Wade In The Water

On June 30, 2013 we held our second Wade In The Water event.  12 individuals were baptized into the kingdom.  The schedule for the morning went like this:
9:00  Registration
9:30  Instruction Time
10:30 Worship
11:30  Baptisms in Maple Lake
12:00  A Lutheran potluck followed.

This event emerged from our discussions of Vision and Mission.  How do we make baptisms accessible for those who may have concerns with institutional church?  This was our answer!

Wade In The Water 2013 at Trinity Point south of Mentor, MN

Wow!  I'm attending a three day conference on Stewardship with Adults Under 40.  I'll say more later about the topic.  This is my first experience with education surrounded by computers and smartphones.  The conference is using social media as well so I'm "connected" via facebook and twitter.  It's all quite stimulating and multi-tasking overload.  Imagine clicking keyboards, written conversations on twitter, presenters using power point, and laughter at jokes and insights!  I think I will be tired by 5:00 p.m.!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday - What if you gain the world but lose yourself?

Then Jesus said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.  What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?"  Luke 9:23-25

Prayer for today:

Gracious and loving Lord, you gave up your life for me, yet it is so hard for me to give up my life for you.  Give me strength and courage to take up the cross each day.  Draw me close on this walk with you.  Be with me as I lose my life for your sake and experience your life in me.  In your holy name.  Amen. 

Friday - Which of you does not seek the lost one?

Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?  Luke 15:4

The radical love of God is expressed in this scripture.  It makes no sense to leave the 99 unattended, putting them at risk, to go after one lost sheep.  But that is what God does.  In fact, a more radical concept is that God would send one sole person - his Son - to come down to save the whole creation in a manner that seems not in God's way. 

But God communicates the fullness of his love in Jesus, in this parable of the lost sheep, in this gift of faith to remind us the extent that God will go to find those who are lost.

So the question might be rephrased, "What are you willing to risk to find the lost?"  The answer will always pale in comparison to God's own response.  Yet we are called to be bold with this faith and to seek out the lost.  It is gift and challenge for which a deeper level of faith will be found. 

Sermon on the Parable of the Father Who Had Two Sons

Sermon on The Parable of the Father who had Two Sons.

Tuesday - What is the Kingdom of God like?

Jesus said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like?"  Luke 13:18

 Jesus compares the kingdom of God to two small yet familiar things: a mustard seed and baking yeast.  We often need to be reminded that faith in something that seems so small can yield great things.  We so underestimate the power of God.  And often, the thing that needs changing, is we ourselves.  Mahatma Gandhi said, "We need to be the change we wish to see in the world."  There is a lot of truth to that and, in Christ, we are empowered to be transformed for the good of the world.  All done for God's purposes and not our own.