A LONG OBEDIENCE IN THE SAME DIRECTION

I first discovered Eugene Peterson as a writer in the 1980’s.  I loved his stuff and read everything he wrote.  Many today continue to enjoy his paraphrase of the Bible, entitled “The Message”.

One of his books had a title that grabbed me, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.  That is what the Christian life is, a commitment to follow Jesus all the way.  Believers are convinced that Jesus is totally worth living for and dying for.  To start that “long obedience” we need to embrace two concepts, that we are disciples and pilgrims.  To quote Peterson, “’Disciple’ says we are people who spend our lives apprenticed to our master, Jesus Christ.  We are in a growing-learning relationship, always.  A disciple is a learner, but not in the academic setting of a schoolroom, rather at the work site of a craftsman.  We do not just acquire information about God but skills in faith.

Pilgrim tells us we are people who spend our lives going someplace, going to God, and whose path for getting there is the way, Jesus Christ.  We realize that “this world is not our home” and set out for the “Father’s House”, our final destination.  

Paul, in Hebrews 12:1-2 challenges us to live accordingly.  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

Word pictures are good things.  Do we see ourselves as “disciples” and “pilgrims”? Those words help us understand what it means to be a Christian.  May our “long obedience in the same direction” be an exciting and fulfilling journey.

COURT ATTIRE

I have been in pastoral ministry for almost 40 years now.  As my time at CCC is coming to an end I have been reflecting on a number of things.  What do I want to preach as my last four sermons here?  What has changed since I started ministry in 1975?  What were some of the memorable happenings of these past 40 years?   

I started with my years in youth ministry, grinning at the memories of camps, retreats, boundary waters experiences, and seeing where some of those youth are today while rejoicing in the small part Mary Ann and I played in those lives.  I reviewed the years of my first pastorate.  I had one driving passion, love people in Jesus name, and preach the Word.  I met all kinds of interesting people.  

I remember visiting a family who never, I mean never, threw anything away, whether it was a magazine or an empty TV tray.  My visit was prompted by the arrest of their fifth child on 3^rd degree terrorism charges.  They asked if I would be a character witness at his trial.  (He was a character alright).  I remember showing up in court and not recognizing him.  Instead of a thermal shirt and overalls, his lawyer had him dressed up in a suit and tie.  Instead of a scraggly beard he was clean shaven, with his hair cut and groomed.  

That seems to happen a lot.  We want to look good in court. 

Have you ever thought how you’re going to dress when you stand in the court of the Holy God some day?  That day is going to come for all mankind, when we are one on one with the God who created us, who is going to hold us accountable for our lives.  Thank God we as Christians have Jesus for our attorney, our advocate.  He realizes our dress code is not going to cut it.  There will be no mercy in the court if we show up in our sinful rags.  So because of His death on the cross he is able to clean us up, exchange the old rags for His righteous ones.   When we stand in His clothes of righteousness there will be no condemning sentence of guilt coming from the judge.  Jesus bore all our sin on the cross and leaves us now guilt free.   As the song writer so beautifully penned, “Dressed in His righteousness alone faultless I stand before the throne.”

What a great gift.  Get happy!! Get elated!!!  You’ve got an amazing Savior.

SKUNKS AND GRATITUDE

Melinda and I are living in a hotel room. Skunks invaded the farmhouse some weeks ago and efforts to eliminate the odor haven't fully succeeded. The hotel room is about 18' x 11 feet, about the size of our former master bedroom. Yet amazingly it's very functional. We have a microwave, little fridge, nice comfortable bed, a place to hang clothes, a couch, table and chairs, climate control, and a full bath. Food, clothing, shelter. All bundled up in this little place. Cozy. Few of us would want to live this way for the rest of our lives but the fact is that 50% of the people in the world would consider this living in the lap if luxury. Whether we are living in a hotel, motel, apartment or house we have a ton to be thankful for. We do live well. Trust we are living with a thankful heart these days!!

MEMORIES

When you love long enough you have years you want to remember and years you want to forget. Some years are packed with good memories, others with tough and sad ones. May of 2009 to May of 2010 was a tough and sad year. It was the year my first wife, Mary Ann was diagnosed and died of brain cancer. But May of 2013 to May of 2014 has been a good year. A year ago the church board started the process of finding the next lead pastor for CCC. By May of this year God led us to His man. How special it has been to see God's hand on this. Add to that my wedding to Melinda back in September. She is truly a treasure, an incredibly special gift to me and my family.

Plus, today we close on the sale of my house which has been home for the last 8 1/2 years. The people buying it are so excited. This will be the first home they own. On top of that we had a successful estate sale. Everything is gone. "I am now free to move about the country."  Add to all this the memories I've been enjoying as I look back over almost 40 years of Christian ministry. It's a great year to once again remember God is good and God is faithful. All the time. Every year.

CELEBRATE

I have been in church ministry for almost 40 years.  I love the church because it is God’s chosen vehicle to accomplish His mission on earth and all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are a part of it.  Jesus gave the church high value when he said in Matt 18:16, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”  The church was born at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came in power.  It was through the Spirit empowered messages of Peter and the apostles that thousands of people came to faith in Jesus Christ and began to band together as the Body of Christ, one of the great metaphors for the church.

Right from the start the church gathered.  They built community, grew strong in faith through teaching, prayed together, and saw the good news proclaimed to the saving of both Jew and Gentile.

The church has leaders, gifted and called by God, to move the church forward in the effectiveness of its mission.   One of those leaders is called pastor/teacher as indicated in Ephesians 4.  CCC has had two pastor/teachers in the last 37 years, but now the time has come to embrace a third.  This past weekend Dwight Ford accepted the unanimous call of the church Board to be our next pastor.  This is an exciting culmination to over a year’s worth of prayer and diligence on the part of the Search Committee and the Governing Board.

So this is a celebrative time because God has led us here.  We have so clearly seen His hand on the entire process.

I know change in leadership can be a little scary.  The known for the unsure.  But I encourage you to have confidence in your church leadership who have prayed diligently, even as we have, for the Lord to lead us to HIS man, knowing that they would not settle on anything less. 

Dwight and his family should be relocating to Centerville around July 1^st.  He will assume the senior pastor leadership role in mid-July.  I encourage you to embrace him as God’s man for CCC and be ready to move together in the accomplishment of the mission and vision God has given His church at CCC.