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“No
pain, No gain,” is definitely not the staple statement for the health-wealth
gospel people to use in reference to the Christian journey, but truth be told,
it defines it. Moving onward and
developing spiritually into the role, vocation God is truly calling you to is
not an easy journey at all. There may be
as well, little understanding from others just where you are & what God is
saying to you to DO and BE!
No
pain, No gain is the voice of God that speaks into your heart over and above
the voice of the world which makes that journey into your vocation seem even
more top-heavy in the pain aspect, over and above the idea of “Progress” in the
world. Being at a cross roads in both spiritually healing, growing as well as
defining oneself through God’s calling has been a growing challenge for
myself. We will always have moments like
this however throughout our life-time; this is what growing as a disciple of Jesus
means.
This
is what living into your baptism means as well. The Old Nature aspect of
ourselves is something we have to deal with.
We can and can’t live without it.
What does that mean? Everything
we have experienced and grown up into shapes us, and some of this shaping isn’t
all that bad. It is a part of yourself,
that is of the past, but has added to how you see yourself in the world but
eventually grow to see yourself not living “of it.”
Life
is like a work of art. It is temporal and material for the most part but God
calls us to live into those abstract areas being the fruits of the spirit
shaped by and for Christ Jesus mission and plan. Bearing fruit is living the idea of “no pain,
no gain.” The spiritual manna Christ offers the human soul to grow in
discipleship, grow as adopted children of Grace and promise and grow truly into
full citizenship of the Kingdom of God takes humility, integrity and
authenticity to create a reality of Grace.
From
abstraction to reality or as an equation: Being led and fed (spiritually) plus
the calling inscribed and commissioned upon you by God equals Grace in action—the
Gospel lived through our ever-growing, ever-transforming selves as disciples of
Jesus! No pain, no gain can seem like a
tightrope, a fine line we have to trust upon as well as persevere to walk
on. Elijah struggled with it, so did
John the Baptist. They both were
prophets, whether challenged at times to feel the reality of their call—this is
who they were.
There
was a post the other day on social media in a group dedicated to sharing joys
and concerns with fellow pastors. In this
one post, the woman pastor talked about the challenge of being “free” in the
pulpit. To truly feel encouraged that
she needed to speak the truth with love always even in the face of potential
condemnation by those she felt wanted to suppress her preaching and teaching of
the Gospel…
“No
Pain, No Gain,” should’ve been the extra-large poster or plaque on this pastor’s
desk. I know I had this mentally in my mind when I was struggling to finish
seminary, survive candidacy processes and finally move forward! I am now
currently blessed to be serving as an associate pastor in the most difficult
kind of ministry: Church planting. Finding peace in the moment or taking a
breath between every mountain or valley is a gift from God. It is an encouragement from God that should
illumine the heart with a fire that is that spiritual manna Christ has to offer—our
New self.
Church
planting is an amazing experience, I think all pastors at some point of their
journey in serving God’s people should experience. Starting from nothing but spiritual
aspirations and everything and anything that God has blessed you with as a gift
IS what it takes to plant a community.
We’re talking about the physical “church” here however…. Working and
developing that spiritual church plant, planted by God in your heart through
Grace by faith is a whole other story!
An
exciting analogy I thought about the other day was in thinking about the new discoveries
that the planet Pluto may have once had or possibly still is holding “life.” Here’s a nearly frozen small planet or as
some scientists have called it, “an escaped moon from Neptune,” some 4.67
billion miles from the earth… possibly holding life! What once was or seemed “dead”
may actually be alive or coming to life as we grow to learn more about it. Sound familiar to our spiritual journey?
In
today’s Gospel, the Message has Jesus saying to His disciples and towards those
who doubted Him: 39-40 “This,
in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be
completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have
everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father
wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and
then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part
is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.”
Building
upon that foundation of the New Self planted by God and reaped by gracious
response—humility, accountability, integrity and authenticity is real life for
the disciple of Christ. Being fully alive may seemingly come in moments when during
those “breathes” we take in, in order to assess where we are on the road,
actually does bring peace and resolve to the soul… I have been truly blessed to be serving in
counseling others on their faith journey as a part of my call to be the
Spiritual Formation pastor for the Gathering North church plant.
I once
again was counseling someone who regularly feels that they are never at peace
in where they are, whose they are and truly about themselves… They had told me
that just for a moment this past week, they actually felt quote “normal.” They felt normal about their accomplishments,
they felt encouraged and enlightened by God to take a good look back upon their
life and not lament or grieve anymore.
Truth be told, they are still grieving their past. It is literally living that motto of “no
pain, no gain,” for they will probably always struggle with who they were and
where they are now. I told them that
they experienced an epiphany, it will always be only in the moment but how
wonderful if now you see your path from God in a powerfully positive and
affirming light!
Realizing
the gifts God has given us requires us to utilize the past as good soil for
your New life in Christ to truly develop.
As a bi-vocationally gifted person, I have taken my former life as an
artist and infused it most profoundly into my New life through my Lord and
Savior to whom I am indebted to, renewed through! Those baptismal tears at my conversion, at my
ordination and at other occasions during this journey have been building upon
that solid foundation deep in the place of that 1st church—my heart.
We
need to taste those tears as affirmations of Joy from a loving and gracious God
to whom our humbled hearts bend an ear to.
Let us take refuge in God’s Living, Renewing Word that no human can tear
down but only grow under. In whatever we
DO may we continue to place God first as the One who has given us life in so
many ways… “Real life,” lived in, with,
and under the mighty power of Grace!
I’ll
close with the story of another colleague who has just started a whole new
journey. They have not only moved to a completely different state but even
moved into being a pastor for a non-denominational church! On one level I am
very happy to see them move on from where they felt they were not faithfully
growing in serving the Lord… On another level, leaving the Lutheran church, the
place of my conversion, is something I personally would greatly grieve, this
must still be a very painful transition for them. Where the Good Lord takes us,
we must remember, we really aren’t in charge of the final destination. That either small voice or loudly proclaiming
voice from God will shape you and lead you to where He needs you to be!
God
is constantly speaking, always as the Holy Spirit to guide and shape our hearts
to be at that painful cross roads and take that bold step forward. That bold step forward, incorporating all of
what God has blessed you with to DO and BE for a greater purpose, greater goal!
As St. Paul says to the Ephesians via the Message: “30 Don’t grieve God. Don’t break His heart. His Holy Spirit,
moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you
fit for Himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.”
May you find
New life and Strength in that spiritual manna you have to trust, hope, and
persevere upon. The days, hours and
moments of our lives will continue to move forward. Allow your heart to be carried by Christ
Jesus. May the Holy Gospel, Living Word
continue to assist you in building upon that foundation of the New Creation,
New self. Use the past as that burnt
offering towards the lifestyle to Grace you are reflecting upon, repenting
through, confessing to God and Renewing through as you continue to grow as a
disciple of Jesus. Growing as children
of Grace and promise for the glory of God!
Amen.
August 9th, 2015; 11th Sunday
after Pentecost; Proper 14; Year B; SOLA Lectionary;
Sermon By Reverend Nicole A.M.
Collins
Psalm 34:1-8; 1 Kings 19:1-8;
Ephesians 4:17-5:2; John 6:35-51
This second link below was preached at the Gathering North church plant at 6pm
https://youtu.be/QR7dAdtM6_Q
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