WHAT IS GOOD? STAY ROOTED IN CHRIST

John 15:1-5
Colossians 2:6-10

He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you:  to do justice, embrace faithful love [mercy, kindness], and walk humbly with your God.        Micah 6:8 (CEB)

In the latter half of 1739, a number of people, convicted of their sin and need for redemption, came to John Wesley seeking his time, teaching and counsel on how to flee the "wrath to come."  In other words, how does one live a righteous life that pleases God.  Besides forming small groups in which they could study and grow together in Christ, Wesley gave them three general rules:  do no harm, do good, and attend upon the ordinances of God.

Today, we finish our series on the General Rules of the United Methodist Church with "attend upon the ordinances of God."

Rueben P. Job, in his book, Three Simple Rules -- a Wesleyan Way of Living, writes:  "Ordinance is a strange word to our ears.  But to John Wesley, it was a word that described the practices that kept the relationship between God and humans vital, alive and growing.

Together, let us explore how these spirititual practices impact our lives as Christians.

                         

Did you know that the color of azaleas isn't always dependent on genetics.  It's the soil that is the deciding factor.  Soil with a low pH value (less acid) will turn pink azaleas purple or blue, depending on how low the pH factor is.  To turn blue azaleas pink, you raise the pH value, the amount of acid in the soil.  

The soil determines the color of azaleas.

Who or what we as human beings base our lives on, determines who we are and the quality of our lives.

The belief system we choose to be the foundation of our lives on or sink our "roots" into shapes:

• Our values.
• The passions that call us to action, 
• Our personal ethics, our principles, priorities and principles.  
• Who or what we put or hope in,
• Who or what guides or controls our lives.

It can even impact how we interact with the world and the amount of joy, meaning and purpose we may experience in our lives.

Colossians 2:6-10 reminds us to "stay rooted in Christ" and not be captured by something else that takes over control of us and of what we think and believe, whether it's the influences of our society, the hamster wheel of accumulation or addiction in any of its forms.  

As Christians, we are in a constant struggle against the  influences of our world.   If we allow ourselves to be captives of our culture or anything else, we cannot live in ways that witness to Christ and a different, better way of living.

"Abide in  me as I abide in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can  you unless you abide in me," Jesus tells us in John 15:4.  It is only by maintaining a 24/7 connection with Christ that we are able to be fruitful.  That connection is a life-giving source of strength and guidance that empowers us to live lives that impact the lives of others and the world in ways that are positive and life-changing.  We can't bear such fruit on our own or by rooting ourselves in anything other than Christ.

When we are rooted in Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us warns, corrects and inspires us to fuller spiritual maturity and leads us on our journey to a greater and deeper love of God and neighbor as we grow more and more into the image of Christ.  The way we stay rooted in Christ is through spiritual practices.

John Wesley referred to spiritual practices as the ordinances of God:

• The public worship of God.
• The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded.
• The Supper of the Lord.
• Family and private prayer.
• Searching the Scriptures.
• Fasting or abstinence.

However we may describe spiritual practices, to remain rooted in Christ, we need to intentionally spend personal time in prayer and bible study as well as participating in the community of faith, the church, in worship, the receiving of Holy Communion, prayer and study.  Wesley believed in attending worship, but he also emphasized the important of being in small group studies that allow us to help each other grow in our faith.

I'd like to add one more spiritual practice to Wesley's list -- self-care.  God created us as spiritual beings with physical bodies.  I've learned that it's important in an all too busy world to slow down and make it a priority to care for myself, mind, body and soul.  Our physical health impacts all our relationships, include the one with Christ, as well as our ability to serve as God has called us.

Living life to its fullness as Christians means staying rooted in Christ through the discipline of spiritual practices.  I know that word discipline is kind of a turn off, but I like to look at it like this.  Discipline frees us to be disciples of Christ.  It allows us to "live our life from the inside out.  It is to find our moral direction, our courage, our strength to live, from the One who authored us, and sends us into the world as witnesses."  (p 54, Three Simple Rules).

Staying rooted in Christ, 24/7, wherever we are and in whatever we're doing, is part of denying ourselves and taking up our cross to follow Jesus.  What in our lives is preventing us from maintaining a vital relationship with God through Christ?  What is threatening to uproot us?  What changes do we need to make to experience the fullness, the satisfaction and the completeness that is ours through Jesus Christ?