Yesterday, one of the Elders was making some calls and said to me, “I can’t connect with Mrs. H. Her line is busy every time I call.”
Since it was busy for an extended time, I called one of her friends and asked if she’d talked to Mrs. H. She hadn’t, but when she learned that her phone had been busy all day, she offered to go check on her.
Within a few minutes, we knew she was fine.
Looking after widows and orphans.
This is church.
How are you spending your time these days?
Over the past couple of decades, I’ve come to see how much the thinking of our society has invaded the church. I remember when one long-timer at Curwensville, someone who is no longer with us, talked about ghosts being in her home. Ghosts? OK — I enjoy a ghost story as much as the next guy, but I also enjoy stories about Santa Claus. That doesn’t mean I believe there’s a guy in a red suit being dragged through the sky on a sled by flying reindeer. And I don’t believe in ghosts.
My perspective on ghosts is not a denial of the supernatural. I believe in the supernatural. I’ve experienced supernatural events. So how can I say I don’t believe in ghosts? Because the God I believe in tells me what happens when we die — and haunting the living isn’t part of the program.
“The God I believe in…” Is that one of the goofiest things we could ever say or what? Yet whenever you hear someone say something that is in opposition to the teaching of Scripture, that’s what they are saying. They are saying that their version of god is different than the Bible’s version of God. And, make no mistake about it, they are saying that the god they believe in is superior to the God of the Bible. Wow — Is that arrogance or folly? Maybe both.
You don’t pick and choose what God says or does. He’s a person, distinct from you and me. We can’t tell him who he is any more than we can tell gravity how to behave. I addressed this on Sunday in the sermon: Real God. If you haven’t listened to it, it’s online at the church website. It’s an important concept. In fact, if you wish to be part of what’s happening at Curwensville Alliance you must grasp and appreciate the concept of Real God.
Did you read that last sentence? If you wish to be part of what’s happening at Curwensville Alliance you must grasp and appreciate the concept of Real God.
If you have questions about ghosts, then check what the God of the Bible says about them. Maybe I’ll do a Halloween sermon in late October to “lay that issue to rest”. But for now, let’s agree on this: The place we go for a clear understanding of God has to be the Bible. And when the god I believe in contradicts the God of the Bible, the God of the Bible wins.
While preparing for the next message in being healthy, emotionally and spiritually, I happened to read a statement from Erwin McManus in his 2005 book, The Barbarian Way.
McManus has influenced my thinking a great deal, since I first saw him speak at The Alliance General Council in Sacramento.
Take a moment to give some thought to these words, in the light of emotional and spiritual health:
Somehow Christianity has become a nonmystical religion. It’s about a reasonable faith. If we believe the right things, then we are orthodox. Frankly whether we actually connect to God or experience his undeniable presence has become incidental, if not irrelevant. We have become believers rather than experiencers. To know God in the Scriptures always went beyond information to intimacy. We may find ourselves uncomfortable with this reality, but the faith of the Scriptures is a mystical faith. It leads beyond the material world into an invisible reality. We become connected to the God of eternity. Who you are at the core is spirit. God is Spirit. To walk with God is to journey in the spiritual realm. (Erwin Raphael McManus in The Barbarian Way, p. 61).
Is that what your walk with God is like? Is it a spiritual reality — a personal, deep encounter of who you are with Who He is?
For Pittsburghers, tonight starts the first game of the NHL Playoffs. I can’t wait for the puck to drop.
Part of hockey — and many sports — is the rebound. On the ice, it’s that moment when the goalie fails to collect the approaching puck, deflecting it back into the crease. If the offensive player is in position, he’ll bury that puck deep into the goal. Offensive players love rebounds.
I was thinking the other day of how we use that word, rebound. We say that when you’re in a relationship and it goes south, there’s a danger of rebounding and getting into an ill-fated relationship. That’s a negative use of the term. But rebounding can be a positive thing as well.
We’re seeing rebounding at Curwensville Alliance these days. Here’s how it looks:
An adult or two show up for church. They haven’t been in church since they were younger. Since they left church, they have explored a lot of things: Sex and drugs and rock-and-roll. Now they are back at church. Why are they here? The reasons vary from one person to the next, but many are on the rebound. Like the person whose romantic relationship went south, they are looking for something. Many of them have been rebounding for some time — from interest to interest, relationship to relationship, desire to desire… But none of that has satisfied. If it had, they wouldn’t be in church.
This rebounding into church is phenomenal and fantastic. I say it’s phenomenal because I believe it’s God-driven. Many “rebounders” are in church because they feel something is wrong with their recent life-style. How did they come to that conclusion? Jesus says that the Holy Spirit told them — that He is working in their hearts. That’s what is so phenomenal about it; when you watch a person come back to church, you are watching a miracle take place — God is working in their hearts.
It’s fantastic because, if you’re Kingdom focused, you understand that it’s always fantastic when a prodigal child comes home. And it’s an honor to be part of uniting someone with God. It’s great to assist as Jesus accomplishes his goal of seeking and saving that which is lost (Luke 19:10).
Some religious people are troubled when rebounders show up — especially if they are aware of their recent or even current lifestyle. Jesus wasn’t troubled by such things. Since Jesus was called a “friend of sinners,” it’s pretty safe to say that he looked for rebounders. How else can you put the puck into the goal, unless you’re looking for it?
Now, as you think about this hockey metaphor, please be aware of a couple things. All metaphors have shortcomings. Over-application of the metaphor could cause you to make (or think I am making) some points that are not valid. All metaphors break down. And this one breaks down early. First, people are not pucks. They are not something to be used. So don’t see Jesus and his team as swatting things around on the ice. Second, it’s not about scoring a goal, it’s about redeeming a life. So when we engage rebounders, we are careful not to see them as anything less than people who Jesus died to save — just like us. Third, it’s not a game — it’s a calling.
That being said, when you see someone show up for church, seize the day. Shake their hand and welcome them. Assist the Captain as He does what he does best — proclaims good news to the poor, proclaims freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, sets the oppressed free, and proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4)
And maybe you could even invite some rebounders over to watch the game with you tonight! Puck drops at 7:38 pm!
Let’s go Pens!
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