Reflections From Sunday Evening

Today we were looking at Genesis 22. That is the story where God tells Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. I was looking at traditional and alternate interpretations of the text. I won't go into all that now. But I want to go back to the idea that we might focus on verse 11. This is the verse where just before Abraham goes through with sacrificing Isaac God intervenes. He stops Abraham from going though with the sacrifice. We generally focus on Abraham's response but here we look at God's action. This is a significant moment in the story of redemption. Abraham is leading God's people. They will become a great nation. Later a new leader named Moses will arise. There will be ups and downs for the people of Israel. Prophets will come forward. Later God will come in Jesus Christ. Apostles will carry the message of the Gospel. Through history the faithful will continue the message and untold numbers will believe in Jesus Christ and continue the people of God initiated so long ago. When God called out to Abraham I see him beginning a new way. The people where Abraham's people were going had many practices such as worshiping many gods, child sacrifice, sexualized religious practices and other things. When God says "stop" a new way is introduced. The people of God will be distinct from the cultures and nations of the world. They will not practice those acts the others took for granted. A new way is beginning. When Moses brought the 10 Commandments they were counter to the practices of others. In a world with a multitude of gods the Lord says you shall have One God. In a world of idolatry there is a prohibition of graven images. The list goes on. The people of God continue to this day. We may forget some of this but we still carry the distinctive mark of the people of God. The people of God live differently from the prevailing culture. We think different. We live different. We are different because Christ lives in us. ...Something to think about. We are the people of God. What does that mean to us? On another note... Today PWUMC held our Trunk or Treat at Chin Elementary School. We partnered with the school and were able to share with many who are not in our church. I thought it was a great witness. So proud of our Children's Ministry and whole church. It's been a good day. (Chiefs win?) - (Go Royals!) steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Today we were talking about faith and how it produces hope. Hope is an interesting word. Some time when you are with some friends ask how they define hope. If they are like many people today the definition will include words like "wish" and "desire". Frankly we have developed an understanding of hope as wishful thinking. A Biblical understanding of hope is much different. The scriptures speak of our "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). This refers to our hope of the appearing of Jesus Christ. In our Christian understanding hope is much more than wishes and desires, it is grounded in faith and is sure and certain. I shared what I learned from Rev. Nanette Roberts who serves the UMC in Olathe, Kansas. The Indo-European, Hebrew and Greek root words end up being translated hope and the same root word leads to a word translated curve. The image emerges of a bend that changes direction and provides a new way. A change in perspective is always possible. The bottom line is we can have a more informed definition of hope. Hope is a strong and confident expectation that change is likely to occur. When faith rises and hope follows we may find ourselves having a strong and confident expectation that change is likely to occur. Feel free to apply that idea to your faith life, your relationships, your health, your finances or any circumstance in your life. We might also apply that idea to our hopes for our church, community, nation and world. People of faith have been entrusted with something that is life changing and world changing. Faith produces hope and hope leads to a strong, confident expectation that change is likely to occur. God is likely to step into our lives and make a great change. God is likely to step into our lives and forgive us, redeem us and change our hearts. God is likely to move in the Church and bring forth a revival of faith that will rock the world. God is likely to get involved in the community, the nation and the world in a very redemptive way. Let faith arise and hope follow. Live with a strong, confident expectation that God will move in your life. It is very likely to occur. It's been a great day. I hope you've had a good day too. steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Third Grade Bibles. Today was the day we gave our third graders their Bibles. It is always a joy to hand out the Word of God and shake a young persons hand. They are such a great group. Week after week third graders comes to Sunday School. Their teachers and all those involved in Children's Ministry invest in their faith formation. Many of these kids are part of our Wednesday night program (WOW). They have been in Vacation Bible School. Through the years they have been in many classes. They have done crafts. They have served in different ways. They have played. They have shared refreshments. They have been part of the Church. Today we added an important ingredient to their life of faith. The Bible. I asked them to find the Gospel of Mark. Their assignment is to read Mark. I told them when they finish Mark 4 and read the Parable of the Sower to email me. (About half of our third graders have email addresses). Past experience tells me they will be reading and getting more and more acquainted with God's Word. I anticipate someday these third graders will be sharing the Word in Middle School and then in High School groups. These are the young people who one day will participate in and lead campus groups in college. These are some of those who will be witnesses in the workplace and encourage co-workers with the Scriptures. Seeds are being sown. The church plays a great role in the development of disciples of Jesus Christ. We pray, we serve, we give and we love children into the life of faith. It's been a great day. I hope you've had a good day too. steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

I am thinking sports this afternoon. Here is a general principle for success. Be in the right place and do the right thing. This is especially true when playing defense. I would say that over half the battle is simply being in the right place. At least then you are in the way! (I watched the Chiefs game and they prove my point. Seldom did they appear to be in the right place). We watch defensive placements in baseball that seek to put people in the right place to make a play. Once in the right place it becomes important to do the right thing. From experience I know what it is like to be in the right position and then miss a tackle. But it is much easier to do the right thing when you are in the right place. There are examples of people making super plays even though out of position. But that is not common. Be in the right place and do the right thing. That makes for success. Let me put this in a spiritual perspective. It is important to be in the right place spiritually. Be "in"Christ. That means it starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ. We accept Christ and the Lord then "lives in us". We are in the right place by the grace of God. From our position in Christ we are empowered to do the right things. This is when we are best able to "love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with our God." It is evident that people without a relationship with Christ do good and accomplish some important things. But in my analogy it takes some extraordinary actions when doing good work in our own power. In Christ we have the power of the Holy Spirit to empower us to do mercy and justice. In Christ we have the power to witness for Christ and point others to His love. When in the right place (in Christ) we are best equipped to do the right things. On another note... Tomorrow (Monday) we host a blood drive at church. We are open from 2-7. It is a great way to serve and make a difference. Remember (from the announcement today) that those who sign up become eligible to take home a pie from Corner Cafe. It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too. steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

One of the recent concepts in our time is "chatter". Chatter has been part of my vocabulary for many years. In little league baseball we were told to "chatter". Hey batter, hey batter, hey batter...swiiiing batter! (Maybe that was Ferris Buhler's Day Off). In elementary school there were many of us who might be called "chatter boxes" because we were more social than was allowed. But the term has taken on a different meaning from the conversational tone of an earlier time. Today "chatter" may refer to the communications that intelligence agencies pick up from terrorists. Amazingly there is someone out there monitoring practically every form of communication trying to discern chatter so as to stop violence. Chatter. This has me thinking about the chatter all around me. The sound of Joe Buck's voice on Sunday afternoons has become part of the background of American life. (He is an announcer for NFL games in case you didn't recognize the name). Today I heard the chatter of Rex Hudler and the announcers for the K.C. Royals. Among all this comes the continual chatter of advertisements. Listen for the noise in your life. There is background chatter practically all the time. Chatter, chatter, chatter. This becomes serious in the spiritual sense. In a world (and a life) filled with continual chatter it becomes increasingly difficult to hear and recognize the voice of God. God speaks to people in many different ways. Don't expect voices out of the heavens but God speaks. Many times people indicate that they do not believe God speaks to them. Perhaps people feel that way because of all the chatter that stifles the voice of God. So what could we do about this? Listen. It takes time and effort to listen. It is very difficult to hear and recognize the voice of God when we try to pick His voice out from all the others we have going all around us all day. We are invited to some intentional, focused time with God. Some like a few minutes in the morning or evening. It does not make much difference when the focused listening time comes as long as it is intentional. Don't try to pick up on God during the course of a busy day. That is a good time to pray and talk to God but not a good time to listen. Get quiet. Get focused. Listen. Jesus indicated that his sheep (those who love him and follow him) know his voice. Remember the Lord has more invested in communicating with you than you have invested in Him. So relax. Listen. Focus. Hear God's voice. Oh one other thing. Be careful. God does not always say what we expect Him to say. Be ready for a surprise or even a challenge. It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too. steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Saturday evening Cindy, our kids and I went to a football game at Baker University. We like to get out at least once a year and remember where we went to college. It is always fun to walk across the campus and remember the classes we had in the various buildings. We look at the renovated science building and I remember my anatomy and physiology class. There is Parmenter Hall that was nearly condemned when we were there and now is renovated and re-purposed. Case Hall is where we took those education classes and the psychology courses. The library looks very different. Mabee Hall is where I had my physical education classes and was home to all the coaches offices and the basketball court. (I had my own key to that building. I used to wash the football uniforms each week but that is another story). Since we were there a new physical education building/gym has been constructed. The student union looks very different. (Much improved). There is a chapel on campus that was brought over from England. It is a chapel that Margaret Thatcher's father once preached in. We were there several years ago when it was dedicated. There have been many changes. Even with the changes the form of the campus remains. The mission is stronger than ever. The improvements are enhancing the educational experience at Baker University. There was another change. Baker played William Penn University. It was the third all time meeting between the two schools. I actually played in the previous two. The combined scores of those games back in the '70's was William Penn 111 - Baker 0. Believe me, I did my part! The big change came in the game last night. Baker 48 - William Penn 13. That was a definite change. Depending upon your perspective it was either a really good change. (The Baker perspective). Or...a really lousy change. (The William Penn perspective). I will go with the positive and leave it at that. We are experiencing change in and at our church. Depending upon your perspective...it is either great or a painful disturbance. Will the changes move us forward in our mission? Will the changes result in changed lives for decades to come? Will the changes contribute to many people giving their lives to Christ and experience saving grace and the promise of eternal life? This is why we introduce change. This is why we take risks. We will certainly recognize the previous form of our church and maintain great memories. We will also recognize something new and fresh that will enhance the mission of Jesus Christ. It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too. (Go Chiefs - Go Royals!) steve

Reflections (it's Monday rather than Sunday so a new name)

I think it was sometime in the spring of 1976. Cindy and I had been thinking, talking and praying about our next step. It seemed like taking a step into ministry was where we were heading but since there was no real frame of reference for a decision like that it was not easy. Discerning a call (or direction or practically anything else in the spiritual life) is not simple. Part of the complexity involves prayer, searching the scriptures, considering life situations and having conversations with others. There was a United Methodist evangelist who we had met a few months earlier. Cecil Williamson had a profound effect on us. We discovered that Cecil was going to be preaching at a church in Arkansas. We lived in south Missouri but he was closer than Mississippi where he lived. We decided to go to this little town in Arkansas and see him. We had a friend staying with us at the time so the three of us got in the car and headed out. (I believe we took the afternoon off from teaching since it was like a 5 hour drive). I have no idea how we got to this place but it seems like we drove over mountains and across rivers and where there were no roads! But we got there. We went to church. Then we went to the preacher's house where Cecil was staying and talked. I really do not remember the content of our conversation. No light bulbs came on. But the encouragement and the experience contributed to our decision. It took us most of the night to get home and after sleeping an hour or so we went to work. (Can't do stuff like that anymore!) I share that because tomorrow we anticipate Cecil and his wife Julie passing through Kansas City on their way out west. They will be spending the night and I am pretty jazzed for our conversation. Cecil is now retired. (If evangelists ever really retire) But he is still active and going strong. I look forward to seeing my mentor in ministry. Thinking about this reminds me of how blessed I have been to have people invest in me. There have been many. It strikes me that part of our Christian life includes investing ourselves in others. Who could you offer your time and life to? You never know. Your interest and presence could contribute to a changed life. It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too. steve