Oak Hill Baptist Church

The more we get along the happier we will all be

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” Psalm 133:1 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The more we get along, the happier we will all be.”

Recently they published the annual list of “The Best U.S. Presidents”. It’s an annual survey of over 150 prominent historians who rate the greatness of our Presidents based upon their performance in a wide variety of categories. The top five are almost always the same every year – Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, FDR, Dwight Eisenhower, and Teddy Roosevelt.

Teddy has long been one of my favorites. He was an inspiring leader who accomplished significant things and who had a lasting long-term positive impact on the nation. Unfortunately, there’s a famous quote attributed to him which, although he did say it, is often misquoted and /or taken out of context. It’s this one: “There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism … There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American.”

Teddy made those remarks on Columbus Day 1915 while speaking to the Irish Catholic Knights of Columbus. Irish-Americans were notoriously clannish and had little to do with anyone who was not of Irish descent. Catholics believed theirs was the only legitimate expression of the Christian faith and all other professing Christians were actually going to hell. So, to be an Irish-American Catholic was to be part of an exclusive segregated cultural group who shunned virtually everyone else.

Teddy’s message was that they needed to get over themselves and learn to get along better with others. His meaning was not that its un-American to enjoy and celebrate our various cultural heritages, only that we should not be clannish and exclusive about it. We need to get along with, interact with, learn to live with, our fellow citizens, and focus on the things that unite us rather than on our differences.

This brings me back to yesterday’s devotional message. As Christians we need to be serving as peacemakers in our society to the greatest extent possible. We need to be helping our fellow citizens come together. That doesn’t mean that we set-aside our cultural differences or that we can’t celebrate our Italian or Hispanic or Asian heritages. It also doesn’t mean that we compromise values and principles that are important to us. But it does mean it’s in all of our best interests to get along rather than to fight so much.

The truth is that the more we make an effort to get along, the happier we will all be.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

The more divided we are the less alive we are

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The more divided we are the less alive we are.”

I grew-up in a little town in New Jersey about thirty miles outside of New York City. There was a commuter train that ran through our town that would take you to Penn Station in the heart of the city. As an older teenager and young adult, I would sometimes take that train and spend the day exploring New York. By means of walking, buses, and subways, I would go to Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Central Park, as well as places like Little Italy and China Town.

I was always amazed at the cultural diversity in the city. There seemed to be people from every nation in the world. It reminded me of the important symbology of the Statue of Liberty. Our nation is a melting pot of cultures, and we’re stronger for it.

Later in life that love of exploring and experiencing diverse cultures carried over to a career in the U.S Navy, followed by many more years of leading mission teams on international humanitarian relief efforts to remote locations around the world. Again, I loved the exposure to different people and cultures. What an amazing and diverse world the Lord has created!

Sadly, today in our country we seem to have lost sight of our rich and diverse cultural heritage. Instead, we’re deeply divided along racial, ethnic, social, political, and religious lines. We seem to be focusing more on our differences and the things we don’t like about each other, rather than on the things we can share and appreciate and enjoy about each other.

In Galatians 3:28 the Apostle Paul teaches that in the body of Christ such divisions should not exist. Instead, we should be focused on our shared identity in Christ. We are still male and female, Hispanic and Asian and Caucasian, Republican or Democrat, a dog person or a cat person, and we don’t need to stop being any of those things, but we have a more important shared identity in Christ. Rather than being put off by our differences, we bring them together, enjoy and celebrate what’s special and unique about the other, and our Christian fellowship is stronger and better because of it.

What’s true in the church can and should be true in the larger society. And perhaps we as Christians can help to make that so. Perhaps we can take this model of Galatians 3:28, which works so well in our church fellowships, and use it more in society. Maybe we can show everyone else how a shared civil life can work – even if our groups are different in many ways.

The more we segregate ourselves from our fellow citizens the less fully alive we are as individuals and as a nation. The more division there is, the worse off we all are.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

You will get more than you gave

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, and running over – will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You will get more than you gave.”

Yesterday I told you about the service-oriented attitude that exists in our church and how it produces such love and joy and a sweet spirit of fellowship. The day before, I described that same dynamic at work on mission trips and among mission team members. When the focus is on Jesus and on others, the fruit of the Spirit overshadows and dominates (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).

In such situations you discover that not only does your strong faith have a significant impact in your own life, but it makes a difference in the lives of others too. That’s one of the reasons our members are so enthusiastic about our church life – the practice of their faith is more than just words and rituals. Instead, it takes the form of deeds that make a difference. Even our children and teenagers get caught-up in the enthusiasm of it all. In the devotional two days ago, I said that international mission trips are often described as a mountaintop experience. That’s true of healthy church life too. We’re at our best when we’re serving others. Individually and as a church, we’re at our best when we’re serving others.

Another comment we often hear, both from mission teams and from church members is “I got more than I gave.” That’s what Jesus was describing in Luke 6:38. In that parable He described a marketplace scene His listeners would have related to, and He was contrasting a “good measure” from a “bad measure”. A dishonest merchant would have inaccurate scales that would result in the customer receiving less than they paid for. That would be a bad measure. An honest merchant would not only have accurate scales but then, once he had poured in the full measure you paid for, he would pour in a little extra just for … good measure. And if what you paid for filled the sack, that gracious and honest merchant would pound the sack on the table, pressing it down in order to create room so he could pour in a little more, perhaps even to overflowing.

That’s how God blesses us, especially once we have blessed others. You bless others and He will bless you. He will bless you over and above, abundantly and generously, pressed down, shaken together, running over, and poured into your lap. You cannot out-bless God. You will get more than you gave.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Worship Jesus and serve others

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Worship Jesus and serve others”

People often remark that there seems to be something special and unique about our church. There’s a spirit of joy and fellowship that’s above average. One Sunday morning during our time of greeting and fellowship in the worship service one visitor looked around and said, “This is such a happy church!” We get that a lot.

A big part of the reason that’s true is because Oak Hill Baptist is a service-oriented church. First and foremost, we take good care of each other. Christians should take care of Christians and so we’re intentional about looking for ways to be a blessing to each other. Second, we’re an Acts 1:8 church. We are actively and intentionally on-mission with Jesus outside the walls of our church building. We have ministry partners and mission projects in our county, state, country, and world. There’s never a time when we’re not in the process of preparing for the next mission project.

Third, we encourage every person in the church to find at least one way to serve within the church. Then each year, at the beginning of the new church year (in September), we ask everyone to commit to serving in some ministry within the church for one year. We even provide a long list of ways each person can serve and we ask them select one or two they would like to help with (most people choose more than just one or two).

All of that emphasis on serving others helps to keep our focus where Jesus wants it to be, on Him and on others. We worship Him and we serve others. As long as we’re doing that, then our focus is not on ourselves and it’s not on small petty things that church members sometimes argue and even fight about. When people are focused on Jesus and others, there’s not much room left for selfishness or pettiness. The end result? Peace, love, unity, harmony. And joy (This is such a happy church!)

What I’ve just described is an important aspect of healthy church life, and so I have more I would like to say about it. We’ll get to that tomorrow. For now, know that you individually and your church as a group will be most fully alive when your focus is on worshiping Jesus and serving others.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Bearing fruit for Jesus enriches your own life

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” John 15:16 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Being fruitful for Jesus enriches your life.”

One of the features of Facebook I appreciate is that it notifies you when a friend has a birthday. And, if in the past you have posted pictures of that friend, then on their birthday Facebook will show you some of those pictures. It then allows you to post those pictures and share those memories along with your birthday greeting to your friend.

Since I’m Facebook friends with lots of people who have gone on international mission trips with me over the years, and since there have been lots of pictures from those mission trips posted on Facebook, all throughout the year I’m able to send birthday greetings to old mission team members along with pictures of those past mission trips. The person always appreciates that because the memories from those trips are special. Mission trips are often referred to as “mountaintop experiences”, and rightly so. Mission trips change lives. Not just the lives of the people on the receiving end of the ministry, mission trips change the lives of the people who go on them. That’s true because being fruitful for Jesus enriches your own life.

In John 15:16 Jesus said that He has appointed us to go into the world and bear fruit in His name. The lesson of the New Testament, and the example set for us by Jesus and the Apostles, is that we are to go into the world and serve others. How do we do that? In a thousand different ways. It can be anything from going on an international mission trip to a remote corner of the world, to serving a meal at your local homeless shelter, to mowing the lawn for an elderly shut-in, to sharing the gospel with a co-worker, and an unlimited number of other ways. Any effort made to bless someone in the name of Jesus constitutes producing fruit for the Lord.

Our theme this month is all about being fully alive. In other words, living life large, on-mission with Jesus, fulfilling your purpose in life. Jesus said that He has appointed you to go and bear fruit for Him. When you’re doing that, you are fulfilling your primary purpose in life as a Christian, and that is the point at which you will be most fully alive.

