Guest Blog from Paul J Murphy
" Paul, bring a sermon with you to Uganda
because the church will ask you to preach." I dutifully printed and packed
one of my recent sermons and headed for Uganda. But, after being in Uganda for
4 days I realized the sermon I had packed was best left unused. So with a blank
piece of paper, and a pen I sat down and reflected on what I had been seeing,
hearing, and experiencing while in Uganda. And a sermon flowed. It spoke to the
Ugandans, and it spoke to me.
"the
Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest
of all seeds, but it becomes the largest
of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in
its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32)
Turn on the
news, browse any news source and power struggles are the way of the world. This
month it is Ebola and civil or sectarian wars in Syria and parts of the Middle
East. Still wrenching from power struggles are Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Somalia, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Congo, Thailand, Ukraine and
Russia. and the list goes on and on...and on. Control through power - military,
money, or political power is the world's way. The distortion of the golden rule
is too often how things work - "the one with the gold makes the
rules". Even here in our own country, money is often the driving
influencer behind politics.
Jesus had
no army (who would have felt alarmed if told "the disciples are
invading!"). Jesus had no financial clout nor any political position or
party affiliation. Yet 2,000 years after His death, Christianity is global and
growing!
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard
seed".......
Nearly 20
years ago, 4 men in rural Uganda climbed onto their very used bicycles and
began pedaling. They biked over 40 miles each way on dirt roads with ruts and
potholes. They were biking to speak with a church planter evangelist named
Patrick to ask if he would help plant a church in their rural area of Palisa,
Uganda. Patrick agreed. Now, 18 years later, there are 35 churches in the
Palisa region, which have sprung up from that one church plant - all of which
came about due to the seed faith of 4 men who biked over 40 miles. They had no
money...no army...no political clout. Just bikes and a love for The Lord.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard
seed".......
Remember
the Lord's Prayer..."Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth".
How does the Kingdom come? What are we saying when we pray for that?
Jesus did
not need an army, or money, or political "power" because the
territory He seeks to conquer is the hearts and lives of people. The Kingdom is
an inside-out movement. Money, military might, or political power cannot change
a heart, nor can they create a voluntary surrender of heart loyalty.
Hearts are
softened and conquered by serving love. Look in Philippians chapter 2. Paul
urges them to "be one in spirit and purpose" (2:2). He means being
"others" instead of merely "self" focused (2:3-4). Jesus is
the example (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus did not cling to His status and
position....Jesus emptied Himself becoming a "servant" of others (of
'sinners', not churchgoers)....Jesus suffered in love even to the point of a
cruel and unfair death on a cross. All of that was for others. Jesus' way of
extending the Kingdom was by serving others in love, even suffering in love.
That is the polar opposite of how our world thinks about winning and ruling!
Yet, God
honors humble, serving in love of others (see Philippians 2:9-12). And as
followed of Jesus, we are to follow His lead (that is Paul's point in
Philippians 2:12-16). Paul himself is a model of serving love (2:17-18)
"even if my life is being poured out" for you... "I am glad and
rejoice". His life "poured
out" in loving service of others. Just like Jesus.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard
seed".......
Here is the
point - you and I are like seed. At work, you are the seed. At home, you are
the seed. In our neighborhoods, and schools, we are the seed. Even with
opponents and enemies, we are the seed of the kingdom.
As we serve
others, by pouring ourselves out for them in love we stand out as strikingly different
from how the world works. We fulfill Jesus command "if you love one
another as I have loved you, the whole world will know you are My
disciples." Love, suffering love for others is the fingerprint of Jesus.
It is what touches, moves, and brings about heart surrender in others.
·
Where
has God placed you as the tiny seed He intends to use?
·
Do
you have the attitude of Jesus of serving others in love or are we trying to
exercise power over people?
·
Who
are you, or can you serve in the love of Jesus?
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard
seed".......
Paul J. Murphy, PROGRESS & JOY
Paul Murphy has served 33 years as a
pastor, encompassing two permanent senior pastorates and 13 intentional interim
pastorates in “turnaround” situations --
churches going through crisis or transition. Paul has served churches of varying sizes,
denominations and demographics. He has also experience as an executive in the
faith-based non-profit world. Paul’s heart is to see the church BE the body of
Christ to a needy, lost world.
Paul founded his own nonprofit, called
PROGRESS and JOY – taken from Philippians 1:25. Its focus is renewing
churches, developing leaders here in the US and overseas in Haiti and
Uganda. Paul has worked with multiple
denominations as well as consulting with urban, ethnic, and immigrant
faith-based groups. His specialties are change management and leader development.
He works with leaders through individual one-to-one coaching and group
trainings called Servant Leader Boot Camp. He works with churches and
ministries through conflict mediation and a participatory vision process called
Church Check-Up. He is ordained with the Evangelical Free Church of America.
Paul and his wife Liz are both native
Californians. They met in college and have been married for 37 years. They have
3 adult children and 1 grand-daughter. Paul and Liz live in the suburbs of the
Twin Cities of Minneapolis, St Paul.
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