Free Indeed!

In John 8, Jesus is having a conversation with Jews about an oft-discussed subject, relationship.  The people are resting on their relationship to Abraham, claiming that their connection to Abraham, in itself, makes them holy, free and chosen.  The Jews of Jesus' time claimed that this relationship to the patriarch, Abraham, was a 'get out of jail free' card that gave them claim to connection with God.  Jesus debunks this misconception quickly when He speaks about truth, relationship and freedom.  Here's what Jesus says:

1. Jesus says truth is freeing.  "know the truth and the truth will set you free (v:32)!"  We have lots of issues with truth these days.  Last week a CEO convinced 4 other people that his certainty (feeling/knowledge) about the safety of a deep-water submersible was more "true" than empirical testing of carbon-fiber as a proper material for constructing such a vessel.  His false information meant death for him and the 4 other passengers that died in what was called a catastrophic implosion.  Truth can set you free but falseness can be deadly.  Jesus said, "Don't rely on your perceived relationship with Abraham ... you are not following the truth of his witness!"

2. Jesus says your "familial" relationship is important to life.  He spoke to believers reminding them to "remain true to His teachings (v:31)."  Jesus tells the followers to follow Him, his teachings and His "true" relationship to the Father.  He continues to tell those who are trying to rationalize their status, "you are children of your father the devil (v:44)."  He then reminds them, and us, of a sign of sonship ... "If God were your Father, you would love me (v:42)."  Are you in a loving relationship with Jesus?  Do you express your love by placing Jesus as your #1 priority?

3. Jesus says that He is the source of true freedom.  "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed (v:36)."  Are we free?  As we celebrate freedom and America's birthday, let us remember the source of true freedom ... Jesus.

I wonder if Jesus walked down "main street America" and asked, "Are you free?"  Many would respond, "Of course ... we live in America!"  I think Jesus would reply, "Why are you relying on your relationship as a US citizen as your source of real freedom," just as He cautioned Jews not to rely on their Abrahamic roots as freedom.  Truth, relationship and Jesus are our sources of freedom.  And, while you won't hear this in most schools, our nation was built on these foundations.  Let's hold fast to the things that are the underpinning and anchors of our freedom!  Randy

Choose Your Yoke!

Jesus is all about Freedom!  He came to set the captives (that is ALL of us) free!  Good stuff for sure.  What is this freedom like?  Scripture tells us the answer!

Here is the hard and beautiful truth.  We are people who will wear a yoke ... but which one?  Here is what God's word says ... "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!  Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1)."  There is a yoke of slavery, from which Christ has freed us.  I cannot stress enough the importance of what we believe and how we incorporate those beliefs into our lives.  Moses tells Israel, "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.  And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."  Choosing God is freedom, and life.  Choosing to follow the world and the prince of this world (Satan) is choosing bondage.  "Do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery" Paul pleads!

There is another yoke we can wear.  Jesus said, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30)."  Like Moses, I advise you to choose the Lord, for the Lord is life itself.  Like Jesus I advise you to choose Jesus' yoke, which is a light and easy burden.  Like Paul I advise you to not allow yourselves to be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.

As we celebrate freedom and the birthday of America, let us remember the godly foundations upon which our nation is built.  Many of us mistakenly think this "freedom" is doing what we want to do.  But our founding fathers knew that to build a nation you need a foundation (they posed the foundation of 'under God") ... you need structural integrity (they posed rules/laws contained in our constitution) ... you need leaders who value the foundation and structure more than they value feelings or their personal gain.  Maybe the writer of one of our songs this morning knew this ... "who more than self, their country loved, and mercy more than life."

Which yoke will you choose?

Spirited Discipline

There is a viral video of generational responses to being accidentally bumped while entering a store.  The video is telling and (I think) scary!  The 60-year-old gives the offender a bit of a scowl and moves on.  The 30-year-old looks around for help.  The 18-year-old cries, "He hurt me!"  It is interesting how people respond to difficulty, struggle and adversity when they have been sheltered from all negative things.  I wonder if the greatest "sins" in our current society are words/actions that hurt someone's feelings and fail to affirm them.  What does the Bible say?

Hebrews 12:5b-6 says, "Do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves and He chastens everyone He calls a son."  The entirety of the passage connects discipline, fatherhood and sonship/daughtership as part of a holy and good dynamic.  In fact, it says that if God (the Father) does not discipline you, then you are not connected to Him ... you are not true sons/daughters.

In our world today, we can continue to follow the world's way of allowing undisciplined, poorly-informed and self-focused children to run our homes and their lives.  The Bible not only calls this a recipe for disaster ... it actually created a disconnection between children and parents.  The Bible offers a different way.  For in discipline (both criticism and training) we do the heavy lifting of relationship-building that proclaims ... 1) we care how you are doing and what you are doing, 2) we want to tell and show you the right way (Proverbs 22:6 "train up a child") and , 3) we want a growing relationship with you that lasts all of our lifetimes.

I will leave this blog with a question ... "Why do you think structured teachers/leaders (even drill sergeants) are loved and respected by their students?"  Hebrews 12 has that answer too!  Randy

The Account

Over the past months, I have experienced a timidity in Christian circles that is troubling.  Here is what I have often seen unfold.  I will converse with someone who is in a church that has left the United Methodist denomination (please pray for all involved with these painful transactions).  I will ask, "What are you and your congregation doing now?"  They will respond with something like, "We just thought we would wait awhile and see what unfolds."  What they are really saying is, "We are waiting till we find a safe and comfortable place to land ... then we will make our decision."  It is how they have done "church" for decades.  I want to ask, "How has that worked for you?"

I thought about this as I read Acts 2 and Ephesians 1.  Acts 2 disciples are anything but safe and comfortable.  Jesus and the Father have kept their promise in sending the Holy Spirit.  The disciples (becoming 'sealed' with the Holy Spirit as described in Ephesians 1) have chosen to open that seal and let the Holy Spirit work through/in them as they have gone out into the dangerous world of their time.  They are in Jerusalem, post-resurrection.  They are part of a movement that is being and will be (forcefully) persecuted by the authorities.  Yet they run out into the street, proclaiming the message that Jesus (the one illegally/wrongly tried and crucified by the authorities) is the means of forgiveness, justification and salvation for all people.  Thousands repent and become Christ-followers.  All who are believers have been given the Holy Spirit as a "seal" or what I am describing as an "account."  The Acts 2 disciples have decided to open that account and spend the gifts God has given them.  No timidity here!

The question of Acts, Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit is the question of the Church ... "Brothers, what will we do (Acts 2:37)?"  Peter answers the question ... repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit (the account God wants to offer all of us).  So ... what will YOU do?

Ephesians 1 says, 1) when we were baptized we were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), and 2) God made a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.  If you are a believer, YOU have an account deposited in your name, "to the praise of His glory (the ending of Ephesians 1:14)."  "What will you do?"

Bishop Scott Jones, in a presentation I heard in Birmingham a few weeks back, said something that is very telling (and a confession on his part).  He said, "I think we need to rethink and relearn being the church ... something we have gotten wrong for the last 50 years."  Whether we have sought our comfort and our safety ... whether we have forgotten the boldness of going out into enemy territory ...  whether we are too far removed from the days when Joshua and his people battled giants and won ... whether we have buried our talent in the ground, waiting for a safe time to take our unopened account and offer it back to God ... our account is sealed and waiting for us to open it and let God release His Church into the world, "to the praise of His glory."  AMEN

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