Advent 2021 - Week 4 - Love

“Start small, right where we are. The next opportunity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus is not waiting in the spotlight on the biggest stage, but right in front of us as we walk down the street, hiding in the form of outcast or neighbor or stranger.”
— Matt LeRoy

This week we want to share with you a devotion entitled “Love Local (Go Small and Go Home).” This devotion was written by Matt LeRoy. Matt LeRoy is co-pastor of Love Chapel Hill in downtown Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We hope you will find these words to be helpful and encouraging as you read.

It was one of those mornings. My twin sons, Luke and Sam, were about 5 or 6 years old. And they once again transformed the drive to school into an open forum Question and Answer session where no theological curiosity was off limits. I did my best to answer in a way they could grasp. It went something like this:

Luke: Dad, if Jesus is in my heart, how can he be in heaven at the same time?

Me: Great question, buddy. Because Jesus is God and he can be everywhere at once.

Luke: But Dad, I thought there was only one Jesus. How can one person be everywhere?

Me: Another great question. He is so big that he fills up everything everywhere so he can be everywhere and right there with you at the same time.

Sam: But Dad, if Jesus is so big, then why can’t we see him?

These Kindergarten / Kingdom sized curiosities are answered in Advent. This season of mystery invites and awakens childlike faith. Not just to grasp the right answers. But to keep asking the right questions.

Author Madeleine L’Engle employed the phrase, “the irrational season” to describe this journey we’re on. This moment that asks us to believe the impossible and stake everything on it. That the massive God who fills all things makes Himself small enough to see. For all the times He reveals Himself through fire and flood and plague and blinding glory, in this moment we see Him most clearly. As the Transcendent descends. The Universal localized. The image of the invisible God.

In addition to my role as theology student under Luke and Sam, I’m also one of the pastors at a quirky little church called Love Chapel Hill in downtown Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Our name is our mission: Love Chapel Hill with the heart of Jesus. In the early days of planting this church, we often heard hyped up strategists and leadership experts repeat the rallying cry, “go big or go home.” Instead, we took on the counter approach of “go small and go home.” In other words, start small, right where we are. Love Local, we like to say, as a reminder that the next opportunity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus is not waiting in the spotlight on the biggest stage, but right in front of us as we walk down the street, hiding in the form of outcast or neighbor or stranger. Every moment is an opportunity to make the highest truth and deepest theology and largest love small enough to see.

Of course, this no innovation. It is simply an imitation of the image of the invisible God. The One in whom all the fullness of God dwells, and yet He comes and dwells with us. The massive God who fills all things and makes Himself small enough to see.

The Prayer

God of fullness who fills all things, make Yourself small enough to see through me. And give me eyes to see You made small through others.

The Questions

How can you Love Local, or go small and go home?
What is one small way you can help one person to see the love of Jesus in you?

AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND MADE HIS DWELLING AMONG US.

Advent 2021 - Week 3 - Joy

“Advent is a season focused on preparing for the coming of Emmanuel. It is both a beginning and an end to the Church’s pilgrimage through the life of Christ – a time to recall the world’s expectation and longing for the first coming of Jesus Christ into our humanity and a time to anticipate his second coming in final victory.”
— Johnathan Powers

This week we want to share with you a devotion entitled “Joy to the World: A Reflection on Advent” This devotion was written by Jonathan Powers. Dr. Powers is Assistant Professor of Worship Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. We hope you will find these words to be helpful and encouraging as you read.

One of the most popular and well-beloved hymns of the Christmas season is Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World.” Not only is it common in the weeks surrounding Christmas to hear the song played on the radio and sung in the church, but the words “Joy to the World” are also frequently found imprinted on Christmas cards, displayed on banners, and woven in Christmas sweaters. Undeniably, it is difficult to find better words that sum up the jubilant celebration of Christ’s incarnation than “Joy to the world!” Yet, as wonderful and fitting as the words are, the song was not originally written as an observance on Christmas.

The hymn, “Joy to the World” first appeared in 1719 in a hymnbook of psalms for congregational singing published by Isaac Watts entitled The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to the Christian State and Worship. Much of the congregational singing during Watts’ time was limited exclusively to metrical paraphrases of the Psalms. This practice was established by John Calvin, who, during the Reformation, translated the Psalms into the common language of the people to foster congregational singing. Watts was not satisfied with the practice of psalm-singing, however, and felt a lack of joy and emotion among congregants as they sang. His father therefore offered him a challenge – write a different hymnody for the church. Taking up the challenge, Watts began a lifelong practice of composing lyrics that wed personal and emotional subjectivity with theological and doctrinal objectivity. 

Isaac Watts’ inspiration for “Joy to the World” came via a Christological meditation on Psalm 98. Verse 4 of the psalm especially grabbed his attention: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” As Watts thought about how the verse could be understood through the person and work of Jesus Christ, he believed the psalm was to be rightfully interpreted through the lens of Christ’s second coming rather than his first. Particularly, Watts believed verses 8 and 9 frame the psalm in a future-orientation rather than a past event: “Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”

Take a moment and read through the lyrics of the hymn (which are provided below). Note that the opening line is not, “Joy to the world! The Lord has come,” as if Watts was talking about a past act, but rather “Joy to the world! The Lord iscome.” Also note that none of the typical Christmas imagery is present. There is no explicit focus on Christ’s incarnation or birth. Rather, the lyrics speak more about Christ’s rule and reign. Not that the reign of Christ is an unfitting topic for the Christmas season – see Charles Wesley’s “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” for example – but it is also a very fitting topic for another season in the church calendar, the season of Advent, a time of anticipating Christ’s final rule and victory.

Advent is a season focused on preparing for the coming of Emmanuel. It is both a beginning and an end to the Church’s pilgrimage through the life of Christ – a time to recall the world’s expectation and longing for the first coming of Jesus Christ into our humanity and a time to anticipate his second coming in final victory.

Take a moment and read through the lyrics again. Think about them in light of Christ’s second coming. When interpreted primarily through the final chapters of Revelation instead of the first chapters of the Gospel of Luke, the lyrics take on a different dynamic meaning for the church today. The words bring hope in the midst of darkness, trial, and tribulation. They anticipate the joy that Christ’s reign will bring. They proclaim the cosmic doxology that will occur when heaven comes to earth. They remind us that sin will be eradicated and truth and grace shall rule.

May these words find their way into our eyes, ears, mouths, and minds this Advent and Christmas season. And may we all be filled with joy as we look forward with hope, as did God’s people long ago, to the coming of Emmanuel.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

Advent 2021 - Week 2 - Peace

“Your peace will come from the trust and assurance of this truth: no matter what you face, no matter what you are afraid of – God is bigger.”
— Andy Stoddard

This week we want to share with you a devotion entitled “Can We Really Have Peace?” This devotion was written by Andy Stoddard who serves as the Lead Pastor of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church in Madison, MS. We hope you will find these words to be helpful and encouraging as you read.

I’ve been thinking a lot about peace recently.  We are in the midst of Advent, a season of hope, peace, love, and joy.  It’s in this season when we proclaim the words of Isaiah 9:6-7:

For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The Prince of Peace is born!  That’s what we say.  That’s what we believe.

That’s what we believe: as Christians, as the church, that’s what we believe. And in the world that we live in, that makes us look different.  Off.  Odd.

And you know what?  Good.  We are supposed to.  We aren’t supposed to be like the world.  We aren’t supposed to be like the culture.

We are supposed to be different.

As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:10 – we are fools for Christ.  We are supposed to look differently, believe differently, act differently.  We are called to have a different hope, joy, love, and peace.

As I regularly say, if you tell folks you are Christian and they say, “really?”  that’s not a good sign.  We have to look and to be different from the world.

I’m not saying that there aren’t things to be afraid of.  I’m not saying that there aren’t things that can take our peace, take our joy, take our hope, take our love.

Of course there are!  There are big, scary, worrisome things.  But please hear me.

God is bigger.

God is stronger.

God is more mighty.

He is bigger than your fears.

And as Christians, believing that is who we are.

And the world needs us to believe it and know it.

Your peace will not come from an absence of conflict or absence of things that are you are afraid of.

Your peace will come from the trust and assurance of this truth: no matter what you face, no matter what you are afraid of – God is bigger. And God is good.

Jesus Christ is the prince of peace.

Yesterday.

Today.

Forever.

He is our peace.

Will you trust him today?

Advent 2021 - Week 1 - Hope

“What can the Church do? It seems as if there is no hope. But that is precisely the one thing we do have. We light a wreath of candles as an act of defiance against the darkness. ”
— Matt LeRoy

This week we want to share with you a devotion entitled “Anthem of Advent: The Disruptive Genius of God with Us.” This devotion was written by Matt LeRoy who serves as co-pastor of Love Chapel Hill in North Carolina. We hope you will find these words to be helpful and encouraging as you read:

“O God that you would rend the heavens and come down.” (Isaiah 64:1)

These are the words of Isaiah, the prophet laureate of Advent. We hang on his words this time every year, waiting for the arrival of the promised Savior. And no one casts that vision quite like Isaiah. But here in chapter 64 of his book, he breaks from the familiar tones of expectant hope and instead pours out a lament.

To “rend a garment” in ancient Jewish culture was a sign of deep despair and mourning, an outward physical representation of what was taking place in the soul. In this lament Isaiah draws on this imagery as he pleads for God to mourn with us, to ‘rend the heavens’ like a garment. Look at the chaos of the world, Lord, and grieve alongside us.

But Isaiah asks for more. Don’t just grieve over what is wrong, come down and set it right. Don’t just share our pain, be active in healing it. We know you are working behind the scenes, directing the play. But we need you to step onto center stage and take the lead role.

And this, of course, is exactly what God does. God answers this prayer through the scandalous mystery of The Incarnation. God becomes human.

Of course Jesus is fully God. We wholeheartedly proclaim his divinity and worship him for it. But Jesus is also fully human. And, perhaps there is more mystery here than we realize, he becomes a very particular kind of human. In the Old Testament, God repeatedly makes covenant with the Jewish people. At the dawn of the New Testament, he becomes one of them.

We understand that Jesus was born for all people, but perhaps sometimes we forget that Jesus was born into a specific race of people, into a long cultural heritage and history. He carried distinct physical features (the tone of his skin, the color of his eyes, inherited family traits) that identified him with that people and he always fully embraced that identity. He was born into a race of people who had experienced hundreds of years of slavery, a trial they could never forget. He was born into a race of people who knew what it meant to be conquered by force. Repeatedly they were violently attacked and carried away from their homeland and into exile.

At the time of his birth, his people were living under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. The very dust beneath their feet had been promised to them by God Himself. Yet Caesar, in all of his might, claimed it as his own and instituted a reign of systematic injustice. Taxes, laws, enforcement tactics—Jesus’ people were at the mercy of the system. From the very first glance of his face and skin, from the very first sounds of his accent, from the things that he ate and the ways that he worshipped, it was undeniably clear that Jesus was firmly located and numbered among the oppressed. And that is exactly where he wanted to be. And that is exactly where we still find him.

The mystery of the Incarnation will always baffle and amaze anyone who is even half-awake. But perhaps it’s this particular part of the mystery that is asking to be explored in days like these.

This Advent season, we find ourselves in the throes of turmoil again. Tensions over race and injustice are exposed with every news cycle. The plight of refugees is reduced to divisive political debate. Reports of terrorism and human trafficking and senseless violence dominate our screens. Catastrophe has become common place.

What can the Church do? It seems as if there is no hope. But that is precisely the one thing we do have. We light a wreath of candles as an act of defiance against the darkness. We raise our voices and cry out with the prophet Isaiah, O Lord that you would rend the heavens and come down. And we look for him where he has always been found— With us in the thick of oppression and chaos, located among the broken and outcast and exiled. Like a shoot from the stump of Jesse, a small shock of green growing out of the wasteland. Rooted where you least expect him. Where is God in times like these? With us.

This is the time for the Church to proclaim the anthem of Advent, the disruptive genius of God With Us. With us in our pain, our tragedy, our longing. With us to empower premeditated love, even in the face of fear. With us to form his people into a living protest against the way things are, and a prophetic vision of what should and one day will be.

He is with us as we wait for Advent all over again, watching and hoping for the return of our long-expected Jesus. When he will once again rend the heavens and come down.

The Book of James - Week 3

“According to the Bible, our words may be the most powerful thing we have.”
— J.D. Walt

This week we want to share with you a devotion entitled On Sticks and Stones and Words. This devotion was written by J.D. Walt of Seedbed. We hope you will find these words to be helpful and encouraging as you continue to pursue a life of “pure religion”, truly devoted to God:

CONSIDER THIS

Everyone has heard and remembers the childhood adage, “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” It’s a lie. James puts it poignantly: but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Indeed, our words have the power to build up or to destroy. According to the Bible, our words may be the most powerful thing we have. Hear these words from the book of Proverbs.

From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward. Proverbs 12:14

The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Proverbs 12:18-19

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream. Proverbs 18:4

The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in right circumstances. Proverbs 25:11

I am fond of asking others, particularly friends, this question: “Do you have a word for me?” My expectation is they will give me one of two possible words; either a word from God for me or a word of God to me. In other words, a word of prophecy or a word of wisdom or if neither of these, then a word of scripture.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,  but no human being can tame the tongue.

“No human being can tame the tongue.” The good news is the tongue can be tamed. We just can’t do it on our own. The tongue can be tamed as it is trained by the Word of God and the Spirit of God. It’s a critical aspect of our discipleship to Jesus. Always remember, one of the greatest powers you have resides in your tongue. Use it boldly yet with great care.

THE PRAYER

God, our Father, I want to be a real Christian. I want my words to reflect your Word and be inspired and empowered by your Spirit. Awaken me to the power of my tongue. Train my tongue to be a source of great blessing for you and others. In Jesus name, Amen.

THE QUESTIONS

1. Can you remember the last time you intentionally built someone up with your words? Not words of flattery but of truth. How did that impact you? How about them?

2. Remember a time when someone’s words hurt or wounded you. First, have you forgiven them? What would it look like to become a person who does not return curse for curse but blessing for curse?

3. Are you coming to grips with the power of your words? How will you grow in the days ahead as a person who blesses others with words? How about today?

For the Awakening,
J.D. Walt

Six Practical Steps for Controlling Your Tongue (from Pastor Kyle & Pastor Holly’s Discussion):

  • Dedicate your heart, mind, and tongue to the Lord, daily.

  • Pause before you speak.

  • Surrender your “right” to complain.

  • Ask for accountability.

  • Ask forgiveness for unloving words & apologize.

  •  Practice speaking words that will encourage.

The Book of James - Week 2

“What if “true religion” is the only way out of false faith?”
— J.D. Walt

This week we want to share with you a devotion entitled The Way True Religion Breaks the Self-Deception of False Faith. This devotion was written by J.D. Walt of Seedbed. We hope you will find these words to be helpful and encouraging as you continue to pursue a life of “pure religion”, truly devoted to God:

The Way True Religion Breaks the Self-Deception of False Faith

James just can’t leave this business of deception behind.

At 1:16 he warned, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.”

At 1:22 he warned again, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.”

Now today he says it again at v.26, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Chances are no one reading this (or the one writing it) actually thinks they are being deceived. That’s how deception works. We don’t know it when its happening. So what are we to do? Should we go around suspicious of everyone and wary of being tricked? No. The danger is not from other people. It is from ourselves. The issue is self-deception. Anyone who has lived any amount of time knows that a human person has an almost infinite capacity to deceive themselves. It’s why people cheat on their taxes and steal from their employers. It’s how people rationalize extramarital affairs. It’s how preachers find their way into pornography. It’s why virtually everyone in prison today considers themselves innocent. When it comes to self-deception, there are infinite shades of gray. In all of these situations people manage to talk a good game when it comes to religious faith.

Back in 1:21 James gave us a helpful admonition. “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Look at the seemingly disconnected admonition he offers today: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

What does looking after widows and orphans have to do with overcoming self-deception? Maybe it has something to do with our inability to think our way or read our way or pray our way out of the grip of self-deception. Could it be that self-deception can only be broken by the sobering activity of selfless giving? What if “true religion” is the only way out of false faith? The crazy thing about impure and faulty religion is people can hold all the right beliefs and maintain all the right religious motions yet still be steeped in false faith.

I mostly see this happen when church people go on a mission trip. They find themselves in an orphanage somewhere south of the equator, far from the wiley comforts of suburban seductions and small town distractions. An inescapable confrontation begins to happen. Their hearts begin to break over the kind of human need and suffering that breaks the heart of God. A kind of awakening begins to happen. True religion, in the way James identifies it, has a way of exposing the self deceiving ways of false religion like nothing else can.

THE PRAYER

God our Father, I want to be a real Christian. I don’t think I am deceived, which is likely a good sign that I am. Break the deception in me. Show me the path toward true religion, which is selfless giving to those who need it the most. Break me out of the hall of mirrors that my life so easily becomes. In Jesus name, Amen.

THE QUESTIONS

1. According to today’s text, we don’t “keep ourselves from being polluted by the world,” by escaping the world. It happens as we enter into the broken world in a different way. Does this make sense to you? How?

2. Have you had an experience of practicing “true religion” as James describes it? Did it open your eyes to see the world and faith differently? How? Can you think of a person whose life and faith was transformed by helping others in need?

3. How does looking after orphans and widows in their distress break through the smoke screen of self deceived religion? What does it expose about our churches? Our own faith and values?

The Book of James - Week 1

“James is an agent of awakening. His life and words operate like a reverse snooze bar. As we start to drift into sleep he is a wake up call.”
— J.D. Walt

The older I get, the more I appreciate friends who tell it to me straight. You know, those people who are lovingly and brutally honest about the state of things in my life. These people can look me in the eye and show me where I might not see a situation correctly or where I'm be judging someone too harshly. Do you have those kinds of people in your life? I hope so. 

The book of James is a bit like those people. One author I read this week said that "James is an agent of awakening. His life and words operate like a reverse snooze bar. As we start to drift into sleep he is a wake up call."

What a great way to capture the character of this important and powerful book. James offers the wisdom of a life significantly changed by Jesus and calls each of us to account. He asks, "Has Jesus changed you? Then your life better reflect that on every level." James doesn't pull any punches.

J.D. Walt writes, "After scarcely saying hello, he [James] offers this: 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.' (James 1:2); how about this one? 'Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.' (James 1:22); and he caps off the first chapter with this: 'Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.' (James 1:27); finally, in chapter two he cuts to the core letting us know in no uncertain terms that: 'faith without works is dead.' He settled for nothing less than the genuine article." 

Walt continues writing, "While much of the New Testament concerns itself with the general spread of the Gospel, James offers us something of an advanced course in discipleship—the real Christianity, where the proverbial rubber meets the road of faith. He will not pander to the "easy believism" of our time. Rather than coddle us in our catastrophes, James will challenge our loyalty to Jesus to the very core of our being right in the middle of them."

James is concerned with real change in the life of a believer and how that believer reflects the image of God. Part of James' concern comes from the fact that he is writing to a group of primarily Jewish Christians who are facing significant persecution. The hard reality is that people facing real difficulty won't make it unless their faith is genuine, tested, and lived out.

I think this book is timely for our current reality. The past few years have been difficult, and the cultural struggle continues and likely will for some time to come. James' voice rings loud and clear in the difficulty of our age. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing" (James 1:1-4).

A bit later in chapter one, James writes: "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." (James 1:19-22). It's incredible how relevant scripture can be for our daily life and work.

Here is my encouragement. Read James a lot over the next three weeks. That's how long this short series is going to be. Then we come to Advent and Christmas, but before we get to the holiday season, let James's words give you wisdom and bring the changing conviction of the Holy Spirit as we reflect and let this book challenge us to reflect the image of God more truly. 

Special Guest - Darin Land

 
 

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 Dr. Darin Land. Darin serves and one of the primary leaders for Free Methodist World Mission in the Asia Area. 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

Drawing the Crowd: A Conversation about Mission

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
— Acts 1:8

From the beginning of the Book of Acts, God called believers to action through his Holy Spirit. This call to action wasn't something new. Jesus himself modeled the priority of an active and going type of faith throughout his three years of ministry.

In his book, Future Church, Will Mancini writes, "Jesus was a man on a mission from God, but he did more than pursue the mission. Jesus recruited, trained, and sent apostles on a mission also, but his movement launched from a stronger base than those individuals. Rather, one of Jesus's greatest and most underappreciated accomplishments was to establish a culture of mission among his followers that perpetuated itself for generations."

As we talk about the idea of mission this week at CrossView, it is crucial to realize that an essential part of the Christian faith is that our faith is lived and directed outward to captivate the wonderings of people around us. The term "missional" has become a popular buzzword over the past few years, but the idea of being missional has existed since the days of Jesus. Being "missional" is simply part of what it means to be Christian. 

In an article on the meaning of "Missional" from the Missional Church Network (see link below), we read, "Scripture is replete with sending language that speaks to the missionary nature of a Triune God. God the Father sends the Son, and God the Father and the Son sends the Spirit, and God the Father and the Son and the Spirit sends the church. In the Gospel of John alone, nearly forty times we read about Jesus being sent – either from the evangelist or from Jesus' own lips. In the final climatic sending passage in John's Gospel, Jesus sees himself not only as one sent but also as one who is sending: "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you" (John 20:21)." 

The question that follows a proper understanding of what it means to be missional is, how do we do that in our context today? I want to acknowledge the difficulty many often feel in not wanting to be relationally awkward with others, especially in a time and place that is not extremely friendly to Christianity. I feel it too. 

For the reason just mentioned and many more, I am thankful for the way God has led CrossView to adopt the BLESS model. As we think about Reaching Out to other people, our 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. 

As the sent, missionary people of God, the missional church understands its fundamental purpose as being rooted in God's mission to restore and heal all creation and to call people into a reconciled relationship with Himself. What better way than to do that through deeply meaningful and caring relationships. Give it a try!

The Free Methodist Way - God Given Revelation

“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
— Quote Source

This weeks devotion includes excerpts of Bishop Matt Whitehead’s article on God Given Revelation. You can read the entire article at the link found in the resources section below.

We live in a culture where we need to be clear about our commitment to fully align our lives and our movement on the unshakable foundation of God’s Word. We hold unwaveringly to the conviction that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. As with any foundation, it is necessary to the strength and stability of our movement. Without our strong foundation, we will crumble.

For that reason, I want to share with you reminders of our beliefs about the Word of God. I’ll also share thoughts about the very nature of God’s Word and why it is critical that we are unified — of one mind — in how we approach and interpret Scripture in our day.

Free Methodists take the Scriptures seriously. Our Book of Discipline makes this clear:

The Bible is God’s written Word, uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit. It bears unerring witness to Jesus Christ, the living Word. As attested by the early church and subsequent councils, it is the trustworthy record of God’s revelation, completely truthful in all it affirms. It has been faithfully preserved and proves itself true in human experience. 

The Scriptures have come to us through human authors who wrote, as God moved them, in the languages and literary forms of their times. God continues, by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, to speak through this Word to each generation and culture. 

The Bible has authority over all human life. It teaches the truth about God, His creation, His people, His one and only Son and the destiny of humankind. It also teaches the way of salvation and the life of faith. Whatever is not found in the Bible nor can be proved by it is not to be required as an article of belief or as necessary to salvation. (¶108 of the 2019 Book of Discipline)

While these statements from our Book of Discipline clearly demonstrate our commitment to the authority of the Scriptures, we also must admit that biblical illiteracy is at epidemic proportions not only here in the U.S. but around the world. Thomas Schirrmacher, the newly elected secretary-general of the World Evangelical Alliance, made this sobering assessment in an interview with Leah Marie Ann Klett of The Christian Post: “The biggest crisis facing the evangelical, global church today is the growing lack of biblical literacy worldwide.”

According to the “State of the Bible 2020” report released by the American Bible Society and the Barna Group, U.S. adults who say they read the Bible daily dropped from 14% in 2019 to 9% in 2020.

Biblical illiteracy is a serious issue because anyone not grounded in the foundation of God’s Word begins to interpret societal issues, cultural trends, and even issues of church practice and discipline through views of the very culture and society with which the Bible often clashes. As Wesleyans, we believe that being grounded in God’s Word is essential for life in Christ and service in God’s kingdom.

I want to encourage you to embrace six vital truths about Scripture. As you read them, I also pray that you will see why it is equally vital that we renew our commitment to interpret culture through the lens of Scripture and not the other way around as we dwell in our true home — the Bible.

Scripture can be trusted: 

The Bible is not just a collection of human thoughts — it contains God’s higher thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8–9). The Bible helps us know how to follow Him. If we trust God, then we know His Word “has our back.” It may conflict with our thoughts about things, but that is the beauty of it. The Bible is our guide for a holy life that reflects Jesus.

Scripture is our foundation:

Paul reminds Timothy that the Bible is our foundation. As I reminded us earlier, the purpose of a foundation is to provide support and stability for all that is built upon it. Paul tells us that our lives are “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20–22).

Let’s revisit the issue of biblical illiteracy in light of the Bible as our foundation. To what degree is Scripture integrated into our lives? As Moses gave Israel the law from God, he clearly stated how important it was to allow His words to infiltrate their daily living:

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6–9).

Scripture disciplines us: 

One of the reasons why we must be people of God’s Word is that our thinking and reasoning can be very selfish and self-centered. We need the perspective of God’s Word to help us see the world clearly.

Is discipline pleasant? No, but as parents we understand that parental discipline leads to our children’s self-discipline. The goal of disciplining our children is that they would be able to monitor their own behavior. So it is with us. It is good that we mature and grow, but always remain tenderhearted toward the Word of God. If we lose the capacity to be convicted, we risk becoming numb to the Word.

Scripture corrects error: 

We who have come to Christ should know and understand how Scripture corrects error. Why? Because our faith journey usually begins with an encounter with God’s love that is so pure and holy that it reveals to us our own sin. The very idea that we need the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ is a clash of the power of holy love hitting sin head-on.

But it doesn’t stop there. The Scriptures are the foundation to correct error in the church. From cover to cover — the Old (First) Testament and New (Second) Testament, the Bible calls us out of error and into alignment with God’s truth.

The correction of Scripture is not just for individuals, it is for the body of Christ — the church. The Bible shows how God speaks to both individuals about their sin and to the whole community of His people about their collective sin. Because of this, we reject the notion that truth is relative and personal. Free Methodists embrace common truths that are essential to our lives as disciples of Jesus.

Scripture points us to Jesus: 

Jesus is the central figure in Scripture. He is in the work of creation and will return again. Jesus is the Word made flesh and reflects the fulfillment of everything said in the law and prophets. Biblical illiteracy equates to improper assertions and beliefs about who Jesus is, what He said, what He meant by what He said, and how His commands are to frame our lives as we seek to mirror Him in all our ways.

Scripture is our true home: 

When thinking of Scripture as our true home we need to think of “home” in broader terms than just the location where we live. Home is a place that gives us shelter and support. It gives us a sense of identity and purpose. It provides a place to come back to when we are feeling lost and alone. It is where we find others who are struggling along with us to experience unconditional love, grace, and mercy.

The Bible provides for us a home that can never be shaken, never be lost, and will never lead us astray.

The Free Methodist Way - Cross Cultural Collaboration

“He [Jesus] fearlessly, graciously overcame the barriers that divide people into in-groups and out-groups.”
— Bishop Linda Adams

This weeks devotion includes excerpts of Bishop Linda Adam’s article on Cross Cultural Collaboration. You can read the entire article at the link found in the resources section below.

For many Free Methodists in the U.S., cross-cultural exposure has first been experienced on short-term international mission trips. Tens of thousands have gone on Volunteers in Service Abroad (VISA) trips to visit and serve in another part of the world. Almost always, VISA teams return home reporting eye-opening and humbling experiences: “The people we met had so little but were so generous!” “The children were poor but so happy!” “The church’s high-energy worship went on for three hours and nobody got tired!”

Lasting impressions have often been formed around memories of passionate faith, sacrificial hospitality, family solidarity and delicious, exotic food. The beauty of another culture was on full display, and the VISA team eventually realized, “We went to help, but actually we found out we were there for God to open our eyes to ourselves and our world. We learned far more than we taught.” And that is, in fact, one reason to send teams. People gain from the experience of “Crossing Cultures 101.”

But of course, only the most basic lessons can be learned in a week or two. And sometimes appearances deceive, and we are so blind to the impact of our own presence and culture that our learning is flawed. How can we get beyond first impressions and host/guest politeness and begin to understand at a deeper level? How can we gain a worldview shaped by intercultural intelligence rather than surface realities?

That’s where collaboration comes in. We need each other. When our brothers and sisters around the world become our real partners, we take a learning posture with them. When they recognize in us a desire to be true co-laborers, they can speak the hard truth and ask the hard questions and learn from us as well. We all move beyond judging based on outward appearances to appreciating something closer to what God sees, the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Humility can lead to true knowledge, which enhances love and respect and empowers our shared mission.

Free Methodist World Missions now works in 98 countries. We also celebrate the existence of 19 general conferences, each governed by its own Book of Discipline, bishops, and boards. We embrace the way of intercultural engagement, moving beyond old mindsets toward profound cross-cultural collaboration. The church in many countries sends missionaries to reach other tribes and language groups in their own country, as well as to evangelize and raise up leaders and churches in other nations. In the U.S., we welcome Christian leaders who immigrate here, recognizing their unique ability to organize new churches filled with immigrants from their region of the world. In all these cases, we acknowledge our own limited vantage point and recognize how God has designed the body of Christ to cooperate for the greater good.

Similar efforts are beginning in the church here in our racialized American society, but the process involves hard work and gets pretty messy. I asked an African American pastor friend how she sees our reality. She replied, “It has been my experience that most people within the church are open to having a multiracial church but not a multicultural one. This happens because we are open to allowing others to come and share our experience, but we are not so eager to allow others to come and change our experiences. Others are allowed to become one of us, but we do not always allow them to remain true to themselves. What’s missing is deep (and often painful) conversation to build meaningful relationships. We need to explore different perspectives on history, culture, the gospel, and politics. That takes a lot of time and energy. There is no way around this. There are fewer people willing to sign up for that type of collaboration!”

Made for Oneness

Collaboration is essential to being human. Why? Because even God is not solitary but exists in a perfect community of three-in-one. Being made in God’s image — as we all are, completely, equally — means we are made for relationships of love and mutuality. God’s design is for shalom, “a peaceable interrelatedness that actively seeks the wellbeing of others” (Free Methodist World Missions’ “Theology of Mission”).

God wants all people to experience this shalom. Tragically, the earliest chapters of Genesis show terrible division resulting from the fall of the human race, beginning with enmity between the man and the woman, then between their sons Cain and Abel, ultimately involving all human society. The rest of the story of the Bible reveals God’s long game to reverse the curse and recreate shalom. Along the way, God invites people to co-labor with Him in this epochal redemptive work of repairing the breach, creating oneness among all peoples under the lordship of Christ.

As Jesus’ disciples watched, He challenged them to open their eyes and see the fruitful harvest among the Samaritans. The work of convincing them that God’s mission extends to all people groups had just begun. Kingdom collaboration took a baby step forward. Jesus had collected a diverse band of disciples — Jewish men whose politics and livelihoods would never have blended into a community of oneness without Him. As they followed and learned, He not only invited them to see these Samaritans as candidates for His movement; He showed mercy to a Roman centurion, an enforcer of the hated oppressor. He surprisingly welcomed women to travel with them and provide financial support. He touched lepers and accepted a woman with a less-than-pristine reputation’s offer to wash His feet. He ate in the homes of tax collectors and sinners. He fearlessly, graciously overcame the barriers that divide people into in-groups and out-groups.

Whenever we experience supernatural oneness that transcends natural human divisions, we discover that we are part of the answer to Jesus’ fervent prayer. Right before His arrest, crucifixion and resurrection, He prayed:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20–23).

The Free Methodist Way - Love Driven Justice

“Biblical, Love-Driven Justice is the conjoining of evangelism and compassionate action. They are not mutually exclusive. As God moves toward us in compassion and mercy, we are transformed by His love and then find ourselves driven toward those on the margins of society.”
— Bishop Matt Whitehead

This weeks devotion includes excerpts of Bishop Matt Whitehead’s article on Love Driven Justice. You can read the entire article at the link found in the resources section below.

God’s call to go where people are hurting and marginalized is at the heart of Love-Driven Justice, the second value of The Free Methodist Way: “Love is the way we demonstrate God’s heart for justice by valuing the image of God in all men, women, and children, acting with compassion toward the oppressed, resisting oppression in all its forms, and stewarding Creation.”

Some suggest that evangelism is the work of the church and social action is an agenda of the world. This separatist belief has dismembered our mission by falsely convincing many of us that we are justifiably excused from much of what Christ came to do: bring His good news into the human condition through bold proclamation and compassionate action. Jesus did this and today sends His disciples out to do the same.

We must also be aware of a significant challenge as we think about our call to Love-Driven Justice: mistakenly believing that social justice is the gospel. Social justice focuses on “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. When we believe this to be the gospel, it becomes equally separatist and excuses us from evangelism, believing that social justice alone is the key to freedom for all. A holistic kingdom vision is rooted in right relationships with God, which flow into experiencing and promoting right relationships among people and in society.

Justice is a pervasive biblical theme that is often paired with righteousness. The Old Testament prophets cry out on behalf of a just and righteous God who demands justice and righteousness in His people. The Hebrew word for justice, mishpat, has in its root the concepts of fairness and equity for all, particularly the disadvantaged. So, when judges exercise justice, they don’t take bribes or treat the rich better than they treat the poor. The Hebrew word for righteousness, tzadeqah, means living in a right relationship, treating everyone with fairness, generosity, and equity. In his book “Generous Justice,” Tim Keller calls tzadeqah (righteousness) “primary justice.” It is “behavior, that if it was prevalent in the world, would render rectifying justice (mishpat) unnecessary, because everyone would be living in right relationship to everyone else.”

Christine Erickson, the director of the OneLess ministry for children at risk, notes, “In contrast to social justice, which focuses on a temporal view of addressing injustices in society, biblical justice starts with the eternal in mind. It starts by seeing people as God sees them — recognizing that we are all created in the image of God. And it is incumbent upon Christ-followers to pursue physical and spiritual freedom for the oppressed so others can also become what God created them to be. If we have experienced freedom, how can we not pursue freedom on behalf of others?”

Biblical, Love-Driven Justice is the conjoining of evangelism and compassionate action. They are not mutually exclusive. As God moves toward us in compassion and mercy, we are transformed by His love and then find ourselves driven toward those on the margins of society. Jesus got up-close-and-personal with the marginalized, and there He demonstrated His grace, love, and mercy. In His going, Jesus preached the good news to all. He surprised many with His inclusion of the outcast, equitable treatment of the lowest and least, welcoming strangers, and embracing the “unclean.” To love from a distance is not in keeping with the character of Jesus. Love-Driven Justice is centered in Christlikeness and His clear example in the Scriptures. For us, His disciples, the implication is clear: we should mirror Christ’s method and message in our world today.

The Free Methodist Way - Christ Compelled Multiplication

“Jesus invested deeply in the lives of a few in order to maximize His impact on their lives and train them to do the same for others. In doing so, He was choosing to trust the process of multiplication to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.”
— Bishop Keith Cowart

This weeks devotion includes excerpts of Bishop Keith Cowart’s article on Christ Compelled Multiplication. You can read the entire article at the link found in the resources section below.

Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus spoke these last words to those who had been following Him for three years, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). Of all the things Jesus might have said on that momentous occasion, He chose to commission His disciples to take the message and life He had given them and give it to others throughout the world.

Have you ever considered the fact that Jesus could have reached the world any way He desired? He could have spent a thousand years personally taking His message to every nation on earth. He could have waited for the digital age in order to get His message out overnight. Instead, He chose to embark on a three-year ministry journey during which He devoted the vast majority of His time and energy to 12 individuals. Jesus invested deeply in the lives of a few in order to maximize His impact on their lives and train them to do the same for others. In doing so, He was choosing to trust the process of multiplication to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

In practical terms, we believe this multiplication principle should impact our movement at every level: “the found seeking the lost, disciples making disciples, leaders developing leaders, churches planting churches, and movements birthing movements.” But we must confess that of all the values in The Free Methodist Way, this one is the most aspirational.

A Call to Repentance

Historians remind us that every true awakening in the church begins with repentance. Of what might we need to repent as a ministry family when it comes to living out our mission to make disciples through multiplication? On one level, we should ask in what ways we have participated in the drift of the church at large in the West:

Have we neglected our missional imperative to be witnesses of Jesus Christ in the world, choosing instead to embrace the notion that the church exists primarily to provide services for the faithful?

  • Have we been more consumed with preserving Christian culture in our nation than reaching the lost?

  • Have we lost confidence in the power of the gospel to transform society through transformed lives, choosing instead to put our hope in political influence and power?

On a more personal level, it would be good to ask ourselves as Free Methodists:

  • Do any vestiges of legalism remain that cause us to be more focused on what we are against than what we are for?

  • Do we view the world as a dark place to be avoided rather than a mission field to be invaded?

  • Is there any spiritual pride that leads us to assume that our smallness is somehow an indication of our spiritual superiority?

  • Has our historical resistance to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit robbed us of our primary means of becoming a movement that transcends human initiative and resources?

It takes courage to ask ourselves such challenging questions, but if we are truly honest in our responses, God can deliver us from the malaise of missional drift, breathe new life into our ministry family, and make us a movement once again that will have significant impact on our nation for the kingdom of God.

For most of my years in the Free Methodist Church, I have heard various leaders declare that we must become a movement again or die a slow death. Such things cannot be orchestrated by mere human will but tend to happen when God’s people reach a point of desperation that compels a return to the essentials of what it means to follow Jesus.

I believe that starts with returning to our first love for Jesus and His kingdom. I say this with great personal conviction, deeply aware of my own need on this point.

I have often wondered what it would look like if we had as much passion for Jesus and His kingdom as we do for our views on the issues that have dominated our world over the past 12 months (COVID restrictions, racial tensions, partisan politics). What would happen in our churches and through our ministry family if we all got on our knees, asked God to forgive us for being distracted by non-essential issues, and totally devoted ourselves to knowing Jesus Christ and making Him known throughout the world? What is keeping us from doing exactly that?

The Jesus Way

Jesus shows us the way in Matthew 9:35–10:1. This is one of those critical moments when Jesus trained His disciples by modeling what He wanted them to do, and then compelled them to do it themselves. It is also one of those things He had in mind when He said to be “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).

Take a moment to reflect on these brief insights from that passage and prayerfully consider how God would have you respond:

  • He saw. Jesus did not isolate Himself from the world but put Himself in places that allowed Him to see people. How am I intentionally and strategically finding ways to rub shoulders with those who do not yet know Jesus?

  • He cared. Jesus’ response reveals what He saw when He looked at people. He responded with gut-wrenching compassion because He saw their deepest needs (lost, helpless, harassed) rather than their outward status (sinners, rebels, enemies). When I look at people, do I see them as a Republican or Democrat, a liberal or conservative, a mask-wearer or mask-shunner, a friend or enemy … or do I see persons who desperately need to know Jesus and the life-transforming power of the gospel?

  • He prayed. Jesus prayed that God would raise up workers for the harvest field. We should note that He immediately followed this prayer by sending out those who were already with Him. When we pray this prayer, we should never assume the answer is that God will raise up someone else. He is praying that more will come to know Him so more can be sent, but He clearly wants us in the harvest field. In what ways have I rationalized my own unwillingness to enter the harvest field?

  • He gave authority. Both here and in the Great Commission, Jesus very intentionally gave His disciples authority before He sent them out. He understood they would face significant challenges. More importantly, He knew they did not personally have the means to bring life to others. Jesus simply asked them to represent Him, to be agents through which He would do what only He can do. What fears have prevented me from embracing Jesus’ call to represent Him in my own mission field? Do I believe He is with me and will give me everything I need to do it effectively?

Can you imagine how our movement would multiply if every Free Methodist followed Jesus’ example?

The Free Methodist Way - Life-Giving Holiness

“The Free Methodist Way begins with Life-Giving Holiness because to our forebears, a radical transformation of heart and mind resulting in fully loving God and neighbor was considered the birthright of the child of God.”
— Bishop Linda Adams

What is the Free Methodist Way? This introduction is the first in a series of six videos that speak about the five values that shape our identity.

This weeks devotion includes excerpts of Bishop Linda Adams article on Life-Giving Holiness. You can read the entire article at the link found in the resources section below.

Life Giving Holiness - Bishop Linda Adams:

After a communion service at New Hope Church in Rochester, New York, a spunky 6-year-old girl made a beeline for the kitchen. As the leftover communion cups were being emptied, she asked to drink some of the juice. Given the go-ahead, she exclaimed, “I need all the holiness I can get!”

Her novel idea that a few ounces of grape juice would boost her holiness may not be much more of a misunderstanding than some adults’ ideas. Expressing her need in the language of holiness makes her seem like an old-fashioned Free Methodist, since we don’t often use the term anymore.

The doctrine of entire sanctification was a hill the first Free Methodists were willing to die on. Benjamin Titus (B.T.) Roberts, our principal founder, embodied John Wesley’s desire to recover New Testament Christianity, summarized by the mandate to “raise up a holy people.” Free Methodists determined to be holy. Like John and Charles Wesley, from whose theology and hymns they gained much of their inspiration, early Free Methodists were sometimes misunderstood, mocked and maligned for their insistence that God both expects and empowers an all-encompassing holiness in the life of the believer.

The Free Methodist Way begins with Life-Giving Holiness because to our forebears, a radical transformation of heart and mind resulting in fully loving God and neighbor was considered the birthright of the child of God. For us as a movement to abandon holiness as a defining value would be as foolish as Esau throwing away his birthright for a bowl of stew (see Genesis 25:19–34). God wants 21st century Free Methodists to believe in and experience the Holy Spirit’s presence that makes us more like Jesus from the inside out. To be made holy brings freedom and life. This is our message!

The Letter Kills

At the outset, we need to admit that those of us who have been in this denominational family for many years have at times seen a pursuit of holiness that was not life-giving. If we picture the Highway of Holiness winding through varied terrain with generations of Free Methodists traveling along it, describing it and teaching others about it, we’ll notice some veering off into the Ditch ofLegalism. (Other movements have steered off-course into the opposite ditch of either License or Liberalism, but that hasn’t been our error.)

One of the problems with a rules-based approach is that rules and prohibitions multiply. As with the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, principled motivations get lost in the proliferation of laws. As an example from our past, I enjoy reading historical accounts of 19th century female preachers. One pioneering evangelist’s personal account told tales of courageous witness in taverns and brothels resulting in dramatic conversions, but then delved into her agony over the rule against decorative collars and buttons on women’s blouses. She so longed to be holy, to surrender fully to the Lord, to consecrate her whole self to God’s work — but she struggled mightily with guilt over wishing she didn’t have to alter her blouses to make them plain!

Eventually, we incorporated a balancing scriptural truth. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant — not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection brought salvation by grace through faith, as Paul proclaimed in Ephesians 2:8–9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Grace for the Whole Journey

Wesleyan theology has been called an optimistic theology. Why? Because we believe in the possibilities of grace to radically change human hearts and lives this side of the grave. God has designed and provided for every step of the transforming journey, as the Holy Spirit interacts with people of free will, graciously leading us along the path until we see God face to face.

We affirm John Wesley’s Ordo Salutis, or Way of Salvation. Wesley taught that God first works in all people through Prevenient Grace, preparing hearts to open to God. God’s Convicting Grace makes us aware of our sin and willing to accept God’s remedy. Justifying Grace puts us into saving relationship with God through faith in the finished work of Christ; we are converted and assured that we are God’s beloved child. John Wesley said of the next phase in the outworking of God’s grace, Sanctifying Grace, “It is perhaps for this reason that God has raised up the Methodists.” God not only desires to make us holy but accomplishes holiness in us as we respond; the evidence of this holiness is pervasive love. Finally, through Glorifying Grace, at the moment of death God transforms us into immortality, and we are taken up into the life of God.

Summer Psalms 2021 - Week 7 - Psalm 139

“In the midst of chaos and upheaval, I learned an immensely valuable lesson: God can handle my mess.”
— Pastor Ryan Beagle
 
 

This week’s devotion is written by special guest Pastor Ryan Beagle who most recently served for thirteen years as the Lead Pastor at Hillcrest Church in Mount Vernon, Washington.

 
 

Here is a quick quiz for you:

Which one of these does biblical prayer accuse God of?

  1. The Lord has rejected his altar and abandoned his sanctuary

  2. The Lord has abandoned his people over to the enemy

  3. The Lord refuses to speak to those who speak for him.

  4. The Lord is like a bear waiting, or a lion hiding, who dragged me from the path, mangled me, and left me without help.

Trick question: the answer is all of them!

Have YOU ever prayed: God you have dragged me from the path, mangled me, and left me alone? My guess is probably not. Can we say that to God? The Bible does! (Lamentations 3:10-11- Look it up!) Here’s what I love about Psalm 139. It insists that we can’t hide anything from God. As the Psalm so poetically demonstrates, nothing is beyond the knowledge of God:

1 You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?

The Psalms are dear to me because of their presence in the most trying moments of my life. On July 4th 2015 I found myself clutching the bathroom wall as the world spun around me. I was rushed to the hospital, where eventually it was determined I had suffered two strokes in the “Manhattan Island” of brain real estate. How do you pray when everything you had hoped about your life is in doubt, you can’t see, you can’t walk, you hiccup every five seconds, and you can’t remember more than three numbers in a row?

Through those days and my early recovery, I leaned on praying the Psalms. In the midst of chaos and upheaval, I learned an immensely valuable lesson: God can handle my mess. All the mess. I don’t need to tidy up before I come to the Lord. Wearing your Sunday best can be an honoring practice- but there is no need to dress up our prayer for Jesus. The Psalms taught me to pray more honestly, more boldly, and gave me a vocabulary for prayer I did not have. 

As Psalm 139 assures us, God knows everything about us. Even the parts that aren’t ready for public consumption. The doubts, fears, sins, and vanities. The shames, the suffering, the injustices. Here’s what we discover in the Psalms, all of life, the good, the bad, the ugly- is fair game for conversation with God.

When we bring our honest selves to prayer, instead of cleaning ourselves up a bit and guarding our speech, the Psalms teach us that any prayer is an act of faith. By trusting God with our true selves we demonstrate faith that Jesus is Lord over all of life. 

Therefore, let us be like the Psalmist who does not fear God’s knowledge or hold back their inmost thoughts. Rather, the Psalmist concludes the prayer with an invitation for God’s intimate personal knowledge to become part of their relationship- and thus fertile ground for God’s transforming work:

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Summer Psalms - Week 6 - Psalm 84

“All this, even though it seems daunting, can be joy-filled and sustaining because of the loving grace of our God. Read Psalm 84 as we find a Psalmist who has been with God and doesn’t want to leave! ”
— Pastor Kyle

For our devotion today, I'd like to take you to Romans 12. I know, I know, we are in a message series on the book of Psalms, specifically looking at Psalm 84 this week. However, Psalm 84 is all about worshiping God, so I'd like to help deepen our understanding of worship as best I can. In Romans 12:1-2, we find two words often translated as "worship" in the New Testament. 

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1-2 - NLT)"

Let's start with the word most often translated as "worship." It comes from the phrase proskyneo. What does that word sound like to you? It's where we get our English word, prostrate! The term most often translated "worshp" in the New Testament means to prostrate, fall down, kneel, bow low, give reverence, and bow down to kiss. So, as followers of Jesus, we could be rightly known as the falling down ones. 

This is already helpful in that it begins to reframe for us what we are doing in worship. Worship doesn't start with what we get from it but what we surrender to God. But there are two types of 'falling down' worship in the bible.

First, in God's presence, we are obedient in surrender to God. That is, we choose to fall down because He is the only one who is worthy of our surrendered self. He is our maker, our God, and King, and we are his people. 

We choose to surrender our lives to God, and he gives us grace, mercy, forgiveness, and freedom. Obediently falling down is the first part of our act of worship. We see this throughout scripture in places like Isaiah 6 or Revelation 4. 

The second type of falling down happens because when we enter God's presence, we experience Him to be holy, wholly other, and infinitely powerful. At that moment, you recognize you can in no way compare to the creator God, so you get on your face (bow down) as fast as you are able. We see this in scripture as well; for example, Isaiah 6 (again) or Acts 26 in Paul's retelling of his conversion.  

We are beginning to get an understanding of biblical worship. First, we understand worship to be a series of proskyneos of "surrenders" or "falling down." We fall down out of surrender, and we fall down in awe of the powerful presence of God. 

The second word used as "worship" that we find in Romans 12:1-2 we read as 'living sacrifice:'  

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1-2 - NLT)"

The word here is Logike Latreia. Logike is where we get our word for logic. It's about patterns and forms of activity. Logike is a levitical word - it references the OT temple structure and ordered lives of Levites in the temple. 

Remember, the Levites were essentially the pastors in the Old Testament who were in charge of sacrifices and regular worship for God's people. If you read about the Levites in places like Numbers 18, you realize everything about their lives was ordered and given over to God. 

Don't miss this; it is powerful in understanding worship. The word Logike was the word that described how all the details of life for the Levites; what they did, what they said, what they wore, their daily responsibilities - every single detail - was given over to God in worship. 

Let's make this connection here - Romans 12 is calling us to a deep practice of worship. The proper way for those who follow Jesus includes both types of proskyneo and asks us to Logike, that is, to order our lives for the worship of God. 

Alright, Pastor Kyle, this is a little intense. Yes, it is! Our understanding of what it means to worship God leaps forward in these few incredible verses. Firstly, we fall down in surrender and obedience, AND we fall down because we come into the presence of a holy God. Secondly, our lives are ordered so that all things in our living follow the way of Jesus.

I love this robust biblical understanding of worship. All this, even though it seems daunting, can be joy-filled and sustaining because of the loving grace of our God. Read Psalm 84 as we find a Psalmist who has been with God and doesn't want to leave! 

"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2)."

Summer Psalms - Week 5 - Psalm 97

“As Psalm 97 is an enthronement Psalm proclaiming the complete and supreme rule of God over all other things, we have to ask ourselves a few questions.”
— Pastor Kyle

"The LORD is King!" What a way to start a Psalm. There is no ambiguity as to who the author of this Psalm thinks has ultimate authority. The clarity of this Psalm is helpful for its readers, even current readers, as questions of who or what will define our lives abound. In fact, Psalm 97 is one of seven psalms in the book of Psalms that is classified as an enthronement psalm. Pretty cool, huh?!

It's no secret that the past few years have been some of the most divisive in our country in recent memory. One outcome of that divisiveness (which includes multiple cultural and political issues) has been a slipping away from the enthronement of Jesus to an entrenching of our preferred cultural or political positions. Here is where Psalm 97 can be helpful.

"The LORD is King." That's how we read it in our English translations of the Bible. However, we miss a bit of the meaning if we don't look at the context of its original language. "The LORD is King" is actually a powerful proclamation stating that the LORD reigns supreme; the LORD is ultimately in charge of all things. Psalm 97 makes this very clear for its readers as we see that the ruling of the LORD stands in contrast to the lowliness of other gods who "bow down" before the LORD who is "exalted" far above them (verse 7 and 9). If I were preaching this point, I might pause here and ask, "Amen?" wanting to emphasize the reality of this truth. 

Describing and praising the way that the LORD rules is the particular concern of Psalm 97. The question I'll ask is, does the Lord rule in your heart and mind, even above cultural or political concerns? And if so, how is the enthronement of the LORD displayed in your life? Professor Diane Jacobson writes, "The LORD's way of ruling cuts through the clouds and the darkness as the LORD sits enthroned over the earth and in the hearts of his people. This is good news for God's people. They know the true God, and how the LORD rules. And they know as well that this good news comes with a set of expectations. To be faithful to this Lord partly means that they worship the Lord alone, forsaking idols and other worthless gods."

As Psalm 97 is an enthronement Psalm proclaiming the complete and supreme rule of God over all other things, we have to ask a few questions, "what is enthroned in my life?" "What is enthroned in my thinking?" "What is enthroned in my actions?" These might be more difficult questions to answer in the heated cultural and political arguments of our day. If God is the one enthroned in your heart, mind, and life, how do you reflect his righteousness and justice, two things highlighted in Psalm 97? How are you showing love and concern for others as we follow the way of Jesus?

While these days are not easy, I'm thankful for scripture and Psalms like Psalm 97, which call us to faithfulness even if it means we have to do the hard work of stepping back and reflecting on our patterns of thinking and living. 

Psalm 97:11-12: "Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!"

Summer Psalms 2021 - Week 4 - Psalm 23

“The peace of Psalm 23 is not rooted in outward circumstances or our passing emotions. The first verse of the psalm begins with an emphatic emphasis on the Lord. He alone is the source of all comfort and peace.”
— Timothy Tennent

Dallas Willard, in his book Life Without Lack, starts his introduction with a bang. He writes,

"The words of the Twenty-Third Psalm are among those things that people profess to believe. Many can recite the Twenty-Third Psalm from memory, including people who don't believe much of anything about God. Some have learned the psalm purely as poetic literature. But far too few have experienced in their own lives the vivid reality described by the psalmist. Unfortunately, "The Lord is my Shepherd" is a sentiment carved on tombstones more often than a reality written in lives."

Is Jesus really, truly your shepherd? I hope so. This is the beautiful grace-filled invitation of God to become one of his family provided for by the all-encompassing power of the one who created you - the shepherd of God's people. The tricky part, Willard writes, is "knowing you are now in the care of someone else, not in charge, that you've taken your kingdom and surrendered it to the kingdom of God, that you are living the with-God life." How are you doing with the ordering of your heart and mind toward the way of God. It's difficult. Oh, but it is so worth it.

One of the most significant elements of Psalm 23, the central aspect that makes this psalm so compelling, is God's ongoing presence in the life of his people. As each person attempts to live the "with-God" life, each person must fix their eyes solely on Jesus, even in the problematic "valleys of the shadow of death" one might encounter. There is so much hope found in the realization that no matter what you go through, you have a shepherd that will be right beside you every step of the way.  

How have you fixed your hope on God in these difficult days? What activities or actions keep your heart and mind grounded in the grace offered to you through God's presence. We are currently living through a season where anger, depression, anxiety, and desperation are increasing. These things run deep in ordinary human life and can cause us to lash out and provoke one another. Willard writes, "This fury and dispair flow from...hopelessness." But Psalm 23 offers us a different perspective:

The LORD is my shepherd; 

I shall not want. . .

I will fear no evil; 

For You are with me. 

Psalm 23:1,4

There is every reason for hope if we stop looking primarily at ourselves and instead look at God; recognizing he is with us makes all the difference. Willard again writes,

"The gospel that Jesus himself proclaimed, manifested, and taught was about more than his death for the forgiveness of our sins, as important as that is. It was about the kingdom of God—God's immediate availability, his "with-us-ness" that makes a life without lack possible. There is so much more to our relationship with God than just his dealing with our guilt and sin. Once we have been forgiven, we are meant to live in the fullness of the life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10)."

Stretch yourself this week. In prayer, identify one circumstance, attitude, relationship, etc., that you've been holding tightly. Perhaps you've been trying to maintain control, or you are afraid of some pain or heartbreak; take one thing that feels difficult and out of your control and hold that open-handed, open-hearted to God. Use Psalm 23 as a prayer prompt and guide as you process with God: 

The LORD is my shepherd; 

I shall not want. . .

I will fear no evil; 

For You are with me. 

Psalm 23:1,4

Summer Psalms 2021 - Week 3 - Psalm 40

“And although I wouldn’t ever send a cordial invitation to pain to come for another visit, I am grateful for the many ways it eventually ushered me into deeper intimacy with our Lord.”
— Eric E. Peterson

Psalm 40 seems a bit backward to me. It starts as a bright reflection on what the Lord has already done and ends in verse 17, saying (I'm using the Passion Translation here), "Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will you come and help me? I know I'm always in your thoughts. You are my true Savior and hero, so don't delay to deliver me now, for you are my God." This is not the normal progression of most Psalms. Most Psalms (this is not true for all Pslsms) start with the author's need and end with a celebration of God's intervention.

Psalm 40 is excellent for many reasons, but one of the most important is that we see an emotional and spiritual reality with which we can relate. Have you ever felt confident in one moment but needing help and support in the next? I have, and so has David, the author of this Psalm.

In Psalm 40, we see a picture of what looks like significant struggle, suffering, and pain. Look at verse 12, "Evil surrounds me; problems greater than I can solve come one after another. Without you, I know I can't make it. My sins are so many! I'm so ashamed to lift my face to you. For my guilt grabs me and stings my soul until I am weakened and spent." Life is hard, and this Psalm acknowledges that reality. It's a reality we've all experienced and maybe that you are experiencing right now. But there is hope.

No matter what you are currently facing or how you are dealing with the harsh realities of everyday life, I would encourage you not to forget how Pslam 40 begins. In fact, the first four verses are the focus of our weekly teaching this week (you can see it above). Right off the bat, Psalm 40 is a prayer that has already been answered.

The first few verses are like the glimmer of hope amid the darkness that continues to shine no matter how bad it gets, "I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me. Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry. He stooped down to lift me out of danger from the desolate pit I was in, out of the muddy mess I had fallen into. Now he's lifted me up into a firm, secure place and steadied me while I walk along his ascending path." These first verses ring through the rest of the Psalm to remind us all of the hope found in God even in what feels like growing the difficulty of life. It's like when you repeat to yourself over and over, "I can make it, I can make it, I can make it."

In a powerful reflection by Eric Peterson (the son of Euguene Peterson), which you can find linked below, he writes, "Jesus didn't come to deliver us from our humanity and its accompanying heartaches, but to join us in it all (the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly) and to use it as the raw material to redeem our lives." Isn't that good news!

We come to the end of this Psalm again, but this time with the hope of the first verses ringing in our heart and mind - verse 17 - "Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will you come and help me?" The answer - verses 1 & 2 - "I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me. Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry. He stooped down to lift me out of danger from the desolate pit I was in, out of the muddy mess I had fallen into. Now he's lifted me up into a firm, secure place and steadied me while I walk along his ascending path."

Praise the Lord.

Summer Psalms 2021 - Week 2 - Psalm 32

“Discipleship is much more than sin management. It is moving from being captivated by the gravity of sin to being captivated by the gravity of holy love. ”
— Dr. Timothy Tennent

This week’s devotion is an excerpt from a study on the Psalms by Dr. Sandra Richter called “Epic of Eden - Psalms.” I suggested this as a resource for further learning in last week’s devotion. I wanted to give you a taste of this wonderful study and encourage you to get the book as well as the steaming videos that go along with it. Dr. Richter is a fantastic teacher, and this resource will help you learn more and gain significant insight from this treasured book in the scripture!

Real People, Real Places, Real Faith - by Sandra Richter

“One of the things to keep in mind as we begin our journey into the book of Psalms is that these psalms were written by real people, in real places, struggling with real faith. The superscript of Psalm 32 tells us that our psalm for this lesson is a psalm “of David” (ledawid). The Hebrew is made up of a preposition (le) attached to the name “David,” thus the literal translation is “belonging to David". But the exact meaning of the phrase is unclear. Is this "authored by David," "dedicated to David," or "belonging to the Davidic collection”? We don't know. But what we do know is that seventy-three songs are attributed to David in this way. Seventy-three. What this tells us is that David was a man of worship. A man who loved his God and was not at all shy to say so. In the Psalms we hear David's petitions, his confessions, and his celebration of God's faithfulness. As a result, we are result, we are privileged to pray with him, and we are challenged to be like him—a people who cry out to God in our brokenness and our joy.

When I began putting this curriculum on paper, I posted an inquiry to my facebook page: “What is your favorite psalm, and why?” A friend and colleague from my days at Wheaton College named Psalm 32 as “her” psalm and posted this in response:

After living a life far from God during most of my 20s, when i became a mother in my 30s I found my way back to the church and Jesus. Life was good now, right? Not quite. In my 40s I finally had to come face-to-face with the sin of those early years. The shame I had carried for so long was just more than I could bear. God was so good to me in places where I could process through that. Where I could fully experience God’s love for me, something I had never been able to imagine.

It began in a women’s Bible study when my leader asked us to close our eyes and imagine what it would be like when we first met God in heaven. The tears came quickly. I couldn't even imagine lookin up on his goodness. I saw myself turning away, not even able to lay my eyes upon him.

After some really hard work, a lot of time in the Scripture, and some providential sermons, I knew I wanted to confess my sin out loud. That tangible act felt really important. As part of that confession, I read Psalm 32. Those words around God’s forgiveness were a balm to my soul.

Dee Pierce 2020 - Wheaton College

Let me challenge you, right now, to do what Dee did. It is true that when we keep silent about our sin—shove it down, box it up, and bury it—our sin eats away at our souls like a cancer. But it is also true that if we are faithful to confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive. Indeed, as the book of Galatians tells us, “It is for freedom that Christ set us free” (Gal 5:1). So, let’s be free. Read this psalm again, out loud, and with each line respond:

Verses 1-2: It is true, how “blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven”!

Verses 3-4: I will no longer be silent.

Verse 5: Confess your sin and be assured that He forgives.

Verse 6-7: I don’t care what the rest of the world knows or think they know, “you are

my hiding place.”

Verse 8: Create in me a clean heart, oh God, change me, conform me to the image

of the Son (Rom 8:29)

Verse 9: I will not be a stubborn mule, an untrainable beast.

Verses 10-11: This is my inheritance, and I will not allow anything or anyone to rob me of

it! I will be glad in the Lord, I will shout for joy that I am forgiven and free!

If you are comfortable, share this moment with a friend you trust. Let this be the day when the power of darkness is shattered and the hope of a new day dawns.”