It’s harvest time in Kansas again. Even with all the technological advances, harvest time is still hard work for farmers. They pour their sweat, their backs into 14+ hour long days in the warm summer weather to gather the harvest. Have you ever seen a harvest? Have you ever had to work really hard to get everything just right?
Read Galatians 6:1-6 & Luke 10:1-11,16-20.
In addition to sending out the Twelve, Jesus is now sending out seventy more disciples, to gather in the harvest. The way of life that he describes for them is not an easy road; the harvest they need to bring in requires hard work. It requires shaking off the dust, being peaceable in the face of struggles and hardship. It requires teamwork to prepare people for their encounter with Jesus, to reach the high bar of relationship that God holds.
It is important to note that those sent out are not the creators of the harvest – that’s God’s job. It is important to see that those sent out aren’t bringing Jesus to the people – that’s God’s time. Instead, they are called and equipped to prepare the way – to spread the Good News, to speak peace in the face of trouble, to be vulnerable, to trust that their eternal relationship with God will sustain them.
Jesus calls the seventy and calls us to the high bar of relationship – to resting in our relationship with God and working on relationship with those in our community.
We are called to trust in God’s promise that the harvest is abundant – that people still care about God, even as churches close and the surveys say that people don’t care. We are called to trust that there is still work for us to do, to build relationships with people at school and at work and at workout classes and even in our families. We are called to rely on our relationship with God – that our faith and our peace will prepare the way for the encounter with Jesus. We don’t have to be great speakers or deep thinkers or seminary-educated in order to tell our story, in order to tell about our lives.
So reach for the high bar of relationship that God holds – the relationship with God and with people that requires not incredible strength, but incredible vulnerability. And thanks be to God for allowing us to be partners in the abundant harvest
Grace and peace,
Pastor Kate
Showing posts with label Galatians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Galatians. Show all posts
Friday, July 5, 2013
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Holy Spirit of Pentecost
"God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh..." (Acts 2:1) Jesus has arisen and Pentecost is his promise to all Christ followers that they/we will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pentecost (50 days following our Easter Resurrection) is the birth of the church as the primary place (although not the only place) where Jesus will be present to us through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Read Acts 2: 1-21 for an account of the fiery tongues of flames, roaring winds, and the languages across the nations as God pours out the Spirit for ALL peoples. This is the power of God given to the church empowering it to be the Body of Christ.
The power of the Holy Spirit, represented by wind and flames, can be perceived as a life-threatening force when we think of wildfires wiping out wilderness or tornadoes tearing through the towns of Joplin or Harveyville. But the real power of the Spirit is a spirit of love and goodness. At the same time it's a power of transformation - both mundane and miraculous. Because real transformation can be difficult to perceive within a short timeline or because of the often personal nature of transformation, we have trouble recognizing the Holy Spirit blowing through our lives and our church. The Holy Spirit is always on the move and any Body of Christ that becomes stagnant or self satisfied cuts themselves off from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is about the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5: 22): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Or as Paul writes in Galatians 4:18: "It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good."
The challenge for the church is to continue looking and asking, "Where is the Holy Spirit moving, breathing, working, pushing, pulling, nudging, whispering to me and throughout my church?" When we can discern answers to this question, we will have the direction and challenge to which we must respond.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Shelley
The power of the Holy Spirit, represented by wind and flames, can be perceived as a life-threatening force when we think of wildfires wiping out wilderness or tornadoes tearing through the towns of Joplin or Harveyville. But the real power of the Spirit is a spirit of love and goodness. At the same time it's a power of transformation - both mundane and miraculous. Because real transformation can be difficult to perceive within a short timeline or because of the often personal nature of transformation, we have trouble recognizing the Holy Spirit blowing through our lives and our church. The Holy Spirit is always on the move and any Body of Christ that becomes stagnant or self satisfied cuts themselves off from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is about the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5: 22): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Or as Paul writes in Galatians 4:18: "It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good."
The challenge for the church is to continue looking and asking, "Where is the Holy Spirit moving, breathing, working, pushing, pulling, nudging, whispering to me and throughout my church?" When we can discern answers to this question, we will have the direction and challenge to which we must respond.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Shelley
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