Yesterday and today will be days of rest for me in preparation for my first 5K run on Saturday morning. I am grateful to have two running advisors. My lead pastor will be in Roanoke Saturday so he won’t be there for my first race. That just sounds so weird — my first 5K race. It is being sponsored by the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The money raised by this race will go toward building a World War II Memorial for this unit here in Staunton. I registered for the race today and am looking forward to this race.
Two other men from church will be running on Saturday. My goal is to finish — simply to finish. The forecast for Saturday morning is 28 degrees and clear — so it will be chilly. I hope to have pictures. I’ll update you on Saturday afternoon how I did. Pressing On…
24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.
27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
Once and For All
One of the arguments that the writer of Hebrews makes is that Christ is superior to the old ways. Here in chapter 9 we are reminded that Christ is the superior sacrifice. He did not enter a human made sanctuary but he entered heaven itself to plea for us. He is our advocate. Jesus does not have to appear over and over and over again in order to make the sacrifice valid. Jesus does not have to appear before God once a year like the Hebrew priests did — no, his sacrifice was once and for all. His sacrifice transcended time. It is through Christ’s death on a cross, he removed our sin. We are reminded that we physically die once — but Christ died once for all time — his death brings new life and he will return a second time, not to deal with our sins — but (and I love this) to bring final salvation for those who are waiting for him. This is the hope that all of us have as believers — Christ died for our sins and he is returning again for us. His work is once and for all time — I like that.
To close, I want to post the lyrics to a song by White Heart called Once and For All
Oh won’t you come with me
To a hill called Calvary
See the face of a bruised and denied man
Can anyone explain
The mystery beyond the pain of this place
Where love is born again
Once and for all
He gave His life
He bled and died
The sacrifice for all
Who will take His name
Once and for all
Oh won’t you come and see
The tide of all humanity
They come on bended knee
We cannot close the door
That isn’t why He fought
the war of this place
Everyone can be free
Once and for all
He gave His life
He bled and died
The sacrifice for all
Who will take His name
Once and for all
Open wide the doors
There’s room for more
Tell all the world
that a heart can soar
when you call upon His Holy name
Once and for all
There is freedom
Once and for all
There is healing
Love sealed it all
Once and for all
It goes on and on
Out to everyone
Who will call upon His Holy name
On the tide will turn
For all those who yearn
For a heart that burns
With His flame
Once and for all
I have been struck by the power of a congregation vigorously declaring (not merely reciting) The Apostles Creed, and doing so as something by which we live, and for which we are willing to die.
Winter looks like it is approaching here in the Shenandoah Valley. We have now awoken several mornings to frost on the car. The next few days appear that they are going to be on the cool side. It was a nippy run this morning
5 Miles
This morning I set a new personal best by running 5 miles. I was able to run that in 65 minutes which equates to a 13 minute mile. For the most part, running five miles didn’t seem much different than running 4 miles. I was happy to keep my 13 minute mile pace.
House Update
The house is really beginning to move along. All the rooms are painted. Electrical outlets and switches have been installed in the three bedrooms. The lighting fixtures have also been installed in the bedrooms. The HVAC is now completely installed, which means that we are getting very close — still need to finish the floors and install the tile — finish the electrical and install doors and trim. And we still need kitchen cabinets and appliances and bathroom fixtures, but overall it’s getting very close and Pam and I are getting excited.
Flu Season
We got a call from Anna this morning that she has the flu (Yea!)
Beyond the Gates of Splendor
Tonight we combined our student ministries with our adult ministries and viewed a segment of a Stephen Curtis Chapman DVD. It was the story of Nate Saint, Jim Elliott and 3 others who were missionaries to a savage group of people in Ecuador in 1955. I really recommend you read the Elizabeth Elliott book of the same title as well as get the DVD and watch it. It is a great story of God’s mercy, forgiveness, and grace. The question is, “What would you be willing to give up in order to share the gospel?” These five men gave their lives, so that others could live — just like Jesus gave his life so that we could live. It was a powerful evening.
Tomorrow me and our lead pastor have a breakfast meeting with H. B. London speaking. It should be a great morning. Have a great rest of the week and Seize the Day!
It was good to get back into the regular running saddle today. 4 miles in 52 minutes which is a personal best. It’s time to add another mile to my running schedule so I run for an hour. Looking forward to my first 5K this Saturday. Later….
Where do I even begin tonight? What a wonderful day we had today. The weather was sort of dreary, but the day was wonderful.
Today was Friend Day at Parkway and we were expecting a larger than usual crowd. We had 135 today which is well above our average. The worship team was on today and did a great job even though we were missing our regular keyboardist — she is on a missions trip to Guatemala. I split my time between guitar and keys this morning.
We were surprised by the congregation this morning — as they presented the pastoral staff with pastor appreciation gifts. Thank you so much for your words of love and encouragement.
A friend of ours came and gave her testimony during the service — wow! God writes some amazing stories. Pastor Barry preached a great message on the greatest friend in the world, Jesus. Several raised their hands during the commitment time and the day wasn’t over yet.
After church we had a dinner and the ladies outdid themselves — I’m going to have to run even more this week to work off dinner. The pork tenderloin was out of this world. By the time we got home it was time to return to church for our Christmas musical rehearsal. Our students are doing a great job learning the musical. And the day still wasn’t over. Tonight was a game night for our Middle and High School students. We had a great time playing Uno.
We have a big week planned this week. I finish my school bus driver training tomorrow and we are getting James’ picture taken on Tuesday. This coming Saturday, I plan on competing in my first 5K race with two men from church — should be exciting.
As with each Sunday night, I’ll sign off by encouraging you to Seize the Day!
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End
This is an interesting day on the liturgical calendar and yet I believe it’s one that we have informal recognized, just not on a special day. In our church tradition, especially here in the south we might call it Homecoming. It is a time when we think about those who have gone on before. They might be from our tradition, they may not be. Here in Revelation, we have John describing the new heaven and new earth – a place where the saints will gather. We often think of saints as super spiritual people, but if we take a look at the Scriptures, we will find that the word saint is used to describe God’s people. Several times Paul gives greetings to the saints in various parts of the known world.
Several years ago, I asked our teens at church if they were a saint. Most of them really didn’t know how to answer that question. The reality is that if we are following Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, then we are a saint. Those who have died and gone on before are saints as well. It is on this day that we remember those who have gone on before. There is a hope. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and he is coming back again.
For All The Saints
For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
For the Apostles’ glorious company,
Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,
Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,
Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,
Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,
Saw the bright crown descending from the sky,
And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
If you know my family at all, you know that they are history buffs, especially Pam and Rebecca. While most families would celebrate October 31st as Halloween, our family commemorates Reformation Day. In fact, earlier this week, Rebecca posted as her status on Facebook a line to Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Typically, I usually lead the congregation in that great hymn on the Sunday before Reformation Sunday, but I missed it completely and almost missed putting it in the order of worship this week.
The question is, why even commemorate the Reformation? We aren’t Lutheran. I will point to the fact that the Reformation is part of church history. It was a correction point. You’ve heard it said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. History is important in our lives and it is important in the life of the church. The history classes that I took (Wesleyan Church History and General Church History) were among my favorite classes at FLAME. The Church (big c, holy, catholic (little c-meaning universal), apostolic)has been around for a long time. As Wesleyans, we’ve only been around a short time, but we share a common history with the saints who have gone on before. (One of tomorrow’s posts will touch on that.) Blessings….
28One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29Jesus replied, ”The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”
34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, ”You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
The Greatest Commandment
The Pharisees were a tricky bunch – those who are looking to the letter of the law are always a tricky bunch. They came and asked Jesus a question and Jesus answered it from their own scriptures, but added that they must also love their neighbor as themselves. I really believe that sometimes we make the gospel so complicated. Here Jesus summarizes the whole Hebrew scriptures into two statements. I love the Wesleyan Church vision statement which reads Fulfilling the Great Commission in the Spirit of the Great Commandment. The Great Commission is to go and make disciples of all nations and to teach these new disciples to follow all that Jesus taught us. We do that in the spirit of the Great Commandment – which is to love the Lord our God, with all of our heart, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. I’ve taught from this passage from time to time and I’ve often said that if we got these two statements in line – everything else would line up behind it. One of the teachers that Jesus was speaking to responded and Jesus realized that this man really understood what the Kingdom of God meant. My challenge to you today is that you would go and make disciples in the spirit of loving Jesus with all you’ve got and to love your neighbor and Jesus reminds us that everyone is our neighbor as you would love yourself. Blessings….
