G+M Worship – May 20, 2012 (Ascension Sunday)

The following was assembled and written by Joshua Hearne for the worship service of Grace and Main Fellowship.

Worship on the Seventh Sunday of Eastertide – Ascension Sunday – May 20, 2012

On this last Sunday of Eastertide, the Sunday we remember our Lord’s ascension to the Father, let us pause one more time before we light our Christ candle to join with the Church Universal in the Easter refrain that the Body of Christ has used for many centuries:

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen, indeed!

Lighting of the Christ Candle

A Time of Thanksgiving

Behold the greatest of mysteries that the Church proclaims:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

As we celebrate the Ascension of our triumphant and victorious Lord, let us sing!

Singing

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty.
Psalm 93The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved;
your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.
More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, more majestic than the waves of the sea, majestic on high is the Lord!
Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O  Lord, forevermore.

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty.
Acts 1:1-11
The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty.
Ephesians 1:11-14
The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty.

Group Reflection on the Scripture

Columba Marmion, the late 19^th and early 20^th century Roman Catholic monk and writer, once wrote: “… while awaiting our eternal union with the choir of the blessed, we should in mind and holy desires dwell in that heaven where Christ, our Head, lives and reigns forever. We are upon earth only as strangers and pilgrims seeking our country; as members of the city of saints and the household of God, we may, says St. Paul, already dwell in heaven by faith and hope.”


Prayers for OthersThe Lord’s Prayer

Singing

Our Lord has called us to this place tonight to be with each other and to help our brothers and sisters to see where God is at work in their lives. Now, go with God into the places where God has called you to be God’s hands and feet. Know that, as the Apostles did so many years ago, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be God’s witnesses.”

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

Amen.

 

G+M Worship – April 1, 2012 (Lent 6b – Palm Sunday)

The following is a liturgy/guide that was written for the service of worship and prayers held at Grace and Main Fellowship on April 1, 2012.

Worship on the Sixth Sunday in Lent – Palm/Passion Sunday – April 1, 2012

On this sixth and final Sunday in Lent, let us remember that the word the crowds yelled as Jesus and his disciples entered the city of Jerusalem was “Hosanna.” This word means “save us” and could be the word that we use roughly 2,000 years later to call upon this same Jesus to be Lord of our lives. But, we cannot and should not forget that it was only five days later, on the day we call “Good Friday,” that Jesus  was crucified and killed. Oh, how quickly “save us” can turn to “leave us alone.” This has been the story of the scripture from creation until this pivotal week that we have entered again today.

Today, we begin the Christian celebration of Holy Week on the day we call Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday—for there is so little separation in our hearts between devotion and treason. As we light this candle to symbolize Jesus’ presence here with us in worship, let’s take a moment to say “hosanna” in our hearts and humbly to welcome Jesus into the place to teach and guide us.

Lighting of the Christ Candle

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Even as we journey to the cross : let us raise our voices in song.

 

Song: Baruch Haba B’shem Adonai

Lyrics:
Baruch Haba B’shem Adonai
Blessed is he who comes
Baruch Haba B’shem Adonai
Who comes in the name of the Lord

 

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

Psalm 118:5-7, 17-26
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.

 

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
Zechariah 9:9-13

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
John 12:12-16
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

Group Reflection on the Scripture

Saint Andrew of Crete, the 8^th Century bishop and Church Father, once wrote, “ So let us spread before [Jesus'] feet, not garments or soulless olive branches, which delight the eye for a few hours and then wither, but ourselves, clothed in his grace, or rather, clothed completely in him. We who have been baptized into Christ must ourselves be garments that we spread before him. Now that the crimson stains of our sins have been washed away in the saving waters of baptism and we have become white as pure wool, let us present the conqueror of death, not with mere braches of palms but with the real rewards of his victory. Let our souls take the place of the welcoming braches as we join today in the children’s holy song: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the King of Israel.”

 

Prayers for Others

The Lord’s Prayer

 

Song: Great is Thy Faithfulness

 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

Amen.

 

G+M Worship – March 25, 2012 (Lent 5b)

The following is a liturgy/guide that was used in the service of worship and prayers held at Grace and Main Fellowship on March 25, 2012.

Worship on the Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 25, 2012

As we worship on this Fifth Sunday in Lent, we must be aware that we are drawing closer and closer to the cross with each second, minute, hour, and day. In less than two weeks, we will stand before an empty cross and a full tomb with the blood of the Lord God, King of the Universe, upon our hands. Let us not enter into these few short days lightly or without careful reflection. Even though we celebrate the resurrection this day—as Christians worldwide do every Sunday—let us not forget the blood that must be shed prior to that empty tomb.

