Living Beyond Sunday

October 11, 2009

2009-10-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite sanctuaries is tradition. What traditions do have in your life? Personal traditions? Family traditions? Religious traditions? Do you view traditions postively or negatively? Do traditions provide a strong foundation, or are traditions like weights around your ankles that prevent you from moving on?

Religion is often used to help us make sense of the world around us. While religion can help give us perspective on life, religion also can also mislead us into thinking that we can fully control both life around us and the God who created life. It is possible to use religion to construct a world in which you think you know all the answers and you know exactly how God will act. I think it is dangerous to use religion like that. What do you think? Is it possible for humans to fully know how God will act or does act?

Is it possible to find God inside the church? Yes. An even more important question is this: Will the church ever be brave enough to discover what God is doing outside the walls of the church? The answer to that question will only be determined by you and your actions. For too long the local church members have asked, "What can we do to get people to come to church?" That is the wrong question. The question local church members should be asking is, "Where is God already at work in our community, and what can we do to connect with the God who is already out there?

Closing Thoughts... God is already at work in our community in the ever-living and ever-present Jesus Christ. God is already doing miracles and changing the hearts and minds of people. If you are not seeing this that means you have not left your sanctuary in a while.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

2009-09-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

There are always people out there who believe the world is coming to an end. Disregarding the religious weirdos who try to predict the end of the world, have you ever experienced moments when it felt like your little world was coming to an end? An unexpected death? The doctor calling with bad news? A surprise pregnancy? The end of a job? Something else? What feelings came attached with the event? How did you work through those feelings?

Heaven exists not as some place in the future that is waiting for you. Heaven also serves as an inspiration for the life you are living today. Have you ever felt like you were briefly catching a glimpse of heaven on earth? What was the moment like? Was it planned or spontaneous? Was anyone there with you? Would you like to recapture that moment again? What is stopping you?

Find a vision for making a heavenly difference in our corner of the earth. Do you think people try to intentionally make a difference or does it come about by good luck and good timing? Do you desire to make a difference in our community? If yes, then what is stopping you? Find people who might be able to remove the barriers to your success.

Closing thoughts...It is easy to say, "Go and make a difference." It's a little more difficult to actually do the work that goes with bringing a little piece of heaven to earth. That's why we need things like the church. It is in this religious community where we can work together, supporting one another in our work together. That's why we get together on Sunday mornings. We are here to encourage one another in our work out in the world. After all, the work of the church doesn't take place when we gather together for a meeting in the social hall. The work of the church happens every day when all of you go about living your lives and doing your best to share the good news of God's grace through Jesus Christ. When Christians are at work in the world, there is a better chance that heaven will appear outside the walls of the church rather than inside the supposedly sacred walls.

See you on Sunday...

Sunday, September 20, 2009

2009-09-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

Imagine discovering someone's commitment to you is lukeward. What is more appealing: a life in which people either love or hate you or a life in which people are completely ambivalent towards you? What is better: love/hate or indifference?

We are too easily distracted from what is really important in life, from the things that make a difference. Why do you thingk we are so easily distracted? What are the distractions in your life, and what are these distractions preventing you from doing? Are there important issues or conversations you are avoiding in your life because of distractions?

We are focused more on what is wrong than with gratitude for our blessings. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? How does your view of the world impact your behavior in the world, in your family life, in your personal life? Is it easier to give thanks, or is it easier to give criticism?

If our church would like to fulfill its mission to Stoneboro, it only makes sense that we must begin by making sure our own hearts are glad and generous. No one has ever made a difference without being grateful. What are you genuinely grateful for: in our church, in your family, in your personal life? How do you show express your gratefulness?

Closing thought...Life is short. Look around at all the things you have. They are called blessings. Learn to enjoy those blessings. The sooner you do that the sooner you will be able to make a difference with them.

Message for Sunday, September 13, 2009

2009-09-09T06:32:00.001-07:00

Humans are filled with desire. What do you most desire in life? What is it that you want? What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

For a long time the church at large has felt the need to control human desires with the argument that passions and emotions cannot be trusted and must be kept in check. Why do we have a difficult time showing emotion in church? When did church become a place to be reserved? Why is love something we avoid talking about in church?

Throughout the stories in the Bible involving the life and ministry of Jesus, we catch glimpses of unbridled enthusiasm in the lives of the people who encountered Jesus. What is your relationship with Jesus like: Non-existent? Filled with love? Awkward? Like a friend you haven't spoken to in a long time? He's like a brother to me?

Eventually the time will come when we begin to think, “I’ve searched for every earthly way to satisfy the desires and wants of my heart and have been left stilling wanting more. Maybe there is somewhere else I must begin looking.” It is at that moment of clarity when people are then open to the wonderfully good message the church has to share: that God has come looking for them in the person of Jesus Christ, and they have been found and claimed as beloved children of God. Does the truth that you are a child of God carry any meaning with you?

May you rip open the roof of your soul and dive directly into an uncontrollable relationship with God. And then let us watch as our loving relationships with God contagiously pave the way for others to discover that their hearts will forever be restless until they find their rest in God. The idea of evangelism typically makes people squirm in their seats. What do you think of the idea that our best evangelism will spring naturally from our intimate, emotion-filled relationship with God? Let me put this another way: You can't first talk to others about the Pittsburgh Steelers until you first become a genuine Steelers fan yourself. That how the Christian faith operates. Evangelism (i.e. talking to others openly about Jesus Christ) will only occur if and when you first become a genuine fan of Jesus Christ. What are your thoughts about that?

Closing thought...I was going to use this quote from Marianne Williamson in my sermon, but it just didn't fit well anywhere, so I'm including it here: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Until next Sunday...

Welcome to "Living Beyond Sunday"

2009-08-25T12:21:00.001-07:00

I have heard hundreds of sermons in my lifetime. I'm sure you've heard just as many as I have?

Yet, of all the sermons you've heard, how many of them can you remember? How many of them have you forgotten about 10 minutes after the worship service was over? Be honest. It's probably 99%.

We hear a sermon and it leaves our brains almost immediately.

But what would happen if we tried to make the message on Sunday morning have a life beyond Sunday?

Hence the title of this blog... "Living Beyond Sunday."

The purpose of this blog is to foster further discussion about the most recent Sunday morning message from our church. Let's not allow the message on Sunday morning to immediately leave our minds and hearts on Sunday afternoon.

After worship on Sundays, I will post further comments, questions for reflection, Bible passages, weblinks for further reading, etc... in the hopes that these things might lead to a continued community-wide discussion on this blog.

If you have something you'd like to say or ask, simply click on the "comment" link at the bottom of each blog posting and make your thoughts known. I will comment back when appropriate, and the conversations can continue.

I look forward to hearing from you.

LIFE BEYOND SUNDAY WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 13TH!!!