Disciple

February 2014

Luke 6:13 “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles”:

When you ask what we as Christians are supposed to be doing, the answer should be making disciples.  The problem with that answer is two-fold; first, what is a disciple and second, how can we make disciples if we refuse to be disciples?

In regard to the first problem, my definition of a disciple is a follower of Christ who is so into Christ that everything he/she strives to do reflects Christ.   As a Methodist, we are in constant training to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  We don’t always get it right, but becoming a disciple is a continual process it is not a onetime thing.

The second problem, (pardon the redundancy) is more problematic.  How can we make disciples if we ourselves will not become disciples?  Attending church once a week is not being a disciple.  Doing a good deed here and there is not being a disciple.  Just being a nice person is not being a disciple.  If we truly desire to make disciples for Christ, then we must become disciples of Christ and that requires following Christ, knowing Christ, learning from Christ and listening to Christ.

 How can we expect someone to take up a cross that we refuse to bear? The Pharisees did that and you know where that got them.  How can we expect someone to learn something if we refuse to study?  How can we expect people to have a deep relationship with Christ if we are not willing to dive into that very relationship?

I have heard that not everyone can be a disciple, but I believe that is a flawed statement.  I believe everyone is called to be a disciple in the context God has for them.  I believe that every person that we come in contact with can be a disciple, but we must first be disciples. I also believe that if our churches truly desire to be disciples, then you will see a revival of epic proportions.  If we truly desire to follow Christ, then the world will change, hunger will be no more, poverty a memory, homelessness a thing of the past.  Following Christ will change everything.

Ultimately becoming a disciple is a response to Christ’s act of salvation in our lives.  So now is the time to respond to what Christ has done in your life, and bring others to him.  Let’s be the disciples Christ is calling us to be.

Amen

Ode to the New Year

January 2014

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look,   and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’

Once in a great while, I wax poetic.  So if this offends, I apologize:

A New Year is on us, the old one is gone

Clang all the cymbals, hammer the gong

The old is over, it is done, it is through

Now we can start better and all is new.

But is newer the better? Is shiny the best?

Will having the latest, give us a rest?

Will all this new stuff we found at the tree

Really be what’s best for you and for me?

Yes the New Year is here, but don’t throw out the old.

For it was there we grew and came in from the cold.

We made new friends, and found some we lost

We lived our life, and yes even paid a cost.

The Old Year that past, was it really that bad?

Did all go wrong, did we lose all we had?

Can we look back, and see what is past

Or would we rather take the future so fast.

As for me and my house, in God we will be bold.

For He gives us the past and the future to hold.

He shows us the way that is better to walk

And He shows us love, even when we do balk

So look to our God, for the pathway to take

And travel in praise for God’s only sake

A New Year is on us, the old one is gone

Clang all the cymbals and hammer the gong.

May God give you a Happy, Joyous and Prosperous 2014.

Amen

The House

December 2013

Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’

 

Do I have to go to church?  But I don’t want to go to church… these statements and many more seem to fill the Sunday morning air as we prepare for the Lord’s Day.  Not often do you hear what the Psalmist says above.

Why is it that people don’t want to worship God?  That is a question that continues to befuddle the experts in this country.  I have a theory, but it may not be one you want to hear.   It has to do with what Church is all about. 

 

Please understand, worship is not about what we wear, where we set, or how great the music is.  Worship is not about lights and power point, nor is it about the comfort of the pews (or chairs).  Worship is not about our comforts, wants, or desires.  It isn’t about us.  Worship is only and truly about God.   Yes, you heard right, worship is about God. 

 

You see, we come together as a community of faith to give praise to our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier.  We stand in praise of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We shout in reverent response to all that God has done for us and is doing for us in our lives.  Sunday morning worship is not about who we are, but about whom we praise.  

 

Just think of what would happen if we came to church to truly worship God.  What if we came to give, and not to receive?  What if we came with the attitude of love, rather than an attitude of obligation?  What if for that brief moment in time we didn’t think about ourselves and thought only of God.  Would it truly ruin our lives if we left our cell phones at home and actually participated in worship?  How would our lives be different if our focus was on the creator, and not the creation? 

 

Advent starts the new Christian year, and reminds us that we are never out of God’s thoughts.  Maybe we need to return the sentiment.  My prayer for all of you in this Nativity season is that you can share with the psalmist and be truly glad when they say “Let us go to the house of the Lord”

Amen

The Difference

PK’s Corner                                                  

November 2013

Luke 18:14 “I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

Do you know the difference between a tax collector and a Pharisee?  Both were in the temple, both were praying to God, both were men of prayer.  The difference was this, the Pharisee saw himself as a shining example of what a godly man should be and thus did not see his own short comings and sins.  The tax collector knew what he had done and was doing.  He knew that heaven was not for people like him.  The tax collector knew that all he could ask for was mercy, he deserved nothing.  Interestingly enough, the tax collector left blessed by God.

When the end of time comes, there will be a separation of people.  Some will go to be in Heaven, and others will go to Hell.   What we often forget is the only difference between the two peoples is that while both were sinners, only those bound for heaven asked for forgiveness and mercy. 

People seem to have forgotten about consequences, and have start trying to justify their mistakes and sins.  It hurts us to think that we might have to regret something, so we hide it in our locker and tell people that we have it all under control.  The reality is oh so different.

Asking for forgiveness is the first step to a new life in Christ.  Asking for forgiveness means you are ready to let God work in you to become a new creation.  We are all called to be new creations, but only if we accept Christ.

Heaven and Hell is a choice.  You can choose to live in heaven, or can choose to live in a place where it is always hot, no air conditioning.  I pray you will choose Heaven and God’s forgiveness in your life.   ( …for further reading  look at Luke 18:9-14)

Amen

Meeting

PK’s Corner                                                   

 September 2013        

Hebrews 10:24-25 ²⁴And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

According to recent polls, regular attendance at church consists of 1.8 times per month.  Now, I don’t know about you, but I always understood  regular attendance to mean being at church every time the doors were open.  Today we are seeing a mass exodus from the church and in order to make it look less bad, we have adjusted requirements for attendance.  This is not the way of God, nor the intention of the church.

The writer of Hebrews knew the human condition all too well.  It is too easy to wake up on the Lord’s Day and say, “It’s too hot, I’ll go to church next week” or “It’s too cold, maybe it will be warmer next week”.  We can find excuses upon excuses for not coming to church.  But Hebrews tells us to not accept excuses.

To stop the decline of the church in this country, it seems that there is one thing we have not tried... Encouragement.  When was the last time you encouraged someone to attend worship with you?  When was the last time you overrode objections so your friend could be at church?  When did your church last adjust a worship time, or prayer time so that others could come?

The church has been called to change lives, but unless we as the body of the church encourage people to attend and be part of a faith community, the church is impotent and spiritual death becomes the norm.  We cannot allow this to happen.

Here is my challenge to you for this month; Think of 10 people who are not regular church attendees. (Regular being at least once a week)  Now take it upon yourself to encourage those persons to come to church with you.  Go out of your way to help them with rides, or to over ride whatever their objections will be.  By doing this you will be working for the Kingdom and we can stop this exodus from the church.

God has given us a great gift that is meant to be shared, please share it.

Amen