We had an exciting Spirit-filled worship celebration this week. We welcomed three new members and baptized four people! The Spirit is moving in our midst. Tom Poremba, a retired United Methodist pastor, was introduced as our new Deepen Pastor. SPRC has hired him for $1 a year to provide member care, and assist with the development of small group. He is a gift to our congregation and we are blessed to have both him and his wife, Cathy, a part of our ministry.
This coming week in worship we will be continuing part two of a two part series on the Holy Spirit. This week’s message is called, “Spirit-Filled Believers.” I invite you to join us as we explore what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You can listen to the sermon, "Spirited Beginnings" by following this link:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/zddk4dnzwnf/Spirited Beginnings.mp3
or read below...
“Spirited Beginnings” / May 23, 2010 / Acts 2:1-13
INTRO /[ReThink Video]
Today is an example about how we are rethinking church in our community. Every time we receive new members into the congregation and perform baptisms, it is evidence that we are rethinking church. It is evidence of new life being breathed into this place. We have been challenged by the denomination and really by God to rethink how we do church and how we live out faith. The challenge is to stay connected with God and to continually grow deeper in Christ. Beth, Jennifer, and Scott all are beautiful examples of what Christian discipleship is about. They are asking hard questions and helping us rethink church in positive ways. They embody the vision that we’ve work at rethinking here at Faith to connect, deepen and engage.
To rethink church successfully we need the Holy Spirit to guide us in the work. The Holy Spirit should always be moving and active in each of our lives and in the life of the church. Tom and Cathy’s presence in our church is another example how we are rethinking church and how the Spirit of God is at work in our congregation. We are blessed to have them with us and sharing their gifts for ministry. These are just two ways that the Holy Spirit is bring new life and transformation into the life of the congregation. We are intentionally celebrating our new members and new staff on this Pentecost Sunday because Pentecost celebrates the beginning of the church.
PENTECOST
We are going to spend some time this morning talking about Pentecost and the origins of the church. Pentecost was originally and still is a Jewish holy day called the Feast of the Weeks. The name Pentecost comes from the Greek word 50, because it was celebrated 50 days after Passover and the Feast of First fruits. Pentecost was a pilgrimage day in which Jews from all over journeyed to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple.
As Christians it is important to understand the Jewish origins of Pentecost for the connection between it and Passover. As Christians, we have a slightly different understanding and appreciation for Pentecost because of what took place in Acts 2. Pentecost for the Christian marks the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the formation of the early church. Acts 2:1 begins with, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they [the disciples and followers] were all together in one place.” And then we heard the account of how the Holy Spirit arrives which marks the official beginning of the church. I love the description of the arrival of the Holy Spirit in this passage, “2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”
To understand the beginnings of the early church, we need to understand the Holy Spirit. While in Acts 2 we experience the outpouring of the Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit began much earlier than that. Pentecost is made possible because of the Holy Spirit’s work on Easter morning with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the risen Christ appears on the earth for forty days, he finally ascends to heaven with the promise of sending the Holy Spirit to the earth. What I just read is the official arrival of the Holy Spirit. If we are going to understand how the early church operated and how we are called to operate today, then we need to understand the Holy Spirit.
In this passage we experience two very distinct descriptions of the Holy Spirit: wind and fire. These two descriptors give us significant and important understanding into the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I want to spend the bulk of our time this morning talking about the fire of the Spirit and the wind of the Spirit. Wind and Fire represent two gifts that the Holy Spirit give the church to fulfill the mission God is calling us to.
FIRE
#1. The Fire of the Spirit is the evidence God’s Presence.
In verse three we read, “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.” The image of fire in relation to the Holy Spirit stretches back to Exodus. First God appears to Moses in a burning bush. Then God guides the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness as a pillar of fire. Fire speaks directly to God’s physical, manifest presence in the world. When we see the fire arrive at Pentecost, we know the presence of God is present. In a literal way, the Holy Spirit is God’s presence on the earth. The Holy Spirit isn’t an afterthought or the third string behind God and Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God’s plan to have his presence continually on the earth.
