January 27, 2023 – “Stop – In the Name of Love”

“On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead. But Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted.” Acts 20:7-12

{One rainy morning, my mother went for her daily run. As she returned to the house, she slipped and fell, hitting her head on the driveway. I called the paramedics. When they arrived, they asked my mom some questions to determine her coherency. “What is today?” inquired one man. Without hesitation, Mom replied, “Trash day.”}

Neither Eutychus nor the woman from our “story” had a good day. I spent 35 years of my life jogging to try to maintain some kind of cardio conditioning. And while jogging, I have fallen, tripped, slipped and experienced various injuries along the way because I am a klutz at heart. I have slipped on railroad tracks and cut my hand; I have slipped off curbs and ripped up my knees; I have almost been hit by trucks, school busses – and one Christmas Day was almost run over by a car. Thank the Lord I never hit my head when I fell.

Eutychus fell and not only hit his head – he died instantly. It seemed initially that Eutychus’ luck had run out. But just because Paul was long-winded and unrelenting, didn’t mean he couldn’t resolve to do something. And so, the first thing Paul does is he stops preaching; he finally stops preaching. The first thing Paul does is to stop preaching.  Not too long ago we watched a football player in the National Football League collapse on the field as his heart stopped beating. Everything stopped – the game stopped, the broadcast stopped, the country stopped. And nothing continued – they had the compassion to know to stop everything. In years past I am not so sure they would have had the same compassion. At least Paul stopped preaching. But that is not all he did – he healed the man – not just healed him but brought him back to life – restoring his life and restoring him to his community. 

Jesus is the one who restores us all to life – life in our community of believers – and ultimately life in community. As members of these communities, we too must be active in restoring life – restoring the marginalized to community and breathing life into our own faith. And just like Paul, we need to find ways to throw ourselves onto and into the problems of community – sustained by the Holy Spirit – to bring new life into the church continually.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, help me to know when to stop out of compassion and listen, and when to continue doing loving deeds in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 26, 2023 – “No Maze for You”

“…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. My friends, 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….”

Our faith lives can often leave us feeling that we are trapped in a maze – looking for a path, trying to find answers, hoping to find a way to “Jesus of Nazareth”? It is hard to remember that finding faith is not trying to climb the ladder to G-d because 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. Finding G-d does not require us to get to the end of a complicated maze – 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. All that G-d seeks from us is a contrite heart, and a willingness to be open and remain in his love.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, we hear the invitation “Come to the table for all is now ready”. We do not need to follow a long and complicated maze, we only need to come to the table for bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ. This brings us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Thank you, Lord, for you are good. Amen.

Pastor Dave