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Have You Ever Wondered What God's "Backside" Is? |
2006-11-30 |
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Craig and I were talking with a friend that had just returned to South Dakota after living out of state for the last few years. He and his wife had been dealing with health issues of relatives on both sides of their families. She had lost a parent and was caring for the surviving parent. One of their siblings had been hospitalized for a long period of time. Their brother-in-law had recently been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.
All of this had become a spiritual struggle for them. Why would God do all this ... and all at once? Why would a healthy young husband and father now be faced with a debilitating disease that would rob him and his entire family of life? Where was the loving God we know in the midst of all this?
As we talked, we exchanged our common struggle with understanding "God's backside," as Luther referred to it, and the mystery of suffering. Pastor Craig suggested that suffering is part of the mystery of God's love for us. "God's answer to suffering and pain in this world isn't to take it away; but rather, to send his Son, Jesus, into the midst of our suffering so that he might suffer with us."
That's really the message of Christmas. God's answer to the suffering of this world is to enter into this broken world to suffer with us. A fragile baby born in a manger---the Son of God come to be with us in this life. At Easter, he suffers on the cross to take our sins upon himself and rises from the dead so that death and suffering would be conquered once and for all!
So we gather this Christmas season to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love. The children will tell it in song at their Christmas program. We will tell it in worship throughout the month of December. We gather Christmas eve morning at 8:30 a.m. for an informal "family" service---like a family on Christmas morning gathering around the tree to open presents. Instead, we’ll gather around the altar to worship the gift of Jesus, the Son of God come to us at Christmas! We encourage the kids (of all ages) to come in their pajamas. Teddy bears and stuffed animals are welcomed.
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.
I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
It is an old, old story that we hunger to hear again and again and that others so desperately need to hear in this world of sin and suffering. In the midst of your busy Christmas observances and preparations, make time to hear the story that brings hope, comfort and joy---real gifts of this beautiful season.
See you in church!
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Summer: starting Memorial Day Weekend
9:00 am Worship Service KMSD Broadcast
10:00 am Coffee and Fellowship
WOW (Worship on Wednesday) 6:30 pm
Winter: starting after Labor Day
8:30 am Worship Service KMSD Broadcast
9:35 am Educational Hour
9:35 am Coffee and Fellowship
10:45 am Worship Service
WOW (Worship on Wednesday) 6:30 pm |
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401 South Flynn Drive
Milbank SD 57252
605.432.5566 |
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