Christ Memorial was a church plant of Salem Lutheran in Affton in 1948. Our history is God “sowing seeds” and “bearing fruit.” What will he grow in the next 75 years? Martin Luther once said, “Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant my apple tree today.” We continue to plant seeds for coming generations of gospel multiplication. More people loved in Christ, more people sent into the world.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6) O Lord, you are my sole satisfaction. I am hungry and thirsty for righteousness. I long for you. Amen.
Word: John 15:16
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…”
Meditation
500 Years from Now by Julianna Shults
“What do you want your impact to be 500 years from now?”
This question has been hanging out in the back of my head for weeks. It came up in conversation around getting insight into someone’s priority and focus. While I’m familiar with many “get to know you” or interview questions, this one was new to me and now it’s stuck.
We don’t often think about the impact of our lives on such a scale. Perhaps we dare to think about the impact we might have on the next generation or the one after that. But, honestly, our lives and our choices tend to focus on the plan for this week, the impact of this month or year and not the broader picture.
God’s Word reminds us over and over that his plans and thoughts are more than we can conceive. We see stories of people chosen by God to follow a plan so massive they could not see the end. They played a small part in God’s plan for all of creation that is not just 500 years, but thousands of years in the making.
In John 15 Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” On our own, we choose selfish, in the moment things. I want to see my impact. Yet, we are chosen in our Baptism to be a small part of a plan thoughtfully pieced together by a God who knows all of time.
By God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit, we can bear fruit that will abide long after we have headed to eternity. Our gift of faith ensures that even if we don’t deserve it, we get to be a part of God’s bigger plan of salvation.
What do I want my impact to be 500 years from now? Do I want my name to be remembered? My actions to be worthy of a history book? Will there even be books then? I don’t know what more I could want than to be the reason generations know and share the love of Jesus. By faith, I want my impact to be more people who know salvation in Jesus alone. If that’s true, my prayer is that God bears fruit in me that endures to do just that.
Dear Heavenly Father, we know all of time and you desire for all to know saving faith in you. Help our lives to be ones that share the Gospel with others so that more and more can come to know you. Forgive us our selfish focus and choices. Give us your eyes to see the bigger plan. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for Daily Callings
· For my occupation, workplace, coworkers.
· For my work to be good for others, an extension of God’s love and care.
· For the unemployed.
· For growth in my career; not to work for a paycheck but for you and others.
· For discernment, if I should pursue another job or direction in life.
· For my callings at home as spouse, son/daughter, brother/sister.
· For schools, teachers, classmates.
· For eyes to see God’s work around me this day. For the courage to participate in it.
· Not to be comfortable in my callings, but to be useful.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, you are strength for the weak and riches for the poor. I come to you in humility, acknowledging my weakness. All I need is you. Fill my poverty with your power. Amen.