How Committed are you to Jesus?

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

How committed are you to Jesus?  Do you want to live for Him?  Are you willing to die for Him?  Is it your intent to work to grow in faith in Jesus as your Savior?  Is it your intent to follow Jesus, keeping The Ten Commandments by loving God and loving others?

 

I ask these questions because last Sunday was Confirmation Sunday at St. John.  Five young people shared with the congregation their faith in God and their plans to live for Him.  They also promised to “forsake all, even to be willing to die, rather than to fall away from Jesus.”  They promised to “forsake all, even to be willing to die, rather than to fall away from God’s Church.”  I talked at length with the class about the importance of these historic vows they were about to take.  So, how committed are you to our Lord?

 

I remember my confirmation day.  On March 27, 1967, I shared my faith in Jesus publicly in front of the members of First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL.  I also remember that when the whole worship service was concluded my grandfather pulled me aside.  He told me, “I’m proud of you.  I hope you do a better job of keeping your vows than I have done keeping mine.”  This statement from my grandfather surprised me.  I saw him in worship each Sunday.  When I struggled in my early life, he was not the one who scolded me, but the one who encouraged me.  Yet, he was confessing his failures to me and praying for me in my walk of faith with Jesus.  His words stuck with me.

 

For many years 2 Corinthians 5:15 has been one of the major verses in Scripture which I have shared with my confirmation students.  There God speaks to us and says, “And he [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

 

God wants us to live for Him and not for ourselves, but we all struggle with our sinful desires.  There were times in my grandfather’s life that he did not live as He knew a child of God should live.  I remember my grandfather’s wishes and prayers for me, and I know I have failed at times.  I am a sinner.  I need a Savior.  There is no one who has lived perfectly.  We all need Jesus!

 

Praise God that when we have been weak, God is strong.  Thank God that when we have sinned, He is loving and forgiving and faithful.  Even though we have rebelled against our Creator and lived with selfish hearts and selfish actions, God sent His Son to live and die and rise for us.  He calls us daily to faith and trust in His love and forgiveness for us.  God calls us daily to lives lived for Him because of His faithfulness to us.  No one can always live for God, but He is always there for us.  And because Jesus died for us and rose again we want to live for Him. 

 

By the way, when the confirmation students made these historic vows they did not vow to live for the Lord on their own strength.  They promised to live for Jesus “by the help of God,” and “by the grace of God.”  They did not make these vows trusting themselves.  But knowing that Jesus was willing to die and rise for them, knowing that He is with them always, knowing God’s strength in the face of their own weakness, the students promised to live for God as they trust Jesus. 

 

How committed are you to Jesus?  When I look at my own life I know my weakness and sin.  But when I look at the perfect and faithful love of God for me in Jesus, I want to live for Him, even to the point of being willing to die for Him.  How about you . . . ?

 

A Child of God, Wanting to Live my Life for Jesus,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are some pictures from Confirmation Day, 2013!  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5871323018153008369?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 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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Boston National Anthem - When I am Weak Then I am Strong

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Did you see news reports or video footage of the people of Boston singing the National Anthem at the Bruins hockey game on Tuesday night?  I expect all of you have been following the sad events in Boston.  On Patriots Day, after the Red Sox game was finished, about an hour after the first people finished running the Boston marathon, in the midst of the celebration of a state holiday, two bombs exploded killing three and injuring over 170 people.  Many people had limbs amputated because of the bombing.  Among those dead was an 8 year old child.  In the midst of a day of public celebration terror reared its ugly head.  Fear gripped the people of the city.  A search began for the perpetrators of the attack.  All this happened on Monday.

 

But on Tuesday the people of Boston faced the attack and faced their fears and came out in public again.  Almost in defiance, a sellout crowd gathered for the Boston Bruins hockey game, and something happened I haven’t seen before.  When it came time to sing the national anthem the man who usually sings the anthem was having trouble with his emotions, so he asked the crowd to join him in singing.  I’ve been to many sporting and public events where the national anthem is sung in respect at the beginning of the event.  But, I have never seen Americans sing with such gusto or such feeling.  I have never heard Americans sing their national anthem that loudly before.

