Summer Psalms 2021 - Week 1 - Psalm 8

“The Psalms have a unique place in the Bible because [whereas] most of Scripture speaks to us, the Psalms speak for us.”
— Athanasius

Have you ever read the bible and thought to yourself, "You can't say that to God?!" I have. I like it when I find in scripture human spirituality that closely matches my own experience. That's one of the reasons that the book of Pslams is essential in the bible. Not only is it an excellent repository of prayers, laments, praises, and more, but it authentically expresses a wide range of human interactions with God. Reading through the various interactions with God can help teach us that it's okay to come to God as we are and to tell God how it's going without having to worry about using the "right words."

For the next several weeks at CrossView, we will focus our teaching on the book of Pslams; we are calling it our Summer Psalms Series. I read a quote this past week from a well-known early church father named Athanasius about the Psalms. He writes, "The Psalms have a unique place in the Bible because [whereas] most of Scripture speaks to us, the Psalms speak for us." As we begin these next weeks looking at a few of the Psalms, my encouragement for you is to allow the words of the Psalms to sink into your soul. Let the Psalmists put words to your frustration, your joy, or even your despair. Draw strength from their faith, find hope in their confidence, and maybe even let the Psalmists pray for you. As Dr. Sandra Richter writes, "[We need to] learn again that the Lord of heaven and earth has never ceased and will never cease to hear the cries of his people." So, one way the Psalms are important is in how they express authentic human interaction with God. Another vital aspect to the Pslams, historically speaking, is that this book has been, and is today, a primary means of the worship of God. 

One of the best ways to think of the book of Psalms is as a hymn book of ancient Israel. The book of Psalms was gathered together as a book of praise for a purpose. Let's think for a moment about what a hymn book is, mainly because most churches today don't regularly use a hymnbook any longer. A hymnal is a collection of material, into one single text, of everything that a congregation needs to worship as a congregation. This material is then organized so that individuals and communities can easily use it for its intended purpose. The book of Pslams operates the same way. 

Let me give you a few examples of how this works using songs and language we might know today. There are certain songs we play at certain times of the year. For example, the song "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is played during what time of year? The Avent and Christmas Season. When you hear that song, if you weren't already paying attention, you'd instantly know what time of year it is. 

Here is another example. If you hear the words, "Dearly Beloved, we're gathered together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of ...(I don't think I need to go on), we immediately recognize this language as belonging to a wedding ceremony! 

The Psalms work similarly for the people of Isreal. Not only do the Pslams express their authentic interactions with God, but the ancient community of faith used the Psalms to anchor and orient various seasons, practices, and moments of their life toward God. The fantastic thing is, we can still do this in our community of faith today. When you hold the book of Pslams in your hand, you are holding the book that facilitated Israel's worship for over a thousand years; that's amazing.

This Sunday, as we start our sermon series on the Pslams, my encouragement to you is to dive into this beautiful book. Read along and even explore on your own. Be inspired. Let God speak to you, and the Psalms speak for you. Let the words you read anchor and orient your life toward the creator of all things and our Lord and Savior. This week we start with Psalm 8 - it's a powerful Psalm, and it's only nine verses long! Have fun. 

Special Guest - Area Director Eric Spangler

 
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Every so often, we will have a guest speaker at CrossView Church. We are so grateful for the gifted women and men that serve the Lord through teaching the word. This week we hear from Asia Area Director Eric Spangler. Pastor Eric is a significant leader in our denominational family. We encourage you to check out the Asia area information page here.

Usually, when we have a guest speaker, we will not have a weekly devotion. We encourage you to watch the message again at some point throughout the week and listen to the discussion podcast.

Blessings on you and your week.

Pastor Kyle

Special Guest - Pastor Mark Morrison

 
 

Every so often, we will have a guest speaker at CrossView Church. We are so grateful for the gifted women and men that serve the Lord through teaching the word. This week we hear from Pastor Mark Morrison the director of Shepherd Ministries - we encourage you to take a look at his ministry page here.

Usually, when we have a guest speaker, we will not have a weekly devotion. We encourage you to watch the message again at some point throughout the week and listen to the discussion podcast.

Blessings on you and your week.

Pastor Kyle

Free to be Me - Galatians Week 5

“The Spirit-led life offers such freedom to live headlong into the values of God, to create ripples and flow in his river.”
— Carolyn Moore

I spend a lot of time with middle schoolers these days. As a parent to a young teenager, I clock quite a few hours driving carpool, chaperoning hangouts, and hearing about the latest TikTok challenges. Many things have changed since I was this age (back in the olden days, when “tick-tock” was just the sound made by an analog clock), but one aspect of adolescence has held constant throughout the generations: a deep desire to fit in.

In a challenging and important developmental stage, young teenagers may sometimes feel that their highest priority is fitting in with peers – especially those peers who seem to have life all figured out. Social rules, frequently unspoken, dictate individual choices – fashion, activities, music, movies, etc. As a young teenager, the placement of the part in your hair or the length of the cuff on your jeans can make or break your own sense of being “in” or “out”.

This is a normal part of adolescent development, but it is just that: adolescent. In healthy human development, we continue to grow and learn to appreciate our individual personalities, passions, and gifts. We recognize that the many unspoken “rules” of adolescence serve not to include but to exclude, and that releasing our grip on these rules allows us to flourish and grow into the persons we were meant to be.

The same is true of our faith. An immature faith leans heavily on religious rules, frequently unspoken, in an attempt to fit in with others or to earn the right to be with God. The Galatian Christians found themselves struggling with this kind of adolescent behavior. The issue of the day was circumcision, a practice that was mandated by the Jewish religious law. The clear teaching of the Church was that Jesus had fulfilled the Law, freeing us from its rules and regulations, including the mandate of circumcision.

That’s not to say that the Law was bad. On the contrary, the Law was originally given to the people of God as a means of grace, a way for them to remain in relationship with God even though sin kept them from the perfect communion that God had designed and created. But when Jesus came and fulfilled the requirements of the Law on our behalf, he freed us once and for all from the Law’s heavy burden.

