Monday, May 7, 2012

One for All and All for One

Scripture: Acts 10:44-48

The first non-Jew to embrace the gospel was Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed at Palestinian Caesarea. God gave visions to Cornelius and Peter to set the stage for their meeting. The old folks used to say “God has a way that is mighty sweet.” God has prepared both men to have an experience that they will never forget!

Peter stayed with a tanner. A tanner by reason of their profession had to handle dead animals, Jewish belief and custom rendered a person unclean. For Peter to have stayed with this man, meant that Peter had become a little more tolerant, but not enough. God knew Peter’s strengths and his weaknesses. Peter had issues regarding people who were different from him.

God is gradually teaching Peter that Gentiles are equal to the Jews. Judging people by their ethnicity has been one of the down falls of America. For years this country has had a race relation problem, but we say that “Jesus is Lord”. How can we proclaim that Jesus is Lord, but fail to practice being Christian?

Once Peter and Cornelius met, they both shared their experience with God, uh common grounds. Peter was convicted of his prejudices and understood clearly that God shows no partiality. He was equipped to preach a powerful and anointing message.

If we ask ourselves the question: who is less than welcome at our church this Sunday? Many of us would say all are welcome. We would like to think that all are welcome; however, the reality is there are some barriers that exist. Think about what barriers you have witnessed and some you may have put up yourself. Then think and pray about ways you can remove those barriers? Do your part to identify prejudice against the people in your community who look different.  Think about people who are at a different social location is different from you.

Prayer:  God help us to practice being a Christian in our daily walk with you.

The Reverend Betty A. Brown

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Worthy of the Name

Scripture:  John 15: 1-8

As The Deer Panteth for the Water

One of the great experiences in the world is to plant a seed in the ground, water it, and care for it until it begins to grow.  Even the very tiny sprout that initially comes out of the dirt is very exciting.  Growth is a wonderful thing. 

Jesus has referred to himself as the “true vine” and the Father as the “vine-grower.”  The vine-grower removes the things in Jesus that bear no fruit, and even the branches that bear fruit will be pruned, in order to keep the entire vine healthy and the pruned branches producing even more fruit.

The message here seems to be about staying together, staying pure, and staying connected to Jesus, understanding that it won’t always be easy.  As a matter of fact, there will be times when it will be painful.  Jesus is speaking to his disciples about their relationship to him as the source of their spiritual needs.

The passage speaks to those of us who call ourselves Christians.  It reminds us that without Christ we are fruitless and will be “taken away” as worthless to the vine.  It also calls us to present ourselves to God in prayer, searching our hearts and being willing to confess our sins so that those things in us that will hinder growth can be cut away from our mind and spirit.

It is the abiding in Christ that will cause us to develop the attributes of a true disciple, with a life that is productive and good.  This is what pleases and glorifies God so much that we can ask what we will, and it will be done.  Remember that being pruned and purified keeps us in Christ, yearning for those things that keep us strong and help us to have a mind like Christ and to live a life that is faithful and worthy of the name “Christian”.

Prayer:  May the yearnings of my heart be only for those things you intend for my life.  If they are not, I ask that these desires fade away and replaced with desires that are in your will.

 The Reverend Josefina Perez