Sunday School Lesson

Yesterday I taught our Sunday School lesson (our class is named Serenity Now! And yes, it is after the Seinfeld episode & very fitting for our class of 30-40 somethings, mostly parents). We were doing the book Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. For any of you that don't know Rob Bell, he's a contemporary Christian preacher that questions the church and it's traditions and isn't afraid to question what we have been taught about the bible. Check out www.robbell.com for more info & go buy the book... it's going to make you think outside of your box and get you yearning to learn more and live better. I taught the final chapter, titled "Good." I had my lesson all mapped out. I felt that chapter was a little scatter brained and jumped around a bunch but I did my best to get an outline. I taught once before and learned that you don't have to have it completely written out because if you ask the right question, you can get answers that steer you in a different direction than you thought you could go. I was talking about the chapter and how God said everything he made was good; not perfect, not complete... just good. Throughout the book, you have gone in so many directions and been forced to think of things you never even considered to question (i.e. there is no actual place as heaven nor will you "go" to it; it will come to us when it's our time; that's God's plan). So as I'm talking about Jesus' love and how he showed it to people that society felt wasn't fit to hear the words of the rabbi, it just starts coming to me. I had an "aha" moment about what the theme of this book was and the Holy Spirit gave me the words... I didn't plan one bit for it and I was so overwhelmed by the feelings that I had, I was fighting tears as I was talking & completely choked up. Here's what I said (as best as I can remember it)

What I really think the whole point to Velvet Elvis is and what Rob Bell is trying to teach us is that it is our job to go out there and tell others of Jesus' love. Not only tell them, but show them. No matter how big or small your words or actions are, Jesus' love can be conveyed. Not all of us feel comfortable talking to others about that and that's OK, so bring that person to church and let Don [our preacher] do the talking. That also means that you don't have to fit into some cookie cutter mold of what the church thinks is right. Y'all know me and know I've never fit into a mold & I'm not sure I could even make one that I would fit into myself... but that's OK! We hear so much about what we should do and what we shouldn't do to be "good Christians" but the only One who can judge that is God. So if I choose to do something the church "frowns upon" that's OK, as long as I am showing God's love. That's my job as a child of God: go out there and show people how amazing Jesus is. You don't always have to approve of my methods or choices, but it's not up to you to judge me. If you are out there showing God's love and talking about it, that's what counts. Who cares if you are doing it with a bottle in your hand or at a place the church would frown upon?!?! I've learned, as I've aged, that as long as I'm right with God- that's all that matters. I've made my choices on how I want to live my life and I'm OK with not fitting into the mold, but I know God loves me and in turn, I'm showing others that. It doesn't mean I don't sin nor does it mean I'm making the choice God intended for me to make, but Him and I are working together and as long as my intentions are to glorify Him, He will continue to help me. I can't worry about what some institution tells me about my choices because at the moment that eternity begins for me, it's just going to be me & God. If that moment were to come today, I know where I stand... even if I do it with a bottle in my hand. So I encourage all of you to go out there and show everybody Jesus' love... be it a small act of kindness, a smile, or something as big as having our Sunday School class adopt a family for Christmas. It's easy to show God's love. Um, can somebody please close us in prayer because I barely finished this without completely losing it and there's no way I will make it through the prayer too?!?!

It's easy to show God's love this time of year as we prepare for the coming of Our Savior. The real test will be if you are still showing God's love in January when the rush from the holidays has ended and all the decorations are put away and life has returned to a sort of "normalcy"??? It's not hard, I promise. Just don't do it to make yourself feel better, do it to please God (which is SO not hard to do, thankfully)!!! Thank you God for your unconditional and unwavering love and for giving us Jesus so we could also have your grace.