The Wesleyan Way

In a few hours many of us will make a New Year's Resolution. The beginning of a new year brings a sense of hope and a feeling that this year things may improve. Some of us will resolve to improve ourselves. To eat healthier. To exercise more. Our culture tries to sell us these self-improvement strategies--to point out that we're not ideal, that we don't measure up. Think about this, on January 2nd, if you eat a piece of chocolate, you're "bad." But if you go to the gym, you're "good." Are these really moral choices? The real question is, Are we really trying to improve ourselves or are we trying to be worthy of love? Ephesians 1:4-5 proclaims, "He chose us in him before the world was made, so as to be holy and irreproachable before him in love. He foreordained us for himself, to be adopted as sons and daughters through Jesus the king." Please know that making changes to improve our health is a good thing. So loosing a few pou

Luke 2:6-7 : While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Jesus' life began from the margin of society. There wasn't room for him at the inn. When he began his ministry, he called people from the margins. There wasn't room for him in the religious center. From the margins, Jesus fulfilled his mission. William Barclay writes, "That there was no room in the inn was symbolic of what was to happen to Jesus." In our communion ritual during Christmas we say, "As Mary and Joseph went from Galilee to Bethlehem and there found no room, so Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem and was despised and rejected." Do you ever feel like you are on the margins? You know, when you say you're alright but you're really not. When you try to be strong but you're falling apart on the inside.

The fancy name for Mary's song is the Magnificat . Why? Because that's the first word in the Latin translation. When Martin Luther translated the Bible from Latin to German, he left the Magnificat in Latin because the German princes didn't care for this image of the mighty being brought low. Historically, the Church has been uncomfortable with this song. We typically think of Mary as sweet and kind, meek and mild. But this is so much more than a simple song of praise. Stanley Jones says, "the Magnificat is the most revolutionary document in the world." Luke 1:46-48, 52: And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed. . . . He has brought the powerful down from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly." If you're well-versed in the Bible, you know Mary's song reflects Hannah song in the O

Advent is about anticipation and expectation. During John the Baptist's time, people were anticipating the Messiah. But how would the Messiah expect them to live? This question, "How should we live?" is one John addresses. Luke 3:7-9 NIV:  John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves,'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." John calls these people a "brood of vipers." That certainly is an interesting choice of words. But what does it mean? You know vipers are snakes. You probably know vipers are poisonous. But did you know that after a viper bites something, it continues to lat

In the early winter of AD 28, an extraordinary rumor spread across the shores of Galilee. A new prophet is on the scene. God had been silent for so long. Believers had longed for a new word from God. The last prophet to speak about the Messiah lived nearly 400 years ago. Some thought prophecy was dead. Others hoped it would be revived. Many longed for a movement which would bring them a new kind of freedom. Then John appears. Crowds come to hear this voice in the wilderness. It may helpful to remember the Exodus story: When Israel left Egypt, they were ed through the Red Sea, through the wilderness of Sinai, and, finally, through the Jordan into the promised land. People were desperate for a new exodus, a new freedom. Then John appears. He tells people to turn their lives around. He calls for people to change their hearts and lives. He's not calling for a one-time event. Instead, this is a radical change of life. John is preparing the road for the Lord to return. He&

Advent is about three comings: the first coming of Jesus, when he was born as a baby in Bethlehem; the coming of Jesus into our hearts, making us new people; and the final coming of Jesus when time as we know it will stop. Advent addresses those comings in reverse order. We begin with the end. Today we consider the end of the story. When we think about the end, it's so easy for us to think about books we've read or movies that we've seen and to picture a destructive apocalypse. But we're going to look at what Jesus himself says about the end. It may surprise you to realize that when he speaks about the end, Jesus doesn't talk about doomsday. He doesn't talk about winter and death. Jesus speaks about spring and new life. The coming kingdom brings new life. I don't know if any English teacher has ever told you this before, but the Gospels are considered literary masterpieces. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are not four guys who are writing about the life

Mark 6:7-13 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: "He [Jesus] called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick--no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts. He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts. He said, 'Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. If a place doesn't welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.' So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives. They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them." In this text, Jesus sends out his disciples to proclaim and live the life that Jesus lives in their presence. He gives them the command to preach, heal, and to overcome evil, with authority. He sends them to reveal the good news of the kingdom with words a

Mark 5:25-29 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: "A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a lot under the care of many doctors, and had spent everything she had without getting any better. In fact, she had gotten worse. Because she had heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes. She was thinking, If I can just touch his clothes, I'll be healed . Her bleeding stopped immediately, and she sensed in her body that her illness had been healed." This is a story that is sandwiched inside the story of Jesus healing Jairus' daughter. This is one of the characteristics of Mark : He intertwines stories that have a similar theme. In both of these stories, Jesus heals in ways that cross a line, and faith in Jesus is a shared theme. This woman is desperate. She's been bleeding for twelve years. She's spent all her income on doctors, to no avail. They haven't healed her. Her bleeding mak

John 19:17-20 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: Carrying his cross by himself, he [Jesus] went out to a place called Skull Place (in Aramaic, Golgotha ). That's where they crucified him--and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Today is called Good Friday because it is the day that proclaims God's loving  and his purpose for redeeming the world through the cross of Jesus. We call it Good Friday because God was drawing the world to himself through Jesus. As verse 17 says "by himself," we see that Jesus was in control of his own death. He was not making the best of a bad situation. Jesus was fulfilling God's purpose: providing the way for all people to be saved. The

Let's start by addressing your first question: What is Maundy Thursday? The English word "Maundy" comes from the Latin  mandatum , which means "commandment." This comes from John 13:34, when Jesus says, "I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you must also love each other." John 13:12-15 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: After he [Jesus] washed the disciples' feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, "Do you know what I've done for you? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you speak correctly, because I am. If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other's feet. I have given you an example: Just as I have done, you also must do. This scene occurs right before Jesus' final meal. In these verses, Jesus lays down his robes and washes his disciples' feet. Washing the dusty feet of a guest wa

This is the most unusual Holy Week I have ever experienced. Last Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday, I attended the memorial service for my mentor and friend, Bishop Bev Jones. Serving on his staff while I was in seminary was an invaluable part of my training for ministry. I thank God for the sequence of events that made possible that opportunity. On Palm Sunday, Sherrill and I received word that her brother was hospitalized due to a sudden medical crisis related to his three-year battle with mantle cell lymphoma. We made the eight-hour drive to Punta Gorda, Florida. It's one day at a time for now. We are thankful for the compassionate medical team that is caring for him. Each of these experiences reminds me of the deeply personal significance of Holy Week. The Christian faith begins with the reality of the rejection, suffering, and death of Jesus. Christianity does not dodge these harsh realities, it embraces them. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

Thank you President Pro Temp Butch Miller and Senator Ellis Black and all of you senators here today. It is an honor to be here today. Did you know that many of the first Christian churches were built in an octagonal shape to remember the eight days of Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday? Sunday, we celebrated Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. This week is Holy Week, and we remember the last week of Jesus’ life. Monday, we celebrated Mary anointing Jesus’ body. Today, we hear Jesus say his hour has come. Wednesday, Jesus will say he must leave so the Holy Spirit can come. Maundy Thursday we remember the Last Supper. Good Friday is the day Jesus died. Holy Saturday is the day Jesus spent in the tomb. And Easter is Resurrection Sunday. The reading for today comes from John 12:23-26 (NIV). Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, i

John 12:1-3 in the Common English Bible reads: Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus' feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume. In this scene, Mary anoints Jesus. With this expensive perfume, which had to be imported from the Himalayas, she is preparing her king for burial. Fred Craddock said that this scene includes "all the dark forebodings of death." Before we start asking, "What does this mean for me?" Let me remind you that in John, words and actions have meaning that extend far beyond the moment they happened. Mary is performing an act of gratitude. Little does she know

In the Common English Bible (CEB), Mark 11:1-2 and 7-10 reads: When Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus gave two disciples a task, saying to them, "Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here . . . They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes upon it, and he sat on it. Many people spread out their clothes on the road while others spread branches cut from the fields. Those in front of him and those following were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest!" These verses describe Jesus' triumphal entry, and are the fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, which says that a king unlike any other who has ever been will ride into Jerusalem on a colt. The point of this c

John 3:14-21 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man* be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won't perish but will have eternal life. God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him isn't judged; whoever doesn't believe in him is already judged, because they don't believe in the name of God's only Son. This is the basis for judgment: The light came into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil. All who do wicked things hate the light and don't come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light. Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God. In these ver

John 2:13-22 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves, as well as those involved in exchanging currency sitting there. He made a whip from ropes and chased them all out of the temple, including the cattle and the sheep. He scattered the coins and overturned the tables of those who exchanged currency. He said to the dove sellers, "Get these things out of here! Don't make my Father's house a place of business." His disciples remembered that it is written, Passion for your house consumes me . Then the Jewish leaders asked him, "By what authority are you doing these things? What miraculous sign will you show us?" Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple and in three days I'll raise it up." The Jewish leaders replied, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in

Lent is a season of 40 days (not counting Sundays). It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter). This period of 40 days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan, and preparing to begin his ministry. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new believers for baptism. For us, it's a time of repenting, fasting, and preparing our hearts and lives for Easter. This is a time for us to reflect on and examine our relationship with Jesus. During this season, many Christians choose to give up something (time watching T.V. or chocolate) or to volunteer and give to others. Maybe you're wondering about the last part of the first sentence. Why aren't Sundays counted in Lent? Each Sunday represents a mini-Easter, so the solemn spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection. Now, back to the talk of personal penitence and self-denial. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. M

Eventually, in life, we will all wonder if there is more to life than what we do, what we see, and what we feel. Even after we accept Jesus into our heart, we will still feel a longing. We don't believe that accepting Jesus is the final step. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is only the beginning of our faith. The Holy Spirit continues to work in our lives. John Wesley used the illustration of a house to describe this work. When you're beginning to feel that there has to be more to life than this, you take a look at the house. Then, you’re moved to take a risk and step up on the porch of repentance. There you find new life. After that, you walk into the living room through the front door of justification. Justification is when God makes right what we never can; God, through Christ, makes things right. Wesley ended by saying that sanctification is the exploration of the rest of the house. How sad would it be to live your entire life in the living room? That would b

I have a confession to make: When I was a teenager, I thought it'd be cool to figure out the chronological order of Jesus' life. To be honest with you, I thought I'd gain some insight into who Jesus was and is. (That's the heart of this time of epiphany--realizing who Jesus is.) But as I got into college (I was an English major), I started to notice that the structure of a novel was sometimes just as important as the story. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels, because they are so similar. If you've read all four Gospels, you know John's Gospel is different. John's Gospel begins with an amazing poem about how Jesus is the Word of God, how he was with God at the beginning, and how he is God. Then, we have a description of the first days of Jesus' ministry, including a conversation between John the Baptist and the Pharisees. John 1:19-28 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: This is John's testimony when the Jewish leaders

In Mark's Gospel, there's nothing about Jesus before his baptism. That's one reason why it's easy for us to view baptism as a new beginning. In our baptism, we're marked and identified as Christian disciples. We're baptized into a family. That's why we call each other "Brother" and "Sister." We all come through baptism into the Body of Believers. But let's be honest, baptism is not our work, it's God's. Baptism is an outward sign of something that has already happened in our heart. God searches for us, finds us, chooses us, and adopts us as his sons and daughters. But baptism is not the end. Martin Luther often said that baptism is a lifelong process. Our baptism is a reminder that our faith has a social element. Christianity is a social religion. Back in November, we looked at the membership and baptism vows we took. We promised to be "Christ's representatives in the world." In Mark 1:9-11, we see &qu

I hope your New Year is off to a wonderful and blessed start. As the calendar turned to 2018, many people resolved to get into shape. Maybe we would do better if we let our Maker shape us. If we let God reshape our character, what would we look like and what would we do? I think Wesley was pretty close when he listed five clear practices for anyone who identifies as a Christian. These are sometimes called the five marks of a Methodist: A Methodist loves God. A Methodist rejoices in God. A Methodist gives thanks. A Methodist prays constantly. A Methodist loves others. If we embrace and live out these qualities, so that they become ingrained into who we are, then our lives will exhibit Christian character. If you're interested, here's a  link  to our Instagram page. Blessings, AK

The Gospel of  John begins with a poem about the Word. John 1:1-5 in the Common English Bible (CEB) reads: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn't extinguish the light. The Gospel of John begins with a wonderful poem about the Word. This first section relates God to all creation through the Word. We see that Jesus is God's life-giving and light-giving Word. (The words light  and life  are very important in John's Gospel.) Jesus is the power of God which created the world. This means that Jesus has always been with God, which also means Jesus is God. This also reveals that God has always been like Jesus, but we didn't fully realize who God was and is u

Hey! Welcome to our church's blog. I hope your week is off to a great start. I'm going to try  to do a weekly blog where I write about something related to Christianity, Methodists, or our church. Since some of you may have resolved to read through the Bible this year, I figured we could start there. John Wesley believed that Scripture was inspired, and he said that the Bible is "infallibly true." Did you know that Wesley translated the Bible? In 1755, he published his translation of the New Testament. Wesley could read Greek, and he used the best Greek manuscripts of his day to compose his translation. Ultimately, though, it was a slight revision of the King James version (1611). There was nothing groundbreaking or exciting in his translation. However, some phrases were easier to read and understand than in the KJV. If you look at the journals and sermons of John and Charles Wesley, you'll see that they used a variety of different translations: the Geneva