Pastor's Corner Archives - Page 9 of 9 - Northminster Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Pastor’s Corner – May 2018

Posted on May 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Devotions, General, Local Service, News, Pastor's Corner | 0

After the Storm

Storms are used in fascinating ways in Scripture. Take a look at Genesis 6-9 (Noah’s flood), Psalm 18, and Matthew 8:23-27 (Jesus calms the storm) for a couple of good examples. But my favorite “storm story” is in 1 Kings 19. Elijah has just won a powerful victory over the prophets of Ba’al, but ends up fleeing for his life as Jezebel and Ahab seek vengeance. He hides in a cave on Mount Horeb (also known as Mount Sinai), and God tells him, Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” What happens next is incredible:

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. (1 Kings 19:11–13)

I think most of us would assume that God would’ve been in the storm, the earthquake or the fire. But He wasn’t. God was in the stillness and quiet that came after the storm. The same is true with the story of the flood – the rainbow came after the waters receded. And when Jesus calmed the waters? That’s when the disciples fell down in worship.

“What are you doing here?”

That’s the question God asked Elijah in the silence after the storm. Through your tireless acts of love and support, God’s presence after the storm has been made real. I have been overwhelmed with the incredible response of our community in the weeks that have followed the tornado in Elon and Lynchburg. You have answered God’s question to Elijah with your actions – by faithfully living what Paul calls us to in Galatians 5: “Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Gal 5:13–14) The cleanup work for those affected has just begun and will continue long after the tornado has left the news cycle. May we continue to be God’s hands and feet as we pray without ceasing, give as we are able, and serve as the opportunity presents itself. You can find some helpful suggestions and guides on our website at www.npcmh.com/blog.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Mar '18

Pastor’s Corner – April 2018

Posted on Mar 29, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Pastor's Corner, Table Talk, Worship | 0

Mar '18

Easter is HERE!

The forty days of spiritual house-cleaning has come to a glorious conclusion! Springtime for our souls, and in our lives, has finally arrived! All that kept us from God – our sinfulness, our insecurities, our doubts and so much more – has been swept away through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The wonder of this is more than can be comprehended in a day, and so with Easter Sunday we also begin the fifty day season of Easter. “The Easter season is a time to let the implications of the resurrection sink in deeper, inviting us to realign our worldview and conform our living to the reality that we have been raised with Christ to new life” (Philip Reinders, Seeking God’s Face pg 329).

The Centrality of the Atonement

But that is the crux of our modern struggle – realigning our worldview and conforming our lives to the reality of new life in Christ through his sacrifice on the cross. In short, we struggle to believe and accept the doctrine of the Atonement – so much so that many Christians have rejected it outright. But as Emil Brunner once wrote, the atonement “is the Christian religion itself; it is the main point; it is not something alongside of the center, it is the substance and kernel, not the husk.” To that end, on Sunday mornings through the season of Easter, we will seek to explore and unpack the wonder and glory of the atonement in order to “realign our worldview and conform our living” to our new life in Christ.

Tiptoeing Through the TULIPs

As Presbyterians, we are a part of a “stream” of Christianity known as Reformed Theology, which is itself heavily inspired by the writings and teachings of John Calvin. If you want to kill the mood at a party, just casually mention you’re a “Calvinist.” Most people view Calvin and the theology named after him with something of a stuffy, negative intellectual light. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Calvin and his theology is very passionate and full of life and Spirit, as evidenced by his logo and slogan, pictured at right. We hope you’ll consider joining us for Table Talk on Wednesday evenings beginning at 5:30 on April 11 as we “tiptoe through the TULIPs” and see just what Calvin taught and what it means for us today.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Mar '18

Pastor’s Corner – March 2018

Posted on Mar 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Mar '18

6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:6–8

Too Good to be True?

On Sunday mornings the past few weeks we’ve been exploring the idea of Lent as an opportunity for us to have “Springtime for our Soul” (you can get caught up on that idea by reading last month’s article and listening to the sermons at www.npcmh.com/teaching). One of the central themes running through this series is that God loves us, delights in us, knows us, and desires for us to abide in Him (John 15). For many of us, this idea sounds good in theory, but in reality we suspect too good to be true. There’s no way God could love me that much. In fact, just the other day someone asked me, “Doesn’t God sometimes just turn His love off?” What a fantastic question! And aren’t there times when we all feel that way? Maybe God loves me in general, but he’s sure turned it off lately!

God is Love

Thank goodness for the apostles and the Bible! In 1 John 4:8 and again in 16 it says, “God is love.” God is entirely made up of love, so it would be impossible for God to “turn off” His love. If He were to do that, He would cease to exist. Paul writes in Romans 8, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

Yeah, But You Don’t Know…

No, I don’t know. I don’t know what you’ve done, I don’t know what’s in your heart. I don’t know the hurts and wounds you carry. But I know that God does. And I know this: that God loved you this much even before you were saved (see verse 8 at the beginning of this article). And I know that the verses from Romans 8 say that there’s nothing in heaven or on earth that could separate you from His love. How wonderful that God’s amazing love for us doesn’t depend on our believing or accepting it!

As the temperature slowly warms up over this month, may the warmth of God’s love saturate your heart and soul as well.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Jan '18

Pastor’s Corner – February 2018

Posted on Jan 30, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Pastor's Corner | 0

Jan '18

Most folks really struggle with February. Even though the days are getting longer, it’s often the month that winter really kicks into gear – the coldest temperatures and messiest weather. I think part of what makes it worse is the “indian summer” that so often happens in mid- to late-January. Having been teased a taste of spring, to have winter make a comeback just makes it so much worse. Added to the mix is the reality that, in most years, Lent kicks off in February. So not only is it still cold and dark weather-wise, but the church kicks off what is often considered to be it’s most drab and drear season. At least, that’s how I always viewed Lent when I was a child. Maybe for you as well.

Lent = Lencten = “Springtime”

So it’s probably not too hard for you to imagine my surprise when I found out that the word “Lent” comes from an Old English word, lencten, which is best translated as “springtime.” Chuck DeGroat writes, “In this season, one begins to see the goodness which emerges from the darkness of Winter. But the darkness of Winter is necessary for the greening of Spring.” There is, and ought to be, a somberness associated with the season of Lent, but that’s not all that there should be.

Spring Cleaning for your Soul

As we transition from winter to spring, most of us will celebrate the annual ritual known as “spring cleaning.” We clean out the cruft, muck, dust and general detritus that’s built up in our homes and yards over the past year in preparation for the warmth and growth of spring. Spring cleaning isn’t usually fun, and it’s often messy, but it’s worth the work because we know what is to come. Lent is the season of the year when we do the same thing spiritually. What happens physically in and around our homes happens spiritually in our hearts and souls as well. It is my hope and prayer that the season of Lent would be an opportunity for you to have “Springtime for your Soul.”

This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 14 (how ironic). We have a variety of ways for you take time for spiritual spring cleaning, from new devotionals, to a Sunday sermon series, to Wednesday Lenten services shared with churches around the area. Keep your eyes and ears open for special worship opportunities during Holy Week as well. May God bless you and enrich your soul this Lent!

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Dec '17

Pastor’s Corner – December 2017

Posted on Dec 1, 2017 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Dec '17

Waiting for What?

Each year, the month of December is marked by the Christian season of Advent. The word “advent” comes from the latin word, adventus, which means “coming” or “arrival.” It’s a season of preparation, of “expectant waiting.” Waiting for what, exactly? Well, somewhat obviously, we’re waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Why are we preparing for something that’s already happened?

Remembering and Anticipating

With each passing year, it is getting easier to lose our focus on Jesus’ birth over the course of a month filled with shopping, Christmas parties, family gatherings and the general chaos and hustle of the month. Taking time to reflect carefully on hopeful anticipation of the Hebrew people waiting for their Messiah and the wonder of the incarnation provides an antidote to the rampant consumerism of this season.

But more than just remembering Christ’s first Advent, we look forward with hopeful anticipation for His second coming. As Philip Reindeers writes,

Advent is a season of expectant waiting, tapping into the sense we have that all is not well, the longing for the world to be made right again. It’s a season for restless hearts and people weary of a broken world who want, with all our being, to know there’s more than this.

Advent cultivates in us a discerning eye, helping us to spot the sin that clutters our lives and notice all the ways we need to be saved. By helping us to hope intensely for restoration, to feel our own need to be saved, Advent prepares us for genuine Christmas joy and faith in the One who saves us from our sin, Jesus.

Obviously we don’t need to be saved over and over again – Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross and resurrection from the dead has atoned, paid for, all of our sins once and for all. But the Christian life is one of growing deeper in our relationship to God and realizing that there is more sinful clutter in our soul than we might’ve realized. This Advent, may we all be filled with joy in knowing that our Savior knows us better than we know ourselves, came 2,000 years ago to redeem us from our sins, and is going to come back one day soon and make all that is broken right.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen!

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Nov '17

Pastor’s Corner – November 2017

Posted on Nov 1, 2017 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Ministry, Missions, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 0

Nov '17

Envisioning The Future

As we mentioned in last month’s newsletter, there will be a Leadership Retreat the weekend of November 10-12. The Session and I are really excited about this opportunity, and want to share a bit more about it with you. While Friday night is particularly for staff and elders, we are encouraging anyone who is interested to join us Saturday (8:30am-4:00pm – lunch included!) as we explore how we can more effectively and intentionally live out The Great Commission at Northminster EPC and in Madison Heights and Amherst County. Dr. Ken Priddy from the EPC’s Go Center will be joining us for this weekend. In addition to the sessions Friday night and Saturday, Dr. Priddy will also be teaching Sunday school and preaching in worship on November 12.

Should You Come?

You might be wondering if you should plan to attend on Saturday. If you are wondering how God might be planning to work in and through Northminster in the years to come, then yes, you should come. If you want to be part of how God is going to work in and through Northminster in the years to come, then yes, you should come. If you have been actively involved in Northminster in the past and have been hoping and praying for her future, yes, you should come. I firmly believe that God has some amazing things in store for this congregation in the years to come, and I think we’ll start to get a glimpse of that over this weekend.

I know lives are busy, and only getting busier this time of year, but we think this is an important opportunity and hope you’ll carve some time out for it. After all, we’re providing lunch!

If you can’t make it Saturday, be sure to be here for Sunday school and worship on Sunday morning, November 12. It’ll be a great opportunity to get a taste of what we talked about on Sunday, as well as being encouraged in knowing that God is still at work in and through us.

Thank You, Once Again

Thank you all for the wonderful service and reception celebrating my installation as your pastor. My family and I continue to be overwhelmed by the warm and loving welcome you have extended to us. Special thanks go out to Anne Wilkins and all who helped coordinate and decorate the Fellowship Hall. It was an amazing evening!

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Oct '17

Pastor’s Corner – October 2017

Posted on Oct 1, 2017 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, Pastor's Corner, Reading the Bible | Tags: christian living, end times, second coming0

Oct '17

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matt 24:3–8)

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the “End Times” and when Jesus is coming back. Christians have been trying to figure that out since Jesus first ascended into heaven. This always happens when we have an abnormal pattern of highly destructive natural disasters, or when unusual events occur in the heavens (such as eclipses, or comets, etc.), or when wars break out around our planet. Most recently, a report made the news that the “End Times” would begin on Saturday, September 23. Saturday came and went, and all is well – if not a little bit hotter than we usually expect for late September.

I’ll be honest, there’s a lot about the “End Times” that I don’t know or understand. In fact, Jesus himself said that there’s a lot about this that we’re not going to know or understand: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matt 24:36) Here’s what we do know: Jesus is coming back (Revelation 22:20). When he comes back, all that is broken will be made right (Revelation 21:1,5). Until Jesus comes back, we will have suffering and persecution for His name’s sake (John 15:18-25). Outside of those things, Jesus invites us to trust and abide in Him (John 15:1-17).

The Thessalonians were swept up in waiting for Jesus’ return. They fully believed his return was so imminent that they stopped doing the work of the Kingdom. We should be diligent in avoiding the same mistake. So what should we do as we wait for Christ’s return? The same thing Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to do:

And we urge you, brothers & sisters, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:14-22)

Note particularly verses 23 & 24:

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

In other words, be about the work of the Kingdom, and trust in the God who’s name is Faithful. He is true to his promises, and He is true to you. Amen!

Sep '17

Pastor’s Corner – September 2017

Posted on Sep 1, 2017 by David Garrison in Local Service, Missions, Pastor's Corner | 0

Sep '17

Thank You!

My family and I would like to thank you all for the incredibly warm welcome you’ve extended to us. We are overwhelmed with the love and welcome gifts you’ve shared. Moving to a new community and church is always challenging, but you have made us feel at home. I wish we could give a personal thank you for every gift, but many of them didn’t say who they were from, so please accept this note, knowing that the sentiment behind it is far deeper than our words could ever convey.

Hurricanes, Floods, and What We Can Do

As I write this, the rain continues to fall on southeast Texas and the Gulf Coast. The quantities of rain are mind-boggling, and the images and videos are heartbreaking. With the water levels still rising, we don’t yet know how bad the damage will be or what relief efforts would look like. While we encourage you to be praying for those who need rescue as well as those doing the rescuing, we also want to be thinking about practical ways we can help. We have posted links to ministries and organizations we support that are already receiving donations to aid their efforts in recovery on our website (www.npcmh.com) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/npcmh).

What does the future hold?

Isn’t that what we all want to know? The truth is that, no matter how much we plan or prepare, no matter what we think the future will hold, ultimately only God knows the future. But I know this, I am very excited about what God has done over the past 59 years through Northminster, and I can’t wait to see what God has yet to do in and through us over the years to come. From the conversations I’ve had with many of you, I know you are as excited as I am. While I don’t know what the future holds, I know who holds the future. So I invite you to join me in setting our focus on Him, and Him alone.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)