So, the question becomes now, “Where am I going?” What kind of future am I putting in place by the choices and decisions I am making now? Most folks understand financial planning; we need a rainy day fund, money for the kid’s education and, one day, retirement. We understand IRAs, interest rates, pension plans, social security and an occasional savings account. Do we plan as well for things that are even more important? 

• Our physical health
• Our relationships
• Our spiritual life
• Our soul health

When the future does get here, we don’t want to ask, “How did I get here?” We want to be able to say “how I got here” and be able to tell a story of faith, of grace, of love, of life, a story where the Kingdom of God is intertwined into our lives and the Holy Spirit has moved us through that life and into that future, a life lived by what we value and who we believe in.

There is nothing more important than who I am and who I am becoming. Sometimes we get so focused on the stuff we will have in our future, we forget to focus on who we will be when we get there.

Also, if you are a guy and you have yet to check out the “Front-Foot” Men’s Conference, the audio is on our app, firstmethodistmansfied, and some of the content is on my blog, www.mikeramsdell.org. We also have a Journey for Men kit available for all of our men.  Pick it up next time you are in church.

The best way to explain how General Conference operates is to realize that the first Methodist Conference was held about the time the first Congress met in America. In many ways, the church modeled its structure around the brand new United States as a representative form of government. The delegates at General Conference act much the same as delegates in Congress, submitting proposals, lobbying for a certain cause or change and voting. Since every delegate has an equal vote (bishops don’t vote, only delegates), it can be quite an amazing process to get things done or changed. Typically, few things really change because of this every-four-year process, but pretty much everything will be talked about. It does sound like congress, doesn’t it? But people will always be people and God will always be God, we must never get the two mixed up.

This year has a proposal that is out of the ordinary and pretty special. Our church has had a small part through The Leading Edge (the top 100 attended Methodist churches in the nation) and our own leadership in restructuring our Local Central Texas Annual Conference. It is The Call to Action, a proposal to restructure the denomination, change how the bishops lead, cut down the number of agencies, consolidate leadership, end the guaranteed appointment and streamline the denomination around one simple idea — the local church is where the bulk of the mission and the ministry is accomplished, something I wholeheartedly believe. The goal is to free the local church to be even more effective in how each church uses its money and how it serves the community and world in more direct ways. This is very exciting if it passes. It could be a seismic shift in a denomination that has lost more that 4 million members in the last 30 years. If that percentage of loss continues, then in another 30 years, there won’t be a Methodist Church — a denomination whose very existence is interwoven in the fabric of America, whose Wesleyan faith has helped form and shape a nation. I pray God opens the door to this change. If you want to know more, check out www.umccalltoaction.org. If you want to check out General Conference itself, you can view a live steam at www.umc.org.

In the book of Acts, the early Church was around 15 years old when some unusual things began to happen. People from every part of the Roman world began to come to Christ, to become a part of the Church, and because of Jews, Gentiles, Romans and Greeks coming together, many disagreements and divisions began to pop up. So, Christian leaders came from around the Roman Empire for a conference in Jerusalem, maybe the first conference. Paul was one of the leaders, James, the brother of Jesus, was another, and many others also were a part. The future of the Church depended upon a compromise. This compromise happened. The words from Acts 15:28 say it well, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us!” And from this place of conferencing, discussion, prayer and compromise, the Church exploded in life and mission. May it happen again.

If you have any questions about The Call to Action or the General Conference, please feel free to contact any of our pastors.

God is big enough.

We are in a special season in the life of our church called Serving from the Heart. It is not about recruiting volunteers but about celebrating the many ways each of us serve God ? in the church, at home, in the community, in our families and in the variety of ways our church family serves God. Service is something close to the heart of God, “Serving from the heart!”

When Jesus prepared himself and his followers for the cross, he shared the Passover, now called the Last Supper, with his disciples. He did many of the traditional practices of the Passover adding the elements, “This is my body broken for you, this is my blood shed for you,” as he prepared to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world. But he also knelt down and washed the disciples’ feet, taking the role of a servant. In that culture, the teacher, or rabbi, would never do that; this was a role reserved for a servant, a woman or the youngest male in the group. Jesus changed everything, kneeling before dirty feet with a washbasin and a cloth. Serving is one of the amazing ways we can connect directly to the heart of God.

