How many of us live balanced lives? Most of us are overstretched, overcommitted, overworked, overstressed, and overcome with life’s worries, cares, wants, and to-do lists. We are so busy that we are living in bondage to things we think we have to have or do rather than living a life of freedom in Christ. Wouldn’t it feel good to breathe out and just live?
On this Easter we would do well to listen to Romans 6: 3-6. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and that we might no longer be enslaved to sin.”
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection bring into question our pace of life. Why are we so enslaved to things we think we have to have or do? Hasn’t God given us this life, and aren’t we responsible to God for how we live it? We live for an Audience of One, not many. Jesus lived out the freedom God gives us. He refused to be restricted by the lesser expectations placed on him, and the religious establishment had him crucified. But God raised him from death, vindicating his way of life and the truth of his message. Today we celebrate not just his victory over death, but the possibility of our walking in newness of life with him. -DJ
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Pastor's Column April 17, 2011
In the book and movie, True Grit, the 14-year-old young girl, Mattie Ross, who takes it upon herself to pursue justice regarding her dad’s murder, is a Presbyterian. It has been a number of years since another book and movie about a Presbyterian family came out, A River Runs Through It.
The dad in this book and movie, who is a Presbyterian pastor, has a saying, “All good things come by grace, and grace comes by art, and art does not come easy.”
“All good things come by grace.” All that we have, all that we are, even the brain with which we think thoughts about God, comes by God’s grace. God gives us good things, not because we deserve them, but because it’s God’s nature to constantly seek our wellbeing.
In The Lord’s Prayer, when Jesus teaches us that God’s nature is that of Our Father, he means that God values each and every human being and provides for our needs, as would the best of parents.
“And grace comes by art.” Just because God seeks our wellbeing doesn’t mean that we always do. Availing ourselves of God’s grace is not natural. There is an art to recognizing both what God gives and then accepting it.
“And art does not come easy.” We’re a mess, says the dad in A River Runs Through It. Not only is recognizing and accepting God’s grace an art, but it is one that we’ve pretty much lost. Too often we ignore or reject or do not notice how God helps meet our needs. Too often what we choose is self-destructive rather than the good that God makes possible.
A follower of Jesus knows that God’s grace is the source of all she has and is. Further, she is a person who, by God’s grace, is struggling to grow in her ability to recognize and receive all the good gifts God has in store for her. - DJ
The dad in this book and movie, who is a Presbyterian pastor, has a saying, “All good things come by grace, and grace comes by art, and art does not come easy.”
“All good things come by grace.” All that we have, all that we are, even the brain with which we think thoughts about God, comes by God’s grace. God gives us good things, not because we deserve them, but because it’s God’s nature to constantly seek our wellbeing.
In The Lord’s Prayer, when Jesus teaches us that God’s nature is that of Our Father, he means that God values each and every human being and provides for our needs, as would the best of parents.
“And grace comes by art.” Just because God seeks our wellbeing doesn’t mean that we always do. Availing ourselves of God’s grace is not natural. There is an art to recognizing both what God gives and then accepting it.
“And art does not come easy.” We’re a mess, says the dad in A River Runs Through It. Not only is recognizing and accepting God’s grace an art, but it is one that we’ve pretty much lost. Too often we ignore or reject or do not notice how God helps meet our needs. Too often what we choose is self-destructive rather than the good that God makes possible.
A follower of Jesus knows that God’s grace is the source of all she has and is. Further, she is a person who, by God’s grace, is struggling to grow in her ability to recognize and receive all the good gifts God has in store for her. - DJ
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Pastor's Column April 10, 2011
Questions always arise about the Apostles’ Creed. (A creed is a short statement of what we believe. It is based on what we find in the Bible. A confession is longer than a creed, and a catechism is simply a confession in question and answer form.) What do certain of the statements mean?
1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth... The Apostles’ Creed is very old. It comes from a time when “Almighty” was a name commonly associated with the God of the Old Testament. To say that we believe in God the “Father Almighty” is to say that the Creator is the same as the God of the New Testament, inasmuch as the name Jesus used for God was “Father.” Whereas the sermon here at Grace is based on both an Old Testament and New Testament lesson, long ago there was a debate in which one side said that the God of the OT was a lesser deity than the God in the NT. No, says the Apostles’ Creed. They are one and the same.
