"To Him be glory forever": stories

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Stories, part 2

This morning I had the privilege of preaching from 1 Timothy 1:12-17. One of the things I brought out of the passage was Paul's description of his state before God, including both his state before, and then after, his salvation. Prior to his salvation Paul said that he was a "blasphemer, persecutor and insolent opponent" of God. But God didn't give Paul what one would assume would be reasonable in the form of a response. He didn't punish Paul for the way Paul behaved towards God.

In Paul's case God chose to do something quite different. In His mercy He poured out His grace on Paul. God's grace "overflows" onto Paul. God's grace was more than enough to cover every sin Paul ever committed against God.

God, through the way He treated Paul, gave Paul a powerful faith story. And as a result Paul had the ability to share the Good News of Jesus in a very personal way. He could say something along the lines of, "I was a sinner and far from God, and then God rescued me, and now I am different in these particular ways."

One of the key parts of this passage from 1 Timothy is in the center of verse 15,

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

The things that Jesus did in His earthly ministry, the healings, the teaching, the praying, the miracles, every bit of it, all pointed toward one purpose, the saving of sinners.

Like Paul, every person who has been touched by the saving love of God in Christ Jesus has a powerful story to tell. And the telling of that story may be the means used by God to touch, and save, the life of another sinner.

Where are you seeing the opportunity to tell your story? Who will feel the touch of God on their heart after hearing the way in which He has touched your heart?

(My previous post, connected to this, is Stories, part 1)

Friday, September 13, 2013

Stories, part 1

We are nearly three weeks into our ministry in New Mexico. We have been warmly welcomed by the members of our new congregation, the Jicarilla Apache Reformed Church. We feel fairly well settled into our home, the church parsonage. Kat is making new friends and we are learning our way around the community, both geographically and in terms of the activities that are available to us. And, perhaps most importantly to me, I am growing into my new role as the church's pastor.

There is a lot to learn. Some things I learned in seminary. Others I learned through the things I did at my old church in Rochester. Some I have learned from friends in ministry and some other things through searching out the answers myself. The other day I fixed a toilet at the church with a paper clip...something I figured out completely on my own!

And there are other things I am sorting out in ways that seem to work and meet my needs at the moment. One of those things is going to the church on Friday morning and running through the worship service for Sunday.

I preach the sermon to a collection of empty pews and then go through all the other parts of the service except the sermon. I practice the call to worship, confession and assurance of forgiveness, anointing and healing prayer, the songs and the benediction. The songs are particularly important, because right now the only musical accompaniment is Robin on her flute, so I have to have an idea of the melody and be able to stay on it fairly well throughout each song.

So I sing aloud through each piece, and as I did so this Friday I slowly paced back-and-forth across the front of the church. And as I paced I began to notice the floor.

The church was built in 1914, with adobe walls and hardwood floors. As you may see in the picture, those floors have a lot of wear. Looking at the floor and seeing the wear I began to wonder about the stories the floor would have, could floors talk that is.

Stories of the rich ministry that has preceded our service here. Songs. Sermons. Baptisms. Funerals. Gatherings around the Lord's Table. Fellowship. And much prayer.

Stories of the faithful witness of several generations of God's people, gathered in the name of Jesus.

It is a privilege to walk those floors and know that we are taking part in the ongoing work of God here in Dulce. It is a privilege to be adding here, in this space and with these people, to the stories that are part of the greatest story, the story of redemption in Christ Jesus.

"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:8-11