faith

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, December 1, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

The Wonder of Advent: The Wonder of Hope

Jeremiah 33: 14 – 16

”Behold, the days come, saith the Lord,” says the King James Version of the beginning of Jeremiah 33. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord….” The word “Behold” is fun to say. Look to your neighbor and say, “Behold!” 

When John the Baptist saw Jesus walking out in the desert along the Jordan where John was baptizing, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” – John 1: 29. And the next day when he sees Jesus again, he says, “Behold the Lamb of God!” – John 1: 36. “Behold,” was enough to convince John’s followers to start following Jesus. 

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus says to the seven Churches, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” – Revelation 3: 21. Behold, Jesus is constantly knocking and anyone that opens the door, Jesus will come in and be with them.

 The story is told of one of those children’s Christmas pageants. One little girl was supposed to deliver the angel’s message, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Except, she couldn’t get past the first word. She forgot her lines. So she just said “Behold!” over and over again. With every “Behold,” she kept the audience on alert to what would happen next.

“Behold…..Behold…..Behold,” Was there going to be good tidings of great joy or not? 

The word “Behold” invites us to pause, reflect, and pay attention to the significant moments in our lives, especially where God is at work. Behold encourages us to not just hear but also perceive or comprehend deeply. “Behold” is like a spiritual highlighter. It signals that what is about to be said or shown is important and deserves full attention. It is like when the world is falling apart, and we don’t see a way out, the Prophet of God suddenly shows up and says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord.” 

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, turns into Jeremiah, the prophet of hope, for a people in despair. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, are advancing on Jerusalem. The streets will soon be filled with the corpses of her people. Jeremiah’s message is a warning to his people of the impending judgment of God due to Judah’s unfaithfulness to the covenant and the social injustices they have acted upon one another. 

The unfaithfulness of Judah has opened the door to the forces of death, destruction, and chaos. The tragedy of the Babylonian exile is the end of the Davidic dynasty. For nearly four hundred years, descendants of David had occupied the throne of David. The Lord promised David through the prophet Nathan, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” – 2 Samuel 7:16. Babylon will destroy David’s city, burn down Solomon’s temple, and take the heirs to the throne into exile. The promises of God appear to be coming to an end. 

Some of you know what it is like to question God’s promises. The person who has lost everything they have worked for in foreclosure knows the despair of broken dreams. Someone who struggles with chronic illness can doubt God’s concern for the suffering. A parent whose prayers go unanswered for their prodigal son or daughter feels God ignores them. Someone pursuing a dream opportunity keeps getting let down and feels they will never get a chance to prove themselves. A widow sitting in loneliness feels forgotten, a child who is abused, or a spouse who is cheated on all feel that God has walked out on them. Someone who has strayed from their faith wonders if they’ve disqualified themselves from God’s grace. 

What do we do when it feels like God’s promises in our lives are ending? Listen for the word “Behold!” Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, is a sign that God is about to do something new. 

In the darkness, a light breaks in. In despair, hope erupts. Jeremiah says that new life is springing up from what looks like a dead stump. God assures God’s people that they are not forgotten. The promise of a “righteous branch” from David’s line points to a future leader who will embody justice and righteousness. It is a message that foreshadows the coming Messiah, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise. 

As we begin this Advent season, “Behold” is the word that draws us into the mystery of what God is doing. It invites us to pause, pay attention, and open our hearts to God’s promises. Advent reminds us that God is always at work, fulfilling His promises even in our waiting, our struggles, and our doubts.

We begin Advent with a word of hope. It is a time to behold the promises of God, even when life feels uncertain or broken. Jeremiah’s words to a people in exile remind us that God is always at work, even when His promises seem distant. The promise of a righteous Branch, a Savior, was fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah, and it reminds us today that God’s hope is never extinguished.

Jeremiah spoke to a people whose world was falling apart, yet he pointed to a future where justice, righteousness, and peace would reign. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. His birth, life, death, and resurrection prove God’s faithfulness does not falter.

We, too, can behold this promise in the face of our despair. Advent invites us to see that hope has already come in Jesus and is still coming as we await His return. 

As we begin this season of Advent, I ask you to reflect on the question, “In what areas of your life do you need to reclaim hope?” Put a name to the situation in your life where you need hope. Put a name to a situation that has you on the edge of despair. 

As we begin this Advent season, we are reminded that hope is not just a concept—it is a person. Hope has a name, and His name is Jesus. Jesus is the light that breaks into our darkness, the Savior who meets us in our despair, and the King who reigns with justice and righteousness. 

Today, you may be carrying hopeless situations—brokenness, pain, or unanswered questions. But Advent declares this truth: God’s promises never fail. Just as the people of Judah were not forgotten, neither are you. The same God who sent Jesus into the world to bring salvation is here now, ready to meet you, to restore you, and to give you hope.

“Behold, Jesus says, “I stand at the door and knock. I will come in if anyone hears my voice and opens the door to their life.” Jesus is inviting you to let Him in—to bring Him your doubts, your fears, and your broken dreams. He offers you His presence, His peace, and the promise of new life. The question is: Will you open the door?

As we prepare to take Communion, this is your moment to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Behold, a table set with food paid for with the ultimate cost – the life of Jesus. It is out of his brokenness that we are given life, and out of his life that was poured out, that we have a new beginning. 

Behold, the Savior has come, is coming, and is here with us today—and He is here for you. Amen.

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Questions to Consider:

  1. When you face fear or uncertainty, how do you remind yourself of the peace and security found in Christ? How can you share this peace with others around you?
  2. Can you share a time when you saw God fulfill a promise in your life or someone else’s? How does this impact your trust in God for the future?
  3. When you examine your daily actions and decisions, do you feel they reflect Christ’s justice and righteousness? Where do you see opportunities to grow in aligning with His character?

Prayer:

Lord, as we journey through Advent, may we walk as people of hope, proclaiming Your promises and sharing the light of Christ with the world. Be glorified in our lives as we commit ourselves to You today. In the name of Jesus, our Savior and King, we pray. Amen.

Benediction:

Go now into this season of Advent with hearts full of hope. Behold the promises of God, for they are sure and steadfast. While waiting, trust that the light of Christ is breaking into your darkness. Amen.

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, November 10, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

An Uncomfortable Dinner

Luke 7: 36 – 50

Do you ever look at someone and see only what you want to see? Do you draw lines, put people in boxes, and keep them there because it feels easier? Safe? 

Imagine yourself at a table, your dinner party, watching a stranger walk in. You don’t know her or his story, only that they are not like you. Do you make space for them? Or do you keep them at a distance, thinking they don’t belong?

Are you so sure of your own place at the table that you forget to make room for someone else?

Simon throws a party. I don’t like Simon. He is arrogant, rude, self-righteous, and judgmental. I like watching Jesus make Simon squirm and put his judgmental self in his place. “The one who is forgiven little loves little,” Jesus says (Luke 7: 47). 

I like watching Simon’s face go red and seeing him embarrassed and humiliated until I realize that Jesus has gotten me. I am no better than Simon. I am Simom. 

It doesn’t take me very long to realize that my judgmental and critical spirit has kept a person like the sinful woman away from the table of grace with the resources to restore her. What she needs is a community that understands forgiveness.  

“Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44). There is a cost to seeing. It will force us to realize things about ourselves that we would rather not see.

Of course, Simon sees her. He has been judging the woman since she walked in. She is an embarrassment to his dinner party. 

He isn’t blind. He’s filled with judgment. And yet, the judgment is making him blind. He doesn’t see her humanity, extravagant generosity, or capacity to show love. He doesn’t see her as forgiven. He only sees her as an object of his judgment. 

The woman walks away, hearing the words, “Your sins are forgiven….Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” 

We don’t know what Simon walks away hearing. He drops out of the story. Has he changed? 

There is a little Simon in all of us. So, you tell me, how do you see the woman?  

The one who is forgiven little loves little. 

What if we invested as much in welcoming others to the table as we do in judging people like Simon.? Imagine the difference our world would be. 

There will be a time in your life when a woman like the one in our story comes along and simply says no to those who try to keep her away. She will say no to those who try to push her out when she walks in the room. She will refuse to settle for those who refuse to give her a seat at the table. She will ignore those who judge her instead of loving her. 

She will say no because she has already heard Jesus say yes to her. She has heard the words of forgiveness, which have empowered her and given her back her identity and self-esteem. 

And now she is ready to say, “Thank you!” She is ready to show her gratitude. 

What if we were the community where the forgiven gather to say, “Thank you,” and the ones longing for forgiveness hear the words, “You are forgiven?” Imagine being a church—not just any church, but one where grace has replaced judgment.  

Imagine a church where Jesus was our guest, and we welcomed as his guests all whom he invited. 

An old rabbi was once asked by his students how they could tell when the night had ended and the day had begun. “Could it be,” asked one of his students, “when you see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?” “No,” said the rabbi. 

Another asked, “Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it’s a fig tree or a peach tree?” “No,” replied the rabbi. 

“Then when is it,” the students insisted. “It is when you can look on the face of any man or woman and see that it is your brother or your sister. Because if you cannot see this, it is still night.” 

The one who is forgiven little loves little. Let us love deeply because we have been forgiven wide. 

Based on Tuesday’s actions at the polls, we are in a different place this Sunday than last Sunday. So, let me say this: We’re challenged to move beyond our judgments and embrace each other with grace. Just as Simon’s critical spirit kept him from seeing the woman as Jesus did, we, too, are called to examine how our judgments may blind us to the humanity in others. Are we welcoming all to the table, or are we letting our differences divide us?

As we reflect on the story of Simon and the woman at Jesus’ feet, we are confronted with a powerful question: Do we see others as Jesus does? Too often, we become blind with judgment, keeping people at arm’s length, believing we are “protecting” the table of grace. Yet Jesus shows us that the table is precisely for those who, like us, need forgiveness, love, and restoration.

Imagine a church where every person who walks through the doors—no matter their past, their mistakes, or the judgments they’ve faced—can hear the words, “You are forgiven.” A church where grace is given freely, welcoming each one as a family. Imagine the lives transformed when we see people as Jesus does, breaking down the walls that keep them from the table and saying, “You belong here.”

Let’s ask ourselves: Are we building a community of grace or guarding a place of judgment? Let’s choose grace. Let us become the place where the forgiven gather to say “Thank you!” and those seeking forgiveness hear the life-changing words, “You are forgiven.”

This week, let’s step into that light together. Embrace the call to love deeply, welcome warmly, and forgive freely. Let’s build the kind of church that Jesus envisions—a church where all can come to know his love. Who will you invite to the table today?

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Questions to Consider:

  1.  Have you ever found yourself judging someone based on first impressions or appearances? How did that affect your interactions with them?
  2. What are some common “boxes” or labels we put people in, and why do we do it? How can we challenge ourselves to break these habits?
  3. In what ways do you find it challenging to see others through the lens of grace and forgiveness, as Jesus did with the woman in Luke 7?
  4. The sermon mentions, “There is a cost to seeing.” What do you think that cost is, and why might it be challenging to face it?
  5. What actions can you take this week to show someone they are seen, valued, and invited to the “table” of community and grace?

Prayer:

Forgiving God, We confess that, like Simon, we have often judged when we should have loved and excluded when we should have welcomed. Forgive us, Lord, for the ways we have kept others from Your table of grace by our blindness and judgment. 

Help us see each person through the eyes of Christ—with compassion and kindness. Teach us to create a community where grace replaces judgment and where every soul feels welcome to say, “Thank you” for the gift of forgiveness. 

We offer our hearts and lives to You, asking for Your Spirit to guide us as we seek to walk in Your light and spread Your love to all who seek it. May we leave here with renewed purpose, empowered to be the community of grace You have called us to be. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Benediction:

As you go from here, may you carry the grace of Christ in your heart, letting it fill every corner of your life. May you see others as Jesus sees them—not with judgment, but with a love that welcomes and forgives. Let His grace guide you to build a community that invites, restores, and unites.

And as you journey through this week, think of someone who might need a place at the table, a word of hope, or simply the warmth of belonging. Invite them to join us, to sit with us, and to experience the love that has transformed our lives.

Go in peace, with open hearts and open hands, ready to share the boundless grace of God. Amen.

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, November 3, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

At the Table with Jesus: A Table of Forgiveness

Luke 22:14-19

I grew up in a home where you sat for dinner every evening. We feasted regularly on two veggies, meat, and bread prepared by my mom. I don’t remember the conversations, but I remember the habit of eating together. 

My wife’s family had a tradition of Sunday lunch at her grandparents’ house. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends would assemble for a meal every week. 

My mom’s side has an annual family reunion. People who only see one another once a year will gather and catch up on all the family drama. 

Some of our fondest memories are of family meals. At the table, we are initiated, nurtured, and claimed into the family. We participated in shared memories and fellowship around the sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. At the family table, we find our place, our name, and our story.

As we move forward in worship toward gathering at the Lord’s Table, I recognize that it brings us into sacred communion with Christ and draws us together as a family—both with those present and with the saints who have gone before us. Sitting at this table of fellowship can feel complicated when our hearts ache from the absence of someone we deeply love. 

There’s a tension in being here between the comfort of tradition and the pain of missing their presence. For many, the familiar worship rituals are bittersweet reminders of shared memories now impossible to recreate. For some of you today, simply showing up took courage, a step toward healing even when your heart isn’t ready to move forward.

 I want to honor that gathering at the Lord’s Table—or any table—when a loved one is no longer with us can be one of the hardest things to do. The empty seat is a powerful reminder of what we have lost at family meals, holidays, or even just everyday dinners. 

May you be encouraged today to remember that when we break the bread and lift the cup, we proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection and the promise that death will not have the final word. At this table, we are united with the communion of saints, including those we mourn today. In that sense, your loved one is not as far away as it seems. They are part of the great cloud of witnesses seated with us at the Lord’s eternal table.

There is a story about a little boy admiring the stained glass while sitting alone in a big sanctuary. An older gentleman sits beside him and asks, “Young man, what are you looking at?” And the boy replies, “I am looking at all the people on those big, beautiful windows. And wondering who are they?” The old man replies, “Well, Son, those are the saints of the church.” 

The little boy’s mom finally came in and sat down, asking him what he was talking about. The boy said, “The man was telling me about the saints.” The mom asked, “What do saints do, son?” The little boy said, “The saints are the ones that let the light in.” 

All Saints Sunday invites us to remember those in our lives who reflected Jesus. It is a day when we remember how their kindness, wisdom, and faith let the light of Christ into our lives. 

When we break bread today, may we do so with gratitude for the saints who shaped our faith. May we leave this place empowered to be saints in our own time, reflecting Christ’s love to a world in need.

Jesus says, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22: 19). Jesus will take this traditional Jewish meal and transform it into remembrance of his life, death, and resurrection. The bread and the cup are taken up by sinners and received as gifts of the grace of his sacrifice on our behalf. 

Gathering at Jesus’ table is not only a place of memory but also a place where forgiveness must be practiced. Even at this table, where Jesus offers His body and blood to forgive sins, there are deep wounds among those present. Judas will soon betray Him. Peter will deny Him. The other disciples will abandon Him in His greatest hour of need. 

There is a Judas absent from every family table. There is a Peter who has walked away. He may not be physically absent, but he has done things that are not discussed. She may still show up for Sunday lunch, but the conversation stays on the surface, the soul is left untouched, and she dies a little more on the inside each time they gather. 

How do we begin to love one another back to the family table? It starts with forgiveness. Author Lewis Smedes once said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

Forgiveness is deciding that what has been done to me in the past will not define my future. Forgiveness means I refuse to let the hurt define me. Forgiveness means I am no longer going to carry the hurt. I am going to give it to Jesus. 

It is not ignoring the past. It doesn’t deny the hurt or the act of betrayal. A healed past is not a deleted memory. But it is saying that the past will not define where you live in the present or where you are headed into the future. 

Forgiveness is a courageous act. It is courageous because it requires allowing the negative feelings of outrage and grief to come in. But they don’t stay there. If they stay there, the hurt turns into resentment, and resentment turns into hate. Forgiveness is allowing yourself to feel the pain, letting it in, and then letting it go. Forgiveness is releasing the hurt before it turns into resentment. 

Forgiveness does not mean we shouldn’t hold others accountable for their actions. Forgiveness does not mean that we allow the offense to recur again and again. Forgiveness is returning to God the act of taking care of justice. Forgiveness is trusting God with the wounds that we cannot heal ourselves. 

The same Christ who invites us to remember His life, death, and resurrection also invites us into a life marked by forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation.

This week, I challenge you to consider: Who is missing from your table? Is there a conversation you’ve avoided, a relationship needing healing, or a burden of unforgiveness weighing heavy on your heart? Perhaps there is someone God is calling you to reach out to, even if it feels uncomfortable or incomplete.

The one thing I have learned from doing so many funerals this year is that tomorrow is never promised. I urge you to make room in your heart for both remembrance and reconciliation. Send that text. Make that phone call. Set the extra place at the table. Just as the saints before us reflected Christ’s love and “let the light in,” may we shine with that same light in the lives of others. As we break bread and share the cup, may we carry forward the grace we receive here into a world in desperate need of love, hope, and healing. Go now, empowered by the Spirit, to reflect Christ’s light and welcome others to the table of grace. (Go to All Saints Liturgy at the Table)

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Questions to Consider:

  1. Reflect on the role of family meals in your life. How have these gatherings shaped your sense of belonging and community? What memories stand out?
  2. Are there memories of loved ones who have passed that inspire you to “let the light in” and live out Christ’s love in your everyday life?
  3. Is there an unresolved hurt in your life that you feel called to release?

Prayer:

Forgiving God, Help us to forgive as You have forgiven us, releasing burdens and healing wounds that keep us apart. Give us courage to invite those who feel distant back to the table, and grace to be a light for others. May we remember Your love in every broken piece of bread and every shared cup, carrying Your peace and hope to a world in need. Amen.

Benediction:

May you walk in the courage to forgive, the strength to love, and the wisdom to shine with the light of Jesus. Go forth as saints in your own time, bringing hope, healing, and welcome to a world in need.

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, October 27, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

Bridges to the Future

Psalm 78:1-7

“I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3). This is how Jesus sends out his disciples to share the faith. Anyone want to sign up? Then Jesus goes on, “Travel light. Comb and toothbrush, maybe, but no extra luggage.” With a recruitment speech like that, who would ever put Jesus in charge of volunteers? 

If you want someone to do something in the church, you should tell them it will be easy, comfortable, and not add stress to their life. If you want someone to volunteer, you sell them what is in it. You don’t say, “Whoever wants to be my disciples must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). 

Volunteers are great. But Jesus doesn’t recruit volunteers. Jesus calls followers. Volunteers are good at keeping the status quo. However, followers can move in a direction where life change can happen. Volunteers can keep an institution running. However, followers will put us in a position to receive a great harvest. 

Jesus longs to lead us on amazing adventures of building bridges in uncharted territories of faith and frontier places where we have never been. But it will take followers. If following Jesus has only led you to a seat in the church, then you stopped following Jesus somewhere along the way. Imagine a church where you get equipped to be Jesus’ hands and feet in the world. Imagine a church where bridges are crossed to reach the unchurched. Imagine a church not as a staging area for those waiting to die and go to heaven but instead as a training ground to develop the necessary tools to live out our faith in the world. 

Imagine a church where, when it comes to God’s stories, we will do as the Psalmist says: “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done” (Psalm 78:4). 

Psalm 78 is the second longest of the Psalms. It tells of God’s passion for humans, even when those humans turn away. It is the sad story of human determination to ignore God’s good gifts and forget God’s mercy. As verse eleven says, “They forgot what he had done and the miracles that he had shown them” (Psalm 78:4). 

Therefore, it tells of God’s judgment. I encourage you to read the entire psalm. I don’t want to take the sting out of the judgment because sometimes the judgment can bring us back to the good news of the story. 

Rev. Tom Long, retired professor of homiletics at Candler School of Theology, tells of a time when he was walking across the campus one day, and one of his students hailed him and said, “Dr. Long, could I speak to you for a minute?” He said, “I’m going to get a cup of coffee. Do you want to go?” She did, and as they were sharing coffee, she told him what was on her mind. She said she was serving as a field education student in a local church and that her supervising pastor required her to preach next Sunday. Tom said, “Good.”

She said, “No. It is not good. He’s making me preach on the lectionary.” He said, “Good.” She said, “It’s not good. Have you read the lectionary text for the week? They’re all about judgment. I don’t believe in judgment. I believe in grace. I believe in mercy. I believe…it took me three years of therapy to get over judgment. I am not going to preach judgment.”

Rev. Long said they talked about it for a while and then moved on to other things, and she started to tell about her family life. She and her husband have several children, only the youngest of whom—a teenage boy—was at home, and he was giving them hell. He was into drugs, maybe dealing them, in trouble with the police. She said, “Like last night, we were sitting at supper. We had no idea where our son was. He came in the back door in the middle of supper, and I asked if he would like some supper. He practically spit at us. He just stomped down the hall to his room and slammed the door.” She said, “My husband got up and turned on ESPN. That is always his response to this.” She said, “I don’t know, something got into me.” She said, “I’m afraid of my son physically. Physically afraid of my son. But something got into me, and I got up from the table, went down to his room, pushed open the door, and said to him, ‘You listen to me. I love you so much I am not going to put up with this.’”

Rev. Long said, “Caroline, I think you just preached a sermon on judgment.” God loves us so much God will not put up with the foolishness in our lives. This is the message of Psalm 78, and it is part of the grand narrative of God’s redemptive presence in our lives, which we are to pass down to the next generation. 

According to recent studies, 17% of high school students have contemplated suicide. In a recent issue of First Things, Aaron Kgeriaty says that many factors should be considered for this epidemic. However, one thing he argues for the rise in hopelessness is the “loss of narratives for their lives” regarding teens knowing who they are. 

Psalm 78 is an ancient call for us to be committed to passing down the narrative that gives meaning and hope to people in a fragmented and God-forgetting world. For the sake of our children, we must keep telling the story of Jesus and his love. 

In the forward of the book, which tells of the stained glass windows at Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Marsha Hopkins explains the history of the stained glass windows. She tells the story of the Reverend Jim Thompson. As a youth counselor, she remembers Rev. Jim bringing the youth group to the church when it was only a concrete slab. This would have been before 1980. He told the students where the pulpit would be, the choir loft, and the altar rail. After sharing the vision of the new church, Rev. Jim Thompson gathered the students and the volunteers in a circle on the concrete slab, and they all began to sing, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love once you’ve experienced it; you spread his love to everyone; you want to pass it on.” 

Before there was a sanctuary, children and youth space, and fellowship space, Rev. Jim Thompson and the leaders had a vision of what could be. I am asking you to re-catch the spark of that vision. 

We live in a world where many young people are lost and hopeless and need a narrative that can restore their faith, identity, and purpose. Psalm 78 calls us to ensure they know the story of God’s love—a love that will not give up on us and corrects, redeems, and restores. We must pass down that story through how we live, serve, and give.

But it won’t happen if the status quo is maintained. It requires bold giving—giving that stretches us and challenges us to trust God more deeply. Stewardship is not just about keeping the lights on; it is about investing in the future of faith for those who will follow. Imagine what could happen if we gave not based on what is comfortable but on what is necessary to equip the next generation. Imagine what could happen if our gifts provided the tools for others to encounter Jesus in powerful ways.

So today, I challenge you to give more than you thought possible. Give because the story of Jesus and His love is too precious not to share. Give because a generation is waiting to hear that God has not forgotten them, that they are loved beyond measure, and that they have a place in His kingdom.

Get ready. We will build bridges where none exist because of your generosity and willingness to be a follower rather than just a volunteer. 

Following Jesus isn’t safe, easy, or predictable. It’s a call to surrender, to trust beyond what we can see, and to step into the unknown, knowing that Jesus goes with us. It’s not a journey of convenience—it’s a journey of faith, and every step draws us closer to God’s heart.

Faith isn’t about knowing how the story ends—it’s about trusting the One who writes it. It’s about believing that Jesus will meet you there when you step out. It’s about going beyond comfort and into the deep places where real transformation happens.

So here’s the challenge: What step is Jesus asking you to take? Take that step of faith—not because it’s easy, but because Jesus is trustworthy. Step into the adventure of following Him more deeply. Let go of what holds you back and open your heart to what God wants to do through you. 

If you’ve ever wondered how you can make a lasting impact, this is the moment. It’s time to offer your time, your talents, and yes—your financial resources—not just to sustain but to plant seeds for a greater harvest. Give generously, knowing that every act of faith builds bridges for the next generation to encounter the love of Jesus.

This is not about waiting for someone else to do it. It’s about each of us taking ownership of God’s mission in the world. If not us, who? If not now, when?

Today, Jesus sends us out with purpose. Will you follow Him? And know that it only takes a spark to get a fire going, and you may be the spark we have been waiting on.

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Questions to Consider:

  1. How can we cultivate practices that help us remember and pass on God’s deeds to future generations?
  2. What barriers prevent us from living sacrificially, and how can we overcome them?
  3. What is one specific step of faith God may be calling you to take? How can the community support one another in these steps of faith?

Prayer:

Gracious Father, make us faithful stewards of the story You entrusted to us. As the Psalmist says, may we not hide Your deeds from the next generation but declare Your wonders boldly. Stir in us a passion to give sacrificially, to love extravagantly, and to live courageously, knowing that Your harvest is waiting. Amen.

Benediction:

May your life be the spark that sets the world ablaze with His love. Amen.

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, October 20, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

The Strength of the Bridge

1 Corinthians 12: 12 – 27

When we think about a bridge, one thing is clear: the strength of the bridge lies in how well the parts come together to serve a common purpose. Each piece plays a role—the support beams, cables, or roadway—all must work in harmony. Similarly, as stewards of God’s resources, time, and gifts, we are called to work together as the body of Christ, each member adding strength to the bridge that connects people to Jesus. 

This morning, I want to take three parts of the Bible—a story from Jesus’s life, Paul’s message to the Corinthians, and Moses’s life—and connect them to the challenge of building bridges to Jesus. Our commitment becomes our testimony that points to God’s faithfulness.

There is a story about Jesus coming to a village. Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at His feet, listening to what He said.

Martha was in the kitchen, working hard. She had bread to bake, dishes to set, and food to prepare. The heat of the fire and the clatter of pots weighed on her, and she glanced out at Mary, who was still sitting. It didn’t seem fair.

Finally, Martha had enough. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work? Tell her to help me.”

Jesus looked at her and smiled, but it wasn’t unkind. “Martha, Martha,” He said, “you are worried and upset about many things. But only one thing matters. Mary has chosen well, and it will not be taken from her (Luke 10:42).”

I have always been bothered by this story. Martha is attempting to provide a hospitable place for Jesus to be present. She truly wants to serve Jesus. On the other hand, Mary forfeits any responsibility and simply sits at Jesus’ feet. 

What is the unspoken message Jesus gives in this story? Is Jesus saying a contemplative life is preferred over a life of service? What if the tables were turned? What if Mary had said about her sister Martha, “Lord, why don’t you ask my sister to join us and share in this conversation?” Would Jesus have replied, “Martha has chosen well, and it will not be taken from her?” 

You are not Martha, and Martha is not you. One pastor put it this way, “Maybe choosing well isn’t about choosing between serving or sitting since the Christian life has always been about both of those things. Maybe choosing well is not judging the actions of others through the lens of your own life.” 

In the story of Mary and Martha, Jesus responds to Martha’s question by affirming Mary’s choice. He wasn’t excluding Martha’s choice. If we are too harsh with Martha, she may walk away from serving altogether, and if we heap too much praise on Mary for sitting at Jesus’ feet, she may never get up and serve. There is a time to go and a time to do. There is a time to listen and reflect, and there is a time to get up and serve. Knowing the difference requires spiritual discernment. 

Oddly enough, in this story, I hear Paul’s words: “You are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (I Corinthians 12: 27). And earlier, Paul says, “God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us” (I Corinthians 12: 6). 

Paul points out that God gives us different gifts, skills, talents, and passions because our unique selves can work together for the common good. He says, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (I Corinthians 12: 7). 

Each of us has unique gifts and opportunities to use those gifts. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Your job is to figure out what you do well and step in and contribute to the work that God is doing among us. Everybody in the body is somebody. 

Before there was a Coach Prime at the University of Colorado, there was Coach Bill McCartney. He coached Colorado to three Big Eight titles and 10 consecutive winning seasons. He had a reputation for building strong teams. He later went on to found the men’s ministry Promise Keepers. Coach McCartney once said, “We have not come to compete with one another. We have come to complete one another.” 

This is Paul’s message to the church in Corinth, which was trying to compete with one another for status and position within the body. God has arranged the church just as God would have it. Therefore, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (I Corinthians 12: 26). 

We need one another. I wouldn’t have known that a church could significantly impact people in another part of the world if it were not for you. I wouldn’t have known that a generation of children could come to love school and be successful in the classroom if it were not for you. I wouldn’t have known how much fun it would be when people came together to fellowship and love one another if it were not for you. I would not have known that church could be where children of all abilities could worship and serve together. 

I guess what I am saying is that I need you to continue to teach me what it looks like to use your gifts and talents and be generous so that bridges continue to be built. I need you to show me the way. 

We can only work together and build bridges to Jesus if we know what is in our hands. 

The Lord had told Moses to speak and return to Egypt, but Moses shook his head. He knew the people. He knew what it was like to say things that nobody listened to. “They won’t believe me,” Moses said flatly, voice low. “They’ll say, ‘The Lord didn’t send you.’”

The wind rolled across the desert, stirring sand into the edges of the firelight. The voice came again, steady and sure, without room for question.

“What’s in your hand, Moses?”

He looked down at the staff. It was simple, something he’d carried for years. Nothing special. He’d leaned on it when the days grew too long and used it to move stubborn sheep along the slopes. He held it up, feeling foolish. “A staff,” he muttered. The Lord’s voice didn’t wait. “Throw it on the ground.”

In Moses’s hand, it was a simple stick used to herd sheep. It gave him something to prop himself on when he rested in the desert heat. But when dedicated to the Lord, the staff became a rod that parted the waters of the Red Sea. When the staff struck rocks, water flowed, and when held up, armies were held back. 

God can’t use anything you have until you are ready to lay it down. In the hands of David, a slingshot dedicated to God takes down giants. In the hands of Gideon, a trumpet brings down walls. In the hands of a boy on a hillside, a fish and some loaves are a snack, but if handed to Jesus, they can feed five thousand. 

So I want to leave you with this question today: What’s in your hand? What gifts, talents, resources, and opportunities has God placed in your care?

Are you holding on to something—time, abilities, financial blessings, or even relationships—that God asks you to release and dedicate to His work? God can multiply the small things—your voice, hands, and presence—and use them to build bridges connecting others to Jesus.

I want to invite you to consider two things this morning:

First, Identify your gift. What is in your hand today? Is it your time, ability to listen, financial resources, creativity, or love for children?

Secondly, Lay it at Jesus’s feet. Just as Moses had to release his staff for it to be used for miracles, we must offer our gifts to God. That may mean volunteering in a new ministry, offering your skills for a church project, mentoring someone, or being present with someone who needs encouragement.

If you are ready, I invite you to open your hands right where you are as a symbolic act of surrender, showing that you are ready to offer what is in your hands to the Lord.

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Questions to Consider:

  1. What does “choosing well” look like in your life?
  2. What is your spiritual gift, and how have you seen it benefit others?
  3. Coach McCartney said, “We have not come to compete with one another. We have come to complete one another.” How does this mindset shift the way we serve within the church?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts You have given each of us. Thank You for the opportunities to serve You and build bridges that lead others to Christ. Today, we offer what is in our hands—our time, talents, and resources. We lay them at Your feet, trusting that You will multiply what we give and use it for Your glory. Give us the wisdom to know when to sit at Your feet and when to rise and serve. Help us to work together as the body of Christ, not in competition, but in unity. May everything we do point others to the love and grace of Jesus. In His name, we pray, Amen.

Benediction:

May you go with your hearts open to offer what is in your hand. May you embrace moments of stillness at Jesus’ feet and moments of action in His name. May the gifts God has placed within you be released, multiplied, and used to build bridges that draw others to Christ. Amen.

Sunday Inspiration: September 1, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

When Helping Hurts

Luke 18: 35 – 43

Have you heard the one about the guy who goes to see the psychiatrist? “Doc,” says the guy, “We have a problem. My brother-in-law thinks he is a chicken. He goes around the house scratching, building nests, pecking. It’s a mess. It is driving my sister crazy. We have to do something.” 

The psychiatrist replies, “Sounds like simple neurosis. I can help him. Bring him in, and we will get him over this delusion of thinking he is a chicken.” 

The man says, “Oh no, Doc! We can’t do that! We need the eggs.”

Sometimes, there is a payoff to our problems. We like the attention our ailment brings. We get a benefit from the attention. 

But not blind Bartimaeus. He wanted to be healed. He wanted to have his eyesight restored. He was tired of being held back by his blindness. 

A blind man is forced to beg because of his disability. It is how he puts food on the table and is his only way to survive. He hears Jesus walking by and shouts, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 8:38)! 

Jesus hears him, calls to him, and heals him. The story ends by saying, “Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, praised God” (Luke 8:43). 

It caused such a scene that the next day, Jesus attracted such a crowd in Jericho that a short-in-stature tax collector had to climb a sycamore tree just to lay eyes on Jesus. 

Not only was Blind Bartimaeus determined to receive his healing, but once his eyes were opened, he committed to following Jesus. 

A preacher told how one Sunday, he was asked to teach the sixth grade Sunday school class and was telling the students in vivid detail about the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. He told how the soldiers carried him away, how Pilate and the people conspired to have Jesus murdered. A hand went up, and a boy in the back said, “I want to know what happened to the rest of them. When things got rough for Jesus, where did they go?” “The disciples,” the preacher asked. “They were long gone,” he said. The little boy insisted, “No, the ones he healed. The ones he helped walk again and the ones he helped see. What happened to them?” 

“I don’t know,” said the preacher. In a sarcastic tone, the little boy said, “Yeah, you do! They are like the rest of us. When we get what we want, we leave and go our way.” 

Maybe we do that, but not blind Bartimaeus. He had his eyes opened and followed Jesus. He was committed. He was once blind, but now he can see, and his new eyes are set on Jesus. 

Some in the crowd seemed annoyed by this loud, blind man on the side of the road. Did people try to shut Bartimaeus up because they didn’t think he deserved to be healed? Probably. Maybe they think they are protecting Jesus. They are keeping away the riff-raff. Sinners were kept at a distance. It could be they felt that the man’s condition was his fault and that he didn’t deserve Jesus’s attention. Possibly. 

In their ignorance of Jesus and his concern for the broken and hurting, they were putting a limit on the range of God’s mercy. 

How many times do we do the same? We think we know what is best for a person, so we criticize their actions or try to justify our judgmental attitude toward their struggles. 

Maybe we are part of the crowd and try to silence the hurting because we are convinced we know best. We impose our solutions on others without involving them in the process. We believe we know best because we see ourselves as more capable or knowledgeable. Silencing the voice of the hurting and forcing our selfish ways of solving problems creates co-dependency.  

Jesus offers a better way. At first, his question to the blind man seems odd, “What do you want me to do for you?” Wasn’t it evident that Bartimaeus was blind and wanted to see again? Doesn’t it appear that his greatest need is his blindness? Why ask him what do you want me to do for you? It seems to be an odd question in the face of the obvious. But in asking the question, Jesus is doing something remarkable. 

Often, our attempts to help others are based solely on our own perceptions of what a person needs. By asking the person what he wanted, Jesus gave him dignity and a voice in his own healing and showed us who are trying to help the importance of taking the time to understand the real needs of others. 

Nothing or no one was going to keep blind Bartimaeus quiet. When the crowd tried to shut him down, he cried out louder. He knew who was walking by. He knew what the stranger on the road to Jericho could do. He knew that his miracle was in front of him. Although he was blind, his faith allowed him to see the potential. 

His faith allowed him to see what others could not. He recognized that the man walking by was not just any stranger—He was the source of healing and could change his life forever. Bartimaeus saw the potential for transformation, not with his eyes but with his heart. His faith gave him a vision that transcended his circumstances.

In your journey, there will be times when the path ahead seems unclear, obstacles seem impossible, and you feel like you’re walking in the dark. But just like Bartimaeus, you have the power to see beyond the present moment. You can envision a future that is different from your current reality. Faith is not about ignoring the challenges but seeing the possibilities in their midst. It’s about believing in the power of what can be, even when what is seems overwhelming. 

The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus. Before Bartimaeus can see, Jesus becomes the context for everything he will see. After his healing, Bartimaeus won’t be able to look upon anything without first thinking about the one who healed him. 

When you see your lives through the lens of Jesus, you know the potential of resurrection in every situation. When you look at the ugly, fragile, broken world in which we live through the eyes of Jesus, you see the potential of resurrection. 

What are the obstacles in your life that are keeping you from crying out to Jesus? What are the voices telling you to be quiet, give up, and settle for less than what God has for you?

Don’t let those voices silence you. Instead, cry out all the louder. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of your faith. Allow your faith to give you a vision that transcends your circumstances, and trust that the one who healed Bartimaeus is still at work today, ready to bring healing, restoration, and new life to you.

As you go into the week ahead, carry with you the faith of Bartimaeus—a faith that sees beyond the present moment, refuses to be silenced, and looks to Jesus in all things. Let your faith be your vision, guiding you through life’s challenges and leading you to the abundant life that Christ offers.

Prayer:

We dedicate our lives to following You, Lord. Open our eyes to the possibilities faith can bring, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Give us the vision to see beyond our present circumstances, to recognize Your hand at work in our lives, and to trust in Your plan for us.

Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith. May we live each day with the conviction that, through Christ, we can overcome any obstacle and experience the fullness of life that You desire for us.

As we go forth, let our faith be our vision, guiding us through our challenges and leading us to the abundant life You have promised. May we, like Bartimaeus, choose to follow You wholeheartedly, glorifying You in all that we do.

In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Benediction:

May the Lord bless you and keep you as you enter the world. May your eyes be opened to the possibilities of faith, seeing beyond your present circumstances to the hope and healing that only Christ can bring. Go with God’s grace and peace in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Mid-Week Inspiration: Wednesday, August 28, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment
Tired young lady sleeping on her books

In his book “The Road to Character,”  author David Brooks presents an insightful distinction between two types of virtues: “resume virtues” and “eulogy virtues.”

Resume virtues are the skills and qualities that feature on professional resumes, such as intelligence, expertise, technical skills, and achievements. We are encouraged to focus on these traits to climb the career ladder and attain financial success. 

Eulogy virtues are the qualities people remember and cherish about us when we are no longer around: kindness, compassion, honesty, integrity, courage, and humility. 

The warning is to avoid spending so much time consumed by resume virtues that we neglect eulogy virtues. Speaking as a pastor who has given many eulogies, the qualities that define our impact on the world and the lives of others are not necessarily found on our resumes.

Pastor Jamey

Question to Consider

Reflecting on your current priorities, do you focus more on developing resume virtues or eulogy virtues? What are some specific ways you could shift your focus if needed?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Grant us the wisdom to cultivate kindness, compassion, honesty, integrity, courage, and humility. May we strive not only for the accomplishments that fill our resumes but for the character that will be remembered long after we are gone. Amen.

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, August 25, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control

Galatians 5: 22 – 24

Family Psychologists tell us babies love to play peek-a-boo because when you are out of sight, you are out of mind. When the baby can see you, you are there. When the baby can’t see you, you are gone. You no longer exist. So, when you reappear and say, “Peek-a-Boo,” the baby giggles and laughs because you are present.  

Let’s practice. Turn to your neighbor, put your hands in front of your face, open your palms, and say, “Peek-a-Boo!” Do that a couple of times. It’s not as fun with adults. It’s actually kind of silly. 

We don’t do it as adults because we have learned that just because someone is not standing in front of you doesn’t mean they don’t exist. We learn to deal with absence and time. 

Or do we? 

Time has a way of causing memory to fade. If someone stays gone long enough, we begin to forget things about them, like how they parted their hair or the color of their eyes. We forget their goofy laugh or how they said specific phrases. 

After his resurrection, when Jesus told his friends that he would be leaving them, they were distraught. How are they going to continue without Jesus’ presence with them? How will they know what to do? 

Jesus comforts them by saying, “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14: 18 – 20). 

Jesus’ answer to how he will dwell with them is through the gift of the Holy Spirit. He says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever” (John 14: 16). The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will help us as we navigate the Christian life. The Holy Spirit will direct us in the way of Jesus. We won’t have to rely on our strength or our wisdom. The Holy Spirit will guide us. Jesus again says, “You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you” (John 14: 17). 

Relying on the Spirit keeps us connected to the source of our life. In the next chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus encourages us to keep abiding, for it is in the abiding that we find our way. Jesus says, “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me” (John 15: 4). 

We have discussed the fruit of the Spirit for the past few weeks. The apostle Paul lists them in Galatians chapter five as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Once again, I encourage you to say them with me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

In the first week, we examined love, joy, and peace. We contrasted their fruits with the sense of entitlement that so many live with daily. We said that entitlement is a false freedom. It usually manifests as a byproduct of resentment, which occurs when opportunities become obligations.

We reversed that pattern and said life in the Spirit is grounded in love expressed in joy with a heart at peace.  We challenged ourselves by repeating this regularly daily: I will walk in the Spirit, loving others by spreading joy and carrying peace in my heart.

Last week, we explored the following three characteristics of patience, kindness, and goodness. Our approach the previous week was to contrast authentic fruit with false fruit. We said, “Fake patience shows up through deliberate distraction.” We said that Fake kindness shows up as manipulative kindness. It is doing something for someone that makes you look kind but doing it to get something in return. We said that We see Fake goodness in moral posturing. Moral posturing is about projecting the image of goodness but not caring about the virtue itself. We challenged ourselves to be more patient with the difficult people in our lives, show kindness without expecting anything in return, and pursue goodness in both public and private. Let our actions reflect the true nature of Christ.

Today, we will explore three final characteristics: faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Faithfulness in the context of the fruit of the Spirit is about trust. Being faithful speaks to where we put our trust. 

How many of you can name something or someone you are worried about now? How many of you have lost sleep in the past month because of a situation? How many of us have been distracted by worry?

In Matthew 6: 34, Jesus says, “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthew 6: 34). I want to invite you to name your worry today. Go ahead and put a name to it. Write it down. Keep it in your mind. Ask yourself, “What does it mean to trust God with this worry?” When you begin to trust God with your life then you are considered faithful. The move from worry to faithfulness is learning to trust God in the process.

The next characteristic is gentleness. But before we look at gentleness, I want us to explore self-control. Self-control is the act of imposing limits on ourselves for the sake of a higher good.

Self-control can be challenging in a world that prides itself on instant gratification. Why should we put limits on ourselves? Why should we deny ourselves pleasures at the moment?

Proverbs 25:28 provides a vivid picture of the danger of lacking self-control: “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28). Take time to reflect on areas in your life where you struggle with self-control. Is it in your thoughts, your words, your eating habits, or your use of time? Acknowledge these areas and invite the Holy Spirit to help you develop self-control.

The final characteristic I want to speak about is gentleness. Gentleness, sometimes translated as meekness, is not weakness. Gentleness is strength under control. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). 

Clarence Jordan was a man who was always ready to give an account for the hope he possessed, but he did it with gentleness and respect. He was a man who exhibited strength under control. 

Clarence Jordan Jordan attended the University of Georgia, earning a degree in agriculture. He later studied at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, earning a Ph.D. in New Testament Greek. 

After seminary, he returned to Georgia, where he and his family started Koinia Farms in Americus, Georgia. The farm was a racially integrated community where white and black individuals lived and worked together, sharing resources and demonstrating an alternative to the segregated society surrounding them.

In this video, we see a description of the type of person Clarence Jordan was. (Show video)

Two things stand out that I think are important for us to live out the fruit of the Spirit. The guy in the interview said that Clarence Jordan returned to Georgia “not to pick a fight. But to demonstrate a different way of living.” Someone living out the fruit of the Spirit is someone who shows the world that there is a different way to live. 

He was described as someone “you didn’t want to mess with because he was a man who came bearing the truth.” He lived with conviction, purpose, and a sense that his life was being guided by a force greater than himself. He tapped into the Source and found the fruit he came bearing was love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

So, one more time, say it with me: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In Matthew 7:16, Jesus says, “By their fruit, you will recognize them.”

Someone living out the fruit of the Spirit is connected to the source of the fruit’s growth, and that source is Jesus. 

Let’s commit to staying connected to the source, Jesus Christ. Let’s practice faithfulness by trusting Him with our worries, embracing gentleness as strength under control, and cultivating self-control in our actions and decisions. May our lives be a testimony to the world that there is indeed a different, more beautiful way to live—a way that reflects the heart of God.

Remember, we will be recognized by our fruit. Let’s ensure that the fruit we bear is abundant and true, showing the world that we are firmly rooted in Christ. Amen.

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Discussion Questions

  1. How does faithfulness as trusting God challenge your current approach to worries and anxieties? Can you share a personal experience where trusting God helped you overcome a challenging situation?
  2. How do you personally practice self-control in a world that often values instant gratification? What areas require more self-control, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to help?
  3. The sermon described gentleness as “strength under control.” How does this definition change your perception of gentleness? Can you imagine a situation where responding with gentleness might have a more significant impact than responding with force?
  4. Jesus said, “By their fruit, you will recognize them.” How do you think others perceive the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Are there areas where you feel your fruit could be more evident, and what changes can you make to bear more visible fruit?

Prayer

Gracious and Loving God, As we face the world’s challenges, grant us the faithfulness to trust in Your promises, the gentleness to respond with grace, and the self-control to follow Your will above our desires. May our lives be a testimony of Your goodness and a beacon of hope to all who encounter us.

Lord, we dedicate our thoughts, actions, and lives to You. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to live out the fruit of the Spirit so that Your love may be known through us.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our source and strength. Amen.

Benediction:

As you live out the fruit of the Spirit, may your life be a living testimony to the love and grace of our Savior. Go in peace, bearing much fruit, and may others know you by the Spirit that dwells within you. Amen.

Mid-Week Inspiration: Wednesday, August 21, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

On February 7, 2015, the legendary head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Dean Smith, passed away. He was a kind and generous man, and his players loved him. But even they were surprised by what happened shortly after his passing.

Each of the 175 lettermen who played for him received a $200 check from his estate, with instructions to spend it “on a dinner out, compliments of Coach Dean Smith.” 

Michael Jordan, who is worth billions, said it was one of the most generous gifts he had ever received. The gift mattered because of the heart of the one who gave it.

Coach Smith’s players were important to him, and you are important to God. God gave God’s best when God sent Jesus. May we give our best in service to the Lord in all we do.

Pastor Jamey

Call to Action: Take time this week to express your appreciation to someone who has positively impacted your life. Consider doing something special for them as a gesture of gratitude.

Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, August 18, 2024

/ jameyprickett / Leave a comment

Fruit of the Spirit: Patience, Kindness, Goodness

Galatians 5: 22 – 24

There is a story in scripture about a leper who came to Jesus begging to be healed. The Bible says Jesus “stretched out his hand and touched him, saying,’I am willing. Be made clean!’ Immediately, his skin disease was cleansed (Matthew 8:3). 

One of the empowering parts of the story is how the leper approached Jesus. He told Jesus, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” And Jesus responds, “I do choose.” 

This story not only speaks to God’s love for those whom the world considered untouchable but also about how Jesus chose at that moment to offer a solution to the problem.  

As followers of Jesus, we choose how to respond to those around us. We choose to be beacons of light in a dark world and bringers of love and hope in a world filled with hate and hopelessness.

From what I read online, Christians today are choosing to let everyone know what they are against and use their faith as a weapon. Fear-mongering is the hand everyone plays when it comes to letting people know what they believe. Create enough division and a “us versus them” theology, and you can gain a following.

There are two ways to live in the world: We can choose to contribute to its problems or its solutions. The Apostle Paul begins Galatians 5 by saying, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5: 1). He then later says that we were indeed called to freedom but “do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5: 13). 

The entire law is summed up in “love of neighbor.” And then he says, “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5: 15). 

If we continue to be defined by who we are against and use our faith as a weapon, it won’t be long until we are indeed destroyed by one another.

I refuse to accept that as the way of Christ. 

Last week, we began this new series on the Fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I invite you to say it with me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

We explored the first three last week: love, joy, and peace. In our commitment to live out the fruit of the Spirit, we said, “I will walk in the Spirit, loving others by spreading joy and carrying peace in my heart.” 

Today, we will reflect on the following three: patience, kindness, and goodness. 

I want us to consider what each of these is and what it would look like for someone who might be faking it. I have in front of me two specific fruits. One is fake, the other is real, one is plastic, and the other is natural. Can you tell which one is which? Would you like to come and do a taste test? 

As difficult as it is to figure out which fruit is real and which is fake, the same can be said about those who try to fake the fruit of the Spirit in their life. 

Patience. I failed my first driver’s test attempt when I turned sixteen. Have I told you that story? I was so excited to get my license. I arrived early at the old state patrol office on Cleveland Hwy. I was confident I would be leaving there as a newly licensed driver in Georgia. 

Do you want to hear how I failed? On the course behind the building, I came to a rolling stop at my first stop sign. I went across the median and turned left. The course instructor – I can still see her face after all this time – turned to me and told me to go back to the building. Once we were parked, she asked me if I knew what I had done wrong. I replied that I didn’t. She said we would have been involved in a head-on collision if we were on an actual road. I lacked patience. More than that, I tried to fake my way through by telling the instructor that she was mistaken. 

Fake patience shows up through deliberate distraction. We all do it. We force ourselves to stay busy on meaningless tasks to avoid dealing with whatever tempts our patience. We distract ourselves with binge-watching or mindless scrolling to divert our attention from whatever tests our patience. 

In the letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul encourages the readers to live into what it means to be a follower of Jesus by being patient, “bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Patience gives people grace to grow. In his first description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul says, “Love is patient.” Love is not rushed. Love respects the journey that each person is on. It means not being quick to anger. Patience is resting in the confidence that God knows best. 

The second fruit is kindness. Fake kindness shows up as manipulative kindness. It is doing something for someone that makes you look kind but doing it to get something in return. It can even be done to gain control or influence over someone. You can hear fake kindness when someone says, “Well, I did this for you,” or “I was nice to you.” 

I was walking along a street in Atlanta one day with a friend, and a homeless man approached us. My friend gave the man a couple of dollars. I said to him as we walked, “You know that money will likely be used for drugs or alcohol.” 

My friend replied, “You may be right. If he does that with what I gave him, it says something about his character. But knowing someone in need and choosing not to help when I can says something about my character.”

Throughout the Bible, God’s kindness is highlighted as a central attribute of God’s character, and followers of Jesus are called to reflect this kindness in our relationships with others.

The Bible says, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). 

The third characteristic is goodness. Fake goodness shows up in a couple of ways. We see fake goodness in moral posturing. Moral posturing is about projecting the image of goodness but not caring about the virtue itself. The focus is on being seen as good more than actually being good. 

Another way fake goodness shows up is selective goodness. It is when someone chooses to act uprightly with one group of people but does something different with someone else. It could also be when someone acts good in public but immoral in private. 

In Matthew 7:16, Jesus says, “By their fruit, you will recognize them.” A person portraying fake fruit won’t last forever. It is a life that lacks substance. Fake fruit requires a lot of work on our behalf to keep up the appearance. Genuine fruit is the work of the Spirit in us. It is letting the Lord be the master gardener of our soul.

I started this message by saying there are two ways to live in the world: We can choose to contribute to its problems or solutions. If you want to be someone who bears genuine fruit and lives an authentic life, you must pay attention to what fruit you are cultivating. Is it genuine, life-sustaining, or is it fake fruit? 

To cultivate genuine fruit, we must be like the tree planted by streams of water. Genuine fruit comes from a heart that delights in God and seeks to live according to His ways. It’s about consistency in our walk with God, not just moments of outward piety.

The Psalmist declares that the person who delights in the Lord and lives by God’s direction is like “trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither” (Psalm 1:3). 

Reflect on your daily interactions and how you show patience, kindness, and goodness. Are these qualities genuine and consistent, or do they sometimes feel forced or inauthentic? Let’s commit to living out the Fruit of the Spirit with authenticity. Examine your heart and ask yourself where you may rely on fake patience, kindness, or goodness. 

Choose today to be more patient with a difficult person, show kindness without expecting anything in return, and pursue goodness in both public and private. Let your actions reflect the true nature of Christ. Amen.

Pastor Jamey

(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)

Discussion Questions

  1. In what ways do we, as modern Christians, have the power to choose how we respond to the needs and challenges around us? How can we be beacons of light in a dark world?
  2. The sermon contrasts genuine spiritual fruit with fake versions. How can you discern whether your patience, kindness, and goodness are authentic or superficial?
  3. Patience was described as giving people grace to grow and not being quick to anger. How do you practice patience daily, and where do you struggle?
  4. Kindness can sometimes be manipulative, with an expectation of something in return. How can we ensure that our acts of kindness are genuine and selfless?
  5. The sermon mentioned moral posturing and selective goodness as examples of fake goodness. Have you ever encountered or been tempted by these in your own life? How did you respond?
  6. The sermon challenges us to reflect on whether our faith is marked by who we are against or how we love others. How can we shift our focus to more effectively living out the love of Christ?

Prayer

Lord, we dedicate our lives to you, asking that today’s words take root in our hearts and bear fruit. May we be like trees planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season and with leaves that do not wither. Let our lives reflect Your patience, kindness, and goodness toward us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Benediction

May the Holy Spirit empower you to bear the true fruit of patience, kindness, and goodness in every interaction. May you walk in the freedom and fullness of the Spirit, living out your faith with authenticity and joy. Amen.