I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan with our small group. We did the small group study video segments (available for any of you who are interested) and discussion questions along with the reading. Maggie and I read the book last fall and it has been a catalyst for many conversations in our home, with our friends and family, and in the various ministry settings we find ourselves in, ever since. This group took a while to finish the small group study because we occasionally did fellowship gatherings, served together and have been preparing to leave for a mission trip next week to Swazi, South Africa. It has been a wild ride this spring going through this experience together. Our group has been meeting for about a year and a half and we have done marriage, finance, video and book studies but this one really drove it all home for us. Why?Crazy Love is about being overwhelmed by a relentless God who, once correctly perceived and understood, rightly deserves obedience and worship in love. The God of Abraham, Jacob, David and Christ is our God and He has revealed himself in Scripture to us today. He has not changed; He is as immutable, omnipresent, and as all powerful now as he was at creation, the flood and resurrection, and will continue to be in all eternity. The question the book raises over and over is what are you going to do about that here and now, in your own life. Once you have heard, seen and felt that truth are you just able to go back to your life the way it has always been? Can you truly just exist or is there more? Will you just put the book down (Crazy Love or more importantly the Bible) and simply say, ‘good book’ but not actually be different?

I loved Christ Tomlin’s comment in the foreword to the book. He says that Francis Chan “…is one of those, rare people you come across in life who leaves you wanting to be better.” I pray that is what each of us here at Northland Oviedo are, those kinds of people for each other. I pray that we inspire and encourage one another to be the best versions of ourselves possible…now here is the catch…not by our own will or strength or power, but by surrendering ourselves to Him more and more in our simple, daily lives. How? By passionately pursuing Christ, seeking to know Him and make Him known, by loving Him and loving others, using words only if necessary. As that happens, He is lifted up, glorified and works more and more through us in ways we could not imagine or possibly do on our own. See He loves us with such a Crazy Love, a love that sent His own Son to the cross to die to redeem the creation that had been lost, that we might have eternal life. The only response is to love Him back with a Crazy Love that is not controllable, predictable, safe or manageable but is simply obedient and willing, no matter what it asks. Here is the best part: that looks different for everyone. The end of the book brings it all home when it says that ‘God is a creator, not a duplicator’ so you ‘must learn to listen to and obey God’ to hear what He is calling you to do. But be sure of this, He is calling you!

Today’s sermon is focusing on the work of the Kingdom all around the world and the unique opportunities we as Northlanders are given to serve, from the various teams here at the Oviedo site, to those around CFL, to others around the world. Please pray about where God may be calling you to serve others and participate in His Kingdom work. I want to leave you with this thought from the end of the Crazy Love book that I love and think paints a clear picture of how important it is for us to be sent out. “Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horribly. Which are you? The kind that reeks around which people walk a wide swath (to avoid)? Or the kind that trusts God enough to let Him spread you out (no matter what)?”