ASLC Devotions -- Friday, November 30

Romans 10:15-17

 

¹⁵And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ ¹⁶But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ ¹⁷So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

We talk a lot about how faith is shared – through invitation, telling the story, witnessing. This letter to the Romans reminds us that faith comes from what is heard – and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. But it also contains this verse about being sent, and it is a good reminder for all of us, I think. How are we to proclaim Jesus unless we are sent?

At the end of every worship we send you – “Go in peace, serve the Lord!” and you respond, “For all to know Christ! Thanks be to God!” Maybe you think, “Where are you sending me? I don’t really want to go anywhere.” Well, we aren’t sending you very far – just to your homes and to your places of work and your schools and to breakfast or lunch. You have heard the word of Christ. And now you’re sent.

By the way, your feet are beautiful. They carry a messenger of the word of God.

Peace,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC -- Wednesday, November 28

John 16:33
[Jesus said to his disciples] “³³I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace.” Jesus has just finished telling his disciples that he has come from the Father and will again go to the Father. He wants them to know what is coming, and that he has told them these things in order that they might have peace in him. This is a time of year when we sing “Peace on Earth!” and we send cards to one another with greetings for peace and love, hope and joy. But so often, the world we see around us doesn’t reflect the peace we desire – and our wishes are for future dreams more than today’s reality.

But every Sunday when we gather, we proclaim, “The Peace of the Lord be with you always!” And people respond, “And also with you!” (Exclamation points added for emphasis.) And then we shake hands or hug or exchange another sign of peace with one another. In Christ, we have peace. In the Lord, that dream of peace isn’t a far-off wish, but a present-day reality. Regardless of what the world brings, we have peace in the Lord.

Peace be with you,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday, November 27

Ezekiel 29:1-3

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: ²Mortal, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt; ³speak, and say, Thus says the Lord God:

I love reading the prophets in the Hebrew scriptures, if only for the way that they recorded the ways in which the Lord spoke to them. It’s so detailed! Tenth year, tenth month, on the twelfth day. Don’t we all wish we could point to a day on the calendar when the word of the Lord came to us? Perhaps some of you can, maybe we all could if we thought about it.

But the other reason that I love reading the prophets is because the message that they were given was often difficult. Set your face against the king of Egypt and prophesy against him and all of Egypt. I probably would have run the other way (and we know how well that works, so maybe not). I don’t imagine that the prophets were especially well-liked; their messages were hard and strong – words that foretold destruction and ruin in powerful peoples’ lives. It’s not that I like reading the difficult messages, but instead I think we can gain strength from knowing that God has called prophets throughout the ages. In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day…

 

Peace,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC Devotions -- Monday, November 26

Daniel 7:27

²⁷ The kingship and dominion
   and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
   shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High;
their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
   and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’

When I first read this verse I was struck by the extreme sense of privilege that comes from the idea that the “greatness of the kingdoms… shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High.” After all, it doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch to think that we are the holy ones, right? And our kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom! Well, true as that might be, my next thought was one of being completely overwhelmed.

If we’ve been (or will be given) this dominion, it is, yes, a wonderful gift, but also a huge responsibility. An overwhelming responsibility. When we talk about stewardship, it’s this kind of perspective that is helpful for me – there is so much in our lives that is a gift, and it is our responsibility to care for it. How do we care for our kingdom? What will you do today in this most amazing world to care for it?

Peace,

Pastor Jenn

ASLC Devotions - Friday

1 Corinthians 7:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

I thought about making the subject line of this email "Black Friday deal" to see if it got more attention, but then I thought better of it. Because here in the church we have a better deal than Black Friday or Cyber Monday or all those things put together. Citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. And what's the cost? Nothing for you.

This verse sums up the terms of the deal quite succinctly. Christ has been raised from the dead. It happened. It's not just a myth or a legend. It happened. And that's the first fruits of everyone who has died. What that means is that everyone who has died (from your grandmother to yourself) will experience resurrection as well. The promise of the gospel is that the kingdom of heaven belongs to you. Now. Claim it. And enjoy it. What more reason do you have to give thanks?

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Worship with us Sunday at 8:30 and 11. No Education Hour this weekend. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org 

ASLC Devotions - Thanksgiving Day

As you prepare your table, or help to prepare the tables at All Saints, or prepare to be welcomed to a table, may God's spirit of joy be with you. I took a one liberty editing this Offering Prayer we use many Sundays. Perhaps it could be your table grace today:

Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills
were gathered together to become one bread,
so let your church and your people be gathered together
from the ends of the earth into your kingdom,
for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever.
Amen. 

If you do not have a place to be today, join us from 11-2 for Thanksgiving Dinner. On Sunday, we will worship 8:30 and 11. There will be no Education Hour this Sunday. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Mark 13:21-23 And if anyone says to you at that time, “Look! Here is the Messiah!” or “Look! There he is!”—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything.

Whenever people talk about the end, sometimes we get really nervous. We try to figure out what it will be like and when it will happen and which side we'll be on. Because of the nature of human beings, this inevitably leads to some folks popping up who pretend to have all the answers. You could Google "end of the world" right not and get lots of answers. Don't do it - bad idea. From one way of reading the Mayan calendar that says we have a month left today to any other way of reading current events and the Bible, you'll have folks who are willing to tell you exactly when it will happen and what exactly "it" will look like. Let me quote Jesus: do not believe it. 

Jesus assures his disciples here that he's already told them everything. He's already told us everything. He's already told us everything we need to know. He's already told us that the way to the kingdom of heaven is through him. He's already told us that we are claimed irrevocably in our baptism. That's all we need to know. The rest is just details - salacious details, mind you. But details. Jesus loves you. And the whole world. That's all we need to know.

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Join us for worship tonight (Wednesday) at 7 pm as we join to give thanks. Then join us tomorrow (Thursday) from 11-2 as we serve anyone who needs a place to eat. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Daniel 8:15-16 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then someone appeared standing before me, having the appearance of a man, and I heard a human voice by the Ulai, calling, ‘Gabriel, help this man understand the vision.’ 

Daniel, like many folks in the Bible, saw a vision and he didn't understand it. Sometimes I think we hear about visions and we hear about people having visions they don't understand and we think that's the point. That is, that visions are supposed to be something mysterious and strange and that only a select few can interpret them. But here, the angel Gabriel gets an instruction that's really important for you and I.

The angel Gabriel is told "Gabriel, help this man understand the vision." Gabriel is told that the point is for Daniel to understand. Make it plain, Gabriel. Help Daniel to know the will of God. The will of God is not supposed to be mysterious or hard for us to interpret. Sometimes it is, but God doesn't intend it to be that way. God sends angels to help us understand. For me those angels don't usually take the form of a "human voice by the Ulai (which is a river by the way)," but instead they look a lot like someone I'm talking with. Let me give you an example: As I was putting up a poster in a local agency for our Thanksgiving dinner someone asked me "Why are you doing this?" That simple question forced me to think about God's vision. My response: Because we are so thankful to God. Sometimes angels come in a variety of ways!

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Join us as we give thanks around the Communion table Wednesday evening at 7 pm and, if you or someone you know needs a place to be on Thursday, we're serving from 11-2.

ASLC Devotions -- Friday, November 16

 Colossians 2:6-15

⁶As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

I love the imagery in these verses – both the idea of being rooted in Christ, and therefore abounding in thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day has sort of snuck up on me this year (it’s next week, in case you’re not aware), but the concept of being thankful hasn’t. Many of my friends on Facebook have undertaken the 30 Days of Thankfulness project, and every day they post as their status update something for which they are thankful.

Some of these have been profound: family members recovered from illness, jobs in the midst of economic turmoil, an open afternoon for family time in an otherwise hectic schedule. Still other thankfulness posts have been almost silly (and claimed as such): the return of a holiday latte at Starbucks, finding the perfect color of tights for a child’s outfit, a well-told joke. I haven’t participated in this project publicly, but what I have noticed is that whenever I read what someone else is thankful for, I am prompted to think of something in my own life for which I give thanks.

Abounding in thanksgiving for: the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, watching my child do a funny dance, voices uplifted in song in worship, the many hours of coordination and work that have already gone into the Thanksgiving Feast at All Saints…

For what are you thankful?

Peace,

Pastor Jenn