A Set of Instructions

We recently went out of town of the weekend, and my dad came to stay with the kids. Thanks, Dad! Even though he is a pretty good dad it has been a while since he had to hold his own with little ones. Not that raising kids has changed much since he had to do it, but each kid has different habits, preferences and needs. So before we left, we wrote down a set of instructions. This is the routine. They like to eat this. Here is how you get to school. After you are done washing the cars, mowing the lawn, fixing the fence and putting a fresh coat of paint on the house… Ok. Those last few were made up, but you get the idea. We gave him instructions to help him and the kids enjoy the time they had together. And what a blessing it was for everyone.

This is kind of what the letters in chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation are like. They are written to seven churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). There is a form that is almost the same for everyone. Something good is mentioned. Which is followed by something bad. Then something that requires repentance. And, finally a promise.

The point of these letters is to prepare the church to receive the message of following chapters. We do a bit of a gut check on our relationship with our God. Have we forgotten our first love? Our we neither warm nor cold? Do we hear Jesus knocking on the door? But they don't all assume that we are failing. Are we needing encouragement? Are we needing that reminder that no matter what is going on in our lives and world that it is not bigger than our God, and that it is not outside of his ability to work?

This is what the letters do, and in reading them we prepare ourselves to receive the message of the rest of the book. Be sure, this is not a works righteousness kind of thing. Think of like self examination before receiving communion. And in doing this reflection time we see our need for Jesus, our savior, and are reminded that he is always with us. We cannot do it on our own, and neither do we have to. What an awesome and wonderful blessing.

I pray that you know the comfort and joy of this blessing this week and always.

 

Pastor CJ

Remember Your First Love

We started this topic last time we are all together, and this will be the place where we pick up next time. So I will take the next few posts and share some thoughts about this great book. The book of Revelation is one of my most favorite books of the bible. This is a book that is often misunderstood and the meaning and significance is watered-down and best and completely lost at worse.

One of the main and important themes of the book is a call to the church to remember that which is most important. It is easy to get caught up in all kinds of different things in life. It is easy to get distracted and to lose sight of the goal. It is easy to not allow the main thing to be the main thing. What is true for life in general, is also true for the church. The church can and does get caught in things and issues, that while they may be important, are not the most important. We get caught up in things that are not the main thing.

Revelation calls us back to that which is most important. It call us to keep that main thing, the main thing. It calls us to remember our first love. Chapter one opens with a vision of our risen and ascended lord and savior, Jesus. Now at first glance this image would prove to be quite scary. However, each of the different descriptions that are given paint a picture of the One who will not be moved, shaken or destroyed by any force in all of creation. This one is the one who loves and cares for the church, and this same one is the one who is with the church, therefore she need not fear anything.

The task she has been given to do is difficult. It can be quite costly at times. It can be easy to get quite distracted. However, our Lord is faithful and able to give us the grace and everything that we need. So that in those times when we forget our first love, we repent. And then we know that our loving and gracious lord does forgive us. He sends us back out into the world, so that they too can know of his love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.

May his presence in your life be a constant source of joy and strength for you.

Sincerely,
Pastor CJ

A word about small groups

This Sunday, our community time will be spent in the Small Group forum in the fellowship hall. I would strongly encourage you to consider participating in and being a part of a small group. Small groups are a place where people can connect and grow on a level much deeper than what is usually allowed in a more public setting. At the same time they are safe and non-threatening environments. You don't have to have a certain level of knowledge or skill in order to be in a small group, you simply have to be committed to attending the meetings.

Small groups can do any number of things, and don't have to be limited to study groups only. Your group can spend time together and hang out, you can watch movies, share a meal, share a devotion, participate in a service event. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

I know for me and my family small group time is something that is looked forward to with great eagerness and expectation. For the children in the small group it is a time for them to play together and they do this very well. In fact, if we go too long without meeting the children will begin to complain that we are not attending small group enough.

But small groups are not just about doing things. It is about being a part of a group where you know you are loved, accepted, cared for and prayed for. It is about being with people who will love us and accept us no matter what we struggle with. It is about us being able to love and accept others no matter what they are struggling with. It is a wonderful opportunity.

1 John 4:7-11 is about God's love for us, and therefore we love one another. It sums up nicely what life in a small group can be like. Please pray this week about your involvement in this wonderful opportunity.

God's blessings, peace and joy in Jesus be yours this week and always.

Sincerely,

Pastor CJ

Great Question

Great question left on the blog this week. My response will be after the question.

If Satan and other angels were in heaven and got thrown out b/c of their sin (thinking they were better than GOD), what assurance do I have that I will not be thrown out of heaven? Now Jesus bought my ticket to heaven because of his death, however, I don't want to get there and to be hurled away from heaven, like Satan and his followers. So when we say that Jesus died for my sins are we talking about the time I live here on Earth? Or does this include time on Earth and Heaven? And if your response to me is that it covers both, does God wire up an anti-sinning filter in our heads? I am assuming that we have free will in Heaven, which scares me b/c I know of my sinful nature here on Earth.

Perhaps it is helpful here to talk about sin and human nature and human beings. While all human beings are corrupted by sin, sin is not a part of the creation of human beings. Humans were not originally created as sinful, nor where they created with sin. Sin was something that came into the creation after everything was created. It was never meant to be a part of the picture.

However, because of pride, doubt and the desire to be God, sin did enter the picture. And ever since this fall into sin, human beings have been born corrupted by sin. So while a human being is sinful, a human being is not sin. Since sin was not part of the original creation, then sin will also not be part of the new creation. Of course this is not because of anything that we do or have done to deserve it. But this is because of what Jesus did on the cross. His death earned for you and me the forgiveness of sins, life everlasting and salvation. Our sin is removed from us as far as the east is from the west.

While we experience our own sinfulness on this side of things, and we daily struggle with sin, when Jesus returns and the resurrection takes place, then our bodies will be raised and they will no longer be corrupted by sin. And if you are lucky enough to still be alive when Jesus returns then your body will be changed in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye and you will no longer be tainted and corrupted by sin. So when we get to heaven, we will be there, but without the sin. Thus there will be no need for an anti-sinning filter, because there will be no sin.

So while I would also assume that there is free will in Heaven, I also believe that we will still have memories from earth and an understanding of all that had happen to get us there, and therefore we won't have to worry about sin re-entering into the picture.

Great question! Thanks for posting it. I'm looking forward to continuing this conversation in the weeks to come. God's blessings, peace and resurrection joy be yours now and always.

 

Sincerely,

Pastor CJ