Preachrblog

Luke 16:19-31 September 26th, 2010 “The Rich Man and Lazarus, Faith and the Word” Once upon a time, we are told, there lived a rich man - dressed in the best and living high on the hog. And at his gate, poor Lazarus, begging for crumbs and getting none, licked by the dogs. No happy ending or just desserts in this world, Lazarus dies in poverty. Mr. Moneybags dies too, but apparently enjoyed his great wealth to the end. But justice is served, as the rich man goes to torment. Lazarus goes to paradise, even stands with Father Abraham. We could end the story right here, but Jesus doesn't. The real point isn't that the good and the poor go up, and the rich and the wicked go down. The real point is to come.... In torment, the rich man begs for mercy, but it is too late, and the chasm is too wide. What's done is done. Abraham respects God's judgment and won't change it. And this should rightly terrify every sinner. For sin brings suffering, and we deserve it no...

1 Timothy 2:1-15 September 19th, 2010 “Called” Law and Gospel. The Sacraments. A Christ-centered approach to Scripture. Lutheran theology brings us many important and unique understandings, often missed by other Christians. One of those will be helpful for us today is the doctrine of Vocation. Your vocation, or your calling, is any role or station or office into which you have been called and in which you rightfully serve. Your vocation isn't simply your job – butcher, baker, candlestick maker. It's much more. What roles do you fill? Father, mother, husband, wife, child, student, employer, employee, citizen, office holder, pastor, parishioner, or even the calling of every Christian. The fact is, God calls us to various places and stations in life, roles and tasks, relationships and offices. And we all have multiple vocations. And in each of those callings, God sets forth certain parameters and guidelines. Who do you answer to? Who do you serve, and how? What are y...

Scott Diekmann , an internet friend and fellow Lutheran blogger, recently posted a nice little piece thanking his friends (real and "virtual"). Thanks, Scott, for giving me the idea. Here are some of the other friends I'd like to thank: My wife , who keeps me humble and balances me out in so many ways - and is way more awesome than she'll ever realize. Pastor Jim Roemke, who has become one of my best friends and always gets me to laugh. Pastor Randal Poppe, for being an awesome partner in the Ministry, and being the "brake" to my "gas pedal". We're so different, but our theology is the same and that makes all the difference. Along that line, everyone at Grace Lutheran Church, Racine - an absolutely awesome congregation - supportive of her pastors, hungry for the Word of God, not perfect - but growing in wisdom and the fear of the Lord all the time. Jim Pierce of letting me virtually cry on his shoulder late one night when I was thinking of ...

Luke 14:25-33 September 5th, 2010 “Counting the Cost” Sometimes the teachings of Jesus are hard to swallow. For those with only a shallow view of our Lord, or a twisted understanding of what the Christian faith is about – an honest look at what Jesus actually says could be rather puzzling. Take his teaching in our Gospel reading today. Hate your family? Renounce your very life? Carry your cross? This is not the self-help guru Jesus that many have come to believe in. This is not the love and peace Jesus that many think he is. “Count the cost of discipleship”, Jesus teaches today. And the cost is high. It's worth noting, perhaps, that Jesus gave these hard words as his popularity was reaching a fever pitch. “Large crowds followed him”. And perhaps not for the right reasons. Whatever they were looking for, it wasn't what Jesus had come to do and be. I think it's much the same today. You look at some of the largest churches, the fastest-growing with the big budgets. Their pasto...

It's been a year now since our congregation went through its most intense conflict in about 30 years. I haven't spoken much about it outside of our congregation, and I don't think I should. Those of you who are here know the details, and the tragedy of it all. Now that we've had some time to "cool down" a bit, I thought I'd offer some reflections for the benefit of any others who go through such a fiasco. Some of these are quite obvious, some might not be. And some of these insights I knew in theory, but learned in a whole new way living through them - in much the same way I knew "lots about parenting" until I actually became a parent. 1) Always be faithful, no matter the cost . (Rev. 2:10) There will be many competing interests and motivations in a church conflict, and temptations to take the easy way out. Remember you are called, above all, to be faithful. Seek God's will first in his revealed Word - and listen to it! The other voices, not ...