by Pastor Mark Andersen
On a Sunday morning in late January, just after studying together the seven letters to the churches in Revelation, chapters 2-3, those in worship were asked to write down what they thought Jesus would say to the Herkimer Reformed Church if he were to address and send a letter to this church.
There was a section to fill out that began, “I know your works…”; a section that began, “I have this against you…”; and a section that began, “This I like about you…”. The members of the congregation filled out each section and placed them in the offering plate so that I and the consistory could review and consider the congregation’s responses.
Three main areas of concern emerged from the congregation’s responses. What follows is a consolidation of the congregation’s responses.
To the angel of the church in Herkimer write: These are the words of the Lamb who was slaughtered, and by whose blood saints from every tribe and language and people and nation have been ransomed.
I know your works. You feed the hungry and care for those who are in great need.
But you have fallen from your first love. You do not put me first in your lives. You are selfish and self-centered with your time and treasure, focused on yourselves, neglecting worship, often living for your own ambitions rather than my Kingdom.
You remain comfortable in your pews and in your homes and do not go out and share the Good News of the Kingdom of God with the people in your community. You pretend to love those who come to you, but you do not. You help those who are favored among you, but shun the least, the addicts, and those you don’t understand.
You allow petty things to affect your relationships with one another, gossiping, spreading rumors, and squabbling over money and property. You resist the leadership I provide for you and are often divided by issues of the church building and the content or length of the worship service. You are easily distracted by minor disagreements and perceived insults.
Repent, and turn from the ways in which you have walked.
But I see glimpses of faithfulness in you, and I see great hope for your future. You are growing and trying to be faithful, increasing in faith and your knowledge of me. You hold fast to my Word and trust in me. You pray for each other, lifting up those in need. I will continue to bless you.
Keep my word and patiently endure every trial and tribulation.
Those who conquer will be redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie is found; they are blameless.
Let the one with ears listen to what the Spirit says to the church.
This letter was read at the Ash Wednesday Worship Feast service and those gathered there had the opportunity to express what in the letter concerned them and what in it encouraged them.
I’d like for us all, in this season of Lent…a season of confession and sacrifice to consider what in this letter might be especially true of you. What is the Spirit saying to you? Consider what sin…what deficiency…what shortcoming…in you the Spirit might be speaking to through this letter, confess it before God, and change your behavior or practice in order to better please God.
If you need assistance in this regard or just someone to talk to about it, please don’t hesitate to contact myself, the Elder of the Month, or another trusted Christian brother or sister.
Lent is a season of repentance, confession, and sacrifice. Let anyone with ears, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Revelation
By Jan Foster
[Pastor’s note: Jan first shared this story with me the night of the first Revelation reading back in late January 2007. I had asked her if she would be willing to write about it for the newsletter and the benefit of the whole congregation. She graciously agreed. This past January, I sent a message on Facebook, asking for her permission to reprint what she had written for our current study of Revelation. Once again, she graciously agreed. She also commented that they recently had been studying Revelation in their church in Michigan, as well. As you read or re-read Jan’s story, remember that though Jan tells the story, as she says in the article, “it involves all of us.” Here is what Jan wrote.]
Imagine you are praying for a person or situation and suddenly you get a very sharp, clear, mental picture from God of what is about to happen. Most of my adult life I have been gifted with such visions. They come at unexpected times and in unexpected places. The one I want to share with you involves all of us.
Pastor Mark had planned an evening devoted to reading the Book of Revelations from start to finish, much as it was first shared with the Church. I was very much looking forward to this; and everything seemed normal until the actual reading was under way. Then I had a strong sense of something powerful, angry, and frustrated. It kept circling; prowling around the church outside - almost like a lion snarling, growling, and pacing. The feeling was so strong I actually looked through the windows in Mary's office and the doors to outside, expecting to see something there.
Feeling nervous and unsettled, I started praying and had a clear mental picture: our group; Pastor Mark reading; the Christ Candle glowing - all under a transparent dome, while outside it was very dark and frustrated winged beings (more than one, but not a lot of them) threw themselves against the dome. They were seeking to destroy or hurt us, veering off and flinging themselves down over and over. Yet, they were unable to penetrate the dome or do any damage. The feeling of being watched by angry, frustrated, dark beings continued throughout the entire reading.
I felt very safe within the building; but still kept glancing toward the windows and doors, wondering why no one else seemed to notice. I was also a little nervous about having to leave the church and go outside; but once the reading had ended and we started sharing our reactions, the impressions of rage and frustration outside vanished and were replaced by a sense of peace.
All the time that I was aware of these visions and impressions I was able to listen to the reading and appreciated the experience. Although I know how much Christ's enemies hate His Church, I have never felt anything quite like this before; and hope to not actually experience such feelings of anger, frustration, and rage directed at our church again.
[Pastor’s note: There are two things that I would like to bring to your attention about this experience. First, there is a very real spiritual dimension to our existence and the world around us. There are dark and secret things out in the world that hate Jesus Christ and anyone or anything that is connected to him. There are demons, angels, and spiritual beings that influence us and impact our lives on a daily basis that our modern, Enlightened minds have been trained to dismiss. But believe me, just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not real. Perhaps somebody else, like Jan, for instance, who has been given the spiritual gift of discernment, can see it.
Secondly, I would like you to note the power of the Word in Jan’s recounting of her experience. It was the reading of the Word, especially Revelation, that disturbed the “dark…winged beings” and enraged them against us (Revelation paints a pretty dim future for those who don’t belong to Christ, so it’s no wonder they were so riled up). But it was also the reading of the Word that protected us from their attacks. The writer of Hebrews says, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). Scripture is a powerful gift from God, and the reading of scripture has an effect, not only for the one who reads it (aloud or otherwise) but also for the ones who hear it. And you never know who or what might be listening.
Revelation begins with a blessing: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3). We were in fact doubly blessed by the reading and the hearing of God’s Word that evening. We were blessed because God protected us from those spirits that sought to do us harm, and we were blessed because God granted one of us (that is, Jan) a revelation of the world beyond sight.]
[Pastor’s note: Jan first shared this story with me the night of the first Revelation reading back in late January 2007. I had asked her if she would be willing to write about it for the newsletter and the benefit of the whole congregation. She graciously agreed. This past January, I sent a message on Facebook, asking for her permission to reprint what she had written for our current study of Revelation. Once again, she graciously agreed. She also commented that they recently had been studying Revelation in their church in Michigan, as well. As you read or re-read Jan’s story, remember that though Jan tells the story, as she says in the article, “it involves all of us.” Here is what Jan wrote.]
Imagine you are praying for a person or situation and suddenly you get a very sharp, clear, mental picture from God of what is about to happen. Most of my adult life I have been gifted with such visions. They come at unexpected times and in unexpected places. The one I want to share with you involves all of us.
Pastor Mark had planned an evening devoted to reading the Book of Revelations from start to finish, much as it was first shared with the Church. I was very much looking forward to this; and everything seemed normal until the actual reading was under way. Then I had a strong sense of something powerful, angry, and frustrated. It kept circling; prowling around the church outside - almost like a lion snarling, growling, and pacing. The feeling was so strong I actually looked through the windows in Mary's office and the doors to outside, expecting to see something there.
Feeling nervous and unsettled, I started praying and had a clear mental picture: our group; Pastor Mark reading; the Christ Candle glowing - all under a transparent dome, while outside it was very dark and frustrated winged beings (more than one, but not a lot of them) threw themselves against the dome. They were seeking to destroy or hurt us, veering off and flinging themselves down over and over. Yet, they were unable to penetrate the dome or do any damage. The feeling of being watched by angry, frustrated, dark beings continued throughout the entire reading.
I felt very safe within the building; but still kept glancing toward the windows and doors, wondering why no one else seemed to notice. I was also a little nervous about having to leave the church and go outside; but once the reading had ended and we started sharing our reactions, the impressions of rage and frustration outside vanished and were replaced by a sense of peace.
All the time that I was aware of these visions and impressions I was able to listen to the reading and appreciated the experience. Although I know how much Christ's enemies hate His Church, I have never felt anything quite like this before; and hope to not actually experience such feelings of anger, frustration, and rage directed at our church again.
[Pastor’s note: There are two things that I would like to bring to your attention about this experience. First, there is a very real spiritual dimension to our existence and the world around us. There are dark and secret things out in the world that hate Jesus Christ and anyone or anything that is connected to him. There are demons, angels, and spiritual beings that influence us and impact our lives on a daily basis that our modern, Enlightened minds have been trained to dismiss. But believe me, just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not real. Perhaps somebody else, like Jan, for instance, who has been given the spiritual gift of discernment, can see it.
Secondly, I would like you to note the power of the Word in Jan’s recounting of her experience. It was the reading of the Word, especially Revelation, that disturbed the “dark…winged beings” and enraged them against us (Revelation paints a pretty dim future for those who don’t belong to Christ, so it’s no wonder they were so riled up). But it was also the reading of the Word that protected us from their attacks. The writer of Hebrews says, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). Scripture is a powerful gift from God, and the reading of scripture has an effect, not only for the one who reads it (aloud or otherwise) but also for the ones who hear it. And you never know who or what might be listening.
Revelation begins with a blessing: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3). We were in fact doubly blessed by the reading and the hearing of God’s Word that evening. We were blessed because God protected us from those spirits that sought to do us harm, and we were blessed because God granted one of us (that is, Jan) a revelation of the world beyond sight.]
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