From The Pastor’s Desk:
First Love Revelation chapters 2 and 3 contain letters from Jesus written to 7 first century churches. Imagine that… What would it be like if Jesus wrote a letter to Trinity Church today? The first letter is addressed to the church in Ephesus. At first, it sounds like the Ephesus church is a really good church. Jesus says: “I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance.” (Rev. 2:2) This is a hard-working, busy church. I imagine them running programs for the hungry in the community; holding great children’s and youth ministries; supporting missionaries and sending out mission groups. I imagine a church where people are eager to volunteer, and willing to share freely of their time and talents. More than that, Jesus says: “I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, and that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not.” (Rev. 2:2) So this is a church that is concerned about theological purity. They preach biblical sermons, and they have a careful screening process for their leaders. They will not teach anything false or misleading. Like I said, this was a good church. It was probably a growing church. The kind of church that people around town talked about in a positive way. But Jesus adds: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” (Rev. 2:4) As good as the church in Ephesus was, they had this one flaw, and it threatened to make everything else they did pointless. They forgot their first love. They were missing Jesus. This is an important reminder for every church, including Trinity Church: if Jesus is not at the center of what we do, then it doesn’t matter how hard working or theologically precise we are. It doesn’t matter how big our crowds or what people say about us. If we are missing Jesus, we are missing the point. This is an important reminder for every church, including Trinity Church: if Jesus is not at the center of what we do, then it doesn’t matter how hard working or theologically precise we are. It doesn’t matter how big our crowds or what people say about us. If we are missing Jesus, we are missing the point. There are two senses in which that phrase “first love” can be read. One is chronological. There is a sense that Jesus is calling on the Ephesians (and us) to remember what it was that brought them to church in the first place. He’s asking them to go back to the first time they really “got” the gospel—the sense of love and excitement that comes from understanding that Jesus died for you. For me, I think of the night at Inspiration Hills when I was in 6th grade—the night I took a stick representing my sin and threw it into the fire, knowing without a doubt that Jesus forgave me and had a purpose for my life. Jesus does not want us to let that sense of wonder and passion fade away. Every day we should be overwhelmed by the fact that Jesus loves us. The other sense of the phrase “first love” is priority. Jesus is reminding the Ephesians (and us) of the first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37-38) Jesus demands to come first. The programs and the ministries and the Bible studies and the crowds are nice—but they are not the point. If they do not point people to Jesus, and help them to know Him and love Him and serve Him, then there is no sense in doing them at all. My prayer for Trinity Church is that we will never forsake our first love. No matter what programs we run, no matter how many people join our church, no matter what nice things people say about us—let us never forget that Jesus is the point. And so, let me ask you: how is your love for Jesus? Is it still as strong as when you first learned about Him? Do you still feel the thrill of knowing that the God of the universe loves you? And is He first in your life? Is He the reason you attend church and serve in our ministries? Is it all about Him or something else? Let’s not forsake our first love.
September Birthdays
September 6 - Ron Negan, Carly Kramer
September 8 - *Adrian Bobb
September 9 - Dorothy Nelsen
September 10 - *Abebja Kelly Bent
September 12 - Louis Miller
September 16 - Sam Cordes
September 18 - Ellah Klingenborg
September 23 - Frances Fank
September 24 - Ben Ackerman, Destiny Jones
September 28 - Ami Cordes
September 30 - Tripp Ulfers
* Missionary Family Birthday
September Anniversaries
September 17 - Chad & Rebecca Jones
September 25 - Matt & Michelle Eberline
September 26 - Michael & Natasha Shafer
September Sound/Projector Operator Schedule
September 7- Parker Merritt
September 14 - Parker Merritt
September 21 - Matt Eberline
September 28 - Ryan Fleshner
Video Operator Schedule
September 7 - James Seehusen
September 14 - Michael Shafer
September 21 - Lucas Junker
September 28 - Jodi Bangasser
September Praise Team Schedule
September 7 - Praise Team 1 (Kelly)
September 14 - Praise Team 2 (Ruth)
September 21 - Praise Team 3(Kelly/Greta)
September 28 - Praise Team 4 (Denise)
Greeting & Refreshments for Fellowship Time
Sept. 7 – Angie & Steve Van Ellen, Gary & Denise Abbas
Sept. 14 - Colton & Ellah Klingenborg, Troy & Kristol Ulrich
Sept. 21 –Chad & Jamie Osterbuhr, Barb DeBoer
Sept. 28 - Robert & Kristen Wix, Ethan & Shelby Ulfers