 

In watching this singing of the anthem it seemed that the people of Boston were facing the attacks, facing their wounds, facing their fear, and facing their weakness to do anything about the attacks.  But, in their weakness the people found the strength of their shared values of freedom and community.  In their weakness, they found strength. 

 

The truth is that Christians are not really strong until we are weak.  St. Paul shares in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “9 But he [The Lord] said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

 

We would like to be strong in love and righteousness.  We would like to be strong in commitment and character.  But we all struggle with our weaknesses that are a result of our sinful nature.  There is only one who did not fail, Jesus.  But, when we struggle, Jesus who faced similar struggles is with us.  When we sin, Jesus offers forgiveness through His death on the cross.  When we face death, Jesus offers eternal life through faith in His rising from the dead.  When we face and know our weakness, Jesus is our strength.  When we face our weakness and trust in Jesus He shines through us.  So, “When we are weak, then we are strong.”

 

A number of years ago the Promise Keepers Christian men’s organization had a march in Washington, D.C.   A reporter asked one of the marchers if they were speaking against the sins of the time.  A paraphrase of the answer of a wise man is, “I am a sinner.  I am not speaking against anyone else.  I need help.  Jesus is that help I need.”

 

In a world where we are weak Jesus is our strength, and we can face anything.  I was moved to tears by the people of Boston.  I am more thankful for my Lord, who is my strength.

 

A Child of God, Trusting in Jesus who is My Strength,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  If you haven’t seen a video of the anthem, I encourage you to watch it on You Tube!  Here is one sharing of the anthem.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzMsagY7oRs

I’m sure you can find others.

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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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Jesus - God's Answer to Life's Questions

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Do you understand how computers work?  Unfortunately on March 20, during the busy Easter season, I spilled tomato juice on my laptop while writing a sermon.  I had to buy a new computer and have since been using this new laptop with a new set of operating programs.  Some know this new operating program as Windows 8.

 

As I began using this new computer I sent out an e-mail message to those who serve as Lay Ministers at St. John, asking for some help with Easter services.  Then I started getting replies to my e-mail message.  I heard from pastors in California, Anchorage, and Florida, surprised that they were considered Lay Ministers at St. John in Palmer, AK (which of course they weren’t).  The message went to my sister-in-law in FL, and Kathy’s cousin in Washington.  Kathy’s cousin indicated, while he’d like to help, he might have trouble getting to Alaska from Idaho by Easter. 

 

I was embarrassed.  I went to the original e-mail message and the addresses listed on the message were the correct addresses for our St. John Lay Ministers.  So, how did these other people receive my message?  Do you understand computers?  Are they a mystery to you too?

 

I know some men in Jesus’ time whose heads and hearts were full of questions.  These questions wouldn’t have been about how computers work, but how God works.  The day Jesus rose from the dead two men left Jerusalem walking to the nearby small town of Emmaus.  According to Luke 24:13-35, these men knew Jesus had been crucified and died.  But they had heard from some women in their group that the women had seen Jesus alive.  The men were full of questions.  What was happening?   What was God thinking and doing?  Do you understand how God works?

 

When my computer acts up I go to my computer repairman.  Kevin is a talented person that has helped me time and again.  He helped put my old documents on my new computer.  But, even though he fixes computer problems for me, I still don’t always understand how computers work.

 

These men walking to Emmaus had Jesus join them in their walk.  He’s even better than my computer repairman (sorry Kevin).  We are told that Jesus explained the prophecies of the Old Testament about the Messiah to these men.  “27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”  But, when they realized it was Jesus who was walking and talking to them, He left.  The men had a better understanding of Easter events, but they still had questions.  God had raised Jesus from the dead.  But what did this mean?

 

Do you ever wonder what God is doing?  What is the Lord doing in world events today?  What is God doing in His Church?  What is He doing in my life?  Life is full of questions for which we do not have answers.  I am comforted that when I don’t understand what is happening in the world around me and in my life, God does.  God is acting in Jesus to bring His love and salvation to the world, and to my life.  God has given us insight through the Scriptures, as Jesus did for these men on the way to Emmaus.  But, when life brings questions, God answers with Jesus.

 

A Child of God, Trusting God’s love in a life of Questions,

Pastor Jonathan

 

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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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