Are You Sharing The Good News?

Revelation 14:6-7 KJV; Reformation Sunday; Martin Luther as well as other early reformers of the church opened the scriptures up to the people that they might hear and receive the Good News. Are we still sharing the Good News?

Helping Our Neighbor

Romans 15:1-7 KJV

Only God Knows All Things

Romans 11:32-36 KJV

Believe The Witnesses!

 

"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:14 KJV

The disciples did not believe that Jesus had risen because they had not yet seen him. When they did see him, he chewed them out for being so stubborn; so bullheaded. They had not really believed the witness of Mary or the others who had, in fact, testified that they had seen him alive and walking around.

That is the reason for many not believing it today, either. What they cannot see with their own eyes; what they cannot touch with their own hands, they refuse to accept as truth. In their stubbornness they will not accept what they have not witnessed themselves. Even then, some will continue in their bullheadedness. A man walking on the moon is still a fabricated myth to some. Others still believe the earth is flat. Sadly, some even deem the Holocaust during World War II as a fabrication.

How hard-headed are those who refuse to believe the testimony of those who have seen Jesus! How hard-hearted are they who would follow in their own self-centered and self-motivated ways rather than the Way that Jesus prepared for us; for all people, into the Kingdom of God. Their bullheadedness will harm only themselves in the end when before the throne of God every knee will bow.

There was a man named Job. He lost everything. Yet, his faith; his belief, in God did not waiver. He trusted the Lord. He had not seen God with his own eyes, yet. But, he was convinced that he would. He was convinced that he would see him with his own eyes and not just through the testimony of others. Job, too, was in a sense very bullheaded. Although, he suffered much; he never gave up hope in his Redeemer.

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27)

May God help us to trust the testimony of the saints before us, as found in the Holy Scriptures, so that we might have hope in the one who died and yet lives for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

We All Need To Grow

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

                             1 Peter 2:2-3 KJV

It is not just babies who need good nutrition to grow so does everyone who has lived for decades. All kinds of ailments attack bodies that do not feed themselves properly.

As Christians grow older, all too often they do not feel the need to read or hear the word of God. I have heard on more than one occasion that someone does not need to read the scriptures because they learned it in Sunday School or Confirmation classes. That is totally absurd! No one can know it all. Even most pastors know that they need to continue reading and studying the word in order to grow in faith as well as in love.

The small catechism that we use to teach children and new members was written by Martin Luther for parents to use to teach their children because he found that pastors in his day really did not have a clue about the word of God.

Have a clue! Many churches have closed due to the corona virus. Start a new habit. Open your Bibles and read the word. Hold a daily Bible Study with your family and grow in faith!

In times like this we worry about our physical health. Let us not neglect to care about our spiritual health. Stay in the word. Crave and seek the spiritual milk of the word of God so that you may know the grace of God through our Lord Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Peace In Rough Times

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

                                                                                       (Col 3:15-16 KJV)

Some days it can be a whole lot harder to let the peace of God rule our hearts than others. Let go and let God can be a whole lot easier said than done. When troubles attack you or the people that you love so that you can think of nothing else, what can be done?

Immerse yourself in the word of Christ: turn on a YouTube sermon or just put the scriptures playing on YouTube; play some Christian music to remind you of God's grace and love; read your Bibles; but, above all pray. You can speak to God. But, remember to be still and listen for His response.

Life is not always easy. In fact, it can be pretty tough a lot of the time. When the world threatens to push the peace of God out of your hearts, remember that He loves you and is with you always. 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Message Is Found In Scripture

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

                                                                             (Rom 16:17-20 KJV)

We've all heard them; those who with smooth talk teach a false gospel. Those who tell you that God will provide you with everything you want if you would only do this thing or that thing. They neglect to tell you that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus. They neglect to tell you that there is no earthly treasure that can even begin to compare with the gift of living reconciled to God; living in relationship with Jesus.

It is no different today than it was in St. Paul's day. There is one way to tell if something proclaimed to you is the truth; know the scriptures, read them and hear them. The message proclaimed to us through the prophets is found in them. The fulfillment is found in them. Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises to us.

