Pastor Bill's Classic, a parable of American Christianity

25 &26 May 1999

Well I'm not really a car buff, my last classic car was a 1995 Saturn SL2, the last of the old body style that didn't look like a half raised donut. With a power sun-roof, five speed, alloy wheels, fancy stereo, and rear spoiler, at the time I really didn't care that it didn't have power door locks, leather seats and air conditioning. Now a valid question some of you may ask, can a true classic car be manufactured out of that much plastic? It really doesn't matter, I don't have it anymore, I just have my well worn Isuzu truck with 185,000 miles.

The car I am talking about for this little parable fits more in line with our First Sergeant's vehicle when I was in the Army in Germany. It was a nineteen fifty something Mercedes Gull-wing Roadster, in mint condition. It was so cherry that Mercedes in Stuttgart, had offered him his choice of any new production Mercedes, no questions ask in return for his automobile. This car was designed to cruise the autobahn all day in the 200 km/hr (120 mph) range limited by the traffic, not the automobile. First Sergeant had the car for a short tour in the states and had said only once had he gotten it out of third gear, one Thanksgiving day on the Mass. Turnpike, and for his experience he had received a very luxurious speeding ticket. Since his tour in Germany was coming to and end and he was seriously contemplating rotating to a duty station in Southern California, he was extremely interested in trading this one of a lifetime classic for a new future classic of his choice.

Pastor Bill had a taste in cars, very similar to First Sergeant's. Just cars, he wasn't into fast women, he had long ago learned that the woman and wife that the Lord had supplied him with was ideal for his ministry and his temperament. Members of his congregation, the local community and others throughout his church movement were well aware of Bill's interest in fine classic automobiles. He really didn't think it would look too appropriate for a leading church pastor to purchase and to drive a special classic vehicle however, if the Lord should provide such a rare beauty, then he could use it in sermon illustrations about the goodness of the Lord. Just one of his funny prayer requests.

One Sunday after an especially moving sermon, Pastor Bill was out greeting his flock, when a young kind of scruffy looking guy, that Bill had never seen before, came up and introduced himself.

"Hi, My name's Josh. I've been in town for a few weeks and heard a lot of great things about your preaching and your church."

"Well that is nice of you to say that Josh, but you know I really have to give all the credit to the Lord," responded Pastor Bill in the humble manner he had developed in defense of this type of complement.

"Well Pastor, the reason I stopped by was to give you my car. You see I'll be leaving town later this afternoon, and I just sort of felt led to give you my car, I hope you like it. Here is the keys, the title, a bill of sale, the emissions test results, and the address where it is parked. Everything should be in order."

"Well thank you Josh, I'm sure someone in the congregation will be quite happy to own your car. It could be an answer to prayer." With that Pastor Bill stuffed the keys and paper work in is pocket and continued to greet his congregation, thinking I wonder what kind of clunker we will have to get rid of now, I hope someone will take that piece of junk, for Josh looked like someone who slept out in the park last night.

After the final service of the day, Pastor Bill always made it a point to get together with his family and reflect upon, the work that the Lord had accomplished that day and to have a light supper. After the meal, Bill Jr., Pastor Bill's eldest son piped up.

"Dad, I heard that weird guy give you a car today, maybe it is the car you promised me when I got all A's and got my drivers license, what kind of car is dad?

"Well I wouldn't get my hopes up son, you know that guy didn't look like he had two quarters to rub together, perhaps the car is stolen, now where is that paper work anyway."

With that Pastor Bill excused himself from the table to go and look for the papers that Josh had given him. It seemed like an eternity to the family, sitting around the dining room table, maybe he had thrown out the documents, or perhaps it was such a clunker that Pastor Bill didn't have the guts to face Bill Jr. and tell him the bad news about what Bill Jr. had taken as good news.

Suddenly, everyone was shaken by this loud roar from the bedroom, it seems Pastor Bill had left all the documents in his pants pockets, the last place he would normally look. "Oh, Hallelujah,! Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus!" The normally calm and sedate, Pastor Bill returned to the dinning room dancing like he had just been filled with the Holy Ghost. Twirling and humming Pastor Bill seemed to be in another dimension.

Finally, unable to understand her husband, Pastor Bill's wife broke through the atmosphere, "Bill you just came in from the bedroom, not from a trip to Toronto, what in God's green earth is going on?"

After bobbing, weaving and making unintelligible sounds for a few more moments, Pastor Bill finally was able to blurt out. "Family, the love of my life, the Lord has just given me, the classic car of all times!"

With that he was off on another escapade through out the common areas of the house. It must have been the third or forth trip through the dining room when Bill finally stopped cold, his face turned white as a sheet and he exclaimed, "Oh, my God, not there, that is the roughest corner in the city. Why would anyone in there right mind leave a car like that at that location. See Junior, I told you there was something wrong with that Josh. Quick, honey drive me down there, let me retrieve my car before its too late, I hope no one has stolen it. Why was I so stupid! Its all my fault." Then Pastor Bill burst into uncontrollable tears.

During the half hour trip from their home in the suburbs to the intersection in the central city, Pastor Bill's wife could hear him murmuring under his breath, silently praying, she assumed. When suddenly, Bill erupted. "Not another God damned red light, I don't know how people can live in these circumstances. As my wife I order you to just drive through the next red one. Submit to me or you are in big trouble."

Pastor Bill's wife ignored him, while she had never seen him act quite this childish, in their almost twenty years or marriage, she had seen enough of this man of God to only quietly muse to herself "If they could only see him now!"

It was dark now, and as they approached the intersection which Josh had written on the paper as the location for the classic, Pastor Bill put his hands over his eyes and began making again those strange noises he had been making when he was running and dancing in the dining room, sometimes interspersed with, "Please God, you know how I have served you, I never believed I would be able to afford a car like this while in the ministry, Oh, thank you, please let it still be there."

The minivan came to a halt, finally after what seemed like an eternity, Pastor Bill's wife stated, "Bill! Bill! You can open your eyes now, its there, right in front of us!"

Ever so slowly Pastor Bill, removed his hands from his eyes and looked out into the well lit lot at the car of his dreams, he burst again into tears and shouted, "Damn it all, can't these people ever learn to leave people's private property alone, and while I'm at it Damn you Josh, why couldn't you just drive that car out to church and park it in the parking lot, like a white man would do.

Slowly, Pastor Bill began to become composed. "Well, Lord you gave me this car in this neighborhood and I guess I will just have to accept it as it is, the least I can do is pray in some wheels. Since tomorrow is my day off I'll just stay with the car tonight, so no more of it is ripped off. Honey, give me the cell phone, if anything bad happens I can call for help. I'll talk to you in the morning. Now be sure to lock all the doors on the van until you get home, then tell all the kids what I'm doing and have them pray for me. I'm sure its God's will that I have some new wheels on this classic by noon tomorrow so I can keep my golf tee time with the elders."

Pastor Bill, after surveying the outside, the classic looked just like it came out of the show room except for the lacking wheels, put the key in the lock, opened the door, slid in behind the steering wheel into the best fitting bucket seat he hat ever sat in, he closed and locked the door and reached over and caressed the luxurious leather and wood trim within his reach. With that and because it was still relatively early Pastor Bill, man of God, began to pray for wheels for his classic dream.

With his hands still folded in the posture of prayer, a honking horn startled Pastor from a deep sleep. "Thank you Lord, for protecting me this night as I prayed for your provision of wheels for your servant's vehicle. I would have been really afraid to spend a night down here alone, I thank you so much for the gift of sound sleep."

Getting out of the car to stretch his legs, Pastor Bill noticed what a pleasant day it was, the traffic noise was awful, but many people of all nationalities seemed to smile and wave, "What do those people want," Pastor Bill thought to himself, "If they want to steal this car they are in for a long wait, because I am going to wait this out until the Lord returns, if necessary."

Across the street was this little restaurant, Dolly's Diner, breakfast, lunch and dinner, looks like a relatively safe place to eat something. From the window I can see the car ,if anyone tries to rip off anything. I'll call the wife and tell her I survived the night and that I don't want her driving down here. I probably will be home for dinner, after my round of golf with the elders, Bob, Pete and John. Yea, Bob's a car dealer after all, after breakfast I'll give him a call, he will probably have a new set of wheels on this classic by 10.

Crossing the street Pastor Bill is almost hit by this big Lincoln pulling into Dolly's parking lot, out steps is huge man of Afro-American decent, smiling from ear to ear he rushes toward Pastor Bill, "Pastor Bill is that you, I know you probably don't remember me, I was introduced to you when you gave an incredible message at the all city prayer meeting two years ago, I'm Pastor Smith, Bud Smith of Milltown Tabernacle, I just what to tell you that message, changed me, changed my marriage, changed my ministry, and changed my church. You going into Dolly's, they got (sic) the best Bacon and eggs, with grits, this side of New Orleans, the omelets are good also but you know me I'm trying to cut down, Say let me buy you breakfast, that's the least I can do for a Brother in the ministry. Is that your car over there, it sure is a nice one, say by chance did a fellow by the name of Josh give you the keys, title and the works, alls (sic) you had to do was come down here and pick it up I'll bet, that Josh sure is a nice guy, he gives cars away all the time, that's the way I got my Lincoln, but I've talking too much all ready. Say Dolly give us two of your specials, let me introduce you to my good friend Pastor Bill.

It was a decent breakfast and Pastor Bud was a nice enough guy, but most of the breakfast Pastor Bill was either thinking about getting his wheels, or just what was the subject of that life changing message that so affected Bud. Back behind the drivers seat, Pastor Bill picks his cell phone, he calls home and then calls Elder Bob, "Hi is Bob in, this is Pastor Bill. Bob, this is Bill, sure I'm still planning on making our golfing tee time, but I just have this one little problem." Pastor Bill goes on to fill in the details of his recent escapade.

"Well Bill that is a pretty rare car, I'll see what I can do, don't hold your breath and keep praying, I'll just call the golf course and cancel our tee time now, I'll call you back as soon as I know something.

That was strange, Bob is the best car dealer on the west coast, what does he know that I don't. "Lord, this is Bill, I claim those wheels and tires now in the name of Jesus! Yea, Lord I'm just going to keep on claiming those wheels and tires until you provide them, no matter how long it takes. Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus! Amen."

Still repeating those prayers essentially verbatim about 5:30 the phone rings, "Bill, this is Bob, I got some good news and some bad news, the bad news is there is absolutely no wheels for that classic car of yours to be had anywhere in America, for any price. The good news is that they can make a new set and we can have them expressed over here from Europe, the soon as they can arrive will be a week from Friday. Because of the unique design and engineering of the body , they recommend that you just let the car sit until the new wheels arrive. Sorry, Pastor. If I learn anything else I let you know. Got to go now, Bob Jr. has Little League tonight. I'm already late

Pastor Bill calls home and gets the voice mail and leaves the news that he will be spending the night praying for wheels and that Dolly's has pretty good food, sometime when this is all over they will have to come down and sample some of Dolly's unique cuisine. He asks that his wife call the all church prayer team and ask for prayer for Pastor Bill who is a way for a few days on a missions trip. After dinner, Pastor Bill resumes his position of prayer behind the wheel, praying earnestly for about fifteen minutes, before falling asleep and sleeping soundly through the night.

About six the following morning Pastor Bill is awaken by a tapping on the window, startled in his prayer posture all Bill can see is a sea of blue. Slowly, it begins to move and the face of Elder Peter comes into focus as he squats down to the window of this sleek, nimble, driving machine. Elder Peter is a Lieutenant with the local police department. "Pastor I was sorry to disturb your prayer time, I brought these toilet articles your wife prepared, we can't have our Pastor looking like some sort of homeless street bum now can we? Especially in this neighborhood, the devil just runs wild down here." You look like you haven't slept in two nights, why don't you try and get some sleep, it is really pretty safe down here during the day. It's really great how you have the self discipline to pray all night, about fifteen minutes and I'm all done. Praise the Lord, part of your prayers have been answered, you're still alive and kicking after two nights alone in a fancy car in this area, you sure got the devil on the run now. I've got to go to the men's prayer meeting out at the church, it takes about half an hour to get there from here, its sure nice the Lord provided that nice piece of property for the new church, a lot more people are now coming to seek a relationship with Christ. God bless you pastor.

Dolly is really happy to let Pastor Bill use the rest room to shave, brush his teeth and wash his face and hands. Upon returning to order breakfast, Dolly pipes in, "Now you look like a Pastor from a respectable church, not some homeless bum. How about the fresh fruit plate, lots of fresh berries and melons in today, they won't last long, and of course all the coffee you can drink. Better hurry though when Pastor Bud gets here he will try to talk you into another special, it is really kind of greasy and heavy with cholesterol, but at least he has moved away from the God's creation omelet, he is eating more healthy now since his heart attack. He mentions frequently from the pulpit how that message you gave at the all city prayer meeting two years ago, changed him, his marriage, his ministry, and the whole church. Thank you Pastor Bill.

Returning to the classic to try to figure out what to do next, Pastor Bill is almost hit again by Bud Smith's shiny Lincoln, as Bud gets out of the door of thecar to head for Dolly's and his usual special breakfast he howlers, "Don't let the devil, steal your treasure."

Once again behind the wheel of his classic car, up on blocks and heading nowhere, Pastor Bill feels in control once again. "What's the Lord been trying to tell me this morning," he muses, "That's it the devil stole my tires, if he didn't steal them he at least knows who did and these poor people down here are all oppressed by the devil and his demons, that's why they are so poor, today I'm going to pray against all those spiritual invisible strongholds, that bind these people, and my tires, and make him give them all back in the name of Jesus!"

This kind of spiritual warfare is more trying than Pastor Bill first imagined and the sun is hot and about 2 in the afternoon, he again folds his hands to pray and rest his eyes, just briefly. "There seems to be some demon of sleep trying to effect by battle against these strongholds. A call to the wife to get the prayer team on their knees, should help." After the call he seems to be able to stay awake for twenty minutes before his eyelids become heavy and he again drifts off, definitely a spiritual victory.

Early in the morning Pastor Bill is awaken, by this huge black crow, depositing something upon the hood of the classic, making an ungodly cry like he is about to die, the crow flies out of sight before Pastor Bill can respond. Cleaning up the spot quickly, Pastor Bill shouts to all who will hear in this early morning traffic, "Thank you Jesus, for giving me and this neighborhood the victory over the powers of darkness!" Then before he knows what he is saying he again announces, "I'm going to fast for three days and three nights until the lord of darkness returns my wheels and looses this area forever. Hallelujah!" Then realizing what he said, Pastor Bill again returns to the position of control behind the steering wheel of a classic car going nowhere.

From where he sits creation is under his control, even though those who heard his remarks are again shouting and making weird gestures, perhaps revival is breaking out. Praise the Lord! Taking his cell phone he calls the wife and tells her to have Elder Peter, bring down the big ice chest will lots of juice for he is going on a three day fast. Obediently, within an hour Elder Peter arrives with a number of ice chests and a half a dozen other fastors (sic) from the church prayer team. "Pastor Bill has been on a missions trip to the center of our city, to take back this community for Jesus!" announces Elder Peter, "Missions begin at home, join with him during this fast and who knows God may give you a classic car like he has Pastor Bill." Soon someone breaks out a guitar and they are all singing praise and worship choruses.

A three day fast is really a long time and by the morning of the second day, Pastor Bill is again alone, except for Bill Jr. who remains near his pop in the leather passenger seat. "Maybe you should go home son, I really appreciate you staying with me through the night, you better catch the bus and go to school. But thanks so much son, I will never forget this night."

"Me either pop, Oh there is the bus now, got to run , I'll be praying for you!"

Thursday morning and nothing visible has happened, Saturday morning seems like such a long ways away. But then a vow to the Lord is a vow and the hunger isn't so bad any more. It's just that Dolly's is just open from 6 AM until 9 PM and with all that juice it can get quite embarrassing to a juice drinking pastor from the suburbs.

Finally, Saturday morning arrives bright and cheery, a three day fast looks good when looking at it in the rear view mirror of a classic motor car. Brushing his teeth, shaving and washing his face and hands, Pastor Bill begins to looks intensely at Dolly's breakfast menu. There it is, the God's creation omelet, Five eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, three kinds of cheese, shrimp, crab, mushrooms, onion and green peppers, served with your choice of hash browns, grits or home fries; toast, biscuit or English Muffin, all served with juice, coffee and milk. If you eat it all, its free, if not its $ 21.00. Dolly says, "Pastor Bill don't worry about the price, its free for you this morning, with what you've done for this community in your brief stay here, we can never repay you."

Pastor Bill responds, "Grace is free, omelets are not, if I can't eat it all I will pay. That is just the way I am. Thanks anyway!

"That was a great meal Dolly, and thanks for letting me know that Pastor Bud was the only one to ever get away without paying too! That is probably all I need to eat today, I don't want to become a glutton. But praise the Lord we are under grace and not under law. Amen." As he nears the classic again to take up his now familiar position behind the steering wheel, Pastor Bill notices through the rear window a couple of books and a flash light and some spare batteries's. "I didn't notice those before, perhaps one of the fastors left it or perhaps is something from the Lord. Reaching back he takes the flashlight and the batteries along with the books and puts them on the passenger seat. "Let's see now , A commentary on Romans by Martin Luther and the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, I've got both of those in my office, but I haven't looked at them in years. These look kind of new, they could be mine. Say I don't have my sermon prepared for tomorrow, maybe these could help. I'll start with Romans, its the shortest"

No nap today Pastor Bill was reading and writing, marking what he agreed with and what he didn't. "These guys are a lot more interesting in the original that I remembered, its too bad that most of their denominations want to make new Lutherans and Calvinists and have gotten way from the cross centered messages that these reformers stood for." As the sun went down, Pastor Bill turned on the flash light and continued to read, about midnight the first set of batteries died, quickly Pastor Bill replaced them and continued somewhere deep in the Institutes. Sometime near the end of the huge book, Pastor Bill exhausted by the day, fell asleep.

About six in the morning there again was knock on the window, awaking his eyes quickly focused on his beautiful wife. Quickly rolling down the window, "It is sure great to see you this morning honey. I have sure learned a lot this week, about the Lord and about me, I cant' wait to share with the congregation and with you, Thanks for coming down to cheer me up. I've spent so much time in this old car it fits me now, its just too bad I don't think it will ever go anywhere. Even if I get new wheels and tires as Elder Bob said, it will be just one thing after another. I've learned that I've had my eyes on cars, and ministry and all sorts of other earthly things and I need to refocus my eyes on Jesus Christ the author and perfecter of our faith and leave everything in is capable hands, and not to lean on my own understanding, but allow the Lord to direct our path. I just want. . ."

"Shut up Bill, you sound like a preacher on Sunday morning, which it is, by the way, and you haven't been home all week. I have some good news, Josh called last night and asked how you liked the car and if you were having fun driving it around town, I mentioned that someone had stolen the tires and wheels and you had spent the whole week down here trying to pray and fast and muster in those wheels to the best of your ability. Josh broke out laughing, he must have laughed for five minutes. After he calmed down he made me promise not to come down to tell you this until morning, he said you were too busy to be disturbed. I could not sleep all night and now I look like you, I finally couldn't take it any more and had to come to down and tell you what Josh told me to tell you, he said, 'Look in the glove compartment.' I told him you are a very efficient man and that you had probably searched for clues all over that car many times, and you were a great student of human nature, that is why I married you, after all. Josh just laughed again and said, 'Tell Pastor Bill to look in the glove compartment!' So open it up, its Sunday morning and we have church services in just a few hours.

Pastor Bill reached over and pushed the button on the glove compartment, unlocked it fell open with a heavy thud like it was filled with something that weighed a great deal. Looking in, Pastor Bill took out a well worn study Bible. Opening to the cover page that read Holy Bible, New King James Version, a small piece of paper fell on the floor. Picking up the paper, Pastor Bill read these words, "Pastor Bill, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I just wanted you to have this car for your years of dedicated service to our Lord. I put this note in this Bible for I believed that this would be the first place you would look for answers and the last place any thief would look. Because this is a tough neighborhood and knowing how impossible the wheels and tires are to replace, I took off the wheels and put them in the trunk. Happy Trails and God Bless! Your friend Josh."

After the announcements and during the offering and special music, Pastor Bill took his seat in the chair behind the worship band. The 9 AM Sunday morning service, God's frozen chosen. He had to admire those 500 or so faithful people who, on Sunday morning boosted themselves and in many cases a mob of unruly rug rats into the car for the trip to church. He also thought about the many Sunday School teachers who were in the back trying to control that crew and give unwilling minds a little appreciation for God and the person and work of Jesus Christ. Then were those missionaries around the world, and church plants around the area and many even other states. Two more services, this Lord's Day, the next one will come close to packing out the 1500 seats. Wow!

What about the events of this week. His shiny, freshly washed classic, is sitting in the parking lot, right where it belongs. Then there was Pastor Bud, who's breakfast and brotherly love made all the difference during this trying week. With a little time for reflection perhaps he could one day tell Bud that his support had changed Bill, his marriage, his ministry, and the whole church.

There was his wife in her usual seat and over there is his oldest daughter sitting with her husband and their fresh from the hospital, Pastor Bill's first grandson. Oh, how gracious is the love of God for his children. The music completed, Pastor Bill checks his wireless mike one last time, leaves his seat and moves forward to address his congregation.

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I would like to tell you some things. . ."

