All Or Nothing

"Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it" Luke 9:23-24

    We come now to the end of our Lenten Journey as we begin to move through Holy Week.  I've always found Holy Week a difficult week to go through. In part because as we look at the last week of Jesus, I all too often see myself in the crowds. I see myself pursuing Jesus when I think he can do something for me (Palm Sunday) and looking elsewhere when I don't get the answers I want (the betrayal of the crowd). I see myself in Peter, quickly denying Jesus to save his own skin. And I see myself at the foot of the cross contemplating the fact it was my sins that placed Jesus on the cross. Thankfully our story doesn't end there and we can gather with the woman and the disciples to stare into the empty tomb on Easter morning.

   That's all well and good I suppose. But the Scripture above reminds us that we are not to be identified with the crowd. We are called to be like Jesus.  We are to become Christlike people. Now for most of us we tend to see this as a reminder we are to be nicer, more loving, at peace. We are to do something good, help the poor and the homeless. Housefly we are able to be better people. That's what it means to be like Jesus, doesn't it?

  Not according to Him. Yes all of these things are "Jesus-like" behaviors. And no doubt we would be much easier to live with if we did them on a more consistent basis. But that's not what it means to be truly like Jesus. In the Scripture above Jesus says, if you really want to follow me you must flow me all the way. Go through your own Holy Week, take up your cross go to Calvary die that you might rise again. That might seem harsh, but to the first century listener there would have been no ambiguity about taking up a cross.  When you put a cross on your shoulder you were only going to one place. And ti wasn't going to turn out well.

   There is a lot to unpack in Jesus words here. And I won't attempt to describe everything that's going on here. But one thing that should be clear to us is that Jesus is letting every one know that being His disciple will not be an easy thing.  You will be different from the world. You will be at odds with your culture. People in your family won't understand. friendships may dissolve. You will be made fun of, fingers wile be pointed at you.  If one follows Jesus, one must expect  the same treatment the world gave him. to follow Him means to go to the cross.

  But it seems the church today is more Chameleon than Christian. We spend more time trying to blend in than to stand out. We work hard at getting along, not making any waves. We turn a blind eye to wrong, we ignore or join in in sinful practices. We allow our current culture to dictate our beliefs rather than Scripture. We've come to believe that the unforgivable sin is not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit but blasphemy against society.  Heaven ( or I guess Earth) forbid we ever be accused of being intolerant of anything.

  If Christians, and the Church, have lost their influence in our world today it is not because our faith is ode finished, passe' and behind the times. It's because we have watered it down so much that the world can't even taste it when they see us.  We would do well to remember that Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, and also reminds us that "unsalty salt" isn't good for anything.

  I want to encourage you to take Jesus' words to heart. Stop nibbling at Jesus, just getting enough Jesus to get you through the day. I want to encourage you rather to take up your cross and follow Him completely. One can't partially die on a cross. We either give Jesus everything, or we give Him nothing. Which will it be for you? Let us take up the cross that we might also experience the Resurrection of our souls and churches as well.

In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><

A Good Word About The Church

"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, all its many parts are from one body. So it is with Christ" 
1 Corinthians 12:12

We will soon move into our third generation of people in the United States with no church memory. That means that many of our young people today, now reaching adulthood, have never been in a church. Not for a wedding, a funeral, a baptism, or vacation bible school. And neither have their parents or grandparents.  Imagine that. Three generations with little to no church memory.

Maybe that's one of the reasons the church gets a bad rap today. It is easy to talk bad about something if you've never experienced it. Plus, the media doesn't help. Rarely is the church put into a good light. Clergy on any sitcom or drama are almost always buffoons, if not out and out villains. At the very least, they will be hypocrites.

But let's be honest. We've shot ourselves in the foot on more than one occasion. Beyond all the big scandals there are the little things that go on every week. As long as God continues to fill the church with human beings we are going to make mistakes and sometimes put the church in a bad light.

Okay. I get it.  But there is a part of me, a big part, that grows a little weary at all the church bashing I see today. TV. Social Media. Online. The cute little sayings such as, "I like Jesus, I just don't like religion."  The church is an easy target.

So today I want to put in a good word for the church. Let me give you just a few reasons why I love the church. And why I hope you do as well.  And why we ought to stop all the church bashing.

First and foremost, I love the church, because the church is God's chosen vessel to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.  How amazing to think that God would look at us, with all our foibles, and use us to share the truth of Jesus with the world.

I love the church because, week in and week out, I see God's grace. I see it in an adult who gives up a week of their summer to teach vacation bible school. I see it in the youth who are the opposite of what the world says teenagers are. Selfish? Self centered? Oh, maybe sometimes. Aren't we all? But, at Trinity, our youth went around a few weeks ago sharing the Gospel.  And they will give up a part of their summer to be in mission.

I love the church because they come with all their faults and work as the body of Christ. Because they forgive another. Because they are welcoming to the stranger and love the unlovely.

I love the church because when the hungry need to be fed, the naked clothed, and the homeless sheltered, it is the church who steps in before anyone else. They build homes. They take care of the sick. They build hospitals in the poorest places on earth. They sacrifice and they give. And the best part? The church does it not to get ahead at work, or to look good to someone else. They do it for of pure joy. Joy in Jesus. Joy in others.

You probably have your own reasons to love the church. At least I hope you do. You probably even have some I haven't written about today. Whatever your reasons to love the church, I hope today you lift up a prayer of thanksgiving for those dear saints who come every week.  No they aren't perfect, not by a long shot. That's what's so lovely. A Perfect God using imperfect people to show the world His perfect love.   That's why I love the church. What about you?

In Christ,
Dr. Brian Jones

 
  

Much Ado About Something

"For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was Crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Recently a United Methodist Seminary said they were considering taking down the cross in some of their buildings in order to be more welcoming to others who use the space who may be of other faiths. You can follow the article and the response here:

http://juicyecumenism.com/2013/03/02/fretting-offense-to-non-christians-umc-funded-seminary-considers-removing-cross-from-its-chapel/

As you can imagine, the Internet was soon buzzing and arguing over this as soon as it was posted.  Okay, at least in the circles I'm in, it was a major issue.  I have friends on both sides of the coin, and I've tired to listen to both sides of the argument and not simply react with my own first response.

Oddly enough, it's not the first time I've encountered this situation.  Many years ago, I served a church that had a Family Center where we used to welcome the community.  Because many people came who were not Christians, one of our members asked if we should not at least cover the cross in the room when others used it. "Don't we want to be welcoming?"

My response then is my response now. Why are we welcoming? Is it because we are nice people? Or is it because we believe there is a life changing relationship with Jesus that we want everyone to experience? Yes, we need to be welcoming. But never at the risk of losing our identity as a church who sees a crucified and resurrected Jesus as Lord and Savior.

I'm not writing this today to get anyone upset, or to show you what a fine, upstanding Christian I am, or to share a story of how I stood up against the culture of the day. What I really want to share with you is the conviction I had then and that God has been laying on me ever since I read this recent article.

Before we get too upset, how many of us are guilty of the same thing? How many of us, who would never remove a cross from the sanctuary, are quick to hide the cross in our own lives?  Every time we refuse to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the prisoner (as Jesus said) are we not hiding the cross? When we are with our friends and laugh at the off-color joke or let someone demean another person, do we not hide the cross? Every time we act Holy on Sunday but act like the devil around our spouse or children the other six days, are we not hiding the cross?  And those things we do when no one else is around? Yeah they hide the cross as well.

We make the excuse that we don't wish to be offensive. But the Cross is offensive. It's supposed to be. Jesus, crucified and risen, is both the stumbling block and the cornerstone of our faith.

Paul says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. That makes us a sanctuary, a place of worship. Doesn't it? As followers of the crucified Lord, we should be no more be willing to hide the cross in our lives than we would to hide it in our churches.

I'm all for holding churches and church-affiliated organizations accountable.  But I also know I have a limited amount of power to affect change there. Where can I really affect change about the cross? In my own life, as I try to live a life that doesn't hide Jesus. I hope, in the end, that you will look at your own life and make sure the cross of Christ isn't hidden.

In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><

An indescribable and glorious joy

1 Peter 1: 3,8

³ “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead … ⁸ Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy”

As I reflect on these past few days in mission in Nuevo Progreso, I will forever have in my memory the love and joy that I saw in the faces of the parents and children for whom we built a home. They live in such great material poverty but radiate the riches they have in Christ. The children were so full of joy and laughter as they played together in the blowing dust, making toys out of whatever they could find around their home. What we may call trash is possibly treasure in their eyes. I felt I wanted to give them so many things but realized that God’s love and grace is enough. The last day was so very full of emotion, not only for the dear family, but for all of us. Manuel, the father of the family, expressed how so grateful he and his family was for a mission such as ours and in a time such as this, that we could find it in their hearts to come so far to help and love as Christ calls us to do.  The family’s appreciation brought so many tears of joy, because they saw in all of us the hands and feet of Christ working right along beside of them building them a better shelter.  Manuel and Paula (parents) said they will forever have us all in their hearts, as we will also. Their hospitality was so wonderful. They gave us a feast – a beautiful meal to thank us all.  We broke bread together, giving thanks to God for the fellowship we shared with each other and for the new friends we made. I thank God for working through me to joy to bring smiles and hope to such gracious family far away yet so close to my heart. It is such an overwhelming feeling to feel such satisfaction in and through Christ.  It was so hard to say our farewells- I must say it leaves a hole in my heart!  I am so thankful and grateful for the opportunity to be a servant of the Lord, receiving joy in return. I hold the five precious children and their parents in my heart and pray for the Lord to keep a circle of protection around them and for the doors of opportunity to open for them.  I pray for their faith and joy and hope in God to remain steadfast in the midst of great poverty and drought. 

Psalm 126:2b, 3  “The LORD has done great things for them.  The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”

Liz Winfree

What I'm taking away

As the mission team finishes up their work today and prepare to return home, Rev. Wheat has asked us to reflect on “what are we taking away from Mexico?” We certainly all have some many memories of laying cement blocks, roofing and painting endless number of boards which seem to just keep coming. I have acquired many memories of the families. I think everyone has very fond memories of the children playing in the yard. They certainly were very curious about what was happening to their home. They laughed, sang and played games with the volunteers. I was most surprised with how helpful they were with keeping things picked up and cleaned up. The mother was so excited to see each step of the build. As soon as the windows were installed, she was busily cleaning them. As we left, they family was busily moving into their new space. It was such a blessing to see the excitement in their eyes.

The area we are building in is so different from my world. The buildings are small and most are just 2x4s and plywood cobbled together. These peoples are just scratching out a life in a dry and barren land. They have no electricity and the water must be trucked in. Yet they are so thankful for everything they have. The children run and play through dirt roads and always seem to be smiling. A simple game of tag or playing with a sling-shot make them very happy. They so enjoyed being spun around by their arm. It makes me very happy to know these children will have more room to life and grow in. It looks like the 5 children have been sharing 2 beds. With the new addition the boys will be in one room and the girls in another. They will still be sharing beds but will now have spaces of their own.

I fill blessed to have been part of this mission and will treasure these memories for years.

John Fisher

Mas is better?

Well folks, after shoveling ourselves out of the snow, the VIM team to Mexico finally made it to Nuevo Progreso. Our goal: build two houses in three days for two families in desperate need. I have never built anything in my life let alone a house, so tackling two seemed quite daunting. Today we began by laying the block for the walls of the house and painting the wood for the roof. Within five minutes of my arrival I had a trowel in my hand and I began “buttering” the bricks. I quickly realized that despite the obvious language barrier, everyone was getting along quite well.

The word of the day was “mas.” For those of you who are a little rusty on your Spanish, “mas” means “more” as in “I need ‘mas’ (paint, mortar, bricks, wood, etc.)” Without fail, English-speaking or Spanish-speaking folks would respond with whatever the item you needed “mas” of. Together, we buttered mortar onto bricks and slathered paint onto wood. Everyone, from the young partially-paralyzed son of the family to the interpreter who pitched in not only his language skills but his masonry talents, worked together as a team to build this house.

As I thought about the word “mas” I thought about a familiar phrase – “more is better.” As I looked around at the bleak, barren surroundings and saw poverty like I had never seen before (these folks have no running water, plumbing, electricity, shower, washing machine, school , trash removal, toilet, or car) I saw children laughing, running, playing with their siblings and standing side by side to slop paint onto the wood slats. I saw their parents smiling admiringly at the wall they had just constructed together – she bringing him bricks and he buttering them before carefully laying them into place. I saw a happy family, just being thankful in the moment for what they had and the blessing of a new home. I saw people who were not looking for more, but were thankful to know that God had provided this opportunity. I am reminded that while we might think that we need more of XYZ, God already knows what we need.

