Life Support

What a great weekend we just had. Our church, along with the help of some others (God bless great elders) hosted Joe Wells of Focus Press as he presented his fantastic seminar for youth and families entitled Confronting Culture. It was a truly great event that a great deal of effort went into both organizing and inviting people of all denominations to attend.

I just deleted a post that I was going to put up after I prayed about it. It started like this "Let me preface what I am going to say next by quoting Paul from Romans 11: 'I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.'"

Instead I am going to put this. God's word is excellent and provides us answers when we don't know where to look or what to say. I was conflicted with feelings of spiritual uplifiting and disappointment this weekend due to a lack of attendance at the seminar this weekend. Not knowing what to say or how to say it I turned to scripture. I was reminded of Romans 11 as I read and especially one verse (Romans 11:18). Paul states, "remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you."

Paul is discussing with the Gentiles the fact that they are being placed in Christ's kingdom but to avoid being proud or thinking they are better than the Jews who had rejected Christ. Paul reminds the Gentiles that the Jews and the bloodline of Christ is what supported and brought forth Christianity and God still loves the remnant who accepted Christ. In other words, Paul was telling them to work with them and love them the same as one another.

It is not I who support the gospel, but the gospel that supports me. God's word will get spread despite what I do but I know that He appreciates the effort that so many of you put in to make this weekend possible. I know that He appreciates those of you who attended and who I can look back on meeting and realize that you are my root. Your desire to come and feast on God's word and Christian fellowship have been a support to me. Thank you.

In conclusion, let us always remember the story of Jesus' visit to Mary and Martha. One sister chose to clean and care for worldly things while the other chose to sit and bask in the glory of God in flesh. To those of you who were asked and dare I say begged to come and support this Christian effort this past weekend, which did you choose? Which of the sisters was pleasing in Christ's eyes? Let us all get behind one another and support each others ministries. Not to make one another happy, but to please a Lord who suffered and died for us.