Music Time

The majority of this week's service consisted of music and song led by Chuck Vanderscheuren and friends from the Salvation Army group he and Darlene make music with. After the a greeting from Pastor Brad and a reading from the Pslams by Chuck, the service almost all worship and singing.

Pastor shared a brief message encouraging us to live the faith we profess. Here are some pictures providing an overview of today's singers and musicians: Jim Stensrude, Karen Moore, Tom Kari, Sreve Leslie, Ed Newman, Chuck, Darlene and Ken.

L to R: Ken Smith, Steve Leslie, Darlene and Chuck warm up beforehand.

Darlene and Steve Leslie get in tune.

L to R: Tom Kari, Ed Newman, Karen Moore and Jim Stensrud.

Praise the Lord.
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
                               Psalm 150:1-3

Freedom

Click image to enlarge

Hot summer days are here this first Sunday in July. It’s a beautiful weekend in the rural Northland.

Chuck brought a group of bluegrass-style music friends to church this morning so it was fun having worship accompanied by drums, bass, keyboards, mandolin, harmonica and washboard. Your faithful blogger contributed with a few harmonica accents and harmonies.
 

Freedom

At the beginning of the service Pastor Brad gave us a riddle that hinted at the summary of out message today. He asked, "How is a farmer like a cow?"

began by reading Psalm 49 (which I recommend reading now.)

A man steps out from the pages of the bible and he has a riddle that applies to everyone -- rich, poor, wise, ignorant, believers and atheists. We need to listen because his words will give wisdom. The word used for "wisdom" here means a skill for living. And we will also have understanding. Insight. Understand means we see into things. Instead of just seeing only the surface, we learn to see behind the surface…

The psalmist is giving it in the form of a song, about a proverb…. “With my harp I will expound my riddle.”

A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish. In other words, sometimes a man can be like a cow.

This psalm was written by a man living in an evil time. Not unlike the days we live in today. The righteous have a difficult time and are at a disadvantage.

The man in this story was swindled, taken advantage of, and it tested his faith. But out of this bitter experience he had come to wisdom.

The psalm makes reference to Exodus 21:30. "However, if payment is demanded of him, he may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded." The law allows a person with means to buy freedom from penalty of death in a situation.

But in the final analysis, neither money nor a Ph.D. will save you or me from death. Philanthropy doesn’t save you. People have states, or cities or streets named after them….but in the end they all die. Even the richest men, despite their riches, can not endure. He is like the beasts which perish. 

The recognition that nothing can save us from death changes our perspective.

Brad told a story about a man who found a newspaper that is from six months in the future. The man gets excited about reading where stocks will be in six months, underdog teams that become champions. He realizes that gambling and investment opportunities will make him exceedingly wealthy soon. He then turns the page and sees... his own obituary. 

Brad the shared about an order of Trappist monks who dig a grave that they leave open. Each day the monks go out and look at the open grave. When one of their number dies,  he is put in the grave and a new grave is dug. They do this for perspective.

What’s the understanding this psalm writer has in mind? It's this: when life is over it is not over.

Death will feed on those in the grave. Death is like a shepherd that leads his flock to the slaughterhouse. This is their end.

It's important to keep perspective. Do not be overawed when man gets rich. When people die, they die naked. They do not take with them their splendor, their bank account, etc. The wicked go into the darkness of the tomb. They also go into the darkness of eternity.

But when life is over it is not over. For the righteous, there is light ahead of them. For the righteous, God can pay the price that saves from death.

"If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Rom. 10:9

Jesus has gone before us. He went to the tomb and rose to life. What happened to Him will happen to us. This is the understanding that changes everything for us. Therein lies the freedom we all so desperately desire.

Farmer and cow… both will die. The farmer who does not have understanding is no more than a beast.

Brad shared how easy Chuck’s cows have it… no stress, easy life getting fat, no responsibilities. But those cows are being fattened for slaughter. If the farmer dies with no more understanding than the cow, then his end is no better than the cow’s.

John Wesley once visited a wealthy man at his fabulous estate. The wealthy man said, “You know, you could have had all this.” Wesley said in the next life he will have more.

This understanding changes everything. When life is over, it is not over. This is the gospel.

We then shared Communion as Brad affirmed, "The object of our trust should be Jesus."

POSTSCRIPT:  This was the first time in a lifetime of attending church to hear a sermon on Psalm 49. The insights were refreshing, but inadequately captured here. Reading this blog is probably a good thing, being present for the service would have been better. Especially this Sunday.

