Category Archives: Christian

There is no option to God, Hell is the default setting

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I really do get tired of hearing this whiney argument; “How can a “good” God send anyone to Hell?”

Frankly I think you’ve answered your own question. He is not just “good” He is perfect, perfectly holy. Holy means sanctified and also set apart. God is far above anything of man, He is perfectly good and holy.  By its very nature, perfectly holy and good cannot abide sin, will not abide sin. By definition, if we are sinful, we cannot be holy. Sin cannot make itself holy, we do not have the capability to change our nature. Certainly God does. When we are born again in baptism, we become new creatures Paul tells us this. We have been born in the righteousness of Christ and because of that we can be perfect and holy and be in the presence of the Father. Why would God allow you in His presence when you essentially reject Him when you make yourself more important than God? You’re not and you are still very much a sinner, and God will not, cannot allow you in His presence. Why should He tolerate your unrepentant sin?  If you don’t meet His standards He’s not going to allow you into His presence and the only way you can meet His standards is to be in and covered by the righteousness of Jesus. Jesus paid for all of your sins and therefore has enabled you to be saved. The Father offered this as the only way to eternal life. Anything else is just out of man’s imagination and isn’t going to do anything for anyone. You’ve just made it up, how can it be anything else?

If God’s not going to allow you in His presence there is only one alternative.  This isn’t an exact metaphor, but if you don’t buy a ticket for the plane to Hawaii, how can you expect to end up in Hawaii?  As I said there’s only one other place, that is Hell. If you chose to be separated from God this is eternal separation.

Usually it’s the person who is stuck in their sin and just doesn’t want God. But they still expect a perfectly holy God to just accept their sin and allow them to continue to do what they want. That’s just living in denial, that’s just not reality. You need to get over yourself, you are not the final authority. Not everyone is here for your convenience, that especially includes God the Father. If these other things in your life are more important, how do you figure that God is at all concerned about doing it your way?  It’s just not about you, it is entirely about God.

God has given us a way, and that is the way we need to go and put aside our wants, our sin and focus on what God wants. No we are never going to be perfect, but we do need to be in God’s will in Jesus where the Holy Spirit works on us, and not leaving it up to our own whims, as if that’s the most important thing.

A loving God doesn’t send anyone to Hell. But I get it, it’s a one-way street for you! You expect God to love and fall all over Himself for you, but you just go out and continue to run the life He gave you right into the ground, just doing whatever your little heart desires. Wow they name streets after people like you, ya “one-way”. Please explain to me how that makes any sense.

They have a saying for that in boot camp “mama may have been that way to you, but you’re mama ain’t here. For those of us who are grown ups we realize that it was nice when mama let us have our way, but now we live in a very real world.  We can live according to God’s will and live a life of strength and faith, or a delusional world of our own that ends up in destruction. Time for you to grow up and be an adult, especially you men.  Whether they want to admit it, you have a responsibility to your wife and children to live that example as a man of God. Too many wives and children are lost because of weak men, that means all those guys who think it’s about the world and themselves. Ya, you! Snap out of it and get a grip, it’s only about God, it’s only the weak willed man who thinks it’s about him or anything else.

There is no “choice” the default is to Hell. You only have yourself to blame in that situation. So get over yourself and your prissy attitude “well if God loves me, He’ll do whatever I want…”  You may have had an over indulgent mommy, but now it’s real world.  If you reject God, the default is Hell, you sent yourself.

servimos a nuestro gran Dios que nos sirve Marcos 10: 32-45 First St Johns 22 de marzo 2015

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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 son hijos e hijas del Padre dijo … AMEN !!!

Estimado Ma & Pa,

Estoy bien. Espero que estés. Dile hermano Walt & hermano Elmer el Cuerpo de Marines mejor que trabajar para el hombre viejo Minch por una milla. Dígales a unirse rápido antes tal vez todos los lugares están llenos.

Estaba inquieto al principio porque tienes que permanecer en cama hasta casi las 6 am, pero estoy haciendo lo que me gusta dormir hasta tarde. Dile a Walt & Elmer todo lo que hacen antes del desayuno es suave su cuna y brillar algunas cosas. No hay cerdos a slop, alimentación para lanzar, puré de mezclar, madera para dividir, fuego a sentar. Prácticamente nada.

Los hombres llegaron a afeitarse, pero no es tan malo, que git agua tibia. El desayuno es fuerte en adornos. Al igual que el jugo de fruta, cereales, huevos, bacon, etc …, pero un poco débil en chuletas, patatas, jamón, carne, berenjenas fritas, pastel, y otra comida regular. Pero dicen Walt & Elmer siempre pueden sentarse entre dos muchachos de la ciudad que viven en el café.

Sus alimentos, además de la suya, que sostiene hasta el mediodía, cuando te cansas de nuevo. No es de extrañar que estos muchachos de la ciudad no pueden caminar mucho. Nos vamos de marchas “ruta”, que el sargento de pelotón dice que son largos paseos nos endurecen. Si él cree que sí, no es mi lugar para decirle diferente. Una “marcha de ruta” es lo más lejos que a nuestro buzón en casa. Entonces los chicos City recupera el dolor de pies y todos viajan atrás en camiones. El país está muy bien, pero horrible plana.

Ellos no te molestan ninguno. Este próximo será matar a Walt & Elmer con risa. Sigo recibiendo medallas para el rodaje. Yo no sé por qué. La diana está cerca del tamaño de una ardilla y no se mueven. Y no te dispara, al igual que los chicos Higgett. Todo lo que tienes que hacer es mentir allí todo cómodo y dispara. Ni siquiera cargar sus propios cartuchos.

Asegúrese de decirle a Walt & Elmer apresurarse y unirse antes de que otros taladores entrar en esta configuración y vienen en estampida.

Su hija cariñosa, Gail [1]

Es una especie de una cuestión de perspectiva, aquí se tiene Juan y Santiago, han estado en la presencia del Señor desde hace tres años, que realmente no apreciar lo que tienen, que parecen pensar que es sólo hacia arriba ok ir a Dios el Hijo: “Maestro, queremos que nos concedas lo que te pidamos.” Quiero decir wow, justo al frente bastante desagradable !? Es como si ni siquiera se escuchaban. ¿No dijo Jesús sólo les digo lo que le iba a suceder? Voy a ser entregado para ser asesinados, eso es malo, pero luego me levantaré, eso es genial! ¿Cuál es su respuesta? Hey queremos que hagas esto para nosotros Jesús. Gail aprecia dónde ha estado, incluso en el campo de entrenamiento del Cuerpo de Marines. Ella piensa que su nueva vida es simplemente genial. Santiago y Juan, que parecen olvidar dónde han estado, parece que piensan que tienen derecho a una actualización en la vida. Sí, sé que todos hemos estado allí, todos queremos mejor. Pero muy a menudo es nuestra idea de “mejor” y que simplemente ignorar la idea de Dios.

Juan y Santiago, como el resto de los discípulos, francamente, como muchos de nosotros, todavía no han tenido la idea, no se trata de ellos y lo que reciben, se trata de lo que Dios tiene para nuestras vidas. Como dice en el boletín: “. Nuestros viejos, yo pecador todavía a veces quieren que Jesús es como un genio en una botella que nos dará tres deseos en lugar de un Señor y Salvador que ha perdonado nuestros pecados” Todo se reduce a esto ; como cristianos que están a cargo de nuestras vidas, ¿a quién servimos? ¿Es todo acerca de mí? ¿O es todo acerca de nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Jesús y en última instancia, / lo más importante acerca de Jesús? Acerca de Aquel que se sacrificó y sufrió todo para servirnos? Él realmente hace servirnos, nos dio nuestra relación con el Padre, Él cumple nuestra esperanza de vida – la vida eterna, sabemos todos los que en el mundo que están sin esperanza, tenemos la promesa, sabemos que no tenemos que saltar a través de aros para tener lo que se espera. “Porque por gracia sois salvos por medio de la fe. Y esto no es de vosotros, pues es don de Dios “(Efesios 2: 8). Sola Gratia, sola gracia que nos es dada por lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros. No podíamos hacer nada para ganar que si queríamos. ¿Qué podríamos posiblemente añadir a lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros? Somos bautizados en el nombre del Dios Trino. Jesús nos salvó y nos da la gracia, la fe para saber que hemos sido salvados. Todo esto se hace para nosotros, a través de nada de lo que hemos hecho. Pablo continúa en Efesios 2: 9 “no por obras, para que nadie se gloríe.”

El lema de mi primera universidad del estudiante era “… no para ser servido, sino para servir ..”, esta es una vieja institución universitaria pública, en liberal Massachusetts, yo no sabía lo que era el lema de cuando yo fui allí y yo ” d apostar casi nadie más, estudiante, profesor, personal sabía de dónde era. Jesús prometió a servirnos, lo hizo y él sigue.

