Monthly Archives: April 2011

Don’t Worry

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Today, don’t worry.

I don’t know about the be happy part. That may depend on how much coffee you get this morning as to whether are not you are happy. But, you don’t have to worry.

Listen to what Paul writes to us in Philippians 4:6 this morning:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Great words, powerful words. Words we need to hear! don’t worry about anything!  Big or small.  Important or unimportant.  Don’t worry about it!

Well that was easy!  I guess we are all done!

Wait, you mean there’s more? That’s right. Don’t worry about it.  Instead, pray about it.

I like to joke that the reason I worry so much is that it makes me feel productive. If I’m worrying, I’m able to “do” something.  If I’m worrying, I feel like I’m doing my part to help God out.  He takes care of  it all and I worry. We’re partners that way!

Paul tells us not to worry. And to do our part. Pray.

See, when we take time to stop worrying and start praying, we find something. We find that we don’t need to worry. Because of all the things that prayer does, perhaps the most amazing thing that it does is this – it draws us closer to God.

And when we are drawn close to God, we find this out.  We really don’t have to worry.

Because God is good. And God is with us. And God will never leave not forsake us. And, as corny as it sounds, we don’t have to worry about.  Because God is for us. So, who can be against us.

And have peace and hope and joy and peace.

But, this all comes, only when we take it God in prayer.

Today, don’t worry.  Pray. And in prayer, you’ll find that, in the end, you’ve got nothing to worry about anyway.

What’s Next Podcast

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The sermon podcast for April 3, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website. It’s the fourth  in our series “Back to Basics.” It’s entitled “What’s Next” and the text is Matthew 22: 34-40.  You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

 

What Can We Learn from Acts 15, or the Institution of the church actually matters

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Working through Acts 15 today.  Just a few thoughts that I’d like to share.

First, go check out this passage.

1.  Church matters. Everything in Acts happens in the confines of church. We see folks converted and plug into church. We see discussions and arguments within the church and the church say – we will go this way, this what we will do.

We see the church pray over and send folks out. We see church structure established.  We see leaders emerge.

In short, even though we live in an age where the growing edge of the evangelical world loves to critique and  criticize the church for not “doing” more or not being perfect, church is a good thing.

Yes, I said it.  Church is a good thing. Church matters.  It’s important.  The actual church matters.  Yes, the institution of the church matters.

It’s not just “me and Jesus.”  We as Christians are called to be part of something, part of this body.

Yes.  The institution of the church is a good thing.  Is is perfect.  No?  But it matters.

Even though it is fashionable to beat up on the institutional church, it still matters. I agree with Bill Hybals, the local church is the hope fo the world, because in the local church people meet Jesus.

Church matters.

2. There are moments of disagreement – Conflict is ok.  We see the church argue over what to do, where to go in regards to the Gentiles being converted.  There were arguments.

The church is also made of people. That means we are going to have disagreements.  That’s ok.  What do we do then? Can we stay focused on Jesus and His mission for the church?  Our will we love our opinion and “getting our way” more than we love Jesus and His mission for His church?

Conflict is not avoidable. It will arise. How will we handle it.

3. Leadership requires courage.  Peter had to speak. There was silience. Folks were looking, waiting. Peter stepped up to the plate. He spoke and gave leadership.

To be a leader means you have to make the hard call sometimes. Make the hard choice. Speak when no one wants to.  It ain’t easy. But, it’s what you have to do, if you lead.

These are just a few thoughts.  Hope they are are helpful to you!