Guest Blog - 6 Steps to be a Cool Christian

While I was out of town on vacation, Pleasant Grove's totally awesome music minister, David Crawford, preached about how to be a cool Christian.  He graciously agreed to let me share his message on my blog today.  Enjoy!

Romans 12:2 - Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When I read this it makes me wonder about how we “fit in” with society. I mean if we are to have enough influence to persuade someone that they should give their life to Christ, then surely they must respect us as a member of society, or at least their social circle. And our influence within society, or our social circle, will be greater if we don’t appear to be strange, odd, out of sorts with reality, or lost in space. I would think we need to have a modicum of normality, and perhaps even a bit of “cool” if we are to persuade someone else they would benefit from being more like us with regard to living out our Christian beliefs. So, can one be cool and Christian at the same time?

If not sooner, then usually by middle school, we all start noticing where we fit in socially, and most of us would like for the people we are around to think that we are “cool”. We want to fit in, and be accepted. And while the awkwardness of adolescence and our mission to be popular or cool doesn’t last forever, we always want others to respect who we are and what we are striving to be. While it may not be our main focus, even now, we want those with whom we associate to think we are cool. So how do we reconcile being cool, with being a Christian? Are they at odds with one another?
So, naturally the first thing I did was go to Google and type in “Cool Christians.” And one of the search results that caught my eye was something called “Hipster Christians” and I was intrigued. The “Hipster Christian” churches actually have a checklist you can follow to make sure you are staying cool while practicing your faith and here are some of the items that made the list:

• Get the church involved in social justice and creation care. (Okay, I’m down with that)
• Show clips from R-rated Coen Brothers films (e.g., No Country for Old Men, Fargo) during services. (Hmmm)
• Sponsor church outings….(sounds good) to microbreweries……(really?)
• Put a worship pastor onstage decked in clothes from American Apparel.
• Print bulletins only on recycled cardstock. (Ehh, yeah I guess, that’s better)
• Use Helvetica fonts as much as possible. (I had know idea I was such a rebel)

This wasn’t exactly the direction I felt pulled in, so I abandoned the hipster Christian train and searched, instead, for how to be cool. I wanted to see what a secular site had to say about how to be cool.

I found a wiki (I feel cool just saying the word "wiki") on how to be cool in school, and I thought I’d see if their advice was reconcilable with my Christian beliefs and ideals. I picked six of the steps to share with you today. I think you might be surprised, I was.

Secular Coolness Step 1: Don’t just think about it — do it. It’s all very well to read books and blogs about self-improvement, but you have to actually get out there and apply the theories that resonate with you. Let’s replace a few words there and it reads like this instead: It’s all very well to read the Bible, but you have to actually get out there and apply its teachings.

It would appear the first step in being cool within society sounds a lot like verse 20 in the 2nd chapter of James: “But are you willing to recognize, that faith without works is useless?”

Secular Coolness Step 1 continues: Do it! It’s scary but so, invigorating. Who knows who you’ll meet and what they might be able to offer you?

Stepping out can be scary. Expressing your opinion on a subject, especially religion, can open you up to ridicule and you risk a piece of your pride, but it is worth it, and while the first step to secular coolness ends with what you may gain from putting yourself out there, as Christians we must deviate a little from their script and I would challenge you to imagine what the people we share the good news with will gain, and perhaps scariest of all, what the people we do not share the word with may lose.

Thinking things through before jumping the gun is a great trait. But thinking things through and then not doing anything won't get you anywhere.

So the first step in secular coolness is to take action. And a major component of our Christian faith is to take action.

Secular Coolness Step 2: Be yourself. It will be something that other people will look up to. You are unique, and you don't need to join a clique. Make your own friendships.  Don't try to be like anyone else by copying someone else's moves or act. Live life for who you are. Don't lose sight of yourself or your morals. Being cool isn't about changing who you are, its about being confident enough to let people see how awesome you really are.

My dad always said, “Be who you is, ‘cause if you be who you ain’t, then you ain’t who you is.” But sometimes we don’t feel like we are awesome enough to be “cool”. Not a problem, because Psalm 139: 14 and 15 says, "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth..."

The article continues by saying, “If you don't let people see the real you, then what's the point? Being able to be yourself and to have people appreciate you is the coolest thing of all.” So let’s play the old word replacement game and say it like this, “If you don’t let people see the real you, and you have been made new in Christ, how will the world see Christ in you and come to know Him as their personal Savior?” 

Secular Coolness Step 3: Speak up. Observe people who are "cool"; they usually speak confidently and clearly, at a good pace. They don't chatter rapidly, pause, say uh, um..., or mumble. They say what they mean, and mean what they say. Be confident in your word and don't let anyone try to change it. If you state your opinion and people disagree, don't worry. Say what you feel and people will respect you for that, unless you say it knowing it will offend someone. Don't shout out your opinion just to be heard. Make sure it's relevant, and be ready to back it up soundly.

If speaking up and speaking confidently is cool, then I believe Paul is one of the coolest people in history, because Colossians 4:3 says, “...praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned..." Yep, you heard that right, he was in prison for speaking the living word, and while in prison he was praying he would get the chance to speak the word again to someone else who needed to hear it. I also like what the article says about people disagreeing with your opinion: the article says, “don’t worry.” I think sometimes we feel like if we speak about our faith or share the living word, and we are rejected or rebuffed, then somehow we have failed. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER THAN THE TRUTH. We plant the seed. God makes it grow.

Secular Coolness Step 4: Keep your "cool". The very definition of cool is being calm, composed, under control, not excited, and socially adept. This is especially true right now with so many highly controversial issues blazing through our society. There are people out there who will purposefully try to “get us going” when they find out we are Christians. They try to “set us off” by “setting us up” with questions about these controversial subjects. It is our job to remain calm. Know what we believe and be able to back it up with scripture, doctrine, and our beliefs. It is also ok to admit that we may not have the answer, but we trust in our God and know He is in control. I would say that most, if not all of us, have been fired up by someone pushing the right buttons, but if we can remain cool, it will be more apparent that we have faith in someone bigger and more powerful than all of our problems. And according to Proverbs 15:18, "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute."  So there must be something to staying cool. 

Secular Coolness Step 5: Have faith in your friends. There’s a reason they hang around you. The personality traits you may think make you socially awkward, may be the very quirks they find endearing. If you want to be cool, then you have to believe that the people around you genuinely like you and find your relationship meaningful. Remember that it's not cool to hang out with people who you think are cool just because you think it'll make you cool by proxy. Life doesn't work that way.

Another aspect is to consider the people who make up your social and work related circles. We have all been given gifts and abilities that we use to help build God’s kingdom on earth, as well as make a living within our community. Those gifts and interests have drawn you to a certain group of people and similar people are drawn to you because of your gifts and abilities. Contractors don’t always run in the same social circles as ballet companies. Because we are varied in our interests and abilities we have a chance to reach a multitude of people from very diverse social circles. Embrace where you are and look for opportunities within your circle to witness through your actions and when the occasion arises by sharing words of faith. The friends who make up your circle will be there for you. After all, they are your friends.

Jesus said it like this, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Secular Coolness Step 6: Don't be afraid to be different. Whether that means defending someone else, or taking interest in something that no one else does, like playing an instrument, try to be different and stand out. (16) The coolest people are the ones who occasionally break against the tide and make people question the status quo. Take that last statement and change coolest to Christian. The Christian people are the ones who break against the tide and make people question the status quo. Most of us have been involved in that conversation. You know, the one where everyone seems to be agreed in a course of action, or an opinion is shared by the majority; and then there you go having to interject your Christian morals and beliefs making everyone reevaluate their position. It is not always met with kindness, instead it is usually met with exasperated sighs, but it is the Christian thing to do, AND it is cool when you are part of redirecting a situation onto a Christ-like path.

So, can you be cool and be a Christian? I don’t think you can be a Christian without being cool. One of the online dictionaries defines cool as fashionably attractive or impressive. As I look out on the congregation I don’t think we need to worry about fashion or attractiveness, ya’ll are a pretty good lookin’ bunch. So I think we are talking about cool being impressive. And there’s really no denying Jesus was impressive. He calmed the storms, He turned water into wine, He healed the sick, raised the dead and saved the entire human race. That’s impressive, that’s cool, and that’s who promised to be with us through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We walk with Jesus because we are Christians. Because we are Christians we strive to be like Christ. We are most like Christ when we are least like ourselves and we surrender our body to the will of God. And in those moments we are cool and it is cool. Not because of who we are or what we do, but because of whose we are and what He can do through us for the rest of the world.

How Far I Can Go

Since I didn't preach a sermon at church yesterday, I thought I'd share something I wrote a couple years ago as I was grieving for a family that left my church because they disagreed with the United Methodist Church's stance on homosexuality.  This was what was in my heart and remains on my heart for the family and others like them.

How Far I Can Go

You don't understand how far I would go for you.

I can love you.  I can laugh with you,

cry with you, dance with you.

But I can't call what wrong right for you. 

I can serve you, worship with you, put you to work and work for you.

I could trust you, depend on you,

pray for you, be prayed for by you.

But I can't call what's right wrong for you. 

I could eat with you, sit with you, smile with you,

unite my heart with you, commune with you.

I can study with you, learn with you, teach you and learn from you.

I can lean on you, fight for you, suffer for you and die for you. 

But I can't call what's wrong right for you.

And I won’t call what’s right wrong for you.

You just don't know how far I want go for you,

but I can't call what's wrong right for you. 

I love you too much.

 

 

The Fifth Commandment

Exodus 20:12

Introduction

This is the fifth message in a series of ten sermons on the Ten Commandments.  The Fifth Commandment says, “Honor your father and mother.”   I challenge you to learn all ten this summer.

The Ten Commandments:

1. Do not worship any God except the Lord.
2. Do not make idols of any kind.
3. Do not misuse the name of the Lord.
4. Remember to observe the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.
10. Do not covet.

Today we will look at the Fifth Commandment as found in Exodus 20:12

12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

This verse has two parts.  First is the commandment—honor your father and mother.  Next is the promise—[if you do this] …you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.  The Fifth Commandment is the first commandment with a promise.  Remember, this commandment was originally written for the Hebrew people as they prepared to enter the Promised Land God was giving them.  In order to keep that land and to live the full, abundant life God wanted for them, they would need to remember how God delivered them.  That’s easier for the generation that lives through the miracles.  (I don’t think I would ever forget if I had seen the Red Sea split in half with my own eyes as I crossed over it with my own feet.)  But historical events would eventual become stories that were passed down to children and grandchildren and great grandchildren.  If the events were to be remembered and trusted as, the children would need to honor their parents retelling of the tales—to trust their word that the events actually happened.  Furthermore, the younger generations would have to accept the faith and ideals of their elders and continue to walk with the Lord in order to secure their place in the Promised Land.  Even today, we have much to learn from the wisdom and ideals of our parents.  We do well to honor them.

Honor

The Hebrew word for Honor is pronounced [Kabowd].”  Kabod is the noun Hebrews used for the liver, which is the heaviest internal organ in the human body.  (It is also a very important organ.  If you lose your liver, you are going to die!)  When used as a verb, Kebod means to be heavy in the sense of respect.  If you don’t honor something, you might say you “take it too lightly.”  To honor something, would mean to treat it as a weighty matter.  Does that make sense?  To honor your parents means we treat them as people of great importance.

You can honor someone even if you don’t agree with them.  The command to honor our parents doesn’t necessarily mean blind obedience.  For instance, let’s look at how we honor our country.  Even though we “honor our country” it does not mean we blindly agree with everything our country does.  When we honor, it means we give serious consideration to what the state says, considering the heavy burden of leadership our government officials bear, considering the great sacrifices soldiers have made for our nation, considering the hardships of our forefathers who tried to create a more perfect union, and so we refuse to take our national heritage lightly.  We may disagree, we may debate, we may at times even disobey, but we should always be respectful, showing honor to those who represent our great nation.

In a similar way, we honor our fathers and mothers.  It is not blind obedience or subordination.  To honor your father and mother means to treat them with the appropriate seriousness.  It is sometimes easy to think nothing really important happened until “we” came along.  I mean, my grandparents died having never owned a computer and they never even heard of a cell phone or Facebook.  It would be easy to relegate them and their ideas to irrelevance in my own mind.  But that kind of generational narcissism, taking previous generations lightly and thinking they have nothing relevant to offer us, is not only disrespectful, it is detrimental to my own life.  My father and mother—and all the previous generations—have tremendous wisdom to offer our times, wisdom they earned through generations of accumulated practical experience.  Older generations may actually see some things in our times more clearly precisely because they are less affected by contemporary cultural influences.  Therefore, you should honor your father and mother—taking them and their ideas seriously and treating them with the deep consideration they deserve.

