Pastor’s Message for July 2023

Greetings, Friends!

     “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” These words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 5:48 have been a source of both inspiration and confusion for believers throughout the ages. Often, this verse is misinterpreted as a demand for flawless behavior or an unattainable standard of perfection. However, when understood in its proper context, we discover a profound invitation to embrace a love that surpasses human expectations.

     Jesus’s call to be perfect as the Father is perfect is not about achieving a static state of perfection but rather an ongoing journey towards perfect love. It comes at the end of Jesus’s teaching on love, where he challenges us to extend love even to our enemies and to love in a way that shatters societal norms. The perfection Jesus speaks of is a radical love that transcends barriers and transforms lives.

     It’s important to understand that this journey toward perfect love is not accomplished through our own efforts. The pursuit of perfect love is made possible through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit within us. God’s grace, working in us, enables us to love as Christ loved, even when it seems impossible. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to extend love to those who may despise us, reject us, or persecute us. This perfect love is not a result of our own efforts but a manifestation of God’s grace at work within us.

     John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist movement, believed in the possibility of being made perfect in love in this lifetime. Wesley understood that God’s work in our lives does not end with our salvation experience but continues as the Holy Spirit transforms us to more perfectly love God and our neighbors. It is a gift of God that we are sanctified and enabled to experience this deeper growth.

     So, my friends, are you going on to perfection? Are you willing to embark on the journey of perfect love? Let us respond with a resounding “YES!” By the grace of God, we commit ourselves to this journey, knowing that it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us, guides us, and perfects us along the way. As we embrace this call to perfect love, let’s extend grace to ourselves and others. Let’s be patient with our own imperfections and shortcomings, knowing that God’s love is continually working in us. And let’s extend that same love and grace to those around us, even when it feels difficult or challenging.

     And remember, friends, we embark on this journey together, supporting and encouraging one another along the way. Imagine a future in which our church is known by our love, a love that surpasses human understanding, a love that reflects the very nature of our perfect Father in Heaven.

God loves you, and so do I,
Pastor Jim