Posts Tagged ‘Common’
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
March 6, 2012I hope everyone had a great weekend. Spent some time in church, in meditation and in prayer. It was a beautiful weekend here in Orange, Texas. Plants are really budding out and spring looks like it is here.
Along with spring comes my time for going to the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church Course of Study School. It is a continuing education opportunity for me and we delve into Theology, Administration, Spiritual Growth and many other topics which concern the role of being Pastor.
The course I am enrolled in this semester is “Our Theological Heritage: Reformation” where we delve mostly into Martin Luther’s influence but also delve into others such as Zwingli, Calvin, Bucher, Wycliffe and the disagreement between the Protestant movement and the Catholic Church.
In our discussion Martin Luther’s transformation from a work’s driven Monk to a Grace filled reformer gave me pause to think. I thought about how many of us in Church today have the mentality that the things we do in Church are what earns us God’s Grace. Martin Luther was struggling with being able to live a Holy enough life to earn God’s grace but never felt like he did. He was a monk who followed the rules and did the things expected of good monks but always felt like he was falling short of the mark. He tells us that what exposed him to the overwhelming grace of God was his meditation of Romans 1:17.
Good News Bible – Rom 1:17
For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through faith shall live.”
Martin Luther realized that his righteousness was not about what he could make himself do it was about believing in God and what He can do through you. Martin Luther came to the realization that having faith in God comes first and having faith in God is all that we need to have. The work that our faith will drive us to do will be what God calls us to do when He is ready for us to do it. Our faith will help us to live the life God calls us too. All we have to do is be ready and willing to hear His call and that is acting out our faith. Faith first, second, third, etc., etc. to the last. Acting upon our faith leads us into the work God will call us to do. Our faith helps us to realize that the Grace God has for us is there whether we acknowledge it or not and there no matter what we do. God loves us. That is what Martin Luther realized and is why his actions changed the world for ever.
God loves you and me. That is the Good News!
Lectionary Scriptures for March 4th, 2012 – Second Sunday of Lent
February 27, 2012Lectionary Scriptures for February 26th, 2012 – First Sunday in Lent
February 20, 2012Lectionary Scripture for February 22, 2012 – Ash Wednesday
February 20, 2012Lectionary Scriptures for February 19th, 2012
February 13, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
February 7, 2012
In our Bible Study for this Wednesday we will be reviewing Matthew Chapter 20. Jesus tells the parable about workers getting the same pay (1 denarius) for the work they have done. Some of these workers went to work early in the morning, some in the middle of the day and some late in the day. In the parable they all receive the same pay. Jesus is telling His disciples that no matter what time in our life we come to a saving knowledge of Him we will all receive the same reward. That reward of course is our salvation and life eternal in Heaven with Him. The reward however does go further than that. Those of us who come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ early in our lives are blessed with a new outlook that can make our lives much better and can give us the opportunity to witness and share with many more people.
Jesus also was addressing the Jewish belief system which was saying that their favored nation status was being taken and given to all who believed in Him. We who come to this saving knowledge of Jesus Christ become children of God without following the letter of the law. Jesus teaches us that we are to love God and to love our neighbors as the most important guidelines we can follow. He even calls them two new commandments. Very important for us and for the new disciples. Jesus gives us all favored nation status as His children.
A learning for many in churches today would be that no matter how long we have been followers of Jesus Christ we are to be accepting of and care for those who are new believers. We need to remember that our status in God is just the same as the new believer. Our blessings in this life are that we have the opportunity to be known as people who love, care for and support each other no matter how long we have known our Savior. We are to be known as people who reach out to the world and exclude no one.
God’s Peace and Blessings to each and everyone,
Randy Branch
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 