The Meaning of the Manger

Nativity scenes will soon be seen, sold, and set-up in homes and business which are still not overly concerned about political correctness and lawsuits filed by the ACLU. I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of tired of all the people who get so upset about the secularization of “the holiday season.” Is it sad? Yes. Is it a slap in the face to the Savior? Yes. Should we be surprised? No. After all, Herod tried to kill the baby Jesus. Why, then, should we be shocked if someone wants to remove all Christmas trees from an airport and tell their employees to say “Happy Holidays” or some other nondescript winter greeting? Maybe we ought to simply turn the other cheek like our Savior told us instead of working ourselves up into such an angry frenzy that our ability to celebrate Christmas is severely diminished.

No one is stopping you from setting up a nativity scene in your home. Use one as part of your Advent and Christmas devotion. After a hectic day of shopping at the mall or after a long commute home from work, light your Advent wreath and reflect on the real meaning of the season as you gaze upon the figures in the stable. When you look at the Child lying in the manger, remember how the Son of God humbled himself to become a helpless Baby in order to live as one of us and to die for all of us. When you see Mary and Joseph tenderly staring at the Baby, remember their example of faith in the face of what seemed like an impossible situation ... a Virgin giving birth! When you see the shepherds leaning in to get a look at the Infant, remember how you, too, were invited by grace to come and worship the Savior of the world. When you see the Magi kneeling and presenting their gifts before the King of Kings, remember that the gifts you bring to your Savior – your time, talents, and treasures – are nothing in comparison to the blood-bought gift of forgiveness and eternal life that God gives to you. Still, God uses these gifts to advance his Word so that many more may be brought to worship the Christ Child.

Remember, too, how Martin Luther compared Holy Scripture to the manger of Bethlehem. In one of his writings from 1521, he wrote that the Gospels and Epistles were written to direct us to the writings of Moses and the Prophets “so that we might there read and see for ourselves how Christ is wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in the manger [Luke 2:7], that is, how he is comprehended in the writings of the prophets. It is there that people like us should read and study, drill ourselves, and see what Christ is, for what purpose he has been given, how he was promised, and how all Scripture tends toward him.” (“A Brief Explanation on What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels,” Luther’s Works, vol. 35, p. 122). Likewise, in his Preface to the Old Testament (1523), he wrote, “Here you will find the swaddling cloths and the manger in which Christ lies, and to which the angel points the shepherds [Luke 2:12]. Simple and lowly are these swaddling cloths, but dear is the treasure, Christ, who lies in them.” (Luther’s Works, vol. 35, p. 236) Other than looking at a nativity scene, you and I cannot go back in time and see Jesus. But the inscripturated Word is where we find the Word made Flesh, and it is the means whereby God comes to us with his grace and mercy.

Come join us during the Advent and Christmas seasons as we kneel before the manger of God’s Word and receive that dear treasure, Christ.

Getting Ready for Advent

Advent begins this coming Sunday, December 2. This is from a website I use for service planning, titled Pericope:

Advent means coming. This is the season of the church year when we look forward to Christ coming in three ways: We prepare to remember His coming in history, at Christmas, we celebrate His coming to us in the Means of Grace here in the present, and we continue to look for His return, His coming, at the end of time when He will come to take us to be with Himself forever. This season is the logical "first" following the end of the church year. The end of the church year, culminating in the Last Sunday of the Church year, focused our attention to the coming of the end of the World in judgment. Now, we shift our focus to the One Who is coming in that judgment, as well as remembering that He comes to us in a very special way in the Means of Grace and that He came to us in time in Jerusalem as a Baby born of Mary. Christmas music of any sort short-cuts the anticipatory theme of Advent and is therefore not at all appropriate. Holding the season of Advent as a season of "coming", when the entire secular world is already celebrating Christmas since the end of September, and in full force during the entire month of December is not easy. May times the church is looked at as if She were behind the times, out of touch with reality. But the church is not a follower of the ways of the world. People come to church during any season of the year partially to escape the world of sin and to be transposed to the things of heaven. Each Sunday Service is a foretaste of the blessed communion that we will have with God in heaven. Our communion with God and each other in the Divine Sunday Service is the partial restoration of the perfect communion Adam and Eve enjoyed before they fell into sin.

Out of the Mouths of Babes #3

Towards the end of our Thanksgiving meal, Julie asked our guests to tell about one thing that they are thankful for. One of our younger guests began, saying, "I'm thankful for..." but was interrupted by our two-year old Lily who completed the phrase with a loud, "MONEY!"

Sermon for the Last Sunday of the Church Year

Last Sunday in the Church Year (November 25, 2007)
“Christ the King” (Luke 23:27-43)

This Last Sunday of the Church Year has been called by various names over the years. In our previous hymnal it was called “The Sunday of the Fulfillment.” That made sense. As the Church Year comes to a close, we think about how the world and this present age will come to a close. Jesus returns, and all of God’s promises are finally and fully fulfilled. In our new hymnal, this day is simply called “The Last Sunday of the Church Year.” That’s kind of a dull name, but I guess we’re stuck with it until the lifespan of this current hymnal is over.

Some Christian churches that follow a liturgical year call this day “Christ the King.” That makes sense, too. In fact, Revelation 19 describes Judgment Day and pictures Jesus riding on a white horse, wearing a robe dipped in blood, coming to judge the nations, with this name written on him: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Rev. 19:16 ESV) St. John describes him with eyes “like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns ... Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” (Rev. 19:12, 15 NIV) This is a frightening image. This is not at all the way Jesus is pictured in the Gospels. There we see a man walking and talking. There we see a man sleeping in the back of a boat and getting hungry in the wilderness. There we see a man calming a storm, casting out demons, curing diseases, and calling out hypocrites. There we see a man transfigured in a blaze of glory on a high mountain. But no sword coming out of his mouth. No crown. Not even after he rose from the dead.

The picture of a King we see in today’s Gospel reading from St. Luke is quite unlike the one in the book of Revelation. He’s a King alright. That’s what the sign over his head says: “This is the King of the Jews.” But the King’s subjects revolted against him. They denied him. Betrayed him. Ridiculed him. Mocked him. Brutally beat him. Put a crown of thorns on him. Enthroned him on a cross with nails in his hands and feet. Gave him a royal court of two criminals. But he was not a criminal. He had done nothing wrong. And so, as the King marches on the way to his enthronement, he turns to the women who were crying, and warns them about what is to come.

“Don’t cry for me,” said the King. “Cry for yourself. Cry for your babies. There’s going to come a day when you will be in such agony that you would prefer to be buried under the rubble of mountains and hills.” And that day did come when the Roman army besieged Jerusalem and brought a great famine to the city. The historian Josephus described it this way: “The best of friends would often come to blows over a small piece of bread; children would often rip food from their parents' mouths ... A bushel of corn was more precious than gold. Driven by hunger, some ate manure; some, the cinches of their saddles; some, the leather stripped from their shields; some still had hay in their mouths when their bodies were found ... So many died of starvation that 115,000 corpses were found in the city and buried. Hegesippus reported that, at one gate alone, several thousand were carried out, and that 600,000 died because of the siege.” (http://www.lexorandi.org/josephus.html) Some of the atrocities I won’t even repeat. Finally, the Roman army tore down the temple so that there was not one stone left upon another, just as the King had once prophesied. (Luke 21:6)

But the horrors surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem are only a miniature version of what awaits the entire world on the Last Day. St. Peter tells us that “the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly ... the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Peter 3:7, 10)

What of you and your works? In what ways have you revolted against the King? What will you do when your works are exposed? 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

The thing is, you and I like to compare ourselves to certain people so we come out smelling like roses. Take those two thieves on the cross, for example. One said to the other, “We are receiving the due reward of our deeds.” And we say in reply, “You’re darn right, you are.” Consider criminals you hear about in today’s news. When you hear about someone convicted of a crime, our first response probably goes something like this: “Good! He’s getting exactly what he deserves.” And if the perpetrator participated in a particularly heinous crime, we might even add this: “I hope he rots in prison for the rest of his life.”

But what about our own sins that are not so evident ... those sins of the heart, sins of the mind, the sinful condition which we have inherited from our first parents? We will try our best to defend ourselves and make excuses for our attitudes and behaviors: “I’m only a product of my environment” ... “My parents raised me this way” ... “I can’t help it. I’m only human, you know.” We are so quick to judge others, yet so slow to judge ourselves. We may not have been convicted in a court of law, but God’s Law has already convicted us.

But the same King whom we have revolted against is the One who compassionately looks out at us and says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He is a gracious King. He is a forgiving King. He forgives because the blood dripping down from his holy, pierced flesh is payment for the sins of the world. And he pronounces his forgiveness in a general absolution: “Father, forgive them.” Some receive it in faith. Others reject it in unbelief.

One of the thieves crucified with Jesus did not see him as King. All he saw was a fellow criminal getting what he deserved, right along with himself and the other guy. “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” he cried out. “I’ll receive you as my King,” he may have thought, “if only you show your power first. But you sure don’t look like much of a king there, no matter what the sign says.” How many people does that describe? They only look to Christ when he helps them. But when the going gets tough, they abandon him. They expect their life to get better or easier when they come to church, but they find that they still have some of the same daily struggles and problems. Things didn’t change for the better, and they turn their backs on God.

The other thief saw Christ and received him as King. He acknowledged his sin at the same time he rebuked his fellow criminal: “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” It’s as if he said, “You have cried out to him to save himself and us, but he needs no saving. But you have one thing right. You and I need saving.” And then he turns to the One who could save him ... not by coming down from the cross, but rather by staying there. The man looked to Jesus in repentant trust and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Have you ever thought about what a remarkable statement of faith that was? Look for yourself at the King. Beaten. Bruised. Bloodied. Drained. Dying. Defeated (or so it appeared). Not the picture of a King. But having heard Christ’s absolution, the thief on the cross heard it as forgiveness for himself, too. He asked for no display of power. He asked for no relief from his suffering. Instead, he looked at Jesus and saw him as his King. And the King turned to him and said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

All this happened at the place called “The Skull.” In the languages of the day it was called Golgotha or Calvary. A skull is an image of death. A lifeless, fleshless cranium. A vacant stare from empty eye sockets. An eerie grin with no humor or happiness behind it. In Christian artwork over the centuries, you will often see a skull at the bottom of the cross, similar to the image on our crucifix. This represents Adam, the first Man, the chief Sinner. He represents the whole human race, dead in our trespasses and sins. The King’s blood drips down from the cross onto the skull, covering over sin, bringing life to dead hearts and salvation to those condemned under God’s Law. St. Paul wrote in Romans 5, “If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

Christ’s blood drips down and covers your sin. His blood dripped down upon you and washed your sin away in the waters of Baptism. His blood drips down upon you and covers your sin in Absolution. His blood drips down into the chalice and is given you to drink in Holy Communion.

He is the King whose blood spattered garments prove that in his battle with sin, death, and Satan he was victorious. See the Crucified Christ as your King, and on the day of your death or the day on which he returns, whichever comes first, he will say to you: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Amen.

Sermon for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day (November 22, 2007)
“Faith Knows to Give Thanks” (Luke 17:11-17)

In the name of Jesus, dearly beloved children of God.

The text for this National Day of Thanksgiving is the Gospel lesson from Luke 17. In this portion of Holy Scripture, Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one returns to say “Thank you.” We will use this account to help us see that you and I often neglect to say “Thank you” to our Lord. But because He has healed our sinful hearts and has given us faith in Him, we know that it is only right to give Him thanks for all that He has done for us, especially for giving us those “richer gifts” of life, forgiveness, and salvation.

The lepers certainly knew who to go to for help. Word had gotten out about Jesus. People knew about this great healer from Nazareth, and so did these men with their debilitating disease. And when Jesus had come to their home town, they did not miss the opportunity to make their request known to Him.

They knew they could not approach him because of their disease. Like all lepers in those days, they were not allowed inside the city. They lived on the outskirts of town, wrapped up in strips of cloth to hide their hideously deformed bodies caused by the disease. When anyone came near them, they were supposed to cry out “Unclean! Unclean!” to alert others to stay away. And so, when Jesus came to town, they knew who to go to, but still they stood at a distance.

Yet, even so, they cried out for help. They exclaimed “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!.” “Lord, have mercy” is a prayer of faith. It’s a prayer that trusts that God will mercifully hear and answer. That’s why we use that same prayer in our worship. In the Kyrie and often in the Prayer of the Church, each petition ends, “Lord, have mercy.” It’s not a prayer asking for forgiveness. It’s a prayer that comes to the Lord with full confidence in His ability and willingness to answer our prayers according to His good and gracious will.

Not only the prayer of these ten men, but the fact that they set off before they were healed was an act of faith, too. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests. This was something that the Law prescribed. Anyone who had been cured of a skin disorder was supposed to show themselves to the priest in order to confirm that the disease was gone. Then, they were to go through various cleansing rituals and offer certain sacrifices. The lepers left to go to the temple before they were healed. The text says that they were cleansed “as they went.” This, too, was an act of faith. Without seeing the miracle, they believed that it would happen to them. And it did. Jesus had compassion on them and graciously answered their prayer.

One leper knew that he should thank Jesus personally. What happened to the others? Did they lose faith? Did they get so excited over their healing that they soon went back to their former way of life before they contracted leprosy and forgot about Jesus? Jesus asked the same question in our text. “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Of course, as God, Jesus already knew the answers to these questions, but the reason why the others did not return is not recorded for us. We can only imagine.

What we do know is that one man returned to give thanks. And after he fell at Jesus’ feet, Jesus told him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” which can also be translated “your faith has saved you.” Faith in Jesus made his heart well. By faith, this man received the spiritual healing he needed and he was forgiven of all his sins. He was given back his earthly life. He could go back into town and live among his family and friends once again. But he was also given the “richer gift” of everlasting life.

Moreover, this man’s faith in Jesus brought forth a response of thanksgiving that was shown in action. He turned around in the middle of his journey after he saw that he was healed and in order to say “Thank you” to Jesus. He returned to say “thanks” even though it was probably inconvenient. He was going to have to backtrack a bit. Remember, he was on his way to the temple and he had to go back to the village and seek out Jesus, and once having found Him, let Him know personally how much he appreciated what Jesus had done for him. But he would still have to head out again to go up to Jerusalem to do what the Law proscribed.

Like the ten lepers, you and I know who to go to for help. We can go to Jesus at any time, in any need. But we also know that we, too, cannot approach Him because of our disease. Our disease is a heart that often does not give thanks, a heart that often takes things for granted. We are often like the 9 lepers who neglect to give thanks. And so, we, too, should stand at a distance. All our sins make us unclean and unable to approach the Holy and Righteous God.

Nevertheless, Jesus invites us to come to him with a heart that is sorry for our sins, sorry for our unthankfulness. And because His death on the cross has paid the price also for our ingratitude, He has compassion on us. He graciously forgives us. And because we have been cleansed through His precious blood shed on the cross and in the waters of Holy Baptism, we can approach Him with full confidence and with love and thankfulness for everything He does for us and for everything He gives us…our “warmth and sheltered care”… our “worldly wealthiness”… His power which preserves us moment by moment and causes His creation to be fruitful so that our plates are full…and especially those “richer gifts” of life, forgiveness, and salvation. In giving us spiritual life, God gives us back, in a sense, our earthly life, like he did for the leper. In giving us spiritual life, our earthly, physical life is enriched as our eyes are opened so that we recognize how much God loves us by providing so well for both our spiritual and our physical well-being.

Like the one leper who returned, those with faithful hearts know to return to say “Thank you” to God. Faith in Jesus has saved us. And true faith brings forth a response of thanksgiving that is shown in action. We show our thankfulness by obeying, by giving, by serving, by loving, by worshipping, and so on. And we do so even though it may be inconvenient. I would imagine it was probably not convenient for many of you to come give thanks today. There are lots of things needing to be cooked and prepared. But your faith in Jesus has led you to come say “Thank you” to your Lord and Savior today. I would imagine it’s never convenient for you to give your offerings. There are a lot of other things you could do with that money. But your faith in Jesus leads you to give regularly and generously to support the mission of our church, to support mission work beyond our doors and our community, to spread the Good News to those who have not heard it yet.

And finally, faith in Jesus leads us to throw ourselves at His feet this morning, kneeling to receive the very body and blood of our Savior, and giving Him thanks at the Eucharist, the best meal of “Thanksgiving.” Receiving those Eucharistic gifts in faith, you, too, can “rise and go,” confident that you have been made well.

Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"The eyes of all look to you, [O Lord,] and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever." (From the Gradual for Thanksgiving Day)

Are Mormons Christian?

According to the Osmond family they are. At least that's what I heard them say on the Larry King Show on CNN the other night. I hate to be too hard on them, as they mourn the death of their father. But they are deceived by confessing that they are Christians. Mormonism has nothing in common with orthodox Christianity. Click here to see a chart of comparisons on the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (CARM) website.

Also, read this article from GetReligion.org. To me, the whole DNA thing should put things to rest. And Pastor Juan Palm has a good question to ask Mormon missionaries: "Why are there no maps in the Book of Mormon?" Compare this with every edition of the Bible, which as you know, has plenty of maps ... pointing to the historical nature of the Bible in distinction to the LDS scriptures.

Sermon for the Second-Last Sunday in the Church Year

Second-Last Sunday in the Church Year (November 18, 2007)
“God Is Never Idle” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-13)

In the name of Jesus, dearly beloved children of God.

The text for this Second-Last Sunday in the Church Year is today’s Epistle lesson from 2 Thessalonians 3.

Jimmy had trouble pronouncing the letter "R" so his teacher gave him this sentence to practice at home: "Robert gave Richard a rap in the rib for roasting the rabbit so rare."

Some days later the teacher asked him to say the sentence for her. Jimmy rattled it off like this: "Bob gave Dick a poke in the side for not cooking the bunny enough."

Now, what did Jimmy manage to do? He avoided all the words that begin with the letter R.

You and I sometimes avoid a word that begins with the letter R. “READY.” There are times when we are not ready. I think I may have mentioned this to you before, but every now and then I have bizarre dreams when I don’t feel I’m ready for Sunday morning. If I’m not too sure about my sermon or about my preparation for Bible class, I have dreams on Saturday night. I can’t find my robes before the service. It’s 20 minutes after 8 and the congregation is out of control. They’re angry with me for dilly-dallying, wadding up their bulletins and throwing them across the aisle. My wife is yelling at me to get it together, and then she goes up front and starts preaching.

Whatever we’re not ready for, we can usually get it together and somehow “wing it.” But there is something much more important for which we are often not ready. We are not ready for the time when Jesus will return. We are idle when it comes to the things of God. And these are things you just can’t “wing” on your own.

Idle Busyness

As I shared with you last week, the church in Thessalonica was having some unrest. Paul had taught them about “the Day of the Lord” ... the Last Day on which Jesus was going to return. But then someone else came along and stirred them up. They warned them that the Day of the Lord was going to happen at any moment. Some in the church reacted by becoming idle. They stopped working. They just sat back and started waiting for something to happen. They figured, “What’s the use of doing anything productive if Jesus is going to come back at any moment?” They are folks of whom it is said are “so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” But becoming idle didn’t necessarily mean they were not busy. On the contrary, they became busybodies. Unruly. Disorderly. Sticking their noses into everyone else’s business. Gossiping. Criticizing others. Backbiting. Sniping. They stepped “out of the ranks” and were not walking according to the tradition received from Paul and his fellow preachers of the Gospel.

When you get sinful people together in a Christian congregation, there are often strong opinions about how things ought to be done. Eventually, somebody sticks their head into someone else’s business. But when two heads get together, they butt up against one another like two bighorn rams going at it. Sparks fly. Feelings get hurt. Gossip spreads. More feelings get hurt. I’ve never experienced it myself, but I’ve heard stories about how it wreaks havoc in congregations. Pastor and people are at odds, pastor and the leadership of the congregation are at odds, people are at odds with the leadership and other people in the congregation. It tears up churches. It tears up hearts. It destroys faith. And Satan laughs.

I don’t think our problem today is necessarily that we have become idle. We have become busybodies in another way. I see people running around like chickens with their heads cut off. To coin a phrase, I would call our problem “Idle Busyness” that distracts us from “God’s business.” We have become so busy, that we are idle towards God’s business. I fear that we are so busy in our lives that God is often the last things on our mind. The fact that Jesus could indeed return at any moment is not on our radar. And so we neglect to pray ... except for a quick “Come, Lord Jesus” before a meal. Our personal devotional life is minimal, if not non-existent. For some of us, weekly worship is interrupted by other priorities. We give an offering only if there is enough left-over after the bills have been paid. I fear that we are so busy with our own lives that we don’t have time to even see the needs of our neighbor, much less meet them.

All this “Idle Busyness” is really “IDOL Business.” All that comes before our worship and service of the Lord are our true gods. We are all IDOL worshipers. And St. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 5 that idolaters have “no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Eph. 5:5) John’s Revelation says that idolaters will end up in “the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” (Rev. 21:8) As the Last Day draws near, we need to repent of the subtle idolatry that creeps into our lives. We need to repent of our idleness towards the things of God and heed the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel: “But watch yourselves ... stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength ...to stand before the Son of Man.”

God’s Business

Paul says in today’s text, “Not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful.” If it were not for the faithfulness of the Lord, we would NOT be able to stand before the Son of Man when he returns. We would be lost for eternity because of our faithLESSness and our “idle busyness.” But God is never idle. He has always been busy for us. Jesus once said, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (John 5:17) God created the universe in six days, and even though he rested on the seventh, he continued working – and still does to this day – to preserve everything with his mighty hand. Jesus was working when he became flesh for us, living a perfect life under God’s Law, resisting temptation, and willingly suffering at the hands of men so that the price of our sins would be paid in full. And Jesus continues to work for you today, interceding for you at God’s right hand, showing the nail marks in his hands and feet before the throne and saying, “I shed my blood for them, dear Father. The price has been paid. They are forgiven and free.” God continues to work for you today when his forgiveness is delivered in the water of Baptism, the word of Absolution, and the wafer and wine which are the Body and Blood of your dear Savior.

“The Lord is faithful.” And St. Paul adds, “He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” Satan wants us to remain idle busybodies. The evil one will do all he can to turn us away from Christ and tear up Christ’s Church. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus warned the apostles ahead of time how Satan would try to do this to them. After Christ’s Ascension into heaven, false Messiahs will come and deceive people. Wars and natural disasters will drive people to fear and despair. Enemies of the faith will threaten death to those who do not deny Christ. And so Jesus encouraged the apostles by telling them, “Not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.” Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians during the persecution they were currently facing was, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

The coming destruction of Jerusalem that Jesus prophesied was a picture of the turmoil that the world will face until and just before Judgment Day. Through Word and Sacrament, our hearts are directed to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Connected to Christ, God will enable us to stand firm in our confession of faith even when Satan tries to pull the rug out from under us.

As we wait for the Last Day, we cannot be idle. We have work to do. “Do not grow weary in doing good,” St. Paul says at the end of our text. Now, some say that “you Lutherans are long on justification and short on sanctification.” In other words, you emphasize forgiveness as a free gift so much that you cause people to think they don’t have to do any good works. “You are so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.” But that should not be true for us. Good works are important and necessary ... not for salvation ... but for the good of each other and our neighbor. Certainly we shouldn’t have our heads in the clouds and not pay attention to what’s going on down here. But being truly heavenly minded means knowing and trusting in how much the Lord has done for you in forgiving you and loving you, and responding by being of earthly good by forgiving, and loving, and serving our neighbor.

Turn from your "idle busyness" and turn to "God's business." In the midst of your busy life, rest in God’s love. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) The author of Hebrews said, “whoever has entered into God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” (Heb. 4:10) Enter into God’s rest, the rest he offers in Christ Jesus, the rest Jesus earned for you through his hard work at the cross and his work of rolling the stone away from his tomb. Rest as he feeds you and nourishes you today at the meal which he worked hard to prepare for you.

Amen.

Sermon for the Memorial Service for Gust Kettel

Sermon for the Memorial Service for Gust Kettel (November 17, 2007)
“A Beloved Child of God” (1 John 3:1-3)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, especially to you Gloria, Dick, John, Mark, and to all of you family and friends gathered here today. Amen.

The day on which Gust died, John had called me to ask if we could gather together on Sunday afternoon at his dad’s apartment with the family. Around an hour later he called me back to say that Dad was gone. The little gathering that we had planned was moved up a day ... a day earlier than we expected. Although, when a fellow makes it to 102 years old, no matter how strong a heart he has, you kind of expect that any day could be “the day.” I think even Gust knew that ... and even anticipated it, because he knew that he was a beloved child of God and that his Savior Jesus had prepared a place for him in heaven.

Just two days before Gust went to be with his Savior it was All Saints’ Day. That’s the day on which we give thanks to God for all that he did in and through the saints who are now in heaven with the Lord. And your dad was a saint. Not perfect. That’s not what a saint is. A saint is one who has received in faith the forgiveness of all their sins through Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection.

And Gust certainly trusted in Christ throughout his long life. He trusted the Lord when he was farming back in North Dakota, even though, as Gust wrote, “Farming was more or less a hit and miss deal, but not too bad until about 1930. For some reason best known to the Lord, he decided to withhold rain. For the next 7 years we planted but never harvested.” Now that’s faith! He also trusted the Lord when it was time to pack up and move to the “promised land” of Washington, with his life’s possessions loaded onto a two-wheel trailer behind a Model-A Ford.

Washington turned out to be just as affected by the depression as anywhere else. But Gust and those hearty souls from the plains continued to trust the Lord. Gust once shared how in those days, as he wrote, “we were concerned for the welfare of our souls.” Only two weeks after their arrival in Sequim, they had the Lutheran pastor from Mt. Vernon come and conduct services and give them Holy Communion. Gust added, “That humble beginning is the result of the large church and congregation in both Port Angeles and Sequim today.” It seemed like every time I visited Gust and Anita, not only would I get cookies and ice cream and coffee, but I would be shown that old picture of the people of St. Matthew’s in Port Angeles and be asked to find their faces in the crowd. There was Gust in suit and tie, standing there next to your mother, holding Gloria. Even though many years had passed since that photograph was taken, you could certainly tell it was Gust, with that strong chin and his ever-so-slight grin.

Gust’s faith was also evident even in his later, frail years. He continued coming to church in suit and tie ... even with the aches and pains that would keep people younger than him from coming. In my first few years here at Messiah, he and Anita were still able to come to church, hitching a ride with some of our people here. There they sat, listening to God’s Word, having their faith in Christ strengthened, and insisting on coming to the altar for the Lord’s Body and Blood rather than have the pastor bring it to them in their pew, as I do for some of the elderly.

The Bible verse I shared with you the day of your dad’s death was the one I was using to prepare for my sermon the next day, the day we were going to observe All Saints’ Day together. It talks about the blessedness of those who trust in Christ in this life and the hope that we have in Christ for eternity. Please listen as I read that text from 1 John 3:1-3 ...

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Gust was 102 years old. But he was still a child. He was a dearly loved child of God. God first bestowed his love upon Gust when he was baptized. God the Holy Spirit came upon him through water and the Word of God and created faith in his heart which trusted in Jesus as his Savior. Gust knew that God loved him so much that he sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Gust knew that Jesus loved him so much that he was willing to lay down his life for him at the cross. And Jesus did this not just for Gust, but for the sins of all people ... for yours and mine (1 John 2:2).

Gust was a beloved child of God who was not known by the world. Now, this has nothing to do with his fame and fortune ... although to be sure, Gust was not “world famous.” He was one of those numerous kind and gentle saints who go about their work quietly and faithfully, working hard to provide for their family. St. John says that “The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know [God].” Spiritual things can only be known by hearts renewed by the Holy Spirit. Christians look like anybody else. Their bodies get old and break down like everyone else. Nor do Christians always act like the saints that God has declared them to be through Christ. The Church takes a lot of heat for that in this day and age. But the fact that we are God’s beloved children is something that’s hidden to the world. It’s not something that’s immediately obvious. Nevertheless, by baptism and by faith in Christ Gust was among that number of which one of our hymns describes: “We sing for all the unsung saints, / That countless, nameless throng, / Who kept the faith and passed it on / With hope steadfast and strong / Through all the daily griefs and joys / No chronicles record, / Forgetful of their lack of fame, / But mindful of their Lord.” (LSB 678.1)

Gust was a beloved child of God, not known by the world, and what he will be has not yet appeared. St. John says in our text, “what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears [meaning, when Jesus returns on the Last Day as he promised] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” For those who trust in Christ on this side of heaven, their status as children of God ... their identity as saints ... is hidden to the world. They are like uncut diamonds ... rough, unpolished, looking simply like big pieces of thick glass. When they were brought to faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit began the process of cutting and shaping them into the people God wants them to be ...taking off a hard edge here ... smoothing out a facet there. But that whole process will not be complete until the day when Jesus returns. On that day, those who have died in the faith will rise to life again. Those who are left will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. (1 Cor. 15:52)

“We shall be like him,” St. John declares. We will be like Jesus, “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” (Phil. 3:21) Resurrected. Immortal. Glorious. Without sin. Without sorrow. Without suffering.

Gust is with the Lord right now. But what he will be has not yet appeared. On the Last Day, Gust and all believers in Christ will rise again to eternal life. We will be like Jesus with resurrected immortal bodies, never to die again, and “We shall see him as he is.” Even the Old Testament saint Job understood this very well. We sang a hymn based on some of his words today, “I Know that My Redeemer Lives.” Here’s what Job said: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.” (Job 19:25)

The last line of our text says, “Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” As we await that great and final day of resurrection, we are called to lead holy lives. As God’s children, beloved and forgiven, it is an honor and privilege to live as God’s children, to throw off every sin that would trip us up and weigh us down as we run the race marked out for us. A great cloud of witnesses surrounds us. These are the saints like Gust who have gone before us and have already run the race. They are like those athletes that young kids try to emulate. Ever watch a Little League baseball game? Every batter comes up to the plate and goes through the same motions and stands just like his favorite player. In the same way, we can emulate the faith and life of those saints who have gone before us ... living a holy life in response to the forgiveness earned for us at the cross, in response to such great love that God has poured out upon us, in response to the hope of eternal life and the resurrection which his word of promise instills in us.

Having said all this, I can’t think of a better way to close than with Grandpa Gust’s own words: “The Lord has been good to us. To him be all glory.”
Amen.

Norway Votes in Gay Clergy

Paul McCain reported this yesterday over at Cyberbrethren. Here's what he posted...

The Norwegian State Church has, as of today, voted to ordain actively homosexual persons as pastors. This signals the yet more complete collapse of the state church as a genuinely Lutheran Church in Norway. May God strengthen those who continue to oppose these evils and remain steadfast in His Word. A friend sent me this note: "Pro-homosexual ordination forces won a final vote by 50-33 in the Church of Norway's assembly today (16 November). The measure removes the bar to ordination of practicing homosexuals, permitting "local option" on the question for now. ["Local option" is, of course, the standard revisionist ploy until they consolidate their position.]"

The Wittenberg Trail

I'm not cool enough to have my own page on MySpace, but I have just joined my first "online community" at "The Wittenberg Trail." It's an online community (like MySpace or Facebook) for Lutherans and people who are interested in learning more about Lutherans. It looks like it could be interesting. If you care to join in, just click on the link here or in the image below and sign in.


Visit The Wittenberg Trail

Luther Does the Chicken Dance

Okay, so maybe I'm having too much fun watching YouTube lately. It's okay to have a little diversionary entertainment now and then. Enjoy this silly one a la Monty Python.

Sermon for the Third-Last Sunday in the Church Year

Third-Last Sunday (November 11, 2007)
“The Mystery of the Future” (2 Thess. 2:1-8, 13-17)

In the name of Jesus, dearly loved children of God.

I grew up not far from Disneyland. My family and I used to go there a lot. First, you enter the gates and walk down Main Street. This reminded you of an old-fashioned downtown, like Snohomish. Down a ways on your left was Adventureland and the Jungle Cruise. Up ahead was Sleeping Beauty’s castle, which was boring, because I’m a boy. Beyond that was Fantasyland with the Small World ride (again, boring) and the much more interesting Matterhorn bobsled and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

My favorite part of the Magic Kingdom was Tomorrowland. I loved walking around there and seeing all the space-age structures and thinking, “This is what the future is going to look like.” But here we are in 2007, and things really don’t look like they did in Tomorrowland. Tomorrowland was “so yesterday.” It’s been many years since I’ve been to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” I understand they’ve remodeled Tomorrowland so that it no longer has that “1960’s Science Fiction” look.

It’s fun to think of what the future will be like. At the same time, it’s SCARY to think of what the future will be like. It’s a big unknown. It’s a mystery. We don’t have crystal balls that tell us what’s going to happen to us. And those who do have crystal balls to tell us about the future are fakes and scam artists.

We can do three things when we think about the future. We can trust that God will take care of us no matter what happens and live grateful lives for him. We can eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die, without a thought for God and his promises for the future. Or we can despair of God’s care and curse him because of all the bad things that we see happening in the world and in our lives.

As we approach the end of another Church Year, we contemplate what is in store for us in the future. We listen to what God’s Word has to tell us about the end of this world and this present age. What has he told us? What is going to happen?

The Christians to whom Paul wrote in today’s Epistle lesson were concerned about this, too. Apparently, the people in the church at Thessalonica had gotten the idea that the return of Jesus was just around the corner. They had been told that it was going to happen at any moment ... or perhaps had already happened, and they missed out. They were “quickly shaken” like an initial jolt from an earthquake. Then came the aftershocks of alarm and agitation and anxiety. This led some of them to quit their jobs and become idle, simply biding their time until Jesus came back. They got this idea, Paul says, either from a “spirit” (probably someone claiming divine inspiration) or from a “spoken word” (perhaps a rumor that got passed around) or from “a letter seeming to be from us” (a letter claiming to be from the Apostle and his co-workers). Now, all Christians should, of course, be looking forward to the return of Jesus at any moment and be ready. But in today’s text, Paul makes it clear that there are some things that need to happen first before we are “gathered together to him” on the Last Day.

THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS

Much of this is shrouded in mystery. In fact, Paul even uses that word “mystery.” He says “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” What is this all about? No one is quite sure. But if it involves lawlessness, then we know that Satan is behind it. It involves “rebellion” or “apostasy” ... falling away from the truth of God’s Word. It also involves the arrival of Antichrist, whom Paul calls “the man of lawlessness ... the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”

Who is this “man of lawlessness”? There have been many guesses over the years. Some have said it was the Roman Emperors Nero or Domitian. Others have said that it was Mohammed. Some identified him with Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan (and can somebody tell me why it’s always the Republicans who are called Antichrist?). Saddam Hussein was one guess not long ago. Now Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, is a name being mentioned. The Lutheran Confessions identify this “man of lawlessness” with the office of the papacy in the Roman Church, and that still seems to be the best identification up to this point in time. The pope is within “the temple of God,” which is another way of referring to the Church. He takes honors for himself which only belong to God, such as declaring new teachings which are not in Holy Scripture. And the pope still does not teach that we are justified by grace through faith alone in Christ alone, but adds human works to the equation. This is, indeed, a “rebellion” from the truth of God’s Holy Word.

I like how the commentator William Barclay summarizes the issue. He writes,

“However remote these pictures may be from us they nevertheless have permanent truth in them: 1) There is a force of evil in the world ... We hide our heads in the sand if we deny that there is an evil power at work amongst men. 2) God is in control. Things may seem to be crashing to chaos but in some strange way even the chaos is in God’s control. 3) The ultimate triumph of God is sure. In the end, nothing can stand against him. The Lawless One may have his day but there comes a time when God says, ‘Thus far and no farther.’” (Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, p. 213)

Will there be some final manifestation of this “man of lawlessness” other than the papacy before Jesus returns? Only God knows. Will there be some other “rebellion” or “apostasy” before Christ comes back again? There is a lot of heresy being taught even in Protestant churches today. That could be part of the “rebellion” mentioned in today’s text. Again, only God knows.

And only God knows what the future holds for each of us. Paul’s wish for the Thessalonians as they faced the future was that they not be afraid nor be deceived by false teaching and thereby fall into false belief and despair. Likewise, the End is approaching for each of us. The “End” could be our own death. It could be the Last Day. It’s possible that you and I will be here when Christ returns. We’re closer now than we were yesterday ... or five seconds ago, for that matter.

But God’s Word today is not only meant to help us identify “the man of lawlessness.” It’s to give us both admonition and encouragement as we face the future. It’s important for us not to be deceived ... not to be “shaken” or “alarmed” by so-called “revelations” about what is to come. Be very careful when you hear someone saying “Thus saith the Lord” and what they “saith” is not a direct quote from Holy Scripture. They are treading on dangerous ground.

THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST

Also, don’t be so worried about identifying the Antichrist rather than following the Christ. “The mystery of lawlessness” is mentioned only here in our text. “The mystery of Christ”, on the other hand, is mentioned all over the New Testament. The word “mystery” is used 15 times in reference to Christ and the Gospel. Let me give you just three examples. In Ephesians 6[:19], Paul asks the church to pray for him so that he might boldly proclaim “the mystery of the gospel.” In Colossians 1[:26-27], Paul refers to “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” And in 1 Timothy 3[:16], Paul refers to the humiliation and exaltation of Christ when he writes, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.”

What Paul said in verse 13 of today’s text is just as true for you as it was for the first recipients of his letter: “God chose you as the first fruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” God chose you in Baptism. As “first fruits” you belong to God, just as the first part of the harvest in the Old Testament belonged to him and was to be offered to him. At the font, the Holy Spirit sanctified you ... he set you apart as God’s own special child and gave you faith and strengthened your faith to trust in Jesus, who died for your sins at the cross and rose to life again.

Paul’s benediction in verses 16-17 are for you, as well: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” As you face the future, you can be certain that God loves you. The comfort of the forgiveness of sins earned by Christ at the cross will carry you into eternity. You can have a certain hope for the future, not because of anything you have done, but solely by grace ... by God’s undeserved love that he gives to you in Christ. This comforts our hearts in the face of an uncertain future, because we can be certain Christ will come again to take us to be with him forever. And this establishes our hearts in every good work and word. It will strengthen us spiritually to serve our neighbor in love and to boldly proclaim “the mystery of Christ.”

Amen.

Lutheran Church Building Moved

Thanks to Ron Pratt for telling me about this story.

Lutheran Response to SoCal Fires

The following is from the Northwest District's email newsletter...

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST FIRE RESPONSE UPDATE

Most recent updates indicate that at least 20-25 families have been completely wiped out. . . The PSW District is still trying to gather information on the exact number of families in need of help. All funds received will be used to help families directly. You may send contributions to:

Fire Fund
Pacific Southwest District Office
1540 Concordia Drive East
Irvine, CA 92612-3203

If you would like more information about how you can help – contact Barbara Farley Barbara.Farley@psd-lcms.org at the Pacific Southwest District Office.

In the midst of the devastation of the fires these past days, God has been at work in some wonderful ways. Our congregations in Fallbrook and Valley Center became home to over 100 fire fighters and National Guard personnel with a wonderful opportunity to serve those who serve us. While no congregations suffered damage, many members and friends lost their homes and congregations are reaching out with assistance and care. Our thanks goes out to all who have responded with prayers and financial support. The fire fund established at the district office is receiving checks every day and all funds earmarked for the fire will be distributed through the congregations affected. We are also grateful to President Gerald Kieschnick, LCMS World Relief and Human Care and our brothers and sisters throughout the LCMS for their prayers and support.

For more information on how you can help and prior information on the fire response go to this link:
http://www.nowlcms.org/whats_new_article.aspx?WID=243&DID=2

The Reformation Polka

Saw this on Gene Veith's blog this morning, and knew it was something I had to share.

Latest Books-of-the-Month

I've been remiss posting about our "Book-of-the-Month" offerings at Messiah. Here's the recent batch from the last few months, including the current month. To order online, click on the image or the title of each book below.

Reading the Psalms with Luther

This is an English translation of Luther's Summaries of the Psalms, 1531 which was originally done in 1993. This latest edition includes the ESV translation of the Psalms, Luther's introductions to each of the 150 psalms and a suggested schedule for reading the Psalter.

Follow and Do Gift Set

The Follow and Do series teaches young children about the Six Chief Parts of the Christian faith, combining the teachings in the catechism with practical application for all aspects of daily life. The Follow and Do Gift Set includes six paperback books housed in a full-color gift box.

God Grant It

This is a translation of the collection of lectionary-based devotions for the entire church taken from Walther's sermons and published by CPH in 1894. The translation aims to retain particular relevance for modern readers. Beginning with the first week of Advent, God Grant It provides a daily devotion for each day in the year, placing particular significance on the church year. Through these classic sermons of Walther, the modern reader will be reminded that God's mercies are new every day, that His mercies are ours by the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each devotion is accompanied by a Scripture reference and a hymn verse. The daily devotion will take less than ten minutes to read.

The Real Story of Creation

In the tradition of The Very First Christmas and The Very First Easter, this children's picture book tells the story of God's creation of the world, the fall of man, and God's promise of salvation.

Sermon for All Saints' Day (observed)

All Saints’ Day (observed) (November 4, 2007)
“Identity Crisis” (1 John 3:1-3)

In the name of Jesus, beloved children of God.

Each time we observe All Saints’ Day, it’s as if we are pulling the curtain of this life back and taking a peek into the sanctuary of heaven. We listen to a portion of St. John’s Revelation, and we see “a great multitude that no one could number ... standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes.” (Rev. 7:9) These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, meaning this earthly life with all its sins and struggles and stresses. They stand in the very presence and glory of God because “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14) They are holy ones. Saints.

We also hear the Beatitudes from our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. There he describes the blessedness of the saints in heaven and at the final resurrection. They may have been persecuted in this life because of their confession of faith in Christ. Now they are comforted and satisfied. They see God. They are called sons of God.

The reading I want to focus on today is the Epistle lesson, St. John’s inspired words from 1 John 3:1-3. Here the Apostle reveals our true identity as dearly loved children of God, as “saints,” holy ones, those forgiven in Christ and who have a blessed future awaiting them.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

That’s our identity. Dearly loved children of God. I’m afraid, however, that it’s very easy to forget that. We have an identity crisis.

IDENTITY CRISIS (NEGATIVE JUDGMENT)

Now, I’m 42 years old. I suppose you could call me a middle-aged man. The expectation in our modern world is that men have what they call a “mid-life crisis,” which is an identity crisis of sorts. A man looks at his life and asks, “Have I met certain goals?” ... “Has my life been fulfilling up to this point?” ... “Am I still as handsome as I think I am?” Maybe I’m not asking these questions because I’m too busy being an older dad to my first child, and my identity is wrapped up now in being a husband to my wife and a father to a two-year old. Besides that, I wouldn’t know how to start having a mid-life crisis even if I wanted to have one! I can’t afford to buy a fancy convertible sports car or a Harley Davidson. I can’t afford to get plugs for my receding hair line. And the woman to whom I am happily married won’t let me go bar hopping. Don’t worry, dear. That’s not on the agenda.

Do women have mid-life crises? I suppose some do. I don’t know what form they take. But I suppose there is a measure of identity crises among women, also, in mid-life ... not to mention other times, such as when some younger women suffer from post-partum depression.

When parents see their children move out, they have an identity crisis called “empty nest syndrome.” Their identity used to be wrapped up in meeting the needs of their children. Now, it’s the just two of them. They need to reevaluate their marriage and their identities as husband and wife.

The word “crisis” comes from a Greek word that means “judgment.” When the world looks at us Christians, there is an identity crisis of sorts. The world looks at us, judges us, and says, “Those Christians are no different than anybody else.” In our text, St. John says, “the world does not know us.” We look like everyone else in the world. We don’t look different. We don’t walk around in white robes and carry palm branches. If we did, we’d look like a bunch of kooky cult members. We don’t talk all that different than everyone else. Sure, sometimes we put a bit of God-talk in our conversations. Other times our language is rough and not distinguishable from those who don’t know Christ as Savior.

The world doesn’t know us, and we don’t know ourselves. Each of us struggles with our sinful nature. This struggle causes us to doubt our salvation. We face our own identity crisis. You ask yourself the question, “How can I truly be a beloved child of God when I know the ‘real me’?”

IDENTITY CRISIS (POSITIVE JUDGMENT)

As I said before, the word “crisis” can mean “judgment.” That judgment can be a positive judgment, too. For example, in John 7:24, Jesus says, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” ... or we might say “righteous judgment.” Our loving God has judged us with righteous judgment in Christ Jesus. He doesn’t judge by appearances. He doesn’t look at us as the world looks at us. He doesn’t look at ourselves as we look at ourselves, when we know our own sin all too well and doubt our salvation. Our loving God judges us in Christ. Our sin and guilt were placed upon him at the cross. In Baptism and by faith, Christ’s righteous life and innocence is placed upon us. God judges us to be righteous and holy. We are justified. We are given a new identity. We are called “saints.” Still sinners, but saints at the same time, forgiven through the shed blood of the Lamb.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” That IS what you are, in spite of appearances, in spite of how you feel. You are a child of God. God has declared it. Therefore, being a child of God is the REAL YOU. In Christ, you are a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come. (2 Cor. 5:17) You have been given a “new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:24)

St. John goes on to say, Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

“What we will be” is what John saw in his vision in Revelation. “What we will be” is what Jesus described in the Beatitudes. You and I are a far cry from those descriptions. Our status as children of God ... our identity as saints ... is hidden to the world. Right now, we are like uncut diamonds ... rough, unpolished, looking simply like big pieces of thick glass. When we were brought to faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit began the process of cutting us and shaping us into the people God wants us to be ...taking off a hard edge here ... smoothing out a facet there ... polishing the surface so that you “shine like stars in the universe,” as St. Paul says in Philippians 2:15. But that whole process will not be complete until the day when Jesus returns. On that day, those who have died in the faith will rise to life again. Those who are left will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. (1 Cor. 15:52)

“We shall be like him,” St. John declares. We will be like Jesus, “who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” (Phil. 3:21) Resurrected. Immortal. Glorious. Never to die again. Without sin. Without sorrow. Without suffering.

“We shall see him as he is.” Psalm 17:15 says, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” Jesus speaks of “the pure in heart” who “shall see God.” On that day when our sinful natures have been done away with forever, then we will be those who are “pure in heart.” And we will look into the very face of God.

The world doesn’t recognize our identity as children of God because the world does not know God. Unbelievers do not understand true spiritual matters. (1 Cor. 2:14) To them, members of God’s Holy Church are no different than anyone else.

You and I forget about our own identity as children of God because our hearts condemn us. Even while others pat us on the back, we know all too well the sin that lurks deep inside us. That’s why St. John says a few verses after our text, “whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:20) God knows you better than you know yourself. In Christ, God sees you as holy and righteous in his sight. He knows the “real you” which his Spirit created within you. You and I are still looking at a poor reflection. We don’t see the whole picture yet. Here’s how St. Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 13: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Cor. 13:12)

The last line of our text says, “Everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” As we await the day when our status as children of God and saints will be publicly revealed to the world, we are called to lead holy lives. As God’s children, beloved, forgiven, fully known by him, it is an honor and privilege to live as God’s children, to throw off every sin that would trip us up and weigh us down as we run the race marked out for us. A great cloud of witnesses surrounds us. These are the saints who have gone before us and have already run the race. They are like those athletes that young kids try to emulate. Ever watch a Little League baseball game? Every batter comes up to the plate and goes through the same motions and stands just like his favorite player. In the same way, we can emulate the faith and life of those saints who have gone before us ... living a holy life in response to the forgiveness earned for us at the cross, in response to such great love that God has poured out upon us, in response to the hope of eternal life and the resurrection which he instills in us. Amen.

An Interesting Admission

One of the biggest, most influential churches in the US, if not the world, has admitted that their entertainment-style, seeker-driven way of doing this does not work. To read more about this, click here. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in other churches that have tried to emulate them, and how they themselves will change.

Thanks to Pastor Peterson at Cyberstones for pointing this out.

Harvest Festival Pictures

Here are some pictures from our Harvest Festival, held here at Messiah on Saturday, October 27.

Messiah's 50th Pictures

Here are some pictures from our congregation's 50th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 21.