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.        

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.  

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.

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.