LAZARUS PT. 2

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dear Family,

As we continued our meditation in John 11 this Sunday, having looked at the first half of the story that focused on MAN’S ASKING, we looked at the second half about GOD’S ANSWERING. We considered the different responses to this situation from Mary and Martha, from the disciples and from the crowd. I think we could relate to them. You’ve done your asking, you’ve ceased your asking. It’s too dangerous to go back there, it will stir up too much trouble and pain. It’s too difficult anyway. It’s too disappointing, too distressing to think about other possibilities, especially when hope has taken a beating. It’s too embarrassing to be unanswered – I’m feeling shame in my situation and circumstances. The faith I once had is looking stupid right now. It’s too bad, too late, and any other good outcome is too good to be true. I know the doctrines, and like Martha, I do actually believe them but I’m having a hard time connecting with them right now, or should I say, they don’t seem to be connecting with my reality, anymore than Jesus’ mention of the resurrection connected with her dead brother.

But what about the responses of Jesus? Into this tangle of groans and moans, into this wreckage from the asking that hit the wall unanswered, into this ruin of remorse and regret comes Jesus. Allow me to note some of his responses. They are made up of two statements, three questions of his own, three commands and a very short asking prayer. Like surgical scissors, these cut through the Gordian knot of grief. I will summarize these under three headings:

1. A PROMISE: “Your brother will rise again.” (v23) His first response to what he sees and hears is simply a softly but firmly spoken promise. He had already said that this would not end in death. He must see something we don’t see, know something we don’t know, desire something we’ve long since given up on. Dear-heart, the promises of God, though seemingly un-cashable at the moment of deepest debt, unhelpful at the time of greatest need, remain non-negotiable and the sure basis that the one who saved us will give us all we need for life and godliness and will procure for us the needful provision for what His will has prepared for us to do and be. The promises of God remain foundational for our assurance and succor. He is a present help in time of trouble. He is present at the graveside of this buried hope. The promises were not about make-believe but make-better. He said whoever came to him he would not turn away – especially if they came in a coffin. He does not come to bury with empty promises.

2. A PRONOUNCEMENT: “I am the resurrection and the life.” The promise is followed by a pronouncement, a proclamation if ever there was one. This was not resurrection wrapped up in the wording of a doctrine, of a catechetical statement, of a line from a liturgical creed. This was not resurrection as a proposition but as a person. “I AM…” Suddenly the issue has less to do with what I know about my problems: my death, or my sin, or my prison, but about how much I know about who He is in relation to it: savior for my sin, deliverer for my prison, life for my death. Where the doctrine did not relate, where the theologizing failed, he insists on relating personally and presently.

3. A PROOF: “Where have you laid him?...Come and see Lord.” It’s an interesting feature of this entire story that Jesus is always engaging others in what needs to happen. He did some asking of his own. He asked the obvious. He still does. He seeks our confession, our admission, our invitation. His question and their answer cut right to the chase. Where is the problem? Where is the source of the grief, of the loss: loss of joy, loss of worth, loss of personhood, loss of integrity, loss of dignity, loss of hope, loss of direction, loss of calling, loss of love. Right here Lord. Maybe we could have argued that this was the time for Jesus to do one of his “say the word from a distance” kind of miracles. Civilized distance would be preferable – does he have to reveal the corpse, the source of sorrow and hopelessness, defeat and despair? Do we have to get our hands this dirty? Do we have to face the effects of this, the consequences, the realities that are better left where they are, out of sight all the time and out of mind some of the time? The text tells us that Jesus “came to the tomb.” (v38) He does not come to read the inscriptions or simply to leave flowers. His interest is not to beautify our gravesite – give us a veneer of respectability. This is such a wonderful picture, moving footage, of the way that Jesus insists on approaching the off-limits of our desolation. Then the unbelievable, impossible to anticipate instruction: “Take away the stone!” Notice again that there is no abracadabra here. No “Hey presto.” Human will, human choices to participate and co-operate with Him were necessary. At this point there is a delay of a different kind. This time it is Martha ironically doing the delaying, having once tacitly accused Jesus of being responsible for tardiness. Well might she step in between Jesus and the problem. “By this time there is a bad odor.” The consequences of our dead works and our dead sins do have an after-smell, an after-taste. We’ve commented on the divine YET. Here is its companion it would seem: the human “BUT LORD!” That root of bitterness, that chronic attitude, that secret sin, that intractable bondage, that unresolved anger, that withheld forgiveness – they should not be exposed to sunlight. Equally and eerily familiar are the interventions that block his healing progress, his delivering intent. And then there are still the wretched stones that have to be moved, that he insists on being moved simply because they obstruct and hinder his engagement. What are our stones? What deceit, what fear, what avoidance, what denial, what suppression, what hypocrisy, what delay? Maybe I can put it this way. As Martha stands with her arms outstretched barring Jesus’ way toward the tomb, she is defending life as it is. The truth is she is actually ending up defending death as it is. But thankfully and gloriously, there seems to be a simple principle at work here. If we do the rolling, he will do the resurrecting. Our confession, our invitation, our rolling of the stone surrenders access to Jesus. Others may be shocked by what is revealed; we may be surprised by the extent of the decay. The crowd may draw back but Jesus never flinched, never turned his face, never held his nose.

The communications that follow are rapid and concise, from “Take away the stone!” to “Take off the graveclothes!” Either get the CD to re-consider this sequence or do your own fresh meditation on these statements of deliverance. They present the proof of his promise and pronouncement. I hope that over these two messages, you have grasped something of both the directness of Christ’s answering work, but also the non-linear nature of our asking. There is no cookie-cutter here, but there are truths that are sure. He does love, he does hear, he does answer, he does act – in accordance with the greater outcome of the greatest glory.

The very next chapter records something of the follow-up to all this. How Jesus must have enjoyed that dinner party in Bethany! Well might Lazarus laugh as he reclined next to Jesus. And suddenly, from stage left, comes Mary, who some would strongly argue is one and the same as Mary Magdalene, that being once her escort name at the Roman Officer’s club. She breaks open a bottle of alabaster that was a year of good wages for a high-class prostitute. So intense was the relieved outpouring of her soul, of her love for and gratitude to Jesus, that in a moment of unself-conscious devotion and adoration, she broke not only the stingy rules of the thieving Judas, but also the conventions of social decorum, and loosed her hair, as only adulteresses were wont to do. It was the sign of fallen-ness. But in this case, the loose hair echoes the loose grave-clothes, as it is transformed in its flowing lines as a sign of freeing forgiveness. In a single moment again, we are reminded that there is room in Jesus’ inner circle for the one who was once dead. John records two breakings: of the seals of a tomb and of a perfume jar. Brokenness could not be avoided. But as unstoppable as was the stench, so unstoppable was the fragrance. This is what I want you to know above all else this Palm Sunday, as like the crowd you wave your palms, whether branches or hands. Because of what happened at Bethany, because of this extraordinary preview of what was about to happen to destroy the power of death once and for all, we know that his love is committed to still take us from the stench of our death to the fragrance of our recovered devotion. Where death said it’s over, the resurrection and the life said, Behold, I make all things new. “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Blessed is he who comes to my tomb, to my problem, to my house, to my family, to my marriage, to my city, to my church!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

HOLY WEEK SPECIAL SERVICES:

• Maundy Thursday—April 1, 7:00pm—Service conducted by Church of the Resurrection

• Good Friday—April 2, 7:00pm—Joint service conducted by COSC and Church of the Resurrection. Child care for children 5 and under will be provided.

• Easter Sunday—April 4, 10:00am. Easter breakfast fellowship prior to service at 9:00am.

WOMEN’S RETREAT: Registration for the annual Women’s Retreat has begun! The dates are May 1-2 and the cost is $80. See us at the table in the lobby after service to register and contact Trudy Sharp at trudyrsharp@gmail.com if you have any questions.

LUNCH AFTER CHURCH: Melissa Wallace and Chris Tynes will be leading a group lunch after Church this Sunday at Old Siam, 406 8th St. SE. Look for Melissa or Chris outside in front of the church or meet them at the restaurant.

NIGHT OF PRAYER: The next Night of Prayer will be on Apr. 10, from 7-9pm. Please join us as we pray for our church, city and nation.

RIGHTEOUS RENOVATIONS: Care Company and Gatepost Ministries are having their third demolition day to make space for a new Anacostia Café and job-training center for at risk teens, April 10 from 9-2pm. Contact Monique ASAP if you would like to participate, monique@carecompanydc.org.

PORCH FUNDRAISER: On April 7th, from 6:30- 8:30pm, at Washington Community Fellowship (Maryland Ave. & D St. NE), the Porch will be hosting a pancake dinner at to raise funds for the ministry. The suggested donation is $5.

FREQUENT FLIER MILES: If you are someone who travels frequently and have frequent flier miles that you would be willing to make available to others in the church who have emergency travel needs, please contact the church office.

HEALING PRAYER CONFERENCE: Judith MacNutt, of Christian Healing Ministries, will be leading a healing prayer conference at the Falls Church on May 5-6. For more information, visit www.thefallschurch.org/healing.

For general questions or building use inquiries, send an e-mail to office@christourshepherd.org.

To communicate updates for the pastoral letter and/or the church bulletin, send an e-mail to ben@christourshepherd.org. The church bulletin will be completed by end of day on Thursdays.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
Ads will be posted for up to 4 weeks. After that time period,
please contact the church office to see if space will permit the
ad to remain posted.

HOUSING AVAILABLE: Room on Capitol Hill, looking for a CF for a group house with women in early 30’s. $650 + utilities. House is located a block from Stanton Park and in walking distance of Union Station and Eastern Market. Looking to fill room by April 1st. If interested, please email Laura at grazier_1@yahoo.com.

VOLUNTEER NEEDED: The ‘859 House’ is an after school meeting facility for about 17 boys ages 8-17, a space used for fellowship and mentoring. They are looking for a Computer-wise volunteer to help with computer maintenance. Youth frequently use their out-of-date computers for homework and other activities. Contact Dorothy Logansif interested, dorothy.logans@gmail.com.

NONPROFIT SEMINAR: Nancy chan will be teaching a 5-hour non-credit seminar on program evaluation for nonprofits through NYACK’s Community Development Program here in DC, Sat. May 8 from 9am-3pm. The course will provide and overview of essential elements for outcome-based program evaluation gear towards the use of nonprofits. Please email Nancy nhchan@gmail.com for more details, including cost and registration

FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[a] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for[b] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”(ESV)

Luke 11:5-13

ASKING & ADVENT

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dearest family,

First of all, Celia and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a joyful, thankful and restful celebration of Christmas, praying that this advent season, you will experience the coming of Father, Son and Holy Spirit to your hearts and households. The context of our lives often appears no more manicured and managed than the outhouse of that inn happened to be two millennia ago. He still comes to us as He finds us. The key to a change in the environs of the heart seems to be less about the preparation (not that there is not a biblical place for that) but more about the transformation that comes simply by virtue of his presence. Were any of those who came to worship, whether sages or shepherds, conscious at all of any other sense, whether the smell of the place, the roughness of the ground they kneeled on, than the sense of the presence of Christ? This Christmas, in the words of the old chorus: Turn your eyes upon Jesus / Look full in His wonderful face/ And the things of earth will grow strangely dim/ In the light of his glory and grace.

