Free to be a Servant

Good afternoon, everyone! What a tremendous privilege and blessing it is for us to stand here at the very foot of the Hancock County Courthouse, the seat and symbol of our local government, and lift up our voices in prayer to the God that we serve! My name is Don Rodgers and local government has become my career. And in the quiet, thoughtful moments of my life I allow myself to take pride in that fact, because the Bible tells me that all human governments are established by God. And then my pride turns to humility, because the Bible also informs us that all those who work in government are servants of God, to do good for the people. In our discipleship group at church we have been walking together through the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a person who saw a great need in his community. He got himself appointed to do a great work for the people. Before he began that work, he prayed. And the hallmark of his prayer is that Nehemiah identified himself with his people. And that speaks to me today, and I hope it speaks to you, because what I get from Nehemiah is that from his perspective as a citizen, and from his position as a government official, there was no “them”. There was only “us”. If there is a task left undone; if there is fault to assign; if there is a burden to bear or a blessing to receive it does not belong to “them”. It belongs to “us”! Father in Heaven we thank you today for the government that you have established in this Great Nation, in our state, and in this very community. This government of the people, by the people and for the people. Father, I confess that as a people we have not always governed ourselves with wisdom and righteousness. Thank you, God, for your patience, your mercy, and your faithfulness. Father, I pray that, by your grace, you would grant each of our government officials the wisdom to see the truth, and the courage to respond to the truth. And as we work from our offices and from our pick-up trucks, as we file documents and fill potholes, grant us the appropriate measures of pride and humility that we need to serve the people that you love. And, Lord Jesus, as citizens of this Great Nation, and of this proud community, please grant us the integrity and the fortitude that we need to serve in our government. And grant us, by your grace, the wisdom and humility to submit to the authority that you have established. Remind us, Father, by your Holy Spirit, that we are a free people. Free to be your servants, and free to serve one another. Amen

Clothed with Humility

Last month when I spoke here we looked for a second time at the Book of 2nd Peter, chapter1, where we find this wonderful list of Christian virtues: Faith, Goodness, Knowledge, Self-Control, Perseverence, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love. This is the very list of qualities that the God-fearing folk of Gwynneville Christian Church remind one another about every week. These are the qualities that we strive to possess in “increasing measure”. You may remember that I fashioned a little diagram that I compared to a game-board. When you become a Christian, in the game that I imagine, you begin to live by faith—faith in the Son of God, the one who loves us and gave himself for us. And you progress around this game-board of your Christian life and experience, growing in grace and fullness in each of these qualities. Spiraling up into maturity as a disciple of Jesus. Sometimes you make pretty good progress, by the grace of God, and sometimes you get stuck or you get sent back. But it’s OK if you get stuck or if you lose a turn or even if you get sent all the way back to Square One and find yourself reliving and relearning some of the same things over again. In a new way, perhaps; in a fresh context. It’s OK if you suffer through such obstacles, setbacks and disappointments because in those experiences you have the opportunity to grow, to mature, and ultimately to bring greater glory to God through your testimony and your relationships. Today we are going to spend a little more time with Peter. Our text today is from 1st Peter chapter 5, verses 5—11. I’d like to read that passage to you right now. Then we’ll pray together and spend a few minutes considering the challenges and encouragements that are presented to us in these verses. 1st Peter 5:5—11 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. Let’s pause right there just for a moment and consider a couple things: · “Young men” refers to any of us who have been placed under the leadership of people who are lead by God. · “in the same way” refers to verses 1-4 where leaders are called to lead with love, to be willing and eager serve for the glory of God, and to submit in every way to the leadership of Jesus Christ, our Savior. (returning to the text) All of you clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Will you join me in prayer? Father in Heaven, we humble ourselves beneath your mighty hand today. Our heart’s desire is to be fully restored to you—to be strong, firm and steadfast in our faith, and to bring glory and honor to your name. We pray, Father that you would fill us with your Spirit today and make us willing to hear your voice and eager to obey. Amen. The Bible is such a wonderful gift from God! Would you agree? I am thrilled by this vivid and compelling word picture that Peter presents to us in this 5th verse: “…all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…” I am confident that as he wrote these words to you and me, he was picturing that night in the Upper Room where Jesus clothed himself with humility. According to the 13th chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus took off his outer garments, wrapped himself in a towel, and washed the feet of his disciples, including Peter. You may recall that Peter resisted. “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” John 13:8a Jesus had to explain to Peter and to the other disciples that he was calling them to follow his example of humility. By letting Jesus wash their feet they were accepting his call to the full extent of humility. Jesus said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13:16 Peter learned something about humility that night in the Upper Room. He learned it from the Master. It’s a lesson that he needed a refresher on once or twice when he became a little nearsighted—a little forgetful, but I think that’s normal and forgivable! When I read these words that Peter wrote, drawing on his experience, I am blessed and encouraged. Because every time I stand before you in this pulpit I am drawing on my personal experience. (You may already have figured that out—you may have known that before I did!) I had a humility issue recently. One of my friends pointed it out to me as I spoke with him about a burden that I was carrying. He advised me to humble myself under the mighty hand of God and trust in him to lift me up in his time. He didn’t use those exact words. He did not actually quote scripture to me. But in his own words, speaking the truth in love, he told me to forget about my agenda because it wasn’t nearly as important as I imagined it to be, and trust in the Lord. Trust in his will and in his timing. I came away from our conversation relieved and rejoicing because I was reminded that I can cast my burden on my Lord Jesus because he cares for me. I spoke with another one of my friends about my feelings—about this burden that I was carrying and he confirmed what my first friend said. Only he didn’t call it a lack of humility on my part, he called it pride. And that surprised me. My friend laughed at me (or with me, perhaps), when I told him that previous to my conversation with him I did not think I was capable of pride. I thought pride was something that other people were plagued with, but not me. And I think that attitude is a good illustration of verse 8. Because the devil is indeed our enemy. And he is an opportunist. He prowls and pounces. It’s true that he has a mighty roar, but his feet are padded. He’ll sneak up on you and attack you where you are most vulnerable. And he knows your blind side. He sees best in the dark. Do you remember our teaching from last month, from 2nd Peter 1:9? But if anyone does not have them (does not possess these listed qualities in increasing measure), he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed of his past sins. What does it mean to be spiritually nearsighted—spiritually blind? It means that you are not seeing beyond yourself, beyond your needs and your space. You are not seeing the world around you the way God sees it. What does it mean to be spiritually forgetful? It means that you don’t remember how Jesus clothed himself with humility and showed you the full extent of his love. You’ve forgotten that He washed your feet so that you would wash the feet of others. We cannot be self-controlled when we allow ourselves to be controlled by thoughts and emotions that corrupt the Fruit of the Spirit. We cannot be alert to the devil’s attacks when we are preoccupied by things like pride and selfishness. We cannot resist the devil, this “ravening and roaring lion” if we allow ourselves to be vulnerable. We resist him by standing firm in the faith. We are called to stand firm in the faith, but we are not called to stand alone. We have brothers and sisters throughout the world and within our community who are being stalked and bullied by the devil. We have people very near who are dealing with obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments just like we are. In my recent experience God showed me that we need to seek out brothers and sisters in the faith who can stand next to us on our blind side, and who can remind us of things that we may have forgotten. With our eyes opened and our minds alert, we can fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, and we can clothe ourselves in humility as he did. He himself will restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. And so we find ourselves once again at that familiar place where we arrive so often on Sunday mornings: a place of decision. Surrounded by people who love us as only the Church can; confronted with the gentle, inexorable truth of God’s Word and the recurring reality of our brokenness. Am I going to humble myself under the mighty hand of God and accept the good and perfect gifts that he has in store for me? Or am I going to be humbled by pride and selfishness and fear? Am I going to submit to the Author and Finisher of my Faith; the one who loves me and gave himself for me? Or do I choose to be devoured in helpless shame and ruin by the deceiver of my soul? If you have a decision that you need to make or to proclaim this morning I invite you to do so as we sing this Hymn of Invitation.

Double Sixes!

Recently I preached a sermon at Gwynneville Christian Church in the little town of Gwynneville, Indiana. They are lovely folk and they allow me to come once a month and deliver the sermon in their worship service. I posted an illustration that I made for my most recent effort on Facebook. It's kinda primitive and clumsy, like my sermons, but I think it is effective. I thought someone may appreciate reading the manuscript of the sermon.

Good morning, everyone… Well, I guess I’ll just have to admit that Summer is really over and Autumn is in full swing! When did all the leaves change? It seems like it always happens this way. I knew it was coming; the signs were clear to see. But all of the sudden the days are short, the mornings are chilly and now the ground is covered with leaves! Seasons are a fascinating thing. Some seasons, like the seasons of the Earth, move through a regular cycle. Winter, Spring, Summer, then Fall, then Winter and Spring! God promised that as long as the Earth remains we will have a regular cycle of seasons. The Earth is renewed year after year. The seasons of our lives are not quite like that. Every day is a new day, but we only get one life. If you’re like me, you’re still basking in warm memories of Summer and you’re not ready to admit that the autumn years are creeping up on you. These reading glasses are a constant reminder that my autumn years are creeping up on me. It’s not just that my eyesight is failing, but I keep forgetting where my glasses are. I’ve got like 8 pair of these scattered around where I live and work and I still have to search for them. But, despite my forgetfulness and the frosty morning I was able to remember that today is the 4th Sunday and I found my way to Gwynneville Christian Church, where it’s always warm inside, and every week we renew our devotion to the Person, the Word, and the Kingdom of God and we reaffirm our fellowship with one another. Today we are returning to the text I preached from the last time I was here. I came in my shirtsleeves on a warm September morning and we opened our Bibles together to 2nd Peter, chapter 1. 2nd Peter 1:5-9 NIV For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Verse 5 begins with the words, “For this very reason”. For what reason? Why is it important that you and I understand the meaning of these next several verses? Because God is Sovereign and Holy; because he is at work in your life, your community, your world. He has called you to join him in that work and he has given you everything you need for the task at hand. I drew a diagram to illustrate the relationship of these seven virtues that come out of the text. As you see, I’ve made it in the shape of a circle or a wheel, as opposed to a ladder or a timeline. Because, while there is kind of a progressive element, in that goodness (just beyond the starting point) refers to the basic or rudimentary qualities of discipleship; and love, Christ-like love, (at the end of the list) is in many ways the pinnacle of virtues, our growth and maturity in Christ is not just linear. There is a repetitive, or cyclical or by-demand element to our spiritual formation and growth. I’ve got my little people, as you can see, entering the diagram in faith. We know that: “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and the he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV So we come to Christ by grace, through faith. It’s kinda like a board game. You begin with your game-piece – your slipper, or your racecar, or your thimble, at faith and from there you move directly to goodness. (Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.00.) The object of the game is to keep moving, keep growing. Don’t get stuck. If you’ll kindly indulge me, for the sake of my diagram, let’s say you have to move your game-piece all the way around the circle. So to your faith, add goodness. To your goodness, add knowledge. And then it starts to get tough for some of us. We might get stuck here and lose a turn. Because we gotta add self-control. But that’s OK—we’ll catch up! We’re all winners here if we come through faith and we keep moving and growing! If there is any question or doubt in your mind (are there any theologians in the house?) about what, if any, role you and I play in our own spiritual development it may be instructive to note that self-control, by definition, is something that you must do for yourself. Or at the very least there is certainly some element of personal effort. And to self-control add endurance. Here we get another clue about the nature and process of our spiritual growth. Endurance is something that takes time. That’s why they call it endurance—it involves a duration. You don’t begin with it. It can only be endurance if it has some maturity to it. To endurance add godliness, brotherly kindness, and Love. For the purpose of my illustration let’s say that you have to move all the way around the circle one time and spend as much time as necessary on each area. And then we get to verse 8. This is the increasing measure part. As we walk with the Lord, in the light of his Word, we constantly encounter opportunities for growth in each of these areas. And if we are growing in grace and applying our faith to the life that we live in theses bodies—if we are being effective and productive—there is always going to be an area we need some work in. As we grow in some areas of our lives there are gonna be other areas that may lag behind. And we’ll have challenges that arise and responsibilities thrust upon us that force us to grow or get stuck. And Jesus is there, right in the middle of it. He provides the grace to help us in the time of our need. Amen? But… And there it is. There’s the but. There’s the October thunderstorm that blows all the leaves off the trees. There’s the first hard frost that kills all the petunias. Verse 9, “…if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind…and forgetful…” Nobody wants to be nearsighted and forgetful. I’ve never heard anybody brag about how blind they are, or about all the things they forget. What does it mean to be spiritually nearsighted—spiritually blind? It means that you cannot see beyond yourself, beyond your needs and your experience. You cannot see the world around you the way God sees it. You don’t see how he is working and how he is calling you to join him. It means that your are stuck. You’re not growing! What does it mean to be spiritually forgetful? It means that you don’t remember how Jesus lifted you up out of the “miry clay” and set your feet on a rock, and put a new song in your mouth. You have forgotten how Jesus has set your free to be his servant! And now you’re stuck. You’re not growing! And that’s why you look down, and you see dead leaves all over the ground, and you’re depressed, instead of looking up and seeing the bright colors of Autumn, and praising God for the rest and renewal that he promises in his word. Sometimes you gotta come all the way back to goodness and relearn some of the basics of your faith, so you can move forward again. And Jesus will meet you there! But you gotta invest a little humility. I remember playing a lot of board games when I was a kid—especially during the winter and the holidays. We played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders and Aggravation and Backgammon. I still enjoy boardgames! Don’t you? It’s fun to roll double sixes and get an extra turn and keep moving! But sometimes you land in a bad place and you miss a turn. You might even get stuck while everyone else keeps moving. But even worse is when you get sent all the way back to the beginning! (Actually the worst thing is when your little sister sends you back and laughs at you, but I digress). But that’s OK. It really is. Because we are all playing the same game and we keep playing until everybody makes it home. You only lose when you quit playing. I could go on to talk about what it might look like to be stuck on, or to return to each of these areas and how to get growing again, but you can study it for yourself and God can speak truth directly to your heart. In just a few minutes our song leader is going lead us in a hymn of invitation. The invitation is always open for you to come forward or to otherwise grab someone’s attention to say “hey, how can I take that first step of faith in Christ?” Or to say “hey, I feel like I’m stuck, I’m not growing, what should I do?” Let’s pray together and then we’ll sing.

