Greetings in Christ Jesus! Some of you may not like winter, you may even dread the cold, snow and ice of winter. However, I am sure most of you by now know I absolutely love it! I love the cold, I love the snow, I love winter! This morning I woke up early to the snow falling so beautifully. We got a couple inches in a couple hours. It was one of those perfect snows, big heavy flakes, falling nicely with no wind, and puffing up everything white. Then it stopped for quite awhile and gave the road crews a chance to catch up. Now it is snowing again with tiny light flakes and again no wind. How could one not be over joyed watching it snow?!
As I was reading through the Psalms this morning, I came across Psalm 51. In there David compares God's forgiveness to washing us and making us white as snow. See snow really is a good thing. This morning was a perfect reminder, waking up and seeing everything covered in the pure, clean, white snow. It wasn't messy, or brown yet. Still just the perfect white across the entire landscape. It's a perfect reminder that every morning we wake u in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, pure, holy, and clean from all sin. We are given that white start, that fresh start to live a faithful life that day for the honor of our God. Now, without a doubt, just like the real snow, we will mess it up, we will push it aside and turn it brown and nasty with our sin. However, as I sit here and watch it continue to snow, it is just as God's endless showering of love, grace, and mercy. His forgiveness continues to shower upon us, continues to cover us with the whiteness of Jesus's salvation. What a wonderful reminder this beautiful snow cover serves to remind us of, the same way David saw it.
Maybe this is why people love a white Christmas. Was there ever a more perfect, more holy day than the day our Lord was born in the flesh? You may say Easter, but in reality Easter would not have been possible without His birth coming first. So this Christmas, whether you find yourself in snow or not, be reminded that every Christmas is a white Christmas. The Day our Lord is born, God in the flesh, to be our Savior, our Redeemer, and our King, is the most perfect, holy, and righteous days of them all. His conception is the beginning of the victory! His birth is the birth of peace on earth for all mankind! His death and resurrection is the first climax of His victory! His ascension and sending the Spirit is His stamp of victory on us! And His second coming will be the final climax, the pinnacle of all days in our story of life - eternal life! And it all stared with a baby in a manger, perfect and holy, white as snow in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. And it is our Lord who gives us that whiteness as He washes us clean in His forgiveness. So I say, let it snow! But more importantly, let us never forget the Lord we have who washes us and makes us white as that snow, as He forgives us from our sin and makes us righteous in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. Praise be to our awesome God! Amen.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Thursday, December 10, 2015
All of Scripture
Greetings to you in Jesus Christ the Lord. I have been reminded of how important all of Scripture is to us. I mean everybody has their favorite portions, books, or passages that they read frequently. However, there are many parts of the Bible that I am sure go unread by most. I understand this too. I am currently working through a read the Bible in 90 days reading plan. It is quite a bit of reading every day, and yet is still manageable even with a busy schedule. So far I have impressed myself and kept up with it every day. And I have realized that reading through it that fast has its pros and cons. It has really helped me remember the whole over-arching story ling of the Old Testament. Going through it that quickly, helps the details of kings and places stay fresh to grasp the time line better. However, going through it that quick also causes me to miss a lot of the little details and not reflect on the individual verses and words as much.
So as I have been reading through Leviticus, Numbers, and even some of 1 and 2 Kings or 1 and 2 Chronicles, I understand why some people don't read those passages or books more often. I laughed as I was reading through all the specific measurements of the tabernacle, because I realized this is basically a worded blue print. I don't imagine any other blue print gets read again and again like Christians read that one. There are so many genealogies, specific measurements, lists of names, and details that don't really mean that much for us as we read through it. And yet at the same time, I am so glad God included that in His Word. We are very fortunate to have these details so that as we try to imagine the tabernacle, we can imagine how big it really was, or we know how many people there were, etc. Nevertheless, this doesn't change the fact that we still have our favorite parts that we turn to more often that others.
My point is though that all of God's Word is still His Holy Word. In the midst of Chronicles, which reads very similar to Kings, I learned something new I have never really picked up on before. In Kings, it talks about King David wanting to build the temple for God. However, God tells him it will be Solomon who will build the temple. So then in Kings it talks about all the work and organization King Solomon does once he is king to build the temple for the Lord. However, in Chronicles, it tells us all of the work King David did to prepare for Solomon to be ready to build the temple. King David gets all of the supplies, all of the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, and the wood stored up and ready to go. He instructs his fellow officers how it is to be built and how to help Solomon. He does so much of the leg work to have everything ready for his son to be able to build this impressive temple for the house of God. I did not get any of that as I read through Kings. So see, even though Chronicles is a basic repeat of Kings, there is very valuable information in their. This not only shows us how the young King Solomon was able to do this impressive task, it also teaches us how sincere David's heart was to do everything he could even when God wouldn't let him build it. So yeah, there may be some long, boring, tedious parts, but all of it is God's inspired Word and all of it has value if we really take the time to study it, learn it, and wrestle with it. So I encourage you all to open your Bibles, pick a book of the Bible you haven't read in a long time, and see how God's Word speaks to you as you read through it again. Blessings in your time in God's Word!
So as I have been reading through Leviticus, Numbers, and even some of 1 and 2 Kings or 1 and 2 Chronicles, I understand why some people don't read those passages or books more often. I laughed as I was reading through all the specific measurements of the tabernacle, because I realized this is basically a worded blue print. I don't imagine any other blue print gets read again and again like Christians read that one. There are so many genealogies, specific measurements, lists of names, and details that don't really mean that much for us as we read through it. And yet at the same time, I am so glad God included that in His Word. We are very fortunate to have these details so that as we try to imagine the tabernacle, we can imagine how big it really was, or we know how many people there were, etc. Nevertheless, this doesn't change the fact that we still have our favorite parts that we turn to more often that others.
My point is though that all of God's Word is still His Holy Word. In the midst of Chronicles, which reads very similar to Kings, I learned something new I have never really picked up on before. In Kings, it talks about King David wanting to build the temple for God. However, God tells him it will be Solomon who will build the temple. So then in Kings it talks about all the work and organization King Solomon does once he is king to build the temple for the Lord. However, in Chronicles, it tells us all of the work King David did to prepare for Solomon to be ready to build the temple. King David gets all of the supplies, all of the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, and the wood stored up and ready to go. He instructs his fellow officers how it is to be built and how to help Solomon. He does so much of the leg work to have everything ready for his son to be able to build this impressive temple for the house of God. I did not get any of that as I read through Kings. So see, even though Chronicles is a basic repeat of Kings, there is very valuable information in their. This not only shows us how the young King Solomon was able to do this impressive task, it also teaches us how sincere David's heart was to do everything he could even when God wouldn't let him build it. So yeah, there may be some long, boring, tedious parts, but all of it is God's inspired Word and all of it has value if we really take the time to study it, learn it, and wrestle with it. So I encourage you all to open your Bibles, pick a book of the Bible you haven't read in a long time, and see how God's Word speaks to you as you read through it again. Blessings in your time in God's Word!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Tis' the Advent Season
Joyful hearts I hope thee haveth, as thee sings thy Lord is cometh! (That's my own attempt at old English Christmas greeting!)
Lately, I have heard a lot about the Advent Season and how truly important it is. Now, I have always known that Advent is a special season and that it is a time to prepare oneself for the coming of the Lord. However, I haven't really thought about it as a "lost art" or as "needed now more than ever". However, that's the type of stuff I have been hearing lately. I heard it in a sermon, I have seen it in pastor's Facebook statuses, and I heard it in an interview. Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized maybe they are all right. Maybe it really has become a lost art. Maybe it is needed now more than ever. So I challenge you to wrestle with this. What does Advent mean to you? Is it a meaningful season for you, or simply one more time of the year you go through the motions? Do you really "prepare" yourself during this time, or do you just go to church one more time a week? Is the season of Advent leading up to Christmas really an important thing, or are you just simply waiting for the 25th without any thought?
After you have wrestled with these questions and really thought about it for yourself, then feel free to watch this interview. Pastor Wayne Miller is a class mate of mine from St. Louis and really a dear friend. We were both amazed at how for the first two years of seminary together, we really were not that close. We knew each other and talked, but weren't like good friends. However, fourth year we began to spend a lot more time together, normally over a cocktail, and really grew to be close friends. Anyway, I thought he did an awesome job of explaining what Advent is and why we need it. Plus if you knew Wayne and just the type of character he is, this video would be even better for you. Nevertheless, I think it is well worth your time.
Faith Time with Pastor Miller
Lately, I have heard a lot about the Advent Season and how truly important it is. Now, I have always known that Advent is a special season and that it is a time to prepare oneself for the coming of the Lord. However, I haven't really thought about it as a "lost art" or as "needed now more than ever". However, that's the type of stuff I have been hearing lately. I heard it in a sermon, I have seen it in pastor's Facebook statuses, and I heard it in an interview. Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized maybe they are all right. Maybe it really has become a lost art. Maybe it is needed now more than ever. So I challenge you to wrestle with this. What does Advent mean to you? Is it a meaningful season for you, or simply one more time of the year you go through the motions? Do you really "prepare" yourself during this time, or do you just go to church one more time a week? Is the season of Advent leading up to Christmas really an important thing, or are you just simply waiting for the 25th without any thought?
After you have wrestled with these questions and really thought about it for yourself, then feel free to watch this interview. Pastor Wayne Miller is a class mate of mine from St. Louis and really a dear friend. We were both amazed at how for the first two years of seminary together, we really were not that close. We knew each other and talked, but weren't like good friends. However, fourth year we began to spend a lot more time together, normally over a cocktail, and really grew to be close friends. Anyway, I thought he did an awesome job of explaining what Advent is and why we need it. Plus if you knew Wayne and just the type of character he is, this video would be even better for you. Nevertheless, I think it is well worth your time.
Faith Time with Pastor Miller
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
December Newsletter
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:14
Christmas tidings in the name of our King who is born in Bethlehem – Jesus! I love babies. I love everything about babies; their smell, their new facial expressions, their tiny little fingers and toes. As most of you know by now, I became an uncle for the third time at the end of October as my sister had her first child, my first niece Ava Grace. I was fortunate enough to be there to hold her just a few days after she was born. She was perfect and precious in every way. Needless to say, as my first niece, she stole my heart. During my Thanksgiving travels, I had the extreme pleasure of baptizing her. As I held her in my arm over the font, she was awake and looking up at me. As I tried to fight off the tears, I spoke those precious words of the name of the Triune God over her and splashed water on her bald head. She didn’t fuss or cry, but just seemed perfectly content. It may have been the happiest moment of my entire life so far. And all of this joy because of this beautiful, precious little baby.
Now imagine Mary’s joy of holding her little baby boy. I am sure Mary, like most mothers, couldn’t help but think that her little baby Jesus was perfect as she held him for the first time. However, this was not just her motherly bias. Jesus was in fact a perfect baby. Just as He was perfect His entire life. Nevertheless, it seems impossible to try to imagine Mary’s joy. Then there is the joy of the shepherds as they receive the special announcement from the angel that this baby is born. The rest of the angels are so overjoyed, they cry aloud from heaven for the shepherds to hear, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” Mary and Joseph were full of joy, the shepherds hurrying along to find this baby where moved by joy, and the angels singing their praises certainly were joyful. So much joy over one little baby!
The well-known Christmas song “Mary Did You Know” really does an awesome job of putting it in perspective as to why there is so much joy in this one baby. The song refers to the miracles He will perform in His life of walking on waters, giving sight to the blind, opening the ears of the deaf and the mouths of the mute. The song refers to His purpose and ministry of coming to save our sons and daughters and being Lord of all. However, the one line that always gets me says, “And when you kiss your little baby, you kissed the face of God.” How powerful is that statement!! The Lord of all the universe, the Son of the Father who created the heavens and the earth, can be seen, held, smelt, touched, and even kissed in this little precious baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes. If the face of God being found in a beautiful, snuggling baby doesn’t bring joy, I don’t know what would!
I love babies, and I love my new niece. However, there has never been a more precious, more spectacular, more perfect baby than the sweet baby Jesus. He is the Lord of all who left His throne in Heaven, to come be our King. He allowed Himself to be born in human flesh as a baby - a helpless, sleeping, eating, and you know what baby! Mary did you know that when you kissed your baby, you kissed the face of God? Christians do you know that when you celebrate the birth of this one baby, you celebrate the arrival of your King? This Christmas season, let your hearts be filled with joy as we praise and adore our King, as we worship our Lord, and as we prepare ourselves for the second coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Let our praises ring throughout the earth like the angels’, “Glory to God in the highest!” Let the joy of God’s presence in the midst of His people, move you to praise and worship Him.
Merry Christmas to you all in the extremely-overflowing joy of Jesus Christ’s birth!!
Luke 2:14
Christmas tidings in the name of our King who is born in Bethlehem – Jesus! I love babies. I love everything about babies; their smell, their new facial expressions, their tiny little fingers and toes. As most of you know by now, I became an uncle for the third time at the end of October as my sister had her first child, my first niece Ava Grace. I was fortunate enough to be there to hold her just a few days after she was born. She was perfect and precious in every way. Needless to say, as my first niece, she stole my heart. During my Thanksgiving travels, I had the extreme pleasure of baptizing her. As I held her in my arm over the font, she was awake and looking up at me. As I tried to fight off the tears, I spoke those precious words of the name of the Triune God over her and splashed water on her bald head. She didn’t fuss or cry, but just seemed perfectly content. It may have been the happiest moment of my entire life so far. And all of this joy because of this beautiful, precious little baby.
Now imagine Mary’s joy of holding her little baby boy. I am sure Mary, like most mothers, couldn’t help but think that her little baby Jesus was perfect as she held him for the first time. However, this was not just her motherly bias. Jesus was in fact a perfect baby. Just as He was perfect His entire life. Nevertheless, it seems impossible to try to imagine Mary’s joy. Then there is the joy of the shepherds as they receive the special announcement from the angel that this baby is born. The rest of the angels are so overjoyed, they cry aloud from heaven for the shepherds to hear, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” Mary and Joseph were full of joy, the shepherds hurrying along to find this baby where moved by joy, and the angels singing their praises certainly were joyful. So much joy over one little baby!
The well-known Christmas song “Mary Did You Know” really does an awesome job of putting it in perspective as to why there is so much joy in this one baby. The song refers to the miracles He will perform in His life of walking on waters, giving sight to the blind, opening the ears of the deaf and the mouths of the mute. The song refers to His purpose and ministry of coming to save our sons and daughters and being Lord of all. However, the one line that always gets me says, “And when you kiss your little baby, you kissed the face of God.” How powerful is that statement!! The Lord of all the universe, the Son of the Father who created the heavens and the earth, can be seen, held, smelt, touched, and even kissed in this little precious baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes. If the face of God being found in a beautiful, snuggling baby doesn’t bring joy, I don’t know what would!
I love babies, and I love my new niece. However, there has never been a more precious, more spectacular, more perfect baby than the sweet baby Jesus. He is the Lord of all who left His throne in Heaven, to come be our King. He allowed Himself to be born in human flesh as a baby - a helpless, sleeping, eating, and you know what baby! Mary did you know that when you kissed your baby, you kissed the face of God? Christians do you know that when you celebrate the birth of this one baby, you celebrate the arrival of your King? This Christmas season, let your hearts be filled with joy as we praise and adore our King, as we worship our Lord, and as we prepare ourselves for the second coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. Let our praises ring throughout the earth like the angels’, “Glory to God in the highest!” Let the joy of God’s presence in the midst of His people, move you to praise and worship Him.
Merry Christmas to you all in the extremely-overflowing joy of Jesus Christ’s birth!!
Monday, November 23, 2015
Happy Thanksgiving!
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ, our King! Well I officially didn't get anything deer hunting this year. It was a down year. I did get to shoot at one, but missed. However, that was the only buck any of our party even saw. The guys were teasing me that I must have been sleeping and dreaming about it since nobody else even saw a buck. It was still fun to be out in the stand again and I have some free deer meat lined up even without getting one myself.
I am heading home this week to spend some time with family for Thanksgiving. Also, I get to baptize my niece Ava next weekend. I am so excited for that. It will be my first baptism with my first niece. What an awesome opportunity to bring my little darling into the family of God.
This time of year, we always stop to think about all that the good Lord has given us. I especially have so much to be thankful for. Family, friends, an awesome congregation, an amazing place to call home, and just an extremely blessed life. The Lord has not only blessed me, He truly has spoiled me. For all things, including my salvation through His Son Jesus, I will give thanks to the Lord and sing His praises. May this week be a very happy one for all of you as well as you count all of your blessings and give thanks to the one and only God, from whom all blessings come. Happy Thanksgiving in the name of Jesus, our Savior and our Lord. Amen.
I am heading home this week to spend some time with family for Thanksgiving. Also, I get to baptize my niece Ava next weekend. I am so excited for that. It will be my first baptism with my first niece. What an awesome opportunity to bring my little darling into the family of God.
This time of year, we always stop to think about all that the good Lord has given us. I especially have so much to be thankful for. Family, friends, an awesome congregation, an amazing place to call home, and just an extremely blessed life. The Lord has not only blessed me, He truly has spoiled me. For all things, including my salvation through His Son Jesus, I will give thanks to the Lord and sing His praises. May this week be a very happy one for all of you as well as you count all of your blessings and give thanks to the one and only God, from whom all blessings come. Happy Thanksgiving in the name of Jesus, our Savior and our Lord. Amen.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Blessings and Opportunities!
Greetings to you in the name of our Almighty Lord, Jesus Christ. I cannot praise the Good Lord enough. I have seen Him working in my life so clearly lately through many different opportunities. He is teaching the ministry of just being available to people. The past couple weeks I have found myself in multiple situations where simply because of my position in the church and being available for anyone to walk up to and talk to, I have the opportunity to talk with people about their faith. I have had a couple different people simply walk into the church seeking a pastor. Some times those type of opportunities scare me simply because you know nothing about the person's background, faith, or what type of struggles they are going through. However, the last couple have been very positive. Our church does Ruby's Pantry which is a food distribution. It is open for anyone to come partake, but you can tell a majority of the people who come are struggling. It is an awesome chance to give people about hundred bucks worth of food for twenty dollars. I have jumped in and added it to part of my job description. Part of what I do is a prayer with the volunteers and then a devotion with the people who are there to receive food. I have done this the last two months, and both months after my devotions I simply stayed up front to be accessible. I was surprised when both months people would come up and talk to me, ask me questions about the church, and take advantage of me being there. Then this last month, I simply announced that if anyone needs to talk or some special prayers to come see me, and I had a young lady come tell me her story. She was in tears, but it was a chance for me to reaffirm what little faith she had. I also am helping one of the residents of my building who is struggling with some personal issues and needed a favor. The Lord has been opening all kinds of doors for me to use for witnessing opportunity. This has been really good for me, because one of the biggest reasons I wanted to get into the ministry was simply to help people. Whether they are members or not, I have always just wanted to help everyone. Some times, I get so bogged down in my office doing work, I feel like I have no connection to the community or anyone besides the people I see in church on Sunday. However, more and more the Lord has been giving me those opportunities both in and out of church and reassuring me this is exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life.
The other reason I have to give Him so many praises and thanks, is that everything I do, I can see He blesses. I hope that doesn't sound egotistical, because it is supposed to be the exact opposite. I get worried about what I am doing too much. I stress about am I doing enough, am I doing the right things in the right ways. However, He has reminded me time and time again, it isn't about me. And no matter what I do or try, the fact that He is at work through me proves to make it a success. I tried a completely different style of sermon this week. I had a think tank with the people and it was entirely interactive, with the people throwing out suggestions and participating. I was so scared it would be a flop and I would look like an idiot for trying something so stupid. However, it went awesome! All three services got involved and participated. I got a lot of compliments for trying something new and something that got the people so directly involved with it. I know it wasn't me, because I was scared to even try it. God was working through me to doing something different, grab the people's attention, and let His Word be heard and so enthusiastically received by them. I have tried a few other things that some people might have reservations about (including myself), and yet every time He blesses them and works through them. I am humbled and inspired at the same time. So I just want to say thank you Lord. Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to serve, love, and witness to those around me. Thank you for giving me the words to speak in those opportunities. Thank you for working through me, giving me the courage to try new things, and blessing those things. Thank you so much that you are such an awesome God, You can work wonders and the love of Your Son even through such a simple man like me. You are good all the time!!! I love you Lord and thank you. May God bless you and give you opportunities as well. Amen.
The other reason I have to give Him so many praises and thanks, is that everything I do, I can see He blesses. I hope that doesn't sound egotistical, because it is supposed to be the exact opposite. I get worried about what I am doing too much. I stress about am I doing enough, am I doing the right things in the right ways. However, He has reminded me time and time again, it isn't about me. And no matter what I do or try, the fact that He is at work through me proves to make it a success. I tried a completely different style of sermon this week. I had a think tank with the people and it was entirely interactive, with the people throwing out suggestions and participating. I was so scared it would be a flop and I would look like an idiot for trying something so stupid. However, it went awesome! All three services got involved and participated. I got a lot of compliments for trying something new and something that got the people so directly involved with it. I know it wasn't me, because I was scared to even try it. God was working through me to doing something different, grab the people's attention, and let His Word be heard and so enthusiastically received by them. I have tried a few other things that some people might have reservations about (including myself), and yet every time He blesses them and works through them. I am humbled and inspired at the same time. So I just want to say thank you Lord. Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to serve, love, and witness to those around me. Thank you for giving me the words to speak in those opportunities. Thank you for working through me, giving me the courage to try new things, and blessing those things. Thank you so much that you are such an awesome God, You can work wonders and the love of Your Son even through such a simple man like me. You are good all the time!!! I love you Lord and thank you. May God bless you and give you opportunities as well. Amen.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Oh God be not far from me!
Greetings to you in the name of our almighty King and Lord Jesus. One more day! Tomorrow at this time I will be in the deer camp with the guys and then Saturday morning I will be in the stand ready to kill anything that moves. OK, realistically I will be in the stand ready to sit several days in a row hoping a big buck walks by, but it sounds better and more optimistic to be ready to kill anything and everything. There is quite the wolf population in the ground we will be hunting, so that would be pretty awesome to get to see one of those.
The psalm for today was Psalm 38. As I am sure all you know that is one of the seven penitential psalms. David is confessing his sinful state and the pain and agony he is in because of that sinful human state. He uses some powerful imagery to describe his wounds stinking and festering. Now whether this is physical, emotional, or spiritual pain doesn't really matter. The point is sin causes pain and suffering. Human kind being in the sinful state causes this pain and suffering for everyone. And the only answer to that pain and suffering, the only answer to sin is to take it to the Lord in confession and be healed by His grace, mercy, and love. And then David, in His final petition of pleading with God to not forsake him, says, "O my God, be not far from me."
To me this is so powerful because it fits with the imagery. Fortunately, I have never been hospitalized long term for any serious surgeries or injuries. However, knowing human experience, I know when people end up in the hospital for long stays, they want loved ones close by. As they are in pain or discomfort, as they fear and worry, as they dread the next procedure or diagnosis, they want their loved ones by their side. A spouse, a friend, a parent, someone who can be there to hold their hand, to reaffirm everything is going to be OK, someone to just be there for them. As David is suffering and worrying and dreading the next attack of his enemies, the loved one he turns to is his God. He begs his God to be not far from him. He is asking God to remain with him, to hold his hand as he goes through this, to be at his bedside caring and comforting him. Who could possibly be a better person to call on for that job in that moment then the one true God who is control of all things? So the next time sin has you suffering, or worrying, or dreading the next moment to come, be like David. Cry out to your God and beg Him to be not far from you. Plead with the Lord Almighty to be right there by your side, holding your hand, helping you through this tough time. And then trust God not only hears you, but is there with you. The Lord God who sacrificed His only Son for you, will continue to forgive you, love you, and give you the strength and comfort to make it through those difficult times. Oh God, be with us always, but when those extra tough times come along, O my God, be not far from us. Amen.
The psalm for today was Psalm 38. As I am sure all you know that is one of the seven penitential psalms. David is confessing his sinful state and the pain and agony he is in because of that sinful human state. He uses some powerful imagery to describe his wounds stinking and festering. Now whether this is physical, emotional, or spiritual pain doesn't really matter. The point is sin causes pain and suffering. Human kind being in the sinful state causes this pain and suffering for everyone. And the only answer to that pain and suffering, the only answer to sin is to take it to the Lord in confession and be healed by His grace, mercy, and love. And then David, in His final petition of pleading with God to not forsake him, says, "O my God, be not far from me."
To me this is so powerful because it fits with the imagery. Fortunately, I have never been hospitalized long term for any serious surgeries or injuries. However, knowing human experience, I know when people end up in the hospital for long stays, they want loved ones close by. As they are in pain or discomfort, as they fear and worry, as they dread the next procedure or diagnosis, they want their loved ones by their side. A spouse, a friend, a parent, someone who can be there to hold their hand, to reaffirm everything is going to be OK, someone to just be there for them. As David is suffering and worrying and dreading the next attack of his enemies, the loved one he turns to is his God. He begs his God to be not far from him. He is asking God to remain with him, to hold his hand as he goes through this, to be at his bedside caring and comforting him. Who could possibly be a better person to call on for that job in that moment then the one true God who is control of all things? So the next time sin has you suffering, or worrying, or dreading the next moment to come, be like David. Cry out to your God and beg Him to be not far from you. Plead with the Lord Almighty to be right there by your side, holding your hand, helping you through this tough time. And then trust God not only hears you, but is there with you. The Lord God who sacrificed His only Son for you, will continue to forgive you, love you, and give you the strength and comfort to make it through those difficult times. Oh God, be with us always, but when those extra tough times come along, O my God, be not far from us. Amen.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Parents!
Glad tidings to you all in the name of our King Jesus! I officially started listening to Christmas music so I am in the holiday spirit. Although, it feels nothing like Christmas time here yet. It is mid-fifties, sunny, and beautiful. I played 9 holes of golf yesterday. I can think of very many times I played golf in November. I am scared it is going to be too warm for deer opening this weekend. I have my permit bought, I have seen the deer "shack" where I will be living for a few days with the guys, and even cleaned out my stand where I will be hunting. I am so excited, and my deer fever is getting stronger each day!
I have been reading through the Large Catechism again as part of my daily devotions. Today I was reading Luther's explanation to the fourth commandment. For those of you who don't remember, the fourth commandment is "You shall honor your father and mother". (Never really been one of my most favorite commandments) However, Luther has quite a bit to say about this commandment. He states that it is fourth because it is first and foremost of importance of the commandments of the second table. The first table is the first three commandments all having to do with our relationship to God. The second table is the last seven which all have to do with our relationships to other people. This one is the most important of all the commandments having to do with other people. It makes sense if you think about it at a bare bones level. As long as the parents are good, godly parents, they will teach you how to properly live in all the other aspects of life and how to properly treat all other relationships. So, if you honor, listen, obey, and learn from your parents first, you will know not to steal, not to lie, not to kill, how to properly use sex, etc. However, Luther takes it ever father. He compares our parents to God using the first article. We say that the Father gave us our bodies and life and takes care of all of our physical needs by providing for us. Well, we can say the same that our bodies and life comes from our parents. They provide for us by feeding us, changing us, and keeping us alive when we would have died a hundred times on our own (Luther's words). I had never made that exact one to one parallel to the first article with God as our Father and our parents doing the exact same thing.
Luther, a wise but practical man, also includes, "Young people [must] revere their parents as God's representatives and to remember that, however lowly, poor, feeble, and eccentric they may be, they are still their mother and father, given by God. Luther understood that there are some strange parents out there and really every set of parents has some sort of quirks or embarrassing characteristics (at least according to their kids). Basically, it doesn't matter how strange, embarrassing, frustrating your parents may be, they are still the ones God has given to you. I suppose I should keep this in mind a little more often.
Luther adds a unique phrase that in my mind is actually backwards. He says, "You are to esteem [parents] above all things and to value them as the most precious treasure on earth." This is backwards to me because most parents think of their kids as their most treasured possession. I am willing to very few teenagers would see it the other way around. But again, you wouldn't be alive to be frustrated, angry, or embarrassed by your parents if it were not for your parents doing everything to keep you alive, safe, and loved.
So, (mom don't let this go to your head), I want to say thank you to my parents for always being there for me, for working so hard to provide a safe, loving home for me. I apologize for the million times I caused you stress, fear, and worries. I apologize for the times I have been a rotten and spoiled kid. I thank you for raising me in a Christian home, and supporting me to get to me to where I am today. Even though you are extremely "eccentric" and at times very frustrating and embarrassing, I do love you and thank you for being pretty awesome representatives of God's love in my life. (This counts as both of your Christmas presents by the way)!
Hopefully, this will make you all think about your relationship with your parents, but also about your relationship with your children as well. And of course, it is a constant reminder that even though our earthly parents have flaws and quirks, our Heavenly Father does not and loves us perfectly and eternally.
I have been reading through the Large Catechism again as part of my daily devotions. Today I was reading Luther's explanation to the fourth commandment. For those of you who don't remember, the fourth commandment is "You shall honor your father and mother". (Never really been one of my most favorite commandments) However, Luther has quite a bit to say about this commandment. He states that it is fourth because it is first and foremost of importance of the commandments of the second table. The first table is the first three commandments all having to do with our relationship to God. The second table is the last seven which all have to do with our relationships to other people. This one is the most important of all the commandments having to do with other people. It makes sense if you think about it at a bare bones level. As long as the parents are good, godly parents, they will teach you how to properly live in all the other aspects of life and how to properly treat all other relationships. So, if you honor, listen, obey, and learn from your parents first, you will know not to steal, not to lie, not to kill, how to properly use sex, etc. However, Luther takes it ever father. He compares our parents to God using the first article. We say that the Father gave us our bodies and life and takes care of all of our physical needs by providing for us. Well, we can say the same that our bodies and life comes from our parents. They provide for us by feeding us, changing us, and keeping us alive when we would have died a hundred times on our own (Luther's words). I had never made that exact one to one parallel to the first article with God as our Father and our parents doing the exact same thing.
Luther, a wise but practical man, also includes, "Young people [must] revere their parents as God's representatives and to remember that, however lowly, poor, feeble, and eccentric they may be, they are still their mother and father, given by God. Luther understood that there are some strange parents out there and really every set of parents has some sort of quirks or embarrassing characteristics (at least according to their kids). Basically, it doesn't matter how strange, embarrassing, frustrating your parents may be, they are still the ones God has given to you. I suppose I should keep this in mind a little more often.
Luther adds a unique phrase that in my mind is actually backwards. He says, "You are to esteem [parents] above all things and to value them as the most precious treasure on earth." This is backwards to me because most parents think of their kids as their most treasured possession. I am willing to very few teenagers would see it the other way around. But again, you wouldn't be alive to be frustrated, angry, or embarrassed by your parents if it were not for your parents doing everything to keep you alive, safe, and loved.
So, (mom don't let this go to your head), I want to say thank you to my parents for always being there for me, for working so hard to provide a safe, loving home for me. I apologize for the million times I caused you stress, fear, and worries. I apologize for the times I have been a rotten and spoiled kid. I thank you for raising me in a Christian home, and supporting me to get to me to where I am today. Even though you are extremely "eccentric" and at times very frustrating and embarrassing, I do love you and thank you for being pretty awesome representatives of God's love in my life. (This counts as both of your Christmas presents by the way)!
Hopefully, this will make you all think about your relationship with your parents, but also about your relationship with your children as well. And of course, it is a constant reminder that even though our earthly parents have flaws and quirks, our Heavenly Father does not and loves us perfectly and eternally.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
All Saints Day!
Greetings and blessings to you in the name of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, on this All Saints Day. The Psalm for today is Psalm 150 and how perfect fitting. The entire psalm is about praising God. I wrote the liturgy for today and threw in a lot of extra singing. We are singing some of my favorite hymns. It is a day all about praising God. Praising God in thanksgiving for all the faithful Christians who have come before us. Praising God in thanksgiving for the Lamb of God who gives us His salvation through His very own blood. Praising God now here on earth, knowing some day we will praise Him before His throne with the great multitude. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord, I will say it again, let everything that has breath praise the Lord!! AMEN!
Stop and think! God promised Abraham his offspring would be like the stars in the sky or the sand of the ocean. Too many to count!! In Revelation today we see a great multitude that no one can count! God kept His promise, His children, the offspring of Abraham, are too many to count. You and I are two individuals in that great multitude. So we could say we are just one in a innumerable crowd, or we can stop and realize that God already had billions of children who He brought into the faith and made His own, and yet He decided to choose us as one more. His offspring was not complete without us, He was not satisfied without calling you into the faith. God has called you, He has made you His own, and He has given you eternal life and salvation through the death of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. I think as we remember all of that, it is only fitting we bust out in praise. Let all that has breath praise the Lord. Amen. I hope you praise the Lord loudly on this special day.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Vacation - Sabbath
Greetings to you in Jesus' name. I had an amazing weekend. It was my first weekend away from Hermantown since I moved up here. I made it down to Kansas to one of my adopted families house. One of my best friends in college, his parents live down in Chenney, Kansas. They invited me down and I was able to surprise them. It was a fun weekend of hanging out with them, playing games, and shooting guns. Then on my way home from there, I was able to meet my new niece. JoAnna and Steven had a perfect, beautiful little girl and named her Ava Grace. I got to hold her and spend some time with them and I must say I am one proud uncle. I love my nephews and am glad to have boys to wrestle with and watch them play football, but I can already tell it is going to be pretty special to have a little girl around too.
I am working my way through the Large Catechism again and truly appreciate how Luther thought of everything as he wrote these amazing works. On his explanation to the third commandment of "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy", he covers what most Americans struggle with today. I was just discussing the topic of "Sabbath living" with a member last week, and we were questioning working on Sunday. I grew up with Sunday being Dad's only day to mow and get stuff done around the house, so I have never thought twice about doing manual labor on Sunday after getting home from church. However, then comes the fine line of doing labor around the house and working as in your job. I have to admit, there have been many times I find myself doing work stuff on Sunday afternoon to get ready for a Sunday evening Bible or such. So how do we accomplish a "Sabbath living" life-style in a crazy, busy world. Well for the full answer, dust off your Book of Concord and read the two pages of Luther's Large Catechism. However, since we are talking about a crazy busy life, I will try to paraphrase here as well. Sabbath living is not about doing absolutely nothing on Sunday afternoon, and we know this because this is what the Pharisees tried to accuse Jesus of. It is not about doing absolutely nothing, but rather setting time aside to rest and be reminded even God rested on the seventh day. It is about setting aside time for your relationship with Him (church, daily devotions, prayer time, etc.) and it is about setting aside time to refresh and rest yourself (taking a day off from your job, spending quality time with family, refreshing your own energy through rest or relaxing hobby time, etc.) For me, this includes my daily devotions, my daily prayers, my evening wind down period every night, as well as wood working, hunting, fishing, etc. For you, it will look different because you probably have a family, a house to do chores, and such. The point is to make sure you don't fill up every second of your life so that you have no time left for God, your own rest, and your family. I heard a quote the other day from another pastor that I really liked. It goes like this: "Work from your rest rather than rest from your work." Rest is a gift, use it to re-energize yourself so that you are ready to do the work God has given you to do. Use that rest to strengthen your relationship with God and with those around you. So we a Sabbath people can still accomplish this life-style even in the midst of EVERYTHING that is constantly demanding our time and efforts. Even Luther almost 500 years ago knew this would be such a problem, he included it in his writings. Thanks be to God who wants us to be rested people and gives us the gift of the Sabbath.
I am working my way through the Large Catechism again and truly appreciate how Luther thought of everything as he wrote these amazing works. On his explanation to the third commandment of "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy", he covers what most Americans struggle with today. I was just discussing the topic of "Sabbath living" with a member last week, and we were questioning working on Sunday. I grew up with Sunday being Dad's only day to mow and get stuff done around the house, so I have never thought twice about doing manual labor on Sunday after getting home from church. However, then comes the fine line of doing labor around the house and working as in your job. I have to admit, there have been many times I find myself doing work stuff on Sunday afternoon to get ready for a Sunday evening Bible or such. So how do we accomplish a "Sabbath living" life-style in a crazy, busy world. Well for the full answer, dust off your Book of Concord and read the two pages of Luther's Large Catechism. However, since we are talking about a crazy busy life, I will try to paraphrase here as well. Sabbath living is not about doing absolutely nothing on Sunday afternoon, and we know this because this is what the Pharisees tried to accuse Jesus of. It is not about doing absolutely nothing, but rather setting time aside to rest and be reminded even God rested on the seventh day. It is about setting aside time for your relationship with Him (church, daily devotions, prayer time, etc.) and it is about setting aside time to refresh and rest yourself (taking a day off from your job, spending quality time with family, refreshing your own energy through rest or relaxing hobby time, etc.) For me, this includes my daily devotions, my daily prayers, my evening wind down period every night, as well as wood working, hunting, fishing, etc. For you, it will look different because you probably have a family, a house to do chores, and such. The point is to make sure you don't fill up every second of your life so that you have no time left for God, your own rest, and your family. I heard a quote the other day from another pastor that I really liked. It goes like this: "Work from your rest rather than rest from your work." Rest is a gift, use it to re-energize yourself so that you are ready to do the work God has given you to do. Use that rest to strengthen your relationship with God and with those around you. So we a Sabbath people can still accomplish this life-style even in the midst of EVERYTHING that is constantly demanding our time and efforts. Even Luther almost 500 years ago knew this would be such a problem, he included it in his writings. Thanks be to God who wants us to be rested people and gives us the gift of the Sabbath.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Luke's Writings.
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. This last weekend was a pretty good weekend. Pastor Ludwig was gone, so I had all three services by myself. They all went really well though. I spent all last week dreading preaching on the Gospel lesson of Mark 10. How is a young, new pastor suppose to preach to a bunch of wealthy people when Jesus says it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God?? However, I came up with a sermon that I thought worked pretty well. And it must have been alright, because I got a lot more compliments and comments afterwards than I normally get. The Lord works through me, even when I doubt myself. The sermon should be posted on the church's website for you to hear.
I was reading my devotion today, and then there was a special edition on Luke. There was a line in there that I never realized before. With his Gospel and the book of Acts, Luke's writings make up over one third of the New Testament. Did you ever know that? ONE-THIRD! He wasn't even a disciple, rather just a physician with a hobby in recording history and took a special interest in Christ and His apostles. I wonder if Luke ever knew how huge and important his writings would be. If he ever doubted his works as being good enough or really that important. But just as God can work through little old me, the same God inspired Luke's writings to be a major portion of His Word that is still alive and active today as we read it and learn about Jesus's birth, ministry, death, and resurrection; and then His ascension and the apostles travels and ministry as the Christian church was born and grew. Our God is good!
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Deer Hunting is Biblical!! Oh so is Psalm 114.
Greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was so excited to do a whole long post about how deer hunting is actually Biblical. I was reading Deuteronomy 12 this morning and twice, God gives them permission to eat meat freely. His example is: "as the gazelle and deer are eaten!" Twice, the Lord uses deer hunting as an example that His people can eat meat. See deer hunting is Biblical. Hopefully this is enough to convince my mother to stop praying for the deer every time I go hunting. I was dreaming this morning about deer hunting, have been talking to several guys about ground to hunt on; I am thoroughly ready to be out in the woods with my gun!! And then this verse comes along and I am even more excited. Just then, I read an extra resource on the psalm for the day and that hope of deer hunting was quickly replaced. I mean I am still super excited to go hunting, but my priorities were set straight again as the brilliance of Psalm 114 was revealed to me in my reading. Psalm 114 is pretty awesome on its own as you read it. Talking about oceans and rivers fleeing, mountains and hills jumping like sheep, definitely catches your attention. However, I thought this was merely pointing to creation being under God's power and control. My first thought was that this psalm is speaking about the creation demonstrating a "fear of the Lord" style worship. Boy was I wrong. Patrick Henry Reardon wrote an awesome book called Christ in the Psalms. I try to read this every day with the psalm of the day, because he normally has some pretty awesome thoughts to add to each psalm. Today might have been the best one yet though. Reardon explains not only what Psalm 114 is getting at, but how it uses Hebrew poetry so masterfully. By repeating similar ideas twice, Hebrew poetry gets the reader to slow down and think about what he or she is reading. (My idea from yesterday's blog). So you see the repetition in the Judah/Israel, sea/Jordan, mountains/hills. These are meant to have you really think about what you are reading. However, here is the really cool part that I don't know if I would have ever come to on my own understanding, this psalm is speaking about the history of the exodus. The sea and the Jordan are the two ends of the time period. From the time they crossed the Red Sea until they reached the Jordan, the people of Israel and Judah were wondering in the desert. What was significant things in that history period? Oh mountains as in Mt. Sinai, and water flowing from rocks in the desert to give His people water to drink. You see, the mountains and hills are solid and immovable, but when God is present they go jumping like sheep. The earth trembles as God shows His people so many powerful signs of Himself being present on the mountain and water flowing from rocks, as the people travel from sea to river.
And then how does this relate to us? Well if Jesus is seen as the new Israel being brought out of slavery, then the life of the church is represented by their wandering in the desert waiting to reach the promised land. So this is a psalm that directly correlates to us as the life of the church. If this psalm was to be tweaked to fit our exact situation today, it would be about Christ redeeming us from the bondage of sin instead of the slavery of Egypt. Instead of Israel and Judah, it would be the new Israel of all Christian believers. Instead of the sea and the Jordan, it would be the empty tomb/place of Christ's ascension to His second coming (whatever place that will be). It could still be mountains and hills jumping like sheep. However, instead of water flowing from rocks, it could be baptismal waters flowing from His Word or body and blood being in, with, and under the bread and the wine. However, it would still be the same joyous psalm of praising God for His work of redeeming, providing for and being with His people. Just as much as the Israelites and Judahites had to be thankful for God bringing them up out of Egypt, providing them with water from rocks, and being with them as the mountains shook; we are thankful that God brought us out of sin, provided spiritual water of cleansing, and His presence as the kingdom shakes with His grace. Maybe it is just because I am a psalm nerd, but I was so fascinated with this new way of looking at Psalm 114 I almost (almost being the key word) forgot all about deer hunting. Which is really OK, because God's Word should be the joy and highlight of my day, even more than thinking about hunting. So feel free to pray Psalm 114 slowly, reflecting on it, with the idea in mind that this is our psalm as thanks just as it was this psalmists psalm of thanks for the mighty wonders God does for His people.
And then how does this relate to us? Well if Jesus is seen as the new Israel being brought out of slavery, then the life of the church is represented by their wandering in the desert waiting to reach the promised land. So this is a psalm that directly correlates to us as the life of the church. If this psalm was to be tweaked to fit our exact situation today, it would be about Christ redeeming us from the bondage of sin instead of the slavery of Egypt. Instead of Israel and Judah, it would be the new Israel of all Christian believers. Instead of the sea and the Jordan, it would be the empty tomb/place of Christ's ascension to His second coming (whatever place that will be). It could still be mountains and hills jumping like sheep. However, instead of water flowing from rocks, it could be baptismal waters flowing from His Word or body and blood being in, with, and under the bread and the wine. However, it would still be the same joyous psalm of praising God for His work of redeeming, providing for and being with His people. Just as much as the Israelites and Judahites had to be thankful for God bringing them up out of Egypt, providing them with water from rocks, and being with them as the mountains shook; we are thankful that God brought us out of sin, provided spiritual water of cleansing, and His presence as the kingdom shakes with His grace. Maybe it is just because I am a psalm nerd, but I was so fascinated with this new way of looking at Psalm 114 I almost (almost being the key word) forgot all about deer hunting. Which is really OK, because God's Word should be the joy and highlight of my day, even more than thinking about hunting. So feel free to pray Psalm 114 slowly, reflecting on it, with the idea in mind that this is our psalm as thanks just as it was this psalmists psalm of thanks for the mighty wonders God does for His people.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
They're Great!! Right?
Greetings to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. I believe my last couple sermons have recorded successfully. So if you want to listen to those, check them out on our church website. (http://www.piclutheran.org/learn/sermons-2/) My own from this weekend should be up tomorrow.
I have been busy with a lot of details and events coming up. I successfully organized my first hooley. What's a hooley you ask? It is Irish slang for party! I am hosting a party at Dubh Linn's Irish Pub at the end of October and our wonderful secretary came up with hooley for the title. It is for 21 to 39 year old's in the congregation. This is supposed to be my target focus group as the young associate pastor. Most of them in this demographic, (282 on the church record books) are mostly inactive and don't come to anything at church. So my plan is to gently guide them back with more community life events first and then work them back into regular worship and active roles in the church. I sent out 150 invites (those who we actual had emails or addresses for still) and we will see how many we have actually come.
My devotion this morning included Psalm 111 which speaks of the great works of the Lord. Great are the works of the Lord... Full of splendor and majesty is his work... He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered... God's works are great. Creation, the art, the exodus, the ten plagues, the Red Sea, the manna, the promise land, the prophets and wars, John the Baptist, His Son, the disciples, His Son's death, His Son's resurrection, the ascension, the start of the Christian church, etc. That is not even the full list, but is a pretty good highlight reel. However, did you notice something? As you read through that list, did you stop and gasp at each one, or did you simply read through the list without really thinking about them individually? Each one of those is such an amazing work God did through His power and mightiness, that that list should take a person ten minutes to get through as he or she reflects and is amazed by each one. So how come you read through it in a matter of seconds? Because we have heard of these great works over and over. We know the stories, we know how they end, and we don't give them much more thought than that. But wait a second. The psalm states that His works will be remembered, then says the Lord is gracious and merciful. His work is full of splendor and majesty, followed by His righteousness endures forever. These great and powerful works are suppose to be remembered to remind us who our God is. As you read through the list above and acknowledged that each one was indeed a powerful and wonderful work of the Lord, did it remind you of the gracious, merciful, righteous God we have? Or did you blow by that sign as fast as you when through the list?
It is kind of like how every time I see a new landscape, whether it be mountains, lakes, trees, ocean, fields, desert, etc. I always stop and take in the full view. I am instantly reminded of how awesome our God is who made all of these wonderful scenes. However, the drive to work that I take everyday, very rarely reminds me of God's amazing artistic ability. I have seen it so many times it has lost it luster. It seems less impressive now that it is routine.
So maybe we shouldn't hear the stories of God's awesome works so often, and then maybe they would be full of splendor and majesty again. Maybe if we only heard the works of the Lord once every two years instead of every year, we would be reminded of His graciousness, mercy, and righteousness again. OR we can go back and re-read that list, this time stopping to reflect on how awesome each work truly is. We can slow down our lives enough to remember the works of the Lord and still be constantly reminded of who is as our God who did these things. We can be impressed by the routine, because instead of acknowledging that we already know that story, we can review and reflect on how that story leaves a different impact on us hearing this time from the last time we heard it. I can watch the same stupid movie 100 times and still laugh every time, why can't I read the same Bible story 100 and still be in awe of the wonderful God we have. He is awesome, He is powerful, He is gracious, He is majestic, He is merciful, He is righteous, He is our loving God who did these mighty acts and wants us to remember them so we will be reminded of exactly who our God is and how He works for, through, and in us. Praise be to this God as hopefully you slow down to be reminded of who He is and what His Son did and continues to do for you each and every day.
I have been busy with a lot of details and events coming up. I successfully organized my first hooley. What's a hooley you ask? It is Irish slang for party! I am hosting a party at Dubh Linn's Irish Pub at the end of October and our wonderful secretary came up with hooley for the title. It is for 21 to 39 year old's in the congregation. This is supposed to be my target focus group as the young associate pastor. Most of them in this demographic, (282 on the church record books) are mostly inactive and don't come to anything at church. So my plan is to gently guide them back with more community life events first and then work them back into regular worship and active roles in the church. I sent out 150 invites (those who we actual had emails or addresses for still) and we will see how many we have actually come.
My devotion this morning included Psalm 111 which speaks of the great works of the Lord. Great are the works of the Lord... Full of splendor and majesty is his work... He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered... God's works are great. Creation, the art, the exodus, the ten plagues, the Red Sea, the manna, the promise land, the prophets and wars, John the Baptist, His Son, the disciples, His Son's death, His Son's resurrection, the ascension, the start of the Christian church, etc. That is not even the full list, but is a pretty good highlight reel. However, did you notice something? As you read through that list, did you stop and gasp at each one, or did you simply read through the list without really thinking about them individually? Each one of those is such an amazing work God did through His power and mightiness, that that list should take a person ten minutes to get through as he or she reflects and is amazed by each one. So how come you read through it in a matter of seconds? Because we have heard of these great works over and over. We know the stories, we know how they end, and we don't give them much more thought than that. But wait a second. The psalm states that His works will be remembered, then says the Lord is gracious and merciful. His work is full of splendor and majesty, followed by His righteousness endures forever. These great and powerful works are suppose to be remembered to remind us who our God is. As you read through the list above and acknowledged that each one was indeed a powerful and wonderful work of the Lord, did it remind you of the gracious, merciful, righteous God we have? Or did you blow by that sign as fast as you when through the list?
It is kind of like how every time I see a new landscape, whether it be mountains, lakes, trees, ocean, fields, desert, etc. I always stop and take in the full view. I am instantly reminded of how awesome our God is who made all of these wonderful scenes. However, the drive to work that I take everyday, very rarely reminds me of God's amazing artistic ability. I have seen it so many times it has lost it luster. It seems less impressive now that it is routine.
So maybe we shouldn't hear the stories of God's awesome works so often, and then maybe they would be full of splendor and majesty again. Maybe if we only heard the works of the Lord once every two years instead of every year, we would be reminded of His graciousness, mercy, and righteousness again. OR we can go back and re-read that list, this time stopping to reflect on how awesome each work truly is. We can slow down our lives enough to remember the works of the Lord and still be constantly reminded of who is as our God who did these things. We can be impressed by the routine, because instead of acknowledging that we already know that story, we can review and reflect on how that story leaves a different impact on us hearing this time from the last time we heard it. I can watch the same stupid movie 100 times and still laugh every time, why can't I read the same Bible story 100 and still be in awe of the wonderful God we have. He is awesome, He is powerful, He is gracious, He is majestic, He is merciful, He is righteous, He is our loving God who did these mighty acts and wants us to remember them so we will be reminded of exactly who our God is and how He works for, through, and in us. Praise be to this God as hopefully you slow down to be reminded of who He is and what His Son did and continues to do for you each and every day.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Sweet Dreams.
Greetings in the name of our precious Savior Jesus Christ. It has been a busy week. I woke up to a phone call Wednesday morning that my senior pastor was not well. He ended up going to the hospital for a kidney stone. So I had to very quickly cover everything Wednesday as well as start writing a sermon for this weekend. He is out of the hospital now and doing better, but will still need to take it easy for awhile. I do have give credit to Ruth who taught confirmation so that I could cover a few other things. It definitely changed the course of my week in a hurry, but thanks be to God we managed and he is doing better.
I am writing my sermon on the Old Testament text from Amos and am noticing how easy it is to go into a doom and gloom, fire and brimstone mode from the text. I had to laugh as I was typing and starting noticing my tendency to go that way. I am trying to stay more positive and Gospel driven, but it is scary as you begin to compare modern day America with the times of Amos.
My devotion a few days ago, included Psalm 126 which begins with, "When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream." This is from book four of the psalms, which is usually attributed to the return of Israel back from the exile. So, the psalmist is saying when the Lord brought Israel back together as a people again and ended the exile from Babylon, it was like they were dreaming.
The Lord's restoring their fortune was so unreal, so amazing awesome, they felt like they were dreaming. I love this way of putting it. I love it, because every time I try to imagine Jesus' second coming, I can't picture it as reality. Even in my dreams of His second coming, it feels like I am dreaming. We will have to pinch ourselves it will be so awesome, so beautiful, it won't feel real. However, it won't be a dream. When we pinch ourselves, we will know we are awake and that Christ has come again. This simple line used by the psalmist reminds us of the hope and the excitement we have in Christ's promise to come again. How awesome is our God.
I am writing my sermon on the Old Testament text from Amos and am noticing how easy it is to go into a doom and gloom, fire and brimstone mode from the text. I had to laugh as I was typing and starting noticing my tendency to go that way. I am trying to stay more positive and Gospel driven, but it is scary as you begin to compare modern day America with the times of Amos.
My devotion a few days ago, included Psalm 126 which begins with, "When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream." This is from book four of the psalms, which is usually attributed to the return of Israel back from the exile. So, the psalmist is saying when the Lord brought Israel back together as a people again and ended the exile from Babylon, it was like they were dreaming.
The Lord's restoring their fortune was so unreal, so amazing awesome, they felt like they were dreaming. I love this way of putting it. I love it, because every time I try to imagine Jesus' second coming, I can't picture it as reality. Even in my dreams of His second coming, it feels like I am dreaming. We will have to pinch ourselves it will be so awesome, so beautiful, it won't feel real. However, it won't be a dream. When we pinch ourselves, we will know we are awake and that Christ has come again. This simple line used by the psalmist reminds us of the hope and the excitement we have in Christ's promise to come again. How awesome is our God.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Rescue me from Hades!
Greetings to all of you in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. I survived another very busy weekend. Friday I drove up to Hibbing, which is about an hour away, and met the very nice LWML ladies from Grace Lutheran there. They had supported me through the seminary as the pastor there was a friend of mine first year. They had originally planned to come to my ordination, but miscommunication happened and they didn't know it was a morning service. So I ran up and had a nice lunch and visit with them, and it gave me a good opportunity to thank them. Then I came back and wrote my sermon for Sunday since the week got away from me. Later that night I went to the high school football game. It was the rival game between Hermantown and Proctor (the next town over). Hermantown smoked them 68 to 0. It was so much fun to be at a high school football game on a Friday night again.
Then Saturday morning, five of us guys went to a church family's house to split wood. They live an hour away, but are very faithful members. They have eight kids and they heat their house purely with wood all winter. The dad hurt his back and has not been able to cut or split wood. So we had a couple guys running chain saws cutting down more trees, and a couple guys running the splitter. Their kids stacked the split wood all day. It was a fun day and a good opportunity to serve a family in need. Then I had to get back to church to learn my sermon and be ready for Saturday night service.
Services Saturday night and Sunday morning went well. I got to be crazy and goofy with the kids in the children's sermon which I always enjoy. Then I spent Sunday afternoon grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning like a real adult. Then last night we had our pot luck and Bible study we will have every Sunday night now. I know I will get fed really well every Sunday night now, and it is a good group that gets together for our study.
Today, I had a hole list of stuff I was going to get done, and then got in the cleaning mood. I cleaned out a closet and the fridge in the kitchen. They had both been needing it for quite some time. And the best part is, I still got my hole list done. Now I am getting ready to go to the high school soccer game and then I am actually going brewery hopping. And yes, it is for work. I want to host a night out for the younger generations, so I am going to research which one will work with us. I mean I could try to call, but why not go there and sample a little too. :)
My devotion today was talking about Jesus thanking the Father for saving Him from the depths of Hades. It struck me as kind of odd, but I realized that Jesus Himself did suffer Hell as He went to pronounce His victory over the devil. Jesus saw how awful it was, He experienced how excruciating it is to be out of the Father's grace. And so He thanks the Father for His mighty wonders of saving Him. And I starting thinking that I am glad I don't have to say that prayer. I don't have to worry about being saved from the depths of Hades, since because of Christ I will never be there. And yet that seemed odd too. I should pray that prayer even more for that fact. I should sing His praises that He DID save me from the depths of Hades, so now I never will have to experience it. It is one more thing Christ did for me so I never will have to go through that. I most definitely deserve an eternal sentence to Hades, and yet thanks be to God, that since Christ has been there and has announced His victory over it, I never will have to be there. That is definitely worth a prayer of thanksgiving. SO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, dear Lord for Your grace and mercy freely giving me my redemption and salvation in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Then Saturday morning, five of us guys went to a church family's house to split wood. They live an hour away, but are very faithful members. They have eight kids and they heat their house purely with wood all winter. The dad hurt his back and has not been able to cut or split wood. So we had a couple guys running chain saws cutting down more trees, and a couple guys running the splitter. Their kids stacked the split wood all day. It was a fun day and a good opportunity to serve a family in need. Then I had to get back to church to learn my sermon and be ready for Saturday night service.
Services Saturday night and Sunday morning went well. I got to be crazy and goofy with the kids in the children's sermon which I always enjoy. Then I spent Sunday afternoon grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning like a real adult. Then last night we had our pot luck and Bible study we will have every Sunday night now. I know I will get fed really well every Sunday night now, and it is a good group that gets together for our study.
Today, I had a hole list of stuff I was going to get done, and then got in the cleaning mood. I cleaned out a closet and the fridge in the kitchen. They had both been needing it for quite some time. And the best part is, I still got my hole list done. Now I am getting ready to go to the high school soccer game and then I am actually going brewery hopping. And yes, it is for work. I want to host a night out for the younger generations, so I am going to research which one will work with us. I mean I could try to call, but why not go there and sample a little too. :)
My devotion today was talking about Jesus thanking the Father for saving Him from the depths of Hades. It struck me as kind of odd, but I realized that Jesus Himself did suffer Hell as He went to pronounce His victory over the devil. Jesus saw how awful it was, He experienced how excruciating it is to be out of the Father's grace. And so He thanks the Father for His mighty wonders of saving Him. And I starting thinking that I am glad I don't have to say that prayer. I don't have to worry about being saved from the depths of Hades, since because of Christ I will never be there. And yet that seemed odd too. I should pray that prayer even more for that fact. I should sing His praises that He DID save me from the depths of Hades, so now I never will have to experience it. It is one more thing Christ did for me so I never will have to go through that. I most definitely deserve an eternal sentence to Hades, and yet thanks be to God, that since Christ has been there and has announced His victory over it, I never will have to be there. That is definitely worth a prayer of thanksgiving. SO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, dear Lord for Your grace and mercy freely giving me my redemption and salvation in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Plentiful!
Greetings to you in Jesus. It's fall!!! We have been having perfect weather up here of cool mornings and evening with warmer afternoons. I love walking out to 40's in the mornings and then feeling the sun's warmth of the 60's or 70's in the afternoons. I did have to laugh at a couple walking out of the hotel across from my apartment this morning is winter coats and sweaters. I just chuckled and sighed, "Southerners". The trees are turning to beautiful colors of orange, yellow, and red. This really is the best time of the year. I even have a doe right behind my office most of yesterday. Needless to say, I am ready to go hunting!
I went to the JV football game on Monday and plan to go to the varsity game tomorrow evening. I didn't realize how much I have missed watching football games on fall evenings. So glad to be a part of a community again. However, they are not a football town so they don't take it as seriously as I do.
I was reading my devotion this morning and the Psalm was Psalm 130. I love this Psalm and normally my attention goes straight to the watchmen line repeated twice. However, this morning I caught something new. My attention was shifted to verse 7 which reads, "O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption." Those last two words really hit me in a different way today. PLENTIFUL redemption. I always knew my redemption is in the Lord and focused on how He accomplished this through His Son Jesus. However, I don't think I have ever really thought about it being plentiful. Not with that word anyway. We live in a word of plenty. Everything around us seems to be in plenty. We go to the super stores and see aisle after aisle of shelves full of food and never once worry about it running out. We don't worry about the opposite of plenty, or scarcity, for anything in our lives. So why would God's redemption be any different. But what if God's redemption wasn't plentiful? What if His redemption was scarce? What if we had to compete for His limited love and salvation? What would our world look like then?
It's a scary thought, but thanks be to God these are all only hypothetical questions because His Word reminds us His love, salvation, and redemption are not scarce, but truly are plentiful. Plentiful enough for all of us who are already in His salvation through Christ, but also plentiful enough for all of mankind if they would so believe. So then this becomes even more powerful, because it is not only good news for us, but for all people. Not only do we not have to worry about it for ourselves, but we can confidently tell others that God's love is plentiful enough to include them as well. Wheat an awesome God we have that freely offers such amazing and gracious love plentifully.
I went to the JV football game on Monday and plan to go to the varsity game tomorrow evening. I didn't realize how much I have missed watching football games on fall evenings. So glad to be a part of a community again. However, they are not a football town so they don't take it as seriously as I do.
I was reading my devotion this morning and the Psalm was Psalm 130. I love this Psalm and normally my attention goes straight to the watchmen line repeated twice. However, this morning I caught something new. My attention was shifted to verse 7 which reads, "O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption." Those last two words really hit me in a different way today. PLENTIFUL redemption. I always knew my redemption is in the Lord and focused on how He accomplished this through His Son Jesus. However, I don't think I have ever really thought about it being plentiful. Not with that word anyway. We live in a word of plenty. Everything around us seems to be in plenty. We go to the super stores and see aisle after aisle of shelves full of food and never once worry about it running out. We don't worry about the opposite of plenty, or scarcity, for anything in our lives. So why would God's redemption be any different. But what if God's redemption wasn't plentiful? What if His redemption was scarce? What if we had to compete for His limited love and salvation? What would our world look like then?
It's a scary thought, but thanks be to God these are all only hypothetical questions because His Word reminds us His love, salvation, and redemption are not scarce, but truly are plentiful. Plentiful enough for all of us who are already in His salvation through Christ, but also plentiful enough for all of mankind if they would so believe. So then this becomes even more powerful, because it is not only good news for us, but for all people. Not only do we not have to worry about it for ourselves, but we can confidently tell others that God's love is plentiful enough to include them as well. Wheat an awesome God we have that freely offers such amazing and gracious love plentifully.
Monday, September 28, 2015
The seriousness of sin!
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. I apologize, last week was very busy but not very productive. I preached the 19th and 20th as we started our winter schedule of Saturday night and two Sunday morning worship services. It was a very busy and long weekend. Pastor Ludwig was gone as well so I covered Bible study too. It gave me an appreciation for the amount of work he has been doing by himself for the last twenty years.
I preached a really fun sermon that was not my usual style. Unfortunately, it did not record at any of the three services. We are doing a small group Bible study this fall called "Not A Fan." So I preached out of the pulpit in my Husker's jersey. I went to the sacristy during the sermon hymn, and then after it was done I had the Husker Tunnel Walk music come on and I came running out in my Husker's jersey. It was quite the entrance and definitely grabbed their attention. I compared being a fan to the Huskers to my relationship with Jesus. The Bible study compares being a fan and being a follower of Jesus. So I apologize it did not record, but it was a fun sermon to preach.
Then right after both services, I went home to pack and head over to Lutheran Island Camp where we had our Fall pastors conference. It was a relaxing couple days on the island which is such an awesome place. Then I came back Tuesday night in time for Campus Ministry Bible Study. Wednesday I had men's Bible study, women's Bible study, both confirmation classes, and attended the youth night that evening as well. It is fun to see so much going on at church, but definitely makes for long days. Thursday was a little more low key as Ruth (our DCE) and I went to the High School for the Homecoming Coronation. Three of our youth were candidates and another three were escorts. One of our girls even won queen. The parents were impressed that I came to it, but it was fun for me to reminisce about the good old days in High School.
Then Friday with my day off, I ran over to see a friend in Ironwood, Michigan. He and I went fishing and it was such a gorgeous day on the lake. He has a boat we took out, and we were the only ones on the lake. It was sunny, calm, and such nice weather. The leaves were starting to turn on the trees all around the lake, and it made me think of something out of a book it was so perfect. He and I both enjoyed the day of catching up and being on the water on the perfect day. We didn't catch a ton of fish, but brought in a few.
Saturday, I had a conference all day and then before I knew it, it was Sunday morning again. We had both services, with a baptism at the second one. Pastor Ludwig preached and did Bible Study. Then I spent the rest of the day getting ready for our Bible Study opener for Not A Fan last night. We didn't have as many people as I was hoping for, but it will be a good group. Last night we covered the difference between justification and sanctification.
Pastor's sermon on Sunday was on Mark 9:42-50. When Jesus says, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off." Pastor preached a great sermon on the seriousness of sin and how people don't take their sin serious because they don't take God or His Word as serious. I really appreciated it. Then I started thinking about what I would have preached if it would have been my Sunday. And this thought popped into my head. When we hear that statement of cut off of our hand if it causes us to sin, first of all we know we should have cut off both hands by now. We should have cut off both feet, plucked out both eyes, etc. as all our of members have been involved in many sins in our life time. But secondly, as we think about that statement, I think we romanticize it. We think about how it would stink to only have one hand. I can definitely vouch for that as I am very sick of have a cast/splint on my right hand for eight weeks now. We picture trying to go through life with this clean, healed stump instead of our hand. We completely skip over the messy, gruesome, painful procedure of the actual cutting. Picture yourself using a saw or an ax to actually cut off your own hand. Picture the blood, flesh, and bones being exposed as you keep sawing or hacking. Try to imagine the pain building and building, try to hear the screams as the pain becomes too much for you. Its a disgusting, disturbing image isn't it? But that is the seriousness of sin! We should be more willing to endure the awfully painful, gruesome experience of cutting off our hand over accepting our sin as a light thing. It would be better for us to be semi-traumatized by the extremely painful sacrifice of our own hand, then to look at our sin lightly. But thanks be to God, we don't actually have to go through this horrible experience. And why not? Because Jesus did it for us. He is the one who took all of that pain, all of that bloody, gruesome, traumatizing experience of our sin for us on the cross. He was willing to endure the FULL pain, the FULL consequences of our sin, the seriousness of our sins on the cross as He was beaten, whipped, and nailed to the wood to die. So now when you catch yourself in sin with your hands, or your eyes, or your feet, think about the pain and gory bloody experience you should be receiving as a consequence for that sin. Then remember Jesus took that full punishment for you, picture Jesus's bloody body, scarred face, His crown of thorns and try to take that sin lightly. Try to tell yourself it isn't that big of a deal to keep doing that sin. Hopefully you can't. Instead, fall on your knees, beg for God's forgiveness, and thank the Good Lord that He loves you enough to take that experience for you, to offer you forgiveness freely. And learn from that experience to not commit that sin again. Sin is serious, but salvation and eternal life that we have in Christ is even more serious. Praise be to God.
I preached a really fun sermon that was not my usual style. Unfortunately, it did not record at any of the three services. We are doing a small group Bible study this fall called "Not A Fan." So I preached out of the pulpit in my Husker's jersey. I went to the sacristy during the sermon hymn, and then after it was done I had the Husker Tunnel Walk music come on and I came running out in my Husker's jersey. It was quite the entrance and definitely grabbed their attention. I compared being a fan to the Huskers to my relationship with Jesus. The Bible study compares being a fan and being a follower of Jesus. So I apologize it did not record, but it was a fun sermon to preach.
Then right after both services, I went home to pack and head over to Lutheran Island Camp where we had our Fall pastors conference. It was a relaxing couple days on the island which is such an awesome place. Then I came back Tuesday night in time for Campus Ministry Bible Study. Wednesday I had men's Bible study, women's Bible study, both confirmation classes, and attended the youth night that evening as well. It is fun to see so much going on at church, but definitely makes for long days. Thursday was a little more low key as Ruth (our DCE) and I went to the High School for the Homecoming Coronation. Three of our youth were candidates and another three were escorts. One of our girls even won queen. The parents were impressed that I came to it, but it was fun for me to reminisce about the good old days in High School.
Then Friday with my day off, I ran over to see a friend in Ironwood, Michigan. He and I went fishing and it was such a gorgeous day on the lake. He has a boat we took out, and we were the only ones on the lake. It was sunny, calm, and such nice weather. The leaves were starting to turn on the trees all around the lake, and it made me think of something out of a book it was so perfect. He and I both enjoyed the day of catching up and being on the water on the perfect day. We didn't catch a ton of fish, but brought in a few.
Saturday, I had a conference all day and then before I knew it, it was Sunday morning again. We had both services, with a baptism at the second one. Pastor Ludwig preached and did Bible Study. Then I spent the rest of the day getting ready for our Bible Study opener for Not A Fan last night. We didn't have as many people as I was hoping for, but it will be a good group. Last night we covered the difference between justification and sanctification.
Pastor's sermon on Sunday was on Mark 9:42-50. When Jesus says, "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off." Pastor preached a great sermon on the seriousness of sin and how people don't take their sin serious because they don't take God or His Word as serious. I really appreciated it. Then I started thinking about what I would have preached if it would have been my Sunday. And this thought popped into my head. When we hear that statement of cut off of our hand if it causes us to sin, first of all we know we should have cut off both hands by now. We should have cut off both feet, plucked out both eyes, etc. as all our of members have been involved in many sins in our life time. But secondly, as we think about that statement, I think we romanticize it. We think about how it would stink to only have one hand. I can definitely vouch for that as I am very sick of have a cast/splint on my right hand for eight weeks now. We picture trying to go through life with this clean, healed stump instead of our hand. We completely skip over the messy, gruesome, painful procedure of the actual cutting. Picture yourself using a saw or an ax to actually cut off your own hand. Picture the blood, flesh, and bones being exposed as you keep sawing or hacking. Try to imagine the pain building and building, try to hear the screams as the pain becomes too much for you. Its a disgusting, disturbing image isn't it? But that is the seriousness of sin! We should be more willing to endure the awfully painful, gruesome experience of cutting off our hand over accepting our sin as a light thing. It would be better for us to be semi-traumatized by the extremely painful sacrifice of our own hand, then to look at our sin lightly. But thanks be to God, we don't actually have to go through this horrible experience. And why not? Because Jesus did it for us. He is the one who took all of that pain, all of that bloody, gruesome, traumatizing experience of our sin for us on the cross. He was willing to endure the FULL pain, the FULL consequences of our sin, the seriousness of our sins on the cross as He was beaten, whipped, and nailed to the wood to die. So now when you catch yourself in sin with your hands, or your eyes, or your feet, think about the pain and gory bloody experience you should be receiving as a consequence for that sin. Then remember Jesus took that full punishment for you, picture Jesus's bloody body, scarred face, His crown of thorns and try to take that sin lightly. Try to tell yourself it isn't that big of a deal to keep doing that sin. Hopefully you can't. Instead, fall on your knees, beg for God's forgiveness, and thank the Good Lord that He loves you enough to take that experience for you, to offer you forgiveness freely. And learn from that experience to not commit that sin again. Sin is serious, but salvation and eternal life that we have in Christ is even more serious. Praise be to God.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Come to the Waters!
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. Sunday was our Rally Sunday which we held out by Pike Lake. It was a beautiful morning weather-wise and an absolutely beautiful view of the lake. We had a fun, up-beat, high energy service. The praise band played the music and Pastor Ludwig preached on the theme of "Come to the waters". Then after the service we had a picnic. Then I was in charge of the golf tournament. We had 34 golfers and it was a blast. I was even able to golf in my cast. I mean it was not great shots by any means but I helped putt and we still used a few of my shots. In summary, it was a great way to kick off the school year as we prepare to start our Bible studies, confirmation classes, etc.
Now this week I am preparing my sermon for this coming Sunday. It is a bit different because it is more of a topical or themed sermon than the usual textual sermons. However, I am excited because it is my big kick off and introduction for the Bible study I am in charge of for small groups this fall. It is called "Not a Fan." It is looking at being a follower of Jesus rather than just a fan. So this sermon will be a fun, out of the box sermon.
I lead the Campus Ministry Bible study last night at the other Lutheran church that I am working with for that. We had 12 students and I felt it went really well. It is fun to be working with college aged kids again. Other than that, it is a normal week for me just preparing for all the fun stuff happening this fall. The Lord is good and we can most certainly see that here at Peace in Christ. Blessings to you as you go about your day and week as well.
Now this week I am preparing my sermon for this coming Sunday. It is a bit different because it is more of a topical or themed sermon than the usual textual sermons. However, I am excited because it is my big kick off and introduction for the Bible study I am in charge of for small groups this fall. It is called "Not a Fan." It is looking at being a follower of Jesus rather than just a fan. So this sermon will be a fun, out of the box sermon.
I lead the Campus Ministry Bible study last night at the other Lutheran church that I am working with for that. We had 12 students and I felt it went really well. It is fun to be working with college aged kids again. Other than that, it is a normal week for me just preparing for all the fun stuff happening this fall. The Lord is good and we can most certainly see that here at Peace in Christ. Blessings to you as you go about your day and week as well.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Sleep?
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. Hope you all had a good weekend and restful holiday of Labor Day. The Psalm from my devotion fits perfect with the theme of using Labor Day to rest up and relax from your labor. Psalm 127:1-2 "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep." My mother like most mothers will probably appreciate this psalm and this reminder that even God tells us we need sleep. In fact, read it again, sleep is a gift that he gives to his beloved. Lately I have been having trouble falling asleep as I lay down at nights, because I have a million things racing through my head. Between reflecting on what I actually got accomplished that day, reviewing what I should have got done that I didn't, making mental lists of what I have to get done the next day, and then going through it all again to make sure I am not forgetting anything, I think I actually work my brain harder in bed than I do the rest of the day. However, as I read these words from the psalm, I realized I am toiling in vain. I am guilty of eating the bread of anxious toil. I am stressing myself out thinking that I have to do everything. These words remind me first of all, that I need to remember who is really at work. It is not Kevin Richter who is going to write that perfect sermon that the people need to hear. It is not me who is going to prepare the perfect Bible study that will educate and engage the people. It is not me that will etc. etc. etc. It is God working through me who does all these great things. Now I still have work to do and cannot simply sit idly at my desk and then blame God when nothing is done, but when I forget who is really at work through my labor, it is all for nothing just as the psalmist says. In addition, these words also remind me that sleep and rest is given to us from God to give us the strength to keep working for Him. If we are run down and always tired, we are not as useful for Him to work through. At the seminary we looked at it this way. When we look at our work and God working through us, it is like a lumber jack and his ax. The lumber jack can't cut down the tree without his ax, but the ax can't swing itself to cut down the tree. They both have to work together to get the job done. God is the lumber jack who does the work through us the ax. We need Him and He works through us. I like this analogy because it even reminds us that a sharp ax is better than a dull ax. So when we get plenty of rest, and are constantly in His Word and prayer, we are a good sharp ax He can work much more efficiently through. However, if we are tired, run down, neglecting devotions and prayer time, we are a dull ax that God has to work much harder to work through. So be a good sharp ax, remember God is at work in your labor, get the rest He gives you sleeping peacefully trusting in Him, and use your time awake to be in His Word and in prayer so that you will be a sharp tool ready to get the job done through His workings. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
200 in 4 years!
