"Holiness" by J.C. Ryle: Chapter Six

Here's a link to the latest chapter for our Men's Bible study.
http://www.gracegems.org/Ryle/h06.htm

Pastor Jerry

HARRIET IS NOW HOME WITH JESUS

Today, July 16th, our beloved sister in Christ, Harriet Pollard, has left behind her earthly tent (2 Cor. 5:1), and has departed to be with the Lord ("which is very much better"--Phil. 1:23). Her encouraging presence has been a blessing to us all! Her example of faithful service through good times and bad is interwoven through the history of our church. She was here from the beginning of LCBC. I personally have been blessed by her in countless ways. We will miss her much.

I want to express my appreciation to all who have prayed for her, visited her, and comforted her through her final days. Your demonstration of Christlike love was precious to her and testified to the source from which it has come--our Lord Jesus Himself.

Her son, David, was at her side when she passed away early this morning. Pray for him, and his brothers and family, for Betty, and for all of us as we are saddened by her passing.

But we are abundantly thankful that she is now in a place of no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, or pain (Rev. 21:4). Indeed in the presence of our Lord she is now experiencing "all that God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9). We will miss her, but eagerly anticipate the day when we "shall be caught up together" with her "in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (2 Thess. 4:17).

Pastor Jerry

IMPORTANT VIDEO ON OUR CHANGING WORLD

This video shares some startling statistics regarding the growth of the Islamic population in Europe, Canada, and the US.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU

FORTUNE, FUN, AND FAME - NO SUBSTITUTE FOR FAITH

Fortune, fun, and fame--Michael Jackson seemingly had it all.

In the last 25 years, it is estimated that he made more than $700 million. His spending topped his income, by 1998 he was earning $11 million a year, but spending $31 million.

He had his own theme park, his 2500 acre Neverland ranch had a zoo, an amusement park, a movie theatre, and a minature train system. It cost him $5 million a year to staff and maintain.

He had fame. Boy did he have fame! The legendary "King of Pop" sold incredible numbers of recordings and videos. His 3 hour memorial service had just over 31.1 million viewers. Only Ronald Reagan and Princess Diana had more.

He seemingly had it all, but did he really? It is readily apparent that he was not a very happy man. The circumstances leading up to his death suggest a life filled with both disappointment and regret. In Michael Jackson's case the American Dream morphed into an American Nightmare.

Apparently the "King of Pop" discovered the same thing that another "King" learned centuries ago. King Solomon also experienced fortune, fun and fame. His own testimony was, "And all that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure..." (Eccl. 2:10). The wealthy King Solomon had incredible wealth, experienced varied and pleasurable pursuits, and had worldwide fame--but in those things he was not fulfilled. His testimony? "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." (Eccl. 1:2). His conclusion? Life has no meaning apart from faith in God (Eccl. 12:13).

God has not designed us to be happy and fulfilled in life apart from relationship with Him (Eccl. 3:11). St. Augustine put it this way: "Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in Thee." Fortune, fun, and fame amount to nothing more than "broken cisterns which can hold no water" (Jer. 2:13). God offers instead, in Himself, the "fountain of living waters."

What does Michael's experience teach us? You can have all of the wealth and fame in the world, but if you don't have a relationship with God you don't have a thing. Jesus came that we, through faith in Him, "might have life, and might have it abundantly" (John 10:10). True contentment in Christ is possible regardless of one's circumstances (Phil. 4:12-13). How pertinent are Paul's instructions to Timothy: "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed" (1 Tim. 6:17-19). Life indeed is something far better than mere fortune, fun, and fame.

Pastor Jerry

HARRIET POLLARD 93rd BIRTHDAY

Harriet Pollard is 93 years old today. We were able to visit with her for a few minutes today. Jason Jones had taken some video of some folks from church who expressed their birthday greetings to her. She was delighted to see the videos. We also delivered some birthday cards that had been signed from members of the congregation. Soon after we arrived, her sons stopped by to visit. They've been spending much time with Harriet.

Harriet is a remarkable woman. She lived through the depression and a couple of World Wars. She remembers the great Astoria fire. Before her medical problems prevented her from attending, she faithfully attended LCBC and played the piano for fifty years. She played when her hands were so arthritic that it was difficult to play. But she didn't want to stop playing, she enjoyed it too much.

I remember back to when I first came to the church. There were few folks in attendance. And times had been pretty tough for the church. Harriet herself had seen a lot of Pastors come and go. She told me once that she had had a dream that the church was full of people and they were all smiling. I remember how we used to meet regularly--she was the treasurer--so that we could figure out how we could pay the bills with the limited funds the church had at the time.

She told me once that when she was a little girl she used to laugh to herself at the old women who struggled to make it up the steps to church. But then the same thing happened to her--but she wasn't angry about it, she thought it was funny.

She has suffered through many trials and troubles, having once nearly lost her life to medical problems--but she has never complained. She is a woman of tremendous character. Thank God for Harriet Pollard. We, her friends, have been blessed by her example of faithfulness in service to the Lord. Happy Birthday Harriet!

Pastor Jerry

WHAT DO I DESERVE?

"You deserve a break today."

"You deserve brighter eyes."

"The change you deserve."

"You deserve better."

"You deserve..."--Ad campaigns love that phrase. It speaks to where people are at, but the thought behind it is far removed from the truth. My how narcissitic we have become! What innate quality or virtue makes any of us deserving of all these things the advertisers offer? Why do I deserve a break today?

In his book, "Humility: True Greatness," C. J. Mahaney speaks of how he responds to the typical greeting, "How are you doing?" Instead of the typical response, "fine," he says, "Better than I deserve." That, of course, leads to a conversation about spiritual things, but it also speaks the truth--we are all doing better than we deserve.

What do we deserve? "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). We all came into this world as children of wrath and God would have been both fair and just in condemning us all to eternal damnation. That is what we deserved.

But God so loved the world that He gave HIs only begotten Son. He made Him who deserved no condemnation to take on the condemnation I deserved so that I might become the righteousness of God in Him (thus receiving that which I did not deserve).

His great love is displayed in His rich mercy and abundant grace. God's mercy is God not giving to us what we do deserve (condemnation). God's grace is God giving to us what we don't deserve (blessings we have received in Christ).

If you hear one of those "You deserve" advertisements, think instead of what you really did deserve and of what God has given to you instead in Christ. That's a better way to think about it.

Pastor Jerry

THE CENTRALITY OF THE CROSS

J. C. Ryle on the centrality of the cross:

The cross is the foundation of a Church's prosperity. No Church will ever be honoured in which Christ crucified is not continually lifted up : nothing whatever can make up for the want of the cross. Without it all things may be done decently and in order; without it there may he splendid ceremonies, beautiful music, gorgeous churches, learned ministers, crowded communion tables, huge collections for the poor but without the cross no good will be done; dark hearts will not be enlightened, proud hearts will not be humbled, mourning hearts will not be comforted, fainting hearts will not be cheered. Sermons about the Catholic Church and an apostolic ministry,—sermons about baptism and the Lord's supper,—sermons about unity and schism,—sermons about fasts and communion,—sermons about fathers and saints,—such sermons will never make up for the absence of sermons about the cross of Christ. They may amuse some: they will feed none. A gorgeous banqueting room, and splendid gold plate on the table, will never make up to a hungry man for the want of food. Christ crucified is God's grand ordinance for good to men. Whenever a Church keeps back Christ crucified, or puts anything whatever in that foremost place which Christ crucified should always have, from that moment a Church ceases to be useful. Without Christ crucified in her pulpits, a Church is little better than a cumberer of the ground, a dead carcase, a well without water, a barren fig tree, a sleeping watchman, a silent trumpet, a dumb witness, an ambassador without terms of peace, a messenger without tidings, a lighthouse without fire, a stumbling-block to weak believers, a comfort to infidels, a hot-bed for formalism, a joy to the devil, and an offence to God.