Sermon Video: Simeon and Anna, Luke 2:21-38

As Mary and Joseph travel to Jerusalem to fulfill the requirements of the Law, (a redemption of the firstborn of silver and a sacrifice of purification for Mary) as well as the circumcision and naming of Jesus, they are confronted in the Temple by two righteous followers of God.  Simeon and Anna have both spent their lives in anticipation of God's redemption of his people Israel, and on this day are both rewarded for their fidelity with the opportunity to see the Messiah for themselves.  Simeon predicts the mission of Jesus to the Gentiles and warns Mary that he will face opposition stiff enough to "pierce your own soul".  With the exception of the visit to the Temple twelve years later, this is the last we see of Jesus until he begins his public ministry. 

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sex and Marriage?

The role of sexuality in the life of those who follow God is a horribly misunderstood topic.  We've twisted it around and screwed it up to no end.  That being said, such a knot cannot be unraveled all at once, let me simply pull on one strand a bit and try to help...

What's the purpose of sex?  To those who engage in sex outside of the covenant of marriage, it is an act of pleasure that often tries to be the glue holding a relationship together.  It is an act of hope that is far too often placed in the wrong person.  It becomes damaged by bad experiences and ends up being something it was never intended to be.  Sex should not be a bargaining chip, nor a tool for getting one's way, it should not be bought or sold, nor should be be withheld or forced.  We, as a society, have morphed sex almost beyond recognition.

Sex within a marriage is an entirely different thing.  It is not the glue holding the relationship together, nor is it simply for pleasure.  The bond that holds the marriage together is honor, integrity, and a promise made in love before God, family, and friends.  Now, sex is pleasurable in a marriage, it is intended to be, but it also so much more.  It is a celebration of the union that exists between two people, of the molding of two separate lives into one, of the submission of two independent wills into one common goal of being a mutually beneficially partnership.

  If all of that sounds a little too idealistic to you, good, it should be.  God created the institution of marriage, and made sexuality as a part of it, for a very good reason.  We're not complete when we're alone.  We all feel it, we all know that the joys and sorrows of this life should be shared with another who is designed to compliment you.  A marriage works best when strengths and weaknesses are balanced out by the spouse, when needs and dreams are worked at together and not in competition.

Is sex a good thing?  Absolutely, all of God's creation was good in the beginning.  Has it been wrecked by sinful man?  Without a doubt, but we can begin to reclaim sex by supporting marriage.  Those who find themselves in the midst of divorce or failed relationships can begin again; you can reclaim your honor and integrity by saving your most intimate feelings for someone who is willing to publicly commit to you.  It may be idealistic, but it's also the truth.

"God doesn't need candles, we do"

That was a line from the Christmas Eve homily of Msgr. Herbein, the priest of St. Patrick's here in Franklin, as he explained that the incense, the candles, Christmas trees, etc. are not a part of worship for the sake of God, they are a part of worship for the sake of the people of God.  That's the best explanation for liturgy that I've heard, the kind of thing I knew I would blog about when I had the chance.  Every church has a liturgy (yes, even Baptists do, try to change the order of worship and see what happens), and every church has things which have symbolic value to them.  Why do we do these things?  Why these and not others?  The answer to that is always interesting, it usually involves history and the choices of men, for both good and ill, that have led us to this point.
The biblical example that inspired Msgr. Herbein's comment was the conversation between David and God about building a temple in II Samuel 7 in which God tells David that he has no need of a house of cedar (the Ark of God had been in the tabernacle, a tent, since the days of Moses), nor had he ever asked anyone to build him a fancy temple.  However, the sentiment, the desire to do something out of love and appreciation for God that was behind David's desire was rewarded by God.  David sought to do something to help God out, God responded by establishing a covenant (a promise) between himself and David, "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." (II Samuel 7:16)  That promise was ultimately kept through the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who has once again established the throne of David.
So, why do we build magnificent churches, elaborately decorate them, and create elaborate ceremonies to worship in them?  It isn't for God's sake, but our own.  By putting so much of ourselves into our worship it allows us to demonstrate the extent of our gratitude for what God has done for us. 
It really doesn't matter if you worship in a humble chapel with bare walls, or a magnificent cathedral full of pomp and ceremony, if your place of worship brings you closer in love and obedience to God then it is fulfilling its purpose.  Do yourself a favor, attend a worship service at a church that is very different from your own, open your mind to other ways in which God can be praised, you might be surprised by what you see.

Sermon Video: The Angels and the Shepherds, Luke 2:8-20

With the culmination of God's divine plan taking place in Bethlehem, all that remains is to announce the arrival of the Messiah to the world.  For God, contrary to our own instincts, the beginning of his Son's ministry on earth will be announced to lowly shepherds out in the fields.  The "good news of great joy" that a "savior" has been born who is both "Christ" and "Lord" begins as only the mission of a suffering servant could; with humility.  As the shepherds visit in awe, Mary ponders the implications of all she has seen, who will this child be?

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video: The Birth of Jesus - Luke 2:1-7

The culmination of the Divine plan for the redemption of humanity begins with an almost unnoticed birth of a child in the small town of Bethlehem.  The couple to whom he was born were not even important enough to secure a room to stay in, and his witnesses were not kings but shepherds, but this Messiah would soon prove himself to be an unexpected savior, a servant of all.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Mustard Seed Missions - moving forward

I've been spending a lot of time working on Mustard Seed Missions related things of late (henceforth it will be MSM to save time), the committee meets every month and the phone calls, e-mails, and visits take place on a daily basis in the process of helping get this new effort off the ground.  I'm happy to report that thus far we've helped several families with situations that range from "easy enough" to "holy cow".  God has been gracious to us, the spirit of cooperation among churches and within the Human Services agencies has been heart-warming, as has been the generosity of volunteers and donors.  We've yet to find ourselves without funds, materials, or people to complete a project at hand once we get ourselves organized.  It has been an incredible journey thus far, one I found myself upon almost by accident (not as if God didn't know exactly what he was doing), but one in which I have been able to use my talents, passions, and position for the service of the kingdom.

The logo for MSM has been created, thanks to my talented wife Nicole, as has our pamphlet and bulletin insert for churches to use in getting the word out and recruiting volunteers.  The days and months ahead will certainly help us sort of the growing pains of any new organization, but I'm confident we'll be fine when I look at the quality of the people whom God has recruited for this effort.
MSM bulletin insert (Word)

Sermon Video: The Birth of John the Baptist - Luke 1:39-66

The Christmas story continues with Mary hurrying to visit her relative Elizabeth, a woman to with whom she can share the story of Gabriel's visit as even now Elizabeth is in the 6th month of her miracle pregnancy.  The unborn John "leaps" in the womb of Elizabeth, prompting her to remark on the blessing that Mary has been given as the one who will bring the Lord into the world.  Following Mary's song of praise, the son of Elizabeth is born to much fanfare as word of the birth spreads far and wide.  At this point, the words of Gabriel are fulfilled and the boy is named John, but not until Elizabeth speaks up (and is disregarded) and then Zechariah confirms it in writing.  Zechariah's speech returns to him (after 9 months of silence) and he begins to praise God, adding to the general amazement and wonder as to what John will one day become.
As the birth of Jesus approaches, all eyes are on John, the one who will a few short years from now travel into the desert to prepare the way of the Lord.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The Light of Christ vs. the Darkness of Man's Heart

Here I was spending my day doing Mustard Seed Missions work, trying to help those in need; polishing up my sermon for Sunday on the birth of John the Baptist; real salt and light kind of things; looking forward to the Hobbit tonight...in other words, a good day...then I see that yet another school shooting has happened; the numbers, horrific even when 1 are much higher than you could imagine...is it any wonder that I spend my life trying to help people find there way out of the darkness that envelops our world and into the light of Christ?  Can anybody really say that this world is fine without God, mankind's hopeless situation on his own, sadly on display again today.

A Mary vs. Martha kind of day

In Luke 10:38-42, Martha invites Jesus to her home and then becomes swamped with the preparation that had to be made.  Martha's sister, Mary, sits at Jesus' feet and listens to what he had to say.  When Martha grumbles to Jesus that Mary is helping her with the work, Jesus replies, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only on thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
This passage is often interpreted as a reminder to focus upon the important things and not get bogged down in the details; it can be applied to the functioning of a business, a family, or a church.  We must be aware of what is critical and not let what is important get in its way.
When you're a pastor, these sort of questions can pop up every day.  This past Friday I still had a lot of work to do on my sermon for Sunday, because of prior meetings earlier in the week I was a lot less done than usual for a Friday.  The meetings earlier in the week were important in their own right, they were about expanding the work of Mustard Seed Missions; worth doing, necessary, but time consuming.
Thus as Friday began, I was hoping for a relatively quite day to get my work done.  If there is one thing that most pastors don't like, it's being unprepared for the Sunday sermon as the end of the week approaches.  God had other plans in store for me that day.  Late on Thursday I heard of a local grandmother who had been kicked out of her apartment by a new owner and found herself, and her two grand kids living with her, living with virtually no furniture.  After a couple of phone calls, one bed and a table was located; the woman herself had obtained a fridge and range, it seemed that a couple of hours of delivery were in order. 
I was able to find a helper for moving the stuff, Cheryl's husband John, and we set to work on it.  Several hours, and a sore back later, the furniture was moved and a person in need was helped (a start on it anyway, this project, like so many MSM projects is ongoing).
At that moment, I was eager to get back to my office, sit and my desk and finish that sermon.  Mere moments after I sat down, however, the phone rang, it was a man who hadn't eaten or slept in days; someone in need of emergency help.  After looking for the man for an hour (he had given me the wrong street number in his sleep deprived state), I was able to take him to a local group, Heart to Heart, who were able to meet with him and get him some food.
By this time it was nearly 3 PM and I had a Christmas party to go to; yikes.  When did I finish the sermon?  Saturday morning, my day off.  Was there any help for it?  Not really, that message is one of my most important responsibilities each week, but if I can't set it aside to help those in real need, who am I being Mary or Martha?  By the way, the sermon went fine on Sunday morning; God knows what he's doing.

Sermon Video - The Angel's Message, Luke 1:26-38

As the Christmas story continues, Gabriel goes to the small backwoods village of Nazareth to seek out a descendant of David, a carpenter named Joseph.  When he arrives, Gabriel speaks to Joseph's fiance, Mary, instead.  The message he has for her is unlike any other; a child is to be born, before Mary has union with her future husband.  Mary is rightly confused about how this could be possible until Gabriel explains that the child will be called the Son of God; the Holy Spirit will come upon Mary and God will "overshadow" her.  The end result: Emmanuel, God with us.  Mary's response to this shocking news is a credit to her character, "I am the Lord's servant".

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Is the relationship between a pastor and his church like a marriage?

I've been thinking about the turmoil that can happen between a pastor and a church when the relationship goes sour.  I know of several pastors to whom this has happened over the years, some of which you might expect it, and others of whom anyone would be surprised to find them in that situation.  The same could be said of the churches, there are some whose "personality" is such that you aren't surprised to learn they ran another preacher out of town, and others that you thought it would never be involved in a bad pastor/church relationship.
So, is the best analogy to describe the relationship between a pastor and his church the familiar marriage covenant?  On the surface we know that most pastors will not stay at the church they begin with until "death do us part"; in many denominations they have no choice in the matter, a Bishop makes those decisions.  But aside from the realization that the relationship is not forever, the dynamic is very similar.
The foundation of marriage: mutual self-sacrificial behavior, is also crucial to a healthy ministry.  If the pastor simply gives, and the church simply takes (or vice versa) it won't last and it won't be healthy.  Likewise, the policy of honest communication and holding your tongue if you don't have anything constructive to say will help foster peace between a husband and wife as well as between a pastor and his congregation.  This sort of comparison could continue.  In the end, what is needed is a mutual relationship where neither side is dominated and neither side is used or neglected.
If the relationship between a pastor and his church runs into trouble that goes beyond the ordinary bumps in the road the same sort of messy divorce that sadly plagues marriages in America today also occurs.  There will be some who love the pastor and feel upset that he's been shown the door (or left of his own accord) and there will be some who hated the guy and are happy to see him go.  Children who have grown up in a divorced household will recognize this blame game and the guilt and regret that go with it.
Bad endings to a pastor/church relationships cannot be entirely avoided, neither can the hurt feelings that accompany them.  The burden that is placed upon us, as Christians, is to be people of healing and reconciliation.  To follow our God's example and offer second chances to those who have gone astray, and to protect and defend the God ordained relationship between a pastor and his church much as we would a marriage within our own family.  In the end, without mutual sacrifice, respect, and love; no marriage, whether between a husband and wife or a pastor and a church, can be expected to last.

Sermon Video, The Promise of John the Baptist - Luke 1:5-25

The opening act to the Christmas story begins with the morally upright priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth.  This ideal Jewish couple have only one problem, they can't have kids.  What would be seen as a difficulty to be overcome today was a shameful deficiency in the 1st Century.  While serving in the Temple, Gabriel appears to Zechariah and promises that God has answered their prayer in the form of a miraculous child who will take up the mantle of the prophet Elijah and lead his people back to their God as well as prepare the way for the Lord's advent.  If this is God's opening act, imagine how amazing the Messiah must be.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video - Hannah's Sacrifice, I Samuel 1:21-28 and 2:18-21

In part 3 of the series on Hannah, the time of fulfilling her vow to the LORD is at hand.  With young Samuel at her side, Hannah makes the sacrifice to conclude her vow and then present the boy to Eli.  From this day forward, Hannah will still be Samuel's mother, but his care and upbringing will be done by the LORD (through Eli).  Samuel thus begins a lifetime of service to God with daily sacrifices, offerings, worship, and prayer.  What do we take from Hannah's sorrow, triumph, and sacrifice?  That even the righteous must undergo trials to strengthen them for God's greater purpose, that when we endure hardship we should honestly bring our need to the LORD, and that when we are faithful in obedience God will indeed be gracious to us...In case you were wondering, Hannah certainly felt pain when she said goodbye to her son (she continued to visit him), but she was not defeated; for her, the fulfillment of her vow was a victory worth celebrating.  God certainly agreed with her obedience, he blessed her with three more sons and two daughters.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video, Hannah's Triumph - I Samuel 1:11-20

In part 2 of this 3 part series on Hannah, Hannah makes a vow to the LORD to give her hoped-for child to the LORD in lifelong service if only he will remember his servant and bless her.  In the midst of her praying, the priest Eli scolds Hannah because he mistakes her for a drunkard.  In his embarrassment, Eli in turn blesses Hannah and tells her to "go in peace".  Not long after Hannah becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, whom she names Samuel, because God remembers her.  The story of Hannah faith and persistence combined with God's mercy toward a faithful servant is one we all can learn from.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

When God's "No" is a lot smarter than your "yes"

I'm working on part 2 of the Hannah 3 part sermon series that started last week and I just asked the question, "Could God have answered Hannah's prayer even if the answer was 'no'?"  The question came to me in the writing process, so I went with it, and came up with a clear yes to my own question.  God often times answers our prayers by not answering them.  That may seem like a paradox, but it isn't.  The truth is that we often times have very little perspective about our own lives; we can't see the future, we don't know the consequences of our decisions.  As such, how could a loving God who does know these things, give us what we pray for when the result would make things worse? 
That may not make your heartache our worry go away as you continue to pray about something that seems like a no-brainer, but perhaps it will comfort you a little to know that God does indeed hear your prayer, even if the answer is "no" or "not now".
This principle has proven itself numerous times in my life.  It was God's answer that I needed to wait during several rough years of hoping for the help-mate that I wanted in life; it wasn't until several years later that I met my Nicole.  It was God's answer that I needed to wait, again for several years, as I hoped for a ministry opportunity.  He first answered that prayer with the people of Palo, and then, in good time, moved us here to Franklin.  In both cases, I would have wanted to move faster, God wanted me to be useful when I got where I was going.  If I had gotten my way in either case, where would I be now?  I don't know, but I'm here now, doing the will of God and continuing to rely upon the power of prayer.
So why did God answer Hannah's prayer?  For the same reason that he closed her womb in the first place: to bring glory to him name and to bless his people.  You see, Hannah's son, who by her own desperate vow, would spend his life in service to the LORD, would go on to become one of the nation's most important prophets/judges.  How did Samuel end up as a hero of the faith?  God told his mother "not yet".
The next time you feel like giving up on your prayers, like God isn't listening or just doesn't care, consider this: God knows the end from the beginning, he loves the whole world, and he is answering your prayer even if the answer isn't what you want to hear.

Sermon Video, "Hannah's Sorrow" I Samuel 1:1-10

In part 1 of this 3 part series on Hannah, we learn of the pain that Hannah had to endure because the LORD had closed her womb.  Elkanah, her husband, marries and 2nd wife in order to continue his line, and while he continues to love Hannah, her lack of children is a source of cultural shame.  After years of humiliation at the hands of Elkanah's 2nd wife, Peninnah, Hannah stands before the Lord at the Tabernacle in Shiloh and weeps "in bitterness of soul".  Hannah was honest with God, approached him in her misery, and prayed.  All those who have pain, anger, sorrow, bitterness, or regret can follow Hannah's example and seek the Lord honestly in prayer.  The content of the prayer is less important than the willingness to pray.  Those in need can also find shelter and comfort among God's people who are likewise on a journey from repentance to salvation, who have submitted to God's will, and who have lain their burdens down at the foot of the cross.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Getting shot at from both sides...

I thought of something today; the kind of thing you probably should keep to yourself unless you want to get people mad at you...As you may know, that's not really my worry in life, God has placed a burden of truth telling on my heart; so here goes...

