Recently I spoke at the 14th Annual Ridgecrest Car Camp. Here are a few of the talks.
Being Truly Eccentric I have a cousin, Andrew and we have a competition and that is to see who has the most eccentric Dad. Uncle Warwick, Andrew’s dad is arty, into words and poetry and painting. Well you lot know my dad – into old cars, specifically Sunbeams, push bikes and toy cars and tractors. Who wins? Well Uncle Warwick is ahead at the moment. One thing about both these gents is their love of Jesus Christ. Eccentricity rubs off. I have been into triathlons, trains, photography , bicycles, human powered vehicles, (hey we used to call these pedal cars) Yeh, I am eccentric. To be eccentrics means, o be other centred, that is to be focused on other things. I want to tell you it is ok to be eccentric. Jesus was an eccentric.
- His life was centred on God’s work.
JN 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- Jesus also had a love centre. (A big part of His teaching is love)
LK 10:27 He answered: ” `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “
- Jesus had an aim in life let’s call that a redemption centre. His purpose in life was to get the world back in a right relationship with Jesus.
Gal 3: 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Jesus also had a support centre. (Support in an on going, long term concept – just think of the Holy Spirit.!!)
Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This eccentricism rubbed of. The disciples became eccentric.Paul was eccentric – He was centred “In Christ” And he wanted other people to be eccentric – centred in Christ. We are called to be “in Christ” In Christ is mentioned 16 times in Romans. RO 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Your centre is to be in Christ RO 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,No condemnation when your centre is in Christ Rom 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Nothing can take away our centre of being in Christ – (Sorry you cant take your cars to heaven!!!) Rom 12:4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.(If your gifting uses cars or whatever to support the body – that is in Christ) Chapter 16 4 times the term used for In Christ of other people. That is the reputation we desire – to be in Christ, and to be seen to be in Christ. So eccentricity is totally ok, well from a Christian and biblical perspective it is. We just have to be honest with ourselves – what are we centred on?
Entries (RSS)