Read Genesis 1:1-3
Have you seen something wonderful today? Have you noticed the beauty of God’s creation all around you? The world we live in is filled with beautiful things, trees, lakes, rivers, animals; the list goes on. All of these and everything else is the result of the creating love of God. Sometimes I wonder if we can even imagine the conditions before God said “Let there be…” We humans cannot begin to understand the formlessness and void of creation in the beginning. Yet God said, “Let there be…” And it came to be. As Christians all over the world begin to observe the Advent of our Lord Jesus, we do so by recalling the history of our salvation through Christ, which begins of course, in the beginning. As we read Holy Scripture, we believe Christ was present in the creation of all there is. The opening verses of the Gospel according to John teach us “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4). The Creation narrative teaches us that apart from God there is no life or light. Still, even today so many continue to discount God’s creating love in the beginning. Many also continue to deny the presence of God in the world or in their lives. Yet, the simple fact remains, without God there is nothing. Without God humans have no purpose. Without the love of God in Christ Jesus, the people of the world walk in the darkness of their sin and their reality is such that they have no hope for salvation.
Jesus is the light of the world; he is the one in whom we find hope. Through Christ, God’s Word incarnate, the people of God once again walk in the light of God’s mercy. Our lives are not formless, they are not void, rather, they are filled with the purpose of proclaiming the gospel and the vocation of love for our neighbor. Today we find ourselves at the beginning of Advent. We find ourselves as sinners awaiting the celebration of our Savior’s entrance into earthly life in order to rescue God’s people from sin and death. Today we find ourselves at the beginning, understanding Christ’s presence in the beginning of time and the creative nature of God’s love.
Prayer: Thank you God for this beautiful world in which we live. Thank you for each person you have created in your image. Most of all, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our light and our life. Amen.
Bible Study Archive
December Pastoral Devotion – Let There Be Light
Posted December 4, 2023 By adminFrom the Pastor’s Heart
Posted November 11, 2023 By admin“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
As I write this installment, we are only a few days beyond our Homecoming celebration of October 15th. Yet, even after a few days, the warmth of the day continues to well up in my heart and mind. What a great day we had. It was good to see so many folks from our St. Jacob’s church family who took the opportunity to “come home.” The welcoming of Pastor Andy Eargle and his family was simply icing on the cake.
The many stories and conversations shared, and the smiles, hugs and well wishes extended to all our guests will live on in our hearts for quite some time. I know it will live on in mine. You see, a pastor’s congregation occupies a special room in their pastor’s heart. You may have noticed this as you greeted Pastor Andy and his reaction to being back among you. His smile is one that I immediately recognized as a pastor’s genuine heart-felt love and gratitude for the blessing God has bestowed upon him. Truly, I have experienced this emotion firsthand.
Later, in the week as I write this, I am preparing to officiate at the wedding of a former youth group member from my first call as pastor. It’s been over twelve years since I left St. Barnabas in Charleston, and I am delighted that Emily has asked me to be a part of her special day. The congregation is closed now, but I do anticipate seeing several members who will gather as friends of the bride’s family. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Angela and me as we are reunited with them.
I think I can speak for most pastors who have served in other places when I say, the love shared by pastor and people never fades. Former congregations and church family members continue to occupy that special room in their pastor’s heart. To see what this looks like, simply recall seeing Pastor Andy at our homecoming and picture his reaction to being among you. Simply put, in his heart, as well as in yours, he remains the shepherd who loved you for many years. Why? Because Jesus first loved him.
Each week, I am afforded the opportunity to share with you a message from God concerning his love that is poured out through his Son Jesus Christ. I am blessed to be called by our heavenly Father to stand among you as his disciple sharing with you the love Christ so deeply shared with us. When we celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion, I am afforded the opportunity to look upon everyone with the compassion of our Lord and place in your hands our Lord’s precious body and blood which he has given for you.
While Angela and I were away in September, the one thing that remained in my thoughts was how much I missed worshiping with you on Sunday. As I watched the live streams of our services, your faces and names were brought to the forefront of my heart and mind. Yes, I truly missed you. I truly missed being with you here in this place and sharing the love that Christ first shares with us.
Through Scripture, our Lord Jesus reminds us that his command for us is to love one another as he has loved us. This isn’t always easy, but it is essential. When the evidence of such love presents itself, we should always take the opportunity to remind one another of this love and its source. Love’s source is Christ Jesus in whom all loves exist.
The special room in my heart reserved for the church family members of three congregations and the many folks to whom I have ministered along the way is not yet full. There will be more, I’m sure. They will take their place among you as those whom I have been blessed to serve, just as I am blessed to love and serve you, my church family. This is what is on your pastor’s heart today and quite frankly, every day. God bless us all as we share this time and space together in Christ’s name.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Pastoral Devotion for November – God Is Love
Posted November 7, 2023 By adminRead 1 John 4:7-21
The tired old man was perched on the steps leading into the church. He sat there every day. He had no other place he needed to be. He had no place to go; no particular circumstance required his presence. He was homeless, jobless and for the most part, invisible. No one noticed him, except for the pastor who supplied breakfast and the newspaper a few times per week. The two were friends; brothers you could say. In the beginning, we would sit rather quietly, so obviously different, yet so much the same, but soon we became bound together in great friendship.
In the text before us, John has but one message; Jesus Christ came as the manifestation of God’s love. “For God so loved the world,” John would write in his gospel, “that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16). God’s love is realized through Christ, so that humanity may be saved through him. God’s love is perfect, undeserved, and everlasting. It is the love shared by his people. Those who abide in his love, abide in him, and he in them. Such a friendship in Christ lasts forever.
As I sat with my friend there on the church steps each morning, we both recognized the love that united us; we spoke of it often. As we shared the news of the day, we+ shared something even more fulfilling – our friendship that had its roots deeply planted in the love of God through Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Holy God, fill us with your love, that together, we may abide in you and you in us. Amen.
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted November 7, 2023 By adminOur Mid-week Bible study has resumed with the topic of Scriptural Retirement. Join us as we explore what retirement means for life in the church. The study is adapted from a Bible study written by Pastor Brad Hales, Director of the NALC Aging Ministries. All are welcome. Mid-week Bible study meets at 9:30a.m. on Wednesdays in the church office.
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted October 14, 2023 By adminOur Wednesday Morning Bible Study will resume on Wednesday, October 18th at 9:30a.m. The Bible Study will meet in the newly renovated Church Office. The topic of study will be announced at least one week prior to the beginning. All are welcome to join in. Please invite others who may enjoy reading and learning more about the Scriptures while discussing them in fellowship with others. No special materials are needed, just you, your Bible, and a desire to meet with others while hearing of God’s promises and love for his people.
Pastoral Devotion for October – The Truth in Us
Posted October 9, 2023 By adminIf we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8.
Early in his first epistle, John states clearly to the Church that, although through Christ our sins are forgiven, no Christian lives without sin. Salvation is not found through moral perfection, but through the sacrifice of God’s only Son. This truth is realized when the children of God strive to walk in the light of Christ.
Sometimes we bear grudges. We remember the sins committed against us and are wary of the sinner lest they repeat the offense. Other times we fail to realize how our actions hurt someone else. John teaches us that people who practice such behavior really do not understand the concept of grace. If we claim forgiveness through Jesus, but cannot forgive others or confess our sin, we are not walking in the light of Christ. The best we can do is stumble in the darkness.
John reminds us of who we are, people who have known the Father. Knowing the Father means knowing the Son, through whom we are forgiven. So too are we to forgive as we have been forgiven. Christ died for our sake and also for the sake of those who sin against us. Through him only is their salvation. This is the truth in us.
Prayer: Holy God, help us to live in the light of Christ, forgiving others as you forgive us. Amen.
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted October 9, 2023 By adminPut on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13
At the time of this writing, it is still the middle of September, but October is on the horizon. October! It seems summer has simply flown by. Yet, even as I prepare to travel to England, for a much-anticipated vacation, I can’t help but reflect upon all we shared the past few months, while un derstanding that there is much to plan and prepare for during the months ahead. Our church calendar is filling up with activities, least of which is our annual Homecoming Sunday and recognition of St. Jacob’s Golden Agers. Trunk or Treat, Reformation Sunday, and All Saints Sunday are also coming very soon. Yes, it will be a busy time in the church. As you begin making room for the many opportunities for your church and family in October, let me ask a direct question: How do you plan to be a disciple of Jesus Christ each and every day?
Each morning, Christians wake up to the opportunity to show the love of Christ Jesus to others, have compassion for the weak and vulnerable, and forgive where someone has done wrong. We are to re-present Christ especially to those who may not realize God’s activity in their lives. As God’s people we also wake up to the Christian responsibility to thank God for the many blessings He showers upon us, and to offer Him the finest of what we can offer of ourselves.
When a child of God begins each new day with such emphasis, the life of discipleship begins to take hold and we live into the calling God has for each one of us. So again, this begs the question: How do you plan to be a disciple of Jesus Christ each and every day? In my asking this twice, I hope you are not simply waiting for my answer. I hope you are not expecting me to offer a directive for the church that challenges you to do your part as I see it, for such is not my intent.
I am asking this question because as followers of Jesus Christ, we each respond to His call to follow in different ways. Some are able to engage in the life of the congregation more regularly than others. Some have time enough to come to the church and serve on committees, provide services such as lawn care and cleaning, others may even show up every time the doors are open.
Others among us have different responsibilities. Within our church family, we have parents with small children, members who work not just one, but two jobs, and still others who may have health related issues that prevent them from participating as they once did. Yet, no matter where we may fall in this broad spectrum, as God’s people, each one of us shares the Christian responsibility to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We all share Jesus’s calling to go into the world and make disciples by sharing with them the good news of God’s salvation. So, understanding this, I’ll ask one last time: How do you plan to be a disciple of Jesus Christ each and every day? As Pastor, I will do my best to help you discern the answer to this question. I will do what I can to help you pray, study God’s Word and live among God’s people so that you might hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit who is calling you to a life of discipleship.
I will continue to pray for you and your family, preach to you the gospel of Christ Jesus, lead you in worship and teach you and your children the faith in which we baptize. In turn, I pray that you too will help me to further discern the answer to our question, for even pastors need to learn to take time to enjoy their relationship with our loving heavenly Father.
Yes, October signals the beginning of a busy time for the church. It is one filled with opportunities to worship God, love our neighbor, and enjoy the fellowship of God’s people. Take a good look and identify those opportunities where you and your family can grow in faith and discern your answer to the question of discipleship. Choose to take time each day to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ, seeking God’s kingdom first. Then be sure to share His blessings of grace, mercy and peace with those whom God places within your midst. Soon, you will realize you are living the life of discipleship, and the question will have its answer.
Grace and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
From the Pastor’s Heart
Posted September 12, 2023 By adminWe give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
So far, for many people this has been quite a summer. For some, the days have been dreadfully hot and dry. For others, summer has brought with it an opportunity for vacation and travel with family and friends. And for those who are apt to volunteer, it has been a summer filled with church work. I can count several people for whom this has been a summer of recovery from illness or medical procedures. We have members of our church family for whom this has been a summer of mourning and grief. In all of these, I can say that as your pastor, it has been a summer of prayer.
In his letters to various churches, the apostle Paul consistently begins by lifting up prayers of thanksgiving for the saints to whom he is writing. Whether he is writing to Christians just coming to faith, a church needing encouragement, or a congregation mired in conflict, Paul gives thanks for the faith of those who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. In doing so, Paul sets a wonderful example for Christians in all places to follow. When I read Paul’s words concerning his thanksgiving and prayers for others, I usually find myself spending a good bit of time in prayer for our church family.
As some of you know, I like to begin my week in prayer for our church family. One ritual is to take the Sunday worship bulletin and pray for those on our various prayer lists. One by one, the names of people who are sick, recovering or homebound stand out. I pray for the various friends and family members who are not members of our congregation but listed as those needing continual prayer. It’s humbling to know that, even as we pray for others we do not know, through faith, our prayers are heard and received by our Father in heaven.
Another prayerful activity I enjoy is going through our church directory and simply praying for church family members whose names randomly come to the forefront. I sincerely believe that as I look through the listing of families, God calls me to pray for certain individuals or families for whatever circumstances they may be experiencing. Sometimes, I will send a card to those for whom I pray so they know their pastor prayed for them. I cannot tell you the number of times people have told me that the card came at just the right time; that they really needed to know someone prayed for them.
I think that in this summer of prayer, the thing I have enjoyed most is the opportunity to pray with church family members each Wednesday evening just before we share the sacrament of Holy Communion. It is clear to me that this mid-week time for worship and prayer has helped us grow in our faith and relationship with God and one another. While not lifting each person up by name, we pray for each other, we pray for our congregation and the Issues we face, and we have even welcomed members of our Community into this opportunity for worship and prayer. We pray for those who seem distant and we pray for our unity through Christ our Savor and Lord. I truly believe God hears our prayers and answers each one according to his loving kindness.
I’m thankful for the blessing of being your pastor, and in the words of St. Paul, I give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in my prayers.
Thank you also to the many who have prayed for me. We are all blessed with the gift of God’s love, especially as we share his love with one another, giving thanks in all circumstances for the grace God makes available through his son Jesus Christ. As always, I will continue to keep you in my prayers.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
Mid-Week Bible Study
Posted September 6, 2023 By adminOur Wednesday Morning Bible study met on Wednesday, August 23 at 9:30a.m. The Bible study will meet in the newly renovated Church Office.
All are welcome to join in. Please invite others who may enjoy reading and learning more about the Scriptures while discussing them in fellowship with others. No special materials are needed, just you, your Bible, and a desire to meet with others while hearing of God’s promises and love for his people.
Pastoral Devotion for September – Disciples Follow
Posted September 6, 2023 By adminRead: Matthew 4:17-22
What was it that Jesus noticed about Simon and his brother Andrew? They were merely simple fishermen casting their nets. The same might be asked of James and John. They were not doing anything out of the ordinary. They were going about the work of fishermen also, mending their nets. Why did Jesus choose these four out of the crowd? We can only speculate, but Jesus surely knew more about their character than we, or they ever could have known.
Upon hearing Jesus’s call, Simon and Andrew, and James and John immediately left their nets and their lives behind. Following Jesus, they learned from their teacher what it means to love God and to love their neighbor. They followed Jesus doing the things he taught them in the way he showed them.
Jesus continues to call ordinary people into his service. In fact, Jesus calls all Christians to be his disciples. He calls Christians to follow him, learn from him, and do the things as he has shown them to do. What has Jesus noticed about you? Why did he choose you out of the crowd? The truth remains, if you are a baptized follower of Christ, he has called you, an ordinary person, to follow him and be his disciple. How will you respond?
Prayer: Give me the will and desire to follow you, Lord Jesus, that I may be your disciple. Amen.
