What’s in the NEWS

I don’t read newspapers very often. (I stopped taking the Tennessean long ago because it kept getting stolen. I had it delivered to Belle Meade UMC so I could read it everyday. I was especially interested in the Sunday edition. However, someone kept stealing the newspaper that was often delivered to the front steps of the sanctuary!

One Sunday, I caught the person picking it up, and I told him it was my personal copy. After that, I just canceled my subscription.) In addition, I rarely watch the evening news–and really for the main reason I quit reading the newspaper. However, since I get the New York Times, NBC news, and local news through News Break via email and text, I still get bad news. That’s the reason I quit being a news hound. But, that doesn’t stop the bad news. It seems that the stories just get worse and worse.

Shootings, abductions, robberies, car jackings, fraud, sexual abuse–and all of the ugly things that go on in the name of politics: it’s all disturbing. Then, add to that the problems that originate in the church! I get a daily email about problems that arise in the church, and it most often centers around clergy missteps. And, I’m not shy about controversial subjects; but I hesitate even to mention climate, or recent discoveries that indicate too much social media is leading to mental issues among young people.

The reason I mention all of these things is that we are bombarded by troubling issues every day. No wonder people are on edge and express their frustration through increasingly angry and hostile displays of behavior, both in the home as well as in public.

Many of us are wondering how to handle such a harsh and divisive culture. I want to share with you a verse of scripture that I have found helpful for over 50 years. It includes the opening verses of Psalm 46. It says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present (the Hebrew reads, ‘well proved’) help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.”

One could read this and think, “Well, I don’t have to do anything. God will take care of it all.” That’s not what the scripture means. Instead, the scripture says that while these things are going on, God will bring calm to us. I hasten to add, while we gain some sort of calm, I believe that God expects us to partner with Him and help to bring peace to a troubled world. I hope you will join me as we face the challenges and work for bringing Christ to all.

Pastor Michael

What Does a Bachelor Know About Marriage?

On June 4th my sermon title is What Does a Bachelor Know About Marriage?

The title refers to the Apostle Paul, who was not especially keen on marriage, but had advice for those who might choose it. (1 Corinthians 7)

Of the “Other Ten Commandments,” this might be the most difficult of all of Paul’s mandates concerning the Christian life.

Because of contemporary society’s rapidly changing mores and ethical attitudes, marriage in the 21st Century may be undergoing one of the most radical transformations facing us today. I certainly anticipate this “Other Commandment” as being one of the most challenging for me to write–and deliver.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

They Still Call Him Master

Colossians 3:17.

Colossae was a once-important town near the cities, Laodicea and Hieropolis, in Asia Minor. Today, that area is part of Turkey. Paul never visited Colossae. He reserved his efforts for the largest places, intending to preach to the greatest number of people.

In the time of Paul, Colossae was a town chiefly known as a textile town. (Although Colossae is still unexcavated, the general area is still known for its textiles.) A man named Epaphras, who had previously heard Paul preach (probably in Ephesus), returned to his home in Colossae and started a church. After there arose problems in the church, brought on by traveling Christian preachers and representatives of pagan religions so common in the area, Epaphras traveled to find Paul.

Once he did find Paul (already imprisoned in Rome), he related to him the problems. Paul then wrote the letter we now know as Colossians. In that letter there is a section containing about 10 separate instructions for Christian living that I call, “The Other 10 Commandments.”

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

Singing Saved My Life

Colossians 3:16b

This Sunday’s sermon is the 7th in the series, “The Other 10 Commandments,” a portion of scripture in the 3rd chapter of Colossians, 3:16b.

The scripture says, “and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”

The sermon is based on experiences in my life and a very dramatic experience in the late father of one of my friends when I was growing up.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

The Mother of All Methodists

Proverbs 31:10-31

The message for this Sunday will be a sermon in honor of Mother’s Day. The title is “The Mother of All Methodists”.

For some, Mother’s Day is painful because of the death of one’s mother, or because of a really bad childhood. In the case of my mother, her birth mother died in the Flu Epidemic of 1918, 3 months after my mother was born. Her father eventually remarried; but his choice was unfortunate for my mother, and one of the lady’s own sons.

However, my mother always looked forward to Mother’s Day because she still had wonderful things to celebrate. I truly hope that this Mother’s Day will be a great day of celebration and remembrance.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

This Old House

Colossians 3:16.

This coming Sunday, I’ll be preaching the 5th in the series on “The Other Ten Commandments” as found in the 3rd Chapter of Paul’s Letter to the Church in Colossae. The sermon centers around the first phrase in the 16th verse of the 3rd chapter. The title of the sermon is, “This Old House.” The theme is letting Christ dwell in the shell of our bodies and souls.

By the way, did you when and how the verses in the New Testament came to be numbered? It happened in 1551 when a publisher and editor from Paris was riding a stagecoach home. To fill his time, he added numbers to the old Greek text. He did that so it would be easier to find particular verses. He then published the old Greek text–with numbers for the first time! (Chapters were added in the 4th Century, A.D.)

If we were to consider a Bible Study, these and other interesting, but little-known facts would be discussed.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Michael

We Are Home

By the time you read this, we will have returned to Tennessee. Right now, Anne and I are sitting on a terrace at our hillside hotel in Amalfi. Anne has to make iced tea by ordering hot tea and a lot of ice. In Germany and other parts of Europe, a “lot of ice” means two pieces; but here in Italy, they like ice! I’m having an “Americano coffee.”

We have met a lot of very nice people. In fact, we have experienced very little rudeness. Basically, the average person-even when I spent a month in Turkey studying archaeology-is just like us. They want a place to live, something filling to eat, and a happy peaceful life. We tend to forget that all of the trouble in the world is caused by a relatively small group of fanatics who are happy to make everyone unhappy, without regard for the benefit of anyone but themselves.

Happiness–and even laughter is a gift from God. You’ve heard more than once that the human body uses many more muscles to frown than it does to smile.

God really made us all the same. You have the power each day to either make someone happy or sad. Choose wisely. God expects you to.

Pastor Michael