Hello friends and family.  It is with some sadness that I write to you today.  I delayed making this update out of respect for the family and in hopes that we would have more details, but at present the plans are still in progress.  Ruth went home to Jesus on Tuesday.

It is hard to imagine the church without her.  She has been a part of it almost as long as it has existed.  Up until the past few weeks when she was no longer able to come, she would be the first one there.  She made sure the lights were on, the building was comfortable, and anyone who showed up early due to the unpredictable nature of public and paratransit services would not be waiting alone in the parking lot. She loved the church and loved to come to church.  When she got to the point that she could not drive herself, she often threatened to walk the several miles from her home if someone didn’t bring her.  While she was able, she also managed the food bank.  If you came to church early, you would most likely find her in the kitchen.  She showed her love by cooking and baking, and we all felt the love.  I could go on like this for pages, but suffice it to say that she will be greatly missed.

We grieve her loss, but we rejoice with her, knowing that she is with her Lord, whole and happy!  The church will hold a memorial service in her honor.  It will probably be on the 19th, but stay tuned for confirmation.

It appears that Sunday will be a regular service.  As we progress through Jesus’ references to God’s kingdom, we have come to one that always puzzled me.  Now that I’ve studied it, I still think there’s more to understand than what I’ve learned, but I will share with you what I’ve gathered so far.

The passage is Matthew 11:11-15.  the Disciples of John the Baptists have just come to Jesus on John’s behalf to ask if he’s really the one or if they should be looking for someone else.  John is now in prison.  He knew who Jesus was.  Some of his disciples were following Jesus after John pointed Him out.  John saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Him after he baptized Him.

So, what happened?  Scripture doesn’t really tell us what John was feeling. It might be best not to speculate, but it would be understandable for John to be a bit discouraged at this point.  He’s done everything he was supposed to do, and he’s in prison.  He heralded Jesus as the messiah, but Jesus isn’t conducting himself the way a revolutionary leader would be expected to act.

Jesus’ answer to John, found a few verses earlier was this, “”Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” (11:4-6)  One day Israel’s supremacy will be established, but Jesus is building a very different kind of kingdom.  His kingdom isn’t about political domination.  It is about people.  Lives are being changed, and everyone, even the often neglected and shunned poor, is hearing the good news.

This is the foundation for what Jesus says next.  John himself now becomes an illustration of God’s kingdom, yet he will not see it’s fulfillment during his earthly lifetime.  He would be beheaded by Herod not long after this exchange took place.  Jesus says of him, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (11)

It’s the next statement in verse 12 that seemed really strange to me.  “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force.”  How is that even possible?  What did He mean by it?

We will focus on these two verses above, and also explore the implications of the larger story on Sunday.  I hope you’ll be encouraged.  Your circumstances may make you wonder if what you think you know is true, but hold onto it.  Look for the evidence of God’s kingdom.  Know who you are and what you have.  Push back the enemy!  Join us!

I really enjoyed last Sunday.  Kimi’s testimony made my day.  Sometimes I too can get a little discouraged as we seen to encounter trial after trial, but then something like that happens and it’s all worth it.  That is not the kind of thing I would publish for the world, but I am sure she will be happy to fill you in if you ask her.

Pray especially for Cathy and her family over the next few weeks.  Anita also called and asked that we pray for a cousin, Lamont, who had a stroke, fell down some stares, and is now in ICU with swelling on the brain.

love you all,

Larry