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He Set You apart!
He Set You Apart!
Jeremiah 1:4-10
† In Jesus Name †
May you realize the grace of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who set you apart from before you were formed, who will have you share with others His love, and our need for it!
To the Nations
A few weeks ago, 6 of us had the blessing of picking up 24 youth who were all born in Eritrea. Just curious, how many of you know where Eritrea is?
Last week, Pastor Bernie shared for a few moments about what happened in the Sudan, where he put stoles that our ladies made, on the shoulders of 16 newly ordained pastors, just as he had three years prior.
Yesterday, some of us went to a Himalayan restaurant in Artesia, and celebrated with a young lady and her family, as she prepares for a wedding next week.
Next week on our campus, our brothers and sisters in the second service will be celebrating Chinese New Year.
As I look out over our congregation or our preschool chapels, I see people from all over the world, from 5 continents. And from even some very, very different places, like Lawrence, Massachusetts.
It is an amazing thing to think of, as we hear again, God’s word to Jeremiah
5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
God’s words to Jeremiah, and to us. Yes, to us.
The message
Jesus has done the same thing to us that He did to Jeremiah. He set us apart with a purpose, to share a message with people from all of the world. A message that we all need to hear, even as it has to tear some down, and lift others up.
What we call law and gospel in “Church language”. That’s the message Jeremiah was given; it is the message Jesus died to reveal, it is what Peter and Paul and others claimed from the Middle East throughout all of Europe to Central Africa to India in one generation.
It is the same message that everyone needs to hear, no matter if they are 3 or 93, no matter their ethnicity or their culture.
It is a message that crushes those of us who think we are the only righteous folk around, revealing to us that we are sinners, and there is nothing we can do to repair what we’ve broken. For that is what sin does. It shatters relationships; it shatters family, it shatters us as individuals.
God’s law isn’t just about behaving properly; it is a way God designed for us to live in peace, to know we are loved. And when we step outside the plans God has for us, it crushes us, as the things He warns us against come true.
One pastor put it this way, use the Law to afflict those comfortable in their sin, and those afflicted by their sin, comfort them with the good news.
The news every prophet, every pastor, every evangelist and every believer counts on and is chosen by God to embrace and share with others.
The news of the gospel. That God loves us that He will heal our brokenness. That He will make our lives like new. That our sin will be forgiven, that our the relationships will be reconciled.
This is the gospel that all need to hear, it is the reason we have hope.
God has made all of the creation, and all of us in it, with a purpose. The purpose of living with him, as His children, as the people He loves. He loves us so much that Christ died to make this possible. TO heal our relationship with Him and with others, not just until the next time we destroy it, but for all of eternity.
That is why when we are saved when He cleanses us, there is no need to do so again.
But us?
Like most ministers, Jeremiah had a problem with God trusting Jeremiah with the message. We can find a million reasons why we shouldn’t have to share God’s message with our neighbors and family, never mind to the world.
But God has chosen us. He knows us as long as He knew Jeremiah, from since before we were born, from before we were conceived.
The message isn’t complicated, and as we realize it, the inclination to share it is automatic. God is with you. He loves you; He wants to comfort you and reconcile and heal that which is broken.
Don’t hold back, let Him do so…and rejoice!
AMEN!
O Son of Man… Can these Churches Live?
Devotional & Discussion Thought of the Day
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abr
aham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. Romans 4:16-17 (NLT)
7 So I prophesied as I had been told. While I was speaking, I heard a rattling noise, and the bones began to join together. 8 While I watched, the bones were covered with sinews and muscles, and then with skin. But there was no breath in the bodies. 9 God said to me, “Mortal man, prophesy to the wind. Tell the wind that the Sovereign LORD commands it to come from every direction, to breathe into these dead bodies, and to bring them back to life.” 10 So I prophesied as I had been told. Breath entered the bodies, and they came to life and stood up. There were enough of them to form an army. Ezekiel 37:7-10 (TEV)
926 When I am told that there are people dedicated to God who are no longer striving with fervour for sanctity, I think that—if there is any truth in this—their lives are heading towards great failure. (1)
So, my wife and I are having this Sarah and Abraham moment… and in trying to live in a state of denial, I’ve been thinking about churches. Today, we had a pastor’s gathering of our circuit – some 22 churches in our area – and five pastors showed up beside me. After celebrating God’s gifts – we talked a little bit about our churches – and where we see God leading us shepherd them.
In all but one case – the chruches are in need of…. some call it revitalizaiton, some call it revival. We talked about being focused on Christ, about discipling, about outreach – and about beng the church together.
In trying to process all of this, I remember what the experts told me about my first church – that is couldn’t possibly be a vital congregation again. I had heard that about others congregations, that had on such advice folded, closed their doors, abandoned their communities, and their duty to be salt and light, usually in neighborhoods experiencing great darkness of sin. I’ve heard that since – as experts have told me that there is a growing need for church hospice pastors – the pastors that will assist churches as they mourn, as their lights fadee, as they die…..
But if God can create life in Sarah’s womb, in Hannah’s womb, in Elizabeth’s womb, if He can create this universe from nothingness, (and in my wife’s – who is much much younger than the others just mentioned) can He not create life in these churches?
Abraham believed God, the Son of Man in Ezekiel knew that even when there were bodies with flesh – God’s spirit was needed for those bodies to become alive, for them to be a “mighty army” (not going to war with the world – but going to war to save those in it). St Josemaria talks aof failure in not being a place where God’s holiness is sought, and even though his writings are sacred writ – there is that same point. Where is the Holy Spirit in our churches? Where is the evidence of repentance and reconciliation, of lives that are made whole in Christ, of a desire to see people freed from sin, and from its wicked accomplices of guilt and shame. Holiness being a characteristic – not thatit is intentionally developed – but it is the normal by-product of people in awe of God, and overwhelmed by His love for them.
Can these churches live? Yes Lord, you know.
I also wonder, if we see this in little churches, does it happen in big ones as well? Can the church do so many things that it forgets its first ministry is to know Christ and Him crucified? Can even mega churches be a valley of dried bones, or a valley of bones with flesh – but no Spirit? For there, when the Spirit enters our lives, we find our hope – we find God’s mercy, we find His love. We find that call to holiness that we should never deny,, for it is a very gift of our Baptism. You see Holiness isn’t about some goody two shoes, condescnding holier than thou attitude. Holiness is about realizing that we’ve been called into God’s glory – that He will share our lives, even as we share in His.
It is a million times the feeling a father has, when he holds the baby that has been in his wife’s womb for 9 months. For daily, daily, we encounter God’s presence, His glory, His mercy, His love in much the same way a mother shares life with her baby.while in the womb. Yet – then. on the day He returns, face to face…
Yeah – these churches can live – for that is why God has put His name there – to bring life from nothing, to erase darkness with the light of His glory.
We find our lives.
So let us, as His children, as His people, cry “Lord have mercy!” and “Come Holy Spirit” and know 1) the call is the same, and 2) It is always answered, Fear not, I AM with you!”
And then watch – as the Spirit breathes life into these congregations, and they live!
(1) Escriva, Josemaria (2011-01-31). The Forge (Kindle Locations 3264-3266). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
