Proclaiming Christ

Devotion

This week our devotion will cover Philippians 1:12-18c:

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed

In the latter part of Genesis the story of Joseph is covered. Joseph was his father's favorite son and his brothers, in envy and rivalry, sold him into slavery. Well, that was plan B. Plan A was to kill him. Joseph was sold into slavery and through a series of events eventually is put into a position of great authority. This authority allows him to provide for his family during a great famine, yet there is always the fear from his brothers that Joseph will take revenge. When Jacob, their father, dies, the brothers fear that vengeance will soon fall on them. It is at this juncture that Joseph says:

Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones. [Genesis 50:19-21]

It is precisely this attitude that the Apostle Paul has adopted in his address to the Philippians. Paul has looked on his circumstance-being imprisoned for the Gospel-and instead of bemoaning his what had befallen him, instead he rejoices. Certainly both those who arrested him and were holding him for trial and those who used his imprisonment as a means to assert their own leadership in the church over and against him meant his harm. Yet, the Apostle can only see how even this suffering he was enduring was used to proclaim Christ.
When we come into faith in Christ Jesus and we behold the wonder that is our salvation by grace alone, the Gospel takes center stage in our life. The hope we have begins to lead us to proclaim Christ to others and to view the entirety of our lives in service to the Gospel. No matter what befalls us, no matter what occurs, no matter the circumstance or situation, God is working to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through us. Who needs Jesus in your life? Proclaim the Gospel then and trust that everything in your life is leading you toward that end. And when we see the Gospel proclaimed, no matter the outcome, we rejoice that the truth has been shared.

News and Events

• Cookies, cookies, cookies: Coffee Fellowship could use some cookies. Please put them in a ziplock bag labeled with the date and drop them into the freezer.
• It is not too late to buy a highly-fragrant, long-lasting candle from one of our youth. This fundraiser supports our annual camp ministry.
•  Please check the Lost & Found box for items you may have left. The day is coming and will soon be here when items in the box will be donated to the Senior Center.
• Men's Breakfast is coming up on October 8 at 6 am.

Opportunity to Serve

Trunk-or-Treat: On October 31 from 5-7 p.m. our parking lot will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat event. At a trunk-or-treat people decorate cars and dress up in a theme to hand out treats to kids. It is a good opportunity to meet people and invite folks to worship.
We are in need of folks to provide the trunks. More information will be forth coming from the Service Team.

The Day of Jesus Christ

As I mentioned last week, our devotions over the next few months will be based on the same text as our Sunday School lessons from the previous Sunday. This week our devotional text is Philippians 1:3-11. Give it a read before reading the devotion today. 

Devotion

In the Western Church tradition (Roman Catholic, Anglican and Protestant) we are used to Church bells that are melodic and soothing. The bells ring out true and clear (or in the case of CPC, play a nice tune) to remind us that God is with us and all will be well. It is our prayer here at CPC Omak that our own church bells that ring out the hour and from time-to-time also ring out a hymn will both encourage and soothe the heart and mind of those who hear it with the comfort of Christ Jesus alone. (The video here is an example of Western church bell music).

Now there is another church bell tradition that is also worth our time to contemplate. In the Eastern Church tradition (churches that usually label themselves as 'Orthodox' in their denominational or congregational name) the bells do not melodically, but rather discordantly. [I ran across the video below and was impressed by the demonstration of how it is all done]. Indeed, one time I played a video of Eastern Church bell music in a Sunday School class and one the participants after class told me, "It sounds like the soundtrack to a horror movie."

The purpose of the Eastern Church bells, so far as I can figure it out, is to grab your attention and tell you that this world is not all there is. It shocks us with dissonant tones and yanks us out of the rhythm of life to remember that there is a God who has interrupted the course of human history, marked and marred by sin, to rescue and redeem us. Salvation is both comforting and soothing, but also shocking and intrusive. These two poles of our salvation in Christ Jesus are never more apparent than they will be on the day of Jesus Christ (mentioned in Philippians 1:6 and 1:10).
Paul's purpose in his prayer is to give thanks to God that the Philippians have remembered him in his suffering through imprisonment and have supported him financially in this trying time. The Apostle's confidence in Christ Jesus through his faith is so intense that he takes time in the midst of his suffering to remind the Philippians that God will complete the good work he began in the Philippians on the day of Christ Jesus. This work good work of God in the Philippians, and indeed all those who trust in Jesus, is salvation itself.
We tend to collapse salvation into conversion in the Protestant church, forgetting or, perhaps, ignoring, that Scripture actually speaks of salvation as work that God does in our lives as a process. For God, who is atemporal (i.e. outside of time, for he is the one who made time and to Him it is an object) salvation is an event. While I will not bore you with an entire ordo salutis (translated, order of salvation), suffice to say that our salvation begins with the electing work of God the Father in creation, is possible through the atoning work of Jesus Christ upon the cross, is actualized in the justifying (making right) work of God the Holy Spirit as Christ's atoning work on the cross is applied to us, continues in the sanctifying (making holy) work of God the Holy Spirit as Christ's atoning work is consistently applied to us (especially through the ordinary means of grace of the Word, prayer and sacraments) and will only be complete in glory as we are made new and whole on the day of Christ Jesus. For Biblical account of this, see Romans 8:28-30 or Titus 3:1-11.
The Apostle's claim is that God had begun the good work of salvation among the Philippians, and God would complete that good work on the day that Jesus Christ returns in glory to judge the living and the dead. This good work of salvation in his own life had led him to regard his present suffering as serving a purpose, namely, to give glory and praise to God. As the Philippians joined him in suffering through sacrificial giving they too were giving glory and praise to God. Paul's prayer, then, is that they grow in their love, displayed in their gift to him, but that love will lead into knowledge and discernment that they may do the right thing in the world, no matter the cost and be found pure and blameless on the day of Christ Jesus.
This prayer leads us to see our salvation as both comforting and disquieting. We are comforted that God will complete the good work of salvation are already begun in us. We are disquieted by the change this brings to how we see and act in the world and how the world will react to us and our faith.
I think we need both the soothing Western bells and the discordant Eastern bells to remind us, from time-to-time, that our faith is both as well.

Shout Outs

This week I want to send just one shout out to our Fellowship Team that creates many opportunities for us to connect with another and encourage each other as we grow in our faith as disciples of Jesus Christ. The potluck this week was a fun theme and my daughter Sarah was especially impressed with singing 'Happy Trails.' Now if only I can get here to sing that instead of the soundtrack to Frozen.

News and Events

• Session will meet this Sunday at 2 p.m. Please be in prayer for your Elders as they seek to lead us all to proclaim Christ through surrender, connection and service.
• It is still not too late to join a Small Group. We are studying, "Experiencing God" this Fall. Information is available at the Welcome Center of the Church regarding Small Groups.
• The Youth Group are selling fragrant, long-lasting candles to support our camp ministry. Be sure to get one of these great candles following worship Sunday and help send kids to camp this summer at the same time.

Grace and Peace

Starting this week our blog devotionals will be following the Sunday School schedule.  This week our Sunday School class covered Philippians 1:1-2 and so this will form the basis of our devotion.

Devotion

As Paul began his letter to the Philippians he wrote, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:2). [The video here is an artistic rendition of this idea by Fernando Ortega] This is the Apostle's standard greeting in his letters to the churches, but is particularly poignant in this letter. You see Paul was writing this letter from prison (most likely Rome toward the end of his life). He had received a gift of financial support from the Philippians that led him to reflect on thankfulness in this letter even as he gave thanks to God and the Philippian Church for providing for his need. Of all the places where we can think that grace and peace are needed, surely being imprisoned for one's faith must rank high on the list. Yet, Paul is not asking for peace and grace for himself, but rather he is offering grace and peace to the Philippians from the inexhaustible richness of the grace and peace of God that is ours through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What's more, we know from Acts 16 that Paul had not experienced much peace during his time in Philippi, but there was plenty of grace. Indeed, Paul was imprisoned there and through his faithfulness to God's call and a miracle the warden of the prison and his family came to know salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ.
Now, far removed, imprisoned and impoverished for the Gospel, the Apostle takes time to offer that which he has in abundance, namely, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This stands as a ready reminder to us today that we are called to be agents of God's grace and peace. We have received the favor of God through the saving work of Christ Jesus and this has made peace between God and us and leads us to make peace with others. Take time today to give thanks to God for the grace and peace you have received and then offer that grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ to someone else. Is there a relationship you can mend today through apology? Is there a note of encouragement you can send someone? Is there a friend who is struggling with whom you can share the life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ? Can you spend time with your family in God's Word and demonstrate the peace of Jesus Christ through confession and prayer?
Grace and peace are a gift we have from God, but they are also a gift we have been given to share.

Shout Outs

• Thanks goes out to Kurt and Jennifer Fudge for our first Middle School Youth Group outing. The kids had a great time kayaking.
• A great big shout out to our small group leaders (Lyslea, Chris and Becky, Dave and Stephanie, Kathy, and Ron and Randi) who begin leading us through 'Experiencing God' this week.
• A welcome back to our Church Administrator, Dave Bishop, who has returned from his mission trip to Lebanon and is recovering from an illness he received while traveling.
• To Adam's Road for an uplifting time last night. [If you missed it, check out Micah's testimony in the video above].

Opportunities to Serve

• Helpers are still need for our Children's Sunday School program that happens during worship.
• Pastor Bill could use some help contacting other congregation's regarding the Rotating Shelter ministry. We simply could use another congregation or two to help carry the load as we serve the homeless in our community this winter.
• Keep an eye out for visitors at CPC and practice hospitality. A kind word and an invitation to lunch or supper can make our church a very friendly and welcoming place for all.

News and Events

1. Sunday School Remix starts today. It will run Wednesday afternoons 2-3:30ish for the school year. This year we will be studying the history and theology of the early church leading up to the completion of the Nicene Creed.
2. Potluck Sunday will be this week. Be sure to bring a dish to share at our Western Round-Up Potluck.
3.  Bell Choir will start practicing soon. Check the bulletin for details this week.

What's Old Is New

Welcome back to Deep Discernment.  Or perhaps I should welcome you for the first time. The purpose of this blog is three-fold:

1. To encourage you with the Word of God
2. To keep you informed about Community Presbyterian Church
3. To give glory to the Triune God

I have failed to keep up this blog in the past mostly because I did not set aside dedicated time to maintain it.  This year I will be posting a new entry every week with some time dedicated to the project on Wednesday mornings.  These posts will include a short devotion (based on our Sunday School lesson from the week prior), shout outs and thanks to people serving at CPC, a list of opportunities to serve and news and upcoming events. You can subscribe to the blog or sign up during worship to have this e-mailed to you on a weekly basis. Without further ado, here is the sample format.

Devotion

As Jesus began his public ministry he said, "The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). As I begin this new venture it is with the old teaching of Jesus that still renews hearts and minds.  The time is fulfilled for Christ Jesus has come and has won us salvation on his cross. The Kingdom of God is at hand because all heaven is breaking out wherever Christ is faithfully proclaimed and men, women and children are surrendering to him in faith, wherever believers are connecting and growing together as disciples and wherever Christ's Church is serving the community with love and truth.  The call then is to repent, that is, to turn away from sin (rebellion against God) and turn toward God in his love, mercy and grace.  The call is to trust the Good News of the Gospel that Jesus Christ came to save sinners like me.
I think Mark 1:15 is so important that Jesus' follower should just memorize it to have it always at hand when we need to remember who Jesus is and what he came to do.
Think for a moment what impact the ministry of Jesus had on his community.  Then remember that through faith in Christ Jesus, we continue the ministry of Jesus to call others to repent and believe the Gospel. Everyone knows at least one person who needs Jesus today.  Be bold and share him with those who need him.

Shout Outs

A big shout out to Elder Dave Lamb and the Ministry Committee.  The various ministry team leads got together and for the first time since I have been the pastor here we have a unified calendar for the 2016-2017 year. The calendar is currently being digitized, but a link should pop up here before the end the month.
A shout out also goes out to Small Group Leaders who have stepped up to the plate to lead others through our Experiencing God study.

Opportunities to Serve

Three big opportunities to serve are upcoming:

1. Children's Sunday School: Our children attend Sunday School during worship. We are in need of a handful of volunteers to lead our children in their lessons.  The commitment is for one Sunday/month for the school year.
2. Serve Omak Middle School: Our youth team has been compiling a list of volunteer opportunities at Omak Middle School for this academic year.  The hope is that we can build relationships with the students and staff of the school.  You never know just how God will use a relationship for His glory.
3. Rotating Homeless Shelter: The days are already growing cooler and this means we need to be mindful of the homeless in our community.  This year CPC will be participating with other area churches to host a rotating shelter.  We are in need of men (and some women) to host the shelter here at CPC.  The commitment will be for one night/month for the months of November, December, January and February. Please give a night to help the least of these.

News and Events

• Regular schedule starts this Sunday (9/11/16).  Adult Sunday School at 9 am [Philippians] and worship at 10 am with Sanctuary at 5 pm.
• Small Groups start next week.  We will be going through a study entitled Experiencing God. Please join a group for this amazing study! Details on small group time and locations will be available Sunday.
• Men's Breakfast is this Saturday (9/10/16) 6-8 a.m. 
• Sunday School Remix begins 9/14/16.  The class runs 2-4 p.m. and will be studying early church history and theology in a course entitled Nicene Christianity. Join us!
• Middle School Youth Group Kayak Trip will be this Saturday (9/10/16).  Middle Schoolers can meet Pastor Bill at CPC at 10 a.m. for a day of fun on Duck Lake.