April 29, 2024 – The Coffee Shop Devotions: Espresso Con Panna

“…when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:13-18

The city of Caesarea Philippi was originally called Paneas because it was the center for the worship of the Greek god Pan. Today, the area is called

Banias which is an Arabic variant of Paneas. This got me thinking of a drink offered at some local coffee shops called the Espresso con Panna. What’s an espresso con panna? Espresso con panna (‘espresso with cream’ in Italian) is a coffee drink with a single or double shot of espresso topped with a dollop of whipped cream. My favorite coffee shop would try to pass this espresso drink as something akin to dessert. The two ingredients are the ideal match: frothy cream against the bitter, nutty flavor of the espresso shot.

Of course, many of Jesus’ followers would have told him he was “nutty” to go into the area of Caesarea Philippi. But Jesus knew what he was doing (of course he did). And against this backdrop of the huge temple of Pan, and of course many other pagan temples, Jesus asks his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” It is a challenge that his disciples pass with flying colors – especially Peter.

As you sip your Espresso Con Panna, I ask you to consider who Jesus is to you. And once you have pondered who Jesus is to you, then ponder what you can do to let others know who Jesus is to you. I promise you it does not take a trip to Caesarea Philippi to determine that Jesus is the true Messiah. It just takes prayer and devotion.

Pastor Dave

April 30, 2024 – The Coffee Shop Devotions: Lungo

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.” So they took it. When the person in charge tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), that person called

the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” John 2:1-10

There are some drinks at the local coffee shop that would not be my first choice, obviously you know this if you have been reading my devotions for the entire month. But one that sounds like your “lungs” would not be on the top of my list. The Lungo (which is Italian for long) is made with a single espresso shot. Into that shot you add two or three times the normal amount of water and you have a larger (or longer) coffee shot than usual. While the ristretto shot is made with less water (which enhances the nutty flavor of the coffee shot), the Lungo shot is less concentrated (since there is more water) and so enhances the bitterness of the flavor. That’s because a shot pulled for a Lungo takes longer, thereby affecting its extraction process.

At the wedding at Cana, Jesus also did something really amazing with water – lots of water. He turned this water into the best wine around. It was the first of his signs he performed in the Gospel of John. And it would propel him onto his ministry path that would surprise and confound people for thousands of years.

Jesus offers all of us an abundance of love, mercy and grace. I hope you take time today, whether you are enjoying a coffee or not, to realize how blessed you are and how much G-d loves you today.

Pastor Dave

April 28, 2024 – Easter +4B

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” John 15:1-8

What lifts you up?

We often talk about things that are uplifting in our lives. For some people it is a song, or a genre of songs that is uplifting for them. Some will say a good cup of coffee is uplifting. For other people, it is being around family — or friends — or others seem to be uplifting to them. Some might report that going to church is uplifting — that taking communion, hearing the words of absolution to our confessions — remembering your baptism — that these together with the presence of other people of faith is an uplifting experience. So, we hear these words this morning:

Jesus said “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He REMOVES (CUTS OFF) every branch IN ME that bears no fruit. And every branch that bears fruit HE CLEANS (PRUNES) to make it bear more fruit.

Do you see something wrong with the thought that people who are “In Christ” but, might temporarily be short on some fruitfulness — G-d is going to cut them off or remove them from G-d’s presence? Does that sound like the G-d you know — you know, the G-d of Grace I preach about every week? Are those words “Uplifting” for you this morning? They aren’t for me, that’s

for sure. If this is the kind of threat I am going to hear in church on a morning where I am having just a bit of a bad day, or feeling just a little more of my sinfulness, I don’t know what I would think of this Jesus person. Don’t we all go through some times where we are lacking some fruit-bearing properties? And, after all, I thought Lutherans didn’t believe in a works righteousness salvation plan — am I to believe now that salvation is truly based on my fruitiness — on my works? Is that what we hear in scripture?

Every day we cut ourselves off from G-d — in so many ways – through sin, selfishness, the evil in this world. And others can try to cut us off from G-d

— like certain prosperity preachers, or evangelists who want us to believe we have to “choose” Christ, or work our way up to heaven. But I do not believe that G-d cuts us off. Now, listen to me — I do believe G-d will prune us, cleanse us and discipline us with the refiner’s fire when we have erred, strayed, and turned from G-d. But I do not believe that G-d removes us — G-d doesn’t have to remove us —because the reality is, people will remove themselves. But as we learned last week, G-d does not stop pursuing us —

and Jesus does not stop loving us. And G-d will continue to intervene in our lives — lifting us up — giving us chance after chance after chance — because that is what Grace is all about.

Pastor Dave