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Still Stuck on Grace

Here it is Sunday morning and I’m still thinking about last Sunday where we talked about grace. I’m still thinking it all through. Something that has really lasted this week was what we began the sermon with last week – a quote from Mrs. O’Brien in Terrence Malick’s new film “Tree of Life”. She says this:

“There are two ways through life, the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one to follow. Grace doesn’t try to please itself. It accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries. Nature only wants to please itself, and get others to please it too. It likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy, when all the world is shining around it, when love is smiling through all things. They taught us that no one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end. I will be true to you, whatever comes.”

The more I reflect on this quote the more I think it’s a challenge of the Kingdom. In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus clearly shows that he runs his Kingdom on Grace. The challenge is that he is clear that if we don’t live by grace, we may find ourselves at odds with his Kingdom. As Malick says, making an illusion to Jesus, there are two ways through life, grace and nature and we must choose our path.

I believe that is the question for you and for me that I am still reflecting and grappling with. That, if the Kingdom truly runs by grace, if its rule is grace, its way of life is grace, then the implicit challenge is: are we living by grace?

Would your friends and neighbors say you give grace? Would your family characterize your life as a life of grace? What about the people who meet on the road driving to work? What about the cashier?

There are only two ways through life, one of grace and one of nature. And Malick is right, “No one who loves the way of grace has ever come to a bad end”. Because Grace is the way the Kingdom runs…

by Andrew Mills

Giving from the Grave

This week I got a gift from my grandpa and grandma, who we call “Nanny and Poppy”. The odd thing is that both of them passed many years ago.

So how did they give me a gift? Well it happened in a round about way, but also because giving lasts.

Hudson came downstairs with my favorite book as a little boy. It’s “Little Squirt the Fire Engine”. This was a book that I loved growing up. Inside the book was a card given to me from my Nanny and Poppy for my 1st birthday. Inside of that card was a crisp $2 bill and a $5 bill that I had never seen before. We don’t know why it was there, but it was a fun surprise because what was a gift for me, became a gift for their great-grandson.

So even though they never met their great-grandson they did impact him. Krista and I used the money for something special that my Nanny and Poppy would have loved. We took our little boy skating for the very first time. We donated the $5, strapped on some bob skates, and took him out on the ice for an hour. He loved it, and I know in heaven Nanny and Poppy love it too. My Poppy loved hockey, loved skating, and even tied the skates for the leafs way back in the day. So here he was passing along his love to his great-grandson years after he had passed. Here was my Nanny passing along her love for me, to her grandson. They both somehow, 27 years ago, gave a simple gift of a book, a card, and $7 that lasted.

That’s the amazing thing about gifts – they have the potential to change not only people but generations. Gifts can last and linger long after they have been given. My Nanny and Poppy never thought their $7 gift would change a great-grandson, but it did. They had no idea how long their gift would last, or how far the impact would reach. But that is the beauty of giving ~ we never know how far or how long the impact will last.

So today why don’t you think of someone special and give to them. Who knows who it might impact, and how the gift might last and change someone. I surely didn’t expect this gift from my Nanny and Poppy. But aren’t those the best gifts? The unexpected ones that shape you. So do that for someone else today, give a meaningful gift that lasts.

And in case you’re wondering…we kept the $2 bill to give to Hudson when he’s older, so my Nanny and Poppy’s gift continues to last and linger just like them…

by Andrew Mills

The Kingdom of God is Like a Party?

If you were to describe God’s Kingdom in one word what would it be?

Take a moment and actually think about it. If a friend were to come up to you and say, “I’ve heard about this Kingdom of God – what’s it really like?” How would you choose to describe it? What picture would you paint?

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – Jesus consistently shares a picture of God’s Kingdom that is compelling, inviting, and challenging all in one. He says God’s Kingdom is like a party.

That’s right, a party. Think about it – Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding. He says often that the Kingdom of God is like a party, a feast, a wedding, or a celebration. For Jesus, a good picture of the Kingdom is a party, great get-together, or a celebration.

What a great picture.

The question is – “What is it about a party that reveals God’s Kingdom?”

That’s what we’re going to explore on Sunday. But I’d love your ideas and thoughts ahead of time! Comment or email me.

by Andrew Mills

Post for Ash Wednesday

We read this in Psalms:

The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, *

slow to anger and of great kindness.

He will not always accuse us, *

nor will he keep his anger for ever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, *

nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, *

so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, *

so far has he removed our sins from us.

