REV. Zachery Sarrault, Associate PASTOR
Pastor’s Corner for November 30-December 6
Who Is This?
(Matthew 21:1-11)
Imagine you’re on a walk, enjoying the Christmas lights, and you pass by a plain front yard holding only a single light shining on a manger scene. The light glows so that you can only see the manger itself, all other characters fade in darkness behind the newborn Jesus. One of your group stops and pointing to the feeding trough asks, “Who is that?” How do you respond? Do you say it’s baby Jesus, or is He something more?
When you come to church on the first Sunday of Advent, you’ll hear the Palm Sunday story. It might sound out of place, but it’s a story that echoes the whole Salvation Story. As the crowds saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem the whole city asks, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10). That’s always the question. Everywhere Jesus goes, everywhere His story is told, people are asking that question. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, some in the crowd missed the mark, only calling Him a prophet (Mattew 21:11).
During His ministry, Jesus asked His disciples who people thought He was and they said, “Some say John the Baptizer, others say Elijah, and other say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Again, they miss the mark. As Jesus stands on trial before Pilate, he asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” and he too misses the mark. Jesus can’t just be a prophet. He can’t just be King of the Jews. He must be more.
We can only imagine the questions running through Joseph’s mind when he finds out Mary is pregnant. “Who is this?” probably isn’t even the start of all his questions. “Is this just some kid? Is he a mistake? A problem I have to deal with?”
Who is this? How would you answer? He must be more than a baby Jesus. He is more than a prophet that tells us great things to come. He is more than the King of one people. He is more than a mistaken identity of one who comes with nice rules. He must be more, or He isn’t worth celebrating.
Who is this? “This is the Jesus, the Saving One, God with us!” the angel told Joseph (Matthew 1:20-23). “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” Peter declared (Matthew 16:116). “This is the Son of David who comes in the name of the Lord!” the crowds shouted (Matthew 21:9). “This was the Son of God!” the centurion confessed (Matthew 27:54). “This is Jesus, the crucified and risen One!” the angel proclaimed (Matthew 28:5-6).
When you see the manger scene, there lies the Christ Child who has lived, healed, taught, died, and rose for you, me, and all people. This Advent season, we celebrate with all creation who this is. This is Jesus, the Savior of all people who comes to live with us!
Your excited brother in Christ,
Pastor Zach Sarrault
Please note, there will be no Sunday School for children and adults.
Ordination and Installation of Pastor Zachery Sarrault (July 18, 2021):
Sunday was a great day at RLC! We celebrated the Ordination and Installation of our new Associate Pastor Zachery Sarrault. It was a beautiful service with a heartfelt sermon by his father, Pastor Joel Sarrault. Congratulations and welcome, Pastor Zach! Thank you to all who participated in this special day.
Pastor Sarrault Ordination and Installation
Pastor Zachery Sarrault Ordination and Installation Bulletin
From Pastor Zach (July 16, 2021):
Hey Resurrection Family!
Kelsey and I are finally here! We have finished up at St. Louis, seen family in Michigan, and moved into our new home. After all of that traveling and living out of suitcases, we couldn’t be happier to finally be back to something comfortable. Comfort is always something nice to hold on to. All of us have something that makes us comfortable, whether it be a family member or friend, a good book or fishing pole, a quilting machine or a wood shed, we all have our go-to comfort places. This is part of being human! We love comfort!
The thing with comfort is that sometimes we get too comfortable. We can settle in and tell ourselves that we never wish to see any change. “Life would be perfect if I could just stay in my recliner with Tom Sawyer all day.” Or whatever your comfort may be. Sadly, we know that this isn’t how life works. No matter how much we enjoy our comforts, ‘real life’ happens and it disrupts those little joys. But, is it ‘real life’ or is it God, calling us into His mission to do more than just the comfortable?
Jesus never led a life of comfort. From the manger to the cross and even the empty tomb, Jesus’ life was one of challenge and the uncomfortable. When one of the scribes declared that he would follow Jesus, all Jesus had to say was, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). Kind of an odd response, one that rightly scared away the scribe. Probably would have scared me too!
So, what does this mean for us? Are we supposed to throw away all of our earthly comforts and live lives of asceticism? Not at all! But we are called to know where these comforts come from and who our ultimate comfort is. In all things, comfort or challenge, our Lord and Savior stands before us, behind us, and beside us. As Jesus prepared His disciples for life after His death and resurrection, Jesus told His followers, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
There is our ultimate comfort! Not in our little hide-a-ways or indulgences, but in the One who has overcome all sin and who has promised us peace. Our comfort is in the faith that we have through Christ’s death and resurrection. Our comfort is in the kingdom of God that has already been given to us! That is a comfort that is never changing and never ending. No matter what God has in store the Sarraults in North Carolina, we know that the comfort of our Lord will always prevail!
In the comfortable and the uncomfortable, but always in Christ,
Pastor Zach Sarrault
From Pastor Jonathan (July 15, 2021):
There's a new face at Resurrection! Seminarian Zach Sarrault and wife Kelsey made it down to Cary last Monday, and soon-to-be "Pastor Zach" is already taking part in leadership team activities here at RLC. He will serve as Associate Pastor at Resurrection... meaning he will be working full-time in all aspects of ministry: preaching and teaching, visiting the homebound, discipling others, showing up at youth events, leading school and preschool chapel services, making friends in his neighborhood, evangelizing... and doing it all as one who is privileged to be an Under-Shepherd of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We are very blessed to have him and Kelsey in our midst!
Though the Sarraults hail from Michigan they know a little bit about our area already since Zach served as Vicar at Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest from 2019 to 2020. At church you can find Pastor Zach in the Associate Pastor's office, next door to the main office on the left side. I look forward to working with Pastor Zach and seeing him welcomed as warmly by all of you as Juli and I were not so long ago! May God bless and further your ministry among us, Pastor!