Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-03-31, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2005. PAGE 15. From the Minister’s Study Minister talks of walking with God By Pastor John Kuperus Blyth Christian Reformed Church A number of people walk or jog on the streets of Blyth. I have my three-mile lap that I do five times a week. I normally do it early in the rnorning and I hav? come to meet people and dogs on the street. One dog joins me on my jog. I have also discovered that fellow citizens are concerned about me and have told me I need a reflective vest so they can see me when they are driving. I have listened to their advice. Walks and jogs are great for our health. The Easter message is about restoring our walks with the God of the universe. The Bible speaks of the importance of walking with God. From Genesis 3:8 it sounds like Adam and Eve would regularly walk with God in the cool of the day. Humans began history by walking with God in the evening when it was cool. On this day they are hiding because they disobeyed. The result of this was they hid and became distant from God. A holy God made them feel unclean. When Adam and Eve decided to disobey one rule, there was a radical change that took place. The universe changed. They were saying Lord, you can give me advice, but not be my King. I want to do things my way. The moment humans decided to break one rule, a power struggle began with the issue of who is in charge? Everybody knows that when two parties claim the same spot, there is a war. Whenever we fight we feel like I am right and you are wrong. The lie Adam and Eve believed was God was withholding something good from them. They believed God did not have their best interest at heart. It was their life to live and decide what they wanted. Why listen to God? Even though God gave them 99 per cent of the garden, which was generous, they were missing that one per cent. God asks them to show their love to him by respecting the one per cent they did not get. A conversation is held between a Serpent and Eve, and the Serpent communicates a lie by making them believe that God is stingy because he withheld one per cent. They are missing out on something because they do not have that one per cent. God comes looking for them. They are in hiding. After they are found, God confronts them about their disobedience. Adam responds by blaming Eve. When Even is confronted, she blames the serpent. The words we hear so often continue to ring today, “It is her fault” or “I could not help it,” or “You did it.” Taking responsibility for one’s action was a challenge at the beginning of time as it is to­ day. The walks with God come to an end. Life in Paradise comes to an end. Thorns eome onto the landscape and make production difficult. Pain comes into the picture. Production is accomplished by sweat. Murder is the way disputes are settled. Life gets messy and the wholeness we were created for is lost in nature, in relationships and in our world. The perfect world God created is a mess. A just God demands payment. He cannot simply forget it and let us off the hook. The first thing the human race experiences is loss of the garden. They can be masters, but it will be in the desert. God could wipe them out on the spot, but he does not. Instead we see God’s mercy and his desire for his creation to be restored. God wants to walk with his children again. This mercy is experienced and two chapters later in Genesis 5: 21- 24 we are told that Enoch walked with God and God took him. How can this be? How can God and sinners be reconciled? How can a perfect God tolerate a people that hurt him so deeply? Our reaction to someone who has hurt us is to make that person pay. Enoch did not know much, all he knew was the promise that God gave to Adam and Eve. God said, you are out in the desert and I am putting a sword in front of the garden and you cannot come back in. You are under the sentence and he will be bruised and wounded, but he will get you back into the gar­ den. All Enoch knew is that God was going to send someone who would be wounded and hurt. That would be the way into God’s presence. He lived by faith in God’s word and that faith allowed him to walk with God. Easter is acknowledging God walked with us. It is about God restoring ins world and the human race to himself. The bottom line is that God cares for you. II Corinthians 5:19 says “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them ... verse 21 “God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” God’s justice demands sin be paid for. God dealt with our problem of an ever-increasing debt by letting someone else pay for it. God knew our situation was impossible and God stepped in to provide a way where there was no way. We can be made right with God and it is through his Son. Friends, debts need to be paid, just ask our local bank. Easter is a time when we acknowledge God paid our debt. Easter is a time when God wants to reconnect with his children and walk with them. The question we are faced with is who is in charge of your life? There is room for only one person on the throne of your heart. He made you and he deserves to be King of your life. God wants to walk with you and restore order of his Kingship. Enoch understood Guu aiiu FTiauC him King of his life and God walked with him and he was no more. Friends, your life is a walk. Every action you do is leading you somewhere. It is either leading you to the garden or to the desert. It does not matter how moral you are. Your walk with God is restored by bringing your debt of sin to Jesus. Do not try to pay your own debt on your own; it is impossible. Look to Jesus who paid it for you. Walk with God and he will give you a peace that surpasses all understanding. Real walking is step by step and if we fall, keep your eyes on King Jesus. He is the way. Christ-centred, Bible believing. Fellowship-friendly. G row th-geared Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Clocks 'Spring Ahead’ This Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Contemporary Worship & Sunday School at Blyth Public School, f corner of King & Mill Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848nor: trnesi uow » // www.getlivingwaler.org Training students today creates a pool of skilled workers for tomorrow Sunday, April 3 Morning Worship Service - 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m. BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH PASSPORT ‘"Prosperity To find out more about offering high school students work experience contact the Foundation for Enriching Education Perth Huron at 519-527-0111 ext 231 or visit www.foundationforeducation.on.ca Sponsored by lhe Ontano Learning Partnership Group and the Provmcal Partnership Council Supported by The Ontario Ministry of Education and The Ontano Ministry ol Training, Colleges and Universities THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA & Pastor John Kuperus Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 'Wetcdwed, tfw to cutie cud SUNDAY, APRIL 3 Guest Musician - Kurt Lentz at Trinity Trinity, Blyth 9:30 a.m. St. John's, Brussels 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH SING A SON(j OF Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Auburn - 526-1131 PASTOR DAVE WOOD 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Sunday, April 3 11:00 a.m. - Sunday Morning Service - Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Sunday Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Diaconal Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca Annual Pulpit Exchange Sunday Guest Worship Leader - Rev. George Russell Family Bible Hour Morning Worship Service Evening Worship Service Youth Bible Study Crusaders for grades JK-6 Adult Bible Study community Church of Go# OO>ANO^."The Church is not a Building, \ It is People Touching > Sunday 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. People" - Prayer Meeting - Sunday School - Worship Service Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590 Sunday, April 3 Ethel United Church 9:30 a.m. Worship Service & Sunday School Brussels United Church 11:00 a.m. Worship Service & Sunday School Continuing On Our Journey Of Easter Blyth United Church Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street Sunday, April 3 Worship Service & Sunday School 11:00 a.m. "The Ragman" A play by Blyth United Players. Confirmation and Church Membership Minister: Rev. Dr. Eugen Bannerman Office: 523-4224 Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith. W? celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through responding to the needs and gifts of each other. Sanctuary