Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday February 18, 2007
Galatians 5 The Nature of Freedom in Christ
Most people can’t close the deal. I am not sure if we can’t, won’t or just plain don’t. Anyway you cut it the same thing happens; that great project we started with such promise and enthusiasm ends up on the shelf two months later. There it will stay for a long, long time until we finally clean out and pitch it all together. Guilt and shame are human by products of our failed attempts at change.
To finish strong is always a good goal. I always look to see if the runner breaks through the tape at the finish line with energy. Sometimes to simply finish is the goal. Other times it is heroic enough to begin the journey of change. However even then there is always a hint of, what if I can finish? And better yet, what if I finish strong and refreshed? The other night at youth group when the conversation turned to whether the glass was half full or half empty, one bright lad responded, “Hey both glasses have water in them, get over it already.” He was able to move beyond the discussion of possibility to the facts of the reality. We should do the same. To whine and pine about what might be possible is to waste precious energy needed to finish fresh.
God offers freedom to finish, energy to run the tape, and wisdom to close the deal. God offers the glass that has water. It may be half-full or half-empty. But the point is that God offers what is needed to accomplish the task at hand. Simply put, “There is water in your glass.” When we believe this with such conviction that we can offer those who appear lost a drink from our glass, we will have born fruit of the Spirit which lives in us. We are free to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are free to become salves to one another. At that point the deal is closed and the victory won. Every fresh start become a finish line crossed. And every step on our journey toward wholeness in Christ is a fresh start moving us just a little closer to home. See you Sunday!
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: Galatians 5:1, 13-14
Sermon Title: “Finishing Fresh”
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Thoughts for February 11, 2007
Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday February 11, 2007
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 A Warning
Everybody’s got a body. We come in all shapes and sizes. We can not order a replacement body from the factory, artificial joints and enhancement surgeries do not count. Some have genetic history which helps, some have genetics which hurt. I like to blame my genetics. I like to blame genetics a lot. Blaming my genetics keeps me from having to be responsible for much of anything which goes wrong with my body. Hair getting thin; blame my mother’s dad. High blood pressure, blame my father’s mother’s family. Bad teeth, skinny legs, poor eyesight, two left feet, hearing loss, flat feet, whiney voice, sore back, no matching gloves; the list goes on as I can blame just about anything on my genetics.
The truth is that we all get one body. We all get one shot at this thing. We all get what we get and there is no changing it. This is a bad news/good news kind of statement. This is bad because we all want the body the other guy ended up with. We want the other guys body just like we wanted to be the kid who got the T-Bird in high school. Then we remember that he wrapped the thing around a telephone poll two weeks later. The good news is that we get this body, our body, for a lifetime. We get to know how this body works and what looks good with it. We also learn what to keep far away from the thing. The good news is we do not have to break in a new model every few years.
God has a purpose for this body. It seems that your body, my body, is the place where the Holy Spirit resides. God the Holy Spirit lives in our bodies. This physical shell is provided as a temple for holding the presence of God. As this Spiritual fact sinks into our lives, we want to keep and maintain the temple as clean and up to date as possible. We want to make sure all systems are up and running and all broken stuff repaired. We want to maintain the temple with the least amount of clutter so that the main focus, God’s grace and love, can be offered at anytime, day or night. And when we begin to move in that sense of purpose for our physical bodies we also find we are just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Sermon Title: “Healthy Fresh Start”
Sunday February 11, 2007
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 A Warning
Everybody’s got a body. We come in all shapes and sizes. We can not order a replacement body from the factory, artificial joints and enhancement surgeries do not count. Some have genetic history which helps, some have genetics which hurt. I like to blame my genetics. I like to blame genetics a lot. Blaming my genetics keeps me from having to be responsible for much of anything which goes wrong with my body. Hair getting thin; blame my mother’s dad. High blood pressure, blame my father’s mother’s family. Bad teeth, skinny legs, poor eyesight, two left feet, hearing loss, flat feet, whiney voice, sore back, no matching gloves; the list goes on as I can blame just about anything on my genetics.
The truth is that we all get one body. We all get one shot at this thing. We all get what we get and there is no changing it. This is a bad news/good news kind of statement. This is bad because we all want the body the other guy ended up with. We want the other guys body just like we wanted to be the kid who got the T-Bird in high school. Then we remember that he wrapped the thing around a telephone poll two weeks later. The good news is that we get this body, our body, for a lifetime. We get to know how this body works and what looks good with it. We also learn what to keep far away from the thing. The good news is we do not have to break in a new model every few years.
God has a purpose for this body. It seems that your body, my body, is the place where the Holy Spirit resides. God the Holy Spirit lives in our bodies. This physical shell is provided as a temple for holding the presence of God. As this Spiritual fact sinks into our lives, we want to keep and maintain the temple as clean and up to date as possible. We want to make sure all systems are up and running and all broken stuff repaired. We want to maintain the temple with the least amount of clutter so that the main focus, God’s grace and love, can be offered at anytime, day or night. And when we begin to move in that sense of purpose for our physical bodies we also find we are just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Sermon Title: “Healthy Fresh Start”
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Thoughts for February 04, 2007
Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday February 04, 2007
Ephesians 6 The Whole Armor of God
The Platt River has been described as, “an inch deep and mile wide.” Unfortunately, this is also a fitting description of much that passes for Christian Spirituality these days. So much talk about not much of anything lasting and profound. Our life in Christ should be an iceberg with 90 percent beneath the surface. Rather than a slippery patch of ice on my sidewalk which will dry up quickly as the sun begins to shine.
