Ecclesiastes 2:18-23, Colossians 3:1-11 and Luke 12:13-21

Jesus bluntly says in the Luke passage that our life is more than possessions. He doesn’t call for no possessions just a “light hold” on them! And the contrast between the wealth of Solomon (probable writer of Ecclesiastes) and the most minimal description of anything Jesus owned or possessed is profound.

A “light hold” on what we have is the message for Sunday. And Paul drives this point home by saying “our life is hidden in Christ.” We look to Jesus, therefore, to find our attitude toward possessions, people, and things of concern in this world. And since we are finite humans…..we do it quite imperfectly! Yet…..a life of faith and relationship with things AND the Eternal is always before us.

Ecclesiastes frequently emphasizes the enjoyment of the world but it is “passing away,” all is “vanity,” all we do and have is limited. Ultimately our eternal satisfaction is in God, immortal, invisible, all-wise.

We can enjoy “things,” revel in experiences, cherish memories, treasure others, aspire to do great works, but an eternal Christ centered perspective gives them their ultimate relative worth.

So, as we celebrate Summer fun, enjoy things, and relish time with others we do it as people made for more than the gifts of earth and time. Enjoy, hold things lightly, and give thanks to God!

Blessings as the Summer of 2019 draws to a close! On to the wonder (and gift) of Fall!

Pastor Barry

Psalm 85, Colossians 2:6-15 and Luke 11:1-13

The Luke text is about as basic a Bible passage as you could ask for! Here you find portions of what we call The Lord’s Prayer and then a clear call to earnestly ask God for “good things” such as daily needs and…..the Holy Spirit! Ask, seek, knock! A brief summary of Prayer 101(!).

I vividly remember a question of our son Ben who, of course, was in church from day one. He certainly overheard talk about prayer, and was taught to pray, and did pray. He was about age 4 when he caught us off guard with the question, “Why doesn’t God give me what I want?” I don’t think it was close to Christmas when it becomes confusing to church kids when they hear about God AND Santa Claus!

I don’t quite remember what we said but, regardless, it is just as much an adult question at times, especially during times of trouble, affliction, and stress. “God! I am asking!

Prayer is at the heart of faith-filled living. It is at the center of a personal and communal relationship with Jesus. It is both joyful and at times a painful struggle. It involves mountain top experiences and low times in the valley.

As the Psalmist cries out and ultimately affirms, “Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?” (85:6) and “Also, the Lord will provide what is good…”(85:12b).

Sunday in worship we praise, rejoice, confess and certainly continue to ASK! We will join the Psalmist and Luke and Paul in earnest prayer!

Blessings!

Pastor Barry

As you read this, recall what part of the Bible you have already read today! Or did you use verses in your prayers this morning or tonight? Did you think of any scripture as you heard the news of the day or Interacted with your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors?

We are a people shaped by the Bible whether or not we read or hear from it every day. It is part and parcel of our nation, our history. The Bible is the primary source from which we learn of God and God’s people and God’s Creation.

So, this Sunday in worship our friends from Gideons International will once again share their stories of their efforts to make the scriptures available to all. Gideon Bibles are in hospitals, hotels, handed out in public, and sent around the world in many languages.

This Sunday we celebrate God’s revelation in human words inspired to point to Jesus Christ. Bring your personal Bible from home and follow along as Psalms, Luke, and Colossians proclaim God’s message for us. And look for someone to receive a “gift” as we close our time together in worship!

See you soon! Blessings for the week!

Pastor Barry

Psalm 103:1-18, II Timothy 1:1-7 and Luke 18:15-17

Our message will be from Jordin Davis, Project Transformation Intern.

Jordin is our guest speaker this Sunday sharing what she and 15 more college summer interns have offered to children in the Lavergne and Woodbury communities. And keep in mind even more Interns were working in other churches and communities in and around Middle Tennessee. And our own MTSU Wesley Foundation housed them and provided community for these 16 young adults in service to others.

Children keeping up or improving upon their age specific reading skills, children hearing Bible stories, children playing and doing arts and crafts, volunteers from many churches: this is Project Transformation and Locks Memorial and Kedron have been partners with all involved! For ten weeks!

Jordin will tell us what she has learned as well and where she is heading in her vocation. And our churches will spend this Sunday celebrating children, families, and their friends. The scripture texts include the life and blessing of children; parents and grandparents are mentioned; and we are reminded of how close to the Kingdom of God are children!

So, come to support Jordin and her intern colleagues and to praise God for the outreach of the church to all ages!

Blessings on all!

Pastor Barry

2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:1-16 and Luke 10:1-20

It’s July 4th and I write about worship on July 7th. We as a nation of colonists, immigrants, settlers, and natives, can look back and say, “This or that stretch of nation making must have been rough!” Wolves at every turn ready to devour our stated values in Constitution and Declaration. Wars and rumors of wars. A Great Depression and a Great Society trying to make room for a very diverse population.

Our Bible verses reveal the challenges that the church, on behalf of the Kingdom, finds itself up against time and again: going up and out against resistance! Prophets like Elisha we face opponents that we either offer something to “help” or we enter into conflict with. “Do I help Naaman or do I watch the people fight Naaman?” Paul in Galatia resists those who would compromise the Good News. And Jesus sends his Seventy out as though they are Lambs amongst wolves. The Kingdom proclaimed and acted upon is worth the risk.

Whether nation or church, challenges arise, whether prophets or Lambs, we are expected to go forth with a message from the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings. Being a nation of great aspirations or being a church with mission is just not an easy calling. But we’ve been there before! We can do it again…..with God’s help, with God’s Kingdom just over the horizon, just a bit further past the wilderness.

May you be blessed in the challenges!

Pastor Barry

II Kings 2:1-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25 and Luke 9:51-62

Freedom is “as American as motherhood and apple pie” goes the familiar slogan. Freedom gets a lot of press around July 4th and rightly so. The USA came about only as the colonists said “no more” to British rule. It was such a serious matter that Patrick Henry could make such a memorable statement as “give me liberty or give me death!”

From the American Revolution we have a sense that freedom is a supreme value. We should not overlook the value of freedom in our Scriptures from the Hebrews freedom from the oppressive Egyptian Pharaoh to Paul’s call to be set free in Christ.

But, we ask, “freedom from something or freedom for something?” The Bible says both. This Sunday we will celebrate and explore what Elisha, Paul and Jesus would have us hear about “freedom from and freedom for.” Don’t be surprised if freedom somehow has to do with following someone! The questions might be about “who, to where, for what?!”

See you this last Sunday before July 4th!

Pastor Barry

I Kings 19:1-15a, Galatians 3:23-29 and Luke 8:26-39

I believe I would have left town as did Elijah! The queen Jezebel has made a definite threat on his life. Whatever power a prophet feels in his heart was not at play in this case! Time to flee not a time to fight! By the time Elijah has finished his time on the run, he is faced with another challenge only this time it is a question from God!

Most of us come to God during a stormy stretch in our life seeking a word of comfort or strength. What we often get from God is a question not so much an answer.

Paul receives the same when on the road to Damascus God challenges him with a question also. In the Galatians text Paul is responding to the questions he finally asks as a faithful law keeping Pharisee. And in our other text Jesus enters into both question and answers with the demons within a possessed man.

These are exciting scriptures we have before us this Sunday. And more questions, it seems, are raised rather than easy answers. But the questions, I think, are profound and invigorating to faith as much as a bold direct answer can be.

Whatever the storm, whatever the challenge, whatever the urgent change in our lives, God is making a way for us. Often the way forward is simply asking more questions. Then the surprise is we move ahead anyway even without all the answers!

The challenges and storms will come.

Keep asking~~~

Pastor Barry

Proverbs 8:1-4; 22-31, Romans 5:1-5 and John 16:12-15

Religion in the broadest sense tends to offer wisdom on many matters. And no religion can avoid deep questions about suffering. In Christian Faith we have the revelation of God as Trinity—-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A Trinitarian idea of God has to include some notion of suffering since Jesus ,God the Son, suffers and dies!

And what better Sunday to address this head on than Father’s Day and Trinity Sunday both arriving on June 16. Our message will say something “wise” about fatherhood both earthy and heavenly. And suffering too will be explored especially as we read Romans 5:1-5 as the end result of suffering produces a number of virtues, e.g. endurance and character, which can often be seen in the experience of parenthood!

From our parents and families we first receive an awareness of what it is to be “wise” and to endure suffering. The Bible takes this quite seriously and places it before us when scripture “talks” about Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in relationship and in impacting us in our journey from birth to death.

So, come this Sunday with thoughts of those who have behaved wisely. Come with thoughts and memories of fathers and their kind. Come seeking wisdom and ways to help endure the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune!”

Come to worship. And in doing so…..find some wisdom for your week!

Pastor Barry

Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 2:1-21 and John 14:16,17

Pentecost Sunday. The Church does what it does because of being “filled with the Spirit.” It’s hard to get anything done without a motivating Spirit!

Motivation! A team is motivated because it would rather be a winner than loser. An artist is “enthused” to create a work of art to enjoy and that might last a long time. A startup company is motivated to succeed by a desire to make money and its pride in its product.

What are things in church life that inspire us?! Most every Christian begins their Top Ten List by saying “Jesus and what God has done for me/us through Jesus!” After that the list could include hundreds of “spiritual items” that vary in importance according to the person.

This Sunday we will worship and give thanks for those “gifts from the Spirit” which unite us in mission, service, and love for God and neighbor. So, consider in your heart a Top Ten (plus) List of gifts (and fruits of) the Holy Spirit in your life as we gather as “spirit filled Christians” to worship the Giver of all good gifts!

Be blessed!

Pastor Barry

Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians and Luke 24:44-53

As I write this I am “up high” at Beersheba Springs Camp and Retreat Center. Grundy County. With some Kedron youth and a couple of parents. A beautiful sunshine and clouds kind of day with just enough breeze to keep you from running for the AC inside!

Up on the ridge. Elevation at about 1,847 ft. Methodists acquired the hotel in 1941 and a camp and retreat assembly has been here ever since. Thousands have worshiped here close to 70 years! Thousands have left here spiritually renewed and committed to serve others.

The place just goes with our scriptures for today! They are about the Ascension of Jesus some 40 days after Easter. He ascends into heaven. I would like to imagine Jesus here at Beersheba blessing his disciples and then departing upward past the trees and hills. It would be memorable. I suspect not entirely unlike the first century experience. It is ALL about Jesus in any age and it is about the Church “the body of Christ” as Ephesians 1:23 puts it. The images are wonderful to work with in our imagination. Jesus departs to be “in heaven and rule over all” but nonetheless Jesus is with US, in US and we are still on earth! Jesus is both “away” and “very much here.”

I look around me here at Beersheba Springs at the beauty of nature and that of God’s people at work and on retreat at this assembly grounds. I can imagine Christ above me “in heaven” but just as much can imagine Jesus in me and my neighbor and even the stranger I meet at work and play. The Church is the body of Christ. A mystery indeed but we proclaim Christ in US and look to see how we are Christ to one another.

“I lift up mine eyes into the hills……” but I also look around me to see Christ at work caring, healing, and doing justice in the here and now! Ascension of Christ Sunday….yet still we walk in faith….. on earth~+ “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Pastor Barry