Month: May 2022

Our scripture this morning is 2 Timothy 2:10-14.

“So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.”

Paul reminds us that we must be willing to obey and possibly suffer for the faith we have in Jesus. We learn through His example and are called to live our lives as He did. When we accept the gifts He offers, we are forever changed and responsible to God and each other.

While there will be disagreements even among believers, it is important to ensure these don’t affect our dedication to the mission Jesus has for us.
Satan can’t defeat us in the face of Christ’s sacrifice for us but he can distract us, interfering as he has since the beginning. Paul warns that “Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them” (v. 14). If we are to be the bearers of the Good News we must be focused on our mission and not lost in disagreement.

God created us to be His people, chosen and meant for a holy purpose. When we fail to love, even in our disagreements, we fail Him. Paul writes “stop fighting over words”, something we desperately need to remember.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for arguing among ourselves and missing the message of love You send for us to share. Help us to remember the promise we have been given and live out our promise to You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Timothy‬ ‭4:7-10.

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

Many of us engage in exercise of some sort to maintain physical fitness, lose weight or recover from an injury. Paul tells us while physical training is good, spiritual training is much more important because it promises “benefits in this life and the life to come” (v. 8). What if we paid as much attention to our spiritual health as we do our physical health?

I have reluctantly given up some some foods that are not healthy and begun exercising to keep my body in working order. We must treat our spiritual lives in the same way, with discipline and regular practice. Only by being intentional about our faith can we learn and grow.

Paul’s letter to Timothy is both personal and public. The instruction he offers is intended as teaching for everyone, encouraging training for godliness. We must prepare ourselves, with God’s help, to be spiritually fit, ready to carry His love to the world every day.

Gracious God, we know You need no help, but You call us into partnership in Your plan. Bless us to strengthen our faith that we may be fit for the work of Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Thessalonians 5:12-23.

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Paul closes his first letter to the Thessalonians with a list of Christlike characteristics they are to cultivate. Perhaps most important in this group is “be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (v. 18). Being thankful always and following God’s will is how Jesus lived His earthly life as an example to us.

Paul mentions a variety of other behaviors, all of which we see embodied in Jesus. Our challenge is to practice these, not just with the body of Christ but with all God’s children everywhere. In this way we become closer to God through Christ and also to each other.

I have difficulty focusing on more than one improvement in my life at a time, so I plan to choose one of these characteristics each week as my goal and work to improve how I live them out. I invite you to pray about them and discern which of these skills may need attention in your life. Through God’s help and intentional practice, we can be the people He has called us to be.

Loving Lord, we know we aren’t always like Jesus in our thoughts, words and actions. Bless us to hear the spirit’s guidance and apply it in our lives, that we may bring the Good News to the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6.

‘Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. ‘

Paul reminds us that the Day of the Lord will come whenever God decides, and no one knows when that will be. Jesus told us in Acts 1:7 “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know”. Instead of being concerned with the when, we must be concerned with the what: Jesus will return in glory to gather the faithful.

We must also be concerned with what happens until then. We have been saved by Christ’s sacrifice for us and called to continue sharing God’s love so that everyone knows. This is the most important task we have, to carry on the ministry of Jesus, making disciples of all the world.

Staying focused on our mission is much more important than where or when Jesus will return. Paul says we are “children of the light” (v. 5), and we must be the bearers of God’s light to a world stumbling in darkness. We know that when He returns, we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2) and all will know He is Lord.

Gracious God, thank You for the blessing of Your son who came to save us. May we be His representatives, telling everyone of Your love until He returns. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 3:12-17.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

Paul reminds us to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Without forgiveness there can’t be peace among us and more than anything God wants us to live in peace. Our hearts must be right with God and each other.

He continues “clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (v. 12). These spiritual gifts are necessary to reach those who have not heard the Good News. God has provided these that we may carry out the ministry Jesus passed on to us.

If we can’t live peaceably with those who are part of the body of Christ, how can we live with those who are outside? We must focus on what is most important – making disciples of all the world – and not our petty disagreements. God calls us all to a life in Him and only when we obey can we live with Him eternally.

Gracious God, we are thankful for the example Jesus showed us of what our relationship with You should be. Help us to live as He did and share the blessing of Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians‬ ‭2:6-10‬.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”
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Paul teaches that Jesus makes us complete. What a wonderful way to explain the importance of making Him part of our lives. French scientist Blaise Pascal wrote “there is a God-shaped hole in the life of every man”, an indicator of the separation have we suffered since sin entered the world.

St. Augustine said “our hearts are restless until they find rest in You”. God didn’t create the hole, we did that with our willful disobedience. However, God did create the restlessness, placing in us the longing to be connected to Him and whether we admit it or not, our lives are incomplete without that relationship.

While our paths to soothe the restless heart and fill the hole in our lives may be different, the goal is the same – to be one with God again. Jesus came to show us the way and gave us the mission to help others reconnect with Him. We will only find the peace that passes all understanding in accepting His will for us.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for choosing our own way instead of what You intend for us. Help us to be children of the light, sharing the Good News with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 4:4-9.

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Paul closes his letter to the Philippians with instructions for continuing what he has taught them. He writes “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (v. 6). How much better would our outlook and daily life be if we followed this?

Daily contact with God in prayer is essential. If we are in conversation with Him regularly, we can share our concerns and give thanks, but that’s just our side of things. Like a conversation with a friend, we talk and listen. We have an unfortunate habit of signing off after we ask God for what we need.

While God’s answer to our prayers may not be immediate, we must always be ready to hear and obey His response. If we don’t pay attention we can’t know what He is saying to us. Prayer isn’t a voicemail to record our list of wants to God, it must be an honest and loving exchange.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry when all we pray for is our own needs. Help us to open ourselves to Your response to prayer and to share the joy of our connection to You with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 8:27-30.

They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him.”

Jesus tells the people “it’s not about me, but God”. This is a much different way of speaking than most of their leaders. Human leaders often emphasize their own importance and power. Jesus speaks of His relationship with God in a very personal way.

Jesus wants us to know about His connection to God that we may connected in the same way, knowing God’s love and care personally. While He teaches us “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), it is only because that is God’s plan. In order to truly know and love God, we must also know Jesus.

God sent Jesus as a human that we might better relate to and understand Him. Jesus taught us what we need to be the bearers of the Good News and carry on His ministry until He returns for us all. May we take our responsibility seriously and go to make disciples of all the world.

Gracious God, You love us so much that You sent Your own son to help us understand and reconnect with You. Bless us to be able to share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture today is Philippians 2:12-16.

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”

Paul calls the church to work together for their own good as well as the mission they have been given from Christ. Additionally he teaches us do so without “grumbling or arguing”, something that even the church can fall into. This lesson is as valid today as when Paul wrote to the Philippians.

We have a special responsibility to God and each other, to love and care for the creation we have been given. While we all have the same goal, we may see different ways to achieve that. As the body of Christ we must insure that we focus on that goal and not our own feelings.

Jesus taught that we are each beloved children of God, but that our love and care for each other must outweigh our love of self. Each obstacle we encounter must be prayerfully considered and we must allow the leading of the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions. If we simply follow our own way, we often fall away. We must die to self and live for Christ in order to be saved.

Gracious God, help us to be more like Jesus, using Your gifts to make a better world for all Your children. Bless us as we go to do Your will. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians‬ ‭1:27-30‬.

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”

Paul writes to the church at Philippi with encouragement and truth about what they are called to do and to endure for Christ. He tells them “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ”, reminding them that difficult circumstances are not an excuse for unchristian behavior. We would do well to remember this in our society today.

Our history is full of behavior that does not follow what Jesus taught. As His body on earth, the church must be an example in our words and actions. Too often we fall back into all too human reactions when faced with conflict. If we as His disciples condemn each other, how will the world see us?

We may have different opinions and different practices among ourselves, but we must treat each other with love no matter what. In the midst of His crucifixion Jesus forgave those who murdered Him. We must live up to His law of love. God doesn’t care about our petty disagreements but He cares very much how we treat each other.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we have been hateful and hurtful to each other. Help us to be true followers of Christ, sharing Your love as He did. Amen.