I learned in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today that Stan Musial was never ejected from a game in his career. That might say more about Stan as a man than as Stan the Man.
Stan Musial is the greatest living baseball player in America. In Cardinals history, Stan is #1 and Albert Pujols is catching up. At some point they will be one and two and I'm not really bothered which is which.
Here are some of my favorite Cardinals, very subjective and certainly not encompassing: Stan, Albert Pujols, Bob Gibson, Dizzy Dean, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith.
For all the home runs and doubles and other things, to realize that he never got thrown out of a game is amazing.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
I saw on the interweb that an Anglican female priest in Canada held a communion service where dogs were invited to commune, supposedly with their owners although I'm certain that strays would have been welcome.
I'm not kidding. Dogs were invited to commune, not simply attend, but partake. A worshiper commented, "It was kind of nice and it made me smile."
Pardon me while I clean the vomit of my keyboard.
Where is the respect for the Sacrament of the Altar? I've communed next to a dog before, a working dog, a lovely black lab named Sarah who worked for a college classmate. Both Cecilia and Sarah would come forward for communion in chapel and Sarah would sit next to her owner while Cecilia knelt and received the body and blood of Jesus broken and shed for the forgiveness of Cecilia's sins.
Sarah was a cute dog, a nice dog, a very friendly dog. She loved attention but she knew her task and it was clear when she was working and when she was not. Cecilia let it be known when her dog was working but more often it was Sarah who would let you know.
This whole notion of doing things, especially in the church, that are cute is also something that is troublesome. Doing something because it is cute is not a good reason to do something.
Communion is a joy. It is a gift. It is humbling and inspiring. It is awe-inducing, awe-full, and even awful. It is soaring. It is receptive and it is sharing. Cute? Not so much. For dogs? Only if we are calling ourselves dogs who desire the crumbs that fall from our master's table.
I'm not kidding. Dogs were invited to commune, not simply attend, but partake. A worshiper commented, "It was kind of nice and it made me smile."
Pardon me while I clean the vomit of my keyboard.
Where is the respect for the Sacrament of the Altar? I've communed next to a dog before, a working dog, a lovely black lab named Sarah who worked for a college classmate. Both Cecilia and Sarah would come forward for communion in chapel and Sarah would sit next to her owner while Cecilia knelt and received the body and blood of Jesus broken and shed for the forgiveness of Cecilia's sins.
Sarah was a cute dog, a nice dog, a very friendly dog. She loved attention but she knew her task and it was clear when she was working and when she was not. Cecilia let it be known when her dog was working but more often it was Sarah who would let you know.
This whole notion of doing things, especially in the church, that are cute is also something that is troublesome. Doing something because it is cute is not a good reason to do something.
Communion is a joy. It is a gift. It is humbling and inspiring. It is awe-inducing, awe-full, and even awful. It is soaring. It is receptive and it is sharing. Cute? Not so much. For dogs? Only if we are calling ourselves dogs who desire the crumbs that fall from our master's table.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
In addition to providing you the hymns and lessons for this coming Sunday, we are going to follow Divine Service 5 for the month of August. It's new, meaning that it is old and is being 're-introduced' to our worshiping community. Divine Service 5 is typically referred to as the Deutsche Messe, or Luther's German Mass. It's a different way of doing what we typically do.
Here are some things to look at ahead of time:
Kyrie- 942
Gloria in Excelsis- 947 All Glory be to God on High
Creed- 953 We All Believe in One True God
Sanctus- 960 Isaiah, Mighty Seer in Days of Old
Agnus Dei 434- Lamb of God, Pure and Holy
Post-Communion Hymn- 617 O Lord, We Praise Thee.
Those six hymns will be done every Sunday, with the exception of the Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Post-Communion Hymn on non-communion Sundays. I know this will be a new service for us and I anticipate that we'll come to appreciate this new old service.
There is a lot of singing, but that's okay. Hymns teach. And as we sing Scripture, it will help to become rooted in our minds.
And if you are thinking that there will be a tremendous amount of flipping pages, that's not really the case. Explore your hymnal and notice #940 to the end. They are titled "Liturgical hymns" and are options for the ordinary portions of the Divine Service. We'll flip pages, but only a few pages. Mark your hymnal at 942 and you'll be able to leave the mark there.
