Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life” is most appropriate saying for all of us.  Each day we wake up, no it or not, God teaches.  But, this instruction isn’t the end … it’s merely the beginning.  It’s “The first day of the rest of our lives of faith.”  

Last week, Jesus prayed, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” (John 17:20) Jesus prayed for us, those He knew would come to believe in Him through the words of the original disciples and the disciples that followed.  He prayed because He knew the challenges we’d have being His disciples in the world.  To ensure His prayer would be answered, He also promised, earlier in John, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) And true to His Word, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, swept down upon the disciples. The Holy Spirit enabled the Apostles — fishermen, tax collectors, political activists — to clearly proclaim Christ’s saving death and resurrection to people from across the world (Acts 2:1-13). This diverse gathering heard the good news, that through Jesus Christ “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) 

Jesus’ promised Helper, the Holy Spirit, helped the Apostles tell others from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth about Jesus’ saving life, suffering, death, and resurrection (Acts 1:8). The disciples’ faith in Jesus’ saving act on the cross was already confirmed.  But the Day of Pentecost was only the beginning for the disciples.  “Clothed with power from on high” they would never be alone as God worked through them to reach all mankind … including you and me.

And for the disciples, being saved by faith in Christ wasn’t the end of their journey. It was “the first day of the rest of their lives of faith.” They, like we are, were called to a LIFE OF FAITH. Today we are disciples, called by God to use the gifts He’s given us to tell the world about His promises.  And we don’t go alone.  The Holy Spirit goes with us.

Each day we read God's Word, He teaches us how to live our lives of faith as His children.  But, each day's instruction is only the beginning of our life of faith.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, each of us is called by our Lord to continue to grow in faith through regular participation in worship, hearing His Word, and receiving His Sacrament. Then, nourished and taught, we’re called to proclaim His Word in love to our neighbors. Jesus will return. When He does, because of His faithful disciples who lived a life of faith, He’ll find a world teeming with believers from all nations, of all races, speaking multitudes of languages … united in one faith.

                                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim