Dear Fellow Children of God,
My wife, Kathy, reminded our family at our evening meal the
other night of a potentially divisive event which happened at the July 2025
LCMS Youth Gathering in New Orleans. On
July 22, Westboro Baptist Church (unaffiliated with any denomination) from
Topeka, Kansas, protested. According to
Google, “Protesters held signs with hateful messages, including ‘You are
God's Enemy’ and ‘God hates you,’ which targeted the LCMS attendees.” Westboro from Topeka protests at big events around
the country, primarily targeting sexual and gender issues.
At supper, Kathy reminded us of the sermon by LCMS President,
Matthew Harrison, during the closing worship service. President Harrison referenced the protest in his
sermon and said that some protestors had told him, “You have sinners in your
church.” His reply to the protestors,
according to his sermon, “Well, Duh!” Jesus
established the church because “All have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God.” (Romans 3:23) We have all fallen short and sinned. Everyone needs
a savior. Jesus came because we need Him
and we need His forgiveness. The purpose
of the Christian Church is to share the saving forgiveness of Jesus!
October 26 will be celebrated in many churches as
Reformation Sunday, because it is the last Sunday in October, and because the precipitating
event of the Reformation, the 95 Theses, is dated to October 31, 1517. HOWEVER, if churches were not celebrating
Reformation Sunday on that day, the Gospel reading assigned for the Twentieth
Sunday after Pentecost is Luke 18:9-17, which includes the well-known parable
of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. “9
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 ‘Two men went up
into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not
like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”
13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up
his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a
sinner!” 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified,
rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the
one who humbles himself will be exalted.’" (Luke 18:9-14) In this parable, Jesus commends the humble
confession and faith of the sinful tax collector over the self-righteous and judgmental
behavior of the Pharisee.
Did you know that when asked for opinion polls in the
1980’s “How would you describe Christians?”, one of the most common answers given
by Americans to that question was “arrogant!”?
In their 2007 book, ‘UnChristian’, Gabe Lyons and Dave Kinnaman wrote
that this generation often sees Jesus’ church as ‘judgmental.’ In other words, it is not just the people who
protested at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering who act that way. Christians live in the tension between, on
the one hand, standing for God and His law to love our Lord and to love others.
Yet, on the other hand, our main message is the grace and forgiveness found in
Jesus. Unfortunately, Christians
sometimes do come off as self-righteous and judgmental.
Do you remember Jesus’ words in Mark 2? After eating in the home of Levi, or Matthew
the tax collector, we are told, “16 And the scribes of the
Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors,
said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ 17
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a
physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but
sinners.’" (Mark 2:16-17) Again, everyone needs a savior. Jesus came because we need Him, and we need His
forgiveness.
One of my favorite examples of Christians behaving as I
believe Jesus models, comes from the 1997 Promise Keepers event, “Stand in the
Gap,” in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of
thousands of Christian men gathered for teaching, support, and
encouragement. I watched on television
news as a news reporter from one of the major television networks at that time
asked some attendees what they thought about other people. “What do you think of . . . ?” and the
reporter listed a number of behaviors which traditional Christians believe transgress
the law of God. The answers I heard
were, “I cannot condemn someone else. I
know that I personally am sinful, and I need my Savior to forgive me, and to
help me live for Him.”
Christians live in the middle. We are called to stand for the righteousness of
God, yet our primary message is one of forgiveness, because the perfect Son of
God died on the cross to pay for our/my sins.
My prayer is that I know and live the words of Jesus, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." My prayer is that I can humbly admit my sin, and that I share my Savior Jesus with others.
How about you?
A Child of God, Praying to Humbly Admit My Sin, and To Share
my Savior Jesus With Others,
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I am now
serving Our Redeemer Lutheran in Chugiak, AK, as part-time Vacancy Pastor.
·
The Our Redeemer Call Committee includes
Elder and chairman, Jerry Simpson, also Heidi Enlow, Ruth Keller, Theo Lee,
Jacob Lewis, Scott Roelfs, and Martha Wilkins.
They have met numerous times.
The first step
in the call process has been to complete a congregational self-study. The Northwest District has shared the study
and tools to help in this study. The
committee has asked for and received input from ORLC for this study. Jacob Lewis has compiled these survey to turn
in to District. Nomination forms for
names for a new pastor have also been distributed. We have about 8 names.
The self-study,
and nominations for pastor, were indeed sent to the Northwest District by
October 1, 2025.
The next meeting
is Friday evening, October 24.
OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AT OUR REDEEMER:
·
There are two opportunities a week for exercise
and wellness.
o Matt
Keith leads Chayon Ryu Martial Arts Beginner Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at
9:00 a.m. in the Our Redeemer Fellowship Hall
o Matt
then teaches a Fall Prevention Class, attended mostly by seniors, at 10:00 a.m.
in the fellowship hall.
·
The Our Redeemer Voters held their annual
budget and election meeting of the Voters on Sunday, October 5, after worship.
·
A “Mom’s Group” meets on Mondays, October
6 and October 20 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Redeemer.
·
An Adult Fellowship Potluck is held the
first Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m.
In October this took place on the 7th in the library.
·
A Fall Blessings Festival was held
on Friday, October 10 at 6:00 p.m.
·
There is a “Mind, Body, and Soul Event”
for ladies at Our Redeemer on Saturday, October 18, from 10:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m.
·
Ladies Bunco on Monday evening, October
20 at 6:30 p.m. at Our Redeemer.
·
Men’s Night on Friday, October 24, at
6:30 p.m. at the Birchwood Saloon!
·
Youth Group meets after worship on
Sunday, October 26.
·
There are other events planned as
well. Watch the Our Redeemer calendar
and newsletter for information.
Regular Bible Studies and Sunday School
·
Adult Bible Study continues on Sunday
mornings at 9:00 a.m. The class is
studying “Basic Christian Teachings.” We are now studying about the
church. On October 12 we began studying
about “Lutheran Distinctives.” We will
continue this study on October 19. Come
and join us!
· Sunday
School is held each Sunday beginning at 9:00 a.m.! This is a blessing for ALL children and
adults.
·
“Deeply Rooted Small Group” Is held at
Our Redeemer on Sunday evenings, October 5 and 19 at 5:45 p.m.
·
Confirmation classes began on Sunday,
October 12, after worship services. Subsequent
classes will be held on October 19 and November 2. Watch for more information.
Other Activities of Faith:
· MANY
CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES WITH ME IN 2024 and 2025 using
the “Today’s Light Devotional Bible.” On Wednesday, October 15 we finished
reading 1 Thessalonians. On October 16
we begin to read 2 Thessalonians.
Feel free to
contact Pastor Rockey at 907-841-4066 if you have any questions about these
readings. Or send an e-mail question to jonrock53@mtaonline.net I have
recently received questions and comments. 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.P.S. Family
and Fishing! - As seasons change, so do
recreational opportunities in Alaska.
I have begun regular exercise at the gym again.
·
I golfed on Friday, October 10, with friend,
Pastor Tony Schultz. It was a cool
but sunny day. 😊 Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/yXutxVUEVxCXKPN18
·
I had hoped to fish on Monday, October 13. HOWEVER, the rain was steady, and the wind blew,
so I stayed home and watched the Mariners win their second game in the m the League
Championship Series. 😊
*******
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 am currently as Vacancy Pastor for Our Redeemer
Lutheran Church in Chugiak, AK.)
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
Vacancy Pastor, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Chugiak, AK
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)
