Daily Encourager – April 10, 2020

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? – Psalm 22:1

Today is Good Friday, the day we recount the story of Jesus death on the cross. The words of this Psalm, that we here repeated from Jesus on the cross, echo in our minds.  Perhaps more this year than other years.  This prayer seems to be on the limps of so many; those who have loved ones struggling for life, those who are caring for patients in hospitals, those who are overrun and barely are holding it together, those who are stir crazy in the house whose only outlet is the news networks that make them fear it is all still getting worse than better.

I could make that list and go on and on. There are so many reason that this year, the prayer prayed by the psalmist, prayed by Jesus on the cross, “my God, my God why have you forsaken me…” is truly felt in our hearts.  However, even on this most solemn of days, we cling to hope. 

If we were to continue to read the entirety of Psalm 22, we would find these great words of hope, that as we cry out for God to remember us, we also sing God’s praises, for we know and trust that God is able and will answer us.  The psalmist praises God by saying: From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. 26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. 28 For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

What a wonderful hope that “all the families of the nations shall worship before God.  It is a true testament to the faith that we share in this time, it is what gives me hope as prepare messages to preach in front of a camera, that families are coming together, and worshiping God, each in their own home, until God calls us as one big family together again.

May we recount and remember the death of Christ, today, yet, let us continue to look forward to the day of resurrection.  Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

For the video mediation for Good Friday please visit: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons
or view on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmarkknox/

Daily Encourager – April 9, 2020

For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. – Psalm 106:45

Today is a day of remembrance, the day in which we remember that Jesus Christ gave himself up for the sins of the whole world.  Today we remember how he met with the disciples in the upper room, and there shared a meal.  At the end of the meal Jesus offered his body the bread, and his blood the wine, and asked that every time they ate of it, that they would remember.

Jesus wanted to mark in the minds of his disciples something common, that they would never feel far from Jesus, and the practice of breaking the bread, and sharing the cup of blessing continues today, and when we eat it, we remember the promises made between us and God, God and us. We remember that we are saved by his amazing grace.

God remembers us, as the psalmist say, for our own sake, and shows compassion on us according to an abundant love that we have never deserved.  That’s the beauty of God’s grace.  I love the acronym of G.R.A.C.E. that spells it out as: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.  It shows us that we didn’t earn it, nor did we deserve it, but in the fullness of time, Jesus laid down his life. Christ died for us, while we were yet sinners, and that is the proof of God’s love for us.

Today, if you can, forget about what is going on outside in the world, and for a moment remember that you are here by the grace of God, that you are loved in the grace of God, that you are remembered by God.

In the steadfast love of Christ, may we remember his love shown for us.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

For the video mediation for Maundy Thursday please visit: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons
or view on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmarkknox/

Daily Encourager – April 8, 2020

Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is at hand; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests. – Zephaniah 1:7

Do you think about all the preparations and plans you would be making if the world hadn’t turned inside out because of the pandemic?  I do.  I find myself thinking about the usual plans to celebrate holy week and Easter, but I’m also thinking about how do those preparations translate to this current way of living?

Some things haven’t changed, the kids decorated Easter Eggs yesterday, and will probably have the adults hide them sometime later this week. We still have the daily chores of laundry, dishes, putting away toys, dishes, dishes (goodness there are a lot of dirty dishes). I’m still working on an Easter sermon to share the joy of resurrection with you.  I’m still overthink my plans, and making things more difficult on myself then they should be.  But I am finding that in the midst of all of this reworking of preparations, God’s already got it planned out.

We know that God works all things to the good of those who love God, who are called to according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).  Yet, God is preparing even more than we realize. In the daily video meditations, I’ve been working my way through the events of Holy Week according to the gospel of Mark, and today’s lesson focuses on the preparation, and Peter. 

What I find intriguing about the way the gospel tells of the preparation is that Jesus sends two disciples to find a man they have never met, carrying a jug of water, and from him, they will find a place already prepared for them.  An upper room already set, ready for them to go and enjoy the Passover meal together.

