Here is something burning on my heart that I feel the Lord wanted me to preach to the folk at Evangel on Mother’s Day. Let me know what you think.
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Small-Town Preacher
A few weeks ago I conducted a funeral. On the way from the grave-site to the church for the funeral dinner I stopped at the bank. The lady in front of me was taking her time. She and the teller were having a nice talk about something. I used the time to check my messages and e-mails. I heard the teller say; “O, he’s not in a hurry. He’s on his phone.”
I smiled. In my mind I was thinking “No, I’m on the phone because you’re not in a hurry,” but I didn’t say it. Sometime after Jr. High school it began to dawn on me that it was not a good idea to say every little cute witty thing you think.
I always drive away from a funeral thinking how glad I am to be alive, how much I cherish my family, and how eager I am to help as many as I can have eternal life. When you stop a while and stand at the edge of a grave it has a way of putting life in perspective. It slows you down—helps you sort out your priorities. I don’t want to push my way through life all out-of-breath and out-of-sorts. I want to live gracefully and thoughtfully. I want to live patiently among others with whom I share my place on the earth.
“No problem,” I said, “I don’t like to interrupt a good conversation. I’m not in a big hurry.”
“Thanks,” the customer said, “I’ve been shut in for weeks recovering from surgery and I don’t have anybody to talk to. It was just nice to have a relaxed conversation again.”
Lois and I have a large family and I pastor a large church in a large town, so I stood and wondered what it must be like to have no one to talk to for weeks. We all stood and had a relaxed conversation about relaxed conversation. We don’t live in Mayberry. We live in a major suburb of the largest city in our state. It’s unusual for folk to stand around and talk like they they do at Floyd’s Barbershop.
I walked to my Jeep and drove toward the church. The family would be there and the ladies of the church would have the food hot and waiting for them. They would be watching for me to arrive so I could pray for the meal. The grieving family would then partake in the “sacrament” of the funeral dinner. Fried chicken, au gratin potatoes, salad, cake, pie, lemonade and coffee, all arranged by the faithful ladies of the church.
Running my Jeep through the gears it occurred to me that just because I don’t live in a small village anymore doesn’t mean I can’t treat people like I do. All I really aspire to be is a small-town village parson at heart. I don’t think I’ll ever improve on that. Unhurried listening. Patient shepherding. Honorable living. Hard work. Faithful prayer. Preaching that touches the hearts of children and the common man.
That night I spent my drive home praying; “God give me grace to live a graceful life. You have placed me in a large city, remind me always to have the heart of a village parson.”
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
April 24, 2013
George and Norma Haberer-Washington
George Haberer, a retired missionary, just called. He was expressing gratefulness for our support over the years. I sensed that his heart was heavy. You could hear it in his voice.
I said; “How are you today.”
He answered slowly. “Well, considering what I’m going through, I’m doing well.” He couldn’t speak for a moment. When he could he said, “I had to put my wife, Norma, in a nursing home today. We are dealing with dementia.” He choked up as he said it.
He grew up just south of Jackson, Michigan but now lives near his children in Washington State. He says the mountains remind him of Papua New Guinea. We talked for a while about his career as a missionary in the Philippines and in Papua New Guinea. He and his wife spent 23 years in Papua New Guinea. He spoke of building churches by hand and seeing them flourish. He thanked us for our support in his retirement. I assured him of our prayers as a church. We prayed. It was a delightful conversation. I found myself silently praying to God that he would allow me to serve faithfully and finish faithfully and cherish my time with Lois while I can.
Will You Praise Him To The End?
Some days unfold like an Irish Blessing. The road rises to meet you. The wind is at your back. The sun shines warm on your head. You have a secure sense that God is holding you in the palm of his hand. The birds sing and the flowers spread their beauty and fragrance all around you.
• The first flush of young love.
• The day of your graduation with all the wide world of opportunity spreading out before you.
• The birth of a healthy child.
• The day you land the job you dreamed of and prepared for.
• A perfect vacation day is crowned with a picture-perfect sunset.
There is something you need to know though if you haven’t already learned it. Not all days will unfold like an Irish Blessing. Not all seasons will be sunny and warm and fragrant. The cold, biting wind of trouble is sure to blow into your life one day. There will be hard days–hard seasons for all of us. We live in a fallen, sin-cursed world. Most of us will have to endure pain and disappointment that we never expected to face. There are times when the weight of life will be crushing. Some day you will receive news that you never thought would come to you. Your faith will be tested. Your joy will be threatened. Sin will do the ugly things it does and death will one day knock on every door. It is certain.
The Question Concerning Job
Like Job of the Old Testament, his story was one long season of unbroken blessing and prosperity before he became the subject of a conversation between God and Satan. After that things took a very, very ugly turn.
Though Job and his family did not know it, the question concerning him before the throne of God in heaven was this: Would Job curse God when his life began to unravel? Would he still bless God if he lost his wealth, his health, and his family?
Satan told God; “Job will curse you if you take his prosperity away.” At one low point in the story Job’s wife suggests this very thing… the thought could not have been original with her–no doubt it was planted by a demon or the Temper himself… She says; “Job, why don’t you just curse God and die.” But Job will not curse God. He affirms; “Even if he kills me I will trust him.”
Job’s story occupies 42 chapters of the Old Testament and ends without God ever explaining to him why he allowed Satan to take him through such sudden and horrifying loss. But Job will not curse God. He will not allow tragedy to rob him of his praise.
As long as you live you may not see all that is happening to you in the world unseen, but you will have to answer the same question down in the deepest part of your soul. Will you still bless him? Will you still praise Him? Will you still rejoice in God or will your trouble rob you of your joy and your faith?
My Affirmation
Lately life in our little Granville Cottage has not been unfolding like an Irish Blessing. (Sometimes it seems more like a Greek Tragedy), but I’ve been doing some thinking and I want to publicly affirm my resolve to praise Him. I hereby affirm that I will rejoice in God no matter how hard life gets. I will praise him no matter how heavy the news, no matter how crushing the weight of life. I will dance before Him and I will sing and praise him with my hands and heart uplifted even if tears are running down my face and my heart is heavy. I will seek God’s empowerment to faithfully praise him all the days of my life.
For all who are watching I want my life to inspire others to Praise the One Who alone is worthy of all praise, so this is my resolve: I will praise Him still and I will bless Him still. I will never curse Him. I will never let anyone or anything rob me of my joy. I will sing to the end. I will dance to the end. I will not allow anything to steal my peace or weaken my resolve to faithfully praise my faithful God. I will trust him to the end, even if he kills me.
I had a breakfast meeting this morning. My friend had to cancel at the last minute. I used the time in the restaurant to enjoy some steel-cut oats, watch the snow slow the pace of morning traffic, enjoy the fire, and write this little piece about my resolve to praise Him as long as I live. While writing our oldest daughter Holly posted his from her morning Bible reading: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hands.” (Psalm 63:3-4)
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
February 7, 2013
What to Do When Bad Things Happen
Title: What to Do When Bad Things Happen
Speaker: Pastor Ken Pierpont
Place: Evangel Baptist Church-Taylor, Michigan
Date: December 2012
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How to Overcome Worry
Series: Facing Big Problems
Title: How to Overcome Worry
Speaker: Pastor Ken Pierpont
Date: December 2012
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