On Sunday, I presented a very concentrated Advent message, suggesting ten significant areas of instruction and edification that are patently present in the birth narratives, the explosive text that launches the New Testament. As I’m sitting here writing this letter, I realize there is no way that I can attempt to summarize what I covered, but given the range of reference, and the focus of application, I encourage you to download the Mp3 as a Christmas gift to yourself as a provocation and encouragement to meditate in the text yourself. I began and ended with Zechariah, so I thought I’d do something different and bring you some thoughts about Elizabeth.

As at the beginning of the original Exodus story where we meet those midwives named Shiprah and Puah, where we meet Jochabed, Moses’ mother and Miriam, his sister, so in the story of our Exodus, our deliverance from captivity, equally we meet these incredible women, whose stability and serenity and poise under pressure is so re-assuring given the demands and pains of the situation. If Zechariah comes across as “dumb and dumber” then Elizabeth is certainly “sweet and sweeter”. There is something so alluringly and disarmingly gorgeous about this woman. Despite the crippling affliction of infertility, her womanhood does not seem to have missed a beat, the product of persevering prayer and holiness. Her barrenness was symbolic of the times. Despite every effort to do the right thing, whether characterized by the perfume of love-making in private or the incense of priestly prayer in public, nothing was happening. Seed was continually sown but there was no fertilization, whether in the womb or in the soil of messianic history. Not to have a child was anguish enough but what was unbearable was the public perception of such a state. If children were a blessing from the Lord, then it was assumed that barrenness was a judgment, a sign of shame, a consequence of sin. The whirling and eddying currents of gossip, of imputed shame, combined to weather the soul and erode peace. Elizabeth teaches us so much. The only relief is that when one cannot justify oneself, one can submit trustingly to the judgments of God and trust him to be the defender and the vindicator. After she is pregnant, as she touches her billowing and blossoming garments, there is such power in her almost understated testimony: “The Lord has done great things for me.” God’s loving-kindness had a location. It had earthed in Zechariah’s mouth and Elizabeth’s womb. How we need to know and honor this work of the Word of God – though the sound of it can bring intellectual comprehension, it is also a force that can fling a star into space for wise men and fuel a sperm, and change my life and circumstances too, why not!

God still comes to the last – to those that are on the edge or beyond the pale. It comes to those who believe that the last train has already left and they’re stuck in an interminable waiting room. Mind you, He is the God who seems to specialize in our last hour, in the last moment. When the last garment of selfrespect has been blown off our backs or stripped off us by another, his grace re-clothes us. And it is never an off-the-rack kind, but personally tailored and contoured to the unique shape of our out-of-joint life, with its particular “sloping-shoulder” and “irregular size” circumstances. When the last bit of emotional greenery has been uprooted from our hearts and we feel like a wilderness on the inside, his grace is still in the irrigation business, watering the desert of our barren lives. He still comes to the last and as He did for Elizabeth, He specializes in removing our shame and disgrace, in our own eyes, in others’ eyes, but above all, in His eyes. Is it really surprising that God entrusted Mary to Elizabeth for her spiritual nurture and care? The text says Elizabeth “remained five months in seclusion.” No reason is given. It certainly wasn’t, “I can’t go out till it’s really sure.” She shut herself in to the presence of God. The last, the most shamed, became the first one God thought of to disciple Mary, the mother of His son! The one who was last became the first recorded voice to recognize and identify the child that was conceived in Mary as the Lord and Savior of the world! And what’s interesting is that the shame of being last in the happiness stakes became transformed into an ability to willfully and willingly defer and take the last place joyfully, for did she not say, “Why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” The place of hurtful shame had become the place of healing and humility. God still seeks and saves the lost, the last and the least and incorporates them in to his kingdom purposes for the salvation of the world.

May you know this for your life this advent, as Elizabeth did for hers, and like her, may you be filled with the Holy Spirit this Christmas. As she named the child “John” may you too accept and name your identity according to God’s definition of your life and not according to “the relatives,” to all those things of the past that have characterized and limited the generations before you. No more “dumb and dumber!” This Christmas, as for Elizabeth, let it truly be “sweet and sweeter!”

DO NOT FORGET THAT THERE IS NO SERVICE NEXT SUNDAY BECAUSE INSTEAD WE ARE MEETING ON SATURDAY EVENING AT 6:00 P.M. FOR OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE. ALSO, DO NOT FORGET TO BRING AN APPETIZER! SEE YOU THERE!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

CHRISTMAS SERVICE: COSC will be holding it’s annual Candle Light Christmas Service at 6pm on Saturday, Dec. 19. There will be no service on Sunday morning, Dec. 20th. Please bring a plate of goodies, ready to serve, to share after the service (sweet or salty!)

MEN’S MINISTRY:

• Save the date for the COSC Men’s Retreat, January 30 -31.

• If you want to be added to the Men's Ministry Distribution list of men’s ministry activities and announcements email Matthew at matthew.tropiano@navy.mil.

CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR WASHINGTON HOME: Please remember our friends at the Washington Home this Christmas, and share our Lord’s love with a Christmas card to brighten their day. See below for the names and room numbers of WH residents. Cards should be addressed to The Washington Home, 3720 Upton St. NW, 20016 (indicate name, room number and A or B sideas well) and can be given to Terry Colvin, Kathy Gosselin, or Dan McCullough for delivery. Contact Dan if you would be interested in personally visiting the Home as well: 301-762-4408.

NAME Room#

1ST FLOOR RESIDENTS: "A" side of building.

Paul Ethridge 104
Betty Ewing 113
Blanca (Andrea) Schwartz 114
Moya King 123
Myrtel Purnel 126
Walter Brown 135

2nd FLOOR RESIDENTS: "B" side of building

Sharon Carter 203
Jack Bishop 226
Ruth Henderson 248

3rd FLOOR RESIDENTS: "A" side of building

Joseph Lynch 302
Elizabeth (Corty) Andrews 303
Tressie Little 311
Florence Perry 315
Qi Lin 323
Ruby Hart 326
Dorothy Gibson 332
Marie Buckner 336
Lucy McArdle 337
Myung Han 345
Geraldine Gibson (GG) 353
Barbara Bryant 354
Donna Wilkes 356
Nurses fm Sierra Leone – Vintia, Margaret, Christina

HEALING PRAYER TRAINING: We will be conducting training for level 1 on Saturdays from 9:30 - 1:30 pm. on Jan. 9, 24 and Feb. 6. If interested, please contact Deborah in the office. We cannot accommodate walk-ins. Cost is $25 for materials, payable at the first session

Donations for 2009 must be received in the church office (or must be postmarked) on or before December 31 to qualify as a 2009 contribution. Contribution statements for 2009 will be mailed by January 30, 2010. End of year checks designated for Care Company must be made out to “Care Company,” not COSC.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
Ads will be posted for up to 4 weeks. After that time period,
please contact the church office to see if space will permit the
ad to remain posted.

HOUSING AVAILABLE: Spacious, English basement apartment available for $1600/Mo including ALL utilities (and wi-fi) and private parking space. Newly finished, large 1 BD/1 BA basement apt. located at 10 & E NE beginning late Jan or early Feb. Apt includes full kitchen, full size W/D, natural light throughout, ample closet space, and private back entrance. Please contact Kristi Stofer at kpstofer@gmail.com if interested.

HOUSING AVAILABLE: Two rooms available for women in a 4 BR home on Rt. 50, 1 mile South of Clarendon. 2 full Baths, full kitchen, living room, dining room, basement. Washer/ Dryer and storage unit. Upstairs master BR available Jan. 1; smaller downstairs BR available mid Dec. Very reasonable rent. If interested, please e-mail TheParsonageLadies@gmail.com.

For Rent in SE DC, 2BR, 1Bath Home for rent to either a couple/family or to singles wanting to house-share East of the Anacostia. Very cute colonial cottage on quiet one-way street. Partly furnished. Side porch, nice front yard. Friendly neighbors. Share laundry facilities in Basement. Owner lives in Basement. 1200.00 Available Jan 15, 2010. Interested? Please contact Cynthia: 703-371-3392, cryabbafather@yahoo.com.

Christian male looking for Efficiency or 1 BD apartment, preferably furnished, Eastern Market or other convenient location to the Red or Orange/Blue line, contact Alvin at alvinkleong@gmail.com.

ASKING 3

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dearest family,

I hope the donuts and coffee break on Sunday helped to get you through the message! I realize that I probably was on “overload” but as I told you, I am having to resist extending this into a longer series than the original Fall intentions. Thank you for both your attention and your patience!

I know that I labored the point, but I was trying to say the same things different ways so that it was understood. I’m trying to rescue “asking” from being viewed as some lowbrow form of prayer, as if it is immature and selfish. In the light of what I have been teaching about the “asking” that characterizes the inter-relationships of the Godhead; in the light of the fact that it is sanctioned and commanded by the Father as normative communication of Father and Son and Spirit between themselves and between them and those they love; in the light of the fact that our asking not only is a premise of our relationship with God but also the product; in the light of the fact that our asking has more to do, not with our knowledge of our needs but our knowledge of Jesus, not with our requests for ourselves but our relationship with Jesus, not with our needy intercessions for others, but with our necessary intimacy with Jesus – in the light of all this, I say, how can we treat asking as a light or insignificant thing. I suggested that John 15 clinches it, where our asking is presented by Jesus both as the fruit of abiding but also as the deepening of our intimacy with Jesus.

I covered three areas of what I called loosely “PRE-ASKING CONSIDERATIONS.” These remind us that God is not some slot machine where our input gets a certain output. The fact is that our asking is not necessarily always unconditional. For the details you will need to get the CD/tape as I gave lots of references. A rough summary would be as follows:

PART ONE: Sadly, there may be no need for a thoughtful or careful preparation or consideration of what our asking should be, simply because we are not asking at all. Our communication with the Lord, our engagement with him, our request for his engagement with us, is just not on our radar. We go from day to day with little expression of our need or dependence on him. Our prayerlessness, our lack of asking is an evidence of our self-satisfaction, of the fact that we think we can manage without him. Because, as we have hopefully been convinced of by now, God wants relationship with us, and that relationship is fueled and fed by our asking and his answering, it is not surprising that God has ways of invading our ask-less state with his own ways and means for kick-starting us into asking. I suggested some of these ways that God seems to kick-start our asking:

1. by beginning the asking himself, and asking us questions;

2. by giving us the questions that we should ask, the things that we should ask for;

3. by being explicit about what he asks of us as a way to get us to reciprocate and ask Him for the help and resources to give him what he requests and requires;

4. by using adversity or crisis to get our attention and force us to ask why things are as they are so that we will get back on track in our asking of Him;

5. by telling people to ask of someone or something else, even before him, as a way to provoke asking of Him;

6. by being as direct as He can be and commanding us to ask!