Tiny Little Benches

I told you recently about how I had a prolific period of writing several years ago as I wrote against a deadline for a monthly Communion Meditation that I delivered at our church. One thing I did not relate was that I felt so tremendously excited each time I stepped up to the pulpit in our church to speak.
When I say excited, what I mean is that I was never sure if what I had written was entirely appropriate. And because I am a stutterer, I can never totally rely on my fluency. But I trusted in the Lord and in his call and I always did a great deal of preparation. After I had prepared a draft I would read it aloud as I walked to work. And I would practice in the mirror. And I would keep my accounts short with God and try to keep my conscience clear. And that whole process of wrestling with my humanity and brokenness while reaching out to receive God’s grace made me feel very alive.
Another thing I did not tell you is that I am rejoining the Communion Meditation team and below is a draft of what I hope to say the first time I step to the pulpit.

Tiny Little Benches

Several weeks ago I attended the funeral of a high school classmate. Anne Marie Roscka was more than my high school classmate; she and I attended Sunday School together when we were kids. And every time I visited my home church she would enthusiastically embrace me and conduct a thorough review of all the memories we made while sitting on those tiny little benches and learning about Jesus and his love. We would talk about our Sunday School teachers, mentioning them by name. They always wore hats and dresses. We would sing “Deep and Wide” and “Jesus Loves Me”. Most of our little songs had motions. We got a little star on the chart for every Sunday we attended and a little prize for perfect attendance for the quarter. And before we left the room we would each receive a take-home-paper.
It occurred to me, as I began my road trip up to the funeral, that I may have an opportunity, at her service, to address the people and say a few words in honor of the memory of my friend and our cherished experiences. So I began to mentally compose and orally practice some appropriate thoughts as I drove along. But I just could not think of anything that sounded suitable even though I thought that my memories might be meaningful and unique. And my mind was occupied with these thoughts right up until the time when the minister invited anyone with something to say in honor of Anne to come forward and do so.
Anne had never married. She became a school teacher and spent her entire career teaching the deaf and other special needs students. Many of her deaf students owed their high school diploma to Anne’s relentless dedication to their character and education. She was a fixture in the community, often signing for the deaf at community and educational events. I learned more about Anne than I had ever imagined as a steady stream of past and current students told about how Anne had changed their lives. She sponsored and mentored a generation of students in Student Council and 4H activities. They told how she drove them to every corner of the state in her big black Jeep Commander to attend Student Council conferences. She accepted nothing but their best as they practiced for 4H competitions. Her colleagues told of the sacrifices she made for her students and staff. Several of her nieces and nephews came forward and wept openly as they told how she always made special time for them at family events, and the first thing she ever taught them, before they could speak, was how to make the sign for “I Love You”.
I decided to be a good listener and let others speak. Because what I had was warm memories and nostalgia about another place and time. But what these people had was a person, a relationship, a life, Anne is a part of who they are. They lived with her every day. They loved her and she loved them. She gave her very life for these people and as they live she also will live.
As I drove home that day I thought about the difference between my experience and that of the people I heard speak that day. And it made me think about this moment…as we come to this Table of Remembrance. As I take the bread that reminds me of the complete dedication and supreme sacrifice that Jesus made for me…and as I take the cup that reminds me of his life that he poured out so that I might live, am I honoring a memory, as important and valid as that may be? Or am I honoring a life, a person, a relationship? Can I say with tears that this Jesus who lived and died for me has changed my life…has taught me the sign for “I Love You” and lives on as I live?

Happy Day Express

I grew up in one of those Christian homes you sometimes hear about where we went to church every time the doors were opened, regardless of special television events, job opportunities, family reunions, minor illnesses or sullen teenage behavior.
We had a small Youth Group and I was often the only boy who couldn’t talk his parents out of making him come to Youth Group meetings. Sometimes our Youth Group would lead the Sunday night worship service. I remember one time my sister, Dana, thought it would be fun to make the adults form a line and sing “Happy Day Express” as they marched up and down the aisle making locomotive motions with their arms like they always made us do. That was not well received by most of the adults.
They usually expected me to deliver the message, since I was the only boy in the group. I always acted reluctant, but everyone knew I wanted to do it and I could have kept it real simple, but I always put a great deal of pressure on myself in preparing and delivering “the message”.
So, one Sunday night when I was about 12 or 13 years old I stood in the pulpit of my home church and encouraged the other young people to respond to Gods call on their lives as I had done.
Within a couple of weeks I had pretty much forgotten those words. But there was one person in the audience that night who remembers the words I said.
You see, several years earlier, when I was perhaps 7 or 8 years old, I said the words that my junior worship leader helped me say and I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. I forgot those words, I never wrote down the date, but Jesus Christ heard what I said and wrote my name in his Book of Life.
In the years before I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior, his word had been planted deep in my heart. The Bible stories and illustrations, the Hymns and choruses that we sang, the home cookin’ and warm fellowship that were lavished upon me in the basement of our little church building, all became so precious to me and spoke to me of the majesty of the personality of Jesus Christ. And after I accepted him I began to genuinely cherish these things and to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Then, when I was 16 years old I got a job and a car and a girlfriend (in that order) and I began to selectively forget some of the things that I’d learned at home and in church; those things that I had become so familiar with and so fond of. But Jesus continued to remind me.
And when I was 18 I left home, left town and began to deliberately forget and to plan on ignoring the reminders Jesus confronted me with. But I had no joy in my heart. You see, Jesus Christ had made some promises to me, and I had made some promises to him. He kept all of his promises perfectly because he is God and God is Holy and faithful. I broke most of my promises to him because I am human, and selfish and sinful. Because I belong to him there is no joy for me outside of the things that please and glorify him.
One of the proofs I have that Jesus lives in me is that my heart aches when I forsake him. Another proof is that when I get on my knees and pray to God he stirs my heart. I can feel a rush sometimes when I open my heart and mind to him and then the rush dissolves into a warm peace and a bright joy.
The greatest proof that I have that Jesus Christ is alive in me is that his Word speaks to me. When I read Gods Word I can see that it is true and relevant to me, to my daily experience, and to the world I live in. Gods word is alive! I can see glimpses of myself in some of the characters in the Bible: Jonah, Nathaniel, Moses, Timothy.

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

You see, the words that I said that Sunday morning as a little boy opened my heart to Jesus. But it was his Word that saved me and drew me to him.
I have made two very important promises in life, resulting in two life-changing and eternal relationships. And I had no idea what I was signing up for either time. Brenda had no idea what she was signing up for as she walked down the aisle of that church on August 14th, 1981. But Jesus knew what he was getting and what he could expect from me when I made my promise to him.

The Father's Love

I know it has been a long time since I’ve written anything for my blog. I haven’t felt like I had much to say lately. I apologize to my followers and subscribers and those of you who may have checked in occasionally to see if I had written anything.
Perhaps the most prolific period of my writing career (will you allow me to call it that?) was several years ago when I presented Communion Meditations at church. I wrote each one from current experiences or poignant memories and, by the grace of God, received a great deal of affirmation in that effort. So rather than abandon my blog I decided to post some of the stuff I wrote back then.
The piece I’ve copied below is obviously dated, two of my three sons have left home (I miss them dearly) and the camper has been gone for years.
I used to spend a lot of time thinking about my Dad and wondering what kind of a father and husband I would have been if I could have had a relationship with him beyond my early childhood. It may have been on Father’s Day when I first delivered the following piece.

The Father’s Love

There are many ways that each of us could choose to describe our relationship with our father. The measure of the time that we spend with our father is perhaps the most common and useful description of that relationship.
My boys still live at home with their father and we spend a great deal of time together. We work in the yard together, practice baseball together, and sleep in the camper together. We draw pictures, play games, and eat meals together. Sometimes we are delighted with each and sometimes we annoy one another, but we talk about everything. And if one of us is gone for the day or overnight, we really miss each other.
Many of you have left home but you live in the same community with your fathers. I imagine that you spend time with him every weekend. You probably get together for all the birthdays and holidays and big ball games. You may even have breakfast with your father sometimes and talk about familiar things and personal things.
And if he goes on vacation you miss him, you pray for his safety and you may even mark on the calendar when he’s due back.
Others of you, I know, have fathers who live in other parts of the country. You may only see your dad during the holidays or on summer vacation. Telephone and email are great ways to stay in touch, but there’s a wonderful spirit that grows between people who love one another as they spend time with each other. And often it seems that we become most acutely aware of our love for others when we have to say good-bye to them.
Our relationships with our fathers are very powerful and important, whatever form they make take.
Some of us have fathers who have gone before us into eternity. But the spirit of our relationship lives through the memories that we embrace, the legacy that we honor and the blessed assurance that our separation is only temporary.
Jesus spent an immeasurable amount of time with his Father. The Bible teaches that the Father and Son have been with each other from eternity past. And when Jesus was on earth he was known to stay up all night talking to his Father. He told his friends how much he loved his Father. He told them how great would be his joy if they would come to know his Father. And God actually spoke from heaven and told people how much he loves his Son.

John 1:1&2 says:
In the beginning was the Word
And the Word was with God
And the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.

And in John 17:5 Jesus lifts his eyes to heaven and says:
“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence
With the glory I had with you
Before the world began.”

Several hours later, as he hung battered and bleeding and humiliated on the cross, bearing the weight and the penalty of our sins, he cried out:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

It was on the cross that Our Savior, for the first time in eternity, heard his Father say good-bye.

To know me is to...

Years ago I joined the local Toastmasters Club. I thought that by learning some skills and challenging myself to speak publicly I could develop confidence and ultimately, perhaps, overcome my stuttering. That was my plan. After a couple of meetings where I participated in some minor, spontaneous speaking activities they scheduled me for my introductory speech. I was given a few weeks to prepare a short speech that I would deliver to the club as a way of introducing myself to the other members. I knew immediately what I would say in my speech, I just had to put it down on paper and make sure it was not too long.
I have heard that most people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of death, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the few opportunities I’ve had to prepare and deliver a speech. And this speech was my first ever.
What I said was that anyone who knows me very well knows two things about me: my father died when I was a little boy and I stuttered horribly when I was young. And I still believe that, but it’s ironic because the two things that have most defined me as a person are the very things that prevent me from being confident in who I am and expressing my identity to others.