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Walk In Love

“Walk in Love”

For the past seven years I have been blessed and honored to work at a week long retreat for middle schoolers called JYP.  It takes place once a year during Youth Week at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. 

Kanuga has been a very important part of my life ever since the first time I went to a High School retreat there called SYP back in 2002.  (SYP is the high school version of JYP)  Then when I was a freshman in college, my sister gives me a call and tells me about this great week long thing that she has been working at and how I should apply to be on staff for this thing called JYP!! 

I was a little hesitant at first but ultimately decided, “Why not?” and dove right in.  Seven years later it is something I look forward to each and every year.  I always return from JYP completely exhausted from lack of sleep but completely renewed and inspired by the amazing way in which everything works out through out the week.  God must have been really busy.

This year the theme for JYP was “Walk in Love”.  And that is what I wanted to share with you today.

How do you walk in love?  What does that even mean? 

Matthew 22:37-39

New International Version (NIV)

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^[a]38 This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

At JYP we split this topic up into 3 sections.  God love.  Neighbor love.  And Self love.

Having a relationship with God is a very personal thing and is different for every person.  Therefore there really are no wrong answers.  You also can not really have someone tell you what that looks like.  Only you know that.  Instead of sitting here and telling you answers to questions that in reality I have no idea how to answer, I am simply going to ask questions.  Take a minute and find a quiet place and reflect on these questions.  Let them be a springboard to deeper questions you may have.  Journal about them.  Draw a picture of what you think answers those questions?  Who simply just write the questions you wish to have answered.

The first of the kind of love we covered at JYP was God love.  How do we know that God loves us?  What has God given us that shows God cares for us and loves us and is there for us?  How do we respond to that love?  What do we do with those gifts God has given us?  How do you share those gifts with others?

Who is your neighbor?

 I would strongly encourage everyone to read the Parable of the Good Samaritan at this point.

How do you show love to your neighbor?

What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself?

Do you really love yourself and everything about yourself?

What are your gifts and talents?

Who is the person you wish to be and what does that person do that you do not?

What is keeping you from being that person?

Do these things make you feel separate from God?

What makes you feel separated from God?

Guilt?  

Not feeling worthy?  

Shame?  

What is it that makes you feel that you cannot be that person you want to be?  What force is keeping you from the love of God?

Romans 8:38-39

New International Version (NIV)

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Again, NOTHING can separate you from the love of God.

Now, imagine this…

Love your neighbor as yourself.  Love yourself and share that love with your neighbors.  If you were draw an imaginary line of what that looked like it would be a horizontal line.  Connecting everyone around.

                                                         __________________

Now, draw a line representing the love God has for you, this unending, unconditional love and the love we want to and strive yet struggle to return.  What does that look like?  A vertical line?

                                           

                                             

What happens if we combine those to lines of love?

5 ¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

New International Version (NIV)

Gift of God's Grace

A lot of times when I sit down to write these reflections, I honestly have no idea what to say or write.  I will ask someone for a topic if they stop by my office, look at the lectionary for that day, I have even phoned a friend.  More often than not, I use my own life and questions I have at the time and use those as a springboard into a larger topic.  This week I wanted to speak on something that may be difficult for all of us to do because it involves those not so great times in our lives.  I think it is pretty safe to assume that we all have had these times; times when we are separated from God.  Whether it is by our own choosing or our reaction to those situations placed before us.

In C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce, he describes heaven and hell as these sort of city like places.  Where as you become closer to God, you move closer to the center of the city of Heaven; and as you move further away from God, you keep moving beyond the outskirts of the city of hell.

I am talking about those times when we have gone past the last house on the block and settled in on the outskirts of hell. 

While I was thinking about this concept, a certain verse stuck out to me.  I remembered thinking it was rather peculiar even when I heard it read in church over a year ago.  2 Samuel 11:1-15.  This is the story of King David and Bathsheba.  I invite all of you to take the time and read the passage as it but if you are unable to right now, here is a quick recap.  David sees Bathsheba bathing from afar.  He calls for her to come to his home.  She becomes pregnant with his child.  Both David and Bathsheba were married to other people already.  David tries to have Bathsheba’s husband return from war to spend the night at home.  Uriah refuses.  David sets up for Uriah to die in battle. 

Wow.  You can’t make this stuff up!  I remember sitting there thinking, what message could this possibly have!?

When you have questions like this regarding something you hear during a church service it is normally a good thing to read the Collect for that day.

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In this story from 2 Samuel, King David, God’s chosen leader of the Israelites has become lost and confused.  He has turned his back on God.  According to Lewis, he is living in his own personal hell.

I think this is a place most of us have experienced.  It is never a fun or pleasant thing to reflect on these times or the circumstances as to which we are there, but I think it is something we can all relate too.

Now, shifting gears for just a moment.  Have you seen Michelangelo’s painting of the Creation of Adam?

There we go.  I only want to focus on the hands for this part.  Did you know Michelangelo got into A LOT of trouble for this painting?  Can you see why?

In the painting, God is reaching, almost straining to reach Adam.  Meanwhile, Adam just kind of nonchalantly holds his hand out.  At the time, not too many people in the Vatican were pleased with this visual.

Now, back to David and 2 Samuel.  Sometimes, we all may wander and turn our back to God.  I can say it has happened to me personally and just about everybody I know!  It is part of being human! 

It is during these times that we experience one of the greatest gifts of God!  While we may turn our backs and nonchalantly hold our hands out, maybe we don’t even have our hands out at all.  During those times, God never stops reaching.  God never turns a back us.  For it is during these times that we are blessed to receive this great gift of God’s grace!  Sometimes it is not an easy gift to receive.  It requires that we humble ourselves.  Yet, it is a gift that has already been given to us.  It is a gift that is being given to us.  It is a gift that will be given to us.  How will you accept it?

The Silent Evangelist

This past Friday I was one of the lucky 20,000 people that witnessed our very own Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Los Angeles Floppers, I mean Clippers, to move on to the second round of the NBA playoffs.  As I was leaving the Forum I saw something that was a daily nuisance for me as I walked to class in college. 

Evangelists.

I slowed down a little because I always find it interesting to hear what they have to say.  As usual, it was filled with anger and judgment as I began to chuckle and walk away.  It is always entertaining to hear some of the things they have to say.

This morning a heard something on the radio that made me think of these evangelists that I encountered near the Forum.  Westboro Baptist Church has announced that they will be protesting Graceland.  According to them, Elvis is an evil drug addict and a false idol, which makes Graceland hell.

As Episcopalians, we often times do not focus much on evangelism.  We shake our heads at the people who do the things mentioned above.  “They make a bad name for all Christians” we say.

One great thing about being Episcopalian though is I can say that I strongly disagree with not only the way these evangelists go about preaching the Gospel but also the interpretation of the Bible that they are preaching.  I think it would be safe to assume that I am not alone in saying that either.  Now I am no scholar or academic theologian but my understanding of the Gospel is a little different, a little more loving.

However, all of this made me think about what it is we are called to do as Christians.  We often simplify down to a simple set of dos and don’ts.  Do- treat others nice, respect your parents Don’t- lie, steal, murder.  Is that all it takes to be Christian then?  Why then do people all over the world who do not identify as Christian also follow these rules?  Does simply being a person with good morals make you Christian?

In a previous post I wrote about how that first golden rule often gets glazed over.  We focus a lot on the love your neighbors as yourself.  However, that first one that says love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might!

It cannot just be simplified into a set of rules or guidelines!  If we love Him then it means so much more than just following orders.  The definition of a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.  We all know the 7 recognized sacraments already but if we change how we think about what it means to be a Christian, change the thought of I should do this to I WANT to do this, imagine what that would mean for you in your spiritual life!  You have changed from simply playing the part to being a living sacrament of God!  Your life would be a visible sign of the glorious and wonderful Grace of God!

What else are we asked to do in our lives as Christians…

Mark 16:15

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Isaiah 6:8

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying ,”Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I!  Send me.”

If you look, it clearly says that we are called to be evangelists.

But I don’t want to stand on the corner yelling at people!

“Preach the gospel of the Lord at all times, and when necessary, use words.”  St. Francis of Assisi

You do not have to be the person condemning and yelling at others to be an evangelist.  You can simply be you.  Being an apostle to others, lending a hand to someone who is down, listening to someone who has had a rough day, there are countless ways that you can carry out this mission in a positive way.

This past week we talked about ministering.  How do you minister to others?  How have people ministered to you?  This year, the ministering I have received from the wonderful families of this congregation has blown me away. 

I am utterly speechless as I look back and think of the group of youth that go out every month to prepare food for More than a Meal, the group that gave up a Saturday to do yard work at Shady Grove Elementary, seeing how supportive everyone is especially when bad things happen in their lives or the lives of their friends. 

So this week, the challenge is to go out and be an evangelist.

If necessary, use words.

How do you minister?

Who is your role model?

Who do you look up to?

Who has been there for you through thick and thin?

Who calls you out on the stupid things you do and is honest with you, but in that caring way, you know?

Who is your mentor?

Sometimes using that word is not the one we choose to use when we think about this stuff.  A lot of times we choose not to even really think these things.  Because these deep emotional thoughts and feelings reveal vulnerability…and that is something that is just not accepted in today’s society.

But actually think about it. 

Think of someone who you would consider a mentor…

Maybe you are thinking of one person maybe you are thinking of a couple.

I think of a lot of different people.  At various times in my life when I needed someone there, someone always seemed to be there.  More often than not, I didn’t even know it.  But looking back I am so grateful of all of them.

Can you think back to times like that, when you felt like everything was going wrong and you didn’t’t know where to turn, and out of nowhere someone is there.  It can and more often than not is just a tiny little gesture that helps in a big big way. 

I have been very very blessed and fortunate to have wonderful Youth Ministers growing up.  Paul Canady, Trone Sawyer, Beth Powell, Katie Brownyard, John Burruss, and many others that I knew through various events around the Diocese.  Many of whom I remain dear friends with to this day.  And am now colleagues with these people that I looked up for so long!

One person who has always seemed to be there and have the right thing to say, even when that thing may not have been what I wanted to hear, is Trip Gintz.  Many of you may know him from St. John’s or from Episcopal Day Camp.  As a youngster, I remember being in 6^th grade and going on a rafting trip with Trip (ha, trip with Trip) with him as my leader.  About two years ago he asked me to chaperone a mission trip to the Gulf of Mexico with him.  I made the mistake of letting him know that going into Youth Ministry was something that I had been considering.  I had gone from youth, to more like a student.  We are now peers.  Colleagues.  Soon we will be planning another rafting trip…together.

That’s a pretty neat story Matthew, but what’s the point.

When I was in 6^th grade, I never thought that these experiences would have such a lasting impression on me.  When I was I confused 22 year old who had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and you casually say, “Yea, I mean I’ve thought about it.” When asked about youth ministry, I seriously doubt Trip thought the simple gesture of asking me to chaperone would confirm, answer, and raise many many questions about my future.  All these things seem like such random events but in the long they all come together and make us who we are.  Everything that happens has an effect on us and slowly shapes us and molds into the people that we will become.

Now think back to those people that you said are your mentors.  Those are the people that are shaping who you are.  You may not even realize it.  Perhaps it has already happened and you don’t even know it.

Want to hear the scary part…

Somewhere out there, someone is looking up to you as a mentor.  Kind of makes you think twice about how you treat everybody, doesn’t it?

Someone out there, someone is looking up to you, as a mentor, a role model…

How are you mentoring to them?  You can be a positive influence or a negative one.   That is called ministering.

Normally we think a minister is just someone with a collar.  But you my friend, are a minister as well.  A definition for a minister is a person serving as an agent for another…

We are all ministers.  Everyone of us.  You may be a positive role model in someone’s life or may be treat someone poorly and talk about them behind their back.  Either way you are ministering to them.  Good or bad, you are ministering.

How are you ministering to others?

You never know, it may mean more to others than you would ever think.

Knock, knock

Knock, knock.

I'm guessing most of you just thought, "Who's there?"

Some of you probably even said it aloud.  I know I did as I typed it.

Also, I think this sometimes can be what our relationship with God is like, “Knock, knock…”

But is anyone even there to respond?  Do we even hear the knocking?

While I do think God has a fantastic sense of humor (if you don’t believe me just look at the platypus.  I mean…come on)

However, in this case, I don’t think it is really a joke.

This past Sunday I became upset as I was sitting in church.  I found myself becoming fidgety.  I was going through checklists in my head of what I had to do following the service.  Making plans for later that day.  Thinking of what I had to do that week.  Taking notes on my service leaflet.

I was there.  But my mind was a million other places.  I was simply going through the motions.  When I realized this, I hurt.

How often does this happen to you? 

How often are we fully present?

In our Sunday School classes, we often times use a video series by Rob Bell called NOOMA.  In one of the videos, Bell is talking about our actions and why we do things.

Why do we go to church?  Why do we do all this stuff?  Who are we doing this for?  What is the point!?

Is it to simply make our parents happy?

Is it so you don’t feel guilty because you didn’t go to church?

How many times do we sit in those pews on Sunday and simply recite from memory these sayings that come so naturally we can knock it out without even using our brain.

We simply regurgitate these prayers…

One that was written by over 300 Bishops and priests at the First Council of Nicaea that outlines our faith!

Another prayer that’s beginning comes directly from Jesus breaking bread with his disciples before being given up for crucifixion.

Another one taught to us by Jesus himself over 2,000 years ago…

Yet, just about every Sunday we can just recite it from memory as if it were the Alphabet Song or Mary had a Little Lamb.

That is not what it is all about!  There has to be more to into than that!

Matthew 15:8 says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

I did not like this feeling.  I needed to make a change. 

We always seem to be moving through life way to fast, never truly being in the moment.  We do things and say things, but how much of that do we actually mean.  How much of ourselves are actually behind these things we say. 

N.T. Wright has a book called The Lord and his Prayer.  In it he says there are theologians that say that the reason we start the Lord’s Prayer with “we are bold to say” is because the prayer is so perfect that if we say it and truly mean it with our whole heart, then we are completely converted and completed Christian.  Meaning that the Holy Spirit has finished the work that God began.

Of course, this is not true, therefore we are bold to say it.  To come together in the celebration of the grace of God and say this prayer!

But should we so bold to say it emotionless…heartless…

God does not want the empty ritual, God wants our hearts.

Knock, knock…