Using God's Gifts

"Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." 1 Peter 4:10 NRSV

We have all received gifts from God that can and are to be used to serve God and God's children. The Holy Spirit has not left anyone without at least a gift or two or many to be used for the glory of God and in the ministry of the gospel of  Jesus the Christ for all people.

If you are gifted with musical talents; there is always plenty of room to join with others in ministering through music. If you teach, we need teachers. There are also those gifts and talents that some might think have nothing to do with the ministry of the Church. But, you would be wrong. We need people to plow the parking lot so people can get into the church to worship or to study and hear God's Word. We need janitors and sextons to help with the general upkeep and cleaning of the property that God has given to us. The Body of Christ needs people who work well with youth or really enjoy visiting our seniors. There are those who cannot, for whatever reason, are home-bound. You can pray. You can make phone calls to reach out to others who may be alone and lonely. Not one person in the church on earth has been left without gifts or talents to serve one another.

May God help us to joyfully serve the Lord and one another with the gifts that He has so graciously given to each of us.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Proclamation: The Mission



Yes, indeed, it is all "for the Lord!"

For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”

And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

“Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”

Heb 2:11-13

 

Today we will gather together at our annual meeting. We will review the past year. Even as we do, may God help us to glean, from that information, insight into how best we can serve our God and all of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

As we meet this morning let us not just look back; but, forward, considering the mission which God has called us to. We are not a social club. We are a community of saints called by God to proclaim God's name and what He has done and does do for us.

 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9

 

As we plan for the future serving God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, may God help us to remember our mission. According to the mission statement we unanimously approved at an annual meeting a few years ago: Our mission is to proclaim and teach the true word of God; to nurture members in the Faith; to reach out in witness and service, ministering to the community, and to participate in God’s mission throughout the world.

 

May God help us to be fruitful in the mission He has called us to.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hebrews 1 - Ministering Angels

Hebrews 1 NIV

One of my most often used prayers for little children is that the Lord would send his warrior angels to guard and protect them. As I lay my hands on their heads and pray for them, I can see their little faces just light up with hope. Their parents' faces usually light up as well. You see, the world can get pretty yucky for adults; but, for many children it can be most horrendous. Children need protection. Many live in fear, sometimes in fear of their parents. All it takes is to watch or read the local news and we see verification for their many fears. Most of them probably do not even understand the whole reality of the dangers that are out their lurking for them. Am I a pessimist when it comes to the world? In some regards, most probably. But, I have hope in the Kingdom of God and the one who rules that Kingdom, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

There is hope. We have hope and salvation, spoken to us by God's firstborn Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Included in that universe are the angels, whom He made to be ministering spirits, sent to serve all who would inherit salvation.

First and foremost we have the Son who lives and reigns at the right hand of the Father. He is with us always, overseeing all that goes on in our lives. He sends his angels to minister to those who believe. And... by the looks on the faces of the little children, they believe. Even as the angels ministered to Jesus (Matt 4:11), they are sent to minister us. We do not pray to them. Our trust is in not in the angels; rather, it is in God, our Father, and our Lord Jesus the Christ who has directed them to minister to all of God's children.

May all God's little children be protected from the evil, harm and trouble that surrounds them as they are filled with the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Col 2:16-23 Angels

Colossians 2:16-23 NIV
St. Paul wrote:  "Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you." (vs 18) So what about angels? Every now and then I am jolted by the reality that someone I know depends on angels more than they depend on Jesus.

Just because something or someone exists in the spiritual realms does not mean that we should worship them or put our trust in them. We do not worship the creature. Rather, we ought to worship and put our trust in the one who has charge over the spiritual realms; the one who created the spiritual realms; the one who created all things.

Angels have many purposes. Some are messengers. Some have been deliverers of God judgment. Some are ministering spirits. Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptations by the devil in the wilderness. Angels are beings created by God to serve according to God's will.

We are not to worship angels. We cannot serve two gods. Angels did not create you. They, themselves, are created beings. Angels did not die for you. Jesus did. By worshipping and honoring angels; by lifting them up more than we lift us Christ, we lose the connection we have with the head, from whom the whole body grows, who is Jesus the Christ. We are to worship the one who has charge over angels and not the angels.

God's Peace - Pr. J