Sunday is Coming!
This weekend we will consider that our first job—our main occupation—should be that we are Disciples of Jesus our teacher, and this should leave its mark on us in obvious ways.
Can you remember your first job?
My first job was at Burger King. I can remember that the smells of the kitchen and the French fry oil & hamburger grease would follow me home. It soaked into my uniform and stuck to the bottom of my shoes. I had a friend at that time who worked on car engines, and I remember that he also had a different kind of oil and grease that would stick to his hands as a constant reminder of what his job was.
I have realized that you can sometimes tell a person’s job or occupation by the smells & smudges that cling to them when they come home.
Woodworkers are often covered in scrapes and splinters.
Doctors & Nurses carry the aroma of hand sanitizer and disinfectant.
Firefighters sometimes smell like smoke.
Farmers are identified by the sights and smells of soil and animals.
Preschool teachers and children’s ministry workers are often marked with the tell-tale signs of craft supplies—especially glitter!
We will come back to this point in a moment, but also this Sunday, we will hold a Ministry Fair where we will get to celebrate many different “jobs” in the church which work together to build the House of God. We are going to conclude our study of the different works that we are equipped to do by Jesus, who gives us Spiritual Gifts.
We will once again use the words of Paul in Ephesians 4:11-12 as our framework—
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
Our focus Today is on the Teachers – Educators, Instructors, Clarifiers – the ones who help to make it make sense.
As we explore this area of giftedness, I want to pose a question – “Who is teaching you?”
Another way of posing the question could be, “What’s rubbing off on you?” or “What is sticking to you?”
Just like our jobs or our occupations often leave their mark on us, so also when we make it our main job or occupation to follow Jesus as our master, it should rub off on us. Jesus should leave His mark on us! Let me explain…
Today we consider the role of “Teachers” in the Kingdom of God. As with all things, Jesus must be our ultimate example.
Teacher was actually the main title that people used for Jesus during his earthy ministry—in Hebrew, the word is “Rabbi.” During His incarnate time on this earth, Jesus functioned as a rabbi, who called disciples by saying “follow me.” In Hebrew culture, a disciple was like an apprentice who would follow the teacher around, learning by watching how they lived. It was like an all-encompassing full-time job.
This is different from our usual classroom settings where we find teachers today, where students come for a few hours a day and then leave. A Rabbi and His disciples would live life together in community. The goal of Rabbinic Teaching was not just information, but transformation —A rabbi fully modeled a “Way” of life.
And here’s where we tie this back to glitter and grease—
The goal of a disciple was to be “Covered in the Dust of the Rabbi.”
–this is a Jewish expression that has been popularized by authors like Ray Vander Laan and John Mark Comer.
In the days of Jesus, a devoted disciple was someone who followed their teacher so closely that as they walked the dusty roads together, the dust that the rabbi’s sandals kicked up would stick to his students.
So let us each consider this: who are we following closely? What is sticking to us or rubbing off on us from the people we follow?
i.e. your circle of friends, the social-media accounts you follow or the podcasters you listen to, the news sources you consume…
Who are you following, and what marks is it leaving on you? What character traits or attitudes or emotions are formed within you based on the voices you let inside your head? All the people we spend time with and all of the media we consume shapes us and leaves its mark.
Jesus still calls us to be His disciples today—we are called to be devoted students of Jesus who walk so closely in His footsteps that it’s obvious that we are his disciples. Let me show you from Scripture what that should look like—
In John 13:34-35, Jesus is speaking as a Rabbi giving a command to his Disciples, or a teacher instructing his students, and He says,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The Love that Jesus demonstrates should stick to us like dust, revealing to the world that we are following Him.
But like a good Jewish Rabbi, before Jesus put this message into words, he actually put it into action, demonstrating love in practice. If we back up in John chapter 13, we find that we are reading the events of the Last Supper. We read this passage every year around Eastor (on Maundy Thursday), and every time we observe the practice of feetwashing. This is where Jesus’ final lesson of Love begins—with a memorable, humble act of service. The Teacher, stoops to wash the feet of the students, and then proceeds to be arrested, trialed, and crucified.
And Jesus says, “do what I do” —Serve one another. Do what is messy, dirty, uncomfortable, and painful, because this is what I will do for you—even to the point of death upon the Cross. This is the ‘final exam’ of the Teacher.
These disciples had been with Jesus all along, since he had called them and told them to “follow him” and it leads up to this point of humiliation, stooping down to wash feet, and then ultimately being crucified as a criminal.
This was the greatest lesson from Jesus, their Teacher. On Good Friday, the Disciples didn’t understand the lesson, and “failed the test” so they all scattered (as Jesus predicted they would). Do we get the meaning of the lesson?
We will explore this in greater detail together on Sunday, and contend with the fact that there is no shortage of “other teachers” out there who might tell us what we want to hear, but only Jesus teaches the Truth that we need to hear, which is directly connected to His Love.
As we consider the gift of Teaching, we will see that we are talking about the Spirit-filled ability to uphold wisdom & truth, and to effectively, humbly, and lovingly share this with others.
