Today in the Mission Yearbook - A Presbyterian pastor on getting real with Reels

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - A Presbyterian pas...: Podcast episode features members of the Presbyterian delegation January 31, 2023 The Rev. Richard Hong In our church’s social media posts, w...

A New Devotion - Déjà Vu All over Again

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. It's based on the passage below. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Mark 8:1-10 [Contemporary English Version]

One day another large crowd gathered around Jesus. They had not brought along anything to eat. So Jesus called his disciples together and said, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and they don't have anything to eat. Some of them live a long way from here. If I send them away hungry, they might faint on their way home.”

The disciples said, “This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd?”

Jesus asked them how much food they had. They replied, “Seven small loaves of bread.”

After Jesus told the crowd to sit down, he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He then broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples, who passed them out to the crowd. They also had a few little fish, and after Jesus had blessed these, he told the disciples to pass them around.

The crowd of about 4,000 people ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets.

As soon as Jesus had sent the people away, he got into the boat with the disciples and crossed to the territory near Dalmanutha. 

Déjà Vu All over Again

Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher of the New York Yankees, was known for making less than logical comments. For example, he said, “If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” And “Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.” And “Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.” He also said, “It ain’t ‘til it’s over.” But of all the quotes attributed to him, one of the best known was this: It's like déjà vu, all over again. Of course, that really doesn’t make any sense; déjà vu is that uncomfortable feeling that we’ve already experienced in the past, something that we’re going through right now. I mean, it has “all over again” in its meaning; therefore, you wouldn’t say you’re experiencing again the experience of doing something you’ve done before again. And that’s why what Yogi said is considered what’s called a malaprop. 

But having said that, I don’t want to suggest that déjà vu doesn’t occur, because I think it happens all the time, at least it does for me. In fact, I’m experiencing a little bit of that after reading this passage from Mark. I mean, didn’t Jesus just do almost the exact same thing a little bit earlier, when he fed a crowd of 5,000 with five loaves and two fish? And now, he’s doing the same thing with seven small loaves and a few fish. My goodness, if you change a couple of the numbers, it’s the same story, right? It sure seems to be.

But before we claim our “Been There, Done That” t-shirts, I think the numbers are worth looking at, especially the amount of leftovers the disciples collected at the end. Where, in the first story, there were 12 baskets, in the second, there’s only seven baskets filled with bread and pieces of fish. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s significant. You see, the twelve baskets could represent the twelve tribes of Israel; therefore, Jesus was showing that the sustenance he offered was more than enough for the Jewish people. But since seven is a perfect number, this second feeding may be a reminder that he offers enough for us too. In other words, we don’t have to wait like dogs, hoping to get a few crumbs that fall from the table. Instead, we’re important in our own right, and God will care for us just like he did and does for his own people. Now this is good news and not anything like experiencing déjà vu all over again.

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, January 29, 2023

When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department, this sermon series is for you. For five Sundays starting January 15, at 10:00 am, we’ll discuss how we might grow in our faith and in our relationship with God. Specifically, we cover the following growth-related topics:

• January 15 – Study
• January 22 – Prayer 
• January 29 – Stewardship
• February 5 – Worship
• February 12 – Evangelism

There's no reason to feel like a dandelion in the midst of spiritual sequoias. Join with us at Sligo Cove Presbyterian Church and grow into everything God created you to be.

During the third service in this series, we looked at the importance of stewardship for spiritual growth. Below is a video of the service, a recording of the sermon and a copy of the bulletin. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.

Sunday's Message: Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged - Stewardship

When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department, this sermon series is for you. For five Sundays, we’ll discuss how we might grow in our faith and in our relationship with God. Specifically, we cover the following growth-related topics:

• January 15 – Study
• January 22 – Prayer
• January 29 – Stewardship
• February 5 – Worship
• February 12 – Evangelism

There's no reason to feel like a dandelion in the midst of spiritual sequoias. Join with us at Sligo Cove Presbyterian Church and grow into everything God created you to be.

During the third message in this series, we looked at the importance of stewardship for spiritual growth. Below is a copy and recording of the sermon. You can stream the series by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.

*******

Yesterday, I saw this quote: The truth about motherhood is that the days drag on, but the years fly by. And although I guess I agree with what it means, I have two issues with it. You see, first, it doesn’t mention fathers, and given that my daughter is turning 21 on Wednesday, I can say with absolute certainty that it applies to us as well. Now that’s one problem. And second, I don’t know about y’all, but from where I stand, right now the days sure seem to be flying by too. Good night nurse, the month of January is almost in the books, and before you know it, we’ll be getting ready for Spring and warm weather, and no one wants to see that, right? 

Of course, I think this “flying by” business also applies to what’s happening here, and I’m thinking about the sermon series we started a couple of weeks ago entitled “Spiritual Growth for the Height Challenged.” Now, to this point, we’ve talked about two disciplines we might want to develop and apply if we’re serious about growing spiritually. For example, we looked at study as a growth supplement and discussed why it’s important, you know, because it can improve our lives and can enable us to understand God and might even help us avoid being stupid and then how we can effectively do it by taking God’s word and reading it, pondering it and then living it. That was week one. And then last Sunday we looked at prayer and talked about how we’re commanded to do it and we know the great examples of faith did it and it’s something that we just need in our own lives, something that we can certainly accomplish the minute we decide to relax and to focus and to trust. Now, that’s where we’ve been.

And this morning we’re going to move to the third discipline that I believe can help us grow, and now I’m talking about stewardship. But before I say anything else, I want y’all to relax; I’m not going to be talking about budgets and income and tithing. And my goal isn’t to make you feel so uncomfortable and guilty so that you give more. I mean, if you’ve been around the church for any length of time, you know that’s usually what stewardship sermons are about and what they try to do. Let me tell you as clearly as I can, that’s not what we’re going to be doing this morning. Instead, we’re going to take a view of stewardship that’s broader than just money; we’ll include time and talent as well. And our focus will be on the positive relationship between being a good steward of the stuff we might have and the spiritual growth we might want. And with that in mind, we’ll be answering the same kind of questions we’ve considered when we discussed study and prayer. You see, first, we’ll answer the question, why is stewardship important for people who want to grow spiritually? And then second, how might we become better stewards of the gifts God has given us? And hopefully, by the end of our time together, we’ll have a better handle on stewardship as a spiritual discipline.

And as we’ve done twice before, we’ll start with why, why is stewardship important for people who want to grow spiritually? I mean, why does it just make sense for folks like us to think about it and to consider the way we use our time and our talents and our possessions, including money; why should we spend some of our time thinking about what we should do with what we’ve been given? Why is stewardship important? Now that’s the question.

And as I look at the Bible, I think we can find three excellent answers. You see, first, I believe being good stewards helps us feel closer to God. I mean, it strengthens our relationship with the one who’s already given us an awful lot, and it enables us to understand his will and to appreciate his love. In other words, the better we are at handling the blessings we’ve already received, the closer we’ll feel to God. And I’ll tell you, that just makes sense, because isn’t that what God wants us to do, you know, to make good use of what we have? Sure it is. As a matter of fact, it may actually be more important than some of the other stuff we assume is at the top of God’s wish list. I mean, just listen to what the Prophet Amos said to a people who seemed to assume that God was far more interested in religious stuff they did than in how they actually lived their lives. Speaking the word of God, this was what the prophet said:

I, the Lord, hate and despise

your religious celebrations

    and your times of worship.

I won’t accept your offerings

or animal sacrifices—

    not even your very best.

No more of your noisy songs!

I won’t listen

    when you play your harps.

But let justice and fairness

flow like a river

    that never runs dry. [Amos 5:21-24, CEV]

You see, God wants our dedication to be deeper than the words we use or the prayers we pray or the promises we make. You see, he wants those words and prayers and promises to shape the way we live. And he wants the love he commands us to show to be more concrete than a lot of noisy songs or good intentions. You see, when we decide to do what we’ve been called to do with all the stuff we have, I believe we feel closer to God, and that’s one reason why stewardship is important for growth.

And second, I think it also helps us feel connected with others. In other words, our willingness to take seriously the needs of those around us and to use effectively some of our time and talents and possessions to address those needs, I believe this enables us to see the world through their eyes, at least a little bit, and to understand that, in the sight of God, the humanity we share is far more important than all the distinctions the world tells us to make. In a very real way, our willingness to give can connect us with those who receive. And I think that’s what the Apostle Paul was getting at when he wrote this to the Philippians:

Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: [Philippians 2:1-4, CEV]

You see, according to Paul, the more love we show, the more harmony and the more unity and the compassion we’re going to feel. And as we approach others with concern and humility rather than jealousy or pride, and as we reach out to those around us with our hands opened rather than our fists clenched, the closer we’ll become. And when you get right down to it, isn’t that what Christ wants us to be? I’m telling you, when we’re Godly stewards of what he’s given us, I believe we’ll feel more connected with others, and that’s another reason why stewardship is important for growth.

And third, when we make the decision to use what we have, I believe that will help us feel more satisfaction within ourselves. You see, although we might get a little boost to our egos when we’re able to build bigger barns to store all our stuff, deep down we all know we’re not going to be taking anything with us. And although we might get a real kick building up treasures on earth, deep down we all know that nothing lasts forever. No, true contentment, true gratification, true inner peace comes when we believe that we’ve done the best we could with what we have. And I think that’s what Peter was getting at when he wrote this:

Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. If you have the gift of speaking, preach God’s message. If you have the gift of helping others, do it with the strength that God supplies. Everything should be done in a way that will bring honor to God because of Jesus Christ, who is glorious and powerful forever. Amen. [1 Peter 4:10-11, CEV]

You see, we have it in our power to improve the world around us, to make the lives of others better and to care for the creation that God entrusted to us. In that way, we’ve been called to be his servants. And I’ll tell you, when my time comes and I’m standing before my Lord, I want him to look at me and the life I lived and the choices I made, and say “You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!” [Matthew 25:21b, CEV] Choosing to be a faithful servant, a good steward can offer us a lot of satisfaction right here and now. And for me, along with helping us feel closer to God and more connected with others, that’s why stewardship is important for spiritual growth. Now that’s the why.

And with that, we’re left with how, how might we feel closer and more connected and more satisfied. in other words, how might we become better stewards of the gifts that God has given us? Well, for me, it really comes down to taking three steps, and let me share with you what they are.

You see, first, to be good and faithful stewards, I think we must identify the gifts God has given us. And even though the source might be the same, the particular gifts and talents and blessings that have been given to each one of us is different. For example, just listen to what Paul told the Corinthians:

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. 

The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God’s Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us. [1 Corinthians 12:4-11, CEV]

You see, although we may have all been created equal, praise the Lord, we’re not all the same. In fact, I think we’re a lot like pieces to a puzzle that fit together to create something greater and more beautiful than any of the individual parts. But to do that, to fit together, we need both to understand who we are and to accept what we have. And even though for some that may be obvious, I think it just might be worth our while to approach God for some insight and to ask some folks who are trustworthy for their opinions and to look within and around ourselves so that we honestly assess who we are and what we have. Of course, we’ll also need to be open and humble in handling the insight and the opinions and the assessments we’re going to receive, particularly when what we hear and see isn’t what we want to believe. You see, for me, being a good steward means identifying the gifts we’ve been given. And that’s step number one.

And once we know who we are and what we have, second, I think we really need to develop those gifts we’ve been given. I mean, even Michael Jordan had to practice his free throws and I’ve got a gut feeling that Jack Nicklaus spent a lot of time improving his putting. You see, having a gift or an ability or a talent is good, but for it to be great, it has to be refined and directed. It’s like what Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. 

We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love. [Ephesians 4:11-16, CEV]

I mean, for us to become everything God created us to be, it just makes sense that our gifts and talents need to grow and become strong. And I’ll tell you, I think the church, this community of believers, can help us do that. And again, that makes sense. If Paul was right and the church is like a body, it’s in our interest to make sure every part is both efficient and effective. As a matter of fact, as brothers and sisters called and empowered by God himself, we might want to give the people here the opportunity to grow into the men and women they were created to be. Once identified, we need to develop our gifts and talents. And for me, that’s step number two.

And third, after they’re identified and developed, I think we must use those gifts that God has given us. Put another way, whether you’re talking about time or talents or money, they’re all actually like manure: they’re of no value if you don’t spread them around. And even though he never mentioned fertilizer, I think this was point Paul was trying to make with the Romans:

I realize God has treated me with undeserved grace, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you. A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That’s how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.

