Entries Tagged 'Sermons (Joleen)' ↓

What if … we were to consider each day a blessing of God?

Drew Carey debuted the new game show The Power of 10 last week. The public is asked different questions, polled and the contestants have to guess what percentage answered a specific way. The second airing asked a question something like this, “What percentage of people surveyed said they are living the American Dream?”

A conversation followed in our household: What is the American Dream? You have to define that before you can answer.

The American Dream is in comparison to what? Countries that are wartorn, that know famine, drought, and disease. The site globalrichlist.com allows you to punch in your annual salary and see where you really are in comparison with the rest of the world.

Finally, we said that we don’t care about the American Dream, we care about God’s dream for us. By the way, the answer to “What percentage of people surveyed said they are living the American Dream?” was 47%. (Pretty high we thought, especially with the war and the current low approval rating of the President.)

God has promised to bless his people. Genesis 12.1-3 talks about the promise of blessing to Abraham, that Abraham will be a blessing, and that all peoples will blessed through him. Galatians 3.6-9,14 reveals that this blessing is that the Messiah will be born through him. The salvation of all peoples will come through Abraham. The son he longed for and waited for so long, was not just a blessing to Abraham and Sarah, he was a blessing to all people, because from his lineage would come Jesus Christ.

The ultimate blessing in our lives is that of salvation, that of knowing and being in relationship with God. As we spoke last time about how God’s mercies are new every morning, I wonder, what if we were to rise each morning first giving thanks to God for the day. What if we were to consider each new day a blessing, a gift from God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in “Life Together”, “For Christians the beginning of the day should not be burdened and oppressed with besetting concerns for the day’s work. At the threshold of the new day stands the Lord who made it.”

He also says, “The first thought and the first word of the day belong to God.” The psalmist says, “My heart is steadfast, O God, My heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre!I will awaken the dawn. (Ps 57.7-8)

Let us purpose to awaken each day with praises to God, for the gift of a new day, a day to be lived for his glory!

The mercies of the Lord are new every morning.

The church is a short distance from home, so I usually walk there. Sometimes I haven’t taken a flashlight with me and when I get out of a meeting at night, a dreary night, I can hit a place of complete darkness. A bit of fear rises in my heart, because I can’t really see where I’m going. I’m walking by memory, rather than by sight.

I look forward to when I round the corner and even if the porch light of the house isn’t on, there is light in the windows. Feeling more safe, I walk toward that light.

Our ancestors possessed that kind of night all the time, and so with gladness they embraced the dawn. With that, they understood the darkness of their sin, and with every day they arose to embrace not just the light of day, but the light of their salvation, Jesus Christ. Every day they rose with a new hope. Every day they rose from sleep, it was a reminder of the risen Christ – he arose not just from sleep, but from death, to bring us new life.

Likewise, Jeremiah, the author, in Lamentations 3.22-23 tells us that God’s mercies are new every morning. Lamentations is a book of laments, expressions of sorrow. Yet suddenly hope is voiced, because of God’s unfailing love. Because of God’s covenant love - a love that endures, that never fails, that never leaves us, that never cuts us off.Suffering is a part of life.

It doesn’t matter if one is Christian or not, there will be difficult times in our lives. Being a Christian does not exempt us from suffering and sorrow. Eugene Peterson in his introduction to the Book of Lamentations in The Message says that Jeremiah neither explains suffering nor offers a program for the elimination of suffering.

Lamentations keeps company with the extensive biblical witness that gives dignity to suffering by insisting that God enters our suffering and is companion to our suffering.

With the dawn of each day, Jesus brings new hope. Jesus is our hope. Jesus is the star come out of Jacob (Numbers 24.17), the sun of righteousness (Malachi 4.2), the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22.16). And he brings eternal hope as he promises a city that will need no sun or moon to shine on it, “for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Rev. 21.23).

Sometimes we figuratively walk through dark places, places where we don’t see God, but we keep walking, sometimes more by memory than sight. Sometimes we see the light in the distance, and we just keep walking toward it, knowing that one day, God’s light will once again dawn upon our lives.

Exodus 3.1-10 Moses and the Burning Bush, A sermon for Lenten Community Service

I don’t know if you’ve ever done anything stupid before, but I know I have. And you might say Moses did. When he sees an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew, he reacts. That’s a good thing. He knew what he saw wasn’t right. But his reaction wasn’t right either - he kills the Egyptian. His life threatened, Moses flees into the desert to Midian.

Moses is in Midian forty years when God speaks to him out of a burning bush and calls Moses to go back and deliver the Hebrew people from the mistreatment they are suffering. Moses’ response is “Who am I?”

I propose the answer to this question might be found in the burning bush. God took a normal bush and inhabited it, making it something extraordinary. Moses was aware of his shortcomings. He was aware of his failure the first time he tried to help the Hebrew people. The first time Moses tried to do things his way and in his strength. This time God promises to go with him. God promises to do something extraordinary through an ordinary person.

“Who am I?” Moses asked. Moses is teachable - he learns from Jethro, a priest and his father-in-law. Moses has a humble spirit. He is but a vessel through whom God will speak. Moses has passion and compassion for those who are oppressed. God wired Moses for this.

Moses was a Hebrew raised and educated by Egyptians. He understood their ways.Moses was broken. He left a palace for the desert. He left royalty to become a shepherd.

“Who am I?” Moses asked. God answered, “You are the one I have chosen. I am sending you.” And God did not stop there. he said that he would be with Moses, that he would help Moses, that he would teach Moses what to say.

“Who am I?” is the proper response of any one who is called of God. We all have made mistakes. We all have failed. We all have acted outside God’s will. But we cannot step beyond the bounds of God’s reaching and forgiving. We cannot step beyond the bounds of God’s call.

“Who am I?” Are you curious enough to draw near the burning bush to find the answer? Are you curious enough to tread on holy ground? Are you curious enough to listen for God’s voice speaking to you?

Today, we concluded our series on “Navigating Life: Doing Life God’s Way!” We believe it was an important series; we certainly hope that it was helpful for the hrist followers in our congregations!

We don’t always collaborate on our sermon series, but this series grew out of a conversation we had while traveling to Tennessee on Christmas morning to visit my family. We think this series was important because we believe that we will either do life God’s way (intentionally) or we will simply drift through life. And there are few things more sad than someone who drifts through life, lost at sea!

Using sailing imagery, we began the series with “Setting the Course.” Asking “Where are you headed?” we looked at John 14.1-6.

Joleen said, “Let’s journey with Jesus,” and Randy focused on trust saying, “It takes trust to do life with God!” Randy challenged listeners to think about the areas of their lives where they need totrust God, and then to release those areas to God.

Our second message was a lot of fun. We talked about “GPS” and asked, “How will you get to where you’re going?” But instead of talking about a Global Positioning System, but God’s Positioning System. Taking our cue from Deuteronomy 6.4-9, Joleen said, “Let’s journey with Scripture, a prayerful approach wherethe Holy Spirit speaks through the Words.” She challenged listeners to consider places where they could put Scripture so that it would be afrequent reminder of God. Randy’s message was, “When we make God thecenter of our lives we are more equipped to do life God’s way!” Randy encouraged listeners to develop their own, unique navigational system incorporating the spiritual disciplines, particularly prayer and Scripture.We divided the next two messages in the series.

Joleen took “Expect Delays,” asking, “What will you do when you encounter obstacles?” Randy took “The Crew” which asked the question, “Who are you traveling with?”After preaching those messages in our respective congregations, we traded places and shared the same messages with each other’s congregations the following week.

Joleen, after reading Matthew 8.23-27 noted that, “Storms will come, but Jesus is in the boat, so you’llweather the storm with a little faith.” Randy’s message, coming from Romans 12.1-8, stated that, “It takes a crew to complete a mission!” Randy challenged listeners to begin asking God what their function in the church might be, and to also begin asking others who know them to help them discover their role and gifting in the church.

We wrapped up the series today with a message on “Course Corrections.” We looked at James 1.1-18 and asked, “What do you do when you get off course?” Joleen suggested that listeners “Admit, ask forgiveness, and adjustonce again to Jesus’ path.” She stated that up until we make a commitment, we should ask, “Is this God’s will?” but that once we makethe commitment, we should affirm, “This is God’s will! Life is a discernment process where we are always open to hear God’s voice.

