On Tuesday afternoon, March 24, I was visiting with a homebound
church member. This 95 year-old lady is
still sharp. As we discussed how she was
doing personally, she changed the subject.
“The world is a mess!”
While not wanting to overlook our blessings, I expect that each of us
could find reasons we think our world is going in the wrong direction. This woman of faith was commenting on the
various wars around the world. But I
have heard people talk about crime, and about a lack of Christian faith and
values where they once existed. Others
talk about personal issues. Each of us
knows problems in our world, problems beyond our wisdom and strength, problems
which it seems only God can deal with.
So, during the week before Holy Week, what do you think the disciples
were thinking. If we follow Scripture,
it seems that the John 11 account of Jesus raising Lazarus occurred just before
the events of Holy Week. His disciples
knew the danger as he chose to travel to Jerusalem. “The disciples said to him,
"Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going
there again?" (John 11:8) The
raising of Lazarus preceded the excitement of Palm Sunday and Jesus’ week of
disputes in the temple. Then after the
Passover Jesus was arrested, and tried on false charges, beaten and humiliated,
and finally nailed to a cross until he died.
Jesus, the promised Messiah is put on trial by the religious
leaders for fulfilling the messianic promises of the Old Testament! Jesus, the Son of God, the author of life,
DIES! The hopes of the disciples for the
coming of the kingdom of God are destroyed, they think. We think the world is in a mess. How do you think the disciples felt? Did they think their lives were a mess?
In order to receive the blessings of Jesus’ Easter victory, it
is important that we also experience the events and struggles of Holy
Week. Jesus’ rising meant victory over
the treachery and violence of the religious leaders of His time. Jesus’ rising meant victory over the disappointments
and troubles the disciples felt. Jesus’
rising meant victory over sin and death, over our sin and death. Therefore, please consider two Bible verses
from Romans 8.
Many people I know have considered Romans 8:28 as their favorite
verse. “And we know that for those
who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called
according to his purpose.” Please
consider what God is not saying. This verse
from God’s word does not promise that God only allows good things to happen to
us. We know our world is full of evil
because of the sin in our world, and because of the sin in our lives. It only makes sense that our selfishness, our
hatred, our greed, cause troubles in our lives.
What the verse does say is that all things work together for good. God even uses the arrest, and the false
trial, and the beating, and the crucifixion, and the death of Jesus to work
good. Jesus, the Son of God, takes on
the sin of the world and pays the debt we owe.
Jesus’ suffering and death is the WORST thing which could ever
happen. Our Heavenly Father uses even
the worst, the death of His Son, to love us, to forgive us, and to save
us. Through our Lord, “ . . . all
things work together for good.” Our
sin leads to suffering and death, but GOD WORKS GOOD.
Then, in Romans 8:38-39 our Lord promises, “38 For
I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things
present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor
anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our Lord loves us through death, and through the
trials of life. Our Lord loves us
through enemies, through evil powers.
Our Lord loves us eternally through the death and resurrection of Jesus
so that NOTHING will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.”
If God even works through the mess of Jesus’ arrest, and
suffering, and death, He can work in the mess of our world. In fact, God promises that no matter what
mess we face, His love for us in Jesus is sure.
What mess do you see in our world? In your life? Do you also know the more powerful love which
our Lord gives through Jesus? Our world,
or our lives, may indeed be a mess. But
through the events of Holy Week, in Jesus, “ . . . all things work together
for good.”
A Child of God, Thankful That in the Messes of Our World, God
Works GOOD, Through Jesus,
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I am now in Gainesville, FL, serving as assistant to
Pastor Chris Kollmann at First Lutheran.
First Lutheran Activities
BAPTISM OF
CHARLOTTE ZORAIDA BARNETT, MARCH 22, 2026 – On Sunday, March 22 Charlotte
Zoraida Barnett, child of Keith and Katie (Brabham) Barnett was baptized. Here are two pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/mX4JJxxfCxWxWRey7
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Palm
Sunday – March 29th 10:00
Worship
Maundy
Thursday – April 2nd
5:30 p.m. Passover Seder meal in the
Fellowship Hall
Noon and 7:00 p.m. Worship
Good
Friday – April 3rd Noon
and 6:00 p.m Worship
Easter
morning – April 5th
8:30
and 11:00 a.m. Worship
9:30-10:30
Easter Breakfast
10:30
a.m. Easter Egg Hunt
·
STEPHEN MINISTRY - We started Stephen
Ministry classes at First Lutheran on Thursday, February 12. Stephen
Ministers are trained Christian care-givers. A Stephen Minister is not
a pastor, and not a counselor. But they are Christians who are
trained to bring Jesus and His love to another Christian person facing a
difficult time.
Open Arms Director, Angie Burr, is a trained
Stephen Leader. Susan Lucas is also beginning training to serve as a
Stephen Leader for FLC.
We have 8 people who have committed to train
and serve as Stephen Ministers, as Christian care-givers. Training
happens on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. and will end in April.
Please pray for our Lord to use these
Stephen Ministers to serve His people.
·
SUNDAY BIBLE CLASSES - Pastor Kollman and I are
teaching separate Sunday Bible classes on Sundays at 8:45 a.m.
o
On Sunday, March 22, Pastor Kollmann will begin
teaching an Adult Member Class in the library.
o
I will teach a separate class in the Besalski
Fellowship Hall. We hope to begin with a study of Galatians, and conclude with
a Lutheran Hour Ministries study of Christian citizenship.
·
Young People Activities at FLC
o
YOUTH ACTIVITIES - Our first youth
activity was held at the Kollmann residence on Sunday afternoon, February 22.
o
We are also discussing other monthly
activities.
§
THIS COMING SUNDAY, March 29, we will take a trip to Devil’s Millhopper. Let’s meet thereat 3:00 p.m. for time
visiting this sink hole and state geological site, and for a picnic afterward.
§
We plan to attend the Orange and Blue Game on
April 11. 😊 If your children are going into 3rd
grade, or older, please consider participating in these fun activities of
growth.
Other
Activities of Faith:
·
I have again started my two year journey with my
Lord. On Wednesday, March 25, I read Numbers 13-15. In these verses God teaches about the Israelite spies first
entering the Promised Land, and about how those who spied spread fear and
doubt.
Feel free to join me again if you
wish. You may also contact me at 907-841-4066 if you have any
questions about these readings. Or send an e-mail question to jonrock53@mtaonline.net
I have received questions and comments about the readings. It is always
good to consider our Lord’s love and guidance. I will TRY to answer, but some
things only God knows!
P.P.S. Family
Fun and Fishing! - LAST WEEK WAS A TIME OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
·
On Friday, March 20, after visiting some
members, Kathy and I visited with friends, Harold and Emily Vetter at Corky
Bell’s Restaurant in Palatka. BEFORE
meeting, I went fishing on the St. John’s River. In an hour and a half of fishing I caught one
bass. Here are a couple of
pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/dK99kBojYFcdpWPh7
·
On Sunday, March 22, after worship, I explored
the Rodman Reservoir. This great lake for fishing has been closed as the state does
regular weed control. The water started
building up again on March 1.
Unfortunately, the water is still low, and after a few hours of fishing
I had no bites. It was a good time of
exploration. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/pBCvq7cVeX8nM6WdA
*******
ABOUT THIS
DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as full-time
senior pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a
weekly devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the
Pastor." When I retired many asked me to continue writing these
devotions. So I have continued writing. However, with life's
changes I now call this weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child
of God." Since I am no longer senior pastor at St. John, I felt it
right to only send this message to those who asked to receive it.
(However, I currently serve as Assistant to the Pastor for First Lutheran
Church in Gainesville, FL.)
So,
if you stopped receiving these devotions and wondered why, now you
understand. And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish
to receive them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my
distribution list. My e-mail address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My
prayer is that these devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our
Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father,
Son, Grandfather
Assistant to the
Pastor , First Lutheran Church, Gainesville, FL
Pastor Emeritus,
St. John Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK
“How great is the love the
Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that
is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 a)
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