Daily Encourager – April 21, 2020

…that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. – 1 John 1:5

The first epistle of John is full of imagery of light versus darkness.  John compares God and the promise of hope with the light, while the darkness is that which causes us to stray from God’s love.  John tells us that God is the light, and in God we will not find any darkness. This reminder is for us to realize that God’s deeds are out in the open, they can be seen by all, they are well known, and there is a warmth to knowing the love of God.

Each day we are moving further into spring. In our area of the world, we are seeing the light grow longer each day.  With the growing spring and light, comes the beauty of a new creation springing up all around us, reminding us that God is bringing beauty into our world yet again.  Perhaps we are finding the time to notice a little more this year than others. Even though this season of quarantine has been filled with darkness, the darkness does not overcome the light.  Light overcomes the darkness time and time again, and I believe that even the dark days of the COVID-19, coronavirus are dwindling. 

I hear that we may soon have our “safer at home orders” expire and our city and the cities around us may begin to open.  I am excited for this, but I still say that we should be cautious even when that time comes.  We want to ensure that this named darkness does not come back strong.  We need to continue to care and show love for our neighbors by not putting them at risk. I believe that brighter and brighter days are coming. I am thankful for all who have worked so diligently to get us to where we are, and I hope and pray that once we are living into a new normal, we continue to show our love and support to them. We can do this by following healthcare officials guidelines, and being thankful for each person who is a helper. 

Expressing gratitude is the greatest way to share the light of God. 

This past weekend, I had to make a trip to the local hardware store for some needed items for a continuing project called “my back yard,” As I approached the store, I noticed how everyone was getting into a line, at an appropriate distance form one another, and a clerk was checking, counting, to make sure they were limiting the number of people in the store.  As I moved to the front of the line, I was asked to wait.  I said to the young guy at the door, “not a bad way to spend 8 hours on a nice day like this.” He said, “your right, it really hasn’t been too bad.” He then told me that most people have been very gracious in their waiting, a few have grumbled, and there were a few who got mad and left; yet the majority were understanding. This young man was just doing the job his boss gave him to do, but it was nice to hear that the majority of people were understanding of this new normal.

We will need to continue to be understanding, continue to show gratitude, and continue to walk in the light of God’s love as we begin to go out into the world once more.  May God’s light shine on all of you today, and offer you blessings abounding, in Jesus name. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 20, 2020

…concerning the word of life— 2 this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 1 John 1:1-2

Have you learned anything about life during this time of social distance, and staying at home? I know for some of us life has changed drastically. Our family has traded constantly following and balancing everyone’s schedules, to simply being at home, together.  We have always tried to have dinner together as a family when possible, but now we find that being together all day long we are sharing much more.  It’s a time of learning new lessons, new life skills, and sharing love in many different ways.  (If we yell at each other, it’s out of love too, I promise).  The point is life is being revealed in many different ways, and while some of our ways of living have changed, we are thankful for the life we get to share together, even apart from everyone else. 

John talks about a life that revealed, of which we have become a testimony and a witness.  The life that John shares the life eternal that comes through the word of life, and if we understand the prologue to John’s gospel, then we know that word is Jesus.  Jesus gives us a new life to share each and every day. The key to the life that Jesus gives, is found in the sharing of it.  I know that we aren’t sharing as much these day, at least not in the same way we did before.  However, we still get to share the joy of the life eternal.  We do this by showing care to those around us, by spreading kindness, and by loving one another as Jesus has first loved us. 

I hope this might be a Monday reminder to check on someone, to make the call, send the email, and continue to share in life, even if you simply share what new crazy thing you found the back of the closet/basement/attic you said you’d clean when you found the time.  We all have the time now.  Life may be revealing many things right now, so find the best parts, share them with those that matter, and enjoy living, praising God, and testifying to the blessings each new day brings.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 19, 2020

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By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead… – 1 Peter 1:3

There’s an old Methodist hymn, written by Charles Wesley, and is often believed to be the opening hymn of the early Methodist Conferences.  Each time the pastors and laymen would assemble together to talk about new possibilities in ministry, and to report on what had been done so far, they would first sing this hymn – And Are We Yet, Alive.

To this day, each time Methodist gather for Annual Conference, General Conference and many other times of holy conferencing, that same song is sung.  It reminds us that through times of trials and testing, through troubles and fears, in glory, preserved by power divine, we are yet here, we are yet alive. Perhaps, when this time of quarantine and social distancing is over, and we can gather at St. Mark, again for worship, we should bring out that old hymn and remind ourselves that we have made it through.

I bring this up, today, because we enter now into the Second week of Easter.  Easter is so much more than a day, it is an entire season, and beyond that, Easter is a way of living into the greater hope of life eternal.  The passage from 1 Peter, today, reminds us that when we come to the foot of the cross, when we witness, and experience the death, and the resurrection of Jesus, when we believe in the power that overcomes the grave; then we enter into a new life.  We are born again.  We might remember some old revivalist talking about being a born again Christian and we may or may not have understood what that meant when we heard it.  But to be born again, is to start fresh, to recognize the new life we have been given in Christ.  This new life, is one that comes with a new kind of hope too – a living hope. 

A living hope, another phrase we might not fully comprehend yet, but a living hope is what Wesley and many Methodists of old had as they made their way through trials and troubles, as they persevered to start Methodist bands and societies, as the circuit riders forged from place-to-place with only what they could carry on horseback, so that churches might be established all across our land.  No one does so without a hope in something bigger or better, no one does so unless they know the joy of a living hope that is found in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Today, we continue to celebrate the resurrection, and strive forward, because we are yet alive.  The final verse of that hold hymn give us this hope in which we strive:

Let us take up the cross / till we the crown obtain,
and gladly reckon all things loss / so we may Jesus gain.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 18, 2020

Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. – Psalm 145:2-3

To help make sure the children are good and ready to go to bed at night during our quarantine, we try to get them active after dinner.  It’s not that we need them to go to bed because they have to get up the next day, it’s that we need them to go to bed (period).  So, beyond the walking around the neighborhood, and playing in the back yard, the kids have decided that old childhood favorite, hide-and-go-seek, will get them tired enough to go to bed.  So after cleaning up dinner here we go.  Someone counts, everyone else goes and hides.  Well, I say everyone, but typically Summer just runs around and points out where everyone is hiding.  She’ll get the concept one day.

I’m sure you’ve played the game before, even if it’s been a few years. The whole point is to hide well enough not to be found, or to seek well enough that there is no good hiding place.  Of course when we get older the one whom we try to hide from the most is God, or from what God is trying to tell us about ourselves.  The psalmist’s responds to this by telling us that God “searches me and knows me…” God knows everything there is to know.  But once we are found, the game changes, we are no longer hiding, but seeking, and to that end, we read the words from today, “…his greatness is unsearchable.” 

Once we have found the glory of knowing God, or better, being known by God, we tend to want to know just how deep, high, long, and wide does God’s greatness go.  We want to know the full extent of God’s love for us.  Of course when we look inward, we know that God loves us to the our very core, that not even death would stop God’s love, nor does death stop God love.  For God so loved us that his only son died and rose again that we might know such love.

When we enter into our faith seeking to take it deeper, to become more intimate with God, what we find is the vastness to which God is involved in the whole of creation.  We begin to see God everywhere, or God at work everywhere.  Then we realize that God has always been with us as close as a breath is on our lips. So, we breathe in, knowing the grace that has come for us to wash over us, and we can’t help but breathe out praise.  For every day, with every breath we can’t help but praise the Lord.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 17, 2020

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. 29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, or his steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 118:28-29

For those who may be wondering, today is Friday.  I only remind you, because I find Samantha and I reminding each other all the time, what day it is, or questioning what day it is.  There was a time when Friday was the day to relax from the week, to unwind, and to be prepared for the coming Sunday, day of church and worship.  Now, we just call each day “today” they all seem the same, but the beauty of each day being the same, is that each day is a day of praise, of worship, and there are moments in each of our “today’s” that have helped us to have a hope in a better tomorrow.

Today, we read in the 118th Psalm, that the steadfast love of the lord endures forever.  Again, and again we hear that phrase from the psalmists, they want us to always remember that even today, no matter how good, or how ill, how up or how down; today is a day that the steadfast love of the Lord endures.  The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. This phrase is a victory chant of Israel not for anything that they have, but because they know that everything good comes form the Lord their God. 

Today, as we come to a close of the first week of Easter, we know that the Lord who raised Jesus from the dead, who is raising us to eternal life with Christ, is the Lord whose steadfast love endures forever.  Today gets to be a day when we proclaim, and acknowledge that love. The love that lifted us from the depths into life abundant and eternal.

I hope you remind someone, today, of the steadfast love of the Lord, that you remind someone of the joy of Easter that resides in your heart.  May we all speak words of encouragement, grace, and love to anyone whom we speak. Perhaps remind your spouse, or your children, that the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever, and though we are stuck together, apart from others, that same steadfast love will see us through.  The steadfast love of God did not abandon Jesus to the grave, nor will it abandon us now, for such love does endure forever uplifting our hearts even now to pursue life, to share life, to be united in God’s love separately until such love gathers us together again.

Praise be to God for today, one of the infinite “today’s” in which his steadfast love endures; for his love endures forever. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 16, 2020

The Lord sets the prisoners free; 8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow – Psalm 146:7-9

Back when life was normal, and the church was full of our SMEEP children through the week, one of my favorite blessings was chapel time.  Each week, I would gather with the children in the sanctuary. We would sing songs and I would share a story that helped them understand the gospel. It was one of the highlights of each week. One of the songs that we would sing was one I had sung since I was a child – “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”

It’s such a simple song, but the beauty of the message is the reminds that God’s got us, he’s with us, and just as the psalmist says, he watches overs and upholds even the least fortunate among us.  The great and the small, the little bitty baby, you and me, all of us, God’s got in His capable hands.

The greater truth found in Psalm 146 is that the Lord is a help for all who need it. We have this great call to place our trust in God above any worldly power.  While the world may promise many things, while we have to listen to those leaders in many respects, and while they may be in charge to an extent; even they will answer to God.  Our hope is in the one who was and is and is to come, we place our trust in the God who created the heavens and the earth.  We place our hope in the One who raised Jesus from the dead, and who offers us life abundant and eternal.

The great joy of knowing that God is in control, is that he’s got us in His most capable hands, and that no matter what is going on, we are safe and secure.  We have the Lord, in whom we place our hope, our trust, and our love.  With him even in isolation, we are free. We freely sing with great joy the praises of our God, for he’s got us, the whole world in His hands.   

May the God of joy and love shine brighter than the sun on you today, and I hope you enjoy the beauty that God has created all around you. I miss you all.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 15, 2020

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I  am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
 – John 15:4-5

The late Fred Craddock, preacher and teacher of preaching, tells a story of the early days in his ministry when he was sent to the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee to do the work of a pastor.  In those days it was common, he says, for the Vacation Bible School to last for two weeks. Craddock spoke of one year, in the midst of Vacation Bible School, the material that was sent to them was on Nature and seeing God in creation and in the world. It was all well and good, he said, except he ran out of material by the third day.  The material wasn’t very deep, there wasn’t much there to go on.  Craddock had the group, at the time called Juniors, they were 10-13 year-olds.  So he got this great idea.  Since the theme was on nature, and they were in a rural area, he decided he would send them out.  He told them, I’ll ring the bell once, and you kids go out and find something that reminds you about God.  After you find it, I’ll ring the bell a second time, and you can bring it back and share.

Craddock remarks that after he rang the bell, and they ran off, he initially had no intention to ring the bell the second time. He relented, however, and rang the bell to call them back to the group.  The kids all lined up with something in their hand.  One little boy had a rock in his hand. What does this tell us about God? That God is stout and strong.  Good. 

The next little girl had a flower in her hand. What does this tell us about God? That God is pretty.  Great. 

Another girl had some huckleberries in her hands.  And what do these huckleberries tell us about God? That God feeds the birds of the air, and us.  Excellent. 

Finally, Craddock comes to Jimmy.  He remarks that Jimmy was one of those boys that when he was absent, everyone kind of sighed of relief.  But Jimmy was standing there, and in his hand was the little hand of his young sisters who was in the first grade class. And what does that tell you about God? 

Jimmy thought for a moment, dug his tow in the ground, and said “I don’t know.” His sister snatched her hand away and said, “Jimmy, your silly” and ran off…

Abide, is the word Jesus uses for his disciples, even as he is preparing to leave. Abid is a simple word, it makes for an excellent theme, but what does the word really entail, and further, what does it mean for us as the body of Christ?

What we find, is that to abide with Christ, we have to break free from many of our cultural norms that we have allowed to set in over time.  We have been formed in a society that has led us to believe that everything is about the individual experience.  It’s all about having everything you want, the way you want it.  Yet, even as we begin to get thing when we want the way we want, what we find is that there is an emptiness still inside that needs to be filled. The call of Jesus to abide reminds us that what we are missing is community.  A community that abides what Christ and abides together.

