Jesus in Us

Do you notice sometimes how we express a quote we like yet we don't really believe it?  I was thinking about a quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi that says, "Preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words."  We love that quote ... or do we?

The St. Francis quote is a good one.  It clearly articulates how our lives should express our faith and our love for Jesus.  But there are many who think that our only proclamation should be through preaching or 'lessons.'  So ... where does the Bible stand on this?

I love the way Paul articulates this as his people and his life are challenged by the difficulties of everyday life.  "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.  Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. (2 Cor. 4:8-9)"  Paul nailed it here!  Life happens to us but our faith is expressed in how we respond and how Jesus is reflected out to the world!  We are to reflect our Lord, especially in times of trial!

So the next time you hear this St. Francis quote, you might ask the person who says it, "Do you really believe that?"  For if you believe it ... if you buy the message of 2 Cor. 4 ... if you hear the call to reflect "our Lord" from 2 Cor. 3 ... then you might make the leap to missions.  Why do we participate in all of these missions we are highlighting?  How do we send out the Gospel message?  Does every mission do this in exactly the same way?  To Red Bird we send clothing, furniture and delivery people who joyfully take thousands of pounds of goods to people who see our love and, hopefully, receive the Gospel message.  To Belize we send money and shoe boxes and, sometimes, people ... the Lord is reflected.  To the Boys and Girls Club we send people like Maribeth, Tim, Isabel, Cleta, Neandra, Ginger and Cher.  Jesus is both sent and proclaimed in those people as they interact with kids who need structure, help and love.  Through Bob and Melba we send food.  Through Benevolence we send help at times where resources are scarce.  Through CR we send hope and we name the 'higher power (Jesus)' who is the source of help, hope and salvation.  To Costa Rica we send work and relationship, though we didn't lead a single worship service.  Why do we do these things?

Because "we all share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be seen (possibly without words) in us" in how we do life.  Now that is a witness I can share!  Randy

Fruit

The parable of the Sower comes to my mind often.  The parable is more complex than we often think as it reflects both present and end-times teachings.  But I want to make it pretty simple today.  I believe the two words that best represent the parable are the Sower and Fruit.

The first, the Sower, is all about the nature of God.  The Sower (God) is all about sowing seed.  It is His nature.  He sows glimmers of His Kingdom.  He sows the dreams that old men will dream (Joel 2:28).  He sows the visions that young men see (Joel 2:28).  He sows His Spirit into the world filled with people He loves.  He gives us seeds of hope and wholeness in a world that tries to destroy both.  And sometimes WE are the seeds.

That is so evident in the missions of Abbeville UMC.  We go out into all types of soil.  Some people listen.  Some people ignore us.  I think some people even think we are misguided by the emphasis we place on giving, going and doing.  But I believe our missional focus is the lifeblood of our church because it involves us being immersed in the work of Jesus.  We are part of the sowing that is God's nature!

But there is a 2nd part of this parable ... fruit.  God doesn't sow without expectation.  His desire is for the seed to bear fruit.  And it can bear fruit anywhere!  There is an Old Testament parable of an eagle and a cedar sprig.  The eagle (representing Jesus) plants a cedar sprig (representing rebellious Israel) in a very unlikely place ... high on a lofty mountain.  Because God is in the sowing and planting of this sprig, it grows ... and oh, how it grows!  It becomes a place where "birds of every kind find shelter in its branches!"  The Sower is using us to sow.  We plant Christ in the work of our missions.  We are sown into the soil of many places.  This coming Sunday we will find out about what God is doing in His garden in Belize ... a garden in which He has sown us as seed.  I think you will find that lives are being changed ... God's Word is going out, and we know God's Word will not fail to produce His desired purpose.  Much fruit is being produced in Belize because of our/your obedience.  And I believe the Sower is honored.  Randy

Competence

It's preseason football in the NFL and we are reaching the last few days before the college football season begins.  Many in the south (and really the entire nation) are hyped-up and excited.  Coaches, coordinators and personnel specialists have been evaluating film, watching preseason games and scrutinizing practice sessions.  They are looking for those players that have reached the very highest competence levels for their respective positions.  They all want to put the very best team on the field.

If this is true in football, do you think it might be true for something much more important?  Do you think God evaluates His team and knows who has reached the highest levels of proficiency for His purposes?  Do you think Jesus sends out (and calls out) those who are gifted by the Holy Spirit to bear fruit for His plan and kingdom?  I sure do!

Sunday begins Missions Month.  We will have a weekly testimony from seven of our missions teams. That testimony will, hopefully, give you a glimpse of the work of God happening in our midst.  Through our missions people are clothed, fed, visited, equipped, nourished, healed and (especially) loved.  I am excited to hear about God's work here at Abbeville UMC.

This Sunday our Benevolence mission will be highlighted.  This includes the Abbeville Christian Benevolence Fund (Calvary, 1st Baptist, AUMC and other congregations give to this), our food pantry and other budgetary line items.  During each year over $22,000 flows to these special community needs with funds from AUMC coming from the regular budget ($2,500), the Missions Auction, the Race to Be Fed (between $3,500-4,000 each year) and gifts from individuals in our congregation (including gifts at 5th Sunday gatherings).  While all of these giving options might seem a bit disjointed this is probably the largest single amount given to local missions in the Abbeville community.  This happens through hard work of those involved and your gifts that happen almost unconsciously.

In Matthew 25 the people being sent off to eternal life with Jesus ask, "Then the righteous ones will apply ... 'When did we ever see you hungry and feed you?  Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality?  Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?'  And the King will say, "When you did it to one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"  (Matthew 25:37-40). 

They didn't realize what they were doing.  They gave, served, visited, helped, healed and loved with unconscious-competence.  As our football culture, meaningless in eternal context, seeks players who are so good at their positions they can perform without thinking (unconsciously-competent), maybe we should invest ourselves in becoming unconsciously-competent servants of our King!  Randy

Really Good!

I am going to ask you to do something today.  It won't come natural.  It won't be status quo.  It won't be upheld by the powers that be.  It won't be affirmed by talk radio, the news media or even our political leaders.  In fact, what I am asking you to do will be opposed by all of these things.  But ... let's do it anyway!

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious ... the best, not the worst ... the beautiful, not the ugly ... things to praise, not to curse.  Put into practice the things you have learned from me, what you heard, saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies. (Phil.4:8-9, The Message)"

This is Paul's advice to the people of Philippi.  And it is good advice for us.  Most of us dwell on things that could be summed up as "our troubles."  Yes, there is evil.  Yes, there are things every day that rail against good and against our best interests.  And both the facade of evil and the mirage of good dell in our imaginations ... not so much in reality.  Simone Weil said, "Imaginary evil is romantic and varied ... real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren and boring.  Imaginary good is boring ... real good is new, marvelous and intoxicating."

So today, let's follow God's word as recommended by Paul.  Let's stop dwelling in both imagined and real evil.  Let's see the good things God has for us today.

Yesterday morning we had a packing party to feed our BFF (Backpacks for Friday) kids.  At least 30 of you pitched in and, in the midst of what the pessimistic observer might have viewed as organized-chaos, 400 bags were packed to feed 100 kids for an entire month of weekends.  Those kids will come to school on Mondays with energy, alertness and the ability to focus on learning.  We will refine the process over the next few months and the packing will become easier.  But your participation, prayers and giving to BFF fall into the categories of true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling and gracious.  Yesterday brought out our best, our beautiful and our praiseworthy.  We put into practice God's word and God's plan.  And I believe we were in harmony with God's excellent plan.  Let's do it again today!  Randy

Practiced Jesus

Doctors, dentists and lawyers are said to "practice" their trades.  When we follow a certain faith we are said to be a practitioner of that faith.  But what does this mean? I wonder if it means we apply our trade, faith and belief in the world in which we live?