As a father cares for his children, *

so does the LORD care for those who fear him.

For he himself knows whereof we are made; *

he remembers that we are but dust.

We are grateful that God always forgives, always loves, and always trusts. But it is still our sin that Jesus dies for.

And today begins the season of Lent, and is Ash Wednesday.  Lent is the time of the year where we reflect, repent, pause, and we decide to sacrifice something remembering the sacrifice of Jesus. Lent is a darker time that makes the brilliance of Easter all the more bright. But you have to go through the night to get to the day.

Today, Ash Wednesday, is a day where traditionally many Christians around the world get marked by ash to remember that we miss the mark, fail, and sin. We remember that as the Psalmist says, “we are but dust”. It is a day to remember to repent. To give up things in our lives for the sake of Jesus. So why not actually do that.

Would you consider joining in millions of Christians who on today will repent and remember by giving up something for Lent?

Over the years I’ve given up coffee, bitterness, and other things. The point is to sacrifice something to remember Jesus sacrifice.

So would you consider joining me and many others in Lent? In giving something up so that we find someone so valuable? Giving up so that we might remember and make this Easter more meaningful than ever before?

by Andrew Mills

There are Two Ways Through Life – the Way of Grace and of Nature

On Sunday we talked about a parable of Jesus found in Matthew 20 – “The parable of the vineyard workers”. You can download the sermon here. In this sermon we also saw and talked about  a clip from the movie the Tree of Life, discussed the danger of earning rewards from relationships, and talked a lot about grace.

Yet after the sermon there were two thoughts that really lingered for me. We discussed how you can actually “use” relationships and people. That if you love what you get from someone – you don’t love them, instead you love what you get. So if you love how God gives you eternal life – you love eternal life, not God. The point was that there is a danger in letting the rewards or results of a relationship becoming the reason for a realtionship.

So as I was driving home on Sunday I asked myself: Is there any part of my relationship with God – where the focus has shifted from loving God to loving what he does for me? Have I at all gotten caught up with the benefits of my relationship with God without appreciating being in a relationship with God?

That was the first thought that I found challenging, and worth reflecting on. The second was how we ended on Sunday, focusing on the fact that there are two ways through life – the way of grace or the way of nature. While there are two ways through life, there is only one way into the Kingdom and that’s through grace. So the question then is am I living in the way of grace or nature?

Neither of these questions are easy: are we using relationships or appreciating them? Are we living according to what is fair, or by grace? Are we giving or focusing on what we get?

Sometimes though the most difficult questions are the most worthwhile…

Discussion Questions:

  • Adult Questions:
  • What excites you about God’s grace?
  • Who in your life needs to be given God’s grace – without expectations – as an example of the Kingdom? How can you give them grace?
  • How can you make “giving grace” a regular part of your life?
  • Questions for Young Families:
  • Share with them what grace is. Use an example from their lives. For example when you let them do something even if they didn’t deserve to because of their behaviour. Ask them in what times might they might need to show grace to others (i.e. when playing and sharing, when someone calls them a name, etc)?
  • Weekly Challenge:  Give grace to someone who doesn’t deserve it…free them and yourself
by Andrew Mills

Movies, Grace, Nature, and the “Tree of Life”

This week we are going to be looking at a parable about God’s grace.

Grace seems to be something that is so familiar but so misunderstood. Grace is a word that we hear and see often. It’s a girl’s name, a title of U2 song, something we say before meals, and something that’s mentioned in churches a fair bit. And more recently the academy award nominated film “Tree of Life” by Terrence Malick is all about grace.

His film is a brilliant exploration of the two ways of living: by grace, or by “nature”. By nature he means what comes naturally to us, living out of strength, and our own preconceived ideas of fairness. Nature is the opposite of grace.

So my question for you this morning: is what does a life lived by grace look like? And the opposite what does a life lived in the way of “nature” look like? How do you know when someone is living out a life of grace rather than nature?

And lastly and probably most importantly – are you living your life in the way of grace? Or are you living it in the way of nature?

Come Sunday we’ll be looking about both – but why not start the discussion a bit early…

by Andrew Mills

A Kingdom Hidden in a Friendship

Last Sunday we talked about where you can find the Kingdom of God. We discovered that the Kingdom of God is hidden in plain sight all around us in relationships. You discover the Kingdom in the friendship, relationships, and connections you have. It’s a treasure waiting to be discovered, to be valued, and to be experienced.

So my question for you today is simple. Who in your life holds the Kingdom within them? Who have you experienced God’s Kingdom because of them?

If God’s Kingdom is found in relationships, and in the connections we have with others. If it can be spontaneously found where joy, grace, and laughter are discovered. Then who in your life consistently share Gods’ Kingdom with you?

Why not tell them today. Tell them they are a source of love and joy for you. And maybe through that they might experience the Kingdom as well.

For me I often find God’s Kingdom in this little dude…and when I get home I’m going to tell him too!

Discussion Questions from the Sermon

  • Adult Questions
  • When have you experienced God’s kingdom in a unexpected place or way?
  • How can you keep “your eyes open” to discovering God’s kingdom in the everyday?
  • What does God’s Kingdom look like? How do you know when you’ve discovered it?
  • Where can you look to find God’s Kingdom this week?
  • Questions for Young Families
  • Children can teach us about the Kingdom. Jesus says that in the Gospels. So ask them when do they have the most fun? Where do have the most happiness? My guess is that the Kingdom isn’t far from that place. So do what makes them happy and watch the Kingdom grow.

Weekly Challenge: Watch for the Kingdom and share with one person this week where you found it…


by Andrew Mills

Love is Enough

On Sunday I preached about one story called the “Parable of the Hidden Treasure”. Today I’d like to think a bit about the next parable – “The Parable of the Pearl” because this parable actually ties right into to Valentines Day.

In this parable we read this: “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” (Matt 13:45-46)

In this story the man sells everything he owns and he bought a pearl. But through buying this pearl he loses everything else. Everything else is sold, all he has is the pearl. Which means that the pearl is worth having and nothing else. Which means that he must truly love the pearl for what it is and not what is worth. The man doesn’t go out and sell it for a profit. Instead he gives up everything just to have it, and having it is enough. Jesus says that this is a picture of the Kingdom. And it truly is but this parable is also a picture of love.

The thought that struck me while reading this parable is this: the pearl is enough for the man. He has nothing else. He has no money, no possessions, nothing. Yet simply having it is enough for him.

This for me is a picture of love. Where you might not have anything else, but having love is enough.

This has been true for me all throughout my life. When Krista and I were first married we had no money and no possessions really, but we had each other. When my dad’s health was up in the air and we didn’t have certainty, but my family had each other. Even now our little family of three is blessed, but what makes us truly blessed is having and  loving each other.

Love isn’t often enough. Love is always enough.

So today is about love. And it’s not just about romantic love, but love in all its forms and contexts. Today you might not have a romantic someone, but hopefully you have a special someone. Someone who has been there with you, and cares for you.

So why not tell someone important in your life that they matter on this day of love. Tell them how their love and caring has helped you. Tell them how love is enough.

So Krista  ~ just so you know – for me and Hudson – your love is enough…Happy Valentines Day

by Andrew Mills

Where in the World is the Kingdom of God?

This Sunday we are exploring another aspect of God’s Kingdom. Last week we talked about how God’s Kingdom grows slowly, but can be spread through us. We can plant the Kingdom, and are called to be patient while it grows.

This Sunday we want to explore a different aspect of the Kingdom. If we can plant sees, and if the Kingdom grows all around us the question is where?

  • Where do you find the Kingdom?
  • If you were to look for it, where could it be found?
  • In what places are you most likely to discover it?

Those are the questions we want to tackle on Sunday.

But what do you think? Where and when have you found God’s Kingdom? Where do you think it might be found? If someone was to ask you, “I find Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom compelling, challenging, and so inviting…but where do I actually find it? How can I discover it?”

What would you say…?

by Andrew Mills

Where I Saw Jesus This Week

This week a friend of mine took me out for breakfast.

This in and of itself may not be a big deal. But it was a big deal for us and our friendship.

Many months ago we started meeting for breakfast. And things in his life weren’t great to say the least. He was stuck in a cycle of addiction, unhealthy relationships, debt, difficulty, and not wanting to go on.

But I believe people can change. Jesus believes people can change. Jesus believes that what defines us is not our past, but the future he has for us.

So around coffee, eggs, and polish sausage I found Jesus. Because my friend has taken the incredibly hard steps to change. He’s overcoming addiction, finishing off school, stopped unhealthy relationships, and took me out for breakfast. He’s living change. And that reminded me of Jesus.

So this week don’t stop believing that people can change. It might seem like a long time coming, but when it does, why not celebrate and go out for breakfast…

by Andrew Mills