PART TWO: Here’s a brief summary of some of the necessary pre-asking considerations and conditions that we should be aware of. When we pay heed to these, we will find that asking, our need and desire to ask, becomes such a motivation and contribution to our sanctification, to our maturing in godliness: asking keeps us growing. All these things condition our asking:

• Believing (Mk.11:24; Mt.21:22; Jn.14:12-14; James 1:6)

• Forgiving (Mk 11:25)

• Knowing he hears (1Jn.5:15)

• According to his will (1Jn. 5:13; Lk.22:42)

• Knowing the Father (Mt.6:9)

• Unity in agreement (Mt. 18:19-20)

• Boldness (Lk.11:8)

• Expectation (Ephs. 3:20)

• Experience of the Holy Spirit (Ephs.3:16-19)

• Pleasing him with uncondemned hearts (Ex.33:17; 1Jn.3:22)

PART THREE: Having already established that God hears us, scripture presents not just what God chooses to hear, but also what he refuses to hear. This has huge implications for our own communication, especially our assumptions and expectations of our asking. It is quite salutary to discover how many times God explicitly says he will not listen to what is asked of him; he will choose not to hear. Sometimes his choice not to hear is a response to our choice not to listen or heed his word and commands. Just as Jesus said that our refusal to forgive runs interference with our own reception of forgiveness, so God makes clear that there is a divinely reciprocated response to our refusal to hear. Following is a brief summary of some of these scriptural examples. Surely before you ask, it is worth checking if there are any reasons which might contribute to your asking being in vain?

1. Choosing other lordship (1 Sam. 8:18)

2. Willful disobedience (Dt.3:26)

3. Meaningless religion (Isa. 1:13-15)

4. Living a double life (Jer.7:16)

5. Refusing justice (Zech.7:13)

6. Not choosing what God has chosen (Isa.58:2ff)

7. Unrepented and unconfessed sin (Isa. 59:2; Ps. 66:18)

8. Ignoring the laws and holiness and justice of God (Pvbs. 28:9; Pvbs. 21:13; Isa. 58:4; Mic. 4:2-4)

9. Failure to accept God’s wisdom (Pvbs. 1:24-30)

Twenty-five points! Hardly a three-point sermon, but at least it was a three-part one! Meditate on the parable of the friend at midnight (Lk.11:5-8) that I referred to at the end of the message. I urge you to begin your asking today by asking the Holy Spirit to blast away three barriers that often present themselves to the child of God, when it comes to the need to ask:

• Circumstance’s resistance: It’s so easy to believe that things are too far gone, we’re in too deep, we’ve waited too long; things seem impossible, entrenched, unchangeable, impossible. We learn to adapt and say we’ll live with it, put up with it, accommodate it, endure it, work around it, ignore it, not expect too much from it.

• Our reticence: We end up characterized by our own uncertainty, faithlessness, doubt, double-mindedness, distrust, disinterest, fear, condemnation, procrastination, lack of desire, loss of hope.

• God’s reluctance: This is such a lie of the devil, that God is somehow asleep on the job, uninvolved, passive, mercurial, hard to please, capricious, biased towards everyone but me, reluctant to respond, unengaged.

These three barriers oppose our freedom to know God as a “friend at midnight”, to ask boldly and to expect a trustworthy response.

When all the pre-considerations and conditions are said and done, never forget that it is first about the God we ask, than about the things we ask for. He hears us, he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him, and he is the Father who does what is right by his children. In our asking, here’s to desire born out of desperation; here’s to boldness born out of brokenness; here’s to requesting born out of relationship. Ask and keep on asking, because to ask is to relate with God and be drawn in to the counsels of the Godhead!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

WOMEN'S MINISTRY: The women’s monthly Saturday Supper will be on November 21 from 6-8 pm. This month's supper will be a Bead for Life party, featuring beaded jewelry made by Ugandan women raising themselves out of poverty. These beautiful pieces of jewelry make excellent Christmas and birthday gifts. The event will be at Elizabeth McBurney's home (717 East Timber Branch Parkway, Alexandria, VA 22302). You are encouraged to invite friends and family members.

MEN’S MINISTRY: Save the date for our next COSC Men’s Breakfast, December 5th from 9 - 10:30am. Kelly Doley Will be leading our discussion. Childcare will be provided.

HEALING PRAYER: The evening of Healing Prayer will be held on Tuesday, November 24th at 7:30 PM. This prayer service is open to all those currently attending a COSC homegroup. Individuals may sit and pray silently or schedule a 30 minute prayer appointment. If you would like to participate you must call Deborah at 202-544-9599.

CARE COMPANY :

• Many thanks to the homegroups who have contacted Care Company about sponsoring a trafficked youth for Christmas! For those homegroups who are interested but have not contacted Monique yet, please do so as soon as possible.

• The South East White House is in need of two computers, to be used for tutoring and job skills training. Please e-mail Monique if you would like to donate. monique@carecompnanydc.org

CHRISTMAS DECORATING: With Christmas quickly approaching, we need volunteers to help decorate the church on Sunday Dec 6. We will be hanging greens and wreaths in the sanctuary, fellowship hall, and on the front doors. Lunch will be provided! Please email the office if you can help.

CALL FOR POETRY: If you have written a poem about the advent season, joy, or any of the women in the lineage of Christ, please consider submitting it for inclusion in the Women’s Advent Evening. Email inquiries or submissions to Abigail Knutson at abster268@msn.com.

For general questions or building use inquiries, send an e-mail to office@christourshepherd.org.

To communicate updates for the pastoral letter and/ or the church bulletin, send an e-mail to ben@christourshepherd.org. The church bulletin will be completed by end of day on Thursdays.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
Ads will be posted for up to 4 weeks. After that time period,
please contact the church office to see if space will permit the
ad to remain posted.

HOUSING AVAILABLE: Newly finished, large 1 BD/1 BA basement apt. available at 10 & E NE beginning February 2010. 15 minute walk to Union Station and Eastern Market. Apartment includes full kitchen, full size w/d, natural light throughout, ample closet space, private back entrance. $1700/month including all utilities (gas/heat, water, electric, wireless internet) and private parking space. Please contact Kristi Stofer at kpstofer@gmail.com.

HOUSING AVAILABLE: A one bedroom apt. has become available in the same building as the Prichards, 1507 Isherwood St. NE 20002. $1,000/month.

HOUSING AVAILABLE: Two rooms available for women in a 4 BR home on Rt. 50, 1 mile South of Clarenton. 2 full Baths, full kitchen, living room, dinign room, basement. Washer/ Dryer and storage unit. Upstairs master BR available Jan. 1; smaller downstairs BR available mid Dec. Very reasonable rent. If interested, please e-mail TheParsonageLadies@gmail.com.

ROOMMATE/ROOM WANTED: CF in mid-20s looking for 1 or 2 CFs to share a 2 or 3 bdr apt./ house in the city, preferably on Capital Hill. Would like to start lease Nov. 1 or later. If interested, contact Ani at ani.shahinian@gmail.com.

ASKING 2

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dearest family,

As we get in to our new series on that non-negotiable aspect of prayer that is ASKING, we are first trying to establish a “theology of asking.” All truth must be founded and grounded in who God is. So before we ask God about anything, or for anything, what is it about God that validates our asking? What is it about God that assures us about our asking? In what way is our asking of God premised on the attributes of God? Or to put it another way, how does our communication actually relate to his character. Let’s keep this simple and to the point. I mentioned a couple of important starting places, that we could describe as the doctrine of God, and the doctrine of man.

First of all, we looked at three important characteristics of the nature of God.

• By his nature God registers and receives what we ask for. He is a transmitter, he speaks, but he is also a receiver, he hears. One of the sections of scripture that is most populated by asking is, not surprisingly, the Psalms. It is there that we discover one of the great descriptions of God, one of the most marvelous names for God. In Ps. 65:2 – “O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come.” In other words, God, by virtue of his personhood, exists to be receptive to what we ask. In his nature, he is the one who hears what we ask. Divinity is eternally wired for our asking. Our asking is in vain if God does not hear, so the psalmist’s description of God’s nature, “O you who hears prayer” is essential truth. God is a receiver to those who ask. He hears! If you think about it, all spiritual life is premised on the fact that God has ears to hear. You bank on it. There is no salvation, no prayer, no nothing if God does not hear. Scripture affirms that God hears:

• “Does he who implanted the ear not hear “ (Ps.94:9) “his ear is not dull to hear” (Isa. 59:1)

• The deliverance of the futures of two great nations that determined world history is couched in the words “God heard the boy crying…” (Gen. 16:11) referring to Ishmael and “God heard their groaning, and remembered his covenant” (Ex.2:24) referring to enslaved Israel. A NT example: “ the cries of the workers reached God’s ears” (Jms. 5:4)

• The conviction and relief that God hears is presented in so many ways: people talk about the “ears of the Lord” (1Sam.8:21), “my cry came into his ears” (Ps.18) Give ear O Lord (2Kgs. 19:16), You hear O Lord (Ps.10:17), may your ear be attentive (2Chrons.6:40), incline your ear to me (Ps.17:6), listen to my cry (Ps.5:2), bow down your ear (Ps.31:2), his ears are open (Ps.34:15) give ear to my words… to my prayer… to my voice (Ps. 5:1, 17:1, 141:1) hear me when I call (Ps.4:1) hear me in the day of trouble… hear me speedily…. (Ps.20:1, 143:7)

• Nowhere is the assurance of God’s hearing more emphatic than in the repeated testimony of Jesus at Lazarus’ tomb: “Father I thank you that you have heard me. I knew you always hear me!” (Jn.11:42) Do you catch the confidence and joy and relief and gratitude and love in this statement?

This encourages asking. No one expresses this joy better than John in his first epistle that Bo is currently teaching from: (5:14) “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” The second characteristic we looked at was this:

• By his nature God is a rewarder of those who ask aright. “Anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6) This is important. It is not just about believing that God exists but believing that he exists to both hear and to reward those who ask of him. God will not allow those two things to be separated: that he lives and that he listens. This is precisely what separates the true God from false gods. He is a living and listening God, they are dead and deaf idols. God receives and is responsive to what is heard. He is not impassive and implacable. From this truth alone, that God exists to hear what is asked of him, we can infer the other attributes, and his mercy and grace. This speaks of his desire to respond, but also his need to be asked. Specifically in scripture God invites people to ask of him. (Check out the example I gave in Isaiah 7 when God invited Ahaz to “ask for the moon.”)especially his love

The third characteristic I will deal with again when we look at Jesus’ teaching on ASKING but it needs to be mentioned in our foundational “theology of asking”:

• By his nature God is a Father to those who are his children by adoption through faith in Jesus Christ. God is the one who hears and God is the one who rewards. We have seen that both of these attributes give confidence (the very word John used) to our asking. But there is a third descriptor. Here we have a confidence that is born and nurtured and experienced in filial relationship and trust. It is the most natural thing in the world for children to ask the father. Is not this precisely the attribute that Jesus most emphasizes when it comes to asking? If earthly fathers will give their sons what they ask, “how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Lk.11:13) And how does the prayer that Jesus taught as a model for all our asking begin? “Our Father…” How did Jesus always ask? “I will ask the Father…” (Jn.14:16) You can understand why any lack of conviction about or trust in God’s fathering, whatever its source or root, is in such need of healing, because it is such a hindrance to the assurance of intimate asking.

So let’s summarize. As we get in to this series on asking I am trying to establish a theology of asking which requires that we be rooted it in the doctrine of God. It has its validity because of the nature of God. I have suggested three aspects of God’s nature that irrefutably establish the possibility of our asking (he hears), the desirability of our asking (he rewards) and the confidence of our asking (he is our Father) The key word is confidence! The atoning work of Jesus has opened up a new and living way for us and as Heb. 10:19 tells us “we have confidence” with this access, with “full assurance of faith” , to ASK!

The point about the nature of man can be precisely expressed. If my first point in this assembling of a theology of asking had to do with the nature of God that invites us to ask, then my second point has to do with the nature of man that insists we should ask. Simply put, man’s nature is creature in relation to God’s nature as Creator. Therefore, by definition, there is a creational dependency of man upon God. This dependency is specially communicated in our need to ask, which speaks of our creaturely limitations and needs, but of God’ s largesse and provision as Creator. Because we are not God, and are finite and limited and ignorant and powerless, our nature insists that we ask! It’s really interesting that in the NT, probably the only prayer which is treated with disdain and not responded to is the prayer of the Pharisee in the parable of the publican and Pharisee. (Lk. 18:10) Through Jesus here, we are getting nothing less than God’s take on things. The prayer is treated as an aberration of humanity for one reason – he asked God for nothing. This reinforces asking as an expression of our dependence on God, on necessary humility, and on a trusting submission to his will. Pharisees don’t ask! The lack of our asking presumably means we are doing fine and have need of nothing. We get so used to self-management. We don’t inquire of the Lord. God’s nature invites us to ask. Our nature insists that we do. Not to ask is to both deny our nature and to defy His nature. Do you see how important asking is both to God and to us?

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

NEWCOMER’S CLASS: We held a Newcomers Class last Thursday, but are aware that some may not have been able to attend. Therefore we are considering a make-up class. Please e-mail ben@christourshepherd.org if you would be interested in attending.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY: The Monthly Evening Bible Study for October will be on Friday the 23rd, from 6:30- 8:30pm, including dinner. Theme for this study and discussion: Balancing Community and SelfSufficiency. Host is Tritia Yuen, contact her at tritiayuen@gmail.com if you have any questions.

PARENTING CONFERENCE: NCC is hosting a parenting conference at Ebenezers Coffehouse (201 F St. NE) on Nov. 14 from 9am - 3:30pm. It will be a simulcast conference by Focus on the Family brining together a team of parenting experts. To purchase tickets ($25/ person), mail a check, made out to National Community Church, to Grace Brown, 723 11th St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 and your tickets will be mailed to you.

BABY SHOWER: Ladies, you are invited to a Baby Shower for Abigail Knutson, Sunday Nov. 1 from 3 - 5pm at Lou Rajack’s home. Come ready to shower baby Ethan with scripture and prayer. RSVP to Lou, 703-573-1046 or lou_rajack@hotmail.com. Contact Kristi at 202-379-8930, if you would like to contribute towards a group gift.

JOY AT WORK: Join Jerry Herbert and Nyack College, DC for workshops on Nov. 14 & 21 and explore realistic, biblical ways to enjoy and find meaning in your work. Workshops cost $50 separately or $75 for both. Contact Charity Haubrich at 202-220-1330 to register or learn more.

STUDENT FELLOWSHIP: If you are a graduate student and would like to meet other Christian graduate students on campus for fellowship and encouragement, please contact Kevin Offner (koffner@verizon.net) who ministers to graduate students in the Washington, DC area with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

CALL FOR POETRY: If you have written a poem about the advent season, joy, or any of the women in the lineage of Christ, please consider submitting it for inclusion in the Women’s Advent Tea. Email inquiries or submissions to Abigail Kutson at abster268@msn.com.

For general questions or building use inquiries, send an e-mail to office@christourshepherd.org.

To communicate updates for the pastoral letter and/ or the church bulletin, send an e-mail to ben@christourshepherd.org. The church bulletin will be completed by end of day on Thursdays.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
Ads will be posted for up to 4 weeks. After that time period,
please contact the church office to see if space will permit the
ad to remain posted.

ROOM FOR RENT: Large room available Nov. 1 for CF with 2 females + 1 cat. Nice house at 6th and E Streets, NE. $734/month + utilities. Possibility of furnished or short-term. If interested, contact Liz at lizzokennedy@gmail.com.

Jesse Tree Workshop: Amy Herbert will be holding the next Jesse Tree workshop on Saturday, November 7th from 9am-12:30pm. The deadline for registration is October 23rd. Please contact her at amyherbert@verizon.net for detailed information.

ROOMMATE/ROOM WANTED: CF in mid-20s looking for 1 or 2 CFs to share a 2 or 3 bdr apt./ house in the city, preferably on Capital Hill. Would like to start lease Nov. 1 or later. If interested, contact Ani at ani.shahinian@gmail.com.

EVENING OF HEALING PRAYER:
The Evening of Healing Prayer will be held on Tuesday, October 27th at 7:30 PM. This prayer service is open to all those currently attending a COSC homegroup. Individuals may sit and pray silently or schedule a 30 minute prayer appointment. If you would like to participate you must call Deborah at 202-544-9599 by end of day Monday

ASKING 1

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dearest family,

There’s so much going on at the moment it seems, but hopefully it is all accessible and absorbable! Tonight will be the Eucharist that follows up the presentations on generational sin and generational healing. On Sunday I launched a new series on the subject of “asking”. Next weekend is the retreat and then Bo will be starting a new series too on the epistles of John. I think there will be plenty of spiritual nutrition on the table for all to feed and to digest something for spiritual growth and maturity.

I don’t know where to begin to summarize some of the things I covered last Sunday by way of introduction. If you need to, please get the CD/cassette. I’m essentially trying to present a “theology of asking” and as I shared with you, the more one examines the scriptural contexts where this is addressed and taught, encouraged and commanded, the more one realizes how much life-changing, discipleship -nurturing truth there is about this. I explained to you how I came to revisit this whole subject of asking in prayer. Let me repeat what I prayed would characterize our treatment and approach in this series.

1. It will be scriptural. Our inquiry will take us to many different passages that will require some exposition. We need to be founded and grounded in the text.

2. It will be devotional. By that I mean that I want our discussion to be conducted by those who are devoted to Jesus and devout about deepening their communication and therefore their relationship with God. I’m not interested in you simply having a theology of asking. I want you to receive this less as a corpus of good teaching, but more as a blood-bank. This is about a theology that transfuses life. I’m reminded again of that quote from Spurgeon that I quote so often, that we should study the Word until our very blood becomes bibline.

3. It will be pastoral. I’m concerned about pastoral application of these truths and the fact is that this subject of asking raises some challenging questions of its own that require wisdom and tenderness in their resolutions. I want the fruit of nurture and nourishment for spiritual growth and maturity.

4. It will be partial. By nature, if I get into something, I love to apply myself to it and gnaw it to the bone. However, it is not my intention to produce those 20 messages or so I referred to on Sunday! I cannot and will not attempt to be exhaustive about this subject. My concern is simply to kick-start you. I’m going to be a dump-truck, and then leave you with a mess to landscape, and then run away and hide as quickly as possible!

5. It will be influential. Make no mistake about it. Despite the above disclaimer I feel intensely about the outcomes. I want to influence with intent. My prayer is that by examining this particular feature of asking, new horizons of possibilities will be opened up to you in your understanding of prayer, in your practice of prayer, in your experience and expectation of prayer.

6. It will be emotional. Surprise, surprise! There are two very different kinds of emotion that are in play here. For some there may be the inchoate, the confusing, the disappointing emotions that cling like spores to the things that have been asked for that have not been delivered. We have to acknowledge these realities. Truth bids us do so. We are not William James-ian pragmatists, believing faith in the fact creates the fact. Name it and claim it has its roots more in American materialist-secularist philosophy than in biblical faith. I am asking that this subject will stir your affections; that the blade of the word will plough areas of hardness in your heart where expectation has been trampled down and where the fresh rain of trust needs to fall; that filial responses to God will be renewed – you’ll see why this is vital to asking. Frankly, thinking of the other kind of emotion, I’m asking that what Jesus said would be, will be for you, “Ask…and your joy will be complete.” (Jn. 16:24)

7. 7. It will be crucial. I’ve been trying hard to avoid the use of the word prayer only because it has become so woolly and generalized in many people’s minds and practice. All sorts of expressions pass for prayer that maybe are not prayer, but more like recitations and observations and incantations and reflections. What I am unashamed to emphasize in this series is that fundamental to a biblical understanding of prayer is asking. Prayer is asking! Asking is crucial to prayer. When our confidence in asking erodes, then prayer dissipates into general conversation. We may bring our meaning-well and wishing-well sentiments but somehow we back off the specific asking. Why do we back off? There are reasons for this that that we can look at in coming days. But make no mistake about it. By talking about asking we’re dealing with the heart of prayer. Sometimes people talk about prayer and praise, prayer and meditation, which is all fine and good and right but sometimes we need to state the obvious – prayer is about asking! Deny that, dilute that and you will find that the bones of your prayer life will start to suffer from spiritual osteoporosis.

What was really interesting to me was that when I began to focus afresh on this matter of asking, I noticed how little there was that was actually written about it or taught about it. I surveyed over 20 high-circulation books on prayer and found very little. Asking was always just assumed. By the way, if you need to buy a good one, get Andrew Murray’s “With Christ in the School of Prayer.” I re-read it a while ago and it was wonderful because it was all about Jesus; all about asking in Jesus’ Name. (I will do a session on that.)

So join me in the coming weeks as we go back to the Word (I found myself checking over 800 verses that deal with the subject in one way or other.) It is a timely pursuit in my life right now, and I am expecting to be transformed by it. One year to the weekend, I told some folk that I was going to find time to prepare a fresh series dealing with these matters, but given the mass of material, there was a lot of slow study and exegesis to do, not counting the time it takes to apply what one is learning and marinade in it. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve hardly made a dent, but even attempting to address the subject now, is a needful exercise for my life as much as yours, so forgive me if these sessions minister only to my need to work out and discharge what I am learning and re-learning! Listen in if you want to! JUST ASK!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

COSC Family Retreat This Weekend, October 3-4
There will be no Sunday Service in the church building. See you at the retreat!

Announcements

Please pray for VAL LUNDQUIST for complete healing from a serious
back injury. You may contact the office
for updated progress.

BAPTISM SERVICE: We will be conducting a baptism service on October 25th. COSC members who are interested in being baptized should contact the church office as soon as possible for more details.

