Artemis and Bad Cats

When most people hear the word “Artemis,” they think of either NASA’s lunar mission or the Greek goddess of hunting, childbirth, and wild animals. I, however, think of an orange cat we owned over 20 years ago.

Now, it’s fitting that the goddess Artemis ruled over wild animals—because our Artemis was a wild animal. One minute she was sweet, purring, and curled up like a Hallmark card… and the next minute she was a full-blown, demon-possessed ninja. 

This cat sent two family members to the ER. Every single one of us was injured (by Artemis) at some point. We didn’t own Artemis—Artemis allowed us to live in her house under constant threat.

The final straw? She launched herself onto Christopher’s face and nearly removed his eyelid. That earned us a trip to the Children’s Eye Hospital in Birmingham—and Artemis a one-way ticket out of our lives. I’m fairly certain she is now curled up comfortably somewhere near the fireplace in Satan's den, feeling completely at home.

But as we think about Easter—and what comes next—the Artemis mission (the NASA one, not the feline terrorist) got me thinking about something deeper: the dreaming, the work, and the anticipation behind something truly monumental.

Here’s where that leads us:

1. Marvel at the Moment - We are living in a time where something like the Artemis mission is possible—and that’s amazing. But let’s be honest—it doesn’t even come close to Easter.

The Resurrection is not just impressive—it is unprecedented. Yes, people like Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter were raised… but they died again. Jesus didn’t just come back—He defeated death itself.

As Charles Wesley wrote in 1739, “Christ has opened paradise.”

The curtain was torn. The barrier of death was shattered. Jesus didn’t just walk out of the tomb—He stepped into our reality and made a way where there was no way.

And here’s the miracle: we don’t just admire it… we follow Him through it—all the way to the Father’s house.

2. Plan for the Promise - Every space mission begins with a vision. But between vision and launch, there’s a lot of work.  Calculations. Training. Design. Preparation. No one just “wings it” to the moon.

And neither do we.  As a church, we’re planning - VBS, choir and art camp, youth and children’s events. There’s excitement, anticipation, and yes… a lot of spreadsheets and meetings.

But behind all of that are two powerful reminders:

The Ascension (May 14): “You will be my witnesses.”

Pentecost (May 24): The Spirit comes, and the Church is ignited.

Those are our “launch moments.”

We are not just planners—we are witnesses.

We are not just organized—we are empowered.

We are not just busy—we are built to fly.

3. Take Out the Trash - Years ago, working with the Incline Railway in Chattanooga, we got new rail cars… and discovered they were too heavy to safely operate. So we did something unexpected—we stripped off every ounce of unnecessary weight.

Turns out, if you want something to move… you have to lighten the load. That’s not just engineering—that’s Scripture. Hebrews tells us: “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down.”

To escape Earth’s gravity, a rocket must reach 17,600 mph.

To live the life Christ calls us to—what weight do we need to remove?

Fear?

Bitterness?

Comfort?

Control?

On Sunday, we talked about “removing the grave clothes.” Lazarus needed help getting unwrapped.

Jesus left His behind in the tomb.

If we want to move forward—if we want to launch—we can’t keep dragging death with us. If we’re going to step into what God is calling us to:

We must marvel at the Resurrection

We must plan with purpose and expectation

We must let go of what weighs us down

And through it all, we never lose sight of our power source:

The same Jesus who walked out of the grave ... is the One who calls us to rise, move, and follow.

So let’s get ready. We’re not just sitting in the pews. We’re on the launchpad.

Loosed!

The story of Easter is a story of being loosed!  Jesus is released!  Jesus moves out of the tomb!  Jesus leaves the grave clothes behind!  He is unbound to do what God is calling Him to do!

This isn't a first.  Remember Jesus telling Lazarus to "come out" and his friends to "remove the grave clothes?"  Remember the disciples releasing (untying) the little donkey for service to Jesus.  And, there is the empty tomb on Easter morning, where disciples and women find the tomb unoccupied, because Jesus is already releasing His Church to teach, baptize, and release the Gospel message into the world. 

This brings to mind the things we hold inside, even though we, as Christians, have been born from the dead, had our grave clothes removed, we have been untied for service to our Lord, and we have been called to leave the tomb that held our death. I wonder why I encounter so many angry people every week?  Is it uncertainty over events?  Is it personal or family issues?  Is it the fact that we choose to judge our own lives based on our perception of how others see us?  Is too much social media leading us into a frenzy?  Or are all of these things summed up in the fact that we are trying to live in a tomb we have been released from?

People ... the stone has been rolled away!  The grave clothes have been removed and left behind!  The doorway is right there, ready for us to walk out!  All we need to do is leave! ... and maybe that is our post-Easter task!  Leave the tomb.  Maybe we need to leave our tombs one at a time.  So, a few preparatory questions ... what are MY tombs that Jesus has rolled the stone from?  

1) pride? Pride will cause us to fall (Proverbs 16:18)

2) fear? Perfect love (Jesus) can drive away fear (1 John 4:18)

3) worry? Jesus said, don't spend any life in a spirit of worry (He's got this), 

4) negative influences? I know I am meddling now, but you need to (especially those of us with addictive personalities) be willing to let Jesus roll away those stones and then you (we have a part in this) need to walk out of that dark place of death.  If your social media makes you angry, walk away!

Do you know what all of those things above will do?  They will kill relationships, they will stifle joy, they will impede the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, and they will cause the whole world to miss the beauty you bring into the world and into the Church!  The beauty of Easter is that disciples and women who came to the place where Jesus was buried didn't find any body!  The tomb was empty!  The grave clothes were left behind!  The glory of the Lord and the beauty of Christ walked out into a world that needs Him!  Share the song!  "Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes!"

Remembering and Rejoicing

At 1st Service this coming Sunday, we will sing a song called "Christ Our Hope In Life and Death."  WOW, does that shout Easter morning!  And what a roller coaster for women and disciples that day!

Here are the words to that song (Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa)

What is our hope in life and death? Christ alone, Christ alone.

What is our only confidence? That our souls to Him belong.

Who holds our days within His hand? What comes, apart from His command.

And what will keep us to the end? The love of Christ in which we stand.

Oh, sing hallelujah, Our hope springs eternal, Oh, sing hallelujah.

Now and ever we confess ... Christ, our hope in life and death.

What truth can calm the troubled soul? God is good, God is good.

Where is His grace and goodness known? In our great Redeemer's blood.

Who holds our faith when fears arise? Who stands above the stormy trial?

Who sends the waves that bring us nigh, unto the shore? The rock of Christ.

Oh, sing hallelujah, Our hope springs eternal, Oh, sing hallelujah.

Now and ever we confess ... Christ, our hope in life and death.

Unto the grave, what will we sing? "Christ, He lives, Christ, He lives!"

And what reward will Heaven bring? Everlasting life with Him.

There we will rise to meet the Lord. Then sin and death will be destroyed.

And we will feast in endless joy. When Christ is ours forevermore.

Oh, sing hallelujah, Our hope springs eternal, Oh, sing hallelujah.

Now and ever we confess ... Christ, our hope in life and death.

Oh, sing hallelujah, Our hope springs eternal, Oh, sing hallelujah.

Now and ever we confess ... Christ, our hope in life and death.

Words to remember ... and words of rejoicing!  So, here is our question.  How, when, and why do you rejoice?  Does your pride keep your praises suppressed?  Walk humbly and sing!  Does your business cause you to be down?  Ciroe Ten Boom said, "If the devil can't make us bad, he'll make us busy."  Do other people impact your ability to praise?  Paul said to "work out YOUR salvation," which (I think) means you focus on Jesus, not other people.  Whatever is keeping you from praising, I have some beautiful homework ... Psalm 103:1-5.  We praise because God is worth praising ... it is not situational!  Remember ... rejoice!  He is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  AMEN

Calm Before the Storm

Last week I was out on the deck at the parsonage, talking to Lee on my cell phone.  When we ended the conversation, I looked to the west, and dark clouds were looming.  It was calm, but it was clear a storm was coming.  That is the context and attitude of Palm Sunday. 

Jesus has just made His final circuit around the Holy Land.  He had been to Samaria, across the Jordan to the East, up through Jericho, and to Bethany (home of Lazarus).  Now, He enters Jerusalem for a week that begins with "Hosanna ... blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."  A seeming triumph will be turned on its head, and betrayal, torture, mocking, denial, and death will follow.  Palm Sunday is the calm before the storm.

There are so many lessons of Holy Week.  Lessons about the person of Jesus.  Lessons about us and our nature.  Lessons about the amazing forgiveness of God.  Lessons about seeing the storm and seeing through the storm to God's good and holy plan.  Here are a few takes from a country preacher:

1. Shallow sense of false security - Some Jews thought they were about to be delivered from Roman occupation by Jesus.  Judas was one of these, and he was quick to sell Jesus out after Jesus didn't fit his political agenda.  As I look at our current political structure and parties, I don't see a lot of Jesus there.  I wonder how many are willing to sell Jesus out, following their ideology, and ditching the Jesus who is the source of their salvation?

2. Sitting in the seat of mockers - "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers (Psalm 1:1)." Jesus was mocked by some (including the Pharisees) for entering the city on the back of a donkey.  Because people were looking for a mighty warrior on a charger, they missed the Savior who came to fight and win a battle they didn't even perceive.  They missed their blessing.  

3. Raising a hallelujah - Some looked past the donkey, past the meek itinerant preacher, and saw what the rocks, the earth, and all creation saw.  "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:3-5)."  They saw the one who made them, and the God who was light itself.

These are 3 of the responses on Palm Sunday.  Which will you choose?

Reprise

In music, there is a term for a repeated passage.  That term is "reprise."  In Scripture (Bible study), there are several terms for repetition.  They include:

Refrain: One or more lines repeated at intervals, such as in Psalms.

Inclusio: A "bookend" structure where a passage begins and ends with the same phrase, highlighting the material between them.

Chiasm (or Chiasmus): A structure where ideas are repeated in reverse order (A-B-C-B-A), often focusing on a central, crucial point.

Anaphora: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses, commonly found in poetic sections and the Beatitudes.

Leitwortstijl (Key Word Style): The deliberate repetition of a key word or root throughout a narrative to emphasize a theme.

In life, there are things that warrant repetition.  We 'reprise' each Sunday as we live out the rhythm of life in the Church using liturgy (the Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Church year).  But there are some daily life-related 'reprise' moments I find myself both needing and applying.  And Lent is just the time for me to remind myself about these things.

This morning, I am reflecting on two 'reprise' moments I need to remember often.  The first of these is one that is posted in the church office.  It was coined by John Wesley, and it is as applicable today as when it was first penned by John Wesley.  Methodists are called (by Wesley's instruction) to follow 3 Methodist Rules.  They are 1) do no harm (don't hurt others in your words or actions), 2) do all the good you can (Galatians 6:9 says don't get tired of doing good), and 3) stay in love with God (I'll address this with the 2nd reprise moment).  Reflect on these active and positive things, and consider how YOU are doing.

The second reprise moment is caught up in what we will speak about in the Maundy Thursday service.  The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning not discretionary.  John 13:34-35 says, "A new commandment I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another."  Not a suggestion for Christians ... a commandment.  We are not given an out for those we do not like.  We are not given permission to exclude those who annoy us or push our buttons.  Reflect on this good word, and consider how YOU are doing.

This is a hard word, and an uphill struggle for us these last few miles in our Lenten journey.  Let's unpack and apply this as we follow Jesus ... not our hearts, desires, feelings, and/or emotions.  Love as Jesus loved ... not my words, but those of the one we say we follow.  This is ESPECIALLY important to remember when we are stressed, struggling, and going through personal crises.

You are probably saying, "I've heard that before."  Yep ... you have! AMEN

A Word About Holes

Haggai 1 describes a society that has gone off the rails.  The society has forgotten what is important.  They fill themselves with emptiness, and they hope their stones will be turned into bread.  My Bible Study had a good discussion today about this.  We all remembered those times that we wanted God to bless our plans, our stuff, our choices, and our priorities, even when they are outside of God's plan.

The nation is Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel.  It was 520BC, and the people had returned from exile in Babylon.  God had delivered them out of exile, and He had given them some level of prosperity.  They had crops to plant, food to eat, plenty to drink, warm clothing, and wages to put into their pockets.  Still the people seemed to live hand-to-mouth.  "You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes (Haggai 1:6)!"

Here are some statistics.  A 2025 debt.com survey reported that 69% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.  Another report said that 41% of Americans couldn't cover a $1,000 emergency without borrowing.  This is in a country that ranks 2nd in affluence after accounting for cost of living.  It seems Haggai 1:6 describes us!  

The "Lord of Heaven's Armies" (our Lord) says, in Haggai, there is a reason for this.  It isn't more money, crops, stuff, and/or wealth.  God calls the people of Judah to account for neglecting the God who brought them out of exile, stood by them while they were strangers in a foreign land, and heard their cries of despair.  God's clear message is ... "get outside of self."  How do we do this?

Here are some ways we can respond to God's call in the days ahead:

1. We can invest in things that require time, energy, money, effort, and inconvenience.  God's house is built when we place His Church above our comfort.

2. At our Mission's Auction this week, we can give generously, and we might just get something we want in the process.  Bid online, and/or buy a ticket and be at the auction in person.  This auction thrives when we (as the Church) show up.

3. We can be alert for needs described by our Trustees, as they faithfully work to maintain the facilities of the Church.

In Haggai, the people placed their needs 1st, leaving God's house with the leftovers.  El Roi is the Hebrew name for "the God who sees."  God sees our hearts, and He certainly sees our priorities.  I have heard people say, "God understands my circumstances."  Yes, he does.  And He calls you, me, and all of us to do what John Wesley did all his life ... make all you can, so you can save all you can, so you can give all you can.  Lent and Missions week are great times to look outside of ourselves and give to what God is doing.  I hope God can count on you!  Maybe the holes in your pockets can become mended and whole!

Come To Jesus Meeting

In Matthew 5 we find an introduction to the Sermon on the Mount ... you know, that message where Jesus compares what the "Law" says to what He says.  So we begin the Chapter with these words ... "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them (Matthew 5:1-2)."  Did you see it?  Can you imagine what that was like?  Would you have gone?

Many of you might be saying, "That is only an introduction ... let's get to the meat of the passage!"  And, there is a lot of 'meat.'  The Beatitudes ... Jesus fulfilling the Law ... Jesus' take on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, revenge, and loving our enemies.  But (like Julie Andrews sang in The Sound of Music) "let's start at the very beginning, it's the very first place to start."

Four profound things happen at this very important Come To Jesus Meeting.  Let's unpack them.

1. "Jesus saw the crowds."  In Scripture, the crowds are often at a distance.  They are present, but they are doing the kinds of things crowds do.  Milling about ... chattering ... using a lot of words but not saying much ... idle chatter that fills time.  Crowds are seldom viewed positively.  Moses went up the mountain and returned with God's Law, but the crowds "stood at a distance."

2. "Jesus went up on a mountainside."  Jesus creates an obstacle ... a decision ... a distance that must be crossed.  The commercial series, "Jesus Gets Us" seems to be designed to create a view of Jesus that is attractional.  Do you see the subtle, but meaningful, action here?  Jesus might be saying, "If you are interested in what I am saying, you need to move away from the crowd ... away from the distraction ... away from idle chatter.  You need to climb (by the way, Jesus DOES get us)!

3. "His disciples came to Him."  Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily, and follow Me."  Do you want to be Jesus' disciple?  Make the climb.  Go where He goes.  Get close so you can hear His voice!

4. "He began to teach them."  They left the crowd.  They watched where Jesus went.  They followed Him.  They were taught by the Master.

There are so many directions I could take this blog.  But here is what I am hearing from God today.  We are choosing to live life in "the crowds."  It is chaotic.  Our community has been rocked by arrests that none of us can fathom. "How can these things happen here?"  We seek the source of the problem and point the finger elsewhere.  But while one is caught up in the crowd, it is difficult to see the big picture.  CS Lewis said that Satan desires to "bring people like livestock to the slaughter (by the way, the exact phrase used in Ezekiel 34)."  But I wonder if we mill, chatter, and say/do many meaningless things, while missing the things of the faith.  We immerse ourselves in a culture that does not wish us well.  We make decisions to spend life in that which means nothing, while the source of our salvation climbs up on the mountainside and waits.  He is NOT attractive.  But look, the culture is selling its wares, and they look and feel and taste good.  They are stones turned to bread by a cunning and vicious adversary.  Jesus waits ... up on the hillside.  He calls His disciples to see the crowds, decide where they want to live life, see Him on the mountain, choose to climb up, and listen.  Jesus is calling us to a "Come To Jesus Meeting."  What is your choice?

Another Word on Time

Lent is upon us.  It is a 40-day period before Holy Week (not counting Sundays) in which we, as Wesleyan Christians, reflect, remember, repent, re-center, and rethink how we live out our faith.  Many view Lent as a time for giving up or sacrificing something to grow stronger in our faith.  In my reflection on Lent, I am focusing this year on a better understanding of time.

Last week, I used the Greek words Chronos and Kairos in my sermon.  Generally, Chronos is the measurable time we use to structure seconds into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks/months/years.  It is where we get the terms 'chronological' and 'chronology.'  It is the order/structure of time.

But this Lent, I am going to consider the more important word for time, Kairos.  Kairos is appointed, meaningful, or prophetic time.  In Mark 1;15 Jesus is beginning His ministry, and He uses the words, “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”  Jesus uses the word Kairos (in the Greek) here.  It is not a day, or week, or year.  It is a time fulfilled by God's perfect plan.  It is the coming of an event appointed and anointed by God.  So, here is the question for us.

First, has the Kingdom of God arrived in your life?  Whether you know it or not, you are either living in Chronos (in the South, we call this "the same old same old") or Kairos.  I spoke to a young man today.  He was stuck in the systems of law enforcement.  Jail, probation, times and dates he must be at a certain place, are his current reality.  He lives in the Chronos of the culture into which he has fallen.  He has learned that Chronos can, and will, enslave you in a cycle that, when viewed in reverse, seems like a repetitive pattern.  In fact, it is an unhealthy pattern that C.S. Lewis said makes people into "cattle for the slaughter."

Second, do you want to live in the freedom of Kairos?  Kairos is the time that is appointed by the one who made us, created us as His masterpiece, and gifted us for a beautiful purpose.  This time is freedom because it fulfills us, completes us, and brings us to life "on earth as it is in heaven."  Kairos allows us to live, love, and become what God has planned, and God's plans are ultimately beautiful.

This week we celebrated 2 big events in the life of the Church.  We saw our sister in Christ, Maegan Pinyan, become married, and we prayed for that marriage to be lived out in Kairos ... appointed, anointed, and prophetic time.  We want those 2 lives to bloom and grow in the light and purpose of the Living God.  We also celebrated the life of Myra Nell Brannon.  Myra Nell entered the glory of God on Sunday and we celebrated her life on Friday. What we know for sure is that Myra Nell was living in Kairos.  How do I know this?  Myra Nell was filled with God's grace, purpose, perseverance, kindness, joy, and love.  Even in her last days, she held the dignity and beauty of God's anointing and purpose.

Maegan is heading East to a life in ministry.  Myra Nell is off to a new beginning in God's house, which has plenty of room for her ... and for you, if you choose to live in Kairos, a place for God's appointed, anointed, and blessed.  How can you get there?  We said it on Ash Wednesday ... repent, and believe the Gospel!

Missionaries of Beauty

We have the saying that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."  While this is largely true, I prefer a more encompassing idea that is from Ecclesiastes 3:11, "God has made everything beautiful in its time."  I don't hold to the more Calvinist view that this implies that non-beautiful things are actually created/brought to us by God.  God didn't intend for Hitler, Stalin, and other dictators to kill millions of innocent people.  I do hold to the Wesleyan idea that God can make/turn negative and devastating things into something He can and will use for His good purposes.  But enough theological interpretation.  Here is the point of this blog.

First, God is into beauty.  God created beauty, and even creates our ability to see beyond the seen realm into the beauty of the unseen realm.  Isaiah 53 says, "There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance ...(Isaiah 53:2)."  If we are unwilling to look past appearances, we will fail to see the beauty of even the Son of God, our true and living Lord!  But, if we look closer, we see the beauty, the grace, and the true love of what Jesus said and did.  Jesus was a "missionary of beauty."

Second, from the above passage and many other passages, we can begin to understand that the source and author of beauty is God.

1. "And let the beauty of our Lord, our God, be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us.  Yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17)."  God can make the work of our hands beautiful if He blesses that work.

2. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News (Romans 10:15, Isaiah 52:7)."  God can make our feet beautiful when they bring the saving power, goodness, grace, and forgiveness of God.

Finally, we understand that the world around us is not often in the mode of creating ... it is more into tearing down.  We feed our minds on reality shows that insult and tear down for the amusement of our negative attitudes.  We feed our emotions on videos, rhetoric, and "news shows" (please DO note the quotations) that are selling us the poison pill of hate, violence, negativity, self-righteousness, and victimhood, all so that we will drift further and further under the impression that our opinion, our perspective, our party, our ideology, and our 'group' is somehow better that those "lesser" people.  While we do this, I think God looks down on us and says what He said outside of Jerusalem ... "if you, even you (Jerusalem) had only known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes (Luke 19:42)."  

God DOES make everything beautiful in its time by revealing the things we need to see, hear, know, and perceive.  It is beautiful when we see past the hopelessness to the beautiful hope of the Gospel.  It is beautiful when we see past the beaten, bloody man on the cross to the beautiful Savior who brings us life from death.  It is beautiful when we see a spark of Christ in another person and choose to lift them up from the pit, because of the Christ in us.  And here is some REALLY Good News that is the Gospel truth ... we can, by following Jesus instead of our culture, see and hear the beauty God sends every day!  Don Moen writes it this way ... "Lord, Your mercy is so great, that you look beyond our weakness, and find purest gold from miry clay, turning sinners into saints." AMEN

Where Does Yours Shine?

The Bible talks a lot about light.  Jesus and His disciples are both called light in the world.  And prophecy about Christmas says that "to those walking in darkness, a light has come."  As I write this blog, I have a flashlight beside me, ready for use in an emergency.  But, as we approach Youth Sunday (this Sunday, the 15th), I want you to reflect on a question.  Where does your light shine?

We worship the Son of God, who was the manifestation of all the things in the first paragraph.  But Jesus has given those responsibilities to us, His Church.  You and I have been given a light.  Where does this light shine?

Might I make a few suggestions?

1. How about your workplace, where some of us spend most of every day?

2. What about social media, where people are sometimes excused from the collateral damage of "shooting from the hip"?

3. Maybe your home, where familiarity doesn't have to breed contempt?

Let's remember Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, took His calling of lighting a dark world seriously.  Maybe we, who proclaim His name and announce His kingdom, should follow our Master, Teacher, and Lord.

Sunday, we will sing "This Little Light of Mine."  It is not just a children's song.  It is for and about all who want to change their world ... one little light at a time.  

What Are You Taking?

Have you ever been on a journey, and realized the things you have with you become burdens, rather than assets?  Lee and I have moved over 20 times.  I hate to admit this, but we have carried some things with us that we haven't used in many (many) years.  Planks from an old train station, acquired in 1986.  A multifunctional sawhorse I haven't used once.  The list is long and sad.

As I was reflecting on Luke 10, I stopped on a passage that, at first, seemed out of place.  Here's what it says ... "Do not take a purse or bag or sandals, and do not greet anyone on the road (Luke 10:4)."  This didn't "tweak" me because of what it says ... it interests me because it speaks about the things not to take and the things not to do.  Distractions?

What distracts us from the work we are gifted and sent to do?  On February 18th we begin Lent with an Ash Wednesday service.  We will "remember we are dust," by the imposition of ashes.  We will sing and hear music that will prepare us for the journey of Lent.  We will try to leave behind distractions so that we can go from the ashes of Lent to the sacrifice (and beauty) of the Cross.  We will think, remember, reflect, and (hopefully) grow.  We will decide the things that cause us to focus, and we will decide the things we must leave behind to make the journey.

Maybe this is why Jesus' first instructions are not about the many things the disciples need to take, but the things that will distract and divert them from the work ahead.  Let's deconstruct Jesus' command:

1. Purse - Our money causes us to get focused on the cost, rather than the mission.  Remember ... we count the cost, but if God calls us to act, we act, in accordance with His will.

2. Bag - We have a tendency to fill bags with things that make us comfortable.  Maybe Jesus wants us to focus on the mission, and not our comfort.  Maybe comfort itself is a distraction.

3. Sandals - Most commentators take this to mean extra sandals.  If you remember the Hebrews of Exodus, Deuteronomy 8:4 reminds us that those sandals didn't wear out during the 40 years of wandering.  A few days of travel seem like a piece of cake for the God who provides.

4. Greetings Along The Road - I have a friend who strikes up conversations with everyone he meets along each day's travel.  He is an interesting person, but not such a good employee.  He spends most of each day in conversations, and little of each day working on his job.  Gramma said we have 2 ears and only one mouth.  Maybe Jesus wants His followers to get to the destination He has given them.

I hope you are ready and excited for our Lenten journey together.  Remember ... we have a mission and a destination.  Stay focused.  Keep on track.  And, stay in love with Jesus!

Blessed

Are you aware and excited that God has chosen to bless you?  I was reading in Luke 10 today, and these were the words of Jesus ... "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.  For I tell you that many kings and prophets wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but did not hear it (Luke 10:10:23-24)!"

Seeing and hearing are interesting things.  This Thursday, I will have outpatient surgery to remove cataracts in my right eye.  The condition comes with the "territory" of age.  The cataracts block and cloud vision, and keep some of the light from coming into my eye.  I am thankful for doctors and caregivers who allow me to have this procedure, and for the science and medicine that invented this possibility.  Better vision and more light seem to be things worth the recovery and discomfort this will probably bring.  But, as I prepare for this to happen, this verse reminds me that there are worse conditions.

What would it be like to walk through the world in the darkness of only seeing the created realm?  Maybe some are content with this because they don't know or believe there is another realm ... the spiritual realm.  Chapter 10 of Luke describes Jesus and the disciples (72 of them) as joyful over the ability to both see and impact the physical and spiritual realms.  I think these rookie disciples realize that this is what they were made for, and are seeing a world in a reality they have never experienced before!  Everyone lives in the natural world, but we were made for something greater and better.  Jesus brings the supernatural with Him, and he passes the ability to see the spiritual world on to those who are engaged believers.

Jesus reminds us that seeing and hearing through God's eyes and ears is a blessing for which we were created!  This amazing attribute is part of what God did when He made people in His image.  So ...

1. We can see beyond the black and white, into the full color of life.

2. We can hear God's voice.

3. We can see people through the eyes of Christ, who is IN us!

4. We can hear, see, and know what is both beautiful and sometimes uncomfortable.

5. We can look beyond the facade, into the real.

Across the street from the church is the River Youth and Children's Center.  Thanks to Jimmy Rane, the facade of the building is becoming beautiful and appropriate to the period in which the building was built.  But if you go inside, a lot of work needs to be done.  Those of us who have entered the building know how much remains to be accomplished.  Maybe we, as a people and a Church, are like that.  Many of us present a fairly acceptable facade.  But Jesus has entered the building.  He sees the vast work that needs to be done.  He knows that, like the River, the beautiful work, the community change, the lives of people, and the changes of attitude, will happen on the inside.  He is building a building not made with human hands but made with hands that are weaving us together, in the beauty of His vision.  And this, according to Scripture, is a blessing!  AMEN

3 Kingdom Things

So ... I am writing this blog at a very strange time.  Our services were cancelled this morning due to a snow event.  So while I would normally be "landing the plane" (finishing my sermon) I am at the house talking to any of you who might be listening.  Here are my thoughts on this very unusual Sunday morning.

Last week's Scripture (Luke 9) is still on my mind.  To summarize, a lot happens in Luke 9.  Jesus sends out the 12 to "cast out demons and heal all diseases."  Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, feeds a multitude, announces His death, experiences the Transfiguration, and ends the chapter by reminding us of the cost of discipleship.  Or, is He telling us about the benefits of being Kingdom people?  Here's why I say this ...

1. Most of Luke 9 is about the excitement and rapid movement of God's Kingdom, and of the movement of the Church out into the world.  The Kingdom of God is filled with mighty works, major happenings, and the power of God in the world.

2. The end of Luke 9 seems to be a gut-check as Jesus challenges us, saying things like "let the dead bury their dead, but you go announce the Kingdom of God."  Jesus seems to be chastising a disciple who places family issues ahead of Kingdom issues.  And this IS part of the story.

3. Jesus also says, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God."  Again, Jesus seems pretty harsh about our tendency to think about what we have left behind.  This IS also part of the story.

But ... what if this entire chapter of God's word is about something bigger, better, and more exciting than we perceive?  What IF Jesus is saying things like:

1. I have chosen YOU for a reason.

2. I have gifted YOU for a purpose.

3. I am offering you the chance to be part of amazing, powerful, Kingdom work, and all I (Jesus) need is for you/me/us to become open vessels that will be filled with God-things?

What if you/me/us "get to" do God's work?

This is a get-to chapter.  We get to emulate the 12 out into the world, healing and confronting (with God's power) the opposing spiritual realm.  So ... having God as a lesser priority ... having Kingdom service as something optional ... will cause us to be unusable, unavailable, and unused by God.

God's desire is to send you out ... use you to proclaim the Kingdom ... and offer you the chance to serve Him in the kingdom.  What an honor and a blessing!  Yes ... we GET TO do this!  Praise the Lord!

The Most Important Ability

As we near the end of the College and Pro football seasons, we have seen injuries, life events, and other happenings take their toll on competing teams.  Teams are somewhere on the spectrum from "dinged-up" to (southernese) "tore-up."  Coaches are pulling our what little hair they have left to put a team on the field that can compete.  As I write this, I am battling a sinus issue, and as Lewis Grizzard once said, "Elvis is dead, and I'm not feeling too good myself."  But ... I am here.

A week ago, one of our new workers came in the back door, reporting for duty.  She was wearing a mask, not to protect herself, but to make sure her ailment wouldn't spread to those she would be working with.  But ... she was here.  Because the most important ability is availability.  I love that a young person would have that drive and work ethic, and my already-robust respect for her went up even more.

I think that Jesus was thinking about this when, at the beginning of Luke 9, Jesus reminds us of the most important ability.  In Luke 9, Jesus sends out the 12, giving them "power to drive out demons and cure diseases."  The chapter continues with Jesus feeding the 5000 (where Jesus says, "you feed them").  Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus predicts His death, the Transfiguration happens, Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, and, at the end of the chapter, Jesus speaks about the cost of discipleship.  Two people come up to Jesus, saying they desire to follow, after they take care of some personal business.  Jesus has a curt response for each of them:

1. To the man who wants to bury his father, Jesus says ... "Let the dead bury their dead ... you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God!"  You must be available to Jesus to make that happen.

2. To the man who wants to tell his family goodbye, Jesus says ... "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God." You must be available to Jesus is you want to follow and serve.

Jesus' words might seem harsh, but the story is a representation of how we, as people who make choices, decide priorities, and make statements about our so-called faith, really proclaim our faith by being available to Jesus.  It is a lot easier to sing the songs, make the statements, and talk the talk, than it is to 1) serve, and 2) proclaim.  Let's examine what "serve" and "proclaim" mean this week, as we begin the year giving God our most important ability ... our availability.  AMEN

Nothing Ordinary!

If you Google, Liturgical Calendar, you will find some brightly colored images with seasons, dates, and a description of the Christian liturgical year.  As we move into the 2nd week of January, some calendars call this the season of Epiphany, but Epiphany is really the 1st Sunday after January 1st.  This was last Sunday for us, and we celebrated the Magi encountering the Christ child (a toddler about 3 years old), and we remembered that this event marks Jesus being revealed as the savior to the Gentiles as well as the Messiah for the Jews.  But most folks call this season of the liturgical year something else.  The time between Epiphany and Lent is called "Ordinary Time."

For preachers, this time is not at all ordinary.  Here, January is filled with meetings, budgeting, and administrative work.  It (this year) will be a time we use for planning for our Sacred Arts Initiative, which includes Moonlighters (February 13th), Lenten Music Events (March), our Choir and Arts Camp (July), and many other events, especially our Children's and Youth Calendar.  We will be working on hiring a Student Ministry/Discipleship person (pray for your pastor and the SPRC Team).  We will also be planning for, and inviting you to, the GMC Alabama Emerald Coast Annual Conference in Dothan (1st week of May, 2026), where you will be able to receive hands-on training in becoming disciples who make disciples!  There will also be a trip (September) for our Sacred Arts Team to visit Asbury Seminary and get some needed recharging.  NOT ordinary at all!

Here's the point.  Christmas and New Year's are only beginnings.  Both are times when we choose to follow better/closer, or drift along being unchanged and untransformed.  Last week, we were reminded that the Magi "went back by a different way."  So, consider these questions:

1. Will 2026 be an epiphany or a continuance?

2. Will 2026 be a transformation or a season of lethargy and sameness?

3. Will 2026 be ordinary or extraordinary?

There is a story in Luke 2.  It tells of the prophetess, Anna.  At least 2 things from Anna's story are worth noting.  The first is that we find Anna doing the things that we should be doing as we are expectant for God's activity.  She was in God's house (the Temple), worshipping, fasting, and praying. And, when Jesus walks past, she reflects and speaks about the redemption story, and the child who will make a way for that redemption.  Second, we find that Jesus goes back to Galilee with Joseph and Mary, and enters His "ordinary time."  Luke 2 says, "the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him."  During "ordinary time" some extraordinary things happened.

1. The child grew.  The  Son of God grew, so maybe we should grow!

2. The child was filled with wisdom.  I wonder how that happened?  I will bet Jesus read, sat with wise and learned leaders, and watched how Mary and Joseph did life.  He learned, so maybe we should learn.

3. The grace of God was on Him.  John Wesley tells us there are ways we can (if we are true followers) receive God's grace.  Maybe Jesus did some of these things.  Prayer, service, attention to the sacraments, fellowship with other believers, fasting, worship ... these are just some of the ways God's grace comes to us.  Jesus was filled with the grace of God, so maybe we should be filled with grace too!

Jesus lived this out, so maybe we should too!  Jesus' quest for growth, newness, fullness, and abundance was evident. Epiphany, transformation, and abundance!  I am down with those things, and I hope you will invest time, energy, resources, and prayer into a year that will see all of these things happen, as God uses you to build His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!  AMEN and AMEN!