pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Pleasing the Owner

In the parable of the tenants (Matthew 21) the bad tenants reject those sent by the owner.  At first they reject the servants and then they reject the heir, the owner’s son.  Some they beat and abuse, others they kill.  They kill the son for his inheritance, thinking then they will own the vineyard.

On the hidden level the scribes and Pharisees are the bad tenants.  They have ignored and beaten and even killed some of the prophets that God has sent.  They now are choosing to reject the heir, God’s own son.  They will even go so far as to kill the heir because he threatens what they have.  They rejected the cornerstone.

Jesus is still the firm foundation upon which we are called to build the church and to build our own faith.  Although much of the time we ‘get it’, sometimes we don’t.  Our churches can creep into country club territory, where the walls become the vineyard walls. We don’t like anyone that is not ‘us’ to come inside.  We just want to exist for each other and to be comfortable in our exclusive, private Sunday worship.  But I fear that if this is the norm, the stone will fall and crush us too.

Jesus calls us to leave our walls and share the fruit of the vine with others.  We are to share Christ’s good news with others and to invite others inside the walls, into the community of faith.  As we share our fruit, the gifts and talents that each of us have, the kingdom grows.  The walls are spread wider as more are welcomed into the kingdom of God.  Then the owner is pleased because we are learning to act like the heir, His Son.

Scripture reference: Matthew 21: 33-46


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Where Did You See Him?

Stop for a moment and think about where you saw God present yesterday.  Gather a few snapshots in your mind of those scenes.  As I smile over the ones in my mind, is occur sot me that this is a spiritual discipline that we should practice more often.

I saw God yesterday in William’s eyes and heard it in his voice as he shared his story with me, as we took a few minutes to connect.  I saw God yesterday in the children who simply beamed and giggled as the tumbled and slid down the slide in the inflatable.  The joy in their eyes was uplifting.  God was present in our Youth as they lovingly shepherded and helped the kids in line, in the hay, or in the inflatables.  God was present in the volunteer who quickly gave another caramel apple to the child before a tear could form over the apple the child just dropped on the ground.

Where did you see God yesterday?

God is present in the joy, in the laughter, in the smiles and giggles, in the simple kind gestures.  He is present in so many ways and I am so thankful for His presence.  Glory to God!

Scripture reference: Philippians 2: 1-11


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Through Reading and Prayer and Action

When we read and pray through the Bible, we are making  choice to spend time with God and Jesus.  We see God’s power, might, love, mercy and sense of justice revealed as we read and pray through the Old Testament.  We also draw closer to our creator and become more in tune with God.  Even Jesus spent time reading and praying through the scriptures in the synagogue.

In the New Testament we encounter Jesus, God made flesh.  In reading and praying through the New Testament we come to know the compassion, forgiveness, grace, and love of neighbor – parts of God that Jesus more fully revealed to us.  Through Jesus Christ we gain a more complete understanding of who God is and who we are called to be as a child of God and as a disciple of Christ.

As we read and pray through the scriptures, the Holy Spirit comes alongside us to help us understand, to gain insights, and to live out our faith.  The Holy Spirit also bring sus the words to teach our faith to our children and as we share our faith with the stranger.  The Spirit guides us as we live out our faith through acts of mercy and compassion, helping us to live out the love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and power we find in God and in Christ Jesus.

As we read and pray through the scriptures, we not only come to know and understand God and Jesus better, but also to sense our own personal call to share our faith with the broken world in which we live.  By sharing our faith, we express both an act of worship to God and an act of thanksgiving for the many ways in which He blesses our lives.  In James 4:8 we read: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”.  May we draw near so that we may draw others near as well!

Scripture reference: Psalm 78: 1-4 and 12-16


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Learning to Live “Yes”

In Matthew 21 Jesus tells of two sons who are asked to go out to work in their father’s field.  One son says no but ends up going out and working in the field.  The other son says yes but does not go.  Jesus asks the scribes and Pharisees who did the father’s will.  They reply that the one who went is the one who did the will of their father.  It is the one who did the will of his father in the end.

Sometimes we struggle with what God is asking us to do or we hesitate to move in the direction that we can feel He is leading us.  At first we say ‘no’ or we question or we may even try to ignore God, but usually if it is His plan then the nudges, the hints spoken by others, and so on get us moving in His direction.  Often, once we are on the journey or in the midst of ministry, we wonder why we did not say yes right away.

Jesus often ate with sinners, healed people out in the streets, taught out in the open fields.  He broke the ‘rule’ that God is only found in the temple.  Sometimes we like to hold fast that rule too, to say that we will minister to those who need Jesus once they come to church.  But in reality those who need Jesus are not inside our churches.  As we hear and heed God’s call to make disciples, we too must say ‘yes’ and venture forth to seek out the lost.  We too find them in the streets, out at the games, in the restaurants and bars, and so on.  May we come to seek the lost as Jesus did, going to where He went to find those in need of the Good News.

Scripture reference: Matthew 21: 28-32


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Story of Faith

As Christians, we are a people connected to each other and to God.  Our common connection point is His son, Jesus Christ.  As our overall faith and individual denominations have developed, others have become a part of the story too.  People like Paul and Augustine are common to us all.  We also have unique people in some of our stories – Martin Luther for some, Calvin for some, Wesley for some.  Each helps us to define our faith and to understand Jesus’ message and how it affects our personal lives.

Within our own stories we also have people who were or are significant.  Maybe it was a grandparent or a parent or a particular pastor.  Maybe it was a friend or a mentor.  These important people have helped us grow in our faith and also connect us back to the root.

It all connects back to Jesus, for His story is the story we must all share with others.  Our own faith story is woven in with His story, and that is what makes our story wonderful and amazing.  It is the call of every Christian to connect others to Christ, to make Him a part of their story too.  We must share our story  of faith with others to draw them near to Christ, to help them feel His love too.  Your story is great and awesome.  Share your story every day with anyone willing to listen!

Scripture reference: Philippians 1: 27-30


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Within AND Without

Are you an ‘innie’ or an ‘outtie’?  Does your faith reside mostly inside of you, like a well-kept secret?  Or is your faith out there to be shared with all you encounter?  Each moment of our lives can either be a God moment or just a moment.  God is everywhere all of the time – try and find Him there!

Is your community of believers more of an innie or an outtie?  Is the community consumed with what’s going on inside the walls?Or does your church look outside to the world some of the time?  A healthy church does both.

Just as the church must focus both within and without, we too as a person of faith must look both within and without.  We each need time reading the Bible, praying, meditating, and fasting to grow in our faith.  As a community of believers we need fellowship and loving and caring relationships between the members of the body.

Personally and as a community of believers we need to also reach outside of our own personal space or the four walls of the church so that others can come to know this mighty and awesome God we love and that loves us.  Not everyone will enter a church to find faith.  Some find it in the experiences they have with us or with our church.  We must be both within and without.  It is not either/or.  It must be both!

Scripture reference: Psalm 133


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Ready to Go??

Romans 10 poses two great questions for us to consider: “How can they call on the one they have not believed in?  How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?”  And one of my own: how many people do I know who have not truly heard the good news of Jesus Christ?

In his call for sharers of the Word, Paul tells us that blessed are the feet of those who go to share the story.  In the Great Commission, it is the first thing Jesus said is required of us: go!  Only after we go can we share and teach.  Are you feeling the urge to be a sharer of the Word?

Jesus shows us what love is: He suffered and died on a cross for us while we were still enemies, while we were still separated from Him because of our sins.  He suffered in order to fully love us.  Isn’t that a story worth sharing with others?  Are the bottoms of your feet feeling itchy to get going?

Scripture reference: Romans 10: 5-15


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Share Abundantly

If you were asked to sum up God in one word, what would it be?  Got it yet?  I’d venture to say that most of us would say ‘love’ but some might also say hings like mercy, forgiveness, or maybe creator.  To me, love is God’s main and dominant characteristic.  Out of His love, many other things flow.

Once we find that love of God in our lives, we realize we have a great gift.  When we come to know just how much He loves us, we are both very grateful and deeply humbled.  It changes our whole world.  We are grateful and humbled because we come to also realize that we are imperfect and sinful, yet God still loves us.  It amazes me that a gift given so freely can be so valuable.  But it is.

Once we come to fully know the gift of the love of God, then we want to always have it.  As we continue on our journey of faith, love become how we see all of life, how we treat our neighbor, how we seek to serve those in need, and how we seek to share the good news so that others may know this gift of love.  The gift is so great that it makes us want to share it.  May we share abundantly today!

Scripture reference: Matthew 13: 44-52


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Practicing Presence

At the Passover meal, Jews today still set an empty (or extra) place at the table in hopes that Elijah will come.  In some Christian homes and communities we set a ‘Christ plate’ with the same basic idea.  Both long for the presence of the King.

During his ministry, Jesus often chose to engage and spend time with the least.  He was all about providing that space at the ‘table’ for them.  He welcomed all shapes of life into His world and continues to do so.  Jesus knew that God loves all equally and fully, so He treated all that way.

As we return from a week of mission work in Seattle, I am full of memories of Youth and adults alike who chose to engage people in need.  It is easier to do so on a mission trip because it is ‘expected’ but by practicing hospitality, generosity, and love each of us are now better prepared to extend these things in our normal, everyday lives.

In our encounters this week and in the weeks ahead, we will encounter Jesus in some we meet.  In other encounters people will experience Jesus through us.  What a blessing it is to be in and to share the presence of our living savior, Jesus Christ.

Scripture reference: Matthew 10: 40-42


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Sharing the News

Stephen was the first of many to die for his faith in Jesus Christ.  Many more have died in the name of Jesus over the centuries.  Some will die today, some will die tomorrow, and so on.  It even happens on a rare occasion here in America. There are Christians out there willing to die for their faith today.

Relatively speaking, we live in a country where it is pretty safe to share our faith.  Certainly in the public arena the worst things we face are rejection, scorn, and maybe a helping of ridicule.  In some work environments the subject of faith is ‘taboo’ and to talk about our faith may risk our job.  In some settings we may find ourselves ostracized or unwelcome anymore because we chose to speak about our faith.

Yet despite the relative safety we generally don’t like sharing our faith.  Maybe we will share our faith in just the right setting with just the right person at just the right moment.  There are definitely these times and it is joyful to God when we take these opportunities.  But most of us are not an “anytime, anyplace, anyone” type of person when it comes to sharing our faith.  It is my prayer that my mighty God and amazing Savior fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit and empower me to share my faith with any and all that I meet to the end of my days.  Will you make this your prayer too?