Our Spiritual Blessings

Sermon July 12, 2015

Ephesians is a special book in our Bible.

There is some argument regarding who wrote it…although the general consensus is that it truly was written by Paul in about 60 AD. And there is some argument regarding who it was written to. In fact, our earliest and best manuscripts do not say that it was written to the church in Ephesus…but to all Saints. It is believed that maybe there was a blank there for the deliverer of the letter (possibly Tychicus) to write in the name of the current city.

You see, this was probably a circulated letter that was written, as stated in the opening, to the saints…to God’s holy people. All of them. That includes me and that includes you. So as we work our way through the highlights of the well-written masterpiece of Paul’s, keep in mind that God our father intended for you to hear these words.  As we believe that all scripture is inspired by God, we also know that God is omniscient. He put you in this time and in this place so that you would be touched by the words he gave to Paul so long ago. So receive them as God’s Word given to you.

Ephesians is a broad statement of Paul’s theology. In this letter he is not addressing a problem, as he usually is, in the developing church. Instead, he is systematically laying out God’s work in this world and the appropriate response to it as His church.

Following a brief greeting, Paul praises God for his blessings on us as Christians. In the original Greek, this is all one long sentence. But in our translations it has been broken down into smaller chunks. And that is how you and I will look at it this morning…in small chunks so that we can hear, absorb, and marvel at the blessings that God has given us as his followers.


“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” 

--Ephesians 1:3-4

Paul starts by telling us about the blessing given us by the Father, God.

We have been blessed in the “heavenly realms”, in the spiritual world--a place that is beyond our senses but that is no less real than the building in which we meet today, the pew in which you sit, and the people that you currently see and touch.

This is a blessing that is difficult for us comprehend…but know that in this spiritual realm you have EVERY spiritual blessing. Understand that God chose us, me and you, before the world was even created. We were extended a grace, in our Methodist faith this is called prevenient grace, that precedes any decision to follow Christ. It existed prior to and regardless of anything that we have done.

Know that through all of this, we are holy and blameless in the sight of God.

Will you accept this blessing today?

“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” 

--Ephesians 1:5-6

We were “predestined” to be His children. Now we need to be careful when talking about predestination. Paul never states anywhere that anyone was predestined to hell so our understanding of predestination is universal. We believe that all people are given the prevenient grace that can lead to everlasting life.

But notice that our predestination is through adoption. We were NOT God’s chosen people…the Isrealites were. We, as gentiles, were “grafted in” by adoption, we were not born into the family. Paul’s letter was obviously written to an audience that would’ve been largely made up of non-Jews…like you and I. This “grafting in” came through Jesus Christ. But it was God’s will and it was to his pleasure. And through this predestination through adoption we receive God’s glorious grace…which is given freely to us.

Will you accept this blessing today?

And now Paul transitions to sharing with us the blessing that we receive through the Son…Jesus Christ.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” 

--Ephesians 1:7-8

We have redemption.

Redemption is something that might have been paid for a slave or a piece of property. A ransom. We have been bought for a price…and that price was Jesus’ blood. The redemption was paid for our sins, our sins which put us into slavery in the first place. (We talked about this just last Sunday.)

Folks, this forgiveness, redemption, ransom is only possibly through the riches of God’s grace. He lavishes this grace on us.

Will you accept this blessing today?

“With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” 

--Ephesians 1:8-10

God is omniscient. He knows everything. From the very beginning before time even began, he had a plan for this world. And as we continue to work our way through time, His will is revealed to us. 

Much of it is a mystery…but part of the mystery was revealed when Christ fulfilled his purposes on earth. You see, God’s plan is perfect. The events are perfect, our understanding of it is perfect, and his timing is perfect.

God promises that when the “times reach their fulfillment”, everything will be in unity under Christ. Everything under heaven and on earth. Everything physical and everything spiritual. Unity of everything. The lion and the lamb. Muslims and Christians. Blacks and whites. EVERYTHING, including spiritual forces, will be unified.

Will you accept this blessing today?

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” 

--Ephesians 1:11-12

Again Paul talks about the fact that we are chosen. Another terms used to describe this is “election”. We are the elect. And he mentions here that he is talking to the young church who were the first to put their hope in Christ…just as we, as Christians today, put our hope in Christ.

It is reiterated that God works out everything so that it fits into the purposes that He intends. God works out EVERYTHING for his purposes…for His will.

