Preachrblog

Here are some recent comments by my friend and classmate Rev. Kevin Golden, of Grace Lutheran Church, Holts Summit, Missouri . I will add these to my collection of Lutheran Da Vinci Code resources . Rev. Golden writes: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. (I Corinthians 15:3,4) Dear Friends and Members of Grace, Like the Gospel of Judas, The Da Vinci Code has been thriving upon sensational claims. Author Dan Brown has captivated reader’s imaginations with an edge-of-your-seat suspense novel. Brown’s writing is far from the masterly level of the great American novelists (Steinbeck, Hemingway, Melville, etc.), but it is certainly an entertaining read. But as The Da Vinci Code prepares to move from the pages of a book to the silverscreen (and thus hit a much wider audience), it is wise to reconsider t...

Welcome to the Lutheran Blogosphere, "St. Charles Place" A now "ex" employee of a Christian bookstore, Charles writes this about his former place of employment: A theology of glory permeates everything; but then again, why not? The consumer's decision to buy Jesus in the Christian bookstore differs little from his decision to accept him in the evangelical church. I've been wondering who's been reading me from Macon, GA!

"Sir, we would like to see Jesus" John 12:21 I have been using an analogy lately when faced with questions of comparative religions/denominations. I call it the "TV analogy". See if this makes sense to you. Your religion is like an old TV. You know the ones before cable, when we had to adjust the rabbit ears. People on channel 4 are Jews, channel 7 is Christianity, channel 9 is Islam, etc.... Say you are tuned in to channel 7 - does that mean you are getting the "program"? Not necessarily. Your reception may be fuzzy. It may be terribly fuzzy, so that you don't even know what you are watching. Or it may be pretty clear - with only a vertical hold problem or some intermittent static. Tuning the rabbit ears is your denomination. I believe Confessional Lutheranism not only has the right channel, but has the rabbit ears adjusted for the clearest picture of what Christianity actually teaches. In other words - the truth! Does that mean that Chris...

Easter 3 – (Thursday April 27th 2006) Luke 24:36-49 “Open Minds” I. Introduction – There’s a certain church with a banner in its yard, which reads, “Open minds, Open hearts, Open doors”. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I have my suspicions. Sure we want to be open, but let’s be careful what that means, and let’s do it according to God’s word. Today we read about Jesus’ appearance to the disciples on the evening of Easter Sunday. We heard John’s account last week, including the doubting Thomas episode. Today we hear a little more of what happened on that first visit, when Thomas wasn’t there. And we see Jesus opening minds, and hearts and doors – as only he can. II. Wide Eyes – Gaping Mouths The recently risen Jesus pays an Easter visit to his fear-stricken disciples. They are huddled in a house, hiding out from the same people who killed Jesus. John tells us, they had the doors locked. No one was getting in there. Except Jesus. Luke simply says Jesus “stood among them” as if...

I have been invited to officiate at a local "Blessing of the Bikes" ceremony for a local motorcycle club. The following is my plan for the day. Introduction My name is Pastor Thomas Chryst. I serve as Associate Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Racine. I thank you for the invitation here today to offer a few words and lead a short ceremony at your “Blessing of the Bikes”. After I share a selection from God’s word, I invite all of you who are Christians to join me in prayer to our God. Invocation In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Reading(s): (?)Genesis 28 - Jacob at Bethel Luke 24:13-35 – The Road to Emmaus Prayer Let us pray… Oh God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You have created this world and all that is in it. We thank you for the blessings you continue to bestow on us, your creatures. You daily and richly provide us with home and work, family and friends, food and drink, and all our possessions. Today we especially thank you f...

It's been a while that I have laughed aloud while simply reading something, but such was my reaction to a new Lutheran blog: Luther at the Movies You simply must, check it out. What a scream!

Lutheran Carnival 22 is up at "Ask the Pastor"

I have been discussing the Gospel of Judas in the weblog of our local paper, the Racine Journal-Times. You can read the conversation (debate) here.

Today's Journal-Times ran another "Parson to Person" coulmn. As a conservative local clergyman, I have often criticized these commentaries and their writers for an overwhelmingly liberal bent. The last time Rev. Glen Halbe wrote about homosexuality, I responded with this . Well he writes again today, on the same topic of homosexuality (got any other material, Rev. Halbe?). At least he gets it partly right today. Let me explain: In pondering how the laws of the Bible should be understood, Halbe rightly points out that much of the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality is found in the book of Leviticus. He's right, in a sense, that these laws do not apply to Christians and that they were meant for the ancient Israelites. Even the most conservative Christian doesn't advocate the death penalty for homosexuality, as Leviticus did. Well, maybe Fred Phelps, but 99.9% of Christians recognize he is a whacko. However, the fact that the civil laws of the Old Testament d...

The usually political and always conservative commentator Ann Coulter has nailed it with a piece on morality and current events. Though I don't always agree with her, I think she makes a pretty good case here. I especially like her understanding of the difference between Christianity and other religions in the closing paragraphs. Here's her column.

Here is a collection of LCMS Lutheran resources responding to the book and movie, "The Da Vinci Code". I will update this along the way as I find more... Downloadable Study, prepared by Concordia Publishing House, "Changing Currents: Decoding The Da Vinci Code" ($4.99) The Da Vinci Code: "Truth Revealed" (9-week study by 2 LCMS pastors - $49.95). "Issues, Etc." Lutheran Radio has had a number of shows related to the topic. You can listen to archived programs online: February 8, 2006 2 hours, "The Da Vinci Code" June 22, 2004 2 hours, "Cracking Da Vinci's Code" March 17, 2005 1 hour, "Open Lines: Roman Catholic Leaders & 'The Da Vinci Code' & Bush & Gay Marriage" March 29, 2005 1 hour, "A Maureen Dowd Column on 'The Da Vinci Code'" February 14th, 2006 1 hour, "Open Lines: Muslim Riots, The Da Vinci Code & Opus Dei" November 15th, 2004 1 hour, "The D...

Here's an intruiging story about an LCMS church in Minnesota, involved in a contraversy about its refusal to serve a trans-sexual in an social outreach program. The church declined to accept her. It said its staff wasn't trained to deal with such a person. It feared discomfort among members and other clients, not least over use of the bathroom. And it pointed to its own theological beliefs. What she has done, Maxfield said, runs totally "contrary to God's revealed will." As a result of the church's refusal, they are losing $30k a month in public funding. Interesting... (As a side note, the story is written by a one "David Peterson". No relation to the blogging Rev. Petersen, I am sure...)

I remember seeing a resource posted by a fellow Lutheran blogger recently, but I can't remember who it was... Anyway, what I am looking for is this: A chart or list of all the different scriptural citations corresponding to the Divine Service (especially the LW versions). Does anyone have this or know where I can find it? It would save me a lot of work in preparing for my confirmation class.

Got the little sign above at http://www.churchsigngenerator.com/ We had another comment by a visitor at our Easter services regarding our church sign. The person said they were "often blessed by its message". Which got Pastor Poppe and I to talking, about the many similar comments we have heard since we got our new sign in 2000. But one thing we have kept in mind as we choose the weekly sign message is to avoid being "cutesy". This book seems to be the bible of church signs for many churches. It's where they get all those "catchy" and "clever" messages about "Avoid Truth Decay" and "God Answers Knee-Mail" and "C H _ R C H - The only thing missing is U". Put aside the fact that after you've seen one of these humorous messages once, it's old hat on the next church sign. Thus, what is intended to be clever and creative becomes just another church following the same tired trick... My thought has been that a ...

Online audio is available of a recent panel discussion on the topic, by several professors at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. Here is the link. Well worth your time. HT: Stuart Floyd at Evangelical Lutheran

Easter Sunday “Just As He Told You” Mark 16:1-8 April 16th, 2006 CHRIST IS RISEN! (HE IS RISEN INDEED) ALLELUIA! Jesus is alive. Death was not the end of him. The dark cloud hanging over Good Friday is dispersed in the bright beams of this morning. Surprised women find a stone rolled away, a dead body missing, and an angelic greeting. “He is not here. He has risen!” Joy of joys, Jesus has conquered death – and oh what that means for us. In a way, this morning we join those women at the open grave of our Lord. This morning takes us back to that moment. The smell of the lilies reminds us of the garden. The music and decoration help set the joyful mood. But mostly it is the words – these ancient words – this word of God that brings us there. Today we hear the angel’s words and know that still, CHRIST IS RISEN! (HE IS RISEN INDEED) ALLELUIA! Are we surprised? We shouldn’t be. For this he told us. He would die. He would rise on the third day. And soon his disciples would ...

Good Friday “The Best Chance for Forgiveness” Luke 23:34, Psalm 22:14-18 April 14, 2006 And so we have arrived at Calvary. We gather here, at Racine Lutheran High School – in a gymnasium – but we are transported by God’s word to the foot of the cross. And as we do every year, we will hear from our Savior, and over the next few hours, meditate on his final words before death. This year, we will also be drawing on the Psalms. Connecting each of the 7 words from the cross with an appropriate portion of the Psalms. We take Jesus “last words” to heart, but also when he says of the Old Testament scriptures, “These are they which testify to me.” Indeed, a foundational principle for the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures is this, that all scripture is Christ-centered. Yes, even the Old Testament. Psalm 22 is striking in its application to Good Friday. You will hear the opening words of this Psalm later, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?”. But for now, the almost eerie predic...

Maundy Thursday – April 13th, 2006 Matthew 26:40-42 “Lead Us Not into Temptation” I. Introduction – We began our Lenten journey to the cross with Ash Wednesday, as Pastor Poppe began a sermon series on the Lord’s prayer. And over the past weeks, we have heard sermons each Wednesday focusing on the parts, or petitions, of that great prayer. Often, we have connected these petitions of the Lord’s prayer with a prayer prayed by our Lord himself. Tonight we will do the same. “Lead us not into temptation” – the 6th of 7 petitions. Tonight, Maundy Thursday, is an appropriate occasion to think about this. For it was a night fraught with temptation. Hear these words of our text - from Matthew’s account of Maundy Thursday, in the Garden of Gethsemane: Matthew 26: 40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing,...

The following homily is an adaptation of an article I wrote for the Spring 2006 issue of Higher Things , a Lutheran youth magazine. This homily was preached at Racine Lutheran High School's regular Wednesday chapel, January 25th, 2006. You can also listen to my discussion of the article on "Issues, Etc." radio program, archived here. _________________________________________________________ Exodus 20:7 “Dropping the G-Bomb” “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” Ex 20:7 This, for most of us, is the commandment that reminds us not to swear or use curse words. It is perhaps a commandment which is broken quite frequently, especially when our teachers and parents aren’t listening. We often have a different way of talking amongst our friends. We use different words. Then there’s the mother of all curse words. The foulest, most potent, most explosive word in our language. The F-Bomb. You know what ...

I will be a interviewed at 5 PM today on the Lutheran radio show, "Issues, Etc." We will be talking about my article in the current issue of Higher Things Magazine , entitled "Dropping the G-Bomb" You can listen to it streaming (live) at KFUO.org or, you can listen "not-live" in a couple days when they post the archived program. UPDATE: The program is now available in MP3 here or in WMA format here Happy listening!

From the "I don't make this stuff up" files: I just received a free "sample" in the mail. Three of these: http://www.thecompakcompaniesllc.com/HowItWorks.html Aside from it being juice, not wine, does this bug anyone else?