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