Welcome?

I really like one of the songs we sing in the 1st service during the season of Pentecost.  The song is titled Holy Spirit.  The words go ... "Holy Spirit, you are welcome here."  The disciples at Pentecost believed and invited this.  Earlier this year Asbury College invited this.  It was powerful, uncomfortable, life-changing, scary and beautiful all at once.  Acts 2 says the sound of the coming of God's Spirit was so loud and powerful people came running.  I wonder what we would have done?  Would we welcome the Holy Spirit in this place?

Sunday we will be singing about God's Spirit coming to us.  Let's look at our track record of welcoming manifestations of God.  The prophets came, filled with God's Spirit, and they testified to God's knowledge and power.  They prefaced their remarks (often) with the words, "This is what the Lord says."  They were killed, and their rejection was one of the reasons why God sent a prophetic famine that lasted 400 years.  That famine was broken by John the Baptist, who announced the coming of Jesus.  They killed him too.  Jesus comes on the scene and for a three-year period, Jesus preaches with power, miracles and truth, challenging all of us (including those in powerful positions).  You are (I hope) starting to get the point ... He was killed too.  Truth and anointing by God's Spirit are opposed by this world.

But the question here isn't about what Israel, political leaders and religious authorities did in the past.  The question is ... what will we do?  Will we lead those 8 children on the front row last Sunday to conform to this world or to be transformed into the dangerous, uncomfortable, powerful, scary and life-changing world of life in the Spirit?  Will we run into the street ... clamor to get to Church so we can be part of what God is doing ... raise a hallelujah to God in the presence of conflict ... own our part of being inside God's will?  Are we afraid we will be opposed?  Or ... maybe we are afraid our lifestyles will be challenged, confronted or changed.

Can we sing ... "Holy Spirit you are welcome here, come flood this place and fill the atmosphere, your glory Lord is what my heart longs for, to be overcome by your presence Lord."  Come Holy Spirit ... fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love! AMEN

Miller, Music and Memorial Day

As a pastor, I am reminded often of the importance of keeping the morale of the troops high.  In 1944, in what was probably friendly fire, a band director (who had entertained over a million troops) lost his life serving his country.  He sacrificed his life for all of us.  Last year, on a trip to Washington DC, I learned that his empty grave and memorial headstone (MH 464A) is located in Arlington Cemetery.  Miller earned the Bronze Star for "meritorious service as Commander of the Air Force Band."  His headstone was, at his daughter's request, placed in Arlington National Cemetery in April of 1992.

The idea of sacrifice has become less evident in our society as we have gotten a bit too self-focused.  But let's think for a bit.  Two weeks ago we honored mothers, who know the idea of sacrifice all too well as they give time, energy and life for their families and children.  They invest tears and all kinds of love just so their children will grow up right.  Now we remember those in our military who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that our freedom and our country could exist and thrive.  That fact alone should call us all to thanksgiving and gratitude for all who have donned the uniform.

But let's not forget that we are here today because of the value and virtue of a sacrifice made for our freedom and life ... freedom from the oppression of sin and life from Jesus' death.  All of this should cause us to place value and reverence on the ideal of sacrifice.  We should clamor to be in our church to celebrate and be witnesses to God's gift to us.  We should place God's house and God's gift in its rightful place in our hearts and in our priorities.

Jesus told us, on the night He was betrayed, '"This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me."  In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and His people, an agreement confirmed by His blood."' (1 Cor. 11:23-25).  How can we, as Christians, read this and hear it every time we celebrate Communion and not remember Jesus' sacrifice, given in the battle for our very souls?  Twila Paris asks a question in a song about two soldiers, "What did He die for, when He died for you and me, made the sacrifice, so that we could all be free, I believe, we will answer all to heaven, for the way we spend our priceless liberty, look inside and find the answer, what did He die for, when He died for me?"  AMEN

Milestones and Life

This coming Sunday we will have several celebrations.  We thought about separating the two events but decided that they might be very appropriate.  So ... here goes.

First, as always, view all of this in the context of Scripture.  Moses is giving his "pastoral charge" to his stiff-necked people.  They are crossing the Jordan to take the land.  He is not permitted to go, but he loves the people he has shepherded for over 40 years.  He gives them some advice I believe we should take to heart.  "Today I give you the choice between life and death, blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh, that you may choose life, so you and your descendants would live. You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying Him and committing yourself firmly to Him.  This is the key to your life (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)!"  These two groups and two events can flow and be viewed in the blessing of God's word.  I will pray that they are.

Our first celebration is the 100th birthday of Etoil Matheson.  We are all excited to share this rare and special time, and (if you know Ms. Etoil) you will be excited too.  She is one of my life-blessings.  It is not uncommon for me to receive an email from her about the message or music on any given Sunday.  Her comment will always be positive, uplifting and gracious, because she is a lady filled with God's grace.  And, at 100, she will be viewing the streamed service on Facebook.  

The second celebration is our annual recognition of Seniors that have a relationship with Abbeville Methodist.  At our 2nd service we will have a formal recognition, a presentation of the Will and Agnes McLain Scholarship, and a re-presentation of the Sally Ezzell Boys and Girls Club Scholarship.  We celebrate this milestone in the lives of these young people and wish them God-filled futures.

As I read Moses' words again, I thought of the testimony from my friend Jenny Wilson, as she shared about life and her battle with cancer.  She commented about her life becoming busy, work-oriented and tiring.  Each day would end with collapsing into the evening, and she had little extra energy for her work in the church.  Then cancer came visiting, with treatments, diagnoses and chemotherapy.  It was a shocking and difficult time, but Jenny stepped back and listened to God.  What she heard related directly to what Moses told his people thousands of years ago.  Paraphrasing (apologies to Jenny), Jenny reflected on how HER life became stressful, difficult, unmanageable and Jenny-focused.  It happened a little at a time, but this way of life became her everyday routine.  Post-diagnosis, Jenny came to realize she could live HER life or live for HER Lord and Savior, Jesus.  She couldn't do both, and only one of those paths offered peace and life-abundant.  For ... "the Lord IS your life (Deuteronomy 30)."

Etoil made this choice long ago and knows that God has called her to life in the Church.  Jenny has made that decision too.  Whatever days these two amazing women have, God will be there to guide, comfort and be a very real presence.  For these graduating seniors, I offer them the choice Moses offered a people who will enter the land God has promised.  "Choose life, for the Lord is your life."  Living for self is an empty dead end ... living for Jesus is a battle, a journey and a blessing.  Choose life!  AMEN

Cheerleaders

In this world of critical people, way too much "mean" and way too little understanding of grace, enter cheerleaders.  I was watching a football game last fall and our team was not winning.  Still, our cheerleaders went out between plays and encouraged, uplifted and kept us grounded in the hope 1) we could do better and 2) the game might not be the most important thing happening in our lives.  Cheerleaders are beautiful reminders of something we might have missed in Scripture.  And they might just remind us of that special day coming this Sunday (Mother's Day)!

Hebrews 12:1-2 seems pretty simple on the surface.  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run, with perseverance, the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."  For this blog today, let's think about that "great cloud of witnesses as our cheerleaders.

I read this passage in the context of Mother's Day and realized that, for many of us, mama was our greatest encourager and cheerleader.  In relation to the passage, I dug down to what that cheerleading looks like.  To those of you who had a mama, like mine, that was for me, this passage means one thing.  Mama encouraged, corrected and loved me through all parts of life, even at those times when I didn't do so well.  For those of you who didn't have a mother who was your cheerleader, I have some good news.  God, in the context of love, nurture and presence, has always been there for you.  God, in Genesis 1, created ... and the passage specifically says, "God created people in His image ... in the image of God He created them ... male and female He created them."  If your mama did a great job of reflecting this godly image, I am grateful for you.  If your mama was less than stellar at this, you have a God who stands in this place, ready to give you everything you need for success.  For we all were created in God's image.

For me, I think of our families, our mothers and our fathers as part of that multitude of cheerleaders that help us as we move through life.  Sometimes their encouragement is spot on, and sometimes it isn't what we want or need.  But God has created, in Jesus, a leader that is able to fill every missing gap and see every missing need.  He is the one who began our faith.  He is the one leading the cheerleaders to encourage and equip us.  And He is at the end of our race, ushering us into His place where we will worship, love and cheer eternally.  It is a good plan, because none of us are left without someone to look up to at our time(s) of need.  Thank you , God, for cheering us on and keeping us on the journey to follow You!  AMEN

Friends

I am thankful for friends.  That may be a bit cliche'ish, but it is true.  Wednesday Ashley Eiland will facilitate Bible study while I am in a meeting.  This Sunday morning, Judy Cassidy will share her testimony and information about her trip to the Holy Land.  Both the Bible Study and the messages on Sunday are in great hands of gifted and faithful friends.

When we share friends "in Christ" we share a life that is not bound by geography and time.  These friends are eternal ... and they are people with whom we will share life and worship in God's kingdom both here and when Jesus comes in His final victory.  Paul knew this when he wrote ... "I thank God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first until now, being confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:4-6)."

God completes us together.  He fulfills His work through and in us.  And to God be the glory for giving us those with whom we share the work and message of the Cross!  AMEN