Tag Archives: Matthew

Jesus is the Messiah

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on October 16, 2015
Tags: Matthew,   

Serving One Lord — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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October 16, 2015

“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Matthew 6:24

“I want to advise you to leave everything but I do not want to be presumptuous. If therefore you are unable to abandon everything which the world offers, you must so hold those things that are of this world that you may not be held by them in the world; that earthly interests may be possessed, not be the possessor, and that what you have should be under the control of your mind.” Gregory the Great (540 – 604) Homily 36, “For All The Saints”, volume II (p. 948)

It is one thing to say “I want to live in this world but not be affected by that world” — and then to go forward each day being successful with that request. We all, to some degree or another, are products of our environments and our unique places in the world. Gregory the Great goes on to say in his homily that it is not necessary to give up everything, as long as the things we use are not “Lords” over us and as long as we can leave them at any time in service to our true Lord. For example, I think it is true to say that there are some places we can live in this world where we do not need a car, like New York City, and other major cities in the world. But for those of us who live in rural parts of the country, having a car is a necessity. And when we go looking for a car, we have so many choices, new and old, brand after brand after brand. We could buy the most expensive and exquisite car on the lot, but it may lord over us in the financial committment and in our incessant concern for its upkeep and care. On the other hand, a nice used car with a few bumps and bruises which runs well even though it does not have the latest gadgets like the “in-car espresso machine” would serve us just as well.

Serving one master is time consuming enough, and should be time-consuming for all of us – time that is worthy of our full attention and utilization of our gifts for G*d.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on September 7, 2015
Tags: , Matthew   

Hold Nothing Back — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

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September 7, 2015

“While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
Mark 14:3-9

“During the years that the Lord Jesus was on earth a large number of events took place. Among them there were only two that we are especially told to remember. First, we are to remember the Lord’s Table. And second, we are to remember the action of the woman in the home of Simon the leper…

Of all the events that have occurred throughout the world all through the centuries the vast majority are not worth remembering. Yet wherever the gospel is preached we shall remember this woman. …if we are to be remembered in a way that endures there is only one way to do it. We must for the Lord’s sake break the alabaster jar. And we must offer ourselves entirely to G*d.” A sermon “Mary Breaks An Alabaster Jar” John Sung (1902 – 1944) “For All The Saints” volume II (p. 794)

If we want to pour something out entirely, there is no quicker way to do it than to break the item open entirely. If you have a bottle of anything, to pop open the top means you can pour it out, but in a controlled fashion. But, if you break it open, it will pour out, and there is no stopping the flow. In the same way, we want to give of ourselves to G*d, but usually only in a “controlled” fashion. We pour out a little here, and a little there, thinking we are giving in a manner that many will “see our good works that glorify our Father in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16)

This is not why Mary is remembered — at least according to John Sung — and I agree. Mary did not just pour out a small amount over Jesus’ head, she shattered it (not over Jesus’ head) but shattered it in a manner that she could then pour it all on Jesus. She held nothing back, and because the ointment was so expensive, her deed is doubly blessed — she gave an expensive gift — she held nothing back.

When we give ourselves to G*d, we are giving an expensive gift — because each person is priceless. Dare we give G*d only a little here, and a little there? Or, should be break ourselves open and pour ourselves out to G*d? It is our decision….

Pastor Dave