Worship Preview 8.3.25 "Set Your Minds"

This Sunday: 10:30am –  7^th Sunday after Pentecost – “Set Your Minds”  Rev. Christopher Eshelman preaching. Scriptures: Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-11

Music has long been a way of forming congregations in discipleship. The tradition of spirituals has much to teach us. For example, one known as “Woke Up This Mornin’” repeats the phrase “Woke up this mornin' with my mind, stayed on Jesus.” three times and then proclaims “Hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!” Other verses have lines like “Singin' and playin' with my mind stayin' on the Lord” and “walkin' an’ talkin' with my mind, stayin' on Jesus.” That spiritual summarizes Colossians 3:1-11 well. We are called to “set our minds” on Christ in all we do. The author uses the phrase “things above” in contrast to the idolatry of our “earthly” fixations. And yet this is not a text about the kind of “individual salvation” escapism that is all too prevalent in modern, American Christianity. Rather, it remains a call to community and life, hear and now, in Christ, the image of God, that the whole letter has been about.

Earlier this week the Gordon Parks Museum celebrated new signage at the Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church Commemorative site at 301 S. Lowman. That church was an important part Park’s life and thus, Fort Scott history. The AME is a sister denomination to United Methodists,  yet one we must acknowledge was birthed out of the racist injustice and exclusion of our own sanctuaries in the late 1800s. Pastor Christopher shared a bit about growing up in a “majority minority” neighborhood and insights he gained from that last week. Each week we pray “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Too often we put a long comma after done, a pause that somehow disconnects the phrases. In a similar way, the chapters and verses of Scripture, while wonderful for helping us find and consider the same texts, too often function as a division of thought and blind us to the way the stories of the Gospels and the calls and proclamations of the Epistles build upon each other. Throughout the Scriptures, Christians hear a call to fix our eyes upon Jesus and to follow – to do what Jesus does. Considering the spiritual above, its lyrics draw from Colossians 3 – but also Romans 8:5. And Philippians 3:19. And 1 Chronicles 22:19, Ezekiel 40:4, and Romans 12:2, for that matter!) It is a common theme! Our text from Hosea is a lament by God for how often God’s people fail to do this, stumbling repeatedly in distraction and denial - and yet again, we find God as a loving parent, promising to continue trying to teach us to walk in the way.

We too live in a distracted and distractable world. We hear so many messages attempting to tell us that this or that is the most important thing in our lives. If we do this thing, if we buy that stuff, if we live in this manner, if we look like that, then our lives will be full of passion, power, and fulfillment. It is essential to take a longer view. That’s why connecting this week’s text to last week’s is crucial. Colossians 3 is not a quick fix, escapism – it is the way of living out a focus on living in the Spirit of Christ without falling back on a narrow, controlling legalism or philosophical puffery. Setting our mind on things above is not to go around with our heads in clouds, not paying attention to the world around us, but rather to live, here and now, in light of heaven – that is - in light of Christ’s victory over sin and death. If we have been raised with Christ, all that distracts us has been put to death and we are freed to follow. We are freed to get rid of “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language…” We’re to get rid of ways of interacting with others, ways of talking to or about others and divide, belittle, dehumanize, and control – things that, to recall Galatians 5, “bite, devour” and “consume” us. We are to interact with even our enemies differently from what seems to be a matter of course around us today. “Setting your mind above” means to live and treat one another differently in how we respond, how we build community, and through acts of compassion and caring. When we set our minds on things that are above, we are more than useful; we are transforming the world in which we live. We are raising a standard of behavior and a respect for the human creation as a way of giving honor to God.

In the end, of course, this is beyond us. This focus, this setting of the mind, is more than we can handle on our own. Thankfully, there is nothing that we need to do on our own. We follow in the way of Jesus, equipped by the faith of Jesus, in communion with the whole church and filled with the Spirit. Indeed, the glory of the discipleship path is that once we embark, we are never alone. Even in this task of setting one’s mind, there is a helper. There is a presence that will invite and encourage and will direct our focus.

If any of the above intrigues you, we invite you to explore the hope and presence of Christ together with us at 10:30am each Sunday. 301 S. National here in Fort Scott. Blessings on your journey! For week 4, our series writing prompt is: “How does worshiping in this community help you set your mind on the way of Jesus?”

Upcoming Events: 

Community Office Hours are back! – would you like to chat with the Pastor, perhaps about this column, or share a time of prayer, but you’re not comfortable coming to the church? He totally gets it! So - Monday afternoons Pastor Christopher will be at a local location with open time to visit with you. This week join him at Papa Don’s anytime between 2pm to 4pm.

Wednesday, August 6, Feeding Families in His Name: A free, no obligation meal is served “to-go” style from underneath our portico from 5:30-6:30pm each Wednesday, prepared by our members as well as area churches and community groups who each take a week. If you would like to support this ministry, you can make donations online at: http://www.firstumcfortscott.org/onlinegiving. Thank you.

Next Sunday, August 10^th 6pm – Ice Cream Social – bring your favorite homemade (or storebought) flavor to share and join us in Fellowship Hall!