We are destined to be followers of Jesus!

Jesus said to his disciples in John 6:40, For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jesus prayed to the Father concerning his disciples in John 14:17-19, I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Jesus said to Pilate John 18:37b, You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason, I was born, and for this reason, I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead changed the world forever. Jesus’ word changed everything. And it will change everything again as Christian Nationalism is straying from the truth of the gospel.

Jesus’ resurrection overturned the synagogue, as institution; the empty tomb reinstated the missional priority of the people of God. There is one mission; loving God, loving others, being a disciple, and inviting others to be disciples. A disciple is changed by Jesus’ words. The truth sets one free to be a disciple. The disciple loves God, loves others, and takes the gospel to the streets. You and I have the privilege of encountering the streets in Wichita, Kansas, the other forty-nine states, and to the ends of the earth. That’s not my definition of a disciple. It’s Jesus’.

In Genesis 12:1-3, God called a people to live the story of being a blessing and inviting others to be a part of the blessing. God called Abraham and his people to be missional. Our purpose as people of the resurrection is to love God, love others, and be a blessing to others. That is being missional.

Let’s recognize that God’s arms are tightly wrapped around his children and move out of that identity as blessed people in order to be a blessing. Love won and continues to win.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor

As followers of Jesus, we are marked. These marks are meant to characterize our life as believers and as a church at Grace.

• To preach the gospel marks us.
• To properly administer the sacraments marks us.
• To rightly exercise church discipline marks us.

As a church, living as marked followers of Jesus, we are marked to address culture and society that struggles in knowing its way and building a better humanity.

• Followers of Jesus are to be leaven for individual and social change.
• Followers of Jesus are to be salt and light for individual and social change.
• At one time the Church held a privileged place in culture. That is no longer the case.

A shift from modern to postmodern philosophical assumptions began in the early seventies. The Church was then thrust into the culture wars which have only intensified. The message of the Church was no longer readily accepted. The cultural and societal response continues to be apathetic and hostile.

As the Son of God, Jesus was marked.

• Jesus suffered for you and me.
• Jesus stayed focused on the will of his Father.
• Jesus died for our sins.
• Jesus rose from the dead so that we could experience forgiveness for those sins and live a new life, now, and eternally.

Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? Do you believe that by placing your faith in him you are forgiven and will live a new life now and have eternal life?

As followers of Jesus, we are marked. Let’s participate with God in bringing salvation and transformation to individuals and society.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor

As I reflect upon the meaning of the resurrection, and I do that often, I am becoming more and more convinced that authenticity is of utmost importance in the Christian walk.

What is it about authenticity that is so difficult, yet attractive?

• First, to live authentically means to tell the truth about others and ourselves. Are you willing to look in the mirror of your life and honestly admit what you see? What if you see deceit, hate, anger, arrogance, or jealousy? What will you do?
• Second, to live authentically means not to pretend. Integrate your Christian faith into everyday life. Living an authentic life in the Christian faith means that we face the ups and the downs with honesty and forthrightness.
• Third, to live authentically means to be vulnerable. Vulnerability means that who you are is what we see. And what we see is what we get. And what we get is who you are and what we see. You mean what you say and you say what you mean.

No matter how difficult it is to live authentically in truth, not pretending and being vulnerable, there will be people who don’t understand. I yearn to live my life more authentically. I yearn for others to do the same. Authenticity is the indicator of being fully alive in Jesus Christ. No untruth. No pretending. No avoiding of vulnerability. Let’s trust Jesus Christ, through the written Word of God, to give us the courage to live lives that are truthful, not pretending, and vulnerable. It is the way of Jesus Christ. It is the way of the cross. It is the message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor

Being face-to-face with Jesus. Ponder that for a moment. When I think about being face-to-face with Jesus, I begin to yearn for a more personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. The human face with its vices of anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language comes face-to-face with the face of Jesus with its virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Our vulnerabilities and powerlessness are exposed. The outcomes of such a face-to-face encounter with Jesus causes a correction of beliefs and worldview which then demonstrates the practice of forbearance, forgiveness, love, unity, and the peace of Christ.

What is lacking in the life of many followers of Jesus and congregations is the power of the Holy Spirit. Without restoring a commitment to seek intimacy with God, whose power transforms the human heart and makes the people of God passionate to be his witnesses, through the power of the Holy Spirit, our efforts to change seem futile.

How can we get the power of God back? God is the one who gives “it”, the power. God seems to give “it” to those who want “it”; or more precisely, to those who want God and God’s will. We become distracted from a wholehearted pursuit of Jesus Christ.

Face-to-face with Jesus. Experiencing God’s love in Jesus Christ means experiencing that one has been unreservedly accepted, approved, and infinitely loved.

Let’s refocus on a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. Concentrate on two things: reading the Bible and praying. Let’s immerse ourselves in the Bible and believe that God speaks to us through the written page. Let’s pray more. We cannot live the Christian life without conversing with and listening to God. God hears our prayers and answers them. When we read the Bible and pray, we start to fall in love with Jesus again.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor

A Word From Our Interim Pastor

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

On Sunday, January 21, 2024, I preached my first sermon as your Interim Pastor. That sermon began a series titled, Questions You and The Public Square May Have About Experiencing God. In that sermon, I stated that God was calling us to be the best Jesus someone would see in Wichita. How? By listening well to one another and others, regarding how one is or isn’t experiencing God. I encouraged each of us to engage the questions and begin the journey with one another and others that would sharpen our focus on what unites us is the love of God we know and experience through Jesus. I said that we will become the best Jesus someone sees, when we are known as friends with God and one another; known for seeking and living God’s best; known for proclaiming salvation in the name of Jesus Christ through our words and deeds; known for doing justice, and known for being involved in our community and serving the least of these in Wichita.

By definition, best means “of the most excellent or desirable type or quality.” In a biblical and Christian context, best can be defined and seen in the context of God’s redemptive will for humanity and creation. By definition, community means a group with common interests. In a biblical and Christian context, community can be defined and seen in the context of a group being instructed, guided, and living by God’s redemptive will for humanity and creation.

Every level of ministry in our church must encourage and equip people to lead. We are to be servant leaders after the very heart of Jesus Christ. As disciples of Jesus Christ, thus participants with God, we become servant leaders as Jesus was a servant leader. A servant leader is altruistic, empathetic, respectful, adaptable, patient, encouraging, yielding, honest, positive, responsible, a cheerleader, a learner, a listener, forgiving, humorous, tolerant, supportive, and enthusiastic. A servant leader wants others to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. A servant leader wants to know God’s best and to share God’s best with others.

This summer, the Grace pulpit will continue to address core practices we learn through examining the message of Jesus. Each of us is God’s presence and agents of change. Join me this summer as we examine what it means to be God’s presence in Wichita and participants with God in bringing about change.

On the journey of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation with you, I remain faithfully yours,

Steve

The Rev. Dr. Steven M. Marsh

Interim Pastor