Harrison on LCMS: "It's Time"

Rev. Matt Harrison, whose name is being mentioned by many as a candidate for LCMS president in 2010, has written a paper which describes what is ailing our synod but also suggests a plan of how to fix it. It's all the buzz of the Lutheran blogosphere right now, and you should read it too:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Pentecost 26
November 9, 2008
“Encouraging Words about the End”

History has an end. There will be a last day, this is very clear in Holy Scripture. The universe will not go on, at least not like this, forever. There is a day, somewhere in the future, that God has planned, in which Christ will come again to earth, and bring all things to fulfillment. It is now, in November, near the end of the church calendar year, that we especially think about the end times.

Like many people today, the ancient Christians in the city of Thessalonica had questions and worries about that day. They had some misconceptions too. So St. Paul writes to them, to clear up the picture, to explain why that day is a good day for us Christians – to give them hope. “Encourage each other with these words” he says. And so Christians have encouraged each other with those words throughout the ages, and so today shall we.

Perhaps it's worth reviewing some basic teachings about the end, the last day. It will come suddenly, when we least expect it. Passages like our Gospel reading from Matthew encourage us to be watchful as we look for it to arrive at any time. Jesus says he will come “like a thief in the night”, that is, suddenly, and not when you think he might.

Many passages, like our Old Testament reading from Amos, paint the day of the Lord as something great and terrible – a fearful day in which God's judgment is poured out. But Amos was speaking to people who had forsaken God for pagan worship. Surely for the unbeliever, the judgment day will be fearful and terrible.

But for the believer, it's quite the opposite. 1 Thessalonians tells us that it will be a good day – a great day – that should give us hope.
So put aside your fears, and hear what God promises about Christ's appearing – and what it will mean for us, his people.

“we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep”

The Thessalonians full well expected Christ to return within their earthly lifetime. And they became concerned when faithful Christians began to die – wondering if there would be a difference between the living and the dead – that somehow their dead loved ones would miss out on the glory of Christ's return. This became a source of grief for them. But Paul says not to grieve like others who have no hope. Christ gives them hope.

In Corinthians, Paul explains, “we will not all sleep”, that is, not every Christian will die before that day. Some will live to see it. But those of us that do will be in the same boat as those of us who have already died. The dead will be raised. And we will all be changed, glorified, and we will all meet Christ together.

The dead will rise. Here's an important promise that gets short shrift these days. We're so accustomed of thinking that we Christians die and go to heaven (and yes, we do), that we forget the final fulfillment of God's plan is that we would rise from the dead. Just like Jesus, whose physical, earthly, human body rose from the dead – so too will our bodies be brought back to life – to live forever with God. Those who die in the faith – while their body “sleeps”, their soul is surely with the Lord and at peace. But at the resurrection soul and body reunite to live in eternal glory.

We will be changed – made “incorruptible”, Paul says. Glorified. We will be like Christ, in his glorified body. We don't know exactly what that means – it hasn't been fully revealed yet. But it sounds good, doesn't it? A physical body that is free of the corruption of sin? No more aches and pains. No more disease or handicap. A body free forever from the effects of the sin which has corrupted us. A body and soul as God intended them to be – perfect and holy.

Together, we will rise not only from death but into the air to meet him. Reminds me of the way Christ ascended into the clouds, after his resurrection, in his own glorified body.

And the promises continue. For there, we will meet Christ and each other, and we will be always with the Lord. What a blessing it will be to see with our own eyes, in our own flesh, what we have known by faith already. As we said last week, being in the presence of the Lord is what makes heaven so heavenly, and we will enjoy it forever, body and soul, with our Lord.

What about all the fire and brimstone? What about the judgment day? What about the locusts and horsemen? What about the lake of fire and answering for all your sins? What about the picture Amos paints of a great and terrible day?

Well Jesus faced that day himself, already. On that dark Friday in Jerusalem, when he hung on a cross for our sins. There Jesus endured the wrath of God's judgment so that our last day would be a day of peace. He took the punishment so we would stand before God free of guilt. He died for us to live – not just spiritually, but also physically – just as he rose, firstborn of the dead triumphant over the grave.

And because of that day of sacrifice, and that day of resurrection, we have a resurrection of our own – a promise yet unpaid but not forgotten. A day of final victory. This is why his resurrection is such a lynch-pin for our faith. Because only in his resurrection do we have the promise of resurrection.

So watch and be ready for his coming. Hear his word, frequently and faithfully. Remember your baptism, where he first raised you from death to new spiritual life. And receive his body and blood – often – for the forgiveness that sustains us each day, keeping us strong and vibrant in a faith that is always ready for its fulfillment.

Live your life in the faith that he has given you, trusting in his mercy and grace. And die your death in a peace that knows the promise of victory, and rest in peace, for the trumpet will sound, the archangel will shout, and Christ will return for his people. And we will be with him forever. This is our hope. This is his promise.

Best Election Comment Yet

Here's the best comment I've read yet on the election, from Pastor Petersen at Cyberstones:

http://www.redeemer-fortwayne.org/blog.php?msg=10033
Tuesday's Winner Prophesied
Here is what will happen . . .

the Church will win. The Lord will provide. All things will work together for good. The Lord's man will win the election tomorrow. It will be for the good of those who love God.

That is not to say that the winner will be good. I don't think that is an option in our system. But what will be good is the will of the Lord that He will work for His Church.

Think on the good the Lord did through Caesar, through Leo X, through Napolean and Hitler and Sadaam Hussein. Sure, I'd prefer restful days of peace. But the reality is that restful days of peace are dangerous. They lull us into complacency. The Church militant does not have the option of resting or suing for peace or finding a compromise. She fights until she is relieved of her burden. And when she is too weak to fight, when she gives in to temptation, when she tries to make her own way, then the Lord in His mercy brings the fight to her in the form of persecution - from within and without.

No matter who wins tomorrow, I expect persecution, intolerance, hatred of the Truth, and hard times are coming. The division in our country and the razor's edge of violence we rest upon is not only in the secular realm. It is the character of today's LC-MS and Lutheranism the world over. I don't see any easy days ahead. But I do see good days. I see days when men confess the Truth and learn to love not their lives to death, days when priorities become clear and the Word of God is cherished.

Trust not in princes. Empires fail. The Word of the Lord endures forever. He will provide. One way or another, there is always a Ram in the thicket, Our Lord in the wrath of His Father that we be spared and inherit the Kingdom for free. That Kingdom will not be overcome or cease. So cast you ballot tomorrow and then cast your cares away. It does not matter if you candidate wins or loses. The Lord will provide.

Sermon - All Saints Day - Revelation 7:2-17

Revelation 7:2-17
All Saints Day (observed)
November 2, 2008
“An Image of All the Saints”

What does heaven look like? Take a moment and picture it. Maybe you have clouds and angels playing harps in your head. Maybe rainbows and green valleys, or something like a golf course. Maybe you just thought of Lambeau Field.

St. John was exiled to the prison island of Patmos for being a Christian. There, as an old man, he had a marvelous vision – and he wrote down what he say. We call that writing, “The Book of Revelation”. And while Revelation is filled will all sorts of the images John saw, some of them even quite scary, we also see here some of the clearest pictures of heaven in all of scripture.

One striking thing about heaven, pictured in Revelation, is that it's not so much a place as a people. Or, should we say, a situation – between God and his people. John doesn't so much describe the surrounding environment – that's not what's important. But what is important is who is there, and why.

God is there. That's what makes it so heavenly. That's what makes it a good place – a place we want to be. Heaven means a blessed reunion of God and man – a relationship restored to full and perfect harmony, after it was lost in the ancient paradise of Eden. To be cast away from God forever is Hell. But to be in his presence forever, singing his praises, is heavenly. John certainly pictures God throughout his vision – both as a mighty king on his throne, but also also as the Lamb who once was slain – Jesus Christ, the firstborn of the dead.

But on this All Saints Day, it's worth noting who else is there – his people.

In Revelation 7 we see two pictures of God's people. First, we have the 144,000. Contrary to the teachings of some, this does not mean there's a limited number who can be saved. It's not as if heaven has a big flashing “no vacancy” sign, and the rest of us are out of luck. Here is a symbolic number – 12, the number of God's people throughout scripture – is squared and multiplied by 1000. It really stands for the totality of all God's people, the church, the chosen ones of God.
Then there is the great multitude no one could count. And these are really the same people – God's people. Some say the first is a view of us on earth, and the second a view of us in glory. Others suggest the 144,000 are from God's point of view, and the multitude is from man's point of view. But this much is clear. The number of those saved and standing, ultimately, before God in heaven is great.

John sees this great crowd, and one of the elders asks, “who are they?” We might wonder the same, but the answer is obvious. One wonders, too, if John didn't even recognize some of them. Perhaps as he looked on the crowd he saw Christian friends – apostles and martyrs who had gone before him. “Oh there's Peter, there's Matthew. There's my brother James”

Who are they? Its obvious. “Sir, you know” he says. But this moment is worth comment. Of all the visions in Revelation, few are explained to this extent. The elder makes it plain, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” These are believers in the glory of God's eternal presence.

These are, in fact, all the saints. Can you see their faces? There's .... Arlene and John, John, Gilbert and Betty, Margaret, Lucille, Thelma, Irene, LaVerne, Ruth, Alice and Mildred.

And there, by the grace of God, you and I will be too. For in Holy Baptism, our robes are washed clean in the blood of the lamb. There you were first clothed with Christ. And his righteousness covers you even now, and even forever.

And all the trouble of this world, or as Revelation calls it, “the great tribulation” - none of it compares to the glory revealed there. There, in the presence of God, there is no more pain, hunger, thirst, suffering or sorrow.

What a beautiful picture it is, that God will wipe every tear from our eyes. Like a loving father whose kiss makes the boo boo all better, but even more perfect and full. His tender, loving, mercy will take away all cares and troubles, not just for a moment, but forever. It's almost impossible to comprehend.

By rights, heaven is already yours. You already stand in the merciful presence of God, by grace through faith. One day we will see it in all its fullness, but we possess it even now.

Yes even now, God gives us a taste of it. We have the forgiveness of our sins, and the peace with God that brings. We have the promises of blessings now and future, and in those words we trust. We have the hope of the resurrection, the certainty of things unseen. And we have his gracious presence even now - “Lo, I am with you always” and “where two or three gather in my name, there am I”.

Even now, before the great marriage feast, we have a foretaste, a sample, if you will, of that blessed banquet. When we gather at the rail and kneel to receive his body and blood, we participate in the great communion – the community – of heavenly host, together with angels, archangels and all the company of heaven. It's as if the saints themselves are here with us, praising and thanking the God who has brought us salvation.

That's why we sing the same songs. Power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and blessing and glory to God and to the Lamb, forever and ever, amen. We, like the saints, are blood-bought and victorious in Christ. We, like the saints, will live forever. And that eternal life with God has already begun.

All Saints Day – not a day to mourn or bemoan those who have departed this world, but a day to rejoice in triumph with those who have joined the everlasting company, the great multitude in the eternal presence of God. All saints – all holy people – who continuously praise the Holy One, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Today we see images, visions, with St. John of the glories of heaven – not a place, as much as a state of being – God, in mercy, dwelling with his people forever.

For the promise of glories to come, and for the present blessings he so richly reveals – we thank you, O Lord. For all the saints who from their labors rest, we thank you, O Lord. And for the grace to remain in that great company here in life and there for eternity we pray, keep us always, O Lord, in Jesus Christ. In his name. Amen.

Issues Etc. Interview

I participated in an Issues Etc... pastor's roundtable, or, triangle-table, or really, L-shaped table....

The topic was the 7th Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal". You can download and listen to the podcast here for free.

November Newsletter - Thoughts on the Vote

The following is my "Pastor's Page" for the November church newsletter:

Some thoughts on elections, voting, and Christian citizenship

Dear members of Grace,

Shortly, many Americans will be heading to the polls to cast our votes for President and other government offices. While it is not the pastor's place to endorse candidates or tell you which way to vote, I do think that our identity as Christians does shape the way we look at voting, and helps us determine how to do it.

Here's one way of looking at it. How does your vote express your Christian love for your neighbor? Rather than self-seeking, Christians should consider the needs and well-being of others in all things. Think of voting as an exercise of love and service to others.

Have you prayed earnestly for guidance? God won't tell you whether to vote for Obama or McCain, but he does give us guidance in his Word. Some of the platform positions of these candidates or their parties may or may not be in line with Scripture. When a candidate takes a position in opposition to God's Word, this is troubling. What issues are the most important to God? What issues seem most important to each candidate? A Christian should weigh the various issues first against God's revealed Word.

Then again, some of the issues of disagreement have no direct scriptural guidance. God doesn't say whether taxes should go up or down, and on whom. God doesn't say how our nation should conduct its diplomacy, how we solve our energy problems, or what the best qualifications or experience for the job might be. Still, for many of these questions, God gives us earthly wisdom, to use to the best of our abilities. And in our calling as citizens, our nation asks us to lend that wisdom in the form of our vote.

Another thing to remember is there is never a perfect candidate. We are all fallen and sin daily. We are always going to be choosing between the “lesser of the evils”. The only perfect ruler is the one sitting on Heaven's high throne.

And even if our candidate loses, God still charges us to “pray for all those in authority”. And we know the government agent, as God's representative, is due honor and respect. The Fourth Commandment and other passages remind us to honor the authorities God places over us, pray for them, and submit to them.

Finally, pray for our nation, and for your fellow voters. Pray that whatever happens, God would “work through all things for the good of those who love him”, as he has promised. Trust in God to bring about his good purposes, in his good time, according to his good pleasure. And give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy as citizens of this nation.

Footprints Limerick

Footprints in the Sand

There was a man who, at low tide
Would walk with the Lord by his side
Jesus said "Now look back;
You'll see one set of tracks.
That's when you got a piggy-back ride."

H/T Today on the Interwebs (with links to more famous poems as limericks)

Sermon - Reformation Day - John 8:31-36

John 8:31-36
Reformation Day (observed)
“Truth that Frees”

There's a real temptation for us Lutherans as we observe Reformation day. It's a temptation to wave our Lutheran banners, thump our historical confessions, and puff ourselves up with the pride of our pure doctrine. We sing our Lutheran hymns with gusto, and sort of Lutheran patriotism exudes from our celebration. But where is our focus?

We too often make today about Martin Luther – a great man and hero of the faith, who famously faced down the most powerful man in the world in his great “here I stand” speech. Who translated the bible into the language of the people, who left the safety of the Wartburg castle because the people needed him, who debated the Roman Catholic false teaching persuasively, and whose work laid the groundwork for the church bearing his name. But where is our focus today?

It shouldn't be, and it's not about Martin Luther. It's about Jesus. It's always about Jesus. It shouldn't be, and it's not about Lutheran pride (as Paul says, boasting is excluded). But instead we mark and celebrate the rediscovery of the truth – the truth of the Gospel – the truth that sets us free – the Truth of Jesus Christ crucified for sinners, like you and me. Yes, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone – not by our good works. This is the truth of the Gospel we Lutherans make such a big deal about on this Reformation day.

Of course, our heritage and history are important. We can rightly look to the reformers and our fathers in the faith and thank God for the work they have done. How Christendom might be different today had God not led these men to a clear and true confession of the faith. How many would have missed out on the assurance that a reformation understanding of the faith brings?

Jesus says in John 8 that the truth of his teaching is what frees us from the slavery of sin. A fitting reading for Reformation day. Not because today is a sort of “Lutheran independence day” in which we shoot off our liturgical fireworks. Not because we celebrate freedom from the pope and the Roman Catholic church. But instead, because we take note again, of the importance of truth and the freedom from sin the Gospel truly brings.

Some taught then, and still teach that freedom comes from your own efforts and your own work. That in order to be free from sin, one must fully commit, or earnestly endeavor to do what is right at all times in all places. Try your hardest, follow the law closest, and maybe, just maybe, you can get there. But this is slavery to the law. Human works will never free us from sin. Only the divine work of Jesus Christ can do the job. This is grace – not that we save ourselves, and not that we even help, but that he, Jesus, does it all for us at the cross. There is where true freedom is won. It was earned by him, for us. We can only receive it as a gift.

Likewise, the truth is under attack, now as then. Satan has always attacked the truth, from his first lie, “you will not die” to so many others throughout the ages. The Father of lies is a prolific author. He is crafty and slick, telling us what we want to hear. Stroking the ego of our sinful nature, playing to our pleasures and playing on our fears. “Did God really say...”? He assails the truth with doubt, challenges it with false claims, and demands evidence for all things unseen. Luther's hymn, “A Mighty Fortress” says the “Old evil foe” who seeks to “work us woe” employs “Deep guile and great might”. Deep guile – that is, an “insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity”.

Today, one of Satan's greatest attacks on the truth is a full, frontal assault. It's not enough to challenge whether what Christ says is true. Now he says there is no such thing as truth. At least there's no objective truth. What's true for you may not be true for me, or someone else. And no one religion has the truth, but all have part of it, or even when they disagree, they somehow are saying the same thing. Confused yet? Me too. But that's kinda the point.

To all this, Jesus word says again, “Hold to my teaching. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”. In an age when truth itself is in doubt, Jesus makes a very specific and bold claim of truth. It's as if he says,

“What I teach is true. Anything else, anything that says otherwise is false. You disciples of mine, remember what I say. Hold to, cling to my words. Always keep my teachings, my doctrine, before you. Only then will you be free from sin, death, and the devil's lies. But if you forsake my teaching, you are slaves again to sin. If you believe something else, you are falling for the falsehoods. I am the only way. Good works will not set you free. Praying hard, clean living, even coming to church every week won't set you free. The truth will set you free. My words are the only truth.”

And what are those words? Well there are too many for one sermon, but that's why we come here again and again. The main point, however, is what the Reformation re-discovered. That Jesus died for you, to pay for all your sins. That Salvation is a free gift. That you, the believer, live by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

And you do not just live, but you are a member of the family. The Son of God, the only Son of the father from eternity, has taken the form of a servant, and freed you from slavery to sin, making you a child of God yourself. You're part of the family, as Jesus says, “forever”. That's a truth we can believe in. That's a hope that does not disappoint.

So the proper way to celebrate Reformation day, fellow Lutherans, is not simply to talk up the German monk who nailed the document to the door. It's not to simply sing our Lutheran anthems with gusto. It's not just to point with pride to our historical heritage. The proper way to celebrate is to rejoice in the truth, and the freedom of Christ. To dwell on and in his word. To receive him as he comes to us, in his Supper, also according to his word. To give thanks for our baptism, where he washed us clean, made us his people, his children, according to his word. And to therefore live in the truth and freedom that only comes through the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.

For his truth has set us free, and he is the way, the truth, and the life.

Amen.

LCMS on Facebook

I noticed a group on Facebook:

"LCMS Lutherans for compassion and change"

Uh-oh, I thought. Red flags here.

Here's the group description:

a group of LCMS Lutherans who are seeking for the compassion of Jesus (not the dogma of Walther) to be the main characteristic of the synod. We're a group of disciples of Jesus who wonder what would happen if we acted more in trust and blessing, and less in fear and control....more in unity of the essentials and less in uniformity of everything. We welcome anyone to join in the conversation!

My thoughts:
1. I am tired of seeing the false alternative of Compassion vs. Doctrine, or Mission vs. Doctrine, or Love vs. Doctrine, or Dogma, or Theology. There is no reason we can't strive for both. You NEVER hear anyone saying that we should eschew compassion in order to pursue doctrine. (See "Maintenence vs. Mission")

1a. What's wrong with the "dogma of Walther"? I find that when people choose the word "dogma" instead of "doctrine" or "teaching", they often seek to stigmatize it.

2. What does it mean to "act more in trust and blessing, and less in fear and control"? To me, this is law-talk. Of course we should all be nicer, kinder, more loving. But isn't being Lutheran primarily about the Gospel? Isn't it the love of Christ that motivates our love and compassion, and not the scolding of fellow Christians in our fellowship?

3. "Unity in essentials" is pitted against the straw-man of "Unity in everything". While I know the traditional/confessional/conservative wing of the LCMS places more emphasis on unity, they do not, in my experience, seek to legislate unity, but instead they encourage it. They do not seek "unity in everything", as if that were possible, but they do decry the "every-man-for-himself" mentality in which each congregation is a rule to itself. That's part of "walking together".

What exactly is "Unity in essentials", anyway? It seems a rather squishy kind of unity. Whose definition of "essential"? What would that be? Shouldn't we, couldn't we strive for more?

Suggesting some are in favor of an absolute uniformity in the LCMS is, however, dishonest at worst and mistaken at best. But what we have now is very far from the unity we could have (and once did have).

4. Reading through some of the discussions, I started to become VERY concerned about the denegration of doctrine, by layperson and clergy alike. Some disturbing stuff there. Is this how people in the LCMS really think?

"Just a Theory"

When believers in creation and believers in evolution argue (or discuss), the conversation often turns to evolution's status as a "theory". It usually goes something like this:

Creationist: "Evolution is just a theory"

Evolutionist: "So is the Theory of Gravity"

But according to this article, there isn't really any agreement in what constitutes a "theory" and even, what separates science from "psuedo-science".

There's more to this discussion that sound-byte slaps. Epistemology and the Philosophy of Science are worth considering too.

Tattoos

At our confirmation class tonight, while discussing the care of our bodies under the 5th commandment, the question of tattoos arose. Of course the 8th graders just want to know if they can or can't get one. But I encouraged them to think of the whole question in terms of the commandments.

"First of all, consider the 4th commandment" I said, "if you are under 18, the first thing you have to do is honor your parents..."

To which a quick-witted student quipped, "So we could get a tattoo with a heart that says 'Mom'?"

Siemon-Netto on Dr. Tiller

Dr. Siemon-Netto has a recent piece, re-posted about the blogosphere in several places. The whole thing is worth the read, but he ends with this powerful anecdote:

Down in Wichita, Kansas, there is a physician by the name of George Tiller. On his website he boasts that he has already performed 60,000 abortions, mostly late-term, and week after week he is killing 100 more unborn babies.

Dr. Tiller does not think of these fetuses as clusters of cancerous cells. He knows they are human because he baptizes some of them before he incinerates them in his own crematorium. You don’t baptize non-humans. Dr. Tiller knows that. He is a practicing Lutheran. His former congregation, Holy Cross of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, excommunicated him as an unrepentant sinner. But the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, which belongs to the ELCA, communes him. Did I mention that he kills 100 human beings every week and has already done away with 60.000? Sixty thousand! In Nuremberg they hanged some fiends for murdering less than 60 — zero point one percent of Tiller’s toll.

While the Tiller story is dispicible enough, I was fascinated by the response of these two Lutheran churches, which couldn't be further apart on the matter. Kudos to the LCMS congregation for taking a stand against unrepentant sin.

Holy Cross, the LCMS church here,
and Reformation, the ELCA church here.

And some say that a Lutheran is a Lutheran...

Sermon - Pentecost 22 - Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14
Pentecost 22
“Come to the Feast”

Today we come to another kingdom parable of Jesus, and this one uses the picture of a wedding feast. As usual, the earthly story has a heavenly meaning – here are both words of law and judgment but also grace and mercy. Here again, Jesus points us to the Gospel, and the free gift of salvation he offers, which he won for us at the cross. Let's take a closer look at the parable of the wedding feast.

As usual, the stories Jesus tells capture our imagination. The king throws a feast for his son's wedding. He invites the guests, but strangely, they don't come. You'd think they would be honored. You'd think they would come quickly and joyfully to the feast – not just any wedding, but a royal wedding – an invitation from the king himself! But some ignore the invitation – we aren't told why. Then the king invites them again, and they find better things to do – tending the farm, minding the shop. Even more bizarre, some mistreat the servants bearing the invitation and even kill them. Talk about “don't kill the messenger!”

Here the heavenly meaning is clear. God the Father, the king, sends invitations of grace and mercy, not to a literal wedding feast, but to faith in his Son. And here, Jesus summarizes the history of God's chosen people – who repeatedly ignored his grace and mercy, and even mistreated and killed the prophets. Soon their mistreatment of God's messengers would reach its apex as they put the very Son of God to death. They would even kill the Apostles, all of whom met violent death except for St. John.

And so, Jesus predicts the destruction of ancient Jerusalem, which came to pass nearly 40 years later. In 70 A.D. The Roman general Titus sacked the city, and dispersed the Jews from their homeland. The very temple of God was destroyed. Jesus knew it would happen. It was the punishment of God upon a people who, as a whole, rejected his repeated calls to faith, and finally refused to hear the good news of his son. But it is a mere shadow of the final destruction in store for all who reject the Christ in this life – a foretaste of the condemnation and wrath to be revealed on the day of judgment.

So the king turns to others, inviting anyone and everyone to come to the feast. Here we have the invitation to the Gentiles. The Gospel is free and freely preached to all people – rich and poor, men and women, young and old, from all tribes and languages. And so we have seen the good news of Jesus Christ touch every corner of the world. Most of us have come to the kingdom only through this world-wide invitation, and thank God for that. For now we enjoy the blessings of his banquet, the lavish food of his feast.

What about the garment? In ancient wedding custom, appropriate dress for such a high occasion included a special garment which was provided by the host. To reject it was to reject the host's generosity and favor, and would have been a social insult. The man seemed to accept the invitation, but in reality didn't. So the king treats the man harshly who was found without proper attire. He had no excuse for his lack of wedding garment.

The garment reminds us of the robe of Christ's righteousness each of us has received in Holy Baptism. There he covers our sin with his grace and mercy, which keeps us our whole life through. When, at Christian funerals, the body of our loved one is brought here to God's house, a white pall – a garment – drapes the casket, to signify that robe of righteousness.

And we do well to receive this garment. For too often we are tempted to think our own clothes will do. But the filthy rags of our own good works do not make us presentable. Only what he provides will do. Only through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are we made righteous and holy. Our own works are simply a response to his goodness, but they don't earn us a thing. Salvation is a free gift. The invitation of the king is without cost.

And what Lutheran could read a story of a great feast given by the king and not think of the Lord's Supper. For in this royal feast, he gives us all the same blessings – forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. We are worthy to receive such things only by faith, and especially faith in the promises of Christ, “this is my body- this is my blood.... given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins”.

The feast of the Lord's Supper is also a foretaste of the feast to come. It's not an accident that Revelation pictures the kingdom to come as a wedding celebration – the great consummation of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, and his bride, the church. When we gather at his table here, we gather with all the people of God from all times and places, and even those already gathered to him.... we join at table in a grand feast of celebration and receive his bountiful provision. What could be better?

In this parable which Jesus told during Holy Week, he compares the kingdom to a great wedding feast. And he warns of destruction and dishonor for all who reject the invitation and the king's provision. But for those who receive the gifts he gives, the King and his Son provide a royal banquet without end. Thank God that through his Son Jesus Christ we are invited to the feast. May we wear his robe of righteousness with thankfulness and celebrate with him eternally. And today, receive our foretaste of the feast to come, as we gather at his invitation.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Mission and Maintenance, Again...

I once blogged about a commonly-promoted false alternative in the LCMS, "Mission vs. Maintenance".

Recently, I was checking out church websites doing some "forward scouting" for some members of our congregation who are moving. And in a church newsletter posted online, I found this blurb:

MAINTENANCE VS. MISSION CONGREGATIONS:
In measuring the effectiveness, the maintenance congregations
asks, “How many pastoral visits are being made:” The
mission congregation asks, “How many disciples are being
made?” ——taken from “Issues”

First, I should point out they are NOT quoting from the radio program, "Issues, Etc." but from the print journal out of Concordia, Seward, "Issues in Christian Education".

Second, I am peeved again that the false alternative between mission and maintenance is alive and well.

Third, I notice the focus of the mission approach is on results, and the focus of the maintenance is on process? That reminded me of the recent insightful post by the Lutheran Logomaniac.

But really, this obsession with counting has got to stop. Measuring, assessing, visioning, revitalizing, all these secular/business approaches which actually keep us from doing what we should be doing - preaching, teaching, and confessing the Gospel of Jesus Christ - to anyone who will hear it - even if they are already members of our congregation!

"Massage Ministry"?

From the stranger-than-fictions files, check out this story about a pastor running a prostitution ring in Arizona.

Harrison Blogs

Hey, I've noticed that Pastor Matt Harrison has been blogging quite a bit lately. He's definitely worth checking out.

You might also want to stop by Harrison for President and check out more about him.

Another Pastor Confusing Kingdoms

Local story about a pastor clearly endorsing McCain from the puplit.

My response on the newspaper's blog site:

This pastor crossed the fine line between speaking the truth of scripture and making a logical leap which was not his to make.

Clearly, abortion is against scripture. Voting for McCain or Obama is not clearly taught in scripture.

Endorsing specific candidates or even specific plans in the political realm is not the place of Christian pastors. Ours is to teach the principles of the Bible and let parishioners connect the dots themselves in the booth.

Unfortunately, too many pastors on both the right AND the left muddy the waters between these two areas of life.

He should go and learn what this means."Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's"

Sermon - Pentecost 20 - Matthew 21:23-27

Matthew 21:23-27
Pentecost 20
“Good and Bad Questions”

The question was this, “by what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” In other words, “Jesus, who do you think you are? Where do you get off making a mess of our temple, overturning tables and chasing away our merchants? And just what gives you the right to criticize us, the powers that be? We are the chief priests, the elders of the people! Don't you know who we are?” A lot of questions tied up in this question, “By what authority...?”

Now, when Jesus matches wits with the Jewish leaders – it's never a fair fight. Whether they are trying to trap him with a question about taxes, or about marriage in heaven, or some other funny business, these so-called wise men are perpetually rebuked, defeated, and made to look foolish by the simple country preacher.

They can't even answer a simple question about John the Baptist without a huddle and conference, and even then, the answer is, “we don't know”. They really thought they knew the answer. They just didn't want to say. They were afraid of the crowds that followed Jesus, and would simply find another time, when the crowds were gone. They would get this Jesus yet, or so they thought.

But why the challenge in the first place? Why didn't they believe in Jesus? Why didn't they recognize his authority? Why didn't they listen to his preaching and teaching?

And why don't we (at least, not all the time)? These are good questions, aren't they? In our reading from Phillipians today, Paul warns them not to grumble or question. So are all questions bad? How about the rhetorical one's I'm asking now? Today – the question of questions, and questioning. I think we'll all agree, there are good questions and bad questions.

The bad questions are the questions of rebellion and sin. They are the questions that challenge rightful authority – and are really a challenge to God. This is the kind of question the Jews asked of Jesus. “By what authority....?” they asked, but it was less a question and more an attack, an assertion that he doesn't, in fact, have the authority to do what he does. They thought they were the ones in charge, but that had misused their authority. They ignored John's call to repentance, and they had no use for the good news of Jesus. They weren't interested in the truth, as much as in their own power and prestige, their own precious places of honor.

Jesus turns it around on them. He questions them, and thus exerts, rather than explains his authority. “I'll ask the questions, here” he says, and puts a tough one to them.

When it comes to our questioning, there are certainly good and bad questions. There are simple questions of information - “what's for dinner?”. There are questions of life-long importance, “will you marry me?” And then there are the questions of faith. “What must I do to be saved?” “Can God love even me?” “Do you believe this?”

The Jews ask Jesus a question which is really a challenge, a question of rebellion. Jesus asks them a question of faith. Did they believe in John or not? They took it as a political question, and gave a political answer, looking foolish in the process. But what Matthew reveals is their lack of faith in John's authority, and in Jesus' authority.

Do we trust Jesus' authority? Now there's a question. Our sinful nature sure acts like we are our own authority. We decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, according to the convenience of the moment, the pleasures at hand. Then we rationalize away our sins and faults and failings and blame others, blame situations, sometimes even blame God himself. But when the question is posed to us by God's law.... when we hear Jesus saying “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind.... Love your neighbor as yourself”. And when we ask ourselves how we measure up... then we go into a huddle, like the Pharisees. And what will our answer be?

We must answer honestly. We have failed our Lord. We don't love God or man as we ought. We have no good answer for our sin.

And the questions we ask, lacking faith in God, also are without excuse. Now, mind you, it's not that any question is bad. Certainly God's people have questioned, wondered, and sought answers from God. And when done in faith, such questioning is good and proper. Think of the 12 year old boy, Jesus, who questioned the elders at the temple. And they were amazed with his growing wisdom and stature. Or when we ask questions for learning, “what does this mean?” in our catechism... And even those questions of repentance, “Will you forgive me, O Lord?”. These are all good questions.

But when Paul says not to grumble and question, this is a different thing. This kind of questioning challenges and doubts God. It places our own wisdom above his. This is the questioning of pride, which seeks to make God answer to us, which puts God to the test. We are in no place to judge him, and yet we so often forget our place.

So how does God answer? To the bad questions – sometimes he does not answer. Like Jesus, “neither will I answer you”. Some questions don't deserve an answer, because they are not really questions but challenges. And God is not subject to us. Other bad questions get answers we might not like to hear. Questions of doubt and rebellion might be met with stern rebuke, or harsh words of law.

But those good questions – God answers them with Good News. His word is a treasure trove of answers for questions of faith.

Q: “Who then, can be saved?”
A: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”.

Q: What will happen when I die?
A: Fear not. Christ is risen, and we too shall rise.

Q: Will God hold my sins against me?
A: Your sins are forgiven. Now go and sin no more.

Q: Does God really love me? A: For God so loved the world he sent his only Son.

All good questions, and the answers are good news. For when we come to God through Christ, in repentance and faith, we always find our answer. And that answer is Jesus Christ crucified for sinners like me.

“By what authority do you do these things?” they asked. Bad question. “Jesus, what word do you have for me today?” A good question. Hear today his word of forgiveness and love. And believe it, for his sake. In his name, Amen.

Sermon - Pentecost 19 - Matthew 20:1-16

Matthew 20:1-16
Pentecost 19
“A Very Different Kingdom”

“My kingdom is not of this world” Jesus once said. And if you had any doubt, take a look at the parables he tells about his kingdom.

Here we have another. The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. As a story it's simple enough. Even the meaning is easy to determine. But fully appreciating the mysterious sense of Divine justice that lies underneath - this is something that takes great faith. For our Lord and Master is generous with us, and in Christ has given us more than what is fair.

The kingdom of this world is a kingdom of rules and laws. We live under them and know them well. You stand in line at the grocery store and get a ticket at the deli counter. First come, first served. When you get to a stop sign, the person there first has the right of way. And when you do your job, you expect every two weeks or so, for that little piece of paper you can take to the bank. It's the way the world works – you earn something, it's yours. Those are the kinds of rules we live by every day.

From the earliest child who utters those words, “hey, no fair!” to the citizen pursuing legal recourse in the courts of law – we have a keen sense of what is fair and what is not – especially when we feel we are bearing the brunt of injustice.

“It's not fair” we say, when a neighbor sins against us, and we are right. But Father always told us, “life isn't fair”. Is Jesus saying the same thing about life in his kingdom? Sometimes life treats us unfairly, people treat us unfairly, we should just toughen up and take it? Stop whining? Is that the point?

Our Heavenly Father is the Master who gives generously. The vineyard is his kingdom, the church, and we are the workers. What's important isn't so much how much or how long we work, but that we are his employees. We belong to him. He pays a wage we could never earn standing around outside his kingdom. It's really not a wage, you see, it's a gift. And while we all think we're the ones that have worked the longest and hardest, we should all see ourselves as the ones coming late and working least.

Scripture tells us what our good works are worth before God – filthy rags. No one is righteous, not one. We can't earn it, deserve it, or have it coming to us. We have incurred a debt of sin, but instead we often act as if God owes us! How foolish and arrogant. How like the sinner.

The only one whose work in the vineyard amounts to anything is the owner's own Son. In another vineyard parable, Jesus tells how the tenants mistreated the messengers and bloodied the servants, but when the owner of the vineyard sent his very son – they murdered him.

Yes the wages for the workers were won at the cross. Jesus' own precious blood, shed there for the world, worth far more than gold or silver or denarius or dollar.... he paid the price for the wages we really deserve- the wages of sin – the penalty of death.

And here's the secret of the vineyard, that really is no secret – Jesus does it all! He plants the vineyard, calls the workers, makes the fruit grow, and provides the harvest. He gives us strength for our tasks through his Spirit, wisdom to accomplish them, and a reward at the end we don't even deserve.

To which someone might say, “hey, not fair”. Not fair that he does it all, all the work of fulfilling the law, all the work of dying for sins, all the work of bringing us to faith, even, by his Spirit. In fact, our old sinful nature is always trying to take part of the credit for all this, trying to do the work, at least in part. But that's not the work we are called to do.

We are called to work, though. In this vineyard, there is the work of sowing seeds and tending vines. Teaching, preaching, showing mercy, encouraging, singing, cooking, cleaning, caring for children. What are your talents and abilities? In Christ's church there is always lots for us to do.

And outside of this church building, the church is still at work – we do what we are called to do in everyday life as service to God and neighbor. Fathers and mothers, employees, coaches, students, volunteers, whatever. Whatever God has given us to do, the Christian does in faith, and the work is done for God.

But none of it earns the reward. Not the heavenly reward, anyway. Here's another strange way of God's kingdom – the workers work for free. We do it because we've already been paid well more than we could hope to earn. Such is life in the vineyard, so is the way of his kingdom.

A very different kingdom. Where you don't earn your pay. Where you don't get what you deserve. Where God serves man. Where death brings life. Where the last are first and the first are last. And where sinners are made righteous because the righteous one took all sin. A kingdom not of this world – a kingdom not of fairness, but of grace.

All praise and thanks to the king, the Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, for calling us to faith and service. For his is the kingdom and the power and glory forever and ever. Amen.

40's

Students of scripture have long observed the significance of the number 40 - a time of testing or preparation, a sojourn of sorts, after which something good usually happens. 40 years in the wilderness, 40 days/nights of rain to start the flood, Moses life divided into three segments of 40 years, etc...

My clever wife, thinking like a mom, heard a pastor making the point about the number 40 when she realized - "Pregnancy is 40 weeks! Hey, Jesus was 40 weeks in the womb, too, huh!" Not only did she see that after the 40 "something good" happens, but my lovely Lutheran lady connected it to Christ too. What a fun insight...