God Doesn't Give Us Answers, He Is The Answer

Pastor welcomed us by noting that today was the first Sunday after Epiphany, which speaks of Jesus revealing Himself. Sunshine filled the sanctuary as Brad introduced his theme for today, sharing how during a crisis of faith when his father died the Book of Ecclesiastes brought light into the dark places in his heart. The author of Ecclesiastes does not give all the answers to life's troubling questions, but shows us who God is.

Opening announcements included the following:
~ Sunday school begins next week. 9:00 a.m.

~ Adventure Club, confirmation and youth group activities begin this Wednesday

~ Women's Bible study begins Friday, Jan. 23

~ Women's Circle will meet this Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

~ Building Committee will meet here at the church Thursday eve at 7:00

After Darlene's introit we were treated to some special music, bluegrass style, by de Elliot Brothers, which included percussion, washtub bass, wash board, harmonicas, slide guitar and some sweet harmonies. Despite the chill outside, hearts were warmed within.

Today's Scripture readings were from Genesis 1:1-5 and Acts 19:1-7... followed by a time of prayer, which included intercession for several people battling cancer or recovering from surgeries.

God Doesn't Give Us Answers, He Is The Answer

Brad opened by talking about his time of soul searching after the loss of his father. We question everything in times like that, including our faith in God's goodness. He said that it's something akin to living life on the back slope of a question mark.

The book's author is someone who refers to himself as The Preacher. The original Hebrew word is Qohelet, which has been translated "a man who addresses an assembly."

According to Brad, rabbis had difficulty with this book. They weren't sure of its aim. By the end of the book much of it appears to be a Naturalistic religion, not necessarily God-inspired. Yet the book is included in the canon of Scripture, and it is included for good reasons, as summarized in these verses from chapter 12:9-11

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one Shepherd.

That is to say, the wisdom here is like tent pegs which give stability in a shaky world.

Good books begin with a prelude that tell us where they're going, and usually summarize the main points in a conclusion. The Book of Ecclesiastes is no different. At the outset, the writer states "Everything is meaningless." Or another way of putting it, "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity." Life is futile.

The conclusion, however, exhibits a less pessimistic sense.

13 Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,

including every hidden thing,

whether it is good or evil.

As Paul writes in II Corinthians 5, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. Hence, wisdom dictates that we "fear God and keep His commandments."

One of the recurring themes in the Book of Ecclesiastes is captured in verse 2:24... "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God..." Verses 3:12, 3:22, 5:18, 8:15 and 9:7 all reiterate this theme which almost sounds Epicurean rather than Christian. "Eat drink and be merry."

Brad noted that there is a distinction between the statement, "Life is vain" and "Life is not worth living." The author of Ecclesiastes can only be understood in the of the admonition at the end to fear God and keep His commandments.

The point Pastor Brad sought to bring home today was this. There are many questions that life throws at you, especially during the hard times, and especially those challenging "Why?" questions. But there is no promise in Scripture that all these questions will get answered for us, either now or later. We all want to have pat answers, to see everything complete and have it all figured out. The truth is, you will never figure it out.

He compared it to trying to solve complicated crossword puzzles with a limited vocabulary.

Here are more verses that are challenging to wrestle with.

Eccles. 6:1-2

"I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil."

Also, vs. 9:11

"I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift

or the battle to the strong,

nor does food come to the wise

or wealth to the brilliant

or favor to the learned;

but time and chance happen to them all."

Sometime life isn't fair. And, verses like Eccles. 2:14 make it almost seem that whether you are good or not hardly matters. "The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both." Isn't this how it feels sometimes, especially when struggling with death and loss? It's like children who build castles in the sand only to see all their creative fun washed away when the tide rolls in.

Why is this so? All our efforts seems so temporary and transitory. It all seems so empty.

In the realm of science we keep rediscovering that there is nothing new under the sun. And in the realm of history, Brad said, it is almost surprising how quickly the men of old are forgotten, and we ourselves will likewise one day be forgotten a few generations from now. This weighs heavily upon us when we begin to think deeply about these things. And as the Preacher, Qohelet, notes in chapter one verse 18, the more you know, the more you realize how much you don't know.

In point of fact, mystery is intentional, Brad stated. God intends for there to be mystery. How we respond to this makes all the difference in the world. Do we live it up? Give up? No, we're to look up.

When we study Ecclesiastes we see that it affirms three things about God. First, God is sovereign. And as Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, God works all thing for good for those who love the Lord."

Second, God is good. And in His goodness, we find many blessings to help us through the difficulties of life. Don't let the questions in your heart so cloud your life that you fail to enjoy the good gifts He gives. Enjoy your food. Savor the coffee. Brad points out that it actually used to be considered a sin not to enjoy life.

Third, God is holy and just. He will bring our deeds to judgment, including not only what we do but what we didn't do, including the failure to enjoy the good things He has given.

God doesn't promise us answers, but He gives us Himself. He is God, and owes us no explanations. But He has also made other promises, including this one, "I will never leave you, I will never forsake you."

Today's sermon seemed especially heartfelt, and as "deep calls unto deep" this message spoke to many hearts today.

Down, But Not Out

The new schedule began this morning, Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. and our worship service at 10:15. Despite a dreary weekend, the pews were full and a warm energy filled the sanctuary as the service began. Pastor Shannon welcomed us and reminded us that we are here to honor Jesus Christ.

Announcements

1. A rummage sale will be held jointly at Gethsemane as a fund raiser for the CHIC trip out youth are planning. If you wish to contribute goods from your fall cleaning, contact Cheryl Borndal.

2. Paula shared that there will be a Circle of Life women's get together on September 20 here at the church from 10 - 2.

3. Building committee is meeting Wednesday evening at Winships, 7 p.m.

Pastor Shannon reversed the order of the service today. Immediately following the opening introit, he commenced with his sermon about the Lord's second letter to the seven churches, this one to Smyrna.

8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Down, But Not Out

Pastor Shannon opened with a series of questions. How many of you like music? How many of you like jazz? How many of you like rock? How many of you like classical? How many of you like country?

The questions were designed to set up the observation that music is a universal language, a truth that is fairly indisputable.

Another universal language, he then pointed out, is suffering. As noted in the book of Job, "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward." (Job 5:7)

John Shelton observed that pleasure is the intermission of pain. In other words, life has more pain and struggle than pleasure. Life is hard.

Jesus Himself noted that in this life you will have trouble.

And so it is, the letter to the church at Smyrna is written to Christians who are well acquainted with sorrows and poverty.

8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."

Of the seven cities to which the letters in Revelation 2 & 3 were written, Smyrna is the only one that is with us to this day. Now Ishmir of Turkey, the city was located approximately forty miles north of Ephesus.

Smyrna was a crown jewel of Rome, an intellectual city noted for both its size and beauty. The polytheistic Smyrna was exceptional in its loyalty to Rome. Its temple was a centerpiece of emperor worship, and their loyalty to Caesar and to the Empire made it challenging for the Christians there. After Nero, it even became deadly to be a follower of Christ, for Smyrna became intolerant of everything the emperor was intolerant of.

The letter to the church at Smyrna is filled with compassion. "I know your afflictions," Jesus says. "I know life is hard for you because you love Me. I know what you are going through."

Yes, Jesus knows first hand what pain is like. In addition, He knows what your pain is like and He cares. "I know it's hard that many of you are without jobs, that many of you are impoverished. Yet... you are rich."

Pastor Shannon reminded us that Scripture nowhere promises a pain free life. Nor does Scripture promise wealth. In point of fact, many of the most blessed Christians are serving in destitute circumstances in appalling Third World conditions.

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:10-12, said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Here in this letter to the church of Smyrna, we read that there is still more suffering to come, but Jesus promises that it will be finite in duration... ten days, which is a short time compared to eternity with Him.

Many passages speak of the brevity of our suffering when compared to eternal life. Paul, to the Corinthians, wrote, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (II Cor 4:16-18)

Peter elaborated on this theme in his letter to the early church.

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy... (I Peter 1:3-8)

Remember the goal: salvation of your soul. This present suffering is just for a little while. In James 1:12 we read that our reward for remaining faithful is a crown of life.

The persecution of Christians continues down to this very day with torture, martyrdom and other mayhem. In fact, more Christians have been killed for their faith in the past one hundred years than in the previous nineteen centuries combined. In the book of Hebrews we read not only of the heroes of faith, but of the many forgotten as well.

"Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground." (Hebrews 11:35-38)

Fox's Book of Martyrs tells the story of Polycarp, an early bishop of Smyrna who at age 86 was told to renounce Christ or be burned. He declared that "eighty and six years I have served Him" and that the Lord had always been faithful. How can I now be unfaithful. He accepted the flames rather than turn his back on Jesus.

In this letter, it is as if Jesus is saying, "I know you're suffering. I know what you're going through. I love you. Remember, the end is not the end, because I am the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, and you have a seat there with Me in Heaven."