It's Our ARK Week!

This past Sunday we kicked off our Acts of Random Kindness week! This is an emphasis we are joining in with our Childcare Center to help make a difference in our church, community, and across the world! The premise is simple: keep your eyes and ears peeled for opportunities to do something kind for someone...it can be a friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or complete stranger! If you have a story to share, we encourage you to post it to one of our Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/CokesChapel or www.facebook.com/CokesChapelChildcare. 

There is a great scene in the Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman movie, "Evan Almighty," where this idea is beautifully illustrated. Evan (Carell) and God (Freeman) are walking through a yard when God asks Evan if he wants to change the world, because God definitely does. Evan replies that he does not know where to begin to accomplish this task. God said that the transformation of the world begins with acts of random kindness, and inspires Evan with a simple gesture of providing drinking water for a nearby dog. You can watch the clip below... 

As we kicked off this emphasis, I reminded those in worship of our current vision and mission emphasis — Cokes Chapel: a place for all GOD's children, making disciples for Jesus to transform the world here, there, and everywhere! 1 John 5:1-2 provides the summation for this vision and mission emphasis as we remember that we prove our love for God in the ways we love God's children. 

I hope that you are taking this emphasis seriously and looking for ways to help transform the world, beginning with simple acts of random kindness. This can begin a chain reaction of love and kindness emanating from our church into the community, from our community into the region, and from the region into the rest of the world. Help us in the emphasis by performing acts of random kindness, sharing your stories, and keeping the chain going well beyond this week!

Your Nets

A couple Sundays ago, I taught from the Gospel of Mark’s account of Jesus calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be his first disciples. Those four men were professional fishermen, so nets played a prominent role in this story.

 

In the time of Jesus, professional fishermen used two basic kinds of nets. The first was the kind of net that was tossed out into the water and drawn back in, hopefully catching fish or two along the way. The second kind of net was actually dragged behind the boat, catching the fish in the net as the vessel traveled through the water.

 

As Jesus encountered Simon, Andrew, James, and John, and offered them the invitation to follow him and fish for people (Mark 1:17), we learn that they all immediately left their nets and followed. For Simon and Andrew, they dropped the nets that were being actively used to try and catch fish. For James and John, they left nets that they were mending for future expeditions. I think it is plausible that both kinds of nets were being used by these fishermen in this account.

 

A lot has been said about those first disciples leaving their nets and following. Can you imagine the faith that took? Have you thought about what it would look like for you to drop your proverbial nets and follow Jesus? If the Lord were to walk into wherever it is you are reading this article, and ask you to leave your nets and follow, what would you have to leave? Family? Work? Hobbies? Put simply, what would you have to leave behind to truly follow Jesus?

 

There is no doubt that each and every one of us have things in our lives that we need to leave behind and follow Jesus. These are metaphorical nets that tangle, trap, and tie us down, keeping us from actively following Jesus and getting the most out of the life God wants for us. But in some cases, when mended carefully and prayerfully, your nets might actually provide you the opportunities to fish for people. Our relationships, jobs, hobbies, and everything else when given to Jesus as a faithful follower can be used as a net to fish for people!

 

We can be very strategic and thoughtful in how we cast our nets to intentionally reach people. Invite a friend or family member to worship or a church activity. Use a meal, golf outing, fishing trip, or shopping expedition to build a stronger relationship with someone and share your faith in Jesus. Casting these kinds of nets might require you to mend some things in your life, but they provide you opportunities to engage people with Jesus’ offer of salvation.

 

We also must be very conscientious about how we live our lives when we think no one is watching. Think of this in terms of character or integrity, and your witness. The very way you live your life is a testimony to the One you claim to follow. Obviously we have some net-mending to do here, too, because the net that is cast in the wake of our lives can catch someone for Jesus or drive them away.

 

As you think about the nets of your life, I want you to think about these three questions…your answers might just cast the course of eternity for countless people!

1) Do you have a net that is tangling your life and needs to be abandoned?

2) Do you have a net that needs to be mended to maximize its effectiveness?

3) Do you have a net that needs to be repositioned or repurposed?

 

I would love to hear any answers to those questions.

 

Happy fishing!

A Life of Faith

This past Sunday I taught from John’s account of Jesus calling some of his first disciples (John 1:43-51). During that message, I explored the idea of how the human experience that forms our preconceived notions and prejudices can keep us from fully exercising our faith. As Phillip shared with Nathanael that he had found The promised Messiah, Nathanael’s skepticism was met with a simple invitation to “come and see” what he experienced in Jesus. 

Faith can be a bit of a funny thing. Faith requires hope and perspective in the face of life experience.  It gets tricky when we have to begin using our reason and intellect to see God in the midst of our circumstances, especially when those events seem to contradict what we think faith should be. What we’re left with is reconciling the gap between our reality and God’s potential for us, even when it doesn't seem to make sense. 

As Nathanael encountered Jesus, the Lord spoke truth into his life. This astounded Nathanael and helped him commit to follow Christ. In the midst of Nathanael’s excitement, Jesus told him that he would see greater things happen than these if he followed him.

Nathanael’s preconceived notions about someone from Nazareth, as well as his excitement for the potential of the future, were met in Jesus. As he contemplated his past feelings and future hopes, he could not overcome the magnitude of his own life experience. The same is true for you and me. 

Jesus wants to enter into your life and help you make sense of your past — regardless of how messy it is. Jesus also wants to invite you into an actual living breathing relationship to follow him and help you navigate your future — you guessed it, regardless of how messy it might be. 

Are you finding yourself at the intersection of your past, present, and future and trying to see God in the middle of it all? Are your preconceived notions based on your life experience clouding your vision as to what God can do with a life of faith? Are you scratching your head as to where you’ve been and left wondering where you will go next? It is true that Jesus doesn’t exactly lay out a roadmap to follow, but what He does promise to do is lead you along the way. 

Why don’t you give it a shot to “come and see” who God has given us in Jesus. He can definitely help you find peace with your past and make sense of your future. Follow Jesus and you will truly see greater things you can imagine!

The Arrow

I recently discovered the television show, Arrow. If you aren’t familiar with Arrow, it is about the DC Comics character, Oliver Queen, and his hero alter ego, The Green Arrow. Oliver was a billionaire shipwrecked on a mysterious island for five years where he learned archery and martial arts in order to survive. After his rescue, he returns home to the fictitious Starling City to fight crime and right the wrongs caused by corrupt leaders in business and politics.

Initially, Queen has no qualms about killing for the sake of his brand of vigilante justice. As the story goes, however, Queen’s friend is killed, and in his emotional recovery, he decides that he must go about his hero work without taking a life. This requires a tremendous amount of creativity and restraint on The Green Arrow’s part to find new ways to fight crime and subdue criminals. As the ne’er-do-wells realize that Green Arrow is no longer in the killing business, they feel somewhat emboldened, believing they have a leg up in their struggle for Starling City. This leads Queen to ponder the concept of sacrifice and he comes to the realization that he must be willing to lay down his own life if necessary to save the city and people he loves.

There is a very poignant scene that really struck me after The Arrow defeated his arch nemesis. Throughout their epic battle, the villainous Deathstroke was goading Arrow to end his life, saying that no matter what happens, he wins. If Arrow is defeated in the battle, then Deathstroke wins, but if Arrow is able to defeat Deathstroke (which Deathstroke only thought would be possible in his own death) then Arrow’s hero mantle would be lost. Spoiler alert: Arrow was able to defeat his enemy without murder, which led Deathstroke to declare that Arrow’s unwillingness to kill exhibited his weakness. Arrow replied to the effect that his restraint did not show his weakness, but revealed his strength. He then thanked Deathstroke for helping make him the hero he could never be on his own.

I loved that scene. As I watched it, I could not help but think of Jesus saying, “ ” (John 15:15) It also brought to mind Romans 4.25 where Paul wrote, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.” Jesus willingly laid down his life to save us from our sins.

In the Greek language, ‘sin’ is actually an archery term which literally means, “to miss the mark”. If you’re familiar with The Green Arrow, you might know that he rarely misses his mark. Initially, his enemies feared him because of the lethality of his bow; what I love, though, is how he became a hero when he learned the power of sacrifice and restraint in order to save those he loved.

I had a seminary professor who once said something that stuck in my brain: GOD shows ultimate power in loving restraint. GOD has all the power and ability to strike us down when we miss the mark, but the fact the GOD does not – yet gives us grace for salvation through the forgiveness of sin – is evidence that GOD has a higher aim. We might feel that we get away with sin sometimes, but GOD sees it all. So to ensure that we are not lost in the sights of our enemy, Jesus laid down his life to save us.

If you have been missing the mark (and let’s face it, all of us have!), allow the Lord to take your hand, refocus your eye, and steady your aim. If you feel as though your empty quiver leaves you quivering through life, allow the Lord to fill it with love and assurance. If you need deliverance from the enemy, know the ultimate hero is nearby and never misses. May this encourage and embolden you to live your life with a new aim of faith, hope, and love!

On Setting Goals

Today is January 7^th. Much has been written and said about New Year’s resolutions that even the very topic seems cliché. Still, the New Year provides a wonderful opportunity – a clean slate, if you will – for us to make the intentional choice to do things differently and make this our best year yet.

Honestly, I quit making New Year’s resolutions several years ago. More accurately, I made four resolutions that I knew had to be more than something I did at the start of a new year…they had to become part of what I did at the start of each and every new day. These were my four:

1. Daily Bible reading apart from sermon preparation;
2. Get in control of my health;
3. Get in control of my schedule;
4. Make sure my family knows they are a priority.

It did not take long for me to realize that these were not just New Year’s resolutions, but new day resolutions that require my regular focus and attention.

When I made those resolutions a couple years back, it dawned on me that what I wanted to change was innate behavior. This is probably true for the vast majority of people who make New Year’s resolutions. You likely have a temperament trait or two that you do not like and choose to use the clean slate of the New Year to change them. What happens more often than not, though, is a few days into the New Year, we lose our will power and revert to comfortable behavior patterns. So now that we are one week in to the New Year, how are you doing with your resolutions?

As the calendar changed to 2015 – perhaps like you – I reflected upon my resolutions, realizing that to make real lasting change, I still have to work and focus on these each and every day. Without daily attention, I slip back into old worn out ways of thinking and behaving that caused me to want to make changes in the first place. There are a few things I definitely want to accomplish at the start of this New Year. So to help me with my goals for 2015, I am using these five tips for goal setting that I want to share with you. May these tips help you achieve positive and lasting change, not just for this new year, but for each and every new day:

• Set a specific goal – know what you want to achieve as opposed to some nebulous thought

• Make it reasonable – know what you can do, but also be mindful of your limits
• Set a timeframe in which to achieve your goal – know when you want to achieve your goal; this will help you in times of weakness when you might want to stray. This can also help you create margin for times when you know you will need to deviate from your plan.
• Make it measurable so you know when you’ve reached it, along with some touch points along the way to help keep you motivated.
• Be accountable to others who can help keep you on track, or get you back on track before you get too far off course.

I hope that these tips might be helpful for you to set and achieve your goals for 2015. Whether they are changing unhealthy patterns, or maintaining healthy ones, these tips can help you achieve great things not just in this new year, but in each and every new day!

Happy New Year,

Pastor Mark

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which
God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 3:12-14, NIV)

Your Road to the Manger

Christmas Eve is TODAY...can you believe it? There is so much that still needs to be done for so many of us before we can declare ourselves "ready," but what does it mean to truly be "ready" for Christmas?

The road that led Mary and Joseph to the place where Jesus would be delivered was full of challenge, anxiety, and danger, but the love of GOD kept them on the path so the world could know the Lord of HOPE, JOY, PEACE, and LOVE.

The proverbial roads that we each are taking to Christmas this year are as varied and diverse as we are. Through the ups and downs, victories and defeats, triumphs and trials of this year (and of life for that matter), our many roads will converge at the humble manger...a feeding trough that cradled Jesus, the Bread of Life.

If your road has been full of strangers and dangers this year, know that love is waiting for you at the manger. If your road has been full of darkness, know that the Light of the World still shines, piercing the darkness that cannot understand it. At the manger — as the beautiful hymn, "O Little Town of Bethlehem," states — "the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight."

I pray that you persevere on your individual road to the manger to find the Living Lord...Immanuel...GOD with us waiting for you there. Jesus was sent to be our hope, to be our joy, to be our peace, to be our love, and to be our light. Come and allow His creating and re-creating hand to dispel the darkness, the lovelessness, peacelessness, joylessness, and hopelessness so you will find the life GOD has in store for you!

If you are tired and weary, joyful and jubilant, lost and lonely, or just seemingly on cruise control, may your road lead you to the manger where you will find Jesus, the point in which life and eternity converge.

GOD Bless, Merry Christmas, and I hope to see you Christmas Eve,

Pastor Mark

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

(1 John 4:9, NLT)

Merry Christmas!

Confession: last night I was overwhelmed. There was so much on my to-do and honey-do lists, that in a moment of anxiety, I actually felt as though the coming of Christmas depended on ME. It wasn't until my quiet time this morning that I was reminded Christmas already came! In Galatians 4:4-5, Paul wrote, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." Christmas requires us to acknowledge that in Jesus, God came...Immanuel...God with us (Matthew 1:23).

If you awoke this morning feeling overwhelmed about all that has to be done today, thinking as though the coming of Christmas depends on you, take a moment, pause, and reflect over the FACT that in Jesus, God came. This will help you realign priorities and place the emphasis where it belongs as opposed to the trappings and ancillary things that help us enjoy the celebration of the season.

As I type this little note, I have the same hymn running through my mind that has been there all month, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus." Check out the first verse:
"Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart."

May Christ's eternal presence release you from the fears and sins that might occur in your mind on this day. May Christ's eternal presence bring you the peace that only God can bring (John 14:27). In the middle of all the preparations for the fun and festivities, may we remember that God does so love the world, and for that reason, God sent His one and only Son (John 3:16). May that be central today, Christmas Day, and everyday!

In Jesus, God came. May we celebrate that and remember that the Lord is the focus, not us. And may we look forward with great anticipation to the celebration that points us to the time when Jesus will come again.

Merry Christmas!