Dear Fellow Children of God,
This afternoon, after making hospital calls at Mat-Su
Regional, I went to St. John because people were setting up tables and chairs
for our Consecration Sunday meal. I was
surprised to find they were putting out the heavy wooden tables in addition to
the lighter plastic tables. But, there
was a lot of setting up to do. At the
latest count we had between 175 and 185 reservations for people to join together
as the family of God in a Sunday meal of roast beef with all the fixings.
I am excited with anticipation for our Consecration
Celebration at St. John tomorrow. It is
not only the number of people who will be joining in the meal. It is not only our guest preacher who will
join us, Pastor Joe Baumgarten. It is
not only the opportunity we will all have to commit ourselves to sharing the
Gospel of Jesus. But, when this many
people join together, trusting God’s love, and work together in sharing God’s
love in Jesus, there is a joy that comes with the fellowship and celebration of
this joint effort of faith.
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he tells the Christians
of Philippi of the joy he finds in working together for the gospel, for the
good news that Jesus is Savior. “3 I
thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I
always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first
day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Paul was thankful for his friends, his brothers and
sisters in the faith. Paul was joyful
for the partnership they shared in doing God’s work. And Paul found confidence in knowing that it
is God himself who was working in and through the Philippian Christians to
accomplish His own purposes.
Please notice again the emotions in Paul’s words. He speaks of thankfulness in verse 3. He
speaks of joy in verse 4. He speaks of confidence in verse 6.
I understand what Paul is writing. God has called us to receive the love of
Jesus Christ in faith, and to work to share that love. As we work together to grow in faith, as we
work together to share Jesus with others, and as we work together to be a
blessing in the community, I too experience some of the same emotions.
When I got to church this afternoon I stayed for a while and
helped with the set up. Putting up tables
doesn’t necessarily seem like a joyful task.
But the truth is the 8-10 people setting up seemed to find joy in
working together to serve the Lord. This
celebration and this meal will help our Christian family to join together in
responding the God’s love.
Partnership in sharing the Gospel of Jesus is a real
blessing!
A Child of God, Blessed to work with God’s Children at
St. John,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. I’m sorry
this devotion is late this week. I look
forward to seeing many of you tomorrow / today.
P.P.S. This may
have been our last fishing trip before the ice hits the lakes. We caught 6 trout and kept 5. ( One went over the side while taking it off
the hook.) https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/FallFishingTripOctober82012?authuser=0&feat=directlink
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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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