First, a brief update and thanks for all your suggestions.  We've made many contacts for a new worship site and are talking to Douglas County Schools through two member families.  A multi-purpose school room in this area would be our first choice if there's one available.  And regarding a permanent land site, our Realtor Tami and I will meet this week with a family with available land west of Castle Rock.  This site on Wolfensberger has great potential, so keep all this in your prayers, and let's all see how God will take care of our needs!

          This afternoon Carol and I will attend a graduation party.  At this time of year parents anticipate separation from their children, since that's partly what graduation is, a rite of passage, of separation.  Graduation means the kids are moving on.  It's something they've wanted for years (maybe parents too!), and an event parents always face with mixed emotions.  I seem to recall some tears at my high school graduation, and I also recall overhearing one of my Aunts asking Mom what my plans were.  Folks, I had lots of plans for graduation night, but they didn't include the ministry!

          Have you ever eavesdropped in a conversation you probably shouldn't have heard?  It can be embarrassing!  Once in High School I had a date with a cousin of my friend Woody.  After our date, I wanted to find out what his cousin thought of me so I climbed into Woody's trunk and he and Harley, my other buddy, went to the drive-in restaurant where she worked.  What I overheard her say about me wasn't at all what I wanted!  Those two swear they didn't tell her I was in the trunk.  But still, I didn't ask her out again.  Today Woody is a dentist in Minnesota and Harley is a Lutheran pastor in Iowa.  I have no idea what became of the girl, and can't even remember her name.

          In today's Gospel Lesson, we eavesdrop on Jesus as He talks to His Father about us.  John 17 is Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer," and what we overhear Him saying about us is all very good.  Please open your Bibles to John 17.  This prayer takes up the whole chapter and is divided into three parts.  In verses 1-5 Jesus asks to return to His Father, and in verses 6-19 He intercedes for His disciples, asking help to keep them faithful and safe.  Verses 20-26, however, concern us, for they're Jesus' prayer for all those who believe on Him through the Disciples.  That means you and me.  It's great to overhear good things, especially when they're said by our Savior.

          And what do we hear in our eavesdropping?  It's the prayer of an ascending Lord.  He's on His way back up, halfway between earth and heaven.  We overhear the prayer of a Jesus who knows His time on earth is up.  If a prayer is named after the one praying it, then John 17 is the real Lord's Prayer.  The prayer of Matthew 6 we call the Lord's Prayer should really be called the Disciples Prayer, because Jesus gave it to them to pray.  But here in John 17 we have the real Lord's Prayer, the genuine article, His private prayer for the Disciples and for us.

          As we overhear the Lord, we learn we can trust the testimony He's given us, His plan to save us, the good news of the Gospel.  We learn this Gospel is no clever myth, but one that comes from God through Jesus and through His disciples to us.  "Now this is eternal life:  that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted them..."  Then He asks God to protect us, to keep us safe from all evil.  Jesus is telling His Father all has gone according to plan, even the death of Judas, "so that the scripture might be fulfilled."

          Theologian Fred Craddock summarizes the message of this section well:  "The church is not an orphan in the world, the creation of religious imagination, the frightened child of huddled rumors and popular superstitions.  For those who need to examine the credentials of the church's life and mission, here is Truth's pedigree:  from God - to Christ - to the Apostles - to the Church."  The message given the church is the message of God.

          Yes, God's plan of salvation is indeed from God to Christ to the Apostles to us in the Church.  It's God being faithful to His promises to deliver us and provide for our needs.  It's God watching over His people, the almighty Father caring for His helpless children.  If anyone doubts that God cares for us, read John 17 again.  The Son of God prays courage for His faithful followers, and then He prays faith for everyone who would believe the message of His followers.  John 17 is Jesus praying for us today, as well as all believers who've lived in the past, who're living today, and who'll live in the future.  It's God taking care of us, because that's what God does - He cares for His people.  And He does it through other people.

          Last Friday I visited our single mother of twins in the hospital for surgery, and she expressed her gratitude for all the Epiphany people have done for her.  She said, "I couldn't have made it without all the diapers and formula.  People ask Mom about me and really seem to care about us.  You people have helped so much."  I told her that's how God takes care of us.  He puts people into our lives when we need them, whether with earthly food or the spiritual food that strengthens our faith.  God takes cares of us through other people.  We just need to notice they're there.

          You all know the story about the Christian man on the rooftop in the flood.  He prayed for God to rescue him in a miraculous way.  Soon a man in a canoe came to help him, then a rescue boat, then a helicopter, all of which he refused, because he just knew God would rescue him in a miraculous way.  The man eventually drowned because he was waiting for a miracle.  You see, whenever the floods of life threaten us, God sends us boats and helicopters, but He does it through people.  That's God's way.  Yes, He could easily rescue us with a miracle, but He uses ordinary people, people who happen to cross our path, PEOPLE HE HAS SENT!

          I hope you all can look back at your life and see how wonderfully God has taken care of you.  He's done it before and He'll keep doing it, so long as you see Him in the people around you.  I've said this for years:  "God always sends us the people we need at the time we need them if we'll just open our eyes."  I've said that because I've seen it happen over and over again.  It's true in our personal lives, and it's certainly true in our congregation, Epiphany Lutheran, God's little miracle church, the one that He started, His little "church on the move."

          Jesus prays God's protection for the people of His Church:  "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one...  My prayer is not for them alone but also for those who will believe in me through their message."  God will take care of us, whatever our need, "through every day, o'er all the way," as we just sang.  Jesus is in charge of our protection, making sure we have all we need, and the Father backs up Jesus with His power and provision.  God is able to give us all we need.  He is able to provide for our every need, as St. Paul wrote in Ephesians, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

          I believe we Christians short-change God's abilities.  We say He's able to do everything but then live like it all depends on us.  The church has often been guilty of denying the power of God by our plans and programs.  We say He can do it all, but we don't live like we believe it.  If we put half as much effort into prayer and faith as we do in plans and programs, the church wouldn't have enough seats.

          Our District Convention happens this Thursday to Saturday.  Some of you know there's a convention resolution from another church that basically wants to dissolve Epiphany because we didn't have our start in one of the "usual" ways, either through a District plan, or a church or several churches.  Yet look at the most powerful church in history, the church in Rome.  It wasn't planted by an apostle or by a synod or by the church in Jerusalem, but by some believers who got together.  God doesn't always use our plans;  in fact, He does His best work despite them.  If we put half as much effort into prayer and faith as we do in plans and programs, the church wouldn't have enough seats.  Keep the Missouri Synod in your prayers.  Right now it really needs them!

          A man, who'd spent most of his day off splitting firewood, ended up with a really sore neck.  That night he tossed down some aspirin, but was still aching as he went to bed.  Tossing and turning, he finally went downstairs to fetch an icepack.  His wife knew his pain and said there were several pre-made icepacks in the freezer for just such occasions.  He found one, came back and drifted off to sleep.  The next morning she noticed something odd.  Resting on his pillow was a completely thawed freezer bag of leftover chicken noodle soup.

          You see, God really does take care of us, even if it's in ways we hadn't intended.  Ours is a loving God and a God of surprises.  He always provides our needs and always takes care of us.  Thanks be to God that He does, whether as individuals or as a church, whether with an icepack or with chicken noodle soup!  Amen

Copyright © 2000 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.