Walk In Christ; Live Life In Him!

Reading from Colossians 2:6-13 KJV As we have been buried with Christ in baptism; we are also risen with him in new life.

Willful Sin

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.                                                      (Rom 6:1-4 KJV)

Baptism is so much more than simple washing with water. It is a gift from God. When we are baptized into Christ the old man is put to death even as Christ was put to death for us. When we are baptized into the Body of Christ we receive new life in him. 

There are so many times that we willfully sin using the excuse that God  will forgive us because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Shall we really purposefully continue in sin that God's grace might abound? How ungrateful can we be? Jesus loves us so much that he would allow himself to be tortured and put to death for our sins and yet we would continue to willfully sin! We are sinners. That is a fact. We are also saints having been washed clean by the blood of Christ. Out of love for the one who died for us let us live as Christ lives reconciled to God our Father and one another doing what is right and good glorifying our Father in heaven.

In baptism the old man in us has died and a new man is born. May God help us to live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Grief

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

                                                                                 (Eccl 3:1-2,4 KJV)

As much as I sometimes regret retiring from parish ministry, this week I was once again reminded of one of the reasons to retire. I spent many years serving one particular congregation and got very close to them. They were and are still like family. I had the good pleasure of being there at births, at graduations, of baptizing them, marrying them, of being there to celebrate for a lot of very special occasions. There was much laughing and singing and dancing over the years.

But, I was also there to witness much grief. I was there for sickness, for losses of employment, and for divorces as well as many other rough times. I buried hundreds, many who were very close to me, witnessing and grieving with their loved ones. The closer I got to any of them during their lives the harder is was for me to preside at their funerals. I no longer could refrain from weeping during the sermons as I looked into the eyes of the family sitting in front of me. I did not weep for the deceased. I had hope in the promise that all who people have eternal life. I wept for the families. I wept to see such pain. 

During most of this time I was also the home health care and hospice chaplain for the local hospital. One would think that I would have grown used to death. Death is inevitable. For the faithful death is not the end. We have hope. Yet, when someone is ripped from our lives grief is also inevitable. As we hear from the preacher in Ecclesiastes there is a time to weep and a time to mourn. 

This past week, a young friend died; a father of young children died. His parents were neighbors and also friends. It saddens me greatly to even think about the grief his family is enduring. It grieves me to think of his young children growing up without their father. 

Over a year ago, after I had retired, I had been asked to preside at the funeral of another man much younger than myself. He was survived by a teenage son whom I had known since birth.  The boys mother, who had been a friend, had died some time before. To see such a beloved child of God in so much grief and pain I could not refrain from weeping as I proclaimed the Gospel. It was a very tough sermon to get through. It was the last funeral I presided at. 

It was a reminder of how close I had gotten to the community (not just the congregation) that I had served in and that I no longer was able to control my own emotions as I witnessed the grief experienced by others. 

I have reminded myself over the years as I wept with those who grieved that even Jesus wept when he met Lazarus' sisters after Lazarus' death and saw them in so much pain. Pastors grieve too. Pastors are allowed to shed tears. But, today I find that grief overwhelms me too often as I witness the grief of others and that is one of the reasons it was best that I retire from parish ministry. That doesn't mean I quit serving God. It will just be in other ways. 

May God grant all who grieve peace of heart and mind in the assurance of everlasting life for all who believe.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Lying To God

Lies invite darkness to descend upon the soul;
even upon the world.

 

  Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

  Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

  About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

  “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

  Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

  At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 

                                                                                                                              (Acts 5:1-10)

I have been lied to and about so many times that there is no way that I could even count the times. We all have. Frankly, it makes me a bit weary. Sometimes, the lies are used to make someone look like someone they are not; like they are in the right and are doing good for others; while they are in truth, not.

Ananias and his wife Sapphira attempted to make themselves look righteous. They wanted to look as generous as the others who had sold their property and gave the proceeds to the church for the good of all of the people. But, they withheld some. Their sin was not so much in keeping some for themselves. The sin was in attempting to lie to God the Holy Spirit. God knows everything we say and think and do. It is just a bad idea to try telling God lies. The humans that we might tell lies to; usually know that we are not telling the whole truth, as well. We may not be able to prove the lies; but, God knows the truth. Lying to God, to others, and to ourselves can be very detrimental to our lives, to our futures.

The rest of the story for Ananias and Sapphira was that when they lied to Peter and to God, they died. They died immediately. When we lie to protect ourselves and our own egos; a bit of us dies inside, as well. When we tell untruths we are not who we were or who we can be in Christ Jesus. Make every effort then to speak and live in the truth with integrity.

God's Peace - Pr. J

They Fell Down Dead

  
  Now a man names Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

  Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

  About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

  “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

  Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

  At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.    (Acts 5:1-10 NIV)

Lately, I have heard the phrase "My word is my bond" a lot. I wish that were true. I have been lied to and about so many times that there is no way that I can even begin to count the times. Frankly, it makes me a bit weary. Sometimes, the lies are used to make someone look like someone they are not; like they are in the right and are doing good for others; while they, in truth, are not. They are only trying to lift themselves up. Often I am able to tell if someone is lying to me is if they are glorifying themselves and the works of their own hands rather than glorifying God. No one is as good as they would suggest.     

Ananias and his wife Sapphira attempted to glorify themselves unjustly. They attempted to make themselves look righteous. They wanted to look as generous as the others who had sold their property and gave the proceeds to the church for the good of all of the people. But, they had withheld some. Their sin was not just in keeping some for themselves. Their sin was in attempting to lie to God the Holy Spirit. God knows everything we say and think and do. It is just a bad idea to try lying to God. The humans that we might tell lies to; usually know that we are not telling the whole truth; but, not always. But, God always knows the truth.

The rest of the story for Ananias and Sapphira was that when they lied to Peter and to God, they died. They died immediately. When we lie to protect ourselves and our own egos; to make ourselves look more righteous than others, a bit of us dies inside, as well. When we cause harm to others and to the church with our lies, we may or may not get away with it here on earth. But, God knows what we have done and those who speak without integrity will answer to Him.  

May God help us to speak with integrity at all times that His Name might be glorified.

God's Peace - Pr. J