The Apostle Paul is writing in Ephesians about the idea of protecting our lives and learning to withstand the winds which will surely blow as we grow in our Spirit. I believe depth of Spirit is a function of growing and allowing that growth to bear fruit. For years I have encouraged myself to be faithful. Only recently I have encountered a new focus of being fruitful. To bear fruit is to be faithful, but feels to me to be the next step in our faith journey. If my goal is to simply be faithful, then I do not need take responsibility and also find I cannot be held accountable. If on the other hand, my Spiritual goal is to bear fruit, then it is fairly easy to identify my responsibilities and I also can be held accountable. Christ said we are known by our fruit, not just our faithfulness.
Roots become very important. Depth is essential when bearing fruit so that we can endure the dry seasons. There is a bridge to this place of Spiritual depth. It is not quick or particularly easy route to follow. Yet, the path of discipleship proves over and over to produce the very fruit we celebrate as the life of Christ. So it is to this place of the methodical practice of time honored means of Grace that we will focus this coming week. Rather than living our lives an inch deep and mile wide, lets go deep with Christ Jesus and bear fruit in all seasons; moving us just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19
Sermon Title: “Spiritual Fresh Start”
Sunday February 04, 2007
Ephesians 6 The Whole Armor of God
The Platt River has been described as, “an inch deep and mile wide.” Unfortunately, this is also a fitting description of much that passes for Christian Spirituality these days. So much talk about not much of anything lasting and profound. Our life in Christ should be an iceberg with 90 percent beneath the surface. Rather than a slippery patch of ice on my sidewalk which will dry up quickly as the sun begins to shine.
The Apostle Paul is writing in Ephesians about the idea of protecting our lives and learning to withstand the winds which will surely blow as we grow in our Spirit. I believe depth of Spirit is a function of growing and allowing that growth to bear fruit. For years I have encouraged myself to be faithful. Only recently I have encountered a new focus of being fruitful. To bear fruit is to be faithful, but feels to me to be the next step in our faith journey. If my goal is to simply be faithful, then I do not need take responsibility and also find I cannot be held accountable. If on the other hand, my Spiritual goal is to bear fruit, then it is fairly easy to identify my responsibilities and I also can be held accountable. Christ said we are known by our fruit, not just our faithfulness.
Roots become very important. Depth is essential when bearing fruit so that we can endure the dry seasons. There is a bridge to this place of Spiritual depth. It is not quick or particularly easy route to follow. Yet, the path of discipleship proves over and over to produce the very fruit we celebrate as the life of Christ. So it is to this place of the methodical practice of time honored means of Grace that we will focus this coming week. Rather than living our lives an inch deep and mile wide, lets go deep with Christ Jesus and bear fruit in all seasons; moving us just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19
Sermon Title: “Spiritual Fresh Start”
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Thoughts for January 14, 2007
Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday January 14, 2007
1 Timothy 6 Some Final Directions for Timothy
I hope this sermon is different. When I have spoken about financial issues in the past, there has been a lot of anxiety. It seems many church members do not care to hear about Biblical standards as they relate to our personal finances. Guilt appears written over many faces and I usually hear some comments asking that I not speak about money ever again. Gee, I thought my job was to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. However, this particular topic pulls folks through the cracks of both of those definitions to the point where we are neither afflicted nor comfortable. We as a society are so private with our money, it is so sacred, that we may feel violated if a sermon even refers to the subject. Yet this is my task. I hope this sermon is different.
As a society we are in financial ruin. Bankruptcies have increased to a crisis level. In 2005 the largest increase was in young families under the age of 35. School loans, car loans, home loans, credit cards, high interest and child care issues all combine to put every young family at risk. Even the very best money managers struggle to make ends meet and keep their financial heads above water. Some young families work two, three, or even four jobs and still fall further behind.
Our society does not reward and empower savings, only spending. In 2005 the average US household spent 122% of every dollar it made. The balance goes on credit with little hope of every paying off the entire balance. How do we begin to find a financial fresh start in the midst of this reality? I believe we must get back to basics. We must re-learn fruitful and God honoring concepts about money. We must gain a fresh understanding of our role as managers of God’s resources. We are not the owners, we are the managers. We have been acting as if we own the money flowing through our bank accounts. We must put God in God’s rightful place. We will then see ourselves as the caretaker of God’s resources. This shift allows us to focus towards our financial future with hope and moves us all just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19
Sermon Title: “Financial Fresh Start”
Sunday January 14, 2007
1 Timothy 6 Some Final Directions for Timothy
I hope this sermon is different. When I have spoken about financial issues in the past, there has been a lot of anxiety. It seems many church members do not care to hear about Biblical standards as they relate to our personal finances. Guilt appears written over many faces and I usually hear some comments asking that I not speak about money ever again. Gee, I thought my job was to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. However, this particular topic pulls folks through the cracks of both of those definitions to the point where we are neither afflicted nor comfortable. We as a society are so private with our money, it is so sacred, that we may feel violated if a sermon even refers to the subject. Yet this is my task. I hope this sermon is different.
