Introduction
Today we are going to continue our preaching series based on those lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. Thus far, we learned that this particular book is actually a letter Paul writes while he is in prison and it was intended to bring about joy and hope to its recipients. This letter is meant to impress upon us that the Christian life, regardless of circumstances, can be one of happiness and holiness. Two weeks ago, we used this letter to help us dissolve the myth of location: what it is, why it does not matter, and what this means for each of our own personal ministries. Last week, we attempted to use this letter to help raise our own awareness to the impact of our attitudes and how when we adopt a servant mindset, our priorities shift, our humility is heightened, and our pursuits are no longer self-centered but Christ centered. Today we are going to look at the how this letter reveals to us the certainty of God's promises allowing us to celebrate this life. Specifically, how we as people of faith, should approach uncertainty and deal with our tendency to worry.
It is All About Perspective
Have you heard the old story about the young man who enthusiastically joined the monastery? Wanting the highest and the best, the young monk immediately took the vow of silence. The solemn vow meant the monk could only speak two words a year and those were reserved for his annual evaluation with the Abbott. The first year passed and the Abbot asked the monk how he was doing. Without hesitation the monk replied, "Food Bad." Another year passed and the Abbott again asked the monk how he was doing. The monk replied, "Bed hard." When asked for an evaluation the third year, the young monk said, "I quit." "Well", said the Abbott, "I'm not surprised. All you have done since you came here is complain, complain, complain."
Life seems to be in turmoil right now – our country finds itself in a recession – businesses are collapsing, folks losing jobs, others are watching the investments that they had counted on to provide for them, slip away with the bottoming out of the stock market. There have been a lot of changes. How are we going to handle those? How are we going to face those? Especially in light of our faith. Because the answer for how we handle and face change should be different that those who don’t have a belief in Jesus Christ. It really should.
Our Perspective
So what should be our perspective as believers in Jesus Christ? Paul lays it out in one of the best ways I have ever seen. Listen again to his words,
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7, NRSV)
Now how many of you never worry? I know I do and I am pretty sure all of you do as well. We have grown up being taught to worry. Worry about grades in school, success in our jobs, now a days it is even keeping our jobs. Worrying about our houses and are they nice enough, big enough, stable enough. Our cars, our friends, our finances. The list can go on an on. We all worry. But here Paul takes to the opposite of worry. He says, "Do not worry about anything!" Please understand that this direction is nothing new. Three times in Matthew chapter 6 alone, Jesus tells us, "Do not worry." (25,31,34)
To help this concept take root a bit deeper, let's try this. I will suggest some things that would concern most people and would like all of you to reply with the words, "Do not worry about anything!"
"Paul, I am worried about some bad news I received about my health."
"Do not worry about anything!"
"Paul, I am anxious about our country's economic situation."
"Do not worry about anything!"
"Paul, I am worried about my family and the world that we are leaving to them."
"Do not worry about anything!"
But Paul is not finished. He takes it a step further and says not only are we not worry, but we are not to worry about anything. Zip, zilch, nada, nothing. With so much uncertainty in this life, how, by all that is holy, can we not worry?
The Answer to Worry
The answer lies in Paul's second statement, a statement with a very clear and specific set of instructions. “...but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” The answer to alleviating the worry in our lives is through prayer, through specific requests, and to do it with an attitude of thanksgiving, knowing God is in control.
If want to alleviate worry in your life, pray. Pray daily, pray often. This is the way we communicate with God. And after you pray, listen. You talk and then let God talk. I try to pray five times a day. Not just at meals or before I go to bed. Pray abundantly, pray without ceasing.
We are also to pray specifically. Yes, God knows all of our concerns, and yes the Holy Spirit can and does pray our prayers for us when we are overwhelmed. But praying by supplication is not for God, but for us. It is us having that opportunity to be with God, connect with God, deepen our relationship with God. The best way to grow deeper with someone is to spend time with them. Be open with them.
And we are to pray with thanksgiving, with confidence, knowing that God is in control. We can be grateful that we serve a God that is always present, grieving as we grieve, crying as we cry, present with us no matter what we face.
The Consequence
But what makes this act so difficult, is that the practice of not worrying, of praying with supplication and thanksgiving, is that it will involve a change in our lives.
Therefore, our perspective is very important, especially when we are in a state of change. Change is hard and often scary. Most people don’t like change, they avoid it if at all possible. And the principle thing that most people don’t like is to change is themselves. We resist change even when it is in our best interests. We like power, we crave control and to turn all things over to God can be scary. Letting go of the control can be frightening. But if our perspective in life is to live for God, then we have to try.
The Benefit
Paul tries to put those fears to rest by explaining what happens when we can let go of the power and turn our worries over to God. When we let go, when we do not worry by turning our cares over to the one person that can really do something about them, we gain peace. The peace of God. The peace of God that “surpasses all understanding, [that] will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7, NRSV)
All of this, everything we have talked about so far this morning, it all goes back to verses 4-5, ““Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” We can have peace, we can rejoice, because God is a part of our lives. Every Sunday morning we begin worship by praying for the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, to come into this place. And not only to come but to move, move in us, move around us, move between us. We ask God to be active. And because we ask, he does. We do not want to simply worship God when we come here, we should expect to experience God when we come here. That is how we rejoice. We rejoice because God is here and because God is in control. When we lay our worries before God, receive God's peace as a result, and rejoice that God is near, those feelings are life changing. They are transforming!
Folks, if you hear nothing else this morning hear this. These feelings can be yours everyday. It does not have to be a Sunday only affair, a Sunday only experience. You can experience God in the high times outside of this place, and you can experience God in the low times outside of this place. Through prayer, through thanksgiving, we can all experience a peace which surpasses all understanding that gives the opportunity to rejoice.
We see it in the great Austrian composer Joseph Haydn, who was once asked by a friend why his church music was so full of gladness and Haydn replied: “I cannot make it otherwise. I write according to the thoughts I feel; when I think upon my God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap from my pen; and since God has given me a cheerful heart… I can do no other than serve Him with a cheerful spirit.”
Let's Celebrate!
I tell you all of this because I sincerely want one thing for all of you. I want you to have the chance to celebrate. I want your life to be full of celebrations. I want you to be able to celebrate victories, celebrate each other, reveal in the euphoria of seeing people comes closer to God.
Today we have the opportunity to celebrate a baptism, a new person adopted by the body of Christ.
We also have the opportunity to celebrate the Marion County YMCA for all of the dedication, service, and love they extended to so many of the youth in this area. Let me tell you, as I walked around our campus this summer, I saw counselors running and playing games with the children. I saw people taking a genuine interest in these children and teaching them the value of honesty, caring, respect, responsibility, and faith. I witnessed the gratitude that they felt as the campers would thank our church members for having summer camp here. I was moved when 41 kids prayed to God for the first time in our Fellowship Hall. These counselors worked extremely hard this summer. These children played even harder. But we all grew. We all had the chance to celebrate, to rejoice, to lay our worries at the feet of the one who loved us first, and simply revel in his presence and his love.
I want to read for you our scripture lesson again, from the Message translation,
“Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Conclusion
Never lose the desire to celebrate. Never lose sight that God is near. Never forget that God only wants the best for you. Turn your worries over to God today. Right here, right now. Come to this rail, pour out your worries, your cares, your concerns, to your Heavenly Father. Trust in his grace, bathe in his mercy, be transformed by his love. God is waiting. God wants you to experience his peace that surpasses all understanding. God wants you to begin anew today, celebrating life, celebrating each other.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Bible Challenge 08/28 - 09/03
Greetings All!
We continue our journey through most of the first major prophetic book, Isaiah. Remember this book is named after the prophet Isaiah who ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah for a period of about sixty years (740-680 BC) through four different kings. Isaiah came from a privileged family and he was well educated. Some people have even called him the "Shakespeare of the Bible" because of the beauty and poetry of his words. He lived in the city of Jerusalem for most of his life. He was married (his wife is called a prophetess) and had at least two sons that are mentioned in the book of Isaiah. He lived at the same time as three other minor prophets: Amos, Micah and Hosea. Strong tradition suggests that he died a martyrs death under the reign of King Manasseh by being placed within the hallow of a tree trunk and sawed in two.
The name Isaiah means "the salvation of the Lord" and the book is often referred to as the "Book of Salvation." The first 39 chapters deal mainly with strong messages of judgment against Judah and a call to repentance and holiness. He predicted the demise and captivity of Judah, yet comforted people with the hope that God had promised a Redeemer. The last 27 chapters contain God's message of forgiveness, consolation and hope as God speaks through Isaiah, revealing his plan of blessing and salvation through the coming Messiah. The New Testament quotes the book of Isaiah 66 times, more than any other Old Testament book except for Psalms.
Here is the schedule for this week:
28, Sunday - Isaiah 19-22
29, Monday - Isaiah 23-26
30, Tuesday - Isaiah 27-30
31, Wednesday - Isaiah 31-34
1, Thursday - Isaiah 35-38
2, Friday - Isaiah 39-42
3, Saturday - Isaiah 43-46
May God bless the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This week we will continue our preaching series on the lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. This book of the New Testament was a 104 verse letter to a group of people that had a very special bond with the Apostle Paul. This letter was his way of helping them to see the joy, hope, and holiness, that came with living a life for Christ. This week we will look at the security, grace, peace, and faithfulness we can find in the promises of God. Invite a friend and I look forward to seeing all of you there!
2. YMCA Sunday - This Sunday, 8/28, we will honor the YMCA for all of their hard work during the summer camp held here at our church. We will recognize the counselors and campers during worship and then have them as our special guests for lunch afterwards. I encourage each of you to come and show your support to these wonderful people. We also ask that you consider bringing a dish for lunch this week to help cover the extra people. This is our chance to reach out and show these very important people what radical hospitality really looks like. Thank you.3. Interfaith Ministries - Would you like to volunteer at Interfaith? Would you like to learn more about the various ways we partner with Interfaith to reach out to the Ocala Community? We can help you with both!
If you would like to volunteer, we have committed to help serve meals the 2nd Friday of every month to the residents at Interfaith and we are need of a few more volunteers. This task is not small, can be done in groups, and is well worth your time and effort. If you would like to help in this ministry you can either sign up at the Connection Station before worship, or you can contact Libby for more information.If you would like to know more about Interfaith and can spare an hour sometime in the next several weeks let me know. We have been invited to take a tour of the facilities and see all the various ways Interfaith is adapting and meeting the needs of the community. It is free, and I will gather a group of us to go at a time convenient for us and them. Let me know if you are interested and we will get a group tour scheduled.
Our partnership with Interfaith is something that we can be proud of and it is with our gifts, presence, and service that it will continue to grow and the light of Christ will shine through all of us!
The address is http://www.druidhillsocala.org
I hope you enjoy it and find it informative. Bookmark it and visit often!
5. September Newsletters - will be available in the Narthex on Sunday. Please remember to pick up your copy and help us avoid the postage to mail it. Another way you can read the newsletter is by visiting our church website. Friday Five #4 has a link to click on that will take you to our home page. From there just follow the top menu bar to "Church Publications" then click on the word "Newsletter" from the drop down menu. On that page you can read it, download it, print it, or subscribe to it so it is delivered to your email inbox.
Have an incredible weekend and I will see you soon!
Have an incredible weekend and I will see you soon!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Midweek Moment
This morning, the day I have been dreading since my boy's birth arrived. Those words that I knew would come, but would never be ready for, were spoken to me by Parker. We had finished our bike ride to school and we were in the bike cage locking up his bike. Just as I went to give him a good bye kiss he looked at me and said, “Daddy, when you pick me up today, instead of waiting for me here, can you wait for me down by that first street?” He said it so nonchalantly. My heart was crushed. I was no longer cool and acceptable in the eyes of my seven year old. (And yes I am cool!!) Picking up the pieces that were my heart, I very calmly asked why. His response literally made me tear up. He said, “There is this new boy in my class that walks home this way and he has to walk by himself.” He continued, “I thought I would walk with him so he did not have to walk by himself, since he is new and does not really know anyone yet.”
Guess how far this new boy has to walk? Yup, down to the first street. Exactly where Parker asked me to wait for him. This seven-year old, my son, made me so proud at that moment. Just as crushed as I was a few moments ago, I was even more proud now. My internal, immediate response was, “is there anybody else you want to walk with?” Shoot, if he is thinking like this I would hide in the bushes and wait as many streets away as he needed. However, I simply said “sure” and gave him a good bye kiss and pedaled home.This was the epitome of “love thy neighbor”. This was the essence of humility and putting another ahead of himself. With all of the excitement of a new school year, the new challenges, the old friends, Parker was able to see another person's needs over and above all of it. He was modeling exactly what I preached about Sunday. And he was not even here!
With that in mind, I encourage you to take some time this week and look for another person you can love; another person you can lift above yourself. Maybe it is someone you have meant to call for a while but just never have. Maybe it is someone whom you have lost touch with and would like to reconnect. It may even be a person you see everyday.
It has often been said God works in mysterious ways. Case in point, Debbie felt the Holy Spirit nudge her this past week to pray for a specific person. She trusted this and obeyed. She contacted the person just let them know they had been prayed for. That person called her back and was so grateful for the prayer because they were in the beginning stages of getting divorced from their spouse.
Putting others above ourselves, loving our neighbors, can be hard. It can be time consuming. But it is never futile. God can and does work good out of it. God knows, better than we do, who needs our love and support. Look around this week. Find another person to reach out to. God has a whole list and I am sure he will point you in an incredible direction.
Have a great week!
Have a great week!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Philippians: Humility is the Foundation – Philippians 2:1-11 and 19-24
Introduction
Today we are going to continue our preaching series based on those lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. Last week we learned that this particular book is actually a letter Paul writes while he is in prison and it was intended to bring about joy and hope to its recipients. This letter is meant to impress upon us that the Christian life, regardless of circumstances, can be one of happiness and holiness. Last week we used this letter to help us dissolve the myth of location: what it is, why it does not matter, and what this means for each of our own personal ministries. Today we are going to use this letter to help raise our own awareness to the impact of our attitudes. Specifically, how when we adopt a servant mindset, our priorities shift, our humility is heightened, and our pursuits are no longer self-centered but Christ centered.
Humility is Everywhere
There was once a country preacher that was well known around the town. He was asked to speak for a certain charitable organization. After the meeting the program chairman handed him a check. "Oh, I couldn't take this," he said with some embarrassment. "I appreciate the honor of being asked to speak. You have better uses for this money. You apply it to one of those uses." The program chairman asked, "Well, do you mind if we put it into our special fund?" he replied, "Of course not. What is the special fund for?" The chairman answered, "It's so we can get a better speaker next year."
Humility can come from any direction and at any point. Had this country preacher been living for himself, sustaining his life on personal gratification and compliments, he would have been crushed. However, if this country preacher was living for Christ, putting his own ego aside, and seeking to be better for Christ, this could be an incredible learning experience for him.
I believe that is one ideal Paul is trying to convey in this letter. That we are not the center of the universe. That there is something bigger to this life. Remember, Paul is in a Roman prison and is writing this as part of his 104 verse letter to the church in Philippi. A letter meant to bring hope, holiness, and joy to these people that he loves. As such, Paul understands that humility is an essential key to living the life that Christ has called all of us to live. A life that when lived for Christ will offer us a peace and joy like none other.
What is Humility?
And how do we do we live a life for Christ? We live like Christ; and Christ lived humbly. In this culture we are told that in order to be successful, in order to have complete happiness, we need to sell ourselves. We need to stand up for our rights. People need to understand that they cannot mess with us. We will be no one's fool. Let me share with you from several of Paul’s letters the words he used to describe the twenty years of his missionary work and how he lived his life. Here are Paul's words to describe his life and what he experienced: hunger, thirst, nakedness, cold, sleeplessness, homelessness, persecution, cast down, afflicted, beaten, imprisoned, slandered, poverty stricken, floggings, five times given 39 lashes, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, drifted in the open sea for 24 hours, in danger from rivers, bandits, and his own countrymen. All of this taught Paul how to live humbly and he uses these experiences to convey this importance of humility.
In our Epistle lesson this morning Paul wrote to the church in Philippi with advice about this very issue. Listen again, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…” (Philippians 2:1-9).
So What's Next?
Paul asks these four questions here at the beginning, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, any comfort from his love, any common sharing in the Spirit, and tenderness and compassion, because he knows the answers. He knows this church has experienced encouragement from being united with Christ. He knows this church has felt comfort from his love, fellowship with the Spirit, and tenderness and compassion. So he attempts to take them to the “what's next”, the step from knowledge to application.
He does so by instructing his dear friends to do two things: 1) Be Unified – like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose and 2) Be Humble – do not follow selfish ambitions; consider others better than ourselves; look to your interests AND the interests of others. Just in case there were any questions about this, any room for doubt or misunderstanding, Paul summarized these two points by saying this - Your attitude should be the same as Jesus who took on the form of a servant, even to death on a cross.
Servanthood
One way we can carry out this attitude of humility, to go from knowledge to application, to have an attitude that mirrors Jesus, is through the act of servanthood.
Paul was perhaps the most recognizable name and face in early Christianity. This man who never met Jesus yet spent part of his life dedicated to persecuting Christians, is more famous and remembered than most of the disciples who served alongside Jesus. Yet after his conversion, Paul wasn’t about power and fame. If those were his goals he would have quit after he began to suffer persecution himself. But Paul realized that being a Christian was not about him – it was about serving others and showing them the way to faith. That’s what kept him going even when things were rough.
For us today servanthood can take many forms. Praying for a neighbor in need, allowing someone in front of you in line or in traffic, buying an extra item at the store to donate to another, to actively participating in a ministry to benefit humanity. It can involve donating money, time, talent, or service or showing another person radical hospitality. But the one thing it always involves is you. It involves each of us setting aside our own agenda and taking the time to truly love each other.
I want to read for you our Epistle lesson from The Message, a contemporary translation of the New Testament by Eugene Peterson:
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
The Result
Why should we do this? Why should we put forth the effort? Paul gives us the reason for all of this in verses 12 and 13, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Because it will bring us closer to God through the working out of our salvation.
As is the case most of the time, Paul’s words were carefully chosen. The word he uses for “work out” in verse 12 is a Greek verb which always has the idea of bringing to completion. Maxie Dunnam, summarized this very well. He says, “Paul is saying to the Philippians, don’t stop half way. Don’t be satisfied with a partial salvation. Don’t stop when you’re just inside the door of the Christian life. Don’t accept grace simply as a way of getting into the Christian life, accept grace as a way of staying in the Christian life with freedom and joy.”
Conclusion
Our continued relationship with God is where we can find freedom and joy. This life is hard; failing economies, natural disasters, crime, failing physical health. We do not need to add to the hardship for each other. Rather we need to look to the example of Paul, the life of Christ, and the will of God. We need to be willing to lend a helping hand to another, seek the life of a servant, and put aside our own egos so that freedom and joy can be spread to others.
Each one of us has a chance to begin that journey today. If you are struggling with how to adopt the servant mindset of humility, I invite you to come to this altar rail and ask for guidance. If you desire help to continue living in love and humility, then come and ask for strength. God wants us to each of us to stay in the Christian life, accept his grace, and all of that can begin right now...right here.
Today we are going to continue our preaching series based on those lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. Last week we learned that this particular book is actually a letter Paul writes while he is in prison and it was intended to bring about joy and hope to its recipients. This letter is meant to impress upon us that the Christian life, regardless of circumstances, can be one of happiness and holiness. Last week we used this letter to help us dissolve the myth of location: what it is, why it does not matter, and what this means for each of our own personal ministries. Today we are going to use this letter to help raise our own awareness to the impact of our attitudes. Specifically, how when we adopt a servant mindset, our priorities shift, our humility is heightened, and our pursuits are no longer self-centered but Christ centered.
Humility is Everywhere
There was once a country preacher that was well known around the town. He was asked to speak for a certain charitable organization. After the meeting the program chairman handed him a check. "Oh, I couldn't take this," he said with some embarrassment. "I appreciate the honor of being asked to speak. You have better uses for this money. You apply it to one of those uses." The program chairman asked, "Well, do you mind if we put it into our special fund?" he replied, "Of course not. What is the special fund for?" The chairman answered, "It's so we can get a better speaker next year."
Humility can come from any direction and at any point. Had this country preacher been living for himself, sustaining his life on personal gratification and compliments, he would have been crushed. However, if this country preacher was living for Christ, putting his own ego aside, and seeking to be better for Christ, this could be an incredible learning experience for him.
I believe that is one ideal Paul is trying to convey in this letter. That we are not the center of the universe. That there is something bigger to this life. Remember, Paul is in a Roman prison and is writing this as part of his 104 verse letter to the church in Philippi. A letter meant to bring hope, holiness, and joy to these people that he loves. As such, Paul understands that humility is an essential key to living the life that Christ has called all of us to live. A life that when lived for Christ will offer us a peace and joy like none other.
What is Humility?
And how do we do we live a life for Christ? We live like Christ; and Christ lived humbly. In this culture we are told that in order to be successful, in order to have complete happiness, we need to sell ourselves. We need to stand up for our rights. People need to understand that they cannot mess with us. We will be no one's fool. Let me share with you from several of Paul’s letters the words he used to describe the twenty years of his missionary work and how he lived his life. Here are Paul's words to describe his life and what he experienced: hunger, thirst, nakedness, cold, sleeplessness, homelessness, persecution, cast down, afflicted, beaten, imprisoned, slandered, poverty stricken, floggings, five times given 39 lashes, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, drifted in the open sea for 24 hours, in danger from rivers, bandits, and his own countrymen. All of this taught Paul how to live humbly and he uses these experiences to convey this importance of humility.
In our Epistle lesson this morning Paul wrote to the church in Philippi with advice about this very issue. Listen again, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…” (Philippians 2:1-9).
So What's Next?
Paul asks these four questions here at the beginning, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, any comfort from his love, any common sharing in the Spirit, and tenderness and compassion, because he knows the answers. He knows this church has experienced encouragement from being united with Christ. He knows this church has felt comfort from his love, fellowship with the Spirit, and tenderness and compassion. So he attempts to take them to the “what's next”, the step from knowledge to application.
He does so by instructing his dear friends to do two things: 1) Be Unified – like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose and 2) Be Humble – do not follow selfish ambitions; consider others better than ourselves; look to your interests AND the interests of others. Just in case there were any questions about this, any room for doubt or misunderstanding, Paul summarized these two points by saying this - Your attitude should be the same as Jesus who took on the form of a servant, even to death on a cross.
Servanthood
One way we can carry out this attitude of humility, to go from knowledge to application, to have an attitude that mirrors Jesus, is through the act of servanthood.
Paul was perhaps the most recognizable name and face in early Christianity. This man who never met Jesus yet spent part of his life dedicated to persecuting Christians, is more famous and remembered than most of the disciples who served alongside Jesus. Yet after his conversion, Paul wasn’t about power and fame. If those were his goals he would have quit after he began to suffer persecution himself. But Paul realized that being a Christian was not about him – it was about serving others and showing them the way to faith. That’s what kept him going even when things were rough.
For us today servanthood can take many forms. Praying for a neighbor in need, allowing someone in front of you in line or in traffic, buying an extra item at the store to donate to another, to actively participating in a ministry to benefit humanity. It can involve donating money, time, talent, or service or showing another person radical hospitality. But the one thing it always involves is you. It involves each of us setting aside our own agenda and taking the time to truly love each other.
I want to read for you our Epistle lesson from The Message, a contemporary translation of the New Testament by Eugene Peterson:
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
The Result
Why should we do this? Why should we put forth the effort? Paul gives us the reason for all of this in verses 12 and 13, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Because it will bring us closer to God through the working out of our salvation.
As is the case most of the time, Paul’s words were carefully chosen. The word he uses for “work out” in verse 12 is a Greek verb which always has the idea of bringing to completion. Maxie Dunnam, summarized this very well. He says, “Paul is saying to the Philippians, don’t stop half way. Don’t be satisfied with a partial salvation. Don’t stop when you’re just inside the door of the Christian life. Don’t accept grace simply as a way of getting into the Christian life, accept grace as a way of staying in the Christian life with freedom and joy.”
Conclusion
Our continued relationship with God is where we can find freedom and joy. This life is hard; failing economies, natural disasters, crime, failing physical health. We do not need to add to the hardship for each other. Rather we need to look to the example of Paul, the life of Christ, and the will of God. We need to be willing to lend a helping hand to another, seek the life of a servant, and put aside our own egos so that freedom and joy can be spread to others.
Each one of us has a chance to begin that journey today. If you are struggling with how to adopt the servant mindset of humility, I invite you to come to this altar rail and ask for guidance. If you desire help to continue living in love and humility, then come and ask for strength. God wants us to each of us to stay in the Christian life, accept his grace, and all of that can begin right now...right here.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Bible Challenge 08/21 - 08/27
Greetings All!
This week we finish up the books of poetry in the Old Testament as we wrap up Ecclesiastes and read the entire book of Song of Solomon. This last book of poetry is also known sometimes as "Song of Songs" but most people remember it because of its content. If it were a movie it would probably have an "R" rating because of the way the physical relationship between the man and the woman is described in detail. This book is always a reminder to me that when God created us he created our whole person - sexuality included - and that it is a gift to be celebrated within the right contexts.Then we transition into the first of the prophetic books. There are 5 major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel) and 12 minor prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). The distinction between "major" and "minor" has nothing to do with importance and everything to do with the size of the book. And you will find that these are not in any kind of chronological order and eventually will bounce back and forth between prophets to the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The book of Isaiah is named for the prophet Isaiah who ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah for a period of about sixty years, through the reign of four kings. Many of Isaiah's prophecies concern a Savior and seem to be answered in the person of Jesus Christ. Consider Isaiah 7:14 for an example: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."
Here is the schedule:
21, Sunday - Ecclesiastes 11 - Song of Solomon 2
22, Monday - Song of Solomon 3-6
23, Tuesday - Song of Solomon 7 - Isaiah 2
24, Wednesday - Isaiah 3-6
25, Thursday - Isaiah 7-10
26, Friday - Isaiah 11-14
27, Saturday - Isaiah 15-18
May God bless the reading, the hearing and most importantly the living out of His Holy Word. Amen!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This week we will continue our preaching series on the lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. This book of the New Testament was a 104 verse letter to a group of people that had a very special bond with the Apostle Paul. This letter was his way of helping them to see the joy, hope, and holiness, that came with living a life for Christ. This week we will look at humility; what it is, why it is necessary, and the importance it can play in our lives. Invite a friend and I look forward to seeing all of you there!2. Helping Hands - is a nonprofit charity, serving the people of Ocala/Marion County. It was established to provide shelter & related assistance for the homeless & others who are in difficult & desperate situations. Helping Hands is having several fundraising events at local businesses.
The next fundraiser is Thursday, Aug. 25 from 6pm to 8 pm at Chick-fil-A, 3558 SW College Rd. Mention Helping Hands; they will donate 10% of your purchase.
The final fundraiser is from 5 pm to 9 pm on Sept. 5 at Applebee’s, 2615SW 19th Ave. Present a flyer to your server; Applebee’s will donate 10% of your purchase. Flyers are available in the church office and in Fellowship Hall.
3. Interfaith Ministries - Would you like to volunteer at Interfaith? Would you like to learn more about the various ways we partner with Interfaith to reach out to the Ocala Community? We can help you with both!If you would like to volunteer, we have committed to help serve meals the 2nd Friday of every month to the residents at Interfaith and we are need of a few more volunteers. This task is not small, can be done in groups, and is well worth your time and effort. If you would like to help in this ministry you can either sign up at the Connection Station before worship, or you can contact Libby for more information.
If you would like to know more about Interfaith and can spare an hour sometime in the next several weeks let me know. We have been invited to take a tour of the facilities and see all the various ways Interfaith is adapting and meeting the needs of the community. It is free, and I will gather a group of us to go at a time convenient for us and them. Let me know if you are interested and we will get a group tour scheduled.
Our partnership with Interfaith is something that we can be proud of and it is with our gifts, presence, and service that it will continue to grow and the light of Christ will shine through all of us!
4. Church Website - I am happy to announce the redesigned website for the church is up and running. I encourage you to take a tour of it and see all that it has to offer. We have menus across the top for our various fellowship, community outreach, and ministry areas. There are also links to the church calendar, the pastor's blog and even a place for the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter. One great feature is the news feed that runs down the left hand side where we can update the news of the church instantly.The address is http://www.druidhillsocala.org
I hope you enjoy it and find it informative. Bookmark it and visit often!
5. YMCA Sunday - Next Sunday, 8/28, we will honor the YMCA for all of their hard work during the summer camp held here at our church. We will recognize the counselors and campers during worship and then have them as our special guests for lunch afterwards. I encourage each of you to come and show your support to these wonderful people. We also ask that you consider bringing a dish for lunch that week to help cover the extra people. This is our chance to reach out and show these very important people what radical hospitality really looks like. Thank you.
Bonus "5": Ocala Health and Rehab – This Sunday, 8/21, is our monthly visit to Ocala Health and Rehab. At 2pm, everyone is invited to come on over to the facility and join us as we gather with the residents to worship God. We begin by singing a few 'ol gospel tunes, I give a rendition of that week's sermon, we pray, and then we sing some more. The residents love it, we love it, and I know you will love to be a part of it too. If you have the time, we would love to have you! Have an incredible weekend and I will see you soon!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Midweek Moment
I have a question for you this week. What is your prayer life like? Now you do not have to answer out loud, but I encourage you to take a moment and ponder this question. Focus on aspects like your frequency, the duration of each instance, and the feelings you have before, during, and after.
Now I know that I said that you do not have to answer out loud, but I would like to. I have been examining my prayer life lately in each of these areas and I want to share with you what I have discovered. As far as my frequency, I try to pray five times a day: early morning, mid-morning, mid-day, early-evening, and evening. I even carry around a sheet in my organizer with prayers written out for each part of the day to help guide my thoughts as needed. Now some days I am more successful than others in my frequency; but that is my goal each day.
Looking at my duration I am all over the place. Some prayers are simple and short in length; a handful of minutes or so. Other times I have so much on my mind that I pray for 10, 20, 30 minutes or more.
Over the last few weeks I have really been focusing on my feelings quite a bit. I want to understand how I feel before I turn to God, how I feel as I am actively talking and listening to God, and how I feel after our conversation together. My feelings before, during, and after prayer have been the same for several years, but I never really took the time, till just recently, to examine them and describe these feelings specifically.
Those moments just before I pray, as I prepare myself, are filled with feelings of eagerness. I find myself looking forward to interacting with God. I am excited about what will happen during our time together. The revelations that will be had, the thoughts that will be unearthed, the problems that will no longer be mine to solve alone. Those pre-prayer moments hold so much anticipation for me.
Now as I pray, as I speak and God listens, I know I am being heard and that brings me incredible comfort. Comfort to know my Savior is listening and that my God will help me. Then as I listen, and I give God the chance to speak, I am expectant. Expectant that revelations will come, answers will be revealed, and a bond will be strengthened. When I am done praying, God is done teaching, and I say “Amen” my feelings turn to those of peace. I have now turned my cares and concerns over to God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” What a statement of peace! When we turn to Jesus we will find rest, rejuvenation, and a relationship where will never be alone. Where we will no longer have the burden of carrying our crosses alone, worrying alone, or grieving alone. God will always be with us to make our burden light. That is peace that is not of this world. That is God's peace!
My prayer life induces a multitude of feelings for me; eagerness, excitement, anticipation, comfort, expectancy, companionship, and peace, just to name a few. These are just a glimpse of what a strong prayer life can mean for each of us. I encourage each of you to examine your prayer life. Do not be afraid to make changes if your prayer life is not want you want it to be. God is waiting to talk with you, help you, listen to you, love you. Give God the chance. You will be glad you did.
Have a great week!
Now I know that I said that you do not have to answer out loud, but I would like to. I have been examining my prayer life lately in each of these areas and I want to share with you what I have discovered. As far as my frequency, I try to pray five times a day: early morning, mid-morning, mid-day, early-evening, and evening. I even carry around a sheet in my organizer with prayers written out for each part of the day to help guide my thoughts as needed. Now some days I am more successful than others in my frequency; but that is my goal each day.
Looking at my duration I am all over the place. Some prayers are simple and short in length; a handful of minutes or so. Other times I have so much on my mind that I pray for 10, 20, 30 minutes or more.Over the last few weeks I have really been focusing on my feelings quite a bit. I want to understand how I feel before I turn to God, how I feel as I am actively talking and listening to God, and how I feel after our conversation together. My feelings before, during, and after prayer have been the same for several years, but I never really took the time, till just recently, to examine them and describe these feelings specifically.
Those moments just before I pray, as I prepare myself, are filled with feelings of eagerness. I find myself looking forward to interacting with God. I am excited about what will happen during our time together. The revelations that will be had, the thoughts that will be unearthed, the problems that will no longer be mine to solve alone. Those pre-prayer moments hold so much anticipation for me.
Now as I pray, as I speak and God listens, I know I am being heard and that brings me incredible comfort. Comfort to know my Savior is listening and that my God will help me. Then as I listen, and I give God the chance to speak, I am expectant. Expectant that revelations will come, answers will be revealed, and a bond will be strengthened. When I am done praying, God is done teaching, and I say “Amen” my feelings turn to those of peace. I have now turned my cares and concerns over to God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” What a statement of peace! When we turn to Jesus we will find rest, rejuvenation, and a relationship where will never be alone. Where we will no longer have the burden of carrying our crosses alone, worrying alone, or grieving alone. God will always be with us to make our burden light. That is peace that is not of this world. That is God's peace!
My prayer life induces a multitude of feelings for me; eagerness, excitement, anticipation, comfort, expectancy, companionship, and peace, just to name a few. These are just a glimpse of what a strong prayer life can mean for each of us. I encourage each of you to examine your prayer life. Do not be afraid to make changes if your prayer life is not want you want it to be. God is waiting to talk with you, help you, listen to you, love you. Give God the chance. You will be glad you did.
Have a great week!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Philippians: Location, Location, Location: Philippians 1:12-18 and 19-26
Introduction
Today we are going to begin a new preaching series based on a few lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. This particular book is actually a letter Paul writes while he is in prison. A letter that Paul intended to bring about joy and hope to its recipients. This letter is meant to impress upon us that the Christian life, regardless of circumstances, can be one of happiness and holiness. Over the next several weeks we will use Philippians to help diffuse the myth of location, raise awareness to the impact of our own attitudes, and discover how we find security in the faithfulness of God. This morning we are going to spend our time looking at the myth of location; what it is, why it does not matter, and what this means for each of our own personal ministries.
Perspective
A realtor was driving around a young couple to search for their first dream house. After listening to their concerns about mortgage points, maintenance costs, and school systems, he decided to give them a bit of advice. "I've been selling homes for 23 years," he said, "and I've discovered only three things matter when you're buying a home: location, location, location."
To prove his point, he drove the couple to see two homes. The paint was peeling on the first house, and the driveway was heaving in spots. "It may be a handyman's special," he said, "but look at the view." The house sat at the foot of a purple mountain, adjacent to ten acres of untouched forest. Then the group went to see a charming two-story stone farmhouse with five bedrooms, a big kitchen, and plenty of closets. "Everything's immaculate," the wife exclaimed. “I love this house! Honey let's buy it right now!” Just about that time she heard a horrendous noise that shook the whole house. She opened one of the curtains facing the back of the house to discover a small business airport and depot station behind the house. She paused for a moment, looked at the realtor and said, “On second thought, how close is the hardware store to the first house again?”
This life is all about perceptions. Is the glass half empty or is it half full? Is it partly cloudy outside or partly sunny? How we view what we are experiencing in life will go a long way in determining how it affects us. That is the situation for Paul in our Scripture lessons from this morning.
Paul's Situation
This entire book, or letter, is written by Paul from his cell in a Roman prison. It is clear that sometimes Paul was not in a lighthearted mood when he wrote his letters, especially when he had to correct serious error in the churches, such as in the books of Galatians, Colossians, and perhaps II Thessalonians. But Paul's mood was obviously on the upside when he wrote this brief letter. Philippians has a lot of lessons – mostly centered on joy in life.
Now to help us have a foundational understanding of what is going on at this point in Paul's life, keep these two key dates in mind; AD 51 and AD 61. The first date is the approximate year when the apostle Paul made his first visit to Philippi, as recorded in Acts 16. There he meets Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, by the riverside and leads her to faith in Christ. He leaves Lydia to continue his travels, and eventually comes across a demon possessed young girl. Showing compassion to her, he casts the demon out of her and is thrown in jail for that act of kindness. While in jail he leads his jailer to Christ and baptizes him and his family in the middle of the night. Soon after that he leaves town and once again continues on his travels. From that inauspicious beginning, and through all these events, a great church was born. Since Paul had founded the church, and since he had personally led the charter members to Christ, they naturally looked to him with great reverence and love and he in turn always kept this particular church in his heart. A bond was subsequently formed between the two that would never be broken.
Ten years later, AD 61, Paul found himself in a Roman prison awaiting trial before Caesar. He was under a type of house arrest, not solitary confinement, chained to a guard at all times. He could receive visitors, and even preach and teach while in prison. When the Philippian church, that he had such a strong bond with, heard about his imprisonment, they were concerned. Concerned because they understood that a judgment against Paul could mean his death. As a way to express their support of Paul, they sent a much-loved leader named Epaphroditus to Rome with a monetary gift for Paul's personal needs. While in Rome Epaphroditus became sick and nearly died, but he returned to health and Paul sent him back to Philippi carrying a brief thank-you note to the church, 104 verses that became the book of Philippians.
Location Does Not Matter
And within these verses we find a timeless example of the Christian faith modeled for us by Paul. One example Paul models for us is that no matter our location, we can be bold for Christ.
Paul had every reason to succumb to emotion due to his location. But instead of turning inward, focusing on the negative, Paul rose above any fear of death or anxiety about suffering. Look to verse 12, “I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the Gospel.” Does that statement sound like it is coming from someone that is has been unjustly imprisoned? Paul is not depressed or bitter or angry. He is resting in the joy of Christ. Paul is joyful, purely and authentically joyful and verses 13 – 14 show us why. “so it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.“
Paul did not let this bad situation become worse. He did not let any anger or feelings of betrayal to make his imprisonment any more dreadful. In fact Paul has sought out an opportunity. While he cannot freely preach or witness to anyone he pleases, he does witness to those whom he can. The guards. Paul seeks out the guards and he tells them about the joy of Christ. He shares with them all that Christ has done for him. He tells them about how even in this situation Christ is with him. This inspires the guards not only to listen to Paul, but to believe in Christ. We know this because after their encounters with Paul, Paul tells us that they are speaking about Christ with “greater boldness and without fear.” (Philippians 1:14b NRSV). Paul's location could have ended his ministry. But Paul did not let his location deter him from doing what he believed Christ called him to do.
Situation Does Not Matter
Another lesson we learn from Paul here is that our situation does not matter in our witness for Christ. Maxie Dunam writes, “The circumstances of our lives may determine how we share the Gospel, but it doesn't determine whether we share the Gospel. Do you get it? The circumstances of our life may determine how we share the Gospel, but not whether we share it. We can proclaim the Gospel anywhere.”
Paul understood that just because he was in prison, his responsibility to share Christ did not end. We have a mentality in this country that if we are hampered by location, age, physical ability, or community impact that we have an excuse not to try. Especially in churches. Small to medium size churches suffer from this the most. We do not have money. We do not have young people. I have done that before but I am too old to do it now. All reasons that allow apathy to set it. Until we have left this earth we all have value. God loves more than just the mega-churches. God champions us smaller churches. We are vital, we are important, and we can be extremely effective in God's Kingdom. All of us can witness for Christ. None of us are exempt from trying. When we are doing our best for Christ, we have reached the end of us. When we are being as effective for Christ as we can be, then the Holy Spirit is doing most of the work. We just have be willing, available, and present.
Our situation in life, rich, poor, young, wise, new Christian, or seasoned veteran; we all have a role to play. Do not let situation deter you. Paul was in prison, he had every reason to quit, yet not only did he witness to those that he could, that witness lead them to witness to others, boldly and without fear.
Look I know that we all reach a point in life where our physical abilities change. When I was younger I could work outside in the sun, for 10 hours, drink a few glasses of water in the process, and be no worse for the wear. I could wake up the next day and do it all over again and never lose a beat. Now, I can do about four hours, and I had better drink my weight in water, or I am dehydrated and sick as a dog the next day. The same with ministry. There may be aspects and influence that I do not have anymore, but I can still encourage others. I can still lend the bit of wisdom I have. I can still pray, show up, and do what I can, and do it joyfully.
Paul showed up in prison. He witnessed actively. He encouraged faithfully. And he empowered every body. Our situation does not matter. As long as we are here, God has a purpose for us.
Holiness = Happiness
I love Paul. I love Paul for what he did. I love Paul for what he wrote. I love Paul for the path to joy that he so consistently laid out. Paul did not allow his location nor his situation to dictate negative feelings within himself. Rather, he turned to Christ. He knew that by resting all of his cares and concerns with Jesus that he would find joy in a hopeless place, peace in a desperate situation, success in a land of lost people.
We can find that same joy today. Where ever you are in your life, physically, emotionally, or spiritually; whatever your situation, rich, poor, young, wise, new Christian, or seasoned veteran, Christ can bring you joy if you rest in him. Being bold for Christ takes strength. Christ will give it to you. Witnessing for Christ while being unafraid takes courage. Christ will give it to you. When you empty yourself out for the one that loved you first; regardless of your location or situation; the joy of Christ is yours.
If you are looking for that joy, come to this rail today and ask for it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength and courage to proclaim Christ boldly and without fear through thought, word, and deed. If you are looking for encouragement to continue to proclaim Christ through thought, word, and deed, come to this rail today and ask for it. If you are unsure what to do, come to this rail and ask for guidance. Christ has asked us to do a great and mighty thing. Christ has also promised to equip us for the task. Paul proved that to us. Take that step for Christ and a joy like none other will be yours.
Today we are going to begin a new preaching series based on a few lessons we can learn from the book of Philippians. This particular book is actually a letter Paul writes while he is in prison. A letter that Paul intended to bring about joy and hope to its recipients. This letter is meant to impress upon us that the Christian life, regardless of circumstances, can be one of happiness and holiness. Over the next several weeks we will use Philippians to help diffuse the myth of location, raise awareness to the impact of our own attitudes, and discover how we find security in the faithfulness of God. This morning we are going to spend our time looking at the myth of location; what it is, why it does not matter, and what this means for each of our own personal ministries.
Perspective
A realtor was driving around a young couple to search for their first dream house. After listening to their concerns about mortgage points, maintenance costs, and school systems, he decided to give them a bit of advice. "I've been selling homes for 23 years," he said, "and I've discovered only three things matter when you're buying a home: location, location, location."
To prove his point, he drove the couple to see two homes. The paint was peeling on the first house, and the driveway was heaving in spots. "It may be a handyman's special," he said, "but look at the view." The house sat at the foot of a purple mountain, adjacent to ten acres of untouched forest. Then the group went to see a charming two-story stone farmhouse with five bedrooms, a big kitchen, and plenty of closets. "Everything's immaculate," the wife exclaimed. “I love this house! Honey let's buy it right now!” Just about that time she heard a horrendous noise that shook the whole house. She opened one of the curtains facing the back of the house to discover a small business airport and depot station behind the house. She paused for a moment, looked at the realtor and said, “On second thought, how close is the hardware store to the first house again?”
This life is all about perceptions. Is the glass half empty or is it half full? Is it partly cloudy outside or partly sunny? How we view what we are experiencing in life will go a long way in determining how it affects us. That is the situation for Paul in our Scripture lessons from this morning.
Paul's Situation
This entire book, or letter, is written by Paul from his cell in a Roman prison. It is clear that sometimes Paul was not in a lighthearted mood when he wrote his letters, especially when he had to correct serious error in the churches, such as in the books of Galatians, Colossians, and perhaps II Thessalonians. But Paul's mood was obviously on the upside when he wrote this brief letter. Philippians has a lot of lessons – mostly centered on joy in life.
Now to help us have a foundational understanding of what is going on at this point in Paul's life, keep these two key dates in mind; AD 51 and AD 61. The first date is the approximate year when the apostle Paul made his first visit to Philippi, as recorded in Acts 16. There he meets Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, by the riverside and leads her to faith in Christ. He leaves Lydia to continue his travels, and eventually comes across a demon possessed young girl. Showing compassion to her, he casts the demon out of her and is thrown in jail for that act of kindness. While in jail he leads his jailer to Christ and baptizes him and his family in the middle of the night. Soon after that he leaves town and once again continues on his travels. From that inauspicious beginning, and through all these events, a great church was born. Since Paul had founded the church, and since he had personally led the charter members to Christ, they naturally looked to him with great reverence and love and he in turn always kept this particular church in his heart. A bond was subsequently formed between the two that would never be broken.
Ten years later, AD 61, Paul found himself in a Roman prison awaiting trial before Caesar. He was under a type of house arrest, not solitary confinement, chained to a guard at all times. He could receive visitors, and even preach and teach while in prison. When the Philippian church, that he had such a strong bond with, heard about his imprisonment, they were concerned. Concerned because they understood that a judgment against Paul could mean his death. As a way to express their support of Paul, they sent a much-loved leader named Epaphroditus to Rome with a monetary gift for Paul's personal needs. While in Rome Epaphroditus became sick and nearly died, but he returned to health and Paul sent him back to Philippi carrying a brief thank-you note to the church, 104 verses that became the book of Philippians.
