Having Words with Jesus - September 2022 Newsletter

Normally, you think of having words with someone, there is generally a conflict. Those words may not be the most uplifting, but sometimes we need to authentically communicate our feelings. If there’s someone who can handle it, it’s Jesus. Our scripture for this series is out of the Gospel of Luke, bits of chapters 14, 15, & 16. 

Sometimes we find the words of Jesus to be more difficult to hear than things that are more common. This can be confusing, discouraging, or even seemingly contradictory. We really need to work hard to see what Jesus is actually saying. We need to take those hard verses and really digest them better. Maybe sit with the verses and meditate on it, letting the Holy Spirit work through you to gain perspective. We want to understand, we want to soak up the wisdom and live as close to Jesus as we can. 

So maybe we need to have words with Jesus - through the difficulty, through the uncomfortable. In that tension is where we can find a deeper faith. The words of the Bible may not have changed much in the two thousand years that it has existed, but our context and understanding of the text has complicated it for sure. This is why each believer wrestling with the words is important. We come together as a collective to worship and to commune in our humanness with those around us, 

Words have weight. And context of our words has an extra level of understanding. In figuring out how those words of Jesus have messages for his current disciples, it brings us to a deeper level of commitment as well in our faith.

How can you turn this deeper commitment to the word into a next step within the church? Maybe you could start attending Sunday school (available every week at 9:00 AM).  Maybe it means instead of sporadically attending, make a commitment to be in church every Sunday for 3 months; maybe it means to talk to someone you care about your faith in a real and authentic way. These things don’t necessarily need to revolve around our building, so whatever helps you live like you’re walking by faith. 

Each of us did not come to faith by being passive. As much as the gifts of God come freely, the acceptance of those gifts is a conscious one. Every day is an opportunity to use those gifts through the free will that God offers us, swimming in the pool of love, grace, and peace. You can stay in the shallow end, but if you never take your feet off the ground, you’ll never know what it’s like to fully rely on that commitment. 

Pastor Dan

PASTORS PICKS: 

LISTEN:  Lindsey Stirling, “Artemis”

Lindsey is a violinist who won “America’s Got Talent” in 2010, and this latest album has lots of good songs and collaborations with a wide variety of musicians. Favorite song: “Love Goes On and On”

WATCH: “the Sea Beast” (Netflix - TV-G)

This movie, although made for kids, is a good reminder of all ages what it’s like to be brave and to call out injustice whenever we see it. This has been Aaron’s pick of choice this month, and I have watched it dozens of times. 

READ: “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan

I had started this one several years ago, and left a bad taste in my mouth. But getting farther into it, Francis has some interesting ideas about faith and how we can feel the love of God in crazy ways and to pass it along. Mr. Chan redeemed himself in the end with how the book ended.