Poor in Spirit 

When I was in college I worked at a Christian family camp for the summers as a day camp counselor.  One summer our theme was “the Beatitudes” and we were “Knights of the Beatitudes” as we taught the kids about the different attitudes.

This first Beatitude – Blessed are the poor in spirit - was the hardest to grasp for my 1st & 2nd graders…why would anyone want to be poor?   Wouldn’t we want to be “capable in spirit” or “competent in spirit…” if anything, at least “middle class in spirit!”

But as we worked through our lesson those kiddos began to understand being poor in spirit is more about our attitude than anything else.

·   Being poor in spirit means we have no merit by which we can claim God’s blessing.  When we come to God, there’s literally nothing about us that we can bring to God as a way of compelling God to bless us. 

·    Being poor in spirit means we are to empty ourselves and trust God completely.  We must realize that we have no means of obtaining God’s blessing.  God only fills empty hands.

So how is your attitude?  Are you humble of spirit, fully dependent upon God?  Or are you trying to hard and holding on to tightly to the controls?  Maybe it is time for a little attitude adjustment…

You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.
With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
Matthew 5:3 (The Message)

I am looking forward to sharing this journey with you as we walk through the Beatitudes this summer.  See you on Sunday!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

#BLESSED

One of my favorite places when I went to Israel was on the Mount of Beatitudes.  A beautiful vista that overlooks the Sea of Galilee.  While standing on the hill it was easy to picture Jesus with a crowd gathered at his feet as he began what we know as the Sermon on the Mount…Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

There is something about the Beatitudes that I absolutely love.  Those eight statements of blessing hold within them an upside-down view of God’s kingdom, elevating those things that we so often looked down upon.  Humility, grief, meekness, mercy, justice, righteousness, peacemaking…all characteristics that are often contrary to culture. 

But it is really the very first word in each of these Beatitudes that often has me puzzled.  Blessed.  This is not the normal definition - bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune - that we think of in regard to God  - #blessed – “God has blessed my life and all is good.”  The Greek word Jesus used, Makarios, can also be translated as Happy.  Again, not as we might define happiness, which most often is connected to circumstances.  Makarios goes deeper than the surface of happiness and describes a joy that has a secret within itself, a joy that is serene and untouchable, and self-contained. 

In the Beatitudes Jesus is describing a happy life.  A different kind of happiness that has very little to do with chance or circumstances and is not dependent on health or wealth or even our achievements.  Doesn’t that sound like something you want in your life?  I do!

I am excited to walk through the Beatitudes this summer, considering each blessing and what that means for us.  I am looking forward to this journey hope that you will join in as we look to redefine #Blessed.

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(Matt 5:1-11)

This Sunday we wrap up our sermon series on the Holy Spirit.  We have heard the Promise of Jesus, experienced the Presence of the Spirit on Pentecost and this week we look at the Power of the Trinity!  (The Trinity is the three persons that make up the Godhead - one God, three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.) 

Lately, I have been watching reruns of Home Improvement, the TV show from the 90’s staring Tim Allen.  I love the antics of Tim “the Toolman” Taylor and how he is always tinkering and tweaking things to get more power (har-har-har).  But in his need to make things have more power - faster, louder, better - he inevitably makes things more dangerous!

As I thought about the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - I thought about the perfect power of God.  Sometimes life can seem dangerous or unpredictable, fast paced or out of control, right?  Sometimes these things happen by our own doing and our need for “more Power,” while at other times whatever happens is beyond our control.  But to know that God Almighty is in control, with all the power, brings me comfort.

I love how Paul writes in his letter to the church in Rome, about the power of the Trinity and how all three persons work beautifully together. 

By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide-open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!    Romans 5:1-5 (The Message)

The reality is we don’t need more power or to make things faster, louder, or better.  All the Power we need is wrapped up in the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! 

Friends, let us stop relying on our own power and truly lean into the Power of God.  Let us stop trying to fix things on our own and let God do the work.  We only need to trust in the infinite power of God!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged.
Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything
God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
 

Romans 5:5 (MSG)

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost!  50 days after Easter.  It is the birthday of the church.  The day we commemorate the coming Presence of the Holy Spirit!

I love the Pentecost story found in Acts 2.  I like to read it and put myself in the story, somewhere in the crowd that experienced the phenomenal events on that day.  To hear Peter speaking in a language that each of us understood all at the same time.  To feel the fierce wind blow through the gathering place and experience the calm that filled the space.  Then to suddenly see the flames that looked like tongues of fire landing on the heads of the Apostles.  What a spectacle! 

I love Pentecost!  I love the imagery, and the pageantry associated with this holy day.  I also love that we talk about the Holy Spirit…the indwelling God, a vital part of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is described as our helper, comforter, counselor, and advocate. The Spirit is God in us, equipping us and empowering us in our daily lives as we seek to follow Jesus. But, I think what I love most about the Spirit…the Spirit is unpredictable! The Spirit comes upon the crowd gathered that day as a violent wind and as tongues of fire! Yet the Spirit also comes in the quiet and stillness of the moment after the chaos.

This Sunday we will also be receiving New Members! I think it is the perfect Sunday for such a joyous occasion as we celebrate the beginning of the church and welcome brothers and sisters into the life of our church.

I am looking forward to Sunday as we celebrate Pentecost. Don’t forget to wear red, which is the color of the day!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

(Acts 2:1-4)