In a recent editorial, researcher George Barna pointed out the prevalance and concern for the health-care debate among Americans.  As an issue which particularly addresses the needs of those not covered ("the disadvantaged"), it tends to polarize opinions and reveal traits about people.  In short, it seems American want the Government to increase services, deliver them more efficiently, while not increasing taxes.  When it comes to the disadvantaged, the average American sees poverty as a significant social issue, but one which they were unable to change.  What's more, most believe the government is responsible to care for the disadvantaged and feel no personal responsibility beyond making donations such as food & clothing to charities that take care of the poor.

Barna points out the fact that Jesus had a "divine health-care strategy."  Our Savior's primary purpose in coming was to die on the cross so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16); however, while Jesus was carrying out his ministry, he demonstrated Godly compassion for those in need of care.  The Gospel of Luke was the basis of Barna's editorial remarks and is of particular interest as Luke was a physician who would have paid attention to how Jesus took care of people and met medical needs.  Rather than rely on the government to meet the needs of the disadvantaged, Jesus modeled good health-care by being personally invested and involved.  The biblical model is one where we are responsible to care for our fellow human beings.  Barna points out 7 underlying principles to Jesus' Health-care Strategy:

1. Jesus healed people because he believed that good health-care matters
2. He invested Himself in their healing because He loved and cared for people
3. He healed everyone who presented a medical need because He saw no need to screen out someone as unqualified
4. He healed every kind of illness he encountered; no condition was too small (such as a fever) or too complex (leprosy and even death!)
5. He pursued people and met their needs because He saw Himself as a servant
6. Jesus allowed people to interrupt his schedule because he knew that their suffering and pain had become their top focus in life.
7. Jesus expected his closest followers to heal others

Jesus' Divine Health-care Strategy was all-encompassing, met the needs of everyone, and is a simple, yet effective strategy we do well to learn.  His strategy was to help...

1. Whoever needed it
2. Whatever affliction they suffered from
3. Whenever the opportunity arose
4. Wherever they happened to be

In short, Jesus' example of good health-care is one of personal responsibility.  As our nation considers a "public option" for health-care, how will we take personal responsibility to care for others like our Lord Jesus who said "follow me"?

 For Barna's full editorial, follow this link:  http://www.barna.org/component/wordpress/archives/70

If you've ever been in a place in your life where you're not sure where things are going to end up, you may be asking God the same questions as that frustrated traveler.  Sometimes God's lead doesn't make sense, especially when you're tired and scared and don't know where you're going to end up.  It's part of our human nature to look to ourselves for the answers and question the advice of our seasoned guide, yet God knows the path we're walking and knows the journey is not always easy.  But rather than leave us feeling lost in the thick of the journey, God leads the way, because He is the path.

On his way to the cross, Jesus reminded his disciples what was coming, yet he told them, "You know the way to the place where I am going..  Thomas said 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way.'  Jesus replied, I am the way and the truth and the life."  (John 14)

"I am the path", Jesus says when we are unsure of where we're going.  And no matter how thick the jungle of our lives may seem, he knows where he is taking us - home to the father, to the safety of a life where there is no doubt, no pain and no more feeling alone.  The jungle is not the end of the journey, and the journey is not all there is to life.

Luke the physician tells us that "Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem."  (Luke 9:51)  Despite the temptations and needs that arose, Jesus came as our Savior, with a mission to die on the cross to forgive our sins and rise again to show us the way.  By his suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus cuts through the thick underbrush that is our sin and seeks us out when we were hopelessly lost.  I imagine Jesus' followers must have felt lost after witnessing his death, yet Sunday came and he appeared to them.  In the midst of their turmoil, Jesus said, "Peace be with you."  He went to the darkest place, where the Father had forsaken him on the cross so that you and I would never be forsaken...forgotten...alone...or lost.

 He doesn't always take away our fears or remove us from difficult circumstances.  But he is there, cutting the way for everone who will simply trust him as their Lord and guide in life.  Jesus knows the way may be difficult and we may not see where things are going, but "Take heart," he says as he leads, "I am the path".

Within the church, Easter comes as a high point, with special music, colors and worship services. It seems that not long after Easter Sunday, life is back to the same-old same old. The enthusiasm of Easter soon gives way to the busyness (or "business") of life. It's not that we lose faith in God or that we don't care, but there are so many things along the way that creep into our lives that prove a distraction: disappointment with people, confusion, unmet expectations, even shattered hopes.