God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully. [Romans 12:3-8, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul wrote. And I think this is really important. I mean, he didn’t say God gave us our gifts to hide or to protect or even to save. No, Paul wrote that “God has...given each of us different gifts to use.” [Romans 12:6a, CEV] And so, brothers and sisters, let’s get together and use them. In other words, let’s figure out what gifts and talents are in this congregation. And then let’s develop and refine them. But listen to me, we can’t stop there, because there’s one more step we need to take. Let’s take what we’ve been given and what we’ve developed and then let’s use them to make a real difference in the world around us. And we can do that by sharing the love and grace of God to men and women who are starving for some good news and by inviting folks to this place where they can learn and grow in their understanding of God’s word and will and of course, by reaching out and doing the best we can to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, to welcome the stranger and to clothe the naked, to care for the sick and to visit the prisoner and to focus our attention on those our world often labels unimportant, because when we do that, we’re doing it for Jesus Christ himself. You see, after identifying and developing them, what we’ve received must be used. And that’s how we might become better stewards of the gifts God has given us.

And for me, that’s what stewardship really is. It’s not about budgets and income and tithing. And it’s definitely not something that should make us feel uncomfortable and guilty. No, stewardship is about using all the gifts and all the talents and all the abilities we’ve been given. And that’s important because, when we take it seriously, it can help us feel closer to God and more connected to others and more satisfaction within ourselves. And brothers and sisters, it’s something that we can claim when we decide to identify and to develop and to use all those things we’ve been given. Now I believe that’s what stewardship is all about. And I’ll tell you, for folks who are spiritually height challenged, this is another way for us to grow. 

Today in the Mission Yearbook - The PC(USA)’s ‘Advocacy Watch’ offers takeaways from COP27 climate conference

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - The PC(USA)’s ‘Adv...: Podcast episode features members of the Presbyterian delegation January 30, 2023 A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) delegation returned from the...

Bible Readings for January 30, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for January 30, 2023: Let's read the Bible together  in the next year.  Today our passages are  Exodus 10:1–12:13; Matthew 20:1-28; Psalm 25:1-15; and Proverb...

Bible Readings for January 29, 2023

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Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbyterian churches in Louisville take the plowshares approach toward halting gun violence

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Bible Readings for January 28, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for January 28, 2023: Let's read the Bible together  in the next year.  Today our passages are  Exodus 5:22–7:24; Matthew 18:23–19:12; Psalm 23:1-6; and Prove...

Today in the Mission Yearbook - First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida, shares a concert and the Good News

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A New Devotion - Smith Brothers Cough Drops

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. It's based on the passage below. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Mark 6:47-56 [Contemporary English Version]

Later in the evening he was still there by himself, and the boat was somewhere in the middle of the lake. He could see that the disciples were struggling hard, because they were rowing against the wind. Not long before morning, Jesus came toward them. He was walking on the water and was about to pass the boat.

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought he was a ghost, and they started screaming. All of them saw him and were terrified. But at this same time he said, “Don't worry! I am Jesus. Don't be afraid.” He then got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely confused. Their minds were closed, and they could not understand the true meaning of the loaves of bread.

Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake and brought the boat to shore near the town of Gennesaret. As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus. So they ran all over that part of the country to bring their sick people to him on mats. They brought them each time they heard where he was. In every village or farm or marketplace where Jesus went, the people brought their sick to him. They begged him to let them just touch his clothes, and everyone who did was healed.

Smith Brothers Cough Drops

When I was a kid, I loved Smith Brothers Cough Drops. Well, to be completely honest, I loved the wild cherry Smith Brothers Cough Drops. Man, they were great. I mean, not only did they come in these cool almost antique looking boxes, I thought they tasted better than most of the other candies mom would carry in her purse, you know, like Life Savers or Certs. Of course, this was in the time before Tic Tacs and Altoids. Unfortunately, since mom was a nurse, she wouldn’t just dish them out like candy, because, in her opinion, they had a specific purpose. You see, to get a cough drop, you had to have a cough, because they were literally a means to an end. Therefore, they shouldn’t be seen as just another mint, no matter how good the wild cherry tasted.

And I’ll tell you, I think the same kind of thing was going on with the miracle in the passage we just read. You see, according to the Evangelist Mark, the disciples were crossing the lake, but because they were rowing against the wind, the crossing was a real struggle. And that’s when Jesus came, walking on the water and calming the gale. And even though this was certainly a miracle that both confused and frightened those disciples, it wasn’t the end of the story. I mean, after the winds were calmed, the disciples and Jesus were able to cross the lake. And on the other side, Jesus healed a whole bunch of people. You see, just like those cough drops that I loved so much, the miracle on the lake was actually the means to a greater end, namely, Jesus healing the sick.

And I believe we should take the same perspective when we encounter the miraculous in our lives. Regardless of what it might specifically be, when God intervenes in some way that might cause us to feel a little confused and frightened, we might want to consider what greater good the miracle could enable us to accomplish. You see, rather than assuming that God is just giving us a break as some kind of gift or reward, we can intentionally look for what we’re now able to do for those who might need our help. In other words, maybe we should view the miraculous as something more than spiritual candy, just like my mom challenged me to do with those Smith Brothers Cough Drops.

Prayer Requests to be shared during Sunday’s service

On Sunday, January 29, Sligo Presbyterian Church will lift to God the following needs.

• Amy Vasbinder 
• Armed Forces 
• Arnold Bowser
• Barry Divins
• Bob Varner
• Brooke Schmader
• Bruce Amsier
• Bruce Bowman
• Bus Clark
• Carol Carr
• Cass' Neice
• Church Leaders 
• College Students
• Corbin
• Debbie Myers
• Dee, Jeremy & Jacob
• Doctors & Nurses & all essential workers
• Duane Quinn
• Ella Henry
• Francis Maines
• Gary Edmonds
• Government Leaders 
• Holly & Anthony Conner
• Hugh Henry
• Jim Mahle
• Jim Mason
• Joe Gardina
• Kathy
• Kirk Swartzmiller
• Lana Todd
• Larry & Nora Piper
• Larry Jamison
• Lila
• Lori Myers
• Marlene Barr
• Mary Andrus
• Mary Jane Gardina
• Matt & Terri Dillard
• Maxine Hartle
• Maxine Simpson
• Mike Hiles
• Mr. Wolff
• Noah
• Our Youth
• Patty Selle
• Paul Bracciale
• Police Officers
• Preston, Pierce and Pryor Dillard
• Randy Frampton
• Rick Clark
• Riley
• Ron & Shelly Haines
• Ron Lerch
• Rusty Clark
• Rwanda Partner
• Sandy Patterson
• Sandy Patterson's sister-in-law
• Sean Bayless
• Stephen & Alice Lucas
• Tadd French
• Tamlynn
• Tanner Dillard
• The Roy Summerville Family
• Tina & Carlin Steward
• Tracey
• Trudy Burns
• Velma Stewart
• Virginia Heidler
• Wes Summerville
• World Vision

The Bulletin for the SPC Worship Service - Sunday, January 29, 2023

When it comes to spiritual growth, have you ever felt “height challenged”? If you’ve ever felt somewhat short in the spirituality department, this sermon series is for you. For five Sundays starting January 15, at 10:00 am, we’ll discuss how we might grow in our faith and in our relationship with God. Specifically, we cover the following growth-related topics:

• January 15 – Study
• January 22 – Prayer
• January 29 – Stewardship
• February 5 – Worship
• February 12 – Evangelism

There's no reason to feel like a dandelion in the midst of spiritual sequoias. Join with us at Sligo Cove Presbyterian Church and grow into everything God created you to be.

Below is a copy of Sunday's bulletin. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.

Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World

Pray, Praise and Worship: Prayers for Our Community, Our Nation and Our World: We can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Between Monday, January 30 and Sunday, February 5, we'll lay be...

Bible Readings for January 27, 2023

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Bible Stories for Kids - The Fish and the Coin

On Thursdays, Pastor Rudiger reads a story to the children who attend the Dancer’s Studio Performing Arts Christian Preschool in Clarion, Pennsylvania. On January 26, he shared with the children the Parable of the Net. Below is a recording of their time together.

Bible Readings for January 26, 2023

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Today in the Mission Yearbook - New York Avenue Presbyterian Church hosts Professor Kristin Henning, a lawyer and scholar who wrote about how we are criminalizing Black youth

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A New Devotion - Old Habits Worth Breaking

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. It's based on the passage below. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Galatians 2:11-21 [Contemporary English Version]

When Peter came to Antioch, I told him face to face that he was wrong. He used to eat with Gentile followers of the Lord, until James sent some Jewish followers. Peter was afraid of the Jews and soon stopped eating with Gentiles. He and the others hid their true feelings so well that even Barnabas was fooled. But when I saw they were not really obeying the truth that is in the good news, I corrected Peter in front of everyone and said:

Peter, you are a Jew, but you live like a Gentile. So how can you force Gentiles to live like Jews?

We are Jews by birth and are not sinners like Gentiles. But we know that God accepts only those who have faith in Jesus Christ. No one can please God by simply obeying the Law. So we put our faith in Christ Jesus, and God accepted us because of our faith.

When we Jews started looking for a way to please God, we discovered that we are sinners too. Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? No, it doesn't! But if I tear down something and then build it again, I prove that I was wrong at first. It was the Law itself that killed me and freed me from its power, so I could live for God.

I have been nailed to the cross with Christ. I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. I don't turn my back on God's gift of undeserved grace. If we can be acceptable to God by obeying the Law, it was useless for Christ to die.

Old Habits Worth Breaking

For years, I was a fingernail-biter. I’m not proud of that fact, but that was just the way it was. Now, to tell the truth, I don’t understand why or even when it started; but for most of my life, I’ve bitten my fingernails. In fact, I’d bite them right down to the pink, with no white showing. Man, I’ve even nibbled at the skin around the nail; that’s how bad my habit was. And even though I knew it looked terrible when I did it and the results were actually personally uncomfortable, I couldn’t seem to break the habit, until about three years ago. And then, for some reason, I was able to stop. Of course, I’d like to say it was an answer to prayer or the result of some direct intervention of God, but I don’t think that’s what happened. Instead, I just decided that I wasn’t going to bite my fingernails anymore. And even though, every now and then, I fall off the wagon, I’ve done pretty well in breaking this old habit. As a matter of fact, for the last few years, I’ve done something I don’t think I’d done in decades; I actually used a nail file. You see, for me, this was an old habit worth breaking.

And you know, it’s interesting; I think that’s exactly what Paul was dealing with when he confronted Peter over his choice of dinner companions. You see, from Paul’s perspective, Peter fell into an old habit when James sent some Jewish followers to Antioch. Instead of eating with his Gentile brothers and sisters, Peter allowed some deep-seated fears and assumptions to separate himself from other believers, because Jews just weren’t supposed to eat with Gentiles, or so he thought. And that was why Paul confronted him; this was an old habit no longer appropriate in this new world, a reality in which our relationship with God is grounded in God and not who we are or what we’ve done. And for Paul, Peter had forgotten this when the visitors showed up and went back to his old ways; therefore, he confronted the one called “The Rock.”

And I’ll tell you, I think the same applies to us. Whether they involve the assumption that we can earn God’s favor by the words we say or the promises we make or that we can be justified in not showing love to our neighbors when we don’t think they deserve it, these ideas represent a reality that’s no longer valid, not after we accept that our ultimate destiny is about God, not us. And even though that may fly in the face of what we were taught when we were younger and that’s still promoted in our world, spiritually judging and condemning men and women based on standards that we’ve actually created ourselves, well, I think that’s a lot like me biting my fingernails. It’s an old habit worth breaking.

Bible Readings for January 25, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for January 25, 2023: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today our passages are  Genesis 50:1 – Exodus 2:10; Matthew 16:13–17:9; Psalm 21:1-13;...

Today in the Mission Yearbook - The Rev. Dr. Luke Powery tells a Synod of the Covenant gathering that dealing with death is central to preaching that’s alive

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - The Rev. Dr. Luke ...: Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of Dry Bones has been ‘a gift’ to a scholar and preacher ‘expanding my own homiletical imagination’ January 2...

HUBZone Program Certification

HUBZone Program Certification Join us on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. “The HUBZone Program fuels small business growth in historically underutilized business zones with a goal of awarding at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies each year.”   You are invited to attend a Free Virtual Webinar on the SBA HUBZone Program Certification   Join presenter Takeisha DuBose Hodge to learn how YOUR business could sell more to the government. January 31, 2023, 10:00AM-11:30AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)   Register by January 26, 2023, for this FREE virtual session by e-mailing: bbrennen@ncentral.com After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  For questions or additional information, contact Barbara Brennen at North Central: bbrennen@ncentral.com or (814) 773-3162 ext. 3059 Register Now This webinar is being offered at no cost. Funding support and resources are provided through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration, by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community and Economic Development; and through support from PennWest Clarion University. All services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Special arrangements for persons with disabilities can be made by calling (814) 393-2060. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. PennWest Clarion Small Business Development Center sbdc@pennwest.edu | (814) 393-2060 | www.clarion.edu/sbdc  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌

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