God’s Call to Willing Service, Not Forced Labor

Meeting with one’s boss can be a nerve-wracking, angst-ridden experience, especially
when it comes time for our annual review. Fortunately, I serve a very kind, caring, and
compassionate District Superintendent, who believes in building up rather than tearing
down. She and I had a very cordial conversation earlier this week, and when it was
over, I was uplifted and further inspired to serve God by serving each of you.

This experience caused me to reflect on what it might be like when we stand before the
Lord for our “lifelong review” at the conclusion of our journey here on earth. Although
Scripture tells us that we will have to give an account of our lives, I believe that we
serve an extraordinarily kind, compassionate, and loving God, who will shower us with
His abundant grace and infinite mercy. After all, He sent His only Son as a sacrifice to
atone for our sins.

I think we sometimes overlook the incomparable power of Christ’s healing blood, which
washes away our sins and cleanses our soul. His sacrifice on the cross paved the way
for our salvation and provided the only means of access to God’s Heavenly Kingdom.
Let us offer thanks and praise for this amazing gift, which gives us hope, comfort, and
peace.

As we head into this Labor Day weekend, it is wise to remember that we are not called
into hard labor but rather willing service to the God of all creation, who loves us, forgives
us, and redeems us from this world to the world to come.

Honoring God’s Call to Patience, Understanding, and Temperance

Well, the Browns won their first preseason game behind the heroics of a flashy
young quarterback by the name of Shedeur Sanders, and the hype has quickly reached
a fever pitch. Some are calling for his number to be retired; others are saying that he
should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The excitement is certainly understandable, given the Browns’s lack of success
since returning to Cleveland more than a quarter century ago. However, is the reaction
to the rookie’s performance a bit over the top?

There’s no harm in overreacting in a positive way. The Lord wants us to celebrate
our joys in life. But, when we overreact in a negative way, there are likely to be harmful
consequences, the likes of which we see on the news every day, from road rage to
domestic violence to mass shootings.

Scripture advises us to temper our emotions, most notably in the well-known
passage from the Book of James (1:19), which offers this advice: “Let every person be
quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Ephesians 4:2 supports that notion with this
passage: “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bear with one another in
love.”

Such wisdom can keep us balanced, stable, and grounded. So cheer all you
want for Shedeur, but try not to overreact when he throws his first interception. Likewise,
as followers of Christ, let us not overreact in a negative way to anything. Instead, let us
be kind, loving, and patient, not only on Sunday, but also on every other day of the
week.

We All Scream for Ice Cream

I’m guessing that most of you had an ice cream truck that would make its way
around your neighborhood each summer. Where I grew up in suburban Pittsburgh, we
would hear the melodic tune off in the distance and know that the ice cream treats were
on the way. All of us kids would rush home to get a quarter from our parents and then
run back out to be the first one in line when Mr. Softee arrived on the corner. It was a
time of innocence and childlike joy.

Times have changed, but our love for ice cream probably hasn’t. I remember that
annoying phrase, “You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream.” Those were the
days!

Well, guess what? Next week we will be able to enjoy the best kind of ice cream
– homemade. Oak Chapel will once again sell sandwiches, sides, and homemade ice
cream during the annual Lincoln Highway Buy-Way Sale (August 7-8) from 10 to 2.

This will give us an opportunity to open our church and offer respite from the
August heat. It will also provide an opportunity to visit the House of God for some
people who do not have a home church. Perhaps they might think, if only for a moment,
that there is more to life than ice cream.

Whatever your favorite flavor, ice cream can calm one’s nerves and soothe one’s
soul. A relationship with our Lord can also do that. Psalm 34:4-5 says, “I sought the
Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him
are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Now that’s more enticing than a
triple scoop of ice cream.

Join us next week as we share our faith and serve our ice cream to anyone who
stops by, hoping they will delight in the presence of the Lord.

Let Faith and Freedom Ring This Holiday Weekend

Throughout human history, people have passionately pursued freedom, and with good
reason. In the words of the one-hit wonder rock group from the 1990s, The BoDeans,
“everybody wants to be free.”

As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s independence tomorrow, it is important to
consider the often-overlooked freedom to practice our faith openly and without fear.
Of course, Jesus is our ultimate liberator. His death on the cross and resurrection from
the tomb brought about the ultimate in freedom — the promise of eternal life in our
Father’s Heavenly Kingdom.

Galatians 5:1 tells us that “Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not
submit again to a yoke of slavery.” We greatly value freedom in our country. Sadly, we
have a shameful history of holding people of color in bondage, and many around the
world are still being held captive against their will. As Disciples of Christ, it is our
responsibility to speak out and stand up against of all forms of injustice, particularly
enslavement.

II Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom.” Not all bondage is physical. Many struggle with mental, emotional,
and spiritual oppression, but through Him there is the promise of freedom.

The Gospel of John (8:32) states that truth is the key to freedom. In a world beset by
deceit, we must doggedly pursue the truth because in the end, “the truth will set us
free.”

Have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July weekend, and we look forward to seeing you in
church on Sunday morning when we once again joyfully celebrate our faith.

Vibrant New Leadership Brings the Promise of a Bright Future

In case you haven’t heard, the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church — of which Oak Chapel is a member — has a new leader. His name is Hee-Soo Jung, and he is a native of South Korea. Last September, he assumed responsibility for all of Ohio, whereas previously, the state was overseen by two Bishops (one in the East and one in the West).

Bishop Jung presided over last week’s annual conference at The College of Wooster, and I have to say that I was very impressed by his leadership style. He is exceptionally kind, sensitive, sincere, engaging, gentle, and witty. He handled the business sessions with poise, style, and grace, and he led our worship services in a way that was sacred, devout, and uplifting.

As we know, the United Methodist Church has faced some difficult challenges in the past few years, but I firmly believe that Bishop Jung will skillfully guide us out of the darkness and into the light of a promising and vibrant future. I would also like to point out that although he comes to us from another country, he transcends any ethnic and cultural differences we might have. Because we serve the same God, we are one in unity with Him and with each other. We are wise to remember this at a time when so many struggle to love their neighbor, especially when they look or sound different than us.

I encourage you to pray for Bishop Jung whenever you can. With the merging of East and West Ohio into one very large conference, he has a very formidable task ahead. However, with God’s help and our support, he is certain to not only survive, but also thrive and triumph, and with his guidance, so will we.

Red Alert: The Holy Spirit Descends Again on Sunday

The color red evokes a range of emotions, from love and passion to anger and rage. In
a spiritual context, red is most often associated with the blood of Jesus Christ, which
saved our souls from the scourges of sin and death. However, it is also representative
of Pentecost when tongues of fire descended on the disciples, and the Holy Spirit made
itself known to Christ’s followers.

On Sunday, we will once again celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, marking the birth of
the church as well as the gift of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. In fact, I Corinthians (3:16-
17) tells us that we are not just a dwelling place, but actually a temple in which the Spirit
resides.

The Holy Spirit is a major advocate for us and a wonderful gift on which we can rely. It
also guides and directs us to a life of obedience and holiness. The Book of Ezekiel
(36:26-27) describes it this way: “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put
within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful
to obey my rules.“

There are many other passages in Scripture that speak of the Spirit, including this from
the Book of Acts (4:31): “When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak
the word of God with boldness.”

Sunday is a reminder for us to be bold. Please join us in worship this week, and don’t
forget to wear red so that you can represent the depth of your faith manifested through
the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Answering God’s Call to Support Our Young People

Oak Chapel recently joined forces with Church of the Cross, Smithville United
Methodist, and Wooster United Methodist to sponsor a baccalaureate luncheon for
students at Liberty Prep, a school for at-risk kids in Wayne County. 

