First Covenant Church of Sacramento :: online devotional: August 2009

online devotional

Every Thursday, a different ministry staff member will be posting a devotional, so check back here often. You can also subscribe to this devotional by clicking the link to the right.

The Mystery of Jesus

Thursday, August 27, 2009

1 Timothy 3:16:

"Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith: Christ was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory."

First, I want to encourage you to take this verse and commit it to memory this week. The mind is a powerful tool given to us by God. When we use it to memorize His word, we are equipped with His truth and able to call upon it when the opportunity arises.

This is a great verse because it encapsulates our faith. Christ came to earth, became flesh, and dwelled among people. He lived life as a human being. He experienced love, joy, and hope as well as pain, sorrow, disappointment, and loss. Though guilty of nothing, He was crucified on a cross and He suffered excruciating pain and humiliation at the very hands of those He had come to save. Then He conquered death, rose from the grave and ascended into heaven where He is preparing a place for those who believe. He did this all so that we may live eternally with Him.

Even as I write this, it is scary how easily I can summarize it, but how very little I actually understand it.

Truly a Mystery!

How often do we take time to actually thank God for the gift of Jesus? Do we really allow the mystery of Jesus to seep into the very depths of our soul? How truly humbled are we by His action on the cross? Is it too easily forgotten and very seldom contemplated? I know for me, this often true.

So let’s take action.

For the next week, let’s be intentional about thanking God specifically for the gift of Jesus. Each morning, as soon as we wake, let’s take time to express our deep gratitude for the Savior. I know this will be difficult for many because you may already have a morning routine, or for others the morning has very little routine, but let’s be disciplined in our action. Let’s set aside the necessary time to thank God for the wonderful gift of His Son and allow this mystery to deepen our love for our Savior.

posted by:
Dan Demuri
Worship Leader

Give Love Away

Thursday, August 20, 2009

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I find myself looking back on my day and asking God how could I have been so blind. Yesterday was one of those days.

For the past month I have been trying to instill in the high school students, here at First Covenant Church, to “Give Love Away”. But let me back up about a year and a half when I met a local church pastor. We chatted over lunch and I listen to him share this concept of “Giving Love Away”. He told me story after story about people in his church who were setting aside there agendas, schedules and personal needs to meet the needs of others. I was captivated by what I heard. I was inspired. Not because it was a new concept, but because it was so easy to “Give Love Away”. He referred me to the Acts 2 church. Acts chapter two is the account of the beginning of “The Church”. Most of us are familiar with the chapter and how the apostle Peter preached and thousands but their faith in Jesus. But what happens next in the story has had a huge effect on my life. The story continues in verses 42-47 of chapter 2:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

During the time of Pentecost people from all over the known world would gather in Jerusalem. Many had traveled much distance to get there. So when they heard Peter preach and put their faith in Jesus they stayed in Jerusalem and devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles and met daily in the temple courts. They didn’t go back home after Pentecost they stayed and in staying they had many needs (a place to stay, food, water, clothing, etc). What happens next is the point to all of this.

⁴⁵"Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."

As needs came up, others stepped up and stepped in. Into the needs of others. They put aside their agendas. They put aside their comfort. They put aside their own desires. They put aside their schedules and stepped into meeting a need. They were “Giving Love Away”. By the very act of a self sacrificing service they modeled the love of or God and Savior. They demonstrated that the needs of others out way our own. That like Jesus, we are here to serve others. And that we are more like Jesus when we are stepping into peoples needs and meeting them where they are. If God is Love (1John 4:8) In essence we are giving Jesus away; we are “Giving Love Away”. So let’s not be afraid or too selfish to stop and listen as God steers us to step up and into a situation to “Give Love Away”.

So yesterday (Wednesday), I was asked to do a home visit for someone in our congregation. I have to admit that Wednesdays are my craziest days. With youth group on Wednesdays and all the prep that goes into it my day is packed full of things “I have to do”. I willingly accepted the task but in my heart I was dealing with frustration because of my long Wednesday task list. I felt I really didn’t have time for this visit and wanted to make this as quickly as possible so I could get back to my task list. To make a long story short (I know, to late), The visit was the high light of my day. I fully enjoyed visiting with this person and learned a lot. I could see that this time we spent together was a blessing to them and me. I had the honor and privilege to be there ministering and encouraging someone who either needed it or just wanted it. No matter, it was great to be “Giving Love Away”. After about an hour it was time for me to leave. I walked to my car and hung my head and said to God, “How could I be so blind. Forgive me for not seeing the needs of others and stepping into them willingly. Help me to put aside my agenda, schedules and desires so I can better serve others”.

Let’s strive to not be blind to those around us and their needs. May we be challenged to put aside the “my ______” (fill in the blank) and step up and into divine appointments. Give Love Away! And like my experience yesterday… You just might have the time of you life!

posted by:
Tim Layfield
High School Pastor

Grasping the Attitude of Gratitude

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Read Luke 7:36-50.

Jesus is gaining a reputation in Galilee as a major teaching figure. Consequently, a Pharisee named Simon holds a meal for Jesus to see if Jesus truly is a “Rabbi.” But an unexpected visitor arrives: the “sinful” woman of the town!. Everyone already knows about her reputation! It was shameful to even speak about what she does. And what nerve, as she shockingly stands at Jesus’ feet while he reclines on his side to eat.

Suddenly a hush floods the room. The woman begins to sob, uncontrollably, as tears stream down her face. Unashamedly, she pulls down her hair! Everyone there understands this as a publicly taboo expression of great intimacy. But the woman is under great emotional stress and doesn’t care one bit what others are thinking. All she wants is Jesus. So as the tears flood Jesus’ dirty, dusty feet that were never hospitably washed by the host, the woman wipes His soiled feet with her hair. The guests gasp and mutter as she then begins to kiss his feet, over and over again, while she pours expensive perfume on them. How can Jesus let this woman act in such a culturally shocking way…

Meanwhile, Simon thinks to himself that this so-called prophet is a joke. This “Rabbi” doesn’t even have enough discernment to tell who this woman is, this despicable sinner! Then Jesus turns to Simon, knowing his thoughts, and teaches everyone a parable. “Two men were in debt to a lender. One had a debt of several months wages, the other had a debt 10 times that, almost 2 years of wages. The lender cancels both debts.” Jesus asks Simon, “Now which of them will love the lender more?” Simon says that the one forgiven more will obviously show more gratitude. And with that Jesus tells the repentant and grateful woman that her sins are forgiven and her faith has saved her.

He who is forgiven little, loves little. Through this account in Luke, Jesus teaches that those who grasp the magnitude of their sin, the wickedness in their hearts, and their rebellion against God are the ones who have truly been forgiven. Simon was a learned and religious man who knew much about God. But he didn’t think he needed Jesus. His proud, haughty and self-righteous superiority complex was evidence that he didn’t love God. In contrast, the woman was the model of worship because she recognized that she had nothing to offer God except to cry out in broken repentance for forgiveness. Yet the evidence of her forgiveness through repentance and faith brought a joyous display of gratitude because Jesus was her Treasure, her Savior, her Rescuer, God Himself come to redeem her!

So how can you display this attitude of gratitude?

About 6 months ago, I took time to journal, pray and reflect on my sin. Wow! Did my attitude of gratitude ever grow! I was so thankful that Jesus is my treasure for He alone has saved me from being the arrogant, self-righteous, religious, prideful, people-pleasing, worry wart I would be without Him! Take some time to reflect on the depths of your depravity. Humbly recognize how sinful and rebellious you really are and what Jesus has truly saved you from. And if any self-righteous comparison to others and how bad they are comes up, repent of that sin and show even more gratitude to Jesus of what He has saved you from! In doing so, you will surely grow in living an attitude of gratitude!

posted by:
Matt Newton
Growth Groups Pastor

Grasping the Attitude of Gratitude

Read Luke 7:36-50

Jesus is gaining a reputation in Galilee as a major teaching figure. Consequently, a Pharisee named Simon holds a meal for Jesus to see if Jesus truly is a “Rabbi.” But an unexpected visitor arrives: the “sinful” woman of the town!. Everyone already knows about her reputation! It was shameful to even speak about what she does. And what nerve, as she shockingly stands at Jesus’ feet while he reclines on his side to eat.

Suddenly a hush floods the room. The woman begins to sob, uncontrollably, as tears stream down her face. Unashamedly, she pulls down her hair! Everyone there understands this as a publicly taboo expression of great intimacy. But the woman is under great emotional stress and doesn’t care one bit what others are thinking. All she wants is Jesus. So as the tears flood Jesus’ dirty, dusty feet that were never hospitably washed by the host, the woman wipes His soiled feet with her hair. The guests gasp and mutter as she then begins to kiss his feet, over and over again, while she pours expensive perfume on them. How can Jesus let this woman act in such a culturally shocking way…

Meanwhile, Simon thinks to himself that this so-called prophet is a joke. This “Rabbi” doesn’t even have enough discernment to tell who this woman is, this despicable sinner! Then Jesus turns to Simon, knowing his thoughts, and teaches everyone a parable. “Two men were in debt to a lender. One had a debt of several months wages, the other had a debt 10 times that, almost 2 years of wages. The lender cancels both debts.” Jesus asks Simon, “Now which of them will love the lender more?” Simon says that the one forgiven more will obviously show more gratitude. And with that Jesus tells the repentant and grateful woman that her sins are forgiven and her faith has saved her.

He who is forgiven little, loves little. Through this account in Luke, Jesus teaches that those who grasp the magnitude of their sin, the wickedness in their hearts, and their rebellion against God are the ones who have truly been forgiven. Simon was a learned and religious man who knew much about God. But he didn’t think he needed Jesus. His proud, haughty and self-righteous superiority complex was evidence that he didn’t love God. In contrast, the woman was the model of worship because she recognized that she had nothing to offer God except to cry out in broken repentance for forgiveness. Yet the evidence of her forgiveness through repentance and faith brought a joyous display of gratitude because Jesus was her Treasure, her Savior, her Rescuer, God Himself come to redeem her!

So how can you display this attitude of gratitude?

About 6 months ago, I took time to journal, pray and reflect on my sin. Wow! Did my attitude of gratitude ever grow! I was so thankful that Jesus is my treasure for He alone has saved me from being the arrogant, self-righteous, religious, prideful, people-pleasing, worry wart I would be without Him! Take some time to reflect on the depths of your depravity. Humbly recognize how sinful and rebellious you really are and what Jesus has truly saved you from. And if any self-righteous comparison to others and how bad they are comes up, repent of that sin and show even more gratitude to Jesus of what He has saved you from! In doing so, you will surely grow in living an attitude of gratitude!