Office: (631) 589-3202 - Fax: (631) 589-1419 - E-Mail: stjohns11782@aol.com
Rev. Brian Noack, Pastor
| Message from the Pastor |
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It
is finished,"
and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ~ John 19:30
It is finished. With these words, the promise of God to send one who would crush the head of the serpent comes to pass. With these words, salvation for the people of the world has been secured. With these words, the cross of shame becomes the glory of God revealed to us sinners to announce that sins are forgiven and death is overcome. It is finished. It is complete. Nothing else is needed. That is the essence of these words, words which have an enduring and eternal quality. What Jesus accomplished on a hill outside Jerusalem 2,000 years ago stands today, and will continue to make atonement for the sins of humanity until his return in glory on the last day. It is finished means it is done forever. Satan's grip has been loosed in Jesus that we might be embraced in the arms of God's mercy.
This is what we remember in our Good Friday observance. True the color of the day is black, and there is a somber mood. But the cross of Christ stands as the symbol of love given to us sinners. Jesus does for us what we could not do for ourselves. The perfect, spotless Lamb of God sheds His blood that the filth and stain of sin would be removed from us. Washed in His blood, we are made clean and pure and righteous. There is victory in the death of Jesus sin and death are put to death on the cross. For us, that means the greatest of all joys because the victory of Jesus is in fact our victory.
Known as the Fifth Evangelist, Johan Sebastian Bach wrote music for the church which stands as a lasting testimony to the work of Christ for our salvation. In his great work, The Passion of St. John, Bach wonderfully ties together the events of Jesus' last days, announcing boldly what His work means for us. In his musical commentary on the above verse, he writes:
It is fulfilled! O hope for ev'ry ailing spirit! The night of grief Is now its final hours counting. The man of Judah wins with might And ends the fight. It is fulfilled!
It is fulfilled! It is finished! What joy is found in these words from Christ. All of creation which had been aching, yearning, longing for God's salvation now see the hours of sin's reign fleeting. The fight is now over. The battle is won. Whenever we find ourselves stuck in a situation or a dilemma where we see the utter ruins that sin has made of us, we would do well to remember these words of our Lord. It is finished. The work for your salvation is complete and now nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. You have been rescued, and your life is now hidden with God in Christ. This is God's eternal promise to us. He will bring us out of this veil of tears into the glory of eternal peace and rest. As we journey through this Lenten season, may the completeness and all-sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice fill you with joy. Nothing more is needed. Christ has done it all for you. It is finished! I close now, once again, with Bach from St. John's Passion as Jesus is laid into the tomb:
Rest well, ye holy bones and members, Which I henceforth shall never weep for, Rest well and bring me, too, to rest! The tomb which for you is assigned, And henceforth no distress will hold, Doth open heav'n to me and shut the gates of hell.
Have a blessed Lententide!
and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ~ John 19:30
It is finished. With these words, the promise of God to send one who would crush the head of the serpent comes to pass. With these words, salvation for the people of the world has been secured. With these words, the cross of shame becomes the glory of God revealed to us sinners to announce that sins are forgiven and death is overcome. It is finished. It is complete. Nothing else is needed. That is the essence of these words, words which have an enduring and eternal quality. What Jesus accomplished on a hill outside Jerusalem 2,000 years ago stands today, and will continue to make atonement for the sins of humanity until his return in glory on the last day. It is finished means it is done forever. Satan's grip has been loosed in Jesus that we might be embraced in the arms of God's mercy.
This is what we remember in our Good Friday observance. True the color of the day is black, and there is a somber mood. But the cross of Christ stands as the symbol of love given to us sinners. Jesus does for us what we could not do for ourselves. The perfect, spotless Lamb of God sheds His blood that the filth and stain of sin would be removed from us. Washed in His blood, we are made clean and pure and righteous. There is victory in the death of Jesus sin and death are put to death on the cross. For us, that means the greatest of all joys because the victory of Jesus is in fact our victory.
Known as the Fifth Evangelist, Johan Sebastian Bach wrote music for the church which stands as a lasting testimony to the work of Christ for our salvation. In his great work, The Passion of St. John, Bach wonderfully ties together the events of Jesus' last days, announcing boldly what His work means for us. In his musical commentary on the above verse, he writes:
It is fulfilled! O hope for ev'ry ailing spirit! The night of grief Is now its final hours counting. The man of Judah wins with might And ends the fight. It is fulfilled!
It is fulfilled! It is finished! What joy is found in these words from Christ. All of creation which had been aching, yearning, longing for God's salvation now see the hours of sin's reign fleeting. The fight is now over. The battle is won. Whenever we find ourselves stuck in a situation or a dilemma where we see the utter ruins that sin has made of us, we would do well to remember these words of our Lord. It is finished. The work for your salvation is complete and now nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. You have been rescued, and your life is now hidden with God in Christ. This is God's eternal promise to us. He will bring us out of this veil of tears into the glory of eternal peace and rest. As we journey through this Lenten season, may the completeness and all-sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice fill you with joy. Nothing more is needed. Christ has done it all for you. It is finished! I close now, once again, with Bach from St. John's Passion as Jesus is laid into the tomb:
Rest well, ye holy bones and members, Which I henceforth shall never weep for, Rest well and bring me, too, to rest! The tomb which for you is assigned, And henceforth no distress will hold, Doth open heav'n to me and shut the gates of hell.
Have a blessed Lententide!
| ~ Pastor Noack | |
Be Thou my consolation, My shield, when I must die; Remind me of Thy passion When my last hour draws nigh. Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, Upon Thy cross shall dwell, My heart by faith enfold Thee. Who dieth thus dies well. (LSB #450, st. 7) Holy Week Services Please join us this Holy Week for the Holy Triduum, the Holy Three Days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday (or Easter Vigil). Thursday and Friday services are at noon and 7:30pm, and Saturday night service is at 7:30pm (please note the time, not at 6:30!). Another Good Friday opportunity In addition to our services here, I will be assisting Pastor George Kirkup with a Good Friday service at 3pm at St. John's in Holbrook. Meetings on the Land I want to personally encourage every member of this congregation to come and hear about the possibility of purchasing land in Sayville, and the options that are available to us. The meetings are being held on Saturday February 27th at 1pm and Saturday March 13th at 1pm. The FEC would love to hear everyone's ideas and questions on this great opportunity for St. John's. A Special Thanks A special thanks to Bob Bente, Rick Konstanzer, and Josh Bente for all their help in clearing the sidewalks, stoops, and steps during the recent "blizzard event" here on Long Island. Your work is greatly appreciated by all! Thank you much Thank you to all who came to the potluck on February 28th as well. It is a daily privilege to serve this congregation as pastor, and I pray that we are blessed with many more happy and uplifting years together, serving Christ, one another, and our community with love and mercy.
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