A simple request

Matters of Faith

By Dr. Bascom Ratliff, pastor

Parker, Beagle and Fontana United Methodist Churches

Scripture: Matthew 22: 37-40. "Jesus replied: love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Today’s message was prompted by a discussion I had last week with a colleague about what God wants from us. After a 45 minute discussion we both agreed that it appears that God wants a great deal from us. As our Scripture states, he wants us to love him and to love our neighbor. When we take a deeper look into the Bible, we find that God wants us to care for others and share the good news of Jesus Christ. We are called to be generous and compassionate.

God wants to have a relationship with us. And God is very clear that from that relationship comes great benefits. Our sins will be forgiven, our burdens will be lifted, and we will be gifted with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. From our love of God, and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will be encouraged to care for the poor and needy, care for widows and orphans, and serve others. Our relationship is very much about doing good and reaping the rewards of membership in God’s family.

Although it appears that God is asking a great deal of us, he also promises to give us the strength and courage to serve faithfully and enthusiastically. God's love fills our hearts to overflowing and provides us the fuel needed to do his will.

One of the key elements that makes this work for Christians is our relationship with Jesus Christ. In John 15, Jesus no longer calls us servants; he now calls us friends. He also reminds us that he is the vine and we are branches. We are nourished and strengthened by his love and friendship.

So, we can conclude that God's simple request of us to love and do good also comes with a guarantee that he will forgive our burdens and provide for our spiritual needs.

My challenge to you this February is that you continue your inventory of gifts and treasures from our Lord Jesus. Continue to ask yourself how you can better use your gifts to serve others.

As you're doing your inventory, ask yourself how you value God's gift of love. Does God’s love provide us with the fuel to do good? Do we believe and have we experienced the energy and peace that comes from Jesus taking our burdens.

And finally, is the Holy Spirit continuing to power us toward a greater relationship with God and an increased motivation to do God's will?

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If you are ready to worship and serve a loving God who welcomes everyone to God’s family, please come worship with us. We will give you a warm welcome, a hot cup of cocoa or coffee, and a homemade cookie. And, most important of all, we will give you an ample sample of God’s wonderful and unfailing love.

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We will have Sunday morning services during the month of February 2026 at 10 a.m. at the Fontana, Kansas, United Methodist Church.

We will have Sunday morning services during the month March 2026 at 10 a.m. at the Parker, Kansas United Methodist Church.

We serve communion on the first Sunday of each month.

All are welcome in God’s House.  Come and celebrate with us.

Dr. Bascom Ratliff  (913-710-5748)

Pastor: Parker/Beagle/Fontana 

United Methodist Churches