One of the hardest tasks in life is to forgive someone who has hurt us. This is especially hard when the hurt is something big: betrayal, abandonment, abuse, rejection, and the like. When we've been cheated or mistreated our natural reaction is to lash back, get resentful, grow bitter, or get even.
Jesus tells us to forgive. It's good for the soul and good for the world.
When it comes to forgiving I am impressed with the example of the Amish community in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. In 2006 a milk deliveryman named Charles Roberts burst into an Amish school, tied up the girls, prepared to sexually abuse them, and then when police arrived shot ten of the girls, killing five. This was a truly horrific crime that made national news. But amazingly the Amish community of that small town showed a forgiving spirit: attending Robert's funeral, hugging his wife, and taking up a collection for his family.
Forgiveness is possible, even when it is hard.
An even better example of forgiveness was demonstrated by Jesus. Hanging on a cross, suffering a horribly painful and humiliating death at the hands of people who had lied and unfairly turned on him, Jesus cried out to God to forgive his persecutors. His reason: they know not what they do. Rather than considering these people evil, Jesus chose to look at his enemies as clueless, confused, and in over their heads.
Perhaps the people who are hurting you are clueless as well.
Its easier to forgive a clueless person, than an evil one.
Assignment: ponder Luke 23.32-34. In what ways were the people involved in Jesus' crucifixion "not knowing what they were doing?" And how might that be similar to the people causing you pain?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Raving Fans of Jesus
The early church was very verbal about their faith. Christians in the first century constantly shared about Jesus in the public arena. They were raving fans of the Galilean carpenter. They told everyone who would listen about who Jesus was and what he did. They spoke up loudly and often.
This is remarkable given the fact that they were given a gag order by the religious authorities of the day. Three times in Acts 1-8 they are ordered by very powerful people to keep quiet, to not speak of Jesus in public. The message was clear: Back off and keep your mouths shut!
This was more than a suggestion. There were punishments attached to sharing a verbal witness. Christians were thrown in prision, stoned, flogged, dragged from their homes, and generally persecuted for speaking out about Jesus.
Yet these heroic Christians would not be silenced. Day after day, in the temple courts and house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 5.42)
Constrast this with our situation in the 21st century. Today, with hardly any consequences, save a little risk of embarassment, we hardly ever share a verbal witness for Jesus. Most Christians can be motivated to use their hands and feet for Jesus, but very few are willing to use their mouth for Jesus. Boldness in speech is in short supply. Most Christians are self-silenced.
Are you?
What is it that holds you back from sharing with your friends what you have found in Jesus? What are you afraid of that keeps you from speaking up? And what did the early Christians have that we don't have? How can we recover the boldness that characterized the early days of the church when the Gospel spread like wildfire?
The early church was very verbal about their faith. Christians in the first century constantly shared about Jesus in the public arena. They were raving fans of the Galilean carpenter. They told everyone who would listen about who Jesus was and what he did. They spoke up loudly and often.
This is remarkable given the fact that they were given a gag order by the religious authorities of the day. Three times in Acts 1-8 they are ordered by very powerful people to keep quiet, to not speak of Jesus in public. The message was clear: Back off and keep your mouths shut!
This was more than a suggestion. There were punishments attached to sharing a verbal witness. Christians were thrown in prision, stoned, flogged, dragged from their homes, and generally persecuted for speaking out about Jesus.
Yet these heroic Christians would not be silenced. Day after day, in the temple courts and house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 5.42)
Constrast this with our situation in the 21st century. Today, with hardly any consequences, save a little risk of embarassment, we hardly ever share a verbal witness for Jesus. Most Christians can be motivated to use their hands and feet for Jesus, but very few are willing to use their mouth for Jesus. Boldness in speech is in short supply. Most Christians are self-silenced.
Are you?
What is it that holds you back from sharing with your friends what you have found in Jesus? What are you afraid of that keeps you from speaking up? And what did the early Christians have that we don't have? How can we recover the boldness that characterized the early days of the church when the Gospel spread like wildfire?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
This past Sunday Beth Long was the speaker in our worship service. She shared about her mission trip to Malawi Africa this past summer.
Her main question: Where did I see Jesus in Africa? Her answer:
"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Where have you seen Jesus this week? What can you do to give Jesus food, drink, or clothing?
Her main question: Where did I see Jesus in Africa? Her answer:
- I saw Jesus in tiny, emaciated babies dying of AIDS
- I saw Jesus in children who were thrilled to see thier own faces in a photo for the first time.
- I saw Jesus in childcare workers who put in 24 hour shifts caring for limp, dying infants
- I saw Jesus in students who wear backpacks made of discarded popcorn bags
- I saw Jesus in widows trying to learn a skill to avoid prostitution
- I saw Jesus in children with no toys, no school supplies, and no hope
- I saw Jesus in women at wells carrying polluted water long distances all day long
- I saw Jesus in the eyes of a desperate mother who could not find health treatment for her child
- I saw Jesus in endless lines of children waiting to recieve deworming pills
- I saw Jesus in destitute families who chose to share their food with strangers like me
- I saw Jesus in a church elder who prayed for years to have the small, inexpensive Bible I gave him.
- I saw Jesus in 13 year old girls who reluctanty sell their bodies to pay expenses to go to high school.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Where have you seen Jesus this week? What can you do to give Jesus food, drink, or clothing?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Rev George Nicholas was the preacher yesterday at our church. He came to talk about the ministry of Grace United Methodist Church, an inner city congregation in Rochester located in an area called the crescent: an area that experiences the highest crime rate, violence, and poverty in the city.
He told the story of Camry McNight, a 12 year old Rochester girl who died three weeks ago after being shot in the face during an altercation on the streets.
Some of the questions George asked were:
1. What is the church doing in all this?
2. Why does it seem like the church is focused on the suburbs and abandoning the city?
3. Even in a tough, violent world do we still believe that God is able to do all things?
George also shared some of his vision to find a location to renovate and create a ministry center that would house ministries for job training, health care, food distribution, and other urgently needed services. George's vision is a BHAG vision. (Big, Hairy, Audacious) It is the kind of vision that God inspires.
Our church needs to help Grace UMC in every way possible. I believe that God has linked our churches together in a partnership for this very purpose. If you have a burden for the city, and if you have skills that would be helpful as Grace UMC moves forward, please let me know.
I'd also be interested in your ideas: what responsibility does a suburban church like ours have for the people who live in the city? What should we be doing? What ideas do you have?
He told the story of Camry McNight, a 12 year old Rochester girl who died three weeks ago after being shot in the face during an altercation on the streets.
Some of the questions George asked were:
1. What is the church doing in all this?
2. Why does it seem like the church is focused on the suburbs and abandoning the city?
3. Even in a tough, violent world do we still believe that God is able to do all things?
George also shared some of his vision to find a location to renovate and create a ministry center that would house ministries for job training, health care, food distribution, and other urgently needed services. George's vision is a BHAG vision. (Big, Hairy, Audacious) It is the kind of vision that God inspires.
Our church needs to help Grace UMC in every way possible. I believe that God has linked our churches together in a partnership for this very purpose. If you have a burden for the city, and if you have skills that would be helpful as Grace UMC moves forward, please let me know.
I'd also be interested in your ideas: what responsibility does a suburban church like ours have for the people who live in the city? What should we be doing? What ideas do you have?
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