On Ash Wednesday and Lent

It has been a while, so I am quite rusty at this.  Here goes....

Today we in the Lutheran Church-Mo. Synod, [as well as other denominations] are observing Ash Wednesday as the start of another season of Lent in the church calendar.  I thought I would share a few things about both in my blog today, and hopefully this will kickstart me out of my blogging funk to where I am posting regularly again.

from Lutheran Worship: History and Practice.: 
     Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season, which lasts for 40 days, excluding Sundays...Lent is a time to reflect on Baptism, a time for re-birth and renewal in preparation for the celebration of Easter."  To mark the season is the color purple.  It is a time for the discipline of learning and growing in faith, for repentance and for prayer, even for fasting to practice self-control and to heighten one's awareness of Christ. 
     Other customs may be used, particularly the imposition of ashes on those who wish it.  The ancient act is a gesture of repentance and a powerful reminder about the meaning of the day.  Ashes can symbolize dust to dustness and remind worshipers of the need for cleansing, scrubbing, and purifying. 

from Our Suffering Savior, 2nd ed. : 

For the next six weeks, our meditations will be based on the Fourth Servant Song of Isaiah. This remarkable passage was penned about seven hundred years before Christ. It depicts Christ’s life from the cradle to the grave, from His birth to His resurrection.

The passage both starts and ends on the elevated summit of joy at Christ’s success, and it. This part of the church year is also like two lofty mountain peaks—Transfiguration and Easter—with a vale, the penitent season of Lent, in between.

God is good to afford us a vision of Christ’s triumph before we are exposed to the gruesome details of His suffering so that the hope of Easter will sustain us during the intervening weeks. We begin our journey this Lent knowing that suffering will end in death, but death will end in resurrection and life eternal in Christ.

      Tonight we begin this journey through Lent with our Ash Wednesday worship, including the imposition of ashes and celebration of the Lord's Supper.  This is a somber but holy time in the church calendar in which we will be reminded of our need for repentance, our need for a Savior from sin, and the provision of our salvation through Jesus Christ, God's only Son--OUR SUFFERING SAVIOR.

     If you are in the Rapid City area, please join us tonight at 6pm for a fellowship meal, and at 7pm as we worship God for the mercy He has shown us in Jesus Christ.  Peace Lutheran Church is located at 219 E. St. Anne in the Robbinsdale area of Rapid City.  We would love to share Christ with you tonight!

Thank you for reading and God bless you throughout this Lenten season and always!

Getting to know you.

     Sometimes people are difficult to get to know.  Sometimes we don't make too big of an effort to get to know someone.  It can be scary or intimidating sometimes to approach others and just try to spark off conversation with someone you don't know, particularly if they "look" intimidating--that is to say, their appearance.
     Today I did a funeral service for such a man.  When I first came here to Peace Lutheran church in Rapid City, SD, I did not know this man at all. That remained true for quite a while as I began to get to know those in the church that I was working with and saw more regularly.  Even though I did not know this man initially, it was hard not to notice him.  He was a very tall and large man, who always walked with a cane and sat in the back.  You couldn't miss him.  By the same token he had a very intimidating presence.
     About a year ago, he went into the hospital for a few days, and I was a little nervous about going to see him, and wondered what our conversation might be like, or if we would even have one.  We had not said much more than hello and God's blessings to one another to that point.  Admittedly, it was a little strained that first day at the hospital, and I left not knowing what to think.  But the next day when I went for a second visit, he told me just about everything he could about himself and his history at Peace Lutheran--at least as much as he could in one hospital visit.  The next couple visits were more of the same.
     Shortly after he went home from the hospital-about a week or two later-he showed up at my office to bring me some very old catechism materials that he had stored away at his house.  He had gone digging through some old stuff to find it so that he could bring it to me. 
     I realized that it was his way of telling me that he accepted me, and that he knew I had accepted him as well....a token of appreciation if you will.  What I had not realized until then is that this man only let in  those who he wanted to, and that only when he felt that he trusted you.  By the same token, in my own intimidation, I had not attempted very hard to try and get to know him, until he was in the hospital.
     Relationships are so important in life, as in the church.  It is something that God desires for us--having fellowship and community.  I pray that God will help us get past our own stumbling blocks and the stumbling blocks that others place in front of us, so that we can develop relationships that please God and fulfill His purpose in our lives.
    This blog-post is dedicated to Roger Johnson.  I will miss you friend!  Praise be to God for the faith that He gave you in Jesus Christ!

      Until we meet again.....

Newness of life part2

2 Cor. 5:17
[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

   
  A new creation... IMPOSSIBLE?  Not at all.  In fact, that's what I want to be.  Oh but how our sinful nature struggles against this.  Paul writes about this struggle within himself in one of my favorite passages describing the daily battle that goes on within us...
 [15] I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. [16] Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. [17] So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. [19] For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  [21] So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. [22] For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, [23] but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:15-25

God, through His Son Jesus Christ makes this possible for all of us.
So what does this "new creation" look like?
For one thing, we live by the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit is guiding us, instead of the Old Adam(our sinful nature).  And not only that, but we are listening to the Spirit, and following Christ.  We desire to keep the Lord's commandments, and when we fall short (as we all do), we are repentant, and ask for and receive forgiveness from God.
The "new creation" in Christ is dead to sin, and alive in Jesus.  That's what I want to be!
There's a song that my family likes, from a Christian music group called Lost and Found.  It starts out, "I wanna be a new creation, formed from the fingers of God's right hand." 
Think of all that God has created.  Think about the fact that He also created you.  And though we are all sinful by nature, God-who created everything-is able to do something new with us, in us, and for us.  Praise be to God for His grace in our lives!
Thank you for reading, and God bless you!

Have we died to sin?

Romans 6:1-4
    What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? [2] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? [3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
   
     What is this "newness of life" of which Paul writes?  And what does it have to do with sin?  The word "NEW" has really caught my attention lately with the new year beginning and everything.  I have been drawn to texts in the scriptures that tell us about God doing something new, or new creation, or us becoming something new or living a new way.
     The text above is Paul carrying on an imaginative argument, an argument that he would anticipate from those hearing his message about the grace of God.  "What shall we say then?  Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound?"  Sounds logical enough!  If God gives grace to those who sin, then let's sin all the more, so that we can receive more grace.  Is that kind of like--for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction?  But isn't this how we think sometimes? 
     I think that the truth is, the Old Adam in us leads us ever toward sin, especially our favorite sin.  The truth is that so many people have convinced themselves, or let the world convince them, that there is no such thing as sin, and we can go on doing what we want.  For Christians this is truly a dangerous notion.  When Christians begin to think that sin is ok, because in the end we will receive grace and forgiveness from God anyway--so I can do what I want, then we can forget about "walking in newness of life."
     As I stated in my sermon yesterday, one of the things that God is doing that is new, is making us "new creations."  What that means is that we are now different.  The baptized life is a new and changed life.  It is not like our former selves, which were entirely sinful.  Now our life is different.  Now our path is a different path.  One that desires Christ, and resists sinful impulses.
     Does that mean that we no longer sin?  No!  And that is not what Paul is saying either.  He calls himself the worst of all sinners.  But it means that now our desire is to please God.  We are no longer slaves to our sin, but are slaves to Christ--by far a much better thing.  And if we desire to please God, that means we desire to be obedient to Him, even as Christ Jesus His only Son was obedient to Him. 
    So the question is....have we--as Paul puts it--"died to sin?"  I certainly hope and pray that we have, so that we may walk with Christ Jesus in this newness of life.
Thanks for reading!  More on newness of life and what that looks like tomorrow!

A blessed New Year to you!

     Well I tell you what, I have not had the greatest weekend, so you might say that 2011 is leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth.  But to try and sum up the whole year in terms of it ending badly would not particularly be honest.  In fact, 2011 is like most years, I suspect.  There have been challenges, ups and downs, blessings, and difficulties, things to rejoice about, and things to mourn. 
     In 2011 our seminary class from Concordia, St. Louis celebrated 10 years in the ministry. We also lost several of our colleageus-who are now with our Lord enjoying eternal life with Christ.  In my own ministry-the Lord has blessed us this year with a DCE intern.  This was my first venture into being an internship supervisor.  It has been both challenging and rewarding--not to mention a huge blessing for our youth at Peace Lutheran.  Ministry continues to be challenging and rewarding as well--though I can't think of another thing that I would want to do.  I certainly do enjoy being a pastor, even at the most difficult and frustrating times.  Because in the end, I get to feed people with God's Word, and help them to get to know Christ Jesus and the love that God has for them.
     This year also saw the death of my grandmother--Ruth Joost.  She had been battling Alzheimer's disease for a very long time.  We were saddened by her death, but know that she is no longer suffering, and is with our Lord.  It was also good to get to see everyone again, even if for such a short time, and at a funeral.  I am very thankful for my church family at Peace, who made the trip home possible.
    In happier news, 2011 was the year that my wife Amy and I were finally both able to go to Disney World.  But we were both mostly thankful that we were able to take our children there to experience it in their youth.  Though I have to say, I felt like a kid again a few times while we were there.  There are so many people to thank for us being able to have such a great experience and wonderful vacation, that I would probably leave too many people out if I made a list--so I will thank EVERYONE who helped us have an awesome vacation, but especially Jenna Nagel and the Nagel family. 
     The very end of this year has not been the greatest, as I already mentioned.  I won't go into detail, but I will just say that dispite the difficulties, I recognize that God will be using these things for the good of His purposes--though we might not always know what those might be, especially not right away.
     All in all, I guess 2011 wasn't so bad.  As I mentioned, it is probably like most years with lots of ups and downs.  I certainly have learned a lot this past year from both good and bad experiences.  I hope that you have to.  And I will take with me what I have learned into this new year.  I praise God for all of the expereinces that He has given me, and I look foreward to what 2012 will bring.
     God's continued blessings to you all in 2012.  Happy New Year everyody, and thanks for reading!

And it came to pass....

Luke 2:1-20
    And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. [2] (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) [3] And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. [4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) [5] To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. [6] And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. [7] And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. [8] And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. [10] And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. [12] And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, [14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. [15] And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. [16] And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. [17] And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. [18] And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. [19] But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. [20] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

     I have preached many a sermon in the last 10 years on this text.  There is a whole lot to preach on in it.  You can approach this text from many different angles.  Good thing too.  It can be difficult to give a fresh new message each year when you are telling the same story basically.  But the thing about the birth of Christ is that it never gets old. 
     I would have to say that my favorite angle to take is probably that of the shepherds.  Here they are, minding their own business, watching their sheep at night, and all of a sudden their whole world is changed in an instant.  They have no idea what is in store for them that night as they lay on the ground trying to catch a few z's. 
    Just a few lowly unsuspecting guys tending some smelly, dirty sheep in a field outside of Bethlehem.  And what to thier wandering eyes should appear?  No, not jolly old Saint Nick and 8 reindeer.  But an angel.  Actually The Angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord showed  around them.
     And thier reaction?  A typical reaction to angels....they were filled with great fear.  But also typical of angel sightings in the Bible--they are bringing Good News!  And that good news of great joy was for all people.  And the angel said that "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord."
     And these shepherds who were filled with fear just a moment before, were now filled with joy and excitement at the news.  And then at that moment a multitude of angels appeared praising God in the crisp night sky.  Can you imagine?
     And the response of the shepherds was to stay frozen in fear right there in their tracks in that field....NO!  Their response was "Let us go and see this thing which HAS HAPPENED."  It's important to note that they believed what the angels told them, and did not say "to see IF this thing has happened." 
     And they went to see this Christ child and worshiped him.  "Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King!"  And then they left, and WITNESSED to everyone they saw about what had been told to them.
     We have the same opportunity as the shepherds you know!  I think that's what draws me to the shepherds in this story.  We are not unlike them.  We are told about Christ.  We have the opportunity to GO and experience Him and celebrate His birth.  And we have the opportunity to worship Christ and to tell others about the salvation that the Lord sent down to us in human flesh.
   I pray that you would find a place tonight or tomorrow to go and worship the Savior who is Christ the Lord, born to save us from our sin.  Celebrate the gift that God has given to you in His only Son Jesus!  And the peace of Christ be with you all!
Thank you for reading and God bless us every one!
    

With God All Things Are Possible

     It never fails....more often than not, God does some excellent planning and things just seem to all come together at the same time, without my even planning on it.  Well, it has happened again this week.  Tomorrow, I have my Thursday morning Bible Study, in which we are studying Genesis.  We are on chapter 18, in which 3 "visitors" come to spend some time with Abraham and Sarah.  The purpose is for an announcement [annunciation] that Sarah will have a son.  The story contiues with Sarah laughing (again) at this prospect, because "After I am worn out and my lord is old shall I have pleasure?"  And the answer from the Lord: "IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?"
    Take that together with the fact that I am holding chapel for our preschoolers tomorrow, and what should we be learning about but Luke 1:26-38.  That's right!  The ANNUNCIATION of Jesus' birth to Mary from the angel Gabriel.  Though she did not laugh, Mary's reaction was one of shock and awe, and doubt:  "How will this be, since I am a Virgin?"  And Gabriel's answer to Mary was: "FOR NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!"
     We sometimes place limitations on God based on our own abilities, nature, logic or any other human estimations we may use.  Like Sarah and Mary, and anyone else for that matter, we tend to have momentary lapses where we forget that God is ALMIGHTY, and what that actually means.  It means that God has the power to do what He says....the power to keep His promises.
     During this season of Advent [of preparation and waiting] let us be mindful of all the promises that He has kept (and not just to Sarah and Mary)--but to us all.  Especially let us remember that He promised a Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord; who has promised to return in glory to judge the living and the dead.  May we trust in those words that "Nothing will be impossible with God," as we await His return in faith, hope, and love.

Thank you for reading, and God bless your Advent and Christmas season!