I am beginning to think again about the events that lead up to the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus as this coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. To be perfectly honest, I am saddened that we will not be able to have our typical Maundy Thursday evening together as a church due to the social distancing we are maintaining; but I am not going to let that dampen my wonder and amazement at the great things that God has done to bring about my reconcilliation with himself! I am praying that the Lord will help you maintain the same kind of awe! 

So, as a part of my devotional reading today I was reading from John Piper’s little booklet, “Fifty Reasons Jesus Came to Die”, and reason number 18 was: To Heal Us from Moral and Physical Sickness. Those are timely thoughts for us as we face the Covid virus, aren’t they? He opened the chapter with the fact that Jesus suffered and died so that disease would one day be utterly destroyed. Doctor Piper referenced Matthew 8:16-17 as he opened his article. Let me take you with me into that account of Jesus’ healing ministry. 

14 And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” 

Jesus arrived in Peter’s house and found that Peter’s mother-in-law had a fever. (Evidently, Peter had kindly taken in his mother-in-law, who was apparently a widow.) Jesus did not wait for anyone to ask for help. He touched her hand, the fever left, and she rose and served them (8:14–15). It is a sweet little picture of discipleship. Young or old, male or female: When Jesus touches us and raises us, we rise and serve him. That night, Matthew reports, the healing continued. Jesus cast out demons with a word and healed everyone who was sick (8:16). The cures were simple and complete. There are reports of other healers who operated during this era, but their methods were quite different, attempting exorcism or using potions and incantations. 

Jesus’ methodology was entirely different, and for a specific purpose. He healed by his powerful word. He healed all who came to him (though he performed fewer miracles at times; Mark 6:5–6). He never tried and hoped for the best. He fulfilled all his purposes. That is why the people flocked to him. 

Still, Jesus never intended to heal every sick person in Israel. Indeed, during this very season, Luke says Jesus once walked away from a crowd that sought healing and explained, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43). 

But both Jesus and Matthew want us to see that miracles point beyond themselves. Matthew therefore says Jesus “healed all the sick … to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases’ ” (Matt. 8:16–17; Isa. 53:4). 

This is what makes me sit in open mouthed awe of my Father’s love for us in sending His Son to bear my sin on the cursed tree as Galatians 3:13 says: 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for 

us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. Isaiah and Matthew point to the larger reason that Jesus did the miracles and the healing that He did… it was to point you and me toward the truth that “When Christ came into the world, he was on a mission to accomplish global redemption. He signaled his purpose by healing many people in his lifetime… This was a preview of what was coming at the end of history when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 

Matthew wants us to see the concepts of grief and disease almost interchangeably. We may not think that way, but the Bible says grief and sickness are related, directly or indirectly, to sin. Sin, grief, and sickness are a complex; God would deliver us from all three. 

Some disease is directly related to sin. For example, alcoholics suffer cirrhosis of the liver. Yet most illness is indirectly caused by sin. Congenital diseases are ordinarily a result of the fall and the curse; only in rare occasions do they directly result from the sins of the parents. If Adam and Eve had never sinned, there would be no disease or death. 

Likewise, some sorrows are directly caused by sin. Habitual liars find that no one believes them. When they say they repent of their lies, no one believes that either, even if they have truly repented. Liars bring that sorrow on themselves. But many sorrows are indirect results of sin—the sins of others. For example, the people of all totalitarian regimes suffer indirectly, due to the sins of their leaders. 

Sadly, almost everyone suffers grief this way. The sin of a teacher, a boss, a political leader, or a relative causes us sorrow. We suffer when a friend or even a spouse betrays or abandons us. 

The Bible stresses that Jesus bears our sins. It also says he bore our griefs and diseases because they are all connected. Sin is the root of all grief, disease, and brokenness. Therefore, when Jesus bore our sin, he granted us complete healing, in principle. The way Christ defeated death and disease was by taking them on Himself and carrying them with him to the grave. God’s judgment on the sin that brought disease was endured by Jesus when He suffered and died. The horrible flogging of our Savior Jesus bought a world to come without disease. 

One day all disease, Covid 19 and all, will be banished from God’s redeemed creation. There will be a new earth. We will have new bodies. Death will be swallowed up by everlasting life. All who love Christ will sing songs of thanksgiving to the Lamb who was slain to redeem us from sin and death and disease. 

Love Pastor Richard Burguet

Piper, John (2006) Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. 

Doriani, D. M. (2008). Matthew & 2. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 337). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing. 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 8:14–17). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. 

The Valley of Vision

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

You have brought me too the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see you in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold your glory.

Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime the stars can be seen from the deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter your stars shine; 

Let me find in your light my darkness, your life in my death, your joy in my sorrow, your grace in my sin, your riches in my poverty, your glory in my valley. Amen.

Dear New Hope,

This is the first devotion that we will be sending out over the next little while, as we practice “social separation” to try and slow the advance of the Corona virus.  The prayer above is the opening prayer in a little book that I often go to personally to help guide my heart into prayer, (especially if I find that I am struggling or distracted).  It is from a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions by men like Thomas Watson, Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, David Brainerd and others. [If you don’t have a copy of this book, you ought to consider it!  Amazon gives me no percentage of sales!] My point in sharing this gem of a prayer today is that it is a great perspective on the life of a Christian as we struggle to live in God’s grace in this fallen world.  I am reminded that God’s ways, and God’s values are far too often not the ways and values that my heart is drawn toward, so I appreciate this prayer’s perspective as a correction to my self-centered heart and affections.  Let me encourage you to pray the words above out-loud as you read them.  Sometimes I think hearing my own voice speak these truths helps cement them into my own thinking.

So, as I thought about what direction I would point us for today’s thoughts I scanned the shelves in my library here at the church, just sort of looking for something that would spark my interest and be encouraging for you.  I almost don’t want to tell you that on one of my shelves the books are pretty unorganized.  Here is a sequential list of titles: 101 Portraits of Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures, 52 Children’s Sermons, Master’s Secrets of Turkey Hunting (how did that book land there?), The Spirit of Revival, Respectable Sins, What do Presbyterians Believe and Mere Christianity.  There are more, but you get the point… unorganized, random titles.  It sort of represents the way I think sometimes.  Reflecting on the random clutter on my shelves I was again pointed to the fact that I often see life in the same kind of way.  And sometimes not at all from the perspective of grace!  One of the men who mentored me as a young pastor, Paul Settle published a short book called Changeless Truths in a Changing World wherein he takes the chapters of the Westminster Confession of Faith, and using anecdotes and application teaches the truths those chapters contain.  There!  That’s it!  That’s what we need… changeless truths in a changing world!

In the third chapter of the WCOF the writers look at the Scriptures and what they have to say about the decrees of God.  That chapter of the confession, as much as any other one, helps us to see that life is not just a jumbled conglomeration of unconnected events that have no design, meaning or purpose.  The truth is that sometimes we look at life like that because we cannot see the whole picture.  We don’t have the drone’s eye view from our GoPro cameras.  We see less of the world than the ants on our driveway sees of our front yard! (Yes, the ants are bad in my yard again, this spring.)  This has always and will always be one of man’s problems, until we are in Glory.  We just don’t see and know all of God’s design and decree.

The Westminster Confession tells us that there is a big picture, and that God is now wringing His hands and trying to figure out how He is going to deal with this situation.  There is a real world order out there.  All that happens in it has been wisely and lovingly determined by a sovereign Creator who is shaping everything into an overall masterpiece for His glory!    The opening statement in the chapter on God’s Decrees says: God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.  These wise preachers and Biblical scholars have made a strong and true summary of what the Bible teaches are the “purposes of God’s heart”.  God’s plan stands firm forever!  The entire history of the world (even the outbreak of Covid -19 we endure now) are part of our Heavenly Father’s unchangeable sovereign plan.  Psalm 33:10 reminds us: The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 

Maybe the most encouraging words I can share with you come from the pen of the writer to the Hebrews, where in Chapter 6 he says: 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 

Consider this thought that is so familiar to us that we just let it pass by us… Even the crucifixion of Jesus Christ occurred according to God’s plan. God is working all things and events and circumstances with the purpose of His will.  Acts 4:27ff  for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. 

Do you know that only a sovereign God could make the promise that He is working all things for our good and His glory, and keep it! Only a child of God could believe it, and live in its strength and victory.  Maybe we really are in what the Puritan prayer called “The Valley of Vision”!

Love, Pastor Richard Burguet

WOW! A lot has happened since I last wrote a column. I’m not sure if many things have changed in your world, but I’m sure they aren’t as normal as they used to be just a month ago.

No toilet paper, no paper towels, I mean what on earth? People wearing masks, people not able to leave there homes, empty airplanes, empty stores, church online, meetings online, small businesses scurrying to find some answers and hope amidst a world wide pandemic.

If you would have told someone in January that our world would be turned inside out like this everyone would have looked at you with your head tilted. Of course it seems we are all looking at each other that way right now. Why are you wearing a mask? Why aren’t you wearing a mask? Should I be worried that your are wearing a mask? Should I be worried that you aren’t wearing a mask?

So many emotions, so many thoughts, so many different people on different ends of the spectrum. How are you doing? No really, I know you probably won’t talk to me directly but have you stopped to just ask that question? How am I doing? High stress times tend to reveal our idols. Alcohol, power, control, etc. we all have them and they all come out in different manors and different intensities.

Some of my extrovert friends are about to die, from not being able to hug people, and some of my introverted friends are like, this is heaven on earth, no one can touch me or speak to me, isolation is what I’ve longed for, for some time. However we all are suffering. In one way or another we are all made for community, we long for it, to be apart of it, to enjoy it, to be loved, to be known, to be known and loved. The reality is our deepest longing is for someone to know us completely, warts and all and yet still love us completely.

We don’t even know how refreshing it is to find someone like that until we find them. Most of the time we spend hiding who we really are, or what we are really like in hopes that everybody will like us. It’s in times like this of isolation from the crowd that we can see who we are, sometimes that’s most painful to us, but it is also most helpful. Because once we see who we are and love who we are, we can begin to let others see who we really are and be loved by them.

              So here’s my advice, take off the mask, the metaphorical one, let people see the you behind the mask. Take a chance and trust people. In the midst of a global pandemic we all tend to become conspiracy theorist or ODC germ freaks and maybe even a little obsessive compulsive. Or maybe we are just always like that and afraid to admit it? We are afraid to admit it because people couldn’t possibly know that about me and love me, could they?

              Here is the good news, we all have faults and things we don’t really want people to know about us. How can that be good, well we are all the same, we are all less than perfect, on the inside and outside. You tend to see that whenever people don’t dress up to go to work, or people are letting out stress because they’ve been cooped up for weeks at a time. It’s good because we are all the same in that regard.

              The Good News about that is Jesus came to save imperfect people like us. God sent His One and only Son, to be crucified on a cross that whoever believes in him might not die but have eternal life. Jesus was the perfect human and He sacrifice himself to satisfy God’s wrath, so that God would remain just and merciful all at the same time. The cross is where all our sins went to be paid for by Jesus.

              Trusting in Jesus means more than just getting in to heaven, it means having a King, a Redeemer, a Savior, a friend, a brother that knows us completely, and got us so well that He died on a cross to save us and make us holy like He is. Our promised adoption doesn’t start when we die, it starts when we are born again, we aren’t sinless yet, but will be. So today we can live with the hope that is within us, God is making all things new, all creation and all of us that have faith in Him. You can live today loving God because He fully knows you and is fully loving you.

What does he ask for in return? That we love Him and love other people. While your out looking for toilet paper and worrying about your job, and marriage and kids and everything else going on in the world, remember Jesus tells us not to worry, but seek first the Kingdom of God.

I strongly dislike being immobile.
As I write this post I’ve been suffering from a swollen ankle for over a week. Possibly a flare up of arthritis from overstraining it. The tough part is for me is not being able to walk. The swelling was causing the nerves in my foot to hurt 24/7 and making it impossible to put in pressure on my foot. Icing, elevation, heat, ibuprofen, nothing worked.
Of course this happened on Good Friday late afternoon, and in the middle of a global pandemic so going to the ER was not an option. And for those of you that don’t know, I’m a pastor so we typically have a few things going on during Holy Week, and Resurrection Day. Needless to say I was pretty much useless. This reality of intense pain and inability to walk coupled with my uselessness really had me frustrated.
Also I should give a shout out to my family that has been quarrentined for weeks, that somehow has endured me and my neediness, during this time of immobility for me. Being told to stay home is hard enough, having to work from home is even tougher and then throw in an injured ole geezer that needs a refill on ice or needs food or needs something every few hours get old no matter how saintly and patient and caring a person you happen to be. So kudos to my wife and kids for making me comfortable!
But this too, was difficult for me, I hate having people do things for me, I also hate not being able to do things for people. I am a helper, and when I can’t help, I am very frustrated and unfulfilled.
So the Monday after Easter I went to the doctor and got a shot and some anti-inflammatory pills. I actually was able to limp into the doctor’s office and go get my prescription from the pharmacy and was feeling like, okay I am on the mend. Tuesday I went to staff meeting at the church, and was on my foot not terribly too much but enough to realize, yeah this thing is still really swollen and hurts so bad. Well, you guessed it, the swelling increased even more and come Wednesday and Thursday I paid for it by hardly being able to stand much less walk. The pain was unbearable, and yes I am a wimp, but even for non wimpy people I’m pretty sure this pain would cause you to pause.
So Friday came, one week from the first bit of pain and swelling and thankfully the pain went from a 10 out of 10 down to a 6 out of 10. The swelling was almost gone and I was able to walk with a noticeable limp, but so glad it didn’t take 5 minutes to get to the bathroom. Today is Saturday and I am now walking with less and less of a limp and the pain is nearly gone. There is still stiffness and some swelling but I’m being a good patient and staying off of the foot as ordered by the family. They are rightfully tired of picking up my slack and having to operate a man down so to speak.
So you probably could care less about my foot injury and I probably lost half of you after the first two sentences but if you hung on to find out more, I’m so thankful you did. This time of immobility has really helped me see just how prideful I am. I really like doing things my way, I really like doing things for people and I really don’t like the way other people do things. I have repented of this and realized I need other people. I need to be thankful for them and grateful for how they do things, even if it’s not how I would have done it. God made them with different abilities and gifts for a reason.
I’ve never been immobile for an entire week. This has taught me a lot of empathy too, to empathize with those that struggle everyday with mobility, whether they were born without or whether through age or disease or accidents they are currently suffering and struggling with pain and the present or permanent situation of dealing with the inability to move without great effort.
There have been many people in my life that I have loved and even cared for that have struggled with walking at some point or being mobile. There have been many more in my friend circles that I have admired from afar and wondered, how do they do it, not from pity but amazement of stamina and determination. My minimal suffering in light of these truths has taught me to slow down and appreciate each step, appreciate each person, appreciate each act. People have gladly picked up the slack for me, genuinely cared for me and God has graciously provided more than I could have ever asked.
Pain has a way of reminding us that we really are limited, they we really do need help. I think living in pain in the midst of a global pandemic has taught me to just be grateful for everything, especially pain that causes me to pause and see my need and also my blessings.
If you are in pain today, I pray that you will be able to pause and be grateful. I pray that your pain would lessen and that you would be able to return to full strength. I empathize with you and know how un-fun pain is, but sometimes it helps us to see just how bright and full and joyous life is, it helps us develop a greater, fuller, deeper meaning to the days we live without pain.
It also helps me to remember that Jesus promises a life with Him where one day He will take us to where He is. A place that has no pain, no sin, no remembrance of evil or hate, a place where no tears and no brokenness exist. A place where only growth and flourishing and abundance and light can be found, if we will just trust in Him. So today if you are in pain, and you have seen your limitation, maybe you’ve even been immobilized, then my prayer is you will see your need for Jesus. We are all in need of Him, but many of us continue limping on, writhing in our pain, refusing to just stop and say I need help, I’m tired, I’m unable to do this at all.
I don’t know where you are or what you are going through, but I know this, Jesus love you. He came and suffered for you and I. He gave his life for to save sinners. It’s okay we all fall into that category. May your pain lead you to the cross to see someone that understands, someone that has conquered all pain and suffering, even death so that you might live victoriously forevermore.

Love Pastor David

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