We Have Gone Astray

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

Jesus took upon himself our pain and he bore our sufferings. He was crucified for our transgression and for our iniquities. It is by his wounds that we are healed. It is by his sacrifice that we are made whole!

I am reminded often that we are all, like sheep, gone astray. I am reminded of this whenever a secular event takes precedence over gathering as a community to worship. I am reminded that we have gone astray when I see the sanctuary less than half the normal attendance on Good Friday or Maundy Thursday. This seems to be the norm for a good many congregations. When I witness this during Holy Week, I am reminded of how the disciples fled in fear when Jesus was arrested on the night in which he was betrayed. When I witness the absence of his "followers" during Holy Week, I am reminded of how even Peter denied Jesus at his trial. It is all a reminder that the sheep continue to stray. We often prefer to go our own way and it's not only during Holy Week. Often, we find reasons to not gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ to thank the Lord for our salvation; for our healing, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I, like you, often act like a sheep that has gone astray. Whenever I mess up big time (that is sin), God's gentle Spirit reminds me why Jesus had to suffer persecution and such a cruel death. He died for you. He died for me. He died bearing our sins, those sins we commit today and will commit tomorrow.

This is a sad thing. It is a very sad thing that we should not take the time to gather together as he commanded us, to love one another, and to serve all people even as he served all people by dying for us. It is very sad that he should have to suffer and die for sheep that rarely even consider that they may have gone astray.

May God help us to be more faithful. May God help us to love even as He loves us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Were You There? Would You Be?

 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).  There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

                                                                                                      John 19:17-27 NIV

Who was there? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Who had the courage to witness the crucifixion of Jesus? The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus were with him. The soldiers who nailed him to the cross were there. Many of the Jews may have witnessed his crucifixion, from a distance, as Golgotha was not too far from the city. They were able to read the sign. Did they read the words "JESUS OF NAZARETH. THE KING OF THE JEWS" as he struggled to carry his cross to his death?

The three Mary's were there to witness his death. Jesus' mother Mary, and her sister Mary and Mary Magdalene were there. Where were the close disciples whom he had called? Peter was probably still in hiding. But, John was there. John, the disciple who loved Jesus, was there.

This afternoon at Christ Lutheran we will gather to remember our Lord's death with a Tenebrae Service. We will sing a verse of "Were You There?" with the snuffing out of each candle. Over the years, the Good Friday Services that I have attended have not been all that well attended. This causes me to wonder how many would have been there at his death. Would we have made it to his crucifixion had we been there? Would you have been too afraid of being found a sympathizer to be found near him at his death? Or, would you have found something more pleasing to do instead?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Falling Asleep?

Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Mark 14:41-42 NIV)

On the night in which he was betrayed, the disciples completely oblivious to the inner torment that Jesus was experiencing, fell asleep. Rather than pray with or for Him; instead of being there for him, they fell asleep.

How often have we fallen asleep when our neighbors or friends or family were in need? How many times have we turned our back on others because we had better more personal things and often more enjoyable things to do? How often? Every time we have, we have turned our back on Jesus for what we do or do not do for others; we do or do not do for Jesus.

How many times have we paced the floors in the middle of the night or fell on our faces praying throughout the night, asking God to deliver us or someone else while everyone else was fast asleep oblivious to the trouble around them or about to come upon them? We pace, we pray, until peace comes upon us and the resolution is at hand. 

The resolution for Jesus was to be betrayed with a kiss by a follower, a friend. What comes for Jesus is death and ultimately resurrection. Sometimes, (OK - often) the resolution that comes is not an immediate reprieve; but, a journey through even darker times; a place where even our friends will desert us. What comes is a journey through the valley of the shadow of death so that ultimately, not our; but, God's will is done.

In order to get to the place where we can know peace no matter what God's will is for us, we pray. We find solace in His presence.

May God grant that we should live in His presence now and always.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Time For Change?

They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

                                                                                                                Luke 5:33-39 NIV

Sometimes, change is okay. Sometimes, change is required for new or renewed life. Not everyone in Jesus' time on earth was happy about the fact that his disciples spent more time eating and drinking than fasting and praying. There are appropriate times for things and while Jesus was with them there were more important things for them to do than focus on fasting. They were busy learning and serving.  

Being open to what others are being called to sometimes means we have to change our ways of thinking and our ways of doing just a bit. Sometimes, we have to change a whole lot. I've heard all too often "this is the way we've always done it."  For some reason we like to think that the old is better. Sometimes, it may be. Sometimes, it definitely is not. Sometimes, the new is better. We must be open to change or we'll be stuck in an old testament life instead of rejoicing in the promise of the new covenant with Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. (Eccl 3:1) 

God grant that hearts and minds be open to changes that may be needed according to His times and seasons.

God's Peace - Pr. J

A Mighty Fortress

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
                                        Psalm 62:5-8 NIV

A mighty fortress is indeed our God! When times get hard and even in good times to whom shall we go? Let us always seek the Lord, for in Him we cannot be shaken. Through Him comes comfort and hope. Our salvation and our honor depend solely on God.

Our honor, without Him, truly does not exist. For there is only one who is honorable. There is only one who is truly faithful. There is only one who was willing to carry the sins of the whole world for our sake and for the sake of our salvation. In him we shall trust. He is our rock and our salvation and on that rock we shall stand trusting in our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J

We Do Not Serve Alone

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6 NIV

There are times when we can get very weary. I may seem that we are serving the Lord alone and to very little avail. Paul was alone in a prison cell when he wrote the letter to the Philippians. But, he knew that although separated from the Christians at Philippi; separated from the world outside of the prison, he was not alone. As a Christian, he was in a partnership with every other Christian in the world doing the work that Lord had begun in each of them.  

Paul served faithfully, in and out of prison; but, he did not serve alone. We do not serve alone, either. Though we may not always see it with our eyes, we know that God works in and through every member of the Body of Christ to complete the good work that He has begun in all of us. No matter what kind of bondage the world would put us in; whether in prison or out; we will serve the Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Passionate Contrast

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”

                                                   John 12:12-15 NIV

We enter Holy Week singing and shouting Hosanna; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, with such great passion! What a start contrast between the praises sung today and the fears and the passionate tears of the people who loved Jesus by Friday.

Our faith can often be like that. One day we are so passionate about our love for Jesus and would give everything for him. But, by the next morning our passions may be turned to fear as wonder where he is. Why is he not here to be with us? Has he deserted us?  He has not deserted us. He will never leave us. All too often, it is we who desert him. It is we who betray him. It is we who deny him. 

By Friday, his followers will be in tears. But; for today, let us rejoice without fear for our king has come!

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Easter Without Good Friday

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 NIV

What a gift! In exchange for our sins, we have received eternal life through the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus. Tomorrow is celebrated as either Palm or Passion Sunday in many congregations. I prefer to celebrate both the final entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem and the events following up to and including the crucifixion.  

It is important that we remember that even as everyone welcomed and honored Jesus when he entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, many turned their backs on him by Friday.

He died, an innocent man. As he hung on that cross he carried the weight of our sins upon himself. He bore them so that all who believe in him might be forgiven our sins and receive the gift of eternal life through the shedding of his blood. Without the events of Holy Week; without the death of Jesus; there would be no resurrection; there would be no gift of eternal life for us.

And, this is why we remember the entire Holy Week on Palm/Passion Sunday: way too many people have the mistaken notion that if they show up on Sunday (some believe Christmas and Easter is enough) that they are saved. The reality is: we are saved by God's grace alone by faith in the one who lived and died and lives again for us.

What a gift! We have eternal life because he suffered and died for us. Wherever you are, please, make the effort to attend worship throughout this Holy Week so that you might better grasp why it is that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and our eternal life on Easter Sunday. The resurrection and the gift of eternal life to us came at great cost. It cost Jesus his life. Hearing what he has done for you ought not be too great a cost to you.

There would be no Easter without the events prior to Jesus' resurrection. Without Good Friday; without the execution of Jesus, there would be no Easter morning. Remember, all that he has done for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Slow To Speak; Slow To Anger

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." (James 1:19-21 NIV)

Slow to become angry or never become angry? James does not tell us that we should never become angry. There are times when we should be very displeased (angry) over events. Righteous anger will motivate us to seek a way to help in a bad situation; not make it worse. An example of righteous anger is when we see someone being bullied or assaulted or otherwise pushed down and we step up to befriend and help that person instead of only being angry at the bully. Righteous anger will stir us to help others; not harm anyone.

Anger tends to beget more anger and nothing fruitful comes out of people attacking each other. We ought, as James advises, to be very slow to speak and very slow to become angry. The words of angry lips can be like a sword in battle causing much damage to lives and to relationships. That damage that can be most permanent.

Rather than anger that seems so prevalent in this day; may the Word of God planted in you, fill you with his peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J  

Correcting a Mocker

"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.  Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning." 

(Prov 9:7-9 NIV)

Believe me, I have received my share of insults by those who prefer not to walk on the straight path.  I have learned, over time, that there are times when it makes no sense to correct someone. If they are corrected they will only argue or throw a temper tantrum. There are times when it is best just to say nothing more and walk away. It is better to walk away than to end up in a dispute that you will not win and you will end up carrying any ill feelings that you gained during that discussion out into the rest of the world. The rest of the world doesn't deserve that.

There is a whole world out there that needs and desires to hear the Good News. Why allow a mocker or a wicked one, who refuses to hear, to steal the time that could be better used to help those who are wise enough not to refuse help?

I am not saying that there is never a time to correct a mocker or rebuke the wicked. Jesus certainly incurred insults. As Christians, so shall we. There are times when even the mocker should be corrected and the wicked rebuked. If there is danger to others, it definitely needs doing. These things must be done from time to time. Wisdom will help you know when the time is right. But, focusing in on the one who mocks the LORD, trying to drag them onto the path of righteousness should never become the center of your life. Do not allow scoffers to drag you down and off the path the LORD has prepared for you. If they will not hear the truth, then it may be time to shake the dust off your feet (Matt 10:14) and walk away, whether it is family, friend, or foe.  You can help no one, if your whole life is spent trying to help one whose whole goal is to drag you down into the muck and mire with them.

There is a whole world out that there yearning for some Good News, multitudes that need healing and actually desire it, that will listen and be made whole. Go... and proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our LORD. Go and proclaim the Good News to all people. But, remember it is not us but the Word, who is Jesus the Christ, that saves.  Once the Word has been shared, there is not much you can do for the mocker, but continue to pray for them and trust the Spirit of God to do what the Spirit does. Be careful that you do not become embroiled in thinking that with persistence you can save them. Wisdom will guide you as your remember that it is only Jesus who saves.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Creatures Are Not To Be Worshipped

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Col 2:18-19 NIV)

So what about angels? Every now and then I am jolted by the reality that someone I know depends on angels more than they depend on Jesus.

Just because something or someone or something exists in the spiritual realms that does not mean that we should worship them or put our trust in them. We do not worship those beings or things that God created whether in this world or in the spiritual realms. We are to worship and put our trust in the one who has charge over all things; the one who created the spiritual realms; the one who created all things.

Angels have many purposes. Some are messengers. Some have been deliverers of God's judgment. Some are ministering spirits. Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptations by the devil in the wilderness. Angels are beings created by God to serve according to God's will. They do not do our will. They do God's will.

We are not to worship angels. We cannot serve two gods. Angels did not create you. They, themselves, are created beings. Angels did not die for you. Jesus did. By worshipping and honoring angels; by lifting them up more than we lift us Christ, we lose the connection we have with the head, from whom the whole body grows, who is Jesus the Christ. We are to worship the one who has charge over angels and not the angels.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Listen!

Listen to the words of Proverbs 1:28-33 (NIV)

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Listen!  Listen, to the proverbs Solomon! Listen! Listen, to wisdom speak!

There is a reason for the all of the exclamation points.  Listening to wisdom, learning the way in which we should go is imperative to our health and happiness, our peace and even our prosperity.  Alas, it seems that every generation insists on learning from their own mistakes instead of listening to the lessons learned in previous generations. 

Have you ever had to deal with someone who is going in a mighty wrong direction? They are headed to a life lived alone. Boxed in by their own greed, selfishness, envy, laziness, attractions to those things that will destroy them. It may be because they are so busy trying to find personal happiness they have shut the door to the rest of the world. They have shut the door on honest, healthy relationships with God and with their others around them. And.. it is in Godly relationships that we will find happiness. We will find peace. We will find joy. But, those who travel in their own righteousness seem to know best. They will go it alone. They will travel their own path. You may well be told that it is none of your business. They have the right to live life in the way they choose. That they are hurting no one. They are unable to acknowledge that they are not really living life - at least not an abundant life. They fail to see that the path that they have chosen is truly hurting people, even society around them.  If you're going to indulge in something, indulge in the abundant life that God would have you live. Live life in Christ!

Sadly, so many children are being led astray by adults with so little Godly wisdom. They, too, are doomed to live lives filled with one calamity after another, one disaster after the last. They are taught to reject the knowledge and wisdom that will guide them to fruitful lives filled with joy and peace.

Do not hate knowledge, but grasp it. Hold on to it. Let the knowledge that the LORD would provide you with guide you in all that you say and think and do.
 

Listen! Listen and live life, well!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Office of the Keys and Confession

This Lenten Season we have been going through the chief parts of Luther's Small Catechism. This week, our topic is "The Office of the Keys and Confession." Those of us who have any years in the Lutheran Church behind us probably recall something called the Office of the Keys. It is no longer taught in every Lutheran Congregation. The lack of it's use within the church has subtly eroded the understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. It has led to a widespread false teaching that has many neglecting or refusing to acknowledge that they have sinned against God and against others. They would say that God loves us no matter what we do so we can just go ahead and do it. There is no need for forgiveness because we have not sinned. Without the Office of the Keys in these latter years, many have come to believe that there is forgiveness without repentance. This is purely cheap grace and cheap grace is no grace at all. Forgiveness of our sins came at a great cost. It cost Jesus his life.

