I've Moved

I have decided to move this blog over to the wordpress platform because it has more to offer. The new address is johnwseaton.wordpress.com. Come on by!

Blogging FAIL and a Move

Every now and then in each and every one of our lives we hit a time of busyness that slows everything else other than that one thing to a crawl. That is has been the case for me over the last month and a half. We have left the friendly confines of Center UMC, Vidalia, and the South Georgia Conference to head west to the Texas Annual Conference. I have been appointed there to serve as the Campus Minister at the Wesley Foundation at the University of Texas at Tyler in Tyler, Texas. The job starts next month and I am very excited at the possibilities awaiting us in the Texas Conference and at UT-Tyler. There will be more later. I just wanted to give a quick update now.

John

A Sports Break - Opening Day and the Masters

I think it is fair to say that everyone has their hobbies and passions outside of work. I am no different. Anybody that knows me knows I am a big sports fan. That being said, this past week could not have come at a better time. A post-Easter week involving Opening Day of baseball season and The Masters provides a quick an easy way to relax a little after the busyness of the church leading up to and on Easter Sunday.

Growing up when I did, it is no surprise that the Braves are my favorite sports team by far. I grew up in the streak of 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005 (no winner in 1994 - players strike). Basically, the Braves won the division every year from the time I turned 9 years old until I was 23. Even with recent struggles over the last few seasons, I have not abandoned my team and Opening Day brings the promise of a new season and new hope (strangely enough right after Easter which does that exact same for us as Christians). It is the time of year for peanuts, popcorn and crackerjacks. A time for a hot dog and Coke. A time for strikeouts and home runs. Head out to a ballpark near you and enjoy the National Pastime. Smell the grass and hear the crack of the bat. I know I am going to and sooner the better.

The other big event for me this week is the Masters. Now, I am a golfer, but that is not the only reason the Masters is important. As a Georgia boy, this is one of our signature events. I know people in Georgia that don't even like golf but love the Masters. It is a part of our culture here. I have had the opportunity to attend the event twice. The first was in 1997 on Saturday when Tiger Woods ran away from the field en route to setting the tournament scoring record. The second was a Monday practice round prior to the tournament where the course was just being touched for the first time in weeks and was in perfect condition. The Masters is a special time at the dawning of spring. The simple beauty of the Augusta National Golf Club (home of the Masters) nestled back amongst the tall Georgia pines is the setting. The roars of the gallery and picturesque red, pink and white blooms of the new opened azaleas marks a moment of peace and enjoyment for all who are a part of it.

As you can see, there is a great importance and role in my played by the events taking place this week. I know we all have these times for ourselves. Feel free to share them or just enjoy mine with me. Speaking of which, I think it is about time to go grab a Coke (nothing else for a Georgia boy) because the Masters is on and the Braves are close to starting. See you with the fans.

John

Sermon Tidbits 4/4

He Is Risen! - Luke 24:1-12
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,  3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  7 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"  8 Then they remembered his words.  9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.  10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.  11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.  12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

As far as I am concerned, Easter Sunday is the best day of the year in the church. The implications for us are so great. Today, our Lord has brought to completion our freedom from sin and death through His resurrection from the dead. Today is a celebration day. To quote the words of the famous hymn, "Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia." Let us rejoice, today, tomorrow and every day.

Lets turn our minds to the passage today that proclaims to us that Christ is risen this day. I think there is an interesting scene here that can say much to us this resurrection day. The women have come to the tomb only to see the stone rolled back and not Jesus inside. The angels appear to them and find them very confused and afraid. This brings us to the part I think so many of us can relate to. The women have forgotten the words of Jesus to them and the disciples. It is almost like a case of spiritual amnesia, a not so uncommon trait of the sons and daughters of God throughout history. Think of the Israelites in the desert. They constantly forgot the promises of God to them and had to be continuously reminded of them. The disciples had the parables explained to them and other mysteries revealed to them in private but they still had little understanding and were forgetful. Think of us today, we easily grab hold of God's promises and release them without even thinking before needing to be reminded of them again.

We celebrate today because we need to remember Easter. We need a cure for our spiritual amnesia. We need to remember what this day means for us and the world. We do not serve a dead teacher like other religions of the world. We serve a very alive and very active Lord. Christianity is not some religion of happy ideals and good teachings for life. It is a life-changing faith in a Savior sent by God who bore our sins on a cross and died only to be raised from the dead by the power of God overcoming death that we may not die but live eternally in paradise with the one in whom we believe, Jesus. Not only that, we serve a living God who is pursuing us. Jesus is calling out to us. This risen Lord wants a relationship with us. Jesus does not want to sit back and watch from the sidelines. Jesus wants to be in the game with us that we might personally know the forgiveness he offers through the cross to all who believe in Him. That we might personally know the salvation from death into eternal life that he offers through the resurrection for all who believe in Him.

Easter is about so many things, but above all else, it is about our LIVING Lord, Jesus Christ. A Lord who died but by the power of His Father, God, was raised from the dead and is now actively at work in this world and this people. Believe it, Jesus is alive and at work today. We need to stop living like Jesus is dead and powerless and grasp the Easter promise that Jesus is alive and well and actively at work in this world through the power of Holy Spirit in all who believe offering forgiveness and salvation to all who will call on the name of Jesus. Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed! today. Will you join me in believing today and joining in the work of our RISEN and ALIVE Lord, Jesus Christ? Amen.

John

Holy Week in Icons - Easter Sunday

"Now let the heavens be joyful,

Let earth her song begin:

Let the round world keep triumph,

And all that is therein;

Invisible and visible,

Their notes let all things blend,

For Christ the Lord is risen

Our joy that hath no end."

- John of Damascus

Holy Week in Icons - Good Friday

While they cried "Crucify," he prayed "Forgive." -Augustine

Holy Week in Icons - Maundy Thursday