Transformed Lives Transforming The World

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (Part 2)

1 Thessalonians 2:8-  "we loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."

Last time we talked about the importance of love in sharing the truth of the Gospel.  My personal struggle is to remember that.  There are people that are easy for me to love and then there are others that are difficult.  Sometimes in the corporate church world it is tempting to just "do church."  It is tempting to just find a structure to operate the pieces of the church under and forget about opening our lives with love to share the gospel.  Sometimes it is tempting to lead a small group as a program.  Sometimes it is tempting to just spit out truth forgetting that the truth must be accompanied by love.

This week we talked about how important this idea is at our HomeGroup Leaders and Hosts dinner.  Without love for people in our group it is impossible to succeed in leading or hosting a HomeGroup.  No doubt discussing the truth of Scripture is part of being in a HomeGroup at Community Bible Church, but Home Groups are so much more than just sharing the truths of Gospel of God, but is about sharing our lives as well.  It is about loving the people in our group.  Even those that don't easily fit into our lives.  Even to those that might be different than us.  Even those that might be difficult to love.   

At our HomeGroup Leaders and Hosts dinner we talked about how appropriate this verse is for us to remember as we plan and pray about next year's HomeGroups.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (Part 1)

1 Thessalonians 2:8--"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."  -NIV

In this passage the Apostle Paul is reflecting back on how fond he was for the people that were part of the Thessalonian church that he helped start.  He mentions two things that he wanted to share with these people.  One, the Gospel of God, and two his life (some translations say soul).  These two things are bookended by two similar phrases.  First he says, "we loved you so much".  Then he says, "because you had become so dear to us."  

Do you think Paul was ever tempted to just spit out the truth concepts of the Gospel without love?  Probably.  Do you think it is possible to really share the Gospel without sharing your life?  Probably not.  A core part of the Gospel is the love that Christ showed us by dying in our place.  Paul tells us in other places that the love of Christ is supposed to live in us and through us.  So how can we share the Gospel with them without having love be part of what we share?  

Do you think it was easy or hard for Paul to love these people?  Because people have been fallen since Adam didn't stop Eve from eating the fruit they weren't supposed to eat, I think it had the potential to be as hard for him as it is for us.  I think he learned to love people that were:  Hard headed, lazy, annoying, different, loud, quiet, shy, controlling, power hungry, rich, poor, busy, complaining, old, young, immature, too happy, too sad, insecure, arrogant.

Have you ever said so-in-so is to hard to love I just don't gel with them, then claimed they were one of the things above?  Maybe you used a different adjective to describe someone.  Who is it in your sphere of influence that God is calling you to share the truth of the Gospel with by opening your life to them and showing them love? 

On Commencements, Mortar Boards, Tassels, & Other Related Subjects

Proms and parties, announcements and matriculation, caps and gowns, nervous valedictory addresses and self-erasing commencement speeches, and some old guy handing out diplomas to our kids as Pomp And Circumstance plays over and over in their minds--a song they now hope never to hear again. It happens every year about this time and it always takes us by surprise that our kids are old enough and experienced enough to be graduating from high school and beginning their personal assault on the world as independent adults...in a manner of speaking. Most of them still have fairly strong family ties, particularly to Mom and Dad's checkbook.

Still it's a good reminder that life has a unique way of beginning again for us over and over and over. And that's good. We all need a chance to re-up and start all over. I think we need a lot of chances to rejoin some things we've let slide, to re-examine some passions we've ignored for one reason or another, and to re-enlist in some areas of life that are so important but somehow got lost in the shuffle of living every day; and we need those chances more often than on that single occasion when we're eighteen and graduating from high school.

But it's a great reminder that we're never finished. Every conclusion is, in its own way, a new beginning. High school is finished means college or career development is just beginning. College ends and it's time for grad school, or time to get a job, or get married, and following marriage, it's time to start a family; and that, well that opens a whole new can of worms.

There are a thousand different ways to tell that story. Some will involve college and some won't. Some will choose the military, some will opt for the work place, and others will get married, and not necessarily in that order. 

Life is never through with us as long as we're still living. It's going to continue to challenge us and change us. And we're going to have the opportunity each time it does to either sit on the sidelines or stay in the game.

Such was the message that I gleaned from our worship time this past Sunday. Maybe I can say it this way; the past is prologue. It's not so much about what I've already done, and it's really never about what anyone else gets to do; it's about what I decide to do with the opportunities God has placed in front of me. Jesus reminder to, "follow me," comes to mind as I start all over today and begin again.

(Ed Saucier)

21 and counting...Shepherd Scott Todd

21 staff kids in the last seven years.  This week number 21 was born to Rachel and Donnie Todd.  Many of you know Donnie as the go-tee wearing worship leader that leads our Fort Smith Campus most Sunday mornings, and you might not know Rachel, but you should.  She is the better half, no offense Donnie.  I'm sure Donnie will agree with me if not every week, especially this week after Rachel gave birth to their third child on May 12 at 10:53 a.m.  Shepherd Scott Todd was 8 pounds and 22 inches.  Everyone is doing good.  Congrats!

Liv, Pierce, and Shepherd

True Maturity

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (John 21.18)

We have maturity backwards.  We think that when we are fully developed we are equipped to lead, but this verse seem to imply that when we are fully developed we are equipped to follow.  Following, more than leading, requires maturity. 

Maturity is needed in order to be a follower because following requires humility, obedience, an understanding that we aren't always right, a knowledge that things can be accomplished in various ways, and a focus on being far more than doing. 

The concept that the fruit of maturity is the ability to follow should change our perspective on our faith and parenting.  Are you teaching your children how to follow?  Are you broadening their perspective beyond their own desires?  Are you instilling within them humility, obedience, understanding, and vast array of characteristics that will make them good followers?  Are you modeling the heart of a good follower?

If following requires maturity, the signs of immaturity are all around us--blaming umpires for ballgames, bad mouthing coaches over playing time, trashing our bosses decisions, refusing to serve our spouses, rejecting all authority, and a million other examples.  They express themselves as individuality or leadership, but far too often they are simply signs of immaturity. 

As Peter matured in faith, the decisions he got to control became fewer and fewer.  As he matured, he began to follow.  Jesus calls us, not to leadership, but to follow him.  As we mature in our faith, we will grow in our ability to follow.  A mature believer is a true follower of Christ.

(Kevin Thompson)

Little Things

The exceptional thing about a well-lived life is how unexceptional it is most of the time. Day in and day out there aren't all that many amazing things to do. Just checking my "to do" list for today I didn't find a single one; so I checked yesterday's list and found more of the same. Not one to give up greatness without a fight I went back to last week and the week before and discovered a conspicuous absence of anything extraordinary listed that I'd done. I could go back further, but there's no need for it. There aren't any.

My computerized calendar doesn't even offer "amazing" as a category for reminders of things to do. It lists things like birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, meetings, and, believe it or not, sporting events. In other words, it reminds me that my life is made up of the little things; the common, unremarkable, everyday occurrences that come and go on an exceptionally unexciting schedule. 

So I am reminded, again, that Jesus' reputation among those who knew him best for paying attention to the little things is a big thing--a very big thing. At a critical time in the life of Jesus, he took the time to build a fire and fry up some fish for his friends so they could enjoy a nice breakfast following a full night's work. Although I'm not one to eat fish for breakfast I love this story. And I want to be like that. I want to be the kind of person that remembers the little things, and does nice things for people just because I love them.

Happiness is not a goal to be attained; it is the byproduct of a life well-lived. 

