REV. Zachery Sarrault, Associate PASTOR
Weekly Announcements - February 19, 2023
Good Eating
The great philosopher and theologian George Strait has a great song titled “I Saw God Today” that I want you to listen to as you read this.
We read so many stories in the Bible, some we know well and some that are new to us, that talk about people having interactions with God. Every once in a while, upon reading one of these stories, I get caught up wishing that I could have such an interaction. I find myself asking the question, “Why doesn’t God still work like that?” because I feel that I need to see Him face-to-face in whatever situation I may be facing. Exodus 24:8-18 is one of those stories.
In this story we find Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy other elders going up onto a mountain to have dinner. When they get to the top of that mountain “they saw the God of Israel… and they beheld God, and ate and drank.” How cool is that?!?! They actually had a meal on top of a mountain with God! It is so incredible that it is hard to wrap my mind around. I find myself in awe and full of jealousy when I read this story.
According to Mr. Strait, God’s “fingerprints are everywhere” and he is certainly onto something there. We may not be able to sit next to God, sharing a cold drink and a bucket of fried chicken (that day is coming, though the menu may be different!), but do not mistake God’s presence around a table. Throughout the Bible, we see God gathering with people around a meal, most notably the meal of Holy Communion that we celebrate at worship.
This week, we have opportunities to gather around meals and see God in a couple different ways. First, we have our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on February 21 and God will be there, working through fellowship and community. Join us for pancakes and syrup and see how God is working through your Resurrection family. Then we have our Ash Wednesday service where we are reminded of our need for God’s forgiving presence in our lives as we begin our journey with Christ to the cross and the empty tomb. In our evening service, we get to see God’s fingerprints in His real presence in, with, and under the bread and wine.
So, while we wait to see God face-to-face join us for a meal and there you will get to see God’s work through His people!
Your 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!