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Weekly Devotional

April 27, 2009

God’s Peace be with you all.

Acts 3:26 - 4:4  ²⁶ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness." Acts 4:1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,  ² annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.  ³ And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, for it was already evening.  ⁴ But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

            At my meeting yesterday afternoon in Columbia for Lutheran Men in Mission, I was asked “How many are you worshiping now at Springs of Grace?”  My answer was a simple, yet retentive response:  1.   As Lutherans, and even as Christians, we say that we worship one.  There is only one God, and no other.  Yes, we say God is the Holy Trinity, but they are the three-in-one.  No more than one, no less than one.  God is simply one. 

After the meeting, I had several responses to my answer.  Some liked it, some tried to explain what they meant with the question, and some probably thought I was more retentive than ever.  But when we come down to theology, and to also spreading the good news of the church, I do not think there is a better way to open the door.  It’s a great opportunity to then explain what it is that we believe, and just how solid our theology really is.  After all, we are all theologians of the church.  We all have our unique way of explaining God, but we all agree that there is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  These three persons of the Trinity make up a single God who is Lord of all.

So when someone asks you “How many do you worship?”, what is your response?  I hope that you answer “1”, and then use the opportunity to have a conversation about the church.  Like Peter in yesterday’s first lesson, seize the moment to help someone else understand how God is at work in their life.  Perhaps you will then be able to look back on your own life and see how God is at work as well. 

In our prayers this week: 

Ann, Doris and her mom, Jane and her mom Irene, Norm, Joseph

God’s Peace

Pastor Judson