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June 27, 2007
In Pastor's Words
How About Some “Let Us” This Summer!
It’s the “good ole summer time” again with beautiful warm days, long daylight hours, and fresh garden produce, with lettuce, of course. The Bible would have us enjoy some of its own “let us” as we make our way through the next several weeks before school starts up again. In Hebrews 10:19-25 the writer admonishes, 1) “let us” draw near to God, 2) “let us” hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, 3) “let us” consider how we may spur one another to love and good deeds, 4) “let us” not give up meeting together, and 5) “let us” encourage one another. Central to the writer’s argument in this passage is “let us” not give up meeting together as a Church body for the purposes of drawing near to God, holding fast to our hope, spurring one another to good deeds and encouraging one another.
The writer of Hebrews admonishes us, “let us” not give up meeting together. Why? First, we meet together regularly that we might draw near to God. One can certainly draw near to God through reading the Bible, prayer and service. But part of our experience in drawing near to God “comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). Second, we meet regularly to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.” Reinforcing our faith on a weekly basis, through recitation of the Creed, affirmation in music, study of the Word and the encouragement of others by our attendance, all help us to remain faithful to God. Third, we meet regularly to “spur one another to love and good deeds.” Our presence in the church body has a “spurring” effect to witness, to give, to serve and to love that has no equal. Fourth, we meet regularly to encourage one another or to instill within our fellow and sister worshippers the courage to meet life’s myriad challenges. At a time in history when our mechanical and technical devices seem to drive us farther and farther from the interdependence that God has designed for His people, the Church offers a place where personalized love and encouragement are still found in abundance.
One church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I’ve gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.” This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher. “I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this . . . they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today! “
To help encourage all of us to enjoy some of God’s summer “let us,” we’ll be delving into the very practical and user-friendly messages from the Book of James for the next several weeks. Please join us and find a warm welcome with our Zion family on Sunday mornings.
Pastor Ralph Partelow
Posted by Jennifer Herrmann at June 27, 2007 02:47 PM