Dear Fellow Children of God,
On Tuesday, December 10, I confined myself to my office at
church to work on worship services and bulletins – lots of them. In addition to regular Sunday worship, and in
addition to Advent Mid-Week Wednesday worship, I sought to plan worship in a
way to reach people’s hearts with the love of Jesus for four other
services. I worked on bulletins for the
funeral service of Linde Katritizky on Friday, December 20 at 1:30 p.m.. I also prepared for a special 5:00 p.m. Christmas
Eve Candlelight Service for young children, and for a special 7:00 p.m. Christmas
Eve Candlelight Service - with LOTS of special music - for adults, and for a
peaceful, quiet Christmas Day communion service. That is quite a number of worship services
and sermons. (Please also remember, When
the pastor has these extra tasks, so do the office staff, volunteers, and
music ministry!)
Through the years, I have learned to try and not be
overwhelmed by the busy-ness of this season of faith. I try not to resent this holy
celebration. I have heard people,
I have even some church workers say, “I can’t wait for Christmas to be over!” The lesson I have learned is to try to be in
the moment to enjoy the mystery of Jesus’ birth. I have come to believe that this mystery of
our Lord’s incarnation is so deep, that it takes a LOT of thought, and
consideration, and meditation.
Please meditate with me for a moment on the words of
Ephesians 3. These inspired words are
not usually considered Christmas verses, but please meditate on them with me
again. God inspired St. Paul to pray and
to write to the Christians in Ephesus,
“14 . . . I bow my knees before the Father, 15
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of
his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in
your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith—"
“that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the
saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and
to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled with all the fullness of God.
“20 Now to him
who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according
to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever.” (Ephesians 3:13-21)
Have you ever considered how great a mystery it is that our
holy Lord, THE Son of God, took on human form?
(If you desire to delve more into this mystery consider some other
verses of Scripture: Psalm 110:1 and Matthew 22:41-46, also Galatians 4:4-7 and
Hebrews 2:14-18.) The birth of God’s Son
Himself as a man is truly beyond our ability to comprehend. Yet, God’s love for us led our Heavenly
Father to send Jesus. That love is, as
Paul says in Ephesians 3, “broad and long and high and deep!” (v. 18) That love
does “surpass knowledge.” (v. 19) The
fact that, through the angel, God named His Son “Jesus”, or “SAVIOR”
(Matthew 1:21), is amazing! (You might
also meditate upon 2 Corinthians 5:21 Philippians 2:5-11, and Titus 3:3-7.) This infant, born of Mary in a manger, is THE
Son of God who came to bear the sin of the world and to offer forgiveness and
salvation to ALL people!
In my devotional readings for today I read a verse from
Proverbs 14 which has never struck me before.
Proverbs 14:4 reads, “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but
abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.” In other words, when there is no work to do,
when no ox is needed, even the manger in a stable is clean. BUT, there was a lot of work to do in saving
the world. Jesus came to a dirty manger
and took on the mess of this world for us!
What a mystery!
Paul prays that we may have strength to comprehend this
mystery of God’s love, a mystery which does surpass understanding. I personally need a lot of time to meditate
on the broad and long and high and deep love of God found in the unfathomable
incarnation of His Son. Maybe that’s why
I get to prepare so many worship services!
Maybe that is why we get so many opportunities to worship, and pray, and
meditate, and thank, and praise during this holy season!!!
My bulletin work is done – for the most part. I have started work on all my sermons through
Christmas Day. I will focus and meditate
upon the broad and long and high and deep mystery of Jesus, which is surely beyond
my understanding!
A Child of God, Focusing
on The Broad and Long and High and Deep Mystery of Jesus’ Birth!
Pastor Rockey
P.S. I have
copied below the other verses I referenced.
P.P.S. I continue to
serve as vacancy pastor at First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, Florida, until
First Lutheran receives a permanent full-time pastor.
NEWS AND MINISTRY
OPPORTUNITIES AT First Lutheran Church – Gainesville!
·
OUR SECOND MID-WEEK ADVENT SERVICE OF 2024 IS
HELD THIS, Wednesday, December 11, AT 6:30 P.M. A Fellowship Meal is offered at 5:30
p.m. We will be considering the messages
of Gabriel in Luke 1. Angie Burr and
Naomi Glover will help bring the Message, Based on the appearance of the angel
Gabriel to Zechariah in Luke 1. THANK
YOU to the Spillanes and their helpers for preparing the fellowship meal!
·
The First Lutheran Open Arms Preschool presented
their Christmas program on Wednesday, December 4. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/93hMWG4D5FiUsSHd8
·
First Lutheran Sunday School presented a one
night mini-VBS, “Scuba Christmas” on Friday, December 6. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XP4sEdDHeXVr36cp9
·
Here is a picture from the last College Lunch of
December (with the semester concluding at UF).
