The Presence of God

Acts 17: 26-28

“26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “For we too are his offspring.”

Paul was in Athens, preaching at the Areopagus.  He was telling the Greeks who were gathered there about God and Christ.  He told them about the one true God who dwells in us; the God who came to earth and dwelled among us and died for us and was resurrected and ascended into heaven.  And after he had said all this, some of the Greeks laughed.  

They laughed because they could not imagine such a God as Paul described.  A God who loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us so that we would have eternal life.

Even today, this is hard for some people to believe; that God is in the world, not far from each of us; that we are children of God; that we live and die in the presence and love of God.

It is God’s desire to be near to us.  Invite Him into your heart.

May the love of Christ be with you

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Holy Spirit

Luke 24:48-49

“48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Disciples were told by Jesus to stay in Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit did come, and gave the Disciples the power they would need for the lives they were to lead after the ascension of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is crucial in the life of every Christian, even today.  The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into an ever deepening relationship with God.  The Apostle Paul told Christians never to quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19).  We quench the Holy Spirit when we fail to listen, when we fail to be guided, when we fail to act.

To be effective witnesses through our words, our actions and the way we live our lives, we must open our hearts to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

May the Holy Spirit fill us all with the desire to know the one true God.

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Good News

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

“Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.”

Paul is reminding the Corinthians of the good news.  The Corinthians seem to have forgotten it.  The people in the church of Corinth were suffering from arrogance, jealousy, factions, quarrels, and a variety of other problems and sins.  So Paul reminds them of why the church exists.  The good news.  The gospel.   Christ.  

Because of the good news, we have eternal life.  If we are the church, we are the tellers of this good news; the examples of the good news.  It is because of the good news that the church stands.

Let us hold firmly to the message of the good news.  It is our hope, and it is the hope of the world.

May the love of Christ be with you

Rev. Eric Lanier

Examples of the Kingdom

Colossians 3: 1-2

“Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Paul asks that the Colossians concentrate on eternal things, the things of God, rather than earthly things.  If you read further in chapter 3, you will discover that the Colossians had a whole list of “earthly things” that occupied their time.  

As a people of faith, we live in the world, but we are not of the world.  We belong to the Kingdom of God, a kingdom in which love, and mercy and forgiveness reign.  Our lives are to be an example of this kingdom to the rest of the world.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Examples of Faith

1 Thessalonians 1:3 

“3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When I think back over all the people that I have known in my life I remember a lot of the good things that they did.  These good works have been an inspiration to me over the years.  

But most of all, I remember the love in which they performed these things and the hope that they gave to me that, maybe, someday, I would know Christ the way they did.

Let all of our good works be examples of our faith and our love of Jesus Christ. 

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Knowing Christ

1 John 1: 1-4

“1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.”

It is important that we read and study the life and teachings of Christ.  It is equally, if not more, important that we experience Christ; that we have a personal relationship with Him. Our witness to this world is dependent not only on our knowledge of Christ but our knowing Him.

When we know Him, not only will we testify by our words but through our lives. And with our whole being we will proclaim what we have seen and heard.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

What the Lord Wants

Micah 6: 6-8

“6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God?Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

We struggle to please God.  What does the Lord want?  Should we give him a clean, well groomed church?  Should we increase our giving?  Should we build a multi-purpose building?  Should we put in new carpet?  Should we start a new program?  Should we develop a new web site?  

The Israelites struggled with these same questions.  And the prophet Micah said (to paraphrase him), what the Lord wants first and foremost is a change in your hearts.  He wants you to be transformed into a new creation.   He wants you to live motivated by love; to become a child of God and to walk with Him daily.

And once this happens, everything else will fall into place.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Be Still

Psalm 46: 1-3, 10a

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult….“10 Be still, and know that I am God!”

Early morning is my favorite time.  Especially if it is raining.  I can sit with my coffee, read, and listen to the quiet sound of God’s voice.

