Southwood Lutheran Church

USE it on Wednesday.

This week Chip preached on the spiritual fruit of Goodness. You can hear his sermon here.

Today I read a quote from Pastor Tim Keller who said that the good news of the gospel is that:

"human beings are more broken and sinful than they could ever imagine, and more loved and cherished than they could ever dare hope."

He says:

"Christ gives us a radically new identity, freeing us from both self-righteousness and self-condemnation. He liberates us to accept people we once excluded, and to break the bondage of things (even good things) that once drove us. In particular, the gospel makes us welcoming and respectful toward those who do not share our beliefs."

Ultimately cultivating the spiritual fruit of Goodness is about seeing what God has done for us, and then refusing to let anyone else miss out on the power of that message. The good "things" that we do are a response to the greatest thing that God did for us.

How is goodness being cultivated in you? Have you already stopped to thank God for His goodness in your life which allows you to seek goodness elsewhere?

Pastor Sara

HEAR it on Sunday, USE it on Monday

On Sunday, our Youth Director, Chip, talked about Goodness as a fruit of the spirit. Listen to his message here. I liked how he began at the beginning with the creation story in Genesis 1. When God made us, he made us in his image....and he called it "very good." And this morning, I found this great devotion on 97secondswithgod. It's a great picture of how, when you peel back all the layers, our DNA is just as God proclaimed it....good.

Genesis 1 - The Butterfly

I used to think I was broken. I used to pray these long, rambling prayers in which I asked God to fix me. To take all the shattered pieces and put them back together. And at some point I felt like He said, "No."

It wasn't a mean no, but rather an honest refusal to do something that couldn't be done. Because ultimately I wasn't broken. God's image in me was too deep and too true and too powerful to break. Despite what I did, what was inside remained true. I may have dimmed it or hidden it under layers of sin, but it was still there, glowing and waiting. Ever waiting.

Genesis 1 talks about that. In a matter of two verses, God repeats three times that we are made in His image. I think He repeats it so often because He knew we wouldn't believe it. But it is true.

I once heard a guy named John Lynch touch on this point. I think I may have written about this before, but he basically said that if you took the DNA of a caterpillar it would return results that said "butterfly." Regardless of what it looked like, regardless of what it felt like, the caterpillar was a butterfly at the core. That could not be changed.

I think the same is true of us. We were made in His image. Sin is not more powerful than God. Sin cannot destroy what God has set in place. We are all butterflies. Even if we don't know it and we're living caterpillar lives.

Walk Like Jesus

Here's a little story I told our Day Campers yesterday (click here for some pictures of Day Camp). Their theme for the week is Walk Like Jesus, and I had the privilege of sharing a story with them about someone whose walk with Jesus helped me in my own faith life. It's not a very flattering depiction of me....but the unflinching truth of what I did makes the response to it all the more remarkable. So here it is....

On an overnight bus ride home from a high school track meet, my friend (who will remain nameless and blameless) and I decided to put Melody, a sophomore who seemed to us a bit of an upstart, in her place. I'm not going to sugarcoat it....the plot we hatched was just plain mean. It was intended to humiliate her....it was despicable.

We looked through our own bags and talked to some of the girls around us to assemble a goopy, sticky, messy concoction...a combination of mousse, gel, shampoo, shaving cream, Cheez Wiz, and more. Under the cover of darkness (mean, cowardly acts often require some such protection) we walked to the back of the bus and smeared the whole nasty mess into Melody's hair. We were hours from home, and she had no way to clean it out.

I told our campers this story yesterday, complete with a demonstration of the goop in the hair (on my son, a willing participant). The kids erupted in laughter at the smearing of the goop in the hair, and I pointed out that laughter was the exact response of a lot of the kids on the bus....except for Melody. I asked the kids, "How would you feel if you were Melody?" and "What would you do?" I heard lots of real answers, "I'd be mad. I'd be sad. I'd cry. I'd want to get you back."

Melody probably felt a lot of those things too....but her response to my bullying marked her as a disciple of Christ. Jesus said,

Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap you best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff....Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! (Luke 6: 27-31)

Melody was never anything but kind to me after the goop in the hair incident. She made an effort to talk to me, to build a relationship with me, to be my friend. She invited me to her house, and over time I learned that her family did devotions together and prayed together regularly...something that was foreign to me. Looking back now, I suspect that the night she got home from that long bus ride, her parents prayed with her and for her....and maybe even for me....they were that kind of people. I’m sure they guided Melody and called her to love her enemies…even to make them her friends. Melody became one of my best friends. We talked about faith, and she helped me study the Bible. But more than anything else, she gave me a living breathing picture of what it looks like to be a follower of Christ. Her walk with Jesus changed mine, and that's what being a disciple is all about.

Kim

Fruitful Living

This devotion appeared in my email this morning. We are about half way through our Summer Series on The Fruit of the Spirit. Take a moment during this halfway point and ask yourself: How is my life becoming more fruitful? Remember this Sunday's fruit is Kindness!

Faith@Work July 10, 2008 Fruitful Living

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." – Galatians 5:22-23

What's the purpose of fruit on a tree or a vine? Most of us would respond, "Well, it's there for me to eat and enjoy." That's a pretty natural response. Most of us love fruit. But in nature the purpose of fruit is to help spread the seeds of the tree or vine. The purpose of fruit is to attract birds and other animals that will eat the fruit and carry the seeds and "drop" them elsewhere. Fruit fundamentally exists to multiply the plant.

This is a vitally important concept in understanding the fruit of the Spirit in the Christian life. All too often when we think of that fruit, we think of things that we get to enjoy – love, joy, peace, patience. But that would be a fundamental misunderstanding of the fruit of the Spirit. When it comes to that fruit, we are not the consumers; we are the fruit-bearers, the ones who bear the seeds of God's love and transforming power wrapped up in the succulent sweetness of a changed life.

An apple tree does not bear apples for its own enjoyment, nor does a grapevine bear grapes so that it can enjoy them. Nor do we bear the fruit of the Spirit for our own enjoyment. These manifestations of the Spirit's work in our lives are tools for mission. They are created in us by the Spirit to impact the lives of others for the sake of the Gospel.

I know this to be true in my own life. In my spiritual journey it was the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of three other guys that drew me to Jesus. Their lives were different, and I tasted of the sweetness of Jesus in them. God had changed their lives, and I wanted mine to be changed too. Because the Spirit was bearing fruit in their lives, the seeds of God's love captured my soul.

Do not miss this fundamental reality of the fruit of the Spirit. When Paul say, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control," he is not talking about feelings that the Spirit is going to give you for your enjoyment. He is talking about the very life, the very character of Jesus Christ being manifest in your life.

Bringing It Home:
1. Whose maturing life in Christ has blessed your life? Whose maturity in faith has fed your soul? Why not let them know about it with a phone call or note of gratitude?
2. Have you been aware of God at work in you, blessing others through your maturing character? If not, spend some time in conversation with God around Galatians 5:13-26.

Prayer
Father, I thank you that my journey of faith has been blessed by the growing maturity of others. Would you help me to be a seed-bearer for you, feeding others with the sweetness of a transformed life? Help me, by your grace, to live in such a way that others sense your Spirit at work through me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Jeff Marian
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, MN

Youth Mission 1 of 3: Finding Joy in the Midst of Trial

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4

Have you ever experienced joy in the midst of great pain, physical trial or frustration? Sometimes it seems like things happen to test us or to help us see our need for God. The first few days of our recent mission trip to Idaho seemed that way indeed. During our first three days our bus broke down three times and we spent a total of 11 hours stranded on the roadside and at a KOA in Bozeman, Montana. This was with 32 high school students and 6 adult leaders, mind you.

The beautiful thing (yes, I said beautiful) about the breakdowns was the fact that it allowed our group to slow down and relax. We were able to spend a good deal of time together and bond as a group. The amazing thing was that our group stayed incredibly positive and upbeat. People weren’t complaining and getting on each other’s nerves. We actually enjoyed ourselves and experienced joy in the midst of our stranded state because as a group we knew that our transportation situation was a minor bump in the road and that God would get us to where we needed to be. It is this faith and trust that is necessary in times of trial when our world seems totally out of our control.

The miracle of the breakdowns is that they occurred the day after our group devotional time was spent meditating on John 14:6, in which Jesus is telling his disciples that they are not in the driver’s seat, but that He is. Our group discussed the ways that we need to let go of our own agenda and cling to Jesus as the Way to life. Many talked about the need to let go of selfishness and pride. The morning after our devotional time as we were getting ready to leave the church, we noticed that the stained glass behind the sanctuary where we had our devotional time said in large letters, “I AM”. We couldn’t see it during the darkness of night, but it was clearly visible during the light of day. It was a visual reminder of God’s presence and how he pulls things together for our benefit and for His glory.

This all occurred prior to our bus breakdowns that day. Looking back it is easy to see how God was preparing our hearts and minds to experience the trials that we did. We were able to overcome the natural tendency to argue, complain and be negative and instead found joy (see the accompanying picture during our first breakdown). Our bus driver, Richard, later told us that all of his church trips experience bus trouble and he attributed it to spiritual attack. He said that Satan will try anything to frustrate God’s people in the hopes that it will derail them and cause them to lose focus. For us, it didn’t work. We overcame our transportation difficulties and kept our focus on the One who we were going to Idaho to serve. More details about our service will come out in my next post.

Chip

VIDEO of the Week: Parenting

In this video Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend talk about setting boundaries with teenagers. They answer the question: How late is too late?

We're real people - a simple solution doesn't often work for our deepest struggles and questions.  Tune in each week on Tuesday to watch a series of videos by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend.  Here you will find advice from seasoned leaders about everything from parenting and marriage, to spirituality, goals, and leadership.

Multiplying Money

Yesterday we saw money multiply! We started out with 85 children and gave each of those 85 children 4 quarters, for an initial investment of $85. By the end of the day that money had more than tripled. Here's how:

Each child received a card like this -

We gave those quarters to them as a gift. We talked about the ways in which they could spend those quarters and then I invited them to consider donating them to the food bank's backpack program.

Many (but not all) of the kids took me up on that invitation depositing all four quarters in the offering basket. The decision was left up to the kids as to how to spend the money. When the morning ended we had $97.65 in quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, and $195 in ones, fives, tens, and twenties, for a grand total of $292.65. Wow!

Here's my take on it. Remember the story of the feeding of the 5000 from the gospels? One small boy gave up a fish and a few loaves of bread and Jesus was able to use that to feed a multitude. Now perhaps the miracle wasn't a magical multiplying of bread and fish - but maybe it happened more like what happened at Southwood today.

Maybe, after one small child was willing to give up of what he had, a parent was inspired to do the same. The child dropped in 4 quarters and the parent added a $5 bill. Maybe another couple of children visited Southwood with their grandparents and the grandparents saw those children selflessly adding their coins to the food bank collection and grandma and grandpa added a $20 bill. Or, maybe an older brother saw a younger sibling adding 4 quarters to the pot and so they thought to add a dollar or two of their own in order to "outdo" that younger sibling.

I wonder if the true miracle started with a child's generosity which inspired the generosity of a gathered congregation. Regardless of how it happened (in our story, or the feeding of the 5000) it could only have happened with Jesus being present in the hearts of those who would give. As we heard yesterday, generosity is not about money, it is about mercy.

Parents, I hope this was a good opportunity for you to talk with your children about what it means to give to God. You might ask questions about why they did or didn't give, or talk about your own giving, or even find ways as a family to practice generosity together.

As you practice generosity in your own life, I pray that you will know that Jesus is working within your own heart and whenever that happens it is a true miracle.

Pastor Sara

HEAR it on Sunday. USE it on Monday.

The reward of responsibility – 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
By Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources.

There is an interesting principle in the scriptures which is often misunderstood. It is the principle that faithful service receives God's reward. At the most basic level believers often think that faithful service here on this earth will be rewarded in glory with God's bounty. "God will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness" in eternity, depending on the worth of your service here on earth. "In my house there are many mansions" describes a scale of reward based on faithful service. Although an interesting idea, it is far from the truth.

In fact there can be no greater reward than union with Christ. There is no greater reward than knowing Jesus as our friend, and that reward is freely given on request. What then is the reward of faithful service? The principle of reward in the scriptures is a simple one. Those who act responsibly are rewarded with greater responsibility. God makes grace abound in us that we may abound in every good work, v8. The store of seed is increased to enlarge the harvest, v10. We are made rich that we might be generous, v11.

This is not the rather flawed notion that when we give away a dollar we get two in return. Rather this concerns the spiritual resources that are ours in Christ which are increasingly available to us as we use them wisely and well. If we are found trustworthy in little things, then we can be trusted with greater riches, Lk.16:1-18. As we "walk by the Spirit", "keep in step with the Spirit" (cooperate with the Spirit's renewal through faith), then increasingly we will not "gratify the desires of the flesh". On the money front, selfishness subsides and generosity increases. It is then our prayer "give us this day our daily bread" can be answered. Greater resources will be directed our way to use toward the realization of the Kingdom of God.

Questions to think about:

1. Why was Paul so focused on the collection for the "saints"?
2. If generosity derives from the heart, how do we prompt generosity?
3. What value is there in the use of our resources if use or non use has no bearing on our standing in the sight of God?

If you didn't get a chance or want to hear it one more time, listen to our guest preacher's (Pastor Roger Sasse) sermon "The secret of a five letter word that begins with “M” and ends with “Y”.

Community

I saw this great quote today:

For more on this quote - Check out this post. At Southwood this makes me think about small groups. Keep in mind the Small Group connection event on September 21st at Noon in the fellowship hall.

If you've never been in a small group before, or if you're looking for a new small group this event is for you. Come and connect with new people. You just might find yourself caring about them more than you should!

Pastor Sara

What if Church was Illegal?

What if it was illegal to worship? What if the government said that "this" particular church is the only one you are allowed to participate in? What would you do? Where would you turn?

Check out this Frontline video entitled Jesus in China. There are about 4 different segments, (all available at the link above.) This would definitely be worth your time to watch. As you do think about the question above - which church would you be a part of, the state sanctioned Christian Church or the Underground House Churches?

A devotion I read this morning said this:

One of the keys to a healthy, vibrant and flourishing congregations is the shared willingness to take risks and make incredible personal sacrifices.

Even among Jesus and his disciples, there was a tension between fidelity to the task and fear of the consequences. There was always a question of power and position. Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem even as some of his disciples wanted to stay in the safety of the outlying areas. Jesus reminded them that their purpose was mutual service and not positions of power and authority. The disciples watched as Jesus was willing to suffer and die to further the Kingdom of God.

Risk taking and sacrifice have always been at the heart of Christian cross bearing.

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? Matthew 16:24-26

Where would you go to church if going to church was illegal?

Pastor Sara