From Fallen Stones

This week, on Wednesday at 6:30 pm (meal at 6 pm), we will have our first full Charge Conference as a Global Methodist Church. Liberty Methodist will join us, and we will have a meal, fellowship, conversation, and celebration of life together. Wesley described this as Christian Conferencing. Wesley loved this time, which he kept brief, as a means of God's grace poured out on God's people. Wesley would have treasured this as a blessing.

Is such a thing Biblical? Emphatically, yes. In Acts 15, the Apostles are meeting in Jerusalem. The issue at hand was that some Christians thought new Christians needed to become Jews to join in the new fellowship of the "People of the Way" (the early Church). When I read this chapter, I was compelled by James's words describing the rag-tag people who were called into the early Church. "After this, I will build again from the fallen stones. I will set (God's building) up again. Then all the nations may look for the Lord, even the people who are not Jews, who are called by my name" (Acts 15:16-17), a reference from Amos 9:11.

Two groups of people are spoken of in this passage. The first are those Jews who were part of a broken building, called "fallen stones." This should resonate with us as Global Methodists, coming from a broken house fractured by division and understanding of Biblical authority. But, as "sinners," we also identify as "fallen stones" as we have been lifted up by a master builder who will take our ruins and build something beautiful and useful.

The second group in this discussion are the Gentiles. James makes the point that "we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." James realizes that God has opened this door, and our rules, regulations, and structure should invite, not restrict, the Gentiles who desire to come to the faith.

Aren't we all "broken?" Aren't we all sinners redeemed by the goodness and grace of God? Haven't we all been raised up as shattered stones and placed into the beautiful Church God is building? Isn't this part of the best news ever? We CAN be restored! We CAN be used by God! We CAN be "born again!" Praise the Lord! AMEN

Tricks and Beliefs

In today's world, there's lots of trickery happening.  Listen to a presidential candidate speaking, and you will hear some trickery.  Things will be promised that (if you stop to think) aren't exactly in control of that candidate (whichever candidate you support).  Read posts on social media, and you will soon get caught up in something you want to believe, but it is really only trickery. I have discovered, sadly, that two of the faith stories I used for years were really not true.  Trickery!

So, how do we keep from trickery?  How do we know what to believe and what not to believe, even as we try to rely on a pure and holy God?  How do we discern the truth?  I ask questions.  And the main question is, "Who benefits from my belief in something?"  There are a huge number of posts that are created by artificial intelligence.  Others are created by foreign powers that want to promote their interest or influence our upcoming election.  If you ask the "who benefits" question, you will find that many of these posts are good for Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Russia.  Do these people promote our interests, or are they mortal enemies who wish us ill?  Are they for chaos, while our God is a God that brought order to chaos (Genesis 1)?  Who benefits?

In Acts 19, there are serious challenges to the People of the Way (the early Church).  The Chapter is all about what people believe.  Do they believe in the Gospel message or, do they oppose the Gospel message?  Will they leave their belief in Artemis (the Greek goddess of hunting and wild animals) and follow the truth of the Gospel?  And, are there deeper and more sinister things in the undercurrent of the story?  Those who are caught up in the commerce of the Temple of Artemis stand to lose money if people join Paul's movement and Jesus' Church.  Jews caught up in the commerce of the Jewish Synagogue stand to lose if the people learn about Jesus.  When people follow Jesus ... truly follow Jesus ... it changes everything!  The Jewish sacrificial system is out of business.  The "merch" of the Artemis movement becomes worthless when people learn Artemis isn't real.  Who benefits from what people believe?

If you think this is just a story from Scripture, think again.  Who would benefit and who would lose if we (Christians) became so caught up in following Jesus we actually allowed that belief to change our lifestyle?  Music sales, the football industrial complex, alcohol sales, and a fair number of political icons, would lose followers ... because the people would follow a God named Jesus.

The preacher, Tony Evans, made a promise years ago.  I hope he has kept it.  He said, "I will not let any expense (cost center for you accountants) be greater than what I give to God's kingdom."  The decision impacted where he lived, what he drove, and what he did for recreation.  It even impacted his family, as children and grandchildren were no longer at the top of the spending plan.

I hope you are getting the point.  Acts 19 is full of what happens when people choose to follow Jesus, and what happens when these choices come into conflict with societal norms and Satan's plan to oppose Jesus at every turn.  The choice, here, comes down to asking a question, answering the question, and following the answer you have chosen.  Who benefits from our beliefs, and who we choose to follow?