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This is a sermon preview for the fourth sermon in the “Promise & Threat” sermon series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.’” –Genesis 22:1-14. When you're really famous, you get to go by one name. It's called a mononym: like Beyoncé, Zendaya, Prince, or Madonna. When it comes to a biblical story that people have wrestled with for thousands of years, sometimes the same thing happens. "Calvary" is a one word reference to the Crucifixion, Jesus' death. The story we're confronted this week in Hebrew is called the Akedah (or, simply, "The Binding"). In English, we might call it "The Binding of Isaac." And if you're like many, you're wondering: "What do we make of this story?" After all, it's a story in which God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Then, at the last minute, God stops Abraham through an angel, saying: “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (v. 12). All through this series we're talking about the threats to the promises of God, and how we have trust in God through such threats. What do we do when we wonder if God is himself threatening what he has promised? Here are three things we might consider several lessons we might take: "God is true, God is unique, God provides." We'll expand on point one here. Come on Sunday to hear the rest! 1. God is true to his word. "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" - Numbers 23:19 (NIV) If you find yourself objecting to this story, or even wanting to protest God against the justice of it, you're not alone in wanting to argue with God. Abraham has a history of arguing with God. In fact, many people in the Bible do! Moses argues with God to show mercy and not destroy the people. The Syrophoenician / Canaanite woman argues with Jesus that she too might receive a blessing. And in the case of Moses and the Canaanite woman, God seems to change his mind! Is God indecisive? Is God unsure? No, he's not. Abraham, Moses, the Canaanite woman: they all argue a specific way. They argue by appealing to God's character and actions. Abraham argues for God to spare the city if any righteous are found. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" (Genesis 18:25) The Canaanite woman argues she should be blessed by Jesus, even though she is not part of the promised people (Israel): “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:27) Moses argues with God not to destroy Israel: "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’" (Exodus 32:14) God keeps his promises. But he also knows trusting him is difficult. God invites us to wrestle with the disconnect between the world in front of us and the promises given to us. And, in that process, we learn that God is true, and his promises are sure. It is not wrong to wrestle with God. But when we do, go to God arguing based on his revealed character and promises. And in the process, which may be a lifelong one[!], we'll find God is no liar. So why does Abraham remain silent here? Why doesn't he argue here, for his own son, as he did for strangers? Why doesn't he protest, reminding God of his promise? We're not told why, explicitly, in Genesis. This is the climax of the story of God's promise of a child. Abraham has been through a lot! Perhaps, after all he has been through, Abraham begins to trust that God makes a way out of no way. As the author of Hebrews says: By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. - Hebrews 11:17-19 (NIV) God keeps true to his work, but God is also unique. Another lesson of this story is that he is truly God and unlike other gods. [During this upcoming Sunday's sermon, we'll also consider two other lessons as we wrestle with this difficult Biblical story. I encourage you to read the text and to come prepared to hear how even this difficult passage points us to the good news.] - 2. God is unlike other "gods". - 3. God provides the sacrifice. "Abraham offered God his mortal son who was not to die, while God surrendered in death his immortal Son for the sake of humankind" - Caesarius of Arles (d. 542 A.D.) Reflection Questions What troubles you about this passage? Is it questions about violence and God? Is it the idea that God might test his followers? How can reminding God of what we know he already knows: his character and promises, be good for us? Are there promises of God you need to remind yourself, even if it means "arguing with God?" Eventually, in our lives we must decide if God is trustworthy. What's an area of your life you need to trust God with today? God ultimately provides. Where do you see God's faithfulness to his promises?

This is a sermon preview for the fourth sermon in the “Promise & Threat” sermon series. To watch the recording of any of the sermons in this sermon series, visit our website. “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with Isaac. So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’” –Genesis 21:8-21. In the opening scene of Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out, Baby Riley’s parents try to introduce her to broccoli. (And any parent who’s ever had a picky toddler knows where this is going.) Disgust–who claims “to keep Riley from being poisoned physically and socially”–causes Riley to point her nose up away from the smelly green substance. Then Anger–who “cares very deeply about things being fair”--causes Riley to throw the broccoli away in a tantrum when her dad threatens to take away dessert. Oh how true to life this scene is! Like all emotions, disgust and anger are things God created as integral to our humanity. This means that our emotions can be helpful tools that God has given us to connect with one another and worship God. But unfortunately, the reverse is also true: our emotions can be affected by sin and lead us astray. In Genesis 21, we see how Sarah’s emotions betray her. More specifically, we see how disgust and anger sometimes work together to create another powerful emotion: envy, one of the strongest threats to God’s promises that we’ve seen so far. So what’s the big deal about envy? Simply put, envy is a lot like jealousy. Envy happens when we perceive someone else having something that we think we deserve. In other words, we become angry that God has blessed someone else, and that causes us to be disgusted by that person and act hatefully towards them. Envy is rooted in a scarcity mindset, and envy leads to broken relationships and resentment. At his point in the Genesis saga, Abraham and Sarah have already started to receive the promises of God fulfilled. Though they do not yet have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, Sarah has given birth to her first son, Isaac. Finally, after years of prayer, waiting through old age, and laughter, God has proven God’s faithfulness and blessed them with a child! Thanks be to God! And the blessings continue. Isaac continues to grow and be healthy. Abraham decides to host a party to celebrate another one of Isaac’s great milestones of life. It seems like all should be well. It seems like Sarah should be rejoicing that she finally “has it all.” But Sarah is not celebrating. Sarah is not content with God’s promises or God’s faithful actions. Sarah sees Isaac playing with his half-brother Ishmael and she is envious. The only thing on Sarah’s mind is that it should be her son (Isaac) who inherits all the promises given to Abraham. Not Ishmael. And this is why she has Abraham send Hagar and Ismael away–to live alone and fend for themselves in the desert. But there’s a problem with Sarah’s envy. Not only does envy steal her joy, preventing her from celebrating her son. Not only does envy break up their extended family and give them a death sentence. Her envy also becomes an idol. In our own lives, we may not think of an emotion becoming an idol. But make no mistake about it: we worship whatever we think holds the greatest amount of power and influence in our lives. For Sarah, God couldn’t possibly be big enough or good enough to bless Isaac and Ishmael. For Sarah, God didn’t have enough power or resources to care for the entire family. For Sarah, the promises of God were scarce. And if there couldn’t possibly be enough promises of God to go around for everyone, then her envy had to step up. Her envy had to take matters into her own hands and get rid of the competition so that she could keep God’s blessings for herself. I’m reminded of William Shakespeare's words in Othello, “Beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” I’m sure Sarah thought she was being a good mother, protecting her son’s inheritance. But in the end of the story, Sarah’s actions mock her. While she made envy her idol, God makes another promise. God promises Hagar that God will care for them, too. God promises that Ishmael’s descendants will be a great nation, too. God’s actions would not be limited according to Sarah’s lack of imagination. Envy tries to threaten the promises of God by telling us there’s not enough blessing to go around. Envy tries to threaten the promises of God by telling us to take control instead of trusting God. But scarcity is not a word in God’s vocabulary. God’s big enough, good enough, and powerful enough to bless everyone according to God’s will and purposes. Reflection Questions How have you been like Sarah and allowed envy to influence your attitudes and actions towards others? How does knowing God is abundant and generous change the way you view the promises of God? What’s one way that you can turn away from your envy this week and refocus your attention on the abundance of God?

Genesis 18:1-15 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? *** This is a sermon preview for a sermon for a message which is part of the "Promise & Threat" series. “The history in which our Scriptures show that God is involved is every bit as messy as the history reported by our mass media in which God is rarely mentioned apart from blasphemies… There are punishing consequences, of course, but the fact is that all these people, good and bad, faithful and flawed, are worked into the plot of salvation. God, it turns out, does not require good people in order to do good work. As one medieval saying has it, "God draws straight lines with a crooked stick." He can and does work with us, whatever the moral and spiritual condition in which he finds us. God, we realize, does some of his best work using the most unlikely people.” - Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places Abraham and Sarah do not receive a message from God via a burning bush like Moses. They do not experience the message from the Lord in a startling vision like Isaiah or some of the other prophets. “The Lord appeared to Abraham” we’re told. But how does he appear? In these three strangers to whom Abraham offers hospitality. The Promise of the child is relayed to Sarah, who has provided these strangers a meal, found herself listening in – and her response? Laughter. Two points stick out to me here. The first is how ordinary this scene is. Abraham and Sarah provide a meal to strangers and welcome them into their home, and they are (as the book of Hebrews says): “...shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Heb. 13:2). In the same way, the promises we receive from the Lord may not seem flashy or even overly spiritual. God is always giving gifts, and often our hands are too full to receive them. In the same way, God speaks, and we are too busy to hear. In everyday hospitality, extraordinary promises come. In a world where loneliness is epidemic, that may be a message we especially need to hear. The second is simple: God doesn’t care how old you are. No, I’m not suggesting that senior citizens should expect to have a child. But I am suggesting that God has a role for you – even if you feel you’re “too old” (or not the right person, or not skilled, or whatever other reason we might think of for not being able to serve God)! Laughter can do a lot of things. It can be a sign of joy. It can unite people. It can express a sort of joy in things to come. Fleming Rutledge once described the laughter of Desmond Tutu in this sort of way– as having a hopeful laugh: a laugh which is rooted in the promise to come. She noted that, unlike some spiritual leaders, he did not use his laughter to distract from uncomfortable subjects. Sometimes we do use laughter this way. Awkward laughter, doubting laughter, scorning laughter. And (while understandable in many ways!) this is the sort of laughter which comes from Sarah’s mouth and may come from us when we hear the sort of things God is promising us. We might also use entertainment this way: as a laugh to distract from where God is calling us. In an age of prestige TV, and growing isolation, we may just be entertaining ourselves to death. Old age, strangers, these are just some of the things we see in this passage can seem like threats to the promise of God. And yet they’re also the context in which these promises come. God calls the laughing, the mocking, the unsure, and uses the ordinary, the mundane, and the everyday. And the terrifying, wonderful thing that means is that God’s promises are for you too.

This is a sermon preview for Sunday, May 28, 2023, a special service in which FBCM will be celebrating Pentecost. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them…For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 Anyone who knows anything about me knows this: I love birthdays. My birthday, definitely! But also, anyone’s birthday, really. I love any excuse to celebrate my family members and friends. I’ll even join the restaurant staff and sing to strangers! That’s what makes this Sunday one of my favorite days of the Church calendar! Pentecost is the day we celebrate the Church’s birthday. And what’s a birthday party without gifts?! That’s right! Every year–50 days after Easter–the Church gets a birthday party! When we gather to worship on Pentecost, we remember that when Jesus ascended to heaven, he did not leave us alone to figure out this complicated life. Jesus sent another–the Holy Spirit–to be with his followers, to offer them comfort, guidance, and power to live the rest of the days of their lives faithfully. To everyone’s surprise, the Holy Spirit turned out to be one of the best gifts God has ever given his people! Acts 2 says that the Holy Spirit’s presence was so strong on the disciples that it appeared like flames above their heads and gave them the ability to worship God in other languages–so that all who were present might hear of God’s faithfulness in their own tongue. From then on, all who received the Spirit were compelled to share the gospel with others, and Christ’s Church was born! Even a couple thousand years later, Jesus still gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. I doubt we’ll see any floating flames this week, but as we celebrate the Church’s birthday we come to the Lord in thanksgiving for the many works of the Holy Spirit within the body of Christ. No matter what spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit you’ve been given, 1 Corinthians reminds us that all gifts come from one God and are equally important to encourage one another in the Church. So come one, come all, this Sunday to celebrate the Church’s birthday together. I need you just as much as you need me. Together, by the grace of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we celebrate that we are the one body of Christ. Reflection Questions How have you celebrated Pentecost in the past? If you haven’t, how might you take some time this week to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the start of the Church? What gift(s) of the Holy Spirit has God given you to support the congregation? How can you pray this week for God to remind you of those gifts and guide you in the best way to use those gifts this Summer?

This is a sermon preview for Sunday, May 21. It is the 6th week of the Eastertide sermon series “Easter Joy: A Walk Through Philippians.” "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” - Philippians 4:4-9 "...It is genuinely odd, even bizarre, for a man in prison to urge others to 'celebrate.' But again in Philippians, he repeats this order. Celebrate! Throw a party!.. God's people in Christ are meant to celebrate because the gospel is still spreading the good news and power and joy and hope to people far and wide, and it still brings good things to the imprisoned (Paul) and the persecuted (the Philippians).” - Nijay Gupta Have you ever met someone too aggressively happy? They spin everything, performing Olympic-level gymnastics to find the best way to spin every negative experience. They seem incapable of recognizing that hurt can be real, that a circumstance in life could be truly bad. In cartoons, they might smile and say, “It’s not so bad! It could be worse. It COULD be raining!” We know what immediately happens then. It rains. To use some examples from children’s literature, I’m not trying to be a sad Eeyore the donkey from the Thousand Acre Woods moping about. But I think for many of us, a call to rejoice always might be seen as “Pollyanna-ish.” Pollyanna was the main character of a 1913 children’s story. Now, her name is synonymous with what Merriam-Webster calls: “a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything.” Relentlessly. Annoyingly. Chipper. But Paul is anything but! He knows his situation brings real trouble. But if he is naturally realistic about his situation, he is supernaturally hopeful about the peace we have in God. Too often our culture confuses “realism” for “nihilism.” Being hopeless is not any more realistic than denying the bad around us. The reason nihilism is not more realistic is that the God of hope is the source of all: and therefore his hope is the realest reality we could ever encounter. God's peace comes when we focus on what is true, noble, just, perfect, excellent, and spectacular in the Gospel. It comes in knowing that the good news is still at work and still being spread. The Gospel is news that we hear that is truly Good. It's also a life we live in, we inhabit, and a new lens through which we see the world. So how can we be “anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6), in a life full of difficulty? Anxieties will come. They certainly did for Paul. In fact, in this same letter, Paul uses the very same word translated as “anxious” here is used when Paul talks about sending Timothy to the Philippians, adding “who will show genuine concern [the same word as “anxious!” in 4:6] for your welfare.” But our concern for ourselves, or even others, need not consume us. It doesn’t need to take away our joy. It will always be the middle of the sentence, not the end. There is always a comma or a semicolon right after anxieties. There is a “And yet God…” to come after them all. And in that way, we can be free from their constant presence. Their overwhelming power. Their oppressive weight. We can be gentle in a violent world because the God of peace is near (Philippians 4:5). We can give thanks and ask God for anything because it’s God’s good pleasure to listen to his children (Philippians 4:6, Luke 12:32). The pageantry of God’s grace, the great drama of salvation, has wrapped us up in its glory and splendor and given us a gift that can’t be taken away. It’s God’s peace which surpasses understanding which guards us (Philippians 4:7) And so we put to practice Christian joy by dwelling on the good things of God. We recognize the difficulty of all circumstances. We live in the promise of the reality of God’s goodness. And that means the final word could only be “Amen.” “And the God of peace will be with you…” (Philippians 4:9)

This is a sermon preview for Sunday May 14. It is the 5th week of the Eastertide sermon series “Easter Joy: A Walk Through Philippians.” “My brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!...What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” –Philippians 3:1-14 Two musicians from Rend Collective started a podcast a couple years ago titled Where’s the Joy in That? These Irish friends talk openly about their faith and their struggles in “a relentlessly positive podcast about finding the joy in life—especially in the places we least expect it!” Since listening, I now often find myself praying to God: “Where’s the joy in that?” Especially when faced with something I absolutely and undeniably don’t want to do. If Paul was a guest on the show, I imagine that he’d remind listeners that we can always rejoice–just not in what our culture tends to celebrate. There’s no rejoicing in our privileges of birth. Not our personal ambitions or accomplishments. Not even our positions of work or power. Instead, Paul tells us in Philippians 3 that we rejoice in one thing: the loss of everything. What a weird thing for Paul to rejoice in! So where’s the joy in sacrifice? There’s joy in sacrifice because the worth of knowing Jesus Christ far surpasses anything we have to lose! We rejoice because we can forget about all these arbitrary things that weigh down the world. We rejoice because we are free from the burdens of wealth, fashion, fame, and convenience. We rejoice because we are one with the God of all love, righteousness, and sacrifice. We rejoice because God’s free gift of grace is more than enough to cover the gaps and provide abundantly more than what we need–both in this life and eternity to come. Mother’s Day is not observed in the Liturgical Calendar. But as it happens, while our country celebrates the special roles mothers play in our lives this Sunday (May 14), it seems fitting that we remember Paul’s words to have joy in sacrifice. Whether it’s your biological mother or a grandmother who took you in, an adopted mom or step-mom, a chosen mom or a spiritual mom–we have all witnessed women who joyfully sacrifice for the sake of knowing Christ and giving testimony to God’s active work in the world. Whether you are a mother, you desire to one day be a mother, or you just hope to be the kind of person who reflects this joyful sacrifice like your own mother-figure, Paul’s words to the Philippians are for you. As Christians, our joy will never be found in the status symbols or power of this world. Our joy is only found in sacrifice–in laying these things down so that we may know God more deeply and live faithfully for the care of others in our community. Reflection Questions Have you ever witnessed a mother-figure in your life–whether traditional or non-traditional–give sacrificially and joyfully? How do you think that experience gives witness to their faith in Christ? What do you most often find yourself rejoicing in? Take special note if it’s something related to your personal status, power, authority, or well-being. How is the Holy Spirit leading you to re-prioritize your life so that you consider the “gains of this world a loss for the sake of Christ?” (Phil. 3:7)

Another Epidemic - but this one is called an "Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation." Over the past 24 hours, there has been quite a bit of conversation about an alarming report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Surgeon General. The report details the devastating health impacts of loneliness and isolation. ("New Surgeon General Advisory Raises Alarm about the Devastating Impact of the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation in the United States," May 3rd, 2023). From 2003- 2020, the time Americans spent alone increased. And the time they spent with others (family, friends, colleagues) decreased. The category labeled "social engagement with friends" decreased by a startling 20 hours per month. This, as you can imagine, is correlated with all sorts of negative emotional and psychological ills: increased depression anxiety even greater risks for various physical ailments. In short, more isolation and loneliness is bad for human well-being. Naturally, the question is: Why? *** Why has this happened? And what is to be done about it? Of course, there are many possible contributing factors: from technology (rise of social media) to the decline of social organizations (Lions Club, Kiwanis, Optimist Club, and, yes, Christian churches). The Surgeon General lists its recommendations based on the report on its website, including the need for more opportunities for both community and connection. That churches might be part of the story has sometimes been missed by media coverage of this epidemic of loneliness. A retired Sociologist of Religion, Nancy Ammerman, posted on social media, criticizing National Public Radio's reporting on this epidemic of loneliness: Dr. Ammerman is right to point out that congregations have declined and this might be part of the story worth investigating. What is the church's response? (click to expand headings for more information) Is "Cultural Christianity" the answer? A Few Problems with "Cultural Christianity" The End of Our Search While the issue of loneliness, modern technology, and twenty-first century society is undeniably modern, I un-apologetically believe we must turn to the ancient witness of Holy Scripture as we consider the church's response. There's no way around it: we have to go to the Bible. Looking to Scripture, in response to the epidemic of loneliness, I hope Christians can hold two things in our head at once: - I. "To Seek First the Kingdom and His Righteousness" and - II. "People come for bread, but stay for the Bread of Life." I. Seeking First The Kingdom & His Righteousness In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives instructions on material possessions that are among his hardest and most ignored teachings. I know this, because (unfortunately) I've ignored them many times. Jesus's command is not to worry about what you will eat or drink, or what we will wear, for your Heavenly Father knows we need these things. Instead, he says: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, NIV) While Jesus is speaking on possessions, his words are relevant when considering this epidemic of loneliness. When we seek other things first, such as the cultural or social goods of Christianity, we're liable to miss both those desired secondary goods and the primary truth that Jesus is Savior and Lord of all as well. As Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said, "Our hearts are restless, O God, until they find rest in you." Seeking other things first simply wouldn't be enough, even if it were possible to get them. Community can not be sought for its own sake. All community exists for some reason. If we try to have community for its own sake alone, we'll find community has quickly become an idol. Instead, we must seek first The Kingdom and his righteousness, and then we will find we are necessarily drawn up into the community we call the church.³ II. People Come For Bread, But Stay For The Bread Of Life We are to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, all fine-and-good. But what about people who come to church for other reasons? I am glad to welcome anyone who wants to visit our church and participate in the life of our congregation! Anytime and always! But it is always my hope that if they come for bread, they'll stay for the bread of life. What do I mean by that? I take that phrasing from the Gospel of John. In the sixth chapter of John, Jesus performs one of his most famous miracles: the feeding of the 5,000. Then, he walks across a lake and appears to his disciples. Apparently surprised to see him on the other side of the lake, the crowd asks Jesus when, exactly, he got there. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill." (v. 26, NIV) The people do not come because they saw and understood the signs, but because of the bread. They come because their stomachs are filled. They come because they had a deep need, and looked to Jesus to fulfill it. People came to Jesus looking for bread. And he gave them bread. But he would not leave them there. He told them he had greater food than that! The crowd asked him what that might be. "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (v. 35, NIV) But at this difficult teaching, many left. Many had known him since he was a boy and were in disbelief that Jesus could teach things like that he came from Heaven, or that he himself is the Bread of Life. His own disciples said, "This is a hard teaching who can accept it?" (v. 60). When Jesus asks his closest followers, the Twelve, if they, too, will turn back and no longer follow him, Simon Peter responds: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69, NIV) The Disciples were no less amazed than the people that Jesus provided bread. They each may have had their own reasons for seeking after Jesus to start. The same may be true with the body of Christ, the church. But might they stay because they believe, and come to know, the Holy One of God who has the words of eternal life. Where else can we go? What Does A Church Do In A Lonely World? "Interesting, could've been shorter, but lots to think about," is my best hope for what any of you who made it this far might be thinking: "But what are we supposed to do about all this loneliness?" I don't have all the answers, but I hope I can point to a way to begin (click each to expand). *** May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14, NIV) Pax Christi⁴ - Jonathan Co-Pastor, FBCM ¹ It just so happens both Dr. Ammerman and Dr. Burge are Baptists in addition to being scholars in their respective fields. ² Many examples document this decline of church attendance and rise in secularization, despite having state churches, a cultural Christian heritage, state funding for Christian schools in some cases, and Christian public holidays off. For example see: "'Christianity as default is gone': the rise of a non-Christian Europe'" in The Guardian, March 20th, 2018). ³ A book-length treatment of this idea can be found in the excellent "From Isolation To Community: A Renewed Vision For Christian Life Together" by Myles Wertnz. His Substack newsletter / blog is also worth checking out. ⁴ The Peace of Christ

This is a sermon preview for Sunday April 30, 2023. It is the 4th week of the Eastertide sermon series “Easter Joy: A Walk Through Philippians.” “Do everything without grumbling or arguing…” - Philippians 2:14 Perhaps that sounds like a mantra repeated in vain by an exasperated parent to cantankerous (or even whiny) children. Today, when we think of reasons not to complain we might think of “all the people who have it worse.” That is, compare our difficulties to others and say, “Well, what I’m going through - by comparison - it’s not so bad.” And maybe there is a grain of reason in there. Perspective is important. Yes, I forgot to charge my phone, the milk has expired, and I find out the car is out of gas in the morning when I start the ignition – but, in the grand scheme of things that might befall a person, it’s a slightly irritating morning. Many people do have it worse than me. But, this is not why Paul tells the Church to do everything "without grumbling or arguing"! Part of the reason Paul doesn’t think this is might be that Paul very clearly suffered – and more than most (seriously, he doesn’t mince words: check out 2 Corinthians 11:23-30). But another part is that Paul focuses on the goodness of the Gospel. He doesn’t deny or relativize suffering. He doesn’t say, “It’s not really that bad, so get over it and be joyful.” In fact Paul has words for the world like “warped and crooked,” and speaks about believers being those who “shine among them like stars in the sky” (v. 15). Stars shine in the sky brilliantly: when the sky is dark and the greater light, the sun, is nowhere to be seen. It is only in the midst of darkness that stars shine so that we can see. It is in the midst of real hurt, we might have joy. Paul can share joy and gladness with them because a new age has come in Jesus. In the middle of a world surrounded by death we are in Christ’s life. The main point of the message, the word that I hope we'll hear through this passage of scripture this Sunday, is that: “With God’s grace gratitude shines in obedience, perseverance, & gladness.” It is God’s gracious action in us that moves us to live lives of grateful obedience, that allows us to persevere in faith, and awakens our hearts to live with gladness, whatever our situation may be. Why? Because we have joy in the Good News that is Jesus Christ. Derwin Gray, the Pastor of Transformation Church, described this phenomenon through a different passage, Psalm 30. As we prepare to hear how God might have something to say to us through this word from Paul to the Philippians this upcoming Sunday (5/7/2023), I invite you to read both Philippians 2:12-18, Psalm 30, and to watch and reflect on this short clip from the message below: Derwin Gray (Transformation Church) - "The Source of True Joy"

This is a sermon preview for Sunday April 30, 2023. It is the 3rd week of the Eastertide sermon series “Easter Joy: A Walk Through Philippians.” “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” –Philippians 1:27 - 2:11 Reputation is a tricky thing. Some argue that reputation matters very little because it’s based merely on others’ perception of you rather than who you really are. Still some accurately point out that if you act morally, then there would be no reason for others to perceive you with a negative reputation. Perhaps Abraham Lincoln’s observations best reflect this complex relationship: “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” As it turns out, character, actions, and reputation are linked. And Paul is rather concerned about all of them when he reminds the Philippians to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Don’t get me wrong, Paul isn’t being vain here. He isn’t building a brand or hoping his reputation will carry him as an influencer. But Paul is very aware that the resurrection of Jesus is too powerful, too grand, and too joyous to allow the “toxins of sin” to keep their rule. Instead, the reputation of the Church is marked by one thing: unity in Christ which leads to unity with one another. Today, unity is hard for us to imagine. In America, we tend to value individuality, independence, and uniqueness. We’re taught to be right without necessarily seeking understanding with the other. We’re taught to “pick a side”--whether it’s in politics, sports, or family fights. You don’t need a Pastor to tell you there’s no joy in this way of constant division. This was true for the Philippians as well. Paul’s plea for unity reveals that the Philippian church wasn’t just facing persecution externally, but they were also fighting internally among their siblings due to their “selfish ambition and vain conceit.” This infighting may even bother Paul more than their suffering at the hands of non-believers! After all, the Philippians have been raised with Christ. The Philippians share the same Holy Spirit as their guide. The Philippians have shared in God’s love, compassion, care, and encouragement. So if the Philippians have experienced this resurrection with Christ, it’s time for them to start acting like Christ. It’s time for them to live with Christ’s humility–the key to their unity within the church and the crutch of Christ’s reputation outside of the church. Recently, a friend of mine tagged me in a post on Facebook. The post was a picture of a typewriter with the caption: “If Paul could see the church in America today, we’d be getting a letter.” I may not be able to prove this theory, but I think Paul’s letter to the American Church would sound a lot like Philippians 2. In a world marked by conflict and self-centered greed, it’s time for us to refocus on Christ’s way of humility and the joy that can be found in unity. Reflection Questions: What do you think the reputation of Christianity is in our community? How have Christians / churches contributed to that reputation? What opportunities are there for you to practice Christ’s humility in your interactions with others this week? How do you think regularly practicing Christ’s humility might help you encourage unity with others in your church and community?