Here is the other 'stuff' for our service.
Hymns
771 Be Still, My Soul,Before the Lord
736 Consider How the Birds Above
774 Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy
775 Be Present at Our Table, Lord
776 Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest
782 Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings
761 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Lessons
Ecclesiastes 1:2,12-14; 2:18-26
Psalm 100
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
Collect of the Day
O Lord, grant us wisdom to recognize the treasures You have stored up for us in heaven, that we may never despair but always rejoice and be thankful for the riches of Your grace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Here are some things to look at ahead of time:
Kyrie- 942
Gloria in Excelsis- 947 All Glory be to God on High
Creed- 953 We All Believe in One True God
Sanctus- 960 Isaiah, Mighty Seer in Days of Old
Agnus Dei 434- Lamb of God, Pure and Holy
Post-Communion Hymn- 617 O Lord, We Praise Thee.
Those six hymns will be done every Sunday, with the exception of the Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Post-Communion Hymn on non-communion Sundays. I know this will be a new service for us and I anticipate that we'll come to appreciate this new old service.
There is a lot of singing, but that's okay. Hymns teach. And as we sing Scripture, it will help to become rooted in our minds.
And if you are thinking that there will be a tremendous amount of flipping pages, that's not really the case. Explore your hymnal and notice #940 to the end. They are titled "Liturgical hymns" and are options for the ordinary portions of the Divine Service. We'll flip pages, but only a few pages. Mark your hymnal at 942 and you'll be able to leave the mark there.
Here is the other 'stuff' for our service.
Hymns
771 Be Still, My Soul,Before the Lord
736 Consider How the Birds Above
774 Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy
775 Be Present at Our Table, Lord
776 Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest
782 Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings
761 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Lessons
Ecclesiastes 1:2,12-14; 2:18-26
Psalm 100
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
Collect of the Day
O Lord, grant us wisdom to recognize the treasures You have stored up for us in heaven, that we may never despair but always rejoice and be thankful for the riches of Your grace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Everything Old is Relevant!
"Ubi Christus, ibi ecclesia"
Who knew that Ignatius of Antioch was an observer of 21st Century Christianity?
What Ignatius said, for those who have forgotten their Latin is: "Where Christ is, there is the Church."
The smallest church, the largest church, the oldest church, the newest church, all of them are church as long as Christ is present and Christ is proclaimed.
When I say that Christ is proclaimed, I mean the Christ of the Bible. This would be the Christ of God who was sent at the Father's direction to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is the Christ who willingly offered up himself on the cross for our forgiveness and was bodily raised from the dead for our justification. This is the Christ who is present in the proclamation of His Word and is present in the Sacraments of Baptism and Communion.
It is not the Christ who is proclaimed as life-coach. It is the not the Christ who is held up as moral example, as great teacher, as someone who overlooks sin.
Where Christ is, there is the Church.
Right on Ignatius. Preach it!
Who knew that Ignatius of Antioch was an observer of 21st Century Christianity?
What Ignatius said, for those who have forgotten their Latin is: "Where Christ is, there is the Church."
The smallest church, the largest church, the oldest church, the newest church, all of them are church as long as Christ is present and Christ is proclaimed.
When I say that Christ is proclaimed, I mean the Christ of the Bible. This would be the Christ of God who was sent at the Father's direction to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is the Christ who willingly offered up himself on the cross for our forgiveness and was bodily raised from the dead for our justification. This is the Christ who is present in the proclamation of His Word and is present in the Sacraments of Baptism and Communion.
It is not the Christ who is proclaimed as life-coach. It is the not the Christ who is held up as moral example, as great teacher, as someone who overlooks sin.
Where Christ is, there is the Church.
Right on Ignatius. Preach it!
Are we church?
Found this on the web. Interesting to ponder. Especially in light of our Confessions. Article VII of the Augsburg Confession states beautifully: The Church is the congregation of saints in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments are correctyl administered. With all that being written, here is something to think about as you view Christianity in America and what the churches confess about Jesus Christ.
Your Church May Not be A Church If . . .
You rarely, if ever, hear the word “sin” there.
When you do hear the word “sin,” it is only only briefly mentioned, or redefined as “mistakes.”
You can’t remember when you last heard the name of Jesus in a message.
The Easter message isn’t about the resurrection but “new opportunities” in your life or turning over a new leaf.
On patriotic holiday weekends, the message is about how great America is.
On the other weekends, the message is about how great you are.
People don’t sing during “worship,” but watch.
The pastors’ chief responsibilities are things foreign to Scripture.
Church membership just appears to be a recruiting system for volunteers.
You only see other church people on Sunday mornings at church.
—
WARNING: If your church meets one or more of these, it might be a spiritual pep rally, a religious performance center, a Christian social club, or something else entirely, but it is probably not, biblically speaking, a gathering of the Church.
Your Church May Not be A Church If . . .
You rarely, if ever, hear the word “sin” there.
When you do hear the word “sin,” it is only only briefly mentioned, or redefined as “mistakes.”
You can’t remember when you last heard the name of Jesus in a message.
The Easter message isn’t about the resurrection but “new opportunities” in your life or turning over a new leaf.
On patriotic holiday weekends, the message is about how great America is.
On the other weekends, the message is about how great you are.
People don’t sing during “worship,” but watch.
The pastors’ chief responsibilities are things foreign to Scripture.
Church membership just appears to be a recruiting system for volunteers.
You only see other church people on Sunday mornings at church.
—
WARNING: If your church meets one or more of these, it might be a spiritual pep rally, a religious performance center, a Christian social club, or something else entirely, but it is probably not, biblically speaking, a gathering of the Church.
Zero, Zip, Zilch, Nada
In a recent survey of its users, Twitter discovered something interesting. Zero percent of Tweeters said they would not pay to tweet.
What does this mean? Twitter is fun. That is all that it is. Twitter will have no impact on our commerce. Twitter will have no impact on the media. It is fun.
And that is great! Tweet to your heart's content. Let me know when you are brushing your teeth. Let me know about the half-caf, non-fat, no-whip mocha you are buying at Starbucks.
Sometimes 'social media' is something to pay attention to, and sometimes it is just social.
What does this mean? Twitter is fun. That is all that it is. Twitter will have no impact on our commerce. Twitter will have no impact on the media. It is fun.
And that is great! Tweet to your heart's content. Let me know when you are brushing your teeth. Let me know about the half-caf, non-fat, no-whip mocha you are buying at Starbucks.
Sometimes 'social media' is something to pay attention to, and sometimes it is just social.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sermon from July 25
Pentecost 9
July 25, 2010
Colossians 2:6-15
Walk in him
In the name of Jesus, amen. When you are little, you long to be grown up. When you are grown up, you realize that being grown up is not all that it appeared. Where did all this responsibility come from? What do you mean I have to pay bills, buy insurance, put gas in the car? What nut job invented such a thing as a mortgage? No one told me about all this when I was seven and making a fuss about being a grown up, about being able to do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it.
Growing up is a real mixture, is it not? Fun and frustrating. Exciting and exasperating. Paul provides the Colossians with blessed reality, that our all-merciful and all-loving God helps us to grow up. God doesn’t throw us into the deep end by ourselves. We are taught and instructed. We have models that we are fortunate to follow.
Parents are models. They demonstrate for their children the appropriate ways to behave in different places. We behave differently in church than we do on the playground. Our behavior in school is different than when we are playing in the basement with our brothers. As children we need to learn some things, and Mom and Dad are the prime teachers, from saying please and thank you to driving a car and balancing a checkbook.
Siblings are models. So are teachers, coaches, and pastors. All of the lessons we receive help us to grow.
With honesty we acknowledge that not all lessons are good, not all growth is good, and not all models are ideal. How long do you think it is before children realize that their parents are sinners? A week? A month? Thanks be to God it’s not that quick but children grasp the truth that mom and pop do things that are wrong, that their parents are sinners. And our parents model sinful behavior. We learn greed, sloth, hostility, spite, deception, and every other sin from the models that are in our life. We hear Grandma talk about our shiftless uncle when our uncle isn’t around to defend himself. We watch Dad deceive Mom in order to cover up his mistake. We receive firsthand from our brother what the wrong way to deal with anger is.
We need Paul’s instruction. The Colossians did, and together with our brothers and sisters from the first century, we learn with them about headship. We learn about authority. We learn how to grow up. “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
The first thing we hear from Paul is that we receive Christ. Christ is gift. Never lose sight of your baptism, of the holy washing, in the firm declaration of your status as God’s son or daughter. We receive Christ. We receive the Holy Spirit, who plants faith in our heart and gives us parents, grandparents, other models who help nurture that faith into blossom.
For most of us, we received Christ in our infancy. We received Christ without even asking for him. We received Christ with great humility, not claiming that we deserved him or that Christ was owed to us. As you received Christ, with meekness, so walk in Christ humbly.
As we walk with Christ, as we live with him, as we rest with Christ, as we live, move and have our being in Christ, we grow up into him. We are built up into Christ, who is truly our head.
God has made us His own. The Father has lovingly claimed us. Our Father thinks so highly of you and me that He has made us His own. Thus God the Father teaches us to grow up into Christ our head by the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit.
We walk in Jesus. We walk with Jesus. That is our prayer and that is what the triune God helps us to do. St. Patrick was quite a theologian. He lived and worked among the pagans and fearlessly confessed Jesus as Savior. Here is a prayer from St. Patrick that sheds light on the walk we make under the watchful and loving eye of God: Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Wednesday brought the reality of Christ’s presence to mind. Denny came to the office bringing the news that his father had passed away. Shortly after Denny left, news came that Fred Arimoto died. Their walk in Christ was completed on earth and that walk had led them to the Father’s side in heaven.
Walking in Christ, as we are encouraged to do, as we are strengthened to do, means being honest with ourselves and one another. It means honestly acknowledging that we were dead in our trespasses, dead in our sin, dead in all the ways that we have rejected God and served ourselves rather than our neighbors. Being dead in our trespasses, God made us alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Forgiven, we walk in Christ. We continue to grow up into Jesus. We grow to learn about the depth of forgiveness, the joy of sacrifice, the blessing of love that comforts and challenges, supports, holds fast, and releases. We grow into Christ. And by the Father’s grace, by the Spirit’s guidance, we walk in him until our life is ended. SDG
July 25, 2010
Colossians 2:6-15
Walk in him
In the name of Jesus, amen. When you are little, you long to be grown up. When you are grown up, you realize that being grown up is not all that it appeared. Where did all this responsibility come from? What do you mean I have to pay bills, buy insurance, put gas in the car? What nut job invented such a thing as a mortgage? No one told me about all this when I was seven and making a fuss about being a grown up, about being able to do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it.
Growing up is a real mixture, is it not? Fun and frustrating. Exciting and exasperating. Paul provides the Colossians with blessed reality, that our all-merciful and all-loving God helps us to grow up. God doesn’t throw us into the deep end by ourselves. We are taught and instructed. We have models that we are fortunate to follow.
Parents are models. They demonstrate for their children the appropriate ways to behave in different places. We behave differently in church than we do on the playground. Our behavior in school is different than when we are playing in the basement with our brothers. As children we need to learn some things, and Mom and Dad are the prime teachers, from saying please and thank you to driving a car and balancing a checkbook.
Siblings are models. So are teachers, coaches, and pastors. All of the lessons we receive help us to grow.
With honesty we acknowledge that not all lessons are good, not all growth is good, and not all models are ideal. How long do you think it is before children realize that their parents are sinners? A week? A month? Thanks be to God it’s not that quick but children grasp the truth that mom and pop do things that are wrong, that their parents are sinners. And our parents model sinful behavior. We learn greed, sloth, hostility, spite, deception, and every other sin from the models that are in our life. We hear Grandma talk about our shiftless uncle when our uncle isn’t around to defend himself. We watch Dad deceive Mom in order to cover up his mistake. We receive firsthand from our brother what the wrong way to deal with anger is.
We need Paul’s instruction. The Colossians did, and together with our brothers and sisters from the first century, we learn with them about headship. We learn about authority. We learn how to grow up. “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
The first thing we hear from Paul is that we receive Christ. Christ is gift. Never lose sight of your baptism, of the holy washing, in the firm declaration of your status as God’s son or daughter. We receive Christ. We receive the Holy Spirit, who plants faith in our heart and gives us parents, grandparents, other models who help nurture that faith into blossom.
For most of us, we received Christ in our infancy. We received Christ without even asking for him. We received Christ with great humility, not claiming that we deserved him or that Christ was owed to us. As you received Christ, with meekness, so walk in Christ humbly.
As we walk with Christ, as we live with him, as we rest with Christ, as we live, move and have our being in Christ, we grow up into him. We are built up into Christ, who is truly our head.
God has made us His own. The Father has lovingly claimed us. Our Father thinks so highly of you and me that He has made us His own. Thus God the Father teaches us to grow up into Christ our head by the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit.
We walk in Jesus. We walk with Jesus. That is our prayer and that is what the triune God helps us to do. St. Patrick was quite a theologian. He lived and worked among the pagans and fearlessly confessed Jesus as Savior. Here is a prayer from St. Patrick that sheds light on the walk we make under the watchful and loving eye of God: Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Wednesday brought the reality of Christ’s presence to mind. Denny came to the office bringing the news that his father had passed away. Shortly after Denny left, news came that Fred Arimoto died. Their walk in Christ was completed on earth and that walk had led them to the Father’s side in heaven.
Walking in Christ, as we are encouraged to do, as we are strengthened to do, means being honest with ourselves and one another. It means honestly acknowledging that we were dead in our trespasses, dead in our sin, dead in all the ways that we have rejected God and served ourselves rather than our neighbors. Being dead in our trespasses, God made us alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Forgiven, we walk in Christ. We continue to grow up into Jesus. We grow to learn about the depth of forgiveness, the joy of sacrifice, the blessing of love that comforts and challenges, supports, holds fast, and releases. We grow into Christ. And by the Father’s grace, by the Spirit’s guidance, we walk in him until our life is ended. SDG
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Precious
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Sigh. It was difficult today to receive the news of Denny Boon's father's death and the death of Fred Arimoto. Fred's passing was somewhat expected but still shocking as I thought there might be a little more time. Denny said that his dad was in decent shape but with a heart attack, death can come more suddenly than we ever realize.
With Fred, it brings me comfort that I was able to talk with him, pray read Scripture, hear his confession and declare the forgiveness of Christ to him. Fred had a comfortable faith that brought great comfort to him.
Sigh. It was difficult today to receive the news of Denny Boon's father's death and the death of Fred Arimoto. Fred's passing was somewhat expected but still shocking as I thought there might be a little more time. Denny said that his dad was in decent shape but with a heart attack, death can come more suddenly than we ever realize.
With Fred, it brings me comfort that I was able to talk with him, pray read Scripture, hear his confession and declare the forgiveness of Christ to him. Fred had a comfortable faith that brought great comfort to him.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Worship info for July 25
Hello hymnal owners, here is the info for July 25
Hymns
797 Praise the Almighty
772 In Holy Conversation
766 Our Father, Who From Heaven Above
909 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
Scripture Lessons
Genesis 18:20-33
Psalm 138
Colossians 2:6-15
Luke 11:1-13
Prayer of the Day
O Lord, let Your merciful ears be attentive to the prayers of Your servants, and by Your Word and Spirit teach us how to pray that our petitions may be pleasing before You; 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 commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22)
Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, restored Mary Magdalene to health and called her to be the first witness of His resurrection. Heal us from all our infirmities, and call us to know You in the power of Your Son's unending life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer of the Day for the commemoration of St. James the Elder (July 25)
O gracious God, your servant and apostle James was the first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the name of Jesus Christ. Pour out upon the leaders of Your Church that spirit of self-denying service that they may forsake all false and passing allurements and follow Christ alone, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Hymns
797 Praise the Almighty
772 In Holy Conversation
766 Our Father, Who From Heaven Above
909 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
Scripture Lessons
Genesis 18:20-33
Psalm 138
Colossians 2:6-15
Luke 11:1-13
Prayer of the Day
O Lord, let Your merciful ears be attentive to the prayers of Your servants, and by Your Word and Spirit teach us how to pray that our petitions may be pleasing before You; 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 commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22)
Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, restored Mary Magdalene to health and called her to be the first witness of His resurrection. Heal us from all our infirmities, and call us to know You in the power of Your Son's unending life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer of the Day for the commemoration of St. James the Elder (July 25)
O gracious God, your servant and apostle James was the first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the name of Jesus Christ. Pour out upon the leaders of Your Church that spirit of self-denying service that they may forsake all false and passing allurements and follow Christ alone, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Sermon from July 18
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
July 18, 2010
Colossians 1:21-29
…Which is Christ in you…
In the name of Jesus, amen. Paul’s portion of his letter to the Colossians will be our sermon text and it puts before our eyes a couple of matters. First of all, reading Paul can be a tricky endeavor. Paul needs a grammarian to help him. But that is not the important thing. The important matter is the issue of reconciliation. Reconciliation is a giant mountain in the lives of people. Non-Christians can find reconciliation just as Christians can.
Non-Christians can be reconciled to one another, but that reconciliation is often built upon a flimsy foundation, a foundation that is built upon winning and losing, upon grudges and power. That is reconciliation, that is fraud. It is pretending to be set at peace with one another while the reality remains that division still exists. This fraudulent reconciliation is cemented in the acknowledgment that peace only comes when someone is declared the winner and someone is declared the loser. Reconciliation is not about winning and losing. Reconciliation is about the Redeemer and what we have been redeemed from. We have been redeemed from our sins. We have been redeemed to new life, to a new start, to new opportunities to share the riches of the glory of God, which is Christ in you.
Reconciliation is too often, and sadly, something that we do indeed play at. But reconciliation is not a game. It is not the latest toy that offers us amusement for a brief time, or a computer game that diverts us from our work or gives us momentary pleasure. Reconciliation is serious. Joyfully serious. Blessedly serious. It is something that is urgently needed. And it is something that has already been accomplished!
Yes, my beloved, reconciliation is already completed. Not by us. Not by those wicked sinners who have hurt us so grievously. Not by anyone but Jesus Christ. We are reconciled in his body by his death so that we may be presented holy and blameless and above reproach to him, that is, to our loving God and Father.
Our children that came to VBS this past week didn’t know it, but they were learning about the reconciliation that already exists in Jesus Christ. They learned about the great fish symbol, the picture that speaks five words, the picture that speaks the eternal truth of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior.
Jesus came to earth at the direction of God the Father for the purpose of restoration, of reconstruction, of reconciliation. And without the marvelous mercy of Jesus, none of the restoration and reconciliation that we need could ever take place.
We are too human. We do not have it in us to forgive. We do not have it in us to take the lesser place and give the spot of honor to someone else. We do not have it in us to humble ourselves and lovingly wash the feet of another brother or sister. We do not have it in us to put down the grudge and pick up the love that endures, the love that is patient, the love that is kind, gentle, meek, and long-suffering. We simply do not have that kind of love in us, for we are too human.
Now we are good at loving. We are good at loving ourselves. We are good at loving others when that means we will benefit. We are good at loving others so that at a later date we’ll get something that we want. We’re good at extending the right hand of peace and gentleness while we extend our left hand to stab in the back with the sharp knife of spite and hostility. We’re too human.
We were conceived in sin and born in sin. It doesn’t take too long to realize that kids are sinners. And children very quickly reach the truth that grownups and parents are sinners too.
This morning we considered our unworthiness and confessed before God and each other that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We admitted the truth that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Because of that dreadful truth, we celebrate the reality of March 25 and the reality of December 25. We celebrate the birth of redemption as Jesus took on human flesh and lived as one of us, experiencing everything that the children of God experience. Yet Jesus remained sinless.
Jesus remained sinless not to set an example for us, to show us how to be sinless but so that Jesus might take into that sinless body all of our sins. On the cross Jesus became the greatest thief in all of criminal history. Jesus took my sin. Jesus took your sin. And Jesus claimed those sins as his own. He became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus worked reconciliation on the cross. And in being reconciled to God the Father, we are restored and reconstructed.
We are too human, full of sin, frailty, and weakness. But in the midst of our sinfulness, Christ dwells within us, strengthening us and transforming us to be agents of grace, ministers of mercy. We are empowered to make known among the Gentiles the riches of the glory of God. In this day Gentiles are all the people around us who have no connection to Christ. That includes your unbelieving neighbor, your Muslim or Buddhist coworker, all the people who are in need of the reconstructing redemption of Jesus Christ.
