Monday Morning Musings ...

Yesterday was an even bigger contrast of very good and no so good than last Sunday. The very good was that it was graduation day for our local high school. This class had very special meaning for me as I had been involved with coaching 6 of them in volleyball all through high school. There were several others in this class that I had gotten to know fairly well. I am very proud of them, and though I will miss them when next season and school year begin, I am excited to see what the future holds for them. We have 4 from our church who are graduating this year and they are quality young persons who will do well and make a difference in the world. We had a great time with our small group last night. I really love that group. Our worship attendance continued the run of good numbers.

The not so good was my sermon, especially my delivery of the sermon. Wow, that may be the worst I have done in my 5 1/2 years here. To those who were in attendance and awake I apologize. I stayed with the theme of "It's Not Over", appropriate I thought given the prediction that the rapture was going to happen on Saturday and that it was the day we honored our high school graduates. We examined Matthew 17:1-8. This is where Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a mountain with him. Jesus was transfigured and Moses and Elijah appeared as well. Peter wanted to build shelters for them all and it would seem he wanted to stay on the mountain.

In realizing that we are not done with living or our call we looked at what this passage showed us about what we are created and called to do and what we are not created or called to do. We were not created to hide from the world. It is true that we need times of retreat and refreshment, but we are not to live our life in hiding from the evil world. Why would God want to remove the light from the world? We were not created to build shelters for Christ, or try to protect him. He doesn't need our protection. We were created and called to focus on Christ first and foremost. Verse 8 says "When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus." That is the way to live. Start with Christ. Focusing on Christ will lead us to the priorities of Christ. When we do anything else we will begin to focus on us instead of him. Where is your focus? We were created and called to spend time with Christ and have our thoughts on Christ. Jesus invited Peter, James and John to join him and he is still inviting us today. We were created and called to touch and teach the world for Christ. Verse 7 says "But Jesus came and touched them, 'Get up,' he said. 'Don't be afraid.'" In Matthew 28:16-20 Jesus gave us the instructions that as we go in the world we are reach others, teaching them to obey all that Christ taught us. Our focus, our time and our thoughts are to be on Christ, which will lead us to reach the lost/world.

Where are you living? Is it where Christ as called you? Where is your focus? Is it on Christ and his will? Who are you touching? Who are you teaching? Is it beyond yourself and your holy huddle?

Here's hoping you do a better job of presenting Christ's truth to those around you this week than I did yesterday.