Reversing Babel

The Pentecost story of Acts 2 reverses the curse of Babel in Genesis 11. First, Babel was a story of exclusion – bricks, mortar, and building walls. It’s a story of keeping the ‘bad guys’ out and the ‘good guys’ in. Pentecost reverses Babel with a story of wild inclusivity. The Pentecost story is for “all flesh.” (Acts 2:17) Second, Babel was about making a name for itself. (Notice the repetition of “let us” in Genesis 11:3-4). The Pentecost story is about making a name for Jesus and “the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:11). Third, Babel was about a place, but Pentecost is about a people. The Babel-builders didn’t want to be bothered being “dispersed” (Genesis 11:4). But God’s plan all along was to form a people to be scattered among the nations as agents of God’s healing and reconciling love. This people formation begins with Abraham in Genesis 12 and culminates in the Acts community described in Acts 2:42-47.

Are you building for Babel or living for Pentecost? We build for Babel by making insiders and outsiders, bringing glory to our self-will, and staying put in the same old places. We live the Pentecost story by flinging arms wide open to the Holy Spirit’s movement and giving glory to Jesus as he moves us into unexpected places. 

If you missed yesterday’s message, you can listen to it here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve

Unbelievable

 

When the women returned from the empty tomb, the disciples found their story unbelievable. They said it was silly nonsense and idle talk (Luke 24:1-12). Honestly, the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is unbelievable! The boast of the New Testament isn’t just that Jesus temporarily stopped breathing or that his heart quit beating for a few minutes. He was flat dead and sealed in a tomb for three days. And, it’s not just the ideals of Jesus or his teachings that Scripture says were resurrected on Easter morning. Jesus’ body was raised. He walked out of the tomb and left it empty. What’s more, Jesus was not just raised for a while and then died for good later on. He was raised to an entirely new existence and remains alive in the world today. There’s no denying it. This is an unbelievable story. Unless it’s true…

Many of those same disciples who found such news unbelievable, gave their lives defending its truth. Their unbelief turned into faith when they encountered the risen Jesus. 

Jesus is alive and is encountering people today. Are you looking for Him? Are you willing to accept the unbelievable if he were to show himself to you today? If so, perhaps you’ll make this your prayer: “Lord, I can’t decide if all this talk of you being alive and at work in the world today is true. But I’m willing to see it if you’ll show me. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart open to you showing up in my life today.”

If you missed yesterday’s message, you can listen to it here or watch the entire service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve

Healed by Jesus - Our Feet

 When Jesus approaches Peter at the Last Supper to wash his feet, Peter objects (John 13:1-11). Maybe it was false pride or overwhelming shame. Either way, Jesus insists he must have all of Peter, including his feet. Jesus shed his heavenly glory, put on our humanity, and poured out his life on the cross to cleanse us from sin – all the way down to the soles of our feet. Jesus’ salvation at the cross is utterly uncompromising. He settles for nothing less than our complete surrender to his healing touch.

Will you let Jesus wash your feet today? Will you submit to his cleansing? Take time each morning and evening this week to look at your feet and whisper this prayer: “From the top of my head to the soles of my feet, Lord, I surrender all.”

If you missed yesterday’s message, you can listen to it here or watch the entire service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve

Healed by Jesus - Our Past

The Lenten journey to the cross is a path of surrender. During our series, Healed by Jesus, we’re exploring stories of Jesus’ healing touch in every area of life. The central figure in John 8:1-11 was a person with a past that needs healing. But the scribes and Pharisees who bring the woman caught in adultery also have histories that need Jesus’ touch. Theirs is a history of bitterness, condemnation, and self-righteousness. I like to imagine that when Jesus stoops to draw in the dust, he makes a circle around the woman and him. The circle represents a sphere of grace and forgiveness where there is no condemnation (see also Romans 8:1). Jesus invites the scribes and Pharisees to drop their stones and join the circle, but sadly, they walk away. Will you, like the woman in the story, surrender your past to Jesus and let him heal it with his touch?

I’m learning to follow Jesus, and helping others do the same.

If you missed yesterday’s message, you can listen to it here or watch the entire service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve

Healed by Jesus - Our Hands

When Jesus entered the room, she was lying down sick with a fever. After Jesus left, she arose and the sickness was gone. The change began when Jesus touched her hand (Matthew 8:15). The story of Peter’s mother-in-law serves as a metaphor for Jesus’ healing touch on our lives. Sin is the disease, says Scripture, with which we’re all infected. In our sickness, we use our hands to push people away in fear and distrust. With our hands, we grasp for things and people to fill up what is lacking inside. With our hands, we point at others casting blame and shame. When we put our hands into the hands of Jesus, his healing touch begins to cure us. Our hands are set free, just like Peter’s mother-in-law, to live a life of gratitude and service in the name of Jesus.

If you missed yesterday’s message on Matthew 8:14-17, you can listen to it here or watch the entire service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve

Great Commission

 Whether we know it or not, we are all disciplemakers. In the normal course of our everyday lives, through our words and deeds, we are making disciples. The question is, of who or what? Where are we pointing others in their search for success, beauty, goodness, love and justice? In his “Great Commission” Jesus, the author of life, invites us to point others to him (Matthew 28:16-20). A disciple of Jesus is one who is learning from Jesus how to live. A disciplemaker helps others do the same. Starting last Sunday, we are ending every worship service with this affirmation: “This week, I am learning to follow Jesus and helping others do the same.” If you missed Sunday’s message you can listen to it here or watch a recording of the service on our YouTube channel.

Great Commandment

 

Perhaps you saw the scuffle between two college basketball coaches Sunday afternoon following the game. The kerfuffle between coaches got physical and players from both teams became involved. It’s easy to point fingers and assign blame to the coaches, but mostly it reminds me how difficult it can be to love our neighbors! I was especially attentive to this news story just having preached on Jesus’ Great Commandment Sunday morning (Mark 12:28-34). The truth is, life is full of emotional scrapes and scuffles with our neighbors in the workplace, at school, or on the playing field. What’s brewing inside of us easily bubbles to the surface and often it isn’t pretty. Jesus’ Great Commandment invites us to let God’s love permeate our souls. As God’s love works on our hearts, we’re better able to love our neighbor and ourselves.

For more on this, you can listen to the sermon here or watch it here.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve