An Anthem of Thanksgiving

Rick Gutierrez
Minister of College/Singles
rick@apexbaptist.org

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The first half of 2006 was atrocious. It was without question the most miserable six months of my life. For the sake of time let me briefly summarize the January-July, 2006: the end of a three year dating relationship; massive financial crisis (month to month); home heating unit went out; got a severe stomach illness (I literally and honestly thought I was going to die); seminary classes were significantly more demanding than previous semesters; ministry responsibilities were mounting exponentially; major crisis concerning my dad; another failed dating relationship; and increasing job anxiety (working as a mortgage broker at the time). This is not a complete listing of all the “bad” I underwent. Just trust me when I say that it was awful and I do not want to go through anything like that ever again…or do I?

Throughout those infamous six months, I held on to one thing. It was the only thing that I could hold on to—the only thing that gave me hope. My Father is the Sovereign Lord and He loves me. This isn’t just preacher talk or Christianese rhetoric. Rather, it is the reality that inspires the downtrodden and broken hearted to ascend high above earthly trouble and worry. It is because of this truth that I could Amen the words of the psalmist: “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (Ps 27:13).

My Heavenly Father directs everything concerning my life. The Book of Ecclesiastes says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (3:1), and “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (3:11). In other words, God not only ordains the “good” times in my life, but also the “bad.” In fact, those so called bad times, are beautiful in God’s eyes. Those times are beautiful because God uses them to perform a work of spiritual art—to mature me into conformity with Christ. This is a grand promise! My God, who is faithful, has promised to complete the work that He began in me (Phil. 1:6). I have a guarantee that “the LORD will accomplish what concerns me” (Ps 138:8).

The story of 2006 does not end with six wretched months. Listen to this! In August 2006, God blessed me with a roommate to help with my financial crisis. That same month a local church lost their pastor and asked me to fill their pulpit for two months. This was a huge deal because it helped me financially and more importantly confirmed my calling to preach God’s Word. In September 2006, Apex Baptist Church brought me on staff as Minister of College & Singles giving me the opportunity to devote myself to the ministry, as well as financial security (for the first time in years). Then God added a cherry on top. I started dating Jamie, now my mega pretty and godly wife.

But the story is still not over. On July 21, 2007 I was blessed with the honor of baptizing Jamie at Jordan Lake (she grew up Methodist). The next night (July 22) I was ordained as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ by Apex Baptist. Six days later (July 28), Jamie and I were married. Two weeks after that (August 11), I had the privilege of officiating my first wedding—the wedding of the friend God had blessed me with as a roommate during my time of need in 2006.

This story is an anthem of thanksgiving to God. I am so grateful to God for the past year. I knew all along in 2006 that the Lord would bring me out of the “bad” season and into one that was “good.” The irony is that looking back the bad season wasn’t so bad. Sure it hurt at the time, but had it not been for that time I would not have experienced the Lord’s faithfulness and love in the way that I did. Here is the crazy thing…I am equally thankful for the six months of trial in 2006 as I am for the overwhelming blessings since.

All of us are either just coming out of a bad season, in the midst of a bad season or about to go into a bad season. This is an inescapable fact. That being the case we must ask ourselves how we are going to interpret those events in our lives. I pray that we will always filter those not so good times through the gospel. The same power that raised Christ from the grave is at work in us to strengthen us during such times. It is Christ who compels us to respond to bad seasons with an anthem of thanksgiving: “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving” (Ps 69:30).

I HOPE MY CHURCH DOESN’T LOOK LIKE MY YARD.

Matt Rice
Minister of Church Plant
mattrice@apexbaptist.org
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My yard looks terrible. It took a severe beating this summer due to the lack of rain. I have never been one to water – it is too expensive. I basically do enough not to have the neighbors mad at me. I am used to my lawn turning brown and crunchy by early July. But this year, in addition to my crunchy grass, I lost several bushes. You see, in order for your yard to survive it must have enough sunlight, water, soil, and air. All four of these elements are vital to the survival of your yard.

As I sit and think about “planting” a church in NW Cary, I have learned some early lessons about what I don’t want the church to look like – my yard. I have not cared for my yard nor provided the balance of the four elements needed for it to thrive. Therefore, I have a yard with weeds who masquerade themselves as grass and bushes (I have some left) struggling to make it.

The four elements necessary for a plant to survive are equally applicable to a church plant. First, the church needs light. In I John 1:5, John proclaims, “God is light.” Jesus said in John 8:15, “I am the light of the world.” Light provides growth to a plant. If this church will grow it will be because of Christ – nothing else and nothing more.

Second, for a plant to grow there is a need for water. In John 4:13 we find that Jesus provides water unrivaled for the believer and the church. This water satisfies and is eternal. The church must “tap” into this water to avoid becoming brown, crunchy, and thirsty like my yard.

Next, there is the issue of soil. Vital to the growth of a plant is the foundation it has. My kids know from the song, “The wise man built his house upon the Rock….. and the house stood firm.” Another song proclaims, “You (Jesus) are the air I breathe.” Air and soil are critical elements needed for a plant to survive. The church must breathe the air of Christ as she is planted on the Rock (Christ).

I do not want my church to look like my yard. I also don’t want my life to resemble my yard. What does your life look like? Is it brown, crunchy, and thirsty? I encourage you to open your eyes to the light of Jesus, drink from the tap Jesus offers you, fix yourself on the Rock who is Jesus, and breathe the air He allows you to breathe.

“”Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

I want my church (and my life) to look like this verse…..not my yard.