Pastor's Note - Winter 2023

Living 2023 for That Day

by Pastor Dave White

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." -1 Corinthians 15:58

Have you made resolutions for 2023? Reflection on the past and where we’re headed for the future is an important activity and necessary spiritual discipline. In Luke 14:25-33 Jesus describes the calling of discipleship to renounce the world, take up a cross, and count the cost to determine if we’re really willing to be hitched to Jesus’ wagon.

Where do we find the motivation for such radical discipleship? The famous missionary, Jim Elliot, was martyred on January 8, 1956 when he was only 28 years old. He wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” He lived out this belief, laying down his life for the unreached Auca tribe living in the remote rainforests of Ecuador. Jim’s selfless devotion that led to the ultimate sacrifice was rooted in his utter certainty that God’s promises were true, and eternal rewards awaited him. He lived his short life in anticipation of That Day. Its impact continues in this world and will resound in the world to come.

Usually our resolutions have long faded by the time February rolls around, but 1 Corinthians 15:58 points us to the only true source for faithful discipleship, the motivation for prolonged obedience. As you probably know, 1 Corinthians 15 is the most extended discussion of the resurrection in the New Testament. It describes the utter trustworthiness of this historical event, attested by literally hundreds of eye-witnesses (vv. 3-8). Paul articulates the significance of the resurrection to our faith and the wonder of what’s in store with our own resurrection on That Day. But instead of finishing this stirring chapter with a call to hold on and wait for the end, Paul exhorts us to radical productivity in the here and now. The Christian hope is not “pie-in-the-sky” but the reality that the kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus and our lives are an invitation to build for something eternal. Living in an opulent culture with so many distractions that titillate but don’t satisfy, we are encouraged to “take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19).

What captures your imagination? Do you meditate on that eternal hope? Are you living each day for That Day? The Bible says Jesus is returning to reward those who have “loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). He wants us to be captivated by his beauty, the hope of his kingdom coming in fullness. This is the motivation that has propelled God’s people to joyful service over the millennia – even to the point of death! Anticipation of the new world drives service in this one.

One of the metaphors used in the New Testament is that members of the Church are like “living stones…being built up as a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). This means each of us possesses a unique life designed by God to fit an important place in his “temple,” his eternal plan that is coming to fruition. There is specific work that you were created to fulfill for his glory and the increase of his kingdom! Rather than fading resolutions, may God give us a renewed vision of living for him in 2023, investing our time, treasure, and talents not in the vain, perishable things of this world, but building the enduring kingdom that can’t be shaken (Hebrews 12:28)!