Monthly Archives: June 2012

God’s gathering His Family

Jun 10

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Here is my Brother and Sister…
2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 & Mark 3:20–35

† In Jesus Name †

May we, with all God’s holy people have the strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth of the love of Christ, which is beyond knowledge, as we are filled with the utter fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 (adapted)

Blood isn’t thicker than water…baptismal water…

 

Today’s gospel challenges an old German proverb about family relationships being stronger than any other relationships we have.  To those who know German, I apologize for my pronunciation – the old proverb went like this, “Blut ist dicker als Wasser”

I would think that the family of Jesus would agree  with the German proverb.  In verse 21, after they determined that he was out of his mind, they set off to save Jesus, to save Him from Himself and the uncontrollable crowd.  

As they call for Him to come out – as the message is relayed inside, the answer seems almost insolent in response to their pleas. For Jesus says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

Some people think that Jesus’ words border on rudeness, on dishonoring His mother.

Yet I think it is just the opposite, for here, once and for all, Jesus doesn’t limit His family, he expands it… to include us!

We, who trust in His faithfulness – who accept and find hope in the promises He makes to us, He was thinking of us, as well as the millions of others in “our family”….

Genetics doesn’t create the closest bonds that a human can know – though perhaps blood does and water…

Not our blood, but the blood of Christ spilled on the cross,

And the water of our baptism – where God promises to unite us to Christ’s death, that we may be united all united with Him as One, in His resurrection!

In uniting us together, in making each of us the place where the Holy Spirit dwells – the Father creates the new temple –  place where He will abide forever, a temple not made of human hands, but of His people.

How strong is this bond?  What makes it different?  That is what we talk of… today!
A Different “Out Look”

 

When we talk of the relationships we have, as the body of Christ, and how close they are, it is not to mean that we have some romantic idealism that there will never be strains and stresses in our relationships.

I know that I can get on people’s nerves at times, and there are one or two… million people that cause me to struggle.  We are people who struggle with sin, and with self-deception and self-centeredness, after all!  While we strive to be holy, it is not within our lives, apart from that which is united with Christ!

But that is the point – our bonds are so tight – because in Christ – we have been given a different outlook, a different way to see what is important as Paul states in our reading this morning from 2 Corinthians,
are unseen are eternal


16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal!

 

Our family, those found in Christ, those who know His incredible love and mercy.. we look at different things that the world that has, as yet, to realize that love.

The more time we spend realizing that we are in the presence of God, not just here on Sundays, but every moment of our lives.. ohhhh how that changes things! First eternally, as we consider promises like 1 Corinthians 2:9

 

2:9 but it is as scripture says: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualise; all that God has prepared for those who love him;

Given that – our temporary struggles, are simply that, light and momentary afflictions!  Yet it is more than knowing that eternity is forever, and that comparing this life to that is not even possible…

This isn’t minimizing the pains of life, but putting them into perspective – it is hard to be mad at someone for being a pain in the neck, when we realize what Christ went through, in order that they know His love, and we can take on the fact that we are getting old – and our bodies don’t work as good as they did when we were in our twenties and thirties,

but our focus, our hopes, what causes us to tick and live and work in God’s kingdom is that we look to that we cannot see – but that we know – the presence of God, which is as real for us now, right now – and every moment of our lives…

Because we have been given the Holy Spirit – promised all over the Old Testament – especially clear in books like Ezekiel, and in the Psalms… made true for us, as Christ promised – the Spirit has come!  Again, I love Paul’s way of describing it!

3:3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7 (NLT)

And even as we share this wisdom, as we share in the gift of the Holy Spirit – we share in it together – for we all dwell together with Him, and the love of God binds us together!


We believe, and We speak…

Knowing this – we begin to understand the start of the Epistle reading:

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Paul’s quote comes from a psalm that praises God in the midst of a struggle, in the midst of life, when if we look at life without the lends of eternity, we would nearly give up.  It’s not worth the struggle, its not worth trusting God in the midst of temptation, its not worth the pain and anguish of dealing with people that are stubborn, or stupid, or irritating or corrupt…

Yet we know what God can do with such people, as we look at Moses, and David and young Jeremiah and Daniel.  As we see what God has done with Peter and Paul, and the visions he gave to a man who was called a son of thunder… and yet… wrote the gospel of John, the gospel of live. In the same way we see it in men who have sinned like Will and Stephen and Chris and I, yet who God has cleansed and called to proclaim His love, His mercy, and His grace…. And to guide people, as they hear of that love, and as we bring you closer and closer to Him!  For we trust in Him, and know what He has done in our lives.

He changes us, He causes us to trust in Him, and then He calls us to speak – to assure you, to help you be confident that the very power that raises Christ from the dead – will bring us with Jesus, into the very holy, awesome, presence of God…

both then – face to face- and now, as we serve together – as His grace and mercy extend to more and more people – and as we see them embraced by His love, as we do His will, as the ones we reach out to and we are shown to be the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus Christ – His praises arise within us, His glory grows, and we continually thank the God, who has made us us… and causes us to dwell in peace.
And because of that – …our “tradition”

One of the parts of our traditional service – that has grown to be a major focus of our multicultural service in English, is when we realize we are in the presence of God, and I get to declare – as I will in a moment – that the Peace of God is with you always – and the people exclaim “amen”!

The moment then comes – when we take some time – and share with each other –

shén de píng’ān yǔ nǐ tóngzài – the peace of Christ is with you – as we greet each other with this blessing!

This day… it is very appropriate… to end the sermon in this way – as we realize that because we are the brothers and sisters of Christ – as we realize that means we are bonded by Him to each other, in His presence… as we dwell – now and forever In the peace of God which passes all understanding, …
Pax Domini  

P   The peace of the T Lord is with you always!

C   Amen!


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A Challenge to my faith

Jun 10

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Discussion Thought of the Day

“You have never felt so absolutely free as you do now that your freedom is interwoven with love and detachment, with security and insecurity; for you do not trust yourself at all, but trust in God for everything.”     Escriva, Josemaria:   Furrow

In many ways, I don’t feel so free.  Too many things demand my attention, too many people need my attention.  Too many crisis, too much that needs healing… and then household chores that have gone undone too long (still – 6 months later have a garage that needs to be unpacked and organized!)  It is easy to let such things burden me, create guilt which will paralyze me even more.  Freedom?  Really?

Yeah – this morning I will know it… as the people of God gather, as I lose myself in playing  music that helps people lose themselves in prayer and praise…there is freedom there… there will be freedom in sharing His word  – that tells us of how He binds us together in our absolution, as He gives us a new mind – that is able to focus – not on what is temporary and passing… but instead in what is permanent.. eternal… with Him.

Escriva nails it – we find that freedom – not in being free of that which constrains us, but in our trust in a God who is present… in whose presence we presently dwell, even if it is only a hint of eternity. No matter the hellishness that surrounds us now… the Lord is with us!

Go in peace… even better – come – be gathered in that peace… with us!

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Stress Redux

A couple of hours ago, I wrote a post on Stress….

Interestingly, this came up in my devotions, not to long after: ( thinks got a bit off of schedule this morning)

“You suffer a lot because you realize that you don’t make the grade.  You would like to do more, and do it more effectively, but very often you do things in a complete daze, or you don’t dare to do them at all.
Contra spem, in spem, – live in certain hope, against all hope!  Rely on that firm rock which will save you and help you on!  It is a wonderful theological virtue, which will encourage you to press on, without being afraid of going to far, and will not let you stop.
Don’t look so troubled!  Yes cultivating hope means strengthening the will! ”  (Escriva †)

This pretty much says it – the reason we have hope – is the Rock, our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is there we start  – it is in Him we live… It is His work..that gives us hope – and as we see that hope – we find His strength – which allows us to serve… and live… and realize we walk in Him!

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Stressed? The only solution that works

Jun 7

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There are days in our lives that are quite stressful – that is something that we all have to face – it is inevitable.  But what makes a difference is how we deal with these stresses.

Some stresses are huge and external – the kind where we look at an issue that is immense, like the stories of genocide, or see victims of crimes and disasters, or even the stories of corruption and misuse of power.  Other stresses are external and closer to home, the illness of friend, the financial struggles of our friends and family, families that are broken.  And some are personal – as we find ourselves isolated in our struggles, as we are challenged by things large and small….

It is overwhelming, and if we are honest, we wonder why, and how long, and will we always feel so… powerless, so broken, so inept, so hopeless.

As a pastor and even before – as a lay leader in the church – these feelings are all to common, as the stresses pressure us in, and it seems like just as we are able to deal with one issue… another situation sneaks up on us.  And as a pastor, I realize that these is true for every family in my church, and all my friends. 

I would say I have a secret for dealing with stress that works everytime, but that would mean I actually use it every time, which would be a lie.  However, when I finally get around to it, it does work…  

Paul writes of this solution to the churches of his day:

“16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. ”  2 Cor. 4

 I hesitate to quote this – because from our views, those stresses are neither “light”, nor “momentary” but their do afflict us.   Yet it is here we have to slow down and stop – and realize that it is not a statement that is in a vacuum, but one that compares our situation to that which we know is ours in Christ – because He has claimed us.
Okay – so we know – eventually, we will see the truth to God’s promise that all things work for good for those that love God…. that are called within His plan – but how do we deal with that in the hear and now…? 

We know another promise – that He will send His Spirit – the Holy Spirit who walks besides us, comforting us, giving us strength to endure… we realize the promise that He will never leave and forsake us, and we do that which is so out of character for people in 21st century America…. we lean on HIm. We let Him be our Dad… we let Him deal with the struggles, the pressures – trusting that He will….

We stop and remember that we don’t have to play God – for we are the children of the One, True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – who would daily take our burdens…

May we indeed let Him. 

 

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Flashcards or Word Problems? How do we disciple?

Jun 6

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On facebook these days, there are a lot of pictures of people graduating from high school or college… many of them the children of my high school peers… (which is weird because mine is only 5! – that’s another blog) But it has gotten me thinking about my school days….and the teachers that I liked the most, and now I look back at how they taught, and what it means to educate someone… and then, I look at how we disciple people in the faith.

Do you remember flash cards? You know those things you used to memorize stuff – either math facts ( 2+2=4 or was it 5?) or definitions of words in your early years of school, and languages and formulas and such later on? I hated them – because if you showed you knew the stuff once, for months they still made you practice with them! The answers were easy, and I suppose it gave you a sense of accomplishment. But it was data – and you basically ended up as a computer printer – able to print out whatever was told to you to print out.

Probably because of my dad – I learned to love those things I have heard others dread – word problems. Driving around with my dad -he would ask practical things – like how many bags of cement would we need – to extend our stone wall, or make a planter. How fast he was going over the speed limit.. Or what Carl Yazkremski’s batting average would be if he went 2 for 5 against the Yankees But then I loved them in school. There was something practical that would develop from knowing at what time the two trains coming from point a to point b ( I always rewrote the question to assume they were on the same track!) But the difference in educational strategy is simple – one causes us to spit back the right answer – the other develops in us the ability to apply what we’ve learned…

In discipleship, while making people memorize things is good, we can’t leave it there, or we have created robots, not people in relationships with a loving God who wants to be part of their life, and share His life with them. Memorizing the creeds isn’t enough, if what they teach can only be spit back, but never taken to heart. Remembering what hymn # 347 is in the old hymnal, (and getting upset when the numbers are all changed in the new one!) isn’t beneficial, enless those words as well, pierce the heart and there is a deep connection to what they are saying. Sometimes that connection is sub-conscious – sometimes not… but it is good to think through them and see how they relate to our life.

Ultimately, “word problem” faith is the kind of faith that allows us to see how God sustains us, in the midst of things we cannot understand. It gives us the ability to see God’s word as more than just laws, but the way in which He has designed us to live, how to reach what Maslow called self-actualization, what the Army calls being “all you can be” (though neither really gets it) or what we call holiness – being set apart for a special relationship, to live in a special community, one that God has crafted for Himself, and His people.  It is the kind of life that finds joy in the midst of sorrow, grace and mercy in the midst of betrayal and sin, light in darkness, life in the face of death.  Far to often we reduce what God has commanded to “flash card” status, not realizing that what He has commanded (See Matthew 28), (better translated commissioned ) is Creation… and for us… our new birth, that He has created us anew.

The “Word” in the midst of the problems… which aren’t so big anymore….for we have the WORD (another of Jesus’s titles) present in our lives… always.. and we get that!

So this day, as you are going about, working with the Father, crafting disciples…..teach them to treasure, to guard that which God has commissioned…

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Tuesday Morning and all Creation groans!

Jun 5

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Devotional Discussion thought of the day!

You wake up, role over, hit the snooze alarm, and get out of bed to creaks and groans – not just you voice, but it seems the muscles groan as well… It’s Tuesday, and you wonder how your body will make it to Friday – you body know this as well – why do you think it groans and aches and cracks and creeks!