When Solomon penned Ecclesiastes he was bewildered at how people practiced life.  He saw inequity, randomness, and "nothing new under the sun" (sameness in life).  Some think Solomon suffered from depression.  Soren Kierkegaard wrote about this attitude of futility as he tried to parody Ecclesiastes saying, "when I was older, I opened my eyes and beheld reality, at which I began to laugh, and since then, I have not stopped laughing. I saw that the meaning of life was to secure a livelihood, and that its goal was to attain a high position; that love’s rich dream was marriage with an heiress; that friendship’s blessing was help in financial difficulties; that wisdom was what the majority assumed it to be; that enthusiasm consisted in making a speech; that it was courage to risk the loss of ten dollars; that kindness consisted in saying, “You are welcome,” at the dinner table; that piety consisted in going to communion once a year. This I saw, and I laughed.”  Kierkegaard saw that if were spiritually lax,  our ambitions, our practice of our faith and our mission in life might to be boiled-down to what Solomon called "chasing after the wind."  So ... here's my question.  How do we jump into life with wildness, freedom, purpose, passion and meaning?  How do we make our days "under the sun" count?

I think Solomon, Kierkegaard and Pastor Randy would agree on this.  Why just simply talk about Jesus ... why not practice Jesus?  C. S. Lewis called this being in rhythm with God.  To Lewis this happened when we properly balanced change and permanence.  

God demands and loves change.  Change is a requirement to even be in the faith conversation.  New creations must leave old creations.  Change is a constant event and should be a constant striving of every follower of Jesus.  He (Jesus) is constantly calling us to change and Satan is constantly telling us to remain in the stasis of stagnation.  I think this is why Biblical prophecy and the Revelation use the word 'new' so often.

Yet, God is a constant in the midst of struggle, hurt, change and life.  Lewis said that the ebb and flow of the changing seasons of life shout of the constancy of God in every circumstance.  I think this is why Moses, in his last address to the Hebrew people, said, "the Lord IS your life."

Over the next several weeks we will hear a lot about how we can practice Jesus in missions.  John Wesley might have said that these weeks will offer a chance to be immersed in the grace of God, since serving is one of the means by which God sends His grace to us.  It will be our chance to hear/touch/feel the rhythm of "Practiced Jesus."  We will hear and touch it this coming Sunday when, between services (at 10 am), we will have a "Packing Party!"  Bob and Melba Lisenby will bring items to be placed into Backpacks for Friday (BFF).  Every person will get a chance to be part of packing backpacks (under Bob and Melba's direction).  We will do this once a month and we will become a practicing part of this mission.  Beginning August 26th we will hear testimony about many of the missions supported by Abbeville UMC.  This will happen each week till a grand finale on October 7th.  Make a special attempt to be here each week and practice your following of Jesus by jumping in wherever and whenever you can! Randy

Turn!

Over the last week we did a lot of driving.  It is amazing the level of congestion on the interstates and other roads I traveled.  I was pleasantly surprised and glad that coming from Charlotte to Abbeville on Saturday we only had 3 brief traffic jams.  Everyone is going somewhere, everyone seems to be in a hurry and everyone seems a bit impatient.  As I observed all of this I wondered ... "Do all these people truly have a destination that is good?"

I ask this question for a reason.  It is interesting how many of our current health/safety problems relate to behaviors that are lifestyle-related and discretionary.  Lung issues, heart issues, STDs, AIDS, alcohol-related issues, texting-related auto accidents, opioids, stress, food addictions ... I could list these for a long time.  But you get the point.  These are not good or healthy destinations.  It is like many of us are searching for something to cling to, and often we grab onto the wrong things.  In Matthew 9:36 it says, "When he saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Two points regarding these observations.  First, to begin the process of healing and wholeness, there is something we must do.  That thing is turn.  I missed my exit from Hwy. 74 in Charlotte and had to reset my navigation and turn.  My first action was the realize I was not going in the right direction.  One recovering alcoholic said to me, "While I was falling I didn't realize there was a problem.  But when I hit hard on the 'bottom of the barrel' it woke me up."  We need to wake up, take a deep breath and turn away from the precipice that we are rapidly approaching.

But that's only half the issue.  What good is it to turn when you still don't know where you are going?  In Acts 3:19 Peter has just given God the glory for healing a lame man.  The man, lame from birth, was brought daily to the temple gate where he begged for sustenance.  Did Peter say, "Dude ... you should go to the other gate ... those people are wealthy and you will get more money!" No!  Peter, through God's power told the man to get up and walk.  Then he said some very specific and directional things to all who would listen ... "Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.  Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and He will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah."  1) Turn from your sins, 2) Turn to God, 3) You need your sins wiped away, 4) You will be refreshed, 5) Your refreshment will happen because of God's presence, 6) God will send you Jesus, 7) Jesus IS your savior.

Turn away from the things destroying you.  Turn to God who will refresh and heal you.  Jesus is your savior and He will come to you and walk with you and open your eyes to a better view of yourself, your environment and your destination.  You will still be a sheep, but you will have the Great Shepherd to guide you.  That'll preach!  Randy

Something's Wrong!

In a world where all of us have anxiety about the happenings around us, it is not a stretch to assume we are saying "something is wrong!"  Whether you are concerned about presidential politics, the widespread epidemic of cancer, the opioid crisis or racial tensions, it seems that something is out-of-whack.  I remember one of Gary Larson's Far Side comics where the doughnut shop owner is in a quandary.  He is telling his assistant (the 500 lb guy sweeping the floor) "Well shoot!  I just can't figure it out?  I'm moving over 500 doughnuts a day and I'm just squeaking by!"  Someone is eating our joy, our patience, our peace and our doughnuts!  What to do?

Thomas Merton said, "And to try to be happy by being admired by men, or loved by women, or warm with liquor, full of lust, or getting possessions and treasures, that turns you away, soon, from the love of God; then men, women, and drink and lust and greed take precedence over God; and they darken His light. . . . And then we are unhappy and afraid and angry and fierce, and impatient, and cannot pray, and cannot sit still. That is the bitter yoke of sin; and for this we leave the mild and easy yoke of Christ."  Merton is saying that our first problem is our propensity to sin.  Paul said, in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  The first someone eating up our joy in life is us!  Our choices, our schemes, our fallenness, our motives, our following of our feelings, and our addictions are all the first problem we face when we walk out of the door each morning.  One of Philip Yancey's friends put it this way ... "Will God forgive me for what I am about to do?"  His friend was walking straight into the joyless and insatiable grip of sin.  THAT, is our first problem.  Jesus' advice is simple ... "Come to me all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)."

But there is another consumer of our joy ... a very active, present and persistent evil that leads others to take actions that might hurt me.  John Wesley said there was evil with intent to harm both in the person of Satan and in our corporate schemes that cause grief and pain.  Job says Satan "goes to and fro upon the earth walking up and down (Job 2:2)."  Job implies and active and prowling evil presence.  But corporate evil is real and pervasive.  Whether it is a North Korean government that runs headlong to build its military while people starve, whether it is financial institutions that make loans that require "no income and no job" (part of the real estate crisis of 15 years ago),  whether it is a church leader who tells an associate pastor "you need a better car to project the image of affluence," or whether it is a corporation that sends asbestos roofing to 3rd world countries because "they" do not have consumer protection laws, corporate evil is alive and well. 

In the face of these two evils and in the face of the infirmity (storm, disease, accidents) we face in a fallen world, Romans presents the unlikely life of Abraham.  Abraham has faith that God will keep His promise and he becomes a great nation, though the journey from Ur to Canaan is long, dangerous and filled with pitfalls (including his own bad choices).  In the song from 12 Strong (It Goes On by Zac Brown) Brown writes "I don't make promises I don't keep."  Unfortunately people DO make those promises.  But God does not.  Abraham doesn't ever see the end of his blessing (Jesus, who becomes a blessing to the whole world) but he has faith and a sure hope that God will bring things around to their rightful place.  Yes we will have burdens ... but Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29)."  Let's claim that promise in the midst of a world that would eat up our joy, peace and patience! Randy