I Just Want to Be a Paul

Am I a “Paul” or a “Bob?”  After Pastor Matt’s sermon last week, I have been pondering that question a lot this week.  And I know many of you have as well.  How do I know this?  Well, a number of you e-mailed me this week wanting to discuss that question or to share some insight you had about that question.  If you have not yet heard the sermon, I’d encourage you to listen online so you can better understand who Paul and Bob are. 

What I realized this week is that the difference between Paul and Bob has to do with their perspective of who God is in this world and what He calls us to be.  Paul looks outward and sees the abundant possibilities.  Paul sees his glass as always half full.  He serves out of a response for what God has done for him.  He wants to share lavishly with others and uses the gifts that God has given him to serve others and grow the Kingdom. 

Bob’s perspective, on the other hand, is focused inward on himself.  His vision is limited to his own needs and what God’s church can do for him.  Bob’s glass is always half empty.  If you think about it, his response reflects a person who acts out of a sense of scarcity and entitlement, rather than abundance and thankfulness.

Funny thing is we serve a God who lavishes His love, grace and mercy on all of us although none of us deserves it or is entitled to receive it.  And God calls on us to do the same in this world to our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends and our enemies, and in the church.

So, here’s the $20 trillion question for you and me?  Are you going to be a Paul or a Bob?  As Pastor Matt put it – are you an “owner” or merely a “member?”  I don’t know about you, but I want to be a Paul and I want to use the gifts God has given to me to be God’s hands and feet to others, both in the church and outside Calvary’s doors!

Here’s a wonderful song by Don Moen called “I Offer My Life.”  Today, let’s offer our lives to God and use the gifts that God has given to us to His glory.  Can I have an "AMEN"?!?

Pax,

Pastor Carol (a.k.a. Paul)

Friends and Roof Removal

This weekend, Pastor Tacho preached a sermon about the paralytic man whose friends brought him to Jesus to be healed.  Sounds simple enough, right?  In order to get their friend to Jesus, however, they had to lower him through the roof since the doors were blocked by people.  It wasn’t so simple!  It required some extra effort on the part of this man’s friends.  The paralytic man’s friends knew that Jesus could help him and they were willing to do whatever was necessary to get him to Jesus. 

As Pastor Tacho mentioned, his friends did not look at the obstacles and just give up when the obstacles seemed to be insurmountable.  Instead, they looked for a way.  They wanted to find a solution to getting their friend to Jesus.  They went the extra measure and took a risk.  Now they were the kind of friends we would all love to have, wouldn’t we?  How many of you would climb onto a roof, remove part of the roof and lower your friend in?  I’m guessing not many of us would be willing to go to those lengths. 

Maybe this week, you and I should look for ways to reach out and be Jesus’ hands and feet to help our neighbors, our friends and our co-workers.  And, in doing so, we can bring people to hear about and to experience the healing power of Jesus Christ for themselves.  Maybe invite them to the Calvary portrayals on Wednesday night or to Journey on Sunday nights.  Maybe even to some family activities at Calvary.  Become an inviter!

Yes, there are obstacles.  Yes, you may have to find creative ways to reach out.  Yes, people may say “NO” to your invitation.  Don’t give up, but keep on asking.  Keep on praying.  Keep on serving with open hands and hearts.  Keep on finding new ways to share Christ’s love for them.  

Be like the friends that the paralytic man had who never gave up.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to find ways to reach out and to lead people to Jesus.  That’s one prayer that will be answered, but you have to be willing to climb a few roofs and to remove a few obstacles, too. 

Here’s song by Steve Green called “I Will Go.”  It calls us all to live out the Great Commission.
   

Pax,

Pastor Carol

Snakes, Shamrocks, Baptisms and Church Plants

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

When you think about St. Patrick, what comes to your mind?  Some of you might say the color green. Others of you might say the shamrock. Some of you would say green beer. And still others of you might mention that he was the one who drove the snakes out of Ireland.  I would bet, however, that none of you would mention Baptisms and church plants!

Did you know, however, that during St. Patrick’s years as a missionary, it is said that he Baptized more than 120,000 people and established more than 300 churches.  Using today’s language, St Patrick was a “rock star” of missional leadership.  He was an evangelist and church planter!

There is a beautiful prayer, popularly known as "St. Patrick's Breast-Plate," which is supposed to have been written by him in preparation for victory over the paganism he was encountering. According to tradition, St. Patrick wrote it in 433 AD, but many modern scholars suggest that its author was anonymous.  It is also known as “The Lorica” (the cry of the deer).  This prayer reminds me of Ephesians 6:11 – putting on the full armor of God.  

St Patrick’s Breastplate Prayer

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of cherubim,

In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels,

In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs,

In the predictions of prophets, In the preaching of apostles,

In the faith of confessors, In the innocence of holy virgins,

In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through

The strength of heaven, The light of the sun,

The radiance of the moon, The splendor of fire,

The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind,

The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth,

The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me,

God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me,

God's shield to protect me, God's host to save me

From snares of devils, From temptation of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.

I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils,

Against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom,

Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,

Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;

Christ to shield me today

Against poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

Here is this beautiful prayer put to music.  It’s called “The Deer’s Cry.” 

Pax,

Pastor Carol

All Sinners and Hypocrites Are Welcome

Abraham Lincoln once said, "If all the people who fell asleep in church on Sunday morning were laid out end to end … they would be a great deal more comfortable." 

When we think about “the church,” what images come to your mind?  Hard pews, unsingable hymns, repetitious praise choruses, enforced silence and excruciating boredom are just a few things that make up the “common image” of the church.  Then there are the pastors and their long sermons.  Pastors are sometimes perceived as "six days invisible, one day incomprehensible!"  (Of course, that’s not the case with the Calvary pastors!  Right?) 

Do you remember that simple rhyme that children learn in Sunday School that goes like this: “Here’s the Church, here’s the steeple. Open the Church and see all the people!”  We would use our hands to make the church, the steeple and then open our hands and wiggle our fingers to show “the people.”  That children’s rhyme sums it up so well and so simply.  We are the Church! 

On the Alpha Course, Nicky Gumbel, the person who created the Alpha Course, describes the Church as “the people who belong to God; who are bound together in love as a family, representing Christ to the world.”  Gosh, that sounds so warm and fuzzy, doesn’t it?  I sure wish that was the reality in our churches today.  Sadly, it isn’t.

As Pastor Steve mentioned this weekend, the problem is the Church is made up of you and me and we are a bunch of sinners – every last one of us!  There was a church that had a sign in front of it that read, “The finest bunch of hypocrites you’ll ever want to meet.”  What a great sign!  I wonder what the reaction would be if Calvary put that up on its sign facing Golden Valley Road?  

Because the Church is a hospital for sinners and not a museum for saints, as Pastor Steve so aptly stated, ALL are welcome!  As imperfect as the Church is, it is the place where sinners like me, and like you, are welcomed; a place where God’s love and His healing grace is shared; a place where we can come as we are and know with certainty that despite our mistakes, our sins and our regrets in life, our identity comes not from who we are in this world, but from our identity rooted in Jesus Christ. 

We are the children of God.  We come as sinners in need of grace and hypocrites in need of forgiveness.  And we are the ones who Christ uses to be His hands and feet to others and to share His message of love and hope to the world.  Wow!  I find that absolutely amazing that God uses you and me – broken as we are – to spread His message and bring His light to this dark world.  What an awesome privilege we have! 

We are the Church – the Body of Christ.  Sinners and hypocrites are welcome!  See you Sunday!

Here’s a great song by Casting Crowns that reminds us that WE are the Body of Christ. 

Pax,

Pastor Carol

The Rocks in My Backpack

This past weekend, I mentioned in the sermon that the New Covenant shows us that, through faith in Christ, there is hope and that the New Covenant is not based on performance but on promise – the pure promise of God Almighty.  Have you ever really thought about that before? 

I know I find that fact to be extremely freeing!  I shudder to think if God was to base His relationship with me on my performance.  I would fail miserably.  In fact, we would ALL fail if it were not for God’s generous and undeserving gift of grace that He gives so generously to all who wish to receive it.  What a gift we have been given!

When I come forward for Holy Communion, I always envision myself carrying a heavy backpack full of lots of heavy rocks.  Each rock represents those things in my life that are weighing me down – it may be regrets for things I’ve done or have not done, along with any hurts, grief or illnesses that I may be faced with at the time.  I come to the Table with heaviness in my heart and on my soul that only Jesus can remove from me.  And I leave the Table refreshed and with a peace that only Christ can bestow on me.  I’m washed clean and the burdens that I was carrying are now gone – they’ve been given to Jesus to carry. 

Last week we were encouraged to come to the Table to be fed, to receive the real presence of Jesus the Christ.  Did you go to the Table?  Jesus is always inviting you and me to His Feast every week.  Why not dine with Jesus every week?  Come, eat and receive!

Below is one of my favorite songs called “Carried to the Table.”  It reminds me of how much God loves us and how we are all literally “carried” to the Table of God’s grace.

Pax,

Pastor Carol