(Ed Saucier)

In the End

In John 21:1-14 Jesus reveals to himself to the disciples early in the morning after a they had just spent an entire night fishing with no success.  The time that the disciples spent with Jesus that morning must have been pretty fantastic:

• In the last 10 minutes of their work-night a wasted effort became a very productive fishing trip
• After a long, hard night of fishing breakfast was waiting for them on the shore 
• They brought in an incredible number of large fish without tearing their nets 
• Jesus invited them to breakfast, and even beyond that he served it to them 
• They got to spend breakfast with Jesus 

  From the disciples' perspective, this must have been a near perfect breakfast experience.  What strikes me is that it came at the end of what was otherwise a pretty awful night for the disciples.  Their night was terrible, but in the end Jesus made it great.  He brought everything together into a perfect moment.  Isn't that the case in our lives as well?  Even when things have gone poorly for a while Jesus brings things together in a way that brings joy and peace.  We can trust that Jesus will turn our moments of frustration, failure, and distress into moments of joy in Him.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - Romans 15:13

(Mike Crain)

The Blessing of Believing

Have you ever wished you could see some kind of proof that God was really who the Bible says he is? I remember as a teenager trying to decide what to do with all this rather unbelievable information I was hearing about God from my girlfriend. I recall one night driving around in my car, a 1953 Dodge, telling God that I’d believe in him if he’d just give me a sign… Then I looked up to the sky and waited…and waited…and waited. I’m still waiting.

Thomas (John 20:24-31) wanted “proof” too. Difference is, he got it, and I never did.

There’s a story in the New Testament about another guy that wanted “proof” too. He didn’t get it either. It’s a story about two guys (we’re given the name of one and merely the economical state of the other), Lazarus and a rich man. Lazarus died and went to heaven; the rich man died and went to hell. In hell the rich man, who had five brothers, asked if it might be possible to have Lazarus go back to earth and warn his brothers to believe in God, so they wouldn’t die and end up in hell, figuring that if they had “proof” they’d believe in God. So he reasoned…

“If someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” (Luke 16:29b-31)

Here’s the response Jesus gave:

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:31)

So it seems that maybe “proof,” even if we had it, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Obviously it isn't necessary, and may that’s just the way God wants it and the way we need for it to be. It’s why we call it faith.

Speaking of faith, is there any evidence in the way we choose to live that we are people who live by faith? When we peal back the façade, what kind of faith do we really have? I’m just not all that impressed with my own faith to be honest with you. Consider the following words of Jesus for example…

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

To be honest, I sort of wish my rich aunt (I don’t have one that I know of) had written that instead of God. If I had a rich aunt, and if she had written me such a letter; “Ed, you just keep your mind and heart on God, and I’ll make sure there’s no shortage of money,” do you think I’d worry about money? I wouldn’t. I’d feel a tremendous freedom to apply myself to the calling of God on my life.

The hard-hitting part of all this is that it seems to indicate that I have more confidence in a rich aunt that doesn’t even exist than I do in an omnipotent God that does!

I submit to you that if we chose to live according to the faith God gave us on the day he saved us we wouldn’t be caught dead disobeying God.

If we wait for “proof” that our faith is legitimate before we decide to live faithfully my hunch is that it won’t ever happen.

Thomas, for some reason, got his “proof.” The rest of us get to believe. Consider yourself blessed.

(Ed Saucier)

Is That You?

"Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus." (John 21.4)

I have always been struck by how much Jesus tends to be incognito after the Resurrection.  Mary didn't think it was him.  The men on the road to Emmaues didn't know it was him.  The disciples in the boat didn't know it was him.  For someone who was just raised for the dead he kept awfully quiet.  If I hit a ball into a cup I let everyone know, but Jesus was raised from the dead and didn't even give a shout.  

As much as it strikes me about how Jesus went about life after the Resurrection, it is a great encouragement that his closest followers often didn't know who he was.  While in two of the three cases their confusion was probably because it was dawn so the light wasn't bright enough to see detail, they still didn't know it was him.  That is something I can understand.  It seems like I live most of my life not sure if Jesus is present or not.  I look for him but the darkness often seems more powerful than the light and my eyes are left unsure if he is near.  

I take comfort in knowing the disciples were just as confuse as I am and I take comfort in knowing that even when they thought Jesus was absent, he was in fact very present.  It was true for them and it is true for us.  I can't help but think that no matter where we are in life, Jesus is nearby.  The shadows may hide him and the distance may make him more difficult to see, but he is there.   

This leads me to one conclusion--I am not alone. 

Neither are you.

(Kevin Thompson)