HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-23, Page 23By Pastor Ernest DowLiving Water ChristianFellowship (EMC), BlythWealth, stock markets, and
vanishing value have certainly been
in the headlines lately.
Thursday, Oct. 9 was an especially
notable day: a late burst of selling
sent the Dow Jones industrials down
to 8,579, crashing through the 9,000
level for the first time in five years.
That was a loss of 7.3 per cent, or
$872 billion of investment value.
What’s particularly interesting is
that Oct. 9 marked a year to the day
since the Dow hit its record high of
14,164; in the subsequent 12
months, the market lost an estimated
39 per cent of its value, or a
staggering $8.3 trillion in paper
losses.
What a costly day – and year! The
whole world has been feeling the
effects, with governments
scrambling to shore up banks and
other financial institutions.
Locally we are just beginning to
see the spin-off, with manufacturing
plants closing or laying off workers.
The day was also significant in
that Oct. 9 marked the Jewish
holiday of Yom Kippur, The Day of
Atonement. This is a very holy day
in the Jewish calendar – arguably the
most special, because in Bible times
that was the only day the High Priest
was permitted to enter behind the
curtain in the Holy of Holies to
sprinkle blood on the Atonement
Cover atop the Ark of the Covenant.
There was a cost involved, as
animals were sacrificed for the sins
of the people – a bull, rams, and a
goat. One ‘scapegoat’had the sins of
the community confessed over it,
then was sent off into the wilderness,
a visual symbol of the effectiveness
of the atoning sacrifices in
separating or removing the sins from
the people.
The rituals associated with the day
were symbolic, pointing into thefuture for a more adequatefulfillment, for how could the livesof animals atone for the wickedness
and rebellion of people?
Psalm 49 reminded the Israelites
how costly a true ransom must be:
“No man can redeem the life of
another or give to God a ransom for
him – the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough…” What
ordinary person could ever have the
resources or innocence to pay that
kind of debt?
However in the New Testament,
the apostles came to understand that
what Jesus Christ accomplished at
the cross was a most precious and
complete atonement for human sin.
Paul wrote of Christ overcoming the
huge deficit in our moral ‘bank
account’: “for all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God, and are
justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that came by Christ
Jesus. God presented him as a
sacrifice of atonement, through faith
in his blood.” (Romans 3:23ff) John
identified Jesus as the Son of God
who “is the atoning sacrifice for our
sins, and not only for ours but also
for the sins of the whole world”;
God the Father sent Jesus for this
purpose as an outcome of His great
love for us, while we were still
sinners. (1John 2:2; 4:10; Romans
5:8)
If you’ve ever had a serious
falling-out with someone, you can
appreciate how you can’t buy
reconciliation with money – such a
‘bribe’ would be scorned. Theapostle Peter marvels how the meansof atonement offered by Jesus – Hisown blood – is infinitely more
valuable than this world’s wealth in
achieving reconciliation with God:
“For you know that it was not with
perishable things such as silver or
gold that you were redeemed from
the empty way of life handed down
to you from your forefathers, but
with the precious blood of Christ, a
lamb without blemish or defect.”
(1Peter 1:18f)
As Easton’s Bible Dictionary
notes in its entry on ‘Atonement’,
“The primary idea presented to us in
different forms throughout the
Scripture is that the death of Christ is
a satisfaction of infinite worth
rendered to the law and justice of
God, and accepted by him in room
of the very penalty man had
incurred.”
Yes, the losses in the stock market
and our RRSPs have been
considerable – at least on paper
(there is still possibility of some
recovery). But eternal redemption is
so much more worthwhile an
objective to lay hold of, through
faith in Jesus.
And what about investing more of
our time and energy into our own
human relationships, so they don’t
become damaged by neglect,
abusive words or actions, or
unforgiveness and bitterness? God’s
grace motivates us to absorb the
hurts others have done to us, for the
sake of being able to forgive and
remain in relationship.The cost of not atoning – ofallowing relationships to becomedistant and disintegrate – is also
steep. Author of the For Better or For
Worse comic strip Lynn Johnston
commented to Maclean’s (Sept.8/08)
about the value of investing in a
marriage so it doesn’t unravel – as
hers had recently and painfully done:
“If you’re not happy, work it out.
Some marriages are worth keeping if
there’s a really good basis for it, no
matter what’s gone on, because at
this stage of our lives there’s so
much history, so much family, so
much...not just possessions, but
mental possessions, like the time we
did this, and when we did that, and
all the wonderful history there.
When you’re in your declining
years, your memories are so
important, and your family and
friends. Do you really want to throw
that away and start a brand-new life
with brand- new people?”
The ransom for a life is costly.
Overlooking or forgiving the faults
of another person requires us to let
go of our ‘right’ for revenge; tohumble ourselves and absorb thecost of the wrong. But Jesus paid the price for us –
He’s invested Himself in buying us
back for relationship in eternity; how
can we not share some fraction of
that value with others?
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008. PAGE 23. From the Minister’s StudyLooking at the high price of atonement
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
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“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, October 26
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
October 26: 1 Cor. 3:1-17
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
“Natural Church
Development:
Avoiding Polarization”
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Bible Study
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women at the Well
Fridays 7:30 pm - Youth Group (at the school)
ABC Ladies’ Autumn Renewal this
Saturday at Huron Chapel, Auburn
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Parish of New Beginnings
Morning Prayer - October 26
Non-denominational Service
in the Taize Tradition
7 pm - Trinity, Blyth
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Sunday, October 26
Anniversary Service and Sunday School
at 11:00 a.m.
Covenanting Service for Rev. Gary Clark
at 7 p.m. ~ Refreshments to follow
November 2 ~ Play on Prodigal Son
November 8 ~ Fall Supper 4:30 - 7:00 pm
ABC LADIES AUTUMN RENEWAL
Saturday, October 25
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
at Huron Chapel E.M.C., Auburn
Guest Speaker: Leah Humphrey
“Dancing in the Rain”
Being able to Rejoice through
Suffering
Plus much more!
Tickets $15.00
PASTOR DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School & Small Groups
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
7:30 p.m.
Evening Service & Youth Service
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, October 26
Anniversary Service at Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Special music, guest speaker Melissa Snyders
Lunch following service
No service at Ethel United this Sunday only
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
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The Citizen