Author: TechCommittee

May 10, 2015 Text: Acts 10:34-48

Dear Friends in Christ,

A resurrected Christ means radical change. Just ask Peter. He’s stunned, shaken, shocked. Nothing could have prepared him for the encounter he had with Cornelius. He was to eat food he had never eaten before. He was to eat with people he had avoided his whole life. Drastic changes were in store for this famous apostle.
The scene is this: Peter is praying on a rooftop. God comes to him in a vision. Three times He tells Peter to eat certain types of animals that a good Jew back then (or now) wouldn’t ever let cross his taste buds. These were foods that had been forbidden for religious reasons. It was going against his whole spiritual upbringing to eat them. They turned his stomach because they were associated with what he thought God didn’t want him to eat.
Is he shocked? Stunned? Shaken? He has to be. Peter’s response isn’t surprising, “Surely not, Lord!” But God says He has made these foods clean, and Peter is to eat them.
But for Peter it was more than strange foods. God also tells him to eat with a Gentile family. Once again, for religious reasons, Jews just didn’t enter a Gentile’s house. It would make them unclean, unacceptable to God. Peter had grown-up avoiding non-Jews. He didn’t touch them or their belongings. Could you sit down and eat with someone who had the plague, a disease that you could catch just from being in the same room with that person? It would be tough. This is what is happening to Peter. He’s shaken. He’s stunned. He’s shocked.
But Peter does what he’s told to do. He eats with the Gentile Cornelius and his family. He eats food he’s never eaten before. Everything’s changed. Radical changes are in the air. Why? Because Jesus has risen from the dead.
“A RESURRECTED CHRIST MEANS RADICAL CHANGE”
A resurrected Christ changes our world, too! He wants to bring together people who just aren’t usually seen together. He wants people who so often avoid each other to eat at the same table. The radical changes leave many stunned and shaken.
Think about it. We live in a world where people notice differences. Those who wear black leather and nose rings don’t hang around much with elderly widows. Those who drink fancy coffees and eat goat cheese on their sun-dried tomato bagels don’t travel much in the same circles as your meat and potatoes people.
Look at the differences perpetuating themselves daily. The political left does battle with the political right. Aging baby boomers hold jobs and positions that younger folks want. Who stays and who gets pushed out? Tension is high. And we have ethnic battles. What to do about immigration? How many resources and dollars should be spent? Racial problems still abound as we have been seeing about every night on our television. A different skin color and background often separates. Suspicion and fear are more common than togetherness. We live in a country where belonging is not easy and we are divided.
But the church of Jesus Christ is different. We include, not exclude. We join together, not separate. We fellowship, not divide. And that can be shocking.
This is the way Jesus does things. He makes radical changes because He’s the resurrected Christ! Just look at what changed for Peter.
Even though in shock he still went to the home of Cornelius and spoke amazing words. He announces that God accepts all people. No favorites or partiality. You can be any ethnic background, any race, male or female, young or old, rich or poor. The Lord welcomes everyone. Everyone who believes in Jesus and receives forgiveness of sins through this resurrected Savior belongs to God’s church. To be accepted by God even though we are sinful, to belong to His church even though we have failed Him, is the wonder of His grace in our lives.
Even though stunned, Peter speaks these words to Cornelius’ family and friends. The message is simple: Jesus is Lord of all. He was anointed by God’s Spirit to rescue people from the power of Satan. But He was killed. Hung on a tree to die. But God raised Him from the dead. Easter resurrection! Easter joy! The grave could not hold him in. Death would not be victorious. Everything that could keep us from God was defeated that day. Everything that was needed for us to belong to God forever was won that day.
Even though shaken, Peter eats with this family and shares with them that he ate with the resurrected Christ. The one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. Those who eat with Jesus are forgiven, accepted, raised to new life, promised eternal life.
This is good news for Peter and us. Look at the radical changes a resurrected Jesus brings to our lives. Instead of rejection by the Almighty Father, we are accepted, forgiven by this Jesus who is risen from the dead. Instead of a cold grave, we are given life eternal, victory over death. Instead of being left out, we eat with Jesus; receive His very body and blood every time we go to His table to take Communion. And, yes, because of a resurrected Christ we bring together at the communion rail, all of God’s people, young and old, rich and poor, different parts of our world, the fancy dresser and the casual wearer.
At my first congregation in a small West Texas town the congregants were mostly the same. Men in suits, women in dresses, some cowboy hats and boots. German and white by background. One Sunday, we had a man appear in the back of our church. Disheveled and definitely not in a suit. Rode his bike to our church. Some of the folks were a little leery of this stranger. But being the friendly Texans that they are they reached out and visited with him. I do recall he came back a few more Sundays and then he disappeared. Who knows what happened, but prayerfully a group of Christian men and women made a difference in his life.
That’s the power of the resurrected Christ. He changes Peter and He changes us. That is what Easter is all about. The Easter holiday that we are still privileged to be in is celebrated anew. Why? Because the resurrected Christ has brought radical changes to our lives.
Amen.

May 3, 2015 Text: John 15:1-8

Dear Friends in Christ,

I have been blessed to visit Napa Valley in California a couple of times. When you go there you see row after row of grapevines. They are there to produce wine. In order to be useful, the vines have to be pruned. Without attentive and careful care, the vines will become wild and unruly. Wild vines will grow too many grapes to sustain nourishment and they will wither and die.
Pruning isn’t always pleasant for the vine. It can bleed sap. But the pruning produces a vine that will produce healthier and better fruit. Grapes from this sort of vine can then be used to make world-class wines to be enjoyed everywhere.
Vines need a connection. This connection allows productive growth. Today in our text Jesus says He is “the true vine.” It is a connection we all need. With apologies to Chuck Woolery, Christ is our . . .
“LOVE CONNECTION”
Our text begins, “(Jesus said:) ‘I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does not bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” (vs. 1-3)
The sinful world is a wild and uncultivated vineyard. Wild branches produce sour fruit or no fruit at all. The wild branches surround us. We have those who think they can do whatever they want, whenever they want and there are no consequences. They scream, “My lifestyle is not affecting you.” Well, yes it is. The actions of all human activity are intertwined. We are all growing from the same tree. The Lord created us all. We are all connected and that is the challenge. That inter-connection with the world can lead us down paths we don’t want to go. I like this quote from Russian author Anton Chekhov who said, “Any idiot can face a crisis – it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out.” How true! There are days we feel we are being overrun by the wild branches. We need and long for our love connection.
God provides it through Christ. “Abide in me, and I in you. 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. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (vs. 4-5)
Did you hear the love connection? “I am the vine; you are the branches.” This is our “connectedness,” a unity that now exists when we are living our lives as a part of Christ rather than apart from Him. As branches when we are connected to the true vine – Jesus Christ – we have the forgiveness of sins, and life and salvation. When we live as wild branches, when we let our connection to the world start to take over our Christian life, the vine reminds us we are connected to Him. He absolves our worldly, wild living as we come to Him in repentance.
The question then is: how do we remain connected? How do we abide in Him? Is it just wishful thinking and hoping for the best? When we are connected to Christ by faith, he provides us with the proper nutrition by Word and Sacrament. Look at verse 7, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you.” The Word of God is part of our love connection. It is as Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (Jn. 5:24) All the comfort, hope, and eternal joy are granted us by Christ – and all of it ours for the taking from His Word.
We need the nourishment God provides in frequent attendance at worship and Holy Communion. Here is provided on a weekly basis what we need to do battle against the wild branches. We are fertilized so that we can grow and flourish and bear fruit to those around us. And for those separating themselves from the true vine we pray and reach out to them.
This love connection was also showered upon us through the waters of Holy Baptism as it will be/was today for Cooper Mosier. God by grace washes away all our sins. We are crucified with Christ through baptism and we rise again with Him to newness of life.
It is in this new, forgiven life we bear much fruit. The world needs our love and kindness and gentleness and peace and patience and self-control and our faithfulness. Through our love connection to Christ we never stop growing. Through regular study of God’s Word and continual reception of the Sacrament of the Altar these fruits of the Spirit are grafted into our hearts. When growing as branches, we have the power of Christ’s resurrection victory pulsating through our veins. We thrive on the power of Christ.
Really, now, isn’t good to have this love connection?
Amen.

April 12, 2015 Text: Acts 4:32-35

Dear Friends in Christ,

People get nicknames for a variety of reasons. Some come by a physical trait like freckles or Red for hair color. Some get it for what they do like Mr. Clutch or Chief. Others get it as a shorter version of their name, Max for Maxwell or Beth for Elizabeth. The nicknames I have had revolve around my last name, Sweet Lou and Wick. What nickname do you have that maybe I don’t know about? I’d love to hear it after church.
Biblical people had nicknames. Peter was the Rock. James and John were Sons of Thunder. And we all know the nickname of the man in our Gospel – Doubting Thomas.
In our text today we come across another nickname. It is actually found in verse 36 but it relates to what is found in our reading. It is Joseph, called Barnabas. His nickname? “Son of encouragement.” He built people up. He gave of himself to others. He supported those who were alone. What a nickname. That is a nickname we could all have. We all can be encouragers.
The name Barnabas is a resurrection nickname. He becomes the encourager because of the power of Jesus’ resurrection. He encourages people because Jesus’ resurrection has brought grace to his life. But Jesus’ resurrection is not just a name changer; it’s also a life changer.
“A RESURRECTION NICKNAME”
When Jesus rose from the dead, people’s lives were changed. Peter the Rock had denied Jesus three times during his trial. No rock-solid confession that night. He is disgraced by denial. But later, Jesus alive, body glorified, meets Peter on a beach and restores him. Remember Jesus asking three times if Peter loved him? This post-resurrection meeting changed Peter. He rises to become a great apostle in the early Church. Same for Thomas. He doesn’t believe until he sees. Once that happens, everything is changed, he believes. He, too, becomes a great apostle in the Early Church. He, too, is changed by the resurrection.
We don’t know if Barnabas ever personally saw Jesus risen from the dead. But it doesn’t matter. The message of Jesus’ resurrection the apostles proclaimed was powerful and life changing too. It changed Barnabas. Jesus, the risen Lord, came to him in that message and he became Barnabas, the encourager.
The same is true for us. The message of Jesus’ resurrection changes us. Are you struggling with a sin? Jesus is risen from the dead. Your life is changed because as you repent that sin is forgiven.
Are you doubting God’s love? Jesus is risen from the dead. Doubt becomes faith strong once again, because His death was because He loves you, and the resurrection proves that was His plan.
Are you too easily angered? Jesus is risen from the dead. Relax and be calm in his peace, because He lives to take care of whatever upsets you.
Are you afraid of getting sick, losing your job, losing someone you love? Jesus is risen from the dead. He is with you always, no matter what.
Are you a complainer and jealous of what others have? Jesus is risen from the dead. Contentment comes from the Lord, who lives to grant you rich supply.
Are you trying not to think of your own death? Jesus is risen from the dead. You, too, will rise, as will everyone who confesses him as did Peter, as did Thomas.
Are you crabby and negative? Jesus is risen from the dead. He can change you to be a Barnabas.
Yes, you can become a Barnabas. Look at what he did. He had some land, some property. He sold it and gave it to the apostles so it could be distributed as people had need.
You can guess the result: the people in need were encouraged. Someone cared for them. Who else was encouraged? Those in the church who watched Barnabas do this. They saw that what they had wasn’t their own either but was the Lord’s gift to them. They gave too. Barnabas, the encourager, changed by the resurrected Jesus, helped make that happen. Do you see what the resurrection looks like? It’s the grace and power of Jesus working in people’s lives.
Here we are. We’ve heard the powerful message of God’s grace. Jesus is risen from the dead. He is at work in our lives. He is changing us. We can each be a modern-day Barnabas.
What does that look like? You have encouraged me with personal notes or e-mails. I save these and read them over in my struggling times. I know my presence or a prayer in the emergency room or hospital room or nursing home or your home has encouraged you after surgery. But in those instances, many times, you and how you are handling things have encouraged me. You know the presence of the Lord in your life and that makes all the difference. The resurrection of Jesus makes all of this possible. We encourage one another.
Through the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives we encourage each other with words that build up and by the generosity that we show. But let us remember one more nickname today – for Jesus. Jesus is given many names: Savior, Good Shepherd, Redeemer, Lord, Prince of Peace. But today we’ve heard another name for Jesus: Life Changer. Jesus’ resurrection gives grace and power to change lives into those who encourage others with words and generosity.
Jesus is risen from the dead. Jesus is the Life Changer.
Amen.