Ending Dysfunction: Anger Issue

Dysfunction—Anger Issues: Genesis 4: 2-12; Ephesians 4: 25-27 

We begin a series this week on finding ways to end dysfunctional behaviors in our lives. Yes, that sounds harsh, but these few weeks we will cover things that do tend to impair or halt our ability to function, both as people and as God’s faithful. We will cover several things including anger, listening, cruelty of others, deceit, anxiety, and a little bit of fun on Mothers’ Day. So, buckle up, friends, because it’s going to be a wild ride to Pentecost.  

This week we look at anger issues. Growing up, one of my family’s favorite shows was Golden Girls. Is it the truth? Yes. Do I have an explanation for this? No. In one episode, Sophia, who is the elderly mother, endures the loss of her son, Phil. Now, for decades, Sophia and Phil’s wife Angela have been at odds—angry, unkind, hateful to one another. Sophia alleges that it is over $47 that Angela borrowed without returning.  

In the final scene of confrontation, we learn that Sophia harbors grief and anger over the fact that her son dressed in ways she thought inappropriate in the 1980s. In the conversation, Angla establishes that Phil was a good husband, father, and provider. She affirms, “What he was, was a good man.” Sophia’s anger at herself, her grief, and all of this lets go, and she hugs Angela while sobbing, “My baby’s gone.”  

Many of us struggle personally or know loved ones who struggle with a lot of anger and irritation in their lives. The two primary sources for anger come from control and feeling wronged. Inherently, there’s nothing totally wrong with either. Sometimes, control is because we want what we think is best. It has a very toxic and horrible form, but we’ll leave that be today. And there’s nothing wrong with feeling wronged if someone has behaved badly to you.  

We see both of those at work in our Genesis story today. Cain and Abel were brothers. Both came to make sacrifices to the Lord. Abel came with the first and best of what he had produced as a sacrifice to the Lord. Cain brought…something. In truth, Cain made no effort. He brought a few crops, thinking it would be good enough. I’m sure he thought, “These are the best, why should I sacrifice them. God still gets something, and I get to enjoy what I’ve worked hard for!” He came to God with something inferior and a heart that did not care. When you treat God as an irritating obligation instead of a true sacrifice, God is not going to be thrilled.  

Cain, rejected by God, desires to control the situation and make God like him by being the only one God sees. And he feels wronged because he was upstaged by his brother. Cain begins down a terrible and surprisingly short road from anger to hate to murder. There’s nothing wrong with being angry, but we can’t stay there indefinitely.  

When we think of control, we think of shouting at God, feeling angry, hurt, when we feel like God should do something how we want it done. We may see control in grumbling to ourselves, “Why does my loved one, family member, or friend have this stupid belief or idea?” Sometimes that’s political, but not always. When our hopes and plans don’t exactly work out, we tend to default to anger. My mother is a very wise woman. In high school, I dated a girl she found exceedingly objectionable. Years later, after it was a messy end, I asked why she didn’t say something. She told me she knew I was just as hard-headed as her, and anger or arguing would have made it worse. She figured I’d find out soon enough.  

A wise pastor once said to me, “You cannot change people. You have to pray that God changes people, for God is the only one who knows how to lead a soul out of foolishness and into the light.” We show the light of Christ, and God leads others to it. Seeking control over things holds us back from redemption and keeps us in a place of anger and status quo.  

But the more difficult side of anger is when we feel wronged. I have a family member who took his Bible and marked Job out of the book of Job and wrote his own name in. Despite having everything in life he could want, he feels as though everything at every step of the way has wronged him. There are times, however, when we are legitimately wronged. I work with victims of crime every day, and it is often faith which gets them through. Some are quick to forgive, and some harbor anger for a very, very long time.  

The problem with feeling anger at being wronged or a perceived wrong is that we cannot stay there because it takes us down the road to resentment. For Cain, that was a fast trip. He felt wronged in his sacrifice, grew angry at Abel, and quickly got to enough resentment to kill his own brother. There is nothing wrong with being angry at the evils around us, but we must not let it lead us into resentment, because, if left unhealed, hurt people will hurt people.  

So how do we deal with the times we become angry? Ephesians is particularly not helpful. There is no three step process or spiritual insight offered here. We are told, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Literally, this scripture says: be angry, but let it go. There are many times anger is appropriate, but it’s not a place we can stay, for it pulls us away from God and consumes us.  

Maybe we should take a lesson from Jesus’s anger. The story of Jesus getting angry and flipping tables in the temple is in all four gospels. Immediately after in Matthew, he sits down to speak parables. He does the same in Mark. He talks about resurrection in Luke, and in John, he meets with Nicodemus to tell him that God so loved the world. Did Jesus get angry at the bad things happening in the temple? Yes, absolutely he did. But Jesus didn’t stay there in that mindset.  

Friends, we have to let faith, prayer, and God’s guidance lead us out of anger before it gets to the point of unresolved hurt or resentment because both will pull us away from God. If we stay in our anger, we will never make room for God’s healing. And if we cannot find healing, we cannot help others find it because hurt people hurt people.  

If any of us are harboring anger or resentment at people in our lives, situations we’ve experienced, or even ourselves, turn the anger into positive action like Jesus did in restoring the holiness of the temple, then let it go as Ephesians tells us to do. Anger can lead us to working for God’s justice and God’s righteousness. Anger can help us live so that people see the love of God and hope of redemption in their own lives, or anger can leave us resentful and bitter…a heart and soul too stony to let God in.  

In 2019, police officer Amber Guyger was convicted of murdering Botham Jean in his own apartment when she walked in thinking it was her apartment and shot him. Many family members testified at sentencing and told of their anger and hurt at what she had done. But the victim’s brother, did something different, entirely. He forgave her and asked if he could give her a hug. He said to her, “If you are truly sorry…I forgive you. And I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you.” He then embraced her as she sobbed on his shoulder.  

There are many stories all over the world that show us holding on to anger, whether from a sense of control or from being wronged, will lead us to resentment, bitterness, and misery. Letting it go may be the hardest thing we will ever do. Like Sophia in the Golden Girls, we may have to face the pain and hurt that have held up that anger for years. But God is in the business of forgiveness, grace, and redemption, and so should we be. When we feel anger, may it push us to seek more of God and more of God’s wisdom and solutions in life. In every broken place may we be filled with grace and healing.   

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/796701039809645/

An Unshakeable Foundation

An Unshakeable Foundation—Psa.118: 1-2, 14-24; John 20: 1-18 

A wise philosopher from amongst the pews imparted some valuable wisdom to me once during a visit. He said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Now, I have pondered on that for quite a bit of time. I even diagrammed the sentence to help me out understanding it: the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Here is how my brain has comprehended that: what is most important is to keep the thing most central to our faith at the forefront of all of our lives and all of our life. Now, he told me that main thing was the grace of Jesus, and here is where we part ways a bit.  

Grace is very important. We must all have grace in this life, just as Jesus has shown us grace in our oopsies and ought-ohs. But grace sometimes leaves us just shy of what is truly needed. As hard as it can be to understand, I want to encourage you to believe that the main thing, which we must the main thing, is the hope found in resurrection. Without the risen Christ, none of the rest of this Gospel story makes any sense at all. There is a very mysterious, unknowable, and truly comprehension-defying character to believing in the resurrection of Jesus. But here is where faith must bridge the gap and remind us that sometimes the mystery is just as important as the practical.  

One of the first hopes that we talk about in resurrection is the hope to see loved ones again. Now, there are some folks in all of our families, I’m sure, who seeing them in heaven would be more like a haunt than a hope. Or a “haint” as we call them in Appalachia. But for many of us, the pain of loss is soothed by the thought that we will see the ones we miss here when we get to the hereafter. Over 3 billion people in the world believe in resurrection, and that excludes those believing in reincarnation. Even those without faith believe in some form of resurrection otherwise, no one would believe in starting over from life going wrong.  

Growing up in a very fundamentalist church, we talked, sang about, and heard sermons often on heaven and being ready for heaven. We would sometimes sing a rowdy version of “Hallelujah, We Shall Rise!” As folks gain age and wisdom, it is this faith in receiving a reward and seeing old friends and loved ones that makes a life of faith make sense. We hold on to passages where Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today, you will be with me in paradise,” or tells the hearers that they will see the Son of Man in glory. It reminds us that the struggles we face on Earth are not the final word in the story of humankind. That is truly powerful.  

In a world where bombs are more important than food, power is more important than washing feet, and most of humanity is seen as expendable for greed and exploitation, we must hold on to the hope that God has prepared a place of rest and peace for us. We talk a lot about how to follow Jesus, but we must remember that following Jesus is not just something to do. We follow because of hope. We follow a risen Savior, whose love and grace is more powerful than anything we face.  

But beyond the hope of seeing departed loved ones, resurrection brings hope that life can change. A friend sent me a devotion about Peter the other day. When all of the crucifixion took place, Peter was timid, hiding, in denial. But soon he was preaching good news to those who needed it with all his might. No longer was he the unhinged one that always jumped too fast into everything. He was faithful leader of God’s mission. In Ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology, they had the phoenix, which symbolized rebirth, renewal, and resurrection.  

One of the reasons we try to be supportive of our AA here at First Christian and the Rescue Mission is because we believe in the power of starting over. Resurrection is theological, but in many ways, it is also simply a daily part of life. An addict can seek a resurrection from a life of struggle. An unhoused person can find hope in help and love to start over and begin anew. Someone coming out of a traumatic and toxic relationship feels like they have been resurrected from the misery they were in. The question for us is this: do we, as God’s faithful, believe and work in the hope of resurrection? Glenn Cunningham was badly burned in an accidental fire when he was 8 years old. The doctors advised that he would never walk again.  

He had an incredible determination and a strong faith that God would give him the strength. Two years after the accident he began to walk again. From 1919 to 1936 he worked tirelessly on regaining strength and ability believing that God would be with him. In 1936 he placed silver in the Olympics in the 1,500 meter race, and set a record for running a mile in just over 4 minutes. Do we believe in the power of resurrection in our lives, just like Glenn Cunningham believed it in his life? This is the foundation of our faith, that out of any trial or tragedy, God can give us the strength to find our way again, to be resurrected from the trials in life.  

Finally, we must have hope in the power of God’s love. The Psalm for today reminds us that God’s faithful love endures forever. It was Jesus’s love for us that brought him to the cross and led him out of the tomb. Resurrection works because it is supported by love. I’m working on a particularly difficult case in my law job right now. It was a person with significant disabilities who was adopted in the hopes of finding a family that would love her and care for her. Instead, she found the opposite: no love, no kindness. All they offered her was cruelty for her tragically short life.  

But faith tells me, and I have to believe, that even if humanity failed her, God loved her. Even as we recall the abject cruelty of Good Friday, we must remember that the end result was love and hope for us. When we look around the world we see a tremendous amount of hate and animosity. A friend of mine posted something on social media which said, “If you believe Jesus teaches you to hate someone, you need to read the Gospel again.” Jesus brought the hope of resurrection to all—that is rebirth in this life from our trials and troubles, and resurrection hope when our life here is done.  That is the foundation of our faith—this idea that whatever happens in this world is not the final answer because God’s love has overcome the troubles and trials and shortcomings which are inevitable in human life. Hope, renewal, and love mark the reality of Jesus’s work, not death, suffering, and the tomb.  

The foundation on which we build is important. For us as followers of Jesus, that foundation is the hope found in resurrection. A friend of mine was renting a house several years ago. It was a newer house built on a hill. But he soon noticed something. The walls had large cracks in them. When a ball hit the floor, it rolled quickly to one side. Plumbing issues developed. Bows and buckles began appearing in the hardwood flooring along with bumps in the carpet.  

The landlord and my friend called in an expert. He pulled up the flooring and found that the concrete slab on which the house was built was crumbling. In some instances, it had 2-foot-wide cracks in it. The builder had used bad and inadequate concrete, and they had never installed rebar at all to support it. There was nothing to be done. The house had to be torn down and a new foundation laid. My friends, be sure that you are building on a strong foundation of faith. At Easter we celebrate hope hereafter, hope to overcome in this life, and hope in the love that sustains us through.  

As we journey in life, remember that in every Good Friday, an Easter is waiting. In every trial and tragedy, there is hope if we have an unshakeable foundation. That requires us to keep our sights set on what is most important—our faith in God. So, this Easter, remember the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.   

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1540748610728614/

Palm Sunday - Hymn Sing Service

Palm Sunday - Hymn Sing Service

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/2415913418852175

"Jesus Wept" –Rev. Douglas Ivey

Jesus Wept –Rev. Douglas Ivey

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/917420630999662/

Lenten Learning: Healing

Healing—Psalm 23: 1-2, 6; John 9: 1-38 

When traveling, I listen to a podcast called “Swindled,” that talks about large-scale fraud and financial crime. The latest episode was truly uncomfortable. It talked about “The Apostle” David E. Taylor, of Joshua Media Ministries International or Kingdom of God Global Church. Taylor built his ministry on claims of face-to-face dreams and visions of Jesus, who spoke to him, and how Taylor taught his other leaders to do the same. Further he had a substantial faith healing ministry…you know…the kind where the pastors touch you and fall down flailing only to get up fully healed of some issue conveniently incapable of being scientifically tested.  

Let me fully say this here and now. God’s healing does not come in chaos, theatrics, and insanity. God absolutely brings healing in this world and our lives. But it is not some magic from a human who has made themselves out to be a god themselves, and, as they say, pride goeth before a fall. The Apostle and his leadership were indicted in August of 2025 for forced labor, conspiracy, and money laundering. His donation-based empire was staffed by what was essentially slave labor according to the indictment.  

For as long as there have been stories of faith-based healing, there have been charlatans to take advantage of our belief. We read in today’s Gospel that the religious leaders accuse Jesus of being Satan’s charlatan and of violating the Sabbath rules for healing a blind man. We read in this lesson something that offends our modern beliefs. The disciples ask Jesus what sin caused the beggar to be born blind—his or his parents’ sins. It was common belief in those days that physical impairments were tied to sin.  

That is simply not true. Sins can lead you to natural consequences, but God doesn’t visit suffering upon you just to punish you for generations of wrongdoing. If you do risky things you may end up paying the price, but Job is an illustration not the everyday expectation. Remember the words of Jesu here that in every trial or harsh circumstance, the power of God can be seen in us. Sometimes that in the miraculous and sometimes that’s in our own healing and acceptance of living with trials.  

The town was incredulous at what had happened. They could not believe the blind beggar they had known for so many years had been healed and had his sight restored. In the Gospel of John, however, healing is always two-fold. There is a physical healing, but there’s also a spiritual healing. Yes, the man had his sight restored, but look at how his soul was also blind, but now has sight. In verse 11 he attributes his healing to “the man they call Jesus.” As he is challenged by the Pharisees, he says in verse 17, “He [Jesus] must be a prophet.” By the end, verse 38, his sight is perfect and he sees Jesus as the Messiah.  

The hardest part for us is when we don’t get the miracle we wanted, so we go in reverse from Christ, to some prophet, to some guy named Jesus. Faith is not willing yourself into a physical miracle. Faith is, instead, saying “It is well with my soul” in every circumstance we face. If our faith and hope rest only on how we are cared for here in this world, we miss the point of following Jesus, of deliverance, and of death and resurrection.  

We cannot fall into the double-minded debate trap of the Pharisees. Some said that Jesus was not of God because he healed on the Sabbath, and that broke the rules. Others wonder how Jesus could have such power if he is not of God. It’s quandary. Their understanding, their belief is unsettled. They cling to this law and the life and story of Moses. But Moses is not a redeemer. Laws are not redemptive. Only Jesus is redemptive, and in that redemption, we find our healing. True discipleship is faithfulness to grace and the truth of Jesus, not the law.  

The trouble for them is that they cannot believe Jesus is a sinner and has the power of God to cure and heal at the same time. Thus, they interrogate the healed man, they interrogate his parents, then they interrogate him again. By this point they only look silly. They have lost sight, if you will, of the miraculous healing and the joy of this work of God to focus on the nitpicky rules they don’t like Jesus violating. I’m sure we’ve never seen that in the past in our churches, right? While we get caught up on the miraculous healing, Jesus reminds us that healing begins with the soul and spirit. The Pharisees end up cursing and insulting the man who was healed, and he goes on his way filled with grace.  

Sometimes, the church has to wade into the mess to make healing happen. Earlier this year we watched in horror as protests over immigration policies erupted in Minneapolis. Following two deaths and a city on the brink of total chaos, many of us feared where this would end up. But something different happened. The churches in the city opened their doors and brought people in. Clergy came to the city to help calm the struggles. In a situation brimming with hostility and nearing warfare, the clergy and churches began helping cultivate a program called “Singing Resistance Twin Cities.”  

Instead of devolving into hand-to-hand combat, protesters were taught organized ways of protest stemming from the 1960s and 70s nonviolence movement. They began walking calmly singing hymns songs guided and cared for by local and national clergy aimed at protecting safety. Whatever one believes on these protests and policies, healing happened, calm and peace came about because God’s people, the church stepped in to provide guidance and support. We may not agree on everything, but we are called to love our neighbors and to seek Christ in the most turbulent and tumultuous situations.  

Many of us see healing as God miraculously making a cancer disappear. And yes, that absolutely can happen. I have actually seen where prayer made a difference in such a situation. But we also cannot discount the work, our calling, of healing and helping the soul of each person and the collective spirit of God’s people. If the church wants to reignite a passion and purpose, then let it be in demonstrating grace and healing in our world. Let us be firm in rejecting what is sinful and wrong but loving and Christ-centered in how we deal with others. First and foremost, we live in a world of people who are in need of redemption. They need spiritual sight to know what love and faith truly look like.  

In writing about this Gospel lesson, one commentator said that we see the transformative power of the love of God as experienced and seen in the life of Jesus, and we must let God shape our own lives accordingly. To what do we conform our lives? How do we pattern our steps, our decisions, and our daily walk? Does it seek to honor Jesus and love our neighbors? Accountability and grace are not mutually exclusive. Faith and healing are not opposite ends of the spectrum. In our Gospel, Jesus healed the man’s sight and his soul. It’s all part of the same body.  

The Rev. David E. Taylor built an empire peddling what he alleged were faith healings. A federal grand jury called it fraud, money laundering, and exploiting people who genuinely had faith in God and the reverend. Over and above the noise of folks like that, the church still has a calling to be a place of healing. How many of you came to this church and can say that you felt joy again after an abusive prior faith experience. How many can say you felt broken and isolated but found a community that loves you. How many can say you’ve felt welcomed regardless of whatever has happened in life? How many can say you know God is with you? The more about Jesus that we know and share, the more we will hear those words of the blind man, “I once was blind, but now I see.”  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1410780264155928

Lenten Learning: Faith

Faith—Psalm 95; 6-11; John 4: 5-29 and 39-42 

Last weekend, I decided to go hiking. I have no idea what possessed me to do this, and I clearly paid the price as I’m presently in a boot. But at the time, I had faith, faith that I could make it these 3.5 miles literally up the broad side of a mountain. There were a few lessons to be learned: if I don’t try it, I will miss out; if I focus on every single obstacle, I’ll never make it; and finally, a few aches and pains are worth the adventure and companionship. Faith in a theological sense is much the same way.  

Now, let’s apply them sermon-wise. Faith cannot grow in hardened hearts never willing to take the first step. Faith can only grow if we look to the long term and are open to where we may be led, obstacles or no. And finally, faith works when Jesus stays at the forefront and central focus. These lessons are found in our Psalm and Gospel lessons for today.  

First, faith cannot grow in hardened hearts unwilling to take the first step. We read in the Psalm for today, ““Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.” The Psalmist elaborates on this saying that from hardened hearts, the people tested God’s patience and were ungrateful for all that God had done for them. Therefore, they wandered in the desert for 40 years without ever seeing the Promised Land.  

When our hearts are hardened, when we plant our feet where we are, God cannot lead us in faith. Faith calls us to movement forward whether it’s a simple few steps or an uphill climb. Imagine if the woman at the well had snapped at Jesus that she didn’t want to hear from a Jewish person because of the anger between the peoples. Hard hearts make for an empty and broken life. Yet we see hard hearts and an unwillingness to follow God’s guidance all around our world.  

We see it in the halls of our capitals, our churches, and in some cases our families. A hardened heart never led Nicodemus to Jesus. A hardened heart would have cost the woman at the well the living water. A hardened heart cost one thief on the cross his eternal mercy. To walk in faith, we must be willing to let God be our rock and let ourselves be like clay—moldable and flexible to God’s wisdom and direction.  

If we want to hear where God is calling and leading, we must have listening ears, softened hearts, and willing spirits. Hardened hearts are a problem because faith is built on trust. If we cannot trust, we cannot have faith. That’s why we hear over and over again about the importance of trusting God. Likewise, we must be able to trust those who teach us, lead us, and shepherd us through a life of faith. A hardened heart will keep us from listening, and it will hold us back from going where faith calls us.  

Second, faith can only grow if we look to the long term of God’s guidance. When we encounter the Woman at the Well, we learn about a long history of division and prejudice between the Samaritans and Jews. The past was filled with disagreement, conflict, and injustice. But God doesn’t exactly call on us to look backwards at old behaviors and past conflicts unless it is to repent and atone for them. God calls us to look to the present and the future—the long-term of where God is leading and guiding us. Jesus, however, offers her living water, and eternal life.  

She again gets caught up on the past—her 5 husbands, her present living situation. The funny part is Jesus identifies it, but nowhere does he judge her for it. Jesus was far more interested in the state of her faith than the state of her sin. When people do something wrong, they tend to know it. They don’t need us to analyze what they’ve done wrong. What folks DO often need help with is how make the change and walk in a better way. No one has found faith because a Christian carefully picked apart their sin. Faith is found when we guide others to follow Jesus and his way instead of a selfish or sinful way.  

God had a plan for this woman. Through Jesus, she was going to help save practically the whole Samaritan village. The disciples’ hearts and minds are bothered, pondering about Jesus, “Why are you talking to her.” They didn’t really want Jesus talking to a Samaritan. It wasn’t proper. But if we go back to Jesus’s words to Nicodemus, “For God so loved THE WORLD,” that Jesus was given on a mission of salvation.  

We live in faith when we follow the long-range plan God has for us, and when we help others find and stay on the path God has for their lives. If we never talk to others, we will never help them with God’s plan, and oh, what a missed opportunity that is. I heard a preacher once say to the congregation, “How sad it would be if Jesus hugs us closely in Heaven, then says, ‘I love you so much, but why were you so scared to work more for the kingdom of God?’” God’s calling and plan for our walk of faith is bigger and more powerful than we could ever know. We just have to trust God, and to follow where we are led.  

Lastly, Jesus must be our central focus and at the forefront of our journey. The Samaritans asked Jesus to stay in their village. Because Jesus was willing to stay two days, many of them came to believe. Most agree the many was quite a sizeable number of people. What was the difference? The Samaritans were treated as outcasts and the Jews had a position of authority and privilege. It is infinitely harder to convince those who have what they need and feel strong in their own authority and self-determination that they need grace. It is easier to convince the oppressed and suffering that they need Jesus because being confidence and comfort bring us a false sense of security.  

Faith cannot work in a hardened heart nor an indifferent or distracted heart. And distractions and confidence are easy to come by these days: my political party is in control, my bank account is sufficient, my Facebook friends agree with me, I’m going to totally dissociate from life and do nothing for a few months. We live in an age of infinite distractions. It’s not just the one TV with 3 channels. Faith needs our attention. Jesus needs our attention, our time, and our willingness. Jesus needs to be in the midst of our lives and our decisions.  

Because Jesus was present, not only did a significant number of Samaritans believe and find faith, Jesus also single handedly reconciled the centuries of conflict between the two ethnic groups. If Jesus is in our midst and our lives, we can do amazing things and find love and grace within to heal the world’s brokenness. If we trust in our own confidence and capability, we may do well for a time, but we will soon find ourselves in need of Jesus.  

Wayne Gretzky, a former professional hockey player, said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Faith is similar. If we never start the journey, we will never reach the end. We must remember that faith cannot grow in hardened hearts never willing to take the first step. Faith can only grow if we look to the long term and are open to where God leads us. And, faith works when Jesus stays at the forefront and as the central focus of our lives. Did the hike last week wear me out and leave me in a boot? Yes. Do I regret it at all? Not in the least. Faith is the same…it may not be the easiest journey we take, but, with Jesus, it promises to be the best.  

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1668054137885102/

Lenten Learning: Salvation

Salvation: Psalm 121; John 3: 1-17 

Life is a journey. Several years ago, I learned how bumpy a journey can be. After a short vacation, my mother, Nanna, and I were flying home. We had one final leg of the trip—Atlanta to Knoxville—on what had to be the tiniest little tinker toy plane I had ever seen. There was one seat per row on the left side, and two seats per row on the right. About ten minutes into the flight, and horrendous storm descended out of nowhere. The plane began to rock back and forth, bounce and sway, and careen up and down.  

Cabin service was discontinued after the turbulence cause Nanna to wear the ginger ale being served. And audible praying could be heard in the rear of the plane. We finally landed. The guy next to me, however, had managed to sleep through it all, slumped over, snoring in my ear. Oh, to be that unbothered about things. Life is a journey, and our walk with Jesus, our process of salvation is much of that journey.  

Our Psalm, Psalm 121, talks about being on this journey. These ideas of looking to the hills, being guarded while we slumber, being given a gentle shade, all of these are indicators of a person travelling. For the Psalmist, it probably was a literal journey. For us it is a bit more figurative. On our journey of life, God will help us, keep us from stumbling, and watch over us while we sleep. Indeed, the Psalmist is adamant about this, “The Lord…watches over you!” with exclamation point included. The Psalm is a reminder that in times of trouble God will literally save us. God’s salvation goes beyond just the theological concept.  

The Lord watches over you and keeps you from harm—from the burning sun and the terrors we feel at night. God stands ready to save us literally from the trouble of this world. Now that doesn’t mean trouble won’t sometimes find its way into our lives. Remember we are promised God’s presence, not absolute perfection. That has to wait for a bit.  

 A friend and I gave thanks for God’s protection back when I was in college. As you know I grew up rural. So, taking an ATV in the mountains to ramble around and maybe pick berries was not a problem. My city-dwelling friend came to visit, and I took him out to show him the beauty of God’s nature instead of perfectly manicured HOA managed sod. He asked to drive for a bit to see how he did. Unfortunately, he went a little too fast up a steep hill and flipped us both off of the ATV. I fully expected the thing to come crashing down on both of us and needing to call an ambulance. However when I dared to open my eyes, I was laying down in the grass, he was sitting a couple of feet away, and the ATV was sitting next to us, right side up, like nothing had happened.  

Sometimes, when life is very hard on us, we must remember those words of the Psalm, “The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” I know that it sometimes feels like God has forgotten us, but that is not the truth. God is always close by and ready to save us when we call out for help in faith. God will save us, literally, from the dangers and troubles that can come in life. We simply have to trust in God to be there for us.  

The Gospel talks about salvation in a much more theological sense. The story of Nicodemus is one of the most famous of the Gospels. It gives us the most widely known scripture, “For God so loved the world…” It is also the scripture that the theology of salvation is most attributed to. Time and again, we have heard the phrase “born-again Christian.” Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the night. He acknowledges Jesus as being of God. Then Jesus throws him a curve ball. Jesus says, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God.”  

Nicodemus is confused by this, and Jesus does nothing to clear it up. Jesus adds the greater mystery of being born of water and of spirit. As Jesus talks, he also adds in later verses that God calls on us to sacrifice our judgments and take up our belief in Jesus to guide us and in his redemptive work which saved us. Now, sometimes the work of a preacher is to simplify tough concepts. Today, I want to do the opposite. We have so watered down the idea of being born again, that it has lost the meaning, the complexity, and the mystery Jesus intended it to have.  

The Gospel of John uses the Greek word anõthen. There is no good translation of this word. Jesus is saying we must be born of time and place. We are born anew but also from above, or in a spiritual way. The words used here mean far more than just a personal conversion moment. Anõthen is in response to belief, not belief itself. It also doesn’t refer to any work we do in having belief. It refers to the redemptive work that Jesus does within our heart and soul. To reduce this idea merely to just believing in Jesus and having a personal conversion moment, makes it all about us, when in fact salvation is about Jesus and his love and grace for us.  

Nicodemus was a scholar, very well educated, and generally wise. Yet he couldn’t fully grasp the mystery of what Jesus meant. He fully believed and acknowledged that God had sent Jesus. But there was still this stumbling block to the work that Jesus wanted to do in and through his life and his life of faith. When we believe, we must also be prepared to have our lives changed and follow Jesus. The work Jesus does is redemptive and saving. The work we do is somewhat ordinary. We believe and we follow. Inherent in both of those is the idea that we trust in God to lead us, guide us, and save us from troubles.  

When Jesus talks about salvation, it is a complex, mystery-filled work of faith. It’s hard to understand. It’s an easy thing to follow, “Love thy neighbor.” But in an evidence-hungry society, talk of spiritual and unknowable things is uncomfortable. We want to explain. We want to comprehend. But Jesus gives us a holy mystery. Too many churches, too many of the faithful have taken this complex mystery of faith and reduced it to a slogan—being a “born-again Christian.” It’s become both a slogan and a litmus test. Reducing this to just a slogan and single-issue test ruins the meaning Jesus was conveying. Do you believe, but also, do you surrender enough to allow Jesus to work in and through you both in your physical body and in your soul and spirit? Being born again encompasses both. And it is fully about the work of God, not our own doing.  

Jesus doesn’t necessarily change what our physical body is. Instead, he helps us to understand the fullness and love of God in us and with us. Part of the struggle of life is always our ability to understand. But here we simply have to trust that God revealed in Jesus is one whose love knows no bounds, and we are asked to receive just one gift—God’s grace. Sometimes sermons and services call on us to act and to do. Go out, make a difference, serve, love, help. And sometimes we are called to be still, to reflect, and pray. All the good in the world is for nothing if our hearts and minds are not in the right place—resting safely in the love of Jesus.  

On my journey from Atlanta to Knoxville, when the flight got bumpy and terrifying, the human nature kicked in—do something, react, help, act in some way! But the truth is we were all strapped in and helpless, trusting in the pilot to guide us safely through. The guy next to me was totally unbothered, fully asleep. I think his sleep was probably assisted by a few choice beverages, but even foolishness can teach us lesson. In a journey of life where we have very little control sometimes, we must trust in God to save us and to have saving grace for us. The hardest thing for us to do, but also the most powerful thing for us to do is to be still and say to God, “I need you.”  

 Worship Service Video  https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/957137280139748/

Lenten Learning: Temptation

Temptation—Genesis 2: 15-17; 3: 1-7; Matt. 4: 1-11 

When it comes to temptation, nothing explains it more than a 4 year old testing his boundaries with a very tired parent. A few weeks ago my friend’s child was playing with some little Spiderman and Hulk figurines that stick to the wall when you throw them against it. There was, however, a minor problem. They tended to leave a small residue, looking a bit oily on the wall. So, there was a rule. You can ONLY, ONLY throw them against the wall in your room, not anywhere else in the house. Well, he happened to “accidentally” get it on a wall in the living room, and he was warned not to do it again by his mother.  

He stood there, listening to her words, spending 20-30 seconds contemplating them in his mind and playing out all possible outcomes and ramifications. But the temptation was too great. In a very swift moment, he turned and threw the toy right on the living room wall, directly in violation of what his mother had just said. It only took seconds for a full chaotic pandemonium of him being headed straight to his room with full-fledged weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth at the reality of the consequences of his choices.  

This theme will come up again and again in our readings for today. In Genesis, we hear of the immediate aftermath following the creation story. Adam and Eve are given everything they could want in the garden: food, perfection, each other, and God’s presence with them. There was just one limit. Do not eat of one tree which carries knowledge of good and evil. Unfortunately, humanity struggles with limits and boundaries, much like a riled up 4 year old at bedtime. I’ve seen it many times in life: a diabetic eating an extra helping of cake and the regret that follows, friends and family who don’t know when to stop teasing or arguing with one another, co-workers who show up on a kiss-cam at a Coldplay concert at a very unfortunate moment. Humanness causes us to test limits.  

And yet we have to have limits in life. They protect us, preserve relationships, keep us employed and out of jail. God gives us boundaries of behavior and thought, not to make life dull, or take out the fun, but to protect us. The hardest part of maturing is realizing and accepting that every action we take has a consequence, whether good, bad, or both. For Adam and Eve, pushing the limits would inevitably strain their relationship with God and with one another.  

We have to acknowledge, though, life isn’t so simple. Temptation is hard because, well, it’s tempting. I can safely say that I’ve never been tempted to do something miserable in life. We can ask why Even ate the fruit. We can ask how Jesus made it through the wilderness, but at the heart of both stories is the fact that temptation is sometimes less obvious to detect in life than we think. The snake was called crafty in Genesis. As humans we often are exposed to the shrewd and crafty elements of the world and all the best trained tricksters and deceivers that live here.  

The snake doesn’t present as a villain. He’s polite, conversational, and presents nor causes any fear in Eve. Here’s the harder part. He told her the truth as well. She did not physically die from eating the fruit of the tree. It was her innocence and perfection which died. The truth was her eyes were opened to good and evil the same as God understands it. The problem is, Adam and Eve were not equipped to handle it. Whereas God can know all things, Adam and Eve were ruined by this knowledge. They tested the limits and what they found beyond the boundary was too much for them to handle as humans.  

Likewise in Matthew’s Gospel, Satan presents in the same tricky and deceitful way. At no point does Satan lie to Jesus or misquote the scripture. And in some ways, that’s the hardest part. It’s easy to see through a bold face lie. It’s much harder to have discernment to know that even though what Satan said was truthful, it was still deceitful. As the Son of God, Jesus could easily make bread. After all, God created manna in the wilderness for the Hebrew people. When Satan tells Jesus to jump off the Temple as a show of power and authority, Satan quotes Psalm 91: 11-12. Satan quoted the scripture exactly, but deceitfully.  

Let me give you an example that isn’t Jesus or the Garden of Eden. Summer before my senior year of high school, the few of us in AP English had to read 4-5 books and provide an analysis on them. We each took one and made detailed notes, so we didn’t have to read every single book. When asked about my analysis in class, I said, “I used the notes I had on the book to create the report and analyze the themes.” Truthful? Yes. Incredibly deceptive? Also, yes. Unfortunately, we do this in our relationships, our work, and to ourselves. A friend and fellow attorney once told me some wise advice about witnesses, “Just because the words they say are true does not mean they told the truth.”  

The problem we have in both of these scriptures with temptation is what responsibility do we bear? Adam and Eve wouldn’t have eaten the fruit if Satan hadn’t tempted them through the snake. Jesus wouldn’t have been tempted if Satan hadn’t shown up to play his tricks. Are we mere pawns following whatever little enticement we can find, or are we fully culpable? A few commentators struggle with these scriptures because it allows us to say too much, “The devil made me do it,” without taking accountability for our behaviors and choices.  

Two things are true at the same time. Humans are not the enemy of faith and life. There is an evil at work that is greater than we ourselves can do on our own. It’s easy to see people as evil, horrid, wretched. I remember at once church I played for, every service started with a prayer acknowledging that humans were “poor, wretched, miserable sinners.” That kind of belief is problematic when we also are told we are made in the image of God. We are often, though, easily influenced by evil and must turn back to the grace of Jesus to save us and keep us from doing what evil would tempt us to do.  

But we also have to live with the consequences and accountability of our actions. If we over-indulge, we may become sick. If we use drugs and large amounts of alcohol, we may ruin our lives. If we cheat and give in to physical temptations, we may wreck our relationships. There is a difference in life between could and should. Could Jesus have made bread? Yes. Could Jesus have leapt from the Temple to prove his power? Yes. Could Jesus have given in to Satan’s trials because he was tired, hungry, and struggling? Yes. But the question is not “could.” It is should. And Jesus knew he should not do any of those things.  

One of the hardest parts of being human is that temptation never goes away. It’s something we live with until we end our time here on earth. It’s a struggle we need Jesus to help us with every single day. We are no less tempted at 70 than we were at 25, it’s just the nature of the temptations change. But each and every day we can rely on God to help us with these struggles.  

My friend’s child learned three things in rapid succession that evening: limits should not be tested, just because you can doesn’t mean you should, and choices in life have consequences. I dare say that at some point in life, we have all learned these lessons to one degree of difficulty or another. I want to leave you with some words from Anne Siddal of Stillpoint Spirituality, “Jesus, whose formation included wilderness, will be at our side to [help] us, will wipe away our tears, and place bread into the hands which have clutched at stones.” I pray this Lenten season that we will have the wisdom to rely on Jesus when we are bombarded by all the most alluring yet destructive temptations in life.  

  Worship Service Video  https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/2366483777107503

Ruth: Redeemed/Reconciled

Ruth 4—Redeemed/Reconciled: Ruth 4: 1-17; Matt. 5: 21-24 

On Tuesday, I made an amazing pot of coffee with my new coffee beans from Rev Coffee, one of my favorites near my home. I carefully and precisely measured out the ground coffee, added a little creamer, a hint of sweetening. I was incredibly excited for this mug of coffee on my trip to Macon. You can already tell where this is going, can’t you? As I reached for it in the car’s cup holder a few miles down the road, there was no mug there. Instead it was sitting on my kitchen counter, right where I left it. I spent the whole journey missing my coffee that morning. I have learned a few thing: first, I’m getting a bit forgetful; second, if I don’t have my coffee in the morning, everybody around me has a bad day.  

This sense of being apart from something or missing out on something runs through the story of Ruth. Besides the tragedy of loss, the tale of a woman forging a new home, the isolation and struggle she felt as a foreign person in a strange land, there is a strong theme that runs through this story, and that is the land and inheritance belonging to Naomi and Elimelech. The family is separated from this property. Only a male can own and possess it. In order for it to be back in the family and out of limbo, a male within the clan has to purchase this land. But in order for the family to keep it, there must be a male heir.  

The longer this goes on, the further the family moves from their land and what is rightfully theirs. Whoever bought this land, had to marry Ruth to keep the land and birthright within Naomi’s family. Ruth and Naomi could not sell it. And they certainly didn’t have printed dollars to receive for it. Purchases were usually done by barter, and without land for use, there’s very little Ruth and Naomi could actually receive as payment in a bartering system.  

The term “redeem” means several things. Financially it can mean buying something back or exchanging goods. If we get a coupon, we redeem it when we exchange it for the good at the store. Personally, it can mean making up for one’s mistakes, and theologically, it means being saved from the consequences of our sins. Ultimately it comes down to a separation. The further we get away from God, the more we are in need of redemption. The longer Mahlon, Killion, and Elimelech were dead, the further away from redemption the family land became. Without a redeemer and an heir, it would be lost forever.  

There are times in our lives when we are in need of redemption, not salvation, not theological redemption, but personally in need of redemption. In times of turmoil and trouble, we may feel shaken and wander away from following God. There are times in our lives where we may feel a bit lost, like we’ve missed the path or got a bit behind when the elevator doors closed in front of us. In those times, we may end up like Naomi’s land, just sitting there, waiting.  

The story of Ruth and Boaz is not quite as romantic and lovey-dovey a story as it is often portrayed. It is, however, Valentines weekend, and there is definitely a lot of romance here. But at its heart, this is a story of a male with position, power, and privilege using it to restore a woman and a family who are broken and a bit lost. Some of us may be newer to the faith. Some of us may be well-seasoned saints. To make faith work we need both sets of folks. For those who have kept the faith for many years, we tend to find ourselves losing passion, becoming set on the formalities instead of the excitement of God’s mission. We need a redemption of enthusiasm.  

Likewise some of us are newer to faith. We may have the enthusiasm and feel the call strongly in our lives, but we lack in the wisdom to guide us and keep us grounded. Finding redemption means those with wisdom help those with enthusiasm, and those with enthusiasm encourage those who have the wisdom but may have lost the spark. The ultimate goal is to finish this journey of life together creating faithful ones who will carry on the call to follow Jesus in this world.  

However, before we can find redemption, there must be reconciliation in our lives, a clean slate of issues we’ve lived with for many years. Our Gospel continues the second portion of the Sermon on the Mount. The “Blesseds” litany is the easy part of that scripture; it’s this part that often gets overlooked and is harder. Jesus says to people that murder is not the standard. If you are even angry with someone, curse them, or call them an idiot, you have fallen into sin yourself. It stands to reason. Hatefulness cannot be cured by a different type of hatefulness. But also if there is an issue between you and someone else, settle it before you come before God.  

I read an article this week about a family embroiled in a political fight. The father believed one way, and his daughter believed the other. After a particularly nasty disagreement over politics, the father shot his own daughter. I also listen to podcasts when driving, and many of them may be true crime related. I cannot tell you how many murder podcasts, especially those tied to domestic violence, detail that both victim and accused were long-time, devoted members of a church. So often we stray far, far away.  

Thus, we are all folks who are in need of redemption and reconciliation. Whether it’s Minneapolis, Chicago, Ukraine, Gaza, or anywhere else, we desperately need redemption from where we have all gone wrong, and we need to be reconciled with the love of God that teaches us how to love one another. We live in a time with a lot of fear and anger permeating our society. The Bible does not shy away from these emotions and how we struggle with them.  

Ruth and Naomi, I am certain, were fearful, and probably angry of the loss of their respective husbands and family. But even as they waited in worry, God brought them a way through. They were redeemed, not necessarily in the theological sense, but in the personal sense. They were restored and made whole through Boaz’s love and loyalty. Jesus also taught redemption through restoration. Focus on God’s grace instead of the anger, curses, and hatred we feel well up inside us when life sends turmoil our way.  

But note, that doesn’t mean we look the other way to wrongdoing. Even in this hard teaching of redemption and reconciliation, Jesus still spoke words that were very hard to hear. Jesus told folks who may very well have a right to vengeance that instead of settling the score, they should settle the dispute. We can still speak hard truths, we can still stand for what is right in this world, and we can do it from a place of love. Whatever we say, whatever we stand for, however we speak truth, is it filtered through the lens of Jesus Christ?  

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a story of two people in need of redemption. Boaz had given up. He was older, and from what we can tell, he likely did not have a family. The other potential redeemer would not marry Ruth because it could jeopardize his plan of inheritance. This doesn’t seem to be a problem for Boaz. Ruth needed redemption being lonely and outcast in an unfamiliar place. Together, she provided him with an heir, and he provided her with a place of kindness and honor in the town. Their child became the grandfather of King David, which also means he was in the lineage of Jesus.  

Often in life, we may find ourselves a little lost, a little separated from the walk we have of faith. We find ourselves in need of redemption. Or we may have issues in our lives that need a little touch of grace and forgiveness, so we can move on from them. The other day I was separated and lost from my coffee, my sanity, and any hope of a good mood as the caffeine headache set in. But there’s also a good truth to remember. No matter how each day starts for us, God is with us each and every day, loving us, and bearing us through. Thanks be to God.  

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Ruth: Virtuous

Ruth—Virtuous: Ruth 3; Matt. 5: 13-16

This week, we once again got front row seats to the ongoing culture war raging in our country asking what is most virtuous? Tonight, at the Super Bowl, you will have your choice of half-time shows. On the official station will be a performer known as Bad Bunny, a reggaeton musician from Puerto Rico. On TBN, there will be an alternate half-time performance headlined by Kid Rock, a southern-rock musician. Frankly, if you had told me in high school that Kid Rock would be playing on the station founded by Paul and Jan Crouch, I would have laughed you out of the room. Now, I do not care which one you watch, or if you watch none at all. Your music and sports preference are your business. What is concerning is the level to which the church wants to engage in a culture war. I am reminded of the old saying, “Never wrestle in the mud with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.” 

In the book of Ruth, we look at Ruth’s devotion to Naomi and Boaz. In a country and place where she was treated like an outsider and was harassed by the workers, how could Ruth remain someone who was virtuous? And by that same token, how do we, as followers of Jesus, remain virtuous in our own complicated modern society? 

Ruth prepared herself to meet Boaz late at night in chapter 3. There are some scholars who discuss this in terms of it being a very illicit moment in the whole story and context of the ancient society. At its heart, though, this act by Ruth was less of an explicit moment and more of a formal request for marriage of Boaz. It was a proposal. She asks him, “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.” Boaz promises that he will put things in motion for their marriage and his work as family redeemer. Ruth did have to sneak away, however, because she did not need to earn both gossip and scorn in the town of Bethlehem, and in all honesty, threshing floors after hours were not exactly the most noble and wholesome of places in ancient times. 

There is a bit of terminology we need to understand for this to make sense. When Boaz praises Ruth, he uses the term hesed. It is often used to mean divine covenant loyalty, steadfast love, and is translated (poorly) as lovingkindness. Hesed is the same word used to refer to God’s covenant with God’s people. It is a holy promise rooted in mercy, love, and unwavering commitment. 

In many ways Ruth had a choice of how to conduct herself. She could have gone tit-for-tat on every single obnoxious thing the people did. She could have fought them all the way. She could have thrown water in their faces, kicked the men in the fields, and acted like the whole problem in response to their unkindness. But Ruth was a virtuous person. She had made a commitment to God and was not going to break that commitment. She believed in God’s commitment to her, and she devoted herself to living for God. It was understood in this Hebrew concept of hesed.

We also have a choice. Every time society does something we dislike or disagree with, we can get down in the mud to fight about it. If we don’t like the Super Bowl artist, we can arrange another one. If we don’t like one parade or event, we’ll organize one that looks just like it, but the opposite. It’s like Christianity wants to play this grand game with secular society of “anything you can do, I can do better.” Had Ruth fought with everyone in Bethlehem, they would have both lost. Likewise, when the church fight worldly, secular battles to win in this world, we all lose. Faith is not meant to compete with every single aspect of an unfaithful society. Instead, we must speak truth, then we must turn things over to God to do work in hearts, minds, and souls.  

The Gospel calls on us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. When we engage in a back and forth with every single thing in a secular world, we lose our flavor. We end up the light under the basket or bushel. We read in John 18:36, “Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.’” Being virtuous means we live as people of God’s kingdom, not as fighters trying to counter every single thing we perceive as a sin in this world. That’s exhausting. That comes from a defeated mindset. Don’t wrestle in the mud. 

If you want to watch Bad Bunny, go watch him. If you want to watch Kid Rock, go watch him, but what we cannot do is lose sight of the souls and lives that need our help, our own hesed, to go argue about the holiness of a 20-minute televised show at a football game. One would think the faithful would have learned their lesson from the time Elvis first started swinging his hips in the 1960s. You cannot fight by the rules of secularism and win at faith. 

We cannot lose sight of what it means to live like salt and light in the world. If all we want to do is run around fighting a culture war, then what did Jesus sacrifice for? What did he rise on Easter for? As people who live in the hope of life and grace in Jesus, why do we always act like we are in danger of being defeated? Jesus lives and hope wins. Period. End of story. 

If we are to be virtuous in this world, then we must be about the business of God’s kingdom. Ruth approached Boaz with clear loyalty to him, to Naomi, to their clan or family, to the Israelite people, and to God. These were not her people. She owed them nothing. But she came with her faith believing that the God she now claimed would work out her situation for good. She came seeking the promise of a family redeemer who would rescue and reclaim what rightfully belonged to what was now HER family. 

Fighting never ending culture wars makes us look foolish. In a world that needs food, clean water, hope, healing, and followers of Christ to make a difference in every community, millions of dollars will be spent hosting an alternative halftime show on TBN just to prove a point. And the questions we have to ask ourselves are does this matter, and does it make us more virtuous? To fight this fight, they have summoned up Kid Rock declaring him a faithful and godly alternative. Here’s a lyric from one of his songs, “Young ladies, young ladies, I like ’em underage, see. Some say that’s statutory / But I say it’s mandatory.” You see, I’m just old enough to remember when my own youth pastor railed against Kid Rock for being evil and a bad influence on the faithful as well. 

Jesus wraps up this short teaching in Matthew with these words, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Has our light been hidden, covered by a basket? Has our salt, intended to bring out the best flavors, lost all of its savor and ability? Have we diluted faith to the point that it’s become a political statement instead of a way of life living in the kingdom of God? 

If given the choice of how to show Jesus, slamming one secular musician to praise another is not going to make a difference. However, we can make a difference volunteering at Daybreak, helping serve food at Macon Outreach, volunteering to talk about how faith in Jesus had made a difference in our lives to people who struggle in life or to younger folks who need to hear such wisdom. To do otherwise, will lead us to failure. A friend of mine is a teacher. She had two students: one was quiet and well-behaved, the other was talkative and bounced off walls. She moved them together to allow the good student to influence the poorly behaved one to do better. Within a week they both had detention. We must move ourselves closer to Jesus to better live and love in this world. 

You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. May we never forget our calling to is to love God, love others, and live for God’s kingdom. So, may we commit ourselves to this calling, for we have both a friend in Jesus, and the one who shows us how to live virtuously in an often-tough world. 

Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1236645928427791/