Gail privada, que ha de servir, ella está en la Infantería de Marina, mientras que ella sirve, aprecia lo mucho que ella tiene, lo bueno que la vida es. En el mundo en que servimos a Satanás / anciano Minch. Es posible que no vemos, pero que es cruel, despiadado y en algún momento dejará caer el martillo en los que no están en Jesús. Esto podría ser un poco raro, pero los infantes de marina, siendo algo así como Jesús? Puede parecer difícil, pero para nosotros que han vivido en el mundo y conocer la dureza del mundo, Jesús nos dice: “. Porque mi yugo es fácil, y ligera mi carga” (Mateo 11:30) Vamos a apreciar lo que Jesús tiene hecho, vamos a escuchar lo que tiene que decir y no sólo sacar adelante con nuestra agenda. El mundo / viejo Minch, sólo nos servirá a un precio y es un me pagan ahora y me pagan después. Con Jesús vivió, murió, servido, por Juan y Santiago, todo para nosotros, los que son suyos y por toda la eternidad.

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

We serve our God who serves us in His will Mark 10: 32-45 First St Johns Mar 22, 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 and all those who know they are  sons and daughters of the Father said … AMEN!!!

Dear Ma & Pa,
Am well. Hope you are. Tell brother Walt & brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt & Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.
Men got to shave but it is not so bad, they git warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings. Like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc…, but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie, and other regular food. But tell Walt & Elmer you can always sit between two city boys that live on coffee.
Their food, plus yours, holds you till noon, when you get fed again. It’s no wonder these city boys can’t walk much. We go on “route” marches, which the Platoon Sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A “route march” is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys gets sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.
They don’t bother you none. This next will kill Walt & Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don’t know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk and don’t move. And it ain’t shooting at you, like the Higgett boys. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don’t even load your own cartridges.
Be sure to tell Walt & Elmer to hurry & join before other fellers get into this setup & come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter, Gail[1]

It is kind of a matter of perspective, here you have John and James, they have been in the presence of the Lord for three years now, they really don’t appreciate what they have, they seem to think that it’s just straight up ok to go to God the Son: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” I mean wow, right up front pretty obnoxious!? It’s as if they weren’t even listening. Didn’t Jesus just tell them what would happen to Him? I’m going to be turned over to be killed, that’s bad, but then I will rise, that’s great! What’s their response? Hey we want you to do this for us Jesus. Gail appreciates where she’s been, even in Marine Corps boot camp. She thinks her new life is just terrific. James and John, they seem to forget where they’ve been, they seem to think they’re entitled to an upgrade in life. Yea, I know we’ve all been there, we all want better. But too often it’s our idea of “better” and we just ignore God’s idea.

John and James, like the rest of the disciples, frankly, like too many of us, still have not gotten the idea, it’s not about them and what they get, it’s about what God has for our lives. As it says in your bulletin: “Our old, sinful selves still sometimes want Jesus to be like a genie in a bottle who will give us three wishes rather than a Lord and Savior who has forgiven our sins.” It really comes down to this; as Christians who are in charge of our lives, who do we serve? Is it all about me? Or is it all about our brothers and sisters in Jesus and ultimately/most importantly about Jesus? About Him who sacrificed and suffered everything in order to serve us? He really does serve us, He gave us our relationship with the Father, He fulfills our hope of life – life eternal, we know all those in the world who are without hope, we have the promise, we know we don’t have to jump through hoops to have what we hope for. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” (Eph 2:8). Sola Gratia, grace alone that is given to us because of what Jesus did for us. We couldn’t do anything to earn that if we wanted to. What could we possibly add to what Jesus did for us? We are baptized in the Name of the Triune God. Jesus saved us and He gives us the grace, the faith to know that we’ve been saved. All this is done for us, through nothing that we’ve done. Paul goes on in Eph 2:9 “not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

The motto of my first undergraduate college was “…not to be served, but to serve..”, This is an old public college, in liberal Massachusetts, I didn’t know what that motto was about when I went there and I’d bet pretty much no one else, student, teacher, staff knew where it was from. Jesus promised to serve us, He did and He continues to.

Private Gail, she’s serving, she’s in the Marines, while she serves, she appreciates how much that she has, how good life is. In the world we serve Satan/old man Minch. We may not see it, but he is cruel, merciless and at some point he will drop the hammer on those who are not in Jesus. This might be a little weird, but the Marines, being kind of like Jesus? May seem hard, but to us who have lived in the world and know the harshness of the world, Jesus tells us: “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:30) Let’s appreciate what Jesus has done, let’s hear what He has to say and not just push through with our agenda. The world/old man Minch, will only serve us at a price and it’s a pay me now and pay me later. With Jesus He lived, died, served, for John and James, all for we who are His and for all eternity.

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

We serve our neighbors in service to God

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We’ve been talking about vocation in many ways at our Wednesday Coffee Break Bible study. Certainly our vocation in terms of our job, profession, position. Position can mean many different things in terms of our spouse, children, parents, siblings. Our position in the community. Any responsibility we hold in the church, on and on. Positions God puts us in, in His service, but to serve others. I’m sure we recognize that God doesn’t need our service per se. Jesus has done all that is necessary, and God sustains us in every way. We are in His service for what we do for ourselves and for others.

