“…but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.” 2 Corinthians 6:4-13

{My brother Jim was hired by a government agency and assigned to a small office cubicle in a large area. At the end of his first day, he realized he had no idea how to get out. He wandered around, lost in the maze of cubicles and corridors. Just as panic began to set in, he came upon another employee in a cubicle. “How do you get out of here?” Jim asked.The fellow smiled and said, “No cheese for you.”}
(Christine Probasco)

Paul writes: “…as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;” Paul’s hardships were many, we know this to be true. His life as a disciple of Jesus took him to many places, enduring many hardships, and suffering often. I do want to warn you that G-d does not ask us to create our own suffering for G-d’s sake — but if we encounter such suffering in the name of Jesus, then we are encouraged to persevere. For Paul will also say that “…suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character….”

Has your faith life felt like you have been trapped in a maze – looking for a path, trying to find answers, hoping to find a way to “Jesus of Nazareth”? Remember, faith is not trying to climb the ladder to G-d – G-d has descended to us in the person of Jesus. If we want to know what the kingdom of G-d is like, I can tell you that, as Lutherans, we encounter a glimpse of the Kingdom every Sunday – in the feast of bread and wine – in the words of forgiveness – in the gathering of the faithful worshipping G-d.

There is no need to be wandering around, hoping to find G-d. G-d has come near – Jesus promises to be with us every time we gather in his name – every time we celebrate Holy Communion – every time we offer forgiveness to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Come to the table my friends: we do not have cheese, but we do have bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ.

Pastor Dave

“They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” John 9:13-23

{Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found an elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet-who insisted he didn’t need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down, I asked if his wife was meeting him. “I don’t know,” he said. “She’s still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.”} (Patsy R. Dancey)

In the previous devotion I talked about how we can hear the Gospel and hear the other bible stories with fresh ears. Today we are going to talk about how we can view the Christ-like life with new eyes. What does it mean to be a disciple? If we come to worship every Sunday, are we a disciple of Jesus? If we pray every night and at every meal, are we disciples? If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, are we disciples? Or, to be a disciple, to be a real disciple, must we actually live like a disciple? What do you see? How do you see your friends and neighbors, those who claim to be followers of Jesus, how do you see them living the Christ-like life? Oh, maybe you haven’t been paying attention. How do you believe the disciple of Jesus should live? Well, all we need to do is look to the examples of the biblical characters, and look for modern-day examples.

If you have been a member of Trinity Lemoyne for many years, you may remember the name Verna Bachman. I did not know her, but I understand she truly lived the life of a disciple of Jesus. If you have just joined Trinity, I invite you to look around and see those who are living the life of a disciple. And if you attend some other church, I encourage you do to the same. Living the Christ-like life is not easy. But to see examples around us, I am not so sure that is too hard. It just takes keeping awake, and alert, to see the disciples among us.

Pastor Dave