My greetings to all of you in the name of the one and only true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen. I apologize that today is more of a boasting day for myself than I normally like to do. However, this is my 200th post on this blog and it is also my 4 year anniversary. 4 years ago today, I wrote my very ever first blog post. It was the first week or two of my seminary career. Looking back, I cannot believe how far I have come or how greatly I have changed since then. However, St. Paul says if you are going to boast, boast in the Lord. So today I will boast in the Lord, because I know I would not, in fact I could not be where I am today, without the strength of the Lord. 4 years ago I was so scared to speak about anything concerning the Bible because I felt like I knew absolutely nothing. And even now I am still humble enough to admit there is more about the Bible that I don’t know than I actually do know. However, through 4 years of education, field work and vicarage experience, and personal growth in my faith, I have confidence in my teaching and preaching. Again, I only have this confidence because of the Lord and His Spirit in me that gives me the boldness and confidence to teach and preach His Word and Gospel message.
I also want to boast a little that doing the math 200 posts in 4 years averages out to 50 posts a year which is almost equivalent to a weekly blog. Now I know I have had large gaps in my writing time line, but I was proud of myself that I was still able to average that closely to a weekly post.
However, the main point of today’s post is to thank you and to thank the Lord. I want to thank all of you who actually read my posts. If you hadn’t encouraged me along the way and reassured me that people actually are reading this blog, I would have quit for sure. However, you inspired me, encouraged me, and kept me going for 4 years now. Sometimes I wonder why you would keep reading what I write, but I am reminded that you are hearing the Word of the Lord and that is worth it no matter how poor my writing skills may be.
I also want to thank the Lord that I am able to boast in Him. I want to thank Him for being with me all four years through the seminary, vicarage, and field work. And I most certainly want to thank Him for giving me such an amazing first call here at Peace in Christ. I remember leaving Adair for the first time as I left for college. I was moving to a place where I knew absolutely no one and it was scary. However, within a day of being there I made friends and from there it has never stopped. It doesn’t matter where life has led me, any place I go to, any situation I walk into, I have been able to make friends, feel right at home, and love my life exactly as it is, and that is all because the Lord has been with me and blessed me wherever I am. I cannot thank Him enough for the friends and relationships I have made over the past eight years of college, seminary, and vicarage. And now I continue to thank Him for the relationships I am building here at Peace in Christ and the Duluth area. Again, He has blessed me so much more richly than I deserve and I know He will continue to bless my ministry for the years to come.
So I thank, praise, and worship the wonderful God we have, I thank you my followers for supporting and encouraging me and sharing in the experiences I have had over the past four years, and I pray we may continue to share in the grace, mercy, and love of Christ for many more years to come. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I also want to boast a little that doing the math 200 posts in 4 years averages out to 50 posts a year which is almost equivalent to a weekly blog. Now I know I have had large gaps in my writing time line, but I was proud of myself that I was still able to average that closely to a weekly post.
However, the main point of today’s post is to thank you and to thank the Lord. I want to thank all of you who actually read my posts. If you hadn’t encouraged me along the way and reassured me that people actually are reading this blog, I would have quit for sure. However, you inspired me, encouraged me, and kept me going for 4 years now. Sometimes I wonder why you would keep reading what I write, but I am reminded that you are hearing the Word of the Lord and that is worth it no matter how poor my writing skills may be.
I also want to thank the Lord that I am able to boast in Him. I want to thank Him for being with me all four years through the seminary, vicarage, and field work. And I most certainly want to thank Him for giving me such an amazing first call here at Peace in Christ. I remember leaving Adair for the first time as I left for college. I was moving to a place where I knew absolutely no one and it was scary. However, within a day of being there I made friends and from there it has never stopped. It doesn’t matter where life has led me, any place I go to, any situation I walk into, I have been able to make friends, feel right at home, and love my life exactly as it is, and that is all because the Lord has been with me and blessed me wherever I am. I cannot thank Him enough for the friends and relationships I have made over the past eight years of college, seminary, and vicarage. And now I continue to thank Him for the relationships I am building here at Peace in Christ and the Duluth area. Again, He has blessed me so much more richly than I deserve and I know He will continue to bless my ministry for the years to come.
So I thank, praise, and worship the wonderful God we have, I thank you my followers for supporting and encouraging me and sharing in the experiences I have had over the past four years, and I pray we may continue to share in the grace, mercy, and love of Christ for many more years to come. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Our God is a God of salvation!
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Have you ever thought about the reputation of God? I mean the word God gets used in all sorts of contexts that can be argued whether they are really speaking about the one and only true God. But even more than that, think about all the ways people talk about God. Hopefully you have heard God be called gracious, loving, and merciful. However, you might have also heard Him called angry, mean, spiteful, even hateful or evil. We learn God's attributes as all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present. Now just imagine if you took a poll of every person in the world on what they thought about God, what would those statistics look like? If you organized the stats into a pie chart, how many slices would there be and which would be the biggest slice? A lot of different people have a lot of different views of God. What would your answer be? If you had to to answer the question, "How would you describe God in one sentence?" How would you answer?
I think my first instinct might be to use the adjective gracious or loving. I might try to sneak a little language of the creeds in there and include that My God, the one and only true Triune God, is a loving and gracious God. However, look at how the psalmist from Psalm 68 speaks about God. Our God is a God of salvation. This is most certainly a correct way to answer the question, but is it one that would jump into your mind? Now I am not trying to say that this is the best possible answer or anything like that. I am simply trying to point out one more way God's Word shows us how He is as our God. The Bible is the revealed knowledge of God which reveals to us who our God is, how He works in our lives, and what His will is for our lives. So the psalmist's claim that our God is a God of salvation is just one more way of showing us who our God is. He is truly a God of salvation. Look at the extent He is willing to go to in order to give us our salvation. He forgives Adam and Eve when they sin for the first time, He remains with His people and frees them from slavery in Egypt, He guides them through the wilderness, He rescues them from countless enemies during the judges and kings reign, and sends His one and only Son to redeem all of us. The entire story of the Old Testament is leading up and pointing towards God offering salvation to His people. The four Gospels are obviously pointing to God's salvation for mankind with Jesus as the main character of all four. The life, death, and resurrection of His Son was purely for our salvation. And now during the life of the church, we are constantly reminded of the salvation we have in Christ as a free gift from God. The promise of eternal life which is our Easter hope is the completion of the salvation God has already given us. The entire narrative of God and His people is about salvation, and since He has done all the work for us, He truly is a God of salvation. So there is nothing wrong with saying God is a gracious, loving, or merciful God. But He shows us His grace, mercy, and love in the free gift of salvation He offers to all who believe in His Son Jesus. So maybe the psalmist's answer of our God is a God of salvation does rank up there among the best answers, I'll let you rank them yourselves. But be reassured, our God is most certainly a God of salvation as He offers salvation freely through His Son to you! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
I think my first instinct might be to use the adjective gracious or loving. I might try to sneak a little language of the creeds in there and include that My God, the one and only true Triune God, is a loving and gracious God. However, look at how the psalmist from Psalm 68 speaks about God. Our God is a God of salvation. This is most certainly a correct way to answer the question, but is it one that would jump into your mind? Now I am not trying to say that this is the best possible answer or anything like that. I am simply trying to point out one more way God's Word shows us how He is as our God. The Bible is the revealed knowledge of God which reveals to us who our God is, how He works in our lives, and what His will is for our lives. So the psalmist's claim that our God is a God of salvation is just one more way of showing us who our God is. He is truly a God of salvation. Look at the extent He is willing to go to in order to give us our salvation. He forgives Adam and Eve when they sin for the first time, He remains with His people and frees them from slavery in Egypt, He guides them through the wilderness, He rescues them from countless enemies during the judges and kings reign, and sends His one and only Son to redeem all of us. The entire story of the Old Testament is leading up and pointing towards God offering salvation to His people. The four Gospels are obviously pointing to God's salvation for mankind with Jesus as the main character of all four. The life, death, and resurrection of His Son was purely for our salvation. And now during the life of the church, we are constantly reminded of the salvation we have in Christ as a free gift from God. The promise of eternal life which is our Easter hope is the completion of the salvation God has already given us. The entire narrative of God and His people is about salvation, and since He has done all the work for us, He truly is a God of salvation. So there is nothing wrong with saying God is a gracious, loving, or merciful God. But He shows us His grace, mercy, and love in the free gift of salvation He offers to all who believe in His Son Jesus. So maybe the psalmist's answer of our God is a God of salvation does rank up there among the best answers, I'll let you rank them yourselves. But be reassured, our God is most certainly a God of salvation as He offers salvation freely through His Son to you! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Happy Sunday
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Worship went well this morning. I did liturgy and Pastor Ludwig preached an awesome sermon on Deuteronomy 4. It was a good sermon on why the law is still a good thing. This is actually a topic I have been studying up on quite a bit lately so I was glad to hear his point of view on it. I appreciate his down to earth approach on things and I think the people appreciate it too.
The world today does anything to try to explain or diminish the law. Even Christians try to make the law not important. The truth is that the law is still a wonderful thing given to us from God. Don't believe me? Try reading Psalm 119 and see what it saws about God's law, statues, commandments, etc. Now it is true, we live by the Gospel of Jesus Christ but even Jesus says he did not come to get rid of the law. We still live according to God's will which is given to us in His law. An the real issue is that when we try to void the law, we actually change the Gospel message. When we try to say the law doesn't matter because Christians are just as sinful as non-believers, we are denying that salvation has actually changed us into saints. When we try to say the law only applies to non-Christians because believers are already saved by the Gospel, we deny the fact that we as Christians are still sinners. It is the sinner and saint paradox that is a mystery to us and yet does not give us permission to change the Word of God. As children of God who are sinners and yet are saved saints all at the same time, the Law applies to us to teach us how to live according to God's will, and the Gospel most certainly applies to us because it is through the forgiveness of sins in Christ's name that we have eternal life.
Hope you have a great Sunday and as you hear the Word of our Lord be reminded that we as His children, who live according to His will, only have life in His name. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
The world today does anything to try to explain or diminish the law. Even Christians try to make the law not important. The truth is that the law is still a wonderful thing given to us from God. Don't believe me? Try reading Psalm 119 and see what it saws about God's law, statues, commandments, etc. Now it is true, we live by the Gospel of Jesus Christ but even Jesus says he did not come to get rid of the law. We still live according to God's will which is given to us in His law. An the real issue is that when we try to void the law, we actually change the Gospel message. When we try to say the law doesn't matter because Christians are just as sinful as non-believers, we are denying that salvation has actually changed us into saints. When we try to say the law only applies to non-Christians because believers are already saved by the Gospel, we deny the fact that we as Christians are still sinners. It is the sinner and saint paradox that is a mystery to us and yet does not give us permission to change the Word of God. As children of God who are sinners and yet are saved saints all at the same time, the Law applies to us to teach us how to live according to God's will, and the Gospel most certainly applies to us because it is through the forgiveness of sins in Christ's name that we have eternal life.
Hope you have a great Sunday and as you hear the Word of our Lord be reminded that we as His children, who live according to His will, only have life in His name. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Grass getting rained on?
Greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This morning's devotion included Psalm 72. In this psalm there was a line that has stuck with me all day. The line is verse 6: "May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass." This line sticks with me for two reasons. The first is because it made me think back to one time I was a young child and I heard the pastor of my home church compare us to the grass. I went home that night and wrote a "sermon" on what it would be like if we as people really were grass. It was quite comical and even included a cow pie if I remember correctly. However, the second reason this line has stuck with me all day is because it is a beautiful metaphor for how faith really works. We really are like grass in the sense that we can do nothing to earn or gain our justification. Grass does nothing to earn the rain. The only thing grass can do is what it was designed to do, grow! So the grass just does what it was made to do and it grows. It is completely dependent on other to provide for it. The grass needs the rain, but all it can do is wait for the rain to come. We like grass need God's grace and forgiveness to live eternally and yet there is nothing we can do to earn or gain God's grace. We like the grass must do what we were created to do and wait for God to send His grace on us. And do you notice something else? It says the mown grass. Why is this important? Because I think we all know that when it rains on freshly cut grass, it is ready more now that ever to start growing. It has been trimmed and watered and the conditions are just right for growing. So it is with us and being cut down. When the law shows us our sins and the fact that we deserve nothing but eternal condemnation and then God showers us with His grace and forgiveness, never is there a more prime time for us to grow. We have been cut down by the law and our sin, but we have been watered by the Gospel and we are now ready to do what God has created us to do, grow in our faith. So this simple line reminds me that as I daily confess my sins to God in prayer, I have been mown. The old sinful nature is cut down. And at the very same time God showers His grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ and His salvation down upon me and gives me the strength to grow. So let us all pray that God may be like rain on the mown grass and know that the Law and Gospel of Jesus Christ are always working in our lives to help us grow in our faith and do exactly what God has created us to do, and all of this happens without any effort or merit of our own. What a gracious and loving God we have to shower us with His gifts so that we can grow in Him, Amen.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
First Sermon at Peace in Christ
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. I am not sure if you are all aware of this but most of my sermons will be put up as an audio file on the church's website. The website is: http://www.piclutheran.org/ Then under the "Learn" tab is a link to the sermon files. I say most of them because they may not all be up there. They try to get all of them up, but sometimes they don't record or other things happen. So my second sermon is actually up on the website and my third one should be put up soon. However, my first one did not record properly so it will not be up there. So I will post the manuscript on here for you. Keep in mind my manuscripts are not word for word what I actually end up preaching, but it gives you the idea for the sermon anyway. Actually the last two sermons, I have not even really written out manuscripts since I do not preach them anyway. So luckily they recorded and will be on the website. So for your reading, here is the manuscript for my first sermon as an ordained pastor. Hope you enjoy!
