by Pastor Douglas Brauner

For the Sake of the World

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

I took a flight when I visited Chicago in June of 2023, no, not an airline flight. I had a flight of espresso at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. It had been a while since I had sipped espresso. The flight wasn’t only the unique coffees I tasted, but I took a different kind of flight when I was finished.

After sipping each of the drinks I enjoyed a small biscuit to cleanse my palate. The purpose of this biscuit was not to draw attention to itself as it was nothing special, but to prepare my tastebuds for the different nuances of the next cup of espresso.

The biscuit worked. It allowed me to enjoy the notes of each cup of espresso. Each cup was different from the previous one, no two striking the same notes. It helped me choose which one I liked most.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.”
1 Corinthians 12:4 New International Version

There is something common that binds us together in the Church just as there was something common that bound these cups of espresso. All three were made from coffee beans and brewed through a high-pressure espresso machine. What binds us together in the Christian community is our common confession of who God is as revealed in the Bible. Each morning I recite the Apostles’ Creed to remind me of our common confession of who God is.

Yet, Paul reminds us that we are distinct one from another by our giftedness. The Holy Spirit has not gifted each of us in the same way. Each one of us is unique. Each one of us plays a significant role in the work of sharing Christ in this world. Each of us hits certain notes that others do not hit.

Unlike my preference for one coffee over the other, there is no preference in Christ’s church one person over another. The world needs you. The world needs me. Each of us have been handcrafted by the Master Barista for the good of God’s reign in the world.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado