We had a great Easter gathering on Sunday.  There were some special activities and a video for the kids.  Communion.  Worship.  Truly loved it.  May we keep in mind what is of first importance:  Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again.  There are other things.  We have beliefs about an assortment of doctrinal issues but with out the things of "first importance" every thing else is of no importance.  And because Jesus has revealed himself to us, has poured grace out upon us, may we not live in vain.  As empty vessels created to hold something great.  May it push us to labor and toil on His behalf for his glory and his purposes.

This week we are back into Philippians.  Looking forward to it.

For whatever reason blogging has taken a back burner for me lately.  Not only here but in reading them as well.  I just checked my Google blog reader and there are over 1000 posts.  Maybe some warmer weather and the sun will get me back into the flow of posting here the things happening and being discussed at Sojourn.  BUT, I did want to share some of our Palm Sunday discussion.

We have been working through Paul's letter to the church in Philippi bit by bit.  Paul has been sharing with his friends that despite the place he is in (chains/prison) he is OK.  That in fact the gospel has progressed even further because of it.  There is an optimism and hope reflected in his words.  In fact, he is ready for death or life at the end of this.  Because for him, to live is Christ and to die is gain because that would be being with Christ. 

Now in verse 22 Paul's tone changes.  In the original greek, even his grammar and phrasing becomes disjointed and irregular.  Paul says he is "torn."  That he can't choose.  And again, it is like he can't even put the pen to the page to describe what is going on.  The weight of potential death or life and not knowing which, of having a sense that God wants him to continue but inside so desiring to be with God, of trying to be hopeful for his friends, is creating in him emotional turmoil.  He is hopeful but it is hard!  Jesus expressed these same things in a garden the day before his death.  Jesus says he is crushed.  He is over whemled to the point of death.  In one gospel he says, "the soul is willing but the body is weak."  We are told that he is such turmoil that he sweats blood.  And the fact that he shares his internal struggle with the disciples is amazing.  Why?  Why does Paul share his emotional struggle with his friends in Philippi?  Because they know it is first OK to feel those things AND that we experience the same thing.  Don't we?  God calls us to something, sets us on a mission or directs us to a choice and yet our emotions and feelings go crazy.  Sometimes the cost is great.  Sometimes we feel inadequate.  Sometimes we just don't want to. 

I don't want to forgive this person.  I'm too busy to spend time with my kids.  I want to just cut the corners a little bit to make it easier on me at work.  I want to yell at my kids or wife or husband.  I want to go back on what I've said I would do.  I don't want to worship with my church.  The list is endless.  And what Paul and Jesus show us is that it is OK to feel these things.  It is normal.  It is even good to express those feelings with others.  And yet, it is in these moments that we grow, we mature.  We tell those feelings and doubts that they don't come from God, they aren't truth and that we will do the right thing.  Even if the last time we failed, this time, we will try again. 

Jesus did this for us.  He followed his Father even to death on a cross.  Experienced death.  God experiencing death.  How could this be?  He experienced separation.  He experienced turmoil.  All of it for us and for his Father in heaven.  For the Joy he knew was to come.  May we not only accept this truest gift of love but try to live in the same way.

As many of you know, the building we have been meeting in has been closed down until some major repairs can be done.  Faith Reformed has made sure we've had a place to meet as we've been waiting to hear how long it will take and at this point it looks like that building will be out of use until at least early fall.  Again, Faith Reformed has been very generous and will allow us to meet in their Crossings campus until the building is repaired.  This is where we met last Sunday.  Click HERE for directions.  The building is located right behind Borders Bookstore in The Crossings shopping center (Wal-mart). 

This Sunday we will continue or series in Philippians looking at chapter 1:12-14.

Last week we looked at 1:9-11.  This is Paul's prayer for his friends in Philippi.

He prays that their love, a God kind of love, will abound, overflow, spill over..again and again.  Our love never reaches the point of being full.  We never achieve it.  It just keeps growing and growing. 

Paul wants their love is overflow in "knowledge and understanding".  We often speak of truth and love.  Paul's prayer is that their love grows but in an way that they are able to love in hard situations.  When the situation is grey.  When the choices aren't clear.  How many of us have been hurt by someone who spoke the truth but with out any love?  How many of us have been loved only to find out it wasn't true?  Paul's desire is that their love is a true kind of love, formed in truth and understanding.  That they won't just know the right answers but the right response. 

All of this so that their actions can be found "pure and blameless".  A kind of love that knows not the good thing, but the best thing.  A love that is right.  This kind of love can be exposed in the light.  There is no need to hide it.  How many have used love as an excuse to do the wrong thing?  A husband leaves his family because he "loves" someone else he met at work.  How can love be wrong right?  The kind of love Paul prays for the Philippians is pure and never causes another injury. 

For this is the "fruit of salvation that comes from Christ" and it is to "bring glory and praise to God".

May this kind of love overflow in you.

I wanted to update with a bunch of stuff that has been happening lately and then I'll try to stay on top of things.  First, last week we had Friends Fellowship join us in our worship gathering.  Friends Fellowship is a ministry for mentally handicapped adults.  They learn and worship together and Sunday night they sang and lead worship for us.  What a blessing it was.  Many were familiar faces for those who been able to help out at GTI.  We were so glad they joined us.  Here are a few pics:

Today we also had a get together for our 3rd  - 5th graders.  We headed over to Wilderness Crossings for some bowling and we treated them to pizza as well.  They really wanted me to ride the mechanical bull but that will have to wait until our adult bowling night (coming up on March 7th).  
 

We've also had a great beginning to our Philippians study.  We are just taking a couple verses at a time and really trying to capture all that we can.  So far we have covered chapter 1, verses 1-6.  Paul has greeted this church in Philippi.  A holy people, saintly, called out to a unique way and mission.  And as customary for Paul, he wishes grace to them from God the Father which leads to peace.  Peace should always be the result of grace.  And though we are called to be content and hopeful in the midst of chaos and struggle, the word peace is more than just being OK with the mess.  Shalom, peace, is something working itself out in our world.  The absence of pain, sorrow, war, disease, poverty...grace leads to a lessening of these thing.  So, grace and peace to you as well.

Last week we continued into his thanks for those in Philippi.  As we have shared, Paul's relationship with the Philippian church is unique and close.  Upon every remembrance of them, he thanks God and is always moved to pray with joy, a theme we will see more of.  Why?  Because they have been his partners in sharing the gospel.  This word for partner is koinonia, or fellowship.  So does Paul mean he is thankful because they always had the best potlucks?  Or maybe they had an amazing Euchre club?  No, partnership is a joint effort, a joint participation.  Both are invested in one another and the task.  They were in this together.  And Paul says they've been in it with him from the beginning until now.  This is not fading relationship.  They are in it together through thick and through thin.  I wish this could be said of all of us.  That we start and continue.  When it gets hard, which Paul will get to later, we stick it out.  And Paul reminds them that God is faithful.  What He started, He will finish.  Ah, but the starting is so much more fun.  It is exciting and new.  But finishing is another thing.  It is a God thing and Paul is confident, that despite the ups and downs, God is faithful.  And we put our hope in that fact as well. 

This week we will be looking at Philippians 1:7-8.  Join us.

 

This Saturday is our Day of Vision, because being on a journey doesn't mean wandering aimlessly.  We want to seek God in what is next for our community.  We will be meeting this saturday at James and Gretchen's home.  We'll start at 9 and plan to be done by 3 so feel free to come to all or part of it.  Here are some questions to consider and you can also fill in your thoughts and submit them especially if you can't make it Saturday.