so sunday we were spent some time talking about disabilities, and how to make sure that folks who are challenged either physically or mentally never feel like second class members at DEC.

we did a baptism at the 9:45 service. susan speidel took the plunge. sandy was in with her to interpret all the sign language that was going on. let me say that if this gal’s testimony didn’t bring tears to you eyes, you need you tear ducts checked out. it was incredible. the joy in her and the boldness in praising Jesus was heavenly.

all i can say is “thanks susan” and to God be the glory.

OK, so He did do one better than pulling a bunny out of a hat. Jesus actually pulled a fish out of the basket, and a roll as well!!! not just one fish or one roll, but enough to feed around 15,000 people (so where did that number come from??? follow the math– the bible says 5000 MEN were served this celestial lunch; add in women and kids, and 15,000 is probably a very conservative number).

sometimes what we don’t appreciate as we read the stories of Jesus’ miracles is how intensely practical they were. let’s say it this way– Jesus did not do miracles to entertain, His miracles were done to meet needs. oh for sure there is a proclamation side of miracles– that’s why they were often called “signs and wonders”. these acts did something in the souls of those who witnessed them. either it confirmed in a person that this Jesus guy was somebody sent from God or it confirmed their hatred of Him (check out the reaction of the religious leaders to the rasing of lazarus from the dead in John 11)..

but if you view the miracles of Christ as an integral part of the message, you have to confront the fact that Jesus really did care about people’s very practical needs. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. He didn’t divide the world into “physical needs vs spiritual needs”– He saw the needs of the whole person, and met those needs. so if care for the hurting is such a part of His ministry, what does it say to those of us following in His footsteps? looking at our world, what are the very real needs that confront us daily that the church should be pouring its heart into? how about DEC specifically (for you DEC folks reading this)? and maybe this is the big challenge– how do we pursue meeting these needs and at the same time make sure the proclamation of the “good news for the soul” doesn’t get lost in the process?

often it seems like we end up in the unbalanced side of ministry. either we do a lot of good physically for folks, yet never share the good news of salvation with them; or we share the good news, but never touch their physical needs.Jesus did both very well, how about us?

in Jesus’ day, it was kinda easy to figure out who the folks were that you stayed away from (the untouchables). samaritans– absolutely (they were half breeds with the wrong theology). gentiles– you betcha (that gang had nothing to do with God’s covenant, and the covenant people had nothing to do with them). also, you had to stay away from the physically “unclean” (like those suffering skin diseases like leprosy).

then Jesus shows up, and starts knocking down some of these barriers. his story of the “good samaritan” is a classic (luke 10). his healing of non-jews was shocking (luke 7). and this week’s message about the healing of the lepers combines both racial and health barriers.  the “untouchables” didn’t seem to be that “untouchable” to our Lord.

which leads to the big question this week– who are the modern untouchables? we don’t have lepers hanging out by the city gates, and there aren’t any “samaritans” around. but let’s get honest for a moment: we don’t need to come out and say someone is “untouchable” to have folks feeling like they are “untouchables”.  all we need to do is operate in a way that makes them feel totally unwelcomed. what do i mean? how about a couple examples: when we assume that all God’s real children agree on political issues, and if you aren’t in the right party you probably aren’t right with God; or when our disdain for all things homosexual stands out it in sharp contrast to our muted voice when it comes to other sexual sins (like porn or sex outside of marriage). we don’t have a list that says these people are “untouchable”, but they often feel that way after interacting with us.

So who are the evangelical world’s “untouchables”? And what is our responsibility to reach out and touch these folks with the love of Christ?

weird isn’t it– i’m doing a “Christmas” sermon in september.  when it says in philippians about Jesus  “who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant, being made in human likeness”, i can’t help pondering why the manger. for Jesus to give up the glory of heaven and come to this earth, taking on all kinds of human limitations surely would have been enough.

but it wasn’t enough. He came in the most humble of ways. it would have been absolutely fitting for Him to be born into a royal setting, but that isn’t what He chose. instead He identified with the lowliest of folks– a simple carpenter living in an out of the way little village. so i guess the question that i start the week pondering is this– God’s choice of how His Son would come to this world must be important (for He chose it), what exactly is the importance of the manger? There is definitely a message flowing out of that feeding trough. Do you have any thoughts on what it is?

Have you ever wondered why we make the decision in life that we do? what is it inside of us that inclines our will to move the way it does. let’s talk negative for a second. judas! Here is guy who was given the most amazing education in the world. for 3+ years he lived right next to jesus. he listened to Him teach, watched Him interact with people, saw Him do miracles. he even went out with the other disciples preaching the kingdom of God, and most likely did miracles himself. so after all this, what in the world was happening in his heart that when the right moment came, he sold Jesus down the river for a few pieces of silver. the issue for me isn’t so much what he did, but why he did it.

maybe the reason this means so much to me is I always wonder why some people live these really godly christian lives and others don’t– even though they may both say they believe. why the difference??? how come some days i find a lot of power in my life to walk with the Lord and other days not so much. this sunday we’re going to spend a little time looking at the issue of motivation (in Philippians 2:3-11). it will be a time to ponder not “what” we do, but “why” we do it.

so if you’ve had days where you felt particularly strong in the Lord, do you have any ideas as to where that strength came from? what was going on between you and God that allowed His Spirit’s power to truly flow through you??

just wonderin’

ts

Well, this picture kinda tells you what I’ve been up to for the last few weeks. It all started on August 8th down in Bramford, Ct. My oldest son Ben tied the knot with Jess (she’s the one in white that isn’t Danny).  I always wondered what it would be like to do the ceremony for my own kids since I’ve probably done well over a 100 for others.  Let me say it was one of the happiest days of my life. Looking at the joy on the faces of these two was incredible. Having both my daughters (Jackie and Bethany) and my son (Dan) in the wedding was a kick as well. God gave us a gorgeous day and I will say the food and the dancing at the reception were top notch. Of course any time I’m on the dance floor it is “top notch” lol. Someone asked, “will you do your daughter’s weddings??” Short answer– “not a chance”. Let’s be honest. Watching you son marry an amazing young woman is a real blessing. Watching any guy marry your daughter– no way he’s good enough for her :). I’ll walk ‘em down the aisle, but somebody else has to do the ceremony.

Well that was the “add 1″ part of the story. I’m now a father in law, and there’s a new gal in the family. That’s good news. Now for the “not always good news”. We rolled back in from the wedding, and immediately started getting ready for the Exdous. Not quite as big as the biblical one, but equally exhausting. Thursday evening (13th) Jackie and I headed south- me in a truck, her in a car. First stop Philadelphia. We rolled in Eastern University at about 2am, dropped the car and kept heading south. Destination - Anderson University, South Carolina. 4pm the next afternoon we were there. Gotta say, the drive through the Virginias is gorgeous. Met up in Anderson with mom and Bethany, who flew down.

Said goodbye to Beth on Sunday, put Jackie on a plane for Philly; then Kath and went to DC to cry for a couple days. One stop on the way home in Philly to spend a little time with Jackie and Danny; then it was on  the road to Durham– arrival time 3am Friday the 21st.

So here we are– added one daughter and said bye to 2 daughters and a son. We are officially empty nested. It really was strange walking into the house after the trip. Just seemed so empty. I guess ya say a “new day” begins. What will it be like? How will we adapt? Not sure. This parenting thing has dominated life for 25 years. And even though we are still very much parents, it is on to new things. So any of you “empty nesters” out there– got any words of wisdom for the nubies?