Category: Study

Carol Bechtel, one of my seminary professors writes about Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 in her book, Life After Grace.  She quotes a Robert Frost poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay.

Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. 
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief, so dawn goes down to day. 
Nothing gold can stay.

The author of Ecclesiastes (in Hebrew, simply “the Preacher”) would have been comfortable with this poem.  Life is progression; “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) When we read these verses, it can be very easy to want to live in the positives and ignore the negatives.  As Bechtel points out, we are happy to dance, laugh, and embrace; but mourning, weeping, and not embracing…

As I have learned from “The Preacher” and as a preacher, there is a time for everything.  I’ve sat by the bedside of many who are about to be called home; yes there is a time to be born and a time to die.  I’ve sat with two families who celebrated a birth the same time they were mourning death of a beloved believer.  Together we rejoiced at both. These are the moments that bring us closest together to each other and to God.  

I’ve come to know through my gardens and many dogs I have dearly loved and spent hours upon hours with; there is a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to plant and a time to uproot.  Few things are more difficult than making that decision to have a pet put down.  It is a little easier to cut down tree and replant or dig up a bush and replant, but still a sentimental decision when that tree or flowering bush has meaning, perhaps given to you by someone.

I’ve learned as a preacher and from “The Preacher” that there is a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to build and a time to tear down. In churches often times this accompanies a time to search and a time to count as lost.  The most difficult part of this is knowing (discerning) from the Holy Spirit, when to apply one or the other.  We do not have the full understanding of God, so at times we will make mistakes or people will perceive us to have made mistakes.  That is part of the journey, part of each individual season of the church and of life.

One thing I am learning, slowly though, is to be joyful in every circumstance.  I’m learning that the joy is in the journey with God, in all of these seasons.  The joy isn’t necessarily in achieving a goal, but in the serving together to seek a goal.  The pain, the hard work, the sacrifice, the uncertainty, the small wins, the big accomplishments are what brings us together, allows us to trust each other, and more importantly to trust in God’s providence, wisdom, and will for us.  I’m also learning that when mistakes are made, we tear down when we should have built up, God can and will use our faithfulness for good. 

God has planned a season for everything and I’ve learned to enjoy the late fall of life as much as the spring of life.  God’s plan for His Glory!

Prayer: Father, thank you for the seasons, those in which I struggle and find grief and those that are easy and happy.  Allow me to recognize the joy in both and be content in the understanding that I do not have your wisdom.  I do not need to know why things happen all the time.  Thank you for providing me a church family to go through these seasons with.  I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

For those of you who have a good memory this may sound somewhat familiar from last year’s December Crossroads…

I’m kind of on a theme here of Christmas Specials.  All of us have watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. There are two scenes where they go to the “island of misfit toys.”  Toys that are broken, missing something, a “train with square wheels,” a “Charlie in the Box,” a “bird the swims,” or a “cowboy who rides and ostrich.”   

Every time I watch this, I can’t help but think at some level, we are all misfits in need of rescue.  We all have our problems; some  lack patience, some have addictions, some are judgmental, etc… we all know where we fall short of God’s standard in Christ.  The truth is, all of us are sinful and in need of rescue.  God knew this and He sent his Son, Jesus, to rescue us.

Like the toys, we have a tendency to want to distance ourselves from misfits. Do we avoid the people we identify as misfits; do we keep them at a distance?  Do we “place them on an island” by themselves?  Everyone on this earth does that, with the characteristics defined differently for each person.

These toys also had the problem of looking down on themselves, who would want to play with us? So they banished themselves to an island.  Just like the toys, we even think of ourselves this way. We sit in church and focus on our flaws rather than our gifts.  We think we know what the “perfect Christian” is and we lose sight of what we have to offer. 

We think we can’t sing – we can’t praise God because we don’t have perfect pitch – because we don’t have a great voice (It doesn’t matter – just ask anyone who has heard me sing)… Make a joyful noise to the Lord!!

