Category Archives: Lutheran Christianity

Confession, bone deep honest with God, with His minister

Dr Martin Luther did not post his 95 Theses and then be pursued for the next 30 odd years to have the baby thrown out with the bath water. He had problems with the Roman Church, but it was not about liturgy or Biblical practices, it was about abuses that arose from the Roman Church adding to the Bible. Communion, baptism, confession were not an issue, Luther had no problem with these because they were Biblical. He did have problems with the ways they had become corrupted, but not with the biblical principals.

However subsequent “reformers” chose to dump those practices that they just did not like. Not that they were unbiblical, they just didn’t like practices such as understanding that baptism meant new birth in Jesus. They just did not like that the bread and wine in communion, were the actual Body and Blood of Jesus, they didn’t like the idea of confessing to another person, even though the Bible is pretty clear. It frankly seems as though those who come through Reformed Christianity or other avenues that only seem to emphasize personal preferences, or personal improvement in order to further their own lives, come to the realization that the spiritual practices of Christianity do have a much more profound meaning and do what is far more important in our lives, build our relationship with God.

Mark Buchanan is very much in the Reformed Christian branch of Protestantism, an ordained Baptist minister and well known author. He also quotes Richard Foster, a Quaker, definitely not Lutheran! In his book Your God is too Safe (p 166) “…Protestants became so scornful of the Roman Catholic practice of confession that we dropped it altogether and ended up creating churches of smiling, laughing, savvy people who are dying on the inside and too afraid to let anyone know. First Church of the Whitewashed Tombs. This, too, bypasses the real issue of spiritual growth. Rather than bear fruit, we’ve tended to paint it on and hope nobody notices that we have no real roots or sap to grow fruit anyhow.”

Full disclosure, I would have to concede, that even though Lutherans retain the confessional, corporate and individual confession, they don’t really practice it. When I was at seminary, graduated 2010, the seminary chaplain held confession every Wednesday. Out of about 500 students and maybe 100 professors, staff etc, he said that he had about 25 people attend confession, about 5% of the possible population. I was one of the 5% and found great benefit in personal confession. Lutherans talk confession, but actual practice, eh… not so much.

Lutherans do practice corporate confession, meaning at the beginning of every worship, we have confession, agreeing we are sinners in need of divine forgiveness and then I announce that as “a called and ordained servant of Jesus Christ and by His authority I forgive you all of your sins.” So I’m sure many feel that the base is covered.

Pastor Buchanan goes on to say: ” Confession is when we quit all the deal making, the sidestepping, the mask wearing, the pretense and preening and we get bone-deep honest before God…” (p 167)

“…In order to present our real selves to God, we need to be honest with ourselves about ourselves and honest about ourselves to at least one other trusted and godly person.”

I submit, being a person that has to learn all about the subject, has been trained to listen, has taken an oath to never discuss anything that has been confessed to him, called the “sanctity of the confessional” which is even recognized under the law and would be a reason to discharge me from the ministry should I violate that sanctity, that maybe you want me to be that “trusted and godly person.” Puhlease do not get some goofy idea that this feeds some prurient interest on my part. Nothing could be further from the truth, hearing someone’s confession is not something that I relish or look forward to. But I see it as a responsibility. As a pastor I am going to be held to a higher standard in the final judgment and I am not going to be put in the position of being asked, “it would have helped people to know that you offered regular confession, you had the opportunity to do it, why didn’t you?

While Dr Luther did not have a problem with confession, he did have a problem with how the Roman church did business conducting confession. I will readily stipulate that because the concept of confession has been undermined and frankly trivialized by the Roman church (to wit, go and say five Hail Marys and the stations of the cross, come back and I will forgive you), that has allowed most to simply dismiss it as a relic of a past church. As a baptized Christian you are forgiven, we have that assurance when we take the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. Yes you are forgiven. Jesus died for all your sins. Your works do not add to your forgiveness.

Having said that Pastor Buchanan quotes Richard Foster (please note that Mr Foster is a Quaker, again not a Roman Catholic with an agenda, or Lutheran for that matter.):

“The person who has known forgiveness and release from persistent, nagging habits of sin through private confession [that is, to God alone] should rejoice greatly in this evidence of God’s mercy. But there are others for whom this has not happened. Let me describe what it is like. We have prayed, even begged, for forgiveness and though we hope we have been forgiven, we sense no release. We doubt our forgiveness and despair at our confession. We fear that perhaps we have made confession only to ourselves and not to God. The haunting sorrows and hurts of the past have not been healed. We try to convince ourselves that God forgives only the sin; he does not heal the memory. But deep within … we know there must be something more. People have told us to take our forgiveness by faith and not call God a liar. Not wanting to call God a liar, we do our best to take it by faith. But because misery and bitterness remain in our lives, we again despair. Eventually we begin to believe either that forgiveness is only a ticket to heaven and not to affect our lives now, or that we are unworthy of the forgiving grace of God.”

I’ve had men tell me “I don’t confess my sin to men.” Well tough guy that’s not biblical, it’s just not. James’ epistle 5:16 clearly states: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Ya, you may think you have it altogether, but honestly, those are the type of people that end up with all sorts of additional problems that they allow to come between themselves and God. The manly thing to do? I did it. Sit across from someone who you can trust and say I need absolution, I need to know from someone I can trust (your pastor) that I am forgiven. If you want to go into detail I will certainly listen and help you. I do not, however, need to hear the detail. I do not even need to hear the particular besetting sin. But if you are in any doubt, or need assurance, your pastor will sit across from you and provide that. That is at least for those churches that provide for confession.

Listen, tough guy, you want to be tough? Stand up, admit your sin, know that you are forgiven, go back into the world and truly live the life in Christ. Frankly the biggest cowards I’ve seen are the ones that can’t stand up to their sins, to those they’ve sinned against and of course that is always against God. Who refuse to know that they are forgiven and will know how to live his life truly in Jesus. Ask yourself can you really continue to live a life that is as Pastor Buchanan describes: “in churches of smiling, laughing, savvy people who are dying on the inside and too afraid to let anyone know. First Church of the Whitewashed Tombs.” Ya know, going through the motions, doing the “right” thing, knowing that you are just living a farce, never really dealing with your relationship with Jesus and your fellow man, just making it up. Wow, this is from guys who would tell me how much they can’t stand phonies. Ya, really dude? Take a look in the mirror.

Let’s all be real, strong men (and women), deal with the things we need to deal with, with someone we can trust. Get in their with your pastor, tell him what’s happening, get the assurance that you are forgiven in Jesus, maybe some objective guidance as to how to move on from a besetting sin, put it behind you and grow in your relationship with Jesus. Sorry guys, you are nowhere near as smart and tough and savvy as you think. I know that, because I know I’m not. Let’s get real together, move on as men together and do some real stuff. Then we can really smile, laugh and be savvy and show the world what it really means to be a Christian man.

We are called to constant Reformation John 8 Community Reformation Service First Saint Johns Nov 1, 2015

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We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit.

My sermon subject last week was, do we need a new Reformation? We are in Jesus. We do not live static, boring, stagnant, uninspired lives. We are children of the King, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, all creation. We shouldn’t be waiting for a new Reformation, Reformation for us should be a continuous, exciting, challenging life full of new experiences, new opportunities, yes new adventures. Do you really believe we should be sitting around waiting for a new Reformation? Do we really see our Lord Jesus waiting? Not the Jesus of the Bible. He was always pushing, always entreating, exhorting and rebuking. Change is a constant in the Christian life. We were not given new life in Christ to go and hide from the world. If anyone honestly thinks that, they have no concept of one of Jesus’ great commandments. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Does anything in that statement imply sitting around and waiting? Do we need a new Reformation? OK, but starting right now, and until the time that we are called to be in the presence of the Lord, that Reformation should be continuous, joyful, exciting, provocative, a new daily experience.

