This Is Our Community - Interdependence - May 7th

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I don’t know about you but I’ve been planting  in the last few weeks. So far the only thing I’ve gotten to grow are green beans. The seed came from my grandmother, and I’ve had it for a long time. I’ve made my own seed from the plants I’ve grown in the past from the original seeds grandma handed down.

I’m trying to work on a hydroponic garden of sorts. Right now it’s just cukes and zucchini. If it works I’ll be surprised, because beyond the grass in our yards, we usually don’t have green thumbs.

I tell you all of this to remind you that we need to be thriving where God has planted us.  And we need to remember to be growing gardens, building homes, increasing our families all in spite of the circumstances of this pandemic.  The People of Jeremiah’s time were in the midst of exile – having been moved from Israel, to Babylon. We can feel as if we are in exile even today.

And to remind you , there aren’t many things in this life we can do by ourselves. Community is how we operate on a day-by-day basis. God designed us, and created us to live in community with each other. We need each other to survive.

1 Corinthians 12:24b–27 (NIV) But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Paul explains that the body of Christ is made up of many parts, but functions as one. Therefore, each part needs the other no matter how different. There is no body part that has the right to be prideful and assume it is most important in order for there to be a fully functioning, healthy body. Each part must do its part or everything else becomes vulnerable.

As Christians, we must refrain from elevating certain roles – pastors, government officials, and celebrities are not any more important than the local baker, florist, church small group leader, Sunday School teacher – or greater. All these people have jobs and titles and they serve a certain purpose in the community. All are needed for the community to progress forward together, to prosper.

Even though this passage is dealing with spiritual things, we can see that having equal concern for each other can extend to the way we act as one in our communities. We can take the initiative to buy from the local farmers market, or to purchase gifts for others from a local artist or craftsman. Because loving our neighbors also includes being concerned for their livelihood.

We could care for our neighbors by organizing a neighborhood watch. If one neighbor’s house is vandalized others’ homes might be too. Wouldn’t it be great to watch out for each other. Our lives are part of a circle of life that relies on us, as well as others to all do our part and to help when we can. And in the midst of living life in community like this, it also means to wrestle with what the message of the Good News is today, in the context of this time and place.

This Is Our Community.

This Is Our Community - Longer Than Expected - May 6th

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We’ve been talking about our community – you know – the place where God has planted you. And how, in essence when we hear the command to love our neighbor as ourselves, we truly need that to be loving our community.

In the same way that we see each other as members of the body of Christ – one body with many members – we should see our community similarly.

Our community that we live in is one specific place, with many residents, where God has planted us. If we want our community to be clean, safe, funded, and prosperous, then we must have a “together” mindset rather than an individualistic one.

This could be small gestures we make like sending food to someone who needs it, or having a neighborhood cleanup day for that one house on the block who struggles to mow their lawn.  It might be as simple as donating some books to the local library.

When we see our community as what it could be, the potential that is build into our community, and we work together with other Christ followers, then the community can change for the better

Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NIV)  This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:  “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

We see here that God tells the Israelites that they were to seek the peace and prosperity of the city or community they were living in. Now think about that for just a moment. They were in exile. They had been drug off to Babylon, and yet even though they were exiled there and everything was foreign to them, God tells them to pray for the prosperity of the city of their captors. I would have to ask Jeremiah – are you sure about that?  You want me to pray for these heathen, Baal worshiping people to prosper – and for the entire city or community to prosper?

The verse goes on to say that they should pray to God on behalf of that city, because if it prospers then they will also prosper. 

In this case we can see how instrumental the community of Believers can be to the community’s environment. The very city that they’ve been exiled to and feel detached from, is the place that could bring them prosperity. But only if they make sure to pray for it and take care of it.

When we pray for our local government, the outcome could be better laws that positively affect us. When we pray and seek after the proper funding and help needed for the local elementary school staff, our communities’ children prosper.

Do you see how this can be applicable to us now, right this very day. I feel very strongly that we are not getting out of all this mess we are in, unless those of us who believe hit our knees and pray to God. And we ought not for deliverance from any government or government official. But pray that God would cause this sickness to leave, and for us to prosper.

I’m not talking about name it and claim it prosperity doctrines and teachings.    I’m talking about moving from the attitude of surviving to the attitude of thriving in spite of the circumstance that each of us are in from our respective communities.

Thriving is what people do when they live life to the point of planting gardens and building houses, giving their sons and daughters in marriage, and increasing the size of their families. And that is what God has called us to do in the midst of this exile, is simply this – live life.  This is our community.

This Is Our Community: Where We are Planted - May 5th

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Yesterday we were reminded that it takes all of us working together to take care of our communities. And I believe a good analogy of this is baking a cake.

Baking a cake requires many different ingredients in order for it to taste good. However, most of us would not eat the raw eggs, flour, or sugar by themselves. The ingredients taste totally different then they are mixed together. In the same way, each of us has a specific purpose in the body of Christ and in our communities. And when we work together, we create something that people are drawn to.

A wise pastor once told me, strong individuals create strong families, strong families create strong churches, and strong churches create strong communities. This has certainly been my experience as a pastor. And if this is our community, and you’ve been planted in your community, we have to realize that all of this starts with you and me.

Jeremiah 29:1-10 (NIV) This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.  (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”  Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Could we agree that right now many of us feel as though we are in exile. Nothing feels right. Most of us are still staying home, hoping for an end in sight. Hoping for the time when can we all go back to normal, when can we go back to church.

If we’re not careful, we can focus so much on the fact that we don’t want to live in exile – or be in circumstances that we don’t want to live in – that we forget God has called us to BE – to BE – to BE – the Church.

In this Scripture, what did the prophet say that God wanted the people to do? The Lord gives instruction to Israel about the way they are to live and honor their new city, even though it is foreign and not their homeland. They are to honor their new community even though the Israelites must have felt terribly out of place and homesick. The Lord tells them to make the most of it and he will bless them. They must build homes and plant gardens. They are to marry off their children and make sure to increase in number. You know, sometimes we have to learn how to make the best of our living situation. And know that the community we live in is ours (at least for now) and should be seen as a blessing by God.

No matter where we are, this is a place that God has given us a chance at life. So we must worship, give honor and glory to God, and be thankful for the community we live in. This is our community.

This Is Our Community: The Body of Christ - May 4th

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We should be kind to our community and its establishments because it is our livelihood. If I’ve learned anything about this time I’ve noticed that we truly need our local establishments. And some of this in me is because of coming from a small town, and living and ministering in a smaller community.

We should take pride in the local establishments within our community because they are what make up part of our routine, and they are the way others make a living. Without our patronage the working people wouldn’t make a living and without those people working we wouldn’t have the services we need. It takes everyone doing their part to keep our communities running.

Police officers protect our city, government officials provide boundaries, and construction workers keep our communities advancing. As a church body we should continually pray for the establishments we don’t work for. Because even when we don’t notice, they are affecting our lifestyle.

Just think about the businesses we need during this stay home order, and those businesses that have been deemed non-essential. I’m fairly certain, to the workers of those businesses, the paycheck they normally earn is fairly essential.

Romans 12:3-8 (NIV) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

The body of Christ has many members who all have different functions. The emphasis being that it’s okay to serve in different capacities. Just like in a physical body our ligaments, body parts,  and internal organs all do something drastically different. Yet all have the same goal of keeping our entire body healthy.

In the same way the members of the body of Christ keep the church healthy, and our communities healthy, if they continue to serve in their respective gifts.

As Christians it can become easy to feel as if everyone should be in full-time ministry, in order to serve the community well.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

However, when Christians make up the professional workplace as accountants, firefighters, bakers, grocery store clerks, wedding coordinators, and the list goes on and on, we have the chance to show God’s love to people in our communities who may not know the Lord.

We depend upon each other more than we truly know. We each need to find our gift and then – start working out of our strengths. When we love each other and work together supporting our communities, God gets all of the glory.

This Is Our Community - Loving Others - May 2nd

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When we think of loving our neighbor, it is easy to think of our actual neighbors, coworkers, and people we may see on a regular basis. However, loving our neighbor also means loving our community.

We may think of our child’s school as just a place of education. Or the local cleaners as a place to drop off clothes. But these are community buildings filled with people we’ve been commanded to love. When we choose to support our local businesses, local charities, and local government, we are funding and feeding the very people who provide service that keeps the community running and alive.

Deuteronomy 14:27-19 (NIV) And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own. At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

In Deuteronomy 14:27–29 The Lord tells Israel to make sure they do not neglect the Levites. Who live in the same city as them. This is especially important because the Levites don’t have an inheritance. Here we see that God is providing a way for the Levite to live and survive through the hands of other people. These two groups may not have known each other personally, yet are connected through the law of the Lord.

The Levites provided a great service that affected the people of Israel. And the Israelites cared for the Levites’ physical needs through their blessing from God. God gave the same command when it came to the orphans, widows, and foreigners that lived among the Israelites.

These particular groups were taken care of by God through the Israelite community. Which shows us that it is God’s desire that we work together to care for all those in our community, and especially those who cannot care for themselves and those on the margins.

When you live in a community that strives to be in one accord, you can experience a great cyclical protection and provision. Giving and taking, and protection and serving all become a normal way of life. We are blessed with what we have in order to be a blessing to others. If our communities and our cities are going to be healthy and prosperous then it must be a community effort to take care of one another.

If you have small children, chances are you’ve seen the Disney movie Coco. In the movie, a little boy Miguel Is on a quest to restore music to his family. Unfortunately his family needs him to work to help with the finances, so he shines shoes in the city. And as he is on his way into the city one day, he pays for a biscuit. Then gives the biscuit to a stray dog that he continues to take care of throughout the movie.

Even in the hardships this young boy notices how blessed he is, when confronted with a starving stray dog who is trying to find food in a trash can. Not only does Miguel feed him the biscuit, he continues to help the dog and they become life-long friends.

Isn’t that how we should be? When we are blessed with good things, we can be a blessing to others, and especially those who can’t care for themselves.

This Is Our Community.

This Is Our Community - Loving Ourselves - May 1st

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Many of us have an immediate family that we love and care for every day. We strive to love them well. And then we try love well the friends in our church groups, our coworkers, and friends on social media. But how often do we proclaim love for our surrounding community? We should remember and acknowledge the fact that we don’t live alone but in a shared space with others. We should think of our neighbors, and surrounding communities, as people God has entrusted to us.

God shows us that he has put our neighbors into the trust of our hands by creating laws that protect them and us. All of this begins with loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Mark 12:28-34 (NIV) One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Yesterday we talked a bit about this same account told by Luke. And then went further in that account and talked about the example that Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan. And it brings us to think for a moment, about a couple of things. First – we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And I believe that implies something, that we know how to love or take care of ourselves.

And I briefly alluded to this the other day. Bobbi and I have flown a bit, mostly to see our kids and our grand-kids back east. Every time I get on a plane, there’s always an attendant who talks everyone through a few safety things, before they check to make sure I’m buckled in, my seat and tray table are in the forward position, and we take off. And the one thing they say that gets me every time is, “in the event of cabin depressurization an oxygen mask will drop from the compartment above your seat. Place it over your face and secure it in place. Make certain to secure your own mask before you help others with theirs.

Huh…? If you’re a parent flying with Children - are you seriously going to expect them to secure their mask first? Man – I’m likely to not do that before I make sure my kids – an probably other people’s kids have their masks secured. It truly a hard thing to think about doing.

But maybe it isn’t or maybe it shouldn’t be. Growing up in church, I’ve heard this acronym repeatedly: J.O.Y – Jesus – Others – You. And I’m at a point in my spiritual journey where I sort of want to call bologna on that.

So, before we talk about taking care of our neighbors, which we will get to tomorrow, I’m going to ask you today, what do you do to take care of yourself? Not just spiritually – but also physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

Confession time here for me, I haven’t really taken much time for just me lately. If there’s one thing I’m going to do it’s just sit and play an instrument or sing – do something musical. And it may not have anything to do with worship music or church music of any kind or shape.

I love, jazz – easy piano jazz music.  I could listen to it all day long – you know the stuff they play in the elevators. Now, I know that jazz piano standards really does nothing to connect me to the Holy Spirit. But there is something in me that just relaxes and enjoys myself when I sit and tickle the ivories.

I recharge spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally in many different ways. My point is, before you can help someone else put on their oxygen mask, you’ve got to secure your own. And that means take some time for you.

Re-Thinking the Church: Service & Love - April 30th

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What comes to your mind when I say the word compassion? Put that in your comments today as you’re listening to this devotion. I bet none of you were thinking of the word faith. More likely than not it doesn’t come to mind, when we are talking about love or service.

James 2:14-26 (NIV) What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Yeah – so there’s that…  Hmmm, so Pastor Dan, you’re saying that service and love work together through my faith. No – the Bible is actually saying that.

In fact James is so adamant – he is so absolutely certain of it – about faith and deeds working together to express love, both love to God and love to others, that he says faith without deeds is dead. And those should be some strong words for us. Mostly, they don’t because our culture views death differently.  But in James’ day, death was a big deal.  For instance if you touched a dead person you had to do this entire ritual cleansing thing.  There were severe rules about distancing and shouting unclean.  And while James is making a case to join faith and deeds, I would make a case that faith and deeds without love is just as dead.

1 Corinthians 13:3 (NLT) If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body to be burned, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

The thought that I lean into here is compassion. When Jesus walked the earth, He walked in a state of compassion in everything He did.

In the book of Luke, Jesus was asked what are we to do to inherit eternal life? Jesus – being a good Jewish rabbi answers a question with a question. In essence He asks, how do you interpret what the Law of Moses says?

And we all know the answer the religious expert responded with    Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, your mind and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself. Now remember this is my paraphrase. Jesus told him – yep you got it. Then the expert asked, so – who is my neighbor? We need to remember he really didn’t want the answer but wanted to somehow discredit Jesus.

This is Jesus’ reply - Luke 10:30-37 (NIV) In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Now to you and me today, this may not have been such a touching story past the thought of helping someone who had been injured. But you have to realize that Jesus starts out by obliterating the idea that Samaritans were not good. There was such a hatred for Samaritans, people would not travel through a Samaritan area.  They would travel around it – even if it increased the travel exponentially.  Not only that but they wouldn’t talk to or do business with someone who was a Samaritan.

What I hear Jesus telling those people then and us today, is that even those who are considered the worst by society are still part of the Kingdom of God.  God can change us all from the inside out when we let Him. And anyone can be filled with compassion just like any believer.

So where does that leave us? It leaves us re-thinking what is important in the life of the Church? God has put each one of us right where we are. No matter if we are in the Tri-Cities near where I live, or any other place. He has us there for a reason - to be His Church. Wherever we are planted, we have to ask ourselves: Are we fulfilling the mission that God needs us to fulfill in His kingdom…? Now there’s something to talk about.

Re-Thinking the Church: Accountability - April 29th

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Probably one of the biggest challenges right now that the church faces, and I believe it was even when we were able to gather in person for worship and other group activities, is attendance minus participation.

It’s so easy to go to church or now watch service on Sunday, or maybe even pick up a live stream devotion  here or there and then fade into the background without embedding yourself into the life-changing community of the local church. And simply put this comes down to accountability. And accountability may not be what you are thinking it is or what you may have been led to believe it is. I often believe we have been taught incorrectly about accountability.

When it comes to accountability, we often are available to hold others accountable to living the holy life that we witness Jesus calling all disciples to live.

Parents always want to remind children, the Bible says children obey your parents. And children want to remind parents, they are not to exasperate their children. Husbands remind their wives the Bible says that they should be obedient. And in turn, wives want to remind husbands you need to love the way Christ loved and lay down your life for me.  It seems like we have made a culture around telling others how they should be accountable to us. But this is not the Jesus way.

When we talk about Jesus and His first Disciples, we say that He called them – not commanded them. It wasn’t a mandate that they come and do everything He was going to teach them. It was handled in a way  that was not controlling - this is the Jesus way.

Matthew and Mark tell almost the same exact story about those first disciples and their call to follow Christ. Luke has some details that Matthew and Mark leave out, but the stories all agree that Jesus called them to Him.

Can you see how Jesus might look at accountability and discipleship from a different angle of perspective here? And that is how the Kingdom of God usually is – compared to our earthly or humanly customs, thinking,  or logic.

So here’s my one point today.  Accountability truly has nothing to do with you holding another person accountable for their actions or behaviors. Accountability has to do with submitting to each other to be discipled. And there’s THAT word – submit.

Ephesians 5:21 (NIV) Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.      

When we translate the word used for submit, we interpret it to be under command or order mutually, did you get that – mutually.  It’s a mutual thing – one places themselves willing under another, or in this case under each other. One does not lord themselves over another person. And when we look at the example of Christ, we can know that THIS IS the Jesus way for accountability. You also notice there is another part to this mutual submission.  It is what we translate into the word reverence.

The word here used for reverence in the Greek is phobos. And it expresses awe, reverence, or  respect. But it’s also where we get our word phobia – which means uncontrollable fear.

Think about it for a moment, this is the same word – phobos – that is expressed when we read the account of the Israelites and God at Sinai. It’s the word used in how the Israelites viewed God at the parting of the Red Sea. They step back in awe or reverence of God.

Phobos is what made Moses hide his face before the burning bush. It’s what caused Isaiah to lament his unworthiness to God in the Temple, it’s what causes Peter to ask Jesus to leave him because Peter realizes his sin before God ( Lk. 5:8). It’s the same for John when he was on the island of Patmos . And in his vision he encounters Jesus and falls as though dead (Rev. 1:17). This is the reverence that Paul is talking about for each other when we mutually submit to each other in accountability.

Paul is telling all of us – and disciple that reads his letter to the church in Philippi, this same reverence that infects our hearts where God is concerned, is also the level of reverence we should have for each other.  And I would add that we need to do this especially considering that each of us who are disciples of Christ have the Holy Spirit living in them.  We are now the Temple and God resides in our hearts. If people were that reverent  when God possessed burning bush or was a pillar of cloud or a pillar of fire or resided in the Holy of Holies, then how much more should we submit – and I would say should we place ourselves accountable to one another

Philippians 2:1-8 (NIV) Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

So let me ask you this – in light of Jesus showing us what it means to be submitted – what makes it difficult for us to place ourselves under someone else for accountability while we are on this journey? That’s our discussion, our comments for today – it really isn’t that hard is it…

Re-Thinking the Church: Individualism - April 28th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/517007032308472/

Something that will help us all stay connected - keep up the discussion – on the Live Stream. Like, follow, and share these morning devotions.  And don’t forget to check in @ Richland Church of the Nazarene.

Galatians 6:1-5 (NIV) Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.  Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,  for each one should carry their own load.  Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Kind of an interesting passage of Scripture here.  It seems that we may have done a bit of disservice to Paul’s letter by separating the beginning of chapter 6 from chapter 5.  Back in the previous chapter, Paul is talking about a form of fundamentalism that goes to the extreme of legalism. And that makes the beginning of chapter 6 a bit more clear.

Now, if you read some of Paul’s other writings you know he talks about the grace of God and how it does not give us permission to live like hell Mon-Sat, and then be a holier-than-thou Sundays. It doesn’t work that way. And it also doesn’t work when we take the positional argument that we would rather sit at home and do all of this on our own, instead of sit on the pew with all the hypocrites that go to church. Guess what – right now if you find yourself in that camp of fundamentalism you might think you’re happy now right? No, not really - because at its heart the fundamentalism and the legalism that lead us down that pathway to isolation is filled with arrogance that leads to individualism – or more simply put it’s the thought that – I can do all of this on my own. Meaning I can live my life, pleasing God by myself.

Can I say from personal experience, that’s not how Christians live. We are a reflection of God Who lives in community – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are a reflection of this unity if we are following Christ, and that unity pulls us in together.

I found it interesting that this Scripture seems to go in two different directions when it comes to carrying our burdens.  And this leads me to believe that there are those burdens we indeed can carry on our own. You know the ones that are ours. Often times there are things in our lives that we need to take ownership of, that we need to rightly carry on our own. Often times I believe there are pains and struggles that we create on our own and carry on our own. And then there are those things, those situations in life where we need to reach out for help.

You know I was reminded yesterday that often times those of us who are mature Christians forget that we need to put on our own oxygen mask before we help others put on theirs. It’s called self care – which is NOT to be confused with selfishness.  I believe Jesus spoke of this when He told us that we need to love others like we love ourselves – meaning taking care of others like we take care of ourselves.

Then, there comes a time when help is needed beyond my own abilities.  I can’t tell you how often I see it,  and I have to even remind myself that from time to time it does me some good to check in with someone else. WHY…because we are all human.

Before I’m a pastor, I am a child of God. I am a disciple – I need to be discipled as much as I need to be discipling others. I am on this journey with God and there are times I’m going to need help just as much as the next disciple. But that kind of help only happens when we work together.

And we’re going to talk about that a bit more tomorrow. But today can you think of a time where you needed help but you didn’t want to ask for it? Can you share some insight in what helped you to ask for help? As we Re-Think Church we need to ask ourselves, how can we do this better together?

Re-Thinking the Church: Encouragement - April 27th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/559146561398270/

Keep up the discussion – on the Live Stream. It’s a great way to contribute to all of our growth.   In Facebook let’s make our comments today reflect how are we growing in God’s grace today.  Let’s talk about what is it that God is teaching us? Let’s not waste this time, we have to learn something because God is always teaching us.

Don’t forget to check in @ Richland Church of the Nazarene - Like, follow, and share the live stream with your friends this morning. Maybe you have something from a previous devotion, or in your own Scripture reading that God is using to work  in you – share that with us – and by doing that you allow God to work through you.

Well – let’s move on with our devotions this morning.  Have you ever had someone who was just an encouragement to you? What did they do, what did they say that was an encouragement?

Philippians 1:12-14 (NIV) Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.  As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.  And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

We know that Paul is writing from prison of some form – at least captivity of some kind we really aren’t certain what the particulars are.  But here he has laid down a foundation of encouragement. And as we are Rethinking the Church, it seems fitting that we look at what we can all do to help encourage each other.

I know that it’s really easy to get discouraged right now. Moms and Dads you’re now your child’s substitute teacher. Most of you are experiencing being home 24-7 with your new students. Everyone is so close to each other. If it’s not happening, it could be the COVID 15lbs you’ve gained because you walk by the fridge five or six times on your way to work in the living room. Just what everyone dreamt of right?

I say all of that to simply point out we can look at the circumstances we are in and go down a depressing road. Or – we can look for and be an encouragement for others.

In our passage today, Paul has been imprisoned for preaching the Gospel of Christ. He is in chains and we aren’t really sure if he’s imprisoned in a prison or if he’s chained under house arrest. But we need to remember that this is a time where being in chains was dangerous. This is a time where being in chains was victimizing, and where he experiences loss of control of his life. His future was literally in someone else’s hands.

Notice that didn’t stop him from proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus or testifying to what the Spirit of God can do in his life and in the lives of others around him.

It’s during this time not only can he see the positives for the Gospel of Christ, he’s being encouraged by the spreading of the Gospel. Here we see him going beyond that, beyond his own personal experiences and he’s being an encouragement to those who need it.

When was the last time you heard a testimony that was encouraging? Could you share that with us today, we could all use a bit of encouragement - especially today.

Re-Thinking the Church: Community - April 24th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/168032864458013/

Ok – we’ve had some great discussions lately here in the comment’s section of our live streams.  So a couple of things – help me out – remember to check in at Richland COTN when you are watching, like and follow our Facebook page, and share these morning devotions.

Today in the comment section, keep saying good morning.  I love seeing everyone who are watching.  I look at it after, Bobbi is usually watching with all of you, greeting you to the live stream.  But if you would, say a few words to describe things you see changing in the church today.

So based on some of our previous time together , we have talked about the Church and how we – you and me are the Church. The church is not the building or denomination, you and I are the Church.

I would hate to come out of this time without examining what we do as a church.  Or without reevaluating what our priorities are as a church. I believe, It’s time to rethink the mission of the local church. Because being a part of the church is more than attending a service, more than giving in the offering. Being part of the church is  about connecting with a community to pursue a common goal—Jesus. The church, as a whole, is meant to care for each other, grow together, and reach the world together.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 (NIV) Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

This Scripture highlights the need for community and fellowship within the body of Christ. We’re all moving toward the same goal, and we need to look out for and care for each other as we move forward . Often, the church can become  a place of competition rather than community, it often happens. We must rethink our motives if we want genuine love to thrive.

The Greek word “koinonia” can be translated into community, commonness, communion or fellowship. And in each sense that it’s used, it implies a couple of elements. First is a deepening relationship and friendship. Second is this sense of coming together to develop common vision, goals or priorities.

This word is also used when we read about the Trinity. Now the word Trinity is not in the Bible. But when the New Testament describes the relationship of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit - this word koinonia is used to convey this intertwined relationship of God, or how God lives in community.

Remember a few days ago, when I spoke of being plugged in, that the branches need to be plugged in or grafted into the vine. Let’s refresh - God the Father is the vine, Jesus’ resurrection power is the life flowing through the vine, and we are connected by the Holy Spirit grafting us into the vine. Not only is this how we are to live in relationship with God, this is also how we are to live together as the Church. This is how the Church needs to be in relationship with each other.

Jesus asked God the Father to do this, not just for His Disciples who were present with Him then, but also for all of those who would come to follow Him through their teaching.

John 17:20-21 (NIV) “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the perfect reflection of what it means to live in koinonia.

And this is Jesus’ prayer to the Father, on our behalf that we would experience this same depth of relationship with God (Father, Son, HS) and that we would reflect this in our relationships as the Church.

So as you go through today drop a line in the comments of this live stream of what God is laying on your heart, describing what Rethinking the Church – and especially fellowship can look like from here on out.

Living Generously - April 23rd

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/671864023616201/

What would it look like, if we lived more generously as a community? What could that encompass?  Could living more generously go beyond finances and tap into other resources we have?

I think of my woodworking friends.  I have always thought it would be cool if I could build things.  But, I struggle with that.  I remember being in 8th grade woodshop. And I had a great teacher who realized something.  I can cut out, plane, sand, basically make perfect parts.  But when it comes to putting those parts together – well my projects looked like Picasso had put them together.  He even went as far as to have me make his parts for him when he demonstrated the project for the class.  His projects always looked great – mine – well, not so much.

Let’s look at that Scripture again from yesterday, there’s something here I would like us to look at.

Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Often times when we look at generosity and we focus on finances. But – I believe that finances are simply a part of our resources. There are times where our time or talents, our God-given gifts and graces and other things, thoughts, and ideas can be a resource to give generously. Think about it this way, do you have a skill or talent that you could share with others? Do you have time that could be spent focusing on the well-being of others? Who is it that God has created you to be or you have learned to be (like a skill) that can be shared?

In one church, we had a lady who was elderly.  She was in her mid-late eighties.  Most of her life she had been really active in her church.  But she was physically more limited as she got older.  But she wanted to help – and she could pray.  She even told me, that she couldn’t kneel any more because she couldn’t get up.  But she would sit at her kitchen table, next to her phone, and if I needed prayer she would answer my call to prayer. 

In other churches I’ve been part of we have had men in the church who could do maintenance on cars. And they taught the younger people how to do what they had learned to do. Still to this day I like doing my own oil change on my vehicles - not to mention any repairs or other maintenance that I can save a few bucks on doing it myself. But that came to me because someone lived generously with their time and talent or skill.

So why does the Church need to live more generously – what’s our why? Why would it matter if we were to live more generously as a community – it’s one word – Love.

Love is the motivator for this gospel-centered community. On this passage, N. T. Wright comments: “They had a word for this way of ordering their life, a word which we have often taken to refer to feelings inside you but which, for them, was primarily about what you do with your possessions when you’re part of this big, extended family.” (N. T. Wright, Acts for Everyone: Part 1, 46–47).

It is only the love of Christ that will compel us to live differently from the mainstream of cultural distraction.  This is what Paul talks about in

Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

By believing on Christ, as a sacrifice for sin and knowing that He loved us, and willingly gave Himself for us, our salvation is based on Christ’s love for us. How can we turn His love for us, that love for us, into love for others?

The Church - April 22nd

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/693504814735225/

At this point in time what do you think about the church? What words would you use to describe the church? Put that in your comments today.

Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

N. T. Wright writes: “Acts 2:42 is often regarded as laying down the ‘four marks of the church.’ The apostles’ teaching; the common life of those who believed; the breaking of bread; and the prayers. These four go together. You can’t separate them or leave one out, without damaging the whole thing.”

N. T Wright goes on to say that “…if we neglect biblical teaching, we are making it easier for us to be swept up into whatever our culture values. If we neglect fellowship, we’ll become isolated. If we neglect Communion, we’ll forget that Jesus’s death and resurrection are at the “center of everything.” If we forget prayer, we’re forgetting that “Christians are supposed to be heaven-and-earth people” (N. T. Wright, Acts for Everyone: Part 1 [Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008], 44–45).

Can you see how maybe we have described or looked at the church in a way that needs to be refocused? Think about this for a moment, up until we had this COVID-19 I believe many of us looked at the church And said – it was a building. We said things like, “I’m going to church.” Now, we can’t do that – we aren’t going into a building. 

But the reality is that the building was never the church. WE are the church. It’s us – we are the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, we are the church. So maybe we can take some lessons from those first members of the church. Let’s look at making some changes not go back to normal. Let’s be frank – can I be Frank, not really because I’m Dan (ba-dum-bump). I don’t want to go back to the old normal. I want the Body of Christ to learn some new things here.   I want us to be the church and when we are able and it’s safe, continue to be the church and add back in, the corporate worship where we all get together and celebrate what God is doing in our midst.

So the disciples, not just the Apostles, all the disciples – who were the early Church members – they met daily, talked about the Apostles teaching, they remembered the Death and Resurrection of Christ, and they hung out - were involved in each other’s daily lives, and they prayed.

Hmmm, could it be that simple – yes it is that simple. This isn’t difficult because God does the work.  This ties in to what I’ve talked about the last couple of day about being plugged in, or being a branch connected to the vine.        This is what happens when we stay connected to Jesus Christ. We plug into His resurrection power through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and through our lives – then we become the Church helping each other where we need help.

So, if what words you used earlier in this live stream to describe the Church have changed, put another note into how you would describe the Church now.

It might sound like this: I see the church when I help my neighbor, or I see people helping their neighbors. I see the church when someone calls or sends me a card etc. Just maybe through this time we can remove the old way of thinking about the church. Through this time we can change how we think about what or who the Church is, and simply become the Church that God needs for us to become so that His Gospel will be spread.

Plug In 2 - April 21st

Here is where you can find the video: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/271255693897475/

Today – I want to hear what God is doing in your life.  What is God saying to you, through reading your Bible, maybe through listening to someone speak, or maybe through a book you’re reading?  Share that with me.

I hope that you are plugging in to the resurrection power of Jesus through intentionally asking the Holy Spirit to plug you in. Just like a lamp needs to be plugged into electricity and the switch then turned on, we need to be plugged into Jesus – and that’s through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, He turns on the switch for us. Here is another example of what it means to be plugged in.

John 15:1-8 (NIV) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

If I understand this Scripture, sharing the Gospel is not about what we know, it’s not about what we can memorize, it’s not about our abilities in any way shape or form. None of that is what makes it possible for us to do what God needs us to do to spread the Gospel; yep – I said needs.

This is how God has planned all of this. Now you must know that I’m with you if you’re thinking couldn’t God have found a better way than to speak through you and me to spread His Good News? But – would that have worked? Wouldn’t God presenting this all Himself, right in front of us every day be better?

Well – remember, that didn’t work with the Israelites.  They were afraid of God so they made Moses the go between them and God. And then when he came back from speaking with God, they were frightened because his face glowed.  Moses had to wear a veil.

So yes – people talking to people – is what God needs to spread His Good News. But here is where I think we get scared or shy or uncertain. We want to all give this message out to people wonderfully wrapped with a bow – the perfect presentation of the Gospel, and none of us are Billy Graham.

I said yesterday that we need to realize that God made you the only you there is. And right now my mom is in Harrington thanking God there was only one of me – right mom?

But seriously God made you, to be you and we don’t have to be someone else – we have to be who God created us to be. And as far as I can see, that Scripture we read earlier, said if we are going to bear fruit then we have to be connected to the vine. It said nothing about abilities

So – how are you connecting, are you reading or listening to your Bible? The You Version app is awesome for this. Put on some headphones and you can listen to a lot of Scripture.

One way you’re connecting is listening to this live stream. I’ll bet – if I were a betting man – that you listen to others live stream too. How about sharing in the comments today, what you’re doing to connect with God.  That is one way we can help each other. I see these comments and have realized maybe what you have realized we all struggle with similar things. Now, it may not solve the struggle, but it shows we are not in this alone – by ourselves – I’m not the only one who struggles with this.

I say (and write all of this because), God doesn’t call us to write these wonderful, inspiring sermons and preach online like televangelists to lead our family, friends, and neighbors to Christ. As far as I can see, this sharing the Gospel thing is simply this, we need to as a branch - stay connected to the vine. And when the subject comes up simply talk about what God is doing in your life, how is He working in you today?

And remember as you go through today, share something in the comments about what God is doing in your life today. What is God showing you about you?

Plug In - April 20th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/263201731378969/

Hey everybody – We’ve talked in the last few days about things that might be difficult in sharing the Gospel. Probably the response I hear most to my question about what is the hardest thing in sharing the Gospel; What do I say, what if they reject me, What if I don’t say it right? Or, how can I say it effectively?

Can I just say this…you don’t need to memorize someone’s 5 points to salvation or the “Romans Road” Scriptures – those things help but that’s not where you need to start. You don’t need to speak eloquently, you simply need to be you. You are the only You God has made, and you are you for a reason.  All you simply need to talk about is what God is doing in your life. That’s right – how is the Holy Spirit helping you right now get through this strange time.

Maybe that’s what we share in the comments today. What is God doing in your life today that is making a difference in you – for those around you. Share that with me today!

So, I want to go back to Saturday’s devotion. There’s a part of the Scripture I want to look at a bit closer.

Acts 2:37-41 (NIV) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Do not get me wrong, Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, gave this phenomenal evangelistic Gospel message. But there was something more there, those who heard asked a question. And it may be a question that you and I hear from time to time. And maybe, because of our current circumstances, we may hear it more often - “What must we do?”

When you live the life of a disciple, you have the Holy Spirit living in you and through you. He’s going to show through, people are going to see you aren’t frightened, you have a peace that goes beyond understanding, you are able to look at all of this goings on, and somehow you’re not affected. Now we know that last part may not be true – we are all affected by the circumstances around us,  but we do have something different about us. Or I will say we know someone who makes a difference in us – Jesus.

But with all of this, it’s only when we are plugged into the Holy Spirit when we have access to the resurrection power of the Jesus flowing through us.    And that’s what happened that day, those people plugged in.

Now, we all know how a lamp works right? It only lights up if the cord is plugged in to an electrical outlet and the electricity is on, running through the wires of the house. Then you have to turn on the lamp. The last time I checked a lamp cannot plug itself in and turn itself on. At least when the toaster and I had this conversation this morning we had a good laugh about it.

And that’s the same as Christians. We cannot have the power of Jesus’ resurrection flowing in us and through us unless we are plugged in to the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we need to be plugged in too - we need the power of the Holy Spirit to fuel and light the work that God has for us to do in His kingdom.

Death or Life? - April 18th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/630935470791499/

Hey everybody – Let’s do something different – aside from the physical limitations we have in the stay home order – what’s the hardest thing about going – talking to others about what Christ is doing in your life?

Acts 2:32-41 (NLT)  “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”’ “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The good news of Jesus, is displayed in the power of the Birth of the church at Pentecost. Peter’s use of Old Testament passages, were part of the apostles’ teaching and evangelism. But there’s another OT Passage that I believe has something to do with this Pentecost. Remember that Pentecost was a celebration of the giving of the Law from God to Moses then to the people.

And that day was not all that great of a celebratory day in the history of the Israelites. But before we get to that, think about this first. If Pentecost was the day God gave Moses the Law, how fitting is it that it is also the day that the Holy Spirit begins to write the Law on the hearts of the believers who will follow Him.

When God first gave Moses the Law, that is the 10 Commandments, Moses comes down and things had gone worse than sideways. We remember most of the story.  Aaron had made a golden calf for the people and they were carrying on. Then Moses gets there (to the Lord of the Flies Preschool) and here’s what happened

Exodus 32:25-29 (NIV)  Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

That’s a harsh thing to hear and to read – and then say, we serve a loving God. And to be honest I do sometimes wonder, if Moses truly heard God and had those men strap swords on themselves to kill people.  Or was Moses just fed up himself with what was happening and did this himself.  But that is just my brain wandering, here’s what I want us to notice, on the day that the Law is given to the Children of God in the desert we see about 3,000 died. Fast forward to the day God completes His plan to reconcile creation to Himself we see about 3,000 born again.

What’s important to note here, is that on the same holy day that the Law of God was given to Moses and God’s people, when 3,000 died, that same day ages apart when the Holy Spirit is given to the people who would listen, repent, believe, and be baptized, 3,000 came to life.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NIV) Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The difference is simply this, the letter of the Law can tell us the will of God – but the Spirit of the Law can give us the power to live it.

Self Made - April 17th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/607584639843002/

Hey everybody – Let’s do some more fun things today. Take a selfie while you’re watching the live stream, and post it in the comments. 

So – let’s talk some more today about sharing the Good News. We share good news all the time – maybe not THE Good News, but we share things we are excited about.  The thing of it is, the Good News is not just for us. God’s Good News, or the Gospel, is putting all of creation to right – including sin, brokenness, and all the ramifications of generational, structural, and historical sin.

We heard part of the story of Pentecost yesterday, but not the whole story.  So let’s get the rest of the story.

Acts 2:14-24 (NIV)  Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.  These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!  No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

The Holy Spirit,  brings not only individual salvation, but a whole new structure to society. If you noticed, the uneducated are now part of the kingdom of God, where all nations are blessed through God’s covenant.

“Now, to their surprise, these pilgrims heard the praises of God in all the tongues of the dispersion being uttered by Galileans of all people! The event was nothing less than a reversal of the curse of Babel” (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, rev. ed. [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998], 59).

A reversal of the curse of Babel, that got me to thinking, about what does that mean? Well – we remember the story, it’s in Genesis chapter 11. Remember when Adam and Eve were expelled out of the Garden of Eden – they were East of Eden.  Then sin goes from disobedience in just one generation to murder, the story of Cain and Abel. Now Cain was sent further East from where Adam & Eve exited the Garden of Eden, and was building a city there. In this city the people decided it would be a great idea to build a tower, to reach the heavens with the purpose to create a name for themselves and make themselves gods. Because of this, God then confuses people so they could not understand what each other was saying so they could not work together.

Fast forward to the day of Pentecost, can you see how this moment, the moment where everyone heard the true message of the Gospel – in their own language? This moment, on this special day, reverses the curse of Babel.

In light of that let me ask you, when and where are you compelled to share good news? We can’t keep good news to ourselves. Now think about this.  It’s so common place, it’s so easy to give a great word when we have a  good experience at a favorite restaurant. Or seeing a great movie or play, maybe reading a new book. Often times if you love something, you’ll share about it. Go find your favorite restaurant, and look in the Yelp section of the page. You’ll see what people say as a review - both good and bad, but you will see it.  Sharing the Gospel should be of such ease and importance as sharing a good review of a restaurant.

And another similarity, we are not unlike those who were building the tower of Babel. We want to be so independent. Our modern tendency is to consider ourselves self-made people.  The old saying “God helps those who help themselves,” is not in the Bible. In fact God is not looking for independence. He’s looking for our absolute, complete, utter dependence upon Him for our lives. And how we live this out in our ordinary, everyday lives, is the witness and testimony that others see, and which God works through to make Himself known to others.

So on the day of Pentecost, what was it that signified the Disciple’s dependence upon God? It was their obedience.  Simply this, they waited – they obeyed Jesus. He asked them to wait for the Father to give to them this gift, the infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Now, I’ll admit, it’s easy to be hung up on the details of what happened to bring about the birth the Church that day.  My challenge to you today, is to seek God and intentionally pray to experience the comfort, conviction, and power of the Holy Spirit as you commit to the Church and the goodness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Who or What - April 16th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/867053147114711/

Who or What?

April 16th, 2020

Hey everybody – let’s have some fun. I have Bobbi watching the livestream and if you are watching this morning, say hello and say where you are watching from and tell us your favorite color.

So yesterday we confronted the parts of our lives we all know need to be confronted – right? If you didn’t you need to take some time – TODAY– we are all on lockdown and have the time to get with God in your quiet place, and deal with it.  Just know this – there is a WHO – Who can, will, and does join you when you take these things to the Father – the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-8 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.  When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

There are some very interesting things here. If  you were raised in the church you’ve heard over and over this story and you’ve probably celebrated Pentecost in some shape or form as the birth of the Church, and that is indeed what this was.

Some have portrayed this particular event, as the first showing of the Holy Spirit, but that is not so.

John 20:21-23 (NIV) Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus gave the Disciples the Holy Spirit, long before the day of Pentecost. He breathed on them and breathed into them the Holy Spirit.

Now the Church did not always talk about or look upon the Holy Spirit to be as much a person as Jesus Christ. That took a long time to come around but if we are going to be wholly/completely submitted to God – we have to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And even in that last sentence, I speak as if the Holy Spirit has agency to act upon me.

All throughout the Gospels and the Epistles of the NT we see the Holy Spirit guides, leads, sends, teaches, speaks, testifies, acts, and intercedes. All of these words describe doing and being – living – agency.

Mildred Bangs Wynkoop describes Him in her book A Theology of Love (p199).

“The Holy Spirit is a Person and comes as a Person and He relates Himself to persons.  When one is saved the Holy Spirit comes to him.  This is a personal relationship, not a mathematical addition which can be divided by fractions.”

Here is another great example, of how God lives in community - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And  also in community or communion with His creation – us. We were not meant to do this alone

You want to know why we are all feeling a bit put off by this stay home thing going on right now, it’s because we were not designed to be alone. We are designed to live in communion with God and each other. But that doesn’t mean this season of life isn’t possible. It is totally possible to respect and listen to the science behind our orders and still do the work of God.

So today – All I want is some of this COMMUNITY to be shared. You have a mission to reach out to someone you haven’t heard from or spoken to in the last week or over the last 2 weeks. You can call, Facetime, Facebook Messenger Video call just to mention a few ways but somehow reach out today and just say hello, I’m thinking about YOU! And then let me know how it went.

Transformation - April 15th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/241438980337005/

If you’ve ever watched a makeover show on a morning talk show or even something like The Biggest Loser you know that people always love to see massive changes. How the plain woman now looks beautiful, how someone drops fifty pounds. How a man starts getting stronger and changing his diet. Or even those shows of buying a fixer-upper, or having some famous  construction and design duo come and remodel a home on tv.

We love these shows because they show us that anything can happen. And that we too might become fit, gorgeous, and slim – or even have the home we’ve always dreamt of. But all of these shows rest on huge amounts of tangible resources. They rest on willpower, makeup and clothes, maybe just enough money and expertise to bring about change. Is there something else that can bring the change of transformation in our own lives? Or should I ask is there someone else that can bring the change of transformation in our own lives?

Luke 1:1-9 (NIV) In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

In light of reading this Scripture, the answer to my question is yes, there is someone who can bring the change of transformation in our own lives. We refer to Him as the Holy Spirit.

The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to go live out and bring others in to experience the benefits of the kingdom Christ has secured through His death and resurrection.

Now if you notice we are not much different from the Disciples. We tend to confuse the message of the kingdom of God with our own kingdoms. While Jesus’s disciples thought He’d fulfill the kingdom of God politically, commentators note this:

“The kingdom of God which they were commissioned to proclaim was the goodness of God’s grace in Christ. Their present question appears to have been the last flicker of their former burning expectation of an imminent theocracy with themselves as its chief executives. From now on they devoted themselves to the proclamation and service of God’s spiritual kingdom” (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, rev. ed. [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998], 36–37).

It's interesting that even today, we struggle with this same thought or idea. We think we want theocracy, and truly that is God’s design for government. It’s His preferred design, if you go back to the Old Testament, God didn’t want a human king over the people. Ge wanted to be a benevolent dictator over the people.

Still, Jesus takes the time to once again teach here about the kingdom of God. It seems as if Jesus is trying to re-focus the disciples on that which they needed to look at.

Both the book of Luke and the first part of the book of Acts (both are written by Luke) teach about what the Kingdom is about in Jesus’ day. Just like then, today people want and hope for the kingdom of God to replace the oppressive invasion of government. And instead of seeing this military or governing change the Book of Luke and Acts tell how God invades the human experience in unprecedented ways through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ. God’s rule and reign in our hearts and lives outweighs what any government or military power can do.

And that’s why Jesus told them to wait. We know the story of Pentecost, sometimes though I believe we forget it’s significance because we’ve heard it too many times and we treat it with indifference.

Remember – The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to go live out and bring others in to experience the benefits of the kingdom Christ has secured. I cannot tell you how many times

I have had people seeking help for some issue or problem in their life and I start by reminding them or maybe I’m the first person to tell them this; I can give you all the tools in this world that will help you but they are only behavior modification. In other words, they will help you  not repeat certain behaviors or learn new patterns to live by but the underlying issues will always still be there.

However, it is only through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that true healing of the broken image of God within us takes place. And that is the only way I know vital, true, real, authentic, life-Long change happens in our lives.

So – what area of your life do you need to let the Holy Spirit work? What is it that you long for God to transform in you? He can take anything we give Him, WE GIVE HIM, and turn it into something beautiful. And that’s the message, that’s the mission, God wants to create this beauty in each and every person that will allow Him to do so.

Let's Go - April 14th

You can find the video here: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandNaz/videos/642682112945120/

Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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.”

It’s Jesus’s authority in his resurrection, He has overcome death and as the second person of the Godhead He has the authority to tell his disciples to go. So let me ask you this question, what fuels our mission? The power of the risen Christ has defeated the powers of death and has brought His people into right relationship with Him.

One of the early church fathers had this to say about Jesus’s authority over death:

“Death has become like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch; bound hand and foot the passers-by sneer at him, hitting him and abusing him, no longer afraid of his cruelty and rage, because of the king who has conquered him. So has death been conquered and branded for what it is by the Savior on the cross. It is bound hand and foot, all who are in Christ trample it as they pass and as witnesses to Him deride it, scoffing and saying, ‘O Death, where is thy victory? O Grave, where is thy sting?’” (Athanasius, On the Incarnation, published by St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, 5.27, http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/theology/incarnation_st_athanasius.pdf).

Let’s think about this for a moment. Jesus has all authority before His death and resurrection. But there is something different about Him what is it?

I mentioned it in passing yesterday, but let’s listen to the prophet Isaiah tell us.

Isaiah 53:1-6 (NIV) Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

What I want us to understand is this, that section where Isaiah speaks of the punishment that brought us peace, that is a particularly important statement. It’s only after the punishment was complete, that Christ could bring us such complete peace, shalom aleichem.

Those are the very words Christ said, shalom aleichem which really means       safety, rest, wholeness, completion, soundness….all so much more than simply peace or the absence of conflict. And now it’s different all because of the sacrifice He made.  And all of that is the blessing Jesus gave His disciples then and what He gives us now. And we have a part in that same blessing. Our part is to know Jesus so intimately that His resurrection power lives in us and through us.

Charles Spurgeon, speaking about the Great Commission says this about the presence of Christ:

“They have their commission, here is the seal to it; here is the source of their power; here is the society in which they are to work: ‘Lo, I am with you always.’ God grant that you and I, going forth to teach for Christ. may always have the sound of our Master’s feet with us, even to the end of the world! Amen” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible,” Matthew 28:4, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/spe/matthew-28.html. 2011).

It is the presence of the risen Christ that gives nearness to the believer in his or her going. And  it is the risen Christ Who empowers the believer to go down the street or across the world to spread the Good News.

When we experience the risen Jesus we have no choice but to go. Honestly, when we allow the Good News to invade our hearts and lives there truly is no other response but to be discipled by Him and make disciples of others.

Have you experienced the risen Jesus, more than simply knowing the stories. It’s like the meme I shared on Facebook a couple weeks ago:

“A Disciple is someone who has moved from being the recipient of the Church’s mission to being responsible for the Church’s mission.”

And that’s the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus – and going in His resurrection power.