Podcast - Mosaic | Lynchburg, VA Church

Do you realize that many of the things we used to do before the Coronavirus have probably forever changed. The question we are facing is not whether we will experience temporary and permanent change; the question is, how much.

Frank M. Snowden, author of Epidemics and Society, states: “Epidemics are a category of disease that seem to hold up the mirror to human beings as to who we really are.”

I’d like us to take a look in the mirror this Sunday and see how we’re “really” doing reflecting the life Jesus in the midst of constant change. Tired of this yet?

It was so good to see so many of you come out last Sunday for our first ever drive-in church service. Even though we couldn’t hug one another, it was just great to see your smiling faces. We heard such good reports from the service that we have decided to do it again this Sunday.

With this Sunday being Mother’s Day, I felt it would be nice for the women and mom’s of Mosaic to hear from a couple other moms and seasoned women of the Lord. I’m so excited that we all get to hear from my wife Mimi, and a dear friend of ours, Jeanne Allen. These women not only have a lot of years being moms, but many years of ministry experience as well.

You do know you are The “Church” right? Sure, you attend a local assembly called a church, but we need to continually remind ourselves that The Church is not a building. The church of Jesus Christ consists of all people world-wide who have put their faith & trust in Jesus as their Lord & savior.

Jesus says in Matthew 16:18 “… and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” NLT

In these troubling times we currently find ourselves, I think it’s important that we understand just how powerful we are as The “Church.” I can't think of a better Sunday to do that than when we’re sitting in our cars, I’m standing on a roof to preach, and we are told not to touch one another!

Did one of your kids miss their prom, birthday party, senior year good-byes, and graduation? Maybe you missed your college graduation, birthday, special anniversary party, baby shower, bridal shower, or even had to postpone or repurpose your wedding day.

Maybe you’re in physical pain because you had to reschedule that surgery for the third time. Maybe you lost your job, can’t fly to see a loved one, or won’t be allowed in the room for the birth of your first grand-child. Imagine if you were an Olympian and had practiced 6 days a week, 12 hours a day for four years.

I just received a phone call a few minutes ago from someone close to us whose father died unexpectedly. How do you social distance a funeral?

All these life events are not only real in the midst of a Coronavirus, they are also very disappointing to those involved. I’d like to talk about disappointment this Sunday, even disappointment with God.

You’ve heard me say on several occasions that, “God doesn’t waste pain,” speaking primarily of emotional pain.

The problem with us, especially as Americans, is we like to take matters into our own hands and do whatever’s necessary to not only steer clear of pain and despair, but to actually replace it with our own man-made solutions. God’s wanting to teach us something deep about Him or ourselves, and we usurp his plan with more activity.

Perhaps some are even chasing righteousness, hoping it will finally bring life & peace to our lives. More likely, we’re addicted to something else that promises the same: CrossFit, essential oils, or some garden variety like money, sex, or 15 seconds of fame.

Join us this Sunday via Live-stream as we unpack the lessons that God wants to teach us that can only be appreciated and realized through pain.

Holy Week and Easter Sunday comes just in time this year— we really need this week and the message it brings. This week, Christians around the world remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for you and me. This year is different, however, because of the aggressive spread of a global pandemic.

The practical ways we observe this Easter will also be different — video venues, celebrating Easter dinner via Skype, cancelled Easter egg hunts, family members self-quaranteened across town or even in another part of the house!

No plague has ever altered the truth of redemption, and this Coronavirus doesn’t change the reality of what Holy Week and Easter reveal. In fact, maybe even more so this year will Easter offer us the renewed hope we’ve all been longing for in the midst of all this social-distancing!

Are you OKAY? Don’t be too quick to answer that question. (Pause and think). Maybe you’d say, “I don’t have a fever, a dry cough or any other symptom of Covid 19. Yes, I’m OKAY.” Or, “I have my health, my home and my family, so Yep, I’m OKAY." Alternatively, you might say, “No, I’m not OKAY! I’ve been locked up in my house for weeks with my stir crazy kids, and I’m running out of toilet paper!” Or, “I’ve lost my job, my rent payment is late, and I’m unable to buy groceries this week. I think that qualifies for being NOT OKAY!”

Fair enough. These are very difficult times, and many of us are struggling through a set of circumstances unlike anything we’ve ever faced. This Sunday, I’d like for us to consider whether the circumstances of our lives are actually the best barometer of whether or not we’re OKAY.

As one of our callings at Mosaic, being a voice of hope is so often critical for our neighbors, co-workers as well as ourselves, especially in a time of stress and uncertainty. But doing this in a genuine way, especially when our own fear response is churning, isn't so easy. This Sunday we’ll be piggybacking on Pastor Rick’s great challenge last Sunday of actively loving our neighbors and digging into what it really means to be an authentic voice of hope to those around us in great need of hope.

Together we'll be tackling three key questions that perhaps some of you have and see what God's Word has to say about:

1. How do I possibly feel and express genuine hope when I’m all too frequently feeling overwhelmed and anxious myself?

2. How do I share hope authentically and not sound like I live in a polyanna, la-la land?

3. So why should I? What difference does it really make?

f you recall, three weeks ago I spoke on Trials & Joy on Sunday morning. We looked at James 1:2-4 where it talks about “Considering it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds…” I would say this Coronavirus constitutes a trial. How’s your joy meter doing ;-)

I asked the question 3 weeks ago, “Why should we rejoice in the midst of hardships” and we concluded that trials make us stronger, “if we let them.”

I guess the question this week is, “What are you learning or letting God teach you by having your world turned upside down with the Coronavirus?”

In lieu of the virus that is spreading throughout our country and world, John, Jeff, Ron, and I spoke today about what Mosaic’s response should be. Like you, we are obviously concerned and want to take every precaution to be safe, and at the same time not live in fear, but actually the hope that only Jesus can fully provide at times like this.

As we take our rightful place in Him and stand on His Word, we would simply ask that you prayerfully do likewise: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will put on… Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to your life?” (Matt. 6:25,27)

John Stroud and I will be co-teaching this Sunday, bringing a Biblical and practical perspective to times like this when our world is unsettled.