Have a seat, the chair is good whether you believe it or not

Opinion Chris Brekke, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·3 min read
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Oct. 8—On occasion over the years in conversation with church members it would sometimes be said, "I get more out of the children's sermonette than the main sermon."

I would smile and take it in the kindest possible way. It was a compliment of sorts, since I thought up my own kids' talks. Our excellent young pastor on Sunday talked to the kiddos about a chair. I'll paraphrase.

Pastor: Here's a chair. Do you have faith that it will hold you?

(The kids nod yes. One girl sits on it. It holds.)

Pastor: Now, would it matter if it was a pile of sticks and broken glass; would you sit on it?

(The kids shake their heads no.)

Pastor: So, you have faith in a good chair, not in a bad fake chair.

(Kids agree.)

Pastor: Would it matter if you really really had faith in the sticks and glass? If you truly believed in your heart that the sticks and glass was a good chair, would it be?

(Kids pause, 'cuz they know that "faith" is a good thing, but they sorta say no.)

Pastor: So, it really depends on the object that you have faith in. That's very important. And then, how about if you did not believe that the good chair would hold you? Does that mean the chair is no good? Nope. The chair is good if it's good; not only if you have faith in it.

Pastor Matt went on to connect the chair to God. Our faith does not determine whether God is God. Whether we believe in Him or not, the Lord God reigns. We do not get to decide who God is. And if we instead put our faith in something else, and make that our "god," then what? Well, we can do that, and sit there in the brokenness and pretend that it's all good. God allows us to have the freedom to believe in Him and come to know Him or not.

We are called to believe, to have faith. Yet it is God and His eternal goodness that saves us, not our faith. All the faith in the world does not make a pile of sticks and glass into a chair. Our job is to trust the Lord and accept the good chair that He offers us in Jesus Christ. Have a seat. Take a load off and rest in the grace that He provides.

His promise is "I will not fail you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) We get to sit down in His presence and eat at His banquet table. A seat with Jesus is the real deal, and it's all set. Have faith, for the Lord has promised "I go and prepare a place for you."(John 14:3).

It's the best invitation you'll ever get.

Chris Brekke is a retired pastor who served Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rochester for 13 years and Trinity Lutheran in West Concord for 10. He and his wife live in Roseville, Minn., where he keeps busy with volunteering, church and family.

"From the Pulpit" features reflections from area religious leaders. To contribute, email us at life@postbulletin.com with "From the Pulpit" in the subject line.