Hearing the Music

Grateful for Deacons

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I thought a word or two about deacons would be in order as we get ready to ordain and install four men to the office this coming Sunday. According to our book of Church Order, "the office of deacon is set forth in the Scriptures as ordinary and perpetual in the Church. The office is one of sympathy and service, after the example of the Lord Jesus; it expresses also the communion of saints, especially in their helping one another in time of need."

Specifically, the BCO goes on to say, "It is the duty of the deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church, to devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed. They shall have the care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the congregation." (BCO 9.1,2)

If we were to sum up these biblically based statements we might say first, that deacons engage with generosity on behalf of the Lord and his church those who find themselves in need. And secondly, the deacons enable the church to be even more expressive in their own gratitude by taking care of the facilities (where much ministry happens) and by seeking to mature generosity among the saints. Or to put it another way, deacons both do the ministry and seek to draw out ministry from all of God's people. So even as these four are set apart Sunday morning, we recognize that their job is to develop in all of us the "grace of liberality".

On last word about deacons. Jesus said, "I am among you as one who serves". Lk 22:27. That word serves translates the Greek word diakonos from which, of course, we get our word deacon. This diaconal work, to which we are all called, is the work of Jesus. In Mark 10:45, Jesus puts it this way, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” I am grateful for our deacons who remind us that service is the way of our Savior, for it is ultimately Jesus' service to us that both motivates and enables ours!

 

Photo by Sierra Koder on Unsplash

Posted by Andrew VanderMaas

Your Promise Gives Me Life

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Well the holidays are over, and most of us are (or very soon will be) back to our realities of work, school, caregiving, retirement, etc... Often, people associate things like sadness and depression with the holidays as the losses of loved ones are acutely felt, and while that is certainly true, the January Blues are just as real. In reality, affliction, sadness and the like have no timetable and are no respecter of persons. So where do we turn to fight the January Blues or February's Funk?

The Psalmist in Psalm 119:50 offers this reflection, "This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life." In the midst of trouble, where do we turn? God's word is where help is to be found, specifically, in the promises of covenant making and covenant keeping God. Here are a few promises with attendant prayers I have collected over the years. May they encourage you and perhaps be a model for your own praying!
 
“You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”.   1 Corinthians 6:11 

     Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—glorious Trinity, this one verse reminds me how the entire Godhead has secured my irrevocable, magnificent salvation. How astonishing, comforting, and humbling. Father, you washed and justified me, by the finished work of Jesus. And by the Holy Spirit, you set me apart for yourself, and my sanctification (my Christlikeness) is so certain, it can be spoken of in the past tense. I am undone with joy, filled with gratitude, and set free to love and serve others.

"I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”   Jeremiah 31:3 

     Most gracious Father, enlarge the chambers of my heart, that I might take in more of the wonder of this good news. You have drawn me to yourself with an unfailing, irresistible, powerful love—not because of anything in me, but because of everything in Jesus. Right now and forever, you love me with an unwavering, everlasting love. I cannot intensify, nor diminish, your love for me. Unaided, I don’t—I cannot believe this is true. By your Holy Spirit, I rest and rejoice in this astonishing reality. It makes me want to love and serve you with everything I have and am.

“We will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words”   1 Thess. 4:18 

     Lord Jesus, you may not be coming back as soon as I wish. Or you may return quicker than I can imagine. Either way, this is the good news. Once with you, I will be with you forever. That’s what I want more than anything else—even if I don’t realize it. It’s not people’s love, the world’s possessions, or a pain-free life I want the most. It’s you I crave and long for. The good news is, because of the Gospel, I’m already yours. My life is already hidden in you, and you indwell me by the Holy Spirit. But please hasten the Day of your return. Until then, be more real and precious to me than anything else, Jesus. In your loving name I pray, Amen.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite promises.

 

Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash

Posted by Andrew VanderMaas

Taste & See

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As 2023 is coming to a close, I want to share some of my own reflections on one of my favorite passages: Psalm 34. It’s a fitting Psalm to close out the year for a few reasons:

Wilderness. The first verse of the Psalm is actually the superscription (or the title), and it reminds us that it was written by David in the midst of a real, historical moment, one we heard about back in July when Andrew preached on 1 Samuel 21. We saw how God often meets us with his unexpected grace in the confusion and chaos of the wilderness. How have you experienced wilderness moments in 2023? And how has God met you in the midst of them?

Praise. Right after the title, David begins with praise. God’s gracious provision should drive us to wholehearted worship, both in our daily lives and when we gather together. Yet this sort of praise doesn’t come naturally for us. It’s not our default move, at least not without cultivating rhythms and habits. Do you find yourself boasting in your own accomplishments or in the Lord? What can you stop and praise him for right now?

Savoring. Verse 8 invites us to “taste and see that the LORD is good!” We know that God is good, but this calls us to go beyond head knowledge to the experience of intentionally savoring God’s goodness. The busyness of life, the hardships we experience, and even God’s good gifts all around us can distract us from sitting with Jesus and savoring him. This year have you been weighed down, distracted, or numb to God? What would it look like for you to move beyond head knowledge of God’s goodness to actually tasting and seeing that He is good?

Presence. While hardships can distract us from God, they can also drive us toward him. Verses 15-18 show us that, in the midst of our darkest valleys, God turns his eyes and his ears toward us and has a special closeness to those who are brokenhearted and crushed in spirit. We have an amazing church community, and yet loneliness can still hit hard for many of us, especially around the holidays. The promise of God’s presence here provides us with real comfort, lasting peace, and the freedom to practice radical honesty and vulnerability instead of pretending life is perfect. And it reminds us to be his hands and feet and move toward those who are hurting.

I pray that 2024 brings each of us (myself included) to a place where we can honestly say, “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.”

 

Photo by Arwin Neil Baichoo on Unsplash

Posted by Michael Anderson

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