In Randy’s final message, he said, “When you get off course, return!” The inherent meaning behind the word “repent” is “return.” We must return to God and to what God has called us to be. “Ask God to search your heart for areas where you have gone off course,” Randy challenged listeners, “and ask God for wisdom and help to get back oncourse.”We hope that, by God’s grace, you will be able to follow Jesus more effectively from now on as you seek to navigate life and do life God’sway!

Feel free to ask questions or post comments at the end of this post!

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Since Don Moen and Paul Overstreet wrote and recorded a song by the title, God Is Good All The Time, this has become a popular greeting among church folk. And it speaks a great truth: God alone is good.

Luke 18.18-19 - A certain ruler asked him (Jesus), “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone . When we first read this, we see nothing wrong with the ruler calling Jesus good. But we must realize that the ruler does not know Jesus as the Son of God.

The ruler has sought Jesus out as a teacher. He has a question for Jesus; he want to know how to inherit eternal life. He believes Jesus is the teacher who can answer his question and so he addresses Jesus as “Good teacher.” It is a sign of respect, a sign that he is impressed with Jesus’ teaching. They are even words of flattery – you are a good teacher, you know what you are talking about, and so I am choosing to come to you to have my questions answered. Jesus is not flattered; there is a bit of rebuke in Jesus’ response, “No one is good-except God alone.”

We have the benefit of knowing who Jesus is in reading this passage. He is God and so he is good. But this man, does not know this and so it is not acceptable to call any teacher good, for God alone is good.

Yin Yang is a symbol from Chinese philosophy. Everything has its opposite. And in everything there is a trace of the opposite. There is a little evil in any good; there is a little good in evil. This is not true of God. God is good. He is only good. There is no trace of evil in God. In this respect, as Jesus says in the passage, God alone is good.

Good: pleasant, agreeable, excellent, rich, appropriate, glad, happy, prosperous, good understanding, kind, right, a good thing, benefit, welfare.

The Scripures
1 Timothy 4.4 everything God created is good. (See Gen 1) Deuteronomy God is bringing Israel to a good land.

Joshua 23.14 not one of all the good promises God gave has failed

Hebrews 6.5 goodness of the Word of GodGospel is the Good News

Romans 8.28 God works for the good of those who love him

Romans 12.2 God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect

Philippians 2.13 God works in you for his good purpose

Ps 13.6 I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

Ps 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth… according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.

Psalm 31.19 how great is your goodness …

Psalm 116.12 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

Ps 118.1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Ps 119.68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.

Many of these psalms are psalms of thanksgiving, which come after the psalmist has gone through a difficult time and God has heard the psalmist cry and delivered him. The psalmist is not free of hardship, but sees God’s goodness in the midst of the ups and downs of life.

We benefit from God’s discipline
Psalm 119.71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

Hebrews 12.7-11 An earthly father disciplines. Discipline is expected and if done appropriately they are respected for it. They do their best; their discipline falls short; it is not perfect. But God’s discipline is perfect through his perfect wisdom and knowledge. He knows what is best and what he does is motivated by his concern for our well being. “God disciplines us for our good.” Not because he is good and we are not. Not because we deserve his wrath. This has nothing to do with wrath or punishment. It has nothing to do with him being all-powerful and having to prove his power over us. It is discipline done in love. It all has to do with our well being. It’s about us and what is best for us.

And in this process, we actually become more like God, his character is being nurtured and birthed in us, shared with us. Hebrews 7 continues in verse 13b so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. God is not a God who kicks us when we are down. He is a God who lifts us up; he brings healing and wholeness; He is a God who wants us to grow strong in Him, strong in our reliance upon his strength and trust in his goodness.

Those who have suffered failure in life, actually fair better in life. They do not fear failure. They are willing to take risks, rather than play it safe. John Maxwell says when you fail, stay down there long enough to learn something from your failure. Too many times we get up, we shake ourselves off, hope no one saw us, and go on like nothing happened.

The account of Joseph
Genesis 37-50. Joseph and the many-colored coat. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, which caused his other brothers to hate him. To make matters worse, Joseph had dreams about his brothers bowing down to him, as if he would reign over them. This caused them to hate him all the more. They were going to kill him, but instead sold him into slavery (but told his father that he was killed by a wild animal.)

Joseph ended up in Egypt. The Lord allowed him to enjoy success. He first served one of Pharaoh’s officials, until his wife made the moves on him and he got the blame and was sent to prison. He could tell the meaning of dreams and his hopes went up and down with promises to be released. Finally one day, the Pharaoh had a dream and no one could tell the meaning of it. It was remembered that Joseph could tell the meaning of dreams and he was called on. The dreams revealed that there was to be a great famine in the land. This was revealed so that the people could prepare in advance for the time of famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of his household and he was second only to Pharaoh in power.

And so through a series of what looked like bad events in Joseph’s life, he was able to save many people, including his own family who traveled to Egypt to purchase food during the famine. Because of the famine Joseph was reconciled with his family. Joseph says to his brothers: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50.20 (see also Genesis 45.5-7) So we see that God works his good, saving plan through the evil, sinful plan of Joseph’s brothers. The guidance of God is stressed in this account, but nothing more explicit is said. It remains a mystery. “Even when no man could imagine it, God had all the strings in his hand.” (Von Rad)

This requires trust in God; a trust in God’s goodness is required, even when we cannot see the goodness from the trial or the hard time we are going through. We must trust that God is at work for good, even when we cannot see that good.

The invitation to taste the goodness of the Lord
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Psalm 34.8a. Action on the part of the believer required. Suggests that we must act in order to perceive the greater delivering action which is Gods. Requires movement; we must taste, to release the goodness that is stored up for us. Taste a new food, see if it is good. Someone may tell you it is good, but you don’t know unless you taste it yourself.

Joseph was obedient in action. As the official’s servant, even though he was a servant, he was faithful. In prison, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners. He basically did the wardens job. Things didn’t look good for Joseph when he was a prisoner, but that did not influence his actions, his character or his trust in God. He was put in prison because his character was questioned, but he maintained high character. Joseph didn’t know it, but while he ran the prison, he was in training to run the whole country.

God’s goodness pursues us always
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. Psalm 23.6a. There is action on God’s part. God pursues us, he chases us down with his goodness. Again, this psalm is used to bring comfort in some of the lowest times of our lives, as the psalmist talks about the God who leads us safely through the valley of the shadow of death.

This is the same God who has filled the psalmist’s cup to overflowing, overflowing with blessing, overflowing with goodness. The psalmist speaks out of experience of God’s goodness in the past, his goodness in the present and a confidence of God’s goodness in the future. This psalm ends with words of God pursuing us - not just following, not just offering, not being passive, but actively pursuing us - with his goodness and with his loving kindness.

God is active in our lives. He doesn’t just leave us out there on our own. He is active for our good. Even if we are not convinced of his goodness, his goodness is following after us. He wants to overtake us with his goodness. He wants us to be convinced of his goodness in our lives.

God wants us live declaring, God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

On the Road to Emmaus:
Today, another story of biblical hospitality. Another story of a stranger welcomed for a meal.

The story - And so it is with these two disciples as a stranger approaches them and joins them as they travel. The setting is after the crucifixion and resurrection. The crucifixion they saw and believed. They knew Jesus had died. The resurrection they did not know. They tell of the women at the tomb and the vision they see: a vision of angels proclaiming that Jesus is alive. They tell of their friends visiting the tomb and they too find it empty, but they do not see Jesus. This stranger comes alongside their conversation. The two are amazed as the stranger asks about what they are discussing. The two respond, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” When in fact it is this stranger who can and will reveal more fully the things that have happened, as he explains from the Old Testament scriptures.

As the two reach their destination, the stranger acts as if he will continue on. But as an act of hospitality, the two welcome him to stay the night with them. It is near evening. The day is almost over. As the stranger accepts, we next find them sitting at table, sharing a meal together. Food is a requirement for good, biblical hospitality. And it as the stranger takes the bread, gives thanks for the bread and breaks the bread that he is revealed to the two as the risen Lord. And Jesus then disappears from their sight.

Matthew 25.35-36 - Jesus is many times the stranger that we welcome in our midst. He says, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Jesus as host and meal
In Jesus appearance and presence, and in the revealing of himself in the Emmaus account, Jesus promises to be present and recognized at shared meals. At Emmaus, Jesus comes as a stranger, the two welcome the stranger Jesus as guest, and in the breaking of bread Jesus becomes host.

Jesus is the gracious host when he feeds the more than 5,000 on the hillside from five loaves and two fishes. Jesus becomes both host and meal as he declares, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6)

And he sends out the invitation, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink as he offers himself as living water. (John 7) At the Last Supper, Jesus takes two basic elements of the full meal, bread and wine, and fills them with rich symbolic meaning. The bread is his body, broken. The wine is his blood, shed. These, the cost to welcome strangers to his table. He is once again host and meal.

Jesus says, “Come, come and be filled.” “Come and be made whole.” He offers forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, and he offers a relationship, a relationship with himself and with others who gather at this table. He promises that he will reveal himself, and so that he will no longer be stranger to us. He promises that we will no longer be stranger to him or to one another but as we gather at table together he will make us the “household of God”.

It is also at this table that he offers nourishment for the journey toward God’s heavenly banquet table. As we participate and commune at this table, we anticipate that final Kingdom banquet, that time when we will see him face to face, that time when we will no longer look through a glass darkly, we will know Christ fully, and we shall be fully known. (1 Cor 13.12)

The Three Visitors: Genesis 18.1-15
Genesis 18 is a story of hospitality, biblical hospitality.

Hospitality is:
Offered to strangers
Verse one reveals to the reader what Abraham does not know, that the visitors are the LORD, Yahweh. It is told for the readers benefit. As for the hospitality offered, it is offered to strangers who are treated as guests.

A warm, respectful welcome
Verse one also gives the setting, it is in the heat of the day. Abraham has worked all morning and now is preparing for his afternoon siesta. It is time to rest.

The scripture says that he looks up and sees three men standing. Abraham is not sure how they got there. He probably assumes he dozed off and they approached as he was sleeping. With the narrator telling us who the visitors are, the LORD, it may cause us to wonder about the supernatural nature of these guests. Could they have supernaturally appeared?

Abraham, being that he didn’t notice them at first, sets off in a hurry or running to meet the guests. This demonstrates his joy at having guests. It is a warm welcome, a generous welcome. Elsewhere in Genesis people run to greet their relatives, but here Abraham runs to greet those whom he does not know. It is also a greeting of respect, as Abraham bows down, a position of worship.

He greets them with a rather lengthy greeting in biblical standards, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.” There is politeness; there is charm in “If I have found favor”. And he calls them lord with a small l. It is a title of respect and is more true to the identity of the guests than he knows.

Sees and meets needs
Then Abraham offers what any weary traveler needs: a drink of water, water to wash their feet, and a place to rest under a tree.

Generous, yet not making them feel as if they are imposing
He also offers them a bit of food, probably a pita roll. But as soon as they accept, he begins to prepare a feast. It is an understatement, which is characteristic of generous people in Scripture. If he had offered the feast, they may have felt they were imposing and not stayed. But now that they were staying, Abraham shifts into hurry mode again. In the Hebrew it is worded as if he goes to the tent and to the cattle almost at the same time. He hurries to Sarah, he runs to the cattle, the servant hurries to prepare it.

The Feast:
A seah is about two gallons, so six gallons of flour will make a lot of bread for three guests. And Abraham kills a bull, once again much more than needed. It is royal generosity.

And as they eat, Abraham, the good host, waits discreetly in the background.

Biblical Hospitality Defined
-This hospitality is not like that of today which is extended to someone we know, but hospitality that is extended to the stranger.
-Not hospitality like that of today that is extended to someone who is invited, but to the uninvited.
-A hospitality that sees the need and meets it.
-A hospitality that is not ruled by convenience, but generously spares nothing on behalf of the guest.
-It is a hospitality that does not entertain, but meets the needs of strangers, who may not be able to repay, and are not expected to repay.

“Hospitality meant extending to strangers a quality of kindness usually reserved for friends and family.” Especially focusing on strangers in need. (Christine Pohl, "Making Room")

It goes beyond meeting needs to recognizing and valuing the stranger and guest.

Hospitality in the first Century Church
Hebrews 13.1-3 is a reference to the Genesis 18 story.
Hebrews 13.2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hospitality begins with believers and extends to all:
Galatians 6.10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

In early Christian life, hospitality broke down cultural barriers and nurtured a sense of equality. It transformed relationships.

