Thank You, Church

Thank You, Church

This is my first week back in the pulpit since my wife Rebecca died. Grief is enormously painful. I’m so thankful for the Resurrection of Jesus, for the hope we have in the Gospel. Yet, even with hope, we grieve together because the loss on this side of death’s curtain is severe. On her side, it is victorious.

I could ask any number of men to preach for me this week; and they would. But it’s on my heart to speak to this church; people that I love; a congregation that I’ve pastored for 22 years. And for 22 years, there’s been a girl beside me, walking with me, as I sought to shepherd this church family.

What could I say that others couldn’t? Thankyou.

People have asked, “What can we do for you?” At least when it comes to this church, the answer is, you did it already.

A few ways you served Rebecca:

• You loved her while she here. You did not wait for her to die and then ask, “what can we do?” You showed her love while she lived.
• You drove her. Miles and miles and miles. Some of you drove her to Palm Springs every week. You never made her feel bad about being sick and needing help. You didn’t make her feel like a burden.
• You gave her a sense of worth. You sent her flowers, the bakery sent bread, you gave her cards and even cleaned the house.
• You spent time with her. Lunch dates, dinner dates and Starbucks.
• You gave her dignity: Nails done. Did her hair. Made feel beautiful.
• You provided good health insurance.
• You prayed for her.

Matthew 14:1-20

1. God’s people are not immune (Matthew 14:1-11)

• John experienced great suffering. Prison. Execution.
• Jesus called John the greatest man who ever lived. (Matthew 11:11)
• Jesus said the rain falls on the just and unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

2. God (Matthew 14:12-13)

• Not only are God’s people not immune to suffering, God himself is not immune to suffering. Jesus went out alone, by boat to a “solitary” place to just be alone with the Father. What was he doing? Grieving. With God.
• Jesus shows us the depth of God’s emotion. We need a God who not only laughs, sings; a God angry over sin. We also need a God who weeps with us. Who knows suffering. Jesus show’s us God’s grief.
• Grief is not done in public. Grief is not done solely in private. Grief is done in community. At some point the disciples joined Jesus. They also had loved John. Some of them had been John’s disciples.

3. God’s People Are (Matthew 14:13-19)

• Matthew 14:13 is beautiful. When the crowd came to Jesus, while he was hurting, he did not send them away. He had compassion on them and ministered to them. When you’re hurt, you can dig into yourself. Or you can be light. Jesus called us to be “fishers of men.” Fishers of men reach down into the darkness and pull men up into the light.
• Notice v.15, it was dark. Jesus had his disciples spread out into the crowd as night came.
• The disciples want to send the crowd into the village to get bread. But Jesus tells them not to send them back to the village, “you give them something to eat.” That is, you have something the village doesn’t have; you have me.
• Disciples spread out into darkening day, Distribute bread. That’s the church. God has spread you out, in hospitals, on the base, in flower shop and bakery and all over this community; to be light.
• Your job is not your job, it’s your mission field.

4. God’s Power Is (Matthew 14:20-21)

• This miracle is powerful, creative, practical.
• If feeding a multitude is not a problem for him, then raising the dead will not be a problem. How do we know he can raise the dead? Because he did it.
• Jesus doesn’t strain to raise the dead. He lifts us instantly into his presence.