This is an important point – it’s a crucial aspect of being fully alive, and there’s much more to be said about it. Therefore, we will continue this discussion tomorrow. Being fruitful for Jesus enriches your own life.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Take your eyes off of yourself

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.” Luke 9:24 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Take your eyes off of yourself”

You are your own most favorite person. It’s true of all of us. You’re with yourself more than you’re with anyone else. You think about yourself more than you think about anyone else. And you talk to yourself more than you talk to anyone else. It’s true of all of us and therefore our natural human tendency is to be self-absorbed. It will happen automatically and naturally unless we work to make it otherwise.

Jesus spoke to this issue in Luke 9:24. There He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.” That same statement is recorded five times in the four gospels, each time in a slightly different context but with the same meaning. The more we focus on ourselves the smaller our lives are. The more we focus on God and others the more fully alive we are. This is one of the mysteries of life in the kingdom of God. You give to get; you let go in order to receive; you to die to yourself in order to really live.

The Christian music group “Big Daddy Weave” once recorded a song based upon this Biblical truth. The name of the song is “Give My Life Away”:

“I earn it just to spend it, throw it out when it’s broken
Like a hamster on the wheel I keep making the spokes spin
Do I have what I have or does it have me?
There’s only one way I know I can be free:

I wanna give my life away
I wanna give my life away
Move every little thing standing in the way
Oh I wanna give my life away”

That’s what Jesus was talking about. He continued the thought in Luke 9:25 when He said, “For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself?”

When we’re preoccupied with ourselves, we lose. When we shift our thinking to God and to others, we win. It seems counterintuitive, but life in the kingdom of God often is because God’s ways are different from ours. The truth is that the more we take our eyes off of ourselves and focus instead on serving God and others, the more fully alive we will be.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

The glory of God is a human fully alive

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “You bring glory to God when you are fully alive”

Irenaeus was one of the leaders in the early Christian church. He lived from 130 – 202 A.D. and he knew people who had known the Apostle John (the longest living of all the original apostles). Irenaeus was a church-planter, pastor, scholar, and trusted theologian. He is remembered for helping to define and defend orthodox Christian doctrine during a time when there were many divergent and false teachings being promoted in the Christian world. Irenaeus is often referred to as the father of Christian orthodoxy.

The single statement he is best remembered for, and the one that is frequently quoted even in our day almost two thousand years later is, “The glory of God is a human fully alive.” I love that thought. We bring glory to God when we live a full, active, and productive life. This is the life Jesus proclaimed for us when He said in John 10:10, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” It’s the life the Apostle Paul described in Galatians 5:22-23 when he wrote, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” It’s the life Jesus was calling us to when He said in John 15:16, “I have appointed you to go and produce fruit …”

The fruit that Jesus wants to see in our lives is the fruit of the Spirit as described by Paul. It’s also the acts of service to others that He taught, modeled, and called for throughout the Gospels. And it’s our participation in the Great Commission as we help with His kingdom-building work on earth.

Interestingly, Paul captures all of that and sums it up for us in 1 Corinthians 10:31 with the simple instruction to do everything for God’s glory. He doesn’t say that we necessarily have to build churches, start schools, establish hospitals, fill stadiums, or go as a missionary to serve Pygmies in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. He says “whatever you do”, and then he cites simple everyday things like eating and drinking, working and playing, coming and going. Do it all with the Lord in mind and for His honor and glory.

It brings glory to God when His people are fully alive in Christ, living victorious lives of simple faith. I encourage you to embrace life with enthusiasm. Live it with vigor and gusto. Be fully alive in Christ.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Celebrate Freedom

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve on another through love.” Galatians 5:13 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Celebrate freedom”

I believe in “American Exceptionalism”. American exceptionalism is the understanding that the United States is inherently different from and better than other nations. The concept of American exceptionalism originated at the time of the American Revolution when our Founders intentionally set out to establish a nation that was different and better than any nation that had ever existed. Our credo would be “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as being unalienable rights granted to us by God, and the undergirding principles which would guide the governance of our nation would be those found in the Bible.

Our founding as a nation was unique, and it has resulted in a nation that has indeed proven to be the greatest nation in the world. We have also proven to be a great blessing to the rest of the world. Americans as individuals and as a nation are brave, strong, generous, and willing to use the strength and prosperity of our own nation for the benefit of others.

As I write this, we are preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July here in the USA. And, since the Fourth falls on a Sunday this year, I am also preparing to preach a special Fourth of July sermon at our church (Oak Hill Baptist), which will be about what has come to be known as “The Judeo-Christian Ethic”. The Judeo-Christian Ethic has guided our nation for 245 years. It is largely responsible for the freedom and prosperity we enjoy and which the rest of the world would like to have. Historically as a nation we have honored God, and in return God has blessed us. As Christians it is our responsibility to help our nation remain aware of, and be faithful to, our Judeo-Christian Ethic. Otherwise, we will lose God’s blessing.

There’s much that needs to be said about our Christian heritage and the role that the Judeo-Christian ethic has played in our national life. I invite you to join us at Oak Hill Baptist Church tomorrow. Join us in-person if you can, or online at 10:00 for a Facebook live-stream. The entire service will also be available for your viewing afterwards at www.oakhillbaptist.net and on the Oak Hill Baptist Church Facebook page.

Join us tomorrow as we celebrate this great country that God has blessed us with.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Faith and service is a learned lifestyle

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.” Philippians 3:17 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Faith and service is a learned lifestyle”

A lifestyle of faith and service is something we learn, usually from the example of others. Yesterday I introduced you to Tim Shriver’s great book “Fully Alive”. It’s all about faith and service. Tim learned his lessons about faith and service first and foremost from the example of his parents, and also from other adults in the extended Kennedy family clan (especially from his grandmother Rose Kennedy). Faith and service were essential and foundational elements in the life of the entire family. Tim’s parents started every day by going to Catholic mass. Every day. First thing in the morning, before they went to work or anywhere else, they went to an early morning church service. Every day. That’s impressive faith.

In terms of service, Tim’s father, Sargent Shriver, was the founder of the Peace Corps and he also created, led, and supported numerous other philanthropic and service organizations over the course of his life. Tim’s mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the founder of the Special Olympics. It started in the 1960s with Eunice bringing busloads of special needs children to the Shriver family compound in Maryland every day throughout the summer. She called it Camp Shriver and it was intended to give the kids a summer camp experience commensurate with their physical and intellectual abilities. Tim grew up with that from the time he was three years old. Today he is the National Director of the Special Olympics. He learned about faith and service from his parents, from his grandparents, and from his aunts and uncles. They lived it out in front of him and modeled it for him.

We also learn a lifestyle of faith and service from other people we associate with. The fact is that over time we become like those we associate with and therefore we need to choose our friends and associates carefully. At Oak Hill Baptist Church, as a congregation we teach, preach, and practice faith and service. It’s simply who we are as a people. Therefore, over time it has become the case that the majority of the congregation are people of deep faith who are committed to serving others in the name of Jesus. We become like those we associate with.

We also learn a lifestyle of faith and service from the books we read, which is one of the reasons I’ve shared a little with you about Tim book “Fully Alive”. Much of the story takes place within the context of Special Olympics and people with physical and intellectual disabilities. I can tell you from personal experience that people with physical and intellectual limitations are often great examples of faith, service, courage, and perseverance.

Faith and service is a learned lifestyle, which means that not only can we learn it and practice it ourselves, but we can teach it and model it for others. I encourage all of us to do both.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim

Be fully alive

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Fully Alive”

Our Bible verse for today: “I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Be fully alive”

I want to tell you right up front (and without apology) that I have stolen the title for this month’s theme. It comes from a book with that same title which I’ve just finished reading – “Fully Alive” by Tim Shriver. Some of you may recognize Tim’s name. He’s part of the Kennedy family clan. His mother was Eunice Shriver. Along with her famous brothers John, Bobby, and Teddy, she was one of the nine Kennedy kids who made up that large family. Tim’s sister Maria was married to Arnold Schwarzeneggar, and so she was the former First Lady of California.

Being from a long line of passionate Democrats, Tim’s political and social positions are different from mine. But that doesn’t matter because the book wasn’t really about those things. The book was something of an autobiography in that it follows the course of Tim’s life from his early years as a child, all through the school years, and into middle-age. But the primary focus of the story pertains to Tim’s personal development in two crucial areas of life, both of which combine to determine how “fully alive” a person is. The first area is spiritual development. Tim is a Christian and so he writes about his personal journey from childhood faith into a deep discipleship relationship with Jesus Christ as an adult.

The second area of the book’s focus pertains to a life of service. Tim argues (and I agree) that a person isn’t fully alive until that person is living a life of service to others. Faith and service were fundamental elements in the life of the family he grew up in, which is why they produced so many public servants including a President, Senators, Congressmen, and leaders of philanthropic organizations. The family creed was “You have been given much; you must serve others in exchange.” In other words, “The more you have, the more you are expected to give.” That, of course, was taught by Jesus in Luke 12:48 and is a key element of Christianity.

I enjoyed the book, and I’ll quote some helpful passages from it throughout the month. I’m also in full agreement with the author’s conclusion that we’re not fully alive until we are fully alive in Christ, and living a life of service to others. We will spend the rest of this month exploring both of those truths.

We all want to be fully alive – in the best sense of the phrase, so let’s think about how that can happen.

God Bless,
Pastor Jim