The Great Value of a Good Name

Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good reputation and the respect of others is more
desirable than great riches." Every week the Revised Common Lectionary
offers four texts of scripture for our consideration. When I saw this
text I was struck by the fact that, after twenty-five years and more
than five-thousand sermons and lessons, to the best of my recollection,
I have never spoken directly on the topic of reputation.

So, I am excited that this Sunday morning we will focus our attention on
the great value found in having a good name. The Bible is filled with
anecdotes and principles which speak to this very relevant matter. How
do we build a positive reputation? How do we rebuild one that has been
damaged? What are the benefits of a good name? What is the difference
in being concerned about your reputation and being a people-pleaser?
Etc.

I look forward to another great Sunday morning spent celebrating our faith and
worshipping our God together.

See you in church,
Stan

A Day of Strength - Introduction

As the Apostle Paul concluded his famed epistle to the church at Ephesus, he encouraged the Christians there with these words, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His great power." (Ephesians 6:10)

What did Paul mean by "be strong in the Lord?" To be sure, it sounds like a condition to be desired, one that certainly beats the alternative. All of us want to be strong people, able to endure pressure and forge ahead in the face of resistance. No one wants to be weak, collapsing under life's load, unable to finish. 

Through the years, a lot of people have asked me to pray for them that they would be strong or that they would be strengthened. And, through those same years, I have met a lot of strong people who have shown incredible grace under fire; inspirational people who seem to have tapped into a source or a capacity unknown to others. What is their secret, these strong ones? 

I propose that their impressive strength actually has nothing to do with a secret; rather, they have simply found some key truths which are available to all of us.

It is obvious that God is creating a very special community out of us. He is truly making us strong in the Lord.

Peace

Stan Mitchell

Process - Introduction

For several years a friend of mine had a bumper sticker on his SUV that read - "Been there, still there." Like most pithy phrases, that one-liner is certainly subject to multiple interpretations. My personal take on its meaning is that life is a journey and none of us are so accomplished or completed that we can claim to be done with the process or in possession of the proverbial t-shirt. Certainly, we can make and claim progress, but what we can't claim here and now is graduation from this process of soul-making called our life.

This week's scripture text speaks insightfully to this idea. Found in Mark's gospel it reads: ²⁶ Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. ²⁸ The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. ²⁹ And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” ³⁰ Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, ³² but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” ³³ Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. ³⁴ In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. (Mark 4:26-34 NLT)

I deeply believe that God has planted the slow but sure growing seeds of His kingdom inside the human heart. This is very good news for all of us. I could keep going here but come tomorrow and we'll talk more about what that looks like and the hope it affords us.

Hope to see you in the morning.

Stan

On Cleansing and Shame - Introduction

GracePointe family,

Last week our scripture text was from Mark's gospel, 1:35-38. In it, Mark described Jesus, at the outset of His Galilean ministry, stealing away from the crowds in the early hours of the morning to pray. Depending on the translation of the Bible you use, the place He stole away to is variously described as: a solitary place, a secluded place, a lonely place, a place where he could be alone, etc.

From Christ's example, we considered the clear benefits of finding a similar space in our own journeys. I think we all recognize this type of spiritual exercise is truly a non-negotiable if we want to live healthy, balanced lives. We all have a deep need for strategic aloneness, intentional solitude, a place where we can decompress and revitalize in God's presence.

Our text this week immediately follows last week's. 

Mark 1:40-45 reads:

40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” 42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43 Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” 45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

Employing last week's metaphor of breathing, Jesus, having inhaled deeply in prayer, left the contemplative place of replenishment and was soon met by a man in grave need, a man in need of Jesus' breath. Obviously, the man was suffering physically and his healing by the hand of Christ remains legendary. But there is another point of interest in the story that I plan on teasing out this Sunday.

Via the life of the leprous man, we will focus on a type of aloneness quite different from the positive and planned kind. Whereas last week we addressed the benefits of chosen, purposeful solitude, this week we will be focusing on unwanted and unhealthy isolation; the type endured by leprous people in first-century Palestine and, frankly, the kind still experienced by even the busiest among us today.

Unwanted aloneness comes in many forms and derives from myriad sources. It can be imposed by others and it can also be imposed upon one's self by one's self. In any case, the resulting effects are painful and can be crippling.

This week, using the leper's story, we will consider the interrelated issues of loneliness, estrangement, shame, isolation, and exclusion as well as community, reunion, forgiveness and inclusion.

These issues, albeit to varying degrees, are experienced by all people - none of us are exempt. In Christ, though, there are answers, there is healing, there is reconciliation.

I hope you'll spend some time between now and Sunday reflecting on our gospel text and considering how this topic relates to your life. Come with your heart open and I have no doubt God will meet you there.

See you Sunday morning,
Stan