HOMEGROUP: The Keffler homegroup, which meets in Arlington, is switching their meeting time to Thursdays at 7:30 PM. Call Aaron or Maria at 703-971-3818 if you are interested in attending.

MEN’S MINISTRY: Save the date, 17 October, for a Collaborative Men’s reakfast (Grace, Advent, Ascension, WCF, Rez and COSC) at Casa Del Pueblo Methodist Church, 1459 Columbia Rd. NW from 9 AM - 11 AM. Call Luke ((562) 441-6084) or email Matthew (matthew.tropiano@navy.mil) if you can provide a casserole, and please pray for this event.

NEWCOMER’S CLASS: For anyone interested in becoming a member of COSC, there will be a newcomers class on Thursday, October 15th at 7:30 PM in the Fellowship hall. If you are interested in attending, you must call the church office.

COMMUNION SET-UP: We are looking to set up a communion preparation team for the next 6 months. If you would be interested in helping, please contact Deborah at the church office or by e-mail at deborah@christourshepherd.org.

NIGHT OF PRAYER: Join us as we pray together on Saturday, October 10th from 7 - 9 PM.

For general questions or building use inquiries, send an e-mail to office@christourshepherd.org.

To communicate updates for the pastoral letter and/or the church bulletin, send an e-mail to ben@christourshepherd.org. The church bulletin will be completed by end of day on Thursdays.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.
Ads will be posted for up to 4 weeks. After that time period,
please contact the church office to see if space will permit the
ad to remain posted.

ROOMMATE WANTED: Room available for CF. Large attic room in a house with 2 CF’s + 1 cat. Nice house at 6th & E Streets, NE. $734 a month + utilities. Possibility of furnished or short-term. If interested, contact Liz at lizzokennedy@gmail.com.

ROOMMATE WANTED: CF in mid-20s looking for 1 or 2 CFs to share a 2 or 3 bdr apt./house in the city, preferably on Capital Hill. Would like to start least November 1 or later. If interested, contact Ani at ani.shahinian@gmail.com.

HOUSING NEEDED: Seeking short-term (2-6 month) room rental from mature Christian woman or couple, or longer-term with CF young professionals. Metro accessible is needed; my car is still in California! Kristen, kharitao@yahoo.com or 650-793-3756

GENERATIONAL HEALING

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dearest family,

On Sunday we took time to give what amounted to a long notice about a particular aspect of our healing prayer ministry, in which context we sometimes have to deal with issues that have generational roots as well as fruits, where the freeing, redeeming and healing work of Jesus is needed. It’s not always about the more obvious sins and traumas which I certainly mentioned on Sunday. Sometimes it has to do with patterns of passive unengagement or non-involvement that leaves a legacy of unformed and unencouraged personhood. My aim on Sunday was merely to put the headline facts before you. There is a RELATIONSHIP of influence and effect between generations. The sons of the fathers do affect the sons. Scripture talks about “like mother like daughter.” Of course, there is equally an inheritance of possible blessing and giftedness. It is not one-sided. I also stressed the biblical call to RESPONSIBILITY to every generation.

So here’s the summary of what we’re trying to do and when as we want to be those described by the call of Isaiah 58:12 who raise up “the foundations of many generations.”

1. On Sunday I affirmed some spiritual facts about generational sin and the spiritual need for generational healing.

2. On Saturday, this coming Saturday September 26th, from 7-9p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, Celia will be leading a seminar with further teaching, including DVD input from Francis Macnutt and Peter Horrobin, and practical help to assemble and discern your family tree (genogram) in preparation for prayer and healing and deliverance.

3. The third session will be on Tuesday September 29 th, which is our customary monthly Healing Prayer service at 7:30p.m. here in the Sanctuary. We always end this time with Communion but on this occasion we will be dedicating the entire time to leading a Generational Healing Eucharist so we can bring these family trees to the altar to put them under the blood of Christ, to avail ourselves of the power of the cross where all iniquity was borne, and leave them behind.

For this venture I asked “What is our hope?” here is some of my response.

1. In the midst of the cycles of all these changing and changeable generations, of your generations, however they are described, or have been experienced, we need to note what has remained the same and what is good and always available for every generation. Of course, it is the changeless God of creation, God of all generation and regeneration. To the sin of a generation, his redemptive love and power brings regeneration. Listen to these texts for they establish our hope on the basis of who God is to, and through the generations without ever a millisecond break in their histories: His faithfulness is to all generation (Ps. 119:20); My righteousness and salvation will continue from generation to generation (Isa. 51:8); Though father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me (Ps. 27:10); Your dominion endures through all generations (Ps. 145:4); Your throne endures from generation to generation (Jer.2:31); God’s covenant is for all generations to come (Gen. 9:12); Your memory is perpetuated through all generations (Ps. 45:16); His name I AM by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation (Ex. 3:15); Keeping covenant of love to a thosand generations who love him and keep his commands (Dt.7:9); The plans and purposes of the Lord stand firm through all generations (Ps. 33:11); Your renown endures through all generations (Ps. 102:12); Your mercy extends to those who fear you from generation to generation (Lk. 1:48) 2

2. The fact that we are applying this teaching at a eucharist a week Tuesday expresses the basis of our assurance, not only in who God is, but who Jesus is and what God did through Jesus’ work on the cross. All iniquity was laid on him. Iniquity is the common word used to translate the generational sin, the sin of others, that affects us, that imposes its consequences on us. Because of the cross, we can confess our generational sin, we can repent of our generational sin, we can forgive the generations and their representatives that have afflicted us, that have invited such oppression into our generational life, that have worshiped an imposter and accepted a counterfeit.

3. The basis of our assurance that there is hope after generational sin has to do with the fact that when we commit our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, when we come to the cross to repent of the sin for which we are accountable and responsible in our generation, something incredible happens. No wonder Jesus described it as being born again. Is there any wonder that the devil seeks to belittle and mock this description of salvation above all others, that to be called a “born again” is a term of abuse. “What is born of the flesh is flesh…” That is describing the natural means and results of human generation. But “what is born of the spirit is spirit.” This is the spiritual means of regeneration! To be born again is not, as Jesus said, to be born of blood, but of God. The whole context in which we live our personal histories now has been radically changed. One of the outcomes of being translated in to a new kingdom is that we are now part of a totally different generation. It is not the generation of our earthly forbears that principally defines our lives or our prospects, but what scripture describes as “the generation of Jesus Christ.” No longer is the main issue about our respective genealogies. We need to know that they no longer have any power over us. Their influence and bondage needs to cease, be cut off. Not only do we have a new father, we have a whole new family in this generation. Jesus said, “whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister.” The misery and depression that was contingent with our generational sin, has been transformed into a celebration shout as, by the spirit of adoption, we all cry “Abba! Father!” Now we understand the purpose of the cross as expressed in Isaiah 53:10 “It was the Lord’s will to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs.” The cross inaugurates a whole new kind of inheritance. We can be delivered from every generational sin and its judgment into the generation of Jesus Christ! Because of the cross, the curse of generational sin is past. The cross stands between us and our ancestors, our familials, and their sin shall not have dominion over us. We will not give the demonic a place in our lives to rest and roost and lay claim to another generation. We are the property of Jesus, we are his heirs, we will live as sons and daughters of the Father. Hallelujah!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

Please pray for VAL LUNDQUIST for complete
healing from a serious back injury. You may
contact the office for updated progress.

NEW HOMEGROUP: The Livingstons will be hosting a new Homegroup on Capitol Hill on Sunday evenings. Please call Scott Livingston at 202-369-1554 if you are interested in attending

MEN’S MINISTRY: There will be a men’s breakfast on Saturday, August 26th. Food and fellowship will begin at 9:00 AM, and Kirk Mitchell will share a testimony and lead us into discussion beginning at 9:30. Childcare will be provided. If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Tropiano (matthew.tropiano@navy.mil) or Luke Sunukjian (562-441-6084).

MEN’S MINISTRY: Save the date, 17 October, for a Collaborative Men’s reakfast (Grace, Advent, Ascension, WCF, Rez and COSC) at Casa Del Pueblo Methodist Church, 1459 Columbia Rd. NW from 9 AM - 11 AM. Call Luke ((562) 441- 6084) or email Matthew (matthew.tropiano@navy.mil) if you can provide a casserole, and please pray for this event.

WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Join us this fall for a monthly evening Bible Study on topics affecting women. We'll be hosted by Tritia Yuen (450 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Apt 824) and our first gathering will be Friday, September 25th, from 6:30-8:30 for dinner and Bible study. This month's topic: Role of Women in the Church. Contact Tritia at tritiayuen@gmail.com for more details.

NEWCOMER’S CLASS: For anyone interested in becoming a member of COSC, there will be a newcomers class on Thursday, October 15th at 7:30 PM in the Fellowship hall. If you are interested in attending, you must call the church office.

The COSC Church Retreat will take place on the weekend of October 3-4 in Harrisonburg, VA. The final deadline for Registration is this Sunday, September 27th.

For general questions or building use inquiries, send an e-mail to office@christourshepherd.org.

To communicate updates for the pastoral letter and/or the church bulletin, send an e-mail to ben@christourshepherd.org. The church bulletin will be completed by end of day on Thursdays.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.

ROOMMATE WANTED: 4-person Capital Hill rowhouse looking for Christian female starting Oct. 1. Rent is $560 plus util. Lease would begin Oct. 1. If interested contact Amy, amyserridge@gmail.com

ROOMMATE WANTED: 1 bdr available w/a new full -sized bed for condo in Ballston includes full use of the guest bathroom Washer/dryer in unit, wi-fi, fully furnished. Rent is $1100/month not including utilities. If interested please contact Jennifer Lee at jenndlee@gmail.com.

ROOMMATE WANTED: Room available for CF. Large attic room in a house with 2 CF’s + 1 cat. Nice house at 6th & E Streets, NE. $734 a month + utilities. Possibility of furnished or short-term. If interested, contact Liz at lizzokennedy@gmail.com.

ROOMMATE WANTED: CF in mid-20s looking for 1 or 2 CFs to share a 2 or 3 bdr apt./house in the city, preferably on Capital Hill. Would like to start least November 1 or later. If interested, contact Ani at ani.shahinian@gmail.com.

JOB: Grace DC Pres. Church is seeking a nursery supervisor for 1-2 year olds (around 12- 15 of them) and helping to manage the weekly vol. (4-5 adult church members). Hours will be Sundays 4-7pm. Should have prior experience working w/children. $20/hour. Please contact Emily Baldwin, 202-285-0613, Emily.baldwin@gmail.com

HOUSING NEEDED: Seeking short-term (2-6 month) room rental from mature Christian woman or couple, or longer-term with CF young professionals. Metro accessible is needed; my car is still in California! Kristen, kharitao@yahoo.com or 650-793-3756

Remember to pray for our city and nation on Friday afternoon during the time of the public Islamic call to prayer on the mall.

