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 1, 2015
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Filling the Emptiness of Our Lives — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 1, 2015

“Then Naomi said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your G*d my G*d.” Ruth 1:15-16

“Here in chapter 1, of course, is the most famous passage in Ruth: “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (1:16). The bitterness of Naomi is not the whole of the story. Ruth’s loyalty, Ruth’s love for her mother-in-law holds the promise of something more, as does the final verse of this chapter: “They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest” (1:22). Naomi is empty (1:21), but faithful Ruth is right beside her, and the harvest is coming.” Commentary on Ruth 1:1–4:22 from the Working Preacher website, by Kathryn Schifferdecker, August 10, 2014

Naomi is empty. I think this is a wonderful way to talk about the situation in which Naomi finds herself. She has lost her husband, and lost her two sons, who would have been the only source of security she could depend upon. Her plea to her daughter-in-laws Ruth and Orpah is for their sake — not for hers. If the daughters had any chance to live without much of a struggle, they could return to their homeland and find husbands who would be their security. If they go with Naomi, they travel to a foreign land where their hope for survival would be minimal at best. So, even in the empty situation that Naomi finds herself, she is ministering to her daughter-in-laws – out of her emptiness she is trying to fill their lives.

Orpah goes home. Ruth on the other hand seeks to help fill Naomi’s life — and possibly her own — trusting in a G*d with whom she now trusts her life: “your people shall be my people, and your G*d my G*d.” The rest of the story is played out in Naomi’s home. Ruth’s trust is rewarded — G*d provides.

G*d is ready to fill the emptiness of our lives — all of us. We come to Jesus with open hearts, and he will fill them to where we will be over-flowing with love, grace and mercy.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on May 28, 2015
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A Bad Case of “The Itch” — Rev. David J. Schreffler

May 28, 2015

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4

“In all the mess of modern thoughtlessness, that still calls itself modern thought, there is perhaps nothing so stupendously stupid as the common saying “Religion can never depend on minute disputes about doctrine.” It is like saying that life can never depend on minute disputes about medicine.” It is a fact that many a man would be dead today, if his doctors had not debated fine shades about doctoring.”
G. K. Chesterton (1874 – 1936) “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 27-28)

Clarke’s Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:3

“For the time will come – There is a time coming to the Church when men will not hear the practical truths of the Gospel, when they will prefer speculative opinions, which either do no good to the soul, or corrupt and destroy it, to that wholesome doctrine of “deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow me,” which Jesus Christ has left in his Church. But after their own lusts – For these they will follow, and hate those preachers and that doctrine by which they are opposed.”

In the times that we face now in the church, we are inundated with different opinions and different translations of scripture and what it might mean for us as we try to live in this world. The “…time to come” is now – and I think there is more confusion within the believers and followers of Jesus than ever. l sit and listen to my colleagues argue interpretation of scripture, and I see the anguish on the faces of lay people wanting to find some sense of understanding, and my heart sinks on a regular basis — because I am just as confused on some days. It is no wonder then that people “…heap to themselves teachers to suit their likings”. Clarke goes on to say – “They will add one teacher to another, run and gad about after all, to find out those who insist not on the necessity of bearing the cross, of being crucified to the world, and of having the mind that was in Jesus. In this disposition interested men often find their account; they set up for teachers, “and widen and strew with flowers the way, down to eternal ruin,” taking care to soothe the passions and flatter the vices of a trifling, superficial people.”

The inclination of the human mind is “…to have itching ears”. I don’t know what the answer is for the terrible case of “itching ears” except this – that we continue to pray upon and discern the way that the Holy Spirit may guide us in community – rather than dividing ourselves off or going our own way. It will be together that we find the “truth of the gospel” – through the Word of Scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Dave