Our New Home - March 2011

The LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. - Genesis 12:1

I love how Abram, in the passage, picks up and goes without knowing where. God said, "Go FROM" not "Go TO." Amazing how a little preposition makes such a huge statement. Abram had to trust God implicitly. Abram is listed in the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 12 because he did step out in faith. Better than Cooperstown or Canton! And his story reminds me of our story and God's call for us to GO!

After months of searching with little success, God opened a door for us to move into the Abingdon area by meeting at Emmorton Elementary School! Chris Hoffman and I met with principal Dr. Peter Carpenter and his assistant VP, Edith Buckler, a few weeks back and all leadership is very excited about forming a partnership that blesses the school and The Vine. If you've driven down Tollgate Road you cant help but notice the thousands of town homes - "fields white . . .", ready to bear fruit for God's Kingdom. The second part of that statement by Jesus is "pray for workers for the harvest!" And that's what we feel now. Prayer! Who will join us in the work of loving the people of Abingdon into a relationship with Jesus Christ? Our move is scheduled for March - fast approaching. The Vine would be blessed by your prayers, encouragement, financial support, and service. God is in this mission. Will you join him in his work?

Here's a few more pics of our new worshiping campus in March. . . .

Next Steps

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. – Acts 13:1-3

The early church was a sending church. Listening to the Holy Spirit, the church sent its best and brightest out to spread the Gospel, to start new churches throughout Asia Minor. Multiplication was the word of the day.

The image of Acts 13 is the image that we too should share as The Vine begins the journey to start a new campus of Bel Air UMC. God has provided the place – by the time you read this our facilities application with Emmorton Elementary School will be in process or finalized. We have, as of this writing, 52 youth and adults who have said yes to starting this new faith community. I am sure the Holy Spirit is not done calling others - perhaps you?

And the leadership of BAUMC and The Vine has set March 6 as the sending date.

So what will the next months offer? The leadership of BAUMC has planned a time of transition in January and February. Pastor Barry will transition back into the teaching role for 11:00 while Pastor Stan will focus on shepherding the fifty plus who have committed to going offsite. They will share some Sundays together while some Sundays, The Vine is planning immersion experiences like a road trip to a cutting-edge church plant and a community prayer watch on Sunday morning. Our two communities will share communion together and bless one another.

What happens after the move? Both the main campus worship team and The Vine will need to spend energy developing leadership. The Vine will be learning how to do mobile church which includes children ministry, youth and life group formation. Setup and tear down will take on new meaning. Our energies will go into building relationships of trust and inviting people we already know to join us in forming a new faith community. We’ll worship casually on Sundays and work on developing healthy life groups that do life together. You can read more at connect-to-the-vine.blogspot.com.

Here are some dates for you to mark on your calendar . . .

January 9 – Life on the Vine @ 11:00 – the practical aspects of being a mobile church will be shared.

January 23 – Community prayer watch

January 30 – Fifth Sunday baptism celebration

February 13 – Vision road trip

February 27 – Commissioning of The Vine community at all services. Pastor Stan to preach.

March 6 – Prayer and consecration service at Emmorton Elementary

March 13 – The Vine begins the process of growing life groups, core team leadership, serving Emmorton and Abingdon, casual worship, planning preview worship and community events – being MRI – missional, relational, incarnational

How will we stay connected? The beauty of the campus model is that The Vine will still be part of BAUMC. Pastor Stan will still have an office at the church. All the ad-ministry will be shared. Those from the main campus who choose to will receive periodic updates. Those who have pledged to pray will receive weekly requests. And we are not moving to China! It will mean that everyone will need to be more intentional about maintaining friendships that were often supported by meeting on Sunday morning.

If you've driven down Tollgate Road you can’t help but notice the thousands of town homes - "fields white . . .", ready to bear fruit for God's Kingdom. The second part of that statement by Jesus is "pray for workers for the harvest!" And that's what we feel now. Pray! Who will join us in the work of loving the people of Abingdon into a relationship with Jesus Christ? The Vine would be blessed by your prayers, encouragement, financial support, and service. God is in this mission. Will you join him in his work?

Finally, thanks to all who have made commitments to pray or financially support this initiative – God bless you!

Why The Vine?

If you've ever thought, "There's enough churches already, why start a new one?," here's why . . .

Post Christian

Children's Dialogue

To continue our dialogue from our October 31st Sunday table talk, comment below in response to these two questions:

1. What are the needs of The Vine's and our community's parents (and how can we begin to meet those needs)?

2. What ideas, programs, ministries would you like to see The Vine offer for children and their parents/guardians?

Adoption

November is National Adoption Month so it's appropriate that I share about the journey that brought Laz to become my son. It's not a short story so pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee . . .

I don't remember the date, but I do remember the message that I shared at my last church - St. Paul's (now First Saints). We were preparing to start a new contemporary worship service and my message that morning was "More Than Enough Love to Go Around." I was speaking to the wonder as parents that you can love your second or third child just as much as you love the first. I was connecting this parenting truth to the knowledge that God's infinite love was great enough to love all adopted into His family - and that, as a church, adding this third worship service was an extension of God's love to our community. But at the end of the message, I threw one more curveball - that I sensed God calling Michelle and I to extend that love and grow our family - to adopt another child.

I looked at Michelle, her jaw dropped! We had briefly talked of adopting but nothing concrete - somehow the words came from my mouth and I couldn't take them back. But Michelle and I did talk, and those words uttered in community - faith community - became prophetic and a call on our lives. The Holy Spirit confirmed this call in both of us. We also sensed God calling us to adopt a boy, that he be younger than our youngest, Daniel, and that God was calling us to become an inter-racial family - our boy would be African or African-American.

We involved our children in this call. It seemed the Holy Spirit had already been at work in them. "Can he be a boy?" and then the most amazing request - "Can he be black?" More jaw dropping.

In the midst of life and ministry, the call never went away, but moved to the back burner. We were appointed to Bel Air in 2008 and the call soon returned to the forefront. Our good friends, part of our core team, Tony and Kathy Pitrat, had adopted a beautiful little girl from China, Grace, and were part of the church's adoption support group. Also in that group were Jen and Steve Barry. Michelle was sitting in the sanctuary when their new son, Nicholas, from Ethiopia, was baptized. Michelle sat crying as God reawakened our call to adopt.

At the same time, Michelle began subbing at William Paca Elementary, a predominately African-American Title 1 school. Her heart broke at teaching so many children hungering for love. We began to pray seeking guidance. Kathy became our counselor as she worked at The ARC and had experience in Foster Care to adoption as well as her own story with Grace.

But there is another storyline that adds to Laz's adoption - in our first year at Bel Air, we began exploring a house church model with the people who were part of our Off-Site Ministry. This brought us to worship one evening with a house church in Parkville, MD called Burning Heart. John Baylor, the pastor, had just returned from Uganda and was sharing of his experience. At then end of the evening, John invited us to go on their next mission. We were intrigued with Uganda and the idea of visiting. (Michelle and I had become friends in 1998 with a Ugandan pastor we met in Kentucky and in turn that relationship led us to sponsor a little girl from Uganda - Babra - through Compassion International.)

So God was at work on so many fronts - but we had one question - foster adoption or international adoption? While Michelle was praying one day she heard one word - "wait." We wondered why wait, because adoption in Uganda was non-existent as far as we were concerned - perhaps it was a call to see if we were to adopt from another African country? So to make it clear, we went to Uganda with the intent of meeting the young men - former child soldiers that John had told us about, to witness the miracles that he shared of, and to meet our sponsored child - Babra, but not to adopt.

But God had other ideas. In May of 2009, on the second leg of our mission/fact finding trip in Uganda, in MBale, we met Joe - Lazarus Ojoo. He shared his story of being orphaned and life on the streets, of rescue from a child labor orphanage and his current placement in ABU (the organization that was guiding our trip).

The next morning, as Michelle and I were walking to church, I asked Michelle, "Who was that young boy who shared last night?" She said, "You mean Joe?" I said, "Yes, the youngest one . . . we could take him home." Michelle's jaw dropped. She excitedly shared how God had awakened her in the middle of the night with two words - adoption and Joe. We sensed a confirmation from God but had no idea how since we were sure that adoption was not possible from Uganda (you would have to live in the country for three years as guardians to pursue adoption).

As we began to share our story with our mission group, one of the couples shared that they had friends who were adopting a child from Uganda. But no one was attempting to adopt a teenager. We asked for a blessing from the director of ABU to pursue adoption not having any idea where to begin or end.

When we returned home, Michelle's mother found a webblog of a couple, who were adopting from Uganda. The website led to guidance and several phone calls and soon we realized that it was very possible to bring Joe home. All along, we kept in contact with Laz (from Joe to Laz? another day) through email. In one email he shared about dreaming of being in a deep dark pit and looking up and seeing Michelle at the top. This was before we dared tell him of what we intended to do.

We went through the process of home study through the summer and fall of 2009, contacted our lawyer in Uganda and waited for the call to fly over to finalize the court process. We decided that Michelle would fly over alone to finalize the adoption since I couldn't leave my church work - it would take a minimum of three weeks if everything went smoothly. Our Ugandan adoption counselors pointed us to a travel agency that specialized in international adoptions. What an adventure for my wife who had never had any desire to visit Africa and now was going alone!

We received the call from our lawyer at the end of January that our court date was eminent so Michelle flew over and . . . waited. I'll save the Ugandan part of the story for another blog (or Michelle can write of her adventure), but in summary, our government decided to change the requirements for obtaining visas just as Michelle was flying over and three weeks became five months! We were Laz's legal guardians but could not obtain his visa, because the American Embassy was looking for specific language that our ruling did not contain. Five months living on a shoe-string budget, staying in hotels that most of us would not consider one star, eating the local food, using the local transportation. (You can stay in Uganda in resort style settings, but this wasn't in our realm.) Through all this, Michelle and I remained steadfast - both of us single parents. God called - that sustained us. That and the church's support and prayers of our friends were such a blessing. The love offering of BAUMC came at an opportune moment. (We still have so many to thank.) Skype and facebook became a lifeline.

In July, with pressure from some very dear advocates in Washington, the embassy finally granted Laz's visa and Michelle and Laz flew home. Here's a "first person" video of our reunion.

Now four month's later, on November 3, FINALLY, the call has begun. Judge Whitfill helped us celebrate the year and a half process to bring Laz home. Folk in adoption circles call this "Gotcha Day" and is celebrated just like birthdays.

We now have four children. The adventure now really begins. We are still learning, blending, trying to figure out how to be family. The money's a little tighter, the schedule a little crazier, the house a little smaller, but the joy is greater.

There are an estimated 143 million orphans in the world today - a humanitarian crisis. That is enough children to go three times around the world at the equator.

James wrote, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." (James 1:27)

Don't easily dismiss the idea that God may be calling to to make a difference - whether through adoption or through sponsoring a child. You can make a difference. The cost to adopt is not insignificant, but the government is giving significant tax breaks (not just deductions) to bless those who are adopting. Foster care to adoption is a much less costly. But you can never place a cost on the blessings received. Where God calls, He also provides. The rewards are great. You can do it!

Thanks everyone who helped us fulfill God's call. God is smiling and so are we.

Transformation - Day 21

"Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.

Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!

Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings, and so does Demas. Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.

After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.

And say to Archippus, “Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”

HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL.

Remember my chains.

May God’s grace be with you." - Colossians 4:7-18

It would be easy to gloss over Paul's closing words as he signs off on his letter, but there are treasures here.  For some reason, as I read through Paul's list of colleagues, I am struck by the great support he has in carrying out his mission and ministry.  Some of the names are recognizable - Luke, Epahras, Mark, barnabus.  Some are names only here.  All names written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  I am also truck by the list of Greek names.  Saul, now Paul early identified himself as Jew among Jews.  Now his identity is "apostle of Jesus Christ" - a mission that called him to expand his world, his food, his culture and out of this faithful call, the rich blessings that followed.

At the end, Paul writes, "Remember my chains."  I don't think Paul was feeling sorry for himself and was digging up sympathy.  I am pretty sure from other places that Paul shared of his transformation, that he wouldn't trade his new life in Christ for anything in his former life.  It flows from the supremacy of Christ - the essence of this whole letter.

Why would you settle for the world, when you can have the Pearl of great price?  the Treasure found in a field?

We have much to learn from Paul.  I hope this 21 day series has blessed you and called you to greater love for Christ.

Transformation - Day 20

"Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." - Colossians 4:5-6

What's your identity?  Who are you at your core?  When "push comes to shove," when "the chips are down," when you find yourself "in the middle of the storm,"  who comes out?

Paul says 'live wisely among those who are not believers."  Be a positive witness.  There is an assumption on Paul's part with these Colossians.  The whole letter assumes it.  You are Christ's.  You are more Christ's than male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile.  Your first identity is Christian and everything else flows out of that reality.

Would you say this is true of you?

Is your first call to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ? or a Raven's fan? an American? a republican? a democrat, mother? father, white, black? hispanic? asian? heterosexual or gay?  Methodist? Baptist?  When you are at work, does your job description call you to be other than a follower of Christ?

I remember in college and when I was a civilian engineer for the Navy, when surrounding by non-believers, I didn't always "live wisely," times when I compromised my faith in order to fit it in.  Today, my call as pastor forces me to think more about my life in Christ - my ambassadorship - and this is grace to me.  But I still have my moments, when the stress comes or the situation is beyond my control and I don't "make the best of every opportunity."

But I know who I am at my core.  I am a husband, West Virginian, a father, brother, son, former engineer, Methodist, independent, evangelical . . . .  But first and foremost, I am a follower of Jesus Christ and everything else about me, flows out of this reality.  If I have any hope of "living wisely," "making the most of every opportunity," "having gracious and attractive conversations," then I must first be connected to Christ where ever I am, whatever I am doing.  

A follower of Christ at the core.  May that be true of you and I.

Transfromation - Day 19

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should." - Colossians 4:2-4

Well after a day of exercising the mind, it's time to re-engage the heart - actually heart and mind. Notice how Paul calls on those in the church to pray - with an alert mind and thankful heart? The Greek here ("devote yourselves") is a strong call to persist in prayer, persevere, to never give up praying. Pray alertly or "wide awake" with thanksgiving. Pray. Pray. Pray.

Haven't we heard this before? What does that tell us?  I don't doubt any of us think we pray enough or do it well.  How can learn to pray as Paul encourages?

