Dear friends in Christ, this is Confirmation weekend at Epiphany, when we have our annual observance to acknowledge that several more of our young folks have achieved the milestone of being confirmed in the Lutheran Church.  Whenever a person achieves a milestone in life, whether it's Confirmation or marriage or even a significant birthday, it's good to look back to see what made it possible.

          The early Christians in Acts 2 had achieved something great.  They had spent nearly 4 years with a Rabbi who performed miracles by the dozen.  They had survived His capture and death.  They had witnessed His rising from the dead and His ascension into heaven.  Now they had seen His gift, the Holy Spirit, do incredible things as thousands were converted to the Christian faith and were baptized.  They had witnessed the birth of the single most important organization in human history, the Christian church.  So how did they do it?

          There is a special electronic beacon in nearly all airplanes today that constantly works during flight.  If a plane should ever become lost in a storm, that beacon, called the VOR or "Omni," emits a steady signal and connects the pilot to the closest airport so he or she can safely land and get protection or be re-fueled.

          For you and me and every Christian, our spiritual "Omni" is called the Bible.  If we tune into its frequency and keep its message turned on, it will direct us to the cross of Jesus Christ where we will receive all we need.  There are many spiritual airports out there called churches.  If ever you and I find ourselves lost, and we will from time to time, we can tune into one of those godly beacons and let them guide us to a place of strength and help.  Epiphany is but one of thousands of heavenly airports established to guide and re-direct people of all ages who are going through storms of life, that they may know the way to Jesus Christ.

          Last week's windy days reminded me of a storm that happened when I was a six year old boy on our farm.  One hot summer day the western sky turned pitch black and my father ran into our house shouting that a big storm was coming.  He ran back outside to close doors to tend the livestock while my mother ran to close house doors and windows.  When the wind came, the trees around our house bent nearly over flat to the ground, and I remember watching the big tree in our east pasture bend over and be uprooted.  It was a terrible and memorable storm.

          My nineteen year-old sister, however, seemed cool and calm during it all.  Marian just sat down at the piano and started playing.  And then she turned and said something I'll always remember, "Stick to me like a tick and you'll be just fine."  And then she held me close to her till the storm was over so I wouldn't be afraid.  I learned some things that day, that when you're unsure of what's happening out there, it's best to stick close to those who love you.  But the other lesson was even more vivid.  When you're all alone with nothing to lean on, like that mighty tree all by itself out in the pasture, the winds of life can blow you down, no matter how strong you might think you are.

          The early disciples had just weathered a few storms.  They'd seen their Rabbi and friend Jesus of Nazareth die on a cross, His body scourged and His face twisted in agony.  Three days later they'd seen Him alive and smiling again.  Forty days later they saw Him disappear into the clouds, going back to His heavenly home, and ten days after that they felt the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit blow into their lives to begin the single most powerful movement in all of human history, the Christian Church.  The Holy Spirit moved thousands to turn to Christ that Pentecost Day, and these people would establish churches here and there all over the world, some small, some huge.  And they would spread and grow like the down of a thistle, planting the seed of God's Word wherever they lived.

          The Christian Church would change more lives and civilizations and nations than all the wars or philosophies or economies of humanity ever would.  And it would be change for the better.  With this short verse of today's text, we see the method of how they did it.  They did four simple things.  St. Luke records, "They devoted themselves (1) to the apostles' teaching, (2) to the fellowship, (3) to the breaking of bread, and (4) to prayer."

          No greater program has ever been drawn up in the Christian Church than following these four points:  teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer.  If we engage regularly in these four godly points of light, we can't go wrong.  It's all there:  Teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer.  It's God's way of telling us, "Stick with me, kid, and you'll be all right."

          It reminds me of the time that some bats got into a new church.  It was a unique church because it was used by three congregations at that same time, a Baptist congregation, an Assembly of God congregation, and a Lutheran congregation.  The three pastors got together to solve the problem of the bats.  The Baptist pastor said, "Get me a gun and I'll shoot them."  But they agreed that was no good because a stray bullet might make the roof leak.  The Assembly of God minister said, "I'll go in and pray for the forces of darkness to be bound and then the bats will all fly away."  But they'd already tried lots of prayer, so that didn't seem a good idea.  Finally, the Lutheran pastor got an idea and said, "If we can somehow corner them, I'll confirm them, and we'll never see them again!"

          Of course this year's class will not be like that because they are all great kids!  And they know God is telling them, "Stick with me, kid!"  My prayer for them and all our youth is that they will stick close to God, no matter what.  They may wander a little, like we just sang in the song, "to find where demons dwell."  We adults must continually pray they will stay close to God and return when they stray, because this is where spiritual food and fellowship are found.

          2)  "Stick with Me, kid, through fellowship."  That big tree in our farm pasture didn't fall because the wind was so great.  It fell because it was all alone.  Storms rarely uproot trees in a grove.  There's safety in regular worship.  It's when we try to go it alone that the winds blow us over.  Someone has called this generation, "Millennials."  They're realistic, practical, street-wise, and dependent on technology, but they're worried about safety.  My students always open and close our Confirmation classes with prayer.  They learn to pray doing it, not just studying about it.  And not a class goes by but that one of them will pray, "Dear God, keep us safe."  There's safety in fellowship, so keep coming to church.

          3)  "Stick with Me, kid, by coming to Communion."  Holy Communion helps us meet God up close and personal.  He meets us at the altar, one-on-one. in a way that blesses and enriches.  Few people ever feel worse after Holy communion.  They are always better because they've met the Lord and experienced His love.  Stick with God, especially by receiving Holy Communion.  And receive it often!  It's God's refueling for sinners.  It always blesses us.

          "They devoted themselves (1) to the apostles' teaching and (2) to the fellowship, (3) to the breaking of bread and (4) to prayer."  Teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer.  It's a formula that works.  Practice those four things and you won't leave the Lord or His Church, at least not for long.  When you are taught what you need to learn, you are strong in the faith.  When you have fellowship in regular worship, you know you are loved.  When you commune regularly at the Lord's Table, you are strengthened.  And when you pray every day, you are in touch with the greatest power in the universe.  "Stick with me, kid!"

          When Carol and I were first married she once said, "Stick with me, kid, and you'll go far."  I think that was God's message to us both.  And it's God's message to each of us here this morning.  Our Lord Jesus is ever with us, through storm and fair weather.  He forgives us when we fail and strengthens us when we're weak.  He will not let us be broken.  He came to love and care for you and me, His brothers and sisters, whether we're old or young.  He loves us, no matter what, with an everlasting love.  God grant that we rejoice in that love always, amen.

Copyright © 2005 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.