One Pastor's Thoughts

March 4, 2012-"The Last Week: Monday"

2012-03-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Mark 11:15-19

Ephesians 3:14-21

Jeremiah 7:1-11

This is the second Sunday in Lent. Lent is the time we set aside to prepare our hearts and minds for God’s gift of Easter. It is a time of self-denial, a time of looking inward, a time to root out sin in our lives. All this is done, as we prepare to again receive the gift of the resurrected Christ.

During the season of Lent, we are looking at the last week of Christ’s life. We are walking with Jesus, one day at a time, as He is headed to the cross. We will spend time at the foot of the cross and on Easter, we will visit the empty tomb.

Last week, we looked at the events of the day we labeled, Palm Sunday. We looked at the expectation of the crowd. How they were expecting the conquering king Messiah and how Jesus, the Messiah, would not fit their expectations and how this is the tension that will play out this week.

Today, we turn our attention to the Monday of the Last Week. More specifically, we are going to look at the events that played out as Jesus walked through the temple. What was going on? Why did Jesus do what He did? Why did the priests and teachers react to Jesus the way they did?

Before we get too far along, I want to set the stage. On the screen, you will see a representation of what we believe the Temple to have looked like during Jesus’ time. Surrounding the temple building was a large courtyard, that was called the Court of the Gentiles. If you were a believer in God, but not a full-fledged Jewish person, this was as far into the Temple as you were allowed to go.

It was also in this area that the money changers and animal sellers would setup their booths. These two groups were absolutely vital to the operation of the Temple. People from all over the known world would travel to Jerusalem to worship God. They would be required to pay their annual temple tax (which would require that their native currency be exchange for Israel currency). Also, they would be required to offer sacrifices for a variety of reasons (sin, cleansing, dedication of an infant). If you traveled a long way, you wouldn’t want to try to bring your animal with you, you would buy it there. So, these activities were necessary (especially during the season of Passover, where up to 100,000 travelers would descend upon Jerusalem).

A not so necessary practice that was happening in the outer courts was the use of them as a shortcut into the city. If you were coming from the North and West of Jerusalem, cutting through the Temple outer courts was a faster way to get to the heart of the city than going through the city gates. Imagine people using our sanctuary as a shortcut between Huffman and Putnam Streets, or cutting through the church to get from Hensch to Short. We wouldn’t like it, would we?

Now, that you have a mental picture of what is going on in the Court of the Gentiles, lets deal with Jesus’ actions. Why does Jesus do what he did? The answer lies in the scriptures that Jesus quotes as He is over turning the tables and chasing out the merchants.

Mark 11:17a says:^“And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?’” Jesus begins by quoting Isaiah 56:7. He reminds those who are listening that God has deemed the temple a “House of Prayer for all nations.” That the temple was to be open for all who wished to come and worship God. By having the money changers and the animals in the Court of the Gentiles, the non-Jewish people’s ability to worship was being hindered or interrupted. Remember the Gentiles or non-Jews were not allowed any further into the temple. Imagine standing in our sanctuary and while you are engaged in prayer or worship, you are continually interrupted by haggling over the cost of an animal or interrupted by an argument over the exchange rate being offered or being interrupted by an ox drawn cart filled with goods heading into the city. In an effort to meet the needs of the people, a certain portion were unable to worship God and to Jesus, that was just plain wrong.

Jesus then quotes Jeremiah 7:11 (Mark 11:17b) “But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” Jesus’ further objections to the practice had to do with what was happening. The money changers and the animal sellers were becoming wealthy by exploiting the travelers. The law of supply and demand were alive and well in the temple. Those who had the supply could demand whatever they wanted for their services. Where were the people going to go? Where else could they get what they needed?

I truly believe there is a distinct reason why Jesus specifically overturns the benches of the doves. Doves were the sacrifice of those who were too poor to afford a bull or a lamb. Taking advantage of anyone is wrong, but taking advantage of the poor and the marginalized was inexcusable.

In verse 17, the chief priests and teachers of the law react to Jesus’ actions. Out of fear, they began to plot against him, looking for a way to discredit him. Why? Why were they afraid? In this simple action of Jesus, He showed He was a threat to their way of life. Who do you think was getting rich off the money changers and animal sellers? Who do you think allowed them to do their business in the temple? The priests. And here Jesus was telling them that they were wrong, that their laws, their rules, their way of doing religion was seriously flawed.

Their religion became more important than faith. Their rituals, their practices, their power was more important than worshipping God and in the face of that, they would eliminate the threat.

Jesus, the Christ, brought the truth about faith to the people and yet was rejected by them. They could not accept that faith, that worship was more important than their religious practices and that should be fair warning to us. Do our rituals, our expectations, our man-made structures keep people from worshipping God? Do our prejudices interfere with faith? If so, then we need to change!

February 26, 2012-"Palm Sunday"

2012-03-05T07:10:00.003-08:00

Scriptures:
Mark 11:1-11

I Timothy 2:12-15

Zechariah 9:9-13

Today is the first Sunday in Lent. Lent is the 40 day period (not including Sundays) that precedes Easter. It is a time of preparation, a time of introspection, a time of self-denial where we prepare our hearts and minds to once again accept the gift of grace that comes on Easter, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, from the dead.

As part of our preparation during this Lenten season, we are going to walk with Jesus during the last week leading up to the cross and resurrection. We are going to look at the events that were Christ’s last acts before being crucified. Can we understand how the crowd could cry “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” on Sunday and Friday exclaim, “Crucify Him!” Each week we will step one day closer to the cross. We will spend time at the feet of the cross and on Easter, we will stand before the open tomb and so, we begin with Palm Sunday.

Everything about the procession that day screams of the expectations of the crowd. For centuries, the people of Israel had been waiting on their Savior to come. They believed that this Savior, the Messiah would come to conquer their enemies, to setup the Israel nation in ultimate power. Through Christ (the Messiah), all the nations of the world would pay honor to the nation of Israel and their king.

It is the mindset of the crowd that brings energy to the procession. Jesus’ riding of the donkey only fuels their expectation. The prophet Zechariah, long ago prophesied that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 says: “ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Most nations would see there conquering king mounted on his war horse, but the Messiah would come on the humble donkey, just as Jesus entered Jerusalem that day.

As news of the procession spread through the countryside, the expectations of the crowd grew exponentially. You see, the donkey was not the only image of an Israel king used that day. King Solomon was seated on a donkey as he rode through Jerusalem to assure the throne of his father David. Cloaks lined the road as Jehu was declared king. Palm branches were waved by the jubilant crowd as the Maccabees rode in triumph over the Greeks. In your bulletin is a list of references to these specific events for you to look up if you want to, but everything about this procession in to Jerusalem, shouted that the Messiah was coming to town.

Even the shouts of the crowd that day screamed of their expectation. The crowd shouted: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mark 11:9-10) The first half of their shout was from Psalm 128 and emphasizes one expectation of the Messiah. The Hebrew word, Hosanna! means “Save us now.” The crowd is screaming for Jesus, if He is the Messiah, the one sent by God, to save them from their enemies.

The second half of their shouts underscore their belief of who the Messiah will be. He would restore the throne of David, being born from his family tree. The Messiah would restore Israel and make the world envious of their power.

I hope by now that you can understand what the crowd was hoping for as Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem that day. They were longing for, praying for, searching for the one who would be their conqueror, the One, who would bring power and glory to Israel. The Messiah, the anointed King, the deliver.

And this is the dilemma of the week ahead of Jesus, because Jesus is God’s chosen one, the Messiah. He is the One God sent to fulfill all the promises God had given to the Israelites. Jesus is the Messiah. He just isn’t the Messiah the crowd was expecting. Jesus could be more than what the crowd could ever have imagined, but their inability to understand will lead to dire consequences by the end of the week.

It is this tendency of the people of Israel, that led Jesus to say: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” (Matthew 13:14) The people heard the Good News of God, but could not understand it. They could see Jesus as the Messiah, but not the One God sent. They wanted the Messiah to conquer their enemies, they couldn’t see He would do so much more.

Jesus did more than save them from their enemies. He saved them from the bonds of sin. Jesus did more than bring David’s kingdom, He brought God’s kingdom to earth. Jesus did more than conquer the Romans, He provides the way for us to conquer the power of Satan in our lives.

Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, brings more than anyone could ever imagine. The question is whether or not we will try to make Jesus fit our expectations or will we let Him be more than we could ever wish or imagine? Can we get our own notions out of the way and let Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, be our Messiah! May we exclaim with all our hearts, “Hosanna,” Jesus, Save us now.

February 22, 2012 - "What's with the Ashes?"

2012-02-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Matthew 6:16-21

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Joel 2:12-17

Today is the first day of the season of Lent. Lent is the period of forty days that precede the celebration of Easter. Historically, Lent began as a time of fasting and preparation for those who were seeking baptism. Over time, Lent became a time of preparation for all Christians. A time to examine our hearts, to deny ourselves, and to seek forgiveness for our sinfulness. All this in order to be ready to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

And so, the worship service that we call Ash Wednesday kicks off this 40 days of preparation. It is the day we begin to prepare, but have you ever wondered, what’s with the ashes? Why do we put the sign of the cross with ashes on our foreheads? What are we saying when we come forward?

In ancient times, the pouring of ashes on the head was a symbol of mourning. This type of mourning usually had a religious context. The mourner would cry out to God for forgiveness. They would link their misfortune, the calamity, to some sin they had committed against God. The ashes were a sign of contrition , an act of showing the depth of their sorrow, and that is at the heart of Lent. We are being called to search our hearts and minds for areas in our life that need changed. We are to seek forgiveness for our sins, prepare our very selves for the gift of Easter morning. Joel 2:12 says: ¹² “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.” God is calling us to return to him. To prepare our hearts, to open ourselves up to what He has to give us this Lenten season.

How can we do this? How can we prepare our hearts? By practicing piety, by incorporating the spiritual disciplines of Bible Study and prayer, into our lives, and quite possibly finding a time and place to fast.

The tradition of giving up something for Lent comes from the idea of fasting. By denying your likes, your “sweet tooth,” your caffeine fix, or “whatever,” you are making a commitment to your faith. You are preparing yourself to experience God’s grace during this season, to prepare your hearts and minds for Easter.

But if you give up something for Lent, or if you try a ritual fast, it is not all about the self-denial. Some of it has to do with what you do in place of the activity you are giving up. What do you do with the time spent on those endeavors? Spend the time in prayer reading your Bible, spend time in the presence of God.

Matthew 6:17-18 says: “¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Jesus doesn’t say, “If you fast,” He says, “When you fast.” We are called to deny the flesh in order to seek the face of God. We are told to deny our desires in order to be ready to encounter God.

Jesus also tells us to do it in quiet, don’t proclaim your righteousness. Don’t say, “look at how good a Christian I am, look how I fast, look at me as an example.” No, we are to hold the self-denial to ourselves. Wash our face, straighten our clothes, and face the world in the strength of the Lord.

So, when you come forward to receive the ashes, you are accepting the claim of Christ in your life. It is accepting that you are a sinner, that you have sinful tendencies that needs Christ’s strength to break and when you accept the ashes, you are seeking God’s forgiveness, God’s grace, God’s mercy through the love of Jesus Christ.

So, let’s get ready for Lent. Let’s get ready to deny ourselves to prepare for Christ. Let’s open our hearts up to the Lord.

February 19, 2012 - "Jesus, Moses, and Elijah Go Up a Mountain"

2012-02-22T07:27:00.001-08:00

Scriptures:

Mark 9:2-9

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Psalm 50:1-6

The title for today’s sermon is “Jesus, Moses, and Elijah Go Up a Mountain,” and really, I’m not sure what I was thinking when I came up with it. I mean, it sounds like the beginning of a really, really bad joke. You know, you’ve heard them.

And this episode, on the top of a mountain is not a joke. It is not funny. In all actuality, this episode in the life of Jesus is very serious. It is awe inspiring. It is absolutely a glimpse of the divine.

What if I told you that this entire episode in the life of Jesus was not for Jesus’ sake. It was not necessary for Jesus to spend the afternoon with Moses and Elijah for His sake. He didn’t do it for His own edification, to pump Himself up. If that were the case, Peter, James, and John wouldn’t have been there to witness it. No, the transfiguration wasn’t for Jesus.

This episode was for the witnesses, Peter, James, and John. It was for their faith. It was for their understanding. It was for when the time came, that they would share it with the world. Peter, James, and John would be witnesses to the events on that mountain for all the subsequent generations. It is for our faith, that these events took place.

For in this episode, the three disciples are exposed to some absolute truths about the character of Jesus. They are shown some signs that point to who Jesus really was and how amazing those truths really are.

Mark 9:2-3 says: “² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” In front of there eyes, Peter, James, and Jon see the every essence of Jesus transformed. His clothes were whiter than white. His essence glowed. His very presence at this moment may have been a glimpse into Jesus’ glorified state. A glimpse at what Jesus would look like upon His resurrection. A glimpse at the divine nature of his ultimate glory. A glimpse of his divinity.

Mark 9:4 says: ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.” Is there any significance to Moses and Elijah being on that mountain with Jesus? Could it have been any other two people from the Old Testament? There is an absolute reason why it was Moses and Elijah. Let me explain.

It was through Moses, that God first gave His Law to the people of Israel. It was Moses who carried the commandments down to the people, who spoke to the people the rules and regulations of God’s interaction with them. It was Moses who basked in the very presence of God. Moses became intrinsically linked to the Law of God.

Elijah was considered to be the greatest of God’s prophets. He was faithful in a time when that was a dangerous thing. Elijah heard the “still small voice of God” and in the end, Elijah was taken up into heaven without having to taste death. He was the prophet that everyone was sure would prepare the way for the Messiah.

Moses and Elijah were on that mountain to tie Jesus to what they represent (the Law and the Prophets). It was a very visual picture of what Jesus told his disciples. Luke 24:4 says:

^“4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.”

Jesus came to fulfill the Law that God gave to Moses and the promises made by the prophets embodied by Elijah. There presence on the mountain ties Jesus to the fulfillment of it all. What a sight for Peter, James, and John to behold.

But it doesn’t end there. There is one more thing that happens on the mountain that awed the witnesses. Mark 9:7 says: ” ⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” The very voice of God.

God tells the disciples the true essence of who Jesus was. This man standing before them was more than a man. He was the Son of God. He was and is the very essence of God. Jesus is fully God and fully human. In Jesus, God sent a part of Himself in order to call humanity back to God. To pay the penalty for our sin. To restore us into the image of God.

As I began my sermon, I told you that this episode on the mountain was for the disciples. It is for you and me. When we read this story we get a glimpse into the reality of Jesus. We see His glorified body, we are shown the connection between His message and God’s Law and the prophets and we are told that Jesus is God’s son and all this was given to us to undergird our faith. We do believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

But, what if I told you all of this was a set-up for what was really important? As God is speaking, He ends with an order, “Listen to him.” All this was shown to Peter, James, and John so they would know whom they were following. They would know that His words were God’s words. His teachings are true. His actions bring glory to God.

The same goes for us too. We are called to listen to Christ, to follow His commands, to obey His calling and in the end, to allow all He is to lead us to all we can be.

February 12, 2012 - Faith-Sharing: "How?"

2012-02-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Luke 4:16-21

Revelation 3:15-22

Daniel 12:1-4

Today we complete our exploration of the concept of evangelism. We have taken five weeks to dive into this topic because it is absolutely critical for us to understand. It is critical for us to begin doing. We must become a church that embraces and does our mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and this transformation, this disciple-making begins with our willingness to do evangelism and to do it well.

We began our exploration by developing a working definition for faith-sharing. Faith-sharing is simply sharing your faith and trust in God. That’s it. Evangelism is simply finding the opportunity to talk to someone about how Jesus has touched your life. What does it mean to know you are loved by Christ?

We also explored who is responsible to share their faith. If you are a Christian, if Jesus is your Lord and Savior, then it is your responsibility to share your faith. If you have experienced the grace of God, then share it with others who need to hear it.

We have explored the question, “Why are we called to share our faith?” For one, Jesus tells us to. In addition, we live in a city where the majority of folks are not in church on a given Sunday. We live in a nation where people need to know Jesus Christ on a personal level and it’s our job to share our faith.

Last week, we explored when and where we are to share our faith. There are relationships and opportunities that will make our faith-sharing more fruitful, but in the end, we are to share our faith whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself.

Today, we finish our exploration by trying to answer the question, “How do we share our faith?’ This is where the proverbial “rubber meets the road.” Where everything else we have learned about evangelism finds its expression, makes its impact. It is where we take the what, who, why, where, and when….and try to apply it. How do we share our faith?

In all honesty, there are probably as many ways to share your faith as there are Christians in the world. Some are more bold and straightforward. They can walk up to a complete stranger and begin talking about the gospel. Others, have to go kicking and screaming, but if you throw all of the personalities into a pot, and boil them down, there are a couple basic characteristics that seem to be the basis upon which sharing your faith happens.

First, look for an opening or opportunity. Live your life in a way that invites people to ask why you are different (stronger in crisis, calmer in distress, peace-loving in conflict) and once they ask the question, they have to listen to the answer (share your faith). Look for situations where your faith story can be a blessing. If someone shares their life story with you, you have a chance to give them hope in Jesus Christ in the midst of it all.

Keep in mind that everything you do has the potential to be a faith-sharing opportunity. It can be positive or negative (either speaks well of your faith or speaks badly of it). Anytime your actions are done as a positive expression of your faith, you are sharing your faith (and if you get an opportunity to share your faith verbally, that’s a bonus).

In the gospel reading form Luke, Jesus outlines his ministry that he had been sent to do. He reads from the book of Isaiah. Luke 4:18-19 says: “¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” If you are a follower of Jesus, your ministry by extension is the same as his. We are called to bring good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the captives, provide healing and anytime we engage in these things, we are sharing our faith and If in the process we can find a way to share the gospel of Jesus Christ (our faith) (the reason we are doing it, that’s all the better), that’s the proverbial “icing on the cake.”

Instead of just telling you how to share your faith, I have decided to share a little bit of my faith story. I’m sharing it for a couple of reasons. One, because it’s an example of how to share (given the right circumstance) and because it is not only a part of my faith story, but also about how people shared their faith with me.

It all started when my cousin set me up on a blind date with a young lady. Nothing went right on the date. We went to her least favorite restaurant, we watched one of the top-10 worst movies ever made, and the fireplace wouldn’t light, but I couldn’t wait to see her again…..and soon we were a couple. (And yes, this May we will be married 20 years).

Anyway, as we began dating, Tracey invited me to go with her to Wesley Foundation at Ball State University. It was a United Methodist Student Organization. The people there, her friends, treated me with respect. They did not judge my past actions (of which they were keenly aware of). They accepted me, warts and all.

I can honestly tell you if not for that group of people at Wesley Foundation and for a young lady that took a chance on me, I would not be a pastor today. It is because of their love, their grace, their understanding, that I was led to the path of being a Christian. Their being Christ to me began my road to accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

I will end my faith-sharing there, even if there are many more I can share. But, that may come at another day. As you can see, faith-sharing is about telling your life story and giving thanks to God for how he has blessed you. How Christ’s grace has been interwoven through your life.

You are called to share your faith. May you receive the blessing found in Daniel 12:3 – “³ Those who are wisewill shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” May you shine brightly for Jesus Christ.

February 5, 2012-Faith-Sharing: “Where/When?”

2012-02-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Mark 4:1-9

Ephesians 4:7-13

Isaiah 52:7-10

We are continuing to explore the concept of evangelism. What is evangelism? Who is to share their faith? Why are we to evangelize? When and where are we to share our faith? And how are we to share? We are taking our time with this concept, because it is so important. Evangelism, as we are exploring it, is a vital component to the Christian lifestyle. It needs to be part of our inherent DNA, our make-up, who we are as individuals, as a church, as the body of Christ. And so, we are taking our time.

Last week, we explored the question, “Why are we called to share our faith?” For one, Jesus tells us to. In addition, we live in a city where the majority of folks are not in church on a given Sunday. We live in a nation where people need to know Jesus Christ on a personal level. And, its our job to share our faith. Today we explore the questions, “Where and when are we to share our faith?” In what situation is it appropriate to share our faith? Are there times when it is more conducive to opening up about the gospel?

Now, if I wanted to take the easy way out, I could answer the question very simply. Because, we are called to share our faith anywhere and anytime we find the opportunity. In a few minutes, I will give some structure, some assistance in figuring out when and where we may be more successful in our faith-sharing. But, we really are called to do it everywhere and anywhere, and anytime and every time we are given the opportunity.

To emphasize this, lets take a look at the parable we read this morning from the Gospel of Luke. To quickly paraphrase, a farmer sowed some seed in a field. Some seed fell on the pathway, some fell among the rocks, and some fell among the weeds, and some fell on the good soil. As Jesus began to explain this parable to his disciples, He explained that each place where the seed fell were the people who heard the Good News. Some were ready to hear it, some were averse to it. Some people we share our faith story with are ready to accept them as Good News and others, well….will not.

The thing we have to understand is that we are the farmer and our job is to sow the seed. As Jesus tells us in Mark 4:14: “The farmer sows the word.” We are to sow God’s word and to be totally honest, our job is to not to know if the soil is good or rocky. Our job is to sow the seed. Our job is not to know whether our faith-sharing will be heard by someone who will accept it or reject it. Our job is to share our faith when the opportunity presents itself.

But how do we know when the opportunity presents itself? Are there any clues that may help us to know if the soil is more ready? For one, your faith-sharing is going to be more fruitful the better your relationship is with the person hearing it. If they are a friend or family member, they will be more open to hear your story. You may be able to share with co-workers, people you are helping, and sometimes even complete strangers. But often, the more trusted you are, the better your story will be heard.

Another thing you can do is to share your story with a person in crisis. Someone who is struggling with their situation. Your faith-sharing is even more effective if your story is about their current situation. If you have had a similar crisis, and your faith has helped you, your story can be beneficial.

And the last suggestion I have for you about when and where to share your faith has to do with how it will be perceived. Isaiah 57:7 says: “You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill; there you went up to offer your sacrifices.” When your faith-story will be heard as Good News, It will help the person in their situation. When they hear it, they will be open to experiencing the grace and mercy of God. (i.e. your story shouldn’t make them feel worse).

But, all in all, when push comes to shove, we are to share our faith. We are to share our faith no matter the soil. We are to share how God has changed our lives whenever and wherever we get the opportunity.

January 29, 2012-Faith-Sharing: "Why?"

2012-01-30T10:32:00.001-08:00

Scriptures:

Matthew 28:16-20

Romans 15:14-21

Isaiah 6:8-13

We are continuing our exploration of the concept of evangelism or Faith-Sharing. We are breaking it down to the basics. We are looking at what it is, who is to do it, why it is to be done, when and where it is done, and how it is to be done. Faith-sharing is such an important concept for us to understand that we are taking our time to get it right.

We began exploring evangelism by looking at what it is. We are using the working definition that Faith-Sharing is “to tell others about your faith and trust in God.” That’s all there is to evangelism. Simply having the courage to share your faith-story with someone who needs to hear it. It can be as simple as a kind word or deed, sharing a time of God’s strength and your weakness or any number of other faith stories.

Last week we looked at the question of “Who is responsible for faith-sharing?” We answered the question by determining that if you are a Christian then it is your responsibility to share your faith. If you have experienced the grace and mercy of God in your life, then you have a story that needs shared. You may have the only story that a person needs to hear for their faith to become real.

This week we are going to look at the question, “Why are we to share our faith?” Have you ever wondered why? Why is it so important? What are the benefits? I mean, honestly, is it really that important for me to go out and share my faith with the world? Does it really rest on my shoulders?

The answer is YES! It is your responsibility. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are called to share your faith. It is everyone working together that brings transformation to the world.

But, why? Why is it up to us? Well, the first answer works for those who like black and white answers. People who don’t buck authority. But it lies at the heart of why. The answer: Because Jesus tells us to! Matthew 28:19-20 says: “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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus tells his disciples to make more disciples, to baptize them into the faith, to teach them about the faith. All that comes from sharing your faith.

These verses from Matthew are often called the Great Commission. For those of you who may not know what a Commission is in this sense, let’s look at the definition:

Commission: 1. A command to perform prescribed acts.

2. Authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another.

Jesus is telling his disciples to go, to do, to make disciples. It is not a suggestion. It is not wishful thinking. It is a command. We are to be God’s agents in this world. We are to be his hands and feet. His voice. We are to share our faith.

It really comes down to an issue of Christ’s Lordship. When we claim that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we are claiming that He has power and authority over us. That your life is Christ’s to use as He needs it for God’s kingdom. That when He says “go,” you go. When He says, “do,” you do. When He says, “speak,” you speak. Your life is not your own. You belong to Christ. And, He has given us the command to share our faith.

Now, for those of you who didn’t like it when your parents answered your why questions with, “Because I told you so!.” (and let’s face it, we are all probably guilty of that). Is there another reason why we should share our faith? Is there something out there that should compel us to reach out with the love of Jesus Christ?

Of course the answer is Yes! Another reason why we must share our faith is because we live in a world that is populated by people who need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

A recent survey claims that 20% of the United States is in church on any given Sunday. In Indiana, that number is maybe as high as 28% (depending on the study). One out of every 4 persons living in Fort Wayne goes to church (3 out of 4 stay home). We are living in a world, a nation, a city that is not Christian (and we are losing more ground every day).

We live in a world that desperately needs to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. They need to hear of God’s grace. They need to know that the temptations of this world are trivial in comparison to the riches that God offers. We have the balm that our society needs. We have the cure for the ills of our culture and we need to share it. Our faith in Jesus Christ.

Our calling by Jesus is to share our faith with those who have never heard the Good News. Those who have rejected religion. Those who have walked away. We are to live the words of Paul found in Romans 15. Romans 15:21 says: “Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.” Our call is to help those who are lost, confused, or ignorant to understand the love of God, to hear the Good News, to accept the relationship that God offers. We are called to love them and help them to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and it begins by sharing your faith.

You are being called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Will you answer the call? Will you share your faith? Will you answer the call to go, to share, to teach? Will you answer God’s call as Isaiah did? Isaiah 6:8 says: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

You are being called to share your faith. How will you respond?

January 22, 2012- Faith Sharing: "Who?"

2012-01-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

John 20:19-23

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

I Kings 19:9-15

We are in the midst of a five week exploration of the meaning of evangelism. We are going to figure out what it is, why it is to be done, who is to do it, where it is to be done, and how it is to be done. And, maybe, just maybe, find the courage in this investigation to begin doing evangelism or Faith-Sharing.

Last week we dealt with the question, “What is evangelism?” The working definition that we settled on was “to share your belief and trust in God.” That’s it. Evangelism, or Faith-Sharing is going to the extreme of telling people about how a person has experienced the grace of God. How has their life been transformed by knowing Jesus died for their sins. Sounds hard, doesn’t?

Today we turn our attention to the question, “Who is responsible for Faith-Sharing?” Who’s job is it to share their faith? What qualifications does it require? Is there anything special that a person needs to know before they begin to talk about their faith?

What I am about to say, may give some of you comfort, if only for a moment. For some, you may think I’ve lost it. That, I can’t really believe what I am going to say. So, you have been warned.

Believe it or not, but there is at least one qualification for those persons who are called to share their faith. There is at least one thing that the person must have in order to be able to adequately share their faith. Without it, any attempt to share your faith will fall short. That one qualification is very simple. In order to share your faith, you must have a saving faith in Jesus Christ. I know that may sound silly, but I can’t overestimate its importance. In order to share your faith, you must know that life in Christ is better than life without Christ. That being a child of God has changed you, saved you, transformed you. It is being able to claim the words of Paul found in 2 Corinthians 5:17- “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

If you know that in Christ you are a new creation, you have a faith story to tell. If you know you are a sinner saved by Grace, you have a faith worth sharing. If you have never experienced the grace, love, and mercy of God, then what kind of faith do you have? POINT BLANK. If you have a lukewarm experience of God’s grace, if you aren’t on fire for Christ, if you aren’t sure how God has moved in your life, then quite frankly, you are off the hook. You don’t have a faith story that will inspire anyone.

But, if you do have a saving faith in Jesus Christ, if you have experienced God’s grace, mercy, and love, if you have been pulled away from the edge of self-destruction, self-pity, depression, dysfunction, then you do have a faith story worth sharing. You have a faith that needs to be shared and quite frankly, you are being called by God to share your faith with others. You are being asked to open your lives up to those around you who need to hear about how the good news of Jesus Christ has come into your life. What is it like to be a resident of God’s kingdom. To have the assurance that you are saved by the grace of God.

In verse 20, Paul gives those of us faith-sharers an important title. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

We are called to be ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. Just as the United States has ambassadors with foreign nations, we are God’s ambassadors bearing the good news of Jesus Christ. The dictionary defines an ambassador as “an authorized representative or messenger.” Just as the word evangelism indicates a message to be delivered, a message of good news (the gospel of Jesus Christ). The word ambassador tells us that we are to be messengers. But, not just messengers.

As ambassadors, we are given the authority to speak on God’s behalf. We are the official representative sharing our faith with people not of God’s kingdom. We have the authority, the responsibility, the duty to speak to the world about God’s grace, God’s justice, God’s mercy. We have been given the duty by Christ, to be bearers of God’s good news. To speak out for God’s kingdom wherever and whenever we can.

If God’s ambassadors will not speak for God, then who will? If those who have a faith story will not share it, then who will? If you, who have been saved by grace, will not share God’s grace to the least and the lost, then who is left?

As ambassadors for Christ, we cannot let someone else do what is our responsibility. Only those who have saving faith in Christ can share that faith. Only those who have a relationship with God through Our Savior, can speak to that relationship. Only those who are inhabitants of God’s kingdom can speak for it.

So, who is called to be a Faith-Sharer? Who is responsible? The answer is, if you call yourself a Christian, then you are. You are, We are. We are called to share our faith to whomever will listen, in whatever place we find opportunity, with words God gave us. We are Faith-Sharers.

January 15, 2012-Faith Sharing:"What?"

2012-01-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:
Luke 24:44-49

Romans 5:1-11

Jeremiah 31:31-34

For the next five weeks, we are going to thoroughly examine the call of Christ to do evangelism. We are going to spend the time to truly understand what evangelism is, who is supposed to do it, and why we are to do it. I am taking five weeks for a couple of reasons.

For one, the term evangelism is often misunderstood. We think that it is for those people like Billy Graham. That evangelism is to be done by evangelists, people with God’s anointing to win people to Christ. And while God does use those people, evangelism is much more than that. My hope is to explore what evangelism truly is and your job in that.

The other reason I am planning to take so much time is because of how critical this topic is. Maybe because of our misperception of what it is, maybe because we have assigned it to committees, maybe because it seems daunting, but evangelism has lost its prominence in the life of Christians and the church. Think about it, when was the last time you talked about your faith to a non-Christian, or a nominal Christian? When was the last time you invited someone to a worship service? Why?

We are going to begin with what is evangelism. Before we can deal with who, how, why, where, we need to first struggle with what it is. In order to understand its meaning we need to look at what the Greek word means. Evangelize means “to bring or announce good news.” That’s it. That is the meaning. To tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. To share your faith story to others, especially those who are not Christians.

Another term that some people have begun to use in place of evangelism is Faith-sharing. It has essentially the same meaning and purpose, even though it does not have the negative connotations. Our working definition of Faith-sharing is “to talk about your belief and trusting in God.” The “what” of Faith-sharing is simply that. We are encouraged, called, instructed to tell people about our faith in God.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus is instructing his followers in the five minutes before he leaves earth. He is instructing them about faith, how God’s grace had come to earth. In Luke 24:48 he tells them, “You are witnesses of these things.” They were told to tell the world. What would have happened if they were not obedient? What would have happened if they would have let the professionals do it? What would have happened?

Let me put it another way. If God has moved in your life, if you have experienced God’s grace, if you have been blessed uniquely by God’s presence, then, only you can witness to those events. Only I can share what I have witnessed. And, only you can share what you have witnessed. We must be willing to share our faith. We must become a people who live our faith. If you don’t share your story, who will? If you don’t share your faith, who can? If you are unwilling, then how can you be a witness? We must share our faith!

Before we leave the subject of what is Faith-sharing, I want to deal with another question. What is this faith we are to be sharing? If I want to get you all fired up to share your faith, then maybe I should give insight about what it is.

Romans 5:10 says: “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” We believe that God loved humanity so much that he sent a part of himself to earth in the man, Jesus. We confess that Jesus came to bring God’s love to the world, He came to restore our relationship to God, to cross the chasm that sin created. We believe that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. He was resurrected from the dead on the third day so that the gates of Heaven are opened. We believe that God’s grace, God’s love is open for all who put their trust in Christ.

If you have the assurance that God loves you, that is a story worth sharing. If you know that God has saved you, a sinner like you, that is faith worth sharing. If you know that God’s love has been with you over and over, those stories are worth sharing.

We are called to share our faith. To share how we have experienced the grace of God. We are God’s witnesses to these things.

January 8, 2012 - "Baptism at the Jordan"

2012-01-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Mark 1:4-11

Acts 19:1-7

Genesis 1:1-5

Often when I read the story of Jesus’ baptism contained in the gospels, I have a nagging question that I have to ponder. A question that you may have asked yourself once or twice too. Why? Why did Jesus travel to the Jordan River to be baptized by John? What made it necessary?

If you believe, as I do, that Jesus was without sin, then the baptism that John performed was not necessary Jesus’ sins to be washed clean. He didn’t need to repent. He didn’t need forgiveness. So, why did Jesus go and do it?

If you have asked the question, you are not alone. In the gospel of Matthew, John asks Jesus,”Why?” Almost from the beginning of the Christian movement, people have been trying to answer, “Why?” And to be honest, there are a large number of good possibilities for the answer. It may have been a symbolic ritual setting Jesus apart as a priest according to scriptures. It may have been the ritual cleansing of the sacrificial lamb in preparation of Christ’s sacrifice. It may have been a symbolic handing off of the mantel between the Old Covenant in John and the New Covenant in Jesus or any number of others. Or, in typical Methodist style, when given a question of either or. It is either this or that; the answer is “All of the above.”

And maybe that leads to the very best answer of all. The 2^nd Century Christian theologian, Justin Martyr answered the question, “Why?” by stating that Jesus was baptized, “solely for the sake of humanity.” For whatever the other reasons, for all the other possibilities, it boils down to this. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River at the hands of his cousin, John, for your sake. He did it for you.

And why that realization is comforting, empowering and maybe even liberating. It leads my mind to another question. (You’ll find out that questions are a part of my wonderful personality) But anyway, the question is How? How is Jesus baptism for the sake of humanity? How does it benefit me? How is it for your sake?

To answer that question, let’s look at two distinct things that happened when Jesus was baptized. First, there is the water baptism that John performs. Mark 1:4 states the explicit purpose of water baptism: “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” By being baptized, we are stating that we are sinners. The grace of God has judged us, and we have been found guilty. The waters of baptism symbolically wash away the stain of sin. Our past has been wiped clean. Our sins are forgiven. We have been restored in the image of God. When we make that public proclamation that we do believe in the power of God’s grace, we are reborn. Our lives are made new.

When Jesus allowed John to baptize him, he opened up this baptism to all who would follow him. The possibility to publicly proclaim the saving faith. To receive God’s grace through the waters of baptism. We are called to follow his example, to go and do likewise.

But, that is not the end of the events on that day at the Jordan River. As Jesus is coming out of the water, something happens that changed the way his followers would do baptism from that point forward. Verse 10 states: “Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.” As Jesus comes up from the water, he is immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit. God’s spirit came down as a dove and landed upon God’s son. This anointing prepared Jesus for ministry. It gave him power and authority to do what had to be done.

Can you guess where I am going with this? On the day of Pentecost, this same Holy Spirit was released upon all the believers. At your baptism, you were washed with water and then the pastor laid hands on you and invoked the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Now, what I’m about to say may catch you off guard. It may be a topic that you don’t want me to discuss. It may just make you uncomfortable. But, here I go.

When you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit, when you have God’s very presence pour out upon you, when you allow God to dwell with you, amazing things can happen. The book of Acts records what happens when Paul baptizes 12 men with the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:6 says: “When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” These men began speaking in tongues and prophesying. These men were given power, strength, and wisdom beyond their capabilities.

And it can happen to you. The Holy Spirit can give you power. The Holy Spirit can transform you. The Holy Spirit can move you and then, watch out.

December 25, 2011 - "In the Beginning"

2011-12-27T13:10:00.001-08:00

Scriptures:

John 1:1-14

Hebrews 1:1-4

Isaiah 52:7-10

Have you ever wondered why the gospel of John begins the way it does? Or, why the book is so much different than the other three gospels? The easy answer is their purpose. Mark, which scholars believe was written first, is an attempt to briefly chronicle the ministry of Jesus. Matthew and Luke, written shortly after Mark, were written to fill-in blanks left out of Mark’s gospel. They were also written to fill-in blanks left out of Mark’s gospel. They were also written with specific details geared toward the communities for which they were written to.

But John, the latest, maybe 30-40 years after the other three, has a different purpose. By the time of John, there were groups questioning both Jesus’ being divine and Jesus’ humanity. They were struggling with the tension about how Jesus could be both God’s Son and Mary’s Son. It is John’s attempt to answer this quandary that leads him to talk about the origins of Jesus and how he became a man. There isn’t a story of birth or how he got to Bethlehem or any other of his life before his ministry. Just a discussion of the Divine Word.

But the question for us today is whether or not this discussion is important for us today? Is there anything we can learn by discussing the Divine Word? Does it matter where Jesus came from? Why He came from the Earth? And, what that means for us? The quick answer is, absolutely, YES! It may be as important a discussion as we could have, and so we begin.

John 1:1 says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Now, if you have not read this verse very often, you may be wondering what John is trying to say. What is this Word? And, why is it with God? John is attempting to show us how Jesus, the Christ, ties into the creation of the world. How Jesus was not only God’s Son, but is a part of God’s very self. To do this, he goes back to the imagery of the opening verses of the book of Genesis. Each day of creation, each moment of the development of God’s glorious creation, began by God speaking out over the expanse. God’s Word was an active participant in each moment of God’s creation, from its beginning up until this very moment in time.

John 1:14 says: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word of God, so active in God’s creation, became even more involved in the person of Jesus Christ. It is the Word, that essence of God that leaves Heaven and makes His presence with us. Jesus, is not just God’s Son, but is a part of God. But, he is more than that too. The Word became flesh. The Word of God became fully human. He walked this earth. He lived just as you and I lived. He experienced the ups and downs of being a human being.

Jesus is fully-God as the Word of God. He is fully-human as the son of Joseph and Mary. He walked on this earth for 33 years. He ministered and taught about the truth of God. Jesus spoke with the authority of God’s Word. He taught his disciples the truth, lived God’s grace, and prepared them to carry the message on to the present day.

But, the impact of God’s Word in Jesus Christ doesn’t end at the conclusion of Jesus’ Ministry here on earth. Hebrews 1:3 tells us there is more to the story: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” After Jesus’ ministry was completed here on earth, he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. The Word of God, which spoke creation into being, is now speaking to God on behalf of creation. Jesus Christ, the gift of God that offers salvation to all of humanity is now our voice before the judgment seat of God.

Maybe right now you are asking yourself is there a point to all this rambling? Besides the history lesson, is there something you can take home with you? Something useful that can make a difference in your day?

If you get nothing else out of today, remember this one thing. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus has been from the beginning of time and will be forever. Through him, the world was spoken into creation. Through him, salvation was spoken to the world. Through him, eternal life is spoken. Jesus, the Word of God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

December 24, 2011 - "Christ!"

2011-12-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Luke 2:1-20

Titus 2:11-14

Psalm 96

As we prepared for Christmas, we have been looking at the meaning of the candles on the Advent wreath. We have looked at four gifts that God gave us through Jesus Christ. We have looked at the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Four of the gifts that are available through Christ for those who believe.

If you look at our Advent wreath, you will see that there are five candles, not four. That leaves us with one more candle and one more gift that we need to explore. The white candle in the middle of the wreath represents more than a simple gift, it represent the one through whom all the gifts we have discussed are bestowed. It is the Christ candle. It represents the gift given to the world by the birth of Jesus Christ. The greatest gift God has ever given to the world.

We often say that Jesus is a gift to the world. We say it through Christmas cards, we sing songs that claim it. I even have a t-shirt that says “Jesus, the gift that keeps on forgiving.” But, have you ever taken the time to wonder how? How is Jesus a gift? In what ways do we experience it?

Well, first it is because through Jesus Christ we have the opportunity to experience God’s gracious gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. By putting our faith in Christ, by opening our hearts to God’s grace, by working on our relationship with God through Christ, our lives are open to these precious gifts (Hope, Peace, Joy, Love).

But, what gives me the confidence to make that statement? What is it that allows me to believe that through this baby born in a manger, I can have Hope in tomorrow, Peace in my life, Joy in today and Love for the people in the world?

The answer is because I believe the words spoken by the angel to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth. Luke 2:10-11 says: “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” I believe that the baby born that first Christmas is the Savior of the world. That through him, the penalty for our sins was paid. That if you have faith in him, you can be released from the bondage of the sinful nature. That through Jesus, the Christ, ever-lasting life is available to those who believe.

It is the baby born in Bethlehem that the Apostle Paul is writing about to the disciple, Titus. Titus 2:11 says: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” God’s grace, God’s love, God’s mercy brought salvation to all people. In Jesus, God’s only Son, salvation was brought to earth. The babe, wrapped in swaddling cloths, brought God’s salvation once and for all.

It is the salvation that Jesus makes possible in our lives that leads to the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. It is the opportunity that Jesus offers for us to receive God’s grace that makes these gifts so special. And it is all of this that makes the precious babe, born in that simple stable, the greatest gift of all. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior is born! Alleluia! Amen!

"Love" - December 18, 2011

2011-12-19T09:46:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Luke 1:26-38

Romans 16:25-27

2 Samuel 7:4-11

During this Advent Season, we have been looking at the meaning of each of the candles on our Advent Wreath. Each candle represents a gift that God has given us through Jesus Christ. As we prepare to celebrate anew the birth of our Savior, we reflect upon the gifts the baby brought into the presence of those who have faith.

We have talked about the gift of Hope. We have the assurance that God’s promises will come true. That what God has said will happen. We have explored the gift of Peace. For those who trust wholly in Christ, their lives can be complete, whole and at Peace. That in Christ, true wholeness exists.

Last week, we looked at the gift of Joy. That when we have the gifts of Hope and Peace, our lives are filled with Joy. When we seek Christ and dwell in His presence, we can be filled with the Joy of the Lord.

This morning, we lit the fourth candle. The candle of Love. Where do we find Love in Christmas? How does Jesus Chris give us Love? How can we open up our hearts to the Love that God has for us to receive and to give?

But, before we get to those answers, let’s make sure that we understand the kind of Love we are talking about. To do this, we need to go back to the original Greek language. In classical Greek, the original language of the New Testament, there are four distinct words that in English are translated, Love. We are going to deal with one, Agape. It is defined as: “selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional Love.” It is the love that put others needs ahead of your own. It is the Love that Loves not because the person deserves it. Love is given, because they are human beings.

So, where is the source of Agape? Where do we plug into this Love? The answer is in God. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God’s greatest gift was given because God Loves his creation. Jesus was sent to earth because of God’s Love. He was born, lived his life, was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of God, because God Loves you. Jesus came into the world in order for God’s plan of Salvation to come to pass, in order to bring humanity into right relationship with God, and it all came because of God’s Love. God Loves you too much to give up on you. And so, he sacrificially, unconditionally, Loved you by giving Christ to the world.

As Christians, we are called to participate in this selfless, sacrificial, unconditional Love. By developing our relationship with God, as we put our faith and trust in Christ, as we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our lives, we are called to Love with the same Love that God Loves us.

The Apostle Paul thought that this concept of Love was so important and maybe even so truly foreign to the people of Corinth that he describes this Love in beautiful detail. We often call it the Love chapter and it is often read at weddings. But, the Love Paul details is not just the Love between spouses or even family. Paul is talking about Agape and he is calling Christians to learn and live this kind of Love. I really like how he introduces the concept of Love. I Corinthians 12:31 says: “Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. Love Is Indispensable and yet I will show you the most excellent way.”

The most excellent way. The way of God, the Love God gave to us when Christ was born. We are called to Love with this kind of Love. A Love not proud, a Love not self-centered. A Love that gives and sacrifices for the good of others. The most excellent way.

If you are searching for an example of this Love being lived out. I will give you a little reading from the gospel of Luke. Mary’s response to the angel is deeply rooted in the Agape Love. Luke 1:38 says: “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”

Mary gave herself willingly to God’s plan. That through her, the Savior of the world would be born. Through her giving, through her Love, God’s Son could save the world.

Agape, the Love of God. It is available for you to receive. It is there for you to live out.

"Joy" - December 11, 2011

2011-12-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

John 1:19-28

I Thessalonians 5:16-24

Isaiah 61:1-4

During this Advent season, we have been looking at four gifts that God has given us through Jesus Christ. As we prepare to celebrate anew the coming of the newborn King, we reflect upon what that baby brought to the faithful. To look at these gifts, we are using the meanings of the Advent candles to discuss these gifts.

We first talked about the gift of Hope. The assurance that the promises of God will come to pass, either in this world or in the world to come. Last week, we talked about the gift of Peace. The sense that through faith in Jesus Christ, our life can be complete, our life can be whole. It doesn’t come through external sources, but by giving your life over to Christ.

During our worship this morning, we lit the candle of “Joy.” In case you were wondering, there is a reason why this candle is rose and not purple. Purple is a sign of mourning as well as royalty. Joy is the opposite of that. So, the color is Rose. Where do we find Joy in Christmas? How does Jesus Christ give us Joy? How do we open our hearts up to what God can do?

Before we get to the answers to those questions, let’s make sure we understand what the word Joy means. The dictionary defines Joy as, “a feeling of great happiness.” Joy is beyond being glad, beyond being giddy. It’s beyond even simply being happy. If you can imagine the happiest you have ever been. If you can think back to a time when you were overwhelmed with good feelings. It is that type of feeling that is Joy.

But, the kind of Joy we are talking about is not fleeting. It’s not here today and gone tomorrow. And the real question is, “where do we find this Joy?”

Well, you won’t find it in your local football team. The Joy that comes with a Super Bowl win, is definitely lost when they are 0-11. You won’t find it in playing the lottery. Even if you beat the almost insurmountable odds, and win the big pay day. But when the relatives come out of the woodwork, or you spend yourself into bankruptcy, the Joy will be long gone. You won’t find it in the companionship of friends. You may find happiness for a season, but even that Joy is not what we are talking about.

We are talking about a Joy that lasts forever, literally. A Joy that goes on and on from the moment it is received. The Joy that we are talking about will not wane with time. The troubles of this world cannot destroy this Joy. The daily trials, the pains of living your life, dealing with the ups and downs of friends, family and simply living. All these can dampen your Joy. It can overwhelm you, but it cannot steal your Joy.

God wants those who have faith in Christ to be joyful. To live lives filled with happiness, I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It is God’s will for you to be full of Joy. Not just sometimes, not just when times are good, not just when everything is going your way, but Always. That is God’s will for you.

This verse from I Thessalonians also tells us where the gift comes from. It is found by putting our faith in Christ Jesus. It comes by realizing that true hope resides in Christ’s presence. It comes by claiming the peace that passes all understanding by confessing Christ as your Savior.

But how can we be sure? How do we know that we can find Joy in Christ? Isaiah 61:1-2 tells that Christ will be the one: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,” Jesus came to heal the broken hearts, to free those captive, to release the darkness, and to comfort those who mourn.

If we allow Christ in, he can remove all those obstacles to Joy. He can remove the darkness, remove the pain, remove everything that will hold away our Joy. If we put our trust in Christ, he will give or take away anything that steals our Joy. If we put our trust in Christ, true, everlasting Joy can be found, it can be kept, it can be refueled.

The Savior, who John the Baptist regarded as, “the one whose sandals I am not worthy to untie,” is offering you Joy. He is offering you everlasting happiness, everlasting life, if you put your trust in him.

December 4, 2011-"Peace!"

2011-12-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Mark 1:1-8

2 Peter 3:8-15

Isaiah 40:1-5

During this season of Advent, we are preparing ourselves for Christmas by looking at four gifts that we have been given by God through Christ. Four gifts that we received when we put our faith in Christ. Four changes in our heart. Four assurances within our very soul.

Last week, we lit the Hope candle on the Advent wreath. We explored the Hope that Jesus Christ gives those who follow him. We confirmed that we are to be confident in the promises Christ has made, that they are true (even if not yet fully realized).

Today, in addition to the Hope candle, we lit the candle of Peace. And, Peace is the second gift given to us through faith. So, let us explore the Peace of Christ given to us. How do we experience it? Where can it be found? How did the babe in the manger bring God’s Peace.

Before we get to the answer of those questions, lets wrestle a little bit with the word, Peace. Well, actually, we are going to look at the Hebrew word that we translate, Peace. We are looking at the word, Shalom, because it is at the heart of every attempt to describe the inner quality of the heart that can be attained in a relationship with God. The word, Shalom, is defined as “completeness, wholeness, peace.” The kind of peace that is being implied is the kind that makes your life seem complete. You know that you are living life to the fullest, it feels right. It is completely whole.

Let’s face it, we live in a society where we are daily persuaded to believe that our lives are not complete. We could love more, have more, do more, learn more, earn more, more, more, more. Our economy is built on this restlessness.

Counselors make their fortunes dealing with the neurosis and problems that are bred in the pursuit of completeness by our own means. As if it can be found out there somewhere. As if it can be purchased, found in another friend, or some other external source.

I can promise you this, if you think you can find inner peace by external worldly things, you will always find yourself lacking. If your pursue peace, contentment and completeness in the people around you, you will always come up short. Shalom can be found, but not where the world would lead you, not where you have been trained by society to find. But, I promise that Shalom can be found.

Where does Shalom come from? Where do we embrace Peace in our lives? True Peace comes from only one place. More directly, it is bestowed upon us by one person and that person is Jesus Christ. For those who put their trust in Christ and develop a relationship with Christ, God’s Shalom can be kindled within us. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus gives his followers access to the Peace he possesses. He opens up to you his very presence, his very essence, with which to envelope you with His love. It is through Jesus Christ, that God‘s grace came into the world. It is in Jesus Christ that the prophet Isaiah prophesied would comfort God’s people. It is Jesus Christ that John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for. And it was Jesus Christ that John talked about when he said in Mark 1:7: “And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.”

In Jesus, God’s power came to earth. In Jesus, God’s grace was given. In Jesus, everlasting Peace, everlasting Shalom can be attained.

November 27, 2011-"Hope!"

2011-11-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Mark 13:24-37

I Corinthians 1:3-9

Isaiah 64:1-9

Today, we kick-off the Advent Season. The season of the Christian year where we anticipate the coming of the Christ. We prepare to meet the newborn babe whose birth we celebrate on Christmas. But, it’s not just about that baby. For, as we prepare for Christmas, we can’t help but look into Jesus’ future and contemplate the Savior he became and the King of kings he has yet to become.

When we lit the first Advent Candle today, we lit the candle of Hope. Each week the candle we light has a different name and each week we will look at the attribute described by the candle we light.

For this Advent season, we are going to prepare ourselves by looking at four gifts that we have been given. Four gifts that we received when we put our trust in Christ. Four changes in our heart. Four assurances within our very soul.

And so, we are going to look at the word, Hope. How do we encounter Hope through Jesus Christ? How can we find Hope this Advent season?

But, before we talk about where and how we find Hope in Christ, lets begin by refreshing our minds about what the word, Hope means.

The dictionary defines Hope “as to expect with confidence.” Hope is more than wanting it to happen. It is more than wishing for a dream to be fulfilled. It is being sure that something will happen. It is confidence, being sure that what is going to happen, will happen.

So, what expectations do we have because of the birth of Jesus Christ? What can we put our Hope in? First, we have confidence in the fact that Jesus Christ forgives our sin. In the book of Isaiah, the prophet asks God to forgive the sins of the people. Isaiah 64:9 says: “Do not be angry beyond measure, LORD; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.” In Jesus, that request was answered once and for all. Jesus was sent to earth by his Heavenly Father in order for the penalty of our sins to be paid. We have the Hope, that if we have faith in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven, never to be remembered or held against us. This babe, born in a manger, will be the Savior of the world.

Second, we have the hope that what we are experiencing today, is just the tip of the iceberg. When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we became residents in God’s Kingdom here on earth and yet the reality of God’s kingdom here pales in comparison to what is to come.

At some point in the future, whether tomorrow or hundreds of years. Jesus is coming again. Mark 13:26-27 says: “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” Jesus is coming again to setup God’s Kingdom in all its glory and if we have faith in Jesus Christ, we have the Hope that we will be there to celebrate with him. Whether we watch him descend from our heavenly mansion or watch him from below. When Christ comes in glory we will be in the Kingdom forever. The babe born that 1^st Christmas morn will come again to rule on this earth forever.

So far I’ve talked about the Hope that comes from first putting our faith in Jesus Christ and the Hope that we will reign with him when he comes in glory. But is there anything else? Is there any other Hope for us to cling too?

Well, the answer is a resounding, “Yes.” I Corinthians 1:9 puts it this way: “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Christ will keep you strong through each and every day of your life. No matter what life throws your way, no matter how tough things will get, no matter what you may face. In Christ, we will have the strength to face it all. Christ goes with us every day. He is there in the tough times. He is there to lean on. This babe will be our Lord, our Shepherd, our Protector.

In this time of Advent, we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We are preparing our hearts and minds to meet that babe born in Bethlehem and today we claim the Hope that came with that baby’s birth. The Hope that comes by putting our faith in him.

November 20, 2011 - "Celebrate!"

2011-11-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Luke 12:27-34

I Peter 4:7-11

Psalm 112

Today is the final piece of our annual stewardship emphasis. Today, we are not going to talk about the meaning of stewardship. We are not going to talk about our need for money to continue to operate, because that is not our purpose today.

For today is a time of celebration. It is a time to celebrate what our church has done. A time to celebrate the ministries that call this building its home. A time to lift up those ways that we are using our stewardship to meet the needs of our neighbors. How we have embodied the words from the Apostle Peter in his first letter to the church.

1 Peter 4:10 says: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” We are here to celebrate the ways we have shared God’s grace.

Now, in lieu of me standing up here and talking about each of the various ministries, we are going to do something different. For many of the ministries I have asked someone from the ministry to share about it. To share the blessings and the struggle. Remember, because of your stewardship these ministries are active and you can celebrate their accomplishments.

We will talk about those ministries that are direct ministries of our church and those that we allow to use or rent space. So, let’s begin:

Bloomingdale Neighborhood Food Bank – Pat Hippensteele

Fort Wayne Fatherhood Coalition – Pastor Matthew Leffler

Meet Your Neighborhood – Mary DeLaRosa

Principe De Paz Hispanic Ministries – Pastor Ramon Aleman

UMW Thrift Ship – Bob and Joan Gordon and Jeanne Eck

Upward Basketball and Cheerleading – Steve and Tonya East

In addition to these ministries, we have several ministries and programs that call this building home. Part of our stewardship is to provide a space where these activities can take place:

Carry the Word Church – Pastor Mel Billingsley

A Baby’s Closet – Carolyn Gorum and Marian Warner

Bloomingdale Neighborhood Association

Crossroads Academy – Bonnie O’Brien

Twelve Step Programs – AA – Sunday and Monday

Al-Anon – Sunday

NA – Thursday

When talking about stewardship, I could have included the work of the Trustees and the parking lot, the sewer work, the bell tower and others. We could celebrate those who gave their gifts and time to paint, to pull weeds, to spruce up the building, but I wanted to focus on those tangible ministries that are reaching out to our community.

By your stewardship, by your giving of your gifts, time and money, these ministries are making an impact. We are reaching out to our neighbor, meeting their needs and through your continued stewardship, these ministries can continue. They can expand their impact, expand their reach, expand the ways in which the good news of Jesus Christ is expressed in our community. Through your continued stewardship, we can look for new ways to meet the needs of our neighborhood, new ministries, new directions.

We have celebrated our accomplishments. We have dreamed about God’s future and above all, we are living the way of love as expressed by the Apostle Paul. I Peter 4:8 says: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Let’s continue to love.

November 13, 2011 - Three Simple Rules For Money-"Give All You Can"

2011-11-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Luke 18:18-30

I Timothy 6:6-21

Psalm 24:1-6

Today, we wrap up our series on stewardship. Today, the teaching on the Right Use of Money will be complete. Next week, we will gather to celebrate the ministries of our church that are expressions of our stewardship of God’s gifts.

In his sermon, “The Use of Money,” John Wesley articulated three simple rules for money. We have already looked at the rule to Gain All You Can, to put in an honest days work for an honest days pay. We have explored the second rule to Save All You Can. We are to provide for the necessities of life, but not throw our money away on luxuries and extravagances.

And now, we come to the third rule: Give All You Can. In the words of Wesley:

“But let not any man imagine that he has done anything barely by

going this far, by gaining and saving all he can, if he were to stop

here. All this is nothing if a man go not forward . . .add the third rule

to the two preceding. Having first gained all you can and secondly,

saved all you can, then give all you can.”

At this point, you would probably expect me to go into a long discussion about the Biblical mandate that we are to give 10% of our money to God’s work. That if we tithe, then we have given all we need to give.

But, that is not the understanding that Wesley has at all. What he is saying, is that if you have gained all you can and saved all you can, then the giving of 10% or a tithe is a really good starting point. A point of jumping into all that God can bless others through you.

At the heart of this understanding is Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” Everything you have earned, everything that you have, is ultimately Gods, Wesley put it this way:

“When the possessor of heaven and earth brought you into being and

placed you in this world, he placed you here not as a proprietor, but a

steward. As such he entrusted you for a season with goods of various

kinds. But the sole property of these still rest in him, nor can ever be

alienated from him.”

Everything that you have been blessed with has been given to you to be a steward of, to care for, to use for God’s kingdom, to bless others through its use and once we understand that what we have is God’s and it is ours to use for God’s purpose, it is then that we have begun to understand the Right Use of Money and the rule of “Give All You Can.”

In order to be a faithful steward of God’s blessing, there are some things you need to do. There are things that we are to do that will lead us to give all you can.

First, provide for you and your family the necessities of life. Provide food, clothing, and shelter. Makes plans for your retirement. Make sure your needs are met. Second, help to make sure that the needs of your extended family are taken care of. If they are in need and you can help, then HELP! Third, assist other Christians who are in need and lastly, assist anyone else.

John Wesley said:

“In so doing, you give all you can….not only by what you give to the poor,

but also by that which you expend in providing things needful for yourself

and your household.”

Being a faithful steward of God’s resources means taking care of you and your family and once there needs are met, to use God’s resources to aid others, to support God’s work in the world, to give out of the abundance of blessings God has given you. Let’s face it, you can’t out give God.

I Timothy 6:18 says, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” We are to be willing to share our blessings. Giving of what we have been blessed with.

If you are worried about whether an expense or a pending purchase is being a good steward, Wesley give us four questions to ask before the purchase is made:

1. Am I acting as a steward of God’s goods?

2. Am I doing this in accordance to God’s word?

3. Can I offer this up as a sacrifice to God?

4. Have I reason to believe that for this I will receive an eternal reward?

If you answer yes to these, then the money you are spending is providing a need (or is blessing the need of another).

We are called to Give All We Can. We are called to be stewards of God’s resources that have been entrusted to us. We are to Give All We Can.

As we Give All We Can, may we take hold of the promise found in I Timothy 6:19: “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

Lets Give All We Can, so we can take hold of the life that is truly life. The life everlasting.

November 6, 2011-Three Simple Rules for Money-"Save All You Can"

2011-11-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

Scriptures:

Luke 4:1-13

Philippians 4:10-20

Proverbs 21:20-26

If you are like me, you look at stewardship campaigns from the perspective of a “necessary evil.” Trust me, I don’t like standing up here feeling like I am begging for more money and you don’t like to feel like I am guilting you into opening your wallets. And yet, here we are, half way through this year’s sermon series.

But, instead of focusing on budgets and bottom lines, we have been focusing on the Right Use of Money. We have been looking at the biblical perspective about how to use money in your life. How money can be a blessing if you know what you are doing with it.

In his sermon, “The Use of Money,” John Wesley spoke of Three Simple Rules for Money. Three rules that if we live by them, will help us to get control of our finances and use our money to bless God’s work. As a caution, we need to remember that these rules go together. You cannot separate them from each other.

Last week we explored the first rule. Gain All You Can. How we are called to be diligent in our work, earning what we can, to gain all you can without hurting our faith, our families, our health, or our neighbors. Gaining all we can.

Today, we turn our attention to the second rule, Save All You Can. In the words of John Wesley:

“Having gained all you can by honest wisdom and unwearied diligence, the

second rule of Christian prudence is, Save All You Can….Do not throw it

away in idle expenses…Expend no part of it to gratify the desire of the

flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life.”

What is the use of gaining all the money you can if you spend all of it. What good is it to earn a living, earn good money, if you blow it on “stuff,” blow it on excesses.

Let’s face it. We live in a society that is driven by consumer spending. 15-20 minutes of every hour of television is commercials trying to get you to buy, same with radio. More and more of newspapers are ads. Try driving down a road without seeing a billboard. What about your mailbox? Our economy is built around trying to separate you from as much of your money as possible and for most people in the United States, they are more than willing to spend themselves into bankruptcy. Proverbs 21:20 says: “The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
but fools gulp theirs down.”

If we spend all the money we earn, we are being made fools of by our society. They are making trinkets, luxury cars, bigger houses, and just plain junk and we are buying it like there’s no tomorrow.

We are spending our hard earned cash pursuing the American dream or buying our kids every fancy, or trying to keep up with the Jones’ and in the end, our homes are filled with junk and our bank accounts are empty and we are over our heads in debt.

John Wesley had this caution about our compulsiveness to spend:

“Who would expend anything in gratifying these desires if he considered

that to gratify them is to increase them…the more they are indulged, they

increase the more.”

Do we really need all this “stuff?” Do we need to be constantly buying more “things?” Do we really need more of what we really don’t need at all?

At the heart of the rule to Save All You Can, is the concept of contentment. Being content with a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our back. Being content with having our needs met and letting go of the extravagances, the indulgences, the desires of the flesh.

Can we allow God to develop within us the mind that was in the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the church in Philippi, he wrote of his contentment. Philippians 4:12 says: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

How many of us can say what Paul said? How many of us worry about our cell phone bills, our internet access, our cable or Satellite TV expenses? Are there daily expenses that we naturally assume to be needs that are truly luxuries? Believe it or not, Starbucks is not a need. Making coffee at home is much cheaper (and you get the needed caffeine). McDonald’s, Subway, restaurants in general are not needs. You can cook at home for much less and in most cases have a healthier meal. I could go on and on addressing clothing, cars, etc.

Being content with what we have is the beginning of getting our hearts focused on God’s plan for the use of the money we earn. Placing our wants, our desires, our luxuries aside, is the beginning of understanding what God has in store for our finances. When we understand that God has blessed us with the ability to gain all we can and has given us the blessing of contentment to save all we can, it is then that we are on the cusp of being able to use our finances to proclaim God’s grace to the world.

In the reading from Philippians, Paul gives us a word of hope about God’s blessings. Not only does Paul talk of his contentment, but he is able to state how it comes about. How he knows to be content in need or in plenty. Philippians 4:19 says: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Our God, who loves us, will supply for our needs. Our God, who is the God of grace, will provide for us, will open up doors in time of need, will bless us and take care of us always. Through his richness, through his glory, God cares for the needs of those who love Him and have faith in Him. It is a fact, it’s a truth, and it is a hope we can cling to.

Now, we have the rules to Gain All You Can and Save All You Can. Come back next week as we tie it all together by exploring the last rule…

God has a plan, God has a purpose, and when we learn the right use of money, God’s plan and purpose through your finances can be expanded. Let’s focus on God’s Right Use of Money.

October 30, 2011-Three Simple Rules for Money-"Gain All You Can"

2011-11-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Luke 12:13-21

I Corinthians 8:9-13

Proverbs 6:6-11

Today we continue to talk about the foundations of stewardship. We continue to focus our sights upon how we can be better stewards of the blessings that God has given us. How we can use what God has given us to continue God’s blessings in the world.

During this stewardship campaign, we are spending our time focusing on the Right Use of Money. To help us understand this right use, we are using John Wesley’s sermon, “The Use of Money.” In this sermon, Wesley articulated Three Simple Rules to follow as we learn to use our money rightly. Over the next few weeks, we will explore each of these three rules.

Last week, we discussed the need for us to be smart about our finances. To take the time to learn what it means to use our money the right way and even if we are in a state of crisis, Christ is on our side, that with Christ’s help, we can have hope for our future.

Today we turn to the first simple rule for the right use of money. It is to “Gain All You Can.” John Wesley puts it this way, “ it is the bounden duty of all who are engaged in worldly business to observe that first and great rule of Christian wisdom with respect to money, ‘Gain all you can.’”

If this is the first time you have ever heard this rule, there may be a part of you that might be shocked by this rule. Our brains want to immediately interpret this rule to say that we should gain or earn what we need. That our ambition should be to simply have the essentials, to make enough to pay the bills. Anything else would be greedy.

And, on one level that may be true, but gaining all you can and greed do not necessarily have to mean the same thing. And in Wesley’s understanding of the rule, nothing could be further than the concept of greed. To understand what the rule, gain all you can, means, we will begin by examining what it doesn’t mean and then we will see what it means.

We are to gain all we can, but not at the expense of ourselves. Wesley stated, “We ought to gain all we can without buying gold too dear, without paying more for it than its worth. But this is certain we ought not to do: we ought not to gain money at the expense of life nor at the expense of our health . . . . . .every man must judge for himself, and abstain from whatever he in particular finds to be hurtful to his soul.” The goal of gaining all you can is not the accumulation of wealth. It is not about chasing the almighty dollar at the expense of everything else. Money is not to be pursued at the neglect of your family, your health, or your faith. That’s greed and that’s not good for your body, your life, or your soul. In Luke 12, Jesus has this warning about greed. Luke 12:15 says: “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Gaining for the sake of gain is not a part of this rule.

The second warning about this rule is that we must not pursue money at the expense of someone else. John Wesley states it this way: “We cannot, if we love everyone as ourselves, hurt anyone in his substance . . . This is dear-bought gain and so is whatever is procured by hurting our neighbor in his soul.”

Gain at the expense of another is reprehensible. Gain by stepping on or over your neighbor is just plain wrong. We are not to pursue money through back-stabbing, underhanded techniques or flaunt our ability to walk all over others, pull the strings of their life, and trample there very selves by overtness of our pursuit of wealth.

I Corinthians 8:12 says: “When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.” When we act contrary to what we believe, we are horrible witnesses to the Christian faith. If we put money or greed ahead of our neighbor, what chance do we have to testify about the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. It is contrary to what we are called to be, disciples of Jesus Christ.

So, now that we have explored what this rule isn’t, we can look at what this rule is. What does it mean to “gain all you can.” Wesley states it this way:

Gain all you can by honest industry: use all possible diligence in your calling.

Lose not time….and, whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.

Do it as soon as possible…Let nothing be done in halves, or in a sight and

Careless manner.”

Another way to state this is to take hold of the Protestant worth ethic (which actually came out of the Methodist Movement started by none other than John Wesley.) If you have the ability to work you should work. And if you are employed at some work, you should do it to the best of your ability. You should put in an honest days work. Earn your pay and in so doing, gain all you can.

Proverbs 6 has this warning to those who are lazy. Proverbs 6:10-11 says:¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— ¹¹ and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Idleness, taking it easy, only doing what has to be done, not taking pride in the work you do, these are all considered flaws. The old adage, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” is just as true today as ever. When we have nothing to do, when we are bored, when we are dis-satisfied, it is then that we tend to find trouble. We look for something to do and mischief seems to find us. We go looking for fun and sin comes along and wreaks havoc.

And so, let’s stay active in pursuits that are giving glory to God. Let’s keep our minds engaged and our spirits tuned into God’s grace and within the limits of God’s commands to Love God and our neighbors. Let’s gain all we can and may God be continually glorified by the works of our hands.

October 23, 2011 - "When Crisis Forces Change"

2011-10-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Luke 16:1-8

Hebrews 13:1-8

Proverbs 1:1-6

Today, we begin a series of sermons based around the concept of stewardship. Yes, it is that time of year again, where we will explore what stewardship is. What does it mean in the life of Christians. You will need to ask yourself, am I being a good steward of what God has given me? Is God calling me to do more? In what way am I called to do more?

For this series, I am using two excellent resources. The first is John Wesley’s sermon, “The Use of Money.” The second is James Harnish’s book, Simple Rues for Money (which uses Wesley’s sermon as the outline for it). The idea that both of these resources is the Christians right use of money. John Wesley has this to say about the subject:

“The right use of money – a subject largely spoken of…by men of the world,

but not sufficiently considered by those whom God hath chosen out of the

world.”

Well, we are going to change that fact over the next few weeks. We are going to discuss, understand, contemplate, and celebrate the Right Use of Money.

To be honest, I would probably be preaching this stewardship campaign completely different if the events of 2008 had not occurred. If we were not in the throes of a recession, in the aftermath of decades of greed, scrupulous practices, and excessiveness. And so, the title of this sermon is, “When Crisis Forces Change.”

Allen County’s unemployment rate is currently 8.2% (which is actually good news). Its high was 10 1/2%. You can’t drive down a street very far without seeing a house for sale (almost without fail for less than what it was purchased for). On the block the church sits on, ½ of the houses are currently empty (two are sort of for sale, the other two, who knows). We are living in a state of crisis.

And in all honesty, our church is in a state of crisis. Our church is bringing in less money than we are spending every month. Fortunately, we have had a surplus of money with which to pay our bills, but if something doesn’t change we will run out of money in 18 months. The crisis is here.

So, how do we deal with it? Where do we start to change? What is our first step? Where do we think about the Right Use of Money?

In the 16^th Chapter of Luke, Jesus tells his disciples a parable. We have titled them the shrewd manager or the dishonest manager. This manager, is faced with losing his job, his entire existence and his reputation. And so, he shrewdly makes deals with people who owe his boss. Now, you would think that Jesus would use this parable as a negative example. He would condemn the practice of the manager.

But that is not what Jesus says, in verse 8, Jesus says: “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” Jesus is telling us, the people of light, that we are to be shrewd. To be smart with how we interact with the world. To not be stupid, or naïve about how the rules work.

And in order to do that, it takes us learning how things work. Finding out how many can be used for good. Find out how other people can use your money, both for good and for evil. When we learn to use our money for good, the depth of its use, the power of God’s grace is amazing. John Wesley said about money:

“In the hands of His (God) children it is food for the hungry, drink for the

thirsty, raiment for the naked…..It may be as eyes to the blind, as feet

to the lame; yea a lifter up form the gates of death.”

To do this, in order for God’s grace to be expressed through money, we must have the knowledge of the use of money. Proverbs 1:5 says: “let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” We can always learn more about the Right Use of Money.

Yes, we are in a state of crisis. Yes, it is up to us to be shrewd in our dealings with others (especially our finances). But, before I close, I don’t want to leave you there. I want to give you a promise. And, that is that Jesus Christ is with us through it all. Hebrews 13:6 says: “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

If Christ is on our side, anything can be done. He is on our side. God will go with us, helping us, leading and guiding us. We may be in crisis, but we are still in Christ’s presence and in the end, everything will be okay.

October 16, 2011-Five Practices-"Extravagant Generosity"

2011-10-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Luke 21:1-4

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Proverbs 3:5-10

For the past few weeks, we have been exploring those practices that all churches have within their DNA. Those churches that thrive, are vibrant, are making an impact on their community, do more than let them happen or take them for granted. Vibrant churches think about these, they are extremely deliberate about them. They ask themselves how they can do them better. They are constantly seeking to be a stronger witness for Jesus Christ.

So far, we have talked about Radical Hospitality, we have explored the need for Passionate Worship, we have investigated how we can engage in Intentional Faith Development, and last week we looked at our call to Risk-taking Mission and Service. We are called to go beyond our comfort zone and make an impact for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And today, we explore the last of the Fruitful Practices, Extravagant Generosity. As we have done for each of the previous practices, we will begin with the definitions of the words to get an idea of what we are asked to do. The dictionary defines generosity as, “the quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish.”

It is the willingness to give out of your abundance. It is the willingness to share what you have with others. It is the willingness to use what you have been given by God in order to enrich the lives of others. It is using God’s gifts in your life to make someone who is in need, to make their life a little better.

2 Corinthians 9:12 states: “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” When you give your gifts, when you sacrifice a little, God uses those gifts to supply the needs of God’s people. God gave us all that we have and ask that we allow God to use part of it for God’s purpose.

What gifts are we to give, you ask? The easy answer is all of them, but in case that’s a little too general, I do have a few suggestions. God is asking us to give of our time, to volunteer, to take some time to give for good causes, to spend time with those in need. He is asking us to give of our talents (those things we are good at doing). It can be anything from baking to car repair, from house cleaning to tax preparation. Whatever your talent, whatever your gift, God can find a way to use it.

God can also use your possessions. It could be pruning your clothes closets, selling your extra golf clubs, or just simplifying your life. Maybe it is not buying the best of the best, but settling for what is satisfactory. Yes, even your possessions can be used by God and a testament to your generosity.

I would be in error if I didn’t speak of one more way to be generous and that is by giving your money. Proverbs 3:9 says: “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;” We are asked to give of our firstfruits, to consider giving to God, before we give to anything else. To give to God first, not what is leftover. To support the ministries of our church, the outreach of God with our wallets and pocket books.

But how much? How much of our time, talents, possessions, and money are we to give? How generous are we to be? To answer those questions, let’s turn to the word extravagant in this fruitful practice. It is defined as, “more than is usual, necessary or proper.” We are called to give more than is usual. More than is proper. We are called to give to the point where if others knew about our generosity, they might question our sanity.

Being extravagant in our generosity is not based on a specific formula. I can’t give you a dollar amount, or a number of hours, because each person is unique. Their situation is theirs. When Bill and Melinda Gates gave 20 billion dollars to establish the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, people were amazed, But in the context of the Gates’ net worth being an excess of 200 billion, the donation was 10% (or a tithe). It was a generous gift to 3^rd World Medical Advancements, but is it extravagant?

In the Gospels, Jesus rarely compliments a person giving of money to God’s purpose. One of those occurs in Luke 21. A poor widow puts in two small copper coins (a mere fraction of what was received that day and yet, Jesus tells the disciples about her extravagance. Luke 21:3-4 says: “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. “All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

For some people, 10% of their wealth is a drop in the bucket, they could give much more and not even notice. For others, 1% is a stretch in order to provide the necessities for their families. For some, giving significant hours to mission work each week is not a sacrifice, for others, finding time to juggle with their jobs/family is a serious stretch.

The key to extravagant generosity is that God comes first. You figure out what you can do, when you can do it and how much you can give to make it happen. It may require you to give up something to do it, it may require you to skip Starbuck’s, Hall’s Restaurants, that new car, that big screen TV. It may require you to miss the Colts game, or CSI, the Mentalist, or something else. Being extravagant means placing God’s priorities ahead of entertainment and luxuries.

The best advice I can give to you about Extravagant Generosity is to read to your from 2 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. “ Decide how you are going to be extravagantly generous; be happy that you have the time, talent, or resources to do it; and then joyfully give it to the glory of God.

October 9, 2011 - Five Practices - "Risk-taking Mission and Service"

2011-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Luke 6:31-36

Acts 6:1-7

Isaiah 58:6-10

Our church’s mission statement is “Trinity United Methodist Chruch is a society of servants making disciples for the kingdom of God.” Do we truly believe in that mission statement? Do we believe that the mission of this church is to be a society of servants making disciples? Let me take it one step further. As someone who attends this church, do you believe that you are one of those servants who make up the society? That you have a part to play in making disciples? And your answer to that question is a direct correlation to our church’s effectiveness at the fourth Fruitful Practice.

In his book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Bishop Robert Schnase articulated those practices that all churches participate in. It is part of their DNA. Vibrant, growing, fruitful churches work at these practices. They are deliberate about them, they constantly “tweek” their ministries to get better at them.

So far we have discussed Radical Hospitality, we explored Passionate Worship, we emphasized our need for Intentional Faith Development. We must be deliberate about how we grow our faith. We need to be explicit as we teach what it means to be a Christian.

Today, we tackle Risk-taking Mission and Service. Really, the terms Mission and Service speak of the same type of activities, but we use different terms to speak about where the practice is being done and who it is being done for.

Let’s begin with the activities involved in the word, “service.” The dictionary defines service as, “to be helpful or useful to someone.” In the church, we further use this term to discuss those things that we do for the church and people connected to the church. It is the giving of our time, our gifts, and our talents in order to help the church do its ministries. It’s things like teaching Sunday School, serving on committees, visiting shut-ins, working at Faithlift Funfest, participating in the choir. It can also mean walking along with someone, assisting them in their time of need. In Acts 6, the church is growing so fast, that the apostles are having trouble taking care of the people and so, the people lifted up a group of people to assist. Acts 6:5 says: “This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.”

What is the meaning of the word, “Mission?” It is defined as, 1. “A task or job that someone has given you to do,” 2. “A task that you consider to be a very important duty.”

Jesus has given us a Mission to do. A very important job and that job is to be “a society of servants making disciples for the kingdom of God.” (I told you this practice was directly involved with our Mission statement).

We are called to be involved in mission. One of the most tragic things that has happened to churches in the United States is that they stopped being missional. They went from doing mission work, to writing checks for people to do mission in the four corners of the globe.

I want to read to you an excerpt from our church’s history:

“In the spring of 1874….It was determined that the time had arrived

when an expansion of Methodism into the Ninth Ward of the city of

Fort Wayne should be undertaken.”

Trinity UMC began as a missional outreach. It began because people living in our neighborhood needed to know about Jesus Christ. The United Methodist Book of Discipline also says that, “the local church is the missional expression of the Annual Conference.” It is our responsibility to be involved in mission, both within our doors, in our community, and throughout the world.

We are called to be in Mission and Service, but we are also called to be Risk-takers. Risk-taking is defined as, “to do something that may result in loss or failure.” Risk-taking Mission and Service is placing yourself out there, where you are exposed. Isaiah 58:6-7 says: “⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? ⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

If we are followers of Jesus Christ, then we are called to be bearers of God’s mercy. To love the unlovable, to bind their wounds, to give them food. We are called to love people with the love of God.

We are called to Risk-taking Mission and Service. We are called to be “a society of servants” and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s be Risk-taking, let’s be in Mission, let’s be in Service. Let’s get going.

October 2, 2011 - Five Practices – “Intentional Faith Development”

2011-10-04T12:50:00.001-07:00

Scriptures:

John 14:23-31

Ephesians 4:22-28

Deuteronomy 4:9-14

The United Methodist denomination has adopted the Mission Statement: “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” And while you might think that coming to this understanding was a no-brainer, well…….Jesus did give this mission to his disciples in what we call the Great Commission. It is beneficial to remind ourselves of the call “to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Almost from the outset of the Christian faith, the church has identified practices, activities that assist in accomplishing our mission. Bishop Robert Schnase, a United Methodist Bishop, currently serving in the Missouri Conference, articulated the practices in his book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. His unique contribution was not necessarily identifying the practices. It was the adjective he qualified the practices with. It’s not just Hospitality, but Radical Hospitality. It’s not just the practice of Worship, but Passionate Worship. Faith Development must be Intentional, Mission and Service should be Risk-taking, and our Generosity must be Extravagant.

Today, we come to the third practice of Fruitful Congregations. We have explored our need to be radically hospitable. We have discussed the need for us to worship passionately, to be engaged, to have our heart and our head right to give praise and thanksgiving to God. Today, we focus on Intentional Faith-Development.

In order to begin this discussion, before we get to what we mean when we talk about development and intentionality, we need to discuss Faith. What does it mean to have faith? The dictionary defines faith as: “belief and trust in and loyalty to God.” Faith is more than belief, it is more than trust. It is also loyalty to God.

As Christians, our faith is trusting in; believing in; and being loyal to God the Creator, Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. Jesus tells us in John 14:23: “Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” We are to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, trust that what He says is true, and be loyal to those teaching. In doing those things, we live our faith.

Many people wrongly assume that once you are “saved” by Jesus, that is all the faith you need. That simply knowing who Jesus Christ is will get you through at all times, but it simply isn’t so. Our job as a church is to bring people into a savory faith in Jesus Christ and then work with them to develop their faith, to deepen their commitment, to help them to grow in their understanding, their trust and their loyalty to God.

