Sharing What's Really Important: July 2013

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Give Thanks to God - His Love and Mercy Continue FOREVER

Dear Fellow Children of God,

I heard quiet feet sneaking up the stairs early this morning. Actually, it wasn’t that early. I was a little lazy this Saturday morning. Or perhaps I was catching up on rest after being gone for a month facing the challenges of the church at large and recovering from long hours of work and travel. I had already awakened numerous times earlier in the night, but St. Louis time is 3 hours ahead of Alaska time! So, as I lay there around 7:00 a.m. enjoying not having to get up and go right away I heard quiet feet sneaking up the stairs. I thought it was Tim, but actually it was Mary. After visiting with our oldest son, Josh, and their family last night, Mary and Josh had gone fishing. At 7:00 a.m. she had placed 3 silver salmon in the sink ready for cleaning.

How do you react to a sink full of fish needing cleaning? Actually, I was struck with thankfulness. I’m thankful for the blessings of God that all my children love one another. I am truly thankful that my children have grown to love the Alaskan outdoors as I do. I stood there a little overcome to think that I don’t deserve these blessings of love which my family has received, but God is good in spite of my failings.

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 136:1 – Sometimes I like the King James wording better than other translations.)

All attending our national church convention last week expended much time and effort. Those of our denomination from the Northwest District worked hard to make sure that the work of God is able to flourish in our region, by God’s grace, keeping the unique nature of this part of the country in mind. But decisions did not always go as we hoped. There were disappointments in some of the direction of the convention. However, as I talked to a good friend and we realized that nothing catastrophic (in our minds) had happened, we were also encouraged to remind one another that, in spite of the sometimes clouded judgment and direction of God’s people, Jesus is THE Lord of THE Church. The Church is Jesus’ body and He is our Head. So, we are in good hands. “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Friday would have been my mom and dad’s 61^st Wedding anniversary. I got an e-mail from my dad on Friday reminding me of that occasion. My dad also shared that he misses his loving wife of so many years. But, while visiting in Florida I was encouraged to see that my dad is healthy. In spite of my mom’s death a year and a half ago, our family can be thankful for years of love and blessings. And, God promises life in heaven eternally for those who believe in Jesus as their Savior. “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

I have been gone from St. John and from Palmer for 4 weeks. A majority of that time away was time for work, but some of that time was also vacation with family. I have been in the office each of the last two days; vacation and traveling are over. But I am not disappointed. I love being pastor of the people of St. John Lutheran. You are people of faith in a wonderful community. It’s really good to be home!! “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Can you see God’s love and mercy in the every day events of your life? I hope so!

A Child of God, Thankful for the eternal mercy and love of God,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S. Here is a picture of Mary and her fish: https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5905392385835642545/5905392388628753154?banner=pwa&pid=5905392388628753154&oid=114993745799525883148

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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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Where do you go for Comfort?

Dear Fellow Children of God,

What concerns you right now? What is it that might keep you awake at night worrying, if you do that sort of thing? Is it family? Do finances concern you? Perhaps the direction of our country keeps you awake. Maybe you face an illness.

I am in St. Louis at the Triennial convention of our church body. In the last couple of days I have read through many documents about proposals for action by our church, including a 170 page document with all the resolutions which might be acted on in convention. These are all issues that concern someone. Some people in the church want action to fix a need or solve a problem. I confess to you that even though I have read these resolutions and know the story behind many of them, the 170 pages make my head swim. My eyes glaze over. There are complexities and intricacies which are beyond my wisdom.

What do you do when life seems overwhelming? When life overwhelms me I go back to the basics. Rather than building on the complexities of today’s life, I try to build on the sure foundation of God’s love for us found in Jesus. I work to build on the sure foundation found in God’s word. So, while I await the beginning of the complexities and discussions (or perhaps arguments) of the convention, a Bible verse speaks to my heart right now.

In Job 19, Job is in the midst of loss and confusion. His property has been destroyed. His children have died. Job’s health has left him. Job has no idea what God is doing. Yet, in the midst of this overwhelming loss and trial Job writes these words, 23 "Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, 24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes-- I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” In other words, when Job is overwhelmed by life, he still knows where to go. Job goes to his redeemer and Job knows that after he dies he will see God. So, in the midst of confusion and loss, Job has hope. Job even yearns to see God, even though his life seems in ruins.

This convention is not yet started. Sessions actually start on Sunday. The issues of the convention in no way approach what Job was facing. But, as I am concerned and as I am a little overwhelmed, I can say with Job, 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes

When life is overwhelming, when it is bigger than we are, life and its problems are not bigger than God. In fact, Jesus, our Redeemer, died to forgive the sin that causes the problem of this world. Jesus, our Redeemer, rose so that we know that when we die we will see God.

The issues of the convention may be bigger than my wisdom, but they are not bigger than our Redeemer is. When life is confusing and overwhelming I return to the basics. I trust God.

A Child of God, Trusting in God’s wisdom, not mine,

Pastor Jonathan

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Saturday, July 13, 2013

God's Plan for Passing on Faith and Values

Dear Fellow Children of God,

Last night, Friday night, I took a journey through the past. After my uncle and aunt died last year my cousins took responsibility for selling his home and disposing of and distributing my uncle and aunt’s possessions. My sister, Martha, traveled to Massachusetts recently to get the family records and remembrances. Uncle Sonny was the last remaining Rockey in Massachusetts, so there were memories from parts of 3 centuries!

So, last night, while on vacation, I started going through the pictures and documents and treasures from the past. I examined my grandfather’s baptismal certificate, and for the first time I can remember I saw pictures from his wedding to my grandmother. I saw the bill for my great grandfather’s funeral in 1918 for $175.00 from the same funeral home where my uncle was buried in 2012. I also examined many receipts from the mortgage payments on the family home by my great grandmother. (Interest was $3.37! I spent many hours in that home.) I saw pictures of my uncle and my dad as children, and examined my uncle’s discharge papers from the army after WWII. And, contained in the boxes of memories there were certificates, lots of certificates, mainly baptismal certificates for many in my family.

I’m not sure what one does with all these aging memories. Do you keep them and then pass them on to your children? Already I don’t know many of the people in the pictures I saw. My children may know only two or three family members in the pictures. But, it would feel funny, even disrespectful, to throw away these memories from my family.

As I look at the boxes of material, a very small portion of the mountains of possessions left by my uncle and aunt, one thing I do see is that the values of my ancestors have been handed down to me and my family. It is pretty easy to see from the family records that faith, family, and country were valued and lived in the Rockey family of the past 4 generations. I hope those same values have been taught to my children, and now to my children’s children.

The practical application of this lesson is that the home is the best place to teach what is important. It is God’s plan in the Old and New Testaments that the home is the chief place where faith and values are taught. In Deuteronomy 11:18-21 God tells the people of Israel, “18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”

In Ephesians 6:4, God speaks through Paul to the Christians in Ephesus, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

It seems to me that in today’s culture we often pass off responsibility for teaching values. We expect the schools to teach values, or the government to do it, or even the church. Perhaps that is because values are not always taught in the home. All of these institutions have been established by God their place, but God’s plan is that faith and values are first taught in the home.

So, what do you do with all these records and memories? If nothing else they remind me that my job is not done. I need to continue teaching my children and now my grandchildren about the love of God, the bonds of family, and our responsibility to our county.

A Child of God, Blessed by the faith and values of my ancestors,

Pastor Jonathan

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P.S. I am on vacation with family in Florida, in a time between the Youth Gathering and the Convention of our church. Today is my mom’s birthday. She died, January 17, 2011. Here is a picture of the last time my mom and dad and all their kids and some of the grandkids were together on mom’s birthday, July 13, 2010. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5494326049523439297/5494327108295685618?banner=pwa&pid=5494327108295685618&oid=114993745799525883148

P.P.S. Here is a picture of our family in Alaska (minus new born Annabelle) this past Christmas. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5828765800444931457/5829793849510128962?banner=pwa&pid=5829793849510128962&oid=114993745799525883148

P.P.P.S. Here is a picture of the funeral bill. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5900124889107276225?banner=pwa

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Saturday, July 6, 2013

Walking the Walk with Jesus

Dear Fellow Children of God,

In April of 2012 the cover of a Newsweek magazine had a picture of Jesus on the front cover with the headline, “Forget the Church, Follow Jesus.” That headline was not a suggestion but a description for many. People who say they believe in Jesus are not necessarily participating in the church with the regularity of past times.

There may be many reasons that the church seems to have diminished in importance in people’s lives. Major reasons for this trend are that western cultures are more affluent and very busy. The church and its ministry are just one of many choices for people’s time, instead of the center of what they do.

But, perhaps the reason stated most often that people are “forgetting the church” is that Christians can “talk the talk” but don’t always “walk the walk.” In other words, Christians can talk about being holy, but we don’t always live holy lives. We can talk about love, but don’t always live in loving ways. We can talk about discipleship, but we don’t always live lives that show commitment to Jesus. We can teach the right thing, but give a different message in our behavior.

You might expect a pastor to defend the church against this accusation, but I know it is true. You see, the church is not made up of people who are perfect. Rather, the church is made up of sinners who need a Savior. In Mark 2 Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17) Thankfully, God has provided a Savior for sick sinners like us in Jesus. He lived the perfect life of obedience and love which we cannot live. Jesus suffered and died on the cross to pay for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to win victory over death for all people, and gives this fruit of His life to all who confess their need of a Savior from sin and trust in Him for forgiveness and eternal life. Yes, I know Christians are not perfect. But, Jesus is.

However, I share this because, contrary to popular belief, I saw the church in action this past week in San Antonio. I saw people who not only were talking the talk, but were also walking the walk. The 2013 National Youth Gathering of our denomination was held in San Antonio, TX, July 1-5. Over 25,000 people gathered under the theme, “Lived Love(d).” The emphasis was that because Jesus loves us, we should live that love for others.

So the youth worshiped, and they donated food for food pantries and prepared plants for community gardens. These Christian youth went to Bible Study, and they helped local churches and children’s homes. They helped paint homes, mow lawns, and pick up trash. The youth worked on park facilities, played games with children, and visited with the elderly. Money was donated to help community and church needs in San Antonio. Supplies were donated to help people suffering from disasters around the world.

Actually, this example of “LIVING Love(d)” shows the importance of God’s church. One of the reasons the youth lived their faith is they were gathered together as the church and encouraged one another. God’s plan for the church is both to grow our relationship with Him, and to grow our relationships of faith and love with others. God calls people to worship so we are encouraged and strengthened in walking the walk as well as talking the talk. We are told in Hebrews 10:24-25, “24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” In other words, people may stay away from churches because Christian people don’t always live their faith. But, the church is God’s plan for helping sinners live the love of God for us in Jesus.

I think my favorite picture from the gathering contains no people. It is a park bench with food left on it for homeless people in San Antonio. Instead of “Forgetting the church and following Jesus,” the youth learned to grow in Jesus through the encouragement of other Christians at the gathering. They gave life to Jesus' love and the theme of the gathering. As they grew in Jesus they LIVED Love(d).

There are no perfect churches, and no perfect Christians. You see, we ARE sinners who need a Savior. But God’s plan is that His church encourages us in His forgiving and saving love to live for Him and to love others. I pray God’s Church does that for you.

A Child of God, Seeking to Live Love(d),

Pastor Jonathan

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P.S. Here are some pictures from the Youth Gathering this past week. Also, many pictures are also posted on the St. John Facebook page. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/5894882288488240833

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