Who Is Welcome At Your Table?

Luke 15:2 KJV; Who is welcome at your table? Who is welcome at the Lord's Table?

Michael On The Way

Hebrews 13:1-7 KJV Welcome Angels! Welcome your neighbor! Welcome the Stranger!

Strangers Are Welcomed: Jesus Is Welcomed

Reading from Genesis: 18:1-19 KJV When we welcome strangers are we welcoming angels unaware or maybe we are welcoming Jesus.

Welcome The Children

Jesus welcomes the children so should we.

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.                                                                                          (Mark 10:13-16 KJV)

How blessed are the multi-generational congregations!  How blessed are they who welcome children into worship services with them instead of relegating them to the cry room! How blessed are they who invite the little children to not only attend worship; but, also assist with the worship services in whatever ways they are capable of assisting.

Over the years, I have invited children to receive the offerings and to place them on the altar. Our children have been readers and musicians. They have led the prayers of the church and have at times even presented monologues and dialogues as sermons.  They have even sponsored lunches after worship and special dinners to include Seder meals. During the years that the children were invited to participate more fully in the whole life of the congregations, the congregations grew and not just in numbers. They grew closer to one another and to Jesus.

Welcome the children into the whole life of the family of God. They may be young but they are your brothers and sisters in Christ and love Jesus as much as anyone. Blessed are they who bless the children by receiving them with open arms.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Welcome The Children

And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

                                                (Mark 9:36-37 KJV)

Make no mistake. The person, man or woman, who would reject a child for any reason rejects Jesus and the one who rejects our Savior also rejects the Creator; the God and Father of all.

Usually (but, not always) those who would neglect or destroy children because they have other priorities will in fact admit that they do not accept Jesus as the Christ. They do no accept that it was God who created the heavens and the earth. They simply do not believe. That is the way it is. The only thing we can do about it is to pray and proclaim the Good News that Jesus died for all people no matter what we may have done. He died that we might be forgiven our sins and reconciled to God and to one another; even reconciled to the children that we have forsaken.

Children are not given to us to used as pawns. They are not given to us to be used for political purposes. They are not given to us to use and and abuse. Children are a gift from God. 

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

                                       Psalm 127 (NASB)

God help us to appreciate and love the gift of children that God has given us. Help us to protect and care for them. Help us to welcome them even as we would welcome our Lord Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Are Strangers Really Welcome At Your Table?

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2 KJV)

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered around the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. Many did visit and when they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table or even be there. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

You Are Not Alone

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me..." (Psalm 34:4 NIV) And... He will answer you, too. 

I often hear the cries of those who feel lost and alone. They do not know where to turn for help. I only know of one place where there is genuine relief to be found. As a Marine's wife, I spent a whole lot of time alone, raising our children. We often joked that my husband spent more time on ships than many of the sailors that we knew. It wasn't really a joke, though, because he did. Where to turn when you're a young wife and mother far from home? There was, there is only one place and that is to the LORD.

I could lament the years that I have spent alone, but instead I rejoice in them. If it were not for those years, far from family, raising sons alone, taking care of a household alone, working, and going to school at night, I might not know the LORD today. I needed help, so I sought the LORD, and he answered me. God, through my family in Christ, at Calvary Lutheran in Jacksonville, NC, helped keep me going.

Seek the LORD. Knock and the door will be opened. (Matt 7:7)

"I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together." (Psalm 34:1-3)

You are not alone. God is with you in your affliction. Welcome Him as your companion and comforter.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Welcome the Little Children!

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matt 19:24 NIV)

Disney World, Universal Studies, Epcot Center, SeaWorld, and Legoland are just a few of the wonderful family vacation spots in Florida. Children are welcome to vacation here! But, what about live in Florida?

Are children welcome to live in Florida? I am sure there are many of areas in Florida that they are. But, there are also multitudes of areas in Florida that they are not. Before moving to the east coast, I did not fathom that there would be so many 55+ communities. For the past few months I have been trying to help my son and family find a new home. It has not been easy to find an affordable one and even the mobile homes that are affordable all seem to be in 55+ communities. My husband and I actually live in a 55+ community; but, no one in my son's family is near our age!

This is not the first time I've run into discrimination against young people. Many congregations all around the country that I have known about also cater to us more elderly persons. If a child whines or moves wrong in church the parents get that look that tells them either take that child outside or to the cry room that they spent money to prepare for just such a purpose. Many congregations actually have Sunday School for the children during Worship or they have a separate Children's Church to segregate the children and the adults. What has happened to us being "all God's children?" 

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Jesus desires that the little children go to him. For some reason I thought that we were to follow in Jesus' footsteps. Discriminating against anyone for any reason, including age, just doesn't seem like a Jesus thing to do.

May all God's people open their hearts and minds, their homes and their congregations to the little children of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

What Is Truth?

"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work."
                                     (2 John 1:9-11 NIV)

Live in the truth! What is truth?

There are many ways to distort the truth so that it becomes a lie. Today, the "truth," who is Jesus the Christ, is often co-mingled with fables and fairy tales so that the "truth" becomes a lie. Philosophy and spiritism and all sorts of other fabrications of the mind add or subtract from the word that we have read and heard in the scriptures in order to justify our own sinful lifestyles. Stay away from these stories. Continue living in the truth. Continue living in his love.

In this second of St. John's epistles, he commends a woman chosen by God and her children for knowing and living in the truth even while he warns her to stay away from those who deny the truth. We are warned to stay away from those who do not acknowledge that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh. Stay away. Do not let their deceitful teachings infiltrate your thoughts; your life.

May the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ, be with you in truth and love, now and forevermore.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is The Stranger Welcome?

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. When they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mary and Martha

Both Marys and Marthas

     As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
     “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)

Prior to worship on Wednesday afternoon, I watched the women in the kitchen preparing the meal that the congregation would share after the service. We have some very dedicated Martha's. They love to serve others. But, these women are also faithful Mary's. They do not neglect to worship. They are with us faithfully to hear the Word of the Lord on Sunday mornings and now during Lent on Wednesday evenings, as well.

We have many Martha's and Mary's at Christ Lutheran and not all of them are female. It is a good thing to serve together. It is a great thing to be able to worship the Lord together. Join us! Everyone is welcome!

Thanks be to God for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Storms Of Life

"God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’" Job 37:5-6 NIV

When storms break out and they do all of the time we often find ourselves angry or sad. Storms can do a lot of damage to what we perceive to be good. But, God has a better plan and sometimes the storms that are brought into our lives are God's way of cleansing our hearts and minds so that we are able to welcome the gracious gifts that He so desires to give us.

Do not fear the change that storms will bring. God's way is not our way. The great things that He does is beyond our understanding. Have patience and trust that He has good plan for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is Jesus Welcome?

Is Jesus welcome at your table?

When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me."

Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."

Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, "Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited."

Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?"

He will answer them, "I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me."

"Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

Matt 15:31-46 The Message

God's Peace - Pr. J

Invite Strangers

Is the stranger truly welcomed?

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."  John 6:32-33 NIV

Friends, Strangers, and Angels at the Table is the sermon title for this Sunday. The lessons this morning speak of being hospitable. Jesus points out that we are to welcome strangers to our table. We might think we are welcoming people; because, we all get along with each other. That is we welcome those whom we already know. But, what happens when a stranger comes into our midst? What happens when a stranger comes knocking at our door?

As Jesus welcomes all people to his table, let us invite and welcome anyone and everyone who might cross our paths to eat with us; whether at home or at the table set for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. The Epistle lesson for this morning is: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16