TODAY IS A DAY OF NEW BEGINNINGS

Isaiah 43:18-21  (CEB)

 Look! I’m doing a new thing;
    now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?
I’m making a way in the desert,
    paths in the wilderness.
20 The beasts of the field,
        the jackals and ostriches, will honor me,
    because I have put water in the desert
    and streams in the wilderness
    to give water to my people,
    my chosen ones,
21     this people whom I formed for myself,
        who will recount my praise.
Today is a day of new beginnings; let's celebrate!



“Look, eyes wide open,” says God to us through the book of Isaiah, “I am going to do something new.  I am preparing a road for you to travel into new territory.  With living water, I am going to bring new life to a barren wasteland, and those living there will be rejoice and be glad you came.”

When you think about it, God is always do something new.  God is the Creator, and coming up with new ways to face challenges, meet goals and bring reality to our vision is what creating is all about.

In the beginning, there was nothing.  So God gave the word and then there was, well, everything!

Out of all the people that inhabited the earth, God called Abraham, a member of a semi-nomadic group of people generically known as “hebrews,” for the express purposes of being God's representatives and to bless all peoples.

God gave them a piece of land, a place in the world, that they could become a nation of priests, speaking for God and blessing all peoples.

While mythology is full of stories of ancient gods who took earthly forms, none, but the Living God, chose to be born as a helpless baby.  Through Christ, by the waters of baptisim and the Holy Spirit, something new was created:  the church.

While Christians do not share a biological link to Abraham, because of Jesus, we share the same spiritual DNA of faithful obedience and service to God as we respond to Christ's commission to go to all people and be living, breathing blessings to them.  We are a holy priesthood, Christ's representatives sent to bring the light of God's truth and healing and wholeness to the world.

It is always the same message, the same mission, and God's creative Spirit is always seeking new ways, giving us new opportunities to meet the challenges of our times and contexts to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to people.  We are called to be fruitful, that is to live in relationship with God through Christ so that we will have a positive, life-changing impact on the lives of others.  Being fruitful is what growth in the Church is all about.

As our culture changes, there will be new ways we communicate with other people and new opportunities for ministry, but, and let me repeat this, the message and the mission will always be the same.

Our challenge in our time and context is to be tuned in the creative Spirit of God, to look with eyes wide open, to listen with ears and hearts, and be ready to follow Christ into the future God has for us.

This is a day of new beginnings.  Let us welcome it with open hearts and minds and willing spirits.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRISTIANS AND COFFEE BEANS

Image
1 Peter 1:17-23 John 17:14-19 Potatoes, eggs or coffee beans? Which are Christians called to be? We're going to find out as we explore what it means to be “in the world but not of the world” in today's message, “Christians and Coffee Beans.” Put three pots of water on to boil. When the water begins to boil, put some potatoes in one, eggs in another pot, and coffee beans in the third point. Boil for 20 minutes The potatoes went into the pot hard. After boiling in the hot water, they are now soft, easily broken up and mashed. The eggs, with their fragile shells and soft centers, are also changed. They are now hard-boiled. The coffee beans are different. While they look the same as they did when they were put into the water, they have transformed the water. The water has taken on the smell, taste and color of the coffee Jesus was not of this world, yet he came into the world to redeem the world by his death and resurrection an
Read more

OATHS -- GONE WITH THE WIND?

Image
Leviticus 19:11-12 Matthew 5:33-37 Even if we've never seen the movie, Gone with the Wind, we're probably familiar with Scarlett O'Hara's oath. Framed by the sunset, Scarlet raises her fist in defiance and says, “As God is my witness, I will never be hungry again!” In today's passage from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus leads us into a new understanding of oaths and profanity. Did the character, Scarlett O’Hara in the movie, Gone with the Wind , take the Lord’s name in vain when she made her famous oath? “As God is my witness, as God is my witness, they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again. Leviticus 19:11-12 tells us not to take oaths, make promises that profane the Lord’s name, that is take the Lord’s name in vain. Scarlett’s oath is a profane
Read more

ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER

Image
"...  and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds...  " --  Hebrews 10:24  ( Amplified Bible) "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing."  -- I Thessalonians 5:11 (NRSV)       To encourage means to:   give support, confidence, or hope to someone; give support and advice to someone to help them do or continue to do something; thelp stiulate development.  Encourage and building each other up go hand in hand.  Here are some ways we can encourage and build each other up which will in turn help us become healthy, thriving churches. 1.  Have high regards, great respect and favorable thoughts for each other. 2.  Be thoughtful and intentional when you speak.  Consider where someone is coming from and choose wisely your words. 3.  Be gracious.  When someone makes a mistake, be quick to forgive.  There's grace enough for everyone. 4.  Be understanding. "
Read more