Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2021-04-30
Friday, April 30th 2021
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Friends,
Tomorrow (Saturday), Sunday worship, and Sunday afternoon (for Two-Step!) all focus and celebrate our partnership with our sister congregation in Havana. Come join these Zooms to help us celebrate. The links are at the very end of this email.
Let’s pray for the Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada de Luyano this weekend. They celebrate their 99th birthday on Sunday. Rev. Daniel Izquierdo wrote the reflection of the Twenty-Third Psalm for us to share with our flock. Had technology allowed, he would have preached for us on Sunday but Cuban internet will not allow sending large files.
I look forward to preaching on Sunday. Mati Stone will lead us in Spanish-language prayer.
Join us THIS Sunday.
Remember: FirstPres.Live for on-line, and 302 West Church Street, big green doors, for in-person.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
matt@firstpres.church
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The Good Shepherd.
Rev. Daniel Izquierdo
Psalm 23, John 10: 11-18
When the young David proposed to fight against that Philistine giant who defied the armies of Israel, the argument used to reject his offer was his young age and his inexperience in the art of war, something that Goliath obviously boasted of having. But David’s response to the king was that in his life as a shepherd he had to defend his flock from the beasts and risked his life for them (I Sam 17: 33-35).
The sacrificial and loving image of a shepherd for his sheep is also indicated in Isa 40:11: He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs on his arms, and carries close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young (NIV). Thus, Psalm 23 describes with very expressive words that care of the shepherd towards his sheep, from the experience that a man of such office can express.
This is a song of confidence describing God’s care for his people, which each person can make his own; it uses not only the image of a shepherd (verses 1-4) but also that of a good family man who behaves like the ideal host (verse 5). The trust in God who is our shepherd is declared from the first verse by affirming that we lack nothing under his care. This does not indicate the absence of dangers or that life is easy and smooth, the psalmist suggests serious difficulties when he refers to the valley of the shadow of death, and later mentions his enemies. The image of the shepherd suggests on the one hand tender care regarding provision, restoration; but it also implies liberation and protection. The descriptions the psalm makes are not simply to be read but to be experienced. Imagine when we are on a picnic and we lie down on the fresh grass, what a feeling of relaxation and comforting rest, add to this the sound of a stream, the murmur of a brook invites you to nap and calm. It is equally comforting to know that in the search for abundant pastures and suitable regions for grazing, sometimes you have to cross in the middle of the most tortuous and frightening trails, but the shepherd is the one who leads the way, he is the one who does not leave any sheep to get lost, he is the one who directs with his rod and rescues with his staff. If the Lord is the shepherd, then we shall not want. These ideas are complemented by the final image of the host who welcomes us at his table and gives us a luxurious welcome by anointing our heads with oils and serving our glasses until they overflow.
It is not surprising then that Jesus, illustrating his own actions in the midst of Israel with vivid images, said: “I am the good shepherd” (John 10: 11,14), for many interpreters it is a kind of declaration that refers to his divinity, by the multiple references to God as the shepherd of Israel. In this specific text, the evangelist refers to the giving of the life of Jesus as something that he has chosen, in obedience to the Father, but more than anything in love for his own. He is the shepherd who would lay down his life for the sheep so that we have the certainty of life, and of a life in abundance (John 10:10). Therefore we must have the same experience of the psalmist in Psalm 23, one that reaffirms over and over again that in God we are complete, secure and confident, that we lack nothing, that nothing frightens us or can take away the certainty of his perennial care. Despite any adverse circumstances, the psalmist’s conviction and his trust in God make him anticipate his return to the temple after his deliverance, make him long to stay in the temple to bear witness to his experience and worship the God who rescues him and holds. There he will celebrate the goodness of God.
We have lived, and are still living, unprecedented times due to the presence of an epidemic that has affected some 150 million people in practically the entire world, and that has claimed the lives of more than three million inhabitants on the planet. Although the vaccination processes have begun, there are still moments of tension and anguish, in many places closures and quarantines remain to prevent further spread of the virus, even the appearance of new strains puts immunization efforts at risk. The pandemic has left a trail of economic collapses, shortages and hardships, of which in Cuba we have been hit with greater visibility. Even so, we continue to proclaim hope, we continue to cling to the psalmist’s conviction that God is our shepherd, the one who guides us, the one who cares for us and therefore we declare: we shall not want. In that faith we encourage ourselves to live the present life, and to bear witness to each action where we see that divine hand working in our midst. In that faith we continue to celebrate our faith and encourage others to do so. It does not matter if we are in Luyanó or in Champaign, we are all sheep of the good shepherd. May God abundantly shower his grace on each one of us. Amen.
El buen pastor.
Salmo 23, Juan 10: 11-18
Cuando el joven David propuso luchar contra aquel gigante filisteo que desafiaba a los ejércitos de Israel, el argumento esgrimido para desestimar su oferta era su joven edad y su inexperiencia en el arte de la guerra, cosa que obviamente Goliat se ufanaba de poseer. Pero la respuesta de David al rey fue que en su vida de pastor de ovejas él tenía que defender su rebaño de las bestias y arriesgaba su vida por ellas (I Sam 17:33-35). La imagen sacrificial y amorosa de un pastor por sus ovejas queda también indicada en Isa 40:11: Como pastor apacentará su rebaño. En su brazo llevará los corderos, junto a su pecho los llevará; y pastoreará con ternura a las recién paridas.
Así pues, el Salmo 23 describe con palabras muy expresivas ese cuidado del pastor hacia sus ovejas, desde lo vivencial que un hombre de tal oficio puede expresar. Este es un canto de confianza describiendo el cuidado de Dios por su pueblo, que cada persona puede hacer suyo, utiliza no solo la imagen de un pastor (vers. 1-4) sino también la de un buen padre de familia que se comporta como el anfitrión ideal (vers. 5).
La confianza en Dios que es nuestro pastor queda declarada desde el primer versículo al afirmar que nada nos falta bajo su cuidado. Ello no indica la ausencia de peligros o que la vida se presenta fácil y sin tropiezos, el salmista sugiere serias dificultades cuando hace referencia al valle de sombra de muerte, y más adelante menciona a sus enemigos.
La imagen del pastor sugiere por un lado tierno cuidado en cuanto a provisión, restauración; pero también implica liberación y protección. Las descripciones que hace el salmo no son simplemente para ser leídas sino experimentadas. Imaginemos cuando estamos de picnic y nos tumbamos sobre el césped fresco, qué sensación de relajamiento y descanso tan reconfortante, añadamos a ello el rumor de una corriente de agua, el murmullo de un arroyo invita a la siesta y al sosiego. Es igualmente reconfortante conocer que en la búsqueda de pastos abundantes y regiones apropiadas para el pastoreo, a veces haya que atravesar en medio de los senderos más tortuosos y atemorizantes, pero el pastor es el que va delante guiando, es quien no deja ninguna oveja que se pierda, es el que dirige con su vara y rescata con su cayado. Si el Señor es el pastor, entonces nada nos falta. Estas ideas son complementadas por la imagen final del anfitrión que nos recibe en su mesa y nos da una bienvenida de lujo al ungir con aceites nuestras cabezas y servir nuestras copas hasta que rebosen.
No sorprende entonces que Jesús, ilustrando con imágenes vívidas su propio actuar en medio de Israel, haya dicho: “Yo soy el buen pastor” (Juan 10:11,14), para muchos intérpretes es una especie de declaración que refiere su divinidad, por las múltiples referencias a Dios como el pastor de Israel. En este texto específico, el evangelista hace referencia a la entrega de la vida de Jesús como algo que él ha escogido, en obediencia al Padre, pero más que nada en amor a los suyos. Él es el pastor que daría su vida por las ovejas de modo que nosotros tengamos la certeza de vida, y de una vida en abundancia (Juan 10:10). Por lo cual debemos tener la misma experiencia del salmista en el Salmo 23, una que reafirma una y otra vez que en Dios estamos completos, seguros y confiados, quenada nos falta, que nada nos atemoriza ni puede quitar la certeza de su cuidado perenne.
A pesar de cualquier circunstancia adversa, la convicción del salmista y su confianza en Dios le hacen anticipar su regreso al templo después de su liberación, le hacen anhelar la estancia en el templo para dar testimonio de su experiencia y adorar al Dios que le rescata y sostiene. Allí celebrará la bondad de Dios.
Hemos vivido, y aún se viven, tiempos inéditos debido a la presencia de una epidemia que ha afectado a unos ciento cincuenta millones de personas en prácticamente todo el mundo, y que ha cobrado la vida de más de tres millones de habitantes en el planeta. Aunque los procesos de vacunación han comenzado, aún se viven momentos de tensión y angustia, en muchos lugares permanecen los cierres y las cuarentenas para evitar mayor expansión del virus, incluso la aparición de nuevas cepas pone en riesgo los esfuerzos de inmunización. La pandemia ha dejado una estela de derrumbes económicos, carencias y penurias, de las que en Cuba hemos sido golpeados con mayor visibilidad. Aun así, seguimos proclamando la esperanza, seguimos aferrados a la convicción del salmista d que Dios es nuestro pastor, el que nos guía, el que tiene cuidado de nosotros y por ello declaramos: nada nos faltará. En esa fe nos animamos a vivir la vida presente, y a dar testimonio de cada acción donde vemos esa mano divina obrando en medio nuestro. En esa fe seguimos celebrando nuestra fe y animando a otros a que lo hagan. No importa si estamos en Luyanó o en Champaign, todos somos ovejas del buen pastor.
Que Dios derrame abundantemente su gracia sobre cada uno de nosotros. Amén.
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Your soundtrack for the weekend…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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Cuba Celebration weekend this Saturday and Sunday May 1st and 2nd. Join us for our Cuba Forum on Saturday, May 1, at 10 am. In the meanwhile watch firstpres.church/
firstpres.church/cubaforum
On Sunday, worship will have a Cuba theme with special prayers for our partner church in Havana, the Luyano Presbyterian Church. Later Sunday afternoon, we’re having a Cuba Two-Step salsa lesson.
Shared Worship Sunday, May 2 9 AM at FirstPres.live.
Cuba Two-Step Sunday, May 2 1 PM at firstpres.church/cubatwostep
For more information, contact the Church Office at 217-356-7238 or zoom@firstpres.church. The links for the Cuba Forum, Shared Worship and Cuba Two-Step will all be live on their designated dates and times.
