In a day and age where it’s almost the “in” thing to make a mockery of the concept of God, comes a great little music video making its rounds all over the place. I first saw it at Ray Ortland’s blog who saw it at Josh Harris’s blog and now I want it shown here.

Society love’s poking fun at the notion of “God” and a belief in Him.  That is until hard times hit and it becomes the norm to “pray to God” etc to get us out of the mess.  What a sorry lot we humans are!

That’s why I so like the following little clip from song writer Regina Spektor.  Don’t know much about her really but according to Wikipedia, she is a Russian Jewish immigrant who grew up in New York.

But the lyrics to her song “Laughing With” capture beautifuly the pathetic nature in which mankind as a whole interacts with God.  Hope you enjoy and lyrics are below.

“Laughing With” Lyrics:

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God when it’s gotten real late and their kid’s not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they’re mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say “We’ve got some bad new, sir,”
No one’s laughing at God when there’s a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they’re about to choke

God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God when they’ve lost all they got and they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize that the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think that they’re about to choke

God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God in a hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
We’re all laughing with God

Laughing With by Regina Spektor from the album Far

I’m looking forward to the next sermon series @ Mars Hill Church.  I dig the whole Bible but it’s something about the Gospels that grabs me like nothing else.

So when one of my favourite teachers is doing a sermon series on the Gospel of Luke, this kind of makes my day.

And as an added bonus, the series will contain a tonne of footage from Driscoll’s recent trip to Israel. I had the privilege of touring Israel back in 1998 and it seems as if a part of me never left that place and is still wondering around.  For those of you who have visited, I bet this resonates with you – reading your Bible is simply never the same again.

To actually be in the places the Bible talks about, to view the landscape, to sail the seas, to experience the climate, to taste the cuisines and to gaze upon the same buildings and trees and rivers that Biblical characters experienced is life changing.

An example of this is the following short video of Driscoll at what is believed to be Peter’s house in Capernaum..

So do yourself a favour and head on over to Mars Hill Church and check out the series on Luke – it all begins on September 20.   Download the free 32 page PDF Introduction to Luke here.  And finally, have a watch of this video as Driscoll walks down a street in Jerusalem – I assume it’s David Street – and introduces the sermon series.

I’m really getting a lot out of listening to podcasts these days.  Being stuck in peak hour traffic is actually something I don’t mind as it gives me the chance to spend time listening to the Word and the discussion of it.

I love expository teaching as it forces the preacher to focus on the topics brought up in the text instead coming up with things himself.

And when it comes to books in the Bible, I particularly love the Gospels as they contain the words and actions of the One the whole book is built upon.

So these days I’m being blessed to enjoy the podcasts of three preachers covering three different Gospels.  In order of the Gospels, these are:

John MacArthur – Mark

John MacArthur is the Lead Pastor at Grace Community Church.  His ministry is extensive and is captured at Grace To You – an awesome website which contains his Pulpit podcast and includes an expository on the Gospel of Mark.

Matt Chandler – Luke

Matt is the Lead Pastor at The Village Church.  Their podcast includes Matt’s expository teaching on the Gospel of Luke.  Matt has been teaching on Luke for a long time and promises to complete it soon.  Take your time brother!

Mark Jurisic – John

Mark is my friend and Lead Pastor at my local church – CityWest Church.  Mark planted CityWest Church over 7 years ago and delivers sermon after sermon about His hero – Jesus Christ.  Our podcast currently features an expository on the Gospel of John.

Anyone know of a great expository on Matthew?

When print was invented, it helped spread the Bible.  When radio was invented, it helped spread the Word.  When TV was invented, it helped spread the Evangelist.  When the internet was invented, it opened up a new way of reaching untold masses.

Enter the world of social media.  Recently social media sites such as Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, Twitter etc have over taken even porn in terms of how many people use these services on the internet.

Social media is now seriously being considered the next revolution in terms of how humans communicate with one another.  My question is, how are we as the Church going to use this tool?

I believe that the invention of print, radio and TV combined pale in comparison to the potential online social media has in terms reaching the world for Jesus.  At the same time, I am sometimes disappointed in the lack of enthusiasm the Church has in regards to engaging the use of social media to advance the message of the Kingdom.

Sometimes we want to stay “cool” and “relevant” to our online collection of so called “friends” and miss the opportunity to spread the Word.  Or maybe we are just ignorant of the potential we have at our disposal when it comes to social media.

Let me make a very clear point here.  It’s not our efforts that ultimately produce real change in people – that belongs to Jesus and Him alone.  After all, didn’t He say that He will build His Church.  And check out the following verse to validate this even further.

“So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” 1 Cor 3:7

Having said that, does that mean we sit on our bums and watch the world go by as we wait for God to provide growth? Um, that would be a big fat no – as the following versus say..

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labour. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Cor 3:8-9

So it’s God that produces real change and real growth of His Church.  But He allows us the blessing of joining him in the process.  And with social media, we are provided an unparalleled tool to spread His Good News far and wide.

Are you on Facebook and have a gazillion friends?  Do you Tweet till all day long?  Do yourself a favour and watch the following video and get inspired at the potential you have with Jesus in your heart and social media at your disposal.

Awesome stuff!  So go nuts and put Jesus all over your social network.  You just never know who God may decide to draw to Him by using your comments or links or video’s or tweets about His Son.