Skip to main content
#
Trinity Church
Pastor Ethan's Blog
Monday, July 02 2018

Hello everyone!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Before I go any further, allow me to personally invite all of you (if you are in the valley) to join us TODAY (July 3rd) to our church family picnic this evening.  We will kick things off at 6:30 and go until we decide to head home!  Since there are no fireworks this year, we will be on our big lawn outside of our fellowship hall (next to our playground).  Bring a picnic dinner (our grill will be fired up if you want to grill something), a camp chair if you want, and join us for an evening of relaxed fellowship, fun, lawn games, and just the gift of being together as the Body of Christ.  Hope to see you there!
 
SO, that said, I want to do something different today.  This past Sunday we finished up the first section of Romans (Chapters 1- 3:20), wherein Paul exhaustively presented the necessary diagnosis of humanities issue with sin.  This Sunday we will launch into the Magnificent Alternative, which is God's provision- through Christ- of His truly, shockingly, Amazing Grace.  And friends, as we celebrate our freedoms as Americans this week, everything that Paul lays out in the rest of Romans calls us to understand and experience the true Freedom that is our In Christ.

Take a minute and consider all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.  We have the freedoms enumerated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, such as freedom of religion, of speech, the right to bear arms, freedom of assembly, movement, and association, just to name a few.  On a deeper level, we enjoy political freedom, economic freedom, and the ability to enjoy these freedoms provided by a relatively stable society.  But as amazing as these freedoms are, they all have at least one thing in common.  They can all be taken away.  Contrast this with the consistent, resounding proclamation of God's Word about the Freedom that flows from God's heart, for these call us into a freedom that cannot be taken away.  And friends, the significance of this cannot be overstated!

Today and through the week, I invite you to read through the scripture below.  These are just a portion of the multitude of scriptures testifying to the Freedom given to us In Christ.  Meditate on these, and consider how God is calling you- and me- into a greater experience of this amazing gift of His Amazing Grace- and how God may use us to share these freedoms with others.  Because my friends, if the Son has set us free, we are Free Indeed!

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Psalm 119:45
 
Jesus stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.
Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:17-21
 
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32
 
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!
John 8:36
 
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin!
Romans 6:6-7
 
But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 6:17-18
 
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2
 
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
Romans 8:20-21
 
Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.
1 Corinthians 7:21-22
 
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
1 Corinthians 9:19-20
 
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
 
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14
 
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:12
 
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1:25
 
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
James 2:12
 
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
1 Peter 2:16


Growing with you in Christ's Freedom,
Pastor Ethan

Posted by: Ethan AT 11:09 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Wednesday, June 27 2018

First, a big THANK YOU to everyone who was praying for us (and all our valley churches), with last weekends 'event' concerning the Westboro protests.  It turned out to be a peaceful weekend, and the Westboro folks were almost wholly ignored, which was our intent.  I would say that it was a 'non-event' except for several significant things that likely would not have occurred otherwise.

The relationships between our valley churches were strengthened.  Multiple times over the past two weeks various pastors and church leaders met together, called each other, and prayed together that God would be glorified through this event.  Our church leadership community was able to strengthen our relationship with the local law enforcement community. I personally witnessed several 'God connections' where people were able to show much needed love and compassion to another person because they were in a place they normally would not have been. Lastly, the presence of Westboro's message of hatred gave rise to many conversations about how we, as followers of Christ, can take the initiative in creating the healthy and redemptive conversations our culture so desperately needs.  To sum up this interesting episode, I'm reminded of Joseph's words to his brothers in Genesis 50- "what you intended for evil, God intended for good".  I can't speak to the effect of Westboro's activities elsewhere in the country, but as for the Church in this valley, our love for each other is stronger than before they came.

It's an interesting statement, those words of Joseph.  "What was intended for evil, God intended for good."  In the first three and a half chapters of Romans, Paul focuses on the reality of evil and rebellion against God as the defining characteristic of the heart of mankind.  By the time we arrive at verse 9 of chapter three, Paul has completely made his case and he delivers the verdict:

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one...

That doesn't sound like good news.  By itself, this verdict seems to proclaim that evil has won the day.  But my friends, where there seems to be only evil and the absence of hope, God has always known His intention for Amazing Good.  For even though Romans 3:9-20 seems to be the worst of news, it actually is the best of news, as out of the ashes of humanities spiritual death God proclaims the stunning miracle of a New Creation.  And notice this- even within the bad news of 3:9-3:20 (go ahead, read it here), there is the underlying beating heart of God's Grace that turns this verdict into Good News.  This is what we will celebrate Sunday- why the bad news of mans total rebellion is actually the good news that sets the stage for God's total redemption.

If you are in town, I sincerely hope you join us!  It will be a great day, and I look forward to seeing you then.  Where-ever you may be in the country or world, may your weekend be blessed!

In Christ's Amazing Grace,
Ethan

Posted by: Ethan AT 11:08 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Wednesday, June 20 2018

Well, I am late getting FirstTracks out this week!  It's been an unusual week, and it is going to be an unusual weekend.  As a result, I want to spend my space here today with few thoughts about what is likely to happen on Sunday here in the Vail Valley, and to ask you to pray for us!

As you may know, about two weeks ago we were made aware that the "Westboro 'baptist' church'", an abhorrent hate group, intends to hold multiple 'protests' this weekend at several churches here in our Valley. The group sent a formal notification of their intentions to local law enforcement, along with the list of 'apostate' churches they would be protesting.  And yes, we have the honor of being on that list.

If you plan to join us for Worship on Sunday (as I sincerely hope you do!), a word about our preparation and how we must essentially respond if they indeed show up. 

  • First, and by far the most important, our response will be to ignore this group and stay as far away from them as possible.  Their entire strategy revolves around baiting people into approaching them, and then attempting to file lawsuits claiming infringement of their freedom of speech rights. It is through this strategy that they fund their activities.  So, to ALL of us as the Trinity Family, I emphatically request that we not approach this group in any way.  The best response is to deny them their greatest desire, which is an audience.
  • Second, based upon Westboro's own schedule, we do not anticipate them coming to our Edwards service.  If they do, Eagle County law enforcement will be present, and they will not be permitted to enter the church property.
  • Third, if you attend our Beaver Creek service, please do not be afraid to come! We need your presence, and we will be having our service as normal.  Westboro has informed the Sheriff's office that they intend to arrive at the Beaver Creek Chapel between 10:30 and 10:45.  Our goal is to be completely departed before they arrive.  Arrival for our 9:30 start time will be completely unaffected, and IF Westboro has arrived when we are leaving, there will be law enforcement present, and we will escort you to your vehicles as necessary- although I do not expect this to be an issue.  Again, if you normally would attend our Beaver Creek service, I sincerely invite you to not be deterred.  Preparations have been made, and I personally am at peace that there will be no problems.

A quick word about this on a spiritual level.  This Sunday (when we will also be celebrating communion), we are in our fourth week into the Book of Romans.  Up to this point, Paul has focused on laying the groundwork for the truly miraculous truth of the Gospel- Salvation and New Life that is by Faith, and Faith alone, through God's Amazing Grace!  To make the case for just how incredbily GOOD this news is, Paul first has taken us through the reality of sin, and why none of our own efforts will ever bring us to God. With this in mind- and this is only possible through the Holy Spirit- may we respond in our hearts to this group not with anger or hatred of our own, but with humility and prayer.  The leaders of this group are deceivers, but most of their 'members' are people who have been deceived.  It is up to God to Judge (last Sunday's message), and it our calling to Trust in our Sovereign God and express His Love and Nature not just to people like those in the Westboro 'church', but to everyone.  May this Sunday's events remind us all the more of the desperate need of our culture to learn how to Love, to Listen, and to honor one another before God, especially when we disagree with each other.  In Christ, may this begin with us.

Lastly, HERE is a link to a 'Ted talk' by a former member of the Westboro group.  It is an excellent presentation, and I encourage you to give it a watch.

SO, I hope to see you Sunday if you are in town!  We will wrap up Romans chapter two, seeing how God is not after legalistic adherence to rules or tradition, but is after our hearts.  Pray for God to be Glorified in our Valley, and keep praying for rain!

Love you all,
Ethan

A person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Romans 2:29

Posted by: Ethan AT 11:07 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Tuesday, June 12 2018

Have you ever played the 'Desert Island' game?  It's a common 'ice-breaker' discussion where you share what you would most want if stranded on a desert Island for a year, with your possessions limited to the space of a backpack, and you could only have one of each kind of item (one book, one CD, etc).  Not counting food and a global communications device, what would you you most want to have with you?

As a pastor, I know my book choice has to be the Bible (smile).  And honestly, it would be.  But lets assume the Gideon's had already put a Bible on your desert Island.  So, what would your book be?  For me, the answer is easy... J.R.R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. I know, I'm cheating and making all three books count as one. So sue me. Yes, I am a Tolkien geek, and not ashamed of it.  I've read the LOTR books at least 8 times, and these stories are etched in my memory.  So, here's a scenario to consider.  Lets say that we are stranded on that island together (horror, I know) and somehow you only knew the very basic concept and characters of the LOTR.  Given that we had lots of time for conversation, I decided to give you the detailed version.  But, instead of walking you through the entire narrative, I just jumped in at a random part of the story...

"So, here we find Sam and Frodo dressed as orcs, walking with other orcs across Mordor."  What? Sam and Frodo became orcs? "No, of course not."  Then why are the dressed as orcs? "Um, okay, I guess you need to know more of the story."
     Or...
"Then there's the time where Boromir died trying to protect Merry and Pippin (these are Hobbits for you non-Tolkien types)"  Wait, what?  I thought Boromir was selfish, suspicious, and tried to steal the ring from Frodo! What happened? "Yes, you're right, I guess you need to know more of the story."
     Or...
"And in the end, it was Gollum who finally cast the ring into the fires of Mt. Doom."  WHAT?  After everything Frodo and Sam went through, it was Gollum who destroyed the ring?  Who wrote this anyway!!"  "Sigh... Okay, lets start at the beginning. You have to know the whole story!"

If you are a fan of storytelling at all, you know that there are few things as frustrating as only hearing an excerpt that is totally confusing outside of the larger story.  It's like walking through a room with a movie on, and the 10 seconds you see make no sense at all.

Here's where I'm going with this (you're asking, 'where is he going with this!')   If this scattered approach to stories would drive us crazy in any other context, why do we do this so often with the Bible?  I love quotes, and there are some awesome quotes from the Lord of the Rings, but it's unimaginable to know anything about that story from just a few good one-liners.  This is even more true of the Bible, and it is the most 'one-liner' quoted book in history.  As we discussed a few weeks back, it is essential for us- as people who profess to love God's Word- to get beyond the 'one-liner' approach and start to read and understand larger passages, within the crucially important framework of context.

As we take our next step into Romans, this idea of whole story context is more important than ever.  If you were to read the first half of Romans chapter 2 (our text this Sunday) in isolation, it wouldn't just not make sense, it would raise all sorts of troubling questions about the nature of God and Salvation as we understand them from a Christian worldview.

This past Sunday, in the second half of Romans 1, Paul laid down the gauntlet as he presented the evidence of humanities rebellion against God.  In the closing line of what is the opening statement of his case for the Gospel,  Paul argues that "although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."  In the beginning of Chapter 2, Paul takes his second step into the argument by clarifying who he is talking to... and that would be me.  And you.  All of us. So no finger pointing! If you then continue down through verse 16, and stop there, it's easy to conclude that Paul has already forgotten what he said in 1:16-17 (God's righteousness by faith), and that we are in serious trouble.  OR... just maybe... there's more to the story. And my friends, there is!  This Sunday we will place these paragraphs into the larger context of Paul's entire case, and see how what seems to make no sense in light of God's mercy is actually the necessary prelude to Roman's majestic proclamation of God's Amazing Grace. It's a story you don't want to miss!

If you are in town, I sincerely hope to see you Sunday, and wherever you may be, I pray that you have a wonderful weekend.

Learning the Story with you,
Pastor Ethan

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."
Romans 2:1

“The Dark Lord has Nine. But we have One, mightier than they: the White Rider. He has passed through the fire and the abyss, and they shall fear him. We will go where he leads.”
Aragorn, from "The Two Towers"

Posted by: Ethan AT 11:05 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Tuesday, June 05 2018

It's a running joke I have with my sister. When we get the chance to visit, she will occasionally ask me what I've been preaching on lately.  My answer? "Sin, and hell!" We both get a good laugh, not because I don't take these topics seriously (because scripture does), but because in our childhood church environment these were often the dominant topics of any given sermon.  Our church had a strong focus on both evangelism and how we lived as Christians, but the predominant motivation behind evangelism was fear of hell, and the predominant motivation for how we lived was fear and guilt associated with sin. If you had to sum up the general thrust of daily life as we were taught, it could be with the two words "sin awareness."  Or, as one author described the weekly teaching he received growing up, "God is good, you are bad, try harder!"

Then, in my own testimony, came the soul awakening revelation that the Christian life didn't have to be centered on sin. In my early thirties I had the gift of being shown the revolutionary New Covenant truths of New Life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20), our identity in Christ (Colossians 3:1-4), and our union with Christ (Colossians 1:27, John 14:19-20, Romans 6:5-7).  Alongside many other scriptures, and with the backdrop of the entire New Testament, there emerged the miraculous way of daily life that could be summed up with the two words "Christ awareness."  Or as we see in Romans 7, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."  In Romans 6 Paul puts it this way- "You have been set free from sin (a life characterized by sin awareness) and have become slaves to righteousness (a life characterized by Christ awareness).  Friends, that is Good News!

But here's the deal.  Just as religion obsessed with sin leads to a joyless life of guilt and performance, so also Christian spirituality that ignores the reality of sin will lead to a powerless life of passivity and moral laxness. While these two paths may seem diametrically opposed to each other, they in fact both lead to the same destination, which is bondage, not freedom.

This Sunday we take our second step into Romans, and after introducing himself and declaring the miracle of Righteousness by Faith, Paul rips off the bandage and cuts to the core issue of why mankind so desperately needs the Gospel.  With scalpel like precision, Paul lays out the case of humanity's very real and very fatal disease that Scripture calls SIN.

Church, there's no way around it- this Sunday's message is going to be challenging.  We don't like to face the reality of sin, unless of course, we are pointing it out in someone else.  This is often what we like to do with the second half of Romans 1, using it as a lens to focus on the sin of society, rather than a necessary diagnosis of our own need of God.  And unless we allow the diagnosis, we will never enter into the redemption, freedom and fullness of Life that Paul will spend rest of Romans unpacking.  And herein lies the blessed irony: for all the intensity with which Paul addresses sin in Romans chapters 1 through 3, the result is not an emphasis on sin, but a revelation of the only way to experience freedom from sin and the suffering it inevitably brings. And church, that is Good News!

If you have arrived in the valley, I can't wait to see you at our Sunday service!  But wherever you may be in our country or world, I pray that your are blessed by gathering together with other believers as we are mutually encouraged by each others faith.  Love you all!

Growing with you,
Pastor Ethan

 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people...
Romans 1:18a

Posted by: Ethan AT 11:04 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Wednesday, May 30 2018

Well, the official first day of summer isn't until June 21st, but summer has arrived to the mountains!  I hope the weather in your home community is as beautiful as it is here, but even more, I hope you will soon be experiencing our weather here in the Valley with us!

Speaking of summer, I'm reminded of one of my favorite childhood summer memories, when my mom would load a bunch of us kids up in our van and make the hour long country road drive to the nearest public swimming pool, just outside of Fredericksburg, Texas. The pool was shaped like a giant 'L', with the long section being the most popular with us younger kids, because it was the shallow end of the pool.  You remember the shallow end of the pool, right?  It's the area where you can pretend that you are swimming, but if things get a little uncomfortable, you can just stand up and be in control.  The shallow end was really awesome because the water was lots of fun, but it didn't require any effort. You could hang out there all day (which we did), without worry of the water doing anything to you, apart from getting all wrinkly.

The deep end of the pool, however, was something different altogether.  It was the short end of the 'L', and wasn't nearly as crowded.  Sometimes we would venture on our tiptoes up to the floating boundary rope, looking curiously at the brave souls bobbing around in the deep until we turned back to the security of the shallow water.  In the deep end there was no longer the security of standing on your own. To venture into the deep end you had to learn to swim. In the deep end, the water had power.

You see where I'm going here?  As Christians, its all to easy for us to stay in the shallow end of the pool.  Where we enjoy all the warm easy blessings of religion without ever really being challenged. Where we don't have to leave the security of our own control and can have fun with as much truth and obedience as we want, but back away when it gets a bit uncomfortable.  In the shallow end we can hang out in Christian culture our whole life, without worry of anything really happening to us, apart from eventually getting all wrinkly.

In the deep end however, the water has power. This is where the Truth is all around us, and we no longer have the control of standing on our own. In the deep water, staying afloat requires effort, learning, and most importantly, is only possible through faith.  When we swim in the deep end of the pool, we will be changed.  To be sure, the deep water can be intimidating at times, but it is good!  This is where we are stretched, where we grow, where Life is so much bigger than we are, where Trusting God is the only option, and where we learn to truly live.

Here at Trinity this Sunday we are taking off the floaties and jumping into the deep end of the pool.  The deep end of God's Word that history has come to know as the book of Romans.  It will be challenging, we will be stretched, and if you decide go there with us, it will require some effort!  But it will be good, it will be freeing, and it will draw us deeper into the richness of God's Truth that invites us to truly live.

Last Sunday I dared our church to read Romans in it's entirety- not pausing for the countless questions you may have, but just taking it in like an all you can eat buffet when someone else paid the bill.  That dare still stands!  For this Sunday, if you will be in town or listen to my messages online, my challenge is simpler- read Romans chapter one, verses 1-17. Twice. Then read verses 16-17 two more times.  Then ask yourself, what does it mean to say- and mean it- "I am not ashamed of the Gospel."

Are you ready to dive in?  I hope to see you this summer, and as Delmar said in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou",  Come on in, the water's fine!

Pastor Ethan

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ, and let us press on to maturity...
Hebrews 6:1a (NIV,NASB)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:16-17 (NIV)

Posted by: Ethan AT 11:03 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Wednesday, May 23 2018

I'm not big on flying.  Yes, airplanes are one of the marvels of modern life, but the mystique of air travel gets lost on me after the first 30 minutes of the TSA security line. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm about to travel in 3 to 4 hours what two generations ago took MONTHS! As a current comedian put it "why are you whining!  You are flying through the air in a giant steel tube! This trip would have taken your great grandparents months, and not all of them would have survived!"  But I digress.

So, last Friday I'm standing in the line of fellow travelers waiting to board our giant flying steel tube, when I struck up a conversation with the man behind me.  He was returning home to Colorado as I was, and we exchanged the usual pleasantries of "what is your town", and "what do you do."  When I told him I was the pastor of a church up in the mountains (always interesting to see what happens when I say that), he replied "well, I used to go to church, but as of late my views on religion have become really inclusive.  I mean, if what somebody believes helps them and doesn't hurt me, then what difference does it make?"  The response in my mind was "it makes all the difference in the world", but all I managed was a smile as the line finally began to move.

The gentleman's assertion is of course the increasingly held, politically correct view regarding religion. The problem is that this 'tolerant sounding' assertion has two fundamental assumptions that most holding this view have not thought through.  The first is that if all (or even some) faith/belief systems are equally 'true', then there can be no such thing as spiritual truth.  If all streams of spiritual belief are equally valid, then it means that these belief systems are nothing more than moral coping mechanisms, untethered to any greater truth, because virtually all world religions contain teaching that diverge significantly from others.  For example, the Hindu and Christian doctrines of the nature of mankind (as significant to God) are virtually diametrically opposed.  As has been said, to believe that all faiths are true is the same as believing that no faiths are true.  It is to abandon the concept of spiritual truth itself.  The second assumption is that faith/religion is centered on 'the me' and what a person (or people group) believes to be true about God has no ultimate consequence, either in this life or after this life.  If everything is true, then nothing is true, and therefore I am accountable to nothing other than myself. 

In great contrast, the Biblical Worldview holds that there is such a thing as Spiritual Truth.  Make no mistake- the popular notion that all 'truths' are equal is fundamentally incompatible with a Biblical Worldview.  As followers of Christ, we hold that God revealed Himself to mankind through His Word, that the Truth in His Word holds inestimable current and eternal consequence, it is authoritative, applicable, and most importantly, that God's Truth to mankind, in every sense possible, at all times, is good. Hard to understand in places? Yes.  Misunderstood at times? You bet.  Requiring thoughtful interpretation that can be just plain difficult? Absolutely. Life giving and Good? Always!

It is in this conviction that we are launching ourselves into an in-depth journey through the majestic Biblical book of Romans.  This new series will officially begin on Sunday, June 3rd, and this coming Sunday the 27th will be a 'preview to the intro' where we explore the essential principles by which we engage ourselves with this ancient text we know as Scripture.  I promise that you will be blessed as you join with us in this journey, and this Sunday's talk will be foundational to how we approach Romans in the weeks and months to come.  If you aren't in town, I sincerely invite you to listen to the message when I post it online Sunday afternoon.
 
Ts with a sense of excitement and yet 'fear and trembling' that I prepare to lead us through this study. I value your prayers, but most of all I anticipate growing with you as we open our hearts and minds to this amazing gift of God's Word.

Summer is here, and I am truly looking forward to seeing many of you as you come into the valley!

In Christ and to His Glory,
Pastor Ethan

 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:31

Posted by: AT 10:00 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Thursday, May 03 2018

About sixteen years ago Lisa and I loaded up our family for what would be a very memorable camping trip.  It was one of those trips that years later stands out in my memory for multiple reasons, one specifically that came to mind as I was thinking through my last message in our series focused on Resurrection.

The trip was to Great Sand Dunes National Park, near Alamosa in Southern Colorado. Lisa and the kids had arrived with another family earlier in the day, and my friend David and I drove later that evening, after work.  It was our first time to the dunes, and by the time we arrived it was pitch dark.  As we drove into the campground there was just enough moonlight to make out the faint outline of the Sangre De Cristo mountain range in the distance. We knew the dunes were there, but in the darkness they couldn't be seen.  We quickly collapsed into our sleeping bags for a good nights rest.
The next morning I woke a bit late, and crawled out of our tent into full sunlight.  Standing and looking toward the sand dunes, I was stunned.  They were huge. Massive!  I had seen a few pictures, but in real life these were far bigger than I imagined, and right on top of us.  In fact, what I had perceived the night before to be the Sangre De Cristo mountains in the distance had in fact been the Dunes themselves, less than a quarter mile away.

Here's the point: As western evangelical Christians, our concept of "heaven when we die" is often analogous to those sand dunes when I came up on them in the dark.  Little more than a dim outline in the distance, with even that outline being confused for what it really is.  There are plenty caricatures of Heaven, such as wearing a robe while playing a harp while floating on a cloud.  A common idea is the one-dimensional concept of heaven as a place Jesus will come and take us to, while delivering us from this evil world, with the implication of Heaven being a place infinitely far away. And, in comparison to this world, Heaven of course would be, well, heavenly. But at times we even hedge on that, saying things like "I really hope there is Bar-B-Q in Heaven, because if not, I'm not sure it will be that great!" (I grew up in Texas-smile. You could substitute 'sking', 'beaches', 'ice cream', or anything else you really hope makes it through from this earth to the next).  At times the main point of heaven almost seemed to be that it wasn't hell, and as long as we avoided that, well, then anything would be really good.

But then, when we slow down to closely look at what scripture actually has to say, these distant and confused outlines start to change into the view of the sand dunes I was confronted with in the full light of morning.  Stunning. Breathtaking. And a lot closer than thought.  I wasn't in the dunes yet, but there they were, dominating the horizon, tantalizing us with the pending excitement of launching into their midst.  Likewise, while Scriptural references to the great Hope of Eternity are like (to quote N.T. Wright once again), "Signposts pointing into a bright mist", this mist is far clearer than we may think. There is of course so much we don't know, but what Scripture does show us is stunning, breathtaking, a great mountain of hope that is so much closer than we think.  Far from the caricatures of clouds, robes, and harps, the New Testament vision of Eternity is one of a physical, relational, social, and culturally active dynamic, freed at last from the ravages of sin and death, where God's Glory is evidenced in all things, and He is at the center of all things. As the famous song proclaims, we can only imagine, but God has graced our imagination with glimpses of Eternity from the goodness of His Word. 

It is into this bright mist of eternal hope that we will fix our eyes this Sunday here at Trinity. If this topic may be encouraging to you, I invite you to give this Sunday's message a listen.  As always, I sincerely value your prayers for us here as we continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus and express Him to the people of the Vail Valley.  Know that we are praying the same for you in your home communities.

By the way, I'm pretty certain there will be Bar-B-Q in heaven. (Smile!)

In the Hope of Eternity,
Pastor Ethan

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV)

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Posted by: Ethan AT 10:58 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Thursday, April 26 2018

Hello everyone!

This Sunday at Trinity will be the second to last message in our "Easter 101: All things made new" series, where we have been pushing deeply into the amazing, broad, Biblical truth of Resurrection.  If you have time, I encourage you to listen to these online (links below), as these topics are immensely important for us as Disciples of Jesus, and we honestly don't give them much thought.  In any case, last week we unpacked the different worldviews (Biblical and secular) about how people see the future, and why this matters so much for believers. The bottom-line conclusion we reached was that our world- for all of its brokenness- matters intensely! Rather than naively believing mankind (or even the church) can fix things on our own, or fatalistically rooting for the world's quick demise, Scripture calls us to the Divine work of bringing about God's Kingdom and Will upon this world right now, just as it is in Heaven, right now.

As followers of Christ, we aren't called to just sit around and wait for Jesus's return (or our own departure). Rather, we are called to love, invest in, and make this deteriorating world a better place, daily working to plant the seeds of God's Kingdom by how we live, how we love, and what we say.  The first half of my message Sunday will continue with this thought, focusing very specifically and practically on what this looks like.  Does our theology of Resurrection impact and shape matters such as our idea of environmental stewardship?  Well, actually, yes.  It should.  What about issues such as abortion, religious and political freedom, equality, and justice?  YES.  How we understand Resurrection will impact these issues as well.  In the end (pun intended) the lens of resurrection through which we view the future has great power to change how we live today.  Resurrection not only promises that we will experience transformation (and indeed, that we already are), it also calls us to be agents of transformation.

To try and put it succinctly, the New Covenant truth of Resurrection is not about us one day finally abandoning this world, but rather Christ returning to re-create this world.  Our world is not trash that will one day be forgotten, but rather a treasure, badly damaged as it may be, that was created by God and will one day be restored by God. (Friends, this is a huge concept!) In the meantime, (meaning now), we are called to be God's agents of Resurrection, continuing the work that He started on Easter and will bring to completion in His time.  That will be our first big thought Sunday. (Whew!)

The second thing we will then explore is the under-taught, often misunderstood, but essential reality of Christ's ascension.  This will be a fascinating discussion, and I'll leave it at that for now.  As you gather with your own congregations this week, I ask that you pray for us and how God is leading and growing our church family here in the Mountains of Colorado.

Love you all, and may the immeasurable riches of God's Grace be made known to you,
Pastor Ethan

Jesus was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9-11

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

Hebrews 4:14

Posted by: Ethan AT 10:52 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
Thursday, April 19 2018

A few years ago we (here at Trinity) went through a study by Andy Stanley in which he would repeat a central thought- "there are things that people resist about Christianity, that Christians themselves should resist."  It's a good and pretty straightforward thought: there are things about Christian culture that drive people away, that themselves are counter to or not consistent with what being a disciple of Jesus really is about.  Examples are easy and numerous, such as legalism, judgmental attitudes, politics, fear of people who are different, moral inconsistency, and a tendency to self-segregate ourselves from the 'bad sinful world.'  Indeed, these are traits of Christian culture that should be resisted, as they are offensive both to the Gospel and the unbelieving world around us.  But there's a reality that Stanley didn't acknowledge (and in fairness, it wasn't his point): as offensive as these things are, they are NOT what is most offensive about Christianity. 

The Gospel and Christian message is offensive to the world because it demands that we acknowledge our sin.  It is offensive because it requires that we surrender our own self-sovereignty and place God on the throne of our lives.  The Gospel is offensive because it unapologetically proclaims that there is a hope, a truth, and a path that leads to rightness with God. In fact, in our post-modern culture, the Gospel is offensive because it asserts that there is such as thing as spiritual truth in and of itself.  But more than all of these, if you look at Christian History starting with Paul standing before the Roman Governor Felix in the book of Acts, the great unforgivable offense of Christianity is our foundational hope of Resurrection.

If Christ is raised from the dead, then everything Jesus taught and claimed is unquestionably true, and He is unquestionably God. A dominant worldview predicated on relative truth and lordship of self will never tolerate this.

If Christ is raised from the dead, and the believer possesses the certainty of this same hope (indeed, that we have entered into this hope already), then we possess a source of Life and hope greater than anything this temporary world can offer.  For a culture demanding we find our life, hope, acceptance and joy in what it offers (at great expense by the way), a people set free from that cultures tyranny of thought, and who don't need what it's selling, is absolutely untenable.

If Christ is raised from the dead, then death itself has been defeated and holds no fear for the followers of Jesus who see themselves as having participated in this same resurrection.  The abhorrence of this to the elites of history and their systems of power cannot be overstated.  To quote N.T. Wright from his book 'Surprised by Hope:'

Who, after all, was it who didn't want the dead to be raised?  Not simply the intellectually timid or the rationalists.  It was, and is, those in power, the social and intellectual tyrants and bullies; the Ceasars who would be threatened by a Lord of the world who had defeated the tyrant's last weapon, death itself; the Herods who would be horrified at the postmortem validation of the true King of the Jews.

Friends, if Christ is raised from the dead, and as his disciples we now share (and will fully share) in the absolute reality of that resurrection, then all the rules that used to govern life- why we have hope, what we do when we are in crisis, the very lens through which we view both history and the future-  have changed!  Quite literally, a new worldview has been introduced, a worldview that springs from the reality of a new creation.  To quote Wright one more time:

This hope is what you get when you suddenly realize that a different worldview is possible, a worldview in which the rich, the powerful, and the unscrupulous do not after all have the last word.  The same worldview shift that is demanded by the resurrection of Jesus is the shift that will enable us to transform the world.

I would add to Wright's statement that this same worldview of resurrection also means that the cultural elites do not have the last word. Sin does not have the last word.  My and your brokenness, weakness, and failures do not have the last word.  Your past, your shame, and fear will not have the last word!  Because Christ IS raised from the dead, and In Christ we too have entered into His resurrection, then Hope has the last word!  Ultimate hope for the world to come, but also hope for you: for goodness, redemption, freedom, and new life, where you are, right now.  Resurrection welcomes us, today, into the land of beginning again! And unlike the political, economic, and cultural Herod's of history, may our response to this amazing truth be Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!  The Lord is Risen indeed, Hallelujah!

With you in Hope,
Pastor Ethan

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory!"
“Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (NIV)

Posted by: Ethan AT 02:54 pm   |  Permalink   |  Email
 

     

     

     

    our facebook page instagram
    Site Powered By
    SiteHatcher.com