MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Now, everything is different, right?! For the church at Colossae believing in Jesus Christ was universally reorienting. The invisible had been made visible. Thrones, rulers and dominions were as sands in an hour glass; the only realm worthy of recognition is the realm of God. On this day where we remember the day of Jesus’ birth, we remember that he is the first born among the dead; the sting of death is no more and Life is in its abundance. So, once again, I say, MERRY CHRISTMAS!! This is the day when you can reassess your relationships, your identity and your entire life in light of the gift of Christ. You are forgiven! You are loved! You are free! Take a moment today to give thanks to God for claiming and calling you all over again; Christ is born to you and in you today! MERRY CHRISTMAS, you’ve received the best gift of all.

Following Wholeheartedly

Colossians 3.20-24

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.

A word from another time and a word from another place, but still has relevance today. These were specific instructions for these Pauline followers for children, fathers and slaves. The references for these are purposeful: to transform the powerful and the powerless to their rightful place in the hierarchy of the kingdom of God. (Purposeful language used here for kingdom; for the context, a ‘kingdom’ or ‘realm’ would be relevant for the earliest of Christians.)

Now, replace the words “children, fathers, and slaves” for “servants” for our context. What does it look like for servants of Christ today? What positions and roles have to be righted in our lives in order for us to follow Christ more faithfully? Maybe we can reframe our titles as ‘Christian’ or ‘United Methodist’ or ‘leader’ or ‘minister’ and embrace our role as Follower of Jesus Christ. Following means waiting, listening, watching, responding to God’s call on our lives. So, put yourselves to the task of followership! When we finally understand this, our reward, our inheritance, will be evident and it will be abundant!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

This final admonition of the apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonika is instruction on how to take care of one another. The church was under significant scrutiny and in hiding, so taking care of one another, sisters and brothers in Christ, is of the utmost importance. The call of Christ is a precious gift. To affirm another disciple is to recognize Christ within them. In order to work in the same community, each member must learn to trust, encourage and support the other. Certainly, persons of the same church community would see their fellow disciples in their everyday tasks; knowing the complementary ways the disciples work together strengthened the ‘body’ of Christ. You can sense the movement of Paul’s theology here toward his metaphorical discourse on the body of Christ which we now find in Paul’s letters to the Corinthian and Roman churches (found in chapters 12 in each book). Paul knew that staying together would not only mean incredible support but also survival.

So what importance does this have for us today? I cannot imagine going through life without the church. Can you?! There is something about the level of care that is life-giving. It reminds me of the theme song to the television show, “Cheers,” from the 1980s:

“Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.”

Okay, I know that Cheers was a bar, but you get my point: to support and care for one another, as if it was our own joys, pains, comforts, or sorrows is the whole point of Paul’s admonition that is still relevant to today’s church. I do wanna be where everybody knows my name!

Dr. Andy Stoker, Senior Minister

Praise The Lord!

Psalm 150

 

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!

Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

 

Is this the eleventh commandment?! Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai the ten we know about: believe in One God, don’t make idols, don’t curse, take a break for God’s sake, honor your parents, don’t do bad things and treat others as you would like to be treated (Exodus 20:1-21). Then, the eleventh commandment is “Praise The Lord!” Well, of course, what else is there to do?! It hardens back to the first commandment that God is One and One with us! When we fully understand this the only other option is for us to “Praise The Lord!” This eleventh commandment also reflects the ‘great commandment’ that King Josiah delivered in Deuteronomy. It is known as the Shema, this name is from the Hebrew for ‘listen’. “Israel, listen!” Deuteronomy 6:4 and following begins. That’s right: People of God, LISTEN! The psalmist expands this even further, “Let every living thing...” Listen! Listen because God is in our midst, beside us, walking with us, and providing for us.

After we listen, there is just one response: make noise, shake things up, stir the pot! Grab everything you’ve got from horns to strings, percussion to voice, and proclaim that God is One and one with us now and forevermore! “Praise The Lord!” Let it begin today!

Dr. Andy Stoker, Senior Minister