Whether they finally be lost or saved, you are expressly commanded
to feed the hungry and clohe the naked. If you can, and do not,
whatever become of them, you shall go away into everlasting fire. -John Wesley

The Disappearance of Hospitality occurred in the 1700s as inns developed. People were no longer dependent to stay at other’s homes, but could rent a room. Also, hospitals and hospices and other institutions developed. They cared for more people but not with the attention of hospitality that lifted one’s esteem and made one to feel special. This is still evident in our care systems today. The 16th Century Reformers called for a return to hospitality, with our John Wesley being the closest to achieve such a practice because his small groups returned to the use of the home for such meetings.

Offering Biblical Hospitality
Personally, I leave you to grapple with that question. We all know that we are cautious of picking up hitchhikers and inviting strangers into our homes. One of the factors prohibitive to this is that we have more “stuff” which can be stolen or broken.

But in the church, how can we offer Biblical Hospitality?
~Welcome all. Those who are different from us. Those who are not yet followers of Christ. Remember that we are all sinner saved by grace. Remember that places of biblical hospitality were transformational places.
 
~Offer hope. Give the gift of respect and dignity.

~Can we create centers of hope or centers of hospitality? Is that not what teen outreach centers are?
What about a clothing ministry? A ministry of outreach into our community. It’s not just a place to get clothes at an affordable price, but a place where people come and feel welcome and respected and gain dignity. A place where they are offered spiritual guidance and prayer. And as the ministry grows a place that can possibly offer career counseling, help women reentering the workforce, GED classes, parenting education, and the list goes on.

Brings Blessing
Angels unaware – we don’t know who we serve. Again referring to the story of Abraham and Sarah. The next section, after the guests have eaten, they ask where Sarah is (probably knowing where she is.) And they say that one year from now she will have a son. This story connects hospitality with God’s presence, with promise, and with blessing.

John 3.1-21

The Flower called Nicodemus
What kind of flower is pictured on the cover of the bulletin? It opens only at night (it closes in the daytime) and just for a few short weeks around the start of summer. The evening primrose, nicknamed the Nicodemus flower.

The Person of Nicodemus
The story of Nicodemus is the story of a secret visit, a visit made in darkness. You see Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish ruling council (the Sanhedrin, the highest legal body among the Jews). Nicodemus was a teacher himself, and now he seeks out another teacher, Jesus. But he comes at night, when others will not see him. Why? Perhaps he is fearful what the others will think. Perhaps he is uncomfortable with others seeing him seek out another teacher.

My Fears
I in some ways can relate to Nicodemus’ fears. I’m an introvert, which is defined as drawing strength from being alone. When I first moved into the Valley one of the first invitations I received was to the “famous” community July ham and turkey dinner. Having been here just a few weeks it was way out of my comfort zone to walk into a room full of people I didn’t know. It was just that I didn’t know them, but they might know me.

Church Fears
Many people fear going to a place for a first time. Many people fear attending a church service for the first time or even if they attend regularly and move to another area, they fear attending a new church for the first time.

Especially in churches our size, in communities our size, there is discomfort in being a stranger where everyone else knows one another.For those who haven’t attended church, there are questions as to what to expect; what will it be like. It used to be churches would have first-time guests stand and give their names. People don’t like to do that anymore. They don’t like to be singled out.

And knowing all that, sometimes we invited people to church and we think we’ve done our job, but we leave them to deal with all these fears on their own.

Removing Barriers
So how do we remove these barriers?First, let me remind you that when you invite someone to church they might not say yes the first time. It usually requires numerous invitations over a period of time. And if you don’t know the person, it takes longer.

-Build relationships
This week I was speaking to someone who told be the story of inviting a new neighbor to church. The person didn’t come, but she kept building a relationship with this neighbor, with visits and shared interests. And after some time this neighbor came and continued to come. It’s about building a relationship with people and caring for people as well as being invitational.

-Invite them to come with you. Pick them up. Travel together. Or if that is not possible for some reason, like the size of their family and your family prohibitive, then …

-Meet them at the door.

-Help them with parking.

-Greeters (friendly; restrooms; welcome brochure/sign guest book; help with children)

-Be welcoming. Whether you have invited the person or not, whether you know the person or not, be welcoming.

At Quest Community Church, Lexington, they don’t just visit with the people they know, they look for people they don’t know. After church they look for guests. To welcome, to help, to make them feel comfortable. The mission of their church is to reach people who don’t know Christ, and they are constantly putting that into practice.

-Invite to other events

Sometimes it is easier for people who are unchurched to come to church-sponsored events other than worship. The above applies (go with, meet, be welcoming).

Nicodemus: The Rest of the Story
The Flower: The Nicodemus Flower or Evening Primrose, grow in poor soil or even in the desert. They grow in unexpected places. Sometimes people grow in unexpected ways.

In John 3 we don’t know if Nicodemus gets it. Jesus gives him this teaching about being “born again,” a term that is fairly common to us in referring to believing in Jesus Christ and accepting the salvation that comes only through him. But Nicodemus is really confused. Jesus is speaking in spiritual language and Nicodemus is thinking in physical language. And at the end of John 3 we are left hanging.

But later we find out that Nicodemus does come to understand who Jesus is and what his mission is.

Nicodemus speaks up in the midst of the Pharisees who are speaking negatively of Jesus. Nicodemus encourages them to hear what Jesus is saying.

Nicodemus is with Joseph of Arimathea to take Jesus’ body down from the cross, treat the body with spices and to bury it.

John 3.21

“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light…”

Nicodemus came out of the darkness into the light. Nicodemus fears were conquered as Jesus Christ was revealed to him.

This month I begin my sixth year with you. Hard to believe isn’t it?

It is a good time to do some reflection: to look back, to look forward. It is a good time to remember my call and how that affects us as the body. My very first sermon the first of July, 2001, I shared my call to ministry with you. Some of you were here, some of you weren’t; some may remember, some won’t; some details you will remember, some you won’t.

In July 2005 in my class, our teachers, Jim and Molly Davis Scott, instructed us how they shared their call with those they were serving on an annual basis. Each time we tell our stories they get told a different way. We are different people, as we continue to develop and grow.

And I know God continues to sharpen my call. In fact he recently has reminded me of aspects of my call and how that fits with where we are now and how the specific words of that call are being brought more into focus. It all speaks to me that the words of my call were more distinct and directional, more rich with meaning, than I knew them to be at the time.

And my call affects you. It affects this church. If God has called me to a specific task, and God has placed me in your midst, then it follows that He is calling you to walk with me, to learn and grow with me, to flesh out this call together.

My call
After high school, I attended Indiana University of PA. When I began college teaching was the only thing I wanted to do. But four years later, I knew that wasn’t what I would spend the rest of my life doing. About half way through college I began to sense that God had different plans. I was very active in my church. At graduation I had no specific direction regarding my calling. I would have loved to stay at that church, but I had a college degree and thought it best I use that degree until God further directed me.

So I taught school for three years while God continued to unfold his plan. During that time I spent one summer in the Philippines as a short-term missionary. I had an interest in mission work, but God used that experience to open my eyes to another ministry. The Filippino Christians were so dedicated to Christ. They were ready to give up everything to serve God. Their whole lives centered around Christ.

God gave me the vision of seeing Christians in the United States with that kind of passion, that kind of commitment, that kind of hunger to serve.

I continued teaching, waiting for more direction. And wanting to be sure of this call. And wanting more pieces to the puzzle. One night at church many of us were gathered at the altar for prayer and someone spoke out what we would call a prophetic word, “The fields are white unto harvest.” It was like a thunderbolt went through my body, it was the Holy Spirit confirming my call. And yet it wasn’t time to launch out in ministry. I still had no direction what I was to do with this call.

I was miserable. I kept teaching. I kept praying. I kept seeking. My church family prayed with and for me and one day God used one of them to speak to me to basically say, “Wait.” That thing we don’t like to do. But that gave me so much peace. I knew God would tell me the next step when it was time and it that it would be in his time.

So I was faithful where I was, continuing to teach and continuing to be involved in ministry at that church. Soon I began investigating Bible schools and colleges. When I called the college of the denomination I grew up in for information, they directed me to the denomination’s seminary which was just across the street. I’ll never forget the day, sitting in the back of my classroom with two catalogs, one from the college and one from the seminary. It was near the end of the school year and I was showing “West Side Story” in my general music classes. It was like I was determined to go to the college. The college was all I had ever heard about.

And yet the catalog wasn’t doing a thing for me. So finally, I opened up the seminary catalog and everything just clicked. The weight, the heaviness, I had been feeling for months and even more than a year, it just lifted immediately. I knew what the next step was!

That doesn’t mean it was easy. I handed in my resignation with tearful eyes. A chapter in my life was closing. And I was saying good-by to financial security. But God was there every step of the way and he put good people around me every step of the way to support and encourage and confirm those steps.

The story doesn’t end there. God’s specific direction doesn’t end there. But I’m going to stop there for today.

“The fields are white unto harvest.” - “Go, make disciples.”
The things God has reminded me of are the specifics of that call. The words, “The fields are white unto harvest.” And God’s guidance in the Philippines and he place a burden on me to see committed Christ followers in the States.

Those two things are very clear in Jesus’ scriptural mandates. Jesus words to “Go, make disciples.” They are words to invite people to know Christ and his salvation. But it is instruction to teach them to follow in the ways of Christ. To become like Christ. To develop Christlike qualities in their lives. To be in relationship with Christ, a relationship that is growing and thriving and maturing. A relationship and commitment that doesn’t end with them becoming disciples, but with them being sent to make disciples.

It is a personal commitment to Christ that is so life-changing, so life-permeating, that it affects all those around us.

Is your life infectious?
We usually look at that word in a negative sense, like an infectious disease. It’s contagious. If you get close to people they will catch what you have. So with some, we quarantine them, keep them away from people. But God sends us forth to rub shoulders with the world, not so that the world rubs off on us, but so Christ rubs off on the world.

It like the parable of the yeast. It only takes a little to work through the dough. It only takes a small amount and the whole batch is affected, changed. Are you affecting the world around you? Are you changing the world around you? Or when you leave here do you “fit in” with the world?

Let’s be world-changers. Let’s take Christ with us everywhere we go. Let us invite God to permeate every part of our being, so that as we go forth he can permeate the world around us. It is “white unto harvest.”

We live in a day and age when we are not used to waiting. We live in a microwave age; an instant society. You tell me, if you had to choose between a crock pot and a microwave, which would it be?

We are impatient when we have to wait in line at the checkout counter. “Why don’t they open more lanes?” we ask. The other day I was in the turning lane behind several other cars and watched the cycle of lights go round and round with every lane getting to go but mine. That happened at least two times. You sure could tell we don’t live in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia – not a horn sounded. We just sat and waited and waited.

And when we finally got the light I saw that the first vehicle in line was a motorcycle, probably undetected by these “smart” lights we have nowadays.

Yes we like things fast. And yet there are some things that still take time.

~Last time I checked mothers still have to carry a baby for 9 months before giving birth.

~We plant seeds or small plants and we wait … we wait and watch as they grow; we wait and watch as blossoms come on; we wait and watch until finally fruit appears.

~There are still 12 years of schooling required to get a high school diploma – now some really smart people can accelerate the pace, but they still have to do the required work.Most the time we don’t do a good job of waiting before the Lord.

If you wait for something that means you think something’s going to happen: a baby’s going to be born, a traffic light’s going to change, there’s going to be a crop to harvest.

The Psalmist said that he prays every morning and then “I wait for your answer.” (Ps 5.3b). He expected God to answer. Do we expect God to answer our prayer? Or do we just want him to do what we ask? Do we think that he knows what we need?

Too many times we think we know what we need and we just go to God with the list … here it is God. This is what I need. Now give it to me. And up and off we go. Oh, we may not really say, “Now give it to me.” But we don’t wait to see if God agrees with us. We don’t wait to hear from God whether what we think we need is really what we need. Heaven forbid if God would disagree with our prayer! Oh, that would imply that we really mean what we pray when we say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

And now with the confidence of children (children who trust; children who depend; children who sometimes don’t know what is best for them) as children of God, let us pray,

Our Father, who art in heaven,Hallowed be thy name,Thy kingdom comeThy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses,As we forgive those who trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation,But deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.