Saturday, November 1, 2014

Thank You, Lord, for Examples of Faith and Love In Our Lives


Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

We had an interesting exercise in Bible Class last Sunday.  In our Sunday Bible class entitled “Discovering God’s Vision for your life: You and Your Spiritual Gifts”  we were asked, “Name 5 people you admire, and list 3-4 characteristics about these people you admire.”  The people we named could be people we know, people from the past, even fictional people.  The lists were quite revealing.

 

Who do you admire?  My list of the people I admire includes my wife, my dad, my childhood pastor, one of our St. John members, and even a fictional pastor character, Father Tim.  So, who would be on your list?  What is it you admire about them?  Perhaps an equally important question is, ‘How have these people blessed your life and your faith?’  You see, in many ways we have been taught, loved, and strengthened by those in our lives.  We have learned to trust God and love others through those who love and trust Him.  As Christians we stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us.

 

There is another way to consider this question.  Sunday is the first Sunday in the month of November.  This is the Sunday often celebrated as “All Saints Sunday,” a time of remembering the faithful who went before us.  So, thinking of those in your life who have gone to heaven, who has most influenced you, and how?  My list of these people looks different than the other list.  This list includes a grandfather and an uncle, a pastor, and even Martin Luther.

 

The book of Hebrews points to blessings of faith we have received from those who came before us, and how those blessings impact our life of living as a child of God.  Chapter 12 begins, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  We have been blessed when others trusted God’s love and showed love, even when they may have been facing the trials and pains of life.  Their examples help us to live and persevere in faith.

 

The best help for faithfulness to God and perseverance in love comes from Jesus Himself.  Hebrews 12 continues, “2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” 

 

We know that we have been blessed by others’ lives of faith.  We want to be a blessing to others around us, whether family or friends or neighbors.  But, we are weak and do grow weary. That’s when the grace and forgiveness of Jesus and His promise of eternal life give us strength to keep living for our Lord.  He forgives our failure.  He loved us through His suffering.  Jesus promises eternal life to all who persevere in faith.

 

As All Saints Day approaches it is good to remember those whose faith and lives have blessed us.  Who would you like to bless and encourage in faith?  As we look to Jesus, and the example of others, we can persevere, and we pray that we may be a faithful witness to others.

 

A Child of God, Personally blessed by the faithful example of many other Christians,,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  This modern song asks God’s help so that our lives are a blessing to those who follow us.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zesV09UAytk

 

 

 

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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 names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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