Coming out of the box!

Last week's sermon, we started the tough series called, "Good Grief." We dealt with looking at the value of sorrow. Have you ever thought sorrow was worthwhile to go through?

We had examined how our culture views sorrow (ie. hide it, get over it, replace the loss), and comparatively how God shares with us about how to deal with sorrow.

Jesus gave a powerful example of dealing with sorrow in his reactions to the death of Lazarus (John 11:1-37). Jesus heard the news of his friend dying and he was struck by literally "snorting like a horse" (Greek word explanation of "deeply moved in spirit"). Then Jesus also, "wept" - which meant to cry quietly. Jesus seems to give us some freeing examples of inviting us to take time to grieve the losses we face. To take time and process who we have lost and the pain that has come. (yes we may not know the reason for the death, but we know there is a sense of sorrow for us).

As I ended the sermon, I called everyone to share the comfort that we have received from God with others. I compared the usual reaction of sorrow, to be like hiding in a box.....so I climbed (squeezed) in a little box....to illustrate the way we may feel alone and isolated in our grieving, and then invited the people that come together each week in our home for prayer, support, Bible study & mission (aka a Life Group) to help me out of this situation. They came forward and ripped off the box....put their hand on me, and helped me out of this lonely state.

Do you need to take time to grieve over a loss?
Do you have someone around you to rip off the box or to be with you in your "box?"
Do you believe God can comfort you?

the joy of serving :)

Do you ever go to a restaurant and say, "Wow that service was horrible?" Or you go to a hardware store and you try to find an employee and say, "Where is the customer service...it is bad!"

It's very easy to recognize poor service. But enough about the negative, but what makes up good serving? Well, this past week I was able to be part of a team that found out the joy and satisfaction of serving. A group of friends gather at our house once a week to hang out, pray for each other and learn what it means to be servants of the Most High God. So as we talked about an area we could share and serve in the community, the area of VAST came up.

VAST is a school set up for kids who don't "fit in" (using those words sensitively and lightly) the regular school system. As we got to talk with the principal, we heard of some great opportunities to come alongside them. One of the areas we were able to step and serve was at their Christmas Party. We were asked to help with some set-up and cleaning of tables. (now I have never been much of a "crafty" guy, but thankfully some creative ladies stepped up with some phenomenal centerpieces).

Once we arrived at the hall, it was fun setting the stage for an amazing meal for the students. Our team came together as we knew our mission and came with energy ready to do whatever we could to help the staff from VAST. Now, it was truly amazing the overwhelming response of thankfulness that we received (as that certainly wasn't our goal). But I sure did learn, that when the goal is clear, and our hearts/ attitudes are ready to serve with joy....God will do the rest!

What a blessing & joy to serve!
As you approach this Christmas, look for opportunities to serve with a group of others (I'm guessing you will have a lot more fun when others are working alongside you).

Being Together

What is the church? And really do we understand what we are supposed to be representing? Do you ever head into a store in a big mall and wonder, "What in the world is this item doing in this store?" I remember going to a store when I was growing up, and you never knew what was going to be in that store - they had a lot of weird and crazy items, and yet I never bought much from there, b/c I guess I never really knew what to expect if I purchased the item there.

For me, it seems too often the church (not a service on a Sunday), but a group of people who are forgiven by Jesus and claim to have a new savior & king, forget what it is supposed to be representing. The apostle Paul makes the calling of the church pretty clear when he says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). Wow - so this group of people are actually a people of worship. They are defined by how they live together and care for others, and most importantly represent Jesus.

So if you know Jesus, you can't be alone. Paul clears this up by saying, "You" which is plural, are "God's temple." So we are the church....together. So really it isn't an option of how am I feeling or do I have time, but we are the church when we are together. And to clarify this togetherness doesn't happen too well when we sit in rows, but community happens more effectively when we are in circles. Are we willing to sit and listen and love and care for one another.

I am challenged to think more about the church being us, rather than a production. I am challenged to see the church grow, by our willingness to show love to one another, rather than flashy programs. How do you see the church...being the church together?