Who's In Charge? Rejoice! God Reigns! Isaiah 66:10-14

“Who’s in charge?”

     After President Reagan was shot in Washington in March of 1981 Al Haig infamously (and erroneously) said that he was in charge.

A year ago Egyptians elected Morsi as president and this week, after a few weeks of protests, the army deposed him from power.  Now both sides are duking it out in the streets.  “Who’s in charge” in Cairo?

Even in the church we sometimes ask, “Who’s in charge?”

Our Congregational Leadership Council has been looking at our constitution and has been left to ask that very question.

So, we’ll probably be doing a study on this in the fall and making some small changes to it for you all to vote on at the fall voter’s meeting

And in my own life, my head is sometimes spinning asking, “Who or what is in Charge of my life?”

I’m an ordained minister called to Redeemer Lutheran Church

I’m married to Susan

I’m father to Katie, Chris, and Caroline,

I’m son to Del and Sandy.

And I’m a baptized child of God.

What about you? Who’s in charge of your life?

Is it yourself?

Your job?

Does it seem like the whole world has control over you?

Does the devil has his grips on you at times?

Another way to look at this is, what moves, motivates, and informs you as you walk through life?

Ambition?

Security?

Providing for your family?

Watching over your children?

Pleasing God by being a good person?

I’m afraid if it’s any of these, you are doomed.

According to Galatians anything we do—any life we live—that is not informed, directed and planted by the Holy Spirit is going to be corrupted.

Not “less than optimal”, not, “so-so”, not, “pretty good”, or, “ok”—CORRUPTED!

That is, “bad to the bone”, “rotten to the core,” “unsalvageable”, thrown into the fire”, ALL BAD!

Only things sown by the Holy Spirit will last.  Only that life which is from God will exist for eternity

So, when are you and I going to give up trying to be in charge of everything and let God reign?

When will we begin to live like he knows better than us?

When will we start seeking the answers to life from His book, instead of the Wall Street Journal, the KC Star or Fox News, or MSNBC?

When will we “Rejoice! Because God Reigns!” in our hearts and lives?

And, how will we know that he does?

In the Gospel we see an example of when this happened and it was amazingly simple.

Jesus sent out the seventy two disciples in pairs to prepare villages, towns and cities before his coming to them to preach the Good News.

They were to take no provisions—for God always provides

They were to bring God’s peace—and peace would come back to them or, be returned to them and they would take it elsewhere

They would heal the sick—so that everyone would be well enough to hear the Savior

Simple stuff to usher in the reign of Jesus.

Trust Jesus

Use what is placed before you

Heal in the name and preparation of Jesus

Let Jesus speak for himself to create faith by his Holy Spirit

Too often we are scared off from this mission of Jesus because we think we need to convert someone to faith in Jesus and that scares us—and rightly so

Because that’s not what Jesus teaches

If we were to be responsible for salvation we would be the king—we would reign.

No, we are just the heralds the messenger, the 72.

Jesus Brings salvation, Jesus is king, Jesus reigns.

As we begin to flesh out our vision for ministry as a congregation we keep all this in mind as we plan, as we gather resources, and as we go out into the city to prepare it for Jesus.

We trust Jesus—personally, and as a church

We use what is placed before us—knowing that even what might be seen as a shortage is also an asset to those who have faith

We heal and comfort people in whatever shape we find them—and tell them Jesus is on the way.

And then, we get out of the way and let Jesus and the Holy Spirit do their thing.

Rejoicing  that he has come into another heart

And saved another soul from corruption

As I came to church yesterday for a baptism I picked up a message from a woman in our community who heard we had a laundry ministry

You see, her friend had told her that some folks from Redeemer helped her at the Laundromat a few weeks ago  and her machines weren’t working and she really didn’t have the money to fix them or to keep going to the Laundromat.

Because some couples from our church went out like the 72 into our neighborhood, healing occurred, hope arrived, and Jesus may very well be on his way into this woman’s heart to reign in her life forever!

So, where else does Jesus reign?

I know you have ideas and I know God is placing this community on your hearts—you’ve told me so!

For some of you it’s housing ministry

For others its food and clothing

For some its college kids

And for others its young professionals.

Some of you have shared the idea of turning our big lawn out front into a community garden,

Others have a heart for single mothers

While others ache to restart efforts to reach the Hispanic community with our love for them in Jesus through ESL classes.

These are all signs that Jesus is reigning in YOUR hearts.  And if he is reigning in your heart you have all you need to go out and prepare the harvest field.  For it is indeed ripe.

And God Reigns here at Redeemer Lutheran Church. 

Each and every week we are witness to his coronation as King over evil and destruction

as we commemorate his death and resurrection 

as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper

and, thereby, celebrate the eternal life we now have through his body and blood spilled on the cross for our sake.

Each time a person comes to this font, like Kellyn and Malia did yesterday,

Jesus reigns as more people enter God’s family

And you and I have two more sisters in Christ (pause)

And God reigns in Olathe as our Gracious Living Magazine is read by thousands

So that at least one family has already inquired about preschool.

A neighboring Pastor has praised God for our outreach,

The Lutheran Church Extension Fund has informed us that we will receive a $500 grant to help us pay for this effort.

And a lay person in our community who has a business which ministers to seniors commended us for the publication and offered ideas on how we can strengthen future issues.

And another reason we know that God Reigns here is Olathe is ironically, by the opposition our little magazine has rustled up.

It’s only a small number, but there have been five or six people who have called the office, nearly enraged, that we would dare bring Jesus into their homes through our little mailing.

They are convicted by their lack of faith and

Regardless of how winsome our message, they do not want to face the King

Today we’ll pray for all those people

Knowing that God loves them just as much as he loves you and I

And praying that they will hold on to that magazine

Or that someway, somehow, God would use someone else to share the love of Jesus with them

so that God would reign in their hearts as well.

But God has just begun to reign in Olathe.

The Kansas District of the LCMS would like to start 20 ministries in the state by 2020 and the Synod set a goal of 2000 new congregations in the United States by 2017 (the 500^th anniversary of the reformation) at our 2007 convention

And with only two Lutheran churches preaching the grace of Jesus to a city of 130,000, we obviously have some work to do

and God is calling us to let him have free rein

in our hearts,

in our actions

in our wallets

on our calendars

and in our prayers and worship

All so that we might Rejoice! With Elijah as he does in our Old Testament Lesson, knowing that God reigns on earth and in heaven, now and forever more. 

It’s not too late to become a part of this important work of preparing Olathe for the coming of Jesus.

Even with the LCEF grant, we have only raised half of the $8000 the Gracious Living magazine costs to publish. 

Perhaps you could help us finish strong by putting your donation in one of the envelopes on the table in the narthex?

The Young Couples bible study would love to have you join them in their laundry ministry to our neighbors.

Seek them out during our fellowship time after the service today or send me an email or phone call and I’ll get you connected.

You can also still fill out the vision to action forms that you received with your bulletins today

so that we can connect you with others who have burdened with similar passions and callings that we might reach more people in more ways with the Gospel of Jesus.

And we are still in need of at least one more elder and, possibly another CLC member

so that’s God’s work at Redeemer Lutheran Church would continue to be strong and vivacious.

And that all we do would be in good order and accomplish what God would have us do.

Because God reigns in our hearts, over his church and even over this whole world, we can be bold and confident to serve him as did the 72 in our scriptures today.

And that boldness leads us to Rejoice in him and all he does

Through his word, his sacraments and through us, the people of his body, the Church.

To Him be all Glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Before You, Lord, We Bow--From whom do we wish to be free?

Sermon for Independence Day, 2013
Hebrews 11:8-16, Matthew 5:43-48

Independence Day is all about, well, independence!

It’s a word that we Americans cherish, revere and defend at all costs

The Revolutionary war was fought to gain our independence from England

And we had to fight for it again in 1812 when the British tried to reassert their authority.

At times we’ve had to go abroad to defend  that liberty; such as in WWI and WWII

And at other times we have helped others to attain or retain that freedom when it was threatened as  it was in Korea, Vietnam and Kuwait

And yet, at every occasion for war, in the name of independence and freedom, there were many who did not want independence at that cost; if war was the cost, some lack of freedom was acceptable.

Today we find ourselves in an era in which it would seem that our freedom is threatened by an unseen enemy.

An enemy which is so stealthy

it fits in seamlessly into our communities and organizations,

An enemy that lives on our street and eats dinner with our families and plays with our children

An enemy that fits quite well into our every day lives and with whom we even may be close friends with.

And this enemy waits until just the right moment to strike

And when he does, it takes us totally by surprise

And strikes terror in our hearts and lives

And strikes so hard that we all cry out that something be done about it

and we clamp down and take away liberties we were formerly used to having;

we restrict what we do and how in order to somehow thwart the efforts and movements of the enemy

And we are willing to give up almost anything in order that we don’t have to face that enemy ever again

And this enemy that I speak of is…sin.  Yours, mine, and everyone else’s.

