NC Mocha Wrap Up

I led a live group in North Carolina through Mocha on the Mount. It was a different group than SoulPerSuit has had before.

To begin with, the group was established first as a full time small group (or what some call a care group) and then the Bible study was introduced. The group wasn't established specifically just to do Mocha. This means that some folks were a captive audience. Although everyone agreed to do Mocha they really didn't know what they were in for when SoulPerSuit was thrown in the mix.

Second, it was almost a totally even mix of men and women.

Circumstances didn't allow us to have more than one SoulPerSuit experience but it went over pretty well. Everyone participated with some pretty profound results. I will eventually get them all up in the Mocha gallery on the web site. In the mean time, I thought I would share the one that I did. (I have another one in my head I need to make.)

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied." -Matthew 5:8

It's hard to believe but, in my entire churched life, I can't recall a memorable teaching on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 8). Now I wonder if that's because those sermons would have been pretty brutal on its listeners or the pastor had a hard time facing up to the words of Jesus himself - or both.

I always thought that the Sermon on the Mount was like the illustrations found in my picture Bible. Fluffy and euphoric, flowers and pastels, birds singing and soft happy faces. Athough Jesus' words are delivered in the most loving way, this is not the feel good sermon those pictures portrayed.


"So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:48

I was overwhelmed by how much I hunger for things besides righteousness - superficial things that are in decay before I even attain them. Pop stars, designer clothes, electronic wow, celebrityism, and Starbuck's everyday. As the words in my collage say, "Nothing off-limits".

The results of the things occupying my mind cannot in any way result in righteousness. Therefore they result in garbage. (That's what's coming out of my mouth.) If I pursue Prada, I cannot edify. If I pursue Razor, I cannot sacrafice. If I pursue a $200/year coffee habit, I cannot feed the hungry.

To the right I used a king of spades to represent God. I found a picture of some hands offering a bar of soap and towel so I glued those on the King as if they were His. Not just offering them to me but waiting and ready when ever I decide to come around.

When I was cutting out all the pictures of the desires going into my head, I randomly cut out the hanging fruit (upper right corner). It was in the corner of the magazine I cut it out of so I glued it in the corner of the page because it fit. When I finished, it looked like a progression. As the fruit was to Eve, all these things are to me - "all that glitters". From the garden to now, it's all the same.

When Sandi saw my picture, she though that it worked in a circle. Garbage comes in, garbage goes out, the Lord cleans me up and I am able to produce good fruit again. That's the great thing about SPS cards. They have more perspectives than we realize when we're building into them.