Do not let your itching ears lead you to believing smooth talkers whose aim is not to glorify God; but, to satisfy their own egos; their own bellies. This desire to have it our own way rather than according to the will of God will only cause dissension and divisions. It will cause much strife; much pain. It is neither wise nor safe to accept any doctrine that cannot be supported by scripture. Scripture supports scripture. 

Read your Bibles daily and have a blessed day; a blessed life in Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Share The Good News With The Children

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. (Deut 6:6-7 NRSV)

How are you going to teach these words to your children; to your grandchildren; to your nieces and nephews, if you don't know them?

I am amazed at some of the memes that I see posted on various sites by young people whose parents profess to be Christians. These memes, based on a false narrative of what the Bible says, are usually attempts at exposing Christianity as a lie or a fairy tale or a complete myth. These memes are often used to try to portray Christians as uncaring or bigots or racists or a lot of other not so nice things. 

Unfortunately, a lot of people get their religious views from the television and as most of you are aware not everything that is on television is the truth! If you want your children to learn about this loving God, then they need to hear about Him. Do not leave it to the world to teach them. Tell them the stories from the Holy Scriptures. Read to them. Bring them to worship. Bring them to Sunday School. Discuss, with your children, what God has done for them that they might live life in the embrace of our loving God.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Listen To The Word

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. Heb 1:1-2 NRSV
There were prophets. But, there were also false prophets. I am always amazed by the number of people who rely on astrology or fortunetellers for a positive look at their personal futures. Sometimes, they are pleased with the reading and sometimes they are not as they hear from these false prophets their futures are not going to be very bright. Fortunately,  the Christian does not depend on reading the stars or listening to people who speak to the dead as these are forbidden by God. The Christian trusts in the word of God. He or she reads the word as found in the Holy Scriptures. The Christian listens to the Word who is Jesus the Christ.

In these latter days, God has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus the Christ. We know that in him and only in him do we have a future of hope.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Like Comes First

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.  (1 John 2:3-6 NIV)

 

In any relationship, for us to believe and trust someone, we must get to know them. I remember seeing  some time ago, the Zoosk (a dating app) commercial "Love does not comes first. First comes like."  I liked it because I know more than a few teenagers (and at least a few adults) who should really pay attention to this. Before genuine enduring love occurs, we must first get to know one another and actually learn to like each other despite all those little things we might not appreciate so much. Genuine love grows as we get to know about each other. There might be a whole lot less break-ups and divorces if we spent more time learning to like each other before we commit ourselves to loving and living with someone forever.

Our relationship with God is not so very different. In order to say that we truly love Him, we first must get to know Him. When we get to know about Him, love will come in the getting to know Him and what He has done for us. We do that by reading His word in the Holy Scriptures; gathering together to hear His Word in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ; by receiving Jesus in the Sacraments; and by spending time talking with Him in prayer.

Get to know God our Father; walk with God the Son; take the time to listen to the Holy Spirit and then your love will be made complete.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Tree of Life

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Rev 22:1-4 NIV)

 

In the beginning mankind walked in the garden in the very presence of God. In the beginning mankind had access to the tree of life in this garden. The book of Genesis tells us that rather than eat from this tree of life, these first people ate from the tree which would guarantee their deaths; the tree that God had told them not to eat from. As a consequence they were kicked out of the garden in which it grew so that they would no longer have the opportunity to eat the fruit from the tree of life. (Gen 3:22-24)

Those first people made an devastating decision when they chose to listen to the serpent rather than God. The world has not changed much. We long for eternal life; yet, our sinful natures continue to steer us toward the very things that will bring us death. We often listen to the world rather than God.

In this last chapter and book of the Holy Scriptures we once again see the tree of life. All who believe in Jesus Christ; all whose names are written in the book of life, are granted access to this fruit which will heal the nations. We have access to the tree of life who is Jesus the Christ for he, himself, has told us that he is the way and the truth and the life.

 

Eat from the tree of life and live!

 

God's Peace be with you all. Pr. J

To Know Him Better

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." (Eph 1:17 NIV)

With Paul, all of the saints should be praying this for all whom we know, even those whom we do not know. What an awesome gift it is to know Jesus. What could be more fulfilling than to be in relationship with God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ?

I pray that God would open our ears, eyes, hearts and minds so that we would have a greater understand of His Word and His will for us at least once a day and on most days many more times. Just as getting to know someone in this world better is essential to our relationship with them; getting to know God better helps us to come into a closer relationship. We do this by hearing His Word who is Jesus the Christ and His word given to us in the Holy Scriptures. Hear him! "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (Rom 10:17)

May God, our Father, grant us wisdom, opening our ears, and our eyes, and our hearts, and minds to know more about Him so that we can get to know our beloved even more personally and more intimately than we do today.

God Peace - Pr. J

Study The Word

Christ Lutheran Church Adult Sunday School

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:14-17 NIV)

We can never know everything. We can read the Holy Scriptures front to back many times and still not know it all. Therefore; we continue to study the word given to us. We continue to teach it.

When I was young, I was told that when we stop learning, we die. I have always enjoyed reading. But, as I have gotten older two things have happened. I do a lot of reading on my computer as I can enlarge the print and see it much easier. Books can be purchased and downloaded. There are also many free sites that one can go to. I usually read an online Bible for my devotions. And, when I need or want to go to the Book of Concord (Yes, I am Lutheran) I use an online one of that, as well, as I can find things much easier by doing a search in the book. 

The second thing that has happened as I have aged, is that I am more selective in my choices of reading material. While, at one time I read a lot of fiction, what I read now is mostly for learning or study purposes. There is enough fantasy in the world around me to make me not desire any more drama. Although, I have to say that I am finding a lot of what is being presented today as non-fiction to be very fictitious. I am more interested in truth and that is what I find in the Holy Scriptures. Therefore; the Holy Scriptures are what I read and study over and over again.

Every Sunday morning our adult Sunday School meets at Christ Lutheran prior to worship. It is an awesome group! We are presently studying Paul's letter to the Romans. We don't always care for some of the things that Paul's writings relay to us. We debate it. We even try to justify our own take on his words, at times. But, in the end, we usually come to the conclusion that we don't know it all. We don't understand it all. We must continue on studying the Holy Scriptures for whether we "get it" all or not these words we read are God-breathed and useful for teaching and training even us older children of God so that we may be more equipped to serve our God.

We would love to have you join us so that you with us we might all gain a better understanding of our salvation through faith in Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mary Listened!

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:26-28

Mary was a bit astounded; but, she believed the angel. When an angel went to Joseph with the news; he was more than a bit astonished; but, he listened and he believed the good news. A virgin shall bear shall bear the son of God. Hmmm....

Can you imagine an angel showing up and delivering such a message of good news! Would we recognize the messenger as an angel? Would we believe the good news? The reality is that God sends us messages of good news all the time. We can read it in the Holy Scriptures. We can hear it during worship. Oh, yes, your pastor and many of your friends, even strangers, probably deliver the message of good news to you all the time. Do you take the time to listen or do you shut the door on the good news for you? And, if you listen do you believe?

Open our ears Lord that we might hear the Good News of the Kingdom. Open our hearts, Lord, that we might joyfully receive the Good News that we have heard.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Word Is The Light To Guide Our Way

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Psalm 119:105  NIV

I often hear that the Bible doesn't answer all of our questions. Well, maybe it doesn't tell us how to dress for the next party. Then again, maybe again it does. "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." (1 Pet 3:3-4)

God's word, as found in the Holy Scriptures, doesn't tell us when to go to sleep or when to wake up. But, then again, maybe it does. "How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?" (Prov 6:9) Scripture warns us that nothing good will come to those who spend their lives resting. At times, depression will come over most people and they will find themselves hiding out under the covers in even more darkness. This does not help depression. It does not help our lot in life to retreat even further into the darkness. Scripture reminds us: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." (Isa 60:1) 

St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians (5:13-15)

"But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise

The word found in the Holy Scriptures can indeed be a guide for us on how we are to live. The word points us to the Living Word, who is Jesus the Christ. In him we have real life. In him is the one true light.

Read and hear and study the word so that your life might be illuminated by the Word, the true light that in came into the world as John the Baptist foretold. He will guide you through this dark world in The Way that you should go.

Send us your light, dear Lord, and your faithful care, let them lead us; let them bring us to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.  (Psalm 43:3)

God's Peace - Pr. J