1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power.
If you're going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk.
People take in 90% of information from body language and non-verbal cues... only 10% from verbal cues.
As St. Francis said, our job is to preach the gospel. Only when necessary should we use words.
These truths are hard truths for those of us who like to talk about our faith... people who like to talk about Christianity and about God. I've got no end of words about God. But the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power.
In this particular verse, Paul doesn't lay this out but in other passages he's very clear on whose power he's talking about... what the source of the power is. In my weakness, then I am strong. When I am weak, then God is strong. The power to live the faith that is transparent and shows Christ to our neighbors and coworkers can only come from God. On my own, I am weak and full of simply words... a noisy gong or a clashing cymbal. But, through the grace of God, we are all given the power to love and to show mercy. Thanks be to God.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Don't forget to spread the word about "Pandamania" Vacation Bible School the first week of August. Registration forms and more information are available at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Matthew 12:21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
This short little verse is a quotation from Isaiah that Matthew uses to talk about Jesus. It's nothing really special I guess by itself. But it gives me a moment and an excuse to talk about the word Gentiles and the hope that is Jesus. Gentiles just means "the nations"... as in ALL the nations... all the ethnic groups...all the people of the world. It's often used in the Bible to contrast Israel... like, there's Israel on one side and the Gentiles on the other. They talk about it that way because God chose Israel out of the nations, out of the Gentiles, to be special. But really Gentiles just means all the nations.
Jesus was sent to the world not just for Israel, but for the Gentiles... for ALL the Gentiles... for ALL the nations. This is one of those religious concepts that we say over and over so we've lost the radical nature of it. Jesus wasn't sent just for one group, for one kind of person. Jesus was sent to be the hope of all the nations. Jesus doesn't belong to Israel; Jesus doesn't belong to Western Europe or North America. Jesus was sent to bring hope to Tanzania; Jesus was sent to bring hope to Iran; Jesus was sent to bring hope to Moldovia; Jesus was sent to bring hope to Myanmar. Jesus was even sent to bring hope to Canada. A radical truth that I don't think we've really digested these 2000 years on.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Calendars and lots of information can be found at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org Also there are registration forms for "Pandamania' Vacation Bible School the first week of August.
This short little verse is a quotation from Isaiah that Matthew uses to talk about Jesus. It's nothing really special I guess by itself. But it gives me a moment and an excuse to talk about the word Gentiles and the hope that is Jesus. Gentiles just means "the nations"... as in ALL the nations... all the ethnic groups...all the people of the world. It's often used in the Bible to contrast Israel... like, there's Israel on one side and the Gentiles on the other. They talk about it that way because God chose Israel out of the nations, out of the Gentiles, to be special. But really Gentiles just means all the nations.
Jesus was sent to the world not just for Israel, but for the Gentiles... for ALL the Gentiles... for ALL the nations. This is one of those religious concepts that we say over and over so we've lost the radical nature of it. Jesus wasn't sent just for one group, for one kind of person. Jesus was sent to be the hope of all the nations. Jesus doesn't belong to Israel; Jesus doesn't belong to Western Europe or North America. Jesus was sent to bring hope to Tanzania; Jesus was sent to bring hope to Iran; Jesus was sent to bring hope to Moldovia; Jesus was sent to bring hope to Myanmar. Jesus was even sent to bring hope to Canada. A radical truth that I don't think we've really digested these 2000 years on.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Calendars and lots of information can be found at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org Also there are registration forms for "Pandamania' Vacation Bible School the first week of August.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Zephaniah 3:9 At that time I will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
Picture that great day when all the pain and all the suffering and all the division and all the wars come to an end in the world. John Lennon sang and invited people to imagine a world without religion... in his vision of paradise and hopefulness there was no religion. While John Lennon was a musical genius I think he missed it on that point. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a world not without religion, but without religions. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a world where all the religions of the world are brought together. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a place where our feeble attempts to talk about God and our experiences with God are cleansed. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a world where all peoples call on the name of the Lord and serve the Lord with one will and one purpose in mind.
Any talk about God is necessarily incomplete. We use human (limited and finite) language to talk about someone who is by definition limitless and infinite. No human words can really capture the glory and the majesty and the mercy and the love that is God. I'm aware of that each day I sit down to write one of these devotional messages or to write a sermon. I look forward to the day when all of us have our speech about God purified and we are able to experience, to know, and to worship God in truth and in wholeness.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for lots of information. It's not too late to sign up as a volunteer or attendee at "Pandamania" VBS the first week of August.
to a pure speech,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
Picture that great day when all the pain and all the suffering and all the division and all the wars come to an end in the world. John Lennon sang and invited people to imagine a world without religion... in his vision of paradise and hopefulness there was no religion. While John Lennon was a musical genius I think he missed it on that point. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a world not without religion, but without religions. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a world where all the religions of the world are brought together. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a place where our feeble attempts to talk about God and our experiences with God are cleansed. Zephaniah invites us to imagine a world where all peoples call on the name of the Lord and serve the Lord with one will and one purpose in mind.
Any talk about God is necessarily incomplete. We use human (limited and finite) language to talk about someone who is by definition limitless and infinite. No human words can really capture the glory and the majesty and the mercy and the love that is God. I'm aware of that each day I sit down to write one of these devotional messages or to write a sermon. I look forward to the day when all of us have our speech about God purified and we are able to experience, to know, and to worship God in truth and in wholeness.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for lots of information. It's not too late to sign up as a volunteer or attendee at "Pandamania" VBS the first week of August.
Monday, July 18, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Nahum 1:12-13 Thus says the Lord,
‘Though they are at full strength and many,
they will be cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
And now I will break off his yoke from you
and snap the bonds that bind you.’
What's the enemy that's got you down today? For the kingdom of Judah, to whom the prophet Nahum wrote, it was a literal enemy: a foreign power who was threatening to invade and conquer them. But what's the enemy that's got you hiding in the corner today? Is it the national debt ceiling? Is it more your household debt ceiling? Is it the seeming inability of our nation's political leaders to accomplish anything together? Is it the seeming inability of people in your own house, or your own workplace, to talk together with respect and a spirit of compromise? What's the enemy that's got you fearing for your very sanity today?
Hear the promise of the Lord. Picture that enemy. Picture that power that seems way too big for you. Picture that power that IS way too big for you. And hear the promise of the Lord for you. The Lord will break off the yoke of whatever power has you down. The Lord will snap whatever bonds bind you as if they were made of balsa wood. Snap.. And the bonds are gone.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for lots of information about our ministries. It's not too late for you to sign up to either bring a child and/or volunteer for our "Pandamania" Vacation Bible School the first week of August.
‘Though they are at full strength and many,
they will be cut off and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
And now I will break off his yoke from you
and snap the bonds that bind you.’
What's the enemy that's got you down today? For the kingdom of Judah, to whom the prophet Nahum wrote, it was a literal enemy: a foreign power who was threatening to invade and conquer them. But what's the enemy that's got you hiding in the corner today? Is it the national debt ceiling? Is it more your household debt ceiling? Is it the seeming inability of our nation's political leaders to accomplish anything together? Is it the seeming inability of people in your own house, or your own workplace, to talk together with respect and a spirit of compromise? What's the enemy that's got you fearing for your very sanity today?
Hear the promise of the Lord. Picture that enemy. Picture that power that seems way too big for you. Picture that power that IS way too big for you. And hear the promise of the Lord for you. The Lord will break off the yoke of whatever power has you down. The Lord will snap whatever bonds bind you as if they were made of balsa wood. Snap.. And the bonds are gone.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for lots of information about our ministries. It's not too late for you to sign up to either bring a child and/or volunteer for our "Pandamania" Vacation Bible School the first week of August.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Paul is writing to the Romans and questioning the ways that people try to show that they are faithful disciples of Jesus. He questions how people want to show their faithfulness.
Don't quote the Ten Commandments if you want to show me you're faithful. Show me a life that lives the Ten Commandments. Don't tell me the life-story of Jesus. Let me see Jesus in your life. That should be our goal. Let the world see Jesus in your life.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See you in worship on Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9.
Paul is writing to the Romans and questioning the ways that people try to show that they are faithful disciples of Jesus. He questions how people want to show their faithfulness.
Don't quote the Ten Commandments if you want to show me you're faithful. Show me a life that lives the Ten Commandments. Don't tell me the life-story of Jesus. Let me see Jesus in your life. That should be our goal. Let the world see Jesus in your life.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See you in worship on Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
John 13:14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Jesus washed his disciples feet. Jesus lowered himself in all of the assumed priorities and all of the assumed roles, taking the role of a servant (even a slave) and washed his disciples feet. It was one of his last actions before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Jesus did it to set the priorities for the church... for the Jesus movement that was to come into being after Easter.
If you want to be important in the church, don't stand up and talk every Sunday morning (says the pastor). If you want to be great in the church, don't claim the spotlight. Wash some feet. Clean up some dirty diapers. Empty the trash. Serve without looking to be served. Serve without looking to be thanked. Serve without looking to be praised or asked. That's what the church is like.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See you in worship this weekend. Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9.
Jesus washed his disciples feet. Jesus lowered himself in all of the assumed priorities and all of the assumed roles, taking the role of a servant (even a slave) and washed his disciples feet. It was one of his last actions before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. Jesus did it to set the priorities for the church... for the Jesus movement that was to come into being after Easter.
If you want to be important in the church, don't stand up and talk every Sunday morning (says the pastor). If you want to be great in the church, don't claim the spotlight. Wash some feet. Clean up some dirty diapers. Empty the trash. Serve without looking to be served. Serve without looking to be thanked. Serve without looking to be praised or asked. That's what the church is like.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
See you in worship this weekend. Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Jeremiah 28:14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations so that they may serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and they shall indeed serve him; I have even given him the wild animals.
The Hebrew prophets were great at the analysis of international relations. They were excellent at understanding the movements of history and the rise and fall of nations.
In Jeremiah's time, the Babylonians were everything... they were the superpower. Nebuchadnezzar was their king and ruled most of the world that they knew about. Nobody could challenge them. It seemed inevitable that they would continue to rule for all time.
But Jeremiah gets it: Jeremiah said God put a yoke on the neck of the nations who were conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. The why isn't really important right now. What's important is to recognize that the power and the might of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a tool in God's great toolbox. God gave Babylon the power. And God used Babylon's power. It was God all the time. God is in control. Even when we think we are.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship on Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9.
The Hebrew prophets were great at the analysis of international relations. They were excellent at understanding the movements of history and the rise and fall of nations.
In Jeremiah's time, the Babylonians were everything... they were the superpower. Nebuchadnezzar was their king and ruled most of the world that they knew about. Nobody could challenge them. It seemed inevitable that they would continue to rule for all time.
But Jeremiah gets it: Jeremiah said God put a yoke on the neck of the nations who were conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. The why isn't really important right now. What's important is to recognize that the power and the might of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a tool in God's great toolbox. God gave Babylon the power. And God used Babylon's power. It was God all the time. God is in control. Even when we think we are.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship on Saturday at 5 or Sunday at 9.
Monday, July 4, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Monday
Jeremiah 27:5 It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the people and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomsoever I please.
Today is a day for celebrating... for parades and fireworks and barbecues and all the rest. Mostly it's a day to give thanks to God for the gifts that we have in living in this nation... the rights and the freedoms and the responsibilities. The search for justice and peace.
In the midst of all of that though, I hope we also remember that... as great as the United States is... as powerful as the United States is... as mighty and large and all of that... God is bigger. It seems obvious, but I think it's a helpful reminder every once in a while. God is bigger. God is first. God's great power and God's outstretched arm made the whole earth. God's love and grace covers the whole earth. God sent God's Son Jesus to the whole earth. And that is something for which we can be thankful.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us next weekend: Saturday evening at 5 and Sunday morning at 9
Today is a day for celebrating... for parades and fireworks and barbecues and all the rest. Mostly it's a day to give thanks to God for the gifts that we have in living in this nation... the rights and the freedoms and the responsibilities. The search for justice and peace.
In the midst of all of that though, I hope we also remember that... as great as the United States is... as powerful as the United States is... as mighty and large and all of that... God is bigger. It seems obvious, but I think it's a helpful reminder every once in a while. God is bigger. God is first. God's great power and God's outstretched arm made the whole earth. God's love and grace covers the whole earth. God sent God's Son Jesus to the whole earth. And that is something for which we can be thankful.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us next weekend: Saturday evening at 5 and Sunday morning at 9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)