As United Methodists, we should be familiar with the image of fire. The cross and flame is our logo as United Methodists. We have always been a people marked by the fire of the Holy Spirit and a people concerned about the manifest presence of God in the world. We are concerned about these things because we believe God has called his church to be transformed and to transform the world for the glory of God. We have always understood, forgotten at times, but always understood that the work of the Kingdom cannot be done a part from the Holy Spirit.
#1a. God’s presence is available to all believers.
God’s presence is not just an abstract roaming, but it is something that lives within and unites all believers. In verse four we read, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” As we understand the Holy Spirit as God’s presence, two things stand out as important. The first is God’s presence is available to all believers. Each believer is now a personal temple of the Holy Spirit. Within them is the presence of God in a way that leads to transformation. No matter where we go and what we do, God is with us. We don’t have to attend church to experience God. We don’t have to kneel in prayer to experience God. We simply have to be aware of God’s presence inside of us. This may be one of the most transforming concepts that a Christian can ever grasp. You are no longer alone. God is always with you.
#1b. God’s presence unites us to all other believers.
Since God is always with me and God is always with you, the second implication of God’s presence being poured out at Pentecost is that we are united as believers. Every believer in Acts 2 is filled with the exact same Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit today, we are filled with the same Holy Spirit. It is unchanging and unwavering. Therefore, when we are filled with the Spirit we are united with every other Christian throughout the world and through history. The Holy Spirit brings unity through God’s Presence and breaks down differences. In verses 5-13, we see believers of all different nations and languages able to understand each other. This is the unifying work of the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit, Christians can work together regardless of personal differences, theological disputes and political quarrels. The presence of God transcends all of it. When we are filled with the fire of God, we are able to see God in the world and to participate in his work in the world. The Holy Spirit is not only God’s presence in our lives, but the Holy Spirit is God’s power in our lives.
#2. The wind of the Spirit is the gift of God’s Power.
In verse two, the arrival of the Holy Spirit is described like the rush of a violent wind. This is a powerful and potential unsettling image of the workings of God. Can you imagine the clamor if the Holy Spirit arrived in this place in such a manner? To compare the Holy Spirit to the wind is probably the most straight forward explanation of the Holy Spirit. The word for spirit in both Greek and Hebrew “nooma and ruach” translate wind. Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is difficult to predict and frequently blows as it pleases. For this reason, the Spirit is frequently misunderstood and sometimes ignored in the church today.
We cannot afford to ignore the wind of God, because the Holy Spirit is the energy and power of God. It is the Holy Spirit that empowers believers to live out their Christian life, to have victory over sin and death, and to be transformed into the image of God. Without the filling of the Holy Spirit, we are left to live as powerless Christians. Christianity without the Spirit is like riding a bicycle instead of a motorcycle. While bicycles have their place in the world, the motorcycle has power, speed, and handling that is unparalleled. When we discover the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we become spiritual supercharged. We will explore how we are filled with God’s power at greater length next week. For now, trust me when I say we need to learn to live in God’s power.
We need to live in God’s power if we are going to fulfill God’s mission to transform the world. On the day of Pentecost, the believers were filled with God’s power to proclaim the mighty works of God. As they proclaimed the power of God, people were converted to Christianity. They also received power to perform mighty works of God. The preaching and doing of God’s word are only fully effective when we learn to lean on the power of God. If we are going to proclaim and demonstrate the Good News of Jesus, then we need to be filled with God’s power. The early church was given the power of the Holy Spirit in order to transform the world. We, too, have the ability to tap into the power of God in order to change the world.
CONCLUSION
The fire and wind of God led to a revolution that transformed ancient Jerusalem and ancient Rome. It reshaped the course of human history over the past 2000 years. They are gifts to the people of God and the church of God. If we can simply learn to understand the gift of the Holy Spirit and learn to participate with it, we too can rethink church and transform the world. As our minds and spirits become more receptive to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I want to take some time to pray and invite the Spirit of God to fill each of us this morning.
Are you ready to discover the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit?
Let’s Pray.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Dance
I hope everyone had a good Mother’s Day and was able to honor their mothers. In worship, we honored the godly women in our lives and celebrated a God that cares for us like a mother. Melissa Kaminski beautifully sang, “I Hope You Dance,” and in the sermon we talked about how God invites us to dance with him. If you’d like to hear the sermon, follow the link or read below.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/y2mgnntymmt/Dance.mp3
DIGGING DEEPER:
If you want to dig deeper, read the following Scripture and questions:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” ~Proverbs 3:5-8
How do you struggle to trust God?
How have you experienced God’s trustworthiness this week?
INTRO
The first time I heard the song, “I hope you Dance” I was sitting in a theology class in seminary. Dr. Elaine Heath played the song as we began our first UMC doctrine class and she invited us into a journey to discovering God through theology. It was one of my first classes in seminary and it helped determine the trajectory of my life. In fact, if it wasn’t for that class and maybe even that song, I probably wouldn’t be a United Methodist pastor today. Ever since that day, the song has stuck with me.
It gained additional significance for me on my wedding day as Michelle and her Dad danced the father-daughter dance to it. Hearing it on Mother’s Day adds to the memories, especially because today is Michelle’s first Mother’s Day. While this song doesn’t make any direct references to mothers, Lee Ann Wolmack’s music video depicts a mother singing this song to her daughter. As I consider the lyrics from that perspective, the song clearly is about a mother’s hopes and dreams for her child.
Today is the last week of our “Gone Country” series. Over the past five weeks we have been seeking to find Christ in culture and to talk about spiritual issues with non-spiritual language. We talked about how to see God in everyday life, how to see God in the hard times, and God to see God in the extraordinary moments. Last week we talked about seeing glimpses of eternity. One of the ways was through the gift of art, especially music. Music truly holds the power to move people. In the Scriptures, the Lord understands the power of music and frequently uses it to minister to the people of God. My hope is that we are becoming a people that realize and relate to God in all aspects of our life. To wrap up the series, we are going to learn how to hear the songs of the Lord in the world.
THE SINGING MOTHER
In the last seven months since Caleb was born, I have gained many new perspectives on the world. I have learned a lot about myself, about Michelle, and about raising a child. While there have been challenging times throughout the journey, the tender moments tend to stand out more vividly. One of them most tender of times is watching Michelle hold Caleb and sing to him. I don’t think words can truly capture the moment, but if you’ve ever experienced a similar moment you know what I mean. Mothers are naturally inclined to nurture, care for and sooth their children. There is something miraculous and beautiful about the way a mother invests in her children. “I Hope You Dance” resonates with all parents, but especially mothers, because it expresses the hopes and dreams a mother has for her children.
Many of us have been blessed with wonderful, nurturing, godly mothers. It is important that we thank them and God for their positive presence in our lives. Whether you have the best mom or worst mom in the world, she probably let you down at some point. It’s important to remember that moms aren’t perfect; they aren’t God. Thankfully, we have a Heavenly Creator whose cares for us is as tender as a mother’s. While we generally talk about God in father terms, there is strong biblical basis for thinking of God as a mother as well. Psalm 131 and Isaiah 66 are two examples of God’s mothering qualities.
I want to spend some time this morning paralleling the song “I Hope You Dance,” by Lee Ann Wolmack and the Zephaniah song found in chapter 3. Doing so will help us to hear the songs of the Lord in the world. The Zephaniah 3 passage we heard read earlier is another example of a motherly God. Like mothers, God has magnificent hopes and dreams for each of us because we are God’s children. Not only does God have hopes and dreams but God can help bring them into fruition. When God sings over his people is it not simply a wish or a hope, but a prophetic declaration. The songs of the Lord bring things into being. They make dreams a reality. They turn hopes into joys. They are the songs of the Lord and they invite us to respond to them. Let’s look at the first song of the Lord we hear in Zephaniah’s song.
SONGS OF THE LORD
#1. The Lord sings us a song of protection.
Life has a way of throwing ample challenges against us. The obstacles and barriers loom large and seek to overwhelm us. In verse two, the mother hopes these challenges to keep us from fully living life:
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,Never settle for the path of least resistanceLivin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin',Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
I think many of us are tempted to take the safe road of life. We allow our fears to control our choices and our decisions. We avoid getting married because we don’t want a broken heart. We take the better paying job instead of doing what we love. We miss glimpses of heaven and we miss God in our lives because we are imprisoned by our fears and worries.
When the Lord sings, we are protected from our enemies and freed from our fears. Listen to the Song of Zephaniah: “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory;” The Lord in his power is able to provide us with the protection we need. We do not need to be afraid any longer. I love the description (although it’s not very motherly…) “a warrior who gives victory. God fights for us. His songs are victory songs of joy and jubilation.
#1a. We sing back a song of trust.
As we hear the song of protection and victory, we sing back a song of trust. The song us trust allows us to engage in the dance with the Lord. It allows God’s work to be done. Proverbs 3 exhorts us to trust in the Lord: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” Before we make decisions, we need to seek the Lord’s guidance. We need to trust the wisdom of the Lord. In tight spots, we need to wait on the Lord and look to him for strength. We refrain from worrying about things we cannot control. These are some of the ways we sing back the song of trust.
#2. The Lord sings us a song of restoration.
As we face challenges throughout our lives, they have a way of wearing us down. The first verse of the song, speaks to the hope of the mother that her child doesn’t get burned out. Listen to the hopes:
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,May you never take one single breath for granted,GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
As the mother hopes her child doesn’t get run over by life, the Lord sings a song of restoration and renewal over our lives. Listen to the song of the Lord, “He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival…” It goes on, “And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.”
God’s song prophetically brings new life to dead bones. We are freed from judgments against us. We have been forgiven and that frees us from the past. God’s song, therefore, reenergizes us in weary times. It brings erases shame. It brings renown and praise. It showers down God’s love. It brings gladness and rejoicing. God’s song invites us to respond and to participate in the restoration of our souls.
#2. We sing back a song of delight.
We are invited to sing back the song of delight as we are restored. In Psalm 37, we are encouraged to sing both the song of trust and the song of delight. “Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
If we need our souls restored, we must sing delight back to the Lord as he sings restoration over us. This begins as we trust in the Lord but continues by delighting in him. By saying thank you. By worship him passionately. By giving generously. By appreciating the small blessings in life. These are the ways we begin to delight in the Lord. And the way that we are restored and renewed by his singing.
CONCLUSION
Lee Ann Wolmack’s chorus captures the essence of the song: “I hope you dance… I hope you dance…” The mother hopes her child learns to dance through life and to enjoy every moment of it. Zephaniah’s song expresses a similar sentiment in the first verse: “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.” The dance and the song are about responding to God moving in your life. It is singing in response to God’s song. It is dancing with God as he dances. It is moving when he moves, and him moving when we move. The dance and the song are about an interconnected relationship with our Creator. God does not and will not force us to sing and dance. Instead he invites us to join with him. And that is the beauty of the dance when we chose to participate in it. Let’s pray.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/y2mgnntymmt/Dance.mp3
DIGGING DEEPER:
If you want to dig deeper, read the following Scripture and questions:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” ~Proverbs 3:5-8
How do you struggle to trust God?
How have you experienced God’s trustworthiness this week?
“Dance”
Brimfield Faith UMC, May 9, 2010
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Brimfield Faith UMC, May 9, 2010
Zephaniah 3:14-20
INTRO
The first time I heard the song, “I hope you Dance” I was sitting in a theology class in seminary. Dr. Elaine Heath played the song as we began our first UMC doctrine class and she invited us into a journey to discovering God through theology. It was one of my first classes in seminary and it helped determine the trajectory of my life. In fact, if it wasn’t for that class and maybe even that song, I probably wouldn’t be a United Methodist pastor today. Ever since that day, the song has stuck with me.
It gained additional significance for me on my wedding day as Michelle and her Dad danced the father-daughter dance to it. Hearing it on Mother’s Day adds to the memories, especially because today is Michelle’s first Mother’s Day. While this song doesn’t make any direct references to mothers, Lee Ann Wolmack’s music video depicts a mother singing this song to her daughter. As I consider the lyrics from that perspective, the song clearly is about a mother’s hopes and dreams for her child.
Today is the last week of our “Gone Country” series. Over the past five weeks we have been seeking to find Christ in culture and to talk about spiritual issues with non-spiritual language. We talked about how to see God in everyday life, how to see God in the hard times, and God to see God in the extraordinary moments. Last week we talked about seeing glimpses of eternity. One of the ways was through the gift of art, especially music. Music truly holds the power to move people. In the Scriptures, the Lord understands the power of music and frequently uses it to minister to the people of God. My hope is that we are becoming a people that realize and relate to God in all aspects of our life. To wrap up the series, we are going to learn how to hear the songs of the Lord in the world.
THE SINGING MOTHER
In the last seven months since Caleb was born, I have gained many new perspectives on the world. I have learned a lot about myself, about Michelle, and about raising a child. While there have been challenging times throughout the journey, the tender moments tend to stand out more vividly. One of them most tender of times is watching Michelle hold Caleb and sing to him. I don’t think words can truly capture the moment, but if you’ve ever experienced a similar moment you know what I mean. Mothers are naturally inclined to nurture, care for and sooth their children. There is something miraculous and beautiful about the way a mother invests in her children. “I Hope You Dance” resonates with all parents, but especially mothers, because it expresses the hopes and dreams a mother has for her children.
Many of us have been blessed with wonderful, nurturing, godly mothers. It is important that we thank them and God for their positive presence in our lives. Whether you have the best mom or worst mom in the world, she probably let you down at some point. It’s important to remember that moms aren’t perfect; they aren’t God. Thankfully, we have a Heavenly Creator whose cares for us is as tender as a mother’s. While we generally talk about God in father terms, there is strong biblical basis for thinking of God as a mother as well. Psalm 131 and Isaiah 66 are two examples of God’s mothering qualities.
I want to spend some time this morning paralleling the song “I Hope You Dance,” by Lee Ann Wolmack and the Zephaniah song found in chapter 3. Doing so will help us to hear the songs of the Lord in the world. The Zephaniah 3 passage we heard read earlier is another example of a motherly God. Like mothers, God has magnificent hopes and dreams for each of us because we are God’s children. Not only does God have hopes and dreams but God can help bring them into fruition. When God sings over his people is it not simply a wish or a hope, but a prophetic declaration. The songs of the Lord bring things into being. They make dreams a reality. They turn hopes into joys. They are the songs of the Lord and they invite us to respond to them. Let’s look at the first song of the Lord we hear in Zephaniah’s song.
SONGS OF THE LORD
#1. The Lord sings us a song of protection.
Life has a way of throwing ample challenges against us. The obstacles and barriers loom large and seek to overwhelm us. In verse two, the mother hopes these challenges to keep us from fully living life:
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,Never settle for the path of least resistanceLivin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin',Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
I think many of us are tempted to take the safe road of life. We allow our fears to control our choices and our decisions. We avoid getting married because we don’t want a broken heart. We take the better paying job instead of doing what we love. We miss glimpses of heaven and we miss God in our lives because we are imprisoned by our fears and worries.
When the Lord sings, we are protected from our enemies and freed from our fears. Listen to the Song of Zephaniah: “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory;” The Lord in his power is able to provide us with the protection we need. We do not need to be afraid any longer. I love the description (although it’s not very motherly…) “a warrior who gives victory. God fights for us. His songs are victory songs of joy and jubilation.
#1a. We sing back a song of trust.
As we hear the song of protection and victory, we sing back a song of trust. The song us trust allows us to engage in the dance with the Lord. It allows God’s work to be done. Proverbs 3 exhorts us to trust in the Lord: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” Before we make decisions, we need to seek the Lord’s guidance. We need to trust the wisdom of the Lord. In tight spots, we need to wait on the Lord and look to him for strength. We refrain from worrying about things we cannot control. These are some of the ways we sing back the song of trust.
#2. The Lord sings us a song of restoration.
As we face challenges throughout our lives, they have a way of wearing us down. The first verse of the song, speaks to the hope of the mother that her child doesn’t get burned out. Listen to the hopes:
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,May you never take one single breath for granted,GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
As the mother hopes her child doesn’t get run over by life, the Lord sings a song of restoration and renewal over our lives. Listen to the song of the Lord, “He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival…” It goes on, “And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.”
God’s song prophetically brings new life to dead bones. We are freed from judgments against us. We have been forgiven and that frees us from the past. God’s song, therefore, reenergizes us in weary times. It brings erases shame. It brings renown and praise. It showers down God’s love. It brings gladness and rejoicing. God’s song invites us to respond and to participate in the restoration of our souls.
#2. We sing back a song of delight.
We are invited to sing back the song of delight as we are restored. In Psalm 37, we are encouraged to sing both the song of trust and the song of delight. “Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
If we need our souls restored, we must sing delight back to the Lord as he sings restoration over us. This begins as we trust in the Lord but continues by delighting in him. By saying thank you. By worship him passionately. By giving generously. By appreciating the small blessings in life. These are the ways we begin to delight in the Lord. And the way that we are restored and renewed by his singing.
CONCLUSION
Lee Ann Wolmack’s chorus captures the essence of the song: “I hope you dance… I hope you dance…” The mother hopes her child learns to dance through life and to enjoy every moment of it. Zephaniah’s song expresses a similar sentiment in the first verse: “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.” The dance and the song are about responding to God moving in your life. It is singing in response to God’s song. It is dancing with God as he dances. It is moving when he moves, and him moving when we move. The dance and the song are about an interconnected relationship with our Creator. God does not and will not force us to sing and dance. Instead he invites us to join with him. And that is the beauty of the dance when we chose to participate in it. Let’s pray.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Pictures of Eternity
God is good. We caught glimpses of the beauty of eternity this past Sunday as we celebrated the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. If you want to learn more about seeing heaven in the world, I’d encourage you to download the sermon God is good. We caught glimpses of the beauty of eternity this past Sunday as we celebrated the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. If you want to learn more about seeing heaven in the world, I’d encourage you to download the sermon or read the text below. http://www.mediafire.com/file/onlzqhjjite/Pictures of Eternity.mp3
DEEPEN THOUGHT
From the congregational response to baptism in the hymnal p. 38: “We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of the United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” How does the sacred act of baptism point us towards heaven?
“Pictures of Eternity”
Brimfield Faith UMC
May 2, 2010
Revelation 21:1-8
Brimfield Faith UMC
May 2, 2010
Revelation 21:1-8
INTRO
“When I Get Where I am Going” really is a beautiful song dealing with the difficult issue of death, but more importantly the issue of life after death. Although the song never uses the word heaven, it is clearly talking about heaven. I appreciate the ways in which it discusses the issue, because the topic of heaven is a complex one. Heaven is the desired final destination for virtually everyone in the world. And yet, we seemingly know little about it. There are some many unanswered questions when it comes to heaven: Where heaven is? What does heaven look like? What do we do in heaven? Will we have bodies? Will we have jobs? Will we recognize our loved ones? What will God be like? The questions are endless and seemingly leave us unable to say anything definite about heaven.
Over the past several weeks we have “Gone Country” with Jesus we have been trying to find Christ in the culture and to talk about spiritual issues with non-spiritual language. Week 1 we learned to see God in our everyday life. Week 2 we learned to see God in the difficult times. Last week we learned to see God in the extraordinary times, in God moments. This week we will hopefully learn to see heaven in the culture as we use non-spiritual language to talk about it.
When I think about what heaven, my head begins to spin and religious clichés don’t help in the least. I cannot seem to get my mind around the concept and it becomes tempting to simply ignore it all together. While acknowledging the challenges of the topic, the first verse of the song helps us engage it: “When I get where I’m going on the far side of the sky. The first thing that I’m gonna do is spread my wings and fly.” Interestingly, the song leaves out a direct reference to heaven and it also touches on the question, where is heaven? The song suggests that heaven is on the far side of the sky. We typically picture it in the sky somewhere beyond this earth. As you study astronomy, this romanticized view doesn’t work quite as well. The ambiguity of place begins our challenge in talking about heaven.
After doing some reading this week, I discovered the primary reason we struggle with the topic of heaven is because we lack the language to express it. Heaven is as C.S. Lewis says, “too definite for language.” Although we lack the language, this doesn’t mean we can’t catch helpful glimpses of heaven. We actually experience more of heaven everyday than we realize. Peter Kreeft in his book Heaven suggests that, “The earth is haunted by heaven.” The earth is filled with reflections, shadows and glimpses of heaven. The earth is like a two-dimensional picture that represents a three-dimensional place called heaven. There are therefore things in the world that act as signs which point us towards the realities of heaven. It is through these signs that we are able to discover insights into the fullness of heaven.
Like a picture, the earth is much smaller than heaven itself. Kreeft suggests that “Heaven includes earth as the soul includes the body.” Heaven is so large and vast that it is able to contain heaven within it. When we get to heaven, it will be much richer, larger, full, and with more dimensions than we could ever imagine. As a result, heaven is too big to actually understand with great clarity. Yet, if we can learn to read the signs of the world, we can catch greater and greater glimpses of heaven.
#1. The first sign that points us towards heaven is Scripture.
Interestingly enough, the Bible doesn’t spend inordinate amounts of time talking about heaven. In fact, the Old Testament spends virtually no time at all talking about heaven. The longest glimpse of it comes in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 21:3-4 it gives us a glimpse: “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
The chorus of the song captures this same glimpse. “When I get where I’m going, there’ll be only happy tears. I will shed the sins and struggles. I have carried all these years. And I’ll leave my heart wide open. I will love and have no fear…” In the second chorus it continues, “But when I get where I’m going, and I see my makers face. I’ll stand forever in the light of his amazing grace…” This glimpse of heaven doesn’t answer a lot of questions. There is one thing we know for sure about heaven: God will be there. In his full, majestic glory God will be present.
Scripture doesn’t paint definite pictures but helps us to recognize some of the other signs in the world that point us towards heaven. As we look at the different signs that point us to heaven, we must remember that they don’t contain the fullness of the real thing. They show us the shadows and reflections of heaven. They help us look in the right direction to see haven.
#2. The second sign that points us towards heaven is loving relationships.
In the third verse of the song it sings: “I’m gonna walk with my granddaddy, and he’ll match me step for step. And I’ll tell him how I missed him every minute since he left. Then I’ll hug his neck.” Genuine, loving relationships are a powerful sign of heaven. As we give and receive love, we are pointed towards the realities of heaven. When we experience the emotions of love, joy, peace and hope through relationship, we are actually experience a glimpse of heaven. These emotions are not the fullness of what will be experienced in heaven but only a taste.
#3. The third sign that points us towards heaven is the human face.
The human face provides a glimpse into heaven. It reflects the emotions and the old adage, “the eyes are the window to the soul,” proves true. Proof that the human face is haunted can be found in the fact that infants recognize human face and its expressions. A baby knows the meaning of a smile and a frown. Through the face we can detect the spirit and subsequently catch a glimpse of heaven.
#4. The fourth sign that points us towards heaven is art.
There is something powerful about art. Vanessa was sharing at our Faith Explorations class this week and she talked about how music can open up a person to the Holy Spirit. All of the arts: music, poetry, pictures, and stories, have an ability to open our spirits up to God’s Spirit. As we are opened up, we are able to see heaven through a new lens.
Great art has the ability not only to move you but to transport you to another place. When we read a good book, we find ourselves wrapped up in the world that has been created within the pages. C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series helped me understand certain things about God and heaven that a theological treatise never could. This is one of the reasons we incorporate so much music and visual art via the screen during worship. We want people to see and experience God and we believe that art can help get them to that place.
#5. The fifth sign that points us towards heaven is the sacraments of baptism and communion.
As we conclude this morning, we need to learn to read the signs in the world and in the culture if we are going to catch glimpses of heaven. I hope you realize that there is no limit to the places you can see signs of heaven. They are everywhere if we will simply learn to stop looking directly at them and look along them. Too many of us are like the dog who sniffs the persons finger as they point where the dog should look. When we look along the signs, we will see that which our soul longs for.
The final sign is one that we experienced this morning. Both baptism and communion are sign-acts that help focus our eyes towards heaven. In baptism we are unconditionally welcomed into God’s family. An infant that has done nothing, is welcomed into a community of people who promise to care for and look after the child. This points us towards the love and acceptance that is found in heaven. Similarly, the act of communion points us toward the unconditional love and sacrifice of Jesus. Both sign-acts go much deeper than the physical bread, wine and water. They point us towards the beauty and majesty of heaven and the God who resides there.
If we want to see heaven, we need to look along the signs the world offers us so that we might catch a glimpse of heaven on earth. Heaven haunts us if we can just look to look…
Let’s pray and then turn our eyes upon heaven and Jesus.
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