What Can I Fulfill?

     Fulfill is to bring to realization, or satisfy requirements or obligations, to bring to completion, or develop the full potential. The King James version says in Matthew 5:17 that Christ came to fulfill the law. I never questioned the completion of His suffering on the cross. What He did was complete. So complete that I couldn’t add to it or diminish it by what I do or don’t do. But then I heard another scripture Sunday morning from Romans 13:8b, in that same translation that says, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. I had to think about that. The Message translation says we have a huge debt of love we owe each other, and when we love others, we complete what the law has been after all along. This has really challenged my way of thinking! It seems clear to me that Christ hanging on the cross and spilling His blood and life over and over again for my tendency to sin was not the only act that fulfilled the law. I do have a clean slate and don’t have to carry around my sins, but I do have a debt. I thought all was forgiven? Yes I believe that is correct, but as I enter into that forgiveness, I also have a debt. What comes to my mind is the National debt, which is a few trillion dollars and increasing by the minute. If we divide that debt among all of us, financial experts say, that would be $23,000.00 per person.

     It’s not that kind of debt. This debt of love is not something I take out of the bank or store in a vault. Because I have been forgiven much and I’m forgiven again and again, over and over, I owe a debt. A debt to love in a way that I have been loved when I have been forgiven. It really is exciting to know that I do walk with a clean slate and have been forgiven for my continual weakness’, but it’s still a pretty big mystery to me – and I suppose you may have to ask yourself, what does that debt of love mean to me?

“Love From a Full Tank”

Romans 12: 9-21

You just had to be there to get the full effect and to feel the energy and sweetness that was among us.  That’s how it was on Sunday. It all began when we pulled into Starbucks for our ‘caffeine charge’- bold African that morning, but when we were ready to head out to our first ‘gig’ (Harley preaches at 2 locations every Sunday) we couldn’t start the car.  We had a full tank of gas but it wouldn’t even turn over. We opened the hood to stare at the big dark masses, like we know anything about them?! We immediately start calling for a ride, trying not to fret about the car stalling (after we plunked down $5000 for a rebuilt engine 3 months ago.)

Pretty much, nothing happens without the Pastor, so Harley was getting kind of anxious and nervous about being late, or missing the first service entirely. But he heard this small voice inside say, “Are you going to trust me?”

 It was an unforeseen predicament – he didn’t plan this untimely breakdown, nonetheless Harley started to get anxious trying to figure his way out of our predicament.  He called Bob from church who came right away to our aid after he called John (church soundman) to let him know what was going on. Now John was still at home because he woke up late and just told his wife that he was probably going to stay at home because it would be too late by the time he got ready.  When he heard the pastor was running late, he revved up his engine and headed to church. The jumper cables worked like a charm on our car, and we headed down the road to church.

So Dan happens to be the illustration for his sermon. He really doesn’t like to be the living sacrifice, but it was a good example! But I have to back up, because it wasn’t the first time he heard that question this past week-end.  Dan worked a shift at the motor GP in Indianapolis, and Friday morning he miscalculated his time and set his alarm for the time he should leave, arriving 45 minutes late with high octane anxiety running through his nervous system. But it just so happened he walked in right behind the other worker in his booth! Everyone was running late.

You can trust me! That’s what the small voice said to him over the week-end! He even got a free ticket for his wife (that would be me) to attend Motor GP Sunday afternoon. Everyone at church was chatting about the sufficiency of God during the preliminary activities before the sermon, which almost turned into the sermon due to the time factor; but the conversations were pertinent, illustrating and reminding us of God’s sufficiency.

I am still amazed at how much God cares for us, even down to the smallest of details. How much turmoil is in the world? Who’s going without food today? How many are fighting and what are they fighting about? God knows and cares - down to the smallest detail. Nothing escapes His attention.

Parade People -Matthew 21:1-11

Why was it such a surprise for some? Parades usually aren't a surprise, and not everyone was happy about the whole outdoor procession.  Others were asking, "What's He doing?" Jerusalem should have known the Messiah was coming - but they didn't like the 'interruption'. They were irritated. This King interrupted their plans. But often we plan poorly. It's heart-breaking that what could have been a lavish, victorious celebration, became an upheaval. It was a divided experience.

What do we have to do to celebrate God's way? Expect God to interrupt our plans regularly. Let God give us His ideas. Crucifixion looked like a bad choice! The worst choices we humans can make will not mess up God's intentions or the Son of God being King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Welcome interruption as God's hand - believe that God has the upper hand. Follow Him in joy and get in the front of the parade! The Kingdom of God is 'already upon us' so let's prepare for the parade because we're parade people!

Excerpts from Harley's sermon April 17, 2011
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eaglesridethewind.blogspot.com/

Bones

Ezekiel describes his vision in chapter 37, of a valley of dry bones that were not buried, but scattered, picked clean and destroyed. They were dismembered bone chips. There was no skin on those bones for protection. We can't live without skin, it keeps boundaries. It's also a barrier that allows for absorption. Neither was there a spine or backbone. They weren't standing for anything in that dry desert. Muscle was long gone from those bones indicating perhaps, a lack of spiritual strength. And most importantly, there was no breath, or spirit, God's Spirit.

How did this happen? Long before Ezekiel had this vision, God told him to eat 'this book', eat the Word of God. We are consuming all the time - feeding on something. When we feed on God's Word - feast on it, we are nourished. This dead jumble of bones, or army as some commentators call them, had starved themselves to death.

Instead of digesting God's Word, there is the temptation to eat 'bad food' or just fill up on junk food. We have access to plenty of stories, teachings and prophesies in the bible that are true and pertinent to the world we live in today. We live in a devastated world. Where are God's people in these times? We don't ignore the chaos, but believe in resurrection for Egypt, Syria, Japan, Libya, Afganistan, Ivory Coast and the list goes on and on. Ezekiel saw a picture of resurrection power. And this is the kind of power we need today.

Excerpts from Harley's sermon 4.10.11 Ezekiel 37:1-14
http://eaglesridethewind.blogspot.com/
fifthstreetumc.org

Life Begins at 70 For Abraham!

"Life began for Abraham at age 70", writes Eugene Pederson in The Way of Jesus. I know I don't want to wait until I'm in my 70's to do something significant with my life or to have some kind of impact in the Kingdom of God, but Pastor Harley says we have to ask the right question. It's not what can I do for God, but what is God doing and what's my part? You might say, God is a 'live-stream' and we jump into it and get involved with what God is accomplishing. And it's more than positive-thinking says Pastor Harley, it's thinking Godly.

Paul is reviewing the life of Abraham, on his journey into faith, who was not alone in his quest for faith. One time God intervened, and alerted an agnostic king who was about to sleep with Abraham's wife. Abraham lied, and told the king, Abimelech, that Sarah was his sister. In spite of his doubts, God used Abraham mightily - he was a father of many nations. What is remarkable about this is that Sarah was childless until she was very old, past her child-bearing years. Actually she was at least 90 years old when she bore her first son, Isaac. For Abraham, having his own family looked impossible, it was impossible. But God promised the impossible and made good on it.

"Plug into the success of all eternity."             
Excerpts from Pastor Harley's sermon 3.18.11  Romans 4:1-5; 13-17
http://eaglesridethewind.blogspot.com
fifthstreetumc.org

Ways and Means

You might say the Ways and Means Committee gives us a charge in Matthew 28:
          “Go out and train everyone you meet far and near in this way of life.”

When you read an instruction manual, sometimes you might have trouble understanding the next step - it just doesn't make sense, and you wonder, "Did I miss a step?" Or you may have trouble hearing the person giving you instructions over the phone. But it’s very different when you have a person right next to you, in the flesh, going through each step. Here is Jesus who shows us the way, who is The Way.  He is the center.

We are all very different and unique – extremely unique, and God speaks to every one of us, in every different culture. He has a way for us. There are so many possibilities and ideas within cultures throughout the world, but we can watch Jesus because He has A Way. He uses concepts everyone can deal with and understand. For example, He tells stories using water, a rock, a fish, and grain.

Now Jesus says to think of Him as the Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). And He also tells us how to treat the world – there’s hunger, so take what you have and feed them (Mark 8:5). When people came to try and trap Him and get him into trouble with the law, Jesus said, “Give me a coin.” And there was Caesar, so Jesus said to give Caesar what’s his and to God, what is His (Luke 20:25).

Jesus also said not to get caught up in critiquing the different ways of expression, when He said, “If they’re not against us, they’re for us!” (Mark 9:40)

Beginning this past Wednesday, for 40 days, Christianity denies themselves to try and remember what God did for them. It is the way of love.

This is an excerpt from a sermon dated 3/06/11

The Quest For Freedom

Egypt isn't the only place struggling under the chaos of oppression and the inspiration found in the pursuit of freedom. I watched an extraordinary production of Les Miserables this week-end and was stirred to think similar events of revolutionary proportions are occurring around the globe.


Peterson describes revolution as "holy" - to sum it up: something spiritually blazing and extravagant and glorious. He was talking specifically about the French Revolution, even though he had little idea of what was involved in an actual revolution. After he had been pastor for a few years, it came to him after observing people in his congregations that holy was to Christian what revolution was to the French in the 18th century, the energy that created a community of free men and women plunged into a new life.


Apart from the death and all the suffering, revolution looks inviting especially if it creates a new community. But it's not without cost.