9-27-2018

Good Morning All,

             James 5:16; “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

     Do you remember The Beatles song, “Do you want to know a secret?”  It was the first top ten song sung by George Harrison.  It was a song about a young man telling his new girlfriend that he was in love with her but it was a secret.  So apparently this song was way before Twitter or Facebook.  It is somewhat unique how Facebook and Twitter have changed our definition of what is or should be private or public knowledge.  It is at times, staggering, what some people think is “fair game.”

    Our verse takes a look at this but in a far more serious manner.  It doesn’t mean the mind-numbing frivolity of Facebook but a serious look at our life.  So could you confess your sins, those deep down hard-to-throw away sins to your Christian brother or sister?  That can be a tough call.  Many of us would be too embarrassed to do this.  Yet here we see James telling us to do so.  Why does he do this?  It is not some quirky early version of Twitter, rather it serves a very valid reason.

    If you go to a brother or sister (a confessor) and confess a sin, it becomes very real to all involved.  It exists and it is out there to be spoken of.  It forces us to truly look at it and sense it and realize what it is.  It forces us to truly acknowledge it.  Yet it is also an opportunity.  By confessing it and getting it out there to be seen, we can be healed or at least begin the healing process especially if the one we confess to prays with us for strength in our battle with temptation.  It is also a blessing when that brother or sister speaks the words of God’s forgiveness of that sin.  It can relieve a lot of stress.

    Confessing to our confessor can have a secondary benefit as well. If we have a temptation that is especially strong, we can use that brother or sister as a buffer.  When we feel tempted, we can call our confessor and try to talk it through, maybe even alter our plans if that is what it takes.  Our confessor can also help us by being willing to be someone to whom we hold ourself accountable for our actions.  This is especially true if we are fighting addictions like drugs, alcohol or pornography.  By having someone who will hold us accountable can make this task easier.

    The thing to remember is that this is not about titillating or surprising or shocking the one to whom we confess.  This is about recognizing something that is seriously damaging our relationship with God and possibly our fellow Christian.  God gives us the tools to fight this battle; we need to faithfully sue them.

Father, too often we are too weak to stand up to the many temptations of life.  We need someone to help us.  Give us the wisdom and courage to seek out those brothers and sisters who will serve you by giving us the comfort, forgiveness and the support to wage this battle.  Send us your Spirit to strengthen us.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

9-26-2018

Good Morning All,

                Mark 2:16; “And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

     “I won’t sit by HER!! She’s got cooties!!  Well I was 7 at the time so cut me a little slack.  It only took a few years to learn that girls didn’t really have cooties; but I did learn.  Yet how often do we still act like that.  What is it that makes us see things this way?  Why do we feel this way?

    There is an old story about a man who went to a church.  He always had dirty shoes and very dusty clothes and never put anything in the collection plate.  People smiled and nodded at him but never sat too close or shook his hand or ever really talked to him.  One Sunday little Timmy and his family sat by the man.  After services we over, little Timmy introduced himself to the man.  “Hi I’m Timmy, what’s your name?”  “My name is Ben, nice to meet you Timmy.”  Timmy looked at him and asked, “Why are your clothes so dirty?”  You can imagine Timmy’s mother’s reaction.  The man smiled and told Timmy that he had to walk three miles to church down the dirt road in back. 

     The mother apologized but the man told her that Timmy was the first person to talk to him since he started coming to church here and he liked the conversation.  Then the mother was really embarrassed.  Then she felt guilty.  So she asked the man about his life and he told her that his car broke down and he couldn’t afford to fix it.  He lived alone but liked the church.  Timmy’s father was listening and asked the man if he would like a ride home.  The person behind them told him he could ride with them next week.  Soon the man was involved in a lively conversation.  He was finally home.

    Why does Jesus eat with tax collectors and sinners?  Because he looks into their heart and sees faith and what the future holds for them.  His love, mercy and forgiveness gives them hope.  Why do we eat with tax collectors and sinners?  Because that is where we were.  Jesus looked at us and saw someone in need of redemption; someone in need of hope.  That is how we should look at our “tax collectors and sinners”.  We should not look at their past or even their present situation; rather we should see the need for redemption and the need for hope.

    God empowers us with his Holy Spirit to bring redemption and hope to the world.  Sometimes, those who need it the most have on really dirty clothes but they are still God’s children.  We need to see past the dirt and the grime, the sins of the past or the struggles of today.  We need to see in them someone whom God wants to redeem; someone with whom we can share hope.

Father of all hope, by your Spirit move us to reach out to the hurting and the suffering.  Guide us to see that you desire all to be saved.  Use us to bring about this reconciliation.  We pray for those who feel they are tax collectors and sinners.  Give them the assurance of your forgiveness.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret          

9-25-2018

Good Morning All,

        Matthew 22:39; “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

     One day we were having a discussion in a Bible Study.  We were discussing Christian ethics.  We had a short discussion about how Christianity brought orthodoxy and orthopraxy together (Orthodoxy is proper faith while orthopraxy is proper action).  It is possible to do the “right thing” for all the wrong reasons.  For example, a wealthy person who donates a million dollars to the church in order to “buy” his way into heaven.  It doesn’t work but the church still got a million dollars.  This is based on the premise that all I have to do is the right thing and that is Christianity.

    Many would agree with this.  These are the people who see Christianity as one big “good works” event.  As long as we do the right and kind thing we are fine.  Most of us even know the way we always say it.  Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give water to the thirsty, visit those in prison; we know the section by heart.  For most of us, we see this as the standard answer to what does it mean to be a Christian.  It means that we do kind things for those who are in need and probably will never be able to repay the kindness they receive.  We have even made a game of this.  Some call it the circle of kindness, or the circle of love, or pay it forward.  Do something nice for someone and then tell them to do something nice for the next person.  It sounds good; it provides civic righteousness but is it what it means to be a Christian?

    Some even point to what Jesus did as support.  Jesus healed the sick, cured the lame, the deaf and the blind.  He died and rose again for us; he did the “right thing.” So what does it mean to be a Christian?  Jesus tells us that to be a Christian means to love one another.  Love, not just be nice or play fair but to love one another.  This is what makes our faith so different from the rest of the world and other religions.  Jesus came to earth out of love, not duty or other expectations.  Jesus showed us love and then told us to love as he loved us.  Our actions are based in love not duty.

    Actions based in love do not need to be planned or put into some program.  We don’t see our actions as helping some poor or unfortunate being, rather we are acting out of love just like we would for a beloved family member.  God, by nature, is a loving god.  His desire is that we be loving creatures.  Our faith does not seek mechanical actions or recitation of doctrine; it seeks to bring a loving relationship into the lives of the people.  What does it mean to be a Christian? To love one another, even as God has loved us.   To respond out of love for one another; not just to help but to restore and to reconcile with each other.  To love as we want to be loved.

Father, in your mercy you have shown us love.  By Jesus dying on the cross and rising again to seal our victory, we know love.  Give us the strength to love one another, as we want to be loved, as you first loved us.  Be with those who feel unloved.  Be with those who suffer in loneliness.  Send your spirit of comfort and hope and bring us to be your arms and voice of love in this dark world.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret