Irregular

PK’s Corner                                                  

April 2014

Acts 17: “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures,”

 

It’s that time of year again.  It is the time of year to prepare to go to church.  It seems for a vast number of people attendance to church is a twice a year thing, with a few special events added in.  The crowds at Easter and Christmas is often double, triple and even quadruple the number of people that go to church on a weekly basis.

 

Why is that?  When we read about Paul and the other apostles we see that they are in worship as much as possible.  The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, worshiped as often as he could and encourages us to do the same, yet we have this disparity of attendance throughout the year.

 

Using the excuse of work or no time doesn’t really cut it because when you look at the sports arenas and other venues of entertainment on the Lord’s day, you will see capacity crowds, (granted there are exceptions like the White Sox and the Met’s games).  Still why is it that people limit the amount of time they are in God’s presence?

 

Our God is a God that desires to be with us, and wants us to be with him.  He has made himself available through his son Jesus the Christ.  But for whatever reason we seem to think of worship as a burden.

 

Worship is a gift, gathering together to discuss and learn and yes, argue over scripture is a gift that Christ died to offer us.  We are blessed to be able to worship and gather in God’s name.

 

For those of you that worship regularly, God bless you, you know of the blessing I am talking about.  For those that are irregular in worship, try it more often.  Worship brings us together in the presence of God, and we are lifted up while lifting up one another.

 

Don’t let this Easter be one of the two times you go to church.  Make worship of God your priority.  I mean after all you are God’s priority.

 

Amen

Meeting

March 2014

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

 

Lent is almost upon us.  That time of year we use to reflect on the past year’s shortcomings, and focus on Christ’s love and forgiveness in our lives.  Ash Wednesday starts it off on March 5^th, and for the next 40 days, we are called to repent and renew our commitment to Christ. 

 

Don’t you find it interesting that the writer of Hebrews encourages us to provoke one another to love and good deeds and to meeting together?  If you look in the average house of Worship, you will find many an empty seat.  But most people in our communities say they have a faith in God yet refuse to join in corporate worship. 

 

 I believe too many people are convinced that they can worship God without being in community, and that is totally wrong.  John Wesley once said that there is no holiness but social holiness, and contrary to the belief of many in our denomination, that did not mean that social work was to take precedence over worship.  Wesley knew how important it is for us to gather as fellow believers.  He insisted on weekly meetings and weekly worship services.   For the pastors, there was the quarterly and annual conferences to strengthen the connection.  At no point were we ever to go it alone.   It seems in America today, many of us want to be spiritual lone wolves and act like John Wayne, (okay Church Norris) in our worship.  We feel the need to go it alone. 

 

But, Hebrews tells us differently.  We are to meet together, to provoke one another, to encourage one another. 

 

Brothers and Sisters, you do not have to be alone.  God has provided a faith community for you.   You who are believers are called to meet and encourage and you too will be encouraged.  During this coming Lenten season, commit to meeting and provoke others to share in worship and study.  Continue to pray for one another and the church and may God bless you always.

 

Amen

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