God's Amazing, Sacrificial Love . . . Worthy of Worship and Praise

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

Have you ever read Charles Dickens’ book, “The Tale of Two Cities”?  In this book, set during the French Revolution, Charles Darnay has a loving marriage with Lucie Manette.  But, Darnay is wrongly arrested in the fervor of the revolution and faces execution by the guillotine.  Sydney Carton has loved Lucie from afar for years and looks somewhat like Darnay.  In order to help Lucie, Carton secretly trades places with Darnay.  Carton is executed and Darnay escapes execution.  So, in Dickens’ book Sydney Carton sacrifices his life for Charles Darnay, but Carton loses everything and gains nothing, except that he helps the woman he loves.  Dickens’ story is an example of the ultimate sacrifice, offered as an act of love.

 

Do you love anyone enough to give your life for them?  If so, whom do you love enough so that you would die for them?  Is there anyone you love, but maybe not enough to be willing to give your life on their behalf?  Are there people for whom you would not be willing to sacrifice your life in order to save them?

 

There are some verses of Scripture so clear in sharing God’s message of love in Jesus that to read them brings wonder and awe each time they are read.  One of my favorite parables of Jesus is that of the Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15:11 and ff.  And, one of my favorite passages that clearly speaks of God’s love in Paul’s letters is found in Romans 5.  This verse examines the depth of God’s love in that He was willing to sacrifice the life of Jesus to save people who have sinned against Him.

 

In Romans 5:6-8, God tells us of His self-giving, sacrificial love.  “6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

Paul points out that to sacrifice one’s own life is rare.  However, perhaps some would give their life for that special person they love, sort of like Carton gave his life for Darnay in order to help Lucie.  But, who would give their life for someone who had hurt them?  Who would give their life for someone who had sinned against them?  It would be hard to find such selfless love anywhere on the earth.

 

Yet, that is the depth of God’s love for us.  We have rebelled and sinned against God.  Instead of keeping His law we have broken it.  Instead of loving God and loving others, we have often lived selfishly.  Nevertheless, knowing our sin, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

This Sunday begins Holy Week, a yearly remembrance of Jesus’ last week of life on this earth before He was crucified.  On Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday, and remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey to the praises of people in Jerusalem.  On Thursday we will remember Jesus’ last supper, last Passover Meal.  It is not lost that Jesus is “our Passover lamb” “who takes away the sins of the world.”  On Good Friday we will watch with wonder as the righteous Son of God is willingly nailed to a cross to die for the sins of a rebellious world.  But, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

A Tale of Two Cities is amazing story of sacrificial love.  But, it is just a story.  However, the reality of God’s love is that Jesus did die a painful, sacrificial death, in order that we might live eternally through faith in Jesus.  Such love is truly amazing.  God’s love is worth remembering and celebrating.  Such sacrifice calls me to worship and serve my Lord, who died for me.

 

I pray that you take time to remember Jesus’ amazing, sacrificial love in worship this week.

 

A Child of God, Standing in Awe of the Sacrifice of Jesus,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are pictures from the 2015 St. John Marriage Retreat, Alaska Sunset View Lodge, Big Lake, AK.  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6131098183490662017?banner=pwa

 

P.P.S.  Here are pictures from the Shane Woods Ice Fishing Outing, March 22, 2015.  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6129475920620274049?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. . .

 

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Believing in God's Love, Even While Asking "Why?"

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

On Thursday I was talking to a mom about her son who is seriously ill.  We talked while passing in the hallway, but the conversation was on a deep topic.  We began talking about the illness of her son and I shared my own frustrations about his illness and confessed to her, “Sometimes I just want to ask God, ‘Why?!’”. 

 

There are all sorts of ways to ask that “Why?” question.  Why did this happen?  Why did it happen in our family?  We are told God is loving, so why is God allowing this pain and evil to happen?  Why?

 

But then I shared with this mom what I don’t believe Scripture says.  I do not believe we can say, “God has a purpose” in a way that implies that perhaps “God caused the illness.”  Saying that God caused a specific illness is contrary to what Jesus taught in Scripture verses like Luke 13 and John 9.  Yet, if God is all powerful, AND if God is loving, then why does this happen?

 

By chance (or not), in my personal devotion on Friday morning one of the main readings assigned was a well known section of Scripture that included Romans 8:28.  In this verse God says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

 

Please notice what this Romans 8 Bible verse does say.  “ . . . in all things God WORKS.”  It does not say that God causes the pain or evil or illness of life.  Scripture teaches that God created a good and perfect world which was changed by sin.  Sin is the cause of trials and tribulations.  Sin is the cause of temptations and suffering.  Sin, ours and that of the world around us, is the cause of death and mourning.  Sin is the cause, not God. 

 

Yet thankfully, even in a world of sin, God works!  He can work His purpose and God even uses the tragedies we face to accomplish good.

 

Do you know how a computer works?  I know some people can explain the hardware and software of a computer, but that is beyond my understanding.  I just know that, when I have gone to the keyboard, my computer responds to my commands.  Because of my training in what a computer does, and because of my experience on the computer, I have come to trust that my computer works even though I do not totally understand.  If I don’t understand a computer but trust that it works, why should I be surprised that I don’t understand how God works?  But I still trust the Lord with my life? 

 

A key to understanding these questions is Jesus’ own suffering and death.  Why did the Son of God suffer and die?  Actually, Jesus did not have to do this.  Jesus is the holy and righteous Son of God.  But, the love of God for sinful people caused the Father to send the Son into this world.  The love of the Son for those who were lost caused Him to search for us and to save us.  The sin of the world requires justice.  So, in love God worked!  Jesus went to the cross to pay for my sins and yours.  In answer to the question “Why?”, God answers “because I love you, through Jesus.”

 

So, as the mom and I spoke, even though I don’t know why her son is ill, I do know that God the Father who sent His son is working love through Jesus.  I don’t know how.  I just know that God loves me.  I know that Jesus died for me.  And I know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

 

A Child of God, Believing in God’s love, even though I don’t always understand,

Pastor Jonathan

P.S.  Please consider attending the Jeremy Wedge Cancer fund raiser this Saturday, March 21, or contributing to this effort.  I will not be at the meal, but will be at the marriage retreat.  However, your attendance can help a young couple faithfully fighting cancer.  See below for more details.

 

P.P.S.  Please also consider the notice below about this Sunday’s Shane Woods Ice Fishing Outing.

 

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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. . .

 

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God Laid on HIM the Iniquity of Us All!

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

In the early 1980’s I remember visiting a friend going through chemo-therapy.  Pastor George Mueller served in the congregation closest to where I served.  He was in his 60’s and had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and was undergoing regular treatment for his illness.  I called to check on George and went to visit a number of times while he was in therapy.  George welcomed my visits and prayers, but I have seldom seen anyone sicker or more miserable. 

 

My understanding of medicine, and I am a pastor not a doctor, is that chemo-therapy today is much improved from previous years.  Today certain areas and cancers can be targeted more specifically than even 35 years ago.  Therapy still causes nausea, aches and pains, loss of hair, and misery, as doctors try to shrink or even kill the cancer.  But, it is my understanding that in previous years treatment could not be as easily directed as it is today.  George told me, “They are trying to get as close to killing me as they can so they can get the cancer.”  That was his understanding.  I know that when I visited George he was truly miserable.

 

You probably understand the idea of killing the cancer so the patient can be healthy.  If a cancer is allowed to grow it will kill the patient.  So doctors seek to remove or kill the tumor so the patient can live and be healthy.  But, even though treatment saves lives, people still dread the treatment.  There are times people do not want to know the doctor’s diagnosis, because they don’t want to face the treatment.

 

How about the ‘cancer’ of sin?  How do we kill the sin in us that will kill us if not removed? 

 

Recently we conducted a demographic study of the area within a 12 mile radius of St. John.  The data used for the study was taken from the 2010 US census and projections from that data.  In some ways the answers are not surprising; Alaskans think independently and are in some ways significantly different from the rest of the country in their faith values, just as Alaskans are often also different in political thinking.  But, some of the statistics made me shake my head and wonder.  Specifically 2 responses seemed to point to the struggle going on within each of us.

 

In one survey question people expressed their dissatisfaction with the moral education of today’s children.  A total of 82% said that “children are not adequately taught good morals.”  That is an overwhelming number.  Yet, when people were asked about the importance of their own faith, only 13.3% said that “their faith was REALLY important to them.”  My observation is this.  If the adults questioned do not consider their faith and its moral teachings important, why are they surprised when children do not receive adequate moral teaching???  Do you see the contradiction? 

 

It is easy to point at other people when we read these demographic statistics, but all of us are part of the community.  All of us struggle with our commitment to our Lord.  All of us see the problems in our lives.  So, how do we deal with this contradiction in our lives?  Like cancer, sometimes denial seems easier than facing treatment.  How can we kill the cancer of sin within us?

 

In Isaiah 53 the prophet tells of God’s Suffering Servant, and the sacrifice of this servant for God’s people.  Isaiah writes, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  (Isaiah 53:6) 

 

Do you hear the diagnosis?  We have all gone astray.  We have all rebelled against our creator.  We have all wandered from loving one another.  We all struggle with sin.

 

But there is a treatment, the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

 

I would not want to administer chemo therapy to myself. I know of no person who has given themselves treatment.  They need a doctor.  The doctor who treats our sin is God’s Suffering Servant, Jesus.  Only, Jesus looks at the sin in our lives, the contradictory thinking, the rebellion, our greed and idolatry, and instead of cutting it out, Jesus takes it on Himself. ”The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 

 

There are two lessons I continue to learn personally, and I hope that you see these lessons as well.  First, the sin within us is a cancer that kills.  On our own we are lost.  But second, God looks down on people who cannot care for themselves, and God’s love leads Him to sacrifice His own Son so that we can have life.  We may be wandering sheep, but Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

 

When I visited George I felt sorry for him as I watched him suffer, but I was glad he was receiving treatment.  I could not, however, take that treatment for George.  Thankfully, our Lord loves us so much that He sends His Son who sees the cancer of our sin and takes the treatment Himself.  Jesus pays the price we deserve.  ”The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 

 

 

A Child of God, Thankful for God’s Sacrificial, Healing Love,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here is a picture from the baptism last week of Griffin Kopperud in late worship.  Congratulations Peter and Rebecca!  https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6105100932013912881/6125864249614147026?banner=pwa&pid=6125864249614147026&oid=114993745799525883148

 

 

 

 

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A Lenten Journey of Law and Gospel, Repentance and Faith

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

I recently read a prayer, I prayed this prayer, and this prayer and it’s plea to our Lord is helping me with my Lenten journey. 

 

As our special mid-week Lenten worship has focused on the words of Jesus from the cross I am again finding myself convicted of my sin.  I watch Jesus suffering on the cross and I realize again that it is my personal hard headedness that required Jesus’ suffering for my sins.  I listen to Jesus’ words and can bring back memories of times that I have hurt others.  My sin and my failure make me sad and convict me of my guilt.

 

There is a spiritual benefit in knowing our guilt.  Lutherans talk about God’s Law and God’s Gospel.  God’s Law is like a mirror that shows us our sin and our rebellion.  We have probably all experienced God’s  law pointing us to our failure.  God’s Gospel is the good news that points us to God’s forgiving love in Jesus.  God gave the ultimate sacrifice, the death of Jesus, to pay the price our sins deserved.  Jesus takes our punishment.  What love!

 

Sometimes people can take God’s love and forgiveness for granted.  I have seen people act like we deserve the love of God.  But, when God’s law points to our sin and we realize the penalty we deserve, then we see that the love of God is an amazing, undeserved gift of grace.

 

The prayer I read was written by Henry Vaughn.  He was an English medical doctor who lived from 1621-1695.  Vaughn suffered serious illness which resulted in a deep spiritual conversion. He wrote on the whole range of emotional experience.

 

This prayer from Vaughn helps me to acknowledge my sin, and reminds me of God’s “amazing grace.”

            My dear, dear God! 

I do not know

            What lodged thee then,

Nor where, nor how;

            But I am sure

Thou now dost come

            Oft to a narrow, homely room,

            Where thou too hast but the least part,

            My God. 

I mean my sinful heart.  Amen

 

I am sure my own heart is a narrow homely room.  I am tempted and often fail.  I deserve the condemnation and punishment of God.

 

Imagine that my God, the Creator of the universe and the holy Savior of the world, would come to my narrow, homely, sinful heart!  But, God’s Word speaks truth to my life and compassion to my heart.  The Spirit speaks through my conscience like a doctor who points to my personal illness or injury and makes a diagnosis I know to be true.  God’s love in the face of my sin brings a surprise of joy.  God’s forgiveness for my specific failure brings sweet refreshing water to a parched soul. 

 

And, the truth of God’s law and the victory of God’s grace give me energy and life to keep going.  I want to serve my Lord because of the grace of His love.

 

There is another poem and prayer of praise that most people know which is another accurate reflection of our journeys as children of God.

            Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.

            That saves a wretch like me.

            I once was lost, but now am found.

            Was blind, but now I see. 

 

Well that is a glimpse into my Lenten journey again this year.  I am seeking to acknowledge my sin and live in the grace and forgiveness God has won for me as Jesus nails my sins to the cross.  How is your Lenten journey going?

 

A Child of God, Sorry for my sin, and Thankful for God’s Forgiveness,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S. That last poem and hymn is written by John Newton.  He had been a slave trader and became a pastor.  His past sin helped Him to realize the “amazing grace” of God’s love.

 

P.P.S.  Last Monday I went ice fishing again.  I thought I might have a granddaughter with me but she decided not to come.   So, I chose a lake in which I had yet fished this year, one with a very steep access.  I caught a limit of 5 rainbow trout.  Three of the five were over 13 inches.  Two were over 16”.  My granddaughter did ask to eat fish when I returned home, so she got her wish.   https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6123399455159385825?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. . .

 

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