Pastor's Note

This past year I've spent a good bit of time reflecting on 1 Corinthians 3:5-9. In these verses we are reminded that the growing of the seed of God's people is not up to any individual but God Himself. The rest of us have small parts to play, whether that be planting or watering the seed (or preparing the soil or fertilizing, to expand the metaphor). And, none of us can accomplish anything on our own.

On Sunday I made the (hopefully helpful) remark that not all doctrines and matters of theology are equally important. Some particular beliefs are crucial (pun intended) to what it means to be a Christian. Others are not. Understanding this is important, and helps us to maintain the unity the Lord demands of us, while avoiding unnecessary fights and divisions.

If you are a member or regular attender of CBC, you should soon receive an email about being placed on one of our elders' "Pastoral Care Rosters." If you are newer you might ask, what is a “Pastoral Care Roster,” and how did I get placed on one? Allow me to explain!

There are many aspects of fear and worry and anxiety - too much to cover in one sermon. One aspect we didn't cover in great detail in last Sunday's sermon was the fear of man, and desire for approval of others. This is a pervasive and pernicious fear, certainly affecting all of us at least to some degree. Consider how subtle and tricky this desire for the approval of others is, and how deceptively selfish it can be.

One of the reasons I love the study of Scripture and taking time to deeply pore over God's Word is that there is always more to learn and more to ponder. The most familiar passages may feature an angle we had never considered, and very often a new experience in life or new thought might bring fresh application out of an "old" text. Consider Matthew 28:19, a text very familiar to us all.

I regularly reflect on Hebrews 10:19-25. You can read the passage on your own, but it essentially calls us to cling to God, cling to truth, and cling to each other because of Christ's work in bringing us to God through His death. Right now, I'd like to encourage you with the call of verse 25, that we not neglect to meet together, but that we encourage one another, and all the more as "the day" draws near.

Scripture repeatedly calls us to openly and willingly speak of God's goodness and His faithfulness. You can look to Psalm 34:3; Psalm 71:8; Psalm 145:7; Luke 8:39; 1 Peter 3:15; or 1 Chronicles 16:8, for example. We can simply look at Psalm 107:2; "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble..." With this biblical witness, I'd like to encourage us all to be ever and increasingly willing to speak of what God has done in our lives, to those both outside and inside the church.

I think it's safe to say that there is no one more patient than the Lord Himself. Therefore, when we see Jesus display a moment of seeming exasperation, we ought to take notice. One of those moments comes in Mark 9, where Jesus says in verse 19; “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?" What causes such a reaction in Jesus?

Last Sunday I should have remembered to say thank you for allowing me the privilege to travel to our USMB national gathering and represent CBC. There were a number of highlights, including the chance to recall God's faithfulness in and through our family of churches. We will have a chance to celebrate God's faithfulness on Sunday as well, as we celebrate our 60th anniversary as Community Bible Church.

We are now squarely in the summer season, which, for many of us, means abnormal schedules, travel, and vacation opportunities. This also means that we may be more sporadically plugged into the events and rhythms of church! That's not necessarily a bad thing - just a reality of the season. But we might miss some things, so I want to encourage you to engage in a few specific ways!