From the Pastor’s Office

“Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21

What an exciting week we have had as Christians living in America.  Mass media coverage and visitors from across the nation visited the capital to listen to Pope Benedict XVI and participate in the communion rite.  Though we are not Roman Catholic here at Shiloh, we are Catholic in that we are members of the Body of Christ.  I along with many of you listened with great expectations to the Pope as he implored Americans to have hope in the resurrected Jesus.

If there is ever a message we need to receive in times such as these it is one of hope.  Across the landscape of America, there are clouds of hopelessness that seem to cover a smiling face or the bright aspirations of our youth.  We must hold fast to our hope and not faint.  God has been speaking to our nation through many of His prophets and lay leaders about our need to remain hopeful.  Yet, those who benefit from our hopeless mentality appear to work twice as hard to erase from our hearts and minds that change is possible.  In his sermon on Thursday, Pope Benedict stated that though America has always had trouble, Americans never lost hope. Yet today, America is at a crossroads and hopelessness seems to be greater than hope.

Our text today provides us much needed good news. NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM THE LOVING AND SAVING POWER OF GOD.  Having hope that God through Jesus Christ will save us is important for three important reasons. First, we cannot save ourselves – if we could, God would not be needed.  Second, it is God’s desire for us to acknowledge that the name of Jesus can and does change our dark and dire situations. Finally, we can call on the name of Jesus because we are in the body of Christ – this gives us instant access to the power of God.

We should and must encourage each other to discover our place in the Body of Christ.  When we discover our place we obtain benefits that those outside the Body of Christ do not have.  We get the benefits of peace and hope.  According to the hymnologist, “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”  Come discover your place in the Body of Christ between services (9:30am) on these last two Sunday mornings in April in our Administration Building at 1429 Duke Street on the 4th Floor.  Your peace of mind and renewing hope depends on your participation.

Pastor