Faith

PASTOR’S CORNER, David Harris, Fellowship Baptist Church, Liberal

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?’ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, ‘Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.’ When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. ‘We are your slaves,’ they said.” (Genesis 50:15-18, NIV)

PASTOR’S CORNER, David Harris, Fellowship Baptist Church, Liberal

What does it look like to attain glory? When you think about that word, how do you dress it up? What comes to mind? If like me you grew up watching action movies, you might think of William Wallace swinging his massive sword to defend his freedom, or in a slightly more fictional vein, Rocky Balboa going up against Apollo Creed in the ring. If you love to watch sports you might associate glory with Michael Phelps, layers of Olympic gold hanging around his neck, or Michael Jordan holding the NBA championship trophy. If you value notoriety the peak of glory may be getting an obituary in the New York Times.

If civic service is your passion then perhaps the Presidential Medal of Freedom being given to a worthy person is what comes to mind.

PASTOR’S CORNER, David Harris, Fellowship Baptist Church, Liberal

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:30-32, NIV)

As a minister, I don’t recall ever meeting with a Christian who expressed a desire to grieve the Holy Spirit. If most believers were asked whether this was something on their spiritual to-do list, I am highly confident the answer would be a resounding “no.” One may expect that for the original readers of Ephesians, the answer would have been similar. But Christians, indwelled by the Holy Spirit as we are, do have the capacity to upset the third Person of the Trinity, which is precisely why we are warned against it.

PASTOR’S CORNER, Brad Bennett, First United Methodist Church, Liberal

One of my professors of preaching shared the story of his first opportunity to preach. His pastor had already seen God’s gifts in him as a young boy and asked him if he would bring the message in worship. He said ‘yes’ and then met with the pastor to get some direction about how he might prepare for this. He was nervous with excitement as he selected a Scripture verse that was familiar and worked a little bit every day to think about what God would have him say to the congregation.

He felt prepared when the day came for him to preach, although he was so nervous that he could barely walk up the steps to the platform. The choir had finished an anthem and the time came for him to preach.