It’s not always just physical either – if Monday slams home the (false) reality that breaks our restful break from life that is Sunday…Tuesday makes us wonder if we’ll make it to our next sabbath rest!  Tuesdays, especially overcast ones like this morning.. ugghhh will this week drag on!  It seems like all of Creation is groaning – and yes it is…. so says Paul!

 8:20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Romans 8:20-23 (NLT)

The futility we know is just physical, as I noted above – in some ways it is very spiritual.  How do we survive? I believe it is as we are reminded by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – as we are giving foretastes of our future glory, as we are awakened from spiritual slumber and see the glory of God revealed.

One of my favorite authors speaks of such:
” The world is waiting for us to wake up those who are asleep, to encourage the timid, to guide those who have lost their way; in other words, for us to enroll them in the ranks of Christ…..   (Escriva, Josemaria . Furrow )

If we need a reminder of the glory that awaits us, such is easily seen as people are woken up, as they are freed from the burdens of their own sin, as they are healed from the sins committed against them, as they too learn to forgive.  As they realize they are welcome in the presence of God, as God comes to them and makes them part of His family.

The joy of that moment – that rebirth and renewal as they are baptized (TIt 3:2-6) that moment when they realize the promises of Christ are theirs – as they realize that He does come to them and sups with them… such are the foretastes of glory, as the Spirit reminds us…”you are mine…”

And Tuesdays, we realize, are as full of mercy and grace.. and His resting/basquing in His love… as Sundays…

Godspeed you through this week!

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Hmmmm… another Monday? Lord Have Mercy!

Jun 4

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Devotional Thought/Discussion Thought of the day….

“When he saw the happiness with which that hard work was being done, that friend asked: “Is it through enthusiasm that you get all these tasks done?” And they answered him happily and calmly: “Through enthusiasm…? That would be the day! Per Dominum Nostrum Iesum Christum!— through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is constantly awaiting us.”

(Escriva, Josemaria). Furrow )

My thoughts:
Not sure if its cultural, but there is something about Mondays that is… depressing.  I actually like what I do most Mondays, studying scripture for the following weeks sermons, working with whatever deacons the will go out and extend the ministry beyond what I am able to do… its all good stuff.

But it is so different from Sundays, so different it seems from the gathering of God’s people around His word, as they receive assurance of His love, and are told once again the unbelievable news – that sin and the injustice of the world does not invalidate them, for God has taken care of it.  I wrote yesterday – why can’t everyday just be Sunday?  Not because God doesn’t work on Mondays – He does… but my awareness is more attuned to how he does it on Sundays. 

The key is what Escriva noted above – that looking forward to the time when God’s people will be gathered into His presence- to know that He too is waiting for that – leads me to want to focus, so we can get back together.  It is as Paul wrote in Hebrews – Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…. 

 The joy that was set before Him, the Father’s joy as His children come home, as they celebrate the feast..as they enjoy the rest found in community – the people of God in the presence of God……

How do we get through Monday?  To realize that a new Sunday is coming 

How do we get through Life?  To realize that Sunday is a picture of the sabbath rest to come….

Until then… remember He is with you… and don’t hesitate to cry out “Lord Have Mercy!”  

For He has… and He always will!

 

Dt 

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What will you do now… having encountered the Lord?

Jun 3

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What will you do now…

having encountered the Lord?

Isaiah 6:1-8

† In Jesus Name †

 

The grace of God, the abundant love, the incredible mercy, the peace that comes from being in the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is yours!

928,000 hits for hell, 597 million for heaven

If you look up two words on the internet, one word will return some 597 million references – web pages that deal with the subject in part or are on that topic – just for that one word.  The other word is even more astounding, some 920 million web pages reference it. A combined total of 1.5 billion webpages referencing these two words.

The first word is heaven…
The second…hell.
It amazes me that there is more attention paid to that second word, half again as many webpages referencing something that by definition cannot be compared to heaven, except to say that everything heaven is not, Hell is.

I wonder if humanity is more comfortable with the second word than heaven, and therefore uses it more, because it doesn’t take any imagination to picture what it is like.  We witness hints of it everywhere, as we see suffering lived out, as we witness the broken lives, as we hear the lyrics of music, country, rock, hip-hop – it doesn’t matter the style,

But heaven?  How do you imagine it, much less describe it? Even St. Paul, who indicates that he was taken up to heaven in a vision, when he writes to the church in Corinth struggles, and describes it this way..