Indeed, God does loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for all people. But, do all people love Him enough to repent of their sins? Do they love Him enough to turn away from their sinful ways and turn to this God who loves us so much? Does the sacrifice that Christ made for us mean so little that we would continue to follow in the ways of the world; in the ways of the evil one; rather than the one who loves us that much?

There have been times that I have been accused of not being very Christian because I take seriously the Office of the Keys as an office held by His Church on earth. The name-calling is just a little thing and it is something I am willing to live with as I cannot say that what is a sin is not a sin. I will not cheapen the sacrifice that Christ made for us in that manner. It is better to serve God than the world.

Please, consider the Office of the Keys and Confession from the Small Catechism as I and many of you learned it in confirmation classes many years ago. . 

THE OFFICE OF THE KEYS AND CONFESSION

 What is the Office of the Keys?

The Office of the Keys is the special authority which Christ has given to His Church on earth: to forgive the sins of the penitent sinners, but to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent.

Where is this written?

The evangelist writes, John 20:22-23: “Jesus breathed on His disciples and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; and if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’”

What is Confession?

Confession consists of two parts: one, that we confess our sins; the other, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness, from the pastor or confessor as from God himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are thereby forgiven before God in heaven.

What sins should we confess?

Before God we should acknowledge ourselves guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not know about, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. But before the pastor or confessor we should acknowledge those sins only which we know and feel in our hearts.

Which are these?

Here consider your own situation according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, employer, employee; whether you have been disobedient, dishonest, lazy; whether you have injured anyone by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected, wasted anything, or done any harm."

God grant us such great love for Him that we would turn and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. God's Peace be with you all - Pr. J.

God's Will And Ways; Not Ours

To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,

    but motives are weighed by the Lord.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
        and he will establish your plans.
The Lord works out everything to its proper end—

    even the wicked for a day of disaster.

                                        Proverbs 16:1-4 NIV

It seems like a good thing; even a wise thing, not to let our emotions control us. So often, I can feel my emotions rise to the surface. It takes a bit of self-discipline to slow them down, ignore my emotions and listen to what the LORD would have me do. Sometimes, my first instinct is to react rather than listen to God. That first instinct of listening to my heart and reacting has sometimes gotten me into a bit of trouble.

Most of us, at one time or another, have though that we needed to fix something for someone that we love as we see them hurting. Sometimes, we need to let well enough alone and let God fix them in His own way and His own time. Sometimes, we need to be quiet. Sometimes, we ought not do a thing except to pray that God's will be done and be there to listen to them and to God. And, when He tells us to do something, do it.

When responding or reacting to any given situation, it is wise to slow down and ask ourselves if our response is coming from the pride within our hearts or is it from our knowledge and/or wisdom of the LORD's will for us and others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Receiving the Gospel; Living in the Light

For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last." 1 Thess 2:14-16 NIV

The gospel is not always received very well. There will always be opposition to the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. St. Paul continued to proclaim it for the sake of others in the face of much opposition. The truth can be quite offensive to those who follow in their own ways. The light of truth can bring us to rejoice in in Jesus; but, it can also send those who reject it scurrying further into the darkness as they attempt to hide from the truth. The truth sometimes stirs up fear and hatred and ultimately the persecution of those who do believe. In spite of hardship and persecution, those who follow Jesus will continue to share the good news with others so that all might know the joy of living in relationship with God our Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

May God grant us the knowledge, wisdom, courage and strength to speak the truth no matter what the opposition might be so that we might all know the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

High Places

"The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

    he enables me to tread on the heights."

(Hab 3:19 NIV)

"The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places."

(Hab 3:19 KJV)

It has been many years since I read, "Hinds Feet On High Places," an allegory, written by Hannah Hurnard. The journey of Much-Afraid and her friends Sorrow and Suffering, as they follow Shepherd to the high places, where they will walk as on hinds' feet, takes them through many dangers.  It is a long journey. They must have patience. They must have persistence. But, in the end, they (we) will dance in the presence of God. 

This is a familiar story to many of us as, daily, we journey through many difficult times with anticipation and the hope of the promised land.

Just as Habakkuk prayed and waited patiently for the LORD to deliver God's people from the enemy, from the many dangers that surround them; we, too pray and wait patiently (sometimes not as patiently as at other times) for the LORD to deliver His people from the turmoil and dangers they encounter as they journey through the dark shadows of the valley of death.

The Lord is our strength. With Him we shall walk through dark valleys to the high places where the light does surely shine. 

God's Peace - Pr. J