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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