Cool Sermon by Bishop Willimon....and I met my new charge

Last Saturday we had a Methodist Festival, called Celebrating New Life. Our bishop, Will Willimon, delivered a sermon in the worship service that followed the lectionary. I have no idea how many pastors took his message and worked it into their own Sunday sermons, but I know of at least one. In the Luke passage for last Sunday, from Luke 24, is the account of the walk to Emmaus. Jesus revealed himself to the two with whom he had joined on the walk to Emmaus. Bishop Willimon suggested, why didn't Jesus, upon his resurrection, go to Pilate and show up next to him saying...."I'm Back"? Why didn't he go to Rome to the emperor and say..."I'm Here"? No, rather, Jesus showed up clandestinely to his own followers and revealed himself. What a wonderful experience it was hearing this beautiful sermon on how Jesus revealed himself to his followers, against their own better judgment, he revealed himself.

Jesus reveals himself today to us all, yet we sometimes find it hard to fathom. He reveals Himself every Sunday in every church. Yet, we find if hard to fathom. Remember, He said...."when two or three are gathered in my name, I am there..." yet we find it hard to fathom.
Well, Jesus comes to us each and every Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday, when we gather in His name. Are we humbled by His presence, or otherwise engaged that we don't stop to see he is there? Psst...He is there.

Tonight a mere 14 people gathered together to worship. Jesus was there...and we were touched by His presence. Can we expect Him to be there when there are 50, 100, 500, or more? Yes, indeed! As a popular hymn suggests...."Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place"...I'll ask...."can you feel His mighty power and His grace?".

On another note, last week, at the festival, I met with key people from my future charge. I introduced myself to them and said that I was their next pastor. What a warm embrace I received from them. What a warming in the Holy Spirit there was. I pray that in the next few months when I'm put in their charge, I'll faithfully serve and be the person that God means to have there at that time. I am deeply humbled, and taking on a servant's heart. Any prayers that one wishes to lift up on my behalf are deeply appreciated.

Torn and Torn About My Local Church

I love my local church, the one where I'm a member. Torn, because I may be leaving it soon in greater service to Our Lord. I'm a leader at this church, just cuz that's my nature. But there is a wonderful feedback that comes from members about me being a member. I like membership. I like being one of the flock. There's a comfort that comes from this. But it is all subject to change.

I was asked to pastor another church, and while my membership may remain with the church I love, I will have responsibilities that make worshiping there impossible. YIKES! See what happens when you say yes to some question that you don't want anyone to ask?

In the past month I've preached and assisted with worship at 4 different churches. The sparkle and wonder of meeting new friends in Christ is awesome. There is an immediate kindred spirit. That is wonderful in its own right. But the comfort factor of being with your "church family" is something that is beyond short-term thrills. One can be grounded by faithful, long-term, fellow disciples. Grounded in the fact that common histories are shared, reflected upon, and embraced as some type of granite statue, that cannot be changed. Such is history. But history, is just that.

I look forward to the new challenges service to Jesus will afford me. But I will lament, somewhat, the loss of fellowship with fellow congregants. But one must move on.

I confided with a member of our church that I may be leaving...and she has called me twice since then to ask whether I said yes or no to the invitation. I told her I said yes, but it is conditional. I may not be asked to serve elsewhere....or I may. Don't know and don't want to know. I want to give every bit of energy to this congregation where I serve until such time as I'm asked to bring the same fervor for Christ elsewhere. I will bring a fervor for Christ wherever I go.

My lovely wife, who never wanted to be the wife of a preacher....but then said, never be the wife of a pastor....is with me all the way. I'm overwhelmed with her support. She can be who she is...with me being who I am...and all the pieces will fall in place. I pray for courage at this time in my life.

So, the big question is, will I take the passion for worship that I have at my home church to one where I may be appointed. I think I will. If I don't...shame on me. I think I will.

I Pray for Wisdom

I was asked tonight to pastor a church. WOW, I've never been asked that before. It is a local church where I love the people there, as I've preached as a guest preacher twice before. Both times, I was well received.

In the United Methodist tradition, it is the District Superintendent who must fill pulpits. Tonight, I was asked by the DS to fill this position. Temporary, though it may be, it is a BIG STEP for me and my wife. She has never wanted to be a pastor's wife. I look to her for the answer to my prayers. Low and behold, she said, if you will pastor that church, I'll support you. Wow! I will do it.

So, with this said, Brother Marty may become Pastor Marty. It is an awesome thing I pray that God will lead me to do. My answers to the DS's request is down the road. I'll share when God speaks to me about it. I'm in prayer, and ask that if you read this, you will share in my prayer that it is God's will for me to be there, pastoring a church. I'd be what's called a local lay pastor, but I lift that position up as an honor to serve.

Dern...if you talk too much about Jesus, you become branded as a servant. I'm struggling, to live up to my calling........Marty