Pastor Casey Wilkerson

For those of you who do not know, I recently bought a house.  I would like to be able to say that the whole process has been a fun and quick experience. Truth is, the whole process has been a stressful time of waiting and waiting even more. I always thought that I was pretty patient. Of course if you asked my mother, she would probably say not when I was younger. Growing up my little sister always knew exactly what to say to get me angry. Some how my Mom always caught me yelling back at my sister, which always got me in trouble, and not my sister. I feel like this tends to be the case for the majority of older siblings. The more I have worked with kids of every different age, the more I have learned different ways to be patient. I have learned during this house buying process that no matter how patient I thought I was, I can always learn to be even MORE patient. No matter how good we think we are at something, we can always learn to be even BETTER at it. No matter how good of a Christian we “think” we are; we are not Jesus. We can always learn to be even more like Jesus.

Now that I have moved into my home, I am constantly losing sleep over what things I want to fix or change next. Throughout this last week, I am continuing to learn that there is always going to be something I want to change or update. This will continue to provide ways I can work on my patience, and with God’s help, my patience will keep growing. What are some traits you have always had to work on? What are some traits in your personality you would say God has blessed you with? In what ways can you work on them and get even better?

Pastor Casey
Children’s Pastor

May 24, 2009 Dr. Kratzer

Special Speaker: Dr Ron Kratzer

No written text available

Pastor Paul Ellis

I’ll have to admit that when it comes to the latest technology and cutting edge media, I feel a bit out of place. I do, however, feel like I am beginning to catch on to some of these new ways to communicate. One of the latest and greatest (I guess the jury is still out on whether or not it’s the greatest) is Twitter. Twitter, according to Wikipedia (the internet’s encyclopedia), is a social networking or micro-blogging service. The unique aspect of Twitter is that it allows you to receive short message updates about those to whom you have become a “follower”. In other words if I chose to follow our youth pastor, Tom Foisy, then I would receive an update on him whenever he posted any new news. It’s really quite interesting to listen to the conversations of those who use Twitter. One of the first questions they will ask one another is – “Who are you ‘following’?”

This whole concept begs the question, “What does it look like to be a “follower” of Christ in our culture?” The good news is that it doesn’t look much different than it always has.

I was privileged to hear our General Superintendent, Dr. Jesse Middendorf, speak at a denominational meeting this past week. In a challenging message to the pastors of our region he reminded us of our Core Values (those values to which we hold unswervingly). In case you’re wondering those values are; that we are a Christian Church, we are a Holiness Church and we are a Missional Church. He went on to speak of the Nazarene Articles of Faith – sixteen statements of belief which hold us firm when new doctrines try to knock us off course.

Jesus himself warned us in His sermon on the mount, Matthew 7:15-16a (NIV) “Watch out for false prophets, They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” There are literally millions of voices calling out to us, asking us to listen to them, to become a “follower” of them. So who are you “following”?

Pastor Paul

May 17, 2009 Pastor Tim

SO WHO’S THE REAL KING?

Luke 22:66 -23:3

 

  

I want to take us once again to a scene near the end of Jesus’ earthly life—a tense and dramatic scene after the time of His arrest and just before He was crucified.  It’s found in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 22.  He had been brought before the religious leaders who had had him arrested.  Having no jurisdiction to pronounce the death penalty, they drug him off to stand trial before Pilate, the Roman governor over Jerusalem.  Let’s begin reading at verse 66—

[Read Luke 22:66 – 23:3, NIV]

 

In the Old Testament we read of the people of Israel rejecting God as their king.  They insisted instead on human kings like all the other nations.  The Psalmist declared, “The Lord is King forever and ever” (Psalm 10:16).  Paul wrote to Timothy the tremendous benediction,

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

At the back of New Testament, in Revelations chapter 21, we find a dramatic word picture of Christ returning, seated on the Throne of God.

“Then I saw a new heaven and new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  (Revelation 21:1-5)

 

And thus we rightfully conclude that God is the King eternal, from beginning to end…the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. 

 

And wedged between these scenes is the one we just read from Luke’s Gospel, where Jesus is confronted with His identity.  When asked if He was the Christ (the Messiah), He said, “…from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”  When Pilate asked if Jesus was indeed the “king of the Jews,” Jesus simply said, “Yes, it is as you say.”  And what I want to ask us this morning is this, “What does it mean for us today that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the throne of God?”  What does it mean for us today that He is King?

 

I think that the first thing I think of when I think of a king is the fact of his power.  When you read through the pages of history, kings were to be feared because of the tremendous power that came with their office.

 

And I’ve been thinking this week about the power of God.  I’ve been thinking of His creative powers.  And when I think of His creative powers, I am captivated by what I see all around me.  Have you ever stood outside on a moonlit night and allowed yourself to be captivated by the magnitude of all that you can see?  It’s so enthralling!  To think of the masterful way in which it all fits together, and the many, many miles that separate us from the moon and the stars—it’s amazing!

 

Have you ever seen a sunset so dazzling in colors and beauty that you knew that any painting of it would seem unreal for it was just too astounding to be recaptivated?  And can you imagine such a scene just happening?  No…no doubt, the Creator God orchestrated such a scene!

 

And have you had a chance to just look at the mountains lately?  We were in the mountains again on Monday, and I remarked once again that I hope I never begin to take the beauty and majesty of the mountains for granted!  I hope I never get used to them!  Can you imagine the power that put them in place?

 

But can you imagine that the same God powerfully created and designed each bloom that we’re beginning to see now that spring has come?  Just look at the details!

 

Have you ever held a newborn baby?  I don’t know if there’s anything as precious as a newborn baby!  I love to put their little faces up to mine and let them wrap their perfect yet tiny fingers around mine and let me be astounded once again at the miracle of new life!

 

And have you ever stood in a crowd of people and just noticed how amazingly unique each one is?  My grandparents used to make a sport of going to the mall and sitting just to watch the people.  Who but the Creator God could orchestrate such originality?

 

No doubt, we live in a world created by powerful God, King of the Universe.  It is absolutely beyond me that anyone could fail to see all of this and not recognize the mighty power of God our Creator!  I’m mesmerized by His power every time I stop to observe what is all around us!  It’s the power of the King!

 

And coupled with His power is Authority.  I suppose that’s the aspect of God the King that we have the most trouble with.  You see, there is one great need beneath all our needs, one horrendous struggle which makes all the other struggles of life more difficult.  It’s the root of so many of life’s difficulties, the cause of our distorted perception of them.  It’s what makes us struggle with the struggles of life, because the deepest need in all of us is to accept Jesus Christ’s authority over our lives.

 

When it all boils down to it, sin is at the core of all our struggles and our attitudes toward them.  Pride—that willful determination to run our own lives, to use God for our own purposes, and to manipulate His blessings for our own comfort—is the root cause of our problems.

 

Why do Christians struggle in their problems?  If we believe that Christ lived, died, was raised up and is with us now as triumphant Lord of all life, why then are we still unsettled by anything which happens to us or around us?  Why are we still consumed with anxiousness, loneliness, fear, pressures of life, guilt, or frustrations?  I appreciate those who dare to be real with themselves and with others and admit that they struggle with some of these things—and when we do, we open ourselves up to the power of the Lord, even in the midst of these very struggles! 

 

For the believer, the issue is not just the pain or the anxiety we feel, but the authority of Christ over our frustrations and our willingness to trust Him in spite of what happens.  It’s when we cry out to the Lord, “How could you have let this happen, Lord?  After all I’ve done and been for you, don’t I deserve a break in this?”  And if you haven’t asked God questions similar to that, you probably haven’t lived long enough.  It’s awful easy to try to force God’s hand, demanding that He act on our time schedules and according to what we have determined is best for us.  And when we do, it’s a pretty good sign that we’re playing King of the mountain…playing God over our own lives, usurping the authority which belongs to Him alone!  And we are brought to the question, “So who’s the real king (or queen)?  Who’s really in charge around here?”

 

All through Jesus’ ministry, the basic issue was the acceptance of His authority.  It was the pivotal point at His trial.  When He had healed the paralyzed man, He first forgave the man’s sins, saying, “I do this that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10).  Those who heard Him teach noted that He taught them as “one who had authority.”  The leaders of Israel were constantly asking Him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” (Mark 11:28)  He had told them; they just weren’t listening!  His authority was the entrusted power of God!  Jesus was the authority of God on earth!  That authority was displayed in His message, His ministry, and ultimately in His Resurrection.  When the Resurrected Jesus gave vision and purpose to His followers, He began—

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

 

Think with me for a moment about the word “authority.”  What’s the root word here?  Author.  Christ’s authority is that of the Creative Author.  He is the “Author of Life” (Acts 3:15), the uncreated Creator.  Lloyd John Ogilvie says Jesus is “the verb of God, who makes things happen.” 

 

The Apostle Paul recognized this, writing in his letter to the Colossians,

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10)

And part of what Paul is saying is that it is God’s design for us to experience the fullness of God’s power in every way in our lives—but that we only experience that if we accept the Lord’s authority to call the shots!

 

And that brings us to the other side of things I think we need to be aware of.  I’ve been thinking about it this week in terms of “the flip side of God’s power and authority.”  You see, we hear a lot of about God’s power and authority, even though we often struggle with it.  And, as is more often than not the response to power and authority, we bristle at the thought of all God gets.  We seem to naturally long for power and control, and ultimate authority in our own lives!

 

Some of us were involved a good part of this last week in what is called our District Assembly and our Missions Convention—a time when we gather with other Nazarenes from our geographical region for inspiration, reporting, and taking care of business in the church.  Dr. Jesse Middendorf, who preached here a year ago, spoke several times.  Dr. Middendorf is one of six General Superintendents in the International Church of the Nazarene—a significant role in our denomination.  In one of his sermons, he told about receiving a letter from a 17-year-old boy who was telling Dr. Middendorf that he was sensing that God was calling him to preach.  He also believed that God was calling him to be a General Superintendent some day, and wanted to know what he’d need to do in order to prepare for that.  We laughed, but I turned to a pastor friend sitting next to me and said, “I don’t know who in the world would want that job!”  Why?  Because I’ve lived and worked around several of the leaders who have served in that position and I know what it has required of them and of their families!  And unless God put his finger in my back, there’s no way I’d ever want such a position!  I’m quite content being your pastor—there’s enough responsibility with that!

 

You see, the flip side of God’s power and authority is His Responsibility.  Let me see if I can help you understand where I’m coming from here.  How many of you have ever had a leadership role?  It kind of feels good, doesn’t it?  Some of us are particularly made up in such a way that we kind of like being in charge!  Some of you were like that when you were in kindergarten—even when you were in the nursery!  You were in charge!  But those of you who have found yourself in leadership positions that might easily be seen by some as positions of power and authority, have you also dealt with the reality that with that authority came responsibility?  What you were asked to do was a big job!  You were responsible to see it all happen!

 

How many of you would want the responsibility of running the universe?  That would be a pretty overwhelming responsibility, wouldn’t it?  Isn’t it kind of nice to know that when you lay your head on your pillow at night, that you aren’t in charge of the universe?  That’s God’s job.  He’s the King.  He has all power and authority…but with that has come responsibility.

 

You see, I’ve been thinking this week about the reality that when I submit myself to God’s authority, when I allow Him to be Lord and King, then He’s responsible for what happens to me.  I’ve been reminded that my role is to submit to His authority and to be wholeheartedly obedient to Him—and what becomes of me is then His problem!  Mine is simply to obey, for I can then trust the ramifications of my obedience into His Hands.  That’s His concern!

 

I was talking with someone this week about this very thing.  I noted, as I heard this couple’s story, that though they had experienced incredibly difficult times, God had taken care of them.  And the man responded, “He has to!  That’s what He promises to do!”

 

I’ve been reminded this week that the will of God will not take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.  I’ve been reminded that God will provide everything we need to accomplish His mission in our world.

 

But too many of still have trouble obeying God wholeheartedly!  Why?  Could it be that we don’t really trust Him?  Could it be that we struggle to be honest and ethical in every aspect of our finances because we’re afraid God won’t take care of us if we do it His way?  Could it be that we’re still prone to be consumed with worries and fears because we don’t trust God to take care of us if we seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness?  Could it be that there are those who struggle with tithing and with giving generously to God’s work in our world because they somehow don’t believe that God can be trusted to take care of their needs as well as they can?

 

You see, the bottom line is that we can trust God!  He is King of the Universe!  All power and authority are His!  But with that power comes responsibility, and He has committed to be responsible for our needs if we will simply submit to Him in every way!

