Letter to the Congregations: 28th December 2024

Our Dear Brethren,

“I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).

Jesus said this in response to a group of Pharisees trying to silence the praise of His disciples. Not just that of the twelve, but of the crowds of believers who gathered along the road to Jerusalem. Jesus was seated on a donkey, riding into the city from the Mount of Olives, fulfilling prophecies which pointed to Him as the Savior King of Israel and the entire world.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you;

He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

- (Zechariah 9:9)

In essence Jesus was saying that the truth will be revealed and prophecy from God will be fulfilled. In a similar statement John the Baptist told another group of Pharisees “that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (see Matthew 3:9 and Luke 3:8) if they refused to repent of their sins and become part of the spiritual family of God. Both of these statements can be applied to anyone who hears the gospel of the Kingdom of God and desires to be part of that eternal Kingdom. If we aren’t ready to repent and change, and if we aren’t ready to accept Jesus as our Savior and King, then God will call others who will. But He wants us!

Our God has called us in a time when it might be difficult to share with the world how we live and what we believe. It has to be more than just proclaiming with our lips that Jesus is our King. We have to be willing to be fully and completely on God’s side, acting like and speaking like a disciple of Jesus Christ. And not just initially or some of the time, but all of the time. This is a very daunting task for us because we are flawed, because we have sinned and will most likely make mistakes again for the rest of our lives. But thankfully our God wants us!

Jeremiah the prophet, in remembering the coming promises of God for His people, stated: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You” (Jeremiah 32:17). If we try on our own to remain faithful, to continue to follow the steps of our Savior, to continue to repent and change, and to stand strong in the face of adversity, then we will fail. But, as Jesus reminded His disciples who doubted this very thing, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me” (Jeremiah 32:27)?

Are we ready and willing to be the disciples of Jesus Christ, to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Or are we willing to let God make children from stones when He wants us to become His children?

Our love is with you,

Lewis VanAusdle

Pastor, United Church of God

NYC, NJ, CT, Malawi, Zimbabwe