en http://www.thecrosspoint.org © Copyright 2000 - 2010Church Community Builder. All Rights Reserved. http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=60 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=60&article_id=154 Dr. Losher occasionally actually gets around to typing up a manuscript of one of his sermons. Although necessarily random and perhaps not the best examples, these might give you an idea of the kind of Bible topics we cover in worship. Whatever the Sunday theme is, it involves the whole of worship, including the music and the prayers. This page is a works-in-progress ~ you may get better results with a Firefox browser than Internet Explorer as IE seems occasionally to put some garbage in place of text. Resurrection Is A'Happenin'! ~ Sermon of Easter, 4 April 2010 by Dr. D. Jay Losher Mary Magdalene - A Weed by Any Other Name ~ Sermon of June 13, 2010 by Dr. D. Jay Losher.Wagons Ho! ~ Sermon of July 11, 2010 by Dr. D. Jay Losher.Remember The First Time ~ [No, not about what you are thinking!!] ~ Sermon on July 18, 2010, delivered at worship in Stoke's Barn, Pampa, Texas. Dr. D. Jay Losher.Busy Being Born ~ Sermon of July 25, 2010 preached at Center Hill Mission ~ by Dr. D. Jay Losher. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:47:12 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=66 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=66&article_id=162 “Busy Being Born” Dr. D. Jay Losher Center Hill Mission ~ Evening Service ~ 25 July 2010 Jesus answered Nicodemus, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” [John 3:3 (NRSV)] “He not busy being born, is busy dying.” [Bob Dylan] B ob Dylan led me to Jesus. I am quite sure he never intended to, but nevertheless Bob Dylan showed me the light. Like so many in my generation, Dylan that folk poet and secular prophet, gave me a voice for the longing which led to God. But Dylan never presented himself as a religious leader at all. That said, Dylan understands unexpectedly well what Jesus was about here in John 3:3. From his 1965 album Bring It All Back Home, in his song “It’s Alright, Ma,” one line in the second stanza says: “wasted words / [prove] to warn / That he not busy being born / Is busy dying.” Dylan gets it, though Nicodemus clearly does not, this “born again” passage. Jesus explained it quite plainly, but Nicodemus for a leader of Israel must have been pretty dull because he simply could not comprehend it. Nicodemus made the same mistake the King James translators made when he came to Jesus ominously “by night” and Jesus in John 3:3 says that memorable phrase routinely misunderstood as “born again.” Jesus here used a term in Greek which could mean “born again” but more faithfully should be translated “born from above.” Nicodemus, with his very literal mind, missed the double meaning completely. So Jesus corrects him. Here the conversation borders on the absurd. “Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb?” Even when Jesus patiently explains that he did not mean at all “born a second time,” but rather that the truth is that “no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born from above” that is, reborn spiritually. Nicodemus is still stuck. “How can these things be?” N icodemus isn’t the only one to misunderstand this. Many sincere, devoted believers make the same mistake as Nicodemus. Brian Stoffregen, a Lutheran pastor with an online commentary says it this way: This....indicates that being born from above is not something we do. It is something done to us (by God). In a similar way, being born the first time was not something we did. Our physical births were caused by powers far beyond our infantile abilities and understanding. Being born is something that happens to us from powers outside of ourselves. We have to take that image seriously....Both the grammar and the imagery of birth indicate that it is something God (the one “from above”) does to or for us. Indeed, being “born from above” is not something we choose, but God chooses; not something we do, but God does – thus the gift!! Nicodemus just does not get it. Let’s admit the language itself has breed confusion, but Jesus still explains it clearly. Dylan does get it! He summarizes Jesus’ thought well. Dylan is right: “If you are not busy being born, you’re dying.” B u Ngahingsi was our cook and a good one when we worked with the small Christian community in Indonesia. We called her affectionately Bu Nih, or “Mother Nih.”. Bu Nih was a Muslim, a second wife to an abusive husband with four wives and mistresses to boot. Four wives who supported him, but he never helped his wives financially or otherwise. Bu Nih cared for her aged mother and a son Dahma, my son’s age. They just barely made it, what with her husband’s demands to support his gambling and carousing. Bu Nih became a Christian. The day she was baptized with Dahma was a truly transcendent experience. I would love to take credit for her conversion, but it was the indigenous Christians who deserve all the credit. Her conversion came about slowly, deliberately through the neighborhood outreach of the local Javanese church. They offered neighborhood based classes in Christianity and support groups and prayer groups. Bu Nih attended, was attracted by what she saw and eventually converted. I wondered why she became a disciple. It was certainly not for prestige in the community’s eye for she lost what little she had when she converted. Why would she leave her tradition and majority status to join a minority, and a persecuted minority at that? I learned an important truth about the faith. For in the Christian fellowship her gifts were celebrated, her personhood respected. She was no longer the second wife of an abusive husband. She was no longer viewed as an uneducated, urban peasant woman with no prospects. She was no longer just a cook. Bu Nih was now a child of God, a person with dignity, respected and loved. How did she know she was loved? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” She was no longer viewed from a human perspective but she was viewed “from above.” Who would not gladly make the same exchange?!! B u Nih was busy being born!! Nicodemus, we suspect, was not. All the baggage of being a person of status and success in this world had to hold him back from being “born from above” for the very first time. What of us? Are we busy being born? If we aren’t we are slowly dying – so slowly, the death to our souls is imperceptible, but it is still really real soul death. Or are we busy being born from above. Approaching God in prayer and obedience. Seeking first God’s kingdom and its righteousness. And so being born again for the very first time. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:43:12 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=43 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=43&article_id=81 Crosspoint is Jesus-centered ~ we "point" to the "cross!" With the Gospel of John, we believe Jesus is the Word of God. Which means that for us Jesus is the still point around which all of history and the universe swirls; he is the lens through which we understand all things.We believe that if you want to read the Cliffnotes version of the Bible, just look for all the words in red. That makes us kingdom-centered Red Letter Christians.With the faithful in all ages and all places, we believe God to be what Jesus says he is ~ grace-filled, always loving and ever faithful. God who reaches continually to reconcile with us. God who stands on tip-toes like the Prodigal's father looking longingly at the distance to seek our return. God who has been striving over and over to draw us back since we wandered from his ways in the beginning. God has intervened over and over on our behalf from deliverance from slavery in Egypt to deliverance from evil today and promise of a future different and better than our past.For Crosspoint faith is a verb ~ faith is best witnessed through character seen in concrete actions and compassionate living. We hold the beliefs common to all Christians as summarized in the ancient and modern Creeds. If you are curious about what all this means, this link will lead you to the Presbyterian Church website with more detail than we can possibly cover here: http://www.pcusa.org/101/101-theology.htm "Grace to you and peace" Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:48:10 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=65 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=65&article_id=161 “Remember the First Time” Dr. D. Jay Losher, Jr. Stoke’s Barn, Pampa, Texas ~ 18 July 2010 I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple....And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal....The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” [Isaiah 6:1-8] When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. [Luke 5:4-7] “Do you remember where you were when Kennedy was assassinated?” I do. Most of us do – in rich detail. How many can tell exactly where we were and what we were doing? Even down to some were wearing, the weather, the colors and textures of light? It made a memory so vivid that repeated telling does not lead to “overhearing.” “Do you remember.....when you encountered your first Volkswagen?” Believe it or not, that came up in formal dinner conversation some years ago. Incredibly, almost everyone present had owned a Volkswagen at one time or another. My family has owned three over the years. The common stories almost all seemed to gravitate around affectionate remembrances of maintenance nightmares. Then again, the VW my brother Lee bought turned out that it had been owned once by Mr. Davis, the HS choir director and later was sold to a friend. After consideration, it would seem that there is probably only one VW bug in Pampa and it just kept making the rounds being constantly repainted. Perhaps like the urban legend about fruitcake, there is really only one VW bug in the whole US and it has just been passed from one to another. I remember vividly the first VW I ever saw: that strange, funny car. A weathered tan which may have once actually been yellow. It belonged to my first grade teacher, Miss Abbott. She was married I think, but in those days almost all young female teachers were addressed as “Miss.” I contrived some excuse so I could get a ride home. “Do you remember.....where you were when you tasted your first Dr Pepper?” Yes, in the Texas where I grew up it is not Coke or Pepsi but only Dr. Pepper which can make such an impression. And I do remember. At Miss Abbott’s end of year picnic ~ you might think I had a crush on her, but I believe it was really the Dr Pepper – and the Volkswagen. “Do you remember.....when you heard this story for the very first time of Jesus commanding the disciples to fish on the other side?” I do. This is the first sermon I can remember. Before the day of children’s sermons, it was the first time I was in big peoples’ church. I remember every aspect of it in detail. I was about six, living with my maternal grandmother, ~ a stern matriarch of a woman who, despite that severe exterior, never could quite hide her love and affection for the two rowdy grandsons in her care. Grandmother Pratt set me down and explained in her matter-of-fact way that now that I was six, I had the unadulterated privilege of coming to worship. I wasn’t to wiggle or squirm or talk or act up ~ I was to listen. You would have thought I had been sentenced to purgatory. What had I done to deserve this? With the same fear and trembling as Isaiah described, I entered the temple for the first time. Ron Hubbard would have been pastor at that time. I really did not know him at that point, but I do have an extraordinarily vivid memory of him in the pulpit that day. The Holy of Holies could not have been more powerfully frighteningly fascinating for Isaiah. The light from the rose window came streaming down over his left shoulder, spotlighting him and the pulpit in stark contrast with the darkened sanctuary. A voice like drawn steel which could keep even the attention of a bouncy first grader unaccustomed to church. Expository preaching may be dead, but Ron Hubbard practiced it in spades. Vividly, dramatically, he drew out the story of Jesus commanding the disciples to draw their nets to the other side. When Simon tried to lift up the overwhelmed nets, Rev. Hubbard’s hand reached over the side of the pulpit. He pulled against the imagined net. You could see the strain and you could feel the weight. Vivid enough, dramatic enough so that even a six year old could comprehend it by feeling the overstraining nets just begin to snap. Expository preaching may be dead, but in the hands of a master storyteller the power of the Word to grasp us, to hold us, to challenge us is still compelling. “Where were you, when you first heard this story?” But even more: “Where were you when it first really sank in?” I heard it first in that sanctuary so many years ago. But I really grasped the story ~ and was grasped, grabbed and held by it ~ decades later in Indonesia. First time I really came in contact with persons who made their living and livelihood by fishing with nets. In Indonesia today, as it was on Lake Ginnesaret in the disciples’ day, fishing is mind-numbing and body -straining work with disappointing results and extraordinary low return on one’s labor. In Indonesia, many were former political prisoners who as outcasts could inhabit only the lowest rung on the economic food chain. The women who wove the nets would earn about 2½ cents for two full day’s labor ~ not even enough to buy a small bowl of rice. Most nights and days were like Peter’s: “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.” One day I met a fisherman going home. I asked to see his catch for the day. He pulled out three small fish, the size of midget goldfish. And inexplicably to me, he smiled like he had caught a whale. He said it was a pretty good day. It was, it is desperate work. Imagine then Simon, aka Peter. Peter was not a successful businessman. He was a simple peasant fisherman, broken by work, bone-weary, mind-numbed; and yet when Jesus requested, Peter raised his weary self and yet one more one more time cast the nets. Imagine then his surprise, the joy turned to fear, as the enormous haul threatened to capsize the boat. Peter accustomed to a few small fish from a night’s work must have been dumbfounded, completely confounded by this windfall. Jesus ends this encounter: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” Isaiah 6, Isaiah’s encounter with God in the temple, as distant and different as it seems is still the same story ~ both are narratives of Peter’s and Isaiah’s call, repentance and response all through a compelling experience of the fearful and fascinating power of God. When God called him, Isaiah stood upright and in a clear voice, “Here I am, send me.” When Jesus had called Peter, James and John, the Bible records “They left everything and followed Jesus.” “Do you remember......when you were first called out by God?” When you first heard that persistent voice of God calling, cajoling, commanding, compelling. Old familiar texts ~ indeed overly familiar. As Fred Craddock says, we can “overhear the Gospel,” that is, we can miss the meaning because we’ve heard it so many times to the point of not hearing any more. So remember back to the first time. Remember the awe and wonder and fear on hearing for the first time Isaiah’s fear and trembling in the temple. Remember the awe and skepticism you greeted your first reading of the miraculous harvest of fish. Remember so you can re-appropriate that powerful, compelling, lost sense of wonder at the Word. As Jesus called the disciples to fish for persons, as God called Isaiah to prophesy, · Remember then the very first time you heard each of these narratives. · Remember then your own calling. · Remember then your own personal encounter with the living God. · Remember whose you are, who claims you and who redeems you. Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:45:23 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=62 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=62&article_id=157 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:43:41 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=61 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=61&article_id=156 “Wagons Ho!” Dr. D. Jay Losher, Jr. Preached 11 July at Crosspoint Presbyterian Church, Clermont, FL Today’s Text: Luke 10:25-37 ~ The Good Samaritan S poiler alert: you may find your faith challenged before this sermon is over. You may want to leave now. [SLIDE #1 ~ “Cover” Introduce Western Theology[1] by Wes Seeliger. Cover meant to surprise and get you to buy the book. A explanation of Jesus the Sheriff of Settler City and the Holy Spirit, Wild Red the Buffalo hunter, stirring things up. Written in 1973, but the issues long pre-date. Indeed back to the time of the infant Church.] [SLIDE #2 ~ “Church” ] [SLIDE #3 ~ “Church ~ Courthouse” of Settler City. Read aloud pp. 17-18] [SLIDE #4 ~ “Church ~ Wagon Train” to Renewal or Bust. Read aloud p. 21.] N ow that we have introduced the basic idea which we will be exploring over the next few weeks ~ pioneer faith and settler faith, what could that possibly have to do with the best known story from all of Scripture ~ the good Samaritan? Consider this: Which of the characters lived out a Settler City faith? The priest? The Levite? The lawyer who came asking “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The robbers? Did the robbers have any faith at all?Which of the characters had a pioneer faith? The Samaritan? Jesus? The victim of the robbers? Who knows, perhaps he gained that faith by the act of compassion of the Samaritan? The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the universally best known stories of all time. Its message can be found over and over around the world in unexpected places. Wherever it is found, whatever its variations, it always has one extraordinary message ~ the power of compassion to overcome ‘otherness,’ enmity, strife, even fear and hate of an enemy. Which of these, settled faith or pioneer faith, embodies compassion? I n a surprising twist of history, Buddhism traces its origin to just such a “Samaritan” moment.[2] Siddhartha, the future Buddha, began his journey to enlightenment with a moment of compassion during an outing outside his protected palace wall. He sees the human conditions of old age, sickness and death. The sight grip him, they will not let go. Like the Samaritan in Jesus’ parable, he cannot “pass by.” Kosuke Koyama, a widely read Asian Christian points out that twenty centuries after Jesus, one can see similar sights in any city. In New York he saw a homeless black man who was not only old and sick, but who had, just as in Jesus’ words, “fallen among robbers.” Koyama observes that not all pass by. [3] There still are persons of pioneer spirit who are able to exchange their fear for compassion. The catalyzing event in each of these and the unnamed Samaritan of Jesus’ parable is a leap of compassion. S ome go even further. The essence of all religious faith is compassion ~ according to Robin Meyer, pastor at Mayflower Congregation Church in Oklahoma City. He rightly observes that Scripture measures the righteousness of individuals and nations by compassion, that is, by “how the strong treat the weak.”[4] Make no mistake: Wherever Jesus’ parable is repeated, even more where it is lived; it always has one extraordinary message ~ the power of compassion to overcome ‘otherness,’ enmity, strife, even fear and hate of an enemy. Make no mistake: the Samaritans were hated enemies to the Jews of the day. Don’t underestimate Jesus’ shocking message, don’t soften its impact to the point of meaninglessness. The power of the parable derives precisely from the shock and awe of a person dropping all hate, risking life and limb to care for an enemy. Spoiler alert: this is the part where you are likely to find your faith challenged. Jesus is talking about real enemies here, real hate here. Don’t believe two thousand years of making the Samaritans into some kind of persons merely disliked or condescended toward. What Jesus says here is absolutely scandalous to the Jews of his day. That’s why the lawyer wouldn’t even answer him directly: “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy. I n light of this truth about enemies, and to continue our Western theme, what if this parable was reenacted in Pioneer days. Marney Wasserman, pastor in Dallas, tells it like this: It would be like a full-blooded Comanche rode into Dodge City with a badly wounded cowboy over his horse. Asking for a room over the saloon for the cowboy, we know well the outcome of this scenario ~ the compassionate Indian would not have made it out of town alive. What if it were reenacted in Israel? It’s so obvious ~ to see that Jesus’ parable today in Israel would be the story of the Good Palestinian ~ or the obverse – the Good Jew in the Palestinian community. And despite the desperation of that conflict, there are innumerable stories – actual, factual stories – of the Good Jew and the Good Palestinian. Good Jews in Europe have just dispatched three ships full of aid for blockaded Gaza. The parable is real. What if Jesus’ parable were reenacted at our own General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA, which just finished meeting today? As it turns out, this in fact happened at the General Assembly in Albuquerque in 1996 ~ a woman commissioner late Monday night was robbed in front of the deserted Convention Center. She was struck in the head and fell to the ground. Of the few persons around, a fellow Presbyterian came to her aid, driving the assailant off. Then he rendered first aid and stayed with her until she got adequate medical attention. So far so good. This fits our usual understanding of the story. But this story has a true “Samaritan” ending: the person who came to her aid, the only person who responded, taking considerable danger on himself, was a man the Assembly had just declared a hated enemy, at least unrepentant of a hated sin. He had been just fired from a church office because he was gay. A friend, Janet Ruark, pastor in Oklahoma City writes: “We all have hidden motive and agendas. It takes special effort to overcome them and to let the Holy Spirit work in and through us. Author and Theologian Frederick Buechner writes:” “The love for equals is a human thing—of friend for friend, brother for brother. It is to love what is loving and lovely. The world smiles. The love for the less fortunate is a beautiful thing—the love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world. The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing—to love those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who rejoice, the love of the poor for the rich, of the black man for the white man. The world is always bewildered by its saints. And then there is the love for the enemy—love for the one who does not love you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured’s love for the torturer. This is God’s love. It conquers the world.”[5] N ow that we have established who is who in the cast of characters in the parable of the Good Samaritan, our last question today is where we locate ourselves in the narrative. Are we among the pioneers or the settlers? Which one do you think loves enemy as Jesus commanded? Do we take the leap of compassion which have led Christians throughout the ages to extraordinary acts of courageous love? Are we able to live this parable of Jesus so universally praised, but seldom actually lived out?Are we able to make alive God’s powerful love in Jesus Christ which does overcome all ‘otherness,’ all enmity and strife, even all fear and hate of our designated enemies? Jesus is clear, no other human is an enemy in Christ. [1] Wes Seeliger, Western Theology (Atlanta: Forum House, 1973) [2] Kosuke Koyama, “He had Compassion (Luke 10:31-33)” Christian Century, July 5-12, 1989, p. 651 [3] Ibid. [4] Robin Meyers, Why the Christian Right is Wrong (San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2006) pp. 6-8, 49-51, 97 [5] Frederick Buechner, The Magnificent Defeat (New York: HarperCollins, 1966) p. 105 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:57:59 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=64 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=64&article_id=160 “Resurrection Is A’Happenin’” Preached on Easter, 4 April 2010 ~ Dr. D. Jay Losher Text ~ John 20:1-18 W e are going to have a little lesson in Greek, but don’t worry there will not be a pop quiz. It was a lesson about the word ‘eucharisto’ which means simply “thank you” or “to give thanks” in Greek It is the basis for our word “eucharistic” or things relating to the Lord’s Supper. We created this odd word because Scripture tells us at the Last Supper “Jesus gave thanks, and took bread and broke it.” Well, it seems in some administration or other appointed a real party hack to be ambassador to Greece. He really was out to sea, way out of his element, in way over his head, but he wanted to make a good impression nevertheless. So he asked his aides to help him, “How do I say ‘thank you’ in Greek?” He remembered the strong impression John F. Kennedy had made in Germany with his powerful “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. Even though Kennedy had crunched the grammar, and while he had actually said “I am a pastry,” nevertheless, that single phrase had made a profound difference. And the newly appointed ambassador did want to make a difference. “How do I say ‘thank you’ in Greek?” “Eucharisto.” He tried it several times with no good result. “I can’t remember that. Help me out here.” The aides thought together and suggested “Let’s make it easy. Just remember a name which sounds like it: F. Harry Stowe. That’s close enough to ‘eucharisto’!” All the way on the flight over, he repeated “F. Harry Stowe. F. Harry Stowe.” On the limousine ride to the embassy: “F. Harry Stowe. F. Harry Stowe.” All through the state dinner in his honor under his breath: “F. Harry Stowe. F. Harry Stowe.” Finally came his turn to speak and express his gratitude. Walking up up to the podium, he thought the words: “F. Harry Stowe. F. Harry Stowe.” He reaches the podium and what was the first thing out of his mouth? “Harry F. Stowe!” and the crowd was certainly bewildered. Jesus began the last supper by giving thanks and we can do no less. On hearing the news ~ the awesome good news ~ the greatest news of Jesus’ rising from the dead ~ of our rebirth in wonder ~ we can do no less, no more, than to give thanks: ‘Eucharisto.’ P eter Gomes, professor at Harvard Divinity School in a luncheon talk at a 1999 conference itemized the long series of times God has intervened in the world ~ times when God has changed the world for our benefit: · the creation of the universe with the merest word. · the incarnation, the divine becoming human. · the kingdom of God. · and most importantly, the resurrection!! · [we could add to his list: the release of Israel from bondage, Israel’s restoration from exile, Jesus’ healing ministry, the Spirit at Pentecost and many, many other events in the Bible.] It is a long list ~ and a powerful litany ~ and a list of actions not yet completed even in our day. Just as in the Passover just celebrated, the litany praises God for action after action on our behalf. And the response to each is “dayeinu” ~ “it would have been enough.” Even one intervention would have been more than enough. But God chose to repeat the action, the interventions over and over and over. God is all about change for our benefit. And why would God, ruler of the universe, deign to do this? God only knows. B ad stuff happens, no question about that: hurt, pain, exploitation, oppression. AIDS, strokes, heart attacks, loss. War, pandemics, SARS. We can add to this list as well. And the worst is death itself~ final and inevitable and incurable. Bad stuff does happen, and our lives are spent trying to avoid the bad stuff and to hold onto, if only momentarily, the good stuff. Bad stuff happens. Why? We don’t know. The great Religions have all tried to explain why bad stuff happens. Great religious thinkers spend an inordinate amount of time trying to explain this ~ struggling mightily with what is called the question of theodicy. Some examples: · Taoism: Stuff happens. Who gives a stuff? · Hinduism: This stuff has happened before and will happen again. · Buddhism: The stuff that happens doesn’t really. · Zen: What is the sound of stuff happening. · Islam (or Presbyterianism for that matter): The stuff that will happen will happen. · Judaism: Lord, why is this stuff happening to me? · Evangelicalism: Jesus, we praise you and just wanna ask why this stuff isn’t happening to someone else. · Catholicism: Stuff happens because you deserve it. · Rastafarianism: Let’s smoke the stuff. Bad stuff happens. Why? We don’t know. We may never know. God knows. And then really bad stuff happens. It seems that on balance, in the normal course of things and from our limited human perspective, more bad than good happens. Bad stuff happens, but good stuff happens too ~ Resurrection happens!! Victory over death, the ultimate, final terrible thing!! God’s will is for the good stuff to far outweigh the bad stuff ~ Even death itself, the greatest enemy of humanity, is defeated. Resurrection happens!! God’s will is for the good stuff to far outweigh the bad stuff: “Lo, I will tell you a mystery. We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will all be changed..... Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” [I Corinthians 15:51-52, 54-55] As seen throughout Scripture, God’s original, present and ultimate will is for only good stuff to happen for us. A s Frederick Buechner has said: “The worst isn’t the last thing about the world. It’s the next to last.” God always has the last word. And the first word as well. The first word was “Let there be light.” And the last word is “The tomb is empty ~ Jesus is alive.” And the last word and the first word and the middle word is and always has been and always will be ~ Good News! Resurrection happens. Notice that resurrection did happen in the past; that it is happening in the present; and by God’s sure promise it will happen in the future. Resurrection isn’t just a once and for all event only for Jesus to experience, and then for us sometime in the distance future maybe after we are already buried and gone. Rather, resurrection is a’happenin’ right now. Resurrection is a’happenin’ thing. The power for transformation of life and death demonstrated in resurrection is available to us right now and forever. If we don’t like the way our lives are going, resurrection can change all that, does change all that. It is the power of Jesus’ resurrection for changing lives, real change. Life in God’s kingdom is living resurrected lives right now. John’s term he uses for the kingdom of God is most often translated “eternal life,” Translated literally, however, it really means “life for the ages” not life after death as we so often construe it. “Life for the ages” means living life now to the fullest in resurrection power and into a life after this life since death is defeated. R esurrection is a’happenin’! It did happen. It does happen. It can happen for us as well! It will happen for us as well! If we accept the Good News and believe ~ if we hold resurrection in our lives and live the love Jesus lived. That is the greatest form of gratitude: to live worthy lives ~ lives worthy of the gift already given. Resurrection is a’happenin’! And our only legitimate, faithful response ultimately is thanksgiving, an awe filled and heartfelt “thank you” ~ to live lives of grateful praise to God for the ultimate, final last word of “Jesus is alive. God’s reign has arrived.” “Thank you, Lord.” “Thank you, Jesus.” “Eucharisto!” Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:35:57 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=1&article_id=132 Welcome to our website!! It is almost as hard to find as where we are currently worshiping!! Above are a few of our folks. Our current worship location is in downtown Clermont, FL on 8th Street. Click on Finding Us for directions. Click on What We Believe interestingly enough to discover what we believe. Imagine that! We are a diverse and inclusive group of folks who have come together to worship, learn, serve and fellowship. We are not too large to share intimately our spiritual walk and at the same time large enough to effect personal growth. Perhaps God is calling you to be a part of our family. Click to Listen! Zmax WebRadio is one of our proud sponsors. Printer Friendly Format © 2000 - 2010 Church Community Builder and Crosspoint Church. All Rights Reserved. Church Software, Church Management Software Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:22:44 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=59 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=59&article_id=153 We are currently worshipping in beautiful downtown historic Clermont in an easy to find building. You only have to make one turn off highway 50 to find us. The Building is called "The Net." From the junction of highways 27 and 50, Go WEST on 50 to 8th street, then Turn RIGHT onto 8th street around the lake. Go through one stop sign (after stopping!) and look left. We're on the left in The Net, you'll see the signs for parking on Sunday morning. There is "first time guest" parking just for you at the front door! Look for the signs and do your U turn carefully! For Summer, June through Labor Day weekend, Worship begins at 10:00am with coffee fellowship following. Church School classes for adults are at 9:00am and for children begins at 10:00am. Before or after worship, you can walk up to the Clermont Farmers' Market just a few steps up to Montrose Street. We are just up the hill from the trailhead of some of the best hiking and biking trails in the state. Click here for a Google link map to our current worship site at "The Net." Wed, 7 Jul 2010 07:25:47 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=57 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=57&article_id=150 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } We are a young church!! We were just chartered on September 10th, 2006.We believe! For Crosspoint faith is a verb ~ faith is best witnessed through character seen in concrete actions and compassionate living. We hold the beliefs common to all Christians as summarized in the ancient and modern Creeds.We are on an adventure. For Crosspoint faith in Jesus is a quest and a journey. We welcome all into our fellowship who seek God whatever their walk with the Lord. As a young church, we are focused hard on our walk in the Spirit ~ growth in our relationships, in fellowship, in service, in compassion, in depth of faith and understanding of Scripture. We are folks who are finding our purpose in life through growing in this community of Christ. We are on the move. We presently meet at “The Net”, a ministry on 8th Street Wed, 7 Jul 2010 07:18:39 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=32 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=32&article_id=24 We at Crosspoint are currently involved in many mission outreaches. Here are a list of some of our missions. Bread of Life - Once a month we help distribute food to the needy families in our community. Dundee Mission - At Easter and Christmas we provide children with gifts in Dundee. New Missions - We have many individual and bible study groups who contribute monthly financial support for children in Haiti. Kenya, East Africa - We support by prayer and finances a missionary who works at the Rift Valley Academy. This is a missionary school for 500 children. Chad, Central Africa - We pray for and financially support a missionary family who brings the Gospel of Christ to a group of people called the Barma. Sat, 3 Jul 2010 06:43:53 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=5 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=5&article_id=3 Crosspoint actively encourages all followers of Jesus to be involved in a small group experience. Small Groups meet in the homes of members. Everyone can find a place in one of our groups since they include folks from diverse points in their walk of faith, from searchers and seekers to learners and teachers. There are currently 4 small groups and the desire to add more as the way be clear. Each of our groups has a unique character. Prayer Group: Tuesday 8:30 am: weekly meeting for prayer for the concerns of the congregation, A.I.M. Retirement Center. For more info contact Barbara Battye @ 352-242-1288Bible Study: Tuesday 7:30-9:00 pm: depth Bible Study currently reading systematically in the Gospel of Luke. Home of Tom & Terri Wainwright, contact Terri @352-242-0802Prayer and Praise: Enthusiastic and energizing Morning Worship. Hosted by Kathy Mapp. Contact phone: 352-241-6546 Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm: depth Bible Study currently reading systematically through 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus. Home of Ed and Loretta Mitchell. Contact Carol @ 352-243-8666 Contact clbelzer@yahoo.com to find a small group in your area. Fri, 2 Jul 2010 09:06:29 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=15 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=15&article_id=104 At Crosspoint, we feel it's OUR responsibility to make sure you are comfortable and welcomed whenever you visit our congregation. We want you to be able to experience the great music, encouraging messages, friendly people and enjoyable atmosphere that are a part of Crosspoint. We know that your first time at a church, any church, brings up some questions. So ahead of a visit, here is a quick look at what you can expect, based on what people have seen when they visit Crosspoint. How should I dress? Dress in a way that lifts your spirit! Bright colors can praise the Lord! You'll see some people wearing jeans and you'll see some people wearing ties. Wear what makes you feel comfortable and enables your spirit to be open to Good News! What's available for my kids? We offer child care during the service. A staffed nursery is available for your infant toward the back of our building. Separate rooms are available for older children to experience Sunday School during worship or they may stay with parents for worship. What should I expect in church? A variety of music, including upbeat songs, instrumentals and hymns, can be expected @ Crosspoint. Pastor Jay Losher seeks to provide a Biblical message related to today's challenges and opportunities, to encourage us each in our spiritual walk. You may be given an outline for the day's message and you will be welcomed by lots of smiles. You probably will laugh some and maybe even cry real tears. Life and worship have all these emotions. It is our prayer that each will take away a new thought, some realized joy and a conviction to live a full life with God. We want you to be "at home" and free to check things out for yourself, so nobody will pressure you while you are at Crosspoint. Of course, we can only follow up with an additional welcome if you let us know who and where you are. If you want more information, fill out the tear-off information that is in the bulletin and place it in the basket when it comes by after the message. As the disciple Philip invited Nathaniel: "COME AND SEE!" Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:01:12 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=44 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=44&article_id=140 We enjoy a service that is casual in nature, with great music and a relevant message you can apply to your life today. Be comfortable in what you wear to church as you'll see people in many different outfits; some will be casual while some will be in Sunday best. You are welcome to worship in what is most appropriate for you and your family. We offer Communion on the first Sunday of every month. Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:07:19 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=58 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=58&article_id=151 Crosspoint has several weekly prayer groups which pray for ourselves, our community and our world, and weekly Bible Studies which take a single book and work through it carefully. Beyond these home groups, we encourage daily prayer and Bible study which are important "fertilizer" for spiritual growth. While we know that to be true, most of us need some structure to help us with the discipline. The following link will lead you to the website of the Presbyterian Church USA and a set of Bible readings which change daily to cover the whole of Scripture in two years ~ twice through the New Testament and once through the Hebrew Scriptures. It may be just what you need. Click on: http://www.pcusa.org/lectionary/ Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:24:31 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=44 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=44&article_id=148 Currently in Summer, that is June thru Labor Day, Crosspoint offers a single Sunday Worship service with both traditional hymns and contemporary praise songs led by our Praise Band. 9:00am ~ Adult Education 10:00am ~ Sunday Worship and Children's Sunday School September thru May, Crosspoint offers 2 worship services. A traditional service with inspiring hymns and a contemporary service with uplifting music led by our Praise Band. 8:45am ~ Adult Education 9:30am ~ Traditional Worship and Children's Sunday School 11:00am ~ Contemporary Worship and Children's Sunday School Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:16:56 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12&article_id=146 Pastor Jay arrived in February 2010. A native Texan, Jay has served congregations in Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and now Florida. Pastor Jay has a heart for mission, shown by missionary service ten years in Indonesia, by his working many years in "home missions," and, as seen in his photo, rehabbing a home in New Orleans. Pastor Jay also loves leading exciting, inspirational and Jesus-centered worship where we experience direct communion with the Living God. Through worship and fellowship we enter a zone between two worlds - between God's reign and the secular world - a sacred space where we can live momentarily in God's kingdom and experience all its power, its miracles of personal health, spiritual wholeness, reconciliation with neighbor and God, with compassion, justice and peace. The life verse God has given Pastor Jay is Matthew 6:33, the words of Jesus: "Seek ye first God's reign and your right standing with him, and all the rest will be supplied you." Or, as he likes to translate it: "It's God's Kingdom, Stupid!" In addition, preaching, teaching and pastoral care are important aspects of Pastor Jay's ministry. He received his ministerial degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and earned a Ph.D. in Church and Society from Garrett Evangelical/Northwestern University in Chicago, but he hopes you won't hold that against him. Fri, 25 Jun 2010 08:59:05 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12&article_id=130 At Crosspoint we follow the Biblical direction for leadership, relying on people called by God to carry the vision for this church who we ordain as Elders. Our elected Session for 2006-2007 includes (as picture from left to right): Tom Wainwright, Jameie Fenstermacher, John Mapp, Roger Belzer, Ed Mitchell, Jamie Caudill, and Debbie Terry. They come with a wide variety of experiences including: private business ownership, military service, and sales representation. They are committed to protecting and caring for the God-given vision at Crosspoint. They have served the family well. Some new members have come on board and as soon as we get their picture we will post it! Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:55:33 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12&article_id=88 Wendy is a blessing to all our children and families with children at Crosspoint. She oversees the events for our kids at all our services. Wendy has a host of volunteers who run the ministries to our children and she loves her service to the Lord. Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:53:28 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=section&id=12&article_id=129 Renee has been with our church family from it inception and we count ourselves blessed to have someone of her talents on staff. Renee handles all the musical elements for our Worship service on Sunday mornings. She also directs the choir. She has a wondeful daughter, Sierra, who is a true joy to our church family. To contact Renee click here. Renee has her own business teaching vocals, guitar, and piano for private lessons. Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:53:28 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=4 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=4&article_id=2 Our Children's ministry takes place every Sunday morning during worship service. We also have a very unique midweek program for kids. Our team of adults who care for our kids are the best, and we're in the process of building more space for our children to accommodate our growth. Tue, 2 Sep 2008 19:23:05 MST http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=4 http://www.thecrosspoint.org/app/w_page.php?type=group&id=4&article_id=20 Tue, 2 Sep 2008 19:20:32 MST