Tag Archives: Faith

Faith in Jesus Christ which comes through the presence of the Holy Spirit

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on June 19, 2015
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Who Am I? I Am Thine! — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 19, 2015

“When Jesus had finished…he went away from there, and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son?” Matthew 13:54-55

“Who am I? They often tell me
I would step from my cells’ confinement
calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
like a squire from his country-house.

Who am I? They often tell me
I would talk to my warders
freely and friendly and clearly,
as though it were mine to command.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I know of myself,
restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
struggling for breath, as though hands were
compressing my throat…

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions
of mine.
Whoever I am, thou knowest, O G*d, I am thine.”

Letters and Papers from Prison
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906 – 1945)
(P. 107 – 108) “For All The Saints” volume II

“Is not this the carpenter’s son?”, comes the question of the hometown folk. “Who am I?” comes the question of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his poem. It begs the question we must ask ourselves every day: Am I a carpenter, a lawyer, a butcher, a pastor, or am I a child of G*d? No matter how others look to define us, or how society wants to label us, we have one important identity: child of G*d. Jesus was both, the child of G*d and the child of a carpenter. We too carry multiple labels within us — but only one is truly defining: child of G*d.

A Closing Prayer for the Evening

Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for the things I have done that make me feel uncomfortable in Your presence. All the front that I polish so carefully for men to see, does not deceive You. For You know every thought that has left its shadow on my memory. Thou hast marked every motive that curdled something sweet within me. I acknowledge, with sorrow and true repentance, that:

I have desired that which I should not have;
I have toyed with what I knew was not for me;
I have been preoccupied with self-interest;
I have invited unclean thoughts into my mind and entertained them as honored guests;
My ears have often been deaf to Your whisper;
My eyes have been often blind to the signs of Your guidance.

Make me willing to be changed, even though it requires surgery of the soul, and the therapy of discipline. Make my heart warm and soft, that I may receive and accept now the blessings of Your forgiveness, the benediction of Your “Depart in peace….and sin no more.” In Jesus’ name…….Amen

Peter Marshall (1902 – 1949) “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 103-104)

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on June 18, 2015
Tags: Faith, , , , ,   

Evil Can Be Undone — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 18, 2015

“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.” Abraham said, “Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you many not be able….” Luke 16:19 – 26

“I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road. A wrong sum can be put right: but only by going back til you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it cannot “develop” into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, “with backward mutters of dissevering power” — or else not.” “The Great Divorce” C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) “For All The Saints”, volume II (p. 102-103)

I was spending the weekend as the chaplain for a local youth event, when I was summoned to a small group with a young woman who had a question. She wanted to know if Hell was a real place. For her argument, she referenced this text from Luke 16 and the story of Lazarus to state that she believed in Hell. I took a moment to collect my thoughts, because I wanted to make sure I was clear in my opinion, because I had the same opinion as C.S. Lewis – at least in this manner of thought: that we must take some responsibility for the separation we experience from our Lord. If we ignore that relationship, then this separation can continue into the “age to come”. (I was also influenced by the writings of Rob Bell, and in particular the book “Love Wins”.) Because the text from Luke mentions the place “Hades”, Jesus is using a place that the Jews clearly understood as having two realms — the realm of bliss (Abraham’s Bosom) and the place of torment. I went on to explain that our lives are in torment when we separate ourselves from G*d.

Whether there is a place of eternal torment is yet to be determined (in my mind), but my efforts now are to be in relationship with G*d. I would never believe that this entitles me to eternal life, but I believe that Jesus has won that right for me. Any attempts I make to remove myself from a relationship with G*d places me in torment now, and when I come to myself and realize the road I find myself on, I rework my thoughts and actions to place my self back on the right road. It cannot be accomplished by wishes or “plans” — it takes the work of setting ourselves back on the right path.  Ultimately our work is not so that we will receive eternal life, but “because” Christ brings us eternal life now, and in the age to come.

Pastor Dave