Happy July 4th!
This is the final day in the first five weeks after Pentecost. Which means tomorrow, a new focus begins. It also means there are 15 weeks left till Advent. Ordinary time goes fast, as all time does, so let’s talk about and be prepared to think on this next focus for the next five weeks.
The second focus is: Bible, Church and Sacraments
I don’t know what that makes you think, but we’re going to do a bit of a deep dive to figure out how we can focus on those three things.
First, the Bible.
The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me
I stand alone on the word of God
The B-I-B-L-E.
It’s true. You can base your life on this book. You can live like it says in this book and find real life. You can know for certain this word of God and find faith in the reading and trusting. Especially if you go experience what it says.
So to focus on the Bible, we need to read it, remember it, maybe even memorize some of it. There’s so much good news in there. Like this:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 NIV
Yes, Jesus is the good news and the reason we have church and sacraments. Though it wasn’t originally called church. Ecclesia is gathering or congregation, Jesus’s ecclesia is what we call church. Though when He comes back I think He’s going to call his ecclesia and unfortunately not everyone who goes to church is His.
Faith. Faith is essential.
Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:19-25
That’s what church does, encourage you to continue in faith, to hold onto your hope, to love and do good deeds. Look for it. If you don’t have a local congregation, I want to encourage you to find one. If you do, don’t neglect to meet together. Consider how you can provoke one-another to love and good deeds.
Though right now it’s risky with Covid-19 going around, so keep your distance, think and try to do what you can to protect yourself and others while also going and being encouraged.
Sometimes it takes a concerted effort to find the encouragement while you’re in church, but I guarantee you can find it if you look hard enough.
I am the church! You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
all around the world!
Yes, we’re the church together!
The church is not a building;
the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place;
the church is a people.
In Luke 22, you can find where Jesus introduced one of the sacraments we celebrate in the United Methodist church. Holy Communion, or the Eucharist.
The word Eucharist comes from Greek too. Eucharisteo is what Jesus did when he picked up the bread and gave thanks. It means to give thanks.
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks. Give thanks. Give thanks. Give thanks.
Give thanks
The Merriam-Webster dictionary says Sacraments are
‘a Christian rite (such as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality.’
Yes, a sign of a spiritual reality.
Those are the two we United Methodist’s observe. We celebrate the Eucharist monthly, and Baptism much less regularly.
Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 NIV
Wouldn’t it be something wonderful if after Jesus comes back we see what these acts do? Trust Him. No act of faith is wasted. For now, if you’ve been baptized, you walk in the new life, a form of it, that He is going to give you when He comes. If you do not lose the hope within you, keep the faith. So keep growing your faith. And you will be encouraged to keep at it.
Focus on the Bible, the Church and the Sacraments.
These next five weeks are a wonderful opportunity to grow, to celebrate, to experience Him and Trust Him.