Even though the world may be in chaos, we are to find time that we can be still and listen to God, so that we will know Him.

God can be found in stillness; not necessarily the stillness in nature, but the stillness in us.  If we are not still, if our soul is in turmoil, we will not find stillness anywhere.  

Take time to be still.  Quiet your soul.  Listen for God’s voice.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Example of Christ

1 Peter 1: 13-16

“13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. 14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. 15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

As Christians, we are called to be disciples of Christ.  Being a disciple means that we follow the teachings and the example of Christ.  In fact, we are to model our lives after the life of Christ.   

In order to do this we have to constantly study the life, the teachings, the sayings, and the miracles and actions of Christ.  It is good to know the entire Bible, but our primary example in all of the Bible is Christ.  

As disciples, we are to imitate Christ in the way we live, speak and act. We are to take off our old ways, our old habits, our old temperaments, our old ways of thinking and put on the life of Christ.

To do this takes a lot of prayer, study, worship, discipline and desire.  But we will still fall short if we rely solely on our own efforts.  As you pray and study and worship, invite the Holy Spirit to help conform you to the example of Christ.  

Your invitation will be accepted.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Finding the Narrow Gate

Matthew 7: 13-14

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

As a child I was part of an Easter egg hunt where the Easter eggs were just placed upon the ground for all to see.  There was no effort or ingenuity involved to find an egg.  Soon, everyone had a basket full.

And then there was the egg hunt where I only found a half dozen eggs after an hour of searching.  Some of my friends didn’t find any.  I think I treasured those six eggs more than the basket full that I had collected the year before.

When something is easy to find, many do not treasure it.  When something is hard to find, many lack the fortitude to search.

When we come to faith, it may be the result of many years of searching and wandering.

And then, finally, we are found.  And we are glad to enter the narrow gate and walk the narrow road.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Glory of it All

Revelation 3: 14-17

“14 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation: 15 “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

We may be poor by the world’s standard, but in God’s eyes we may be wealthy.  We may be rich by the world’s standard, but in God’s eyes we may be poor, blind and naked.

God’s wisdom is not our wisdom, our understanding is not God’s.  The church in Laodicea probably thought that things were going pretty well for them.  They were holding things together, keeping things going.  But they were not passionate about what they were doing.  They did not have a sense of wonder and joy in what they were doing.  They did not have a sense of being a part of something holy and sacred and greater than themselves.

Each time you worship or read scripture or pray, or participate in a meeting, whether it is at home or in the church building,  my hope for you is that you are filled with the glory of it all.  

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Kingdom People

Colossians 3: 1-3, 12-15

“1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.”

As Christians,  we live physically in this world.  But, spiritually, we live in the Kingdom of God.  The values of this world often conflict with the values of the Kingdom of God.  The world often tells us to be angry but Paul says we are to offer the compassion and patience of Christ.   The world tells us to be proud and arrogant but Paul says we are to be humble as Christ was humble.  The world tells us to seek revenge but Paul says we are to forgive as we are forgiven by Christ.

Above all, citizens of the Kingdom of God are to offer love and peace in a world where hate and war abound.

We are called to be different; to be examples of the life and love of Christ to the world.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Calm Assurance

Psalm 69:1-3

“1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold;

I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.

3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.”

My brother was once awakened in his home by water lapping at his bed.  The nearby river had overrun its banks and into his home.  He and his wife gathered their two small children and ran outside, leaving every material thing they owned behind.  In their arms they carried the only things in the world that mattered.

In the scripture above, David’s troubles made him feel as if he was drowning.  But at such a time, he remembered what was important; his faith; his God.  And no matter where he was, no matter what the circumstances, he carried his faith with him.

We may be weary, our eyes may have grown dim, and we may feel that the flood is sweeping over us.  But we can always rest in the calm assurance of God’s arms. 

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Requirement of Sacrifice

Matthew 19: 21-22

“21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.”

The rich young man went to Jesus wanting to know what he must do to have eternal life.  Jesus initially told him to “keep the commandments.”  The young man told Jesus that he had always kept the commandments, but he still felt that he lacked something.  

And Jesus, reading his heart, disclosed his secret to him.  The young man’s heart did not belong to God, but to the world.  His love for money and the worldly pleasures he could buy exceeded his love for God.  The young man obeyed the commandments as long as they did not require sacrifice.

Our love and our works flow from our faith.  And if we have faith, we will have eternal life.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

The Hope of God

1 Peter: 1:3-6

“3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”

When we come to faith, we are given a new birth which is a life in Christ.  We are changed, incrementally, over the course of our lifetime by the work of the Holy Spirit.  We are moved into an ever deepening relationship with God.  Because of the resurrection of Christ, no matter how we may suffer in this life, we have hope; the hope of an eternal life in the company of God.

Even though our suffering in this life at times may seem great and unbearable, let us keep the hope of the resurrection ever before us.  And in this hope, let us be examples of Christ's love to the world.  

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

God’s Redemptive Love

Luke 19:2-5

“2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

Zacchaeus was a short man.  He was also a very hated tax collector.  Not only was he a tax collector, but he was the chief tax collector.  

For some reason, Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus.  But the people would not let him in front of them as they lined the streets.  So Zacchaeus, being resourceful, ran down the road and climbed into a tree, above the crowd.

I imagine the crowd had a good laugh about making the rich tax collector climb a tree. All they could see when they looked at Zacchaeus was a short man, a tax collector, a sinner.  When they looked at him they saw all the reasons for their own anger.

But Jesus looked up into the sycamore tree and saw a child of God who was worthy of God’s love.  And Christ invited himself to Zacchaeus’ home.  And the love of Christ did what all the anger in the world could not do; it changed Zacchaeus..

Christ looks at us, even the worst of us, and sees a child of God.  No one is beyond the redemptive love of God.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

In All Things Pray

Matthew 6:25

“25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,or about your body, what you will wear.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

“16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Followers of Christ were told by Christ not to worry.  Then, Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica to always rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances.  

How are we to do this?  This seems humanly impossible.  

The answer lies in chapter 5 verse 17 of Paul’s letter.  In order to live in such a way, we are to give our lives over to prayer; we are to pray continuously.  In other words, we are to live in constant awareness of God’s presence, His love, His grace, and His mercy.

Rejoice in everything, worry about nothing.  But in all things pray.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Move Forward to God

Philippians 3: 12-14

“12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Christianity is not easy.  We struggle to live up to the example of Christ.  Each time we step off the path of righteousness, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, and we have a sense of not being worthy.  

In this scripture, Paul tells us to move forward, resting in the assurance that Christ has made us his own.  We are loved even when we sin.  We are children of God, even if we are not perfect.  This is the reason Christ came.  This is the reason for his sacrifice on the cross.  

Move forward to the arms of God.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Wait for the Lord

Psalm 27: 14

“Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Sometimes, the hardest thing we can do is wait.  Whether we are waiting for a seat in our favorite restaurant, waiting for a special day or person to arrive, waiting for news whether it is good or bad, waiting is hard.  

But throughout the scriptures we read that patience is a virtue, particularly because God’s wisdom is not our wisdom, and God’s time is not our time. 

After the crucifixion, the disciples waited in the upper room.  After the resurrection, they waited by the Sea of Galilee.  After the ascension, they waited in Jerusalem. Throughout their waiting, their faith did not diminish but continued to increase.

Let us remain strong in our faith and live without fear, and know that our waiting is all in God’s time and all in God’s wisdom

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

A Sympathetic Savior

Hebrews 4:16

“15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Because Christ came into the world and walked among us, we have a savior who was tempted as we are tempted.  Christ was able to overcome all temptation, but because he was subject to temptation, he is able to understand our struggles.

So, when we pray for forgiveness, we can be confident that we will receive God’s mercy and grace.  And we can be bold before the Lord, and reveal the secrets of our hearts.

Our lives, as Christians, are to be lived with this assurance, this comfort, this hope.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

God's Holy Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

“16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.”

The Apostle Paul wanted the Thessalonians to know that the Holy Spirit was vastly important for their spiritual lives.  It is impossible to live as an example of Christ to the world without the power and assistance of the Holy Spirit.  

The Holy Spirit enables us to rejoice in God no matter where we are or what the circumstances.  The Holy Spirit enables us to live a life filled with prayer for others.  The Holy Spirit enables our hearts to be grateful instead of angry or distressed.

Finally, we are never to quench the Holy Spirit.  We quench the Holy Spirit by not listening to the Spirit’s voice when we pray, worship, or read scripture, or when we are in fellowship with others.  

Our lives as Christians are to be guided and developed by the Holy Spirit.  With the Holy Spirit’s assistance, we can become examples of Christ to the world.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

Interim Pastor, Memorial United Methodist Church

Showing Concern

Philippians 4: 11-14

“I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.”

The Apostle Paul told the Philippians that the secret to his contentment and his ability to face all manner of adversity was his faith in God.  God gave him the strength to deal with anything that the world threw at him.  

But, even though Paul had this great faith, he still appreciated someone being concerned about him.  

We may have a strong, unshakeable faith in God, but it is always good to know that someone is thinking about us and wondering how we are doing.  

Let someone know they are on your mind.  They will appreciate it.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier

He is Risen

Matthew 28:1-10

“ After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb of Jesus. Along the way, there was an earthquake, the appearance of a scary angel from heaven, Roman guards who fell to the ground looking like dead men, an empty tomb, a message from the risen Christ (communicated to them by the angel) and finally an appearance by the risen Christ himself.

This was quite a morning, a morning I am sure they never forgot.  It is a morning that we must also always remember; the morning of the resurrection.  The resurrection of Jesus validates who Jesus claimed to be, namely, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.  Without the resurrection, Jesus would have faded away in history as just another Jewish prophet.  

The resurrection means that all people who believe in Jesus have a path to salvation, eternal life, and to God.  It gives our lives meaning and is the lifeblood of our faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1Corinthians 15:58).

Our faith, our work, our love is not in vain.

He is risen.  He is risen indeed.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Words of Christ on the Cross, Part 3

John 19:30; Luke 23:46

“30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

Luke 23:46

“46 Jesus called out with a loud voice,  “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.”

There was a great darkness when Jesus died.  It was as if the light of the world had been extinguished.  When Christ uttered “It is finished” from the cross, I am sure that those who knew Him and who witnessed the crucifixion felt that all mercy, goodness and hope had vanished from the world.

But Christ’s spirit was in the hands of God and with God all things are possible.  The end of Christ’s ministry on earth was the beginning of the ministry of the Disciples; the beginning of the Church; and the beginning of the worldwide spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God’s light is never extinguished.  His word endures forever.  

And God’s work is never finished.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Words of Christ on the Cross, Part 2

Mark 15:34

“34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)”

John 19:28

“28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar  was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.”

We often forget that the Son of God was not only divine but also human.  In this context, He had lived the life of humanity; He had done the work that we do, suffered in the way we suffer, he knew the agony of hunger and thirst, and he had faced the temptations and trials that we face.  He knew the love and the betrayal of friends, and the hatred of enemies.

And now he experienced a suffering no person had ever suffered; the suffering for the sins of humanity and the deep, dark separation from God that is caused by such an accumulation of sins.

The cross was the final temptation for Christ.  The people who witnessed the crucifixion were yelling at him to save himself, to come down from the cross if He were truly the Messiah and in this we hear echo of the voice of Satan in the wilderness.

But it was not the nails that held Jesus to the cross. 

It was love.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)