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Messages from Pastor Mark Borseth
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Pastor's Message, January 2020
“2020 Vision – Jesus and the Holy Spirit”
18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. John 1:18
3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. John 3:3-5
It’s hard to not want to use sight imagery as we enter 2020, so that is exactly what we will be focusing on the first part of 2020 – seeing God, seeing the Kingdom, seeing who we are, seeing our purpose in the world.
If sin has blinded us to seeing God, the kingdom, ourselves, others or our purpose clearly, how do we have our sight restored? The quick answer – Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
How do we see God? John 1:18 makes it clear that we cannot see God by our own efforts. The only way we can see God clearly is by having Jesus open our eyes to see the Father.
How do we see the kingdom of God, what God is up to? John 3:3 makes it clear that it is not by our own efforts. We can only see the kingdom by being born from above, as a gift of God.
How do we see ourselves more clearly and accurately? It is by receiving Jesus and being led by the Spirit that we see we are children of God.
How do we see the calling Jesus is inviting us into? It is by following Jesus and baptism of the Holy Spirit.
How will we focus on improving our spiritual sight in 2020? The answer is simple – believing in, listening to and following Jesus, and being filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.
The season of Epiphany, we will be focusing on sight:
January 11-12 – Baptism of Jesus – Eyes open to see heaven, filled by the Spirit & Told Who We Are
January 18-19 – Invited by Jesus to Come and See
January 25-26 – Seeing and Being the Light in the Darkness
February 1-2 – Seeing in Jesus the Salvation of God which Frees us to be Ready to Die
February 8-9 – Being the Light of the World so others can see God more clearly
February 15-16 – Getting Rid of the Barriers to Seeing Clearly
February 22-23 – Transfiguration – Telling Others What You Have Seen
Then, in Lent, we will start moving from being able to see the Kingdom of God into entering into the Kingdom of God, what God is doing. Once again, how do we do this – Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. John 1:18
3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. John 3:3-5
It’s hard to not want to use sight imagery as we enter 2020, so that is exactly what we will be focusing on the first part of 2020 – seeing God, seeing the Kingdom, seeing who we are, seeing our purpose in the world.
If sin has blinded us to seeing God, the kingdom, ourselves, others or our purpose clearly, how do we have our sight restored? The quick answer – Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
How do we see God? John 1:18 makes it clear that we cannot see God by our own efforts. The only way we can see God clearly is by having Jesus open our eyes to see the Father.
How do we see the kingdom of God, what God is up to? John 3:3 makes it clear that it is not by our own efforts. We can only see the kingdom by being born from above, as a gift of God.
How do we see ourselves more clearly and accurately? It is by receiving Jesus and being led by the Spirit that we see we are children of God.
How do we see the calling Jesus is inviting us into? It is by following Jesus and baptism of the Holy Spirit.
How will we focus on improving our spiritual sight in 2020? The answer is simple – believing in, listening to and following Jesus, and being filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.
The season of Epiphany, we will be focusing on sight:
January 11-12 – Baptism of Jesus – Eyes open to see heaven, filled by the Spirit & Told Who We Are
January 18-19 – Invited by Jesus to Come and See
January 25-26 – Seeing and Being the Light in the Darkness
February 1-2 – Seeing in Jesus the Salvation of God which Frees us to be Ready to Die
February 8-9 – Being the Light of the World so others can see God more clearly
February 15-16 – Getting Rid of the Barriers to Seeing Clearly
February 22-23 – Transfiguration – Telling Others What You Have Seen
Then, in Lent, we will start moving from being able to see the Kingdom of God into entering into the Kingdom of God, what God is doing. Once again, how do we do this – Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Pastor's Message, December 2019
“Not ‘A Manual’ but ‘Emmanuel’”
All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
Matthew 1:22-23
What was God’s response to the needs of the world? To send a manual for us to follow to solve our own problems, or to send Emmanuel, his very presence to be with us and to do for us what we can’t do for ourselves?
Teaching is a very important part of Christian ministry, but if our teaching makes the Christian life into the study of a manual to help us solve our own problems, we have missed out on the experience the teaching is meant to lead us into. If our intellectual study about God doesn’t lead us to an experience of God, we have missed the point.
In John 5:39, Jesus speaks to experts at Bible study and tells them that, even with all their study, they have been blind to the presence of God standing right in front of them as he says, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
If your Christian life is focused on studying, learning and obeying a manual, let me invite you to meet the one the manual wants to invite you to experience, Jesus. Jesus comes to people who have depended on a manual for good religious living and gives them instead Emmanuel, God with them.
During December, my Sunday sermons will focus on creating space for and inviting in the presence of God. My desire is that you experience more than just information about God, but that you experience God himself as he comes to us in Jesus. Wednesday night Advent services will focus on baptism. Baptism symbolizes and effects more than just head knowledge about God. In baptism, we encounter the presence of God, and we are brought into the life of God. We will focus on being cleansed of the barriers preventing us from experiencing God’s presence, then on being brought into a relationship with God for our benefit, and finally on having the life of God fill us and flow out of us to bless others.
Take some time to stop learning the manual this Christmas to really experience Emmanuel, God with you and me.
All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
Matthew 1:22-23
What was God’s response to the needs of the world? To send a manual for us to follow to solve our own problems, or to send Emmanuel, his very presence to be with us and to do for us what we can’t do for ourselves?
Teaching is a very important part of Christian ministry, but if our teaching makes the Christian life into the study of a manual to help us solve our own problems, we have missed out on the experience the teaching is meant to lead us into. If our intellectual study about God doesn’t lead us to an experience of God, we have missed the point.
In John 5:39, Jesus speaks to experts at Bible study and tells them that, even with all their study, they have been blind to the presence of God standing right in front of them as he says, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”
If your Christian life is focused on studying, learning and obeying a manual, let me invite you to meet the one the manual wants to invite you to experience, Jesus. Jesus comes to people who have depended on a manual for good religious living and gives them instead Emmanuel, God with them.
During December, my Sunday sermons will focus on creating space for and inviting in the presence of God. My desire is that you experience more than just information about God, but that you experience God himself as he comes to us in Jesus. Wednesday night Advent services will focus on baptism. Baptism symbolizes and effects more than just head knowledge about God. In baptism, we encounter the presence of God, and we are brought into the life of God. We will focus on being cleansed of the barriers preventing us from experiencing God’s presence, then on being brought into a relationship with God for our benefit, and finally on having the life of God fill us and flow out of us to bless others.
Take some time to stop learning the manual this Christmas to really experience Emmanuel, God with you and me.
Pastor's Message, November 2019
“Luther: Upward, Inward, Outward”
With Reformation Sunday the end of October and Martin Luther’s birthday on November 10, I want to take some time to learn from Martin Luther about how our mission statement, “Connecting: Upward, Inward and Outward” is really part of our Lutheran DNA.
Connecting Upward – Martin Luther wanted people to know they had direct access to God through Jesus and didn’t need to have a priest intercede between them and God. He wanted people to know their relationship with God was based on God’s grace coming to them rather than their works getting God’s attention. He wanted to give people access to read the Bible themselves by translating it into the local language, German.
Connecting Inward – Luther valued Christian community. He understood the commandments to be not just prohibitions to prevent people from doing wrong, but also saw them as gifts helping to increase honor, honesty and love which would create deep, authentic relationships. He understood the importance of the family as being the primary teacher of faith. He enjoyed gathering around the table with friends and students to have a beer, share fellowship and discuss issues of faith and life.
Connecting Outward – Luther understood that our baptisms do not just free us from what is wrong, they define who we are to be as we love and serve our neighbors. He saw vocations, from priest to handmaid, as callings from God to serve the neighbor. In short, he saw Christians as, “Free in Christ from sin, for the neighbor.” Lutherans have a strong tradition of caring for the poor and needy and engaging in their communities and the world.
May we learn from Luther to better live our lives “Connecting: Upward, Inward and Outward!”.
Connecting Inward Survey Results
Thanks for your input regarding our ministry of connecting inward with each other at RLC. We will be putting together a task force to help take what you have shared, prioritize what to do next and then help make those priorities a reality. If you would like to be part of this “ministry inward” group, you will experience the blessing of Christian community while helping RLC improve our Christian community. Here is a summary of results:
Survey results
ii.Yes- 6
iii.Possibly - 1
If you have further input, would like to be part of the task force, or would be willing to host or plan a fellowship event, let Pastor Mark know.
Connecting Inward in November:
Sunday, November 3 – Potluck after 10:00 joint service
Sunday, November 10 – Martin Luther Birthday Party at Fassler Hall from 3:00-4:30pm (see more in separate announcement)
Sunday, November 17 – Family Holiday Event following 10 AM joint worship
Thursday, November 21 – Senior Night Out
Tuesday, November 26 – Cluster Thanksgiving Service and Pie Fellowship at Lord of Life at 7:00PM (see more in separate announcement)
With Reformation Sunday the end of October and Martin Luther’s birthday on November 10, I want to take some time to learn from Martin Luther about how our mission statement, “Connecting: Upward, Inward and Outward” is really part of our Lutheran DNA.
Connecting Upward – Martin Luther wanted people to know they had direct access to God through Jesus and didn’t need to have a priest intercede between them and God. He wanted people to know their relationship with God was based on God’s grace coming to them rather than their works getting God’s attention. He wanted to give people access to read the Bible themselves by translating it into the local language, German.
Connecting Inward – Luther valued Christian community. He understood the commandments to be not just prohibitions to prevent people from doing wrong, but also saw them as gifts helping to increase honor, honesty and love which would create deep, authentic relationships. He understood the importance of the family as being the primary teacher of faith. He enjoyed gathering around the table with friends and students to have a beer, share fellowship and discuss issues of faith and life.
Connecting Outward – Luther understood that our baptisms do not just free us from what is wrong, they define who we are to be as we love and serve our neighbors. He saw vocations, from priest to handmaid, as callings from God to serve the neighbor. In short, he saw Christians as, “Free in Christ from sin, for the neighbor.” Lutherans have a strong tradition of caring for the poor and needy and engaging in their communities and the world.
May we learn from Luther to better live our lives “Connecting: Upward, Inward and Outward!”.
Connecting Inward Survey Results
Thanks for your input regarding our ministry of connecting inward with each other at RLC. We will be putting together a task force to help take what you have shared, prioritize what to do next and then help make those priorities a reality. If you would like to be part of this “ministry inward” group, you will experience the blessing of Christian community while helping RLC improve our Christian community. Here is a summary of results:
Survey results
- Do we need more ways to connect socially ?
ii.Yes- 6
iii.Possibly - 1
- What would you suggest?
- Paint & Pallet
- Group dinners
- Family outings
- Community outreach
- Small in-home discussion groups
- Bible study
- Social fellowship
- Small groups with no cliques
- Potlucks at church
- Evening socials at peoples’ houses
- Meetings for people interested in our church
- Location of events
- Church – 7
- Homes – 5
- Public places like restaurants – 7
- Day excursions to visit places of interest – e.g. – hiking, wineries, bowling
- How can we make sure people are not being forgotten?
- Tell church staff if you haven’t seen someone for a while – 7
- Having a team of people who call or write every church member or friend on regular occasions to see how they are doing – 5
- Having a team of people who call or write every missing church member or friend on regular occasions to see how they are doing – 1
- We are doing fine – 1
- One-page flyers to give to visitors, follow up with card
- How can we make sure everyone receives prayer if they desire?
- Prayer box – 7
- Community prayer time before or after service – 3
- Community prayer time during service - 1
- Extended prayer during service
- Have a regular prayer service each week – 2
- Have a team of people contact everyone on a regular basis and asking for prayer requests – 1
- Contact people who have not attended church services on two consecutive weekends (unless members/people have informed RLC of their absenteeism, e.g. – surgery, travels, vacation, etc.)
- What if we restructured Sunday morning to have an official prayer time/community time before, after or between services? Would you attend?:
- Possibly – 1
- Probably - 1
- Yes – if not during Sunday school – 1
- Yes – 3
- Depends on circumstances – 1
- Probably not - 2
- I you could suggest one thing to improve connection inward at RLC?
- We are doing great already – 1
- More family outreach experiences
- Social events
- Adult Table Game nights
- Communicate
- More confirmation things
- Be vigilant of peoples’ absenteeism, RLC members need to be proactive, not reactive
- Wine tasting at Fracel’s
- Be more open to new ideas
- Who should we have on our visit/homebound list?
- Pastor
- Committee members
- The church leaders
- New people
- Shut-ins, long term members in nursing homes, hospitals, independent living etc
- Hospitalized
- Elderly
- If we had a small group or multiple small groups focused on getting together regularly to check in with each other, pray and share fellowship, would you attend?
- Probably Not – 1
- Yes – 7
If you have further input, would like to be part of the task force, or would be willing to host or plan a fellowship event, let Pastor Mark know.
Connecting Inward in November:
Sunday, November 3 – Potluck after 10:00 joint service
Sunday, November 10 – Martin Luther Birthday Party at Fassler Hall from 3:00-4:30pm (see more in separate announcement)
Sunday, November 17 – Family Holiday Event following 10 AM joint worship
Thursday, November 21 – Senior Night Out
Tuesday, November 26 – Cluster Thanksgiving Service and Pie Fellowship at Lord of Life at 7:00PM (see more in separate announcement)
Pastor's Message, October 2019
“Intentionality and Creativity”
“for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” Luke 16:8
We use the best of our intentionality and creativity when courting the person we want to marry.
We use the best of our intentionality and creativity when we are trying to do well in academics, athletics and personal passions.
We use the best of our intentionality and creativity when confronted by health or financial crises.
What I hear Jesus asking in Luke 16 is this – “Why don’t my people use the best of their intentionality and creativity when it comes to their relationship with me?”
What if you feel disconnected from God rather than intimately connected? Just say that’s the way it is, or press in for intimacy? What can you do intentionally, how can you be creative in connecting with God?
What if you don’t feel like your life is blessing others and you are not following God’s calling in your life? Just say that’s the way it is, or press in for fruitfulness and faithfulness? What can you do intentionally, how you be creative in engaging others and making space for God to have more influence in your life?
As an American, I was raised to believe we as a nation can overcome anything and thrive. I was raised to believe American hard work, creativity and passion could accomplish anything. Why don’t I have the same confidence for the church? As a Christian, I look around and see a bunch of apathy and going through the motions, just trying to survive.
RLC is not just trying to survive or keep the doors open a little longer. Jesus is calling us to have a vital congregation within the church building that is powerfully transformative in spreading the kingdom of God in the world.
To get there we need to use our intentionality and creativity while pressing into knowing God and allowing him to send us into the world. Are you in? Or are you too busy doing what you consider more important?
“for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” Luke 16:8
We use the best of our intentionality and creativity when courting the person we want to marry.
We use the best of our intentionality and creativity when we are trying to do well in academics, athletics and personal passions.
We use the best of our intentionality and creativity when confronted by health or financial crises.
What I hear Jesus asking in Luke 16 is this – “Why don’t my people use the best of their intentionality and creativity when it comes to their relationship with me?”
What if you feel disconnected from God rather than intimately connected? Just say that’s the way it is, or press in for intimacy? What can you do intentionally, how can you be creative in connecting with God?
What if you don’t feel like your life is blessing others and you are not following God’s calling in your life? Just say that’s the way it is, or press in for fruitfulness and faithfulness? What can you do intentionally, how you be creative in engaging others and making space for God to have more influence in your life?
As an American, I was raised to believe we as a nation can overcome anything and thrive. I was raised to believe American hard work, creativity and passion could accomplish anything. Why don’t I have the same confidence for the church? As a Christian, I look around and see a bunch of apathy and going through the motions, just trying to survive.
RLC is not just trying to survive or keep the doors open a little longer. Jesus is calling us to have a vital congregation within the church building that is powerfully transformative in spreading the kingdom of God in the world.
To get there we need to use our intentionality and creativity while pressing into knowing God and allowing him to send us into the world. Are you in? Or are you too busy doing what you consider more important?
Pastor's Message, September 2019
“Hanging Out with Some Better Influences”
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
It is human nature to be live up or live down to the level of those with whom we hang out. If we are surrounded by people with low expectations, we are likely to have low expectations. If we are surrounded by people with high expectations, we are likely to have high expectations. Those around us are often the best determinant of what we will consider to be “normal.”
When it comes to the life of faith, what we consider to be “normal” is often defined by what we see in the lives of other people of faith around us. We owe it to ourselves and to the world around us to have people who see intimacy with God, hearing God’s voice, experiencing God’s presence and seeing spiritual gifts at work in and through them on a regular basis as “normal.”
The writer of Hebrews spends all of chapter 11 of reminding us of the “heroes” of the faith to be remind readers what the life of faith is meant to look like. Then, he begins chapter 12 by referring to this “cloud of witnesses” as motivation for us to “run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
We all know that David defeated the giant Goliath, but did you know there were others who defeated giants as well. So, what did they all have in common? They all hung out with David. Hanging out with giant killers is the best motivation to be one.
I am convinced that most of the church in the West (America and Europe) is living an inferior life of faith where the definition of the “normal” Christian life has been so diluted it looks nothing like the lives of those referred to in Hebrews 11.
My plan for the fall of 2019 is to have us as a congregation spend time focusing on the lives and testimonies of those who invite us to change our definition of “normal” in our walk of faith. I want us to start thinking differently, so God can start working in and through us in more intimate and powerful ways. I want us to see it as “normal” to expect and experience the following:
Conversations Coming in the Fall – Do We Need to Do Things Differently to Get Different Results?
The church is perfectly designed to get the results we are presently getting. The question is, are the results we are getting the results we want?
This fall, there will be opportunities to explore why we are here and what God is calling us to be and do. Once we know why we are here, it might necessitate doing some things differently to achieve the new desired results.
Once we know what we are here for, what does that say about our present way of doing things?
*Do we have the right number of worship services at the right times?
*Do we need more prayer?
*Do we need more Bible study?
*Do we need to find ways to live out our faith outside of church?
It is time to have our schedule stop driving us. It is time to have our schedule serving God’s purposes for us.
Take time to pray about what God is saying to you and to us as a congregation regarding how we can best live out God’s calling for us. Then, be ready to share what you hear God saying to you and to us about how to proceed in ministry.
Thanks!
Pastor Mark
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
It is human nature to be live up or live down to the level of those with whom we hang out. If we are surrounded by people with low expectations, we are likely to have low expectations. If we are surrounded by people with high expectations, we are likely to have high expectations. Those around us are often the best determinant of what we will consider to be “normal.”
When it comes to the life of faith, what we consider to be “normal” is often defined by what we see in the lives of other people of faith around us. We owe it to ourselves and to the world around us to have people who see intimacy with God, hearing God’s voice, experiencing God’s presence and seeing spiritual gifts at work in and through them on a regular basis as “normal.”
The writer of Hebrews spends all of chapter 11 of reminding us of the “heroes” of the faith to be remind readers what the life of faith is meant to look like. Then, he begins chapter 12 by referring to this “cloud of witnesses” as motivation for us to “run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
We all know that David defeated the giant Goliath, but did you know there were others who defeated giants as well. So, what did they all have in common? They all hung out with David. Hanging out with giant killers is the best motivation to be one.
I am convinced that most of the church in the West (America and Europe) is living an inferior life of faith where the definition of the “normal” Christian life has been so diluted it looks nothing like the lives of those referred to in Hebrews 11.
My plan for the fall of 2019 is to have us as a congregation spend time focusing on the lives and testimonies of those who invite us to change our definition of “normal” in our walk of faith. I want us to start thinking differently, so God can start working in and through us in more intimate and powerful ways. I want us to see it as “normal” to expect and experience the following:
- Intimacy with God
- Hearing God’s voice
- Tangibly experiencing God’s presence
- Having gifts of the Spirit working in and through us on a daily basis
- Taking risks of going where God is going and doing what God is doing
Conversations Coming in the Fall – Do We Need to Do Things Differently to Get Different Results?
The church is perfectly designed to get the results we are presently getting. The question is, are the results we are getting the results we want?
This fall, there will be opportunities to explore why we are here and what God is calling us to be and do. Once we know why we are here, it might necessitate doing some things differently to achieve the new desired results.
Once we know what we are here for, what does that say about our present way of doing things?
*Do we have the right number of worship services at the right times?
*Do we need more prayer?
*Do we need more Bible study?
*Do we need to find ways to live out our faith outside of church?
It is time to have our schedule stop driving us. It is time to have our schedule serving God’s purposes for us.
Take time to pray about what God is saying to you and to us as a congregation regarding how we can best live out God’s calling for us. Then, be ready to share what you hear God saying to you and to us about how to proceed in ministry.
Thanks!
Pastor Mark
Pastor's Message, August 2019
“Beginning with the Spirit and Ending with the Spirit”
2The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4Did you experience so much for nothing? —if it really was for nothing. 5Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? Galatians 3:2-5
As Christians, we are saved by grace as a gift of God, not by any work we do. So, why do we so quickly go to thinking that once we are saved by grace that we need to live the Christian life by our hard work? The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia about his concern that they have forgotten their relationship with God is based on grace and the work of the Holy Spirit and not on how hard they work. He wants them to know that the way we continue to grow in our relationship with God is the same way we entered into that relationship – by grace and the work of the Holy Spirit.
I began 2019 with a focus on being more open to the Holy Spirit, both for myself and as a congregation. But, as the year went on, I got busy trying to make things work on my own effort. As we move into the fall of 2019, I want to make a concerted effort to get myself and the congregation back into the understanding that the way we grow in our relationship with God is by grace and the work of the Holy Spirit, not be our hard work.
How do we correct our course so that we are traveling in currents of God’s grace, being blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit by the end of the year rather than straining at the oars of human effort to move forward individually and as a congregation?
This Fall I want to help us get into God’s current and catching God’s breeze by focusing on three things:
We as Lutherans are good at remembering this whole journey of faith began by grace as a free gift of God as the Holy Spirit brought us into a relationship with Jesus. May we become better at continuing and completing the journey of faith the same way!
2The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4Did you experience so much for nothing? —if it really was for nothing. 5Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? Galatians 3:2-5
As Christians, we are saved by grace as a gift of God, not by any work we do. So, why do we so quickly go to thinking that once we are saved by grace that we need to live the Christian life by our hard work? The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia about his concern that they have forgotten their relationship with God is based on grace and the work of the Holy Spirit and not on how hard they work. He wants them to know that the way we continue to grow in our relationship with God is the same way we entered into that relationship – by grace and the work of the Holy Spirit.
I began 2019 with a focus on being more open to the Holy Spirit, both for myself and as a congregation. But, as the year went on, I got busy trying to make things work on my own effort. As we move into the fall of 2019, I want to make a concerted effort to get myself and the congregation back into the understanding that the way we grow in our relationship with God is by grace and the work of the Holy Spirit, not be our hard work.
How do we correct our course so that we are traveling in currents of God’s grace, being blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit by the end of the year rather than straining at the oars of human effort to move forward individually and as a congregation?
This Fall I want to help us get into God’s current and catching God’s breeze by focusing on three things:
- Prayer – When we work, we work. When we pray, God works.
- Holy Spirit – When we do things for a God outside of us, we can accomplish some. When God lives and works in and through us, we can accomplish a lot.
- Grace – We were welcome into the family of God by the free gift of grace. The way we grow deeper in our identity and relationship with God is also by grace.
We as Lutherans are good at remembering this whole journey of faith began by grace as a free gift of God as the Holy Spirit brought us into a relationship with Jesus. May we become better at continuing and completing the journey of faith the same way!
Pastor's Message, July 2019
“One of the Primary Gifts of the Holy Spirit – BOLDNESS!”
29And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29-31
The Holy Spirit gives some wonderful gifts – love, faith, spiritual gifts such as healing and prophecy we can use to bless others. But, as I read the book of Acts, one of the gifts I never used to notice, but which shows up all over the place is BOLDNESS. We can have all of the love, faith and gifts, but unless we are bold enough to risk loving others, acting out our faith and using our spiritual gifts, it will not make much of an impact on the world around us.
Peter and John have just been arrested and warned not to speak about Jesus or minister in his name. So, what do they do when they are released? They pray for the boldness to do the same things that just got them arrested, and God answers their prayer by filling them with the Holy Spirit and boldness while accenting the event by physically shaking the place they were gathered.
I am at a place in my life where I know God loves me, I have faith in God and I think I have some spiritual gifts, but I am too chicken to take the risk of loving, being led by the Spirit and using my spiritual gifts. I need a fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit. I want to see God stretch out his hand to heal and perform signs and wonders in and through me through the name of Jesus.
I have a sense that the one of the greatest needs for the church today is a baptism of love and boldness. Not just for me and other church leaders, but for all followers of Jesus to have such an encounter with God’s love that we are bold enough and loving enough to take the risk of loving and serving others.
Take time to pray today for the Holy Spirit to give you a fresh encounter with God’s love and a fresh baptism of love which stirs you to love, be led by the Spirit and use your spiritual gifts to give others encounters with God.
29And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29-31
The Holy Spirit gives some wonderful gifts – love, faith, spiritual gifts such as healing and prophecy we can use to bless others. But, as I read the book of Acts, one of the gifts I never used to notice, but which shows up all over the place is BOLDNESS. We can have all of the love, faith and gifts, but unless we are bold enough to risk loving others, acting out our faith and using our spiritual gifts, it will not make much of an impact on the world around us.
Peter and John have just been arrested and warned not to speak about Jesus or minister in his name. So, what do they do when they are released? They pray for the boldness to do the same things that just got them arrested, and God answers their prayer by filling them with the Holy Spirit and boldness while accenting the event by physically shaking the place they were gathered.
I am at a place in my life where I know God loves me, I have faith in God and I think I have some spiritual gifts, but I am too chicken to take the risk of loving, being led by the Spirit and using my spiritual gifts. I need a fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit. I want to see God stretch out his hand to heal and perform signs and wonders in and through me through the name of Jesus.
I have a sense that the one of the greatest needs for the church today is a baptism of love and boldness. Not just for me and other church leaders, but for all followers of Jesus to have such an encounter with God’s love that we are bold enough and loving enough to take the risk of loving and serving others.
Take time to pray today for the Holy Spirit to give you a fresh encounter with God’s love and a fresh baptism of love which stirs you to love, be led by the Spirit and use your spiritual gifts to give others encounters with God.
We publish the last six months of Pastor Mark's messages here. For older messages, please refer to the newsletters.