I serve by working to better myself in every possible way nutrition, exercise, study things that are edifying. We are in His service when we serve our neighbors. Surely God puts us into situations where our service to a neighbor would be pleasing to Him. In fact I would hope that we would do works to glorify Him, that others may know that what I did was a result of what God does to me and through me. So anything I do for another is only a result of the Holy Spirit in me.

Henry and Richard Blackaby “Experiencing God Today”, p 122: “God deserves our love and He demands that we love others in the same way He does.” And yes, I will say it again God’s love is of genuine concern for what is best for another, not this phoney, empty enabling love we think of today. What is in that person’s best interests and not ours. Believe me that is hard to do but that is the goal we need to strive for. Heck, in today’s world, anyone who even approaches that is doing more than anyone expects.

The Blackabys spell this out: “We are to love our spouses, not as they deserve, but as God commands (Eph 5: 22-33). We are to treat our friends, not as they treat us, but as Christ loves us (John 13:14). We are to labor at our jobs, not in proportion to the way our employer treats us, but according to the way God treats us. God is the One we serve (Eph 6:5).”

“Mediocrity and laziness have no place in the Christian’s life. Christians must maintain integrity at home and in the workplace… Our toil then becomes an offering to God. We not only worship God at church on Sunday, but our labor throughout the week is an offering of worship and thanksgiving to the One who has given us everything we have.”

How many times have you seen someone decide that they’re just not treated fairly and they do what amounts to be stupid things to strike back? And we all know how that works out. It bites them, it brings them a bad reputation and if people know they are a Christian, it always puts Christians in a bad light. “Our” work is “our” work. We may be getting what we think is a bad deal, but doing work that doesn’t serve our neighbor and reflects poorly on Christ and Christian brothers and sisters really ends up only hurting the people who you’ve professed to be in fellowship with and the Father. Do we really want people to think we are all about shoddy, half baked service? Sure we aren’t always going to be great, but we should make our best effort to be as good as possible and never be perceived as “tanking the ball”. Someone will call us on it and we’re the one who looks bad in the end. That certainly should be our perspective in our work and no less in our family and our church.

Our efforts should even be thought of as an offering to God, not in the sense of earning anything or buying anything, but certainly in the sense of Thanksgiving.

Even when others fail us, refuse us, treat us poorly, we continue to serve because our service is always given in thanks to God. Take a break during the week, Wednesday mornings, the coffee shop at the corner of W King and Beaver Sts in downtown York, Pa.  10am, park behind the church. I will even buy you your first cup of coffee. No charge, no obligation.

Porque tanto amó Dios a todos los pueblos, todas las herencias … “Juan 3: 14-21 First St Johns 15 de marzo 2015

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translation from Google Translate

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 los que son hermanos y hermanas de Jesús dijo … AMEN !!

Usted puede haber oído me refiero a St Patricks como el “gran día santo”, si usted creció en el que crecí, sería fácil llegar a esa conclusión. Me fui a la misa del Día de San Patricio en Boston, una vez. Se llevó a cabo, por entonces, el cardenal Law. ¿Quieres hablar de “alto día santo”, eso fue todo. El servicio de adoración, por lo que fue durante la semana, fue muy vistoso y bien atendido. Esto fue en el asiento del cardenal en la Iglesia de la Santa Cruz, en Boston. Di lo que quieras acerca de la Iglesia Católica Romana, pero me fui de allí mucho sentimiento como si yo hubiera estado en la adoración.

Se cuenta la historia de alcalde James Michael Curley de Boston. Alcalde Curley era bastante el carácter, una especie de figura de Robin Hood en el momento, que era más o menos durante la depresión. No podía hacer 17 de marzo un día de fiesta para un santo cristiano, trató de encontrar un evento histórico para conmemorar. Golpeó en el hecho de que el 17 de marzo es cuando los británicos evacuaron Boston durante la guerra revolucionaria. Bueno, el hecho de que nuestros antepasados ​​Boston condujeron a los poderosos británicos de Boston no era algo que no sólo los viejos Yankees Boston nos encantaría conmemorar, sino también a la población estadounidense de origen irlandés también compraría en. Llámelo como lo haría, había una fiesta el 17 de marzo y todos sabemos lo que es realmente. Día de evacuación sigue siendo una fiesta reconocida en Middlesex y Suffolk, donde se encuentra en Boston. Y está debidamente celebrado.

El patrimonio es una cosa importante, que debe ser compartida y celebrada. Aquí tenemos al menos cuatro grupos diferentes en First St Johns Iglesia Luterana que son muy serios en la vida y que celebran su herencia y no hay nada malo en ello. En una sociedad que se ha vuelto tan astillada y tan alienados, considero que esas personas que recuerdan su patrimonio, comparten ese patrimonio con otros del mismo grupo, asegúrese de que sus hijos, nietos y otros parientes y recuerde que no se rinden a lo que se ha convertido en una sociedad cada vez más homogeneizado. Por mucho que se promueve la diversidad en la sociedad actual, lo que realmente está poniendo distancia herencias étnicas y religiosas, que quedará vinculado juntos bajo un patrimonio cada vez más secular y humanista. Muchos hablan de un buen juego sobre el patrimonio, la falta de conocimiento de la historia de América y étnica es llegar a ser escandalosa. Son demasiados los jóvenes ni siquiera pueden pensar en términos históricos, como si lo que vino antes que ellos no importa y sin embargo les ha hecho mucho de lo que son. Esta falta de anclaje en nuestra sociedad, a nuestra herencia cristiana y nuestra herencia familiar nos ha dejado con una sociedad que se separa cada vez más y alienada.

Cuando se bautizaron, que se convirtió en una persona nueva. En el bautismo usted ha “nacido de nuevo”, se le da la vida real, en Jesucristo, tú eres ese nuevo hombre o mujer. Debido a que usted ha nacido en un nuevo patrimonio. Usted puede ser de origen étnico alemán o irlandés o español, afroamericano, italiano, pero como dice la canción “… sólo en Cristo …” Compartimos una herencia que se remonta al comienzo en Jesús. Como Pablo escribió a los hermanos de Galacia: “No hay ni Judio ni griego, no hay esclavo ni libre; no hay varón ni mujer, porque todos vosotros sois uno en Cristo Jesús.” (Gálatas 3:28)

Debido a que es el “alto día santo”, menciono esto porque yo trato de hacer de San Patricio un poco especial. Sé que es la mitad de la Cuaresma y debe ser sombrío. Domingos, sin embargo, incluso en la Cuaresma, son aún los días de fiesta en el calendario de la iglesia. Es curioso cómo funciona y si te gustaría que te lo explique, lo haré, pero veo St Patricks como una manera de mantenerse un poco en contacto con la cultura que me crié en e incluso como un luterano fue incluido en . Tengo que admitir que, por ser de etnia / Yankee irlandés, me hace un bicho raro en la Iglesia Luterana. Aunque no es la única cosa que hace, pero no veo St Patricks como una manera de recordar no sólo nuestra identidad étnica, pero mucho más importante es que nuestra identidad en Jesús.

Una de las razones que me he sentido que era tan importante para recitar el Credo Niceno del Apóstol y con la palabra “católico” es poner de relieve que la Iglesia Luterana es en gran medida una iglesia universal. No debemos conceder que a cualquier otra iglesia. Lo universal y la Iglesia Luterana tiene miembros e iglesias en casi todos los países del mundo. Hay países donde el cristianismo es reprimida en serio, así que realmente no saben lo que es la iglesia o no está representado. La población de más rápido crecimiento Luterana en el mundo no está en los Estados Unidos o en Europa, está en …. África, de lejos. “… Hay más de 16 millones de luteranos en África? Para poner esto en perspectiva, eso es más luteranos que en toda América del Norte. A diferencia de la Iglesia en Europa y América del Norte, África, así como de Asia está experimentando un crecimiento fenomenal en la membresía. “Puesto en perspectiva, del Dr. Luther creció las iglesias del protestantismo moderno. Anglicanos, bautistas, metodistas, cristiano genuino protestante, con exclusión de las iglesias anabautistas, las iglesias son el resultado de lo que Martin Luther hizo hace 500 años. Todos somos verdaderamente hermanos y hermanas en Cristo. A menudo, más hermanos y hermanas que las personas que compartimos con los padres físicos.

Puedo usar el día del St Patricks de añadir un pequeño giro en la adoración, trato de hacerlo mejor, pero nunca parece venir alrededor. Pero tenemos un patrimonio compartido que va mucho más allá de lo países nuestros antepasados ​​nacieron en, tenemos un patrimonio que importa para la eternidad. Jesús murió por todos por igual, todos estamos igualmente salvos en Jesús, si usted fue bautizado la semana pasada o hace setenta años. Yo no más soy salvo porque soy de ascendencia irlandesa que usted es de ascendencia alemana o española, afroamericanos. En la resurrección eterna nuestro patrimonio es el único en el que murió para que nosotros pudiéramos ser salvos. Aquel que es el Señor de nuestra vida, en esta vida y en la vida eterna. “Porque tanto amó Dios al mundo que dio a su Hijo unigénito …” Mundo, ko, smoj en griego significa “… los habitantes de la tierra, los hombres, la raza humana” Todos somos hermanos y hermanas en la Católica, Luterana universales iglesia de Jesucristo.

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

For God so loved all peoples, all heritages John 3: 14-21 First St Johns Mar 15, 2015

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[For the audio version 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 brothers and sisters in Jesus said … AMEN!!

You may have heard me refer to St Patricks as the “high holy day”, if you grew up where I grew up, it would be easy to come to that conclusion. I went to the St Patrick’s Day mass in Boston, once. It was conducted, by then, Cardinal Law. You wanna talk “high holy day”, that was it. The worship service, for what was during the week, was very ornate and well attended. This was at the Cardinal’s seat at Holy Cross Church in Boston. Say what you will about the Roman Catholic Church, but I left there very much feeling as if I had been in worship.

The story is told of Mayor James Michael Curley of Boston. Mayor Curley was quite the character, sort of a Robin Hood figure at the time, which was pretty much during the depression. He couldn’t make March 17 a holiday for a Christian Saint, he tried to find an historical event to commemorate. He hit upon the fact that March 17 is when the British evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War. Well the fact that our Boston ancestors drove the mighty British out of Boston wasn’t something that not only the old Boston Yankees would happily commemorate, but also the Irish-American population would also buy into. Call it what you would, there was a holiday on March 17 and we all know what it’s really about. Evacuation Day is still a recognized holiday in Middlesex and Suffolk counties where Boston is located in. And it is duly celebrated.

Heritage is an important thing, it should be shared and celebrated. Right here we have at least four different groups in First St Johns Lutheran Church that are very serious in the living and celebrating of their heritage and there is nothing wrong with that. In a society that has become so splintered and so alienated, I submit that those people who remember their heritage, share that heritage with others of the same group, make sure that their children, grandchildren and other relatives remember that and don’t surrender to what has become an increasingly homogenized society. As much as diversity is promoted in today’s society, it really is putting away ethnic and religious heritages, to be bound together under an increasingly secular and humanist heritage. Many talk a good game about heritage, the lack of knowledge of American and ethnic history is getting to be scandalous. Too many young people can’t even think in historical terms, as if what came before them doesn’t matter and yet has very much made them what they are. This lack of anchoring in our society, to our Christian heritage and our family heritage has left us with a society that is increasingly detached and alienated.

When you were baptized, you became a new person. In Baptism you are “born again”, you are given real life, in Jesus Christ, you are that new man or woman. Because of that you are born into a new heritage. You may be of German ethnicity or Irish or Spanish, African-American, Italian, but as the song says “…in Christ alone…” We share a heritage that goes back to the beginning in Jesus. As Paul wrote to the Galatian brothers: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

Because it is the “high holy day”, I bring this up because I do try to make St Patricks a little special. I know it’s the middle of Lent and should be somber. Sundays, though, even in Lent, are still festival days on the church calendar. It’s odd how it works out and if you would like me to explain it, I will, but I see St Patricks as a way to kind of stay in touch with the culture that I was brought up in and even as a Lutheran was included in. I have to admit, being of Irish/Yankee ethnicity, makes me an oddball in the Lutheran Church. Although it’s not the only thing that does, but I see St Patricks as a way to remember not just our ethnic identity, but so much more importantly our identity in Jesus.

One reason that I have felt it was so important to recite the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds with the word “catholic” is to emphasize that the Lutheran Church is very much a universal church. We should not concede that to any other church. We are universal and the Lutheran Church has members and churches in almost every country in the world. There are countries where Christianity is seriously repressed, so we really don’t know what church is or isn’t represented. The fastest growing Lutheran population in the world is not in the United States or Europe, it’s in …. Africa, by far. “…there are over 16 million Lutherans in Africa?  To put that in perspective, that’s more Lutherans than in all of North America. Unlike the Church in Europe and North America, Africa as well as Asia is seeing phenomenal growth in membership.” Put in perspective, from Dr Luther grew the churches of modern Protestantism. [1] Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, genuine Protestant Christian, excluding Anabaptist churches, churches are the result of what Martin Luther did 500 years ago. We are all truly brothers and sisters in Christ. Often more brothers and sisters than the people that we share physical parents with.

I may use St Patricks Day to add a little twist into worship, I try to do it better, but it never seems to come about. But we have a shared heritage that far transcends what countries our ancestors were born in, we have a heritage that matters for eternity. Jesus died for all of us equally, we are all equally saved in Jesus, whether you were baptized last week, or seventy years ago. I am no more saved because I’m of Irish descent than you are of German descent, or Spanish, African American. In the eternal resurrection our heritage is solely in He who died so that we could be saved. He who is the Lord of our life, in this life and in the life eternal. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” World, ko,smoj in Greek means “…the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race”[2] We are all brothers and sisters in the Holy Catholic, universal Lutheran church of Jesus Christ.

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

[1] See more at: http://www.messiahlacrescent.org/2010/09/lutherans-in-africa/#sthash.x7ApeFjD.dpuf

[2] BibleWorks

True disciples in Jesus, not phoney expectations

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This is from Henry and Richard Blackaby’s Experiencing God Day by Day p 142: “James and John sought to outmaneuver their fellow disciples in order to gain the places of greater honor next to Jesus (Mark 10:37). Over and over the disciples’ actions showed that they did not truly understand who Jesus was (John 6:7-9; Mark 6:49). Even after three years with Jesus, Peter was afraid to confess Christ before a young servant girl (Matt 26:69-75).

Yea these guy’s definitely failed, but I respectfully disagree being in Jesus does not mean that we all of a sudden become lions for Jesus. As a Lutheran we certainly know that we become a new creation in Jesus. Baptism makes us a new man or woman, we have been born again in the Spirit a new creature. We absolutely do. But Martin Luther always cautioned that the old/worldly person would always be lurking waiting for the chance to jump in and assert itself.

When it’s not about Jesus it’s about me. I have no doubt that the ratio is well over fifty percent weighted to me. Sure they became new men on the day of Pentecost and we praise God for that. We do become spiritual beings in Jesus and the Holy Spirit does keep working on us.  I pray that we do respond to Him when we are called on, that we are raised up far more than we fail.  But the beef I have with Reformed theology falls in to works righteousness theology, that we have to become virtually perfect. This side of heaven we aren’t going to be perfect or even too close. I’ve talked to too many people who have given up, have despaired because some uneducated, self-proclaimed “evangelist”, who doesn’t know what he/she is talking about and makes it up. Who genuinely thinks he/she has reached some state of perfection and thinks everyone else should be. They just don’t know what they’re talking about. The Blackabys certainly are much better educated than me, but all Reformed theology still breaks down in this works righteousness and creates an environment where too many give up because they can’t reach an impossible goal of perfection.

I’m not saying give up and don’t strive. Christians should always be striving for Jesus. But don’t get sucked into this idea that you’re going to be perfect and have it all together. Too many have been spit out the “big box” church because of faulty teaching and faulty people. These are the kinds of Jim Jones/cult kind of thinking that causes serious spiritual dysfunction. The fastest way to truly die is to let your spiritual life be undermined.

Look at ISIS, all the places where Christians are truly persecuted and truly living for Christ. They don’t have the time and resources for big box Christianity, the Joel Osteen, Mark Driscoll, nonsense. We have brothers and sisters in Africa, Asia who have and continue to suffer persecution. While people sit in their non-denominational big boxes being amused and convinced they’re perfect just by virtue of being them, the denominational churches, the ones who live the life and put it on the line are out there truly serving. I wonder when non-denominational churches are going to be sending military chaplains who are right on the front line. Who are going to do the work of Lutheran World Missions, for those who sit in pretty sanctuaries, world pleasing sanctuaries.

The big box phoney churches can try to sell that you need to be perfect, but for those who are living the life by actually serving, who are suffering, who know the real world of Christianity, we aren’t perfect. Dr Luther knew the old man, and I certainly have never known a Christian more real than Martin Luther. We need to quit creating phoney expectations that are not Biblical and are only in the head of some self-important big box player to the crowd. Let’s stand up as true brothers and sisters in Jesus accept that we and those around us are fallible and go out and really live the life in Jesus. Let’s not set people up for failure which the big box churches are doing.

It’s all about God Exodus 20 First St Johns March 8, 2015

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For the audio version of this sermon 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 know it’s all about God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit said … AMEN!

Caesarius of Arles said: We should also know that the ten commandments of the law are also fulfilled by the two gospel precepts, love of God and love of neighbor. For the three commandments which were written on the first table pertain to the love of God, while on the second tablet … are recognized as pertaining to love of neighbor. The Lord said in the Gospel: ‘On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”[1]

The commandments, which are also called the Decalogue in Greek, are to you, they’re about loving God and loving others. When we do that, is there any doubt that we are loved back? Again, I want to emphasize, that we’re not talking about the sentimental, mushey love that we Americans have understood love to mean, or this sort of enabling “love” that doesn’t judge or rebuke. It’s love that wants what is best for us, that helps us to grow and to become people who are led to live lives that God had intended.

An article about a man Noel Biderman who started an on-line website that helps married people meet other married people to have an affair. This was published in Forbes Magazine, in the next issue of Forbes, the “letters to the editor”, were mostly appalled, but sure enough there were the “well if that’s what they want…” and “if he can make money…” There are people in today’s world who would try to convince you that for a variety of reasons it is loving to help people to sin. Let’s be very clear here, it is in no way shape or manner “loving” to help people do things that are clearly destructive. There is no such thing as a victimless crime, and it is not loving to think that there is.

