Confessional Gadfly

The Dangers of a Living Document

2012-02-10T11:52:00.002-06:00

I realize that everyone is shaped by their culture, is influenced by the times in which they were raised.

Consider politically the times in which I have been raised (age: 34). The Constitution is in theory the Law of our Land. Yet how is it viewed? Is it the Law of the Land, or do we read intentions into it? Do we read between the lines and say, "Oh, surely the Founders would have liked my wonderful idea"? Or, do some of us, even folks on the Supreme Court, basically view the Constitution as obsolete?

This is the age in which I have grown up - when politics and leaders in this Country worry less and less about what is written and go on and do their own thing. The past 11 years this has just increased all the more, and the rule of the written Law of the Land is ignored. And the result is chaos and strife and factionalism that is based on naked powerplays and mass manipulation. And I despise it.

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Now - knowing this, consider how I approach theology.

We have the written Word of God, everything revealed to us that is necessary for Salvation.

Do you understand why I don't trust and do not care for theological statements that are not clearly there? Why I don't trust what you claim to be God's obvious intent (that He did not say)? Why I don't trust the wisdom of man who claims to know what is good and righteous (even though God didn't see fit to spell it out)?

That is the path of chaos and strife and factionalism, replete with naked power plays and the desire to manipulate one's neighbor.

And I don't like it.

Hence: Show Me the Scriptures!

Do what you want, follow your conscience as long as the Scriptures don't countermand it... but don't tell me I need to follow your conscience as well. That path reeks of tyranny, and I wish nothing of it.

Lent is About Jesus

2012-02-10T08:20:00.002-06:00

The Season of Lent is about Jesus.

It isn't about what we give up. It isn't about our fasting. It isn't about hurriedly planning Easter parties. It is about Jesus.

You know how we get those "Jesus is the reason for the season" things floating around in December. It holds true in Lent as well.

Do I encourage you to give something up in Lent, or even fast. Sure. But not as a means of changing you, but as a tool with which to focus upon Christ - as a self discipline that teaches you to turn your eyes off of your belly and onto Christ.

Because Lent is all about watching Christ - it's about watching Him take on Satan and temptation, watching Him take on sin and suffering and death... and then watching Him die, and watching Him rise.

Lent is the season where we watch our Lord, where we take care to remove distractions, where we focus intently upon Him. Don't let it become the season of what you do for Jesus.

Why So Passionate?

2012-02-09T08:46:00.003-06:00

I was asked in a comment below why I was so passionate on the whole stuff with Contraception. And thinking and reflecting about it - it's not so much that specific issue (well, it irks me... I strongly dislike attempts to change society... God forbid we ever adopt a "Changing the Culture for Christ" sort of attitude... blech. Let's work out our own salvation with fear and trembling... and ya'll can do what you want, but as for me and my house, we'll follow the Lord. That's enough for anyone's plate!), but rather what really gets me fired up is the theological approach.

In our zeal to make people recognize blessings, we are approaching on making a Law, and a Law not found expressed in the Scriptures, a Law not specifically commanded, but a Law that "seems good to us" - that seems to be the intent of what God said.

Consider the parallel:

1. Children are a blessing (Scriptural)
2. Many reasons for avoiding children are foolish (I'll concede)
Solution: Teach that a Christian isn't to use contraception. (Huh?)

1. The Lord's Supper is a blessing (Scriptural)
2. Many reasons for avoiding the Supper are foolish (I'll concede)
Solution: Teach that a Christian must attend the Supper so often.

These two patterns are exactly the same. And they are wrong patterns. When people pushed Luther on how often one needed to attend the Supper - he wouldn't give an answer. We think he said "4 times a year" -- but that's not what he said. He said that if you don't attend at least for times a year you should examine yourself and consider whether or not you are still a Christian.

See... not a rule, not a hoop - but a drive towards self examination.

This becomes the thing... repentance always involves self examination, reflection, looking at ones own actions and evaluating them. Not simply conformity to outward behaviors.

I'd argue that the better approach would be as follows:

1. Show the Scriptural teaching (Both children and the Supper are blessings)
2. See that some reasons for avoiding are foolish (both children and the Supper)
3. Show what are foolish reasons, while having compassion for those who have legit reasons for what is going on.

I'm not going to hammer about having kids when there's the gal with the health issues in the congregation. I'm not going to hammer on attendance at Supper to the person who has some other issues that creep up.

Or in other words -- attack the foolish causes with the Law... and then simply let the New Man arise by the power of the Gospel... not by attempts to establish new rules to coax him out.

The Law never gives life. Us the Law only to attack that which hinders the Christian - sin and fear. Then the Gospel will give growth, then the Gospel will cast out fear. In God's own time... not yours.

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(Update and Addition)

The thing is this - this isn't just a silly fear or apprehension -- this same reasoning has popped up in other places.

Or why do some religious groups forbid blood transfusions?
Or why do some forbid all drinking?
Or why do some forbid all dancing?
Or say you need to handle snakes?
Or make Confession and Absolution mandatory?
Or have days of obligation?
Or mandate fasting?

It's the same theological steps, the same shift that is taken. And always for the best of reasons, always for an attempt to be good and God pleasing... and always going beyond His Word and substituting our own ideas and trying to lay these upon our neighbor.

Seeing Through Dame Reason's Stylish Sunglasses

2012-02-08T06:20:00.005-06:00

It was pointed out how I end up approach things from a more modernist perspective, rather than the approach that was taken classically amongst Lutherans in terms of my epistemology (the study of how one thinks). This is fair.

It was noted that classically there was more of an ontological approach, where the focus was upon what a thing is, where it's form determines its function. Nature itself reveals what something is to do. I take what some have apparently termed the "strong divine command ethic", where the focus is upon simply what the Word of God has said.

First, let it be noted that there is validity in both these approaches. There is ontological reality - a woman's body is designed to be able possibly to carry a child - a man's is not. Simple as that. There is a real difference in nature. On the other hand, I'm sure none of the people who get all bent out of shape on my approach to contraceptives would say that we should ignore the Word of God, or would denigrate the Word of God intentionally in any fashion.

But when it boils down to it, when push comes to shove, the question becomes which is the higher, better, more trusted way of thinking -- looking at the ontological nature of a thing, or looking directly at the Word of God.

I have to go with the latter.

Why? Well, consider Romans 1:18-20: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

"But wait," one might say, "this is just confirming that ontological approach - things should have been obvious to them, clearly perceived in the things that have been made - that's ontology!" Yep. You are right. And here's my question. What happened to all those people who had all that wonderful ontological evidence to consider?

They died condemned. Romans 1:21-23: For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

They moved to their own wisdom, their own thoughts, they claimed to be wise and became fools, and then made up religion of their own devising. And they were lost.

This is the point, the thing I fear. As Luther has pointed out, Dame Reason is a whore.

What do I see what I see constructs on the basis of natural law? What do I see when I hear people then make logical jumps and arrive at conclusions that God has not revealed in His Word? I just see the creation of new idols, new righteous fertility gods which we must worship in order for people to think we are good.

I see people dimming the light of God's revealed Word by choosing to look through dame reason's stylish sunglasses.

"but, but, but," one might say, "look how often the Lutheran Fathers took this approach, look at how Luther took this approach." Yes - and what schools was Luther trained in? Classical education, scholasticism, even humanism. And what's always running around in there -- well, what's Luther's beef with transubstantiation? That it's an attempt to apply a system of human logic to a mystery of God using terminology not present in the Scripture and binding people to accept it.

Hmm.... Reason moving beyond what is revealed in the Scriptures.

You know - maybe on the basis of ontology, you make a wonderful observation. Perhaps you even come up with a wonderful, useful connection, a great philosophy or approach to life. It may even be good... but without a clear Word from God, how do I know you haven't just been cavorting with the old harlot for your own pleasure and self-aggrandizement? This is what happened throughout the Old Testament, whenever people chose new ways to worship God - either in Samaria when it was to be in Jerusalem, whether it was new laws designed to aid one in keeping God's revealed Law (revealed in the Word), whether it was syncretic hedging of the bets, whether it was the establishment of Korban and things like that.

All seemed reasonable derivations, but all abandoned what God has said. And that's tragic. But the Word of God - ah, now that is a lamp unto my feet that is constant and flickers not. Thus, I will make my stand there.

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The counter that may come up is this - "alright, well tell me where the clear Word of God is that says that you *can* use contraception!"

There's not.

But tell me this. When have I ever claimed that using contraception is a holy and righteous way of worshiping God? I haven't. I've only claimed that it is neutral and free, not forbidden. And if you come across folks who argue that "as good Christians we must limit the number of kids" I'll gladly join with you in ripping that apart. That too is establishing a new righteousness on the basis of reason.

But that's not what I've been arguing for. (Nor, frankly, am I interested in trying to prove myself righteous or fall into some American-Finneyesque attempt to use the Christian faith to make the world a better place as though the purpose of the Church was to improve sinner's postures. If you have been talking for a while and have not talked about forgiveness, or it's just sort of appended on -- oh, I suppose there's forgiveness if you aren't as righteous as I -- then I'd rather just go listen to an old timey Methodist if I could find one)

You see, our lives are not about demonstrating our righteousness, or showing forth our own holiness by how proper we live. Christ is my righteousness, why would I ever point to my own acts as "righteous".

Rather this - I am concerned about showing love for the neighbor. And telling a neighbor "you must" when God has not said "you must" does nothing but crush them.

Let us attend

2012-02-07T17:06:00.000-06:00

Wisdom from Pastor Hall.

Seriously. Read it, and see how it is focused upon the neighbor.

The Fall and Its Impacts Upon Nature

2012-02-07T14:10:00.002-06:00

Thinking a bit more on folks and the approach to Natural Law, here are some thoughts.

1. I acknowledge an ontological aspect to creation - that things are created for a purpose and function and ought to generally be used in those functions (yes, I know folks will complain about that "generally" but give a dog a bone here).

2. However, after the fall, things do not work properly in nature. Our existence is fraught with difficulties and trials and dangers that would not be present absent the Fall.

3. It is good and proper to face trials and dangers with trust in God.

4. However, it is also an act of love to attempt to deliver or rescue your neighbor from the dangers and trials they face, and indeed to prevent them if possible. (Putting the little plastic plugs in the electrical sockets is a good thing)

5. It is not an act of love to simply tell ones' neighbor "you ought to trust God" and then do nothing to alleviate their burdens. (Consider James: "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?")

6. Because off the fall, because of the burden of life in a fallen world, there will be some things that are permitted or allowed that are not ideal, for so allowing prevents greater trial and trouble.

7. I acknowledge that the above is a dangerous statement, because one can always justify an action "for the greater good".

8. Therefore, the lines which are not to be crossed in terms of behavior are not to be established by the wisdom of man, nor the desire to obtain some natural state of perfection which ignores the neighbor. Rather, the lines which are not to be crossed in our attempts to alleviate the impact of sin are to be established by God, revealed in His Word.

Just some thoughts.

Someone Tell Me What is Wrong With This Flow of Logic

2012-02-07T13:26:00.002-06:00

Here is a challenge.

I am going to write something below which is wrong. There will be flaws and faulty movements and poor theology (as I think should be obvious). But I want someone to tell me why it is wrong, why it is flawed. Here it goes.

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A Christian is to be open and loving to his neighbor. And further more a Christian is to avoid greed and possessiveness. Indeed, our Lord even teaches us, "To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back."

Now, consider your door. It has a lock on it. Why? Why should you worry or fear the one who might take your goods - you should be glad to give -- if he take your cloak, give your tunic, if he takes your goods, do not demand them back.

What business do we have putting locks on our doors, striving vainly to protect what we think is "ours"? Trust God, not masterlock, and the Lord will protect and your goods as He sees fit.

To use a door lock is a sin, it is not commanded in the Scriptures, it denies the power of God (who passed through the locked door in John 20). It is wrong to lock your door.

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There's the challenge of the day - what's wrong with the above?

Mistaking the Symptom for the Cause

2012-02-06T20:50:00.002-06:00

Again, I have been pondering the shift against Contraceptives that I am seeing in Lutheranism... and I have just had a bad feeling about it -- the argumentation, the approach, the tact that has been taken just hasn't sat well with me. I don't like how Scripture isn't cited directly - how there are moves that just don't quite logically have to follow.

I can be all in favor of people having large families without saying, "You can't use birth control ever" -- just as someone can be opposed to violence and murder while still supporting the right to gun ownership. It seems to me that the focus has always been upon the tool - that if we can just eliminate a tool we will eliminate its abuse.

I was pointed to a sermon that Pastor Esget wrote for the Right to Life march in Washington, and I was in particular directed to the following section:

Have you been unwittingly part of that war, on the wrong side? It’s taken me a long time to figure out that while our church says all the right things about abortion, little is done to address all the scaffolding of the abortion culture. Where are the Lutheran crisis pregnancy centers? Where are the Lutheran adoption agencies? Birthrates among Lutherans have drastically declined along with the general population. For the pro-choice mindset has already been adopted when contraception is embraced. The use of contraception says, “We will decide when to have children, and what number is convenient for us.” Thus we make ourselves out to be God, and children are viewed as the result of our choice, decision, and will, instead of received as a gift from God. Until we as a church become a community that welcomes the unwed mother, the unexpected child, the unwanted child, how can we expect others to welcome the children growing in their wombs? (Emphasis Mine)

I love Pastor Esget dearly - he's one of the major reasons I am a pastor today... but there is something about this that I think is off (and this isn't an attack or anything, just something I have noticed). Abortion is the great issue of the day - for many "Planned Parenthood" is the great enemy -- and so anything associated with this must be tarred. Okay, I can understand that - however, is this how the Scriptures speak.

Oh, I know that the Scriptures speak of children being a blessing. Oh, I know that they speak of children being a gift of God, of God opening the womb. Without a doubt this is true. But... does that mean that there is no place or part of man's will involved. The verse that I keep thinking on is this: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

The contrast is the birth of faith, the creation of faith as opposed to human birth. We get that we cannot by our own reason or strength come to Christ Jesus -- so what's the other side, physical birth. "not of blood or of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man..." Man's will is placed right there in with procreation.

Man's will being involved in childbirth is not wrong. Are we going to condemn the couple who wishes to have more children - who takes temperatures and looks at calendars and the like to make conception more likely? That's an exercise of will and choice... no one would say to them blanketly "just accept what God gives you and worry not about trying." Of course, there might be times when you say, "Okay, your desire for children is going too far in your attempts to have 10 frozen embryos made"... but the basic question of will or desire isn't in and of itself bad.

Back to what was meant to be my main point.

See - I think we see fewer and fewer kids being born, even in Lutheran Circles, and we want to find a villain, a terrible cause for this that we can correct. And I think many have set their eyes upon Contraceptives and their availability. And thus the assumption is that if we just get people to not have or use these, then everything will be better.

But that's just eliminating a tool... that's not the cause, the source of the problem.

We have pictures of some of the founding families of my congregation, and 100 years ago you see these farm families with 8, 9 kids. I thought of my home church in the Chicago Suburbs... and even 100 years ago, the families weren't that big. In the city, you had 3, 4, 5. On the farm, you more often had 5, 6, 8, 10.... And it made sense -- you had more help with the farm. But in the city (even well before the advent of Birth Control) you didn't see that nearly as often.

Why?

I posit this: Wealth. As you have an increase in wealth, you see less kids. As you move from an Agricultural set up to an urban one, you see less kids. As your agriculture gets industrialized, you see less kids. As you get more wealth and luxuries and less chores that need to be done... kids become more and more of a financial cost and less of an economic benefit to the family.

And so folks have had less. And it's been that way for a long, long time.

Why are Lutherans having fewer and fewer kids -- money. Greed.

So, we see that money and greed thing popping up anywhere else in the Church? Do we see tithing and good donations to the Church like we used to?

I don't think we can pin birth rates on contraceptives. I don't think vilifying them would change this pattern (it's an issue in Ireland too, where stuff is illegal). I think much, much more this driving to a simple truth:

We are rich in this country, and we are selfish, and we tend to think of how things will impact our pocket books, and spoiling your kids today is expensive.

We aren't going to fix things by saying, "Contraception is evil!" All we will do is put a terrible burden on people who have good and proper reasons for seeking to hold off or delay or even avoid pregnancy. (And these happen. If you think they don't, you are just wrong, and you don't talk to enough people in strange and hard situations -- learn some compassion.) And for what? Outlawing a tool won't fix the problem.

You want to see more kids? Delight in children. Delight in your own. Encourage folks, support them. Help out new parents. Argue against the overpopulation nutcases (this is probably the big one - there is social pressure against big families... support the families you see, whether they are big or small -- don't berate the small families and don't berate the big). Delight in the blessing that your own kids are and the blessing that your neighbor's kids are (even the difficult ones... both neighbors and kids).

And then... let people grow. The Law doesn't give growth. Beating people with a stick will not make them rejoice in the gift of children. Attacking a symptom will not effect a cure. It will only produce an artificial litmus standard that goes beyond the Scriptures, a crutch by which we might fall into a false and arrogant pride in our own self-made self-righteous decrees.

And yes, I still think Pastor Stuckwisch's approach is by far the most eloquent that I've seen on this issue as it is faithful to Scripture, considerate of the neighbor, and preserves Christian Liberty and Humility. Good stuff.

Some thoughts again, sure to rile

2012-02-06T09:34:00.002-06:00

Over on Pastor Peter's Blog there was this article chronicling six things that are impacting the younger generation today. Let me copy the 6:

The big six changes, in Lost in Transition’s view, are: (1) the extension of formal schooling into the 20s and the consequent postponement of entry into careers; (2) the delay of marriage; (3) a changing national and global economy that has replaced the prospect of stable careers with frequent job changes, a need for ongoing training, and a heightened sense of insecurity, all contributing to a general disposition in young adults to maximize options and postpone commitments; (4) the willingness and ability of many parents to support their children well into their 20s and even 30s, thus enabling them to take a long time to settle down into full adulthood; (5) readily available birth-control technologies that have severed the link between sex and procreation and fostered uncommitted sexual relationships; and (6) postmodernism, a philosophy that has promoted subjectivism (there is no objective truth) and moral relativism (what’s moral depends on your point of view), both of which now thoroughly permeate the educational ethos, mass media, and youth and adult culture.

All of these are interesting, and to a certain extent accurate. However, in particular, it's 5 that struck my interest: readily available birth-control technologies that have severed the link between sex and procreation and fostered uncommitted sexual relationships.

There is an interesting link there - sex -> procreation -> committed relationships. The idea is that since there are no kids, well, we don't have committed relationships, or that they aren't as apt to happen.

I've noticed more and more that there is a tendency to put the availability of Birth Control as just the cause of so many societal troubles... and historically I just don't buy it. I think this is an attempt to try and find a quick and simple solution to the perceived increase in promiscuity... but here's the thing...

What increase in promiscuity? Do we really think today's culture is really anything new when it comes to sex? I mean, things might be more open (a little less "behind closed doors") - but it's not as though for centuries the 6th Commandment was well respected but then there was birth control and everything went chaotic. There has always been sexual immorality.

And do we think the solution is to let uncommitted, flippant sex result in pregnancy? IS that the solution to immorality -- to basically encourage our daughters to get knocked up so they can at least rope in their fella? I mean... it seems like this is a matter of the horse already being out of the barn... if they are already having sex outside of marriage... the idea of commitment leading to sex is already gone.

I don't know - it just strikes me like an attempt to find the quick fix - the "magic pill" if you will that will fix things.

Maybe we need to come to grips with a simple fact. The world is very evil. It is full of sinners. Really, it is. And it always will be. But I think when it comes to a lack of commitment, I think the presence of birth control is pretty far down the list on what causes badness.

Sermon for Septuagesima

2012-02-05T07:01:00.000-06:00

Septuagesima Sunday – February 5th, 2012 – Matthew 20:1-16

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
As we prepare for Lent, as we get ready for that intense season with its focus upon Christ, with its traditional fasting, our Lord reminds us of a truth in our Gospel. It’s not just giving up whatever for Lent that makes our life hard. No, in our Gospel lesson, Christ Jesus lets us know that following Him will always be hard work, will be full of effort and toil. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a master who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. That’s how Jesus chooses to describe our lives as Christians –as workers in a field, baking under a hot sun. Let us examine this parable this morning, and see how our Lord shapes our lives by it.

After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them out into his vineyard. As Christians we are sent out into God’s vineyard, that is, the world, and we are sent out to work. The Lord sets before us many things on our plate. If you want to consider this there is no better place to look than the Small Catechism. Look at the Table of Duties. We are instructed by Luther to examine our relationships with other people and see what it is that we owe them – how we ought to serve them. As a Christian, your primary work for God is to serve your neighbor. God sends us out into the vineyard. The parable doesn’t describe God hiring housekeepers to sweep the golden streets of heaven, it’s about workers in a vineyard – it describes working out there, in the world, serving and tending your neighbor. If you are a parent, it’s about serving your children. If you are a son or daughter, it is about respecting and caring for your parents. If you are a worker, it’s about serving your employer. If you are an employer, it is about serving and providing for your employees. The work we are sent out to do is nothing strange because we are Christian – there is no magical, special training that is required. We simply live in the world, but do it knowing that we are here not for simply our own pleasure, but here to love our neighbor. That is our work, what we do.

And make no doubt about it – this is hard work, especially hard for us sinful folk. A vineyard is apt way to describe hard work. Everything has to be done by hand – you have to tend each plant individually, you have to pay special attention and possibly carry water. And the best vineyards are where it is hot, where there is intense sun – you put them on the sunny, harsh side of the hill. And the harvest, all by hand - you didn’t get a scythe to just slice wheat down. You didn’t just get to pick the corn, or even pull the plant up. Pull the grapes, but leave the vines behind so that they bear a crop again next year. Hard work, done over and over again.

We are called to love our neighbor. Grapes are known as a temperamental plant – they require things to be just right, and they need a lot of care. Likewise, our neighbors can often be temperamental, and quite often our neighbor requires a lot of care from us. I want you to think back with me on this past week – and think how many times someone asked something of you, needed something of you, took up your time. That is your work in the vineyard. That is your service to God. Now think on it again. How often were you annoyed with those very same people? How often did the unkind thoughts pop into your head, how often did you have to fight back a sigh, or even a grimace or a scowl? How often did you look with annoyance or disfavor on anyone, even the casual person on the street, in a store, wherever, who inconvenienced you in the slightest way? That is our old evil flesh craving sin. That is Satan tempting you to abandon the work God has set you to. Our work in this world as Christians is hard. We are to show love. We are coming up on Valentine’s day, and the stores are full of tacky cards and the like – big emotional displays. When Scripture talks about love, it’s not talking about emotion – when Christ tells us to love our neighbor, he’s not telling us to look at them and sigh dreamy-eyed and wistfully. Love is an action, it is a verb, it is something that is done. It is our work – and it is hard for us sinful folks to love. Beware of Satan’s temptations, beware of your own sinful flesh trying to pull you away from your duty of love.

And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, “You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.” So they went. And he does the same at the 6th hour, and the 9th hour, and even the 11th hour, when there is only one hour of work in the 12 hour work day to go. And so people come into the vineyard at all different hours – some work the whole day, through all the heat. Some have come only as the cool of the evening comes, as the sun sets. And then it comes time to be paid. And when those hired about the 11th hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. Economically, what the master does here doesn’t make sense to us. If I work more, if I work harder, I should get more. That’s how we tend to think. If you have two workers, side by side, and one works 5 hours a week and the other works 60 hours, doing the same job – we would find it to be a gross injustice if they were both paid the same amount, we’d be indignant. Shoot, if this happened today, you might have “occupy the vineyard” movements popping up. And in our parable, those who started working at the beginning of the day act up as well. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day.”

They grumbled at the master. Oh, how sad it is that this often describes us. How often we grumble and complain about God. It’s nothing new. After the fall, Adam grumbled – it’s not my fault, it’s this stupid woman you gave me. Eve grumbles about the snake. In our old testament lesson, even as they are rescued miraculously from Egypt the people of Israel grumble. And in our parable, the workers grumble. We want what we deserve! We want what we’ve earned!

The workers forgot one simple thing. It’s not all about them and what they do. Yes, indeed, they had a task laid out before them, and they were to strive to do it, but it isn’t all about them. If the master of the vineyard had not come to them, invited them, offered them work, would they have gotten anything? No. They were not masters of their own destiny – they were simply waiting for an opportunity, they were dependent upon the Master. And the Master gives to them what He promised. But [the master] replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?” All that happens, all that goes on, isn’t about these workers and what they deserve – it’s about the master and what he gives.

Consider what is going on here. Instead of just paying attention to their own work, their own tasks, and rejoicing in their own payment, these workers start looking over covetously on what their neighbor has, they start lamenting how easy it is for the other guy – and then there is discontent and sorrow. This is the exact same thing that happens in our own lives when we start comparing how hard our lives are or how someone else has more than we do. This is why there are commandments against coveting – because our sinful heart wants to grouse and complain whenever it gets the chance. And that sinful heart will always assume that we deserve more, that we are the best, and ego goes unchecked and it gets ugly. This is sad and dangerous to faith, because when we focus on our own works, we forget what is much, much more important – we forget the mercy of God.

In this parable we are reminded that Christ’s mercy and love reigns supreme. Thanks be to God Almighty that we are not judged on how well we show love – for in this we have failed, often and often again. We can’t point out how much we deserve reward, for we sin often. The very thing which disgusts the workers “you have made them [those who have done little] equal to us” is our hope of salvation. We have been made equal – equally forgiven, equally redeemed. There is not a flaw, there is not a sin that has not been covered by Christ upon the Cross. We have an equal share in forgiveness, and one that we by no means earned. And God gives this out to all – whether they have worked in His fields a lifetime or whether it has been only at the last hour. I’ve buried those who have been Baptized Christians all their life, and I’ve buried those who I’ve baptized on their deathbed, and thanks be to God Almighty that in His sight they and we are all equal, equally forgiven and redeemed children of God. It’s not about what we do for God in our life, it is all about what Christ Jesus has done for us with His life, His death, and His resurrection. Our life is centered, is established, survives, in Christ and in Christ alone. God is more than fair to us, He treats us more than rightly, for solely and completely out of His great love and mercy to us, He grants us the gift of faith, calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light – and makes us His own children.

God is generous – and we are not to begrudge Him that generosity. It is out of His generosity towards us that He had compassion upon us and sent His Son into this world to go to the cross for our sake. And so, my friends, as we prepare for this Lent and Eastertide – do not approach things arrogantly or thinking that you deserve these blessings – rather see how diligently Christ works and suffers for your sake in order to win you Salvation. Your Heavenly Father gives you tasks to do in this life, and you should go about them comfidently, because the task of wining you salvation has been accomplished by Christ Jesus, and your reward is great and wondrous in and because of Him. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the world. Amen.

Letting Jesus be the Hero

2012-02-03T14:32:00.002-06:00

I love stories. I love the hero's journey, the quests, the adventure. I simply like the art of storytelling -- and as such, I like to apply storytelling to theology. Here it is, Brown's guide to evaluating theology from a story point of view.

Consider your theology. Who is the hero? If the hero isn't Christ, your theology is off. Consider your approach to spirituality, your "faith walk", whatever you've been calling it. Who is the hero? If the hero isn't Christ, then you've been looking at things the wrong way.

Simple as that.

Now, I've often said that Jesus is the hero - I am the "damsel in distress" - that's the shape of the relationship, of the Christian faith. But what got me thinking about this again was a discussion I had about penance on-line with a convert to Roman Catholicism... and we posted at the same time.

Let's look at the dialog at the end:

Me: Of course - I dig simul justus et peccator - I get that Paul had a thorn in his flesh and was told that Christ's grace was sufficient for him. I'll gladly sing, "this world's prince may still scowl fierce as he will/ he can harm us none, he's judged, the deed is done." And I will confess my sin, strive to make amends, and strive to love my neighbor because that is whom Christ has made me to be, for I am His workmanship. God grant that I see this ever more clearly until the day He comes!

Him: Maybe the fact that you don't see it clearly, just means that you don't really understand it...

Me: ‎... ever more clearly. You know... becoming clearer... But that's not really a response, nor, if I don't understand (as you seem to think) does it bring clarity. I expected a better answer, _____.

Him: If you truly seek seek that clarity, Eric, You will find it.

Me (at the same time): Of course, I stand in good company hoping to see more clearly - "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

Me: Hmmm... interesting, is it my seeking that will bring clarity, or will I know it because Christ has fully known me? Interesting cross posts there. Come, let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith!

Here's what got me thinking. In my approach (what I would contend is the biblical approach) - I'm not the hero. I'm not on a quest, I'm not the one doing the seeking. I am one who is saved, and I understand more and more how wondrous my Savior is, and I grow, He aids me more and more. But in the other approach -- it is supposed to be my journey, my development, what I do to grow and mature, how I can do it.

Maybe this is part of the reason why so many people feel disconnected from the Scriptures. The Scriptures are the story of Christ winning salvation for you -- but so much theological talk shifts the focus onto "our journey", our works -- it's like we turn the Christian faith into a lousy spin-off...

That's the analogy -- the Christian faith is like the Original Star Wars Trilogy... and so often we want to turn the faith into those lousy made for TV movies about the Ewoks. And we miss the point entirely.

It's not about you, it's not about your works or your praise or your strength or the justice you bring -- it's about Christ and His salvation and His righteousness. Come, let us fix our eyes not upon ourselves, but upon Christ Jesus, for He gives us faith and He brings that faith to its full end and flower in the life of the world to come!

One Month Done Already

2012-02-01T07:51:00.002-06:00

Well, we are one month into 2012 already. And it wasn't a short month that went by - nope, it was a full 31 day month.

The passage of time is an interesting thing - simply because from our subjective point of view it seems to change speeds so much. This past month simply flew by for me - of course, it was an insanely busy month. But there there are those days or weeks that just seem to drag on, to last forever, those "long watches of the night".

This is one of the reason why I love the Church Year - there is a rhythm to it - there is a movement, a pattern - a little bit of common familiarity to that wildly vacillating thing I know of as time.

We're starting to get ready for Lent and then for Easter. The next two months or so will probably be quick and busy as well. And by then... who knows... my son may be learning to crawl, which will make life even more busy.

It's good to pause and ponder Christ's love for us - it is very good.

A Thought and Passing on another link

2012-01-31T06:43:00.003-06:00

So, Sunday I got a phone call in a meeting from a fellow who started firing off rapid fire questions about the Greek Text and why I defend/the the Trinity when the Greek doesn't say anything about prosopon... which is really a hard conversation to jump into when you've had to step out of the meeting you are running to answer it, and the fellow doesn't seem to care that you don't have a bible (English or Greek) in front of you.

Two thoughts.

First - there was a big deal made in the rapid fire about the term prosopon, the term Trinity - it's not in the bible. Well... duh. It's a theological term that was developed to be short hand concerning what the Scriptures teach. And of course you aren't going to see it in the Greek... because it was a Latin term developed in the West which the Greek speaking East adopted (Tri-une... see that une... that's Latin) -- so trying to find a later coined term in an early document is silly. It's like saying, "You can't call 500-800 the Dark Ages... no author from that time calls it the Dark Ages!" It's a term... that's all.

But the bigger thing was about the actual doctrine of the Trinity, not the word "Trinity" or "person" itself. And Thomas Lemke has a wonderful link about this very topic (Mr. Lemke seems to have as his own hobby discussing things with Unitarians of all shades). In this post he quotes another blogger - Nick Norelli - speaking about how when folks bring there presuppositions to the discussion, there will be errors. This is what Mr. Norelli says concerning Arians (which would apply to most modern day Jehovah's Witnesses, who are basically rehashed Arians):

Rather than saying that Father, Son, and Spirit were God, they said, “No, this can’t be right because God is a Monad and the Monad is indivisible,” so they relegated the Son and Spirit to subordinate creatures and said that the Father was the Monad. Again, they already knew what could or could not be true so they made Scripture conform to their system rather than making their system conform to Scripture.

This is why I heard thinks that... well, yes, "LORD" is how Jehovah is referred to in the NT, but "Jesus is Lord" can't be a reference to that... and that you can't have Jesus really being God... but rather it's just a Hebraic affectation that lets one standing with God's authority take the title...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word with with God, and the Word was God. Right there - that's what underlines the Trinity. There is One God (was God). Yet, we can speak of internal distinctions of a vast and mysterious nature within God (with God) -- using human language we've coined the phrase "1 God, Three Persons" to try to get this across.

Oh, and is Jesus God and Lord? Well, what does Thomas (the Apostle, not Lemke) say in the Upper Room? "My Lord and My God." And Jesus commends him - He doesn't lash out at Him for being a polytheistic heretic.

Sometimes I think we should confess the Athanasian Creed a bit more often.

Some Thoughts on Matthew 20:1-16

2012-01-30T09:12:00.002-06:00

As I was pondering Matthew 20 - the parable of the workers in the fields, I had a thought. So often we think of this parable in terms of *what age* a person is brought to faith - that some are of the faith their entire lives and that some are late converts.

Now I wonder. Consider the complaint of the early workers - "And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’"

I have been a Baptized member of Christ's church since I was an infant. There is not a time that I can remember where I was not a Christian.

Yet - what burden of the day have I borne? What scorching heat have I faced? I am an American. Even as I might complain about being underpaid -- I am wealthy. If I complain about difficulties - I've never had my life threatened for the sake of the Gospel. Having people complain about how they don't like how my sermons do or don't do ______ is hardly "scorching".

I wonder if it isn't hubris and pride that make us in America think that we are the hard workers, that we have been long laboring for Christ. I hear what happens to our brothers and sisters in Africa, in Asia - those who literally have to face down tangible threats of persecution... they are the ones who have faced the heat, not I. And it is a sign of great generosity on God's behalf that I am promised the same forgiveness of sins and salvation and life as they are, even though I am wealthy and comfortable in a way they could not comprehend.

Just some thoughts.

Transfiguration Sermon

2012-01-29T06:44:00.000-06:00

Transfiguration – January 29th, 2012 – Matthew 17:1-9

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
And so today we reach the pinnacle, the peak of Epiphany, there on the mountain of the Transfiguration. We talk about Jesus revealing His Glory – it shines forth today. We speak of Christ being the Light of the World – He glows today. We are at a hinge in the Church Year – after this we will begin our travels towards Lent and then to Calvary, and so the Transfiguration works as a time to focus us, to set us, to fix our eyes upon Jesus so we know what it is that we will be seeing in the weeks to come. Let’s consider the text.

“And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.” First of all, we have the note that this is happening “after six days” – well, what happened six days earlier? In chapter 16 you have Peter’s bold confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And after that Jesus that He is, and that He has come to be killed but raised on the third day. And of course, Peter rebukes Jesus, Jesus says, “Get behind Me, Satan!” And then Christ tells His disciples that whoever would follow Him must deny himself and take up his cross. So what we had just seen in the Gospel was an episode where it was shown that Christ has come to suffer and die for sinful man, sinful man who continually thinks he knows better than God. Peter says “Oh, you are God” and then turns around and starts telling Jesus not to do things. That is what happened six days before. We are going to be talking about God and His efforts, His struggles against sin

However, there is more going on in this simple sentence – but to get it, we need to think in terms of the Old Testament. If I say “sixth day” to you, and you are thinking about the Old Testament, that’s the creation of man. The idea of the sixth day always focuses on man’s creation, man’s fall, and the promise of restoration. Moreover, we see them go up on a Mountain. For a moment, just think about how many Mountains from the Scriptures you know – Mount Sinai, Mount Zion, Mount Ararat. Even the word “Armageddon” is just a way of saying “Har Meggido” – or Mount Meddigo in Aramaic. God does things on mountains. God gives Moses the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai. When God talks to a despondent Elijah, it is on a mountain. And because of this, the next verses really shouldn’t be any surprise.

“And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him.” And there, Christ Jesus is transfigured – there you could say that He drops His guard a bit, and His innate, divine glory shines forth and through Him – He glows – the grime and dust from His clothes are overpowered with the radiance of His glory – it is an awesome thing. And not only that - Moses and Elijah are there – the two top preachers, the two top prophets of the Old Testament are there. It is hard to explain just how fine, how sharp a point this event is – everything in the Old Testament is funneling right to here and this moment, all coalescing and coming together. It is as if every bit of the Scriptures is there just ready to burst forth in fulfillment, and what happens? And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” There, at the culmination of everything - Peter starts talking. Peter offers to start working. Now, what he offers is very kind – it was probably around the festival of booths, the holiday when the Children of Israel would basically camp out for a few days to remember the sojourn in the wilderness. And there’s Peter saying, “I’ll go set up the tents for everyone, if they want to stay.” It’s a fine, nice thing – but think about the timing. There is Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah – and He’s brought you along, He’s invited you to listen in, and what do you do? You interrupt and offer to go off and do something else. The text had said, “Behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah” – and then there’s Peter, offering to do anything but beholding. It would be like one of you standing up right now and saying, “Um, Pastor, you like coffee, let me go make you a fresh pot of coffee” right in the middle of the sermon. Nice sentiment, but terrible timing.

This sort of provides an example of a problem that we ourselves face – the pressure to always be busy, be about doing something. What we forget is that God knows that we are busy, that we have plenty on our plates – and so in His wisdom He has called us to time of rest, times to hear His Word. Human beings have always been ready to run themselves back into the dust from whence God made us. He had to tell the children of Israel, “Take a day off and rest and hear My Word, it’s good for you.” Peter here shows the same thing – instead of being ready to hear and listen, he’s ready to be working. Same thing with Mary and Martha. And thus so often with us Christians. This is not to say that we aren’t to be about striving after good works and loving our neighbor – but what defines you, what makes you a Christian? Not your works, but receiving Christ Jesus and His forgiveness, hearing His Word. It’s Christ Jesus coming to you that gives and grows faith, that makes you who you are in Him. And lest you think I’m just pontificating, “He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Even before Peter is done presenting his plan, the Father’s voice cuts him off and says, “Look at Jesus, listen to Him!” Peter, you were brought up on the mountain not to do, but to behold, to listen, to hear and to learn.

Likewise, dear friends, even as we go about doing many things, here in our congregation, in our homes, in our communities, at our jobs – even as we go about all these things, we are summoned by God to His house (to His Zion), so that we might hear Christ Jesus. And in actuality, as the weeks roll by into Lent and towards Easter, what we will be going on here is nothing but what the Father has instructed – listening to Jesus. We will behold His actions, we will hear His teaching, we will see Him do what He came down from heaven to do – to take on Satan and sin and death and defeat them for us.

We need Jesus. We need His righteousness, His holiness, His perfection, His sacrifice. That truth is demonstrated in our Gospel as well – “When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.” When the Father speaks, the disciples hit the dirt. Again, this is something we can skip by, we can forget. We cannot stand on our own before God – we cannot saunter up to God and say, “Here I am, look at all the wonderful things I have done, I have served you so well – now give me stuff.” It doesn’t work that way – we are sinful, and sinners who stand by themselves on their own merits before God, sinners who try to invent their own brand of holiness, sinners who try to do religious stuff on their own terms – they die. Peter – Peter at that moment probably thinks that he is going to die. He had just interrupted a Divine action, and if you do that – you died. We, of ourselves are not holy and righteous, all our works amount to nothing, and if left to our own there would be nothing for us but to be terrified of God.

“But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” The only way to stand before the Father is to be bound, to be tied to His Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. See what happens in the text – James doesn’t poke up his head to see if the coast is clear, John doesn’t just pop and say, “Well, thank goodness that’s over with.” They are terrified, they know the impact, the consequence of their sin, and they are scared out of their mind. Before they do anything – Christ comes to them, He touches them, He lifts them up, and they see only Him. Those verses right there are a depiction of your life as a Christian. You were lost in sin, condemned to nothing but eternal damnation – and then Christ Jesus came to you and He touched you. And I don’t mean this in just some figurative “oh, how touching” sort of sense. Jesus walked up to those disciples, and True God become True Man physically touched them – a real incarnate Lord comes to the disciples. Likewise, that same Incarnate Lord has come to you and He has touched you. He has touched you by water and the Word – He touched you as the waters of Holy Baptism were poured upon your head, He said to you, “You are baptized, your sin is forgiven, and indeed, you are now part of My Body, part of my Church.” He comes to you physically in the Supper – He places His own Body, His own Blood upon your tongue – and why? So that He can say to you, “Rise, and have no fear.” That’s a word of forgiveness – that’s “go now, depart in peace.” That’s let us go forth in the peace of the Lord. His Word continues to be spoken to you, heard by you, even now, even this day.

Everything in our lives, our existence as Christians is centered in and flows from Christ – for He Himself comes to us, gives us His Holiness, His righteousness, His forgiveness, His life – and when we are in Him, when we receive Him, we are strengthened, we are renewed, we are prepared to endure all the trials and temptations of this world, for He has already fought them down, He has already crushed Satan under foot, and in Him, we have the victory. And it is important for us to always behold this, to always see Christ, to always hear what He has done for us – because Satan does desire our fall, the old serpent desires us to fall away. Let us fix our eyes upon Christ – let us give heed to what He has done for us, let our focus be upon Him, let us rest securely in Him – thus we can rise and go through those doors in peace, in trust, in confidence in Christ, knowing that He is the Righteous One, the Lamb of God come down to earth to win us salvation and redemption. And let us with awe and wonder hear this proclaimed to us anew these next few months. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +

Faith works

2012-01-27T21:31:00.002-06:00

Just as a simple observation - we say that the Gospel gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

We get forgiveness... we understand that whole salvation. Why do we seem so worried about that life part? Now, again, don't misunderstand - this isn't some anti-law rant... but the Gospel creates and gives life, true life, life which strives to fulfill the law willingly.

Why don't we trust the Gospel. Faith works... literally - faith leads to works. That's what faith does - it clings to Christ and receives all good things from Him - including life.

2012-01-26T15:55:00.001-06:00

You may find a wonderful blog post here that deals with Justification and the power of God's Word - something that is repeatedly (and often unintentionally) denied.

Being Ryno-like

2012-01-26T07:49:00.004-06:00

When I was little, my sports hero was Ryne Sandberg - the Ryno. A great second baseman. I wanted to be like him.

So - how would I become like him? Should I mimic his swing - look in the mirror and see if it looks like his? Buy the same sort of glove he uses? Maybe keep practicing that awesome play that he made or try to jump into the pose that was on my poster where he was in the air turning the double play?

Well... no. That wouldn't make me like Ryno.

You know what did (to a limited extent)? Lots and lots of fielding practice - a couple of hours a day fielding grounders that I had thrown off the wall and then thrown again (great for getting your release down). By taking batting practice, by hitting the ball over and over again.

Or in other words - to become Ryno-like, I didn't simply try to "be like Ryno" - rather, I strove to do the things he did, the drills that he did.

...

So - you want to be Christlike -- that doesn't come by trying to pose yourself like Christ. Rather this - focus upon your neighbor, serve them, love them - for that is what Christ did. Strive to do the will of the Father - what He has declared in His Word (and not what seems good, holy, and neat to you). And do this over and over and over. Those are the drills. Anything else is just play-acting and pretend - like the kid looking in the mirror who thinks he's Ryno but couldn't field a grounder to save his life...

...

So, why am I not a professional ball player right now? The thing I like to complain about the most is that when Dad got sent to Nebraska there just was no baseball out there -- the legion team I played on after my HS freshman year played 6 games. I had been good defensively at 3rd - my coach said my D was good enough, right then, to play at a small college. But skills atrophy if you don't keep them up.

But in reality -- I didn't grow into an athlete.

See, a kid can practice all he wants, but unless he grows up to be 6 foot 4 and not 5 2, probably not going to be a professional ballplayer. You have to be fed, you have to grow.

Athletes today are highly focused on diet and nutrition. If you want to grow as a Christian... the best way isn't to focus first on your drills, your acts of love and kindness... you need to eat properly - you need to be fed on Christ, receive His love and forgiveness.

Then the growth, which He is in charge of, well, He'll take care of that for you. Really, He will. You are His workmanship - really, you are. The good works you do, He's prepared them for you - you'll simply walk into them.

Make sure you are fed - then you may practice your faith well, get your jersey dirty... then be fed and be ready for the next day.

The Dangers of Theology by Title

2012-01-26T04:20:00.002-06:00

How quick we are to categorize and assign people a title. We hear five words from someone and say, "Ah, you are a __________." Lutheran. Papist. Missional guy. Confessional. Hyper-Euro. Congregationalist. Neo-Evangelical. American Evangelical. Baptist.

On and on it goes.

But applying a label is not doing theology - it's in fact the opposite. It's throwing up a short cut so that you don't have to think or analyze something. If you say X and I don't like it - I can chalk up a title against you so I can excuse not listening to you. Or perhaps the other way (Oh, this guy is a good _________, so what he says must be good).

Don't run to a title, don't run to a term and try to fill in the blanks -- and I do this often enough myself. Consider what is being said... and consider it not on the basis of the historical formation of groups and factions - but view it in the light of the Scriptures.

Even if what you hear is wrong, if you are thrown to the Scriptures in considering it, it will be a benefit. (Now to feed the kiddo)

Trying to do Jesus' Job for Him

2012-01-23T09:03:00.001-06:00

In prepping for my Hebrews study, I was struck by how often we in America put things backwards. For example - how often have you heard someone admonish someone to be more "Christlike" -- implying that by our own work and efforts and strivings we become like Jesus.

I translated Hebrews 2:16 thusly: For indeed it is not angels whom He delivers, but He delivers the seeds (spermatos) of Abraham.

In my notes, I explain how I use the awkward in English "seeds" to point out that this is plural, where as the promise is given to the singular seed (Christ), as Paul points out in Galatians.

Christ becomes man... and then, as He as a man has suffered and died and risen and gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation - He makes us to be like Him.

The Seed of Abraham makes us to be seeds of Abraham.

It is not that I must make myself more Christlike -- rather, in giving forgiveness and making me holy and righteous, Christ Himself makes me to be like Him. In giving me eternal life, the Risen Christ makes me to be like Him.

It's always Christ's activity - He is the One who comes down to me to lift me up unto Himself.

Why do we spend so much time trying to do Jesus' job for Him? He works for us in the Gospel... why do we rush back to the law and try to do His job for Him?

Another Analogy

2012-01-23T07:16:00.002-06:00

Imagine you were passionately in love with someone - that you wanted this person to be a part of your life forever and ever. And so... you never talk to them, but rather wish fervently that one of your friends would go and tell them how important they are.

...

How would that work?

One of the things that is somewhat unhealthy in our congregations is the idea that the Pastor (and maybe the elders) are the designated "visit people people" - that if someone is upset, absent, sick, whatever -- it's the pastor's job (and maybe the elders) to go visit them and... well... fix things.

Now, this isn't to say that as a Pastor I do have a duty to visit folks. Some visits I do with joy... some... well, going to a person's house uninvited still terrifies me. But here is the thing - if *I* visit, I am giving direct, spiritual care. I am preaching Law or Gospel. I am giving counsel or advice or admonition.

A pastor, an elder making a visit doesn't let the a person know that they are "loved". It doesn't.

Really.

Does a visit from the principal or teacher let a student know that her classmates love her?

Does an appointment with the doctor let a person know that his family loves him?

This boils down to position. The folks of my Church don't know me as "Eric Brown" - they know me as Pastor Brown. That's not a bad thing -- people need a pastor. But I'm never going to be just someone who cares for them... even if I do, there's that "it's his job" tinge that creeps in the back of peoples' minds.

You cannot tell other people (in normal circumstances) that you love them and miss them via proxy. It just doesn't work well, it doesn't seem real.

Epiphany 3 Sermon

2012-01-22T08:04:00.000-06:00

Epiphany 3 – January 22nd, 2012 – Matthew 8:1-13

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
So, here we are, in the midst of the season of Epiphany, and we have seen that Jesus is the promised King of the Jews, True God come to earth. We have seen Him point to the truth that He is the Messiah, the Christ who will make the mountains drip with rich, well aged wine. So, we have seen that this Jesus is True God, that He is the Messiah who is come to bring restoration and salvation... but to whom? Who does this Christ Jesus come to save? You realize that even with the wise men, we see Jesus there with His family. Last week, at the wedding of Cana - that was probably the wedding of a sibling or a cousin. Has He only come just for His blood kin, His close family, and the rest of the world held at arms length, at best only serving Him and giving Him gifts? Not quite, as we see in our Gospel today.

So today we have two healings. First, we see a leper who kneels before Him saying, "Lord, if You will, You can heal me." And Jesus touches him and says, "I will; be clean." The second healing happens when a Centurion comes forward and says, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly." And when Jesus offers to come, this Centurion says, "Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed." And, of course, the servant is healed. So here we see who people who make requests of Christ - a leper and a Centurion. Dear friends, you could not find two more different people living in Judea. Consider the one - a leper, the lowest of the low. To be a leper was to be an outcast, to be outside of society, where even the criminals and the robbers would have scorned and despised you. And then you have the Centurion - a gentile, a foreigner, a stranger. And not only that - one with power. A Centurion was an officer over 100 men, probably the highest ranking Roman official there - a man of wealth who has servants. Opposite ends of the spectrum, aren't they? The local but outcast, the foreign and powerful but despised. And yet, when they ask, they receive – indeed, Christ Jesus gladly intervenes personally in their lives.

If you were a good Jewish person of the day, you wouldn't have expected the Messiah to consort with either of these men. If a leper came up to a Pharisee in those days, the Pharisee would have recoiled in horror. Instead, Jesus reaches out and touches the man, healing him. You would never touch a leper - it defiled you - yet Jesus does. If a Centurion came up to a Pharisee, the Pharisee would be curt but polite, do whatever business had to be done and then move on. And yet, Christ offers to enter his home. You didn't enter the house, who knows what defilements that house would hold, there might be pig's blood or something even worse. And yet Christ hears the pleas of this Centurion, and He even offers to enter the man's house! So, what does this mean, what does this teach us, what does this reveal to us about Christ? Christ Jesus has come to save the world, to save all sorts and kinds of people, and not just the people that we might expect.

We say the words often - we say, "For God so loved the world", we'll talk about Jesus being the Lamb of God who takes away the Sin of the World (we say that one several times in the service). We know Galatians, for their is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female - all are one in Christ. Yet, let us be honest. How often do we fall back into the worldly practice of judging, of categorizing, of thinking where someone "belongs"? There are people who if they walked into this Church seeking Christ's forgiveness and mercy, well, our first reaction would be to draw back with a raised eyebrow. One of the things that we know, but is so hard to put into practice, is the truth that God desires all people, that He came for everyone. We know this - but too often we listen to our flesh. There are individuals that we just don't like, or there are stereotypes or attributes that we fear, and this can tempt us to cut these people off, to cease showing them love. We must fight against this, my friends, we must fight against focusing our eyes upon our differences or the things we don't like - instead, we must focus our eyes upon Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the entire world.

Why? Why should we look to Christ? Why should our eyes be focused upon Him instead of having our eyes focused on and by the world, by those divisive ways of thinking? Why should we repent of our judgmental thinking or thoughts that are shaped by earthly power? Because the sinful thoughts and dreams of man never really pan out, never satisfy. Because the world is broken, is fallen, and such it tries to drag us down along with it, to twist our thoughts and bring us ruin and despair. Consider the text. A man had leprosy, and according to the world there was nothing to be done but to banish him and let him die. A man was paralyzed, and to the thinking of the world - that's it, that's all she wrote. The world often thinks this way, fatalistically with doom and gloom, but you have been given ears to hear, you have been given the gift of faith in Christ Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit you know that Christ Jesus, your Lord has come into this fallen world to defeat sin and death with His death upon the Cross. And so eager is Christ to restore this Creation that as He goes to the Cross, He fixes things along the way. The leper cries out, and Christ heals. The Centurion prays, and Christ answers. Christ comes and gives small, temporary restorations to His creation, even as we all await the true restoration of the last day, when we will rise as He has risen, live never more to die, never more to even worry about death. The world says, "You have no lasting hopes for the future, so by hook or by crook make the best of what you can now" - whereas faith says, "Behold Christ, and know that because of Him that even though you die, yet you shall live."

And my dear friends, do not fall prey to the false teachers who want to take this promise of Christ and then twist it back just to vain, worldly goods. Don't give heed to the faith healers or the prosperity preachers, for all they do is peddle the same rotten wares of the world, just with a veneer of Christ dabbed upon them. Place your trust in Christ, pray "Thy will be done" - and if He gives you in this life better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness or health, so be it... you know what His will for you for all eternity is, for He has paid the penalty for your sin and that because of Him you are forgiven, that because of Him you will receive the full restoration in the life of the world to come. It matters not what you face in this life, it matters not what people think of you, how they categorize you, for Christ Jesus has suffered and died and risen again for you. This is where our focus is, and remembering Christ, hearing His promises, we are given strength to endure whatever we face in this life.

I would have us note one more thing. With both these healings, Christ accomplishes restoration by the Word. Consider the leper. Christ looks at him and says, "I will, be clean." When He heals the servant of the Centurion, He does so saying, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." The Word does it - and it really should stand out by how Christ speaks - "be clean, let it be done." Does that sound familiar? "Let there be light"? The Word of God is creative, it is restorative, it makes things come into being and restores them to the way they should have been and would have been had it not been for the fall. The Word of God, Christ Jesus Himself, fixes things by proclaiming the Word. And we see this same thing happen in the Church in our Sacraments. Christ Jesus takes water and the Word and washes us in Holy Baptism and says, "Be clean, all your sins are forgiven." Christ Jesus calls us to His altar, where we believe that He comes to us to give us His own Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins, and He says to us, "let it be done for you as you have believed." Christ Jesus comes, He brings His own creative Word to us, and because He has spoken to us, because the Holy Spirit has called us through the Gospel and enlightened and sanctified us, we know that we have forgiveness and life in Him. And the wonderful thing is that this Word cannot be taken from you, it can not be stolen from you – Christ Jesus has given Himself to you, made you His temple, and thus His salvation is yours. His victory for you is complete.

So, what do we see and learn today? That Christ has come for all people - that not just His relatives are to be saved, but that "I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven". Moreover, we know that He means us, for, well, in many ways we are His family, for He is our brother and we have received the adpotion as sons in Holy Baptism, you could say that we are His kin, for indeed, we receive His own Body and Blood in the Supper. And as He lives, so shall we live too. God is with us, with us to forgive and restore us, to lighten the darkness of the this fallen world with His love. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +

Loving the Alien?

2012-01-20T05:21:00.003-06:00

One of the tenants, the angles of Lutheran theology is that for Christ, preaching the law is an alien opus - a foreign or strange work, where as the proclamation of life and forgiveness and salvation is His proper work. This idea, this concept is vital for understanding how a preacher ought to approach preaching.

What is my goal, what do I desire for people? When I leave the pulpit, what am I to hope that people have received?

Ultimately, it has to be that they have received the forgiveness of their sins, life, and their salvation. Consider the Creeds - what is the focus there? God creates. "Who for us men and for our salvation". The Lord, the giver of life. The forgiveness of sins. This is what we confess God does, and so this is what His servants need to be about "doing" - giving out God's forgiveness.

The temptation for the preacher is to begin to love the alien work. To love, to elevate, to see as the "real" work the work of the Law. To think that the highest form of the pastoral arts is in reproof and correction.

Note, I am not arguing antinomianism - the proclamation of the law is an alien work but it is still a "work" - it is still to be done. But it's not the point.

The problem is this. We do not see the heart. We do not always judge rightly what the fruits of repentance are. But we can see outward displays of righteousness... and so the temptation for any pastor is to preach so that those outward displays are shown -- and we can fall into a "whatever works" approach... and fall in love with the alien.

Guilt can be a fantastic motivator to drive up the offering, but it doesn't forgive sins. Spectacle and prosperity preaching can drive up attendance, but it doesn't give life. And even as the pastor looks out and says, "Ah, see how wonderful things are" the Gospel is shuffled off.

Your job is not to "fix" people. Your job is not to make them better.

Oh, preach the Law, but preach it to kill them - to put their sinful flesh to death. Then do your proper work - give them life, give them Christ. That's your job.

All Is Vapor

2012-01-19T22:21:00.003-06:00

So, I just saw that I had made my 1,100th post. This is 1101. That's quite a few times where I have sat down in front of a computer and put some thoughts here.

You know what - even though they are out there on the internet, even though they are "there"... meh.

I mean, really - sometimes folks might find an old blog post (normally one on some controversial subject)... but the vast, vast majority of these posts just fade away and are forgotten.

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Or, I tend to like vapor of vapors, all is vapor. Things in this life fade away... the post that got blog of the week is old hat in a month and no longer remembered within 6.

On the one hand, this is something that teaches humility -- all the effort we think we put into things, all the angst of this or that project -- and most of them don't last. Vanity of vanity, vapor of vapors. Let us abandon that sense of pride, that ego that makes one think that ones own actions are the hinge of the world.

But on the other hand, I love the temporary nature of things... not because things fade, but because how God always gives the new. There are several blogs I love... and while I might not remember what I read there 4 months ago... God provides more and new things to learn... always, over and over. There's something new and new again.

Ah well... thus is life in this fallen place -- things fall apart and are ground into dust and all the while there is God restoring and granting things anew. To dust I shall return - but God is going to put that dust back together, and much better. Little reminders of that all the time.

A familiar and rough pattern

2012-01-19T08:17:00.003-06:00

My son loves to play on his bug mat. As it will occupy his attention for around 20-30 minutes and let me get stuff done, I love him to play on his bug mat. However, it always ends the same way. He will get the hiccups.

First, they will start -- and he'll play through them. He will ignore them. Then they get bigger and bigger, and it disrupts his play time a bit, but he fights through them. Then, they are too much for him, and he is angry and upset -- at least until he gets a nice drink and it cures the hiccups. And woe be to the daddy who tries to give him a drink before he's done playing on the bug!

Thus it is all our lives. There is a sad and dangerous pattern we can fall into. We will be going about our lives, enjoying things that are good and pleasing... and then there's a bit of sin, a bit of temptation that creeps in. And it impacts us, it shakes us, but we try to ignore it, try to pretend that those moments don't impact the rest of our life. And if anyone points out our sin - woe be to them! It is only when that sin, when it's impacts become shattering that we readily confess our sin and receive with joy.

This is why we are admonished so often to examine ourselves -- not so as to make sure that we are "good" people or to increase our piety - but so that we can confess the sin that creeps in, nip it in the bud, and prevent it from ruining our lives.

My son is learning -- I can give him milk a little bit more quickly. He'll even drink it to cut the hiccups knowing that he'll probably fall asleep. He learns.

Would that we would learn to examine ourselves and confess our sin!

True Authority

2012-01-18T07:24:00.002-06:00

According to his flesh, man thinks authority has to do with the ability to make another do something. That's not authority - not really. True authority involves setting someone free, free from sin and death by the Gospel.

Lots of people can boss around a slave - even other slaves. But if the Son sets you free... well, that's a Son sort of thing.

The Slightly Different Angle

2012-01-16T08:19:00.002-06:00

I have the distinct honor of being part of the Worldview Everlasting Team where I get to help answer questions that Pastor Fisk doesn't address in his Ask the Pastor Videos. I like it, it's a good collaborative process -- and if there are questions that don't really interest me... I get to ignore them and let someone else take them. It's very nice.

But what I enjoy most is when a couple of us write up answers to the same question. This is where it becomes interesting - I write my answer, and then I see someone tackle the same question from a slightly different angle.

The slightly different angle is one of the most wondrous things in theology.

We aren't talking heresy, we aren't talking false doctrine - but we are just talking about coming to and pointing at the truth from a slightly different angle, a different approach.

There are wonderful nuances in theology. This would be obvious if we compared sermons. Pastor Hall and I both use the 1 year lectionary - and while our sermons would preach the same truth, the nuances, the approaches, the things we emphasize would be slightly different (he doesn't post his sermons on his blog). If one went to his 8 am service and then my 10:45, it would be a neat, stereo or 3D view of the text.

The image I have liked for this is this: consider you hired two artists to paint pictures of your Church. And let us say that one artist loves the color blue, loves blue overtones. And then let us say that the other artist loves pulling out depth via shadows. Two artists, painting the same Church, but you would have two very different paintings. Both true paintings, but each emphasizing and pulling out something different.

The great danger for any Christian is to think, "I know this. I know this text, I know this doctrine, I have studied my catechism and thus I know what this means." You may, but you know it and are used to seeing it simply from your angle. Seek out other good theologians and thinkers, others who are faithful, and learn from their approach. That is a wondrous thing.

110th Anniversary Sermon

2012-01-15T07:11:00.001-06:00

110th Anniversary – January 15th, 2012 – John 2:1-11

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
Old fashioned Jewish weddings could last a long, long time. I don’t mean a few hours, or all night. It wasn’t uncommon for a wedding and the party following to last for days. And so, even as much as we stress about wedding planning today, it was much more difficult then. You had to store up provisions, you had to plan out several meals. And while the family would have to provide and arraign all these things, you would have a dedicated “master of the feast” whose job it would be to see that all the new courses and meals kept being brought out, whose job it would be to see that all the merriment and joy continues.

“And on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples.” And so right after Jesus begins His ministry, He takes His few disciples and brings them to a wedding in Cana – quite probably the wedding of a relative as His mother was in the know about what was going on behind the scenes – “When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no more wine.’” Mary knows what’s going on in the back, in the kitchens. And what is the problem? They have run out of wine. Now, think like a good Jew for a moment – wine is part of everyday life, it’s a staple of life. More over, there would never be a Jewish celebration without wine – for as Psalm 104 teaches, God makes plants bring forth both food for man as well as “wine to gladden the heart of man.” Wine was a good and holy thing, a gift from God to bring joy – even in the middle of the Passover meal, even in the middle of the escape from bondage in Egypt, there is still wine. It’s a great and sacred gift from God.

And there, at that feast in Cana – it was out. Gone. Dried up. God gives wine for joy and devotion – and it’s gone. Do you see how this would be an embarrassing thing? How this would be viewed as just a bad sign for the married couple – I mean if the joy runs out even before the wedding party is over, that doesn’t bode well. And so Mary goes to her Son and tells Him that the wine is out. He says, “Woman, what does this have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” Mary knows. Mary knows that her Son Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. She knows that when the Messiah comes, it will be as the Prophet Isaiah declares in the 25th Chapter, “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces,” – Mary knows this, and she starts putting two and two together. My Son is the Christ, the Messiah. We are at a feast. Cana is in the hill country…Lord of hosts, a feast, full of wine? It’s a good connection to make. But Jesus tells her, “No mom, Isaiah 25 isn’t being fulfilled in full, not yet. It’s going to be a while before I tangle with death and swallow it up.” But Mary knows how God works – God likes to give partial fulfillments – little foretastes of the goodness to come, and so she says to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” If there’s going to be wine at this party, well, it’s in God’s hands now.

We know what happens – “Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.” These jars are used for religious washings and blessings, and God Himself is going to use them for a miracle. Quite fitting. “Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called to the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” And Mary was sort of right. There it is – good wine, well aged, there at a feast in the mountains. Christ acts with love and compassion for this married couple. It’s not the full fulfillment, but still, love and joy are given. And this wedding feast is saved, the celebrations will be able to continue, and there will be joy and laughter and delight in God’s gift of love that he had given to the bride and the groom.

So, Pastor Brown, that’s all well and good, but today we are celebrating the 110th Anniversary of Zion – and this is just the normal text for the 2nd Sunday in Epiphany. Couldn’t you have picked out something better, something a little more appropriate for an anniversary? Nope – because first of all, if you are going to celebrate an anniversary, it’s going to probably be appropriate to talk about a wedding. But more than that – the Wedding at Cana is a image, is a parallel of what God has done in this place for the past 110 years. In fact, what God has done for His people here for these past 110 years is even more a fulfillment of Isaiah 25 than what we saw in John 2. Or did you not know that every communion Sunday in this place is nothing but the continuing wedding celebration of Christ Jesus and His beloved Bride, the Church? This is what St. Paul teaches in our Epistle: “This mystery [marriage and the two becoming one flesh] is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church.” Whenever you see marriage in the Scriptures, God uses it as a teaching image, teaching about His salvific love for us. This is also why God tends to get really upset when people make a mockery of marriage or eschew it – that doesn’t go over well in the Scriptures. But we are taught that Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, “giv[ing] Himself up for her that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, so that He might present the Church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” Christ Jesus goes to the Cross, suffers and dies – and with His death He destroys death – Isaiah would say that He swallows it up forever. And He does this for His bride, the Church – it is for the Church that He gives Himself up. And having giving Himself up, He takes the Church and washes her, makes her clean and pure, and then He brings her into the great and never-ending feast of joy and love for all eternity.

And what has God been doing here in this place for 110 years? Well let’s see, Christ Jesus, who has died for us, washes us with water and the Word – that’s Baptism. Christ Jesus has established this congregation to be a place people are baptized – that through this congregation they might join the Church that is timeless and spread throughout the world – that they might be washed clean of their sin and forgiven. And then what happens to us who have been washed clean in Holy Baptism. We who are now part of the Church, part of the Holy Bride of Christ, are called by our Lord to come to His table, to His feast. The Lord’s Supper is the Wedding Reception – it is where we here on earth for a moment touch and participate in the joys of the heavenly feast that goes without end – therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the company of heaven – we for a moment are brought into that feast now all so that our sin would be forgiven and that we would have strength to endure this life until we are called to the never ending feast. This is what God has been doing here for the past 110 years.

Because that’s what a Church is, that’s what a Congregation is. It is simply a place where God takes the promises He has made to His people in His Word and delivers them to people. The timeless truth, the timeless Gospel is given to us here and now in this place. Christ Jesus comes to us here with His gifts and His blessing. He comes here and His mercy does away with our sin, His love covers our sadness and shame, His righteousness beats down our sinful desires and fills us with compassion for our neighbor. That’s what this place is. And God has been kind to us, kind and loving, for He has called us here to this place to receive His mercy, not just as individuals, but He has called us together. God does not just leave you alone in this life, but He gathers us together where we together may hear His Word, where we together may receive Communion and celebrate that we have been joined together in Christ, where we may pray together “Our Father”. And for over 5 generations, God has continued to come to His people in this place. Through language changes and World Wars and depressions and oil busts and dust bowls – through almost every tumult and trial you can think of in this world, Christ Jesus has still continued to come to His people here. He has continued to provide us His rich feast. This is a great and joyous thing.

We see from our Gospel, indeed, we see from the entirety of the Scriptures how Christ Jesus our Lord desires us to have joy – not a mere passing earthly joy – but the true joy of having our sins forgiven and being restored to everlasting life. For 110 years, He has called us to partake, to share in this here. This is a wondrous thing – for from the Mount of Calvary where the pall of death was destroyed rich wine flows even here to Lahoma rich wine, wine become His most Holy Blood, given to us for life everlasting. Christ Jesus will not let the celebrations of His love end in vain – God grant that we rejoice in Him all of our days in this life, and even into the life of the world to come. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +

Bordering on the Political

2012-01-13T07:22:00.003-06:00

(Note - this will be somewhat political, as in US politics)

I value life. I think making sure that children are fed is a good and laudable goal and should be a high priority. I'm sure you agree with me.

However, what would be your reaction if you came home from work and I was, unannounced or uninvited, in your kitchen preparing a meal for your family, because, well, I know how to make lovely and healthy meals.

Would you be upset? After all, I'm just trying to feed the children?

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Part of any life, the life that we value, is the idea of vocation - that we are called by God to serve the people he places in our lives in certain ways.

I love to cook food. As part of my vocation as husband, I am free (and even obligated) to see that there is a meal for my family. Thus, I cook.

As the Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, I am free (though somewhat less obligated) to help provide food for the various meals there. Thus, I cook.

As a neighbor, I can bring a casserole or dish over to a neighbor who might appreciate it - in this I am free.

However, if I we to assume and take away your vocation, and simply say, "I will be the one to feed your family" - that would be wrong. It would tread upon the vocation God has given you.

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Imagine how you might be upset or offended if I had come into your kitchen and just decided that *I* needed to cook your dinner. Even if it was a wonderful dinner, might it not be upsetting? Even if it is useful, might you not grow to resent it, might you not keep a smile on your face while inside you are more and more aggravated?

I think a wise political policy remembers that other nations are sovereign, that they have their own houses that they need to tend to themselves, and that while we are free to help if asked (bring over a casserole upon request), it's not our job or duty to take things over, or bring "a balanced diet" to the world. That is arrogance on our part and builds up bad will... rather let us teach by example.

And tend to our own kitchen, which is a mess.

More Thoughts on Offense

2012-01-12T05:29:00.003-06:00

I have an adage that I like - "A Christian seeks to neither be offended nor give offense." It's a simple idea, a simple phrase. Be balanced and help others to be balanced. Don't try to get thrown off kilter, and don't tweak other people needlessly.

I think part of the reason why I like this focus, especially on the "don't be offended" is because in our society today "I'm offended" has almost become the self-righteous way of lying.

Follow this stream of events.

Person A doesn't want to do X anymore.
Simply stopping X would make A seem "bad" or "not a good Christian".
Person B does something.
Person A says, "Oh, how terrible that B has done this. I am offended. I must stop X in response."

This isn't about offense. This isn't about anger. This is using the idea of "offense" as a pretext.

I think this is one of the things that annoys (I almost typed "offends") me most about the whole "taking offense" angle -- that it is often disingenuous - that it often doesn't drive to the real heart of the matter. If you don't want to do something, say you don't want to do it. Then consider whether or not you are right. Don't build up an artificial case to justify yourself.

Be honest when examining your wants and desires, and don't fall into the self-righteous trap that "offense" can afford you.

An Analogy

2012-01-11T08:10:00.003-06:00

Let us say that your daughter married a lousy man, who decides up to and leave her and run around with the dames. And then, one night, a few months later, he shows up on her door step in the rain asking to come in. And your daughter asks him, "Are you back for good?", and he says, "No, Betty and Jane and Angela were all busy tonight. I'll be back with them tomorrow, but I'm here now, let's enjoy the night."

Would any of you want your daughter to open the door, or would you rather she slammed it in his face?

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is why we have closed communion.

When a person is confirmed, they are asked, "Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?" Likewise, when a person is married, they are asked, "will you keep her in sickness and in health and, forsaking all others, remain united to her alone, so long as you both shall live?"

Both are intended to be lifetime commitments, not something you just flirt and flit into and out of on a whim. As we would know that it would be wrong to encourage the scoundrel male in the example above, likewise, we ought not encourage people to be dismissive of their Confirmation vows in how they practice communion.

And you realize, this isn't a stretch. Consider: "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church."

The analogy is most appropriately applied to communion, because the Sacrament of the Altar is the higher and greater mystery to which marriage points.

Not as Much Posting

2012-01-10T07:13:00.002-06:00

So there my son lies, on his bug mat, having a nice conversation with the orange bug-rattle thing. This is what my mornings have consisted of.

Feed. Burp. Clean up spit up. Entertain. Place Victor on the bug and while he is entertained, hurriedly get ready.

This doesn't leave as much time for posting.

So - does this mean that I'm not leading as "Spiritual" a life, that I'm not lost in contemplations or the like.

Nope. It just means that while I might have them, my hands might be full, and well, there's nothing wrong with that.

It's good to have time with my midget. What's going to be more fun/interesting/terrifying is when I get the full nights with him when his mom goes back to work (on the night shift).

But it is lovely to know that tending to my son is a good and God pleasing thing... even as I think he desires to learn to talk simply to complain at me. Ah well - "feed me now" would be a good first sentence to say, wouldn't it?

My thought of the morning is this - let not your theology become compartmentalized, where "theology" is that stuff on the computer screen, or that stuff in that specific devotional. You are a Christian - you see all things through Christ - you approach all things as one redeemed.

Everything in your life is tied to theology. Even playing with a baby ties into vocation, service, theology of the cross, sacrifice, order of creation. Theology isn't just a Sunday morning or blog viewer thing - it is the total encompassing of your life.

There's your challenge for the day. Consider the theological implications of what you are doing when you aren't actively trying to ponder theology. It's a good thing.

Now, I will delight in my son, who has figured out how to grab Orangie the Bug and twist him and look at him from other angles. This is new and exciting.

Theology is always new and exciting, because those timeless truths are always applied anew in our lives. Great stuff.

Epiphany Sermon for Zion

2012-01-08T08:20:00.000-06:00

Epiphany Observed – Matthew 2:1-12 – January 8th, 2012

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
Today we are marking the beginning of the season of Epiphany – the season where the same Christ Jesus who has come down from Heaven is revealed to the nations – and so for the next few weeks leading up unto Lent, our readings will be focused upon Christ Jesus being revealed, of His divinity being shown to the nations. And to start, we begin with the story of the Wise Men who come from the East and bring Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But instead of focusing on the Wise Men, instead of just jumping to Bethlehem, let’s consider Herod and Jerusalem for a bit. Here is how our Lesson begins: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose in and have come to worship Him.’” First things first – with the wise men you have a joyous proclamation – that the King of the Jews, the promised Messiah has been born. And this is not just any old king, this is a wondrous King, so awesome that even those from distant lands know that they ought to come and worship Him. This child who is born is not only a King for the Jews, but a King for all nations – and not only a King, but the True God made Man who is worthy of worship. These wise men are announcing that everything the Old Testament had prophesied, everything the people of Israel were supposed to be looking to was at hand.

And yet, what is the reaction? “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” It apparently was a big deal, these wise men coming. I mean, not only Herod hears about it, but all of Jerusalem – it’s big news. It’s good news. And yet, what is the response? People are troubled. They are fearful. Why? Why is there fear and disconcertion at such good news? Well, Herod – we can tell that Herod is worried about his position. He’s the king, but if there is a new king, well, that means he gets replaced – so Herod even plots to have Christ’s life snuffed out as an infant. And as for the people of Jerusalem – there would be change and turmoil, and their comfortable lives might be upset. The Christ would come to bring justice and mercy and righteousness, and the every day humdrum of their lives would be overturned – and we cannot have that… and so they are troubled.

Does it seem strange to think that the reaction of so many people to the revelation of Christ Jesus, to the announcement that He has come, would be to be troubled? It shouldn’t, because whenever the Gospel of Christ is preached, whenever the Good News is revealed, it will always be troubling to those who are self-focused and concerned with worldly respect. If a person’s first thoughts are about the here and now and making a buck and acquiring earthly power, then the Gospel of Christ is upsetting. Christ coming reminds people that they are not the ones ultimately in control – that He is. Christ’s coming reminds us that this world and all the things that we treasure in it will pass away. Christ’s coming reminds us that He is the center of all things, not us. And sinful man hates all these truths. Sinful man wants and craves power and might, and thus hates Christ.

But you realize, my dear friends, I haven’t been talking just about things that only those bad people out there think about. I’ve been talking about what hits us here in this room. I’ve been talking about how Satan tries to attack you, tries to attack me. The Christian life is one of trust in God and service to the neighbor – a life where we place our well being in God’s hands as we simply serve our neighbors without thought or worry about what we will receive in return, without concern over what we will achieve. We show love simply because love is what should be shown, even to our enemies and those who hate us, knowing that God will provide what success He desires, and also trusting that God will tend to our needs. We know this, we are well trained in this – but doesn’t it seem like having this approach gets a little bit harder and harder every day, doesn’t it, even in this place? We labor, we work, we strive to have a good and thriving congregation… and well, who seems to care? It seems as though less people show up to things, it seems as though it’s harder to get people to help, it seems like nothing goes on, nothing goes well. I know that’s what it seems like, I hear it from y’all, I feel it myself. And here’s the thing – it’s not really true. Okay, yes, our attendance is down, but other than that, we are a pretty vibrant congregation. Our calendar was full these past two months with activities and parties and opportunities to serve. We’ve fed the poor and given gifts to those who’ve got nothing, we’ve rejoiced and celebrated with each other – we have people volunteering to do more and more around the congregation – and we have plenty lying ahead with our anniversary next week and then Groundhog a few weeks after that. Our bible studies have been doing well – things are good. That is the reality - and yet – it is easy to ignore this and rather simply think about attendance numbers, and then we become disheartened, and we can get worn down and worn out. It’s so easy to be troubled.

I read of Herod, I read of Jerusalem being troubled, and I think of our own troubles here. In reality, Herod and Jerusalem had nothing to worry about – they were receiving good news and blessing, but because of their fear and worries, they didn’t see it as good news. Satan had blinded them, he had blinded them to the good news of what God was giving them in Christ Jesus and how God was blessing them. And how did Satan blind them? By shifting their focus away from Christ and onto their own fears and concerns about their status and power and what people thought of them and their own ease and comfort. Dear friends in Christ – do not let Satan do the same to you. So often our fears revolve around what people will think about us, how they will react to us. We become worried about what *we* can do to entice them, to cajole them, to manipulate them into… well, showing up and making us feel better about ourselves and our congregation. And the thing is, that’s just a path of sorrow and pain. Why? Because when we think about trying to please everybody, we forget to focus on the Christ Jesus whom they and we need. Because when we think this way we become focused on every hurt, every slight that we might feel, every time someone says no or shows indifference – and we focus on our pain and hurt. We get so caught up in stuff, in the humdrum junk of life that we forget to focus on the wondrous truth. Christ Jesus is our God and Lord, and He has won us the victory over sin, death, and the devil. This is true. This is our reality, this is the good news that should shape every moment of our lives, that should brighten every moment of our lives, that should constantly be upon our tongues – Christ Jesus the Light of the world is our light and our life – He has come to be our King, and even if the world comes crashing down around us – so be it, He is the God who has suffered and died and risen for us, so we know that no matter what we face, we too will rise with Him – it’s a done deal. And when we are focused upon Christ, when we see things through Him, through what He has done for us, what He continues to do for us and through us here – then we have joy, then that fear is cast out. Do we not receive forgiveness in this place every week? Do we not have every opportunity to learn together, to work together, to care for each other? The world can’t change that, the sins and indifference of our neighbors and loved ones can’t change that, our fears and insecurities can’t change that. And yet, we are so easily tempted to think like Herod, to think like Jerusalem, to be blinded to the love of Christ and rather be focused upon immediate fears and worries.

“After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped him.” The wise men, who are rightly called wise – they paid no attention to the troubles of Herod. They didn’t abandon their journey when Jerusalem around them murmured in fear. Even though they had already traveled long and far, even though the countryside around them seemed to be getting more and more troubled – that was not their focus. Instead, they were focused upon Christ, and seeing Him, worshipping Him, they were filled with joy. This is true wisdom. To see, to behold Christ Jesus, to know His salvation. That’s what the Wise Men see – this is God come to earth, come to earth for them, to win salvation with His death upon the cross for them. Everything else pales in comparison. Dear friends in Christ, Your Lord has still gone to the cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and you are forgiven. Your Lord Christ Jesus has still risen victoriously from the grave, and so no matter what this world throws at you, at us, you will rise and live eternally with Him. This is truth, and in His love for you, Christ Jesus continues to draw your eyes unto Himself, He continues to reveal Himself to you here, to shine His light and pour His love upon you in His Word, in His Supper. God is at work here for you, reviving and restoring you. Nothing can change that, nothing can separate you from Christ’s love. So let us be bold in focusing upon that love, upon receiving it, upon sharing it, upon pointing others to it and inviting them to join in receiving His gifts with us. What will happen – well, concerning numbers or anything like that – I cannot say. But I can tell you what will happen. Christ will be here for you, and He will forgive you, and He will give you growth in love and wisdom and compassion so that you will be better prepared to face whatever dourness this world throws at you. Your Savior is here for you, He has been revealed to you, and He will never abandon you, for He is indeed your light and your life, and no darkness shall ever overcome Him. God grant that we learn this ever more. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World + Amen.

Epiphany Sermon for Trinity

2012-01-08T07:21:00.000-06:00

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
Today, dear friends, we celebrate Epiphany – the fact that indeed Christ Jesus is a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel. Epiphany is the time of the Church year where we look at Christ Jesus and we see that this Child, this Man preaching and teaching is in fact true God. During the weeks of Epiphany, we see and behold the evidence that this is no simple fellow, but rather is True God and True Man, and that He has come into the world to win salvation for all people, for the whole world. To start off Epiphany, we hear the story of the wise men, of the Magi from the East – we see the first gentiles who worship Christ the King.
Now, to understand the significance of this event, of the wise men coming to worship Christ, you need to understand the mindset of Judea at the time of Christ’s birth. The people of Israel had lost their way. They had forgotten who they were and why they existed. Oh, they knew that they were God’s Chosen people, a people special to the One True God, but they forgot for what reason they were set apart. God had called Abraham, had called Israel apart from other people to be the lineage that would produce the Messiah. The Lord gave to the people of Israel the Law through Moses, not to make them better people, for the Law does not give life, but to hold them separate from the world. Circumcision, the Sabbath Day, the dietary laws, the purification laws – these were not about morality or right and wrong – rather, all these laws kept the people of Israel separate and distinct from all the other peoples of the world. And why? So that the people of Israel by their very existence, by their uniqueness would be a constant reminder to the rest of the world that the LORD God would send forth a Messiah, a savior to redeem not just the people of Israel, but the whole world.
Over the course of time, by in large the people of Israel had forgotten that. A few faithful men and women remembered that the promises of salvation were for all – Simeon knew that Jesus was a light to the gentiles, Mary knew that all generations, Jewish and Gentile alike would call her blessed. But most folks had forgotten. You see this in how they viewed the Messiah. The expectations were that the Messiah would chase off the Romans, restore the Kingdom of Israel on earth. The idea was that the nation of Israel was to rule and have power – that’s what it meant to be God’s special people. They forgot that their purpose was to serve others, that the Lord promised Abraham that all people would be blessed through him, not fall at his feet. Even in the early Church this was problematic – Peter has to be told directly by God that the dietary laws are no more – Paul has problems with the Judiazers wherever he goes. The idea that salvation was for the gentiles, for those outside the people of Israel went against false thoughts of power and glory that were ingrained hard and fast, and it took a while for people to get over their false dreams of power.
Let this be a warning to us here, dear friends. We too, like the people of Israel, are within the house of God. We have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light. But why? So that we might have power and glory? So that we might lord it over others? So that we might look at the people out there and feel smug and say, “I am so much better than them”? I don’t even have to answer that, you know these attitudes are wrong. But Satan’s tricks are old, and the same deception he worked on the people of Israel he tries to work on the Church today. Satan tries to get us to lose our focus, to forget why we exist. So why does this Congregation, why does Trinity Lutheran Church stand today? It is not meant to be a place where the good people go. It is not meant to be a place simply where our family gathers. It is not meant to be a private, holy club. Yet sadly, sometimes, even unthinkingly and unintentionally, these are the attitudes we end up taking. We can unthinkingly establish an us versus them type of attitude – and we can be cold and indifferent to the stranger, to our neighbors who as of yet are not of the faith. We can unthinkingly become prideful in our own so-called righteousness, and become stilted and jaded, just like the people of Israel were of old.
So why does this congregation exist? The Wisemen show us. And going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. That’s what this house is for. This is a place where we are to come, and not just us, not just our family, not just our friends, not just the people we happen to like, but this is a place where all people are to come and worship Christ. This house is to be a place where Christ is proclaimed, where He is revealed to us in His Word and in His Sacraments, this house is to be a place where salvation and the forgiveness of sins shines forth to all people who need it. The wise men were strangers and foreigners, they were outsiders, and yet they are welcomed into Joseph’s house to worship Christ. This is an example and a reminder to us – that this congregation is to be a place of worship, a place where any and all people can come and receive salvation. In fact, we are to be a beacon, a lamp on a hill, we are to call all people here to behold the wonders of God and to delight in His salvation. When we see people who are not our members, we shouldn’t look at them and see people who don’t belong. We shouldn’t see people who are different. Rather this – we should see people who ought to be our members, we should see people whom we should help to see the Light of Christ and hope that they join us, learn of Christ, become part of our fellowship here. We should see them, and realize that they ought to be here and that God indeed wants them here.
Sadly, sometimes we get in the way of that. Our prejudices and dislikes can get in the way. We can be quite comfortable where we are at, and new folks, new blood as it were, might stir things up too much. We can desire this house to be our house – the way we want it to be - rather than God’s House where His Word which calls forth all people takes the day. Our sin, our sinful desires and jealousies and dislikes and hatred can seek to cover the Light of Christ which shines here. Of this, we need to repent. This Church is to gladly let Christ shine forth, not cover Him up, not hide Him under a bushel, as the old song goes.
Thankfully for us, Christ Jesus knows well how to deal with us, how to handle our sin. The wise men again with their gifts remind us of this. Then opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts teach us about Jesus. Gold. That is a kingly gift. We see and remember from this gift that Jesus Christ is King, that He is the One in charge – that Jesus is the One who executes Justice. And so we are humbled, and so we are brought under the Law, under the King’s rule and reminded that we are to repent, that we are to flee and avoid sin – that we are to strive to live by the Word of the King. And although we often fail in this, although sin still clings to us – in the other two gifts, frankincense and myrrh, we see our hope. Those are gifts of spices, they are the spices which were placed upon a dead body. The wise men remind and point us with their gifts to the Cross. This is why they come to worship – not simply because Christ is King – but because Christ Jesus goes to the Cross and suffers and dies. It is there upon the Cross that Jesus shines forth most brightly, it is there upon the Cross as He cries out “It is Finished” that we see our Lord shine His brightest as He beats down and conquers and destroys sin. That, our Lord Crucified, is why we gather here and worship. Because Christ Jesus has shed His blood and won for us the forgiveness of our sin. St Paul says that He is determined to know nothing but Christ and Him Crucified. That is what we here are to know and focus on, and we are to constantly receive the forgiveness that Christ wins by His crucifixion. We are to use the strength that His forgiveness gives us to beat down our sin so that He can shine forth. We are to delight in His forgiveness in our worship and praise, and we are to delight in the fact that this forgiveness was won for all people, Jew and Gentile alike – family and stranger alike. And so we are brought here, called here by the Word, so that we might repent of our sin and delight in the forgiveness which God has won for us. This is why Trinity Lutheran Church still stands – so that your sin, and that the sin of all people who enter here, might be richly forgiven here in God’s House.
Epiphany is the season where Christ Jesus shines forth – where we see more and more His Holiness shine forth. Light and life have entered the world in Christ Jesus, and He calls all people to His House to bask in the Light of His forgiveness. Christ is here to bring salvation to all who need it. This is our hope and joy, and this is the truth we strive to ever know more and more, and this is the truth that God shows us ever more and more by the forgiveness of our sin daily and richly by His Word and Sacraments here in His House. Amen.

Depersonalized Drama or Drama Light?

2012-01-04T08:30:00.003-06:00

So, I've seen some goodly sniping on the internet these past few days -- not that this is a strange thing, or a 2012 thing. And I haven't really gotten involved -- and no, that's not a 2012 resolution thing. I just simply haven't had the energy or inclination. The same old debates about this or that fall to the back burner when your son is sleeping poorly and you're fighting off a cold.

And so, I've only observed briefly, and I thought about the whole internet flame war dust up what have you. See, I don't like drama, I don't like dramatics - I love maturity (well, most of the time...). Okay - I love maturity with the exception of when it prevents sophomoric humor (see, honesty!). But conflict and tension and backbiting and wounded feelings and affectations of wounded feelings... drives me nuts. I can't stand pity parties -- when we are instructed by the fathers to see which of us can be the more wronged, this wasn't what they were talking about.

However, noting the flame wars and the like... I've noted quite a few level headed, mature fellows getting involved. Indeed, people who can be quite nice suddenly seem to become lunatics when they are sitting at a keyboard (I'm looking around very innocently now with a coy smile, in case you were wondering).

Why?

I have an idea, but I'm not sure how to entitle it - it's either "Depersonalized Drama" or "Drama Light".

On the one hand - the internet depersonalizes arguments. You can have all the drama you want, all the andrenaline kicks, the self-righteous congratulatory high... and you don't see the person you are trouncing. Or if you are into getting a little bit of a pity fix... it's not from someone you see and interact with... it's just there on the computer whenever you need it. We can get the emotional kick of Drama without having to actually deal with real people that we have to see over and over. IS that the appeal - that we can get the emotional highs but then cut off interaction with ease, so we can turn it off and get back to normal like that?

On the other hand, maybe this is more just "Drama Light" -- because there is that medium of the computer, our fighting can taste great while being less filling at the same time (if you are under 30, that was a reference to old beer commercials). But maybe it's just that it is a lighter, less intense version of the drama... it doesn't impact you as harshly and rather can be smooth.

I don't know. Either way, it's probably not really good for you. Or your neighbor. Ah well.

Sermon for Christmas 1 - 2012

2012-01-01T05:55:00.000-06:00

Christmas 1 – Jan 1, 2012 - In the Name of Christ Jesus our New Born King +
Dear friends in Christ, today is one of my favorite Sundays in the Church Year. I absolutely love this Sunday, I love this text. I love hearing Simeon sing the praises of God, I love hearing old Anna giving thanks. I’m almost sort of sad that our Gospel text is the text for the Sunday after Christmas, though. This Sunday is traditionally one of the worst attended across the land. People are traveling, and away from home they don’t make it out. People are just all Churched out from all the festivities of Christmas. Add to this the fact that today is New Year’s Day, when many of us might have been staying up later than normal, and meh. It is a Sunday that is often missed – which is so ironic, as it is the Sunday where we see two folks waiting patiently in Church for their Lord to come. Let us look at this text, see what it teaches us not only about our Savior, but also how it guides and shapes our worship as well.
And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Yes, Joseph and Mary, being good parents, being faithful folk, on the 40th day after His birth bring Christ up to Jerusalem and offer the Sacrifices mandated in the Law of Moses for young boys to get. Do you see what this means? Even as a Child, even before He could walk or speak, our Lord Jesus Christ was obedient to the Law of God. What does Paul tell us in Galatians? That God sent His Son, born of Woman, born under the Law, to redeem us who were trapped by the Law. When Christ Jesus comes to earth, He doesn’t come as some stranger, He doesn’t come as some dignitary who is far above us. God becomes Man, becomes one of us, gets into the same boat as we are in. And why? “to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” We are burdened with sin, with seeing and knowing all those things that we do that we aren’t suppose to do, with seeing and knowing all those times we fail and fall short and don’t do what we ought. We are under the Law. Its weight comes crushing down upon us, like a roof that is collapsing, like a cave-in – and trapped as we are by the Law, Christ Jesus comes in, and He rescues us by bearing the weight of the Law for us. He holds up the cave in so we can escape - with His arms outstretched upon the Cross He keeps us from being Crushed by the Law. And this is what we see Jesus doing today. He is here with us under the Law, He is indeed Immanuel, God with us – and God here to save us.
And as Mary and Joseph bring the boy Jesus in, they come across old Simeon. God had somehow let old Simeon know that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. So old Simeon came to the temple every day, and old Simeon waited, waited patiently in the temple. And then Simeon sees Jesus. He runs up and takes the babe in His arms, and in the Holy Spirit he says the words we know as the Nunc Dimitiss. . . the words we sing whenever we commune – Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace/ according to Thy Word/ for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation/ which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people/ a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel. The song of wonder and glory and joy that we sing, these are the words of Simeon. And why does Simeon say them? Because he holds in his hands, old, wrinkled hands that aren’t as strong as they used to be, Jesus, the promised Messiah. Simeon is dying, yet he holds in his hands the Christ who will be his salvation, who will call forth Simeon again from the grave on the last day. Dying Simeon holds the One who gives him Life Everlasting in his hands. And so, Simeon says, “Okay – I can die. Let death come – it will not be a terror for me, for I will die in peace.” Why in peace – why can Simeon go boldly to his death, go comfortably? Because he has seen it – he has seen Salvation, he has held in his own hands the very Body of God, the fact, the proof that all the promises God had made His people, the promises that God would be among us and live among us and rescue us from sin – Simeon holds the fulfillment, the proof of all that in his shaky hands. What more is there for him? What more does Simeon need to see? God’s salvation is here.
Dear friends in Christ – what do you see when you see Christ? When your mind comes across Jesus, when you think of Him, what do you think of? What we ought to think of Him, what we ought to see is the same thing that Simeon saw. Salvation. Life. Forgiveness. When you hear in Scripture of our Lord walking around, doing whatever it is that He does – that is your salvation. That is God at work for you. That is Jesus becoming a human being like you so that you can be a child of the Father like He is. That is Christ breaking down the hackles Satan had chained you with, it is Christ taking the noose off your neck. That is Christ stretching out His own hand and grabbing yours and taking you to heaven with Him. This is what Simeon sees – and by faith this is what we see as well. By the teaching of His Word and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit this is what we will see more and more, this is what our focus will be upon. Christ Jesus our salvation.
We do get another elderly person popping up in this text. We see Anna. Anna’s 84. Anna, like Simeon, has been in the temple a long time. And she sees Jesus, she recognizes who He is. And what does she do? And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel. What does she do, what is Anna’s response? She gives thanks. She gives thanks to God – and how is this done? By speaking, by speaking of Him. The way in which we give thanks to God is by speaking, by talking about Him, by saying, “Look at what God has done for me.” We spell it out. And what does Anna do? She sees folks who need what she needs – she sees folks who need a Savior as much as she does. And so, she spends her time saying, “He’s here – the Messiah has come.” This is thanks.
Dear friends, the words of Simeon and Anna, the words of these two pious servants of the Lord shape our worship, craft and shape how we worship even to this day. After the sermon, after the prayers, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Do you see what that is? Do you know and understand what it is that God gives to us in the Supper. We enter God’s House, come into His temple, and what do we see? “Take and eat, this is My Body, which is given for you. Take and drink, this is My Blood, which is shed for the remission of all of your sin.” What Simeon waited his whole life for we get in the Supper. Simeon held the Body of Christ in his hands, we have Christ’s own Body placed in our hands, upon our tongues. Our Lord comes to us as sure as He came to Simeon – and we see what He brings. Whereas Simeon’s eyes merely saw salvation and held it in his hands, we not only see and touch, but we smell it, we taste it, we taste God’s Salvation. This is how thoroughly God comes to us – He would be our God and have us be His people so He calls us to His House and feeds us on His own Body, the medicine of Immortality, gives us Eternal Life, gives us His life.
And then, we echo Simeon. Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace. We aren’t saying, “Okay, service has been long enough, I want to get out of here.” We are saying – We can face death now, Lord. It holds no more fear for us. What ever this year holds, we leave this place in peace – we are at peace with You, God, and You are at peace with us. You have forgiven us and given us all that we need for this life, You have called us to heaven. When You are ready, so are we – for You have joined us to Your Son Christ Jesus – You have brought us into Your family, indeed You have Baptized us, made us part of Your Son’s own Body - - indeed, You have fed us with that Same Body to keep us steadfast in the faith. We are ready for whatever comes, for we know Your salvation and we have it right now. That is why we sing the song of Simeon when we commune.
And after that, just before we leave, before we head out in the world, we pray a prayer that is known as the Thanksgiving. Having echoed Simeon, we echo Anna. “We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift.” We give thanks to God by saying what He has done. And then, “we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith towards You and in fervent love toward one another.” Lord, we are going out into the world – help us, be with us, make us to love others, not just love them a little bit, but love them fervently. We echo Anna, who gives thanks to God and then shows the highest love, by speaking of Christ.
Our worship, dear friends, isn’t shaped by what we want or what we like – it is shaped by Scripture, and we follow its patterns, what it has laid down for us. And today, we have been blessed to see that pattern, to see the guides which mold how we praise God and give Him thanks. So, having seen the shape of our worship, let us with gladness receive the Salvation our Lord gives us. Amen.

New Year's Eve Sermon - 2011

2011-12-31T17:51:00.001-06:00

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +
Dear friends in Christ, greetings to you this last evening of the Year of our Lord, 2011. Tonight, we celebrate the Eve of the Name of Jesus, a Church Holiday. It comes from the fact that it was on the 8th Day, one week after His birth, Jesus was circumcised and named. This is what we see in our Gospel lesson, short though it is. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise Him, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived. This evening, let us spend some time meditating on the Name of Jesus as the year slowly ends.

Now, there is one thing to notice here that nowadays we don’t think too much about. The 8th day, which is now, is of profound importance in the Old Testament for a child. The 8th day is when everything becomes official. He’s been around a week, but Jesus is only named at His Circumcision. This was the custom of the day in the Old Testament times. The child received his name on the day of his circumcision. As an example of this, when King David has his affair with Bathsheeba, the child dies on the 7th day. That’s why we never get his name. . . he hadn’t been named yet. So, therefore, even Jesus isn’t technically named Jesus until the 8th day.

It was the custom for a long, long time in the Christian Church not to name a child until they are Baptized. We see this in the Baptism service. When I baptize a child, I ask, “How is this child to be named?” That wasn’t just a way for absent minded pastors to remember what the kid’s name is supposed to be, but it was the official act of publicly naming the Child. In fact, this is how Martin Luther got his name. The little Luther boy was baptized the day after his birth, which happens to be St. Martin’s Day, so his name is Martin. The first time I said Victor’s name to him outside of the womb was when I baptized him. There is an association of Baptism with naming. Evidence of this is that baptism is also called Christening. . . and rightfully so, Christ-in-ing, putting in Christ. In Baptism we are clothed with Christ. But now, when we think of Christening, we think of naming ships for navy, but that idea comes from the idea of giving a name at Baptism. Nowadays though, with legal birth certificates by the state, we don’t wait anymore. It’s something that has fallen away, no huge deal, we will make a big deal of it tonight – the giving of the name is our focus and our cause to rejoice. Tonight we celebrate the Name Jesus, because it was today that He took that Name upon Himself.

So let us look at the Name Jesus. One of the other things that we have lost in America is the fact that names have meaning. When you named someone, the name signified something. Our names do as well, but, most of our names aren’t from English, so we don’t know what they mean. Eric, for example, is a derivation of powerful from Swedish. Now, I know that because I’ve looked it up, but I don’t hear my name and think powerful. Neither did my parents. . . I got named Eric because my dad really liked Eric Soderholm, who was the 3rd baseman for the Chicago White Sox in 1977. Even with names that have meanings in English, we don’t think of their meaning. We see some named Butch, and it’s just a name, not a description. We see a guy named Dale, and we don’t think of a valley. Chip, we don’t think of something little. I say, “my son’s name is Victor” and you don’t ask, “Oh, what has he won?” In America, because we pull names from so many languages, we don’t often think of them having meaning. In Jesus day, in the Old Testament, it was different. Names had meanings that said something, that proclaimed something. Names were meant to be little sermons, little confessions of what is true and real. Like Daniel. Daniel means, “God is my Judge.” Dan is Judge, “i” is my, and el is an abbreviation of Elohim, or God. Abram – exalted father – gets his named changed by God to Abraham – father of a multitude. Ab is father – ram is exalted, raham is of a multitude. The names have meaning.

The Name Jesus works the same way. In Hebrew it would be pronounced Yeshua – Ye being short for the Jehovah, the LORD, and shua meaning “saves”. The name Jesus, and the name Joshua for that matter, means “The Lord saves.” Is this not wonderful? Everything about Jesus is Gospel, even His very Name itself. To simply say the Name “Jesus” is to confess that God is the Savior, that He is the One who saves. This is the significance of the Name of Jesus. It tells us exactly what is going on here. Why do we have this Jesus running around? Well, because Yeshua, because The LORD Saves.

And how does The LORD Save? We see this in the fact that Jesus was circumcised. So Jesus is circumcised, what’s the big deal? First, in being circumcised, we see Jesus fulfilling the law. In being circumcised, we see Jesus doing all the things that He needs to do to be completely righteous. If you look at all of the laws of the Old Testament, there is nothing which Jesus doesn’t not do that is required of Human beings. By being circumcised, Jesus is placed under the Law as all of us are, except with Jesus, there is one major difference. He can and does do the Law perfectly. No sin, no flaw in our Lord, simply perfection in Human flesh. We see Jesus fulfilling the law in our place.

But also, we see something else. I don’t know how many of you have seen a circumcision, but when you think about it, it’s a bloody thing. You are cutting flesh from a rather tender area, and it bleeds. Do you see what else we get in circumcision? Today we celebrate the first time in which our Lord shed His blood for us. It is at His circumcision that the very Blood which is poured out for us on the Cross is first poured out for us. And it is interesting to note that this blood shedding comes under the law. The Law says, on the 8th day, males are to be circumcised, and so Jesus is. It is because Jesus our Lord submits Himself to the law that He is wounded, that He bleeds. Is this not the same thing we see at the Crucifixion. Christ Jesus, the Lord of Creation, submitting Himself to the punishments of the law, our punishment, which we deserved, in our stead? Even from the beginning of His days on the earth, Christ Jesus takes His place with us and sheds His blood on your behalf, blood that is always given and shed for you for the remission of all of your sins.

Dear friends, the way we end the old and begin the new year in the Church is to look at Christ Jesus our Lord, the Lord Who Saves, and to give praise to Him for the fact that He is the God who becomes Man and suffers for our sake. In the year to come, may you remember richly the forgiveness that Jesus has won for you, may you hear it preached often, may you taste it often in His supper. Indeed, the Lord Saves, and let us give Him thanks and praise for that in all years to come, even until the end of time. Amen.

The Weakness of a Seminary Education

2011-12-27T09:28:00.002-06:00

There is one major weakness of Seminary Education as we know in the LCMS. For 4 years those who are training to be a Pastor have no pastor of their own.

"Well, what do you mean? They are surrounded by pastors. The profs are pastors, the administrators are pastors, their field work supervisors and vicarage supervisors are pastors!"

Well, no, no, and sort of.

A Professor is not a pastor. When I showed up to Scaer's Christology class, I did not show up to have my sins forgiven. I did not show up for guidance. I showed up to learn Christology. And moreover, Dr. Scaer had a duty to test me, to quiz me, to examine me and find my flaws so that if I did not understand Christology, I would fail.

That's not being a pastor. But that's okay - that's being a Prof, and that's what Dr. Scaer is called to be.

An Administrator is not a pastor. Their job is to administrate - to determine if a person fits a moral standard for an office, to funnel money, to shuffle numbers and students around. To judge.

That's not being a pastor. I don't care if you've gotten an M. Div - I don't care if you on occasion speak the Gospel or preach in Chapel... that's not being a "pastor". Fundamentally, pastoral care isn't your job.

As for Field Work and Vicarage Supervisors -- I love Pastor Crown. He taught me much... but he wasn't "my pastor" or only my pastor. He was my Supervisor - he was there to grade me, to determine whether or not I pass.

I do not grade my members. I do not determine whether or not they pass classes or whether they should be fired from their jobs.

I preach. I administer the Sacraments. I forgive their sins. I visit them while they are sick. I pray with them and over them while they are dying. I comfort them in their loss. And even if they go astray, I correct them - not with threats, but with gentle urgings to what is good.

We spend four years without a pastor - we spend four years with theologians who sit in judgment over us. Is it any wonder, then, that so many pastors can tend towards becoming legalistic tyrants who try to shape or form "good little christians" by force?

It's just what we've spent the previous 4 years learning.

Seminaries - call a Campus Pastor. Let him run the Chapel. Let him tend to worship and be a pastor to your students. He can visit them and their families when they are ill. He can listen to their burdens and forgive their confessions. He can give counsel and advice and comfort... and all without any position of judgment.

Christmas Sermon

2011-12-25T06:40:00.000-06:00

Christmas Day – 2011 – John 1:1-14

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +
Let’s start where John starts His Gospel, the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It’s a good place to start, the beginning. . . but the Word is there before that – for the Word was God. Yes, the Word was of the Father’s Love Begotten, ere the worlds began to be. “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life.” Pretty impressive – it is as we confess in the Nicene Creed – the Word is the Maker of all things, by whom all things were made – God Almighty, God Himself, the 2nd Person of the Trinity – this is the Word that John Speaks of this Christmas morning.

“And the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.” And here our jaw should drop – our surprise should be greater at this than at anything we saw under our tree this morning. The Word, God Almighty Himself, became Flesh, became Man, and dwelt among us, lived among us. Think on that. God became Man – God looks down from heaven and sees us sinful folks mucking it up, making a mess of our lives. He sees us earning nothing but His wrath and Damnation. . . and what does He do? Does He blot us from existence? Does He run away and leave us alone, deciding to just let us rotten in our own mess that we have made? No. He becomes Man. God sees us in our sinful state and says, “You know what, I will fix that. . . I’ll become one of them, I will live the perfect life, and win for them salvation by my own death.” God sees our sin, and how does He respond? By becoming Man, by being born, by being a helpless infant. God, in order to win our salvation, hungers until His mother decides to suckle Him, lies in dirty diapers until His mother changes Him, stays where He is put until He can learn to crawl, then to walk. We often get this sweet, neat picture of Christmas – but that sort of misses the point. Christmas is messy, babies are messy. Christmas means God becomes Man and dwells among us – He comes down to us because we can’t go up to Him. God chooses to participate in our lives, share in what we have. And He comes to share in all of it – not just the highs, but also the lows, the hardship, the weakness, the frailty. We see God tasting in all that we taste in our days. We see God for our salvation lying in a food trough.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Indeed, God came down to earth, down to the world to be among men, and by in large men reject Him. Wicked King Herod sought to kill Him, sent our Lord’s Adoptive father Joseph and His Virgin mother scurrying into flight into Egypt in order to protect their infant Child. Yes, a few wise men from afar would come and bow down, but those who were accounted wise among His own people – the Pharisees, the scribes, the priests – they mocked Him. They said He was possessed, they called him a Drunkard. They plotted His death. The crowds on Good Friday finished the job that Herod started as they shouted for His death. But we shouldn’t think it was only people way back then who reject Christ. Look at the very Holy-day of Christmas even in our own land. By in large, we’re more apt to be thinking about Santa than Jesus for most of December. If you tell people that Christmas is coming, they tend to be more worried about getting their shopping done than they are about giving thanks to Christ Jesus for His deigning to come to us. We’ve even taken the holy out of the holy day. Christmas day has become simply a day for eagerly opening presents and feasting – many of the largest Churches in the country have even cancelled service, so people can be at home with their families, instead of worshiping together with their real family, the Body of Christ, instead of gathering together for the great and true Christmas Feast – the Lord’s Supper.

But we shouldn’t be surprised. The presence of the Lord, God’s presence, is a scary thing when you are a sinner. It terrified the people of the Old Testament – Adam and Eve hid in the garden, the children of Israel demanded God keep His distance, Isaiah though He was going to die when He saw God in the temple. Sinful man is reminded of the wages of his sin when He beholds God’s holiness. It’s no surprise that the people of Christ’s day or the world today reject Christ. God with us reminds us that we need God to be with us, that we are not self-sufficient, that we of ourselves are condemned need rescuing from our sin. Instead we often crave better ways to delight in sin. And often enough, even we who know better cave and give into sin, we are tempted to want nothing to do with Christ. When we sin, we shout at the Christ child “Be away from me, I want no part of you. Let me live my life how I want to.” But God does come to us, in His great and wondrous mercy our Lord comes to us again and again – but He doesn’t come as we would expect. He doesn’t come yet as an angry judge to damn us for our sin – that’s what we feared. He doesn’t come yet as a mighty King to force us into bondage and servitude. In His mercy, God has held off that judgment of the last day, and instead devised a different coming, a coming that would give us hope to be able to stand on that last day. He comes to us simply as one of us.

“The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” The Boy born in the stable at Bethlehem would grow, He would run and play, He would learn His letters and how to work a saw, a hammer. He would learn from Joseph and Mary to go the temple and pray. They taught Him His prayers which He said at night before He went to bed. God dwelt among us – He lived a life with all the things that we see. Jesus got picked on growing up by the neighborhood bully and caught the colds the kids passed around. He grew into a young Man and had to work – He had friends who disappointed Him and abandoned Him when He needed them. He went hungry and suffered. He wept and mourned. He laughed and rejoiced and celebrated. He heard people complain about Him. Everything you can think of in your life, all the range of experiences, He too shared in them – all except sin, for this Christ Jesus is the spotless lamb, the One without Blemish. He lived how Adam would have lived had he not sinned, Christ lived how we would live if we didn’t sin. This is way in which Christ comes to us, dear friends. Jesus comes to us to share in our lives. Know that Christ Jesus knows our struggles in life well, personally. He too has shared them. Your ups and downs, He knows them. Your joys and sorrows, our Lord knows them. Even your temptations, our Lord knows them, why they would appeal, although He did not give in. Christ has dwelt among us, He has shared fully in our lives. He understands the trials you face, and as such in Compassion He was determined to win you salvation from them. That is the miracle of Christmas Day – that God would lower Himself to our level, simply to be with us, all in order that by His life and death and resurrection He might raise us up to the life everlasting.

Christ Jesus our Lord continues to come to us this day. Jesus still dwells with us, He is still here for our Salvation. Jesus still has the Body that was born in that manger, it is His. Satan tried to wrest it from Him, put Him to death upon the Cross, but on Good Friday Satan overstepped His bounds, and so the Father restored Jesus; the Father was pleased, saw all that His Son had done, and returned Him to life – and now Christ Jesus has risen and lives to die no more. Right now the Man Jesus, born of Mary, Jesus our Brother who shares in all that we are rules all of Creation in heaven. And Right now, Christ our Brother comes to us, comes to dwell with us here in His supper. This is Christmas. . . Christ Mass. . . the service of Holy Communion where we celebrate the fact that God became Man for us, that He gives Himself to us, even His own Body and Blood in His supper. It is the feast of His incarnation. As the manger held the infant Christ on the first Christmas morn, this Christmas morn we hold in our hands the Resurrected, life-giving Body of our Lord. Behold your King comes to you humble and lowly, His Body and Blood under Bread and Wine, and brings with Him your life and Salvation. God Almighty comes down from His throne, Christ Victorious over sin and death comes and gives us His own life! This is why we celebrate Christmas – we in fact celebrate it every time we have the Lord’s Supper. God has come and been our Savior – He has won for us full redemption by His death on the Cross, and He gives us His own life to share.

Dear friends in Christ, a most happy, joyous, and blessed Christmas to each of you. This day we remember and rejoice in a great and mighty wonder. Christmas comes again, as Christ shows us His own Body in His Supper and gives us His life. God has come to be with you, to give you life and salvation, to give you Peace with God and each other. God grant that we might ever more know and realize this, even until the day when we see Him face to face. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +

Handling Your Neighbor 5 - Don't go too long without asking for forgiveness.

2011-12-22T08:17:00.002-06:00

Here is the last one (for the moment) - Don't go too long without asking for forgiveness.

Again, this is a simple idea, but in your relationships with your neighbors, be quick and ready to ask for forgiveness. When you have done wrong, apologize, confess your fault, and seek forgiveness and mercy.

I mean - why wouldn't you want to be forgiven by your neighbor? Seriously - think about the times you've been in a spat and you haven't wanted forgiveness. Have they ever been good reasons?

Were you being stubborn and refusing to see your faults? That's not good.

Were you scared of rejection? Well, that fear isn't good. And as for rejection... well, if you go and are rejected, I'm sorry. But at least that way you aren't worried and de facto rejected as well.

Were you just sort of glad to not have a reason to deal with the person - that their anger at you kept them away? That's certainly not healthy.

Seriously - why wouldn't you want forgiveness?

Ego. Pride. Fear. Sin. All of it. That's what our sinful flesh tells us to do - to run away and hide from mercy, to hide from a Word of forgiveness as assuredly as Adam and Eve hid in the garden.

No. You are forgiven. That is fact. When you have sinned, go to your brother, ask for forgiveness, so that you can both see this truth, that this truth of forgiveness can be what shapes and defines your life together.

Forgiveness is a great thing - and in this case it is as good to receive as it is to give.

+ + + + + + + + + + +

My big giant caveat. Don't become a "forgiveness junkie". What, pray tell, is a forgiveness junkie? Consider the following discussion.

Person A: Oh my dearest brother, please, please forgive me for the wrong I have done you, I'm terribly sorry.

Person B: What are you talking about?

A: I... I... sneezed while you were talking. It distracted people from your words. Please forgive me.

B: You sneezed?

A: Yes, and I'm terribly sorry - please forgive me!

B: Um... okay.

Forgiveness among friends can be casual. If you sneeze, say excuse me and go on with life. It doesn't have to turn into private confession and absolution. But don't turn into some Medieval style monk trying to find every little flaw so that you can hear it be forgiven... that's just annoying to your neighbor.

Let your seeking of forgiveness be to sooth your relationship, not give you an emotional high.

::shudder:: I still remember when the one group on was on caught this - it was like being spammed by some weird liturgical pietistical busybody moral exhibitionist club. Very scary.

Handling Your Neighbor Part 4 - Don't hesitate to forgive.

2011-12-21T08:06:00.002-06:00

Part 4 is a simple idea - Don't hesitate to forgive.

Well, duh, that's obvious, isn't it? I mean, oh, forgive your neighbor, that's real original, isn't it? No, it's not original, but the problem is we rarely do it. Consider, in the Lord's Prayer, the only time we mention our neighbor it is in the context of forgiveness - forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Your primary relationship with every neighbor is to love and serve them - and this means to forgive them.

That's it. Simple as that.

But here is the rub. Often, we aren't content with simply being those who in love forgive our neighbor. We want to take on extra responsibilities - maybe to be the one to "teach them a lesson" and punish them, make them feel really bad about what they've done. Or maybe we want to be their watchdog, making sure they don't do bad things in the future. Or maybe we even simply are content to hold a grudge, until they show "enough" repentance, so that they never forget how terrible they are.

The above - that's probably not your job.

Well, okay, in some relationships it is. I'm a father - I do have the correction of my son as part of my vocation. But, even bearing that in mind, the greater duty I have is to speak to him forgiveness.

Seriously - think about it. What do you think is more important for your neighbor - correction or forgiveness? Which is the higher goal?

We cannot forget that correction is to lead to forgiveness, that the Law is to lead to the Gospel. And yet - we do. Because we can in our sinfulness really enjoy applying the Law to others.

Forgive your neighbor his trespasses.

Unconditionally.

Seriously - don't make him jump through hoops. Don't say, "I'll forgive you but you have to promise to never do it again" -- 70 times 7 blows that out of the water. Forgive your neighbor. Show care and concern.

Ah, but what if your neighbor doesn't repent? Hmmm, if your neighbor is unrepentant, shouldn't you bind his sin to him?

Unless you are a pastor dealing with one of your wayward sheep -- no.

Note what happens in Matthew 18 - once you've talked to the person who has sinned against you - it's out of your hands. The church, the clergy will deal with the spiritual aspects for them - the Church is the one that has that authority. But in so far as it relies upon you - turn a blind eye to their sin and remember it no more. Why should you judge your neighbor? Leave that to the Almighty Judge and His representatives. And even then, when they do it, it's not to punish, it's simply to drive to repentance.

Here's the thing - there are two ways in which we can look upon our neighbor - we can look upon them in love and mercy, or we can look upon them in anger and frustration. The first is the way of life, the second is the way of death. When we see and focus on our neighbor's sin, our own sinful flesh tempts us to start thinking in the second way.

Don't do it. Forgive them -- give their sins over. Let God deal with their sins. If they repent and they let those sins remain with Christ - wonderful. If they refuse to repent and cling to their sins, that's sad for them, but at least you aren't drawn down in the muck of hatred and anger with them. Give things over to God.

+ + + + + + + +

This hasn't been very organized. This hasn't been precise. So let me be brief. Your neighbor has done something against you. There will be many thoughts in your head - reasons for you "not" to forgive them. Guess what - 99% of the time, those are stupid and wicked and selfish reasons. Go forgive your neighbor. If we are to love our enemies, we certainly don't need to hold anything against our neighbor.

Anything.

At all.

God grant me growth in the ways of mercy.

Neighbor Handling 3 - Give your neighbor time to grow.

2011-12-19T15:42:00.002-06:00

And now for the third installment on handling your neighbor - Give your neighbor time to grow.

Now, here I am going to touch upon growth. Here is a simple fact - people grow. We grow in wisdom, we grow in experience, etc. Now, I'm not going to go off on a progressive sanctification bent or a bunch of finger wagging about how you should be growing. I think my favorite observation I've ever made in a sermon is that you don't make the cluster of grapes grow by walking up to it and shouting "grow! I said you were supposed to be growing, grow faster!"

No, the simple fact is that those who are in Christ, who hear His Word, who receive His gifts will in fact grow. He is the vine, we are the branches, when we abide in Him, fruit will mature and be produced. This is just the way it is. Growth happens.

The problem comes in when we become... impatient with how quickly our neighbor is "growing". Then, instead of letting God give growth as He sees fit, we can want to jump on in and "make" them grow faster. Or we can become frustrated and write them off (because if they were "real" Christians they wouldn't be annoying me so much).

This is all flawed. The image I like for the third use of the Law is that of a trellis - it is something upon which a Christian grows, the branches cling to it as they grow. A trellis is not used properly to beat a plant into upward growth - nor is it used rightly if you rip the trellis (and branch) out of the ground in frustration.

People will not be as mature as you want them to be. That's the simple truth. Give them time to grow.

And if that becomes frustrating - think about you yourself 5 years ago, or 10 years ago, or 20. Now, hold that past you up to the standards you are applying to your neighbor. If you think you stand... just keep going back and back further into the past until you see, "ah, back then I was worse." Then chill out, and let God give growth to your neighbor as He has given growth to you.

If you never get to a point where "you" failed... well, quit lying to yourself you egotistical jerk and learn some humility before you even think about looking at your neighbor... jerk. Seriously - if you pulled that big old log out of your eye (or maybe its a self-righteous stick that needs to be pulled out of a slightly more creative place) you might learn to abandon that disdain you have for your neighbor.

Be patient with them, as God has been patient with you. Encourage - that is, speak a word of forgiveness to your neighbor often, praise when they do well. Focus them upon Christ again and again and again. And they will grow. It may take time, but God is patient.

Seriously - just remember how patient He's been with you.

Neighbor Handling 2 - 2. Understand that you neighbor has their own flaws.

2011-12-19T08:57:00.002-06:00

Here is the second bit of advice for handling your neighbor. 2. Understand that you neighbor has their own flaws.

What does this mean? Well, sometimes your neighbor has flaws that seem very strange to you. Sometimes your neighbor will be tempted to do things that you yourself would never be tempted to do in a million years. Maybe it's a pettiness that you wouldn't engage in, or a lust that is strange and foreign to you, or coveting something that you'd never want in a million years.

The response when we can see things like this can be to say, "Well, I'd never." Sometimes when we say that, it's a bald faced lie -- but other times, it is true- our neighbor does things that we never would, that have no appeal to us. And the danger is this - when this truly happens, we can become disgusted.

Modern American culture loves to run on disgust - we love to take sins that we aren't tempted towards and put them on a wretched pedestal and be disgusted by them. There's only one problem - our disgust, our indignation hampers our ability to love and care and guide.

You were not put in your neighbor's life in order to be disgusted by them - you were placed there to serve them. When your neighbor does something that disgusts you, beat down that disgust. It's not that they are worse or more vile than you -- it's just that their flaws are different that yours. Same ballpark, just a different position.

When you beat down your disgust, you can empathize and guide. When you beat down your own feelings of shock, you will be able to guide. And you'll avoid condescension (which actually ends up pushing your neighbor away).

One of the things that is very useful in this regard is Matthew 5, where Christ explains the law. Are you disgusted by the murderer - well, if you hate someone, you too are a murderer. Are you disgusted by that friend and his "perversion" -- well, if you've looked with lust, you are just as guilty... doesn't matter whom you've looked on with lust.

As Jon Bon Jovi says - "It's all the same, only the names have change. Everyday it seems we're wasting away."

Sure, your neighbor has different flaws than you -- but you've got yours, and their flaws will try to eat at them just as yours will try to eat at you. Be not disgusted, but rather focus yourself and your neighbor upon Christ and His forgiveness, and pray for His strength for both of you that you both may stand in the face of your own trials.

A quick thought

2011-12-18T07:12:00.002-06:00

I had a quick thought on the way over to Church this morning.

I like, when teaching on "the Law" to focus over and over upon the neighbor. This is the tact Luther takes in the Catechism - the meanings are not focused on specific actions, but rather treat your neighbor well.

If we focus our discussion on actions - as in, "is this act okay, can I do this, etc" - our focus is placed upon ourselves. Am *I* acting right?

It becomes a fundamentally egotistical approach to the Law, it focuses on personal... development, growth, holiness - whatever. It focuses upon me myself.

That's not my job. My job is to love my neighbor.

If your focus is not upon your neighbor, you are missing the point.

Advent 4 sermon

2011-12-18T06:30:00.000-06:00

Advent 4 – December 18th, 2011 – John 1:19-28

In the Name of Christ Jesus our Advent King +
So who are you? Who do you think you are John, that you would be out here in the desert, causing all this ruckus and commotion? That’s the real question that gets asked of John today in our Gospel lesson. Who are you and why should we bother listening to you? John’s authority is attacked – he’s basically told to quiet down. Yet John doesn’t. Why? How? Where does he get this boldness from – how does he stand in the face of these attacks? John has this strength because he knew who he was, and more importantly, because he knew who Christ was. That was the key, that was the source of His strength, and it is also the source of our strength as we face life in this world.

The Apostle John uses interesting words speaking of John the Baptist here. These words set us up, prepare us for the rest of the text. Listen to the first two verses again. “And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”” Two very important words there that should catch our attention. First, testimony. Witness. Martyr in the Greek. That’s the word that is used here. John is giving testimony. I almost shudder to use that word here in the Bible Belt, because when we hear the word “Testimony” we think of testimonials – some person in a leisure suit up at the front of the Church going on and on and on about how he used to be such a sinner but now he’s great and right with Jesus. That’s not what John is doing, and that’s not what testimony or witnessing is about. Not at all. Testimony isn’t about you, testimony is all about the truth. If you are called to be a witness in court, if you are called to give testimony, you’re not there to talk about yourself but about what you have seen. You are called to the stand and then you are sworn in. If you haven’t been in court, I’m sure you’ve seen the TV shows – Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? What John says here is the truth, he is speaking truly, he is giving the account of what really is. He’s not simply tooting his own horn, he’s not simply feeding people what they want to hear.

The second word is confess. The Gospel uses the word “confessed” twice to describe what John is doing. He’s admitting; he’s simply speaking the truth. He’s not going to make his part look bigger, he’s not going to try to weasel his way out – when they come from the priests and the Levites, John will say what he must say – the truth – even though it will end up with him in prison. John’s confession here is his death warrant, it means his head on a silver platter for a spoiled young girl.

So what is this testimony, this confession that John gives? I’m not the Christ. Well who are you? Are you someone important? Can we give you an important title? John says no. “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” [John] said “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’ as the prophet Isaiah foretold.” What humility. What simple humility. Here John could have taken credit for himself. He could have claimed that he is a mighty preacher. He could have claimed that he is a prophet like Moses, turning the hearts of the fathers to their sons. He could even have called himself the promised Elijah – that’s what Jesus will call him, we heard that last week. But John’s not interested. Who are you, John? Eh, I’m just a voice – a voice foretold by the prophet Isaiah – I’m just a man pointing to one who greater. How wonderful is that? John minimizes himself – he doesn’t puff himself up. I mean, this is John the Baptist– John the Forerunner – John the Baptizer - - he’s so important that we’ve given him multiple titles – but he doesn’t claim one for himself. And why?

Hear what John says. “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” John looks at these bigwigs from Jerusalem and confesses that he is nothing – at least not compared to Christ. This is the heart of what John is all about – it’s not about me, it’s not about who I am and what I can do – this isn’t about my glory, my fame. There is One who is coming, and He is coming quickly. He is the One you should be looking for, He is the One you should be preparing for, for He is the Christ, He is the Messiah, He shall baptize with the Holy Spirit and with Fire, He will win Salvation for His people. For John, it all comes down to Christ. We hear the platitudes of how Jesus is my all in all – that’s what you see when you look at John in the desert – it’s all about Jesus for John.

John is the example for us in our lives. To be a Christian is to turn away from your own glory, your own praise, your own desires. To be a Christian is to repent. And I’m not saying this because I’m mean, because I’m cranky. Rather, Christ wants to free you from the burden of trying to prove yourself right, of trying to justify yourself. It’s hard work coming up with excuses. It’s hard work doing the song and dance, it’s hard work trying to convince your neighbor that you are wonderful. It’s hard work, because we are sinners. Each of us has dropped the ball on something this past week, we’ve hurt people by what we’ve done, by what we’ve left undone, and our initial response is to try and convince everyone that we really are good people. John shows us that we don’t have to. Our task in life isn’t to try and impress our neighbor – we are to love them. And those times when we don’t love our neighbor – we apologize to them, and we confess our sin to God. And then like John, we look to Christ. The Cross is where we see our sin covered, the cross is where our forgiveness is won. . . we look to Christ our Crucified Lord, the Holy, Righteous One who has died in our stead to win for us forgiveness. That’s where we take our hope from, that’s where we constantly look to, that’s where we get life. We come to the altar humbly confessing our sin, trusting in His Words take and eat, given for you, and delight in His forgiveness.

John is also the example for our witnessing, our sharing of the Gospel. It can be hard to talk to others about the faith, can’t it? I have a hard time doing it myself often enough. . . the nervous feeling in your stomach, the hesitation, should I say something, what if I upset them, is this the right time, what will they think of me, what do I say. Your mind races nervously while you stand there and don’t say anything. John’s our example. Simply point to Christ. Witnessing, sharing the Gospel is that. . . sharing the Gospel, the Good News, telling people what Jesus has done for them. And you know what Jesus has done for them, because Jesus has done it for you too. When you see someone in pain, someone grieving, someone feeling bad over something they’ve done – you’ve felt that too. Just as Christ comforts and forgives you, so too He wants to forgive and comfort that person. Be like John – simply point to Christ. Don’t worry about trying to convince the person how wonderful you are or how your life has gotten better because you’re a Christian – that’s not what they need – they don’t need you, they don’t need a pipe dream life. They need Jesus and His forgiveness and life – show them, point them to Christ. Sharing the Gospel isn’t about you. Our Lord has told us that it is the Holy Spirit working in us, speaking through us – let Him do His work.

And finally, John also is the example for this Congregation as a whole. Just like John, we are to point to Christ in everything we do. And that is such a comfort – because we know that Christ Jesus is the point of this place – and that Christ Jesus will tend it. I’ve been around plenty of congregations, and one of the things I’ve noticed is that there is a tendency to always try to paint a pretty picture, to pretend that there are no warts, to pretend that we are always just perfect and loving to each other. Ain’t the case. A congregation is a family, and there’s always warts and rumblings and grumblings in any family. And the temptation we face is to try to focus so much on putting on a well made-up face for the community, for our neighbors that we forget our purpose. This building wasn’t built in order to prove to our neighbors how wonderful we are, it wasn’t built to make us look all awesome – it was built to be a place of God. This is a place where God’s Word is read, where it is preached, where it is sung in our hymns. This is a place where God comes to us in His Own Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins. It is God’s house – the place where God deigns to come and give Himself to us. On this, let us be ever more and more eager to focus upon Christ – to admit our own unworthiness, and invite our unworthy friends here to behold Christ and His gifts to us. And as long as He wishes to come to people in this place, He will provide. When we remember this, when we remain humble and let God be God, it’s a great thing, for God always comes to save His people. The trouble comes in when we don’t see Him.

Thus, John told the people of his day that one stands among them whom they did not know. Thanks be to God, you do know Him – Christ Jesus the Lord has brought you here to His house. He is Emmanuel, God with us. He has washed you richly in His forgiveness, lavished His love upon you. He brings you every blessing of life and salvation, he frees you from your guilt, frees you from the burdens you place on yourself. And so, in response, we gather together and we praise Him, we point to Christ and Christ alone, waiting for Him to come and give us His blessings, both now and eternally. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Come quickly. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

Neigbhor Handling 1 - Don't assume your neighbor has your flaws.

2011-12-16T16:14:00.003-06:00

Let's face it, we all have flaws. We all have things that we just absolutely know that we just need to avoid, otherwise it will be trouble. We have those areas where moderation flies out the window. I don't know what it is for you... I have some guesses as towards mine.

When dealing with my neighbor, I need to remember that their flaws are not exactly mine. For example, I have a terrible, terrible temper. I do - my son has inherited this from me, and when I have the strong pair of lungs berating me early in the morning, my own temper is brought to mind.

I've adapted... a bit. There are things I avoid. While I have told the congregation that I don't watch the TV preachers because if I do I'll just get angry and possibly put a boot through my TV... well, they probably thought that was hyperbole. It wasn't as hyperbolistic as you might have thought.

So, I know that I must work around my temper - that because of it there are some things that I must do, some things that I should never do. Hey, some are alcoholics and can't take a drink -- you could say that I am an angeraholic. Oh, and if I can get some "righteous" indignation going too - well, boy howdy that's a treat.

But here's where the rub is. As the right Reverend Jay Hobson pointed out in the comments on the previous post, one of the things I think is vital for a good preacher is preaching your own flaws... simply assuming that you'll hit the things that are tempting the congregation.

The flaws of your neighbor, the temptations that they face will be similar, they will be enough for understanding... sometimes they may even be close enough to where you can give good advice on how to avoid them... but remember, be focused upon your flaws, not your short cuts around them.

It is one thing for me to talk about anger - I can speak to how it is destructive. I can speak how anger drives from our thoughts the very idea of love - instead of letting us be focused on loving and caring for our neighbor, anger makes us selfish and drives us to harm our neighbor. That's preaching about a flaw -- and people can connect to that, they can apply that truth to themselves. That is a universal truth about anger.

It is another thing to say, "You cannot watch Televangelists." I shouldn't. I know this. Is it a good thing to watch televangelists... well, I know lots of people do, I know you can garner examples of how theology goes awry. Some people like theological train-wrecks (hey, I like watching Ancient Aliens, that's sort of a train-wreck show). I can warn against the false doctrine, I can remind people that they need to judge what they hear (is it teaching Christ who has come to save you and give you forgiveness... if not, know that it is a lie). But not everyone will react as angrily as I. A lot of contemporary Christian pop music angers me - the false doctrine drives me nuts. I need to avoid it. But that doesn't mean that *you* have to... and I need to make sure that I don't assume that you are triggered by the same things that trigger me.

Think I am joking? How quickly do we have people move to the "oh, a Christian can't listen to *that* music"? How can you listen to that Eminem/Lady Gaga/Katy Perry song - it just glorifies sin? Well, actually it can be rather insightful, showing the impact of rage (Eminem is good at this) or how empty glamor is (there's a reason Fame is a Monster, even as Lady Gaga craves it) or how empty last Friday Night was. "But, but, it's wicked!" And... false doctrine isn't? Or the sexual overtones in classical music (yeah... the magic flute.... Yeah.) The thing is - we only tend to forbid or rage against the things that trigger us.

So, what does this all mean. When dealing with your neighbor, don't assume that they have the exact same flaws as you do, don't assume that they are triggered in the same way. This is the path of legalism -- legalism stops teaching about sins but rather begins to mandate man-made fences as ways of circumventing sin.

And you know what - that annoys the tar out of your neighbor. Really - think about when someone goes off on a moralistic tangent -- it gets annoying. Really, that's their short-cut, that's their "tradition of men" designed to avoid temptation... and it's not necessarily a bad thing... it's just that when you star applying your short cuts to your neighbor... well, how to put this?

Then you start acting like a jerk. Seriously - you literally jerk your neighbor around. You become bossy. You become a prophet of the false god "my brain and wisdom, which is so much bigger than yours".

Conversely - don't be afraid to know your own sin. Know it's dangers. Describe with clarity what disrespect, what a lack of honor, what hatred, what lust, what greed, what envy, what covetousness do, how they distort you. But don't think to try to "fix" your neighbor's problems... serve, ask, give insight - but don't boss. If you are bossing, it's ego, it's not service to the neighbor. The Gentiles lord things over one another - this is not for you.

A Series on Handling the Neighbor

2011-12-14T07:21:00.003-06:00

I am going to work over the next few days or weeks on a series concerning how one ought to treat ones neighbor. What are things to keep in mind when interacting with your neighbor to just help things to run more smoothly on your end.

Here are the posts currently planned.

1. Don't assume your neighbor has your flaws.

2. Understand that you neighbor has their own flaws.

3. Give your neighbor time to grow.

4. Don't hesitate to forgive.

5. Don't go too long without asking for forgiveness.

These are just a rough sketch of where I'm going to go, a bit of brain storming. Coming... well, maybe not soon, but perhaps coming in the relatively near future.

Herm Edwards on Tim Tebow -- Wisdom

2011-12-13T12:30:00.002-06:00

So, I was listening to Colin Cowherd this morning whilest driving around to various appointments, and Herm Edwards was on talking about Tim Tebow, and the question came up about Tebow's faith. Edwards had I think the best and most accurate take on it that I've heard -- (maybe later I'll actually remember to link to the segment)

Paraphasing, it went along these lines: Tebow, as a person of faith, recognizes his talents as coming from God (something Edwards as a Roman Catholic also understands) - thus, he's a hard worker who is determined to not let his God given talent go to waste, and this in turn helps to motivate his teams to work has as well. This hard work is manifesting itself in games -- people might call it luck or something like that, but it's not. Hard work and conditioning pay off - especially in the fourth quarter when people are tired and can lose focus and make more mistakes.

Fantastic stuff.

Too much death?

2011-12-11T18:53:00.002-06:00

While preaching my sermon this morning, a thought, a memory stirred across my mind. I remember in college an older friend (much more liberal than I) remarked to me, "Eric, you see too much death." This was not a statement about how I had witnessed mass slaughter in a village or anything like that... but simply that I saw so many things in this life and made the tie to death.

My friend purported himself to be very wise.

I thought all he was doing was denying reality.

This is really what the world and its wisdom tries to do - it tries to deny death. But death is all around us -- that ache, that pain -- that's death. That bitterness, that anger -- that's death. I look at my son, and even as he is healthy and growing... I see his temper. That's death. I see his stomach that is quite urpy and the discomfort it causes him. That's death.

Death is everywhere in this fallen world. Sometimes it's pretty -- I miss the changing of the leaves up north... but really, that's death. Sometimes we don't think about it -- but harsh words often kill a friendship. That's death. And then there is the grosser, more obvious stuff - poverty, hunger, addictions. All death. all just the wages of sin creeping closer and closer, a camel sliding its deadly nose under the tent flap.

Christ came to give life, to defeat death.

In your life, receive Christ, and then go forth and counter death. Counter it with love, with mercy, with compassion, with peace.

I see death all the time. And as a new creation in Christ, I rightfully despise it and fight against it.

Not well, but ultimately, I'm not the one who defeats it.

Advent 3 sermon

2011-12-11T08:34:00.000-06:00

Matthew 11:2-10

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
A lot of times we Christians will talk about our old foes – Sin, death, and the Devil. And we are quite used to talking about sin – about the various struggles and temptations we have to face down, about the times we fail and how we have received forgiveness on account of Christ. And we are still somewhat used to talking about the Devil – though in some circles it’s not as popular to talk about him anymore – but when we see the world around us, trials and problems, and we know that Satan desires our anguish and pain, and we delight in the fact that Christ Jesus came to destroy Satan’s power and that He will come again to deliver us for good on the Last Day. But this week, today, the Pink Sunday, the Sunday of refreshment and joy, or initial focus will be on that third foe, the one we don’t want to talk about. Death.

That’s what was on John the Baptist’s mind as we see him in prison to start our Gospel lesson. “Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” This is one of the most poignant, most honest passages of Scripture. I mean, this is John here. This is the bold and brash preacher that I could only dream of being. This is the guy who stared down the mighty and powerful and told them off – You brood of vipers, who told you to flee the wrath that is to come. This is the guy who pointed to Christ and shouted – Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is stuff any preacher would give his eye-teeth for – John is such a good preacher we sing part of his preaching in our Communion liturgy. And Jesus confirms how awesome John is – among those born of women, you aren’t going to top John.

And I suppose if I were writing the story, or maybe Hollywood had scripted it, we’d see nothing but a bold and brash John, totally defiant. Taunting Herod as he’s being taken to the headsman’s axe – Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of Elderberries! And your daughter’s a lousy dancer to boot. That’s not what the Holy Spirit records for us, though. Instead, we hear of John in prison, John staring death in the face. He knows he’s not getting out of that cell. He knows this is the end – and as he sees death staring at him, sees death in the pacing of the guards outside his cell, hears death in the raucous debauched parties from upstairs – he becomes scared. And so he sends his disciples, his friends, the people who had been following and learning from him – who were the ones who brought him food, because in that day if you were in jail you had better have friends who brought you food otherwise you starved, and he says to them – go talk to Jesus, and just double check that He actually is the One, that he is the Messiah.

So these disciples come to Jesus, and they ask Him, they relay John’s question. And what is Christ’s response? Does He chide John – oh ye of little faith; silly, silly cousin, you know who I Am. Nope – Jesus came to face down death Himself – He can sympathize. Our Lord who would be bound and scourged, our Lord who Himself would weep bitter, bloody tears – He isn’t going to belittle John at this moment. So what does Jesus do? Does Christ point John to John Himself? Come on John, you’re bold and brash, you’ve been a great preacher, a might prophet – shoot, even Isaiah prophesized about you – you’ve surely got nothing to worry about. Nope – Jesus doesn’t soft sell John here, He doesn’t point John to his own works or deeds, doesn’t tell him that he’s been such a good person. John being a prophet isn’t going to stop the axe from falling. What is Christ’s response?

“And Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’" That’s what Jesus says. He instructs John’s disciples on how they ought to go preach to John – He instructs them in what to tell John. John – do you see death? Well, yes, there is death, but what else is there? The blind receive their sight – there maybe death but I, Christ Jesus, have come, and those who saw nothing but only darkness now see everything clearly – and to you who sees only death in front of you, you shall see life everlasting. The lame walk, and you who soon won’t be able to walk anymore, whose limbs will truly hang lifeless – I will call you forth and you will stride out of your tomb. Lepers are cleansed – yes, your skin will be destroyed, yet you will see Me, Your God and Lord, in your own flesh, just as your fellow prophet Job had said. Those ears of yours which are going to be closed off in death – the swipe of the ax won’t be the last thing they hear – you will hear the trumpets of God and the Cry of Command on the last day, for I am indeed the Lamb of God who is slain but shall reign. Indeed, let’s just get directly to the point John. You are going to die – but so am I, and I will be raised from the dead, and because of that, so will you, for you are Mine and I will bring you with me. Yes, you are poor and lowly now, you are in one of the worst spots in life – but here is good news – He who believes in Me shall never die, and even though he dies, yet shall he live. Go tell John what you see and hear – go preach the good news of Christ Jesus to him.

That’s it, right there. That’s the counter that we have to death. When death looms large in front of us, when it comes stalking after us in all its terror and might – we look at Christ. We see and hear what our Lord has done, and we know that not even death can top us, not really. We belong to Christ. And all the old hymns used to emphasize this – they end with us dying but rising on the last day because of Christ. Just the exact same thing we see in our Gospel Lesson. We are pointed to Christ Jesus, the Crucified One, the One who faced and defeated death for us. John’s story is our story. Unless Christ’s second coming hurries up, well, chances are we’ll end up having to face down death. Where to cling, where to reside in that moment? Not in trying to tell ourselves that it’s not so bad, not in pointing to how good we were and all we did, but simply by looking at Christ, by hearing who He is – He is the Messiah who has suffered and died and rose again – He is the One who has claimed you by Holy Baptism so that even if you are suffering, even should you die, you will rise again.

And so John’s disciples go off to preach this truth to him, to comfort him – and then Jesus turns to the crowd. And Jesus asks them a question that He would rightly ask of Christians, especially American Christians today. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see?” Why did you people go and listen to John’s preaching? What were you hoping to hear, what was the point? Were you looking to see a reed shaken by the wind? You know, something neat, some entertainment but nothing really important. Were you thinking just to have a pious time killer? Not what John was. Or were you looking to see a man of wealth and taste – someone refined who could give you the secrets so that you too could have all this wonderful wealth blessings and riches as he tells you with a big smile about all the junk God wants you have? Not what John was.

So what about it for you here today? Are not these the things that we Americans tend to crave when we think of church? Are not many churches filled with preachers who are nothing but reeds shaking in the wind – hucksters giving a pious song and dance to entertain the crowds who then can go home feeling all good about themselves because they were nice and went to Church? Are not many churches filled with the slick and smooth preachers of power and wealth and how you can have your best life now? Not the point. Yet these are the things we in our sinful flesh crave and desire – we want ego boosts, we want money and wealth. We never want to have to deal with death – and so many places will offer us happy sounding ways of ignoring the harsh realities of this life.

“What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way before you.'” What did you see when you saw John? You saw someone who constantly pointed to Christ. You heard one who preached repentance and forgiveness because Christ is coming. No song and dance, no promises of a new Mercedes Benz or a big house in the suburbs – no gladhanding, nothing like that. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. You know – the things that will give you life, that will give you victory over death. John preached Christ.

I will let you in on a secret about pastors, at least those who would be faithful. Every sermon I preach here, every lesson I teach, every thing I do – in reality, it is me preparing you for death. The first thing a pastor ends up doing for a child is baptizing him – “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” That’s why I baptized my son – because some day he’s going to die – but now he’s not going to face death alone, He is with Christ and Christ is with him. That’s why you were baptized as well. And preaching, and teaching? St. Paul says that he is determined to know nothing but Christ and Him – crucified. Paul preaches a Christ who faced down death for you, so that you need not fear death. The Lord’s Supper – it’s no accident that it first happened on the night when He was betrayed – it’s no accident that it is His Body, given over to death upon the Cross for you, His blood shed upon the Cross for the forgiveness of your sins. It’s no accident that I say, “depart in peace”, it’s no accident that we sing “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace.” Because of Christ you will. As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you show forth the Lord’s death until He comes. Everything in this place is nothing less than Christ giving us His victory over our foes, giving us victory over sin by forgiveness, giving us victory over Satan by the strengthening of our faith, and even giving us victory over death by His own death and resurrection.

So – I’ll ask. Did this seem like a dourish sort of sermon? Did it seem too heavy a topic? We’re getting closer to Christmas after all, shouldn’t the sermon have been a bit more holly jolly than this – at least a little reed shaking Pastor Brown? Our Candle today is pink – you know why? This is the Sunday known as “Gaudete” – Rejoice. The refreshment Sunday. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice. Always. And that’s the point today. Even in that moment when death stares you in the face, even if you are like John in prison and death is trying to make itself the only thing you see – rejoice. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and even the dead are raised, and why? Because God would not simply hand you over death and let you stay there, because God would give you life. The Father sends His Son into the world, puts Him in the womb of the Virgin, and He is born come Christmas – born to face down death for you, born to rise again for you, born to sanctify all the waters of the world by His own baptism so that you might be joined to Him, born so that He might give you His own Body and Blood to be the medicine of immortality. The call to rejoice today isn’t simply because you’re going to get a really neat present this year that you will have forgotten by next – no. Rejoice – Christ Jesus has come, and not even death can hold you now. Rejoice - Christ Jesus shall come again, and you will have life everlasting in the world without end. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. In the Name of Christ Jesus our Advent King +

"The Context" is Different from "Your Perspective"

2011-12-09T05:42:00.003-06:00

It was noted on a previous post in the comments that a strong emphasis on "context" might lead to situational ethics.

I have an observation about situational ethics. Situational ethics are by in large not based upon "situations" but upon "perspective". Folks tending to a situational mode of ethics approach issues of behavior and morality from personal or cultural angles - and a fear of insulting another culture or another person's personal choice hinders them from m. As an example, some folks today more "fixed" in the so-called situational ethics will end up saying that we cannot judge a foreign practice as barbaric or wrong... such as mutilation of a spouse or even the Holocaust... be cause we aren't in that culture and cannot presume to judge. Several articles, which I cannot find at the moment, are going around pointing at things like this.

But, let's move to the movies for this discussion. Consider the climax of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. You end up having this dialog at the end, when Anakin's new allegiance to the Sith is pondered:

Obi-wan: The Sith are evil.
Anakin: From my point of view the Jedi are evil.

Note, there was no appeal to right or wrong, or even to the context - rather, a personal point of view. What meshes with my own goals, desires, and wants? What would I rather have?

This is not *context* but rather personal desire run amuck, ignoring right and wrong, and refusing to apply morality.

Now, let us contrast this. Is it "good" to cut off your best friend's arms and legs?

Generally, we would say no. Mayhem is bad. However, if said friend has become a Sith Lord, then, in that context, yes, slice away. The context (not your personal point of view or personal desires) shows that this is good and proper.

...

Of course, let's consider this further. Let us say you have chopped off the arms and legs of the Sith Lord. By rights, as a Jedi, he is to be defeated and killed. That's part and parcel of the Jedi's duty - defeat the users of the dark side and make sure that they can cause no more terror. In fact, Obi-wan was sent to Mustafar precisely to kill Anakin.

And as Anakin is there, Obi-wan looks at him and says, "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you." And then... he walks away. His perspective (I care about this man) uncuts his executing justice. And because of this... well, bad stuff happens.

And it happens as soon as Obi-wan starts to view things from his perspective, his own attachments and not from the objective realities of duty and justice.

To pay attention to "context" is not a call for self determination, but rather a call to apply objective truth to your own situation, even if it is distasteful.

...

Yes, I just wrote a blog post about situational ethics on a theological blog using Revenge of the Sith as the chief example. Oh well.

So now you see that SIN is...

2011-12-08T06:25:00.002-06:00

I will admit it, I love Mel Brooks films. And I am a Star Wars fan. That didn't mean that, at first, I wasn't a bit dissappointed in "Spaceballs". I mean, it's no Young Frankenstein. However, with time, I have learned to appreciate it... but even at the very beginning, I knew there was on brilliant line in the movie. It is the final confrontation between the hero (Lone Star) and the villain (Dark Helmet), and it looks bad for the hero, and so Dark Helmet turns and says:

"Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb."

Actually, let's go to the clip.

It's fantastic. It's a wonderful line. It cuts to the point of what the villain is saying. Good is dumb.

Often people will take God's Law, and they will try to massage it, finesse it, shape it so that they can exhort, berate, force, and twist people into better behavior. There will be giant theories and books and ethical systems and the like.

Let us reason together, let us get to the point. What is the point of the Law?

Sin is dumb.

There it is - the lesson of the law, condensed down to three simple words. Sin is dumb.

Why is sin dumb? Well... it's death. It leads to bad things, and not just in terms of cosmic punishment, but even in the here and now. You steal something, and well, you're more likely to get killed in retaliation. Don't let the sun go down on your anger -- why? Because then your anger ruins tomorrow and not just your evening you jerkward! (Tissue?)

When we listen to our flesh, our desires, our wants, our self-justifying reason, we will think that the stupid, harmful things of this life are good. And they aren't.

Sin is dumb.

...

Yep. When you've been up for 90 minutes by 6:30 with the screaming kid before you've had your first cup of coffee, this is the exact sort of profundity that you get.

P.S. As a note, Spaceballs made the movie Independence Day totally unbelievable for me. Alien invasion... sure... but President Lone Star? No way!

Tell Me When and Why

2011-12-06T07:40:00.003-06:00

It's interesting when discussing hypotheticals. Which is right, A or B? I hate answering those questions -- because they ignore any context. Why are you doing A or why are you doing B.

Context determines everything. Consider, two people are having sex. Depending upon their context it is either good and God pleasing, or it is fornication. Consider, two men are having a beer. Depending upon their context it is either a fine exercise of freedom, or it is so-and-so deciding to abandon self-control for the evening. Consider two men shooting another. Depending upon their context it is either a man waging just war for his country or a bank robbery gone wrong.

I can't just speak to an action being good or bad - when is it done and why?

Advent 2

2011-12-04T08:14:00.000-06:00

Advent 2 – Luke 21:25-36 – December 4th, 2011

In the Name of Christ Jesus our Advent King +
When God does something, people take note. When God acts, it’s obvious that God is acting. When Jesus heals someone, everyone hears about it and knows that something is going on. In fact, people have to lie to themselves in order to pretend that it’s not God at work. When God shows up, it’s obvious. Our Lord teaches us today that we will always see, always know when He comes. When Jesus comes, it will not be an ordinary thing – it’ll be something wondrous. It shall stand out, it is loud and bold. God’s action booms forth throughout the world. Jesus teaches us about His coming today.

“And there will be signs in the sun and the moon and the stars.” Up there on our Advent banner, we have a giant star. At His first advent, at His first coming at Christmas, there were signs in the sun and the moon and the stars. The wise men in the East could see them, and they traveled a far. The shepherds who were keeping their watch by night – the Angels choirs they beheld weren’t typical, weren’t normal everyday things. The star, the Angels, these announced that the Lord had come. Christ’s coming is proclaimed – behold your Savior, oh people, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. People should have seen what was coming. Even King Herod was all in a fuss about it, even from far away the wise men saw. And yet, so many still unprepared, so many not ready for salvation to be at hand, or even fighting against it.

“And there will be signs in the sun and the moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Signs accompanied the climax of Christ’s first coming as well - Christ indeed came with power and might, although not as the world thinks of power and might. When Christ Jesus our Lord was lifted upon the Cross, the powers of the heavens were shaken – the sky darkened at midday. When our Lord cried it is finished the Earth shook, the temple curtain was torn in two, the dead rose from their tombs. Even the strong and mighty soldier at the foot of the Cross knelt and said, Truly this was the Son of God. Again, Christ comes, He comes to the Cross to tangle with Satan, to defeat sin and death – and the world is shook – creation itself trembles at the epic contest. And our Lord told them this was coming. “Truly, truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all this has taken place.” That generation saw it, Jesus speaks these words just after Palm Sunday, and yet, so soon, things go back to normal. For so many, life went on as it was before – simply put up a new curtain in the temple, simply go on living our lives. So many who were there to see God’s redemption played out turned a blind eye.

Dear friends, we know that Christ shall come again for the final judgment. This is our hope, and this is what our Lord tells us to look for today. The same signs that were present for the first coming will remind us and prepare us for the second. Are the nations of the earth distressed? Yes. Have the seas been wild and roaring? Yes. The earth shaking? Yes, we’ve even gotten that one here in Oklahoma. All these things remind us, point us forward to the fact that Christ Jesus shall come again, that the day is drawing ever nearer.

So, do we start a count down? Do we try to fix the date and get mocked when we are wrong? No, ours is not to try to out-guess God, but simply to be prepared. “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” Can you see it all around you? Looking around the world we see death and sin all over. It’s a bleak winter world that we live in, full of sin and despair. We ourselves, we who know God, who love Him, we ourselves struggle against our base desires, against our anger, our hatred. But look and see, look and do not be afraid when you hear of wars and rumors of war, when you see destruction and chaos and terror. When the trees bloom again outside, we will know that summer is near. When the earth is filled with violence, when Satan though defeated gasps out his last petty struggles against our God and King, we know that Christ’s return is near – that this winter of sin shall pass away and forth will spring the eternal summer under the light of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Be ready for it, for it comes quickly. “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.” So many things can bog us down. Dissipation and drunkenness – a love of the things of this life. An attitude where our primary focus is on stuff, things to enjoy, life to be lived – where we work simply to have money to buy the latest toy, the newest car, the best gadget, the new clothes, where we judge our lives by whether we got good deals on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. An attitude where we ignore the things that are to come, and rather simply live in the day, like an ostrich with its head in the sand, ignoring the sin around us. So many things can bog us down. The cares of this life. The times we feel guilt and pretend it’s duty that motivates us. The times we feel lust and pretend it’s love. The times we feel fear and sit and cower, when we look around with apprehension and are frozen solid, refusing to do the good we ought. Sin so easily creeps up upon us, twists our focus off of where it is to be. We are to be loving God, we are to be loving our neighbor – but the false joys, the fears of this life strive to pull us away. All these say, “Pay no attention to the signs.”

That’s not what our Lord says. “Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Stay awake – don’t pull the wool over your eyes. Don’t become foolish, don’t turn a blind eye to world, don’t forget the log in your own eye. Jesus isn’t warning against sleeping and snoring here – but rather He warns against not paying attention to what is going on in your life. Dear friends, it’s not easy to be a Christian. Satan is always at work, temptations abound aplenty – it’s always easy to walk away from God’s House. Each of you knows that every day will bring a new excuse to walk out those doors and never look back. That’s easy. Sin unchecked, unrepented destroys faith. We all know the stories about how the little white lie grows and grows until it is huge and black. That’s the way it is with sin – our little sin that we slough off if unchecked grows and grows until it blots out faith. This is why God says that you are to pray – to pray for strength. Your God knows that your life here in the sinful world will be a struggle. He knows that your life is hard, that temptations abound. That’s why He came in the first place – to win you Salvation from your sin. That’s why He shall come again, to take you home to heaven.

But here we are – in the meantime, in the time between our Lord’s First coming and His Second. But know that your Lord doesn’t leave you alone. Rather, your Lord comes to you again and again through His Word, through His sacraments, to give you strength to stand in the trials of your life. Christ gives you two things here in His Church. First, “strength to escape all these things that are going to take place.” Sin takes place – that’s what goes on in the world – and God comes to you – you hear His Word and from it you draw strength. He provides you faith, He provides you trust in Him, which is the opposite of sin, which lets you stand. This is the purpose of preaching, this is the purpose of His Supper. Now may this true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you in the one true faith until life ever lasting. We can’t stand alone – we of ourselves aren’t going to make it through this life – but God comes to us through His Word, through His Supper and gives us His own strength. Jesus comes to you now, here, in this place, at this time, to prepare you for your life. It is not you who live but Christ who lives in you. We are constantly told this in His Word – we are taught to rely on Him and His strength, and this is how we prevail.
Christ gives us a second thing here in His Church – “strength to stand before the Son of Man.” How do we stand before the Son of Man? How could we sinful men go and stand before God Almighty? Not by virtue of what we have done, for everything we do is tainted and tinged with sin, all our righteous deeds are as filthy rags. No, we can stand before Christ because we are forgiven. Because Christ Jesus Himself was born in a stable, because He was lifted up upon the Cross, because His suffering and death won for us pardon and peace from our sins. Because in His Church Christ Jesus takes what He won almost 2000 years ago on the cross and brings it to us here today. You hear the Word spoken, and Christ’s Crucifixion comes to you today and you are forgiven. You take and eat the Body that was crucified, Jesus comes to you today. All your sins have been forgiven by Christ the Crucified, depart in His Peace. This is what we are about here, this is why God has called each and every one of you to this place – that you might feed on His Word and Sacraments and be strengthened by faith for this life, and forgiven for the next.

Christ is coming dear friends – the world groans in travail, the world shakes in pain. The King sees His creation suffering, and He will not let that long stand. But we need not fear any news we hear, we need not tremble no matter what the morrow brings – all of it, just another reminder that our Lord shall return, and we who know Christ Jesus to be our King of mercy and forgiveness know that this is a good thing, and indeed, we look with expectation for His second coming. But until then, He still comes to us in His Church and brings us salvation through His Word. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Come quickly. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King + Amen.

As a Note

2011-12-01T19:21:00.002-06:00

I normally like to be a kind and gracious host. I normally like to let spirited discussions take place on my blog. I normally enjoy crossing swords with folks to sharpen my own positions.

Note the use of the word normally.

Now, I have an infant son. Now I am not getting normal sleep, and most likely shant for a long time. Now advent brings its own demands.

If you wish to comment and add to a discussion - you are more then welcome. If you wish to counter a point or ask me to defend it - you are more than welcome.

However, if you wish to:

1. Engage in anything approaching ad homimen styles of argumentation
2. Try to dictate to me how discussions on my blog should go
3. Engage in a lack of civility towards me or other commentors
4. Assert that I am not "Lutheran" enough
5. Just generally be inconsiderate

Well, in that case I suggest that you go write on your own blog to your heart's content, but leave my comments section alone. This is for your own good. My patience at the moment is a bit more thin, and so I find that I will probably very comfortably slide into a situation where I will decide to answer and respond to the above with pointed and humorous mockery.

Why? Well, it would discourage bad behavior, and I'd at least find it funny. It's not what I like to do (if I did, I would not have posted this warning), but you may find yourself the victim of biting stress relief that you would not have otherwise.

Be ye warned.

Assume that this will be in effect at least through Epiphany.

That is all.

What People Don't Get about the 3 Uses

2011-12-01T07:52:00.002-06:00

Here is what ends up frustrating me most about when people end up talking about the 3 uses of the Law. There is only 1 Law. That it. God's Law. The Holy Spirit uses that Law in three different ways - but it is the one and the same Law that is used in different ways.

You cannot preach 1st use, or 2nd use, or 3rd use. You preach the Law -- and the Holy Spirit uses it as He wills. What you think will guide... may curb or it may accuse. What you think will accuse may in fact guide. You are not in control of what the Word does, oh Preacher - you simply preach and the Holy Spirit does the rest.

Now before you get your dander up - let me make a comparison. In the catechism we confess that the Lord's Supper works the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

It's not three Suppers. It's not as though the Supper has three different "parts" that you get to micromanage and control. It's not as though you can say, "Today I will administer the Supper in such a way as to give only Salvation, but not forgiveness and life." No - there is 1 Supper, and it gives three things... or we can talk about what it gives from three different angles.

Likewise - there is only Law... there are not multiple "types" of Law anymore than there are multiple "types" of the Lord's Supper. Now, what does the Law do - well, the Spirit will use it in multiple ways. Just as we can speak of the Supper bringing us multiple things.

But you realize -- in both cases, either Law or Gospel - it's still the Holy Spirit doing everything, right?

Midweek Advent Sermon 1

2011-11-30T18:17:00.001-06:00

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
Sarah was old. And, well, she had been old for a long time. She was already 65 when she and Abram had set out from their old home of Haran for the Holy Land, and by now she was 89. And while over and over the Lord had said to Abram that he would become a great nation, Sarah had become convinced that this wouldn’t happen through her. Sure, God had promised this to her as well – changed her name from Sarai to Sarah to remind her daily, to remind her whenever anyone addressed her that she would bear a son – yet she had basically given up hope. Then the three “men” showed up, and her husband Abraham had burst into the tent and set her to work to prepare a feast for these visitors – obviously they were of importance. And when everything was cooked, Sarah couldn’t but help herself. She stood at the door of the tent listening to these men and her husband, just to see what they said.
“The LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.’" Those were no mere guys from down the road. That was God come to visit her husband – and once again God says that she, she will be the one who has this blessing. And Sarah does something that any of us who are tired and worn and simply sure that nothing good will come to us can understand. She laughs. And this isn’t a laugh of joy – it’s that coarse, bitter laugh, that snort, that sarcastic laugh – that “yeah right” sort of laugh. “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?’"So sad, so bitter.So sure that the promises of God are just going to come up empty and short. And God calls her on it – asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” And all Sarah can do is deny that she laughed in her fear.
We are not strangers to doubt. All of us here are familiar with those creeping doubts that can sneak in. Understand that this is the goal of your old foe, the Devil. He wants to make you doubt, make you doubt God’s Word. This is what he did even from the very beginning – murdering Adam and Eve with his lies that caused them to doubt God. And Satan will try to stir up doubt in you as well. But consider Sarah for a moment – she doubts, and what does this bring her? It makes her bitter, where even her laughter, even her “joy” is tarnished and marred. It makes her afraid of God – God graciously comes to her house, and yet, she is left in fear. This is why Satan loves to stir up doubt – it first makes Christians miserable, then it makes them afraid of God, and if that fear goes unchecked enough, people will keep running and running away.
This is how Satan will attack you. Satan will try to get you to doubt the promise that God has made to you. And what promise is that? Not the promise to give you a son, but the promise He made when at your Baptism He made you His own son, His own daughter. At the font God promised you that your sins are forgiven, promised that He would support you through anything you face in this life, no matter how difficult or hard, and finally, that He would raise you from the dead come the last day and that you will indeed inherit the new heavens and the new earth – and that all of this promise is on account of Christ Jesus and His death and resurrection. Satan will try to make you doubt this. Satan will attack the idea of Baptism itself – he will tell you that it is preposterous that God could give so wonderful a gift through mere water – surely there must be something great and wondrous that you must do. “How can water do such great things? Answer: It is not the water that does them, but the Word of God which is in and with the water, and faith which trusts the Word of God in the water.” This is an old ploy of Satan’s – that why Luther included this question in the catechism. It’s one that we get thrown at us even today by people who downplay baptism.
Satan also causes us to doubt the promises of God by having us look at the troubles we face in our lives. Our foe says to us, “Surely, if you really were a child of God, you wouldn’t be facing these hardships that you are – surely this problem would go away, or that would have never happened to your family, or your pocketbook wouldn’t be so tight.” We can even hear this preached if we turn on the television – after all, doesn’t God want you to be happy so if you just have enough faith you’ll get more and more blessings now. And the words that hammer our confidence in God and bring doubt are said with the biggest smile. But note what happens here – it’s a bait and switch. God has not promised us nothing but joy and wealth and health and success in this life. He hasn’t. Baptism wasn’t your heavenly Father giving you a credit card to go shopping with. In fact, Christ Jesus has even warned us that in this world we will face difficulties precisely because we are His, because we belong to Him. We are told that the world will hate us. We are told that we will have to be patient, that there will be times when we cry out with the Psalmist – “How Long, O Lord?” But the promise of God given you to in your Baptism still holds – He is your God, and you are His forgiven child who will rise and you will live long after this world and its vain and fleeting glories are gone. Satan will use troubles now to get you to doubt what God has said will happen then. Satan will try to make you miserable, angry, and fearful, so that you hide from God and let your faith wither and die.
God understands how Satan attacks you, and this is why He proclaims His Word to you again and again. When Adam and Eve hid in the garden, God still came to them. When Sarah laughed, when she derided God, when she was fearful and afraid – God didn’t change His mind. God doesn’t turn to Abraham and say, “Get that laughing fool out of my sight – go find yourself a better wife.” Nope – He has said Sarah will have a child, and so she shall. A few chapters later, in chapter 21, we hear this: “The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.” Simple enough – at the right time the promises of God are fulfilled. Indeed, even Sarah marvels at the turnabout – she says, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” She admits the irony – I was laughing in bitterness but now I laugh with joy – and when people hear this, they will laugh with joy too.
This is to be a lesson, a reminder for you this Advent Season, dear Christian friends. This unusual birth is a reminder to you that God’s promises always come true – even if the world, even if our sinful flesh call out to deny it, to doubt it. Your old foe wants you fearful and afraid, wants you bitter and coarse. But the Word of God holds true. Your baptism is true. The promises God made to you there at your Baptism still hold. God does not despise you, does not disdain you. He continues to support you now, and in just a little while, you shall see. Just as Sarah was able to hold Isaac in her arms and have joy – in just a little while you will lift up your arms and see them resurrected and renewed – you will laugh with joy in your body then made sinless and deathless. God always keeps His promises. He kept His promise to Sarah and Abraham – He kept His promise to Adam and Eve to send Christ Jesus – and He shall keep His promise to you to have you as His own child at His side for all eternity. Come quickly, Lord Jesus – Amen.

The Dangers of Checklist Theology

2011-11-30T05:59:00.002-06:00

My friend Rev. Donavon Riley writes the following: All these little hills we're prepared to die on are just that: little hills. All of them the result of shallowness, of ignorance, about the correct teaching (and preaching) regarding justification.

So, while we give away the high ground on justification we storm up & down all these little hills thinking that if we can just take enough of them for our side, i.e., third use of the law, closed communion, women's ordination, etc., we'll win the war. But, what we refuse to admit is that we've lost the war already.

So, rather than pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, teach us, enlighten us & so on we fight on in the name of Christ, all the while assuming we have the central teaching of the faith so locked down that we never have to re-visit it. Yet, as we see published across Facebook daily by pastors, professors & laity, justification is six feet deep in the ground stinking of worms... or Worms as it were.

Riley makes a fantastic point. This is the curse of systematic theology - that we will end up shaving and dividing theology into discrete little chunks that we look at and appraise and evaluate, and as long as they are in good shape, things are fine. It's as though we approach theology by examining all the pieces of a puzzle to see if they are in the proper shape... but never assemble the puzzle.

Consider - the Pharisees had all their specific rules and regulations down, but they lost the greater picture all the actual commandments were supposed to point to -- love God, love your neighbor. Instead, their abuse of the Law and creation of new, false laws let them do the exact opposite - come up with reasons to not love God and to not love their neighbor.

Likewise, all theology in the Christian Church is tied to and flows from Justification, the fact that we are forgiven and justified before God on account of Christ Jesus - that we live by faith in Christ. That's how everything ties together.

Now then - how does the "3rd use" tie to Justification? Or "closed communion"? Or "women's ordination"?

This is not me denying that they do -- they most certainly do. But when you argue your position, when you approach these topics, do you give any thought to how they fit, how they tie on into Justification? Or do you simply see if they are shaped the "right" way? If you do not tie them to Justification, to Christ Jesus and His Work, you're simply looking at puzzle pieces to make sure they aren't bent - you've lost the picture of the puzzle as a whole. You've lost the forest for the trees.

With every topic you need to ask yourself, how does this tie into Justification by faith. Otherwise... what's your point?

+ + + + + + + + + + +

A brief answer to a few questions above to cut the knees off of trolls:

1 - The 3rd Use ties to Justification in many ways because it flows out of Justification. If Christ Jesus has given us new life, if the Holy Spirit has made us His dwelling, we will be guided by the Law. Period. It might also curb and accuse us at the same time, but whom Christ Justifies He also enlivens (for where there is the forgiveness of sin there is also life and salvation). Therefore, any approach which neglects this fact and base will distort the 3rd use into some matter of divine persuasion or coming up with good, rational plans for living. Nonsense - the 3rd use is simply the Spirit using the Law to remind us who we *are* in Christ. It's not design to make us become or progress, it shows us who in Christ we *are* as the Justified.

2 - Closed Communion ties to Justification because the only time a person is denied the Supper is when their actions or beliefs (if you wish to divide the two) threaten the doctrine of Justification. The examples in 1 Corinthians come to mind. You have a man who is living in manifest immorality without repentance. This is a denial of Justification - it is denying that Christ has forgiven and given him new life. Therefore, hand him over so he might repent. Likewise, those who do not discern the body of Christ in effect attack Justification -- they are denying the purpose of the Supper (the forgiveness of sins) as well as denying Christ's winning of salvation (as long as you eat this bread and drink this cup you do show forth the Lord's death until He comes) -- to treat the Supper as indifferent is to treat Christ's death as indifferent, or at least less important than the fact that you have temporal wealth and want a full belly.

3 - Women's Ordination ties to justification in two major ways. The first is that you cannot make a "Scriptural" argument for Women's Ordination without attacking the veracity of the Scriptures. You have to look at Paul's injunctions against having women teach and hold the authority of the office by saying something akin to "that's just Paul's opinion." So - what else is just Paul's opinion? 1 Corinthians 15? Galatians? It opens a dangerous slope that all too easily leads to the denial of Justification.

But even more directly, the Scripture that is used *for* Women's Ordination is Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. The statement then follows that, "see, there is no difference, so women can be pastors because there is no difference." What this does is that it totally misses the point of the passage... which is in fact about justification. Consider the preceding verse: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." This is Justification talk - the point of this is about how all are saved in Christ, regardless of the very real distinctions in the world. But instead of letting Justification remain the focus (indeed, that we are justified by faith and now works, as is the point of the chapter and book), the verse is abused to become a self-justification for a category of work! Instead of being freed from the law by this passage, it twists it into a new, politically correct law -- and returns us to a slavery of our own devising, a slavery to the whims of society, rather than leading us to delight in Christ and His salvation no matter who we are. You can't do the "scriptural" legwork on women's ordination without either inadvertedly endangering Justification or removing justification as the point of Galatians 3.

A Sermon to Start the New Year

2011-11-27T06:16:00.000-06:00

Advent 1 – Matthew 21:1-9 – November 27th, 2011

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +
This is the way we start the Church year, the way we begin this season of Advent – with the story of Palm Sunday. It’s a familiar story, a popular story, a happy one. Who among us doesn’t like the waving of palm branches, the joyous excitement and expectation of joy to come that is part and parcel of the day? And we start the Church year with this reading because this is what Advent is all about – that joyous expectation, that excitement that Christmas is almost here. Advent is the season where we get to look forward – we take our place with those of the Old Testament looking forward to the first coming of the Christ Jesus, which we will celebrate come Christmas Eve. However, this text is not simply here to set the mood, to set the ambiance of our Christmas Shopping Season, it’s not merely meant to whet our appetites for the holidays. Rather, this text teaches us who Christ Jesus is, who this Child whose birth we celebrate on Christmas is, who it is that does all these miracles, who it is that goes to the Cross. This text doesn’t just set us up for Advent, but it sets us up for the entirety of the Church Year, it sets us up for every reading we will hear, every sermon that will be preached, every service in this place. Why do I say this? Because everything in the Church can be summed up in the words of prophet Zechariah, “Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

So, let us ponder this for a bit. The very first thing we have to get down pat is that Christ Jesus is our King. Well, duh, Pastor, we know that! Yes, we know that, we all say it, we pray “Thy Kingdom Come” – but I wonder if we, especially we as Americans, really get what the fact that Jesus is our King… means. For the last how many months have we been in the middle of a Presidential election cycle? You’ve got all the Republican candidates fighting tooth and nail to get a nomination, and then we’ve got almost a full year of campaigning to go. And what’s going to go on in all this? Massive criticism. We will hear for the next year every thing President Obama has done wrong, and every idea of any Republican who might get elected picked apart and torn to shreds. And then, at the end of it all, we will walk up to the polling booth next November and say, “I choose this one.” That’s not how it works with a King. We don’t choose or elect Christ – rather, He is the King, and He has said, “I am Your King, and you will be My people.” We aren’t the ones in charge – He is. And more to the point, while we might have every right as Americans and in fact a civic duty to think critically about our leaders and evaluate them… that’s not our relationship with Jesus. Christ Jesus isn’t going to check the polls to see if we like what He does. He is the King, and what He says goes.

And as sinful human beings, according to our sinful flesh, we hate the fact that Jesus is King. That’s what sin is – sin is nothing other than rebelling against Christ Jesus and trying to make ourselves king in His place. Our King says, “Don’t eat of this tree” – the serpent says, “Eat of this tree, then you’ll get to be like God, you’ll get to be the King!” And thus sin and our rebellion begins. And every sin, every temptation to sin is nothing more than us telling Jesus, “No, we don’t want you to be our King.” But here is the wonder of the ages – even though by our sin we reject, we turn our backs upon Christ Jesus, He does not abandon us. He could have simply washed His hands of us – said, “You don’t want to be in My Kingdom of life and joy – fine – forget you. Enjoy your wretchedness.” But He doesn’t. Instead, He tells His servants to say, “Say to the daughter of Zion- Behold, your King is coming to you.” Christ Jesus is not content to let you remain in sin, remain in rebellion, and so He is determined to come to you. If you now dwell in a fallen sinful world, He will come into that sinful fallen world, be born of a Virgin, to rescue you. If you now dwell in Satan’s clutches, He will come, be tempted and hounded by Satan, all to restore you and make you once again part of His own kingdom. If you are hounded by death, Christ Jesus will even be scourged and crucified, all to give you life that does not end or fade. Your King is determined to be your King, and what we see here in His Church is nothing but His coming to you and for you.

“Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey.” Christ Jesus is King, and He will do things His way, for indeed, His is wise and gracious, and He knows what is best. And He comes humbly. In our text we see Him entering Jerusalem upon a donkey. And that is a humble thing – even with the crowds lauding Him – it’s humble. A conquering king, one would think, should enter a city on a mighty steed, with vast armies behind him. In fact, that’s sort of what the crowd there was hoping for – a mighty warrior king who would thrust down the Romans and kick the gentiles out. That was what they were expecting – but that is not what Christ comes to do. No, His enemies are much bigger than the small fish of Roman rule – no, His targets are Satan and Sin and Death – and so He comes humbly. It is in His humility and gentleness that He defeats our foes – Christ Jesus doesn’t wrap His hands around Satan, but rather defeats Satan by being handed over to death. His humility is what brings Him victory. But the crowd did not want a humble king. They wanted one who was brash and bold and would drop down the smite on the Romans… and so Christ Jesus is rejected.

We today need remember that Christ Jesus, our King, is humble. Granted, as He is risen, He is exulted, and every knee shall bow at His name, but He is still humble, and He still teaches us to be humble. In every teaching of Christ, you will see this Humility come forth. Let’s think of some examples – turn the other cheek. What is that but humility – what is that but being determined to still love and care for your neighbor regardless of what he or she does to you? That’s humility. Or the one I referenced last week – let your light shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify… not you, but glorify your Father in heaven. Again – humility, learning to shape our lives so that others are shown God, so that others are pointed to Christ Jesus who is their king as well. That’s humility. One could very easily say that the Christian life, that growing as a Christian is nothing but learning more and more humility. It is nothing but learning to beat down those sinful, egotistical desires, and rather being a humble servant, content to show love to the neighbor no matter what the cost – even as Christ Jesus our King is humble and is content to show us love, no matter what the cost.

And again, we can rebel against this so. I know people who will say, “I just don’t see how those crowds on Palm Sunday could be the same ones shouting out for Jesus to be Crucified on Good Friday.” I know how – my own flesh cries out against Christ when I am called on to be humble. If someone annoys me, my sinful flesh doesn’t want to be humble, it wants to strike out and lash out, and at that time it too would have yelled, “Crucify Him, away with this humility, I want nothing of it!” But Christ Jesus knows this struggle that I face, that you face – and thus He continues to come to us, He comes to us humbly. He comes with mercy and compassion and forgiveness that breaks down and destroys our pride, our arrogance our sinfulness that upon reflection brings nothing but shame. Christ does not spurn you in your sin, but instead He deigns to come once again to you to forgive and renew you.

And how does Christ Jesus come to you? “Behold, your King is coming to you, Humble.” Christ Jesus comes to you this day to forgive you your sin, to give you His own humble strength, and how? In very simple, humble means. There are no flashes of lighting or peals of thunders – that will wait for the last day. There are no brash demonstrations of power and might. No. He comes to you humbly. He knows that you struggle against sin, and so He comes to you humbly through His Word of forgiveness and life spoken to you. And even that spoken Word of forgiveness is given humbly – He doesn’t send James Earl Jones or George Clooney or some other such famous person – no, He sends a short, overweight guy with a lisp. Eh, so be it – you are forgiven on account of Christ Jesus, your Humble King. Your Humble King comes to you via holy baptism, which again, is really a humble thing. A bit of water combined with the Word of God – not much to see, in fact, much of the world disdains baptism, thinks the best it might be a symbol, a quaint ceremony. No – it is your King coming to you, it is your King declaring that you are now His royal co-heir of the new heavens and the new earth, that life everlasting is yours. Your Humble King comes to you in His Holy Supper – and again, that is Humble. To have His most holy meal, nothing complicated or grandiose is needed – He takes bread and He takes wine and by the power of His Word He Himself comes to us, restores us, renews us. And all of this, all of it for our own good. Even before we would think to seek Him out, He has called us into His kingdom and promised to be with us – because He is our Holy and Righteous and Good King, who in His humble love for us brings us salvation.

This is what we will spend the season of Advent looking forward to with expectant hearts – to see the mystery of His holy and humble nativity. This is what we will see the rest of this Church year, indeed, every time we are gathered together in worship – we see our humble King coming to us for our own good. Behold, Oh daughter of Zion, your King is coming to you, and He will come to you humbly in this place, in His worship even until the day when He comes again and takes you to share in His eternal reign world with out end. Come quickly Lord Jesus – In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

Thanksgiving Day Sermon

2011-11-24T07:04:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving Day Sermon – Luke 17:11-19 – November 24th, 2011

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +
I will admit it, the Thanksgiving sermon is one of my least favorite ones to write. It’s a rough sermon to write. It’s on thanksgiving. So… what do I as a preacher do? Do I stand up here and wag a finger at y’all saying, “You better be more thankful”? I don’t want to go around just dropping law bombs – I want to preach the Gospel. Do I stand up here and spout off platitudes about how wonderful life is? Well, I can, but we aren’t ostriches, we don’t stick our heads in the sand and ignore things that are bad and rough in the world – and there’s been plenty of that lately. Do I go all sappy and gooey and emotional – maybe sigh and wax poetically about how thankful I am for my son? That would be so sticky sweet I’d want to throw up. It seems as though if we try to just preach on giving thanks, it either becomes some sort of moralistic diatribe, or some pie in the sky denial of reality, or just tacky emotionalism – and I don’t like any of those three. So instead, let’s be blunt, let’s be honest, let’s consider this harsh world and how our Lord confronts it.

“On the way to Jerusalem, He was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance, and lifted up their voices saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’” Those lepers are in a pathetic state. I don’t know if there was anyone to be more pitied in the ancient world than lepers. You were cut off from society – you had to live on the outskirts – and you never could really see the people you love again, even though they were so close, just inside the city walls. It would be horrifying. So – what to do? Tell these lepers to count their blessings? Say how wonderful the past year has been for them? Nope. First things first – we need to recognize what sad, horrible shape these lepers are in. They know it, they see Christ and they call out for mercy. They don’t pretend, they don’t whitewash anything – they see their lack and they call out to God for deliverance.

So, what of you? Do you see your own struggles, the trials that you face? I guess some of these are obvious. Hasn’t been a lot of rain. Some of us aren’t quite as healthy at the moment as we have been. I’m sure jobs or family matters are rough for many of us. There are some things that everyone might know… and some things, well, very few people, if anyone else knows them. That private hurt that you don’t share. That stubborn temptation, that vile sin that keeps jabbing at you like a thorn in your flesh. That disappointment that you’d never breath a word of lest you hurt people you love. Martin Luther’s last words were, “We are all beggars before God.” Let’s modify that a bit today – we are all lepers in this world. We all have things in this life in this fallen world that are horrible and terrible… and seeing this, we cry out to Christ for mercy.

“When He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed.” Again, astonishing what Christ does here. Lepers couldn’t enter town, they couldn’t be among people – but if they were healed, the priest could examine them and let them back into the community. And Christ tells them to go – and as they start walking, they are still diseased, they are still lepers… yet Christ says go, and they go… and on the way they are healed. Likewise, dear Christian friends – Christ knows your pains, your sufferings, your hardships. He knows your sin and all the impacts of your sin – and He says to you, “I have suffered and died in your place – now go on your way, show yourselves to the Father as one who is pure and righteous in My Name.” And that’s how we live our lives – we are moving ever closer and closer to being fully restored to the community, to the heavenly kingdom… and we go confidently, knowing that Christ Jesus has sent us, knowing that by the power of His Word our sin is forgiven, knowing that by the power of His Word the trials we face will be endured.

“Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks.” The leper gives thanks when? When he sees that he has been healed – when he realizes what Christ Jesus has done for him – that’s when he has joy and thankfulness and delight. Likewise, dear friends, thankfulness will not come if I wag the finger at you. Thankfulness will not come if I pretend that nothing ever stinks, or if I get all sappy. Rather this. Consider your sin – now, know that you are forgiven by Christ Jesus. You are healed. You might have some of the junk of this life still clinging to you, but Christ has declared you clean, and on the last day you will rise new and clean and spotless and pure. You are healed. And it is in seeing this, in knowing the depths of Christ’s mercy that thankfulness will simply and naturally arise. Thankfulness comes when we realize what we have is all gift… and yes, this holds true for all the things in our lives – we deserve none of it… but God gives, gives blessings even to us unworthy sinners in this sinful world, and He gives freely… and He gives not just for this brief time here, He gives not just fallen stuff in this fallen world, but He gives life everlasting.

“Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not 10 cleansed? Where are the 9? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’” The danger for us is to stop seeing God and His Word at work in our lives, to stop seeing the power of forgiveness and life. We can delude ourselves into thinking we have earned our daily bread, after all we worked hard for it. But seeing forgiveness, seeing that free grace – it is an astonishing thing. “And He said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’” The leper saw, rejoiced, understood what was going on, and then there is joy and praise and thankfulness. Likewise, I encourage you this day to see and know the mercy God has given you – you have placed your faith in Christ, and you are healed. You may not see it fully now, the dross of this life may distract you – but Christ has declared you forgiven, He has rescued you from your sin and this sinful world and given you new life, and You are His and shall be His for all eternity. You are clean and forgiven by Him – and this is a joy that no one can take away from you. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +

Taking Offense

2011-11-23T14:10:00.002-06:00

I have an adage that I like - it's one that I think sort of works as a nice little guide. The Christian seeks neither to give offense nor to be offended

This is actually one of my little pithy summations of what the Scriptures teach. Don't try to offend people, and don't let yourself get offended.

Now, when the Scriptures speak to "offend" they literally mean the abandonment of faith. Clearly you shouldn't be damaging people's faith, nor should you engage in activity that would destroy your own.

Duh.

However, let's loosen the language here and make it more... general, more in line with how modern English speaks of being offended. Or upset. Or ticked off.

These are all different ways of saying "being angry" - but they all have something in common. They all refer, linguistically, to being thrown off balance. If you are offended, you are off - ended. You are no longer on your proper end. If you are upset you have been tipped over. And if you are ticked off, you are moved off of your proper and normal tick.

Think like an athlete for a moment. If I am going to hit a golf ball (or throw a punch), my legs are vital. The ability to drive, to use force all comes from... my balance. Try hitting a golf ball while not balanced. (Or watch someone who is off balance try to tackle someone... ugh). You can't. You lose all strength if you lose your balance.

Likewise - if I am offended, if I am upset, I have lost my balance -- and I become weak. Powerless. I cannot speak correctly and too the point... and I will miss the mark. I will fall into gross sin.

Seriously, that's why I don't trust anger -- it throws me off balance, and instead of thinking about how best I can serve my neighbor... I think of other things, vile things - and then I don't speak truly anymore.

That's bad.

Likewise, if I upset my neighbor, if I throw them off balance -- it makes it hard for them to show love (of course, the exception is if I have upset them off of their open sin... sometimes if our tick is the wrong tick, we need to be ticked off). Hence, if I unduly upset my neighbor, I am simply hindering them in their own tasks of showing love.

Thus - try not to give offense and don't take offense.

Oh, and don't play the "offend" card either - it's tacky and cliche'.

And just as another note -- if you are in a discussion with someone, and they brush aside your argument and land a solid counter punch... that's not a sign of them being offended. Just saying.

Sermon for the Last Sunday of the Church Year

2011-11-20T06:32:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday of the Church Year – November 20th, 2011 – Matthew 25:1-13

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +
In the shed outside my house, there are boxes. Plenty of boxes. Boxes from my parents. When I had just gotten here (to Lahoma) 7 and a half years ago, my parents saw this as an opportunity to finally get rid of all the stuff I had left behind at their house when I went to off to college – and so, when they came up for my ordination, there all the stuff was. And I put it in the shed. And I told myself, “You know, I should go sort that out.” But it was summer, and it was hot, so I said, “I’ll wait until it’s a bit cooler.” And then I looked up, and it was winter. And I said, I should go sort out the boxes in the shed, but it’s tool cold, I’ll do it in the spring when it’s a bit warmer. And then I looked up, and it was summer, and too hot. And I have done this for 7 and a half years. Every time I thought about those boxes, oh, the time wasn’t just quite right, I’m busy – I thought more about it this week, but really, don’t I need to be in the house to help Celia with Victor. Excuse after excuse – and the boxes are still there in their chaotic, disorganized state – and part of me doesn’t think that this might not still be the case in another seven and a half years.

Of course, really, while I’d like to get all that stuff organized, it doesn’t really matter a hill of beans if I do or not. Ultimately, it’s not very important. But what it does show, what it does demonstrate is the fact that we human beings have a terrible ability to procrastinate, to put things off, to leave them for later. For some things, this isn’t that big of a problem. If a 25 year old toy becomes a 40 year old toy before it gets sorted, that’s no big deal. Some things are a bit more important, but we can put them off. Maybe that doctor’s visit or procedure that we just don’t really want to have done… or if I were preaching this sermon in February the mention of taxes and the IRS might bring some dread. Our Gospel lesson today, however, is a warning against letting this procrastination, this shunting aside of things, this laziness from impacting our Spiritual Life. We can leave the toys in the shed; if we put God on a back burner, the consequences can be catastrophic.

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.” First things first – the very first word – “then”. Jesus is letting us know that He is talking about the Last day with this parable, with what things will be like then. When the last day comes, what’s the Church going to look like? Well, you’ve got 10 virgins, 10 young girls ready to meet the Bridegroom. Basically, this means that these girls, these teens just moving into adult society, just moving into the real world, are ready to go to their first big party. And back in the day, you’d have the young women lead the groom on into the wedding – they got to look all pretty and then they had their first big party. And wedding feasts were good parties. So, all these 10 girls should be eagerly awaiting the coming of the bridegroom. This is the picture of the Church today. We are in the Last days - we in the Church know what is coming – we know that Christ Jesus will come again, and that when He comes again will we have the resurrection of the dead, the New Heavens and the New Earth – that this life of sin will be tossed aside and we will finally be mature and holy and righteous. This is why we confess in the Nicene Creed – “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead.” Now, we are simply waiting for that time, biding our time until our Lord returns to lead us to the new heavens and the new earth.

“Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.” If you are going to be in a parade, a procession, and your job is to have a lamp, you need to have oil. That’s just how it is. So, if you are foolish, and don’t bring oil, it shows that you aren’t really paying attention, that you don’t really care. Nothing is sinking in. That you are being a fool. If you are wise, you are prepared, you know what you ought to do, and you strive to do it. Now, let us consider the Church. Earlier in Matthew, we hear our Lord tell us that we are to let our lights shine before men that they might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. You know, the whole this little Gospel light of mine song, right? Well, what do we have with Christians – we have the foolish and the wise. There’s not a one of us here in this Church, there’s not a person on the roles of this congregation who doesn’t know about Jesus. We all have our lamps, as it were, we have all been baptized and washed clean. Great. But then – well… what happens when indifference sets in? When we begin to disdain the Word of God, disdain Church, disdain hearing preaching or receiving the Supper? We grow cold. We ignore what Christ has done for us, and thus we begin to ignore our neighbor. We become no longer interested in letting our light shine. We stop caring about God’s love, and so we no longer worry about showing God’s love. James says that a “faith” without works, without love is dead and worthless, isn’t really a faith. A lamp that makes no light isn’t any good, and if your lamp is without oil – well, not a whole lot of good. I mean, no oil is worse than hiding it under a bushel – it’s basically dousing the light, it is looking at God’s gifts and saying, meh. And that is what the foolish do. If we cut ourselves off from the Word of God, become like a lamp with no oil, and that doesn’t do anyone any good, ourselves or our neighbors.

“As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’” Simple enough idea here – all ten girls get tired and fall asleep. The day wears on and rolls into night and they sleep. And then, the groom shows up, and it’s time to go, and they all start to flutter around. Likewise, we don’t know when Christ will return. We don’t generally walk around outside looking up in the Sky trying to spot the first glimmering of His coming. Even as we live our lives, even as we pray “Thy Kingdom Come” or “Come, Lord Jesus” – we don’t expect it right… now. But there will come a time when it is now, when Christ has returned.

“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came and those were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’” It’s time. The moment is now, the day is at hand. And there is no time to go running about trying to buy oil at midnight. And while the foolish are all thrown aflutter by the coming of the bridegroom, the wise are ready, prepared, and go with joy. Likewise for those in the Church. If we are to be prepared for the End, we must remain in God’s Word, we must receive His forgiveness and love, we must be gathered around His font and lectern and pulpit and table lest our faith crumble and die. And this isn’t something we can safely put off – this is more important than some 25 year old toy in a box in a shed. Because the fact is – if you blow off the things of God, His Word and Sacrament and your faith crumbles and dies, when He returns, it will be too late. When Christ comes back, I’m not going to run to this pulpit and start preaching – I’m not going to hurriedly set up communion. That’s it. When He returns, this service is done, and it’s on to the heavenly feast. And if you are ready – that day will hold no fear, indeed it will be nothing but joy for we will see Christ Jesus, our Light and our Life come to take us out of this world of darkness, come to give us new and everlasting life. If you aren’t ready that day – well, there isn’t anything I or anyone else will be able to do for you then.

“Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Watch. That is how we end the Church Year – a reminder to watch. Just as this year draws to a close, so too someday this world will draw to a close. We must remember this fact. We cannot assume that we will always have more time. We cannot simply say, “Eh, later, later – I will come to Church later.” Because in our procrastination, we can kill ourselves – we can take the wonderful gifts of God and let them get rusty and decrepit as we leave them sitting on the shelf. Watch therefore. Keep your eyes open, O Christian! Do not be caught unawares, but keep your eyes focused not upon the skies for the second coming, but keep them upon Christ and where He has promised to be present now for you to forgive you your sins and make you ready for the life of the world to come. Keep your ears open so that you might hear the preaching of the forgiveness of sins! Keep your mouth opened, so that you might receive this day His Body, His Blood given for the remission of all your sins. Receive Christ Jesus Himself, and you will be prepared by Christ to meet Him when He comes again in glory. Do not let the world twist you aside from this, do not let other fleeting things become a higher priority – things all fade here but the Word of the Lord endureth forever, and that same Word is the power of Christ Jesus that makes you to endure forever, even unto life everlasting. Christ the Crucified has won for you salvation by His Blood, and He gives you that gift freely in His Word. God grant that He keep us steadfast in His Word even unto the life of the world to come. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +

Shoddy But Humorous Theology #1

2011-11-17T08:46:00.001-06:00

Shoddy But Humorous Theology #1

It has been noted that today there is a lack of respect and appreciation for children, and that this has unleashed all sorts of ills upon our society. Too often people disdain God's gift of children, much to our detriment. I will agree.

However, I would assert that this is really caused by a greater and more wicked evil... the fact that all too often children disdain God's gift of sleep. I write this as the father of a 3 and a half week old. He clearly despises God's gift of sleep, both for himself and for his parents.

Frankly, if our infants cherished the gift of sleep and sought it diligently, especially when it is dark outside, it would be much more clear what a blessing they are.

As a note - this shows the Justice in God punishing the sin of the fathers to the 3rd and 4th generation. Why? Because the reason the father sinned in the first place was probably because his son kept him up all night, and if it weren't for the lack of sleep he might have better resisted that sin.

This concludes today's episode of Shoddy but humorous theology.

The Law Always...

2011-11-15T07:40:00.002-06:00

There is an old phrase in Lutheranism that I like -- the Law Always Accuses. The point is this -- as we are not perfect, the Law always shows us our lack, where we fall short. It always accuses us.

Likewise, I'd like to propose a companion idea. The Law always binds. Seriously - the Law will always bind the conscience of a Christian. If God speaks the Law, people are bound to it. If He says "Thou Shall Not" - that is going to weigh upon my conscience, and it is bound.

Likewise, if I as a pastor say, "Thou shall not" or "Thou shall" - that is going to bind the conscience. That is going to put pressure to behave in a certain way upon a person. In fact, many times, if we speak the law, we DO want to shape behavior. If I tell my son in a few years, "You will take out the trash" - that's an attempt to shape behavior.

Now, what does this mean? I, as a pastor, had better make INCREDIBLY SURE that when I tell people what they should or should not do, that I am speaking only God's Word and not my whims, not my thoughts, not my desires. Why? Because I am a pastor - and people expect me to be speaking not for Eric Brown, but for God. Any anything I state will have God's weight behind it.

For a pastor to give a command that is not in scripture is wrong... it's an abuse of God's Name, of God's authority. It's saying, "God wants you to ______" when He did not really.

The Law always binds... and if you speak law you are binding people. Make sure that you are speaking a Law that is God's Law.

Trinity 21 Sermon

2011-11-13T07:10:00.000-06:00

Trinity 21 – November 13th, 2011 – John 446-54

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost +
As Lutherans we believe something very simple, yet vital to faith. God’s Word does what it says. Now, that’s not an earth shattering statement. I would hope that most of you, hearing me say “God’s Word does what it says” thought, “Well, duh, of course it does.” However, remember that the Devil’s chief ploy, His chief goal, is always to get you to doubt God’s Word. That’s the way it’s been since the beginning, since the Serpent said to Eve “Did God really say?” The heart of Lutheranism from the days of the Reformation up to this very day has been a clear and strong focus on what God’s Word says. If God says something, we simply believe. Scripture is Scripture and we place ourselves under it. And also, if Scripture is silent on a matter, we remain silent as well. Our focus is always on what God’s Word says and nothing more – we don’t pry into unrevealed mysteries, but rather delight in what God’s Word shows us plain and simple.

So why this rant to start off this morning? Because in looking at these three texts, each of our readings, we see an example of God’s Word doing what it says – we have signs displayed before us so that we might believe God’s Word. From these lessons we see three of the things that God’s Word does. God’s Word creates, God’s Word Restores, and God’s Word Protects. This is the very same Word that is at work in His Church, at work in our very own lives. Let’s take a gander at God’s Word at work in these texts, and also meditate on how God’s Word is at work in our lives.

So let’s start with our Old Testament lesson. Creation. In all of Scripture the first thing, the first idea that is taught is that God’s Word Creates. “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” God speaks, and it is done. Where there was no light before, God speaks and then, suddenly, there is light. “And God said, ‘Let the Earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the Earth.’ And it was so.” Isn’t that wonderful, just how matter of fact Scripture is here. And it was so. In fact, by day six of Creation, it’s just assumed that when God speaks, what He speaks is created. Okay Pastor, we get the idea, so what’s so important about this? There is no light, and God speaks, and suddenly there is light. There were no plants – God speaks, and suddenly, there are plants. No animals, God speaks, there are animals. God’s Word creates by Itself. God brings forth and actually brings stuff into being, makes things out of nothing. When we make, when we so-called create, we use stuff, material. If you make a dress, you make it out of fabric. If you make a car, you make it out of steel and plastic and wires. Our creations come from something else. But when God speaks His Word, He truly Creates – He speaks and it is. It’s not a molding, not a changing, but a true creation. A new creation. Where before there had been nothing, see what God has done by the power of His Word.

And this, dear friends, is your story, is the story of your faith. The reason you have faith, the reason you believe isn’t about you, it isn’t about what you have made yourself into, but rather God brought His Word to you, and by the power of that Word and the Holy Spirit, He created faith in you where there had been no faith before. The Word is proclaimed, and faith is created. The reason you have faith, the reason you believe, the reason you trust in these promises of God is that God Himself has worked faith in you. That God has called you. That God has given you faith. I believe I cannot by my own reason or strength come to Jesus Christ my Lord, or believe in Him, but that the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel. This is what that means – that God’s Word created, worked, brought forth faith in you. This is why we gladly celebrate infant Baptism – because we see in it God’s Word at work, God’s Word creating faith in the heart of a small Child – God’s Word giving both forgiveness and the very faith which believes that forgiveness. And what’s sad is our sinful flesh doesn’t want to believe this. We want salvation to be something we do, we want our part – we want to be able to point to a decision we made, a vital point where we did what was important. Adam never chose to be made. None of us chose to be born. Yet God called us into being. Likewise, as regards our faith it’s not that we chose God, but rather God in His mercy has called each of us by His Word and given us faith to receive all the gifts and blessings He gives us. God’s Word creates, both the world and our faith.

And then, when we look at John, we see another thing that God’s Word does. It restores. “Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your son will live.’ The man believed the Word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. As he was going, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, ‘Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.’ The father knew that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ And he himself believed, and all his household.” God’s Word restores. We hear of a son in need of healing – Jesus speaks, and the son is healed. Dear friends, we live in a world that is wracked with sin, where things don’t work right. Bodies get sick and frail and die – that’s not what we were created to be. Sin has unleashed upon the world all sorts of strife and violence and illness and all that other bad stuff. Sin unleashed a fever upon a young boy nearly 2000 years ago – and God speaks, and the boy is restored. The fever done away with. His life, his health, restored to him. God’s Word restores, puts things back right they way they should be, returns to life.

God’s Word restores even unto this very day. And I’m not talking about faith healings here – God hasn’t promised us the ability to heal the sick or anything like that – rather we pray and leave that in God’s hands, to work healing if it is His will either through extraordinary means or by the men and women he has given talent and training as doctors and nurses. But today God’s Word restores, God’s Word combats and fights and breaks down not just the symptoms, but the cause of problems in this world – God’s Word fights against sin – and not just the sin of the world, not just “sinfulness” in general – but very specifically our own sin. Jesus knows our condition, knows that we struggle daily with sin, that daily we give into sin – that our sin threatens to grind and wear down and destroy the gift of faith that He created in us. So God has given us a promise. Later on in the Gospel of John Jesus says to the Disciples in the upper room after His resurrection “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven.” This is the promise that Christ Jesus has given His Church – this is the promise that you asked me to exercise the day you called me to be your Pastor – to be the person who speaks God’s Word of forgiveness here in this place. And God is at work in that Word. Our Worship, our time together these Sunday mornings isn’t just a play acting. It’s not just sitting around remembering good old Jesus. God gathers us around His Word and speaks it to us to that we might be restored. God calls us here so that we might hear “You are forgiven” and know that yes – God has spoken that Word of forgiveness to me, right here, right now, and I am forgiven this very hour. Just as that boy’s fever broke at the 7th hour, every week in that hour following 10:45 our sin is broken, done away with, destroyed, and we are forgiven. God is at work in our lives restoring us, creating in us clean hearts. His Word gives what it says, and God sees that His restoring Word of forgiveness is preached and proclaimed daily and richly in His Church.

And finally, I’d like to spend just a few moments looking at our Epistle lesson. Put on the Armor of God. This passage is like an old friend. On the way into school each morning my mom would go over this section of scripture with me as we put on the full armor of God. But again, this is all about God’s Word. Put on the belt of Truth. That’s the Word. Christ Jesus says I am the Truth, He’s the Word. Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness – we are made Righteous because of God’s Word – because Jesus Christ gives us His own righteousness through the Word. All of this, the whole armor is simply Paul’s way of discussing the various ways in which Christ Jesus comes to us through His Word and gives us protection, the ways in which Jesus Himself protects us with His presence. It’s the Armor of God – it’s the armor that comes from God, it’s the armor that is God at work in our lives protecting us. Is this not wonderful – that God devotes Himself to our protection – that He constantly gives Himself to us by His Word for our protection against so many things? You see, that’s the heart of what it means to live as a Christian – to be in Christ. To have Christ over you and in you – to have Christ dwell richly in you through His Word.

And this is what we celebrate whenever we have the Lord’s Supper at this altar. Jesus Himself comes into our life and gives us all His righteousness and holiness, preserves us in His truth by His Word. And what Word will Jesus have spoken to His people? Take and eat, this is My Body, given for you. Take and drink, this is My Blood, shed for you. Jesus knows the struggles you face, He knows the dangers of life in the world – but that’s where He wants us to live. Out there, in the world – out there being lights in the darkness of sin that enshrouds the world. And so, He calls us together to His Table, brings us to His supper. And why? So that His True Body and Blood will keep us in the faith, will make us and clothe us with His righteousness, will give us strength to face the trials of this world. Jesus gives us Himself in the Supper, and where Jesus is we have protection and strength. And again, should any of you desire this Supper, be it on a non-communion Sunday, or during the middle of a stressful week, or the night before what will be a trying day, simply ask, and with joy we will receive Christ’s forgiveness and strength from His Body and Blood together.

God’s Word does what it says. This is why we are people of the Word – this is why, as Paul says, we are determined to know nothing but Christ and Him Crucified. It’s all about Christ Jesus, the Word made flesh. We believe the Word, because the Word is how God comes to us – be it His Word recorded for us in Scripture, His Word preached, His Word Spoken or sung in the Liturgy, His Word attached to water in Baptism, His Word attached to Bread and Wine in His Supper. We are people of the Word, who delight in the Faith that His Word has created in us, who thirst for the forgiveness that His Word gives us, and who shelter in the Protection we receive in His Word. Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word. Amen.

A Fear of Anger and Frustration

2011-11-10T08:20:00.002-06:00

My practical experience with parenting is quite limited, as my son was born not even 3 weeks ago. However, this has long been something I've noticed, watched, and observed with interest - personally, professionally, and theologically. What follows may be disjointed, but let me get my thoughts out on paper.

First and foremost, I totally distrust so-called righteous anger. This in many ways I learned from my parents, both negatively (for I myself have a temper, and it's one which I got my parents), but also positively. One of the things that my parents were fantastic about was not punishing me when they were angry... not that the punishment would necessarily be less when they cooled down, but when there was punishment... it wasn't about their anger, it was about cause and effect, about actions have consequences (especially bad actions). It was didactic.

Early this morning, my son was being a butt. Of course he was, he is my son, and he will be like his father. And he has determined in the last 4 days or so that there is no reason at all that he should be sleeping in his bassinet at night, no way! Daytime - okay, but night when mommy is trying to sleep - NO!

He had fought hard last night when I laid him down (I let tired mommy finish up stuff in the front room - I got to be the mean daddy)... it was just temper. But after around 10 minutes of rubbing and talking (I firmly believe in talking to your kid from an early age) to him, explaining the importance of sleeping in his bed -- he wore himself out and slept. This morning, as mommy had lain down, I did the same - and as the boy was yelling at me (I frankly think that babies do have language skills, and most of them are vulgar!), I was rubbing him and cooing him to sleep. And after around 5 minutes this time - out like a light.

I can see why some people get angry or frustrated with kids - especially mommies (I get to say, "Oh, look dear, I need to work on a sermon... bye" - Mommy doesn't). But as I was there, consoling and exhorting my child to sleep - there was no anger. There wasn't even really frustration. I was calm, I was in control, I was able to act rationally and in the best interest of my kid (because dude, you needs to learn to be able to sleep, otherwise your life will be suxxor!).

Calm - rational - in the best interest of who you are dealing with.

That's the key I think for behavior, on deciding not just how but when to act, when to speak. Are you calm. Are you rational and thinking or given to emotional swings. And are you acting in the best interest of whom you are dealing with.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Here is why I so often get frustrated with how many theologians I know and respect handle God's Law. I remember, oh, months ago, some one had posted somewhere a comment about a pop star's latest vulgar song "Shame on you!" Simple enough, common enough phrase.

But why say it? What's the point? Is it for the musicians' benefit? No, because he ain't reading that guy's facebook page. Is it to warn off people of the vileness... well... that's not what it says. It's not, "You know, there's some strong language here, so I'd suggest avoiding it" -- it's "shame". It's not a protection of the innocent or uninformed... it's shame.

Is "shame on you" a best construction? Is it helping to improve your neighbor's reputation, or desiring what is good? Or... is it frustration and anger and disgust leading to a "pious" lashing out? And it's not even a call to repentance - it's a call to embarrassment. After all, isn't that the point of shame - if someone gets embarrassed enough maybe they'll stop doing something.

But here's the problem. When I use the Law, is the purpose of the Law simply to force behavior that I want, or is my speaking of the Law meant to serve my neighbor, even the one I am speaking against?

From a theological perspective, the Law is never simply to curb or direct behaviors -- it is to prepare for Gospel, to show ones' need for the Gospel. And if you have a speaking of the Law that has no natural and normal flow to the Gospel, what is its point?

And the problem is that when we speak the Law, when we speak something that is TRUE, but out of anger or frustration, we break it. The Law is designed to flow to the Gospel, to Mercy, to be called off at the first sign of repentance so that a brother might be restored. But when I am angry, when I frustrated, I'm not thinking about restoration or growth - I'm thinking about simply making them stop.

How are you speaking the Law? Is it from your fear and frustration, or is it from a desire to love and serve and hopefully be restored even to that dirty rotten jerk who is messing with you -- not for your benefit, but for theirs. Not so that they would stop annoying you, but so that they would abandon that self-destructive and futile path that they are on.

But, but, but we have the best of intentions, we only want what is right, we what what is best for society and the country! Two things. First - are you acting out of fear of what might happen, anger at what has? Still not good. Second, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

No love, no care for your neighbor -- then you are just a noisy gong, you are nothing, and you gain nothing.

What did you expect? For apart from Christ you are nothing, and without Him nothing good will come of our actions except ruin and destruction. Be focused upon Christ yourself, and be ready to focus your neighbor upon Him, even the worst of your neighbors, for without Him, we are all lost and come to nothing.

Our anger, our fear, the trials that cause them, they shall pass away, as will our works that are done simply to counter or react to them, but the steadfast love of the Lord endureth forever.

A Law with No Benefit

2011-11-09T14:45:00.002-06:00

(From Walther's Law and Gospel, Reader's Edition - page 11) Nor is this the difference: that only the Gospel is necessary and not the Law - as if the latter were a mere afterthought that could be done away with if necessary. No, both doctrines are equally necessary for us humans. Without the Law, we cannot understand the Gospel; and without the Gospel, the Law is of no benefit to us.

The Law is not the point - the point is the Gospel. The Law is vital, because without the knowledge of sin, the Gospel is nonsensical - what is the point of being saved if one doesn't need saving?

But note the idea that if there is no Gospel, the Law has no benefit. So what if I strive after the Law - it gives me a smoother like now. Well, if we only live for now and there is no resurrection, we of all people are the most accursed.

Everything is to serve the Gospel - and not the "Gospel" meaning now you get to do nice things, not the "Gospel" meaning my evangelical commands for holy living. Everything serves and drives to this - while you were yet a sinner, Christ Jesus died for you. Because of this, you are forgiven and you will live forever.

That's the point. Of everything. And if that isn't the point of what you are driving at... well, then you've missed the point, haven't you?

A short observation

2011-11-09T08:43:00.003-06:00

The Law is simple but very hard to do. Love God, love your neighbor. Simple as can be, but terribly hard and difficult and we rebel against it.

Legalism tries to reverse this. It thinks that by complicating the Law, you can make it easier to do. If you define and get exact and this and that, you can just follow the "divine" checklist and that is it... and in reality legalism becomes nothing but a pious excuse to avoid love that is hard.

An few analogies about the focusing on the Law

2011-11-09T08:26:00.004-06:00

Imagine that you are terribly, terribly sick, and that the disease is deadly. And you go to the doctor, and the doctor looks at you, sees your death coming, and he says, "Well, let me give you a cough suppressant, that way you cough less."

That's nice, I suppose. It helps a symptom but does nothing to provide a cure. And you'd still die.

If you want to know why I get so cranky when I come across people and theologians who always want to spout off about the Law, about Natural Law, about how to fix society... that's nice and all. If you are given by God the duty to care for this world and time in your vocation - go to it. Lawyers and legislators, go make good Law!

But if you are a theologian and a pastor, if you are given by God the duty of handling the Gospel, the power of God for salvation and life everlasting... why the hell in the world are you futzing around with the Law and social niceties and speaking ultimately a word of death instead of the Word of Life?

It would be like the chef at the wedding feast ignoring the preparation of the meal and instead trying to make sure that all the napkins on the table are neatly folded. Get to the Gospel! Get to Christ and Him Crucified for sinners instead of simply trying to make sinners less messy, less... sinnery.

...

Or is the problem really that you no longer believe that it is the Word of God that gives power and life and recreates and you think that instead you have to give your new rules to *make* people be good. Wise fool, the letter kills but the Spirit giveth life. And all your legal barns and constructions will be brought to nothing, all your works will be burnt away as the straw that it is.

Preach Christ and Him Crucified. Show the Cross and its folly which is our salvation. Give the medicine of immortality, not your moral cough drop.

How to avoid discontent (Number 9, Number 9, Number 9)

2011-11-07T08:41:00.001-06:00

There is much discontent in society today. It seems no one is happy or pleased or content with what they have.

I have a cure.

Quit looking at what your neighbor has.

Really, it's as simple as that. Quit comparing what you have to your neighbor's stuff. You can always find someone who has more than you, you can always find someone who doesn't work as hard as you do but yet has more - and then your sinful, selfish nature will say, "It's not fair."

But here's the thing - when you look at what your neighbor has, you ignore the blessings that you yourself have. Your riches end up tasting like ashes in your mouth because of what someone else has. They aren't rich enough for you - not because they are "bad" - not because God hasn't provided for you... but because of covetousness.

Commandment number 9 - Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's house. God doesn't tell us this for no reason - worrying about what our neighbor has, wanting what he has always leads to unnecessary suffering and sadness. That's just what happens. Rather, look at what you have, ponder all the ways in which God has indeed blessed you - and you will delight in His Goodness to you.

All Saint's Sermon

2011-11-06T06:54:00.000-06:00

All Saints’ Observed – November 6th, 2011 – Matthew 5:1-11

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +
This sinful world loves to pull the wool over our eyes. The world and our sinful flesh love to deceive us, to hide from us the true wonders and blessings that we have. It’s as though in our lives in this world we are always wearing mud splattered goggles, and we see merely grime and filth and not the landscape beyond. Today, in our Gospel Lesson, Christ Jesus clears our vision, speaks to what true reality is. We hear this lesson today, on All Saints’ Day, because while we struggle to understand these truths that Christ teaches us, our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us now see these truths clearly before God – we feebly struggle, they in glory shine – as the hymn would put it. But let us turn away from the grime of the world and our sinful flesh and give ear to our Lord’s teaching, so that we might be strengthened and encouraged.
“Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven.’” And thus our Lord begins the Beatitudes, thus He begins what is known as the sermon on the mount. And our lesson for today, the Beatitudes, is one of contrast. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Why would we ever think that someone who is poor in spirit, someone who is downtrodden, worn out, someone who sees difficulty in this life is blessed? Because when you realize the troubles and sorrows of this world, you can then rejoice in the true gifts of God and receive them with gladness. How many people are content to wallow like pigs in this mud sty of a world? How many are content to blow off the things of God and live like animals, simple rooting after their base wants and desires. But to you who are poor in spirit, who recognize the lack of what this sinful world offers, Christ Jesus promises you the Kingdom of Heaven. For you do not realize that Christ Jesus Himself was poor in Spirit – do you not know that even as you lament this life, Christ was moved to bloody tears in the Garden? He knows what a mess this world is, and for your sake, to rescue you and give you the kingdom of heaven, He came down into this world and went to the Cross so that you might live. You are blessed, even if the world doesn’t think so.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” The world doesn’t think those who mourn are blessed. In fact, the world hates the idea of mourning – let’s not have a funeral, let’s have a “celebration of life.” It’s pretty lousy to celebrate a life that you no longer get to share. And so we mourn. We don’t pretend this world is all sunshine and daisies. And we even mourn things before we die. Whenever we lose something, we mourn it. You don’t have the strength you used to – and you mourn. Opportunities are lost, friends and loved ones move away – and you mourn. But to you who mourn, Christ Jesus promises you comfort. For do you not realize that Christ Himself mourned the loss of Adam, of Eve, of this world to sin – and so He came to be your Savior, to restore you? Indeed, He promised you His Holy Spirit – and what does Jesus call the Holy Spirit? He calls Him the Comforter – because when the loss stands before you, the Holy Spirit reminds you of the promises of God, God’s promise to you that you will live, that you will be restored, that every tear will be wiped away from your eyes. You are blessed, even if the world doesn’t think so.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The world doesn’t think the meek are blessed. In fact, the world despises the meek. The world says that if you want something, you’ve got to grab it for yourself. The world says if you want something done right, be bold and arrogant and do it yourself. The world calls for you to loudly protest and demand change with threats and accusations. But what of you, when you see your own frailty? When you realize you just don’t seem to have that strength or vigor – or more to the point, when you don’t want to have to bowl over the blow hards and the rabble rousers – when you just want to be. The world says that you will then get the short end of the sick. But to you who are meek, Christ Jesus says that you will inherit the earth. For do you not realize that Christ Himself was meek, that when He was reviled He did not revile in return, that even He prayed that the cup of suffering might be taken away? Yet the Father raised Him on the third day as the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and you who are baptized, who were meekly united to Him, you shall inherit it as well. You are blessed, even if the world doesn’t think so.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” The world thinks striving after righteousness, after forgiveness and true justice is folly. The world loves revenge, but lying calls it justice. The world loves “mercy” as long as you get plenty of praised heaped upon you for showing it. But actually striving after doing what is right, actually striving after truly loving your neighbor – that’s rare. And more over, confessing your sins, admitting that you have not been as righteous as you ought – that is never done. The world hates confessing its sin – in the world it’s never my fault, or what I do isn’t really that bad, or if it is, let the cover ups begin. But you know that all this palaver by the world is false – for you struggle to do what is right, and you see your on sin and you long for it to be forgiven. This can be painful and harsh, but to you who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Christ Jesus says that you will be satisfied. He is your righteousness. Whereas you might lack, Christ by no means lacks for righteousness. He hungered for it, strove to do it, and He did – and He gives His righteousness to you, declares you to be righteous for His sake. He takes up your sin and gives you His holiness in its place. He declares you to be His temple, He gives you new life, He makes you His workmanship so that you do bear good fruit. We do not see this perfectly yet, but it is the truth. You are blessed, even if the world doesn’t think so.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Mercy is looked down upon in the world. Even as it is touted loudly – it’s not really praised. If you show mercy to a person in need, you’re a mark, a sucker. If you show mercy in a business deal, well, that’s no way to get ahead. If you show mercy to a friend, well, you’re just a doormat who is going to get walked all over. The world says that you need to be hard and cold to survive and mocks true mercy and compassion that simply gives. But you know the importance of mercy, for you know that you yourself need mercy. You know your own lack, indeed even your own lack of mercy, and so your neighbor’s lack brings forth sympathy. You who desire mercy to rule the day, Christ Jesus says that it shall, and you shall receive it in full. Or do you not know that Christ Jesus desires mercy? Through the Psalmist He declares that He desires mercy and not merely sacrifice. His desire for mercy was what drove Christ to become Man, to win salvation – His desire is to shower mercy upon you, and so He does. Free grace and mercy is yours from Him. You are blessed as you strive for mercy, even if the world doesn’t think so.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” The world disdains purity. It’s true. The world loves filth and whatever coarse pleasures it can get its dirty little fingers on. But what of you? It seems as we move on that these beatitudes apply less and less to us. Yes, I am battered and poor in spirit. Yes I mourn! Um… I suppose I’m meek. Um… I guess I hunger and thirst for righteousness. I’m sort of merciful… sometimes. Now pure in heart – what about it? There is a movement here, and shift in the beatitudes, where we see not just what the world does to us, but our own sinful nature slide more and more to the foreground. How often are we pure in heart? I find that my motives are almost always mixed, that I am at war with myself, the good that I wish to do I don’t do, the wicked that I do not want to do is what I end up doing. Pure in heart? Not overly. Which is why we cry out with David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew right spirit within me.” Why? So that God does not cast us from His presence – so that we may see God. Do you not realize that while you are not pure in heart, Christ Jesus creates in you a clean heart, by the power of His Word He forgives you and makes your heart to be pure? This is His great promise to you, this is the direction in which your faith and life grow. And this, this can be so hard to see, for our sinful flesh is so strong. But because Christ Jesus is your Lord, He will continue to purify your heart, and He will bring you unto Himself, and so you are blessed, even if the world and your own flesh tell you that you aren’t.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” Oh, how often we don’t make peace! How often we want to mix it up, bring vengeance on those who wrong us, how often we let ourselves be shaped by our anger! But Christ Jesus is a peacemaker – He says “Peace be with you” – He breaks into your life and declares His forgiveness to you – He washes you in the waters of holy baptism and says, “You are forgiven, you are a child of God, and I will work in you and through you and I will make you to be a peacemaker – I will make you to be one who speaks my word of Forgiveness.” And so often we do not see this in our own lives – so often we do not strive to make peace – and so Christ Jesus says to us again, “Peace be with you, I forgive you”. He fills us with His forgiveness so it cannot help but overflow out of us and onto our neighbors. And you are blessed, because Christ Jesus in the One who makes peace with you, and His Word beats down your sinful flesh, and He makes you to be His own peacemaker, for you are His brother, His sister, you are a baptized child of God, and by His Word He shapes you into a new creation – even as we struggle to see this. You are blessed, even though the world and your flesh tell you otherwise.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Christ Jesus has an impact upon your life – He comes in, He breaks through your sinful exterior, with His law He crushes your sin, and with His forgiveness He makes you to be His new creation. You’re not totally perfect yet – but even the beginnings of this new, good work He has begun in you will not be tolerated by the world. Indeed, our Lord tells you plainly that the world which hates Him will hate you now. You will be persecuted because you strive after righteousness, because you listen to the Word of God. People will do anything in their power to hurt and harm you, to sully your reputation, for they hate the God who has redeemed you, they despise the God who has forgiven and restored you, and they revile the love of God that God shows through you. This is the final, the last ditch effort the world makes to blind you to Christ, and your old sinful flesh, as it is being drowned and destroyed by Christ will call out to you to listen to the world, to give up, to abandon Christ. Ignore this temptation – and see this all for what it real is. You belong to Christ, and because of Him your reward is great. The world can bray like a donkey, your flesh can throw its tantrums, but these do not change the truth – you look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. You look to the time when all of God’s saints from every age and every place will be gathered around the throne with joy everlasting. And this is yours, for Christ has given it to you, even gives it to you today in His Word of forgiveness and in His Supper. Cling to Him, cling to His Word of life that gives you life now, that gives you the life everlasting. You are one of His saints, for you have been redeemed by Christ the Crucified, and your Risen Lord and Savior has promised you His own life as well, and the world cannot change that fact. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +

Does the Fix Come First?

2011-11-03T15:44:00.002-05:00

So often the temptation within Christendom is to preach the Law as an attempt to fix things - to bring about new laws and rules which will makes things better -- that new rules will bring about a reform.

Sasse brings this out nicely on his history of the reformation. Every human reformation rests upon laws trying to fix things, laws trying to make things work. But that was not the Reformation - nor is it how the Gospel works.

Consider Luke 19 and Zacchaeus. Does Jesus walk up to Zacchaeus and say, "Now here's how it is going to be - give half of your goods to the poor, and pay back 4 times anyone you have defrauded... and then we can get to the good stuff?" No - Christ gives Himself to Zacchaeus... and in spontaneous response, he produces all sorts of works of love and contrition... not by force, not by the design of some moral dictator, but out of who Zacchaeus is as a redeemed and forgiven child of God.

Same thing holds true today, guys. When people see forgiveness and delight in it, they will show love. And their works will flow, not from your law or your wise planning, but from a free and joyous spirit. The fix always follows the Gospel... if only we would trust God's Word more than our own wisdom!

Snake Hunting with Pastor Weedon

2011-11-03T07:44:00.002-05:00

Pastor Weedon has an excellent blog post about faith and repentance and Christian living. As a Christian, you are a snake hunter.

Of course, why do you need this link. Aren't you reading Weedon's blog anyway?

The True and False Comparisons of Time

2011-11-02T08:27:00.000-05:00

Our life on earth is brief. This becomes obvious to anyone who thinks about it. Our time is short. So, what do we make of this fact?

It's interesting to see how people end up playing with the concept of time. For the Scientist, time becomes an idol, the false creator god. If you deny that God is involved in creation you must substitute billions and billions of years.

Medieval Rome did the same thing - but with Purgatory. So you want to have wickedness now - well, we know you can't work it off now... so we'll give you thousands, millions of years to work it off in purgatory. The mammoth nature of time once again used to replace the action of God - this time the justifying power of His Word.

There is a way in which we can think about time being brief here - considering the following from Luther: "It is certainly true that every Christian who wants to confess the Word by preaching it or by giving an account of it in court is in a very bad way on this earth. He is uncertain every hour and is in danger of being driven from his property, wife, and child while other folks are plentifully supplied and live in luxury and ease. But if we include in this view what is reserved for us and what we are there [in the world to come] to obtain, we ought certainly be very happy about the situation and far rather pity the poor, miserable world. For what difference does it make that people now step on us, intensely annoy and harm us? After all, we cannot be the losers. But if we do lose, we lose this mortal body. This, however, is losing no more than husks. Meanwhile the treasure remains ours; we shall plentifully receive again what we leave here, and much more besides, eternal, divine possessions."

I don't know - I just find it interesting. For some, the enormity of time serves as a way of trying to work around God, to replace Him. But for the faithful who simply trust in God and His salvation, the fact that our time here is brief is, well, not so bad. We've got plenty to look forward to, and it isn't bad.

The folly of the sinful nature

2011-11-01T06:56:00.002-05:00

My son Victor is a bit of a night owl. Me bride and I are working on changing that, so that means keeping him awake and playing with him during the day so that he sleeps better at night. And you know, it sort of worked yesterday.

Sort of. Okay - it worked wonderfully, but it's just the first day and a new habit isn't formed in a day. But of note was what happened at 4:15 this morning, when Victor the Stubborn bug decided HE wanted to be awake, even after daddy had laid him down in his bassinet.

So, what did the boy do? He cried - loudly. And after around 3 or 4 minutes of letting him cry, daddy came and picked him up... and the boy fell right asleep. Why? Well, he had worn himself out crying. That defiant cry ended up turning around on him. That cry demanding that he get to stay awake became the very cause of him falling asleep so much more quickly than if he had just simply played in his bassinet.

Thus the folly of the sinful nature.

Think of times where you give into sin and temptation - do they not rebound upon you?

You lash out because you are frustrated by things in life... and all you do is tick off people who frustrate your life more.

You want to go and forget things... and then you have a headache to remember as well.

You want to live fun and care free... and your care free fun drops a bigger burden upon you (fines, a kid, hurt relationships, etc.).

My son Victor may someday gain the wisdom to learn that it is easier to do what his father wishes, to enjoy the freedom that dad wants (because actually, if he's quiet in his crib and let's his mommy sleep, dad would be content). But maybe not.

Of course, how long does it take us to learn that it is to our own benefit and good to beat down our sinful nature, to fight against temptations with all our might? Beat down temptation - beat it down.

Reformation Sermon

2011-10-30T07:06:00.000-05:00

Reformation Day (Observed) – October 30th, 2011 – John 8:31-36

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost +
One thing has remained true throughout the life of the Church, be it in the Old Testament, the New, 500 years ago, or even today. The Church is always in need of Reform. The Church of God, full of sinners as she is, has a tendency to wander away from the clear Word of God, and in the place of God’s Law and Gospel, she can set up all sorts of Idols to follow after. Whether it be a golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai as it was in Moses day, or following Ba’al and his false prophets as it was in Elijah’s day, or false doctrine as it was in Paul’s day, or being rife with superstition and ignorance as it was in Luther’s day, God’s Sheep will wander if left to their own ways, and will ever be in need of being returned to God’s Truth. Today we celebrate Reformation Day, a day where we remember all the times in the past where God has restored His Church from error, a day where we pray that we may be kept from error ourselves.

Our Gospel lesson today shows Jesus confronting people who had fallen into error in His day. Jesus is talking with several Jews who had believed, who were part of the Church. Yet, they were close to a fall, close to slipping away, because things Jesus said seemed too hard for them to believe, and so their faith was endangered. They were beginning to put their trust in their own wisdom rather than simply listening to Christ. They were falling into error, error that could end up destroying their faith utterly. Thus, they were in need of reform. In our Gospel text, Jesus shows us how He is always at work in His Church, preaching and admonishing, and bringing about reform. Let us look at the text.

Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” It is no mystery what the Church of God is to preach, what we as Christ’s disciples are to do. We are to preach the Word of God, to proclaim Christ Crucified for sinners like us. This seems straightforward enough. If we follow Christ, we should give heed to His Word. It is as simple as that. Hold to the Word of God, then you are a disciple. Christ is so plain, so clear here. Hear my Word, and you are my disciple. Or as we hear in a few chapters later in John, “My Sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow Me.”

That isn’t what so many people focus on, though, is it? Simply holding to Christ’s teaching. So many people want to put the focus on our actions. If you follow Christ, you will do X, Y, and Z. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, give so much money to the Church, and then you’ll really be good little Christian boys and girls. Christianity becomes all about me and what I do, how I live my life, about proving to every one else that I know how to jump through the right holy hoops - see what a good boy am I. We hear this today, do we not? How much preaching at “Christian” churches tell you next to nothing about Christ and what He did, but much about what your life is to look like. And the sad part is, we like that. We like the story to be about us. We like to be able to pat ourselves on the back about what good people we are. We like to point to what we have done. But that, is not being a disciple. That’s not holding fast to what Christ teaches.

Hear again His Word. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Wonderful words. In God’s Word, we see the truth. In God’s Word we hear the full truth of the Law, that we are sinners, that all of our works amount to nothing before God, that in and of ourselves we are lost and condemned creatures. This we know from God. But in God’s Word, we also hear the full truth of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, died to save the lost, to take away their sins; Indeed, that He rose again so as to give us new life, His life. This is what we know from scripture, this is what we read when we diligently search out the scriptures, this is what we yearn to hear preached, that though we have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, Christ Jesus our Lord has redeemed us from our sin, and Justified us before God. Indeed, our Lord even says that He Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life – and that in hearing the Word of God we are made to know the Truth, made to know Christ and Him Crucified, and we are forgiven.

That there is freedom. Your sin is forgiven by God. And this we know, why? For the bible tells us so. This verse isn’t about social reform, or race relations, or why you need to do well in school, but about God’s Truth, the Gospel Truth, Christ Jesus who has died and risen for you. The weight of sin that hangs over your head, it is gone, removed, taken away. Christ has borne it Himself upon the cross. This is what we are to hold fast to as His Disciples, this is what we are always to defend. Whenever people move away from this, whenever something other than Christ the Crucified one takes center stage, be it our own works, the pope, a golden calf, whatever it may be, the Church lies in need of reform. The Church is in need of the clear Word of God to be preached, the Law in its full effect, and the Gospel in its full sweetness, and then by the Holy Spirit that pure Word of Truth will make us disciples once gain, then that Word will give us freedom.

“They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” And here we see one of the great dangers to Christians. Pride and arrogance. We, the Children of Abraham, have never been enslaved? Do you hear realize how stupid of a statement it is for these people to claim this? First of all, read the book of Exodus. The children of Abraham were slaves in Egypt. . . God is the one who delivered them from slavery. The idea of God setting them free should be quite familiar. In fact, that’s how God often addressed them – I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of bondage in the land of Egypt. But not only in the past with Egypt, but consider the situation in Jesus’ day with Rome. The Jews were a conquered people. All the time, every 20-30 years there would be a new revolt against the Roman oppressors. Most of the people were hoping for a Messiah that would kick Rome out and reestablish a strong Jewish nation. And yet, these people say that they have never been slaves of anyone. Out of their pride and arrogance, they fight God’s Word.

Dear friends, when we approach God’s Word with pride, with arrogance, we fail to hear it, we stop up our ears and throw tantrums against God. There are only two options - we can in sin hold onto our pride, or we can cling to God’s Word; it cannot be both ways. The fact that there is a Lutheran Church and a Roman Catholic Church is proof of that fact. When Martin Luther preached the Gospel with clarity unseen in over 300 years, it was simply out of pride and arrogance that the Pope refused to listen. It was simply out of pride and arrogance that so many of the bishops refused to allow the Gospel and Christ’s free forgiveness to be preached. What would this preaching do to their power and station, let it be silenced! And so the Church was torn asunder. But pride and arrogance wasn’t just the trap that caught Rome. It was simply pride and arrogance in human reason that formed the rest of the Protestant Churches. Zwingli, Calvin, Meno Simmons, all of them victims of pride. What, the Scriptures declare that the Lord’s Supper is Christ’s Body and Blood, how can that be, it doesn’t make sense to my vast human intellect, I’ll come up with something else. No, what you will do is deny God’s Word! And thus we have all the little different denominations that we have, all holding on to stubborn pride and denying God’s clear Word.

Let this be a warning and a reminder to us, lest we fall into the trap which has snared so many in the Church. We must remain diligent, keeping our sinful nature in check, so that we hold fast to God’s Word and God’s Word alone. Those of you who were alive in the 70’s saw this in our own Church Body first hand, as we fought those teachers of false doctrine who denied God’s Word. But this isn’t just a danger of the past, for Satan stirs up the hearts of sinful man in all generations. Today as well we must take care to see that what is preached is simply the Word of God, that we remain true to His Word. Greater Churches than ours have fallen, mightier men of God than us have given in to temptation, and so we must always strive to spurn our pride, and trust solely in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits a sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the Son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” This, dear friends, is why we are here. This is what we celebrate and receive every Sunday, every time we gather around our Lord’s Word and His Sacraments. That we are sinners who have been set free by Christ Jesus. By virtue of our Baptism, we have been made the sons of God, brought into God’s family by being united to Christ Jesus our Lord. We are made part of His Body, and where He is there we too are. We have been set free by the Son, so we are truly free indeed. We are welcomed as members of the family. We share in the family meal of the Lord’s Supper, where we receive Christ’s true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our Sin. We hear the voice of our Father as we relish the reading of His Word. We rejoice as God strengthens our faith so that we might hold fast to His teaching.

And this, dear friends, is what we preach, what we share with the world. This truth of God, His Word, is not simply for us. It is for all. We are inviters, calling others to the Lord’s Service, bringing them to His house so that God might give to them the blessings He gives us. We are agents of reform, proclaiming God’s reforming truth all the time, being the clarion bell that rings out to the world the beauty of the Gospel. Just as God has always raised up men in the past to clearly proclaim His Word in the midst of error and false doctrine, we pray that God would grant us strength to proclaim His Salvation in the midst of the errors of our day. We are the Church of the Reformation, we are the Church that is aware that we exist only by God’s Grace, not out of any worth of ourselves. We are the Church that constantly sees her own sin, and repents of it. We are the Church that God constantly feeds on His Word and Sacraments too, so that our sins are forgiven on account of Christ Jesus our Lord. God grant to us that he ever reform our hearts away from sin and unto His marvelous truth so that we might enjoy His freedom for all eternity. Amen.

Preference Does Not Mitigate Freedom

2011-10-28T07:32:00.003-05:00

So, I've been surprised by some of the sort-of negative response I've gotten to my post about baptizing Victor William in the Hospital. I'm not surprised that there are people who wouldn't want to baptize in the hospital and would rather just maintain the custom of Sunday morning baptisms. I'm surprised at the... it's not an assertion, but the way as though people seem to think that as I prefer baptizing in the hospital that I must be condemning waiting for Baptism until a Sunday morning service.

Here's my question. What do the Scriptures say?

Now, I know that Baptism is good, that it works life and salvation, that it forgives sins and joins to Christ. That's all Scriptural. I know that many were baptized on Pentecost, and I know that 1 was baptized out in the middle of nowhere by Phillip in Acts 8. I know whole households were baptized together.

If this is what the Scriptures say... how would I be able to say that baptizing in Church is "wrong"? Seriously, why would anyone even think I'd say that? Of course, I think it would be (and is) silly if anyone chides me for baptizing my kid in the hospital -- show me the Scripture, don't just tell me about your customs or traditions.

So, what's the problem? What's the disconnect where suddenly because I say, "I do Y" people start thinking that I am condemning "x" or burdening the consciences of those who do x? It's because we have forgotten something:

Preference Does Not Mitigate Freedom

I have a preference for baptizing as soon as possible. I'd rather baptize in the hospital. If not that, as soon as the kid gets discharged, swing by the Church and I'll be there (a la Luther's dad on St. Martin's day). If not that, as soon as the kid makes it to church on a Sunday.

Now, if you start pushing it off longer than that - I'll get on your case a bit (I don't care if Aunt Betty ain't there - baptism is for your kid's benefit, not Aunt Betty's sentimental entertainment -- she'll still ooo and ahh when she shows up).

But there are multiple options -- my preference for one does not fundamentally mean you can't have a different preference. Seriously - because my congregation just does DS III does that mean any of you would think that you stand condemned or less in my eyes because you use DS IV? Or still have LW instead of LSB?

...

Actually, some of you might. Might feel that way because that's what you are used to people doing to you, or you yourself might even condemn those who don't follow your own preference.

This is because we let our Egos run unabated today. We are so often not content to merely exercise our own freedom, but rather we want to dominate others and make them do what we in our freedom do.

That's just foolish.

What do the Scriptures say? That's where we live. That's where we dwell. Where the Scriptures speak, we speak - where they are silent, we are silent. Simple as that. And my preference to act in one way (in which I am free to act) doesn't do away with your freedom to act in another way in which you are free to act.

Or in other words - there are times where someone can do something different than you, and that's okay.

+ + + + + + + + + + +

But, but, but what about Contemporary Worship? Guess what - Scripturally, they *can* do that. Now, in the LCMS we've agreed to use Synodically approved worship materials, so I'd say we shouldn't here... and I'd argue that it's foolish so to do.

But you know what - you guys are free to be foolish.

Consider Luther being asked how often a person *had* to commune. He wouldn't answer, he wouldn't say how often someone *had* to commune -- finally he said, "If you don't commune at least 4 times a year, you ought ask yourself whether or not you are still a Christian."

I'm not saying when you have to baptize... but if you keep putting off your kid's baptism for weeks and weeks, perhaps you ought to consider whether or not you believe what the Scriptures say Baptism gives.

The Egoism of Numbers

2011-10-27T05:05:00.003-05:00

I just saw a little ad advertising new ways to grow and be more influential -- and just imagine, you could have a congregation of over 3000+, or at least the social equivalent.

I would hate that. Let me explain why.

My Junior Year at OU, I was highly involved socially. I lived in the dorms and was active there - I was in two departments, I ran a student organization. I estimate that I knew by name around 10% of the population - right around 2000 people.

Or I should say I knew them superficially. I could nod when they walked by on the south oval - I could do the small talk and all that. But did I actually *know* them, for all my involvement? Not overly well. But it's cool to say you know that people, to say that you are that important - to be accounted among the big men on campus.

3000 people. In a Church. Let's say I as a pastor dedicate 12 minutes a year, one minute a month, to each member. That's 36000 minutes... or 600 hours. Think about that - that is giving a pittance of time... for 10 weeks of 60 hours a week work. How would I know them, how would I interact.

Of course, I think the appeal of the mega-congregation is the dissassociated egoism -- if you have a massive congregation you can talk about all the things that "we" do, even if you aren't involved with it. We have this awesome program, we do X, we do Y. Really, how do you help with X or Y -- oh, I don't, but we do...

We can be part of something popular, big, and active -- and we don't have to do a thing. We don't even have to know anyone who does it -- but look at all the good works that I do. We can go about forming our holy clique and be content.

...

Of course, what this post really explains is why I should never look at the "church" ads at 4:45 in the morning when up with my newborn son. =o)

Brown's Guide to Christian Living

2011-10-26T07:17:00.002-05:00

Alright - it's time for Brown's Guide to Christian Living.

Ready? Here it is.

Don't be a jerk.

...

Um - I know that I probably need to expand this and turn it into a trendy book or something before anyone will listen, but seriously... you want to know what the Christian life looks like? It is this. It is recognizing that by your nature you are a sinful, selfish, whiney jerk. Fight against that - beat down your inner jerk (oh, that could be a book title). And instead of being a jerk... you know... care for people. Offer to help them.

Seriously. Don't be a jerk. Simple as that.

Sermon for St. James

2011-10-23T06:14:00.000-05:00

James the Brother of Jesus – October 23, 2011 – Matthew 13:54-58

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +
Familiarity breeds contempt. That is the old phrase that is often true. Someone might seem great or wonderful, but the more you know him, the more you see his warts, or you realize he doesn’t do everything you want him do how you want him to do it, and then the sheen comes off, and eventually they are despised. Of course, the word familiarity is related to the word family – because if anyone knows our warts, it is those closest to us, our family. Today is the feast of St. James, the brother of Jesus – so it is appropriate for us to consider a bit about family, about the dangers of familiarity breeding contempt, and above all the wonders of Christ Jesus, the God who comes to be in our family.

“And when Jesus had finished these parables, He went away from there, and coming to His hometown He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all His sisters with us? Where did this man get all these things?” When Jesus returns to Nazareth and preaches, He is met with confusion. Why? He’s too familiar. Where does that Jesus get off preaching here – I mean, we know where He lives. We know His family, we remember Him when He was a little boy! They are familiar with Him, and what happens? “And they took offense at Him.” They couldn’t bear to listen to Him, or consider Him – and instead they got offended. The one who brings the wisdom and might and power of God should be far off, should be lofty, should be mysterious… not my buddy James’ brother. It didn’t seem right, it didn’t fit their expectations of how God should act – and so, they disbelieved. “But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.’ And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.’” Familiarity breeds contempt. And it’s true – when Jay Hobson preached here [at Zion] as a student, it was nice, it was neat, a son of the congregation preaching, we [they] learned and heard and that was nice. It would be a different thing entirely if it wasn’t Jay preaching… but Pastor Hobson, who was called by God to lay down the law when needed… be honest – it’s hard enough for you [Zion] to listen to if I have to say something harsh… if Pastor Hobson had to say it, “Bah, I remember when you were the little brat running around here, and now you think you can tell me something, pshaw!” It’s why you don’t call pastors back to where they came from. Familiarity breeds contempt.

But here’s the problem. It’s not just the people of Nazareth who build up contempt for Christ – it’s everyone. Why? Because sinful man likes to keep God in a nice little box up there up, away from us, safely up there in Heaven where He can send up some blessings but otherwise leave us alone. We don’t want God to walk among us, to walk with us in the Garden in the cool of the day, we’d much rather go hide, thank you very much. The claim that Jesus is God, God come to us, Emmanuel, God with us - is audacious – and people couldn’t bear it. When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM” – they took up stones to kill Him. When He said that He was the true temple that would be rebuilt after 3 days, they killed Him. When He said that He was the Stone upon which the Church is built, they rejected Him. When Christ shows that He is God, people are offended.

And the thing is – the same thing goes on today. Even in Christianity today, there’s a lot of talk about Jesus – but it tends to want to keep Jesus at a safe distance. Talk about the Lord’s Supper to people – say that this is Christ Jesus Himself, giving us His true Body and Blood for forgiveness… and watch people go pale and become indignant. Or tell them that yes, at Church on Sunday, we walk in as sinful human beings and our Pastor says, “in the stead and by the command of Christ Jesus, I forgive you all your sins” – the idea that Christ Jesus uses some other sinful sap to forgive your sins – shocking. The idea of Christ Jesus being present, being active in His Word, in His Supper still offends today. This is because sinful man in reality wants nothing to do with Christ, wants God far, far away. But Christ Jesus is not content to remain far off from you. You were bound and captive in sin, and so He comes to you, preaches, proclaims wisdom and His mighty works of salvation and life to you, says to you, “I am the God who has become Man and suffered and died for your sins, who has risen to give you life, you have forgiveness and life in Me.” This is the Gospel, and it up close to us, it is personal, it is in our face – and by the grace of God we have come to rejoice in it.

St. James grew to understand this. From the Gospels we learn that James wasn’t too impressed with his brother Jesus. Jesus in our text notes that a prophet is without honor in his own home – the same held true for Jesus. James got embarrassed by the preaching, in fact, it’s so bad that on the Cross Jesus has to tell John to care for Mary – that’s how put out James was by Jesus – James couldn’t be counted on to care for Mary. James had been offended that God would dare to come to close to him. And yet, by Acts Chapter 15, we see that James is a pastor in Jerusalem, and well respected at that. We have even the letter James writes to the Church, admonishing us towards faith in Jesus and true love and works that flow from there. By the grace of God James stopped fearing that up close and personal aspect of the Christian faith. Our faith is not built on our own terms, it’s not our going to God, but rather it is built on the fact that God Himself comes to us, that Christ Jesus brings us His own life and salvation that let us endure this world – indeed, this is what shapes our lives as Christians.

Christ confronts sin in our lives. This is what He does. When you have sinned, when you have that anger, that hurt, that pain, that jealousy – Christ Jesus comes to you by His Word and takes that sin away, says that you are forgiven. And He does this to you through what we end up calling the means of grace, the way in which Christ’s own mercy and love come to you. It gets spoken to you – that’s my job as pastor in particular, to speak Christ Jesus and His mercy to you publicly and privately. It is poured upon your head in Baptism, it is placed upon your tongue in the Supper. This is what you have received, this is what you continue to receive – it is by receiving this forgiveness, by receiving Christ that you have life. But here is the thing – God also uses you to be His agent, His tool, His workmanship to bring His grace and mercy and love into other peoples’ lives. The love that Christ has given to you, the forgiveness that He has give you – you give to others.

Consider this for a moment – someone wrongs you. Hates you, reviles you, mocks you. As a Christian, what are you called to do? To show love, to serve, to pray for the one who persecutes you. Why? Because that is what Christ does, because that is what Christ does to you, and that is what Christ makes you to be. Christ makes you to be His own agent of love – you speak, you show, you give Christ and His love to the people you come across in your life. When you care for another, that is giving them the care that God would have them receive. That’s the point of the Commandments in the Small Catechism – that we recognize that we are to be a blessing to our neighbor. This is why James teaches, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed or lacking in daily food, and one of you says, ‘go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Faith recognizes that God intervenes in our lives, that Christ Jesus comes barging in and gives us forgiveness, provides for us, gives us all that we need for this life and the life of the world to come. If we see this, if we know this – then we will also see and understand the times when Jesus gives these same things to our neighbors through us. Do you not know that God is at work in you and through you, that You are His servant – that by your actions God provides for your neighbor, that in your words of comfort and encouragement God builds up your neighbor, that through your mercy God shows mercy to your neighbor? God uses you, uses your actions to accomplish His good. Our works do not create our faith, but where there is faith, there will be works, because faith comes from God getting involved in your life, and works are just God getting involved in your neighbor’s life through you. This is what Paul teaches as well in Ephesians – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Jesus bursts into your life, gives you grace and mercy, and you are saved, not by what you have done, but alone and only by what He has done. And Paul continues, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” And the same Christ Jesus who comes to you, who gives you life, then uses that life He has given you to serve and care for and give life to others.

Of course, our sinful flesh rebels against this. Our sinful flesh wants nothing to do with God and nothing to do with our neighbor, for sin loves neither God nor neighbor. But you are not bound to sin – Christ Jesus has not only come into this world to suffer and die for the sins of the world, but He has come to you, washed and forgiven you, and declared you to be His own – indeed He has proclaimed you to be His brother, indeed, His own body. He has made you to be His own workmanship, created you anew and given you new life. Satan and sin and the world try to make you forget this, ignore this – but Christ Jesus is your Lord. He sends His Word to you – even His Word spoken by His earthly brother James, even His Word spoken by the people He has placed into your life, all so that this truth, this reality that you are forgiven would ever be before you. His Word draws you away from selfishness and sin and places your focus ever more upon Christ Jesus and His love for you. God grant that we be ever more focused upon Christ, so that by the power of Christ Jesus, here and present in our lives, we might grow in faith towards God and love towards one another. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +

Baptized in the Hospital

2011-10-22T18:55:00.002-05:00

Well, this afternoon, at 1:52, my son Victor was born. Then, at 1:57, I baptized him. Indeed, the first time I spoke his name to him when he was outside of the womb was when I baptized him.

I know people talk about how Baptism in the Church is a wonderful teaching opportunity - how the rite being a public thing on Sunday morning teaches its importance. No. You know what teaches how important Baptism is? When tomorrow morning I show up and say, "Yeah, my kid was born yesterday, and guess what, now he's a member of this congregation because he was baptized -- baptized before I even let anyone know he was born."

Things we are willing to push off and delay are things that we subconsciously think aren't that important. It doesn't matter how big a production we make about it -- if we can push it off, it has a lower priority.

Consider it this way. If I can't be bothered to actually show up on your birthday, sure, I can try to make a big production 3 weeks later when it's convenient for me. But I still missed the actual day... and why? Oh, yeah... um... that episode of that TV show was on. See how important you are? Or how unimportant you are?

So, which is more important - your son being cleansed of his sin... or aunt Bertha getting to show on up? I'll choose forgiveness every time.

Stand Firm Stands and Delivers

2011-10-19T07:11:00.002-05:00

So Scott at Stand Firm gives a good evaluation of an upcoming conference on Contemporary Worship in New Jersey. It's good - drives to the point... which is rare.

The Preventative Use of the Law

2011-10-17T07:31:00.003-05:00

There is a traditional, protestant way of speaking about the Law - that the Holy Spirit puts it to three uses:

1st - A Curb - whereby God curbs outward evil, even in society, by the threat of punishment. (This is generally thought of the use that hit unbelievers).
2nd - A mirror - whereby God reveals to us our sin and our need for repentance and forgiveness.
3rd - A Guide (or Trellis) - whereby God reveals and teaches what is good, so that believers might grow in the right fashion.

Now, the handful of readers of this blog know that often 3rd use talk annoys the tar out of me because most 3rd use talk gets twisted. It's not how I as a preacher use the law --- I can't change my tone and make something 3rd use... the 3rd use is a Holy Spirit thing.

But today I have a qualm with the 1st. As it is generally taught the assumption is that the first use of the law doesn't really apply to Christians (after all... we are good people, we don't need to be curbed).

I will tell tales on myself. I was a bit anxious today. I was getting ready to tell off someone who had been messing me with. I was even visualizing it - I knew how I would take him down a peg, I knew how the conversation would go and it would end with me being victorious and this person a smoking ruin. And then I came to Church - and last week I had written up next Sunday's sermon (who knows when my first born will come, and there is a pastors' conference this week), and in the sermon draft is the following:

"Consider this for a moment – someone wrongs you. Hates you, reviles you, mocks you. As a Christian, what are you called to do? To show love, to serve, to pray for the one who persecutes you. Why? Because that is what Christ does, because that is what Christ does to you, and that is what Christ makes you to be. Christ makes you to be His own agent of love – you speak, you show, you give Christ and His love to the people you come across in your life. When you care for another, that is giving them the care that God would have them receive."

Bam. Is this just then applied to me as a mirror, to show me that my thoughts were wrong? No... it showed me that what I was planning to do was wrong - it prevented me from sin - it got in my way, it led me not into temptation and delivered me from the evil that I myself was planning on doing.

You know -- it acted like a curb. Not with threats of punishment, mind you - but still a curb.

I think sometimes we get this daft idea that as Christians, since we know the law, since we know right from wrong, we don't need a "curb" function - we don't need the Law to get in our way and keep us from sinning -- it can just be the kindly guide, because after all as Christians all the time we are thinking about what we ought to do.

That above chunk of law -- it hit me 1st use - might hit others that way this Sunday as well. Some on Sunday, it will hit 2nd use, and the Holy Spirit reminds them of how they have been cruel. Some on Sunday it will hit in a 3rd use fashion - it will guide and prepare them for the unexpected anger they encounter in the week to come.

I don't have to know how it will. That's the Holy Spirit's job -- and He does His job even on the pastors who write the sermons.

Don't be afraid to let God act as your curb - don't think that you've outgrown that need. Or do you not realize that "Thy will be done", and "lead us not into temptation and deliver us from Evil", or the Psalms where you are asking God to go before you are all... preventative pleas to God?

How to be a Jerk.

2011-10-17T07:19:00.003-05:00

The more you compare yourselves to others, the more you "see" that you are better, wiser, smarter, more holy than others, the bigger a jerk you will be. That's part of our sinful nature - we like comparing, we like elevating ourselves over others and ranking ourselves. And here is the danger - we think growth means that we *ought* to be able to see that growth in view of our neighbor (and his lack of growth).

I care nothing for comparing how well a Christian "performs". Growth in faith is not to be see by outside examination. Consider an analogy.

There are two athletes on your favorite sports team. One is a "star" - has brilliant talent... but sloughs off. He knows he's good -- and compared to many he is good. But he doesn't struggle and strive as much, doesn't practice hard - he knows how good he is. After all, he did _____ last season. The other athlete is also a star - an excellent player. But he realizes that while he may be a fine player, he's a little weak on _________, so he practices and practices, and strives to improve.

If you compare your actions with those around you, you will become morally lazy and spoiled. You will be like the overpaid "Star" athlete. You can always compare yourself to someone else who is lousy to feel good about yourself -- or even compare yourself to what you were a while ago.

On the other hand, if your focus is upon your own lack, your own need to improve, you will remain humble. It doesn't matter how much "better" you are now -- as you have grown, so have your standards. You see the areas in which you have to improve - and you work on those. Allen Iverson was willing to blow of practice - Michael Jordan spent hours upon hours improving things (he couldn't hit a jump shot to save his life when he first got in the NBA).

But there is another danger - you don't even have to compare yourselves to others to become a jerk. You can simply compare yourself to who you used to be, and be content with that. What do I mean? Well, let me tell you about my golf game.

When I started on the High School golf team my freshman year I would have thought shooting 50 for 9 holes was great (54 was more likely). By the time I was a senior, I wanted to be below 45. Was there improvement - sure. But, if I had said, "Ah, see, I have grown" -- what would happen? There would be no more improvement. Instead, as I improved I became more critical of my game. A shot that I would have been quite happy with as a freshman was by my senior year a horrible shot and unacceptable.

In fact, even now, when I only golf a couple of times a year, I'm still picky. On Friday I golfed for the second time this year -- the group in front of me was slow, so I played best ball with myself - hit each shot twice and took the best one. I shot par... which, viewed from the perspective of not golfing much isn't bad. But that's a rank amateur and indifferent view... if I were serious about golf, I'd be horrified at how many poor shots I hit.

The thing is - when we speak about living our lives as Christians... that's not a 2 or three times a summer thing if the weather is nice and not too windy -- that's every day. We aren't amateur Christians, or at least we aren't supposed to be.

So what does this mean? A Christian who grows in the faith learns to see his own sin more sharply, strives to do better. Yet at the same time, this clarity of vision and self-examination makes the love that Christ Jesus has for him all the more wonderful -- he understands just precisely how great Christ's love is, how much Christ actually did die for. He is freed from the self-justifying rat race and freed to simply strive after showing love to his neighbor and delighting in Christ's love.

Any focus on how much better you are than your neighbor, any smug satisfaction about how much wiser or better you are now than before destroys this. And that should be obvious -- those sorts of attitudes are all summed up under pride. Repent of pride, confess your sin, and receive Christ's forgiveness.

Trinity 17 Sermon

2011-10-16T05:48:00.001-05:00

Trinity 17 – Luke 14:1-11 – October 14th, 2011

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
Who do you love? When you show love, is it primarily directed at your neighbor, or is your love directed at yourself? When you act, is your first thought how you can be of care and compassion to your neighbor, or are your thoughts focus upon yourself, making yourself look good, covering your own backside, and keeping up appearances? As a sinner, you will tend towards the later, for your sinful flesh will always seek to serve itself first and foremost. In our Gospel Lesson today our Lord contrasts this vain, sinful self-love that is in reality empty and heartless, with the true love that cares for the neighbor, the love that He freely shows.

“One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching Him carefully. And behold, there was a man before Him who had dropsy.” So, here is the situation. Jesus has been invited to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees – and this would be a great honor. This is the best person in town inviting you to his house for a nice, fancy meal. This is hoity-toity, this is just too cha-cha-cha. High Society! The High Life. And these Pharisees, these muckity-mucks are watching Jesus carefully. How will He behave – will He make sure that He looks good, will He jump though all the proper social hoops to be one of them? Will He care first and foremost about protecting His own reputation? And to fully test this – oh, look, there just happens to be a fellow here who is sick with dropsy – a nasty disease full or swelling and discomfort and nastiness. There’s no reason for this sick man to be there – he’s not one of the Pharisees. He’s just a test – okay Jesus, you like to heal, are you going to dare mess around with our party and heal right in front of us on a Sabbath – You know how we would disapprove of this? Which will it be Jesus, protect Your reputation, or heal this man?

“And Jesus responded to lawyers and the Pharisees saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’ But they remained silent.” Jesus knows what is going on. Note – He “responded” to them. He knows the trap – and so He asks them – what do you think, is it lawful, is it okay to heal on the Sabbath. And they remain silent – they don’t answer. Well, in reality, that is their answer. If they thought it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath they would have begged Jesus to heal the man. Nope, the Lawyers and the Pharisees think it is better to remain cold and silent to the sick man, better to protect their own status, rather than show love. Now here is the question that we must ask ourselves. How often does making ourselves look good, seem good, seem proper – take precedent in our lives over showing love? How often do we cave to peer pressure or what society thinks? How often do we worry more about what people will think than what our neighbor needs? We must recognize this for what it is – sin. Gross, vile, wicked, selfish sin. To remain silent in the face of another’s need – that is hatred of the neighbor, and it is wrong.

So Jesus acts. “Then [Jesus] took him and healed him and sent him away.” This is fantastic care. Jesus just heals the man – no fuss – here you go, here is your help. And then Jesus sends him away, sends him back home. This guy didn’t belong there – they didn’t want him, they were just gawking at him, using him. Go home to your family, rejoice with them, I’ll deal with the Pharisees and the lawyers. And so having cared for this man, Jesus turns to the Lawyers and asks, “’Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?’ And they could not reply to these things.” It’s a simple question – if you have one of your possessions in danger, you act to defend it, to save it. If your son falls in a well, you don’t say, “Tough, shouldn’t have happened on the Sabbath.” You act, you defend, you protect. This is obvious – and they know it. So, why would Jesus then even think about hesitating to heal this man on the Sabbath? And what Jesus is throwing in their faces is Cain’s old question. Cain the murderer asked flippantly, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Do I really bear any responsibility for my neighbor? Cain thought not, and he was a murderer. You, when you disdain your neighbor, when you disdain this man – you are thinking like Cain.

Jesus knows what the problem is, what the heart of the matter is. Sinful man always wants to serve, always wants to promote himself. Sinful man wants to deny his own sin, deny his own sinfulness, wants to pretend that everything is hunky-dory, and that if there is some bad, well, that’s not that big of a problem, I’ll work it out on my own. Sinful man wants to do things his own way, wants to saunter on up to God and say, “See, I should be Your favorite because I’m the best one, certainly better than those people.” This is the attitude here behind what these Pharisees are doing. And be honest – you know this attitude. Satan whispers these sorts of thoughts, these sorts of temptations in your ears all the time. It’s a common way he likes to attack Christians – to turn a desire to be righteous into gross self-righteousness, to turn a desire to please God into vain and futile attempts to impress God and claim honors and glory for the self. After all, we’re “good Christians” aren’t we, and of course we do “nice” things, don’t we? And we think less and less about our sin, we struggle less and less against it, we confess it less and less… and we can slowly fall away. Instead of being those who receive Christ and His love, we become those who think that we are “giving ourselves” to God, as though God needed us. We are the ones that need God.

The Lawyers, the Pharisees, they had forgotten that. They figured that Jesus needed their approval, more than they needed to learn and be forgiven by Jesus. And so, Jesus teaches them again an old lesson, one first taught in Proverbs. “Now He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come to you and say, “Give your place to this person,” and then you will with shame begin to take the lowest place.’” Simple enough idea. If you show up at a wedding reception, you don’t go and sit down at the head table – because they are going to kick you out. And that’s embarrassing, it’s stupid. If you try to elevate yourself, to draw attention and focus to yourself – if you spend all your time trying to prove how wonderful you are, you will get knocked down a peg. On the other hand, “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” It’s much better to be called forward, to be greeted gladly and with joy, than to be met with disdain and mocking. And that springs from humility, that springs from keeping oneself humble. And by this, I mean truly humble. What’s the point of getting praise if you “expect” praise? Then it’s not praise, it’s what you think is your just deserts. But when you maintain humility, when you keep yourself humble, when you aren’t so busy patting yourself on the back, the pats on the back that others give you will actually mean something.

Of course, there is a spiritual, a theological point to this. This isn’t simply a teaching on how to be gracious in accepting praise, or keeping humility so you can not win an honor with a straight face. No, there is a point here. If you are worried, first and foremost about honoring yourself, showing yourself to be a good little Christian, then in your pride and arrogance you will fall, you will fall into sin and disbelief. That’s just the danger we face as sinner – we want to elevate ourselves, we want to be the ones that bring ourselves into God’s House, into God’s Kingdom and say, “Well, I’m here, now everything can go on.” It doesn’t work that way. As Christians we acknowledge one thing – that we are poor miserable sinners, that we sin constantly. Not that we used to but now we are better – to the contrary – as you grow in the faith, as you learn God’s Law more and more, you should see more and more sin in your life – you should see your own wickedness more clearly. Things that you would have done without thought years ago should stand out to you as sinful temptations now. The Law always shows us our sin – and so growing in the faith will also mean growing in awareness of sin – of recognizing how high the standards are… and this brings forth humility. But here is the thing – this humility is not bad, because the Christian faith is not about our righteousness, about how good we are. The Christian life – yes, there we strive to show love to our neighbor, to learn to show love more and more – but the Christian faith, that faith which gives life – that is all about Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is the One who sees you in your humility, in your continual struggle in sin, that ever more difficult struggle, and He comes to you and says, “welcome friend. See, I have baptized you, and Your sin is forgiven, your home is here. Welcome friend, come, the feast is prepared, and for now I give you My own Body and Blood for the remission of your sin, for its forgiveness and defeat – I strengthen you with My Word so that you may continue your struggle against sin now – and I will raise you from the dead on the last day, and you will have rest and enjoy perfection and true life with Me for all eternity.” You don’t have to elevate yourself, you don’t have to worry about proving yourself, or saving yourself. Why? Because you are in truth the neighbor upon whom Christ Jesus has compassion. Christ Jesus sees your lack – you needed try to hide it from Him, you needn’t try to put on some happy mask – He sees your sin, your illness. And He heals you. You are forgiven. You have life in Him. He has suffered and died for you, your sin is destroyed and done away with – and having healed you He sends you back to your homes, to your friends, your family, your neighbors until that day where He calls you to His side for all eternity. Rejoice with them over the truth that you are forgiven, enjoy this blessing. God grant to each of us here hearts that are continually humble, so that we would never grow to despise this gift of forgiveness, but rather would with joy receive it whenever we hear the Gospel of Christ proclaimed, whenever we are called forward to His own Table in His Supper. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost +

Like a Battering Ram

2011-10-12T09:09:00.002-05:00

Christ Jesus hits you like a battering ram. He shows all your works to be but filth and wretchedness. There is no safety from Christ - He comes boldly to sinners -- and thus, when He comes to you, you are shown to be a Sinner. Yet this is for your good, for He comes to rescue you and pull you out of the bondage of sin.

Legalism seeks to prevent this by putting up a barrier of rules that one can hold to, that one can hide behind. See how good I am, Jesus?

Antinomianism seeks to prevent this by pretending that there is no sin -- didn't you free me from the Law - therefore I can do what I want? See how free I am Jesus.

Both Legalism and Antinomianism play up the self - my rules, my freedom, how I act. Both Legalism and Antinomianism take something from myself, my rules, my desire to act how I want to, and claim that they are actually from God - my law gets called "God's Law", my selfish gets called "Freedom in Christ." Christ Jesus and His true Law crushes all of that, shows it all to be vanity of vanities and vapor or vapors.

You are a sinner. Period. Yet for you, Christ Jesus has died, and He now in His Word gives you forgiveness and life - calls you away from this futile worrying about your own righteousness, your own actions, your own freedom -- and batters it aside, shows its ridiculousness whenever you show it. Then He wrests your eyes back upon Him, so that you might delight that His death and resurrection is in fact your death and resurrection, and that you have life in Him.

Jesus is not polite. As C.S. Lewis points out, He is not a tame God. But He is good for you, better for you, in fact, than your own pipe dreams of what your best life now should be. He comes and brings you mercy and forgiveness, even when you would disdain those things. God grant that I ever more be broken upon Christ, that I may ever more live with Him!

Novelty's Tyrany.

2011-10-11T16:36:00.002-05:00

Novelty is a tyrant. A cruel and harsh tyrant who desires to enslave and entrap you. When first you bow knee to novelty, there is excitement, joy, hope. Ah, something new - this new thing will save you. But this joy and excitement is not enough. Novelty will demand more - a new new thing. Then another, and another. And money sacrificed to Novelty 2009 is long gone by the time Novelty 2010 rolls around and demands its own expensive homage. And of course, Novelty 2012 will be raising your tax burdens once again.

But then, there is that other aspect. Novelty was much more fun when you were young -- these new Novelties don't quite shine as bright. That old glory isn't quite reached... or worse, everyone around you thinks this new, lousy novelty is just wonderful, and you have to add you voice to the cheering throngs... lest they doubt your sincerity, lest they think you aren't rightly lauding our new and wonderful thing.

Of course, as you've seen more and more novelties come down the pike, you realize that each new novelty is less and less aimed at being... your thing. Novelty doesn't love you anymore. You were fun back then, but now, Novelty's moved on to someone else... and the best you can hope for is to live vicariously though them - or see the numbers swell... and even though you are a lost and lonely stranger, at least you're in a crowd.

Until the new Novelty comes along, and people flee looking for something better.

And it's a vicious cycle, a trap, as we bow to our Novel lord and his ever changing demands.

+ + + + + + +

Or you don't mind that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and don't think you need to reinvent the wheel every Sunday.

What's Your Thing?

2011-10-10T12:37:00.002-05:00

Everybody has their thing. You know - that theological axe they like to grind, that point they take, the thing that everything comes back around to. I know guys who have Lutheran Hymnody as their thing, or the liturgy, or rubrics, or being missional, or being relevant, or justification -- some of these are excellent, some don't impress me as much.

So - what's your thing? What is the thing that in your approach to theology that you keep coming back to - the angle you want to take, the thing you tend to harp on?

And what's mine?

It's hard to identify your own thing -- it doesn't stand out to you because... well, it's your thing. It's normal to you.

If I had to guess it would be one of three things:

1. Pointing out assumptions that aren't Scriptural. I tend to like to harp on what the Scriptures say, not what we assume them to say. But I don't know if that is quite it.

2. Finding the third option. I hate either/or statements that are false. I hate the swing from one heresy into another, so I guess I like breaking false dichtomies.

3. Why, not what. I don't care about what you say or do, I want to know why you do it -- I view why as the heart of the law, not what. It's out of the heart that wickedness comes - so why are you acting, what's your heart suckering you into doing.

I don't know - what's my thing?