Monday, October 28
Genesis 12:1-3
The Call of Abram
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
This past Sunday Chain of Lakes started a new series called, “Growing with Purpose.” This gives us the opportunity to go deeper in this devotion on the Purpose Statement of Chain of Lakes. This week we will look at certain words in this Purpose Statement and see their importance for our own faith. Whether we are part of Chain of Lakes or not, we can grow in faith this week.
The first word is “call.” The Purpose Statement starts out with the statement “We are called.”
A call is something that God asks people to do. It can be a big thing or a small thing. A call can also be something that relates to our character—something God wants us to work on.
Pastor Paul has frequently talked about the Inspirational Intersection. This is the intersection between what God wants us to do and be AND what we want to do and be. At this intersection is a place of tremendous energy, imagination, and love.
We could replace the words, ‘We are called’ with ‘We want to live at our Inspirational Intersection.’
Abram received a call from God in this story. He was asked to do something extraordinary. Throughout his life he was living at his Inspirational Intersection.
Have you had a time in your life when you were at your Inspirational Intersection? A time when you were excited about what you were doing and every ounce of our being was attentive to the task. When has this happened for you? Please share.
Tuesday, October 29
Matthew 23:1-13
Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’s seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father, the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in you stop them.
Another important word in the Purpose Statement is authentic. At Chain of Lakes God has asked the people to be an authentic, Christian community.
Jesus never used the word “authentic,” but he had opinions about people who didn’t live authentically. He called them hypocrites. He was very critical of the Pharisees and the Scribes—religious leaders who were not living authentically.
Another way to understand a hypocrite is a “play actor.” Jesus was declaring that the Scribes and the Pharisees were play acting at their faith.
Young people have a high intolerance for hypocrites. In fact one reason they fall away from church is they see people play acting in their faith.
Can you relate to the criticism of Jesus? How hard is it for you to be authentic in your faith? Please share.
Wednesday, October 30
Acts 2:37-47
The First Converts
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Life among the Believers
Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Another important word in the Purpose Statement is community. We are not called to be a place of individuals who gather. Instead we are called to be a place where individuals form community.
In this story we read of the power of community. People came together and accomplished fabulous things. Awe came upon everyone because of what they saw.
Another word for “awe” is “wow.” When a community is functioning at a high level people say “wow” often.
Can you remember a specific time when you were involved with a community where people often said “wow?” What was happening at that time. Please share.
Thursday, October 31
Deuteronomy 10:17-22
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the Lord your God; him you shall serve; to him you shall hold fast; and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise; he is your God who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen. Your ancestors went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in heaven.
It’s easy to think that we should be afraid of strangers or ignore them. This passage from Deuteronomy teaches us a different way. God has a particular love for the stranger. God was telling the Israelites that they were strangers in the land of Egypt, and God loved them deeply. Because they were strangers and were loved, they are called to love the stranger.
This message is consistent with how Jesus acted. Jesus went out of his way to love those who were on the outside of the culture. Jesus had a special place in his heart for the widows and the orphans. He loved the Samaritans and the poor. Jesus loved the stranger.
The beginning focus of Chain of Lakes is the stranger. We are called to go out of our way to love the stranger and to become friends with the stranger. We don’t need to be afraid of the stranger; instead we learn about the stranger when we share love with that person.
Who would you identify as strangers in our community? Who needs special care and attention from a group of followers of Jesus? Please share.
Friday, November 1
John 15:12-17
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
An important word in the Purpose Statement is “friend.” In fact the tagline for Chain of Lakes is “strangers become friends.”
Jesus had plenty to say about being a friend. He talked about the ways people could be a friend with him. He clearly taught in this passage that to be his friend people were called to do what he commanded them. And that command was to love.
To be a friend of Jesus means we love him and we love others.
The Great Commandment is another way to understand what it means to be a friend. Jesus commanded people to love God with our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This is what it means to be a friend.
The love that Jesus taught was agape love. This is a self-sacrificing, do whatever it takes to help another person type of love. By this Jesus taught that people were friends.
When newcomers come to a congregation it’s vital that they sense this love. When they sense this love, they will know that they are safe to make friends in the congregation.
Saturday, November 2
Acts 4:32-37
The Believers Share Their Possessions
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite from Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
A significant word in the Purpose Statement is “impact.” The people of Chain of Lakes want to be disciples who impact the world.
We can see impact in this story from Acts. The people have deep love and appreciation for each other. They love each other so deeply that they didn’t even claim private ownership of their possessions. Everything they had was held in common for the good of others.
The important point from this reading is the connection that people had to each other. Because of that connection, an impact was made in the world. This is not the only way to make an impact. But having deep community is one way.
Have you had a time where you’ve felt such a connection in community that an impact was made in the world? If so, please share.