Pastor Dave shares a timely word in our series on spiritual practices essential to the life of disciples of Jesus to thrive in our day. Beginning with Genesis 24, where the patriarch Abraham sends his trusted servant to find the right spouse for his son, Isaac; reflecting on the servant character shown in Rebekah; the New Testament then testifies to the consistent call of Jesus to produce the spiritual maturity reflected in the servant heart approach to dealing with others. James pointedly challenges any supposedly faithful follower of Jesus to show by their actions the love of Christ that is transforming their inner character. If this servant perspective is lacking, it raises a question of whether one's faith is authentic and rooted in loving obedience to Jesus.

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Are you a "giver?" Do you give of yourself? Is it really better somehow to give, rather than receive? Jesus demonstrates insight into our human condition of focusing on our resources, when we first need to realize our poverty in spirit. In the scene of the young religious man approaching Jesus respectfully, having what would normally be considered excellent responses to Jesus' evaluative questions. But then Jesus seems to look into his heart to see what no one else could. He tells him there is still one duty he must perform: sell all your assets...and give it all away to those in need. Why? For this person it was his final cost of discipleship, dealing with the last barrier to his fully following Jesus into transformation.

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Last week we saw the crucial role of knowing - knowing well and accurately God’s revealed Word in Jesus Christ, and in scripture. We now focus on the spiritual training dimension of Relationship. We have an essential need to connect properly with both God and others within the "Body of Christ" - particularly our local church where we find “social holiness” as John Wesley called it; growing faith within a community of supportive relationships with other disciples. What is the current state of your "connections?" Have you found yourself living as though you somehow can successfully navigate life as a solo disciple? (Is there really such a thing?) In Jesus' wrap-up concluding instructions found in John 15:1-17, He gives a command to his committed students: "Love one another as I have loved you." A command to love other disciples, authentically and sacrificially.

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When knowledge truly matters, all opinions on the subject are not equal. As disciples of Jesus, we have a responsibility to apply our best effort and available scholarship to treat seriously the authority of scripture for our lives. We do not have the option to casually relate to scripture as though our feelings and impressions are the proper means for understanding meaning. Interpretation is the result of carefully considering all of the original context of each text. the saying goes, "it means what it means." Once the original meaning is discovered objectively, then we make the diligent effort to properly apply this meaning to our present setting and issues. As another principle for discerning Christian knowledge we have the balance of God's truth and God's love. Remove either and you have neither. All approaches to our lives require this balance.

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Epiphany Sunday celebrates the close of the Christmas season for our church liturgical calendar. Matthew 2:1-12 shares the experience of outside seekers attentive to God's leading into the unknown for a special experience of God's presence. This is not new with Christ Jesus' birth. This same pattern of faithful stepping out from comfort to trust the Lord in a new, unknown setting was true of Abraham, Moses, and even the nation of ancient Israel, wandering in a wilderness existence for generations. For the second week we have the opportunity to respond with a special card of commitment for the new year - A Spiritual Practices pledge to Christ. With this card we pray and commit to tried and true practices which help bring us closer, deeper with God.

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We close out our series with part 6 - the commitment dimension of love. One of many examples in the New Testament letters, the apostle Paul addresses in 1Thesaalonians 4:1-10 the connection between loving commitment to Christ Jesus and our lifestyle choices. Where Paul uses the original contextual issue of sexual immorality, this message suggests another issue in our present context fits the criteria of “goes without saying as a nearly unexamined category of behavior in need of redemption: out of control eating. Our culture takes for granted the availability of food and consumes for many more reasons than mere nutrition. The fallout for disciples of Jesus for such poor stewardship includes health limitations which serve as unintended barriers to fulfilling our love of God and neighbor. Finally, we respond concretely to the need for spiritual practices as a kind of New Year’s pledge to help form our spirit and mind in maturity. 

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Two contrasting images of Mary holding her son in her arms: as a newborn infant, and later as her deceased son, just taken down from a Roman cross of execution. The prophet Simeon affirms what all the other signs declared: infant Jesus is God's agent, specialy come into His creation as the Savior of the world. But he closes his prophetic words with disturbing warning to Mary: "your soul will also be pierced..." What pierced her soul? The cross on which Jesus is rejected and ultimately the conqueror of even death itself as demonstrated in his resurrection.

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The “Las Posadas” liturgy is incorporated in this sensory experience of participating in the message as it is acted out. All the children were invited up to the platform, followed by an ancient story teller describing the events of Mary having the angelic visitor with stunning news of her destiny to mother God’s child, the long-awaited Messiah. As the story is shared, Mary and Joseph suddenly are seen at the entrance to the sanctuary. The story teller then guides the kids along with the Holy couple to try to find lodging. Two failed attempts are followed by a welcome to use what is available among the domesticated animals. Once the baby is born, the children sing “Away in a Manger” while circling the manger.

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