Archive for the ‘Great Commission’ Category

24 Jul

Meetings that Matter

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Family of God, Fellowship, Gospel, Great Commission, Worship.

Dear friends,

July is passing quickly it seems. We have had some decent rainfall but can always use more. If the forecast for the next week holds true, we are in for some very hot temperatures. We will be glad for air-conditioning for sure. Our plan for the first few days this week is to go camping at Victoria Springs. If I had checked the forecast before reserving our spot, I might have changed my mind.

Update: I saw the doctor last week for a follow-up visit and he told me to see him in a year. He is pleased with the result, and positive the aneurism is no longer a concern. Praise the Lord!

I had an interesting conversation with a lady while in the clinic waiting room. She said she would be 102 years old in August. We shared some experiences we each have had, and some of them were quite similar. She and her late husband had been farmers during the mid-eighties and went through tough economic times just as my family had. She and her husband came to faith in Jesus during that time, as did Milrae and I. Our conversation ended when I was called back to see the doctor. Before I left the lady said, “We’ll meet again.” To which I replied, “yes we will.”  It is great to have that common bond in the Lord Jesus, and to know that as believers in Him we will all meet again in heaven.

We never know when a conversation will turn to things of a spiritual nature. We who are believers in the Lord Jesus are told to be lights in our surroundings and in our culture. The old saying is we are just beggars telling other beggars where to find bread. We never get anyone saved, that is the Lord’s work, but we can show them the way. I was once told we only make the sales pitch; God seals the deal.

Jesus’ words: I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:47-51).

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry

22 May

Life’s Purpose

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Calling, Christian Living, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, Work.

Hello friends,

It is time once again for another visit. We have been taking advantage of the nicer weather to get outdoors as much as possible. There are those trips to town for appointments and to get groceries and other supplies, but there has been time for some yard work and the planting of the garden beds. After the rain of last week, mowing will take some of my attention for the rest of the growing season.

I do enjoy putting my thoughts in writing, and I pray they make a difference in someone’s life. I believe each person has been placed on this earth for a purpose, and God’s purpose for everyone is given in Scripture. Jesus said this concerning his reason for coming to earth, and the will of God: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, bur the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:38-40).

Did you get that? It is God’s will that everyone be saved. The one who is saved then has been given a divine purpose in life. This does not give the indication that everyone will be saved, but that everyone who believes in Jesus will have the gift of eternal life. Other scriptures tell us that we are saved. not to sit on the sidelines and wait for him to come for us. Quite the opposite is true.

We, as Jesus was, are to be about the Father’s business, not that we can save anyone, but that we spread the good news of Jesus to all those around us. To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

What are these good works? I believe they start with Jesus’ command in Matthew 28. His command to us is this: Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations…, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. (Verses 19-20).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

1 May

Who Will Go?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Calling, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Obedience.

Dear friends,

We are seeing more evidence of spring; trees blooming and getting new leaves, grass growing (get the mower ready), and dandelions! We did get a little rain the other night, but the wind blew it all away the next day. Let us not give up in asking the Lord to provide that much needed soaking rain. God does answer those sincere and heartfelt prayers.

We have been on the road with doctor’s appointments in recent days. Milrae is recovering from her second knee replacement, and she is glad there were only two knees to be replaced.

In church news, we are still in the process of finding a new pastor. Yours truly has been preaching three days a month, with guest speakers the other Sundays. This has been working well, but obviously is not a long-lasting solution. If you or someone you know is looking for a place to do God’s work of shepherding a small congregation, send them our way.

Our church is not alone in the search for pastoral leadership. It seems there are too few candidates for an increasing number of small congregations. From a personal perspective, I can think of few other callings that are as important as being the Lord’s representative to a body of Christian people making up a small church, whether it is in a city or in a rural setting.

I am drawn to a passage in the book of Romans. It reads as follows: “Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news?’” (Romans 10:13-15).

The prophet Isaiah, in a vision, got a glimpse of heaven in which he saw the throne of God. He heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah’s answer is, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2).

Who will go?

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

26 Sep

Gone Fishing

Posted by sandhillspastor in Calling, Christian Living, Discipleship, Evangelism, Great Commission, Obedience, Witness.

Dear friends,

We have been enjoying some cooler temperatures, the only thing missing is a good soaking rain. I believe we will see those rains in due time, but we still need to be persistent in prayer that the Lord will send them. There is not much news on the home front, just a grocery shopping trip now and then.

The annual Lake Ericson fishing derby was held this past Saturday. After signing in, and after a pancake and sausage breakfast, the teams headed out to the lake. As I observed the preparations, I saw an illustration of what the church should look like. I’m speaking of the church as followers of Jesus, sent out into the world. The men and boys who entered the derby had come earlier in the week and spent time finding out where the fish were. On the day of the contest, they were prepared with the right tackle and a fair knowledge of the habits of the fish they intended to catch.

After breakfast, did they sit around talking about fishing? No, they got in their boats and went fishing. Catching fish is the reason they are fishermen. It would be silly to just sit around the table and tell fish stories.

Jesus gave his disciples instructions, using fishing as an illustration of what they were being sent to do.

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:16-18).

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus appeared to his disciples and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:18-19).

Christians are called to go, that is they are sent by their Lord to go out into the world and be his witnesses; to present the good news of salvation to all people, in order to bring them into His “boat”.

It is pointless for Christians to just sit around after church and talk about the need for evangelism. Let us go out and fish for those who need to hear of Jesus.

In Him,

Pastor Jerry

17 Jan

Therefore Go

Posted by sandhillspastor in Body of Believers, Calling, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, The Good News.

Dear friends,

We have been enjoying every nice day that has come along. In days past, we have looked for a January thaw, but haven’t needed one yet. The nice days have outnumbered the cold ones, I am sure.

As I look at the way the world is going, I am reminded anew of the urgency of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. In a time when the culture is rebelling against God and the Truth of his Word, it is imperative that His people, the church, take seriously the Great Commission, as it is called.

Jesus’ final words to His disciples were, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

We, his followers have been given the order to take the gospel to the whole world. The message we have been given is specified in Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome. “But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, “that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame… For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:8-15).

We have the Good News. We are called to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Let us go and make disciples of all nations.

In His love,

Pastor Jerry

4 Oct

What Is Jesus Doing?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Assurance, Bible, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Discipleship, Gospel, Great Commission, Obedience, Witness.

 Dear friends,

Another week has slipped away from us. Fall is definitely in the air. The colors of the season are as spectacular as any I have seen. What a great blessing to live where God has placed us. I can think of no other place I would rather be. Short fishing report; I caught a nice-sized bass one morning last week, and had it for supper Friday evening. It was even better than I had anticipated, it makes me want to catch another one or two!

On Saturday, I attended a conference for rural Christian workers. I was reminded of some things for Christians to focus on in our current reality, and thought they were worth sharing. A popular question from a few years back asked, “What would Jesus do?” Our speaker asked, “What would Jesus do today?” The following is a brief outline of his answer.

First, Jesus is still building his church. He said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). We (believers) are the church, and He is still adding to it. As His people, are we helping build the church or are we tearing it down?

Second, He is still making disciples through his church. He commands us to make disciples. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).  As more people come to faith in Christ, we are to be discipling those new believers, teaching them how to follow Him.

Third, He is still seeking and saving the lost. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). As followers of Jesus, one of our responsibilities is to point others to Him. We are to introduce the lost to the Savior. According to Acts 5:42, speaking of the early church, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

In summary; we are to love people the way Jesus loves them. Share the good news of Jesus’ salvation. Invite them to respond to His offer of salvation and be saved. We are not to be mere spectators.

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

13 Sep

Faithful Servants

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Blessings, Body of Believers, Calling, Faith, Great Commission, Obedience, Salt and Light, Service, Witness.

Hello friends,

We spent the weekend with old friends celebrating the 100th anniversary of Sybrant Community Church, which we attended for many years. Actually, last year was the centennial of the church, but the big event was postponed due to, you guessed it—Covid19. It was a blessing to renew old acquaintances and reflect on the history and mission of this little church in what some would call the middle of nowhere. From the early settlers who saw the need for a place of worship, to those today who continue to preserve this lighthouse of the gospel in an out-of-the-way part of the world, Thank You! It is a testimony of God’s blessing on His faithful followers and those who answer the call to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Most of my readers will probably remember the story of how I came to faith in Christ. It was in this little church where I heard these words for the first time, and responded to their message. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The next verses in this passage speak of the importance of these little places of worship; “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news?” (Romans 10:9-15).

To those who continue to carry out God’s call to faithfulness in little congregations everywhere, remember God rewards those who remain committed to serve Him. You will someday hear these words from the Savior. “Well done, good and faithful servant… Come and share your master’s happiness! (Matthew 25:21).

For Him,

Pastor Jerry

29 Jul

Go and Tell

Posted by sandhillspastor in Blessings, Calling, Discipleship, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Service, The Good News, Witness.

Hello friends,
July is about to give way to August. School will be starting soon, and I wonder where the summer has gone? My theory is that summer got a late start due to an over-long winter and spring. Could it be that autumn will be longer than normal, and winter will be shortened? One can only dream!

I have traveled a number of miles this summer preaching at churches in small towns and rural areas. What I have seen is a need for pastoral leadership in these out-of-the-way places. I doubt there are many seminary graduates seeking ministry opportunities in rural America. So, what might be the solution?

This is a question that has been on my mind, and in the thoughts of several of my friends in ministry. We believe the answer is for men in these churches to have the opportunity to learn ministry skills that would allow for them to be pastors or leaders in their local churches. Then those congregations would not be dependent on “professional” clergy.

There is a one day Rural Christian Workers Conference coming up in early September that will provide this kind of training, and the best part is that it is free. Even the lunch is provided free of charge. The conference is designed to “encourage and train Pastors and Church leaders that serve in rural and small town churches.” If this is something you, or someone you know might be interested in, email me at lakecitynews@gmail.com for specific information.

The Bible says people come to faith in Christ through hearing the Word of God. Many will not hear this good news, because of the shortage of ministers of the gospel in our rural and small-town churches. The apostle Paul, in Romans had this to say. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’… faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:13-15).

Might you be one of those bringing the Good News?

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry

3 Sep

Little Towns on Back Roads

Posted by sandhillspastor in Best Life, Body of Believers, Culture, Faith, God's Word, Gospel, Great Commission, Salt and Light, Truth, Uncategorized.

Happy Labor Day. It was just four years ago that we moved our house to Lake Ericson. How time flies, it seems like yesterday.

Last Monday, we drove home from our weekend in Hershey, Nebraska. We traveled down Highway 30, instead of the Interstate. It was kind of a relaxing drive compared to good old I-80. As I mentioned last week, we had a great time meeting new friends and sharing the music and message. On our return trip, we drove through some towns that don’t get much traffic anymore, but people are living there who need to hear about Jesus.

According to the signs, and the billboards, every one of those little towns has one or more churches. I know that some of those churches are proclaiming God’s word as it is written, but I am also convinced that some are preaching a gospel that is not related to the saving gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Sadly, the gospel being preached in many places, both large and small, has very little to do with salvation from sin and its penalty. It seems I keep returning to this topic much more than I would prefer, but I know I will be held responsible to God for failing to proclaim His truth. James had this to say to those who would teach. “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).

I return to the letter written by Jude, to believers in one or more churches. He writes this: Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 3-4).

Look around. Read that last sentence from Jude again. How many ‘churches’ do you know, whose leaders are leading in that direction? There are still godly men and women who are standing firm on the Word of God. Follow them, not the wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Contending for the faith,
Pastor Jerry

13 Aug

Who Will Go?

Posted by sandhillspastor in Bible, Blessings, Body of Believers, Christian Living, Discipleship, Family of God, Great Commission, Obedience, Salvation, The Good News, Uncategorized, Witness.

The last week was a little less adventurous than the previous one. There was a funeral to attend Monday for Milrae’s cousin, and a mini-reunion of some of her extended family. The rest of our week was filled with more mundane activity. Things like doing some cleanup around the lake, shopping for groceries, and yard work. Thursday, it was Bible study for a few ladies, with men’s Bible study in the evening. We made a trip to Neligh for supper with Ryan and Alex on Friday.

Saturday evening, we were at a supper recognizing two groups of people. One group consisted of those who support our local Baptist church association by participating in a program called L4M (Livestock 4 Missions). This is a method to raise funds to support our association’s ministry, in which cattlemen donate the care of a cow or cows, with proceeds from calf sales directed to the ministry.

The second group were those who had attended the Christian Leadership course of study held over the last year. The purpose of this course is to prepare Christian men and women for ministry in their local churches.

Here are just a few things I learned from that event: The population of the 19 counties that make up the Sandhills area according to the last census is 73,845. In this part of Nebraska, there are only two cities with a population over three thousand. Fifty-three percent of Nebraska towns under 1000 population have no evangelical church. Simply put, many people in this sparsely populated area have no opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What to do? First, this challenge from the Lord himself; When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:36-38). Pray for those who will take the gospel to these rural areas.

Second, consider whether you might be one of those workers. Isaiah the prophet, in a vision heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
Isaiah answered, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

What is your response? You may email me: lakecitynews@gmail.com.

In Him,
Pastor Jerry

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