Suffering For Jesus? Not Really what you think...

Well another week has flown by. I am not so sure that I like that what ‘old’ people used to tell me is coming true - that the older I get the faster the days fly by.

With that in mind I was reminded last week that we have now been in Brechin for 9 and almost a half years and that September 4 we will celebrate 9 years of the Brechin Baptist Fellowship being around here in Brechin. Someone who shall remain nameless, but he knows who he is, said something about nine and a half years of suffering in Brechin. My reply was along the lines of 'suffering for Jesus' and that eventually lead to a rather joking conversation about Jesus saying “suffer the little children” to come to Jesus. Suffering has for sure changed meaning over the past 400 years since the AV/KJV Bible was printed. 

We should know that what Jesus was saying was ‘allow the children’ to come see him and be blessed by him. Sadly we now say that like children coming to church to hear about Jesus suffer in misery. I can’t imagine not making learning about Jesus an awesome thing. My problem is, like I said last week, I still have a lot to learn even in the art of preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus. I wish in the last 9 years I had become the most engaging in this endeavour but though I know the truth of the gospel my stammering tongue still doesn't always get it as interesting as I would like. As ministers and Sunday school teachers we have a passion for Jesus and the gospel of redemption he taught but we have to keep working so our listeners don’t ‘suffer.’ 

I just know that in the past 9 years that sometimes seem like only 9 months and sometimes seem like 90 years that the call of Jesus is still the same: you who are weary, heavy hearted and run down—or maybe over- come to me and I will give you rest. 

So suffer yourself , err, allow yourself to encounter Jesus and get blessed. Though this earthly life flies by, I rejoice in that there is an eternity to live...

Oh yeah and to be clear for the record: I love Brechin and you can’t get rid of me that easily... 

Looking forward always,

Rev. Jon Bergen