Pastor's Corner (Meanderings)

Almost every week, Pastor Tony Maan shares further thoughts on the sermon, spirituality, church life or current events. 

They are published in the Bulletin each week and posted here.

March  30, 2025

The song released in 1992 by R.E.M. called “Everybody Hurts” was a hit most likely because it touched a chord in everybody’s heart: we all hurt sometimes. In a fallen world, it is a universal experience; each of us has been hurt physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, and not uncommonly by someone we love, and who loves us. Because this is our experience, forgiveness is so critical for the survival and flourishing of relationships. Forgiveness is the antidote to hurt and the key to healthy relationships and thriving community; it allows the hurt and pain of harmful words and deeds not to have the last deadly word.

Luke is the only Gospel writer that records the words of forgiveness Jesus spoke from the cross. He prayed to the Father for those who crucified him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” (Luke 23.32-24). Jesus is portrayed as the great forgiver in Luke’s Gospel. Jesus knew we could not have life unless God forgave our sins, not holding them against us. Luke depicts Jesus constantly reaching out to those in need of healing, and saying to them, be healed, and your sins are forgiven (Luke 5.20). He came to heal physical bodies, and more, full restoration of our relationship to God. And as those who have experienced such forgiveness and new life, we are to bear evidence of such liberation by forgiving those who hurt us. When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who offended him, the answer was not just 7 times, but 70 x 7, that is, beyond counting or infinitely. As I plan to explore in the message this Sunday, such an extravagant forgiving spirit is no less than supernatural, a divine ability that is beyond our human nature to exercise. When we forgive another for the wrong they have caused us, we are acting like God.

One question that usually comes up when we think about forgiveness, and how to practice it, is whether or not the offender has to ask for forgiveness, and be repentant, before we are obliged to forgive them. A related question is whether God forgives us even if we may not be able to forgive someone who has wronged us deeply. We might interpret the petition in the Lord’s Prayer this way (“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Does God only forgive us if we forgive our debtors?) See also Matthew 6.14,15. If we say so, aren’t we beginning to see our salvation as a result of our works? That can’t be right. We are saved by grace alone, apart from works (Ephesians 2.8). From the cross Jesus asked forgiveness for these soldiers who had no idea that they were committing a horrible crime against him, let alone ask forgiveness for it. In the Lord’s grace, we too are forgiven for our sins, even though we do not always ask forgiveness, or are even ignorant of some wrongs we do commit. However, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask for forgiveness daily. As the Lord taught us in his prayer, we should. When we do, the divine forgiveness we receive more richly brings our restored relationship to our Lord to a fuller flourishing bloom.

 -Pastor Tony

March 23, 2025

Even from the cross Jesus demonstrated his care for the daily, physical needs of his family. He taught this during his earthly ministry as well: Once when he raised a child from the dead, he told her parents, ‘Give her something to eat,’ (Mark 5.43). For a number of us who are entering the final years of our earthly journey, we pray with the Psalmist, ‘Lord, do not cast me away when I am old…even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me…” (Psalm 71).

Our youth-oriented society trends towards looking negatively on the thought of growing older and old. The quest for the fountain of youth is as active today as it was centuries ago. (Remember the Spaniard Ponce de Leon looking for it in Florida in the 16th century?). I recently read about a scientist, Cynthia Kenyon, who researches the genetic makeup of worms (University of California). In 1993 she discovered that worms have a gene that significantly dials down the aging process, called Daf -2. The gene actually almost stops one from getting older all together. Dr. Kenyon hopes to develop a therapy based on this gene that can apply to humans. “If we could develop a pill that would stop humans from aging,” she predicts, “everyone would want it!” Personally, I’m not so sure about that. Would you take the live forever pill? Would we want to live endlessly in the world the way it is? God in his wisdom may have a better plan.

Sociology psychologist Alan Castel, also from the University of California, conducted a study in 2006 in which he asked 30 year-olds and 70 year-olds about being happy. He was a bit surprised to find the older group much happier. For them, old age was not defined by sorrow and regret but by satisfaction and peace. They relished each day, and enjoyed the opportunities for conversation and company, sharing food, enjoying nature, and investing in family. They figured: “I know I am going to die one day, what else is new? Meanwhile, I have my grandkids here.” With the stress and strain of falling in and out of love, raising children, keeping a job and carving out a career, paying a mortgage and saving for retirement all behind, seniors often experience calm and rest as their years of experience and hard-won wisdom provides balance and beauty.

Yes, death is inevitable. Usually it is not pleasant, and for us who are created to live, it remains the final enemy. But God has defeated it! We can see beyond the grave to a new life in Christ, one that is very different than this one; a new creation in which we would really want to live forever. (God’s better plan). Meanwhile, as you trust the Lord who cares for your every daily need, enjoy aging!

-Pastor Tony

March 9, 2025

Today marks the first Sunday of Lent, the six-week period of heart preparation and reflection on the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a time to reflect on how we are to follow in his way, to walk more closely with him. In this Lenten time, we might borrow the words of the song, Day by Day, which prays, “…to see you more clearly, to follow you more nearly, to love you more dearly, these things I pray.” This poem by Steve Bell and Malcom Guite, called This Dark Hour, helps us reflect on how our suffering Lord calls us to engage with others, and how it may be a challenge at times to be the church in the world. 

When church becomes a ‘lordless power’

And so it seems that all is lost

There still remains in this dark hour

The mystery of our Saviour’s cross

For in that cross is dearly nestled

Hope eternal in disguise

By way of suffering love he leads us

To God’s glorious and glad surprise

His way of suffering love is open

There for anyone to take

To stand in love with those who suffer

Suffer with them for his sake

Better that it cast away

All its claims to pomp and glory

Learn instead to fast and pray

Jesus did not cling to glory

All he had was emptied out

A living stream of love and goodness

For a world that casts him out

And should we learn the art of losing

Letting go and giving way

We might find beyond the darkness

A glad surprise on Easter Day

Like all good poetry, it can be read many times over, while each new reading reveals another layer of meaning, especially when read slowly, tending to each word. Thus, I invite you to read it again, with the prayer that it encourage and bless you on your Lenten journey. 

-Pastor Tony

February 23, 2025 

We have had several of our members pass away over the past recent years, and family members and friends are mourning. As difficult and sad as it can be, ultimately as Christians we experience sorrow not with despair, but with hope (1 Thessalonians 4.13). Indeed, the Heidelberg Catechism QA 42 views death as a door or entrance into new life, all because Jesus now lives, having conquered the grave and erased the finality of mortal death. Amazingly, believers - and perhaps especially those who have lived a long earthly journey of faith - now anticipate eagerly entering the presence of Jesus, leaving this ‘old world’ behind, and entering eternal rest. Below are two illustrations of those who have faced death in the light of our Lord’s glory.

The first is Charles Spurgeon, a popular 19th century London Baptist pastor. He wrote this poem in his final days: 

The sands of time are sinking                            O Christ! He is the fountain

The dawn of heaven breaks                                The deep sweet well of love;

The summer morn I’ve sighed for                    The streams on earth I’ve tasted

The fair sweet morn awakes                               More deep I’ll drink above

Dark, dark hath been the midnight                 There to an ocean fullness

But dayspring is at hand                                     His mercy doth expand,

And glory, glory dwelleth                                  And glory, glory dwelleth

In Immanuel’s land.                                           In Immanuel’s land. 

The other comes through the life of Maria Callas, a celebrated French opera singer, recently played in a movie (2024) with Angelina Jolie as the main character. As she enters the later stages of life, she struggles with the reality that her singing voice is quickly diminishing. Her doctor seeks to console her, saying that her singing voice has ‘gone to heaven’ and will live on in eternity. Even as her voice will live on as recorded in thousands of albums among the living on earth, the angels in heaven will enjoy her celestial voice forever. Near the end of the movie Maria is alone in her Paris apartment, standing before an open window, bathed in streaming sunlight. She sings one final aria, summoning all her final strength. Her voice is grand and majestic; a crowd gathers outside on the street below the window, mesmerized with rapt attention. It was a final prayer sung to her Creator, the One who gave her a beautiful voice, and a life of musical meaning and joy. The next morning, she is found, passed away. Her final act, a prayer to God, a last expression of devotion as she entered into glory. She has departed to the realm of angels, even as by standers in the street witnessed the sacred moment.

May we enter the last leg of our earthly journey with a prayer on our lips, and songs in our hearts, as we trust in our resurrected Saviour who leads us into eternal rest.

-Pastor Tony

February 2, 2025

The Canons of Dort, a confessional document about how God saves us, describes the ‘perseverance of the saints.’ That is, how Christians endure all their trials and remain faithful to God until the end. Some who study this document prefer to call it the ‘preservation of the saints.’ They do this because they believe that Christians are kept or preserved by God from falling away from the faith and thus finish the journey of life still faithfully believing the Gospel. So, what do we confess? Perseverance of the believer, or Preservation of the believer? The Bible teaches both.

Let’s begin with the ‘preservation’ part. Numerous Bible passages reveal that God keeps us in his grip, and will never let us go, no matter what. For example, Paul says that nothing - not trouble or hardship or disease or danger or demons or even death - can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8.35-39). Jesus said that he gave his life for us (we are his), and that nothing can snatch us out of his hand (John 10.28). We are shielded by God’s power until the day of complete salvation (1 Peter 1.5). God says he will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31.6; Hebrews 13.5). For more, check out: John 6.37-40; 1 Corinthians 1.8,9; Philippians 1.6; 1Thessalonians 5.24; Hebrews 6.13-20. With all this biblical backup, the Canons state, that even though our struggles threaten us and temptations are strong, God is faithful and strengthens us with grace once given to us and powerfully preserves us in the faith to the end (Chapter 5, article 3). The unchangeable character of God’s promises reveals that those who truly belong to him will be preserved in faith to the end. He keeps us.

All of this in no way downplays the fact that believers also need to persevere; we need to put forth effort to remain true to the faith. The authors of the Canon of Dort, in the end, actually titled the fifth chapter, the Perseverance of the Saints. The Bible is also full of encouragement for us, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, to apply the practices and disciplines of the Christian life, such as reading the Bible, prayer, fellowship, worship, service, growing in knowledge, and giving. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2.12). We are to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5.20,21). We are to be intentional about loving God and one another (Mark 12.28-31). Read the last half of any of the Apostle Paul’s letters, the whole book of James, or Exodus 20, and see how we are responsible for deliberate and conscientious following in the steps of Jesus. By practicing Christian virtues, we ‘train ourselves in godliness’ (1 Timothy 4.7) and so can be equipped to endure through the trials we face in a broken world. God uses such practices as one way in which he preserves us. Also, “Assurance of perseverance…is the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in cross bearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God.” (Dort, Chapter 5.12). God’s preservation gives us incentive to live in faith and obedience.

Ultimately, preservation and perseverance are very closely related. The comforting truth that God preserves us in the faith until we finish our earthly journey and enter glory gives us the desire to grow in our knowledge and love of him, to run the race before us in a way that reflects his glory and love. Our Lord the Good Shepherd keeps us, so we can ‘keep on keeping on.’

-Pastor Tony

January 26, 2025

The family that prays together, stays together (the saying goes). So too the family that eats together, stays together. It may not rhyme the same, but its truth bears consideration, and practice! Regular (daily) sit down meals around the kitchen table afford safe opportunities for all family members to talk, debrief the activities and events of the day, explore ideas, discuss current events, to share, to learn, to grow, to bond and deepen relationships.

The practice of eating together not only has a long history in community life, but has a deep spiritual dimension grounded in biblical roots. God’s great act of deliverance from Egyptian slavery was accompanied by the Passover meal. In Exodus 24.11, Moses and the elders of Israel met with God to ratify the covenant, and they had a meal together to seal their relationship. In the holy room in the Tabernacle a table was set, with bread, standing as a perennial invitation for Jehovah and his people to enjoy mealtime hospitality. Jesus was often engaging others through food: his first miracle was at a wedding banquet; he fed a crowd of hungry thousands; he invited tax collectors and outcasts to join him for a meal and heartfelt conversation; he used bread and wine to share his own body and blood, foreshadowing his sacrificial death and giving life to all who join him in faith at the table. Clearly in the biblical story, eating is so much more than filling our bodies with fuel; in the presence of God the act of eating is one of the ways redemption is experienced in our lives.

Pastor Craig Barnes tells the story of growing up with a “fabulously large grandmother who was convinced that eating was the cure to every problem in life.” Whether it was a bruised ego, the loss of a baseball game, or a failing grade on an exam, she would put food in front of him and say, “Honey, you just need to eat something.” Somehow, it always helped. Of course, it really wasn’t the food itself so much that helped; it was the love she served with every dish that had an amazing ability to heal whoever came to the kitchen table. It’s not so much the food; yes, the food is essential, but only because it facilitates fellowship.

Hear the words of wisdom from Ecclesiastes 3.13, “People should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labour, for these are gifts from God.” Centuries later Jesus, God himself, embodied this truth as he invited all sorts of people to his table for enjoyable food and meaningful conversation. We know that when he returns, he will invite us to his wedding - the marriage of the lamb and his bride, the church (that’s us!). Then we will feast with him, face to face. Indeed, we need not wait until then, we can sup with him already now: “Look I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal together as friends,” Revelation, 3.20.

-Pastor Tony

January 12, 2025

‘What time is it?’ can be a very simple question, requiring us to look at our phones or fitbits and say, ‘it’s 7.47 am.’ But the question can also be much more complex. What if we are being asked about time in history, as in ‘what time are we living in today?’ (Are we nearing the end? Is Jesus coming back soon?) When it comes to Christian faith and reading the Bible - especially what the Bible means by ‘time’ or ‘the times’ – there seem to be two broad ways of telling time. One is Chronos time, which, like the word ‘chronology,’ means understanding time as consistently spaced, as in 60 seconds makes one minute, 24 hours makes one day, 365 days makes one year and so forth. It is linear and sequential. Chronos time seems to fit with our human nature, and our modern way of viewing our days and activities. In contrast, Kairos time is not fixed to a rigid frame like the squares on our calendar. Instead, it is time that is ‘right’ according to the circumstances, or conditions, like planting seeds and harvesting fruit. (Sometimes we plant in late May, the next year in early June, depending on seasonal temperatures). It is rhythmic, less calculated, and less predictable in terms of specific dates. Our eternal God, who is not bound by 60 second limitations or a 365-day cycle, seems to work a lot with Kairos time. Our modern culture seems to operate mostly with Chronos time; Christians are challenged to also pay special attention to God’s hand among us in Kairos time. This requires faith.

The Bible is full of stories and examples of God’s Kairos time. He promised Abraham and Sarah a son when both were way beyond childbearing years (100 and 90 years old, respectively!). But God’s Kairos time ‘prevailed’ and Isaac was miraculously born (Genesis 21). The Apostle Paul thought he had his missionary trips all set up according to his logical schedule, but God closed that door - it wasn’t the right Kairos time – and he sent him in another direction to people who were ready to hear the Gospel (Acts 16.6). Jesus too, came according to God’s Kairos-calibrated plan. Only when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son (Galatians 4.4,5). And Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem only when the spiritual climate was right (Luke 9.51). The Spirit descends when the time is ripe, promises came to fruition in God’s providence, hearts are changed and lives converted only when the moment is right, and in his time, he makes all things beautiful. In our times, full of unsettling world news, it takes much prayer and reflection to discern the redemptive ways of God in his Kairos movements.

Faith, living by faith and growing in faith, is indeed done in the context of chronological time and the regular routines of our 24 hour daily schedules. In fact, the spiritual disciplines of regular prayer, Bible reading, worship, and service are routines that the Lord uses to grow our faith. But the heart of such living and growing seems to be more in the realm of Kairos time. We grow in faith in often unexpected ways, often hidden in our hearts; through serendipitous encounters and unplanned events the Spirit is at work in untimely fashion, working out our salvation and bringing the kingdom. Pastor Barbara Brown Taylor, in her usual candid honesty, reflects on God’s ways and faith (The Preaching Life): “I have faith. I lose faith. I find faith again, or faith finds me, but through it all I am grasped by the possibility that it is all true: I am in good hands; love girds the universe; God will have the last word…” Taylor believes this not because it is provable, but because of faith, which sows its seed deep in her heart and grows roots deep in the ground that hold her fast in a world full of troublesome news and anxious uncertainty.

-Pastor Tony

January 5, 2025

Among my numerous notable faults is that I like to read too much. It is a powerful pull for me to retreat into a world of words and get lost in the stories, ideas, perspectives, people, and places when I could or should be doing something else such as sharing time and talk with loved one(s), exercising, praying, puzzling or cooking, cheering on a team, listening to good music, or fixing something. For any who say that ‘you can never read too much’ the wisdom of Ecclesiastes replies that there is weariness in too much study (Eccl.12.12).

Having said that, words are one of the greatest gifts God has given us; they are indispensable for connecting with others, building relationships, and creating community. Frederick Douglass was a black American leader in the 19th century. Born into slavery, he realized that reading was something he would have - and deeply desired – to learn in order to understand his world better and live a full life. He learned to read by taking lessons from his impoverished white friends in exchange for bread. Words introduced him to new communities of dialogue and action. Reading became the key to his eventual liberation. By reading the writings and articles of abolitionists, he was inspired and escaped north. In time he taught others to read in Sunday School, and even established his own newspaper. Douglass eventually became an acquaintance of President Lincoln, and instrumental in abolishing slavery after the American civil war.

There are trillions of words and countless stories available to us these days through the wonder of technology. ‘Don’t spend too much time trying to read them all’ cautions the writer of Ecclesiastes. Even more, we need to be discerning in what we read. Not all words are good; indeed, wrong words spoken or written with malice can hurt deeply with ruinous effects, more than stick and stones, or even bombs and bullets (see James 3). Jeffrey Bilbro, in his book Reading the Times, advocates that we read less of the mainstream social media, (which according to Bilbro, keeps us scrolling with its click bait but in the end only offers bland public discourse that is reductive [you’re on one side or the other] and can leave us emotionally empty, mentally numb, and morally bankrupt) and read more of local news, people, and events that connects us more to our immediate community. For example, in our case, we could read our local church bulletin, Christian Courier, The Banner, or the St. Albert Gazette. In addition, and better still, read the Bible, which is full of fascinating stories, wise proverbs, insights for living, trustworthy promises, comfort, and a life giving message – in general, all good news! It is the living Word that reveals wisdom, transforming our minds and changing our hearts to bear fruit like a healthy tree.

-Pastor Tony

December 22, 2024 

Many of us are familiar with the old English nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men,

Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

It’s a life observation about how some things fall apart, and it is not possible to put them back together again. We can think of a multitude of scenarios in which this is true, from a broken egg or shattered window to fragmented relationships and the severed bonds of community.

In a message on Hebrews, Eugene Peterson is poetically transparent and vulnerably honest in describing how this can happen in our relationships. It might be a bit difficult to read if we read it honestly, reflecting on our own struggles when it comes to relating to others. “Frequently I find myself giving others the most unlovely aspect of myself – such as ill-informed opinions, undigested information, and immature emotional responses. I throw these at other people as a substitute for giving myself. And as a result, they are cheated in the human exchange. I have slipped inferior goods to them. Here I am, a being created by God to love, to think, to forgive. To praise and exalt, yet when I am thrust into contact with another, I slip into counterfeit material instead. A pasted-on smile in substitute for honest praise. A cool indifference in substitute for some authentic emotion. A hastily formed prejudice in substitute for a rational exercise of my mental abilities.”

How do we have any hope in such difficulty? Is it even possible to put it back together again? Yes, it is – miraculously! How? According to the book of Hebrews, we need a priest. A priest is a connecter, a go between, who stands in the gap between God and us, and between each of us in the faith, wading into the pretense, miscommunication, misunderstanding, indifference, the hurt, and brings love, insight/wisdom, empathy, hope, humility, genuineness and honesty, and the incarnate blood of life and humanity into our relationships. As the human who is God among us, He redeems and repairs relationships. Jesus can put things that seem irreparably broken, back together again. Our common faith in him, born in us through the Holy Spirit, makes it possible in an earthly and everyday way. As we worship the newborn king this Christmas, may we look to him, trust and follow him, as our mediator who brings us near to God and to each other.

 -Pastor Tony

December 15, 2024

There are numerous periods of darkness in history. Just in the past one hundred years or so we can recall events like two world wars, the great depression, assassinations of numerous leaders, and a pandemic. However, in each period there are countless examples of light shining through, either in the quiet of personal life, or on a more public stage. In the history of the Bible, we see this often. People in exile or under the rule of a foreign power experience God’s presence in regular ways. As we noted last week, it was in cold and dark wintertime for first century Palestinians, a time of oppression under harsh Roman rule, that the warm Light of the world was born.

The Middle Ages (about 500-1300 CE) has sometime been dubbed ‘the dark ages.’ It was called so because historians of the past have viewed it as a period of intellectual ignorance and social stagnation. However, dig a little deeper and we will find this is a misnomer. Several enlightening political, cultural, and religious leaders appeared in this time. One of them was a man named Anselm (c. 1033-1109 CE), Bishop of Canterbury, England. For many years previous the church had viewed Jesus’ crucifixion as penal substitution: that is, in the cross in wrath God punished his Son on our behalf: Jesus takes the penalty of our sin so we are declared innocent, and are restored to fellowship. Then Anslem arrived on the scene. He wrote a booklet called, “Why did God become Man?” (In other words, why did Christmas happen?) It was revolutionary in that he viewed Jesus’ death in a different light. Rather than a punishment for sin, motivated by the anger of God, he believed the death of Jesus on our behalf restored honour to God, and satisfied God’s holy need for justice, and in so doing made atonement. (Atonement means to be reconciled; to be ‘at one’ or [re]united; ‘at-one-ment’). In theological language this is called ‘vicarious satisfaction’: on our behalf or in our place (vicarious) Jesus satisfied the Father’s essential/non-negotiable need for perfect and complete justice. All this, not only so that we would be forgiven and reconciled to our Maker, but so that we could anticipate a world of complete justice one day, and the peace that such justice brings.

Anselm, and his ‘new’ understanding of how Jesus’ crucifixion makes atonement, was a light in what some have called the dark ages. His enlightening proclamation reflects the message of Hebrews. The word ‘anger’ or ‘wrath’ does not appear in the whole letter. Instead, we are justified and made holy in God’s eyes through Jesus’ death, which was an act that was initiated not by anger but by the loving will of God (Hebrews 9.12; 10.11; 13.12). It is light in the darkness – a light that was conceived in eternity, but began to be revealed to us the moment Jesus was born on Christmas day – the love of God on full display!

-Pastor Tony

December 1, 2024

I guess it had to happen…winter. It’s here now. Barren and dark. Given this, our celebration of Christmas is a timely blessing. The birth of the Christ child in the dead of winter proclaims life to all the barrenness, and light into the dark. The evergreen tree and circular wreaths symbolize eternal life; the colourful lights with which we decorate our homes and clothe our trees shine in the darkness to signify the spark of life in the midst of night.

The Huron Carol was written in 1642 by a Jesuit missionary who served among the Huron peoples. Written in a Canadian context, it reflects the season of winter in our beloved country. (This carol has been sung by many artists, probably most popularly by indigenous singer Tom Jackson).

T’was in the moon of wintertime

When all the birds had fled.

That mighty Gitchi Manitou

Sent angels choirs instead.

Before their lights the stars grew dim,

And wandering hunters heard the hymn. 

Within a lodge of broken bark

The tender Babe was found.

A ragged robe of rabbit skin

Enwrapped his beauty round.

And as the hunter braves drew nigh,

The angle song rang loud and high.

The earliest moon of wintertime

Is not so round and fair,

As was the ring of glory on

The helpless infant there.

The chiefs from far before Him knelt

With gifts of fox and beaver pelt. 

O children of the forest free,

O sons of Manitou,

The Holy Child of earth and heav'n

Is born today for you.

Come kneel before the radiant Boy

Who brings you beauty, peace, and joy. 

Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born.

In excelsis gloria.

Jesus came in the middle of a season marked with bare trees, vanished birds, bitter wind and biting cold. He came to us in our plight; He came to give us light. Glory in Excelsis Deo! 

-Pastor Tony

November 24, 2024

If we would title this Meanderings, it might be called ‘In Praise of Humility.’ This sounds like a contradiction in terms (an oxymoron), but I think humility is worth giving some thought as an undervalued virtue in our day (maybe every day or every age!). The Bible is clear about the value of a humble spirit: The Lord teaches and guides the humble what is right (Psalm 24.9); while pride brings trouble, humility brings wisdom (Proverbs 11.2); the humble will be exalted (Luke 14.11);  “be completely humble and gentle…” (Ephesians 4.2); God opposes the proud but gives favor to the humble (James 4.10); “Humble yourself before God and he will lift you up…”(1 Peter 5.6); and Jesus taught that the meek are blessed for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5.5).

This beatitude about the humble inheriting the earth means those who live with a spirit of humility tend to prevail through all upheavals and challenges of life; they persevere to the end. Apparently, humility is actually a sign of strength. We may initially interpret a humble person to be weak, when in fact they usually prove to be resilient and strong. Never mistake humility as a sign of weakness! This is easy to do in a culture that preaches ‘might is right.’ What is most relevant in our day is that humility calls us to ‘consider others better than ourselves’ which is actually being like Jesus, Philippians 2.3-5. At minimum this means having the strength of a humble spirit to listen to others who may differ from us with acceptance and love.

Moses is perhaps the most outstanding biblical example of someone who was meek but nothing close to weak. He is described as the humblest man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12.3). Yet, he showed extraordinary strength in how he forcefully stood up to Pharoah to lead Israel out of slavery, and then lead this group of ornery thousands through barren wilderness for forty years. Not a feat for the faint hearted; surely it demanded very deep spiritual, emotional, and mental fortitude. However, he may have shown his deepest strength in a most humble act: standing before the living God on Mount Sinai, receiving his Word (Exodus 19, 24). It must have taken great courage - alone on a rugged mountain that was engulfed in thick thunder and lightning and smoke and menacing cloud, which was mild compared to encountering a holy God in person. And it must have been hugely humbling; chosen to represent his people, the only one called to see God face to face and live to tell. Moses seemed to carry this trait of humble strength with him until he reached the promised-land

So it is with a number of those who encountered the living God in the Bible. Isaiah, the virgin Mary, the Shepherds outside Bethlehem, the Apostle Paul and John of Revelation; they were all filled with trembling awe and fear, and they all humbly submitted to the Word proclaimed to them. When God appears to us and speaks to us in his Word, either through the Bible or otherwise, strong people are humbled. Or, to put it another way, humble reception and obedient submission to the Word is a way of showing strength. Not egotistical or boastful strength, but the power of the Spirit strength manifests through our character, decisions, words, and deeds. Yes, humble hearts are revealed through our will to faithfully endure and persevere, for the sake of his kingdom and his glory, on our way to the promised-land.

-Pastor Tony

November 10, 2024

After what seems to have been an endless road of political campaigning, the election finally took place in the USA. How are you feeling about the results? Surprised? Delighted? Disappointed? Disturbed? Joyful? Uncertain? Prior to the election, an American poll found that over 60% of the population was/is anxious about the outcome, no matter who won. The high voter turnout suggests many Americans are emotionally and politically invested in their country. For many too, this is a religious matter. One form of religious engagement is to view the United States through the lens of Christian nationalism. This has been done numerous times in history, with usually problematic and occasionally disastrous results. (For example, Oliver Cromwell in 17th century England, Jan Lyden in the 16th century Netherlands, and King Louis XIV of France). In America, a Christian nationalism worldview is rooted in something called ‘manifest destiny’ – the belief that God has chosen the United States of America to be the kingdom of God on earth. As it has developed, such convictions value an authoritarian government rule, have a sense of superiority and white privilege, and are comfortable seeing Jesus as an avenging warrior battling evil, intent upon enforcing morality.

The movement and spectacle of Christian nationalism highlights the perennial question of the relationship between the kingdom(s) of the earth and the kingdom of God, and how they relate to one another. Jesus said that his kingdom was not of this earth (John 18.36). Yet, he also proclaimed, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of God is here!’ (Mark 1.15). And the Kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17.21). Surely, even as we cannot identify the kingdom with one specific country or government, we still believe that the kingdom is among us, and growing, like yeast in a lump of dough. Simon Weil said, “Religion (the kingdom) must not only not be totalitarian but should limit itself strictly to the plane of supernatural love that is alone fitting to it. If it did, it would penetrate everything.” We need the Holy Spirit to help us discern and see the kingdom in our midst. It is the same challenge the Israelites faced many years ago as they entered the promised land. Even as God dwelt among them through the tabernacle, he was no less present with them in their hearts and broader community.

Still today, until Jesus returns and brings the kingdom in all fullness, it is an ongoing journey of discovery indeed. Here is a poem by Malcolm Guite to help us on the way:

His way of suffering love is open, There for anyone to take.

To stand in love with those who suffer, Suffer with them for his sake.

Better that our church be powerless, Better that it cast away.

All claims to pomp and glory, Learn instead to fast and pray.

Jesus did not cling to glory, All he had was emptied out.

A living stream of love and goodness, For a world that casts Him out.

And should we learn the art of losing, Letting go and giving way.

We might find beyond the darkness, A glad surprise on Easter Day.

-Pastor Tony

October 27, 2024

On a number of occasions, the author of Hebrews exhorts us to ‘look to Jesus’ (“But we see Jesus…” Hebrews 2.9), to keep our eyes fixed on him as we run the race of faith (Hebrews 12.2,3). How do we actually do this? Jesus is no longer on earth but ascended to heaven. When we are exhorted to ‘see him’, is this just in a spiritual sense? Or, can we see him in a more physical way? Or, are we being asked to be discerning to recognize his Spirit inspired works among us? This matter of ‘seeing Jesus’ is indeed not an easy question to answer, especially when we remember that even those who knew him when he walked the earth failed to recognize him at times. Pastor Chris Schoon, in a Today devotional, called Seeing God, helps us explore this question.

He writes, sometimes when I read the Bible stories about Jesus, I am baffled at the doubts, disbelief, and outright opposition that people showed in response to Jesus. What more did Jesus need to do for people to believe? How many more miracles? How many more people had to be healed or raised from the dead? Matthew 28.17 tells us that even some of Jesus’ closest disciples doubted after Jesus himself had risen from the dead. Mary did not recognize Jesus, thinking he was the gardener. The disciples on the road to Emmaus failed to identify Jesus while he talked with them. They finally saw him when he shared bread with them. Even those who had much religious training, who were supposed to know what the Messiah would look like through the clear prophesy of the Bible, had the most difficult time believing in him. Pastor Schoon continues, I have also wondered if I would have recognized Jesus if I had met him. I’d like to think I would. But what would I need to witness or experience to really see Jesus? To believe the carpenter from Nazareth is really God? Indeed, it can be challenging when we have certain human expectations of what ‘God with us’ looks like. Who would have thought we would see God in a vulnerable baby born in the backcountry of an occupied territory? Or as a man alone in anguished prayer, sweating drops of blood? Or, as a humiliated outcast dying on a cross?

Jesus knew all this when he said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father,” (John 14.9). It is by faith that we see him and believe. And for many (most?) of us who at times struggle to see him, yet believe, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed,” (John 20.29). The Apostle Peter wrote, “Though you do not see him, you love him and even though we do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible glorious joy,” (1 Peter 1.8). May our eyes of faith keep us in such joy until the day comes when, literally, we will see him face to face. Until then, may the Lord give us eyes to see him in our midst however he chooses to reveal himself.

 -Pastor Tony

October 13, 2024

When we baptism an infant, we are practicing our faith within a certain biblical framework called ‘covenant.’ In the Old Testament the Lord said, “I am your God, you are my people - you and your children, that is.” He made a covenant, or entered into, a special relationship with Israel. The sign of this covenant was circumcision. In many ways this sign, a mark on the flesh of each male child, proclaimed God’s deep love, and his longing to share life with a chosen people. This covenant was the beginning of what would eventually come to be the good news of redemption for all peoples.

However, the sign of circumcision also exposed limitations, even discrimination. This was how the Apostle Paul saw it. The sign of circumcision divided people, female from male, and Jew from Gentile. The sign excluded women and ethnic groups from full communion with God. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul says circumcision represented the old age; it is pre-Christian, indeed in light of what God has done in Jesus, it has become bad news. The Apostle spoke out against church leaders who wanted to hang on to the sign of circumcision, trying to limit the scope of God’s redeeming work. Baptism is the new, liberating way! The old is past, the new has come. Jesus’ blood shed on the cross is the final cutting of flesh (circumcision) and shedding of blood. Now the sacrament of baptism signifies a new age (Colossians 2.11-14); an age in which all barriers are washed away in the blood of Christ and drowned to death. “For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3.27-28). In baptism we put away the old fallen-world mentalities and live as a community in which the whole business of privileged status, economic advantage, social elitism, and racial division is no longer in play.

The baptized are all one in Christ. The word ‘one’ here has a double meaning. It means we are all equal by virtue of our common faith in Jesus. And it means secondly that we are united into his one body. Our baptism proclaims this revolutionary message of non-discrimination and radical inclusion. We experience this truth as we participate in the community of faith, the church. As we witness another baptism today, may its visual and tactile message remind and renew us in living in the new age of the Kingdom of God.

-Pastor Tony

September 29, 2024

War seems to be becoming more intense in Eastern Europe and Russia, with no prospects for peace. Putin is threatening to use nuclear weapons. Israel keeps up military pressure and destruction in Gaza, and the armed conflict in the north with Lebanon (more specifically, Hezbollah) is becoming more and more aggressive. Hamas is keeping Israeli hostages. In spite of diplomatic words, it seems there is no appetite for a ceasefire, let alone peace. Hundreds of thousands are displaced, hungry, and anxious. Thousands of civilians have been killed, and tens of thousands are mourning the brutal loss of loved ones. We live in a world that continues to suffer severe signs of alienation from God.

Across the world, seemingly far away from all this, in the CRC of St. Albert on a Sunday morning, we will be reflecting on the humanity of Christ. It may seem unrelated to the events across the globe, but actually it might be more connected than we initially realize. Who is Jesus? He is God, as we considered last week. But he is also fully human: a human being in all ways – body, mind, soul, spirit, and emotions (except for sin). “He (Jesus) was made like us in every respect…” (Hebrews 2.17). The original congregation that received the letter to the Hebrews was made of Jews, but these Jews who were strongly influenced by Greek culture. (They even preferred to read the Greek Old Testament over the Hebrew one). This little detail is noteworthy because Greek thought in general viewed the physical body with much skepticism; humanity was a temporal state that was inferior to that of the divine realm and pagan deities. Thus, there were teachers in Christian circles that taught Jesus, who was divine, could not actually be human. It was ludicrous to claim that a god would become a human, subject to all the vulnerabilities and vicissitudes of the corruptible human condition. These teachers, like Valentinus in Alexandria, Egypt (100-160 CE), taught that Jesus only seemed or appeared to be really human, but in fact was not. The author of Hebrews (and the whole New Testament, cf. John 1.14; 1 John 4.2,3) and the later church (Council of Chalcedon, 451 CE; The Belgic Confession, 1651 CE) rejected such heresy.

In fact, Hebrews tells us that Jesus HAD to be fully human, exactly and just like us, (Hebrews 2.17). Why? Because only through becoming completely human could he fulfil the will of the Father to redeem us and save the world. He had to become our brother, partaking of our nature, knowing our condition. Only in this way could he make atonement for our sin, taste death for us, deliver us from the fear of death (Hebrews 2.14, 17), and become the source of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5.9). Only by being one of us can Jesus lead us to peace, with God and with each other. Do we see the relevance now between the humanity of Christ and the situations in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon Ukraine, Russia, and many other war-torn places? May the reconciling presence and compassionate Spirit of our human (and divine) Saviour be released anew over the world to bring shalom.

-Pastor Tony

September 15, 2024

“We need each other, and we need everybody.” It seems that the Apostle Paul was saying this to the church in Corinth. At one point, he underscored the truth that the parts of the church body that may seem to be less important, are indeed necessary (if less visible or apparent) for the proper functioning of the church the way the Lord has designed it. Indeed, “God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lack it (presentability, that is).” 1 Corinthians 12.24b.

Here is a story from ancient times that illustrates this biblical point, one that is especially critical to the church, but apparently also to a well-functioning society. The historical context is Rome in 494 BC, when the masses (the plebians) were revolting against the ruling class (the patricians). A man named Menenius Agrippa spoke to the assemblies, seeking to illustrate the need for all parts of society, and in such recognition return to peace and harmonious working together. Here is his fable.

At the time when the parts of the human body did not, as now, all agree together, but several members had each their own counsel, and their own language, the other parts were indignant that, while everything was provided for the gratification of the belly by their labour and service, the belly, resting calmly in their midst, did nothing but enjoy the pleasures afforded it. They accordingly entered into a conspiracy, that neither should the hands convey food to the mouth, nor the mouth receive it when presented, nor the teeth have anything to chew; while desiring, under the influence of the indignation, to starve out the belly, the individual members themselves and the entire body were reduced to the last degree of emaciation. Thence it became apparent that the office of the belly as well was no idle one, that it did not receive more nourishment than it supplied, sending, as it did, to all parts of the body that blood which we derive life and vigour, distributed equally through the veins when perfected by the digestion of food.

For the Apostle Paul, the analogy makes the crucial point. However, for him and for us it is much more than an analogy. As we will explore today in the message, we are indeed the very presence of Jesus today through the church, his body. How much more essential is Menenius Agrippa’s point.

-Pastor Tony

September 1, 2024

On this Labour Day weekend we are reminded of the critical role work, jobs, and careers play in our lives. From a strictly economic perspective, employment is the engine that keeps our country going. The recent rail strike made this clear. What we might think is a minor percentage of our material well-being and comfort turns out to be anything but. The overall cost of the rail work stoppage to the Canadian economy is estimated at $341 million a day. This statistic made me go on a tangent in my mind about how critical and profitable the transport industry can be; aside from whatever product it is – furniture, vehicles, farm equipment, potash, wheat, laptops and tablets, wood, appliances - getting them from one place to the other is big business.

This is not a new phenomenon. From the very early days of human civilization, empires that could transport goods and people most efficiently usually grew and prospered more than those who did not. The well-developed road system of the Roman Empire is one well-known example. Perhaps less known is the story of the Netherlands in the seventeenth century. For the Dutch it wasn’t roads, but transport by sea that was a game-changer. A little republic (relative to the other European superpowers of Spain, France, and England) huddled on the North Sea, they built ships and provided transport for those countries who had much to export but no means to move their goods. The Dutch had virtually nothing to export in that day, but quickly learned how to navigate the seas around the globe and move products like sugar, spices, furs, flour, coffee and tea, textiles, and other goods from one continent and country to the next. It all resulted in the tiny Netherlands punching way above its weight on the world stage, and the economic boon resulted in the country reaching its cultural and material “Golden Age.” All because they learned how to move stuff around! (It is noteworthy that this period also saw the burgeoning growth of the Protestant church as it moved away from Catholicism and embraced the teachings of the Reformers, but that is another story).

Closer to home, recently I read the intriguing story of a teenager named Dominick Pecora who lives in Malvern, Pennsylvania. He also likes transportation, but in the form of bicycles. Almost since he could walk, he has enjoyed riding a bike, and he learned how to fix broken ones. It became a passion, and he felt called to help others who could not afford to fix their broken bicycles. So, he started a business in an old garage with no electricity, water, or bathroom. His fee for fixing a bike was, ‘whatever they could pay.’ His vision was to ‘make it possible for everyone to ride a bike, no matter their financial situations.’ Dominick is only fifteen years old, but, on this Labour Day weekend, he provides us with an inspirational example of how a fascination with a transportation mode (the bike) combined with a Christ-like spirit of generosity and service, can show the true nature and spirit of work.

Whatever place we are called to serve – transport sector or not – may the knowledge we put to work and skills we practice be exercised with all our hearts, since we are actually serving not only one another, but ultimately the Lord (Colossians 3.23).

-Pastor Tony

August 18, 2024

Have you watched any of the episodes of the TV series Chosen? It is a contemporary retelling of Jesus and his disciples in dramatic fashion. Apparently very popular, the New Testament story continues to grip our attention, even two millennia after the original, historical events. The Book of Judges is also fine story telling; another example of how the Bible is filled with accounts of God’s presence and redeeming work among us, told in narrative form. Today we will reflect on the story of Gideon; it is filled with intriguing characters, imagery, suspense, faith, courage, high drama, trial and triumph. Below you will find part of the story: I invite you to read it slowly, attending to the details and descriptions. Just enjoy the story and reflect on its message. The context is Gideon, a leader in Israel, has been called by God to overcome their enemy, the Midianites.

“After Gideon took all their provisions and trumpets, he sent all the Israelites home. He took up his position with the three hundred. The camp of Midian stretched out below him in the valley.

That night, God told Gideon: ‘Get up and go down to the camp. I’ve given it to you. If you have doubts about going down, go down with Purah your armor bearer; when you hear what they’re saying, you’ll be bold and confident.’ He and his armor bearer Purah went down near the place where the sentries were posted. Midian and Amalek, all the easterners were spread out on the plain like a swarm of locusts. And their camels! Past counting, like grains of sand on the seashore!

Gideon arrived just in time to hear a man tell his friend a dream. He said, ‘I had this dream: A loaf of barley bread tumbled into the Midianite camp. It came to the tent and hit it so hard it collapsed. The tent fell!’

His friend said, ‘This has to be the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite! God has turned Midian – the whole camp – over to him.’

When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he went to his knees before God in prayer. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, ‘Get up and get going! God has just given us the Midianite army!’

He divided the three hundred men into three companies. He gave each man a trumpet and an empty jar, with a torch in the jar. He said, ‘Watch me and do what I do. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly what I do. When I and those with me blow the trumpets, you also, all around the camp, blow your trumpets and shout, ‘For God and for Gideon!’

Gideon and his hundred men got to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the sentries had been posted. They blew the trumpets, at the same time smashing the jars they carried. All three companies blew their trumpets and broke the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands, ready to blow, and shouted, ‘A sword for God and for Gideon!’ They were stationed all around the camp, each man at his post. The whole Midianite camp jumped to its feet. They yelled and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, God aimed each Midianite’s sword against his companion, all over the camp. They ran for their lives – to Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.” (Judges 7.8-22).

What a story! It engages our imaginations even as it reveals the Lord’s saving hand. And it invites us to participate in the great adventurous story of salvation.

-Pastor Tony

August 11, 2024

Today we are blessed to witness the installation of two new officebearers. With gratitude to the Lord for those who have served and completed their terms of service, we welcome a new deacon and elder. Arguably, the council plays the most critical role within our (reformed or presbyterian) form of church governance; members of council provide key pastoral ministry, leadership, and oversight of the local congregation, while both Classis and Synod, although important, are not serving on the grassroots level of the day to day life of the flock. The church roles of elders and deacons have deep biblical roots. Moses was directed by the Lord to appoint 70 individuals who would be equipped with the Spirit to help bear the burden of leadership (Numbers 11.16,17). Jesus chose twelve disciples (and more) to help him spread the good news of the Kingdom and create loving community (Luke 6.12-16; 10.1-12). The Apostle Paul instructed Titus to go to each church on the island of Crete and appoint elders; members who were hospitable and loved what was good (Titus 1.5,8). And the New Testament church soon learned they needed to assign deacons to help care for the needs of the local congregation (Acts 6.1-6).

Elders and deacons are called to live with the members of the flock, especially connecting with those in their respective districts. We seek to build relationships with our council members that are experiences of love, mutual support, encouragement, and spiritual growth as we walk together in faith and prayer. Pastor Neil Dekoning, in a handbook called Guiding the Faith Journey, notes a number of practices that are helpful in this exciting venture of being the Lord’s people together under the leadership of elders and deacons. Here are a few: One, be committed to the relationship. Spiritual concerns and struggles are matters of the heart. Only in committed relationships will people open up and accept guidance. Commitment is demonstrated when we keep appointments and remain consistently involved with each other over time. Two, be encouraging. Many Christians feel they have failed God. They may feel guilty about failures in Christian practices and ashamed of ongoing struggles. Encouragement helps us experience God’s forgiveness and provides hope for the future. Write notes of encouragement. Three, as an office bearer, recognize your limits. We are not all-wise, all-loving, and all-powerful. We, too, are learning to walk the road of faith. Fourth, listen. To discern and guide, we need to hear what lives in the heart of the person under our care.

May the Lord bless our council members as we seek to be faithful to our calling. The Bible promises that as we journey together as a community of faith in Jesus, as we support one another in the Spirit, we will indeed help our elders and deacon discover the joy of their ministry. And when they do, the whole church is blessed! (Hebrews 13.17).

-Pastor Tony

June 30, 2024

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet with the Historical Committee (of the Christian Reformed Church of North America) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the past five years of which I have been a member of this group, all my meetings with them have been via zoom. (Two other members, who live in other states, also zoomed in). So, this meeting was a chance to not only meet in person, but also to have a meeting where all members were present in the flesh. During and after the meeting (especially after, upon reflection) it was very obvious to me that engaging ‘in person’ has significant advantages over meeting online. Eye contact, facial expressions, subtle tones, volumes, and inflections of voice, and body language were all much more apparent and part of the interactions. In addition, the flow of the conversation, the back and forth of dialogue in the same space allowed for better fluid expression of ideas and more creative outcomes. Of course, I realize we ‘out of town’ members of the Committee cannot be flown in for every meeting, but the experience was telling, and a revelation of something that I (and probably many others) suspect.

That suspicion is that in person interactions are far superior to online meetings. Our current dependence on technology and the advantages it does present (i.e. it is much less expensive, and better for the environment, not to fly across the continent for a meeting every three months) are not to be denied. Nonetheless, we are learning in this time of monumental technological advances that there are outcomes that are creating substantial challenges. One of the most commonly and increasingly recognized one is the (ironically) social isolation created by social media. Most research and analysis indicate that, especially among younger people, increasing phone use and time spent online are making us more lonely, feel isolated, susceptible to bullying and abuse, more depressed and less trusting of each other, and fearful of being ‘left out.’ It is not uncommon for us to pay more attention to our phones than to the person sitting with us at the coffee table. Who would have thought a tool to communicate more efficiently would in fact hinder rather than enhance personal conversations and healthy relationships?

At the heart of this whole discussion is the idea of ‘being together’. In a devotional Zachary King (general secretary of the CRC) asks, ‘Isn’t it interesting that we humans, both introverts and extroverts among us, long to be with others?’ Ultimately, it’s about being in healthy relationships – in communion or community. (In addition to the advantages mentioned, the sense of connection with the fellow members on the Historical Committee was the most valuable fruit of meeting in person). All of this actually has very deep biblical and theological roots. Scripture constantly reveals a God who wants to be with us (Exodus 6.7; Jeremiah 31.1; Ezekiel 37.23). He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, and when that communion was destroyed, out of love he committed to restoring the relationship so he could be with us again. Jesus becomes the ultimate expression and embodiment of God with us (Isaiah 7.14; Matthew 1.23). Through his incarnation, death, and resurrection he has made it possible for us to always be with God; nothing can separate us from him and his love (Romans 8.37-39). Through his Spirit God is always with us, in person (John 14.18-20). Indeed, the culmination of redemptive history pictures the fullness of God with us: “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among his people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God,” Revelation 21.3. Even as we benefit from the gift of technology, it seems our Lord prefers the personal touch!

-Pastor Tony

June 23, 2024

One of Jesus’ most well-known parables was the Kingdom described as a banquet, to which we are all invited. The community of God is like a feast, which is about much more than eating (as important as the eating part is). It’s actually a love feast, in which all guests indulge in the Lord’s unlimited love. I think every single person would be interested in attending, since I have never met anyone who is not interested in love.

Eugene Peterson, in a sermon on love, (Love Lessons: Love is of God) notes that loving is actually something we need to learn to do. I’m sure we could all tell stories of missteps we have made in our attempts to love others. As natural as it may feel to us when we love another person, I will be the first to admit that I am not a natural expert in love. Peterson compares it to tennis lessons: an average athletically gifted person may not become a professional player if he takes lessons, but he will learn the basic strokes and strategies, avoid common mistakes, and achieve a certain level of competency so that playing tennis will be fun. So it is with learning to act out our commitments to love.

The Gospel of John was written that we would know the very nature of God through Jesus, which is love (and in so doing, know full life, John 20.31). Through his resurrection Jesus shows us that nothing, not sin or even death, can stop God’s love from coming to full fruition in and among us. And the resurrection shows us that Jesus has inaugurated a new age in which we begin to live out this new life of love. In his letters, the Apostle John gets more detailed and practical in spelling out how that love works in our lives and relationships. “Now I am writing you this letter to encourage you to let God repeat his loving actions in your lives. Let him put love to work in you just as he put it to work in Christ, and let it operate victoriously in you, even as it did in Christ.” (paraphrased).

Again, the practice of love takes practice! And it takes intentional cultivation; love needs to be nurtured, like a plant, in order to grow. Peterson uses the analogy of an apple grown in an orchard. You may enjoy biting into a juicy, red apple. You haven’t grown it yourself, someone else has done it, and you enjoy the benefits. We can be that way about love: we enjoy the fruits of love but are not as interested in growing the fruit. But the Christian, having been the recipient of divine love, and all its blessings, is called to be a love horticulturist – to work in the orchards of God’s love. This love takes work and commitment, and sacrifice (just ask our crucified Saviour). We need to do the unglamorous labour of fertilizing roots, pruning branches, and controlling pests. But the results are life changing. “We nurture those relationships in which love is protected from disease, comes to blossom, is pollinated, and comes to maturity, exhibiting the mature joy and peace of the redeemed life in Christ.” So, beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, 1 John 4.7. 

Have you responded to the invitation to the Lord’s love feast? Are you in? Are you in love?

-Pastor Tony

June 2, 2024 

Many members of the church in Paul’s day were materially poor, with a few notable exceptions. Nonetheless, the Apostle still felt it necessary to teach on the Christians attitude towards money, even if they did not have much of it. Even those who have little are not immune to the temptation to let material concerns and aspirations captivate the heart. No less, Jesus had a similar concern; he spoke of money or mammon very often. “Wasn’t Jesus more about spiritual things?’ we might ask. Exactly. Apparently, he believed that material stuff was a matter of the heart.

This was evident in an encounter Jesus had with a young rich fellow (Luke 18.18-30). This man was an astute follower of the law, lived a good, clean life, and had all of his physical needs met, yet felt something was still missing, namely true and meaningful life. So, he asked Jesus how he could acquire it. In the end, Jesus realized that the heart of the problem was that he was living a life apart from God, the source of true life, and that, in his young man’s case, the path to fulfilment was to give up his wealth and live a life following Jesus. It was too much to ask. And then Jesus said something quite comical. “It is harder for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.” We may miss the humor today and explain it away with analogies about a small gate in the Jerusalem wall being called the Needles Eye, but for those who heard Jesus say it, it would have brought smiles, if not outright laughter. Picture it: A camel is a large, ungainly, lumbering, clumsy beast. The eye of a needle is very tiny, barely visible to the naked eye; threading a needle takes sharp eyes, a steady hand, and a thin thread. The picture is funny, and impossible! Whom then can be saved? No one relying on their own piety or goodness (as the affluent young man tried); only by a miracle of God in the heart (rebirth).

But, back to why it is literally impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom on their own. Why is that? One might speculate that the wealthy feel self-sufficient; anything they/we need they/we can buy for themselves/ourselves. We fool ourselves into thinking we have the ‘where with all’ to save ourselves too, whatever we sense we need saving from. When we feel this way, we are dangerously close to being in love with money. In the eyes of Paul and Jesus, love of money is most harmful, even death producing. If we love money, Jesus says, we cannot love God (Matthew 6.24). Paul warns that such love is the root of all evil and causes one to wander from the faith and pierce hearts with pangs of pain (1 Timothy 6.10). “Ecclesiastes warns that such love of mammon does not satisfy, compromises our integrity, produces worry, ruins relationships, and provides no lasting security…” (Kevin DeYoung). Contrary to Wall Street mentality, greed is bad for us and for others.

In the end it was devoted attachment to money that blocked the young ruler from receiving eternal life. When we are tempted in our consumerist culture to misplace our first love, just remember the image of a clumsy camel trying to go through the eye of a needle. It’s a funny picture, with a point that is dead serious.

-Pastor Tony

May 26, 2024 

Of all the relationships that the Apostle Paul had with churches, the one with Corinth may have been the most turbulent. In the Lord’s providence, this in turn bore fruit on some of the most astounding passages of the New Testament. Who can deny that the poetry of 1 Corinthians 13 may be the most powerful love poem ever written? And the chapter on the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) has given unmatched joy, sure strength, and glorious hope to believers for centuries. The major truth of being new creations in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5.16-21, heralding the new age to come as we live in his Spirit is exhilarating and kingdom visionary. And the image of being fractured vessels that bring the treasures of Jesus to our world through our humble brokenness is counterintuitive (against human logic and nature) and simply profound (2 Corinthians 4.5-15). These truths and more are a fruit of the Apostle’s fraught and troubled relationship with the Corinthian congregation.

So, what was the Corinthian church like? Many commentators cast this church in a negative light – as a huge source of anxiety and heartache for Paul. Perhaps it was. However, I would like to share a more ‘balanced’ portrait of the church, compliments of the late pastor Eugene Peterson. Here is his description, slightly edited: “In some ways this congregation would have been a pastor’s nightmare. All the same, I like these people. The new life of Christ was ablaze in them. They were up to their armpits in problems, but the problems didn’t hold a candle to the mystery of the Christ that was ablaze in them. They knew their lives were being shaped for some grand and eternal purpose. The church was a mess, but God was cleaning up that mess, and they were willing to let God do it. …Corinth was not a pretty little stained-glass chapel, it was more like a barnyard. Everything they had been in the world they brought with them in the church: their appetites, their superstitions, their sexuality, and their bungled relationships. With that raw material the Holy Spirit was creating something marvelous and wonderful…” (Lights a Lovely Mile).

The relationship between this church and Paul was electric, to put it mildly. Often sparks flew when the two interacted. Through the letters to (and from) Corinth, we learn much about the heart, character, mindset, and ministry of Paul. More, through this relationship and his messages we witness the powerful work of Jesus through his Spirit, redeeming and renewing people amid the challenges and successes of life in a real world. The fruit of this ministry stands still today: Greece has been a country with millions of Christians over the years, and we still have two powerful and poignant letters to instruct and inspire us in our Christian faith.

-Pastor Tony

May 19, 2024

Once in a while I find myself dreaming about the perfect church. Usually, Acts 2.42-47 comes to mind, the New Testament church that was formed after the Holy Spirit was freshly poured out upon the believers in Jerusalem. This community worshipped and prayed together, explored the Bible, shared meals together and served one another, shared the Gospel with their neighbours, and grew by God’s grace. My daydreaming has been abruptly shattered when I remember the comments of a fellow believer, who reminds me that there is no perfect church – not even the one in Acts. He is right, a close look reveals that even the New Testament church is no exception. In Paul’s day it had its very thorny problems and substantial interpersonal challenges.

Having said that, I do wonder if there is any place for dreaming, and in particular looking to the past as inspiration for what the future might hold. In other words, can nostalgia be a good thing? One heart aching memory of one’s youthful past was poetically written and sung by Adele, in her song Someone Like You: “You know how the time flies. Only yesterday was the time of our lives. We were born and raised, in a summer haze, Bound by the surprise of our glory days.” Is there anything helpful in going down such a path of remembering, even if selective? Bruce Springsteen would say not. In his Glory Days, such memory is foolish escapism and only serves to make the present more dismal. However, Alan Castel, a researcher in memory and aging, says nostalgia is good and helpful. In recalling the past, we bring back images of overcoming hardships and challenges. Nostalgia also serves an existential function by bolstering a sense of meaning in life and social connectedness. Furthermore, remembering allows us to enjoy the events and experiences of the past again with positivity, and can bring us the pleasure of reliving uplifting, emotional, and defining memories of our lives (Better with Age, 2019).

These reflections, I think, may help us in our thoughts about the Holy Spirit, our Christian walk, and our search for the ‘perfect church.’ God is always at work, but sometimes we are more attentive to the Kairos moments of the Spirit at work. We can recall highlights in our spiritual journey such as summer Bible camps, mission trips, worship services and retreats, special friendships, family gatherings and spiritual milestones, conferences and celebrations…then they end, and they become the ‘glory days’ in our memory. Remember Mary Magdelene when she saw the resurrected Jesus? She wanted to embrace him with excitement and joy. Jesus told her to refrain for he had not yet ascended to the Father (John 20.17). Mary recalled fondly the glory days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, friendship, and love; she wanted to hold on to those glorious times. But she and her friends were about to experience something new again; the generous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, with new believers added to the family (Acts 1.14; 2). No period of glory lasts forever, but God always seems to move us on into new kinds of glory (as spoken by pastor Ben Gresik). More, what the Lord has done in the past, locked in our memory, is part of his renewing work for today and into the future. The past can inspire us and prepare us for what is to come; remembering the blessed experiences of ‘church’ in our personal pasts can inspire us in the Spirit to be a better church today. God is preparing yet another new glory for the future, which will climax in Jesus’ return, when he will make all things perfectly new – the church included!

-Pastor Tony

May 12, 2024

We know very little, indeed nothing specific, about the Apostle Paul’s mother. As a mom caring for her children in a Jewish home, she no doubt had a significant impact on him. She may have been on his mind when he spoke tenderly to the church in Thessalonica, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her own children,” (1 Thessalonians 2.7). Jesus himself, no doubt impacted by the love and example of his mother, Mary, described himself in tender maternal images. As he entered Jerusalem he lamented, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing,” (Matthew 23.37). Most likely, both Paul and Jesus have their maternal perceptions also rooted in the heart of God: “Just as a mother cannot forget the baby at her breast and fail to have compassion on the child she has borne, so the Lord will never forsake or forget me, (Isaiah 49.14,15 paraphrased). And, through Zion, the dwelling place of the Lord, “…you will be nursed and be satisfied…you will be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you…” (Isaiah 66.11-13 paraphrased).

The book of Proverbs personifies wisdom as a woman. I think it is accurate to say that in general and for the vast majority of us specifically, our Moms have been treasuries of wisdom. Their insights - wrought from living life for years in busy homes, marriages, and families, church engagements, involvement in schools and the workplace - have guided and inspired us in our navigation of life and faith. Here is how King Lemuel (the author of Proverbs 31) celebrated the wisdom of our mothers. “She speaks up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of those who are downtrodden. She is quick to assist anyone in need and reaches out to help the poor. Like a trading ship that sails to faraway places, she brings back exotic surprises. When she speaks, she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. She faces tomorrow with a smile. She keeps an eye on the members of her household and keeps them busy and productive. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in honor of the Lord. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her with praise!”

All this to say, “THANK YOU, Lord, for our MOMS! Their maternal care and compassion in our lives flow directly from your maternal heart.”

-Pastor Tony

May 5, 2024

When Paul and Silas visited the synagogue in Berea and brought the Gospel, we are told that the congregation, after listening eagerly to them, “searched the Scriptures, day after day, to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth’ (Acts 17.11). We might initially be a little surprised at their response. Who would dare to question and test the words of the Apostle Paul!? But this was clearly a good response; Luke (the author of Acts) relays their response as a positive thing. Here are people eagerly digging into the Word, searching for truth, exploring Paul and Silas’ application of the Bible. It is a reminder that preaching, today too, should not be a one way monologue, but a dialogue between pastor and people in the ongoing journey of faith.

And, consistent with the long biblical traditions stretching back to Moses and Miriam, through the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist and Jesus, Peter and Paul, on through the past two millennia, verbally proclaiming the good news was and is done through imperfect human beings (Jesus excepted, of course). This is a humbling truth; God uses mere human beings to bring his eternal word week by week. Charles Spurgeon, the 19th century Baptist pastor who drew crowds in the thousands as he preached in his tabernacle church in London, did not let the ‘success’ of his rhetorical skills and oratorical gift go to his head. He once said, describing his own abilities, “The silver of a sweet speech and the gold of deep thought I do not have, but what I have I give to you.” (A take on the words of the Apostle Peter, who said to a crippled man begging for money, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you,” and then proceeded to share the good news with miraculous results, Acts 3.6). So too, the Lord uses men and women in their ordinary means to bring the message of salvation. We bring it with the limited skills and gifts we have been given.

Another preacher, George Herbert, who lived in England about two centuries before Spurgeon, who faithfully brought the word in sermons every Sunday to his small congregation, is more known for his poetry. In one poem, The Windows, he shares his perception of what God was up to when a sermon is shared – like the light of heaven streaming through stained glass windows.

Lord, how can man preach your eternal Word?

He is a brittle, crazy glass;

Yet in your temple you to him afford

This glorious and transcendent place,

To be a window, through your grace.

But when thou dost anneal (forge) in glass your story,

Making your life to shine within

The holy preachers, then the light and glory

More reverend grows, and more does win,

Which else shows waterish, bleak and thin.

Doctrine and life, colors and light, in one

When they combine and mingle, bring

A strong regard and awe, but speech alone

Does vanish like a flaring thing,

And in the ear, and conscience, ring.

The Apostle Paul once referred to all of us, every Christian, who bear the message as broken vessels (2 Corinthians 4.7). May the treasure of the Good News shine through our brokenness.

-Pastor Tony

April 21, 2024

Thanks for tuning in on our ‘discussion’ about the supernatural power of the Word to fulfil what it was sent to do (Isaiah 55.10,11), against all odds. Should we explore a little more how that might play out, and what our response to it might be?

How is it that the Word of the Lord goes out into the world and does what he intends it to do? The Holy Spirit is key. We cannot understand the message of God’s redeeming work unless the Spirit is active in our hearts and minds (1 Corinthians 12.3). And he is critical in causing the message to be active and bear fruit. This means that there is a substantial amount of mysteriousness. The Spirit comes and goes where he wills, like the wind (John 3). This means not only we’re in for an adventure; it also means we need to trust the Word’s way among us, even as we bear witness to the effects of its work in our lives and relationships. It’s actually quite humbling. Jesus told a parable of how the Word brings the Kingdom (Mark 4.26-29). The farmer goes out to sow his seed. Whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, and he doesn’t know how. All on its own (automatically) the seed germinates, grows, and bears a harvest. In such a way the Kingdom comes, Jesus is saying. God alone brings his righteous and peaceful rule (I Corinthians 3.7). Only the Spirit through the Word can convert the human heart. Only Jesus (the Word embodied) is the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12.2). So, the Word of the Lord will accomplish what has been divinely ordained, and we get to simply participate, bear witness, and wonder.

Now, how do we respond to this amazing truth? Besides the wonder and testimony we are to bear, how do we then act when we live in the Word and share it? Myself, I am often tempted to share the Word and then tell others how to respond. “This is what the Bible says,” I think, “…now, this is how we are to act or speak in respond.” There may be a time and place for such practices; any of us who are parents know this. (As preachers, admittedly, we often feel a sermon is not quite complete unless we include a list of at least three things ‘to do.’) However, given the way we can only partially discern the way of the Spirit in the Word among us, even in our own hearts, I find I need to be more trusting that God in his sovereign ways will direct the Word to his plan and glory. In John 12.44-50 Jesus says he has come into the world to bring the light, so we may not walk in darkness. Then he goes on to say that he has not come to judge any person - “If anyone hears my words but does not do them, I do not judge that person” - for he came not to judge but to save. He shares the Word, and he leaves the judgment up to God, who will come one day and judge all things. Am I able to trust this promise? Am I (are we, are you) able to be faithful in sharing the Word, living it out best I or we can in grace, and trust God to let the Word do its Spirit-inspired work, automatically – and mysteriously?

-Pastor Tony

April 14, 2024

If we were to describe in one word the role of the Apostle Paul, it would probably be ‘missionary.’ He invested his heart and soul and mind into the calling to preach the good news, motivated by a passionate conviction of God’s redeeming love. He trained others to preach in order to get the word out beyond himself. To the young pastor Timothy he charged, “Preach the word; be prepared in and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4.2). Keep bringing the message even in the face of congregants who hanker to hear words that are more palatable to their own desires and ideas (4.3,4). He instructed another pastor, Titus, to be faithful in proclaiming sound doctrine, (Titus 1.9; 2.1,2), in spite of an inhospitable Cretan culture (Titus 1.10-16). Paul encountered many obstacles as he went about his missionary work: persecution, suspicion, beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, hunger, snake bites, angry mobs…). Indeed, in just about every city he went to, the ending was always the same: he was run out of town.

All this makes me wonder about the ‘return’ on Gospel proclamation. If spreading the Word is like sowing, how much of it actually takes root, germinates, and bears fruit? Have you ever poured your heart and soul into helping someone, only to find that it was all for naught, as far as you could tell? All your prayers, efforts, good deeds in generosity of time and energy resulted ultimately in the person breaking off the relationship? Was it worth the investment? I wonder if Paul ever felt that way about preaching the Word? It is interesting that in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13), three of the four types of ground on which the seed landed did not bear any fruit. Only 25% of the seed actually ‘took.’ It seems this is how it works when it comes to communicating with words. When we read an article or a book, how much do we actually retain? Is it more than 25%? Probably more, at least 60%. Certainly not 100%. Authors feel this acutely.  They spend months if not years writing their masterpiece, only to find the hard truth that it is not a bestseller. Indeed, for those copies that did sell, many end up being sold for three bucks in the bargain bin. Lots of words, many (most?) of them wasted. In spite of all this, it did not seem to stop the Apostle from carrying on, from one city to the next, relentlessly preaching the Good News.

Admittedly, these are just meandering thoughts. From a biblical perspective, the Word goes out and does exactly what the Lord has ordained it to do. Not one letter is wasted. As Isaiah proclaimed, “As the snow and rain come down from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, causing it to bud and flourish…so is my word that goes out of my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55.10,11). How much do we trust this promise, all of us who seek daily to spread the Word? We’ll reflect on that in next week’s Meanderings. 

-Pastor Tony

April 7, 2024 

In an Easter message Pastor Eugene Peterson described how our belief in resurrection has three parts: past, present, and future. The past is the historical resurrection of Jesus (John 20), and the future one is the general resurrection of all people at the end of time (Revelation 20). In between – the present – is the resurrected life we live now as Easter believers. In Colossians 3.1 we learn that we have been “raised with Christ.” That is the present tense; today we, as people who live in Christ, are raised with him, just as he is resurrected. It is like two mountain peaks: One behind us (Jesus’ resurrection), one mountain ahead of us when we will all be physically raised from the dead: today we are in the valley between these two peaks. This present resurrection may not be as dramatic as the first and third one, but it is no less important.

In some ways, actually, the first great resurrection (of Jesus) seems less dramatic and spectacular than we first might think. Yes, there was a shattering earthquake and the stone rolled away from the grave, with soldiers knocked off their feet. But other than that, such a momentous event seems understated as told in the biblical record. For example, when Jesus joined the two travelling disciples in their way to Emmaus, they failed to recognize him, so ordinary was his appearance. And Mary thought that the risen Lord was simply a regular gardener. And some of the disciples weren’t quite sure who it was on the beach one early morning making some breakfast over a little coal fire. Eventually, all the disciples discovered that this ‘ordinary’ person was in fact Jesus, back from the dead, fully alive.

And so it is that Jesus appears to us today, as Paul says in the aforementioned Colossians passage; in the Spirit by faith, we have been raised with Christ. The risen Jesus lives in us. We experience his presence through one another. He appears among us in the ordinary circumstances of life, in the midst of real struggles and real questions that life asks. In our recent church Council meeting we reflected on a devotional that speaks to this blessing of Christian community. The author, Alyson Keida, reflects on a difficult time in her life when she was tempted to withdraw from attending worship. But she continued to attend. She wrote, “Although my situation remained the same for many long years, worshipping and gathering with other believers in service, prayer meetings, and Bible Study supplied the encouragement I needed to perseverance and remain hopeful. Often, I’d not only hear an uplifting message or teaching, but I’d receive just the word of encouragement, listening ear, or hug I needed from others. That’s a big part of what encouragement is. Someone may need your loving encouragement; and you may be surprised by the encouragement you receive in return.”  

Like the original disciples, who, upon seeing the risen Lord, were instructed: Go and tell! May we too, among our selves and in our world, encourage one another when we bear witness to the risen Jesus who lives in us.

-Pastor Tony

March 31, 2024

Did you see coverage and video footage of the collapse of a large bridge in Baltimore (Maryland) this past week? A fully loaded tanker ship lost complete power and was unable to avoid crashing into the structure. A mayday call went out from the ship three minutes before impact, which helped clear the bridge of most traffic. However, there was a construction crew working on the bridge, which did not have time to evacuate. All members of the group perished in a horrible death as the whole bridge collapsed and plunged into the water. I can’t help but wonder how this tragic event has impacted the family and friends of these workers as they try to come to terms with their difficult new reality on this Easter weekend. 

The utter devastation of death must lay heavy upon their hearts. For them, and for any and really all of us (the young among us too) when death visits and interrupts the lives we live, it seems so definitive. So last word-ish; there is nothing left to say, it seems, death having spoken with such dead-end gravity. In our own feelings death comes and that is the end of the loved one; all we seem to have left is a gravestone, maybe an urn, some flowers, and a few pictures of the beloved departed. And an empty ache in our hearts. In the limits of our minds, we try to minimize sorrow and pain. We talk about having the beloved ‘live on in our memories’, we tell stories to celebrate the life that is gone, and many of us preachers are wont to talk with figures such as the rejuvenation of nature, the romantic appearance of blossoms the signal new life in spring, or the mystical-like spirit of the deceasing carrying on in some vague, spiritualized way. We do all this, understandably, to help ease the sorrowful pain.

But God has something much better in mind. It’s called resurrection! That is, the dead person actually comes back to life. Indeed, it is not just an idea; he has turned it into fact. Listen to the Gospel: “But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with him…” (Ephesians 2.4-6).  While were spiritually dead in sin, God took the gracious initiative and made us alive, now and for eternity. This he did through his Son, Jesus. This is the Good News of Easter. The last word is not death; the last word is now love and Life!

Admittedly this message may be hard to fully grasp for us who are confined with mortal minds and mundane experience. It is a miracle, after all. Pastor Karl Barth, in an Easter sermon, describes it this way, and encourages us on this Easter Sunday: We might say, ‘I cannot understand it, I do not sense it. It does not harmonize with my experience…In short, I do not have any rational grounds to trust myself to it…’ But it is not a question of whether we can grasp it or comprehend it. It is a matter of believing in faith, simply to take God at his word, and his acts. Yes, for truer than your sin, truer than all your experiences and thoughts, truer than all your doubts and afflictions, truer than death, graves, and hell…God give us the freedom to breathe in his atmosphere, even though we have a thousand griefs, to rise from the dead in the victorious power of Christ. A blessed Easter to all!

-Pastor Tony

March 24, 2024

Repentance and Renewal: these two realities in the Christian life are closely tied together. Last week we considered Repentance. Both John the Baptist and Jesus called for repentance; indeed, it was the first word Jesus proclaimed as he began his preaching ministry. Repentance was necessary in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Repentance involved confession, which is different than an apology. An apology acknowledges that we’ve done something wrong, possibly hurt someone, and we apologize to admit our mistake and manage and mitigate the consequences. A confession, in contrast, goes beyond admitting our wrongdoing and seeks restoration of the relationship. In confessing we not only take full responsibility for our misguided actions or words, we also say we want to reconnect with the offended person and restore and build up the relationship. Confession is a part of repentance. As we confess and ‘clear the clutter’ of our sins, we are doing it as a part of repenting. And repenting, as we noted last week, is about change for the better. Leaving the old behind and entering into what is new. The Apostle Paul called it taking off the old self and putting on the new person we are in Christ, New Creations.    

Which brings us to Renewal. Paul wrote to Titus that we are “saved through the water of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3.5). This work of being reborn (this is what regeneration means) is a work of God; we cannot manufacture spiritual renewal on our own just as we cannot be physically born by our own will. Remember Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (John 3)? New birth, or being born from above, can only happen through the Spirit, which is like the wind. (It blows where it will, we can never know where or when; invisible, but we do see the evidence of the wind’s work).  So too in renewal: the Spirit is at work bringing revival in our lives and in our churches. The suffering journey of Jesus to the cross is what the Spirit uses to bring renewal; He applies the redemptive life and sacrificial giving of Jesus to our lives, and so revives our hearts. What encouragement to know that the Spirit is always working, even as we are not always aware, even as we sleep (!), working to bring renewal.  

Which may have us asking, ‘Don’t we have a part to play in this process of renewal?’ What does it mean when we are encouraged to ‘keep in step with the Spirit’ (Galatians 5.25)? Yes, in the biblical story we always find the Spirit at work when believers are reading the Word, or in prayer, listening to preaching, gathered together in worship or Bible study (Acts 2.1f; 4. 31; 8.26f; 16.11f). When we exercise these spiritual disciplines, let’s do so expecting the Spirit to bring renewal. One note of caution: following the Spirit and knowing his renewing work may lead to unexpected places. At least this is what happened to the crowd who lined the streets on Palm Sunday. They expected a certain type of Messiah, only to find out that his Spirit-led mission called them to places they were not prepared to go (the cross). Unexpected perhaps, but life-giving in the end. Lead on, Holy Spirit!                                    

-Pastor Tony

March 10, 2024

Temptation is a reality we face, I would say every day. Sometimes we succumb to it, whether it is the penchant to pride, greed, unjust anger, lust, slander, prejudice, spite, envy, idolatry…Usually the result, once we have succumbed, is to feel, after possibly the initial thrill of gratification and release of pressure, a sense of defeat. (We’ve hurt a family member or friend, we’ve disappointed God, we’ve let ourselves down). Jesus was tempted too, without ever giving in. When we trust and walk with him, we can live in victory through every trial and temptation. This means that we find ourselves living in ‘two worlds’: the world of struggle and sin, and the world of peace and victory over sin.

This reality (living in two very different worlds simultaneously) is illustrated by a true World War Two story. It took place in a prisoner of war camp in Germany, holding American and British soldiers. Their living conditions were bleak - cold, little and poor food, awful sanitation, interrupted sleep, constant fear of execution, no communication with the outside world. This was one world in which they lived. But they were introduced to another world through a crystal radio set that was smuggled in one day by a captured soldier. To keep it from being detected, each morning they took it apart and hide the pieces in recesses throughout the barracks. At night, they would assemble it and listen to the news on the outside. Then one night, breaking news came over the airwaves: the Nazi’s had been defeated in Normandy, on D-Day, which signaled the beginning of the demise of Hitler and the Third Reich. Even as the German soldiers manning the camp were ignorant of this, due to the German propaganda machine, the prisoners of war knew they would be set free, in due time. For three months they lived with this optimism, at which time it came into reality. In those months they were indeed living in two very different worlds. As one author described it, “They wore prison clothes. They ate prison food. They smelled the stench of prison life around them. But because they knew the outcome, their confidence soared. In their hearts they were free.” (Wayne Brouwer).

So it is with all who struggle with temptation, but trust in Jesus: He was not only tested with us, he was on trial for us. And since he endured without giving in, his victory over temptation is what sets us free.  In him we live in triumph, even in the midst of our battles. Our hearts are free!

-Pastor Tony

March 3, 2024

Someone once said that all good things must come to an end, and so it is with my sabbatical. Having said that, it is surely good to be, ‘back in the office’ at church. Thank you for the opportunity to spend three months - one (October 2023) in Greece and Turkey on a trip following the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul, and the other two (January and February 2024) digesting and organizing the material and information gathered on that trip. The Lord willing, I plan to share about the things MaryAnn and I saw and learned on our journey in the form of a series of messages beginning soon after Easter.

 The season of Lent has already begun. Today (Sunday) is the third Sunday of reflecting on the passion of Jesus. Seasons in the church calendar year help us slow down and consider the spiritual journey of our hearts and lives. Perhaps it is just a matter of human nature, but it seems that in our ‘modern times’, where things seem to be increasingly going faster (such as fast food; global travel; internet speed; virtual instant purchasing power and immediate gratification), finding time to slow down and listen to our own thoughts, be in tune with our feelings, and acknowledge the words and emotions of others is an increasingly more rare experience. This may all be ‘helped along’ by the fact that we live in an age of exploding information (and misinformation); we can be constantly bombarded with sound bites of news and other information, 24-7 if we want to, without any time to really digest it and process its implications. Rowan Williams, an English pastor, calls this ‘undifferentiated time’, a hallmark of a secular society, ‘largely detached from the seasons, time feels like a headlong linear rush of news cycles punctuated by commercial breaks about Black Friday and Flyer Discount Days.’

Williams suggests, as an antidote, and something that helps us to ‘number our days’, the practice of recognizing the seasons of the church year. Doing so can help us recalibrate as we pay attention to what God is up to in our lives and our community. Liturgical traditions and rhythms such as Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Ascension, and Pentecost help prevent time from being just an accumulation of miscellaneous episodes and occasions; they help us pause and explore new aspects of the story of redemption as they intersect with us in our schedules. We give the Holy Spirit opportunity to speak into our hearts, and He (the Spirit) encourages us on the way of faith. May the Lord use this season of Lent to synchronize our hearts to his, and find the peace of knowing him in our busy lives.

-Pastor Tony

Away on Sabbatical for January and February 2024

December 31, 2023

The passing of another year makes us wonder, where does the time go? That question might be about how fast our lives go by, but it also might be asking about the mystery of time. What is time? What happens to it when it is past? When we stop to think about it, that question is hard to answer. We might say it is seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks…but that  is only how we measure time, it is not time itself. Whatever it is, we are all subject to it, we might even feel it dominates our schedules sometimes, and it seems to go only in one direction – ahead and never back (which is actually a very unusual phenomenon in the world of physics). And whatever it is, we know God created it.

We might wonder the same about the makeup of the universe. Eighty percent of the universe is made up of what scientists call ‘dark matter’. What is so intriguing is that scientists do not really know what dark matter is. We know it is invisible, that it emits no light or energy, and is thus undetectable through conventional sensors and indicators. 80% of our universe is a mystery! Only God knows what it is, for he made it.

To mention one other intriguing question about our world and experience in it that is mystifying (to me, at least) is the way objects or people diminish in size as they move further away from us. Logic tells us that they are clearly not decreasing in actual size, of course, yet they appear to be doing so. Why is that? When I google this question, I find that I would need at least a Master’s degree in physics to understand the explanation. Yet it is such a daily experience we really don’t think much about. Another ‘hard to understand’ phenomenon God created.

These three examples of our created world and part of our everyday experience may make us feel like the author of Ecclesiastes, who looked at daily life and wondered about the One who made it all and had his hand on it still (Ecclesiastes 3.1-14). His reflections made him stand in awe of God. Thomas Aquinas, a medieval priest, wrote many works on theology. On December 6, 1273, he had a mystical vision of God. After this encounter he never wrote another word. When asked about this, he would answer, “After what I have experienced, everything I have written is like straw.” Apparently, his vision of God was so overwhelming he felt his writings of theology were woefully inadequate to express the God he had encountered.

May it be so for us as we embark on another time-bound year. With the preacher of Ecclesiastes, may our daily routines and quotidian activities overwhelm us less with their energy and attention requirement and point us more to the wonder of the God we believe in and follow. Whether we understand it or not, it all belongs to him, and he made it and will bring it all to its beautiful fruition (Ecclesiastes 3.11a). A blessed New Year to all!

-Pastor Tony 

December 17, 2023

One of the many things I learned on our trip to Greece tracing the Apostle Paul’s journey was that the culture in which he lived and evangelized was full of pagan gods. The list of Greek and Roman gods is almost endless: Aphrodite, Athena, Hermes, Zeus, Nike, Poseidon, Mars, Jupiter, Diana, Apollo, Demeter, Hades, Neptune, Persephone, Pluto…These gods were nothing like our concept of ‘God’ as we find revealed in the Bible. These gods were fickle, self-serving, subject to fluctuating emotions and passions, and most noticeable of all, they did not love humans, but used them for their own ends.

How utterly and drastically different is the God of the Christian faith. The birth of Jesus, God becoming flesh, is the profound event that proclaims his holy nature and his completely unique relationship with us. The poem below is written by Malcolm Guite, an English Anglican priest and teacher. It calls us to reflect on this unique event, and what it says to us about the God we believe in. In it, Guite compares the God Jesus to all other gods; a contrast that helps us reflect on God’s holy heart. Poetry, like the Bible, needs to be read over and over. Each time we read it something new catches our attention, sparks our imagination, or fosters a deeper faith. So, I invite you to read this Christmas poem slowly and thoughtfully, a few times at least. May it inspire worship of the babe born and laid in a humble manger. The poem is called Descent.

-Pastor Tony

They sought to soar into the skies, Those Classic gods of high renown. 
For lofty pride aspires to rise, But you came down.
You dropped down from mountain sheer, Forsook the eagle for the dove.
The other gods demanded fear, but you gave love.
Where chiseled marble seemed to freeze their abstract and perfect form
Compassion brought you to your knees, Your blood was warm.
They called for blood in sacrifice, Their victims on an altar bled
When no one else could pay the price,
You died instead
They towered above our mortal plain, Dismiss this restless flesh with scorn
Aloof from birth and pain and death,
But you were born.
Born to these burdens, borne by all
Born with us ‘astride the grave’
Weak, to be with us when we fall,
And strong to save.

December10, 2023

Jesus’ first advent was a humble entry. He came quietly, born to a lowly young woman in an ‘out of the way’ village, inhaling the smell of cattle in his first breaths. Only a few shepherds were excited about his arrival. And not until about two years later did the wise men show up to express their joy at this coming. His first coming created hardly a ripple in the public world.

As we know now, two thousand years later, through Jesus’ message (behold the Kingdom of God is here!), his life, death, and resurrection, and the power of the Holy Spirit, the course of world history, and the world of people and nations itself, has been irrevocably changed by the fact of Christmas. His humble birth ultimately has brought monumental impact for billions of individuals, countless communities and hundreds of countries. And, by His Spirit, he continues to come among us; through reading of His Word, prayer, the community of the church, worship and preaching, podcasts, social media, charity…Jesus continues to be present, encountering and calling us, working out his redemptive drama (Matthew 18.20).

And he has promised he will come again, in person (John 14.3; Mark 14.62). We do not know when this will be. Jesus will come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5.2). But we are not to be alarmed, he says (Matthew 24.6). Even though we do not know the hour or the day, the signs of the times (war, earthquakes, famine, apostasy, evangelism…) continue to call us to be ready for his return. Are we ready? Are you ready? That is, are we in right relationship with the Lord?

A story is told of a meeting Satan had with four of his leading demons. He commanded them to come up with a new lie that would traps more souls. ‘I have it!’ one demon said. ‘I’ll go to earth and tell people there is no God.’ ‘It will never work,’ Satan said, ‘People can look around them and see that there is a God.’ The second demon said, “I’ll go and tell them there is no heaven!” Satan rejected this idea. ‘Everyone knows there is life after death and they want to go to heaven.’ ‘Let’s tell them there is no hell!” the third demon piped up. ‘No, conscience tells them that their sins will be judged,’ said the devil. ‘We need a better lie than that.’ Quietly, the fourth demon spoke. ‘I think I have solved the problem. I’ll go to earth and tell them there is no hurry.” 

-Pastor Tony

December 3, 2023

This Sunday we begin our advent season; a special time of year for all who find life in Jesus. Many years ago (1958) a pastor, Karl Barth, brought a Christmas message to inmates in a prison in Basel, Switzerland. The prayer he offered is cited below. As we embark on this advent journey today, I would encourage you to read this prayer in a prayerful way, that is, read it as if praying. Please pray it for yourself as a worshiper of the newborn babe in Bethlehem, and for our church. Even though originally this prayer was offered in a different time and place (some 60 years ago in a prison chapel in Europe), it gives a sense of the universal longing of all who wait for the coming of Jesus, our Prince of Peace.

-Pastor Tony

O Lord, our God!
You have chosen to dwell not only in heaven on high, but also down on earth with us;
not only to be exalted and mighty, but lowly and poor like us;
not only reign, but also to serve us;
not only to remain the eternal God, but to be born, to live and to die as a man of our salvation.

In your dear Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, you have given us no less than yourself so that we may belong to you once and for all.
This gift is offered to us all, even though not one of us deserves it.
What else can we do but rejoice in wonder, be thankful, and build on what you have done for us?

Grant, we ask you, that this may come true among us and in us all.
Let us become a true Christmas congregation, as we sincerely and willingly pray and sing, preach and listen.
Let us become a true congregation of our Lord’s communion.
For yours is the kingdom, the glory, and the power forever.

Amen.

November 26, 2023

Are we living in the end times? It is a question on many minds today as we witness countries going to war, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, famine and floods, and people leaving the faith (apostasy). In his sermon on the last days (Matthew 24), Jesus said something that for some reason has caught my attention for a number of weeks (hence the sermon in St. Albert CRC today). He said, ‘And because of the increase in lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold,”(Matthew 24.12).

Jesus’ prediction of this sign of the end times made me wonder about the relationship between lawlessness and love, and the contrasting relationship between (God’s) law and love. We often feel, according to our natural intuition, that laws inhibit our quest for love, and the pleasures and enjoyment of life. “Don’t eat that; don’t go there; don’t do that...” Don’t all these prohibitions seek to restrict our full engagement in life? Professor Thomas Nagel (NYU), applies this idea to God himself. Nagel, an atheist, is honest enough to say that he actually doesn’t want to believe in God, (he hopes there isn’t such a God as depicted in the Bible) because he feels this would restrict his enjoyment of life; he’s a God who limits our freedom, stifles our thinking, and ruins our fun.

Actually, according to the Bible, exactly the opposite is at work when it comes to God, and when it comes to the relationship between law and love. God is the source of all life (Genesis1, 2); we cannot have true and complete life apart from him (Psalm 104.29; John 15.5); and all the goodness of life we enjoy are given to us from his hand for our pleasure (1 Timothy 6.17). It makes perfect sense, then, that his law(s) are given to us to that we might be enlightened to know the way of true life; and in a more profound way, so that through them we might have a glimpse into the loving heart of God. This is how Pastor Dave Feddes (former radio preacher for the Reframe Ministries) describes it: he quotes Psalm 119 in which we read that ‘God is good’. Then, Pastor Dave writes, “When the Psalmist uses the word ‘good’, he doesn’t just mean ‘decent’ and ‘well behaved’. He means good in the sense that a meal is good (delicious and healthy) or in the sense that an investment is good (reliable and rewarding) or in the sense that a story is good (gripping and  insightful). God is good; what God does is good for us: delicious, healthy, gripping, insightful, reliable, and rewarding.”

So, it seems that this is the truth Jesus is getting at when he talks about lawlessness reigning and love growing cold. When we ignore divine direction and revelation, we each go our own way, invariably the way of sin, which leads to lovelessness and misery. When we don’t love and obey God, our world becomes hostile and cold. Therefore, let us say with the Psalmist, “I rejoice in following your statues as one rejoices in great riches... I delight in your decrees. How I love your law! I meditate on it all day long...How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth!” (from Psalm 119).

-Pastor Tony

November 12, 2023

Recently I have had helpful conversations about the struggles we face in our church with two people, one a young adult member of our church and another with a pastor colleague. This ‘Meanderings’ is the partial fruit of these conversations (as well as many other conversations to some degree). As your shepherd I am called to help us navigate through this time. How indeed does a pastor lead through our current circumstances?

I would begin by apologizing for the times I have said too little on the topic of same sex relationships, and for the times I have said too much. I find it a challenge at times to know how much or how little to say. My ministry-experienced colleague and I spoke of how power and influence plays a role in each church, and no less in ours. Indeed it is a reality in all spheres of life and has been since the beginning; Jesus experienced this as well, see Matthew 10.16; Matthew 16.6; Luke 13.22, Luke 13.22; Luke 20.45-47. In church there are many who hold power through a variety of means: some by virtue of the official position(s), others by virtue of their history and investment in the church, by virtue of personality, by virtue of cultural persuasion, and by virtue of tradition and ritual, past practices and experiences. Many if not all of these are in play, and navigating them and being a community together with them in ways that reflect the love, truth, gentleness, and humility of our Lord is something that requires the wisdom and strength of His Spirit. When called to serve our faith community, about 7 years ago, I promised to ‘nurture believers in the faith and life of the kingdom…to shepherd the church which Jesus bought with his own blood…to love Christ and feed his sheep…” (Form for the ordination of pastors). By God’s grace and provision I seek to fulfill this promise, tending to the spiritual well-being of all members, each one of which deserves my respect and love.

With respect to the Human Sexuality Report, I have not to date made any public statement as to my own perspective. (I anticipate a time when I will do so in a pastorally responsible way). This is not to say I have not shared my understanding and views. Indeed I have. All of our council members know my views, as well as anyone of our congregation who have asked me or have expressed interest in knowing. I value honesty and transparency, and I would be happy to have coffee with anyone who would like to have a conversation about the HSR.

Both of the individuals with whom I had recent conversations said ‘be true to yourself.’ Good advice, I think, if this means seeking the Lord’s way as his Word and Spirit leads, honouring Christ in me. In the end I will stand in judgment for my deeds and words before the Lord. As a leader/pastor/teacher I will be held to high account (James 3.1). Most days I am peace with that – not because of what I have or haven’t done – but because of who my judge is. I am thankful Jesus (my judge) is fair, and just, and loving. I trust in his mercy, for all of us.

-Pastor Tony

November 5, 2023

In the Gospel of John, Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd (Chapter 10). The image of a shepherd and sheep is a common and powerful image that we can find throughout the whole Bible: common because it was an integral part of both Old and New Testament eras in the Middle East (their economy, their culture, their religious rituals) and powerful because the relationship between shepherd and sheep was very intimate. In Palestine, where Jesus lived, sheep were kept primarily for wool (not food), so the sheepherder would normally have a relationship with his sheep that extended their (the sheep’s) whole lives. In John 10 Jesus notes how his sheep recognized and followed only his voice and will ignore or run from any other. He calls us, his followers, by name, and we listen to him and trustingly follow.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd is unique to all other shepherds. He is not like a hired hand sheep keeper, who runs away at the first sign of danger or threat. Nor is he even like respectable shepherds who risk their lives by battling preying animals and forge into steep, rocky valleys to make the path safe for their sheep. Jesus goes far beyond and actually gives his life unto death for the sake of his sheep, so they may be spared the ultimate end of eternal death. Scottish 19th century poet and hymn writer Elizabeth C. Clephane (she wrote the hymn Beneath the Cross of Jesus) wrote a short poem that evokes the mysterious, unfathomable depths of what Jesus did for us: 

None of the ransomed ever knew 

How deep were the waters crossed,

Or how dark the night that the Lord passed through

Before he found the sheep that was lost.

I’m not sure we will ever be able to comprehend with mind or heart the ‘deep water’ Jesus had to traverse to save us, nor the imperceptible darkness he had to pass through in order to find us and bring us safely to the fold of our heavenly home. But He did it, motivated by his deep love for us.  And having rescued us, he by his Spirit guides us today, his church, to pastures green and refreshing waters. Each day he calls us with his voice - a voice that is trustworthy and true. It is the compelling voice of our good and noble Shepherd: do we hear him?

-Pastor Tony

Away on Sabbatical for October 2023

October 1, 2023

Thank you to all who participated in our congregational meeting this past Monday.  I think it is accurate to say that our conversations were sprinkled with a fair share of tears.  As difficult as it was, my sense is that is was helpful and even essential in our journey through this time.  I am also thankful in the way we engaged with each other.  In a world where polarization often turns into harsh words that hurt, I feel we were able to talk together in ways that expressed the presence of God's Spirit and the love of Christ.  To state the obvious, I do not know how the future will unfold for our church, but I step ahead each day believing that Jesus loves his church and he will be with us and provide for us as he deems fit.

The apostle Paul saw his weighty share of troubles in his calling as a missionary and pastor.  In virtually every church there was something that was not right.  His letters are peppered with problems he faced.  Once in a while he mentioned the toll this was taking on his heart, his mind, his body.  What I find amazing is that, in spite of all this, his letters are also dotted with constant calls to be joyful, to rejoice.  "The word is tympanic, resonating through every movement of his life; we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing the suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been given to us...we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received reconciliation (Romans 5.33-5.11), " (A Long Obedience in the Right Direction, 97).  How could Paul be so joyful under such turmoil and trials?  He answers the question himself: His joy was rooted not in his circumstances, but in the awesome truth that he had been reconciled to God through Jesus, and he now lived in the fullness of that life.  All troubles paled in comparison to the glory of this truth (Romans 8.18).

The main thing, which we try to keep the main thing, is that we (as individuals and as a community) have been given eternal life through the saving work of Jesus.  Our redeemed lives now live for his glory.  This is cause for great joy!  Consequently, the Lord promises to use our trials and fill our pain with purpose to aid in growing closer to him and to each other.  With this in mind, I will leave us with a few more quotes about joy from Paul:

"And we rejoice in the hope of glory..." Romans 5.2

"I am glad and rejoice with all of you..." Philippians 2.17

"...sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, yet possessing everything." 2 Corinthians 6.10

"Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, Rejoice...for the Lord is at hand." Philippians 4.4-5

-Pastor Tony

September 24, 2023

In his study of the Apostle Paul, theologian and author FF Bruce believes that a major theme in the ministry and theology of Paul was that he was free – Apostle of the Heart Set Free is the name of his book. From what, exactly, was Paul set free? We might be surprised to know that it was the law – Paul was set free from the law. If this is so, what did Paul mean by ‘the law’? This is a complex question that cannot be fully addressed in a ‘Meanderings’. However, if we consider Galatians 5.1-26, we can know this much: observing the rituals and practices of the law cannot save us, only by grace through faith in Jesus can we be reconciled to God. Before his conversion, Paul believed he was made right with God through his obeying the law zealously. Then he met Jesus, and he was set free from such a prison (Galatians 5.4). For Paul, the coming of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit meant the requirements of the law have been fulfilled and he was now set free from the constraints of the law to live in the fullness of Christ. We live by faith in Jesus’ redeeming work and live as liberated from the law (Galatians 5.6, 18).

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah foretold of this amazing reality (31.33, 34): no longer will we have to teach each other to know the Lord, for we will know him in our hearts. The external law once written in stone or parchment will now live in our hearts; indeed, by that Spirit we will live beyond the law, fulfilling it not out of obligation but from inner desire. We do more than is required, not out of seeking God’s approval, but out of gratitude. And what is the essence of that law? We know if we have been tracking with 1 John lately: Jesus said, I give you a new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you,” John 15.12. The freedom the Apostle Paul had experienced and now proclaimed was the freedom, in the end, to love others. Living in the Spirit he was empowered to love without fear, with reckless abandon, with godly passion. It was no longer an obligation prescribed by a legal code. No, it was an inner compulsion and conviction rooted in the gracious love of Jesus.

There is a scene in the book of Acts in which the church of Ephesus was saying good-bye to Paul, and they realized they were never going to see each other again. It moved them to tears; they wept as they embraced and kissed him (Acts 20.37-38). In his letter to the Ephesians the apostle of the ‘heart set free’ prayed for this group of fellow believers. He asked that they, and we today, may grow - as liberated disciples - into the maturity of Christ’s love. “I pray that you…may grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know the love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God,” Ephesians 3.17,18. In Jesus we have all been set free to live a life of love. Hallelujah!

-Pastor Tony

September 10, 2023

This October MaryAnn and I will embark on a trip of a lifetime (October 2-19). We are planning to trace the second and third missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul in Greece, under the guidance of a New Testament professor (Jeffrey Wiema, Calvin Theological Seminary). This learning adventure is possible because our church grants their pastors a three-month sabbatical after six years of service. (I plan to take the month of October, and then the months of January and February of next year to digest the material). MaryAnn and I are very thankful for the generosity you have shown, in terms of your spiritual and monetary support. It is our prayer and desire that in the end this experience will benefit all of us as a church in our walk of faith together.

As I read about the life of Paul, his missionary work, and his theology as it comes through in his writings, these are a few observations. One is the centrality of his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. This encounter radically changed his life, to put it mildly. From breathing murderous threats and actually killing followers of Jesus, to being arguably the greatest proponent of Jesus as the Christ, Paul literally gave his life up for the sake of Jesus, who had become his Saviour and Lord. All of this began and stemmed from his conversion experience; this encounter with Jesus was seminal to his faith. He constantly recalled this event (it is told three times in Book of Acts). It makes me wonder about my ‘first’ personal encounter with Jesus, one that happened when I was a teenager. My reading of Paul makes me think it was and still is much more formative and influential in the course of my whole life than I have assumed.  

A second observation is how Paul and Jesus were quite different in terms of their personalities and their ways of engaging others. As we read about the Apostle in Acts and discern in his dealings with the churches through his letters, he seems very action-oriented and results driven, a bit rough around the edges, impatient, impetuous, easily offended, quick to speak and  slow to listen, and humility was not one of the first characteristics that come to mind when we think of him. In contrast, Jesus was meek, humble, gentle, patient, mild, a great listener and very intuitive towards those he engaged, even as he was passionate and determinately driven about the will of the Father and his mission among us (Isaiah 42.1-4; Matthew 11. 28,29). The two men had similarities of course: both were uncompromisingly committed to the bringing the message of salvation, to battling the moral and spiritual darkness of evil; both loved people, shared the love of God, and gave their lives unto death for the cause of the Kingdom. 

Of course, Jesus was God; he was without sin. Jesus’ death brings redemptive life; Paul’s death may be inspirational but does not bear the fruit of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Paul was a ‘mere’ human like all of us, so it might be unfair to compare the two. Nonetheless, if anything can be said of such a comparison, it reveals and underscores the amazing and reassuring truth that the Lord uses everyone one of us who he calls and seek to follow him, with all of our individual and unique personalities, quirks, and gifts. Jesus told Paul after he knocked him off his horse on the Damascus Road, "Get up and go to into the city, for I have a plan for you.” (Acts 9.6b). How has Jesus interrupted your life? What plans does he have for you?

-Pastor Tony

September 3, 2023

As we anticipate a new year of ministry, we are not unaware that our path forward will require grace and love, large doses of kindness, and the diligent practice of patience. At one point we were planning, this fall, to move ahead on the proposals (renewed vision and mission and so forth) set before us by the Renewal Lab Team. As a Council, we sense these proposals need to be postponed until we work through matters regarding the Human Sexuality Report, which was approved and reaffirmed by Synod, 2022 and 2023, respectively. (Please see the bulletin communication from Council regarding upcoming engagement with the congregation). Personally, as much as I know we need to continue the conversation about the HSR, I feel the proposed new vision and mission of the Renewal Team for our church (Vision: A community of peace in Jesus; Mission: We Connect, We Care, We Communicate, We Celebrate) actually speaks into virtually all social issues we face, including sexual norms and practices. The world needs the peace of Jesus, and we are called to proclaim it and live it out in our communities. Is it possible to move ahead eventually with the Renewal proposals? Only the Lord knows at this point, but I am hopeful.  

Even as we go through these challenging times, it is my belief and conviction that the Lord can and will use this to help us grow in faith with him and with each other as a church. In preparation for my sabbatical (more details next week) I am reading through the letters of the Apostle Paul, the book of Acts, and a book called Paul: The Apostle of the Heart Set Free (F.F. Bruce). In every church, with the possible exception of Philippi, the apostle faced serious issues of a wide variety - some ethical, some theological, some personal, some regarding his authority. From this he once observed that we enter the kingdom of God through struggle (Acts 14.22).  Through all of this, Paul kept his eye on the prize, that is, Jesus and his glory, and his call to spread the message of good news of salvation. As we seek to be likewise faithful and focused, may we practice ‘patience in tribulation’ (Romans 12.11). The word ‘patience’ here means ‘to remain under’; not seeking to escape or avoid, but to remain and learn the lessons God has prepared under such trying circumstances. May the Lord use such patient perseverance to aid our growth into maturity in Christ, as individuals and as his body. In his sovereign will he will use it for our redemption and sanctification, and for his glory.

- Pastor Tony

July 20, 2023

As I have been preparing messages about Stories of Faith, I have come across numerous descriptions and quotes about Christian faith. Many of these never made it into any of the messages (some did), so for your reflection, here are a few. 

- We walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5.7

-Saving faith can be defined as a response to God’s call by the acceptance of Christ with the total person – that is, with assured conviction of the truth of the gospel, and with trustful reliance on God in Christ for salvation, together with genuine commitment to Christ and his service.  Anthony Hoekema 

-The fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace. Mother Teresa

-A firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit. John Calvin 

-True faith is not only a knowledge and conviction that everything God reveals in his Word is true. It is also a deep-rooted assurance, created in me by the Holy Spirit through the gospel, that out of sheer grace  earned for us by Christ, not only others, but I too, have had my sins forgiven, have been made forever right with God, and have been granted salvation. Heidelberg Catechism Q21 

-As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. James 2.26

-Don’t just keep the faith Joey, give it away! Joe Biden’s mother

-Faith is the assurance of things we hope for, the evidence of things we do not see. Hebrews 11.1

-Let us run with perseverance the race set before us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12.2

May we all grow in faith - the knowledge of the beliefs we profess and the trust we have in the person and sacrificial work of Jesus - as we run the marathon of life; may our stories bear witness to the glories of God’s grace. 

-Pastor Tony

July 16, 2023

Although our summer here in northern Alberta seems to be normal in terms of temperature, as well as amount of sun and some rain, we would be remiss to ignore the signs of climate change that are affecting our globe. We are experiencing unprecedented high temperatures in some parts of the world, and the record setting wildfire season this year in Canada seems to underscore the fact. Ocean temperatures are indeed rising - a measurable fact - with resultant negative impact on plants and wildlife. It seems that our years of using the earth's resources - without adequate stewardship of replenishment - is catching up to us. It is indeed a social injustice: our actions are robbing our children and grandchildren of a clean and vibrant earth. 

Rather than feel guilty about this, it may be more productive to be proactive. How do we act justly? "Think Global, Act Local" when it comes to the environment and our daily habits. Repurpose stuff rather than discard it; reduce consumption; recycle and re-use; plant a tree or two; cycle rather than drive when that works; plant plants that help butterflies and bees; grow a vegetable garden; support local businesses; visit a farm; talk to a biology student or teacher; go canoeing or  kayaking; invest in renewable energy; pick up trash; don't litter....Many years ago my sister, Judy, who was years ahead of her time in being conscientious about the environment, refused to purchase plastic wrap (an unrecyclable product). All of these are ways to seek justice and not steal from future generations. 

One other way to help us combat global warming is simply spending more time in nature. Seeing the wonder of a whale, smelling early morning fresh pine in the valley, watching the sunshine on the water, tasting a local garden grown tomato, hearing a loon's lament or killdeer's call, getting lost down a forest trail, smiling at a brood of ducklings, gasping at the northern lights; spell bound by a clear, starry night...all remind us of the beauty of the world God has created. The 19th century American naturalist and author Henry Thoreau had a gift of describing the nature he saw around him. A frog was, "peculiarly wary and timid, yet equally bold and imperturbable. All that is required in studying them is patience." Water lilies, "out of the fertile slime springs this spotless purity!" In a common weed he saw, "A dandelion perfectly gone to seed, a complete globe, a system in itself." And fallen autumn leaves, "decay and bring forth new life."

The psalmist no less reveled in the glory of the Lord who fashioned the earth, and all that is in it. It seems he was in touch with nature. I would encourage us to read the whole of Psalm 104 to celebrate the blessing of our natural world. But here is a taste, "How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. There the sea, vast and spacious...the birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches...you made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down...May the glory of the Lord endure forever. May the Lord rejoice in his works...I will sing to the Lord all my life."

-Pastor Tony

June 25, 2023

The church has got to be one of the most intergenerational organizations I know of in our society today. In school we hang out mostly with our peers, at work we collaborate with colleagues mostly in our demographic, our social circles are comprised of people of similar interests and ages, and if we are involved in organized sports or community leagues, usually we rub shoulders with people in our general age category. But in the church, all this goes out the window. We let anybody through our doors, from infant to octogenarian, and beyond.

It is evident in our worship services. Babies are held in the arms of seniors. Children play in our Kid Zone; they take the Holy Spirit candle out to Kids Worship; some sing on stage once in a while; and last Sunday they helped us celebrate Father's Day with awesome images. Meanwhile kids connect with Gen Z-ers, and Millennials help host coffee. Seniors, teens, and babies mix it up in the nursery. Young Adults and middle-agers help teach in Kids Worship with tweens as helpers. Children engage the congregation in diaconal help for the homeless. Baby Boomers help teach Junior Highs. A few weeks ago we baptized Ethan, an infant, and this Sunday we baptize a child, an adult, and receive a number of faith professions from those in a range of ages. Some small groups are made of two or more different generations. Committees have a variety of demographics, as does our Council. All the while, we pray for each, talk with one another in various informal occasions, such as after worship, potlucks, community garden events, BBQ's, and other outreach events.

There are many blessings that come with being a church that engages in intergenerational community. According to Holly Allen in Intergenerational Christian Formation, these include:

• First of all, practical help: a Gen X-er takes our crying baby on her lap in the pew, or as a young family we receive the services of a trusted baby sister.

• Second, it can increase a sense of belonging; as we connect with others of various ages, we feel welcome, and sense this is a place to learn and grow together.

• Third, deepening in relationships and understanding life; as we talk and connect, our vision of faith expands and we learn about what life is like in different stages of life.

• Fourth, we hear testimonies of God's faithfulness, and see various ways in which God provides and guides. Intergenerational community is great for faith formation!

Although the Lord provides the blessing in this, we are called to do our part. In other words, it doesn't happen by accident. We need to be intentional in fostering intergenerational connections. Thanks for all leaders who are purposeful in including people of different ages into their ministries; for encouraging younger people to serve in leadership roles; for hearing their voices, and allowing them a decision making place. We can all do our part and reap the benefits. So, reach out to the pre-teen or the young adult, talk with a nonagenarian, share a story, pray for our adolescents, and enjoy the blessings of a person who brings us a new perspective or a new experience. After all, we are simply representing the true nature of the body of Jesus, his church that is for all ages.

- Pastor Tony

June 18, 2023

Happy Father's Day! Our dads are often people we look to for wisdom; they share words with us that reveal some helpful insights about life, about faith, and relationships. In this spirit I share a collection of proverbs, sayings, and quotes 3 ones that come from a variety of sources, from the Bible to wall plaques, historical figures to popular icons in our culture, T-shirts to coffee mugs.

− Wisdom begins with honoring the Lord (The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom).

− Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.

− Relationships determine the quality of our lives and conversations determine the quality of our relationships.

− A smile costs nothing, but does wonders.

− Procrastination makes the burden heavy, taking it up makes it lighter.

− When a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.

− One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike us as the most beautiful.

− The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

− Actions speak louder than words.

− Honesty is the best Policy.

− A stitch in time saves nine.

− Many hands make light work.

− Anyone who really wants the truth ends up at Jesus.

− You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

− Blessed are those who are humble; they will inherit the earth.

− Blessed are the peace makers, they will be called children of God.

The source of wisdom is ultimately God, our heavenly Father. His son, Jesus, is called the wisdom of God (I Corinthians 1.24). The wisdom of Jesus is not just words and thoughts of course, but his very being and way of life and love. As we walk with him, in step with his Spirit, may his wisdom guide our path and lead us daily into our eternal Father's presence.

- Pastor Tony

June 11, 2023

The peace and unity of his people was on the heart and mind of Jesus, according to his Gethsemane prayer (John 17), as he came closer to the cross. This peace is grounded in the peace we have with God through Jesus, and is a peace we share in our relationship with others, especially those of the ‘household of faith’. It seems that this call to live in harmony together as a church is being tested in our day, by a number of issues, but perhaps most pronounced now by the issue of human sexuality and gender identification. Synod 2023 (CRC) is meeting (June 9-16), and will have further discussions on the matter. How do we move forward and live at peace with one another in such a polarizing time?  

I have read numerous articles that say it is not possible to stay together as one denomination; one body of Christ. Those who ‘affirm’ and those who are ‘non-affirming’ will never see eye to eye, and may as well part ways, they say. A split or separation is inevitable. Personally, I disagree. I believe the love of our shared Saviour and the power of his gracious Spirit in our hearts will enable and equip us to experience and embody God’s peace. This does not mean we will all agree, of course, even on some of the deepest social and cultural issues. However, it does mean our shared faith in Jesus and our common commitment to live in his Word does provide a fundamental bond that makes for acceptance of one another and shalom in our community. 

This life together in harmony will not come without effort and good will, of course. As Andi Potter wrote, in a blog, ‘I believe God has called us to put down our weapons and get into the messy middle of disagreement…God does not call us to be certain about the road ahead, but rather asks us to be faithful to him as we walk in it.” The Apostle Paul encourages us to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, which entails being humble and gentle, patient and bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4.2, 3). Zachary King, the Executive Director of the CRC, shares that he has found many in our denomination who are ‘finding ways to love each other and minister together despite significant disagreement. Many of these have taken clear positions on divisive issues and have healthy, trust-building interactions amongst those who disagree. Speaking clearly and respectfully about one’s convictions and listening well to others are key. Prayer and spiritual connections are common themes with this group. Unity is important to this group, but perhaps more important is the fundamental relationship to God, nurtured by prayer and Scripture.’   

Back here in our own church in St. Albert, our proposed new mission statement can help point the way: For the glory of God and the growth of all people, We Connect (in relationship with the Lord and each other); We Care (with love, understanding, and kindness); We Communicate (with the Lord in prayer, the Gospel with others, and honestly talk together);We  Celebrate (the new life in Jesus empowered by his Spirit). Indeed, through God’s grace, I’m praying that this time will be one of spiritual growth as individuals and as a community of faith. Will you pray with me?      

- Pastor Tony

May 28, 2023

Of the three persons of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit might be the most mysterious. We see the beautiful and bountiful work of the Father in creation, and relate to him as benevolent, generous Father. We know Jesus, for he walked the earth with us. He was God incarnate; God in the flesh. When we walked with his disciples they could hear his voice, look into his eyes, see his facial expressions, and touch his hands. 

As the theologian and pastor, Abraham Kuyper once said, ‘Jesus left foot prints in the sand. But the Holy Spirit leaves no such footprints.’ Indeed, the images used in the Bible to describe the Holy Spirit are moving and hard to pin down. Pictures such as a river or flowing fountain, fire, and voices that are foreign yet familiar. Jesus said the Spirit was like the wind, ‘The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes,’ John 3.8. We cannot capture the wind and contain it in a bottle. Even as it (he, for the Spirit is a person, after all) is elusive and mysterious, he is no less real, powerful, and present. Like the wind, he leaves his mark. R.C. Sproul, another theologian and author, describes it this way:  "We see the effects of the wind – trees bending and swaying in the breeze, flags rustling. We see the devastation of the fierce hurricane. We see the ocean become violent in a gale. We are refreshed by gentle zephyrs on a summer day. We know the wind is there.” Even as he is intangible and invisible, the Spirit is essential and integral as the ‘third person’ of the Trinity in being God and doing what God does. 

What does he do? Just a tip of the iceberg: He was active in creation of the universe, making order out of chaos; He applies the work and righteousness of Jesus to all believers; He works in our hearts to bring us to faith; He transforms our minds to that of Christ, and purifies our hearts, giving us a desire to be like Jesus; He blesses us with gifts such as administration, teaching, charity, encouragement, hospitality…; He counsels and comforts; He bears in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…; and He creates community and unity in our body, the church. In other words, our whole experience of new and eternal life is dependent on the Holy Spirit! So let us ‘keep in step with the Spirit’ (Galatians 5.25) and walk in the joy of the Lord, or we might say, let’s open our hearts to the Spirit like sails to the ocean breeze, and ‘Sail with the Wind!’    

-Pastor Tony

May 14, 2023

The rest that the author of Hebrews talks about had its beginning at creation; on the seventh day God rested, and invited his creation to rest (Hebrews 4.3, 4). Such rest we are invited to enjoy is deeply embedded in the very structure of the world of God’s making. We ought not take this for granted! Other cultures of biblical times had very different versions of how the world came to be, and it did not include an invitation to restful life, at least not for human beings.

Take the Egyptian creation story, for example. The god Atum was a creative force that split into two elemental gods, Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture). Tefnut bore two children, lesser gods, who ruled the earth. Humanity was an unplanned outcome; they were viewed as weaklings by the gods and were used as slaves to do the work the gods no longer wished to do. In Mesopotamia (present day  Iraq) the creation story has similar yet nuanced features. Numerous gods of varying levels of power and status struggled with one another with perennial pent up anxiety. Among them were Apsu [primal waters]; Tiamat [sea]; Lhamu and Lahamu [gods of silt]; and Anu [sky]). Anu gave birth to Ea-Nudimmud, the god of earth and wisdom. Eventually Marduk emerged as the superior god, who quelled the quarrels and created Babylon. Human beings were the product of the spilled blood of the gods; they were deliberately fashioned as slaves who did the earthly work the gods no longer wanted to do. (Thanks to Wayne Brouwer, Martyr’s Manual).

Notice how different the creation version(s) of the biblical Genesis are. A single, sovereign, personal Being creates a universe over the course of six ‘days’, stopping after each day to enjoy what He had created and pronouncing it ‘good’! There is divine planning and purpose in fashioning a world which was made to be home specifically for humanity. Indeed, people were created in the very image of their Maker. How different than the Egyptian and Mesopotamian creation renditions of restless fighting among the gods and the human race as a byproduct created primarily to do unwanted work; the setting is one of unrest and slavery. In the biblical revelation humanity is created and placed in an environment of close intimacy with their Maker, working together to care for the earth; the atmosphere is one of rest and partnership.

Which brings us back to our opening comments about rest; the Sabbath rest we are invited to enjoy – not in tension and turmoil, but peace in our work and from our work, in tandem with our Maker - is indeed deeply ingrained in the essence of creation. Today we are encouraged to enter into that soul-satisfying rest; to walk with the Lord in the cool of the evening, and know his perfect peace.                                                                                     

-Pastor Tony          

April 23, 2023

This past week our Men’s Group Bible Study had a vigorous and insightful conversation about preaching. We discussed what - according to what we could discern from the Bible - the pastor’s role is in the act of preaching, and what the responsibility of the congregant is. If preaching is the proclamation of the Word, the Good News, then the one hearing the message is called to respond, or better, engage in that Word. As I have noted before, my understanding is that preaching is not simply a one direction communication; rather it involves the active listening and responding of the people - in their minds, hearts, words and actions. This later part too is part of the sermon!

A while ago I had the welcome opportunity to sit in the pew and hear another pastor preach. It was actually at a funeral. The message was an invitation to celebrate the life of the deceased; but it was also a stirring call to see other people as Jesus sees us - in all his grace and love. I remember thinking to myself, "If we could all live out the life just described by this pastor, what a changed world we would live in - and for the better." It would be the world that Jesus envisioned; indeed truly living fully as citizens of his Kingdom. But alas, it seems we all have challenges living out the messages we hear. It is like James describes, reading (or hearing) the Word but failing to obey or follow is like looking at ourselves in the mirror and then promptly forgetting what we have seen (James 1.23, 24).

We may need to be reminded of this regularly. If anything, it may help us read and perhaps hear the Word with more intentional drive to follow it; to do what it says, as James would say. How can we respond when frustrated with our lack of progress in terms of living more like Jesus (1 John 4.17)? We can and need to remember the boundless, bottomless grace of God, who is forever patient with our failures and ready to forgive. But let’s not stop there, wave the white flag in surrender, and acquiesce to our lack of spiritual progress. For we have the Holy Spirit, breathed upon us by the resurrected Jesus, living in us. We have been born again. We are new creations in Christ; the old person enslaved by sin has died, and now we live a new life. In the Spirit we can indeed read the Bible, hear the Gospel, and follow it in faith and confidence. The Word dwells in us richly; let’s live in that Word in all its joyful power! And let’s watch the Lord use our faithfulness to reveal his kingdom, and all the peace that comes with it.

-Pastor Tony

April 16, 2023

This past Easter the people of Northern Ireland celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which established peace in their country, April 10, 1998. It was and still is a complicated situation, with a history of competing ideologies and ambitions. Catholic Nationalists, under the leadership of the Sinn Fein political party, fought to unite with the Republic of Ireland (supported by the Irish Republican Army). On the other side, Protestant Unionists favored association with England, and viewed themselves as British (supported by the British Army). The Good Friday truce brought an end to thirty years of bombings, urban guerilla warfare, violent deaths, and social upheaval. One politician commenting on the agreement says that peace takes a lot of work - much more than simply negotiating and signing an agreement, as important as that might be. The real work begins after the agreement is signed; it means doing the hard work of fostering peace in a religious and political climate that still retains much tension. 

The peace that Jesus came to bring is a gift. Reconciliation with God through his sacrificial death, his love and grace, is all a gift we receive with no work on our part. And the subsequent contented peace we have in our hearts is likewise a gift. However, in another important way, as the Northern Irish know, living in peace, especially with our neighbours, does require conscious thought, humility, investment, and even sacrifice. The gift of peace comes with responsibilities. We plan to explore all this in our series of messages, A Time for Peace.

Here are a few primer passages from the Bible that may help us begin reflecting on our responsibilities when it comes to living in peace:

• Seek peace and pursue it.= Psalm 34.14

• Love truth and peace.= Zechariah 8.19

• Have salt in yourself and be at peace with one another.= Mark 9.50

• If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with one another.= Romans 12.18

• Make every effort to do what leads to peace.= Romans 14.19

• God has called us to live in peace.= 1 Corinthians 7.15

• Be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.= 2 Corinthians 13.11

• For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.= Galatians 5.22

• Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.= Ephesians 4.3

• Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace.= Colossians 3.15

• Make every effort to live at peace with all and be holy.= Hebrews 12.14

• So then, dear friends, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with our Lord.= 2 Peter 3.14

The clarion call to live in peace rings out from God's word; it is to be a hallmark of the disciples of Jesus. We surely are familiar with these passages. Being familiar is the easy part; the challenge comes with living them out. What does it take to live in such peace? 

-Pastor Tony

April 2, 2023

Jesus resisted the third temptation (to bow down to the Devil in exchange for to the kingdoms of the world) by stating, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only,' (Matthew 4.10). We probably have a good idea of what worshipping the Lord is all about. We do it every Sunday in church together, and engage in private worship in our homes and hearts. But perhaps in the secret depths of our mind we may wonder what it says about God that he exhorts and even commands us to worship him?

Why are we called to worship him? For someone who is not familiar with the Bible and Christianity, the command to worship the Lord may seem to identify a deity who is egotistical. When people demand praise of others, we sense it is not only unpleasant and wrong, but prideful and perhaps even a sign of unmet psychological and emotional needs. Is this the case with God? Is He looking for fawning admirers in order to boost his self-esteem, much like a celebrity requires Instagram followers to stay relevant (University chaplain Todd Statham, in an article, Why Would God Need People to Worship Him?). Of course, we know that none of this is true. Reformed theology has always been highly resistant to the idea that somehow God needs our worship to be fulfilled. God is totally self-sufficient, sovereign, autonomous, and perfect in his Triune self; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit make one complete community in and of itself.

Why then are we called to worship him? True to his gracious and loving heart, it is actually for our sake. Out of love he wants to give us the one thing without which we cannot be fulfilled, happy, or at peace: Himself. From the very beginning, of human history and our own respective births, we have been created to live in relationship with the God who created us, and the God who redeems us. To worship and serve him only, with our whole heart, soul, strength, and mind is our life's calling; when we live in it, we find our purpose and fulfilment. So, to worship Him is for our sake, really. When we, 'live for the praise of his glory,' (Ephesians 1.12) through our work, our witness, and worship, we experience sweet communion with our Saviour and our Lord; that is we taste of true and eternal life. In worship He draws us back to him, the Source of all good, so we may drink deeply from the well of salvation and taste the bread of life. So we may be in communion with Him! And, in his grace then, he actually (without needing us) covenants/partners with us in living out his presence in the world, so through us good news may be broadcast and his kingdom reign of peace may come.

So, let us resist temptation and overcome wrong by worshipping the Lord (and him alone!) in the splendor of his glory! "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him...for Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise" Psalm 96.4.

- Pastor Tony

March 26, 2023

In the third temptation Jesus encountered in the desert he responded to Satan by reminding the devil that one should worship and serve God alone (Deuteronomy 6.13). Worship is integral to the Christian life; our essential calling is to worship the Lord, above and beyond everything/one and anything/one else. (Such worship engages our whole being, and calls us to offer all we have and do for his praise and glory. Our whole lives are to be ‘living sacrifices,’ Romans 12.1). When it comes to our communal, Sunday gatherings for worship, the pandemic has clearly affected us. In particular, we were ‘forced’ to employ and develop technology that allows us to worship from home. It was a ‘life saver’ that helped us through the most isolating days of the disease. Now that we are in a period when all restrictions have been removed, for some time now, we can meet in person safely. Nevertheless, the choice to be a ‘remote’ worshiper from our homes remains an option, and for some this choice may have solid grounds.

However, from my perspective, meeting in person is hard to beat if we are seeking a full orbed worship encounter with the Lord. Indeed, the author of Hebrews admonishes us to not neglect meeting together – literally, not virtually - for communal worship, heartening fellowship, and mutual encouragement (10.25). In a Q&A section of the Banner (denominational periodical) a person asked, “Our family has gotten into the habit of streaming worship rather than attending in person...” and he/she wondered whether their small group was a sufficient ‘substitute’ for in-person worship. Faith Formation Minister Laura Keeley responded with the following thoughts. Participating in a small group is a blessing, but not a substitute for the rest of the church; your church is much more than your small group. The experience of community is not just a nice bonus of church, but an important part of who we are. Worship is not about passive observing, but is rather something we actively do. We participate in worship; we do not merely watch. We praise God together, and we share each other’s joys and sorrows. Hearing God’s word preached is only a part of a comprehensive and multi-sensory encounter with the Lord. In addition, and no less important, if we stay home our children are missing out of the church community, as well as church education, children’s worship, intergenerational interaction, informal play time with friends, and other activities that make church community a blessing.

This resonates with the desire the Psalmists had for worship together with God’s people. “I was so glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!”’(Psalm 122.1). And, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord...My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord...Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” (Psalm 84).

- Pastor Tony

March 19, 2023

The resumption of our Potluck Lunches allows us to engage with each other face to face, in the same space and time, in an informal and casual way. Our ‘new’ Hospitality Team is helping us make this practice of sharing lunch together an integral part of our emphasis on hospitality. One dictionary describes ‘hospitality’ as, ‘the friendly and generous reception of guests, visitors, and strangers.’ The Biblical word for it literally means ‘to love the stranger.’ We can easily see how the word shows up in our community: Hospital (a place to rest and heal); Hospice (care and comfort in the last stages of life); Host (one who receives and entertains guests); Hostel (a place for travelers to eat and rest). The practice of being hospitable involves all of these elements in some form. Of course, being hospitable is an esteemed biblical practice, both in the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 18; Deuteronomy 10.18, 19; Romans 12.13; Hebrews 13.2; I Peter 4.9).

Pastor Ian Wildeboer, in a Christian Renewal article, underscores the following essential elements of being a home that welcomes ‘strangers’, that is, anyone not part of our immediate families. 1. Pray for opportunities to invite people into your home; for spiritual discernment in considering their needs and hearing their stories. 2. Keep Christ at the centre of the visit; don’t worry about providing the perfect, spotless home or the five course meal; let your guests experience the kindness and compassion of Jesus. 3. Make it a safe place for your guests to be relaxed, and confident they can share their feelings, experiences, and convictions without judgment. 4. Be prepared for the possibility that things might get messy; opening your home to people you do not know that well may open the door to difficult situations in the lives of your guests that may need wisdom, patience, understanding, and compassion. At least, on the last point, this is what happened to Jesus often when he opened his heart to others (i.e. Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman at the well, Simon, Martha, Mary, Peter, Judas...)

As you may be beginning to sense, practicing hospitality may not come naturally to us, can make us vulnerable, and usually requires effort. But the Bible reveals that it is clearly worth the work, and a practice that is to be prevalent not only in our homes, but in our church community as well. Indeed, my sense is that it is an integral component to the unity of the church. (It is noteworthy that among all the virtues mentioned in the forms for the ordination of elders and deacons, ‘hospitality’ is one of the very few that is mentioned as a qualification for both of them). The practice of warmly opening our hearts to each other, others who may have stories and perspectives to share which may be significantly different than our own, is a fundamental element in being the church of Jesus; of knowing the communal peace he came to bring. May the Spirit bless us as we ‘welcome one another as Christ has welcomed  us,’ (Romans 15.7).

- Pastor Tony

March 5, 2023

When Jesus was tempted in the desert he rebuffed the ploys of Satan by quoting passages from the Bible (all from the book of Deuteronomy). For the first trial - to turn stones into bread - he responded, 'A person does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' The context for this quote (Deut. 8.3) is the way the Lord provided food for the Israelites as they wandered the barren desert for forty years. He gave them bread from heaven, every day except the Sabbath days, in the form of manna. "...he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven; he rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them grain from heaven. Mortals ate the food of angels" (Psalm 78.23-25).

I find the daily, generous gift of manna that kept the Hebrews alive for forty years in a desolate and dry land one of the most understated miracles in the Bible. Perhaps the fact that it was a daily occurrence made it seem less miraculous. But it wasn't mundane; it was a daily miracle! Scientists aren't even really in agreement on what it consisted of as a natural entity, exactly. (Was it secretions from an insect? Airborne sap from a desert bush? A form of Coriander seed? Some atmospheric substance that came with the frost?). Thus, it is appropriately named: 'manna', which means, "What is this?" In spite of the ignorance, each day God opened the gates of heaven and poured angel food down, so his children could stay alive and not die in the desert. Eventually when the tabernacle, and later the temple, was built, the Ark of the Covenant, inside the most holy place, contained a golden jar of manna (Hebrews 9.4). A reminder of the quotidian sustenance Jehovah faithfully provided through four decades on the way to the promised land.

Jesus saw the loving, providing hand of the Lord in the miracle of manna. For him eating the manna or the food of God was the only way to really live, and know life to the fullest, free from sin and death. He said, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work', John 4.34. The will of the Father moved him and sustained him to go to the cross. And we all live, Jesus told Satan, not by physical bread alone, but by the words that come out of the mouth of God. Like manna, apart from this Word, we will perish in the wilderness of our sin. We know from the Gospel of John that Jesus is the bread of life, the word made flesh; he is the life-giving bread that came down from heaven. In our tribulations, we know that the Devil does not stand a chance against the Word of Truth; through the Living Word we triumph in the midst of our trials. Ultimately, any who eat of him (Jesus) will never die, but will be raised up on the last day (John 6.40, 51). What a miracle!

- Pastor Tony

February 12, 2023

Most, if not all, believers who look ahead to life in heaven have questions about what it will be like. What will our bodies be like? What will we do? Will we eat and drink? Will our pets be there? And there’s the one about golf (at least for those who play golf in this life): will we play golf in heaven? This last one is a little tricky. Golf lovers cannot imagine eternal paradise without it. Heaven would be incomplete without crisp sunny mornings, tweeting birds, tree-lined fairways, and perfectly manicured greens, to say nothing of that majestic swing and immaculate shot. But, as any golfer knows, that it not the whole picture. The game can spawn a surprising amount of swearing and cheating, to say nothing of frustration, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. That doesn’t sound like heaven to me!

More seriously, our curious hearts and minds daydream about what the afterlife will be like. Here are few of the more common questions (Four Views of Heaven, Michael E. Wittmer, ed).

Where is the final destiny of the saved? Will we live in heaven, or on a new earth and heaven? Or is it on this earth?

What will our bodies be like there? Will we have a physical aspect to our bodies? What will our final glorified state be like?

What will we do there, for eternity? What will our worship of God be like there? Will we do anything else?

Will we have memory of our earthly, mortal life? Will we remember sin, or traumatic earthly experiences? Will we recognize loved ones? Will we remember a loved one who may not be there?

What will it be like to see God, face to face? Will we just see Jesus, or the Father and Spirit as well? If so, in what form?

Will we be married to our earthly spouses in heaven? Will the uniqueness of that relationship continue?

Will we have free will in heaven? If so, is it possible to make a wrong decision? Is it possible to hurt oneself or someone else?

How does my view of heaven influence my present life today? Does it influence my actions? Does it give me hope for today?

The Bible does have things to say about all of these queries and more. But it also leaves us to wonder, and encourages us to trust in the truths of many things our minds cannot comprehend. One fact is clear, even as it leaves us wondering in mystery: that we will have unspoiled fellowship with the God who loves and redeemed us, and goodness and mercy will be with us all of our days as we dwell in his house (his presence) forever (Revelation 21.3; Psalm 23.6).

-Pastor Tony

February 5, 2023

As we conclude our series of messages on Managing the Master’s Money, I thought to share a number of quotes I came across through my preparations. They come from a wide variety of sources, are randomly selected, and touch on a variety of matters related to material belongings. May you find some nuggets of wisdom pertaining to mammon as you reflect.

Do not favour the rich over the poor, for are they not all the work of the Lord’s hand? Job 34.19

Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 13.11

A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man with discernment sees through him. Proverbs 28.11

They who work the land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. Proverbs 28.19

A greedy person stirs up dissension, but they who trust the Lord will prosper. Proverbs 28.25

Small deeds with great love. Mother Teresa

It is my happiness that I have served Him who never fails to reward His servants to the full extent of His promise. John Calvin

Let temporal things serve your use, but the eternal be the object of your desire. Thomas A. Kempis

Make as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can. John Wesley

He/she is no fool who gives what he/she cannot keep to gain what he/she cannot lose. Jim Elliot

We only keep what we give away. A St. Albert CRC church member

You never see a U-Haul being towed behind a hearse. Tony Campolo

I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess. Martin Luther

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5.10 

The poorest person I know is the one who has nothing but money. John Rockefeller

The earth is the Lords and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24

May the Lord be revealed in the spiritually responsible use of our material possessions, and indeed through all that he has entrusted to us. May his kingdom come through our investments - until he returns in glory!
-Pastor Tony

January 29, 2023

Money and possessions seem to be on our minds a lot. No less so in the Bible. This tells us that our material belongings or desire to have stuff is a matter of the heart. Here are just a very few references to ‘mammon’ in the Bible:

I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.  Luke 16.9

No servant can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and Money.  Luke 16.13

How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Mark 10. 23

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  I Timothy 6.8-10

Deacons should be worthy of respect, sincere…and not pursuing dishonest gain.  I Timothy 3.8

Now listen, you rich people…your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you.  James 5.1,3, 4

Put to death therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature…evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Colossians 3.5

What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.  Proverbs 19.22

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.  Psalm 112.5

You trample the poor, and force them to give you grain.  Amos 5.11

Moreover, when God gives a person wealth and possessions, and enables them to enjoy them…this is a gift of God.  Ecclesiastes 5.19

Last, in one of the few times Jesus expressed anger in the Gospels, we see him upending tables and clearing the temple, frustrated that religious leaders had turned a place of prayer and worship into a “den of robbers”, re-appropriated for nefarious material profit ( Luke 19.46).

We live in a culture, under an economic system that is heavily dependent on consumerism. As Christians, this calls us to be ever vigilant about the temptation to make our possessions (material wealth) more prominent in our value systems than is warranted. Of course, God created us as physical beings, in need of material sustenance, and he gladly provides more than we need, even for our enjoyment (I Timothy 4.4,5)! As followers of Jesus, who had very little in the way of earthly wealth, the challenge is to keep away from idolatry (I John 5.21). To help us in this, we may find it helpful to honestly ask ourselves the following questions on a regular basis, posed by theologian A.W. Tozer. “What do we value most? What would we most hate to lose? What do our thoughts turn to most frequently when we are free to think of what we will? And finally, what affords us the most pleasure?”
-Pastor Tony

January 22, 2023
As I was preparing the series on ‘money matters’ (Managing the Master’s Money), it quickly became clear to me again that our work or jobs are central to the financial side of life. According to the Bible, however, our work is much more than putting in so many hours a week and earning a pay cheque. Indeed God has much to say about our day-to-day work that brings an income but bears fruit in many other ways. Whether we work as homemakers, farmers, caregivers, veterinarians, administrators, business owners or engineers, accountants or consultants; or in the field of health care, transportation, construction, industry, technology, energy or education, legislation or law, the sciences or arts, our work occupies much of our mental space, emotional investment, and physical energy.

In the parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) Jesus describes the very close relationship between our work and our worship. The Old Testament, the Scriptures that Jesus knew, reveals an Israelite people who understood their daily labours in context of their faith in a sovereign God. The home, the marketplace, and the temple were intimately interrelated. All spheres and activities of life were holy to the Lord: spiritual and physical, emotional and material, liturgical and economic, private and public. When the Hebrews gathered for worship, it was not to escape the realities of the world inside their homes or outside their doors. Rather, “temple worship was meant to engage and challenge the economic, cultural, and political behaviors of the Israelites,” (Walter Brueggeman, in Work and Worship, by Matthew Kaemingk and Cory Willson, page 65). I have always believed and taught (you can’t grow up Reformed and not know this perspective) that our weekday work is worship; an offering to the Lord, no less than our songs on Sunday morning are an expression of love, praise, and adoration. However, I have been less deliberate (and more negligent) in bringing the vocations of the laity into the liturgy. As a pastor I have been remiss in not paying enough attention to incorporating the work-a-day world into Sunday morning worship. Too seldom have I included alarm clocks and time schedules, union and business meetings, machines and mandates, tired feet and preoccupied minds, bread and butter, rush hour traffic, rubber boots and dirty clothes into the liturgy. For this I am sorry.

In the parable of the talents, we sense the importance of work in both directions. We need to bring our offering of daily work into the church each Sabbath day when we worship the Lord. And we are called to go out from the sanctuary into the workplace Monday-Friday, holding a vision of the kingdom in our hearts, head, and hands. We invest our skills and gifts and offer the fruits of our labour with our eyes on the Master who is going to return one day. The words, ‘well done, good and faithful servant,’ will reflect a whole life lived in the presence of our Lord, who reigns over all the earth - in the daycare, the factory, the barn and bistro, the office and operating room, no less than in the church sanctuary.
-Pastor Tony

January 15, 2023
If you are a parent who at some point lost one of your children in a crowd, like in a mall or fairgrounds, you will know what Joseph and Mary felt like when they lost Jesus for three whole days among the festival crowds of Jerusalem!  We feel fear, panic, anxiety, adrenaline rush, and maybe guilt as we enlist all our resources in search for our beloved child. And what relief, and often some anger, when they are found! 

Many years ago our family of six travelled with another family of 11 (nine children!) across the country in two vans to Ontario. We were visiting Niagara Falls, when we realized suddenly that 4 year-old Jonathan was missing. Consternation and alarm! (If you’ve been to the Falls, you’ll know that the guard rails are woefully inadequate when it comes to keeping one from falling in the rushing water. A curious kid might easily climb in without knowing the deadly danger.) After lots of calling and frantic searching we found him sitting behind a garbage receptacle, seemingly oblivious to the wave of fear he had caused.

But as it turned out this was only a warm up to the next episode. On our way to Michigan we shared each other’s children in our respective vans. We stopped at a rest point a few kilometers short of the Windsor/Detroit border crossing to make sure all the documentation was in order. “Here’s Jonathan’s birth certificate,” Hermina (Jonathan’s mom) said to us. “Jonathan?” MaryAnn said, “We don’t have Jonathan in our van; we thought he was with you!” Panic! Where is Jonathan!? So we bomb back to Leamington, thinking of nothing/no one but the 4 year-old and what might have happened to him. We found him at the Canadian Tire store, our last stop. Apparently, he had had trouble pushing the heavy store door open and we mistakenly thought he was with the ‘other’ van. Poor Jonathan! As it  turned out, the kind store manager gave him some lunch, and called the police. They told him to keep him at the store; surely the parents would show up eventually. Needless to say, much relieved, we were astutely more careful about checking  what van had whose children from then on. 

Incidents like these are enough to make a parents' heart stop. But they are actually only a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the complete adventures of raising our children. Thankfully, in incidents little and big, short-lived or long in duration, as parents we give thanks the Lord watches over us and our children. “The Lord (who never slumbers nor sleeps) watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” (Psalm 121.5) Thank you Lord! Please keep our children close to you.

-Pastor Tony

January 1, 2023

Happy New Year! In the book of Daniel God reveals a perspective that presents a view of the world, of history, and our place in it that is wide in scope; that is, it embraces all nations of all ages, and indeed includes the cosmos. It comes in the form of an amazing dream-induced image of a statue and a stone that neatly summarized world history and the final destiny of human history. We will be considering all this in our reflections in our time of worship at the beginning of 2023.

In this Meanderings, I would invite us to scale this biblical world view down to an individual level. At the commencement of a new year, how does the ‘spectacles’ of the Bible, in context of my daily life and relations, inform my attitudes and viewpoints? To help us do this I will quote Howard Thurman, from his Meditations of the Heart. He is considering what the new year may bring. “It may mean the beginning of a new kind of living because of marriage, of graduation, of one’s first job. It may mark the end of relationships of many years accumulation. It may mean the first encounter with stark tragedy or radical illness, or the first quaffing of the cup of bitterness. It may mean the great discovery of the riches of another human heart and the revelation of the secret beauty of one’s own. It may mean an encounter with God on the lonely road or the hearing of one’s name called by Him, high above the din of the surrounding traffic. And when the call is answered, life becomes invaded by smiling energies never before released, felt, or experienced. In whatever sense this is a New Year for you, may the moment find you eager and unafraid, ready to take it by the hand with joy and gratitude.”

As we embark on another year with a biblically informed worldview, may the Lord keep us and cause his face to shine upon us. A blessed and faith-filled New Year to all!

- Pastor Tony

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