Right now, that seems harder than ever, I have even seen a few remarks that this time is like being a teenager all over again, gas is cheap, but we’re grounded and can’t leave the house. We long for community, for connection, we long to abide.  But even as we are separate, I know we can bear much fruit as we continue to reach out to one another, check on one another, and care for one another. Keep it up, and keep looking for God in the world.

Jimmy came back when the bell rang, and in his hand was the hand of his little sister, and what does this tell us about God?  God wants us to be together, to abide as one body, one people, one communion as we abide in His love, and to go out and find those whom God would have us nurture in this same love.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 14, 2020

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. – Isaiah 30:18

I heard the announcement yesterday, in the evening.  I knew rumors were bouncing around, I knew it was going to be a possibility, but now it is confirmed. Stay at home orders extended until April 30, 2020.  I get it, Lord, we will wait to be safe. We will wait to gather in your house again. We will wait because of our love for neighbor and our desire to keep them well as we would ourselves. 

I know and believe that patience is a virtue, but in that regard I have never been very virtuous.  It’s not a matter of an inability to wait, but once a task gets started I want to see it through.  I have learned to wait on starting a project until I know all contingencies, and have all funds and materials at hand. I have learned to have patience with others when things are out of their or my control.  Yet, even in learning, I still don’t enjoy the waiting.

Isaiah has a word for us, it comes at the end of a section entitled “A Rebellious People.” At the time of his writing, Isaiah was trying to warn, to prepare the people of God for a time when God would leave them to their own devices, that God would allow other nations to come and conquer them, for they had rebelled against God’s word, and against God’s love. Therefore, the Lord will wait to save them.

Yet, in the time of exile, Isaiah give hope to the faithful. For God will delay, but God does not abandon. The Lord waits, but his waiting ends with graciousness. God’s waiting ends with mercy. And, for those who choose to wait on God, a blessing will come.

So, we wait, and we wait a little more, but I will learn, and I hope you will learn with me, that as we wait, we can look forward to the sweet blessings God will bring in grace and mercy to us. 

May such grace be new every morning, and such mercy bring calm each evening as we wait on God’s blessings, Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 13, 2020

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones. – Isaiah 49:13

We continue to celebrate the joy of resurrection. I truly hope you each had a very blessed Easter yesterday, and I want to share a little joy with you today.  We are one day closer to the end of this time of separation. It may seem odd to say that, as we do not yet know the exact day, hour, or minute that we will feel as though we can go back to life as usual, however, I know this, each day that passes is one closer to the day when we can gather and celebrate the coming to life again of our nation, our city, and our church.

When Isaiah is writing the words recorded in this chapter, his heart is heavy.  He has seen from the Lord the ways in which the people have been disobedient, they plans of destruction that will come to Jerusalem.  For him, the signs are in place of the Lord’s wrath at the hands of other nations.  However, even though they will be in despair for a while, Isaiah knows that are not without hope.  Isaiah talks of a savior, talks of a time of salvation, and talks of the joy of returning home.

We have learned, in this time of social distancing, that we also are not without hope. Each and every day new messages of hope come to us through neighbors, friends, people checking on us, or sending a simple message.  We know that though we are apart, God is keeping us together. Yes, we do long for the day when we can gather again, but that does not keep our hearts from singing.  Our family very much enjoyed singing the songs of Easter yesterday, and ending the day listening to the song of the gentle rain, are reminder that all things are washed and made new.

God will have compassion on his suffering ones as he has since times of old.  Hang in there, we are comforted, we are loved, God is singing over us songs of joy that will inspire our hearts to join the chorus. 

Hymn writer Charles Wesley gave us these great words of hope that help us rejoice in the victory:

Rejoice the Lord is King / Your Lord and King adore /Mortals give thanks and sing /
And triumph evermore / Lift up your heart / lift up your voice / rejoice again I say rejoice.

This hymn give us plenty to rejoice about, it tells the story of Jesus our savior being the very truth and love of God, that he purged our sin, reigns on high, his kingdom shall not fail, he rules over earth and heaven, and holds the keys of hell and death.  Jesus, the risen, reigning lord is our glorious hope.  Therefore we shall sing and rejoice with all creation, because we have the news life promised in his resurrection.

Have a blessed Easter Monday everybody,
Sam

Daily Encourager – April 12, 2020

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56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

The victory over the grave is the greatest truth that anyone can know.  It is a truth we all need to know, deep down, it needs to mark our souls, because it gives it gives us hope and power.

There is a story little story I love, whose author is unknown that talks about this victory over the grave and what a great truth it is.  The story says:

All over the world, there is a preacher of the old school; he speaks as boldly as ever, even today though. He is not popular, though the world is his parish and he travels every part of the globe and speaks in every language. He visits the poor, calls upon the rich, preaches to people of every religion and no religion and the subject of his sermon is always the same. He is an eloquent preacher, often stirring feelings which no other preacher could, and brings tears to eyes that never weep. His arguments, none are able to refute, nor is there any heart that has remained unmoved by the force of his appeals. He shatters life with his message. Most people hate him, everyone fears him, his name? Death. Every tombstone is his pulpit. Every newspaper prints his text, and someday, every person will become his sermon.

This story especially speaks to me this year, as I think about what has transpired and caused us to celebrate separately.  However, even though we are apart we see the hope of that which has overcome, even the great preacher, death.  For those who have called upon the name of Christ have seen, have believed, have received the victory. 

The fear of death is cancelled in the hope of the resurrection.

Because of this victory, we may no long fear death, but there's a sense in which death still violates us. It still violates our dominion. It still breaks long love relationships. It still leaves unfinished symphonies. It still removes those that are greatly needed. It still pounces on the blushing baby cheek and the aged wrinkled face. It still snatches souls and draws them in.

Death is still an enemy even though we who are Christians have no fear. It's still invades us and can hit us with a tremendous blow. But through the hope of the resurrection, we can proclaim with Isaiah 25:8 which says, he will swallow up death forever.

Death and all of its apparent victories are undone for God's children. What looks like a victory for death, and like a defeat for us; when our bodies die shall be utterly reversed so that death dies in absolute defeat, and our bodies live again in absolute victory." In other words, death is not just defeated from doing any more harm. Everything it's ever done is undone. Death is swallowed up forever.

The Scriptures tell us, "there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ." There is no sin against you, there is no sting against you. God has forgotten it. He's buried it in the seas, removed it as far as the east is from the west.

In the resurrection of Christ, and our resurrection with Christ, even the grand preacher, death is nothing. Today we celebrate that Christ is risen!  Hallelujah! His is risen in deed.

Grace to you and your families on this blessed Easter Sunday,
Pastor Sam

Daily Encourager – April 11, 2020

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…. – Psalm 23:4

The world sits in stunned silence on this day. Jesus has died and is in the grave. 

While we know that this is not the end of the story, it is a part of it.  A part of the storied path to eternal life that we dread the most – death.  We don’t like to talk about death, we avoid death at all costs.  Many of us are listening to the health professionals and are staying in our homes now to avoid the potential of death by world cripling virus.

It’s hard to hear on the news each day the death toll of the coronavirus, but we also know it is not the only cause of death that exists. We also fear cancer, heart attacks, strokes. Murder, traffic accidents, and old age. Yet, if we continued to look around the nation and the world we would even see death claim victims by drug overdose, malnutrition, starvation, and many, many more dreadful things.

We don’t like to talk about death, we remain silent about death, but we know death remains.

On this Holy Saturday, and perhaps especially this year, the words of the Shepherds psalm are ringing in my head, “yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”

Yet, when we follow that verse on through, we hear the resolve, “…I will fear no evil. Thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…” Even if we were set at a table with our enemy, even if we sat at a table with death, we know that goodness and mercy will follow us; that God is with us.

Yes, today the world is in stunned silence, but we have no fear, we believe and know that with the dawn will come a great joy.  We wait in silence, now with anticipation; awaiting the news of resurrection.

May God’s presence be with each of you this day, as you rest, waiting on the joy of Easter morning.  Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

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
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MEDIC BLOOD DRIVE - APRIL 19, 10:00 -3:00PM

St. Mark Mission is hosting a Blood Drive on Sunday, April 19 from 10:00-3:00PM

The guidelines are: one person at a time, it is appointment only, they will not take walk ups.

If you are able please make an appointment today, this is something that means so much right now.

CLICK HERE to sign up.

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/

Virtual Easter Egg Hunt - April 10 - 12

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