The concept of stewardship in the Scriptures is broad and deep. It includes such ideas as commitment to the Gospel proclamation, human responsibility for the care of creation, the role of Christ as a steward, the caring for the poor, sharing of our financial resources and more. As we are challenged to enlarge our concept of stewardship by our “Sowing Seeds for the Harvest” sustained giving campaign, we are perpetually reminded that growth comes only by the Holy Spirit.

It was the Holy Spirit who brought the gift of faith to the very first disciples of Christ, who received the Holy Spirit by the breath of Jesus Christ upon them behind locked doors (John 20:20-21). It is the same Holy Spirit who will lead 5 young adults to confirm their gift of faith received in their baptismal faith as we celebrate their day of Confirmation on Sunday May 1^st. We will have only one worship service at 10:00 am so that we all may come together as brothers and sisters in the Spirit on this joyous occasion.

It was the Holy Spirit who grew the church on the first Day of Pentecost, a day we will celebrate on May 14^th and 15^th. It was the Holy Spirit that brought those first disciples who received the preaching of the Gospel by Peter to join the fellowship of believers. The 2^nd chapter of Acts tells us: ^“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer . Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

And it is the same Holy Spirit that will guide and direct our stewardship and fellowship during the next 3 years as we “Sow Seeds for the Harvest.” May the Spirit of the Living God that resides in you draw you ever deeper into the love of God in Christ, and lead you to support our church, it’s ministries, and the continuation of the Gospel in the midst of our community!

Praise to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

Your fellow harvester for Christ,

Pastor Young

Confirmation, Mother-Daughter Dessert, Ascension Day, Youth

Spaghetti Supper, Mothers’ Day, Pentecost, 7^th & 8^th Grade Minnesota Trip, Trinity Sunday, Memorial Day weekend—Where did the month of May go? (And I’m writing this even before the very merry month of May begins!) I didn’t include the regular worship times and meetings, Bible studies, hospital visits, individual communion calls, weddings, Stewardship emphasis meetings, and other unforeseen things that come up. Certainly there is enough to keep both of your pastors busy. But if busy-ness keeps us from serving you, the flock for whom the Shepherd bled and died, then we’re simply too busy. Satan loves to fill our calendars with stuff that would take us away from what truly matters, receiving from God the source of life in His Son, Jesus Christ. We may cheer at our children’s ball games, go camping on that first warm weekend since we put the camper away, finish raking and cleaning the yard and garage of the winter ‘stuff’ that hasn’t been made to disappear, prepare for garage sales, or just kicking back and relaxing from all that busy-ness.

But one thing remains constant.

We need to be prepared for our salvation.

Through His death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ has accomplished for us everything needed for eternity. It’s 100% done. Thanks be to God!

But we live in a world that would tell us otherwise. “Did God really say that everything is done? Don’t you have to do something?”

NO!

All Jesus expects from us is faithfulness. The difficulty lies in our living a life of faithfulness. The antiphon verse for Pentecost Sunday reads, “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia!” The work of faith has been established in you through the preaching of the Gospel and by your baptism into the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen! This invocation of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost is a prayer for all time as He would so fill each of our hearts with the fire of His love. This means that whatever fires have been burning in our hearts previously must be extinguished. The passion and lust for things of this world must be put out. Selfishness, jealousy, bitter anger, and even our desire to have control over things of which God has His say must be cut out from our hearts and removed. These are nailed to the cross of Christ for His forgiveness.

But in its place the Holy Spirit would have the love and peace of Christ reign. By the love of Jesus, our sins are forgiven. By that forgiveness we have peace. That peace rules our hearts and minds (faith should control our feelings) and the love of Christ compels us to do His will. Sometimes that will of God keeps us ‘busy’ with church activities. In a way, it is God’s way of preserving us from the things of this world and keeping us in contact with the source of our eternal salvation. God would guard and keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus from the attacks of the devil, the world, and even our sinful self. God would keep us busy by drawing us to Himself in worship and study, in order to keep us from temptations.

Let me say that again. God would keep us busy by drawing us to Himself in worship and study, in order to lead us away from temptations. We pray for that in the Lord’s Prayer, don’t we? We see His deliverance as we are kept in His grace.

May God keep you busy for Him by preparing you for your salvation, won freely for you through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Pastor Brauer

Matthew 11:28-30