Advent Day 4 – Calling of Abraham

Posted on December 5, 2013 by David Nuottila

abraham

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. Genesis 12:1-2

It is true that, because of modern marvels in technology and transportation our world is becoming a smaller place. People pick up and go here and there, move from one place to another and sometimes settle in foreign lands all for the sake of getting ahead. Yet, there are places where many families have put down roots and stayed in the land of their ancestors. Either way, as part of a mobile society or not it is difficult to imagine God’s call to Abram, telling him to leave the land of his ancestors and travel to an unknown destination where he will live the rest of his life.

When God spoke to Abram, he heard and believed. Abram followed, without question, the God who promised to make him the father of a great nation. He heard, believed and obeyed God’s command. There is no indication that Abram understood why God called him to such action. Questions he could have asked might be “Why God, why must I leave my home?” What purpose for my life is there that I must leave everything behind?” But Abram acted in faith, obeyed God and followed Him to the place where God would have him go.

Establishing His covenant with Abram, God gave him a new name; Abraham, meaning Father of Many Nations. Through Abraham God would work His purposes of redemption for our fallen humanity. God promised Abraham that throughout the generations, his descendants would be blessed and a blessing for many. And through this lineage would come the One who would be Messiah for God’s people, Christ the Lord.

Christians throughout the world, grafted through Holy Baptism into this covenant between God and Abraham, are also called to leave behind their old way of life in order to obey and follow. Because we are saved by the blood of the One whom God raised up through the family of Abraham, we too are blessed and called to be a blessing for others. Christians have the gift of the gospel of Christ to share with a world fallen and separated from God. God’s purpose for Abraham was the founding of a great nation from which the Messiah would come and save His people. God’s purpose for those saved by his grace is to follow and obey, sharing this good news of salvation through Christ the Lord. As we continue this Advent journey, we proclaim the truth of God’s grace and invite others to sing with us; “Amen, Come Lord Jesus!”

Holy God, you come to us at this time of Advent calling us to obey and follow where you would have us go. Give us faith that we may do your will and share the good news of salvation through the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Advent Day 3 – The Flood

Posted on December 4, 2013 by David Nuottila

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For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. Genesis 6:17-18

In the centuries following humanity’s fall into sin, the world and all that was in it became corrupt. The evil nature of man had taken over every aspect of life and God’s judgment fell upon the world He once called good. With all that had taken place from Adam and Eve’s banishment from the garden and following Cain’s killing his brother Abel, it became clear that creation had refused to honor God, instead choosing to honor itself. In so many ways, creation chose the deceiver’s lie over God’s truth and decided to worship creature over Creator.

Yet, even as a sinner Noah found favor with God. Scripture tells us that Noah “was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God” Genesis 6:9.  In Noah we see that even as creation had fallen, there was one who accepted his status as creature and God’s as Creator. Throughout the narrative of the flood there is one refrain that repeats over and over; “And Noah did all that God commanded.” Noah realized God’s commands were promises for life and through Noah we have the first revelation that faithfulness is possible even in this world. Through faith in God’s promises, God brought salvation to Noah and his family through the ark.

In the centuries following Noah, the world is still one that is fallen into sin. In terms of saving ourselves we no better off today than were the generations before the flood. Still, the narrative of Noah teaches us that faithfulness is possible. As we hear the words of prophecy concerning Jesus during Advent, we begin to understand that even as we cannot keep God’s laws, we receive His commands as promises for life. Even as we cannot save ourselves from sin and death, God brings salvation to His people through the one promised to be Savior. God invited Noah and his family into the ark as a means for salvation. Today, God invites the human family into his presence through the blood of Christ who is salvation for all of humankind.

Mighty and everlasting God, Just as you saved Noah and his family from the waters of the flood, so too have you saved your people through the sacrifice of your Son. We give you thanks for your mercy and grace and look forward to the day when you make all things new in the fullness of your kingdom. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Advent Day 2 – Sin and the Fall

Posted on December 3, 2013 by David Nuottila

DSC_0022But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

When God created the heavens and the earth He declared that everything was good. Indeed, all that God had created, the plant life, animals and yes, even humans; everything God had made was good. Yet we look at our world today and we can say with certainty what God once said was good has fallen. In their desire to become like God, Adam and Eve disobeyed the One who is the author of all life and followed the lies of the serpent in the garden.

Created in God’s image and likeness, Adam and Eve knew the goodness of God’s love. In fact, it was all they knew; there was no need for any other understanding. The serpent, however, used his skills in deception to lead Adam and Eve into a life of disobedience. After eating from the forbidden tree, their eyes were opened but not to what they had hoped. Instead of becoming as God, they had become separated from God.

No longer sinless, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden. They could no longer walk with God or talk with Him. The only way to restore the relationship they enjoyed before their fall, would be for Adam and Eve to remove the stain of sin, but this is not something humanity has the ability to do. Yet even in the garden, God promised to rescue his fallen children, the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head conquering evil forever. We understand this to be the first instance of God’s promise of a Savior which is Christ the Lord.

God promised a savior who would take away the sin of the world. Today, on this second day of Advent we have the blessing of God’s salvation, grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus paid the ransom for our sin. Now, living in a restored relationship with our God, we await Christ’s coming again and His revealing the fullness of the kingdom of heaven.

Heavenly Father, in your goodness and mercy you gave your only Son as sacrifice for our sin. We give you thanks for your mercy and ask that you guide us by your Holy Spirit that we may follow your ways and live according to your will. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

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Advent Day 1 – In the Beginning

Posted on December 3, 2013 by David Nuottila

man-prayingIn the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:1-3

Have you seen something wonderful today? Have you noticed the beauty of God’s creation all around you? The world we live in is filled with beautiful things, trees, lakes, rivers, animals; the list goes on. All of these and everything else is the result of the creating love of God. Sometimes I wonder if we can even imagine the conditions before God said “Let there be…” I believe we humans cannot begin to understand the formlessness and void of creation in the beginning. Yet God said, “Let there be…” And it came to be.

As Christians all over the world begin to observe the Advent of our Lord Jesus, we do so by recalling the history of our salvation through Christ, which begins of course, in the beginning. As we read Holy Scripture, we believe Christ was present in the creation of all there is. The opening verses of the Gospel according to John teach us “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4 The Creation narrative teaches us that apart from God there is no life or light.

Still, even today so many continue to discount God’s creating love in the beginning. Many also continue to deny the presence of God in the world or in their lives. Yet, the simple fact remains, without God there is nothing. Without God humans have no purpose. Without the love of God in Christ Jesus, the people of the world walk in the darkness of their sin and their reality is such that they have no hope for salvation.

Jesus is the light of the world; he is the one in whom we find hope. Through Christ, God’s Word incarnate, the people of God once again walk in the light of God’s mercy. Our lives are not formless, they are not void, rather, they are filled with the purpose of proclaiming the gospel and the vocation of love for our neighbor. Today we find ourselves at the beginning of Advent. We find ourselves as sinners awaiting the celebration of our Savior’s entrance into earthly life in order to rescue God’s people from sin and death. Today we find ourselves at the beginning, understanding Christ’s presence in the beginning of time and the creative nature of God’s love.

Thank you God for this beautiful world in which we live. Thank you for each person you have created in your image. Most of all, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our light and our life. Amen.

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Appreciating my pastors

Posted on October 3, 2013 by David Nuottila

IMG_2118As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:15

It has come to my attention that October is Pastor Appreciation Month. While I appreciate the sentiment, I’m sure I join many other pastors who would agree there should be a Ministry Appreciation Month as well. Pastoral ministry is not always easy and at times it is downright frustrating. But even with the ups and downs of serving in such office, pastoral ministry is always a joy. That is because pastors are not in ministry by themselves. The ministry of the Church of Christ is shared between pastor and people, shepherd and flock.

I remember the several pastors I have had throughout my life. There have been some very faithful pastors whom I’ve known as my spiritual shepherd and guide. To simply say they had an impact on my life would be understating their importance. My pastors are those who interpreted Holy Scripture in a way that I could understand the truth of the gospel. They preached sermons that helped me recognize those instances where I was faithful, but at the same time showed me just how much I depend on God’s mercy and grace in times when faithfulness escapes me. My pastors taught me about Holy Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, using my spiritual gifts and how to love those whom it is difficult to love. Yes, they had an impact, but it goes much deeper than that.

My pastors are also the ones who equipped the lay members of my church to guide me in faith. They empowered lay persons to be teachers and mentors for me as I was advancing in my youth. The influence of my pastors was felt through the gentle touch of youth group leaders, youth choir directors and Sunday school teachers. Without my pastor’s involvement in their faith formation, the lay members of my congregation would not have been able to raise me as a child surrounded by the faithful witness of the saints. You see, pastoral ministry includes preparing lay people for ministry just as much as it includes ministering to them.

Sometimes I am saddened that society has allowed the world to invade so deeply into the lives of Christians. When I was a child, my life and the life of my family revolved around the Church. Many of my friends would say the same goes for them. We remember a time when Sunday was a time for worship, Sunday school and churchly activities. Wednesdays brought fellowship and Christian learning to the family as we gathered for meals and group activities at the church. The church was more than a place where we felt we had to go; it was a place where we wanted to be. I believe that is because there was an understanding of the mutual ministry between pastor and people and a longing to live in the relationship of shepherd and flock.

Today we have more of a consumer’s attitude toward church. The church is where we go to get a good feeling, to be refreshed and energized for the week ahead. We put a limit on the amount of time we are willing to give on Sunday morning. Families searching for a church evaluate one against another by the number and type of programs they offer. The dynamic is one of “What can I get from the Church” versus “What can I bring to the church.” Pastors are often the first to recognize this as it is played out among the people. Yet, even as they recognize it, the culture is one that is most difficult to overcome. In my particular instance, this is where I am most grateful and appreciative to the pastors I have had over the span of my life.

From these faithful shepherds I learned the importance of loving the flock. Each and every member of our congregation is unique in their life’s journey and calling. each church member brings experiences and gifts that enhance my ministry in ways they will never know. My pastors also taught me the importance of modeling a Christian behavior, in times when I am faithful and especially in times when faithfulness escapes me. For if I am not able to exhibit what it means to be a sinner redeemed through the blood of Christ, how can I expect others to follow? There is also one more lesson taught to me by my pastors, the lesson of perseverance.

In order to change the culture of consumerism in the Church, one must be willing to put in the time and effort. One must also be ready to spend several lonely hours each week ministering to the trickle of people who attend the Bible studies, fellowship groups and mentoring sessions. A pastor must also be ready for the eventual rejection by potential congregational leaders, teachers and mentors when making such requests. There is a reluctance to serve among those most capable and an over eagerness by others. In such cases, it is the pastor’s duty to persevere and to love each member while further equipping them for the sake of ministry in the gospel.

I’m grateful to those who have expressed their appreciation. Actually, folks in my congregation do a good job of making me feel appreciated. I am also very appreciative for the pastors I have had over the years. They all, in one way or another, have shaped me to be the pastor I am today. There will always be room for improvement. Even as I am a pastor, there will always be a pastor serving as my shepherd leading me to faithfulness. Thank you Father for the blessing of pastors. May we always recognize them as our shepherds along our journey of faith, as they lead us to follow the Good Shepherd who is Christ the Lord.

Photo:  “Pastor Nuttly”  A gift from my confirmation class of 2008.

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