06-25-17

Tim’s Tidings

This week Eastminster’s Session met to study scripture, to pray and to preside over the business of the church.  The meeting was special for me for several reasons.  First, there was an excellent devotion on waiting and depending on God.  God is a God who loves, cares, and protects.  Immediately following the devotion, we heard an exciting report from the Prayer Shawl ministry as they are expanding not only to offer shawls to those at the end of life, but prayer squares for all who have need, and “octopi” for prematurely born infants.  Your Elders laid hands on the work of the Prayer Shawl ministry and consecrated it before God.  Finally, your Session deliberated about how we might reach out with love in the community and voted to conduct some municipal and mission partner conversations to better be prepared to be a good Christian influence right here in our neighborhood.  This will build on the excellent ministry Compassion in Action is doing.  We serve the God who loves, cares and protects by loving, caring and protecting too!
 

Today we start a new sermon series, “Psalms for all Seasons.”  You will receive a bookmark with Psalms appropriate for reading in different seasons of your life which will be covered in worship in the following weeks.  Today we will look at God’s love, care and protection as conveyed in Psalm 91.  As I read this Psalm, the following image comes to mind: 
 

Hear these words:  “You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.’ He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:1-2, 4)

God loves, cares for and protects you and me!

Blessings,

Tim

 

 

06-18-17

Jesus’  Second Coming - What and When is it?

Much has been written about the Second Coming of Christ, including the statement in the Nicene Creed:  "...he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.... We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come."

Those who witnessed Christ's ascension into heaven after his death and resurrection heard the angels declare in Acts 1:11, "Men of Galilee…why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." The Second Coming is when Jesus Christ will return to earth in fulfillment of His promise: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). 

The Second Coming is important because it will come at the time when the world is most in need of a righteous King. Revelation chapters 6-18 describe the end times prior to the Second Coming of Christ. The world will be devastated, millions of people will perish, and the most evil person in all history will be ruler of the entire world. The Second Coming of Christ puts all this to an end. Revelation 19:15-16 says, "Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."  Today we will view a work of art by the late Bunny Nairn that depicts this scripture.

Many Bible teachers have made guesses as to when the Second Coming will occur. They have all been incorrect. The Bible declares, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36). The Bible describes several events which must occur before the Second Coming (Matthew 24:4-29; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation chapters 6-18). So, we are to anticipate the Second Coming, but we are not to set dates and times.  We are to live our lives as if it could happen any day, any moment. Matthew 25:19-21, "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them…His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'"

Are you ready for the Second Coming of Christ?

Blessings,

Tim

P.S.  This week we complete the Church on Fire Series and next week start the Psalms for all Seasons series.  You will receive a bookmark next week with helpful passages from the Psalms. 

06-04-17

Tim’s Tidings

Today is Pentecost Sunday.  For Christians, Pentecost is commonly known as the “birthday of the church.”  It is when the Holy Spirit descended upon the prayerful followers of Jesus, empowering them to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ in the native tongues of the many pilgrims in Jerusalem.

 

Pentecost originated as a Jewish harvest festival of thanksgiving to God, 50 days after Passover.  At Pentecost heaves of grain were waived in praise and the first fruits of the harvest were offered to God. Christians understand Pentecost as a powerful feast of salvation, because it speaks about the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, about the founding of the Church, and about the Final Judgement.

 

We celebrate Pentecost by the wearing of the color red, symbolizing the “tongues of fire” that descended upon the disciples, empowering their witness.  Other countries go to greater lengths.  In Denmark, Pentecost is a holiday and children get the following day off from school, though not all persons even know the origin of Pentecost.  In Italy rose petals are scattered from the ceilings of churches to remind worshippers of the descent of the Holy Spirit.  In France it is customary to blow trumpets to simulate the sound, “like the rushing of of a mighty wind,” that accompanied the coming of the Holy Spirit.  In Poland and the Ukraine, greenery is used to symbolize Pentecost because of the new life salvation brought to 3,000 believers that day and for a desire of blessing.  In Greece and other Eastern Orthodox areas, Pentecost is second only to Easter as a Holy day.  All night prayer vigils are held where worshippers kneel and prostrate themselves, foreheads touching the ground.  It is also a day for baptisms, remembering the 3,000 that responded to Peter’s Spirit inspired preaching on that original day.

 

For me the good news of Pentecost is that it is a fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20, “Lo I am with you always.”  Pentecost celebrates the presence of the Holy Spirit of Christ, God with us today.  It is wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit loves us as children of God, works in our experiences of knowing God, teaches and counsels us in Christian living, gifts us for service, and intercedes for us as we lift our prayers to God—even those prayers of our “guts” that are impossible to put into words.  May the Spirit of the living God fall afresh upon us in this Season!

 

Blessings,

Pastor Tim