FOUNDRYcast

Everyone loves a good story. One with tension, great characters, and a fantastic story about taking chances. We love that part in the arc when you get to the point, right on the edge of your seat…waiting for it all to happen. The occasionally, just every now and then, the storyteller has done such a good job we realize we haven't even arrived at the summit. We've hit a false summit, just what we thought was the end and there is still another adventure waiting there for us.

This my friends is one of those stories.

It's a story about a last ditch effort. It's a story about taking chances. It's a story about being willing to risk it all. Not once, but twice. Things are happening in rapid succession, plot lines are coming out of nowhere.

Things are happening.

Big Things.

Risky Things.

Jesus type things.

Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. 22 Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 23 pleading fervently with him. "My little daughter is dying," he said. "Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live."

24 Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. 25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"

31 His disciples said to him, "Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'"

32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. 34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over."

35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."

36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith."

37 Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing.39 He went inside and asked, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead; she's only asleep."

40 The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.41 Holding her hand, he said to her, "Talitha koum," which means "Little girl, get up!" 42 And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat. Mark 5:21-42

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you've wanted to give up because you didn't feel the work was worth the work? We realize we are at the last edge, and only a miracle will save us. Many times we are exhausted because we've spent every ounce of energy getting to where we are now, and it's all failed. Nothing we have tried has worked. We try to get that last bit of energy to rise up, but we are at the point where we've got nothing left.

These are the situations where Jesus loves to work. At the margins of things.

But he also desires for us to give him key placement in our life so he has even more to work with.

This story, contrasted between Jarius and the woman, shows us that no matter where we fall on a curve, we still need Jesus. Tremendous faithfulness looks different to each person, but it still manifests itself as faithfulness. And healing doesn't come out of works, or attempts…it comes out of faithfulness.

So let's learn to be comfortable in the margins of our life, because those simply become new places for Jesus to transform through faithfulness.

You remember that whole getting picked process when you were a kid? We all had things we could easily make the front of the shuffle, and some of us have memories of being the last person standing. it's always a frustrating memory. Then we all love a good underdog story. I mean seriously, how do you not like the Mighty Ducks?

Any conversation on who is in or out gets awkward.

And for many people, Revelation is the ultimate in or out conversation.

Or so you might think.

If you remember, part of our goal with this summers reading and conversation of Revelation was reading it like a normal, everyday book of the Bible. We wanted to enter into it assuming it was a message for the whole church. Across all time. Not just a specific generation or group of people. This leads us to our very last reading, the very last words of Revelation. And to have a different conversation about what defines in or out in Revelation.

Then he instructed me, "Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy."

12 "Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. 15 Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.

16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star." 17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. 18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!"

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's holy people. Revelation 22:10-21

Throughout Revelation, John has been weaving the story in and out of the Old Testament story of God being with His people. And this passage isn't different. John is speaking the truth of what happens when we allow Jesus to be at the center and when we try to be our own center, ending the book with much of the same message from chapter 4. John is finishing the story of His vision by placing it specifically in a certain place in time, and in a place that matters to each of us. He's been encouraging us as all generations live in a world filled with both God's truth and evil's lies. Full of Holy Spirit possibilities because we know we are going to have to do battle with evil. And in the end, it's all about the presence of God.

Have you ever been super excited to get something, then suddenly realized it wasn't that cool? I remember when I was a kid my parents made me save the money up to buy a Nintendo Entertainment System. It took years and felt like sweet victory. Around a month after I bought it the Super Nintendo came out and rendered my new prized toy obsolete. I ended up realizing that I was behind the video game curve anyway and it started collecting dustballs.

What does it mean for things to be new, old, or not even exist? It's a little weird to think about how something can be so important, all we ever know…and then suddenly be a non-issue.

At the end of Revelation, John sees a final vision and it's unlike any he had seen previously.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

Revelation 21:1-7

New things are truly new when they change our reality. They fill up spaces in a way that takes the old out of the picture and expands our own ideas of what it means to live. It isn't about checking off boxes and merely surviving, but being full of the power of Jesus and living into this life He gives us.

What does it mean to agree to something? Or, what does it take for you to agree to agree? That's a mouthful.

For some people, all they need to really do is believe in the person or the vision of a big picture. For others, they need to see the plans. These are the folks that have serious questions. Once those are answered, then they make the decision to agree. And another group of people won't really bank on a great vision or a well-thought-out plan. They make their decision once the final work is done and they know everything actually worked out.

Throughout our conversations this Summer about Revelation, we've been meeting a host of characters. Some are fantastical, others are believable, and in other ways, it's us understanding a deeper picture of the personhood of Christ.

Many of these coincide this week.

After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting,

"Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. 2 His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants." 3 And again their voices rang out:

"Praise the Lord! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!" 4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, "Amen! Praise the Lord!" Revelation 19:1-4

So what about the agreement?

Trust me, it's a big one. A really big one. And you'll have to wait to see who is agreeing with who and why it all adds up. Plus, we are going to talk a little about judgment and what's happened between chapters 8-18.

Chad and Jack go deep into chapter 7 this week as a follow up to the "Tears" sermon. Their conversations include

• iron maiden
• bible shenanigans
• pericope
• Palm Branches
• Amen
• Building up Biblical Memory
• Johnny Cash reading the New Testament
• Chad scares people with Revelation
• Random Questions
• the location of the redeemed
• presuppositions we come into Revelation with
• parable of the sower
• little apocalypse in Big China
• the temple
• We deny the power of the resurrection because we think something better needs to happen
• Jack has too many puns
• Chad's homemade Guns N Roses prison tattoo
• We have to personalize this, and if we don't we probably won't get it.

Have you ever used a pair of binoculars or a scope? The first few times are tough. it's hard to focus on what you are watching. At first, I tried to start off with too much magnification, and I learned it was easiest to back off all the way and zoom in only if needed.

Revelation is like this. It's really easy to focus on one tiny thing and miss everything around it. That leads us to some pretty janky interpretations, and we actually can miss a bigger point that impacts us even more! As we read through Revelation during this season, we are wanting to read it as a "normal" book of the Bible, and this week is a great example.

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,

"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Revelation 7:9-17 NRSV

One of the bigger places we can get lost in the shuffle is a conversation about the tribulation. And if we zoom in a little too much, we can really miss out. So we are going to jump headlong into this idea this week, and talk about what actually happens when God is fully with us. While we might think any conversation about tribulation, especially in Revelation, means getting the heck out of the place…it actually spins the exact opposite. This is a story about God coming to us, dwelling with us, and protecting us. And all we have to do is recognize that truth.

Chad and Jack have a conversation about Revelation 5, the makeup of the throne room, and why we aren't really chasing rabbits. We also talk about ;

• Apocalypse Playlists
• Armored Caravans
• The Office
• Why streaming television is like reading Revelation
• How has the church read Revelation in the past?
• Worthy?
• Waynes World
• death to the world. The last true rebellion
• Creating a people of belonging
• #reversezombie

When I was in college I finally got an interview for a job I'd been wanting since high school. I got through the initial phone call and had the chance to sit down with a manager of Gadzooks. You remember, the late 90's/early 20's store that was the pinnacle of alt-culture? Yeah, I actually wanted to work there. For everyone who tried to be different during that era, it was the place to be. We didn't realize it pretty much made everyone look the same, but it was OUR store. For the kids who didn't shop at Dillard's, drive to Shreveport to Old Navy or American Eagle. We didn't have the cash for a Tommy Hilfiger polo, but we could scrap the $18 together to get a random band shirt.

It was the form of being different, while altogether blending into just another community. It was a form of commercialized resistance…quite the paradox. Now, nearly 20 years later…I think back and laugh about it.

What does it mean for something to truly be different? From the bottom to the top different?

That's part of the story this week. We are reading Revelation 5, the chapter right after our conversation last week. In some ways, chapter 4 just sets up the story that is taking place in this chapter.

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

4 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals."

6 Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spiritof God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. 9 And they sang a new song with these words:

"You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth." 11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus:

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." 13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

"Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever." 14 And the four living beings said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

John is at the point where he realizes something has to happen and no one has the ability to actually do it. Until an angel taps him on the shoulder and refers to "the worthy one", the only being that is truly able and different enough to open up this scroll and begin putting into place the decided actions of God. He said to watch for the Lion, but John only see's a lamb.

Something truly different. But worthy.

Chad and Jack are back together for a follow-up conversation on Revelation 4's sermon "center". If you want to go back and check out the Sermon Preview and audio, you can find it at wearefoundry.com.

• Alladin is a post-apocalyptic movie
• Chad's theory about Dirty Dancing and Red Dawn
• Jamie Smith " You are what you love"
• Greg Beale "We Become What We worship"
• Big conversation on Worship
• the supernatural reality of what worship is
• wearing a toilet seat on our head
• Where Chad has a false center
• What does it mean to give something over
• Wesleyan depiction of sin
• does it make me any more holy
• Openness to him, listening to him, and responding to him