Adventures In The Margins

A Peacock In The Road

jalsworth — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:39:41 +0000

For those of you who heard me preach two weeks ago you will remember that I was talking about purposefully engaging with others beyond the walls or our church and home to love and build relationships with our neighbors. I used the analogy of my bike being on the indoor trainer in the winter, but once spring arrives my bike come off the trainer and I am headed outside. Well my ride Sunday afternoon went something like this. Started out riding into the wind and uphill (talk about a rough way to start a ride). If that were not enough it started to sprinkle on me. It was one of those odd rains where the sun is shinning but I am still being rained on. Anyway, I am going uphill against the wind and am not getting anywhere fast. Finally I find myself out on Portland Drive and turn off onto a road marked dead end. It was a 1/2 mile down the road that I come around a corner and there in the middle of the road was a beautiful peacock. I got off my bike and watched as the peacock made it’s way into a nearby orchard. It’s a amazing how refreshed and overjoyed I was, yeah my ride had been hard but somehow seeing that beautiful bird made it worth it. In this one moment Christ reminded me that loving others may not always be easy but it is worth it. There is something that words fail to express when you realize that the Creator of everything is using you to reveal his love to someone. Have fun this week as you seek to live and love outside the walls of your home-may you be surprised and blessed by the experiences you have.

What does daily really mean?

jalsworth — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:35:24 +0000

If you are like me you have heard,and possibly quoted the following: “‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” (Lk 9.23) I have often thought about what it means to daily deny oneself for Christ. My thinking on this has ebbed and flowed over time. Presently I have been doing a study on the phrase “in Christ” in Paul’s writing. One of the elements of this that is becoming very clear in Romans is the scope of what Christ has done for us. In Romans 8 Paul tells us that nothing will be able to separate us from the “love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I actually disagree with Paul on this-there is one thing that can separate us from God’s love-ourselves. Now I do believe that God is and will actively reveal his love to all creation, but I believe that to be “in Christ” we must respond not once but each day. In some of the earlier usages of “in Christ” (Romans 6.11, 23; 8.1) there is a very real sense that we are called to participate “in Christ.” What I mean by this is that in Romans 6 we find that Christ has overcome sin and death. Paul says that “We were therefore buried with him [Christ] through baptism into death in order that . . . we too may live a new life.” (6.4) We are invited into a new life, but this new life always rests with us being “in Christ.” i.e. a choice. So what does it mean to daily pick up our cross? I believe it means that each day we invite and allow Christ to be the center, the core, of our life by denying self and allowing Christ to reign in our lives. As we do this and live “in Christ” the fruits of life in him will be evident (cf. Gal 5.22-23). There are some key traits that are available to help in this. The essential truth of being daily in God’s Word, mediation on the scriptures and prayer cannot be emphasized enough. If you are wondering what daily looks like, I think it looks a lot like spending time with God in the Word and in prayer. From those moments how God will use you is, well, limitless.

“In Christ” from Romans 6.11

jalsworth — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 05:24:46 +0000

This is the first occurrence of the phrase “in Christ’ that we find in Paul’s writings. It has long been noted that this is a significant phrase for Paul and I am beginning a study of these phrases in his writings. We find v. 11, where we find the phrase “in Christ”, housed in Paul’s larger discussion of being dead to sin and alive in Christ. Paul’s discussion seems to be centering on the freeing power of Christ through his death and resurrection. Paul uses the very life of Christ to illuminate our spiritual lives. Christ experienced death hence we need experience death to sin. When Christ rose from the dead death and sin held no mastery over him. Paul goes onto link death and sin intimately together which leads us to our usage of “in Christ” in v. 11. We are to be dead to sin but “alive to God in Christ.” Being in Christ is the key to being dead to sin. Sin shall not reign in our bodies. So basically being in Christ is to be freed from the mastery of sin. Now as I was doing my study this morning Carter, my son, started stacking guys and airplanes all over the table. He kept interrupting my study-bottom line he wanted me to play with him. Here I was trying to study God’s word, but was being interrupted by a two year old. God helped me to see this morning that while I was thinking about theology and life, the simple bottom line of being in Christ has to be love, and I was doing a poor job of loving my son. The freeing power from sin that we experience in Christ has universal implications in our lives, and it also has simple implications-that is why I am writing this post at night because I stopped my study and played with my son. Thank you Lord for helping me to get it-to be in Christ is to be free from sin and selfishness and to be invited into life and playing with a two year old.

Out of Gas?

jalsworth — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:21:15 +0000

So close . . .

The other day when Mindy, Carter and I were walking we saw this van out of gas a few feet from the gas pump. You will notice a man bent over pouring gas from a gas can into the van. As I saw this image I couldn’t help but think about what happens when we run out gas in life. I am sure that I am not the only one who finds myself running on or near empty. In our fast paced world and lives it become so easy to ignore our internal fuel gauge. This image reminded me that I need to be very attentive to my spiritual life, making sure to connect with Christ in ways that fill me up each day. I also thought about the importance of being willing to go out and help others who are running on empty. This man filled up a gas can to help out these people so they could make it to the pump to be filled up. As followers of Christ one of our great callings is to meet people where they are and help them connect with Christ!

Shocked

jalsworth — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:55:38 +0000

I am not sure if you are like me, but it often takes something shocking to really grab my attention. I have been been paying attention to the situation in Haiti since the earthquake happened on Tuesday. This morning I opened up safari and went to the BBC News site and one of the links included images. Here is the link to what I saw:

** In pictures: Haiti under rubble **
Images from Haiti after a devastating earthquake kills or injures thousands of people in and around the capital, Port-au-Prince.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/in_pictures/8459952.stm >

I knew things were bad, we all did. When I saw the arm of the one person, looks like a child, sticking out of the rubble I lost it. I stopped and stared at that image–my day was changed. I began to feel such a feeling of hopelessness and loss. At that moment I was reminded that my hope does not rest in present things, but in Christ. This past weekend I preached at the celebration of life service for someone with terminal cancer. This individual lived so boldly and with such hope-hope not in herself or the outcome, but in Christ and his love. I am thankful knowing that Christ is meeting the spiritual needs of the brokenhearted. I am also so thankful to be part of a church, The Church of the Nazarene, who believes that Christ has called us to action. Even as you read there are much needed supplies being sent to Haiti in the name of Christ. Amidst all the destruction I take hope in Christ and his people coming to the aid of those in need.

Addicted

jalsworth — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:23:11 +0000

Are you addicted to the internet? If you are like me you are on line just enough to actually wonder. Well here is a short quiz so you can find out. Check it out and let me know what you find out. Internet Usage Quiz If you want to do more reading check out Relevant magazine.

Camping will never be the same again!

jalsworth — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:28:17 +0000

Beautiful

Well my latest camping trip started out very different than all my other trips. Well somethings were the same, the scrambling to make sure that I had the tent, the stakes (which I forgot), the stove, sleeping bags, sleeping pads (yep, I am getting older and it’s no longer a want but a must), food etc. This trip was different because as I packed I had to save room for one extra seat. I clicked Carter securely into his car seat in the car and we headed to the mountains and I knew this trip would be different. No longer would it just be Mindy, Sitka (our dog) and I, but now Carter was also with us. Carer joining us caused me ask some questions that I had never thought much about before. Can a baby wear mosquito repellent? How am I going to make sure that he is warm . . . The list could go on for some time, but the bottom line was this-I was doing what I had done for years but things were different now. While preaching from Mark 4 I talked about how Jesus had his eyes on the horizon, “Let us go . . .” As Christians I wonder how our lives our different than before we knew Christ. Once Christ impacts our lives we keep living and doing only now the questions are different. We should no longer be thinking about what I want, but about others. Going camping with my son for the first time has stirred my heart and mind to be asking “new” questions. I have been a Christian for years, am I still asking the right questions or have I slipped back into the norm. I know for me that camping will never be the same again and I would have it no other way. I also know that once Christ freed me from sin to live I have never been the same, and I want it no other way.

Caught off guard

jalsworth — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:23:55 +0000

I was helping some family members move the other day and I was caught off guard. As I was driving I came around the corner and there was this image

Tempted anyone?

I don’t know if it was an apple that Adam and Eve ate, but I do know what this statue represent to me-a choice. I had been listening to the radio, but after seeing this piece of art my mind was flooded with thoughts of God’s love. I was reminded that God never stopped loving Adam and Eve-even after they sinned. God made His choice-even in their rebellion will I love them. I wonder how many of us move through life wondering if God could really love us, because we have made the choice to take the apple. I know that more times than I would care to admit I have made the choice to choose what I want over what God wants for me. Even when I make this choice the depth of God’s grace reminds me that He is calling me to choose to let go of my sin and embrace His love.

That lone apple hangs before each of us each day-what are you going to choose? My prayer is that you will choose joy and peace over momentary satisfaction.

New Adventure

jalsworth — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:28:16 +0000

Have you ever wondering what is going on in life? Of course you have-you are a human and we all wonder at some point. As a Christian, and especially a pastor, questions about life and purpose are frequently on my mind and in my conversations. These past few weeks have been a time of excitement and expectation as my family and I have been praying about moving to Hood River. Well ready or not Hood River here we come. Mindy, Carter and I are excited to be headed to the wind surfing capital of the world! My hope is that you will join us in discovering how God is working in the margins of each our lives and in Hood River. I would love to talk with you so drop me a line and let me know what your favorite thing is to do in Hood River, or simply what is on our mind.