Advent and Christmas: The Coming of the King

The season of Advent is upon us, the time each year when we reflect on what it means that God has come to be with us in the form of a human being in Christ Jesus.  Already we have begun to prepare for Christmas, the day where we celebrate Christ's birth in Bethlehem, and a lot of people have strong feelings about Christmas as it is celebrated in the United States.  Without getting too political, I'd like to talk about what Christmas does--and does not--mean for us today in the 21st century.

First, we cannot make it to Christmas day without experiencing Advent, the time of waiting for the Messiah to arrive.  It wasn't enough that God would come to earth; first, we had to be prepared for the arrival.  This meant that God would first establish his covenant with Israel, speak through the prophets and provide us with a set of Scriptures to guide us along the way.  Christ's birth is the natural progression of God's work which came beforehand.  This means that we as Christians are indebted to the centuries of preparation and dedication of the Jewish people, preserving the Scripture and keeping the covenant, however irregularly.  Generation after generation waited and longed for the day that the Messiah would arrive, and even when he did come, many were none the wiser, and even Jewish Christians would take a few more hundred years before sorting it all out.  Today when we experience Christmas and its fullness, we do so because so many before us spent so much time waiting and praying for that day to arrive.  We must not forget this truth, which is why we observe four weeks' of Advent each year prior to coming to Christmas day.  Christianity and its practice today is indebted to the Israelites who came before Christ.

Next, we need to know some of the historical facts around December 25th.  It is true, and no problem for our faith whatsoever, that Christ was probably not born on this exact day.  Rather, his birth was likely in the spring.  The ancient Christians knew very well what they were doing when they established December 25th as the annual celebration of the Incarnation; they moved it to this day as part of the calendar each year with Easter as the central event and day.  Too often Christians in America today place more emphasis on Christmas than Easter, the day where we celebrate the resurrection of Christ.  And while Christmas is extremely important, the resurrection is the singular event upon which our faith rests.  It was in the resurrection that we received salvation and came to the understanding of how far God would go to be with us forever.  Christmas was moved to another part of the year so as not to interfere with Easter, more than likely.  Also, December 25th was chosen to coincide with pagan holidays as a form of outreach and mission to Roman citizens.  Are we so willing as to change our entire calendar and tradition just to reach out to new people for Jesus Christ?!

This leads us to our third point, that Christmas is originally a Christian celebration that has now transformed into a cultural event.  Simply put, there is a big difference between Christian Christmas and the Christmas celebrated by our culture.  Most people in America celebrate Christmas, even though most people do not attend church, and only about half of them claim to have a serious connection with Christianity.  American/European Christmas is celebrated by Jews, Hindus, atheists and agnostics every year.  But the form of Christmas is different; the only reason we celebrate Christmas in the church is to celebrate God coming into the world by sending his only begotten Son.  All of our activities that have this at their core are part of the Christian Christmas--activities such as feeding the poor, comforting the sick and anxious, worshiping God, and evangelizing.  All of our other activities, I'm afraid, are part of the cultural Christmas.  Now there is nothing inherently wrong with celebrating the cultural Christmas in our world, but we need to adamantly draw a line between the two.  Christmas trees, Santa Claus, gift exchanges and gingerbread houses are fun!  But they don't really have a whole lot to do with the "true meaning of Christmas".  Rather than being offended when people say things like "Happy Holidays", let us realize the truth, that for a lot of people around us celebrating Christmas, it is merely a cultural holiday with little to no connection to the true meaning.  It doesn't really matter whether people say they celebrate Christmas or not, because many of them simply aren't interested in celebrating Jesus Christ.  But we love them the same, as they are God's children.

And I would be irresponsible if I didn't mention just a little bit about our culture of materialism.  Black Friday and the days around it are a clear indication of how our society has moved to becoming one of mass consumption of luxury goods, placing more importance on this than any other single venture.  For the most part, Black Friday events are held in preparation for Christmas Day, where we give one another lots of presents and receive many in the process.  But accumulating material goods, particularly those we don't need, is not a wise way to prepare for Christmas.  I don't have a big problem with showing love for others through gift-giving, but we often go so far overboard that in January we are deeply in debt and exhausted from so many holiday sweets.  I wonder what Jesus would say to us today if he were to arrive once again and see our culture of mass consumption during the Christmas season?  Would he feel that this was part of his message of salvation and healing to the world?

We have an alternative in celebrating Advent.  Advent is a time of devotion, dedication and preparation for the Son.  It is a time for us to read the prophets in the Old Testament.  Start with Isaiah or Jeremiah, or the twelve minor prophets at the end of the OT.  It is a time for us to give more to those in need, particularly timely as winter approaches those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.  It is a time of witnessing to others, that we are not truly interested in getting wrapped up in worldly desires, but rather focusing heavenward and doing Christ's work as his hands and feet in this world.  Advent is a time for us to look up and pay attention to God's Kingdom rather than our own.  Advent is the alternative option to the one our world gives us, and is life-giving and restorative in the process.

I encourage us all to focus more on the Kingdom of God rather than our own world, allowing its anxieties and obligations to fall by the wayside.  In doing so, you may experience a whole new way to celebrate the holidays, but I assure you that, soon enough, it'll be beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Welcome vs. Invitation

This past Sunday in church we discussed how God is deeply intentional about inviting his children to be in relationship with him, all of them, regardless of who they are.  The text version of the sermon can be found at www.bellsprings.org, in case you missed it!  Just click on "Worship" and go to "Sermons".

Today for our devotional I wanted to build on this idea.  Too often as a church we have the idea that we are a welcoming church, and indeed we may be; but simply offering welcome to others is not the idea.  Christ does not come breaking all barriers on heaven and earth simply to be available for us to approach.  Yes, Christ is approachable, because he chose to be; but he goes another step further to invite us to approach him and enter into relationship.  Too many churches feel that their goal is to be a welcoming presence, but that people will wander into worship all on their own, uninvited.  Statistics show that most people will not enter a church without receiving a direct invitation from someone they know and trust, and only then if they are assured that this person will be present.  If this is the only thing stopping people from coming to church and entering into relationship with God, then what is stopping us?!

First, we must throw away our old assumption that people are likely to wander into our churches.  This is simply not the way our world works in 2015.  Some people will, but they are not the majority.  They may, however, be the majority of new members in your church, and that is because your church is not actively inviting anyone into its doors!  So often people will cite the evidence that all of their new members wandered in on their own, but this is a false example.  Churches will spike in attendance and participation if only their members will invite others to come.

Second, we cannot assume that most people have a church.  Statistically in the US, fewer than half of all Americans will go to church even once this year.  Are the stats better in the Southeast, here in the Bible belt?  Surprisingly, no!!!!!!!  Let's use Bell Springs UMC's community as an example.  In a five-mile radius, there are seven churches with a total attendance weekly of about 300.  And there are 4,500 people living in that radius!!!!  Did you know that 4,500 people live within five miles of our church in Noah, TN, which appears to be as rural and remote as one can get?!  Just because we have beautiful, quiet scenery does not mean we are a sparsely populated community.  And in our community, people are not going to church.  Yes, we have statistics to demonstrate this as well.

Third, we must not assume that everyone who wants to go to church already does so.  This is another misconception as well.  People don't walk into churches anymore, but that doesn't mean they don't want to be invited.  Statistics again show that 7 out of 10 people have never been personally invited to church by someone they know and trust, and if they were, a surprisingly large percentage of them would likely attend at least once.  A lot of people think that America is becoming increasingly unreligious, and while that is true, it doesn't mean they want to be.  They simply want to be wanted, to be invited, to be part of a group that will treat them as a family.  More than 90 percent of Americans believe in God, and most of these unchurched people want to learn more about that God, but may be confused about that God.  Remember that while there are many churches of all backgrounds and denominations, many of them will preach a Gospel of a judging, damning God, which is simply not the case, and certainly not the United Methodist witness.

Fourth, we must overcome our fear that inviting people to church is "pushy" or manipulative.  Certainly, you could be pushy or manipulative--but that's not our goal.  We don't want anyone to participate in the life of the church against their will, because our God does not overcome our free will to choose to love him.  If that were the case, we would be robots, unable to make our own choices in life.  Now, attempting to shame or force people to attend church is definitely the wrong way to go.  But this is a far cry from inviting them in love.  You won't ruin your relationships with your friends, family, co-workers or neighbors; rather, they will most likely be receptive and appreciate your offer.  Those who are not interested will politely decline your offer, and those interested may as for more information.

Fifth, we must be prepared to invite people to church.  Your church's website should be committed to your memory, as statistics show that more than 8 out of 10 people visit a church's website before visiting the first time, even and especially after being invited.  If you can't remember the web address, then carry it with you at all times.  It also helps to know when worship begins, what ministries and outreach programs your church offers, and how we relate to the community.  At Bell Springs our House of Ruth outreach and Backpack program with North Coffee Elementary are two great ways to get others involved and excited about being a part of our family.  You don't need to know everything about these ministries; but giving people a feel for what we do as Christians is very important because they want to understand who we are and what our priorities are.

Finally, be willing and available to help incorporate new people into the life of the church.  Especially for those whom you've invited, help them out by introducing them to others in our church so that they feel that they know more people than just you.  It's helpful to introduce people who are similar in age, life stage or profession, so that they have something to talk about.  But don't stop there; invite new congregants to lunch or dinner along with another family from the church.  This one hour of sharing a meal will help solidify their place in our church.  They will feel like they are a part of our shared family, and will begin to feel ownership of the church and its ministries.  Finally, help advise your pastor of how the church can involve the new individual or family into the life of the church through its mission and discipleship growth.  You know these new congregants best; so your advice can prove invaluable, and will be cordially welcomed by your pastor, I can promise you!

If you would like some help inviting others to church at Bell Springs UMC, visit the Information Station table in the Fellowship Hall.  There we have recently printed flyers that give general information on our church; our House of Ruth and backpack ministries; and of course the pastor's business card, which has all of the church's pertinent information, like the website and physical address.  If you feel that you could use another resource which is not yet available, let me know and I will produce it for you!

Being a welcoming church is critical; but being an invitational church is the mission of God.  Let us never hesitate to invite others to join us at the table where Christ offers himself in the fullness of time for the restoration and redemption of the world.

Our Tabernacle

On Sunday we spoke about the Tabernacle, the nomadic dwelling built especially for the LORD as the Israelites wondered through the wilderness awaiting their destination at the Promised Land.  In the Book of Exodus, we learned that very specific instructions were given to the Israelites to construct this portable marvel, and we saw that the contributions to the Tabernacle were given by those who were quite eager and desired to so give.  The wisdom which God gave the Israelites to build the Tabernacle was given by God's spirit, the wisdom to construct, weave, and assemble.  "Wisdom" is not only cognitive but can be thought of as a trade skill or ability, something completed by one's hands.

Through Jesus Christ, we learned that no longer does the spirit of God dwell within one structure, the Temple, which was the more permanent replacement of the Tabernacle under King Solomon.  Now the spirit of God dwells within the body of his only begotten Son, who came to dwell and live among us in the flesh, who died and rose again and has made God accessible to people all over the globe.  Thankfully God continues to dwell with us today in Coffee County through our church, the group of people who faithfully gather at Bell Springs UMC, as merely one "Tabernacle" of God on earth.

Our church building is best described in biblical terms as a "Tabernacle" rather than a "Temple" because Christ's body is the Temple of the LORD, whereas our church building is a temporary, earthly dwelling which invites the presence of God when two or three (or more) are gathered.  When we think about how to care for our church building and how we should consider it within our ministries, we must take care not to confuse our building with the Temple of God, which is the body of Jesus Christ.  Instead, we should consider our real estate as one of many "Tabernacles".  So what do I mean to say by this?

Perhaps obviously, first we know that we do not have a monopoly on God.  Our church is one of many where God's spirit fills the air during worship on Sunday mornings, or other times during the week as we are assembled.  The one true Temple of God is Jesus Christ, who is present and available throughout the earth, which is good because that means he is available to us right here!  But if this is true, then anytime the church (that is, the people) are gathered, Christ is present.  This includes non-church buildings, such as your home, a restaurant, your workplace, or in an open field.  Christ's presence is not limited to a building, and definitely not to our building.  This is great, because that means when we are gathered to do God's work, to fulfill the mission in the community, Christ is present with us there just as strongly as he is in church.

This also means that the church real estate must have some other purpose than merely "storing up" the spirit of God.  Like the Tabernacle in Exodus, our church serves many functional and earthly purposes, as we are people with bodies who live in a three-dimensional world.  We have very real needs, such as shelter, in order to protect us from the elements so that we can focus on worship when we do gather on Sunday mornings, for meetings, and for other studies and missions.  The church building's purpose is very practical and tangible on one hand, because we live in a practical and tangible reality.  But on the other hand, the church building helps us to connect with God, the divine, as its sole purpose is to further and strengthen our relationship with Christ while we are yet on earth.  So the church building is like the Tabernacle, in that it functions as a cross-section of time and space where heaven and earth meet.  If we are the church, and Christ is the Temple, then the church building functions as an intermediary between the two.  Simply put: us --> church building --> Christ.  The church building is not a necessary step to encounter Christ, for sure!  But it acts to speed up the process, to eliminate barriers between the two, as a catalyst, if you will.  

So how should we appropriately understand the way to use the church building, if its purpose is to function as a catalyst and "speed up" or "make simpler" our relationship with Christ?

1. We must not think of the church building as the most important part of our church's ministries, although it must not be neglected either.  Many churches will sacrifice their mission in order to preserve their building; still others will allow the building to crumble into disrepair.  We cannot do either.  The most appropriate action for us is to recognize that the true work of the church has nothing to do with our building, but the building helps us to complete that work more efficiently over time.  The building is one tool among many which we use to come closer to God and draw others into relationship with Christ.

2. We must be flexible in how we use our church building in order to better fulfill our shared mission.  Too often churches (or individuals within churches) will resist any change to their church building, in an attempt to preserve a historical memory of the past.  We cannot forget the past, nor neglect the witness of the past, but the church building is not the best means for preserving our history.  With modern technology, we are able to take pictures, keep archives, and even produce miniature models of our church buildings in an attempt to keep the past witness alive.  The church building, however, is an epicenter, a Tabernacle, for the present and future witness of the church.  To that end, we must be willing to modify, expand, tear down, remodel or re-purpose our church building at any time in order to better fulfill God's mission in our church and community.  The way humans live and interact is always changing, and so too must our real estate in order to best function as that catalyst for bringing people and one another closer to God.  The attitude of preserving the church building to maintain the past and its history comes out of an honest desire to respect and love God, but in reality it is counterproductive for this purpose.  Such individuals must be encountered with love and understanding, not chastised for unwillingness to change, but at the same time, the church must understand that these attitudes can lead us down a path of irrelevancy and ineffectiveness.

3. Our church does not exist within the walls of the building; the building is most effective when the church (the people) is actively engaging in the community, every day, but draws people, resources and energy back into the building as an epicenter of ministry.  When we think about the church and church building as synonymous, we have crippled God's ability to work through us in the world.  Instead, we need to act as if the building is an epicenter, a Tabernacle, like the locker room for a football team or desk for a teacher.  It's a place to plan, strategize, be restored, learn, and weep together.  But it's primarily a place of preparation for leaving it and going out to do the real work.  All of our shared ministry ought to return to the church building for analysis, planning, healing, etc.  That means the people we meet, the resources we gather, everything we learn and even the baggage we pick up along the way, everything should be brought back into the church building, the Tabernacle, in order to better prepare for tomorrow.  The church building ought to be a sanctuary as it is the intersection of the earthly and divine.  But when churches begin to treat their building as the end to their mission in itself, the mission has been completely bypassed.

I pray that together we would develop or maintain a healthy understanding of our church building, not in order to tear one another down or argue, but so that we may be healed and made holy for the world around us, for the sake of the Gospel, for Jesus Christ, and for God's ultimate mission to restore and reconcile all things back unto himself.

Charge Conference: The Importance of this Annual Meeting

Today at Bell Springs UMC we will be engaged in our annual Charge Conference later this evening.  For today's devotional, we're going to talk about the purpose, function and composition of the Charge Conference, as well as how this meeting may function differently in certain circumstances.

1. Holy Conferencing

Perhaps the biggest reason we hold Charge Conference each year is to have the opportunity to engage in holy conferencing, the act of gathering to plan for doing God's work in our community.  Sharing ideas, prayer and discussing the past and future of our church is all a part of holy conferencing.  Yes, we gather weekly during worship, but the purpose for holy conferencing is different in that we are worshipping through administration of our resources, our situation and our gifts and graces.  Furthermore, holy conferencing includes people from outside of the local church, such as the District Superintendent and other volunteers from the conference.  This is a unique time set aside for the mutual upbuilding of the church.

2. Celebrating God's Works

Another important part of the Charge Conference is to celebrate God's works over the past year.  First, the local church will report many of these works through different documents, such as the Pastor's Report, Finance Report, Trustees' Report, etc.  Secondly, we will discuss together how God has been moving in our congregation over the past year and perhaps further, giving thanks for the actions of the Holy Spirit in thriving our church.  Moreover, at the Charge Conference we have the privilege of witnessing these works to one another and therefore to take them to others in our community.  Gathering all of the information and stories together helps us not to forget how good God has been to us in the past.

3. Planning for the Future

Just as the Charge Conference looks in thankfulness to the past, it also turns an eye into the future to where God is leading us as a congregation.  Already, our congregation has begun to lay a framework for administering the church in 2016, and many of these key elements will be voted on and approved by the Charge Conference this evening.  Some examples include our annual budget, the pastor's salary, and our leadership team.  Preparing the way for the future, such that our church is able to live truly into God's will for our community, is a significant purpose of the Charge Conference.  Without prior planning, we might spend more of that future on unnecessary and costly administration when we could have been ready for making disciples of Jesus Christ for the glory of God's Kingdom.

4. Unifying the Congregation

Still another important piece of the Charge Conference is to help create and extend unity among the different families and leaders in the church.  The stories we tell of God's works in the past and future projects will bind us together further as a family, as we will be then given the opportunity to pray for one another, even for those ministries in which we do not directly have a hand.  Furthermore, reporting the various ministries of the church helps to keep everyone on the same page and quells rumors and misunderstandings which could hinder our shared work in the future.  Finally, the Charge Conference helps to illumine the ways in which our church is working with other churches in the connection or outside of the connection towards building the Kingdom of God.  All of these actions help to bind us together in the Holy Spirit through improved communication, prayer and mutual understanding.

5. Episcopal Partnership

The fifth and final point I'd like to make about the Charge Conference is that it is a time for the episcopacy, that is, the leadership of the bishop and his/her superintendent, to directly connect and partner with the local church towards shared ministry in the conference.  Once again, as United Methodists, we do not exist in a vacuum, and our church is not isolated from all others; we are united and in partnership with all other United Methodist churches directly through the oversight and leadership of the episcopacy.  This relationship is reciprocal; our church supports the wider mission of the United Methodist Church, and the wider United Methodist Church supports our church in our mission directly to our community.  The time we set aside for this Charge Conference allows for the episcopacy to analyze how they are best able to assist us in the local church.  The annual Charge Conference solidifies the relationship between the episcopacy through the district superintendent and the local church at Bell Springs UMC.  

Ways of Conducting the Charge Conference

There is more than one way to conduct the church's Charge Conference each year, which might be confusing.  The district superintendent is directly responsible for receiving the church's reports from each year and for engaging in this holy conferencing; but exactly how he/she does this is flexible.  Currently in the Murfreesboro District (which includes our church), the Rev. Dr. LeNoir Culbertson conducts Charge Conferences in what are known as clusters.  Multiple churches will gather together at a central location in their neighborhood to report and conference together as one.  Individual churches will vote on their business individually, but then the church representatives will gather together from many churches to celebrate and converse.  This helps to extend connectivity between churches in a geographical area, as well as free up the district superintendent's resources to allow for a better Charge Conference.

However, there are exceptions to this rule.  For example, this year, churches who have had a pastoral change in 2015 will conduct their Charge Conference individually at their building.  We at Bell Springs UMC are in this category; since the pastor has arrived in June of this year, we will otherwise be alone.  This is not a punishment by any means!  First, a new pastor is likely to need extra guidance under the supervision of a new district superintendent as to what he/she expects in preparation.  Also, the local church may need more time to discuss the pastoral transition with the district superintendent.  Since pastoral transitions tend to bring about a lot of change in the local church, our district superintendent has elected to hold our Charge Conference independently to provide the extra episcopal partnership we may need.

But in the future we will almost certainly see new ways of holding the Charge Conference.  In previous churches where I have served, I have seen a hybrid of the above two systems, where paperwork was handled separately from conferencing, with ordained pastors leading the voting, without the presence of the district superintendent.  The Book of Discipline, the United Methodist book of church law, allows for flexibility and creativity dependent upon the situation of the local church and episcopacy.  And my prayer is that in the future, we would also be flexible should we be asked to undergo Charge Conference in a new way.  

The above five points, however, do not change from area to area.  At all United Methodist Charge Conferences, there needs to be an opportunity for holy conferencing between all present, which by the way includes any member of the local church who wishes to attend.  No matter where we are, the Charge Conference should be looking to the past in thankfulness of God's loving works, while also planning ahead into the future to await God's plans.  The Charge Conference should always develop connectivity, trust and partnership between the members of the church, as well as between the church and episcopacy.  This is an opportunity for all to gather in God's name for the upbuilding of God's Kingdom.

And no matter how we gather, whether at Charge Conference or otherwise throughout the year, let us always do so in gentleness and love, as is befitting our identity in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who is, and was, and is to come again.

Presence and the Community of Faith

"Best of all is God is with us." --John Wesley, founder of Methodism

God is great.  God has created the universe and everything in it, imparting a special image upon humankind and cultivating the earth with a delicate and purposeful touch.  God is so large and unsearchable that we can only imagine all the things God could do if God desired.  But out of everything that God is capable of doing, God has chosen for his mission to primarily be one of presence, to be with us as his children.  This is our celebration and joy, that our Father who art in heaven would so constantly delve into our midst, even though we first turned away from God.  

God's decision to be God with us, Immanuel, in the flesh through Jesus Christ, is the boldest claim of Christianity and is the center of everything we are and believe.  Yes, God has saved us through his Son, but he has only done so because he resolved to spend eternity dwelling with us.  Yes, God works miracles of healing and reconciliation, but only because first he chose to be in solidarity with us throughout our lives.  Everything in Scripture can be routed back to the idea that God wants to be in relationship with us, all of us, forever; so what does that mean for us at Bell Springs UMC, for our church's mission to the community?  

If God's greatest act of love is to be with us, then our greatest act of love is to be with God as well, and to be with one another.  Often when we think of giving to others, we think of wealth, skills or other goods that they need.  But the greatest gift we can offer anyone is the gift of ourselves, the gift of presence.  When we think about growing in God's love and developing as Christians, as more deeply committed disciples of Jesus Christ, we cannot do so without intentionally being present with people as God has already chosen to be with us.  If you want to come closer to God, then coming closer to God's children is an excellent place to begin.

God's being with us is not limited to the spiritual realm.  God has proven that God has decided to be with us in the flesh, which we of course know because Jesus Christ came to be with us in person.  Even though it may seem that God is too big or beyond us to become this intimate, he appeared in Christ to show that God is fully resolute to be with us physically and relationally.  But God does not stop there, as Jesus was not simply roaming the streets trying to convince us of anything.  Jesus Christ intentionally takes the time to form relationships with people in order to connect emotionally.  Think of the time when Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus; the time when Jesus was betrayed by his own disciples; the time when he cared for the Samaritan woman at the well.  God has resolved to be with us physically, spiritually and emotionally, and we are called to do the same as his disciples.  This presence does not happen automatically; it is with great intention that we form such relationships with new people and enter into their lives in an intimate way which transforms them and us.

So if God's greatest gift is to be with us fully, and our greatest gift to one another is to be with one another fully, then inviting others into our midst is the single greatest gift we have to offer.  Often, churches run membership drives and campaigns out of a desire to build up their own church and even carry out their own agenda.  But this is not our motivation at Bell Springs.  If we seek to carry out God's mission for us, then we will act like we believe that God is with us, and we will intentionally enter into relationship with those around us with the goal of inviting them into our church so that they may know the God who has amazingly and unselfishly decided to be God with them.  The mission of God--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--is to be with us fully, and for us to be fully with him.  The church is merely those who have gathered to begin this process, and we cannot grow in this mission without more people inviting more people to be with God.  How could we claim to be God's disciples without inviting everyone we can to be with us, to be with God, and to participate in God's Kingdom here on earth through the church?

The Cost of Discipleship

On Sunday we discussed how as Christians living into the mission of God, we cannot be complacent in our faith, but instead must be intentional about being disciples of Jesus Christ.  It is far too easy, especially in America, to assume that because we are saved that we are automatically living into Christ's calling upon our lives.  Worse still, some people believe that if they just don't sin in a few major ways, such as avoiding murder or adultery, that they have completed living into their calling.  While avoiding sin is definitely part of the healing process of sanctification, it is only one small part of our calling; we are challenged to give all of ourselves to Christ, no longer living to pursue our own agendas, but rather pursuing the Kingdom of God.  Today let's look more closely at Luke 14:25-33 to look at the massive cost of discipleship, to see just how intentional we are supposed to be in our faith for Jesus Christ.

The Scripture reads as follows: "Now large crowds were traveling with  him; and he turned and said to them, 'Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.  For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what kind, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand?  If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.  So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.'"

This is one of the hardest sections of Scripture to take seriously, because it appears to hold a lot in contradiction with both other teachings and with our lifestyles as Christians.  First, let's tackle the section about hating our family members.  This seems to be especially difficult because in the church in the 20th century, we have upheld family values higher than anything else.  If we have any reason to be suspicious of traditional family values, raising the family to the highest unit in our faith, this Scripture is the reason.  How can God call us to loving our neighbor but hating our own family?!  What kind of God is this, who would have us forsake our own children?!

Well, we know from Scripture that loving others as ourselves is certainly part of the Christian life.  So we know for certain that loving our family in a sacrificial way is on track with Christ's calling upon our lives.  But in history and human psychology, we tend to put our family above all things.  We have the belief that blood runs thicker than water.  When Christ tells us to hate our family, he is calling us to reject the notion that blood family relationships are first and foremost in the Kingdom of Heaven.  How many times does Christ call people unrelated to him his "brothers"?  Many, and for good reason; Christ is redefining the way human relationships work by dissolving traditional family ties in favor of incorporating all of humanity together in a common family.  Treating people with privilege because you are related by blood is not compatible with the Gospel; rather, we are called to treat all people around us as brothers and sisters of the same family.  This is very difficult because we love our family so much, and with good reason!  But when you consider the cost of discipleship, you have to consider this in your calculations.  If we claim to be Christian but put our own family well ahead of our brothers and sisters in our community, we are living in sin and need God to forgive us and accept our repentance.  It doesn't mean you can't take care of your family members; it means that you are to consider all those around you as your family, with the same love and passion which you offer your spouse, children, parents and siblings.  If we were to use this Scripture as a test for how well the church is doing in the world, we would receive a failing grade for sure.

Next, it is so often in the church in the world today that we encourage people to become Christian and join the church without preparing them for the road to discipleship that is difficult and incredibly costly.  It's far too easy for people to "get saved" only to live their lives as usual, with no strings attached, with a ticket to heaven in hand.  Being a Christian is not something that we add to our lives in order to have eternal security; it is something that provokes us to give up our entire lives, our own identities, for the sake of God's Kingdom, in this world and the next.  Being a Christian is like building a tower; it comes at great cost, and it is unwise to begin building this tower without any real intention to complete it.  We claim to be Christians, that we would give our lives over to God, only to take back our promises in an effort to live our lives just as we please.  Our agendas take precedence over God's, and we simply use Christianity and God as an effort to pursue those agendas.  We are called to have our agendas go unfulfilled so that God's agenda might become a reality in this world.  We are called to give up our identities, our selves, everything that we relate to and are, and instead become empty vessels for God's sake, for the redemption of the world and the coming of the Kingdom.  And when we share this radical Gospel with the world, we ought to prepare them by giving them the costs up front, so that they know whether or not they'd like to pursue this alternative lifestyle of discipleship.

Simply put, the cost of discipleship is the cross.  Christians are called to death--not a fun death, not a happy death, but a painful, sacrificial death, alongside Christ who dies in solidarity with us.  This death continues every day, a death to ourselves that leads us away from doing whatever we feel like doing and turns us to prioritize the Kingdom of Heaven in our daily actions.  And in this death there is resurrection, a rebirth that confounds the world and all of its research, philosophy and politics.  No longer are we prisoners in our own bodies, but rather we are made new creations, people who are unlike ourselves in the flesh, made anew more like Christ with each passing moment.  We are not resurrected without Christ; rather, we are resurrected into Christ's own body, and counted as one of God's children.  Even though the cost is extremely high, the reward is that we would be with God in a new, profound way, and that we would be with this God for eternity.  Eternal life is meaningless if you don't really love God, because you'll have to put up with him forever!  People who hate God are  not so much "sent" to eternal separation as many have suggested; if anyone hates God, why on earth would they want to spend eternity with him?!  The cost of eternity is giving up yourself and living with God on earth for this brief moment; if you don't want to do that for a short time period, then why would you want to do that forever?!  I'm convinced that eternal separation only happens when human beings desire for it to be so, because we have decided in this life that we'll give anything to escape God and live for ourselves.  And there are plenty of self-proclaimed Christians who spend their whole lives avoiding God's Kingdom in an effort to build their own kingdoms, their own legacies, and avoid the cross at all costs.  

When you consider your faith, your Christianity, your life in church, think about the costs again--and see whether you're truly ready to pay the price, to love one another at all costs, to give yourself over fully to the cross, to embrace the death that comes with each day.  I encourage you to see that the price is worth a life with our gracious and loving God; but if you don't truly love God, the price will be truly insurmountable, and all will be able to see the unfinished tower of  your life.

Hospitality into action

This past Sunday we talked about hospitality as we examined Genesis 18:1-8 and Matthew 25:31-46.  (I recommend reviewing these Scriptures before continuing.)  We discussed some key elements to biblical hospitality.  Some of those include: a sense of importance/urgency in offering hospitality; providing others with our finest goods rather than saving those for ourselves; being intentional and proactive when offering hospitality to others rather than waiting for them to ask; and Jesus' exertion that hospitality should be extended to include people who are deemed "the least of these", even when doing so breaks social barriers, as Jesus very clearly sides with the "have-nots" of our world.

But what does good Christian hospitality look like in our daily life?  How can we make sure that we are showing hospitality in unlikely places, and projecting Christ's love through that hospitality to all whom we meet?  Today let's examine some opportunities we have for welcoming the neighbor--lest we accidentally or unintentionally forget our neighbor through offering poor hospitality.

One area where most of us could show better hospitality is on the road.  All too often, we fall victim to propagating road rage when we are running behind schedule or another driver is inconsiderate.  The only thing road rage accomplishes is keeping anger in  your heart and discouraging you from being hospitable to other drivers.  Even when it is dark outside, other people can see you and are aware of who you might be; what kind of witness shall we offer the world?  What would Christ do behind the wheel?  Allowing others to get in front of you, to pass, or to make a difficult turn are all ways to demonstrate hospitality on the road, a place where most of us will end up most days.  Note that even though you demonstrate hospitality while driving, that does not make it any more likely for you to receive hospitality--we must not fall victim to the trap of showing anger or frustration to others because we have been treated poorly.  Christian hospitality is not based on the graciousness of those receiving it--it is based on the gracious gift of Jesus Christ, who came into our world, humbly, as a servant.

Inviting people to join events and ministries in our church is another great way of demonstrating hospitality.  Not an invitation based on fear for hell, of course, but one centered on loving other people enough that you're willing to spend the rest of your life next to them on a pew in church and work together in our community.  Inviting others into the life of the church shows hospitality by showing that you are interested in their lives, and you would like to be in a deeper relationship with them.  The Gospel is the greatest invitation into hospitality that exists in our world, and when you invite others to your church, you are passing along that same invitation that has existed for thousands of years, an invitation into the very heart of God.  But your invitations cannot solely be for people who are similar to you or live very close to you; our hearts must be aching to invite all those whom we encounter in our community, that even those who are completely different in background, ideology or situation would be lovingly welcomed into our congregation.  Christian hospitality is not based on fixing other people, "sinners", but is rooted in an ethereal desire to be in a long-term friendship with other people.

When we think about the world we live in, we must realize that we no longer live in a world that is solely based on face-to-face interactions.  Our reality is that we exist partially in the physical world and partially in the virtual world, online, through social media, websites and e-communications.  And it is such a pity how human beings are willing to treat each other with such malice in this Brave New Online World.  When we post on Facebook or Instagram, especially when we "share" memes that make political or ideological statements, (or when commenting on such remarks), we must realize that we are projecting ideas and images that can inadvertently be very painful for others.  Taking a very strong stance on any issues online should probably be avoided as such messages will effectively be closing doors to relationships with other people.  Hospitality is more important than being "right" on social and political issues, and should dominate the way we think about interacting with other people online.  Yes, you have every right to voice your opinion on the internet, but perhaps we should not be exercising that specific right so often.  How many times do we post memes that reach out to people who are hurting in various ways, offering them a loving shoulder to cry upon?  How often do we comment on news sites offering reconciliation where there is division?  Christian hospitality has nothing to do with sharing the same ideas, beliefs or understandings as other people; it is instead rooted in love for other people, even when we understand their beliefs and views to be contrary to our own.

Finally, we can come back to a more obvious area of Christian hospitality, which is providing basic needs to those who live without them.  This could include anything such as helping to provide clean water, nourishing food, warm clothing, dignifying education, adequate health care, stable employment, etc.  Many ministries of our church are designed to be avenues for you to help contribute, along with all of us, to help provide to other people according to their needs.  Providing others' basic needs is at the heart of hospitality, but too often becomes something we hope other people do, rather than take responsibility ourselves.  Furthermore, we tend not to give to other people, either because we fear for our own future stability, we wish to adorn ourselves with luxury and wealth, or because we are prejudiced against the poor and feel that they should pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.  No one has ever become poor and unable to provide for themselves by giving too much away, unless they really wanted to live that life.  In general, our giving is shallow and limited compared to the amount and quality of what we could be doing for others.  Hospitality can be thought of as the opposite of selfishness: when our world revolves around ourselves, we will take very good care of ourselves and only help others when we suspect that it will bring us a good reputation, better karma, etc.  "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" is not a phrase found in the Bible, nor in the witness of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Christian hospitality is not rooted in fear for ourselves or spoiling others; instead, it insists upon providing others' basic needs without the assumption of payback, loyalty or even a change of heart.  We do not only provide to those whom help themselves, nor do we only assist those who are willing to believe in the Gospel.  If this were the case, then none of us would be recipients of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a life-giving and world-altering message that was given to us for free at the highest cost possible.

How are you showing hospitality in your life?  How intentional are you about that hospitality?

Welcoming the Stranger: The UMC's Response to the Syrian Crisis

This past Sunday we discussed the topic of "neighbor" in the Bible.  We came to the conclusion that anyone we come into contact with is our neighbor.  Migration is a big topic right now with the crisis in Syria, where hundreds of thousands of people are forced to relocated and make a new home among new people.  It's not that they want to move to Europe or North America--it's that they have to find a new home or face the terror of the group ISIS, leading to dehumanizing enslavement and torturous death.

Today, the Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church released an article about the Syrian crisis and how the United Methodist Church is engaging to help.  Remember that we are in this work together, as our church pays apportionments, many of which go to fund the work of this agency.  While we are not directly impacted, as no migrants are yet reported to be taking refuge in Coffee County, I thought it would be great for us to inform ourselves as to what the greater United Methodist Church is doing, and how we can be prepared to support our global efforts in the future.

The following is the article published earlier today.  I have copied and pasted it for our devotional this week.  As you read, consider the following: how can I support my neighbor, even when I don't know them?  

Welcoming the Stranger: Difficult and Necessary

The arrival in Europe of massive numbers of Middle Eastern refugees is causing crises for humanitarian organizations and churches as well as for governments. At such a time, scripture draws us to Matthew 25:35b: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” Jesus said in a sermon about the behavior he expects of those whose lives reflect the grace and love of God.

The thousands of displaced persons pouring out of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and various parts of Africa into Europe put a tremendous strain on regional and global economics, political and social systems, and human compassion. Christians know our responsibility: Welcome the stranger, and that can be a tough mandate, difficult and risky, demanding of sober realism, and also full of potential for new insights and understandings about human and cultural relations.

United Methodists are wondering and asking the General Board of Global Ministries about how The United Methodist Church in Europe and at the international level is responding to the migration crisis. The information below is an attempt to respond to the most-common questions and concerns.

Scope of the Crisis

The thousands of people entering Europe include war refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants seeking better ways of life. Nation states treat each of these groups differently. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 14) and various United Nations protocols on refugees put responsibility on nations to accept and assist persons seeking asylum when facing death or loss of freedom at home. Host countries are expected to recognize the right of asylum, allow safe entry and/or passage, and provide long-term needs for work, education, legal aid, and documents for travel. The church and other humanitarian organizations try to serve all who stand in need.

While the European Commission is currently trying to place 160,000 persons currently in Greece, Hungary, and Italy into other European countries, the total number that have arrived in those countries so far this year is 549,000, and some 794,000 persons have applied for asylum across Europe. The number of refugees in Europe by the end of 2015 is expected to be 4.7 million. (Statistics from the European Commission, the United Nations, and other sources, as compiled and reported on September 10 by The New York Times.)

Care for the refugees is one component of the crisis. Another component is nations finding ways to stop the conflicts that give rise to displaced persons: by bringing peace to Syria and ending the violence against civilians; controlling the so-called Islamic State which has overrun parts of Syria and Iraq, and persuading Middle Eastern and Arab states that are harbingers of much of the problem to become advocates for peace, justice, and honesty. The refugee crisis will not be solved until the states of the Middle East and Arab lands learn conciliation, and we must acknowledge that many of those states are allies of the affluent nations of Europe and North America.

Prayer

Prayer is one immediate response Christians can take, prayer for peaceful means to bring an end to military actions causing such widespread displacement of people from Syria and Iraq; prayer that refugees will be welcomed around the world with warm, calm hospitality; prayer for those who provide asylum and refuge. A collection of prayers from Germany reminds us to pray for the exhausted people on the move as well as those still in refugee camps in the Middle East; to “strengthen our connection with Jesus” as we minister in his name; to pray that politics “find its right mind” in confronting the situation; and to thank God for all who provide care — for all the “unconditional charity and solidarity” that is coming from the churches — and that in this time that God’s will be done on earth. (See also a prayer from UMCOR at http://www.umcor.org/umcor/resources/hotline-news-archives/2015/september/umcor- hotline-for-september-9.)

Local Responses

The pathways of the current refugees are from southern and southeastern Europe toward northern and western Europe, notably Germany. The small — very small — United Methodist communities on the route are joining neighbors to meet immediate needs for food, water, and clothing.

• In Macedonia, which is on the refugee route from Turkey and Greece, church members and employees of the Miss Stone Center, a diaconal institution, are greeting the travelers and responding to the immediate needs.
• In Hungary, United Methodist congregations in Budapest are active in “Christians for Migrants,” a group offering assistance in refugee camps. The Hungarian United Methodist Church is a member of Hungarian Interchurch Aid, also active in the camps. The Wesleyan Alliance, in which Methodists are involved, set up a baby-bath center at Keleti Railway station.
• In Austria, United Methodists are working with Caritas, a new group called “Train of Hope,” and Diakonie Austria. A diaconal (ministry) center in Linz [Diakonie Zentrum Spattstrasse] has opened living space for unaccompanied minor refugees.
• In Germany, the destination of many refugees because of an open welcome, the public support system is better equipped to handle the influx than in less-highly organized and less-affluent areas. Germany has a long memory of dealing with mass movement of people from the days after World Wars I and II and the opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The difficulties of many refugees in reaching Germany, though, is raising human rights concerns. “The right of individuals from all countries to ask for asylum is under threat,” said United Methodist Bishop Rosemarie Wenner of Germany. “We as people of faith have to make use of the fact that the reality proves the failure of the current regulations to work not only for humanitarian aid but also for more just procedures for those who come to Europe.” For those who do reach Germany, many churches are opening their doors to house them.

(For more information on local efforts, see “European Refugee Aid Goes Beyond Food,” http://www.umc.org/news-and-media/european-refugee-aid-goes-beyond-food).

The Work of UMCOR

United Methodist leaders in Europe and the United States are encouraging church members to contribute to the work of UMCOR. For years, UMCOR has worked with partners in serving persons displaced by fighting in Syria and Iraq, and persons temporarily living in other Middle Eastern locations or making their way westward. To date, UMCOR has allocated $2 million to provide the basics of life to persons displaced in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Turkey. Middle Eastern countries of far less affluence than the nations of Europe have proportionately admitted many, many more migrants than are now entering Europe. Our work among those displaced persons must continue. In addition, UMCOR is collaborating with partners to provide for refugee families in Greece, including the islands of Lesbos and Kos. With an Italian partner, it is responding to refugees from North Africa arriving in Sicily and other parts of Italy.

Next steps in ministries with the asylum seekers will be guided in large part by the recommendations coming from the European Methodist Council, of which The United Methodist Church is a part, which will be meeting in mid-September. European and international ecumenical organizations are urging all of the churches and church-related humanitarian organizations to collaborate in the long-term work of resettlement, much of which will be in Europe. Concerning the Middle East, we have long-term relationships with the Middle East Council of Churches and its member communions.

Contributions to UMCOR’s ongoing work with the refugees/migrants in Europe and the Middle East should be made to the International Disaster Relief Fund, Advance #982450, at www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/Search-for-Projects/Projects/982450.

Enlarging the Welcome

The question on many lips is, “Why is the U.S. not doing more to respond to the European refugee crisis?” The U.S. currently has a ceiling of 70,000 carefully screened refugees for 2015. Since the war in Syria began in 2011, only 1,500 identifiable Syrians have been admitted as refugees, with another 300 expected by the end of September. At the same time, the U.S. is the largest donor of funds for humanitarian assistance among those displaced by the Syrian/Iraqi wars, having given $4.1 billion in the last four years. Secretary of State John Kerry announced on September 9 that the U.S. would raise the refugee ceiling to 75,000 for 2016, and of those, 33,000 slots would be for persons from unnamed locations in the Near East and South Asia. A subsequent White House announcement directed the administration to prepare to take in an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year, in its first specific commitment toward increasing its acceptance of refugees from the country.

Global Ministries welcomes these announced increases, but finds them inadequate. We agree with human rights and relief agencies that the U.S. Congress should allow 100,000 refugees from the Syrian-Iraqi conflict to enter the country. Our relief partner, Church World Service (CWS), is one of the agencies organizing the campaign, and churches that want to join in the call to Congress can find information online at http://www.cwsglobal.org/get-involved/advocacy/syrian-refugees-need-your-voice.html. The care of the refugees, however, is not only the responsibility of the U.S. and European nations; other wealthy nations, such as Saudi Arabia and those of the Gulf States, need to do a great deal more to absorb refugees and provide for the care of those displaced in the region.

Resettling Refugees in the U.S.

Congregations that want to apply as sponsors for refugee resettlement must follow the rules of their respective countries. In the U.S., this means working through a local or regional organization certified as a refugee resettlement agency, and for United Methodists this means CWS, our long-time partner in refugee resettlement.

CWS has a network of its own and affiliate offices spread across the U.S. A list of those offices is online http://www.cwsglobal.org/our-work/refugee-services/irp-affiliates.html. Contact information for the CWS main office is online at http://www.cwsglobal.org/our- work/refugee-services/irp-offices.html. UMCOR does not have a refugee resettlement program, but refers interested United Methodists to CWS.

Concern for Backlash

We must realistically acknowledge the risks that are involved in welcoming strangers from politically volatile regions in a time of tight security concerns brought on by terrorist activities. We would be blind to ignore this factor. One terrorist attack by a “refugee” in Germany or the United States would change the whole lay of the land, causing social backlash against all migrants and potential international chaos. The avoidance of such incidents brings us back to the need for creative action to bring an end to conflict and militancy.

