Be a Servant

Matt. 20:26-28 But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

Do you understand that real greatness is not about recognition or position but your ability to put down your selfish plans so you can serve others? You must learn the distinction between fake and authentic leadership by entering into the role of humble service over trying to impress or influence people. Genuine leadership begins with disciplining yourself, and devoting your gifts and talents to help others.

Honor Marriage

Matt. 19:4-6 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.”

Marriage is a test of your real character. How you treat the ones who are closest to you is the true measure of how loving and respectful you are. Your devotion to God is manifest in

the depth of your commitment to your spouse. Faithfulness to your lifelong partner

helps you to appreciate Gods eternal devotion toward you as one of His

children.

Heb. 13:4 Marriage is honorable in every respect; and, in particular, sex within marriage is pure. But God will indeed punish fornicators and adulterers.

Initiate Forgiveness

Matt. 18:21-22 At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?” Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.

Personal forgiveness is a choice. In rabbinic discussion the consensus was that a brother might be forgiven a repeated sin three times; on the fourth, there is no forgiveness. Peter, thinking himself big-hearted, volunteers “seven times” in answer to his own question. Jesus raises the bar. All of us have been forgive far more than we will ever have to forgive.

Keep Free from all Greed

Luke 12:15 And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man’s life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs.

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain will lead to some form of bondage and death. Life, goodness, peace, and joy are found in Jesus, when we follow Him and His ways. Don’t seek to be rich in this world, seek to be rich in your relationship with God.

Luke 12:32-34 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Meetings—I can’t stand one more!

Is. 1:13-17    “Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way.

No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.

 

 

THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language

This edition issued by contractual arrangement with NavPress, a division of The Navigators, U.S.A. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.

Version 1.2

 

THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson.

 

Compassion Gardens have begun!

Posted by Patty Dempsey

Our Campus Garden planting team digs in.

What a great morning we had planting our brand new Campus Garden!  On Saturday, May 30th, fifteen people (some not shown in picture)  joined together to help plant our 30×50 foot Campus Garden. Our vision for the garden is to invite anyone in our church to help.  As food becomes ready to harvest, we openly invite you to take some of the food if you need it, take some to give to a family you know who could use it, or help bring the rest to a local food pantry.  If you don’t have your own garden or simply want to work together on a garden with other people, here’s your chance.

Planting takes planning!

Last Saturday on our planting day, even in the on and off drizzle we had a lot of fun.  It was especially exciting to hear people connect through their own garden stories and sharing of garden tips.

We had beginners working alongside experienced gardeners, and everyone got down and dirty in the mud!

Gardening is for the shoe-hardiest among us!

The Campus Garden is just one of the gardens in our new ministry called Compassion Gardens.  If you’ve seen the grounds of our church lately, you have noticed the transformation that has been taking place not only with the Campus Garden, but the Hmong Gardens as well. 

Work It Out

Matt. 18:15-16   “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again.

If I am a true follower of Jesus, then my top priority in life is the Glory of God. This will be manifested in how I relate with people. Jesus gives us here a tool to resolve conflict. First I must go to the person who has sinned or offended me in a spirit of humility and gentleness. Don’t go to others to discuss it or even to pray about it; go personally, one-on-one to the one who hurt you. Most issues and misunderstandings can be resolved in this way. Sometimes the person who has hurt you just doesn’t get it and you need to bring in some help, but only after you have tried alone. Being in right relationship with one another is paramount in the Kingdom of God. For more information on conflict resolution, visit, http://www.peacemaker.net

Don’t Despise These Little Ones

Matt. 18:10   “Beware that you don’t despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. 

Do you look down on those who are weaker than you or are you moved by love and compassion to meet the needs of children. As followers of Jesus we are taught to care for those who are oppressed, advocate for the those who are forgotten or who don’t have a voice. If we see them as a problem or nuisance and don’t properly identify with them, we are no better than the unbeliever. In fact, many unbelievers show more care and compassion for the those in need than the so called “Christians”. Do you despise those who are different than you or are you reaching out with the truth and love of Jesus to build relationships, be Christ to them and share the Good News of the Kingdom of God?

Deny Yourself

 Then Jesus told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?

To follow Jesus it is necessary to say no to self, give Him total devotion and fervent submission. Letting the Spirit control you instead of your old sinful desires is the secret to life. Chasing after what you think you want will only lead to addiction, death and destruction. Being willing to suffer, sacrifice and serve is the way to true peace, joy and all that is good.

Beware of Leaven

Matt. 16:6 “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the

Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Become skilled at telling the difference between good motives and the slight sway of insincerity. There is good yeast and bad yeast. Matt. 13:33    Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough.” Matt. 16:12  “ Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about yeast or bread but about the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” What ideas are permeating your thinking? We must be on guard against influences that will take us away from that which is good and true. We must watch out for hypocrisy. It can be so very subtle that it goes undetected until we notice that it has taken us over. 1Cor. 5:6-8   Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast — as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.