Means of Grace revisited

This time of self isolation and social distancing has been a challenge for churches and for Christians. We are not able to gather together for worship as we have in the past. Here at St. John we have gone to live streaming the worship and the Sunday Bible study. It has created a challenge for Casey and for Dave as they work  to prepare for the live stream. What works on one day, the next day doesn't. The sound works the night before, then doesn't work the day of the service. The camera is working great and then refuses to work when it is time for service. All I can say is that Satan must really be working overtime to try to keep people from being a part of a regular worship service.

Anyway, this has also challenged us Lutherans in our understanding of the Means of Grace. Do you remember what they are? The Means of Grace are the means which the Holy Spirit uses to begin faith and sustain faith in you. The Means of Grace are the Word and Sacraments (Sacrament of Baptism and Sacrament of the Altar). Through Word and Sacrament, we are brought to faith and kept in that faith.

So through Baptism, we are brought to faith. As we recall our Baptism daily, we are sustained in that faith. Through the Word, we are brought to faith. (Often this is the case for an adult who comes to faith prior to being Baptized. The Word has been shared with them and the Spirit uses that Word to bring the person to faith.) It is also through the Word that we are kept in the faith, which is why we continue read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the Word.

And it is through Holy Communion that we are strengthened in our faith. We have grown accustomed to receiving the Sacrament regularly and frequently, as well we should. It is good, right and salutary that we should receive the Supper, to receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in, with and under the bread and wine.

What has happened with Covid-19, we are have been unable to gather together in times of worship. Gatherings of 10 or less are acceptable but they are discouraged. We are told to stay home, to avoid being around others, to watch out that we don't share the virus with others. This is good advice and many of us have been faithfully following that. So we worship together virtually - via live stream on YouTube or Facebook. We have joined together in daily prayer as it is shared on Facebook. Us pastors, are learning how to share the Word of God with our people in new and different ways.

But we are not receiving the Sacrament of the Altar. We are unable to gather together. Yes, we hunger for it. We desire it. But it is difficult because at this time, we do not have the Saturday/Sunday Divine services with the Supper. You can't give people communion over the internet. The theology of doing so is wrong. As Lutherans, we would have to change our beliefs and teachings to do so. And, I, for one, refuse to change the theology of the Lutheran Church to meet this time of crisis. For is you change theology for this, why can't you change it for other circumstances, and boy, does that open up a can of worms!

So we, as Lutherans, are beginning to remember the power of the Means of Grace, which includes the Word of God. We are starting to remember that God's Word has power in and of itself. It seems that we have sort of relegated the Word to second place in the Means. It is good, but not quite as good as the Sacrament. We are getting back to the truth that the Word is just as powerful and just as wonderful as the Lord's Supper. (Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating getting rid of the Sacrament of the Altar. Far from it. Here at St. John, Clarinda, IA we are working to figure out a way to celebrate the Lord's Supper on Mandy Thursday that is faithful to God's Word, Lutheran practice and the mandates of the state of Iowa.) We are seeing how important that Word truly is for our lives. We are returning to our roots of Lutheran Church and seeing the power of God's Word in our lives.

So if something good can be found in this, it is that we as Lutherans are seeing that all the Means of Grace are wonderful, powerful and a gift from God. When this has passed, and it will, we will be able to return to receiving the Sacrament regularly and frequently. What I hope is that we don't forget the importance of God's Word in our lives. Maybe we will find ourselves attending Bible study more often. Maybe we will even find ourselves continuing to make the Word a regular part of our days.

I know, not the regular rambling, but rambling nonetheless. May the Lord bless us each day.