I remember traveling to the Dominican Republic with a group of college students a few years ago.  We had no air conditioning, slept 20 guys to a large room, concrete floor, wafer thin mattresses…at night the air hardly moved.  There were no video games, no television, we were cut off from the world.  The food was marginal and everywhere we traveled we ended up covered in a layer of dust and dirt.  The shower water was “heated” in large black plastic barrel on top of the roof and was tepid at best.  We were staying at an orphanage so there were screaming kids around all the time…constantly asking for attention.  This was far from an exotic, getaway and yet the group I was traveling with (myself included) was having the time of our lives!

 

 

There was something sacred, something special taking place that week in the Dominican Republic.  We were learning what it meant to live out of one half of the great commandment…”Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.”  It caused all the cares of the world to fade away and life to become real.  We saw each other, and those around us clearly…things which would have “mattered” at home became irrelevant and we allowed God to move in and through us.  It is a week I will never forget.

 

Today I came across a reading from Henri Nouwen which challenges us to wrestle with what “balance” looks like as we seek to live out of the Great Commandments of Jesus, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, all your strength…love your neighbor as yourself.”

We live as if we should give as much of our heart, soul and mind as possible to our fellow human beings, while trying hard not to forget God.  At least we feel that our attention should be divided evenly between God and our neighbor.  But Jesus’ claim is much more radical.  He asks for a single-minded commitment to God and God alone.  God wants all of our heart, all of our mind and all of our soul.  It is an unconditional and unreserved love for God that leads to the care for our neighbor, not as an activity which distracts us from God or competes with our attention to God, but as an expression of our love for God who reveals himself to us as the God of all people.  Henri Nouwen

 

 Abba Father, As we near our Easter morning celebrations help us see clearly your call upon our lives, help us live boldly into the reality that we journey through life as your children.

 

 

A few weeks ago the Deacons of First Baptist Church, Kennett Square led an evening of prayer and meditation around the theme of “Thy Kingdom Come”.  They each shared thoughts about the Kingdom of God, providing a time of meditation around a specific question and then led us into a time time of prayer.

They shared their thoughts and meditations around questions like, “Do we (I) help those in need?”  “Are we (Am I) living in in such a way that advances the Kingdom of God?”  “Do we (Do I) celebrate when the Kingdom advances?”  “Do we (Do I) want to see the Kingdom of God unleashed upon this earth?”  “Do we (Do I) extend and receive forgiveness like Christ?”

We closed each section with the Deacon praying the Lord’s Prayer and then ended the evening with everyone who was gathered joining together to pray the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray…

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever
Amen

As part of that evening one of our Deacons, Don Poole Sr., asked a question during his time of meditation.  He just kind of snuck it in at the end.  As he asked it he offered no answer, he just left it hang out there for people to ponder.  It was like he finished the meditation and then in a quiet, Don Sr. kind of way asked, “Am I living in a way that advances the Kingdom or just living?”

That question thrown in at the end of his meditation has haunted me these past few weeks.  How am I living?  What does my life look like to those closest to me, to those who hardly know me, to the one who matters most?  Am I living each moment in a way that seeks to advance the Kingdom of God or am I simply trying to make it Monday to Friday and then get up Monday morning to start all over again?

I do not want to settle for “just living” because I know it does not lead to what Jesus talks about as Life to the Full.  Life to the Full is found only as one seeks to build the Kingdom of God…starting first with their own life and then seeking to be a beacon of light, hope and grace in a world that desperately needs a good word from Abba Father.

Thank you Don for a great question that has caused me to wrestle and think about my spiritual journey.

Is there anyone that fails? Is there anyone that falls?
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small?
When I take a look around, everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover – that I don’t belong.

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay.
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too…
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them.

Are we happy, plastic people – under shiny plastic steeples,
With walls around our weakness and smiles to hide our pain?
Well if the invitation’s open to every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we’ll close the curtain on our stained glass masquerade.

Is there anyone who’s been there? Are there any hands to raise?
Am I the only one who’s traded the altar for a stage?
The performance is convincing, and we know every line by heart.
Only when no one is watching can we really fall apart.

But would it set me free – if I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person that you imagine me to be.
Would your arms be open, or would you walk away?
Would the love of Jesus be enough to make you stay?

Are we happy, plastic people – under shiny plastic steeples,
With walls around our weakness and smiles to hide our pain?
Well if the invitation’s open to every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we’ll close the curtain on our .

-Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

“Home is a sacred space – external or internal – where we don’t have to be afraid; where we are confident of hospitality and love.  In our society we have many homeless people sleeping not only on the streets, in shelters or in welfare hotels, but vagabonds who are in flight, who never come home to themselves.  They seek a safe place through alcohol or drugs or security in success, competence, friends, pleasure, notoriety, knowledge, or even a little religion.  They have become strangers to themselves, people who have an address but are never at home, who never hear the voice of love or experience the freedom of God’s children.”

Brennan Manning – “The Ragamuffin Gospel”

There is something about the way that Brennan Manning writes that captures so much of the human experience…at least my experience.  I have found myself drawn to God through his words ever since Bud Jeremy put a copy of “The Ragamuffin Gospel” in my hand when I was serving a church in Cortland, NY.

The Deacons at First Baptist Church are reading and wrestling with Manning’s expressions of grace and what it means for a community to receive and express grace to each other and the world.  It is not an easy exercise to walk through…it stretches who we are, how we see ourselves and how we understand God.

I long to be a part of a people who have heard the voice of love that brings a peace this world simply cannot understand.  I pray God will allow me the joy of walking alongside a community who having experienced the Spirit’s work to “sets the captives free” moves out into the world inviting people to experience what Jesus called, “Life to the full.”

When I read Manning, when I read the gospels, I cannot help but look and wonder…”What is this religion that I have settled for?”  “Why do I accept anything short of a world transforming gospel?”

I look at my own life and have to confess, “I have settled, have allowed the cares of this world (this kingdom), to get in the way of my pursuit of the Kingdom of God”  “I have to confess that there are times I do not live as if God can, desires to, or will unleash the power of his Spirit in such a way as to “set the captives free”.

I do not think those confessions are unique.  If we are honest, most of us would find that there are times we settle for religion and miss out on what it means to experience the freedom of living as God’s children.  I do not offer this as an excuse for the times and ways I have settled…simply an observation that much of our human experience is shared…even the parts we believe are unique to ourselves.  As I wrestle to maintain a consistent and constant focus on pursuing Christ to experience the freedom of God’s children I find myself drawn to the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3…

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² 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.¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 Philippians 3:7-13

Empowering People to Become Mature Followers of Jesus

Part of our vision is that FBC would be a community that empowers people, young and old, to continue their spiritual journey and grow into mature followers of Jesus.  Companions in Christ is a spiritual formation group that helps people focus on questions such as:

• How is God working in my life?
• How am I being formed in the likeness of Christ?
• What practices will open me to God’s leading?

Our first Companions in Christ group, “Embracing the Journey” will meet for six weeks starting in late October.

We will meet at First Baptist Church, Kennett Square,  7pm – 9pm

October 28, November 4, 11, 18, December 2, 9

Each participant will get a guidebook that will direct our conversations.  ($8.00)

If you are interested in participating you may sign up in the Welcome Center, talk with Pastor Dan, or email me at fbc.pastor.ks@verizon.net

Space is limited, so if you are interested please be sure you can attend most meetings and sign up soon.

Pastor Dan

Do people send you those videos via email that you, “just have to watch”…the ones that will change your life…the ones that if you do not see your life will not quite be complete?  What do you do with them?  If you are like me you can’t hit the delete button fast enough.  If I am not careful I would end up doing nothing but watching “life changing”, “special” videos all day.  Well, in a moment of weakness (or boredom) I chose to open one of those videos and boy am I glad I did.  It captures the kind of “life to the full” transformation that Jesus talks about in the gospels and shows how we can be a part of bringing it to those who are less fortunate.  Now, it is certainly not a complete answer…nor will it solve all of the worlds problems but it did bring some joy into the lives of a small group who were struggling.  If we are to live out the gospel message we must care for the widow and orphan, we must have a heart for those in prison and the homeless.  This video captures just one example of what it could look like to help raise the spirits of people, even if only for just one night, who are experiencing the harder side of life.  It cries to me of the ministry of Jesus.  It screams of Jesus welcoming everyone on the same footing no matter what their social or socio-economic standing.  It is an example of the gospel lived out today…enjoy…and may you find ways to live out the gospel in bold and beautiful ways!

PRANK IT FORWARD