I sense that if we can get our prayer lives in order, much of the rest of our lives with fall into place. Do you have a system to prayer? a specific time? a way to be reminded to pray throughout the day? I have a deep longing to help you develop a persisting prayer life, to give you tools and teachings to help you connect deeply with Christ. This devotional blog is one attempt. We must continually spur one another on to live for and listen to Christ.

Why do we think we can live abundantly without Christ and his guidance? Why do we have such spiritual amnesia? I remain convinced that we really need daily contact in both our private devotion and in our relationship with others to give us grace to stay connected to the Vine.


And finally, as Paul requests prayer for his ministry so do I. Pray that God will give me many opportunities to speak about the mystery of Christ. Pray that I can proclaim this message as clearly as possible. Really pray for me!

Paul was in chains and he longed to be with these followers he knew only through Epaphras. I am blessed to be with you every week. Let's not take this gift for granted. Don't let your questions go unanswered. Don't coast though your Christian life without seeking the guidance you need to go deeper and grow deeper. God's blessed me with an education and a life call, not so I can "impress you with my knowledge" but to help you become all that God wants for you to be.  I long to have you become the Christ followers that God created you to be.

Transformation - Day 18

"Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.  

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. 25 But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master—in heaven." - Colossians 3:18-4:1

Now Paul, who has been painting in broad strokes gets down to specifics - this is practically how you love others.

And right out of the box - controversy - for our our 2st century ears:  "Wives submit to your husbands . . ."  Tammy Wynette syndrome?.  So how do I unpack this in four paragraphs - whole books have been written on the subject of the role of women in church.  Okay I'm plunging in - on a very limited basis - because there are some great teaching moments on how to approach Scripture in this text.

First, note that immediately after the "submit line" Paul charges husbands to love their wives and never treat them harshly. I would suggest that this hearkens to a more mutually supportive role of marriage that had been found in his culture. (Paul in my mind really was a feminist for his day.) And it also has a longer parallel to the words Paul wrote to the Ephesians 5. In that practical application of "love lived out," Paul starts the conversation in 5:21 by encouraging everyone to submit. "And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" before calling for wives to submit in  5:22.  (And even more critical, the word for "submit" is not found in this verse - it reads in the Greek "wives, to your husbands"  - the word  "submit" in verse 22 is implied.)  Now I want to show you something that is kind of subversive.  Notice how the paragraph headings are broken out in this New Living Translation?  Now notice how verse 5:21 is separated from the verse 5:22 in the New International Version.  In the Greek, there are no paragraphs let alone chapter headings.  It's a conspiracy! (or at least poor translation)

Okay -sorry.  I took you on a rabbit trail through Ephesians 5 but you can see how it informs this Colossians text.  This is one critical way to study Scripture.  Study the Word broadly - let one part of an author's writing help you understand what you are studying.  Proof-texting (looking at a text with blinders on) is illegal!

Which brings us to a second issue -again a complicated and some would say dangerous one.  The issue of universal versus local (cultural) truth in Scripture.  Now I am almost dreading opening up this can of worms, because I know they won't go back in the can.  But the gist is that we must also read Scripture with discernment to determine if a law or imperative is meant for everyone or was meant to be applied in the local situation/culture.

Case in point 1 - Paul says we should not eat food sacrificed to idols.  Okay. Check.  Easy.  But is there a deeper, universal truth behind those words? (answered another day)

Case in point 2 - Pork.  Kosher law for the Jews requires them to abstain from pork.  In Acts 10, Peter is given a vision by God of unclean animals and God says' "kill and eat . . . it's not unclean" and Peter just about gags.  But it wasn't about the pork.  It was God saying, "Peter, don't let your food laws get in the way of relating with Gentiles who need the Gospel."  Local truth to universal truth.

Case in point 3 - This very text in Colossians implicitly endorses slavery.  And there were Christians in the 19th century who used this and other texts to justify the owning of slaves.  Now slavery in Paul's day is far different than the systemic racial slavery found in American history, but in our day, we have come to recognize that all forms of slavery are inconsistent with a Christian ethic.  So was Paul endorsing slavery or simply guiding those who found themselves in that station, in that culture, on how to live out the Christian life as a slave.  I would suggest the latter and therefore this is a local truth.  But it also has universal implications for our day - how should an employee relate to his or her superiors for example?  (You really might want to spend some time reflecting on your work relationship based on this text.)

So is this muddying things up for you?  I hope not.  God gave us brains and He wants us to use them in cooperation with the Holy Spirit (and that last prepositional phrase is essential - with the Holy Spirit - we don't get to just randomly choose what we like and dislike in the Bible, or pick what is relavant or not based on our bias - Paul writes, "ALL scripture is God breathed . . .")

Okay, deep breath, just one final thought as you exercise your brain today and one question that I will leave unanswered.  Comment below if you want to venture into this.

If we Christians so readily dismiss this text on slavery (22-24) as culturally irrelevant (as local truth), why are so many Christians adamant about claiming the submission text (18) as universal and applicable (in it's raw form) for today?

Don't check your brain at the door of your church.  Acknowledge that you do have bias (we all do - cultural, historical and personal bias) and that you want God to revel His Truth to you.  God honors that prayer.

Transformation - Day 17

"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." - Colossians 3:16-17

We've been talking about the radical exclusive claims of Christ as well as his radically inclusive invitation to connect to him.  These are not in conflict.

Paul said the message of Christ is rich, full, complete.  There is no other message like it.  No one else has come to rescue us from sin.

Our job is not to decide who's in or out, who believes or doesn't believe.  Our task is simply to invite others into the rescue that we've freely received.

So let this message, this rescue dwell in you deeply.  It will change you.

Then Paul gives some practical ways to get this message into your marrow, deep into your soul.

Teach and counsel.

Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

Keep thanksgiving in the front of all you do.

Some beautiful images here.

First. You can't teach and counsel yourself.  You need community - faith community - Christ community.  You can't do it on your own.  You weren't meant to.  God did not create church (not the thing we've made it but the thing God created) as optional.  Who will you invite to counsel you?  Who will you counsel? (and why do we find it so hard to have spiritual conversations when they are so essential to our spiritual formation?)

Second.  Reflect on God's good gift of music.  There's singing in heaven and you are invited to sing along!  What's on your radio?  your ipod?  Is it music that brings you into the presence of God?  The portability and quality of worship music is a tremendous gift in this new century.  And music and poetry penetrate the soul. They create "super highways" carrying God's Word right to our hearts.  (Same with most art - 

Leonard Sweet rights a lot about this.) Be sure to use this gift.  Make worship a lifestyle.  Then the corporate worship we share on Sundays will come alive!

And finally don't forget to sprinkle everything with liberal doses of thanks.  I've noticed if I'm in a bad mood or just down, intentionally thanking God for the good in my life changes my attitude.  Have you tried it?  Thankful people are healthier people.  Paul said, whatever is pure, noble, lovely . . . think on such things."  King David, in the midst of his own depression would write, "and yet I will remember . . ." and begin to think about all the ways God had rescued and restored him in the past.

Remember all this flows from the Message, the Word - Jesus Christ.  Let him dwell in you richly.

Transformation - Day 16

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." - Colossians 3:12-15

What a rich image - God chose you to be the holy people he loves.

You are chosen.

You are set apart (holy) for God's use.

You are loved.

If you can embrace this identity, your life will be changed.  It speaks to both God's grace in his choosing and loving you, but also his call to not leave you in sin, but to clean you up (yesterday), make you pure and holy.

It's our relationship with Jesus Christ that provides the impetus to change.

You are chosen, holy, loved.

And since YOU ARE, clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

(Be like Jesus)

Recognize that no one is perfect so stop expecting perfection.

Forgive, not ignore, those who offend you.  Be proactive in the grace department.

Jesus forgave you.  Remember the prayer that Jesus taught you - "Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."  Remember Jesus said that you can't find forgiveness unless you forgive others.  Remember he told Peter "seventy times seven" when Peter asked how many times to forgive.  GET THIS!

And Paul sums it all up - clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 

All you need is love . . . But not wishy, fluffy emotional love.   This is not a Kumbaya love fest.  This is love as a verb - love in action - serving, feeding, doing the tough work of investing in others, putting the interests of others above you own (THIS is NOT easy).

Time to get a VW van, buy some tie-dye tshirts . . . .?

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. 

Oh and by the way, always be thankful.

So where does God want you to start? Don't loss over this question.  Remember to replace a bad habit with a good one.  Learn to delight in making others better, in giving the compliment, holding the door, saying thank you and please, being a good listener, playing with the kids on the floor . . .

The Beatles can sing about IT, but remember where love comes from and that it's a VERB.

Transformation - Day 15

"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But  now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. - Colossians 3:5-11


Paul sets out a list of thoughts and actions that Christ-followers are to have nothing to do with.  I will say it again and again and again - that Paul is not making up a bunch or religious "do nots" for their own sake.


Paul is practically saying - you are a new person - there is no reason to live like this.  Jesus saved you for a better life - a free life.

 A key point in this text is something that we should not overlook - "Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming."  It's a statement that reminds us that God does not take sin lightly.  I fear that often the church does take sin lightly.  Our "god" is all bark and no bite or a lovey-dovy Santa figure.  But God is holy and there is no place for sin to dwell in the presence of God.  This holy God loves us, sins and all, but he calls us out of that sin.  His love and holiness should motivate us to "clean up our act" or rather let God clean us up.

And that is the essense of what Paul points to next - "Now is the time to get rid of . . ."

I would suggest you read the list in an attitude of prayer.  It's called the prayer of examen.  Is there anger, slander, lying, filthy language, pornography, greed . . . in your life that God needs to remove?  Let God's Spirit bring to mind those places where you have missed the mark of God's will.  Confess, acknowledge them before God, seek mercy, and then rather than repeat, take the next steps to rid yourself of this dirt.  Find a spiritual running partner to hold you accountable.  Join a group.  Ask God for a good habit to replace the old - something you (and God) would enjoy more than the sin itself.

Come clean before God.  He knows your dirt anyway.  Let him clean you up.

Put on the new life.  "Be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and learn to be like him."

Can't you see that God expects change?  He wants to make you into the person He created you to be.  Why settle for a second hand- half human life?  God offers so much more.

Transformation - Day 14

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." - Colossians 3:1-4

Sunday today!  Resurrection Day.  The day God's people gather to celebrate what Jesus Christ has done for them and the world.  We've been "raised to new life in Christ!"

And because of this rescue, Paul says our perspective should change, our orientation should change, our thoughts should change. "Think about the things of heaven, not things of earth."

You died to this stuff, this life.  You live differently now.  Christ is your life!  You have a down payment for an eternal deposit.  And when Jesus comes back in glory, you get to shine to!

Does this describe you?  Why or why not?  What needs to change?  What does Christ need to transform?

What Paul is describing here wasn't the exception but the norm.  Life change is not optional.  It is essential.

It's Sunday - start shining!  See you in church where you can connect to the Vine.

Transformation - Day 13

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. - Colossians 2:20-23

Paul continues to be concerned for the Colossians - that they are being manipulated by Judaizers to turn from the pure grace of Jesus Christ to become Christian (Messianic) Jews.  Circumcision, dietary laws, ritual purity laws, etc  would be added on to the moral law to bring these Jesus followers into Judaism.

This is what Paul was hinting at in yesterday's text and what he spells out clearly in this one.

Your sin died with Christ (again an allusion to baptism). You've been set free.  So why follow this wordly, unnecessary stuff.  It's all a shadow to the reality of Jesus Christ.

And he argues, these things won't make you righteous.  You can't earn salvation or holiness.  They can't help you overcome evil - that's Jesus' job though his gift of the Holy Spirit.

Those in recovery acknowledge that they are powerless to change without power from the Power.  Why do we as Christ followers attempt to be good, do good, on our own?  And then what happens when we fail again?  What sins have you kept hidden? Where are you missing the mark?  embarrassed to confide in anyone?

What sin in your life are you attempting to conquer in your own power?  How's it working for you?  Didn't think so.  I know.  I've tried.  If you are struggling (and who isn't) with some area of your life that is still in rebellion to God, maybe you need to realize/remember how much you need Christ's power and that you need the gift of community (one or two trusted Christian friends who will walk the walk with you) and you need the Spirit working in you because Christ has already freed you - sin has no power over you - you died to that stuff.

I think AA has it right.  It's time for recovery.  Pray - what area of your life does God want to show you His victory.  Pray - who can you trust to walk with you through the valley of the shadow.  Pray - for courage to overcome and take the next step.

And I am here to help.  I don't bite.  We are all imperfect people.  But God doesn't want us to stay that way.

Transformation - Day 12

"So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it." - Colossians 2:16-19

I love Paul's language here.  All this tacked on religious baggage is only a shadow of the reality yet to come.  (CS Lewis, Shadowlands?)  The rules and regulations that we add on to our faith journey turn relationship into religion.  Rather than giving us freedom in Christ - His reality -  they restrict us, slow us down, because they are not the real thing - just a shadow.

Pursue Christ and his righteousness will be imbued upon you, like Moses whose face was found glowing after spending forty days on the mountain in God's presence.

Christ himself is REALITY.

 Again, all the goody two shoes stuff is not an end in itself or a ticket to heaven.  Self denial is not an end.

Fasting works when you do it because more than anything else you want to hunger for Christ.

Worship works when God increases and you decrease.

Prayer works when your desire is to spend time with God, not try to score some God-points.

Self-righteousness, pride has no place in the Kingdom of God.  Because the Kingdom of God is consumed with only one thing - Jesus.

So pious self denial, church attendance . . . even "don't drink-don't smoke" living is never the end.  And if it becomes an end, you will miss the End, the Omega.

You won't be connected to Christ, "the head of the body."

He's the One keeping everything together.

Spend some time, quality time, thinking about like with and without Jesus Christ.

How connected are you?  How have you let the shadows get in the way of reality?  Change.

Transfromation - Day 11

"You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross." - Colossian 2:13-15

(This is harder than I thought, but keeping me disciplined as well.  Thanks for the accountability although my "deadline" shifts far too much.)

I mean, I'm not perfect, but I'm a pretty decent human being. I don't murder, don't steal, keep lying to a minimum, say please and thank you, rarely cuss, haven't committed adultery, only speed seven miles over the speed limit (did I mention I keep lying to a minimum?), generally get along with everyone, mind my own business, live and let live, go to church, throw some money in the basket, don't drink, don't smoke (what do you do?) . . . Well I could go on, but overall I'm a pretty decent law-abiding citizen.

But Paul says that with or in spite of this goody two-shoes lifestyle, without Christ, I'm dead.

Dead. DEAD.

dead?

Christ made me alive.  Christ makes me alive. His life. His death. His resurrection.  The supremacy of Christ! (read Day 5's text again)

I could spend a lot of time writing about the cultural and universal baggage that pervades our neighborhoods and churches concerning the afterlife and our delusions over who's in and who's out. We do a lot of mental juggling and semi-righteous tumbling to give ourselves passing grades into heaven.  I'll stop here.

But Paul says we are dead without Christ, without the cross.  He's just saying things a little different than how Jesus said it himself. . .

"Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned." - John 15:6

You believe Jesus?  No schizo prophet here.

Dead or alive? Connected or withered?

Transfromation - Day 10

"When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead." - Colossians 2:11-12

Paul, a Messianic Jew, is writing to Gentiles.  There was intense pressure on these Gentiles to be circumcised - to enter into the Hebrew Covenant before entering into the New Covenant (Grace Covenant - This is my blood of the New Covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins - Jesus).

Paul is assuring them that physical circumcision is not needed when Christ performed a "spiritual circumcision" on their hearts.  But Paul is saying this in a more than symbolic manner - Jesus has also cut their sinful nature away.

The language that follows about baptism points to two issues that have been highly contentious in the church - immersion/believers baptism and whether baptism is sacramental or merely an ordinance.

Let's start with the first.  This passage is one of the stronger passages that points towards baptism being an immersion experience.  How can one be "raised" unless they were under the water?  The symbol here is definitely more than cleansing from pouring.  So the baptists would say "aha - I told you so!"

But the second element is just as critical.  First you must understand the difference between an ordinance and a sacrament.  An ordinance is in essence an outward demonstration/ritual of obedience to Christ (click on the link to read more.)  A sacrament is a ritual that contains a mystery - that in some way God imparts grace to the participant - a sacre(d mo)ment (ditto the link to read more).  While the baptists can point to this text supporting immersion baptism, Paul also writes that this is more than a symbolic act. "you were raised to new life" implies that baptism conveys some measure of grace - a sacred mystery.

At this point, you may be asking what I believe.  Well first of all, this blog isn't the place to delve into such a huge topic in which books have been written.  Let's start here.  I am in covenant with the United Methodist Church that embraces both infant and believers baptism, that believes baptism is a sacrament and not an ordinance (as do I), and also gives latitude for both infant dedication and baptism (although they push for the latter).

I don't want to open up the whole can of worms on whether your infant baptism is valid.  I do know this -  God's grace works in bigger ways than whether we were baptized as a baby or whether we were sprinkled or immersed.  There was a thug on a cross who received unconditional pardon from Jesus without having to be baptized.  Perhaps just like the Colossians, you feel pressured by others to be baptized as an adult because your "infant baptism didn't count."  Later in this letter, you'll see that Paul continues to tell the Colossians not to get caught up in legalism and externals.  Jesus wants to circumcise your heart, cut away the sinful nature. This is the ESSENTIAL part.

Transformation - Day 9

"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority." - Colossians 2:6-10

I love Paul's language here. "Let your roots grow down deep into him [Jesus], and let your lives be built on him."

This is my prayer for each one of you.

Healthy roots lead to a healthy plant (watched enough grass fertilizer commercials  to know that) What are you doing to develop your "root system"? Is your life built on the foundation of Jesus Christ?  Do your thoughts, actions, emotions center on Jesus?  Do you believe this is possible and how?

What icons and reminders have you surrounded your life with so you can overcome your spiritual amnesia?

Remember the secret - Christ in you.

I hope these transformation meditations are in some way helping your "roots grow deep into him."

Stay connected to Christ.  May your roots run deep into Christ's love.

Tree Roots

Sermonspice.com

See Details Buy Now

Transformation - Day 8

"I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong." - Colossians 2:1-5

Paul's pastoral heart rises up again - love for people he has never met.  How is that possible?

His desire? that they "be encouraged" that they be "knit together by strong ties of love."  I've heard people say, you don't need church or community to be a Christian.  How far from the truth!  21st century American independence and individualism has invaded the thought life of believers.  God designed Christians for community and community for Christians.  We need one another - the grace that community provides.  Transformation will happen at a snail's pace without Christian community.  "Blest be the tie that binds, our hearts in Christian love."  I pray that the people of The Vine will develop this kind of love for one another.

Paul also wants them to have complete confidence in understanding "God's mysterious plan" - the Gospel.  Paul knows that people will come to test and deceive.  Some will try to pull them back into Judaistic legalism, others into licentiousness - sin more so that grace may increase.

There are many "well crafted arguments" in our day and age. I mentioned one at the beginning of this meditation - God loves everyone so all roads lead to God.

Know what you believe and why.  Stand strong.  Don't turn off your brain but use the gifts that God has given you to stand strong.

Transformation - Day 7

"I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me." - Colossians 1:24-29

Well speaking of "suffering,"  my family is passing around a flu bug so my apologies for not giving you a daily connection.  I'll try to catch up.

As I've shared in previous posts, there is a tension in our culture because of the exclusive claims of Christ.  We live in a world where everyone wants to believe that "all roads lead to heaven."  But when faced with the reality of Who Jesus is, it's impossible to deny that His life, death and resurrection are essential to reconciliation with God.  A better way to say this my be "Not all roads lead to heaven, but all roads run through Jesus Christ."

I write this to set up the essence of this passage - that while Christ is supreme (Colossians 1:15-20 - Day 5), He is also radically inclusive.  Because all the fullness of God lives in Christ, his grace is able to cover the sins of the world.

So Paul boldly proclaims that the secret is out - the "riches and glory of Christ are for the gentiles too."  There's plenty to go around.

And what is the "secret?"  Christ in you.  The Spirit of Christ dwelling in Jew and gentile - available to all who ask, all who desire mercy!

How is your life different because Christ dwells in you?

And this brings us back to Paul's motivation - why apologize for evangelizing Jew, Greek, pagan when Jesus is the center?  "We tell everyone" - Paul wants to present more and more people to Christ.  He wants more and more people to have Christ's riches and glory, to have Christ's Spirit dwell in them.  Jesus is everything.

What's your motivation?  Is Christ supreme in your life? And how does that fuel how you relate to others?

Transformation - Day 6

"This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it." - Colossians 1:21-23

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine . . .  One of the distinctives of being Methodist is the belief that Christ followers have a secure assurance of their eternal destiny through the forgiveness of sins (Good News!).  John Wesley, methodism's founder, spent much of his life trying to earn the favor of a judging God, he had been a missionary to America, an Anglican priest, but it wasn't until one evening, when amongst a group of devout Moravians that he was overwhelmed by the love of God and felt his heart "strangely warmed."  Click on any of the links to read more.

Paul wrote, "don't drift away from the assurance you received when you first heard the Good News . . ."  Do you have this assurance?

I remember sitting with my grandmother just days before she passed away.  These are always opportunities to talk about important things like life after death, grace, forgiveness, release.  As I talked about heaven, she remarked, "I hope . . . I hope I get to heaven."  Her hope wasn't based on hope but on doubt.  Hope that she was "good enough" or that some how she stumbled upon God's favor.  My heart grieved.  I tried to share about grace - what Paul has been speaking of through this transformation series of devotions. "Grandma you can't be good enough .  It's not what you've done, but what God through Jesus Christ has done for you . . ."  Grandma had grown up in church her whole life and yet some how missed or somehow had let "drift away" this blessed assurance.  We shared some more. To be honest, i can't even remember how the conversation ended, but I did pray for her, pay that she would grasp the love of God for her - grace - unconditional, unmerited favor, assurance that her sins were forgiven, not by what she'd done, but by who Jesus Christ is.

May you too recognize this and find your heart strangely warmed.

Transformation - Day 5

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

     He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

for through him God created everything

     in the heavenly realms and on earth.

  He made the things we can see

     and the things we can’t see—

  such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.

     Everything was created through him and for him.

 He existed before anything else,

     and he holds all creation together.

 Christ is also the head of the church,

     which is his body.

  He is the beginning,

     supreme over all who rise from the dead.

     So he is first in everything.

  For God in all his fullness

     was pleased to live in Christ,

 and through him God reconciled

     everything to himself.

  He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth

     by means of Christ’s blood on the cross." - Colossians 1:15-20

I'm not gonna write much this morning.  These words speak for themselves.  I would encourage you to get away, somewhere by yourself, to worship.  And soak up these words, ponder these words, meditate, reflect, commune . . .  Jesus is the Ultimate.  the Source of all life.  Apart from him, we can do nothing.  Connected to him, we will produce much fruit.

There's a great book out right now by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola called Jesus Manifesto. It speaks to the supremacy of Jesus Christ.  He is the great separator.  Many want to lump all religions together, but knowing who Jesus is and KNOWING him won't allow.  Again, read Paul's majestic poem and see if you can lower Jesus to the place of Mohamed or Moses or Confucius. It can't be done and that is why there will always be "trouble" with our world.  Not because Christians are better, but because Christ is supreme.

I've attached a Third Day video - kinda cool - I think in Russian.  I did a music video to this incredible song a few years ago on DVD, but I couldn't rip it so it will have to wait.  So watch this or google search your favorite picture of Jesus and focus on it while listening to the  words - just let the words penetrate into your soul.  Today, learn to worship with an audience of ONE.