6In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
(1 Peter 1:6-9, NIV)

The recipients of 1 Peter had hope, but not because their lives were easy and they could imagine a happy future. In fact, they were suffering “grief in all kinds of trials” and being “refined by fire” (vv. 6-7). Whatever Peter is referring to with those phrases, it sure doesn’t sound pleasant.

In the midst of such a hard time, however, those to whom Peter wrote had hope (1 Peter 1:3-5). But not just hope for the future. They also rejoiced in the present “with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (v. 8). Notice that this does not say “you will rejoice someday” but you “are rejoicing now.” In other words, they were joyful in the midst of suffering.

How was this even possible? First, the letter recipients experienced great joy because of their relationship with Jesus, whom they loved and in whom they believed even though, unlike Peter, they had not seen Jesus in the flesh (v. 8). Yet they knew Him by faith because they trusted Him for salvation.

Second, the believers to whom Peter wrote rejoiced because they were “receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (v. 9). Once again, notice the tense. The original language says that they “are rejoicing [present tense]” because they “are receiving [present tense] end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (v. 9). Though the fullness of salvation lies in the future, we begin to experience salvation in this life, however incompletely. We know God’s love and forgiveness through Christ. We experience reconciliation with God and with others. We catch a glimpse of God’s future peace as His people live with justice and mercy. So our “inexpressible and glorious joy,” experienced in the midst of a broken world, flows from our relationship with Jesus Christ and His salvation as it touches our lives in the moment even as it fills us with hope for the future. The more we experience God’s love and grace, the more we’ll be able to rejoice even in the midst of a pandemic.

One final word on joy. Joy doesn’t come from being told to rejoice or scolded if you’re sad. Rather, joy comes from a living relationship with Jesus Christ and from the experience of His grace. If you want to rejoice, don’t focus on making yourself joyful. Rather, focus on Jesus and knowing Him better. You can do this even in a world dominated by COVID-19. You can do this today. Glorious joy! Even now? Yes, through Jesus Christ.
​
Gracious God, our world needs the living hope of the 
resurrected Lord Jesus. Help me to live with this hope 
at the center of my life today, for Your glory.

​12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12, NIV)

Whenever I turn to news media these days, it seems like I keep hearing the phrase “in these uncertain times.” Everybody is saying it . . . all the time. Of course I recognize that we are living in what could rightly be called uncertain times, probably the most uncertain of our lives. 

But one thing that bothers me about “these uncertain times” is what feels almost like an attempt to minimize the pain and disruption that many people are experiencing right now. Yes, there is no doubt people are feeling uncertainty. But many are feeling far worse. Some are dealing with the certainty of being painfully sick. Countless of us are feeling intense loneliness, confusing disruption, or toxic cabin fever. So these are not just “uncertain times.” They are also painful times, distressing times, sad times, frightening times, and so much more. “Uncertain times” is an inadequate description.

Moreover, “uncertain times” feels like something coined by people living with considerable privilege, people who haven’t lost their jobs, who aren’t worried about their health, whose loved ones are well, and who are relatively comfortable. The worst thing in their lives is uncertainty. I recognize that I am one of these people, at least so far. Most of the negative feelings I have are due to uncertainty and related anxiety. I need to remember that millions of others are struggling with much worse, and I want to be compassionate.

The uncertainty we are feeling could actually help us be more compassionate, not less. After all, millions of people live with significant uncertainty in all times. I’m thinking of those who are poor or powerless, people whose lives are regularly disrupted or devastated by things beyond their control. 

Compassion for others is not extra credit for Christians. Take Colossians 3:12, for example: “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” As God’s chosen people, because of His grace in Christ, the first thing we’re to put on is “compassion.” The original language is even more powerful. It says that we’re to clothe ourselves with “a heart of compassion.” This isn’t simply a matter of appearing to care for others. Rather, it’s having our heart moved by the sufferings of others and the acting on that empathy.

So, yes, we do live “in these uncertain times.” But may our hearts be open to what others are experiencing, especially those for whom these times are far worse than merely uncertain. May our prayers and our actions reflect our compassion. May our own uncertainty help us understand more deeply what many people feel all the time. Perhaps through “these uncertain times,”  God is opening our hearts to others in brand new ways.

Gracious God, we do live in what feels like “uncertain times.” 
May our compassion be stirred up. And may we discover how we can 
pray for and serve those who are hurting these days.

​1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours …  9God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9, NIV)

In the last two months, we looked into of Paul’s understanding of calling by focusing on the first chapter of 1 Corinthians. In the opening verses we learn that: Paul is “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (v. 1); the Corinthian Christians are “called to be His holy people” (v. 2); and they were also “called into the fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 9). That’s a lot of calling in just a few verses!

Paul’s emphasis on calling reminds us that it is a crucial theological idea, one that deserves our close attention. But calling isn’t one of those speculative notions that keep theologians busy but has little to say to ordinary Christians. On the contrary, the doctrine of calling is one of the most relevant and transformational of Christian truths. It’s something we all need to understand more deeply, whether we’re theologians or teachers, attorneys or assistants, pastors or presidents, millennials or third thirders.

One reason we need to study and understand the idea of calling – often referred to as vocation – is that what we find in Scripture is strikingly different from the way calling/vocation is talked about in our culture. The Bible knows nothing of the equation we often make between vocation and occupation. My calling may or may not overlap with my job, but they aren’t the same thing according to Scripture. Moreover, my calling, from a biblical point of view, is not necessarily something that aligns perfectly with my personal passion. I don’t discover my true vocation only by paying attention to my own longings, desires, and delights, though these are surely relevant. Paying attention to what Scripture says about calling will correct common misconceptions and open us up to a fresh experience of God’s grace in our lives.

If you missed any of the Pastor’s Word on calling, please check them out on our congregation’s website, beginning on April 13, 2021. You will find them at fullerton.fecc.us/pastors-word1. 

Gracious God, we thank You for Your calling.
O Lord, may we live as called people. 
May we experience relationship with You because of Your call.

1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be His holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours …  9God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 9, NIV)

In the last few months, we have been inspired by the writings of the Apostle Paul, for whom calling was an essential theological doctrine. The opening verses of 1 Corinthians remind us that calling is not something reserved only for people with special religious functions. In fact, v. 2 affirms that all Christians are “called to be His holy people,” that is, to be God’s saints. All Christians are set apart by God for relationship with God and for participation in God’s work in the world.

Notice the crucial priority of relationship with God. This is crucial. We miss much if we think of calling only as a summons to action. Yes, to be sure, God calls us to do things and to avoid other things. But, most importantly, God calls us “into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 9). This fellowship is mainly relationship with the triune God through Christ, though it is something we share with all other Christians. We are called to fellowship with Christ, through whom we experience fellowship with other believers.

Paul does not tend to use calling as we do. He does not say, for example, that everybody has a calling to a particular line of work. Paul does affirm that we can live our calling to God in and through a variety of work situations (1 Cor. 7:24), but he doesn’t associate calling with a particular career, as we would tend to do. In Paul’s view, our primary calling is to God and His work. This calling affects everything in life, including our daily work. It’s possible to think of our work as a calling, with a small ‘c,’ only if we see it as a place to live out our primary Calling, with a capital ‘C.’

One of the most important things we can say about calling is to highlight the importance of the Caller. It doesn’t emerge from our sense of purpose or even from our awareness of human need. Our calling is really best understood as God’s calling in our lives. It is first and foremost God calling us into relationship with God and service to God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul lets us know, in no uncertain terms, that we have a divine Caller. God calls us because of His grace (Gal. 1:6). God desires relationship with us. God summons us to join His work in the world. The fact that we have a Caller means our life is one of response. As we hear God’s call, we respond, at first in faith, trusting God for salvation through Jesus Christ. Then, as we continue to pay attention to God’s call “into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thes. 2:12), we will live our life worthy of the calling to which we have been called (Ep. 4:1). In the process, we will become more and more like God. Why? Because “the One who calls you is faithful, and He will do this” (1 Thes. 5:23-24).
Gracious God, we thank You for Your calling. O Lord, may we live as called people. May we experience relationship with You because of Your call.

​Church anniversary is a time for thanking God for the past, the present, and looking to the future. Many churches hold their anniversary near the time when their service or building was first opened. Today we celebrate our church’s 33rd anniversary. We must always remember that ‘church’ in the New Testament means the 'people of God' so it is a time for celebrating the life and witness of all who have gone before us and those who serve today.  

The Lord God in his goodness has blessed us with 33 years of mission and ministry at First Evangelical Community Church. We are a remembering people, and it is good that we remember that God has chosen us, baptized us, and brought us together as the Church of Christ in community. As remembering people, we look back at all the saving acts of God: the Creation, the Flood, the Covenant, the Exodus, the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Church. 

We are a remembering people, but we are also a people of this day, brought together by God to be a holy fellowship of believers: the Body of Christ, sharing, caring, working in the world, and living in the hope of the world to come. Our eyes look back with thanksgiving. Our eyes look at the present with confidence. Our eyes look forward in hope. Therefore, with thanksgiving for the past, strength for today, and hope for the future, let us dedicate ourselves and our lives to the mission which God gives us as His in this place. 
Let us then offer a prayer of dedication: “Our Father and our God, we praise you for your goodness to our church, giving us blessings far beyond what we deserve. We give you thanks for the work you have done. We give you thanks for your love and faithfulness. When we called on your name, you made your presence known to us. When we prayed, you heard us. When we preached your Word and administered your Sacraments, you were in our midst. You have accepted our humble sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. You have sent your Holy Spirit to heal and comfort our hurts, our sorrows, our infirmities, and our losses. Yet we know all is not right with our church. We deeply need a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many problems we face. Convict us of our sin. Help us to turn to you in repentance and faith. Set our feet on the path of your righteousness and peace. Grant then O Lord, that we may continually grow in the Spirit and in the ministry that you give us as members of your royal priesthood, the priesthood of all believers, so that we may carry out our mission of service and love. Strengthen us as you make us a city set on a hill, a light that cannot be hidden, that others may know of your great love. In Jesus name, Amen”