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Several years ago, during one of my ongoing educational pursuits, I reached out to a professor at Wheaton College whose work aligned with my research (the overlap of psychology and theology). He generously sent me a draft of a book he was working on called “Why Sin Matters.” I was intrigued and fascinated by his approach—he wasn’t obsessed with sin, rather he was captured by grace. What he recognized and articulated was that “understanding grace cannot be done without understanding sin.” If we dismiss sin, then we cheapen grace.

We are currently in the thick of Lent, a season of introspection in preparation for Easter. The same can be said about resurrection as the professor said about grace: we cannot understand resurrection without understanding death—the death of the soul that is the result of sin and separation from God.

Scripture offers us remarkable insight into the nature of sin and grace, death and resurrection. Consider King David, a person the Bible describes as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), who, sadly, was also a man all too familiar with sin. In Psalm 32, written after he had asked God for the forgiveness of a horrendous sin in his life, David brings out four different facets of sin:

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1–2).

Transgression: Implies a defiance. It is a deliberate rebellion against God.

Sin: Implies a defect. It literally means to miss the mark or fall short of God’s requirements.

Iniquity: Implies a distortion. It denotes “perverseness” since it comes from a Hebrew word meaning “bent” or “crooked.” Human nature is warped, bent, and twisted instead of being perfect and true.

Deceit: Implies a deception. This aspect of sin is what makes it so hard for someone to voluntarily confess his or her wrongdoing.

One of the universal characteristics of sin is that we almost never immediately want to come clean. Instead, we tend to do one or more of the following when we are confronted with our actions:

We try to cover it up. I recall a quote that went something like “A sin is two sins when it is defended.” Adam and Eve did this after their first sin in the Garden of Eden. They immediately tried to “hide” themselves from the presence of the Lord (Genesis 3:8). Yet, Scripture warns us, “He who covers his sins will not prosper” (Proverbs 28:13).

We attempt to justify ourselves. We convince ourselves that we have a valid reason for what we did, or we place the blame on someone else. This type of response goes clear back to the Garden of Eden again, when Adam tried to place the blame for his sin upon God and Eve: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12).

The Hebrew word translated Satan is not a name, but a description, as in “the satan,” which means the accuser. Adam’s first response to God after eating the forbidden fruit was to accuse Eve. One might recognize that the human created in God’s image is now reflecting the image of the Satan. This is a consequence of disobedience, of turning against our Creator, as well as our own nature, the Creator’s image in which we are formed.

A peculiar distortion of sin is that we are unaware of our own sin. Sometimes we sin in ignorance or presumption. That is why David prayed, “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back your servant from presumptuous sins” (Psalm 19:12–13). While some sins (such as murder, adultery, and stealing) are rather obvious, other sins (such as pride, selfishness, and gossip) are not. But according to Jesus, sins of the heart can separate us from God just as easily as sins of the body.

Until we recognize our own responsibility in sin, we will never find forgiveness, since scripture never declares that the blood of Jesus ever cleansed an excuse.

In the last few weeks of Lent, as we prepare for Easter when we celebrate resurrection and grace, may we remember the words of Paul to the Roman believers: “But thanks be to God! You have been set free from sin and have become bound in righteousness.” Understanding the terrors of sin grants us a grasp of the true treasure of our freedom in grace. With that we can genuinely say “Happy Easter!”

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Stephen Carl

Local performers are featured weekly on Wednesdays from 12:15-12:45 p.m. during Lent. The community is invited to attend these free concerts and can also purchase $5 sack lunches prepared by Presbyterian Women. The lunch includes a sandwich, chips, homemade cookies and bottle of water.

Mar 12: Concertina String ensemble

The Concertina String ensemble is a performing string ensemble from Bartlesville and Tulsa who coincidentally play together in the Bartlesville Symphony, Tulsa Signature Symphony, Bartlesville Chorale, and other regional ensembles.  Recent performances have included the Summer Sizzlin Series ’24 at Unity Square, BPS Artist in Residence workshop.  Members of Concertina Strings include Rhonda Ingersol-Carr, violin, James Ruggles, violin, Sam Powell, viola, Gulnara Hollopeter, cello. Concertina provides a variety of music for a variety of events from sacred to secular.  Each member performs as a soloist for his or her individual place of worship.  In addition to being excellent musicians, first and foremost, they share an exceptional friendship and love for music.

Mar 19: Lauren Green, cello with Cathy Venable, piano

Cellist Lauren Green and pianist Cathy Venable will provide a meaningful time of musical meditation on today’s service. Lauren is known locally for his longtime leadership of the Bartlesville Symphony and Cathy is one of Tulsa’s foremost performers, having worked nationally as a Broadway accompanist and music director. Always favorites wherever they perform on their own, their combined musical ministry with hymns and other selections appropriate to the season is sure to be a blessing.

Mar 26: Bartlesville Ringers

The Bartlesville Ringers is a community handbell choir created in the Spring of 2024. It is an umbrella organization under the auspices of the Bartlesville Musical Research Club. The Ringers come from ten different church denominations, from all over the Bartlesville area, who wanted more opportunities to play. The group was invited this past Christmas to play with the Bartlesville Chorale and the Bartlesville Symphony on their concerts. The Ringers also played for the OK Mozart festival last June and will be playing again this year, on June 6th, at 10:00am, at Bartlesville’s First Presbyterian Church. Marjoleine Gravley is the conductor of the group, with Susan Mueller as Executive Director. We are presenting music that is fitting for the Lenten season, featuring a blend of featuring a blend of secular and non-secular compositions.

Apr 2: XsentriX a cappella voices

XsentriX is Bartlesville’s newest vocal music ensemble. This blend of a cappella voices is between Pentatonics, Take 6, the Nylons, the King’s Singers, Johnny Cash and the Dixie Chicks. This ensemble just loves to sing. This first public performance will lean on the softer side given the season of Lent. You don’t want to miss!

Apr 9: Lorelei Barton, harp with Cathy Venable, piano

Harpist/Pianist Lorelei Barton and Pianist/Vocalist/Flutist Cathy Venable are thrilled to return to First Presbyterian Bartlesville! Lorelei is the harpist for the Bartlesville Symphony and the Tulsa Signature Symphony, and Cathy is a pianist with the Bartlesville Symphony and the Tulsa Symphony. Lorelei and Cathy will share French art songs, an American piano duet and inspirational music for flute and harp on their electric program.

Apr 16: Kathy Stewart Holy Week Retrospective hosted by Mark Beckwith

For over two decades Kathy Stewart led the people of First Presbyterian Church through quiet moments of introspection only music can afford. For Holy Week, join Mark Beckwith as he takes a short walk back through Kathy Stewart’s passion for the somber and introspective season of Lent, featuring video recordings of Kathy and friends, with emphasis on texts she held dear.

When I was in seventh grade there was a large concrete patio area outside the Junior High cafeteria.  It was open on one side and on the three other sides there was a brick wall, a breezeway, and a wide section of stairs going up to the cafeteria.  I remember being in the area with some friends one day after lunch when the sound of a coin hitting pavement caught our attention.  Then another one and another one.  Soon we realized there was money being tossed out and we scrambled to pick it up.  It was mostly pennies, and a few nickels.  It was a crazy sort of thing and we were a little crazed as we raced to pick up what we could before someone else did.  After a few moments of this, however, I looked up to the stairs to see some older students who were tossing the coins, laughing at us.  It was cheap amusement to them to see us scramble for pennies.  Suddenly the few cents were not worth it to me. 

This seventh grade experience is one that I have witnessed many times since–not with pennies, but with cultural coins (think “war on Christmas” or “prayer in schools” or so many others that become fuel for rage) that are tossed out and people scramble and scurry in some sort of effort to defend something or claim some cultural ground. 

In Matthew 22, there’s a story about how the Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus with a culture wars issue.  They showed him a coin and asked him about paying taxes.  They figured if he said they should pay taxes then he’d be siding with Rome and if he said they shouldn’t pay taxes then he’d be an insurrectionist.  It was the either/or duality that far too many arguments today seem to become.  Of course, for those who know the story, Jesus was far above the petty dualities.  He asked about the image, which happened to be of Caesar, and he told them that they ought to give to Caesar what was his and likewise “render unto God, that which bears God’s image.”  He was alluding to the Genesis creation text in which humankind was “created in the image of God.” 

From my reading of the Gospels, it appears that the primary or initial real estate Jesus is interested in is the human heart.  That’s not to say that the Kingdom of Heaven has nothing to do with social justice, just that the culture wars get our attention off of where the real battle is taking place—in the human heart. 

In the early 300’s, when Constantine was Emperor of Rome, he decriminalized Christian worship and declared Rome as a Christian nation and the notion of Christendom was born—that a nation could be “Christian.”  Ever since then the turf has been political and cultural—like a large concrete patio where pennies and nickels are tossed for people to scramble after, feeling like they’ve gained something of significance when they pocket one or two cultural coins. When we scramble after such cultural coins, however, we are sometimes straining at a gnat and distracted from the camel we swallow.

As we enter the final weeks of an extraordinarily long election cycle, there are lots of distracting pennies being tossed out for people of faith to scramble for, may we be astute in discernment. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about such matters when he advised Timothy to “warn the faithful against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.” (2 Timothy 2: 14-17a, The Message).

Let us offer up to God thanks for the opportunity to cast the vote of our conscience, as well as live in a way that broadcasts the message of God’s mercy and love.

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Stephen Carl

I have been reading devotionals for many, many years now. I would like to say that it has

been a daily practice, but it hasn’t. In truth, there have been periods in my life when the absence of devotionals has stretched longer than I care to admit. Certainly, there were devotional moments, but not a practice of devoted time and focus. Such might be a

professional hazard for a pastor–reading scripture for a Bible study or for a sermon may be construed as one’s devotional time. And at times, perhaps it is. But I know how easily this becomes an excuse and poor substitute for genuine devotional time. It is like a professional athlete who substitutes his or her practice and training for the recreational time we all need.

Devotional time is easily squeezed out of our busy schedules by the skewed priorities we adopt or accept.

Some of you may be familiar with Bill Hybel’s book Too Busy Not To Pray which sums up in its title the truth of the matter. When we neglect devotional time then we eventually reap what we sow: chaos and anxiety, our lives and relationship spinning out of a grace-filled orbit of God’s presence. Our busy lives should not be an excuse for neglecting our spiritual lives, instead they should be illustrations for the necessity of developing our spiritual lives more fully.

Devotional time offers many benefits including:

• growth in faith
• enrichment in one’s life
• spiritual strength
• encouragement
• clarity; a reminder of what matters
• a centering of one’s heart
• avenues to healthy relationships with others

The overall purpose devotionals serve, however, is to be the doorway through which we pass into God’s presence. One way I like to think about my own devotional time is to imagine a small piece of real estate where God and I meet. That’s all a devotional is—being in the presence of

Christ. At times that might be a numinous, spiritual, worshipful experience. At times it might be like sitting down with a friend, sitting down with Jesus and chatting or just being with one another. There is no substitute for this. Of course, God is always there, always available, no appointment necessary. The issue, however, is are we available to meet God? Though devotional routines are helpful–particular times of the day, particular habits that help us keep the practice–these help us develop an appetite and hunger for the intentional, solitary time we spend with Christ–so that when we miss it we feel as if we’ve missed a nourishing meal and our stomachs are growling for the sustenance.

That God is always there, always available, requiring no appointment is a blessing, but it easily becomes a way to postpone taking the time to intentionally spend in God’s presence. We might fall prey to the faulty ideas that “other things are pressing and demanding and buzzing around us, God will, after all, still be there tomorrow or the next day or in a decade or two.” True as it may be, it is a path that leads us in a direction that bears the fruit of spiritual neglect, the fruit of God’s absence.

Now, how do we engage in, support and resource such a practice? Devotional materials abound. I know that there have been times that my ambition to sit in Christ’s presence has motivated me to commit to a particular devotional resource that just doesn’t work for me. Again, I’ve used this as a good excuse to toss the practice away (to my own peril!). Each of us is unique–God knows that; the One who created us and calls us into a restored and reconciled relationship is able to relate to us as we need, so try different resources. Don’t give up. If a particular devotional doesn’t “light your fire” on some day then set it aside and say so to God. Talk to God about what you need and how to find it (in other words you can even make the discovery of devotional time your devotional time).

The point is: Get yourself in the presence of Christ on a daily basis so that Christ begins to inhabit all of your moments. That’s what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Stephen Carl

There are some passages in scripture that may become so familiar that we quickly leap to the conclusion and do not remain open to new dimensions of understanding. When this occurs, we are no longer teachable. One such passage is the parable of the Good Samaritan. Preceding the parable, an expert in the law has asked Jesus about the greatest command, to which Jesus offers the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:5, then adds the command from Leviticus 19:18, to love one’s neighbor as yourself.

After his answer, we witness the gentle graciousness of Jesus demonstrated powerfully. The expert in the law, seeking to save face and appear righteous through his grasp of the law, asks Jesus “who is my neighbor,” and Jesus answers with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Due to our familiarity with the story and how it is often applied, what we may not realize is what Jesus disguised, yet disclosed in the story. At the end Jesus asks “who was a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” And the expert in the law humbly answers “the one who had mercy on him.”

The one who had mercy on him
The one who had mercy on him
Who has mercy on humanity?

In other words, Jesus told the expert in the law that HE was Jesus’ neighbor, for the story is first about humanity and how we are bruised and beaten and battered by the very law that should point the way to God’s righteousness and our freedom. Instead, the law (and how we apply it) leaves us spiritually disabled and lying in the ditch. The expert in the law illustrated how he’d been beaten, and left bleeding and dying in the ditch.

Jesus, the one rejected by the Pharisees, the law experts, just like the Samaritans were rejected and despised, walks the road we walk and kneels to lift humanity out of the ditch (read Philippians 2:6-8 and Isaiah 53:3). In other words, Jesus tells the man “you are my neighbor and this is what it means for you to be my neighbor.”

Herein is the significance of being humble and teachable. I can imagine something profound may have happened in this moment for the expert in the law: a tipping of the heart from pride to humility, from self-justifying arrogance to deep gratitude for receiving what cannot be self-generated. Though the Gospels do not offer us any indication, I can imagine that as this man’s eyes looked into Jesus’s eyes, a profound shift took place as he realized he was the man in the ditch and the very law he so proudly served left him there bleeding and dying.

This shift and awareness of grace is essential for the last of this lesson to matter. The last lesson is when Jesus, who is the Good Samaritan, says “go and do likewise,” inviting the man who was so sure of himself to step off that pedestal and be the Good Samaritan, knowing the rich power of serving others who can never pay you back—but doing so out of the rich generosity of God, as one who has received that which will never be paid back.

That’s teachability. Being open to new lessons of mercy, grace, love, and trust. We don’t know what became of the expert in the law, but we don’t need to know. What matters is how you and I respond. What matters is our teachability. What matters is what we do when we hear Jesus say “go and do for others as you have received from me.”

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Stephen Carl

One day First Presbyterian Church of Bartlesville may have a blog. Wouldn’t that be interesting!