I know there is a lot of angst and soul searching going on over this week's election.  There are plenty of God-fearing Americans who are worried about the future of their country...

Let me offer this historical analogy: It took Abraham Lincoln (a politician) to finish off the drive to end slavery, {the parallel in England is William Wilberforce, a generation earlier} but it took Harriet Beecher Stowe to galvanize the people into seeing slavery as a moral evil.  For decades, Abolitionists worked to win hearts and minds when there were no political prospects, and in the end, they fought by teaching people that the Bible speaks of all mankind as made in God's image, not a select group of humanity.  A finale to the drama was in the political arena (as the upcoming Lincoln movie demonstrates), but the work was done in churches long before.

America is a democracy (a representative republic for the technical minded people out there).  We have the government that the people want.  If you aren't happy with the government the people have, you need to change the people, not the politicians.  They reflect society; they reflect the morality of this nation, they do not create it.  America isn't ready for Lincoln, if he came now we'd boo him off the stage.  We will not have another Lincoln until we have another Stowe; we won't change the immorality of American society until we make the Gospel of Jesus Christ known to the lost among us.  The world will be what it is.  We cannot expect Christian morality from those who do not know Christ.  If you want to change the politics, change the people; show them the love of Christ through your actions, not your words. 

This is the dangerous thought: If those on the right are afraid for those on the left because of the alliance between sexual immorality (abortion, homosexuality, etc.) and the Democratic Party, shouldn't those on the left be afraid for those on the right because of the alliance between money (greed and avarice) and the Republican Party?  The Bible speaks an awful lot about sexual immorality and condemns it in no uncertain terms; the only thing that seems to tick God off more is the abuse of money.  What makes one side feel like they have God's ear more than the other, when both sides have made an unholy alliance in the name of politics?

What is the solution?  We must solve the moral issues that plague our society ourselves.  We, as a Church, must witness to a lost world, and we must cleanse our own house of the immorality that has infested those who claim the name of Jesus Christ.  The politicians will not save us no matter what party they belong to; Jesus Christ already has.

Commence firing!  I'm ready for the arrows from both sides.

Is this place sacred? John 2:12-17

During our Wednesday night Bible study this week we were continuing through the Gospel of John and came to the passage where Jesus chases the merchants out of the temple courts with a homemade whip.  Aside from how cool that must have been, to see Jesus acting so counter to our conception of him as meek and mild (something we get more from religious art than from the Gospels), it led us to discuss our own sense of sacred places.
Do we have sacred places today?  Should our church sanctuary be treated like the Temple?
It is an interesting discussion to have because most people who enter into a place of worship get the feeling that it isn't just another room.  In some branches of Christianity there is an expectation of silence prior to services, maybe even lowered lighting to enhance the solemn mood.  In other Christian churches you'll enter into the sanctuary and be greeted with a cacophony of noise; from pre-worship music to boisterous laughter from the conversations going on all around you.  I've been a part of both, and I can tell you, it only takes a moment to realize which type you've walked into.  Are both styles treating the space with proper reverence?  What should we be doing/saying/thinking as we prepare to worship?
The simple answer is preparing your heart and mind to praise God, learn from the Scriptures, join in corporate prayer, and partake of the rituals which unite our faith (whether you call them a Sacrament or not).  I can see the value of both approaches.  To focus on God, silence helps.  To remember that you're a part of a family that God has created, the warmth of conversation among friends help too.  There isn't one right or wrong on this, the point is that God's people gather together in worship.  Whether they do it in an old store front or a magnificent Cathedral doesn't really matter.  Whether to do it to silence and candlelight or the beating of drums and the hum of old friends catching up doesn't really matter.
In the end, Jesus has replaced the need for animal sacrifices with his own; he has replaced the need for one central place of worship with the gift of the Holy Spirit to all believers, and he has elevated each humble place where we gather to worship into a sacred assembly.

Setting the record straight

There are many misconceptions about what an election might or might not accomplish in America, and several of them have to do with the mission of the Church; in no particular order:

1. No elected official can or should be responsible for the spread of the Gospel.
- This may seem obvious, but there are plenty of people who want someone to take this "burden" of obeying the commandment of the Great Commission away from them.  They feel that if America is clearly a Christian nation with all the bells and whistles that they themselves will somehow not need to talk to their neighbor about Jesus.  No politician led the Great Awakening in America, men and women of faith did that.  No politician led the Second Great Awakening in America, men and women of faith did that. 

2. As Lord Acton said centuries ago, "Power tends to corrupt, absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely."
- Much has been made in recent years about the power of international corporations; they may be powerful compared to business interests in the past, but their influence and ability pales in comparison with the power of a government like that of the USA.  Even the largest corporations have assets less than $100 billion and yearly budgets far less.  The Federal branch of our government, alone, has millions of employees, a $4 trillion dollar budget, and can make or break any business that it wants to with taxes or regulations.  That the 500 or so men and women in charge of all of that are rife with corruption should be no surprise to us.  That incumbents win nearly every election should be no surprise to us.  To change the part affiliation of those in charge will not change human nature; since immense power will lead to corrupt those who wield it.  The Roman Senate in all of its glory paled in comparison.  That our government isn't more corrupt is the true miracle here.

3. Roe vs. Wade is not going to be overturned by the courts
-This may cut deeply, but its true.  The great moral evil of our time will not be ended by nine men and women in black robes.  It won't be ended at all.  The desire of millions of Americans to choose convenience over life, to value themselves over their unborn child, won't go away with the stroke of a pen.  Abortion is a brutal symptom of a moral sickness that goes far too deep for a surface cure.  The only thing that will make abortion in America rare is a spiritual awakening among its people.  Governments are not in the spiritual revival business; God is.  We must once again fill our churches with people committed to living morally upright lives in imitation of their Savior.  We must begin with the hurting, scared, and pressured young mothers, and we must support them.  When God's people renounce sexual impurity and begin to live pure lives we'll begin to see change.  As it stands now, we're as much of the problem as we are the solution.

4. The Gates of Hell will not overcome the Church of Christ, why are you so worried?
-There will always be reasons to be worried about the future.  There will always be crisis that draw our attention away from the present.  Each election in America gives one segment of the population new hope and another a sense of foreboding.  And yet, in the end, this government, like all that have come before it, will pass away.  The only institution you can join in this world that is guaranteed to never fail is the universal Church of believers in Jesus Christ.  Your local church may close its doors, your denominations may even fall by the wayside, but the faith that began with 12 apostles worshiping a risen Lord will never die.  If you want your life to mean something, to stand the test of time, spend it in service to others.  Love your neighbor, love your enemy, and live by faith. 

"Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed his own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul." (It is Well with my Soul - Horatio G. Spafford)

This changes nothing

Whether you're waking up this morning celebrating or moaning the results of yesterday's election it doesn't matter.  That we live in a land where patriots and a merciful God have given us the right to vote certainly matters, but who won or lost this recent election doesn't matter nearly as much as you think.
Why is that?
Today, I still have two Bible studies to lead and prayer group to participate in;  I still need to get over to the Y today and get some exercise; I still have a sermon to work on for Sunday, and a fledgling outreach group (Mustard Seed Mission) to work for.  I am still responsible for this local flock of believers in Jesus Christ, and I am still charged with reaching the Lost with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  None of this has changed since yesterday.
In America the government has nothing to do, for good or ill, with my church.  We can worship how we choose, and I can preach what the Word of God has laid upon my heart.  There is no government censor sitting in the pews taking notes.  In fact, I can and do broadcast my sermon each week on YouTube without fear of reprisal.
  The efforts of Mustard Seed Mission, to spread the love of Christ through helping those in need and building relationships with them is not affected in any way by the election.  The government officials we're cooperating with are local, there responsibility and heart is local.  We dont' depend upon any government funding (nor would we take any), and nobody can tell us that we cannot share the Gospel when we lend a helping hand.
My ministry, my calling from God to be salt and light in this world is not, nor can it be, changed by an election.  Even if I lived in a land where government officials would seek to take away my liberty for speaking the name of Jesus, my mission would be unchanged.  That I live in America, is a blessing from God; that OUR effort to share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ continues this day is our responsibility.

A day in the life of a church pastor

I know that some people wonder what a pastor does during the week.  Well, it took me 30 minutes to write this next sentence because I was helping one family in need of assistance on the phone and then answering a couple of e-mails about a work project for another family.  In between that sort of thing, there is preparation for tomorrow's Bible study, thoughts about the week's sermon (and hopefully writing some of it), and general things around the church like prayer requests, hospital visitations, and planning of future events.  At the end of each day, it's a question of wondering what things can keep until tomorrow and what things need to be finished today.  I know that plenty of people out there have jobs busier than this, I'm not looking for sympathy (I love my job, it's what God put me here to do), just a reminder that when I get up to preach on Sunday morning, the hours that I spent getting this message ready were only the tip of the iceberg.

Sermon Video - "Love your enemies" Luke 6:27-30

As Jesus continues to confound the wisdom of man with the mercy of God, he offers one of the most difficult commands to those who would follow him.  "Love your enemies" isn't simply a slogan meant to be tossed aside, but rather a transformation of thinking that tells us to see the Lost the way God sees them; as wayward children who need to come home.  When we begin to act in love, God can work on our hearts and minds to transform them.  The first step is realizing that God did the same thing for you that he is asking of us, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  God isn't asking you to do something that he hasn't already done, and he isn't asking you to do it without the grace that he will give you.  In the end, we must imitate Christ and love those who show no prospect of loving us back; when we do, we'll sow the seed of the Gospel in fertile soil.  If we don't, we've failed to live up to the grace which God has given to us.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video - "You are blessed" - Luke 6:20-23

In his customary unexpected wisdom, Jesus explains the reality that those who are poor, hungry, or sorrowful will be blessed in the Kingdom of God, and that those who follow him will be hated, mocked, and persecuted yet likewise receive the blessing of God. How can any such misfortune be considered a blessing? The answer lies in the tendency of those who have a "good" life in this world to feel no need to seek God in faith while those who have a "bad" life in this world cling to God as their only hope. In the end, it is living by faith that matters; if being poor, or being mocked as a Christian, helps us to live that life of faith we are better off than if we were rich and honored in this world, but lost in the next.


Jesus also offers the promise of a heavenly reward and the comfort that those who are treated poorly because they belong to God are not the first to suffer for this reason, nor must they suffer alone.   To watch the video, click on the link below: Sermon Video

A seed is planted...Mustard Seed Missions of Venango County

There have been several pleasant surprises here in Franklin in my first ten months: the ease of making the transition due to the overly friendly people, the amazing ecumenical cooperation among our churches, and now the fulfillment of a vision that began before I arrived but which I have become a part of.

Mustard Seed Missions of Venango County: a cooperative effort where Faith Works

This group is the official name of the Venango County Children's Roundtable's effort to come to an understanding with local churches in order to help (primarily) the children who are on the CYS caseload.  Of course, when you help the children, you help their families; and when you help families, you help the community.  This effort represents cooperation between more government agencies than I can possibly keep track of (amazing in and of itself) and more churches and denominations (a God thing if anything is) than I can list. 

My involvement began this past spring as a substitute pastoral representative at a meeting of about 20 people where we heard about the work of Seeds of Hope in Tioga County, an organization that has been doing something similar for the past ten years.  Other meetings followed, and the numbers began to grow; 30, then 40, and finally over 75 in September.  By then, there were representatives from about 50 churches throughout the county that had attended or expressed interest.  There was a critical mass of enthusiasm and hope, but a beginning still needed to be made.

And now, in the last 2 weeks, we have chosen representatives to be on a committee that will begin to move this vision into reality.  Our first priority: get out into the real world and help one of the families that we've been talking about all year.  That is now a reality that will soon be coming true; a local mom with a teenage daughter living in a home that is not safe will be receiving new windows, probably a roof repair, likely some new plumbing, and new doors (more or less).  All this with the generous donation of people's time and money, and especially the help of people with training and expertise in the building trades.

Soon, the project will be regularly helping with unsafe housing, rides to doctors appointments (using county vehicles, expanding an already existing system), and mentoring and counseling of families.  Each time a church offers real help to real people the potential exists to turn that moment into the beginning of a relationship.  Our goal, even beyond the very big task of helping in these situations, is to help construct the support structure that every person and family needs.  Where does that structure exist already?  Within our churches, as those of us who have been blessed with a church family know.  Where is the answer to drug abuse, alcoholism, neglect, anger, hopelessness, insecurity, grief, and every other such trouble that is common to man?  In the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We, Mustard Seed Missions, are not a social service organization; those already exist.  We're not an evangelism arm of our churches, they exist too.  What we are is a mixture of both.  By offering real and meaningful help to people, by showing the love of Jesus Christ through deeds not just words, we show to those in need that they have value; that God loves them.  If those who receive our physical help decline our spiritual help, we offer them God's blessing and leave the door open; if those who receive our physical help wish to know why followers of Jesus Christ would be willing to help them, we have an answer ready to share, "we love because he first loved us." (I John 4:19)

Will it be easy?  No.  Will it be without bumps along the way?  No.
But then again, what worth doing really ever is, and can you think of anything else our churches should be doing more than this?

The website: mustardseedmissionsofvc.org is up and running; it will soon become the hub for upcoming projects and will alow us to see what materials/volunteers are needed and also allow those who wish to help see what is needed and when.

Sermon Video: Are there limits to doing good? - Luke 6:6-11

As Jesus teaches from the Scriptures on the Sabbath he is confronted by the Pharisees over the issue of whether or not it is proper to heal someone on God's appointed day of rest. Jesus confronts their self-righteous and heartless attitude by asking if it is proper to do good or evil on the Sabbath? The question should have been rhetorical, but Jesus has to ask it because of the fear the people are experiencing at the hands of those who should have been representing God and teaching the people right from wrong. In the end, Jesus heals the man, demonstrates the compassion for others we should all have, and proves that it is always the right time to do the right thing.


What stops you from living according to the teaching of Jesus? How can social pressure be an excuse for not confronting evil?  It is not acceptable for the people of God to fail to take up their cross and follow Jesus, we must choose to do what is right.   To watch the video, click on the link below: Sermon Video

Sermon Video: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" - Luke 5:27-32

Jesus once again does the unexpected when he calls the tax collector Levi (Matthew) to be his disciple. In 1st Century Judea tax collectors were especially hated as Roman collaborators, and as such were grouped with other "sinners" such as prostitutes. Jesus, however, sees in Levi a sinner in need of repentance, not a lost cause outcast. When the Pharisees complain that Jesus has agreed to eat with tax collectors and "sinners", he responds by telling them that, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick". In other words, God is concerned with the lost, with sinners who need to be healed; rather than hating them, God holds out a hand in hope that they will repent. As Jesus concludes, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Why does God care about each lost soul? Because he made each one, each person has value in his sight, and each person can be washed clean by the blood of the lamb.


Do we value every lost sinner, or have we become heartless like the Pharisees? Those who follow Jesus must welcome amongst them any who are willing to kneel at the foot of the cross.   To watch the video, click on the link below: Sermon Video

The Undesirables

I've been preaching through the Gospel of Luke as Jesus meets one person after another who was marginalized by their own culture (fishermen, the leper, the paralytic, and finally a tax collector).  Each of these people are given Jesus full attention and treated as if they're the most important people he knows.  The fishermen (Peter, James and John) are invited to follow Jesus and fish for men, the leper is first touched by Jesus and then in that same moment healed, the paralytic is told that his sins are forgiven and then healed, and finally the tax collector is simply told to follow Jesus who then eats dinner at his house.
In each case, there would have been some who questioned Jesus' choices, who would have wondered why he seems intent on ministering only to the downtrodden while angering those in positions of wealth and power.  There's no mistaking Jesus' approach, he's clearly choosing to side with those whom society has discounted against those whom society has elevated.
It makes me wonder with fresh eyes, who are the marginalized in our society who are not being reached?  Who are the people for whom Christ died who are currently not hearing his message of repentance and hope?  How can the Church, and this church in particular, better reach them and show them the same love that Christ has shown us?
We're in the process of developing a radical program of ecumenical cooperation with CYS (Children and Youth Services) here in Venango County with the hopes of paring up church volunteers with the most needy kids and families in our area.  Those of us in the church don't always see them, but in most cases the caseworkers do.  As such, we'll be using their knowledge of the need to give our willingness to help a specific direction one family at a time.  The potential is amazing; there were 2,000 kids that CYS caseworkers worked with in this county alone last year.  What if 100 churches reached out to 20 of those kids each, wouldn't that be a profound change for the better?
Who are the undesirables that our society has turned it's back on, and how can the churches step in and declare God's love to them?  That is a question torn right from the pages of the Gospel of Luke; hopefully, our cooperative effort will begin to help them.

Sermon Video: "Friend, your sins are forgiven" - Luke 5:17-26

As Jesus once again heals the sick while he is teaching he is faced with a paralyzed man lowered through the roof by his friends.  Upon seeing their faith (the plural is intentional), Jesus tells him, "Friend, your sins are forgiven".  The religious leaders are rightly offended by Jesus' usurpation of God's sole right to forgive sins, and wonder who he really thinks he is.  To back up his claim, Jesus does the easier task, he heals the man of his paralysis.  Only God can forgive, Jesus, declaring himself to be the Son of Man (acc. to Daniel's prophecy), has just laid claim to being God...This episode beautifully illustrates how we can help those in need find faith and forgiveness, as we ourselves did at the foot of the cross.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The sermon I didn't preach

One of the things that fascinates me about my job of preparing a sermon each week for my congregation is the initial thought process I go through when deciding upon which passage of Scripture to use.  That decision usually takes place on Tuesday morning (I like to at least get the new week started off 1st thing), and it usually is a continuation of the previous week's text unless I'm switching to a new book of the Bible for a while. 
When I first look at a passage I'm thinking about where a proper cut-off place would be if it were going to be a sermon.  How many verses do I need to tell the whole story (context) and how many verses do I need to make it long enough (but not too long)?  Sometimes the whole message is contained in one verse, but most of the time it's several that make up the point that the text is aiming at. 
During this process of narrowing down the text, I'm also contemplating which message from the text will be the focus of the sermon.  I say that because there are usually at least two, sometimes three or four, possible sermons that can be preached from one given passage.  If my audience is going to follow the point as I make it I need to focus on just one of those ideas and let the others go (they could of course, be used in sermon on the same text at a later date that sounds very different from the first one).  The reason why this works is because the Bible, like all great literature, has more than one layer of meaning and more than one possible application of its wisdom.
I've been asked by plenty of people over the years why I would read a book more than once (for example: The Lord of the Rings; 15 times and counting).  The answer I always give is that there are new things to discover each time (and new enjoyment in the reading of old familiar things).  The Bible takes this phenomenon to a new level.  It contains a vast amount of Truth and Wisdom that we can apply in various stages and phases of life; things that we may not see until the moment we need them (thank the Holy Spirit for the assist when you do).
Let me give you an example from a recent sermon:  I preached from Luke 5:1-11 and focused upon Peter's response to the miraculous call of fish.  "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  Why do some people push God away when confronted with their sin rather than asking for his mercy?  A second sermon could have focused upon the miracle itself; why does Jesus choose this demonstration, why does it say about him, and how was it perceived by the fishermen?  A third sermon could have spent time examining Jesus' response to Peter, the famous line, "from now on you will catch men."  It could have looked at evangelism and talked about how sharing the word of God is like fishing (without the tendency I hope to lie about the size of the catch).  A fourth sermon could have talked about the response in the end of Peter, James, and John; how they left everything behind to follow Jesus without looking back.  It could have talked about the dedication and commitment that the Gospel demands of us.
Are there other sermons in that passage than the four I just highlighted?  Yes, there are; you may have heard an excellent one at some point that spoke about something I haven't mentioned.  The Bible is like that, layer upon layer of Truth if only we put in the effort to discover it.  The next time you listen to a sermon, think about the message the preacher is sharing with you; but then go one step further and look at the text to find the sermon he didn't preach to you as well.

Sermon Video: "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." - Luke 5:12-14

What would it be like to live in complete isolation, to be an oucast whom all consider to be cursed by God?  What hope would there be?  In the Gospel of Luke, a man with leprosy falls at Jesus' feet and begs for healing.  The social stigma of his disease was far worse than the physical symptoms, by asking Jesus to make him "clean" the man is in essence asking for God's forgiveness.  Jesus does the remarkable; he reaches out and touches this "untouchable" man to let him know that he is indeed willing to make him clean.  By his mercy Jesus demonstrates the path to healing and forgiveness for us all, and encourages us to offer that same healing to whomever the outcasts of our society are, we too must reach out and touch them with God's love.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video, "Go away from me Lord, I am a sinful man!" - Luke 5:1-11

When Jesus chooses Simon's boat as a platform from which to teach the people, he encounters a hard-working fisherman who had no anticipation that God would that very day offer him freedom from his sins.  Following the miraculous catch of fish, Simon asks Jesus from his knees to go away from him because he considered himself unworthy of God's forgiveness.  What makes someone turn away from God's offer of grace in despair?  What do some people think they're beyond hope, and what can we do about it?  Jesus' answer to Simon provides our direction, "Don't be afraid.  From now on you'll fish for men."  Jesus answered with love and confidence because he knew the transforming power of his Father's grace, we too can offer love, acceptance, and hope to those who despair in our world.  We can share the Gospel of forgiveness and reconciliation, because all of Jesus' followers have been called to be fishers of men.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The progression of our faith - II Peter 1:5-7

In our Bible study today we talked about the list that Peter wrote when he was talking about our efforts to "participate in the divine nature" through God's power and our knowledge of his Son, and ultimately to "escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (vs. 4)  That sounds great, but how are we to make any progress from the fallen state which God saved us from through Christ to the elevated state that God has promised we will one day attain through his power?  Where do we begin such a journey?
There are several lists of virtues in the New Testament whose order would not seem to be overly significant.  The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, for example, are not listed in any ascending or descending order.  Here, however, in II Peter, the list is set up from the beginning of our journey, faith, to its eventual conclusion, love.  The journey must begin with faith.  We cannot approach God any other way because of our sinful rebellion against his holiness. 
Once someone becomes a believers in Jesus Christ, a Christian, where do they begin in the process of becoming Christ-like?  The first step is goodness; begin by doing that which is kind, generous, merciful, etc. and let your new found faith put down roots.  The next step is knowledge.  One needs to learn WHEN to do this or that, HOW to do it, and WHY.  Our motives become significant as well as our wisdom as we learn the difference between absolute truth and the freedom that we have in Christ to judge in debatable matters.  The attainment of knowledge leads to the realization that self-control is necessary as well.  Once we learn the depth of what it takes to act in goodness, we need to learn to control ourselves so that our progress is forward (and not 3 steps forward, 2 steps back) and doesn't self-destruct in fits of anger, jealousy, pride, anxiety, or fear.  Self-control is one of the hardest things to learn for any Christian, a difficult step to move beyond.  How can we possibly continue to have self-control when life throws curve balls at us?  Now we need perseverance.  We need the ability to do the right thing, in wisdom and self-control even when the circumstances of life are working against us.
When we have come this far, we can begin to glimpse the mind and heart of God, we can begin to understand what godliness is all about.  Why would God send his Son to die for our sins, why would God create us in the first place?  Understanding God's motives helps us to live in imitation of our savior.  It is only now, when we have made so much progress in fixing our own flaws (through the Holy Spirit's power and God's patience with us) that we can understand why we should care about other people.  Brotherly love costs us something.  It is easy to love those who love you back, but we are called to a higher standard.  We must show kindness to strangers, to those who can do nothing to repay us, and we must show kindness to our families, to those with whom we have a history.  And now, at the end of the list comes the word that our world places at the beginning: love.  We don't know what love really is in our culture.  We use love when we mean lust, we use love when we mean "a mutually beneficial arrangement", and we use love when we intend to toss it away when it now longer serves our purpose.  The Christian knows love because Christ died for our sins while we were still in rebellion against God.  The love at the top of Peter's list is a self-sacrificial love that puts others first at great cost to itself.  That this love is far removed when the kind people talk about every day is no surprise to any who observe the shallow and self-centered "love" that fails time and time again to stand in the face of adversity. 
How does the Christian advance in his or her faith and reach toward being like Christ?  By adding to faith with goodness, then knowledge, and then self-control, and perseverance, and godliness, then brotherly kindness, and finally love.

When you know the little ol' ladies are praying...

I have a theory: God listens to those little ol' ladies when they pray.  How do I know this?  I've had a sizable number praying for me, they've told me they are and I know they take it seriously, and something that happened on Sunday night proved God was listening to them.

As I was walking across the church parking lot to go invite some kids from the playground to our Awana kick-off event that was about to start, I noticed a young man (maybe 20, at least my size) walking along the sidewalk toward the parking lot carrying a baseball bat.  In the parking lot stood a group of teens (3 or so of them, probably all 15-16) who were yelling a variety of profanities at the approaching man.  It was obvious in a moment that a fight was about to begin.  With plenty of little kids in the area, not to mention a busy street a few feet away, I reacted on instinct.
Now, I've broken up a variety of fights in my day, one can't avoid physical confrontations when working with troubled teens, but this was something new.  Within moments I was standing between two young men, both of whom were yelling through me at each other, and one of whom I was facing as he held that baseball bat in his hands.  Were the cops coming, had anyone called them, no idea.
After several minutes of telling both sides that a fight wasn't going to help them any, that the cops would be sure to haul of to jail a guy swinging a bat in public, the two sides drifted apart.
It was only then that the realization hit me that I had been face-to-face with a guy I didn't know who was in a mood to swing a baseball bat at someone.  As I said before, the little ol' ladies pray for me.
That young man went to jail that night, the cops hoping to diffuse the situation, and the teen, whom I know a little bit from playing basketball at the park, came over later to apologize for using profanity in front of a pastor; who knows, perhaps this crazy moment will bear positive fruit in the future.
Five minutes later I'm leading 30 kids and a group of parents in prayer so we can start our Awana cookout, what a crazy thing the ministry is sometimes.

Taking a break from all your worries...

I just completed a week of vacation during which my wife and I returned to Michigan to spend some time with family and friends and camp up at St. Ignace during Labor Day weekend.  It was a needed respite for me from the daily requirements of the ministry, a chance to set aside for a while the cares and concerns for God's flock that can seem never-ending to those in pastoral ministry.
Of course, there are plenty of people whose jobs and family responsibilities make my work seem like a cake-walk, but we all need to take some time away from our regular routine now and again in order to gain perspective and remain fresh in our pursuits.
One of the things that pastors miss out on is the ability to attend church as a participant and not a leader.  Our Sunday mornings, and other occasions in which we gather to worship, revolve around preparation and delivery of spiritual food and nourishment for others, but this same nourishment can be difficult to partake of when you're busy working to make it happen. 
My pastoral mentor, Pastor James Frank, once told me that in sermon preparation one has to "preach the sermon to yourself first".  The same holds true in preparing a lesson for Sunday school or getting ready to lead a Bible study; those of us in leadership need to teach ourselves the lesson that is to be learned before we try to teach it to others.  There is another point to remember: we also need to be open to the chance to learn a lesson during the delivery of the message itself.  It may take the form of an insight that you never saw until this moment, or perhaps be in the form of a question or comment from someone afterwards, but those who minister God's Word should always be ready for that preaching/teaching to rebound.
In the end, our vacation was a good one, we spent time with loved ones and enjoyed God's wondrous creation.  Now, as I prepare this week's sermon I can do so with a heart that is refreshed and ready to be taught once more.

Sermon Video: "no prophet is honored in his hometown" - Luke 4:22-30

As Jesus begins his public ministry he proclaims his calling in his hometown by reading a passage from Isaiah concerning the Messiah.  Those who knew him best were perplexed because his wisdom was obvious, but they were unwilling to accept such a claim by "Joseph's son".  The double mistake of being judgmental and unwilling to recognize error leads Jesus to tell the fellow Israelites of his hometown that God is willing to go to the Gentiles if his people reject their chance.  Rather than respond with repentance, the people attempt to kill Jesus, but he simply walks through the crowd and goes on his way.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Is being a Christian hard?

At our Bible study today we were talking about I Peter 4:17-19 which lent itself to the question: Is it hard to be a Christian?  The answer is a bit of a paradox until you understand it.  On the one hand, it is exceedingly easy to BECOME a Christian.  It is after all, a free gift of God given by grace.  Jesus accomplished all the work that was necessary on the cross and confirmed his victory over sin through the empty grave.  For us to accept what God has already done for us requires a simple act of faith; it's easier than a lot of people assume.  On the other hand, it is exceedingly difficult to BE a Christian.  It is after all, a calling to live a holy and righteous life in which our example to imitate is Christ.  If that wasn't difficult enough, we also can expect to face persecution precisely because we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, as well as the refining "fire" of God's will that helps us to become more useful Christians.  God is indeed looking for servants who can do his will, not fans to sit in the stands and cheer him on.
Is it hard to be a Christian?  Yes, yes it is, the more so when you take your faith seriously.
Is it hard to become a Christian?  No, no it isn't, all you need to do is accept God's gift of grace.

Sermon Video: The Temptation of the Son of Man - Luke 4:1-13

Nobody enjoys being tested.  We especially don't apprecaite being tested when we're already tired, sick, or weak.  Jesus, as a demonstration of his loyalty to his Father's will and an example to us all, underwent three tests delivered by Satan himself.  In each test, Jesus responds by correctly quoting Scripture and relying upon the promises of God.  Because Jesus stood by the Spirit's power, and not his own, he becomes an example to us all when we face trials and tribulations.  Jesus stood firm on the Word of God, we can too.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Where are you going?

Yesterday my wife and I took a road trip to see a waterfall and find a Geo-cache (one of her hobbies).  The trip should have taken 45 minutes or so of scenic driving along the Allegheny river.  As we neared the destination we came upon a large bridge spanning the river.  There was only one problem, the bridge was closed for repair.  If you've ever driven around western Pennsylvania you know the problem we faced.  The only way across was to go back the way we came, work our way back away from the river until we can to a parallel route and then proceed.  In the end, the trip to the waterfall took an hour and a half instead of 45 minutes because of that one obstacle.
Is there a lesson here?  If you know where you're going, and are determined to get there, obstacles cannot keep you from finding your goal.  That's not bad, how about this as well, that which is worth doing is worth doing even if it costs you more than you'd hoped.  It was certainly a lesson in patience as well.
As we finally neared our destination, the TomTom told us to proceed down a dirt road that led to the falls.  After about 100 feet, the "road" took an exceedingly steep nose dive and we clearly no road, but rather a four-wheeler track at best.  At that point I put the car in reverse and backed on out of there.  We ended up getting good directions to an easier approach to the falls from the guy whose property bordered our would be "road" and made it there just fine.

Is there a lesson here?  Just because you think you know the way, it doesn't mean that you should throw yourself off of a cliff to get there.  I've heard of people whose GPS devices lead them into Death Valley where they become stranded (and their lives in danger from the heat) because they don't stop and think whether or not the advice they're getting is wise.  Thankfully, I decided before it was too late that reverse was the wise choice.
I thought we were just going for a ride, little did I know there were life lessons on the way there.  By the way, the waterfall was beautiful and I helped Nicole find the Geo-cache too.

Sermon Video: "prayer and the ministry of the word" - Acts 6:1-7

What begins as a food distribution issue to widows, turns into a decision about ministry priorities and delegation of authority.  As such, the solution of the Apostles to this age old problem, the tendency for leadership to become bogged down with worthy pursuits, becomes an examples for each local church today.  The church can do many things, but what must it do?  Pastors and other church leaders have a vast array of possible ministries, but what should always be the foundation of their ministry?

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video: Fighting Against God - Acts 5:33-42

As the apostles are once again brought before the Sanhedrin, it appears as if the jealousy and anger directed at Peter and the apostles may lead to bloodshed.  At this crucial moment, Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee, stands and speaks on behalf of the apostles.  He reasons with the Sanhedrin that they should do nothing to the apostles because if their enterprise is a human one it will fail on its own.  If, however, it is from God, it will succeed no matter what they do.  In the end, the apostles are flogged and then freed; after which they rejoice at having been counted worthy of suffering for the Name.  How would you or I respond to persecution?  Would we be worthy?  The only way to know is to begin to live for Jesus now, to take up our cross daily and follow him.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Hello God? Are you listening?

You ever have that feeling that maybe nobody is listening to you?  You've been working hard and doing your best, but it doesn't seem to make a difference? 
I've been there before, I've spun my wheels and wondered.  God was there with me, it wasn't easy, but we made it through (having a loving wife at your side helps too by the way).

Then there are other times, when things are all falling into place, when answers to prayer seem to come even before you get the chance to ask them.  It feels like you're coasting downhill, no need to pedal that hard even.  God is there too, even when it is easy, and he keeps me humble through it (having a wife who knows you better than anyone helps with the humility too, by the way).

A few recent things to highlight the point:
The Church has been looking into fixing the balcony of Miller Auditorium by adding a railing.  The cost would be several thousand dollars at least.  Yesterday, we hear that a local businessman has most of the materials already lying around and is willing to do the installation for free.  The correct response here is "wow!"  By the way, my secretary/office manager/church clerk was dancing in the office; always knew she had a little Pentecostal in her.

I've also been inundated of late with requests for aid; families in danger of being evicted or having their utilities shut off.  Each is a tough situation; layoffs and job losses are common these days.  After having several in one week (we can't always help resolve them too; it makes it hard, we do what we can), a young man walked into my office and told me the emotional tale of his recent troubles.  Needless to say, it was a tough situation, I didn't know how to help because the troubles seemed beyond our resources (even with the collective church fund we contribute to through Community Services).  I told him to come back the next day while I made a few phone calls.  When he returned it was clear that the weight on his shoulders had dropped overnight.  I hadn't done anything much of yet, but a kindly landlord was willing to be patient about rent and a crisis was averted.  He didn't need my help after all.

Yesterday I saw on Facebook that Mother Holly (St. John's Episcopal in Franklin) needed some extra help to unload a Second Harvest food truck.  I ended up helping a dozen or so people put food into carts and load it into their cars.  Not something terribly demanding, but very rewarding.  It was a chance to talk with each person as they went around the line getting their food, to find out about their troubles, and offer them hope for the future.

By the way, that was just some of this week's news; God, it seems, is busy these days.

Sermon Video - "Ananias and Sapphira", Acts 5:1-11

What is the nature of temptation?  Do believers fail because of external forces or internal faults?  Ananias and Sapphira both died because of there willingness to fake a charitable heart and thus lie to the Holy Spirit.  The additional tragedy of this situation is that they chose to enter into a temptation involving pride and greed when there were ample ways to avoid the situation.  It was a choice.  A choice to pick the "reward" of sin over the Truth of God; a bargain, but a fool's bargain. 

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The Post-Christian West?

It has been popular in recent years to proclaim the end of the Christian era in the West and to speak of post-modernity as the "post-Christian era".  The assessment is that the saturation of our culture by Christian ideas and values is coming to and end.  There will be far more people in the future who have no real knowledge of Christianity so that when we encounter them (either as visitors to Church or in Outreach, or simply as neighbors or co-workers) we will have to work harder to establish basic Truths and prepare the ground for the Gospel to be heard.
The evidence in Europe of the "death" of Christianity is indeed stark; near empty Churches seem to be the norm, far more than vibrant ones.  But is this the case in America too?  We have witnessed dramatic growth in those who self-label themselves as Agnostics or Atheists, but have we also not witnessed a resurgence of those who have clung to the Church through its difficult days.  Yes, Church membership is down (almost across the board), but wasn't it bloated before with those for whom it was simply a status symbol and not really a serious commitment?
The future of the Church in America lies in the hands of the generations that will inherit the leadership and responsibility from the Baby Boomers (and this soon).  It will be up to us to raise high the banners that were handed down to us and proclaim our faith proudly despite the laughter of the sceptics.  It will be up to us to show that relationships still have value in a fragmented culture, and that love can transcend text messages.
Christianity has taken a severe blow as a cultural force in America over the last few decades, but it remains to be seen if the Church will once again rise to the occasion through acts of humility and charity.
Despair over the future of the Church is nothing new.  In generations past the Lord sent revival throughout our nation, a Great Awakening ensued; later on, a Second Great Awakening followed. 
Lord, it is time, send your Third Great Awakening to a dry and thirsty land; it is not the culture of this great Nation for whom we fear, but the lost souls yearning to find hope and peace.

Can we change ourselves?

I'm reading Will Mancini's Church Unique right now and a quote he utilized when talking about Church Growth from Gordon MacDonald caught my eye. "I have wondered if our evangelical fervor to change the world is not driven in some part by the inability to change ourselves."
This thought was quickly connected in my mind to all of the enthusiasm I've witnessed over the years to change this law or that, to elect this or that candidate, in the hopes that such a political victory will allow us to change the culture from the top-down.  If we cannot change our neighborhoods, let us change the law and get the government to do the job for us.
An example of this attitude is the abortion issue.  I believe that abortion is a moral evil that should not be legal in any society.  Life, given as a gift from God, is far too precious to squander, from beginning to end.  {this same principle affect my views on using drugs, education, poverty aid, euthanasia, and more}  For nearly half a century abortion has been legal in America.  Over 30 million abortions have occurred in that time frame, not because it is legal, but because millions of our fellow Americans have decided that it is easier to rid themselves of an inconvenient child than it is to take responsibility for him/her.  Included in this number, are millions of church attenders and millions of teens whose parents are/were Christians.  This is not a problem for "them" that those of us within the Church have no responsibility for.  We already know that divorce rates and non-marital sex rates are far too similar for self-professing Christians as they are for those who do not claim Christ as Lord.
Where does this leave us.  When we realize that political solutions, while necessary, will never solve the problem, we can begin to focus our efforts upon helping our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ live in ways that more clearly reflect the mercy which God has shown us in Christ.  The problem is not out "there" among the Lost; the problem is withing the Church, the problem is our own.
It is far easier to change the political landscape and the laws of this nation than it is to reform our churches from within.  It is far easier, but far less effective.  The revival of the Church in America begins in the pew I sit in on Sunday; it begins with us.

Sermon Video: "Nothing new under the sun" - Ecclesiastes 1:4-11

We live in a world of fast paced change.  It seems that something new appears almost every day.  Yet is any of it really new?  Solomon realized 3,000 years ago that human existence was simply repetition of the ideas and efforts of previous generations.  The earth remains, we are here for but a moment.  How can we find purpose and meaning if human existence never really improves?  It is only through God's effort that we are able to accept the sacrifice of Jesus which will begin the process of transforming our human nature and removing the sin which dooms human attempts at self improvement.  In the end, without God's help, there will be nothing new under the sun.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

"there is nothing new under the sun" - Ecclesiastes 1:9b

It wouldn't help sell newspapers or magazines, nor would it help TV news ratings if those producing the news admitted that there isn't anything new to report today.  About 3,000 years ago Solomon realized that whatever news a person might hear that it wasn't really new, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again" (Ecc 1:9a).  The reason why there never is really any "new" news is because human nature doesn't change.  We may consider ourselves to be enlightened modern human beings who are far superior to our ancient ancestors, but that's just our hubris talking.  In reality, we're not any better than they are, nor are we any worse.  Man is incapable of changing his state.  Education won't do it, training won't do it, nor can a benevolent government either laize-faire or nanny-state change us.
The only thing that can, and will, bring about real change in individuals, communities, and nations, is a relationship with God through the saving power of the sacrifice of Jesus.  Why is this?  Because God has undertaken to transform us; we couldn't do it ourselves, but he can.  This is where faith begins, the realization that nothing will ever be new under the sun until we let God make it happen.

Sermon Video: Is it right in God's sight? - Acts 4:13-22

After having been detained by the Sanhedrin following the healing of a man born lame, Peter and John as told that they may no longer preach anything about Jesus.  This decision is reached by those in authority despite the obvious miracle of the man standing before them.  In response, Peter asks if it is right to obey men or God.  The disciples cannot stop preach the Gospel, nor will they.  At this point the religious leadership lets them go despite their desire to further punish Peter and John because of the fear they have of the people (who are amazed at the miracle).  How do we know if we should disobey an unjust law or corrupt regime?  In the end, Jesus is our example, in this as in all else.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The Shame of Joe Paterno

There is no excuse.  That the family is trying to spin the Freeh report to protect his "legacy" is only adding to the shame he deserves.  Joe Paterno may have served his fellow man for decades, and he did, but what will he be remembered for?  Looking the other way to protect his buddy and his football program as children were raped by the man whose office was next door.  The legal ramifications for Penn State will be huge, and they should be, but the moral ramifications are beyond the pale.  Each of those students who gathered to protest the firing of Joe must now look themselves in the mirror and realize that they were helping to protect a man who made an inexcusable evil choice. 
Those of us who serve the public as our life's calling know that everything we have worked for could be ruined by a false accusation.  It makes us tentative, causes us to have rules about ministering alone with anyone, and plays to our fears.  It cannot be helped.  The innocent deserve our discomfort.
If any of these 4 leaders at Penn State (plus who knows how many more further down the ladder) had any sense of courage or honor, they would have gone to the police regardless of the consequences.  It is not a choice, it is an obligation.  Everything else that may be offered in their defense is meaningless.  They knew enough, they knew children were at risk, and they walked away.  Only one person needed to do the right thing to put a stop to Sandusky's predatory rapes of children; at Penn State, to their shame, there was none.
There is no excuse, only shame.

Jesus Christ is the same - Hebrews 13:8

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever."  A simple enough statement on the face of it, although I feel the need to insert a couple of commas.  What's so odd about something staying the same?  In reality, it is remarkable for anything to remain the same.  When we look at the physical world around us the one constant we see is change.  Nothing stays the say, everything is in a state of flux.  Our own lives are no different.  None of us are the same as we were ten years ago; not only have our bodies aged and changed (usually for the worse), but our relationships and our thinking as well.  Change is inevitable.
And yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Isn't that what Solomon meant when he wrote, "there is nothing new under the sun.  Is there anything of which one can say, 'Look!  This is something new'?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time." (Ecclesiastes 1:9b-10)  Things such as death, taxes, man's inhumanity to man, natural disasters, pestilence, disease, and war are certainly not new.  The 24 hour news channels may report them as if they were a brand new thing, but we know we've seen them all before.
So what makes Jesus different?  The last word of the verse is "forever".  Everything I listed that we want go end, such as death, will one day be destroyed by the victory that Jesus accomplished with the Cross and the Empty Tomb.  One day, death will be no more, a new earth will be free of defect, and those who inhabit it will be free of sin.  Solomon knew that those things had all been around, and could see no way in which the evil in our world could be destroyed.  In God's wisdom, he sent his Son to our world to solve the dilemma that lead to Solomon's melancholy.
After God's final judgment of his creation, it will be God that remained the same throughout, from beginning to end, and his creation that (thankfully) returned to what it once was.  We will change, Jesus Christ has no need to; he will remain the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Ancient Words Ever True...

I was listening to the song Ancient Words in the office today, considering the words of Peter in Acts 4, and pondering the book, The Reformation by Diarmaid MacCulloch.  Where did all of that lead me?  The Reformation (in conjunction with the Renaissance) was a difficult time for those who wished to respect ancient traditions.  If you wanted to revere all the wisdom of the ancients, you had to deny the observations of men like Copernicus and Galileo in favor of men dead for two thousand years like Aristotle and Ptolemy. 
If instead, you opened up the wisdom of the ancients to doubt, even ridicule, how could you hold the line and protect the Orthodox faith from those who would deny the Trinity (for example)?
For us, the answers seem easy: Copernicus was right and that doesn't say anything about Biblical interpretation, it's just an observation from the natural world.  It wasn't so simple at the time.  We, as supposedly enlightened modern thinkers, may scoff at the foolishness of our forefathers, and shake our heads that they ever burned "witches" at the stake; but the question should be, "Are we any better?"
Take a look around the world we live in.  It has become the accepted belief in the Modern West that a human embryo can be disposed of with not a bit of care, and even an ironic moral outrage at those who would seek to "force" a young girl to give birth to the child growing inside of her.  It has also become the accepted belief in much of the Modern West that any and all variations of sexuality, co-habitation, and separation are equally valid.  That nobody has the right to tell anyone else that their choices are wrong.
Does it really seem so funny that men in the 16th Century were troubled that Copernicus was claiming the earth revolved around the sun?  In reality, humanity hasn't "advanced" much at all over the last five centuries.  We may know more stuff, and have a lot more widgets and gizmoes to entertain ourselves, but our moral state is just as deprived as the day Luther became troubled with Paul's insistence on fallen humanity in his letter to the Romans.

Sermon Video - "No other name", Acts 4:1-12

In response to Peter's healing of a crippled man and his preaching to the people in the name of Jesus, the religious leaders demand to know by whose authority Peter has acted.  In his defense, Peter boldly claims that the sole source of his healing power is the resurrected Jesus Christ.  His conclusion is Christianity's exclusive claim; that there is no other name that we have been given that can save us.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video: "the name of Jesus" - Acts 3:11-16

Following the miraculous healing of a man born crippled, Peter explains to the gathering crowd that it was not the power responsible did not belong to him.  The miracle was through and in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the same Jesus who the people of Jerusalem put to death.  By insisting that the name of Jesus, and the faith that comes through him, was the basis for the healing, Peter is declaring Jesus to be God himself.  Only God has the power to perform miracles because there is only one God.  In the end, it is faith in Jesus Christ that can heal, both body and spirit, and nothing else.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

"worship God acceptably" - Hebrews 12:28

It is amazing how much one word can change what you take from a verse.  If instead, Hebrews 12:28 read, "worship God with reverence and awe" it would certainly make a point worth noting.  God's mercy and love deserve reverence and his power inspires awe, as such the verse makes total sense.  However, when the word "acceptably" is added to the mix (same in NIV, NKJV, the NASB has "an acceptable service"), an added requirement is spelled out for the people of God.  If there is a way to worship God "acceptably" then there must be an unacceptable way to worship God.

Do you mean that I could direct my love and devotion to the right place (that is God) and still be short of what God wants from me?  That's exactly what the verse is saying.  We don't have to go far in Scripture to find examples of people who failed in their worship of God because they did it in the wrong way.  Cain springs to mind, whose sacrifice was inferior to that of his brother Abel.  King Saul learned the hard way that to offer a sacrifice to God that was unauthorized would cost him the right to rule Israel.  Throughout the prophets God warns his people that their hollow sacrifices would mean nothing without obedience.  As Jesus teaches the people he repeatedly demolishes the Pharisees for having the letter of the Law but being far from the Spirit of the Law; they may have perfected the form of worship, but are nowhere near the heart.

Is an acceptable form of worship the serious approach of many Catholics and Orthodox who treat the Mass with great solemnity?  Or does God prefer the utter exubrance of the Pentecostals who celebrate like no other?  The answer is not to be found in the form of worship (each end of the spectrum has something to offer, and many places in between as well), but the heart of the matter.  If we appreciate the seriousness of what Jesus has done for us and find the joy that being forgiven should bring, we're on the right path.  The question is not so much how you worship, as it is why.  If you feel connected to God through Latin chants, go right ahead.  If shouting out during the praise band's modern anthems brings you closer to God, knock yourself out.  Why do we worship?  To bring glory and praise to God.  In the end, it is your heart that determines if your worship is "acceptable" in the sight of God.

Sermon Video: "What I have I give you" - Acts 3:1-10

On his way to the temple to pray, Peter is stopped by a crippled man asking for money.  Rather than simply give what is expected (and needed, the man had to live too), Peter offers healing in the name of Jesus Christ.  Peter then helps him to his feet and moments later his is jumping for joy.  This episode illustrates for us the need to take action when we see suffering in our world and not simply turn a blind eye.  Moreover, we need to offer help in the name of Jesus because only the Gospel can take a glass of water and turn it into Living Water.  As Christians, we have no excuse for not being active (as individuals and as churches) in helping to alleviate and solve suffering.  Whatever you have, you can give.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

Sermon Video: "I will sing in the shadow of your wings"- Psalm 63

In this psalm David expresses his joy and confidence which come from the love and protection of the Lord.  Despite wandering around in the desert, David knew that God was with him in the no matter what.  If the doubts came in the night, God was there.  That absolute confidence in God's Word allowed David to proclaim his ability to sing out in the shadow of God's protective wings in defiance of his enemies.  We too, with the guarantee of the Holy Spirit can rejoice in our confidence in the promises of God.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

The Church in America

The history and character of the Church in America is a fascinating topic.  It is to be expected that the American culture and political system being so different from that of the Europe from which most of its early settlers came, would be reflected in the Church as well.  The Church in Europe has a tremendous amount of historical baggage to carry on its shoulders; from the massacres of the Thirty Year's War to the disillusionment of the WWI generation.  The rise and fall of nations and dynasties became so intertwined with the aspirations of Church movements that the two could hardly be distinguished.
Yet when immigrants stepped off the boats at one of America's colonies (and later at one of the United States' cities), everything was different.  At first, the American colonies were a mixture of toleration (Rhode Island, Pennsylvania), dissident churches (Massachusetts' Puritans and Quakers), and transplanted state churches (Maryland, Virginia).  These fledgling institutions, whether they intended to offer religious liberty or not (most did not), were soon overwhelmed by the flood of newcomers representing every imaginable variation of Christianity that existed in Europe.  Even those who hoped to make a particular colony, or later the United States itself, into a bastion of one church over and above all others could see that their cause was hopeless.
The religious liberty that we take for granted as a part of the American character was not the ideal that most early settlers embraced (the Puritans of MA helped Rhode Island get started by driving out dissenters; something they were used to being on the receiving end of back in England, but did anyway when they had the chance), with a few exceptions such as William Penn, but it was an inevitable outcome of such diverse immigration.  It seems that God was intent upon nudging our American ancestors into choosing to respect each other's religious liberty whether that wanted to or not.
The interesting postscript to the American Christian experience is the contrast between the nearly empty state sponsored/endorsed churches of Europe and the still vibrant independent American Church.  It is no coincidence that deprived of the power and money that government control brings that Church in America has been strengthened by the voluntary support of its members.  Today Europe stands in desperate need of revival and the balance of Church growth in the world has shifted to the Third World; the question that remains is will America recapture its history of revival and collectively renew the Church here, or will we follow in Europe's footsteps and turn our churches into museums too.

Sermon Video: Peter's Message, Part II - Acts 2:32-41

In the conclusion of his Pentecost message, Peter stresses the fact of the resurrection, the cooperation of the Trinity, and concludes by declaring that God has made Jesus "both Lord and Christ".  The response of the audience is dismay (rather than defiance) as they realize their guilt.  Peter tells them that they must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus, but that if they do, they too will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In the end, three thousand people choose to believe the Gospel.  This message has been passed down for two thousand years, but holds true to this day.  Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video

More Grace?

An interesting question was raised at last night's Bible study (Hebrew 11).  We were talking about how all of the saints of the Old Covenant had lived by faith, as we do today, and that our faith is a response to the grace of God.  If God did not offer us grace, we would not be able to respond in faith {What would we respond to without God's offer of forgiveness?}.  The question was asked, if some people don't respond, why doesn't God just give them more grace until they do?  The question gets to the heart of the relationship between a holy omnipotent God and his fallen freewill creation.
How much grace is enough?  Do we have the right to ask God for more grace? {Grace being an undeserved gift, it seems rather cheeky of us to ask God for more, but when those who refuse God's call are our own relatives or friends our desperation is certainly understandable}
I'm not a full T.U.L.I.P. Calvinist (you can look it up if you want) because I don't believe in Irresistible Grace (or Limited Atonement).  When reading the Bible I see a lot of people to whom God holds out his hands in hope only to see them refuse to accept him.  As God says of his chosen people in Isaiah, "All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people" (Isaiah 65:2a).  Time and time again the Lord pleads with his people to repent and return to him.  He sends them prophets to warn them, he shows them miracles as proof, he tries tough love by judging their sins; often to no avail.  It seems clear that God wants everyone to repent and be saved but it blocked by our willful rebellion which refuses to admit our own wrongs or seek help from above.
In the end, God will decide who receives one chance at salvation, and who receives many.  It is not for me to say that anyone is beyond redemption or that it is too late for anyone on this side of the grave.  I simply know that God wants us to receive Jesus Christ, to be cleansed of our sins, and to once again have fellowship with our heavenly father.  Peter wrote about God's patience (he would certainly know having needed it on many occasions), "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9).
Any Bible study that leads us to contemplate the depth of God's love and mercy is time well spent.