Location Does Not Matter
And within these verses we find a timeless example of the Christian faith modeled for us by Paul. One example Paul models for us is that no matter our location, we can be bold for Christ.
Paul had every reason to succumb to emotion due to his location. But instead of turning inward, focusing on the negative, Paul rose above any fear of death or anxiety about suffering. Look to verse 12, “I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the Gospel.” Does that statement sound like it is coming from someone that is has been unjustly imprisoned? Paul is not depressed or bitter or angry. He is resting in the joy of Christ. Paul is joyful, purely and authentically joyful and verses 13 – 14 show us why. “so it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.“
Paul did not let this bad situation become worse. He did not let any anger or feelings of betrayal to make his imprisonment any more dreadful. In fact Paul has sought out an opportunity. While he cannot freely preach or witness to anyone he pleases, he does witness to those whom he can. The guards. Paul seeks out the guards and he tells them about the joy of Christ. He shares with them all that Christ has done for him. He tells them about how even in this situation Christ is with him. This inspires the guards not only to listen to Paul, but to believe in Christ. We know this because after their encounters with Paul, Paul tells us that they are speaking about Christ with “greater boldness and without fear.” (Philippians 1:14b NRSV). Paul's location could have ended his ministry. But Paul did not let his location deter him from doing what he believed Christ called him to do.
Situation Does Not Matter
Another lesson we learn from Paul here is that our situation does not matter in our witness for Christ. Maxie Dunam writes, “The circumstances of our lives may determine how we share the Gospel, but it doesn't determine whether we share the Gospel. Do you get it? The circumstances of our life may determine how we share the Gospel, but not whether we share it. We can proclaim the Gospel anywhere.”
Paul understood that just because he was in prison, his responsibility to share Christ did not end. We have a mentality in this country that if we are hampered by location, age, physical ability, or community impact that we have an excuse not to try. Especially in churches. Small to medium size churches suffer from this the most. We do not have money. We do not have young people. I have done that before but I am too old to do it now. All reasons that allow apathy to set it. Until we have left this earth we all have value. God loves more than just the mega-churches. God champions us smaller churches. We are vital, we are important, and we can be extremely effective in God's Kingdom. All of us can witness for Christ. None of us are exempt from trying. When we are doing our best for Christ, we have reached the end of us. When we are being as effective for Christ as we can be, then the Holy Spirit is doing most of the work. We just have be willing, available, and present.
Our situation in life, rich, poor, young, wise, new Christian, or seasoned veteran; we all have a role to play. Do not let situation deter you. Paul was in prison, he had every reason to quit, yet not only did he witness to those that he could, that witness lead them to witness to others, boldly and without fear.
Look I know that we all reach a point in life where our physical abilities change. When I was younger I could work outside in the sun, for 10 hours, drink a few glasses of water in the process, and be no worse for the wear. I could wake up the next day and do it all over again and never lose a beat. Now, I can do about four hours, and I had better drink my weight in water, or I am dehydrated and sick as a dog the next day. The same with ministry. There may be aspects and influence that I do not have anymore, but I can still encourage others. I can still lend the bit of wisdom I have. I can still pray, show up, and do what I can, and do it joyfully.
Paul showed up in prison. He witnessed actively. He encouraged faithfully. And he empowered every body. Our situation does not matter. As long as we are here, God has a purpose for us.
Holiness = Happiness
I love Paul. I love Paul for what he did. I love Paul for what he wrote. I love Paul for the path to joy that he so consistently laid out. Paul did not allow his location nor his situation to dictate negative feelings within himself. Rather, he turned to Christ. He knew that by resting all of his cares and concerns with Jesus that he would find joy in a hopeless place, peace in a desperate situation, success in a land of lost people.
We can find that same joy today. Where ever you are in your life, physically, emotionally, or spiritually; whatever your situation, rich, poor, young, wise, new Christian, or seasoned veteran, Christ can bring you joy if you rest in him. Being bold for Christ takes strength. Christ will give it to you. Witnessing for Christ while being unafraid takes courage. Christ will give it to you. When you empty yourself out for the one that loved you first; regardless of your location or situation; the joy of Christ is yours.
If you are looking for that joy, come to this rail today and ask for it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength and courage to proclaim Christ boldly and without fear through thought, word, and deed. If you are looking for encouragement to continue to proclaim Christ through thought, word, and deed, come to this rail today and ask for it. If you are unsure what to do, come to this rail and ask for guidance. Christ has asked us to do a great and mighty thing. Christ has also promised to equip us for the task. Paul proved that to us. Take that step for Christ and a joy like none other will be yours.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Bible Challenge 08/14 - 08/20
This week we continue our way through the books of poetry as we finish up Proverbs and embark on Ecclesiastes. Also attributed to King Solomon, this book seems at times like a reflective autobiography. The author proclaims all of the actions of man to be "vain, futile, empty, meaningless, temporary, transitory or mere breath" (depending on the translation!) because the all of life ends in death. So we are to focus all of our efforts towards that which is above this life: " "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep His commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone" (12:13).Here is the schedule:
08/14, Sunday - Proverbs 14-17
08/15, Monday - Proverbs 18-21
08/16, Tuesday - Proverbs 22-25
08/17, Wednesday - Proverbs 26-29
08/18, Thursday - Proverbs 30 - Ecclesiastes 2
08/19, Friday - Ecclesiastes 3-6
08/20, Saturday - Ecclesiastes 7-10
May you be challenged and inspired by the wisdom of the Word this week!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Bible Challenge 08/07 - 08/13
Greetings All!
This week we will finish up several weeks of Psalms. Whew! The longest book in the Bible is complete. You should feel a huge sense of accomplishment! By the end of this week, we'll be halfway through the Old Testament. Of the Psalms we are reading this week, Psalm 137 is an interesting one. It includes the line, "by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept." This Psalm is clearly written years after David when the people of God were in living in captivity/slavery in Babylon. It has been used in at least one spiritual as well as a reggae song. The Orthodox churches often use this as a hymn during Lent.
The book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings, written by King Solomon, whom the Bible calls the wisest man ever. There are 31 chapters in this book and some people I know read through Proverbs every month with just a chapter a day. Back in eighth grade, our entire year of Bible class came out of the book of Proverbs with Coach Lewis. What has always fascinated me is the wide range of topics found there and how applicable those words from Proverbs still are today.
Here is the schedule:
08/07, Sunday - Psalm 136-139
08/08, Monday - Psalm 140-143
08/09, Tuesday - Psalm 144-147
08/10, Wednesday - Psalm 148 - Proverbs 1
08/11, Thursday - Proverbs 2-5
08/12, Friday - Proverbs 6-9
08/13, Saturday - Proverbs 10-13
May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly, the living out of his holy Word.
This week we will finish up several weeks of Psalms. Whew! The longest book in the Bible is complete. You should feel a huge sense of accomplishment! By the end of this week, we'll be halfway through the Old Testament. Of the Psalms we are reading this week, Psalm 137 is an interesting one. It includes the line, "by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept." This Psalm is clearly written years after David when the people of God were in living in captivity/slavery in Babylon. It has been used in at least one spiritual as well as a reggae song. The Orthodox churches often use this as a hymn during Lent. The book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings, written by King Solomon, whom the Bible calls the wisest man ever. There are 31 chapters in this book and some people I know read through Proverbs every month with just a chapter a day. Back in eighth grade, our entire year of Bible class came out of the book of Proverbs with Coach Lewis. What has always fascinated me is the wide range of topics found there and how applicable those words from Proverbs still are today.
Here is the schedule:
08/07, Sunday - Psalm 136-139
08/08, Monday - Psalm 140-143
08/09, Tuesday - Psalm 144-147
08/10, Wednesday - Psalm 148 - Proverbs 1
08/11, Thursday - Proverbs 2-5
08/12, Friday - Proverbs 6-9
08/13, Saturday - Proverbs 10-13
May God add his richest blessings to the reading, the hearing and most importantly, the living out of his holy Word.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series - This week we are blessed to hear from our Certified Lay Servant, Carole Newlin concerning the importance of using the gifts we have been blessed with. Please come and show your support to Carole as she shares with us what God has placed on her heart.
2. Helping Hands - is a nonprofit charity, serving the people of Ocala/Marion County. It was established to provide shelter & related assistance for the homeless & others who are in difficult & desperate situations. Helping Hands is having several fundraising events at local businesses.
The first fundraiser is Tuesday, Aug. 16 at Sonny’s Bar-B-Q, 4102 E. Silver Springs Blvd. With the flyer, purchase one entrée; get one half price (of equal or lesser value). Sonny’s will donate 15% of proceeds for every flyer used.
The second fundraiser is Thursday, Aug. 25 from 6pm to 8 pm at Chick-fil-A, 3558 SW College Rd. Mention Helping Hands; they will donate 10% of your purchase.
The third fundraiser is from 5 pm to 9 pm on Sept. 5 at Applebee’s, 2615SW 19th Ave. Present the flyer to your server; Applebee’s will donate 10% of your purchase. Flyers are available in the church office and in Fellowship Hall.
3. Interfaith Ministries - Would you like to volunteer at Interfaith? Would you like to learn more about the various ways we partner with Interfaith to reach out to the Ocala Community? We can help you with both!
If you would like to volunteer, we have committed to help serve meals the 2nd Friday of every month to the residents at Interfaith and we are need of a few more volunteers. This task is not small, can be done in groups, and is well worth your time and effort. If you would like to help in this ministry you can either sign up at the Connection Station before worship, or you can contact Libby for more information.
If you would like to know more about Interfaith and can spare an hour sometime in the next several weeks let me know. We have been invited to take a tour of the facilities and see all the various ways Interfaith is adapting and meeting the needs of the community. It is free, and I will gather a group of us to go at a time convenient for us and them. Let me know if you are interested and we will get a group tour scheduled.
Our partnership with Interfaith is something that we can be proud of and it is with our gifts, presence, and service that it will continue to grow and the light of Christ will shine through all of us!
4. Church Website - I am happy to announce the redesigned website for the church is up and running. I encourage you to take a tour of it and see all that it has to offer. We have menus across the top for our various fellowship, community outreach, and ministry areas. There are also links to the church calendar, the pastor's blog and even a place for the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter. One great feature is the news feed that runs down the left hand side where we can update the news of the church instantly.
The address is http://www.druidhillsocala.org
I hope you enjoy it and find it informative. Bookmark it and visit often!
5. GoodSearch - Here's a new easy way to raise money for our church. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they'll donate about a penny to our church every time you do a search!
In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 2,000 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to the church. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to us!
Here's the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com. You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.
And if you download the GoodSearch – Druid Hills United Methodist Church toolbar, our church will earn money every time you shop and search online - even if you forget to go to GoodShop or GoodSearch first! Add the Druid Hills United Methodist Church toolbar by clicking here.
Have an incredible weekend and I will see you soon!
2. Helping Hands - is a nonprofit charity, serving the people of Ocala/Marion County. It was established to provide shelter & related assistance for the homeless & others who are in difficult & desperate situations. Helping Hands is having several fundraising events at local businesses.
The first fundraiser is Tuesday, Aug. 16 at Sonny’s Bar-B-Q, 4102 E. Silver Springs Blvd. With the flyer, purchase one entrée; get one half price (of equal or lesser value). Sonny’s will donate 15% of proceeds for every flyer used.
The second fundraiser is Thursday, Aug. 25 from 6pm to 8 pm at Chick-fil-A, 3558 SW College Rd. Mention Helping Hands; they will donate 10% of your purchase.
The third fundraiser is from 5 pm to 9 pm on Sept. 5 at Applebee’s, 2615SW 19th Ave. Present the flyer to your server; Applebee’s will donate 10% of your purchase. Flyers are available in the church office and in Fellowship Hall.
3. Interfaith Ministries - Would you like to volunteer at Interfaith? Would you like to learn more about the various ways we partner with Interfaith to reach out to the Ocala Community? We can help you with both!If you would like to volunteer, we have committed to help serve meals the 2nd Friday of every month to the residents at Interfaith and we are need of a few more volunteers. This task is not small, can be done in groups, and is well worth your time and effort. If you would like to help in this ministry you can either sign up at the Connection Station before worship, or you can contact Libby for more information.
If you would like to know more about Interfaith and can spare an hour sometime in the next several weeks let me know. We have been invited to take a tour of the facilities and see all the various ways Interfaith is adapting and meeting the needs of the community. It is free, and I will gather a group of us to go at a time convenient for us and them. Let me know if you are interested and we will get a group tour scheduled.
Our partnership with Interfaith is something that we can be proud of and it is with our gifts, presence, and service that it will continue to grow and the light of Christ will shine through all of us!
4. Church Website - I am happy to announce the redesigned website for the church is up and running. I encourage you to take a tour of it and see all that it has to offer. We have menus across the top for our various fellowship, community outreach, and ministry areas. There are also links to the church calendar, the pastor's blog and even a place for the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter. One great feature is the news feed that runs down the left hand side where we can update the news of the church instantly.The address is http://www.druidhillsocala.org
I hope you enjoy it and find it informative. Bookmark it and visit often!
In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 2,000 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to the church. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to us!
Here's the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com. You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.
And if you download the GoodSearch – Druid Hills United Methodist Church toolbar, our church will earn money every time you shop and search online - even if you forget to go to GoodShop or GoodSearch first! Add the Druid Hills United Methodist Church toolbar by clicking here.
Have an incredible weekend and I will see you soon!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Midweek Moment
How many of you remember the first time you prayed? Do you remember the first time you clasped your hands, bowed your head, closed your eyes, and prayed to God? I don't. How many of you remember the first time you prayed to God a prayer that was not a recitation? You know the “God is Great” blessing, or the “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” prayer, or any of the other variations that were taught to us as we began our faith journeys. Again, I don't.
Now, we all come from different backgrounds and cultures. Some of us were raised in the church. Some of us were not. Some of us were raised in financially stable homes. Some of us were not. Some of us were raised with large families. Some of us were not. But we were all created by the same God. We were all created by a loving creator that eagerly wants to be a part of each one of our lives and one way that involvement happens is through prayer.Learning how to pray is important. Learning how to pray can also be stressful. What words do I say? What if I say the wrong words? With everything else going on in the world, why would God listen to me? These are typical, normal, logical questions for any of us to ask. This past week, the YMCA camp took a step in helping to answer those questions for a 135 young children.
A group was brought in, by the camp, to speak to these young people about God, the importance of faith, and the love of Christ. They spent a few hours each morning talking with the kids and engaging them in learning about God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness. On the last day of the week, the children were invited to pray to God, for forgiveness, for their salvation, or whatever else was on their hearts. Out of the 135 children present, 41 prayed for the very first time. Forty one relationships with God were began, or built upon on, that Friday. That is incredible!
This is just another reason why opening up our doors this summer has been so important. We helped to create a space for this to happen. We showed them the love of Christ through our radical hospitality and helped them to feel comfortable enough here to listen to others speak about God. They felt safe enough to take that step to pray to God for the very first time. Seeds were planted here last week that may blossom into a great many wonderful things.
I am inspired by the actions of those 41 young people. I am proud that those prayers were prayed here. I am hopeful for the future because of those 41 young people. I know those actions were a first step, but they were a first step. Please join me in praying for these young people that the seeds planted that day will be nurtured, feed, and continue to grow. God can do amazing things. God does do amazing things. God did do an amazing thing here last week.
Have a great week!
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