To be truly loving, we do the things that benefit and enhance our spouses, our children, our parents, siblings, all those we encounter. Someone may hit me up for money for a “burger”, which means booze, when I refuse they accuse me of being unloving/unChristian, a bad pastor. Really? Am I really doing anyone any good by expediting their death? When we remember the Decalogue, we are remembering, yea, the things that we’re not supposed to do, but we also remember the why and not only the “don’t”, but also the “should”. Walter Roehrs writes: “…they are a basic epitome of the response that God expects of the participants in His covenant of grace…” He goes on to say: “..They lay claim to man’s total being from the hidden stirrings and intentions of the heart to their overt expression in word and deed. It eliminates all assertions of man’s self – determination. The new covenant doesn’t minimize but rather sharpens the demands of an uncompromised surrender of self to the Redeemer and the Fulfiller of the Law.”[2]

Remember the “Small Catechism”? Those basics of our faith that get shoved into the back of an out of the way bookcase, or, worse, a box in the basement, assuming you took your copy with you from your parents home, decades ago.

Let’s take a quick pass through, not just the don’t do this, don’t do that, but one thing that is unique about Lutheranism it also helps us to see what we should do.

“You shall have no other gods.” What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.”

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.” What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks.”

“Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”

“Honor your father and your mother.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.”

“You shall not murder” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.”

“You shall not commit adultery.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.”

“You shall not steal.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.”

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.”

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get out neighbor’s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.”

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” “What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor’s wife, workers or animals or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.”[3]

We should keep Dr Luther’s commentary in a contemporary context, can you imagine if we all lived that way? For God and each other and not ourselves? We should also remember that Christ certainly lived these commandments. He not only obeyed, but He also lived for what is best for us. The example He lived in the Incarnation was not just about not doing something, but pro-actively living so that others might come to know how to truly live the Decalogue. He also died so that we who were powerless to save ourselves, He served us who did nothing to earn His service and who don’t deserve to be served, but to be lost. He died to save us and to serve us.

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

[1] Joseph Lienhard editor, quoting Caesarius of Arles “Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture OT III” p 102-101

[2] Walter Roehrs “Concordia Self Study Commentary” p 75

[3] Lutheran Service Book pp 321-322

It’s about God and brothers and sisters in Jesus, it’s not about you

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I was listening to J Vernon McGee while I was reading this devotional by Henry Blackaby and I noticed how the common thread was “it’s not about you” or me, it’s about God!

Dr McGee was answering the tire old nonsense “a loving God wouldn’t send anyone to hell.” I really wish people would think a little more and quit with the simple little cliches. People love to say how much smarter they are than everyone before or now. It’s not true. Dr McGee points out that God is loving. He is also righteous, just and holy.  He has given us a way to be saved unlike any other belief system, but it has to be on the basis of salvation in His Son. But in our day and age when we think it’s all about us, we think God is supposed to take whatever we offer Him. No! It’s not your way it’s God’s way.

We are holy in Jesus.  In Jesus we are in the presence of the Lord, God is holy. That means set apart, sanctified. He will not accept anything less, His nature abhors anything less. The “ONLY” way we can be holy is through God the Son. There is no other way. Jesus said “no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Dr Blackabys devotional was on how what we do and don’t do affects other Christians. We should act only after we consider how our actions will affect other Christians. When we sin “Sin promotes independence. It isolates you from others… God designed you for interdepenence.”

We do have responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Jesus. But that does raise the question in terms of those who aren’t in Jesus. The Acts church was solely focused on only supporting fellow Christians. The church I pastor does reach out to help, but frankly there’s only so much we can do and we have a responsibility to help brothers and sisters. I think we should be very discerning in who we help because we just do not have the resources. The church at all levels does so much with so little for so many and yet the average secularist (who statistically) does very little for anyone else still likes to wag their finger at the church. Yes those same people who love to say how non-judgmental they are.

The take away is this.  It’s just not about you. If you really don’t understand what God is about, you better not go around making statements about what God will or won’t do. I mean come on that’s just stupid. God gave His Son for our salvation we are saved in Him or we condemn ourselves.

We need to remember when we sin, it’s not just about us. Our sin reflects on and affects countless numbers of other Christians. And we should be in service, but primarily to brothers and sisters in Jesus. We are guided by the Holy Spirit to help others but we are focused on serving those who are in Jesus.

Dr J Vernon McGee weekly question and answer podcast for March 14, 2015

“experiencing God Day by Day Henry and Richard Blackaby  p 130