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October 2nd, 2020
Good Friday to you,
 
Today we make a transition from the month of September into what we all hope is truly the Fall of the year.  We also make a transition in our focus from 1 Peter.  Peter begins to shift his writing toward the conclusion of his epistle.  The tenor of the message shifts more directly to our life as sojourners in a foreign and hostile land.  Listen to his words:
 
“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”
(1 Peter 4:1-2)
 
Admittedly, there are some hard concepts to grasp on the surface of these words.  Remember, Peter is writing to a displaced people who have suffered greatly for the name of Jesus.  He knows their days of suffering are not over. 
 
We live in a world today which is becoming increasingly more hostile to the name of Jesus.  In fact, you can talk about any god or any religion, but the moment you speak the name of Jesus there will be fireworks.  The reason for this is that the devil does not care what a person believes as long as a person does not believe in Jesus.   Because of this, any religion is fair game except Christianity. 
 
Our world today is not so different than the world of Peter’s first readers.  There were many gods who coexisted in the ancient world.  When Christianity began to spread, it was viewed as an intolerant religion because it taught only one God and only one way to eternal life.  Nothing has changed!  That is still who we are!  Thus, the unbelieving world still hates us.
 
Peter tells his readers and us to “arm yourselves with the same way of thinking.”  In other words, since Christ suffered, we should expect to suffer as well if we believe in Him.  Now that is depressing!  But then Peter points out the positive side of suffering.  He says, “for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” What in the world does that mean?  It is possible to truly cease from sin and become sinless?  We know the answer to this is no.  What we understand from Peter is when persecution is taking place and God’s people are suffering, the focus of our lives becomes our faith.  If we are spending our time doing what is good and pleasing in the sight of God, we are able to overcome the temptations which come our way. 
 
Peter explains this in the rest of our text.  Our focus is on the will of God and not on the passions of the flesh.  Now there is an interesting thought.  If we are focused on what we are given by God to do, we will not be overcome by the temptations of the world.  Could this be the problem we see in the Church today?
 
As Christians in America we have grown soft and lazy.  Around the world the Church of Jesus Christ is growing by thousands of converts a day, while we are withering on the vine.  It is also true that the Church is growing the fastest where Christianity is persecuted.  How sad it is that with all our freedoms we have failed to seize the day for God.  We have become so wrapped up in the trappings of the world that we have lost sight of our true calling.  Because of this we have a full generation of people in our nation who cannot tell you the difference between Jesus and Santa Claus. 
 
I would like to issue a challenge to all we who are members of St. Mark’s.  It is time for us to begin once again to major in the Majors.  If any program or ministry does not serve a clear Christian purpose, then why are we doing it?  If any program or ministry does not either bring the unsaved to Jesus or disciple God’s children, is it something the church should be doing?
 
The time is short!  Our society is becoming less tolerant of true Christians.  The day could be fast approaching when Peter’s epistle to suffering Christians could be a relevant message for us.  May we make the most of our freedoms while we are still free and proclaim the name of Jesus.  The world will hate us but all of heaven will rejoice and the gates of hell will shudder.
 
In Christ,
Pastor Russ

-This will be the last independent "Letter From Pastor Russ".  You will be able to continue to see his letters every Wednesday in The Messenger.
Greetings St. Mark's,
 
October 4th, 2020 marks the 87th anniversary of World Communion Sunday. The special music from the Sanctuary Choir will feature the themes of finding commonality and connection through the sacrament of communion. 
 
"Let Us Break Bread Together" is a very well known hymn in our church with roots going back to the West African Gullah/Geechee slave culture that developed in the costal areas of South-Eastern colonial America. I wrote last year about the origin of Kumbaya Lord, Kumbaya also having it's origin in the Gullah hertitage of the South Carolina islands. Arlen Clarke, a TCU graduate (b. 1954), has written the beautiful arrangement that you'll hear on the 4th. 
 
"Come to the Feast" is by Dr. Hyun Kook of Gwangju, South Korea. I frequently joke that medical professionals make the best musicians (or perhaps that musicians make the best doctors!), but Dr. Kook does important research in the field of cardiac therapeutics. I first heard this piece sung in Korean by the Ajou University Concert choir and fell in love with the beautiful melody and writing. Carol McClure has written a wonderful English translation for this gentle piece - The repeated chorus is this:
 
Bread of redemption, Cup of salvation, 
Served by Our Savior, this sweet celebration;
Glory and honor, praise, adoration
Unto our Lord, for His table set with grace.
 
For those who may be interested in the history of World Communion Sunday, here is a short excerpt from the UMCDiscipleship.org website.  
 
On the first Sunday in October, United Methodist congregations join many Christian churches across the globe in celebrating World Communion Sunday.
 
 World Communion Sunday began at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1933. The Rev. Hugh Thompson Kerr and his congregation sought to demonstrate the interconnectedness of Christian churches, regardless of denomination. Rev. Kerr chose the sacrament of Holy Communion to symbolize this unity.    
 
In 1940, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, which included all of the predecessor denominations of The United Methodist Church, adopted World-Wide Communion Sunday. United Methodists believe in an open table, anyone may receive communion. From our UMC Book of Worship - “All who intend to lead a Christian life, together with their children, are invited to receive the bread and cup.”
 
In Christ, 
Stephen Jackson
Director of Traditional Music
St. Mark's UMC, El Paso 
If you have any needs, or just need to talk,
please contact Pastor Russ at
pastorruss@loveroad.org or 432-553-3522.
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