from Texas… Yee-Haw!), and some people are just proud of their country, and fly their flag proudly every fourth. For me, nothing says, “God bless America” like the smell of gunpowder and flop sweat as you watch your previous week’s salary burst into a colorful explosion in the air as some redneck lights a sparkler with his cigarette (I.E. My father). It warms my heart, it really does.

But I didn’t get to blow up north Texas this year, because for TWO YEARS, it has rained on the Fourth of July. Last year, I sat in my car while a torrential downpour dampened not only our spirits, but the ground as well. This year, the same thing happened, the only difference is the rain was assisted by my tears (ladies, I have a vulnerable side too… Take note of that).

As I was pondering how I was going to hide roughly $600 worth of fireworks (God bless America), and wiping the tears from my eyes (vulnerable side), I had an epiphany: I wonder if Christians get angry or upset with God, when the “ah ha!” moments of their spiritual walk, aren’t as cool or awesome as the spectacular explosions on the Fourth of July. Check this out:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

The thing that trips me out about this verse is that no emphasis is placed on me. I’m not required to do anything. In fact, I’m instructed to do nothing, and I think that as Christians, that boggles our mind.

The LORD said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Then Job answered the LORD: ”I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” – Job 40:1-4

Ultimately, we have the tendency of thinking that we are the cause of our own spiritual growth, and as a result we fail. We buy books that are written by broken people that teach us some new avenue of spirituality. We listen to the newest podcast, in the hopes to grow… We do all of these things, while the God of the universe just wants us to calm down, so that He can reveal Himself to us.

So, as you sift through the hustle and bustle of daily living, allow me to give you a piece of advice: Take a moment and calm down. Please give God the opportunity to speak to you. Because I’m almost certain that God is speaking to you…

You just aren’t listening.

God has been showing some things to me as of late. In particularly when I was in Missouri mixing sound for my churches camp.

Christianity is ugly, and I say that in the most beautiful sense. The discipleship and following of Christ had an ugly beginning. When we look at ourselves as Christians we think we have to look as if we have everything together. As if we a few struggles every once and a while but its no big deal. The idea of which is not just ridiculous but cynical and insulting towards Christ. I live my life trying to portray this false reality of young struggling college student who intrinsically just desires after God.  But it’s a lie.

We should call it what it is. I should call it what it is.

Christianity is an ugly, violent, grotesque, dirty, painful, tear stained, blood soaked and hard thing, and that is being nice about it. Lets think this through. Christ, the Savior, was wrongly and violently murdered. Above all else it was God’s righteous plan:

“(4)For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love (5) He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— (6)to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. (7) In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:4-7)

God knew was to happen. He planned it. Because He wants us.

He was murdered. God’s Son was taken and beaten and mocked and stripped naked and murdered. He wasn’t just murdered, but He was violently murdered. He was nailed to a peace of wood to die. I know we hear it a lot and we all have some kind of cross or another but don’t take this lightly. I have… To add to that, Christ was the only man that ever lived that did not deserve the penalty of death unlike everyone else who has ever live, who is living, and who will live. I deserve the penalty of death.

Christianity was born through violence and the shedding of innocent blood. And that’s how it had to be. This is the legacy we live our lives for. Sacrifice.

And that is all we have to boast in:

“(12)Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. (13) Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. (14) May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galations 6:12-14)

So why do we, why do I, think that I have to always clean up my sins. Do not think that I’ve gone grace crazy because Jesus states so simply and directly “15′If you love me, you will obey what I command.’” (John 14:15) What I am saying is we think we have to clean up ourselves and make ourselves look presentable to the rest of the world and by extension God.

“(8) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:8-10)

Lay your sins before God, be honest. It’s not like He doesn’t already know. It is a practice of faith and trust in Him who created us. How can we begin to follow Him unless we are willing to give Him all of us. We, also by not giving things up to God claim that we are sufficient and He is not. Through our action and lack of trust we are saying God lied and Christ is not enough.

Further more bring your sins to one another.

“(16) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

We are all of the same seed. We are all fallen and broken. We as Christians should be able to bring are sins to one another for encouragement.

“(34)’A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (35) By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’” (John 13:34-35)

God loves us so much He forgives us for EVERYTHING. And in the same way that God loves us we are to love one another. We should not judge or look down upon one another but should be able to struggle with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to strive towards serving God. So we share our struggles.

Christianity is an ugly thing. It was never meant to be pretty and so many times we try and dress it up to make it look appealing. The thing is that our faith isn’t appealing when its fake, its appealing when its raw and bare and bleeding, its alive.

“(12) Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,(13) for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

This ugly thing, that is following Christ, is an on going struggle. So bring the ugly things to God and share with one another and encourage one another as we struggle through this vicious battle to serve our Savior and God. Because Christianity isn’t pretty and it isn’t meant to be.

(Brady Sharp is a very smart cookie. When he’s not blogging at www.bradysharp.wordpress.com, he’s encouraging college students to walk more closely with Jesus Christ. Enjoy what he has to say to you all today, it might just change your life.)

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Sandwich Christianity (with just the bread)

I have been working in and with churches for 13 years now. I have worked with children, youth, college, adults, senior adults and several other groupings. I have crossed several of my own life stages in that time (including turning 30). But no matter what church, or which Christians I talk to, there seems to be a gaping hole in the middle of “being a Christian.” I know this as well as anyone since I had the same issue.

For me, I sat in the gym at the church camp in the middle of nowhere in the panhandle of Texas. As a ten year old I had large dreams. My dreams consisted of playing on the swings immediately following the evening service, and meeting up with my friends for a run to the concession stand for beef jerky (still a favorite). My world was small and so was I. But Monday night, the first night of camp, was different that year. That year it hit me like a ton of bricks. I sat in my seat thinking of what happened to my parents and my family if I lost them. I thought of them proceeding to heaven. I didn’t know about me. I had thought that before, but that night it all clicked. There was nothing I could do to make me join them. I wasn’t going to manage to sneak into heaven, nor did I have enough Mario Coins (I thought in these terms since NES had recently debuted) to make the leap.

That night I trusted Christ. I realized He was it. He was not only the best Hope for me to be with my family and God in heaven, but He was also the Only Hope for me. It was incredible. My future with God was settled…now what?

What you just read started 9 years of a helpless and hopeless theological struggle for me. I entered what most redeemed people enter…Christianity that has sure bookends: the moment of surrender and security after death. The problem was and is, that for most people there is a lot of life in between those markers.

It took a while and several Godly people in my life for me to understand that the Gospel of Christ wasn’t just for that night in June to calm my fears, nor was it for the day approaching when I exit life to also calm my fears. The Gospel, just like its Author, was and IS and is to come. Christ saved me for NOW as well. That is what Paul means when he says, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6) The Gospel has to be worked out in the details–what is meant by, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

For nine difficult years I thought Christianity meant that I was saved to go to heaven and I better avoid sin like Hell. I thought Christ was hoping that, now saved, I wouldn’t sin. He was and is in the process of redeeming me from the sin that is held, buried deeper than the acts. He is saving me. And if I am to have any peace about a salvation that is already mine, I better quit the fear and get on board.

It’s why I submit myself to others—vulnerability. I put myself in a place where they can see the me that lurks in the shadows so they can bring truth and light to dark places. I used to fear others seeing my mistakes. I spent nine years in that fear. It is a dungeon darker than the pangs of rebuke. Don’t let fear and pride stunt a freedom that is greater than the pain of being discovered. Proverbs 9:8-9; 12:1; 2 Peter 1:3-10