Chocolate Jesus - My Sweet Lord
Mar 30, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. I’m not telling
.:itunes:. Knowledge by Green Day
So, the furor of the day is over the naked chocolate Jesus sculpture (called “My Sweet Lord”) in New York.
What do you think about this? Here’s a commentary from that bastion of theological truth–Best Week Ever:
Christians have erupted in a predictable furor over the recent artistic deptiction of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as a giant crucified chocolate bar (from what I can tell, they get up in arms over any depiction of Christ that’s not radiating a heavenly halo glow as rendered by Thomas Kinkade, “painter of light”)…
…I personally find a giant Chocolate Jesus to be an infinitely more appropriate symbol for a religion who currently chooses to celebrate their holiest of holidays by having their kids look for Cadbury eggs hidden by a giant magical bunny. Besides, you could fill the Chocolate Jesus with peanut butter, and effectively disprove all of evolution in the process - that’s two doves with one stone.
Then there is the reaction of Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights:
“It’s an all-out war on Christianity.”
I have to admit my first reaction was to think of Tom Waits’ song “Chocolate Jesus.”
Don’t go to church on sunday
Don’t get on my knees to pray
Don’t memorize the books of the bible
I got my own special way
But I know Jesus loves me
Maybe just a little bit moreI fall on my knees every Sunday
At zerelda lees candy storeWell it’s got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfiedWell I don’t want no anna zabba
Don’t want no almond joy
There ain’t nothing better
Suitable for this boy
Well it’s the only thing
That can pick me up
Better than a cup of gold
See only a chocolate Jesus
Can satisfy my soulWhen the weather gets rough
And it’s whiskey in the shade
It’s best to wrap your savior
Up in cellophane
He flows like the big muddy
But that’s ok
Pour him over ice cream
For a nice parfaitWell it’s got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for me
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Good enough for meWell it’s got to be a chocolate Jesus
Make me feel good inside
Got to be a chocolate Jesus
Keep me satisfied
Testimony Tuesday (For Bloggers)
Mar 30, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Surprisingly Good
.:mashup:. Fortunate One by BEP vs CCR
Challies has declared next Tuesday “Testimony Tuesday.” Here’s his idea:
I’ve been thinking for a while now that it would be interesting and beneficial to have bloggers post their testimonies to their blogs. Some have already done this, but many (myself included) have not. And yet I love testimonies and find them so beautiful and so moving. It is amazing to read about the many ways God saves His people. He uses an infinite variety of means to draw an infinite variety of His people to Himself. Testimonies stand as evidence of God’s grace, showing God’s ability and desire to save people of all types and from all walks of life. They inspire Christians to appreciate the goodness and grace of the Lord. They are also valuable for witnessing to others. So I thought I would put a challenge out for Christian bloggers to post their testimonies to their blogs next Tuesday (we can call it Testimony Tuesday). When you have done so, send me a link through email and I’ll collect them all on my site. And we can rejoice in God’s goodness together.
While I find the name cheesy, I kinda like the idea. I think there is power in the story of how God works in someone’s life. There are so many people who I know (at varying levels) and yet I’ve never heard the stories of their faith.
So next Tuesday, I’m going to post my testimony. If you do the same, please post a link to it in my comment section. Or, if you don’t have a blog, feel free to post your story in the comment section, as well.
I would like to add another level to this, as well. If you don’t claim to follow Jesus, you have a story worth hearing as much as the Christ-followers. I would like you to write your faith story too. What is it that you believe and how did you come to that conclusion? Where are you in your journey as of this moment?
Monsters in the House
Mar 29, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Laughing in a Coffee Shop
.:itunes:. (Who Discovered) America? by Ozomatli
WARNING: IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY PROFANITY, DON’T PLAY THIS VIDEO
With that said, I just died laughing when a friend of mine sent me this. A 3 year old responds to the question:
“What do you do if there is a monster in the house?”
Sermon Prep
Mar 28, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Whelmed
.:itunes:. Nightswimming by R.E.M.
So I’m sitting in a coffee shop, working on my message for this weekend and my brain was fried. So, I decided to troll blogs for awhile. I came across this quote by Carnivorous Caribou:
While working on the next post in the series I was digging through a text. As I sunk my teeth into it, I realized it was not at all making the point I was trying to make. That caused me to pull back, reassess and jump right back in.
However, when I reexamined things, I realized the text was making a whole greater point than I was ever going to make. Therefore, it may take a day or two, but the rest of the series is going to go in a bit different route.
He was talking about his blog, but it made me think of my message prep. I have read a couple books on preaching over the last year and I have been thinking about my style / preparation methods / etc a lot. Just recently, I finished “The Big Idea: Focus the Message-multiply the Impact” by Dave Ferguson and his team. This is a church that really lives out what they believe. They have a singular approach to ministry and they do it well. (BTW, you can catch a podcast interview of Dave by clicking here). I wouldn’t always do it the way they do, but that doesn’t matter. They are inspiring in what they do.
One thing keeps ringing in my head, though: they start preparing each message 9 weeks or so in advance.
Wow.
Steve gets his done a few weeks in advance.
I’m working on mine for this weekend right now.
I have tried and tried to get on my messages sooner, but I can’t seem to do it.
I have gotten better at knowing the general flow in advance. In fact, I generally know what I am doing for every series this year. But when it gets to preparing the individual messages, it is always the week I am preaching them.
Not sure if it’s a lack of disciple, but I get really bored if I write them too far in advance and I don’t get rocking without the pressure of the deadline looming.
And then there is the above quote. That happens nearly every single week. I get moving on the prep and at some point, there is an AHA moment, when I throw out everything I have been working on or I significantly rework it. Sometimes at the last minute this happens and it stresses me out.
Again, I should try to get to these faster.
Or at least, I should get to this week’s message now instead of blogging.
Quote of the Day
Mar 27, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Goodish, But Busy
.:itunes:. Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are by Meat Loaf
Every man tends to read the Bible in a way that will not disturb what’s truly important to him. So whatever his idol, he will be blind to the scriptures that condemn it. I have heard Christians, in all sincerity and with all conviction, make the silliest arguments for and against this thing and that. And I think, how can they honestly be convinced of *that*? But now I get it: I’m dealing with a guy who is reading the Bible in a way that will not disturb what’s really important to him.
Quote of the Day
Mar 27, 2007 Quotes
.:mood:. Good
.:itunes:. The One I Love by R.E.M.
(via John & Stephi)
“You can safely assume that you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
- Anne Lamott
Picture of the Day
Mar 27, 2007 Uncategorized
.:mood:. Getting it done
.:itunes:. Columind by Filter
(via Monkeys For Helping)
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Mar 26, 2007 Uncategorized
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Originally uploaded by Noel Jesse.
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Mar 25, 2007 Uncategorized
03-25-07_0844.jpg
Originally uploaded by Noel Jesse.
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Mar 25, 2007 Uncategorized
03-25-07_0843.jpg
Originally uploaded by Noel Jesse.
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