Living Life "On Mission"

Living Life "On Mission"

September 5, 2010

  

Title: Blinded No More!

Text: Luke 10:25-37


Eyes Wide Shut: About ten years ago, Tom Cruise starred in a movie titled, Eyes Wide Shut.  I never saw the movie but found the title intriguing.  I found myself thinking about it again as I prepared for Sunday.  Some of the questions I have found myself asking are:

  • Are there times when I see with my eyes but not with my heart?
  • Is it possible for me to see physically while being blind emotionally or spiritually?
  • How often do I give the appearance of caring but none of the substance of caring?
  • Are there times when I, too, have my Eyes Wide Shut?

As we continue to move into our new year of ministry, one of our prayers is that we will come to see as Jesus sees, to feel as Jesus feels, to love as Jesus loves. In Christ, let’s become people who—physically, emotionally and spiritually—live life with our Eyes Wide Open.

 

Our “Way” Toward ‘Eyes Wide Open’:  This coming Sunday and throughout the month of September we will be focusing on God’s gift, in Christ, of the truly transformed life. In Christ we can “experience the life” for which God created us; we can discover our unique, one of kind True Life and come to live that life “on mission” and with deep joy.

 

As part of this, we will be sharing the way by which we, the body of Christ at Cedar Valley Community Church, journey towards our True Life in Christ. The stages or steps in this journey, visualized our Journey Towards Christ, are essentially four:

  • Our Heart: In everything we do, regardless of whether we have just visited for the first time or have been a part of CVCC for years, we seek to Listen to God’s Word, Train God’s Way, Love God’s People and Live God’s Mission.
  • Enter In: This is where we all start and it’s the entry point into our community, the practical experience of Genuine Welcome as we Enter in at cvCc.
  • Find a Home: Once we have entered in, the next step is the practical experience of Real Community as we Find a Home in cvCc.
  • Go the Distance: As we grow in faith and discover our unique, one of a kind True Life in Christ, we come to live life “on mission,” seeking to Go the Distance and finish well.

Think about it:  As you prepare for Sunday, we invite you to prayerfully read through Luke 10:25-37.  It’s a familiar story but a great one to get us thinking in fresh ways about what it means to love others as we journey through life.

 

It’s a story that stirs my heart with a fresh desire to help others Enter in, Find a Home and Go the Distance. It’s a story that shows me places where I might be living life with my Eyes Wide Shut and challenges me, by the grace of God, to open my eyes and begin to live life with my Eyes Wide Open.

 

Never hesitate to let me know what you are thinking—good, bad or otherwise. I want to serve well and almost always appreciate the conversation. Give it a try. I’m at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text34346 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  I’m also on Facebook and am happy to engage that way as well.

Oh, and yes, there’s always actually getting together and taking face-to-face. Old technology for sure but still a pretty good way to go. Smile!  If interested, give Kristy or me a call at the church and we’ll get something set up. Our number there is 235-6781.

 

Have a great week! I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday.

 

Blessings always,

 

Eric_Signature

 

 

 

 

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On Mission 8.29.10

Living Life “on Mission”

August 29, 2010


Title: Invisible No More!
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

 

Life is Lived to be Seen:  Can you even imagine life that you couldn’t see or touch or experience in some way through your senses?  While we might be able to conceive of life outside of or apart from the body, we almost certainly “see” that life in reference to our body, to our physical surroundings, to the material world.

 

Life is infinitely more than a feeling or a thought. Life always involves action or movement or growth or even death. It’s by definition something more than “what’s inside our head.” Life is meant—TRUE LIFE is meant--to be seen, to be noticed, to be experienced.  True Life, living life with purpose, joy and passion, is life that takes shape over time, becomes “visible” to others through us, through our actions, through the world
we create.

 

Even God—while infinitely good—chose to become visible through his son Jesus Christ. Even God—while eternally whole—chose to create a world in which his presence, his goodness, his character could become known and experienced. Even God has chosen to “reveal” himself to us, to make himself known and, in some pretty amazing ways, make his presence visible.

 

Let’s Make Christ Visible:  This Sunday we’ll be opening 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.  Here, Paul also is thinking about how God has chosen to make himself known and visible to a world desperately in need of hope. In sharing his Spirit led insights into Christ and the church, Paul shares how we—those of us who worship at cvCc—are a “body.” Each one of us has a place in and a part to play in making visible the love of Jesus Christ, in making visible the body of Christ.

 

All too often we talk about the “invisible” church or the church “universal.” We forget that we—right here and right now—are the body of Christ and, unless we become “visible” as the body, there’s no way for anyone to really know that we are real, that we are present and—critically—that we are really alive. Even more, unless we become Christ’s visible presence—God’s unique presence in contrast to the world—there’s no reason for anyone to believe that what we proclaim as true is anything more than just another fantasy world.

 

I invite you to think about this, to grapple with it and to see if there might just be something to what I’m suggesting. Please spend time reflecting on 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 or perhaps other passages such as Romans 7:4-6 or Ephesians 4:1-24. Let God’s Spirit prepare your heart and mind for worship. Together, let’s do all we can to make visible the love of Christ.  If we don’t, who will? If we don’t, why should the world give us the time of day? If we don’t, do we really have a basis to claim that what we proclaim is truly transforming and truly powerful?

 

If nothing else, think about these things. I am and I hate to “think” alone. See you Sunday.

 

Yours with Love in Christ,

 

Eric

 

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Living Life "On Mission"

Living Life “on Mission”

August 22, 2010


Title: Living Life in the Light
Text: 1 John 1:5 - 2:11

 

Stepping into our Year:  My family and I just returned from a week with family in Illinois and North Carolina.  As we enter back into life in Waterloo, we are confronted with the reality that summer is quickly slipping away and fall is fast approaching.  School starts this week and before we know it the l
eaves will be turning and snow will be right around the corner.

 

And so, as a family, we’re shifting gears from summer mode to school mode.  We’re doing much the same thing at church.  We’ve worked hard all summer planning our year.  We’re getting things lined up and ready to go and over the next few weeks we’ll together step into our next year of pursuing Christ and loving
others.  I’m looking forward to stepping into my year.  I hope you are as well.

 

Mind the Gap:  Last week Pam invited us to “Mind the Gap.”  You’ll be hearing more about this in the weeks to come, and I encourage you to invite God’s Spirit to show you the “gaps” in your spiritual life.
Even more, as you discover your gaps (and we all have them), I pray that you’ll have the courage to take your “next steps” to address the gaps and continue growing in Christ.

 

Living Life in the Light:  As Pam reminded us last week, one of our gaps is often a “repentance gap.” Keeping short accounts, staying in true fellowship with God and others is the very essence of True Life in Christ.  In fact sin, by its nature, is the breaking of fellowship with God and others.

 

This week we’re going to continue to “mind the gap.”  We’ll be looking at 1 John 1:5-2:11 as we consider what it looks like for us to live life in the light.  We’ll be reminded that living in the light—living in fellowship with God and others—is all about living true, about living authentically and about being honest with others and with ourselves. I invite you to prepare your heart for Sunday by reflecting on our text and taking some time to consider the following:

  • What images, pictures or memories come to mind as you reflect on the relationship between light and darkness?  Why do you think we are both drawn to and yet sometimes afraid of the light?
  • How’s your walk?  Are you walking in the light?  In the same way Jesus walked?
  • How’s your fellowship?  Are you in good fellowship with God and others?
  • How’s the sin in your life?  Are you facing it, trying to manage it, covering it up or actually dealing with it head on?  Are you keeping your repentance gap closed?

See you on Sunday!

Blessings always,

 

Eric

 

 

 

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