Beautiful

Pastor Brad led worship today.

This has indeed been a beautiful summer, so the theme today certainly resonates with that. Brad welcomed us with his usual "I'm grateful you're here today." The message will be based on a familiar passage from Acts 3.

Announcements
Junior High kids will be taking a special trip to the MUUUCE Retreat August 6-8.
The Bloodmobile is coming. Call Ruth Anne for details.
Gordy & Becky are having a 50th anniversary next Sunday at Gethsemane Fellowship at 2:00 p.m.

Our worship began with Come Thou Fount and 10,000 Reasons. After we spent a few minutes greeting one another we sang Jesus Messiah and closed with Cornerstone.

The offering taken, Leonard was invited forward to read Acts 3:1-10 then we moved to a time of prayer and praise.

Beautiful

Just after Pentecost Peter and John were going to the Temple and had come to the gate called Beautiful where they found a man who could not walk, a man who had been lame from birth. A miracle takes place.

Brad pointed out that the miracle is told as an event in history, but notes that the Biblical writers are writing about something bigger. In our modern era people argue about whether such miracles really happened, but the meaning of this story is not about whether miracles happen or not.

First, miracle gives us a basis for hope. This miracle took place at the Temple. The Temple was the place where heaven and earth met. And it took place at the gate called Beautiful. This gate was wonderfully awe-inspiring, a work of art. Right next to this gate is a line of broken people.

Is this the way the world is supposed to work? If God is here is this the way the world is supposed to be? Where is God in all this brokenness?

Then and now, it is the same story. Marriages on the rocks, abused children, alcoholism, self-destructive behaviors... Where are the miracles?

So it was that Peter and John were going into the Temple and this man lame from birth, after an exchange with Peter, began walking, and leaping and praising God. What's significant here is not that he got up and began walking. The language echoes an Old Testament prophesy from Isaiah 35 which states, "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped, then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue shout for joy." When God comes back to restore the brokenness of this world, Isaiah says, these are the things you will see.

In other words, this man's healing was a sign. It was the fulfillment of Scripture, an affirmation that Jesus was who He said he was and the power of God has been released into the world in a new way.

It should be noted that Jesus' miracles were not like magic tricks designed to wow people. Rather, Jesus was all about healing suffering. The Lord's miracles were used to take broken things and make them right.

Jesus' miracles are about making things the way they were supposed to be. Illness and death and hatred and hunger are unnatural. Jesus's miracles are not a suspension of the natural order; they are a restoration of the natural order.

One day every wrong will be righted, one day every lame person will walk and leap and sing for joy. There will be no more death, there will be no more tears.

The miracle gives us hope and gives us power.

This miracle is similar to one in Mark 2 by Jesus, and another in Acts 14 by Paul. In each there is a person who can't walk. And then there is a healing. And then an explanation.

In each case, the explanation diverts away from the miracle and focuses on sin. In Mark, the story of the man lowered through the roof in which Jesus states, "Your sins are forgiven." Jesus is implying, "You think you need to be able to walk, but what you really need is deeper still and that needs to be addressed."

More than what you are asking for is spiritual healing. In each of these miracles there is a call for repentance that follows. We often think we know what we need, but what we really need is spiritual healing.

Too often what we want is relief from our suffering. But as bad as our suffering is, it is not our biggest problem. What we need is a right ordering of our heart. If you have that relationship with God, you will have the power to overcome whatever you are up against.

Brad went further. These people who did miracles were not just anyone. They were themselves people who were broken that God's life might move through us. It's the way of the cross. As Paul stated, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me."

In the end, the purpose of life is not to our personal happiness or to achieve pleasure and avoid pain. It is to do the will of God come what may. Brad stated, "I pray for this for our church, for us to take up the cross and serve in His name... to be fishers of men, forgivers of wrongs and the lover of enemies... to care for widow and orphans, visit prisoners and minister to the poor and the hungry and the homeless... This is my hope for our church because I love Christ and you."

You Will Receive Power

It's hard to say whether the dreary weather, holiday weekend or the first week of summer hours was responsible for the thin turnout this morning, but those who were here were greeted by a red-themed cross and flowers that brightened the sanctuary. Today was Pentecost Sunday. "If you are a believer in Jesus Christ God has given you His spirit to empower you," Pastor Brad said as he welcomed us.

Announcements today included:
1. Duayne Anderson lost his mom. The memorial service for Virginia Anderson will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church down the road. We need a few volunteers, and also need people to bring bars. Call Ruth Anne for details.
2. We could still use help with food for VBS in June.
3. Baby shower next Sunday for Lisa and Jesse Smith. (It's a boy!)
4. In order for the Bloodmobile to stop here in July we need to have at least 20 people. Let Ruth Anne know if you are planning to donate blood.

After singing a set of beautiful worship songs the offering was taken, followed by a time of prayer.

You Will Receive Power 

Brad began by reading Acts 2:1-21. "Every time I read this page something new strikes me," Brad stated. In preparing this week he was struck by the amount of divisiveness in the contemporary church, much of it due to fuzzy ideas about the Holy Spirit. "Jesus was not vague about the Holy Spirit." In John 16 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, it is for your good that I go away….”

Put yourself in the shoes of these disciples. Their lives had been on a treadmill up until this Jesus entered their lives. They spent 3 years following, having given up everything to follow Him, always looking forward to what would happen next. They did not expect it to end this quickly or in this manner.

Here in John 16 Jesus tells them it will better for you to live in the period of the spirit than while I was here with you. This does not seem possible.

One clue as to why it will be better is found in Acts 1:8 where Jesus says, “You will receive power when My spirit comes upon you.” One word that is associated with the Spirit: power. "You will receive power." The disciples were no doubt wondering how it would happen. What would happen if they missed it?

They really didn’t have to worry about it…. Suddenly … like a mighty wind… What an amazing demonstration of power. "The disciples began speaking in languages… Egyptian, because there were Egyptians there, and Greek because there were Greeks there… and Swedish because that was the original language of heaven." (congregation laughs)

It was an amazing event. Peter stood and spoke with such power that 3,000 were saved in that one day. The power of Spirit was demonstrated in that groups at odds with one another were made one. Scripture says that there was such oneness in the community that there was not a needy person among them.

After the Spirit fell, the disciples experienced the power to heal. And the power of changed lives. Peter, who denied Christ, later rejoiced to be beaten for His name.

You will receive power…

For over 2000 years the Holy Spirit has been the fuel for the church. Brad urged us to reverence the Spirit’s power and mystery. 

The Holy Spirit is not our genie in a bottle, nor is He someone who retired 2000 years ago. The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity.

Brad’s prayer for us was that we would align ourselves with what Spirit is doing. Don’t quench the Spirit. Walk with the Spirit. Become a student of the Holy Spirit. Request the Holy Spirit to manifest His power in your life. Earnestly ask.

Brad reminded us of Paul's prayer for the Ephesians: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." 

Why can’t that happen to us here? The power of the Holy Spirit poured out over this place… Ask God to let that wind blow freely. I don't know a lot of things about where it comes from or where it's going, but God, let it rip, let it blow. I know only this one thing: you shall receive power.