first presbyterian church

Many of us are looking forward to this holiday aren’t we?  Whether we have cookouts, horseshoes, parades or fireworks, it’s good to celebrate the birth of our great nation isn’t it?  We are a nation that had a tough beginning, but look at us now.  We are like a beacon in the night to those in the world who are searching for freedom from oppression and freedom to live to their fullest potential.  We have something unique and special that draws people to us.

I recently had a conversation with a friend and fellow pastor who had just attended a conference.  One of the subjects of discussion was, "What is our focus in the church?  Is it to get people saved or to help them grow in their faith?"

There seems to be a trend in the American church to make sure we get people saved but I don’t know that we do as good a job in getting them well rooted in their faith.  Let me quote from a book I’m working through right now titled “Unchristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity…and Why It Matters”.   In the chapter titled “Get Saved!” the author makes this point, “Intentionally or not, we promote the idea to outsiders that being a Christ follower is primarily about the mere choice to convert.  We do not portray it as an all-out, into-the-kingdom enlistment that dramatically influences all aspects of life.”  And if you want to argue this point with the author he makes this observation, “Perhaps you are thinking that you do describe it in these terms.  Then why are so many millions of young people missing the point, failing to develop the basic elements of a biblical worldview?”  I know that research can be skewed and numbers may be off, but let’s just look around at our world and in our own little community and see how things are going.  How do you think things are going outside as well as inside the church?

I’ve borrowed the popular title to a well known song made famous by MercyMe.  It tells how we can only imagine how Heaven will be and how we will react as we are in the presence of our Lord.  Here is the chorus, “Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?  Will I dance for you, Jesus?  Or in awe of You, be still?  Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?  Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'?  Will I be able to speak at all?  I can only imagine!  Yeah! I can only imagine!”  It’s an awesome song and a great visual for us to anticipate what Heaven will be like.  And it’s also a song we’ll be using this coming Sunday in the youth led worship where our focus will be on what Jesus said to do for the least of these around us.

As we have now gone through our Lenten season, mourned the process of redemption through the Passion of our Christ, and celebrated His resurrection, we must ask ourselves this question, "Do we really love Jesus?"  And if we do really love Jesus, how do we show Him our love?  How are our lives bearing the Fruit of His Spirit?  You may have heard the expression, “People are tired of hearing about Jesus; they want to see Him.”  I believe we won’t truly see Jesus until we fully love Him.  That love is a trust, a dependence on and surrender to His Lordship of our lives.

As I sit down to write this article I have new pictures to look at on my desk, just to the left of my laptop.  She’s 8 days old today and the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.  She had a few tough days in the first 8, but nothing compared to what some others face.  She’s pretty healthy even though she was 3 weeks early, weighing in at 6 lbs 9 ozs and measuring 20 ½ inches long.  With blond hair and blue eyes, she's a perfect combination of mother and daddy.  She is beautiful!  Have I said that already?  Get used to it because she has me wrapped around her little finger and I am so very proud to be included in her family.  Her name is Lexi Grace Scott.  She is the daughter of Katie and Brad Scott and the granddaughter of Denise and me, aka Mimi and Papa Rob.  She was born on February 11th, her uncle’s birthday, with a crowd of grandparents, great grandparents and uncles eagerly awaiting her arrival into the world.  It was a great day! 

The headlines of the mass death and destruction in Haiti have touched us all.  The devastation is beyond what we can imagine.  But even in the midst of all this heartache, we are still seeing lives saved, babies born, and praises sung.