Dear Cornerstone Family,
Today’s Pastoral Note is written by Mr. Ethan Vroom, Pastoral Assistant at Cornerstone.
Members of Cornerstone often ask me what my job entails: “What do you do?” It’s both humorous and encouraging. Humorous because I have to stop think, “Yea, what am I doing?” But it’s also very encouraging because it shows the church cares about me.
My work at Cornerstone ranges from serving with our youth ministry, doing yard maintenance, assisting Pastor Nate, and organizing our retirement ministry at Morning Pointe. For all that is asked of me in my work at Cornerstone, I am grateful for the opportunity, and I thank the Lord for the experience and training I am receiving.
Part of organizing Morning Pointe means that I occasionally lead and preach there. And this stretches me! What does a 24- year-old young man have to teach and preach to those who have lived so much longer than I have? Instead of trying to come up with something new, I try not to complicate it and stick with the basics.
In preaching at Morning Pointe several months ago, I was led to the passage where Jesus welcomes the little children in Matthew 19:13-15. Jesus tells his disciples, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” As I pondered this passage in preparation, the beauty of the gospel became clearer and was a much-needed reminder in my own life.
In ancient Rome, which is the backdrop for this passage, children were of little value. They only mattered if they were the oldest son, because they would uphold the family line. Most other children had no dignity. They were often sold for money. If not wanted, children were sometimes left to die on the street and thrown out like trash. This is why what Jesus does in this story is so radical. Jesus calls those who are weak and helpless, rejected by the world, into his presence and promises to them eternal life.
In the previous chapter, Matthew 18, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus is teaching that receiving eternal life is dependent upon us becoming like children. What does this mean?
Recently, my younger brother had his first precious covenant daughter. Because she is just an infant, she is weak and dependent. She cannot feed or protect herself. Instead, she is dependent upon her parents to feed and protect her. She brings nothing to the relationship with her parents, and, yet, my brother and sister-in-law love and care for her deeply.
Christ’s call is to become like a child. We must become like children. We must realize that we are weak and dependent upon the Lord for all things. All we bring to our relationship with the Lord is our sin and our need for a savior. And yet, God, in His grace, has given us every good gift. And he delights in us when we acknowledge our need for Jesus as weak and dependent children.
So, if you look at your life and all its complexities and there are areas where you desperately need help, bring that to the Lord; he delights in it. Come to him, weak and dependent upon him for everything—for when you do, to you belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Grace & Peace,
Ethan