As a society we are in financial ruin. Bankruptcies have increased to a crisis level. In 2005 the largest increase was in young families under the age of 35. School loans, car loans, home loans, credit cards, high interest and child care issues all combine to put every young family at risk. Even the very best money managers struggle to make ends meet and keep their financial heads above water. Some young families work two, three, or even four jobs and still fall further behind.
Our society does not reward and empower savings, only spending. In 2005 the average US household spent 122% of every dollar it made. The balance goes on credit with little hope of every paying off the entire balance. How do we begin to find a financial fresh start in the midst of this reality? I believe we must get back to basics. We must re-learn fruitful and God honoring concepts about money. We must gain a fresh understanding of our role as managers of God’s resources. We are not the owners, we are the managers. We have been acting as if we own the money flowing through our bank accounts. We must put God in God’s rightful place. We will then see ourselves as the caretaker of God’s resources. This shift allows us to focus towards our financial future with hope and moves us all just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19
Sermon Title: “Financial Fresh Start”
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Thoughts for January 07, 2007
Scripture Readings Leading to
Sunday January 07, 2007
Jonah 1-4
There is a difference between a New Years resolution, hoping for change, and a fresh start, making change really happen. That difference might be understood as a big chasm between where we are now and where we know we should be. How do we get to the other side? Are we trapped with no way to move closer to becoming the person God created? A fresh start is in order.
Life change happens in climates that allow and foster change. We must change the climate as we begin to make change in our lives or we will revert back to our old ways and fail once again. I taught a Bible Study in Pod H of the Pott. Co. Jail for over a year. I quickly learned that the brothers being released were usually sullen and sometimes weeping in despair on what I assumed would be a happy day. They wept because they knew they could not go back to their old climate and survive. They also knew they did not possess the skill to magically make a new climate appear around them. They did not have the ability to make the jump across the chasm. Theirs is a difficult situation to which we can all relate.
We must have some outside source of hope to bridge the gap. Hope changes the climate. We find hope in our faith, our relationships with those who care for our wellbeing and by a change of life systems that provide a new set of boundaries and rules for us to follow. This is dangerous work. Some folks close to you will not embrace change in your climate. Do not be surprised by attempts to sabotage. Change in your climate will change theirs also. Consider what would happen if one day you decided to take control of the thermostat and change the temperature in your house. Climate change, even that change leading quickly to hope, needs to be planned and communicated.
Jonah is an interesting Biblical focus for this topic. Jonah wanted no change. He ran from God. After going through a terrible ordeal almost leading to his death he accepted God’s invitation to speak the prophetic word. Even as the story closes Jonah does not fully embraced the God’s hopeful plan for the world. And yet, there is a bridging of the gap in this story and we find a hopeful climate emerging which brings us all just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: Jonah 1:1-4; 2:1-3 The Message
Sermon Title: “FRESH Start”
Sunday January 07, 2007
Jonah 1-4
There is a difference between a New Years resolution, hoping for change, and a fresh start, making change really happen. That difference might be understood as a big chasm between where we are now and where we know we should be. How do we get to the other side? Are we trapped with no way to move closer to becoming the person God created? A fresh start is in order.
Life change happens in climates that allow and foster change. We must change the climate as we begin to make change in our lives or we will revert back to our old ways and fail once again. I taught a Bible Study in Pod H of the Pott. Co. Jail for over a year. I quickly learned that the brothers being released were usually sullen and sometimes weeping in despair on what I assumed would be a happy day. They wept because they knew they could not go back to their old climate and survive. They also knew they did not possess the skill to magically make a new climate appear around them. They did not have the ability to make the jump across the chasm. Theirs is a difficult situation to which we can all relate.
We must have some outside source of hope to bridge the gap. Hope changes the climate. We find hope in our faith, our relationships with those who care for our wellbeing and by a change of life systems that provide a new set of boundaries and rules for us to follow. This is dangerous work. Some folks close to you will not embrace change in your climate. Do not be surprised by attempts to sabotage. Change in your climate will change theirs also. Consider what would happen if one day you decided to take control of the thermostat and change the temperature in your house. Climate change, even that change leading quickly to hope, needs to be planned and communicated.
Jonah is an interesting Biblical focus for this topic. Jonah wanted no change. He ran from God. After going through a terrible ordeal almost leading to his death he accepted God’s invitation to speak the prophetic word. Even as the story closes Jonah does not fully embraced the God’s hopeful plan for the world. And yet, there is a bridging of the gap in this story and we find a hopeful climate emerging which brings us all just a little closer to home.
Blessings, Dave Weesner
Sunday Worship
Scripture: Jonah 1:1-4; 2:1-3 The Message
Sermon Title: “FRESH Start”
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