As part of my seminary training, I had a year of internship working in a church under a Pastor who served as a mentor. This internship is called a “vicarage.” Mine was at First Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was in the early 1980s. It was an interesting year, and all in all it was a good experience.

While we were living there, “The Gatlin Brothers” were pretty popular , and they came to town for a week to perform at the Riviera Casino (which no longer exists). Their lawyer at that time was a friend of my wife’s family. He came to town with them and called us to invite us to the show. He said, “Just give them my name when you get there.” When we arrived, there was a long line of people waiting to get in. We stood there for a minute until I noticed a sign to our left that said, “Invited guests.” There was no one in that line, so I was somewhat hesitant about going up there. I finally decided it was worth a try, so we walked up there and identified ourselves and mentioned our friend’s name. The maitre’d looked down his list and said, “Oh, yes, here we are. You’re seated at the Gatlin’s table.” We were ushered in ahead of all those others waiting in line and seated in a choice booth right down front. The best part about it was that it was all free.

I recalled that story as I listened to the first part of yesterday’s epistle lesson:

Romans 5:1–2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

Jesus gives us access to God’s grace. It is not something we have earned or deserved, any more that we deserved to go to the front of the line at that casino. It came because of who we knew. In the same way, we stand in the grace of God because of the one we know and because we have put our faith in Him. That has implications here and now in our lives, and it also has eternal benefits. When those who put their faith in Jesus die, they will be ushered directly in to the presence of God. Your name is recorded on the list, the Book of Life, through faith in His name. You have access to heaven, and it is free as well. Jesus will say to you:

`Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’ (Matt 25:34)

You have this access for Jesus’ sake.