3-22-2019

 Good Morning All,

       Matthew 5: 14-15; “You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill.  No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house.”

    Why are we here?  This isn’t some metaphysical, highly theological abstract question; it is an honest question.  Why doesn’t Jesus take the Church out of this world to be with him now?  He could leave a few top shelf evangelists and take the rest of us to heaven.  That could be a very workable plan, we could all be saved, safe in heaven, enjoying eternity with Jesus; what could be better?

    Nothing could, or will, be better.  However, Jesus has a mission for the Church and that is to serve as lights in the world in the midst of, what the Apostle Paul called, a crooked and twisted generation.  The Apostle John simply called it the darkness.  Does that describe our world or what?  Abortions are common and “acceptable” choices.  There is a debate in England about the “acceptability” of post-birth abortions (murder).  One in five Americans claims no religious affiliation.  That doesn’t count those who “claim” affiliation but aren’t sure what that means.  We live in a dark and crooked, twisted generation.

     Yet into the twisted generation that was Judea and Galilee of 4 BC, Jesus came and healed those whom he touched.  He brought the good news of salvation and the healing of the Holy Spirit to a crooked generation.  He brought God’s reconciliation into the world and through His death and resurrection gives us hope; hope for a better tomorrow.  The devil loves a crooked and twisted generation.  He can spin us and toy with us; using us as his playthings.  The devil loves things like the debates about aborting a live child.  He loves it when people think that abusing people is an “acceptable” choice.  It is all about choice, isn’t it?  We are “free” to make whatever bad choice we want regardless of who we hurt.

     This is why Jesus wants us, his Church, to remain in the world; for a while anyway.  Jesus calls us to be that light in this dark world.  We are that light when we comfort the family who just had a baby die.  We are that light when we give food to that family is hungry.  We are that light when we show mercy and compassion to that person who is sick and has nowhere else to turn.  We are that light.  He ties this all together when Jesus taught about the unforgiving servant or when he told the Pharisees,” I demand mercy not sacrifices” Jesus wants us to be that light in this world.  We are to bring the Gospel to all those we meet and see.  We are to show that hope.  We live those problems; we live those troubles but we live them with hope, the certainty of God’s eternal grace and God’s eternal riches.

Dear Father, give us the strength to be your light in this dark and crooked world.  Give us the wisdom to know how to be that light and give us the endurance to outlast the devil and our sinful nature as they attack us while we do your work.  All this we ask in Jesus precious name, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret