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The Pews have to go

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A student survey conducted at one of our local schools determined that young people see the church as being full of old people and pews. And they think that the pews have to go. There’s some good news in that survey, they didn’t say the old people should go, only the pews.

 

Think for a moment: How does their perception match reality?

 

We might immediately begin to defend the pews. They've been good enough for generations. They keep us awake. They haven’t killed anyone.

Or we might be offended that they’ve labelled us as old. We might argue that we’re not nearly as old as our grandparents were at the same age.

We might want to join James and John to ask Jesus whether we should call down fire from heaven and destroy them.

 

But before we get too defensive, these young people are crying out for the church to recognise and value them. They don’t think the church cares about them, they don’t think we care. They think the church is only interested in the people who’re already involved, which to them means old people.

 

I wonder whether they’re any different to those of any age who aren’t connected to our churches. Would the whole ‘unchurched’ and 'previously-churched’ community agree that we don’t care. Would they contend that we’re only interested in ourselves.

If we’re so busy polishing and defending our pews then they have to go. If there’s anything in our church that uses up our time at the expense of living our lives for Jesus then it has to go.

Even more urgently we have to go. Not leave the church, the community of God’s people, but go with the good news that because God loves and cares for every single person in this world so do we.

“As you go”, Jesus says, “make disciples of all nations.” Jesus cares about this because he has ‘skin-in-the-game’. He died for each and every one we encounter as we go about our lives.

How do we, as individuals and a church, need to change so that no one in our community will feel that we don’t care about them?

 

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by Dianne Eckermann

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21)

Read Matthew 25:14–30

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The parable also seems to justify giving even more to those who already have a lot and punishing those who have little; however, we know this is not at all how Jesus works. The master going on a journey and promising to return sounds much like Jesus promising to return. Jesus is not harsh or unjust, so this message is not so much about judgement but about using the gifts we have.

When the master in the parable goes away on a long journey, promising to return, he entrusts a great deal to his servants. Each servant is given an amount according to their ability, so the master is not expecting more from the servants than they can deliver. He trusts each of them. What he offers to the first two servants, who use what they have been given for his benefit, is a share in his happiness. The trust the master has given them has been nothing to be afraid of, but an opportunity to share in his joy.

In contrast, the third servant buries his gift from the master. He does not even attempt to use what he has been given, apparently because he fears what has been entrusted to him. In doing so, he is not responding to a share in the happiness his master is willing to share with him.

This parable, therefore, is about looking for opportunities to use what we have been given wisely and effectively for the sake of Jesus, who loved us so much he gave all for us.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the individual gifts you have entrusted to us, and we ask you to help us to use what we have been given in your service and for your glory. Amen.

Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.

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by Dianne Eckermann

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:13).

Read Matthew 25:1–13

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Dear Jesus, we hope for your return and ask that you keep us strong in faith as we pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’ Amen.

Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.

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by Dianne Eckermann

Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.

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Read Matthew 24:32–51

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While this might sound threatening, even frightening, the emphasis of today’s passage is the certainty that Jesus will return, and it is, therefore, filled with hope. When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven’, we are filled with hope for the promised return of Jesus. Until that time, our ordinary, everyday life continues to be filled with the extraordinary love and hope we find in Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus, for your promise to come again. Keep us filled with hope, and help us share your love with those who need it most as we wait for your kingdom. Amen.

Dianne has served in Lutheran education as a teacher, school leader and system leader at Lutheran Education Australia. Now retired from full-time work, she continues to volunteer on several committees and as a school board member. She lives in the Adelaide Hills with her husband, Robert, and is in strong demand as a babysitter for her three grandchildren.

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