What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualise; all that God has prepared for those who love him; (NJB)

Perhaps, because we cannot visualize it, our mind cannot comprehend being in the presence of God, in all of His glory… we struggle to tell people, to describe to them this relationship that we have with God, and what we expect of eternity, walking with Him.

Our knowledge of what heaven is like comes from the brief glimpses of it in scripture, the brief times where God reveals a little of our what heaven looks and sounds like.  I think we deal enough with the other place way to much – so today – let’s spend our time in heaven, and see what happens when we encounter God in all his glory.

It’s a bit… overwhelming

As Isaiah describes where God resides, the incredible, majestic, throne room of God, there is one word that I think describes his emotions better than any other.

Overwhelmed!

Isaiah cannot even describe the Lord God Almighty who we have praised in song – about the closest he comes is describing the hem of his robe – he quickly describes the angelic beings surrounding the throne, singing the praises of God, praises that ring so loud they shake heaven and earth! Which leads him to focus to God, for the focus point of their body, their voices, everything they are focused on Yahweh – the sight is so awe-inspiring that the translators have always replaced God’s name – YHWH, with His title, for it seems so wrong to address One who is the purest form of holiness by His name.

Isaiah, overwhelmed by it all, all of a sudden remembers that he is part of this picture, In this midst of all this purity, in the middle of the hosts of heaven adoring God in all His intimate majesty!  There stands Isaiah, whose “woe” is a phrase that escapes his mouth, before he can control it – one which leads him to identify himself as a man of “unclean lips.”  Unclean being a reference to a flow of mud or sewer waste that has infiltrated your home, something that no matter how hard you try to clean it, infests and infects every part.  Because that is what sin is – no matter how hard you try to clean it – to fix it – you cannot!

Any of you out there dread public speaking and standing before 1000, 10,000 people?  Or have you ever had one of those nightmares where you find yourself at center court of a basketball game, or in the middle of a mall on the day after thanksgiving clad only in an old torn pair of underwear?  Yeah… that’s pretty much how Isaiah feels, as he realizes the only sin in heaven at that point… is him.

No wonder, as he gasps,  that Isaiah confesses that he is a man of filthy lips – not because of anything that he ate – but because of what has come from him!  Such a statement calls to mind Jesus words regarding that it is not what goes into a man that pollutes him, but what comes out reveals how rotten we can be inside.

Like with most of us, having one’s sin revealed is never easy, it is as overwhelming as being found in the presence of God….yet it is then… as Isaiah is standing there, that something incredible happens…

It’s incredibly healing

         

For being found in God’s presence in not just incredibly overwhelming, it is incredibly healing.

Even as the Heavenly choir is singing the Sanctus’ holy, holy, holy, even as Isaiah realizes how exposed he and his sin is, an angel who knows God’s heart, who grasp His desire takes action.  From the altar something is taken, it touches the lips of the man of unclean lips, and those lips are purified, as is the heart and life of the man.  Those lips are cleansed and can praise the God who created them, and cleansed them.  That heart no longer fears being found in the presence of a holy and righteous God, but stands in awe… and basks and rejoices in the love of the Lord God who reveals Himself to us, in order to bring us back to Him, to restore the relationship!

The sewerage, the uncleanness that once polluted us, is diverted, it cannot reach Isaiah, it cannot reach us.

Our is atoned for – an incredibly deep word picture there – as it is removed and the wounds it caused are covered as they are healed!  You see, the roots of the word attone is tar or pitch – the kind used on trees when you remove a diseased or broken limb – and cover that which remains, so the weak bare would cannot be infested!

That is what God’s love, revealed to us in the shedding of Jesus’ blood does to us – is cleanses, and heals and covers and protects.  It’s that simple – takes that ugly spots out of life and makes us whole…just as the fiery coal in Isaiah’s vision did, so does Christ do, as He enters our lives.

But what is best about what God does in our lives – is that He makes us comfortable in His life – in His presence.  The “woe” disappears and the question of Isaiah falls aside, no longer even needing to be considered!

That is what our faith, our religion, what walking and trusting and believing in Christ is all about my friends.  We need to grasp that because what God has promised us in His word was clearly revealed in Christ – that we now know His love – and that name of His – is ours to use, to call upon, to praise – to ask Him to deal with all that burdens us –that we may know He is God – our loving father!

Wait…there are people

          Note – they too will be overwhelmed…

         

As we realize this incredible promise is not just Isaiah’s but ours – we hear the same words as Isaiah does – the Lord’s voice crying out – who can I send?  Who is going to let the people of La Palma, and Cerritos, and Artesia, and Norwalk and Torrance, those who work with the students at Cal State and USC, and in hospitals and at the senior center and even in St Louis – who will God send?  Who else needs to go to the people of unclean lips and unclean lives and tell them that there is cleansing, there is healing, there is life?

As you respond – for you know what God has done for you – and you realize their need for it – realize that their reactions will be as yours were – overwhelmed by the presence of God, in fear that their sins, their struggles in life stand out. Going out with the message isn’t easy, and people’s reaction will be one of struggle – yet, because of Christ, the lamb that was slain, the message that comes from the heart of God’s altar – the message that cleanses – it will cleanse and heal, and cause them to do as we do…

To find ourselves in the presence of God, cleansed, healed – and able to in the midst of a broken world know a peace and rest that is unexplainable – yet calls us to look to an eternity of peace, as we adore the God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who has made us His own…..

AMEN!


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1 John 1:9 and what precedes it….

Jun 3

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For a Lutheran Pastor, one of the key passages to have handy when someone walks into my office is 1 John 1:8-9.  I like the way Peterson translated in the Message:

1:8 If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. 9 On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. 1 John 1:8-9 (MSG)

Yet many of us struggle with the idea of our sins being forgiven, not necessarily because we want to continue to live in the guilt and shame and anxiety than sin causes, stresses that can dominate our lives, but because we are afraid of dealing with the sin, of letting others – even our pastor or priest – realize that we are… sinners.  Kinda silly- but the cure seems more painful than the disease, or that is what we allow ourselves to think.  ANd we become paranoid… scared of what will happen if “they” find out!

But the verses prior to this great passage also bear on this…it actually has the same promise, but instead of being able to make it an individual issue, we see the context of God purging our sins is communal, corporate – part of what will bind us together….It removes the “they” and leaves “us”

1:6 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. 7 But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin. 1 John 1:6-7 (MSG)

 We aren’t in this as individuals – we all need our sins purged, the forgiveness which Christ commands the church to speak (see Matt 16 and John 20) and empowers it to speak – You are forgiven – your sins are purged – rejoice!  This is no little thing!  CLeansed of sin we are formed into a community, one where each can remind the other of God’s love, His mercy shown to us in Christ, the comfort and presence of the Holy Spirit – who will continue to testify to and through us, that we no longer suffer in darkness, hiding from the world, but live in the light.

It’s one of the reasons I love our service – we precede it (technically speaking) with the assurance that as you have confessed you are a sinner, God has cleansed you – now it is time for rejoicing, for relaxing and celebrating the love of God who causes us to “experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges ALL our sin.” 

Come rejoice with us!
 

 

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Why Church?

Jun 2

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When the topic of my occupation comes up, I have heard one answer pretty frequently over the years.

“A Pastor?  That’s cool, but I don’t need a building to worship God.  My worship time is just He and I”

It is, in our day and time – seemingly logical.  After all, many talk about their relationship with God as if it is individual, as if God’s purpose is to help a person through life, so that he/she can survive it, and then gain access to paradise, where everything will be perfect, and then we’ll find peace.

Makes for a nice movie, and some great stories… yet.. heaven is so much more.

Scene’s like the one from Isaiah 6, that we will hear tomorrow together in church – leave you filled with wonder and awe.  The scenes from Revelation of Jesus Christ ( you know – the last book in the BIble and yes – there is no “s” at the end!)  show crowds beyond number, over and over, entering the presence of God and adoring Him. It is a grand celebration, a feast beyond compare, a celebration thrown by God our Father, because His children are finally home… 

That is as well, a description of what church is, and how we should see it – an appetizer, a foretaste of that feast, a celebration where we with the whole company of heaven – sing our praise, voice our adoration of the God.  Church is a gathering of His family, to celebrate the love that He has for us, the work, the crafting of our lives – which to some may seem hypocritical and sinful at times – yet after He is completed with it – shine in the reflection of His glory.

That’s a lot to celebrate… that is a lot to feast upon, and as the ultimate Host, may we return our thanks.. to Him, with our voices, and our lives… together!

 

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