Our Gift of Unquestionable Duty
“Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in reputation.” Phil. 2:29 KJV
It is no secret that the Black Church and its pastor is constantly under great scrutiny by people both inside, and outside of the church. There is much talk about what the church is or isn’t doing, and not enough talk about who the Church is, or who it belongs to, or how or why it exists. But we know that, “if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believeth not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine on them (2 Cor. 4:3-6 KJV).
It’s a known fact that wherever the gospel is preached, unless it falls on deaf ears, it has the power to change lives. It’s called the gospel because it’s the good news about the relationship between sinful man and merciful God. But we can’t hear it without a preacher. And he can’t preach unless he be sent. Pastor Washington came preaching the gospel at Shiloh more than 30 years ago, and to this day we are blessed because not only have our ears been unclogged, but our hearts also. The truth of God’s Word is powerful. Thank you Pastor, for the good news!
Unbelief is Sin, and Sin is bondage. The only way that we can be set free from the slavery of Sin is to believe in the Lord Christ Jesus. Only He can obliterate it; and the only way to truly believe in Jesus is to know Him. Pastor’s latest sermon series, “Getting to Know Jesus,” is our re-introduction to knowing him. Without a doubt, there is no denying that it is with the burning passion of Pastor’s preaching and teaching, and that of our associates and pulpit ministry that the truth of who God is makes all the difference in who we are, and what we believe. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through him. John 14:6 NKJV. His truth sets us free.
October is Clergy Appreciation Month and in preparing to honor Pastor, and our pulpit ministry I looked for biblical examples of Christian leadership in the Christian Church and discovered the relationship between Paul, Timothy & Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus, perhaps the least known of the three, was a Christian from Philippi who had been sent by the Philippian church to present a sacrificial gift, comfort, and help to Paul in his first imprisonment. While there he fell ill and almost died, but he recovered; and thanking the church for their gift Paul sent “Pap” back to the Church so that they would know his own joy, and relief that “Pap’s” life had been spared. Far from looking for piety, it upset “Pap” to think that the news of his illness had caused the church anxiety. In being there for Paul, he put himself aside to meet the greater need. Paul called him a fellow Christian, a fellow missionary, and a fellow combatant of evil.
Paul, Timothy & Epaphroditus were united in the mission; all great men of God, and all great men of service and humility to the Philippian Church (Phil.2:29-30), and in comparison so are Pastor Washington, Dr. Kelvin Redmond, Minister Vincent Golston, Minister Julius Jones & Minister Marshall Washington. They didn’t have it then, but Clergy Appreciation Month is a time set aside to pay tribute to our pastors, preachers and teachers, and it’s a good time to give them their flowers while they can smell them. Like Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus, our pastor and ministers are unselfishly doing a great work, and we count them worthy of honor, just like these biblical spiritual giants.
It’s not the only time, but it’s our time to thank them for their obedience and their sacrifice. It’s our time to lift them up and to encourage them. It’s our time to pray for them and their families. It’s our time to shower them with the love of Christ, and for us to live out the Word that we’ve been taught, and seen by their example.
Pastor said it, and I’ll repeat it: “God is at work on us and in us. He’s working with the intent of making us like His Son Jesus. Through sanctification and reconciliation He has changed the nature of our relationship with Him. He took the initiative because we could not do it ourselves. As the result we are saved, not just for ourselves but for others also.”
We thank God for Pastor Washington and our brother-ministers who have answered the call to serve at him at Shiloh and abroad. They are men of unquestionable duty, and I believe that we are all at our best when our duty becomes natural to us and we selflessly serve one another. We are blessed when we esteem others higher than ourselves.
Our clergy is our gift from God, and in Pastor Washington we have one who takes his calling seriously, and surrounds himself with men who are like-minded. None of us are perfect, but we are in the process of becoming……….. More like Jesus; and no matter what people are saying about the Church, we believe God, and we believe that He watches over His Church and the leadership that He chooses.
Thank You Pastor Washington, and all of our associate ministers. We love you.
~In recognition of Clergy Appreciation 2022 on Behalf of the Shiloh Church Family
Submitted by Deaconess Irene Gardon
Note: There is no disrespect in the reference to “Pap”, as Epaphroditus’ name. Its brevity is used In the interest of time. Its Greek meaning is handsome.
Because that’s What Family Does
“He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings and raises up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21 NKJV
September for us, is the time on our church calendar where we focus our prayers on the family. It is a time when our children go back to school, and vacation from a long hot summer comes to a close. It is a time of refreshing and renewal as the seasons begin to change. Some things die, and others breakthrough anew. For us this year, I am praying for breakthrough.
And maybe this year for us it will be a time of homecoming. After more than two years of Covid & the Pandemic the CDC (Center for Disease Control whom we’ve all become so familiar with) has relaxed its guidelines, and people are returning to their offices. The face masks have come off, and zoom meeting are becoming a thing of the past. No more skypes. No more separations. The implication is there, but this in no way means that Covid is over. While many have been vaccinated and boosted many have not and I think we still have to be careful. It is still a transmissible disease, and we must continually be concerned about others, and ourselves.
We can all agree that these Covid times have been the worst of times and our families have been tremendously impacted. We’ve been shut-in. Not knowing if it would end, or how, many of us have not been able to touch or hug one another for two years. Some of us have not seen each other for as long. In these two years, we have had new babies born that we could not hold or see. We have had to cancel, or re-schedule weddings, and other celebrations because we could not safely gather.
We have lost many loved ones and missed funerals of those whose lives we could not celebrate because of unsafe conditions. Lots has happened and lots have changed and we have longed to take a sigh of relief and this may be the time, but mere chance, nor blind fate has gotten us here. Our sovereign God, who oversees what He allows has been faithful. His Word tells us that, “He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings and raises up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21 NKJV.
We’ve made it this far because the “Master” has kept His Word. He promised never to leave or forsake us. It is He who effects change. Regardless of the outcome, our sovereign God is in complete control. Knowing this, I declare that this be a time of homecoming for us— in our individual families and in our church family.
As we pray continually and intercede for one another and for our children going out into the world my prayer is that we will renew our commitment to each other. With renewed energy and strong faith in a Faithful God, we will lift up the name of Jesus. There is no way we can make it without Him. He is Worthy, He is Righteous, and He is be exalted!
New seasons bring new energy. For sure there will be many new challenges that we will have to face, and obstacles to overcome, and prayerfully we will face them together. I know, “because that’s what family does.”
I Sin…
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21 NJKV
Reflecting on Pastor’s past sermons, I don’t know if we understand the depths of Sin, or how it impacts us. We know there is a devil, and we proclaim that he made us do it, i.e. Serve Sin. Recently, in the midst of the night, just before dawn I was awakened with the question, what did God do with Sin? Why is it still here?
It was a question that caused me to sit up, and get up. Much like my least favorite commercial it was something that I had to ponder. Have you seen the commercial of a full grown male sitting on the beach eating strawberry licorice and wondering ‘Why can’t I wear white after Labor Day?’ How silly. Of all the things to think about, I found myself thinking about Sin. Not so silly. When I see the commercial I think does this man have nothing better to do than sit on the beach, and worry about wearing white after Labor Day? Aren’t there more serious matter, like Sin? Make the decision already and move on.
But the question of sin is not like that. It won’t leave me alone. It’s a three letter word with “I” in the middle. It won’t let go of its grip on me, and it bothers me because I feel that all that is wrong in the world is caused by that three letter word with “I” in the middle. We’ve heard countless sermons on Sin, but I’m not sure we understand it. I’m not sure if I understand it. I get its impact, but I don’t know how to stop it. I know that God hates it. I know that it offends Him. I know that He became Sin for us. I know that we are servants of Sin. That makes Sin our Master, but I don’t know how to retire from it. I don’t know why I can’t leave it alone, or why it won’t leave me alone. It’s hard for us to confess our sins because we think we’re ok, or maybe it’s just me. Am I in control of it, or is it in control of me, I wonder.
When I looked for a definition of Sin that I could understand The Ferdmans Bible Dictionary said this; “Sin in essence is the failure or refusal of human beings to live the life intended for them by God, their creator. The biblical terminology for sin as an act (and its commission) as well as a human condition is extensive. In the Hebrew (verb) it is synonymous with “missing the mark,” “fail,” or related words “transgress,” “ iniquity,” or “wicked” in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament terminology, in the Greek (Noun), it is defined as “evil,” “injustice, unrighteousness” and related words “transgress, and “lawlessness.” Ferdmans goes on to say, “Sin as a characteristic of human beings is manifested in the committing of “sins,” individual acts of rebellion against God and against expressions of his intentions for humanity. Sin in its ultimate sense is offense against God.”
O yea, God is Holy and I think we tend to forget that because we cannot see Him. But when I think of His holiness, I begin to understand how offensive my thoughts, behavior, and attitude can be, in light of who He is, I immediately want to hide. But hiding isn’t the answer. Pastor said it in his series of sermons on “Becoming,” in the ministry of reconciliation, God alone has provided what He required, and through the pleasure of His goodwill, and the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, and now we are the children of God: His sons and daughters. We’re in the family. He is my Father, and even when I fall short of His glory, My Father who is God corrects me, but He never stops loving me.
The Bible has a lot to say about Sin. We know that its origin began with mankind’s fall “in the garden.” We know that sin arises not out of the creation of mankind, but rather from the way in which mankind exercises free will. When we deny the truth of God’s Word (What has God Said!?) then we are exhibiting the behavior of Sin. When we deny who Christ is and what He has done, we are serving Sin.
To hear him clearly, we must understand who God is. And we must obey. The fundamental effect of sin on us is alienation from God, but He redeemed us. Formerly separated, He brought us back to Himself. Through Jesus Christ, He made a way. Scripture tells us that He has always wanted a relationship with us. He came for us. We did not go looking for Him. In the “Becoming” Sermon, Pastor said that God wrapped Himself up in human skin, and came down from Heaven- to be with us. He came through a virgin birth in the Person of His Son. He allowed Himself to be disrespected, although He is King; to be spat upon, although He is crowned in glory; to be mocked, although He is the judge, and He made a mockery of Sin and death by His victory over it all.
I am guilty of every offense against God, and so unworthy. That’s my sin nature. But in those moments when I am feeling the most-guilty, I am reminded of His forgiveness and His sacrifice. “I” may be in the middle of Sin, but Jesus is on the throne of Heaven making intercession for me- and you.
What did Jesus do with Sin? He squashed it, and I am free! The God of Heaven reigns.