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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Thursday, May 1, 2008 9:56 PM CDT
CLERGY VIEWS: Itss a season to participate with believers

By Rev. Rich Shugert, Good Prospect Cumberland, Presbyterian Church, Trilla

Seasons change. Spring is here, with the farmers in the fields, buds on the trees and bushes, and children and teachers with spring fever.

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1 wrote, “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven.”

That was not a blanket approval of every good and bad behavior. The truth is that wisdom makes room for the changing of seasons in our lives while holding onto the God of our future.

There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest. It’s not hard to welcome new births and spring. It takes a little more effort to welcome death and taxes.

My father is 89. He recently developed a serious infection in his blood that put him into a hospital ICU. He is on a ventilator, eating through a feeding tube and is heavily sedated. He is going through a difficult season in his life.

However, he is still fighting for the future. When I told him that the St. Louis Cards lost a game to the Cincinnati Reds, his blood pressure rose. Seasons come and go. Hope pulls us through.

Understanding how to get the most out of each season takes looking into the future.

The farmer who sees the benefit of the harvest will make the effort to till the ground, fertilize and plant the seeds.

The student who envisions the benefit of good education will study, learn and find applications for productive work.

The Christian who understands the benefit of Jesus’ salvation and lordship in his or her life will willingly worship, study, fellowship and serve with other believers.

I see hope for the Church of Jesus Christ.

Jesus in Matthew 16 observed that many of us can interpret the changes in weather, but we can’t all seem to interpret the signs of the times. In a world when different groups had many opinions about Jesus, Peter chose to spend time with Jesus, believe and confess that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Jesus told him and the other disciples that upon the foundational rock of that confession, He would build His Church.

The government of the Kingdom of God will rule in the hearts and minds and actions of believers when they spend time together, love one another and openly live out their faith.

The rule of Jesus’ Kingdom is forgiveness. His death and resurrection forgave our sins and makes us right with God.

Wake up and act like you believe it. His Church will grow because He’s building His Church. We can choose to be a part of His building projects or hide in the shadows.

The signs of the times are not controlled by politicians, the media, the economy, various violent religious groups or the change in weather patterns.

Benjamin Franklin is reported to have said that God rules in the affairs of men and women. The signs of the times are that the Church of Jesus Christ is coming alive.

Come to church and hear this message — Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.

The increase of His government and His peace will not end. We have a future. We have an influence on our culture.

Know the signs of the times. It’s a season to participate with believers. Discover a renewed relationship with Jesus and His followers.

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My Point of View wrote on May 2, 2008 8:36 AM:

" Rev. Shugert, sometimes is is hard to participate with believers. I have been attending a christian church close to my home for 9 months. The preacher is young and he is fantastic. I am ready to become a member of this church. Here is the policy of the elders; you must be baptised. I was baptised by the method of soaking during a church service. The elders of the church I am attending now say that was not good enough. My baptism was very special and means alot to me. I do not want nor do I feel the need to be baptised again. I have been told by friends to find a different church but I really relate to this preacher and he does feel my baptism was good enough but he has to follow the orders of the elders. Here is one for you, I was baptised in your church. "

medic57 wrote on May 4, 2008 8:00 AM:

" Time for some new elders, was the thief on the cross baptised before he went to paradise? "

My Point of View wrote on May 6, 2008 11:44 AM:

" NO he was not. I can not remember the scripture number but I do remember reading that baptism is through the grace of God but performed by the hands of man. If that scripture is true then it does not matter where, how, or who, as long as you have the love of god in your heart when you made the decision to be baptised. "