by grace

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-7, NRSV)

By grace, you have been saved.

By gift. By nothing, you have done.

You have been given a gift.

Every day is a gift that is why it is called the present. (I know overused pun…)

But this passage made me think of my days when I would knock on people’s doors and tell them about Jesus and would try to get them to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Now there is nothing wrong with helping people know who Jesus is, or how much God loves them. My issue comes in the questions we ask and the understanding. When I knocked on doors we would ask, do you know where you are going to spend eternity? And honestly, none of us could answer that question with any sort of certainty. Yes, we had prayed the prayer and asked Jesus into our lives, but we have all also backslide and so, were we in God’s good graces?

The question I have come to understand as a Lutheran is not where are you going to spend eternity, but you are alive today, how are you going to use this day?

You see we are all accepted because of what God has done, not what we have done, or what prayer we have or haven’t prayed. God loves you as you are, so what are you going to do about that today?

Are you going to spread God’s love or say people aren’t included for something you deem is wrong?

Love or try to play God?

The choice is yours on how you act, not about who God loves!

Ascension

44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God. (Luke 24:44-53, NRSV)

Jesus blessed the disciples and helped them understand that everything that happened was because of scripture and then as He was with them He was carried into Heaven.

Jesus left the disciples. And in history, this is before Pentecost. So the disciples at this point in Luke’s gospel have not yet received the Holy Spirit. They are without God. But not alone, for they are in the temple continually blessing God and worshipping.

What would we do if we were without God?

What does he mean?

16”A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? 20Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. 21When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. 22So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. (John 16:16-24, NRSV)

A little while longer. What does that mean?

Jesus knows the disciples are wondering about that and so explains it to them and makes it so much clearer, am I right?

But if we ask for things in Jesus’ name our joy will be complete. This is good news, because at least when we don’t understand what is happening we will be filled with joy.

Even in the midst of pain, we will have joy, because Jesus says that our pain will turn to joy.

So trust in the joy and know that even not understanding what is happening is ok, because we are in good company.

Jesus will always be there and in Him we will have joy.

do not repay evil for evil

8Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 10For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 11let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. 12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:8-12, NRSV)

We are called to love all of the creation of God, that means everything. We can not hate and love God.

That is the hardest thing for us because when someone does us wrong we want to retaliate. That is our human trait at work here.

But here we are reminded that we should not repay evil with evil.

We need to love as God loved us, even when we didn’t deserve it.

So we might help others see God’s love.

So no repaying evil for evil, but love them.

Run ashore

39In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. 40So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 41But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. 42The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; 43but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. (Acts 27:39-44, NRSV)

They meant to run the boat ashore but hit a reef. We make plans but things don’t always work the way we think they will.

Have you ever planned on something and then it not happen?

Have you ever worked to make something happen and just as you are getting close a freak thing happens and everything is ruined?

We think that things have to go the way we see them in our minds.

My call to come to College Station was anything but the way I had envisioned it, with changes and setbacks and interesting things happening all the way. But God’s hand was in it and it happened in God’s time.

God’s time and God’s way.

Not my time or my way, and for that I am grateful.

How might we look for God’s time and God’s way?

Left alone

15”If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. 18”I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” (John 14:15-21, NRSV)

How many of us feel all alone right now? This would be week 11 of the season of Quarantine. If you live alone it is probably becoming unbearable. I spent about 3 weeks alone in March, my family was in Wisconsin while I was in Texas. It was rough. But then I could go out and see people and interact with people. Now if I was alone I would only be able to interact with people online. And that is not enough, even for introverts, it is getting to be too much. Which is why we have to remind ourselves that we are never truly left alone. God is always with us.

We need to remember that God said to each of us, “I will not leave you orphaned.” God will always be with us.

We are never alone!

Peace

27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. (John 14:27-29, NRSV)

How does the world give?

And how is it we are not supposed to fear?

We can live without fear because Jesus is always with us and we have His peace. He gave us His peace and we will have it forever. Nothing will ever take His peace from us.

And we can believe it.

Do you?

rough seas

13When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. 14But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete. 15Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven. 18We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, 19and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned. 21Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss. 22I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’ 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26But we will have to run aground on some island.” 27When the fourteenth night had come, as we were drifting across the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. 28So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms. 29Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 30But when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, on the pretext of putting out anchors from the bow, 31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift. 33Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. 34Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive; for none of you will lose a hair from your heads.” 35After he had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. 36Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves. 37(We were in all two hundred seventy-six persons in the ship.) 38After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. (Acts 27:13-38, NRSV)

I remember July 23, 2017, was a trip on the water I will never forget.

My friend and sailboat owner Bill and his wife were taking me and my wife to a port called Wave Point Marina in Door County. We were sailing from the marina he kept his boat into Wave point on a Sunday after worship. We set out on a beautiful Sunday for a sail that should have been smooth. So we took our time and enjoyed sailing even though there was not a lot of wind to move us along. But a ways away from Wave Point it started getting rougher and you could see the storm coming, and we were headed right into it. Bill did everything he could to keep us safe and did a great job. I knew we were in trouble when Bill stopped talking and just focused on the horizon. We were off sail by that point and motoring, but the waves were taking the motor out of the water with each surge…

Being on the water in a storm can be scary, and I will never forget that. But Paul knew they would be safe because he was told by God that all the people would survive, only the ship would be hurt.

Do we have the faith to believe like Paul did here?

Can we face the storm trusting in God?

sailing…

When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. 2Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 9Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10saying, “Sirs, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12Since the harbor was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favor of putting to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, where they could spend the winter. It was a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest. (Acts 27:1-12, NRSV)

I have been sailing on Green Bay, not the city but the actual bay.

Most times probably 73% of the time it was calm and smooth. The other 27% though was rough, choppy, and windy. There were times I was wondering what we had thought coming out into this, and there were times we were heading out expecting it to be bad because of the weather on land, but when we got out on the bay it was very calm, almost too calm to sail.

Sailing is fickle and can change quickly, you have to be ready for whatever may come and be ready to hunker down and ride the storm. That is a hard thing to say for a person who doesn’t swim very well and has a fear of water. But I would not change my time on the water with my friends and it is actually something I will dearly miss.

Sometimes you were out and had to keep going. That is where they found themselves here. Paul saw that the voyage was going to be rough, but they went anyway.

Have you ever gone against someone saying we shouldn’t go?

We often risk the rough to be on the water, and sometimes it works and others are rides we never forget.

How do we focus our lives on God so we are not venturing out on our own but always with God?

Truth

31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” 34Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word. 38I declare what I have seen in the Father’s presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father.” (John 8:31-38, NRSV)

We are descendants of Abraham and were never slaves to anyone? Did we forget about the time in Egypt?

The Israelites were slaves to the Pharaoh.

So maybe these speaking were never slaves but their ancestors were.

All of us are slaves to those things that control us whether we know they control us of not.

The only way to be free is to follow Jesus where He leads. Continue to live your life in His word and love others.

Are you a disciple of Jesus?