forgive

Good evening friends,
As we enjoy the comforts of home, please keep our service men and women and our veterans in your prayers. Many of these men and women have given up a lot to protect the freedoms we enjoy. Many are far from home now, thinking about their loved ones.

In today's reading, Paul reminds us that God has called us in love to be God's people. We are forgiven and loved in an amazing way in Jesus, so we should be loving and forgiven in our relationships with others.

God bless,
Sam

Colossians 3:12-17

¹²As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. ¹³Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

veterans and our service

Good morning sisters and brothers,
As you begin your day today, I'd invite you to spend a little time reflecting on the service of our veterans including those currently serving. We dedicated today to thanking our veterans, active duty and reserve military personnel for their courage and dedication to protect our country. The Town of Irondequoit hosts a service of recognition for Veterans' Day this morning at 10:45 on the lawn of town hall. I'll be there to offer prayer, and if you're free you might want to join me. Whether you're at the service or not, please remember our veterans and those who serve now in your prayers.

In our reading for today Joshua moves from remembering the past to giving Israel a choice for their future. He invites them to choose to serve God or to serve other gods. God gives us the same choice each day: will we serve the Lord who gives us life and who comes to us in Jesus Christ, or will we serve other gods? Will we serve the gods of money and power who claim our attention in the headlines? Will we serve the gods of the rat race that call us to endless striving to validate our existence with material possessions? Whom will we serve today?

God bless,
Sam

Joshua 24: 14-24

¹⁴“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.

¹⁵Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

¹⁶Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; ¹⁷for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; ¹⁸and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

¹⁹But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. ²⁰If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” ²¹And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” ²²Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” ²³He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” ²⁴The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.”

gospel fruit

Good morning all,
A quick reminder about the Irondequoit Veteran's Day service on Thursday. This is a service to honor and remember our veterans and their service. It will be held at Irondequoit Town Hall at 10:45 Thursday morning with light refreshments after. I'll be leading opening and closing prayers and it would be great to see others there to honor our vets.

This morning's reading is less unsettling than yesterday's, but it contains the same sense that Christians will always struggle against the powers of darkness in the world until Christ returns. Here the writer gives thanks for the Thessalonians' faith. He calls them the "first fruits of salvation through sanctification by the Spirit." That idea of early Christians as first fruits is common in the letters. That means that as Christ and the apostles and the church planted the seed of the gospel (the good news of God's love in Jesus Christ) those early Christians were the first to grow. The Old Testament talks about the first fruits of the harvest being holy and offered to God. In the same way the first Christians are set apart for God's service to continue to plant the seed and prepare a harvest of faith for God.

We later Christians are also set apart for God and are still called to plant the seed of the gospel. It often feels like the world doesn't want to hear the good news because people don't go to church the way they used to. I am convinced that people are as hungry as ever for it, but many people don't know that the church has any good news. People from 20-60 grew up in a culture that distrusts institutions in general. From embezzling televangelists in the eighties and nineties to widespread sex scandals of the last 20 years and high profile intolerance and hatred in many parts of the church even today people could be excused for thinking the church is about greed, self-service, and prejudice. Who will welcome our neighbors into a relationship with a loving God and accepting church if not us?

In addition to welcoming, we are called to pray frequently and seriously for the word of God to bear fruit in the world. Think about finding a way to make prayer a daily practice and include in your prayers the ministry and mission of the church around the world. Remember especially churches that are still persecuted (Burma, parts of China and elsewhere). We might be surprised what widespread, concentrated prayer can do to open the hearts of others and to open our eyes to opportunities to share the word. Don't fear but believe.

God bless,
Sam

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17, 3:1-5

13But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, 17comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

3:1 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you, 2and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. 3But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 4And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.