Posts
The reality of the Kingdom of God is a New landscape for the transformed heart to communicate to the voice, hands and feet of the disciple to get down to business! You could say that today’s Gospel is Jesus’ theology of what discipleship actually looks like in practice. The Beatitudes initial declaration of blessedness are finishing the construction of the heart—the spiritual engine (first church) for discipleship, to then move forward into response.
Gracious response is something that is revealed through
the transformed heart. It is never
accomplished by our “choice” or intellectualizing—it is a natural experience, gift. One of the most wonderful tasks that a pastor
has to bear as a selfless gift to their flock is witness and teaching. To herald God’s Word needs incorporation and
sharing—this is a life lead through living into the reality, lifestyle of
Grace. As we hear from Saint Paul today,
continuing his prayerful conversation and teaching to his wayward Corinthians;
he basically says “gotta live it, to give it!”
Truly living your faith is hanging on for the ride! It’s like riding one of those roller coaster
that, well, now it’s too late to get off but you must persevere, hang on for
the greatest journey of your whole life!
Conversion is that first spark—it is the moment when God’s truth and His
voice are heard and His command, call to you is just beginning. The calling to serve God is one that begins
by His revealing of purpose. I read a
really interesting commentary the other day that made a profound, existential
observation about our living into discipleship—becoming salt and light in the
world. The commentator said that when
evil invades or tries to corrupt the heart from obedience to God’s calling, it
reveals the futility of evil and the wickedness born from evil, goes beyond being
a rebellion against God—it is an embrace of purposelessness—nothingness. This is the reality of hell—a purposeless,
graceless wilderness—where one may be aimlessly lost.
Ever since that journey post my conversion began, I see
and grow even more both looking back and looking forward. My life began as an artist then moved into
poetry and writing and from that wonderful conversion experience now 13 years
ago—God called me and revealed purpose to me.
Purpose as I have never thought of ever before—becoming a pastor and a
spiritual servant leader for His Gospel!
A whole New Nature landscape opened up and I saw all of its beautiful colors
and a wonderful path that I had to move forward upon. For if I chose to turn my back on what He was
so obviously opening a door for me to enter, I know now and even more so with
each passing year, I would’ve profoundly regretted it.
The Holy Spirit, though, had to start His work upon me
much earlier than even that very conversion moment. The Holy Spirit revealed my discipleship
journey before I even came back to Him.
What was this? What does it mean? God’s Grace was revealed to me by
breaking away from the object of creating art and giving me, helping me to
realize my voice. Poetry and the
philosophy of existentialism is what I began to explore before Christ had to
come to me in that conversion experience to obey His call and get down to work!
Well you have heard so far, not just a snippet of my
witness, but also the use of a word that probably gave you a headache hearing
it—existentialism. What does this $20
word really mean? What is its profound importance for the disciple of Jesus? It is literally dissecting our humanity in terms of “being”
and purpose. Purpose, is a beautiful
Word, for at times it has brought me to tears of gratitude for what Christ has
truly blessed, given me—a New Life through His Grace! I am as we all are, still
under construction as that “salty Christian” whose life of faith shines for all
the world to see!
There are a number of times on that wild, discipleship
ride we’re trying to faithfully cling to; where we plummet, fall down and need
to encourage one another to rise up and carry on for the cause of Christ. This is, was supposed to be the original
function of the “steeple with the people,” or the gathering as a “Body” to move
forward in our mission appointed by Christ to scatter into the world,
selflessly, abundantly out of love for Him and of course, our neighbor.
Having faith in ourselves through Christ’s work within us
is hard enough but having faith in one another to grow and go with the Gospel?
This has definitely seen its low points… When perhaps people are coming into
the doors of their local church and not even really knowing why, but that they
need something. They need something but it’s
not being spiritually addressed well enough or in some settings, not at all.
There is that aimlessness and seeking that Satan preys upon to divide the intentions
and motivation for our lives to find Christ.
The center of our lives and eventually the pillar, structure to that first
church—the heart is the cross of Christ.
Finding that center, is the first revelation of the wisdom of God
reaching out to humanity to learn and grow from.
Once the light of the Cross permeates through the walls
of our heart, thanks to the Holy Spirit—that fire is kindled and needs to be
obediently channeled to continue to grow.
This reminds me of that wonderful Cursillo song: ‘Give me Oil in My
Lamp.’ Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, Give me oil in my lamp, I pray…
It repeats this but adds keep me praising, keep me loving, keep me serving and
concludes by singing Hosanna to the King of Kings—Christ. A Sunday school favorite even for many a
colleague I have talked to. It’s such a
simple song but it says something so basic—LIVE into your call to discipleship!
A lot of us though, if it isn’t Satan doing a number on
us with different stumbling blocks, it is ourselves. We’re like that furry woodland creature who
is dubiously forced to predict the weather—Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog. One of my all- time favorite films, ‘Groundhog
Day,’ convinces me the more I have watched it, that it speaks indirectly to our
struggle as Christians, to grow our faith, put our faith into action. Yes, in the film’s sadistic hiccup of the
same day being lived over and over again, we finally see the lead character of
Phil Connors played wonderfully by Bill Murray, crack. He goes off the deep end since he has no
faith in the future yet alone himself, it takes this magical hiccup to put a
fire underneath him to transform.
Some could just see it as a change in perspective or
explain it away in a myriad of other psychological conclusions… But he experienced a profound change for the
better and truly began to see the reality, future of a beautiful life beginning
to open that door right underneath his nose!
Isn’t that wonderful? It’s just
like watching those first blossoms on a tree beginning to bud with the rustle
of Spring burgeoning forth to truly begin! The same goes for the Christian—it could
be in the smallest things you do for people that make your heart hear, see and
experience the wisdom Christ needs to reveal to us…
I was saddened to hear of another person I was providing
spiritual care for through Visiting Angels, officially is going on hospice
care. I never felt like I’ve done much
for him except pray over this man since he’s been a dormant for lack of a
better expression, vegetable, in a rehabilitation center hooked up to
everything that is more or less merely sustaining his body. The other day when I came to visit him and
pray over him, his eyes opened just slightly and I asked him if there was
anything I could do since I knew from his expression he was in deep pain… He nodded when I asked if he wanted his
pillow adjusted. I barely got the pillow
placed behind his large frame when I noticed tears streaming down his
face. It was such a little thing to do
for someone but it was something that revealed the beauty of God’s work in my
heart—how to truly love my neighbor.
These next two months for my husband and I are going to
begin a wonderful new journey. Unlike my
husband Phil, who’s lived in something like 48 states I believe… I have lived and journeyed in Illinois for 48
years! I have never ventured my big toe
out of this state to live into a wonderful new adventure. I think the Chrysalis
has more than outgrown me! At the end of March, I am looking forward to hanging up
my (Visiting Angel’s) “wings” to move to Las Vegas and serve First Congregational
Church as their Pastor. I have been blessed to serve and grow in
church planting serving the Gathering North, the Gathering for Christ and my
own ministry the Grace Hub, but now God has opened a wonderful New door for me
to grow and go even further with His Gospel!
This is just my witness, story shared here with you—Each and
every one of you have amazing things to bring to God’s family, gifts to
share. The saltiness of your
Christianity only loses its flavor when you hold yourself back—hiding your
gifts, light to the world under the bushel of your own doubt or stumbling
blocks… Being a disciple of Christ is a wonderful formation starting within
that first church, the heart and revealed, lived by God’s teaching wisdom,
through our voices, hands and feet. We
must remember and never allow anyone to snuff that light out—but God is always
speaking. He speaking to us daily leading
us through His Grace to do the Do’s of His Gospel and BE lights in the world—this
is our true Purpose!
Gracious and Loving Teacher—Lord Jesus,
You have given us Grace upon Grace
Revealed Your light to us and gave our hearts that Cross
shaped goal
May we continue to hang on to the ride
This wonderful journey of faith continues to teach and
challenge us with
May our faith keep on burning’, shining,’ praising and
serving till our final days
When we serve alongside You in the Kingdom of Heaven—AMEN
February 5th,
2017; Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany; Year A; SOLA Lectionary
Sermon By:
Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins
Psalm 112:1-9;
Isaiah 58:3-9; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 & Matthew 5:13-20
The link below is to this sermon's delivery at the Grace Hub's 8am service
https://youtu.be/I8MSRm3PJSE
No comments:
Post a Comment