This week, Pastor David begins a series on the first few chapters of 1 Corinthians, a letter written to an ancient church with modern-day problems. Despite all the issues at Corinth, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 that the believers there are called to be holy, and that God will keep them blameless until the day of Jesus’s return. How does this passage reveal that “Jesus is the subject”? (And what does that phrase mean?) Click below to listen in to this week’s sermon!
Church of God Convention Moves to OKC
This past June, I wrote about the new movement in our identity as Church of God people: our new General Director, Rev. Jim Lyon, is using the phrase “Jesus is the subject” as the primary rallying cry for the Church of God in this present time. In that article, I called this phrase a “wonderful starting point.” I still believe that to be true: that “Jesus is the subject” is a wonderful theological truth, and that it is just the beginning of the reflections we can make on our identity as the Church of God.
In the past few weeks, many important changes have been unveiled by Church of God Ministries, our movement’s central offices in Anderson, Indiana. I would like to discuss one of them in particular with you, the Mt. Haley Church of God family, in this article.
Election Time
You may have noticed that it’s almost election time here in the United States. Incredible amounts of attention, time, and money have been poured into this election season, and all of this will come to a climax on Tuesday, November 6. How should we, as followers of Jesus Christ, approach the elections – and their results, whatever those should be?
I’d like you to look up and read a few different Bible passages today. First, consider Romans 13:1-7. Paul is writing to Christians in Rome – the seat of the Roman Empire which persecuted early Christians. And yet he encourages them to understand the governing authorities as rulers who have been put in place by God; therefore, Christians are to pay taxes, give honor and respect, and submit to those who are in authority – even those who might persecute them for their faith. How blessed we are to live in a country in which power transfers peacefully and without threat of imprisonment or bloodshed for those who disapprove of those in power! How much more important it is for us to fulfill the call of Romans 13 as citizens of this country!
Next, look up 1 Peter 2:13-25. Here, Peter is writing to Christians in various places in southwest Asia, who again were being persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ. Like Paul wrote in Romans, Peter encourages his audience to respect, honor, and be subject to all types of human authority – even those that would cause them harm. Peter’s rationale for this type of behavior is that those who suffer for the sake of Christ are imitating Christ and are becoming more like Christ. After all, Jesus Christ suffered terribly at the hands of the government; he even died by capital punishment, and yet he never sinned but committed himself to God. How blessed we are to be free from the threat of bodily harm because of our belief in Jesus! Pray for those in our world today who do experience such harm! And put 1 Peter 2 into action in your relationship to those in authority over you!
1 Timothy 2:1-8 calls us to pray consistently – and to be thankful – for our local, regional, and national leaders. Jeremiah 29:1-7 calls us to work diligently for the good of our society, even if that society is foreign to us and is not our true home, as Babylon was for the Israelites in exile.
Friends, let me encourage you to do three things. First, make sure you are informed about all of the issues and individuals, local and national, that will be on Tuesday’s ballot (even if you are reading this after Election Day). Second, make sure you find time to vote, because voting is the legal, peaceful, authorized, and best way for us to make our voices heard. Third, and most importantly, once the elections have passed, pray for those who are or will be in authority over us. Respect those who are in authority over us. And give thanks to God that these decisions and transitions can be made in our society without threat of violence.
And pray for those places in the world where that last sentence is not true.
–Pastor David
The Joy of a Wedding
I have the privilege of performing the wedding ceremony for a couple at their home in our neighborhood later today. These two aren’t part of a church family, but they wanted to be married in a religious ceremony rather than at the courthouse. They called our church a few months ago and asked me to marry them, and I agreed: they seem well matched for each other, and I am honored to play this important role in their lives.
Over the past few months, I have met with them on several occasions to get to know them better and to help them understand the Christian approach to marriage. I’ve seen some of the difficult life situations they face, and I’ve learned their perspective on their relationship and what marriage means to them. Last night, we had the official wedding rehearsal – which was followed by my first experience eating a deep-fried turkey! – and I was struck by the joy and excitement of all who were in attendance.
Weddings are (usually) such enjoyable occasions. If all goes well, the uniting of husband and wife is a reason for everyone to celebrate. All the stress and tension that goes into planning a wedding seems to disappear once the ceremony begins. And certainly once the ceremony is over, the participants can look back on all the preparatory work and (hopefully) say, “All that work was worth it!”
