“IT IS NOT FINISHED YET, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” – James 5:7-8 (NIV)
(This message is an excerpt from a message originally written by Rev. David N. Knipel in 2012. At that time, we were serving as co-interim pastors. I have made a few changes, but it is basically Pastor Dave’s message.) In his devotional book, “Living the Message,” Eugene Peterson writes about his pastoral fascination with poet farmer Wendell Berry who took a small piece of land in Kentucky and reclaimed it – respected it, cared for it, farmed it – for 50 years, submitting himself to its earthy materials. Peterson writes that when he reads Berry, he substitutes the idea of a “congregation” for “farm” and “land” and tries to use that as a pastoral guide He writes:
“The pastor’s question is, ‘Who are these particular people, and how can I be with them in such a way that they become who God is making them?’ My job is simply to be there, teaching, preaching Scripture as well as I can, and being honest with them, not doing anything to interfere with what the Spirit is shaping in them. Could God be doing something that I never thought of? Am I willing to be quiet [prayerful listening] for a day, a week, a year? Like Wendell Berry, am I willing to spend fifty years reclaiming this land? With these people?”
We have previously shared with some of you an experience we had some years ago at the Greater Long Branch Community Good Friday Service. We listened rhythmically and almost hypnotically to an unforgettable sermon in which the preacher of the Sixth Word from the Cross repeated over and over and over again the most concise sermon since Jonah exhorted the people of Nineveh: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” The Good Friday preacher kept shouting, “It is Finished!” again and again and again from every position on the dais until by the time he had concluded, he had worked up quite a sweat. We commented to each other that we would certainly never forget that sermon. You can imagine the anticipation with which we waited for the same preacher at the next year’s Good Friday Service when we walked into the church and saw his name listed as the messenger for the Seventh Word from the Cross: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46a) “What in the world will he say to top last year?” we said to each other. Finally, two hours and forty minutes into the three-hour service, it was time for the Seventh Word from the Cross. We waited eagerly as the preacher stood there after the reading of the Scripture, gazed intently at us, and then finally proclaimed without any embarrassment: “It’s NOT Finished Yet! It’s NOT Finished Yet! The Best is yet to come. The Best is yet to come!” For this coming year, we want to entrust to you again the words of the apostle James above and that Good Friday preacher: “BE PATIENT. IT’S NOT FINISHED YET! THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”
The past year has been a year of transition for all of us – some of it quite difficult – and a number of our beloved church family members and friends have finished their race here and gone on to glory with Jesus. We celebrate their life’s journeys, but we mourn the loss of their company with us.” .As we journey on towards Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can reflect, pray and claim, against all odds that IT IS NOT FINISHED YET: THE BEST IS YET TO COME.” I don’t have 50 years like Wendell Berry to ‘farm’ Central Baptist Church. But as long as you, my church family, and I feel called by God and are committed to our partnership with God as pastor and congregation, I am willing to be in this journey with you.
Have a Blessed March, Holy Week and Joyful Celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Carla
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