Relief

My trip to the dentist (Allan Goldfeder) wasn't too bad. My teeth look much better. There is more work to be done, but I feel pretty good.

Pray for me!

I'm going to the dentist. It's been a long time. I'm nervous. Yikes.

Jan. 31 worship

Here is the worship info for our upcoming worship:

Hymns
909 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
538 Praise Be To Christ
845 Where Charity and Love Prevail
731 O God, Forsake Me Not
803 Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
533 Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure

Scripture Lessons
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-11
1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13
Luke 4:31-44

Collect of the Day
Almighty God, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

May God bless our meditation and preparation for worship!

Super Bowl Ad Controversy

Good for Tebow, Focus on the Family, and CBS. I'm glad to see that the Tebows are choosing to do this ad, that FOF is choosing to pay for it and that CBS is choosing to run it (at least right now.) Choice is alive and well in this nation! It can be quite amusing that choosing to keep a baby is ridiculed by the folks in this country who advocate the choice to murder the preborn.

And let me just point out the obvious: the critics of this potential advertisment don't understand sports at all. Sports doesn't unite; it divides! If if does any kind of uniting, it unites those who are divided in their division. Cardinals-Cubs, Blues-Blackhawks, Carolina-Duke, Missouri-Kansas, Red Sox-Yankees, Ohio State-Michigan, USC-Notre Dame, Texas-Oklahoma, Redskins-Cowboys, Lakers-Celtics. You know what makes those games great? The 'hatred' that exists between the schools/franchises.

Sports doesn't unite.

You know when this country was united? At about 12pm on 9-11. This country united to raise aid for Tsunami victims. Citizens in Ohio were united to help folks in southern OH and WV when the Ohio River flooded. Citizens in this country have displayed an amazing unity in sending relief to the people in Haiti. Great trauma and hardship brings about unity. Whoever Jemhu Greene from the Women's Media Center is, it is clear that she doesn't understand sports.

The following story was pulled from the MSN news site.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A national coalition of women's groups called on CBS on Monday to scrap its plan to broadcast an ad during the Super Bowl featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, which critics say is likely to convey an anti-abortion message.

"An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year -- an event designed to bring Americans together," said Jemhu Greene, president of the New York-based Women's Media Center.

The center was coordinating the protest with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups.

CBS said it has approved the script for the 30-second ad and has given no indication that the protest would have an impact. A network spokesman, Dana McClintock, said CBS would ensure that any issue-oriented ad was "appropriate for air."

The ad -- paid for by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family -- is expected to recount the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987 with a theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim, who went on to win the 2007 Heisman Trophy while helping his Florida team to two BCS championships.

The controversy over the ad was raised Sunday when Tebow met with reporters in Mobile, Ala., before beginning preparations for next weekend's Senior Bowl.

"I know some people won't agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe," Tebow said. "I've always been very convicted of it (his views on abortion) because that's the reason I'm here, because my mom was a very courageous woman. So any way that I could help, I would do it."


Thirty-second commercials during the Super Bowl are selling for $2.5 million to $2.8 million. Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Focus on the Family, said funds for the Tebow ad were donated by a few "very generous friends" and did not come from the group's general fund.

Schneeberger said he and his colleagues "were a little surprised" at the furor over the ad.

"There's nothing political and controversial about it," he said. "When the day arrives, and you sit down to watch the game on TV, those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about."

The protest letter from the Women's Media Center suggested that CBS should have turned down the ad in part because it was conceived by Focus on the Family.

"By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will damage its reputation, alienate viewers, and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers," the letter said.

However, Schneeberger said CBS officials carefully examined Focus on the Family's track record and found no basis for rejecting the ad.

"We understand that some people don't think very highly of what we do," Schneeberger said. "We're not trying to sell you a soft drink -- we're not selling anything. We're trying to celebrate families."

The idea for the ad came from an employee in Focus on the Family's film department, Schneeberger said, and the Tebows "were thrilled" when it was proposed to them. The Tebows, including Tim, have been outspoken in discussing their Christian faith and their missionary work.

All the national networks, including CBS, have policies that rule out the broadcast of certain types of contentious advocacy ads. In 2004, CBS cited such a policy in rejecting an ad by the liberal-leaning United Church of Christ highlighting the UCC's welcoming stance toward gays and others who might feel shunned by more conservative churches.

CBS was criticized for rejecting that ad -- and perhaps might have worried about comparable criticism from conservatives if it had rejected an ad featuring such a charismatic and well-known figure as Tebow.

CBS noted that it had run some advocacy ads in recent months, including spots taking conflicting sides in the debate of a national health care overhaul.

Terry O'Neill, the president of the National Organization for Women, said she had respect for the private choices made by women such as Pam Tebow but condemned the planned ad as "extraordinarily offensive and demeaning."

"That's not being respectful of other people's lives," O'Neill said. "It is offensive to hold one way out as being a superior way over everybody else's."

I actually

had to use an umbrella this morning. I generally leave umbrellas in the closet because 1) it's only water and 2) it's just going to get left someplace. But this morning on a communion visit, it was raining so hard and the parking space was so far from the door that I had to use the umbrella. Strange days indeed.

Give aways

So...did the Saints win or the Vikings lose?

Not to discredit anything the Saints did but the Vikings gave that game away last night. Too many turnovers and dumb plays. I think the Super Bowl will be a good game with some compelling things to look for, but the Vikings had every opportunity to win that game comfortably yesterday and didn't.

I'm glad the Colts won. Indy seems like a good franchise- well-run, good decision makers, not too many people out for themselves. And that is contrary to a lot of franchises in all sports. The Jets played hard and fortunately, viewers were able to watch some good football after a very mediocre playoff season. I think the final score was about what I was projecting, but the Jets being up 17-6 at one point was a little surprising.

Colts-Saints will be good. I'll be rooting for Baltimore/Indy. I like Manning. (I like Brees too but can't root for both.) Neither defense is exceptionally good so I look for a high scoring game that is relatively close. I think I heard that Indy is 3.5 point favorites.

Oh...and where is the game being played? I hear it is going to be in Miami but the advertisements say South Florida? I know that Miami is south Florida, but why are they trying to distinguish it? The stadium where the Dolphins play is not Miami, so perhaps they are trying to be more geographically correct but I think it's just dumb. Just call it Miami.

Epiphany 3 sermon

Here is the sermon from yesterday's service. Excuse the typos and enjoy!

Epiphany 3
January 24, 2010
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Filling in the gaps

In the name of Jesus, amen. Repeatedly in our life we are shown the truth that ugliness transforms into great beauty or that poverty reveals deep riches. There is a story about the ugly duckling growing into a beautiful swan and many people delight in O. Henry’s great story “The Gift of the Magi”. Now almost two weeks after the horrible Haiti earthquake, the beauty of God’s Church, the deep riches of God’s Church, are on full display as resources flow for the sake of those who are homeless, orphaned, and in dire need. There are gaps in the lives of Haitians, gaps that may not be easily bridged or filled.
The beauty of God’s church is on display in the words of our Epistle lesson. What we learn is that within God’s church, gaps exist. But those gaps are filled by God. And the gap that exists because of our sin is bridged by the cross.
Looking across the sanctuary I see lots of individuals. Scanning our membership list I see lots of individuals. I have come to learn individual stories, individual dramas and hopes and fears, and individual talents, gifts, and abilities. But looking across the sanctuary I also see one body- one body at prayer, one body giving attention to the Word of God, one body rejoicing in the salvation of Christ.
The human body consists of individual parts that form a whole- eyes, ears, hands, feet, elbows, noses. So it is with Christ. His body is the Church and within the church you find Jews and Greeks, slaves and free. People of countless languages, tribes, ethnicities all gather to hear the Word of God and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. There are people of diverse political and socioeconomic backgrounds. Within this particular congregation God’s beautiful diversity is on display. There is a variety of ages. There are those who are retired and those who are just beginning their working careers. And covering that variety is the unity found in the one Baptism, the one Lord, the one Spirit, and the one Body of Christ.
And according to the design and intent of God, all of us are critical parts of the body. But I find it hard to grasp how critical I really am, how vital or important I may be. What I do grasp is that I am not the best organizer, the best leader, the best writer or communicator. I’m quite ordinary and I know there are other people more talented and gifted than me. When we go through periods of self-reflection we may feel that everything can operate just fine without me and that the group, the family, the corporation, the Church, would not miss me.
But that ignores the value God has assigned to us. The foot and the ear cannot separate themselves from the body because they are not a hand or a mouth. Individual diversity blesses the body. Some parts of our body read lessons. Some parts of our body lead the group in song. Some parts of our body serve as ushers. Some parts of our body teach while some parts of our body learn.
As we learn the value God has assigned to us, we grow to value one another, to celebrate the opportunities God puts in front of us to put our value to use. Eyes and hands, elbows and feet need each other. Weaker parts are indispensable; less honorable parts have special honor; unpresentable parts have greater modesty. The body of Christ cares for herself. There is mutual caring that takes place as we place phone calls, address envelopes with sympathy cards, thank you cards, and thinking of you cards, as we ring the doorbell hoping to spend a few moments in conversation with a dear brother or sister in Christ.
According to God’s grace, we are the body of Christ. And look at how the body functions together- if one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. In our prayers we acknowledge that some people are suffering emotionally and physically. As members of the body of Christ, we suffer together, we pray for their relief, we pray for their comfort. Where one is lacking, we fill in the gap. Husbands supply what their wives are missing. Wives are strong where husbands are weak. Older sisters teach their younger brothers. Older brothers pave the way for their siblings who follow after them.
We are united together as the Church, as the body of Christ. And we are united by Christ. Jesus stood before his neighbors in the hometown synagogue and told them what his ministry was going to be about- love, mercy, compassion. We are the poor, the captives, the blind, the oppressed.
Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection bestow new life and identity by grace through faith. Sin is the permanent gap between God and humanity. The cross bridges that chasm and reconciliation takes place. God has given His Word and His Sacraments to unite individuals into the communion of saints.
Throughout history, the Church has displayed great ugliness. Usually it is when individuals rise up and say that certain members of the body are no longer needed, are insufficient, or deficient. That ugliness is revealed as foolishness for in moments of great need or adversity the Church of God displays that it does not exist for its own sake, but for the sake of God. And God loves His creation. God puts His Church in position to help those in need. Individual members are brought together, hands are knit to wrists, knees are joined to shins, feet and ankles work together. And gaps are filled, help is rendered. So it is with those who are found in Christ. SDG

Hymn o' the Week

This is our closing hymn this coming Sunday. It is a newer hymn written by Rev. Richard Resch, cantor at Concordia, Ft. Wayne. When I read the text of this hymn I remember sitting in class with Dr. Norman Nagle and hearing him tell the class, "Gospel talk is gift talk." And gift language overflows in this hymn. The hymn is placed in the Baptismal Life section of Lutheran Service Book and when we sing this hymn we can see how our life is blessed through the gifts of God that come to us in the font, in the Word, in the absolution, in the Feast.

602 The Gifts Christ Freely Gives

1 The gifts Christ freely gives
He gives to you and me
To be His Church, His bride,
His chosen, saved and free!
Saints blest with these rich gifts
Are children who proclaim
That they were won by Christ
And cling to His strong name.

2 The gifts flow from the font
Where He calls us His own;
New life He gives that makes
Us His and His alone.
Here He forgives our sins
With water and His Word;
The triune God Himself
Gives pow’r to call Him Lord.

3 The gifts of grace and peace
From absolution flow;
The pastor’s words are Christ’s
For us to trust and know.
Forgiveness that we need
Is granted to us there;
The Lord of mercy sends
Us forth in His blest care.

4 The gifts are there each day
The holy Word is read;
God’s children listen, hear,
Receive, and they are fed.
Christ fills them with Himself,
Blest words that give them life,
Restoring and refreshing
Them for this world’s strife.

5 The gifts are in the feast,
Gifts far more than we see;
Beneath the bread and wine
Is food from Calvary.
The body and the blood
Remove our ev’ry sin;
We leave His presence in
His peace, renewed again.

6 All glory to the One
Who lavishes such love;
The triune God in love
Assures our life above.
His means of grace for us
Are gifts He loves to give;
All thanks and praise for His
Great love by which we live!

Something from Neuhaus

Today is March for Life in Washington, DC. Thousands of pro-Life people will gather in Washington DC on the anniversary of the date that abortion was legalized in this country.

I found something in the January edition of Forum Letter that is especially pertinent. It is the transcript of a sermon delivered by Richard John Neuhaus at the chapel at Valparaiso University in 1976. One thing that strikes me about Neuhaus is how his words, delivered in a different time, still speak relevant truth in a different time. Here are some excerpts from Neuhaus' sermon:

"Progress has always been historically the expansion of our understanding of human life and human rights and the protections which we are obligated to afford the most marginal, the most non-utilitaria, the most inconvenient forms of human existence.

There are those who say that only the person confronting the problem, and perhaps expanded only to women, have any right to speak on the subject. What an absurd, what a sexist, what a regressive notion to suggest that when the least and the most vulnerable and the weakest are assaulted, it is not the concern of us all.

There are those who say, "I know. But we are not speaking about life. Not really. We're speaking about potential human life." My God, don't they know? We are all potential human beings. At the very heart of the Christian insight is, as St. Paul says in Romans chapter 8, that the whole of creation is yearning as a woman in labor to be what has not yet been revealed. We are called as Christians to affirm our solidarity within the bond of potentiality, our solidarity across the lines of race, and of class, and of nation, and of sex, and of age, and of competence. Now, if Jesus is right, there is nobody who is nobody. Nobody so poor, so inconvenient, so ugly, so useless. If we understand the holiness of the ordinary, it has a radical transforming power within our own lives. Within our society, we might yet be again a light in the darkness, the salt of the earth, saying No! because we have said Yes! to the difference of discipleship.

He calls us today, sisters and brothers, to stand guard, to stand guard at the doors of life, at the entrance door of life, at the exit door of life, and all along the way of life, to celebrate, to affirm, to cherish, to reverence, to live for, and, if need be, die for His presence among us. Amen."

That was written and preached in 1976. Those words and sentiments still need to be proclaimed in 2010. May God grant us the courage to speak up on behalf of women, men, and unborn children about the harmful effects of abortion.

Commemoration of Sarah

Today the Church commemorates Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Here is the info from Treasury of Daily Prayer:

Sarah was the wife (and half sister) of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham (Genesis 11:29; 20:12). In obedience to divine command (Genesis 12:1), she made the long and arduous journey west, along with her husband and his relatives, from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and then finally to the land of Canaan. She remained childless until old age. Then, in keeping with God's long-standing promise, she gave birth to a son and heir of the covenant (Genesis 21:1-3). She is remembered and honored as the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, the second of the three patriarchs. She is also favorably noted for her hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8). Following her death at the age of 127, she was laid to rest in the Cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23:19), where her husband was later buried.

Lord and Father of all, You looked with favor upon Sarai in her advanced years, putting on here a new name, Sarah and with it the promise of multitudinous blessings from her aged womb. Give us a youthful hope in the joy of our own new name, being baptized into the promised Messiah, that we, too, might be fruitful in Your kingdom, abounding in the works of Your Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Service info for Jan. 24th

Here is the info you might need for Jan. 24th

Hymns
849 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
839 O Christ, Our True and Only Light
979 God, Whose Almighty Word (in the electronic edition of LSB)
602 The Gifts Christ Freely Gives

Lessons
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:18

Collect of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Great Eats!

Does any body else think that Main Street in Newark is a great place to eat? While I generally think that New Castle County has too many Applebees and Chilis and too many other generic, non-descript places and a definite lack of a Chipotle, check out the number of great places on Main Street.

Cereal Bowl- you get what the name says.
Ali Baba- good Mediterranean cuisine.
Pita Pit- good alternative to bread. The Gyro is really good.
Home Grown Cafe- some organic cuisine, great Sunday brunch menu, excellent chips.
Iron Hill- very nice, quasi-upscale, excellent beers
California Tortilla- when you need a Chipotle fix, this place sort of fits the bill.

There is a Panera and a Dunkin Donuts and some other places and i have not been to some of the other places, but Main Street is a great place to go for something to eat. And finding a place to park is not too hard either.

What happened!

I've been drinking coffee since I was a sophomore in college. That was quite a while ago. And for the longest time, I drank it straight- no cream, no sugar, no nothing. Black. Simple. Then I started going to breakfast with a group of men once a month at Frisch's Big Boy in Columbus. I started using those little creamers that restaurants put on their tables. During the week when I was in the office, I'd still drink my coffee straight, but I started liking those little creamers. Then when I'd do my grocery shopping, I noticed that powdered creamer was on sale, so I bought some. Not regular creamer, but French Vanilla. It was nice. It made my coffee taste like hot chocolate. And I was hooked.

Now I always look to see if the Coffee Mate is on sale and I look forward to all the seasonal offerings that are available- peppermint mocha, spiced vanilla rum, chocolate caramel. This morning when I made the coffee at church, I went to the refrigerator to get the cream and forgot that I had used the last of the peppermint mocha on Sunday! I had to use regular powdered creamer and splenda. It was fine. It was okay. It was still hot. It was wet. It was still caffeinated. But how dreary.

What happened? I'm not sure but I know that I prefer those flavored creamers.

Sermon for Second Sunday after Epiphany

Here is yesterday's offering:

Epiphany 2
Jan. 17, 2010
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Varieties of the Same

In the name of Jesus, amen. Early in our life we do not like to hear the words “Lights out!” That means that the fun is coming to an end. As we age and as we come to understand the value of rest, turning the lights off means sleep. We don’t mind the darkness when we are tired, when we need some sleep, when we need to recharge.

But having the lights our spiritually is deadly. Where God is not present, there is ignorance. And apart from God the Holy Spirit, everyone is ignorant of spiritual matters.

As a people, the Corinthians had known only idol worship. They went wherever they were led. They would notice all the excitement and could sense the buzz about the latest idol and they would head in that direction. Until…the next idol came along. We also often go however we were led. Too often it is our sinful nature and our sinful desires that do the leading. We forget that we should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

Devoid of the Holy Spirit, one can at best be silent on spiritual matters, like mute pagan idols. At worst, we can speak in error. Apart from the Holy Spirit, everything one says amounts to “Jesus is accursed!” Every word that does not come from faith is ultimately all about me, and not about God, not about my neighbor and their needs. You know as well as I how much ‘me’ talk there is in our society. Culture is driven by what satisfies and feeds the ego. And we are a part of our society. We can hear ourselves talk and we are aware when we start to believe that the world revolves around our navel.

Where God does not dwell, where God does not speak, the lights are out. There is darkness and decay.

But the lights are on. The Epiphany season is about the light that reveals the presence of God. Where God is present, where God’s Word dwells and that Word is proclaimed, there is understanding and blessing.

Possessing the Spirit begets the voice that cries “Jesus is Lord!” So let’s talk about Jesus for a moment. God’s Son was uniquely gifted like no other person. That he was a person was clearly obvious as he was placed in the manger. That Jesus was true God is the glory of Epiphany. Today he changes water into wine, great wine, not Franzia. This uniquely gifted Jesus went to the cross to atone for all sins and then rose gloriously from the dead.

Now the Holy Spirit is about the work of revealing that glory so that people are brought to believe in Jesus as Lord. Jesus had followers prior to this wedding day in John 2. But we acknowledged in the Alleluia verse appointed for today that after the miracle the disciples believed in Jesus.

Coming to faith in Christ is very much like having a light turned on. From ignorance and darkness about God, we now see clearly that in Christ God is loving and forgiving. What words instruct us about the Holy Spirit in the Small Catechism? God has called me by the Gospel and enlightened me with His gifts.

Through the words of St. Paul, the Holy Spirit brightens the minds and hearts of the Corinthians. Their epiphany makes the one true God manifest, makes Him known. And this one true God works in many different ways yet is always one and the same.

There are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit. There are varieties of service yet the same Lord. There are varieties of activities yet the same God.

Within the heart and mind of the individual person, the essence of Epiphany is the personal reality of Jesus the Son of God. God’s glory burns brightest when the believer responds to God’s grace, when the believer leaves the mute idols and false gods and cleaves to the living God who speaks and acts.

Within the hearts and minds of the individuals in this space, individuals called by Father, redeemed by the Son, led by the Spirit, God’s glory burns brightly as we live in the shadow of the cross, as we rejoice in the empty tomb. And we are able to celebrate the individuals that are brought together and knit by God into a community of faith.

There are varieties of the same present within this room. To one is given the message of wisdom. To another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another discerning spirits, to another the ability to speak in tongues and to interpret tongues. Christians, loved by God, show different gifts.

But the Christian has the full Spirit with the full Christ since we have been baptized into the family of God and given the name of God.

We shine brightly with the glory of God when we use our spiritual gifts for the common good. There is no talk about me or my, they or them. Rather, the language is we, us, and ours. This is not my church, so I cannot dictate what will happen. This is not your church and you are not free to lord it over the others. By God’s grace, this is, has been, and always be His church. By God’s grace, he has given this church to us, thus it is our church. And to that end we do what God gives the church to do. We share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people. We proclaim the reality that Jesus is Lord. We live the reality that Jesus is Lord.

The lights are on. With God’s help, at God’s command, we turn the lights up. The star lit the way for the Wise Men. The rays of Christ’s glory increasingly shine each week, shining the bright truth that Jesus is Lord.

We know that Jesus is our Lord. Jesus is our savior from sin and death. God has turned the lights on for us. It is the epiphany of God. To each of us is given the Holy Spirit to shine the light of Christ on others. You are an epiphany as you reflect the light of Christ to the people around you. We are different people, with different gifts and talents and abilities. But we are an epiphany as we reflect the warm and pure light of God.

News about Haiti

As I posted yesterday, we'll be collecting a door offering on Sunday the 17th for relief efforts in Haiti. There was a 12 minute interview with Rev. Matt Harrison on Issues, Etc talking about the work being done. If you would care to listen to the interview, visit www.issuesetc.org to listen to the segment. It was very good.

Paul and Ambrose

From Paul, Romans 5:19-21 "For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Sometimes Paul is confusing to read. But we do not have to throw our hands up in despair. Here is St. Ambrose of Milan shedding light on Paul's writing:

"Now the world becomes guilty before God by the Law, in that all are made liable to its prescripts, but no man is justified by its works. By the Law comes the knowledge of sin, but not the remission of guilt.

But when the Lord Jesus came, He forgave all men that sin which none could escape and "blotted out the handwriting against us" by the shedding of His own blood {Colossians 2:14}. This, then, is the apostle's meaning: sin abounded by the Law, but grace abounded by Jesus; for after the whole world became guilty, He took away the sin of the whole world, as John bore witness, saying: "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" {John 1:29}. Therefore let no one glory in works, for by his own works no man shall be justified, for he who is just has a free gift, for he is justified by the Bath of Baptism. It is faith, then, which delivers by the blood of Christ, for "Blessed is the man to whom sin is remitted and pardon granted" {Psalm 32:1}.

While we may not read St. Ambrose very much and it is required of us to read his words carefully, Ambrose is clear- BY THE LAW COMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN, BUT NOT THE REMISSION OF SIN. The holy Law of God reveals our sin, but 'doing' the Law of God does not bring about forgiveness. We cannot do the Law. We do not even want to do the Law. Thus there is no forgiveness apart from Christ- HE (JESUS) TOOK AWAY THE SIN OF THE WHOLE WORLD.

Thanks Ambrose!

Haiti help

With the news of the devastation from the earthquakes in Haiti, we'll be collecting a door offering on Sunday, Jan. 17th. The offering will be sent to LCMS World Relief and Human Care so they can put the relief money to help where it is needed most and most urgently. Thanks.

Sermon from Jan. 10th

This was our sermon from Jan. 10th, a day we observed both the Epiphany of our Lord and the Baptism of Jesus.

Epiphany/Baptism of our Lord
Jan. 10, 2009
Matt. 2:1-12
Come to the light

In the name of Jesus, amen. I suppose every age can be called a dark age. And I know I have shared before that the incandescent light bulb is a horrible invention because we are losing the distinction between light and dark. With the flick of a switch we can have light 24 hours a day. Knowing what darkness is helps us value the light so much more.
Darkness is a metaphor for spiritual blindness. Blind, dead, and an enemy of God is the way that the Bible describes life apart from God, a life that descends further and further into the darkness of death. Because of our self-centered sin, every age is a dark age. Darkness represents the age in which all people live where sin reigns. Darkness can represent this present age.
It was in January of 2008 when news stories shared the upheaval in Kenya over elections. The upheaval became violent. And the violence affected the church. Rev. Dennis Meeker, a Lutheran missionary in Kenya, married to a Kenyan deaconess, suffered because of the violence. While Rev. Meeker and his wife were spared physical harm, the church they serve was burned to the ground. And the very next Sunday, Rev. Meeker’s congregation met for worship. This horrible event was a combination of religion, politics, and tribalism. But that event from two years ago sheds light on the decision 37 years ago, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal. It is the same old darkness that surrounds us, the darkness that feeds upon itself and leads us from darkness into more darkness.
With the beginning of Epiphany, a great shift has taken place. The shift is this: Christmas is a Jewish celebration. Jesus is born a Jew in a Jewish city of Jewish parents. And what happened on the 8th day? Jesus was circumcised like every other Jewish boy baby. What did Joseph and Mary do on the 40th day of Jesus’ life? According to religious custom, Joseph and Mary offered sacrifices on the day when women were declared to be ‘clean’ from the delivery of their children. Jesus was raised according to the Law of Moses. And Jesus fulfilled that law. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to have a son of David sitting on the throne forever. And if you are not one of God’s chosen people, then you are left out. You are left sitting in the dark.
Epiphany changes all that! Epiphany loudly, brightly, joyfully declares that this newborn King is not merely King of the Jews but King of all people, King of all tribes, races, tongues, and nations. Jesus is born savior of the Jews and savior of the Gentiles. The Gospel of grace and mercy goes global as Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar show up with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. As Isaiah and Paul wrote, the mystery hidden for ages is epiphanied. It is revealed. “The mystery is that Gentiles are now fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
God the Father has given His light, His only-begotten Son, to humanity. Still, darkness often threatens to overwhelm the light. It surely must seem that way these days as we see, hear, and read the news from all over the world. How would Christmas have been different if that terrorist succeeded in blowing up that plane? What dark sin must own that pediatrician in Lewes? What forbids us from seeing the need of our neighbor, from hearing their cry for help, for companionship but the darkness of our sin that causes us to look with suspicion, with cynicism, with skepticism at the people we live with?
The dark shadows creep into our lives, and the people of God mourn their sin. But more than mourn, the people of God repent of their sin. Yet some people stubbornly stumble in to the pitch darkness of sin and death, empowered by the prince of darkness, and they seek to drag the children of light back into the darkness. But the world will not go back to the Dark Ages, and this is because of the Epiphany of our Lord. The darkness tries, but it cannot put out the light of Christ! Christ has won the final victory over the darkness of sin, death, and hell by his innocent life, suffering, and death.
It is important for us to hold on to a sober view of this sin-darkened world, the dark age that you and I live in. The outcome is not in doubt, but there are many battles yet to fight against the forces of darkness. Christ, the true light, continues to be with us and in us. At the font, God turned on the light in our life. As Dr. Luther writes about the Apostles’ Creed, God the Holy Spirit has enlightened me with his gifts. The light shines and we are able to see and believe that God is loving and forgiving for Christ’s sake.
What glorious light shines in the Supper of our Lord! Here in the Supper is light because Christ Himself, who is the true light, is here bodily for you. You are invited to the Lord’s table to feast with the Lord, and to feast on the Lord’s goodness. We are one body, partaking of the body and blood of Christ, broken and shed for the forgiveness of our dark sins.
Christ, the true light, continues to shine in ways that the world in its darkness cannot comprehend. Mercy is mystifying. Forgiveness is stupefying. Charity is scorned. Kindness and compassion is laughed at and mocked. But you see the light. You know the light. You live in the light because of your baptism you are children of light. Indeed, Christ is the light for a darkened world. And God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit strengthens us to take the light of God and His Christ into our communities, all for the sake of revealing Christ our Lord and our Redeemer. SDG

Worship information- Jan. 17, 2010

Here are some of the particulars for our worship service on Jan. 17th.

Hymns: (All from Lutheran Service Book)
399 The Star Proclaims the King is Here
408 Come, Join in Cana's Feast
860 Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing
401 From God the Father, Virgin-Born
403 O Savior of Our Fallen Race
643 Sent Forth By God's Blessing

Scripture Lessons
Isaiah 62:1-5
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11

Prayer of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of the Day for the Confession of St. Peter (Jan. 18)
Heavenly Father, You revealed to the apostle Peter the blessed truth that Your Son Jesus is the Christ. Strengthen us by the proclamation of this truth that we too may joyfully confess that there is salvation in no one else; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn o' the Week

Here is our hymn of the week for Jan. 17th. The Gospel reading is John 2:1-11, the story of the miracle of Cana. Out of great need, Jesus supplied great abundance. And Jesus provided this abundance for both the wedding couple and for His brothers and sisters who remain in great need yet are given gifts without end.

408 Come, Join in Cana's Feast

1 Come, join in Cana’s feast
Where Christ is honored guest.
He welcomes all who come to taste
The wine His hands have blessed.

2 The old wine now is gone
From jars that stand apart.
No longer can it satisfy
The yearning, thirsting heart.

3 But Christ, the Word made flesh,
Bids water turn to wine.
He fills our empty cups again
With grace and truth divine.

4 Come, friends, and share the feast;
Here drink the wine supplied
By Him who is both guest and host—
For us, the crucified.

5 For now He lives and reigns
Through all eternity
With Father, Spirit, Three in One,
The glorious Trinity.

Text (sts. 1–5): © 1993 The Hymn Society Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100011977.; admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100011977.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

R.I.P

Friends, just received word that Dan Hatcher passed away. He has been on our prayer list for a while and had cancer that was quite aggressive.

Also would share that the husband of a cousin of my mother, the Rev. John Hartwig, passed away this afternoon. He most recently served a church in Roanoke, VA but had been retired for the last several years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. He is survived by his wife Natalie and their two daughters Berith and Sherith.

May light perpetual shine on them.

Rules of the road

Checking in from northern VA...

In case you are wondering why I don't post every day, it is because I sometimes don't have time. I don't get paid for this (duh) and when I am at home, I still have not moved away from dial-up internet access, so that means things take...a...long...time. And when I am at home, I tend to do other things- change diapers, chase kids, load the dishwasher, unload the dishwasher, load the dishwasher, unload the dishwasher, load the dishwasher, unload the dishwasher, you get the picture.

So the rules, as I determine them, will be that you get what you get and you don't get upset.

Other rules for the road (the real road that we travel on) would be:
-if you are afraid to drive on the interstate, don't get on. The interstate wasn't built for sissies.
-only you can drive your car. I can't drive for you and can't make decisions for you.
-if the traffic on the Capitol Beltway is too good to be true, it will change suddenly and for the worse.

Epiphany Vespers Sermon

Here's the sermon from our Epiphany Vespers Service of Jan. 6. If you were in attendance at the service, I hope it resembles what you remember hearing!

Epiphany
Jan. 6, 2010
Isaiah 60:1-6
Nations shall come to your light

In the name of Jesus, amen. As Epiphany begins, it is good for us to remind ourselves that we are receiving from God our Father a wonderful revelation. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ, a revelation that began in the season of Advent, continued through the season of Christmas, and in the weeks to come, will continue to be seen as Jesus does all that the Father gave him to do.
Tonight we hear of the Wise Men who followed the star to offer their gifts. The light of the star eventually led them to Bethlehem, where they presented to Jesus and his family gifts fit for a king. Light brought them to the holy family, just as Isaiah had prophesied centuries earlier. Nations shall flock to your light.
Isaiah’s words about the revelation of God were exceedingly hopeful. Thick darkness enveloped the people of God. There was darkness with very little hope for dawn. As a people, the notion of light and glory and of God himself was being swallowed up by the darkness. The leaders were leading people into darkness rather than away from it. The foreign government that exercised dominion over the land was cruel, vengeful, and only saw the people as a resource to be used, abused, and discarded. Isaiah stepped up to the microphone and declared, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Many of the hearers responded by saying, “Where?” or “Not likely.” or “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
It was a tough message to deliver and a tough message to receive. When nations flocked to Israel it was usually to wage war and plunder. Israel was a battle ground. People who trusted in God and believed his promises saw those promises going unfulfilled and their trust and confidence was wavering, even collapsing. The darkness appeared to be winning. Hope was giving way to fear. Trust in the Lord was becoming an unhealthy self-reliance.
Nations shall come to your light. And the wise men showed up. They may have been led by the light of the star. But that wasn’t the only source of light. From the manger newborn light, shines in glory through the night. Darkness there no more resides; in this light faith now abides.
There was light from the manger. The light of God the Father’s eternal love was present in the baby Jesus. Into the world of dark fear and hopelessness, God brought his glory in shining brilliance.
The wise men came to the light. But shepherds also came to that light. They heard the amazing words of the angel and searched for themselves and they did find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths. Wise men and shepherds, the haves and the have-nots, the worthy and the less-than worthy, together they stood at the manger and saw God in the flesh.
Christmas is when God revealed himself to be man. God was a baby, doing all the things that babies do. The Epiphany is not an event like Christmas is, but is a concept- the concept that Jesus was also God. Throughout this season we’ll hear miracles, we’ll see the Trinity at work, we’ll watch God intimately involved in humanity, doing the words of tonight’s Psalm. Jesus, God in the flesh, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity and true man, born of the virgin Mary, will defend the cause of the poor, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor.
This is the beautiful revelation of God, the light of God that shines upon Jesus our savior. And nations still come to the light.
Nations, tribes, clans, and peoples gather in awe at the manger. Nations of sinners look upon the baby born to them in wonder. Nations of sinners hear the words of John the Baptizer, that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Nations of sinners live in the shadow of the cross, pick up the forgiveness won for them, and then live that forgiveness. Nations of sinners stand at the mouth of the empty tomb and rejoice in the victory of Jesus, the victory that is for all who believe.
In the bleak mid-winter, the glory of God has risen upon you in our savior Jesus. Let us take our place within the nation of the redeemed, bask in the eternal light of Christ, and praise God for His goodness. SDG

Reminder

This coming Saturday at 10:30am we'll meet at church to take down all the Christmas decorations and put them away until next year. We'll need a few hands, so please come if you can.

What it is...

...is a concept more than an event. Epiphany is the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Looking at some of the beautiful hymns of this season show us the big picture of one part of the life of Christ. Christmas hymns deal with the historical event of Christmas. Other hymns may focus on certain Biblical stories, laying out in four or five verses a healing story or a parable. Epiphany hymns seem to move from various events that help underline the truth that Jesus is God in the flesh.

You may sing about the visit of the Wise Men. In the next verse you'll sing of the baptism of Jesus. Then you will move on to the miracle at Cana and then one of the healing miracles. With 'big picture' strokes, the life of the God-Man Jesus is painted for us. Here's an example from LSB:

394 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

1 Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David’s stem
In Thy birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

2 Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana wedding guest
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in pow’r divine,
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

3 Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil’s might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

4 Sun and moon shall darkened be,
Stars shall fall, the heav’ns shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
All will see His glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear,
All will see the Judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

5 Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,
Present in Thy holy Word—
Grace to imitate Thee now
And be pure, as pure art Thou;
That we might become like Thee
At Thy great epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.

Text (sts. 1–5) and Music: Public domain
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Epiphany 2010

The feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord commemorates no event but presents an idea that assumes concrete form only through the facts of our Lord's life. The idea of Epiphany is that the Christ who was born in Bethlehem is recognized by the world as God. At Christmas, God appears as man, and at Epiphany, this man appears before the world as God. That Christ became man needed no proof. But that this man, this helpless child, is God needed proof. The manifestations of the Trinity, the signs and wonders performed by this man, and all His miracles have the purpose of proving to men that Jesus is God. Lately, especially in the Western Church, the story of the Magi has been associated with this feast day. As Gentiles who were brought to faith in Jesus Christ, the Magi represent all believers from the Gentile world.

O God, by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles. Lead us, who know You by faith, to enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine presence; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.


We'll gather for Vespers tonight at 7:30pm.

Monthly Winkel

Attended our Delmarva Circuit Winkel this morning in Dover. 'Winkel' is the old school term for what is also called Circuit Conference. Winkel is the German word for corner, and the image is of clergy gathering in a corner for conversation.

It was good to be with the brethren, to talk about our lives, ministries, joys, and frustrations. Spent some good time discussing the mission of Cambridge MD and Hallwood VA. Difficult decisions lie ahead. Some have already been made.

Nothing theological about this next part but why is a fence being constructed in the median of Rte. 1? And state troopers drive fast! And it didn't appear they had any place important to go.

Hymn o' the Week

395 O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright

1 O Morning Star, how fair and bright!
You shine with God’s own truth and light,
Aglow with grace and mercy!
Of Jacob’s race, King David’s son,
Our Lord and master, You have won
Our hearts to serve You only!
Lowly, holy!
Great and glorious,
All victorious,
Rich in blessing!
Rule and might o’er all possessing!

2 Come, heav’nly Bridegroom, Light divine,
And deep within our hearts now shine;
There light a flame undying!
In Your one body let us be
As living branches of a tree,
Your life our lives supplying.
Now, though daily
Earth’s deep sadness
May perplex us
And distress us,
Yet with heav’nly joy You bless us.

3 Lord, when You look on us in love,
At once there falls from God above
A ray of purest pleasure.
Your Word and Spirit, flesh and blood
Refresh our souls with heav’nly food.
You are our dearest treasure!
Let Your mercy
Warm and cheer us!
O draw near us!
For You teach us
God’s own love through You has reached us.

4 Almighty Father, in Your Son
You loved us when not yet begun
Was this old earth’s foundation!
Your Son has ransomed us in love
To live in Him here and above:
This is Your great salvation.
Alleluia!
Christ the living,
To us giving
Life forever,
Keeps us Yours and fails us never!

5 O let the harps break forth in sound!
Our joy be all with music crowned,
Our voices gladly blending!
For Christ goes with us all the way—
Today, tomorrow, ev’ry day!
His love is never ending!
Sing out! Ring out!
Jubilation!
Exultation!
Tell the story!
Great is He, the King of Glory!

6 What joy to know, when life is past,
The Lord we love is first and last,
The end and the beginning!
He will one day, oh, glorious grace,
Transport us to that happy place
Beyond all tears and sinning!
Amen! Amen!
Come, Lord Jesus!
Crown of gladness!
We are yearning
For the day of Your returning!

Text (sts. 1–6): © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, number 100011977.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Jan. 4 devotion

In Sunday's Bible class we started to discuss the letter to the Laodicean church from the Book of Revelation. In that letter, Jesus identifies himself as the Amen. That's sort of an odd identification. In class we talked about what the word 'amen' means. In today's offering from the Treasury of Daily Prayer there is this gem from Dr. Luther:

"When I feel that I have become cool and joyless in prayer because of other tasks or thoughts (for the flesh and the devil always impede and obstruct prayer), I take my little psalter, hurry to my room, or, if it be the day and hour for it, to the church where a congregation is assembled and, as time permits, I say quietly to myself and word-for-word the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and, if I have time, some words of Christ or of Paul, or some psalms, just as a child might do.

It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at night. Guard yourself carefully against those false, deluding ideas which tell you, "Wait a little while. I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or that." Such thoughts get you away from prayer into other affairs which so hold your attention and involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day...

Finally, mark this, that you must always speak the Amen firmly. Never doubt that God in his mercy will surely hear you and say "yes" to your prayers. Never think that you are kneeling or standing alone, rather think that the whole of Christendom, all devout Christians, are standing there beside you and you are standing among them in a common, united petition which God cannot disdain. Do not leave your prayer without having said or thought, "Very well, God has heard my prayer; this I know as a certainty and a truth." This is what Amen means."

Friends, Voicing an Amen to our prayers does indeed unite us as fellow believers and members of Christ's body, the Church. You may not know everyone on our prayer list and may not know the various situations of the people on our list. No matter. They are important to someone and in need of prayer and I can pray for them.

And with Jesus as the Amen...well, Jesus is the Yes to all the promises of God. God promises to be with us, to never leave us or forsake us. Jesus is the Amen to that promise. God promises provision and protection. Jesus is the Amen to that promise. God promises love, discipline, mercy, pity, grace. Jesus is the Amen to that promise.

What a great word.

Epiphany Vespers

We'll celebrate the Feast of Epiphany with a Vespers Service at 7:30pm. Here are the lessons and hymns for our worship:

Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Hymns
398 Hail to the Lord's Anointed
401 From God the Father, Virgin-born
378 Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light

Hope to worship with you that evening!

About time...

Hi there. I figure it's about time I get with the 21st Century and have a blog. Everyone else is doing it, so why not be a lemming and join the crowd. I'm certain no one is overly concerned with what I think, which is why I have titled my blog FWIW- For What It's Worth.

If you are interested, I hope you check back to read things about theology and the church. I also hope this blog will help folks from the congregation I serve stay connected and be reminded about various things that take place within our local church. You'll have an opportunity to comment on what you read and I encourage you to do that.

So...welcome.