REV. Zachery Sarrault, Associate PASTOR
Pastor’s Corner for March 30-April 5, 2025
Beautiful, Glorious Exchange
(2 Corinthians 5:16-21)
Do you remember field trips? Growing up, when our school went on field trips, you always had to wear a school shirt. It was a way for teachers to identify where their students were so they wouldn’t lose us. This was especially helpful when we went somewhere like Washington DC, where it would be easy to lose us. But before we were let loose, wearing out Adrian Maple spirit gear, there would always be one last word of caution. We would be reminded that as we wear the Adrian Maple logo, we are also representatives of our school. The way we act will reflect all that our teachers, parents, family, and friends worked hard to create in us, so we better act right.
It was a big warning! Such a little thing like a T-shirt meant so much. Wrapped up in that maple leaf logo (yes, our high school mascot was a leaf…) was both our identity and purpose when we were on field trips. It showed who we belonged to and was a motivation on how to act.
There is truth to be found here in our relationship with Christ. More than having a relationship with Jesus, we literally wear Jesus. It sounds odd, but it is incredibly beautiful! Paul tells us that we are “in Christ.” If we live in Jesus, that means that we wear Him. He is our identity and if He is our identity, then we are a “new creation.” Our old sinful self is cast aside, no longer part of who we are. God doesn’t see your sin anymore.
Luther calls this the “Glorious Exchange” saying, “this is a beautiful, glorious exchange, by which Christ, who is wholly innocent and holy, not only takes upon Himself another’s sin, that is my sin and guilt, but also clothes and adorns me, who am nothing but sin, with His own innocence and purity.”
Even though Jesus did not know sin, He became sin so that we could become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). What a truly glorious exchange indeed! As a we now wear Christ, we get to live in this new life with Him. There is no caution here, like going on a field trip, only joy in knowing we are brought into something beautiful. As we wear Jesus and His righteousness, we also get to be His ambassadors in the world. We live with Jesus in His “ministry of reconciliation” because that is what He first did for us. What a glorious, beautiful life this is!
Your reconciled 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!