2:55 – So Many Messages, So Little Time

#faithbites #faithjourney messages

Today was a pretty momentous day at Trinity Lutheran today. Not because the doughnuts were extra good or the coffee was perfect or the kids were actually behaving. Nor was it momentous because I got out of the house and made it to church. It was momentous as it was the last sermon of our senior pastor as senior pastor.

During the sermon, I was frantically writing, taken notes as I often do. Some notes becomes #faithbites, while others just stir the soul. As Pastor kept speaking, I had more and more ideas for #faithbites. There didn’t seem to be one that was better than an other, so many tid bits of knowledge. But don’t fret, many will come in future #faithbites.

Two things really sank home as I write this. The first is there are so many messages to share with so little time and the second being that you don’t go to church to hear something new. You may think that is contradictory. How can you not have enough time to share messages but there is nothing new? It’s easy. We all need to hear about forgiveness of sin, salvation through Christ, loving God, loving each other, and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. These aren’t new lesson, in fact they are over 2000 years old. But like children, we need to be told over and over again in different ways as to quote pastor “I distinctly remember forgetting that”.

Scripture

I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. – Philippians 1:3-7

Reflection

These scriptures are the exact verses shared today by our Pastor, it is the Thanksgiving and Prayer message Paul shared with the Church at Philippi. I have shared just over 400 #faithbites and the message is the same. I am thankful for the Lord and thankful for everyone he has put in my life. We are partners together with Christ from day one until he returns. This is what God has given us. Life long partners to do the good work of the Lord. As Pastor quoted “We can hang together or we can hang separately”.

Of all the messages I’ve shared and been touched by, this one is what we should remember. We are here to partner together through Christ who through all things are possible. That’s it. Same message, new day.

Thank you Pastor Wirsing for your love, your service, your making us repeat you until we get it, your warm wishes, your love of the Lord, your openness but non-compromising on your faith. As we sang “Friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them and a friend will not say never”. My #faithjourney may have never gotten off the ground for it not for your talks and helping me see things. You leave an amazing staff to carry on in the never changing work of Christ. Thank you.

Charge

Partner with someone in Christ. That’s it. Find someone who knows Christ and partner with them in good work. Find someone who doesn’t know Christ and partner with them in good work. Always be with those and share the Lord in the way that you know best.

Prayer

Gracious Lord, thank you for your servant Thomas Wirsing. Thank you for his love, his dedication, and his ability to lead the people at Trinity for 20 years. While he is leaving us in this position, he is not gone. His journey is far from over. Lord, help your people in this time of transition. Remind them that as long as we hang together through your word and your Son, we can accomplish all things. Amen