When the Time Comes

Mark 13:24-37 

What were you doing on Monday, September 26th, 1983?
...In Hickory Level the high temperature was a perfect 72 degrees, with 8 miles of visibility. It was also the day our world almost ended.... Stanislav Petrov, the man who quite possibly saved the world, died this past May at 77.
The first Sunday in Advent is one of hope: the hope that Light will shine amidst the darkness
Jesus spoke of a time of darkness: Signs in the heavens, light being extinguished! Jesus spoke within a time of darkness: Israel occupied by Rome, 400 years since God had spoken through the prophets And the darkness still tries to surround us: 34 years ago we were so close to destruction, and never even knew it!  And this week we find out that North Korea can now reach Washington DC with their brand new ICBMs
But Jesus assures us that Light will overcome the darkness, and councils us to keep awake!
The problem with the darkness is it makes you want to pull the covers over your head, to go to sleep. But He tells us not to, even though it might be more comfortable to be lulled by things that don't matter, to drift off into distraction. Are we awake? We are ready if it were to BE now?, if an angel appeared and said, "It is time to stand before Jesus...?" Would you be comfortable with...
your prayer life? ...your treatment of others?...your patience or lack thereof?...
If the answer to all of that was yes, then are you maybe too comfortable?



Final words
Do you remember David Cassidy?
1983's Joseph in his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat? Teen heartthrob star of the Partridge Family? He also passed away this year, this past week actually, at 67. His daughter Katie Cassidy (Laurel Lance on "Arrow") shared this on Twitter:
"Words can't express the solace our family’s received from all the love & support during this trying time,” the Arrow actress wrote. “My father’s last words were ‘So much wasted time.’..."
Yet we serve a God who "redeems the time," who takes what this world calls a waste and makes it fruitful and holy.
"Arise, shine, [people of God] for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you." "Wake up, and strengthen what remains..." May God open our eyes, convict our hearts, lead us to repentance, forgive us our sins, and fit us for His service.

On the Word of the King

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Are We Confident in the Word?
"From childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." As true for many of us as it was for Timothy. "... for the Bible tells me so." The secular culture replies, "so what?" 
That HAS to have an impact. If not on you, then on your children, or grandchildren...
So let's spend ONE Sunday just on this Word of our God and King
You Can Be Confident in the Bible's Construction
Let me tell you the story of the New Testament...
Sharing the Stories of Jesus, reading letters from the Apostles
Letters being recognized AS scripture (2 Pet 3:16)
As the Apostles start to pass, the Stories are written down
Matthew, Mark (Peter), Luke (Paul), John
Each local church has their own copies of letters and gospels, each deciding whether they are genuine, with the same Jesus
The earliest list was compiled in AD 170. It included all of the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, and 3 John. Some of them accepted the Apocalypse of Peter, although others "will not allow [it] to be read in church."  They rejected the letters claiming to be Paul's letter to the Laodiceans and to the Alexandrians.
Over time, a consensus developed as to what was accepted:
(1) Because the apostles were the eyewitnesses of Jesus, the writing had to be directly connected to an apostle. (2) The writing had to be "orthodox"; that is, it could not contradict Old Testament or the teachings of the apostles. (3) The writing had to be accepted in churches throughout the known world, not just one group of believers
In 367, the Festal Letter of Athanasius listed as authoritative the same twenty-seven books that appear in our New Testaments. In 382 a group of bishops and theologians, including some eastern representatives, met in Rome. The list was discussed, formalized, and published.
Not at all like Dan Brown's claim that " books were compiled and edited by men who possessed "a political agenda... to solidify their own power base."
You Can Be Confident in the Bible's Translation
American Bible Society: "the number of printed English translations and paraphrases of the Bible,... complete or not, is about 900." Things to remember as an informed consumer:
Modern translations have better sources than older translations All translations come from a particular time, place, and people, which effects the translation choices
: NIV "the man of God" vs NRSV "everyone who belongs to God" in verse 17
Paraphrases translate idea-for-idea, rather than word-for-word.
“And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads)” (Acts 26:14 KJV). But The Message? "Why do you insist on going against the grain?’"
My personal choice? A more literal translation with study notes to explain the meaning or background of difficult passages...
A good practice: test the translations against one another (easy for you, or your grandkids, to do now); weed out the bad ones
You Can Be Confident in the Bible's Teachings
"I have a problem with..."
v16: "ALL Scripture..."
Things to remember
The letters were, for the most part, written to particular churches with the understanding they would be shared with others. You can expect them to target the particular problems at that church. The entire NT was written within a first-century context. Sometimes that means we have to step back from the particular practice to look at the principle underlying it before we can apply it to our lives. Within their context of a small, persecuted religious minority, the status quo was subverted instead of protested
Can you find the letter to Philemon?... A slave is sent home to his master, but the master is told the slave is his brother.  How can slavery survive?  The church challenged Rome by rescuing babies from exposure in trash heaps, taking care of the poor, etc.
We are more distant from the first century, but have greater resources than any of the generations that have gone before.
Granted there is a lot of chaff mixed in with the wheat, and a lot of people with agendas, but they usually reveal themselves. If I could leave you with one thing, it would be a holy excitement for the Word of God, and a desire to spend TIME studying this Word, given by the Creator of the universe, whose message to us is Life and Love.

Consider the Lilies

Matthew 6:25-34

The Enemy of Thanksgiving
Taking things for granted/Always wanting more? Good candidates, especially in our consumer culture! But there is another: fear, worry, stress
I want to be thankful. But all these things I'm stressed about keeps getting in the way! And even if "life is good" for you, there is a whole smorgasbord of stress offered up to you each day! So much to fret over, to say "what is this world coming to" about!
Cares and Lures of life:
Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23):
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
Most of the Christians that I spend time with, and I myself... we seem to have a pretty good handle on the lures. It is the cares that are tripping us up.
...And that's why I always seem to return to these verses in Matthew 6...

Giving Thanks, Being Content
In Matthew 6, Jesus seems to be talking to those distracted by the cares more than the lures
They weren't the rich (whom Jesus did spend time with) They were stressed over things most of us take for granted
Q: Are you more concerned with having too little this Thanksgiving, or eating too much?
Jesus redirected them:
Your Father knows what you need... yes! But also, isn't if "funny" that Jesus directed them to look at the birds flying overhead, and the flowers blooming all around them?
Doesn't that sound restful? Paul said "whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy... think about these things!" (Philippians 4) Jesus seems to be saying, "look at them, seek them out!"
Against Our Society of Lures and Cares...
Advertisers offer us lures; the news offers us cares Jesus offers us contentment, and thankfulness is key. They go hand-in-hand. 

Homework:
You know yourself (God knows you better, but...)
If you are vulnerable to the lures... Remember that story (maybe you lived it) of the parents who spent a fortune on a Christmas gift, and the child had more fun with the cardboard box it came in?... BE THAT CHILD If you are vulnerable to the cares... If you've got the weight of the world bearing down on you, quit trying to prepare yourself for how bad things can be, take it one day at a time, and be thankful for what, and who, you have. Consider the lilies and the birds flying overhead, that God provides for them, and will provide for you... If you've learned how to practice thanksgiving, if you've learned (as Paul did) the secret of contentment beyond your present circumstances, help your family to see it.

 For The Coming Generations

Psalm 78:1-8

It Makes a Difference
My Dad was a soldier
Paratrooper, purple heart recipient Didn't talk much about it; only shared a few stories But he handed down to me a fundamental respect for soldiers, for their struggles, for why they fought And having received this from him, and having seen my father's service respected at his funeral, it is almost painful to see the American flag held in contempt...
That connection is becoming more rare
Recent statistics show just one-half of one percent of American adults have served on active duty at any given time. Fewer that one-third of those under 30 have immediate family members who served.  And if you look at the difference between those who live in the big cities and those from the rural areas, the differences get larger.
And with the loss of that connection comes a loss in understanding, respect, and common values. That happens when the important things are not passed on to the next generation...
So it is with our Faith, and its Foundations
Remember that push years go to "not force our kids into our faith?" Against this today's scripture says: " We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. " How well do you think we've done?
Noah, Jonah, Moses, Sampson...ok Do they know the story of David and Jonathan? Or David and Absalom? Do they know that a prostitute named Rahab became the ancestor of Jesus? How Elisha prayed so his servant could see God's armies defending them, and he saw the hillside surrounded with "chariots of fire?" They know the 23rd Psalm; do they know that the 22nd Psalm was the cry of Jesus on the cross? For that matter, have we told them of our personal struggles with faith, when God delivered us, or gave us strength to carry on?
These are the foundations of our shared faith, mutual understanding, common values...
Are our foundations solid? Will "the children yet unborn,... set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;... that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God"? (God's church is there to equip you and support you in this calling; this is something God's church and God's families do together. But the church can never take your place.)
Beyond the Foundations, we must Build Well
But even if we get that RIGHT, that is only the first step! Do you think the Pharisees had a strong biblical foundation?   And yet they put Jesus to death...
Of all the national instances of violence in the last few months, only one was (possibly) seeking fame. The others killed, at least in part, because they thought they were in the right... just like the Pharisees when they had Jesus killed.
The foundations must be solid, yet Christ-like love is the mortar that holds them together...
Every story we share is told in the light of Jesus' love, sacrifice, and resurrection... done so ALL may come to Him
Please consider this well...
God has given us infinite grace, but in this world we have a limited amount of time
We know (hopefully) that our faith has made us "better," in how we handle the trials of life, how we reach out to others... But bringing it down to that limited resource of time, please consider this question: What practical difference has it made in my family's life that we identify as Christians, excluding all church-based activities? And should I be satisfied with the answer?
Maybe there should be more time with my spouse, with my kids, sharing the stories, talking about the faith, praying for the hurting and lost?

On That Great Day

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18

Those Who Have No Hope
Hope is in retreat in a world "too sophisticated" for faith
There was an inscription in Thessalonica which read: “After death, no reviving, after the grave, no meeting again.” A typical inscription on a grave: ‘I was not, [then] I became, [now] I am not, [and] I care not.’ Is that so different from today?
The members of the church at Thessalonica were surrounded by this, had grown up hearing this, and their hearts were troubled by this.

The Gospel of Hope
Against this, Paul offered them Hope in Christ
Paul, who proclaimed to the Athenians in Acts 7:31 that the proof of the Gospel was the resurrection of Jesus. That is worth our consideration: Mohammed is in his tomb, as is the Buda, but not Jesus of Nazareth, for His tomb is empty
Paul told the Christians at Thessalonica that he did not want them to be uninformed, and "grieve as others do who have no hope."
He is not saying "do not grieve." Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus! He is saying that our grief should be mingled with HOPE.  And that hope is of reunion!
On That Great Day!
Verses 14-17: The Rapture verses
Books have been written, movies have been made, but while the method of our reunion is important, Paul tells us the reason even mentions it in verse 18: "encourage one another with these words."
The Dead in Christ are Resurrected
Elsewhere Paul had said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. In verse 14, "through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died," those who have been "absent from the body."
And in verse 16, "For the Lord himself... will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first." At that moment the promise is fulfilled, that what was sown perishable, is raised imperishable, never to die again.
Those Living in Christ are Changed
Verse 17: "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them..." "Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
A Completed Reunion!
Verse 17: "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever." No more tears of reunion in Heaven while tears of parting on Earth. The Shadows are over.  Now comes the Morning!

Let no one steal your Hope
Let us give the last word to Peter (which no doubt would have made him happy)
Does this sound at all familiar? "I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 2 Peter 3:3b-4 (NLT) "But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. " 2 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT) Less than two days since Jesus arose?  Yes, we still have our sure and certain hope!

Reformation Day

Romans 3:19-28

Happy Anniversary Protestants!
You can't know where you're going until you know where you've been. In 1517, Martin Luther started the Reformation
The New World was barely known John Wesley, the Methodist Movement, and the American Revolution were still 200 years in the future Perhaps most significantly, their image of Jesus was not one of joy, but of fear...
Christianity in the World of Martin Luther
Christians had faced on/off persecution until the mid 300's and emperor Constantine, who united east and west under a Christian banner
But Constantine had a problem, and he solved it by delaying his baptism until it became evident that he was dying The problem? Christians still sinned after becoming Christians!
The Sin Conundrum
Their baptism imagery was "died in Christ, raised a new creature, sins washed away" so you could now enter righteously into heaven! But how do you wash away the sins you will commit tomorrow?
The guilt is forgiven in Christ. They thought the "stain" of sin had to be balanced out, washed away by works of righteousness
"Solutions:"
I still have sinned! Receive forgiveness in Christ, delay entrance into heaven, the sin stains are "purged" in the fires or purgatory The saints have more righteousness than they need. The Pope can distribute that righteousness as he sees fit, and can delegate that distribution to those under him.  So, if you do something nice, like give money to the building fund, you can have your accounts balanced, your sin debt reduced.  You earned an "indulgence."  By the 1500s, indulgences were for sale...
AND their image of Jesus had become "Righteous Judge" rather than "Blessed Redeemer"
Martin Luther...
NOT from a well-to-do German family. Going to become a lawyer, until a lightning storm set him on the path of being a monk
He cried (through St Ann) "God save me!" And took his vow seriously...
He became a monk, professor of theology, composer, priest...
Scandalized by the corruption he saw in the church in the sale of indulgences Also terrified by the sin he kept uncovering in his own heart
Like Wesley, he struggled with finding peace!
On 31 October 1517, Luther wrote to his bishop protesting the sale of indulgences, with a copy of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences", which came to be known as the Ninety-five Theses. As the story goes, Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg on 31 October.  And it went viral...
Quotes as saying, "Here I stand. I can do no other. May God help me"
His great insight? Luther, along with his contemporaries, viewed the righteousness of God as that which separated even the committed Christian from God, for we could never be that  He knew, because he had tried, over and over again. That the righteousness of God was given as a gift through faith, that in Christ we were clothed in God's righteousness, that was the great engine of the Reformation, and perhaps its greatest recovery of Christian truth.
Recovering the image of Christ as Blessed Redeemer
Lessons from the Unfamiliar
Perhaps the biggest change from then to now is the lessening of our anguish over sin.
They obsessed over it; they monetized the washing away of it, all to feel secure. If on All Saints Day you visited the list of relics and holy sites it was possible to receive over a million years off of your time in purgatory, which means it had to be possible to get a million year sentence! We have almost done away with the word, except for Sunday. Small sins are mistakes, the tendency to sin is "being human," we blame our behavior on our parents or our genetics, and when we feel worthless we shore it up with a healthy self-esteem. 
There are many examples... I'll give you one of mine... What about you? What have you done this week, this day, that you regret, or feel guilty about, or know you really should have done differently?  What if that's not just "being human?"  What if it's the buildup of "little things" like that which are separating you from God?
The insight of the Reformation was that we are not saved by doing; we are saved by Jesus. But that doesn't mean "go out and paint the town red!"
Remember Luther had this conviction, the conviction that John Wesley had, that the publican had in the parable, that Paul had when he thought of all his good works and qualifications and called them refuse compared to God's holiness: we are sinful creatures who break God's heart by our wounding of ourselves and others, sometimes without even trying, sometimes (God forgive us) with malicious glee.  If we shrug that off without dealing with it, without weeping over it, and then try to say, "but God forgives me"...  that's not the Gospel.  That's us fooling ourselves. But thank God Luther also had this insight, the insight John Wesley had upon hearing Luther's preface to Romans being read, the insight taught through Jesus' parable of the "publican", the realization that we do not have to cower before the unattainable righteousness of God, for what we cannot attain has been given to us...

New Wine

Luke 5:33-39

Change is hard...
Even if the old is worse, the old is familiar, maybe even comfortable In matters of faith, maybe even harder...
Jesus was asked why He and His disciples did not "look" like the others that had come before, why their practice or "forms" had changed. He used it as an opportunity to communicate that in Him, the New had come...
#1: The Wedding Party - A celebration is not a time for fasting; also linked up to His references to the bridegroom coming to take the bride away... #2: Patching Old Clothing - New material has yet to shrink in the wash, so patch made of it would pull away and rip an old cloth when washed. Purely about form it seems, and an image for those who thought Jesus had come to put a new "shine" on the old ways. #3: Wine and Wineskins - New, still fermenting, wine needs a container that can be stretched... it needs a new flexible wineskin. This was about the change in form needed by the change in the covenant.

Wine in the New Testament (literally, "New Covenant")
Wine is Jesus' "blood of the new covenant" in communion Wine was featured in Jesus' first miracle, the wedding at Cana (wedding imagery again) Acts 2:13 " But others mocked them and said, "They are drunk on new wine!"" Luke (who wrote Acts) includes this intentionally, linking the Spirit back to Jesus' new wine parable...

What does this have to do with us?
We shouldn't expect that ANYTHING is included in the New Testament simply as a record of what Jesus taught others, with no claims upon us!


#1: We are still in love with old forms...
We don't like change, even when that change is necessary! In every age's and every place's receiving of the Gospel (the New Wine), the forms have changed, though the Gospel remains the same
If we get too stuck on the way we worship rather than the God we worship, we're in danger of making a mess of things. : Once upon a time, the pipe organ was considered a disruptive innovation in worship, and people DIED to give us the Bible in anything other than Latin
#2: In this modern age, we are too easily distracted and disconnected from the Vine, the New Wine, Christ, the Holy Spirit...
We neglect our relationship with God yet expect to remain "OK" Imagine a new wineskin filled with old wine, alongside one filled with the new: As fermentation happens the skin with new wine is stretched, grows, firms up, while the one with old wine remains limp and unstretched. Soon the difference becomes obvious.
So the questions of the day:
Lord, have I become more in love with "doing church" than I am in love with you? Has it been too long since I humbled myself before you, and let your will be done in me and through me?  Have I started to substitute my judgment for an honest seeking after yours? Lord, am I just going through the motions? Have I started to replace our relationship with other things, maybe even good things, but things which will leave me dry and exhausted?  Am I trying so hard to be this person that I know you desire me to be, but feel like I'm running in place?  Lord, am I willing to dust off my Bible, renew my prayer time, avoid that which draws me further from you and sours my spirit, cling to that which renews me and fills me with your love?

The sermon for Laity Sunday was delivered by our youth director Mark Stich, speaking about true happiness. Thanks Mark; well done!

Where Is This Coming From?

Mark 7:14-23

And yet again this past week, we've dealt with horrible news...
The Shooter (I will not use his name) Two Questions:
HOW can we prevent it? WHY did it happen?
Some would say because we haven't prevented the HOW But the reason...?
The topic of Evil is once again in our minds...

The Ever-Present WHY
Woke "coincidentally" this morning to the song The Hurt & The Healer by MercyMe which starts off, "Why? The question that is never far away..." Basically why do bad things happen to the good?
We've seen disasters and asked: why did God allow it? The Bible has answered, because sin has entered the world and broken it Others have answered that we encourage people to take risks through regulatory incentives, but the truth is that we believe that people have a right to be foolish if they want, and if the consequences are theirs alone. "Foolish" for me and for you might be different... But that has to do with disasters and tragedies; Las Vegas was a perpetration of violence, and so we ask...
Why did he do it? How could he have done such a thing? 
We wish to make it comprehensible, we then feel safer We hope he had a mental break, for that would mitigate his responsibility
(and we can convince ourselves that we would seek medical help if we find ourselves at risk)
We alternatively hope he was a hidden monster, for that would make him other than us
We want, maybe without admitting it to ourselves, reassurance that we would never become like this, perpetrators of evil That is why studying Nazi Germany, or Communist Russia is such a challenge:
We cannot lie to ourselves that they are not people like us

4 Kinds of Evil (one of MANY models)
The Ends Justify the Means
An Example: Romans 3:7-8 To lie, cheat, steal, use others all for yourself An Antidote: "Love your neighbor as yourself..."
Blind Idealism
Two Examples: 1 John 4:1; Matthew 7:15-18a Noncombatants killed: 12 million by Nazi Germany, 9 million by Stalin's Russia, 30+ million by Mao's China... all in service to their "ideals" Leonard Lyons in “The Washington Post:” "In the days when Stalin was Commissar of Munitions, a meeting was held... One official arose and made a speech about ... the tragedy of millions of people dying of hunger.… Stalin interrupted him to say: “If only one man dies of hunger, that is a tragedy. If millions die, that’s only statistics.”" THE Antidote: The Gospel, wherein God asks us to come and "reason together" with Him
Vengeance
An Example: Romans 12:19-20 A response to being threatened or harmed, physically or otherwise But are we content with "an eye for an eye?" An Antidote: Romans 12:19-20
Sadism
The true monsters: Those who were born without connection to others, or who have followed the above paths, to the extent that harming others becomes "fun." The Antidote: Don't start down these paths...

Leaving the "Why" in God's hands
We may never know why, in this case (and in others) At some point we have to trust God, and move forward, and not get "stuck" in the moments of darkness that mar our lives At some point we say, "As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice."
– Psalm 55:16-17

You Are Gifted

1 Peter 4:7-11

The End is Near!
But it wasn't fulfilled on the 23rd... The end is near in the same way that:
A nervous young man is just about to call that special girl for hours Our personal end is only a few missed heartbeats away
Strangely, every writer in the New testament sees that as a call to action, not inaction!

You are gifted for this "just about" time!
Gifted with communion with God Gifted with Love for one another Gifted with the talents and resources to enable your calling, which is ultimately the sharing of God's Grace in this time and place:
a time when many face an uncertain future, and a meaningless present a place that is 3 miles south of 1-20, which is America's #1 highway for human trafficking (part of an $150 billion industry that FAR surpasses in shear numbers the historical estimates of the pre-Civil War slave trade) Our mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ, so that their lives, their worlds, and THE world, may be transformed through the presence of God's grace!

Our UMW was excited to have a special guest for our October meeting.  Ms Gisela Mann, whose family survived the Holocaust, is now a hospice chaplain and a dynamic speaker.  She spoke to our group on Wednesday, October 4th.  

Jonah - Refusing God’s Call

Jonah 1:1-4, 12-17

  To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.

The Story of Jonah: the biggest "fish story" ever?
Difficult for the modern mind...
BUT for those who believe that the God of the universe was born 2,000 years ago in a small Jewish town, this is small potatoes! ...AND Jesus did say, "For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights." - Matthew 12:40
The Sequence:
God calls Jonah to proclaim judgment to Nineveh, the capital of an enemy nation Instead Jonah runs away and winds up in the belly of a fish Jonah cries out to God and is spit up on land Jonah preaches to the people of Nineveh The rulers, people, and animals of Nineveh repent, and God spares them Jonah is petulant, set up a shelter to watch what he hopes will be Nineveh's eventual destruction God had a bush to grow to give Jonah shade, then a worm to come to kill the bush; Jonah is more upset and basically says "kill me now!" God replies in Jonah 4:10-11; and the book ends on His question...

Interpretation
So tempting to say, "Do what God says or you'll wind up in the belly of a fish!" But no, this story is about... The wideness of the mercy of God
Jesus refers back to this no doubt because God is showing mercy to the Gentile people who were declared enemies of Israel Jonah wanted them dead for the sake of his people; God wanted them brought out of spiritual darkness
How we deal with the call of God upon our lives that we disagree..
Do we run? Do we ignore it?
Some may say, "If God speaks to me then I'll certainly do it!" God does speak to us, through His word, in prayer, sometimes even through the "coincidences" of our lives and in the stillness of our hearts Do we make a habit of listening?
Do we grudgingly act? Then complain?
Jonah's story was intentionally left on a question: Shouldn't God feel compassion for those in spiritual darkness?  And shouldn't we? This was as much about Jonah's spiritual development as Nineveh's, yet we know Nineveh How do you think Jonah answered the question?

"Well yes, Lord, BUT..."  I think this was his answer, because it has often been my answer.  Maybe it's often been yours as well.  But doesn't the Lord deserve more than our resistance?

Daniel 6:1-23

  To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.

Didn't we just do this?
Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego and "Even If" Differences:
Different king
The list: King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, to Belshazzar the co-regent of Babylon, to King Darius I of Persia, and Cyrus king of Persia Also manipulated by politics
Closer to other Biblical images
More reminiscent of depression

Depression?
Finding someplace to hide might sound good right now...
Two BIG hurricanes 1 magnitude earthquake in Mexico (90 dead) North Korea has an H-bomb! Scripture does acknowledge these times
people hide in caves, BUT in that scenario, caves mean safety we're looking at when the "caves" are traps
Biblical Examples:
Jonah in the fish, under the tree Elijah in the cave Jesus in the Garden
"My soul is weary, even unto death."
Situational Examples:
Two churches on HWY.. Chris calling attention to how "hip-hop artist Logic performed his suicide prevention track “1-800-273-8255” on the MTV’s VMA stage, bringing many in the audience to tears."

Deaths for 15 to 34 year olds, leading causes:
1st is accidental death 2nd is suicide...
Over-spiritualizing this scene?
Don't forget that this was written by a people in captivity to a people in captivity... Also never underestimate the cleverness of Scripture:
There are two people alone in the dark in this story, reflecting the complexity of life: Daniel and Darius...

But what is the advice, the prescription?
Trust in God... Can it really be that simple?
But is it simple? You have to:
Believe there is a God Believe He is aware of you and cares for you Believe you find your purpose in Him Believe He will bring light into the darkness, if not for you, then through you
The entirety of Scripture in one sense is a constant call to TRUST IN GOD
And the fullness of God's revelation in the Gospel is that we can only trust in God, not in ourselves We were not created to live in the "existential angst" of the modern age; we were never meant to be alone in the dark
If you are dealing with this, then a part of your self-care should be a series of reminders:
God is real. He is here. He is aware of me and of my hurt. He cares deeply for me, and loves me.  My life finds its meaning in Him, in offering all that I am for Him to live through.  He will bring light into my darkness.  But even if He doesn't bring it to me, He will assuredly bring it through me!  I can trust Him, and let my fear in the darkness go.

James 1:2-4; 2:14-17

  To donate to Concord UMC, click HERE.

In the News...
Hurricane Harvey!
Facebook post: "Just like a man..." A little of the blame game is coming out
Including what shoes the First lady is wearing?!?
But I have been looking at other "Harvey" news...(I'll share in a min...)
A Shift of Perspective
Question: How are the following listed?
A person answers a cell phone, causing them to wreck their car... AT FAULT A different person drags them out of the smoking car and aggravates their injuries... NO FAULT (good Samaritan clause) Months later the same driver buys a new car and parks it in their driveway overnight. At around 2am there is a loud crash, and the unlucky driver finds that lightning struck a tree, which collapsed onto the car...  ACT OF GOD SO, those things where "nature" is at fault are blamed on God?
The Gospel's take
In Scripture, God is described as sovereign. BUT the world is described as "cursed" because of what humanity has done.
If you take Adam and Eve literally, as Paul and Jesus seem to do, then the brokenness of the creation is laid at the feet of the pinnacle of God's creation, humanity. By their actions, death (decay? entropy?) entered in as a fundamental part of creation. Look at it another way: The federal government backs flood insurance for flood-prone areas that local banks would never back by themselves. So people build there.  Our warning and forecast systems are not very reliable, so people get tired of taking precautions for all the possible disasters that never happen.  And then one does.  And this is God's fault?
God is described as sending good and bad into our lives (read Job), in both testaments. Sometimes we are being "disciplined" by God (though note that discipline is not necessarily retribution).  But sometimes the bad stuff happens as a window to the better stuff ahead (God works all things to the good of those that love Him).  Have you ever been inconvenienced, then realized you had a "divine appointment" to attend?
"Acts of God" from the Gospel Perspective:
Events leading to new perspectives, lessons learned, character developed, and faith strengthened, including: Inexplicable Miracles & "God-incidences" Actions taken through the hands of His people intentionally following Him Actions taken through those following the prompting of the Spirit as God draws them to Himself
Back to the News:
Over the past months, it's been all about the brokenness in all of us, not at all about God's image and God's Spirit leading us
Though they won't say it, you know each when you see it... (And you might begin to think, "I no longer recognize my country. Are we no better than this?")
But since Harvey, there have been other stories. These are the Acts of God done in His name, or at the leading of His image and the Spirit's calling.
And so very many have been a breath of fresh air, because we see our fellow broken Americans acting in love and faith and in the interests of others. We see what we hoped was still there, but were beginning to wonder about...
Some Acts of God:
Three teenagers spending all day rescuing people in boats A furniture store owner opening both locations as shelters, sacrificing all his inventory A tough-as-nails black MMA fighter rescuing a man wrapped in a confederate flag Stats that 1 out of every 5 people in the shelters are volunteers Stories of people abandoning their cars, knowing they would soon be flooded, to take their boats out to rescue others A Chic-fil-a order for sandwiches and a boat. The order was delivered on jet skis with a complementary rescue.
Who shall we be? As Christians?  As Americans?
Before the mud-slinging and the muck-raking starts up again, take heart knowing this: we still are the people that pull together regardless of race, class, or politics, or at least we can still choose to be What choice will you and I make this week??