When our founding fathers first spoke of independence, they were tired of having to bow down to King George and all that he represented;

for, bowing is a sign of submission—even to death.

Whether it was taxation without representation,

Or the way in which the nobility controlled the land

The Colonists desired to be free of that which seemed to oppress them so harshly.

They no longer wished to be submissive to something or someone which held them down and kept them from realizing their fullest potential.

And that’s the issue I think we have with sin today; but sin is much more deceitful than King George ever was.

Sin masquerades itself as something freeing—as the ability to cast off the shackles of rule and right and wrong.

Sin lies to tell you that if you follow its ways that you are showing the Big-Guy who’s boss!

Because sin would have you believe that God is the oppressive power

that would hold you back

and make you bow down before him

all so that your vulnerable neck might be exposed,

ready to receive a good whack, just when you mess up and anger God with your actions, words, or thoughts.

Sin tells me that humility and humbleness are weaknesses

That I need to look out for number one

And that no-one else knows what’s good for me better than me!

And that If I want to get ahead in this life I need to make a name for myself

And you know what? Sin is right!

If you want to be known or get ahead in this world, you must do exactly what sin tells you to do

Post pictures of you on the internet which show a little skin!

Go home with someone on the first date!

Cheat on your income taxes!

Work 60, 70, 80 hours a week so that you can have more money!

Spend every dime you make now and don’t worry about saving anything!

Skip church to watch your favorite team, or child, or wild game run around the field

That’s right!  All these things will give you the reward you were looking for;

Your picture will be shared with lots of other people—and you might even be recognized by it.

You will gain a reputation--as someone who likes to “have a good time” and nothing more.

You will be on the news when your business is audited and you go to federal prison for tax evasion

You’ll be popular with your wife and kids as you leave lots of money on the kitchen counter before you go work

Because they need to have something to do while you are ignoring them

And, let me tell you from experience, its going to cost you dearly!

With no worries about retirement and old age that boat or new car or house will be enjoyed a whole lot more than a certain nursing home you couldn’t afford later on.

And having fun away from Church on Sunday; why that’s WAY more fun that sitting there watching me sweat up here in these robes.

When you do what sin tells you to do, you are told that you will be free from the claustrophobic clutches of God’s Law,

but you will not have independence;

you will be locked into an even greater slavery.

And when you find yourself or your children estranged from your church, and your God, you’ll wonder, “what happened?”

When I get into conundrums like this I find I need to look to God’s word to get me straightened out again.  So, let’s do that today with our Gospel and our first lesson from Hebrews.

In the Gospel, Jesus gives us his famous quote, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

In other words, “why get upset and hateful with people who are sinning against you? 

Do not let their sin lead you to sin

and don’t let their sin gain more notoriety;

 for that is the reward of sin—notoriety today at the cost of future glory.

 Moreover, pray for them that they would be forgiven and relieved of their sin.

That way, you might no longer be enemies but friends,

for, if someone has not sinned against you, why, then, would they be your enemy?”

And if you cannot forgive your enemies, are you not sinning against them?

That’s why at the end of the Gospel, Jesus says, “You therefore must be perfect, as you heavenly Father is perfect.”

And how is our heavenly father perfect?  In his perfect love for us.

In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”

In other words, Jesus is calling us to show his perfect love to the world so that those who are our enemies will become our friends and, in turn, friends with Jesus.

Only by doing this can we have hope of being completely free and independent in this life

For if we have an enemy that we hate, they hold a piece of our heart which is focused on sin

But if we have an enemy that we show love toward and for whom we are praying,

our hearts are turned toward God

as we ask him to bring peace, love and faith to their hearts

as he delivers forgiveness and mercy to their lives.

The great thing about our God is that he never gives a command or instruction without telling us how it will be accomplished—he doesn’t say, “just figure it out.”  He tells us how and why.

The Bible is filled with stories about people commanded by God to carry out his will for a specific purpose and we hear one such account reiterated by the writer to the Hebrews today.

Abraham and Sarah were told to go to a land that God was giving them as an inheritance

I’m sure lots of people made fun of them and, perhaps, some of their family members, employees and associates tried to dissuade them from going.

They were probably told that God was punishing them for making them take this long and dangerous trip

But Abraham went…by faith

By faith, he went and lived in that land of promise

By faith, Sarah was able to conceive and have a son in her 90’s

Because Abraham had faith that God was faithful to his word

And would, in deed, bring forth a great nation out of his obedience.

And so by faith, they all died

Not in despair or doubt, wondering if it was all for naught,

But resting in the sure and certain hope, that what had been begun by God through their faith-filled actions, would be fulfilled in later days

They died in freedom

knowing that independence from the confines and conformities of this earth

outlast any temporary, earthly, freedom gained by casting God out of their life.

And God gives us the same kinds of commands.

Freed from the bonds of this life and this present time, we take the long view of things.

Knowing that life and death are eternal we make decisions which reflect that reality.

Believing that death is a curse which enslaves those who don’t know God’s grace we share that grace will all--that some may come to know it.

And just like Abraham and Sarah, we aren’t left to fumble around in the dark

We are called to love one another as God showed perfect love to be

That love by which Jesus died on the cross was not saved for a precious few,

But, rather, all are precious in his sight, as he died for all people and all their sin

therefore our love knows no boundaries

It is colorblind, gender-blind, age-blind and money-blind.

Our love will reach out to all cultures and affinities

And it will not stop until it is known in its fullest extent when someone comes to faith, and by the power of the Holy Spirit knows that love of Christ in their heart and is baptized.

And we also know that that perfect love of Christ is must fully shown in this world by his Word and in his sacraments

As we hear not only the commands of God through his Word,

but his intents and purposes for we, his people,

and through those words we also gain encouragement, examples, and comfort.

And when we come to his font and his altar those words are given tangible signs

As we see the water of life, combined with that Word, washing away sin

And as we see that bread and wine, we bear witness to Christ’s body and blood given up for us so that we would no longer be enslaved to our sin.

So what does all this look like for you as you sit here today—here at Redeemer Lutheran Church?

Well, it looks like Redeemer Lutheran Early Childhood Center (a.k.a. “The Preschool”) which seeks to share the love of Jesus with as many people as possible by the gift of Christian Education

“But my kids are grown!” you might say.  How can I be part of that ministry?

Well, you might not be aware of this, but our word-of-mouth network, which has ensured a full preschool  year after year has, for some reason, run out of tentacles

And, starting last year, we have had sharply declining numbers of students enrolled in our program.

There are plenty of preschoolers, whom we can reach with this ministry, but we don’t know who they are—but you might!

So, if you have neighbors with 2, 3, and 4 year olds, take them a preschool brochure and extend to them the love of Jesus this summer

This perfect love also looks like a Vacation Bible School at which 140 children heard the Good News of Jesus, ¾ of which were not children of Redeemer.

While some of these children are in another church, the reality is that most are probably not

And since they have already been here for VBS, some of them multiple times, they are just begging for you and I to invite them to take our with Jesus pilgrimage together.

They are looking for you to form a friendship, a relationship with them and invite them to be friends in Christ

But we need people to make those calls, and send those postcards, and make those visits

So if you think God is asking you to do that, tell one of the VBS committee members and they’ll get you started.

This perfect love looks like the Hispanic family from KCK who will drive all the way out to Redeemer this Saturday to baptize their children

simply because we would extend the Grace of Jesus when no-one else would.

And along with the two children being baptized their family will witness the love extended to them by a congregation which wants them to know the love of Jesus.

And this perfect love is demonstrated when you and I each declare our independence from the sin which would tie us down and, instead, yoke ourselves to the Savior who will only lift us up.

We do that when we make the decision to put down that remote and read our bibles during our quiet time at home.

We demonstrate that love when we put Sunday worship and Bible Study ahead of our pastimes and passions

We demonstrate our independence from sin and death when we set aside our differences, preferences and desires for the church,

And, instead, seek God’s will through active prayer and live out his will by serving his bride the church in her mission and ministry

And lastly, that love of Christ dwelling richly within you is demonstrated by what you would give—even as Christ gave all, including his life.

Abraham knew all these things—even that last little bit about stewardship

I mean, can you imagine if Abraham and Sarah set out on their mission to reach Canaan like the church sets out to complete the mission we’ve been called to?

What if Abraham said to Sarah, “Well, their wasn’t quite as much water for the camels at the watering hole this Sunday so I guess we should just stay here and wait for that watering hole to get bigger.  That’s what God would want us to do.”

What if Sarah said to Abraham, “Oh, I don’t think we should go through Haran.  That’s not such a good neighborhood you know.  Their not from Ur like we are.”

What if Abraham said to Lot, “You know what, nephew?  I’m a rich man and I got this way by pulling myself up by my bootstraps and you can too if you try really, really, really, hard.”

If those were all true, the result would have been much different, wouldn’t it?

Instead, Abraham and Sarah had faith enough to bow before God and place their dependence upon him, knowing that it would lead to their independence from sin and death.

Each day they forged ahead toward Canaan,

knowing that God would provide—

that there would be other waterholes and other provisions along the way

They went onward into Haran,

knowing it would be a good place to rest up and re-supply before embarking on the continuation of their journey to Canaan and

Trusting upon the Lord to make these people generous hosts of their foreign guests

And, knowing the great riches and blessings God had bestowed upon him, Abraham divided up his property and gave the best pastures to Lot

Out of love for Lot and love for the Lord who had blessed him so,

And knowing that no matter how much he gave away God would continue to provide for his life and his family.

Will you bow before God?  Will you give up your independence in order to be freed from the slavery of sin?

We’ve all been faced with these same choices from time to time, haven’t we? 

We’ve looked at the Christian life from what seemed like a perspective of humiliation and subjugation which would seem to be poor and scarce,

Rather than the life of faith, which is one of humility and servant hood, lived for the benefit of all so that all might be blessed.

As we go forward from here, I pray that each of us continue to bow before our God

Not out of fear, but in humble thanks for the perfect love he showed us

So that we will be instruments of that perfect love

In our homes, our neighborhoods, our community and our world.

                  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Lazy Days of Summer?

Where did this phrase come from?  Does anyone experience these anymore?  Some of you know the stereotype.  Mom sitting on a porch swing, sipping lemonade while the kids run around the yard/neighborhood playing games while Fido plays along, nipping at their heals.  Does that still happen?  Not too often, I'm afraid.  Some might long for those days again and even refer to it as the days of Gracious Living.

I think the demise of that era of perceived innocence was air conditioning.  If you think about it, why was mom on the porch swing?  Catching her breath from the oppressive heat of the kitchen or laundry room!  Think about it.  What would your house be like today if it were 90+ outside and you didn't have air conditioning?  Try driving around town on a summer day without AC.  Its changed our world! 

Look at home building methods, for instance.  Homes prior to AC had large, sturdy, windows on all four sides of the house.  The primary reason was to allow for cross-flow of air.  Every house was equipped with fans you could set into the windows to help draw the air into the house, or even one permanently mounted in the attic to suck the cooler air from outdoors in.  Now homes only have windows on the front and the back of the house so that we don't have to look at our neighbors--because we don't have to in order to stay cool.

And if we are staying indoors, we aren't on porches so they soon went by the wayside.  And if we put our kids in front of TV's X-Box and iPods, they aren't playing stick-ball or tag or having water balloon fights in the neighborhood either.  Perhaps I should begin a movement to ban AC so that we can get back to the Good Ole' Days when everything was fine and dandy--swell, even--and all the children behaved and all mothers and dads were Mrs. and Mr. Cleaver, seat belts weren't needed, smoking was healthy, murder never happened, war was patriotic death was always "a blessing."

But, when would that be?  I'm afraid we have a knack forgetting the problems of our past. Or worse yet, inventing a past that never was!  We have short memories for the negatives of every situation.  We deny that we have any flaws, or at least none that really matter to others in the big scheme of things.  Right?  Well, then, our conscious starts to nag at us. We can't sleep because something is bugging us. And sooner or later we have to realize that something is sin.

The fact of the matter is we do sin.  We are sinners.  We aren't perfect; never have been and never will be.  But as children of God, forgiven by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, those sins are blotted out as we confess those sins in repentant faith.  And from that point of our baptisms, we are New Creations.  Though, as flawed humans, we still sin, the stench of death from that sin does not stick to us.  We don't deserve this by any thing we have done, but by what Christ has done.  This un-earned gift of New Life in Christ is called grace.  G.od's R.iches A.t C.hrist's E.xpense.

Those who know this GRACE live lives a little differently.  We are no longer burdened with the worry of "what will God do to me because of my sin?" That is a burden which, for the sinner, is answered with the same verdict every time; you will die and you will not see heaven.  But for the sinner Redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ the burden is no longer life-taking, but life-affirming.  The new burden placed on the hearts of those living in Grace becomes, "What will God lead me to do and be because he no longer sees my sin?  How will I experience Graceful Living?"