So we are chosen you and I so that we would praise his glory. We were meant to glorify our creator, our Father…who is all knowing and in control.

Will you accept this blessing today?

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” 

--Ephesians 1:13-14

Now Paul shares with us the blessing of the Holy Spirit.

So prevenient grace brought us to the point where we heard the message of the gospel…we heard the message of the truth. And when we believed this truth, we were marked with a seal.

Seal’s back then were often made with melted wax. Not only did the seal indicate ownership, but it also indicated protection.

We, my friends, are marked with this seal. It is the seal of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. The Holy Spirit who is a “deposit” on our future inheritance…just a little taste of the spiritual world right here in this physical world as a promise that we are destined for spiritual immortality.

The Holy Spirit living within you and within me is our guarantee from God himself that we are His. It can’t be taken away. It is guaranteed until the time of our redemption.

Will you accept this blessing today?

Following these verses…this one long, long sentence, Paul offered a prayer of Thanksgiving.  Allow me to offer such a prayer on behalf of this congregation and this body of Christ. Will you bow your head with me?

Lord God, I thank you for the First United Methodist Church of Syracuse and their faith in Jesus Christ. I ask you, Glorious Father, to give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they may know You better.

I pray that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened in order that they may know the hope to which you have called them, the riches of Your glorious inheritance, and Your incomparably great power for all of us who believe…the same power as the mighty strength you exerted when You raised Christ from the dead and seated him at your right hand in heaven, far above the powers of this earth, where you placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Amen.

(Prayer based on Ephesian 1:15-23)

Freedom

Sermon:  July 5, 2015

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

--Deuteronomy 10:12-13

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

“Abraham is our father,” they answered.

 “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.

--John 8:31-39

Freedom.

I rejoice in the freedom that I have as an American! This freedom has given me an independent spirit, an education, and the ability to choose such things as my mate. And I have chosen well!

My husband is Todd Tyler. Todd works for a gas pipeline company and his office is based out of Montezuma with his area extending from Ulysses to Greensburg. He is so excited that I am your new pastor and is my biggest supporter as well as the perfect partner. He enjoys cooking and hunting as well as most sports—especially the ones that his kids are participating in.

Through the years Todd and I have raised four children – Heath, Tana, Andrew, and Annie.

Heath is the oldest and currently lives in Lawrence.

He works in the field of logistics, which he learned while serving 4 years in the US Navy. This fall he plans to resume studies toward a Bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Kansas.

Tana is our second child and is with us this morning.

She is getting ready to begin her Junior year at Southwestern College in Winfield where she is active in the Discipleship Program.

This summer, Tana is working as a Youth Intern for the First United Methodist Church of Winfield. She is majoring in Psychology and would like to pursue a career in counseling. We are excited that she is considering seminary following the completion of her Bachelors’ Degree.

Next we have the twins. 

Andy is the oldest by a couple of minutes. 

This fall he will be a junior and has been attending Ulysses High School. He is smart and witty. His main sport is swimming, which he has been competing in since he was 10. 

It is just fun to watch him glide through the water. This past fall he also took on Cross Country and is looking forward to continuing running again this year. This summer he is busy lifeguarding in Ulysses.

Finally, we have Annie.

She will also be a junior this fall and has been attending Satanta High School. Annie is also a swimmer but has jumped right into high school sports trying everything—volleyball, basketball, and softball. It has been fun to watch her experience new things.

She is brave, smart, and sassy…with a beautiful smile and big heart. We look forward to her new adventures. This summer she is lifeguarding in Satanta.

You will learn lots more about my family over the years. What a privilege it is to be the wife and mother of this crew. This momma enjoys watching high school sports, singing, and reading. I am a seminary student attending Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. Although most of my courses are online, I will go to campus once or twice a semester for on-campus classes. Right now I’m almost halfway done!

Over the last twenty years I have worked in the field of education…as a teacher, grant writer, and then as an educational consultant in the area of technology.

A few years ago I was in Philadelphia for an educational conference and I saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Revolutionary War. Here, an eternal flame burns in honor of those who gave their lives.

The quote on it really struck me…

Freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness.

It’s a quote that haunts me…because I so take this freedom for granted. I am free! Free to say what I want, go where I want, and believe what I want. I can get an education, start a new business, and own my own property. I can earn, spend, save, and give as much as I choose to. I can vote. I can protest. I can pray. All of these freedoms come in the American package…because someone was willing to die in darkness…many someones.

But folks, these kinds of freedom are not enough. In our country we still have loneliness, disease, depression, aggression, resentment, idleness, homelessness, hatred, and a fair helping of debauchery. 

You see, American freedom doesn’t guarantee health, wealth, and wisdom. If just gives people the ability to make choices. And many will choose poorly. In fact, all of us at one time or another, will choose poorly. So American freedom, although unique and wonderful, is not complete freedom. Our choices result in sin…and we, no matter who we are, become slaves to this sin.

And there are many sins to which we can become slaves…lying, cheating, stealing. Or possibly an addiction whether it be to a substance (such as alcohol or drugs) or a behavior (such as pornography or gambling). All of us, at one time or another, become slaves to a sin…to a poor choice.

And that’s where Jesus comes in. Although being an American citizen allows us the freedom to make such choices, Jesus offers us a type of freedom that no country can offer. He offers us freedom from the slavery to which our sin (our own choices) has bound us. True freedom! Christian freedom!

We can let go of the guilt and the shame that hold us prisoner when we sin. We can let go of the anger and sadness that want to overpower us when our choices lead us down the wrong road. We don’t have to STAY on that road! Jesus, folks, has paid the price to make sure that we don’t! Forgiveness and FREEDOM are yours if you choose it.

“But, Gina?” you may ask. “If I am free to do anything…? If I am forgiven of all sins, does this mean that anything is permissible? I can indulge myself in sin, yet walk in freedom because Jesus has paid the price?”

Let me read you what Paul says about this very thing in his letter to the people of Galatia.

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."

"If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."

You see, although everything is permissible not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

And although our sinful nature tries to drive us to make those permissible, indulgent choices, the Holy Spirit (if we are Christians) fights to guide us into choices that are, instead, beneficial to ourselves and to others. And if we are growing in God’s grace, we will notice that these choices become easier and easier…and the indulgent, destructive choices become less and less appealing.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. New ones will come along. Satan will find new ways to tempt you into destructive choices. He has ways to make destruction look awfully appealing by wrapping it in seductive packaging. So you’d better know what it is that will seduce you. Is it money? Sex? Over indulgence of food or spending or drinking? Maybe it’s laziness? Or selfish ambition? Pride?

Oh, there’s something. And if that something doesn’t tempt you into a bad choice, the tempter will find another something to try to draw you into slavery to a sin.

Be strong, brothers and sisters. We have already won this battle. Jesus Christ fought it for us two thousand years ago…and when he said, “It is finished”…it was finished.

 Let’s watch a short video that illustrates that freedom that we’re discussing this morning.

Go forth today in the freedom of Christ…loving your neighbor as yourself.

Quiet! Be still!

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” 

--Mark 4:35-41

I want to take you back to that day…on that boat…with Jesus.

Can you conjure up the image of a lake in your mind? Hear the sounds of the water lapping the shoreline. Smell the fishy, earthy scents in the air.
_______________

What a long day it has been.

We started the day on the other side of this lake. Jesus has been telling all kinds of parables to explain the Kingdom of God. He’s talked about seeds and lamps. He’s talked about sand, and rock, and even mustard! Some people seemed to understand exactly what he was talking about while for others, his words went right over their heads. Even we, the disciples, would need time alone with Jesus so he could explain everything to us. Every now and then we would pull him aside and bombard him with questions. He was so patient with us as he explained.

And we were tired at the end of the day. When Jesus finally said, “Let’s go over to the other side”, we were glad to leave the crowds for some relaxation. But that’s NOT what we got…at least that’s not what MOST OF US got.

Everyone loaded up. There were others boats that followed along with us, too. We knew Jesus was tired. He settled in the back of the boat on a cushion and was soon asleep. Some of the other guys rested, too, but I was one of the rowers as we made our way to the other side.

All of a sudden, the wind picked up! We were being thrown around on the water and the waves got large enough that they broke over the boat. We were nearly swamped! Now, everyone was wide awake…well, almost everyone.

There was Jesus, still sleeping like a baby. We couldn’t believe it! Didn’t the sound of the storm scare him like it scared us? Couldn’t he hear the thunder and the crashing of the waves? Didn’t he feel the cold water splashing on him?

Irritated, we finally jostled him awake. “Don’t you even care if we drown?!” we asked him. And then “that” looked passed over his face. The look that we saw every time we disappointed him…which was more often than I would like to admit.

He stood up. And he spoke to directly to the wind and waves. He shouted, simply, “Quiet! Be still! We just stared. What in the world was he doing? But the storm listened! The wind died down, the waves settled, and it was completely calm. Completely calm.

And next, he turned to us. We were surrounding him, quiet and terrified. He looked around at each of us and asked, “Why are you afraid?” And then, “Do you still have no faith?”

That question hit us hard. We have given up our careers and our lives as we knew them to follow Jesus. And yet, when times got tough, he was exactly right—we didn’t have the faith to know that he would get us through the storm.

And after he settled back down for some more rest, we realized that Jesus was much more than just a great teacher of the scriptures. “Who is he?” we asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
_______________

And what about you? Are there times in your life when the wind is blowing and the waves are knocking you around…and yet, Jesus seems to just be sleeping.

Why is God ignoring me? Where is He? Can’t he see that I’m hurting? (Shout) “Don’t you even care if I drown?!”

You know, I think there are really three ways this can go.

I believe that through many of life’s storms Jesus is resting in the background. We must learn to deal with the storms that life throws at us. We must develop coping skills and a world view that uses those storms to make us stronger.

Let me ask you a question. In this story, had Jesus abandoned the disciples? Had he grabbed a life preserver and left them to fend for themselves? Had he? No. It was a storm. A normal storm…yes, storms are normal. So they got tossed around a little. So they got a little wet. Some of them were raised as fisherman. They had the skills to weather this storm. And Jesus was going to let them do just that.

Why? How can we know all of the reasons that Jesus, that God, allows storms to brew up in our lives? Yet, we know that He does…when all He would have to do is shout, “Quiet! Be still!” I can’t tell you that I always understand, but I can tell you that these storms where we feel alone and abandoned are not in vain.

In Paul’s letter to the people of Rome, we learn in Chapter 8 and verse 28 that all things work together for good for all of those who love God and are called according to His purposes. All things work together for good. Even the storms where we can see absolutely NO GOOD, God will use them for good in the long run. He promises!

So that’s the first way that Jesus may react to the storms in our life.

Through other life storms, I believe that Jesus is beside us fighting the wind and waves. He doesn’t shout, “Quiet! Be still!” But we feel his presence at these times. We take strength from him to battle these storms. Have you been through a storm such as this when you knew God was with you helping you through it? A classmate of mine has a young son who has battle cancer his whole life. She feels God’s presence and does not feel abandoned. She knows that Jesus’ arms are wrapped around her on most days holding her up. I can tell this from her blog that she uses to journalize their days and praise God for their blessings. Amazing.

And sometimes, I think that we’re asleep. That’s right. Sometimes I think Jesus fights battles for us that we are oblivious to. Spiritual battles… some with Satan himself…for our very souls. We don’t know what battles Jesus helps us avoid through his presence in our lives. Do you ever wonder?

Well, do you realize how many people were spared on 9/11? Have you read the stories of uncanny coincidence that saved lives? Maybe a vacation had to be cancelled so a man didn’t get to get on the plane. Maybe a woman took a cigarette break and the plane ran into her office while her elevator was making it’s way to the ground. Maybe a computer glitch made a stewardess have to fly to another city instead of riding with her normal flight crew to Los Angeles. These are not random “what if’s”, these things actually happened according to CNN in a 10-year Anniversary article that was run.

Although some people may say it was “luck” or just “coincidence”. I say no. Although timing may affect good or bad things that happen in our lives, I also believe that sometimes we are just spared…for whatever reason.

But believing this also means that sometimes I believe we are NOT spared…for whatever reason. God is sovereign. We won’t always understand, because you see…we are NOT God. We are not omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. We are not love…full of grace and mercy, justice and holiness. We simply can’t always understand. But no matter what, Jesus is always there during our storms, whether he is resting in the back, active beside us, or dominating in front of us, he is always there…if we ask him to be.

Have you asked him to be there? Do you doubt his presence in your life? Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?

Friends, trust in him. Trusting in Him doesn’t mean that things will always work out the best for YOU. It means that things will work out for good in the long run.

Remember…even the winds and the waves obey him. He is Jesus Christ our Lord, Son of the Living God. Amen.

Seeds

Sermon:  Meade, June 14, 2015

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.  --Mark 4:26-34

My dad is a retired farmer. For many years he scattered seeds.

Well, it wasn’t that easy. He tilled the ground, planted the seeds, fertilized them, watered them, and worried about them. I remember many early mornings going out with him to change water. That meant opening and closing the gates on the water pipe back before everyone had sprinklers. My dad used a golf club for this task.

So he tilled, and planted, and fertilized, and watered, and worried. And when those seeds had grown into plants that produced grain, he harvested them. And he celebrated those good harvests.

I understand that process and so do you. And so did those people who heard this story from Jesus’ back on that day.

But keep in mind that he precedes the story with the sentence, “This is what the Kingdom of God is like.” He makes it clear that he is about to illustrate the Kingdom of God, something very complex, through a simple story.

After all that’s all a parable is…an allegory. Parables are analogies that use simple, common, and understandable stories to explain something more complex. This is how Jesus taught…and it’s genius.

On this morning, Jesus was down by the lake. But as the crowd grew, Jesus got on a small boat out on the lake and taught from there with the crowd along the shore at the water’s edge.

Can you hear the sounds of the water lapping on the shore? Can you smell the smells of a lake as you sit near the water and listen closely to hear his words?

Jesus uses the concept of seeds several times in his parables on this day…this day that will end with Jesus calming a storm on this very lake.

You and I are scatterers of seeds. In talking about God’s kingdom, you and I as Christians are responsible for scattering those seeds.

Sometimes the process is very formal. Remember when I mentioned that my father tilled the ground. Well, sometimes we do that.

For example, a youth pastor may spend a lot of time with youth preparing their hearts for the Word of God. Maybe they do team building activities together, sing together, open up with each other about the challenges in their lives. Those young people are such fertile ground. Lots of time and effort is often put into preparing young people to hear and receive the Word of God.

But seeds may be planted intentionally or unintentionally.

Let me use the same example with the youth. That youth pastor will carefully plant seeds of God’s truth into the life of the student through his words and actions. That is intentional.

However, suppose that a youth director has spent lots of time “tilling the soil” then a student watches them cuss out a referee at a local high school basketball game or make an obscene hand gesture to someone who cut him off in traffic. These are also seeds…but seeds that we do not want to plant in such impressionable soil.

But the good seeds, well, we take care of them. Going back to my example, we nurture God’s truth in the hearts and minds of our young people. We reinforce them and work hard to make them grow. 

And just as my father worried about his crops, we worry about ours. What seeds are other people planting in the minds and hearts of my child? Am I fertilizing and watering all the right seeds? 

Because we know a harvest is coming.

Now, this doesn’t only apply to youth pastors and young people. As I mentioned before, you and I are scatters of seeds. What words or actions have you been scattering around? Will the seeds that you are throwing be helpful in furthering God’s kingdom? 

“Well, it was just a little seed,” you may argue.

Ahhh. The Kingdom of God is just like that. A little tiny seed, even the very tiniest of seeds, can grow into a plant that is huge.

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? My daughter has a necklace with one in a magnified locket to remind her of these very verses.

There are lots of different varieties of mustard plants. But the mustard plant that Jesus refers to in here is one that grows large enough for birds to roost in its branches.

For simplicity’s sake, I’ll pick a plant that we are more familiar with…cottonwood trees. Picture a cottonwood tree seed. I would estimate them at a millimeter in diameter and 2 millimeters long…connected to fluff that allows them to travel through the air long distances.

Now, trees take years to grow, unlike the mustard seed in the story. However, the analogy can still be made. A tiny seed makes a plant so large that we use its shade, birds and other creatures make their homes in them, and their branches extend out in all directions.

When I was growing up, my father planted a Cottonless Cottonwood tree in our front yard and one in our backyard. I remember the stakes in the ground to hold them in place as they fought the southwest Kansas wind to grow big and strong.

I was surprised when the trees grew taller than me and then grew taller than the house. And I’m still surprised when I drive by my childhood home and see how tall they are today… providing shade for the entire yard.

All of that, from just one tiny little seed.

Friends, the seeds we plant work the same way. Whether we tend them or not, the seeds have the ability to grow under the right conditions.

Sometimes we don’t provide the conditions. Sometimes we plant a seed and walk away not knowing it someone else will come along to nurture it. Sometimes we plant a seed and that tender heart where we planted it turns away from us.

Don’t give up hope! This parable tells us that sometimes we do not ever know what makes a seed grow. We may not be around, we may not understand.

But God is a grand gardener. He will tend His garden and plants will grow where we may have even forgot that we even planted a seed.

And those plants will produce more seeds.

Never stop planting.

And never stop tending the seeds and sprouting plants that our great gardener puts in your life.

Father in heaven, We are thankful for the teachings of your son, Jesus, and for the fact that they were taught in a way that we can still understand them so many years later.

Lord, guide us as we scatter seeds for your kingdom. Give us the wisdom to nurture planted seeds as often as we have the opportunity.

We know that you are the great gardener and that Your kingdom will grow. And we are grateful. Amen

Abide

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples." (John 15:1-8)

Jesus spoke these words on that special night in the upper room. Picture him there with the disciples seated around him on the floor as they talk about things to come. 

Jesus has washed their feet. They have enjoyed the Passover meal together. He has predicted his betrayal and Judas has already left to collect his silver and lead some soldiers and Jewish officials to his Rabbi. 

Jesus knows what’s coming. He knows he has a limited amount of time now to tell these men who love him dearly the things that they need to know. And so he speaks to them. And here we see John’s words (John—self-described as “the disciple that Jesus loved”) as he tells us what happened during that time. John 14, 15, 16, and 17 are almost all red in my bible. And these words of Jesus are important. I’m quite certain that he would’ve picked his topics and words very carefully on this special night. 

Jesus says, “I am the true vine.” 

The disciples would’ve been familiar with vines and the fruit they produce. With most meals they probably drank wine which would keep and even get better with age. 

The vine itself gives life to everything else on the plant—the branches, leaves, and fruit. Jesus is using the vine here as a metaphor for all life. 

I am the vine…the TRUE vine.  I provide everything that’s needed for your life. 

But wait… in the same sentence he adds, “and my Father is the Vinegrower.” My Father is the gardener. My father takes care of all of us! My Father provides everything I need so that I can provide everything you need. 

Have any of you tended to a fruit vine. I went with a friend of mine several years to North Carolina and we visted a vineyard. It was fascinating to see and hear about the care that was put into the vines. Take a look at different parts of the vine. A gardener sees the vine as a complex plant with many parts. 

Jesus says “He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.” You see, the gardener cuts those unfruitful branches away. 

What is this fruit? It’s God’s love coming from us and it can be seen in many different ways. 

“Abide in me,” Jesus tells us. And the word abide comes from the greek word μένω (men’-o). It means remain, stay, live, endure…abide. Jesus says it 8 times. Abide in me. Live in me. Stay in me. Remain in me. 

But how do we “abide” in him? How do we live and remain in him. Well, first of all we need to understand that this is a gift. We GET to live connected to him. We GET to accept this gift from Jesus…even when it feels like he is far away. 

God’s love (from the gardner) goes into the vine where it is given to us—the branches. And we send God’s love back out into the world as fruit. Our fruit is the love of God that we send back out into the world! 

We can abide in Jesus and in God’s love by staying connected to him—praying, reading the Bible, being in fellowship with other believers, and seeking His will. 

But this is not work. Know that God does all the work. “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more fruit.” 

 Let’s look again at the grape vine. Here it is full of fruit. 

 Here it is in the fall after the harvest season. 

This passage tells us that God prunes away the branches that don’t produce fruit, but He also prunes down those that DO product fruit to make them produce MORE fruit. From this to this. 

Although this isn’t much work for us, the branches… that doesn’t mean that it’s easy. 

Being pruned is NOT easy and it’s not always pleasant. In fact, that “cutting away” can be downright painful. 

One of my good friends often twists the phrase, “No good deed goes unnoticed.” (Which is surely true when it comes to God!) Instead, she says, “No good deed goes unpunished.” Have you ever heard that? Sometimes it feels that way. Sometimes it feels like our efforts to help someone out lead us to complications that we didn’t predict, expect, or desire. But they do help us grow. 

God prunes those of us who are fruitful so that we will bear even more fruit. God prunes his branches that are giving His love to the world so that they will be effective in giving even more of His love. 

Maybe He shows us how our good intentions led us to actions that hurt the receiver in the long run…so that we will know better next time. Maybe He makes us see the pain and suffering of those we don’t know how to help…so that we will see effective ways to help. Maybe He makes us walk in the shoes of people we have served or will need to serve one day so that we will be empathetic to their struggle. He prunes us. Cuts us back. But it’s all to make us more fruitful. 

Abide in me. 

“A branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine…and neither can you unless you abide in me.” 

Without our vine, Jesus, we won’t bear any fruit. Without Jesus in our lives, we will simply be a dead branch. 

Abide in me. 

“Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit.” Do you hear that? “Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit.” Jesus also abides in us! We are connected to the vine but the vine is also connected to us. In fact, God LIVES in us through the Holy Spirit…as Jesus would try to explain to the confused disciples a little later. “Apart from me,” he said, “you can do nothing.” 

Not only can a person apart from Jesus bear no fruit, but they can do nothing. All of their efforts are for nothing. And it gets worse… 

Abide in me. 

“Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” 

Abide in me. 

“If you abide in me, and MY WORDS abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Jesus says, “If my words abide in you…” Jesus’ words stay alive through us! The disciples were some of the very few who got Jesus’ words directly from his mouth while we get Jesus words through the bible. Jesus’ teachings in the Bible should be alive through our words and actions. His words should abide in us. 

You see, when we ABIDE in Christ and we bear fruit for the Kingdom of God and we live as disciples for Christ, we glorify God. And that’s the whole reason we were created. In fact, there are 54 verses and passages in the Bible that indicate this is true. The Westminster Catechism (written in the 1700’s by our forefathers of the reformation) states it succinctly; “Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Period. 

Abide in me. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a preacher who lived during World War II. He was a great theologian who sought to end the tyranny of Hitler’s regime and spoke out with the love of Christ in support of the Jewish people and against evil. He was imprisoned…and eventually he was martyred. But generations of people have grown from the fruit of his ability to abide in Christ through his suffering. Listen to his words from his posthumous book “Letters and Papers from Prison”. 

“In me there is darkness, 
but with You there is light; 
I am lonely, but You do not leave me; 
I am feeble in heart, but with You there is help; 
I am restless, but with You there is peace. 
In me there is bitterness, but with You there is patience; 
I do not understand Your ways, but You know the way for me.”




“Lord Jesus Christ, You were poor and in distress, 
a captive and forsaken as I am. 
You know all man’s troubles; 
You abide with me when all men fail me; 
You remember and seek me; 
It is Your will that I should know You And turn to You. 
Lord, I hear Your call and follow; 
Help me.” 
 ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison 

It’s not always going to be easy. If it is, I think you have some questions to ask yourself. Because if you are bearing fruit, you will be pruned. 

Abide in him. 

Let’s pray. 

Father in Heaven, we thank You that You are always faithful to us…that you abide in us, even when we pull away from You. Lord, sometimes You seem so far away. Help us to remember that You are not. You are with us..abiding in us. You grafted us into the vine so that we, like your chosen people, could bear fruit. We are grateful. 

Father, help us also to rejoice in our suffering knowing that You will use all things for good. You are the vine grower. You are the gardener. You will prune as You see fit…even when we don’t understand. Give us the strength, courage, and faith to trust in You and to continue to abide in you during these challenging times in our lives. Amen.

My First Appointment - Transitions

I let myself think about it today.

It's something I've been purposefully NOT doing.  But today it was real.

Let me explain our transition...

On June 27 we will move many of our belongings into our parsonage in Syracuse.  However, we must be out of our house (so the new owners can move in) on June 1.

We looked at rentals because, you see, Todd needs to maintain a residence within 40 miles of Montezuma (where he works) and Annie wants to finish high school in Satanta.  Plus, Andy will likely finish high school in Ulysses (between Syracuse and Satanta).

It was cheaper to buy something than rent.

The gracious people from whom we are buying our "new", small house let us take possession early to start preparing it for the transition.  And we are going to be storing the parsonage furniture there too...for a month.  So...

Today I was working on the little house.  Specifically, I was removing wallpaper.  Again.

I became a pro while living in our home in Salina that was completely (and professionally) wrapped in wallpaper.  Every square inch.  I chose a section each year, and after 7 years all of the wallpaper was finally gone.

Yet, here I was scraping and peeling.

For a few hours, I really let myself think about all of the upcoming changes.  How humbling it is to reflect on my life and be reminded that I am not in control.  The God of the universe will shake up my world however and whenever He sees fit for His purposes.

And I am grateful.  In fact, I kind of enjoyed it as I listened to my favorite Christian artist playlist and sang along.  God is with us...we are not alone in this.