Yet despite that freedom, there were some in the early Church who insisted that the religious practice of circumcision was still necessary. Why? Paul notes two reasons. In Galatians 6:12, he wrote, “Whoever wants to look good by human standards will try to get you to be circumcised.” In other words, some Christians were insisting upon circumcision because they believed that doing so would garner the admiration of others. It was a way to make themselves appear more devout.

The other reason is even more dangerous. In Galatians 5:4, Paul says, “You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace!” Paul was addressing those Christians who had heard the good news of Jesus, who knew that their righteousness was found in Jesus alone, and yet who still clung to the belief that their righteousness was dependent upon their own actions.

Can we see ourselves in either of these adolescent ways of thinking? Do we think that we will somehow impress others if we make a show of our “holiness”? Do we judge others by their adherence to unnecessary religious rules? Or, even more seriously, do we think that we can somehow earn God’s love and approval by what we do or what we don’t do?

The truth is so much better than either of these immature beliefs. The truth is that Jesus has set us free from the Law and that we are no longer bound by the rules that held us in perpetual adolescence. He has removed the weight of the Law from our shoulders and has given us the gift of his Spirit – a holy presence to guide us in all wisdom. 

And here’s the real beauty: when we are guided by the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves free to live as we were originally created – as image-bearers of God, unique in our expressions of worship and love. Religious rules create rigid uniformity, a black-and-white, monotone system of behavior that is devoid of love. In contrast, the Holy Spirit creates a rich and vibrant community of image-bearers, refracting the brilliant light of God into a million colors of hope and love.

In Ephesians 3:16-19, Paul wrote, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

The immensity of God’s love cannot be contained within the rigid boundaries of the Law. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can be rooted in his love, and in that way we will be filled with life and power, free to be completely who we were meant to be.

Wow, What an Inheritance! - Galatians Week 4

“What will guide the new Christians if not the time-tested law of Moses? That is the question of the hour for Galatians.”
— Melissa Moore

Change is hard, and the unknown is frightening. I think we all know and have experienced the difficulty of change in one way or another. Indeed, we've all faced the fear of the unknown and unfamiliar over the past year and a half. Global pandemic aside, most people thrive on some type of routine in their life. Is that true of you?

Let me give you an example from my own life. Our family has a few routines when it comes to the meals we eat each week. Ever since our kids were young, we've had pizza every Friday evening. I know many families do this, but we call it Pizza Movie Night. We order a pizza and let the kids choose a family movie for us all to watch. This routine has become a can't miss event for our family. If my wife or I try to change Friday's meal or activities, we will have a revolt on our hands!

If change is hard when it comes to eating pizza and watching a movie on Friday evening, imagine how difficult it must have been for Jewish and Gentile Christians to map out a new way of life after believing in Jesus. In her devotional book on Galatians, Melissa Moore writes, "What will guide the new Gentile Christians' ethics (and way of life) if not the revered, time-tested Law of Moses? This was the question of the hour for our Galatians. And Paul's answer was (wait for it) -- the Holy Spirit." 

This week in our Sunday morning teaching time, we focus on the "inheritance" of faith that comes with believing in Jesus. That inheritance is the gift of the Holy Spirit - and what a gift that is. We receive the Holy Spirit from God upon hearing the good news of Jesus and responding in faith. The Holy Spirit, a member of the Trinity, fully God, "fills" our heart and mind, guides us in life, and empowers us to live in this new life of faith. 

A primary role of the Holy Spirit is to continue to reveal the truth of scripture, the person of Jesus, and help us understand and embody the love required of us toward others and God himself. Wow, what an inheritance - what a gift!  

The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, is well known for describing what it felt like to experience a moment with the Holy Spirit. While hearing the introduction to a commentary on the book of Romans read aloud, Wesley wrote, "while he [the reader] was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."  The gift we receive after responding to Jesus is the very spirit of God. Can I let you in on a secret? That's a much better way to live than trying to keep the letter of the law.

Back to Galatians. The Jewish people had only known life in and through the law of Moses (which had extended to include 613 commands). Paul came along and made sure the new believers were very clear about what they had received. They had received the spirit of God, who would now be their guide, help them understand truth, and would empower them rather than condemn them. The juxtaposition between the law and the spirit of God is powerful. To use the same juxtaposition but with a different metaphor, the law leads to condemnation and death, while the spirit of God leads to fruit-filled thriving and life. 

In fact, Paul uses the metaphor of fruit in one of the most well-known passages in Galatians. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"

I hope we hear Paul's message. As members of God's family through faith, we get an inheritance - the gift of the Holy Spirit who, rather than bring condemnation (as was common living under the law), He brings life and fruitfulness. This was indeed a new way to live and unsettled the familiar routine of following the law. Change is hard, and as this new family of faith found out, the unknown can be frightening. But, one thing is made abundantly clear in scripture even from the very beginning, God can be trusted, and his Spirit gives us a new rhythm, a renewed life, and an abundance of grace. Praise the Lord!

"Made Right?" What Does That Mean

“Jesus is the central aspect of humanity’s change in relationship with God.”
— Pastor Kyle

Relationships are tricky. I don't think it's an overstatement to say that every person alive has had to deal with at least one relationship that was, well, complicated! It stands to reason that if our human relationships are complex, then our relationship with God will also be tricky, and scripture bears this out. 

How to have a relationship with God is a question of significant concern for many of the New Testament books (actually for the Old Testament too - relationship problems between God and humanity start in the first chapters of Genesis). The Jewish people thought they had it figured out, and for a while, they did. Then Jesus came along and changed everything by redefining how humanity was to relate to God. This was excellent news, even if it didn't seem like it to the Jewish authorities. 

The message of the Gospel, the message of primary concern for Jesus, was that everyone could be in a relationship with God - everyone! The old walls of inclusion and exclusion didn't exist any longer because the actions Jesus took applied to every man, woman, and child who ever lived. The outcome of Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection meant that each person believing in Jesus could be "made new" or "made right" by dying to their old self, the self that constantly rejected God and was dirtied by all that rejection. That person is then re-born with Jesus through faith, and because of Jesus' resurrection, those who have faith are new without the stain of the previous way of life or thinking. Pretty great, right?! Then we are gifted the spirit of God to help us in this new way of life. 

Jesus is the central aspect of humanity's change in relationship with God. Meaning humanity doesn't have to strive to overcome the disconnection with God through some effort or special knowledge; we don't have to ascend to the heavens by enlightenment or the emptying of ourselves so that we can perceive the dive. One of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian faith is that God sought us. He came for you; he came for me; he came for all creation. He let us hear his voice, see his face, and experience his love. He came to show us that he loves us and wanted to fix things, to give us all hope and invite us into a deeply meaningful relationship. 

Galatians 3:26-29 says, "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you."

Yes, relationships are tricky, but the good news of the Bible - the entire story of the Bible - is that God wants to be in a relationship and that he made a way for that to happen. The question we have to wrestle with is one of response. I hope relationship with Jesus is something you will consider. You were made for this relationship - it's how you were designed. His invitation is an open one, my advice - don't wait! 

Romans 7:4,6: "So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God...But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit."

It's a fight! Peter vs. Paul in Galatians - Abundant Grace Week 2

“The outcome of the conflict between Peter and Paul is that the message of Jesus won the day.”
— Pastor Kyle

I love the way Scripture can speak today and bring clarity to situations and circumstances we face daily. This week we are looking at what first seems to be a knock-down-drag-out conflict between two heavyweights in the early church - Peter and Paul. 

We find this conflict in Galatians 2, and it feels like a fly-on-the-wall moment, "when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy (Galatians 2:12-13)." That's why Paul writes, "When Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong (Galatians 2:11)." Have you recently disagreed with someone about anything?! Wink. Wink.

As I mentioned earlier, this is where I love how Scripture can speak into our present circumstances. We're coming out of one of the most divisive seasons in recent memory. All I need to do is write the word "masks," and, no matter what you think, for some of you (probably many of you), it's sure to make your blood boil. What's more, masks (in my opinion) don't carry the same weight of importance as topics such as race, justice, and the political divide we've been dealing with throughout the past year. In many ways, the conflict between Peter and Paul mirrors our cultural divide and highlights different approaches to the same topic. 

In our Sunday message, the main point we highlight is the difference between fear running amuck in our spiritual life verse having confidence in Jesus and letting that confidence give us the courage to live out our faith as Jesus would like. For this devotion, we'd like to highlight that the outcome of the conflict between Peter and Paul is that the message of Jesus won the day. Now, we don't have a record of Peter's response to Paul's challenge, but we know that both Peter and Paul went on to preach and teach that salvation was for all people through faith in Jesus. In other words, the message of Jesus won the day. 

At times we need to be willing to reflect and ask sincerely, is what I think about this topic or this issue reflective of the way of Jesus - and if it's not, I need to be willing to change what I believe. It's easy to get caught up in the cultural heat of the moment, but we are sons and daughters of God, members of the kingdom of heaven. Our allegiance is to the way of Jesus first. We have surrendered our minds, hearts, lives to the one who gave up all the rights and privileges of heaven - out of love - to make a way for us to be renewed. What excellent news. We, who call ourselves by the name of Jesus, need to live the same way.  

One commentator I read this week wrote, "we need people in our lives with enough nerve to say to us (at times), 'you can't do that.' Neither Paul nor the circumcision party nor Peter nor the gentiles won the fight that day. Christ won, and because Christ won, the church won. The biggest win of our lives is sometimes on the other side of a lost fight." Wow. That is both true and hard to hear. 

As a spiritual formation practice this week, take some time to reflect on your thoughts, words, and deeds over the past year. If you need a reminder, talk to a close friend or family member, maybe take a look at your social media posts. Do your best to gain some perspective by asking, "How did I represent Jesus in a divisive season?" Take some notes, and make it all a matter of prayer with Jesus. I'm thankful for Paul's courage and the clarity of focus he had on what's important - the message of Jesus, and it's an invitation to all people everywhere to join the family of God. 

Abundant Grace: Galatians - Week 1

“Galatians is a powerful book that clearly articulates both what Jesus did on the cross and that Jesus’ actions are for all people everywhere.”
— Pastor Kyle

I've been listening to a new song from David Crowder, and Dante Bowe from Maveric City music called "God Really Loves Us." In a compelling ending to the song, we find the lyrics, "What a Father, What a Friend, What a Savior He is," repeated multiple times. I encourage you to listen to the song (you can find the link below). I can't get this refrain out of my head as I read the letter to the Galatians.

Galatians is a powerful book that clearly articulates both what Jesus did on the cross and that Jesus' actions are for all people everywhere. Galatians is both, as some scholars call it, "white-hot," in that Paul starts the letter defending himself and his message, as well as encouraging and hopeful. As we read through the chapters of Galatians, we are comforted with the reality that Paul is fighting to clarify that message of Jesus is for people like you and me.

In the message for this week, I highlight various layers of cultural complexity and complication, listing several reasons why some of the recipients of this letter, who once believed in Jesus, are going back to "the temple" -- that is going back to everyday Jewish practice and belief. One way we can enter into the story of Galatians is to understand, even relate to, the fact that many influences and voices are pulling us away from a lived-out faith in Jesus. It was hard for new believers in Galatia, and it's hard for us today as well.

Here is a spiritual formation practice I encourage you to practice each day this week. Start each morning reading scripture; I encourage you to read through Galatians each morning if you have the time. Then pray for the Lord to give you "eternal focus" throughout your day. That is, to be aware of the Lord's presence with you and giving you the capacity to respond to the Lord's guidance and direction. At the end of each day, spend more time in prayer, but this time write down 1) where and how you responded to the Lord's leading, and 2) where and how you were pulled away from living out faithfulness to Jesus.

This daily exercise aims to observe patterns in your life of which you might be unaware. In those instances, you have the opportunity for spiritual growth as you work with the Holy Spirit to address those areas. This exercise will also provide you with the opportunity to celebrate and reinforce areas of faithfulness in your walk with the Lord. Both of those outcomes are helpful.

I'm looking forward to our time together in the book of Galatians because, as Paul reminds us in Galatians 1:4, "Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen."

Reaching Others - CrossView Discipleship Pathway

“God’s people do this by being God’s people — a presence of humility and faith in a dark world. We are a community on a journey toward shalom. We are agents of hope and healing, sojourns who idon’thave it all figured out but are willing to pray for and pursue solutions. Our presence manifests itself through prayer and worship. Our faith is active. We are allies of the oppressed, serving with compassion at the margins, with hearts full of mercy as we advocate for the powerless. We proclaim the good news that Jesus liberates and heals and that anyone and everyone can be part of the family of God.” - Kevin Austin

That is a powerful quote from Kevin Austin, Director of the Set Free Movement, in his book, Set Free: A Guide to Pursuing Liberation in an Age of Bondage. To me, this statement is both pragmatic and aspirational. The foundation for this statement is built on many of Jesus' teaching, including one we all know found in Matthew 28:18-20:

"Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

The church has been asking for a long time how we share the good news of Jesus in a way that people will receive, leading to transformation and faith. Through the years, there have been many different approaches; some good, some not so good.

Many years ago, back in the early 2000s, I was part of a church planting team in Newberg, Oregon. What an exciting adventure! We planted a church called Southside Community Church on the south side of town (super creative name, I know). I vividly and fondly remember those days, and I can even remember the smell of the elementary school gym we used for Sunday services.

As we began this new church, we needed to develop relationships with the people living in that community. We did two things: 1) several of our team moved to the south side of town, and 2) chose a particular area of the neighborhood to serve. Serving for us began by knocking on doors and asking if we could mow lawns, wash cars, buy groceries, etc. It was invigorating and frightening. The point was to begin some relationship from which we could share about the church and the love of Jesus. Yet, I can't count how many times people slammed their door in my face when I'd say something like, "Hi, I'm Kyle. We are starting a new church, and I'd like to see if we could….(slam!)." Yeah, not necessarily the best approach to developing meaningful relationships.

Eventually, we did develop some ongoing, long-term, meaningful relationships with several people from the south side of Newberg. These relationships developed deep roots, and we saw Jesus do some incredible things in the hearts and minds of those we met.

These memories flood my mind when I think about where God has led us here at CrossView church in this fourth step of our discipleship pathway. As we think about Reaching Out to other people, the goal is to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with the people around us, inviting them into their own process with Jesus. It's the context of a relationship that allows us to show and share authentic love and tell others about the love of Jesus. To give us some handles for how to do this, we are using the B.L.E.S.S. model.

We didn't come up with the B.L.E.S.S. model, but it's a straightforward and powerfully transformative approach that really, profoundly loves others and witness to what Jesus had done in our own lives. B.L.E.S.S. (obviously an acronym which is a super churchy thing to do, it's cheesy, we know, but we love it) stands for Begin with prayer, Listen with care, Eat Together, Serve with love, and share your story.

We've got some great resources to find out more about the BLESS model; feel free to look below at the resources, including the book, Bless: 5 Everyday Ways to Love Your Neighbor and Change the World - this is a quick read and incredibly helpful in understanding this approach.

Here's the point. This approach isn't as programmatic as it might seem at first grace. This approach is about intentionally building long-lasting loving relationships with others, caring deeply about who they are, what's going on in their life, inviting them to your house, and sharing your own story - at appropriate times - of how Jesus has made a difference in your life and inviting others into their own journey with Jesus beginning wherever that might make sense. 

For example, if you are talking with a friend and they are sharing a current challenge, you might have the opportunity to pray for them, mentioning how meaningful prayer is for you. Amid a loving relationship, you will likely have countless opportunities to witness to love and grace of Jesus while also having a non-programmatic chance to invite someone into their own journey of faith with the only one who can make all things new.  

Want to join in on this journey of blessing people? It's something you can do today, and it will have a lasting impact.  

Connect with Others - CrossView Discipleship Pathway

“The pandemic has made it clear that even if we can’t be a people gathered, we can still be a people connected.”
— Pastor Kyle

Remember those moments in class when the teacher would say, unexpectedly, something like, "Okay everyone, I'm going to break you into small groups for this next project." Yikes! If you were like me, those words sounded worse than nails on a chalkboard. I was not a fan of small groups in school, or anywhere else for that matter. How about you?

Pastor Holly and I talked the other day, recognizing the difficulty of organizing a system of groups that provide space for many different types of people at different seasons of life and different places in their spiritual walk with Jesus. No matter how you look at it, intentionally connecting with other people can be difficult, but please hear me on this; it's very necessary.

I don't believe it's a stretch to say that without the investment and influence of other people in your life, you won't see the growth and development, personally or spiritually, that could be possible. For many people, the most significant moments of change and transformation they can remember are directly connected with a person; a pastor, mentor, coach, teacher, close friend, small group, family member, etc. This realization is critical when it comes to our spiritual formation. Not only do we need the investment of others in our life, but we should be investing in people around us well.

The pandemic has made it clear that even if we can't be a people gathered, we can still be a people connected. We have many examples of this throughout scripture. Maybe the most obvious example is how Jesus spent much of his time with a small group of people in whom he invested heavily and eventually asked them, and by extension, us to carry on the job of sharing the good news to the world.

Another example comes from the book of Romans 1:10-12, where Paul writes, "One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours." Paul reveals a genuine sense of appreciation for the spiritual life of other people. Although he was an apostle sent by God to proclaim the good news throughout the known world, he valued and would profit from other believers' faith. 

How about an example from the Old Testament that is often used in weddings, but when put in the context of this discussion, is powerful. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

Here at CrossView, we recognize the importance of making space in our lives for close personal relationships that will lead to transformation. We value the kind of close relationships where we let someone get to know us and speak deeply into our lives. We want to develop friendships where someone will listen without judgment, offers wise counsel but helps you make your own decision and loves you no matter what. This is not easy. For some of us, we have to choose to break out of our shells a bit and open up to others. However, when that happens, we can experience the Love of God in powerful ways and helps others do the same. Now that is something I can get behind. 

Stay in the Boat - Pastor Mark Morrison

 
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Every so often, we will have a guest speaker at CrossView Church. We are so grateful for the gifted women and men that serve the Lord through teaching the word. That is the case with Pastor Mark Morrison. I've known Pastor Mark for many years; he is a pastor and mentor to me personally. He's had an incredible impact on my life, and I know he will have a tremendous effect on your life too.

Usually, when we have a guest speaker, we will not have a weekly devotion. We encourage you to watch the message again at some point throughout the week and listen to the podcast. In this week's Podcast, Pastor Holly and I got an opportunity to talk with Pastor Mark about his ministry called Shepherd Ministries. We also encourage you to take a look at his ministry page here.

Blessings on you and your week.

Pastor Kyle

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The Resurrection and the Life - I Am Series - Week 6

“While it created problems for him with the religious authorities, Jesus proved that he is all we will ever need.”
— Pastor Kyle

This is it. This is the story that began the last days of Jesus’ life on earth. What Jesus said and did at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus was so radical and revealing that the religious authorities concluded that the only thing they could do was to - kill Jesus.

There are many incredible and revealing moments in the story of Lazurus found in John 11. One such moment can be found in verses 5 and 6, which says, “So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.” 

Jesus had received a message from Mary and Martha telling him that Lazarus (his friend) was very sick, deathly I’ll. Yet, Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. This statement has always seemed odd to me. For many reading this story, the natural conclusion might be, “If Jesus loved this family, he should have dropped everything he was doing, left right away, and healed Lazarus.”

However, if you’ll notice in verse 4, Jesus says, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” As we’ll see, Jesus was fully and finally revealed in the next several verses both by what he said and by what he did. In this revelation, we see how Jesus ‘loved’ all humanity and brought glory to God. 

You see, lingering for a few days created the opportunity for him to have transformative conversations with both Mary and Martha. He verbally revealed to them that he was the long-awaited Messiah. We benefit from these conversations still to this day. “Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again (John 11:23). “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha? (John 11:25–26).” She responded positively to his question then called to her sister. 

Lingering also created the opportunity for Jesus to exercise his power over life and death, another revealing that reinforces what he’d just told Martha; remember Jesus went into this situation already thinking, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death.” Incredible. All of this was to reveal to Mary and Martha and you and me precisely who Jesus is. Then he shows it powerfully by raising Lazarus from the dead.

One commentator I read this week wrote, “Essentially Jesus is saying, “I am exactly what Lazarus needs, and also what you need. He is dead, and you are alive. So listen. ‘Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live’” (verse 25). That’s for Lazarus. And “Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (verse 26). That’s for you. “I will rescue Lazarus, body and soul, from the grave. And you. You live, and believe in me, and so you will never die. And do you know what this means, Martha? It means I love you. And I love your brother. I will not abandon his soul to the pit or let his flesh be destroyed. I will raise him. And I will keep you in everlasting fellowship with me. I am telling you this. I am revealing my power and my glory to you, because I love you.”

You see, in waiting, Jesus created these opportunities to reveal himself on several levels. While it created problems for him with the religious authorities, he proved that he is all we will ever need. Jesus can rescue and restore; he can provide hope in grief; he even joins us in our suffering - he just doesn’t leave us there. In this story, Jesus reveals who he was in a way that went far beyond that day at Mary and Martha’s house so long ago. 

Jesus raised Lazarus because he is the resurrection. He is the arrival in history of God’s final, glorious renovation of all things. Lazarus is a preview of your resurrection through faith in Jesus. Jesus is coming back to this earth in power and glory. Come to me, Jesus said. I have much more to show you."

The Good Shepherd - I Am Series - Week 5

“What wonderful, good news! We have a divine Shepherd who is always with us: accepting us, forgiving us, teaching us, guiding us.”
— Richard Foster

It was an introvert’s nightmare.

My coworkers and I were scheduled to attend a large conference in a neighboring city. Being a mom to three elementary aged kids, I had to bring my children to school that morning, and so I arranged to drive separately from my coworkers and to arrive at the conference later in the morning. As I approached the venue, I thought about how nice it would be to arrive after the conference had started. Everyone would already be in the auditorium, leaving the lobby wide open and quiet, a perfect way for an introvert to begin a day of learning. I would navigate the parking lot with ease, breeze through the check-in process, and walk right up to the coffee bar. It would be glorious.

The dream was short-lived. As I turned into the parking lot, there were dozens of people milling about the sidewalks. When I walked into the lobby, there were hundreds more. People streamed out of the auditorium. The coffee bar looked like Target on Black Friday. I had arrived during a session break.

My illusions shattered, I realized that there was no way I would be able to find my work group in such chaos. I pulled out my phone and texted a coworker: “I’m here. Introvert nightmare.” The reply immediately lowered my blood pressure: “I’ll come find you.” And a minute later, as I waited among the throngs, I heard the voice of my friend, a voice that I knew, say, “Holly.” All was well.

In John 10:14-15, Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep.” In Jesus’ day, it was common for multiple flocks of sheep to share one large pen overnight, protected by their shepherds who kept watch at the gate. In the morning, the shepherds would call out to their sheep, and their own flock would follow them out to pasture to graze. How did the shepherd remember which of the many sheep were his? How did the sheep know which shepherd to follow? The shepherd knew his sheep, and his sheep knew him. They knew the sound of his voice, a voice they could trust to lead them to safe pastures.

Jesus is our good shepherd. He knows each one of us by name, and his desire is for us to know and trust him. In the Hebrew language, as well as in Jewish culture, “to know” did not mean to “know about” or to “know of”, nor did it mean to have an intellectual understanding. “To know” meant to be in relationship, to have an intimate and personal connection. That is how Jesus and God the Father know one another, it is how Jesus knows us, and it is how we can know him. We can have a deep and personal relationship with Jesus, our good shepherd. We can trust him to watch over us while we rest, to walk with us through danger and darkness, to lovingly seek us when we go astray, to carry us when we are weak, and to lead us to good pastures and still waters.

Sheep learn the sound of their shepherd’s voice by being with their shepherd, by living with them and walking with them day in and day out. This is how we learn to recognize the sound of our Shepherd’s voice as well. Do you recognize the voice of Jesus? Can you hear him speaking your name through the chaos and fray of life? This week, set aside time to be with him. Pick up or download a Bible and start to read the book of John. Listen to music made for worship. Pray. If praying feels awkward, know that that’s okay. However hesitant or halting it may be, your voice is a delight to Jesus. He knows you, and he longs for you to know him more and more, too.

The True Vine - I Am Series - Week 4

“Friends, Jesus is inviting us into partnership in bearing fruit. This is not a burden to bear, but a joyful opportunity to participate in.”
— Michael Forney

"Kyle, are you abiding in the truth?" I never knew quite how to answer that question, though I loved that my professor would ask. I had the privilege of learning from Dr. Paul Anderson while attending George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. Still teaching at George Fox, Paul is a brilliant professor and teacher known the world over for his scholarship on the book of John. I didn't take his question lightly, and the passage from which it comes, John 15, became a passage of scripture I deeply love. 

At first, I didn't understand how to gauge my level of "abiding." In John 15, likely while walking with his disciples toward the garden of Gethsemane before his arrest and execution, Jesus takes a moment to tell his closest friends to "remain" or "abide" with him. Jesus had just said to his disciples at dinner that he was leaving. He also told them that one would betray him and another would deny him in the next few hours. Things were changing quickly, and it was necessary to say to his friends this critical message, "remain," or "abide."

The admonition to remain wasn't the entirety of his message. Jesus, as he usually does, had a bit more to say, and I'm so thankful he did. "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father" (John 15:5–8 NLT).

Do you see the outcome for those who remain? Fruitfulness. This is especially true when we stay connected through times of difficulty or crisis. In a well-written article on this passage (linked below), Supt. Michael Forney writes,

"Friends, Jesus is inviting us into partnership in bearing fruit. This is not a burden to bear, but a joyful opportunity to participate in. Everywhere in history where the church has captured the heart of God in this, the result has been spectacular! God always does more through our faith and obedience than we can think to ask or imagine. He gets the glory, and the kingdom expands in glorious redemptive movement."

Looking back (I like to be reflective), I wish I'd been more aware of my fruitfulness in those college days. Having done so, maybe I could have answered Paul's question with more authenticity. Did my life reflect a regular dependence on God and a faithfulness to his way of life? Did I regularly embody the characteristics of the ‘fruit’ described in Galatians 5:22-23, which says, "the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"? Did my life look like that? Even, and especially, in difficult days. I think the honest answer is yes AND no. 

I hear Jesus' admonition to remain, and I want too with all my heart. I recognize that fruitfulness as an outcome of that abiding means ongoing connection and partnership with the person of Jesus no matter what. So I'll continue asking myself the question I heard hundreds of times from my professor all those years ago, "Kyle, are you abiding in the truth?" I know better now how to answer that question, and how to live it out. How about you?

The Way the Truth Life - I Am Series - Week 3

“Jews had for centuries longed for a ‘new Exodus’ to get them out of their ongoing enslavement to pagan powers. Jesus is saying: this is the moment!””
— N.T. Wright

He did it! Jesus is the victorious messiah that many had hoped for. In fact, Jesus’ death and resurrection proved his victory over sin, death, and the grave. This message is the heart of all Christian hope and the anchor to our way of life. Jesus, through his death, put to death those things in our life that had broken our relationship with God. Then, by faith in Jesus and his resurrection, we are given new life - raised with Christ in God, made brand new, redeemed and restored. All of this is completed in and through Jesus.

Jesus knew all of this was to happen when he ate with his disciples that last night before he was to die. We call it, the last supper. We remember the meal Jesus had with his closest friends for many reasons and its where we find this weeks “I Am” statement. In John 14:1-6 we get a glimpse of this tender moment between Jesus and his friends. Jesus tells them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

These are incredibly tender words, and we should read them as such. One of the most exclusive claims of Jesus is made in one of the most tender moments with his disciples. Jesus is giving the disciples hope in this passage. He’s also making powerful connections to their history as a way of reminding them who he is.

N.T. Wright comments, “Jesus chose Passover to do what had to be done: to go to Jerusalem, to denounce prophetically the present temple and its leadership and to inaugurate a radically different temple-equivalent. Jesus chose the freedom-moment, the victory-moment, in order to evoke, to recapitulate, God’s victory over Pharaoh, over the Red Sea, over the dark forces that had kept Israel captive. Jews had for centuries longed for a ‘new Exodus’ to get them out of their ongoing enslavement to pagan powers. Jesus is saying: this is the moment!”

Jesus essentially said to his disciples, ‘I am the protector, provider, and your guide. I am the image of God in your midst, the truth you should embody, the only one who can provide life now and forever. For your ancestors in the desert, ‘I Am’ was the only one who provided the way, he led you in the truth, and he gave life to your ancestors as they wandered in the wilderness. ‘I Am,’ is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — and guess what? I Am the way the truth and the life so don’t be afraid. Then Jesus says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”

Jesus uses this important event, passover, to remind his disciples of who he is and what he’s done. The emphasis here is that God is the only one who could have brought the Israelites through the desert, and he’ll do it again here and now in and through Jesus. Wow. I love how all this ties together. The admonition here is to trust a God who has already come through, saying he’ll do it again — beautiful.

This reminds of the hymn recorded in Colossians beautifully reminding us of the character and nature of Jesus. Don’t let your heart be troubled trust in Jesus. Colossians 1:15-17, 19-20: “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”

The Light of the World - I Am Series - Week 2

“Throughout the scripture God is unquestionably sovereign over elements of darkness no matter where they are found.”
— Pastor Kyle

Light is something we all understand, especially as it relates to darkness. We’ve all seen what happens to darkness when it meets with light — darkness ceases to exist. Isn’t that cool? Darkness doesn’t move over outside the boundaries of the light, it ceases to exist. I love the way that works. To state the obvious, there are significant spiritual insights to the themes of light and dark.

We find the themes of light and dark all over scripture. In fact, we see them almost immediately in the creation story found in Genesis and they develop all the way through to the end of the New Testament. The biblical authors use these themes over and over as a way of talking about God, Jesus, and our spiritual life.

Years ago I took a youth group through an evening held completely in the dark. All the lights in the room were off for the entire evening. Have you ever participated in a group experience completely in the dark? I hadn’t, except for this night, it was so much fun.

We played a “game” where the students had to find pieces of a dismantled flashlight hidden around the room with the goal of reassembling all the missing pieces once they were found. It took a while for them to find the parts of the flashlight, but once they found all the pieces and had assembled it they instinctively turned it on. What happened next was unexpected and worked as a great teaching opportunity.

When the light from the flashlight filled the small corner of the room everyone else, from wherever they happened to be, stopped what they were doing and walked over to the light. They were like moths attracted to the flame. Interestingly, I hadn’t given them any instruction. I didn’t tell them to go to the light, that’s simply what they did, and it provided a great opportunity to talk about light, dark, and spiritual lessons around following Jesus.

From the beginning of the Old Testament the use of light is strongly connected to the personal presence of God. God himself leads and guides his people in the wilderness though light. Later, as we looked at in our message, Jesus claims to be the ‘light of the world.’ The link of light with the Creator is also used as a tie between light and full life. If light symbolizes God’s presence, and God is the author of life, then surely where God is, life abounds.

I think it’s also important to note that in the bible light and darkness, most often understood as good and evil, are not equal. Throughout the scripture God is unquestionably sovereign over elements of darkness no matter where they are found. This become incredibly apparent in the death and resurrection of Jesus in which Jesus was victorious over all things that stood in opposition to God. In fact, the New Testament clearly re-focuses the theme of light and life on Jesus as Messiah and the bodily presence of God. The light of God literally walking on earth giving us guidance and direction, incredible!

There is so much hope in Jesus, the presence of God in our midst, the source of light in the darkness, our salvation, our healing, the one who restores, reveals, gives wisdom, and freedom. Where are you experiencing darkness in your life these days? We’ve all come through a very difficult year, we are not completely through it yet. Let’s be like the students who instinctively sought the light in the dark. Jesus was clear on this teaching, “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life (John 8:12).”

Bread of Life - I Am Series - Week 1

“Whatever you may be hungry for — it all begins and ends with Jesus, our bread of life.”
— Pastor Kyle

I don’t eat bread. Well, I don’t eat bread often. A few years ago I learned that I have a slight allergy to gluten, which means I’ve cut regular bread out of my diet completely. I miss bread, a lot! I know, you’re probably thinking, “Kyle, there are gluten-free bread options.” Thanks for mentioning that, I’ve actually tried several types of gluten-free bread, and the truth is they simply don’t taste the same.

Bread is a wonderful thing. Interestingly, scripture uses bread as a metaphor to talk about aspects of the spiritual life. Did you know that bread is mentioned a few hundred times in scripture? It certainly mentions the physical bread that one could eat, but the bible also uses bread as a metaphor to help us better understand both the spiritual life and God himself.

In the story of scripture bread is used to help us understand a significant aspect of the character of God — that he is our provider. One of the most famous stories of God as a provider, of actual physical could be eaten bread, is found in Exodus 16:2-4: “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.”

Another famous example is when Jesus feed the five thousand in Matthew 14:15-20, “As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” Incredible!

While God providing actual bread for people to eat is an incredible miracle and shows the character of a God who cares deeply about daily life, Jesus takes the metaphor even further when he says in John 6:32-35, “Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

In this case, bread helps us understand the concept of “spiritual hunger,” and how Jesus is the only one who can truly satisfy that type of hunger. The thing about Spiritual hunger is that it is a lot harder to put our finger on. We don’t necessarily feel a hunger pang for connection with God like we do in our stomachs when they are empty. So often, it’s only after someone else points out our need for God, that we realize our soul is longing for some type of fulfillment. I’m writing to remind us all of our need for God. The truth about this longing is that we can, at times, interpret that desire as a need for something other than God. We might try to satisfy that desire in several ways, but our need is for God and God alone.

Jesus, the bread of life, can satisfy our spiritual needs better than anything else we try to fill our lives with. But even more than that, Jesus connects us to God by satisfying our spiritual hunger when we can’t even put our finger on what exactly is wrong. The reality is Jesus knows what we need even better than we know ourselves. One commentator I read this week wrote, “Certainly God can meet our need for spiritual nourishment in more mundane ways — a quiet morning walk at sunrise, a run-in with an old friend at the grocery store, a scripture verse or hymn that seemingly just pops in your head. The thing is, unlike regular food, Jesus is always available to us and always present for us. Jesus, unlike bread, doesn’t get moldy, stale, or run out. Jesus’ love for us is free — no need to put “pick up some more Jesus” on our grocery shopping list or wonder whether we’ll need to work a few extra hours to make sure we have enough Jesus on the table! Jesus is present to satisfy our spiritual longings at all times.”

Whatever you may be hungry for — it all begins and ends with Jesus, our bread of life.

Easter 2021 - Jesus is Calling Your Name

“A key aspect of the message of Easter is to recognize the “with us” aspect of God in Jesus”
— Pastor Kyle

The gospel is all about victory.

We see this in many places throughout scripture. N.T. Wright comments that “Paul assumes this. John assumes this. And if we’d asked them what that victory was or how it was achieved, they would certainly have spoken of Jesus’ death on the cross.”

Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT) says, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” In another translation verse 15 says, “It looked as if the powers of the world were triumphing over Jesus, but actually, it was the other way around.”

Wow! Did you know that it is possible to live knowing that the powers of death, despair, and hopelessness do not rule the day? In fact, it is possible to live knowing they are completely and totally defeated. That is excellent news, news we all need to hear especially in the difficulty of this past year.

A key aspect of the message of Easter is to recognize the “with us” aspect of God in Jesus. Most Western forms of Christianity have made their main emphasis, or the ultimate aim of being a Christian, to go to heaven when you die. While being in eternity with God is certainly one of the incredible realities of faith in Jesus, we should not lose sight of the fact that Jesus’ defeat of death makes a huge difference here, now, today.

When you give your heart to Jesus, you will likely experience a significant inward difference. Often it’s described as a weight lifting off ones shoulders as you realize the power of forgiveness. There’s also an inward experience of deep love as God welcomes you as a daughter or son into the family — fully adopted and given a full inheritance right away; it can be beautifully overwhelming! From that moment on you have something new to live for — Jesus.

Often filled with gratitude at receiving these incredible inward gifts, gifts you might feel you don’t deserve, you begin to see the world differently. You begin to see the people around you differently. It’s almost like your capacity for love expands beyond what you thought possible — like what happens when you have kids of your own. All of a sudden, there are new ways forward through the most difficult things in life, and Jesus is walking right beside you the whole time.

Christ made all of this possible by defeating everything that kept us from this kind of relationship with him — and his invitation to us, to join him, is a gift. In fact, this invitation, the opportunity for you to experience this incredible freedom, life, and purpose is before you right this moment. It’s an invitation to join a new type of life here and now — what the bible calls the Kingdom of God.

Today is about recognizing that God came onto our broken planet and into our broken way of life to remake things, to remake you and me, and offer us renewed life here and now. Because of Jesus’ actions that day you and I can live filled with hope for the future, purpose for today, all while experiencing a deep sense of inward love.

This is a journey. We can do it together. Following Jesus isn’t always easy, and we are not perfect at it, but we commit to walk together, encouraging each other with God’s help today, tomorrow, the next day, etc. Will you join us?

Happy Easter! Christ is risen. He is victorious. Everything is made new.

High Drama in Jerusalem - Palm Sunday

“The heart of the New Testament picture of Jesus is the story of a God who comes to pitch his tent in our midst and to reveal his glory right here”
— N.T. Wright

One thing I’ve learned in studying the Bible for many years is that Jesus is never what I expect him to be. Often he leaves me scratching my head as he does something spiritually profound, and yet hard to understand. The story of Palm Sunday is just such a moment.

At first glance the scene seems a bit surreal. I imagine Jesus rolling into town with people shouting, praising, waving beaches, and getting caught up in the excitement of it all — even though he rode in on a donkey. It was Passover and that meant that the streets would have been filled with onlookers and visitors from all over. Passover meant more people, more attention, and potentially more trouble.

Jesus is certainly a triumphal king as we will celebrate one week from today — but the profound nature of what Jesus is doing in this story has more to do with the brokenness of the people and world around him. You see, Jesus didn’t come to be showered with praise, kingly robes, or a crown of gold. Jesus came to a broken world with broken justice, corrupt power, and failed love. He came to bring renewal; a do-over, and we needed it.

N.T. Wright writes, “The heart of the New Testament picture of Jesus is the story of a God who comes to pitch his tent in our midst and to reveal his glory right here… The gospel is not about a distant god playing puppets with his world and with humans. It is about God coming to the place where the world is in pain, where the personal and political and societal tensions have reached a screaming point, and standing there to take the pain of the world into himself, to be with us in the midst of it all, and right there to reveal the glory of his self-giving love.”

Isn’t that a picture of our world over the past year? One of pain, suffering, political tension, and societal unrest. Things both inwardly and outwardly seemed to have reached a screaming point. N.T. Wright continues by commenting that “our world just now is reeling from so many broken dreams, from the schooling prospects of children in lockdown to the terrible plight of so many refugees, to the persecution of minorities in many countries and right home to the horrible rising tide of COVID deaths in our homes and down the street.”

We are exhausted, and what do we see? Our God, Jesus, not distant leaving us to deal with our suffering alone, but coming to dwell with us, his people, in our pain and suffering. Jesus knew the cries of those around him were voices of people broken and hurting. But God didn’t wait for us to clean up our lives or our world. He came down to the place where our hopes and aspirations had crashed to the ground. God literally came to the most broken places of our world, our life and meets us. Hallelujah!

I wonder if Jesus rejoiced knowing the outcome of his journey into the city of Jerusalem would eventually be an invitation, for all humanity, to a new reality of life where death, suffering, pain, and separation from God would not get the last word. An invitation to the reality that the creator of all things came to us to put all things back to rights and then invited us to join him. Jesus came to us, to redeem, renew, restore, and relieve our suffering. That’s what he did for us on the cross. Are you in need of some renewal? If we are honest, the answer is, “absolutely, most certainly yes!” Well, then, you should know. Jesus offers that to you - how will you respond?

Now, when I read this story, it seems clear that those singing mostly missed the point that day. What they wanted was so small compared to what was offered. What about you? Have you experienced Jesus with you in the midst of your suffering? Spend some time carefully reading the story of the last week of Jesus’ life, starting here in John 20 with the Triumphal Entry. As you read it, remember Jesus actions back then are, in part, for the opportunity you have this very moment - a brand new life with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Thank you, Jesus. Hosanna!

Unsettled Series - Active Love

“Here comes Jesus with this pesky admonition to love our enemies, but if you are a follower of Jesus you don’t have a choice. ”
— Pastor Kyle

Love my enemies?! Really, Jesus. Couldn’t you have left that one out? It’s hard enough to love the people I like — can I get an “Amen!” I’m not certain if I’ve experienced a year when the difficulty of loving others was more pronounced than in the pandemic- filled year of 2020 — how about you? 2020 was full of disagreements — stay-at-home orders, masks or no masks, a divisive political cycle, extreme civil and racial unrest, etc. — it was almost too much to handle, and those disagreements still exist. Maybe more so than ever it’s easy to identify those whom we consider to be our enemy.

With all that in mind, here comes Jesus with this pesky admonition to love our enemies. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-44 NLT).” This is a declaration of Jesus. Meaning, if you are a follower of Jesus you don’t have a choice but to try to love those you consider your enemies; no matter how you feel about them. Jesus goes on to say that loving only those who love you is common to all people, even the despised tax collector. But, we who follow Jesus are to be different as we live out the faith modeled by Jesus.

What Jesus is saying is that the love of neighbor and enemy alike should characterize the disciples of Christ. The reason God calls us to this kind of love is because of the way he has loved us. One author I read this week wrote, “We often forget what our lives were like before God saved us... Paul described our condition before Christ as outsiders.” In Ephesians 2 Paul wrote that we (gentiles) were separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel, not part of the original covenant promise, we were without hope and without God (Ephesians 2:11-12).

Wow, that’s a fun description of our condition. In effect were enemies to God. Yet, God sought to welcome us back. His perfect love has cast out fear, turned strangers into sons, and the distanced into daughters through Jesus. “Wow, well, okay Pastor Kyle, when you put it like that.” Exactly. What Jesus did for us was incredible — and it calls us to a different way of living.

Jesus was able to model something our culture desperately needs — spaces of welcome where strangers, enemies, outsiders, and others can become our friends. Did you know we are part of one of those spaces? A ‘pocket of love’ in the midst of our neighborhood — it’s called the church. The church is to exist not as a haven from the world but as a place of hope for the world. Can we partner together to love those around us? Even the ones we consider our enemies? This week as you think about this, come up with a few different ways you can practice love especially to those around you who might be a bit difficult. The good news is that Jesus has already shown us the way.