As we light this candle to symbolize Jesus’ presence here with us in worship, let’s take a moment to invite Jesus to be present in our lives as well.

Lighting of the Christ Candle

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Even as we journey to the cross : let us raise our voices in song.

Song: Nothin’ But the Blood

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

 

Psalm 51:1-12
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Jeremiah 31:27-34

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
John 12:20-36
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

 

Group Reflection on the Scripture

 

Ignatius of Antioch, the 1^st century Church father, bishop, student of John the Apostle, and martyr wrote a series of letters to a number of congregations as he was marched to his trial and execution. In his letter to the congregation in Ephesus, he wrote the following about the nature of Christian leadership, growth, and service: “the spirit of deceit preaches himself, and speaks his own things, for he seeks to please himself. He glorifies himself, for he is full of arrogance. He is lying, fraudulent, soothing, flattering, treacherous, rhapsodical, trifling, inharmonious, verbose, sordid, and timorous. From his power Jesus Christ will deliver you, who has founded you upon the rock, as being chosen stones, well fitted for the divine edifice of the Father, and who are raised up on high by Christ, who was crucified for you…”

Prayers for Others

The Lord’s Prayer

Lord God who is lifted up before the world on a cross of our own construction, we pray that you will grant peace, forgiveness, grace, and courage to all who call upon you. Show us how you have moved in our lives and to what you are calling us as we draw nearer to your cross and seek to carry our own crosses. Amen.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

Amen.

G+M Worship – March 18, 2012 (Lent 4b)

Worship on the Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 18, 2012

Lighting of the Christ Candle

C.H. Spurgeon, the 19^th century British preacher thought to have preached to over 10 million people in his lifetime, once preached, “What was there in the world that God should love it? There was nothing lovable in it. No fragrant flower grew in that arid desert. Enmity to him, hatred to his truth, disregard of his law, rebellion against his commandments; those were the thorns and briars which covered the waste land; but no desirable thing blossomed there. Yet, ‘God loved the world,’ says the text; ‘so’ loved it, that even the writer of the book of John could not tell us how much; but so greatly, so divinely, did he love it that he gave his Son, his only Son, to redeem the world from perishing, and to gather out of it a people to his praise.”

The Offering and Receiving of Blessings

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Even as we journey to the cross : let us raise our voices in song.

 

Song: Come, Ye Sinners

 

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.

 

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress;
he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

 

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.

Numbers 21:4-9

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.
John 3:14-21
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.

Ephesians 2:1-10

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.

Group Reflection on the Scripture

C.H. Spurgeon once preached about the brazen serpent in the book of Numbers, “Ah, so said some in the camp; they said it was only a brazen serpent, not a golden one, and how could a brazen serpent be of any use to them? It would not sell for much if it were broken up. What was the use of it? And so men say of Christ. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and they hide their faces from him because they cannot see how he is adapted for their cure. ”

 

Prayers for Others

The Lord’s Prayer

 

Lord God who is lifted up before the world on a cross of our own construction, we pray that you will grant peace, forgiveness, grace, and courage to all who call upon you. Show us how you have moved in our lives and to what you are calling us as we draw nearer to your cross and seek to carry our own crosses. Amen.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

Amen.

 

G+M Worship – March 11, 2012 (Lent 3b)

Worship on the Third Sunday in Lent

Lighting of the Christ Candle

Our journey in Lent continues and we draw nearer to the death of our Lord Jesus. Come, let us gather close and borrow courage from the peace our brothers and sisters offer in this darkening hour.

Passing of the Peace

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Even as we journey to the cross : let us raise our voices in song.

Song: O Lord, Have Mercy

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord…

Psalm 19
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord…

Exodus 20:1-17

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord…
John 2:13-22
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord…

Group Reflection on the Scripture

St. Augustine of Hippo, the North African theologian, priest, and church father, once preached, “Who are they that sell sheep and doves? They are they who seek their own in the Church, not the things which are Christ’s. They account all a matter of sale, while they will not be redeemed: they have no wish to be bought, and yet they wish to sell. Yes; good indeed is it for them that they may be redeemed by the blood of Christ, that they may come to the peace of Christ. Now, what does it profit to acquire in this world any temporal and transitory thing whatsoever, be it money, or pleasure of the palate, or honor that consists in the praise of men? Are they not all wind and smoke? Do they not all pass by and flee away?”

Prayers for Others

The Lord’s Prayer

As we prepare to depart from this place, Lord, and as our worship returns to our service, remind us that it is not that this place is special but rather it is the people whom you have put into our lives to form and reform us that are your special instruments. Turn over our hearts, Lord Jesus, and refashion us as your faithful disciples. Amen.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

Amen.

Bebaw Loves

My grandfather—we called him Bebaw—was an exceptional man of whom I have many beloved memories. I could tell you countless stories about his sacrificial love in my childhood and of his eager and kind spirit—such as the many Christmas mornings where he crawled into the floor with me and said to me with playful sincerity, “Bebaw didn’t get any toys this morning.” After pausing for a moment, he’d ask, “Can I play with yours?” Of course, the answer was yes because toys were great, but Bebaw was better and he was always on my side. This man who held grudges against sports players for decades (Peyton Manning for his thrashing of Kentucky football, to name one), was the first to buy a Duke sweatshirt when I was accepted into the Divinity School at the University he had despised since 1992 when Christian Laettner broke all our hearts.

Bebaw passed in 2011, his wife (Memmi) passing several months later, and we all still miss them dearly. Every family dinner seems to be a little less full, nobody knows who is supposed to dish out the ice cream, and we all take turns trying to tell his stories like he did, but it’s not the same. Well into my adult life, Bebaw continued to be a generous and loving grandfather. When my wife and I were first married, it was the generosity of Bebaw and other family members that made it possible for us to make the trip back from Durham, North Carolina, to Ashland, Kentucky, for Christmas since we had just had to have new tires put on the car and didn’t have the money for the trip. Even after we had achieved some measure of financial stability, Bebaw was forever slipping money into my hands when we made the trip home with the almost ritual words: “For gas. Don’t tell Memmi.” Any time I’d try to tell him he didn’t need to do that he’d laugh and say, not entirely truthfully, “Bebaw has enough money to burn a wet dog.” In those last days of his life, he told me how proud he was of me and my heart melted at the thought of his love for me. His last words to me were the refrain I’d heard so many times before as a child, teenager, and adult: “Bebaw loves.”

In Ephesians 1:7-8a, the author writes, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.” In my life, I’ve had a world-class education in grace being lavished upon me, and yet I still cannot (and will never) comprehend the fullness of God’s grace in my life. To think that God not only gives us those things that we do not deserve and of which we could only dream to receive—for that is simply what grace is—but that God heaps this grace upon us to the point of overflowing is an astonishing realization. My grandfather lavished his grace upon me not because I deserved, for I surely didn’t, and not because I loved him, which I surely do, but because of his deep and abiding love for me. To Bebaw, it seemed the only reasonable response to the deep, deep love he held for his family.

The same is true exponentially for our God who is love incarnate. God doesn’t redeem us by blood and forgive us our trespasses because we deserve it, because we surely don’t, and not because we love him, for sometimes we do but sometimes we don’t and sometimes our actions belie our words, but because of God’s deep and abiding love for us who are made in God’s image and filled with God’s breath.

To paraphrase my beloved Bebaw, God has enough grace to burn a wet dog. To borrow his words, which he assuredly borrowed first from God, “God loves.”

G+M Worship – Sunday, February 26, 2012 (Lent 1B)

The following is the liturgy from Grace and Main Fellowship’s Sunday Night Service of Worship and Prayers on the First Sunday in Lent: February 26, 2012. It is patterned after, and uses the benedictory blessing from, Morning Prayer in Common Prayer.

The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

 

Even as we journey through Lent : let us raise our voices in song.

 

Song: O Lord, Hear My Prayer

“O Lord, hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer: when I call, answer me. O Lord, hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer: Come and listen to me.”

 

 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, sinners that we are : and hear these our prayers.

 

Psalm 25:1-10

To you, OLord I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, sinners that we are : and hear these our prayers.
Genesis 9:8-17
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, sinners that we are : and hear these our prayers.
Mark 1:9-15
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us, sinners that we are : and hear these our prayers.

Group Reflection on the Scripture

 

The 4th century Church Father we know as John Chrysostom was given the name “Chrysostom” because it means “golden-mouthed” and the Archbishop of Constantinople was known to be eloquent and gifted in speech and word. He was also an outspoken opponent of Church leaders abusing the power invested in them. In one of his homilies, he said, “But why [did the Holy Spirit appear] in the form of a dove? The dove is a gentle and pure creature. Since then the Spirit, too, is ‘a Spirit of gentleness,’ he appears in the form of a dove, reminding us of Noah, to whom, when once a common disaster had overtaken the whole world and humanity was in danger of perishing, the dove appeared as a sign of deliverance from the tempest, and bearing an olive branch, published the good tidings of a serene presence over the whole world.”

 

Prayers for Others

The Lord’s Prayer

 

Renew us, Lord. For those who have been baptized as your followers, remind us of the vows to you and to our sisters and brothers that we claimed in that moment. For those who have yet to be baptized, move in our hearts even now and bring us the peace that passes all understanding. Amen.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

The Great Benediction

After the greeting in the first two verses of the Book of Ephesians, we read four verses (3-6) that are commonly called “The Great Benediction.” In these verses, the author speaks of blessings—both the blessedness of God and the blessings that God pours out upon each of us. In particular, the author insists that we are blessed through Jesus with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” which is commonly taken to mean “the hope of resurrection, the good news of immortality, the promise of the kingdom of heaven, [and] the dignity of sonship,” as Theodoret once wrote.

The fourth verse begins by speaking of us being chosen “in Christ” before even the beginning of creation—that is to say, that God was working salvation for us long before we sinned or even before we were created. God’s saving love is shown to be so big as to overwhelm sin even before its existence. But, the fourth verse goes on to say that we have been chosen “to be holy and blameless before [God] in love.” Often, this is said to mean that we were chosen by God because we were foreknown to be good or because God foreknew that we would choose God.

Any time we speak of God’s knowledge and/or foreknowledge, we are in deep, theological water, but this verse in particular seems often quoted to support some idea of a capricious God who has chosen us arbitrarily. Jerome offers some clarification in his commentary:

“Paul does not say he chose us before the foundation of the world on account of our being saintly and unblemished. He chose us that we might become saintly and unblemished, that is, that we who were not formerly saintly and unblemished should subsequently be so…So understood it provides a counter-argument to one who says that souls were elected before the world came to be  because of their sanctity and freedom from any sinful vice.”

In this verse then, we do not see an image of a capricious and arbitrary God who punishes us before we’ve even existed, let alone offended, but rather we see a God whose love itself makes even sinners into saints. We see an image of love more powerful than even our brokenness and selfishness–in short, we see an image of hope.

The author goes on to insist in the fifth and sixth verses that our destiny–our innate purpose for existence–is, in fact, to be adopted as the full children of God and for this to be accomplished through Jesus Christ. This is not done because of our efforts or merit, but rather as a demonstration of God’s goodness, love, grace, and mercy. In fact, verse six makes this clear by saying that this is done “to the praise of his glorious grace…” John
Chysostom even argues in his homily on this verse that everything God does is with this end in mind. In short, all that God does gives glory to his innately gracious nature.

Don’t miss that or forget it: we are the children of an inherently gracious God whose great rule of action is grace, mercy, and love. The love of God can and will conquer all things, but it may not do it like you expect. Any other gospel is a lie.

Go in the peace of that knowledge.

 

Conversion

Have you ever seen a conversion happen? I don’t just mean the blessed moment when somebody makes a public announcement of their desire to “be a Christian” or to “follow Jesus.” That’s a moment that we might call the beginning of conversion, but to slap the label of “conversion” on such an instantaneous moment is akin to calling the first celery stick weight loss.

 

No, my question is: have you ever seen somebody gripped by the Spirit and remade over days, weeks, months, and years into the being that God has called them to be? Any conversion is a process that begins perhaps in a moment, but does not relent until that person is transformed. But, conversion is not a word that applies only to altar-walking and blood-soaked hymns in some humid sanctuary. People can be converted into just about anything. Ultimately, it’s a process of transformation, but even though the Christian God is a God of change and transformation, change and transformation are not themselves holy or dominated by the Spirit.

 

Here’s the truth: we are always and forever being converted—what matters is what we’re being converted to.

 

Take the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke’s Gospel (15:11-32). Often, we rip right through the passage to get to that moment among the pigs where our protagonist, who has first demanded and then squandered his inheritance from his still-living father on “dissolute living” (read: all those things that good boys and girls don’t do. You know, drink, or smoke, or chew, or go with boys/girls who do) comes to a shocking realization. He exclaims to himself, “My father’s servants have food to spare, but my father’s son is dying of hunger! I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll go home and beg dad to forgive my sins against him and God. I’ll beg for mercy and to become his servant so that I might be saved.”

 

We rush to this muddy and noisy place in the story because we’ve been trained to see this as the moment of conversion. Don’t get me wrong, it is! The wayward son has seen the effects of his choices on his life and how his pursuit of the world was a pursuit of death; so, he repents and confesses and seeks forgiveness. He sees what he is and starts down a path toward becoming something else. This is, most definitely, a beautiful picture of God’s converting love.

 

But in our haste to get there, we miss the conversion that happens all around it. Is it not just as clear that the son who repents and confesses was first converted to a love of, and devotion to, something else? In those first few verses, we see a story of conversion from loyal son to prodigal son—from child who loves his father to child who loves his father’s money. We don’t get all the details and we don’t get a speech or exclamation, but we most certainly see a process where he is converted to love of himself and the pursuit of pleasure as his greatest good. He is seduced by the gospel of living for yourself and transformed into something altogether pitiable.

 

Or how about the conversion of his brother who remains home with his their father. At the end of the passage, the older brother is irate that his father has lavished mercy and reward upon the wayward son come home. The older brother cannot bite back his disgust that his loyalty has remained unrewarded while his younger brother’s sins have been forgiven and overlooked. It seems that while younger brother was away being converted to the gospel of this world, older brother was being converted to a gospel of works and pride. His confidence in his own inherent goodness and effort have made him a hard man who cannot celebrate life restored to the undeserving—indeed, he can no longer see that he is truly among the undeserving himself.

 

Conversion is happening every day to everybody. Right now, you are being converted from something and into something. God has graced us with some small decisions to make about who and what we are becoming, but make no mistake: you are changing—you are being converted. The primary question is: to what are you being converted? There are a whole host of kingdoms and gospels to which we can be converted, but if we are being converted to any kingdom except the Kingdom of God, or to any gospel but Christ crucified, then we are being converted to death no matter how defensible or reasonable the cause.

 

So, just who are you becoming?

 

 

The Kingdom of God in a Pile of Broken Glass

In order to respect the privacy and lives of those with whom we are building relationships, all names are changed.

If you took a walk through downtown Danville, you probably wouldn’t notice a small pile of broken glass. After all, there isn’t anything especially noteworthy about broken glass and discarded garbage on many of the tougher streets in downtown.

Even if you recognized the shattered glass near the gutter for what it was, the remnants of a crack pipe, you might not flinch unless it was your first time seeing one. Before it’s broken, it’s nothing more than a thin, short tube that occasionally has a bowl to hold the crack rock.

In Grace and Main Fellowship’s area of focus and intentional, missional involvement, crack is a particular scourge among our beloved. Addiction to other substances is very common as well, given the tendency of crack addicts to indulge in other addictive behavior before and after becoming addicted to crack. If you spend much time downtown with Grace and Main, you’ll have a story to tell about the plaguing effects it has had on many of our neighbors and neighborhoods.

But if you know the story behind this particular pile of downtown detritus, then you’d see the Kingdom of God in that pile of broken glass.

One of our brothers, Eduardo, is one of the greatest bakers and chefs that we’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know. Ed is a natural joker and laughter with whom it is a pleasure to sit down and swap stories—each story a little bit better than the last. Ed has also been addicted to, enslaved by, crack since long before he met Grace and Main.

This loving and generous man, who regularly opens his home and table to our many other brothers and sisters downtown to provide them a meal from his meager supplies, felt the chains of bondage around his wrists and began to ask us to pray for him so that he might be freed from his addiction. As we always do, we prayed with him immediately and continued to lift him up daily in our prayers.

Recently, one of Grace and Main’s leaders was out with Ed when Ed turned to him and asked once again for prayers. They stopped in the middle of the street near the gutter and prayed immediately.

Ed then surprised us by taking out his crack pipe, dropping it to the gutter, and grinding it under his heel. The pop and scratch of the shattering glass was met with Ed’s thankful prayer, “Thank you, Jesus.” This symbolic moment rang with the sound of chains being broken. Then, stooping over to pick up some of the glass, he asked one of us, “Looks like crushed sin, doesn’t it?”

So, Ed and Grace and Main did what we always do when one of our brothers or sisters finds liberation from sin and death—we threw a party. There wasn’t anything special about the cake, it was just a local grocery store cake and wasn’t anything like the wonderful cakes and pies that Ed brings on some Thursday nights to our community dinner. But, this cake was especially delicious not only because written on it in the loving hand of one of our leaders were the words, “We Love You Eduardo,” but also because it was a testament to our eagerness to celebrate liberation and grace wherever we might find it. So look closely around you, wherever you might be, because It might just be that you can find the Kingdom of God in the midst of a pile of broken glass.