January 2013: Love by Listening

At Immanuel First, our mission is to "share God's love, comfort and hope with all." I know that I frequently encourage our congregation to actively share the message with others. However, the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests an alternate way to share God's love, comfort and hope. What about showing love by listening?

"The first service one owes to others in the community involves listening to them. Just as our love for God begins with listening to God's Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them. ... We do God's work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is to always have to 'offer' something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening. But Christians who can no longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either. they will always be talking even in the presence of God." (--D. Bonhoeffer)

Love by listening. What a novel thought! When you listen, you are saying to the speaker...

• I value what you say.
• You are important to me.
• I care about you.

As Christians we do this because...

• God values us.
• We are important to God...
• ...and God cares about us.

One last thing about listening... listening is more than just hearing and nodding you head. The goal is "communication." The goal is "relationship." There is a technique called Active Listening. It requires you to periodically repeat key points of what the speaker says. In doing so, you confirm that you have received the communication.

It is amazing to learn how many people CRAVE to be listened to. I think the same is of God. I believe there are 145,000 people within three miles of us who CRAVE to be listened to, by God. Be that witness. Be that liaison with God. Love by listening. Sharing God's love, comfort and hope... by listening. Listen to someone today! Amen.

April 2012: Be a Palm Tree!

Did you know that the palm tree is not a native to California? They were imported during the time of the Spanish missions and most of the local palms were planted in preparation for the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. The plants which are indigenous to Southern California are cactus and sagebrush. Southern California is actually a desert. Cactus and sagebrush are used to living in areas with very little water. Palms, on the other hand, require a continuous source of water to survive. It is only by continuous irrigation that its beauty can survive.

Spiritually, this world is like a desert. It thirsts for purpose. It thirsts for love. It thirsts for spiritual peace. It thirsts for God. The sad part is that the people of this world are blind to God. So like spiritual cactus, they have adapted themselves to living without God. But they still thirst.

Christ calls himself the source of living water. "If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:37b-38). He is the source of all that would quench our spiritual thirst. I can think of no greater joy that knowing that the one who created me loves me. Christ has come to let you know that God loves you and he has plans for good for all who love him.

As Christians, we are like spiritual palm trees. We are not native to this spiritual desert. As children of God we are strangers in this world. Like the palm trees, we require a continuous supply of "living" water to survive. Jesus is the source of that living water. Only through a living relationship with Jesus will we continue to thrive. We maintain that relationship through continual Bible study, worship and attendance of the Lord's Supper.

Unlike the desert flora that diligently guard their meager shares of water, palms share their gifts. They act as shade. Many provide fruit for others to eat. Because it is fed by a constant source of water, the palm is capable of sharing its fruit with others. Likewise, we do not have to diligently guard our spiritual wealth because we are fed by a constant source of living water.

God has called us to share the living water which is within us. Be a palm tree. There is a world out there thirsting to hear that someone loves them. Water them with living water. Let them know the awesome news that "God loves them." Amen.

January 2012: The Definition of True Faith in Christ

Happy New Year!

This month I ask a very important question. What does it mean "to believe in God"? Or as Christians, what does it mean "to believe in Christ"? The answer to this question is the very foundation of our faith. The Bible is very clear that salvation is by faith.

Surprisingly, people who say they believe in God are often the very ones who glorify Him the least. The reason is that people can mean different things when they say "I believe in God." To some, "I believe in God" means they believe He exists. Such an "I believe in God" confession is a statement of knowledge rather than an expression of faith. In the same way, we can believe that the devil or hell exists too, but that is not faith.

Put ten random people in a room, and ask them to explain what it means "to believe in God" and you will probably have ten distinct explanations. This sad state of affairs has left people without confidence regarding salvation. Many have satisfied themselves with "You believe what you want to believe, and I'll believe what I want to believe" and have accepted ambiguity as just part of the mystery of faith. Something as important as faith should not be left in ambiguity! It is not okay to "agree to disagree." Faith is too important.

So what is faith? What does it mean "to believe in God"? Faith does include cognitive knowledge. It does believe that "God exists." It also confesses that we are sinful and helpless in our sin, and that we need a savior. It believes that God sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. It believes the promise that salvation is offered to all who believe.

But faith is more than just cognitive knowledge. By faith we trust in God and dare to be in a relationship with Hom. It is one thing to be able to say "I believe everything that the Bible says about God." But it is something entirely different to live as if it were true. It is an entirely different thing to live with God as the center of one's life and to live with an eternal point of view. A person who believes he is an eternal being lives this short mortal life differently than a person who believes that "this world is all there is."

A person who believes that God cares about our daily affairs, and believes Jesus' promise "that He would be with us always," celebrating with us in good times and comforting us in bad, lives life differently than a person who does not believe. A person believes that an omnipotent God loves them and has plans of good, trusts that all things will work out in the end. These are just a few of the aspects of faith.

Faith is not something which we work in ourselves, neither is it sustained by our own works. It is a gift from God brought to us by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Through the Word in Baptism, we received the faith which brings salvation. Through the Word preached and in the Lord's Supper, our faith is strengthened. God gave us the Church, the Fellowship of Saints, to encourage and strengthen one another with The Word.

May this coming New Year bring a renewal of the Word in all our lives. God bless you all in this coming New Year 2012.