Sermon - Pentecost Sunday - John 7:37-39

The Day of Pentecost
“The Feast of Living Waters”
John 7:37-39

Today is the day of Pentecost. It is one of the three great holy days of the Christian year. Along with Christmas and Easter, today, 50 days after Easter, has long been one of the “big three” for Christ's people.

Perhaps it is because Pentecost is the “Birthday of the Church”. Or maybe because it is when we see the third person of the Trinity – the Holy Spirit - in his most visible demonstration of power. Or maybe it's because the ancient Jews celebrated three major festivals, too... Rosh Hashannah (the New Year), the Passover Feast, and one less know to us modern Christians, the “Feast of Tabernacles” or “Booths”.

It was this third feast, this one of these three pilgrimage feasts, that brought many observant Jews from all over the world to Jerusalem on the original Christian day of Pentecost. What a perfect occasion for the Holy Spirit to pour out his Living Waters and for the gospel to be spread and shared with many nations.

Our Gospel reading today from John tells about Jesus celebrating on this Feast Day, a year before the events of the passion. But it was more than just a day.

Actually, the feast of Tabernacles would last 8 days, and included a number of ceremonies and traditions. It was a harvest feast, in some ways similar to our own Thanksgiving. During the feast, participants were to live and eat in tents, or booths – temporary dwellings. This would remind them of their forefather's wilderness wanderings. It would perhaps also remind them to be thankful for the permanent land and yearly cycle of agriculture they now enjoyed. And maybe also to show how this earth itself is a temporary dwelling, compared to our eternal home in heaven.

Among the interesting aspects of this festival, were the important connections to water. During the feast, a priest would draw water with a golden pitcher and pour it on the altar. And the final day – the day on which Jesus spoke – was called, “the Festival of Living Water”. On it, the people would pray for rain to come and water the land for next year's crops to grow too.

So it's no accident that on the “Festival of Living Water” Jesus says HE will give the living waters – and John says that water he spoke of is the Holy Spirit. Waters that have little to do with agriculture and harvest, but waters much more important for quenching the spiritual thirst of all people. Waters which refresh us, and make us refreshing to others.

Consider for a few moments, the words of Jesus on the “Festival of Living Water”.

“Let all who thirst come to me.”

Do you thirst? I don't mean do you need a tall glass of water or a bottle of gatorade. I mean do you thirst? Do you recognize, spiritually, that you are parched and dry and in need of something to refresh you? Like the dry ground of the Israelite farmers, are you in need of softening up, so that the seed can take root?

Jesus isn't speaking here of the thirsts of our sinful nature – the passions of the flesh. He means the thirst for righteousness that comes when a soul knows its sin. Like Peter's hearers on that first day of Pentecost, who were “cut to the heart” and asked, “what shall we then do?”

So do you know your sin? Do you feel the weight of your conscience for the wrongs you have done? Do you see the law you have broken and the consequences that follow? Can you see through your rationalizations and excuses like God does? What about that nagging voice of the law bearing down on you, that pointing finger that shows all your faults and flaws? Do you thirst for righteousness?

Or do you thirst from hurt? Do your own sins and the sins of those around you bring pain and suffering that seem unbearable? Do you just wish it would all go away? Are you thirsting for a better time, a light at the end of the tunnel? Hope in the midst of hopelessness? An oasis in the hot scorching desert?

“Let all how thirst come to me and drink.” Jesus is the only one to quench the thirst. We can't do it ourselves. But his blood shed at the cross gives us life, even as he gives it to us to drink in the sacrament. His baptismal waters wash away sin, not just back then, but even now, and we are refreshed. Jesus is all about forgiving, refreshing, renewing and giving life. And he does it, also, by sending his Holy Spirit.

Today, confirmation day, we mark and remember that living water which washed away your sins in Holy Baptism. This isn't so much a day recognizing all the great things you've learned about your faith in the last couple years. It's not even mostly about your opportunity to state your faith publicly, though you will. Confirmation is when we recognize and confirm the gifts God gave you in your baptism – the living water of the Holy Spirit. It is there that you were brought to faith and made spiritually alive forever. There, at the font, God made you his child for eternity.

But today, you will also begin to partake of the blessings of His Supper. And as the Lord feeds you with his own body and blood, you will continue to be refreshed with forgiveness, life and salvation. And all of us, believers, here today, enjoy these same blessings, as we too are his children. As we too are fed and nourished by him.

Notice this, though. When Jesus speaks of us, who believe in him, after our thirst is quenched, and we have received the spirit.... Notice what he says...
“of his heart will flow rivers of living water”. Will... not should or may or must. It simply will happen.

Sometimes we get the idea that to really, truly, be a Christian, we must do this work or that work – we must give our offerings and give more, or we must go to church every sunday or help old ladies across the street. Or even the idea that we must constantly evangelize the world, personally.

But Jesus doesn't say must or shalt or even, “would you please?” He simply says what happens with the believer. Those who have received the living water, now have the Spirit's water flowing from their hearts. And so the flood of his blessings becomes a rising tide washing over more and more who believe in Christ and are saved.

You may not recognize, ever, how and when it happens – that those waters flow from you. But it's not our job to go around measuring such things. Ours is to believe in him and live according to that word. How will the Spirit flow from you? You may never now how and where and when, but he will. God will use you as he sees fit, to bring others those living waters.

On this day of Pentecost, this feast of Tabernacles, this festival of Living Waters, consider the Living Water that quenches our thirst – our spiritual thirst for righteousness and hope. That water which also flows from each of us – as we trust in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Be thankful for this great flood of blessings, through Jesus Christ our Lord, For we are baptized, and we believe in him, amen.

Rev. Wright - Valpo Connection

One of our congregation members (jokingly) asked me when Rev. Jeremiah Wright might be scheduled to preach here, since he held a Doctorate from one of our schools.

What? He then explained that in the Chicago Tribune, a recent article pointed out that Wright received an honorary doctorate from Valparaiso University in 2002.

Here's the article. Did you know Wright had this "Lutheran connection"?

Oh, apparently one of the Professors from LSTC is also a member of Wright's congregation, and is quoted in the article too.

Sermon - Ascension Day - Psalm 110:4

Ascension Day
May 1st, 2008
Psalm 110:4
“A Priest in the Order of Melchizedek”

Today, Ascension Day, marks that event in our Lord's work for us, when, after he was born and lived and died and rose – he completed his earthly tour of duty, and ascended into Heaven right before his disciples' eyes. He was going back from whence he came – re-taking his heavenly throne. He was resuming his rightful power and majesty and glory as the Lord of Heaven and Earth – God of God over all. Today is a triumphant day for him – and for us his people, as our Lord not only rules all things – but rules all things for our benefit.

The Introit for Ascension day takes a note from Psalm 110, which is also quoted in Heberews 5 and 6. An unusual thought – that Jesus Christ our Lord is a “Priest in the Order of Melchizedek”. A good Lutheran question is always, “what does this mean?”

Your first question might be, “Who is Melchizedek?” There are some interesting legends about Melchizedek from Jewish tradition. One holds that he was born circumcised. Another says he gave the robes of the first man, Adam, to Abraham. Still another says that Melchizedek was actually Shem, one of the sons of Noah. In any case he is a mysterious figure, barely even mentioned in the Old Testament.

What the Bible does say about him, is however, very instructive. For Melchizedek stands as one of those “types” or foreshadowings of our Lord Jesus Christ. His unique role and description point forward to the unique role our Lord assumes, especially in his Ascension to his Father's throne. So just who was Melchizedek?

Abraham had just gone on a mission to rescue his nephew Lot from the clutches of four kings who had conquered Sodom and Gamorrah (this was before the fire and brimstone, you see). In a nighttime raid, Abraham and his fighting men were victorious over their enemies, and a sort of victory celebration ensues – it is then that Melchizedek appears, abruptly. We read:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand."

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Later, Psalm 110 prophesies the coming Messiah, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

So why does the New Testament writer to the Hebrews connect Christ to this mysterious Old Testament figure? And what does this mean for our faith? We could suggest the following:

Melchizedek – the name means “king of righteousness”. Certainly Jesus Christ is our king of righteousness. A king unlike the kings of this world, especially now that he is ascended on high. He not only rules over us, but also guards and protects us from all enemies – keeping us safe from Sin, Death and Devil. And in Christ's righteousness, we are also made righteous.

Melchizedek was also the “king of Salem”. Salem means “peace” and Jesus, of course, is called the “prince of peace”. However, it's also been suggested that the city Melchizedek ruled was actually Jerusalem (Salem being an older name for the same place). Jerusalem, the city of David, the capitol of Israel – Jerusalem, which is synonymous with “God's people”. Jesus is the king over us, his people, the New Jerusalem, and one day over the Heavenly Jerusalem, which Revelation describes as his own bride. Jesus is the king that brings us peace with God forever.

Melchizedek. A king, but also a priest. A ruler over his people, but also one who intercedes with God for them. A representative of the people before God. So too, Jesus Christ – the great High Priest. The one who offered the ultimate sacrifice of his very self on the altar of the cross. He, who now intercedes for us all with his Father. Jesus' kingly priesthood exceeds all Levitical and Aaronic priesthood. He was, like Melchizedek, a priest before them And he is a priest forevermore – our high priest in Heaven.

It's also worth mentioning that since Scripture calls the church a “royal priesthood”, we could see ourselves, also, in the Order of Melchizedek. We are kingly priests – who will share in the reign of our great High Priest now already seated on his throne.

And strangely, Melchizedek appears, bringing bread and wine. Could this be a foreshadowing of our High Priest, Jesus Christ, who brings us bread and wine that is also his body and blood? Are there sacramental overtones in the priesthood of old Melchizedek?

Finally, Abraham, awash in his success, and wealthy in plunder, nonetheless offers a tithe to this strange kingly priest. In an act of worship, Abraham honors God through the priest – offering a portion of what he had received. We too return to the Lord a share of our blessings, sometimes even a tenth, sometimes more. We too give thanks for the victory he grants us, victory in the battle over sin and death. A victory won on Calvary, and made ours at the font and rail. So we bring to his altar the firstfruits of what he gives in joyful gratitude.

So what of Melchizedek? He points to Jesus. And what of Jesus? He is our king, he is our priest. He brings us blessings and victory. He rules over us, and he watches over us. He intercedes for us with the Father – a perfect go-between, just as he was the perfect substitute and the perfect sacrifice.

On this Ascension day, as we ponder our king who now reigns on high – remember he is your king, your prince of peace, your mighty God, who rules all things for your good. But remember he is also your priest, who made the sacrifice for you, and who goes to God on your behalf, even now, and for eternity.

“You are a priest forever in the Order of Melchizedek” Hail, oh kingly-priest, receive our thanks and praise. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Welcome Back Chuck

A favorite blogger of mine is back. Once under "St. Charles' Place" but now "Ex Tenebris Lux". Add him to your daily reads and feeds!

Dr. Adams Chart

Found this neato resource on the net...

For some time I have been referring people to Dr. Adams' assessment of what the division is within the LCMS. He argues there are three basic groups, the "Traditional Lutherans" the "New Evangelicals" and the "Moderates" (or really, "Liberals").

But recently I ran across this handy-dandy chart based on the Adams article. Very helpful in understanding what actually DOES divide us in the LCMS today.

National Day of Prayer

A couple years ago I commented on the National Day of Prayer.

I noticed this year that someone - without asking or telling us - placed a yard sign in our church lawn advertising the event. A bit perturbed, I took the sign down.

I'm sure whoever did this means well - as I am sure that all who are involved in the NDP events mean well. But isn't it a little presumptuous of them?

Note Bene: I have nothing against Christians of all stripes being encouraged to pray, or to pray for our nation and its leaders. My problems with the event come from the unionistic flavor. Why must we all gather together? What is the point, if not to profess a unity that really is lacking?

Will the Roman Catholic ask us to pray to or through Mary or some other saint? Will the Baptist pray that people would ask Jesus into their hearts (decision theology)? I mean, I could put together a nice Lutheran prayer laced with sacramental theology and such, but I'm not sure that would sit well with all the other Christians.

I also balk especially at the Fundamentalist/Dispensationalist assumptions that non-Christians (in particular, Jews) have any standing before God apart from Christ. Notice how inconspicuous Jesus Christ crucified for sinners is in all the NDP festivities?

Lastly, it appears there are some fuzzy lines here when it comes to the two kingdoms (church and state issues).

National Day of Prayer, to me, at least in its current form, is just a bad idea with good intentions.

Sermon - Easter 5 - 1 Peter 2:2-10

Easter 5
1 Peter 2:2-10
“Living Stones”

When I lived in New York I visited a well known Episcopal cathedral in the city called “St. John the Divine”. Construction on this building began in 1892, but when I visited in the early 90s it was still being built. In 1979 mayor Ed Koch spoke at a dedication ceremony marking some new construction, and he said, “I am told that some of the great cathedrals took over five hundred years to build. But I would like to remind you that we are only in our first hundred years.” Scaffolding decorated the building as late as 2007 and all the de stone masonry work still isn't done. Perhaps that's why the nickname of this church is “St. John the Unfinished”. It stands now only about 2/3s complete.

Today's Epistle lesson from 1 Peter brought me back to that unfinished cathedral. As Peter speaks of the construction of another building – not just any church, but THE church – a spiritual house which is also “under construction”. There is much to ponder here as we consider God the builder, Christ the cornerstone, and ourselves, the living stones in him.

Consider the essence of stones. They come in many shapes and sizes, and can be used for many purposes. From paperweights to skipping stones, to monuments and landmarks. In our reading from Acts, stones are used to kill the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen. But perhaps man has mostly used stones for construction. Maybe that's because stones are strong and don't change or shift. Unlike wood or dirt or some other material, stone buildings will be around for a while.

One thing about stones, though, is they are not alive. They are anything but. They just sit there, doing nothing. So isn't it strange for Peter to speak of “living stones”? It's a clue that the stones he's speaking of are not stones at all. But like a builder uses stones to construct an edifice that will stand the test of time, so too does our Lord build his church to stand forever.

As Peter explains, God is the builder. Jesus, too, is the builder, of his church. “Thou art the Christ” Peter once said to Jesus, and our Lord replied, “You are Peter (which means 'rock'), and on this rock (that is, the confession you just made) I will build my church”

We may build the church buildings of rock and brick and wood. But the Triune God alone builds his church. God the Father lays the foundation by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. Jesus himself establishes the spiritual house mortared with his own blood shed at the cross.

The Holy Spirit calls and gathers people who were dead in sins, deader than rocks, and breathes life and faith into us, making us part of this eternal construction. God is the builder. We are the stones – living stones, now, passively placed together at his pleasure, by his hand and word of promise.

The “spiritual house” for God's ancient people was, of course, the temple. In fact, the very word for temple was simply “house” - however it was the house of God. Fitting that when God calls us sinners to repentance and faith, when he makes us his people in baptism, he dubs us his temple. The place where he dwells, both individually and together as a body.

Of course, if you look at the temple with earthly eyes, you see a broken-down old shed, or a ramshackle hut. You see shaky foundations and crooked walls, a leaky roof and windows that catch a draft. The temples of our bodies wear out and break down with disease and death. An honest look at ourselves shows we are far from the majestic palace that God deserves, our hearts unfit as a sanctuary for the Lord of creation to call home. Yes, these bodies are temples defiled by sin.

Or if you look at us all together, again you would see the same. We are an imperfect gathering of imperfect people. No Christian church is without sin and flaw and conflict and struggle. Even our own Lutheran Church-Missoui Synod suffers from internal divisions as we wrangle over the direction we should take as a church body. No, if we look at individuals, if we look at churches, or if we look at the church as a whole through earthly eyes, we see a dwelling that is shaky at best, and crumbling or even collapsed at worst.

How then do we understand Jesus promise, “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”? How can we be a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a chosen race, living stones built up into a great and mighty spiritual house? With man, of course this is impossible. But man is not the builder, God is.
He lays the chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ. And here we focus our attention. For in Christ, we have honor. By Christ we are part of the house. Through Christ we receive mercy. With Christ, we come from darkness to light.

Without Christ, the whole thing would come crashing down. But with him, and in him, this marvelous construction called the church is built to stand the test of time, and even the test of eternity.

Oh the earthly temple of the Old Testament was torn down. When the Romans came in 70 A.D. It was destroyed, never to stand again. What remains of it today is a crumbling western wall – and faint hints of its former glory.

But remember what Jesus said? “Tear down this temple and I will rebuild it in three days”. He wasn't talking about the stone columns of Herod's temple. He spoke of his own body – a temple which was destroyed in death on the cross. A temple which bore the sins of the world and destroyed them there – your sins and mine. But a temple which was rebuilt when God raised him from death on Easter morning, in a glorified body over which death has no power ever again.

And so in Christ we see a deeper reality than the shoddy construction of this world. We see beyond our own individual temples, and even beyond the imperfect church on earth. In Christ we see the construction of a spiritual house called the church, a universal and timeless gathering of people made holy by the blood of the lamb.

It is a construction, like St. John the Unfinished, which goes on. Through his word and by his sacraments God daily adds to the number of living stones in his church. And he also strengthens and builds us up, we who are part of the building already. When a child is baptized, another stone is laid. When a sinner repents, another stone is laid. When you hear and believe, the construction continues on God's holy eternal temple called the church.

But it is a construction, which one day will be complete. In fact, Jesus is already preparing a place, building mansions if you will, for his people in heaven. In our Gospel reading we have that powerful promise. A place prepared for all his people, a place prepared for you. Where the living stones of the church will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. For he who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Living stones – together forever, alive forever, in Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.

Homo Novis?

Jason Beghe, who created a stir recently with his YouTube about his exit from Scientology, is the subject of a recent story on Fox News.

The teaser for this story said something about Tom Cruise and John Travolta believing they were a new race of humans. Here's the quote:

The more he describes the Scientology experience, the scarier it sounds. As he told me the other day: "A Scientologist who’s ‘clear’ believes he’s no longer a Homosapien. He’s Homo-novis, a new race. They believe they are the only hope for this section of the galaxy, starting with planet Earth."

It's amazing to me how the Father of Lies uses the truth. I've often said that the best lies contain the most truth. Satan has been doing it from the beginning. Much of what he says is true - which makes it believable. In fact, he uses the very word of God itself to cast many of his lies, twisting and contorting it to something entirely different.

I see it in many of the world's religions, in Christian denominations, and even in cults like Scientology. There is always some grain of truth in false religion.

So what does God say about the Homo Novis?

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (1 Corinthians 5:17)

And what about Luther's Small Catechism?

What does such baptizing with water signify?
It signifies that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, again, a new man daily come forth and arise; who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Sports Obsessions

Check out "Sports Obsessions", an article I wrote for the Spring 2008 issue of Higher Things Magazine.

"The Largest and Most Obvious Cut at Our Disposal"

Yeah, that's the money quote from David Strand as he answers a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter regarding the "Issues Etc." cancellation and protest.

I could suggest some larger and more obvious cuts, myself. As with most financial decisions, even in the church, they are reflective of our priorities. We put our money where our heart is, but not always where our mouth is.

The truth is, if the leaders valued Issues enough, they would have found a way to keep it, and cut something else. But if they were looking for a reason to cancel it, money is certainly a convenient excuse.

I also like the line in which he marginializes the malcontents, "He pointed out that the 7,000 signatures make up one-third of 1 percent of the church body." Techincally true, but very misleading. What's the old rule, for everyone who writes a letter to the editor, there are 100 other people who feel the same and just didn't write it in? Something like that.

HT to Josh Schroeder on the news story.

Sermon - Easter 4 - John 10:1-10

Easter 4
John 10:1-10
“The Shepherd”

A “figure of speech”. Sometimes Jesus spoke plainly. But other times, not so much. Always Jesus spoke the truth, but sometimes that truth was given in a way that wasn't as obvious, especially to the unbeliever.

Today is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday”. On this Fourth Sunday of Easter, our readings draw us into the grand scriptural metaphor of the shepherd and sheep. It's a favorite metaphor used by Christ, and an important theme, really, throughout all of Scripture.

Consider these important Old Testament figures who truly were shepherds: Abel, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Moses, David, Amos – and many others. The kings of Israel were also seen as shepherds – guarding and protecting the flock of their kingdom.

And of course, our well-loved Psalm 23 tells us, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”. Jesus aptly picks up on this depiction, and calls himself the “Good Shepherd”.

Today we take one of the passages from John in which Jesus strikes this theme. Let's note three key ideas there, and we'll expound on them further:

Jesus is the true shepherd, as opposed to false shepherds.

Jesus knows the sheep, the sheep know him.

Jesus is also the gate to the pen, our way to safety and abundant life.

____________

Then, as now, there were many false shepherds. Jesus offered this as a warning to his people, his sheep. Watch out for those false shepherds! They climb over the gate... they sneak in or barge in... but they have no right to be there in the sheep pen. They are not the true shepherd. Only Jesus is.

So who are they? Doubtless Jesus referred to the many false Messiahs that had come before – false shepherds who led the sheep astray, or fail to defend the sheep, or steal from the sheep, or even prey upon them. False shepherds who either claimed to be the Christ, or claimed to do what only Christ can do.

We have false shepherds today, too, of course. False teachers who would lead people astray into false belief and false living. Some of them are wolves-in-shepherd's clothing. They may appear to be good and nice, and maybe even religious. Maybe even Christian.

And here is the great poison, when they lead the sheep away from the safety of the pen, from the shelter of God's grace in Jesus Christ – out into the wilderness of their own shabby good works. There the sheep will starve for lack of food, for the sheep don't live on bread, or grass, but on the word of God. There in the wilderness, the sheep will quake in fear of the enemies – which abound, of course. And who will protect them from the beasts of sin and death? And there, in the wilderness, should the sheep remain, they will surely die. Oh, the false shepherd may wear a smile on his face, but he is a thief and robber. He cares nothing for the sheep.

We are tempted to follow these false shepherds. Sometimes we are even our own false shepherd. When we make our own way, define our own rules, rationalize our own reasons for sin. When we fear, love, and trust in “me”, and not “he”. We lead ourselves astray. We are not following Christ.

As opposed to the true shepherd, Jesus Christ. He feeds and cares for and protects his sheep. He is worthy of our trust and faith. He will not disappoint. He will not flee in the face of danger. His steady hand holds and unwavering rod and staff that comfort the sheep.

Jesus is the true shepherd. And Jesus knows the sheep, and the sheep know him.

In ancient days, a group of shepherds would often house their flocks in the same pen. When it was time to depart for the day, each shepherd would call his own flock, and they would separate into their respective groups, each following the voice of their own shepherd.

The sheep know the voice of the shepherd. We know the voice of Christ. But how? With so many false shepherds out there, with all their appealing teachings and attractive ideas... how can we know the voice of the shepherd?

We know it through his word. We hear Jesus speak when scripture speaks. We know it to be a word of both law and gospel, judgment and grace, sin and forgiveness. And the more we listen, the better we know his voice. It is the only voice worth following. It is the voice of our shepherd. A voice of authority, a voice of power, but more – a voice of love and mercy for poor lost sheep. Sweet music to our sore sheep ears. The sheep know the shepherd.

But more importantly, the shepherd knows his sheep. Jesus knows us. Each of us, personally, better than we know ourselves. He knows what it's like for us, after all he went through everything we do – yet without sin. He knows each of us by name, as we belong to him in holy Baptism. And even though he knows we are wayward sheep, he does not deny us. Instead he seeks us, finds us, claims us, and brings us to himself.

Jesus, the true shepherd, stands in contrast to the false shepherds. He knows his sheep, and we know him. And remember, he is the gate to the sheep-pen.

Yes Jesus is not only a good shepherd, he is the only good shepherd. He is the only door, the one true gate, the exclusive way to safety. No one comes to the father but by him, he says later. But here, the metaphor of the sheep-pen. A safe place to spend the night. Protected and fed, this pen is the safe-haven of his kingdom. Here, the sheep take refuge. Here the sheep rest secure.

But there is only one way in. And he is that way. Jesus is the gate. Only through him do we have any hope at all. But in him, and through him, we have life, and have it abundantly.

See, the true shepherd is also the true lamb- the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. For he died to save the sheep from sin, and he rose to bring this life to the sheep.

So follow him, you sheep of his pasture and pen. Watch out for the false shepherds! Hear and listen to the voice of your shepherd. He is the true shepherd. He knows you, even better than you know him. He brings you to the safety of his care and keeping. And he feeds you even now.

SWD UNANIMOUSLY Resolves to Support Issues Etc.!

The South Wisconsin District Pastors Conference just passed the following resolution UNANIMOUSLY by voice vote.
__________________________________

Resolution for South Wisconsin District Pastoral Conference
April 1-9 2008

Whereas: Issues Etc. weekday and national Sunday night show was cancelled on Tuesday March 18th; and

Whereas: Issues Etc. averaged around 250,000 podcast downloads each month making it easily the highest listened to program on KFUO; and

Whereas This was a divers and word wide audience, thus presenting “critical events” every day; and

Whereas This cancellation was abruptly done and not allowing the congregations that supported the National show to give fair warning to the stations carrying the show; and

Whereas This potentially left congregations paying for unused airtime due to contracts with local affiliates; and

Whereas We should desire that all things be done civilly and carefully so that no congregations be negatively affected by this action; and

Whereas This could have been done by giving the Rev. Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz two month notification of the cancellation of their employment and the Issues Etc. program, would have allowedd them time to communicate with supportive congregations and national affiliates enabling them to work buy outs of contracts or cancellation of programming; and

Whereas This sheds a negative light on the LCMS nationally and those involved with local stations carrying the program; Therefore be it

Resolved that the South Wisconsin District Pastoral Conference Spring 2008 express with a united voice their displeasure with tboth the cancellation of the program and the way it was handled. And that every effort be made to resotre the Rev. Todd Wilken, Jeff Schwarz, and Issues Etc. program; and be it further

Resolved that the South Wisconsin District Pastoral Conference Spring 2008 request president John Wille to express its concerns with the COP, the Synod's Board of Directors, the Board of Communication Services and President Gerald Kieschnick; and be it finally

Resolved that we pray for and support the Rev. Todd Wilken, Jeff Schwarz and their families and all parties involved and that a God-pleasing and peaceful conclusion be reached.

Issues Etc. - Action at the SWD Pastors' Conference?

Just arrived at the South Wisconsin District Pastors' Conference, and I understand there is a move afoot to pass a resolution showing disappointment with the cancellation of "Issues, Etc.".

I will update you on the progress of this effort.

"Mission-minded"

"Mission-minded" is one of the buzzwords in the LCMS today.

But how about,

"Doctrine-minded"

"Liturgy-minded"

"Confession-minded"

"Gospel-minded"

or even better -

"Christ-minded"

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. " Phillipians 2:5-10 (ESV)

Lutherans Signing Things

Statement of the 44: 44

"That They May Be One": 37

Jesus First Affirmations: 1195

The "Bring Back Issues Etc." Petition: 6200+ (In JUST TWO WEEKS!)

And this, with "only 64 listeners", er, um, something like that.

Israel Trip Photos

Even if you are not on Facebook, you can apparently see the photos I have uploaded there from my November 2007 Israel Trip.

Album 1

Album 2

Album 3

Album 4

I took many more photos (over 1000!), but these are the ones I selected as the "highlights".

Sermon - Easter Sunday - Colossians 3:1-4

The Resurrection of our Lord
Colossians 3:1-4
“With Christ”

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed. Alleluia!)

It is the day of victory. Christ has defeated his foes – vanquished sin and the Devil and death itself. And with good reason, this is the high holiday of the Christian church. Not even Christmas approaches the joy and glory that fill this day. With all God's people from every time and place, we join the chorus: Christ is Risen! (He is risen indeed. Alleluia!)

We celebrate His victory. But we also know that his victory is our victory. His vindication is our vindication. His life is our life. We see this reflected in our Easter Epistle from Colossians 3, which will serve as our text.

There is a new ad campaign being run on TV by some financial institution that has merged with another. The commercials revolve around one word: “with”. “She's with child”. “I'm with her”. “I'm with the band”. And of course these two companies are now “with” each other. “With” is a word of connection, a word of relationship. It tells you something about me, by knowing who I am with. True enough.

Today our Easter Epistle also keys in on the word “with” several times. We will consider who and what we are with, both as people who sin and as people who are saved. An important preposition which expresses the amazing proposition – we are “with Christ”.

So who are you with today? Perhaps you've come to church with your family or with a friend. Perhaps you are all alone. But that's not what I mean. I mean who are you with? Where does your allegiance lie?

It may seem like a strange question, or one that we don't often think about. But in terms of Holy Scripture there are really only two answers. Either we are with the Lord or we are not. Either we are with him, or we are against him. Who are you with?

We'd all like to think we are with the Lord, but our actions say otherwise. We call it sin. Not merely guilt by association, but sin has infected our very nature. So we are born with sin. And it is our constant companion. We do wrong things because we think wrong thoughts. We think wrong thoughts because our hearts are wrong. And so with sin comes death and with death comes sorrow and with sorrow comes tears. Were we left in our sins, we would be with-out hope.

But God does not leave us with our sins. With him all things are possible, even salvation. And so he sent us Immanuel - “God With Us” - His Son, Jesus Christ.

And Colossians tells us that now, we are “with Christ”.

First, we are raised “with Christ”. This means that we are connected with Christ in his death, and in his resurrection. He died for us, yes. But in a sense we died with him. Good Friday was the end... of our sins. “It is finished” didn't mean he was finished. But our sins are. Dead with Jesus.

But Christ has risen from the dead, not only for us, but with us. He is the first-born of the dead, not the “only-child”. Yes, in his resurrection, is our resurrection. It's very much as if we, ourselves, came back to life in his glorious defeat of death on this day.

And being raised with Christ means that our minds will also be with him – set on things above, where he is. Let our earthly thoughts reflect the heavenly reality, and let the effects of our resurrection with him begin even now.

But perhaps you don't feel resurrected today. Maybe another Easter means another Spring with a whole new slew of activities. Or maybe it means another reminder that you are getting older, and you have to pay for all those calories of Easter candy. Maybe it's great to be in church with all the singing and fanfare, but from here you go back to your daily grind of stress and problems, work, conflicts, sickness, what-have-you. Is this triumphant worship service a thin veneer of joy laid over the doldrums of everyday life? You say I am raised with Christ. But I don't feel resurrected. It's hard to see Christ in my life.

Yes, you have died. Yes, you are raised with Christ. But your life is hidden with Christ in God. There is a sense of paradox in all this celebration. The old funeral prayer says, “in the midst of life we are in death”. But Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies. And he who lives and believes in me will never die”.

Life and death at the same time. A reality that we can see, and one that is hidden. A life that one day will be revealed, but for now that we accept by faith. We are with Christ. We died and rose with him. And now our life is with him, though we can't see it.

But one day we will see it. One day our life will appear. Christ is our life, of course, and when he appears in glory then we too will appear with him in glory. Then we will easily see the reality of our eternal life in resurrected, glorified bodies. And that life, we will live forever with Christ.

This Easter Sunday – with all the believers of the past, with all the Christians around the world today, with this congregation and with angels and archangels – we praise his holy name. We confess and we know that we are with Christ, in death to sin, and we are with him in life forever. And we look forward to the final day when we appear with him in glory. For Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed. Alleluia!) Amen.

Sermon - Good Friday - Isaiah 53:4-6

“It's not my problem.” He could have said that. From heaven's high throne, when our Lord looked down on the little blue marble and into a little green garden on the man and woman he had created. And when he saw they were hastily sewing fig-leaves together in a futile attempt to cover their shame. They had a big problem. They crossed the line. But it wasn't his problem.

And yet he walked in that garden in the cool of the day, calling them by name – calling them to repentance, and for some reason – promising them hope. Her seed will crush the serpent's head. But, his heel will be bruised.

“I'm not my brother's keeper” Ah, but yes, Cain, you were. We all are. Love your neighbor as yourself. Bear each others' burdens. Yet more laws we ignore. But it's not enough for us to just ignore our brothers and sisters. Instead we hurt and harm their reputations, their possessions, even their bodies and life. Your brother's blood screams out for vengence against you too. But the blood of Jesus speaks a better word, a word of forgiveness.

“I have betrayed innocent blood” said Judas, “And what is that to us?” said the Jews. “Not our problem”.

“This man is innocent – I wash my hands of him. Crucify him yourselves. His blood is on you.” “Not my problem”.

And the Son of God could have said the same. Oh, you sinned? Not my problem. You ate the fruit? Killed your brother? Betrayed your Lord? Not my problem. He didn't have to stand in the way of that speeding locomotive of God's wrath. He didn't have to take your place on the cross. It wasn't his problem. He wasn't the sinner, you were. He didn't deserve death. But we all do.

We have all gone astray – like obstinate sheep. Not his way, but MY way! And so we have a problem. Actually we have many problems. Iniquities. Griefs. Sorrows. Illness. Conflict. We are lost. You know sin, don't you? Those dark deeds you would rather hide and deny and rationalize. The things that trouble your conscience, or at least the things that should. Yes, you have an inkling of your sin, but you will never fully grasp it like he does. Our sinfulness is so complete, we fall so short of God's perfect standard, that we don't even realize. You were even conceived and born in sin. Your every waking breath and thought is tainted by sin. Every deed and word – the word and deed of a sinful mind and heart and mouth. Who can know the depths of his own sin?

And who can know its true consequences? Yes, there is pain in childbirth. There are thorns growing in the ground. Life is hard. Work is hard. Troubles and sorrows and griefs come and then come again. Loved ones fall ill and perish. And one day we too like the grass, will wither and die.

But far beyond the temporal, earthly, present consequences is the eternal punishment. The separation from our holy God in eternal shame and suffering. The place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. An unending torment richly deserved by the enemies of God. Who can know the true depth of such punishment? We can only begin to imagine such a nightmare.

It's not his problem. But he made it his problem. He took on our sin. He carried our sorrows. He bore our griefs. And the punishment we deserved fell on him.

He knows the true consequences of sin. He knows the sorrow and grief sin brings. He was like us in every way, yet without sin. But he knew the sufferings of this world. He was well acquainted with grief.

He is the Suffering Servant foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Stricken, smitten and afflicted. Wounded for our transgression, crushed for our iniquities. Upon him the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes, we are healed.

He made our problems his problem. He made our sins his own. He took our punishment and bore it. He died our death, and defeated it.

He even suffered our hell – there on Calvary – forsaken by God as we deserve to be. All the physical suffering pales in comparison to this great anguish. Who can know the depths of sin and its wages? Christ alone, for he endured it.

And only now, in Christ, we can say sin is “not my problem”. Not in a callous or cavalier way. But in awe-filled and humble gratitude that he took our sin on himself, and made it his problem. Christ spoke the final word on sin, here at the cross. “It is finished”. His work is finished. His sacrifice is finished. Sin is finished.

And now, as they lay his cold clay in the tomb, some might think he, too, is finished. But we know what he promised. His time in the tomb will be short. Now it is evening, but morning will soon dawn. Yet, in the dark of this Good Friday, ponder quietly the one who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. For with his stripes, we are healed.

Good Friday Snowstorm Cancellations -

Lutheran High School's Tre Ore services are cancelled today.

Grace Lutheran Church will still have Good Friday service this evening at 6:30 PM.

Oh, Don't Hold a Protest...

While it may make you feel better, I think the protest is a bad idea. I echo the thoughts of FatherDMJ here...

Sign the "Issues Etc. Petition"

You can find it here: http://www.petitiononline.com/Issues/petition.html

The "Issues" Issue

Look what I found... (feel free to copy)



I don't have much more to offer on the "Issues" issue than has already been said on the Wittenberg Trail and the various blogs.

I do think that those responsible for this decision (whoever they are-since we are not being told)will likely come to regret it. What happened to Issues might just become a rallying point for the Lutheran wing of the LCMS.

Either the show will go on in a new and better incarnation or else it will become the banner for the fight... like... the Alamo. (hopefully both)

The brave souls at the Alamo lost that battle, but then there was the war....

Issues Etc. Cancelled!!??

Weedon reports here.

Sermon - John 12:12-18

Palm Sunday - Sunday of the Passion
John 12:12-18, Matthew 27:11-66

Sunday - Riding on a beast of Burden
Friday – Carrying the burden of his own cross

Sunday – they laid their garments before him
Friday – they divided his garments among them

Sunday – They shouted Hosanna! Which means, “Save us”
Friday – They jeered, “He saved others but he can't save himself”

Sunday – the adulation, “Blessed is he!”
Friday – the hatred, “Crucify!”

Sunday – he prophesied correctly where and how the colt could be found.
Friday – the guards struck him and mocked, “prophesy – tell us who struck you”

Sunday – his disciples close at hand, preparing his way
Friday – his disciples forsake him, running away

Sunday – Palm branches strewn in honor
Friday – Thorns twisted into a shameful crown

Sunday – Crowds following and honoring him
Friday – Crowds crying for his blood

Sunday – he enters the temple in triumph
Friday – the temple curtain is torn in two

What a difference the better part of a week can make. Today is Palm Sunday – the day of our Lord's triumphal entry into the Holy City of Jerusalem. He had just raised Lazarus from the dead, to the amazement of many onlookers.

The excitement builds now, as he makes his approach to Jerusalem, and the air is filled with expectations of messianic proportions, also with the shouts and songs and praises of people who somehow recognized him for who he was. The Son of David. The Savior.

But what bitter irony the week would bring. They expected the establishment of his kingdom. They were looking for deliverance. And Jesus came to do all that. But not they way they expected.

If Palm Sunday brought glory, Good Friday brought shame. If Sunday brought joyous celebration, Good Friday would bring sorrow and grief. But in both these days, as in all days, Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is bringing salvation to his people. Jesus is glorified, not only in triumphal pageantry, but also in shameful suffering.

But know this – Palm Sunday was for you. And Good Friday was for you. All that Jesus does, is for you, and for all his people.

In this triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus illustrates the establishment of his kingdom. Jesus, the king, comes.

Palm Sunday occurs, in a sense, each time our Lord enters the heart of a sinner, and is received in faith. Palm Sunday occurs when his kingdom is established and renewed by the preaching of his word and the administration of his sacraments. And Palm Sunday points forward, finally, to that final day to come, when he arrives in ultimate glory, in which every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. Then he will ride no donkey, but the clouds themselves, accompanied by the angelic shout and trumpet call of God.

And in his triumph, we too shall triumph – over sin and death and the devil, all our enemies which are put the shame in his complete and eternal victory.

But Good Friday is for you, too, and for all. There, in shameful death, in sorrow and pain, our Lord died for the sins of the whole world, and for you sins. There he bore the punishment we deserve. There he shed his innocent blood that our guilty blood would not be shed. A perfect life to redeem untold sinful lives – the death of God's only Son to make us all his children forever. The crown of thorns, the flogging, the mocking, the betrayal, the denial, the forsaking, the nails, the spear, the nakedness, the thirst, the dishonor – all of it was for you. Yes Jesus hung on the cross in shame for you, just has he rode the donkey in glory for you.

And in the shame of the cross is an even greater glory than all the hosannas they sang. In the death of Jesus we see God's ultimate plan for the salvation of sinners – a plan to sacrifice his own Son, whom he loved, for a world of people that hated him. Could anything make less sense? Could anything be more divine?

On this Palm Sunday, join the ancient Jews in singing hosannas to the only one who can save us. And in this Holy Week, remember and appreciate all our Lord went through, for you. And next Sunday, we will celebrate an even greater glory, as Hosanna becomes Alleluia, and we mark his glorious Resurrection.

ELCA Sex Statement (Draft Only!)

You can slog through it here....

And so the anti-biblical agenda of the pro-homosexual forces in the ELCA inches forward.

I was going to pull out some of the more disturbing nuggets, but it's almost Holy Week and I have pastor-stuff to do.

Sermon - Lent 5 - John 11:1-45

Lent 5
John 11:1-45
“Jesus Wept”

We've often mentioned how the mood of this season of Lent is more serious, contemplative, and even slightly somber. Today, it's Jesus who is even brought to tears at the grave of his friend Lazarus. Most of us know that this verse, John 11:35, “Jesus wept”, is the shortest in the Bible. But let's zero in on it today, especially, and there in our Savior's tears find a message of sin and grace.

First, some context. Jesus was approaching Jerusalem. Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters lived, is really a suburb of the Holy City. And there, in Jerusalem, Jesus knew he would meet his fate at the hands of the Jews. He knew his own death was approaching. Even his disciples seemed to sense things were reaching a turning point, for Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him”.

We too, know that Holy Week and Good Friday are approaching. We too should be preparing mentally, emotionally, spiritually, for the observance of our Lord's suffering and death.
But here in Bethany, it was Lazarus who had died. Jesus had been called when Lazarus was still alive, but sick. But his arrival was, it seemed, too late. By the time Jesus got there, Lazarus worsened and died.

So was Jesus crying at the grave of his friend out of guilt? Knowing that he could have saved him, had he not dilly-dallied? No, of course not. Jesus knew how this would end. He told his disciples, “for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” He tells Martha the same, “I am the resurrection and the life” and “Your brother will live”. No, Jesus knows how it ends. That's not why he was weeping.

Why then? Was he weeping in some sort of show or sham? Like the hired mourners who wailed along with the funeral procession and at the tomb? Was he faking these tears? Of course not. Our Lord is always honest, even in his actions.

Was this an example for us to follow? To let us know that it's ok for us to weep at the graves of our loved ones? It might not be why he wept but that certainly is true. The scriptures never tell us not to cry when death comes, but only not to grieve like those who have no hope. Yes, even for Christians who believe in the promises of God about life after death, paradise and resurrection, even for us death is troublesome and painful. There is grief even when there is hope.

So too for Jesus. And perhaps we are approaching the reason for his tears. Even knowing fully well that Lazarus will rise again, and shortly, Jesus is still moved by the sorrow of death. Death is no friend to God and his people. Death is the wages of sin. Death is the interloper, which does not belong in this creation but has come to stay. It is the necessary result of sinful flesh to die, and return to the dust from which it is formed. And with death comes pain, sorrow, grief, and fear. Nothing pleasant, there. This is why Jesus weeps.

So too, his soul would be deeply troubled in the Garden of Gethsemane, a few days later. “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” he said. For again, Jesus would have to face death. Now, his own, but nonetheless.

And even though he knew how it would end – even though he knew the resurrection was coming afterward – still he is troubled. There is much to learn here about godly suffering.
Christianity is no trite system of positive thinking in which we are to simply put on a happy face. It is no promise of a life free from tears. Indeed, the opposite. Christians are told of the persecution, suffering and cross-bearing that goes along with our faith. And God never makes a promise that he will keep us from all pain and unpleasant experience.

There are beautiful promises about the world to come – a heavenly Jerusalem in which all suffering ends, and where God will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more mourning there, for even death itself will be destroyed. And the hope of that day, the promise of that future, does give comfort to us in our earthly tears.

As does the promise of his presence. We know that he is with us always, even in our suffering, even to the end of the age. We know that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ – not trouble or nakedness or danger or sword. He says, “I will never leave you. I will never forsake you.” And we are comforted, even in our tears.

And we know that he sympathizes with us in our weakness, for he, Christ, was like us in every way, yet without sin. He experienced all of our human sorrow and then some. He is the “man of sorrows, and well acquainted with grief”. He even knew the pain of death – death of a loved one, death he would face for us all on the cross.

I imagine those tears of sorrow turned to tears of joy as Lazarus came out of his grave at the command of the Lord. I imagine the mourners, and the sisters, and perhaps even Jesus himself – wept tears anew, tears of joy seeing Lazarus walking and talking and alive.

So too, the empty tomb of Christ would give all of us, his people, cause for weeping tears of joy. For not only is our Lord alive again, but his resurrection means that he has conquered death for us all. He is our forerunner in death and in resurrection – going where we will someday follow. In Jesus we can see our future. In Jesus we have hope and comfort.

When life brings you to tears, remember Jesus wept. Know that he understands. And far from dismissing your tears of pain, he offers sympathy and hope. For as Lazarus was raised, Christ was raised, so we all shall be raised on that great and glorious day when God will wipe every tear from our eyes. In Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Sniff...

This is a test....

This is a test of the Journal Times Blogging system.

This is only a test. This is to see if my blogger account will send properly formatted blog posts to the Journal Times blog site.

This concludes the test.

Blog Meltdown - New Template

Something went haywire and it looks like I will have to redo my blog template. Pardon the dust while it's under construction.

Sermon - Lent 4 - John 9:1-41

Lent 4
John 9:1-41
“Blind but now I see”

Many of us have trouble with our eyes. If you're around long enough you may need a pair of reading glasses. And while medical advances and the use of laser surgery have made many advances, disease and dysfunction of the eye is something no one wants to see.

But most of us have never been blind. And most of us never will be. Maybe you can imagine it by being blind-folded. Or as you fumble around in the middle of the night. But true blindness – not being able to see at all – we may have a slight chance of it by accident or disease, but at least we weren't born blind, like the man in our Gospel reading. Or were we?

I don't have to tell you that physical blindness is an apt metaphor for being spiritually blind. In fact, in the last few weeks we've heard of Nicodemus, who was blind to some basic teachings of the kingdom, and the woman at the well, whose eyes were also opened by Jesus. Now the man born blind, whom Jesus heals. But as we ponder blindness and sight, sin and forgiveness today, let's also remember that spiritually speaking, we too are blind from birth. Like the lyrics to that favorite hymn, “I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see”.

The disciples saw the man who was born blind, and they wanted to know why such a thing would happen. They assumed that his blindness was a punishment for a particular sin. But they weren't sure whether he himself, or his parents were to blame. When Jesus says, “it was not this man who sinned or his parents” he doesn't mean to suggest that the blind man or his parents were perfect and holy. Jesus is trying to correct their reasoning that bad things happen to bad people (and therefore since I am relatively healthy, I must be relatively good). Baloney. We are all sinners alike, subject to the sometimes fickle effects of sin and death in our world. Throughout the New Testament Jesus repudiates this kind of “you must have deserved that” gloating from pride-filled observers.

Perhaps the disciples were blind to their own blindness. Perhaps they were so focused on this man and wondering what his sin was that they couldn't recall their own. Indeed, Jesus tells us to watch out for logs in our eyes.

But if the disciples had a log in their eye, the Pharisees must have had whole trees. They too, ironically, were blind to the truth. They couldn't see how someone who broke their man-made rules of Sabbath could possibly be one sent from God.

So they interrogate the formerly-blind man. One day soon, they would put the Lord himself on trial. In both cases they were blind to the evidence before them. This Jesus was no mere man, no sinner (like them), but he was and is the Son of God. They were blind. And only later would some of them see.

Their ferocious legalism scared the blind man's parents, but could not squelch the newly-sighted man's confession:

27I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again?”
(So it seems they are deaf as well as blind...)

Do you also want to become his disciples?"
(A little bit of sarcasm here, but the man confesses he has become a follower of Jesus.)

28And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."
(If they truly followed Moses they would follow the one greater than Moses...)

30The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.
(The man is perhaps more amazed at their unbelief than at his own miraculous healing...)

31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
(Indeed, it is only faith in Christ that our prayers are acceptable to God. Only when we see him does he hear us.)

32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.
But they too were born in utter sin. They too were blind, even to their own blindness. The truth is this once-blind man had much to teach them about faith in Christ, and yet they couldn't see it. Blinded by their rage, their pride, their legalism and their unbelief, they cast out the supposed sinner and shut their eyes to the sinners in the mirror.

And what of us? Are we the Pharisees? Too proud or stuck in our ways to see Christ for who he is? Too unwilling to hear him for what he says? Or are we once-blind men and women who appreciate the healing he has wrought? For he would come and open our blind eyes. He would first have us see that we are blind – in need of his healing. So we confess our sins. But he would also wash us clean, not in the pool of Siloam, but in the waters of Baptism. He would have us as his disciples. He would have us confess him before men, and we do.

For we have seen – not with our eyes, but with the eyes of faith. When we hear and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the scales fall from our eyes. Our hearts are regenerated, and forgiveness washes over us anew. Like Saint Paul, who was struck blind on the road to Damascus – we must first be struck by the law, see our sin, see our blindness.

Only then does God bring sight. And this sight goes beyond what is seen, for faith has to do with what is unseen. It is the assurance of such things, a rock-solid foundation of trust in God's promises. It sees cleansing of sin in simple baptismal water. It sees Christ's body and blood in humble bread and wine. Faith hears a pastor say, “I forgive you your sins in the name of Christ”, and faith knows it is as if Christ said it himself.

Born blind? Not physically, but spiritually we are. The question is, are you blind to your sin? If you see it, then turn your eyes also to the cross. And there see the answer to such blindness. For in that ugly vision of an innocent man, bloodied and beaten and scorned and rejected and thirsting and dying. There is God's love for sinners, like you and me. There is a sight for sore eyes, Jesus the Savior. And his death opens our eyes. And his open grave opens our grave. And his life forever is our life forevermore. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.

Sermon WITH VIDEO - Lent 3 - John 4:5-26

Lent 3
John 4:5-26
“Give me a drink”

“Give me a drink” he says. But Jews don't talk to Samaritans. Men don't talk to strange women. And especially not alone. But here at the well, Jesus has something to give this woman, even as he begins by asking.

“Give me a drink”. It was an historical watering hole, this well. Jacob, forefather of Jew and Samaritan alike, bought this land, and this well after he reconciled with his brother Esau. Now comes the one who would reconcile the world to God, a Jew to save a Samaritan, a man on whom all of history would turn. But these grand ideas begin with a simple request, “Give me a drink”.

There is so much to learn here at Jacob's well, as we listen in on the conversation. We can, perhaps, identify with the woman. She was a sinner, caught off guard by her encounter with the Lord. She was going about her business, when Jesus came on the scene. But Jesus knew all along where this conversation would lead...

Notice, she did not give Jesus what he asked. Instead, she started to pick a fight. It's a fight she probably had many times – Samaritans vs. Jews. Just as you know the arguments you have had time and again, perhaps even with the Lord. But this argument we can never win. Jesus didn't come here to fight anyway. He comes to offer a gift.

“If you knew the gift of God... and who it is that is saying to you, 'give me a drink' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” But she doesn't know who it is that asks. And she doesn't know what he's come to offer. At least not yet.

There was another time when Jesus asked for a drink. To fulfill scripture, but also surely from a very real thirst in his human nature, Jesus asked for a drink at the cross. “I thirst” he said. There, he would sacrifice his life for ours. There he would give us the gift of God – his very self, even his own life.

And then there is the drink he gives to the woman, and to us all. Living Water. You might think he's talking here about baptism, but really it's much more. Living Water entails all the gifts he gives that quench the spiritual thirst. Living Water is the water that gives true spiritual life. Living Water, really, is Jesus Christ himself, and all the blessings he brings. Like the Rock in the desert which brought forth life-giving water for God's people, Jesus is the source and font of all our blessings as God's children. The water he gives is free, it is abundant, and it gives life.

Sure, he gives it in the waters of baptism. There the water cleanses the stain of original sin, and anoints the child of God with faith and the very Spirit of God.

He gives living water in the bread and wine of his sacrament – his own body and blood – given and shed to forgive but also to sustain our life.

He gives living water in the proclamation of his word, where sins are declared forgiven and the sinner, that's you, is declared righteous.

All these blessings must sound good to her. “Give me this living water” she says. But first Jesus deals with her sin.

Jacob himself met his wife at a well. His romance with Rachel began as he, a weary traveller, met her at the well in Paddan-Aram. And here too, now, with Jesus, marriage is the subject matter. For this woman's sin revolves around marriage – her 5 previous husbands and current live-in might make a modern hollywood celebrity look stable. But Jesus condones neither divorce, nor living as husband and wife without marriage. He calls her on her sin. He has her dead to rights.
All our sin is a form of adultery against the Lord. And how many more than 5 times are we unfaithful to the bridegroom, Christ? And aren't we just as uneasy when our sin is dragged into the light of day?

There are, of course, many ways we try to squirm and squiggle out. We can rationalize. We can blame. We can look for excuses. We can live in denial. Or perhaps we just try to change the subject.

Perhaps her next question is raised from a need to change the subject. Maybe after the uncomforable spotlight on her sin, she would rather get back to arguing religion. But perhaps, her frank acceptance of Jesus' accusation, and her realization that he is a prophet means she is willing to hone up to her sin. Perhaps she asks this question to genuinely know. Where's the true place to worship?

See the Jews are always saying it's the temple, and the Samaritans say it's at Mt. Gerizim. But this woman had a need to find the true worship, and the true God. Jesus had awakened this yearning in her. By speaking of this Living Water, by reminding her of her sin, he brings her to an openness to hear one more astounding reality.

“The time is coming when it won't matter where you worship, but how. The true worshippers will worship in Spirit and Truth”.

“That sounds good, too, but it's all so confusing” she seems to say, “I just wish that the Messiah would come and sort it all out.”

And then the shocker.... “I who speak to you am he.”

And she is right. The Messiah did come and “tell us all things”. No, he doesn't give the answer to every question, but he certainly does to the ones that matter.

Not where do we, but who and how do we worship? How do we get this living water? What about my sins? All of these find answer in Jesus. All these have the same answer - Jesus!

We're not told for sure, but it seems the woman came to faith in Christ. John tells us she spread the news of their conversation, and many Samaritans did come to believe. Perhaps they too were confronted with their sins, and surely they found living waters in Jesus.

And so it is for us. Jesus comes to us, not at a well, but in a church. He isn't here so much to receive but to give his gifts. And since we know who he is, we ask for the living waters – when we confess our sin, when we kneel at his altar – we receive gratefully what he gives graciously. And by his grace, we too are made alive forevermore. “Give me something to drink” becomes our request to a Lord who has only the best to offer.

Whatever your sin today, whether its 5 husbands plus, a betrayal of trust, or a lie you've convinced yourself is true. Perhaps worry or fear, or doubt, or all three. Perhaps actions or words you wish you could take back. Perhaps a way of thinking you struggle to escape. Whatever your sin, don't try to hide it from the Lord or change the subject. He cannot be fooled.
Instead, confess it, and receive from him the living waters, that blessed flood in Jesus Christ. For the Messiah has come to you, to give you something to drink. Receive it in faith! Amen.

Sermon - Lent 2 - John 3:1-17

Lent 2
John 3:1-17

He just doesn't get it. But that doesn't stop Nicodemus from baring his soul before Jesus. “How can this be?”

As I grow older, I often marvel at how wise I am now compared to how foolish I was then. But then, every year I seem to learn that I really wasn't all that wise last year. (I can't imagine when I have the years of wisdom of Pastor Poppe). But I think for all of us there are times when we have to come humbly before the Lord and admit we don't have it all figured out. We bare our souls like a child, humbly asking how and why and when, Lord?

Nicodemus was a pharisee. Much like a professor of theology in that day. Respected for his age and wisdom. A pillar of the community. Seen as a wise man – certainly no young upstart. But here he was coming at night to find out what made this Jesus tick. He had questions, but the answers, too, would confound him.

Jesus, this country preacher from Galillee, probably 20 or 30 years his junior... with no authority of culture and institution behind him, and no official connection with the temple. But Jesus was doing things that no one could explain. His miracles, signs and wonders... these were the calling cards that got Nicodemus' attention. “We know that you are from God, for no one can do such things without God” Well he knew that much, but there was much more he didn't know.

Today some might call Nicodemus a “seeker”. But he wasn't part of the kingdom, at least not yet. Jesus took the opportunity to instruct the wise teacher, and all of us, in some of the basic truths of the faith. And while we are part of that kingdom, we too have much to learn from this night-time discourse.

Perhaps the most basic truth here is the one that we know the best. The “Gospel-in-a-nutshell” passage, John 3:16. Yes, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is why Jesus has come – for the love of God – for a world that is perishing – for Nicodemus, and for us. This truth, so simple, yet so profound, has made even the wisest men wonder. But there is so much more to the kingdom.

Let's back up. Nicodemus approaches Jesus and begins with flattery, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Skillful politics here, buttering Jesus up? Or is this an honest admission that he really is impressed with Jesus' works?

Either way, Jesus shrugs off this flattery and gets to the point. He is not really interested in being praised. He is, always, the servant. Nicodemus needs to see the kingdom, and Jesus nudges him toward it. You need to be born again, Nicodemus.

Have you ever had that question? “Are you born again?” Usually asked by a Christian of a certain theological persuasion... what does it mean? Have you had a conversion experience? Have you given your life over to Jesus? Are you not one of those luke-warm nominal believers, but a real, true, on-fire, enthusiastic, honest-to-God Christian?

Our Lutheran sensibilities are often puzzled by such a question. We don't want to squelch our friend's excitement, but, most of us have been Christians, and Lutherans for our whole life. We haven't had that moment of scales falling from our eyes. We haven't had that mountaintop experience. We never decided to ask Jesus into our heart. We're not really born-again. Or are we?

What is Jesus talking about here, “born again”? That's what Nicodemus wants to know. That's what we need to know. For we certainly want to see the kingdom. We want to be a part of God's people.

He tells us more: “Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit”. And this can only mean one thing – Holy Baptism.

How many of our “Born Again” friends would be shocked to know that Jesus' words here are in the context of a discussion on Holy Baptism. Not conversion experiences or Pauline moments of blindness turned to sight. Just simple water and a few words (though very special words). Holy Baptism, this precious gift, forgives sins, works faith, and yes, brings you into the kingdom. Oh, and by it, we are born again. Not of the flesh, but of the Spirit.

And yet, I think many of us Lutherans think of and treat Baptism wrongly. Like most of God's gifts which we take for granted, Baptism is often far from our mind. Why is it, that we turn the gift into a requirement, a hoop to jump through, in order to have all our Christian ducks in a row. Why do we think of baptism as something long ago that happened to me, a nice historical event but nothing relevant to my life today? Why is it, that only on their death-beds, do many finally look toward the comfort of baptism?

Speaking of death-beds, Monday the 18th is Martin Luther's death-day. So in honor of the great reformer, maybe we should hear what he says about baptism:

Thus it appears what a great, excellent thing Baptism is, which delivers us from the jaws of the devil and makes us God's own, suppresses and takes away sin, and then daily strengthens the new man, and is and remains ever efficacious
until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.

For this reason let every one esteem his Baptism as a daily dress in which he is to walk constantly, that he may ever be found in the faith and its fruits,that he suppress the old man and grow up in the new.

For if we would be Christians, we must practise the work whereby we are Christians. But if any one fall away from it, let him again come into it. For just as Christ, the Mercy-seat does not recede from us or forbid us to come to Him again, even though we sin, so all His treasure and gifts also remain. If,therefore we have once in Baptism obtained forgiveness of sin, it will remain every day, as long as we live, that is, as long as we carry the old man about our neck. (from Luther's Large Catechism)

So we need the daily gifts of baptism just as much as Nicodemus
did. We need the rebirth from sin just as much as that old pharisee with all his
questions and conflicts. We need not only the answers from the great teacher
Jesus, but we need also the gifts of his kingdom, that he came to bring.

Sin would have us outside of the kingdom, but God's grace in Christ brings us in. The devil, that wiley serpent, would confuse and confound us with his lies, but Jesus comes full of grace and truth. For Jesus was lifted up, like the serpent in the desert, that we might look to his cross, and to him, and believe.

Therefore daily, even this day, let us look to Christ, and receive thankfully his gifts. Let us by repentance and faith drown the Old Man – our sinful nature – there in the font of our baptism, and see the new man arise, to live before God in righteousness and purity, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Revitalization: Numbers vs. Faithfulness

Permit me a rant.

In our recent letter from the LCMS president's office, the process of congregational "revitalization" was highly touted. I heard a similar case for revitalization at our district office not too long ago.

I have a problem with "Revitalization". It's largely a problem of assumptions.

Both our district presentation and the president's letter begin by uncorking statistics which illustrate the declining numbers - of membership, in worship, and in giving - among us. The not-so-subtle message is, "declining numbers=devitalization".

But the word "vital" means having to do with life. And I challenge the notion that life in the church should be measured by such numbers. In fact, it is possible that even when "numbers are increasing", that life is fading away.

I would much rather see a qualitiative analysis about the health and life of our congregations. How well are we teaching the word of God? How are we receiving it? Are we thankful for the gifts God gives us? Are we anxious and worried about tomorrow? Are we faithful in our administration of word and sacrament?

Granted, these sorts of things are harder to measure. And to the extent that we apply the law (a very Lutheran thing to do) we will always find failure. And to the extent that we apply the Gospel, we will always see God's grace even in the midst of worldy "failures".

That's what's missing from all the talk of revitalization. The true source of vitality and life is the grace of God found in his word and sacraments as promised. Where's all the talk of this? Why all the focus on numbers? Is it just because they are easier to see? Or is it a lack of faith that even when numbers dwindle, God will preserve his remnant, that his word will have its desired effect, and so forth?

To be sure, worship attendance, adult confirmations, Christians sharing their faith, and all the other goals of this "revitalization" are good things. No one, even the most stodgy confessional/conservative pastor revels in seeing declines or stagnation in these numbers.

But some are good works that are the necessary fruits of faith - flowing from a right teaching of the Gospel. And these cannot (or at least SHOULD not) be made to happen by law-based programs and gimmicks.

And some numbers (like number of adult converts) are simply out of our control. How does one "revitalize" a community in population decline, or in economic recession? When the main industry in town shuts down a plant, it can affect your numbers in a way that now well-meaning church consultant can palliate.

Oh the temptation to speak of "success" in terms of numbers. How many people, even pastors who should know better, speak and think this way. I heard it myself at the district office the other day. "Oh, when I was there, that congregation was successful - but now the numbers are declining".

I suppose Jesus wasn't successful when many of his followers deserted him? Maybe he needed to revitalize himself. Palm Sunday, oh that was successful. But Good Friday, the numbers dwindled. Not so successful?

Oh that's right - he did "revitalize"- he rose from the dead.

And that, perhaps, is what I find insulting about all the talk of congregational revitalization. Those who insist it is so necessary are subtly stating that some congregations are not vitalized, are dying, or are dead. But they measure this not by faithfulness to scripture and our confessions and to God, but they measure it by who's in the pews.

As another wise pastor told me, "the times I have seen the most spiritual growth have often been times of declinging numbers".

Numbers vs. Faithfulness. These, I see are the competing values in the LCMS today. If we aim for faithfulness the numbers will follow - IF IT IS GOD'S WILL. But if we aim for numbers, we are in sorry shape, measuring success by a worldly and not godly standard. Let us, instead, be faithful. That's what our Lord desires.

Sermon - Lent 1 - Matthew 4:1-11

“Garden and Wildnerness”
Matthew 4:1-11 (Genesis 3:1-21)

Today is the first Sunday in the church season of Lent. It is a penitential time, in which we focus seriously on our Lord as suffering servant, paschal sacrifice, a man of sorrows. It is a time of deep and somber meditation, in which we also reflect on our sinfulness, though not forgetting his mercies in Christ.

This 40 day period of Lent traditionally begins with the Gospel reading about Jesus' 40 day period of temptation in the wilderness. And so we have Matthew's account of it today. And our system of readings also, very purposefully, chooses the Genesis account of man's fall into sin as the Old Testament passage for the day. What a wonderful pairing, as we reflect today on the first Adam and the Second Adam, and on the garden and the wilderness.

So much of what Jesus does is loaded with meaning. We can never underestimate the significance of his actions for us. Immediately after his baptism, the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness for a time of fasting and temptation. This is no coffee break. The rugged terrain was not hospitable for human existence. But the spiritual terrain was about to get even rockier.

Jesus is tempted. Satan himself takes the challenge, and in Jesus' moment of weakness, tempts him first with physical food. And the bells should be going off as we read this.

For Satan once tempted another human with food – famously – in the Garden of Eden. The forbidden fruit. From the tree of knowledge of good and evil. There Satan succeeded in his efforts, and woman and man fell into the misery of his company. Ever since, the tempter had been harassing the children of Adam – drawing and enticing them to all kinds of evil.

And he tempts us too. Don't think that he doesn't. If the evil one has the audacity to challenge the Lord Jesus himself, don't think somehow you are off limits. True, we don't know when it's the devil providing the temptation, for it may also be the sinful world or our own sinful self to blame. But nonetheless, our adversary delights in seeing us sin, in trying to fill our bellies and souls with anything that is not good or good for us.

Man cannot live by bread alone, Jesus counters, but man does live by the Word of God. Though we, like Adam and Eve, fall prey to temptations right and left, Jesus was victorious over the Tempter. We can only find victory over temptation through him. And we can only find forgiveness for our failures in him, and we can only live in his word.

Yes, in his word. The forgiving word of absolution. The promising words of the Lord's Supper. The claiming words of his own name placed on us at baptism. This word is the true food of wisdom, for he himself, is the very bread of life. We do not live on bread alone, or really at all. But we are made alive and we do live in each day in Jesus.

There, in the Garden of Eden, the first man and the first woman broke the first command at the first temptation. There, death, spiritual and physical, first came into the world. What a dark day it was. Perhaps the worst day ever. The beginning of all your bad days was there.

But then, there was also hope. For in the midst of the curse, even before he curses man and woman, God makes a promise, that one day the woman's offspring, her descendant, her seed – would crush the head of the serpent.

Here, in the wilderness, the gloves are off, and Satan's first confrontation with the Savior ends decisively. Three times, the tempter is foiled. Three times he is defeated by the word of God, spoken by the Living word. And no small victory this was – the first time a human had ever faced the devil and won. In the reversal of Adam's fall, the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, comes to restore what was lost in Eden, to bring life to a land of death, hope to despair, and victory to those lost in sin. Now it was the tempter whose day was ruined.

That victory in the wilderness foretold, of course, of an even greater victory on another dark day. When the serpent's head was truly crushed under the weight of the cross. When Jesus death on the tree erased the sin that came by the tree of knowledge. When the fruits of the forbidden fruit were put away for all.

And then, in the garden where they laid him in a borrowed tomb, Jesus would rise to life again – thus guaranteeing life to all his people. So death, that interloper which came with sin into the garden of Eden is made no more in the garden of the resurrection.

Adam and Eve were banned from paradise, evicted from the garden for their sin. They were made to go outside the domesticated fruit groves of Eden, pleasing to the eye and good to eat – cast out into the wild of thorns and thistles. And an angel with a flaming sword barred the way back.

Jesus goes willingly to the wilderness. Away from food and comfort and he goes alone. He goes there to bring us back from the wilderness of our sins. To rescue Adam and Eve and all their children, restoring us to paradise. No fire-brandishing angel bars the gate for us any longer. Instead they sing at his joyous birth, announce his blessed resurrection, and they will accompany his return in glory.

As our forty day Lenten sojourn begins, the mood is thoughtful, serious, even perhaps tense. We go with him into the wilderness. We come face to face with sin and temptation, and recognize our powerlessness before the old evil foe. But Jesus has won the victory. He defeats the devil in the Judean wilderness, and in the garden of resurrection. He restores paradise and all that was lost in sin. He brings life again. Welcome back from the wilderness. Welcome to the garden, in Jesus Christ, Amen.

Dubuque Church TLH Stunt

An unnamed Lutheran congregation (apparently ELCA) in Dubuque, Iowa, has what can only be described as a "stunt".

This is truly unbelievable. They are not only going to use the old "red hymnal", they are also going to dress like they did in the 1950's.

What saddens me most is the gross misunderstanding of grace by the author, reflected even in the title. As if grace means endorsing sin.... In fact, grace is meaningless without sin. When you take away all the sins... there is nothing left to forgive.

Let's not do as we feel Jesus would do. Let's read his word (in its entirity) and follow the whole counsel of God - regarding both sin AND grace.