Why Follow Christ?

The Christian always is on the short end of the stick. All right, that is probably a false statement. It might be better to say that the Christians SEEMS to be on the short end of the stick. You might have found this to be the case. At work, you do what you are supposed to do. You are faithful in your work. You are on time day after day. You get most things done on time and very seldom seem to cause any problems for the company. Your work is exemplary. And when it comes time for advancement and/or raises, the person who is a "crummy" worker gets the position, gets the raise, gets the accolades from the upper management - and it isn't fair!

Or you are single. You are a good person. You know how God wants you to treat the person of the opposite sex. You are a gentleman or a lady. You don't get involved in the sexual side of things. You know that the Lord wants you to keep that for marriage (you remember your days in confirmation and know that the 6th commandment means that the sexual relationship is meant only for a husband and wife). And time after time, after a date or two, you are dumped (sometimes nicely "You are a nice guy but..." or sometimes it is cruelly). You watch and the person goes for the "bad boy" or the "loose girl." And you think, "What's up with that? Why is it that I end up single and alone and that loser, bum, no good person who treats people so poorly ends up with the dates and the girls/guys?"

It happens. Over and over again it happens. And it tempts you to give in to the ways of the world. Why would I think of this? Am I being tempted to give in to the ways of the world around me? Not at this time. I can't say that it has never happened. But at this time in my life (today at least!) this is not the problem. Why? Not because I am so strong but because the Lord has been leading me in the way that I should go. I thought of these things as I read Psalm 73 this morning. If you haven't read it lately, I would encourage you to do so. If you know someone who is struggling with giving in to the ways of the world instead of following the way of the Lord in their lives, encourage them to read Psalm 73.

It reads at times, "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." (vs. 3) "Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches." (vs. 12) "All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning." (vs. 14-15)

"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." (vs. 16-17) "My flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (vs. 26) And finally, "For behold, those who are far from you shall perish, you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of your works." (vs. 27-28)

In the midst of the temptations to give in to sin, to evil, to the ways of the world, this gives encouragement for the Christian to stand firm in the faith in Christ Jesus. Follow Christ - for the outcome, not for the moment. We live for the moment when we should be living for the outcome. What is the outcome? Life with Christ eternally. The pleasure of the moment is fleeting. The pleasure of life with Christ is for an eternity. The moment or eternity? That becomes the challenge. Perhaps I am just showing my age by saying that I think about eternity more than the moment. But more than that - I think it is because I have finally begun to mature in my life of faith. I look at the life in Christ rather than the life in the world.

Why follow Christ? It is the true life! It is the life that lasts. It is the life that has eternal joy. I don't do it to get things. I follow Christ because I love Him. He is my Lord, my Savior, my all in all. What more do I need? Nothing! Nothing at all. So when the wicked get ahead, I realize that it will happen. the Christian gets ahead in life too. Why do we just focus on the wicked? Christ guides all of us! He guides our lives. He gives us life. Follow Him - in the face of the powerful temptations of this world.

Snow, rain, hail, wind, sun, warmth - where is winter?

Where is winter? Winter is right here. OK, what I mean is where is the winter weather? Winter has been here since December 21, 2011. We are practically a month into winter. And it seems like we have had more spring weather than winter weather. You might point to a few times when the snows came - Dec. 27 (which we missed since we were in the Cincinnati area) and January 12 (which caused major commuting headaches and numerous car accidents). But those are not really anything major. In fact, they didn't last that long. We have had record or near record warm temperatures this summer. Just yesterday it reached 68 degrees! Imagine, January 16th and it is 68 degrees. The record in 1990 was 71! That is mighty close to the record.

So where is the winter weather? It hasn't arrived yet. And maybe it won't arrive. Only the Lord knows. It is for sure that the weathermen don't have a clue what is happening. The one that did make his winter weather predictions missed it by a long shot. Will we still get major snows? Will the cold settle in and last for several weeks?

At this point in the winter, I would have to predict (and this is just me rambling so if I am wrong, so be it) that we are not going to have the type of weather that is going to become a major factor for us. We might have cold snaps of a day or two, but there will be no long-term, 2 week below freezing cold. We are pushing towards the end of January, when we usually get that type of cold, and so when it gets cold, it will last only a couple days before it moderates again, even getting warmer than usual.

We might get a major snow in January but I think that we will get one big snow in February, one that cripples the area for a day or two and then begins to melt off. We might have a sloppy wet snow of 7 inches in March, when we least want it but that is just the way it is. So overall, I predict that we will stay mild like it is now.

What does this mean? (Good Lutheran question.) It means lots of sickness. There will be lots of the flu (especially respiratory flu) and lots of sick days. We haven't had enough bitter cold temps to kill off these bugs and we will pay the price. So while there will be almost no "snow days" from school or work, there will be many "sick days" from both. Get ready for it. Stock up now on cold medicines and tissues. You are going to need them.

Last night as it stormed (lightning, hail, heavy rain, thunder, wind, more lightning, more rain, more hail), I lay in bed thinking - why is it that we don't like winter weather? I don't have an answer to that. But I do know that I would love to have had an old fashioned snow storm last night rather than the hail storm. I wondered how many cars were dinged up and how many roofs got beat up. I thought about windows that might have been cracked by the hail. Then I thought, "But this is January. We should have that in March and April." What will those months bring if we have that weather now? Sigh. I guess we will wait and see.

Of grass, flowers, decorations, plans and the Word

I as thinking about and meditating on Isaiah 40:6-11, which was part of the Old Testament reading for this last Sunday. I know that I should be looking ahead at the readings for tomorrow evening's service and this next weekend readings in order to be ready to preach on them, but I find myself reflecting about life in general. The idea is that we are all like grass and our acts are like flowers in the fields. The grass withers and the flowers fade. The grass doesn't stay green and luscious nor do the flowers bloom forever. As I look out on the grass (which I will do as soon as the sun is up this morning), I see that it isn't the beautiful looking yard that it was last spring. Why? Because it is December and we have had the cold weather that causes grass to go dormant for a while. The flowers don't look so beautiful. In fact, they look downright sick. The cold air has nipped them pretty good. I should probably just pull them up but I want to hang on to the thought of summer, or at least fall, as long as possible.

Do you feel like that? Like withered grass? Or maybe you feel like the flowers that have been nipped by the deep cold. Or maybe it is the cut flower that looks beautiful in the vase only to fade as it has been removed from the plant itself. Perhaps you feel that way because at this time of the year there is so much to do and so little time to get it done. Presents to buy, decorations to put up, cookies to bake, parties to attend, cards to write, friends to call, family to visit and all in this coming week! Ugh! Just thinking about it wears you out. I think about it as I look at the "to do" list for this week (actually just for today!). Service to write, sermon to accompany, tests to grade, services for the next 3 weeks to plan (the organist is calling and wanting the hymns a day or two ago, not tomorrow), paper on patience to write (how ironic), calls to make, meetings to prepare for, all the while keeping the joy of Christmas in front of myself and the members of the congregation. Add to that trying to keep up on what is going on in the family, shopping, planning and interacting with one another. And I feel like the cut flower, the withered grass, the shriveled begonia that the cold has made look pretty sick. Toss in physical problem once again (a new one, as the others have been or are being taken care of), and yes, I am worn out.

Grass withers and flowers fade - BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER! That is the best news I have heard up to this moment. The Word of the Lord never changes or fades. It is so true and wonderful. It touches my heart with wonder each time that i go into it. On these busy days, it is so tempting to set aside personal devotions in order to accomplish those things that NEED to be done. But I can't do that. (Neither should you.) It is right there in the Word that I am given new life. The withered soul is watered with the Lord's Word and greens back up and becomes wonderful again. The soul that feels cut off because of all that needs to be done, finds new life when it is connected to the vine once again - connected through the daily use and study of God's Word.

I needed that Word this morning. I needed to be reassured that while my works fade (as they always will), the Word endures forever. So what I bring to people, what I give to others, is not myself. It is the Lord's Word. Each of us need the Lord. That is the message of this season - the Lord has come to us.Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel. Ransom me from the bondage to the things that I feel need to be done. Oh come and be God with ME!

He has come for you too. He has come to give you strength, comfort and guidance through this time of the year. He has come to save you from yourself and the traps of life that have been set for you, traps that are meant to rob you of the true joy and peace. He has come to save you from yourself. Rejoice! Rejoice! Join with us and sing. that is what the "Carols of Christmas" is all about - singing the praise of Him who came into this world for me, for you, for all mankind! Christ Jesus is born! Christ Jesus comes to us each day in the Word! Christ Jesus is coming again.

Thanks Lord, I needed to hear that this morning. I needed You to remind me of that which gives me the ability to accomplish all that needs to get done. I am now focused on what matters - the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.

Singing in Advent

Last night, Nov. 30th, St. Paul's had their first Wednesday evening Advent service. The Wednesday evenings are following the theme "The Carols of Christmas." What we are doing is spending time in the songs, hymns and spiritual songs of the season. While it talks of the "Carols of Christmas," we found ourselves in the songs of Advent last night. "On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry" and "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" were the main focus. We closed the service with "Savior of the Nations Come." We didn't actually spend any time learning about the last song. We also visited the song "O Christmas Tree" and learned the Christian emphasis that Martin Luther applied to the Christmas tree.

Our theme verse is Psalm 95:1-2 "O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise." (ESV) As I prepared for this series, I studied through the Scriptures on songs and singing and was amazed at how important it is through the pages of Scripture for the praise of the Lord to ascend in forms of songs, hymns and spiritual songs. Even just this morning, as I was reading in the Psalms, I ran across the verse, "Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous." (Ps. 118:15 ESV)

Singing is an important aspect of our lives of worship. We sing because of the joy that lies in our hearts over what God has done for us. Our songs of praise rise to heaven because the Lord has filled our hearts with His Word. That Word is not what we make it to be but it is the very Son of God Himself - the Word become flesh. Too often, we try to make worship our act which God accepts because we are so faithful. It isn't. It is where we meet God in His Word, where He fills our hearts and lives with the power of the message of both Law and Gospel and where we are lifted up in His hands. He comes to us and we respond in song and in prayer. He strengthens us and we rejoice at the wondrous gift He gives to us.

And so we sing! that is one way that we respond the to the wonders of what God has done for us. We lift up our voices in songs of praise. And in the words of the songs we sing, there is such depth of meaning. Just take a look at "On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry" and you will see how it weaves together the wonders of the Old Testament prophecy and the fulfillment in Christ Jesus. You begin to understand the power of the words to touch the heart with strength and comfort, hearts that are in bondage to sin, death and the devil yet freed from that bondage by the very One that we long for, who comes to us in His Advent!  Wonder of wonders - the hymnody of the Church touches our hearts and lives with the powerful message of life.

The Lutheran Church has been called "The Singing Church." It is for good reason that this is said. Singing is an important part of our response to what the Lord has done and continues to do for us in worship. O come, let us sing unto the Lord!

The King Shall Come

The Church Year has come to a close. Yesterday was the Last Sunday of the Church Year. For many people, that means absolutely nothing. I must admit that when I first began in the ministry, I followed the Church Year out of obligation. It was what I was to do as a pastor in the Lutheran Church. After all, the LC-MS is a liturgical church that follows the Church Year faithfully. I felt that I must do it out of obligation. But as I have walked through the Church Year again and again I have found more and more meaning to following it. So when I find myself ending one year and beginning another, it is almost more important to me than when the calendar year changes. The years will march on and in reality, there is not much change that happens other than having to learn to write a new date.

I hope that isn't the way you feel about the Church Year - that it marches on again and again without much changing. Amazing things happen during this year. Advent - with the emphasis on the coming of the Lord. Christmas - the celebration of the birth of the Christ-child. Epiphany - focusing us Christ for the nations, true God, true man, Savior of all. Transfiguration Sunday - a powerful glimpse of the glory of Jesus as He prepares for His death. Lent - somber yet touching, upsetting yet uplifting. Easter - He is risen! Alleluia! So too shall we rise! Ascension - all but forgotten yet setting the stage for the return of Christ, as He sits down at the right hand of the Father. Pentecost - the coming of the Spirit, the birth of the Church, the fire of faith burning brightly. Trinity - a God beyond all other gods, Triune, eternal. Pentecost season - long, green, growth, like the raising of a field of corn, seed planted, sprouting, growing, greening, maturing, bearing fruit. Last Sunday of the Church Year - the harvest!

That is right, the harvest! That Sunday shows us what our lives is to be all about - leading us to that one point when the King shall come and all eyes will see Him. Never again will there be any doubt who is God. He is the immortal, invisible (then made visible) God who is the eternal Judge. We will know at that moment when all eyes see Him coming on the clouds that there is one Savior, Jesus Christ. This world that tries to convince us that all religions are the same will know at that moment that they are not all the same. As the sheep are separated from the goats, as the believers are separated from the unbelievers, there will be great rejoicing and great mourning. That is the harvest. The Lord will send His angels to the four corners of the world to gather the elect and they will brought into the barn while the chaff, the unbelievers will be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. A great and wonderful harvest!

It will also be terrifying - for those who do not believe. Which leads us to the point that we must face - we are called to share the Gospel message in our lives. People are dying and going to hell! I know that we are not to say that in today's world. Family members will be upset. Friends will be shocked. I will be told that I am unloving and uncaring to say that. But it is the truth. Why would do I say it? Because if I don't, then I am not being faithful to my Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot give His glory to anyone else. I cannot say that someone who does not believe in Him will receive His righteousness because it would be a lie and would be taking the words of my Lord and twisting them just like the devil does. I will not! I can not! Why? Because I love my Lord Jesus Christ and will not give up His word for the political correctness of this age.

I do not want anyone to be damned to hell. So I continue to proclaim the message of Christ. I proclaim the message that there is only one Savior, Jesus Christ. Believe in Him and you will be saved. You, yes you! are called to share that message in your life. You are called to share it with your family this Thanksgiving weekend. You are called to live it each day in your office or classroom. There is no other name in heaven or on earth or under the earth whereby we must be saved.

The King shall come. The harvest will be complete. The Last Sunday of the Church Year has passed (and unless the King comes before this next weekend, the new Church Year will begin with Advent once again).

Fruit of the Spirit - Peace

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23

2011-2012

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, PEACE, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (ESV)

 The theme verse for the 2011-2012 academic school year at St. Paul’s is a familiar verse for many of us. We have heard often of the “Fruit of the Spirit.” These “fruit” will be what is used to find our “Student of the Month.” Each month we will be looking at one of the “fruit” and will be considering the student that best fits that “fruit.” In order for us to be prepared to make this decision, it would be good for us to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest these words for ourselves.

November – “PEACE”

 As we continue with the fruit of the Spirit we come to the one that seems hard to pin down when you try to apply it into a student’s life. Why is that? Is it because we are trying to find the one student who is so “peaceful” in all that he/she does? Perhaps we can find the one that always works to keep arguments or fights from breaking out. But that doesn’t seem to work either. As I struggled to get my mind around “peace” for the Student of the Month, I found myself turning back to the Word of God and trying to understand what is meant by “peace.”

 I asked myself, “What is this peace we are talking about?” The answer that I found began in John 14:27 where Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.” (ESV) So the peace we are looking at is not what the nations try to find as they struggle with war day after day. Nor is it the peace that we try to come up with as Occupy Whatever comes in and tries to get its way even as the cities struggle to uphold some sort of worldly peace in their community. This peace is the deepest peace that comes to the heart of the believer, not by their own desire, but by the power of the Spirit that works through the faith given to each person. This peace must begin in the heart of God.

 And it does. We are fast approaching the Christmas season. That season brings the true sense of peace into our hearts and lives. It is a challenge to find that peace as we hurry and scurry about trying to accomplish our list of things which need to be done before the day of Christmas breaks upon us and we can breathe a sigh of relief that it is over once again. The peace is found in the manger, in the song of the angels, in the visit of the shepherds and in the stillness of the night. The angels sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is please!” (Luke 2:14 ESV) Peace on earth! There it is – beginning in the heart of God that brings peace into a world that tears itself apart day after day, a world that has its very fabric torn apart as Adam and Eve eat fruit from a forbidden tree. Hiding from God, they know no peace. In the Christ-child, there is no hiding from God. There we know true peace.

 For this peace is the eternal peace that is brought from the heart of God to the believer. We find this as the 3^rd of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul lists. There is no mistake there. You cannot have peace until the love of Christ fills your heart and life and the joy of salvation touches you in that special way that changes how you face each day. With love and joy giving you new glasses through which to see the world, peace comes rushing into the heart and life and guides the believer into a true sense of peace that begins in the relationship with God and carries over into every aspect of life itself. This peace looks upon the cross and sighs contentedly because it knows that right there, in the midst of that terrible, cruel instrument of torture and death, Christ brings peace in a way that is completely different from the world. The world would say, “Come down from the cross and show us how to live our lives.” The heart of faith rejoices to see Him remain on the cross and bring peace with the heavenly Father once again, a peace that had been lost since the Garden.

 That is the peace that is the fruit of the Spirit. After we see that it is that which we have from God as our relationship with Him is changed from Sovereign Judge to Loving Father, we begin to know what Paul writes, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 ESV) This peace gives peace of mind. As we look for the student of the month, we look for one that exhibits this peace of mind in his/her relationship with God.

This peace of mind then leads to peace in relationships. We can see this in Hebrews 12:14, “Strive for peace with everyone…” (ESV) and 1 Peter 3:11 “…let him seek peace and pursue it.” (ESV) The believer that knows the peace of God then makes it his/her goal to be at peace with those around him/her. He doesn’t try to create problems but instead “…puts the best construction on everything” (as we learn from Luther’s explanation of the 8^th commandment). We follow the direction, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” (Colossians 3:15 ESV) This peace of Christ rules the heart of the student that exhibits this fruit of the Spirit.

 So what do we look for as we look at the fruit of the Spirit? We look for a student that knows the peace of God in his/her heart and that allows that peace to touch the lives of the students around him/her. It is a student that faces the challenges of the day (from school to home to heart) and still shows that he/she is filled with that wonderful, life giving peace that passes all human understanding.

Pressing On

Spending a little time in Philippians this morning caused me to think (as God's Word generally does). It is a familiar verse for many people. "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." (Phil. 3:12 ESV) Now I know that you may have heard this expounded on before. I know I have. But it caused me to ask this question, "Do you really press on to take hold of the goal to which Christ has called you?"
You might be asking, "What is that goal?" Paul writes, "...that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Phil. 3:11 ESV) The goal is not a happy life, a big bank account, a fine house, a good looking spouse, well behaved children, etc. All those things are great to have. In fact they are truly blessings given to us by God Himself for our daily life. But they are not the goal in life. Too many of us have made that our goal. And consequent, we have found that we are never content in life. When I have a new car, it grows old and I desire another new car. When I have a good looking spouse, they grow old and I begin to think that I need a younger, better looking spouse. (I want to say right now that I do not feel that way! Penny is all I need, want or desire in a spouse. I am content!) But when the goal of life is more of the same, then you will never attain that goal.

The goal of life is to attain the resurrection from the dead. The goal is that life eternal with the Father in heaven. The goal is to leave this life and enter into the next. Is that your goal? You don't have to be a downer about this. It isn't that a Christian walks around saying, "I am ready to die. Let me die. I want to die." No, that isn't the way to live life either.

The goal is to press on in Christ. The goal is to strain towards what is coming - through in Christ Jesus. It means that I live each day, not for the things of the world but for the things of Christ. It means that the focus of my heart and life, the desires of my heart, are that which comes from my Lord Jesus Christ. I press on to make it my own. I press on in faith. I look to Christ. I keep my eyes focused on the goal of life - to reach that eternal life with my Lord in heaven.

All the rest of the things I do in life, reflect that goal. As I go about my day, I do it to bring glory to God with the realization that each day is a gift from His hand. Each day I have here on earth is to be lived for Christ. Each day is to be a day of preparation - of my soul for the day He comes for me - and preparation for others - sharing the message of life and love with those I come in contact with so that they too will know the joy and life that comes from Christ Jesus.

I press on today. I have the goal in sight - it is there. When will I reach it? Don't know that. But I do know one thing, "I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own!"