Grateful for All Things Good

Giving thanks is not just for mealtimes. Gratitude is a whole way of life giving thanks to God for all good things.

I appreciate the following thoughts from G.K. Chesterton and John Stott that encourage us to giving thanks for all good things. Both are found in John Stott’s commentary on 1 Timothy and Titus, part of The Bible Speaks Today series (p. 115).

G.K. Chesterton beautifully writes:
You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before the concert and pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing;
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.

John Stott agrees and writes:
We should determine, then, to recognize and acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate, all the gifts of the Creator: the glory of the heavens and of the earth, of mountain, river and sea, of forest and flowers, of birds, beasts and butterflies, and of the intricate balance of the natural environment; the unique privileges of our humanness (rational, moral, social and spiritual), as we were created in God’s image and appointed his stewards; the joys of gender, marriage, sex, children, parenthood and family life, and of our extended family and friends; the rhythm of work and rest, of daily work as a means to cooperate with God and serve the common good, and of the Lord’s day when we exchange work for worship; the blessings of peace, freedom, justice, and good government, and of food and drink, clothing and shelter; and our human creativity expressed in music, literature, painting, sculpture and drama, and in the stills and strengths displayed in sport.

To reject these things is to abandon the faith, since it insults the Creator. To receive them thankfully and celebrate them joyfully is to glorify God, ‘who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment’ (1 Tim. 6:17).

I would add: we give thanks for Jesus who has saved us from our sins and given us a new life in Him. We thank Him for the freedom, power, and grace to serve Him faithfully and others with mercy and compassion.

Friends, give thanks for all things good!

Warmly,

Pastor Jeff

The Church has an Image Problem

This Friday, November 21, we have an opportunity to discuss the image problem of the church. We have an opportunity to hear from those outside the church and actively listen to their concerns, insights, and valid gripes regarding Christianity. I look forward to this time as we reflect on these concerns and gain a clearer perspective on how we can live out of our Christian faith more graciously and powerfully. I encourage you to come and invite others to this important discussion.

Warmly,

Pastor Jeff

Come to Jesus Moment

This morning as I listened to my daily dose of NPR (National Public Radio), I was somewhat surprised by a statement from a quest on their program. This man described the current economic crisis and the potential GM bailout. In regards to the GM leadership, the economist, in a manner of fact way, stated that the GM executives need to have a “come to Jesus moment.” He was saying this: They need to come to grips that their product is radically broken and they need something to save them in order to make a new and improved product. This “savior” was not the government bailing them out, he emphasized, but a new way of thinking in the development of their autos. Now I heard this statement after a lengthy discussion with some folks yesterday at Starbucks. One man just recently lost his job and another man is struggling to make it directly due to the economic crisis. Once they found out that I was a pastor, the man who lost his job inquired, “I bet a lot people in light of this current economic downturn are coming back to the church much like 9-11?” Basically, he assumed many are having “a come to Jesus moment.”

As I think much about what is going on in our nation and the world as it relates to the economy, there are grave concerns among us (me included). How will we survive as a nation? How will we survive personally? Where are we going to make sense out these tough times? Is there someone who cares about these things? Is there someone to help me with my fears or anxiousness? Is my financial success all that brings meaning to my life? Is there something else that can give me lasting value or significance?

I hope in these hard times that both Christian and non-Christian consider Jesus and have “a come to Jesus moment” or more importantly “a come Jesus life-changing encounter.” For the Christian, my prayer is for us to see that there is more to life than pursuing the America dream but we are to pursue Jesus and his ways. God calls us to serve as Jesus served giving ourselves in sacrificial ways. When Jesus’ disciples were arguing over who is the best, he gently but firmly confronts them,

42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45).

For the Christian, we must believe more deeply the great cost of our Savior to die for us in order for us to live for Him and others. I know that I am guilty at times of living a self-consumed life. The love of money can have a powerful impact on what we value (nice house, huge amounts in savings and retirement plans, expensive clothes, new cars, etc.) None of these are wrong in of themselves, but when hard times hit and we become overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, we know that we have misplaced our devotion from God to money and what it brings.

However, Jesus has great love for us as He ultimately demonstrated by His death on the cross for all our sins. Because of this relationship Christians have with Jesus, He empowers us to live in a radical generous way. So when hard times come, we are not destroyed or bankrupted by fear or anxiety for our ultimate hope is not in financial success but in Jesus and the satisfying relationship He brings to those who are known by Him.

If you are one who is reading this and not a follower of Jesus, I would encourage you to consider Jesus and experience “ a come to Jesus moment.” Consider the above words of Jesus in Mark 10. Finally, consider these words of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. I know that when I truly come to Jesus, he helps me with my fears and anxiety!

6:19-34
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

7:24-28
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes."


Warmly,


Pastor Jeff