When We Love

Over the Weekend Misa shared with us three stories found in Matt 8 and 9. Jesus heals a man with leprosy, then forgives a paralyzed man followed by the embrace of a tax collector. Then Misa challenged us by asking us ‘What do these three stories have in common?’ the answer is quite simple:  Jesus loved them. And by loving them, Jesus revealed to them the love of God (John 14:9).  

The Gospels tell us about countless people who had this same encounter with Jesus. In the same two chapters we read about a worried centurion, two demon possessed men, an ill woman, a concerned father, a blind man, and a mute man. All of them, for some reason or another, would have experienced some sort of reproach for their position or ailment. But when they encountered Jesus, He responded to them with compassion.

All those who encountered Jesus were changed because in their short exchange Jesus revealed to them the love of God. The miracle was not the only takeaway from the encounter, there was also the sound knowledge that God cared and loved them.

If God is love, then is he not made manifest in every act of love? In every act of mercy? In every act of grace? In every embrace? The answer is yes. And I know because that has been my experience. It has been through the love given to me that I have learned to love myself, others, and most importantly God. On this week’s episode of the MGC Podcast (click here to listen) Misa says, “It was through the love of my Christian community that I saw the love of God”. Loving others reveals the God of love.

 The Bible tells us that as the world’s history comes to a close “the love of most will grow cold” (Matt 24:12). And I get it, people are stubborn, annoying, difficult, awkward, selfish, arrogant, unpleasant, selfish, ignorant, and on and on… but that is why our focus remains on Christ, and not the world. Because when we look to Christ we do not see a God struggling to embrace sinners or negotiating his generosity. Rather, we see a God who loves all people despite their imperfections. Love grows cold when we stop looking at the redeemer and look at the redeemed.

Now is the time to rebel against all our natural impulses to judge, and be close-minded. If we allow our love to grow cold, we remove our witness from the world. For just as the love of Jesus revealed God to those he encountered, so does our love reveal God to those we encounter.

Let us love others, that we may make the love of God manifest in the world.

—Pastor Alex Portillo

For The Sake Of Others

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! -Philippians 2:5-8

Preaching out of this passage convicted my soul of one thing: God wants me to love others now the way Jesus loved us then, and I found myself fascinated by what this might look like. What if instead of talking about the passage, explaining it, and going on, I really applied it to my life? So we were all challenged together to pick one of these things and, leaning on God for strength, actually do it for the sake of others.

1. Adopt a new friend into your family who is challengingly different from you

2. Get a pen pal through the church’s random pen pal program (more below)

3. Pray for church families or members deeply and regularly

4. Give above and beyond-sacrificing your own comfort for someone else

5. Other-follow God’s promptings to your unique loving service

Personally, I felt convicted on number 3. I have been praying for a while now, but I haven’t been intentionally praying for my church members regularly. I put a system together, and I want you to know, I am praying for you. One day, I will come to your name, and I will pray to the King of the universe on your behalf. It’s been so meaningful to me to make this a part of my spiritual practice.

I want to encourage you to take up one of these challenges to really invest yourself in the good of others and more deeply join the cause of Jesus in advancing the gospel, BUT I especially want to encourage you to join our pen pal program. Here’s how you do it:

• Write a letter by hand to, “Dear Friend in Christ,” and respond to this prompt. "What have you been struggling with and what are you excited about?"

• Aim for 1-2 pages and share at whatever depth you’re comfortable.

• Mail it to me and be sure it arrives by Tuesday, February 16, 2021: Pastor Jonny Pen Pal Project, 11001 NE 189th St., Battle Ground, WA 98604

• Wait for a letter to come to you, and then begin writing back.

Once we receive all the letters, we will prayerfully mix them up and pair them off. Then we will send them out, and voila! You have a pen pal. I got this idea from reading about the incredible blessing the Dear Stranger** program was to those who participated, especially in this time of isolation. It might sound scary, but the risk is worth it! Imagine how much more meaningful it could be for us who are already siblings in Christ.

