Posts filed under 'Will’s Blog'
When I was a young boy, a great deal of my fondest memories happened at the house of my great-grandparents, down an old one-lane road in Anderson County. Everyone from my dad’s side of the family gathered at this house for the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, as well as for our annual Easter egg hunt.
I remember climbing trees in the side yard, and playing hide and seek out in the garden behind the house. I remember how when the house was full of people, they let us kids go in the back room and eat on the steps that led up to the upstairs part of the house, where none of us were allowed to go.
This isn’t to say that there were never any bad moments at this house. The truth is, we usually remember the not-so-good times as well as we do the good ones.
I remember the last moments getting to talk to my great-grandfather, as he battled prostate cancer and was confined to a wheelchair. I remember the Easter Sunday when the majority of the family ate outside on the front lawn because Grandma was sick and we didn’t want to make too much noise in the house.
Grandpa and Grandma’s house has long since been sold, and other families have made their memories there, but as I’m driving around the area, I still can’t help but see that old house and remember the memories made and the moments shared with my family.
What amazed me most about that house wasn’t the great places to hide Easter eggs or the big front yard that was perfect for playing baseball. Instead, what amazes me most was its ability to bring our whole extended family together.
Most holidays there would be forty or fifty people gathered in that small old house, some having traveled a long distance to get there. Our family, like all families, had its differences and arguments, but they never kept us from gathering together in that house.
When I read through the New Testament, it strikes me that this is how the church was meant to be.
Acts 2:46-47 has this to say about the early church: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
When we meet together in the Lord’s house, it should be a family gathering. Too often we make it about getting things done and sitting on boards and committees, but the early church didn’t seem to be like that. Instead, they came together with glad hearts, to praise God and enjoy the favor of all the people.
God intended for the church to be a place for His family to meet together, just like that old house in the country was for our family. We should all have a place that we can call home, our spiritual home. The church, after all, was intended to act as a family.
Is this your view of the church? Are you at home in a church family? If not, I encourage you to seek one out. Take advantage of what God intended the church to be - a place for all of his children to be accepted and loved, a place we can call home.
And since we are talking about finding a church family, I want to encourage any of you reading that may not have a church home that you call your own to come and check us out. Stop by on a Sunday morning or Tuesday evening. Everyone is welcome, and I believe you’ll find a laid-back, welcoming environment where you may just feel at home.
May 22nd, 2008
It always amazes me how early stores and retail chains begin advertising and selling merchandise for holidays. Just as soon as Christmas is over, stores put out their Valentines Day displays, and as soon as February 14th is past, they get ready for Easter. Once again, Easter sure has seemed to sneak up on us this year. It seems strange to me that with little more than a week left until Easter Sunday we’re still seeing snow on the ground. But nevertheless, Easter is indeed almost here.
I gave great thought to what I should write to prepare our hearts for what is in my mind one of the greatest occasions that Christians have to celebrate - the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so I thought that I would bring our attention to the last night that Christ spent on this earth. The very last night before Christ’s death was filled with meaningful events. Before his trial which ultimately led to his crucifixion upon the cross, we find Jesus spending one last evening with his disciples. Scripture says that they had come together to celebrate the Passover meal. But John records something amazing there in the events of that Last Supper.
John records these remarkable words in John 13:1. “It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” I hope that these words of John’s will never cease to amaze me. John tells us here that Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to him. Being fully God, Jesus was also fully aware of the events that lay in store for him that night. He knew that he was about to be arrested, tried, and killed that very night. He knew that it had to be done. For His People.
Imagine having that knowledge. Imagine knowing what terrible events would be waiting for you. Yet instead of worrying or hiding as some of us might do, John tells us that Jesus instead set out to show his disciples the full extent of his love. He goes on to describe this scene. “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:3-5, NIV).
In those last moments of his life, Jesus could have gone and said goodbye to his family. He could have hidden somewhere so that he wouldn’t be found by those trying to kill him. He could have gone to Judas and tried to convince him not to betray him. But he didn’t. Instead, in those last moments of his life, Jesus set forth to show his followers an example that I pray we never forget. In those last moments, Jesus showed us what was most important: serving other people out of love.
In another verse of Scripture, Jesus tells his disciples that the world will know they follow him because of their love. Is this how we’re living? As sons and daughters of God, are we setting examples of love and service to others? As we celebrate this Easter season, may we never forget the things that Christ did, because of his great love for us. And may His love in us push us to live examples of love in our own lives.
And speaking of preparing our hearts for Easter, I encourage everyone to come out for our Sunday Service this week as we begin a series of sermons that will take a look at some of the lessons God teaches us through the events of the final week of Christ’s life, and his resurrection.
March 10th, 2008
When I was a young boy, I loved to hear stories and watch movies about superheroes. Even now I would admit that I have often dreamed of what it would be like if I had their super powers. What would I do if I could fly anywhere I wanted? How would I put my powers to use if I had super-human strength or x-ray vision?
Unfortunately, I don’t find myself with such extraordinary powers. Chances are, you are the same way as well. But you and I do share at least one thing in common with these superheroes. You see, both humans and superheroes have weaknesses.
This was always troubling to me, that even the great Superman, who could leap tall buildings in a single bound, was rendered powerless when he came in contact with Kryptonite. Other heroes had weaknesses that were a little more subtle. Perhaps they battled with pride, or were tempted by the love of a beautiful girl.
The truth is that we all have weaknesses, and sometimes a great many weaknesses. I wish I could say that the extent of my weaknesses involved making sure that my house was free of Kryptonite. Sometimes we feel overpowered by our weaknesses, like there’s very little we can do or accomplish. We often go so far as to let our weaknesses actually overshadow our strengths.
Even those men and women that we would call the heroes of the Bible struggled with their own weaknesses. After all, no one’s perfect. Think for a moment about all of the men and women that God used to do great things. Moses had trouble speaking in front of people, yet God used him to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelite people out of Egypt. Shortly after God used Noah to save his family from the great flood, Noah got drunk in his vineyard. David, who was called a man after God’s own heart, was also a murderer and an adulterer.
Now that’s not to say that we can go out and sin as much as we want and God will still use us. Instead, the point is that God is in the business of using cracked vessels, as long as they learn from their mistakes and live in faithfulness to him. When we are able to be used by God, flaws and blemishes and all, what a picture we’re painting of our God! Paul has this in mind in 2 Corinthians 4:7 when he says, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
The “treasure” Paul is speaking of here is the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, and when he speaks here of clay jars, he’s talking about us. In other words, we may not be much to look at. We may have our weaknesses. We may only be as useful as some old clay pot, but when God uses us to bring his message of salvation to the world, we can carry out a great work. After all, Paul says, we’re not showing the world our own power, but the power of God, even to use damaged vessels.
December 4th, 2007
I realize that it’s been a while now since I’ve updated my blog. I wish I had some great excuse for why I haven’t had the time, but the truth is, I just got busy. I know that surely that’s never happened to you.
Since school has started back this year, one thing that’s kept me busy is the fact that I’ve been doing some substitute teaching. I’ve really enjoyed it so far and look forward to continue in this, but it has kept me busy.
I wish I could say that it was only substitute teaching that’s made me so busy, but the truth is, everything seems to all pile up at once. Read more …
October 23rd, 2007
Even if you don’t know much about American history, you’re no doubt familiar with the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, and the fierce national battle over slavery which prompted the Civil War. It was during the Lincoln presidency that the first permanent steps were taken to abolish slavery, and end a fight which had been raging for decades.
However, before Abraham Lincoln took the office of president, another man occupied the White House. He was a man from Wheatland, Pennsylvania, and our fifteenth president, Mr. James Buchanan.
Buchanan had been elected president after serving terms overseas as minister to Russia and Great Britain. Read more …
February 27th, 2007
The story is told of a rich man who had a servant. This servant’s job was bringing water to the palace. Each morning he would walk to the village well and bring back water in two clay pots, each hanging from a pole that he carried across his neck.
One of the pots was perfectly intact, but the second pot had a large crack that ran down the side of it. By the time the servant returned to the palace each morning, so much water had leaked from the second pot that the servant only returned with one and a half pots of water.
After a while, the cracked pot began to notice that he was not delivering as much water as the other pot, and so one day he spoke up to the servant. Read more …
January 23rd, 2007
This year, I’m rather proud of myself to tell you the truth. Unlike usual, I have been able to get the large majority of my Christmas shopping done early. The only exception is that I still don’t have everything bought for my parents.
My mom especially has been tough to buy for this year. When I asked what she might want for Christmas, her only response was, “I just want all of my children to be home for Christmas.”
Even as a relatively young man, I still like to reminisce and remember the experiences and memories of years past. It seems like not long ago that none of us kids had to worry whether or not we would be home for Christmas. Read more …
December 19th, 2006
Starting this Tuesday, November 21, our Tuesday evening Bible Study will start its study on the New Testament book of Colossians. Please come out and join us as we begin this new study and see what the apostle Paul has to say for our lives today.
November 21st, 2006
Growing up, I’ve had many opportunities to work with children in different capacities. For two years, I served as a children’s minister at the church where I grew up. I have also taught various ages of children in Sunday School, and enjoy working with them.
The more time I spend with children, the more I realize that they have something that we don’t. It’s hard to put a finger on what the difference is, but I think it might lie in the way children view the world. Read more …
November 21st, 2006
I have a confession to make. I have never been the most coordinated person when it comes to certain things. If I’m being honest, I would say that I can be a rather clumsy person.
I grew up as one of the tallest kids in my class each year, and it soon became a struggle not to hit my head on certain things, even on the doorway as I got off the school bus. I also have a tendency to not pay attention around low ceiling fans or wet floor signs, both of which have caused me pain in the past.
This reminds me of one of my favorite television shows that I watched growing up The Dick Van Dyke Show. While I was far too young to have seen the original shows as they came on, I loved watching reruns as they played on TV. Read more …
October 10th, 2006
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