Pastor Kory’s Page for February 2025

I’ve been reading a book lately on the science of walking and running. It’s entitled Born to Walk. Its main point is that the human body is designed for walking. This is evident from our human anatomy. Our metabolism also responds best to walking and being on our feet throughout the day. Walking is also an important component of maintaining our mental health. God knew what He was doing when He designed our feet, joints, heart, lungs, and brain for walking.

 Consistent walking is one of the best things we can do for our long-term health. Regardless of how fit we are, we all need to walk. We were not created for sedentary lifestyles. Thankfully, even small doses of walking are still beneficial, especially when done consistently over time. I’m trying to integrate more short walks into daily life, whether around the church building on a cold day, or by parking at the back of a parking lot when I go to the store, or by leashing up our dogs, who are always eager for an outing around the neighborhood!

Through much of history, unless you owned a horse, you had no choice but to walk! In today’s world, walking is merely a form of recreation or something we do in short stints as we navigate around our homes or workplaces, but the people we read about in the Bible walked almost everywhere. Other than a short ride on a colt into Jerusalem, Jesus spent His life walking around the Holy Land, making many long North-South trips between Galilee and Judea. 

Walking was such an essential part of life that the Bible uses it as a metaphor for our relationship with the Lord. Some 200 times, the Bible talks about walking, usually in the sense of walking before the Lord, walking in His ways, or when warning us about walking in darkness.

Just after Adam and Eve fell into sin, “they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8), but instead of walking toward Him, they began to hide from Him. Ever since that day, it’s been a struggle for us to walk with the Lord and to walk in His ways. Our sinful human nature would rather walk away from the Lord and the perceived restraints He puts on our lives. Left to ourselves, we’d be walking a direct route to hell.

God be praised, though, that He didn’t abandon us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to enter our human flesh and walk in our shoes. In a sense, Jesus’ life on earth was one long, deliberate walk toward His cross. He did many other great things along the way through His neighborly care and teaching and miracles, but ultimately, Jesus came to lay down His life for us. In doing so, He took the punishment for all our failures to walk according to God’s Commandments.

Then, on the same day that Jesus triumphantly rose for us, what’s one of the first things that He did? Jesus suddenly appeared and went for a walk with two disciples who were leaving Jerusalem (Luke 24:15). In their conversation, Jesus revealed to them how the Old Testament Scriptures revealed Him and pointed toward His death and resurrection.

Because Jesus came and walked blamelessly in our place, carried our sins to the cross, and rose for our redemption, we can look forward to walking with the Lord eternally, just as Adam and Eve did for a brief time in Eden. Revelation 21:24 tells us that, in eternity, the nations will walk by the light of the Lamb. What a day that will be! And what a day it will be when we walk with our Lord, face-to-face, with no more aches and pains and no more stumbles into sin.

Until that day, we continue to “walk by faith, not by sight” (1 Corinthians 5:7); and “walk in the light, as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7); and “love one another’’ and “walk according to His commandments” (2 John 5-6). Just like physical walking, walking with the Lord is also good for you. It’s what you’re made for! How we walk spiritually and behaviorally is a witness of our faith and a way of giving thanks to the Savior who walked the road of the cross for us. So, let’s keep encouraging one another, not only to get in our physical steps, but also to keep walking faithfully with our Lord throughout all the seasons of life.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kory Janneke

Pastor Kory’s Page for January 2025

            One of the Bible’s most “upbeat” and joyful books is St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Even though Paul wrote this epistle somewhat near the end of his life and from a Roman prison cell, his attitude is thankful and hopeful in the Lord.

            Paul introduces his letter by writing, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:1-5)

            These opening words remind us that Paul did not work alone. He served together with other ministers, including Timothy. (At earlier points in his ministry, he worked hand-in-hand with Barnabas, Silas, Luke and others.) Paul also counted the laity and pastors of Philippi as partners in the Lord’s work. After greeting them with a word of Christ’s grace and peace, Paul gives thanks. The Philippian Christians are a source of joy to him. From the first day that Paul shared the Gospel in their midst (described in Acts chapter 16), until the moment he penned these words, Paul regarded these believers as partners with him in the Gospel.

            The word that Paul uses for “partnership” is the Greek word koinonia, sometimes translated as, “fellowship.” This koinonia between Paul and the Philippians was more than exchanging pleasantries, though. It was their sharing and participating in the blessings of the Gospel and the responsibilities of life in the body of Christ. There was both giving and receiving between Paul and the Philippians. (Read more about this in Phil. 4:14-19.) The Philippians shared Paul’s troubles with him. They did so by praying for him and his ministry and by sending him help (financial support and supplies). In 4:18, Paul states that he has received the gifts the Philippians sent him and that he is well supplied. Clearly, the partnership Paul shared with them was more than sentimental but was very practical for his ministry and his physical needs.

What makes Philippians such an upbeat and joyful book is that it’s really an extended thank you letter to a congregation that faithfully supported Paul and his mission to the Gentiles. Repeatedly, the Philippian Christians proved to be true partners in the Gospel and Paul wrote back to them to encourage and thank them, in turn.

            The Lord has also brought us together in His Church to be partners in the Gospel in our time and place. The Church’s mission cannot be accomplished only by missionaries like Paul or by pastors like me. All the saints in Christ Jesus are meant to contribute to the life and work of the Church. 

            For 2025, I’ve chosen the phrase “Partners in the Gospel” as a congregational theme for us to continue reflecting on and putting into practice. We need to “partner up” just as much as the first generation of Christians! Think of all the different sorts of partners that are needed in the Church: prayer partners, leadership partners, accountability partners, financial partners, volunteer partners, and so on. The Lord’s Church cannot operate without such partnerships!

            Who can you partner with? Is there someone who needs your prayers? Is there someone you can team up with? Is there someone you can “pass the torch” to? Who can we partner with as a congregation? How can we be a blessing not only to those in this church family but beyond it? How can we strengthen partnerships with our circuit, district, and synod? How can we contribute to other ministries like Camp Trinity or to local non-profits as they serve our neighbors? 

Let’s have some conversations about these opportunities for partnership! And let me close by echoing Paul’s thanksgiving for you:  “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you … because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

            Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kory Janneke

Pastor Kory's Page for December 2024

The gift is beautifully wrapped and waiting underneath the Christmas tree. But what makes this gift so exciting is not just the impressive presentation or even what it might contain, but the fact that there’s a gift tag on the box and your name is carefully written as the recipient! Someone cared enough to prepare a gift especially for you … Whether or not you’ll be giving or receiving many presents this Christmas, Christmas is all about God’s greatest gift. And best of all, this gift, God’s Son, is for you! 

It’s as if Jesus’ swaddling clothes have a gift tag on them with your name on it! But the same could be said about Jesus’ entire life, from His baptism to His teaching ministry to His institution of the Lord’s Supper—it’s all for you! Above Jesus on the cross was a notice saying, “King of the Jews.” That placard could just as well have said “For You.” The same goes for Jesus’ empty tomb! Your name is written all over everything Jesus did!

Not only is it powerful to know that Jesus took on our human flesh with you and me in mind, but His names are particularly powerful. Let’s look at seven names for our Lord in the Christmas story and in Isaiah’s prophecies to better appreciate God’s great gift of His Son:

“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”(Matt. 1:21). Every time you hear the name “Jesus,” it’s meant to be a gospel reminder of who Jesus is and why He came. “Jesus,” or Yeshua, literally means, “The Lord saves” or “The Lord is salvation.”

“‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call His name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matt. 1:23). Although our sin separates us from our sinless Creator, God Himself descends to be with us and take on our flesh. But we also have the promise of Jesus’ presence today: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Although we often call Jesus, “Christ,” this is more of a title than a name. Christ means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” Jesus’ ancestors, the kings of Judah, were anointed with oil for their royal offices. When we hear “Christ,” it reminds us that He is the promised “king of the Jews” (Matt. 2:2; 27:37), yet a king who wore a crown of thorns and gave His life upon the cross.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6). The Holy Spirit revealed to Isaiah centuries before Christ that God’s Chosen One would be born for us. As true man, Jesus’ birth was rather ordinary. Yet as true God, divine titles like “Wonderful Counselor” can apply to Christ. He needs no one else’s counsel. As the greatest of counselors, Christ stands ready to listen and respond to your prayers. 

“Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) What a wonder it is that this helpless baby boy in the manger is also our Almighty God! The God of Israel, who powerfully rescued His people in Old Testament times, has come to rescue all people from their sin.

“Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus is One God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, but Jesus Himself is like a father to all His faithful people, the children of God. Even though He is the mighty King of all creation, Jesus loves and cares for you like the best of all fathers.

“Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) Peace is a universal human longing. As we hear of everything from bullying to senseless shootings to political power plays in this world, we’re reminded again and again that we all need this Prince of Peace. Yet Jesus came to achieve a peace that is so much greater than an absence of violence or disputes. Jesus’ peace is peace with God—an eternally restored relationship with God. Jesus’ peace is the peace of knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you are dearly loved by God! Because of the peace that is ours in Jesus, and the perfect peace that awaits us, we seek to be people of peace in our daily lives.

His names say it all!  And a blessed Advent and Christmas to all!

Pastor Kory Janneke