1 Peter 1:1-2, Part 2 - Life with another part of God's family new to me

 

Here is the old train station in Wautoma, Wisconsin.  No tracks run by it now but the name remains to signify this stop on the (Chicago) Northwestern Line.  When you buy a used car sometimes you will say, "It is my 'new to me' car."  I feel that way when I walk into another church to help through the transition time from one pastor to then next.  This church family is "new to me."  

The first stage involves important guided conversations that help me to understand, love and serve with this part of God's great family.  By the end of this week I will have had 21 such conversations and my goal is to have 100 of them by the end of August.  Each conversation is so important to me and I am so blessed to meet who God has brought together.  I love hearing of the ways God used His people and His words to draw a person to Himself and how they landed in this family at this "new to me" church body.

I have also picked back up the fishing pole.  It has been a long time coming for myself to be in a boat, canoe or kayak for the sole purpose of finding fish.  I couldn't believe how close to shore this one was cruising one evening.  It is only 16 inches long but on an ultra light rod with very light line it was an exciting battle!  The water has always helped me to keep my mind even keel.  Maybe it is also the single focus you need to have to be attentive to what is happening on the other end of the line.  My mind is thinking about so many things that I have to set them aside if I am going to be successful at this one thing.  I am so thankful to God for these little pleasures in this life that allow me to escape the world that demands so much of my attention.  I look forward to more of these adventures and especially with some of my "new to me" family at WCC (Waushara Community Church).

When speaking of words like "foreknowledge" or "chosen/elect" it is important to see how these words are also used throughout the Bible so that we interpret the text correctly so we can apply it correctly.  The depth of what God knows should show us how intimate He is with His children.  Also the order in which God has done things is beyond our control.  God's order is given to us in the Scriptures and even though it might not fit what we perceive as fair, He made (past tense) those decisions that we now need to respond to as He requires it of us.  

I use The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard found in Matthew 20 to show God's sovereignty in relationship to being a part of the kingdom of heaven.  The first group grumbles at the landowner because others added later received the same as they did.  In context, the topic we are talking about is entrance into the kingdom of heaven, i.e. salvation.  Salvation is the same for someone who responds early in life and someone who responds later in life.  But...we add in our human element of looking out for good ole' number 1 and demand that God is not doing something fair or we are not getting our fair share.  

First off, entrance is only by the grace of God, given by God through His Son Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection and we need at times for our understanding to be set straight again so we keep looking at Him rather than ourselves.  I love the line in verse 15, "Is it not lawful for me (the landowner) to do what I (the landowner) wish with what is my (the landowner) own?  Or is your (the laborer) eye envious because I (the landowner) am so generous?" (Matthew 20:15, LSB - parenthesis are mine)

God's plan gets lost in our focus on ourselves.  Think of The Parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15.  The older son is so focused on himself that he misses what the father is so excited about, his wayward son has come home!  He doesn't grumble but rather is very angry at his father found in verse 28.  He doesn't recognize or call his brother as a brother but rather the son of his father in verse 30.  The father responds with "child" to this angry son and explains how he should be responding in verses 31 and 32.  This is similar to the landowner calling the first group of laborers "friend" (Matthew 20:13) before correcting their course.

I am thankful God is gracious with me when I put myself in front of others and in front of Him.  I have going counter to the great commandments of loving God and loving others.

Adam

P.S. - Here is the link to the sermon for this week.  The sermon starts at the 9:00 minute mark.