Sweetened by His Love!
They say October is all about pumpkins and football, but they would be wrong! It is also about candy corn! Let me give you a pro tip - the best thing to do with candy corn is to carefully cut open the top of the bag, gently tip it over, and pour it all into the rubbish! Friends don’t let friends eat candy corn! And besides, research clearly shows that M&M’s are far more popular in Hawaii!
As followers of Jesus, we have something far sweeter to savor - remembering the riches of God’s grace to us in the Reformation! Churches around the world pause to reflect on God’s gracious work in calling people back to the gospel. The Reformation was a renewal of trust in the truth of God’s Word. People began to see and to live by what God shows us in the Bible, that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. These phrases are not just slogans from history—they are the heartbeat of our faith today.
In 2 Timothy 1:13-14, Paul reminds Timothy of the importance of holding fast to our faith.
Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
In every generation, God raises up men and women to “guard the good deposit” of the gospel. Over the centuries, countless men and women have given all, even risking their lives, so that others might hear the good news and rejoice in God’s grace and Word. Many were martyred, but their hope was fixed on Christ alone. We stand today on the shoulders of these faithful saints who trusted not in their own strength, but in God’s sovereign grace.
October is not just a history lesson for us as believers—it is a reminder of God’s faithfulness across the years. Perhaps you can remember those earlier days in our own lives when God’s Word gripped our hearts, and His faithful shepherding presence sustained us through many trials. Just as He was faithfully at work 500 years ago, He remains faithful to us now.
This month, as we start the candy snacking and the chocolate nibbling, let us also give thanks for those who have gone before us. Let us resolve to seek the Lord, that He might empower us to live today with renewed courage and confidence in God’s Word and God’s grace.
Like Paul, may we be able to say to those around us, and to those who come after us But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. 2 Timothy 3:14
Let’s celebrate God’s grace this month and pass it on, to those who come after us (even if they like candy corn.)
Sweetened by His love,
Pastor Jamie
