Ministry
What are the things you want to keep after quarantine?
So we are just now starting to hear about the country opening back up to a more normal state of being. I imagine many of us are thinking about the things we cant wait to get back to. Hugging loved ones, going to the beach, playing group sports and most important of them all sitting at the bar talking about how amazing the Star-wars movies really are…ok maybe not that last one but you get the point. I have been online and seen a number of people posting about all the things they a can’t wait to do again.
Last week I was on the phone with a parent and she said something that made me think. She talked about with all the things wiped clean from her schedule what things was she doing now that she wants to keep after the quarantine has ended? So here is our question. What things are you going to keep? Is it going to be sitting with family for meals. Maybe checking in our your parents, friends or family. Maybe you have been better about going to worship every week, it was in your pj’s, but you have been consistent. Maybe it is getting more exercise by taking walks as a family. I know the dog would love for less than 7 a day but maybe keeping up with it as family on a daily basis is more doable now. We all have things we have changed over these past weeks maybe we can keep some of the good habits going.
For me it is going to be reading my bible. I also want to help my family make this a new habit as well. I want us to get in the word and talk about it on a weekly basis and really see what God has to say. So here is my challenge to all of you if you are looking for this as I am. Would you join us? I am going to be starting an online bible study for families on Thursday nights at 6:30pm. All you need is a bible and a computer/phone. It will be a time to get in the word. You can join us on a zoom call if you want or you can read with us and submit me some questions at a later point. The first 5 weeks are going to be on Galatians. We start Thursday April 30th. Lets start a new pattern in the word together as a family. You certainly don’t have to but do keep up going to Church at least, even if it is in your pj’s!
Routines…New, Old and Changed
I have worn more sweat pants over the last four weeks than I think I have in my entire life. These last few weeks have been trying to figure out my routines. Things are not the same a they were before the stay at home orders. I would say in some ways it has been good and in some ways it has been difficult. Certainly things I tried to do early in the process are not happening nearly as often today. Things like wearing dress pants and dress shirt even when I have to come into the office has been lost as the weeks have gone on. Even getting up early to be in the “office” (my kitchen table) by 8am has not happened. Some things are never going to be the same.
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the[c] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:17, 26-29 ESV
As I was thinking about it this week I was thinking about the Lord Supper. How Jesus took something they had been doing in the Passover/Sabbath meal and tweaked it. He took something in their routine and made it that much more meaningful. I imagine the very next week when they got together for Sabbath meal they sat in awe of the moment it could never be the same. They couldn’t look at it the same way. When those disciples sat together and ate the meal together everything was different.
Lots of things we have done these last few weeks will not be the same. Hopefully you and I can consider some new routines that glorify Jesus. I know for me one of those things will to be to appreciate the power of being together in worship and most especially the gathering around the Lords table. I also pray for me that this routine of being in the word more outside of class will continue into the future. What are the things in your new routine you want to keep? What things will you cherish more? What things do you want to get back? Jesus comes to bring change, may that change help us all grow in our trust in Him.
Palm Sunday…Ready for Holy Week.
Please don’t be afraid to share a picture of how you created a Palm for Sunday.
SS Palm Sunday 4-5-20 from St. John Rochester on Vimeo.
This isn’t how it is supposed to be…One day we will do this right
Today I had the opportunity to sit in front of my TV and be a greeter at Church. This isn’t how this is supposed to be. We had some technical difficulties, and the feed was missing sound for the first 10 minutes. This is not how this is supposed to be. I had technical difficulties at home with my TV, and I participated in the service through a 4″ phone. This morning all I thought was, “This isn’t how it is supposed to be.”
During the service, once it got working, I had some friends from Church text me about the tech stuff and sent me thanks for it working. I had nothing to do with fixing it, I just let the team know at Church it wasn’t working. At the end of our conversation, one of them said, “I can’t wait until I can see my Church family again.” I agreed this isn’t how this is supposed to be.
Although there is a lot of good that has come from all this, not the least of which is churches and people sharing Jesus online, I cannot tell you how much I want to be together with people in worship. This is not how it is supposed to be. I look forward to the amazing moment when our community can be together again. It will be a great moment for our people and for me personally. I love people, and I can’t wait to be together again.
I had a thought today; even when we get back together, even when we get together and pull out all the stops and it feels like heaven, it won’t be. This just isn’t how it is supposed to be. You see one day, when this is all over, we will gather all together, in person, in our resurrected body for worship that will last for eternity. It will be beyond amazing, and it will be beyond everything we have ever experienced or seen. We will hug our loved ones and celebrate Jesus like we can’t even imagine. That is the day we see a little here but will see more fully when Jesus comes again.
I pray as we go through these days that we are reminded that this isn’t how it is supposed to be, not just in worship, all of it. Jesus changes everything, and I can’t wait for it to be just as He said it will be.
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”Revelation 7:13-17 ESV
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