There were more than 25 students in attendance, and every one of them looked
as though they could benefit from some additional spiritual mentorship. Each has
experienced some tough situations in life, some even traumatic, and the school has
served as a safety net, helping to ensure that they don’t fall through the cracks.
It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of the event because it showed the
students that others do, in fact, care about and love them. Jesus said in the Gospel of
Mark (10:14), “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Our Lord does, indeed, have a very special
place in His heart for children.

I took a chance — with the permission of the school principal — and talked to the
group briefly about the importance of having a faith-based foundation. In particular I
suggested that they consider the presence of God in their lives and develop an active
prayer life. I shared with them this passage from Psalm 91:11 — “For he will command
his angels concerning you to guard you wherever you go.” I think it is vital that they
know that God is always with them. I also gave them a Guardian Angel pin, which many
fastened to their shirt that day.

Life can be tough for all of us at times, but with a foundation in faith, we will
survive and even thrive. It is my hope that these young people, with a little help and
encouragement, will flourish as active disciples of Christ, now and in the future.

A Reminder to ‘Live for Today’

Where are you living? I don’t mean the physical location of your home. I’m talking about your state of mind. Some people live in the past, always reflecting on days gone by and yearning for “the way things used to be.” Others live for the future, constantly anticipating and planning for what comes next. Few of us live in the present, probably because it is so fleeting. After all, the future becomes the past in a matter of seconds.

In 1967, a popular musical group, The Grass Roots, released a song with the lyrics, “live for today, and don’t worry about tomorrow.” Long before that, the Book of James (4:13-15) offered similar advice: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” The Gospel of Matthew (6:34) also addresses our concern for the future with this passage: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

So what does God want us to do with our time? I believe he wants us to live for Him in the moment. The past is gone, and the future is beyond our grasp, but the present is ours to impact others and make a difference. So, to the best of our ability, let us live for today, sharing our gifts and enjoying the blessings He has bestowed upon us as we seek to bring honor and glory to His Sacred Name.

Forgiveness and Atonement: An Eternal Promise

Did you ever have a spot on your shirt or pants that you just couldn’t seem to get out, regardless of how hard you scrubbed and how much soap you used? It’s kind of that way with sin. We can try with all of our might to remove the stain, but we are incapable of doing it on our own. As we have come to learn, it requires divine intervention.

Sin is a burden. It can enslave us and even suffocate us, but we do have hope. We can confess our transgressions before the Lord and because of His perfect righteousness, abundant mercy, and infinite grace, we are assured of forgiveness. However, this is only possible because of His atonement on the cross.

Atonement is defined as reparation for wrongdoing. In other words, making amends for something that we did that harmed someone else. It is appropriate for us to try to reconcile with others we may have offended or hurt, but when it comes to our spiritual life, only Jesus can expunge or expiate what we have done. No amount of penance alone will wipe our sins and cleanse our soul.

As we read in Romans 5:6-8, “at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

This sounds like a pre-Easter message, but it is actually an eternal-Easter theme. Because of Him, we have assurance, peace, and joy every day of our life. Let us rejoice
and be glad.

Faithful Giving is Not an Obligation, but Rather an Opportunity

Tax collectors were not highly regarded in Biblical times because they were generally thought to be corrupt. Today’s tax preparers are much more trustworthy, but the process of paying taxes remains distasteful for many because it feels as though the government is taking our hard-earned money.

In case you lost track, it’s April already and the deadline for filing our tax returns is next Tuesday (April 15). Perhaps you’re due for a refund; perhaps you’ll owe some money. Either way, it’s an obligatory ritual to which we must abide every year, and most of us understand that the money is necessary for our country to operate. But what about our voluntary giving?

There are a number of Scriptural references to financial stewardship in the church, but one of the most familiar is this passage from II Corinthians 9:7-8, which states that “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

Only once in my six years at Oak Chapel have I addressed this issue of monetary giving from the pulpit, and the reason is that you have been very faithful, giving from the heart. Please know that our church greatly appreciates your generosity, and we encourage you to continue your faithful support because God does, indeed, love a cheerful giver and that we can abound in every good work.