What's up Gathering!
Last night I asked, "What does the resurrection power of Jesus Christ look like? Or, maybe the question should be, what does the resurrection power of Jesus Christ sound like?"
I hope you can still hear it, the sound of rocks falling to the floor all around the room, just as when Jesus set the woman free who was caught in adultery and set to be stoned to death. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19). That is why Jesus could let this woman go. It wasn't that Jesus decided not to do anything about her sin at all. God's justice requires that something be done about sin, about our offences towards God. No, Jesus let her go because he had a plan to die on her behalf, to take the punishment upon himself for the sin that she committed, so that she could be set free. And this is where we all stand. If you remember, the sound of falling rocks swept through the room last night, and we all stood up together. That is the sound of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Satan's accusations against us cannot stand, and we have been set free.
It is my prayer that the sound of falling rocks would also be the sound of the Gathering. That you would hear stones falling as we gather for worship, drop our judgments, and stand as equals in the presence of a Holy God. We could never do anything to make ourselves righteous enough to stand before God. Thank God that he, being the one offended, took the initiative to reconcile us to himself so that we might be given righteousness as a gift when we put our faith in Christ.
It was good to worship with you last night.
God bless you all this week.
See you next Sunday at the Gathering!
-Tim
Monday, September 25, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
A Community of Believers: Part 2
So on Sunday we talked about the sea and the idea in ancient culture that the sea was a place that was the representation of chaos and evil. I said that the vision of a new heaven and new earth in the book of Revelation says that the sea will be no more (Revelation 21:1). Instead, there is a river of the water of life flowing from God's throne, and a tree of life with leaves that are used for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22).
That vision is a future hope, but for those who follow Jesus, it is also a present reality. As a community of believers we have an opportunity to bring the living water of Christ to a dark and chaotic world. The more we press into God, grow together in Christ, and reach out into the world, the more this vision will become a reality for us and others.
Some of us feel like we are living in the midst of a raging sea. Take heart, Jesus walks on water.
Let us keep pressing on together as we live in Christ, and anticipate the day when the fullness of the Kingdom will be a reality for all, the sea will be no more, and a river of life will flow from the throne of God bringing healing to the nations as we worship Him.
God bless you all,
See you next week at the Gathering!
-Tim
That vision is a future hope, but for those who follow Jesus, it is also a present reality. As a community of believers we have an opportunity to bring the living water of Christ to a dark and chaotic world. The more we press into God, grow together in Christ, and reach out into the world, the more this vision will become a reality for us and others.
Some of us feel like we are living in the midst of a raging sea. Take heart, Jesus walks on water.
Let us keep pressing on together as we live in Christ, and anticipate the day when the fullness of the Kingdom will be a reality for all, the sea will be no more, and a river of life will flow from the throne of God bringing healing to the nations as we worship Him.
God bless you all,
See you next week at the Gathering!
-Tim
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
What's up everybody at the Gathering?!
I hope all is well with you this week.
We are now beginning to move into understanding what the future looks like for us as a community. Two Sundays ago I talked about remembrance and thanksgiving in times of transition and confusion. It is in remembering the works of God in the past with hearts of thanksgiving, that we can begin to take steps into the hope and future God has for us. We spent time remembering the work that God did through the leaders that were a part of the Gathering in the past, writing those memories down and offering them as a thank-offering to God before we took communion. I also shared Jeremiah 29:11-13, a verse that I feel God is speaking to us during this time. So it is that we stand on the memory of God’s faithful hand in the past, with hearts of thanksgiving, that we begin to take our first steps into the hope, future, and wholeness that God has for us.
Last Sunday marked the first Sunday under the idea of wholeness. We looked at one aspect of our purpose statement, that is, what it means to be a community of believers. I shared the story about a father with his two sons, and how the younger son belonged in his father’s house before he ever believed it. Jesus came from heaven to tell us that we belong. I also shared about how Jesus leveled the playing field by eating with "tax collectors and sinners," and in doing so he was sharing himself, the living water and the bread of life, saying by his actions, "you might not yet believe, but I tell you, you belong." So it is that we are called to be a community where people can belong. However, we are not just a community, but a community of believers, and for that reason we are to be a place where people can belong, and safely explore what it means to believe. It is my hope and prayer that we would be a community of believers that models the life of Jesus by inviting people to belong, and helping them come to a place where they believe.
God bless you all this week!
See you next Sunday at the Gathering.
-Tim
I hope all is well with you this week.
We are now beginning to move into understanding what the future looks like for us as a community. Two Sundays ago I talked about remembrance and thanksgiving in times of transition and confusion. It is in remembering the works of God in the past with hearts of thanksgiving, that we can begin to take steps into the hope and future God has for us. We spent time remembering the work that God did through the leaders that were a part of the Gathering in the past, writing those memories down and offering them as a thank-offering to God before we took communion. I also shared Jeremiah 29:11-13, a verse that I feel God is speaking to us during this time. So it is that we stand on the memory of God’s faithful hand in the past, with hearts of thanksgiving, that we begin to take our first steps into the hope, future, and wholeness that God has for us.
Last Sunday marked the first Sunday under the idea of wholeness. We looked at one aspect of our purpose statement, that is, what it means to be a community of believers. I shared the story about a father with his two sons, and how the younger son belonged in his father’s house before he ever believed it. Jesus came from heaven to tell us that we belong. I also shared about how Jesus leveled the playing field by eating with "tax collectors and sinners," and in doing so he was sharing himself, the living water and the bread of life, saying by his actions, "you might not yet believe, but I tell you, you belong." So it is that we are called to be a community where people can belong. However, we are not just a community, but a community of believers, and for that reason we are to be a place where people can belong, and safely explore what it means to believe. It is my hope and prayer that we would be a community of believers that models the life of Jesus by inviting people to belong, and helping them come to a place where they believe.
God bless you all this week!
See you next Sunday at the Gathering.
-Tim
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