pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: witness


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Witness and Example

In Revelation 7, John writes about the great crowd in white robes gathered around Jesus.  The multitude is too great to count.  They sing to jesus and acknowledge Him as the root of their salvation. Despite the massiveness of the crowd, the focus is on only one – the Lamb of God.

Today is All Saints Day and tomorrow in many of our churches we will remember the saints, those who have ‘gone before’.  Imagine the crowd in heaven!  Surely there is Mary, John the Baptist, David, Elijah, Moses, and so on.  And there are people like Calvin, Luther, dozens of popes, Martin Luther King Jr, and such.  And there are other faces there too – less famous for sure – but ones you certainly recognize.  Ones that are surely saints indeed!

This day, remember your loved ones and friends who have found their place of rest in that heavenly multitude.  Thank God for their witness in your life.  Thank God for the example they set and for the ways they have helped to mold you into the person you are today.  Thank God for their lives.

Scripture reference: Revelation 7: 9-17


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Walk Boldly in Faith

Paul deeply loved the churches he started and those he nurtured along in their faith, yet he also felt the pull of heaven.  His journey had been long and at times trying.  As he sat in prison and reflected on his journey, he could see that there was work yet for him to do.  The churches he was shepherding still needed his help to continue to grow in their faith.

Paul also had a sense that just as he was continuing the work of Christ, so too would others continue his work.  As he sat in prison, Paul also had a sense that through his faithful example, others we being strengthened in their willingness to be bold for Christ.

Each of us have others that we help to grow in their faith.  It may be family, friends, or coworkers.  It may be the people in our small group.  And just like Paul, our faithful witness to Christ matters to those in our sphere of influence.  As we walk out our faith journey, we too carry Christ with us as we provide an example for others.  May we, like Paul, walk boldly and full of the love of Jesus Christ.  May our faith be the light that helps others along their journey with Christ.

Scripture reference: Philippians 1: 21-26


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Shining the Light

Paul calls us to wake up and realize that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  He reminds us that the day is almost here and calls us to put on the armor of light.  He challenges us to healthy living and an avoidance of our sinful desires.

How we live matters because we do cast a light into the world.  Is our light a ray of hope?  Is our light a reflection of the love of Christ?  On a daily basis people see us and watch us.  It is a challenge to live fully in the light.  We face our own earthly desires and must filter through the temptations and allures of the world.  On a personal level, we must strive to live as children of the light.

Our churches also cast a light into the world.  Is our church shining a light out into the neighborhood and into the greater community?  Do others know the love of Christ through our communal outreach?  Too often the light is dim.  Too often we stay within our own walls.  As a church, may we also strive to clothe the body with Christ, so that His light and love shine forth into the lives of those in need.

Scripture reference: Romans 13: 11-14


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Still at Work

The Bible is our history book.  There are many people and stories that we recall, study, and know by heart.  They teach us who God is, what we are called to be like as people of faith, and show us examples of faithful witness.  As we look back into our history book of faith, we can see God at work in the lives of the people and places in the stories and accounts.

Since the time of Jesus and the disciples, faithful servants have continued to teach us what faith is and how we are to live in our world as disciples of Christ.  People like Martin Luther, Calvin, and Mother Teresa continue to explain and define who we are as a people of God.  We can look back on their lives and see the hand of God at work here as well.

In each of our denominations and local churches, our histories contain people and events that have shaped us.  For example, John Wesley had tremendous influence on the Methodist and Wesleyan movements and churches.  In our local churches it is a beloved pastor or a lay members viewed as a ‘saint’ plus significant local events that define who and what we are as a congregation.  And through all of these local people and events, we can see God at work too.  He continues to be present and active in our world.

People very likely look at your life too.  Maybe it is your student or your patient or your coworker or your exercise classmate.  Each of us is part of the story of God at work in our world.  He is still at work.  As we live as salt and light in the world. we are co-laborers with Christ.  May we labor well!

Scripture reference: Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, and 45c


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Jesus is Alive!!

The fact that Jesus was born, walked  the earth, and died is not in much dispute.  The method of his death on the cross is also widely accepted.  Even Islam sees Jesus as a great prophet.  But for many, believing that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, is somewhere they are unwilling to go.  Good man, great teachings, did a few amazing miracles even – but God’s Son, in the flesh?

Without the resurrection, maybe Jesus is just these things.  But for the Christian, the empty tomb is the ‘proves it’ moment.  Because Jesus conquered death and rose to eternal life, the resurrection is our sign that Jesus was indeed God’s Son.  Many in the Bible spoke to and for God.  Many in the Bible performed miraculous signs.  A few were even raised from the dead (although just back to an earthly life).  But Jesus, our Lord and Savior, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God.

Shortly after His death, Jesus appears to several people.  He comforts his closest followers and friends with the fact that he has conquered death, that the grave could not hold him.  What he said about rising again was true!  It was important for the disciples and others to see Jesus, so that as they write the Gospels and went on to spread and grow the early church, they went forth with an unshakable belief.  As Christians, we believe the witness given by Mary, by the disciples, and by others.  As the Bible unfolds past the Gospels, we see the Spirit of Jesus living on, continuing to change and shape lives.  As is living examples today, we too experience the presence of Jesus’ Holy Spirit working in our lives and in our worlds.  Indeed – Jesus is alive!!


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God’s Flashlight

Prior to the story of healing the blind man that we find in John 9, Jesus had been in the temple.  There He claimed the connection to God and stated his purpose on earth was to bring glory to the Father.  This claim angered those in the temple.  But Jesus stuck to his guns and stated gain that he was here to bring glory to God and to do His work.  Just as they were picking up stones to stone Jesus, he slipped away from them.

In today’s story Jesus returns sight to a blind man.  But the man did not ask to be healed.  Jesus and the disciples were walking along the road and they saw the blind man.  Being raised Jewish, the disciples asked a question based on their upbringing.  They wanted to know if the man was blind because of his own sins or because of the sins of his parents.  This was the common view of why someone would be born blind.  But Jesus never answers their question.

Instead Jesus returns to what he was talking about earlier.  The healing of the blind man will occur not to bring Jesus glory but to bring glory to the work of the Father.  Healing will come to display the work of God in this man’s life.  While on earth Jesus was the light of the world.  He was here to shine light on God.  His purpose was always to glorify God.  We are called to continue to be that light.  We are called to be the word, hands, feet, eyes, … of Jesus  not to bring glory to ourselves but to shine it upon God.

In Hebrews 13: 5-6 we hear these words: “God has said, ‘Never will I leve you; never will I forsake you.’  So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”  This day and each forward, may we remember these words and go forth to boldly shine the light of God on all we meet.


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The Questions

This week’s gospel lesson from the lectionary is the story of Nicodemus visiting Jesus at night to ask him a few questions.  Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus is sent from God – they know this from the miracles Jesus has done and from the teaching he shares.  Yet Nicodemus and friends (who are not here with him) don’t quite get that Jesus IS God.  Jesus and Nicodemus speak of begin born of the spirit and this confuses Nicodemus.  Jesus tells him that belief in Christ leads to salvation and eternal life.  This passage contains the famous John 3:16.  “For God so loved the world…”  It also contains verse 17: “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Many people today have faith like Nicodemus.  They keep their faith pretty secretive, hidden or kept neatly tucked into Sunday morning  They prefer to keep their faith a private affair.  If others knew they went to church they might expect certain behaviors…  It’s just easier to keep their faith private.  Are you living an easy faith?

Others out there also have a curiosity like Nicodemus.  They see, hear, and catch glimpses of what true faith is all about.  They want to know more.  They will be in the lookout for you so that they can quiz you.  There are some questions they want to ask.  The question for us is:  will they recognize you?

Hopefully the answer to these two questions is ‘yes’ and ‘no’ – but which answer goes to which question?  May we choose to live boldly for our faith so that Jesus’ light shines into all of the dark places that we will walk by today.  And may we be attuned to the call of God, so that when someone whispers, “Hey, can I ask you a question?” from out of the shadows, we hear their voice and stop to talk with them.


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Blessed by His Glory

In the account of Jesus’ transfiguration we find an obvious example of the revelation of Chirst’s glory.  At other times in the New Testament we see His glory revealed as the lame walk, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the dead live, and as thousands are fed.  We also see His glory as we see Jesus hanging on the cross for you and me and as Stephen prays for those who are stoning him.  As we spend time in the Word, we see these examples and come to better know where, how, and to whom we are being called.

In our daily lives we can see the glory too.  We witness it in the sunrise and in the thunderstorm, in the majestic waterfall and in the beautiful flower.  We see it as God takes away our breath as the newborn baby draws its first breath of life.  We can see so much of God’s glory in the created world around us – if we simply slowdown long enough to seek Him out.

We can also catch a glimpse of the glory in the unexpected.  It can be in something said in a conversation with a friend or a neighbor.  It can be in an encounter with a stranger.  God’s glory can be found in so many little acts of kindness and devotion that we witness each day.  Acts that we can be a part of.  Conversations and encounters that we can enter into.  As we seek to live out our call to be clothed in Him, may we both be blessed and bless others by His glory in us.


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Step Past the Norm

How often in the past week have you felt wronged or hurt? Was it when someone cut you off in traffic? Was it when someone said something careless that actually hit a nerve in you? Was it when a loved one missed an opportunity that you saw was right there? Was it…? And what is the initial reaction or thought? So often we feel angry or feel that we need to ‘make things right’.

We are raised to stand up for ourselves and to do things on our own, to be independent. But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls us to a radical love. He turns the old law of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” upside down. Jesus points out that it is not about revenge (which the old law was limiting) or even about evening the score.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbor. Here Jesus is extending it. He advises that when another strikes our right cheek to then offer the left as well. He advises that when someone asks for your coat to give them your sweater as well. He advises that when someone asks you to walk a mile, to go ahead and walk two miles with them. Jesus is calling us to respond with love – and lots of it!!

This all brings me to the question of why? Why respond to these things with such lavish love? Wouldn’t it simply be enough to not strike back, to just give our coat, to just walk alongside someone for the mile? But isn’t that what the world expects? Most won’t even notice if we as Christians just do what we are supposed to do. It is when we go beyond the minimal and step past what others would do, that people begin to see the love of Christ being lived out in our lives. It is then that they take notice and begin to wonder why as well. It is then that we are living as Christ calls us to live.


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The Tools in Your Toolbox

In the “New Beginnings” series we have looked a lot at the call to share our faith. Peary developed the idea that once we come to know Christ within, then the journey becomes outward as we seek to serve Christ. Keihwan continued the concept with the idea that our call is to make a difference in our world, one person at a time, one moment at a time. Last Sunday we looked at Jesus being our new BFF. The overall idea was that we so grow in our relationship that Jesus is our best friend and that through this we share Him with those in our worlds.
The primary means through which we can share Jesus are prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. All of these are important to have in our ‘toolbox’ of faith. All of these need to be ready to be used. After all, a dull tool will not cut anything very efficiently. Similarly, a jumbled up and rambling story of faith will not be effective. So… which do you need the most practice at? Or, put another way… If you were presented with an opportunity to share Christ with someone desperately in need and I were to randomly draw one of these five out of a hat and you had to go with that means, which would you really hope I did not draw?

If you are like me, and I believe like most people, you were hoping that ‘witness’ was not the one drawn. So that is the one you and I need to work on, to hone into razor sharpness so that when presented with that opportunity, we can nail it.

The natural means through which most of us share our faith is presence. We try to live out our lives as a loving, caring person. We often back this up through our prayers that we follow up a situation with. Many share their faith through their gifts – be that time volunteering at church, through financial support of the church, as so on. And some are natural witnesses. Some are able to naturally work God and their faith into a conversation as easily as some of us talk about the weather!

But to wrap up, again, it is about being prepared to use whatever tool the opportunity requires. If someone is hungry and you have $5 in your pocket, don’t tell them you will pray for them. That’d be like using a screwdriver to cut down a tree! But if someone needs to hear your faith story at that point in their lives, you better be ready to share it. If they just need you to be there to listen, you better pull up a chair. Practice each of these means and be a willing and faithful servant. The world needs Jesus and we are the ones to bring Him to them.