Text – 1 Kings 19:1-8
Focus Text: verse 7
Theme: Journey is too great for you
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elijah – what an incredible man. Elijah is just one of those men of the Bible that really is an example of men among boys. Think of all of the amazing things Elijah did in his ministry. Elijah was the one who prayed and made it stop raining for three years. Elijah is the one who challenged the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel and after he wins the challenge by proving his God is real, he slaughters 450 prophets of Baal. Elijah is the one who will eventually be taken to heaven in a chariot of fire while Elisha, his predecessor, watches. Elijah is the man. In fact, Elijah is even mentioned several times in the New Testament. When Jesus is asking His disciples who people say He is, Elijah is one of the answers. And of course, when Jesus cries out from the cross one of the seven times, the religious leaders think he is calling out for Elijah and watch to see if Elijah will actually come. If you have ever had the opportunity to be a part of a legitimate Seder dinner, the dinner Jewish people still celebrate on the night of the Passover, it always ends with the youngest child at the table going to the front door of the house to see if Elijah has come. And when Elijah is not at the front door, they say, hopefully next year He will come. They are waiting each year for Elijah to come back for them. Elijah is a major figure not only in the Old Testament, but throughout the entire Biblical narrative. Elijah is the man. Personally when I compare myself to Elijah, I feel pretty worthless.
This morning Elijah is the main character of our reading from 1 Kings Chapter 19. This narrative comes right after the Mt. Carmel scene where God used Elijah to prove He is the one and only true God and that Baal is nothing but a worthless idol. Elijah not only wins the challenge but does indeed slaughter, massacre 450 men, 450 prophets of the false god Baal. Now King Ahab tells his evil wife Jezebel what Elijah has done. Jezebel who is always causing trouble for the prophets of the Lord, tells Elijah she is going to kill him since he killed the prophets of Baal. So Elijah flees for his life. Now this is not the first time Elijah flees for his life, nor is it the first time God directly intervenes to provide for Elijah as he is fleeing. Every time Elijah flees for his own safety, God always provides the food and water he needs. God has used ravens and widows to provide for Elijah. However, this time he sends the angel of the Lord to bring Elijah food and water. Elijah wakes up to bread and water and the angel of the Lord telling him to arise and eat. Then the second time Elijah wakes up to bread and water and the angel of the Lord speaking to him is what I really want to focus in on today. I want to focus in on this specific detail of the story because what the angel of the Lord says to Elijah the second time really struck me as interesting.
The angel of the Lord not only says, arise and eat this time, he also says, “for the journey is too great for you.” This is Elijah we’re talking about, the men among boys, the prophet of prophets. The journey is too great for him on his own, so God directly intervenes, sends His angel, feeds Elijah, and gives him the strength to make it to Horeb. And yet when we look at verse 4 of this very same passage, we see Elijah giving up, asking God to take his life. Elijah, compares himself his fathers, basically saying, “I am no better than anyone else who has lived, I am no better than any other sinner.” Elijah, the major figure in the Old Testament, feels worthless, like he has done nothing right and is asking God to just take him away. Now, I am no Elijah, but I have felt this way before. I have felt so worthless, so helpless, like no matter what I do it is not right anyway so I might as well give up. Have you felt this way? Have you ever felt helpless, hopeless, worthless, and just wanted to give up? Have you ever been at such a low point that you actually asked God to take your life away and just end it all?
I imagine most of us have. But whether you have experienced this or not, look at what God does and says to Elijah in that very moment. When Elijah is at his lowest, God directly intervenes and comes to him through the angel of the Lord. He feeds Elijah, gives him water to drink, not just once, but twice. And this is when God speaking through His angel tells Elijah, Arise and eat for the journey is too great for you. God knows what Elijah is thinking, He knows what Elijah is going through and He knows the journey is too great for Elijah to do this on his own.
Now you could take this extremely literally and say the forty miles to Horeb is too great for Elijah, but I believe God is speaking even more broadly and saying, I know this journey through life is too great for you. And I believe God says this to all of us in our times of doubt, our low moments. All those times where we too, just like Elijah fleeing for his life felt helpless, hopeless, and worthless. In our struggles, our failures, our low points, God comes directly intervening for us too and tells us, The journey is too great for you.
We live in a sinful, stressful, depressing world that constantly seems to be trying to break us. Watch five minutes of any news channel and you immediately are reminded of how sick, twisted, and corrupt our world is. Random shootings and acts of senseless violence, more laws making direct sin against God legal in our country, Planned Parenthood not only killing babies, but now chopping them up to make money off of them. And with all of the evil and corruption that is constantly happening all around us, it becomes too real for us when it begins to affect our lives. When life seems to be stacked against us and everything is falling apart right around us. These are the moments when we really feel like Elijah here. This is when the journey of life is too great for us. Because you see it’s not that the journey through life is impossible, but to remain faithful through that journey is the difficult part. There are a lot of atheists that make a great life for themselves. In fact sometimes it seems like the unfaithful, the ones who have nothing to do with church or God are the only ones who don’t have struggles in this life. But when God says the journey is too great for you, He means the journey of remaining faithful to Him in the struggles of life is too great for you. To face trials, temptation, hardships, and struggles and still through them all fear, love, and trust in God above all things is the part that is too great for us.
When life throws its darkest, toughest moments at us – this is when we feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless like Elijah. This is when we ask God to just end it, take us away, make the pain, the loneliness, the suffering end. When your husband or wife is diagnosed with cancer and you watch him or her go through the suffering of chemo knowing there is nothing you can do to help him or her. When a teenager is killed or dies un-expectantly and you can’t understand why so much of his or her life will never happen now. When you lose a child at birth and can barely bear the pain of holding your precious child that you will not get to watch grow up. When these dark, horrible, tragic, unexplainable, terrifying effects of sin, death, and evil rear their ugly face in your life, the journey of a faithful life becomes too great for us and we just want it to end rather than continuing to feel the pain, the doubts, the helplessness, and the hopelessness. The journey is too great for us and we give up.
However, God knows the journey is too great for us. Just as He heard Elijah’s prayer of doubt, prayer of despair, He hears our prayers. He hears our moans, our shouts of anger, our sighs of disbelief, our prayers of despair. And just as He took direct action, directly intervening in his life, feeding him to give him the strength to arise, to eat, and to continue on his way, God comes to us in those dark, suffering moments. He feeds us, gives us the strength to arise, to eat, and to continue on our journey of faith through this life. Last Sunday Pastor Ludwig gave us a great sermon on Jesus as the bread of life that is far better than any earthly bread. This morning’s Gospel lesson was again on John 6 and Jesus as the bread of life. God comes to us when we are weak, struggling, doubting, and gives us our bread of life, His very own Son Jesus Christ and tells us arise and eat. When we are weak and want to quit, God comes to us and gives us the strength of His Son, the bread of life. He knew this journey through life would be too great for us, He knew we could not make it faithfully to the end if we had only ourselves to depend on. This is why He directly intervened by sending His Son to be born in this world, make it faithfully through His journey in this life, only to be killed on the cross and rise again to new life. Jesus has conquered sin, life, and evil and now offers us His strength to remain in the faith He gives to us, and to forgive us for all those times we are too weak to remain faithful. God directed intervened to send His Son to be the Savior of the world, to be the bread of life so that now in all those times of weakness, struggles, trials and temptations, in the moments of helplessness and hopelessness, God who knows the struggles we are going through, God who knows the journey is too great for us gives us His strength in His Son, who is the bread of life. God directly intervenes in your life, telling you to arise and eat and gives you the strength you need to continue on your journey.
He comes to you in His word as you hear the Holy Scriptures read aloud here at church or when you read your Bible at home. He comes to you through the gift of your baptism which is still constantly working in you as the Holy Spirit lives in you and works to continually make you holy. He comes to you in the words of absolution that as they are spoken over you, your sins are truly forgiven and you are given a fresh clean slate and renewed faith to continue on in your journey. He comes to you through brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage you in your faith, who help bear the burden as they cry with you when you cry and empathize with your pain. And He comes to you in His very own body and blood, assuring you your sins are forgiven, renewing your faith that He really is with you, and giving you the strength you need for the next part of the journey. God loves you so very much and wants nothing other than to see you make it through this journey of life in the faith He has given you, that He continues to come to you over and over again, giving you the strength you need, giving you the Bread of Life, His Son, our Lord Jesus, because He knows life is difficult and that the journey is too great for you, so He gives you the strength you need, He gives you the assurance that He is with you, and He gives you the ability to make it to the end of the journey where He will be to welcome you into His loving arms. The journey would be too great for you if you were alone. But you are not alone because God loves you and is with you. Let Him come to you in His gifts of His Word, His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace and His love. Come receive His strength through the Bread of life, Jesus’ body and blood. And then continue on your journey of life knowing God is with you at all times, he loves you and gives you His strength to remain faithful until the end. In Jesus name, Amen.
Text – 1 Kings 19:1-8
Focus Text: verse 7
Theme: Journey is too great for you
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elijah – what an incredible man. Elijah is just one of those men of the Bible that really is an example of men among boys. Think of all of the amazing things Elijah did in his ministry. Elijah was the one who prayed and made it stop raining for three years. Elijah is the one who challenged the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel and after he wins the challenge by proving his God is real, he slaughters 450 prophets of Baal. Elijah is the one who will eventually be taken to heaven in a chariot of fire while Elisha, his predecessor, watches. Elijah is the man. In fact, Elijah is even mentioned several times in the New Testament. When Jesus is asking His disciples who people say He is, Elijah is one of the answers. And of course, when Jesus cries out from the cross one of the seven times, the religious leaders think he is calling out for Elijah and watch to see if Elijah will actually come. If you have ever had the opportunity to be a part of a legitimate Seder dinner, the dinner Jewish people still celebrate on the night of the Passover, it always ends with the youngest child at the table going to the front door of the house to see if Elijah has come. And when Elijah is not at the front door, they say, hopefully next year He will come. They are waiting each year for Elijah to come back for them. Elijah is a major figure not only in the Old Testament, but throughout the entire Biblical narrative. Elijah is the man. Personally when I compare myself to Elijah, I feel pretty worthless.
This morning Elijah is the main character of our reading from 1 Kings Chapter 19. This narrative comes right after the Mt. Carmel scene where God used Elijah to prove He is the one and only true God and that Baal is nothing but a worthless idol. Elijah not only wins the challenge but does indeed slaughter, massacre 450 men, 450 prophets of the false god Baal. Now King Ahab tells his evil wife Jezebel what Elijah has done. Jezebel who is always causing trouble for the prophets of the Lord, tells Elijah she is going to kill him since he killed the prophets of Baal. So Elijah flees for his life. Now this is not the first time Elijah flees for his life, nor is it the first time God directly intervenes to provide for Elijah as he is fleeing. Every time Elijah flees for his own safety, God always provides the food and water he needs. God has used ravens and widows to provide for Elijah. However, this time he sends the angel of the Lord to bring Elijah food and water. Elijah wakes up to bread and water and the angel of the Lord telling him to arise and eat. Then the second time Elijah wakes up to bread and water and the angel of the Lord speaking to him is what I really want to focus in on today. I want to focus in on this specific detail of the story because what the angel of the Lord says to Elijah the second time really struck me as interesting.
The angel of the Lord not only says, arise and eat this time, he also says, “for the journey is too great for you.” This is Elijah we’re talking about, the men among boys, the prophet of prophets. The journey is too great for him on his own, so God directly intervenes, sends His angel, feeds Elijah, and gives him the strength to make it to Horeb. And yet when we look at verse 4 of this very same passage, we see Elijah giving up, asking God to take his life. Elijah, compares himself his fathers, basically saying, “I am no better than anyone else who has lived, I am no better than any other sinner.” Elijah, the major figure in the Old Testament, feels worthless, like he has done nothing right and is asking God to just take him away. Now, I am no Elijah, but I have felt this way before. I have felt so worthless, so helpless, like no matter what I do it is not right anyway so I might as well give up. Have you felt this way? Have you ever felt helpless, hopeless, worthless, and just wanted to give up? Have you ever been at such a low point that you actually asked God to take your life away and just end it all?
I imagine most of us have. But whether you have experienced this or not, look at what God does and says to Elijah in that very moment. When Elijah is at his lowest, God directly intervenes and comes to him through the angel of the Lord. He feeds Elijah, gives him water to drink, not just once, but twice. And this is when God speaking through His angel tells Elijah, Arise and eat for the journey is too great for you. God knows what Elijah is thinking, He knows what Elijah is going through and He knows the journey is too great for Elijah to do this on his own.
Now you could take this extremely literally and say the forty miles to Horeb is too great for Elijah, but I believe God is speaking even more broadly and saying, I know this journey through life is too great for you. And I believe God says this to all of us in our times of doubt, our low moments. All those times where we too, just like Elijah fleeing for his life felt helpless, hopeless, and worthless. In our struggles, our failures, our low points, God comes directly intervening for us too and tells us, The journey is too great for you.
We live in a sinful, stressful, depressing world that constantly seems to be trying to break us. Watch five minutes of any news channel and you immediately are reminded of how sick, twisted, and corrupt our world is. Random shootings and acts of senseless violence, more laws making direct sin against God legal in our country, Planned Parenthood not only killing babies, but now chopping them up to make money off of them. And with all of the evil and corruption that is constantly happening all around us, it becomes too real for us when it begins to affect our lives. When life seems to be stacked against us and everything is falling apart right around us. These are the moments when we really feel like Elijah here. This is when the journey of life is too great for us. Because you see it’s not that the journey through life is impossible, but to remain faithful through that journey is the difficult part. There are a lot of atheists that make a great life for themselves. In fact sometimes it seems like the unfaithful, the ones who have nothing to do with church or God are the only ones who don’t have struggles in this life. But when God says the journey is too great for you, He means the journey of remaining faithful to Him in the struggles of life is too great for you. To face trials, temptation, hardships, and struggles and still through them all fear, love, and trust in God above all things is the part that is too great for us.
When life throws its darkest, toughest moments at us – this is when we feel helpless, hopeless, and worthless like Elijah. This is when we ask God to just end it, take us away, make the pain, the loneliness, the suffering end. When your husband or wife is diagnosed with cancer and you watch him or her go through the suffering of chemo knowing there is nothing you can do to help him or her. When a teenager is killed or dies un-expectantly and you can’t understand why so much of his or her life will never happen now. When you lose a child at birth and can barely bear the pain of holding your precious child that you will not get to watch grow up. When these dark, horrible, tragic, unexplainable, terrifying effects of sin, death, and evil rear their ugly face in your life, the journey of a faithful life becomes too great for us and we just want it to end rather than continuing to feel the pain, the doubts, the helplessness, and the hopelessness. The journey is too great for us and we give up.
However, God knows the journey is too great for us. Just as He heard Elijah’s prayer of doubt, prayer of despair, He hears our prayers. He hears our moans, our shouts of anger, our sighs of disbelief, our prayers of despair. And just as He took direct action, directly intervening in his life, feeding him to give him the strength to arise, to eat, and to continue on his way, God comes to us in those dark, suffering moments. He feeds us, gives us the strength to arise, to eat, and to continue on our journey of faith through this life. Last Sunday Pastor Ludwig gave us a great sermon on Jesus as the bread of life that is far better than any earthly bread. This morning’s Gospel lesson was again on John 6 and Jesus as the bread of life. God comes to us when we are weak, struggling, doubting, and gives us our bread of life, His very own Son Jesus Christ and tells us arise and eat. When we are weak and want to quit, God comes to us and gives us the strength of His Son, the bread of life. He knew this journey through life would be too great for us, He knew we could not make it faithfully to the end if we had only ourselves to depend on. This is why He directly intervened by sending His Son to be born in this world, make it faithfully through His journey in this life, only to be killed on the cross and rise again to new life. Jesus has conquered sin, life, and evil and now offers us His strength to remain in the faith He gives to us, and to forgive us for all those times we are too weak to remain faithful. God directed intervened to send His Son to be the Savior of the world, to be the bread of life so that now in all those times of weakness, struggles, trials and temptations, in the moments of helplessness and hopelessness, God who knows the struggles we are going through, God who knows the journey is too great for us gives us His strength in His Son, who is the bread of life. God directly intervenes in your life, telling you to arise and eat and gives you the strength you need to continue on your journey.
He comes to you in His word as you hear the Holy Scriptures read aloud here at church or when you read your Bible at home. He comes to you through the gift of your baptism which is still constantly working in you as the Holy Spirit lives in you and works to continually make you holy. He comes to you in the words of absolution that as they are spoken over you, your sins are truly forgiven and you are given a fresh clean slate and renewed faith to continue on in your journey. He comes to you through brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage you in your faith, who help bear the burden as they cry with you when you cry and empathize with your pain. And He comes to you in His very own body and blood, assuring you your sins are forgiven, renewing your faith that He really is with you, and giving you the strength you need for the next part of the journey. God loves you so very much and wants nothing other than to see you make it through this journey of life in the faith He has given you, that He continues to come to you over and over again, giving you the strength you need, giving you the Bread of Life, His Son, our Lord Jesus, because He knows life is difficult and that the journey is too great for you, so He gives you the strength you need, He gives you the assurance that He is with you, and He gives you the ability to make it to the end of the journey where He will be to welcome you into His loving arms. The journey would be too great for you if you were alone. But you are not alone because God loves you and is with you. Let Him come to you in His gifts of His Word, His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace and His love. Come receive His strength through the Bread of life, Jesus’ body and blood. And then continue on your journey of life knowing God is with you at all times, he loves you and gives you His strength to remain faithful until the end. In Jesus name, Amen.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
You talking to me?
Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus who loves you all so dearly. Have you ever had that moment that you are reading your usual devotion and yet it seems like God is speaking specifically to you individually? You realize there could not have been a better text or message that day then what you just read, because it fit perfectly with whatever you may be going through in yo life at the moment. This happens quite a bit to me but it definitely happened this morning. I opened my devotion and read the Psalm and I almost laughed out loud. I just stopped and said to myself, "I hear you loud and clear Lord." I knew God could see I had been letting my mind wander on something and He decided it was enough and threw this text right at me in my face to make sure I couldn't miss it. Now, I imagine there are probably some theologians out there who might try to say that it is wrong of me to assume God put that text in there just for me. However, I am a firm believer God is always at work in our lives and He works in mysterious ways, so I am not convinced that these moments aren't God's hand at work directly in our lives and Him reassuring us of His promises and love.
The Psalm this morning was Psalm 32 (one of the penitential psalms) which I have preached on before. As I read it that sermon theme came rushing back to my mind and I knew t was exactly what I needed to hear. And after reading the Psalm, I stopped reading without finishing the rest of the devotion and went to prayer. If God is speaking directly to me in that moment, I wanted to make sure I talked back and thanked Him for the grace and mercy He continues to show me each and every day. So not only are daily devotions a great way to keep yourself in God's Word and your mind on heavenly things instead of earthly things, but it is one more opportunity for our loving, protecting, and always watching Father to speak directly to us and remind us that we are His and nothing will ever change that. Praise be to God who not only gives us His Word in the Scriptures, but gave us His revealed Word in the flesh and blood of His very own Son Jesus Christ who showed us exactly how much our Father loves us and is always at work in our lives.
The Psalm this morning was Psalm 32 (one of the penitential psalms) which I have preached on before. As I read it that sermon theme came rushing back to my mind and I knew t was exactly what I needed to hear. And after reading the Psalm, I stopped reading without finishing the rest of the devotion and went to prayer. If God is speaking directly to me in that moment, I wanted to make sure I talked back and thanked Him for the grace and mercy He continues to show me each and every day. So not only are daily devotions a great way to keep yourself in God's Word and your mind on heavenly things instead of earthly things, but it is one more opportunity for our loving, protecting, and always watching Father to speak directly to us and remind us that we are His and nothing will ever change that. Praise be to God who not only gives us His Word in the Scriptures, but gave us His revealed Word in the flesh and blood of His very own Son Jesus Christ who showed us exactly how much our Father loves us and is always at work in our lives.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Bold enough to look.
Greetings to you in Christ Jesus. This morning's devotion included Psalm 27. Verses 1, 7 and 8 got me thinking. Verse one starts with, "The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?" Now while these are words of comfort reminding us that because we have God we really do not have to fear anything in this life. Except God. All of the commandment explanations start with we should fear and love God... So we have a God who we should fear and love, but then because we do fear and love Him we don't have to fear anything. This is one of those places where our faith is so rich and complex that at times we could almost be tempted to say different passages are contradicting each other. But then as I read verses 7 and 8 I was immediately reminded of Moses. In Exodus 3 with the story of the burning bush, Moses falls on his face to not look at the bush because he is scared to look at God. He does fear the Lord. However, in Exodus 33, we find Moses asking to see the full glory of God. God agrees and lets Moses see His backside but God will not let Moses see His face. We see Moses going from being to terrified to even look at a bush to later being bold enough to ask to see God's face. What changed? Moses knew God much better and was in a relationship with Him by chapter 33.
So in Psalm 27, in verses 7 and 8 it speaks about our heart seeking to see the face of God. We like Moses should fear the Lord knowing He is the Lord Almighty. This is why Luther includes fear and love God in all the commandments because as we are learning His ways from the fundamentals of the Small Catechism, we should fear Him out of respect for Him as our God. However, once we have learned the fundamentals and moved on to a deep, personal relationship with our God, we can begin to be more bold like Moses and let our heart seek to see the face of God. This is not to say we have become worthy to see God's face, but merely that we love Him so much and we are so completely committed to our relationship with Him, we want to be in His presence standing right before Him seeking to see His face.
So you should fear and love the Lord in all you do, and then as your relationship with Him grows and your fear and love for Him will give you the desire for that relationship to always be growing and your heart truly can seek to see the face of God. The best news, is that God let us see His glory by sending His Son and some day we will all see the face of God when Christ comes again. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
So in Psalm 27, in verses 7 and 8 it speaks about our heart seeking to see the face of God. We like Moses should fear the Lord knowing He is the Lord Almighty. This is why Luther includes fear and love God in all the commandments because as we are learning His ways from the fundamentals of the Small Catechism, we should fear Him out of respect for Him as our God. However, once we have learned the fundamentals and moved on to a deep, personal relationship with our God, we can begin to be more bold like Moses and let our heart seek to see the face of God. This is not to say we have become worthy to see God's face, but merely that we love Him so much and we are so completely committed to our relationship with Him, we want to be in His presence standing right before Him seeking to see His face.
So you should fear and love the Lord in all you do, and then as your relationship with Him grows and your fear and love for Him will give you the desire for that relationship to always be growing and your heart truly can seek to see the face of God. The best news, is that God let us see His glory by sending His Son and some day we will all see the face of God when Christ comes again. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
All of God's Word working together!
Blessings to you in Jesus Christ. Have you ever noticed when you are doing your devotions and then go to Bible study, or hear the sermon that Sunday, how so much of God's Word seems to be saying the same thing. I mean obviously all of God's Word is saying the same thing because it all points to Christ as our Lord and Savior. But what I mean is like one specific theme out of all the countless metaphors, themes, or ideas the Bible uses to talk about Jesus. This has happened to me lately, everything is pointing very specifically to the selfless love of Christ.
I was writing and preparing the sermon for this morning and the theme was Christ's selfless love. I used Ephesians 5 as the text and focused on Christ's selfless love rather than our selfish sinful nature pushing away the ideas of submitting and loving selflessly. But then as I went to the PALS meeting we had a Bible Study on love. We looked at ten passages and all of them kept coming back to the theme of Christ's selfless love. Then in my morning devotions, I notice the same theme of Christ's selfless love for us. I guess I am rambling because I appreciate when you start to notice a specific theme and then you see it come out of the wood work. Once you notice it, it's like you can't miss it. I truly appreciate that about the richness of God's Word and how it all works together to show us Christ and yet can reveal new things to us all the time. I hope as you spend time in the Word you may begin to notice Christ's selfless love and be reminded of the perfect, selfless loving Lord He is. In the name of Christ, Amen.
I was writing and preparing the sermon for this morning and the theme was Christ's selfless love. I used Ephesians 5 as the text and focused on Christ's selfless love rather than our selfish sinful nature pushing away the ideas of submitting and loving selflessly. But then as I went to the PALS meeting we had a Bible Study on love. We looked at ten passages and all of them kept coming back to the theme of Christ's selfless love. Then in my morning devotions, I notice the same theme of Christ's selfless love for us. I guess I am rambling because I appreciate when you start to notice a specific theme and then you see it come out of the wood work. Once you notice it, it's like you can't miss it. I truly appreciate that about the richness of God's Word and how it all works together to show us Christ and yet can reveal new things to us all the time. I hope as you spend time in the Word you may begin to notice Christ's selfless love and be reminded of the perfect, selfless loving Lord He is. In the name of Christ, Amen.
Lutheran Island Camp
Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well I went to the doctor the other day and my fractured bones in my wrist are healing well. I go back in four weeks to change out the cast and have it X-Ray'd again to see how much longer I will have to have it on. I also passed my driver's license test and got my car titled and registered in Minnesota so I am officially a Minnesota resident. It was weird to put Minnesota plates on Sady (my car), but yet I've been told cops don't watch you near as closely for speeding when you have in-state plates.
I spent Friday night at Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, MN. We had our first PALS meeting. PALS is Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support. It is for all pastors hat are 1 to 3 years out of the seminary. So all the new guys form our district got together to meet each other and spend an evening and morning together in Bible Study, fellowship, and casuistry. It was fun to see some of the guys I knew at the seminary second and fourth years. The island is awesome and will be such a fun place to have district and PALS meetings in the future when I am not wearing a cast.
Well I just wanted to touch base and pray for blessings for all of you as I continue to be blessed and enjoy the start of my ministry. Lord's blessings on your Sunday morning worship!
I spent Friday night at Lutheran Island Camp in Henning, MN. We had our first PALS meeting. PALS is Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support. It is for all pastors hat are 1 to 3 years out of the seminary. So all the new guys form our district got together to meet each other and spend an evening and morning together in Bible Study, fellowship, and casuistry. It was fun to see some of the guys I knew at the seminary second and fourth years. The island is awesome and will be such a fun place to have district and PALS meetings in the future when I am not wearing a cast.
Well I just wanted to touch base and pray for blessings for all of you as I continue to be blessed and enjoy the start of my ministry. Lord's blessings on your Sunday morning worship!
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Coffee, Classic Music, and Chilly Weather
Greetings to you in he name of Lord Jesus Christ. This morning it is a perfect 57 degrees outside. I love waking up to the chilly breeze blowing through my window and across my bed. It makes the warmth of my comforter that much better. The only hard part is getting out of bed. And now as I sit in my office with a delicious cup of dark coffee, windows open letting the cool fresh air in, and the classical music of Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart and others playing in the background, it is the perfect atmosphere to sit and ponder on this weeks sermon. I feel so old and mature having my own office and actually enjoying classical music that once found boring. My sermon for this week is on Ephesians 5 -Wives submit and Husbands die- text. I am excited to see how it turns out. All of my sermons should be posted on our church website one of these days so you can listen to them on there. I have kind of gone away from writing full manuscripts, so I am glad we record my sermons so you can still enjoy them.
This morning's devotion continued with the story of David and Bathsheba. It was the portion of the story where Nathan confronts David with the parable of the rich man stealing the poor man's sheep. What a genius way to call someone out on their sin. However, the devotion also paired it with Psalm 51 which is perfect since David wrote Psalm 51 as he was reflecting on his sin with Bathsheba. So we have the text of 2 Samuel showing us David being confronted and called out for his sin. We see him mourn the child until it died. And then we get David's thoughts, feelings, and conflicting emotions from the Psalm. What a perfect way to read the story and see the struggle of sin we all go through. None of us like to be confronted with our sins and truth be told we really don't even like to confess them. However, along with the self-loathing and despairing emotions of David's confession, we also get the beautiful words of forgiveness and how wonderful our Lord is to have mercy on us. That is the precious beauty of our Lord's mercy and forgiveness. When we feel our worst, when we realize we have sinned against God Himself and feel as worthless as the worst person alive, He picks us up, He gives us our comfort and hope. He creates a clean heart in us and restores a right soul within us. He doesn't casts us from His presence, but draws us ever closer. He doesn't take His Holy Spirit from us, but instead revives us through His Spirit. He restores the joy of His salvation to us and lifts us up with His free Spirit. Thanks be to God He has had mercy on us and through His SOn Jesus Christ does forgive us. Amen.
This morning's devotion continued with the story of David and Bathsheba. It was the portion of the story where Nathan confronts David with the parable of the rich man stealing the poor man's sheep. What a genius way to call someone out on their sin. However, the devotion also paired it with Psalm 51 which is perfect since David wrote Psalm 51 as he was reflecting on his sin with Bathsheba. So we have the text of 2 Samuel showing us David being confronted and called out for his sin. We see him mourn the child until it died. And then we get David's thoughts, feelings, and conflicting emotions from the Psalm. What a perfect way to read the story and see the struggle of sin we all go through. None of us like to be confronted with our sins and truth be told we really don't even like to confess them. However, along with the self-loathing and despairing emotions of David's confession, we also get the beautiful words of forgiveness and how wonderful our Lord is to have mercy on us. That is the precious beauty of our Lord's mercy and forgiveness. When we feel our worst, when we realize we have sinned against God Himself and feel as worthless as the worst person alive, He picks us up, He gives us our comfort and hope. He creates a clean heart in us and restores a right soul within us. He doesn't casts us from His presence, but draws us ever closer. He doesn't take His Holy Spirit from us, but instead revives us through His Spirit. He restores the joy of His salvation to us and lifts us up with His free Spirit. Thanks be to God He has had mercy on us and through His SOn Jesus Christ does forgive us. Amen.
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