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z75pamPRGo5UEiJi9
·
In a Voters’ Meeting on December 1 First
Lutheran voted to extend the call as full-time pastor to Rev. Chris Kollman. PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE
FIRST LUTHERAN CALL PROCESS IN YOUR PRAYERS.
·
SUNDAY SCHOOL IS IN FULL SWING until
May. Children begin in worship at 10:00 a.m.. Early in the service, after
the Children’s Message, children leave for a lesson, for a craft, and a
snack.
During this
Advent and Christmas Season Children’s messages in worship are learning and
singing some favorite Christmas carols.
This week we will sing “Go Tell I on the Mountain!” Also, we expect a ‘visit’ from St. Nicolas!
Parents,
Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, Neighbors, PLEASE bring your children to
Sunday School. THANK YOU Sunday
School Teachers and staff!
·
In Sunday Bible Class we are now studying the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah at
8:45 a.m. in the Besalski Fellowship Hall. On December 8 we started studying Isaiah
53. We will continue this study on
December 15. Come and Join Us!!!!!
·
COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS meet on
Tuesday nights in the student house at 7:00 p.m. Come and join us! They
are studying “The Case for Christianity.”
On Tuesday, December 3, they finished chapter 4 of this book. (THERE IS
A BREAK DURING CHRISTMAS VACATION.)
·
WE CONTINUE TO READ THROUGH THE SCRIPTURE IN
2024 and 2025 using the Today’s Light Devotional Bible. On Wednesday,
December 11, we read Proverbs 14 and 15.
Feel free to
contact Pastor Rockey at 907-841-4066 if you have any questions about these
readings. Or send an e-mail question to jonrock53@mtaonline.net I have
recently received questions and comments. It is always good to consider
our Lord’s love and guidance. I will TRY to answer, but some things only God
knows!
·
EXTRA HOLIDA SERVICES In addition to Sunday Worship, we
now have mid-week worship for the Advent and Christmas season.
o
December 11, 6:30 p.m. – Advent 2
o
December 18, 6:30 p.m. – Advent 3
o
December 24, 5 and 7 p.m., Christmas Eve
Candlelight
December
25, 10 a.m. – Christmas Day
o
December 31, 6:30 p.m. – New Year’s Eve.
P. P.P.S. I went
fishing twice since my last devotion.
· On Saturday, December 7, I fished by myself in a local lake. Here aer a couple of pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/aL4wySZv7bxc58Ff7
· After worship on Sunday, December 8, First Lutheran member, Alex Walenjus, and I went fishing. We caught quite a few fish. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/gvc5JxdiK4w9VjiH9
P.P.P.P.S.
Here are the Bible Verses which I referenced above that also
speak of the mystery of Jesus incarnation.
This mystery of God’s love . . . “blows my mind!”
·
Psalm 110:1 - The LORD says to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. (Ps.
110:1 ESV)
·
Matthew 22:41-46 - 41 Now while
the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, "What do you think
about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of
David." 43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, in
the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, 44 "'The Lord said to my
Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your
feet"'? 45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his
son?" 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from
that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. (Matt. 22:41-46
ESV)
·
Galatians 4:4-7 - 4 But when the
fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under
the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might
receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent
the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through
God. (Gal. 4:4-7 ESV)
·
Hebrews 2:14-18 - 14 Since
therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of
the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power
of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through
fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is
not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he
might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make
propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself
has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Heb. 2:14-3:1 ESV)
·
2 Corinthians 5:21 - 21 For our
sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21-6:1 ESV)
· Philippians
2:5-11 - 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in
Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by
taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly
exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:5-11 ESV)
·
Titus 3:3-7 3 For we ourselves
were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and
pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one
another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in
righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his
grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Tit.
3:3-7 ESV)
*******
ABOUT THIS DEVOTION - I
retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as full-time senior pastor of
St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a weekly devotion
previously entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor." When I retired
many asked me to continue writing these devotions. So I have continued
writing. However, with life's changes I now call this weekly devotion
"Journeys Through Life as a Child of God." Since I am no longer
senior pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send this message to those
who asked to receive it. (However, I am currently as Vacancy Pastor for
First Lutheran Church in Gainesville, FL.)
So, if you stopped receiving
these devotions and wondered why, now you understand. And, if you are now
receiving these devotions and do not wish to receive them, please let me know,
and I’ll gladly remove your name from my distribution list. My e-mail
address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My prayer is that these
devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather
Vacancy Pastor, First Lutheran
Church, Gainesville, FL
Pastor Emeritus, St. John
Lutheran Church, Palmer, AK
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 a)
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