Saturday, March 23, 2013

Love Worth Remembering and Celebrating - Holy Week


Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

What do you remember about September 11, 2001, the dreadful day of the attack on the World Trade Towers?  If I asked you to remember this event, I expect your memory can bring back a picture of a tower smoking after the plane had flown into it.  These days with all the media coverage we have pictures seared into our minds and our memories. With those images also come the thoughts and feelings of an attack on civilians and the loss of innocent lives.  September 11 is a somber day etched forever in the minds and hearts of those who lived it.

 

This Sunday we begin another somber memory.  For this coming week we get to remember the sacrifice of Jesus, the eternal Son of God and the only perfect man who ever lived.  On Palm Sunday, celebrated on March 24 this year, Christians remember the shouts of joy and praise that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem.  But, people of the same city which praised Him on Sunday as the Son of David and the Messiah were present to arrest Him on Thursday.  When Pontius Pilate wanted to release Jesus, people of the same city cried out, “Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!”  In the same city where Jesus was praised on entering Sunday, people on Friday mocked him as he hung on the cross in, dying in pain.

 

We weren’t there but we have all seen paintings and movies of Jesus hanging in bloody agony on the cross.  Those pictures easily come to mind.  Yet, there is something different about this scene.  The victim hanging on the cross is there knowingly.  Jesus went to Jerusalem on purpose, knowing that arrest and the cross lay before Him.  Jesus went in love for us because we were lost in sin and death.  The death of Jesus is the greatest sacrifice and the greatest love the world has ever known.  Scripture tells us, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)”  Jesus knowingly went to Jerusalem so that He might suffer and die and save those who believe in Him as Savior, even if they had been calling for His death on Thursday and mocking Him on Friday.

 

I expect you may have celebrated a wedding anniversary.  We observe anniversaries to celebrate the day love began in a marriage.  We have even greater love to celebrate this coming week.  We get to remember and celebrate and receive the sacrificial love of God shown in the suffering and death of Jesus, even for a world that was rejecting Him. 

 

So, let’s remember and celebrate.  I urge you to make it a point to worship this Sunday, Palm Sunday.  Join Jesus’ disciples and the children of Jerusalem in welcoming Jesus with palms and praise as He willingly enters the city to sacrifice Himself for the world.  I also urge you to make it a point to celebrate God’s love in worship on Thursday.  Maundy Thursday is the day Jesus celebrated the Passover, washed His disciples feet, and instituted the Lord’s Supper, an on-going gift of forgiveness and love. I especially urge you to make it a point to worship on Friday.  Even though this was not a good day for Jesus, we call this day Good Friday, because the perfect Son of God died on the cross to forgive and save sinners like us.

 

We can’t help but remember somber days of loss.  We willingly celebrate the beginning of love in anniversaries.  This week God again calls us to remember and receive His sacrificial love that saves us from sin and death for eternal life in heaven.  This is worth celebrating.  I hope to see you in worship!

 

A Child of God, Overwhelmed by the Sacrificial Love of God,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  THE SHANE WOODS ICE FISHING OUTING was held last Sunday.  A good group of adults and children enjoyed a crisp day of sun on Finger Lake, and remembered Shane Woods who gave his life for His country.  Here are some pictures from that event.  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5856558582034437761?banner=pwa

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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