Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-08-02, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018. From the Minister's Study Have a relationship with God to have everything By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Blyth Christian Reformed Church A few years ago I met a pair of brothers who were farming together. They had bought the farm from their parents and have been quite successful in the following years. The farm looked wonderful. The cows were treated well and producing better than average. But there was a problem: the brothers didn't talk to each other unless they absolutely had to. Over the years their relationship had deteriorated into one of nearly open hostility. The farm was flourishing, but the more important thing, a good family relationship, had ceased to exist. They had so much, but in reality, they had so little. I was not in the position to do so, but I had a strong urge to say to those two brothers: be reconciled to each other. It would have been difficult; reconciliation would have taken a great deal of humility on both their parts, for they had both contributed to the problem. To be reconciled to someone, we need to first admit where we erred, where we failed. True, in broken relationships one person may be more to blame than the other, but if we are going to be reconciled to another, we must first admit our mistakes and our weaknesses. It is far too easy for us to say, "But look at what he did," or, "but she was wrong when she did that." If reconciliation is going to happen, we need to admit where we were wrong. In 2 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul writes about reconciliation. He says, `Be reconciled to God" (verse Local Coverage Where You Work, Play & Live Catch up on sports, shopping deals, restaurants, events, new businesses, politics, job openings, homes for sale, cars for sale and more with your local newspaper! Subscribe Today! The Citizen In Print & Online 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 www.northhuron.on.ca 20). When he uses those words, he is implying, logically, that there is a broken relationship between us and God. Paul is right when he implies that, from the beginning of the Bible to the end, we read about the problem of that broken relationship. As the Bible tells it, God created all things good, and he created us to live in perfect relationship with him. He would provide for our every need, filling and fulfilling our lives in every way, and he asked us to live according to his ways. God's rules were not onerous or unfair, for what he asks is simply what is best for us as we live in the world he has made. The relationship fell apart when we, as humanity, refused to do things God's way. Thinking we were smarter than Him, we turned our backs on Him and decided that we didn't need Him nor did we have any obligation to listen to him. Through that process, not only did we anger God (as a disobedient child angers his parents), but we also began to ruin the beautiful world that God had given us to enjoy. To our own harm, then, we turned away from God. That broken relationship is our fault, not God's. He did nothing wrong while we have done everything wrong. Even when we try hard to get it right, we never get it perfectly right and we often cause more damage than we solve. We must take the blame for that brokenness we have caused and we must take the blame for the ruined relationship between us and God. Paul calls us to be reconciled to God. Notice that this is a one-way street. God does not need to be reconciled to us. He has done nothing wrong. We are not entirely accustomed to this way of thinking, for most often, when we see a broken relationship, both parties are to blame, at least to some degree. Not so with God. To be reconciled to God, then, means that we must recognize our role in the problem, that it is entirely our fault, and that we must take responsibility. We must admit our own mistakes. Sadly, we still are left with a problem. Admitting to our mistakes is not enough to correct them. We must provide reparation. Where we have caused harm, we must repair the damage. Our problem is that we cannot. And this is why Paul says that God provides the means for reconciliation and He does so in Jesus Christ. In Christ, if we put our faith in Him, our mistakes, our errors and our sins are no longer counted against us. Jesus took upon Himself all our wrongdoings on the cross, and if we believe in Him those sins are no longer counted against us. It is because of what Jesus did for us that God reconciles us to Himself. Paul goes on, speaking to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, to say that we have been given the message of reconciliation for the world. To put it bluntly, then, the good news of the Bible includes the admission that we, as human beings, are to blame for all the problems in this world. This calls for great humility, for unless we are truly humble, we will not face our mistakes. But it is in this humility v, BRUSSELS United Church Brussels United is closed during August We are invited to join Melville Presbyterian each Sunday at 11 am Meet us at our Hospitality Booth at "The Barn" every Friday from 2 to 6 pm MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, AUGUST 5 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Starting September 2nd, worship time will be at 9:30 am. Mark the change on your calendar! Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Nursery care available 519-887-6687 HURON CHAPEL PRESENTS aAucsPOW RFUL FROG SIVE EVERY SUNDAY IN AUBURN @ 10am PLAN Life is full of choices and every choice you make will either take you in the progressive, life-giving direction God has planned for you or rob you of the opportunity to know the full life God intends for you to live. This Sunday: "The Choice To See Life Differently" huronchapel.com that we can also experience grace. Once we have admitted our own failings, we are ready to also accept God's gift in Jesus Christ, namely that our sins can and will be completely forgiven through faith in Jesus. And then the relationship with our God can be restored. It is never easy to enter into the process of reconciliation, for reconciliation means admitting our own failings. But, if we think about the two brothers farming together while not speaking to each other except out of necessity, we can see how much better it would have been for them to humble themselves before each other and seek reconciliation. They could have had so much more. If your relationship with God remains broken because you have never experienced reconciliation through Jesus Christ, wouldn't it be so much better if you humbled yourself before Him, admitted your failings and sought forgiveness through Jesus Christ? We can have everything, but we if we experience a broken relationship with our God, we really don't have anything. Drop by our office in Blyth or Brussels and check out our wonderful selection of books. We have books for all ages. 413 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 The Regional Ministry of Hope Everyone Welcome! Trinity Anglican Church St. John's Anglican Church BLYTH BRUSSELS 40- 9:15 am 11:15 am MINISTRY OFFICE 519-357-4883 Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The Regional Ministry of Hope COME WORSHIP WITH USI Y0tu ze Jiirited I.7ein its 7 orsiii? SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 You're Invited to come worsh p with us Sunday, August 2 at 10:30 a.m. 650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School) Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. Summer evening service 6:00 pm at various homes For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Closed for the month of August BUC is looking for two High School students to run the Sunday School program the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month, from Sept. 23 - May 26, 2018. SIX volunteer hrs./month will be given to each of the students selected!!! Preparation time will be given. Students interested should call Lori at 519-523-4314. Only two students will be selected however other interested students will be kept in mind for the following school year. blythunited @tcc.on.ca . Accessible ® Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches OFFICE: 519-523-4224