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The Pastor's Reflections
By
Tommy Lineberger
Reflections...
Have you ever
thought of the Resurrection, God’s victory over sin, death, and the devil
through Jesus, his Son and our Lord and Savior, as God’s abundance of
forgiveness given freely to/for you, to/for me,
and to/for the world? Could you ever imagine the following happening?:
“The
pastor stands up for announcements and begins by saying, ‘There are far too
many people in church today. That is going to be a problem because there is only
enough forgiveness for about one-third of you. I can see from here that many of
you are in no way worthy to be in church today, much less hear the Word and
receive the Sacrament. You know who you are. The ushers will see you out now.
Come back next week if you haven’t sinned too much. Then it may be that there
will be enough forgiveness to go around.”’ (Our Stewardship: Managing Our
Assets)
Christian
worship could never start this way, could it? With God, there is no question of
limits or short supply. With faith we see what the prodigal son saw, that God is
generous with us well past what we deserve, all for love. We have received grace
upon grace and our cups are running over. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection
show that God does not withhold anything. God’s abundance is at the heart of
the Bible. That is the message of Easter, and the message of every day beyond
the Day of Easter.
You
and I are recipients of God’s abundance; and especially God’s Easter
abundance. As recipients of God’s abundance we are led to two questions on
faith matters.
Throughout
the pages of the Bible we can find the answer to this second question: We have
what we have to use well. Your gifts may seem ordinary to you, but to one with
whom you share that gift it -may
seem priceless. Your gifts are not accidental. Your gift with children is not
accidental. Your ability to inspire and lead others is more than a family
trait—it’s a gift. Your imagination; ability to see past the obvious;
willingness to work, persevere, and change with the times; are all gifts given
from God’s abundance. Just as God’s abundance is at the heart of the Bible,
so, too, God’s gifts are at the heart of the Bible. As we receive this Easter
season and always, let us share those gifts that God has shared with us.
Receiving
and sharing, I am,
