Fill 'er Up!

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.  Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.  Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.  Colossians 3:16-17

The Apostle instructs the believers at Colossae to make certain everything they do is done as a representative of the Lord Jesus.  That is a heavy responsibility! 

As a pastor, just out of seminary in 1983, my first day on the job I sat in the office (which was a room attached to the back of the parsonage).  All of my books were on the shelves, which, thanks to Mrs. Preacher, had just been dusted and polished, along with the desk, panneled-walls, and everything else.  Even our cat had received a thorough spraying with Lemon Pledge before he was allowed in there. 

My Bible was opened, along with a pencil and a new legal pad.  I was ready to begin work on Sermon #1.  I looked around at the bookshelves, mimeograph machine, and thought:  I’m their pastor, and I don’t have a clue what to do next. 

In some ways I’ve never escaped that thought, because it’s always been a surprise from one day to the next what God will lead us into.  That day I felt something akin to what Abraham must have experienced when God called him to pack it all up and follow Him to a place he’d never seen.  It was an adventure (to say the least) and Abraham had to learn a whole new way of thinking.  He was going to be God’s representative in a strange land.  And that is still happening today.

One of the most sacred responsibilities a believer can accept and practice has nothing to do with being a larger-than-life personality, so you can lead a church or your family, or a few coworkers to follow Christ.  Rather it is allowing the richness of Who Christ is to fully, and firmly, indwell your being.  It’s about opening-up your heart and will to what Jesus shows you is your part of the harvest to labor.

For instance, I came to that small membership church in the tiny town of McIntosh, Florida with the clean desk, and a new legal pad, and no clue.  But I was thrilled to be there, and thought I’d arrived in the place I would spend the next forty years, or more, preaching and growing that little church into a lighthouse.  That was eight churches ago!  The ride along the way has been interesting, bumpy at times, and teaching me all along the way what was really important…letting Christ dwell in me, no matter what the events of the day brought.  In times of plenty, we learned how to share.  In times of scarcity, we trusted God to multiply the loaves and fishes.  In times of sorrow, joy was waiting, just off stage to make an entrance when we’d lift our heads to the Author of our faith.  And in times of success, the enemy was hiding (sometimes in plain view) to steal God’s thunder with his deceiving offers.

What I’m trying to say is that God was always going before us in a prevenient grace that made our way possible, and profitable.  In gains and losses nothing matters except that others see what God is doing in you as His representative.  This is how we are his witnesses.[1]  With Christ living in us, we are filled with the richness of His life, and we live in thankfulness and praise!

For You Today 

Ready to live fully for Christ?  Look around, follow Him, let God fill-up your life’s tank with thankfulness and praise.  Yup…fill ‘er up!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:  Getting Dressed  Part 1    Part 2   Part 3    Part 4    Part 5  

Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] …and you shall be my witnesses….Acts 1:8

Upside Down

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Tuesday, January 14, 2020

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria…. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.  Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.  Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.  Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims.  And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.  So there was great joy in that city.  A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.  Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”  They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.  But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.  As a result, many men and women were baptized.  Then Simon himself believed and was baptized.  He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.  Acts 8:1b, 4-13

It’s worth a look to notice that the clergy were left behind in Jerusalem when the great persecution happened.  Some would perceive the laity were afraid and ran.  Others (perhaps more discerning) might see the way God does things, turning just about whatever is in sight on its’ ear…upside down.  Or, in this case, God turned things right-side-up!  God doesn’t make mistakes!

Philip was not a preacher, but God used him to get parts 2 and 3 of the Great Commission[2] started.  Jesus gave His disciples these marching orders just as He was about to ascend back to the Father in Heaven.  They would be his witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, and part 4 would be an extension of His Gospel to the ends of the earth.[3]

But why (we always ask why) – why use the followers?  Isn’t that a job for the leaders?  I suppose the simplest answer is yes – but only if you’re not planning to turn the world upside down.  And, therein is the rub; God always turns things upside-down.   

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.  1 Corinthians 1:27

You expect to hear the religious stuff from the professionals, but that’s not what God wanted spread throughout the world with the souls of untold millions at stake.  What he wanted was the pure, unadulterated truth about Jesus, backed up by the lives of those who willingly chose to put everything at risk to follow Christ.  The clergy (Apostles, if you will) set the stage in sharing from the religious base of Jerusalem; it was the laity who took the message and ran with it.

For You Today

If you think its tough living today as a Christian in a world seemingly gone mad with unbelief and violence, you’re right; it is hard.  But God is up to something in our day.  Something is happening, and just maybe it will not be the religious professionals who change things, who turn this upside-down world right-side-up! 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

[2] Matthew 28:19-20

[3] Acts 1:8

An Uncertain Note

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Friday, August 2, 2019

Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody.  And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?  1 Corinthians 14:7-8

Unexpected things are so named because they’re not expected.  Sometimes those unanticipated events are tragedy – sometimes comedy; occasionally they are both!

Homecoming/memorial service at our church is the most well-attended Sunday of the year, and the choir is reserved a spot to sit together in a side area of the worship center.  This is for two reasons – there might not be a seat in the main area, and most of the choir helps serve the dinner following worship, so they have a convenient side door where they sit to hurry out when the service ends. 

For last year’s service the final hymn I chose was familiar to our bunch.  However, as we sang the first verse, I suddenly realized most of the returning members and visitors had never heard it before.  In a moment of what turned out to be less-than-inspired, I stepped to the side room where the choir was sitting and tried to speak to our Lay Leader to bring the choir out to stand in front of congregation to help lead the singing.  Our Lay Leader is a most helpful and agreeable man, but he is almost as deaf as I am.  He misunderstood my request; he thought I was encouraging them to leave.  I began to lead them, but as I walked to the front I was alone; they went out the side door. 

In the split second in which I realized I was alone, I wondered if that was how it was for Jesus when the Roman soldiers came to arrest him, and his followers beat a frenzied retreat.  I am not equipped to lead singing…I mean, I can get enough volume, but when the notes come out of my mouth, there are few people who would pay money to hear those notes when they get there.  (I daresay there might be a few willing to purchase ear plugs for such times, or a lynching rope).

I learned two lessons (or rather re-learned things I’d messed up before):

1.     Don’t take things for granted.  If I’d followed that, I would have asked someone about singing that song.

2.     When you’re leading, sound a clear note so others can follow.

Those wisdom tidbits oftentimes come at a great price.  Once learned, they should be kept close in hand.  Being the leader doesn’t mean you get to decide everything gets done the way you want it; spiritual leadership means it’s your responsibility to sound a clear note, so others will know we’re not going out the side door.

For You Today

The clear note from our God about his children’s path is found in Jesus’ last words of his earthly ministry:

And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

Now, that’s NOT an unclear note; we get to decide what instrument we’ll play, but all God’s children are part of the band!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com        Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©

The Interview

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Friday, July 12, 2019

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

In 1990 I was called to serve as pastor to a church in Jacksonville, Florida.  That first week I got a call from a local Christian radio station asking for an interview.  My answer was ME?  The voice on the other end of the phone assured me they wanted to interview the city’s new pastor; I shrugged my shoulders and went to the station the next morning at 5:30, wondering if God was even up at that hour.

I didn’t find out until after the interview that the station had made a mistake.  The church just up the road from us was North Jacksonville, and we were North Main Street.  We had about 60 in worship, they had about 5,000.  Mega Church leaders are much more of a media choice than pastors of smallish, struggling churches.  But neither I, nor the show host found out there had been a hiccup in their choice until after the live segment took place.  The radio folks were expecting the dynamic new preacher from North Jax; they got me.

There was no way I was comfortable in this situation.  The thought of me being in the center-ring of a live show that had a potential audience of more than a million people was terrifying.  I was from a small town, grew up on a dirt road, and played with toy trucks in our back yard with my best friend, Tommy Stubbulo; what did I have to say that would mean anything to a million people?  My one redeeming hope was that, along with God not being up at that hour, most people would still be snoring, and I could remain anonymous.

Now, I don’t know if anyone was impacted that day by the nerve-induced stumbling, stammering word of testimony I gave on that radio show, but it was a total act of faith that compelled me to drive to the station and actually go in.  And, I think, that may be the central point of what Jesus meant when he told his disciples with the last words of his earthly ministry, guys, YOU are the ones who are going to tell my story everywhere, to everybody, in every place, whether there is opposition from people, or even from within your own nervous stomachs; YOU - ARE - MY - WITNESSES!  What Jesus said to James, John, Peter, and the rest of the bunch was also meant for Russell, and every other believer.  Preacher, baker, butcher, or candlestick-maker, those who have trusted Christ as savior are also those called to share His story with others.

Back in 1990 I didn’t even have a recorder, so I have no idea what I said on that show.  I remember quite clearly the circus going-on in my stomach, and the fear that I was going to mess it up so bad we’d have to move to Australia, where they’d never even heard of Tommy Stubbulo.  But, somehow I survived, and we didn’t have to leave town to avoid the lynch mobs. 

I’m glad that I went to the station, because even if I did mess it up, that unsolicited call from the station was their mess-up…my job as a Christian believer is to be obedient, responding to the call of Christ to be his witness, any time, any place, to any person, simply sharing what Jesus did for a boy brought up on a dirt road on the rougher side of town.

For You Today

If you’re an introvert like me, your stomach has this roller coaster inside, and at the mere thought of taking the initiative to share your faith you feel that churning, incredible insecure smallness when the opportunity arrives.  It’s like the roller coaster car you’re in has just crested the top of the tracks, and you’re about to fall twelve-thousand miles into the abyss below.

And then, if you’ve become a follower of His, you remember…it’s not really about you…it’s all about what HE has done FOR you.

Friend, do the interview!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com        Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©

We Promise our Witness

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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”     Acts 1:8 (NLT)

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.  All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.    Acts 2:42-47 (NLT)

We are summing-up five weeks of learning about our five promises we make to God and each other as part of the United Methodist Church.

This is one of those “easy-to-connect-the-dots” scenarios…Peter shared Christ with a whole crowd…and 3,000 responded; they were saved.  In turn, they went and shared that with others. 

How simple is that?

We sometimes make it rather complicated, but sharing the Gospel as it came to us is effective – after all, it worked that way at least in your case.  The problem is not with evangelism being too hard – it isn’t.  The problem is more with saints who won’t even give it a try.

My brother Thom has a sister-in-law, Anne.  Anne is my friend and loves Jesus.  She is also the opposite of a “Yankee” in the South; Anne is from the South, married and moved to New York.  Go figure! 

Anyway, Anne told me about her young Grandson, David:

David was sitting at the breakfast table [one] morning when he made a little noise and jerked backwards. He mashed something in the tablecloth and threw it on the floor.  Her husband, John asked, "What happened?"

David answered, "There was a spider there. I killed it."  

"Wow! You were so brave to kill it," [Anne] exclaimed.  

True honesty came to the fore when David explained, "I’m only brave when the spider is little."

Friends, let me sum this up by saying that when it comes to evangelism, serving, giving, prayers and presence, ALL the spiders are little!  Next to God, everything in this universe is little, and under His control. 

Do you want to move on to maturity in Christ?  Put these five promises under the column of your life’s major commitments to God and your fellow members here:  Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service and Witness.

Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then doing of your world shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Everyday you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.  --- Phillips Brooks:

Still worried you can’t cut it?  Take a little advice from a great old preacher who helped many overcome their fear of serving well…

Let the church say, Amen!

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[1] By MC3 Damian Berg [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons