HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-04-11, Page 24By Pastor Brian Hymers
Knox United Church, Belgrave
This week we hear from two
different areas of interest as we gain
entrance into Holy Week; a time of
great anticipation and excitement.
This week, even a little romance and
mystery, the next week will contain
celebration, then trial and terror and
finally, victory. This upcoming two
weeks has more entertainment value
than any Hollywood movie could
ever muster up.
We begin this week with a
psalmist’s plea to us all to keep
focused on the task at hand and not
to wander off with our minds and
our thoughts. This is after all, the
season of repentance, the season of
Lent. We have now gone five
Sundays looking for ways of
repentance and giving up of
ourselves to the temptations of sin
and removing ourselves from its
path to remain pure at heart for
Christ.
Our psalmist starts Psalm 126 with
words of remembrance of the good
old days; remember when God
released us from the terror and pain
of slavery? That was the good old
days, when life was fun and easy.
Everything was milk and honey and
we lived so freely.
Verses 1 to 3 in my Bible end by
saying “Yes, the Lord has done
amazing things for us!” Then there is
a space, a line or two missing on
purpose, a space of reflection.
Our lives are like this psalm. We
always want to look back to the
better times and not dwell on the
present.
Remember when the Sunday
school had 200 students? Remember
when the pews were full? Remember
when the world was a happier place
to live? We spend way too much
time looking back and spend no time
looking ahead.
I am terribly sorry, but those days
are gone and nothing is going to
bring them back. What we have is
what we have and we need to
concentrate on that.
The psalmist helps us by writing
verses 5 and 6, “Those who plant
with tears, will harvest with shouts
of joy. They weep as they go to plant
their seed, but they will sing as they
return with the harvest”.
God has a plan. God is still in
control and yes, we weep for better
days. God knows this and He will
reward us with a harvest greater than
we could imagine. He has a plan and
the times are a’ changing; the aroma
of something good, like fresh
popped popcorn, is in the air “or”, as
we learn in our message from John,
perfume is in the air.
John 12 verse 1-8 is a very
interesting hidden message. It is a
story with which you are likely quite
familiar.
Lazarus was raised from the dead
and Jesus returns a short time later
on his way to Jerusalem and pays
them a visit. He calls on his old
friend and while there, a large meal
is prepared and guests are invited to
partake in this special visit.
Following dinner, Mary of
Bethany pours expensive perfume
on Jesus feet, and dries them with
her hair. Like any good Hollywood
movie, a little romance is needed to
heighten the awareness to the plot or
to hide it from view.
There was once a minister who,
while sitting around at an
ecumenical ministers’ meeting based
on offerings and stewardship, made
a statement that he was going to give
his offering directly to God. He then
lit a $100 bill on fire and prayed the
offering to God as a way of getting
his point across.
“Do you not understand?” asked
the speaker, “I am offering it to God,
and that means it is going to cease to
be useful for the rest of us.”
Mary’s demonstration was to
prove that Jesus was everything to
her and to the people he served,
although his disciple Judas Iscariot
scolds her for wasting the money,
valued at 300 denarii. John’s Gospel
reveals the true character of this
disciple and Jesus quickly tells him
to “Leave her alone”.
As John states in his writings,
Jesus is the one through whom
everything was made. There is
abundance wherever he is present,
generosity breeds generosity. Judus
can criticize Mary for what she has
done, but the story parenthetically
exposes his hypocrisy.
Either we love generously, or we
do not. Either we are already
engaged in providing for the poor, or
we are secretly hoarding what might
otherwise be shared, just as Judus
was doing with the disciples’ money,
as he was in charge of the finances.
Mary’s actions lead us to be more
generous with our holdings and
Jesus’ statement of her doing so in
preparation for his burial leads us to
believe we are to be mindful of our
end of life and have we been
generous enough to those in need
around us.
Jesus is the gift of God. According
to John’s Gospel, Jesus is sent into a
world that did not request him, yet
he acts entirely for its benefit. John
3:16, “For God so loved the world”.
Jesus consistently acted on his
own terms, always revealing the
grace and truth of God.
Our dedication and offerings to his
church should always remind us of
Jesus’ commitment to a better life
for all. When reflecting on Jesus, on
the miracles of generosity, it will
lead us to understand our role.
Jesus provided a blessed
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2019. PAGE 25.
THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH
CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS.
OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Brussels:
St. Ambrose
Saturday
6:00 p.m.
17 Flora Street
Wingham:
Sacred Heart
Sunday
9:00 a.m.
220 Carling Terrace
Listowel:
St. Joseph’s
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
1025 Wallace Avenue N.
huronchapel.com huronchapelkids.com huronchapelyouth.com
519-526-1131 ~ 119 John’s Ave., Auburn
Tuesdays 6:30 - 9 p.m. “Way of Jesus” training
Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jr. & Sr. YOUTH (Gr. 7-12)
GOOD FRIDAY Free Community Breakfast 8-10 a.m. at Blyth Memorial Hall
Evangelical Missionary Church
OFFICE: 519-523-4224
Guest Speaker:
Elaine Strawbridge
Blyth United Church
Join us at 7:00 pm
at Blyth United Church for
Lenten Cantata, “Here Is Love”
Good Friday, April 19
combined choirs of Clinton United and Blyth United Churches.
Accessible Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches
Office Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday ~ 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
blythunited@tcc.on.ca
Sunday, April 14 at 11:00 am
The Regional Ministry of Hope
BLYTH BRUSSELS
Trinity St. John’s
9:15 am Morning Service
7:00 pm
Songs & Stillness Service
11:15 am
Morning Service
COME WORSHIP WITH US!
Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781
email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca
St. Paul’s Trinity
WINGHAM
These Anglican Churches Welcome You
Maundy Thursday, April 18: Parish Service at Trinity - Blyth, 7:00 pm
Good Friday, April 19: Parish Service at St. Paul’s Trinity - Wingham 10:30 am
TheRegionalMinistryof Hope
11:15 am
Morning Service
Sunday, April 14
BRUSSELS
United Church
Palm Sunday Worship
Sunday, April 14
at 9:30 am
Sunday School with Mary Ross
Worship leader, Elaine Strawbridge
All are Welcome
Good Friday Worship
Friday, April 19
at 10:00 am
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Nursery care available
519-887-6687
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.
Worship & Sunday School - 9:30 am (*New time)
Coffee & Snacks following the service
We invite you to join our church family in:
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, April 14
at 10:30 a.m. & 6:00 p.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.
Wednesday Night Kids’ Club 6:45 pm - 8:15 pm (ages 5-12)
For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621
Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743
Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00 am
Evening Service 7:30 pm
You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship
From the Minister’s Study
Anticipation, excitement to begin Holy Week
Continued on page 26
Palm/Passion
Sunday April 14
Service of Infant Dedication
Pastor Ernest Dow - “Fickle -- or Faithful?
God’s Amazing Love for the Unappreciative”
(Lk 19:36ff; 23:18ff)
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Worship