Monday rolls around again. How many Mondays have there been since this pandemic started? Five, six, seventy? It seems like it is many more than it is. That is what happens when you don't have regular things to hang your hat upon. One day seems like the rest. There is not much to make a difference between one day or the next.
The word on this day is that things are going to begin to slowly open up again. Restaurants might begin to open but they will need to have certain protocols in place. There is good news for women! Hair salons might begin to open up again. Yes, you will have to wear a mask to get your hair done, but think about it this way, at least you can get your hair cut before it gets too long. For those of you that have hair that has really gotten long, perhaps you could donate to Locks of Love. Are they taking donations at this time? Or has that closed down because of this virus as well? I don't have the answer for this question.
I am looking forward to the day when we are told that we can begin to gather together for worship on the weekend again. If they say we could start to having gatherings of 50 or less, we could have both Saturday and Sunday worship. We would move the Saturday worship from the chapel to the sanctuary, which would give us the ability to socially distance. Think about it, worshiping together! WooHoo! That will be the day. I am so excited to think about being able to lead worship in person rather than live streamed. It is so tough not having you in in the church building for worship. Nothing takes the place of actually being together for worship.
There are things that cause me to shake my head. This naming of things as essential and non-essential. Church are non-essential. Adult porn places are essential. What, you ask? As Penny and I were out and about this last weekend, we were driving down an interstate. We drove by several of those places of filth and the parking lots were full. Yes, they were open. That means that porn places were essential but churches aren't. Teaching about Christ is non-essential. Watching porn movies is essential That shows you what is wrong in our world. Marijuana dispenseries were still open because it was essential for people to have their drugs for recreational purposes. Really? Smoking pot is essential but worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ is not? Are we nuts?
And the answer is, yes. OK, maybe not nuts, but we are sinful people. This world is sinful. It desires what is sinful and wants nothing to do with that which is good, right and beneficial. To proclaim Christ is not acceptable but to objectify women is all right. To gather to receive the Sacrament is unacceptable but to abort/kill babies is held up as wonderful. This shows one thing. It shows what we need a Savior.
We need Jesus because we are sinners. We need Jesus because this world is fallen. We need Jesus because we desire that which is sinful and destructive. We need Jesus. Period. We need Him. He took our sins upon His shoulders as He went to the cross. He went to the grave for us. He rose victorious for us. He overcame sin, death and the devil for us.
That is why we need to continue to proclaim Christ in this fallen world. We need churches. We need the opportunity to hear the Word and receive the Sacrament. Yes, we hear the Word via live stream which is a blessing. But it does not take the place of actually worshiping together. We remember what the writer to the Hebrews said: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-24 ESV) As we see the end approaching, as we see all that is going on, we need to be getting together to uplift and encourage each other, to be fed from Word and Sacrament.
Yes, we need Jesus. We need this Savior. We need to be together in worship. We see that with all the issues in this world, all the sin, all the despicable behaviors of people, and it reminds us how much we need a Savior.
Rambling, that is what I find myself doing.
Monday, April 27, 2020
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
What have I done?
I am enjoying the sunshine over these past few days. It has also finally started warming up. That means that we can get out of the house and start to do the yard work. But that also means that it is time to begin that one task that will go on throughout the spring, summer and into the fall. What is that task? Mowing the grass. Yes, once you start to mow, there is no stopping. Each spring I try to wait as long as possible to wait to mow the first time. I finally gave in this last Monday and mowed the year. After I was done, it looked so nice. I was happy to have mowed it. I liked the looks of a freshly mowed yard. Then I thought, "Self, what have you done?"
You ever ask yourself that? What have I done? That is often what happens when we have given in to some sort of temptation. You say to yourself, "I am not going to do that." You fight against it. You ask the Lord to help you. And you do so well for a while (or maybe not for too long), and then you let down your guard and you give in to temptation. After you have done it, you ask yourself, "What have I done?"
You have shown that you are in need of your Savior. It is a real temptation to think that you are strong spiritually. You can walk the life of faith on your own. But you can't. You need the Lord to strengthen you. You need the Holy Spirit in your life. You need to focus on your Baptismal life. You need to be in God's Word. And (when we are able to get together or if you want to come in privately) you need to receive the Lord's Supper. Each one of us needs the Means of Grace. We need the help of the Lord in our lives to overcome those temptations.
And then, when we have given in and fallen into sin, we need to turn from ourselves and our strength, and ask the Lord for forgiveness. We ask Him to forgive us for the sake of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not for our sake or what we have done. It is all about that which the Lord has done for each of us.
Then, as we are forgiven, we also ask Him to help us to avoid that temptation the next time. We don't think, "I am strong enough." No, we say, "I need the Holy Spirit to strengthen me." And He does! Through the Word and Sacraments.
Now, get out there and mow that grass! It is time. And you will like how it looks when you are done.
You ever ask yourself that? What have I done? That is often what happens when we have given in to some sort of temptation. You say to yourself, "I am not going to do that." You fight against it. You ask the Lord to help you. And you do so well for a while (or maybe not for too long), and then you let down your guard and you give in to temptation. After you have done it, you ask yourself, "What have I done?"
You have shown that you are in need of your Savior. It is a real temptation to think that you are strong spiritually. You can walk the life of faith on your own. But you can't. You need the Lord to strengthen you. You need the Holy Spirit in your life. You need to focus on your Baptismal life. You need to be in God's Word. And (when we are able to get together or if you want to come in privately) you need to receive the Lord's Supper. Each one of us needs the Means of Grace. We need the help of the Lord in our lives to overcome those temptations.
And then, when we have given in and fallen into sin, we need to turn from ourselves and our strength, and ask the Lord for forgiveness. We ask Him to forgive us for the sake of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not for our sake or what we have done. It is all about that which the Lord has done for each of us.
Then, as we are forgiven, we also ask Him to help us to avoid that temptation the next time. We don't think, "I am strong enough." No, we say, "I need the Holy Spirit to strengthen me." And He does! Through the Word and Sacraments.
Now, get out there and mow that grass! It is time. And you will like how it looks when you are done.
Monday, April 20, 2020
A new week
It has been a week since Easter. We walked through a week with the Easter joy in our hearts and a song of joy on our lips. OK, maybe that is true or maybe it isn't. What I mean is that with all the things going on, it isn't that Easter joy was gone, it is just that the struggles, that joy was pushed to the background.
You still believe in the resurrection. You still hold onto the fact that because Jesus lives, you know that you live too. As He rose from the dead, you know that you are also going to rise from the dead. But what a hard week it has been for so many people. I thought about that and it reminded me of the time when Jesus and Martha were talking following Lazarus's death. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." (John 11:21-24) It can feel like that. You believe in the resurrection but there is the reality of the struggles of Covid-19, the businesses that are closed, the news that this school year is over, still social distancing, and the list of things goes on. You might even feel like crying out, "I believe, help me in my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
Does the resurrection make a difference? Oh yes it does. Does it impact my life today as I begin this 2nd week after Easter? Yes indeed. I think about what took place when Jesus came to the disciples in the upper room on Sunday evening, what he said to the women at the tomb, what impacted the men on the road to Emmaus. It was those wonderful words, "Peace be with you." Peace be with you. Peace in the struggles of the day. Peace that comes not from the grave but from the empty tomb and a living Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus has conquered sin, death and the devil. He has faced the terrors of the day, the struggles of hopelessness and has overcome them. He rose victorious from the dead and then stands right there, in front of you, and says, "Look at my hands and find peace. Look at my side and know peace. Look at Me living and know that I have overcome all that you are facing."
Yes it makes a difference. I still have problems. There are still issues in this world. I will still struggle through the day, but there, in my life, is the living Lord. He has risen from the dead just as He said. And He gives to me hope and peace as I face today. He assures me that this pandemic is not going to defeat me and overcome me. He tells me that in each moment of the day, He is either walking with me or carrying me through this day. Never am I alone. How do I know that? Because the grave is empty. Death could not defeat Him. I might be hiding in my house, trying to keep from getting ill from Covid-19, and He comes to me, in my life, shows me His hands and His feet and says, "Peace be with you, because I am right here with you. Always!"
Thank You Lord. Thank You for being with me. Thank You for encouraging me. Thank You for lifting me up. Thank You for assuring me that I am not alone.
Now, I face today with confidence, not from my heart but from the heart of my Lord.
You still believe in the resurrection. You still hold onto the fact that because Jesus lives, you know that you live too. As He rose from the dead, you know that you are also going to rise from the dead. But what a hard week it has been for so many people. I thought about that and it reminded me of the time when Jesus and Martha were talking following Lazarus's death. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." (John 11:21-24) It can feel like that. You believe in the resurrection but there is the reality of the struggles of Covid-19, the businesses that are closed, the news that this school year is over, still social distancing, and the list of things goes on. You might even feel like crying out, "I believe, help me in my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
Does the resurrection make a difference? Oh yes it does. Does it impact my life today as I begin this 2nd week after Easter? Yes indeed. I think about what took place when Jesus came to the disciples in the upper room on Sunday evening, what he said to the women at the tomb, what impacted the men on the road to Emmaus. It was those wonderful words, "Peace be with you." Peace be with you. Peace in the struggles of the day. Peace that comes not from the grave but from the empty tomb and a living Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus has conquered sin, death and the devil. He has faced the terrors of the day, the struggles of hopelessness and has overcome them. He rose victorious from the dead and then stands right there, in front of you, and says, "Look at my hands and find peace. Look at my side and know peace. Look at Me living and know that I have overcome all that you are facing."
Yes it makes a difference. I still have problems. There are still issues in this world. I will still struggle through the day, but there, in my life, is the living Lord. He has risen from the dead just as He said. And He gives to me hope and peace as I face today. He assures me that this pandemic is not going to defeat me and overcome me. He tells me that in each moment of the day, He is either walking with me or carrying me through this day. Never am I alone. How do I know that? Because the grave is empty. Death could not defeat Him. I might be hiding in my house, trying to keep from getting ill from Covid-19, and He comes to me, in my life, shows me His hands and His feet and says, "Peace be with you, because I am right here with you. Always!"
Thank You Lord. Thank You for being with me. Thank You for encouraging me. Thank You for lifting me up. Thank You for assuring me that I am not alone.
Now, I face today with confidence, not from my heart but from the heart of my Lord.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Doing math. Sometimes we get the equation wrong.
Easter was this last Sunday. The songs were sung. The alleluias returned. The readings said, "He is not here. He has risen, just as He said." I proclaimed, "He is risen!" And those that packed the sanctuary responded, "He is risen indeed!" And we joined together with "Alleluia!"
Packed the sanctuary? Not really. If you can count 7 other people as packing the sanctuary, then yes it was. The virus kept people home from attending worship. Some folks said that we will feel much like the people in that 1st century, they were not in a place of worship either. The churches were not filled at that time, so that means that since the churches were not filled this year, we can understand what they were going through.
I disagree. I know that isn't popular. After all, we are trying to find positive ways to look at what is going on. We are using the math: A = B. Does A = B? Is A the same as B? Is what is happened today the same as what was happening then? The answer is: (drum roll please) No.
It isn't the same. In the 1st century, on the first day of the week after Jesus had been crucified and laid in the tomb, they were not looking forward to worshiping that day. They did not have "churches" that they stayed home from on that Sunday. In fact, the time that they had in the Temple would not be the same as the time we have in worship. When the sun rose on Sunday, they were still thinking that Jesus was dead. When the women went to the tomb, they expected to find a corpse. When Peter and John ran to the tomb, they were shocked that there was no body but only the clothes it had been wrapped in. They were not thinking about lifting up their voices in praise. They were lifting up their voices in prayers of sorrow, begging God to bring them comfort because Jesus had been crucified and was dead. They were filled with grief because they had lost their Master, their Teacher. No worship had been planned. No time of praise was planned. It was a terrible, awful morning for them.
When Jesus came to them in that upper room, everything changed. When Jesus appeared to Mary, everything changed. When He appeared to the women, everything changed. When He was with the men on the road to Emmaus, everything changed. They went from sorrow to joy. They went from trying to be alone to getting together to tell one another this wonderful news. They were filled with joy, with excitement. They told each other. The women went back to tell the disciples. The men from Emmaus ran back to Jerusalem. Over and over again, we see the change.
But that Sunday, was not the same as it is today. For us, Easter is not a day in which we were filled with sorrow because Jesus was dead. Easter is a day when we celebrate once again, the fact that Jesus is not dead but He is alive, just as He said He would. Our Sunday is a day when we get together to actually worship our God, to praise his name for the resurrection of Jesus and to recall the fact that because He lives, we live also. Our Easters are never days of sorrow. They are days of joy.
We get together on Easter because it is a day of life and salvation. It is a day that we hear again, even as we do year after year, that Jesus lives, the victory's won! Death no longer can appall us. To have our church buildings empty is a terrible thing. It means that we are not able to get together with other Christians to proclaim "He is risen!" Yes, we say each other online. Wait, no we didn't. I did not see you. I did not interact with you. I did not embrace you, shake your hand, see the joy in your eyes, hear the song on your lips.
It was a loss. Yes, it was a loss to not be able to worship together on Easter. Some will say, "It is only a day." Wrong! It is more than just a day. It is THE day when we recall the most amazing and fabulous event that ever happened. It is THE day when we recall that Jesus rose from the dead. It is THE day when death is defeated. Think about it, death is defeated! That means that when grandma dies, we are assured that because she believed in Jesus as her Savior, she lives eternally with Him. That when we stand at the side of the grave of that loved one, we can be assured that because he/she believed in Jesus Christ as his/her Savior, this body will rise on that last day, glorified, holy, living forever. Death is defeated.
That is why we are getting together. We are assured of the resurrection. We are gathering together to say that on this day back in 30 A.D. everything, absolutely everything changed. We are assured because Jesus rose on that first day of the week, we will rise again. It is that resurrection that lead those men and women in that upper room to be changed. They went from hiding in that upper room to going out and proclaiming, wait for it: the resurrection! That is the message. They proclaimed that Jesus was alive.
They began to worship together. Yes, worship together on Sundays because that was the day of the week that Jesus rose. We worship because Jesus rose from the dead.
So when we were not able to worship on Easter, we missed something. We missed that opportunity to gather together and sing the praises of Jesus. We missed the fellowship of the body of Christ. We missed out. The early Christians did look forward to getting together, not avoiding each other, but getting together with one another to remember and celebrate the resurrection.
So A does not equal B. We are comparing apples and steaks. They are not the same. Yes, we tried to make some sense of what happened, but doing it that way was not the way to do it. We must remember that gathering together to recall all that God has done for us, to receive the strength of the fellowship of getting together, and being fed from God's Word and Sacrament is not really something that should be taken for granted. We missed the Easter celebration this year. And it was sad.
No matter, Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! I look forward to being able to worship with you again. Please Lord, make it soon.
Packed the sanctuary? Not really. If you can count 7 other people as packing the sanctuary, then yes it was. The virus kept people home from attending worship. Some folks said that we will feel much like the people in that 1st century, they were not in a place of worship either. The churches were not filled at that time, so that means that since the churches were not filled this year, we can understand what they were going through.
I disagree. I know that isn't popular. After all, we are trying to find positive ways to look at what is going on. We are using the math: A = B. Does A = B? Is A the same as B? Is what is happened today the same as what was happening then? The answer is: (drum roll please) No.
It isn't the same. In the 1st century, on the first day of the week after Jesus had been crucified and laid in the tomb, they were not looking forward to worshiping that day. They did not have "churches" that they stayed home from on that Sunday. In fact, the time that they had in the Temple would not be the same as the time we have in worship. When the sun rose on Sunday, they were still thinking that Jesus was dead. When the women went to the tomb, they expected to find a corpse. When Peter and John ran to the tomb, they were shocked that there was no body but only the clothes it had been wrapped in. They were not thinking about lifting up their voices in praise. They were lifting up their voices in prayers of sorrow, begging God to bring them comfort because Jesus had been crucified and was dead. They were filled with grief because they had lost their Master, their Teacher. No worship had been planned. No time of praise was planned. It was a terrible, awful morning for them.
When Jesus came to them in that upper room, everything changed. When Jesus appeared to Mary, everything changed. When He appeared to the women, everything changed. When He was with the men on the road to Emmaus, everything changed. They went from sorrow to joy. They went from trying to be alone to getting together to tell one another this wonderful news. They were filled with joy, with excitement. They told each other. The women went back to tell the disciples. The men from Emmaus ran back to Jerusalem. Over and over again, we see the change.
But that Sunday, was not the same as it is today. For us, Easter is not a day in which we were filled with sorrow because Jesus was dead. Easter is a day when we celebrate once again, the fact that Jesus is not dead but He is alive, just as He said He would. Our Sunday is a day when we get together to actually worship our God, to praise his name for the resurrection of Jesus and to recall the fact that because He lives, we live also. Our Easters are never days of sorrow. They are days of joy.
We get together on Easter because it is a day of life and salvation. It is a day that we hear again, even as we do year after year, that Jesus lives, the victory's won! Death no longer can appall us. To have our church buildings empty is a terrible thing. It means that we are not able to get together with other Christians to proclaim "He is risen!" Yes, we say each other online. Wait, no we didn't. I did not see you. I did not interact with you. I did not embrace you, shake your hand, see the joy in your eyes, hear the song on your lips.
It was a loss. Yes, it was a loss to not be able to worship together on Easter. Some will say, "It is only a day." Wrong! It is more than just a day. It is THE day when we recall the most amazing and fabulous event that ever happened. It is THE day when we recall that Jesus rose from the dead. It is THE day when death is defeated. Think about it, death is defeated! That means that when grandma dies, we are assured that because she believed in Jesus as her Savior, she lives eternally with Him. That when we stand at the side of the grave of that loved one, we can be assured that because he/she believed in Jesus Christ as his/her Savior, this body will rise on that last day, glorified, holy, living forever. Death is defeated.
That is why we are getting together. We are assured of the resurrection. We are gathering together to say that on this day back in 30 A.D. everything, absolutely everything changed. We are assured because Jesus rose on that first day of the week, we will rise again. It is that resurrection that lead those men and women in that upper room to be changed. They went from hiding in that upper room to going out and proclaiming, wait for it: the resurrection! That is the message. They proclaimed that Jesus was alive.
They began to worship together. Yes, worship together on Sundays because that was the day of the week that Jesus rose. We worship because Jesus rose from the dead.
So when we were not able to worship on Easter, we missed something. We missed that opportunity to gather together and sing the praises of Jesus. We missed the fellowship of the body of Christ. We missed out. The early Christians did look forward to getting together, not avoiding each other, but getting together with one another to remember and celebrate the resurrection.
So A does not equal B. We are comparing apples and steaks. They are not the same. Yes, we tried to make some sense of what happened, but doing it that way was not the way to do it. We must remember that gathering together to recall all that God has done for us, to receive the strength of the fellowship of getting together, and being fed from God's Word and Sacrament is not really something that should be taken for granted. We missed the Easter celebration this year. And it was sad.
No matter, Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! I look forward to being able to worship with you again. Please Lord, make it soon.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Easter!
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Today we celebrate the wonder of the resurrection. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered and died upon the cross. He was laid in the tomb. His lifeless clay was wrapped up quickly but lovingly as Joseph and Nicodemus laid His body in that new tomb, Joseph's own new tomb. The tomb was sealed. The guards were in place. And the body lay there.
But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose that Sunday morning. He rose, leaving behind the clothes with which He had been wrapped. Then, after Jesus was risen, the angel came and rolled back the stone. Notice that the Lord did not need the stone rolled away in order to rise. Even if the stone had not been rolled away, He was already risen. He was alive! Out of the tomb. And then the angel rolled back the stone. Why? So that others would see that He had risen. So they could look inside and see the place where His body had been laid and see that it was not there. We needed the stone rolled away, Jesus didn't. We needed to see that He was not there.
The clothes lay there. Folded neatly, the cloth about His head apart from the other cloth. Why? Some say it was a signal that He would be back, looking at the way the master of a table would fold his napkin to show he would be back or wadding it up to show he was done. But wait, Jesus wasn't coming back to the tomb. He was done with the tomb. Death would never again touch Him. He rose, defeated death and showed that He had overcome death and the grave. He was not going to return to that place.
So why? Why neatly folded up? It was to show that this was not a quickly done event, one that had not plans but was done quickly as though there was no thought to it. But wait, folded neatly. He was showing us that this was not an accident. He was showing that when He rose, He was following a carefully thought out plan of the Father. He came alive, unwrapped the clothes, folded them neatly, placed the one at the head, as if to say, I am alive. I rose. It was not an accident. It was on purpose. See where I lay, I am not there. It wasn't like someone throwing back the covers, jumping out of bed and rushing off. No, it was as though He stood up, carefully made His bed, made sure that everything was in place, and then said, I am alive! Never again will I lay in this bed, never again will I be placed in the tomb. I have defeated death and the grave.
Yes, He is alive! And because He is alive, He says to each of us, "Because I live, you will live also. I defeated your last, terrible enemy, death. I overcame the grave. And through faith in Me, you too shall rise. On that great day of the resurrection, every body shall rise from the grave, be made whole, not in haste, but deliberately. It will not be a haphazard resurrection, one of chaos. But it will be a well planned, completely organized, final resurrection. Death will never again touch you. You will live with me forever in eternity." Know that this is my own words and not Jesus' words. But this is what He is saying to us.
As I fed the turtles this morning, I said to them, "Jesus is risen! He rose for you too. Not for the same as for me, but He rose to free you and all creation from the grip of sin. He defeated sin for creation, and you turtles, are a part of that creation." And I gave them their breakfast.
Yes, He is risen. I love this day. It is a grand day. The next grand day for me, was the day of my baptism, the day I died to sin and rose to new life in Christ. I give thanks for both days - this resurrection day and the day of new birth in Christ. What a great day.
Thank You Lord for this new life! Thank You for today!
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose that Sunday morning. He rose, leaving behind the clothes with which He had been wrapped. Then, after Jesus was risen, the angel came and rolled back the stone. Notice that the Lord did not need the stone rolled away in order to rise. Even if the stone had not been rolled away, He was already risen. He was alive! Out of the tomb. And then the angel rolled back the stone. Why? So that others would see that He had risen. So they could look inside and see the place where His body had been laid and see that it was not there. We needed the stone rolled away, Jesus didn't. We needed to see that He was not there.
The clothes lay there. Folded neatly, the cloth about His head apart from the other cloth. Why? Some say it was a signal that He would be back, looking at the way the master of a table would fold his napkin to show he would be back or wadding it up to show he was done. But wait, Jesus wasn't coming back to the tomb. He was done with the tomb. Death would never again touch Him. He rose, defeated death and showed that He had overcome death and the grave. He was not going to return to that place.
So why? Why neatly folded up? It was to show that this was not a quickly done event, one that had not plans but was done quickly as though there was no thought to it. But wait, folded neatly. He was showing us that this was not an accident. He was showing that when He rose, He was following a carefully thought out plan of the Father. He came alive, unwrapped the clothes, folded them neatly, placed the one at the head, as if to say, I am alive. I rose. It was not an accident. It was on purpose. See where I lay, I am not there. It wasn't like someone throwing back the covers, jumping out of bed and rushing off. No, it was as though He stood up, carefully made His bed, made sure that everything was in place, and then said, I am alive! Never again will I lay in this bed, never again will I be placed in the tomb. I have defeated death and the grave.
Yes, He is alive! And because He is alive, He says to each of us, "Because I live, you will live also. I defeated your last, terrible enemy, death. I overcame the grave. And through faith in Me, you too shall rise. On that great day of the resurrection, every body shall rise from the grave, be made whole, not in haste, but deliberately. It will not be a haphazard resurrection, one of chaos. But it will be a well planned, completely organized, final resurrection. Death will never again touch you. You will live with me forever in eternity." Know that this is my own words and not Jesus' words. But this is what He is saying to us.
As I fed the turtles this morning, I said to them, "Jesus is risen! He rose for you too. Not for the same as for me, but He rose to free you and all creation from the grip of sin. He defeated sin for creation, and you turtles, are a part of that creation." And I gave them their breakfast.
Yes, He is risen. I love this day. It is a grand day. The next grand day for me, was the day of my baptism, the day I died to sin and rose to new life in Christ. I give thanks for both days - this resurrection day and the day of new birth in Christ. What a great day.
Thank You Lord for this new life! Thank You for today!
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
How is it going?
How are you feeling? That is a question that gets asked. Generally it is asking if you feel healthy. With the chance of getting Covid-19, we ask that question, praying that whoever we are asking is not infected with this virus. I had a text last night asking if there was anything new with the pandemic in our lives. We wonder about that.
But I want to ask you: How are you feeling? I ask that of your mental health. As you are staying home, as you are spending more time with your family, how is your mental health? Families are spending much more time with each other than they have in the past. Families are used to running here or there. They are used to not spending a lot of time at home. This is why "cabin fever" hits in the winter time when the weather gets cold and nasty. We like to keep ourselves busy. We take our kids to games, school events, dance lessons, piano lessons, and a whole host of other things. But that has stopped. Now, instead of going to school and work, instead of going to games or lessons, families are spending hour after hour with each other.
And it is challenging. It can lead to frustration. It can lead to short tempers. It can cause all sorts of mental health issues. If you are feeling some of those pressures, reach out to someone. Call a friend. Call your pastor. Call a coworker. Talk about your feelings. Talk about what you are going through.
Talk to each other. Husbands, talk to your wives. And listen to them! Listen to what they have to say. Instead of letting it go in one ear and out the other, listen to what she is saying. Set your phone down. Turn off your computer. And listen to what she is saying. Let her know what you are feeling. Don't argue. Focus on your own personal feelings. Don't try to tell her how she is feeling. You can't. But you can let her know how you are feeling.
Wives, talk to your husbands. And listen to them! The very same thing that I said to husbands applies to wives. Don't tell your husband how he feels. Because you cannot tell him what he is feeling. Yet you can tell him what you are feeling.
This is a great time to build and strengthen your marriage relationship. It is an opportunity to do what you should be doing all along. You have time to sit on the porch with each other and talk about your hopes and dreams, your frustrations and hurts. Support each other. Show your love for each other.
And worship together! Yes, worship the Lord your God. On Sunday, there are so many options for online worship. If your congregation offers online worship, join together in watching and participating in the service. Sing together. Pray together. Listen to God's Word together. Then talk about what you heard.
You can do that with your children too! Take time to talk with your children. Listen to their hopes and dreams. Listen to what they are feeling. Get to know your children for who they are, not who you want them to be. This is a great time to grow as a family. And make sure you are including them in that time of worship.
So how are you? I pray that you are doing well.
But I want to ask you: How are you feeling? I ask that of your mental health. As you are staying home, as you are spending more time with your family, how is your mental health? Families are spending much more time with each other than they have in the past. Families are used to running here or there. They are used to not spending a lot of time at home. This is why "cabin fever" hits in the winter time when the weather gets cold and nasty. We like to keep ourselves busy. We take our kids to games, school events, dance lessons, piano lessons, and a whole host of other things. But that has stopped. Now, instead of going to school and work, instead of going to games or lessons, families are spending hour after hour with each other.
And it is challenging. It can lead to frustration. It can lead to short tempers. It can cause all sorts of mental health issues. If you are feeling some of those pressures, reach out to someone. Call a friend. Call your pastor. Call a coworker. Talk about your feelings. Talk about what you are going through.
Talk to each other. Husbands, talk to your wives. And listen to them! Listen to what they have to say. Instead of letting it go in one ear and out the other, listen to what she is saying. Set your phone down. Turn off your computer. And listen to what she is saying. Let her know what you are feeling. Don't argue. Focus on your own personal feelings. Don't try to tell her how she is feeling. You can't. But you can let her know how you are feeling.
Wives, talk to your husbands. And listen to them! The very same thing that I said to husbands applies to wives. Don't tell your husband how he feels. Because you cannot tell him what he is feeling. Yet you can tell him what you are feeling.
This is a great time to build and strengthen your marriage relationship. It is an opportunity to do what you should be doing all along. You have time to sit on the porch with each other and talk about your hopes and dreams, your frustrations and hurts. Support each other. Show your love for each other.
And worship together! Yes, worship the Lord your God. On Sunday, there are so many options for online worship. If your congregation offers online worship, join together in watching and participating in the service. Sing together. Pray together. Listen to God's Word together. Then talk about what you heard.
You can do that with your children too! Take time to talk with your children. Listen to their hopes and dreams. Listen to what they are feeling. Get to know your children for who they are, not who you want them to be. This is a great time to grow as a family. And make sure you are including them in that time of worship.
So how are you? I pray that you are doing well.
Monday, April 6, 2020
Beginning Holy Week
Monday of Holy Week. The week began with Palm Sunday, the procession of the palms. OK, so we didn't really have the procession of the palms, but in our hearts, we had that procession. "Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang..." Did you have your palm branch? Did you make a palm branch?
Palm Sunday begins what is called Holy Week. Each day brings us another day closer to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. This brings us to the Passion of the Lord. We go from the Upper Room and the institution of the Lord's Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane. "Go to dark Gethsemane, you who feel the tempter's power..." Yes, go and watch what Jesus goes through as He prays to the Father. He feels the full weight of the Law. Do you want to see what Your sins deserve? Behold Jesus, kneeling in the Garden, praying, sweating great drops of blood, being attacked by Satan, and strengthened by angels. Know the depth of your sins. And then celebrate the wonder of what Jesus does for you. He takes Your sins, He takes all that You deserve, and He carries it. He is there to pay the price that you and I are unable to pay.
We need to remember this in the middle of this pandemic that we are facing. We look at the mess the world is in, the way our society is struggling, because of this virus. We find ourselves overwhelmed. We find ourselves frightened. We find ourselves looking over our shoulders, trying to keep away from people. And it keeps spreading. It is like we can't stop it.
Now, instead of thinking about the little virus and what it can do, change your thinking. See the way that sin is in the hearts and lives of everyone, that's right, everyone. We cannot avoid sin. We cannot wear enough masks and gloves. We cannot socially distance ourselves to keep from getting sin. It has infected us all! Completely. It is total corruption of each and every one of us. Worse than Covid-19, it actually kills everyone! No one survives sin. It destroys life and then robs us of life.
That, my friends, is why the Son of God came into the world. He came to save. We cry out "Hosanna!" That means, "Save us!" Yes, we cry out "Save us!" And He does. He takes our place. He is our Savior. He is your Savior, the Savior of all people. He alone can save from sin and death. He gives forgiveness and life. Through Jesus, we have hope. Through Jesus, we have life.
And so we begin Holy Week. We sing our hymns. We lift up our heads and rejoice. Oh, yes, there is still Covid-19 and we are doing what we can to keep it from spreading. We pray for healing of those who are ill. We lift up those who are in the medical field and those who are essential workers. We pray for our families. We pray that we won't get the virus. Through it all, we still sing. We sing of all that Jesus has done. "In the cross of Christ I glory," we sing. "Stricken, smitten and afflicted," we join. And then we sing, "Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia!"
What a powerful week we face as this pandemic in the USA peeks. We look to our Lord. And we find hope.
Palm Sunday begins what is called Holy Week. Each day brings us another day closer to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. This brings us to the Passion of the Lord. We go from the Upper Room and the institution of the Lord's Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane. "Go to dark Gethsemane, you who feel the tempter's power..." Yes, go and watch what Jesus goes through as He prays to the Father. He feels the full weight of the Law. Do you want to see what Your sins deserve? Behold Jesus, kneeling in the Garden, praying, sweating great drops of blood, being attacked by Satan, and strengthened by angels. Know the depth of your sins. And then celebrate the wonder of what Jesus does for you. He takes Your sins, He takes all that You deserve, and He carries it. He is there to pay the price that you and I are unable to pay.
We need to remember this in the middle of this pandemic that we are facing. We look at the mess the world is in, the way our society is struggling, because of this virus. We find ourselves overwhelmed. We find ourselves frightened. We find ourselves looking over our shoulders, trying to keep away from people. And it keeps spreading. It is like we can't stop it.
Now, instead of thinking about the little virus and what it can do, change your thinking. See the way that sin is in the hearts and lives of everyone, that's right, everyone. We cannot avoid sin. We cannot wear enough masks and gloves. We cannot socially distance ourselves to keep from getting sin. It has infected us all! Completely. It is total corruption of each and every one of us. Worse than Covid-19, it actually kills everyone! No one survives sin. It destroys life and then robs us of life.
That, my friends, is why the Son of God came into the world. He came to save. We cry out "Hosanna!" That means, "Save us!" Yes, we cry out "Save us!" And He does. He takes our place. He is our Savior. He is your Savior, the Savior of all people. He alone can save from sin and death. He gives forgiveness and life. Through Jesus, we have hope. Through Jesus, we have life.
And so we begin Holy Week. We sing our hymns. We lift up our heads and rejoice. Oh, yes, there is still Covid-19 and we are doing what we can to keep it from spreading. We pray for healing of those who are ill. We lift up those who are in the medical field and those who are essential workers. We pray for our families. We pray that we won't get the virus. Through it all, we still sing. We sing of all that Jesus has done. "In the cross of Christ I glory," we sing. "Stricken, smitten and afflicted," we join. And then we sing, "Jesus Christ is risen today! Alleluia!"
What a powerful week we face as this pandemic in the USA peeks. We look to our Lord. And we find hope.
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