Today’s Reading:

19 in which   he went and   proclaimed   to the spirits in prison,  20 because   they formerly did not obey,   when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah,   while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is,   eight persons, were brought safely through water.  21 Baptism, which corresponds to this,   now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but   as an appeal to God for a good conscience,   through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  22 who has gone into heaven and   is at the right hand of God,   with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. 

I love how we do baptisms at Midway. The stories of people coming to Christ are moving and inspirational. I’m blown away by the way God moves in lives and brings people to a place of understanding and humility. A place where they realize their need for forgiveness that is only offered through Jesus. Then, when they make that decision public in baptism, they tell their story. It is a very moving time in our church family.

It’s a reminder, though. A reminder that Jesus, unlike Mohammad, Buddha, or any other religious teacher, came back from the dead. He arose and it gave him the right to assume the place of authority and power he now holds. He sits at God’s right hand with all things in creation subject to his authority.

That’s who we serve. That’s our King. That’s the power of salvation. We have that hope. We see it pictured in Baptism.

Have a great day Midway!

Pastor Todd

(From Sunday 8/12 – sorry for the delay in posting!)

Today’s reading:

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For ”Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

What if, and here me out, but what if we lived out verses eight and nine? Let’s keep it focused on just our church family. What if within the relationships I have with my brothers and sisters at church this principle reigned in my thoughts and actions: I will act in a way that promotes unity; I will show sympathy when my first response is distain or callousness; I will give love when my flesh desires restitution; I will be tender hearted instead of hard toward the needs and situations others finds themselves in; I will humble myself and take on the form of a servant instead of demanding my rights and my way.

So, here’s Paul’s mindset regarding this from his letter to the Philippians in ch. 2:

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from   love, any   participation in the Spirit, any   affection and sympathy,  2 complete my joy by being   of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  3 Do nothing from   rivalry or   conceit, but in   humility count others more significant than yourselves.  4 Let each of you   look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  6 who, though he was in   the form of God, did not count equality with God   a thing to be grasped,  7 but   made himself nothing, taking the form of a   servant,   being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by   becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

So, I ask again, what if…

What if we lived this out in our marriages?

What if we lived this out with our children?

What if we lived this out with our neighbors?

What if we lived this out with our exes?

What if we live this out with our parents?

What if I lived this out… What if you did?

Pastor Todd

You cut me off! Ever have this feeling?

Today’s Reading:

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.  19 For this is a gracious thing, when,   mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But   if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  21 For   to this you have been called,   because Christ also suffered for you,   leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.  

I remember a college professor telling us about his weekend and the way this verse came alive for him.

On Saturday morning while driving with his wife though their city in South Eastern Massachusetts they came to an intersection. He had a yield and traffic from the right had a stop sign. There was a car approaching from the right that stopped, as he was required to do. My professor slowed, looked both ways, and proceeded to enter the intersection. But, without hesitation, the other driver pulled out in front of my professor’s car causing him to slam on his breaks and elevate his blood pressure. He continued to describe his feelings of anger and frustration and desire to chase the other driver down. He was pretty angry.

As his ire grew his wife asked him, “Why are you so mad?”

He responded, “I had the right of way and that jerk cut us off!”

Her reply was very poignant, “Did you have the right of way or the right to give way?”

Often, we forget that Jesus’ example wasn’t for us to exercise our rights and get our way. His example was that we are to be willing to lay our rights aside that we can show the love of God to others and let Him get His way.

Prayer: God, thanks for the example of Jesus. Thanks for your desire to be first in my life and the lives of those around me. Help me to model my actions after the Savior’s. Allow me to be willing to lay aside my rights that others my see you in me.

Pastor Todd

Today’s reading:

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:13-17 ESV)

This one will get you fired up no matter which side of the political isle you stand on. There are many arguments for “what if” and “even though” when it comes to submitting to human authorities.

Often, what is missed here are the two words “Honor everyone.” I like this story from Ron Moore at http://www.thejourneyradioministry.com:

Mr. Williams lived in a little two-room shanty behind our house on the other side of a graveled alley. He was a quiet man who worked at the fairgrounds. Although it didn’t impress me when I was growing up, now I’d love to have the 1952 Chevrolet pick-up he drove around town.

Mr. Williams lived alone. If he had family, they never came to visit. Although we were a different color and our house always had family or friends coming or going, my parents demonstrated great respect for Mr. Williams and expected me to do the same. Every holiday we would fix a big plate of food and walk it over to his home. Even after my dad died and my mom moved to the other side of town, we still delivered holiday meals to Mr. Williams. And he was always grateful. When he died, my mom and two others attended his simple and short memorial service.

Certainly we are to demonstrate love to believers. We are to live in reverence and awe of God. We are to show honor to those placed in authority over you. And…don’t miss the first five words of this verse…we are to show proper respect to everyone. I am thankful my parents taught me how to do that by their “proper respect” to Mr. Williams.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see those who are unseen. Let me honor them as you would and did. Give me the eyes of Christ to see people as those whom you came to redeem; those whom you love deeply. Let me be show them your love.

Pastor Todd