Now What?

The cold grey morning stands in contrast to the warmth within our sanctuary as Pastor Brad welcomes us with a comment that the snow is gone and now we only have ice.  It is the second Sunday of Easter.

Announcements
Semi-annual meeting after church including election of new leaders.
Cheryl noted that Thursday is last day for cheap rates for Covenant Park Bible Camp.
There will be a 4th of July Family Camp
Finally, Covenant Park is having a fund raiser, 5K walk or 20K bike ride.
John Vanderscheuren is putting together a church softball team. See John.
Callie Johnson shared a series of pictures that tell the most important Bible story.

Chuck, Darlene and Ken sang the beautiful One Scarred Hand.

Chuck surprised Gwen by calling her up to sing the ever so beautiful In Christ Alone with them. "No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me... no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand, till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I stand."

Alf Haugsand shared about the work of the Gideons. Gideons are an international collective of laymen in distributing Bibles to over 199 countries worldwide at a rate of 2.7 Scriptures per second a year. He told a story about a teacher in New Zealand who was hostile when the Gideons were there one year but whose heart was softened by reading the Scriptures being handed out.

In many countries the Bibles can be freely distributed in places we cannot in this country. The people are hungry for the Word. 100% of all giving goes to Bibles and Bible distribution.

The trio sang The Jericho Road while our offering was taken.

Before identifying prayer needs Darlene shared that today she and Chuck are celebrating 40 wonderful years together. The list of needs is long and many people carrying burdens.

Now What?

The week after Easter there are fewer flowers, fewer dresses, fewer people... but the needs are as real after Easter as they were before Easter. Realities of unemployment, divorce, illness, broken hopes continue. In the first days after Jesus' resurrection, even the disciples struggled with what it was all about.

This morning Brad wanted to share thoughts based on John 20:19-22, specifically three portions.

1. "Peace be with you."
It was a standard phrase of greeting at the time, but Jesus appeared and said it a second time because this was the very thing the disciples needed to hear. The disciples abandoned Him but instead of rebuking them He demonstrated His patience, His commitment...

The risen Jesus, present with us here, says "Peace be with you." Who amongst us has lived a perfect life since last Sunday?

The cross shows that our sins are not insignificant. They are costly. But Jesus says, "My Peace be with you." You are accepted, not rejected. Don't be anxious. Don't be afraid.

2. "As the Father sent Me, I am sending you."
This must have been a bit baffling to hear. "Remember the job that was given to Me? I am passing it on to you." Jesus came back from death and hell itself, but now He passes the ball to the B-team.

Jesus had previously told them, "You will be My witnesses... to the ends of the earth." Now He's saying, "It's your turn."

God is in the same business today. Now it's our turn. He's not adding to our busy schedule. He is giving our current schedule a new purpose. Every relationship and situation you are in, you are given an opportunity to demonstrate that He is who He says He is, a God who is there. You are His evidence that our God is still in the resurrection business. God is saying, "I am 100% invested in you, and in showing the world that no life is too far out of reach." God is a good God, a forgiving God.

We are a "sent out" community. Our life is not about Sunday worship but about what we do between Sundays out in the world.

3. 'Receive the Holy Spirit."
This third phrase is the essential key to what followed. He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Receive the gift of God's presence, God Himself, to be our advocate in every situation.

You don't need to prove you can do it on your own. Jesus had already said, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes."

You will be the evidence, the living witness. Easter is not a holiday. It's what followed Easter that is the story.

How will we respond to the reality of Jesus' resurrection?

Jesus Can Be Trusted

Pastor Brad just returned from several days in Chicago where he attended a Covenant leadership convention, the 125th anniversary of the Northwoods Conference. After a warm greeting on this dreary April day Brad made a comical remark about forgetting to shave, and briefly commented on his appreciation for the Covenant denomination which is both pietist and missional. The double pronged mandate for the Covenant is "deeper in Christ, further in mission." Or, to put it another way, living with God and for God.

Brad opened the announcements by mentioning our semi-annual meeting which would be after the service. Other announcements included:
1. The women's Bible study will meet next Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. instead of the usual time. There will be two studies Saturday.
2. A planning meeting for Vacation Bible Study will be held at the church Tuesday evening at 6:30.
3. The Adventure Club and Art Show will be this Wednesday evening. The program begins at 5:30 with the kids singing songs upstairs. Leonard's Home Cooked Dinner will be served downstairs at 6 with Ed bringing the kids back upstairs for a time of interactive art at 6:15. Desserts will then be served downstairs at 6:45. The art and talents of the church will be displayed in the church basement.

This morning's worship was led by the trio of Ellie, Chuck and Darlene.

One of the tenets of the Covenant churches is the centrality of Scripture. For this reason we welcome representatives from the Gideons from time to time. This morning Dale Henry and Sandy who shared with us the role the Gideons have played in Bible distribution. This past year Gideons have placed 75 million Bibles or one every 2.5 seconds. 100% of all gifts given to the Gideons go to the printing and distribution of Bibles.

After the reading of Scriptures (Acts 3:12-19; Luke 24:26-48) and a time of prayer, Pastor Brad began his message, standing near to the congregation on the floor of the sanctuary.

Jesus Can Be Trusted
Brad opened by summarizing the 125th Conference Anniversary. Our ways of sharing the Gospel have changed. We used to wonder whether to wear robes or suits, and later a tie or no tie. But today, though our methods may have changed the mission and message remain the same.

The essence of the sermon revolved around the contrast between Saul and David. Saul had been anointed as Israel’s first king. He had significant attributes, but disqualified himself, not by his skills but by his character. The significant quality needed in church leadership is likewise not talent or skills, but character.

The word “great” is used three times in the Gospels. The first time is in Matthew 5:19... 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

This verse pertains to obedience, not achievement. Obedience means aligning our hearts and minds with the heart and mind of God.

Brad then told a story about how much he loved to waterski, having begun as early as age 5. The first lesson in waterskiing is this: when you fall, let go of the tow rope. In the Christian walk, an essential lesson is to let go of the things that drag us down.

The second time Jesus used the word great was in Matthew 18.

2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The lesson here is plain. Humility is what makes us great. The humblest people in the community are our great ones.

Gary Walter, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, told a story about a rooster that crowed each morning at dawn who eventually came to believe that it was his crowing that made the sun come up each day. Of course it is vain to think such things. When we ourselves do any crowing, our aim is not to draw attention to ourselves but to what God has done.

Brad spoke briefly about brokenness at this point. We live in a throwaway culture. People get broken, too, but God doesn’t throw us away. God way is redemptive. Our brokenness makes us humble and useful to God. Jesus Himself had His body broken for us. And David proclaimed that “a broken and contrite heart” is pleasing to God.

The third time Jesus comments on true greatness is in Matthew 20:26. The mother of James and John, a mother like our own, approaches Jesus with a request. She would like one of her boys to sit at Jesus' right or left hand when He becomes king. Jesus says, “Well, I’m not really in charge of the seating chart, but let me tell you about a principle.” The principle is servanthood.

The definition of servanthood is “seeking the advantage of another party.” This applies to whatever station in live you’re at, from CEO to janitor. You can never do big things for God unless you are willing to do little things for little people.

Here’s an eye opener. The Covenant church in India started with a person who babysat for a prostitute so she could go to work.

Now, for the quiz. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008? Who won the Academy Award for best actress? Who won the indoor soccer league championship?

By way of contrast, name a person who helped you through a difficult time. Who taught you an important life lesson? Who made you feel special in life? These are legacy people who live on in us.

Boiled down to its essence, what God is looking for in you is a trajectory based on obedience, humility and servanthood. He is not expecting you to be a finished product. We are people in process. What’s growing in you? What is increasing?