We as believers in Christ are constantly preparing ourselves for a great wedding that will take place when Christ returns. As Revelation 19:6-8 (NIV) says:
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Brothers and sisters, we are in that season of preparation for our wedding day. Let us continually work on clothing ourselves with appropriate wedding attire, so that when the Lamb comes and the wedding begins, we will be ready – and so that we will be able to say, “All this preparation was worth it!” What a day that will be!
–Pastor David
Using the Body’s Gifts
Many of us were missing this past Sunday for various reasons, and those of us who were in the Lord’s house felt the difference. Unfortunately, our recording device didn’t record the sermon this week, so we don’t have the usual sermon audio backup for those who were away. Let me say, briefly, that while our sermon audio postings are helpful for visitors, distant friends, and church workers who are out of the sanctuary, there is no substitute for regular, consistent meetings with the people of God. Simply put, we belong together, and we suffer when we are apart from each other.
This ties in directly to the sermon text from this past Sunday, Romans 12:1-8. Take a few minutes to find and read that passage in your Bible. We belong together, Paul says! As part of the same body, the body of Christ, we have different functions, roles, and gifts. And each of us belongs to all the others. This is a type of lifestyle that differs greatly from the natural order of things, the way the world works: normally, people (especially American people) consider themselves to be independent creatures, able to act as they please without regard for others. In the body of Christ, though, we exist differently: we are to live for the sake of the whole and for the sake of Christ. Life in the church truly is an alternative community.
With this in mind, the issue of “spiritual gifts” becomes more clear. We are given gifts by the Spirit of God not for our own sake but for the sake of the church community to which we belong. On Sunday, we studied Romans 12 to see what Paul identified as gifts for everyone in the community, not just for its leaders:
- Prophesying: preaching, speaking words from God to edify the church
- Serving: ministering, taking care of the details of the church’s life
- Teaching: conveying the truths of the gospel for those who are learning
- Encouraging: urging fellow believers to live the life of faith
- Giving: contributing and distributing material goods for the church and for others
- Leading: charting the course for the church
- Showing mercy: visiting the sick, elderly, imprisoned, etc. (among other tasks)
These seven gifts were not intended to be comprehensive; neither were the lists of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. Instead, they are illustrations and examples; in whatever ways God has given you abilities and interests, use those gifts for the sake of the church. And this applies to everyone, not just to the leaders of the church. (Take another look at the list above; don’t those things sound like the job descriptions of the pastor and the church council?) Paul is speaking to everyone in the Christian community in Rome (and to us!) when he writes these words.
We belong to each other. We need each other! God has blessed each of us uniquely to play important roles in the life of the church. Let’s discover our gifts and use them for the glory of God and for the growth of the church to which we belong!
(For those of you reading this online, there are many free spiritual gifts inventories on the web. Take a few minutes and explore this site or this site, and see what you can discover!)
–Pastor David
Murder in Midland?
As you may have heard in the local news, a man was murdered outside the Burger King near the Midland Mall this week. Is this an anomaly, or is this to be expected in today’s world? Are we comfortable thinking this kind of thing happens in Saginaw but not in Midland? Should we avoid that restaurant for the time being for our own safety, or should we continue going about our everyday lives?
It surely is tragic when one person takes another person’s life. The ramifications of such an action are very broad, affecting more than just the two people involved. In this case, there are two school-aged children who will grow up with their mother in prison. The Burger King employees who were present at the time will remember this event forever. Lives are changed tremendously when one person kills another.
What should our response be as Christians who live in this community? I believe situations like this are opportunities for us to serve as community leaders who bring order, meaning, comfort, and peace to those affected by tragedy. As ambassadors for Christ, we can share the blessings of a relationship with the Lord with those who are hurting. In the next few weeks, if you find yourself near the Midland Mall around lunchtime or dinnertime, I encourage you to eat at the Burger King and say something encouraging or compassionate to the people who are working there. If you hear someone talking about this story in the grocery store, strike up a conversation and be an agent of peace and reconciliation.
Remember that most murders involve people who know each other; random acts of violence are much less common. We do not need to fear other people in our town because a murder has taken place in a public location. On the contrary, this event is more reason for us to be involved in community, to bring the message of forgiveness and salvation and healing through Christ to a world that is desperately in need.
Friends, remember that we belong to the Lord and that this life is fleeting – especially when compared to the eternal relationship with the Lord which is promised to us who believe in him. Do not be afraid; use every opportunity to draw closer to the Lord and to help others to do the same.
–Pastor David