JOY

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dear family,

I covered a lot of ground on Sunday so I suggest you get the tape or download the MP3 for follow-up! Remember the main point, that we have an opportunity, to use Paul’s term to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 1:24) to be a “helper” of another’s joy. The fruit of the Spirit that is joy should equally be a mark of corporate identity, and I spoke about ways that we could increase the joy of a community, not just our own personal lives.

I thought you might be interested in the compact summary I put together of Jonathan Edwards’ argumentation for taking joy seriously (to use a C.S. Lewis term!) Edwards argues that at the end of the day, there are two primary distinguishing marks of a transforming work of the Spirit of God: love to Christ and joy in Christ. Regardless of any other manifestations or miracles, that’s it. Assess your life and your ministry, assess transformation and revival by these he argues, and he had seen it all. Is there an increase in your love for Jesus and is there an increase in your joy in Jesus. Is there? To quote him: “Joy in Christ is one of the most basic exercises of true faith and its nature is supernatural and glorified. True faith must consist in holy affections.” Edwards bolstered his argument with other pertinent observations.

• The fact is that scripture teaches that the activities of the heart and will are strong and vigorous. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord…be joyful in hope.” (Rom. 12:11)

• We cannot live without affections: they were given by the Creator and are the well-spring of our actions.

• Things only take hold of us in so far as they affect us.

• He argues that all of this is equally inferred by biblical descriptions of a heart that is estranged from God, that is described as hard and unaffected and joyless.

• The most eminent saints, he points out, were people of strong affections. Strong apostolic ministry, global mission, is born in strong apostolic affection. Why are we surprised then that Paul mentions joy more than any other apostle. Over 21 major mentions and treatments. Next comes John with 9!

Jonathan Edward’s observations about this vigorous affection of JOY are direct and simple so let me use them as a convenient summary to at least agree we are dealing with something of great import and magnitude. I am reducing a mass of biblical material to a sound byte so don’t judge God or Edwards by my presentation here! It will at least serve to throw you in to the biblical argumentation and truth about joy.

1. It is the strong affection of God: “He will exult over you with loud singing…” (Zeph. 3:17)

2. It is the strong affection of heaven: “Let us rejoice and give him glory” (Rev. 19:7)

3. It is the strong affection of Jesus: “Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit said I praise you father…” (Lk. 10:21) 4

4. It was the strong affection released through the incarnation: “I bring you good news of great joy” (Lk. 2:10)

5. It is a strong affection and fruit of the Holy Spirit: “The fruit of the Spirit is joy” (Gal. 5:22) “The kingdom of God is (a matter of) joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17)

6. It is the strong affection that is the accompanying and sustained gift and manifestation of salvation and knowing God through the finished work of Jesus Christ: “In his joy he went and sold all he had” (Mt. 13:44) “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Mt. 15:7-10) “The ransomed of the Lord…. ever-lasting joy will crown their heads…joy will overtake them” (Isa. 35:10)

7. It is the strong affection that characterizes those who love God and are revived: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love so that we may sing for joy all our days” (Ps. 90:14) Lack of joy is a sign of unrevivedness or back-sliddenness. “Make me hear joy and gladness that the bones you have broken may rejoice…Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” (Ps. 51:8, 12)

8. 8. It is the strong affection that inspires, accompanies and results from spiritual duties:
   a) Prayer: “I always pray with joy” (Phil. 1:4); “I will give them joy in my house of prayer” (Isa. 56:7); “ask…and your joy will be complete” (Jn. 16:24)
   b) Word: “The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart” (Ps. 19:8); “When your words came…they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jer. 15:16); “You welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 1:6)
   c) Gatherings: “At his tabernacle I will sacrifice with shouts of joy” (Ps. 27:6); “They offered great sacrifices because God had given them great joy!” (Neh. 12:43)

9. It is the strong affection that is the source of spiritual strength and release: “The joy of the Lord is our strength” (Neh. 8:10)

10. It is the strong affection that will always be the fruit, the outcome, the product of truly spiritual ministry: “We work with you for your joy” (2 Cor. 1:24)

11. It is a strong affection that is independent of circumstance: “Blessed are you when you are rejected…rejoice and leap for joy!” (Lk. 6:33)

12. It is a strong affection that is commanded: ”Be joyful always” (1 Thess. 5:16) Lewis understood this: “In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”

13. It is a strong affection that God withdraws as a judgment or punishment: “The joy of the harp ceases…all joy is darkened” (Isa. 24: 5-8)

Any questions about the necessity for joy as a fruit of our lives?

Joyfully yours and wishing to be a helper of your joy,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

ISO musicians, dancers, worship leaders for Kids Worship, which takes place every Sunday at 11:45am on the first floor for all the Sunday School classes. Steve Kho, sjkho@me.com

Please be praying for Urban Hands—our theme scripture this year is Matthew 6:33, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Come see the COSC Flock softball game on 20 July, field 3 at West Potomac Park (off of Ohio Drive behind the FDR memorial) at 7:00pm! Contact Anne Hall (anne.hall16@gmail.com)

if you have any questions! If you consider COSC your church home for this season of your life, please make sure the office has your current contact information for inclusion in the directory. We list emails, mailing address and telephone numbers.

The Evening of Healing Prayer in July will be open for sitting in prayer. We will not have appointments, but anyone regularly attending homegroups who would like to come and soak in an atmosphere of prayer and take communion is welcome. Do call the office and speak to Deborah if you plan to attend. Tuesday, July 28 at 7:30pm (to about 8:45/9:00) 202-544-9599, extension 10.

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.

HOUSING AVAILABLE (for women): -Alexandria: Sept 1 – Looking for CF to share Kingstowne 4 BR/3.5 BA townhouse with three. $584/mo +utils. Room upstairs shares full bath with one roommate. Shared living room/dining room/kitchen/ basement living room/upstairs attic storage/and laundry with washer/dryer. Free gym membership. Summer outdoor pool. Near shopping, I395/495, walking/biking trails. Missi, missi.evans@yahoo.com

-Chinatown: Looking for Christian female subletter in Chinatown (DC), Aug-Sept. Furnished sunroom. Apartment features shared bathroom with washer & dryer; A/C; high-speed wireless internet and cable TV; two wonderful roommates, both working in international development. We're looking for a Christian female in her 20's or 30's who's neat and friendly. $750/mo +utils (approx $65/mo). Garage parking (extra). Dawn, dancerdawn05@yahoo.com

-East Falls Church: 1 bedroom with private bath for rent in SFH for single woman in Cape Cod SFH 3.5 blocks from East Falls Church metro. The 3 others are single professionals in their 20s, one is also in grad school. Rent $765/mo + utils ($60-100/mo). Parking available. Jessica, espngirl@gmail.com or Christina, christina.m.watts@gmail.com

SHORT-TERM: 2 Rooms available for women in townhouse; master bedroom with private bath for $700/mo +utils; smaller bedroom with shared bath for $550/mo +utils. Kitchen/ living room/dining room are shared and furnished. Off Maryland Ave at 14th St close to all H St amenities and bus to Union Station or Potomac Ave Metro. Available immediately thru the end of September. Jen, 202-494-2076 or jen.smoker@verizon.net

HOUSING AVAILABLE (for men): -Col. Hts: Looking for a Christian male to share 5BR/3.5ba spacious coed house with 4 other 20-something Christians. Rent $810/mo + utils. Room upstairs shares full bath with one roommate. Shared kitchen, LR, DR, sunroom, w/d, back porch & grill, basement storage. 2 blocks to S2 & S4 bus lines; near Rock Creek Park. Johann Ducharme, johann.ducharme@gmail.com

-Col. Hts: Seeking Christian male renter for room in 3rd floor apartment. Near shopping, entertainment, Metro. Shared kitchen, living room, bath, washer/dryer, small deck. $700/mo + utils. Avail June 23. Chris, chris.caligiuri@gmail.com

JOBS: World Hope International has an opening for an Operations Administrative Assistant. View more information at www.worldhope.org/worldhope/employ_opadmin_asst.htm or email recruitment@worldhope.net

International Justice Mission has two jobs open; part-time Web Developer, & part-time Staff Accountant. Interested? Visit www.ijm.org/careers/jobopenings

FOR SALE: Gas clothes dryer, gas range & oven, refrigerator. $25 each. Larry & Jan Winnes, 202-544-4882

NEEDED—GLASS BOTTLES/JARS: Calling All Recyclers! In lieu of vases at my wedding, we will use glass jars and bottles (clear glass) for the flowers and candles. Instead of recycling or throwing your jars, give them to me! I will be back in town and at church August 9, 16 or 23, or contact me and we’ll set up a dropoff time. I need them all by Aug 28. Thanks in advance! Erica, Erica.swisher@gmail.com or 202-441-8765

WANTED: Little boy’s black or charcoal gray suit to buy or borrow. Size 5 needed. Erica.swisher@gmail.com or 202-441-8765

HOUSING NEEDED: Lease ends July 15. Interested in short-term (2-6 month) opportunity renting a room from a mature Christian woman or couple, or longer-term with a home of CF young professionals. Metro accessible is needed my car is still in California! Kristen, 650-793-3756 or kharitao@yahoo.com

INTRODUCTION

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dearest family,

On Sunday I did an Introduction to our new Summer Series, “Living on the Vine”, which will be a week by week study of each of the nine manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul lists in Galatians 5:22. It will be relevant and refreshing, as nine different speakers present a fruit from a scriptural but also personal perspective, in a blend of teaching and testimony. Don’t forget that “fruit” is in the singular here. It is not “fruits” as if we can pick and choose between them, or comfort ourselves that we are stronger in some than others, or think that as long as we cover them all between us then we are alright. Deficiency in any area affects the overall presentation and health of the fruit in our lives. My concern in my introduction had less to do with giving you an overview of the fruits themselves (our speakers will do a good job on that) than with setting and explaining the context for this list of divine characteristics. I addressed two things:

1. I did a summary of the concerns that Paul had that determined the content of Galatians in which our teaching is placed;

2. I commented on the immediate context of 5:22 and what leads up to the specific description of this fruit.

The book of Galatians was provoked by the news that false teachers, “Judaizing legalists”, were infiltrating the young churches, and intentionally undermining Paul’s labors, first by questioning his ministry credentials and then by questioning and undermining his message, the gospel, by insisting that observance of the Jewish law was an essential ground of their acceptance by God and their assurance of salvation. This explains the order of the letter’s argumentation. Chapters 1-2 contain Paul’s defense of his call and his apostolic authority and gives us some personal details of his testimony. (The word “gospel” is constantly repeated.) The remaining four chapters are the defense of the gospel against those who were “perverting” it (1:8) by adding to it. Chapters 3-4 deal with justification by faith in Christ alone, and the word “faith” is the most prominent term. Chapters 5-6 deal with sanctification by faith through the Spirit of Christ alone, and not surprisingly, constant references are made to the “Spirit.” Now you can understand why it was written under duress, and it stands out from other epistles for its tone which is combative and confrontational, urgent and solemn, severe and stern. It gets in your heart and your head by getting in your face! Its seriousness is reinforced by the fact that Paul points out in 6:11 that he has written it in large letters “with my own hand.” In every way, this is a large letter and a heavy one as a result. So why did I pay attention to this context and not get straight into that sweet spiritual fruit-salad of 5:22?