2. Was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell, (hades in Greek, the abode of the dead without the temperature differential ). At least two things are being said by “descent into hell.” One is that Jesus actually died. Some people through the years said it only appeared like he did. No, he actually died, says the creed, and one way of emphasizing death is by this statement. Also, this is an interpretation of 1 Peter 3:18,19. While dead, Jesus, “in the spirit,” went to the people in hades/hell (“the spirits in prison”) and preached the good news so that those who died before he lived could be saved.
3. The holy catholic(universal) Church, the communion of saints (Christians). What this says is that we belong to the body of Jesus’ followers through all ages and in all places. Catholic here does not mean Roman Catholic. It means the “universal” church of all times and places. We belong to the universal church, have communion with all other Christians. Saints here is just another name for Christians. -DJ
1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth... The Apostles’ Creed is very old. It comes from a time when “Almighty” was a name commonly associated with the God of the Old Testament. To say that we believe in God the “Father Almighty” is to say that the Creator is the same as the God of the New Testament, inasmuch as the name Jesus used for God was “Father.” Whereas the sermon here at Grace is based on both an Old Testament and New Testament lesson, long ago there was a debate in which one side said that the God of the OT was a lesser deity than the God in the NT. No, says the Apostles’ Creed. They are one and the same.
2. Was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell, (hades in Greek, the abode of the dead without the temperature differential ). At least two things are being said by “descent into hell.” One is that Jesus actually died. Some people through the years said it only appeared like he did. No, he actually died, says the creed, and one way of emphasizing death is by this statement. Also, this is an interpretation of 1 Peter 3:18,19. While dead, Jesus, “in the spirit,” went to the people in hades/hell (“the spirits in prison”) and preached the good news so that those who died before he lived could be saved.
3. The holy catholic(universal) Church, the communion of saints (Christians). What this says is that we belong to the body of Jesus’ followers through all ages and in all places. Catholic here does not mean Roman Catholic. It means the “universal” church of all times and places. We belong to the universal church, have communion with all other Christians. Saints here is just another name for Christians. -DJ
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Pastor's Column April 3, 2011
The famous clown, Nasir Ed Din, was invited to speak at a church. He looked at the congregation and asked, “Do you know what I’m going to say?”
The congregation responded, “No.”
“Neither do I,” he said. He then picked up his notes, walked off the platform, and exited the church.
The next week he was invited back. Again he asked the congregation, “Do you know what I’m going to say?”
Since their previous response hadn’t worked, they said, “Yes!”
“Good,” the clown said. “Then I don’t have to tell you.” Again he exited the church without another word.
During the following week the congregation got together and planned their response. They were confident they had him trapped. When he stood up a third time and asked, “Do you know what I’m going to say?” they replied, “Some of us do and some of us don’t.”
“Good!” Nasir Ed Din replied. “Those who know tell those who don’t.” He left the building for a third time and was never invited back.
Churches need to be careful whom they invite to speak. A Methodist church recently invited their bishop to speak at a fellowship dinner. And since it was the bishop who was speaking, everyone brought their best dishes. Rarely had anyone in that church seen so much food.
In walked the bishop. The pastor greeted him and asked what the bishop was speaking about that night.
“Fasting during Lent.” -DJ
The congregation responded, “No.”
“Neither do I,” he said. He then picked up his notes, walked off the platform, and exited the church.
The next week he was invited back. Again he asked the congregation, “Do you know what I’m going to say?”
Since their previous response hadn’t worked, they said, “Yes!”
“Good,” the clown said. “Then I don’t have to tell you.” Again he exited the church without another word.
During the following week the congregation got together and planned their response. They were confident they had him trapped. When he stood up a third time and asked, “Do you know what I’m going to say?” they replied, “Some of us do and some of us don’t.”
“Good!” Nasir Ed Din replied. “Those who know tell those who don’t.” He left the building for a third time and was never invited back.
Churches need to be careful whom they invite to speak. A Methodist church recently invited their bishop to speak at a fellowship dinner. And since it was the bishop who was speaking, everyone brought their best dishes. Rarely had anyone in that church seen so much food.
In walked the bishop. The pastor greeted him and asked what the bishop was speaking about that night.
“Fasting during Lent.” -DJ
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