The Rubicon river in Italy is not large, but it holds a huge place in history. You have heard the phrase, “Crossing the Rubicon,” which means to pass a point of no return. It refers to Julius Caesar’s armies crossing of the river in 49 BC which was a dangerous, revolutionary act! There was no going back for Caesar once he was on the other side.
All of us must “Cross the Rubicon” of faith, too. That’s because the decision to put Christ first in one’s life is also a revolutionary act! Following Jesus is not a religious sentiment, a mere credal affirmation. Following Jesus means we go where Jesus goes. Act like Jesus acts. And we are empowered to live our very best selves, empowered to transformational change inside and out. And since our following, while definite, is often side-tracked, God asks us to cross the Rubicon again and again throughout our lives.
When we cross the Rubicon, a revolution is begun and our perspective changes. We see things from a changed vantage point. We stand in a new place, and step off in a new direction. Jesus was constantly inviting his followers to embrace paradigm shifts. Sure, its uncomfortable. Scary at times. Uncertainty, fear, and dread (and it can sometimes feel this way!) are never fun! But we demonstrate our trust and love of God when we decide to follow Jesus with opened eyes, in a spiritually open and intellectually honest way, and embrace God’s emerging future. The future is now. Today. Tomorrow. And beyond. If following Jesus doesn’t feel like an adventure to you, maybe your feet are still in the river?
When is the last time you sat down for 30 minutes, relaxed enough to reflect about your life, your life’s mission? You might be surprised what God speaks to you concerning some needed shifts in thinking or urging courage to put your faith into practice.
The early disciples “Crossed the Rubicon” but still stumbled. They didn’t get Jesus’ message about cross-cultural engagement, love, respect, and living a life of mercy, forgiveness, and hope.
They didn’t get Jesus’ insistence that His kingdom was not of this world, but that kingdom must manifest itself in the world. They were looking for a Messiah that would kick the Romans out of town, but what Jesus wanted was his disciples to help transform the town in Jesus’ name.
This Sunday let’s meet Jesus at the “Rubicon” of our lives because when we decide to follow Jesus, A revolution is begin.
This week we celebrate the 4th of July. Do you know why? Because somebody started a revolution! A group of women and men got together not far from here in Philadelphia and made a decision to change who the nation followed. Instead of England, and King George, they decided to follow God’s
Everyone loves a great story. But did you know you ARE a story? Each of us represent a story being written every day as we experience life and enjoy our relationship with God through Christ. In Luke 8, find out what happened on the beach one day when new connections were made. When we connect with Jesus, we experience God’s love in a very personal and transforming way. Jesus heals us, transforms us. We are restored to the world. Our story unfolds in God’s emerging future of hope! That’s great news for Cape May! It’s awesome news for the entire << Test Last Name >> family, too!
Who is your favorite superhero? Lots to choose from! Walking down our aisle right now is super-model, our own, Mr. Chuck McPherson (not really a model!). He is wearing on of my favorite T’s featuring Jesus sitting on a steel beam with an assortment of superhero’s. Spider-Man hangs there. There’s Superman, Captain America, Batman, and many more. If you could be the hero of your own story, what powers would you want? Here’s the good news, while those particular powers may not be granted, Jesus makes you the hero of your own story. You’re created to know the Super Savior, Jesus, who is quite different than the other cool superheroes.
It’s Father’s Day, and we honor everything that is awesome and amazing about dads. Often we recognize how our experience with our parents can inform our understanding of God, too, for good or bad. Father’s Day is a great time to reconnect with the best of Dad-ness, whether our own dad, our experience as a dad, or the role of dad that someone had in our life. It’s also Trinity Sunday when we celebrate the collaborative nature of God expressed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Jesus introduced the idea of a trinity- three in one- it not only startled his listeners; this idea angered most. Find out why during worship on Sunday!
What kinds of things in your home needs a code or keys to open? Right! The house. Car. Your iPhone. Logging into websites. Well, there’s one thing in your home a very special key is needs to open… you! You were created with amazing potential, and to unlock that potential, a very special key, custom made for you, is needed, and Jesus is that Key to unlocking your life’s potential. Pray. Listen to God as you read the Bible. Meet with others who inspire you, maybe like your dad! Or other care giver. Be open to the possibilities as you follow Jesus here at Cold Spring Church. You’re amazing and God will unlock that potential more and more every day!
The human instinct to survive is our most powerful drive. From our earliest age, we learned to respond instantly to danger. Everyone understands, “Everybody Out!” We practice fire drills at school, regularly change batteries in our smoke detectors, monitor neighbors who need mobility assistance, and do all we can to keep our homes safe and smart. Our Deacons in cooperation with the Session are also learning how to make our campus safer and welcoming. Some of our leaders have attended local security seminars led by the Department of Homeland Security. We will hear more about these initiatives in the months to come.