8-14-2015

Good Morning All!!

         Ephesians 4:1; “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called”

    “Look the part, act the part, be the part.”  This is one of the first things you try to teach young umpires.  You tell them to dress like an umpire; wear the blue shirt, the certification patch on the shoulder, the pants and the hat.  Dress like an umpire and people will see you as an umpire.  Then you act like an umpire.  Always remember that people come to watch the players; they do not come to watch you; not even your mother or your spouse comes to watch you.  Your job is to be impartial and call the plays as you see them.  Know the rules, make the call and move on.  Don’t antagonize the players or the fans; just do your job and act like you have done it before and will do it again.  Because in the end, if you do these two parts well; you will be an umpire.  You will be the person who keeps the game moving and keep it played in a fair manner.  You will be the umpire.

    In many ways, this is what Paul is telling the Ephesians, and by extension, us.  If you are going to profess that you are a Christian, then you need to look the part.  Clothe yourself in humility, gentleness and patience.  Clothe yourself in Christ’s righteousness.  Keep God’s teachings close to your heart and on your mind so you will think in a Christ-like manner.  Dress yourself as the faithful redeemed child of God; let the world see your light; let the world see your faith.

   Next we need to act the part; we need to bear with one another in love.  We need to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  This is how Jesus encouraged his disciples to live.  This is a major part of our life in this world as redeemed children of God.  We are called to be servants as Christ is a servant.  We are to aid our brothers and sisters in their needs for this life.  We are to bring comfort, healing and hope to the broken and the lost. 

    If we dress for the part, that is clothe ourself in the righteousness of Christ and always keep God’s will as our will.  If we act the part and display love, true love, for one another and bring the good news about Jesus to the world that desperately needs to be healed.  We will be the disciples that Christ desires us to be.

    We will never do it perfectly.  We will fall; we will slip but we have a loving Savior who will forgive, restore and uplift us back into the journey.  We have a Savior whose love redeems and restores so we can, once again, strive to be the disciple that Jesus is molding us to be.  Even as we fail, God calls us back to look the part, act the part and to be the part of his Church here on earth.

Father, there are so many times that I fail to serve you in all that I do.  Restore me to the path of your righteousness that I may be your agent of change here in this wounded world.  Guide me by your Spirit.  Lead me forward in your Word.  In the precious name of Jesus I pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret