SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

Category: Christian Community

  • The Leftovers

    Home for me is defined by smell.  Growing up in a community with almost all family, you could go into almost any house and feel at home.  You were welcomed and loved.  Each family treated you as if you were their own.  You knew you were home when you walked in the door and smelled food cooking or a fresh cake baking.  It was not unusual (and still isn’t) to walk into my grandparent’s home and smell cake layers in the oven.  Those were times when you stayed around, even if you thought about going to play.  You could watch Grandma stirring the chocolate icing she had made from scratch.  She would attend oh so carefully, never letting it set as it would not come out as she wanted.  While she stirred, the cake layers would bake in the wall oven.  The home smelled like joy.  If you hung out long enough or if you timed it just right, those cake layers would come out of the oven and that chocolate would be done.  For some, that might mean the cake would be assembled.  But for me, that meant the crumbs in the pans would be left and someone would have to lick the spoon after the icing was poured.  And THAT was victory!  There is nothing like the left over parts in a pan of a fresh baked cake with the leftover icing to make my day.  My heart still beats a little faster when I think about the excitement.  If this doesn’t sound like much to get excited about, it is because you haven’t tasted my Grandma’s chocolate split layer cake.  All she did for each cake took such precision yet she did it as only Grandma can – with such ease and natural giftedness.  She made it look so easy.  Sitting across the bar enjoying the “leftovers” is something I will always treasure.

    There have been many times I wanted Jesus to sit across the bar with me and tell me what I should do, what path I should take, and what’s next.  I craved the fellowship with him that is comforting and loving, reminding me that I do not have to be perfect.  I wanted to know that I was loved just the way that I was.  I simply wanted to enjoy leftovers with him, lick the icing, and have him tell me I was good enough.  I just wanted to please him.

    I think I might have missed him all along.  Maybe, just maybe, he was sitting across from me…And he just happens to look a lot like my Grandma.

    4617D013-6689-4F76-8976-2019EB3682B9

  • Feasting at the Table

    One of the most difficult parts of our current situation is the lack of physical community.  Online community is fine and needed and welcomed.  But this is a short term fix.  In the long term, we crave community, the time together to fellowship, socialize and just enjoy the company of others.  It is built into us, even for those of us that are introverts.  To work alongside of others, to strive together, to build together, to serve together is crucial.  We are stronger together.  One of the most essential parts of community is fellowship around the table.  Sitting at the table with friends, neighbors and strangers helps to develop bonds that far outlast any meal.  The ease at which we share, the peace at which we feast, and the joy of the blessings of the meal are priceless.  There is nothing that really replaces that need.  It is something that our bodies were built for.  We are missing it, but it will return.  I can only hope that it returns with such expectant joy that we spend many valuable hours around the table with others.  May our homes be filled with new friends, may we build relationships with those we have not gotten to know, and may we feast with our community in such joy that our lives are forever changed.

    Now, that may sound a bit idealistic.  It may feel like I am asking a lot of a meal and maybe I am expecting too much.  How would a simple meal actually change anything?  Why would this activity of which we can participate at any point becomes so pivotal?  Meals really can change things when God is present.  And I think that is most evident in the scripture for today.

    Luke 24:13-32

    13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[f] from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.[g] 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,[h] who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.[i] Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah[j] should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us[k] while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 

    These two people were forever changed.  Their hearts burned and it was not from indigestion.  Their lives had been renewed as their hope was refueled.  They had a reason to keep moving forward.  They had a joy that was unmistakable.  They were different and it happened around a table.  It all happened at a meal, that one unforgettable meal…not because the dish was the most outstanding dish they had ever tasted, but because of the presence of those around the table.  Table fellowship changed them and it changes us.

    They have traveled with this man, this man that didn’t seem to have a clue about what had been going on in Jerusalem.  He actually had missed the chaos of Passover and all that had occurred.  But then he began to speak.  He opened up the scriptures as they had never heard before.  He explained Moses, the Exodus, the prophets…the mysteries were not so mysterious any longer.  He helped them to understand what had been so challenging.  This Messiah wasn’t so hidden – all they needed was right there in the Scriptures.  If they were just willing to listen, to hear, to allow the words to fill them…then they could find what they needed for life, for hope, for a future.  This was fascinating and motivational.  But this was not the pivotal point that they experienced.  This was important – the Scriptures helped them to realize the works of the Messiah, they were guided by the word in faith and action, they were given hope where they had lost all hope.  But their pivotal moment came around the table.  The man was planning to move right on, but being hospitable, they encouraged him to come and sit at the table.

    They did not have to invite him.  They had spent all day with him.  They could have just let him continue on his journey.  But if they had not invited him, they would have missed the experience.  If they had hesitated to have him around the table, they would have missed the one that loved them more than they could imagine.  They would have had a lesson, they would have gone through life understanding more, they would have had the Scripture explained…but they would have missed the personal fellowship with the man if they had not welcomed him to the table.

    When it was that they sat at the table with him, enjoying the meal and the fellowship, their eyes were opened.  They realized that the man they had traveled with was actually Jesus.  They were given the privilege to see, to truly see for the first time ever, that Jesus was right there before them.  And they saw him at a meal.

    I wonder what we might see if we spent time with people around the table?  What might we miss when we decide who is worthy to sit at the table and who is not?  Could it be that we miss seeing Jesus when our table is reserved for those that are like us?  Jesus shows up in the most unexpected ways at the most unexpected times.  It just might be that he shows up for us when we welcome others to the table.

    When this stay at home order ends, when we begin to gather, may our tables be full of joy and laughter.  May our meals be with those we don’t know and those we can’t wait to know better.  May our stomachs fill with good things and our hearts burn from the experience of being with other children of God.  And may God fill our experiences with glimpses of him. May it happen around the table.

    The Family-Style Dinner Table in the Woods_.

  • The Feet…Maundy Thursday – Holy Week

    It is helpful to know that I do not care for feet.  I appreciate and am grateful to have them.  I know they give me freedom and allow me to travel.  I wash them before I enter people’s homes because it is customary.  I work to make sure they look okay considering I spend a lot of time outside.  I try very hard not to take them for granted.  But, they are feet.  Feet are generally just nasty.  They get dusty and dirty with every step.  So who would have ever thought I could actually learn something from them?  It is a lesson that is forever burned in my memory.  And I have to say – maybe I don’t dislike feet as much as I once did.  After all, how beautiful are the feet…

    It was dinner time and we were all gathered together, me included.  I felt like I belonged.  I had never felt this sense of being a part of something so big and yet so personal.  The joy that welled up inside while in the presence of this person was simply indescribable.  I couldn’t wait to hear what he had to say next.  And he always offered the unexpected.  I don’t think he ever did all of the customary traditions yet he always had a variation of the traditions that felt so pure.  He didn’t seem to buy into all the extra rules, but gave his own spin that made you stop and consider what you were doing.  Most of what he taught hit me later.  I would listen intently to what he said and during the night I would awaken to what he had actually said.  I know my spouse thought I had lost my mind as I would sit up and explain – REALLY?!  It was like a lightbulb would go off and I began, in some small simple way, to understand his teachings.

    This meal seems to be no exception.  During dinner, at the least expected time, came the least expected event.  Jesus gets up from his place as if he is on a mission.  He has something on his mind, you can tell.  He grabs a towel, the one that is used by the servants when you enter the home, and he ties it around his waist.  First of all, I have never seen that done except by an actual servant.  That job is one of those that no one actually signs up for.  They wash the feet of the important guests as they enter.  At my house, we wash our own feet but I also don’t remember any important guests entering my doorway either.  For Jesus to take this place is almost embarrassing.  A man of his caliber has no business even having to touch that towel, much less putting it on.  But here we are.  He takes the towel and puts it around his waist and begins to wash feet.  All I could think was – I’m really glad I am not near the center of the table right now – I’m not sure my feet should ever be washed by him.

    The first few people he washed seemed to be in shock but didn’t say anything.  There were no words.  He had spoken volumes without ever uttering a single vowel.  They seemed dumbfounded.  So was I.  Had I missed something?  Was this a new ritual?  Was there a change in roles?  I could not wrap my mind around it.  Everyone just patiently watched him until he got to Peter.  I don’t know Peter all that well, but I do know he says what he thinks.  He seems to lack a filter.  He is never mean nor rude, he just doesn’t give consideration to what he is about to say.  So the only one with words is, of course, Peter.  I have to give him credit, though.  He said what I was thinking.  He told Jesus that he wasn’t worthy for him to wash his feet.  Jesus had no business taking such a menial task.  He is the teacher, the guide, the prophet.  This is not what he should be doing.  Peter even was willing to wash Jesus’ feet if he would just stop.  You could tell Peter was a bit taken back.  I wanted to confirm what he was saying, but Jesus quickly stepped in.  Jesus told him he could not walk alongside of him if he did not wash his feet – basically that he just wasn’t getting it right now but if he was going to follow, this was what he had to learn.  So Peter told him to wash it all, every part of him – again carrying things a bit too far.  Jesus, in his kind way, simply told him that it only needed to be his feet for him to get it.  It was almost like – calm down Peter, you will get it if you just give it a minute and pay attention.

    Jesus finished washing feet, then gets up, takes off the towel and takes his place at the table.  I had no idea what just happened.  All I know is that I just witnessed this loving, gifted teacher wash his follower’s feet.  I can assure you that this has never happened before.  He took the time to explain.  But his explanation blew my mind just as much as the action.  He knew what he was doing.  He knew he was the teacher and that he had humbly taken on the role of the servant.  He wanted them to do the same for others.  And that was that.  He wanted them, and us, to do what he had just done.

    I went to bed that night with my head about to explode.  I didn’t get it.  What was the deal with washing feet?  Why would Jesus, such an important leader, do such a menial, humbling task?  And what did he mean by us doing the same?  It seems it has something to do with being a servant, helping others realize their worth, and remembering that everyone is equal.  Now, those are concepts that could change the world.

    Focus Scripture: John 13:1-17

    13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table,[a] took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,[b] but is entirely clean. And you[c] are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

    12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants[d] are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

    Greatest Among You

  • The Offering…Monday of Holy Week

    Being invited to dinner is never a minor deal.  Sitting at the table with others is such a gift we often take for granted.  To spend the time around the table means something – someone has poured out their love before those that have gathered – there is a bonding, a new way of seeing someone – the table brings those who might not come together otherwise in a single space at a single time.  It is so much more than a meal.  This one was even more unique.

    I was invited to the house of Lazarus, Mary and Martha.  They are well known in town, especially now.  Lazarus has become something of a legend – I guess that is what happens when you are raised from the dead.  Everyone wants to see him, touch him and know that he is real.  Since my family has been friends with them for years, it just seems like old times to me.  They are the family you know will answer the door if you knock in the middle of the night. They can be counted on.  They carry such love and compassion that you can’t help but admire them.  To be invited to dinner was fun and something I couldn’t wait to take part.

    Martha made the most fantastic meal – though she is known for her ability to cook.  The aroma from her kitchen lets you know that this meal will be memorable.  She knows how to take fresh ingredients and put them together in such a way that your taste buds water just walking through the door.  She had been working on this meal all day.  You know just by the spread that she had on the table.  Martha is known for going all out, but she really outdid herself this night.  It was her offering to Jesus.  They seemed to know him so much better than most.  This family had been so close with Jesus for years.  I had only heard of him through whispers and gossip.  But to see him ride in on a donkey was quite different than I would have imagined.  He was definitely unique.

    After we finished the meal, Mary – she had held on to Jesus’ every word – did something I have not seen done before.  We are a modest family much like this one.  We have food to eat, but not a lot of extra for anything else.  Mary brings out the most fragrant, sweet perfume that I have ever smelled.  It was entrancing.  All eyes were on Mary – she stopped all conversation.  Martha had an offering of a meal.  Mary has an offering of anointing.  This perfume was pure and unique.  It was the kind you reserved for the best of the best – if you had it at all.  I felt like I was in the presence of royalty as she began to anoint Jesus’ feet and delicately, carefully wipe them with her hair.  It was an experience that took my breath away – such humility and love poured out with every movement.  She seemed to know something.  These 3 seemed to know something that none of the rest of us understood.  They seemed to be preparing Jesus for something.  I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was like they knew this was the last time they would have dinner with him, ever.  It was as if they were preparing to see him for the last time.

    One of the men with Jesus had something to say about the cost of the perfume.  Jesus put him in his place pretty quickly.  This man apparently didn’t get what was going on.  He seemed to be even more clueless than I was.  All I can say is that this was the most powerful meal I had ever taken part.  This was a meal to remember.

    *As we move through Holy Week, on this Monday we remember the meal where Mary anointed Jesus’ feet. But I don’t want to forget the other offerings there as well.  We tend to focus solely on Mary’s anointing because it drew so much attention.  It was costly and it cost her to give of what she had to do this.  I am not dismissing the extravagance that she has gone through to prepare Jesus for what is ahead.  It is beautiful and moving.  But there is also the offering of Martha’s meal.  She had prepared for this day as well.  And there was the fellowship with Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus, that literally owed his life to Jesus.  This family had a special bond with Jesus that cannot be explained in words.  It is as if they understood him without him speaking a word.  The fellowship, the meal, the anointing – all offerings to the One that would soon make the ultimate sacrifice.  Jesus was not alone in this last journey – not at this meal.  His friends loved him and seemed to understand in some small way that there was more to come.

    What offerings do we have for Jesus on this Monday of Holy Week?  What do we have to give?  We may not think there is anything we have to offer – we are shut up in a home or confined to a job that is essential.  How can we give any sort of offering?  Maybe, just maybe, we give of what we have.  I think of Jesus teaching that when you have fed, clothed, sheltered, visited the least of these, you have done it for him.  While we might not visit in person, we can still check on others, encourage others, pray for others.  Love is possible even if not in person.  What offering do you have for Jesus?  When it comes from our heart, from a deep place of love – it is exactly what Jesus is seeking.  May our offerings bring love, hope and joy this Holy Monday.

    Blessings to you and your offerings!

    The focus scripture today is John 12:1-11

    12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them[a] with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii[b] and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it[c] so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

    Colorful + Whimsical Garden Wedding - Elizabeth Anne Designs_ The Wedding Blog

  • I am…

    (This is the message delivered at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, Sunday March 10, 2019.  The equipment was not working, so this is the manuscript)

    “I just don’t get it!”   These words can be expressed from most any student that has tried to solve an equation, anyone trying to learn something new, facing the challenge of fixing a broken piece of machinery, or simply reading a difficult passage.  It can be frustrating to search and dig and try to discover only to find a complete loss in the end.  Some things are just difficult to understand.  Not all of life comes with easy answers or quick fixes.  I find that the most valuable lessons I have learned have come from difficult times when I have had to keep learning, keep asking, keep exploring, keep asking “and”…until finally, the lightbulb moment occurred.  It can be so rewarding to either see the light or help someone else to see it.  The “I don’t get it” turns into an “ah ha!” moment and it is priceless.  In today’s reading, I find myself in the position of searching…and listening…and exploring, trying to uncover what Jesus is teaching.

    John 8:31-38

    Jesus is talking to a group of Jews – those born and raised in the faith…believers in God…Jesus’ own people, these are people that were searching and trying to put all the pieces together.  They didn’t get it.  They had not turned away…they had not given up…they were still struggling through Jesus’ teachings.  And if we are honest with ourselves, we should find ourselves in this position a lot as we read and study the teachings of Jesus.  He presents some difficult teachings on loving and following and serving. He does not sugar coat or spoon feed. With Jesus, he is teaching and leading from the ultimate place of love…but this love convicts us that we are not who we should be…nor do we do all that could… His love challenges us to become more like him and less like the world…and it changes us into the people he has created.

    In today’s teaching, Jesus is explaining what it means to follow…to be a disciple…a real disciple.  In this, he explains that being a disciple is continuing in his word, the truth.  This truth will make the disciple free.  This sounds great and we often speak this verse…you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.  Mostly we speak it when we have remembered a Bible verse or trying to prove we are right. But this verse also insinuates something.  If the truth makes free, then the opposite is to be a slave…to be oppressed…to be held down…to be not free.  The opposite of free is captured and contained.  For a Jewish person, this means something.  If we reference back to the Old Testament teachings, there are many indications of freedom from oppression.  Indicated here…being a descendant of Abraham means that they are God’s chosen…and as a child of God, not slaves.  They may have also thought about Passover and how Moses had led God’s people out of slavery, to be set free.  For Jesus to speak about needing to be free is a difficult and possibly offensive teaching.

    While we may not find that immediately difficult, the application hits a little closer to home for us, as non-Jews. Jesus answered them that the slavery he is talking about is a slavery to sin.  Sin is holding them as slaves and due to the sin, they are unable to see an opportunity for sonship…the chance to be a child of the King.  They are missing a place at the table because they don’t understand there is something better for them.  They are happy being slaves because they don’t realize that there is more to this life than where they are.  They haven’t seen the master’s table, where the children of the Master sit. And they don’t see it because they don’t understand how Jesus fits into their picture.  God, they get.  Abraham, they understand.  Moses, they have learned about.  The Law, they have expounded.  But Jesus…they do not have a place for.  They don’t understand how God has shown them who he is because it is easier to stay like they are, than move forward with Jesus.

    They are not the only ones that didn’t get it. There are so many of us that are held as slaves to sin because it is easier than living in the light.  There are many of us that would rather live in sin because that is a life we understand.  The truth may set us free, but we have to see how enslaved we are to see how free we could be…  When we are slaves of sin, we are held back.  We are under oppression of sin.  We are not free to be as we were created to be.  We don’t see that there is a place at God’s table for us.

    Sin seeks to destroy, and eats away at us from the inside out.  Sin tells us who we are not.  Sin whispers that we are losers, defective, failures, bad people, worthless, unclean. Sin says that we have no way out…that we are the way we are and nothing can change that.  Sin steals our joy and our hope.  Sin…missing the mark, not seeing who we are as God’s beloved…takes the life we have been given and crumples it up like the paper we have written and erased on way too many times.  Sin says we can try but we will never succeed.

    And the waters become even more muddy because we really are sinners.  We make mistakes.  We can try so very hard and still mess up.  We can make every effort and still find ourselves at a loss…still not good enough…still not succeeding.  Sometimes, it seems the harder we try, the more we fail.  Sin…those things which hold us back…that keep us from living…that take our eyes off the One that loves and created us…that tells us we are failures…they can take a toll on us.

    But Jesus has overcome all of that.  Jesus is our way out of all of that.  Jesus seeks to reclaim us, to remake us, to reshape us…to mold us into the people we were created to be…free.  To be free reminds us that we are God’s beloved.  We have a place at God’s great big table because he calls us his own.  We are loved and chosen.  We are a disciple when we follow Christ.  We are a disciple when these words begin to seep into our being and take over our world. We are a disciple when we allow Jesus to consume us.  We are disciples when we answer the call of Christ…come and follow me.  Drop it all and follow.

    To become a disciple…is as simple as following. A disciple is a follower, a learner, a discoverer.  It is not about being perfect or getting it all right.  It is not about always being successful or receiving any physical gifts. It is about finding peace and hope and joy in the journey.  When we are disciples, we find that we are the beloved…we are beautiful creations of a God that continues to mold and shape us into exactly who we were made to be…we are good and chosen and free.  To be a disciple is freedom…we choose to follow the One that calls us his own. Do you have a place in you to follow?

    It begins with answering the call to follow…Jesus says, come and follow me and I will make you my disciples.  Once we follow, he guides and directs where we should go.  This is not in a slave situation, but in a freedom situation…we choose to follow the One that created us and gave us life…and he leads us into a life that is free and abundant and where we are loved.  When we begin to follow, we begin to listen and learn and grow…to become the people God knows we can be.  We hear his Word…we see him at work…we receive a hope that there is so much more. Sin does not have a hold on us any longer.  We are free. Will you follow?  The cost is everything…the reward is even more than that…the gift is being a child at the Master’s table.  Come take your seat…you are one of his beloved.  He has been waiting for you.

     

  • Has it really been that long?

    The waters of baptism washed over me as I stood before the congregation I would serve, with my friend at my side and my father at the pulpit.  It is a day I will never forget.  The flood of memories overwhelm me like the feeling of the warm water.  I remember the gift of a study Bible, the people that laid hands on me to pray over me as I began this journey, the feeling of being loved.  On March 9, 2004, I was baptized by my friend Lynn Taylor and Ordained as a Baptist Minister, a service led by my father, Jerry Mitchell.

    There have been many days that I have questioned the calling, wondering if I heard incorrectly.  I have tried to do other things in the ministry.  I have felt like Job as I have walked away from the pulpit and thought that this was not for me.  But there have been many more days that I have been overwhelmed by God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.  He has allowed me to walk with people in their journeys of celebration and grief.  I have sat at the table with people I now consider family.

    LaGrange First Missionary has always and will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the heart of my wife and children.  They took a chance on me when they could have chosen otherwise.  They loved me and accepted me and welcomed me into their lives.  They gave me grace when I messed up and walked with me through my own struggles.  I am forever grateful to God for giving me the privilege of serving this congregation…for I saw God in more ways that I can count as a result.

    I am grateful that God continued to be patient with me as I took a sabbatical.  I needed the time to breathe but that was difficult for my family.  I needed to be ministered to, but it is difficult to let go.  God worked through all of that in amazing ways.  He gave me the opportunity to complete a Master of Divinity degree at a school that taught me to think critically and love fiercely.  Campbell Divinity School was the right choice for me and I knew it from the first day I stepped on campus.  It was a place of learning and healing.

    I am grateful for Northeast FWB for allowing me to serve as an Interim.  It was a beautiful experience that gave me the chance to celebrate Advent and Christmas with a congregation that was welcoming and kind to this traveler.

    Today, I serve at Trinity Missionary Baptist.  Beginning as Interim, my intention was to remain interim.  God had other plans.  Four years ago, I accepted the interim position.  In July, I will have been the Pastor at Trinity for four years.  God directed and I did my best to be obedient.  I was hesitant, not because of Trinity but because of Brad.  I love with my everything but that doesn’t always reflect in the ways I serve.  I wasn’t sure I had enough to give Trinity.  I can say that Trinity has also been kind and gracious to me.  They have given me the opportunity to pursue my Doctor of Ministry degree.  They have supported the ways that I have felt God leading.  They have loved me despite me.  Together, we have become better.  I pray God continues to work in it all.

    As I write this, I am overwhelmed by the opportunity to serve God as a minister.  I cannot believe he chose to use me, but I am grateful he did.  I pray that I can continue to serve as he would have me to serve.  I pray that I will love as he teaches me to love.  I pray I can show others what it means to follow, no matter the cost.  I pray I can be his hands and feet.  15 years later, I say…”Lead on, God…Lead on.”

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  • Divisive?

    Divisive…that’s the word that came to my mind as I was running this morning.  It all too often describes our world.  It is true that I prefer love and encouragement and peace.  I completely understand the need to take a stand or knee for what you believe.  I am extremely grateful for the contributions of Martin Luther King Jr. and his unwillingness to accept that things had to be the way they were.  But I don’t see Martin Luther King Jr as divisive.  I don’t see Harriet Tubman as divisive.  I don’t see Rosa Parks as divisive.  I don’t see Jesus as divisive.  I see a drive to bring people together and a refusal to accept the divide.  The willingness to risk their lives to bring people together in love is beyond comprehension (and many more like them). 

    So what do I mean by divisive?  I mean those that purposely put their agendas ahead of people.  I mean those that aren’t willing to hear anyone else…it’s my way or the highway.  I mean those that post hateful comments to “prove their point” or to inflate their ego.  I mean those that could find common ground with others, but instead choose to find fighting ground.  I find this mostly on social media.  There are short, quick snapshots (memes, gifs, etc.) that are meant to be jabs at other that have a different opinion.  I suppose they are “meme warriors” because that is what you see constantly.  Those do not help start a conversation but are great at starting an argument.  They also are wonderful at finding out who thinks your opinion is just the best (insert eye roll here).  In school, these may have been bullies…or at least it feels like bullying… 

    So, what is the opposite of divisive? 

    Listening (really listening to those that differ in opinions, lifestyles, politics, beliefs, or anything)…

    Loving (even loving those that we see as unlovable…you know…loving like Jesus)…

    Respecting (offering respect to others because…I don’t know…they are people)…

    These are places that I choose to start.  I am grateful for the opportunity to voice opinions…I just think there is a better way…and I don’t think that divisive is the way to do it.  Just my thoughts on this day when we remember the contribution of a Baptist Preacher that refused to accept the divide.

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  • Advent 2: Peace

    Peace…it is a word we talk about a lot but don’t really see much in our world.  It is a concept that seems out of reach all too often.  We live in a world that we cannot even disagree on a subject and get along…and since we are not all the same and don’t all think or believe the same…it seems that peace is out of reach.  To even consider what peace might look like and what we might do for peace…that brings anxiety…there is so much division and hatred in our wold…politically, religiously, and any other way you might think.  And we might think peace would come if we could just be still and have a moment of quiet.  When my children were really young, I craved quiet and silence because it never happened.  There was always something to do and places to be…I thought that just a moment of quiet would be peaceful.  The problem is that this type of peace is temporary.  And if you have spent a significant amount of time alone, you likely know that even being in quiet and stillness does not mean that you will experience peace.  We can experience turmoil all by ourselves…in the quiet…of our own home.  So what is the deal with peace and how do we look expectantly to something that seems so far out of reach?

    I think one key begins with a hymn which you may or may not know or have sung.  There have been some absolutely beautiful arrangements of this particular song…one of my personal favorites is by Casting Crowns…and the hymn is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” – hear the words of the song:

    I heard the bells on Christmas day
    Their old familiar carols play
    And mild and sweet their songs repeat
    Of peace on earth good will to men
    And the bells are ringing (peace on earth)
    Like a choir they’re singing (peace on earth)
    In my heart I hear them (peace on earth)
    Peace on earth, good will to men
    And in despair I bowed my head
    There is no peace on earth I said
    For hate is strong and mocks the song
    Of peace on earth, good will to men
    But the bells are ringing (peace on earth)
    Like a choir singing (peace on earth)
    Does anybody hear them? (peace on earth)
    Peace on earth, good will to men
    Then rang the bells more loud and deep
    God is not dead, nor does he sleep (peace on earth, peace on earth)
    The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
    With peace on earth, good will to men
    Then ringing singing on its way
    The world revolved from night to day
    A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
    Of peace on earth, good will to men
    And the bells they’re ringing (peace on earth)
    Like a choir they’re singing (peace on earth)
    And with our hearts we’ll hear them (peace on earth)
    Peace on earth, good will to men
    Do you hear the bells they’re ringing? (peace on earth)
    The life the angels singing (peace on earth)
    Open up your heart and hear them (peace on earth)
    Peace on earth, good will to men
    Peace on earth, peace on earth
    Peace on earth, Good will to men

    A beautiful song with a powerful message…Given that, let’s look at the scripture for today:  Luke 2:8-20

    As we began to see last week in regard to hope…God has chosen the most unlikely people in the most unlikely situation to experience the greatest gift since creation…Jesus.  Mary was chosen as the recipient of hope that was coming to the world.  Now, we see shepherds doing what shepherds do…watching their flock at night.  They are minding their own business, doing the shepherding thing…and an angel shows up.  When angels show up, there seems to be something going on.  Mary was given a message…now the shepherds receive a message.  Different people from different situations in life…brought together by common messengers…with an amazing message from God.  They are receiving GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY!  But the news…the news is that the Messiah has come…is here…has arrived…and with that news…a heavenly chorus sings…Glory to God in the highest…and on earth, peace…

    NOT the peace of a conquering king…not the peace of a ruling emperor…not the peace of lands coming together…not even the peace that the religious people thought they wanted and deserved…but peace from God.  Peace on earth was brought through Jesus…and was a light in a dark world.  Jesus was peace…and yet, not at all like they wanted, expected, or were looking.  So many missed the peace that had come because they were looking for it in all the wrong places.  Will we miss it too?

    Jesus, in what we call the Sermon on the Mount, and in the part known as the Beatitudes, said… “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Do you think there is a correlation between the angels announcing peace on earth at the pronouncement of the birth of Christ…and Jesus calling those who are peacemakers, children of God?  I think so…Jesus makes the difference!

    If Jesus is the peace on earth…that means HE is the peace in us.  If peace was brought to this world at the birth of Jesus, peace continues as long as his light shines on this earth…and that happens through believers…those that call upon the name of the Lord and follow him with their lives.  Peace on earth is not found in political leaders making the right decisions or laws in place to bring peace…if that was so, peace would not have had to be announced by angels when Jesus came.  Peace is here and is yet to come.  Peace is within us and yet we often act like the LEAST peaceful people ever.  We act like we are missing something…and I think sometimes we are…and what we are missing is Jesus and his message…we are missing PEACE.

    We have to stop waiting for others to create peace for us…we have to stop looking forward to a day when our lives might be more peaceful or when our world may have peace…we cannot sit around hoping that someone else will be the peaceful one…all the while claiming that we love and follow Jesus…speaking his name but not following his way.  Peace began with Jesus and continues in US…or at least SHOULD continue in us.  In order to dig just a little deeper…how was Jesus peace?

    He wasn’t peace by allowing things to happen as they always had…he made quite a statement…he confounded the religious, he questioned the rules, he spoke against hatred, he taught what it meant to love, he interrupted the daily lives of people that thought everything was all okay, he poked and prodded the comforts of those that SAID they loved God to SHOW they loved God…he didn’t sit idly by and watch others… Instead, he changed lives…he healed, he ate, he loved, he offered his life, he WAS peace in a world that lacked any sense of it.

    For me, that means we can live in a world of turmoil and have the peace of Christ.  We can function in a world that is divisive with a peace that confounds and confuses others…we can live in a world filled with hate and share peace because we have no reason to hate and no right to hate and no room to hate… We don’t need the world to change us, we need to be the change in the world!  We don’t need to wait until this world becomes more peaceful…we need to bring the peace into this world that is so broken and battered.  We do this by living like Christ…by doing what he has called us to do…by walking in his footsteps…by loving, feeding, clothing, visiting the least of these…by being different.  We do not get there by being another person that hates or feuds or fuels a fire…but by being the light of Christ in a darkness that can be conquered…

    Peace on earth…I hear it, I feel it, it lives in us.  How will you bring peace to someone today?  Remember, blessed are the peacemakers…for they are children of God.  Let us go in peace.

  • Cloudy Mirrors

    Mirrors can be powerful instruments.  They can help us to see ourselves as we get ready to meet the world.  They can help us to identify our “trouble areas” and see where we might need to work on things.  There is a problem though.  It would seem that too many of us have cloudy mirrors.  We do not actually see our real reflection.  We instead see what we want to see staring back in the mirror.

    How can that be?  We seem to have no trouble seeing others.  We seem to have no problem making judgments about other people…the way they dress, the way they did their hair, the way they carry themselves.  We have no trouble identifying others imperfections.  And often, we wonder if they looked in the mirror before they walked out of the house.  We wonder if there mirror was more than cloudy.  After all…we would never leave the house looking like THAT.

    But maybe it’s not our mirror at all that is the problem.  I don’t think it is our eyesight.  That can be a problem as we age, but I’m thankful for glasses to help us along.  I don’t think it is the size of our mirror or where it is in our house.  The problem is with us.

    There is a Bible verse that has always been difficult for me.  It is in the book of James, chapter 1.  James is writing how believers should be people of action, be a part of the game…not just sitting on the sidelines waiting for others to do the work.  That’s a difficult enough statement.  But, he continues to say that those who sit on the sidelines are like those who see themselves in a mirror.  When they walk away, they immediately forget what they look like.  As I have read this scripture, I always thought…how does someone forget what they look like.  Sometimes we might want to forget what we look like…we all have those “rough” days.  But, how do we forget?

    And it dawned on me…That’s the answer…that’s how our view in the mirror becomes so skewed.  We can be so focused on what other people are doing (or not doing)…we can be constantly criticize or judge…we can point out the faults of everyone else… That we forget who we are…or we create this image of how good or bad we are that isn’t even real.  We forget that we are to be people who are of action.  We forget to take a good long look at ourselves and what we are doing.  If we, as Christians, spent as much time working for God…focusing on what he wants us to do…rather than being critical of everyone around us…we might actually see change happen.

    That image in the mirror might actually become clearer.  We might see the beautiful creation made and fashioned by God staring at us in the mirror.  And that beautiful creation is not only fashioned by God, but created for a purpose.  Our purpose is not to judge everyone else…but rather to do as we are called and created.

    It is true that we can only change ourselves…and to change the world, it begins with me.  Maybe today, I wipe that mirror clean and begin to take a long, hard look at me.  How has God created and fashioned me to do his work?  What am I doing for him?  How am I living?  What message am I sending?  How am I loving my neighbor?  How am I living out what Jesus taught?

    May we stop at the mirror today, truly see ourselves as beautiful and created by God, and walk away serving others… Loving God and loving our neighbor…regardless of what they look like.

  • Not a “know it all”

    Some things are just hard to explain.  They go beyond words.  I can tell my children I love them, but in reality, how much I love them goes beyond explanation.  People ask me all the time why I enjoy running so much – that it seems like torture.  I can’t really explain it except to have you actually start running.  I have found that there are experiences in my life that I have had that go beyond explanation.  Something as simple as watching a sunrise to eating a fresh tomato grown in a garden to listening to birds sing in a world of chaos.  There are so many experiences that we can’t really explain…but when we have them, we just want to show somebody and have them experience it too.  Sometimes we may try to capture those moments in pictures – but a sunrise never looks the same through a lens like it does through the experience.

    In our lives of faith, we have feelings like that…I feel like God is really working on me or I feel like I am not doing what God has called me to do…or I know God is with me and I can feel his presence.  All of these are really indescribable experiences – we just know them and we don’t know why.  We want to hold on to them…we may write about them, we may take pictures, we may tell someone – but nothing really captures the essence of what is going on.

    Jesus seems to be telling the Jews that had gathered with him that day something along those lines.  They want it plain and simple.  They want it the way that is easiest for them.  Jesus has something to say about that.

    John 10:22-30

    They want to know if Jesus is the Messiah – plain and simple.  Give it to us, Jesus.  They could have been curious or could have been looking for something to accuse him.  That would have been considered blasphemy – and remember that is brought back up at his trial.  Jesus doesn’t give them a simple yes or no answer though.  Why?  Because something this big – something this powerful goes beyond explanation – it isn’t as simple as they want – and even if he gave it to them, they wouldn’t get it.  Jesus doesn’t answer many questions directly, though.  His call and what he is all about is so much bigger than words.  He points them to his actions.  He does what he does because that is what the Father has called him and sent him to do.

    This should have been enough for them – but wasn’t.  Jesus tells them that it is because they are NOT his sheep.  His sheep know his voice and follow him.  He has already said that he is the good shepherd.  His sheep follow him.

    That could seem like a harsh statement – except keep in mind that there were many during Jesus’ time that didn’t want to be part of his sheep and didn’t care what kind of shepherd he was.  They didn’t want to know him or follow him.  He is revolutionary.  He isn’t comfortable.  He isn’t what they have been doing when it comes to religion.  He breaks the rules – he makes people squirm – he completely changes everything they have ever known.  He has statements that include loving God and loving others – these are statement that they knew really well and thought they knew how to follow.  But, Jesus is showing them that they don’t.  Jesus shows them that loving others includes feeding and clothing and caring for and visiting.  He shows them that loving others is not about condemnation but about outreaching arms.  He makes them uncomfortable.  They probably could care less that he says they aren’t his sheep.  They think they are good just the way they are.

    But, for those who are his sheep…he has something for them.  This loving and caring business…this getting uncomfortable and going against the established religion…this doing something completely different…all leads to something extraordinary.

    Jesus says that his sheep…they hear him, they know him, and they follow him.  None of these things are simple to grasp.  None of these things are plain or easy.  All of these are indescribable.  If I ask you if you have ever heard Jesus, I will likely get a variety of answers.  Some of you will say…well not audibly – but yes.  Some will say, of course I have.  Some might say they don’t know what in the world I am talking about.  If I ask someone outside of the faith, outside the church, they may think I have lost my mind…do I mean Jesus, a person they go to school with?  If I tell you I have heard Jesus calling – I can’t describe that.  I just know it.  I can’t explain it – can’t tell you what his voice sounds like – can’t tell you why – all I can tell you is that I have.

    We have the opportunity to know about him because we have the scriptures.  The Bible is a window into who he is.  This doesn’t describe God fully.  It doesn’t give us complete explanations of anything.  I can tell you to read and you can read all about him.  But that doesn’t mean you know him any more than when you started.  That takes faith.  It takes a faith that God inspired this Word and that it is for our instruction and direction.  It is alive in that it is still applicable today.  But, it doesn’t answer all of our questions.  Some things are left to faith and knowing the Shepherd.  The more I hear him, the more I know him.  How is that possible?  Well, that’s not easy to explain.

    It also says that his sheep follow him.  Following Christ often means making some really difficult choices.  It often means leaving behind the comforts of this world to really love.  It often means leaving behind familiarities to follow.  Being a follower of Christ may mean pushing you to your very limits…and then beyond into the realm of where God works.  I can’t tell you what your calling is.  I can possibly tell you what gifts you exhibit if I spend time with you.  But, I can’t tell you how God wants to use those gifts.  I can’t tell you how that will look in the future.  I can’t tell you anything except what it means for me to follow.  I know what that looks like for me. I can’t explain what following is except to say that I follow because I heard him call.

    Now for the good news…For those who are called by him…for those who hear his voice, and know him, and follow him…there is great joy.  He promises eternal life – never perishing.  He promises that he has a grasp on us that is an eternal grasp.  No one will be able to snatch us out of his grasp.  We may not grasp him, but he sure has a grasp on us!  As if that is not enough, to be grasped by Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is to be grasped by God the Father.  Jesus and the Father are unified…in words and deeds.  And God has a hold on us with a mighty grip that will carry us through the most difficult storms and lift us up in the most terrifying times.  His grip isn’t there because of who we are but because of who he is.  Praise him that his grip is forever.

    How do I know?  Jesus says it.  You may say that this is not enough explanation.  I will remind you that we are but humans…we are loved, we are held…but we don’t have to get it.  We just have to live it.  May we live it together.