Making Disciples

Posted on May 18, 2013 by David Nuottila

[Jesus said] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19

Yesterday during a workshop focusing on culture change in the church, this particular verse in Matthew’s gospel got a lot of air time. Specifically we talked about the command from our Lord to make disciples. Many in main line denominations have heard the call to make disciples, but sometimes I wonder if we indeed know how? When is the last time your church offered a “Making Disciples” class? If one were to take seriously Jesus’ call to make disciples, wouldn’t such a person need to first and foremost be a disciple of Jesus before taking on the task?

This is an area where I think church leaders, especially pastors should focus a little more effort (present company included). We need to get back to some basics of faith formation and Christian education. All too often the mantra in our main line churches seems to be “Don’t change a thing, just work harder.” This thinking totally misses the cultural shift happening all around us. Technology also plays a hand in changing the culture in which our church members live, especially those who are at the younger end of the spectrum.

So how do we become better at making disciples? Jesus says teach. Teach people to obey everything he commanded. Teach them to love God above all else. Teach them to love their neighbor as themselves. Teach them that even as we are all sinners, God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to take the sin of the world to the cross, offering his life as the atoning sacrifice.

Sound simple? Well, it might be, but it sometimes isn’t. In order to teach, we must first learn. We must continue to study the Holy Scriptures, the promises of God from long ago and the example Jesus set for us in his life. We must learn more of the struggles of the early Church, how they faced persecution and persevered in their faith. We must also learn how to share fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to lift one another up in times of trouble, and to celebrate the good things of God. And in those hard times when it seems too difficult, we need to remember Jesus’ parting words as recorded in Matthew; “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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You can’t always get what you want

Posted on May 10, 2013 by David Nuottila

???????????????????????????????[Jesus said] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

The Rolling Stones had a hit way back in 1969 that reminded people “You can’t always get what you want, but you get what you need.” I’m sure Mick Jagger and company didn’t exactly have Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in mind when they wrote this song, but the lyrics do have some truth to them.

Ours is a consumer driven society, one where lives are driven by competition, wants and desires. All too often we look for happiness in material goods, security in a well-rounded pay check, and love that keeps us immersed in such luxuries. We know what we want in order to live a complete life and we say we will do anything to get it. The difficulty is that none of these things are able to truly keep us happy. None of these items can satisfy our desires long enough that we feel we have what we need. One day we will want more.

When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, he preached to a crowd of people who lived under the oppression of an occupying government. They were a society that knew poverty all too well, yet they were also a people who looked to God to deliver them from their daily strife. Some of those who heard Jesus’ teaching believed that he just might be the one the prophets foretold of long ago; perhaps this Jesus was the Messiah of God. Certainly God’s anointed would free them from oppression, and usher in a time of peace and prosperity. However, the deliverance Jesus spoke of was ultimate freedom, liberation from the consequences of sin and the powers that defy God, not simply freedom of choice, freedom from a tyrant ruler or freedom to do whatever was wanted.

Jesus taught the people, as he teaches us today, that God is generous and loving. Our Father in heaven loves his people fully and unconditionally. By God’s grace, through the death and resurrection of Christ, the people of God have all they need to live a god pleasing life, a life of abundance. The problem so many have today is that we want so much of this world that we forget just how much we have with God. We get too caught up living as people in a world of want, that we often lose sight of the fact that we have a God who promises to abundantly provide for our every need.

Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you.” He teaches us that God’s blessings are many and plentiful. All too often we sinful people don’t even realize what it is we need. Jesus says, “Seek and you will find.” God’s blessings are not hidden. We need only to remember God loves us so much that he would give his only Son for our sake. Then Jesus says, “Knock at it will be opened to you.” Keeping this in mind, it isn’t long before we realize God’s presence and power in our lives each and every day. God’s promises are true and they are eternal. Throughout the history of God’s people, our Father has promised to provide all that is needed in this world, and to deliver us from our sin so that we may inherit his kingdom forever.

Jesus teaches us to pray with faith. Jesus teaches God’s people to ask as if they have already received. Indeed we have! Because of Christ Jesus, his life, death and resurrection, we know that we will one day live in the glory of heaven. We don’t need to worry about the wish list we have here on earth, those things we think we need or those we simply want. Instead, as we ask for forgiveness we know we are forgiven. As we pray to live a God pleasing life, we have the assurance of the Holy Spirit as our guide. And when our time on earth is over, we know that by God’s grace through faith in Christ, the gates of heaven are flung wide open and we will enter into God’s glory forever. We don’t need to search for fleeting happiness in this world; we have eternal joy as God’s redeemed people in Christ.

It is true; in this life you can’t always get what you want. But because God loved the world so much, he gave his only begotten Son. In his life, his teaching and by his example of love for all people, Jesus teaches us that we can and do have all we need. Ask, seek and knock in faith, pray as if you have already received, found and entered. Jesus doesn’t give as the world gives; the promises of God are abundant and they are eternal. For this we give our thanks and praise to God.

 

Photo – 1 BIG Mission grocery distribution at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church, Charleston, SC. – Thanksgiving 2010

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A God of Second Chances

Posted on May 9, 2013 by David Nuottila

???????????????????????????????[Jesus said] “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3

Oh how quick we are to judge others!

I usually prefer to shy away from discussing items in the political realm within the pages of blogs and social media. Doing so never seems to end well for those of differing opinion, especially when the differences are among friends. Even in those instances when I do share some thought, it is usually in an attempt to focus on issue rather than personality. But since the election held in my former community on Tuesday, I am bending my general rule for a moment. It seems the election of former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford to his former congressional seat warrants comment. Well, not necessarily his election, but the reaction of some towards it.

In the course of the last forty eight hours, I have received several messages and read many other messages on Facebook and Twitter, enough to feel saddened and dismayed by the reaction of those posting. The truth of the matter is, we don’t have to agree on the politics of elections and their outcome, but as Christians, we ought to think about the teaching of Christ before we fly off the handle mocking and calling out a sinner based on his or her actions. We should especially be reminded of God’s grace when such sinner professes to believe in “a God of second chances.”

Truthfully, Christians do believe in a God of second chances. If we did not, we could not be the recipients of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Ever since Adam and Eve took a bite from the forbidden fruit, humanity has failed to live up to the expectations of God, bringing the curse of sin and death upon itself through human disobedience. Through original sin, humanity continues to wear the imperfect and perishable flesh of this world. Yet, God sent his Son Jesus to take away the sin of the world. Through Christ, the imperfect is made perfect, and one day, as we are raised to new life in God’s kingdom, the perishable flesh will be made imperishable. In elementary terms, God gave humanity a second chance at life; a life that will be fully realized at the day of resurrection.

Think about it. As you profess to be Christian and a follower of Christ Jesus, you profess to be a child of a loving Father who refuses to judge you by your sin. Rather, God judges you by the righteousness of Christ your Savior. God has given all of us a second chance. To those who failed at marriage, God forgives and gives a second chance at marriage. For those who have aborted children God forgives and gives a second chance at parenthood. In his grace, God provides second chances to addicts who struggle to overcome substance abuse, second chances to adulterers, and second chances to abusive husbands, wives and parents. God’s grace is sufficient in all of these, and even sufficient for one who cheated, lied and neglected duties and relationships in order to follow a wrong path. All of this begins with repentance, acknowledgement of sin and asking God to help us refrain from sinful behavior.

We cannot judge others by their actions, for our actions are just as despicable. We cannot call out another without first being called out by the law of God. Along the road to redemption, we cannot begin to know the pain suffered by one as he/she has wrestled with the wages of their sin. Hurling insults and false judgments at another only serves us in that it allows us to hide our own faults and misdeeds. Humans love to make themselves look better by making someone else look worse. As I said earlier, Oh how quick we are to judge others!

So what does all this mean? First of all, we who are quick to judge should stop it. We are no better than the one whom we are attempting to tear down. Second, as we refrain from false judgment (We are not worthy to judge, so our judgments are certainly false.) we should begin to build up, support and hold one another accountable to the gospel rather than accountable to our own ideals. And finally, as those being judged, we should acknowledge the second chance God has given through his Son Jesus Christ, do our best to live according to his grace and share this good news with those who desperately need to hear it.

God loves you, warts and all. God saved you through the blood of Christ. God has given humanity a second chance at gaining the kingdom of heaven. And if God can give a second chance to a liar, adulterer and a cheat, God can give one to you as well. Thanks be to God!

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Five things my children should know – pt. 2

Posted on May 8, 2013 by David Nuottila

A long while ago I was asked to list the five things I believed my children should know. I think it is very important that we teach our children the Christian faith, and if we do that, we will give them much more than five things to know. Our kids always give us plenty to talk about and actually I learn something new from them every day.

Several years have passed since I was originally asked this question, but as I have watched our kids grow, these things ring true even today. The best part is I believe my wife and I have done a good job teaching these qualities to our children and now, as they are getting older, they not only know them, they live according to them. So here is look at the Five Things My Children Should Know that I posted to my former blog at least seven years ago.

1 – God loves you and nothing of this world can separate us from the love of God. I’m not naive; my kids could someday make a bad choice. In a world so full of temptations and opportunities to make mistakes, I would like my children to know that no matter what they do they are still precious in God’s sight and he will always love them and forgive them.

2 – Loving your neighbor is not an emotional thing, it is an action; it is doing not simply feeling. Each chance I get I ask my kids to look around and see what is going on around them. I ask them to notice people and how their own actions impact the lives of others. Being a loving neighbor means treating people as you would like to be treated. It also means having compassion on those for whom it seems difficult.

3 – Everyone has value; everyone is called to contribute in some way. I have always been interested in what people are doing and getting to know a little about a lot of things. Along the way I found out that the hardest jobs are those that seem so insignificant. Try collecting the trash, or even working on a road crew during construction. Try one of these jobs for a week and you will see what I mean. Most of these people live in the margins of society yet, those who do such work are indispensable.

4 – Knowledge is not the same as wisdom. There are plenty of smart people in the world who do not have the gift of wisdom. Wise people know their limits and function within them. Wise people understand that even as someone else exercises poor judgment, it is not our place to judge. Wise people understand that there is always something new to be learned, and something worthwhile to pass along. Having wisdom means searching for that which pleases God in all you do.

5 – The fifth thing I want our children to know is what a privilege it is for us to be their parents. As we teach our kids what it means to follow Christ and to love people, they remind us that we too are loved; by them, and by God. My wife and I do our best but we are not perfect. But for God to entrust unto us the lives of these four young people is an awesome feeling. They are our greatest blessing here on earth. It is such a joy to be their father and to watch them grow as beloved children of God.

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Friends

Posted on May 7, 2013 by David Nuottila

stained_glass_church2[Paul writes] “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.” Romans 1:8-10

This morning I find myself missing one of my dearest friends. He was also one of the most unlikely of friends. Greg was a homeless African American man who frequented my former parish in Charleston, SC. From my first day as a pastor, Greg helped shape my ministry in ways he would never know. As our friendship grew, Greg would share details about is life with me that he would disclose to no one else. As trust grew even deeper, I would share such details with him. These are the things best friends do, and Greg and I were probably the most unlikely pair of friends you would ever encounter. Sadly, my friend Greg passed away soon after I came to my new church and I shall not see him again, at least not in this life. I saw a man this morning that reminded me of Greg and I realized how much I miss his company.

Certainly we all have people from our past with whom we wish we had maintained contact over the years. I can think of several people who I have great memories of but with whom I have not kept in touch. I suppose I could say we are still friends, but that might be a bit misleading. Friendship is not a noun that simply describes a relationship between people; it is also something that takes time and great effort to maintain. Quality friendships endure because those in such relationships have a genuine interest in the life of the other. When separated they care enough to keep the lines for communication open. Best friends keep in touch; they do their best to remain in contact with one another. Life doesn’t seem complete without a word from one’s best friend.

The apostle Paul most certainly formed friendships with those churches he visited throughout his journeys. Paul had many friends, he loved many people and many loved him. Paul kept the lines for communication open. Paul also strengthened his friendships through a daily diet of prayer for his friends in far off lands. He gave thanks to God constantly for the friendships God had blessed him to share. Through his epistle letters, Paul not only helps the Church to grow in faith and love for God and one another, he shares with us his friendships which were formed through the love of God in Christ Jesus. Paul teaches the Church about the gospel, faith, discipleship. He also teaches us about friendship. Rooting his friendships in Christ, Paul gives us the example of what true friendship means; compassionate, caring and close relationships between God’s people.

Christians are not unlike others in the world in that we often times become nostalgic when we think of distant friends. Many of our friends are those we have lost touch with through the years. Sometimes we feel reluctant to reconnect, seemingly embarrassed by our lack of communication. “Maybe they’ve forgotten us?” “Perhaps they too have moved on?” “I suppose it was so long ago they might not remember me.” Sadly, rationalizing distant friendships in this way leads to even further separation. So do we simply forget those friends from our past? Certainly not! Christians should always remember, as Paul shows us, the friendships we enjoy with those whom we have worshipped, prayed and communed with are those that will endure.

The memories of our friends are their memories as well. Not only do we reminisce about our past friendships, but the friends from our past most likely remember us fondly too. But what can we do about it? Well, for starters we can pray and thank God for the gift of friendship. Praying for our friends keeps those lines of communication open. Lifting up those cherished memories and give God thanks for the good times are ways of recognizing past friendships, and allow us to once again feel the joy of being a friend to someone whom we love. I pray that as you reconnect with friends for your past, you too will see such relationships as rooted in Christ, strong and enduring.

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