Radical Grace

In this season after Easter, we are taking a deeper look at our mission statement at CLC:

Real People

Inclusive God

Radical Grace

Inspired Growth

We are asking what it means to live out each of these values in our church. This week we are specifically questioning what it means to be a community of Radical Grace. Personally I feel like many of us realize there is a need for grace in our world. We cannot be expected to behave perfectly in all circumstances. However, if we are not careful, we can become consumed by comparing ourselves to others. We love to show other people that they are wrong, and we love to sing our own praises when we are right. We may love the idea of grace, but we don't always put these ideas into practice. When I look out at the greater world, I see many of the same issues. Leaders feel like they have to prove themselves constantly. Grace is seen as a sign of weakness. However, living without grace tends to lead us down a road of constantly escalating tensions...

Earlier this week, I had a proud parenting moment. My oldest son decided to share a gift he was given. It wasn't a big present, but other kids were starting to feel jealous. When he decided to give it away, I could almost see him realizing that he already lived in abundance. He didn't need to hold onto everything so tightly. In fact, there is joy in sharing the abundance with others. 

John 10:10

 I am come that you might have life, and have it in abundance. 

I think Jesus understood that in order to experience grace we need to open our eyes to the fact that we are surrounded by blessings. It is far too easy to see only the scarcity. We remind ourselves everyday about all the things we do not have. What if we flipped this around and decided to count our blessings. Perhaps this would help us to realize that sharing and receiving grace is not as impossible as we may have first thought.

We all need grace. If everyone was constantly pointing out every imperfection of mine, I would never have felt free to live up to my potential. Grace frees us to a deeper and greater form of living. Today I hope you can all be reminded of the blessings in your life, and I hope you can share these freely and graciously with others.

Peace,

Pastor Brian

The Season on Easter

I love Easter! As the calendar turns from winter to spring, we are opening our hearts to God's gift of new life. In Minnesota, there were plenty of things to complain about this time of year. The snow would become slushy and filled with dirt. We also still had to deal with a number late snowstorms. Just when the streets became clear, we would get blasted with another round of winter weather. In spite of all the chaos, there would also be days when the temperature would reach 60 or 70 degrees. It was amazing! In Las Vegas, we are on the verge of a brutally hot season, but I can't help but to enjoy these beautiful days. 

The day after Easter, my two boys and I went for a hike in Red Rock. We were there to spend some time in nature, and enjoy the spring weather. It was a joy to see God's gifts in the desert. We saw all kinds of flowers, and we waded through some pretty cold streams. My 9 year old even decided he wanted to jump into the icy cold water. The experience was wild, but more than anything else, we enjoyed the time we had together. 

In a similar way, I also loved our Easter worship services. The music, lights, and everything else all added to the moment. However, it was seeing the church filled with people that made the difference. Everyone was there to share God grace. This is the most important thing.

Easter is a season to remember that God's Love is eternal. As a church, we live in relationship with others. We celebrate the good gifts that we share together. We also remember that there is nothing that can ever separate us from God's Love. Not even death can remove us from Christ's presence. Today I hope you all can take some time to be reminded of God's gift of New Life. I hope you can also share God's gifts with the people around you. 

Peace,

Pastor Brian