NOTE #2:  Dur to copyright restrictions I cannot post the song that I sang at that end of the sermoon, but I can link to the original artist on Youtube (who, let's face it, sings it WAY better).  Here it is - EVEN IF

Recovering Joy: “Even If…”

Daniel 3:13-18; Romans 8:35-37

Postscript from last week: "conquer evil by doing good" (from Romans 12)
Hatred and violence always spread, always intensify, always claim lives in the absence of the love of Christ that dares us to love and care for our enemies. What happened in Virginia yesterday was the escalation of hate.  We are told to "bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.... [To] never pay back evil with more evil.... [but to] do all that you can to live in peace with everyone." Dear Lord, let it be!

Old Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego...
The Story
Unwilling to bow to an idol (of the state!) Thrown into a furnace Unharmed, with another walking in the fire with them!
Their great statement of courage summed up in "even if He does not"
An acknowledgement that the flames sometimes consume the followers of God Something we only understand by analogy, as we compare the trials of life to storms on seas that Jesus calms, or fires in furnaces that He makes safe We pray for the deliverance, but cannot escape the "even if"

Paul in Romans, and "More than Conquers"
Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ
Also implied, nothing that happens to us proves that Christ doesn't love us
Martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel is explicitly mentioned
Remember, Paul watched approvingly while Steven was stones to death
But in this we are "more than conquers" having "overwhelming victory?"
What is going on here?

An exercise, and experience of, Joy
Joy as defined last week:
A glimpse of the eternal which places a longing in your heart more fulfilling than any earthly pleasure or satisfaction, that leaves within us a firm conviction of the temporary, limited nature of this world
The amazing truth: sometimes the very pain or sorrow or fear or uncertainty we experience causes Joy to rise up within us
Before he was stoned, Steven saw "the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!" (Acts 7:56) While in jail Paul and Silas sang, and the earth shook and the cell door was opened (Acts 16:16-40)
Why is that? Because in our broken (fallen) condition, when we have found health and wealth and security, that is when we start to forget about God, that is when we start to lose our Joy
The ancient Christians had an actual good theological approach to suffering: it drew us closer to Christ, remade us more in His image
That doesn't mean we like it! (If we do, there's something wrong!) That doesn't mean we deserved it! (Sometimes just the opposite!)
This means that when we face suffering or uncertainty, we turn first to God, face it with as much courage as we can, lean on one another for support, pray for God's deliverance, but have the firm conviction that EVEN IF things go the way we dread, that God has something beautiful waiting for us on the other side of the trial!

Romans 12:9-21

Today is busy, so let us...
...set up a series on JOY ...and make one starting suggestion about it

Are we lacking in JOY?
As Americans we must be, as we are:
frustrated and angry hooked on our addictions
is not "getting high" an attempt to counterfeit joy?
But as Christians, JOY is our birthright!
Not talking about happiness or pleasure my (our) experience... S. Lewis wrote of "...an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which... must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again... I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power...” It is a longing that is a promise. It reveals the shallowness of pleasure, and the transience of happiness. Neither the pursuit of happiness nor of pleasure will lead to a life of fulfillment as the pursuit of JOY will.
So when we speak on things that kill our JOY and how to fight against them, realize that an increase in happiness is only a pleasant side-effect.

Paul's "Scattershot" Advice (vv. 9-16)...
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. - Love the sinner, hate the sin? 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. - Don't get jealous, irritable, petty... 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. - The protestant work ethic? 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. - Keep things in perspective; maybe touches on JOY
13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. - Be the Good Samaritans! 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. - This point soon to be expanded... 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. - Meet people where they are. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! - This from an ex-Pharisee!?!

...And One Targeted Joy-Killer: The Urge to Hit Back (vv. 17-21)
Don't seek payback (v17), but live peaceful lives (v18). Let go of revenge and let God deal justly, for His anger is always just (v19):
Can God be angry and just?
Is anger towards the abuser of a child morally just? Yes Are we perfect in our administration of justice without vengeance? No
"Pay back" good for evil, and maybe lead to a change of heart (v20) And here's the BIG point in verse 21:
Evil is done to you; let's say someone hits you. Your natural reaction is to "hit back," sometimes with justice, sometimes with overwhelming force so that they will never even think of hitting you again!
And you think that by doing this good has triumphed over evil?
But Paul's implication is this: the evil was in them, but if you seek vengeance, now it is in you! The violence has been (at least) doubled.
Now don't avoid the point by talking about national policy and wartime actions, this is on the level of personal interactions. This is about the person who cheated you out of a promotion at work, so you let drop what you know or suspect about their office romance and get them fired, and break up their family.
If we really want to conquer evil, we must conquer that temptation within ourselves. And we do that by doing the good that is often so hard to do.
Even in our imaginations of "man, if I could get away with it, I would _________!!!" Maybe especially there.  Because the real battle that is fought for Joy in our lives is fought not in our circumstances, but in our hearts!

Romans 8:22-23, 26-30

Yes, an obvious allusion to a recent birth this week, but...

Let's get real, here.
Deep questions:
Have you, as a Christian, ever felt like you could not bring yourself to _______? Have you felt your strength was failing because you were empty of _______ for the future?  Have you ever thought to yourself, "life has to be more than this!"  Have you asked yourself, "Where has my joy gone?"
Maybe there is an easy answer.
Loss of loved ones? Financial instability? Health problems? Maybe you are described by the bumper sticker, "If you are far from God, guess who moved?" Maybe distraction, pride, overwork, etc. have taken your time from God.  Maybe you've not gotten serious with Him in a while, or ever.
Or maybe it is something more....
v23a "And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering."

There is something wrong in the West
In the 1800's a war broke out between the two foundations of our civilization: Jerusalem and Athens, a.k.a. Faith and Reason
1st front, the "Higher Criticism" of the Bible assumed God's absence in the formation of Scripture; 2nd front, Darwin's theory of evolution assumed God's absence in the formation of the natural world At the same historical moment, around one hundred years after the formation of the Methodist movement and the American Revolution, God was removed (in elite opinion) from the Book of Scripture and the Book of Nature
"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 (NIV)
And now we are as a culture divided between those searching desperately for any firm foundation for life, and those who feel their foundations are under constant threat of erosion And by "foundations" I mean the BIG ones, like "does life have meaning?" and "does anything I do make a difference?" For the Christian, the meaning is found in God, and His assurance that in Christ we can make an eternal difference in our lives and the lives of others The "best" post-Christian answer our thinkers could come up with was to say that we should defy the meaninglessness of life by choosing and implementing our own purpose. Does that sound sufficient? Even if you've never heard that idea expressed, you are being evangelized by it. Or by the idea that life is about pleasures, or power, or that "whoever dies with the most toys wins."  Does any of that sound sufficient? Eventually some come around to the idea that this life is about helping others. Well guess where that came from?

Here's the Good News
There is more than this life:
v23a: Yes, we and all of creation are groaning, waiting to be released from the struggle against sin (the struggle to determine and do the right thing) & the every day reality of suffering! v23b: But we are also said to "wait with eager hope!"
The happiest Christians have always seemed (to me) to be those living this life with heaven in view!
(b/c there's more than this life,)There is more to this life:
v26-30: And the Holy Spirit within us takes our frustrations and pain and delivers them to the Father.  And through the Son we have this promise that everything we do and endure is "pregnant" with meaning and purpose, even (especially!) when it seems random or vindictive.

Our Calling in this time and place:
We have a responsibility to get serious with God, and change course when hindered by:
distraction, pride, overwork, etc.
We are asked to join together, to support each other in times of :
loss, distress, financial instability, health issues
We are ambassadors to a broken and hurting generation, with a message of a meaningful life now, and a glorious life to come
We are called by God to be the Good Samaritan, to see the wounded, and offer them healing, and in so doing find an eternal purpose to our actions as we become God's hands and feet. (And often find our own healing through focusing on others.) We are called by God to be His hands in this world, with our feet are planted firmly in the next, to let His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, reminding ourselves and each other that our Hope and Strength is found in Him.
Psalms 46:1-4a (Geneva Bible, 1560)

Luke 10:25-37

Now get it right!
Simpler times...
How many of us remember this from our childhood? "It's a beautiful day in this _____________,..."  Those were the days when I might say, "Excuse me. Can I go outside now?" And English teachers (and experts in grammar) would reply: "Not can I go outside.  May I go outside."  Didn't you then just want to use a double negative in their presence.
A Persnickety Theologian
"An expert in the Law" asked Jesus a question. Now this could have been someone who loved to talk theology.  But I have a feeling he was the persnickety kind of theologian. 
"We were really lucky!" "No, we were really blessed!" Or "For God so loved the world that God gave God's one and only... son."
He wanted it precise!

Answering the Question
The question itself: "Who is my neighbor?" Where are the boundaries of where I show concern?  I can't love everybody, can I?  That would be exhausting!
We insulate ourselves (and sometimes it is necessary!) by grouping those we can and can not afford to think or care about. But "they are not like us" removes sympathy. The most dangerous time for a group or category of persons is when they are designated "not really persons" like "us."
: Many Amerindian tribes called themselves "People."
The example:
1st man cared about no one other than himself, his time, his wealth, and his ceremonial sanctity. 2nd man might have helped if he recognized him (sacrificing time, wealth, and sanctity). 3rd man helped knowing this was a person from outside his "neighborhood."
The answer:
Every human being is our neighbor. Every one, as all are made in the image of God. Sometimes love is extravagant, sometimes love must be tough, but love is to be shown to all.

Answering the Motivation
The question behind the question: "Doesn't 'loving my neighbor' conflict with 'loving God' sometimes?"
The first Love is all about loving the real, the true, and the living God, but we as broken people often try to define ourselves by what (and who) we are against. So how can you be my neighbor if you're on another team?
: Jesus in hot water for healing on the Sabbath.
Expert wanted to prove to himself he was spiritually doing well. So Jesus told him a parable about doing good, instead.
The example:
In the parable the Priest and the Levite, who are both expected to be the holiest among the Jews, take the least holy actions by trying to preserve their holiness (cleanness). It is the person from "a different team" who has an imperfect understanding of God who takes actions pleasing to God.
The answer:
The priest and Levite (and Expert) are being spiritually selfish, as they are most concerned about preserving their own sanctity Jesus directs the expert to an outward focus

What it Means for Us
Are we exhausted by the brokenness we see around us?
It's thrown in our face every time we read a paper or watch the news, so much that we might despair of making a dent in it. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 NIV In the parable, the Samaritan "happened" by. He was there.  The need was before him.  He was local.  And he made a difference in the traveler's life.  
Are we inwardly focused? Fear based?
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." 9:10a "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love." 1 John 4:18 NRSV Must we regularly and honestly examine our relationship with God to see if it is healthy?   Must we live in a fear that stunts our love of others and paralyzes us with the danger of doing the wrong thing? No
Must we always remember that God is Love, and listen for His prompting for where we can pour His love out on others?
You betcha.
Go thou and do likewise!

Psalm 145:3-7 (verse 3 cut off)

"3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness...."

Why we do the things we do...
"Vacation" Bible School = A LOT of effort! An over-used phrase: "you planted a seed"
"6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work." - 1 Cor 3:6-8 NLT What are the seeds?
Holy actions done in Christ's name that make memories ...and STORIES of the Good News of God's Love in Christ
Old and New Testaments, and personal testimonies
The Purpose of Church
Filling ourselves with sacred stories to have the Mind of Christ Preparing ourselves for and facilitating ministries of service, so that we act as the Body of Christ Praising and worshiping (loving!) God, culminating in that Great Day in which we all rest from our labors and worship in His Presence
Back to the Basics today...
In our songs and confessions we have worshipped... In our participation and donation we have served Now let us share remember the stories...

One Life Story, one Short Story, and one Parable (and how to read them)
With EVERY story we are called to not just gather information, but to place ourselves in the story, see ourselves in its people A Life Story: Abraham's Journey of Faith
Called by God Have I had a vision that others could not see? Along with his wife... Have I ever had to trust in another's plans, praying they're not deluded? failed to trust God Have I ever struggled to trust God, or tried to fulfill God's promise through my methods? Lot took the better fields. Have I ever been taken advantage of; have I taken advantage of another's good nature? Yet Abraham argued with God to preserve Lot's life. Have I prayed for a friend who betrayed me? Isaac is born, Ishmael and Hagar are cast out. Have I been betrayed, or the betrayer? God tests Abraham Have I trusted God in times of disappointment and anger?
A Short Story: David and Goliath
Goliath mocked Israel. Have I faced an impossible task? David could not believe it. Have I ever seen something others have missed, that seems so clear to I but to no others.  Have I been impatient with another unjustly? When David offered to fight, king Saul gave David his own armor, but it just weighed David down. Have I been weighed down by others expectations of how things should be done? Or find myself saying, "but this is the way we've always done this!" One slingshot, and one stone to goliath's forehead, was all it took. In a moment of crisis, have I trusted God, and been delivered?  Have I ever thought, "If I had trusted God, that might have been me!" Saul would soon become jealous of David. Have I done the right thing, won the victory, and been punished for it?
A Parable: The Good Samaritan
“Who is my neighbor?”  Have I justified my behavior? “A Jewish man was attacked."  Have I been injured by life? “A priest came along and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over but also passed by."  Have I seen others ignore my pain.  Have I been to busy to see the pain of others? “A Samaritan came along, and felt compassion for him." Have I given extravagant mercy and grace, as was given to me? “Now go and do the same.” Have I heard the words of Jesus, and let them change me?

Making the Stories Ours
Wow preacher, I could have done that!
But are we doing it? And not just on Sunday or during VBS...
What are we?
Someone has said we are the sum of what we've done (our memories). We are more than that!  But there is something to learn here about the Gospel:
If it is our memories that shape us and our memories are the pieces of our story then taking God's story into our heart shapes us into reflections of Him
Let Us Make His Story Ours!!

Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30

Pulled in two ways?
An old-time plow...
Some of you may have had this experience (growing rare) For first-century Jews, it was instantly relatable
The Weight of the Yoke
To rabbis, the "yoke" was their teaching (the Yoke of Law) Jesus called them out on having too heavy a yoke (uselessly burdensome teaching) [Luke 11:46]...and countered that His yoke was light and restful [Matthew 11:29] Pulling the Pharisees' yoke (judgmental legalism) steals the joy out of life and weighs you down. If we're not joyful in Christ, if our burdens are wearing us out, we may have become yoked to something other than Him, because He has taken a LOT of the load...
The Direction we are Traveling (Matthew 11:16-19)
"Pull" of "this generation" is always shifting: 17 ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t mourn.’ And doesn't guarantee acceptance: 18 "For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19a The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard,... " If we are just living for the latest fad or social issue or professional goal, we won't have a clear purpose or direction. Where is the meaning in life? Even if you get "to the top" in this world (pay scale, power, fame), most everyone will just wait to see you fall. You want meaning, take Christ's yoke and let Him lead you!

How to "take His yoke" upon us?
Attach yourself to Christ
Using marriage as a metaphor (following Paul's usage):
it shouldn't begin w/o knowing the other well, and doesn't last w/o constant effort
The Weight of Knowledge = learning His character, thoughts, and goals
Reading, listening to bible, sneak it in during the day podcasts, sermons (yes, you can do a lot of this yourself)
Constant, Directed Effort = being aware if distance is creeping in, if you are pulling in different directions
That often takes OTHERS
Marriage example: talking with family & friends (in confidence) who are committed to helping your relationship work, who help us understand ourselves and the other person better In walking with Christ, find persons who you believe have a close walk with Him (don't just ask your BFFs); they see from a different perspective CHURCH: We've got to do better at providing a SAFE PLACE to do this!!!
Be wary of:
Pulls in incompatible directions
One (and perhaps the only) genius line of the SW prequels: "You're going somewhere I can't follow!" External (lots of voices calling) and Internal (and lots of broken inclinations)
: we're like shopping carts with a wonky wheel...
A bad understanding of the goal
Nonreligious example: "Marriages are disposable and kids easily adapt." Religious ex: "We're at church for what we get out of it."

Pulling for (& with) Christ
Marriage Metaphor concluded: Over the years if all goes right...
You know each others thoughts (finish other's sentences) You exchange and merge behaviors Sometimes you even start to look more alike Others cannot think of one of you without thinking of both
And this is an excellent example for Christ's teaching:
At the end of the day, do I want to look more like this fractured world, or more like Jesus? Don't I want to KNOW the God who made me? What is a more fulfilling path? More meaningful?  More consequential & lasting? "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." Jeremiah 29:11