During Easter week, it was an amazing time. Now, I love the preaching, and preaching to thousands about the Easter story is always a high point of the year. I loved being a part of the Holy Thursday service, preaching and offering communion. I loved everything about the week, culminating on Easter Sunday. But there were two moments, one the most fun for me and the other the most inspirational.

In the Saturday night Easter service, I put on an orange parking ministry shirt, got there early, went outside and greeted people coming to church for our first Easter service. That simple act of service was fun, as well as inspirational for me. I loved the simplicity of that act of service. I will do it again. It’s not the same as washing feet, but there is a connection to Jesus in parking lot greeting. Then at the Good Friday service, at the end I carried the cross in and placed it at the altar. As we marked the crucifixion of Jesus, this moment might have been the most memorable for me the entire week. I did not say a word, do my normal preacher activities, just carried a cross as the congregation sang. This act of service, as simple as it was, connected me to Jesus in a special way.

“Serving from the heart.” Thank you for all the ways each of you serve God in our church, in our community and in your family. It’s the simple acts of service that might take us the closet to the heart of God. The 2,000 people who serve officially through our church, and all of us who serve unofficially in small and big ways, speak of what it really is to follow the Christ who knelt at his own disciples’ feet.

God is big enough.

Now what? After the first Easter, the disciples celebrated — Peter running, Mary and Mary telling, Thomas kneeling and everyone was exhilarated that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Hope was restored. But soon after, life started getting in the way, and some of the fear returned. After all, the religious leaders and Romans were still enemies of Jesus and what he taught. “What do we do now?” might have been the thought. Jesus tells his followers to go to Jerusalem and wait. When you think about it, Jerusalem might be the last place they would want to go. Yes, it was where the Resurrection happened, but it was also where Jesus had been killed and they had run for their lives. But they go nonetheless to do what Jesus said to do, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4, 5)

In 40 days, the fearful disciples would find themselves filled with the Holy Spirit and spilling into the streets of Jerusalem to tell the story of Jesus. The Church would be born that day with 3,000 making the decision to follow Jesus. The world would never be the same. That day was called Pentecost!

What can we learn? Easter changes everything because life wins, not only that Jesus is still alive, but we are no longer defined by sin and death. Hope reigns supreme. The Resurrection sets us free. But how is life lived in between the resurrection of Christ and the moment his followers, too, enter everlasting life? It would be just a few weeks before James would give his life for Christ and more than 50 years before John too would die and enter the streets of God. Life is lived by the power of the Holy Spirit. The word “power” in Greek is “dunamis,” which is the root word for “dynamite.” And the word “spirit” comes from the Greek word “pneuma,” which means “powerful wind.” The Christian life is about “power!” ? the power of God that worked in creation now at work through the believer and His Church. Dynamite, power, explosive wind — are these words that define our experience with God? The next 40 days our church family will walk toward Pentecost together as we explore what the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit and what life can look like for those who take the steps with the disciples that happened after Easter.

We began Holy Week with a great Palm Sunday weekend. The children waving Palm branches and the continued telling of the story of Christ’s life and message were inspiring and meaningful. I also always enjoy the afternoon children’s program and Easter Egg Hunt at Rose Park. I would like to encourage you now to join us for two additional worship times this week and then again on Easter weekend. Tonight, April 5, at 7:00 p.m., we will celebrate Holy Thursday with the Lord’s Supper and a special message that includes inspirational music with our choir. Then on April 6 at 7:00 p.m., we will mark Good Friday with a musical drama called The Journey. This is the night we mark the crucifixion of Jesus. Walking with Jesus through Holy Week prepares us for Easter.

We are preparing for multiple Easter worship moments — Saturday at 6:00 p.m., Sunday morning sunrise service at Town Park at 7:00 a.m., three Sunday morning Sanctuary services at 8:15, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. and two Sunday morning Chapel services at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. We will also have our new Sunday evening service at 5:00 p.m. in the Chapel. One of the unique things about Easter at First Methodist is we don’t have children’s G-Force or Sunday School as we encourage families to join together in worship for this special season of celebration. It is pretty cool to see families sitting together in whichever worship service they attend. We have a special moment in all the Sanctuary services for every child present in worship. (Note that we will have nursery and preschool care in all our services as usual.) Know that we will be running a shuttle from Chick-fil-A and Walmart all Sunday morning. It is a great way to get to church and opens up the parking lot for our Easter guests. I also encourage you to join me in praying for our services and preparing to offer a good First Methodist welcome to our many guests who will be with us.

Easter is coming! See you Holy Week and Easter.

Pay close attention to Joshua: 3:5b:

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

I can want all I want to finish the race in a more respectable time, but it will never happen if I don’t prepare, “consecrate” myself for the purpose of running five kilometers.

Joshua is on the verge of leading Israel into “The Promised Land.” The next day they will face an army. In fact, the hope that had carried them for such a long time would be on the line the next morning. The promise is that amazing things are about to happen, but first, they must consecrate themselves. So, the order is simple — consecrate, and then amazing!

In many ways, this is what Holy Week is about. Holy Week begins this weekend with Palm Sunday and includes Holy Thursday where we mark the Last Supper, Good Friday where we focus on the cross and then Easter! It’s about consecrating ourselves for the amazing things God wants to do in our lives and our church.

• Think about Celebrate Recovery worship tonight at 6:30 p.m. What a way to consecrate ourselves for the amazing.
• Think about Holy Thursday, 7:00 p.m. What a way to consecrate ourselves for the amazing.
• Think about Good Friday, 7:00 p.m. What a way to consecrate ourselves for the amazing.
• Easter; it’s amazing!

I want to do a little better in the Son Run this year, so I am “consecrating” myself for this purpose. But even more, I want God to do amazing things in my life, so this next week will be a time of “consecration” for me. I hope for you too.

These words from the Bible not only contain a great deal of wisdom — not only are they helpful and full of great instruction — but they are true. Jesus said, “The truth shall set you free!” When the Bible speaks, it is not just a story, a teaching or an inspirational tidbit; it is the simple and pure truth about God, about us and about the relationship we have with God. As we move quickly toward Palm Sunday weekend, Holy Week and then Easter, a huge part of our journey is separating what is true from what is not. These words are a simple, and yet so easily ignored truth, that godliness is a tangible possession that makes life full, meaningful and has eternal elements. Everything else will be lost. And yet, many spend a lifetime chasing things they will lose one day and ignoring those things that really matter.

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth nor rust corrupts and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Again, these additional words of Jesus tell us something that is equally important. Jesus not only loves us, but He knows what He is talking about. In His love for us, He just speaks the truth that might seem very obvious, yet people ignore these truths every day, living out a life that says all kinds of things are of more value than godliness and that pursuing some of these things will one day bring contentment.

So the questions:

• Why do people sometimes trade everything for nothing?
• Why do people sometimes pursue nothing like it’s everything?

The truth is that when we pursue godliness, we pursue everything that matters. Because incorporated in the godly life is everything that matters — oh, and contentment!

In many ways, the season of Lent is a gift of God; the life, teaching and sacrifice of Jesus Christ is God’s gift to everyone. It is free, but the free gift of God that Jesus brings to us must be followed by the work, lives to be built, improved and transformed into what Christian lives should be. The Holy Spirit, the Bible, the Church — all is available for those who seriously desire to “improve.”

The word is “repentance.” The Greek word for repentance is “metanoya,” which means “a transformation of the heart” or more simply, “to turn as in an about face.” The Bible teaches through the words of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus, “Repent, for the Kingdom ofHeaven is at hand!” Lent is about repentance!

The Bible presents repentance as having two parts.

The first part is forgiveness. When forgiveness from God is asked for, it is given. As simple as that, God forgives. The very nature of the life and cross of Jesus Christ speaks of God’s urgent willingness to forgive those who confess their sin. Forgiveness is a done deal because Christ has already been crucified to wash sin away. We confess, accept and celebrate the salvation that God gives us. This is the first part of “repentance,” and probably why most Christians are Christians. We are drawn to this amazing Jesus Christ and the gospel of simple, yet amazing, grace that He brings. We seize this gift in a way somewhat similar to those settlers in the Oklahoma Land Rush who marked 160 acres of free land with flags.

The second part is where humanity often falls short. For God does the forgiving, but we must do the repenting. And repenting takes work, sometimes life-long work, just as sanctification is a life-long work that God does in us. Sanctification basically means “to be made Holy,” to belong so fully to God that not only does our soul belong to God, so do our hurts and needs — which we like — but our behavior does also. Typically we don’t like this as much. Repenting is the work someone who loves God does to yield their behavior to God. This is why we might give up something for Lent, not only to remind ourselves of the season but to submit our behavior to God’s purpose and will for us. God’s gift is free, but we are expected to build something with the life that God then gives. God cares what we do!

In a culture where it is often about freedom to do what we want, the journey of a disciple of Jesus Christ is doing what God wants. Forgiveness is free for us because God paid the price when Jesus died on the cross. Repentance costs a great deal because this is a price the follower of Jesus Christ must pay. Repentance takes work, but so does everything of value. Jesus said, “What profits a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”

Then Jesus came by and invited him to follow. Three years later, Peter is standing by the Temple in Jerusalem speaking the good news to thousands of men and women from all over the world. At this first sermon of the first day of the first Church, 3,000 were saved and baptized. A fisherman had become an apostle; a Galilean had become a Christian; a very human man was going to change the world.

What happened in between those two amazing moments?

• Peter watched Jesus work almost every kind of miracle imaginable.
• Peter heard teaching that was not of this earth.
• Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Christ in a moment of great courage.
• Peter denied Jesus three times in a moment of great fear.
• Peter spoke words of great wisdom on occasion.
• Peter spoke words of amazing foolishness just as quickly.
• Peter ran and hid after the crucifixion of Jesus, a man of little faith.
• Peter was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

But each of those up and down moments might not be the most significant. The difference might have been the day Peter went out as he did most days to make his living fishing, expecting the same routine he followed most days and as always hoping he would experience some success when he pulled his nets in. The fish in the Sea of Galilee are small, and one would have to catch a lot to make a living. But something unexpected happened, Jesus of Nazareth walked by, offering a simple, yet life-changing, invitation to Peter. “Come follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men,” Jesus said. And what was the key for Peter? He got out of the boat! The rest is history. 

• Why do so few get out of the boat?
• Why is staying in the boat so tempting?
• What are the risks when we step out?
• What does your boat look like?
• Why don’t you make the decision to follow Jesus more completely today? Who knows what the next three years might look like if you do!

• Pastor the community and world;
• Embed the Bible in everything;
• Create ownership;
• Keep people moving.

Since we made this our focus and shifted our direction, our worship attendance has increased by almost 700 people per weekend, we have gained more than 2,000 new members and our professions of faith in Christ are at an al-time high. God is big enough. There was a major discovery that came from this national survey, a finding that was verbalized in a book entitled Move! I will paraphrase:

People who experience long-term spiritual growth and grow consistently over many years in their relationships with Christ do so because of their own commitment to God and the spiritual disciplines that help us grow. It’s not the preacher, the program or the class; it’s the heart of a follower of Jesus Christ who is serious about that journey.

When I first began as a pastor, one of the common things we would hear from people who changed churches was, “I just wasn’t getting fed!” I had a hard time believing this because I gained 40 pounds my first four years as a pastor — fried chicken and every kind of casserole imaginable. I don’t think this is what folks meant, and this was true whether folks changed from my church to another or vice versa (and there is a time to change churches). But if I am not growing as a Christian, it’s not the pastor’s fault, the church’s fault, my neighbor’s fault, my family’s fault, not even the president’s fault; God has given me the ability to grow as I choose to engage Jesus Christ every hour, every day, every week and until I see Him face to face. The “Reveal” survey simply said that if I am growing in my faith, it is because I am serious about Jesus Christ. And if I am not growing, it is because I am not serious.

The simple questions:

• Am I serving my community and world?
• Am I embedding the Bible in my heart and life daily?
• Have I taken ownership of the church and God’s Kingdom success?
• Am I moving in my Christian life and faith?

 We choose the God we worship, who and what we love and the life we live. God has given us the ability to do this in the light of His amazing grace, the power of His Holy Spirit and in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.