Word of Life Church Podcast

As we get closer to July 4th, people often ask: Is it OK to be patriotic? Can I be a Christian and a Patriot? Can I celebrate national holidays like the fourth of July? Answering questions like these require a clear definition of patriotism. If by patriotism you mean pride of place and love of people in that place, then yes, it's OK to be a patriotic. But...it is easy for patriotism to turn into nationalism whereby we elevate our love for country over our love for Jesus, which creates all sorts of problems in our faith life. Jesus calls us to a life of discipleship where we put him first and everything else becomes a distant second.

The land of the Gerasenes is opposite Capernaum on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Though it’s only eight miles away by boat, it really was a world away from Capernaum -- the land of the Gerasenes was a land of Gentiles. So when Jesus said, "let’s go over to the other side," he was saying, "let’s go to 'them.'" (If we’re going to learn to love the other, we’re going to have to get to know them.) The city of the Gerasenes was Kursi. In the city of Kursi there lived a man whose had lost the battle with his demons....but that was about to change.

Let’s try to evaluate the church in the context of beauty and ask some fearless questions.

Instead of contributing to the hateful rhetoric of our ugly age, could the church be a shelter from the storm?

Instead of a furrowed brow of disapproval, a clenched fist of anger, a wagging finger of condemnation, could the church present to the world a compassionate countenance of grace?

Instead of being sucked into the destructive dualism of reactive people, could the church become a contemplative people seeking to hold all things together in the reconciling love of Christ?

Instead of ratcheting up culture war polemics, could the church speak the first words of the risen Christ, “peace be with you”?

As a child Prince Mephibosheth was let down by a loved one; as a result he was crippled, living on the edge of hell. Have you ever been let down by a loved one and the episode left its mark on you? Have you ever been hurt by those who were supposed to help you? Do you limp through life, suffering from old wounds, feeling like you're going through hell? This is Mephibosheth. But it's not the end of the story...

Power as defined as the need to be in control, and to be able to control others, belongs to that part of the world Jesus wants to save us from. We are all addicted to power and we don't even know it. This kind of power is challenged by the gospel. Jesus takes away the sin of power through powerlessness, leaving for us an example to follow. Jesus says those who lose their life will save it. When we experience this kind of powerlessness, we are empowered to become fully healed, fully human, and fully alive.