Long before Jesus ever walks the earth, we know that God was preparing for that time to come, God was preparing the final sacrifice.  The prophets spoke of the one who is coming often. God was making plans, and is even now, though we are unaware. I can’t wait to see what happens when the guests are invited to come out from their dwellings, and into the house of the Lord.  What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Until then, we can rest assured, that God has a plan for us. We can be patient, just like the patience of flower waiting to open into full bloom. So, too, we wait to open up our doors; for when the Son calls us out, we will shine with beautiful brilliance as we celebrate life that can be shared in community once more.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

For the video mediation for Holy Wednesday please visit: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons
or view on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmarkknox/

Daily Encourager – April 7, 2020

While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me!” – Mark 14:18.

Now, that doesn’t seem like an encouraging verse, you might think.  And you right, it doesn’t sound very encouraging. Yet, here Jesus is at the table with the disciples, calling out the impending denial and betrayal of those same twelve disciples.  It may not seem encouraging, but it is a part of our story.

Jesus was rejected, denied, and betrayed.  All would lead to his eventual death on the cross, but from there we find that it is not only Jesus who dies, but so does our sin, so does our betrayal, our denial, and everything else we have done wrong in life.  Through the death on the cross, everything is forgiven. Through the love of Jesus, shown on the cross, we are made new. 

I want to confess, when all this mess of coronavirus and quarantine started, I was in denial.  I through surly this won’t come here, surly it won’t disrupt life too much, surly we would be back together in church in a week or two.  I kept thinking and planning for Holy Week and Easter as if it were going to happen, as if we were going to be worshiping together. Even after the official words of “close until further notice,” I still didn’t believe it would impact Easter celebrations, surely it wouldn’t, surely it couldn’t.

Obviously, I was in denial. We are spending this week, and the coming Easter apart, it will be different, it will feel strange, it does feel strange, but it doesn’t discredit what we celebrate. And even though we won’t be together Easter still happens.

The church still believes in resurrection. On the other side of this pandemic, the church will again experience and celebrate resurrection. We will gather at the table, confess how we have failed, but know that we are forgiven and freed for joyful obedience through Jesus Christ our Lord. Even now, we are experiencing a new kind of freedom, the freedom to really experience the solemnness of this week.  I’m embracing this time, getting more work done around the house, learning to be a homeschool teacher, finding new way to share the gospel. By the end of this I might be a professional video editor. However, the most important thing I will know is that life, though disrupted, continues.

God is continuing to create something new in us, even if we are in denial, even while we unaware. God create something new in me.  Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

For the video meditaion for Holy Tueday please visit: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons
or view on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmarkknox/

Daily Encourager – April 6, 2020

Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming. – Mark 13:33

We have no shortage of watching these days.  Many of us turn to the news outlets every day to see what is going on, to heart what new mandates are coming from the CDC, the White House, or even local governments.  We keep a hopeful heart that one day we will hear how this virus is burning out, that the bans on gatherings are lifted, how, though cautious, we can go back to our routines.  Though, through all this, I hope there are some things we find not as necessary, and maybe some things we once took for granted that we will appreciate more.

When Jesus is telling his disciples to be alert, he is speaking of a time when the Lord shall come and reign on earth as it is in heaven.  He tells that no one knows the day or the hour, but we are to be prepared for that moment, and not be asleep in our faith.

One very positive thing I have found in this time is that faith is awakening in many places, and in many people.  People that were once hesitant to share their faith are becoming more bold.  People are sharing that faith is what they are falling back to in this time of uncertainty. My great hope is that these same people will remain this bold in their faith when the time of crisis is over.  That we would continue to see news anchors ask religious leaders to pray on national television, that we would continue to see kind acts across the land, that we would continue to believe in the good that comes from God, and is found in one another.

Yes, now we are watching, we are alert; but, may our prayer be that we will remain so in the time that is still to come when everything seems “normal” again.  I’m reminded of a verse in that very long psalm of delight in God’s Word, Psalm 119.  In it, the psalmists and the congregation sing of God’s instruction and justice, they hear of God’s righteousness and the life that is offered.  Yet, in verse 148 we find the words: I am awake through each watch of the night to meditate on Your promise. The psalmist knew that would be times when faith would seem dark, but even there we must meditate on the promise of God’s salvation.

We do not know the time that we will be saved from our current situation, but we do know it is coming, and praise be to God, for the salvation that comes, we will wait, watch, and remain full of hope in Him.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

For today’s Holy Week meditation, please visit at https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons 
or you can find it on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/stmarkknox/

Daily Encourager – April 5, 2020

To view today’s Palm Sunday Worship click here: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons

“Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it…” – Mark 11:2

Today, we celebrate the palms, the parade, the time when Jesus along with a great multitude of people are there as Jesus enters into Jerusalem.  It’s one of the high points of the church calendar year, and marks the beginning of Holy Week.

As I think about all that happens this week, I find that we may for once have more in common with Jesus and the disciples than what we realize this week.  Today is marked with the grand parade (and we won’t be doing any of that). However, the rest of the week the disciples are in places away from the crowds, at a home in Bethany, in a private upper room, in the garden of gethsemane.  These places show times of solitude, times of intimate gathering as Jesus gives his disciples their final instruction before Jesus ultimately fulfills the law of God and becomes the sacrificial lamb.

This week, in addition to the daily emails, I am working on some short video devotions to share with you about the events that lead to the Friday we call good.  I hope you will take the opportunity to explore these events with me.  Each day they will be posted on the church website and Facebook page.

On the day we celebrate, today; the day Jesus entered Jerusalem, he sent the disciples ahead of him, into the city, into the crowds, and there they were to find a young colt of a donkey.  This would be the animal, the “ass,” the beast of burden, that Jesus would ride triumphantly into the city as the crowds shouted Hosanna.  I welcome you to shout Hosanna! Shout it in your neighborhoods, and sing to your king, but please do not go into the crowded streets, and keep your “ass” at home. 

Blessings to you and your family on this beautiful Sunday,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – April 4, 2020

The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. – Isaiah 14:7

Today is Saturday, for those who are much like me, and have found every day just simply runs together.  Today is a day for rest, even if we have been doing that all week, a time to put on some music and just enjoy that we are living.  Today’s encouragement comes from our church musician, reminding us of the joy of singing.

I have thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated your daily emails with thoughts to keep my spirits buoyed and reminders to stay focused on the strength of God in trying times. I believe this is a wonderfully insightful way to keep our church family unified in spirit, if we can't be unified in body.

You referenced the Doxology [earlier], and I was (slightly) disappointed that I had figured out that it lasted twenty seconds myself! ( I must be slipping!) But it reminded me of all the singing I have done, aloud and in my head, over the past couple of weeks. How hymns and contemporary songs that fit the moment have come to mind and I find myself humming along.

I know that people in the congregation know that music is important to me, but in reality, it's much more than that. Music has pervaded my life. It is a necessity. As a young kid (and I mean 1st and 2nd grade young), I tried all the sports available to me, and I was terrible at all of them. I quit every one of them. One day, though, my parents took us to hear a piano concert at a local church. I don't even remember who the pianist was, but I was awe-struck. On the way back home, I told my parents that I wanted to play the piano. I'm pretty sure I could hear their eyes rolling up there in the front seat of the car. They talked about it, and then came and talked to me; they were willing to find me a teacher and get a piano, but if I started this, they wouldn't allow me to just quit. They asked me to think about it; when I returned with an answer, I said, "I want to do take lessons." They were true to their word, and they held me to my word! Fortunately for all of us, it was the thing that God had gifted me with ability. I had found my niche.

Today, my mom is lying in a hospital bed at their house, waiting for God's ultimate healing. The dementia has robbed us of her wonderful, loving spirit and beautiful singing. Many days we get very little response from her. Often, however, when we play music on the computer in the room and start to sing along with the voices of the choir, we see her lips moving. Occasionally, I'll even hear the alto line of the hymn coming from her voice.

Music is my life. And right now life is really topsy-turvy, and I lean on it heavily. That's why the Doxology reference was so helpful to me. I connected with that.

It made me think of the singing references in the Psalms, which of course are songs in themselves. Psalm 100:2 comes to mind:  "Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." However, I think Psalm 126 may say more about how I feel, confined and cooped up with this pandemic.

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
    our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
    and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

We are called to carry on; to continue to sow the seeds, even in weeping. But we know our reward will be music: rejoicing and songs of joy. I'm singing them now just in anticipation! – Edward Pierce

I hope you can find your song to sing today, and join us in singing and worshiping tomorrow.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – April 3, 2020

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.
– John 11:20

When we think of Mary and Martha, typically we go to Luke chapter 10.  We read there the story of how Martha is busy with many tasks, because there are a number of guests in their home, and she is trying to do everything she can to offer hospitality to Jesus, and those who are with him.  All the while, Mary, Martha’s sister, is sitting at the feet of Jesus learning from every word he speaks.

This story, however, is not the only that mentions these female disciples, Mary and her sister Martha.  In John’s gospel, we find that Jesus is near Bethany, the home of Mary and Martha, when their brother, Lazarus, dies.  Jesus delays his coming, but when he arrives, he finds the scene of a prolonged funeral.  There are weepers who are crying, Martha hears that Jesus has arrived, and she actively runs out to meet him.

However, in a small porting of that passage we read that Mary stays home. Now, Mary eventually is called out of the house to meet Jesus, and her exchange is much like Martha’s exclaiming to Jesus, “if you had been here, our brother would not have died…” 

We know that Lazarus does not stay dead.  In just a moment, Jesus will have the tomb opened and call Lazarus out, and he will live again.

Right now, we may feel like Lazarus, we have been given the order to stay at home by the governor.  We are realizing that we will not be able to gather at the church for Easter, or any time in the near future.  Yet, in reality we are not Lazarus, we still have life.  Instead, I think we are more like Mary.  We feel the death around us, but we have a hope that our Savior will come. 

Now, I don’t know why Mary stayed in the house when the announcement was made that Jesus had come.  But I imagine it was because of her belief in Jesus that she stayed home.  She knew he would take the pain and the suffering away.  She had a faith that life was about to happen.  She stayed until Jesus called her out, and one day Jesus is going to call us out too.

Until that time, let us stay home like Mary; let us be in prayer, let us study, let us wait with great anticipation for life to begin again. We can and will still connect via the technology that we have, and we will still proclaim the goodness, the greatness of God, and the joy of resurrection on Easter Sunday. 

The church is not dead, and even though our building is empty, the church is alive, and it is working as we do all that we can in faith, in hope, and in love - but the greatest of these is love.  I hope and pray that the love of God might grow in us, and towards others, as we wait with patient hope the days of celebration when we can gather again.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – April 2, 2020

May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion. – Psalm 20:2

I hope you will take the time today to read the entirety of Psalm 20. It is a prayer that speaks to us who very much need to hear of a victory right now. 

This psalm was something of a prayer to God on behalf of the Davidic king of Israel. The people of Israel apparently would sing this song as a prayer to God to deliver their king – maybe right before a battle. Their fate was wrapped up with their king’s. If he won, they won. If he lost, they lost. It was in their best interest, for the king to win. So, they would pray to God on behalf and for their leader.

Today, we read this psalm, and while we know that our true king is Jesus, who with God and the Holy Spirit are working for our best interest. We also know that we have those who govern over us, who need protection, who need support, for whom we need to pray.  Beyond them, we pray for those who fight the battle, and we hope with great expectation that one day, and soon, we will see a victory in which we are eagerly awaiting.

The need for support is great on all levels. We all need encouragement, we all need prayer, we are all seeking a victory, and a time in which we no longer have to fear gathering together. We know that from the Lord our help will come, and we pray he will remember us, as has been the prayer from the people of God throughout the centuries.

The reality of the impact caused by this virus, and our time away from one another, is also great.  For many it has meant a time of financial uncertainty, and the church definitely feels this uncertainty.  We have tried to cut back on our spending, on utilities, in ministry areas, in any way that we can, but we still have bills that need to be paid, we still want to offer support to our community, and our staff.  The need for support is great here as well.  As a sign of our worship, we bring our tithes and offerings to the church, many of us do this by placing cash or checks in the offering plate.  However, we aren’t able to gather and do so now.  So, I’m asking for your support as we enter into this new month.

I realize that some of you may be dealing with your own financial burdens because of this time. If this is the case, please know we want you to be able to take care of your needs. However, if you are able to fulfill your commitment, or offer some of your gifts to the church, please know we use these to continue the ministry of this wonderful place, rooting deeper and reaching farther for the glory of God. 

Right now we offer 3 ways to support St. Mark Finacially:

  1. You can mail your tithe/offering check to: PO BOX 11007 Knoxville, TN 37939-1007

  2. You can give online at: stmarkknox.org, click give then give online, the process is very easy.

  3.  Call us. There are times when someone is in the office, and if you would like to drop your check off in person, we will be there to greet you and receive your gift.