I will grant you that yea, it sounds challenging, maybe even exhausting. Is that a reason to quit, not even try? I’m not going to try to sell you some idea that faithfully living the Great Commission means you charge right back out into that world and expect everything to fall right into place, exactly as you expect it to in Jesus. Did it for Jesus? No! Look at the rich, young ruler. Jesus gets right up in his grill, right where Jesus knew it would hurt that man the most and said “that’s great, you’re going to be one of my followers. Now you just run along, sell everything you have, turn it over to those who are truly in need and then you trot right back here and follow me. How’d that work out? Jesus said “you have to eat my Body and Blood…” what happened with the thousands who were listening? A large percentage of them picked up and left. “Hey we like this free food and all these nice platitudes, but come on, that’s just weird, eat His Body and Blood? See ya, I’m outta here.” Jesus didn’t chase after any of these people, begging them to come back to Him. The church does that today. Oh heavens, have someone walk out of church. Hey pastor you better run after that person and get them back, we have to keep up attendance numbers.

I would never say ignore anyone who rejects Jesus. Certainly they do need pastoral attention and care. But on the other hand, there will be those who have been in church for the wrong reasons. We can appeal to them and help them to understand. But in the final analysis, it’s always about what the Holy Spirit does. We faithfully follow and do what the Spirit leads us to, to those who don’t know Christ or who have rejected Him. But on the flip side, Reformation doesn’t mean conform to the ways of the world in order to somehow keep our numbers up. It does mean to continually look for the leading of the Holy Spirit and certainly Dr Luther did just that. He appealed to the world. When he posted his 95 Theses on that door in Wittenberg on the front door of the Castle Church. He wasn’t looking for a confrontation, he wasn’t trying to pick a fight. As a highly educated monk, a college professor, Luther had been looking at Scripture and comparing it to the actual practice of the Christian church at the time. He struggled mightily with this. He was a faithful part of the church, he was a highly regarded clergyman in his community. He had no reason to pick a fight. But more importantly than all that, he faithfully followed Christ. The Holy Spirit guided Luther in his study of Scripture and Luther knew that God’s word was right. How could it not be? Should he trust the church of the time to truly live according to Scripture? Obviously he didn’t and he was led by the Holy Spirit to point out where the church was wrong. He only wanted to bring it to the attention of the church. He trusted that the church had strayed into wrong doctrine and practice by accident. He wasn’t pointing the finger and accusing. He was sincerely lifting up questions and asking for an honest dialogue and to be genuinely led by the Holy Spirit to identify and correct the bad practices of the church. We can certainly say that Luther was probably naïve in the ways of the world, but as Christians, in some ways, we should only trust in Christ and not get caught up in the ways of the world. Does that make us look naïve? So be it. Jesus tells us: ^ESVLuke 16:9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” He is telling us to be shrewd and smart, but by the same token Jesus tells us: “^ESVMatthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

Should we trust the church? Yes, but as always there’s a limit. There are “Christian” churches out there who have gone way off the rails. The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, has stayed faithful, however that doesn’t mean blind trust there either. As I said, we are called to stand up, to challenge, to push, to continually live in Reformation. So can we always trust the church? No! There are churches who call themselves Christian who have lurched way off on the other side of wrong. Just recently there was an article about two women pastors, United Methodist and Episcopalian, who led a prayer rally to bless an abortion clinic.[1] Can the church be wrong? Oh yeah! Do we sit passively by and let the errors go? No, way! Luther certainly didn’t. But we better know what we’re talking about and we better accept, that just like Dr Luther, we are going to be subject to a lot of fire and flak. Too many times people see attacks on themselves as somehow meaning that they are wrong. Luther was attacked constantly through the rest of his life after 1517. Did that mean that he was wrong? No, obviously he was right. But when we challenge the church to Reformation, whether it be “Christian” churches who tell us that we need to have faith and if we do we will be pretty, smart, wealthy, happy, successful, or Christian churches that tell us that abortion and homosexuality are just A, skippy OK, we better know what we’re talking about. We are called to be those disciples that Jesus told us we need to be in the Great Commission Matthew 28. Was he sending them out into the world where everything would just fall into place and be nice and easy: “^ESVMatthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Obviously not. Did he send Luther to make a nice easy, clean overhaul of the church? No! He became a marked man, there were people who would have happily burned him at the stake as they did with John Huss a hundred years earlier. Was Huss wrong, was Luther wrong? No! Obviously not, so when I say that Reformation should be a constant part of our church life, I am not saying that it is going to be clean and easy. What I am saying is that you better know what you’re talking about. Did Dr Luther know what he was talking about? Absolutely and he struggled with it mightily. When he says he was attacked by Satan I don’t doubt it for a minute. If you stand for the truth in Christ you put a target on your back and don’t think for a minute that Satan won’t take shots at that target. And believe me those shots will hurt, as well as the shots that you will receive from a world that thinks it’s ok to bless abortion clinics and call itself the church of Christ. You will! Is that a reason for you to stop standing up for the true church of Christ? No, but again you better know what you are talking about and what you are doing.

How do you do that? You need to be strong in prayer. Faithful to the true church. Take the true Body and Blood of Jesus faithfully and see that the sacraments, the preached word and the true church are faithfully living in Christ. Hold your pastors and your fellow Christians accountable. ^ESV2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” We are called to be faithful, to continually be in Reformation, to continually remember that it is about Sola Fide, Sola gratia, Sola Scriptura, Sola Christi. That we preach, disciple and live Jesus’ words, in our Gospel reading: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”(John 8: 31-36) To truly be His disciples requires us to be faithful to His word.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

[1] http://www.lifenews.com/2015/10/12/united-methodist-and-episcopalian-church-clergy-lead-prayer-rally-to-bless-abortion-clinic/

Freedom is only Jesus, Reformation 2015 Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

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This was such a great writing on All Saints Day and Reformation Day that I just had to add it to my blog site – Jim Driskell

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

October 31 at 4:00pm ·

HOMILY FOR THE FESTIVAL OF THE REFORMATION

By 1520 the storm he’d stirred up was threatening to become a tsunami engulfing all the Western Church. He still didn’t seem to have the first clue about the threat he’d proven to be to Church officials and he thought that if the pope himself just heard of this joy that was now his, all would come out okay. So he pens a little book and dedicates it, of all things, to Pope Leo X from his dutiful servant, Martin Luther. And as he thought how to encapsulate everything he’d been rejoicing in, it came down to two statements that sounded contradictory but were in fact completely complimentary.

The Christian is perfectly free, lord of all, subject to none.
The Christian is perfectly dutiful, servant of all, subject to all.

The opening lines of Luther’s monumental The Freedom of the Christian. And that work remains to this day the classic statement of the joyful “aha” that resulted in the Lutheran Reformation and which, I would suggest to you, people loved by God, is the reason why being Lutheran still matters and why almost five centuries later, the Reformation remains vitally important for the Church today.

It was and it is all about freedom. God doesn’t want slaves. He renounces the way of coercion. He seeks children who serve Him freely and in joy and not cringing in terror and fear. You hear it in today’s third reading. Our Lord says “If you continue or abide in my Word, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Freedom is what He came to bring! Freedom was His gift. Not like folks think of freedom these days, meaning: “I can do whatever I want whenever I want to.” Live like that and you’ll soon find out that it’s not freedom at all; it’s the way to end up a slave to your own passions, appetites and desires. Your Lord came to free you from that dead end way of living.

But to promise and deliver freedom, that requires owning up to bondage, and this is exactly what the Jews in the Gospel or even the Church in Luther’s day, couldn’t stomach. “Free? What do you mean set us free? We aren’t slaves. We are children of Abraham and have never been anyone’s slaves. What do you mean we shall be set free?”

Similarly the hierarchy in those days: We are the CHURCH! What do you mean blathering on about this freedom? What’s important is that YOU knuckle under and do as you’re told. Who do you think you are?

Luther’s joyous answer, of course, was “Me? I’m a perfectly free Lord of all; oh, and a perfectly dutiful servant of all. Sent to be a servant of other’s joyful freedom. In the service of the Master who came to make free children of God and no slaves.”
The Jews had their laws that they thought MUST be upheld, obeyed, and it was in the obedience to them that they focused their zeal and placed their hope of salvation. DOING the bidding of the God who had taken them as His own people through Abraham was their duty and their calling.

But the God of Abraham is the God of freedom and the God who desires children, not slaves. That’s why He had TAKEN them out of slavery in Egypt and why He had given them the divine worship and promises. And the Law itself. A gift given. A gift given to show them their real slavery from which they could never themselves free no matter how hard they strove.

They wouldn’t see it, though. And so Jesus speaks the hard word: “Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave doesn’t continue in the house forever.” Sin isn’t something you DO, Jesus says. It’s far, for more insidious than that. Sin is a force. A power. A domineering power. A power that enslaves.

You know its path. You know how it goes. You know it entices you. Try it. It can’t hurt. Everyone’s doing it. No biggy. And how the very taste of it is seduction and the seduction becomes addiction. You fight. You pull back. But you also want. You want the experience again. And again. And even after it has long since ceased to satisfy. Still you go back. Like the dog to its vomit. The vomit it calls and you find yourself unable to turn away. Disgusting, yes. But isn’t it true, people loved by God? Isn’t that the path? The way it works? Sin snares you, and once it has you, you can’t break free by any effort of your will. You can try with might and main, but you know as surely as I’m standing here before you, it HAS you. You are slave.

And there is NOTHING so uncertain as the place of the slave. Sin wants to use you, to trample on you and torture you and then to hand you over to death. Eternal death. “The wage sin pays is death.” A taskmaster, no friend. A tyrant, no freedom. Do it again and again and again, as sin mocks your helplessness.

BUT into this world came the one in whom sin couldn’t get its claws. Into this world where everyone serves sin in some way or another, tortured and helpless, caught in the snares of their own desires, into this world came one who was truly FREE. And free because He was the Son. His place in His Father’s house didn’t depend for one second on what He did or didn’t do. His place was assured because of who He was. And because He was free and Son, what did He come to do?

He came to serve! No one is so free as the One who serves, whose delight and joy it is to be able to serve the captives by setting them free from their bondage, free from their chains, and inviting them into His relationship with the Father. So free that He could even take all the sins that master and torture and torment you and lift them off you and bear them in His own body. In His own FREE body where they could never bend Him to their will and so destroy them there forever.

Behold, the cross! Behold the blood of the free Son, freely poured out so that sin would lose its mastery over you and you be forgiven, adopted, brought into the freedom of the children of God.

He came forth from the Father one free Son, but He goes back to the Father bringing with Him the fruits of His labor. Not a pile of slaves. Not a pile of cringing and fearful hirelings who have no clue how long they’ll be tolerated before God finally is fed up with them and tosses them out. No. He comes back with free children of God. Freed by the Words He spoke. Free indeed. Sins no longer able to accuse them, to master them, to make them come when called. Sins blood covered and forgiven. Death no longer the fate to which their sin hands them over when it’s done with them. Death rather with a resurrection sized hole blown right through its stinking belly through which they will pass with Him. Free children. So completely free that all of the faith has come to them as GIFT. They see it all as GIFT. Nothing about what we earn or deserve. Only gifts given lavishly and freely. The Father gives the Son. The Son gives the Spirit. The Spirit gives you faith that binds you to the Son and the Son rejoices to present you to the Father. All gift.

And so Christianity to be seen in its true light must never be thought of as rules and laws and a frowning God just waiting for you to step out of line so He can wallop you one and torture you forever. Nor is it about the freedom to live in your broken shackles and sin’s crumbled prison holds. That’s not freedom! It’s the freedom to leave that prison forever and be a child. A child in the house of the Father. It is to realize that the standing you could never achieve for all your struggling against sin’s chains is the very gift God gives you in His Son that crushes those chains forever.

Easter triumph! Easter joy!
This alone can sin destroy!
From sins’ power, Lord, set us free,
Newborn souls in you to be.
Alleluia!

HERE is the Reformation gift to the whole Church. This is why Lutheranism stands and will continue to stand. We remind the world that the Son’s gift to us is freedom. And that our faith isn’t founded in, let alone shored up by, rules and regulations. Holy days of obligation and fasting from certain foods at prescribed times. Going to communion at least once a year and only after having made confession of your sins to the priest. Do you see what all of that is? Bondage! Not freedom!

BUT the Reformation was so free that it realized that what the law couldn’t guard or preserve, this was God’s free gift. “If you abide in my Word” our Lord said. Why Sunday? Why gather? Not to keep some law, but to receive the gift of freedom! Why receive the Sacrament? Not to fulfill a duty, but receive the gift of freedom! Why observe the Church calendar? Not to be religious, but to let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as it gives its gifts of freedom and lifts you by the Spirit to the freedom of the children of God.
Reformation still matters because freedom still matters. It matters to God, who would have you not be a servile and fearful, simpering cowering slave, but would have you be a royal son or daughter, a true child of the King who fears nothing at all.

Late, late in his life, Luther reflected on this great joy. It was during an Advent sermon only a couple months before his death. He preached: “It is well with a man who belongs to an eternal kingdom. He can dance through life forevermore!” You and me too. We can dance through life. For we are children of the King, and sisters and brothers of the Son of God, and to us all, and I mean all, is gift. Happy Reformation, people loved by God, happy feast of freedom! You have been set free. Amen.

– William Weedon, Chaplain

Photo credit: The Town and Parish Church of St. Mary’s on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, in Wittenberg, Germany. LCMS Communications/Erik M. Lunsford

We are His saints, enriched by Him Matthew 5 All Saints Day First St Johns Nov 1, 2015

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[For the audio of this sermon please click on the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who are saints in Christ said in a spirit of celebration and joy … AMEN

I am going to paraphrase Paul: “To the church of God that is in York, Pennsylvania to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1: 2-6)

Paul goes on to say to his brothers and sisters in Corinth as I would like to express those same sentiments to my brothers and sisters in York: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge-even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1: 7-8)

As His Saints we win and we didn’t do anything. Because He’s overcome, we have overcome. We have overcome the world. We have overcome death. We couldn’t do any of these things ourselves. While we like to think that we are so strong that we can achieve whatever we are confronted by, deep in our hearts we know we can’t. Why do you think that there is so much fear, anger, angst around us? All of these people who know perfectly well that they just can’t confront the world. They hear the lies of the world all around them and they try to believe them. They have to. Why? Because there is nothing else for them to believe. So they accept that they are somehow gifted, strong, personally endowed with some skill that is going to enable them to make it. But when you ask them what that looks like, how did they get there and for that matter, where is there? You get bewilderment, you get frustration. They don’t know. The world’s told them a lie, that they are somehow special. But they don’t feel special, they say they are. Students in the United States today rank way below the rest of the world in math, language, science. But they do rank first in one thing, in self-esteem. They feel good about themselves. But when you confront them with the reality of what that means, they have nothing. They are somehow special, but special how? They don’t know. Those around us today can’t perceive, or maybe more accurately don’t want to perceive anything past the next event. “Well let’s see what happens after the World Series. Let’s see what happens after the next election. Let’s see what happens after the next Federal Reserve meeting. Sure we wait to see the outcome, then what happens? Pretty much where we were. Nothing much has changed. We cling to the latest stock market numbers, and then we watch as our IRA’s, our financial future drop again. We think we have a way to make money on the stock market, we might even have a little success, then the market closes and we just spent money without lifting a finger. That affects the Christian and the non-Christian. But we have Jesus to cling to. He has overcome the stock market, the housing market, the GNP, the President and the Congress.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” That’s us! Ours is the kingdom of heaven. It might not “feel” like it right now. Another thing that separates us from the world? It’s not about our feelings. It is about what Jesus has done, what He continues to do. It’s His promise of heaven and eternity. Things might not be that great for you right now. We all know perfectly well that there are Christians all over the world who are very much suffering for their witness to Christ. You see that last verse in our Gospel reading? “…for your reward is great in heaven…” We have all had days and will have days, when we don’t feel so great, when everything’s going wrong, the future looks doubtful. Are there times when we’d like to give up? Sure! But because we are saved the Holy Spirit doesn’t give up on us. Why? We are His, we aren’t allowed to give up and we won’t because the Holy Spirit saves us from ourselves. The world does not have that promise, believes Satan’s lies and gives up, gives up in the form of drugs, alcohol, sex, money, power. They honestly believe this will save them, but we all know, and they know deep inside too, it will make them slaves and condemn them.

