To Know Christ More Fully

19th Sunday after Pentecost Philippians 3:4-14 KJV; Paul's desire for a greater knowledge of Jesus was so great that he was willing to put his old life, even his status in society, for that relationship with him.

Will You Share The Good News?

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

                                                                                (Rom 10:8-13 KJV)

I have heard it said too many times that "my faith is personal." Indeed it is! 

"I do not have to go to church to worship because God is near to me in creation." Indeed He is. But, we are also members of one body in Christ. That does not mean isolate from one another. But, to gather together often to hear his word and to proclaim it ourselves. We are called to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. That does not come about without knowing who he is and actually knowing him. We come to do this by not just reading the Bible, but by hearing the word proclaimed.

"I don't talk about my faith because everyone has their own faith and I shouldn't force anyone to believe what I believe." Indeed they do! But, is their faith life saving faith? Do we not have so little faith that we are ashamed of sharing the Good News of salvation through Jesus the Christ? Do we not love others enough to desire to see them receive the precious gift of salvation?

The Good News is for everyone. It does not matter who they; where they are from; or what they have done. All who believe that Jesus was raised from the dead for them; for us, shall be saved.

Share the Good News that others might call upon the name of the Lord and be saved!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

We Are One

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:27-28 KJV)

Divisions abound! But, they do not have to. According to St. Paul's letter to the Galatians all who have been baptized into Christ are one. We are not divided rather we are united. We are one!

It does not matter who you are or what you do, we are one in Christ Jesus!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Questions of Identity

Identity: Children of God through the
Blood of  Christ

'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."  (Gal 3:28 KJV)

Although my most recent ancestors are to a large degree of Finnish ethnicity, I am pretty much a mutt. You see, my forefathers really did not racially discriminate when it came to choosing life-long partners. Most people that I know today are of mixed ethnic backgrounds.

When first applying for the ministry, I had to fill out some forms and of course the question of ethnicity was on the paperwork. I chose other and wrote in "Christian - Holy Nation." We are who we are and I am first and foremost a member of the Body of Christ, a member of a Holy Nation.

I have struggled with this gender identity question. I was born in a female body. I will die in a female body. I have thought about this alot. Yet, I have no clue what it means to feel like a woman in a female body. I also do not know what it feels like to be a man in a female body. I only know what it feels like to be me. That is not to discount those who feel otherwise about themselves. I have friends who consider themselves to be transgendered. They do not make an issue of it. They do not announce to everyone that they must be referred to by any specific pronouns. They just continue to live according to who they are and according to the gifts they have been given. They are who they are. We all are who we are. But, of primary importance is that we are children of God.

There have been times when I would have preferred to be a man. As a woman, I have been discriminated against on way more than a few occasions. A position I applied for once was closed and they hired no one at the time as I was the most qualified for the position. They really had not wanted to hire a woman for the position that was, at the time, a position that was traditionally for men. For a few years, I owned a business that did outdoor maintenance (parks, cemeteries, snow-plowing, etc.) I often received calls from men who wanted to talk to my husband about a contract although my husband had no part in the business.

I have received traits passed down from both males and females from my ancestry. We all have. Color of skin, ethnicity, gender; all parts of our genetic inheritance that help to determine who we are as individuals. But, in the end these individual traits within each of us cannot become the priority in the lives of the members of the Body of Christ. What is of primary importance is that Christ lives and dwells within us. We are one in him. As children of the heavenly Father; as members of the Body of Christ, we use whatever gifts we have been given to glorify God.

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
                                                                                           (Gal 3:26-29)

Who we are or think we are (that would be our egos) is not so important as knowing that we are children of God. Our identity lies in our baptisms into the family of God. Our identity lies in Christ. There is no blood that is thicker than the blood that was shed for us on the cross. Live life in Christ for in him and because of him we live and have our being. 

"And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

                                                                                          (Acts 17:26:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Saved By Grace Through Faith

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith."  (Rom 1:16-17 NRSV)

Today, as many of us celebrate the "Reformation," we remember the words of scripture that were Martin Luther's "ah ha" moment; that were his epiphany. These life-giving words, "The one who is righteous will live by faith," changed the life of Martin Luther and they changed the church. Through these life-giving words, people finally came to understand that there were no good works that they could do to wipe out their sinful pasts. They could not purchase their own salvation with their good works nor could they purchase it with any amount of money. 

Not a one of us is better than the next one. We are all sinners. Yet, there is one without sin. There is one who could and has purchased our salvation. Jesus purchased it for us and for all who believe when he willingly shed his innocent blood on the cross for our sins. He was and is our sacrifice. Through his blood we are washed clean. Through him we have been declared innocent. In him and only in him is found our righteousness. 

"But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus."  (Rom 3:21-26)

Rejoice! The gospel is the very power of God for salvation! We are not saved by anything that we can or do not do. We are not saved by our wealth or our status or any power of our own. We are saved by God's grace alone through faith alone in the one who gave himself for us.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast." (Eph 2:8-9)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Not Ashamed of The Gospel

Share the Good News that God so loves us that He gave His

only begotten Son to die for us that we might be saved and live!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16 NIV )

Most of us would say that we would be willing to save our loved ones if they were in harm's way. We might even say that we would give our lives to save them. But, what would we give to save them from eternal death; of separation from our loving Father for all eternity? Would we dare to share the Gospel with them? Or would we be embarrassed because they may ridicule us for our faith? Would we be afraid of some persecution that might follow; even if it were very slight?

Paul was not ashamed. He was a well-esteemed Roman and Jew. Yet, when he came to know Jesus and the message that Jesus died so that all might live; Paul was not afraid to share that Good News. He shared it with everyone and not just those whom he personally knew and loved. He was not ashamed nor was he afraid of being persecuted for the truth. His desire that all should receive the truth and be saved was much greater than any fear that he may have had. His faith; in fact, overcame any fear.

Paul was not ashamed to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. Are you? 

God's Peace - Pr. J