The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 KJV; 20th Sunday after Pentecost: The Shepherd's Psalm a prayer of affirmation that the Good Shepherd is with us.

I Dwell With The Lord Forever

Psalm 23 KJV; Make the Shepherd's Psalm a daily prayer.

The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23 KJV; 4th Sunday of Easter; The Shepherd's Psalm. The good shepherd is with us always.

Help Us To Be More Like The Good Shepherd!

John 10:14-15 KJV; Advent can be a very depressing time for many. Help us to be more like Jesus the Good Shepherd who cares for all in need.

Who Is Welcome At Your Table?

Luke 15:2 KJV; Who is welcome at your table? Who is welcome at the Lord's Table?

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Even In The Shadow Of Death

Manatee in Bulow Creek

 PSALM 23 KJV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

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The LORD is our shepherd! Thanks be to God that He is with us now and always, guiding us even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. 

As long as we live in this world, death looms large in front of us. But, God is larger. Thanks be to God, Christ has overcome the power of death for us. On this side of physical death there will always be trials and challenges to overcome. We will endure persecution for the sake of the Gospel (that is the good news of the Kingdom in Jesus the Christ). We will suffer even while rejoicing for we know that even as these days might present themselves as a shadowy darkness, God is with us and for us. He restores and keeps our souls no matter what darkness we might encounter.

His goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. We are confident that the LORD, our Shepherd, will be present with us even as we dwell in His presence, in His House, in His Kingdom, forever! Amen!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Good Shepherd Lead Me

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

 

Psalm 23 KJV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Tomorrow is the fourth Sunday of Easter and the psalm for the day is the Shepherd's Psalm. How many Christians have not heard this psalm? How many have not memorized it? It is a psalm of comfort and of promise. It is a reminder that God, our shepherd, is with us. He is with us and for us. He will guide and protect us. His goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we will dwell in his presence for all of eternity. 

May you always dwell in his peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Do In Remembrance Of Me

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”   Luke 22:19 KJV

These words of Jesus sometimes cause me to wonder if everyone at the table realize that this is more than a remembrance ritual or a memorial service. I often wonder if everyone who eats of his body and drinks of his blood realize that they are actually receiving the body of Christ into themselves.

He comes to abide in us through this Sacrament. As we eat and drink we become one in and with the living Christ. When we receive this Sacrament, we receive the living God. Jesus is not dead. He is alive. May he live in and through you so that others may also know of his loving sacrifice for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Are Strangers Really Welcome At Your Table?

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2 KJV)

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered around the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. Many did visit and when they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table or even be there. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Leads Me

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff—
  they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
 my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
  all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
 my whole life long.

Psalm 23 NRSV

 

May your day be richly blessed with God's peace.  Pr. J

 

I Cannot Come

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.'"                                                                                                                   (Luke 14:15-23 NIV)

We all have excuses. Everyone, it seems, wants to be present at the great banquet table in the Kingdom of God after they enter through the gateway of death. But, not so many realize that the banquet table of the Kingdom is prepared just about every Sunday (sometimes more; sometimes less). This feast of Jesus Christ is for you. He invites you. The one who died for you and has prepared a place for you welcomes you. Yet, what is the response? Is it "I cannot come?" What better things do you have to do this Sunday?

The Kingdom of God is at hand. The table has been prepared for you. You have been invited. "Come, for everything is now ready."

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Ashes to Ashes and Life!

"By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread
until you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
you are dust,
and to dust you shall return."

Gen 3:19

To the dust you shall return was the sentence. For eating of the tree of knowledge which God had forbidden, Adam's sentence was death. His sentence (and ultimately ours) was that he would return to the dust from which he was formed.

There in the middle of the garden was also the tree of life. Had he eaten of the free gift of the fruit from the tree of life, he would have lived. But, he did not. Adam and Eve neglected the food that was good for them; that God had desired for them to eat, and chose the thing that they were not to have. How often it is that we, too, neglect the free gift of life given to us through the sacrifice of His Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ! How often we neglect to come to the table that He has prepared for us! There Jesus is! "Come and eat." He says. "This is my body given for you for the forgiveness of sins." Do not neglect this life-giving gift!

In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther wrote that the benefit of receiving the Lord's Sacrament of Holy Communion "...is shown us in these words: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins; namely, that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation."

That is the Good News. Today is Ash Wednesday. This evening we will remember with the imposition of ashes that from dust we have come and to dust our bodies shall return. But, we will also eat at the Lord's Table and remember that in Him there is life and salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Strangers Welcome At Your Table?

 

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. When they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at "their" Lord's table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for the forgiveness of our sins and for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is The Stranger Welcome?

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. When they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Cannot Come

Come to the banquet!

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come." (Matt 22:2-3 NIV)

Oh, yes, a goodly number of us want to go this banquet after we are dead and buried; but, how about today? Are we willing to sit at that table today? Maybe, there's a more enticing table set someplace for you than at the Lord's Table? Not everyone that's been invited will be at the table eating and drinking; receiving the "foretaste of the feast to come." Some will decline for a "better" offer.

While serving at Zion Lutheran in Skanee, MI, on the occasions that this parable was our Sunday reading, the choir usually sang "I Cannot Come To The Banquet." (I could not find the author's name - possibly The Medical Mission Sisters, 1966?) It is quite the lively song; but, cuts right to the heart of things.

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

A certain man held a feast on his fine estate in town.
He laid a festive table and wore a wedding gown.
He sent invitations to his neighbors far and wide
But when the meal was ready, each of them replied:

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

The master rose up in anger, called his servants by name,
"Go into the town, fetch the blind and the lame,
Fetch the peasant and the pauper for this I have willed,
My banquet must be crowded, and my table must be filled."

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

When all the poor had assembled,
There was still room to spare,
So the master demanded: "Go search ev'rywhere,
To the highways and the byways
And force them to come in.
My table must be filled before the banquet can begin.

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

Yes, no? What will it be? All are invited! Will you come to the banquet?

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Hope to see you at the Lord's Table.

The Tree of Life

By the sweat of your face    you shall eat bread
until you return to the ground,
    for out of it you were taken;
you are dust,
    and to dust you shall return." Gen 3:19


To the dust you shall return was the sentence. For eating of the tree of knowledge which God had forbidden, Adam's sentence was death. His sentence (and ultimately ours) was that he would return to the dust from which he was formed.

There in the middle of the garden was also the tree of life. Had he eaten of the free gift of the fruit from the tree of life, he would have lived. But, he did not. Adam and Eve neglected the food that was good for them; that God had desired for them to eat, and chose that thing that they were not to have. How often it is that we, too, neglect the free gift of life given to us through the sacrifice of His Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ! How often we neglect to come to the table that He has prepared for us! There Jesus is! He is there inviting us: Come and eat. This is my body given for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do not neglect this life-giving gift!

In the Small Catechism, Martin Luther wrote that the benefit of receiving the Lord's Sacrament of Holy Communion "...is shown us in these words: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins; namely, that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation."

That is the Good News. Today is Ash Wednesday. This afternoon we will remember, with the imposition of ashes, that from dust we have come and to dust our bodies shall return. But, we will also eat at the Lord's Table and remember that in Him we have eternal life and salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Join us at 5 pm today (Ash Wednesday) at Christ Lutheran Church, 2323 N. State St., Unit 112, Bunnell, FL as we remember that without Christ we are lost; but, with him we have life!

My Jesus!

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Psalm 51:10-11 NIV

Happy New Year!

"My Jesus!" I don't recall what I was dreaming about last night. But, I do remember that just before I woke up, sitting around a huge round table I was asked who I would most like to be with. My response was "my Jesus."

Jesus promised to be with us always and he is. Who could ask for anything more than to abide in the presence of God for all of eternity? Living in God's presence is a gift from God. But, we are not worthy to even kneel at His feet by anything that we say or do or don't say or do. There are no new year's resolutions that are going to get us to heaven. Our hearts; are whole lives, are heavy with the burden of sin. But, thanks be to God, He can change our hearts!

And, so this new year's day we pray: create in us clean hearts, and renew steadfast spirits within us. Do not remove us from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from us. Grant that we should always live in your presence!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is Jesus Welcome?

Is Jesus welcome at your table?

When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me."

Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."

Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, "Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited."

Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?"

He will answer them, "I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me."

"Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

Matt 15:31-46 The Message

God's Peace - Pr. J

Invite Strangers

Is the stranger truly welcomed?

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."  John 6:32-33 NIV

Friends, Strangers, and Angels at the Table is the sermon title for this Sunday. The lessons this morning speak of being hospitable. Jesus points out that we are to welcome strangers to our table. We might think we are welcoming people; because, we all get along with each other. That is we welcome those whom we already know. But, what happens when a stranger comes into our midst? What happens when a stranger comes knocking at our door?

As Jesus welcomes all people to his table, let us invite and welcome anyone and everyone who might cross our paths to eat with us; whether at home or at the table set for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. The Epistle lesson for this morning is: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16