But What About Bad Parents?

The truth is, some parents have not lived lives worthy of adoration.  Some fathers abandon their children.  Some mothers are abusive.  Some people follow a reckless path of godless living, leaving their children to pick up the pieces.  God is not suggesting we should imitate them just because they are our parents nor is God commanding us to honor their dishonorable behavior.  Yet even if our parents were dishonorable in whole or part, we can still honor the position.  Just as a soldier must salute a superior officer he does not like or who is not a good officer, you can honor your parents simply because they hold the honorable position of father or mother—even if they have not done the job well.  By honoring our parents, we honor all parents and we glorify God who gave parents authority and the task of raising children.


Practical Ways to Honor

I want to give you some practical ways to honor your parents.  I hope you will get in the habit of doing some of these.  Think of it like this, “What would you do to honor a dignitary who visited your home?  What would you do if the Queen of England or some other important person came to visit?”  You should hold your father and mother in the same esteem.  They should be the most honored persons in your life.  Treat them with the appropriate dignity.

First of all, spend time with them on their agenda, not yours.  Visit and call them regularly.  You might love spending time with your parents.  On the other hand, you might not enjoy being around them all that much.  Never-the-less, spend time with them—even if you just sit in silence—as a way of honoring them.  It shows they are important to you—important enough to give them your time.  Time is one of the most precious gifts we can give.  Your parents gave tremendous amounts of their time to raise you.  Now, it’s your turn to honor them with your time.

Second, be patient.  Recognize that your parents needed great patience to care for you when you were a child.  When you were an infant, you probably pooped and peed and vomited on them.  When you were a toddler, you threw temper tantrums in grocery stores and mortified your parents in front of strangers.  When you were a teenager, you broke their hearts.  Through all these life phases, your parents had to be tremendously patient with you.  So now return the favor.  Be patient with your parents—even if they don’t deserve it.  

Third, be respectful.  When you disagree with your parents, do it respectfully.  If they make you mad, be gentle.  Refuse to look down on them.  Don’t speak negatively of them.  Don’t do anything that would cause them shame.  Deliberate speak well of them to others—both in their presence and in their absence.  Protect their dignity and defend their honor.  If someone speaks badly of them, speak up on their behalf.  Honor your father and mother.

Fourth, help your parents.  Drive them to the doctor or go with them to get groceries.  Help them fix something on their house or car.  Assist them with chores or cook dinner for them.  You might even help pay some of their bills.  There are a multitude of practical things you can do to help your parents.  Look for ways to do favors for them that will be an expression of your honor for them.

Finally, celebrate your parents.  As a pastor, I frequently go to funerals where people pay tribute to all the best qualities of their parents.  Why wait until the funeral to pay tribute to your parents?  Why not do it while they are still alive and can appreciate it?  Don’t wait!  Do it now!  Tell your parents how much you appreciate them.  You might think they already know, but tell them anyway—do it again and again.  And don’t stop there.  Honor them in front of other people by thanking them publicly and extolling their best qualities.  Here’s an idea, write and present a tribute.  Sit down and take some time to think about all your parents’ best qualities.  List all the things you appreciate and admire about them most.  When you’re finished, have it professionally typed and framed and present it to your parents by reading it to them publicly at a special gathering of friends and family.  Wouldn’t that be a great way to honor your parents?


Conclusion

Honor your father and mother and it will go well with you.  Your Heavenly Father will be pleased and reward you.  Your own children will see your example and be encouraged to treat you with the same honor and respect.  Others will be encouraged to act honorably and a rising tide of honor for all will again fill our land and it will be a better place to live.

The Truth As Far As I Can Tell... The Christian Flag

John 18:33, 36a - ³³ Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world.” 

            Last week, we enjoyed a great time with a wonderful group of kids at Vacation Bible School at Pleasant Grove UMC.  Each evening, we began with an assembly where we said the pledges of allegiance to the American flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible.  That got me thinking about the Christian flag and where it came from.  So I did a little research and thought I would share what I found.  The following excerpts are from Wikipedia.com.

 The Christian Flag is a flag designed in the early 20th century to represent all of Christianity and Christendom, and has been most popular among Christian churches in North America, Africa and Latin America. The flag has a white field, with a red Latin cross inside a blue canton. The shade of red on the cross symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed on Calvary. The blue represents the waters of baptism as well as the faithfulness of Jesus. The white represents Jesus' purity. In conventional vexillology, a white flag is linked to surrender, a reference to the Biblical description of Jesus' non-violence and surrender to God.

The Christian Flag was first conceived on September 26, 1897, at Brighton Chapel on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York in the United States. The superintendent of a Sunday school, Charles C. Overton, gave an impromptu lecture to the gathered students, because the scheduled speaker had failed to arrive for the event. He gave a speech asking the students what a flag representing Christianity would look like. Overton thought about his improvised speech for many years afterward. In 1907, he and Ralph Diffendorfer, secretary of the Methodist Young People's Missionary Movement, designed and began promoting the flag.

Some churches practice a "pledge of allegiance" or "affirmation of loyalty" to the Christian Flag, which is similar to the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. The first pledge was written by Lynn Harold Hough, a Methodist minister who had heard Ralph Diffendorfer, secretary to the Methodist Young People's Missionary Movement, promoting the Christian flag at a rally. He wrote the following pledge: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands; one brotherhood, uniting all mankind in service and in love.”

            Flags are used to rally our loyalty.  To which “kingdom” are you most loyal?  Is it your family?  Is it your southern heritage?  Is it the country in which you grew up?  Is it your favorite college football team?  Is it the branch of the military in which you served?  All these earthly “kingdoms” will one day cease.  Perhaps you should switch your allegiance to something eternal—to Jesus and his Kingdom.  Of course, I am no expert and certainly don’t claim to know everything, but that’s the Truth as far as I can tell…

God loves you and so do I!

 

The Fourth Commandment

Copyright June 26, 2015 by Chris Mullis
Exodus 20:8-11

Introduction

            Written by the very finger of God, permanently engraved on two stone tablets, placed in the sacred Ark of the Covenant, and kept in the Holiest place of the Temple of God, the Ten Commandments are the essence of God’s law for humanity.  They teach us how to honor God and live well with each other.  They also make it clear how far we fall short of God’s glorious standards and how desperately we need God’s grace and forgiveness.

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”  (Matthew 19:16-17)

            If the Ten Commandments are so important, shouldn’t we take time to remember and understand them?  I challenge you to memorize the Ten Commandments this summer.  Then, come to Pleasant Grove UMC each Sunday (or read this blog) to learn how each Commandment applies to your life.  

Let’s list all Ten Commandments (paraphrased):

1.     Do not worship any God except the Lord.

2.     Do not make idols of any kind.

3.     Do not misuse the name of the Lord.

4.     Remember to observe the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.

5.     Honor your father and mother.

6.     Do not murder.

7.     Do not commit adultery.

8.     Do not steal.

9.     Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.

10.  Do not covet.

Today we will look at the Fourth Commandment as found in Exodus 20:8-11

⁸ “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ You have six days each week for your ordinary work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

The Fourth Commandment

The Fourth Commandment is all about love, because it reveals a precious gift God gave us straight from His heart.  The Sabbath day is a gift of sacred time.  Few gifts are more precious than time.  The busier we are in this hectic world, the more valuable time becomes.  A child may beg for the newest toy advertised in commercials, but what they really want is their parents’ precious time.  What a wife really longs for from her husband it not jewelry, but to spend quality time together connecting (of course, jewelry is nice too!).  And how much would a man on his death bed give for a little more time to live.  Time is precious and the God of the universe gave us a whole day to share love with Him and He called it the Sabbath.

God gave us this holy “time” to rest and renew.  Some people don’t need to be told to rest, but most in our day and age will run themselves ragged, ruining our health and injuring vital relationships without resting properly.  God loves us and cares about our need.  Even when we neglect our own health, God cares enough to remind us to rest.  As we set aside the cares of the world and worship the Lord (as we were originally designed to do), God renews our strength.  Isaiah 40:31 – “…those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”  God is the source of life and strength.  We are renewed as we rest in Him.

The Sabbath also reminds us what is most important in life.  When we step away from the cares of the world and rest, we reconnect with what’s really important.  This is another precious gift from God.  On the Sabbath, we reconnect with the people who are most important to us.  We find fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ--those who share common love for our Heavenly Father and who are on a common journey of discipleship in Christ.  The Sabbath--with its closeness to our Creator and like-minded believers--helps us remember what’s truly important in life.  It is not what the world promotes that is important--all the flashy trinkets and vices that would entice us to work harder and longer, never taking a break in our striving to get ahead and gain more trinkets.  The Sabbath gives us time to remember the relationships and love that are truly meaningful and be grateful to God.