This week our church is mailing out a magazine into our neighborhood called Graceful Living.  Our hope is that it allows folks to see some of the ways we can live in the Grace that God calls us into through our Lord and Savior Jesus.  If you live within 3 miles of Redeemer it'll come directly to your mailbox.  If not, stop by sometime or call the church office and we can send you one while supplies last.  If you would like to help us pay for this endeavor into our community that would be much appreciated as well--it costs several thousand dollars and issue to publish and mail this our neighbors, but we hope God uses it mightily to expand his kingdom of believers.

Forgotten Passwords to the Church

Whew!  I finally remembered my password!

I've been unable to get into my blog since December because I couldn't' remember my password.  When I tried to get it reset the questions Google asked were so specific and my blog is now getting so old, I couldn't' remember the answers (and didn't have them written down), so I couldn't get in.  I nearly gave up on ever getting in here ever again.

But then I decided to give it one more try--and, I'M IN!!

I think the church is kind of like that for some people.  Especially those who used to be very engaged and even active in their churches.  But then, something happens in their life or perhaps nothing happens in their life but they get distracted by other things and then finally realize that they have become totally disconnected from the Church they once knew and loved.

Like I've done with my blog the last four months, they drive by, looking to see if anything has changed.  They might have even driven through the parking lot, wondering if they would run into someone they knew.  Of course Sunday mornings are always an option, but a painful one. 

"Hey!  Good to see you.  Where have you been?  We are so glad you are back!" is the greeting they dread. 

Dread?  But that is such a warm and welcoming greeting!  Yes it is, but one who has been confronted with the reality of breaking of the third commandment to honor the Sabbath Day, and who has not yet received absolution, anything said is couched in a guilty conscience.

Despite our best efforts to welcome them back with open arms, what they might hear instead is,

"What's wrong with you?  Why did you leave?  And you think you can come back here and just pick up where you left off?  We've moved on without you."

This fear can especially come home to roost if, when they return, things really have changed; new faces, new facilities and new programs or liturgies can all be 'password protected' from the one who is seeking to come back into the worship life of the congregation.  Each of those things become like passwords into the community of faith. 

So, am I saying we can't change?  That we have to preserve everything of our past out of fear of losing the one who is not currently here on the off chance they might return?  Yes and no.

The familiar prayers, the favorite hymns, the traditions and rites of passage that every congregation forms apart from the actual content of the faith itself are all methods of entry into a shared experience.  And that is a good thing as they unite  and encourage us around the faith we've been given in Jesus and help us share that Good News with others. 

However, they should also never hinder the mission of the Church which is to seek and save the lost through the work and proclamation of the saved as, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of all.

Without a password, its nearly impossible to gain entry into a blog or your bank account or any other on-line account that you haven't interacted with in a long time--unless you get that email that allows you to reset the password.  Something outside the blog and outside your mind which says, "Its OK.  Let's have a do-over."

Many of our folks need a do-over.  Over half of the folks "on the books" at Redeemer have not been in church for over a year.  For some its 10.  Those of you who have been around during that time, have you noticed the changes that have occurred?  Does the place look different than it did one, three, five, or 10 years ago?  Of course it does!  Do we do things differently?  Yes.  I'm sure we do.  But do you know what hasn't changed?  The one thing that can bring them back into the church guilt-free and ready to pick up right where they left off--forgiveness, grace, and mercy.  And just like none of "by our own reason or strength" can seek faith without the Holy Spirit, neither will someone who is long separated from the Church readily seek a relationship with Her.

So, as the site administrators, perhaps we could offer a password reset.  Just like that reset e-mail you get, as Christians we are called to reach out to those in our fellowship who have been absent and offer that hand of friendship and forgiveness.  We go to them instead of waiting for them to show up on Sunday and we say,

"We've missed you.  How can we help you reset your password?  We are willing to overlook your absence and forgive you of that lapse of faithfulness so that you can pick up where you left off and continue in your faith and live in that faith to the fullest extent that God has planned for you." 

And we are willing to do that because Jesus has already promised it is so.  He reset all our passwords on the cross and so that when we reach heaven we will have no trouble entering.  And just as Jesus paved the way for you to enter heaven we pave the way for those who have lost their way.  We welcome the prodigal sons and daughters of God with open arms, running out to them while they are yet a long way off, so that they can rejoin the celebration which goes on with out end.

Oh, and by the way, the password on that final day will be SSAN1 (Sunday School Answer no. 1=Jesus).