So, just as I invited on Sabbath I invite you, let’s find purpose together. Jesus went through a difficult time for the sake of us; let’s move with Jesus and invest ourselves for the sake of others.

-Pastor Jonny Moor

Have The Mind of Christ

Even as a child, talking to people was easy for me. I would talk to random people in the grocery store or at the park, even after being warned against it. My grandmother would often say, "you could make a friend on a deserted island".

What was hard for me was forming long-lasting friendships. As easy as it was to talk to people, it was actually just that much harder for me to trust others. When I was in high school a mentor observed, "how can you really be trusted if you don't, can't, or won't trust others".

In other words, nothing was going to change until I was willing to be vulnerable - willing to allow myself to truly be known, warts and all. Within that bigger picture, then and only then, could I understand and accept God’s love for me.

Throughout the Gospels Jesus builds community with vulnerability. In Him people saw the depth of the Father's love. When He taught it was for people to know His Father’s love. When He healed it was for people to know His Father’s love. He invites people to know His heart, and in return He gives them permission to reveal their hearts.

The Christian community is built on this unified vulnerability under Christ.

In Philippians Chapter 2 Paul says: 2:3-5 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus,

Paul reminds the Philippians that humility is a community defining attribute, because it is an attribute that defines Jesus. The vulnerability and humility they find in Jesus will be the glue which holds them together.

As I reflect on this part of the chapter, I am reminded that the world is not transformed with the sword but with the humility, vulnerability, and love of Jesus.

–Pastor Jackie James

To Live Is Christ

The passage from Philippians that we focused on last week, Philippians 1:12-30, ends with these words:

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”
—Philippians 1:27-30

When I think about my purpose and my goals, I know I fall short of “striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.” I do and say things to further my agenda, without always thinking of what is best for Christ. And this makes me truly sad.

Today, I repent. I repent of all the times I have put myself first and what I think is best over living Christ in every situation. What does this mean? It means I will suffer and struggle–just as Paul did and just as Christ did. And that I will have true joy and peace beyond understanding.

Does my repentance mean I won’t ever fail again? Obviously not, but that knowledge will no longer be an excuse. I will live Christ and continue to repent when I fail. I will choose to turn towards Christ in everything. Will you join me? Will you join me in repenting of all wrongs up to this point and going forward knowing we are completely forgiven? Will you join me in living Christ? Your answer will make all the difference in the world.

–Pastor Jana Lee

Talk to God

2 Timothy 4:5-8 (KJV)

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

After a brief look into Paul’s life and ministry, I asked last week what really constitutes a life well-lived. Through scripture, I came to the conclusion that to live a good life, we have to submit to God’s will, inviting Him into our lives fully, without hesitation.

Paul chose for his desire to be God, and he ran that race and fought that fight with everything he had. It was through his dedication to his Savior that at the end of his life, he was able to reap the benefits of his faith, full of the Holy Spirit’s peace.

It’s so easy to be distracted from hearing God, and if you can’t hear Him, it’s really hard to do what He wants. Personally, I find it hard to take a step back from the business of life and listen to God, especially if life is crazy, and nowadays, it almost always is.

However, God wouldn’t tell us to listen to Him if it was impossible. He calls us to make Him the priority of our lives, giving Him all our worries. It’s incredible how things just work out when you invite God to be a vital part of your life.

I challenge you today and this week to let God talk to you. Call out to Him and devote yourself to following His path. WARNING: DON’T TAKE THIS CHALLENGE LIGHTLY! Prepare yourself spiritually to make hard decisions, call to God to give you strength.

This week will most likely be crazy, but focusing on God will leave being stressed and overwhelmed in the dust. Feel joy and peace this week as you put God first!

–Amanda Mathey (Youth Ignite Speaker)

A Response to National Crisis

The events in and around the Capitol Building on January 6 have been upsetting to many throughout our country and our church community.

As followers of Jesus, we recognize every challenge is an opportunity for discipleship, a chance to find a new way of God’s leading. This is just as true of national and international crises as it is for personal ones. As a minister here at Meadow Glade, I wish to share a few discipleship reminders, and my reflection on a way I believe God is leading us.

First, God calls us to pray for and work toward the thriving of our communities.

When Jerusalem is destroyed by a heathen king who does not know God and captives are taken to Babylon and forced to resettle there, Jeremiah writes to them to pray for and seek the good of, the thriving of, their new city. (Jeremiah 29) They are to plant gardens, forge friendships, engage in business, and pray for God’s blessing. This principle seems even truer given our knowledge that all humans are God’s children and that Jesus died because he loves all the creation.

Second, our hope, fundamentally, is not in our president or government.

Though we want human life to thrive and we recognize engaging with society is one way to help that occur, we know our salvation comes from God. Whatever part of these immediate events we find discouraging, we can look to the hope of Jesus’ soon coming, and let that reality define our attitudes now and what we do now.

Third, the way we talk, post, and act is a witness to the world of who Jesus is.

Let’s remember that we represent Jesus to our family, friends, neighbors, and world. We testify that we are being transformed into the likeness of the one who gave his life for us when we were still enemies (Romans 5), so whatever we do, let’s strive to represent the character of Jesus as we do it.

Fourth, Jesus has given us the role of peacemakers and bridge builders.

I believe, though there are people committed to evil, most people want the best for our country and world. What seems to me like our greatest current problem, is that people throughout our country are working with fundamentally different information sources to define what is true. Then they shout at each other. “This is true because I read it here!” Or, on the other hand, “No, this is true because I heard it from here!” As we can all see, these shouting matches have devolved into groups feeling more and more divided with greater and greater enmity between them.

This leaves three options: fight–either verbally or physically to cow people into behaving the way we want, retreat–by pretending nothing is happening or only associating with those who think like us, or engage–leaning into conversation with those who have different information sources than we do. I propose this third option is the way of Jesus, the way of love of neighbor. It’s how God has been convicting me. What if we came with curiosity and a desire to understand? But this problem won’t be solved by listening alone, we must also reason together. Without anger or condescension we should discuss the pros and cons of the different sources themselves. Perhaps we could find a way forward together. Perhaps we could find some sources that, though not right all the time, we can at least agree to use as arbiters of general facts. If we can agree on the facts, we can agree on the problems. And if we can agree on the problems, we can begin to build solutions that honor God and those around us.

May our light shine so people will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. (Matthew 5)

–Pastor Jonny Moor

Philippians 1:6 (NIrV)

“I am sure that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on until it is completed. That will be on the day Christ Jesus returns.”

Last week I preached on the first eleven verses of Philippians, and I was surprised to find how Paul, though under house arrest in Rome, begins his letter with a manifesto justifying his grateful and joyful spirit.

In verse 3 he tells the people in the church in Philippi he is thankful for them and then gives three reasons through verse 8:

1. They partner with him in ministry,

2. God is doing amazing work in them, and

3. Paul is experiencing amazing unity with them and has the affection of Jesus for them.

Then he talks about how he hopes the Philippians get to experience and exemplify the kind of love he is.

Paul’s perspective provides a striking contrast with my own. I can be petty. I can get caught up in the problems around me: my personal failings, the faults of others, and the issues in the world. Paul’s example is spurring me to practice a different way of life.

 As we start the book of Philippians, let’s practice this together. I’m going to do it. I would love to hear your stories about it. Email me. Text me. Give me a call.

When we look at our circumstances and begin to feel discouraged, overwhelmed, or angry, let’s ask ourselves two questions.

1. What amazing and beautiful things is God doing around me?

2. What am I going to do to partner with God in these amazing and beautiful endeavors?

Who knows, perhaps we’ll find our lives marked by gratitude, joy, and confidence just like Paul did. 

–Pastor Jonny Moor