Since we are too human, it is imperative, yes imperative, to remember that Christ is the content. Christ is the content of our living. Christ is the content of our proclamation. It is the work of Christ that brings our forgiveness. It is the word of Christ that we hear and believe. It is the body and blood of Christ, broken and shed for you, that you will receive in blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Christ is the content.
And thus Christ is the content of all the reconciliation that takes place. Reconciliation is evidence of Christ in you. As was mentioned earlier, our sin holds on to the grudge. Our salvation helps us release the hatred, let go of the hurt, and pick up the fresh start, pick up the joy of being reconciled one to another.
By Christ’s death in the flesh and his resurrection, reconciliation exists. God is reconciled to us and we are reconciled to our loving Father. And this is a complete reconciliation, nothing halfway, nothing that is fake or phony. It is complete and thus Paul rejoices to declare that Christ is in the holy daughters and sons of God.
Christ is in you. Christ is in you to love you and comfort you. Christ is in you to challenge you and confront you. Christ is in you to embrace you. Christ is in you to bring you through all of your days until we are presented mature, complete in Christ to our merciful heavenly Father. Rejoice in your reconciliation. Rejoice in reconstruction, for this is Christ in you. SDG
July 18, 2010
Colossians 1:21-29
…Which is Christ in you…
In the name of Jesus, amen. Paul’s portion of his letter to the Colossians will be our sermon text and it puts before our eyes a couple of matters. First of all, reading Paul can be a tricky endeavor. Paul needs a grammarian to help him. But that is not the important thing. The important matter is the issue of reconciliation. Reconciliation is a giant mountain in the lives of people. Non-Christians can find reconciliation just as Christians can.
Non-Christians can be reconciled to one another, but that reconciliation is often built upon a flimsy foundation, a foundation that is built upon winning and losing, upon grudges and power. That is reconciliation, that is fraud. It is pretending to be set at peace with one another while the reality remains that division still exists. This fraudulent reconciliation is cemented in the acknowledgment that peace only comes when someone is declared the winner and someone is declared the loser. Reconciliation is not about winning and losing. Reconciliation is about the Redeemer and what we have been redeemed from. We have been redeemed from our sins. We have been redeemed to new life, to a new start, to new opportunities to share the riches of the glory of God, which is Christ in you.
Reconciliation is too often, and sadly, something that we do indeed play at. But reconciliation is not a game. It is not the latest toy that offers us amusement for a brief time, or a computer game that diverts us from our work or gives us momentary pleasure. Reconciliation is serious. Joyfully serious. Blessedly serious. It is something that is urgently needed. And it is something that has already been accomplished!
Yes, my beloved, reconciliation is already completed. Not by us. Not by those wicked sinners who have hurt us so grievously. Not by anyone but Jesus Christ. We are reconciled in his body by his death so that we may be presented holy and blameless and above reproach to him, that is, to our loving God and Father.
Our children that came to VBS this past week didn’t know it, but they were learning about the reconciliation that already exists in Jesus Christ. They learned about the great fish symbol, the picture that speaks five words, the picture that speaks the eternal truth of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior.
Jesus came to earth at the direction of God the Father for the purpose of restoration, of reconstruction, of reconciliation. And without the marvelous mercy of Jesus, none of the restoration and reconciliation that we need could ever take place.
We are too human. We do not have it in us to forgive. We do not have it in us to take the lesser place and give the spot of honor to someone else. We do not have it in us to humble ourselves and lovingly wash the feet of another brother or sister. We do not have it in us to put down the grudge and pick up the love that endures, the love that is patient, the love that is kind, gentle, meek, and long-suffering. We simply do not have that kind of love in us, for we are too human.
Now we are good at loving. We are good at loving ourselves. We are good at loving others when that means we will benefit. We are good at loving others so that at a later date we’ll get something that we want. We’re good at extending the right hand of peace and gentleness while we extend our left hand to stab in the back with the sharp knife of spite and hostility. We’re too human.
We were conceived in sin and born in sin. It doesn’t take too long to realize that kids are sinners. And children very quickly reach the truth that grownups and parents are sinners too.
This morning we considered our unworthiness and confessed before God and each other that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We admitted the truth that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Because of that dreadful truth, we celebrate the reality of March 25 and the reality of December 25. We celebrate the birth of redemption as Jesus took on human flesh and lived as one of us, experiencing everything that the children of God experience. Yet Jesus remained sinless.
Jesus remained sinless not to set an example for us, to show us how to be sinless but so that Jesus might take into that sinless body all of our sins. On the cross Jesus became the greatest thief in all of criminal history. Jesus took my sin. Jesus took your sin. And Jesus claimed those sins as his own. He became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus worked reconciliation on the cross. And in being reconciled to God the Father, we are restored and reconstructed.
We are too human, full of sin, frailty, and weakness. But in the midst of our sinfulness, Christ dwells within us, strengthening us and transforming us to be agents of grace, ministers of mercy. We are empowered to make known among the Gentiles the riches of the glory of God. In this day Gentiles are all the people around us who have no connection to Christ. That includes your unbelieving neighbor, your Muslim or Buddhist coworker, all the people who are in need of the reconstructing redemption of Jesus Christ.
Since we are too human, it is imperative, yes imperative, to remember that Christ is the content. Christ is the content of our living. Christ is the content of our proclamation. It is the work of Christ that brings our forgiveness. It is the word of Christ that we hear and believe. It is the body and blood of Christ, broken and shed for you, that you will receive in blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Christ is the content.
And thus Christ is the content of all the reconciliation that takes place. Reconciliation is evidence of Christ in you. As was mentioned earlier, our sin holds on to the grudge. Our salvation helps us release the hatred, let go of the hurt, and pick up the fresh start, pick up the joy of being reconciled one to another.
By Christ’s death in the flesh and his resurrection, reconciliation exists. God is reconciled to us and we are reconciled to our loving Father. And this is a complete reconciliation, nothing halfway, nothing that is fake or phony. It is complete and thus Paul rejoices to declare that Christ is in the holy daughters and sons of God.
Christ is in you. Christ is in you to love you and comfort you. Christ is in you to challenge you and confront you. Christ is in you to embrace you. Christ is in you to bring you through all of your days until we are presented mature, complete in Christ to our merciful heavenly Father. Rejoice in your reconciliation. Rejoice in reconstruction, for this is Christ in you. SDG
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 18 worship info
Here is the information for our worship service this Sunday:
Hymns
911 Lord, This Day We've Come to Worship
536 One Thing's Needful
900 Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love
855 For All the Faithful Women v1,9,3,4
904 Blessed Jesus, at Your Word
576 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
Scripture Lessons
Genesis 18:1-14
Colossians 1:21-29
Luke 10:38-42
Prayer of the Day
O Lord, grant us the Spirit to hear Your Word and know the one thing needful that by Your Word and Spirit we may live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Hymns
911 Lord, This Day We've Come to Worship
536 One Thing's Needful
900 Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love
855 For All the Faithful Women v1,9,3,4
904 Blessed Jesus, at Your Word
576 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
Scripture Lessons
Genesis 18:1-14
Colossians 1:21-29
Luke 10:38-42
Prayer of the Day
O Lord, grant us the Spirit to hear Your Word and know the one thing needful that by Your Word and Spirit we may live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Monday, July 12, 2010
In the groove
Hi blog followers...I'm back in the groove today, the groove in my chair that is! I'm back in the office following a great vacation. The kids had a great time. It was very hot, so we scrapped our plans for zoos and museums and other things and instead spent our time at a really good splash park in Manassas VA. We spent several hours there going down slides, floating on a lazy river, and generally squealing with delight. (At least Corinna did the squealing, the boys competed seeing who could say "Watch me! Watch this! Look at me! Look at me!" I think they ended in a tie.)
We also found an inflatable play area and let the boys climb inflatable slides, an obstacle course and a bouncy area. Again, they had lots of fun.
They got to play with their cousins, hang out with their grandparents, and run around. It was great.
Now I'm finishing up with VBS preparation for the week and listening to our LCMS convention over the web. Exciting stuff.
We also found an inflatable play area and let the boys climb inflatable slides, an obstacle course and a bouncy area. Again, they had lots of fun.
They got to play with their cousins, hang out with their grandparents, and run around. It was great.
Now I'm finishing up with VBS preparation for the week and listening to our LCMS convention over the web. Exciting stuff.
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