That brings us to the word “development” in this fruitful practice. The definition of development is, “the act or process of creating something over a period of time.” If we expect our young people or our young to faith people to one day be deeply committed Christians without giving them the tools to grow their faith, we are kidding ourselves. We must have ample opportunities to teach the faith, what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be a United Methodist. Deuteronomy 4:14 says: “And the LORD directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” If your faith is not as strong as you would like it to be, then what are you going to do about it? Join or begin a Bible Study. Join or begin a Sunday School class or Small Group. Read the Bible regularly. Pray regularly. Read books by reputable Christian authors, including those from throughout history. It is your responsibility to develop your faith, and the church’s responsibility to help.

There is one more word in the practice of Intentional Faith Development and that is the word Intentional. It is defined as: “done by intention or design.” It is very difficult to develop your faith nilly-willy. Flitting from one thing to the next, hoping that some nugget of wisdom seeps into your brain.

If you want to build something useful, you begin with a design. A birdhouse, a car, whatever begins without a plan. You figure out what it takes and then you go from there.

If you want your faith to grow, be intentional. Is trust the issue? Then search out books and study material. Is prayer the weak link? Then learn how others have learned and by all means try praying. Is it Biblical knowledge? Well, you get the picture.

If you have been a Christian for a short time, don’t jump into deep theological treatises. Keep trying different books/commentaries/resources until you find one that speaks to you, where you are. If you’ve been at this faith thing for a while, then push yourself, going deeper into the pool of God’s grace.

We need to be deliberate in how we lift up this and the next generation of Christians. The way we teach, what we teach, where we teach needs to be intentional. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is preparing the people to live on without him. In Deuteronomy 4:9 he says: “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” We need to remember the tenets of our faith and reinforce them. We need to teach our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, what it means to be a Christian. We MUST BE INTENTIONAL!
We are called to the practice of Intentional Faith Development. Do you have faith in Jesus Christ? Are you working to develop it further? Are you being intentional? What steps can you take to grow in faith? How can you help the faith of the future generation? Let’s get Intentional.

September 25, 2011 - Five Practices – “Passionate Worship”

2011-10-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

John 12:1-8

Acts 2:42-47

Psalm 100

There are five practices that churches are involved in (whether they know it or not). The churches that are vibrant, fruitful, and growing in their relationship with Christ are intentional about how they accomplish these practices. They just don’t take them for granted. They make the effort to evaluate these practices and how they can do them better. They are deliberate.

The five practices of fruitful congregations are Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-taking Mission and Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Last week, we discussed Radical Hospitality. How, as Christians, are we called to the extremes of friendliness? How do we invite others into Christ’s presence? How do we welcome those who enter our building into our congregation? How do we truly become “the friendliest church in Fort Wayne?”

This week we turn our sights toward the second practice of fruitful congregations. It is Passionate Worship. As we begin to look at passionate worship, lets begin with a few definitions. What does it mean to worship God? The dictionary defines worship as: “to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power.”

The word, worship, as we use it, is a verb. We are describing the act of giving honor to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is those direct actions that allow us to give praise and thanksgiving to God.

When we gather together on Sunday mornings, we gather in a service that is designed to lead each person into a time of worship. But whether you worship God while you are here is entirely up to you. The songs we sing, the prayers prayed, the offering taken, every piece of this service is there to give you an opportunity to engage in the act of worship.

Psalms 100:2 says: “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” As Christians, we are not just called to worship God. We are called to passionate worship. The word passionate is defined as, “having, showing or expressing strong emotions or beliefs.” Passionate worship is more than going through the motions saying the right words, or merely showing up. Being passionate means engaging in the action. Opening your heart up to encounter the Creator, Our Savior, and the Spirit of truth. It is using your head and heart to give praise to God. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had this to say about worship, “But I say, all worship is an abomination to the Lord, unless you worship Him in Spirit and in truth, with your heart as well as your lips; with your Spirit and your understanding also.” “Be your form of worship what it will, but in everything give him thanks; else it is all but loss labour.” WOW, Volume X, letter to a Roman Catholic.

Passionate worship is engaging your whole being in giving praise to God. It is being expressive, opening up your heart and being open to receiving the grace of God, His mercy, His love, His very presence.

In the gospel of John, we are given an example of passionate worship. Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, were giving a dinner in honor of Jesus at some point. Mary took something that proper folks would think was unthinkable. John 12:3 says: “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Imagine the scene! Mary took a year’s wages, poured it on Jesus’ feet and then wiped her hair with it. Folks, this is not the actions of a proper woman at her time and any time. Her passion for the love of Jesus brought her to do something undignified. Being passionate means not caring about those around. Passionate worship is a one on one engagement with God through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes passionate worship shows itself by sitting quietly with eyes closed as God’s presence engulfs and overwhelms. Sometimes it is expressed by singing loud enough to raise the roofs, with hands extended in praise. Sometimes passionate worship is experienced by absolute stillness as you ponder the greatness of God and yet, other times it comes forth in toe-tappin’, hands clappin’, and a little jig in your step.

Passionate worship is not about the way you worship, it’s not about how you pray, what words you say, whether there’s an organ or guitar leading the singing or any specific set of actions or activities.

Passionate worship is about whether or not you are engaged in the act of worship. Is your “head in the game?” “Is your heart seeking the face of God?” “Are you fully engaged in giving praise and glory to God?”

My family listens to Christian radio almost all day long and one of the songs on the radio right now is “Move” by Mercy Me. Around our house, we call it Matt’s song, because no matter where he is, no matter what he is doing, Matt stops and begins moving to the music and singing along. If we are in the car, he asks that the music gets turned up so he can sing and move (as much as he can strapped in a car seat). If he’s playing or getting ready for bed, all activities other than singing or dancing cease. He is fully engaged in the song. He freezes when it slows down and dances almost frenetically when it is at top speed. It is fun to watch!

I believe that we should all engage in worship like that. We should be open to God’s presence. Fully devoted to who God is. Open to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the passion and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Whether we are entering the sanctuary for our service of worship or opening our own prayer closet, let us enter the presence of God with rejoicing or in the words of the psalmist, Psalms 100:4 says: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” That is at the very heart of Passionate worship.

September 18, 2011 - Five Practices – “Radical Hospitality”

2011-10-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Matthew 18:1-6

Colossians 3:12-17

Leviticus 19:32-37

Over the last few months, I have been using my article in the newsletter to give a brief overview of the Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. Bishop Robert Schnase of the Missouri Conference of the UMC identified five practices that growing and vibrant churches have as part of who they are. In all honesty, these five practices are not new. The New Testament is choked full of examples where the early church did these practices or where the apostles encouraged the infant church to make sure these practices were developed.

The “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations” include Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-taking Mission and Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Over the next five weeks, we will take a look of each of these practices. We will define it, see what it looks like, and then ask ourselves what do we need to do to embrace each practice? How can we embrace these practices more effectively? How can we become closer to the church God has called us to be in? So, we begin the journey with Radical Hospitality.

The definition of Hospitality is “the generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guest.” To be hospitable means that we open up our church and our lives to the people in our midst. To love the people that God puts in our midst (whether that is at the Food Bank, the Thrift Shop, Meet Your Neighbor, Upward, or on Sunday morning). It is to be open to them being a part of our congregation.

But, Christian hospitality is not your normal, everyday hospitality. We are called to Radical Hospitality. There are two definitions for the word radical. The first is “of relating to, or proceeding from a root.” The second is “very different from the usual or traditional.”

The hospitality that we are called to do is at the heart of what it means to be hospitable. Radical Hospitality is nothing new. It’s not something strange or foreign to what a Christian is. To be radically hospitable is to be constantly looking for new ways to be welcoming and inviting. Are there things we can do to make a guest or visitor’s visit more special, more like a homecoming. More like they are coming to “the friendliest church in Fort Wayne.”

In case you are looking for the biblical basis for our call to Radical Hospitality, they do exist. One is found in the book of Leviticus. Leviticus 19:34 says: “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” God called on the people of Israel to love the aliens living in their land. To treat them as a brother or sister. In the time of the Old Testament, the alien had no rights. They were not citizens of the country, they did not worship God. They were considered unclean, and were societal outcasts and yet, God says treat them as a brother or sister. Love them as a neighbor, as you would love anyone else within your own family.

And just in case you think that this is an Old Testament thing, let’s take a look at what Jesus had to say about children. Matthew 18: 5 says: “And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Sometimes when we read this, we want to look at it through our modern eyes. When we see our children, we see the “apple of our eyes,” our world revolves around them. We plan our calendars around their baseball, track, dance, gymnastics, etc.

But that is not the world of Jesus’ time. Children were property. They had no legal rights. They were farm hands or extra workers. They may have been held a little higher than slaves and here Jesus is saying, “Bring them to me.” “Welcome them in.” “Let these outcasts come into my presence.” They are worth more than you can imagine.

With these two examples, who might we be called to be radically hospitable toward? Who in our society? Who in our neighborhood should we be welcoming into our midst? There are outcasts from our society, people that our world has tossed aside, thrown away, discarded. There are people who have been alienated from the church. They have been turned off by religion, turned off by our bigotry, our hypocrisy, our two-faced, our judgmental attitude. These are the types of people that we are to be loving, welcoming, encouraging and just plain loving through the grace of God.

So, what steps toward radical hospitality could we take here at Trinity UMC? How can we become more hospitable? Are there things we can do to make our building more accessible to first-time visitors (signage, greeters, ushers)? Are there ways that we can let people know that we are here and that we love them, all of them?

Are there things you can do to be more hospitable? To be more open to those who need the love of God in their lives? Do you know any non-Christians, nominal Christians, people of faith looking for a church? How can you reach out to them to bring then to church? To invite them to the “friendliest church in Fort Wayne?”

I’m not really looking for an answer at this moment. All I want to accomplish today is to get you to think about radical hospitality. How to take the love of Jesus Christ to those who are missing it in their lives. Whatever you do, whatever we do, however we choose to become radicals in welcoming, loving and giving, let’s keep in mind the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Let’s do it in the name of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and to the glory of God. Let’s get radical.

September 11, 2011 - Journey to Forgiveness – “It’s Time to Forgive”

2011-10-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Luke 17:1-4

Ephesians 4:29-32

Psalm 147:1-6

I can vividly remember where I was when I first heard about the events of September 11, 2001. I was in my fourth day of seminary, and I had just left my “Pauline Epistles” New Testament Class and heard people talking on the stairs. I remember standing in the basement of Bonebrake Hall watching the early news reports (they were still trying to figure out what happened).

I remember watching the second tower being hit by the plane. I also remember my first reaction was, “O My God, that was on purpose,” and knowing immediately that my life, and the lives of the people I was called to pastor were changed forever. A classmate’s seminary career ended when she had to go home to help her dad, who was a fireman injured in the aftermath. Another colleague was recalled into military service, because of his language skills, and our nation began to wonder what was next.

In the weeks leading up to today, we have been embarking upon a journey to forgiveness. We have spent time defining forgiveness. We have looked at why God chooses to forgive and we have investigated the reasons why we should forgive and seek forgiveness.

Everything we have done along this journey has led us to the work we are going to do today. We are going to take everything we have learned and put it into practice. At the end of today’s service, we will have an opportunity to forgive or seek forgiveness. We will have a time of prayer and meditation where we will give our hearts over to God.

Before we get there, we may need to discuss how do I forgive? Honestly, there are many, many misconceptions in the process of forgiveness. Many, many, that have hurt people and kept them from letting go.

In your bulletin, there is an insert that talks about the steps to forgiveness. If having things spelled out step by step works for you, like me, then this handout will help you. I am not going to cover the steps for the sake of brevity, but I am going to discuss the important underlying pieces that must occur.

The most important thing you can do on the journey to forgiveness is PRAYER. Conversing with God continually is crucial. We need to pray for discernment. Pray for the strength to peel back the emotions, separating them from the truth. Praying for the strength to forgive, the strength to overcome, the strength to persevere. Psalm 147:3 says: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Through prayer God begins the healing process.

You must hold the person 100% accountable for their actions. Without this, there cannot be forgiveness. Don’t let them/or you pass the blame onto someone else and don’t let them pass the blame for their part of the hurt onto you.

You do need to accept your part in the event. They are not responsible for your part in the event. They are only responsible for what they did.

Victims have a tendency to internalize the blame. They ask, “What did I do to make them hurt me?” “What might I have done differently?” Sometimes those are healthy questions, but often it shifts the blame and without placing the blame in the right place, we cannot forgive. Honesty with yourself, with the situation, with the offender, is critical.

It is important for us to remember the transgression. Do not try to forget the past. God does not ever ask us to forget. We need to remember the past so that we can make efforts to not make the same mistakes again. RT Kelly in his book, Total Forgiveness states, “Love doesn’t erase our memories. It is actually a demonstration of greater grace when we are fully aware of what occurred and we still choose to forgive.” The toughest thing to do on the journey to forgiveness is to confront the transgression. This is when we confront the event, where we deal with emotions, where we work through the pain.

Where it is possible and profitable, you may want to confront the individual. By possible, I mean that the person is available and willing to engage in the process. By profitable, I mean that you confront the person, you expect good results, you expect them to be open to forgiveness.

Lets face it, many of the people who have hurt you don’t realize it. Either they don’t remember the transgression, will think you are being petty, think it’s your fault, and even may think that hurting you was a good thing. Confronting these types of people will make things worse.

But, we need to confront our emotions. How do you feel? Why? What made you feel that way? We need to forgive even those who don’t ask to be forgiven. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, when he was being crucified, Jesus forgives those who nailed him there. Luke 23:34a says: “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Did they as for it? Did they deserve it? But, in order for God’s plan to be fulfilled, it was given.

Everything we have talked about so far, leads us to the crux of the issue. We need to forgive. We need to let go of the desire to retaliate, the drive to punish. We need to forgive, to release them from the anger, the malice, and to let go of the pain in our hearts. Luke 17:3-4 says: “So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. ⁴ Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” We are to release our brothers and sisters. We are to release our hearts to be open to the grace that comes through Jesus Christ. A forgiving heart is open to love and love builds relationships and relationships build love.

At this time, we are going to segue into a time of forgiveness. We are going to forgive those we need to forgive and we are going to ask God to forgive us for those whom we have hurt.

Remember when I told you that you would need that blank sheet of paper? Well, we are almost there. We will begin this time with a prayer of confession (found in your bulletin or on the screen). I will explain the process and then with a prayer, you will be asked to participate.

Prayer of Confession

On Blank Sheet of Paper:

1. On 1^st side, write down those sins you need to forgive.
Write down those people and events that you need to forgive.

2. On the other side, write down the sins you need to have forgiven.

The people you need to ask to forgive you.

3. Either in your pew or at the Altar Rail:

-Pray over the piece of paper.

-Ask God to forgive those who have hurt you.

-Ask God to forgive you.

4. Bring the paper to the Altar Rail:

-Rip it to shreds.

-Place it in the basket and leave your request to God.

August 28, 2011 - Journey to Forgiveness – “Why Should We Forgive?”

2011-10-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Matthew 5:23-26

Galatians 6:15

Psalm 25:1-8

In a couple of weeks, we will take time to remember the 10^th Anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001. Like many churches in our nation, we will pray for the victims and their families, we will remember the horror of that day, and we will pray for our nation as we continue to live in a post-911world.

In addition to all of this, we are embarking on a journey of forgiveness. Are there people in our lives that we need to forgive, whether they ask for it or not? Are there people we need to seek forgiveness from because of something we have done?

So far in this journey, we have looked at what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is the conscious decision to no longer hold an offense against the offender. To let go of the pain, anger, and the hurt.

Last week, we looked at why God chooses to forgive. Why does God love humanity so much that he chooses to forgive us when we humbly seek to be forgiven? God wants us to be in relationship with us, that He forgives our sins.

Today, we set our sights on a very difficult question, why should we forgive our debtors? Why should we forgive those who hurt us? Why should we release them from the guilt of their sin?

To begin the discussion, I am going to read you a quote from Brian McLaren’s new book, Naked Spirituality. In it he says:

When we are wounded by others, we’re tempted to dehumanize and demonize them by labeling them with words like “communist,” “imperialist,” “evil,” “insane,” “heretic,” “fundamentalist,” “liberal,” or “infidel.” Ironically, by turning them into subhuman monsters in our own minds, we also empower them, making them larger than life and intensifying our own anxiety about them. No wonder Jesus laughs that our first response should instead be to pray for them and to bless them. In so doing, we turn them back from threatening monsters into what they really are: little human beings like us, human beings with a problem.

When we choose forgiveness, we release all the pain, all the “junk,” all the anger. We see the person for who they are. A human being, who made a mistake, who was misguided, who did a horrible thing. We see them as human, as less than perfect as sinners, just as we are.

So, why? Why must we forgive those who have hurt us? The overly simple answer is because Jesus Christ tells us to. In Luke 6:37, Jesus says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” In order for us to receive forgiveness, we must first be willing to forgive. If we are bold enough to ask God or others to forgive our sins, shouldn’t we be willing to forgive those who have hurt us? We need to have a forgiving heart in order to receive forgiveness.

It may all boil down to that. Do we have the heart to forgive, or be forgiven. I know people who have struggled with being forgiven for years. No matter how many times they have asked to be forgiven, they don’t feel like they have been forgiven. Their guilt keeps them held bound. If we are unable to forgive, can that hold us up from being able to open to receiving forgiveness? Does our hardened heart keep us from allowing us to be forgiven? Guilt is a powerful emotion. It has an incredible hold on those that are held captive by it and inappropriate guilt is almost always the tool of Satan. (showed movie clip from “Medicine Man)

But, we don’t have to remain in the clutches of an unforgiving heart. We can choose to forgive and be forgiven. We can go to our God in heaven and pray for the strength to forgive (even if that forgiveness is ourselves) and in so doing, God can soften our hearts, He can loose the chains that bind us to the past. Psalm 25:15 reads: “My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” God can and will help you to be set free.

Another reason we should forgive and seek forgiveness is about relationships. Forgiveness is about strengthening relationships. We need to forgive and seek forgiveness in order for our families and our friendships to thrive. If we hold a grudge, the relationship suffers. If we don’t ask for forgiveness, the healing can not happen. Our humanness, the sense of who we are, they are tied to our relationships and when they are in peril due to a lack of forgiveness, we struggle.

If you think that our relationships on earth suffer, think about our relationship with God.

Matthew 5:23-24 says: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” If we want our gifts to be received and blessed by God, we need to forgive. We need to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters. If we are unwilling to forgive, what makes us think God will forgive us? If we refuse to forgive, how can our hearts receive God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s blessings?
We must be willing to forgive and seek forgiveness. Well, we have come one step further on our journey. The next time we meet together in this sanctuary, there will be a time of forgiveness, but you don’t have to wait.
Over the next couple of weeks, please prayerfully consider if there is someone you need to forgive. Someone you need to seek forgiveness from. Our journey is nearing the end. May God open His mercy.

August 21, 2011 - Journey to Forgiveness – “Why Does God Forgive Our Sins?”

2011-10-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Luke 1:76-79

Ephesians 1:3-10

Nehemiah 9:13-21

In a few weeks, our nation will take a few minutes to remember the victims of the terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001. There will be a moment of silence called for, the names of the almost 3,000 victims will be read and all across our nation prayers will be lifted up for the families and friends and those who survived and some well meaning people will pray for the soldiers and civilians who have died in the two wars our nation has waged in retaliation to the attacks.

As part of our collective process for this day, we are focusing on forgiveness. We are undertaking a journey that will help us understand the concept of forgiveness. Are there people that we need to forgive? Are there people that we need to ask forgiveness from? Are there people that we need to encounter on our “Journey to Forgiveness?”

To review a little from last week, forgiveness is “the act of giving up resentment of or claim to compensation or retaliation for.” It is the choice to no longer hold an offense against someone for something they did wrong. It is to let go of the anger and the pain. It is to deliberately choose to no longer wish ill will against someone who has hurt you.

Last week, we defined forgiveness and next week we will look at why we need to forgive, but before we get there, I want to put it in perspective, in context. Today, we are going to focus on “Why Does God Forgive Our Debts?” Why does God, the creator of the universe, choose to forgive your sins? Have you ever though about it? Why does God choose to forgive us?

The most obvious answer to this question is simple, because he can, because God chooses to. Not trying to oversimplify God, but God forgives, because he chooses to forgive. It may be for our best interest, it may be in order to keep us in relationship, it may be for a hundred excellent reasons, but in the end, God simply chooses to forgive. Nehemiah 9:17 says: “They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”

At the heart of God’s choice to forgive lies the very essence of who God is. God chooses to forgive his creation, because he cares for you. His compassion compels God to be a forgiving God. I John 4:16 states that “God Is Love.” Love is not just a characteristic of God, it is the essence of God. Pull everything back, remove all of what we believe God to be and at the core is love.

God forgives, because of love. Love cannot exist in the midst of pain, anger, and malice. Love can only thrive in the midst of peace. If there is discord, love is stifled. If there is distance, love cannot overcome.

God chooses to forgive in order to stay in relationship with us. God forgives, because it is necessary for us to receive his blessings. It is necessary for us to dwell in God’s presence. Forgiveness is what allows our relationship to exist with God, period.

Throughout the Bible, God has forgiven humanity. Over and over, no matter how far we have strayed, God forgives. No matter what his people have done, God has forgiven us when we approach his throne with humility. In the Old Testament, when God forgave his creation, there were usually consequences to their sin. With Adam and Eve’s sin with the forbidden fruit, the consequences was death. Life would have an end. When the Israelites built a golden calf to worship in the desert, their punishment was that no one from that generation would enter the Promised Land, The Babylonian exile, the destruction of Jerusalem were all consequences of sin and the list could go on Consequences for sin, but in his Son, Jesus Christ, something in God’s forgiving nature changes. If possible, God becomes even more compassionate, more forgiving. Ephesians 1:7-8 reads: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” When we confess our sins before God, our sins are forgiven. The consequences do not pertain to us. The penalty, the consequence was paid in full through the blood of Jesus Christ. His death on the cross has paid for the sins of those who trust in him.

When we confess our sins to God, he chooses to not remember them any longer. He casts them as far as the East is to the West. He chooses to no longer hold us bound by our sins any longer. We are set free.

It is because of God’s love for us that He gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to the world. It is because of God’s compassion, that His Son’s death, paid the consequences of sin. God stepped in and broke the cycle of sin, forgiveness penalty once and for all. He set us free from the bonds of sin.

Because God loves you, He forgives. Because God loves you, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin. Because God loves you, He offers you a relationship with him. A relationship grounded in love and lived through the grace of Christ.

I invite you to continue this journey to forgiveness. Please search your heart to see if there is someone you need to forgive. Is there someone you need to ask to forgive you? Is there a relationship to restore?

At the end of the journey, there will be a time to give it all to God. To let go of the pain, the anger, the guilt, once and for all. All I ask of you today is to be willing to take one more step along the journey to forgiveness.

August 7, 2011 - Journey to Forgiveness – “What is Forgiveness?”

2011-10-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

Scriptures:

Matthew 18:15-22

Hebrews 10:15-18

Micah 7:16-20

In five weeks, our nation will be observing the 10^th Anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil. On September 11, 2001, two planes crashed into the World Trade towers, one crashed into the Pentagon and one was heroically crashed in rural Pennsylvania, which was set to hit Capitol Hill/White House. The reaction to that day has forever changed our national psyche. We are much more fearful of strangers, especially people that are of the ethnic and religious background of the attackers.

The anger that accompanied that dreadful day still lingers. The distrust, the pain, the uncomfortable, uneasiness, the flat out fear has permeated our lives to the core and instead of keeping the status quo, instead of sweeping everything under the proverbial “rug,” I think it is time for us to deal with the underlying reason why we seem crippled by those events 10 years later.

So, for the next few weeks, with a few interruptions, we will be going on a journey. The road that we travel will have some treacherous points. The things we discover may be life-changing. Today, we are beginning a journey that will lead us to the meaning of and the power released in forgiveness. I ask you to open yourselves up to the possibilities. I ask you to sign on as we take the first step along the journey. Lay your preconceptions down and open your heart up to the freedom that comes when we learn to forgive.

So, what is forgiveness? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as “the act of giving up resentment of or claim to compensation or retaliation for.” To forgive someone is to no longer resent them for an offense against you. It is to separate the act from the pain it caused. It may even require you to reach out and let them know you are letting go of the pain.

It is also the release of retribution. We cannot get caught up in the vicious cycle of “an eye for an eye.” If we focus on how to get back at them, or how to hurt them before they hurt us, we have lost our focus.

I truly believe that the biggest obstacle to relationships, to friendships, is a lack of trust and almost always at the heart of the mistrust is the inability to forgive. Someone has done something that has hurt us or it is our sin or action or inaction that has caused pain in the lives of others. Whether it is guilt or pain, these emotions are keeping us from being in a true relationship with someone. It is truly impossible to love someone if there are unforgiven pains. They will drive a wedge between you and tear you apart.

In the gospel reading for today, Peter ask Jesus a question about forgiveness. Matthew 18:21 says: Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Seven is one of those perfect numbers in the Bible. So, is seven enough? Is there a time when we no longer have to forgive?

In our humanness, we are all probably wishing the answer was “yes”. If they do it one more time, then I Finally won’t have to forgive. The glove can come off. I can see Peter standing there with his hand clenched, ready to slug his brother, Andrew, for some offense.

But, that is not the answer Jesus gives. Matthew 18:22 says: Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Now, we could take it completely literal. On the 78^th offense, we can stop forgiving or we can see what Jesus was implying. If we want to be in relationships with our brothers and sisters, our family and friends, our spouses, then we have to be willing to forgive every time they seek forgiveness. EVERYTIME without fail.

     Forgiveness is not an easy adventure. The act of forgiving can be as painful as the original offense. We must be willing to truly forgive and truly seek to be forgiven. We must seek forgiveness. We must forgive their sins, even if they don’t ask for forgiveness. We need to take the words of Jesus in verse 18 very seriously. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”. When we forgive sins, we unbind their effect both here and in heaven.
     We are called to love our neighbors to reach out to them with the love of Jesus Christ. We follow a Savior who sacrificed his life for the sins of the world. God, who loved the world, sent his son, Jesus Christ, to restore humanity’s relationship with God.
     As Jesus hung on the cross, he spoke these words in Luke 23:34 to the people who condemned him to death: Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In the midst of dying, Jesus forgave those who were responsible for his crucifixion. He unbound the chains of sin.
     As Christians, we are called to follow Christ. We are called to mold ourselves in His image and in this case, it means we are called to forgive. We are called to release the anger, to let go of the pain, and to seek restoration of the relationship.
     I invite you to continue in our journey. Please search inside yourself to see if there is something that needs forgiven. Is there someone you need to forgive? Is there someone you need to ask to forgive you? Is there restoration that need to occur?
     At the end of the journey, there will be an opportunity to bring your forgiveness, your pain, your guilt to the altar. To let go of it all, once and for all. All I ask of you today is to take one more step on our journey to forgiveness.

Welcome

2011-09-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

This is my first foray into the world of blogging. I hope to use this to share my sermons with the people of my congregation (and anyone else who has an need for torture)! If you like what you see here, please stop back by for more updates.