As a saint, as one who is saved in Jesus you are saved, you have the promises of Jesus, you have new life in Jesus, you are a special, holy, sanctified person, completely saved in Jesus and the Father’s special child and you didn’t do anything to be any of that. God chose you, He saved you, He recreated you in baptism, He lifted you up from the waters of baptism a new creation in Him. He gives you His own Body and Blood. His ministers share His saving, life restoring word with you. You received all this. You should praise and glorify God for what He’s given you. But none of that is yours because of your praise or worship, it’s yours because God gave it to you in your baptism in Jesus. Randy Alcorn writes: “What God made us to desire, and therefore what we do desire if we admit it, is exactly what he promises to those who follow Jesus Christ [His Saints]: a resurrected life in a resurrected body, with the resurrected Christ on a resurrected Earth. Our desires correspond precisely to God’s plans. It’s not that we want something, so we engage in wishful thinking that what we want exists. It’s the opposite – the reason we want it is precisely because God has planned for it to exist. As we’ll see, resurrected [saints] living in a resurrected universe isn’t our idea – it’s God’s”[1]

For those He has separated, not our choice, His decision. That’s something that we take to the bank. If Jim makes a decision for God what does that mean? Well did I do it the right way, did I do it at the right time? I’m fallible did I make some kind of mistake? It isn’t on me, I am hagios I am holy, separated. You and I are made to be a completely new and different being because Jesus redeemed you and me, He died for you and me, He paid for all of our sins and now we are made perfectly clean and holy. I am made to be completely acceptable to God because of Jesus. The Holy Spirit led me to be baptized and in that baptism I am cleansed from the sin I was born in and the sins I have committed in my life and made to be that new creature, His saint. Then as a part of His church, the Body of Christ, I am given His Body and Blood to strengthen me in Body and Spirit, to be newly cleansed of my sin, renewed in my Spirit. All because of what He did for us, nothing of what we did. We therefore have that assurance that because God did it that it’s done, completely right, totally in His power and none of it in ours. There can’t be a mistake, because of that we have complete assurance that Jesus is the Lord of our lives, in this worldly life and in the true life that is eternal and perfect in the resurrection. Journal about it for the next week, what does it mean to you to be a[gioj completely clean in Christ, how does that compare to what you see in the rest of the world, why is this a reason to give thanks, to praise and glorify our Savior Jesus Christ?

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

[1] Alcorn, Randy Heaven pp 7-8

The Faith we are given in Jesus and what He does is what defeats Satan

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“Christians are not called to defeat Satan. God has already done that in Christ! Nor is it our mandate to “bind” Satan.” (Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day p 305) That last sentence really does get me. Regardless of what you’d like to think, my Pentecostal friends, Satan is still a servant of God. Only God “binds” Satan, certainly not any human. Satan is not a being to play fast and loose with or get cute with. Satan has been around thousands of years, no doubt learning a great deal about human nature and how to use it against us. He was created to be the most magnificent, brilliant being by God Himself. So much so that he thought he could, maybe even should, be God. For a human being to trifle with Satan is stupid. While there are Christians who think that they can take on Satan, they will only end up looking stupid. Frankly those who do it make the rest of Christians look stupid, in so many ways. I’m not going to be charitable about this, because there are too many Christians out there who presume way too much. They feel it’s up to them to confront and battle and direct the Holy Spirit as to who, where etc. It’s kind of too bad, like so many other Christians who presume, how much better would it be if we were following the Holy Spirit’s leading, waiting for His guidance, instead of us presuming to be able to call down the Holy Spirit against Satan. Do you have some bizarre idea that God is not aware of what Satan is doing? Let’s let God do it and we do what He guides us to do. “You will find yourself fighting battles that Christ has already won!” Indeed, Satan was defeated by Jesus’ death on the cross, we were saved in Jesus’ sacrifice. Do we pray for Jesus’ protection and guidance. Absolutely, but there is a difference between asking for protection and presuming to direct it.

Does Satan attack? Certainly, not as much as we often like to think. Too often people invite demons in, versus their somehow being an innocent victim. Messing around with the occult, with drugs, alcohol, sex, letting Satan guide and shunning the Holy Spirit. Anytime we fail, or seem to get slammed down does not mean that Satan is attacking either. Often times it is our own failure and we’d much rather shift that on Satan instead of taking responsibility. Does Satan oppress Christians? Absolutely, but too often it is a Christian messing around where he/she shouldn’t be messing around and inviting the oppression. Can a Christian be possessed? I don’t think so. Greater minds than mine have made this case, suffice to say, if we are genuinely indwelt by the Holy Spirit, there is no room for any kind of demonic occupation.

To be sure: “ESV Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” I would never disagree with Paul that there are demonic forces acting on us, the world all around us is seeking to turn us away from Jesus to anything else. The Blackabys talk about the fact that Paul was certainly regularly opposed by demonically inspired people on a regular basis in the Book of Acts. I often feel that when others oppose me, the inspiration for this opposition is Satanic. Believe me I’ve seen it in the church. I honestly wonder sometimes how some “Christians” sincerely come to the conclusions they do and take the positions they take. Too often it seems to me, that they have an agenda that they think the church should be picking up on, instead of following the church’s agenda in Jesus.

Absolutely we will be opposed, as Christians, by Satan. If we are faithfully following God’s leading if we are being a faithful servant of Christ and doing His will, there will be those who will be inspired by Satan because they are convinced that their agenda is more important than the church’s the Body of Christ. The Blackabys make the case that we need to be sensitive to the fact: “Your adversary may be hopelessly in bondage to sin. Rather than retaliating, you should immediately and earnestly intercede for that person.” Absolutely you should keep that person in prayer, that they will be lead by the Holy Spirit and put aside their agenda and trust how the Holy Spirit wants them to proceed. Having said that, you don’t let them lead you in the wrong direction. Too often well meaning Christians will be more concerned about the “relationship” versus God’s will. If God is leading me and someone else is trying to take me off track at the risk of “relationship”, my relationship with the Father is far more important than any other person. There are simply too many people out there who are willing suckers for Satan, often for the most frivolous reasons, and expect you to just detour for them and their misguided agenda. We are always looking to build relationships with those who are Christian brothers and sisters and those who are not. But you have to use some genuine Christian discernment. You are pointing them to Jesus, not being led by their misguided “opinion”. Don’t get me started, how many times someone has expected me to fold up like a cheap cot to their uninformed, misguided opinion.

The Blackabys assert that others are often just “misguided”, sort of benignly, innocent, even “unwitting instruments of the spiritual forces of darkness.” (Ibid p 304) Yaaa, I’m not so sure. If these people were sincerely committed to their Christian walk, being true Christian disciples, I would make the case that they would not be so easily misguided, duped. Hey I’m sure I’ve been led astray and thought something was OK, or knew it wasn’t but worked overtime to rationalize it. But I would not expect to be coddled and excused, but that I would be confronted and held accountable. Sure, remember that they are probably being demonically affected, and hold that up in prayer. I can think of occasions in my life where I should be more actively praying for someone who is being misguided. Too many times someone has drowned because they made a well meaning attempt to save someone else, but let that person drag them in and in their panic overwhelmed their presumptive rescuer and ended up letting themselves and their rescuer die. Paul was never bashful about confronting those who opposed him in evil. I’m not saying get all Pentecostal on someone, but I am saying not to let them drag you down with them. They need to be opposed but only in the strength of the Holy Spirit, because if I go up against Satan that is a ridiculous mismatch. If the Holy Spirit confronts Satan to protect and guide me, well Satan will lose, game, set and match. I’m smart enough to figure out how I want to figure in that equation.

Satan is defeated, he is a clever opponent, he has nothing to lose and certainly he is going to oppose anyone who is being used and guided by the Holy Spirit. We who are serving Christ are going to have to expect to take a lot of hits from Satan. That’s a good thing, it means we are truly serving Christ. We should pray for relief and for the protection of the Holy Spirit, but we are also given the faith we need to know that we are also being guided by Jesus’ plan, not ours. That is also a good thing. We should pray that another person be relieved of their being influenced, oppressed, even possessed by demonic forces. But we should never be guided by them out of some misguided “compassion” on our part. They are only going to suffer, maybe destroyed and pull us down with them, somewhere we don’t need to go. Let’s be a positive, pro-active witness for Christ. Not dancing around or presuming to have gifts we don’t have or confronting demons in our own power, it’s just not going to end up well, more than likely being chewed up and spit out. Then we will be wondering why the Holy Spirit didn’t act according to our instructions and maybe even ending up just denying Christ entirely. Satan really doesn’t care how he gets you there, so long as it’s away from salvation and eternal life in Jesus.

Christians are called to serve and protect the innocent as soldiers and police

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On this Veteran’s Day weekend, I would like to recognize those who have served. Military service is inherently dangerous, whether you’re carrying a weapon or not. Military service can often put people in very difficult circumstances that don’t necessarily subject them to hostile action, but can still present life-threatening circumstances. I served 29 years in the Coast Guard Reserve. The Coast Guard Reserve is different than other military reserves. It is such a small organization, about 12,000 people in the entire United States. In order to effectively train and serve, we augmented regular active duty units and were expected to maintain qualifications, including weapons, to match our active duty. In those years I did law enforcement, which never entailed my using lethal force, but there were occasions that were a little sketchy. Add in severe weather and sea conditions I had to work in and other conditions performing search and rescue, I certainly came closer to dangerous circumstances than my regular employment associates. After Sept 11 I was mobilized for about nine months, when I was demobilized, went back to my civilian employer who waited the time they were legally mandated to wait and then fired me. When I went to the Veterans Administration for some kind of protection or redress they were worse than useless. Thank you for your service. I would never say people shouldn’t serve, they should, but there are physical risks as well as professional.

There has always been an element in Christianity that has claimed that Christians cannot legitimately serve in the military or police. That is anything that might put them in a position where they might have to kill someone in the course of their duty. In today’s military that argument is becoming more and more invalid. In today’s military there are about five people for every one person in the field. That includes people who repair and maintain equipment. That’s people who provide provisions for soldiers, who provide clerical services (the ones who made sure I got paid), those who provide pastoral services, medical/dental services, training, recreational etc. One can serve in the military and probably never be in a position where they will even have a weapon, no less use one. They still perform very important functions, making it a lot easier for the people in the field to effectively perform their duties.

In Dr Gene Veith’s book God at Work Dr Veith presents Dr Martin Luther’s perspective, which Dr Luther primarily presented in his pamphlet Whether Soldiers Too Can Be Saved and was his response to those in his time tried to preclude Christians from the military or police. The following from Dr Veith gives Dr Luther’s perspective, which I think much more faithfully presents the Biblical perspective than the superficial understanding of some Christian sects:

“…Luther asked whether God is allowed to take a human life or to punish sin. Indeed, He is. Luther maintained that it is God, working through the offices of the judge or soldier, who takes life and punishes sin. [I would like to note, that to be consistent the “conscientious objector” would also not be able to serve in the legal system. This person might be put in the position of judge with the authority to condemn someone guilty of a crime. It does seem that “conscientious objectors’ are only concerned if it’s they who are put in danger – Driskell] Christians can indeed occupy these offices, being called to them as divine vocations. So a soldier is loving his neighbor when he protects his country, and a judge is loving his neighbor when he puts a criminal in prison or delivers him over to the executioner…”

“And yet this by no means negates the commands to love our enemies and to forgive those who trespass against us. In their personal lives, soldiers, judges and executioners must indeed love and forgive their enemies. But in their vocations, by virtue of their offices, they are authorized to ‘bear the sword.”

With instances of civilian police overstepping by using too much force, this is instructive. All those who bear the sword are only authorized “the force necessary to compel compliance”. These are what we as Coast Guard officers are held to. I don’t know if civilian police are under the same limit, I have to believe they are. Once you have a suspect under control you are no longer allowed to apply physical force. If someone’s being a jerk you have to ignore it, you can’t take it personally and frankly I think there are a lot of poorly trained law enforcement that feel they shouldn’t be subject to any personal insult. As a Christian under authority you certainly have a duty to safeguard someone you’ve taken responsibility for by detaining or arresting. Anything else, you just can’t take it personally.

Having said that, Christians are certainly authorized to serve by asserting force. If they are protecting their fellow citizens against enemy aggression or criminal activity a Christian soldier or law enforcement officer is serving the innocent, that is certainly a worthy pursuit. Peter baptized the Roman Centurion (Acts 10:47) Jesus certainly didn’t call out the Roman Centurion who appealed to Jesus for his servant’s life. Paul gladly accepted the protection of the Roman cohort against the Jews in Jerusalem who were trying to kill him. God certainly blessed Joshua and David, to name a few, who were soldiers in the Old Testament.

In this day and age fewer people are credibly trying to make a case of “conscientious” objector. We could look at Augustine’s justifications for Christian military and police, but that would take a long time and I’m not up to it. Nonetheless, for those who are Christians and have served and have even been put in the situation where they had to kill someone, and did so within their authority, please know that you are forgiven. Exodus 23 says “thou shall not murder”. Killing in the line of duty is serving the innocent and a just and righteous God against the guilty, it does not violate the commandment against murder. If you had to kill, that does not mean that you are lost or cut off from God. Jesus died for all our sins and it really can’t be called what you did in duty to the innocent as sin. But if you need to cope with this by knowing that either way, Jesus died for you. This does not preclude you from Jesus, His church and all the benefits that you are entitled to in the church as a baptized, confirmed member of His church.

So we honor our veterans as a country accordingly, and we at First Saint Johns also honor our veterans as men and women who probably at some point in their military service had to function under duress, danger, discomfort, enemy fire, or just being a long way from home in a strange environment. In this day and age you’ve done more than about 90% of the rest of the population and deserve a day of honor and respect in your life. For those in the rest of society, business, government who cause veterans unnecessary hardship or refuse to serve, well Jesus does forgive all sins. I hope you can live with your conscience. For those who grieve over those who have been justly imprisoned and have to live in difficult circumstances, try “hotracking” over a torpedo tube as my brother who served on a submarine had to. I’m not saying that prisoners should be mistreated, but our military endure a lot to protect, even if they’re not being shot at.

Meyer Minute Suicide in the world, those who see no other way Nov 5

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This subject is vitally important and Rev Dr Dale Meyer really hits it on the head. The rate of suicide is climbing, especially in terms of middle aged people, although it is one of the leading causes of death for those under 30. Of all the ways to die, suicide is clearly the most controllable and in Jesus it is even more so. The hope of the world is Jesus and we trust what He is doing in our life. We may not like the way our life is going, we probably think we have a better plan, but we trust that in the end Jesus’ plan is much better and it always is. Rev Dr Dale Meyer is the president of Concordia Seminary, he was the voice of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Dale Meyer

Yesterday at 6:56am · Clayton, MO ·

Meyer Minute for November 5

When Charles Gliniewicz was killed on duty in northern Illinois, an extensive manhunt searched for the cop killer. Yesterday: “This investigation has concluded…that this is a carefully staged suicide. He had been stealing and laundering money from Fox Lake” (Wall Street Journal, November 5; A6). Gliniewicz concluded that suicide was his only way out.

Actor and comedian Robin Williams committed suicide in August 2014. Recently his widow Susan said that he struggled with depression, Parkinson’s, and Lewy body dementia, an illness that leads to declining mental ability (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 4; A18). Again but for different reasons, Mr. Williams saw no way out.

“Death rates are rising for middle-aged white Americans, while declining in other wealthy countries and among other races and ethnicities. The rise appears to be driven by suicide, drugs and alcohol abuse” (New York Times, November 3; A15).

Whatever sad reasons lead someone to choose death, suicide goes directly against the God who gives life and promises hope (Psalm 42:11). “Thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:13). So it’s a sin against God but a sin for which Jesus died. While God only knows the eternal destiny of the suicide, we who survive can know suicide is temptation to be avoided, by you, by me, and by those around us. Easily said, but overcoming the temptation when you’re in emotional or physical despair seems insurmountable. Each of us in our individual and sometimes lonely lives needs to be in a safe place where support and love are dependably present to help us overcome the temptation. Does our family, our congregation and our presence at work and in community promote a culture that cares for the weakest? Even if we do, sin is so insidious that all of us can rely on only one guarantee.

“When the righteous cry out for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:17-19).

“When all things seem against us, to drive us to despair, we know one gate is open, one ear will hear our prayer” (Lutheran Service Book, 915, 4). God, help us all.

Porque Dios lo imposible tarda muy poco tiempo la observancia 140 aniversario de Primera St Johns Marcos 10: 23-31 18 de octubre 2015

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Deja una Respuesta
Hacemos nuestro comienzo en el Nombre de Dios el Padre y en el nombre de Dios el Hijo y en el nombre de Dios el Espíritu Santo, y todos aquellos que saben que nada es imposible para Dios dijo … AMEN!

Los Seabees son parte de la Armada de Estados Unidos, que son únicos, no porque están involucrados en instalaciones como pistas de aterrizaje, instalaciones de desembarque, fortificaciones construcción, que son únicos porque mientras ellos están involucrados en la construcción son a menudo bajo el fuego enemigo. Al igual que los hombres de Nehemías, mientras que algunos hombres trabajaban en el muro alrededor de Jerusalén, otros montaban guardia con espadas y lanzas. Del mismo modo SEABEES se retratan a menudo con una pala en una mano y una bala del rifle sobre su hombro. Su lema extraoficial es “Con corazones dispuestos y manos hábiles, la difícil lo hacemos de una vez, lo imposible tarda un poco más!” Tuve el privilegio de servir con un ingeniero de infanteria en Naval costera de Guerra, que estaba a punto de seis pies 3 y tan ancho como alto, podría haber sido un apoyador. Tuve que compartir un hombre carpa dos con él durante las primeras cuatro noches que estuvimos en España, me adquirido mucha simpatía por mi esposa que ha tenido que dormir con un gran alce durante todos estos 36 años.

En este 140 aniversario de Primera / St Johns Iglesia Evangélica Luterana, sin duda puedo decir lo mismo de los que fundaron esta iglesia. No puedo empezar a imaginar lo que debe haber llevado a conceptualizar (una mente brillante como Juan Augusto Dempwolf, que también diseñó el Hospital Estatal de Pennsylvania en Harrisburg Lunático … y supervisó la construcción de la Catedral de la Santa Cruz en Boston, Primera Saint Johns es sin duda un logro notable.) También lo que debe haber sido como para reunir el dinero, organizar los recursos para aumentar esta magnífica casa de culto, construido para la gloria de Dios. Me pregunto si tuvo “un poquito más”.

Cada vez más nos estamos dando cuenta de cómo vitalmente importantes iglesias cristianas fuertes son a la vitalidad de nuestras ciudades. Así, mientras observamos la fundación y construcción de esta estructura, una hazaña que debe haber sido enorme. De igual importancia son aquellas personas que hace 140 años tuvieron la visión para ver lo importante que es un ministerio cristiano fuerte es en el corazón de la ciudad de York. Que estas estructuras fueron construidas para inspirar temor y un pequeño atisbo de la gloria de Dios, la gloria del, mundo perfecto eterna en nuestro Señor Jesucristo. A mi me gusta llevar a la gente en este santuario por primera vez e inevitablemente van a dejar que un reverencial “wow” provienen de sus labios mientras se toman en esta magnífica casa de culto cristiano, el lugar en el que nos unimos para levantaré Dios Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo.

Todo esto habla el hecho de que hay personas en el mundo que hacer las cosas que son para la gloria de Dios, para que vayan más allá de sí mismos, que quiere, sí, lo que es mejor para sí mismos, pero también sabe que lo mejor es no para sí solo, es para todos. Ciertamente Cristo es mejor, no hay otro camino que por medio de Cristo. Esta cita de CS Lewis: Dios no puede darnos la felicidad y la paz, aparte de sí mismo, ya que no está allí. No hay tal cosa. “Simplemente no entiendo cómo la gente puede vivir sin Cristo. Son rápidos para culpar a un Dios que no creer en, tienen muchos ídolos en sus vidas; su dinero, posesiones (recordar el joven rico de la semana pasada), oferta de empleo / posición, cónyuge, hogar, y sigue. Otros ídolos incluyen las drogas, el alcohol, el sexo, el poder, la comida … Como Pastor Eric Lang notas sobre el pasaje de hoy del Antiguo Testamento; “Eclesiastés aquí se centra más en el peligro de la riqueza a aquellos que son ricos.” [1] ¿Cómo es eso peligroso? Es mortalmente peligroso! No podemos centrar en dos ídolos y Jesús ciertamente subraya claramente que: “Nadie puede servir a dos señores, porque o aborrecerá al uno y amará al otro, o se apegará a uno y despreciará al otro. No podéis servir a Dios ya las riquezas. “(Mateo 06:24) Jesús nunca dice que no tiene dinero. Lázaro era rico para este tiempo. Jesús no le condenan. Parece que Lázaro estaba más que dispuesto a compartir su riqueza, utiliza su riqueza para ofrecer a los demás. Jesús dice: “Yo digo que se valgan de las riquezas mundanas para ganar amigos para vosotros mismos, para que cuando se ha ido, se le reciban en las moradas eternas.” (Lucas 16: 9) Recuerde cómo Dios le dijo al hombre rico que fue bendecido con una cosecha abundante, tenía todo tipo de planes de acaparar y se benefician de sus productos? “Pero Dios le dijo: ‘Necio! Se requiere esta noche tu alma de ti, y las cosas que preparaste, ¿de quién será? “(Lucas 12:20) En realidad no sabemos a ciencia cierta, que era además hace 140 años, pero yo estaría dispuesto a apostar que los que fundaron Heilige Johannes Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche no eran personas particularmente ricos. De cualquier manera, sus vidas no eran como el rico agricultor, cuando dijo: “Y diré a mi alma: Alma, tienes muchos bienes almacenados para muchos años; relajarse, comer, beber, ser feliz. “(Lucas 12:19) Muchos, quizá la mayoría, había emigrado de Alemania y su visión no era acerca de ser feliz, se trataba de una iglesia que sería un testimonio al mundo que les rodea para la gloria de Jesucristo. Parte de ese testigo estaba proveyendo para aquellos que también emigró de Alemania y, sin duda, para ayudar a sus vecinos. Seguimos viviendo esa herencia hoy. Yo no soy alemán, pero yo soy luterano. Muchos aquí hoy no son alemanes, pero como resultado de esta iglesia estar aquí, han tenido la oportunidad de llegar a conocer a Jesucristo como su Señor, ellos saben que sólo se guardan en Cristo. Ciertamente entienden la CS Lewis cita no hay felicidad ni la paz que no sea en Jesús. Claro en el mundo de hoy en día muchos piensan que tienen la paz a través de la automedicación y caer, pero llegado a darse cuenta de lo superficial, sin esperanza y la esclavitud caen en cuando se entregan a los placeres mundanos. Sólo a través de Cristo lo tenemos verdadera vida, sólo a causa de su sacrificio tenemos la vida eterna en la resurrección. Debido al sacrificio de Jesús en la cruz tenemos de que la relación con Dios en este mundo y en la resurrección eterna.

Los hombres y mujeres que tuvieron la visión de esta iglesia, que luchó para que esta iglesia a la realidad, que sirvió a Cristo en esta iglesia y por eso sirven tantos otros, las personas entienden lo que significaban las palabras de Jesús. No almacenar lejos su riqueza, sino que lo utilizaron como una herramienta para construir este magnífico testimonio del Señorío de Cristo y de su verdadera vida por causa de él. Al hacer que ellos también han sido testigos de Cristo a generaciones de personas que han adorado aquí, que han recibido el mensaje de ahorro de la vida del Evangelio de Cristo aquí. Los fundadores de esta iglesia hicieron lo imposible, no como hombres y mujeres, pero a medida que los fieles de Cristo, que se guía por la fe el Espíritu Santo les dio y sacrificó tiempo, tesoro y talento para construir este testimonio glorioso. Debido a que Dios hizo lo “imposible” a través de ellos y salvó innumerables almas a causa del ministerio cristiano en esta iglesia.

Mientras que están la iglesia esperando en el cielo, nosotros que somos sus hermanos y hermanas en Jesús, ahora llevarán su manto para continuar a dar testimonio de Cristo, no sólo en este edificio, pero salir a la comunidad a la que conocía tan bien a proclamar la vida -ahorro mensaje de Cristo. Los que son guiados por los que están aquí, entonces ven y únete a nosotros en esta magnífica casa de Dios; Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo para crecer en su vida en Cristo y para criar a sus hijos y las generaciones que nos seguirán.

Alabamos a Dios por ellos, por lo que les queda para nosotros, para los que están hoy aquí y que hemos conocido personalmente que sacrificó y trabajó muy duro para esta iglesia que nos unamos en, en Cristo.

La paz de Dios que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús. Amin y Shalom

Diseño atribución a Terry Downs

[1] Eric Lange Concordia Púlpito Recursos Vol 25, parte 4, de la Serie B

For God the impossible takes no time at all 140th anniversary observance of First St Johns Mark 10:23-31 October 18, 2015

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[Please click the above the link for the audio version]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who know that nothing’s impossible for God said … AMEN!

The SEABEES are part of the U.S. Navy, they are unique not because they are involved in constructing facilities like runways, landing facilities, fortifications, they are unique because while they are involved in construction they are often under enemy fire. Just like Nehemiah’s men, while some men worked on the wall around Jerusalem, others stood guard with swords and spears. Likewise SEABEES are often portrayed with a shovel in one hand and a rifle slug over their shoulder. Their unofficial motto is “With willing hearts and skillful hands, the difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a bit longer!” I had the privilege of serving with a SEABEE in Naval Coastal Warfare, he was about six foot 3 and as wide as he was tall, he could have been a linebacker. I had to share a two man tent with him for the first four nights we were in Spain, I acquired a lot of sympathy for my wife who has had to sleep with a big moose for all these 36 years.

On this 140^th anniversary of First/St Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church, I can certainly say the same for those who founded this church. I can’t begin to imagine what it must have taken to conceptualize (a brilliant mind like John Augustus Dempwolf, who also designed the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital in Harrisburg… and supervised the construction of Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston, First Saint Johns is certainly a remarkable achievement.) Also what it must have been like to raise the money, organize the resources to raise this magnificent house of worship, built to the glory of God. I wonder if it took “just a little bit longer.”

More and more we are realizing how vitally important strong Christian churches are to the vitality of our cities. So while we observe the founding and building of this structure, a feat that must have been enormous. Of equal importance are those people who 140 years ago had the vision to see how important a strong Christian ministry is in the heart of the city of York. That these structures were built to inspire awe and a tiny hint of God’s glory, the glory of the eternal, perfect world in our Lord Jesus Christ. I really like bringing people into this sanctuary for the first time and inevitably they will let a reverential “wow” come from their lips as they take in this magnificent house of Christian worship, the place where we join together to raise up God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This all speaks to the fact that there are those in the world who do those things that are to the glory of God, that look beyond themselves, that want, yes, what is best for themselves, but they also know that what is best is not for themselves alone, it is for all. Certainly Christ is best, there is no other way but through Christ. This quote from C.S. Lewis: God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” I just do not understand how people can cope without Christ. They are quick to blame a God they don’t believe in, they have many idols in their lives; their money, possessions (remember the rich young ruler from last week), job/position, spouse, home, on and on. Other idols include drugs, alcohol, sex, power, food… As Pastor Eric Lang notes about today’s Old Testament passage; “Ecclesiastes here focuses more on the danger of wealth to those who are wealthy.”[1] How is that dangerous? It is mortally dangerous! We can’t focus on two idols and Jesus certainly clearly stresses that: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matt 6:24) Jesus never says don’t have money. Lazarus was wealthy for this time. Jesus doesn’t condemn him. It seems as though Lazarus was more than willing to share his wealth, he uses his wealth to provide for others. Jesus says: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9) Remember how God told the rich man who was blessed with a plentiful crop, he had all kinds of plans to hoard and benefit from his produce? “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” (Luke 12:20) We don’t really know for sure, it was 140 years plus ago, but I would be willing to bet that those who founded Heilige Johannes Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche were not particularly rich people. Either way, their lives weren’t like the rich farmer when he said: “And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’” (Luke 12:19) Many, maybe most, had emigrated from Germany and their vision was not about being merry, it was about a church that would be a witness to the world around them to the glory of Jesus Christ. Part of that witness was providing for those who also emigrated from Germany and no doubt to help their neighbors. We continue to live that heritage today. I’m not German, but I am Lutheran. Many here today aren’t German, but as a result of this church being here, they have had an opportunity to come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord, they know that they are only saved in Christ. They certainly understand the C.S. Lewis quote there is no happiness or peace other than in Jesus. Sure in today’s world many think they have peace through self-medicating and indulging, but they come to realize how shallow, hopeless and the slavery they fall into when they surrender to worldly pleasures. Only through Christ do we have true life, only because of His sacrifice do we have eternal life in the resurrection. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross do we have that relationship with God in this world and in the eternal resurrection.

The men and women who had the vision for this church, who struggled to bring this church to reality, who served Christ in this church and because of that served so many others, those people understood what Jesus’ words meant. They did not store away their wealth, but they used it as a tool to build this magnificent testimony to the Lordship of Christ and their true life because of Him. By doing that they also have witnessed to Christ to generations of people who have worshipped here, who have received the life-saving message of Christ’s Gospel here. The founders of this church did the impossible, not as men and women, but as the faithful of Christ who were guided by the faith the Holy Spirit gave them and sacrificed time, treasure and talent to build this glorious witness. Because of it God did the “impossible” through them and saved countless souls because of the Christian ministry in this church.

While they are the church waiting in heaven, we who are their brothers and sisters in Jesus, now bear their mantle to continue to witness to Christ, not just in this building, but going out into the community they knew so well to proclaim the life-saving message of Christ. Those who are led by those who are here, then come and join us in this magnificent house of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit to grow in their life in Christ and to raise their children and generations that will follow us.

We praise God for them, for what they have left to us, for those who are here today and whom we have personally known who sacrificed and worked so hard for this church that we join together in, in Christ.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

Design attribution to Terry Downs

[1] Eric Lange Concordia Pulpit Resources Vol 25, Part 4, Series B

Bendito compartir las bendiciones de Jesús Marcos 10: 17-22 First St Johns 11 de octubre 2015

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[for the audio version of this sermon click on the above link]

Hacemos nuestro comienzo en el Nombre de Dios el Padre y en el nombre de Dios el Hijo y en el nombre de Dios el Espíritu Santo, y todos aquellos que comparten las bendiciones de Dios con los demás dijimos … AMEN!

La lectura de hoy debe parecer obvio para nosotros, esto es de tomar el curso de Mark en el joven rico. Para la mayoría de nosotros hoy en día, vemos la caridad como más o menos de un dado, sobre todo en la iglesia. Hacemos las cosas aquí en First St Johns como el Banco de Alimentos, Panera Bread que le damos a la gente en las mañanas de los lunes, ayudar a las personas en búsqueda de empleo, la distribución de la ropa. A muy pocas personas dan hacia un “fondo de limosnas”, esos fondos se les da a mí y los utilizan para ayudar a las personas que están en necesidad genuina. Lo hacemos otras cosas sobre una base bastante regular. Para el judío del primer siglo, ese tipo de caridad realmente no era un hecho. Hubo quienes fueron bendecidos porque por alguna razón, obviamente, Dios escogió para darles una gran riqueza y por lo que debe tener alguna virtud que merecían ser especialmente bendecida por Dios. Jesús hace Su observación conocido del joven rico: “De cierto os digo, que va a ser difícil para un rico entrar en el reino de los cielos. Otra vez os digo, que es más fácil que un camello pase por el ojo de una aguja que un rico entre en el reino de Dios “(Mateo 19: 23-24). ¿Qué estaba diciendo Jesús aquí? Hoy tenemos clase de Nod nuestra cabeza, de acuerdo, sí vas a llegar a Jesús, esa gente rica que atesoran todo ese dinero; George Soros, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Rockefeller, arbustos. Ya, el problema es que cuando nos sentamos allí y decir que estamos tipo de ser falso. Jesús es la identificación de un tema muy obvia aquí, este hombre es obviamente ricos y obviamente dedicado a su riqueza. El Concordia Auto-Estudio de la Biblia señala: “En su lista de los mandamientos, Jesús omite ‘No codiciarás’. Este fue el principal problema del hombre rico y le impedía entrar en la vida “.

Ahora crees que Jesús simplemente se olvidó de que uno? O simplemente quería dar al joven rico una visión superficial de los mandamientos? … Somos como niños pequeños a Jesús, el más viejo y más sabio de nosotros, ni siquiera arañar la superficie de la profundidad y amplitud de lo que Dios-Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo saben. ¿Alguna vez has enseñado a un niño pequeño a contar … Uno, dos, …. Tres? ¿No crees que Jesús estaba tratando de conseguir el joven rico para llegar a su propia respuesta. En la versión de Mateo, Jesús dice: “Si quieres entrar en la vida, obedece los mandamientos.” El joven rico contestó Tengo que interponer mi opinión en cuanto a la reacción de Jesús … ¿Qué ???? “¿Cuáles?” ¿Está usted de alguna manera de la opinión de que los mandamientos son una especie de mezcla heterogénea? Elija entre éste, no me gusta eso. Tengo que decir, que es más o menos el consenso de hoy. Ya, los mandamientos, algunos de ellos son buenos, algunos de ellos … nah, n / a, no aplicable, al menos no para mí. Jesús deja que el mandamiento que se aplicaría? … No codiciarás, número diez. Más bien larga uno también, parece que Dios quería asegurarse de que entendimos, no codiciar nada. Sin embargo, aquí está este chico que parece salir como muy devota, quizá experto en los mandamientos y él parece tener una visión muy distorsionada de ellos. Mire a su alrededor el mundo de hoy, está claro que el mundo tiene una visión muy distorsionada de los mandamientos, al igual que el joven. El mundo también parece añadir algunos de sus propios mandamientos. Uno, por supuesto, ser “juez no que no seáis juzgados”. Ese parece ser el gran favorito hoy. Y otros mandamientos, ya no es tan importante; No tienen ídolos, tomar el nombre de Dios en vano, el día sábado, en honor a la madre y el padre, los falsos testimonios, la codicia? Realmente se puede ver por qué el joven gobernante quería tener claro cuáles, yo estaría dispuesto a apostar que primer siglo Israel era muy similar a la América del siglo 21. Escoger y elegir, ¿cuál de importante, ¿cuál no lo es. Ellos son los diez mandamientos, no sugerencias!

Echemos un vistazo a la lectura Amós, tenemos que ser un poco justo aquí. Casi se ha convertido aceptado hoy que si alguien es rico, que tenían que haber hecho por cualquiera que lo recibe, oa través de la falta de honradez. Yo tengo la mía, sinceramente, pero que tipo de la casa más grande, coche grande, gran pantalla de televisión más grande, que debo haber aprovechado de alguien para conseguir todo eso. No, eso no es verdad, yo prefiero creer que la mayoría lo han hecho a través del trabajo duro, sacrificio, ser inteligente. ¿Hay personas que alcanzan la riqueza de una forma que carece de integridad? ¡Sí! En la lectura del profeta Amos, Amos es, sin duda diciendo en nombre de Dios que muchos, parece incluso más, están adquiriendo riquezas deshonestamente: “Porque yo sé cuántos son sus transgresiones y cuán grande son tus pecados, que afligen al justo, que toman un soborno, y se desvían a los necesitados en la puerta. “(Amós 5:12) En este momento de la historia, Israel / Judá, el reino ha sido dividido por entonces, se ha convertido en muy corrupto. Eso es lo que profetas como Amós, Isaías, Jeremías, Zacarías están advirtiendo a la gente sobre. Dios no va a seguir tolerando esto. Y sin embargo, es el reconocimiento del hecho de Amos: “Ellos lo odian que reprende a la puerta, y lo que dice la verdad aborrecen.” (Amós 5:10). Los hombres de un pueblo se reunían en la puerta de la ciudad donde la gente trae juegos de la ley o de acusar a alguien de violar la ley. Fue donde la gente espera que la justicia. Para los que actuar con justicia, de acuerdo a la voluntad de Dios, no fueron apreciadas, especialmente por aquellos que tenían algún nivel de riqueza y poder. Se espera que los que estaban los jueces simplemente darse la vuelta para ellos. Ellos engañar a alguien, ser acusado y el juez tenía que hacer la vista gorda, es por eso que Amos se refiere a aquellos que “afligen al justo, que toman un soborno.” Tengo que jugar con las reglas, pero al parecer el tipo que tiene dinero y poder, él no, él consigue su camino independientemente. Tengo que creer que, si bien el joven rico habló un buen juego, lo que vemos hoy en día muchos lo hacen, que en realidad no las reglas del juego. Recuerde Zaqueo, con Jesús? Ofreció, sin preguntar a devolver cualquier que podría haber no se tratan de manera justa con. El joven rico no lo hizo. Al igual que la gente de hoy y luego, parecía haber comprado en la creencia de que a causa de su riqueza que fue su boleto de oro. Eso no era lo que Jesús estaba a punto. “Jesús mirándolo, lo amó …” Creo que Jesús sintió compasión y piedad. Jesús sabía que el joven rico estaba demasiado atado a sus riquezas y mientras que él dijo las cosas correctas, no estaban donde estaba su corazón. Él había comprado en la visión del mundo que la riqueza significaba que fue bendecido y tenía una escalera al cielo. En referencia a la canción de Led Zeppelin, con claridad, incluso en los años 1960 y creo que tanto o más que ahora “hay una dama que está segura que todo lo que brilla es oro y ella está comprando una escalera al cielo.” Peter duda de las palabras de Jesús también, “Nosotros lo hemos dejado todo para seguirte! Entonces, ¿qué habrá para nosotros “(Matt19: 27)? Jesús le respondió: Yo te digo la verdad, en la renovación de todas las cosas, [la resurrección], cuando el Hijo del Hombre se siente en su trono glorioso, ustedes que me han seguido también se sentarán en doce tronos, para juzgar a las doce tribus de Israel. Y cualquiera que haya dejado casas, o hermanos, o hermanas, o padre, o madre, o hijos o tierras, por mi nombre, recibirá cien veces más, y heredará la vida eterna “(Mateo 20: 28-29). ¡Oh Pedro, a causa de su fidelidad y la fidelidad de todos los que va a seguir, lo que el hombre tiene se verá como caja chica en comparación con lo que usted recibirá, parafraseando a Jesús.

Jesús entregó la gloria del cielo para vivir la vida como un hombre en la tierra. Sacrificó a ser uno de nosotros y más que eso, Él sacrificó todo lo que tenía en la tortura de la cruz, su propia vida, a Dios Hijo, perfecto y santo, sacrificado para pagar por nuestros pecados. Dios nos da lo que necesitamos, oramos por nuestro pan de cada día y él proporciona fielmente por lo que necesitamos para vivir la vida que Él quiere para nosotros. Eso no significa que ignoremos su voluntad y salir y apoderarse de todo lo que podemos, para enriquecer deshonestamente nosotros mismos. En cuanto a eso Él nos quiere usar algunos de los regalos que nos ha dado para aquellos que están en necesidad, para mantener a su iglesia para que colectivamente podemos alcanzar y mantener a aquellos que están en necesidad física, por lo que también se puede escuchar el Evangelio de Jesucristo. Para no sólo vivir en el mundo de hoy, pero escuchar la promesa de la vida y la vida más abundante en la, perfecto mundo eterno de la resurrección. Así que, sí, sacar esa revista, tomar tiempo en la oración. ¿Somos demasiado sobre el mensaje del mundo? O somos acerca del mensaje del Evangelio. ¿Creemos que aquí porque tenemos mucho en el mundo, que Dios nos ha bendecido a la riqueza, y sí, casi todos nosotros son bastante ricos en comparación con los estándares de la época de Jesús y del resto de las normas del mundo de hoy. ¿Vivimos la vida que Jesús quiere para nosotros compartiendo nuestra abundancia? ¿O vivimos la vida engañada del mundo que dice que nuestra vida debe ser abundante aquí y también nos compra una escalera al cielo?

La paz de Dios que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús. Amin y Shalom

Pastor Jim Driskell

If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write. – Dr Martin Luther

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