May 30, 2023
Dear friends,
Do you think there’s anybody at church that you’ve never talked to? Or maybe you’ve seen them across the room, but you don’t know their name?
We heard the story of Pentecost on Sunday from Acts 2. Just after the tongues of fire and the preaching heard in various languages, there were lots of people who believed: “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44-47).
There’s not a sense that all the believers were all best friends with one another. But, they were family.
Jesus talks this way. When his biological mother and brothers were trying to reach him, he replied: “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:33-35).
I’ll tell you a couple things about thinking this way – thinking that everyone in the church is your family. Closer, in fact, than your biological family.
1) It’s risky, and it’s not always smooth sailing. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. The closer you regard people, the more occasion there is for sin and the continual need to repent. And it’s a commitment. You can’t just quit your family. You undertake to care for other people and to be cared for by other people, and they’re people you might not otherwise have a lot in common with.
On the other hand:
2) You do have in common with your church family the one most important thing, which you do not have in common with the world: the forgiveness of sins in Jesus. You have between you and every other saint at church the love of God instead of the fraudulent, self-centered love of this world. You have a future together with your fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters in the faith, which the world does not share. And you have been given to each other by God, as a blessing, for encouragement, for charity, compassion, mercy, and love. And you have been given together by God to the world, to be a light shining in a dark place, a beacon of hope in the midst of despair, and a home for the lost and the weary.
And so, if you find you don’t know your family, now’s a good time to get to know each other! Sure, you can talk about the weather or the Twins or your summer plans. But make sure you also talk about the love that God has shown you, how thankful you are for the forgiveness of sins and salvation, and what a great blessing it is that God has put us together here in this place to love one another.
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)
God bless and keep you,
Pr. Buchs
COMING EVENTS:
Elder’s & Council – Thursday, June 8 @ 6 & 7pm
Old Settler’s Day – Saturday, June 24