There are lots of people looking for teachers right now, and many people (from Ericka Kirk to Jimmy Kimmel) are talking about forgiveness and declaring the name of Jesus! Let us be prepared, following the instructions that Paul gave to his student, Timothy—
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”
-2 Timothy 4:2
As we do so, notice how Love & Truth work together as tools used to “Build the Church.” Paul connects these ideas in Ephesians 4:15, where we began:
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
All of us have a part to play in the body of Christ, as we build the House of God together, looking to Jesus as our Perfect Apostle, The One True Prophet, the Full Evangelistic Gospel, the Completely Good Shepherd, and the Teacher and Lord who rightly shows us the way.
Remember those words of Jesus in John 13:35—“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The “Dust” that should cling to us and mark people as disciples of Jesus now and at all times is Love, as is demonstrated in truth & action, through humble service and submission to the Father and to one another.
Let us serve together in humility, “washing one another’s feet,” following the example of our Teacher, Lord, & Savior!
Let us be covered in the Dust of our Rabbi, regardless of what job or occupation or acts of service we might do.
This brings us to the final challenge of this series—How are you humbly using the gifts that God has given you?
Whether as an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a shepherd, or a teacher, we’ve all got a part to play in representing Christ to the world—being equipped and assembled together to build the house of God here in Shippensburg and around the world.
This weekend at the Ministry Fair, we get to see this on display in a special way—Hope to see you there!
This Sunday
10:00 Combined Worship
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty #3
Holy, Holy #69
Holy Ground #138
Build your Kingdom
This is Amazing Grace
(nursery care will be available; older children will worship with their families)
11:30 Ministry Fair
60 Ministries, Committees, and Care Groups on display
Special Children’s Ministry provided by Joy El and Greenvillage Church of God during the Ministry Fair
(parents can check children in at the lower level after worship, prior to going to the Ministry Fair)
12:30 Light lunch and fellowship
Contemporary Spotify Playlist
Ministry Fair
There’s a place for everyone as we build God’s Kingdom!
THIS Sunday, September 28th we will take time to showcase the various ministries of SFCOG as we celebrate what God is doing in and through them, and open doors of opportunity for others to join in the movement of God! On this special Sunday, we will have a combined service at 10 AM, followed by a Ministry Fair from 11:30 to 12:15 in Crossroads Station. About 60 ministries will be showcased, and lunch will be provided at 12:30 PM.
God has given you a gift! Who will you share it with?
You will receive a prayer sheet in your church mailbox, or you can pick one up from the Gathering Place. Each week for the next 5 weeks, the Christian Education Committee is asking the congregation to join them in prayer for the Ministry Fair. This week, we invite you to pray for our church leaders and ministry staff.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
--I Peter 4:10
In the gathering place and in your mailboxes you will find Ministry Brochures. Please read through them and see what God is doing at the Shippensburg First Church of God. Pray for how God can also use your gifts to help these Ministries.
Ministry Fair Prayer Focus for this week:
- September 21 - Please pray for the setup, all the details to come together, those who will be ministering to our children during the Ministry Fair, and for all those attending ... that God would be honored.
Upcoming Special Worship
October 5th – Worldwide Communion Sunday and Beneficent Fund collection
We will join with believers all over the world to eat from the Lord’s table during our morning worship on the first Sunday of October. In addition, as is our custom when we observe communion, we will be collecting a special offering for the beneficent fund, which is used to meet unexpected financial needs for people in our congregation and our community.
October 12th – Baptism
We are planning to observe Baptism during our morning worship on October 12th. If you or someone in your family is interested in taking this step of faith and making a public declaration of your commitment to Jesus, please sign up in the Gathering Place or reply to this e-mail. There will be an informational meeting on September 30th at 7:30 for anyone interested in Baptism.
Peace, Prayer and Presence
The Eastern Region of our CGGC Denomination is calling for a Day of Prayer on Saturday, October 11, 2025, and we will be a host site for worshippers to gather in prayer. Join us from 9:00a-11:00a at Crossroads Station.
The entire Region is invited to attend a meaningful morning of engagement through prayer. There are also other locations spread across the Region (you may choose to attend any location). Come prepared to receive a deeper connection to the Father.
Pre-registration will be helpful for planning, but is not required. You can register at the following link:
https://forms.gle/AbVyHqbhzkWoohTE7
Please prayerfully prioritize this event in your fall calendar. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Colleen Shank at 717.951.9714 or by email, colleen@erccog.org.
Living Stones Activities
- Flight 93 Memorial – September 25th
- Ventriloquist & Lunch in Bird In Hand, PA – Oct 16th
Please see the FYI for more info. Sign up in the Gathering Place, your Sunday School Class, or by contacting the Church Office.
Communications Updates
*Be sure to check out our Activities Calendar and the Events page on our website to learn about more upcoming opportunities!
The September edition of our “FYI” Newsletter is available in the Gathering Place or the center section of the Sanctuary. The FYI contains information about upcoming events, care group opportunities, giving and attendance information, and more.
If you have information you would like to communicate, communication request forms are available from the church office, in the Gathering Place, or online.
Looking forward to worshipping with you in the Sanctuary or Online this Sunday!
Pastor Rodney Bistline
Shippensburg First Church of God
seniorpastorbistline@shipfcog.org
Helpful Links:
Website (shipfcog.org)
SFCOG Facebook
SFCOG Instagram
Online Messages (shipfcog.org)
Online Giving (shipfcog.org)
Our Activities Calendar & Events
Care Groups & Sunday School Classes
Weather Alerts/ Schedule Changes (shipfcog.org)
Weekly Bulletin (updated over the weekend)
shipfcog.net/site/shipfcog/shipnews/index.html