 

Jesus and the Sabbath

            Some have taken the Fourth Commandment too literally.  Seventh Day Adventist insist that the church must worship on the true Sabbath--which is really the seventh day of the week or Saturday.  It was not until the second century that most Christians started worshiping on Sunday (known as the Lord’s Day because it was the day Jesus rose from the grave).  Every Sunday is a little Easter to Christians and it is fitting that most Christians honor the Lord’s Day as our Sabbath each Sunday.  Some Christians legalistically refuse to do any work on Sunday or argue against things like the sale of alcohol on Sundays.  Could it be that they are being too much like the Pharisees in Jesus time?

            Jesus observed the Sabbath.  Luke 4:16 tells us it was his custom to go to church on the Sabbath day (although they called it a synagogue).  So we know Jesus honored the Sabbath and we should too.  However, Jesus was not legalistic about the Sabbath.  In fact, he criticized the religious leaders of his day for their legalistic interpretation of the Fourth Commandment.

            In Matthew 12:9-14, Jesus healed a man with a deformed hand on the Sabbath while he was at church.  The Pharisees were self-righteously indignant because they considered healing to be work, and you weren’t supposed to work on the Sabbath day.  Jesus thought that was crazy.  God is not upset when we do good on the Sabbath day.  So Jesus healed the man.  You can do good on the Sabbath.

In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus was at church again on the Sabbath when he healed a woman who was sick.  The leader of the church (I guess you could call him the pastor or rabbi) got angry and scolded everyone for working on the Sabbath.  He said (paraphrase), "You have six days in the week to heal and be healed.  Come on those days for healing, but not on the Sabbath."  Jesus called him a hypocrite and said healing the woman was the right thing to do--even on the Sabbath.

In Mark 2:23-27, the Disciples picked some food to eat as they walked through a farm on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees complained the Disciples were breaking God’s law, but Jesus rejected their Pharisaical thinking.  In Mark 2:27 Jesus said to them, “...The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath…”  You see, the Sabbath is for our benefit.  It is a gift from God, not a restriction meant to take away our freedom.  We should try to be more like Jesus and less like the Pharisees when it comes to obeying the Fourth Commandment. 

The Mark of Believers

            There is one more important thing to say about the Sabbath.  The Sabbath is what marks us as sacred people.  We live in a sea of secular people, in a secular world that constantly tries to take us over.  We must always be careful, lest we be swallowed up in the meaningless activity and busy-ness of an unbelieving world.  When we keep the Sabbath, it announces our loyalty to God and is a witness to our decision to follow His way instead of the chaos of this world.  It dramatically proclaims our faith that resting in God is more fruitful than toiling away an extra day in the world.

Some would say, it doesn’t make any sense.  Surely seven days of work will produce more than only six.  Yet we see in businesses like Chick-fill-a that a Sabbath day of rest is possible in a successful company.  Furthermore, it is a tremendous witness to everyone about who we are and who we trust.  I don't ever remember a cashier at Chick-fill-a telling me the restaurant was a Christian business.  No one there ever preached to me or quoted the Bible, but every time I am craving a chick-fill-a sandwich on a Sunday afternoon and can't get one because "Oh yeah, Chick-fill-a is closed today," it reminds me that Chick-fill-a is a business founded that operates on Christian principles.  You can say you are a Christian until you are blue in the face, but when you take the seventh day off, it speaks volumes.

The Sabbath rest challenges us to disengage from culture induced expectations for frantic leisure, frantic consumption, or frantic exercise. (The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume I page 846).  It requires us to trust that God can provide just as much abundance (or even more) in six days than the world can give in seven.  This is what a God’s people believe. 

Conclusion and Invitation

I would like to challenge you to remember that Sabbath Day and keep it holy.  We live in a time when way too much has crept in to steal away the precious Sabbath gift God gave.  It didn’t happen over night, but little by little, over the course of years or even decades, this greedy world has stolen our sacred time--minute by minute and hour by hour.  Work schedules, business ventures, baseball tournaments, entertainment venues, the demands of people who do not understand or honor our God-given right to rest and worship the Creator…  They have stolen our precious gift.  You need the Sabbath.  God knows you need it.  That’s why He gave you the gift.  You are the only one who can choose to take it back.  You are the only one you can protect your Sabbath by choosing God’s way instead of the world’s way.  I challenge you to make a commitment to remember to observe the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.  

            Jesus said, “…if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17)  But who among us can really keep them?  Even if you break just one commandment, you have broken them all (paraphrase of James 2:10).  That’s why I am so glad Jesus came to offer us grace.  In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Lay down your heavy burden of sin and find grace and forgiveness in Christ today.  Stop frantically following the ways of the world trying to earn more (even trying to earn God's love) and come follow Jesus and you will find rest.  I invite you to choose Jesus today. 

            If you would choose Jesus today, would you pray with me: 

 

"Lord Jesus, forgive me for breaking God's commandments.  I know I am a sinner and I'm tired of it.  Please forgive me and save me.  I want to follow you and find rest.  Please come take control of my life and lead me.  I will do my best t follow you.  Amen." 

 

If you prayed that prayer today, would you send me an email and tell me so I can pray for you?  You may email me at ReverendChrisMullis@hotmail.com.

My Pastoral Response to the Supreme Court's Ruling on Same-sex Marriage

On Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples in our country have the legal right to marry anywhere in our country.  The ruling has sparked fear, sadness, anger, and concern among many Christians who hold to the biblical understanding that marriage is a lifetime commitment between a man and a woman.   As the pastor of Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church in Dalton, GA writing to members of my own congregation who are disturbed by this rulling, I offer four points of advice as you respond to the court's decision:

1.  Be at peace.  Remember that God is in control.  Despite our fears, which are fueled by heated news headlines and social media, God is still in control.  Trust Him with all your fears, worries, anger, and sorrow.  Philippians 4:6 (The Message), "Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns."  Christians are a praying people.  Let us pray.

2.  Keep things in perspective.  The Supreme Court's ruling does not alter the stance of Pleasant Grove UMC, the United Methodist denomination (or any other denomination for that matter).  The United Methodist Church prohibits UM clergy from performing weddings for same-gender couples and prohibits such weddings from being held in our churches.  The court's decision has no control over the UMC's policy and I remain hopeful that the UMC will remain faithful to a biblical understanding of marriage between a man and a woman.

3.  Speak the truth in love.  Remember, you are an ambassador for Christ in everything you do and say.  As you talk to your friends, family members, and neighbors--especially on social media--let your words be filled with God's love and grace.  Pray for God to enable you to speak the truth in loving ways.  Refuse to be sucked into the vortex of angry, rude, and hurtful arguments.  Let the Spirit be your guide.  Speak the truth clearly in a sincere and loving way.  If you cannot speak the truth with love--being respectful even of those who disagree with you, who curse or revile you, who do not seem to respect you--then do not speak at all; turn those situations over to God and let Him handle them.  Now more than ever, we need Christians who know the truth, live the truth, and who love their enemies and pray for those who curse them.  

4.  Live faithfully for Christ.  Don't worry about what everyone else is doing wrong.  Instead, focus on doing what is right yourself.  You can't control what other people do and you aren't responsible for them anyway.  You are responsible to God for your own actions.  So do the best you can--with God's help--to live a holy life.  Our best opportunity to change the world around us for the better comes when we live faithfully for Christ ourselves.  

Please join with me in praying.

Almighty, Loving, Forgiving, Sovereign God,
I come to you with a heavy heart.
I grieve for a nation that seems to slip further and further from You every day.
I grieve also for people who lash out with hurtful words--
words fueled by fear, frustration, and anger--
aimed at those they believe are misleading our country.
Help us oh Lord!
Help us to trust You when the swirling storms of cultural change and chaos whirl around us,
as we fear the damage being done to a nation we love.
Help us to trust You to guide our Church to remain faithful to Your Word--
even if it costs us.
Help us to count as an honor 
any loss or persecution or suffering we must endure for the sake of the Gospel.
Help us to understand the Truth of Your Word 
so we can communicate it clearly whenever You give us an opportunity.
Help us to be humble, and to love, and to respect those with whom we disagree--
even if they do not do the same for us, even if they revile us, curse us, or persecute us.
Help us to live faithfully--living out the Truth we proclaim with our actions.
And please forgive us, for we know we fall short far too much.
We offer ourselves to You, trusting in Your mercy and grace,
through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.