Tag: Christian

Disciple-Makers

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Christians are all called “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” This is not only the United Methodist mission statement but it is a command that Jesus gave his disciples in Matthew 18:18b-19 when he said“…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’” 

As a pastor, I see my role as both an administrator of the church and as a guide to help others become disciples and to grow into stronger disciples. The day-to-day administration work helps provide organization, communication, preparation, and structure to support our mission. Sunday sermons and Bible studies are tools I use as a pastor to help disciples grow closer to God. Outreach, visitation, and community service are other ways that I use to make disciples and help them grow in their relationship with God. These are the ways in which I live out our mission. Think about the ways you are supporting our mission and the ways God is using you to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” In what ways are you making disciples of Jesus Christ for the (positive) transformation of the world?

All Christians are disciple-makers because there are people looking at us and learning from our examples, whatever those examples may be. We can make disciples of bitterness, anger, frustration, and division. As we see increasing debates and complaints online and in print, we have witnessed a transformation in our world toward increasing discontent. As we have seen examples of violence multiply, we have witnessed a transformation in our world toward more crime. 

We can make positive transformation happen. We prove we are disciples of Jesus Christ by the ways in which we daily love, think, speak, and act as Jesus Christ. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we become disciple-makers of Jesus Christ. Those are the disciple-makers that will transform the world for the good.

Be a disciple-maker for Christ!

Pastor Don

Present Yourself To God

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There are many ways in which we may suffer hardship for our faith in Jesus Christ and yet the Apostle Paul encourages Timothy and all who read this letter to “present (ourselves to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.” The word pronounced, “prɪˈzent,” is a verb, a word of action.1 As we look at the word and see the image on our sermon slide, we can hear the word as a noun pronounced, “prez.ənt.”2  

Imagine yourself as a present presented to God. The Scripture brings some troubling questions to mind. What kind of presentation would not be approved by God? What kind of present would bring a feeling of shame to the presenter? What steps would we need to take to become a present (prez.ənt) worthy to be presented (prɪˈzent/d) to God? 

While I have always been assured of my eternal salvation, I have not always thought of myself as a pleasing gift to God. So, this Scripture really got my attention from the first time I saw it. The reason it grabs and holds my attention is because of the first part of Paul’s exhortation, which says, “Do your best…”3 Paul, knowing we are called to be acceptable, pure, and holy gifts to be presented to God doesn’t say, “be acceptable now.” He says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him…”4 This lets me know two things. First, God expects us to present ourselves as acceptable, pure, and holy gifts. Second, if my spiritual life is cluttered with junk that needs to be cleared out, there is both the time and the opportunity to start the cleansing process so the Holy Spirit has room to work, fill, and help me bear fruit worthy of presentation. 

I can get a bit anxious in light of my flaws. There are things I have done, thoughts, and attitudes I have had that are unacceptable to God. Sometimes, I fail to be worthy of presentation to God. Yet, I am comforted by Paul’s words, “Do your best…” That says to me that though I know there is work to be done, a race to the goal line that needs to be crossed, I don’t have to be there right this minute. That which makes up the content of my soul does not have to be absolutely perfect when I come to God. As long as I come humbly, with a desire to change and grow, I can start where I am and take it one step at a time.

Right now, what do we bring that is worthy of our King and Savior Jesus Christ? What do we present to our God? If we are not yet ready and confident in the presentation we bring, how are we going to get ourselves ready to be presented to God?

Assurance can be ours. As we continue doing our best for God each day, we will change, and we will grow. The gift that is all that we are, our thoughts, attitudes, and actions will begin to change. Those things which are unacceptable to God will no longer have a place within us because we will be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

Paul begins this section of scripture in verse eight telling Timothy to “remember Jesus Christ.” What is it about Jesus Christ that he wants Timothy and us to remember? We have to remember who Jesus Christ is to us. We have to remember that Jesus rose from the dead. We have to remember that God proved that life-giving resurrection power is found in Jesus Christ. This is the Gospel, the good news. We have to remember that Jesus Christ is the King of all. So, we must give God all of our habits, intentions, and desires. We start doing our best by presenting ourselves at our worst, surrendering all that we are to God, and allowing God to change us, mold us, and make us into a present worth of presentation to God.

Since Jesus rose from the dead, that which is dead within us can have new life. We do not have to stay trapped in sin. Since resurrection power is found in Jesus Christ, our desire to love and live for God can be resurrected. Since Jesus Christ is King, we must do our best to be faithful, strong, and fruitful.

The Wesley Study Bible points out that in verses nine and ten Paul reminds Timothy that he “suffer(ed) hardship” to do that which is approved by God. Just prior to this section, in verses 3-6, Paul illustrates the kind of Christians we are called to become by likening us to faithful soldiers, winning athletes, and successful farmers, all of which “illustrate a disciplined faithfulness that cultivates personal virtue.”5 There is much hardship on the paths of those who faithfully pursue holiness. Though we are comforted by the words, “do your best,” these words are balanced by illustrations that let us know that to be successful, we have to be faithful to God, build up our spiritual muscle and stamina for holiness, and plant the right kinds of seeds in our souls to produce a fruitful harvest that is pure and acceptable to God.

According to John Wesley, the salvation of which Paul speaks in verse ten “is deliverance from all evil…Glory (is that which brings) the enjoyment of all good.”6 We know that we have both salvation and deliverance from evil through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. This realization is the foundation on which we begin our journeys toward cleaning out that which brings us shame. Emptied of all evil, we will not only enjoy all the good that God is creating in our lives but we will happily present our changed lives as beautiful presents to God. Realizing we are gifts to be presented to God inspires us to live faithful, strong, and fruitful lives.

Without a doubt, we are called upon to be faithful, strong, and fruitful. We are called upon to do whatever it takes not to give in to our carnal desires or to the whims of the world around us. This is the heart of Christian discipleship to which all of God’s children are called.7 We are inspired to strive for holiness because our lives have been changed by the love of God by which we are sustained. Our lives are changed by the grace of God by which we were called. Our lives are changed by the Son of God, by whom we are redeemed. 

Without God, we were left to wander blindly about. Without a confident hope for eternal life in heaven, we lived self-centered, self-destructive, selfish, and sad lives. When God took hold of our hearts and opened our eyes to the love and salvation God graciously and continuously offers, we found hope for a future. With God’s help, our grateful hearts have been resurrected for a new life in Christ. This is why we change. This is why we do our best. 

If we are not doing our best to make the necessary changes in our hearts and lives, then by default, we are doing our best to allow the world’s influence to take hold. Apathy is a noun meaning “the feeling of not being interested in or enthusiastic about something, or things in general.”8 Apathy applied daily becomes an adverb. Our faith becomes apathetic. Our connection to the church becomes apathetic. Then, inevitably, our connection to God becomes apathetic. As we drift away from that which is holy, we draw closer to that which is not. There is no way around it. Those who drift away from God, draw closer to satan. If you are not doing your best to “present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed…,”9 then you are presenting yourself to apathy which will take hold and take over. 

Apathetic Christians stop working to become holy. They turn God’s grace into an excuse to stop trying, assuming God will forgive and save them simply because they believe in God and Jesus Christ. Apathetic and empty of all that is holy, unholiness, unrighteousness, and sinfulness fill their souls. Faithfulness to godly things will help us become more holy. Consistent exercise of our faith will make us grow strong. Pruning out that which is ungodly and destructive will make us bear the fruit of holiness. 

Christian, rid yourself of apathy and remember you are a soldier of God. Be faithful to your calling as a child of God and disciple of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, put in the work to prune out all that is ungodly and destructive. Stop giving in to dark desires and actions that only bring shame. Beloved sons and daughters of God, it’s time to start planting seeds of holiness. It’s time to fertilize the soil of your mind by filling it with that which is holy, uplifting, and pure.

Without faithfulness to our God, our king becomes ourselves and our lord becomes satan. Unless we build our spiritual strength by reading the Word of God, worshipping God, fellowshipping with other Christians, and praying to God every day, we will grow weaker. Pulled further into apathy, dark thoughts will increasingly fill our minds. Drifting into slothful sinfulness,  guilt and shame grow until all we have to present to God are our presents of weakness, thoughts of anger, bitterness, resentment, and fear, and lives filled with sinful and shameful behavior.

