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Hello Gloria Dei,
This weekend in worship we have one of the great encounters in all of Scripture. Found in John 21:1-19, it is between the risen Jesus and his disciple Peter. If you recall, before Jesus died, Peter, while keeping warm around a charcoal fire, denied even knowing Jesus three times. Afterwards, Peter felt awful. How could he turn his back so terribly on his good friend, especially right when Jesus needed him the most? Peter went and wept bitterly.
Fast forward to after the resurrection. This time it is again around a charcoal fire. Peter has been fishing. When he comes back to shore, there is Jesus, making breakfast on the fire. The sight and smell of the fire reminds Peter of the darkest day of his life: his denial of Jesus.
Yet Jesus does a truly remarkable thing. He asks Peter if Peter loves him, and when Peter responds affirmatively, Jesus gives Peter his life’s purpose: “Peter, feed my sheep”. The same question, answer, and purpose is repeated not once, not twice, but three times. In response to Peter’s three-fold denial, Jesus restores him three times. It is forgiveness and reconciliation at its deepest and best. Rather than meeting Peter with condemnation, Jesus provides instead love, forgiveness and purpose.
I love this story. Why? Because I think it lays out for us in such a powerful and poignant manner, God’s very attitude toward you and me. So often we are broken by sin. So often our lives become filled with, and are often defined by, our guilt and our shame. Things we have done; things done to us; regrets; burdens. Like Peter, we even let God down by what we do or fail to do. It’s hard to shed it all and move forward.
Yet, into the midst of our brokenness steps the risen Jesus. He meets us, loves us, forgives us, and gives to us in joy our life’s purpose. “Go and feed my sheep”.
This weekend at Gloria Dei we are celebrating a Mission Festival. We will be highlighting ways in which you, the people of Gloria Dei, are active in the community and the world. There will be displays of ministry going on beyond our walls, and will give each of us opportunity to jump in and help in “feeding Jesus’ sheep” around the world.
I’m excited that Seminary Student Rebel Herd will bring us God’s Word in worship. Rebel heads up “Church on the Street”, a word and sacrament ministry among the homeless population right here in Sioux Falls. Rebel has been called by God into this important ministry, and it is through the ongoing support of Gloria Dei and many other congregations that this mission of “feeding sheep” is made possible.
Being loved, forgiven, reconciled, and sent by God is a great gift that belongs to you. Unwrap the gift, put it to use, pray for others, and be about the good work that God gives for you to do in Christ’s name.
See you in worship,
Pastor Tim
Hello Gloria Dei,
The Christian author Frederick Buechner writes: “Whether your faith is that there is a God or that there is not a God, if you don’t have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or asleep. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.”
For me, I believe there are some people given the extraordinary gift of faith so that their faith in God never wavers. I also believe this is a very small group of people. For the vast majority of us, doubts creep into our faith and we ask all kinds of questions. I believe asking the hard questions is a good thing. Why? Because asking the hard questions of life is what God wants from us, and ultimately these questions and doubts serve to strengthen our faith.
In our gospel reading for this weekend one of Jesus’ disciples, Thomas, isn’t with the others when the risen Jesus appears to them on the first Easter evening. Later he is told that “Jesus is alive.” I think we can understand Thomas when he says, “No Way. It can’t be. Dead people don’t come back to life. I won’t believe unless I see Jesus for myself.” Thomas is simply being a realist. It’s hard to believe that a person you saw die on Good Friday could be alive again on Sunday. Yet, a week later, Jesus shows up again, and this time Thomas is present. Thomas believes and confesses about Jesus, “My Lord and my God.”
For worship this weekend, please read John 20:19-31, as we’ll take a look at this important encounter between Jesus and Thomas. Jesus encounters you and me today too in a multiplicity of ways. Don’t be afraid to ask your questions to God. In the long run, they serve as the “ants in the pants of faith” and they keep faith alive and moving. Through worship, through digging into God’s word, and through the fellowship of Christian believers, faith is strengthened even amidst our doubts and questions. Watch for God showing up for you today. See with the eyes of faith. God is alive and active in our world and in our lives.
WEATHER ALERT – We are watching closely the reports regarding the snowstorm coming into the area tonight and tomorrow. At this point we are planning on our normal weekend worship schedule. However, there is a chance that Saturday worship will be need to be cancelled due to the storm. We want for everyone to be safe. Please watch our website, www.gloriadei-sd.org, or Facebook page, @GloriaDeiSD, for updates regarding Saturday worship. At this point it looks like Sunday morning will go on as planned.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
Hello Gloria Dei
“Forever! Forever and ever! Forever and ever and ever!”
Handel’s Messiah sings those words triumphantly and continually: “and he shall reign forever and ever.”
In Psalm 136, King David repeats one refrain: “The steadfast love of the Lord lives forever,” 26 times in one chapter.
In Psalm 23, King David writes his immortal words: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Isaiah, the prophet, dared to dream the eternal dream: “His kingdom shall have no end, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.
Jesus stated clearly to Martha when her brother Lazarus died: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will never die but shall live forever.”
And if you summarize the whole Bible into one small nutshell, you may quote John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him will not die but will live forever.”
“Forever” is a big word, a victorious word, a triumphant word. Forever.
This weekend we celebrate the Victory – the Gift God gives us of FOREVER. Through faith in Christ we know that the power of death itself is defeated, and we shall live forever. What Tremendous News! Let that sink in a bit. Forever in God’s presence: no tears, no hurt, no suffering; rather, joy, peace, love, – Forever.
Together in Christ, Forever!
Pastor Tim