Pastor Joe

Scott Harman March 27, 2021 0 1

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Hebrews 9: 11-15 (NIV)

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Pastor Joe painted his brick church building on Penn Avenue in Minneapolis’ Northside, bright blue. I never asked him why he did that. I will say that it made the building stick out. There are a lot of churches on the Northside, that’s the only blue one.  

Joe passed away last week, so I guess I’ll never know why he painted the church blue. But I know this with 100% certainty, that Pastor Joe was for real about following Jesus.

He pastored for decades in a neighbourhood that had a lot of pain. He prayed for hours at a time. He mentored many. He preached with power. He was never in a hurry to end a conversation with someone. The best idea I ever had for serving youth in Minneapolis came from Joe!

Joe once told me that he didn’t understand faith apart from what a person gave up for the sake of their faith. He didn’t have to be a minister on the Northside, in a hard unrewarding setting, he could have worked anywhere. But that’s how he saw Jesus. 

Jesus gave himself. He gave even his blood as a ransom to set us free. And so, we ask ourselves is it possible to follow Jesus? Is it possible to give ourselves so that others may know the freedom purchased by Christ’s blood?

This week I honour my old friend, Pastor Joe, who taught me that it is indeed possible.

PRAYER:
 
Dear God, thank you for those in our lives that have gone before us, showing us the way to follow Jesus. Pastor Joe reminds us that when we give ourselves, as Christ gave himself shedding his blood, we find freedom in our eternal inheritance.