Every blood donation saves up to three lives! And with an even more desperate need due to the current pandemic ( our community supply is low), we have a chance to come together and #GiveForLife. The need for blood locally has brought an increased urgency for blood donations and they especially need Type O. Please join us for this drive if you are healthy and able so that we can help rebuild the blood supply.
Raising Up Our Children in the Faith.
Grace and Peace on this Saturday. I’m glad we can end the week together in the Pastor’s Workshop.
As you know Saturday is our time to “prepare with prayer”. Saturday gets us spiritually ready for what happens on Sunday. And particularly with tomorrow being a “Re-Opening Day” at Spring Valley, where we’ll begin onsite, inside worship at 11:00, prayer is important!
As we return to “inside church” we’re in the midst of our Stewardship Emphasis, “Rise Again”. Our Scripture base for the series is from II Corinthians 4. The Apostle writes, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; … For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” As we re-emerge from under the “cloud of Covid” to be the church God calls us to be, we let the love of God in Christ shine in our hearts and show through our life together.
A special and specific way we shine the light and show the love of God in Christ at Spring Valley is by “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith”. This priority is one of the “four pillars” we practice. It is an anchor of our ministry.
Tomorrow’s worship will lift up that focus on Children and Youth. The message will highlight that ministry emphasis.
The Scriptural text is Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Our specific emphasis is on verse 6 and 7, “6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Teach them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.”
Since I missed being with you on Thursday (where I outline my talking points for Sunday), I thought I might take today to touch on some highlights for tomorrow.
Here’s my thoughts for the message:
When we have kids (children or grandchildren or our church children), we want the best for them.
We quickly realize that “wanting the best” is not so much about what we can give them, as much as about what we can teach them. In learning about life they become strong and independent and can make their own best way in the world.
And there is so much to teach and to learn. ABC’s, 123’s, art, music, how to be strong, be fair, be kind, and on it goes.
Robert Fulghum wrote an insightful book a number of years back, Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. And although he makes lots of good points, we don’t learn everything we need to know in Kindergarten.
The main thing I want my kids and grandkids and church kids to know they learn in Sunday School. They learn about a great love that is the salvation of their lives. “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.”
As we want our children to learn about that great and gracious love of God, we join with faithful across the ages. The Scripture this morning reflects that same heart of love for God and raising up children in the faith, “keep the commandments and teach them to your children”.
This Scripture, called the “Shema” in Judaism, is at the center of Jewish prayer life. Jesus as a child would have prayed the “Shema”. “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One.”
We have a One and Only God, who loves us in a “one and only way”, in a way that God loves us more than his own life. Jesus Christ on the Cross is that outpouring of God’s love for all.
Our faith focuses on that gift of love. We receive that “one and only love” from our “One and Only Lord” in ways that our reception gives rise to reciprocation. In God’s grace there grows in our hearts a love for God. Our love would be a response where we “love the Lord with all our heart, our soul, and our strength”.
Even as we love God in that way, that love becomes a “light” that leads us on a path of life we call the Commandments. The Ten Commandments are a path of life that builds Connection with a God of love and with our neighbors in love.
As people of faith we walk this path and we take the hand our children as we walk. We teach them the commandments as a way of life and of love for God and neighbor.
The Shema opens our eyes to the opportunity to see the world as a “classroom”. Everyday there are lessons to be learned. So we talk about following the Commandments and living in love with God “at home” and “on the road”, when we “lie down” and “rise up”. Our house and family becomes a home for God, where all are part of God’s family.
This is a commitment we make at Spring Valley to help our children, youth and families “walk and talk” this pathway of faith. This priority is at the heart of our ministry. We practice this priority through all our ministry activities with children, youth and families, on Sunday and during the week.
Yes, we want the best for our kids. We believe God provides that best in love and invites us to live in that love, in ways that our kids will know the blessing of life God has for them in Christ. Yes, we teach our children this truth of faith in ways they will walk in it forever.
These are a few of my talking points for tomorrow. Of course, as always, they will be expanded and enriched.
As you listen to this message and think about your family and/or the children in our church family, I invite you to consider how we work together to “Raise Up our Children in faith” and what you can do personally today to bring that blessing into the lives of those you love.
In the gift of that opportunity, I look forward to being with you tomorrow in worship!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the gift of our children and our youth. Thank You for the privilege of raising them up in faith. This is our responsibility, our stewardship for their lives. We trust You to lead us in that blessing as we live in light of Your love and Your way. We praise You for that opportunity through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Habitat for Humanity Fall Build
RAIH/THRIVENT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FALL 2020 BUILD
VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP INFORMATION
BUILD INFORMATION
Location: 1843 Life Avenue in West Dallas
Dates: Oct 17 through Nov 21 or Dec 12 on Saturdays and Thursdays
No build days: November 26 and 28 (Thanksgiving weekend)
Check-in: 7:45 am Construction start: 8:00 am
Lunch: 12:00 pm (boxed lunch provided) Day end: 3:00 pm
What to wear:
· Comfortable clothing which you don’t mind getting dirty
· Tennis shoes or other sturdy close-toed shoes, no sandals or flip-flops
· Cloth or surgical face mask(s)
What to bring:
· At least one cloth or surgical face mask (required) to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus
· To stay hydrated, bottled water will be provided, but you can bring a water bottle and/or sports drink
· A boxed lunch will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own food
· Dallas Habitat will provide each volunteer with a bag containing sanitized tools, tool belt, safety glasses and a hard hat; if you prefer using your own, bring them but do not share. Do not bring power tools.
· First-aid kits are on-site; you are responsible for bringing personal items (example: EpiPen)
[NEW] COVID precautions:
· Maximum 10 volunteers on the build site, 6-ft physical distancing and face masks
· To manage capacity restrictions, all volunteers must register each day on the build using Dallas Habitat’s Volunteer Hub. If you are unable to work after you register, you must cancel in the Hub so that slot can be filled by a volunteer on the ‘stand-by’ list. (link and directions below)
Age restrictions:
· Under 16: not allowed on the build site until the dedication day
· 16 and 17: allowed to pick up a hammer and build but not operate power tools or get on the roof; must have one adult over 21 per five youth of this age; parent must sign release form
REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS
Volunteer slots will be filled first come first served. Login weekly and sign up only for the upcoming week to ensure everyone interested has the opportunity to volunteer.
1. Create account (or login if you already have an account)
· Go to build day link: http://vhub.at/RAIHThriventBuild
· Click “register”
· Create a username and password
· Join Code - skip this step
· Check event categories that interest you
· Enter your user information (name, email, mobile phone number, home address, birthdate, SMS opt-in, email opt-in, Liability Waiver, Code of Conduct, employer/group, emergency contact information)
· Confirm all information
2. Register for Event
· Click “SIGN UP” to the right of RAIH & Thrivent Home Build: Day #
· Review your user information if you have an existing account
· Click “NEXT”
· Accept Liability Waiver and click “NEXT”
In the event you do not receive an automatic e-mail confirmation, check your junk mail. If you have any questions about this system, please let Michelle Galizia know at mgalizia@dallas-habitat.org.
1843 LIFE AVENUE, WEST DALLAS
CONTACT INFORMATION
1. Bill Boyer (972) 978-2019 2. Jerry Malone (972) 672-0114
billbntx@sbcglobal.net jerry.malone@sbcglobal.net
BUILD DAYS
Day 1: Saturday, October 17 Day 9: Saturday, November 14
Day 2: Thursday, October 22 Day 10: Thursday, November 19
Day 3: Saturday, October 24 Day 11: Saturday, November 21
Day 4: Thursday, October 29 Skip Thanksgiving Week
Day 5: Saturday, October 31 Day 12: Thursday, December 3
Day 6: Thursday, November 5 Day 13: Saturday, December 5
Day 7: Saturday, November 7 Day 14: Thursday, December 10
Day 8: Thursday, November 12
Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith
Welcome to Wednesday! It’s great to be with you mid-week in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re continuing our series entitled “Rise Again”. The messages of the month are based in the “four pillars” of our Spring Valley vision of ministry: “Creating Compelling Worship”, “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith”, “Building Bridges of Harmony and Care with our Community and World”, and “Growing Deeper in Discipleship”.
Last Sunday we focused on “Creating Compelling Worship”. Psalm 96 helped us understand that our worship is based in the greatness of God and so God is greatly to be praised. Our one hour in the church is our time in the sanctuary of God’s mercy and majesty. Here we have opportunity to give God the glory honor and praise through our singing, our praying, and our active listening and practically applying Scripture. In the midst of this “one hour weekly spiritual workout” God works, softening our hearts to all of God’s ways and strengthening our witness so we can live God’s ways in our weekday world. That is the blessing and gift of worship God gives.
This Sunday we move to our “second pillar”, “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith”. Our Scripture is Deuteronomy 6:4-9. In Judaism this is called the “Shema”. “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might.”
The Shema is the basis of morning and evening prayer for Jewish households. As such it is a foundation of faith for families. As we think about “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith” we would turn to the “Shema” to see how it would strengthen our faith as well.
The entire text of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is: 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.[a] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem[b] on your forehead, 9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Today we look for a logic that runs through the text. What are the “deeper threads” that weave through this passage and advance the thought of the writer?
For me this text holds together two great loves. One is a love for God --- Love the Lord your God. The second is our love for our children (in our families, our church family, and all God’s family).
Verses 4-5 speak of the love for God. The Lord is our God. The Lord is our God, the One and Only. In that relationship we are invited to embrace God with love. We are encouraged to love our One and Only God with all we’ve got – heart, soul and strength. The Shema calls us to love God passionately, deeply and actively.
Verse 6 summons us to live out that love in a practical way. The reference to “keep the words I am commanding you today” points to the preceding chapter of Deuteronomy where God gives the Ten Commandments to the people. They are not seen as ten, separate, stand alone rules but rather as a way of life (a path of life) that allows the faithful live out their love for God in daily practice. Taken together these “Top Ten” express a love for God and a love for neighbor that is a way of life.
The Shema doesn’t stop with loving God. It couples this love of God with our second greatest love, our love for our children. We are to teach this love of God, this pathway of life, to our children. “Recite”, “Talk about them”, “Bind them”, “Post them” – daily life is fertile “teaching ground” for opening the eyes and hearts of our children to the ways of God shown in the Commandments and how this pathway of life can be lived out in the world.
As we think about “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith” the Shema is at the heart of our prayers for our children, our church and our ministry. We want the love of God that we know in Jesus Christ our Lord, that One and Only Love that is greater than all loves, be at the center of what we live with our children and the legacy we leave in their lives.
With that thought, I invite you to enter today in the embrace of the love of God in Christ, and live that blessing with all God’s children!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You that You are God Alone. You are our One and Only, who loves us more than we love ourselves and even more that Your life itself, as we witnessed on Your Cross. In that great love let us love You with all we are and all we’ve got. And let us embrace our children with that same love so that they may grow to have that same heart in Your grace. This is our prayer in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Rise Again with a New Song.
Greetings! It’s good to be with you on this Friday.
As you know we’ve begun a new series, “Rise Again”. It’s not only our new series title, it’s also our stewardship emphasis. Both the series and the emphasis call us to embrace the uplifting grace of Jesus Christ. We are encouraged to let the resurrection of our Lord inspire and empower us as we rise into the ministries ahead in the next month and the coming year.
The series will be built around our four “pillars” of ministry at Spring Valley: “Creating Compelling Worship”, “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith”, “Building Bridges of Harmony and Care with our Community and World”, and “Growing Deeper in Discipleship”. Each week of October we’ll be centering on one of these focus areas and exploring how it contributes to helping our church rise again in our ministry with Jesus Christ.
This week we’ll begin with worship. Our title is “Rise Again with a New Song”. Our Scripture is Psalm 96.
As you know Thursday is a highlight of our creative process. It’s when we gather our notes, revisit our reflections, lift up a prayer for God’s guidance and seek to discern a message for Sunday.
Here are my talking points:
We’ve all used the expression, “same song, second verse”. Usually we say that when we are tired of hearing what someone is saying. They need to “change their tune”.
We may also say it about ourselves when we know that we need something different in our lives, when we need to “sing a new song”. The Psalmist opens our eyes on how worship brings that blessing to us.
Psalm 96 begins with a summons - “sing to the Lord a new song”. Shout aloud to the God of our salvation. God is great and greatly to be praised. Our worship is grounded in this “greatness of God”.
The psalmist says our God stands over and above all other gods. Everything else we can’t live without, love more than anything else, or center our lives around, God puts all of these in their proper perspective.
God is Spirit and God is Truth. And so the sanctuary we enter for worship is not one of brick and mortar but of spiritual splendor, beauty and majesty. And the offering of worship we bring is one of praise, honor and glory. This is our work of worship – to glorify God- by our participation in song, prayer and active listening. This is what we bring and give to God each week.
Even as we do our “work of worship” we are in God’s workshop. God uses worship to soften hearts, heal hurts, forgive sins, open minds, change perspectives, strengthen wills, and embolden courage.
Through worship God opens us to God’s Kingdom view of the world. It is a vision where God sets all things right. It is a world where all people stand equally in and under the justice, righteousness and truth of God. God works through worship to equip and empower our witness with this vision. God uses worship to give us a “new song”.
And then God calls us to rise from worship and go to the world and sing our new song. The world so needs to hear it! Worship on Sunday strengthens us for witness on Monday through Saturday.
Yes, through worship we are invited to “sing a new song” because God has done marvelous things!
This is my outline. Of course it will be expanded for Sunday.
What are your thoughts? What sermon is the Lord giving you?
I’m glad that we’ve had this week together to focus on Psalm 96. I look forward to being with you on Sunday as we unite in worship and “sing a new song” together, all to the glory of God.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the blessing of this week. You are a great God and greatly to be praised. Thank You for giving us the gift of worship. Thank You for the ways worship fills our hearts with a “new song”. Thank You for how we can live out worship in witness. Lord, let our praise always rise to you whether on Sunday or throughout the week, all to Your glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Rise Again!
Good morning! I’m glad to be with you on this Tuesday in the Pastor’s Workshop. And I’m sorry I missed being with you yesterday. It was a busy, busy day.
This week we’re beginning a new series, “Rise Again!” It builds on our last series, “Ready to Reopen?” In that series we talked about “Recovering our Confidence”, “Reassuring our Doubts” and “Rallying to our Call”. As we recover, are reassured and rally, rising again is a next step. Rising again relies on the resurrection of the Christ and builds that uplifting grace into our lives.
As we “Rise Again” we’ll structure this series around the four focal points at the heart of our ministry at Spring Valley. These four key areas are “Creating Compelling Worship”, “Raising Up the Next Generation in Faith”, “Building Bridges of Harmony and Care with our Community and World”, and “Growing Deeper in Discipleship”.
We start our series with a message on “compelling worship”. It’s entitled “Rising Again with a New Song”. The Scripture for this message is Psalm 96, “O sing to the Lord a new song!”
On Tuesdays we look at the structure of the text. We experience the “flow” of the passage. We seek to discern how the main idea develops through the verses.
So how does Psalm 96 invite us to “sing a new song”? Here’s my interpretation.
· Sing to the Lord a new song, join together with everyone on earth. Sing and bless God’s name! (vs. 1-2a)
· Shout for the Lord, celebrate God’s salvation and praise God in front of everyone! (vs. 2b-3)
· Because God is great, above all gods. All the rest are “knock offs” made by human hands, but our God is our Creator not of our creation. (vs.4-5)
· God’s sanctuary is honor and majesty, strength and beauty. That’s where God “resides”. (vs.6)
· So when we come to church, (when we “come into his courts”) we bring our offering of worship. We focus on God and bring our heartfelt praise to the Lord in song, prayer and by embracing God’s Word as our way. By honoring and revering God in worship we open ourselves to the uplifting blessing of God grace. (vs. 7-9)
· Worship is the way I say, ‘The Lord is in charge of my life’. (vs.10a)
· God’s in charge of my life, because God is in charge of all. God sets the foundation for life. God makes the rules of life. (vs. 10b)
· In God’s rule of right all people are embraced with “equity”. There is no partiality. The God who created all in God’s image (the “imago dei” in us all), is at work upholding the inherent dignity of our “God created”, common humanity. (vs. 10b)
· So all the universe is singing, the heavens and the earth, the seas and the fields…singing beautiful praise of God’s glory. (vs. 11-12)
· And worship in this Spirit and Truth, awakens us to the hope that the Lord is coming! Worship opens our eyes to a “Preferred Future”, a future where God makes all things right and a future where all people live in the light of God’s truth. (vs. 13)
· As we come to church with this intent, to actively worship with this spirit of glorifying God, and with this hope, that in God’s world God’s right is supreme and human dignity is upheld, then we will find ourselves “singing a new song”.
· Our “new song” will make each day a “new day” in God’s love in Jesus Christ.
That’s how I paraphrase this Scripture. That’s how I trace the call to “sing to the Lord a new song” through our text. That’s the truth I’ll seek to encompass as I write, “Rise Again with a New Song”.
I’d invite you to paraphrase this beautiful Psalm for yourself. See how the Spirit would speak in a special way to you through this Scripture.
As I conclude today I want to take a moment of personal privilege.
I ‘m so grateful to all of you who have been with me in the Pastor’s Workshop day in and day out throughout the entire Covid season. It has been a journey for sure. I’m so thankful we have been partners throughout this season.
Sometimes people wonder how the pastor writes a sermon. Now you know – at least how I “make the sausage”. And I’m thankful that along the way I could encourage you to do some of your “own cooking”.
I’m hopeful as we did this that the blog helped you to prepare for worship. If you’re like me getting a preview of what’s to come helps me to better focus. My prayer is that the blog helped make your time of worship more meaningful.
As we emerge from the Covid season and get “Ready to Reopen” I’m finding myself caught up again in all the fullness of ministry. As I said in my opening, it has been busy, busy, busy.
Because of this development I’m going to be “dialing back” my blogging. I will be posting probably two days a week – I’m hoping Tuesday and Thursday. I’m also hoping that this new schedule will accomplish the same purposes of staying connected, studying the Scripture, and preparing for worship that we sought for in our five day a week schedule.
Again, I’m thankful to you and to God for all the good time we’ve spent together. I look forward to developing many more good messages with you In the years to come.
With that I’ll sign off and see you on Thursday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the blessing of worship. Thank You for the ways it “tunes my heart to sing your grace”. Thank You for how You Spirit teaches me a “new song”. Thank You also for time together in the Pastor’s Workshop. It has been a blessing. In these gifts of Your grace, we lift up our praise in Jesus’ name. Amen
Halloween Music Fest & Trunk or Treat
A fun, free, safe event for the whole family! The program this year will include (slightly) scary music for the holiday played outside on the church parking lot on a keyboard with symphonic sounds. John Tarver, organist for Spring Valley UMC will be performing.
Following the short musical program, bags of treats for all the kids will be distributed in a drive-by parade, with candy also given to walk-up attendees.
Decorate your cars, wear your costumes! Let’s all have a fun evening at -
Spring Valley United Methodist Church, 7700 Spring Valley Road, Dallas, between Hillcrest and Coit
October 31, 2020; concert at 6:00 – parade of cars and candy distribution follows
Everyone is welcome...all ages!
Prepare with Prayer
Grace and peace on this Saturday! I’m glad to finish the week with you in the Pastor’s Workshop.
We’re not only finishing the week, we’re also finishing the series, “Ready to Reopen?” We’re asking the question facing so many. We’re seeking to be guided by our faith as we discern an answer.
Our series has been based on the Book of Judges, Chapters 6 and 7. We’ve followed the story of Gideon and the “reopening” of ancient Israel as we consider our own reopening.
In week one we were invited to “Recover our Confidence”. In week two we were “Reassured in our Doubts”. This week we rise to a “Rally Cry” that leads us forward as we seek to answer the question, “Are we ready to reopen?” faithfully, wisely and well.
The rally cry that comes to us from our text is “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon” (verse 20). The New King James version translates this cry, “A sword of the Lord and of Gideon”.
I like both translations. “A Sword for the Lord…” clarifies and crystalizes whose purpose we are seeking to advance. We are “A Church for the Lord…” At the same time we are “A Church of the Lord…”. We know “the battle belongs to the Lord”. It’s only in Christ’s love that we can be “more than conquerors” as we seek to move forward together in answering the question, “Are we ready to reopen?”
On Saturday we get ready for worship. We prepare with prayer. What would be your prayers for our worship tomorrow? Particularly as you think about the rally cry, “A Church for the Lord and for Christ’s Kingdom Love” what would be your prayers?
Here are a few of mine:
· I pray as a church we will find our confidence in the Covenant we share with God in Christ and in the Commission Jesus Christ gives us as we seek to move forward in faith, answering the question, “Are we ready to reopen?”
· I pray as we think about our rally cry, “A Church for the Lord and for Christ’ Kingdom love “this cry would unify, fortify and mobilize us as we seek to move forward.
· I pray as we think about our rally cry as “A Church of the Lord and of Christ’s Kingdom love” we know “the battle belongs to the Lord”.
· I pray as we answer the question, “Ready to Reopen?” we would do so wisely and well, unified, fortified and mobilized in the “Rally Cry” of God’s grace.
These are a few of my prayers. What are your prayers for yourself and our church as we move forward in these days?
I encourage you to enjoy and be blessed by your time of prayer. I know as you open your heart and mind in faith to the Lord, God will answer and strengthen in grace.
In that faith, I join you in prayer today and look forward to being with you tomorrow in the Master’s Workshop of worship.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the blessing of this last week. Thank You for the way You rally us to Your Kingdom plans and purposes by Your Spirit. Keep us ever mindful and always faithful to the future You have for us. Lead us forward in Your Lordship to and for Your glory. In Jesus’ holy name we pray. Amen
A Battle Cry.
Good day! It’s a joy to be with you on this Thursday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
On Thursday we “put it all together”. We gather our thoughts and reflections, notes and writings and put it all to prayer. We ask for God’s creative Spirit to guide us into a message that blesses our hearers and grows us in Christ’s grace.
To that end, what would your message be for this week? What sermon would you bring on Sunday?
Here are my talking points:
Throughout American history there have been a number of great Battle Cries. From the militias of the American Revolution, “Liberty or Death”. From the Texans in the War of Independence from Mexico, “Remember the Alamo”. Most recently from 9-11 (as popularized by “Flight 93”), “Let’s Roll”.
Battle cries rally the troops. They unify the forces. They inspire bravery. They mobilize for action.
And Gideon needed all of this as he went into battle in the Scripture. As we have seen previously, the Midianite army, the enemy, was a dominating power. They were “as many as locusts”. They subjugated Israel for seven years. They quashed any uprisings.
The Israelites were crushed in every way. They were hiding in the hills for protection. They were not able to rise up without violent repercussions.
They cried to the Lord and God sent a prophet to remind them of the Covenant they shared. Then God sent an angel to commission Gideon to be a “Mighty Warrior” and lead the people to freedom.
Gideon In no way considered himself a “Mighty Warrior”. He described himself as the weakest of the meekest. He had all kinds of hesitations, reservations, doubts and fears. He tested God with a sacrifice and tried God with fleeces. He did everything he could to dissuade God from using him. As a leader he was suspect at best.
And even once he assumed command, the odds continued to stack up against Gideon. God “sifted” his army from 22,000 to 300. Those enlisted lapped water from a stream like a dog – face down and not alert to anything incoming. Then these soldiers were equipped with torches and trumpets, not swords and spears.
The whole point is everything is going against Gideon and his army. If you were to bet on the battle, wager on the Midianites. The Israelites were outmanned, under trained, and ill equipped. It had all the makings of a massacre.
What they needed was a good battle cry, a resounding rally cry. God and Gideon gave them one, “For the Lord and for Gideon” (verse 18).
As the battle occurred you watched a miracle unfold. The Israelites relied on surprise, shock and awe. The Midianites were thrown into chaos, panic and a wild striking out at anyone (which happened to be other Midianite soldiers). The Israelites prevailed.
As you witness the scene you realize the victory ultimately wasn’t a matter of strategy or bravery. The battle was about who they were fighting for, “For the Lord and for Gideon”.
But even more, it was about who was fighting for them! The battle belonged to the Lord. As the prophet Zechariah said, “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord!”
Over the last six months, we’ve known what it’s like to be in a “battle” with the pandemic. We’ve known what it’s been like to be “underdogs” in that struggle. It seemed the virus always had the upper hand.
And we’re not quite sure what’s ahead. As think about what it means to “Reopen” we still have lots of questions, doubts and fears.
We know we need to “Recover our Confidence”. We’re clear we need to “Reassure our Doubts”. We look to be bolstered in our bravery. We need a “battle cry”, a “rally cry” that unifies, energizes and mobilizes.
But more than that we need a “Rally Cry” to remind us, the battle is ultimately not ours. The battle belongs to the Lord. When you say or pray, “For the Lord and for _______ (insert your name here)” you make a connection that strengthens your spirit and fills you with hope.
This is the direction of my message for Sunday. As always it will be expanded and enhanced with details and deeper discussion.
What are your thoughts? What have you discerned as a light God has offered you through this text? As always, “Make sure you write down your message”. It’s a gift of God specifically to you.
I’ll let you get to work. Blessings as you write.
And I look forward to seeing you again Saturday as we prepare with prayer in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You that in all our struggles You are our strength. Thank You for the ways we remind ourselves of that truth and immerse ourselves in that grace. Let us know that whatever “fight we face” the battle ultimately belongs to You. Let us find our strength and hope in You so we can continue to rise up and move forward into Your future. This we pray in the name of the One “through whom we are more than conquerors”, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Mighty Warrior
Welcome to Wednesday! It’s a blessing to be with you in the Pastor’s Workshop today.
This week we’re concluding our series, “Ready to Reopen?” with a message entitled “Rally Cry”. It’s based on the story of Gideon in Judges 7:15-23.
On Wednesday in the workshop we explore the historical context of the text. Knowing the original settings of a Scripture can provide greater insights into a passage. We also look at contrasts present in a text. Sometimes these internal “dynamic tensions” deepen our understanding of an author‘s intentions.
Since this is our third week in the story of Gideon we’ve already investigated the historical context of this passage (See the blogs from September 9 and 16). Today we’ll look at contrasts present in the character of Gideon found in this Scripture. The transition in his attitude and confidence witnesses to God’s working in his life.
In chapter 6 Gideon was cowardly.
· He was threshing wheat in the winepress.
· God called him to free Israel and he responded that he was the least member in the weakest clan of Israel.
· He tested the angel of the Lord with a sacrificial offering.
· He “tried” God by setting out “fleeces” twice.
· He snuck down to spy on the Midianite camp and overheard conversation between sentries. They spoke of a dream foretelling Israel’s victory.
There is a profound change in Gideon beginning in Chapter 7, verse 15. “When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshipped…” That experience of worship was a turning point for him.
After that worship notice his leadership. The Scripture says:
· “ he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Get up; for the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hand.”
· he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars,
· he said to them, “Look at me, and do the same; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets around the whole camp,
· and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
· 19 So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch;
· and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 20 So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow;
· and they cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
· 21 Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled.
· 23 And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after the Midianites.
The “before” and “after” change in Gideon is profound. All the verbs are “take charge” and “move ahead”. He has become the “Mighty Warrior” God first called him to be.
As readers we note this change. And then we focus on the pivot point. Again, for Gideon this occurred when he worshipped God. I pray worship would allow that same transformational opportunity for us. I pray we can come in vulnerable and rise up strong.
In that blessing of faith, I’ll let you continue to consider this text and its message for you.
And I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow In the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, we thank You that You are with us in every moment of our lives. Not only are You with us, but You are with us to make a difference. You are with us so that we can grow in Your grace and become strong in Your Spirit. Guide us through this Scripture and bless us through our worship each Sunday. Let us become “mighty warriors of witness” for You. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
The Battle Belongs to the Lord.
Morning! It’s good to be together on this Tuesday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re finishing up our series, “Ready to Reopen?” As we answer that question our first message focused on “Recovering our Confidence”. Our second sermon invited us to “Reassure our Doubts”. Our third sermon is entitled “Rally Cry”.
The text for this message comes from the Book of Judges, Chapter 7:15-23. This Scripture centers on Gideon’s battle.
On Tuesdays in the Workshop we “dive deeper” into our passage. We look for a “thread of logic” that unites the elements of our text. We search for an underlying emphasis being expressed.
As we examine these particular verses we need to see them in light of the whole story of Gideon. Knowing Chapter 6 and the first part of Chapter 7 makes this text “come alive”.
Here’s the background. Chapter 6 opens with the overwhelming oppression of the Midianites (6:1-6). Israel cries to the Lord and God reminds them of their Covenant (6:7-10), and calls and commissions Gideon (6:11-12). Gideon has hesitations and reservations (6:13-40). In Chapter 7 God “sifts” Gideon’s army from 22,000 to 300. The enormity of the Midianite army is described (“thick as locusts”). God reveals to Gideon a dream for victory. Gideon arms his troops with “trumpets and torches”.
As you read this context it’s clear that Gideon’s army was outmanned, under trained, and ill equipped. Their captain (Gideon) came from a place of being unsure, unconvinced and unconfident. On paper the odds were not good. It looked for sure like a massacre in the making.
And then we read Gideon’s rally cry, the battle cry. Verse 18 lifts it up, “For the Lord and for Gideon”. Verse 20 echoes the cry, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon”.
A battle cry rallies the troops. It unifies your forces. It inspires bravery. It mobilizes to action. “For the Lord and for Gideon”. This is who they were fighting for … their Commander and their captain.
After the battle cry is given the battle unfolds. The battle plan relies on a huge element of surprise. Gideon’s 300 sneak up in the middle of the night, at the changing of the guard. They light their torches so the flames will flare and they blow their trumpets with all their might.
The battle plan works! Surprise, shock and awe are successful. The Midianite army is totally confused and panicked. In their pandemonium they turn their swords on each other. And then they run for the hills, literally.
As you watch the battle progress you realize the rally cry was not really about whom Gideon’s army was fighting for. It was about who was fighting for them. The rally cry was a cry of faith. The battle belonged to the Lord.
The “Battle belongs to the Lord” is a common rally cry throughout the Scripture. Zechariah puts it this way, “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord”. What Gideon’s rally cry (“For the Lord and for Gideon”) does is unify the troops, instill bravery, mobilize to action and also draw on the strength of God’s Spirit in the midst of the conflict.
This is a great lesson for all of us in the battles and conflicts of our lives. In faith, as we lean upon the Lord, we can know that the battle ultimately does “belong to the Lord” and it is “not by might nor by power but by God’s Spirit” that victory is won.
I invite you to consider that thought as you go forward in this day. I pray it will provide you the confidence it did for Gideon and his forces.
In that blessing I’ll look forward to joining you again tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, in the struggles of our lives, when we feel overmatched and under equipped for what is ahead, let us remember Gideon’s rally cry, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon’ and the faith it voices. Let us claim that cry as our own so we know the strength it brings through your Spirit. This we pray In Jesus’ name. Amen
Rally Cry.
Greetings on this Monday! It’s good to start the week and the fall together in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re concluding our series, “Ready to Reopen?” We’ve been considering a question on the hearts and minds of many across our county, in our community and at our church. What do we need to do to ready ourselves to reopen wisely and well? As we saw there are no definitive answers, but differing answers depending on who you talk with. At the same time there are some “common denominators” underlying all considerations. We have sought to bring these forward in this series.
This set of messages has been based on the story of Gideon, from the Book of Judges, chapters 6 and 7. This Biblical account narrates the “reopening of Israel” from the oppression of the Midianites.
Our first two messages were, “Recover Your Confidence” and “Reassure Your Doubts”. “Recover Your Confidence” focused on the importance of having confidence as we begin to face into the question, “Are we ready to reopen?” The sermon noted how fear can cloud thinking as we consider this important step. We saw how faith calls us to remember the covenant we share with God and the commission God gives us to serve, as we work through our thought process.
In our second message, “Reassure Your Doubts”, we owned that when we consider taking major steps as individuals or as a church in following God we often have hesitations and reservations. These are common, normal and OK. God accepts us in our fears and reassures us in our doubts so we can move forward in faith into the future God has for us.
This week we’ll be looking at a highpoint in the story of Gideon. After recovering his confidence and reassuring his doubts, Gideon gave his troops a rally cry, “For the Lord and for Gideon!” When they made their surprise attack they cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”
Our text this week will be Judges 7:15-23. This is the account of the battle with the Midianities. As you read it you see the “hand of God” at work in a mighty way. As it says in Zechariah, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.” That is the truth on display. Here is our text:
15 When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Get up; for the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hand.” 16 After he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, 17 he said to them, “Look at me, and do the same; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets around the whole camp, and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”
19 So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 20 So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow; and they cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled. 22 When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah,[a] as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after the Midianites.
As God works triumphantly in this account what roll does the “rally cry” play in the victory? What roll might a “rally cry” serve in our current circumstances? What might it be?
On Monday we immerse ourselves in the Scripture. As we read and re-read, write and re-write from multiple translations and paraphrases. We seek to hear how the Spirit would speak to us through this word of the Scripture as a Word of God today.
There’s lots to do, so I’ll let you get to it! May God bless you in your study.
I’ll see you tomorrow In the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the beginning of a new week and a new message. We pray Your Spirit guide us as we read, listen and discern. Help us to hear Your holy Word so that we might follow in Your life giving ways. These we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Prepare with Prayer
Grace and peace on this good Saturday. I'm glad and grateful we can finish the week together in the Pastor's Workshop.
This week we've developed a message entitled, "Ready to Reopen? Reassure Your Doubts." Scripturally it draws from the story of Gideon in Judges 6:14-21, 36-40. Existentially it explores the question and struggle our society and each of us personally is facing "Are we ready/ am I ready to Reopen?"
The message affirms that how we approach this core question is very different for each of us. Some are ready to "dive right in" and "reopen right now." Others are not so sure. There are hesitations, reservations, doubts and fears.
Knowing that God's man, Gideon, experienced all this and more, helps us realize this struggle is common, normal, human and OK. But more than that, as we look to the Scripture we see how God was with Gideon, "walking with him" through his struggle. God was patient, persistent and persevering in guiding Gideon along and growing Gideon up. Through answered prayer, encouraging conversation, successful trials, confirming signs and emerging vision God ministered to Gideon. Gideon was able to go from being fearful to embracing the commission and the future God had for him. God will minister that same "Blessed Reassurance" with us as we move forward in our own "journeys of faith."
Knowing that this is our message, what would be our prayers? How would you and I pray that gift of "blessed reassurance" for every one who hears this message? Moreover, what would we pray for our congregation, community and country as we move through these days of answering this question?
Here are a few of my prayers:
I pray we would embrace our hesitations, reservations, doubts and fears as normal and natural. We would not be afraid of our fears.
I pray we would trust these to God, knowing we live in covenant relationship with God who is Lord of all.
I pray that we would know God will lead us and grow us through this time. As we pray there will be answers. As we have conversations with friends there will be encouragement. As we conduct our own "trials" there will be successes. As we look for signs there will be confirmations.
I pray that as we have our doubts reassured we will experience a growing confidence in our hearts and minds about how we can approach the question, "Are we ready to reopen?"
I pray our community and country can begin to come together and work together on answering this question wisely and well.
These are a few of my prayers this week. What are yours? I encourage you to jot them down in your journal. As you record your prayers, you can also look back later and see how God answered your prayer and how you grew in your faith.
Saturday is a day to "prepare with prayer." So I'll let you get to it. Saturday is also a Sabbath day - a day of "different rhythms" from Monday-Friday, and a day of rest. I pray you know some of each today.
In that blessing, I'm glad we shared this time together today. I look forward to being with you tomorrow in the Master's Workshop as we join in worship.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Sabbath and the blessing of prayer. Thank You that as we claim these mercies You would reassure our doubts and refresh our hearts. Let us not only know this grace today, but let us also share it with others, our family and friends. Let us do so in ways that reveal Your goodness and glory. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen
In Christ,
Paul
God calls us to follow.
It’s good to be together on this Thursday. I’m glad we can “head into the homestretch” in our time of preparation In the Pastor’s Workshop.
Today we “pray” and “put it all together”. We look at all our notes from Monday – Wednesday. We are open to a creative moving of the Spirit. And we write and write and write (we write it out!).
As you know the title for our message is “Ready to Reopen? Reassure Your Doubts”. Our Scripture text is from the story of Gideon in the Old Testament, Judges 6:14-21, 36-40. These are famous verses about “the fleece” and Gideon testing God.
As we have done our work, here are talking points emerging for me for Sunday.
God calls all of us to “Follow”. Following is part of our faith.
How we do that varies greatly. Some “dive right in”. They “take the plunge”. There is nothing that seems to hold them back. The first disciples who responded to Jesus’ call to follow are a great example. It says in the Scriptures, these fishermen left their nets immediately when Jesus called and followed him.
And then there are others, like Gideon, where God calls and they have reservations, hesitations, doubts and fears. God calls and they make up excuses and set up tests for God before they’ll move ahead.
In this Scripture God called Gideon to be a “Mighty Warrior”. He was to liberate the Israelites from the Midianites. Gideon’s response was to test God four times.
Instead of getting perturbed, God was patient and persistent. God worked with Gideon, guiding him and growing him through these tests. God was doing important “internal” work with Gideon. God provided an encouraging word, an answered prayer, a “successful trial”, and even a “confirmation” so Gideon would know God was with him. God was reassuring Gideon’s doubts so Gideon could step forward with confidence and engage the challenge of God’s commission.
Gideon is not alone. In my own experience I have known doubts and reservations when God has called me to follow. I have also seen how God reassures doubts. I have heard the same witness from others as they have spoken of answered prayers, encouraging words and confirming experiences that reassured their fears.
As we consider our guiding question, “Are we ready to reopen?”, there are some who are ready to “dive right in”, “take the plunge”, and “get with it”. Then there are others who have reservations and hesitations.
The Scripture lets us know that having doubts and fears is OK. It’s common, normal and part of being human. God works with us at those places in our lives, doing internal work, which readies us for whatever answer, whatever future God is leading us into.
There’s a “Blessed Assurance” and there’s a “Blessed Reassurance”. I’m glad God gives both gifts of grace as we seek to follow faithfully.
This is the outline for my message. As always there will be enhancements and enrichments, additional illustrations and developments to “fill out” the message.
What are your “talking points”? Sometimes if you jot down 5-7 “bullet points” you would say, it will help solidify the message God is speaking to you. I would always encourage you to journal these. Journaling the Scripture is a great habit that will grow you in your faith.
Over the next few days we’ll have time to review our message. Make sure to do that. Think about how your message will be received by your hearers. Are there changes you can make so your message will be clearer, cleaner, and more accessible to your hearers?
I’m grateful for this time of reflection. And I’m thankful for our prayer time on Saturday. With both those blessings in mind, I’ll let you get to work and pray God’s creating guidance with you.
And I look forward to joining with you again on Saturday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for this day and this week. Thank you for the Scripture and Your creative Spirit moving through Your Word. Thank You for Your call to follow in faith. And thank You for the reassurance You provide which strengthens us in our fears and guides us into Your future. In these gifts of Your grace we lift up this prayer, in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
A God Who Reassures.
Welcome to Wednesday! It’s a blessing to be with you today in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Since this is midweek, we’re well along in our creative process towards Sunday’s message. We’ve submerged ourselves in the Scripture. We’ve looked for an underlying logic in the passage. Today we think about context and contrast. What was the world into which the Word was spoken? How is it like our world today? What situation in the human condition does the Scripture speak into? How do we see that same situation in our lives?
Our message for this week is “Ready to Reopen? Reassure Your Doubts”. It is based in the second half of Judges 6, verses 14-21, 36-40.
As we studied last week, this Scripture comes from a period of history when the Israelites were establishing themselves in Canaan. They considered it their Promised Land from God. As the Book of Joshua notes there were already people in the land. And as the Book of Judges reflects the relationship between these neighboring tribes and Israel was contentious.
Particularly in our story of Gideon, the Midianites, who were a tribe to the east and south of Israel, had risen up, “prevailed against” and oppressed the Israelites. This oppression went on for seven years, a “full season” in Biblical parlance. In this Scripture the whole notion of “Reopening” is about liberation from this foreign domination and regaining freedom.
The Israelites adapted to this subjugation by hiding in the mountains. The caves were their strongholds. Every time they tried to rise up, plant crops, and to get back to “normal”, the Midianites rose up even more, to quash any uprising.
It was in this actively oppressive situation God called Gideon to be a “mighty warrior”. He was to be God’s leader in liberating the people. Judges 6 highlights not only God’s call, but also Gideon’s response.
As we noted yesterday in the Workshop, there is an explicit interplay in this Scripture between God’s call and Gideon’s fear. Gideon “tests God” to see if it is really God talking to him, to see if God will give him a sign showing God is serious, and to see if God will be true to God’s word. With each “fleece”, each test and trial, God moves Gideon forward step by step , overcoming his fears so that in faith he can live into the commission God has given him. Gaining victory Gideon’s internal “battle” is critical to Gideon advancing into engaging in God’s commission.
Following God can hold that same dynamic for us. God’s commission can stretch us beyond our “comfort zones”. We can find we have hesitations, reservations, doubts and fears. We need to address and overcome these before we can fully embrace what God has for us. This Scripture proclaims we have a God who is with us every step of the way, as we make our “internal journey” so we can also step into fulfilling the call God has given us to share and show God’s love in Christ.
I’m grateful we have a God who reassures. In that blessing I invite us to consider our guiding question, “Are we ready to reopen?” I encourage us to be aware of our hesitations, doubts, and fears, knowing they are natural, normal and OK. And then I call us to trust these to God, just as Gideon did, in ways God can answer our prayers, encourage our hearts, enlighten our minds and inspire our spirits as we move forward wisely and well into the mission God has for us to accomplish in this season.
Trusting in that grace, I’m glad we had this time today and I look forward to being with you tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, there are times in our lives as people of faith that we don’t “dive right in” as we follow You. We have reservations, doubts and fears. By Your grace You would go with us through these and grow us through these. Thank you for Your Reassurance that blesses us as we seek to walk in Your paths. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Reassure Your Doubts.
Greetings on this Tuesday! Good to be with you in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re preaching the second message in our series entitled, “Ready to Reopen?” It’s based on the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7.
Our first message “Recover Your Confidence” encouraged us to not be afraid to consider this guiding question, “Are we ready to reopen?” Instead we were invited to be open to entertaining what it would mean to reopen, knowing that we can do so wisely and well. The Scripture highlighted that confidence is found in the covenant relationship we share with God and through the commission God gives us to be about God’s work in our world.
Our second message is entitled “Reassure Your Doubts”. Just because we are encouraged to be confident doesn’t mean that we won’t have doubts, questions and fears. In Scripture for this week Judges 6:14-21, 36-40 we see Gideon had all of those.
On Tuesday we look for an underlying logic in the Scripture. The whole notion of having doubt about God’s leading is all through this Scripture. At the same time God’s reassurance runs continuously in the text.
In verse 15 Gideon asks, “How can I save Israel?” God answers in verse 16, “I will be with you.”
In verse 17 Gideon says, “If I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that I may know it is really you talking to me.” Gideon brings an offering of a sacrificial meal to the angel. And in verse 21 the angel “consumes” Gideon’s offering in a flash of fire.
In verse 36-37 Gideon says to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have said, look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” In verse 38 God sends so much dew that Gideon wrings out a bowlful of water.
In verse 39 Gideon says to God, “Do not angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece…” This time the test is that the fleece is dry and the ground is to be covered with dew. In verse 40 it says, “That night God did so.”
In each of the four “tests” Gideon seeks reassurance. And God patiently provides it every time.
For me there is great grace in this Scripture. Sometimes following God’s leading in life is challenging and hard. It stretches us. We question. We need a “fleece” to know we’re on the right track. We need a sign to go forward.
And God provides. Maybe the sign is an answered prayer. Maybe it’s a word of encouragement that really touches your heart. Maybe it’s a successful experience. Maybe it’s a meaningful learning. There are many ways God provides reassurance we need to keep us moving forward in faith.
As you consider this text this week I invite you to think about signs God has given you that have encouraged you in your walk of faith. There is not only a “Blessed Assurance” (as the hymn says) there is also a “Blessed Reassurance”.
In that faith I’ll let you get to remembering and reflecting. As you do I invite you to write down your thoughts.
I’m grateful for our time today and I look forward to being with you tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for Your call to follow You in faith each day. We both know that some days are more challenging than others and sometimes we have doubts, questions and fears. At the same time we’re grateful for Your patience and reassurance that keeps us going forward. In that grace we give You thanks in Jesus’ name. Amen
The Story of Gideon.
Good morning on this Monday! It’s great to start the week with you in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Last week we began a new series, “Ready to Reopen?” It’s based on Judges 6 and 7. We looked into the question so many are asking, “Are we ready to reopen?”, through a perspective of faith using the story of Gideon.
Our opening message was entitled, “Ready to Reopen? Recover Your Confidence”. We explored how essential it is to have confidence as we begin to answer the question, “Are we ready to reopen?” As we looked into the Biblical narrative from Gideon we saw how we can gain confidence through remembering the Covenant we share with God (where God is the Lord) and recalling our Commission (where as God’s people we have God’s work to do in God’s world).
This week we’ll continue our journey in answering our guiding question. As we read the story of Gideon we see that recovering confidence is not as easy as it seems. Even when we remember the Covenant and recall our Commission we may still have questions, doubts and fears.
Gideon certainly did. To reassure his fears, Gideon needed signs from God. Our text this week is Judges 6:14-21, 36-40. It is a well known story about Gideon, God and “the fleeces”.
Judges 6:14-21
14 Then the Lord turned to him (Gideon) and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.” 15 He responded, “But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them.”
17 Then he said to him, “If now I have found favor with you, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Do not depart from here until I come to you, and bring out my present, and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay until you return.”
19 So Gideon went into his house and prepared a kid, and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the oak and presented them. 20 The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so.
21 Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.
Judges 6:36-40
36 Then Gideon said to God, “In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.
Read this text several times. Are there words or phrases that stand out for you? Read the passage using several translations or paraphrases (biblegateway.com). What captures your attention? How does this text stir your “holy curiosity and creativity”?
Since it’s Monday, it’s time to get started. I invite you to “jump on in”!
I look forward to what you’ll find. And I’ll see you tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the beginning of a new week. Thank you for the Scripture which is Your light of truth that guides us. Thank you for the ways that when we have questions, doubts and fears You have patience. We trust in Your reassurance as we move forward in faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Put It All To Prayer.
Grace and peace this fine Saturday. It’s good to end the week with you In the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’ve focused on recovering our confidence as we prepare to answer the question, “Ready to Reopen?” We’ve followed the story of Gideon as he started to recover his confidence by remembering the covenant he shared with God and receiving the commission God issued to him.
As we come to Saturday we’ve finished our writing. But our work is not done. To fully prepare for Sunday we have to “put it all to prayer”. To be set for tomorrow we have to ready both our minds and our hearts.
So what would be your prayers for our worship? Particularly as you think about this past six months with the Covid pandemic and the reopening preparations before us what are your prayers as we move ahead into the future God would be opening?
Here are a few of mine:
· I pray for all those who have been seriously impacted by this season with the Covid virus, particularly those who: have been ill, had loved ones ill, had loved ones pass away, lost jobs, lost financial security, had educational development seriously disrupted, had mental or emotional turmoil, or suffered any other debilitating effects in these past months.
· I pray for all who have known a “cloud of Covid”, a low grade depression and ongoing dis-ease that has been associated with this disease.
· I pray for all who have lost a feeling of freedom they once had, a sense of confidence they once knew about how they lived life.
· I pray for faith as we move forward in this season ahead, a faith that we can take steps, make progress, mitigate risk, and advance ministry thoughtfully and carefully, wisely and well.
· I pray that the covenant relationship we share with God would be a source of strength and assurance for us.
· I pray that the commission we receive from Christ to be doing God’s work in the world would inspire us beyond any “doldrums”, back into service that is appropriate for these days.
These are a few of my prayers. What are yours? Particularly as you think about the story of Gideon, the reopening of Israel and the reopening of our community and country what are you asking from God? What is God asking from you?
I’m glad we can share in this “preparation with prayer” today. I’ll let you get to your personal time with the Lord.
And I look forward to being with you tomorrow either at “Together at the Tower” or online in the Master’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, as we prepare to take steps which answer the question, “Are we ready to reopen?, guide us with your Spirit. Keep all safe in Your Care. Call us forward in Your Service. Help us to see the ways we can help one another through these uncertain days. In our covenant with You help us discover the confidence we need to re-engage in life with the sense of promise and hope that is of You. This we pray in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
Moving forward confidently.
Greetings! Good to be with you on this Thursday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Thursday is a “big” day. It’s the highlight of our creative process. We review our notes from Monday-Wednesday, our paraphrase and initial impressions of the Scripture, our understanding of the logic of the passage, and our view of the context into which the text speaks. We seek to discern a message in the midst of our reflections. Then we “write it out”.
This week we started a new series, “Ready to Reopen?” It comes as a question. It asks what so many are considering as we enter into the fall. Are we ready for all that is before us?
The Scriptural basis for our series is found in Judges 6 & 7. It’s the story of Gideon. It’s the account of the liberation of Israel from the oppression of the Midianites.
The specific focus for our message this week comes from Judges 6:1-16. It is the opening of the story of Gideon. It provides the setting for all that is about to unfold in the following chapters. As you read this passage the parallels between the circumstances of the Israelites and our modern situation is striking. As these two stories, ancient and current, overlap we hear words from the Scripture that hold guiding wisdom for us today.
Here are my talking points for Sunday.
The Covid pandemic has been a difficult season for us. There was the initial outbreak, the total shut down, the sheltering in place and the later resurgence of the virus. When you put all of this together it has had a powerful impact on our lives.
And that impact has had consequences measured in lives lost, livelihoods imperiled, educations disrupted, and general well being threatened. To use a phrase from Judges 6, we have been “greatly impoverished”.
This dark season has cast its own cloud over us. Perhaps one of the greatest “shadows” of this cloud is a crisis of confidence.
It is hard to move forward when we are uncertain and insecure about what’s ahead. And yet that is the position in which we find ourselves. And those are the circumstances into which this Scripture speaks.
As you “dive into” this Scripture the parallels between ancient Israel and modern America are striking. The Israelites were also “greatly impoverished”. They were oppressed, not by a pandemic, but by a neighboring tribe, the Midianites. The “sheltered in place”, in caves and strongholds in the mountains. Every time they tried to rise up and resume life as normal, the Midianites would crush them. They suffered. And in their suffering they cried out to God.
God answered their cries in two ways.
First, God sent a prophet to the people. The prophet reminded the people to remember the covenant they shared with God. God is the Lord. The Lord is in control and they are under God’s care. The Lord is a liberator. God is at work to free from oppression and restore to wholeness.
Second, God sent an angel to Gideon. Gideon was a man who was afraid, threshing wheat in a wine press. The angel greeted Gideon with a challenge. God wanted Gideon be a leader in the liberation God was about to work. Gideon didn’t see that potential in himself. Gideon had doubts, questions and fears. Yet God called and commissioned Gideon, not on the because of Gideon’s qualifications but because of God’s intentions. God’s commission summoned Gideon to be about God’s work in God’s world.
As we seek to recover our confidence and move forward faithfully these two truths guide us as well. We remember the covenant we share with God. We recall we are commissioned by Christ to do God’s work in our world. These truths will help us to embrace the future unfolding as we answer the question, “are we ready to reopen?”
These are my thoughts. They will be expanded and more fully developed for Sunday.
What is your message? How did the Spirit speak to your mind and heart through the word of the Scripture found in the story of Gideon? As always, it’s good to write down your thoughts. “Putting pen to paper” (or “strokes to keyboard”) is work that will bless you.
Now that we’ve done a draft, we let it “sit”. As it percolates our minds are still at work. This “space” allows for time for the message to sharpen. It’s an important part of the process and the final “product”.
I’m glad we had this time today. I hope as you work in your writing it will be an exercise in faith which will bless you. In that gift of grace, I’ll let you go to work. And I look forward to being with you on Saturday as we “prepare with prayer” in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the gift of reflection and writing. Thank You for the guidance of Your Spirit which leads us into fresh insights for living from the word of Your Scripture. Even as we come through this difficult season help us to move forward confidently, knowing that You are our Covenant God who has commissioned us to bring Your good news to Your world. In that blessing, we lift this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Backyard Worship Service
Families and students of all ages join us for our Backyard Worship . This will be an evening of Praise and Worship by Mason and a special Ministry Moment/Sermon by Mrs. Nancy. Mrs. Nancy is a renowned puppeteer in the DFW area.
We will have our special Children’s Worship Service under the trees and the Kona Ice Truck will be back.