Scripture
– 1 Peter 5 NASB
Therefore,
I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion,
but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but
with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but
proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you
will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject
to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one
another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
Therefore
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the
proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of
sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a
roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith,
knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your
brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the
God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself
perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and
ever. Amen.
Through
Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him ), I have written to you
briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand
firm in it! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you
greetings, and so does my son, Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Peace
be to you all who are in Christ.
Bob’s
thoughts:
We
were a little early and took seats in the back, as is our custom. Most of those
coming in stopped to greet us or said hello from where they were, and many came
later to extend Christ’s peace. Enjoyed the conversations and the great back
scratch.
The
wide pew spacing was comfortable as I could stretch out my leg when my knee
acted up. A nice wooden cross got my attention.
The
sermon, “What Do We Do With the Grace of God?” was part of a series and talked
about how do we share our wealth in Christ by lifting others up.
As a
Marine, the admonishment to be not proud, be humble, was a hard place to get to,
and I still struggle at times. The similarity that as Christians we have
brothers all over the world who are going through the same things we are, or
have, or will be. Much like the Marines, we encourage each other and help or
guide each other through.
When
we were here last, I remembered the church collected canceled stamps for a
fundraiser, so when I saw a bag of them I had saved, this seemed like a good
place to visit. Plus, knowing the pastor is a Marine I thought we could share
some of our experiences. It seems like God used that to get us here as they no
longer collect stamps and the pastor and church were celebrating the 100th
birthday of a member and elder and we didn’t want to steal time to talk. I was
glad to share a few words and maybe talk more when we meet again.
Jan’s
thoughts:
We
arrived while Sunday school was still in session, so after wandering just a
bit, we found seats and as members began filtering in, each welcomed us on
their way past. We were warmly welcomed before, during, and after worship by a
number of people as well as being invited to attend the luncheon in honor of
the 100th birthday of a member.
We
recognized some people, but our last visit was six years ago so much has
changed in this very traditional church. One major change is that the church is
now part of the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
At
one point there seemed to be some miscommunication about the next hymn, and I
was impressed with the flexibility of the organist and soloist.
“What
Do We Do With the Grace of God?” was the message title, and the focus was on suffering.
No one wants to experience suffering, but it is how we learn discipline, direction,
and strength. God uses our pain to refine and mold us. The pastor reminded his
listeners that “powerful stuff comes from the suffering God allows.” I am in
complete agreement.
The
pastor encouraged his flock to share their painful experiences with others to
help them overcome and find meaning in their suffering. He delved into some of
God’s gifts, mentioning peace, grace, mercy, and opportunity. He stated that
failure is not an excuse to give up, but an opportunity to forsake pride and move
forward.
Suffering
is not a popular topic in the churches we’ve attended, but I believe more
people should hear these words. So many seem to think life should be easy and
free of challenge. I don’t personally know anyone who lives that sort of life,
believer or otherwise, so we really need to make peace with suffering and believe
God has a good purpose for our pain.
Our
prayer for this church:
Lord,
You have blessed this church with a much-needed parking area, and we pray You
will bring people to them and fill Your church. Amen.