/Eagerly I waited for Yahweh; He bent down to me and He heard my cry.
And He brought me up from a pit of destruction, from muddy clay; and He
caused to stand upon a Rock, my feet. And He gave in my mouth, a song, a
new one; praise to our God; Will see, many, and they will fear; and they
will trust in Yahweh. Fortunate–the young man who makes Yahweh his
trust; and has not turned to the proud, or those who turn aside to
falsehood. Many, done by You, Yahweh my God, Your wonders; and Your
considerations toward us. There is none which stacks up to You; I could
declare and I could speak, they are too numerous to write down.
Communion sacrifice and offering You don't desire; ears, You open to me.
Wickedness offering and sin offering You have not requested. Then I
said, "Look, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. To
do Your will, my God–my delight; and Your Torah–in the midst of my
heart. I bring news of righteousness to the great congregation; look, my
lips I will not restrain. Yahweh, You Yourself know. Your righteousness
I have not hidden in the midst of my heart; Your truth and Your
salvation I have spoken. I have not hidden Your loving-kindness and Your
truth in the great congregation. /
Have you ever considered what type of congregation you are? How does
this church here in this town rate? Is it average, or is it somewhat
above or below average? As we ponder what kind of congregation this is,
it is important to remember that all things are relative. According to
God's Law, we are a poor congregation indeed, filled with both sinners
and hypocrites. But according to the Grace of Jesus, you may be
described just as the Psalmist speaks–of the great congregation!
How did you achieve such a status of *great congregation*? Not by
anything you have done, to be sure. "But Pastor, we give, and we serve,
and we make sacrifices, and we place our offerings in the plate each
Sunday!" Such may be true, but remember, God doesn't desire your
sacrifices, your tithes, or even your offerings intended to somehow make
up for your sins. In fact, He has requested nothing of you, whatsoever,
that you should do something to make yourselves *great* in His sight.
But you are His great congregation anyway! But don't think this is
because you have done such grand things outside of church. There you
have wallowed in the mire of your daily sinning. You were found in the
pit of destruction, in need of rescue from your own helplessness &
hopelessness. You cried out in faith to the LORD, and He heard your cry.
He rescued you from the muck of your sins, and has set your feet firmly
upon the Rock from which cleansing water springs–Christ Jesus!
For only in Jesus, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world,
could this congregation ever be considered *great*. He is rightly called
by Andrew and John *Rabbi* which means, *My Great One*. Yet Jesus'
greatness is not the same as worldly champions like Mohammed Ali. Jesus
is really The Greatest because he goes where no man has gone before--to
sacrifice Himself as the spotless Lamb of God, who perishes at the + to
take away your sins. But that's hardly all He does...
Sadly, so many Christians think that's all Jesus does for us, some 2000
years ago. They have no answer to the question of what God has done for
me lately. The psalmist today does, however, as He speaks prophetically
for Jesus Who declares that He brings news of righteousness to the great
congregation. Jesus Himself proclaims the gospel of His truth and His
salvation yet today, each time a faithful pastor ascends the pulpit to
preach the message of the loving-kindness of Jesus.
Not only is Jesus truly present in the voice of the preacher, but He
proclaims His message of forgiveness where His gospel message is put
into action. When Jesus' word is connected to simple water in the
baptismal font, He is surely there cleansing you from sin by taking you
to the + to die with Him, and likewise to raise you up in Him that 1st
Easter Sunday, to new, everlasting life. Whenever these words are
repeated after you have been baptized, you receive anew His absolute
forgiveness!
Yet, Jesus is not just present in preaching and baptizing, but also in
His forgiving word connected to the simple bread & wine of the Lord's
Supper. There the Lamb of God you gives you His body slain for you, and
His blood shed for you on the + for your forgiveness in the Supper. He
is really present in this sacrament, becoming the only communion
offering which is needed to reconcile sinful man to our holy God &
Father. Though His body & blood are hidden there, His salvation & truth
are not!
In these means of Grace, the Great One, Jesus, makes you His great
congregation forevermore!
John C. Drosendahl, Pastor
Peace-Goldsboro, NC
Our Redeemer-Wilson, NC
Pastor-elect: Holy Cross-Kerrville, TX
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