Thank you, Lord, for taking me on this journey.  Thank you for my husband and kids who are willing to be in transition with me even though it is scary and a little crazy.  And, lastly, thank you for making it just one short wall.  Amen.

My Call...Continued

It was a Tuesday night in March.  I was in my office working on a tax return when a Bruce Springsteen CD caught my eye.

"I haven't listened to Bruce lately," I thought.  Over the last two years I've mostly listened to KJIL and I couldn't remember the last time I pushed a disc in the slot.  

I made my Bruce selection, the 1975-85 live collection, and took it upstairs to sit with my purse until the next morning.

The following morning I was up early.  Our Satanta Indian boys basketball team was preparing for the State tourney.  The excitement was interrupting my sleep at the time!  After getting around, I sat down for some quiet time and a cup of coffee before work.  

A Facebook post from December entered my mind.  I had invited friends to the following: "The first five people who comment on this status with 'I'm in' will randomly receive a surprise from me at some point in 2015--anything from a book, a ticket, something homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit you and make you happy."

One the friends who had "opted in" is also a Springsteen fan.  I did a little searching for some Bruce merchandise hoping for a good deal on something autographed.  Although I didn't find anything, I realized that this was the second time that this special performer had come up in my life in a short period of time.

For most people, this small coincidence wouldn't make them blink an eye.  But it's different for me.  Bruce, after all, has been used by God throughout my call to ministry to confirm important decisions or upcoming critical events.  I was put on alert.

I shut my computer and went on to work.

At lunch I ended up with some strange plans.  A couple of my youth group boys needed haircuts before the state tourney and I knew they wouldn't have time to get this done after school.  I got permission to sign them out and ran them to the barber.

When we got out of the vehicle on Main Street in Garden City, guess who was being piped through the speakers on main street.

Yep.  There was Bruce singing a song I have never heard on the radio before.  In fact, I had to look it up.  "Dust and Devils".  As with much of his music, this one includes a Biblical thread.  In fact, one line says, "Find the love that God wills and the faith that He commands."

I froze...pointing up.

The boys turned and looked at me.

"Bruce!" I said.

They looked at me with curiosity.  "What are you talking about?"

"It's Bruce!  Boys, I don't know what it is, but something important is happening today."  Laughing, we went inside.

And when I got back to work, I sat with Megan and told her the story.  As I told it, she had music playing on her computer quietly, as usual.  On this day, it was country music.  She had searched for a little known band that she enjoys on Pandora and the channel included lots of music from other little known country bands.

As we worked together, one of those bands started singing about Bruce.  We both look up at each other.  "What is that song?  Who is the band?" I asked.  Neither of us had heard of either before that moment.

Four times now.

After work I went home and completely changed my lesson for PS101 Youth Group that night.  I needed to tell the kids my call story.  When it was time to go, I grabbed the magazine and headed to the church.  (If you know the story of my call, this makes sense.  If not, that's a whole other blog.)

After sharing my story with the kids that night, I told them that I knew that day was a very important day in my life.  However, I also told them that I did not yet know why.  It was about 8:00 when we got back home that night.

The call came after 9:00 pm.  "Gina, the United Methodist Church has an appointment for you."  After talking to my UMC District Superintendent for a while, it was revealed that I was being called to the First United Methodist Church of Syracuse, Kansas.

There was no way I could say no.  God had been preparing me for this call all day long.

Several days later, I would find out that Don (my Superintendent) had resigned himself to waiting until the next day to call me.  It had been a long day...and it was late.  He NEVER called anyone after 9:00.  But he felt compelled to call that night only to hear me say on the other end, "I knew you were going to call!"

Just the weekend before, he thought he needed to call me and tell me that there would not be an appointment for me this year.  In fact, he considered calling several times.  When it was discerned by the Bishop and Cabinet that I should be appointed to Syracuse, he confessed to Todd and I that he was deeply humbled.

Todd, the kids, and I sat down and discussed the situation.  Each one of them looked at me and said, "This is what you need to do."  They are all excited...and yet scared.

How will we make this work?  Where will the kids go to school?  What about selling our house?

So many questions for those of us with little faith.

This past Friday, before our house ever went on the market, we agreed on a contract for its sale.

God is faithful!

We are excited for the adventure of serving Him in this way.  And...we have confidence that God has all the details well under control.