One suitcase of our two piece luggage allowance was dedicated to transporting materials, video equipment, printed materials, seminar supplies, children’s ministry resources, and a guitar. All of it we planned to use and leave behind with our Tanzanian ministry partners.We didn’t return with less. We simply shared that of which God has given us an abundance but in return God, through our Tanzanian ministry partners, packed bags for us we did not even have to carry. We were part of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers a long time ago, “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need” 2 Corinthians 8:14 (NIV). And we experienced the dynamics Paul described, “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you” 2 Corinthians 9:12-14 (NIV).It will take us some time to unpack all God has sent us home with. As we do the blessing will be multiplied and shared with all of you who gave, helped, and prayed to fill the bags we went with. Now we get to unpack together and rejoice in all that God has sent home with us, the experiences, the encouragement, faith that has blossomed and grown, the awe of what God can do with what little we have when we are willing to surrender it for his use and to his glory.In the end we end up at the foot of the cross, looking up, in awe, filled with praise, wanting to worship, “Giving thanks to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV).To God be all glory. Love you and miss you, Pastor Hans.
Your Kingdom Come
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”Matthew 6:10 (ESV)Why should you and I yearn for, pray for, and work for God’s kingdom to come? Is it worthwhile to completely abandon yourself to God’s kingship, God’s authority, God’s rule? The answer is, “Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!”Critics and scoffers have maintained that devotion to God and Christ is the root of narrow-mindedness and the cause of all kinds of ills. This is simply not true. What is true is that the disposal of God and any practice of halfhearted devotion causes both narrow-mindedness and all kinds of human ills. Where God is rejected and subjected is where we are far from the kingdom of God. Contrary to the accusations we will never be villains or fools if we commit ourselves to the pursuit of God’s kingdom. “Let your kingdom come.”The overarching reality of God’s kingdom is that his will is done. The subjects of God’s kingdom consistently and completely embrace the will of God, the wisdom of God, the ways of God, and the commandments of God. Have you ever dared to imagine what that looks like? Everyone relating to one another out of heart of love, with no thought of injuring, defrauding, oppressing, or hurting your neighbor for your own ends; no fear of losing out on life because the love of God anchors your life and you know nothing can separate you from it. No need for jealousy because you can freely rejoice in the success of your neighbor, his/her success does not threaten or diminish you, it brings glory to God and that is enough. “My your kingdom come.”People are not dispensable in the kingdom of God, everyone is assigned an eternal place, contribution, and purpose. This is not so with godlessness or idolatry, people are dispensable there. Those who cannot contribute, those who threaten the current power structure, those who became a financial liability, those who can be a means to an end, those believe differently are all dispensable in the kingdoms, philosophies, and man-made religions of our world. Not so with God’s kingdom, sinners, the broken, the feeble, the weak, and the poor are esteemed and invited on the same level as the powerful, the rich, the privileged. “Your kingdom come.”How many keys do you have? How many PIN #s and passwords? When God’s kingdom is fully realized you won’t need any of them because you won’t have to be afraid of someone coveting or stealing your stuff. “Your Kingdom come.”We are not meant to just wait for it, that’s a gross misinterpretation of eschatology. As a follower of Christ I am citizen of the kingdom (Philippians 3:20), I am called to live out God’s kingdom will now, yearn for it now, pray for it to unfold now. But to do so in a world that seeks its own kingdoms will be costly, will require faith, will stretch and challenge us daily, but it is worth it, a thousand times worth it. “Let his kingdom come.”To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Build Something Beautiful
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock” Matthew 7:24 (NLT).My brothers and I put in some serious Lego playing time. We each had our own color, this way there was no confusion over whose Legos where whose. This required some serious negotiations when you ran out of pieces you needed. It’s the pits when a brother is in a strong negotiating position. It was even worse when negotiations broke down and war was declared, this meant all pieces previously acquired had to be returned, along with threats and curses, which meant having to disassemble whatever had been build, leaving us all sitting on the floor with piles of Lego rubble. My memories are filled with building awesome things together and Legos flying, returning them on the heels of failed negotiations was never accompanied by civility and kindness.When it comes to life I wish I had all the right pieces in all the right colors to build something beautiful that is not exposed to the claims, needs, or treachery of others. But even though life doesn’t hand us all the right pieces, we do build, each one of us, we are all building something. It was really irritating when one of my brothers build something and then let it just sit there for days, tying up pieces I needed. That’s how clandestine raiding started, or the challenge of taking pieces of something without disturbing the outside look of it so it would not be obvious. Life can be nasty.Legos don’t smell, but a lot of what life hands you stinks. Lego’s are designed to neatly interlock, life just hands you pieces, many of them broken, sharp, even awful. How are you supposed to build anything worthwhile with that? Legos don’t move on their own, the pieces of my life are constantly moving in ways I have no control over. Legos are expensive, so is life, in more than one way, it is astounding how much some things cost us.The Bible, God’s written word, doesn’t say a word about Legos, but it says all kinds of things about life and about building. It makes a difference what you build your life on, what you build with, how you acquire your materials, what you do with the broken and the stink, whose plans you follow, how you deal with the moving parts, and how you deal with the things that can bring it all down.The Corinthian church was a mess because they were acting like a bunch of Frei boys playing Legos. They had forgotten that they were supposed to build something beautiful, that in Christ and by the grace of God they were enabled to build something that glorifies God and blesses others. So the Apostle Paul gave them an earful, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 (NLT).Have you made Christ your foundation? What are you building on it? Can what you build withstand the storms of life and the judgment of God? Does what you do with the pieces of your life glorify God and bless others?To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans
Passions, Pursuits, and Hobbies
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)“ As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." John 20:21 (NIV)It is astounding, all the different pursuits and hobbies there are. Each one is its own world consisting of subcategories, lingo, knowhow, magazines, and industries supplying everything you could possible need. Take fishing, the world of bass angling is different from ocean fishing, which is different from trout fishing, which is different from commercial fishing. Or cars, you can be into muscle cars, or old timers, or new cars, or trucks, or racing street or oval, NASCAR, Indy, or Formula 1, or a specific Brand, or who knows what. Horses are no different, as are motorcycles, RVs, surfing, hiking, diving, running, cooking, barbequing, wood working, pottery making, painting, video games, antiques, photography, civil war reenactment, Celtic enthusiasts, sports and collecting of every kind. I once took a wrong turn at a conference center and after passing through the lecture hall where the nano engineers had gathered I wound up in the middle of the quilting convention. Now I have spent a few hours of my life waiting in various fabric stores, have even been sent there once or twice for an errand or two, but none of that prepared me for the this excursion into the world of quilting. I had no idea, the quilts were amazing works of art, craftsmanship, and creativity, but there were also dozens of vendors selling quilting supplies, lecture schedules, and workshops. I listened in on one group as they were discussing stitching techniques, they might as well have spoken ancient Babylonian. It was a beehive of activity; they loved being there, paid money to be there. It was another world with not another man in sight. So what turns your crank, what makes your heart beat faster, what gets you talking, rearrange your calendar, and open your wallet. Maybe it is gardening, traveling, golfing, hunting, or cooking? Maybe it is bird watching, star gazing, theater, music, movies, or car audio? Maybe it is football games, sewing, guns, crafts, dogs, cats, or history? Whatever it is I would love for you to drop me a email and tell me what it is for you and why (dergermanshepherd@gmail.com). What is God’s passion, pursuit (I am not sure about hobbies)? What makes his heart beat faster? The answer is people, you and me, your neighbor, the person working next to you, your boss, your teacher, your classmate, your family members, your doctor, your mechanic, your friends, and even your enemy. God’s heart beats for the poor, the oppressed, the neglected, the suffering, the hungry, and the forgotten. God’s heart beats for the lost, for sinners on their way to hell. “How can we know that?” you ask. Because he held nothing back. God put his treasure where his heart is and offered up his Son, Jesus Christ, because of his love for people, for you and me. One of the challenges of the Christian life is acquiring the heart of God, to be passionate about what He is passionate about, to pursue what He pursues, to use our time, treasure, everything as God would. Let me ask a few questions and throw out a challenge, “Are we using what we are passionate about, even our hobbies, the way God would? Are our pursuits, loves, and hobbies mere self-gratification or are we redeeming them to accomplish what is on God’s heart? Are our hobbies and pursuits a reflection of Christian boredom or do we have a vision for using them to reflect the heart of God? I challenge you to use what you love, to take your hobbies, to engage your passions in the work of God’s kingdom, to love, reach, and grow people in Christ. To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans P.S. Two additional thoughts: There are sinful pursuits, passions, and hobbies. I am not suggesting they are somehow redeemable, they must be let go. Secondly, if our core passion is different from God’s passion much of our lives, no matter how much fun or gratifying, will in the end be an empty pursuit and wasted opportunity.
A Thanksgiving Challenge
I had breakfast this morning, two eggs, toast, honey, and a glass of juice. Actually I eat breakfast most any morning. Before I ate breakfast I woke up in comfortable bed, cleaned myself up in our bathroom that has running water, a toilet, and a shower. I drove my daughter to her school bus stop in my nice Dodge pickup with the fuel tank almost full. When I returned three basically worthless dogs greeted me, and then I went back into the house I call my own to eat breakfast with Susie. After breakfast I got back into my pickup and drove to my heated office, carrying my fancy mug full with hot tea, lemon-ginger green tea. I turned on the computer and sat in my comfortable chair to begin my day of work. In a little while I will drive back home to eat some lunch and then return to work. This evening I will gather with others here at the church and teach another lesson on the topic of salvation. When we’re finished I will return home, and before crawling back into that comfy-cozy bed I will probably use my notebook computer, read a while, and what the heck I might even have a snack before I kiss my beautiful wife good night.Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but do we realize just how much there is to be grateful for? Most of us do not spend a lot of time worrying whether or not we are going to eat breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. If anything we think about what we would like to have and worry about eating too much. Likewise we do not arrange our day around the getting of water, just to live, never mind taking a shower or watering the shrubs.I’ll spare you from recapping my day in this way. I think you understand what I am getting at, but I would like to challenge you to take a day this week and literally, from the moment you get up until you turn the lights out, give thanks to God for everything throughout your day that should make you grateful. Let it be a warm-up for Thanksgiving. If you take up my challenge I would love for you to tell me about it afterwards –theGermanShepherd@juno.com; PastorHans, 4175 Abeto Street, La grange, Ca 95329.Would you be interested in some pastor’s note desert? I thought you would be: “Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 (NLT). “Thank you God for the wisdom, the instruction, and the goodness of your written word (the Bible), and for the free access we have to it. Would you please help us with living it?”To God be all glory, love you, Pastor HansPS. All of the sermons this month are from 1 Thessalonians, I encourage you to read it each week in preparation, and of course I encourage you come to hear them.
… you will...
“… you will be My witnesses …” Acts 1:8… “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? Romans 10:13-14 (NLT)
“Will you tell the truth and nothing but the truth?” the court clerk asked. “I do,”I replied, but I was nervous as heck, not because I had anything to hide, butbecause in a courtroom I feel like a fish out of water and because what happens ina courtroom is serious stuff. It was that day, the defendant was being accused ofmurder. I am not sure why I was there, because I didn’t witness the crime. I thinkthe defense wanted to use me to create some doubt in the jurors, but the districtattorney saw right through it. I never did hear how the case ended.
“You will be my witnesses,” Jesus told his followers, so that all the world mightknow the truth, so every man, every woman, every child might walk out of thecourtroom of God (the judgment of God), be saved from eternal judgment, andbe set free. That’s serious business, even more serious as someone being accusedof murder.
So what do we as followers of Jesus, as Christians, give witness to? Jesus. We give witness to the fact that Jesus lives, that He is God’s Son, that He lived sinlessly, that He died on a cross, that He was buried for three days, that He arose from the grave, conquering sin and death, that He ascended into heaven to plead the case of sinners in the courtroom of God, that everyone who calls on His name will be set free because He paid the penalty for our sins which is death and hell, and that He will return in glory and power to gather all those who have placed their faith and trust in Him and followed Him.I grew up in a church where the importance of witnessing (that’s what witnessesdo), was no longer considered important. The preacher didn’t think so, theleaders didn’t think so, and the people in the pews didn’t think so. Every SundayI looked at a live-sized carving of a crucified Christ hanging on a real cross rightthere in the middle of the old Lutheran church, at the back wall in the choirsection behind it there was a carving of the empty tomb with angels sitting infront of it. But no one told me how badly I needed the Jesus of whom these worksof art told. I needed a witness to tell me.6000 Miles from that place God in his providence allowed me to attend a littleChurch in Greeley Hill, the building couldn’t compare to what I was used to butthere were witnesses, the Pastor, his wife, the deacons, and Pat Jenkins and JackMauney. Pat would often rise to and give public testimony of Jesus Christ andhow he saved her and was alive and active in her life. Jack let me hang around hissmall car repair business, took me to town and fed me whoppers and milk shakes,let me drive his old pickup, opened his home to youth activities, and he toldme about being saved, calling on Jesus’ name, and my need for Him. They werewitnesses. God used their testimony to change my life and destiny.Jesus said the Holy Spirit would empower us (subpoena) us to be Christ’switnesses, lets answer the call, too much is at stake.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans