December 15, 2023 – Never Needing Repetition

“But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:26b

The Greek word translated as “once for all” is the word “Hapax”. The literal translation is “once for all, never needing repetition”. The implication is clear: Christ has appeared to the world one time for all people, for all time, to act definitively and purposely to remove sin from the world through his death and resurrection. It is a firm statement on the saving work of Jesus for all people, for all time. He has come into this age, to usher in a new age, but this age must be brought to completion. That is where you and I come into the picture. We are the ones who are to be part of the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ. In joining Jesus in his ministry we are doing the work necessary to bring to completion the work of this age.

The question you may ask is “What is the work that needs to be done?” The answer is multi-layered, like an onion. The more we strip away the façade of the quick fixes by government and see the inner reality of our communities, we come to realize that many of our people are broken, and our communities are broken as well. We cannot fix them alone – we need the assistance of other people, and of course we need the presence of the Holy Spirit. Christ has come, once for all time, to take upon himself the sins of the world. Christ will come again to take us all to the place he has prepared for each one of us (John 14).

Just look around you each and every day – you will see where our presence is needed – and where Jesus is absent as we continue as co-workers with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Dave

December 16, 2023 — Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

“When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Matthew 21:1 – 9

It is easy to see G-d in the extraordinary, in the sacred, and in the beauty of the earth. It is not so easy to see G-d in the ordinary, the everyday, the dull, the dim, and the dank. Yet, if we proclaim that G-d is in all things, then we should see G-d in ALL things.

I do not like winter. Spring is my favorite time of year. In the winter there are so many things happening – we are watching out for bad weather, we are preparing for Christmas, there are gifts to purchase, and many services to prepare. As such it can be hard to see and to feel G-d’s presence. And yet G-d continues to be alive and active in so many ways. When it gets dark at 5:00 pm in the evening and the cold chills you to the bone it is easy to see how many people can feel down and depressed in the winter. Combine that with the problems and tribulations that life can bring it is no wonder many can feel alone this time of year.

What I have learned in my life is this: when I feel as if G-d has forgotten about me, then I need to pay more attention to G-d. Just because things may have soured in my life does not mean that G-d has forsaken me. I need to remind myself every day that Christ is still active, in the midst of the bad, and in the presence of the good, and in the mix of the mundane. Christ is always there, I just need to find ways to keep my eyes on the prize.

Pastor Dave