Peace (December 13, 2020)

It’s been said before, and it will be said again.  2020 was/is a crazy year!  In a lot of ways, it has been a year unlike any other within recent history.

First, COVID.  How to even begin?  At the start, there was so much unknown.  How did the virus originate?  What are the common signs of having the virus?  How can we keep others from getting sick?  How do we keep ourselves from getting sick?  Is COVID a death sentence?  On and on the questions popped up into mainstream conversation.  There were a lot of unknowns.  At this point, some time has passed, and we’ve gotten some answers to some of those questions, but it still doesn’t feel like we have 100% of the information that is needed.  There are still endless debates about the seriousness of the illness.  There are still conversations being had about the usefulness of the masks.  Opinions concerning the coronavirus and appropriate responses are varied and held to strongly.  Even now within our society, there is a lot of unknown.  Are masks necessary?  Should I go out to eat dinner?  Should I get vaccinated when it becomes available?  How do I know if the vaccine is effective?  How do I know who is giving me accurate information about this whole thing?  

On top of these questions about the virus and health, there are a number of other issues that have popped up this year.  There are a number of other uncertainties, a number of other unknowns.  How long will this last?  Are the mask requirements going to end anytime soon?  When will I be able to freely visit with my friends, my family?  When will restaurants be able to seat people at full capacity?  Is there hope for the ones that have had to close?  What about the economic impact of this situation?  Will we recover?   When will schools return to normal?  Sports?  Will we ever be able to attend a Pirates game again?  

These are just some of the unknowns that people are wrestling with now, and I didn’t even mention politics.  (Without diving too far into the political stream let’s recognize that there is a lot of debating about the presidential outcome, voter fraud, etc., etc., etc.  Plus, there are the questions about how we can recover from the division that is present in our nation and if we can ever have a more unified, peaceful outlook as a society.)

Yes.  2020 has provided us with a lot of unknowns, and I haven’t even covered some of the harder ones.

How will we deal with loss?  How will we deal with grief?  How will we deal with suffering?  With heartache?  With pain?  How will we deal with the fact that the coronavirus has put some things right in our face that many of us would rather ignore…that we are not in control, that life can be difficult, unfair, hard, and that the time we have on this earth is limited, that we each will face death at some point?  What will we do with those things?  Those difficult questions that have popped up this year?

How will we deal with all of the unknowns?  

After all, having all of these unknowns in our lives can lead to other issues…to fear, to worry, to stress, to anxiety, to all kind of negative responses.  So, how will we deal with them?  How will we finish up 2020 and look into the face of 2021 with so many unanswered questions, so much uncertainty?

Hopefully, we will take a reminder from our Advent wreath.

Right now, we are in the second week of Advent, 2020.  We are gloriously expecting to celebrate Christmas, and we are also anticipating the second coming of Jesus.  As we wait, we continue in the tradition of the Advent wreath, lighting a candle each week to remind us of some of the things that Jesus offers to each of us.  Last week, we discussed hope.  The candle for this week?  

Peace.

One lesson from the Advent wreath for this week is this:  Jesus offers us peace.  Not only that but Jesus is peace.

Isaiah 9:6 says this:  

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Take some time to read over that Scripture.  It is a remarkable description of Christ.  Breath it in.  Allow God to remind you of just who it is that we are looking forward to celebrating on Christmas.  A child, a son who holds the government on his shoulders.  Wonderful Counselor.  Mighty God.  Everlasting Father.  Prince of Peace.  Allow those words to paint for you a picture of Jesus.  Allow that picture of Jesus to impact your life, even now.

When you pause for a moment to reflect on Christ, you realize just how remarkable He is.  The Prince of Peace.  He has come.  He is here.  He is coming again.

Isaiah looked forward to the time when the Prince of Peace would walk the earth, something he would never personally see in his lifetime.  We look forward to the time when the Prince of Peace’s kingdom will be on earth as it is in heaven, when he returns for his second coming, a time that we may or may not get to see in our lifetimes.  But even though we anticipate the future, we also are able to look back on the time when the Prince of Peace walked on the earth, that time that Isaiah longed to see.  We have the benefit of history, of hearing about the life of Jesus, of reading the stories of how his miracles, of studying his words, his teachings.

One such teaching has the Prince of Peace talking about peace.

Look at what Jesus says:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 

~John 14:27

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, offers us his peace.  

It’s comforting to know that this peace is offered in spite of the unknowns that are going on in life.

It’s interesting to note that Jesus provided this lesson in the middle of a whole lot of unknowns.  In the Gospel of John, Jesus offers this teaching to his disciples during the Last Supper.  They had gathered together in a room to celebrate the Passover, and Jesus had shared that he would be betrayed, that he would die.  The Prince of Peace told them that violence would fall upon him.  Obviously, this left a lot of unknowns, a lot of unanswered questions for the disciples.

“How could this happen?”  “Isn’t he the Messiah?”  “Were we wrong to follow him these last years?”  “If he dies, what about us?”  “Where will we go?”  “What will we do?”  “How can we possibly saved?”

Even though Jesus did not address all of these needs, even though he did not provide an answer to all of these unknowns, he offered peace.

Peace right in the middle of it all.  

Peace in the mess.

Peace in the storm.

Peace in the chaos.

Peace in the uncertainty.

Peace in the face of fear.

Peace even in the unknown.

You see, the world needs answers to have peace.  The world needs to know that everything will be “OK” in order to have peace in a situation.  “There’s a vaccine?  Great, now I can have peace!”  “We only have to make it through ____ more months?  Great, now I can have peace!”  For the world, peace is conditional on knowledge and the outcome.  There isn’t much peace in the unknown.  There is even less when an outcome is undesirable.

Fortunately, Jesus does not offer us peace as the world offers or understands it.  Jesus offers us peace in spite of our problems.  Jesus offers us peace right in the middle of the unknown.

Friend, I hope that you have found peace.  I hope that you have found it from the only one that can give you lasting peace, peace’s Prince, Jesus.

Jesus is the only one to make lasting peace with the Almighty God a possibility.  He is the only one to fulfill every aspect of the law.  He is the only one to offer his life as a perfect sacrifice.  He is the only one to offer us true peace, peace eternal, peace everlasting in our relationship with our God.  I hope that you have found that peace.

Then, I hope that you allow this peace that you have found in God through Jesus to filter into all other areas of your life.  

After all, if I am at peace with my Creator, if I know that this life will have troubles, but that Jesus has overcome them all, if I know the Prince of Peace, the uncertainties of today don’t seem so significant.

I ask you…Do you know Peace?  Do you know Peace’s Prince?  

I pray that you do.  I pray that you have come to meet Jesus.  I pray that when the unknown rears its head (as it has done a bunch in 2020) that you will seek God and his peace.  His peace that passes all understanding.  The peace of Christ that is available to all who put their faith, their hope, their trust in him.

My hope for you this Advent?  That you would know the one that Isaiah foresaw, that you would know the Prince of Peace.

~ Pastor Chris

Hope (December 6, 2020)

Friends, it’s official…we’re in the season of Advent!  Not only that, but we’ve also reached December.  Now, we all know that December is an important month in our calendars, and it is that way for obvious reasons.  Still, just so we’re all on the same page, I’ll spell it out for us.  December is an important, special month because it is the month that we celebrate a very important birthday…mine.  Of course, December is important!  After all, that’s when I made my debut!  It’s always been pretty amazing for me to think about how everyone gets excited for December just because I was born.  Chris - tmas time.  Chris - tmas gifts.  Chris - tmas break.  Chris - tmas celebrations.  Chris - tmas cards.  So remember in December, keep Chris in Christmas!

Obviously, that’s not the case, but thanks for putting up with me!  Though I am valued and cherished in God’s eyes (as are you), though I am important (as are you), though my birthday is a day that I can celebrate (as can you on your birthdays), though my life can be world-changing (as can yours…at least in as much as we are used by God to bring about God’s purposes and plans that He has for each of us), I know that December is special because of Jesus.  The only way that I can be mentioned in the same sentence as Him is because of the undeserved love and mercy that He gave me.  I’ve been adopted, renewed, transformed, restored, all by the blood of Christ.  No.  December (& Advent) isn’t about me.  It’s not about you.  It’s not about Santa.  It’s not about Rudolf.  It’s not about Scrooge or the Grinch or jingling bells, or snow, or gingerbread houses, or hot chocolate.  It’s not even really about family get togethers or caroling or Christmas cookies or stockings or trees or lights or any of those things.  Instead, December (or at least Advent & Christmas which are celebrated in December) should be about Jesus.  Just as a reminder, here are a couple of clichés to keep in mind.  Jesus is the reason for the season.  Keep Christ in Christmas.

As that is the case, as Advent is a season where we can focus on Christ, as Advent (& the rest of life) should be about Jesus, let’s focus on some of the things that Advent reminds us about Christ.  In particular, let’s look at the Advent wreath (a good seasonal reminder), and the candles that are lit on the wreath each week.  Let’s take it one week at a time and discuss some of the properties and characteristics of Jesus as they relate to the candles that are lit for the 4 weeks of Advent.  Sound good?  Great!  Keep reading.  Don’t like it?  I’m sorry.  Keep reading anyway.

Advent.  Week 1.  The Candle of Hope.

Hope.

Hope can be kind of an interesting thing.  Hope can be found.  Hope can be lost.  Hope can be fulfilled.  Hope can be unfulfilled.  Hope can be realized.  Hope can be unrealized.  Not enough hope can lead to depression and defeat.  Enough hope can lead to satisfaction and victory.  Too much hope, placed in the wrong location, can lead to unwise decisions and defeat once again.  Just a little bit of hope, placed in the right location, can lead to wise decisions and victory.  Hope can provide strength.  Hope can be a weakness.  Hope can provide joy.  Hope can provide sorrow.  

Hope.

In my mind, all of these things that happen surrounding hope can be narrowed down to one basic question with two possible answers.  

The question:  Where is your hope?

The answers:  The right place.  The wrong place.

Hope that is found in the right place can lead to that hope being fulfilled and realized.  It can lead to satisfaction.  Even just a small amount of hope in the right place can lead to wise decisions and victory.  Hope located in the right place can provide strength, can provide joy.

Contrarily, hope that is found in the wrong place can lead to that hope being unfulfilled, unrealized.  It can lead to dissatisfaction.  A huge amount of hope in the wrong thing can lead to unwise decisions and defeat.  Hope located in the wrong place can be a weakness and provide sorrow.

Hope.  

We all hope in something.  

Some of us hope that our hard work and savings will provide a lush life of retirement.  Some of us hope that our government will work for our good and provide us with what we need.  Some of us hope that our families will be a constant source of love, understanding and support.  Some of us hope to be the one to break the cycle of addiction in our family.  Some of us hope to be the one who “makes it”.  Some of us hope in our good works.  Some of us hope in our charm.  Some of us hope in luck or in catching a break.  Some of us just hope that we can exercise enough for it to counteract the extra pie that we ate over the holidays.

We all hope in a variety of things, and they aren’t all bad.  However, if those things are where our hope is grounded?  If those things are where our hope stops?  If we don’t have hope that extends beyond what we’d like to happen in our personal lives, in our family life, in our financial life, in the life of our nation?  If our true hope is rooted in any of the above?  Well, we’ve placed our hope in the wrong thing, the wrong place.

There is only one right answer for where we should place our hope.  The answer is Jesus.

I know.  I’m a pastor.  I’m supposed to say that type of thing.  Still, the fact that I am a pastor and that I’m supposed to say these things doesn’t make it any less true.  The fact remains, Jesus is the only correct answer for where we place our hope.

The Old Testament is chock full of people trusting in God and placing their hope in one who was yet to be revealed.  Look at what Jeremiah hoped in from God:

“The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.”

~Jeremiah 23:5

Or how about this one from Isaiah:

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

~Isaiah 53:4-6

Both prophets (and there are many other Old Testament examples that I could have used), placed their hope in One who was yet to come, One who was yet to be revealed.  Scripture teaches us that both prophets ultimately put their hope in Jesus.  Even though they had yet to know his name, even though they had yet to hear the story of his birth, even though they had not yet experienced Christmas, both men through the gift of God put their hope in Jesus.

For us, the Advent season is a reminder of where we should put our hope.  We live in a time where we know about Jesus.  We know about Christmas.  We have heard the stories of the birth of Christ in ways that the Old Testament prophets could only dream.  We have learned about the life of Jesus, his teachings, his death, his resurrection.  We have heard his promises.  How he has promised to be with us.  How he has promised to come again. How he has promised to reveal his kingdom.  How he has promised that there will be a new heaven, a new earth.  We live in a time where Jesus has been revealed.  Still, I ask…where is your hope?  Where is it really placed?

Maybe you are hoping that you won’t get the coronavirus.

Maybe you’re hoping that “normalcy” will return.

Maybe you’re hoping that you won’t be alone on Christmas.

Maybe you’re hoping to get a new job.

Maybe you’re hoping to finally be able to retire and enjoy life.

Maybe you’re hoping to feel better.

Maybe you’re hoping that your life won’t be so chaotic.

None of those hopes are bad.  All are completely feasible.  All are within God’s capabilities.  But, if they are your true Hope, your ground-level, foundational Hope (with a capital H)?   

It’s not enough.

We need our Hope to be placed in Jesus.  So firmly, so completely, so entirely that even if all of our other hopes turn up empty, we still have Hope.  

Even if we get the coronavirus, there is Hope in Jesus.

Even if our “normal” never returns, there is Hope in Jesus.

Even if we are “alone” on Christmas, there is Hope in Jesus (and we know that God is with us and we are not alone).

Even if we are jobless, there is Hope in Jesus.

Even if we are never able to retire, there is Hope in Jesus.

Even if we feel worse and worse until we die, there is Hope in Jesus.
Even if life continues to spin at a frantic rate and never seems to be in control, there is Hope in Jesus.

Advent.  Week 1.  Candle of Hope.

I ask you…Where is your Hope?  

In money, in power, in things, in security, in your house, in your family, in your job, in your position, in your good deeds, in yourself, in your spouse, in  _______?  

Please don’t get this answer wrong!  Please do not place your ultimate Hope in anything but Jesus.  There is only one right answer.  I hope you find him this season.  Jesus.  He is our Hope.  He is our Hope for today.  He is our Hope for tomorrow.  He is our Hope now and forevermore.

~ Pastor Chris

Abounding (November 29, 2020)

Thanksgiving is coming!  (Or it has just passed…that will depend on when you receive this mailing.)

I don’t know about you, but I love Thanksgiving!  I love that there is a holiday that is named after giving thanks.  I love that it provides an opportunity to express gratitude.  I love that it is an excuse for most people to have a day off of their normal routines and to spend time with family.  I love that there is a whole boatload of special food that is prepared…just for that day.  Turkey.  Cranberries.  Mashed Potatoes.  Shrimp Rings.  Dressing (or stuffing).  All marvelous stuff…especially if you get to savor the homemade “secret” variety of “in-the-bird” dressing that follows my Grandma Morris’s recipe.  (There’s always a large pan of common, homemade dressing, prepared separately, available to everyone.  While this large pan follows Grandma’s recipe, some people know that the “good” stuff is the dressing that came out of the bird.  To find this, you have to hang around the kitchen for a while and listen for the whispers that say… “that dish over there has the good stuff.”  Then, you go for it.  Both are good.  That special dish is better.)  Of course, there’s pie.  I still remember the Thanksgiving where my aunt and uncle tried to buy more varieties of pie than I could sample.  They failed.  I tried them all.  Big slices too.  Delicious.  Yep!  I love the food.  

I also love the traditions, especially the Morris traditions. (Don’t get me wrong!  The Shrum’s do a great job, have nice traditions, and I love being with them on Thanksgiving too…it’s just the Morris Thanksgiving traditions hold an extra special place in my heart.)  I love the way we circle up and pray before the meal.  I love the way that we all eat too much and then complain about it.  I love the way that at some point in the afternoon there has to be a family football game played (while there are football games being played on TV), and that the older generations pass around the Motrin bottle in order to be able to move after the game (yes…I need the Motrin at this point in my life).  I love how in our football game the youngest players are guaranteed a touchdown.  I love how said football game always ends in a tie.  I love how my son, Silas, always wears a Penn State sweatshirt…just to egg on the rest of the family (including me) who are dressed in Ohio State gear.  I love our touchdown celebrations, the dance that is always performed by each team when they score.  I love the way there are always solid chocolate turkeys and sparkling juice for celebrating.  I love the way the extended family gets together and laughs at old stories, how we talk about the Mud Bowl of 1985 or getting scratched by Granddad’s watch when he was all-time quarterback.  I love the mix of the old memories while sharing in new adventures.  I love the ping pong and dart tournaments, the conversations, the fun, the thanks.

Yep!  I love a lot about Thanksgiving.  It brings back a bunch of those “warm & fuzzy” feelings.  Though you will have different memories of Thanksgiving holidays, my hope is that you get those warm & fuzzies too.

But this year?  

This year?  

2020?  

When we’re being encouraged to stay home?  When the typical Morris Thanksgiving has been canceled?  When the previous year has seen unexpected pain and heartache?  When my family has lost two valued and cherished members since last Thanksgiving?  When we saw my uncle pass unexpectedly from a rare cancer that he didn’t even know he had?  When we saw my Granddad pass a few months later?  

This year?

This Thanksgiving?

No gathering.  No football game.  No chance to grieve together through our first Thanksgiving without Uncle Richard and Granddad.  

Will I still give thanks?  

Will I still give thanks?  

When the circumstances are different?  When the food is different?  When the gathering is different?  When the pain is different?  When the future looks different? 

Will I still give thanks?

There’s a directive given by Paul in his letter to the Colossians.  Look at what he says:  

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

~ Colossians 2:6-7

Do you know what is interesting about this passage (and many other passages about giving thanks)?  

There are no qualifications about life circumstances.

It doesn’t say, “Make sure you say ‘thanks’ when someone does something nice.” (Though that is good practice.)

It doesn’t say, “Make sure you give God thanks when life is easy.”

It doesn’t say, “Make sure you give God thanks when you are celebrating in the way that you like to celebrate.”

It doesn’t say, “Make sure you give God thanks when you’re with your family, eating the food that you like to eat.”

No, look at what it does say.  “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”  (Emphasis added.)

You’ve received Christ Jesus?  Great!  Now, remember to do these things:

• Live your lives in him.
• Be rooted and built up in him.
• Be established in the faith.
• Abound in thanksgiving.

All of these are important and merit discussion, but for today let’s focus on the last one.  Abound in thanksgiving.

Abound!  (Dictionary definition ~ to be present in large numbers or great quantity.)

Don’t just have a little bit of thanksgiving.  Have a whole boatload full.  Abound in it. 

Why?

Jesus.

It’s kind of a cliché to say, but Jesus is the answer.  Jesus is enough.  

Jesus is enough for us to be thankful.  

Jesus is enough for us to abound in thanksgiving.

Sometimes, I wonder if my relationship with Jesus is deep enough for this to be true.  Can I be thankful if my circumstances are undesirable?  Can I be thankful if I don’t get to do what I want to do, celebrate in the way I want to celebrate, be with the people that I want to be with?  Is Jesus really enough?  For me to be abounding in thanksgiving?

The “preacher” answer, the “Christian” answer, the “right” answer is “Yes!  Jesus is enough!”

Sometimes, though, in reality that gets tough.  Sometimes, in life, especially on holidays, I can get sidetracked.  I can see the empty seats where family members used to sit.  I can see the disappointments.  I can see the failures.  I can see the sadness.  It’s good to see those things, to deal with those things, to acknowledge the hurt, the pain, the heartache.  What is not good is to allow those circumstances to take away from what we have in Christ.  So the question becomes, is Christ enough?  Can I give thanks?  Can I still abound in thanksgiving?  

I haven’t always.  There have been times when I have been less than thankful.  There have been times when thanksgiving has not abounded in my life, even on Thanksgiving.  Instead, I have focused on everything wrong, on every shattered hope, on every dream that did not come true.  I have not focused on Christ.  This year?  I hope that is different.  I long to be abounding in thanksgiving…regardless of my circumstances.

After all, I do believe that Jesus is enough.  

The price that Jesus paid is enough for me.

The life that Jesus lived is enough for me.

The death that Jesus died is enough for me.

The Spirit that Jesus has given is enough for me.

The joy that Jesus offers is enough for me.

The love that Jesus demonstrates is enough for me.

The hope that Jesus extends is enough for me.

The peace that Jesus gives is enough for me.

Jesus.  He is enough for me.  He is enough for me to abound in thanksgiving.  Even if the unthinkable happens and I don’t eat a single slice of pie on Thanksgiving.

What about you?  Does Thanksgiving look different?  Is Thanksgiving harder this year?  Not going the way that you want?  Still, can you abound in thanks?

I hope you can.  I hope I can.  Friend, I hope that we know deep within our heart, deep within our soul, that we are rooted and built up in Jesus so much so that no matter the circumstances we find that Jesus is enough.  That Jesus is enough for us to abound in thanksgiving. 

~ Pastor Chris 

Like a Child (November 22, 2020)

I wasn’t mentally prepared for it.  For me, right at this moment, it should still be summer.  How have we already arrived in November?  With Thanksgiving happening next week?  And Black Friday?  

I’m not ready!!!!

I’m not.

I’m not mentally prepared for this season, for the cold, for the approaching winter, for the wind, for the chill, for the ice, for the snow.

Snow.

I’m not ready for the snow!

Don’t get me wrong…I enjoy the snow (on occasion).  I like a nice snowball fight.  I enjoy a good snow angel.  Building a snowman?  Great fun!  Sledding?  My favorite.  I enjoy the way that freshly fallen snow makes everything look clean and new.  There are lots of things to appreciate about snow, and I’m not knocking it.  Still, I’m not ready.  In my mind, it should still be summer.  I’m not mentally prepared for snow.

And yet…

The snow still comes.

Snow doesn’t ask me if I’m ready for it.  Nobody consults me as to whether or not I’m mentally prepared.  When it’s time for the snow to come, guess what happens?  It comes!  There is absolutely no regard for how I might feel about the situation.  It just comes…when, where and how it wants. 

The snow comes.

When things come, like snow, even when they come and we’re not ready, even when they come and we do not want them to come, guess what?   

WE STILL HAVE A CHOICE!

WE STILL HAVE A CHOICE WITH HOW WE RESPOND!

Sure, I don’t get to choose whether or not it will snow.  There are lots of things that happen in life which are completely outside of my control, lots of situations where nobody has asked my opinion, lots of times that things don’t go just how I want them, just when I want them, just where I want them.  The fact remains.  I still have a choice with how I respond.  When the snow falls, what will be my reaction?  How will I choose to react to a situation that I did not want in that moment?  What will I do…even when I don’t like what is happening around me?  That’s one of the tough questions when life throws a wrench into my plans…how will I respond?  How will I react?  What choice will I make with my attitude?  With my behavior?

Yesterday, it snowed.

Not a lot, but it still snowed. 

My response?  Mediocre.

I wasn’t super upset about it.  I didn’t get cranky (I hope!).  I just kind of continued about my evening, doing those things that I had already been doing inside.  The snow didn’t significantly alter my evening or my agenda.  I had just kind of a blah, mediocre response to the snow.

Silas?

His response was glorious!  

His eyes got wide as he exclaimed, “IT’S SNOWING!!!!!”

The next thing you knew, he was out the door, thoroughly enjoying every little bit of snow that was falling.  Snowballs were flying.  Laughter was had.  Silas was going to enjoy this blessing from the Lord in the best way possible.

 

Silas had an absolutely great response to the snow.  Wide-eyed joy.  Uninhibited celebration.  Complete and thorough excitement.

I have to tell you.  I missed out.

I missed out.

The work could have waited.  The project that I was trying to accomplish could have been paused.  Silas acted rightly!  I, however, missed out.

Today, as I type, the snow is gone.  Came and left.  Didn’t stick around.  I’m not super upset about that, but I am disappointed that I missed out on a memory, that I passed by an opportunity, that I missed out on the snow.  I should have gone and made snowballs with Silas’ name written right on them.  Instead, I missed out.

There’s a teaching of Jesus that is found in the Gospel of Matthew.  This is what happens:

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

~ Matthew 18:1-3

Become like little children. 

On the surface, it doesn’t sound like great advice.  If someone is immature, we call them “childish”.  If someone shirks their responsibility, we tell them to “quit behaving like a child”.  Become like little children?  It has a funny ring to it.  It doesn’t sound quite right.

 

First things first, let’s take away the negativity of the term “childlike.”  Sure, there are times when we need to be grownups.  We have responsibilities.  We can’t just act “childish” all of the time.  Even Paul talks about putting away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11).  Still, there is room for being childlike, childish, even becoming a child as an adult.  Jesus says so in this passage.  “Childish” is not always a negative term.  It is OK to respond like a child in some circumstances.  Scratch that.  In some circumstances it is better to respond as a child.  Childish is not always bad.  Sometimes, it is better.  Right in this passage, being a child in terms of humility is better than acting prideful and like an adult.  Childish is not always bad!  

So, now that we have that out of the way, let’s consider one positive aspect of being “childish” and when it might be appropriate.  Joyful response.

Have you seen a child react to someone they love?  A parent getting off of a plane after a long journey?  A trip to see their best friend who had been away for a long time?  The return of a pet who had been lost for a while?  How do they respond?

Joyfully, gleefully.  There’s laughter.  There are tears.  There’s running and yelling and hugging and shouting and celebration.  There is joy.  Great joy.

What would it be like if we responded to Jesus in this way?  If we approached our relationship with God with joy?  If we looked forward to the kingdom of heaven in this way?  Joyfully anticipating the kingdom of God?

Too often, I fear that I approach my overall relationship with Jesus like an adult…which isn’t all bad in all occasions, but I do risk missing out on the joy, on running to Jesus with complete abandon, of being so excited that the Risen King has welcomed me into the family.  Sometimes, I view God as “authority” or “ruler” or “judge” or “_____” so much that I miss out on the joy.  Instead, I know that what I really need is a joyful response to Jesus.  I need to be able to run to Jesus with joy.  I need to be able to get excited about what God has offered me, and I need to be able to respond in a “childish” way to Jesus.  In humility with joy and excitement.

The same is true in broader aspects of my life as well.  

Sometimes, when it snows, when the unexpected happens to thwart my plans for the day, it would be beneficial to react like a child.  To go with the flow, to embrace what has happened, and yes, to make snowballs.  When the snow falls?  Make snowballs!  Lemonade out of lemons kind of a deal.  Be excited about what God is doing in my life, even if God didn’t ask my opinion about it.  Get excited about the snow!

Silas isn’t really a child any longer.  He’s turning into a young man.  Still, he has held onto some things that I hope he never loses, particularly in the way he responded to the snow.  Such joy!  Such love!  Such laughter!  

Such an example.

Friend, it will snow.  There is no doubt.  Snow will fall whether I’m prepared for it or not.

My hope?

That I would be childish, that I would see the snow as a blessing, that I would make snowballs and laugh and have fun with what God has provided.  I also hope to be more childish in my relationship with Jesus.  To have humility, to have excitement, to have unreserved and uninhibited joy.

~ Pastor Chris

Time for Dreaming (November 15, 2020)

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning and thought “Wow!  What a great dream!  That had to be from the Lord!”?  

I don’t know about you, but I don’t often remember the dreams that I have at night.  I’m not really sure as to why this is the case for me, but most mornings I wake up and go “Wow!  I’m still tired!”  Rarely, and I mean rarely, do I remember dreams from my sleep.

Recently, though, I’ve been remembering a couple.

I’d love to say that they were awesome.  I’d love to say that they were a clear message from God.  I’d love to paint you a picture of the way that heaven has opened up to me while I’ve slept.  Not going to happen.  Instead, let me tell you about them.

They start off in conflict.  Good vs. Evil.  Right vs. Wrong.  Light vs. Dark. Winner vs. Loser.  Of course, I’ve chosen the good side.  I’m choosing to fight for what is right.  Then, the battle begins.

“wwwwOOWWwww…WOOOOwwwwwwwOOOWwwww"

Lightsabers are unsheathed and begin to cut through the air.

“Ksssssssshhhhhh.  Ksshhhh.  Ksssssshhhhh.”

The red lightsaber (bad guy color) hits into my green one (good guy color).  

Then, as the lightsaber battle is raging, I can hear in the background.

“Pew.  Pew.  Pew.”   Blasters are shooting at something.

Finally, “KABLOOOOOOOOEEEEEYYYYY”. 

The target has been destroyed.  Mission has been accomplished.  Good has won…but will I make it?  Will I win the lightsaber battle?  Will I save my family?  Will I survive?  

No idea.  Never slept that long.  The battle hangs in the balance.

I’ve had a dream similar to this on a couple of different occasions, and I have a very logical and good reason for having them.  We’ve been watching the Star Wars movies.  Not only that, but we’ve been watching them in the evening, shortly before bed.

No wonder I’m dreaming about Star Wars and lightsabers and blasters and all of that!  I’m spending a fair amount of my attention and mental capacity on those themes before going to sleep.  It makes sense that I would dream Star Wars dreams when we’ve been watching the movies.

Now, Star Wars dreams are fine.  I’m sure that I can draw lessons from them and use them in my walk with God.  (After all, I’m in a battle of good vs. evil.  I have chosen the Good…more accurately, the Good has chosen me and I have responded.  I will fight for my family and for their good.  I will fight for the Lord.  But am I relying on myself too much?  Is there too much emphasis on me and my battle and not enough reliance on God?  Is this why the dream ends that way?  See…I told you I could draw a relationship to my life from even these dreams.)  But, do you want to know what I’m more interested in?  

Jesus Dreams.  

Jesus Dreams.  Dreams that come straight from the Spirit, the heart, the mind of God.  Dreams that point to Jesus and are given by the very Spirit of God.

That’s what I want!  Jesus Dreams.

Do you know what else?  That’s what God wants for me too.  Jesus Dreams, and not just at night.  Jesus Dreams at night and during the day.  God wants that for me.  God wants that for you too.  Don’t believe me?  Check out what it says in Acts.

“In the last days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

~ Acts 2:17-18

In this passage of Scripture, Peter is quoting the prophet Joel.  Joel had a vision of this happening in the future, of the Spirit of God being poured out on all people.  Women, men.  Old, young.  Poor, rich.  Black, red, purple, white.  Doesn’t matter!  All would be given the Spirit of God.

Peter quotes Joel, but he switches it up a bit.  Instead of this being an event that is to take place in the future, Peter says, “Guess what?  That future is here!  That future is now!  What used to only be hoped for in the future is now here in the present!  The future of which Joel spoke is happening here, now, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit has been given to us, and the Spirit is available to you too!”  (Feel free to read more in Acts Chapter 2 for the actual account of how this all is said.)

Unfortunately, this passage has always troubled me a bit.  I wonder, “Do we have this?  Does it actually happen?  Do we have our daughters and sons in the church prophesying?  Do we have dreams and visions?  Does God still move in this way?  Do I see this evidenced in my own life?”  Personally, when I consider the answers to those questions, it seems to be the exception instead of the norm.  Sure, it might be possible for God to move in those ways, to speak in those ways, to give visions by day and dreams by night, but…

If I’m honest, I don’t see it happening often.  I don’t hear about God moving in this way often.  It is not the topic that I am frequently having in conversation.  “Did I tell you the dream that God gave me the other night?”  “Did I share the vision that I received from the Lord?”

Now, I don’t want to spend a lot of time with answering the “why” today.  I don’t want for us to focus too much on why this isn’t the case or the reasons for it not being the case.  Instead, I want to propose something:  What if we asked?  What if we asked God?  What if we sought the Lord and asked for the Holy Spirit to direct us in this way?

After all, God has given us his Spirit when we have accepted his Son.  God has promised in Joel that there would be a time when this would occur.  God shows us in Acts that the time is now.  What if we asked God to move in this way?

As we lay down for bed in the evening, what if we prayed, “God please inhabit my dreams.”?  As we woke up in the morning and walked through the day, what if we asked, “God, please give me a vision for what I need to do today.  God, please direct my path.”?  As we meet with people and share our lives with others, what if we silently petitioned, “God, please direct me by your Spirit that I might speak a word of truth to this person in this conversation.”?  What if we asked?  

What if we asked?

What if God answered?

What if God enabled us to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit?  What if God showed us a vision for our life?  For our church?  For our neighborhood?  For our family?  

What if God gave us a dream of how things could be different?  (And not just some selfish dream of owning a private jet and scooting off to some tropical island in the winter.)  But what if God gave us dreams?  Spoke to us even in our sleep?

What if we asked?  

What if we God answered?

Sure, we might be disappointed.  It is possible that God won’t answer in the way we hope.  Sure, we might get something wrong.  We might interpret a dream to mean a certain thing, but it actually just means we shouldn’t have eaten that chili-cheese burrito right before bed.  Sure, some might thing we’re “woo-woo” or a little “off”.  After all, we’re talking about God doing something in our lives.  There will always be those who think such a thing is wacky.  Still, even in those cases, isn’t that a risk worth taking?  

Now, just so we’re clear, we can’t be putting these things above our relationship with the Lord.  The Giver, and our relationship with the Giver, needs to be more important than the gifts.  Even if we never have a dream for the rest of our lives, never see a vision, never receive a word of prophesy, never display a sign or a wonder through us, we still need to seek God more than any of those things.  Even so, what if we asked?

Friend, my prayer is that as we live our lives that we wouldn’t just kind of bounce along aimlessly, but that each day would draw us closer to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.  My prayer, friend, is that we would see the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and that this movement would point to Jesus Christ.  My prayer, friend, is that we would realize that this passage of Scripture in Acts is true.  That God has sent us the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit has been offered and poured out upon all who believe in Jesus Christ, that we dream dreams.  Jesus Dreams.  That we see visions.  Jesus Visions.  That our relationship with God is something that pours into and out of our whole, entire lives…so much so that even when we’re sleeping we’re being influenced by God.

~ Pastor Chris

A House Divided (November 8, 2020)

I have to tell you…I’m not a huge fan of politics, politicking or even, really, talking about political things.  It’s not that I’m “scared” to have these types of conversations, or that I believe that politics (or all politicians) are inherently evil…at least I pray they are not, but if I’m completely honest and transparent, I will admit the truth.  I don’t like politics.

Now, every aspect of politics does not have the following, and all politicians do not behave in this way, but here are some of the things that I don’t like about politics, the political process, and some politicians.

I don’t like the maneuvering.

I don’t like the belittling.

I don’t like the disrespect towards fellow human beings.

I don’t like the feeling that what is being said is meant to “tickle my ears.”  (That what is being said is just being said to please me…not that the person actually means it.)

I don’t like the dishonesty.

I don’t like the “show”, the “putting on a face.” 

I don’t like the distrust.

I don’t like the constant pushing and attempts to sway opinion.

I don’t like the financial investment that is made in order for a politician to win a race, even small ones, let alone large ones.  If all of that money can be raised for a politician, why couldn’t it be raised and spent towards another issue/problem?  (Theoretical Question…please don’t send me answers!)

I don’t like the pomp.
I don’t like the pride.

I don’t like the power trips.

I don’t like the greed.

I don’t like when “my” candidate loses.
I don’t like when a “bad” candidate wins.

The list could go on and on and on.  For me, there are a lot of negative things about politics, and I’m not directing this at any particular party.  This is a general, blanket statement about how I feel about the whole shebang. That being said, I am able to come up with the positives of politics/politicians/etc. as well.  The privilege of voting.  The need for leadership.  The blessing of democracy.  The people who actually enter politics to do the job of serving the people they are appointed to lead.  Etc.  Still, the fact remains, I’m not a fan.  Want to know one of my biggest reasons?

I don’t like the division.

  

I don’t like the division!

Right now, as I type on Wednesday, the results are still out on the presidential race.  For some, as you read, maybe they have come in, and you will already know who won.  But for me, at this moment, I have no idea.  It’s not clear.  It is a close race.  A very close race.  Neither candidate has secured enough electoral votes, and it is not feasible to call who will win at this point.

What is clear?  There is division.  A lot of it.

We all know the division didn’t happen just today, as if this election magically caused it to occur.  It’s been evident for a long time and it has been especially highlighted as of late.  You see it in all of the pre-election banter.  You see it on TV.  You read about it in the news.  You see it as you drive down the street and look at political signs.  It’s present in every newspaper, social media feed, and anywhere else you look.  Red vs. Blue.  Donkey vs. Elephant.  “Good” vs. “Evil” where each side thinks they are “good” and the other is “evil”.  All of that and we haven’t even spoken about the other options, the other parties that have attempted to get some skin into the game…although they have mostly been unsuccessful.  

Division.  It is present.  It is constant.  It is everywhere.

Each side pushes, “Make a choice.”  “Stand with the ‘winning’ side.”  “ Vote for me!”  “If you vote for the other person, well…all manner of bad things will happen.”

Constant fighting, constant pitting against one another, constant “sides” and competition, and winning and losing, and on and on and on and on.  

Constant division.

That’s one of the main reasons that I don’t like politics.  I don’t like division.

Now, I’m not naïve.  I know that people come from a large variety of backgrounds, have a vast amount of experiences, and arrive at politics with a huge array of opinions on what is “right,” what is “wrong,” what is “best,” what is “worst.”  I know that it is good to have a wide variety of people present at the political table to have conversation and offer different points of view…that too much of the same way of thinking, the same set of circumstances and opinions can actually lead to trouble.  I also know that there are no immediate signs of this division ending soon, of people uniting and coming together politically.  Still, the fact remains.  I don’t like division, and there are reasons for it.

President Lincoln famously said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”  In the time when Lincoln was speaking, he was pointing to a division that was different than the current one we face.  There were clear geographical lines…North vs. South.  You could physically walk from the South to the North or vice versa and generally have a different set of rules/thoughts/expectations, specifically concerning slavery.  In some ways, the split was clearer, and Lincoln rightly advised that if the nation didn’t come together, it would be ripped apart.  The question, then, becomes…if the division is different, does Lincoln’s warning still hold water?  Does it still apply?

Well, it turns out that President Lincoln wasn’t relying on his own wisdom in this case.  Instead, he drew this reasoning from Scripture.  Jesus makes the same case in the Gospel of Mark.

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

~Mark 3:24

In this case, Jesus was arguing against some teachers of the law who were accusing him of driving out demons with the power of Beelzebul, of driving out Satan by the power of Satan.  Jesus pointed to the absurdity of this argument.  Again, a different context, a different set of circumstances.  But, does the wisdom of the advice hold true?  Does the argument still have weight?  Can the words of Lincoln, which turn out to be the words of Jesus, be applied to the division we now see?

Yes.  They most certainly can be applied.  A house divided cannot stand.  This is true.  If there is too much division on a sports team, they will loose.  If there is too much division in a marriage, divorce will happen.  If there is too much division in a church, it will split and fall apart.  If there is too much division in a country…well.

Fortunately, we have not yet fallen as a nation, and there is that unknown variable of exactly how much division is too much division.  After all, there can be disagreement and variance of opinion without causing a split, an outright division.  For example, I can root for Ohio State.  My son can root for Penn State.  There is absolutely no loss of love or division within our family over this difference.  Our unity as a household is based on something much deeper than college football.  Likewise, Christa can think that Cherry Coke is awful, and I can find it delicious (even though I’m not drinking it right now) without compromising our marriage.  We can disagree on many things without being divisive, but there can also be that point that tips the tables too far.  If one of us decides that our faith in Jesus is no longer valid, or that our wedding vows were no longer applicable…that type of difference of opinion, that type of division would be much more difficult for our marriage to withstand.  That type of division would be more likely to lead to a split.  

Within our country, there is a lot of room for disagreement.  There is a lot of room for difference of opinion.  There is a lot of room for difference of political affiliation and ways one chooses to vote.  However, there is also a real risk of going too far, of politics turning divisive, of our divided house falling.  I hope that you know that I’m not using this “scare tactics” or “fear-mongering,” but an honest look at what Jesus taught:  A house divided against itself will fall.   

My hope?  That we will continue to stand. 

Whenever the election results are announced, there will be a large group of people who will be happy.  There will be a large group of people who will be unhappy.  There will be those who feel like they “won.”  There will be those who feel like they “lost.”  There will be those who feel like the nation will be on the right path, and those who will feel like it will be on the wrong one.  This will be the case…regardless of which person is placed into the office.

In the midst of all of this, let us do our part to fight against division.  Let’s do our part to fight that we might stand.

Need some suggestions for how?  Let’s consider a few things, a few examples to follow.

The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).  When a member of a vastly different political party falls to the side of the road injured, who helps?  The party leader, the model citizen or the opponent from the outlying, opposing party?  Be like the good Samaritan.  Be a good neighbor.  If your neighbor had the wrong sign in their yard, voted the wrong way, and were even belligerent about it, you are still able to be “neighborly.”  Respond to your “neighbors,” no matter their political affiliation, in a manner that reflects the love portrayed in the Gospel.  Be kind.  Be compassionate.  Be caring.  

Watch Your Words (Psalm 19:14).  The Psalmist ends the 19th Psalm with this:  

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

This isn’t just an example of the way that a Psalm can end.  It is also sound advice for how we should use our words in general.  Our words should be pleasing to God.  What we say, what our hearts meditate upon, should be honorable to God.  Be like the Psalmist.  Honor God with your words.  Honor God with the words that come out of your mouth.  Honor God with the words that you type on your screen…even your phone screen.  Honor God.  If you feel like you won this election, honor God.  If you feel like you lost this election, honor God.

Remember Your Hope (Psalm 39:7).  David, the supreme political ruler of his time, the king who reigned on the throne, did not place his hope in his own abilities.  Instead, he relied on the Lord.

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in you.

Our hope is not in Mr. or Mrs. _________.  Our hope can only be in the Lord.  Remember your hope.  Put it in the Lord.  Do not place your only hope in politics or political affiliation.  Sure, people may be used by God, but our hope is in God alone.

Pray (1 Timothy 2:1-2, Philippians 4:6-7). The Bible is full of advice to pray, including the directive to pray for those in authority.  Though I may not care for politics, I am still charged to pray for our political leaders.  Though you may or may not like who wins the election, you are still charged to pray for them.  Pray.  In all circumstances.  For every occasion.  Make prayer like breathing.  Constant.  Continual.

Friend, this is a difficult season on a whole bunch of levels.  I don’t need to tell you that.  Even in the midst of it, know this.  God is good.  God loves you deeply.  God has made it possible for you to have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.  God has not left us alone but has given us the Holy Spirit.  No matter what trials, tribulations, joys, successes, defeats, wins, losses we may face, God will not fail.  Seek God.  His Kingdom.  His righteousness.  Trust God.  His Kingdom.  His righteousness.  Also, please be a good neighbor.  Watch your words.  Put your hope in God.  Pray.  In that way, we may be used to bring the love and hope of Jesus to a world that desperately needs him, especially now as there is so much threatening to divide us.

~ Pastor Chris