Thankful to Be Sharing Jesus Together with the People of St. John for 25 years

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

There is an old parable that says, “Those who walk around looking at the ground all the time miss seeing the glory of the heavens.”  I pray that in looking at one blessing this weekend, we do not miss the biggest and most important blessing.

 

This Sunday St. John is celebrating, as our bulletin, newsletter, and mailings have said, “Sharing Jesus Together for 25 Years.”  We are celebrating the fact that, as pastor and people, we have worked together and that God has worked in and through us and accomplished His gracious goodness in our midst.  The grace of God is always worth celebrating.

 

But, there is a danger that this celebration can focus on the pastor, because it is 25 years of his service in this place, even though the congregation has been here for 81 years.  Actually, for a pastor to stay in one place for 25 years is somewhat rare.  (Though, I do know others have who served that long and longer.  Our neighbor, Pastor Tim Carrick, will have served at the Palmer United Protestant Church for 25 years this coming October.)  People celebrate twenty fifth anniversaries of marriage.  In many ways when a pastor and people work together it is like a marriage.  So, twenty-five years together as pastor and people is worth celebrating.

 

Yet, even celebrating what a congregation has done can become sinful pride.  Jesus faced and pointed to the pride and hypocrisy of the people in His day.  The Christian Church is the people of God in whom God lives and through whom God works.  Actually, the focus of the church should always be on God, not on as much on the church.  At the same time the Church gives thanks for God’s blessings and grace among us.

 

God moved St. Paul to remind the church in Ephesus of who they are, and what their focus should be.  He wrote in Ephesians 2:19-20, “19 Consequently, you are . . . fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  Do you see the emphasis on God and on Jesus in this verse?  Paul talks about the church as being “God’s people and members of God’s household.”  According to this verse the Church is built on the God inspired teaching of men, the teachings of “the apostles and prophets” found in the Bible.  BUT, the center of this teaching and foundation is Jesus, “the chief cornerstone.”

 

Wonderful things happen as God’s people work to live as God’s household.  Prayers are offered by God’s people for all, and God listens and answers.  God works through the church to serve those in need with His love.  The lost and hurting, young and old, are encouraged with the knowledge Christ’s unfailing love.  As God works through His Church people are healed in body and spirit and saved by the grace and power of God. 

 

But, even though all these wonderful things happen in God’s church, the cornerstone and the focus is not the people of the church.  The cornerstone and focus of God’s Church is Jesus!  His obedient and loving life, Jesus’ sacrificial death, and His saving resurrection, give purpose and meaning and life to God’s people as they work together as God’s family.

 

So, not only this Sunday as we look at the blessing of serving together as pastor and people, but in all the Church does, I pray we do not look at today’s blessings but miss the biggest and most important blessing, the eternal love and grace of God in Jesus that takes many different people and forms us into the family of God.

 

I will not be preaching Sunday.  But, I’m told I’ll have an opportunity to say a few words at the end of the day.  You will hear me share Paul’s important words in 2 Corinthians 4:5 “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.”

 

A Child of God, Thankful to be Sharing Jesus Together with the People of St. John for 25 years!

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Even though there is only one service Sunday at 11:00 a.m., Jamie asked me to remind everyone that there IS Sunday School this week.  In fact, this is the last Sunday of Sunday School for the 2015-2016 school year.

 

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