In Luke 24, we read the story of two disciples on a 7-mile journey from Jerusalem to a town named Emmaus. This takes place after Easter, but apparently before they had seen Jesus alive again. Jesus appears and walks with them, but they didn't recognize him. They shared their experience of Holy Week and how Jesus was thought to be a great prophet, powerful teacher, miracle worker, etc. He was put to death and they had hoped he would be the one to deliver them from oppression. [As a nation, Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks and the Romans - they were hoping for a leader to deliver them and re-establish their nation. Truth be told, Matthew 1:21 reminds us that Jesus came to deliver His people from the enemy of sin, not a political power.] Their hopes had been dashed when everything they looked forward to didn't happen as they thought it would. Jesus called them "slow of heart to believe..." and explained from Scripture (the Old Testament - the Jewish bible) what was foretold about himself. Finally, they recognized him when they got to their destination and he "broke bread" with them. Perhaps it brought to mind the recent Passover celebration, where he did the same with his followers. Perhaps in the closeness of the meal, they recognized the one who promised he would die and rise from death. In the end, their confusion and pain as a result of dashed hopes melted away in the presence of the one who kept his promises and was with them in the breaking of the bread.

I'm a Gen-Xer by birth, and I have learned that many of my peers have moved away from "church", not for lack of interest in God, but because the things they had hoped for did not happen as they expected. I've learned that many of us still seek God on the journey of life, but are looking in places where he hasn't promised to be. Jesus said, "Where two or three gather in my name, there I am in the midst of them." It wasn't so much a reference to a church building, but the gathering of the his followers "in his name." Acts 2 describes this gathering this way: "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." In the journey of life, Christ intended that his followers would draw strength as they continued in his teachings, spent time building true relationships, gathered to receive His supper and to pray together. On the journey, the two disciples were clueless as to who Jesus was and where he was to be found. Jesus didn't rebuke them for "not getting it." He pointed them to himself, reassured them by his presence and simply vanished - they had seen him and wouldn't need any more encoouragement to get moving. They didn't need to hold onto Jesus in some "kum-ba-yah experience," for there was real business to take care - the business of sharing the message on their journey. This is where many [Gen Xers & others] have problems with "the church" - we want to see faith in action, not just words and attendance.

Have you struggled with reconciling "faith" and "church"? On your journey, have you allowed distractions or dashed hopes to render you clueless as to who Jesus is and where He wants you to find Him? You're not alone! Jesus revealed himself on the journey and taught the disciples. He shared a meal with them in which He offered Himself: "this is my body..my blood...given for you!" They finally got it! Where are you looking for that experience of God? Is it in your own expectations? Do you imagine that Jesus could meet you on your journey in the place he promises to be...where two or three gather in His name?

A high school teacher once told me, "If you want a perfect church, get rid of the people. But once you get rid of the people, you no longer have the church!" If your hopes have been dashed like the disciples on the road to Emmaus...if you've been burned by people...if you are confused as to where to find God, then look to Jesus Christ where he may be found. He meets you on the journey and promises to be where you can learn his teachings, be strengthened with others, get spiritually fed and lift your questions and pains to God in prayer. As an ember draws strength from the other embers in a fire, so we draw strength on the journey by walking with others who seek to find God. Give yourself the opportunity to benefit from a community of faith. When there are problems and imperfections, be part of the solution...Jesus said we are to be salt and light in this world, and that begins among people who are earnestly seeking him on the journey.

Being a Gen-Xer, I get excited about having "faith with feet." I want my feet and hands do what my head and my heart believe. This happens for me as I find strength in the community of faith that is my church and seek opportunities to put my faith into action. On my journey, I am blessed to be met by Jesus and see who He is again and again in the faces of those I serve and the places where He is found. I hope you will seek Jesus where He may be found - among believers (an imperfect church) - that you may believe and follow him on the journey of life.

Brian Smith

The season of Christmas as celebrated today is one marked by confusion, both within and without the church. Is it about December 25th as Jesus’ birthday? Is it about the giving and receiving of gifts? Is it about spending time with family?

It seems we often get lost in the details of “what” and “how” rather than probing the “who” and “why” of Christmas. Our conversations turn to old “St. Nicholas,” but not the historical Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (Asia Minor: modern-day Turkey) who was born in the 3rd century. St. Nicholas was known for his love of children, but gave to poor children in the name of the child born in Bethlehem - “old” St. Nick loved & served Jesus! Christmas is not about Santa Claus himself, but about the one he served – Jesus! We give gifts to children today, but did you know that our tradition of gift-giving traces its origin not only to the deeds of Saint Nicholas of Myra, but also to the Wise Men (“Magi” of Matthew 2) who bestowed gifts on the Christ-child? Even the biblical account of Christmas isn’t really about the angels, shepherds, wise Men or the Star of Bethlehem, but “who” was born in Bethlehem and “why” he came.

The very name “Christ-mas” comes from Christ-mass. A mass is a celebration of a death sacrifice-Jesus’ death on the cross. The truth of “Christ-mas” is that we celebrate the fact that the sweet baby of Bethlehem came to willingly suffer the consequences of our sin and die on a cross as God’s way of making things right between us and Him. Considering this, does it really matter what gifts we share or how many wise men there were or whether we believe in Santa Claus or know where he comes from? I don’t think so.

There is no Christmas without Good Friday and Easter. Can you see beyond the child in the manger to the God who has come to rescue you from the 'what and how' of your sin? In 1865, William Dix penned the words of “What Child is This?” His poetry sums up the “who” and the “why” of Christmas, especially this second verse:

Why lies He in such mean estate; Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here; The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary.

The main thing is that God has come among us - as The Message paraphrase says, "the Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood." (John 1:14) the Who of jesus is clear by the angels announcing his birth, by wise men (Gentiles!) coming from far away to see the new king, and from the way he lived as a servant. Who is this? Son of David, the Bright morning Star, Messiah, Jesus, Lord, King of Kings, Emmanuel-God with us! Why has he come? "...He will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

Merry Christ-mas!

Brian Smith

I recently had the joy of participating in an orientation for a distance education program at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. I serve as a mentor for a deaf student in the Deaf Institute of Theology (DIT) and met several colleagues and friends who mentor others in the Ethnic Immigration Institute of Theology (EIIT). For the week, I was surrounded by men and women who were training for ministry. They came from Ghana, Togo, the Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Zambia, Sudan, Brazil, Mexico and many other nations. It was truly a joy for me to see God’s hand at work in so many ways in the lives of these students (many of whom are entering ministry as a second career) and the people they have served. The boundaries of language and culture were overcome as we found ways to understand and support each other.

As we gathered, we learned about the various ways we communicate the good news of God’s love and forgiveness shown in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The African men and women spoke of having a song for everything, and wow, could they sing! We rejoiced that God brought all these nations together to be further equipped for the work of ministry. Ephesians 4:11-15 reminds us, “God gave some to be apostles, some prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry for the building up the body of Christ.” In order to be equipped, we need some tools.

What tools are in your toolkit? If you are a carpenter, for example, you may use hammers, nails, and squares to help you accomplish your goal. In the church, there are tools for use in accomplishing the goal of the Great Commission (to make disciples through baptizing and teaching...) In the early church, the apostles had the Old Testament as a tool to help people understand how Jesus came in fulfillment of the promises about Messiah. They also had opportunity to speak at public forums (such as Paul visiting the Aereopagus in Acts), synagogues, personal interaction (Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch), even transportation that was used for missionary trips. Today, our tools include technology, leadership skills, volunteers, homes (for bible studies) and more. To be sure, these tools are not the ministry, but are a means of ministry. In the end, the mission of making disciples is the aim, though the tools we use may vary.

In the DIT & EIIT programs, course work is carried out as students work with a pastor-mentor in their local churches. Students use a seminary-based website to download lectures and videos, network with other students, submit homework and assessments, and engage in discussion with their instructors and peers. It is an amazing process, using the available technology (Tools!) to equip the saints for the work of ministry. I am so happy to be part of a program that utilizes the available tools to better communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ. If he would have come today, what tools do you imagine Jesus would have used: transportation? Desktop publishing? ‘E-vangelism’?

What tools are in your toolkit? How do you communicate with others or ‘get the job done’: e-mail? website? Cell-phone? PowerPoint? Personal Conversation? Whether you engage in Outreach or “E-vangelism,” take stock of the means God has provided you to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ and put your tools to work as a kingdom-builder!

The very word brings to mind images of disaster and temporary Red Cross shelters or refugees fleeing a hostile homeland. It can describe the experience of Israel, wandering 40 years in the desert while waiting to occupy the land of promise. 'Displaced' also describes what continues to be the case for so many in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In short, being displaced simply means you're not at home.

Our church is in a period of displacement, if you will; though I must admit our circumstances are nothing like those described above. For some five months, we will occupy a temporary location in the village of Honeoye Falls-a 10 minute drive-while we our facility undergoes a facelift. It's our time to make our building more accessible and make greater use of the resources we have for mission and ministry.

It's a short displacement, but a big step for us as it means stepping out in faith to take on new challenges as a church. Our Vision as a congregation is to Welcome and Equip people for Christian Life and Discipleship. We strive for that vision, regardless of our location. We are working on new ways of reaching out to this community God has placed us in for this short time: carolling to residents & senior community residents, a youth advocacy program, fellowship opportunities for women, and more. There's much to be done while we're here, and even more to consider as we look forward to returning to. As I envision our displacement, returning home without having had an impact on the community is not an option. God brought us to this point - it's our task to make him proud. Likewise, as we return home, we go with a sense of what new ways God can work among us and through us to the people of our town as well as to our members & friends. Insanity has been described as 'doing the same things over and over and expecting different results.' On the other hand, God has taught us that 'faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the certainty of things unseen.' (Hebrews 11:1)

For all the troubles of being displaced, what drives many people is a sense of hope for what is to come: a rebuilt or new home, a new community, new faces and more. During Israel's displacement in the desert, God was with them the whole time. Moses recounted in Deutereonomy that even the soles of their sandals did not wear out! Jesus himself understands displacement well. For our salvation, he had to leave everything-the very throne of heaven-to come to earth and take our humanity and our sin upon himself. God cared enough not only to provide for our salvation in Christ, but to accomplish it among us as a person just like us. He did it that we might all look forward with hope and finally be at home

As you celebrate the holidays-at home or away-I pray God will bless you with a reminder of his presence in Christ and his promise of a new home to all who would follow him.

Pastor Smith

If you saw Finding Nemo, you might say being caught in a net is not a good thing. On the other hand, while caught up in the interNET, you’ve stopped to read this article, to research information or take care of business, which is probably a good thing. You’ll never really know if a NET is good or bad until the cords start to close in.

Jesus often taught people about the kingdom of God by using everyday objects in metaphors. One such object was a fishing net: “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea. It gathered all kinds of fish. When it was full, they pulled it to the shore. Then they sat down, gathered the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away. The same thing will happen at the end of time. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from people who have God’s approval. Then the angels will throw the evil people into a blazing furnace. They will cry and be in extreme pain there.” (Matthew 13:47-50, God’s Word Translation)

Now, I would be remiss if I were to stop reading after the fish were caught in the net. We’d like to think that everyone ‘makes it’ into the kingdom in the end, but they won’t. Truth is, Jesus taught that the net is the place where we are finally gathered before being separated. You may have noticed the words above: ‘people who have God’s approval.’ Other bible translations say ‘the righteous.’ An important question is “How do you get God’s approval when you’re just one of the many caught in the net?” Some say you’ve got to be a good person: don’t hurt anyone, follow the rules, or go to church. All of those are fine examples of what God wants us to do, but none of them will earn us His approval. Break just one of God’s laws -any one-and you’re guilty. Have you ever told a lie? What does that make you? - A liar! Ever taken something that wasn’t yours? What are you, then? A thief? Ever looked lustfully at someone? Jesus said if you even look at someone with lust in your heart, you’ve committed adultery. If god were to judge you on this basis – would you be a ‘good fish’ or ‘bad fish’? if you think God would save you because he is merciful, then he would be an arbitrary judge and not just-like one who would release a known rapist or murderer simply because the judge is merciful and just; on the contrary, because God is just, he must carry out justice against those caught in the NET. The Good News is that someone you never met came and paid the price for your crime – that’s Jesus! As a result of what he’s done, you are a good fish, not because of anything yo9u’ve done. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

It may not make sense, especially in a culture where self-determination rules, but in the end, where you are placed is a gift from God with Faith (trust) as the means by which you get there. What you get is GRACE: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!

So, what do you think? Is the NET a good thing or a bad thing? Wherever you stand, consider the gift that is yours by faith, and enjoy being ‘Caught in the NET.’