As we continue to build in the next several days, I wanted to share a passage that reminded me of God’s power to “build” and provide: “So all of you holy brothers and sisters, who were called by God, think about Jesus, who was sent to us and is the high priest of our faith. Jesus was faithful to God as Moses was in God’s family. Jesus has more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. Every house is built by someone, but the builder of everything is God himself. Moses was faithful in God’s family as a servant, and over God’s house. And we are God’s house if we keep on being very sure about our great hope.” (Hebrews 3:1-6)

Grace and peace,

Tasha Ruth

On expectations; or, why injustice destroys the world

I began to learn Spanish when I was 12 years old, and loved it so much that I went on to study it as a minor in college at Baldwin-Wallace. And imagine my joy when I discovered that following college, my work as a US-2 Young Adult Missionary would include community organizing and ESOL work with local Spanish-speaking communities! I’ve had the great privilege to travel to many places and work with people from many cultures, but I’ve never set foot in a Spanish-speaking country. It’s something that surprises many people; “How can you speak the language if you’ve never visited a place where they speak it?!” Ignoring the obvious answer – that I live in the US, where Spanish is spoken regularly – it’s a valid expectation of someone who speaks Spanish, I suppose. When I set foot in Mexico tomorrow, I’ll finally live up to this particular expectation, and, it must be said, dream of mine.

I’ve seen pictures. I’ve read books. I’ve watched documentaries. I’ve heard stories, so I have expectations of my own as to what I will encounter when our Volunteer in Mission (VIM) team sets foot in the colonias of Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, tomorrow. Our team from Trinity (Tasha, Liz, John, and Katy) will join with 29 other folks from Glenwood and Scioto Ridge UMCs, as together we construct two casitas (small homes) and serve folks in the Manos Juntas Medical Clinic. I’m curious, excited, and anxious to begin. I’m ready to see how my expectations stack up to reality.

Upon a first reading, Psalm 82 is a curious text. “God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment”, verse one reads. And we think: what? It certainly doesn’t meet our expectations of how our God rules. But if we take a step back to consider the teaching this psalm offers, rather than the face-value message it presents, we discover this: this psalm is about God’s expectation for how the world is ordered. God rules the world, and in this scripture God our heavenly Parent is putting on trial all the competing claims in our lives. God rules the world, and thus the things that concern God most must be human concerns. God is declaring that our time, our resources, our actions, our knowledge and understandings, must be used in ways that honor God’s gracious rule, and used in ways that live into God’s vision for our lives, and for our world.

It’s very clear what God expects of us:

“Give justice to the weak and the orphan;” the psalmist cries in verses 3-4. “Maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’” Injustice – which we see so often when our brothers and sisters go hungry, when folks lack adequate shelter, when they go years without adequate medical care, when they don’t have shoes or a coat – is a violation of God’s desire and will for our world. And justice and righteousness aren’t abstract understandings. They’re not principles God cares about in theory. And I know this because we see Justice and Righteousness incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God whose anointed ministry on this earth was categorized by bringing “good news to the poor,” proclaiming “release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.” (Luke 4:18) Jesus came so that all the oppressed might go free. So should we too, who love and follow Jesus. Doing justice means building relationships with the widow. It means taking the orphan into our homes. It means providing palliative care for the sick (and preventative care for the healthy).  It means building homes for those who have no homes. The expectation of justice which God lays out for us begins with work like that we’ll be doing this week in Nuevo Progreso. These are the foundations upon which God's Kingdom is built. It’s clear that in God’s eyes, anything less than this sort of justice destroys the world.

More tomorrow!

Pastor Katy

Run The Race

"And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us" Hebrews 12:1

   This pas t weekend I went to the Arnold Expo here in Columbus. It's an entire weekend dedicated to fitness in every aspect imaginable. Running limiting, body building, martial arts, fencing, gymnastics and dancing.  You name it, they have it.

  The expo draws seemingly hundreds of thousands of people.  Many of them are obviously in great shape.  I mean incredible shape.  Huge shape.  Odd shape to be honest.  But they have dedicated themselves to getting that way.

   I've ,ong since given up on the idea that I'll ever look like that.  And I'm OK with that.  However I do come away every year hoping that I can get in better shape.  I come away inspired, so to speak.  I come away thinking, if I really put the time and energy in, what type of shape could I get in physically?

  As we continue in Lent, I think that''s the question we should be asking of our spirits.  If we really trained our sports, what type of shape could we get in.  Just like our bodies, it doesn't just happen. Well wishes mean nothing.  We have to put in the time.

  Are you training your spirit? Are you reading Scripture, spending time in prayer daily? Doing good works, serving others?  Spending time with God, just enjoying His presence?  What might your spirit look like if you put in the time?  You just might find yourself looking like Jesus

In Christ,
Rev. dr. Brian Jones