We've got work to do

"We've got work to do."  Those were the final words Officer Steve Perez said to his family as he headed out into the storm, Hurricane Harvey in Houston.  His family didn't want him to go, but Officer Perez had been serving the city of Houston for over 30 years, and there were people in need.  He went out into the storm and tragically lost his life, but he wouldn't have had it any other way.  As I've prayed for Officer Perez's family, I've thought about his words and actions.  In a very real way, they reflect what Jesus said about discipleship.  You go out into the storm because there are people in need.  Jesus' words, "Deny yourself."  You go out into the storm even though it is dangerous.  Jesus words, "Take up your cross."  You go out into the storm because we have work to do.  Jesus' words, "Follow me."  Jesus always made it clear that discipleship was costly.  That cost can get lost in a world that wants things to be easy and risk free.  Even in the church, the cost can be lost because we don't want to lose the idea of grace.  Grace says we don't have to earn God's love.  There is nothing we have to do.  Grace is a gift.  All of this is true, but grace does not need to come at the expense of discipleship.  We need to hear the distinction.  We are disciples not in order to be loved, but because we are loved.  Jesus says to us "I love you, I have forgiven you, and you are mine, now and always.  That's a given.  Now take a look.  There's a storm out there, people are in need, and we've got work to do."  May we hear the call.  May we be disciples of Jesus.  We've got work to do.

Pentecost

Acts 2:11 – “In our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”

          Pentecost is the day Holy Spirit descended as tongues of fire on those first disciples and sent them out into the streets of Jerusalem.  They told the good news of the Gospel to people from all corners of the known world.  As I look at that story, the miracle of Pentecost is not so much that those first disciples were able to speak in so many different languages to the people gathered in the city.  The miracle is that everyone who listened to those disciples running out into the streets of Jerusalem heard the disciples’ message as good news.  The Gospel of God’s love is universal.  The message speaks to everyone and speaks with power.  And we, as Jesus’ disciples today ,have the opportunity, like those disciples of old, to share that good news.  The question is what stops us?

          We know how to share good news.  We do it all time.  A new child is born into our family, and we will tell everyone we meet.  We‘re compelled to do so.  When I became a Grandpa, I let the world know.  Nothing was going to stop me.  Strangers in the grocery store heard about Anna and Evelyn. 

          However, with the good news of the Gospel, we tend to hold back.  Why?  For some of us, our experience of the Gospel is a private matter.  For some of us, we are still waiting for that transformative experience of the Gospel.  We listen to the stories of others, but do not feel we have our own.  For some of us, we don’t want to be branded a religious fanatic.

          Whatever the reason, we need to listen again to the story of Pentecost.  Everyone who heard the Gospel that day heard it as good news.  People are longing for good news in their lives and we have good news to share.  People need to hear that a God of grace watches over them and walks beside them.  People need to hear that they are forgiven and can be set free.  People need to hear that God is real and at work in the world.  We are the ones who can give voice to God’s promise. 

          My prayer, in this season of Pentecost, is that we open ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit that can fill us with grace, send us out into the world, and have us tell the story.  The world needs to hear the Gospel.  And we, who have known the Gospel in our lives, are the ones to be a witness.  May we go and tell.

                                                          Peace,

                                                          Pastor Summer

I Was A Stranger

Matthew 25:35 - And Jesus said,  "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."

These words of Jesus haunt me, particularly in light of what is happening in the world.  Immigration is a hot topic.  Because of the violence in the Middle East, there are more refugees than at any other time since World War II.  The images are heart breaking.  The numbers are unbelievable.  What is to be our response?  Social media is filled with comments on both sides of the issue.  I have intentionally not joined the fray.  People seem to be shouting at each other rather than listening.  There seems to be a great deal of finger pointing without resolution.  People seem to be hardening their positions and becoming increasingly sure they are right.  All of this brings me back to the words of Jesus.  They will not leave me alone.  They challenge me to see in the stranger, the hungry, and the thirsty, the face of Jesus.  His words do not let me turn away.  They challenge me to find a way to open the door and welcome the stranger, to feed the hungry, and to provide drink for the thirsty.  I know it will not be easy.  I know it will not be risk free.  At times, I am overwhelmed with the challenge, but Jesus' words will not let me go and so I pray.  I pray for guidance, and courage, and grace.  I pray to find a way, in my own life, to open the door.