This is a sermon preview for Sunday April 23rd, 2023. It is the 2nd week of the Eastertide sermon series “Easter Joy: A Walk Through Philippians.” For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. - Philippians 1:21 "I'll definitely be satisfied when... I would certainly be happy if..." Such thoughts are not uncommon. Satisfaction, we often convince ourselves, is not far away. If we could just get the home we really need, or the job we've been expecting, or if we could just get out of this particularly bad season of poor health, then we can find joy. The strangeness of the Apostle Paul is on full display in this passage. He boasts in his joy when even those who are suspicious of him preach the Gospel. He is glad from prison when he can preach the Gospel to prison guards. And, Paul he faces even death with an unnatural (one might say supernatural) hope. Paul writes from prison, but rather seeking encouraging news from the outside, he hopes to encourage the church at Philippi — and all of us who encounter his word thousands of years later. Of course, it's not just the strangeness of Apostle Paul, it's the life-giving strangeness of the Gospel on display in this letter. Paul is in prison, and yet Paul rejoices that God has used even this dire situation that the Good News might be advanced, and more might hear of God's saving power in Jesus. As some other Christians may be be distancing themselves from Paul or seeking to increase their own standing by preaching, Paul simply rejoices that the message about Christ is being preached. Even when contemplating the fact he could die, he considers it "gain," and something which "would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live" (v. 23-24 NLT). And why does Paul wish to continue living? He says it simply: "To help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith." (v. 25, NLT) Paul is not self-absorbed, but he's completely absorbed by the Gospel: the Good News which is Jesus Christ. Paul, in other words, acts very differently from how I often act. He finds joy in circumstances which, frankly, would make me falter and doubt. The changing of the weather is enough, many times, to make me downcast. A flat tire is enough to ruin my whole day. And in Muncie, those happen from time-to-time! But we know that circumstances will change. God never guarantees believers a life without difficulty. And yet, Paul shows us joy in the hope we have. I'm reminded of another Christian who was in chains. Bishop Desmond Tutu, of South Africa, who died not long ago. He was in prison when he advocated against the Apartheid Regime of his nation. And yet, he was often heard to say, "I've read the end of the book... we win!" One thing which was notable about Desmond Tutu was his laugh. A laugh that is not a diversion from suffering, but the laugh of one who had suffered much: a sign of God's ultimate triumphant joy over evil. Paul's joy, and wish for the faithful to share in the joy of the Gospel, the joy of living for Christ and dying to self, is this sort of joy. It does not deny suffering. It is not a morose and self-hating act; but it is an act in which one finds joy in knowing God is faithful enough, good enough, and one might even say clever enough to bring his great good out of what human beings meant for evil.

This is a sermon preview for Sunday April 16th, 2023. It is the 1st week of the Eastertide sermon series “Easter Joy: A Walk Through Philippians.” “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 1:3-11 I admit it: I’m a bit of a mindless social media scroller. I don’t post much, but I’ve almost always got some platform pulled up, ready to like all the cute dog posts I can! Admission #2: I never start scrolling with faith in mind. But maybe I should, because lately I’ve seen quite a few theologically charged posts that force me to think about God’s character and action in the world. I guess it’s been a good reminder that the “sacred” and “secular” parts of our lives aren’t quite as segregated as we often try to make them. Just yesterday, I came across someone’s Instagram reflection. This person is a Christian, but shared how they genuinely struggled to celebrate Easter. They question on demand: “How am I honestly supposed to have joy in Christ’s resurrection when I’m still stuck in a world surrounded by death?” It’s a fair question! And deep down, maybe it’s one you have, too. Christ is risen–yet this week there were two mass shootings in Louisville, KY this week. Christ is risen–yet there is ceaseless violence continuing in Ukraine and the Middle East. Christ is risen–yet there are countless loved ones in our very community that struggle to find affordable housing or enough food to eat. Where is Christ’s joy after the resurrection??? It’s not an easy question, and one which certainly cannot be answered satisfactorily in a blog. But it’s also not a new question. Paul was no stranger to this tension of the Kingdom of God being “already but not yet”-meaning that Christ’s resurrection is both already victorious and yet still in the process of reviving the world. Paul was no stranger to the death and darkness in the world, yet Christ’s resurrection joy radiated from him through his preaching and writings. The book of Philippians, in fact, is often nicknamed “the letter of joy” because of how Paul constantly points back to the contentment, confidence, and hope we experience in life when we’re abiding in Christ. From the very beginning of the book, Paul sets the record straight: he prays with joy because the Philippians’ faith in the gospel message means that Jesus Christ is continuing to do good works in their community–even good works of resurrection that they do not yet see. Christians around the world continue to celebrate Easter for 50 days following Easter. At FBCM, we will join these Eastertide celebrations with a new series called Easter Joy, where each week we will walk through Philippians and learn where and how to see Christ’s resurrection all around us. We hope you will worship with us as Easter people who are known in the world by our unmistakable and counter-cultural joy. Reflection Questions: What in your life or your community are you still waiting for Christ to resurrect? Where do you see God continuing a good work in your life or in your community? How can you follow Paul's example this week to pray with joy in this "already but not yet" Kingdom of God?

Sunday, April 9th, will be a very special day of worship: we will celebrate Easter– the Resurrection of Jesus. To learn more about our Holy Week activities see our schedule. “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said...' So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." –Matthew 28:5, 8 (emphasis added) “Afraid yet filled with joy....” Can those exist together, fear and joy? Later, in verses 16 and 17, the Gospel of Matthew tells us: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” (emphasis added) “They worshiped him” and some doubted. These are the disciples who walked with Jesus and are seeing him again – alive! How is this possible? He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” - Matthew 28:6-7 NIV (emphasis added) Fear and Joy. Worship and Doubt. Action and Hesitation. They seem to exist side-by-side in this story. Even more than that, they might even exist (and often do) in the same person. The way Matthew tells the Good News –and it is truly, amazingly, life-changing good news; the best news ever told– reminds us of a fact of every believer’s life. It is a life where we always go between worship and indecision, teetering between trusting God and being unsure if we can live as if his promises are true. Our struggle is exactly what we find in the words of a Father who meets Jesus and asks him to heal his child: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). Matthew shows us that Jesus always shows up and is present to his followers. When the women, when they are following the angel’s instructions to see where he had been lain – Jesus appears to them and is with them. When the women tell the disciples of Jesus’s command to seek him on the mountain – he appears to them and is with them. Now, all of us, might meet the risen Christ and teach others what he has taught: knowing he is with us, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). There will be times we are filled with fear: and we can also go in joy. There will be times where we doubt: and we can worship the true God. There are times where we are hesitant, and still be empowered to act. How is this possible? It’s possible because the Resurrection shows us God is with us in Jesus Christ, and he is for humanity. Salvation is open to all who would follow him: however doubt-filled or afraid. Come and follow, come and see, come and celebrate! Even though the poem is based on a different event after Jesus’s resurrection, Malcolm Guite, a Poet and Priest in the Church of England, describes these Resurrection paradoxes well. His poem, “This Breathless Earth” is full of the tension between fear and joy – hesitation and action, doubt and belief – and describes the great chance to share this good news we all have beautifully: We bolted every door but even so We couldn’t catch our breath for very fear: Fear of their knocking at the gate below, Fear that they’d find and kill us even here. Though Mary’s tale had quickened all our hearts Each fleeting hope just deepens your despair: The panic grips again, the gasping starts, The drowning, and the coming up for air. Then suddenly, a different atmosphere, A clarity of light, a strange release, And, all unlooked for, Christ himself was there Love in his eyes and on his lips, our peace. So now we breathe again, sent forth, forgiven, To bring this breathless earth a breath of heaven. Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen. See you Sunday. - Pastors Kendall and Jonathan