Hope... unlike the rest of mankind 12/24/2018

Transcription

1 January/February, 2019 Allen Avenue Christian Reformed Church, Pastor Benjamin Oliveira 695 Allen Avenue, Muskegon, MI January 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day February 2 Groundhog Day February 14 Valentine s Day February 18 President s Day Hope... unlike the rest of mankind 12/24/ Thessalonians 4:13 15 (NIV) 13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.15 According to the Lord s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. It has been a long year for us. It has been a long year for me as your Pastor. We have said goodbye to many faithful saints this year. In 2018, we endured eleven funerals and thirteen deaths. (There was no funeral for Kathy Witt or John Fisher.) The death and funeral are hard enough. But in most of these cases, there is a time of suffering and decline before the actual death. Family and loved ones spend hours in and out of the hospital. There may be time in a nursing home or in hospice care. It is rough! Then there is the time after the death: the grief, the hurt, the loneliness, the valley of the shadow. This means a good portion of our congregation is in some stage of grief or mourning. The Thessalonians were in a similar situation. They had lost loved ones, but for a different reason. The deaths they endured were because of persecution. Some in the church were martyred for the faith (1 Thess. 2:13-16). Because of the time in church history, many didn't understand what would happen to their loved ones who had "fallen asleep." (Fallen asleep is the Greco-Roman world's way of saying what we say, "passed away." It is a euphemism to ease the blow of the death.) The concern of the church was how did the death of a loved one effect their status in the Resurrection? Were they at a disadvantage? Would they miss out on something? It might seem strange to us, but we stand on two-thousand years of church history, theology and study of the Scriptures. When Paul wrote First Thessalonians, it was to help in the pastoral care of the congregation he loved. Paul used deep theological truth to comfort and to bring hope. Paul wrote, "so that you don't grieve like the rest of mankind." He means all those who do not believe in Christ have no hope. It is the truth. The rest of mankind is chasing whatever they want. They have no hope. I have personally experienced this. My mother was an unbeliever when she died. Unless the LORD worked a miracle of faith I unaware of, her eternal dwelling grieves me. There was nothing uplifting at her funeral. There was no hope. There was nothing but darkness. As a Minister, I have officiated funerals of unbelievers. It is very similar to what I went through with my mom. The funeral of unbelievers are not like the hope-filled funerals we have had at Allen Ave. If we grasp the work of Christ, our grief is really over our sins. Humans were made to live forever. Every one time we experience death, 1

2 we remember our rebellion against God. The separation of death is the separation we have from God. Now in Christ, he has brought us close. He has bridged the gap our rebellion caused. So in Christ, death then becomes victory in Christ with Christ. This is where our hope comes from. We believe in Him. We believe in His work. He is our foundation of hope. Paul then adds, believers who are alive "will certainly not precede/come before," those who have fallen asleep. The dead in Christ will be raised first (v. 15). Our deceased loved ones in Christ are given preferential treatment at the final call. When Christ returns they are given the resurrected bodies first. Interesting! They will experience the reuniting of the imperishable body and soul first. Wow! Those who are alive on earth when the LORD returns will be changed second. We will meet Christ in the air, with our loved ones in Christ as He returns to judge. We have hope. We are not like the rest of mankind! We have Christ. Though it hurts to not have our loved ones here anymore, they are now with Christ until He returns. It is better for them than it is for us. It is very, very, very good for them. As we come into a new year, I hope your hope in Christ becomes stronger. I am praying for this! I need this hope too. I am worn out from the emotional cost of all these funerals. But Christ is our Rock! We know He will use this for the betterment of us as a congregation. The peace of the LORD with you all, Pastor Ben 2

3 Note: If you exchange assignments with someone, let the secretary know so she can have it right in the bulletin. or Coffee Schedule January 6 Keri Verwolf Jim & Barb Malda 13 Roger & Laurie Slorf Karen Alphenaar 20 Dan & Arlene DeKam Case & Judy Vaandering 27 Loie VandenBosch Charlie & Deanna Vander Ploeg February 3 Cam & Melisa Vlasma Aaron & Laura Ridings 10 Sandy Volkers Gabe & Renee Vlasma 17 Jack & Sherrie Wolffis Dave & Beth VanRees 24 Martin & Becca De Jong Jim & Sue Secord If you are unable to serve on your designated Sunday, please try to switch with someone, otherwise, contact Deanna VanderPloeg at Children s Church January 6 Faith & Deb Vlasma 13 Dale Johnson, Devin Snyder 20 Amber Johnson, Amanda Stahl 27 Barb Malda, Emily Snyder February 3 Rebecca Sytsema, Katelyn Morris 10 Renee Vlasma, Kayla Johnson 17 Beth VanRees, Sydney Sytsema 24 Amanda Stahl, Tekalegn Vlasma If you have any questions, call Amber Johnson Thank you to all the teachers and helpers that serve in Children s Church. Greeters January 6 Ro VerHeul, Lois Grinwis 13 Sandy Volkers, Karen Alphenaar 20 Chuck & Marie Ritchard 27 Brian & Jill Schuitema February 3 Jack & Laurie DeJonge 10 Bob & Jean Botting 17 Cam & Melisa Vlasma 24 John & Sue Sytsema If you are unable to greet on your designated Sunday, please try to switch with someone, otherwise, contact the secretary at aacrcsecretary@gmail.com or at Nursery Schedule January 6 Laura Ridings, Sydney Sytsema 13 Faith Vlasma, Daniel Vander Ploeg 20 Barb Malda, Ellie DeKam 27 Toni Schuitema, Katelyn Morris February 3 Charry Snyder, Addy Oliveira 10 Amber Johnson, Breanna Cloud 17 Laurie DeJonge, Kayla Johnson 24 Carol Peterman, Zoe Sytsema If you have any questions, call Sue Sytsema Ushers for January: Bob Cavanaugh Brian Schuitema Jack Wolffis Ushers for February: Dave Johnson Dale Johnson Dave Rop If you are unable to usher for this month or a week in a month, please find a replacement. 3

4 News from the Missions Committee: The student we previously sponsored from Zuni Christian Mission School has graduated from the eighth grade. Our new student is Isabelle Hinojos 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 Nella Boeve Melisa Vlasma January 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Kristen VanderStelt Anita Ward ALLEN AVENUE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Case Vaandering Ken Doctor Russell Vlasma Tressa Lubbers Rebecca Sytsema Jerry Schelske Tammy Schelske Joe Botting Deanna Vander Ploeg Kayla Johnson Carol Dirkse Mary Patton John Kortman Roger Slorf Ott VanAndel 9

10 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Anneliese DeKam Steve Morris John Sytsema February Carol Peterman Val Morris James Stahl Scott Sytsema Matt Vander Ploeg Gord Peterman Becca De Jong Elsie Oliveira Wilma Doctor Eva Johnson Jim Secord 10