The reason is because the context alerts you to the fact that whatever Paul is saying about the fruit of the Holy Spirit here, it is not some mellow, cute, cozy devotional chat about some nice things that will make you a nicer person. This fruit is not something you should give some thought to if you have a meditative moment, or if you feel strangely exercised to improve yourself to be a better Christian than normal. The fighting tone of the letter, and the massive issues of truth that are being argued for, tell us that whatever we think about this fruit, we should understand it is a crucial matter of life and death. Nothing less than the truth and power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake. There is a critical choice being presented to us about two warring and contrary ways of living: the works of the flesh (5:19) or the fruit of the Spirit (5:22) This is so critical that Paul says there are two possible outcomes depending on your choice (6:8). If you choose to sow to please your sinful nature, the works of the flesh, then you will reap destruction. If you sow to please the Spirit, then you will reap eternal life. Are you tracking? This fruit is not about becoming more moral, more ethical, but more righteous, more holy, more of a gospel agent, but most importantly and necessarily, more like Christ. Our life and the lives of others depend upon it in this battle. The fruit is not growing in some pastorally sheltered, protected, high-walled, south-facing garden. It is better you understand it growing in what is a hostile environment that naturally does not support or co-operate with the growth process. In fact, it actively opposes it, so there is going to be great need for the spiritual equivalents of fertilizer and pest control. Given the nature of the human terrain that Paul has described in the letter, the realties of the heart without a relationship with Jesus Christ, this fruit is totally counter-nature – that is why it is counter-culture. This precisely explains why it is the fruit OF THE SPIRIT! These are not characteristics that we can cultivate by ourselves, for ourselves! It takes nothing less than a spiritual power to grow this fruit in us and through us. It is not self-derived, it is not dependent on our personhood or temperament. Hell will be full of nice godless people. We all start in the same place – unfruitful unless we are related to Christ and the Spirit of Christ.

Do you see the critical nature of the choice here? The whole letter up to 5:22 has been about choices between contrary realities. Paul uses the word “conflict ” to describe it. (5:17) It is about Christ or Moses; Spirit or flesh; promise or law; blessing or curse; sinful nature or divine nature; conviction or condemnation; faith or works; freedom or fear; love or license; liberty or bondage; law of sin or law of righteousness; son or slave; new creation or old circumcision; Christian church or Jewish nation; grace of God or rules and restrictions of men; fruit of Spirit or works of flesh; eternal life or destruction. This is serious stuff with serious consequences. In other words, this fruit of the Spirit is not an optional extra. It is not spiritual “accessorizing.” It is the non-negotiable, maturing evidence of a transformed life, that has been justified by faith in Christ alone and that is being sanctified by the Spirit of Christ alone. (Get the message for the extended explanations of these two vital truths about our salvation.)

You see, before Paul describes the FRUIT, he establishes what FAITH is all about, so any introduction to the fruit should draw attention to the faith too. He refers to it no less than 22 times which fairly presents the issue he is taking with any view of salvation that has any additive that is rooted in works or the observance of human traditions or obedience to legalisms – that is not of “faith through Jesus Christ.” (3:26) In 5:6 he says, “The only thing that counts is faith.” If we don’t get this sequence then we will be tempted to think that the fruit is something that we can manufacture, that we can manage, that is merely the product of our will. We will mistake good behavior for righteousness; civil politeness for godliness; good manners for Christ-like character; happiness for joy. Paul establishes that everything that has to do with our salvation is by faith. The assurance of faith is opposed by what he describes in chapter 6 as its counterfeit, namely “confidence in the flesh.” I have already mentioned the two aspects of our experience of salvation that Paul argues in chapters 3-6. If you want a refresher course on the gospel you could do no better than reread this letter. Luther described its affirmations of the gospel as “thunder claps from heaven.” When it comes to justification, it is all about the work of Christ. When it comes to the second aspect, our sanctification, it is all about the work of the Spirit. So it is clearly true to say that Paul is concerned about the means of our acceptance by God and Christ’s supreme role in that acceptance and he opposes anyone who dares to say that our salvation and acceptance is based on anything other than Christ’s redeeming work. If this is minimized or marginalized, reduced or revised in any way, then other works will replace it or be added to it, as was the case here, when observance of Jewish customs, particularly circumcision, were being insisted upon as a ground of qualification and acceptance. If this happens then the result is tragic. “Christ is of no value to you at all.” (5:2) It is in this acceptance issue that most commentators see the emphasis of this letter. However, it must also be stated strongly, that it is equally true that the main motif of Paul’s message has to do with how, once we are converted, we live, and his emphasis is heavy on our dependency on the work of the Holy Spirit. So there are the two main things that Paul wants them and you and me to know: the centrality of Christ’s work once and for all, and the cruciality of the Spirit’s work in our lives for now and always. Once saved, there is nothing that we can do by our own efforts, or rules or strategies, nothing that the law can do, to maintain or sustain our lives. If we try, it is foolish! It is saying that flesh or law can supply Spirit. What does Paul say? “If a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.” (3:21) “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort…Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you heard?” (3:3-5)

So as we examine this fruit, remember this. It is not about behavioral rules, as required by the law or by traditions and customs. It is about the cross and the sufficiency of Christ’s saving work in our place and on our behalf. The fruit of the Spirit is not just a set of good behaviors. It has to be first the fruit of a crucified life – if it is not the fruit of a cross it will not be the fruit of our character. If you are not committed to living a crucified life, putting to death the works of the flesh, then you can forget the teaching on the fruit of the Spirit. What is the very next statement after the list of the Spirit’s fruit? “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature.” In other words they daily identify with the cross where their sin was borne, they daily deny their flesh and take up their cross.

We do not know what the result was of this communication by Paul to the Galatians. Was it received or rejected? As someone has observed, there is no Second Galatians to tell us what happened. Yet despite the silence of a response from the first recipients, the sheer intensity and integrity of this letter has resounded and resonated through the centuries, and as you know, it was this text that provoked the mind and spirit of a man called Martin Luther, that therefore served to launch the Protestant Reformation. We could say that this is one of our charter documents as an evangelical church, one of our foundational and constitutional declarations of faith. It has attracted many superlative titles like “The Magna Carta of Christian liberty,” or “The Christian Declaration of Independence.” Arguably, spiritual freedom is the central theological concept – being free to do what God desires. It is about the reality of our freedom that is emphasized in this letter: freedom from guilt and condemnation; from the fear of death; from the penalty, presence and power of sin; “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!” (5:1) “You, my brothers, were called to be free…” (5:13) It is as an evidence and expression of this freedom and deliverance that we must understand the fruit of the Spirit. Before these virtues of Christ’s character are manifested through us, we first have to be delivered from the prison-house of our flesh. In 3:22 Paul wrote “The scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.” We need to be freed from those sinful dispositions that dominate our soulish and selfcentered lives. We need to be delivered from lovelessness and hatred, from misery and despair, from dispeace and divisiveness, from self-serving impatience and ungenerous unkindness, from intentional evil and spite, from unfaithfulness and betrayal and offence, from abrasive and prideful aggression, from uncontrolled indulgence and anger. Are you getting the picture here that Paul is presenting? By ourselves we can neither produce this fruit nor procure it. It doesn’t happen simply because we promote it by a teaching series like this one. It is Christ in us, the work of the Spirit in us. If this is all about being like Jesus, because we are so intimately related to him, then maybe we should close with his words on the subject, his way of putting what Paul went on to teach about. He is still the best teacher, as good as Paul is. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

So if you’re serious about this fruit in your life, get ready for the pruning shears, the pest controls and especially the fertilizer! Watch out for them this week because that difficult person is fertilizing love; that disappointing outcome is fertilizing joy; that storm that blows in to your life is fertilizing peace; that trial is fertilizing patience; that person’s inconvenient need is fertilizing kindness; that malice is fertilizing goodness; that betrayal is fertilizing faithfulness; that abrasiveness is fertilizing gentleness; that outburst is fertilizing self-control. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22)

Living on the Vine,
Stuart

http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (and follow links to download MP3 audio of sermon)

Announcements

Breakfast this Saturday 9:00am-10:30am Johann will be leading into discussion based on this year’s theme of attitudes and actions of pursuing the prize. Childcare will be provided. We need 3 people to help set up at 8:30am, and 4 to help clean up afterwards. Please email Matt at matthew.tropiano@navy.mil if you can help.

“An Introductory Course to the Christian Faith” beginning June 25. Contact Kelly Doley (kwdoley@gmail.com) or Brandon Prichard (brandonprichard@gmail.com) to attend or bring friends or if you have any questions.

*MADE IN AMERICA* Come celebrate the newest Kamon at a red, white and blue Baby Shower, Saturday, July 11th, 11:00 a.m. at Nancy's house, 512 11th St SE, DC (RSVP 202- 546-0120). Bring a scripture to pray over the baby! Group gift: call Maria at 703-971-3818.

BBQ cookout after church Sunday, June 28. Proceeds to benefit Ashasthan Home in Mumbai, India (where Alys McAlpine served for 4 months).

You are invited to a Baby Shower to welcome Julian to the Chenoweth family and the COSC family on Saturday, June 27 at 2:30pm at the Temenaks’ home. Call Carla Temenak at 301-434-5232 to RSVP and for information about a group gift.

Bocce Al Fresco tournament, immediately after church at Garfield Park July 5. Email Jim Song (song.james@yahoo.com) or Matthew (matthew.tropiano@navy.mil), if you want to play and we will set up a bracket.

Come watch and cheer on The Flock softball team on Monday, 29 June at 7pm. Field 1, West Potomac Park. Email Anne Hall (anne.hall16@gmail.com) if you have questions!

ISO musicians, dancers, worship leaders for Kids Worship, which takes place every Sunday at 11:45am on the first floor for all the Sunday School classes. Steve Kho, sjkho@me.com

ALL CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!! Urban Hands July 12–18.
Volunteers needed for a wide range of activities, times, and dates. Please sign up online at www.carecompanydc.org (and click on organic ministry>Urban Hands) Thanks!

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.

HOUSING: Sept 1 – Room Avail - Looking for a CF to share a Kingstowne, Alexandria, Va, 4 BR/3.5 BA townhouse with three Christian, female 30-somethings. Rent $584/mo. + utilities. Upstairs room shares full bath with one roommate. Shared living room, dining room, kitchen, basement living room, upstairs attic storage space, and laundry room with washer/dryer. Free gym membership. Summer outdoor pool. Close to shopping, I395/495, and walking/biking trails. Missi, missi.evans@yahoo.com

HOUSING: Ben Doggett, Jim Song and Johann Ducharme are looking to rent at 2-4 bedroom house on Capitol Hill, ideally near COSC and metro accessible. Looking for July 1 availability. Ben, bdoggett@gmail.com.

HOUSING: 1 unfurnished bedroom with private bath for rent in SFH for single woman in Cape Cod SFH 3.5 blocks from East Falls Church metro. The 3 others are single professional women in their 20s, one of whom is also in grad school. Rent $765/mo + utils ($60-100/mo). Parking available. Looking for July 1. Christina, christina.m.watts@gmail.com or Jessica, espngirl@gmail.com

HOUSING: Looking for Christian female subletter in Chinatown (DC), Aug-Sept. Furnished sunroom. Apartment features shared bathroom with washer & dryer; A/C; highspeed wireless internet and cable tv; two wonderful roommates, both working in international development. We're looking for a Christian female in her 20's or 30's who's neat and friendly. $750/mo + utils (approx $65/mo). Garage parking available at extra cost. Dawn, dancerdawn05@yahoo.com

HOUSING-Capitol Hill: 2BR/2BA furnished, available July 1. $2400/month. Karan, karantownsend@gmail.com or 304-702-1872 or Jason, Jason@RealEstateinDC.com or 202-415- 7400

HOUSING-Columbia Heights: Seeking Christian male renter for room in 3rd floor apartment. Near shopping, entertainment, Metro. Shared kitchen, living room, bath, washer/dryer, small deck. Rent $700/mo + utils. Avail June 23. Chris, chris.caligiuri@gmail.com

FOR SALE: Gas range and oven, gas clothes dryer, refrigerator. $25 each. Larry or Jan Winnes, 202-544-4882

THE ASCENSION

feeding . . . gathering . . . carrying . . . leading . (Isaiah 40:11)

Dear family,

I trust that you all enjoyed a restful Memorial Day weekend. We missed all of you who were out of town on Sunday! I decided to delay the conclusion of the “Letters to the churches” series till next Sunday, and instead I took the opportunity to speak briefly about something that was commemorated and celebrated this past weekend. It was Ascension Sunday, the closest Sunday to last Thursday which was in fact Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter Sunday. It’s interesting that it is so little commemorated or celebrated. Showing up for church on Easter Sunday is a no-brainer but Ascension Sunday does not seem to have the same draw. Like Holy Saturday, between Good Friday and Easter Day, Ascension Sunday struggles for recognition between Easter Day and Pentecost. I wonder why that is? For theological reasons, for gospel reasons, for Jesus reasons, for Christian reasons, it is hard to fathom. Is not the reference to the ascension a non-negotiable part of our creeds that summarize the irreducible minimum of our faith? In 1 Tim. 3:16 Paul seems to be quoting a contemporary creedal confession or hymn that includes in its few words the phrase “taken up to glory.” In Acts 1:22 Peter describes the qualifications for the one who was to replace Judas Iscariot on the apostolate: they had to “have been with us the whole time from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.” This is his definition of the A – Z of Jesus’ ministry. Why are we fuzzy on the end bit? How has it come to be that so many Christians are not that sure of the significance or place of the ascension event, given their clarity about, say, the resurrection. It was C.S. Lewis who said, “The story of the Ascension cannot be separated from that of the Resurrection.” This statement appears in a wonderful treatment of the Ascension in the chapter “Miracles of the New Creation” (ch. 16) in the book “Miracles.” He admits that to the modern mind, the description of the ascension is an “embarrassing passage” and he asks: “Can we then simply drop the Ascension story? The answer is that we can do so only if we regard the resurrection appearances as those of a ghost or hallucination. For a phantom can just fade away; but an objective entity must go somewhere – something must happen to it…You cannot take away the Ascension without putting something else in its place.”

Among the several passages we read were a few verses from the very first apostolic sermon that Peter preached which placed huge emphasis and meaning on the ascension, or as Peter and others came to describe it, on the exaltation of Christ. Both words are used but the difference between them is like the difference between our uses of the words crucifixion and the cross. Like crucifixion, the word ascension describes the physical event. Like the cross, the word exaltation describes the explanation of the event. The fact, the ascension, has a meaning, exaltation. From this very first sermon onwards, the ascension would be a part of New Testament preaching, and the fact and meaning of Christ’s exaltation would be the primary interest, not the mechanisms of the actual ascension.

You should do your own detailed study of the NT record. Of course, it is recorded in the gospels, and prophesied by Jesus himself. Acts opens with it and its meaning is preached from the moment the Holy Spirit was given. In Romans (8:34) Paul places Christ’s ascended and exalted ministry of intercession alongside his death and resurrection. If Romans has more emphasis on the resurrection, then Ephesians is definitely more weighted on the exaltation which you heard in that introductory reading. You can read other allusions and observations of Paul’s in Philippians and Thessalonians and the pastoral epistles. But it is in the book of Hebrews that we hit the mother-lode, and as early as the third verse of the book we read: “After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven.” It is in this letter that we read of Christ as the “great High Priest who has passed through the heavens” (4:14); as the forerunner (6:20). Peter pastorally applies the truth of the ascension by reminding his flock that Christ’s exaltation came after suffering, and this should encourage them to know that their reward and glorification after perseverance in suffering is equally sure. To examine the ascension turns out to be a vital study of Christology – it presents us with truths about who Jesus is that are often kept under the counter or even denied, at a time when it is much more in vogue to only present him as a high-souled teacher who has a contribution to make to civil manners. Woe to those who reduce the one who is “Lord and Christ” to one of many possible items on the menu of local deities. In an age of unbelief, in an age of syncretism, it is not expedient to talk of the power and authority of Christ, but we must, and to do that, we have to acknowledge and understand the Ascension.

I gave several reasons why Jesus physically ascended the way he did, as opposed to just fading out or instantly disappearing. You’ll have to get the tape or download the MP3 to get the substantive content of the message. If you missed it, I think you should, simply because it is vital to our understanding of the gospel, and of who Christ is in his present glorified ministry. I presented some of the truths of the Ascension in the three categories of PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE, showing how they relate to these dimensions of time, and particularly to our own past, present and future. Please note these as I have no space to present them here. But further to all of these, there remains one important point that relates both to the present and the future of our lives, if we are Christians. Before that coming again, there is a commissioning. The ascension calls us not to be sky-gazers but earth-reachers. As John Stott pointed out, there is a symmetry to all this. Jesus goes so that the Spirit comes, so that we go into all the world before Christ comes again. The one thing that you cannot miss in any celebration of the ascension is the call to witness. The question therefore presents itself: in what ways is your present life sky-gazing instead of earth-reaching? In what ways do you give yourself to speculations instead of the specifics of Christ’s call upon your life. What distracts you from your prior calling? In what ways will you be caught red-handed, or red-faced? It is impossible to forget that this call to witness is the final communication before the ascension. Any reminder therefore of the ascension and its meaning, must provoke the renewal of that call, of the commission to be a faithful witness to the Christ you profess to follow, in every aspect of your life: no professing faith but practicing infidelity. Any biblical study of the Ascension will show you how hugely significant it is to our faith and to our spiritual lives, to our assurance and our access, to our hope and our holiness, to our work and our witness. Ascension blessings!

Pastorally yours,
Stuart

For sermon audio, visit http://www.christourshepherd.org/pastlet.htm (follow links to download MP3)

Congratulations to Jeff & Laurie!
They met their new little one last Tuesday. Julian Evan was born Monday, May 18 (8lb 9oz, 20 1/4”) and they will all be returning to DC this week after finalizing all his paperwork.

Announcements

The church office is closed Mondays to allow an office work day. Messages checked at noon and 4pm. Normal operations Tuesdays through Fridays, 9:30am-5:00pm.

COSC Night of Prayer, coming Saturday, June 6, from 6pm-midnight in the sanctuary. Please come and pray for yourself and others!

“An Introductory Course to the Christian Faith” June 4 – June 25. Contact Kelly Doley (kwdoley@gmail.com) or Brandon Prichard (brandonprichard@gmail.com) if you’re interested in attending or bringing friends or if you have any questions.

Sunday school needs a June teacher for the K/1/2 class & helpers in July and August. Contact Laurie at 202- 361-0371 or laurie@christourshepherd.org

Men—Sunday school teachers and helpers are needed for June 7:

• Tots: Teacher and helper

• Pre-K: Teacher and helper

• K/1/2: Teacher and helper

• Grades 3-6: helper If you can help, contact Laurie at 202-361-0371 or email laurie@christourshepherd.org

Men, for details on golf the morning of June 13, talk to Luke.

Ladies, no sign-ups for the retreat this week, but next week is the last week to register!! See us at the table downstairs on May 31 or pick up a form and mail it in ASAP. Scholarships are available if needed; please ask!

Next Week—Cookout fundraiser after church to benefit the Urban Hands scholarship fund. Plan to eat at church next Sunday!

Join us for the next A.S.K. gathering at Nancy Merritt’s, Saturday May 30, 9am-noon. We seek the Lord through worship, meditation, and prayer for our city and communities. All are welcome. Questions? Please contact Anne Doggett, 703-527-5144.

Playground Build Day has been postponed. Please pray for this project...and stay tuned…

www.carecompanydc.org

www.theantiochgroup.org

*MADE IN AMERICA*
Come celebrate the newest Kamon (due date July 25) at a red, white and blue Baby Shower, Saturday, July 11th, 11:00 a.m. at Nancy Merritt's home, 512 11th Street SE, DC. Bring a scripture to pray over the baby! Group gift: Call Maria Keffler, 703-971- 3818. Please respond to Nancy, 202-546-0120

Bulletin Board
Postings not officially sanctioned by COSC.

INTERN HOUSING: Christian Legal Society (CLS) summer interns need housing Jun 19-Jul 31. They are typically hard-working, conscientious, passionate, and love the Lord. We need a household for each of the 2 interns (preferably not with young people of the opposite sex...teenage-college...but we don’t yet know the gender of this year’s interns). They receive a stipend to help pay for food and other costs while they are here. Casey Mattox, cmattox@clsnet.org

HOUSING: Looking for Christian female subletter in Chinatown (DC), Aug-Sept. Furnished sunroom. Apartment features shared bathroom with washer & dryer; A/C; high-speed wireless internet and cable tv; and two wonderful roommates, both working in international development. We're looking for a Christian female in her 20's or 30's who's neat and friendly. $750/mo + utils (approx $65/mo). Website http://www.galleryapts.com – Chesapeake Floorplan. Garage parking available for additional cost. Dawn, dancerdawn05@yahoo.com

HOUSING: Christian female professional looking for housing with Christian family or Christian women as soon as possible, anywhere close to a metro stop. Pam, pamela.mukerji@gmail.com or 631-848-2300

HOUSING: Looking for a CF roommate to share Kingstowne (Alexandria, VA) 4 BR/3.5 BA townhouse with 3 Christian females. $584/mo. + share of utils. The bath is shared with one roommate. Shared space includes the entire main floor: living room/ dining room/kitchen and a basement living room. Attic space available for storage. Washer/dryer, gym membership, summer outdoor pool. Minutes from metro, shopping or access to interstates (395/495/95). Missi, missi.evans@yahoo.com