Colossians 3:5-11

Colossians 3:5-11 

English Standard Version 

  When it comes to sins, we as a culture focus heavily on sexual immorality, not so much on covetousness.  In fact, covetousness may well be celebrated in many corners of America, but Paul isn't ranking sins here -- any sin is separation from God, and they all need to be put away -- we are called to take up our cross daily.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote that when Christ calls a man, he bids him to come and die.  It's not an easy thing, to put away even the evil desires -- Jesus raised the bar there, because it's not just our actions, but our thoughts that matter as well.  And Paul reminds us that we're all on equal footing -- the Jew and the Greek, the slave and the free -- all sin and fall short, but all are equally saved by grace.  No one has any right to believe they are better than any other, for none of us have earned our salvation, but we all are unworthy and yet receive freely.

  We as a country would do well to remember this -- each of us stands on equal footing.  This was a radical thought in the first century, and it's likely still radical in many corners of this world.  But Christianity calls us to consider one another as equal, no matter what, for each and every one of us is equally loved by God and receives the same grace.  

  So may we look upon each other with grace and pray for the wisdom to encourage each other to put away the old self and claim the new self, defined by hope and radiant joy at the thought of the great work God is doing in us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 3:1-4

Colossians 3:1-4

English Standard Version 

  When we moved to Columbus, we opted to become Buckeyes fans.  We didn't have strong college football allegiances, I was attending the university, and we figured it would be way more fun to go all-in.  

  If you start a new relationship, the best thing to do is to commit to your new partner -- if you spend your time thinking about old relationships and what might have been, it's likely to have a damaging effect on your new relationship.

  When we commit our lives to Christ, our charge is to immerse our minds and hearts in growing in faith.  It means that we see with new eyes, and our life is defined differently.  Our ultimate hope is now in heaven, and that is where our true treasure lies.  In seeking to follow Christ, our lives are different than they were previously.  We were dead, and have been brought to life in Jesus.  

  This may have all sorts of implications.  It might change your career or retirement goals.  It might change the way you look at your free time, or maybe you subscribe to a Christian magazine that helps you see the world through a different lens.  Maybe when the trials of life come, you know they will not defeat you, no matter how hard they may be.  Maybe you have extra hope you can cling to.  Maybe you find joy in more things, or you trust that God's peace will prevail.

  Seeing the world through a different lens can change everything in time.  May we pray for the wisdom to let God shape us, day by precious day.

Colossians 2:20-23

Colossians 2:20-23 

English Standard Version 

  Last night one of my favorite organizations celebrated the leadership of Rev. Dr. Rob Weingartner.  He was the executive director for 18 years, and the impact of his leadership has been felt around the globe.  He approached his leadership through humility and grace, always looking for opportunities to partner with churches around the world, looking to serve, to listen, to care.  Rob is an example to me of what one person can do in the world, of the difference they can make -- and we don't have to be bombastic and brash, but can cling passionately to our beliefs and still be humble and kind.  

  We don't have to bend to the whims of the world in an attempt to be accepted.  Paul is reminding the Colossians that it is their relationship with Christ that defines them.  Cling to that truth, he tells them, and remember that our future is in an unshakable kingdom that cannot be stolen.  When we live out of this confidence, we do not fear.  

  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, individuals can make an impact in this crazy world.  It is my hope that we, as individuals in our places of work and community, can make a difference through clinging to our faith and looking to love and serve.  Like Rob, may we leave legacies of service that resonate in the Kingdom of God.

Sermon for Sept 27, 2020 from Luke 15

Colossians 2:16-19

Colossians 2:16-19 

English Standard Version 

  If you were dead and are now alive again, claimed as Christ's own for all of eternity, with all of your sins paid for by the voluntary death of the single most powerful person that has ever lived on the planet, then perhaps getting worked up about the opinions of others isn't worth your time and energy.  

  Remember, it was tremendously challenging for the early church to come together.  There were Jews, with their rigorous dietary and social laws that directed every part of life, and the Gentiles, who didn't have such laws and didn't see any need for them.  Jesus was Jewish, but he came to fulfill the Law, but the early church didn't have the New Testament to give them hints -- they had to figure it out, day by day, Sunday by Sunday, working together.  As you can imagine, some people felt very strongly about the best ways to honor God.  Others felt very strongly about different ways to honor God.  I can imagine these disagreements got heated at times.  And yet, the church prevailed.

  So it will prevail today, too.  We are nourished and knit together, grown by a growth that is from God.  Just as God was at work in the early church, reminding them that they were claimed by God and would not be defeated by the powers of this world, the same is true of you -- you are marked as Christ's own forever and will not be torn asunder by dissension in the world.  So may we relax and be gracious when others oppose us, and trust in the Holy Spirit to build our relationships and gently challenge us to grow as a community, knit together by God.

Colossians 2:6-15

Colossians 2:6-15 

English Standard Version 

  My friend Mike texted me the other day with a reference he had found in a book he was reading about the Puritans -- they had an awareness of the reality of God that was impressive.  They perceived God as a consistent reality in their lives, pressing in on every aspect of their lives.  God's claim over all of life was real to them, and they lived like it.

  In 21st century America, it's easy to go about our lives with no knowledge or awareness of God.  Some people cross paths with God on Sunday mornings, but God is present on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday nights.  God has a claim on your cup of coffee and Saturday morning newspaper.  All of creation is bursting with the glory of God -- but we don't always notice this.  It's hard to live like this -- I lost track long ago of the days where I promised myself that I would notice God while I was at work and then failed quickly.  

  But Paul is correct -- we were dead in our sins.  We were dead.  We don't think like this, but it's true.  After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, do you think Lazarus went another day in his life without remembering that one time that he was dead?  I'd be surprised if he went an hour without thinking about it, so astounding was the miracle.  He was dead for days!  And then he's sitting in the sunshine enjoying lunch.  

  How much more should we be amazed that Christ, in whom the fullness of God dwells, died for our sins that we might be completely forgiven and brought back from the dead?  We who chose to be lost due to sin have been found by the grace of God, and rather than being punished, we are rewarded, because Christ took our punishment.  

  If I found someone to pay off my mortgage, I'd be so thrilled I would tell everyone about it.  Do I do the same in the fact that someone found me and paid off my eternal debt?

Colossians 2:1-5

Colossians 2:1-5 

English Standard Version 

  I've never been one for knitting, but I've seen others knit before, and from my vantage point, the process always involves a large ball of yarn that can be messy and isn't always clear exactly what it's going to turn out to be.  There's a process, often a long one, of transforming the yarn into the knitted object.

  In the same way, God is knitting our hearts together in love.  It isn't always an easy process, and it often isn't clear exactly where we are in the process, and sometimes we're uncertain of the exact outcome -- but that doesn't mean that God isn't at work.  We are reaching the riches of full assurance, but we're not there yet, and so we continue to let God work in us, through us, patiently waiting for the day when the wonders of the mystery will be revealed to us.

Colossians 1:24-29

Colossians 1:24-29 

English Standard Version 

  So I'll admit that I have a hard time rejoicing in my sufferings...  I mostly wallow in my sufferings, ignoring everyone else and only focusing on my pain.  I am an expert wallow-er.  

  Paul didn't have time for that, though.  He was too focused on what his suffering might achieve for others.  His eyes were firmly fixed upon how the Gospel was advancing and trying to play whatever small role he could in what God was doing in the world.  There wasn't a community too small for him to pour his life into supporting.  

  God's work was being revealed, and Paul grasped what so much of the world has missed -- that the truth of the Gospel is riches beyond measure, riches beyond anything this world can promise.  Paul understood that the eternal truth of God's great love for us, promising hope and life to all, inviting those with no money and no wealth to come to the storeroom of God and receive wealth beyond what this world can measure.  Paul saw this -- and Paul saw that the world didn't fully grasp this kind of wealth, so he spent his life trying to tell people that there were riches beyond what they could see and that they were available for free.

  The same message is here for us today.  The world understands conventional riches, and visual opulence is everywhere.  But to show people riches that are wrapped in a mystery that is able to transcend death... this is far harder.  It is a challenge worthy of our lives, worthy of our sufferings, even, if we can communicate the wonders of God's great love.

Colossians 1:21-23

Colossians 1:21-23 

English Standard Version 

  Remember when people went to sporting events?  I was watching the Reds game on Saturday and they had a CGI crowd -- it felt strange, mostly because it made me miss the days when I could go to a sporting event with a full crowd.  Back in March, Rachel and I had plans for a week with a hockey game and Broadway tickets to a month with zero plans worrying about getting groceries.  It was a sudden change.

  We've all experienced sudden changes in our lives -- anyone walking outside in winter has, at some point, had their feet go out from under them and they've transitioned from upright to horizontal very quickly!  For Caleb, it would be the equivalent of taking broccoli off his plate and substituting it with pizza.

  In Christ, we experience a complete change -- we who were in the dark, defined by sin, are now transformed & brought into the light due to the power and love of Christ.  And this was done by his death, with the goal of making you holy and blameless.  This is the goal of Christ -- to transform you, so that sin will no longer define you, so that darkness will not close in upon you, so that death will not claim you.  You who were dead are now alive, because of what Christ has done.

  If you ever become fearful of God, think of all that God went through to deliver you from death into life.  God sacrificed a lot, saving you through the painful death of Jesus Christ -- and God freely chose to do this.  So when you approach God in prayer, don't hide your sin, but do not believe that it condemns you, for the reality of what God has done for you means that God treasures you and wants you to live!  God wants good things for you and is willing to pay an enormous price to change your status from condemned to saved.

Sermon from Sept. 20, 2020 -- Mark 9

Colossians 1:15-20

Colossians 1:15-20 

English Standard Version 

  This passage is an incredible journey -- we start with the invisible God, and we end at the cross.  It's remarkable that this is about one person, one incredible person who had every privilege in the universe and laid it all down -- the one who holds the universe together set down his life so that you might have life.  Not just anyone -- but YOU.  What Christ did is an individual act that would have been performed for you if you were the only person on the planet, such is the love of God.

  I've heard it described this way before -- when we think of the invisible God, it's hard to know a God who is outside of time and space.  It's like a character in a book trying to understand the author of a book -- there's simply no way to understand, unless the author writes himself or herself into the story so that the characters can communicate directly with the author.  

  This is what God does -- God enters into creation in Jesus Christ, and the same person who walked the dusty streets of Palestine, healing lepers and talking with children, is the same person who is the firstborn of all creation.  We can say that it would have been easy to believe if we had been alive then, but the Pharisees couldn't figure out who Jesus was, and they were supposed to be experts!  Even the disciples didn't seem to fully grasp it most of the time.  Faith wasn't easy then, and it isn't easy now.  But the disciples came to believe and grasp the wonder of God in Jesus Christ, and so they're trying to tell us, to tell you -- that the person who loves you enough to die for you is powerful enough to lead you through death and into eternal life.

  Place your trust there.  You won't be disappointed.

Colossians 1:9-14

Colossians 1:9-14 

English Standard Version 

  There are lots of ways to pray for people.  We often pray for health and for healing.  We pray for comfort in difficult times, and for consolation in seasons of mourning.  We have prayers of gratitude for our blessings and prayers of blessing upon new ventures and relationships.  

  Here, Paul uses an interesting phrase -- they have not ceased to pray for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, with the idea being that knowledge of God's will would make them live in ways that are pleasing to God.

  The prayers aren't to change God's will or to change the situations in the lives of individual Colossians -- it's to understand the will of God in their present lives.  Paul is praying in such a way that people understand the scope of God's work, which spans farther than our eyes and hearts can grasp.  I think we all have moments in which something our hearts long for the scope of eternity, but often we're trapped in the here and now, and we can't see much farther.  How much easier would we be able to deal with suffering if we fully grasped the scope of eternity?  How much less frustration might there be in our lives if we fully understand the good intentions that God has for us, and the desire of God to deliver us and redeem us, so that we might enjoy the ultimate glory of the Kingdom of God.  Having an understanding that God's will is to save you and enjoy you forever would help you deal with setbacks in life, and it would keep things in perspective so that we could better understand how to rejoice and give thanks even in difficult seasons.  To understand the will of God is to understand the heart of God that carried Jesus to the cross -- a heart that beats to save God's beloved creations.  You are precious in God's sight and worthy of saving, and to grasp the fullness of that -- to really grasp that, in the depths of our souls, changes us, because once we realize how fully God intends to save and deliver us, we deal with every aspect of life through a different lens, one colored by grace and gratitude.

Colossians 1:3-8

Colossians 1:3-8

English Standard Version 

  It seems as though the world is in a hurry to divide itself into various segments.  I think humans have likely always trending in this direction -- finding tribes, then looking for tribes within tribes -- it gives us a sense of belonging.  Problems arise when tribes drift apart, however, and lose sight of the commonality between us.  When the world or the country or our communities become 'us' and 'them', we cease to look for the good in our neighbors.  

  One of the countless amazing things is about the church is the idea of being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.  Close your eyes and imagine -- believers in every time and place make up the church universal, of which you are a part.  Your membership is not only in a particular community, but also it belongs to something that transcends the divisions of the age.  

  When Paul is writing to the Colossians, he is reminding them that they are being prayed for.  They are not alone, they are not isolated, they are not a solitary tribe, a lone boat in the midst of a stormy sea.  Surrounded by a church that is not limited to a single place, the encouragement of the Gospel is to press forward with the confidence that we belong to something far, far bigger than ourselves, and we want one another to experience the fullness of Christ's hope and joy.  When we want the best for one another, for the riches and treasures of the Gospel to fill one another's lives, then we are embracing what it means to be one connected community of faith.

The Overstory

   What if I told you the Douglas Fir, in the moments before it dies, releases all the nutrients stored up in its trunk back into the ground as a gift to the soil?  Or that trees of different types will have root systems that interconnect in a forest?  Or that trees communicate to each other and warn of predators?  

  They are truly remarkable creations.  In Richard Powers' The Overstory, each page is filled with new marvels of trees.  Objects that so often fade into the background of our lives are brought to center stage, and they star.  At one point, two people stay twenty stories up in a redwood, discovering salamanders and a 6-foot tree thriving in this separate ecosystem.  What wonders God hath wrought!  

  The  Overstory is one that I couldn't put down.  It's the story of disparate individuals that eventually come together, united by the trees in their lives and a struggle to care for the treasures of creation that are being wasted.  The reader is reminded that many trees count centuries in the way we count decades, and many will be around long after us.  They contribute countless riches to the environment, and we would be wise to be good stewards of the trees and the forests in which they dwell.

  It's very easy to think of things in this world as disposable.  With this mindset, it's easy to be a consumer.  With a consumer mindset, I think of the world's resources as objects to support me.  I don't always think of how I give back to the world.  It's not a big leap to see other people through this lens, and to avoid appropriately caring for people.

  God certainly calls us to be good stewards of creation.  In caring for our children, it's also important to think about the world we're going to leave them.  The Overstory calls me to stop and appreciate the beauty of the trees that I see, and in doing so, makes think about how my life is contributing to the richness of all of creation.  It's a book that asks difficult questions and makes me think, which I deeply appreciate.  

Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21 

English Standard Version 

  I'm finally starting a book that's been on my list for a long time -- it's Ron Chernow's John Rockefeller biography.  Nothing terribly exciting, but I've been trying to make time to read it for a while.  I've always assumed I'd get around to it eventually.

  We make a lot of plans for eventually.  Rachel and I were discussing the other day all the things we'd like to do once COVID is a distant memory.  Plans are good.  It's fun to dream, and not making plans can leave you missing out on things in life.  For instance, I wouldn't learn about John Rockefeller.  

  But I'm trying not to make an idol of my plans.  There are no guarantees in life.  Take the time today to make good on those promises you've been making to yourself about things you'll do, people you'll call, prayers you'll say, gifts you'll give.  I just finished reading The Overstory, a remarkable book that largely revolved around trees.  It's hard to grasp my lifespan in relation to a tree, especially since some of the trees in this world have been listening to the world since Jesus walked the earth.  It was a helpful reminder to put first things first -- the eternity we're promised is true, but the current lifespan we have is not.  Savor it.  It's a gift.  And the giver of every good gift is going to wrap you in eternity.

Colossians 1:1-2

Colossians 1:1-2 

English Standard Version 

  Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

  The other day, I was out on a walk with Charlotte.  Not far off, a motorcycle came over a rise and was moving towards us, not overly fast or loud.  Regardless, Charlotte takes both hands and covers her ears.  Immediately, the motorcycle slows even more, and as he passes, he raises his face shield and apologizes, despite the fact that he wasn't in the wrong at all.  

  I keep thinking about this, stunned by his graciousness and attempt to bring peace to my daughter's world, despite the fact that he wasn't driving loudly or aggressively in the first place.  It was instinctual kindness and selflessness.  

  Perhaps I keep thinking this over in my head is that this is precisely what God does for us.  When God sees us in trouble, struggling against sin, God inconveniences himself and makes things right, at great personal cost to God.  God didn't cause our sin, but God set things right through God's actions at Calvary.  God saves us.

  I don't know what opportunities are before you this week.  Perhaps some are obvious, and others may well not be.  But I keep hoping to be a person that acts out of instinctual grace, so that others may experience grace and peace through simple kindness.

Books of the Bible in Five Minutes: Mark

Micah 5:2-4

 Micah 5:2-4

 

God keeps doing this- taking what is small in the world and making something wondrous. God did it with David - David wasn't even invited to be initially considered as King. God did it with the woman who gave her two copper coins, the gift that Jesus noticed when everyone else might have neglected it. God does it here by starting in Bethlehem - Jesus wasn't exactly born in the center of the world, but God was at work there. God does miraculous things through the unexpected, through the common, through the ordinary. Where in your life might God be at work, perhaps in places we readily overlook due to them not calling attention to themselves?

Micah 4:6-7

Micah 4:6-7 

English Standard Version 

  In Biblical times, there are stories of the lame who need someone to carry them on their litter.  They can't transport themselves, and so they depend upon the kindness of others to move them about.

  When we think about salvation, this is what the Gospel teaches us -- we who were dead and unable to walk were brought back to life and given hope because of what Christ did for us.  It was spoken about by the prophets long before Jesus came, and then we learned about how gracious God is in the person of Christ, who did what we could not so that we could have the everlasting life we did not deserve.  

  We have hope because of what God did -- God picked us up and moved us where we needed to be.  Paralyzed by sin, we are transported by love.

  The American Gospel will tell us that we are basically good on our own, we just need a little help over the finish line, as though it's just a limp and we need some correction.  The Gospel tells us that Christ gathers us up through his gracious and merciful love, healing the lame and giving us hope!

Micah 4:4-5

Micah 4:4-5 

English Standard Version 

  Last night, a thunderstorm rolled through Columbus, and the kids jumped at every lightning bolt.  Rachel and I try to encourage the kids to be calm in the face of the storm -- but the flash of lightning causes such a strong reaction in them.  It's pure fear, and I hate to see my children afraid.

  Each of us is controlled by some sort of fear.  Some of us are afraid of aging.  Some fear insecurity.  Some of us fear anonymity, while others fear a loss of honor or resources.  Some fear their past, while others fear the future.  Often, we have a strange mixture of fears, many of them things we didn't even realize we were afraid of until much later.  Parents fear for their children, while other have a fear of God (not the good kind).  

  I realize, at times, that if I long for my children not to be afraid, how much more does God long for us not to be afraid?  What does it mean for you to hear the prophet Micah say that we shall sit under a fig tree and not be afraid?  How wonderful that sounds... to lack fear.  The central truth of the resurrection is that Jesus conquered death and therefore should remove the fear of death for us.  It's a hard thing for us to realize, but when we look to God, we are looking to someone who can conquer every enemy, even death, and wants us to live without fear, trusting in the awesome grace of God.  

Micah 4:1-3

Micah 4:1-3 

English Standard Version 

  Some days, this vision sits heavily on my heart.  The vision of peace is so powerful, so potent -- people from all nations will stream to the mountain of the Lord, and swords will be handed over, beaten into tools of peace, and the best part is that they won't even learn war anymore!  There will be no need for it -- such will be the sense of peace and common humanity in that day.

  This is our dream, and it's not too much to imagine -- because one day it will be true.

  So let us hold onto this hope in the times of despair, and let us remember what is permanent.  This life is so short, and so precious, and it passes away -- let us savor each day, each moment, each precious loved one -- and not forget that our ultimate treasure rests on that mountain of the Lord.

Sermon for Sunday, September 6, 2020

 Today's sermon is based on Mark 9:2-13, the Transfiguration.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 

English Standard Version 

  Being a Christian entails a lot of responsibilities, but also just one large responsibility.  The charge for all of us is to treat each individual with care, regardless of their station in life.  This isn't easy -- I think much of the neglect happens simply due to our frantic pace of life.  We're sometimes moving too quickly to properly care for one another.  So take a deep breath in your interactions and genuinely listen to the person in front of you, and love them -- sometimes that may mean that you only listen, while other times you may need to confront or hold them accountable (just remember that's a two way street!).  

  God is at work in you!  Only God can sanctify us completely, and so may we look forward with hope to the return of Christ, trusting in the faithfulness of God!

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 

English Standard Version 

  If we can agree on anything, it's that 2020 has shattered any illusions that peace and security are lasting and within our control in this world.  We're all reeling from the various storms that have lashed our global society, and we've still got four more months to go before we can mercifully flip the calendar to 2021.  

  As Christians, we've always known that peace and security are found in God and in God alone.  The story of Job is but one of many reminders that just because we believe that we are safe and secure does not, in fact, isolate us from sudden changes.  Remember when the stock market was at an all-time high in February?  Some people probably felt very secure then.  That fell apart in a month, and there were stories of people who had gone bankrupt by betting aggressively under the assumption that the market only goes up.  (Spoiler:  It doesn't)

  We cannot secure ourselves, no matter how strong our savings or bodies or mentalities are.  We can, however, find rest and assurance that Christ has come to secure our salvation, so that we might live with him.  The firm and certain knowledge of God's grace is what gives us the ability to encourage one another in the face of every life event, even in 2020!  Christ is risen, and because he lives, so, too, shall you!!

  

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

English Standard Version

  In the early church, the expectation was that Jesus was going to return 'soon'.  They thought it might be within weeks or months, but as time stretched on, a good deal of trepidation built up -- what if someone died before Jesus returned?  What then?

   The answer, as always, is that we believe in a God who transcends death, and so we need not fear.  Jesus did not return within weeks of the ascension, and while that wait has stretched on for centuries, we do not need to worry.  We are safe in Jesus' hands, whether he returns while we live or long afterwards -- the God who called Lazarus forth from the grave and walked out of his own tomb is capable of bringing us to new life, however complex it may seem from this side of the veil.

  The important thing to remember is that life is completely different from God's perspective.  God is not limited in the same way we are.  We see so many problems, but God sees differently, and life is different in God's perspective.  Time and space are different.  So may we trust in the one who formed the universe, that all will be well, no matter when and where.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 

English Standard Version 

  Here's a section that was clearly written before the advent of social media!  Paul urges the Thessalonians to live quiet lives, filled with integrity, working hard, diligently using the resources granted to them to glorify God in the smallest parts of their lives.  

  Our lives are linked, from one moment to the next, each lived in the sweet embrace of God.  What we do at work and with our children and in our free time and with our parents and with our grandchildren and in church and on Friday nights and Tuesday mornings and Monday afternoons and Sunday mornings.... it all matters.  It's all lived before God, and each one of your breaths is an offering to God.  We've grown a long way from that understanding of a life lived before God -- we tend to live now as though offering up a good worship service on Sunday mornings is enough -- like a box to be checked.  It's never enough, but not in a way that makes you feel like you're falling behind -- it's intended to be in a way that makes you feel like you've been given such a wonderful gift that all of life is to be lived in a continuous rejoicing as to what God is doing in you through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Take a deep breath now -- this moment is lived for God!  And in a conference room on a Thursday and at a sporting event (remember when we used to go to those?) on a Saturday.  It's all a gift back to God, all a chance to glorify God.

  So live a life of integrity, not gloating about it, not rubbing it in others' faces... but focus on God, and the Holy Spirit will overflow into the world around you, flowing through you, pointing to God.