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Sometimes, I think we approach things backwards.

Here’s what I mean…

We criticize loudly and publicly but admit our mistakes quietly (or silently—or not at all).

We want a say in how things go, but we want other people to cover the cost.

We’re obsessed with rules and regulations, but we’re not interested in grace.

We’re full of political opinions, but rarely have a kingdom perspective.

We’re aging on the inside, but fighting to stay young on the outside.

We want church to be comfortable and familiar for us, but we’re not concerned about those who are outside the church.

I’m sure there are plenty of other examples—here’s one I want to focus a little more attention on…

We’re incredibly sensitive—easily hurt, offended and wounded, but we’re insensitive—cold, indifferent and harsh with others (especially those outside our group).

That’s backwards.

And messed up.

Instead, we should be unoffendable—but incredibly sensitive toward others (especially those outside our group).

We need thick skin when things don’t go our way, we’re criticized, when we’re told no…

And we need soft hearts for others.

Essentials for the 15 Revolution: thick skin and soft hearts.

“Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.” (1 Peter 3.8, 9 MSG)

http://www.15rev.com/

Books available for purchase $7 at Fairwood Church
Sundays 8:30, 10 & 11:30am

Did He select the twelve from the best Ivy League schools?

Did He stage his audiences with gorgeous people for the press cameras?

Did He honor the sexist, racist and bigoted conventions of his time?

Did He surround himself with people from the right side of the tracks?

Oh no He didn’t.

He didn’t select disciples based on their academic qualifications.

His ragtag disciples were fishermen, tax collectors and common men—all chosen to be carriers and representatives of his Good News to the world.

Jesus’ words and relationships confirmed the value He gave to those on the fringes of society.

His daily acquaintances included such characters as beggars, prostitutes, wild-eyed demoniacs, lepers, half-breeds, tax collectors, widows, the poor, the blind, the deaf and the paralyzed.

The Pharisees rejected these troll-like people, except as needed for their own attention.

Jesus announced that the “least of these” —the hungry, thirsty, imprisoned, sick, stranger, and impoverished are His representatives; when we care for their needs, we care for God Himself (Matthew 25:34–40).

To reject the rejected is not OK in God’s kingdom.

No smells, appearance, moral depravity, or economic condition is worthy of turning someone away.

Part of what it means to be in the kingdom is to have genuine, compassion-fueled relationships with these “least ones” —the rejected, ragtag, troll-like fringes of society.

“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life… if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor…

Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.

Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

(Philippians 2.1-4 MSG)

The following are quotes from Paul Scanlon’s book: The 15 Revolution…

The 15 Revolution is as simple – and as difficult – as being willing to give 15 minutes a day to be inconvenienced in order to help someone. It is being willing to give 15 minutes a day to be interrupted, distracted, diverted or delayed. 15 minutes to add value to someone else’s world.

It sounds simple, I know, but what makes it difficult is how ‘hard wired’ we are against being inconvenienced, interrupted or delayed.

I’m not trying to offer some complex new theology or evangelistic concept. This is more about mobilization than theology. Because we are all selfish by nature, we do not default to helping others. So, without a revolution of some kind, that innate selfishness always wins in the end.

To slow down is anti-cultural.

The 15 Revolution sets out to reverse this trend, to make us more aware of the people in our immediate space and to provoke us to be the bringers of God’s life to the hurting world on our doorstep.

God is always willing to be inconvenienced to reach someone and so must we.

We are going to have to step outside of our routines, plans and agendas if we want to join the 15 Revolution and embrace inconvenience as our friend.

Our pace of life and our sense of personal space / boundaries has made it nearly impossible for us to get involved with the needs of others.

Jesus was willing to be inconvenienced.

He paused.

He stopped.

He allowed interruptions to his schedule.

He fed, comforted, welcomed, healed and restored.

He lifted burdens.

If we don’t (pause, stop, allow interruptions to our schedules, comfort, welcome, heal, restore and lift burdens), we have wandered away from what Jesus is all about.

“Jesus arrived… ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do this because God was with him.” (Acts 10.38 MSG)

About a year ago, I heard Paul Scanlon teach on being willing to be inconvenienced. That teaching has since been put into a book: The 15 Revolution.

The book is legit—you will love it.

I want all my friends to read it (which is why we purchased cases of them and are selling them for just $7).

Here are a few quotes from the book:

“The 15 Revolution is as simple – and as difficult – as being willing to give 15 minutes a day to be inconvenienced in order to help someone. It is being willing to give 15 minutes a day to be interrupted, distracted, diverted or delayed. 15 minutes to add value to someone else’s world.”

“It sounds simple, I know, but what makes it difficult is how ‘hard wired’ we are against being inconvenienced, interrupted or delayed.”

I’m not trying to offer some complex new theology or evangelistic concept. This is more about mobilization than theology. Because we are all selfish by nature, we do not default to helping others. So, without a revolution of some kind, that innate selfishness always wins in the end.”

“To slow down is anti-cultural.”

“The 15 Revolution sets out to reverse this trend, to make us more aware of the people in our immediate space and to provoke us to be the bringers of God’s life to the hurting world on our doorstep.”

“God is always willing to be inconvenienced to reach someone and so must we.”

“We are going to have to step outside of our routines, plans and agendas if we want to join the 15 Revolution and embrace inconvenience as our friend.”

I’m super excited for this new series at Fairwood Church.

Let the revolution begin!

Did He create an exclusive insiders-only club?

Did He speak in KJV only?

Did He wear a suit and tie on Sundays?

Did He hide from people who were dirty and messed-up?

Did He create his own subculture—complete with schools, stores, TV shows, movies and music?

Did He put bumper stickers on his donkey?

Did He isolate himself?

Did He picket?

Did He go political?

Did He coddle his supporters?

Did He keep a safe distance from sinners?

Did He ignore the outcasts—the fringes of society?

Did He care more about his reputation than people?

Did He stay so busy that he had no time left to help others?

Did He avoid being inconvenienced?

Oh no He didn’t.

(or as some people like to say: “Oh no He dih—ent”)

But the religious leaders did—which is why Jesus said this to them:

“Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” (Matthew 9.13 MSG)

I wonder… do we follow after the Pharisees or do we follow after Jesus today?

Are we practicing Pharisee-anity?

Or are we practicing Christianity?

Did He befriend the outcasts?

Did He hang with outsiders?

Did He welcome people with bad reputations?

Did He include people who didn’t have it all together?

Did He ease burdens and lighten the load?

Did He care?

Did He love?

Did He allow his schedule to be interrupted?

Did He comfort?

Did He heal?

Did He restore?

Oh yes He did.

And we’re privileged to continue this work…

“Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.”
—Jesus (Matthew 25.40 MSG)

The incredible thing is, when we serve/bless/love someone in need, we are serving/blessing/loving Jesus!

“I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.” —Jesus (Matthew 25.35-36 MSG)

So, the questions get turned on us…

Do we befriend the outcasts?

Do we hang with outsiders?

Do we welcome people with bad reputations?

Do we include people who didn’t have it all together?

Do we ease burdens and lighten the load?

Do we care?

Do we love?

Do we allow his schedule to be interrupted?

This is what the 15 Revolution is all about.

It’s that daily reminder to serve/bless/love.

It’s a simple way for us to “plan” each day to be alert and ready to give 15 minutes of our life to bless someone else.

When the questions are asked of me (did you care—did you love—did you welcome—did you include), I want the answer to be a definitive: “Oh yes he did!” —not— “Oh no he didn’t!”

When I was 5 years old, I wanted more cookies.

When I was 10, I wanted to go everywhere my big sister was going.

At age 16, I wanted a later curfew, a homecoming date, a driver’s license and keys to a car.

The endless list of things I’ve wanted over the years include: a master’s degree, a tan, a job, a better job, a raise, a girlfriend, a better girlfriend, a wife, a baby, six pack abs…

Currently, I’m finding myself wanting more time, more sleep, more storage space, and well… more cookies.

We graduate from one desire to the next and live in a constant state of wanting.

We get something we wanted, then quickly move on to the next desire.

Wanting isn’t necessarily bad.

Wanting can cause us to grow, improve and reach goals.

Wanting can also master us.

Focusing on what we want next can easily distract us from what’s most important NOW.

Many people go through life with the sense that real life is still waiting for them—out there, somewhere, AFTER they get what they’ve been wanting.

It’s important to realize:

Your current situation has a potential for growth that will never again exist at any other time in life.

Right now is an opportunity.

Right now is a gift.

Think about this…

The first man, Adam, was single.

He wanted a wife.

Can you imagine if Adam took out a classified ad in the Eden Times…

“Single man, very spiritual, down to earth, likes gardening naked, allergic to snakes. Seeking life partner who wants innumerable descendants.”

Adam was single for a while.

God had a job for Adam to accomplish while he was single—naming all the animals and birds.

I imagine that took some time and creativity energy.

After that, God made Eve and introduced her to Adam.

God knew what Adam wanted and needed.

God provided perfectly for Adam, but he also had purpose for Adam in his time of wanting.

In our times of wanting, God has significant work for us to accomplish.

Trust God. Don’t obsess over what you don’t have.

God knows what you want and need… and he will provide perfectly for you.

Never allow wanting to master you.

Right now is an important time.

God has significant purpose for you NOW.

Sometimes, we get so anxious for the next season, we start forcing things…

Making something happen.

Taking short cuts.

Compromising.

Doing the wrong thing—hoping to get the right thing.

Unfortunately, forcing what God hasn’t endorsed produces all kinds of problems.

Remember Abraham?

God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have children.

After the promise, Abraham did his part and waited, and waited, and waited…

Years.

Lots of years.

And Abraham started getting anxious.

He began thinking “I need to take control and make something happen.”

So Abraham slept with Hagar (his wife’s housemaid) and she became pregnant.

Abraham forced the situation—and thought he got what he wanted (a child).

Yeah… Abraham had a child, but he also created a crisis in his home.

Things got messy quick.

Problems.

Division.

Fights.

Separation.

A broken family.

Abraham slept with Hagar—he forced what God had not endorsed.

Abraham sleeping with Hagar was unfortunate, because God did deliver on his promise.

Sarah (Abraham’s wife) became pregnant and they had a child.

What’s the lesson for us?

1. Sometimes God’s promises aren’t fulfilled as quickly as we would like.

2. Be patient. Believe. Don’t give up. Trust. Learn to be OK with the wait.

3. Don’t “sleep with Hagar”—Never force what God has not endorsed.

I wonder what percentage of our lives we spend being discontent, anxious, unhappy… trying to get to what’s next?

Single—trying to get hitched.

Poor—trying to be rich.

Working this job—trying to get hired for another one.

Young—trying to be old.

Old—trying to be young.

The truth is: there are no perfect people and there are no perfect situations.

Situations change us less than we think.

We make false assumptions about the impact of a situation change:

“When I make lots of money, then I will become generous.”

“I’ll be happy when I get married.”

Basically, we’re tricking ourselves into believing that a particular situation will be perfect.

Unfortunately, there are no perfect situations.

There are no situations completely free of stress, drama, conflict, lack, challenge…

Paul, writing from a Roman prison, said, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)

I love the language Paul uses: “I know how to be…”

How about you?

Do you know how2B?

Do you know how2B single?

Do you know how2B poor?

Do you know how2B a good employee where you work now?

Maybe we should spend less time trying to get to what’s next and more time learning how2B.

Whatever situation you’re in, depend on Christ’s strength to give you confidence, peace and joy in that situation.

And really be there.

Be present.

Make the most of the situation.

Show up.

Be 100% there, right now.

Know how2B!

There are no perfect people.

There are no perfect places.

There is no perfect state of being.

Arriving at that next stage or new season doesn’t make everything perfect.

Challenges, struggles, problems and failures will follow you there.

We easily fall into the trap of pursuing greener grass (which exists in the always elusive elsewhere).

In our searching and striving for something better than this, we lose sight of God’s work in our lives here and now.

Sometimes we try so hard to be:

someone else,

somewhere else

or with someone else…

that we miss what God has for us in THIS moment.

“Don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.” (1 Corinthians 7.17 MSG)

Where you are right now is God’s place for you!

Live and obey and love and believe right there.

Sure, it’s not perfect (and neither are you).

But God is with you.

He’s working in you.

So experience His grace, blessing, healing, provision… where you are right now.