Look Up!

During perilous times Jesus once said, "Look up, for your redemption is drawing near." Not bad advice.

I know many of you are extremely anxious about the current financial crisis we are facing. Apparently these are the most challenging times since 1973-74. Those were tough times. Cindy and I were in college. We were coming off our second consecutive 10-loss season in football! Gas prices were at a level where we had to look for change in the couch to put gas in the car! We had another year of college left.

We came through. Actually we did not have any worries about stocks, savings and retirement. We were getting ready to head out into life. We were preparing for jobs and the life before us.
Today I want to encourage you to resist the urge to "look out!" because the whole market is falling apart.

I want to encourage you resist the urge to "look in" and get totally self absorbed in anxiety and worry.

I want to encourage you to "look up!" Your redemption is drawing near.

As your pastor I want you to know I understand the anxiety many are feeling. But I also want to let you know these are times to "look up" and see what God is doing.

Today you have an opportunity to discover something very important about the church, God and Jesus Christ. If the church is but another civic organization that helps stabilize society through a form of civil religion, we don't have much to lean on. If God is captive to the economic events of our nation and world we don't have much to look toward. If Jesus Christ is a nice idea about what good things a man could do we don't have much hope.

But here is the good news. Jesus Christ is the risen, living Son of God who has come to redeem us and save us.

God is real, alive, vital and engaged in the world and in our lives.

The church is the Body of Christ here on earth. We are not just another club. We are a spiritual force that is capable of standing in storms. We are a powerful place that offers refuge from disaster and equips us to go out and take the message of faith and grace to a lost and dying world.

We are a place and a people who have eternity on our side. We transcend the powers that be in this world. We overcome the forces that destroy. We are the people of the Living God.

This is a great time to get converted! This is a great time to move away from a "self-help" idea about God and discover the powerful, forgiving, redeeming God of the Universe. This is a great time to put true faith in Jesus Christ and receive forgiveness and eternal life.

This is a great time to look at what we believe is vital and important and move our relationship with Jesus Christ above self, family, career and nation! This is a time to put ourselves in the gracious hands of God and discover what it is to rely on Him and live on His amazing grace and blessings.

As your pastor I pledge to be in prayer for you! I pray for our nation and the economic issues facing all of us. I also long for you to "look up" and find a revitalized relationship with Jesus Christ that will sustain us in these times and lead us forward to be a blessing in the midst of this world.

This is a time to worship. Do all you can to be in church and to bring others along. Do this for the sole reason of getting yourself in the presence of God who is able to redeem and restore.
I'll see you.