 

The post-Resurrection view of the words of Jesus we read from Luke 22 and 23 is that Jesus can be trusted!  He is King.  He is sitting now at the right hand of God!  He has power and authority—the power and authority of the King of all Kings!  He is King…so we don’t have to be!  And when we catch sight of that, then—and only then—will we be able to fully trust Him.  He’s got to take care of us!  He’s the King!  And He will.  We really don’t need to worry that He won’t!  We can trust Him…we can trust Him today.

May 03, 2009 - Pastor Tim

FAILURE NEED NEVER BE THE LAST WORD

Luke 22:31-34, 54-62

I’d like to invite all the kids to the front for the beginning of my sermon this morning, for I’d like to first talk to you…I was about the age of some of the youngest of you sitting here with me this morning when I asked Jesus to come into my heart. And it was the best decision I’ve made in life, and the most significant! And as I was growing up, I wanted with all my heart to please the Lord. But I have to admit that there were times when my performance was less than what I wanted it to be.

One scene that comes to my mind was when I was in 5th grade. Are any of you fifth graders? Miss Ridelle was my teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in Findlay, Ohio. Hers was a no-nonsense kind of class. She was tall, had her hair pulled back in a bun, and wore reading glasses on the end of her nose or let the glasses hang around her neck. You didn’t mess around with Miss Ridelle! She was stern! Not a lot of fun!

Maybe some of you have this problem, too, but when I was in school, my mouth got me in trouble more than once. Our report cards used to have a comment section that said, “whispers too much,” and, as I recall, that was checked more than once in my elementary years! So it was no surprise that my mouth got me in trouble with Miss Ridelle, too. My friend David Brewer and I were evidently about the last ones out of the classroom for recess one day, and in the area of the classroom sectioned off for our coatroom, we made some not-so-kind comments about the stern Miss Ridelle. And when we looked up, do you know who was standing there listening to us?! It was Miss Ridelle! She scowled and made some comment about what we’d said, and we went scurrying off to the playground.

Now, I told you I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was a child, and I wanted to please God with all my heart, but when something like that happened, I knew I wasn’t pleasing God at all! It wasn’t that I got caught—I shouldn’t have said such a thing to begin with! She was my teacher, and I was taught to show respect to those who were over me in such a way. I was embarrassed—not just that I’d gotten into a little trouble, but that I would have been so unkind to begin with!

I remember another scene from my teen years when I got angry and really lost my cool with some friends who thought they’d done something funny in trashing my dad’s car that I’d been able to drive to our camp. It was so un-Christlike!

Have you ever had such things happen to you? You’re not alone. We all have.

This morning I’m continuing in a series of sermons I’ve called “Looking at the Cross through Resurrection Eyes.” What I’ve been attempting to do is to look at scenes we know so well from the hours before Jesus was arrested and crucified. But I’ve especially wanted to look at them through the lenses of those who experienced the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The crucifixion of Christ seemed so terrible, so dreadful, so final…but all that changed when Jesus rose from the grave.

This morning we’re going to look at someone who failed Jesus miserably in the last hours before Christ’s crucifixion. It was Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples—one in whom Jesus had placed an incredible amount of trust and confidence. But when the heat was on, Peter fell flat on his face. But the good news of our sermon this morning is that that’s not how it all ended. And what I want each of us to realize this morning is that our failures need not be the last word in our lives either. Others may continue to bring them up to us and our day-by-day circumstances may even seem to remind us of our failures, but through Resurrection eyes, we see forgiveness and restoration. Even though there are times when we all have to acknowledge that we’ve failed the Lord, He wants us to see the ultimate victory that is ours through His Resurrection power.

Let me pray for you…(then dismiss to sit with their parents).

Let’s read a couple of passage from Luke’s Gospel, chapter 22, that both set the stage for and then describes Peter’s huge failure—

[Read Luke 22:31-34, 54-62, NIV]

The pre-Resurrection view of things is pretty much a scene of failure and defeat. That’s how it was for Peter. Oh, he hadn’t intended for it to be that way. He was genuinely determined to follow Christ. When Jesus spoke about the realities that he and the others would soon desert him and deny that they even knew him, Peter boldly explained, “Master, I’m ready for anything with you. I’d go to jail for you! I’d die for you!”