Have you ever heard: I’m afraid to share my faith because I don’t know enough and someone might ask me a question I can’t answer, I’m not comfortable speaking in public (Moses anyone), I know I’ll make a mistake…  Just love them and pray for God to open their heart to Jesus.

The truth is, we are all broken, we all have our faults and God knows this.  God wants us not to be paralyzed by our faults, but to use them to show others the way to Him.  Each and every one of us is critical to the functioning body of Christ and capable of reaching someone for Jesus because of what makes us a misfit.

Drop the misfit feelings and allow God to mold you; allow God to take all your perceived flaws and shortcomings and use them for His glory.

Prayer: Father, what a blessing to know you love us even with all our faults.  Thank you for opening our hearts to Jesus and the Good News in Him. Awaken us to see that You love us and see right through our faults, for Jesus has washed us clean.  It is His name we pray, Amen.

With Christ’s Love, Your Misfit Pastor!

Patricia F. Wilson writes in her book Quiet Spaces: “Dear Jesus, during this day help me quiet all the thoughts that fill my head – where I must go, who I must see, and what I must do.  In their place, give me a sense of your order, your peace, and your time… I give all my tasks to you and trust you to bring order to them.”

As I read this quote I was drawn to two passages that talk about quiet, stillness, and rest.

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”

It is often difficult in the midst of chaos to quiet the thoughts in our head.  It is difficult to stop and pray for God to provide the order to the day when we know all that we have to accomplish and we think we can’t possibly take 10-15 minutes to stop and ask God to order things for us.

Something  very calming happens when we do take time to pray, especially before the busiest of day; the pressure seems to fall away.  The deadlines are still there, the to-do list is still there, but the bedlam surrounding it seems to fall away knowing that God will put things in order.

Prayer:  Father, please calm my heart today and throughout Advent.  Help me to build a habit each day of turning that day over to you so together we can accomplish everything you wish for me to accomplish without added stress and worry in my life.  Help me to not be anxious, but to give everything great and small to you.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

We have all, well… most of us anyway, have read Dr. Seuss’ “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” At the end of the book, the Grinch comes in on Christmas Eve night and he steals all the presents, the Christmas Trees, the decorations, and all their food.  He takes it back to his lair thinking that he had stolen Christmas.  After all, without the presents, the decorations, and food for the feast, there can be no Christmas. 

Do we ever fall into that trap, thinking that there can be no Christmas without the presents and the food for the feast?  What if we woke up on Christmas Day and found our presents stolen and our fridge and freezer empty?  Or would we be like the Whos from Who-ville? 

As the Grinch is basking in his glory, looking down on Who-ville, having stolen Christmas, he waits to hear the screaming and the wailing from the people when they find everything gone; especially the tree in the center of town.  And then “he heard a sound rising over the snow, it started in low and then it started to grow.”  The sound wasn’t sad, it was merry!  The Grinch was confounded, the whole town of Who-ville was singing.  He hadn’t stopped Christmas at all…  When I think about this book, I’m drawn to Habakkuk.

The prophet Habakkuk writes (3:17-18): “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, thought the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in my God and Savior.”

Habakkuk wrote this passage shortly after the Babylonian invasion.  It was an extremely traumatic and hopeless period for Israel.  The Assyrian army had already destroyed several cities, killing many. All the places where Israel found security and measured their wealth and power were destroyed; livestock, crops, and food stores were all destroyed.  Places of worship had been ravaged; the temple and with it the articles of worship taken as plunder.  Those not killed were taken into exile. 

It is just during this time of hopelessness that Habakkuk writes, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in my God and Savior.”  For Habakkuk, for the faithful in Christ, and, yes, The Whos in Who-ville; we are reminded that wealth and presents do not make Christmas, nor do they determine our joy.  Each joyful day dawns with the Light of Christ.

Prayer: Gracious Father, help us to see clearly Your Glory.  Allow us to be humble and gracious in those times of plenty and faithful and joyous in times of want and grief.  Help us to see your absolute sovereignty in our lives and find peace, hope, joy, and love in You.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

With Christ’s Joy, Pastor Brett

How many of you have watched the movie “Hoosiers?” It is about a small school in Indiana (equivalent to a class D school in Michigan) that wins the state basketball championship.  Keep in mind, for years Indiana had one champion, there were not four champions based on school size like Michigan.  There was not a lot of hope for little schools until Milan High School (the real Hickory Hoosiers) won it all, defeating the much larger Muncie Central.  The coach did everything he could to convince them that everything was the same; the height of the basket, the length of the free throw line, etc. Then before the game started the local pastor read the story of David and Goliath, hoping to provide the boys encouragement and hope.

Do we ever feel like an underdog in life?  Do we ever get the feeling that we are not equipped to do something or others have given up because they don’t see us as equipped?

The Bible is loaded with these types of stories and people; unlikely heroes God uses.  One only has to look David, Ruth, Joseph, Moses, Noah, Abraham, and one of my favorites, Gideon. We know and see them after the big win, but we rarely remember them before.  God chooses and uses people the world often looks past.

So, let’s look at Gideon.  When the Lord called him to save Israel, Gideon replied: “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel?  My clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:14-15)  No one expected much of him, sounds just like David whose father didn’t even bring him into the house for the prophet Samuel to consider to anoint as king.

Gideon is the least, not just the runt of the litter, but the runt of the least litter.  When God promised to be with Gideon, Gideon still wanted proof from God (read Judges 6 & 7) before he would step out in faith.  At this point one can’t help but wonder what God saw in Gideon; the only response I can give is the same thing God sees in us, FAITH!

God sees what we too often don’t see, both in ourselves and others.  God has great hope in us, even when we don’t have confidence in ourselves. 

Last week in worship we lit the candle of HOPE.  Let us look at all these unlikely Biblical heroes and know that there is great HOPE for us when we humbly and courageously and even cautiously follow Him. 

Prayer: Father, through Your Holy Spirit living in us, show us the way of Hope.  Encourage us, empower us with Your strength.  As we read stories about Gideon, Ruth, David, Moses, and others; take us back to when they were not confident so we can see how You worked in them. Give us hope Father to see ourselves and others as You see us, heroes You want to use.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

There is a story about two men riding a tandem bicycle. They were ascending a long steep hill. After great effort, they finally reached the top of the hill and they stopped for a minute to catch their breath and get a drink.  The front rider turned around and said, “That was one tough climb.”  The second rider replied, “Sure was, had I not kept riding the brake, we might have slipped backwards.”

Do we ever do that in life?  Do we ever look at circumstances and solutions differently? 

I laugh at the picture of one person straining at the pedals and the other straining at the brake, both thinking they are doing the right thing. 

We face challenges in life with our spouses, our co-workers, our friends, and our family.  We often look at these challenges differently.  Some people when faced with challenges want to peddle right through them, looking up toward the goal ahead and willing to take a chance to make it happen.  Yes, we might find ourselves straining, we might even lose ground, or worse yet crash. Those thoughts cause some people to apply the brakes, not wanting to take the risk for fear of slipping backwards. The struggle is this, if one is always applying the brakes, one doesn’t get very far or it requires the person in the front to work three times as hard to make things happen. 

Our faith is like that too.  While everyone often shares and desires the same goals; when facing the hill or perceive obstacle, some peddle while others hit the brakes.

Jesus faced this uphill climb; sometimes the disciples wanted to hold him back.  Remember Peter who recognized Jesus as being the Messiah and Jesus called him the rock upon which He would build His church.  The next minute Peter was holding Jesus back, saying that Jesus must never endure suffering and death.  Peter didn’t realize that Jesus was going to have to endure the cross on the hill in order for salvation to come.  Peter wanted to hit the brakes, but by faith Jesus went to the cross knowing it was the only way.  Peter couldn’t see God’s plan, he only saw the cross.  The same thing happened with Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration; Peter didn’t understand what was happening and wanted to build three tents and just stay there, but Jesus knew there was much to do.

This is the Christian faith, it requires action.  The church did not grow without sacrifice, we know that from Jesus and the work of the disciples. 

Prayer: Father, we are grateful that Jesus strained at the pedals overcoming our sin.  Thank you for the example of the disciples who after being taught, encouraged, and given the presence and power of the Holy Spirit did the same.  As we prepare to meet Your Son, help us to take our feet off the brakes.  Father, forgive us when we make you merely a co-pilot in our life, for you must be the pilot always.  Help us to follow your lead in the front of the bike and pedal with you from the rear.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

John 8:2-11: Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.  The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”  They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one,sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

If one has ever wondered why Jesus came into the world, I would probably pick these two stories as part of my answer; this story along with the conversation between Jesus and the criminals hanging on the cross.   This story truly illustrates the love of Jesus Christ and how He came to change the world. The Law of Moses was very clear here; the woman was caught in adultery and the penalty was stoning (I always ask – what about the man – takes two to tango).  The law was clear and the penalty was clear, but Jesus came to make us think differently about the way we judge people.  Jesus told all the people gathered to look at their sin first before judging others.

Jesus wants us to see clearly, that He is the only one who had the right to judge.  We do not have that right because of our own sinfulness.  Only Jesus can judge.  How does He judge? Jesus judges with grace and mercy.  This story paints a clear picture of the transformation from the law being a burden to the law being grace.  Infidelity and adultery, both are still sins along with a multitude of other actions, including judging others without judging ourselves.  Jesus is calling us to act as He did, judging with mercy and grace and the call to repent and sin no more.

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, let us look deeply into the heart and mind of the Man, the Savior we celebrate and show that same grace and mercy, knowing that we could and should be judged just as harshly.

Prayer: Loving Father, what a blessing to see in a story like this just how You want me to love another.  Forgive me when I have judged someone for their sin and not looked at my own sin.  Help me to see sin and not to overlook or affirm it, but to reach out in mercy and grace just as Your Son Jesus did.  Help me to be humble enough to share with another person my sin and forgiveness in order that they will seek the peace, hope, joy, and love that I know in Jesus Christ.   It is in His name I pray, Amen.

With God’s grace and mercy, Pastor Brett

I remember the first play I ever saw in Chicago.  I was on our performing arts group senior trip.  We went to see “Godspell.”  I can still picture John the Baptist coming in and singing, Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord. I could not get that song out of my head – I think I sang that for weeks. The lyrics were difficult to memorize, it repeats the phrase “prepare ye the way of the Lord” twelve times. 

I caught myself singing this song just yesterday and I thought, what am I doing singing this song of Lent in the middle of Advent? Most of us have Christmas carols, songs, and hymns on our lips this time of year. 

Usually we think of John the Baptist at Lent.  In reality though, this song fits great with Advent. After all, we are preparing room in our lives for Jesus. 

It is funny to think of us being in the wildness with John the Baptist, but that is exactly where we are right now.  On the one hand we are forgiven, we celebrate Jesus’ birth and live in hope because of His love.  We have been redeemed, our sins have been forgiven and we live in that right now.  We still find ourselves in the wilderness because as we look around us, we see the stark reality of this world.  Things on the earth are not perfect, and in this wilderness we are called to stay vigilant, for Jesus will return.

There is a little known Advent Hymn, “Bride of the Lamb” and the first three verses certainly convey this thought well of active Advent waiting, preparing the way of the Lord.

Bride of the Lamb, awake, awake!

Why sleep for sorrow now?

The hope of glory, Christ, is thine,

A child of glory thou.

 

Thy spirit, through the lonely night,

From earthly joy apart,

Hath sighed for One that’s far away

The Bridegroom of thy heart.

 

But see!  The night is waning fast,

The breaking morn is near;

And Jesus comes, with voice of love,

Thy drooping heart to cheer.

Prayer:  Father, we cry out to You now.  Hear our voices singing your praises, preparing the way of the Lord in our hearts – both today and tomorrow.  We look forward to the day when we will see your face and gather together as one church to celebrate our wedding supper with you.  Help us to see Your light shining out calling us in the midst of our busy days.   Come Lord Jesus.  Amen

Enjoying preparing with you,  Pastor Brett

A little girl was pushing her mother to the limit.  Together they had cleaned, shopped, baked, wrapped, and had returned home from delivering a couple items to the church.  The little girl wanted some time with mom and all mom wanted to do was get her bathed and in bed.  Both wanted rest.  They finished reading a book and they knelt down to say their prayers and the three year old decided to change things: “and forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us!”

We can laugh, but there is some truth in that, or we wouldn’t be laughing.  We’ve talked a lot about holiday stress this year. I know I’ve enjoyed the time writing each day; yes it has added a couple hours each day to my schedule, but it has allowed me two hours each day of devotion unrelated to a sermon or Bible Study. I’m grateful for time to be still and talk with God.

During the World War II years a boy looked frequently at a picture of his daddy on the table. His father had left for Europe when the boy was  young. After several years the boy had forgotten him as a person but he would often look at the picture and say, “If only my father could step out of that picture and be real….”  

The question posed with this story was, if only Jesus could step out of the Bible and be real?  The great thing is, Christ did and does each day.  He is real in the heartfelt note enclosed with a Christmas card, real in the smiles of the Salvation Army Bell Ringers, he is real in the faces of people serve meals and provide company to someone who is lonely. Jesus is real in the person who visits the nursing home and prison, sharing the peace, hope, joy, and love of Jesus Christ. 

He is real in us, because His Holy Spirit is real and living in us.  Let us also remember the words of John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”  God did not want to remain apart from us, but wanted to dwell with us and in us.  He didn’t just write the words in the Bible, He lived them out for us. 

While we can never become God, we can help God to step out of the picture and witness love in a very present way.  We can reflect the light of Christ in the deepest darkness.  As Jesus urges in Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Prayer: Father, you are our light and our salvation.  Help us to never fear the darkness of sin every again.  Help us to rise up today and reflect the light that You have shined on us.  Give us opportunities to step out of the picture and share the love of Jesus with someone today.  It is in His name we pray, Amen.

Grace and Peace, Pastor Brett

Wayne Brouwer in his book “Being a Believer in and Unbelieving World” shares the writing about a women honored by her company. She was attending an awards banquet with roughly 3000 people from the company she worked for.   She walked to the podium to receive the company’s top honor and stood with the trophy smiling, but in reality she was focused on one person; her supervisor named Joan.  The award winner began to share that she had some difficult times years before; personal problems that caused her work to suffer.  This in turn caused many to steer clear of her, seeing her as a liability and going nowhere.  She felt like a loser and had gone to Joan several times with her letter of resignation. Joan would reply, let’s wait a little longer or let’s give this one more try; each time encouraging with words like, “I never would have hired you if I didn’t think you could handle it.” Encouragement one doesn’t often hear in an age where it is easier to cut your losses and move on.

At this point the award winner’s voice broke, tears streaming down her face, she said, “Joan believed in me more than I believed in myself.”

Brouwer suggests, “Isn’t this the message of the Gospel?” 

I must agree.  From the time of the Old Testament until now God always believed in His people.  God sent prophets to pursue, to discipline, to encourage and draw His people back to Him. Just when people were  likely giving up on themselves, God would draw them to Him.  When people thought God was gone, having not heard His voice for a long time, God sends Jesus Christ, His Son, to save the world.  God never gives up on us.

Have you ever found yourself in the same position where someone believes in you more than you believe in yourself?  I think we all have at one time or another. 

I hope this Advent Season we can all spent some time thinking about how much God loves us and believes in us.  I hope as well that we can all find some Joan in us and share our belief and encouragement with others who have little belief in themselves. 

Prayer: Father, thank you for believing in me even when I haven’t believed in myself.  Provide me an opportunity to be like Joan, who not only gave second and third chances to someone ready to give up on herself, but encouraged her all along the way and was rewarded.  Guide me through Your Holy Spirit living in me to be merciful and provide encouragement and hope to others in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God’s Blessings to you, Pastor Brett