As I spend this week in Georgia with our youth I have been reflecting on the theme of the conference which centers around identity.  The students have been doing a great job on teaching from various texts which remind us that our identity is not in what we accomplish or don’t.  It’s not found in our successes or failures.  We cannot be defined by our looks, brains, or any of that.  Our identity comes not from who the world may say that we are but from whose we are.  Our identity is found in Christ alone.  There is one particular scripture that they haven’t hit just yet that I wanted to address today.  Let’s look at I Peter 2 together today. 

 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The words and phrases that Peter uses here all reflect the same truth.  We are special and set apart because God says that we are.  Chosen, royal, holy, and special are all adjectives that have significant impact.  Any one of those alone would make us feel that we are special to God, but Peter makes a point of using all of those in this quick two verse passage.  Perhaps it is because of how special Jesus made Peter feel during their time together but Peter really wants us all to know just how much we matter to God.  Today take some time and reflect on the fact that to God you are chosen, royal, holy, and special.  You may feel sometimes like you don’t measure up but to God you are perfect just as He created you! 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

This week I am with our youth at Rush.  It is a summer conference led by students for students.  I am always impressed with how students speak, lead small groups, lead the mission projects, and worship.  They also do all of the behind the scenes support roles as well.  Watching the kickoff last night I was reflecting on the following passage from I Timothy.  Let’s look at it together today.

Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

This was written by Paul to encourage Timothy, a young man to be bold in his faith and leadership.  The reality is while this passage is appropriate for what is going on at the conference I am at, it also applies to all of us “older” folks as well.  We need to be bold in using our gifts, setting an example, and persevering in our faith.  Please pray for the 42 young folks at this conference this week (well 41 plus an old guy that looks a lot like me) I pray that our students’ young faith would be an encouragement to you.  I know it certainly is to me.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever felt betrayed?  It truly hurts.  It hurts more the closer the person is to you and the longer you have known them. I wonder what it must have been like for Jesus knowing ahead of time that Judas would betray Him. What was it like to wash his feet and share a meal with him at the last supper?  Let’s look at John’s account of the betrayal found in John 18.

 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

I wonder if it made it easier or harder that this was always a part of the plan?  When we experience the pain of betrayal it hurts because of our investment in the relationship with another person.  Have you ever thought that we do the same thing as Judas sometimes?  We also reject the way of Jesus at times for our own selfish desires.  New choose to do things our way instead of God’s.  We choose temporary pleasure instead of God’s best for our life.  Yet, in spite of that, God’s love and grace covers us.  We can never out sin the grace of God.  My prayer for all of us is that we would all grow in grace and live lives more and more that look like the life of Jesus!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

John 17 is a fascinating passage of Scripture.  It is often referred to as the High Priestly Prayer and is believed to be a portion of the prayer that Jesus prayed while in the Garden of Gethsemanee.  Let’s take a look at it together today.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus prays for the disciples and then prays for all believers who will hear the message and believe, meaning us.  There are a lot of things that Jesus could have prayed for us.  It is interesting that the one thing He does pray for is unity.  That we would be unified with Him and also unified with one another.  Unity is a powerful force.  Teams that are unified are difficult to beat.  Companies that are unified are typically very successful.  Families that are unified are beautiful to observe.  The same is true about us as followers of Jesus.  When we are unified we can be a powerful, beautiful force that can accomplish great things for God and share the love of Jesus really well.  When we are not unified it can be a struggle and the world is less interested in what we have to say about Jesus and the life of faith.  I pray today that Jesus’ prayer all those years ago would be powerful in our lives.  That we might be one just as Jesus and the Father are one. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Sometimes I wonder if Jesus ever laughed at the disciples not really getting what was happening. Since time is short with them at this point He simply re-explains Himself to them in this instance so they will know what is going on.  He has just told them repeatedly that He is leaving and that they will in fact get the Holy Spirit to be with them instead (3 times).  They still are not getting that He will leave, that He is about to die for them.  Let’s look together at Jesus’ words in John 16.

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” 17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” 19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Jesus is once again comforting the disciples and helping to prepare them for what is about to happen.  He wants them to keep hope when He dies and to know that it will not be the end.  They struggle with this truth and run and hide and seem to lose hope.  Spoiler alert –  There are times in all of our lives when we feel alone and afraid.  Doubts can creep in and we struggle.  Its times like this that we need to hold onto the promises of Jesus just like He was hoping the disciples would during this time as well.  We know that we are never alone, Jesus is always with us.  We know that when things are tough and we don’t even know how to pray the spirit prays on our behalf.  We know that even through the most difficult of circumstances and situations Jesus is at work for our good.  Whatever you are walking through today remember the great promises of God.  He loves you.  He is with you.  He will never leave.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever heard or used the expression, “If you thought that was good you should try ________.”  It usually occurs after you have experienced something that you thought was great and another person is saying that something else is even better.  The phrase is often met with skepticism.  I remember going to an amazing steak restaurant in Chattanooga called St. Elmo.  I was raving about it and this phrase was uttered to me.  I tried the “better” place and wasn’t impressed.  I’m certain that the disciples felt this way when Jesus used a similar phrase with them.  He said it will be better for them when He leaves so the Advocate can come.  I can imagine Peter saying, “No chance Jesus.”  Let’s look together at the passage found in John 16. 

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

This is the third straight chapter where Jesus references the coming of the Holy Spirit.  He wants the disciples to know that He is not leaving them alone but He is leaving them with power, strength, and an Advocate.  The reality is that they are better off.  There were times when Jesus was away from His disciples.  They became afraid, did the wrong things, doubted, and in general struggled.  The Holy Spirit on the other hand never leaves us.  The disciples would have the spirit with them always!  This is an incredible blessing that I think we sometimes take for granted.  When we allow the Spirit to guide us we have God’s direction leading us in our life.  Jesus did indeed have something even better for us. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

There are some passages of scripture that we all love and others that are a little bit harder to swallow.  For example I love the beginning of John 15 but the ending isn’t quite as much fun.  I am a person that loves to be loved.  I am a self-proclaimed approval junkie.  I know deep down that I only live for an audience of one and God’s approval is the only approval that I need.  Yet there is that inner tug to be liked and accepted.  That’s why I don’t particularly enjoy the end of John 15 where it talks about being hated by the world.  Let’s look at Jesus’ words together today.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.

Jesus certainly knew what it was like to be hated by the world.  He experienced this in a variety of ways during His time on earth.  He is reminding us that when we live the kind of lives that He calls us to live we will probably experience the same type of hatred.  We will ruffle feathers and upset some people.  It is easy to fall into a type of Christianity where we simple fit in with the culture but Jesus calls us to more.  He calls us to be salt and light.  While salt and light do lots of good and beneficial things they both can also irritate.  Jesus often irritated with His teaching and life and we are called to do the same.  I pray that Jesus would give us all the strength to be salt and light in a world that needs it even if that means we are disliked by some. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever been asked to sum something up in one word?  Sometimes it is a complicated concept and coming up with one word is tough.  When it comes to God and the Bible one word stands out over and over, love.  Let’s look at some of Jesus’ words about this found in John 15.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

As Jesus prepares to leave His disciples He wants them to know the things that are of the utmost importance.  He has already summed up the Law by saying love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.  He has demonstrated love for others throughout His time on earth.  Now He tells them to remain in His love and to love each other.  In John’s later letter he even says, “God is Love” I John 4:8.  I think if there is a one word summary of what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus it is clearly love.  Now it might be simple but it certainly isn’t easy.  We tend to be naturally prone toward selfishness and love is putting others before yourself.  We live in a world that can be divided and divisive but God calls us to love our enemies which is not easy at all.  Today make it a point to go out of your way to show someone love in a special way.  After all Love is why we are here!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever seen a tree that had tons of fruit?  Fruit doesn’t happen by accident.  It is a result of a healthy tree that has everything that it needs to produce the fruit.  Fruit is the natural result of a healthy tree or plant.  The same thing is true in our spiritual lives.  Jesus has given us everything that we need to produce fruit.  Spiritual fruit ion our lives is the natural result of a healthy spiritual life.  Let’s look at Jesus’ words about this in John 15.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Jesus is telling us that the closer we remain to Him the healthier we will be and the more fruit that our lives will produce.  I’m sure we all can relate to times in our life where we have felt spiritually dry and as a result, not very fruitful.  Times when God has produced fruit in our lives are times when we have been closer to Jesus.  Seek to spend time today and each day in the presence of Jesus and watch and see the fruit that He produces in and through your life.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever had to leave family or friends and said something like, “Don’t worry _______ will be here with you.  You will have a good time, they will keep you safe and it will be even better.”  I remember the first time I had to leave my kids.  It was difficult but I knew that they would have a great time with their grandparents and do lots of fun stuff.  I knew they would be safe and I knew that I was ready for a break, lol. Jesus doesn’t need a break from us but that is essentially what Jesus says in John 14 and again in John 16 when He promises us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Let’s look at His words to us together today.

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”…  25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

We are not like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.  Jesus didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves.  He left us with the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit.  He encourages us, advocates for us, teaches us, is always with us, and leads us in the truth.  We need to all learn to lean into the great gift that we have been give which is the Holy Spirt.  The more we grow in our relationship with God and the more that we be still and take time to listen.  The more we will benefit from having the Holy Spirit within us.  Take time today in prayer and just listen.  Allow God to speak to you through His incredible gift to us all. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave