On this Palm Sunday March 25, 2018, we are blessed to have Carol Fare and Vicki Brown share with us their ministry through Thailand Methodist Missions. They bring to us a perspective that broadens our sense of “for God so loved the world.”

Carol and Vicki work with Thai people who are often on the margins of society e.g. handicapped and/or abandoned children. They will describe how through Methodist missions people are loved in Jesus name and how needs of body, mind, and spirit are being met.

If you would, prepare for their visit by praying and then bringing a love offering for their work far from our Middle Tennessee but connected through our worldwide United Methodist Church. And you may want to connect on line by looking up Thailand Methodist Mission. There are photos and stories of their ministry in northern Thailand in places such as Blessing House Islan.

Join us this Sunday as we shout Hosannas to God who brings the Kingdom amongst all peoples in all times and in all places!

Blessings~~†

Pastor Barry

As I write this, I am aware that the famous astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has died at age 76. His mind explored the Universe although his body was extremely incapacitated by a form of the neurological disease ALS. It is strange that he dies on Albert Einstein’s birthday March 14!

These two gifted thinkers helped us better understand God’s immense and complex creation giving us more awareness of how things exist and the apparent direction the universe is headed toward! Yet, neither was any better than anyone else in explaining WHY we exist or what OUR ending means. For those answers, we are like the Greeks in John 12:20 who ask Phillip, “Sir, we would see Jesus.”

For we who believe and follow Jesus, we trust that life’s deepest and most meaningful questions find their answer in the mystery of “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” And none of us are saved by knowledge. The great content of knowledge helps us but finally the core of life is to trust and to act upon that trust in love of God and neighbor.

It is most always a good thing to ask throughout the week, “Sir, I would see (hear, experience, serve) Jesus.” In this discipleship, we will find the Center of the Universe, the heart of the Cosmos, and…..ourselves. Jesus says in John 12:32, “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people unto me.” That includes Greeks, Asians, Africans, Europeans, even all…..and you and me. Thanks be to God, Maker of Heaven and Earth!

See you in worship!

Pastor Barry

What is it about snakes?! Is it the fact that they bite and some are poisonous?! They hide really well? They look threatening? They have no legs or arms?! Whatever the reason, people and snakes tend to not get along.

Two of our scriptures have to do with the danger of snakes and the odd fact is if “a bronze snake is lifted up on a pole and looked at it will lead to healing(!).” And both John and Ephesians passages are about our salvation by grace through faith not by any good works we do! Although we are “saved FOR good works!(?)”

All I can say is the “Bible makes you sit back and be amazed!” It comes from a distant time and place with “bronze snakes lifted on a pole” but comes together to tell us about how God brings healing, wholeness, and salvation. Even if it astounds us, amazes us, and includes snakes! Please note I will NOT be inclined to observe Mark 16:18 regardless of my “strong” faith, so that should ease your mind in the pews during worship!

Come to worship and be reminded of your salvation, your faith, the community of faith, and how that makes ALL the difference both here and forever!

Blessings on your preparation for worship!

Pastor Barry

Exodus 20:1-17, I Corinthians 1:18-25 and John 2:13-22.

These three texts are packed! Ten Commandments, The foolishness of God, and Jesus getting upset with the Temple “marketplace.!” All will speak to the Holy and how we are likely to both overlook and misuse the Sacred! And what is sacred to one is NOT to the next guy! Or should it be?!

Lent is emphasized in some churches and not so much in others. Most all Christians observe Christmas and Easter (and sadly that is the only time for some to attend church!). There are congregational habits and practices and observations that honor the sacred…and some that may not!

The John passage is the most “physical” we get to witness Jesus honoring the sacred! I hesitate to say “violent.” But I suppose it may have felt violent to the oxen, sheep, and pigeons(!). But there is a symbolic point to the animals being removed. Not just a matter of too much trading and selling in the Temple. Hope you will read up on that before Sunday.

I could get off on a rant here but I will only say that Sunday, our Sabbath, is not observed in the way it was when I was growing up! (That is probably a generational observation that is said each new generation, so take that with a grain of salt).

So, what is sacred to you?! We will look at least at the first Four Commandments, the “foolishness of God,” in I Corinthians and “tearing down this temple” in John 2 this coming Sunday worship. If I bring a “whip of cords”…..I promise….I will not use it!

See you Sunday~~†

Pastor Barry

The season of forty days before Easter is Lent. We are challenged to prepare during those forty days with both renunciation of some habit or pleasure or earthy good as well as “take up” some new practice or at least renew an old discipline e.g. specific daily prayers.

It’s an agreement we tend to make between ourselves and God. It’s a “mini-covenant” so to speak. It reminds us of the ongoing experience of covenant making with God. From Abraham we see the offer from God of a covenant to bless Abraham and Sarah and countless generations afterwards. Jews and also Gentiles inevitably fail on their end of this agreement!

Jesus brings a New Covenant and, just like Abraham, faith is the requirement. And once again, even when we fail God does not fail us! Peter in Mark 8 is the perfect example of all of us asserting our resistance to God’s way and thus “acting like the Devil” to go in the way WE think! It’s the old old story which hearkens back to that Serpent in the Garden, the same Tempter in the wilderness of Jesus, and the same Adversary in the End in Revelation.

The same voice of Peter as Satan that comes at us during our Lenten commitment: “Hey, you don’t need to keep your discipline” and again as the Accuser, “Hey, you failed didn’t you!” The answer is always, “Get behind me Satan!” Or even better, sing the words Keep Your Eyes Upon Jesus! Ultimately, it really is the work of God in Christ….in you….through the power of the Holy Spirit! God, who began a good work in you, will see that it gets finished!

Have faith~~†

Blessings in Lent!

Pastor Barry

Lent has begun. A journey of Forty Days heading toward Good Friday and Easter. We all know the End of the Lenten Season is Good News. It’s the getting there that can be a bit rough, a bit less-than-good. No sooner than I was marked by the ashen cross on my forehead last Ash Wednesday service, I was ready to wash it off! No more reminders of how bad I can be! Or what I am made of and where I will wind up~~

But it’s not just about me! It’s about the whole sweep of the Bible story that includes old man Noah, Angels, Spirits in prison, Water rescue, and being tempted. Christian or not, all people, if they are honest, know they are tempted! Tempted to the bad in life. Tempted to give in, give up in all the rough spots in the Journey before they get to the safety of Easter Home.

So, Lent’s 40 Days is a miniature of each and everyone’s life: ashes to ashes, dust to dust, but Good News in spite of being marked by a ashen cross on your forehead! Who hasn’t thought “it’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming.” Actually it’s more like “it’s Monday…can’t wait til it’s Friday! Weekend is coming!”

However we count the days it’s a spiritual journey from the point of view of the Bible. And that point of view is ultimately full of Light not all of Darkness. It’s a struggle as our texts show us; but whether from The Genesis or Mark or Peter text the message is Good News: God IS at work to bring us through!

There are a lot of “players” in the journey. Let’s get to know more about some of them this Sunday in worship! Don’t be “tempted” to skip out just because it’s supposed to rain(!). Remember, Noah got through a whole lot more water than we’ve had lately! Jesus made it through temptation! Peter’s fellow Christians made it through their trials. So, if the “creek don’t rise”…..see you soon!

Pray for each other~†

Pastor Barry

Most everyone has a mountain top story or memory. Many recall their first visit to The Smokies and a vigorous hike up Mt. Leconte. Some of us tell stories of being up on one of the many 14,000 ft. mountain peaks in Colorado. Other mountains? What sights one can see high up on a mountain!

Two of our texts for this Sunday are about high places! Mark recounts Jesus on Mt Tabor (?) in lower Galilee with Elijah and Moses appearing! The 2 Kings text describes the prophet Elijah going upward to heaven in a whirlwind as a chariot and horses of fire appear! Paul in 2 Corinthians speaks of the glory of Christ, the light of the gospel, but that is often hidden by “the god of this age.” People look but do not see because they are looking in the wrong places quite often. They never look up! They never look for the Holy One!

Whenever we do encounter God in high (or low) places, in worship or in nature or…..you name it (!), it leaves an impression. We remember the experience and it becomes one of many foundations for our ongoing life of faith.

The key is faith! Trust! In spite of never perhaps having another mountain top experience in the Lord! Faith walking is sometimes more like being on a highway that is flat, routine….sort of like driving from Nashville to Memphis (!). Okay, I suppose, but not very exciting. Both mountain and flat stretch are part and parcel of the Christian life. Sometimes a great view with great company (Elijah and Moses), sometimes with not much to see and in the company of some people and some situations blocking the view!

Mountains, valleys, exciting moments, shadowy times….they come to each and all. What stays with us? Memories of the great moments….and hopes for that which is even greater. We live out of the past gifts of God to us, and also that which is yet to be given. We are people of faith, experience, tradition, and the community of the saints. We celebrate these different gifts in worship.

Invite someone to worship this Sunday…someone who may need to stir a memory, or someone who needs to have hope for something greater than what they are going through now! Past, present, and future….they are all there in worship, in church life, in the community of faith. Be a part of it!

Blessings!

Pastor Barry

Really? Have we had 51 Super Bowls and now onto 52?! That’s most of MY life! I suppose many could say the same thing about having television shows, movies, and various fashions and trends of the era. We live in our 21st century American culture and that is considerably different from the American life of our great grandparents. Different from other nations and ages.

Our Bible texts take us to an age that knew nothing of our culture, inventions, and fashions. But if we read Paul closely he is dealing with the cultures he is ministering in! He shares what and how he will adapt. For the sake of the Gospel! Jesus ministers in first century Capernaum on a busy Sabbath including a family members illness, healing, meal time, and a demon! Then he moves on to the next town or community. Some things the same then as today! But also different as we look back although we hope to receive a Bible message still relevant now.

So, people wake up and think about how the Sunday will unfold, how will we worship and then move in and around a major cultural event whether the interest is in the actual game or more so in the new commercials or the half time spectacle! Or the food or the company we keep?!

We do this all the time and we model for our children and grandchildren, our neighbors and the unchurched, the outcast and those whose lot in life rules out any interest in a Super Bowl because of numerous personal, health, or work circumstances.

Well, my intentions are to watch and enjoy the Super Bowl but also keep in mind how Christ and culture meet and what will you and I do with both! A tough question at times, but that’s one reason to go to worship, read the Bible, look how others lived in the past, and maybe get some current help in that matter! If Paul can adapt to his culture for the sake of ministering the Gospel and bearing witness to the good gifts from God, so can we!! Each may “draw the line” somewhere in our wide ranging cultural life but we need each other’s help in doing so!

See you Sunday morning if I don’t see you later at kickoff time!

Pastor Barry

Well, read these three texts (Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Revelation 12:1-6 and Mark 1:21-28) and you will find one of two things: why people attend worship and why people don’t! These are wild and difficult scriptures but SO dramatic and so full of images. Prophets, demons, dragons! And Jesus! Some people are fascinated and respond in faith while others are repelled or afraid and stay away.

Personally I am drawn to this sort of stuff but I am also the preacher and am responsible to some extent to deal with this responsibly and faithfully. I imagine if you really like to read books, watch TV or go to movies, or just like a good story, you TOO are interested in such wild difficult scriptural stories. Plus, we hold forth that there is God’s Truth being revealed and proclaimed in scripture! I think these stories of Truth are more helpful and demanding of us than, say, some general rules and guidelines for good behavior!

Truth comes to us personally in Story. You are more likely to respond and act when you find YOURSELF in the Bible stories rather than when someone just lays out laws and rules to be obeyed. We need both but one is a more positive appeal where the other is more like a perpetual threat since, sure enough, we are “rule breakers!”

Tell me the stories of Jesus and THEN I will better understand why we need to contend against evil that inhabits people and why the universal True Story is so cosmic in nature that we hear about dragons and women and childbirth on a scale beyond our mere earthly existence!

There…..hope that gets your attention! Now go and read these texts for this Sunday’s worship and Word proclaimed. You might just turn your TV off for a while as you read the Bible dramas!

Blessings in reading and hearing God’s Word in community with your brothers and sisters this Sunday!

Pastor Barry

The snow and cold are coming! Urgent preparation! Patience when they arrive lest your foot slip on snow, lest you brake on black ice!
Patience in the NFL Playoffs as you run your game plan; but urgent in 4th quarter if you are down by double digits! Urgent demand to lose those Winter pounds….but patience to lose it a pound a week to make it last!

Jesus calls to first century fishermen: “Follow me!” The same call today to us in 2018? Urgency of the eternal moment upon us?! Live as if this world is passing away, says Paul in I Cor 7:24-31. Yet, the Psalmist counsels “waiting.” Waiting in silence my soul is to seek God alone. Psalm 62:5.

Urgency and patience. They are not contradictory but rather can come each day, each season, and flow forth from each life. Wisdom is in knowing when each one is required. The Christian hears Jesus call us by name each day to “follow.” We take Paul at his word that we should consider living “as if” this world, this age and its earthly demands are “passing away.” We believe the Psalmist when we are counseled to “wait in silence for God alone.” Yes, when the call comes we can respond with steadfast urgency or….we know we can “wait upon the Lord.”

What is the Word for us, for you, for our congregation this Sunday…for the week that follows? Trust and obey for there is no other way~~~+

Blessings in 2018 as it continues to unfold before us in both snow and in sunshine!

Pastor Barry