Matthew 7

Pondering the Sermon on the Mount...
In Mat. 7:13-14 Jesus offers a particularly stiff challenge in describing the Kingdom of Heaven as a narrow way: "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

So I'm wondering who's missing the entrance? Who's on this narrow path? Is the rest of this three chapter sermon defining the narrow way? If that's the case I'm not encouraged. Don't hate, or think lust, or parade your religion. Love even your enemies in practical ways, giving your tunic and with your service. Who am I called to pray for? to love? to encourage today?

Lord, use my mind, use my mouth, use my ears, use my eyes, use my hands, feet, and use my heart. Allow my life to reflect your truth and draw people into their own fellowship with you.

conflicting values

Because Pastor Fred won't be here on Thursday, Mar 29, to see our Northern Bedford Musical, Footloose, we got an early viewing at the assembly on Wednesday. What a thought provoking story of the clashing of values and cultures. I was humbled to see a minister standing up for values I hold dear, in ways that were divisive and self-defeating. As the story progresses it becomes clear that the minister's fear leads to his attempt to control all the people of his town. He finds it's quite foolish and futile.
In reading about evangelism, Martha Grace Reese writes about how easily fear crops up in our walk with God. When we make a decision to let God use us to share real faith, we're pried loose from old habits, perceptions and moorings - the church (or our lives) "becomes a clipper ship with canvas spread, filled with treasures," bound for adventure, driven by the wind of the Holy Spirit. Then we must know that "safety lies in God, not in our habits. If you feel unsafe, talk with each other and pray." Don't try to re-anchor to old habits.

I thank you for your prayers.

While people across our denomination have a great diversity of views on current social issues like the war, homosexuality, etc. In our meeting we came to see ourselves more clearly and our Master's call to love and unity also came into focus (Eph 4:15-16)

I'm hopeful that the General board meeting may have been transformational!. Time will tell. We had some really deep feelings and issues shared, including preliminary results from an in depth sociological survey of Brethren beliefs, which drew attention to our diversity. The process resulted in a sense that unity is hopeless - impossible without God's miraculous intervention. While I've felt this for some time, I've rarely had others confirm this sense. We joined in a covenant of prayer, received partners and agreed to pray daily for our denominations ministries and be in contact with our prayer partners each week. I am really excited about the sense of a new spirit already.

Whose we are

I've been working through 1 Corinthians. Yesterday I came to 3.4-10 where Paul says, (this is a loose paraphrase.) "Look, you have to get your minds on spiritual things and forget about concerns that are passing away. Think about spiritual things that are eternal. In that light, we ministers, me (Paul), Apollos, and for that matter deacons, prayer partners, anyone who trusts and follows the leading of God - we belong to God, not to the people we're ministering to or praying for. One of us may plant and the other water. We're both seeking to grow good plants for the Lord. As planters and water-ers we belong to the Lord and we'll receive just wages for our labors.
Likewise those we minister to, they're like God's field, or God's building. Ministers, or servants of the Lord are builders, but the building, that is the church or people we're ministering to, also belong to the Lord."
I find these words freeing on the one hand and challenging on the other. We belong to and are accountable to the Lord. When God puts it in our minds to reach out to or pray for another person, God will bless our obedient responses. If and since God initiates our ministry we have nothing to worry about except obeying, the rest is in his hands.

Who we are

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