But what Jesus was saying to Peter in this passage is that Satan had it out for Peter and the others. He said, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat…” Satan was out to prove that even the disciples would fail under severe testing—and they did. Peter’s response was called a “denial.” The word “deny” is used in the New Testament as the polar opposite of the word “confess.” We are to “confess” or “acknowledge” Christ but “deny” ourselves—disown our private interests for the sake of Christ. But Peter did the exact opposite. He denied Christ in order to save his own hide.

But what I think we need to note is that Peter’s denial, though it was serious and was symptomatic of a low level of faith, did not mean that Peter had ceased, within himself, to believe in the Lord. No doubt that his denial was so contrary to his former spiritual state that he would need to “return” to Christ, he would need to “turn back” to Christ. And he did.

Immediately after Peter’s third denial of Christ, he heard the rooster crow, and immediately he remembered what Jesus had said to him. Just then Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. I can only guess, but I have thought that Jesus’ penetrating look at Peter in that moment communicated devastating disappointment, utter sadness, but, even then, there had to have been love and forgiveness in Jesus’ eyes, even if Peter didn’t recognize it as such right then. And Peter ran from the scene immediately, weeping bitter tears of remorse.

The account of Peter’s denial presents a sober and utterly real picture of this prominent leader of the Early Church. Peter was not without flaw. In the moment when it counted the most, Peter had denied any knowledge of Jesus or any relationship with him! But this very open and honest scene from Peter’s life—one I’m guessing he originally wished no one else would ever know about—offers a deep spiritual lesson about humility and the spiritual conflict which we all face.

You see, we can all relate to Peter! And, if we’re near-sighted about the matter, that’s where we remain: in a state of failure and defeat. The account of Peter’s denial brings before us the difference between real faith and sentimental faith—faith that doesn’t have much substance. Sometimes we Christians get caught up in sentimental faith, saying, “Oh, I wish I could have been in Jerusalem in those days and walked with Jesus, had been one of those children sitting in His lap, had heard Him speak out on the mountainside, and watched Him heal people as He did so many times!” But I don’t know that it would have changed much of anything for us. The twelve disciples were with Him night and day for three years, and yet in those final hours before His Crucifixion—the time when He likely needed them the most—the disciples were guilty of jealousy, selfish ambition, denial and defection. Being with Jesus for three years hadn’t changed that much about their lives after all!—or at least didn’t seem to have if we judge only by those scenes!

But we can all relate to Peter, can’t we? When we’re honest with ourselves, we know that there have been times when we too have failed the Lord miserably! And all too often, those failures seem to define us—at least within our hearts. We struggle to see past them.

• It may be that you “exploded” in anger with your wife and kids—and while you sit in your church pew today looking nice and proper, you know that they know your failure.
• There are certainly women here today who are sadly haunted by an abortion they consented to years ago—and men who encouraged it…and you somehow wonder if God can ever forgive.
  * We know statistically that even men in the church are struggling these days with the allure of pornography—and with the shadow of defeat it brings with it as our minds are polluted with thoughts and images that have no place in the mind of the follower of Christ.
• Maybe you cheated on a test—and you know it was wrong. Maybe you’ve gotten into the habit of cheating on assignments when the pressure’s on—and while you try excusing it away, deep down you know it’s wrong. You failed the Lord!
• Maybe your sin was premarital sex, or maybe you were unfaithful to your spouse—and you struggle to feel clean and whole because you’re constantly reminded of your failure.
• Perhaps it’s something that seems so comparatively benign—like a sharp tongue that easily beats others down. You’d like to believe that it doesn’t really matter, but, when you’re honest with yourself, you have to quit making excuses and acknowledge that your unkind, uncaring, insensitive words and attitude are so very far from the character of Christ—yet over and over you have failed Him by the way you’ve treated people.
• Maybe it’s the way you’ve disrespected your parents by the way you’ve spoken to them or the attitude you’ve had—and no one has to tell you how the Lord is grieved that you’d do so.
• Perhaps your repeated failures have been in the trap of alcohol or drug abuse. You know, the longer I live the more I believe that our church’s stance of total abstinence from alcohol is the wisest approach to not opening the door for the tremendous devastation alcohol has brought into so many lives and so many homes.
• Maybe your past has been so messed up that you carry so many scars from it that you’re sometimes not sure if God or anyone else will ever be able to completely see beyond it. Perhaps you fear that the failures in your past define you—define who you are and limit what you can ever be.
• Perhaps you’d identify with those who see their greatest failure in life being an indifference to the cause and mission of Christ in our world today. D.L. Moody once lashed out as a loving critic to certain parts of the church for its misappropriation of her energies, saying that the church reminded him of firemen straightening pictures on the wall of a burning house.

Someone once defined real failure as “living without knowing what life is all about, feeding on things that do not satisfy, thinking you have everything, only to find out in the end you have nothing that matters.” And sometimes it’s not the giants that defeat us, it’s the mosquitoes.

Sounds pretty defeating, doesn’t it? And it is, from the pre-Resurrection viewpoint. But that’s not the side of the Resurrection in which we live! Christ invites us to see these things from the Resurrection side of life! And the post-Resurrection view is one of victory and redemption!

Let’s go back to Simon Peter. John’s Gospel fills us in on a wonderful post-Resurrection scene that Peter had with Jesus. It’s found in John 21. Jesus had appeared to the disciples along the Sea, where they had been together so many times before. And with those same penetrating eyes that had connected with Peter after the third denial, Jesus looked at Peter and asked him, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Three times Jesus asked him pretty much the same question, and Peter’s words affirmed his love for Jesus, and Jesus reinstated the lofty mission of Peter’s life. And he repeated to Peter the words by which he had first called him three years earlier by the shores of the sea—“Follow me.” The message was clear: “The failure is behind you now, Peter. I have restored you. I love you, and I want you to get on with the life I’ve given you.”

And the Post-Resurrection reality is that Peter and the other disciples became the leaders of the Early Church—establishing the Body of Believers of which we are a part today! Christ depended upon Peter and the others! He trusted them—even though they had all failed Him. Do you realize how remarkable that is? While Simon Peter often looked more like a sandpile than a rock, by the grace of God he became The Rock that Christ had seen in him all along.

So, what’s the Post-Resurrection view of you? How does the Resurrected Lord see your life? Is He determined to define you by your failures? No, our transformation and conversion are made possible by the death of Christ, His Resurrection, and the outpouring of His Holy Spirit at Pentecost. That’s what enables us to discover forgiveness and new life. It’s what provides for the many second chances God offers by His grace! The Resurrected and Living Lord wants to invade our lives and rebuild us from the inside out. And the truth is that God can even use our past failures as a means of offering hope and encouragement to others who may somehow feel that their failures are the last word in their lives.

I always loved math, but I sure was glad my pencil had a good eraser! God’s grace offers a wonderful eraser for our lives! We don’t need to be defined by our failures…but we do need to openly and honestly admit our sin and our failures to the Lord. We dare not continue to excuse them away. And the truth is that we’re powerless without His grace in our lives, without His Resurrection power which redeems our past and restores us to fellowship with Him.

One of men who was smack dab in the middle of one of our nation’s most embarrassing moments of moral failure was Chuck Colson, a political ally of President Richard Nixon. In those months after the Watergate scandal was uncovered, Colson went from White House conference rooms to a prison cell. And in the midst of despair and his very public failure, Colson found Christ and experienced God’s forgiveness and the new life that only God can bring. He later wrote,

“When the frustration of my helplessness seemed greatest, I discovered God’s grace was more than sufficient. And after my imprisonment, I could look back and see how God used my powerlessness for his purpose. What he has chosen for my most significant witness was not my triumphs or victories, but my defeat.” (Charles Colson)

God has a marvelous way of turning our endings into beginnings.

You’ve failed many times—though you certainly don’t remember them all. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You probably almost drowned the first time you tried to swim! Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot. My point is this: You need not let failure seal your destiny. Don’t let it defeat you or define you! Our Resurrected Lord forgives sin, restores lives, and empowers victorious living! God does not want you to give up on your faith simply because you have failed. He urges you back up on your feet so that you can move forward—and He urges us on with delight, perhaps like a parent teaching a toddler how to walk!

Let me share something else Chuck Colson wrote—

“The kingdom of God is a kingdom of paradox, where through the ugly defeat of a cross, a holy God is utterly glorified. Victory comes through defeat; healing through brokenness; finding self through losing self.”(Charles Colson)

And so this morning, I proclaim to you the Resurrected Lord, our Creator God, whose handiwork in the lives of people shouts of grace that never tires of fresh starts. He is the God of starting-over, of new beginnings! And He takes all the failures of our lives and composts them like a gardener does with decomposing organic matter that seems like garbage to the common eye. And in this process He brings new life and beauty and a fresh new day. And he hydrates withered human hearts with downpours of His unending love. And that God—our Heavenly Father—stands before you today proclaiming that failure need never be the last word in your life.

The Lord will see you through

I was reflecting yesterday on discussion we had in the men’s group I meet with on Wednesday evenings. Patrick Morley, in his book Seven Seasons of the Man in the Mirror, challenged us to have the attitudes of David from the Old Testament (p 298ff):

1. Take some risks (think of him going after Goliath with a sling shot and some stones!)
2. Depend on God (rather than on our own comparatively feeble abilities)
3. Take responsibility (David depended on God, but he was the one who picked up the stones and hurled them in the air toward Goliath.)
4. Expect opposition (even when you’re doing God’s will).

Many of us have experienced that when we’re going through the toughest challenges of life, we’re depending the most on the Lord. We’re desperate, and we know that only He can get us through this time and out on the other side intact—spiritually, emotionally, and physically! And He doesn’t let us down! But when we make it through that storm and eventually come into waters of smooth sailing again, our tendency is perhaps to back away from our intense dependence on the Lord and slip back into depending on ourselves. I understand the human tendency (and have seen it work in too many people’s lives across the years!).

So I’ve been reflecting on the goodness of the Lord to me, and how He’s helping me to carve out what has become an even sweeter relationship with him during the times of smooth sailing…assuming there to be some rough waters ahead here and there…but also assured that, just as He saw me through the terribly tough times, I can depend upon Him to see me through whatever comes my way ahead. My heart is more at peace, my blood pressure’s lower (!), and there’s more joy to experience day by day because of that assurance.

I believe He can do the same for you!—not just see you through the great challenges in life, but bring you through them and out onto the other side with a stronger faith and a more buoyant spirit! Maybe some of you would love to share your experience in order to encourage those who may be struggling…

Welcome to Valley Shepherd

Passion for God, Compassion for people.

At Valley Shepherd Church of the Nazarene, you’ll find a welcoming community. We are a family of believers in Jesus Christ. We are united in our love of people and our heart for the Treasure Valley. Come meet us on Sundays or learn more about us through our website; we’d love for you to find a home here.

Our services happen every Sunday morning at 10:45 at our new church building in south Meridian. To find us, head south of I-84 on Meridian Rd and turn west onto Maestra.

We offer ministries for every age and every place in life. Browse our list that includes senior adult ministry, men’s, women’s, young adults, college, youth, and children.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call the church office at (208) 888-2141 or send us a message through our “Contact” page.

Discover VSN’s new website

Find the events and information you’re looking for. Learn more about Valley Shepherd and our passion for the city of Meridian. Meet the pastoral staff, contact the church office, and enjoy some exciting new features. It’s all here on Valley Shepherd’s new website!

To get started: Use the navigation bar at the top of the page to find the ministries, resources, and general information you need. Browse upcoming events and ministry news using the categories immediately below the main navigation bar.

To send feedback or ask a question, head to the “Contact” page or visit any of the individual pastor pages to email them directly.

To see upcoming events, visit the “Calendar” page and view what’s happening by day, month, list, ministry, and more. Feel free to sign up for the website emailing list (via the box on the front page) to stay on top of the bulletin events.

Sermon audio is available, streaming live from the “Sermons” page or from individual sermon posts on the home page.

Also, you can access games, daily devotionals, the pastoral staff’s blog, and more. Email the church office if you have any questions or suggestions.

Experience Sunday Night Prayer & Praise Hour

Join us for Sunday Night Prayer and Praise, every Sunday night at 6:00 in Room 164-165 at Valley Shepherd. Check the church calendar for cancellations or changes.

Prayer and Praise is a great place to share with friends in a casual setting. Hear testimonies from church members and staff, worship together, and learn more about living for Christ - all in a laid-back, comfortable environment. Bring yourself, bring a friend, and fellowship with us.

Refreshments follow each service.

Come meet us at Prayer and Praise Hour this week.