Though we are not able to gather in our sanctuary at St. Mark, we know that the Lord God will send help from the sanctuary of your heart, and from the Holy Mountain of Zion.

May we shout for joy over the Lord’s victory, and in the name of our God. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – April 1, 2020

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 
- Romans 15:13

The words that Paul speaks to the Romans as forever rich.  Even though we are so distant from them now, they speak to us life, truth, and hope even in our current situation.  Romans, I find to be unique in the letters of Paul because it is written to a people who are almost entirely Gentile, yet are very educated as Romans citizens would have been.  We must remember that much of our modern world is based on the society that was developed by the Roman empire. 

So, when Paul is writing to the Romans he is writing both as an educated man, and as someone who has a great understanding of the righteousness of Jesus Christ offered without price.

Therefore, we can look at the hope of which Paul writes, and is offered through the Holy Spirit. We should realize that it this hope that fill us and completes us in God’s joy and peace, but only as we trust Him (or as some translations say: “believe in Him”).  Herein we find is a matter of the heart which requires us to let go of what we know that we are capable of doing, to let God have control and let Him give us the peace that is not based on our ability to strive and overcome, but on God’s ability to save and sustain us. 

I believe it is this sustaining, saving peace that Jesus had as He trusted and was faithful to God the Father that though he would endure the pain and suffering of the cross, God would bring the salvation through such faithfulness.  This is the true fulfillment of the Law, to trust in God no matter the cost and follow Him to the cross, if necessary, and be led beyond into the true hope and power of the Holy Spirit.

We are all learning a new system of trust in these days of isolation.  We are all clinging to something that brings hope.  As the days go on, may we find that our greatest hope is the hope we have already placed in our trust of Jesus Christ, knowing that in him we can let go of fear, for we have no fear, even in death, for in Him is only life and love.

I pray, the love of Christ brings you this great hope today.
Sam

More words of encouragement: in Romans 12:12 it says “be patient in tribulation”. This is certainly a time when we all need patience. With God’s help we can be patient and see this through. – Donna Judd

Daily Encourager – March 31, 2020

My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction, and my relatives stand at a distance. – Psalm 38:11

I don’t know if I can emphasis enough, the beauty of the psalms.  The psalms are written with every human emotion.  Sure, many are praises to God, but it is amazing the psalms of lamentation, were we see the soul of someone crying out in distress, seemingly depressed because of their condition, living in fear of enemies, and so on.  The psalms give us a glimpse into understanding that the God who created us, gave us these emotions and we can use them to turn to God. 

As I was reading the psalms, I came again to Psalm 38, and like anything else, we tend to read within our current context or frame of mind.  I encourage you to read the entirety of this psalm, as you have time, today.  David is the attributed writer, and he is challenged by a feeling of remembering his sin.  He feels abandoned by God, and feels isolated because of his iniquity.

Some of us may feel isolated right now, and it is possible that in our safer at home mandate, the mind has more time to wonder, to worry, to be concerned with the world, and even more so with self.  Please hear this, God has not abandoned us, and God has not abandoned you.

Even when we are alone, God is with us.  Even when we don’t know it, can’t feel it, even in our doubt and brokenness, God is with us.  That is the beauty of hope, knowing that the God who created the universe chooses, also, to be in the midst of it with us.

So, take a deep breath this morning, and know God is here.  May it give you the strength, the comfort, the peace for today, and even more hope for tomorrow.  Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – March 30, 2020

Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. – Isaiah 53:4-6

In the midst of one of Isaiah’s prophecies of a coming savior, Isaiah sees one who is coming to take away the diseases and the infirmities of the world.  For Isaiah, the disease is people’s disregard for the Lord’s commandments.  Yet, the one who will take them away will do so by taking on the wounds and punishment meant for the afflicted, and it is by his wounds that we are healed.

As we enter a new week of staying at home to keep others safe, and as we hear that these mandates from the government have been extended to the end of April, I am feeling a little more the exile we are experiencing from the church. I miss being with our church, yet I know that this is best to protect us all.

My heart is also sinking as I hear the escalating number of confirmed cases, and even more so with the escalating number of deaths. 

The ones trying to save us, the healthcare professionals, are making due without some much needed supplies. They are working long hard hours, and many of them are now starting to show symptoms of the very disease they have been treating.  They are exemplifying Isaiah’s words of the obedient servant.  Those who have dedicated their lives to working to bring healing to people are experiencing something like they have never seen before, like all of us, each day they are facing new realities, and are doing the very best that they can to bring healing and wholeness to those who they see.

Today, let us join our hearts in prayer for them.  Let us pray that all who serve, in such a time as this, may be protected, may have the supplies they need, may have the God of the universe by their side.   

Lord, we ask your grace, and strength to those who have dedicated their lives for the saving of the lives of others.  We ask that you provisions would make a way from them to be protected. We pray your healing mercy on all, and even more we pray for a path of healing to be complete, that new medicines, vaccines, and treatments would put an end to this virus. in the holy name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

May the God of peace, protect and comfort you today,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – March 29, 2020

Today’s worship service can be found, beginning at 10:30 am, on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmarkknox/ or our website: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons

 

…But the one who endures to the end will be saved. – Mark 13:13

When trying times comes, we have to remember to look for the positive.  It is sometimes hard to keep that positive attitude going, believe me, we all have meltdowns.  And I’ve had those times, I watched with great envy at the kids rolling on the floor crying, wishing I could do the same.

Jesus tells the disciples that hardship is part of following him. 

In the passage from this morning’s scripture, Jesus is telling the disciples of the trouble that will follow them because of His name. Yet, he gives them the encouragement to endure these difficulties, for the promise remains, you will be saved. 

Right now, I’m hopeful for salvation to come.  I know and am secured in my salvation that is from the Lord, but I believe too, in a salvation that will come from this current crisis.  And though these days apart are difficult, I’m praying for your safety and salvation as well.

Today’s encouraging word comes from my wife (whose birthday is tomorrow, March 30). After we shared a hard day of laboring in the yard, she wrote this:

I continue to remind myself to look on the bright side during all of this. I have always had a tendency to worry and stress about things out of my control, but then God shows up with wonderful 80 degree weather. We were able to clear out lots of brush from our back yard while the kids played with chalk, bubbles, and water. I am thankful for the reminders to take it day by day.

Thank you church family for your prayers for Sam and our family.  We look forward to the day we can be back together again! – Samantha Ward

 May we have a “bright side” kind of day, by the glory and grace of God.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – March 28, 2020

Daily Encourager – March 28, 2020

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:9-11

As we sit on the eve of another Sunday apart, I find myself praying for each of you all the more.  Knowing that tomorrow morning the sanctuary of St. Mark will again be empty causes great sorrow, yet, I know that the God who in Christ took on all sorrow, all sin, and all the malice of humankind, that we might know the love of God, gives me hope. 

Even though the sanctuary, the building we use for worship, will be empty; I know many of you will join together in worship.  We will worship together online, we will be in prayer for one another, and we will praise the Lord our God. 

Today’s encouragement comes from a member of our choir who misses seeing each one of you from her usual Sunday perspective.

Philippians 1:3 NLT. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.

And I think of you often. I miss Sundays in our sanctuary, I miss Bible Studies in our Fellowship Hall, I miss choir practice, I miss chatting in the hallways.

But, I think of you daily. And I “see you in my mind” as my youngest son used to say. I can see you from my seat in the choir loft, and I pray you are well and safe. So, don’t mess with me when we get back together and change your pew! I love you all and am thankful for you and what you do to make our church a loving and joyful and safe place to be, whether we are in the same building or in our homes. This too shall pass and we will maybe come out on the other side more aware of how important it is to be together. – Donna Maloy

May we think fondly of one another, and though we lament this time apart, may it make coming back together one day all the sweeter, all the more rejoiceful, for we know that even now, God is with us, binding us together in love.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – March 27, 2020

A man’s spirit can endure sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit? – Proverbs 18:14.

Like many of you, I strive to have hope in this time of concern for health and distance from others.  I strive to look for hope on the horizon, and in faith I believe we will make it through. 

Sometimes, however, when I talk to family and friends who work in healthcare, it seems as though they are just getting through each day with no idea what is really going to happen.  They continue to confirm what we hear; that the best thing is to stay away  hope, and away from others. This will slow the spread of the virus.  When I hear this, my heart sinks for them.  They don’t have any choice, but go to work and risk exposure every day.  Yet, they do so for the health of everyone else. 

Today’s encouragement is for those who work in healthcare, please read the words shared by Irene Joseph below.

I have found at this time of worry and concern I tend to vacillate between hope and despair.  Being at home from work allows far too much time to watch the news and read all of the various articles written about the Coronavirus pandemic. When the weight became too heavy, I turned to a book given to me by a dear friend.  The book is “To Bless The Space Between Us - A Book of Blessings” by John O’Donohue.  One of the blessings I find especially timely is “For A Nurse”.  I think at this time we should all say this blessing for all of the nurses across our nation and the world. They are on the frontlines caring for us while putting themselves at great risk.  God bless all nurses. – Irene Joseph

FOR A NURSE

Your mind knows the world of illness,
The fright that invades a person
Arriving in out of the world,
Distraught and grieved by illness.
How it can strip a life of its joy,
Dim the light of the heart
Put shock in the eyes.

You see worlds breaking
At the onset of illness;

Families at bedsides distraught
That their mother’s name has come up
In the secret lottery of misfortune
That had always chosen someone else.
You watch their helpless love
That would exchange places with her.

The veil of skin opened,
The search through the body’s night
To remove tissue, war-torn with cancer.

Young lives that should be out in the sun
Enjoying life with wild hearts,
Come in here lamed by accident
And the lucky ones who leave,
Already old and in captive posture.

The elderly who should be prepared,
But are frightened and unsure.
You understand no one 
Can learn beforehand 
An elegant and easy way to die.

In this fragile frontier-place, your kindness
Becomes a light that consoles the brokenhearted,
Awakens within desperate storms
That oasis of serenity that calls
The spirit to rise from beneath the weight of pain,
To create a new space in the person’s mind
Where they gain distance from their suffering 
And begin to see the invitation
To integrate and transform it. 

May you embrace the beauty in what you do
And how you stand like a secret angel
Between the bleak despair of illness 
And the unquenchable light of spirit
That can turn the darkest destiny towards dawn.

May you never doubt the gifts you bring;
Rather, learn from these frontiers
Wisdom for your own heart.
May you come to inherit
The blessings of your kindness
And never be without care and love 
When winter enters your own life. 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – March 26, 2020

25…Don’t worry about your life… 28And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! – Matthew 6:25-34

Yesterday, I had to get out of the house.  There were a few grocery items that were needed (my goodness, the food we are going through right now with our family of 5).  Also, I stopped by the church building to work on a few things to get ready for Sunday. 

The best part of being out, however, was the beautiful sunshine.  I loved being able to open the windows and sunroof of my car, and feel the warmth of the sun, and enjoy the beauty of the landscape I drove past.  Even in these difficult times, God is showing us that creation will go on.  Matthew’s telling of the Sermon on the Mount has a section called “The Cure for Anxiety,” and what’s so amazing about it, is how much Jesus tells us to look at what creation is doing, and realize that things will continue, for God and his righteousness have and will provide for you.

Today’s encouraging words come from one of nature lovers, reminding us of the wonderful things we can see as we look outside.

I only need to step out my back door into my garden and hear the birds singing and looking for places to build their nest. Flowers are literally growing inches every day and setting their buds to bloom. This is God's world and he is in charge. – Pam Reddoch

As I look out my window I see the Redbuds starting to bloom, hosta's exploding out of the ground, etc. I only see God's world and the peace it brings to me. I block out the human world for a little while! – Pam Reddoch

I hope you can see some of the beauty of creation, today, and let you heart’s find God’s peace and be renewed in God’s divine provision for you. 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

 

 

Daily Encourager – March 25, 2020

“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. – Daniel 10:12

In the story of Daniel, a prophet of the Lord during a time of exile, Daniel does all that he can to stay connected with God, and to be dedicated to the Lord even though he has been separated from his home, many of his people, and his temple (place of worship).  Daniel as well as many other exiles in Babylon continue to turn to God and pray. The story of Daniel teaches us much about remaining dedicated to God even when things are far from normal.

