Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
~ Matthew 25:34-40
These verses from Matthew’s gospel have always been very important to me for understanding how I am to live my life as a disciple of Jesus. Worshipping God is only a part of the life of a disciple. Learning and having fellowship with other Christians is only a part of the life of a disciple. Putting our faith into action is a HUGE part of living the life of a disciple. Jesus tells us to love one another as He loved us – this was after He knelt down to wash the feet of each of the disciples, including the one who would betray him and the one who would deny him three times and the ones who would scatter following His arrest (John 13). For some reason, people have the idea that believing in Jesus is all about removing the roadblocks and the difficulties from our lives in the relentless search for that elusive “happiness.” Instead, isn’t believing in Jesus about learning how to be a true community the way God’s envisions it?
Jesus sought to remove barriers between people through His miracles, and the miracles themselves helped people to recognize the full power of God at work through the person standing before them. He healed the woman with the 12-year flow of blood and restored her to society. He forgave the woman caught in adultery. He restored sight, made the lame to walk, raised people from the dead, and calmed the seas. Why? So that others would know who He is and proclaim in the words of St. Peter: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
This summer and as we prepare for the fall, God is at work in and through us for the same reason – so that others would know who He is. As we progress through the summer, the lunches for SERVE project is gaining momentum (contact: Janice Burlovich); the Community Garden is in its 4th growing season (contact: Elizabeth Burnside); we’re preparing to host Vacation Bible School (contact: Elizabeth Burnside); the Sawdust & Sandals work trip is finalizing their plans (contact: Elizabeth Burnside); we’ll take youth to Mar Lu Ridge for Confirmation Camp (contact: Pastor Jeff); the church lawn and beds are being maintained to welcome guests; Rally Day plans are beginning for the fall; we’re working with our summer intern, Jamie Donahue, on how we might reach out into the community better; and we continue our work with the Facilities Task Force and Music Search Task Force.
Even with all of this activity, we orient ourselves to who Jesus has called us to be and what He has called us to do as His disciples. In the FisH Bible Study this year, we used Andy Stanley’s “Christian: It’s Not What You Think” video series. One of the many memorable things he said was in a mock conversation between Jesus and a modern day disciple. Using the disciple’s voice, Andy said: “Jesus, whatever you want me to do or wherever you want me to go … I just want you to know, Jesus, that my answer is already ‘yes.’ Even before you ask, my answer is ‘yes.’” That sounds pretty risky. And it is.
As disciples of Jesus …
We are called to love God above all things and our neighbors as ourselves – we are called even to love and serve “the least of these.”
We are called to love whoever Jesus loves and wherever Jesus is.
We are called to serve who Jesus serves, and forgive who Jesus forgives.
So, as we continue living through these summer months, this is a good time to try something new and live your faith in ways that you might not have tried before. This is a great time to ask yourself who you may not want to love or who may be difficult to love, and whether Jesus loves that person. That can lead to prayer asking God to show you how to love, how to listen, how to be open to that person. This is a perfect time to greet people at church that you haven’t greeted before. Bethel is a great place to worship, but it’s also a great place to grow in faith as we continue to be a place of welcome and a place of God’s grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 