garycombs.org

Has He marked you?

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13 NIV).

"You look just like your dad." The cashier at the Sears & Roebuck in downtown Bristol said to me, while pointing at my father.

I was five years old. I was visiting the Sears where my dad worked as a department manager.

"You have big, brown eyes just like his." She continued, as she waved at us as we passed.

"Thank you." I said, sticking my chest out and walking hand and hand with my dad through the store (According to man-code, it's still OK to hold hands with your dad at age five).

My mother used to say that my father "marked me." And I guess he did. I still have his brown eyes, but as I've gotten older I've noticed that my mother "marked me" pretty good too.

Are you "marked" by anyone?

This coming Sunday we're launching a new series entitled: "9 Marks of Authentic Christians." We'll be looking at the "fruit of the Spirit" found in Galatians 5. The word "fruit" is singular, but there are nine traits or marks of this fruit.

Authentic Christianity is often defined by the following "B" words: believe, belong, behave, and become. Many disagree on the order of these and on which should come first. They're all important, but perhaps the one that has contributed most to the accusation of "Christians being hypocrites" has come from one that is often lacking. This one has to do with character. It has to do with becoming like Christ.

You can say that you believe and belong. You can even follow the Christian rules and behave religiously. But you can't fake the character thing. You either have your Father's character, or you don't. You're either marked by the Spirit of God... or you're not.

Love, joy, peace... these are the marks of a life filled with the Spirit of God and marked by His character.

While I'm glad that my parents marked me, I'm more hopeful that I'll grow to become more like Jesus. I want to be marked by Him.

Under construction

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit" (1 John 4:12-13 NIV).

I'm a project guy. I love dreaming up, planning, and implementing a project, seeing it come to life... and completion. I especially love it when I finish something and finish it well.

Strangely enough, that's why I don't mind mowing the yard. Even though its a weekly kind of maintenance, I still love doing it because I can immediately see what I've done. I enjoy the result. And I love showing the result of my labors to others.

"Hey Robin, did you notice the yard when you came in?" I ask my wife, while sticking out my chest.

"Yes, Honey, it looks great. Definitely the best looking lawn on the street!" She responds with wifely appreciation.

I wish I could see the results of following Christ and making disciples as readily. I labor and work and sometimes I can't tell if anything is being accomplished. In fact, some days it appears we may have lost ground.

But I'm learning. I'm learning that it's not my job to finish, it's God's. It's His Spirit that is at work in me and in the flock that I pastor. God is doing a work in us and He will bring it to completion.

So, if it's God's job to finish the "Gary" project, then what's my part?

I must yield and let Him work. I must yield every area of my life to His control, surrendering and submitting all to HIm. Asking HIm to mold and make me after His will.

Completion. In the Greek, it's the word teleios, which could be translated perfected, finished, having reached the goal. I'm glad God is in charge of this. He is working in us to make us like His Son.

Until then, we're under construction.

Pick me, Lord!

"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it" (Genesis 4:7 NIV).

Watching my nephews (Ryan #12 and Michael in blue) play football earlier this week reminded me of my younger days...

"Pick me!" I shouted at my friend, Gordon, as he surveyed the boys lined up and waving their hands for selection.

"I pick Combs." Gordon said, while pointing me out.

I loved playing football during afternoon recess in the fifth grade. But I hated the time of picking teams. It was nerve-wracking. You never knew when you might be chosen last. And to be chosen last was basically to be rejected all together.

"OK. I guess we'll take Combs." The boy picking might say as he realized that I was the last remaining team applicant.

I had been the "last guy" before and that's why I was always happy to see my friend Gordon (who was a popular athelete) as one of the team captains. Gordon would always choose me first, even though we both knew that I wasn't one of the top draft picks. He would choose me because we were friends, not because of my football skills (At 4' 10" and 75 pounds, I wasn't exactly the guy you wanted blocking for you).

That's why I'm glad that Jesus is my friend. I don't have the skill set to "master" sin and live a life that pleases God, but Jesus does. I don't have to be anxious about whether God will choose me or not. God is pleased with His Son. If I am in Christ, then God is pleased with me and accepts me too.

This makes me want to respond the way the prophet Isaiah did when he had a vision that the Lord was picking teams, Isaiah replied, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

And so, I too lift my hand and shout, "Pick me, Lord! Pick me!"

Playing Mr. Rogers

"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:13-16 NIV).

This past Sunday I worked in the WCC children's ministry during both services. As adults and as leaders we can sometimes lose sight of how the world looks from a child's perspective. It's easy to forget the kids. But I'm convinced that you can tell a lot about a person, a family, or a church by the way they treat the children.

The truth of the matter is that most of us made commitments to follow Christ before we turned 12 years old. In fact, most missionaries and pastors felt a sense of call before their 16th birthday. Children and young people are willing to make life long commitments to Christ.

We spend a lot of time, money, and effort on offering a quality worship experience for our adults at WCC. But a greater opportunity for Kingdom impact may really be with the children's ministry. That's why we're ramping things up in our children's ministry. Even though working with kids is an unseen ministry (to the adults attending), we're convinced that Christ takes notice.

This past Sunday, we handed off the preaching responsibility to a member of our teaching team. Believe me, I don't give up the pulpit easily. I love to preach! But I wanted to model to the church how important our kids are to us (I was actually nervous with excitement on Sunday morning to work with the kids).

We interrupted the adult worship a couple of times with video reports of how "Pastor Gary is doing" in the children's department. Everyone seemed to love it!

Now, I have people coming up to me and calling me Mr. Rogers. Perhaps a job at PBS is in my future, if only I can find a sweater I like.