As John Wesley says, if we are “Dead with him – Dead to sin, (then we are to die for him).”10 Once we awaken from our apathy and start doing our best for God by unloading selfishness, dethroning satan as our lord, and refusing to give into spiritual weakness. Our souls will be revived. As Jesus Christ increasingly becomes our Lord, we will grow stronger, our lives will change for the better we will grow closer to God. 

Without the junk that once filled our lives, we are now ready to live for Christ. We are prepared to grow stronger in our faith. We are awakened to faithfulness, and God’s Holy Spirit enables us to live increasingly holy lives. Remaining faithful and strong, we will continue to do our best to empty ourselves of vain desires and fully yield to God through Jesus Christ. Finally, we will be ready to take our faith to the next level. As we prune the evil away, the fruits of holiness will blossom and grow for God’s glory and these fruits will be worthy of presentation to God.

Perhaps you realize that you have let apathy make you weak. You have allowed dark thoughts to clutter your mind, slothful sinfulness has enslaved you, and guilt, shame, anger, bitterness, resentment, and fear have filled your soul. Maybe all that you have left to present to God is an apathetic and listless life that has drifted away from God. 

Now is the time to start making changes in your life. Now is the time to cry out to God. God can heal your mind so you begin to care. God is ready to help you change. It is time to consider this question: At the end of your life, what kind of gift will you present to God? Will you present a life filled with regret, rage, and rebellion? Or, will you lovingly, boldly, and excitedly present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth?.”11 Realizing we are gifts to be presented to God inspires us to live faithful, strong, and fruitful lives.

I encourage you to turn your life around now. Rid yourself of apathy. Stop waiting. God is faithful and powerful enough to help you begin the cleansing process. Come to God in prayer through Jesus Christ. Become the present you want to present! Die to yourself and give yourself completely to God! Fight the good fight, grow strong in the Lord, and bear fruits of righteousness and holiness for the glory of God.

Scripture Reference: 2 Timothy 2:8-15

Work Cited

  1. “Prɪˈzent,” – pronunciation in English by Cambridge Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary, 5 October 2022, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/present. Accessed 8 October 2022.
  2. “Prez.ənt” – pronunciation of present by Macmillan Dictionary.” Macmillan Dictionary, https://www.macmillandictionary.com/pronunciation/british/present_2. Accessed 8 October 2022.
  3. 2 Tim. 2:15. Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A15&version=NRSVUE. Accessed 7 October 2022.
  4. 2 Tim. 2:15. Bible Gateway. 
  5. Arnold, Bill T. NRSV Wesley Study Bible Charcoal Bonded Leather: New Revised Standard Version. Abingdon Press, 2017.
  6. Wesley, John. John Wesley’s Notes On The Entire Bible. Kindle Edition ed., Unknown.
  7. Westley Study Bible.
  8. “Apathy” defined by Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/apathy?q=apathy. Accessed 7 October 2022.
  9. 2 Tim. 2:15. Bible Gateway. 
  10. John Wesley’s Notes On The Entire Bible.
  11. 2 Tim. 2:15. Bible Gateway. 

Separation

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Scripture Reference: Luke 16:19-31

Two people in this parable find themselves separated from each other. They are separated by man-made systems that were built during their lives and now they find themselves separated by a great chasm in the afterlife.

We are told in verse 19 that “the rich man was dressed in purple and fine linen and (that he) feasted sumptuously every day.” By contrast, in verse 20, is the injured and starving poor man, who was apparently dumped at the gate of the rich man. 

The rich man was not only in great health, but he was dressed in the finest clothes and ate all he wanted and more. Purple and fine linen were reserved for the wealthiest and highest in status. It’s likely the poor man did not even have a change of clothes. We also know from this story that the rich man ate very well.  

In Greek, the word, translated as “‘sumptuously’ denotes brilliance and splendor.”  The word used for “feast” is a word that denotes special occasions.1  So, while the poor man starved, the rich man had Thanksgiving dinner every day. 

There are occasions on which some splurge on an expensive restaurant. We pay a premium to feel special and to dine in an atmosphere of opulence. In these moments, the night out becomes more than a shared meal, it is a dining experience. We pay a premium to feel special for a moment. The white tablecloths, fine china, linen napkins, and silver settings take us away into another world. In this case, we encounter a man who splurges in this way every night. It has been said that looking at one’s spending will prove one’s priorities.2 Looking at the rich man’s spending, it is clear that his priority was in separating himself from the needs of others and setting himself up for comfort and overindulgence. 

What is it that separates us from each other in this life and what bearing do these separations have in the life to come? I believe the deciding factor on how our life in the hereafter is affected is the heart behind our behaviors. 

We know there will always be poor people. Jesus said so in Matthew 26:11. Does being poor automatically create a connection between you and God and does being rich automatically consign you to eternal torment? Not a chance. I can say that with complete assurance because I know that our salvation is granted through faith in Jesus Christ. That means that poor people who come to God through faith in Jesus Christ are saved by their faith, not by their poverty. Rich people are saved also, through their faith. 

This parable is not directed toward rich people simply because of their wealth. It is directed specifically to the Pharisees. More generally applied, it is also directed toward any who think their social status on Earth has solidified their place in heaven. They use their social status to separate themselves and others from God. 

There is separation. Separation of classes and separation between rich and poor, humble and proud, heaven and hell. The Pharisees separated themselves from everyone else, setting themselves up as the gatekeepers of God’s Word and of God’s temple. They interpreted the law to justify themselves and create a barrier between themselves and the rest of God’s people.

In their pride and love for money, the Pharisees were as guilty as the rich man in the parable, in that they gathered wealth solely for personal gain. Like the rich man, the Pharisees retained control and power over others and, like the rich man, they oppressed the poor and needy. 

Here is our main point which serves as an important warning, there is separation in many things in this world but the worst kind of separation is that which eternally separates ourselves or others from God.

Eternal separation from God is only an extension of the separation we created here on Earth. God does not separate Himself from us, we separate ourselves from God. Once we die, the chasm we worked so hard to create becomes one that is impossible to cross. Our calling is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We carry out this calling by connecting others to God. 

We have to answer two questions to clarify our main point and to keep from this eternal separation. how do we separate ourselves from God and how do we separate others from God?

First, how do we separate ourselves from God? We separate ourselves from God by becoming unteachable. Some of us have grown up in church and feel like we have heard it all. We have studied and listened and have come to the point that we don’t feel we have any more to learn. So, we start shutting down. We reason that with so many interpretations of Scripture, what use is it to listen to preachers and teachers? We decide we know enough, we have heard enough, and decide it is time for us to live according to our own understanding. Following this line of thinking, some have stopped going to church. 

Some have let hurt feelings take them out of the fellowship of the disciples of Christ and in so doing have removed themselves from the place of worship, corporate prayer, shared smiles, warm hugs, friendly handshakes, and loving smiles. 

We become unteachable in separation from the things of God. Separation leads to isolation. Isolation leads to destruction. Whether it is isolation from other people who have the Holy Spirit of God within them or isolation from God’s love, isolation is deadly. If you are too ill to get out of the house, make sure someone with the Spirit of God within them is visiting you regularly. If ours is the only voice to which we are listening, we will become and remain unteachable.

We separate ourselves from God by becoming unreachable. We become unreachable by creating impenetrable barriers with our pride. We create unpassable chasms by dulling our senses with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, possessions, food, and activities, among other things. We find it difficult to take time to listen to an invisible God amidst the noise of the constant temptations around us. So, we don’t stop. We don’t notice that our soul is poor and starving at the gate because we are too busy feeding our flesh and giving in to distraction.

Second, how do we separate others from God? How we treat others has an eternal bearing because it is a matter of the heart. Our hearts have separated from the love of God and we have extended that separation to others. 

We have separated ourselves into white, black, Hispanic, and Korean churches. We have pushed people away from our tables of fellowship, pushed them out of our churches, and placed them out of their minds. Yet, they are no less precious children of God than anyone else. All of God’s children are highly valued. 

The outcast, the unloved ones, the humble and lowly tend to be separated in our society and yet find a connection with God much easier than those who are well off. Why? Because they are hungry and they know it! They are starving for fellowship, thirsting for righteousness, seeking to know more of God and learn more about how to please God. The outcast who has found the love of God through Jesus Christ has made it past the judgmental glances and words of the Pharisees to find freedom. They have heard words of acceptance, love, and deliverance from their Savior Jesus Christ, and have gratefully run into the presence of God.

The torment of eternity comes to the faithless and the proud whose hunger is fed by the things of the world. They have great celebrations, the best of everything, the biggest churches, and the best houses. On the outside, they appear well off, while in reality, their spirits are isolated and empty. Their chasm has been created and unless they start finding ways to connect themselves and others to God, their souls face eternal separation.

The worst kind of separation is that which eternally separates ourselves or others from God. Make a decision now to stop separating yourself from God. Stop separating others from God. The time to connect to God is now. The time to connect with other children of God is now. Invite God in. Invite others to come. Just as you are. Just as they are. Drop the barriers. Lay down the pride. Be teachable. Be reachable. Pray to God and enter through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Works Cited

  1. Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Gospel of Luke. Edited by Daniel J. Harrington, Kindle Edition ed., vol. 3, Collegeville, Liturgical Press, 1991.
  2. Sethi, Ramit. “How You Spend Money Reflects Your Priorities.” Business Insider, 19 February 2019, http://businessinsider.com/how-you-spend-money-reflects-priorities-2019-2. Accessed 26 September 2022.

Acceptance Awareness

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There are many who struggle with acceptance awareness. Overcome with shame from past mistakes, we are prone to lose self-respect, self-love, and self-acceptance. Our loss of care for ourselves grows in our speech and actions, and we turn increasingly inward to shield ourselves from love. Left unchecked, we can become angry, bitter, and isolated.

There is a shift that has to occur. Instead of denying acceptance, we must be aware, amazed, and grateful for it. This acceptance begins with our awareness of God’s prevenient grace. God tells the prophet, Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations’ (Jer. 1:5). God created us. God reached out to us first. Not only that, God sets us apart from a world of hate and corruption appointed to love others. To do that, we have to love ourselves first. 

Jesus said, says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” Jn. 15:13. God sent Jesus Christ, God’s only Son to die for you. Yes, for you. God’s love is expansive, unconditional, and healing. It’s time to step out of the darkness of self-doubt and self-loathing. Step into the light of God’s love and acceptance.

May God bless your journey,

Pastor Don.

Photo credit: Keegan Houser on Unsplash

Mature in Christ

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   In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul connects maturity in Christ with wisdom. The problem is that without knowledge, wisdom is impossible. Take Paul for example. Before Jesus stopped him on the road to Damascus, he acted upon his limited knowledge of God. His zeal led to the persecution and death of many Christians. Once he knew the truth, his zeal was redirected and his actions changed. In fact, his change was so drastic that his name was changed from Saul to Paul. 

     Knowledge was the first step. His actions proved his wisdom and led to Paul’s maturity in Christ. Among other things, Paul learned that in Jesus Christ is found “all the fullness of God” (Col. 1:19). With this knowledge, wisdom led Paul to spread the word about this and other great truths he learned about Jesus Christ. Paul learned that faith in Christ creates an inner change that is outwardly observed.

     To be mature in Christ is not only to know about Jesus but to be changed by our knowledge of Jesus. Knowing Jesus draws us away from anger and divisiveness and closer to holiness, love, and grace.

     To be mature in Christ is to allow ourselves to be changed by our encounters with Christ. You have heard of Jesus Christ. The challenge now is to get to know Him better. With open hearts, our eyes are opened and we see God in a new light. We are invited by Paul to see the image of God in Jesus Christ. The same one who lived among us, healed us, fed us, and brought us comfort, died to set us free from the power of death and hell. God wants a connection with us that grows stronger each day. May God help us move past our selfishness and immaturity. May God help us all be mature in Christ.

God bless you,

Pastor Don. 

Getting What We Give

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Wouldn’t it be great if we could eat as much as we want and not gain a pound? I lived like that for many years in my youth. I could eat whatever I wanted and as much as I wanted and not gain a pound. On the other hand, I wondered why I was always worn out. It was because I was not paying attention to my diet. Nor was I exercising. Later in life, the effects of overeating are more outwardly visible and difficult to counter. 

The idea of “getting what we give” is an ancient one that is found in many of the world’s religions. Some call it Karma. Christians know it as the principle of reaping and sowing. Most of us learned the hard way that we all live by the principle of cause and effect. What we do, how we eat, how we act, and so on. Everything action and inaction has a result.

The Apostle Paul warns the Galatians in chapter 6:7-10 that we will reap whatever we sow. In that warning, I find both a warning to be on the lookout for what good I may do in the world and a warning against doing that which will cause harm to my body and spirit. We go on diets and exercise to lose weight and we find that we have to keep exercising to keep the weight off. In the same way, we cannot “grow weary in doing what is right.” To stay spiritually strong, we have to guard our eyes and ears against the evil around us. We have to build our relationships with God through prayer and reading the Scriptures. We also have to keep our eyes open so we may “work for the good of all…” I pray that God helps us remain faithful and always remember that we get what we give.

God bless you,

Pastor Don

Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:7-10

Imprisoned & Guarded

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“Imprisoned and Guarded” are the words used in Galatians 3:23 to describe the way we were before we came to faith in God through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote that without faith in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ we are “under the law.”

The faithless imprison themselves to the lusts of the flesh and desires of this world because they hide from a reconciling God. The faithless guard themselves from redemption through Jesus Christ because they have become jaded. They don’t believe such incredible grace could be possible. The norm is to think there will be a payment expected; that there must be some kind of catch. So, they free themselves to indulge their desires and open themselves to that which pulls them farther from God.

So, why am I writing to believers about the effects of faithlessness? Because these same effects can creep into our lives if we are not careful. Our world is full of voices that would imprison us from faith, grace, and redemption. Perhaps we stop praying as intently as we once did. Or, maybe we get out of the habit of reading God’s Word. Before we know it, our guard starts coming back up and we are pulled deeper into shame and farther from the love of God. 

The ways of evil are deceptive and subtle. So, I remind you, as people of faith in God through Jesus Christ, to remember what Galatians 3:27 says, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Since, in baptism, you were welcome into God’s fold and since you are clothed in the redeeming love and grace found in Jesus Christ, remember the beauty of your calling. Revive your faith daily in prayer and by reading the Word of God.

You are free! Free to thrive as strong believers in a vibrant church of redeemed warriors who will continue to grow in Christ, proclaim the Word, and serve others.

God bless you,

Pastor Don.

Scripture Reference: Galatians 3:23-29

Hope of Holiness

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Peace, hope, love, and endurance are the keywords that jump out to me in the first five verses of Romans 5. In verse 5, the Apostle Paul says “hope does not put us to shame….” So, why are we prone to let shame grab hold of us? Why would we pay any attention to shame-based messages from others? It could be that we confuse conviction with shame. 

Feeling appropriately guilty about words and actions that are harmful to ourselves is useful when we allow the Holy Spirit to change us. Shame, on the other hand, turns us inward and away from God. 

Peace, hope, love, and endurance take hard work. We all make mistakes and fail to achieve the holiness and purity we seek. Yet, peace can be ours when we remember the grace God has bestowed and continues to show us. Hope drives us forward toward change. Love sustains our desire to please God and endurance builds our characters as we persevere.  

God does not want your shame. Reconciliation with God brings peace to our souls, hope for positive change within, love for God and others, and endurance to continue on this great journey we call, Christianity.

May God bless you and bring you closer to holiness and purity each day. 

Pastor Don

Scripture ref: Romans 5:1-5

Holy Spirit Peace

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In many churches, including ours, we celebrate Pentecost and are reminded once again of the fire of the Holy Spirit. We wear red and drape our communion tables, lecterns, and pulpits in red remind to remind us of the tongues of fire that were seen above the heads of those who received the Holy Spirit for the first time. After which, they spoke words “about God’s deeds of power.”

In John 14:16, Jesus said that he would send us an “Advocate to be with us forever.” We can be comforted by these words for sure. The promise of God’s power continues in verses 26-27, where Jesus tells us the Holy Spirit will teach us everything and remind us of all that he said to us. These promises are especially important to those who are anxious about speaking to others about God. Whether we preach in a pulpit or proclaim the wonders of God in our communities, we can be assured that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to share.

One of the most powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit is the gift of peace. In a world of darkness, fear, anxiety, and depression the fire of the Holy Spirit burns bright within the hearts of the believer to burn those things away, leaving peace instead.

So, as we wear red and look at the red that is all around us this Sunday, may we remember the powerful fire of the Holy Spirit that burns within us, teaching us what we need to know, reminding us of Jesus’ words, and burning peace within our hearts. With the Holy Spirit of God within us, we will be changed and we will bring change to the world. 

Blessings,

Pastor Don