We know Daniel because of many of the stories we learned as children, or shared with children. For parents out there, if you looking for some fun Bible stories to share with your kids, Daniel is a place that will give them wonder, and maybe a place to help them understand that we are still called to serve God even though we aren't "going" to church. There are many fascinating stories in the book of Daniel.  Today, I bring us this particular verse of a story later in the book of Daniel. Daniel has been in prayer to the Lord his God, and has seen a wondrous vision of a “glorious one.”

Many believe that Daniel’s faith in the midst of constant persecution, his fasting, and dedication to the Lord has allowed him to see a vision of the one, who is to come.  A few times in the book of Daniel they mention someone called “the one with human likeness.” Christian theologians believe that this “one” is the one who we will later know as Jesus.  Jesus was there with the three friends of Daniel in the blazing furnace, Jesus was with Daniel in the lion’s den.  Jesus comes and brings comfort to Daniel as he prays.   

We believe Jesus is with us when we pray even today.  And on this particular day, March 25, 2020.  The Pope has asked for all Christians, and even all people, to come together and pray.  The United Methodist Council of Bishops have asked us to do the same.  And I’m seeing many churches across denominations, and even people who have written off religion say they will join in.  So, I’m inviting you.  At noon, in our own time zone, we are to pray the Our Father (Lord’s Prayer).  So whatever you may be doing, at noon today, please stop and take a moment to lift up the Lord’s prayer, and perhaps the Lord will hear and come to our side.

In addition, I’ve been working on another way to connect with you.  So, I will be holding a virtual prayer meeting at 11:30 am, and ending with the Lord’s prayer at noon.  If you would like to join, we are going to meet through zoom, a video conferencing platform.

To join, you can follow the link below at 11:30 am.  Please note, that if you are using a smart phone or tablet such as an iPad to join you will need to first download the free app from the app store to join us.  If you are joining from a computer just follow the link.  

Topic: St. Mark Prayer

Time: Mar 25, 2020 11:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/309615415

Meeting ID: 309 615 415

I hope to see some of you then, but if not, I know that you will lift your hearts and voices in prayer at noon.  May God through the human one, and in the power of the Holy Spirit meet us and lift us up, today, as he did in ages past with Daniel.

Keep the faith, press on, and may the God of peace answer you today.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – March 24, 2020

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

The more we hear of the things happening around our world, especially concerning how places, states, and even whole countries are shutting down and telling people to “shelter in place,” the more worry has become a very real part of life.

I see pleas of worry every day on social media. Even in our homes, worry might be a part of our conversations. Confession, worry is a part of the conversation in our home.  It may seem that we have much to worry about, and I don’t want to undercut that worry.  However, I do want us to remember something.  When worry becomes common, the great temptation is to forget the one who is still in control. 

Now, more than ever, is a time to remember to pray. 

Prayer is a vital part of our faith, and so many times we want to make our prayers something “church sounding” we try to craft words that our pleasing to the Lord, but we are told in Romans 8:26,

“…for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.”

What this says, is that we may not know how to pray, or what words to say, but even still, turn to God and speak.  You can complain to God if you want, I promise God doesn’t mind, and I’m sure God has heard worse than you complaints.  You can scream at God, you can praise God, it doesn’t matter.  God created your emotions, so however you are feeling, let God know, these are your prayers and supplications. 

Over the last couple of weeks, as the church staff have tried to navigate the things going on, figure out how to offer worship, and keep the community together, I have felt pretty overwhelmed.  I haven’t always known what to pray.  I’ve prayed for our congregation, I’ve prayed that you are safe and protected from harm, I’ve prayed for those whom I have heard are sick.  I’ve prayed for our healthcare workers. Yet, when I have need peace in my own life, I’ve simply started to sing.

There’s an ancient prayer of praise we all know, and we sing it every week.  It’s a song known, simply, as the doxology.  I’ve found that it takes about 20 seconds to sing it, too. So, I sing every time I wash my hands.  I also sing it just because; I sing because it expresses a praise for God when I don’t have the words.  I sing because it guards my heart.  I sing because in those small moments I know the peace of God. 

Whatever you might be doing today, or whatever you may find to worry about, I encourage you to take a deep breath, and sing.  Maybe to yourself, maybe aloud, maybe as your prayer before a meal today, join in singing the beautiful praise of the doxology in lifting our spirits to God.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 
Praise God all creatures here, below.
Praise God above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

May the peace of God meet you in the depths of your heart, today.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam