How do you envision God? Is it the same “old man with a long beard floating in the clouds” you imagined based on the stories you heard as a kid? Or has it changed with life experience? The parable in this week’s focus texts features a character whose vision of his master scared him so much that he buried his Talent in the ground. If we envision God as judgmental we will tend to experience the world as punishment and not live in the freedom God intends. If we envision God as full of grace, mercy, compassion, and love we reflect that in the way we share an AGAPE type love in action with our neighbors.

As we enter the Holiday Season our thoughts naturally turn to gratitude and giving. Jesus uses a parable about a dinner party to answer a question about who is welcome at God’s Table. The parable is a reminder of the kind of all-embracing welcome and radical generosity we are called to as we share an AGAPe type love with our neighbors.

All Saints Day has us recalling the time when Jesus left Mary & Martha (and their brother Lazarus) waiting. Jesus waited so long that Lazarus died and the silence of grief had set in. Martha is angry with Jesus, like we can be when the silence of grief & despair overtake us. Jesus doesn’t punish Martha for her anger, he acknowledges it and accompanies her through her grief into the new life God offers. Pastor Chad invites us to remember the power of gratitude when we seem to be stuck in the silence ourselves but maybe more critically when those around us need a reminder they are not walking alone.

As we remember the Reformation we are exploring a core concept of Lutheran Theology: grace. Pastor Stephanie encourages us to consider a lesser known example of God’s Grace found in the story of Jonah and the City of Ninevah. Jonah had created a story about the people of Ninevah in his own head that would justify their destruction but when God spared the city both he and the city experienced the unconditional love, agape, of God’s Grace.

Working in the Fast Food Industry as a teenager can sour a person on the idea of being in the service industry for life. Our society tells us over and over again that being successful and a leader is the way to happiness. Jesus calls us to something different, being a servant which builds a sense of gratitude, which leads to increased generosity and a more enduring happiness.

Last week Pastor Chad talked about Jesus calling the B-Team to be his Disciples. This week Pastor Stephanie reminds us that we too are sent out into the world to let the Light of God shine through us. Even when we feel ill-equipped or unprepared we are called to live our everyday lives sharing God’s love which will make an impact on our community. Our everyday actions make an impact on our community as God’s love ripples through the interconnected web of our lives.

This week’s message comes with a WARNING: the way Jesus recruits and teaches his disciples changes the way we understand discipleship. Jesus intentionally seeks out the B-Team to be his disciples. He doesn’t seek out the up and coming students in the synagogues, instead he calls out to the fisherman, the day laborers who weren’t drafted by the charismatic leaders. If his B-Team of disciples can be transformed by following the example of Jesus, we cannot be excused from our own discipleship for some perceived lack of skills or experience or passion. God will use our B-Team skills and experience to make a difference in this world if we follow the example of Jesus when acting and reacting in our communities.

When you find yourself stumbling around in the dark, sometimes it helps to pause and let your eyes adjust. The faith practice of discernment is like that in the dark times of your life, pausing to search for the small, steady light that will help you take the next step. It’s noticing where hope flickers, where peace breaks through, and where God’s unconditional love, Agape, is always present. Discernment trains us to trust that light exists, and to let it guide our choices. If you feel like you are stuck in the darkness – this message can help you discern the light of Agape.

It is one thing to hear about Agape, God's unconditional love for us, and another thing entirely to practice Agape with our neighbors, especially those we disagree with. This week Pastor Stephanie encourages us to look at the foundation of our faith, where we find God's unconditional love for us. It is much easier to be a doer of Agape when we recognize that God's Agape is at the very core of our being.

We can appreciate the idea of the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But how do we bear those fruits when so often it is easier to grow “a bad tree.” It takes practice! When we commit to engaging in Faith Practices we find that reward is the Fruit of the Spirit being shared with us and with our neighbors.