Weekday Devotions for 06/26/2015

Pastor Al Debelak's Weekday Devotions. View this email in your browser Weekday Devotions Redeemer Lutheran 06/26/2015 edition Weekday Devotions By Redeemer Lutheran on Jun 26, 2015 05:50 am The Followers of Jesus as provocative. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as provocative are present to bring in the life of the Reign of God. That is the reason we are a provocative people. The Reign of God does not follow the character of the society and times around us. We are not run by fear or anxiety. We are a people who trust that our God is bringing in God's peaceable Reign and it is in the shape of all of us acting out within our everyday lives. The Followers of Jesus are provocative when we do not simply go along with how the story of Scripture have been told or interpreted. We continually re-fresh those stories and bring the life-giving life-affirming, life-healing meaning back into old, old stories. Those old stories are often being smothered in ancient tribal images and thought that does not need to preside among us anymore. Therefore we question all that is being read and we ask for images of God's Reign to shine through. The Followers of Jesus as provocative will cause a stir as we move aside that which is not essential to the coming of God's peaceable Reign and keep digging for new ways to see beyond the limits of past days and into the expansiveness of God's unfolding grace and love. God of Love and All Hopefulness, keep opening the heart of your Reign and fill us with its glory and hope. Amen. Read in browser » Weekday Devotions By Redeemer Lutheran on Jun 25, 2015 06:50 am The Followers of Jesus as provocative. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com  The Followers of Jesus as provocative may be seen as people who are raising doubts and therefore not faithful. And yet, I find that when the Follower of Jesus question that which we are saying and that which we are doing there is a bit of new life introduced to the room. Whenever we use language that just is allowed to carry baggage without understanding its meaning in real life terms the excitement of follower Jesus becomes a journey into 'magical' words that grab people's attention but usually means little When we are free to question and ask for thoughtful discussion and are not afraid to entertain argumentation, we are stepping into the excitement of the early church we can see in Acts. For in those days, the Follower of Jesus were extremely provocative. They questioned. They were often asking questions and doing things that the did not really understand. But in time - through their experiences outside the norm of the words and images they thought they knew - they were greeted with a door open to life beyond all expectations. O God of Love and All Hopefulness, open the doors of our hearts and minds so that we will not shy away from the grand vision of your Reign that we too often try to lock up and keep for ourselves. Amen. Read in browser » Recent Articles: Weekday Devotions Weekday Devotions Weekly Devotions Weekday Devotions The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com Copyright © 2015 Redeemer Lutheran Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a member of the Redeemer community Our mailing address is: Redeemer Lutheran Church 1555 South James Road Columbus, Oh 43227 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Weekday Devotions for 06/25/2015

Pastor Al Debelak's Weekday Devotions. View this email in your browser Weekday Devotions Redeemer Lutheran 06/25/2015 edition Weekday Devotions By Redeemer Lutheran on Jun 24, 2015 06:50 am The Followers of Jesus as provocative. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as provocative bring questions to the table. We ask. We ask again. We listen to the language that is used by the Followers of Jesus and we keep asking 'what does that mean?' That is not always accepted. We will meet the most resistance to our questions from people who claim to be Follower of Jesus because many folks are told not to question the word and images and action of our faith. The church needs to be filled with Followers of Jesus who question what it is to be followers of Jesus. This does not mean we must construct a box of questions and then come up with a set of answers to settle the questions that come to us. Rather, The Followers of Jesus as provocative undo the strings that tie up the 'church' into a nice box. The 'holy' language of church folk often cannot stand up to serious questions about life. Rather it is language that is used to shut up questions and silence thoughtful and faithful investigation. O God of Love and All Hopefulness, help us rest in you alone so that we will fear no questions and will be thrilled by life set free to question and doubt and believe. Amen. Read in browser » Recent Articles: Weekday Devotions Weekly Devotions Weekday Devotions The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com Copyright © 2015 Redeemer Lutheran Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a member of the Redeemer community Our mailing address is: Redeemer Lutheran Church 1555 South James Road Columbus, Oh 43227 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Weekday Devotions for 06/23/2015

Pastor Al Debelak's Weekday Devotions. View this email in your browser Weekday Devotions Redeemer Lutheran 06/23/2015 edition Weekday Devotions By Redeemer Lutheran on Jun 23, 2015 05:50 am The Followers of Jesus as provocative. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as provocative bring a bit of excitement into the day. The excitement comes from the way we live. It is exciting because we may act in ways that bring questions to the prevailing ways people go through the day. Why, for example, would we take the time to feed the poor in a society where many voices seem sick and tired of what is given to the poor or are afraid that if we care for the poor - the well-off will suffer? Why would we stand with and be an advocate for people who do not fit into societies image of what is right and good and worthy? You see, our presence in the world causes the world to question itself and the life it attempts to build for a few. The Followers of Jesus as provocative do not simply go along with trends of the day. In fact, we need to be a people who are out in front of what is being consider to be acceptable. We are the ones who need to be showing how the life of the world expands when we go out on the limb to include new ways of living in peace in our world. That will always stir up some questions and - in some cases - some excitement. God of Love and All Hopefulness, teach us the way of our Lord, Jesus, so that we may enter this day within a realm of hopefulness that does not simple fit into the world. Teach us to trust in your Spirit's power to change the world. Amen. Read in browser » Recent Articles: Weekly Devotions Weekday Devotions The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com Copyright © 2015 Redeemer Lutheran Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a member of the Redeemer community Our mailing address is: Redeemer Lutheran Church 1555 South James Road Columbus, Oh 43227 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Weekday Devotions for 06/22/2015

Pastor Al Debelak's Weekday Devotions. View this email in your browser Weekday Devotions Redeemer Lutheran 06/22/2015 edition Weekly Devotions By Redeemer Lutheran on Jun 22, 2015 05:50 am The Followers of Jesus as provocative. Comments: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as provocative are folks who turn heads. It may not be that we are doing grand things. It may be that we are living lives that are a bit different from the flow of the cultural norms around us. Therefore, our mere presence brings up questions or starts conversations that may not regularly occur. For example, why would a congregation of the Followers of Jesus walk in the PRIDE Parade when there are so many Christians who seem to thrive on speaking words of condemnation on GLBT people among us? The Followers of Jesus as provocative step out into the world in a way that reflects the image of the Christ alive among us. That means we must know the way of that one we follow. We hope to provoke people into action or at least thoughtful contemplation on what it means - in everyday terms - to walk in the way of Jesus. Usually that way is a bit odd - a bit of a risk - a bit out of place in the world that surrounds us. And yet, we keep pressing the point - we keep alive questions that must not be brushed off the table for mere security. God of Love and All Hopefulness, your Spirit takes us into the world and we become a part of the breath and life of your eternal Reign. Linger with us and move us and lead us. Amen. Read in browser » Recent Articles: Weekday Devotions The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com Weekday Devotions Copyright © 2015 Redeemer Lutheran Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a member of the Redeemer community Our mailing address is: Redeemer Lutheran Church 1555 South James Road Columbus, Oh 43227 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Weekday Devotions for 06/12/2015

Pastor Al Debelak's Weekday Devotions. View this email in your browser Weekday Devotions Redeemer Lutheran 06/12/2015 edition Weekday Devotions By Redeemer Lutheran on Jun 12, 2015 05:50 am The Followers of Jesus as invasive makes us a people who stick out in the middle of the crowded ways of this world. The world calls for and allows and promotes all sorts of ways to live within our society. They all follow the way of the world. That means things must be done 'just so' and our lives need to fit in and match the ways of the prevailing society or culture. The Followers of Jesus as invasive may become known as the ones who don't seem to 'go along' unless that means we will go along for the well-being of all - we will go along without violence - we will go along free from power of our anxieties that attempt to control us and others. As we all know, the well-being of all is not a matter of concern to the powers of the world - never has been.The Followers of Jesus as invasive must daily choose the life we will enter as we are called by our God to follower in the steps of Jesus. Those choices may send us against the grain and even against all that we have come to love and expect in our lives. And yet, we spread out into the world as a living alternative to the world that brings good news to all - even when it may cost us for being such an invasive presence. O God of Life and All Hopefulness, we are ready to move - move us by the power of your Spirit and encourage us as we begin this day. Amen. Read in browser » Recent Articles: The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com The Followers of Jesus as invasive. Comments to: adebelak@redeemerluth.com Weekday Devotions Weekday Devotions Copyright © 2015 Redeemer Lutheran Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a member of the Redeemer community Our mailing address is: Redeemer Lutheran Church 1555 South James Road Columbus, Oh 43227 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences