REV. Zachery Sarrault, Associate PASTOR
Pastor’s Corner for March 29-April 4
The Mind of Christ
(Philippians 2:5-11)
What is your daily mindset? Have you ever pondered that question before? For a lot of folks, the daily mindset is simply to complete the day, to survive until bedtime and hopefully quiet the mind to get some sleep. Some folks are high achievers, working for more every day in whatever vocations they hold. Some have a simple mindset, to take things as they come and not worry about the things out of their control. Then there’s a lot of us who probably don’t think about our daily mindset.
Our mindset is something that we should ponder from time to time. It is a completely biblical thing to consider our mindset and to have the right mindset, but our mindset isn’t about us and what we can achieve to have the right mindset. Our mindset, as baptized children of the heavenly Father, is a gift given to us as members of the body of Christ. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Our mindset is the mindset of Jesus, which we have in our possession because we are in Jesus’ possession. Reading through the rest of this beautiful hymn in Philippians, we read that this “Jesus-mind” that we are given is all about humility. Jesus didn’t try and be equal with God, but chose to be empty by becoming a servant, as one born of human flesh, and completely obedient to the will of the Father all the way to the humiliating death on the cross. The mindset of Christ that we have is one that guides us in the steps of our Savior.
As we follow Jesus into Jerusalem and to the cross this Holy Week, we see Jesus empty Himself more and more. He is emptied to absolutely nothing, emptied all the way to death. That’s what the mind of Christ looks like that we have been given. We can struggle with it by saying that form of humility is surely too much for us to achieve, but that’s not always where we should start. The start of humility is admitting that we need the humiliation of Christ on the cross for our salvation. It is admitting that we are absolutely nothing without the presence, and the mindset, of Christ gifted to us. The start of humility is simply living with Jesus and following in His humble steps.
Your following brother in Christ,
Pastor Zach Sarrault
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!