We must also be alert to the possibility of “charity fatigue” on the part of those assisting the migrants should this mass movement of people continue well into the future. This raises the need for taking time for our own spiritual and physical renewal as we seek to help others.

Interfaith Implications

Since most of the new refugees are Muslim, interfaith relations becomes an issue when newcomers are resettled among majority Christian populations and culture. The arrival of migrants is an opportunity for the practice of Christian hospitality and efforts toward strong, respectful interfaith dialogue and community interaction.

The United Methodist Church, through its legislating General Conference, has provided guidelines on interreligious relations. These can be found in The Book of Resolutions 2012, item 3141, beginning on page 269. The document is online at http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/called-to-be-neighbors-and-witnesses-guidelines- for-interreligious-relation. Other relevant resources can be found on the website of the General Board of Church and Society at http://umc-gbcs.org/resolutions/our-muslim- neighbors.

Mission and Humanitarian Service

In serving the needs of refugees/migrants in Europe and the Middle East we reach toward a world of peace and justice, where children can grow to adulthood without fear, and families can live in harmony with their neighbors far and near.

Thomas Kemper
General Secretary
General Board of Global Ministries
The United Methodist Church

- See more at: http://www.umcmission.org/learn-about-us/news-and-stories/2015/september/0911welcomingthestranger#sthash.KrR6qZWH.dpuf

Genuine Love

This past Sunday we had a guest preacher, the Rev. Louis Johnson, who was the pastor of Bell Springs UMC for seventeen years before his final retirement.  It was such a joy to have Louis in the pulpit, even though I wasn't there to personally enjoy it!  He told me that he would be preaching on "genuine love" and so I thought we'd look at the Scripture, I John 4:7-21, to look at God's perspective on love to compliment our lesson from Sunday.

It occurs to me that as many of us are reading I John 4:7-21, we could get just as many viewpoints and perspectives on what it means.  That's true with all Scripture--but in particular this one, because the primary operating word is "love".  Especially in English, we use this word to mean dozens of different things!  For example, "I love ice cream" is not the same as "I love my children" nor the dreaded sixteen-year old hastily whispering "I love you" after four weeks of dating!  The way we love our career, our friends, our neighbors, and our pets is each a little different.

Not to mention, that many of us have been the target of the opposite of love: hate.  Whether this hate has arrived in the form of abuse, violence, malice, gossip, injustice, or any number of other sources, most likely a combination, given our background histories, we would be likely to say that love is the opposite of those experiences that have been the darkest in our lives.  So our version of "love" would specifically and directly be a counter-response to our past often times.  For example, if you were cheated on by a partner in the past, then you would be quick to define "love" as "loyalty"; if you were subject to violence, then you might make sure to include "peace" or "respect" in your definition of love.

I'm not suggesting that love cannot include these things, but when we look at Scripture, we need to come to the text in such a way that we do not add our own meaning into it, but rather, listen closely to God's word and allow it to redefine our perspectives.  The word "love" is very difficult because we have so many uses for the word; but when we talk about God's love, or the love God requires of us, we are discussing a very specific love, a love which may challenge the way we assume we should be loving.  

And finally, I John 4 is not the only place in the Bible where we find the topic of love; there are so many examples, we would never be able to discuss all of them.  But what we can do is to read this text to see how it transforms the way we understand what it means to use this word "love" as Christians, as God's people.

Verse 7 actually affirms what I've claimed so far: "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God."  This is a really bold statement, because it suggests that the only way people are truly capable of love, of genuine love, is through God and God's love.  Again, we can use the term "love" to describe something which everyone is capable of in this world; but genuine love, God's love, true "love" is a term reserved for God and those who are with God.  God is the center of all love, so, in verse 8, it reads, "Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."  As Christians, we do not say that non-Christians are incapable of love; we claim that human beings have tainted love, have turned love into something it isn't, and can only understand genuine, true love, God's love, if God redefines what it means for us to love one another.  Even Christians will love one another in sin, but our hope is that through God, we might be refined and purged so that our love can be more genuine and pure, that is, more like God's love.  If you need examples of "sinful love", think about those who love selfishly, who love violence, who love themselves only.  Fifty Shades of Grey comes to mind as a contemporary example.

So what is God's genuine love?  The next verse helps clarify: "God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him."  This is a bold claim, because it demonstrates how God is redefining love through the example of his Son Jesus Christ, who did not show love the way we tend to on earth!!  Jesus demonstrates love an infinite number of ways, but chiefly among them includes sacrifice.  Verse 10 continues: "In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent  his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins."  And verse 11: "Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another."  

To put it simply, God's love is first and foremost self-sacrificial for the benefit of all humankind.  The most impressive and clear way that we know God's love is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  We often think of Jesus' sacrifice as giving his life up and willingly heading to the cross, but we find through the Gospel that everything Jesus did was sacrifice.  First, Jesus sacrificed comfort and assurance when he became human; while he was still the King, the Firstborn, he was not recognized in this way during his lifetime, sacrificing the honor that comes with being God!  Then, Jesus sacrificed by suffering a life on earth putting on flesh, enduring all of the pain and suffering we know here in this world.  Jesus did not build up his own kingdom, but worked for God's Kingdom, sacrificing his identity and self-hood so that his Father in heaven could be glorified.  He sacrificed his time, treasure and talent in order to heal, deliver and teach us.  Each moment of his life was pouring out for us, and all of this would come to a crescendo at Calvary, where Christ did not withhold even his earthly life for us.  Christ's offering of himself could stop at death, but not even did this prevent him from sacrificing glory in heaven; rather, Christ welcomed us to share in that glory for all of eternity, proving that Christ truly exists for the singular purpose of loving humanity, because we know that God's love is sacrificial for others.

The next time we think about love, if we are going to live as Christians, then we ought to recognize that God's love is primarily a love of sacrifice for others, not only those for whom we desire to sacrifice, but for all others around us: our neighbors.  When you say, "I love you", and you do so through Christ who strengthens you, do you really mean that you would make real sacrifices for that person?  If you say you love God, for example, will you sacrifice your time and resources for the building of his Kingdom?  If you say that you love your neighbors, are you willing to truly love them by spending time with them, praying for them and helping provide their earthly needs?  

Just as "faith" is more of a verb than a noun, as we discussed in last week's post, so too is "love" a physical, intentional action rather than simply a warm, fuzzy feeling.  And we are called to enact that love for God's Kingdom to come, for God's will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.

Faith, Belief, and Fruitful Works

In American Christianity we have placed a great emphasis on our eternal salvation and how to "get" saved.  That makes sense and is not difficult to believe, because Americans are well-known for being quintessentially pragmatic and oriented towards the future.  But God is not only concerned about your salvation--in fact, he isn't much worried about it at all, seeing that he is the source of salvation and knows he has already provided it to you, if you even desire it for a bit!  But when you're saved, or when you decide to live into your faith after being raised in the church, you do not drop dead!  Rather, you continue to live and work in this world.  This fact is proof that even though you are saved, God has intentions for your life to continue in this world, for one reason or another.

That intention and purpose is God's mission for us.  Simply put, God's mission is to redeem and restore all things back unto himself--and our mission is to join him wherever we find him at work around us.  That makes sense because if we are in relationship with God, and God can be found in a particular place or engaged in a particular activity, we would naturally desire to greet him and be with him!!  Imagine a friend or family member whom  you love with a flat tire along the road, or hosting a dinner party.  Do you avoid this person, driving past or screening your calls, actively seeking to disengage with him or her?  Or do we offer a hand, strike up a conversation, fully acknowledging and participating in life alongside him or her?  Better yet, what would it say about your relationship with this person if you always ignored him or her rather than engage?

James is making a distinction between two words in his letter to the twelve tribes: faith is not being used the same as the word belief.  In James 2:19, believers are compared to demons; what we have in common with demons is our knowledge and acknowledgement of God's existence.  Why would demons shudder if they did not believe God to be powerful somehow?  But what these demons do not have in common with us is that they lack faith in God, which is the self-assurance in God the Father, a relationship with Christ the Son, and heeding the guidance of God the Holy Spirit.  Faith requires belief, but is so much more than just a mental admittance, "I believe in God."

But pastor!  What about John 3:16?!  "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."  This is an excellent question you've asked, and is one worth discussing more deeply.  It appears that this verse is in contradiction with James 2:19!  (We are in luck!  The truth is that whenever you find two Scriptures that appear to be in contradiction with one another, you have found an especially powerful opportunity to search and study more deeply, allowing God to inspire and renew your mind and heart in new ways!)

Our American obsession with belief rather than faith has allowed John 3:16 to become the most familiar and quoted verse of the Bible in our time; but ancient and medieval Christians did not use this verse all that often.  But since we focus so heavily on obtaining salvation, this verse has been pressed into our memories, recited by our hearts, and written on our faces at sports games.  That is not any problem, because it's a great verse!  But let's read the context around John 3:16 more deeply to see what John really means by the word believe as he uses it.  

*Remember that when you read the Scripture, you are reading different books and letters written by different people, each one inspired by God uniquely.  Just like people use language a little differently in our day and world, so too did the apostles, like John and James.

In John 3 Jesus reminds Nicodemus about the situation in the Book of Numbers where Moses was instructed to fashion a bronze serpent in the wilderness.  (Read Numbers 21:1-9 for the background story if you're not familiar with it.)  Even though venomous snakes surrounded the Israelites' feet, if they looked up and gazed upon the bronze serpent, they were spared.  Now, what kind of person would actually take their eyes off of the ground, away from poisonous snakes crawling all around, in order to look up at a bronze statue?!  Only someone who really believed, with enough faith in God working through Moses, would actually follow through with the command.  You could discuss how much you think God would or would not command you to do so; you can say you believe in theory but not in practice; you can claim other gods or doctors or whoever could possibly save you instead; but when you are bitten by a snake, no belief, understanding, ideology or position is going to save you from the venom.  You need an anti-venom.  Salvation, that is, God's anti-venom of sin and death, is only being used by those who believe in God and actually trust him enough to look upward for an unlikely panacea, rather than starting downward, trying to resolve the situation without God.  What good is anti-venom if you aren't going to use it?!

True faith has what we call "works" or "actions".  Faith is rooted in trust of God, and directs us to operating in a particular way.  Rather than trying to create our own anti-venom for our sins, we trust in God's healing as we look up--and, out of our love for others, we encourage those around us who are sick with sin to look up as well, so that they can have access to the anti-venom too!!

So when Jesus is speaking in the Book of John, we find the verb believe to be referring back directly to the story of the bronze serpent in the wilderness, which is the verse immediately beforehand, 3:15.  The "belief" found in this story, as we have already demonstrated, is not simply a mental note, but is a conscious decision that leads to action in a change of behavior.  In the Book of John, the word believe is used in the same way that James uses the word faith.  Since both are discussing different issues, in different contexts, and each has his own writing style, it is not upsetting to see these near-synonyms "faith" and "belief" being used in different ways, each apostle focusing on a particular aspect or facet of the word.

Faith leads to action, and, over time, those actions will be evidence as whether or not you truly lived by faith.  Those who live in faith will bear good fruit, because they will be nourished by their relationship with Christ, who is the True Vine.  Mental admittance of "I believe there is a God" but nothing further is simply not what Scripture is talking about; the modern English definition of "believe" emphasizes a mental agreement rather than any action following as a result.  Changing your old behavior, having your life conform more deeply into God's love, and acting in the sincere interests of your neighbors is the intention of the faith, or "belief", as it is understood both by John and James.  

The Diversity of God

On Sunday we talked about our God, who is a Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We discussed how this operates, and all kinds of traits that God has revealed himself about being a Trinity, and why it matters.  If you are not certain about the Trinity, I recommend your reading the sermon from Sunday again, which can be found at www.bellspringsumc.org.  Just go to Worship > Past Sermons (PDF) > August 23, 2015.  Having some understanding of Trinity will be necessary for this post to make any sense at all!

One topic we did not cover was the uniqueness and diversity within the Trinity.  Too often we simplify God, and do not fully appreciate God's fullness as being a Trinity.  Where would we be if God were only the Father, without the Son or Holy Spirit?  How much would we be at a loss if our God were only the Holy Spirit, whose role is to sustain our church and guide believers, if we did not have the Son to teach us God's truth, or the Father to prepare a place for us in heaven?  What makes God so special is that God is a Trinity, three in one and one in three, a God unlike anything else in creation, a God who defies metaphors.

God is not created; God has always existed as a Trinity, and will continue to eternally exist as a Trinity.  Therefore, God's nature is inherently diverse within himself.  The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit; while all three "Persons" of the Trinity are fully God, each one has a different role in the universe, in our world, and in our lives.  Each one relates with us differently--think about how the Son relates with us verses the Holy Spirit.  The Son came to us in flesh and blood, yet the Holy Spirit and Father do not.  

While God is fully God as a Trinity, there are some differences between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, leaving us with a God who is diverse, even within himself!  And what a beautiful God we're dealing with--the Scriptures proclaim that this is the God of salvation, eternity, and infinite wisdom. Something else really interesting for us is that he has created humankind in his own image.  In Genesis 1, we see that we worship and adore a God who has truly given us his own mark, as his children and inheritors of the divine life.  And since God is diverse within the Trinity, God has left us with a mark of diversity among ourselves.  Diversity therefore is not the mark of evil or danger, but is a gift from God by which we have been created into God's very likeness!

I hear and see too many comments on Facebook, online, and overhearing conversations where people are opposed to one another's diversity.  Diversity takes many shapes: gender, ethnicity, background and upbringing, ideology, culture, language, etc.  The list goes on, because inherently each of us is a little different, and each of us has a little different role within the Kingdom of Heaven.  But what astonishes me is how we as Christians are often those who are creating division as a result of our own diversity.  Diversity is God's own gift to us, a gift that we as Christians proclaim is one of God's greatest gifts to humankind.  The only gift that we have received greater than God's own image is the gift of God himself, of Jesus Christ who came to our world to dwell with us in solidarity, to offer himself up as a sacrifice on our behalf, to welcome us into eternity through his life, death and resurrection.

Celebrating diversity of human beings is not some tenant of a bleeding heart liberal; it is foundational and thoroughly rooted in the Scripture, in the Christian life and in God himself, because God is a Trinity, inherently and essentially diverse within himself, uncreated and eternal.  When we engage with people in this world, we will see that everyone around us is different than we are, and instead of asking them to conform to our likeness, we should note that God has already made them in his own likeness, for diversity is one of God's own trademarks.  

Questions for further consideration:

1. How should we as a church celebrate diversity?  If we though more deeply about diversity in worship, and sought its practice, how would our time in worship be different?

2. How does our society encourage conformity to a certain standard?  How can we as Christians resist this temptation and instead celebrate the uniqueness of God's children, as different as they may be?

3. In God's internal diversity, God remains to be the definition of goodness and holiness.  What is the difference between celebrating diversity yet striving to conform to God's goodness and holiness? Can we pursue holiness as a family in solidarity while retaining our diversity of gifts, graces and cultures?