July 21, 2013

I just read and responded to an email from Cambodia! One of our youth is there for 5 weeks working at an orphanage, and would like to share her story and receive an offering for the kids to go to the dentist. Technology is great, and sending people from Wesley around the world is powerful.

I am looking forward to leading worship and preaching this morning. I have had 2 Sundays away from the pulpit. I am refreshed and ready to share God’s word with application to today. As I was preparing yesterday, I had a sudden sense of an expansion of my understanding of God, and my depth of relationship and calling. It was a sudden feeling, somewhat similar to the rush of a roller coaster dropping down a hill. It was brief, but very clear. I will continue to process what it means.

Today I begin a series on Cities. My goal is to examine three cities in the Bible, teach the pertinent scriptures, and apply it to our setting in Springfield. Today I focus on Antioch, where disciples were first called Christians. The church there was used to win jews and gentiles to The Way, and sent out Barnabas and Paul on missionary journeys. Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman empire and was called “the Queen of the East”.  My challenge is to keep this from being too much history and geography and not enough application. I will lean into the application and curtail my emphasis upon the background material.

Guide me today, most precious holy Lord as the community of faith called Wesley United Methodist Church gathers for worship, discipleship and fellowship at 922 Republic Rd. Bless each person who makes their way through this stormy morning to sing, pray, and experience your presence. May lives be changed today through your Word and your Spirit.