Temptation is very real. Temptation has been around from the beginning of time. Ever since God set the very first rule in the Garden, there has been temptation. That is why Paul writes in Romans that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
How do we know that it is sin? That is easy, because of the law. The law of God establishes what is right and what is wrong. The law sets up the moral, ethical and religious boundaries for our actions. The law tells us what to do and what not to do.
The problem is, once you write one law, you have to write a second to interpret it. Just look at the law today. We started with two unwritten laws, laws that should be written on the heart and in the soul: “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” We went from those two being the guiding force in the lives of the faithful, to the Ten Commandments which interpreted how we were supposed to love God and our neighbor. And those Ten Commandments got translated into 613 binding laws by the time of Jesus. Now there are million’s of laws, just in this country alone. The law tells us what to do; it establishes the boundaries and fills us with the fear of punishment if we break the law. However, the law does not save us from the times we mess up and fail to do what is good and right and perfect. The law cannot save us or even forgive us for our failures and our sin. All it can really do is convict us of that sin.
This is where God’s grace comes in. Grace is the fire under the pan, the fire in our hearts that inspires us and moves us to do what is right in God’s eyes. Grace comes through Christ Jesus, springing up to quench our thirsting in the face of temptation. Grace is truly a free gift from God that gives us “inner peace” in the midst of all the temptations and challenges of life. Jesus is the very core of God’s grace. Jesus’ Life, Death and Resurrection are the ingredients of God’s grace. It is through the very grace of God as offered through Jesus Christ that takes away the stink and smell of our sin and disobedience. It is grace that offers new life and forgiveness. It is through grace that Christ Jesus is able to stand as our advocate before the Judgment seat and plead our case. It is through grace that God pronounces us forgiven!
Augustine said: “Our hearts are restless and will not rest until they rest in God.” Experience the rested heart and the inner peace of God by remembering that when we accept Jesus Christ and the forgiveness offered by God’s grace through Christ, we are transformed and filled with both the power and the purpose of Jesus in our lives. That power and purpose gives us the strength to face the rigors and struggles of daily life. Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship. Remove the fear in your life; replace it with faith and experience “a peace that passes all understanding!”
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Power of Prayer
Prayer is one of the basics of a relationship with God. Prayer is not only speaking, but also listening. Prayer is opening our hearts and minds to hearing God speak to us.
Prayer gives us direction. We know that life can be confusing at times. There are times when we feel like we’re pulled in every direction but the right direction. Prayer not only helps point us in the right direction, it also helps keep us going in the right direction.
Prayer helps hold us together. The next time life seems to come apart at the seams, take a few moments to stop and pray. We live in uncertain and challenging times. Sometimes our lives can feel empty and bare. We can feel devoid of life and hope. That’s where prayer can help. Prayer and attending church can revive us and fill us with a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit! Prayer helps keep our lives from getting all tangled up like a knot. Remember the beautiful verses from Psalm 66: 19 & 20, “But truly God has listened; He has given heed to the words of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.”
From reading John 17: 20-26, we discover that Jesus prays for our unity. I believe that is why the church is here. We are all called to ministry so that we can work together and express that unity for the world to see. There is much in the world that separates us. There is much more that makes us one! There is one thing above all that unites us, binds us together, that breaks down all the walls and barriers. The one thing that binds us and unites us is the person of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we experience the love and forgiveness of God. Jesus died for everyone! That’s what unites us, our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
Through Christ, we can be united in spite of our differences. You might compare us to a choir or a band. A person sings or plays a specific instrument. Musicians come with their own gifts and personalities. Yet each musician gives themselves to this group. The music lives in them and is brought to life through their unity of mind and spirit. When we weave our personalities, gifts, abilities and ideas into the greater life of faith, we are fulfilling Christ’s prayer for us. Jesus’ prayer for us is that the world will see Christ in us, through our unity and through our love for each other.
Take time this week to read your Bible, attend worship and tap into the power of prayer. It’s the love of Christ living in us, helping us, guiding us, empowering us to forgive and offer the hand of forgiveness that make the words of the song true; “They will know we are Christians by our love.” That’s the only way the world will ever know, not by our
words, but by our love!
http://pastorjimrobinson.bodbean.com
Prayer gives us direction. We know that life can be confusing at times. There are times when we feel like we’re pulled in every direction but the right direction. Prayer not only helps point us in the right direction, it also helps keep us going in the right direction.
Prayer helps hold us together. The next time life seems to come apart at the seams, take a few moments to stop and pray. We live in uncertain and challenging times. Sometimes our lives can feel empty and bare. We can feel devoid of life and hope. That’s where prayer can help. Prayer and attending church can revive us and fill us with a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit! Prayer helps keep our lives from getting all tangled up like a knot. Remember the beautiful verses from Psalm 66: 19 & 20, “But truly God has listened; He has given heed to the words of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.”
From reading John 17: 20-26, we discover that Jesus prays for our unity. I believe that is why the church is here. We are all called to ministry so that we can work together and express that unity for the world to see. There is much in the world that separates us. There is much more that makes us one! There is one thing above all that unites us, binds us together, that breaks down all the walls and barriers. The one thing that binds us and unites us is the person of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we experience the love and forgiveness of God. Jesus died for everyone! That’s what unites us, our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
Through Christ, we can be united in spite of our differences. You might compare us to a choir or a band. A person sings or plays a specific instrument. Musicians come with their own gifts and personalities. Yet each musician gives themselves to this group. The music lives in them and is brought to life through their unity of mind and spirit. When we weave our personalities, gifts, abilities and ideas into the greater life of faith, we are fulfilling Christ’s prayer for us. Jesus’ prayer for us is that the world will see Christ in us, through our unity and through our love for each other.
Take time this week to read your Bible, attend worship and tap into the power of prayer. It’s the love of Christ living in us, helping us, guiding us, empowering us to forgive and offer the hand of forgiveness that make the words of the song true; “They will know we are Christians by our love.” That’s the only way the world will ever know, not by our
words, but by our love!
http://pastorjimrobinson.bodbean.com
The Spirit of Peace
When we open our Bibles and read Colossians 3: 15, we are reminded to: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.” The peace which the world generally thinks of when they think of peace is dependent upon us. History has proven that we are not always that dependable. When peace is dependent upon us, it usually does not last. Think of all the treaties that have been signed throughout history. Then think about all the treaties that have been broken.
The Greek word used in Paul’s letter had two usages. First of all, it dealt with the whole idea of the serenity or physical and mental peace of a village or country or community and the individual who was in charge of keeping the peace. The keeper of the public peace, was sort of like the western idea of a sheriff and today’s understanding of the police officer whose primary duty is to help us “keep the peace” when we get unruly.
A lot of people are only seeking this kind of peace. They want financial or social peace, but what they are really looking for is not peace but safety. Not peace but security. Not peace but popularity. Not peace but superiority. Not peace but plenty. Not peace but a place in society. A lot of people are only seeking outward signs of peace. They are only interested in an outward appearance. They are not really seeking the Biblical model or Biblical ideal of peace.
The second understanding of peace is related to the Hebrew word, Shalom. Shalom is more than physical peace. Shalom is wholeness, oneness, it is peace of body, mind, soul and spirit. It is wholeness on every level. In John 14:27 Jesus told the Disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” This is the peace Paul was talking about in Philippians 4:6-7 when he wrote: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is the peace which fills our hearts with the grace of God in Christ so we can affirm what Jesus told the Disciples in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Peace comes from the Holy Spirit bearing witness to our spirit that we are the children of God, children who are forgiven and loved. This peace, this Shalom can only be born in us through the love and joy of God’s Holy Spirit which lives and reigns in us. There are so many people in the world who are seeking peace, inner peace in their lives and don’t even really know it. They have worked hard for all that they have and yet now it doesn’t bring the joy or happiness they once thought it would. Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship and discover the peace born through the love and joy of God’s Holy Spirit. When we have the peace of Jesus it makes all the difference in our lives and all the difference in the world. The answer, the only thing which can bring peace to the troubled soul and the only thing which can fill that emptiness is Christ Jesus. Jesus gave His very life on the Cross so we could know with certainty that our sins have been forgiven. Peace be with you!
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com
The Greek word used in Paul’s letter had two usages. First of all, it dealt with the whole idea of the serenity or physical and mental peace of a village or country or community and the individual who was in charge of keeping the peace. The keeper of the public peace, was sort of like the western idea of a sheriff and today’s understanding of the police officer whose primary duty is to help us “keep the peace” when we get unruly.
A lot of people are only seeking this kind of peace. They want financial or social peace, but what they are really looking for is not peace but safety. Not peace but security. Not peace but popularity. Not peace but superiority. Not peace but plenty. Not peace but a place in society. A lot of people are only seeking outward signs of peace. They are only interested in an outward appearance. They are not really seeking the Biblical model or Biblical ideal of peace.
The second understanding of peace is related to the Hebrew word, Shalom. Shalom is more than physical peace. Shalom is wholeness, oneness, it is peace of body, mind, soul and spirit. It is wholeness on every level. In John 14:27 Jesus told the Disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” This is the peace Paul was talking about in Philippians 4:6-7 when he wrote: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is the peace which fills our hearts with the grace of God in Christ so we can affirm what Jesus told the Disciples in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Peace comes from the Holy Spirit bearing witness to our spirit that we are the children of God, children who are forgiven and loved. This peace, this Shalom can only be born in us through the love and joy of God’s Holy Spirit which lives and reigns in us. There are so many people in the world who are seeking peace, inner peace in their lives and don’t even really know it. They have worked hard for all that they have and yet now it doesn’t bring the joy or happiness they once thought it would. Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship and discover the peace born through the love and joy of God’s Holy Spirit. When we have the peace of Jesus it makes all the difference in our lives and all the difference in the world. The answer, the only thing which can bring peace to the troubled soul and the only thing which can fill that emptiness is Christ Jesus. Jesus gave His very life on the Cross so we could know with certainty that our sins have been forgiven. Peace be with you!
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
God Loves You “Anyway” and “As Is”
Every journey has to have a destination and with a destination, you have to know which direction to go. Map quest and GPS has helped us to find businesses and each other’s homes, but how do we find our way back home in the spiritual journey of life?
The Bible reminds us that the way back home is through faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith is like magnetic north of a compass. However, sometimes the compass of life gets off and loses direction. Maybe another magnet has gotten too close, something of the world that keeps calling us to follow it, instead of the compass point of our faith, Jesus. When that happens, like the prodigal son, we get lost and we can’t find our way home. However, it is the call of home, the memories and recollections that keep us searching and moving and journeying.
We must remember that no matter what we have done or how bad we have been, God loves us “anyway.” Also, we must remember that we do not have to be anything special or have done anything special, for God to love us. God loves us “as is,” with all of our faults, both visible and hidden. That’s God's unconditional love!
In order to experience the fullness of God’s unconditional love, which comes in the form of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, we have to open the door. Jesus is standing at the door knocking and we have to open that door and let Jesus into our heart and into our life. We open the door because that’s the only way that God’s “anyway love” and “as is” love can begin their work of cleaning up our lives through the “Redemptive Love” of Jesus Christ.
Opening the door may sound like a contradiction and a condition in the whole idea of God’s unconditional love, but it is not! God is going to continue to love us “anyway” and “as is” because that is God’s nature. 1 John 4: 8 reminds us that: “whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
If we leave the door shut and locked then we won’t reap the fullness of God’s love. We won’t experience the benefits of that unconditional love or even the reason Jesus came, and that would be a shame. It would be like going to a 12 course dinner and leaving after the soup and salad. You would experience some of it but not the main course or the dessert. You would experience some of it, but you would miss out on the best parts.
Not unlocking the door, not opening our hearts to Jesus also keeps the compass out of whack. All that garbage in our lives weighs us down. The stink and the corruption leak over into every other aspect of our lives, even when we don’t want it to. We have to get rid of it!
But thanks be to God that God uses so many ways and so many people to help us not only hear of God’s love for us, but who also help us accept that love. The Bible is God’s “Love Letter” to us reminding us of how wonderful it was at home, telling us God loves us “anyway” and “as is”. All God really wants is for us to return home and Jesus was that “Love Letter” made flesh, that “Love Letter” dressed in the rags of our brokenness and sin. Jesus came to lead us back home.
Remember that Jesus is knocking on the door of your life. When you open the door and let Jesus into your life, you are forgiven! Open the door locked in your soul and let Jesus clean out that room, so you can experience the fullness of God’s forgiveness and unconditional love! See you in church!
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
The Bible reminds us that the way back home is through faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith is like magnetic north of a compass. However, sometimes the compass of life gets off and loses direction. Maybe another magnet has gotten too close, something of the world that keeps calling us to follow it, instead of the compass point of our faith, Jesus. When that happens, like the prodigal son, we get lost and we can’t find our way home. However, it is the call of home, the memories and recollections that keep us searching and moving and journeying.
We must remember that no matter what we have done or how bad we have been, God loves us “anyway.” Also, we must remember that we do not have to be anything special or have done anything special, for God to love us. God loves us “as is,” with all of our faults, both visible and hidden. That’s God's unconditional love!
In order to experience the fullness of God’s unconditional love, which comes in the form of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, we have to open the door. Jesus is standing at the door knocking and we have to open that door and let Jesus into our heart and into our life. We open the door because that’s the only way that God’s “anyway love” and “as is” love can begin their work of cleaning up our lives through the “Redemptive Love” of Jesus Christ.
Opening the door may sound like a contradiction and a condition in the whole idea of God’s unconditional love, but it is not! God is going to continue to love us “anyway” and “as is” because that is God’s nature. 1 John 4: 8 reminds us that: “whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
If we leave the door shut and locked then we won’t reap the fullness of God’s love. We won’t experience the benefits of that unconditional love or even the reason Jesus came, and that would be a shame. It would be like going to a 12 course dinner and leaving after the soup and salad. You would experience some of it but not the main course or the dessert. You would experience some of it, but you would miss out on the best parts.
Not unlocking the door, not opening our hearts to Jesus also keeps the compass out of whack. All that garbage in our lives weighs us down. The stink and the corruption leak over into every other aspect of our lives, even when we don’t want it to. We have to get rid of it!
But thanks be to God that God uses so many ways and so many people to help us not only hear of God’s love for us, but who also help us accept that love. The Bible is God’s “Love Letter” to us reminding us of how wonderful it was at home, telling us God loves us “anyway” and “as is”. All God really wants is for us to return home and Jesus was that “Love Letter” made flesh, that “Love Letter” dressed in the rags of our brokenness and sin. Jesus came to lead us back home.
Remember that Jesus is knocking on the door of your life. When you open the door and let Jesus into your life, you are forgiven! Open the door locked in your soul and let Jesus clean out that room, so you can experience the fullness of God’s forgiveness and unconditional love! See you in church!
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Monday, May 4, 2009
God’s Goodness and Mercy
In the beautiful 23rd Psalm we discover that God’s goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life. Maybe we need to ask ourselves what it is that’s really following us in life. Are we being followed by the goodness and mercy of God, or are we being chased and haunted by our past. There is a big difference.
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God’s goodness and mercy are not there to judge and condemn, God’s goodness and mercy are there to set us free from the baggage we have been lugging around so long. We all know John 3:16, we can quote it in our sleep. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” However, we must not forget verse 17 which clearly states: “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” The truth is, God does not have to condemn us, we do a pretty good job of doing it to ourselves and each other.
Condemning is not what God wants and condemning is not why Jesus came! God wants us to experience grace and forgiveness. God wants us to experience grace because grace leads to mercy and mercy leads to goodness. When we accept and realize God‘s amazing grace and mercy, we no longer doubt our salvation. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism called this “assurance” because we are filled with the assurance of the love, mercy and grace of God. Now that we have that assurance we can live as God wants us to live.
When the assurance we find through the mercy of God and grace of God allows us to maintain our character and be who God called us to be, our lives become “sanctified.” John Wesley called this grace, “sanctifying grace,” the grace that leads us and touches us and molds and grows us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. When our lives become sanctified, we purify our thoughts, our words and our actions. We become Christ-like.
Most of us have heard or maybe even used the phrase: “Don’t worry, I have you covered.” That’s what God’s grace is all about. God’s grace has us covered. No matter what happens in life, God will cover our lives with goodness, mercy and grace. Not only is God leading the way but God’s goodness and mercy are following behind us, strengthening and molding us into the Disciples we have been called to be.
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
.
God’s goodness and mercy are not there to judge and condemn, God’s goodness and mercy are there to set us free from the baggage we have been lugging around so long. We all know John 3:16, we can quote it in our sleep. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” However, we must not forget verse 17 which clearly states: “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” The truth is, God does not have to condemn us, we do a pretty good job of doing it to ourselves and each other.
Condemning is not what God wants and condemning is not why Jesus came! God wants us to experience grace and forgiveness. God wants us to experience grace because grace leads to mercy and mercy leads to goodness. When we accept and realize God‘s amazing grace and mercy, we no longer doubt our salvation. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism called this “assurance” because we are filled with the assurance of the love, mercy and grace of God. Now that we have that assurance we can live as God wants us to live.
When the assurance we find through the mercy of God and grace of God allows us to maintain our character and be who God called us to be, our lives become “sanctified.” John Wesley called this grace, “sanctifying grace,” the grace that leads us and touches us and molds and grows us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. When our lives become sanctified, we purify our thoughts, our words and our actions. We become Christ-like.
Most of us have heard or maybe even used the phrase: “Don’t worry, I have you covered.” That’s what God’s grace is all about. God’s grace has us covered. No matter what happens in life, God will cover our lives with goodness, mercy and grace. Not only is God leading the way but God’s goodness and mercy are following behind us, strengthening and molding us into the Disciples we have been called to be.
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
Peace through God’s Grace
Temptation is very real. Temptation has been around from the beginning of time. Ever since God set the very first rule in the Garden, there has been temptation. That is why Paul writes in Romans that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
How do we know that it is sin? That is easy, because of the law. The law of God establishes what is right and what is wrong. The law sets up the moral, ethical and religious boundaries for our actions. The law tells us what to do and what not to do.
The problem is, once you write one law, you have to write a second to interpret it. Just look at the law today. We started with two unwritten laws, laws that should be written on the heart and in the soul: “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” We went from those two being the guiding force in the lives of the faithful, to the Ten Commandments which interpreted how we were supposed to love God and our neighbor. And those Ten Commandments got translated into 613 binding laws by the time of Jesus. Now there are million’s of laws, just in this country alone. The law tells us what to do; it establishes the boundaries and fills us with the fear of punishment if we break the law. However, the law does not save us from the times we mess up and fail to do what is good and right and perfect. The law cannot save us or even forgive us for our failures and our sin. All it can really do is convict us of that sin.
This is where God’s grace comes in. Grace is the fire under the pan, the fire in our hearts that inspires us and moves us to do what is right in God’s eyes. Grace comes through Christ Jesus, springing up to quench our thirsting in the face of temptation. Grace is truly a free gift from God that gives us “inner peace” in the midst of all the temptations and challenges of life. Jesus is the very core of God’s grace. Jesus’ Life, Death and Resurrection are the ingredients of God’s grace. It is through the very grace of God as offered through Jesus Christ that takes away the stink and smell of our sin and disobedience. It is grace that offers new life and forgiveness. It is through grace that Christ Jesus is able to stand as our advocate before the Judgment seat and plead our case. It is through grace that God pronounces us forgiven!
Augustine said: “Our hearts are restless and will not rest until they rest in God.” Experience the rested heart and the inner peace of God by remembering that when we accept Jesus Christ and the forgiveness offered by God’s grace through Christ, we are transformed and filled with both the power and the purpose of Jesus in our lives. That power and purpose gives us the strength to face the rigors and struggles of daily life. Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship. Remove the fear in your life; replace it with faith and experience “a peace that passes all understanding!”
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
How do we know that it is sin? That is easy, because of the law. The law of God establishes what is right and what is wrong. The law sets up the moral, ethical and religious boundaries for our actions. The law tells us what to do and what not to do.
The problem is, once you write one law, you have to write a second to interpret it. Just look at the law today. We started with two unwritten laws, laws that should be written on the heart and in the soul: “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” We went from those two being the guiding force in the lives of the faithful, to the Ten Commandments which interpreted how we were supposed to love God and our neighbor. And those Ten Commandments got translated into 613 binding laws by the time of Jesus. Now there are million’s of laws, just in this country alone. The law tells us what to do; it establishes the boundaries and fills us with the fear of punishment if we break the law. However, the law does not save us from the times we mess up and fail to do what is good and right and perfect. The law cannot save us or even forgive us for our failures and our sin. All it can really do is convict us of that sin.
This is where God’s grace comes in. Grace is the fire under the pan, the fire in our hearts that inspires us and moves us to do what is right in God’s eyes. Grace comes through Christ Jesus, springing up to quench our thirsting in the face of temptation. Grace is truly a free gift from God that gives us “inner peace” in the midst of all the temptations and challenges of life. Jesus is the very core of God’s grace. Jesus’ Life, Death and Resurrection are the ingredients of God’s grace. It is through the very grace of God as offered through Jesus Christ that takes away the stink and smell of our sin and disobedience. It is grace that offers new life and forgiveness. It is through grace that Christ Jesus is able to stand as our advocate before the Judgment seat and plead our case. It is through grace that God pronounces us forgiven!
Augustine said: “Our hearts are restless and will not rest until they rest in God.” Experience the rested heart and the inner peace of God by remembering that when we accept Jesus Christ and the forgiveness offered by God’s grace through Christ, we are transformed and filled with both the power and the purpose of Jesus in our lives. That power and purpose gives us the strength to face the rigors and struggles of daily life. Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship. Remove the fear in your life; replace it with faith and experience “a peace that passes all understanding!”
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry
Churches celebrate Palm Sunday in different ways. At Mesquite United Methodist Church, the children, youth and adults wave palms during the opening processional hymn. This celebration has become an important tradition in the church. Palm Sunday is a day of celebration. Or at least it always starts that way because we try to relive a small portion of that day when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. It is a day of victory filled with palm branches and parades.
Jesus was exalted by the crowds. Even though there were objections, nothing could stop this parade. Nothing could stop this joyous celebration of the Jesus as Messiah. Because of this triumphal entry, because of the tension and expectations it caused, triumph changed to tragedy. Palm Sunday is also a day that reminds us of another parade, a parade of shame and tragedy as Jesus was led to the cross. This certainly was a painful parade. Triumph went to tragedy as Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified.
However, God changed tragedy to triumph! The good news is that God had the last word. Everyone believed crucifixion was the worst form of punishment ever invented and it was reserved for the worst offenders. Everyone thought that there was no way God could use anyone who had been crucified. However, because God is a God of reversal, this parade led to the ultimate victory and the cross, where Jesus was lifted up and exalted for all of creation. God likes to take the weak and make it strong. God loves taking the least and making it the most. God loves taking the small and defeating the mighty. God took the most unlikely scenario possible to save us from sin and death.
We invite you to celebrate with us during worship this weekend at Mesquite United Methodist Church as we remember and celebrate the good news that God always has the last word. On this special Palm Sunday Weekend the Adult Choir will sing the Easter Cantata “The Night Before Easter” on Saturday evening April 4th at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday morning April 5th at 10:00 a.m. The entire community is invited to join us as we remember and celebrate that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior took the tragedy of the cross and turned it into a triumph over sin and death!
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
Jesus was exalted by the crowds. Even though there were objections, nothing could stop this parade. Nothing could stop this joyous celebration of the Jesus as Messiah. Because of this triumphal entry, because of the tension and expectations it caused, triumph changed to tragedy. Palm Sunday is also a day that reminds us of another parade, a parade of shame and tragedy as Jesus was led to the cross. This certainly was a painful parade. Triumph went to tragedy as Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified.
However, God changed tragedy to triumph! The good news is that God had the last word. Everyone believed crucifixion was the worst form of punishment ever invented and it was reserved for the worst offenders. Everyone thought that there was no way God could use anyone who had been crucified. However, because God is a God of reversal, this parade led to the ultimate victory and the cross, where Jesus was lifted up and exalted for all of creation. God likes to take the weak and make it strong. God loves taking the least and making it the most. God loves taking the small and defeating the mighty. God took the most unlikely scenario possible to save us from sin and death.
We invite you to celebrate with us during worship this weekend at Mesquite United Methodist Church as we remember and celebrate the good news that God always has the last word. On this special Palm Sunday Weekend the Adult Choir will sing the Easter Cantata “The Night Before Easter” on Saturday evening April 4th at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday morning April 5th at 10:00 a.m. The entire community is invited to join us as we remember and celebrate that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior took the tragedy of the cross and turned it into a triumph over sin and death!
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
http://pastorjimrobinson.podbean.com/
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Give Me A Sign
The Apostle Paul wrote: “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” As we move through this Christian season of Lent and approach Palm Sunday and Easter, we know that the message of the cross can sound rather foolish to some people. During difficult times we often begin to question the purpose and meaning of life. We say to God, “Please give me a sign!”
God does send signs! However, we have trouble understanding them. Or we are trying to find signs that prove what we want to say, and not what God really means. Or we don’t see the signs for what they are. In the Bible, Jesus gave sign after sign and many ignored him. He changed water into wine. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He fed 5,000 with just 2 small fish and 5 small loaves. He healed leprosy and raised Lazarus from the dead. Many of Jesus’ followers and even the disciples would not or could not read the signs. Often, we are the same way.
There are signs of the presence of God everywhere! Every time someone reaches out to love and care for someone else; every time the poor and hungry are fed and cared for; every time a missionary doctor brings healing to those who are hurting; every time a child smiles and laughs because they know they are loved. Every time we offer unconditional love and forgiveness to others we see the presence of God.
Attending worship, prayer, study of scripture, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, all these things help us stand in the presence and love of God, and keep us focused. We have to maintain that focus and we have to take care of ourselves spiritually so that our faith stays fresh and our love of God and our love for God stays fresh. While trying to minister to others, while trying to live as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to make sure we keep our own spiritual houses in order. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism said we can do that by “staying in love with God.”
We stay in love with God by faithful participation in what John Wesley called the “Means of Grace.” Those things which help us stay in love with God are attending worship, prayer, Christian fellowship, Bible Study, the Lord’s Supper and by being faithful stewards of all that God has given to us including our time, talent and money. That brings us back to the cross again. It may seem foolish, but the cross is the wisdom and power of God. The cross becomes our focal point, which allows us to see beyond the worldly view to the divine point of view. The cross is a bridge between God and humanity. So many times in life we wish that there were a place where we could leave the past behind and start over again. There is only one place in the world like that, and it is located on a hill called Calvary, at the foot of an old rugged cross.
Jesus gave us the ultimate sign when it was discovered the tomb was empty! Jesus has risen from the grave and He gives us eternal life! The tomb is empty, but not the promise. The tomb is empty, but not our lives. The tomb is empty, but not God’s love or the love we are called to share. The tomb is empty, but not our faith. The tomb is empty because Son of God is alive and so are we! Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate sign and it fills us with promise, possibility and purpose. See you in church!
God does send signs! However, we have trouble understanding them. Or we are trying to find signs that prove what we want to say, and not what God really means. Or we don’t see the signs for what they are. In the Bible, Jesus gave sign after sign and many ignored him. He changed water into wine. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He fed 5,000 with just 2 small fish and 5 small loaves. He healed leprosy and raised Lazarus from the dead. Many of Jesus’ followers and even the disciples would not or could not read the signs. Often, we are the same way.
There are signs of the presence of God everywhere! Every time someone reaches out to love and care for someone else; every time the poor and hungry are fed and cared for; every time a missionary doctor brings healing to those who are hurting; every time a child smiles and laughs because they know they are loved. Every time we offer unconditional love and forgiveness to others we see the presence of God.
Attending worship, prayer, study of scripture, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, all these things help us stand in the presence and love of God, and keep us focused. We have to maintain that focus and we have to take care of ourselves spiritually so that our faith stays fresh and our love of God and our love for God stays fresh. While trying to minister to others, while trying to live as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to make sure we keep our own spiritual houses in order. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism said we can do that by “staying in love with God.”
We stay in love with God by faithful participation in what John Wesley called the “Means of Grace.” Those things which help us stay in love with God are attending worship, prayer, Christian fellowship, Bible Study, the Lord’s Supper and by being faithful stewards of all that God has given to us including our time, talent and money. That brings us back to the cross again. It may seem foolish, but the cross is the wisdom and power of God. The cross becomes our focal point, which allows us to see beyond the worldly view to the divine point of view. The cross is a bridge between God and humanity. So many times in life we wish that there were a place where we could leave the past behind and start over again. There is only one place in the world like that, and it is located on a hill called Calvary, at the foot of an old rugged cross.
Jesus gave us the ultimate sign when it was discovered the tomb was empty! Jesus has risen from the grave and He gives us eternal life! The tomb is empty, but not the promise. The tomb is empty, but not our lives. The tomb is empty, but not God’s love or the love we are called to share. The tomb is empty, but not our faith. The tomb is empty because Son of God is alive and so are we! Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate sign and it fills us with promise, possibility and purpose. See you in church!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Finder's Keepers
From The Pastor’s Pen
“Finder’s Keepers”
After reading Luke 15: 1 – 10, we discover a passage of Scripture about searching and finding. In this passage, Jesus not only illustrates the frantic nature of those doing the searching, He also shows how much rejoicing there is for the one who is found. When we look around our society we soon discover that there are so many that are lost. People are lost in materialism, entertainment, alcohol and drug abuse and the list goes on and on. The good news is that we have a God who doesn’t forget about the lost.
God doesn’t write anyone off as sinners unworthy of love, grace and forgiveness. God’s love and grace are too big for that. No matter how lost we become, God offers us love, grace and forgiveness. We have a Savior who searches for the lost. He is the Shepherd who leaves the 99 and searches for the one lost sheep. He is the woman with 10 silver coins and lost one. He sweeps and cleans high and low until we are found. Then all heaven rejoices because we have been brought home and the lost have been restored.
One of the things the scripture tells us is that there will be rejoicing over the lost that is found. It really is finder’s keepers. When you find that which was lost, you want to tell everyone. Don’t you start yelling and telling everyone when you have found the car keys you misplaced? That is the way God and the angels in heaven react when one comes to Jesus Christ for the very first time. There is rejoicing! God throws a party and we should rejoice with God.
The real problem with the Pharisees is that they wanted to be the keepers instead of the finders. And when we sit like the Pharisees were doing, and look down our nose at people who are different or people who are not living the faith, that is what we are doing, trying to be the keepers instead of the finders. When we sit in judgment of others, in essence, we have moved God out of God’s rightful throne and taken over. That is not our job; we are called to be seekers.
In actuality, there are only two kinds of people in the world. Those who know and have the experienced the love, grace and forgiveness of God and those who have not. We are not called to judge others! Instead, we are called to seek and rejoice because someone else has found the love and grace and forgiveness of God. There are millions of finders but there can only be one keeper, and it is not you and I. God is our one keeper!
As finders, we are called to find the lost and then be part of the party and celebrate when they are found. Jesus looked beyond the outer person and looked beyond ones status in life, and loved and accepted everyone unconditionally. That is what every church should be like, because that is what God’s love is like, and that is what we are called to be like. We are called to look beyond the outer person and see a child of God, loved unconditionally by God. We are called to offer others spontaneous, authentic, and unconditional, grace filled love! Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship. See you in church!
Rev Jim Robinson
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
“Finder’s Keepers”
After reading Luke 15: 1 – 10, we discover a passage of Scripture about searching and finding. In this passage, Jesus not only illustrates the frantic nature of those doing the searching, He also shows how much rejoicing there is for the one who is found. When we look around our society we soon discover that there are so many that are lost. People are lost in materialism, entertainment, alcohol and drug abuse and the list goes on and on. The good news is that we have a God who doesn’t forget about the lost.
God doesn’t write anyone off as sinners unworthy of love, grace and forgiveness. God’s love and grace are too big for that. No matter how lost we become, God offers us love, grace and forgiveness. We have a Savior who searches for the lost. He is the Shepherd who leaves the 99 and searches for the one lost sheep. He is the woman with 10 silver coins and lost one. He sweeps and cleans high and low until we are found. Then all heaven rejoices because we have been brought home and the lost have been restored.
One of the things the scripture tells us is that there will be rejoicing over the lost that is found. It really is finder’s keepers. When you find that which was lost, you want to tell everyone. Don’t you start yelling and telling everyone when you have found the car keys you misplaced? That is the way God and the angels in heaven react when one comes to Jesus Christ for the very first time. There is rejoicing! God throws a party and we should rejoice with God.
The real problem with the Pharisees is that they wanted to be the keepers instead of the finders. And when we sit like the Pharisees were doing, and look down our nose at people who are different or people who are not living the faith, that is what we are doing, trying to be the keepers instead of the finders. When we sit in judgment of others, in essence, we have moved God out of God’s rightful throne and taken over. That is not our job; we are called to be seekers.
In actuality, there are only two kinds of people in the world. Those who know and have the experienced the love, grace and forgiveness of God and those who have not. We are not called to judge others! Instead, we are called to seek and rejoice because someone else has found the love and grace and forgiveness of God. There are millions of finders but there can only be one keeper, and it is not you and I. God is our one keeper!
As finders, we are called to find the lost and then be part of the party and celebrate when they are found. Jesus looked beyond the outer person and looked beyond ones status in life, and loved and accepted everyone unconditionally. That is what every church should be like, because that is what God’s love is like, and that is what we are called to be like. We are called to look beyond the outer person and see a child of God, loved unconditionally by God. We are called to offer others spontaneous, authentic, and unconditional, grace filled love! Take time this week to pray, study your Bible and attend worship. See you in church!
Rev Jim Robinson
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Importance of Prayer, Worship and Bible Study
All of our communication devices and computers are supposed to help us slow down and take life easier. But they don’t. We meet ourselves coming and going. We live in a world that runs at a fevered pitch. Prayer and worship and Bible study is the antidote for the fevered pitch of this world. When you’ve let your stress and anxiety skyrocket to new heights, prayer and worship brings you back down to earth. Prayer, worship and Bible study also lifts you toward heaven. Prayer reminds us that we are not in control. Through prayer, we acknowledge that ultimately God is in control. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 5: 22 – 23 that, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we pray, attend worship and study our Bible, we are reminded us to use these fruits.
In 1932 Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr wrote what we know today as the Serenity Prayer. Most of us have heard part of it but have you ever heard it all? “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking as God did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that God will make all things right if I surrender to God’s will, that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with God forever in the next. Amen.”
Prayer, worship and Bible Study are also the fuel for faith. You can run out of gas in your spiritual life. If you spend more time watching TV, golfing and going to the casino than you do your devotional life, by studying God’s Word, praying, and attending worship, then you are probably running on empty. If you are running on empty in your spiritual and prayer life, you could find yourself stranded one of these days and being stranded spiritually is no fun. Scripture reminds us that Jesus went to a place to be alone and centered Himself in prayer. Jesus received wisdom, courage and strength from prayer and so can we.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Seek God and discover God and make God a power in your life. Without God all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without God life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with God, we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope! With God, we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy! St. Augustine was right, we were made for God and we will be restless until we find rest in God. Take time this week to find your rest in God by taking time to pray, read your Bible and attend worship!
In 1932 Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr wrote what we know today as the Serenity Prayer. Most of us have heard part of it but have you ever heard it all? “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking as God did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that God will make all things right if I surrender to God’s will, that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with God forever in the next. Amen.”
Prayer, worship and Bible Study are also the fuel for faith. You can run out of gas in your spiritual life. If you spend more time watching TV, golfing and going to the casino than you do your devotional life, by studying God’s Word, praying, and attending worship, then you are probably running on empty. If you are running on empty in your spiritual and prayer life, you could find yourself stranded one of these days and being stranded spiritually is no fun. Scripture reminds us that Jesus went to a place to be alone and centered Himself in prayer. Jesus received wisdom, courage and strength from prayer and so can we.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Seek God and discover God and make God a power in your life. Without God all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without God life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with God, we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope! With God, we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy! St. Augustine was right, we were made for God and we will be restless until we find rest in God. Take time this week to find your rest in God by taking time to pray, read your Bible and attend worship!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Focus on Jesus Christ
Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness so He could be alone with God. God knew the temptations were coming. God didn’t order the temptations or cause them; God just knew they would be there. Just before hand, God reminded Jesus of their relationship. God provided the Holy Spirit to strengthen Jesus.
In the wilderness of temptation, Jesus struggled to keep His ministry and purpose in focus. This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian Season that followers of Jesus Christ call Lent. As we move through this Lenten Season, the season of the 40 days leading up to Easter and the celebration or the Resurrection, we are called to keep our eyes and our focus on Jesus Christ. How do we do that? Worship is always a good place to start, especially worship where we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion. At the Lord’s Table we are reminded who we are, and our relationship with God, and we are fed and filled with God’s grace.
There are other important ways to stay focused on the Cross as well. Self denial, prayer and Bible Study are so important. Self denial is an important Christian concept; it allows us to walk the same path Jesus walked. It allows us to feel some of what Jesus felt when He gave up everything for our sake. Over the ages people have given up all sorts of things like meat, sweets, chocolate, going to the movies and those kinds of things. Self denial is about making a sacrifice that makes a difference, focusing on the Cross and reminding ourselves what Christ gave up for us. I have listed a few things we might want to give up, not only during Lent, but give up permanently!
Give us complaining. Instead, “In everything give thanks.” Always focus on the positive!
Give up looking at other people’s worst attributes. Instead, concentrate on their best points. Give up gossip and speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be generous and understanding. Give up your hatred of anyone or anything. Instead, learn the discipline of unconditional love. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Give up your worries and anxieties. They are too heavy for you to carry anyway. Instead, trust God with them. Live today and let God’s grace be sufficient. Give up TV one evening a week. Instead, visit someone who is lonely or sick. Give up buying anything but essentials for yourself. Instead, give the money to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries could help someone meet basic needs. We are called to be stewards of God’s riches, not consumers. Give up prejudice, bigotry and judging others by appearances. Instead, learn to give up yourself to God. There is only one who has the right to judge, Jesus Christ.
We know that overcoming temptation makes us stronger and helps us keep our focus. Make a commitment this week to pray, read your Bible and attend worship. The whole point of the Lenten Season is to keep our lives and our hearts focused on Jesus Christ and His amazing grace and unconditional love for everyone!
In the wilderness of temptation, Jesus struggled to keep His ministry and purpose in focus. This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian Season that followers of Jesus Christ call Lent. As we move through this Lenten Season, the season of the 40 days leading up to Easter and the celebration or the Resurrection, we are called to keep our eyes and our focus on Jesus Christ. How do we do that? Worship is always a good place to start, especially worship where we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion. At the Lord’s Table we are reminded who we are, and our relationship with God, and we are fed and filled with God’s grace.
There are other important ways to stay focused on the Cross as well. Self denial, prayer and Bible Study are so important. Self denial is an important Christian concept; it allows us to walk the same path Jesus walked. It allows us to feel some of what Jesus felt when He gave up everything for our sake. Over the ages people have given up all sorts of things like meat, sweets, chocolate, going to the movies and those kinds of things. Self denial is about making a sacrifice that makes a difference, focusing on the Cross and reminding ourselves what Christ gave up for us. I have listed a few things we might want to give up, not only during Lent, but give up permanently!
Give us complaining. Instead, “In everything give thanks.” Always focus on the positive!
Give up looking at other people’s worst attributes. Instead, concentrate on their best points. Give up gossip and speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be generous and understanding. Give up your hatred of anyone or anything. Instead, learn the discipline of unconditional love. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Give up your worries and anxieties. They are too heavy for you to carry anyway. Instead, trust God with them. Live today and let God’s grace be sufficient. Give up TV one evening a week. Instead, visit someone who is lonely or sick. Give up buying anything but essentials for yourself. Instead, give the money to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries could help someone meet basic needs. We are called to be stewards of God’s riches, not consumers. Give up prejudice, bigotry and judging others by appearances. Instead, learn to give up yourself to God. There is only one who has the right to judge, Jesus Christ.
We know that overcoming temptation makes us stronger and helps us keep our focus. Make a commitment this week to pray, read your Bible and attend worship. The whole point of the Lenten Season is to keep our lives and our hearts focused on Jesus Christ and His amazing grace and unconditional love for everyone!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Catch of the Day
Jesus pulled in the “Catch of the Day” when he hauled in Peter, James, John and Andrew that day by the Sea of Galilee. It might not have been his biggest catch, but it certainly was the “Catch of the Day.” Each of these disciples would have their own times when they too, would make a “Catch of the Day” I believe that, “If you can dream it, you can do it!” Israel dreamed of the coming of the Messiah. When Jesus showed up, many of them thought it was too good to be true and would not accept Jesus for who He was. But there were those like Peter, James, John and Andrew, who knew immediately and dropped everything to follow. The dream not only lived in them, but the dream had become alive in them and began to coalesce into a vision! What helped with that dream coalescing into a vision was the vision which Jesus had. Jesus had a vision of the world where there was no more guilt or sin. Jesus had a vision where the virtues of honesty, truthfulness, trust and care prevailed. A world where the love of God and the love for God, and the love for our neighbors rules everything we do!
Jesus called this world the “Kingdom of God.” God’s Kingdom is not of power and might. God’s Kingdom does not have any physical borders, but is a Kingdom that lives in the heart. God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom with a King who moves us to do what is right, simply because we know it is right. God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom where the King moves us to love one another because we have experienced God’s love for us. God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom filled with people whose purpose is to honor God with their lives. That is the vision Jesus had and the vision that captured Peter, James, John and Andrew. Their Dream had coalesced into a vision and that vision became their mission! A mission that Jesus confirmed at His ascension, Jesus told them “Go, into all the world making disciples of every nation, baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit.” That was their mission. That is what their followers did. That is what the followers of the followers did all the way down to us! That is what we are called to do, as well. When have the dream and the vision, the mission is not difficult at all, because we carry such “Good News!”
Pastor Jim Robinson
Mesquite United Methodist Church
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Jesus called this world the “Kingdom of God.” God’s Kingdom is not of power and might. God’s Kingdom does not have any physical borders, but is a Kingdom that lives in the heart. God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom with a King who moves us to do what is right, simply because we know it is right. God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom where the King moves us to love one another because we have experienced God’s love for us. God’s Kingdom is a Kingdom filled with people whose purpose is to honor God with their lives. That is the vision Jesus had and the vision that captured Peter, James, John and Andrew. Their Dream had coalesced into a vision and that vision became their mission! A mission that Jesus confirmed at His ascension, Jesus told them “Go, into all the world making disciples of every nation, baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit.” That was their mission. That is what their followers did. That is what the followers of the followers did all the way down to us! That is what we are called to do, as well. When have the dream and the vision, the mission is not difficult at all, because we carry such “Good News!”
Pastor Jim Robinson
Mesquite United Methodist Church
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Black History Month
Spotlight on: Booker T. Washington
Writer, black leader, educator: Born Booker Taliaferro Washington on April 5, 1856 in Franklin County, Virginia. The son of a white slave owner and a black slave, Washington was freed after emancipation (1865) and worked as a houseboy where he learned to read and write. He studied to be a teacher at Hampton Institute, Virginia, and eventually became a writer and speaker on black issues and struggles. In 1881, Washington was appointed principal of the newly opened Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, and built it up into a major center of black education. By cooperating with white people and enlisting the support of wealthy philanthropists, he helped raise funds to establish and operate hundreds of small community schools and institutions of higher education for blacks. Though he was strongly criticized by W. E. B. Du Bois and his policies were repudiated by the civil rights movement, Washington remains the foremost black leader of the late 1800s. He received national prominence for his Atlanta Address of 1895 and won white support through his acceptance of the separation of blacks and whites. His autobiography, Up From Slavery, first published in 1901, is still widely read.
Visit Mesquite United Methodist home page
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Writer, black leader, educator: Born Booker Taliaferro Washington on April 5, 1856 in Franklin County, Virginia. The son of a white slave owner and a black slave, Washington was freed after emancipation (1865) and worked as a houseboy where he learned to read and write. He studied to be a teacher at Hampton Institute, Virginia, and eventually became a writer and speaker on black issues and struggles. In 1881, Washington was appointed principal of the newly opened Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, and built it up into a major center of black education. By cooperating with white people and enlisting the support of wealthy philanthropists, he helped raise funds to establish and operate hundreds of small community schools and institutions of higher education for blacks. Though he was strongly criticized by W. E. B. Du Bois and his policies were repudiated by the civil rights movement, Washington remains the foremost black leader of the late 1800s. He received national prominence for his Atlanta Address of 1895 and won white support through his acceptance of the separation of blacks and whites. His autobiography, Up From Slavery, first published in 1901, is still widely read.
Visit Mesquite United Methodist home page
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Sweet Scent of God's Amazing Grace
In the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the Pharisees didn’t think Jesus was a very good judge of character. Simon the Pharisee had invited Jesus to dinner and our scripture reminds us of the following: “A woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that Jesus was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.” This woman was what the Pharisees and many of us today would call “damaged goods.” She was probably a prostitute. We know that because a decent woman never let her hair down in public. Simon and those gathered with Jesus were first confronted with this woman’s tears. I am sure they were simply tears of shame and frustration. She was a sinner with a bad reputation and it was totally scandalous for this unclean woman to enter the house of a righteous Pharisee named Simon. It was even more scandalous that she knelt by the feet of the guest of honor and wet his feet with her tears. It was scandalous that she poured her perfume over the feet of Jesus. It was scandalous that she dried his feet with her hair. Everyone was offended; everyone that is, except Jesus. Everyone else saw “damaged goods.” Jesus saw a precious child of God and loved her unconditionally. Everyone else saw unrighteousness, and Jesus saw a sin sick soul that needed to be cleansed. Everyone else saw a prostitute, Jesus saw a lost daughter of God needing to find her way home. All we know is that she was considered an outcast and then she encountered Jesus who said: “I believe in you!” Jesus, tells her he understands and He loves her unconditionally, no matter what it was she did. No wonder this woman wanted to show her love and respect for Jesus. She came offering the only things she had left to give, her tears, her perfume and herself. Have you ever given someone something you thought was a great gift, only to have them accept it, but not with the enthusiasm you expected? That’s the attitude the woman heard from those gathered with Jesus at Simon’s table. Those gathered around Jesus were filled with judgment and condemnation! The woman, though, ignored their comments and their stares. So enthralled with who Jesus was, so moved by His love for her and others like her, the downtrodden and fallen, she poured out her soul and bathed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. The beautiful smell of her gift filled the room. However, there was a smell more beautiful that made her perfume smell like nothing. That was the sweet scent of God’s amazing grace. The Pharisee sat in judgment. All he saw was the woman’s sin, not her need, not her potential, not her worth, just her sin. But not Jesus! Jesus recognized the presence and action of this woman as profound gratitude and pure love sparked by the God’s grace. Jesus spoke to Simon and then to the woman. To Simon: “Her great love shows that her many sins have been forgiven.” And to her: “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Not only was forgiveness poured out upon her, but in that outpouring, her brokenness was healed. She had been redeemed and made whole by the unconditional love and grace of Jesus Christ. That second chance, that new start is why Jesus died on the cross. Jesus poured out His life for you and for me. He poured out His life so we could experience and smell the sweet scent of God’s amazing grace. Like Jesus, we are called, not to sit in judgment like Simon, but to welcome everyone who is seeking that very same redemption, and offer them God’s unconditional love, forgiveness and the sweet scent of God’s amazing grace!
Visit Mesquite United Methodist home page
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
Visit Mesquite United Methodist home page
http://www.gbgm-umc.org/mesquite
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