Greetings Redeemer family!
It is my hope and prayer that each of you is enjoying a wonderful start to the Thanksgiving holiday. This season is a wonderful gift. It is a time to step away from our usual routine and obligations. It prompts us to reconnect with friends and family. It offers an opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate God’s goodness in the past year.
At the same time, I am keenly aware that this is not an easy time for everyone in our community. Because of distance, you may not be able to be with the ones you love this holiday. Others have lost those closest to them. And some of us experience time with family, not with joy, but with anxiety and old hurts. For all of these reasons and more, the sentimentality of the holiday may aggravate more than it sets at ease.
In the midst of all of these things, God is still God. He is still worthy of worship and honor and praise. A song we’ve begun singing recently is particularly appropriate to this holiday season. The words call us to join all of creation in worshipping God from every station of life.
Come, people of the Risen King,
Who delight to bring Him praise;
Come all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.
Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!
Come, those whose joy is morning sun,
And those weeping through the night;
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.
Come, young and old from every land -
Men and women of the faith;
Come, those with full or empty hands -
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing -
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all”!
Since this song is still new for many of us, I’d encourage you to check out this youtube video of the song’s co-writer, Stuart Townend, with an excellent studio band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNlP8Sy23XE
This Sunday we will also have the great privilege and joy of celebrating a covenant baptism. We believe that baptism is a tool that God uses to communicate His goodness and grace to His people. In this, the blessing of baptism is not just for the person receiving the sacrament on Sunday. It is also an opportunity for the rest of us to reflect upon our own baptism. The writers of the Westminster Standards called this “improving our baptism.” The following confession of faith helps us to understand this important duty.
Q: How is our baptism to be improved by us?
A: By serious and thankful consideration of the nature of the sacrament, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it;–by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to our engagements;–and by endeavoring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ, and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.
Q: When should we thus improve our baptism?
A: All our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others.
(WLC Q 167, taken from “The Shorter Catechism Explained” by James Fisher)
Following the sermon, we will take some time in a season of corporate Thanksgiving. This will be a time to proclaim to one another where we have seen God’s goodness in the past week, month, year. I’d encourage you to take advantage of the next couple of days to meditate on the ways God has blessed you. Then come on Sunday ready to celebrate these things with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Perhaps the words of this song will be useful in centering your mind on the kindness of God.
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end
Lover of my soul I want to live for You
May today and every day be a season of Thanksgiving for the blessings God has lavished upon us.
Thankfully,
Tim Sharpe
Worship Director
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Lynchburg, VA