What did Pastor Bill tell his congregation that Sunday morning, I haven't got a clue, you will have to find a Pastor Bill and ask him. This long parable is supposed to be the on ramp for a classic ship trip around the world in the year 2000 and it is a looooong (sic) trip. I know you thought (or hoped) I forgot.

The purpose of this story is to compare Pastor Bill's classic auto with the church, we as the protestant priesthood of all believers, have our own special classic reserved in our name, and God has sent us down to the scary part of town to put on the wheels. How are we supposed to do this. First think. Now for some of you this concept might be just about as unusual for you, as it is for me.

Or perhaps we could pray. "Oh, God where could the tires be?" I for one, would never think of that.

Maybe we could look around, open the glove box and see if Josh left a note there, or open the trunk, if it works we could call it by a spiritual name, say a word of knowledge. The facts are however, that in this generation, the wheels have come off this rare old classic mode of transportation, useful for transporting us from here to eternity, and we just haven't got a clue were are the tires, or how to get a set of replacements.

St. Paul's Mission (a Jewish rabbi) was to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. An ugly job for someone of his social stature. In our esteemed gratitude in most of our churches those sitting on the well padded seats, cannot even articulately give a brief description of what the actual gospel really is. In some churches, the Pastors might know the gospel, and they readily deny its authenticity. Sad to say most of those churches trace their heritage to the Reformation.

The Reformation recovered the Pauline gentile gospel message that salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, by Christ alone, but we have forgotten that message must be learned, but it cannot be taught. Paul learned it, Martin Luther learned it, we who God has chosen to be his children are in the process of learning it. But as we try to teach it , the grace alone, by faith alone, by Christ alone, is replaced with western cultural rational religious teaching in which man and/or his wisdom is the center. God will not share glory with any self righteous people, whether they are Sadducees and Pharisees of Biblical Israel, or their counterpart in the church throughout all generations.

I heard a great teaching this Sunday on Spiritual Warfare in Ephesians, Chapter 6. It was taken from Joshua, Chapters 9 &10. I have a dear friend that I believe may be in the process of having been there, done that. I have been, there done that and I know first hand how difficult and heart wrenching that process can be, especially to someone with a tender and God loving heart. We need teaching like that in the church, to get through those impossible places in our lives.

Some would say that this teaching should include the message of law and gospel. But then the true gospel of God's reconciliation to fallen man is lost again, this time in man centered legalism and manipulation. The fact remains that the true, Pauline, Reformation gospel must be learned from God directly, through the Holy Spirit. It is Christ's righteousness imputed to us, condemned sinners, that makes us Holy. As fallen mankind it is our own religious heresy that makes us Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Arminian, Lutheran, Baptist, Reformed, Calvary Chapel, Independent or what have you. Only God alone knows how far and to who his grace extends. It is amazing grace alone, that reconciles diverse, different people into a union of family, and overcomes our hate.

Now before you get all huffy, some have said that we are not to teach doctrine, for doctrine divides. I agree. Praise the Lord! It divides the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares, the grain from the chaff. In many of our churches, the seats are so filled with goats, tares and chaff that true seekers of God cannot find a seat. Now I know that the Bible says that know one seeks God, no not one. But the fear of God, or the wrath to come, imparted specifically through the Holy Spirit into, and through common economic and natural chaos, opens the hardened heart of man to truly receive the grace of God offered on the cross two thousand years ago. A time not much different than our own.

The point of all this is, we must teach the Word (in practical ways), we must preach the Word (as the message of the true gospel) to reorganize our worship services , if necesssary to include both, and to let God do his work. This approach may not have been necessary in previous generations, but we are now so overwhelmed by information, we are unable to make any intelligent decisions without daily communication with God through his Word and through prayer, and weekly preaching and teaching of God's Word in the community of God's people. How will this work? I haven't got a clue! If it will even work, I don't know, except for the promises that God has for his people in a book he wrote, its first word reflects his nature, Holy.

Through grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, I have had my mass of sins forgiven, I have been adopted as a child of the Holy God, creator and sustainor of all. He knows where the tires for your classic are, and how I am ever going to get a ship to sail around the world in the year 2000 by sending a long series of email messages to fifty or so people all without the resources, except through God alone, to pull it off. I haven't got a clue. Would someone like to play some golf?

I do have a clue on what the next message will be however: A ship named Diversity, law or gospel, probably in about a week. Until then, for it works just as well as a benediction, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Jerry