Unto you a Savior is born

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53

Keep Christ in Christmas and first and foremost in our daily lives. By His blood we are healed and redeemed. Thanks be to God!

 

Loving your Neighbor

 Is meaningless without first loving God.

Jesus declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40.

While these two commandments are the foundations of our faith, our love of our Lord supersedes the call to love our neighbor and ourselves. This current generation has lifted the love of self to transcendent heights. Mainline churches feed this narrative by affirming those who choose to elevate their desires above all else. We absolutely can love our neighbor as ourselves without affirming that which separates them from God’s love. Once our human desires supersede our identities as followers of Christ, we no longer worship Him, we worship ourselves.

In deference to the Beatles song, love is not all you need. The dichotomy of loving, while correcting, is a difficult road to travel. Our unrelenting judgementalism often closes the door while eliciting anger and resentment from the very people we are to be reaching out with love. While we endeavor to help the lost find Christ, our spiritual ineptness often shuts down any opportunity to do so. Question is, how do we “gently instruct” the misguided back to Christ before they are lost to the evil one?

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 

Even though we were enemies of God, Jesus went to that cross and died for us, and through our faith in Him, grants us forgiveness of all our sin and guarantees a place with him throughout eternity. Is this too great an ask? By faith alone. He only wants our heart, nothing else. Heavy stuff. God wants all His children to be with Him in eternity. It pains Him greatly if even one of His children are lost to the evil one. God loves all His children unconditionally. By His grace and mercy, He forgives all sin, no matter what! But, in order to partake in His eternity, faith in the Risen Christ is necessary. If our well-intended actions push away those in need of God’s grace, we are not building God’s Kingdom. We have become an impediment to it.

Human sexuality is the vehicle used by the evil one to divide and conquer. Humankind’s innate selfishness is the tool that sharpens the sword that separates us from God. Perverting humankind’s diversities creates an easy avenue to divide and create dissention based upon insignificant differences, such as skin color, socio-economic status, political and religious beliefs. We are all God’s children. That makes us all brothers and sisters. Even that pink haired, nose ringed young lady who shouts out her distain for Christianity. Even that young man who identifies as a woman. Even those who spew hatred towards others that have different opinions than themselves. God loves and wants each and every one of His children to come to Him.

With Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, God opens reconciliation to all who believe. Without legitimate discourse, human to human reconciliation can never be reached. The goal is to engage in real discussion, which also includes listening without judging. It is not our job to judge. This is a tall task as it remains all too easy to remain bound by the law. While the Gospel frees us from the consequences of the law, the law teaches what God expects of us. Sexual immorality is mentioned over 6000 times in the Bible. Any sexual relations outside of the sacrament of marriage is called immoral. The sacrament of marriage is reserved for one man and one woman. What of our neighbors in a same-sex relationship? Those that identify as transgender? Those who have multiple sex partners in and out of relationships? We are wondrously formed by God, each designed for His purposes. No matter how we look, what our strengths or weaknesses, talents or lack of talents, or our status in life, God has a place for you in His plan for us. Just believe!

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  He died for everyone. His mercy and grace is available to all, no matter what. He loves the worst of us, even me and you.

We are called to testify to our neighbors about Christ’s love for them. We are to share the joy we receive from being loved by Him. We are called to plant seeds that the Holy Spirit can nurture and grow. We are not called to cast judgement or try to save the lost of our own volition. We must find a way to reach out in Christian love with the hope that the door may open, if just a crack, for the Holy Spirit to take root. The late Pastor Tim Keller had a way to disarm the most fervent denier. Listening, while posing questions about the person and their beliefs. Often, the person discovered that their own arguments lacked validity, opening the door to rational discussion. Be immersed in His Word. Pray for guidance. Wear your spiritual armor and listen to the Holy Spirit when an opportunity to testify arises.

“The whole being of any Christian is faith and love. Faith brings the person to God; love brings the person to people.” Martin Luther

 

 

 

 

All the World’s a Stage

 

All the world’s a stage and we are merely players in it. Sounds like a perfectly worldly assessment of our roles here on earth, but is it actually accurate? The cast of characters in our play is led by the author of our story, God Himself. The hero is played by none other than Jesus Christ, the true and only Son of the Father. The villain, portrayed by the fallen angel Satan, who prods and cajoles God’s children into engaging in all manner of sinful activity. The objects of the hero’s affection are played by God’s created and beloved human beings. Plot – God’s overwhelming love for His children causes Him to send His only Son to suffer and die as a sin offering in their place to defeat death so that all of God’s children have the opportunity to be with Him throughout eternity.

Act I – Creation of all that is, starring the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God creates the heavens and the earth and it was good. God was lonely, so he created someone to have fellowship with, a human being. God created His children with free will and in His great love for us, gave us dominion over everything on and over the earth and it was very good.

Act II – The fall of man, starring Adam, Eve and all of mankind throughout the ages.

Adam and Eve are tempted and fall for the lies of Satan. As punishment, they are evicted from the Garden of Eden. This begins a series of unfortunate events. Free will is a blessing, but humans all too frequently make into a curse. It causes man to engage in all manner of depravity. God is not pleased. God saves the righteous man Noah and his family, but brings a flood to drown out all of the evil in the world. Noah’s descendants repopulate the earth, but evil returns with a flourish. Righteous people are few and far between and prophets, inspired by God try over and over again to bring the others back to God. Some prophets are killed and some are banished. Over and over God gives His children the chance to return to Him, but Satan has much influence over society. Generations come and generations go with God’s children failing to live up to God’s standards. God invokes the final solution.  

Act III - The Lamb of God suffers, dies and rises to deliver us all from the death and punishment that we justly deserve.

Rather than relegate this rebellious generation to oblivion, God has mercy on His children. There is no way that anyone can live without sin and no way to earn salvation. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That Word is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who has been with God and the Holy Spirit from the beginning. Just like the calvary charging over the hill in the nick of time, God provided the final solution. Because God loved His children so much, He sent His one and only Son to stand in for all of us sinners. Rather than banish us from His presence, God did what only a perfectly loving Father could do. Jesus Christ, true human and true God, would take our place and endure a horrific death that truly was meant for each one of us. As the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, all that Jesus endured was also experienced by the Father. Perfect love, perfect forgiveness. Then, with the entire past, present and future sin of the world on Jesus’ shoulders, the Father abandoned Him, severing Their everlasting connection, leaving Jesus to die utterly alone. But that was not the conclusion of the story. Jesus rose, defeated death, and opened the door to our salvation!

Act IV – Final Act - Judgement Day.

Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead. The Evil One will be banished to the pit of fire. A new heaven and a new earth will replace our broken world. Death will be no more. All of God’s children have the opportunity to accept that Jesus died for them and is the true Son of the living God. That is all that is asked of God’s children as a precursor to life eternal in paradise. Everyone has the opportunity to accept and believe until the final trumpet is sounded. But why wait until the last minute? Nothing else is required. Accept and believe in the one who took your place on the cross. Turn your life over to Jesus. It’s actually very simple. Jesus stands ready at your door. You only need to open it and invite Him in.

Pray this simple prayer, “Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Father. I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please you. I choose you. I give myself to you. I receive your forgiveness and ask you to take your rightful place in my life as my Savior and Lord. Come reign in my heart, fill me with your love and your life, and help me to become a person who is truly loving—a person like you. Restore me, Jesus. Live in me. Love through me. Thank you, God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Audacity of Faith

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times.” Martin Luther

It is difficult to wrap one’s head around the fact that God’s grace is freely and unconditionally given to those who believe in His one true Son. That by simply believing that Jesus Christ went to the Cross carrying all of our past, present and future sin and died the death that we all deserve guarantees our salvation seems all too easy. There has to be a catch. Nothing so valuable, nothing so delightful, and nothing so important could be given without first earning it, could it? What about the “Golden Rule”? What if I fall short and disappoint God with my failures and doubts?

“To be convinced in our hearts that we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God by grace alone is the hardest thing.” Martin Luther

There is nothing that you can do to make God love you any less. There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more. His love is infinite and He loves us more than we could ever imagine. These words are spoken at all of our Baptism celebrations. Let that soak in for a minute. I can never do enough to earn God’s love and I can never fail enough to have Him turn away. Absolute love and grace to each and every believer by our loving Father. No strings attached! So, why do many Christians serve their neighbor in God’s Name? It is because of the gratitude of the believer that he wants to please our Lord in everything we do.

“The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy.” Martin Luther

So many Christians seem to be stuck in the law. Our default is the false belief that grace needs to be, somehow, earned. We so often engage in “finger pointing”, emphasizing other’s shortcomings as if by doing so, our innate sinfulness is obscured by those we believe to be worse than us. The law convicts, the Gospel frees. We are freed from the consequences of our sin by the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The law simply informs us of behavior that is not pleasing to our God.

“Grace remits sin, and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. The law says, 'Do this,' and it is never done. Grace says, 'Believe in this,' and everything is already done.” Martin Luther

Luther is quite repetitive in his interpretation of grace. Grace by faith alone. Not by works, but works do fulfill an important component in the Christian’s life. As you want to please your spouse in everything you do, we endeavor to act in a manner pleasing to God. Forgive as He forgives you. Help those who need your help. In everything you do, do so that those who observe, will recognize the love of the Lord in your deeds. No, these good deeds are not a requirement of our faith, but our appreciation of our Lord’s sacrifice for us directs us to love others as He loves us and sacrifice for them.

“This grace of God is a very great, strong, mighty and active thing. It does not lie asleep in the soul. Grace hears, leads, drives, draws, changes, works all in man, and let’s itself be distinctly felt and experienced. It is hidden, but its works are evident.” Martin Luther

Despite Ourselves

I am a Christian, yet I am terribly flawed. As a disciple of Christ, I know what my Lord expects of me. Yet, try as I may to be what God wants me to be, I continue to fail miserably. I am indeed fortunate that God is faithful and just and will forgive my sins, because I need to ask for His forgiveness over and over again. I am often a poor example. Many who see my faults, cite those shortcomings as excuses to not accept Christ and not engage in fellowship with the church. I am to be an ambassador for my Lord and people are watching, and they often don’t like what they see. I am judgmental. I criticize what I perceive as the inadequacies of others, but fail to recognize my own shortcomings. I will look down upon those that are different or have opinions that are different than mine. I hold an inflated opinion of myself and will perform my good works in a way that others can see, so that I can take the credit for those good deeds.

I am a Christian, yet I am selfish. I will, more often than not, ignore that little nudge from the Holy Spirit to complete a task for our Lord, and instead, take the easy way out and do what it is that I want to do for myself. This is my biggest failure and my gravest sin against my Lord. For when my wants and desires take precedence over my Lord and Savior, I deny Him and worship myself, my identity and my possessions. I fail to remember that everything that I have, even life itself, is a gift from God. When I fail to welcome others, to share what I have with those in need, and to give of my time to those who are lonely, I also deny my Lord and Savior. Mark 8:34-38, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

I am a Christian, yet I continue to commit sins against my Lord. My proclivity to feed the desires of the flesh, more often than not, cause me to err and to fall into sin. I take for granted my gifts from my Lord and I am often much too eager to accept the praises of others when I step out and serve the Lord. I fail to acknowledge God for the gifts He has given me and then selfishly keep them to myself. I am called to tithe, to give to my Lord only one tenth of what He has given me, yet I often only place a few dollars in the offering plate. Leviticus 27:30, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD”. My world revolves around myself, not God, making me an idol worshipper, lifting myself up as the idol.

We are Christians and children of God. No matter what it is that we do, despite all of our faults and failings, our God loves us all beyond our understanding. There is nothing we can do to earn His love. There is nothing we could do that would cause Him to not love us. 1 John 3:1, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” I am made perfect in Christ." Colossians 1:22-23, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.” Jesus took upon Himself all of our sins, suffered and died on the cross in our place, and defeated death so that we may be granted salvation and eternal life with our Lord.

We are Christians and we are saved. We can be eternally grateful that our Lord and Savior forgives us unconditionally despite the errors of our ways. Hebrews 9:15, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” The truth  is that God wants all of His children to believe and be saved, that everyone comes to Him through faith in the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. There is much sacrifice to be made by a disciple of Christ. There is nothing easy about the tasks our Lord sets before us. But, when we obey our Lord and trust in His will, we will be made perfect in His sight. All of us unworthy, sinful human beings are sanctified in God’s eyes by the blood of our Savior. And the cost to us to be able to receive this offer of grace from our God; nothing more than faith in the Risen Christ. Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

May everyone have a blessed Easter, remembering what Christ did for us, to grant us the gift of salvation, opening the door to eternal life in paradise with Him!

Spiritual Logic

“We don’t have to force Jesus on anybody, or convince individuals that their spiritual logic is faulty. Our task is to embody Christian love, not play savior” Peter W. Marty, an ELCA pastor in his column, Leaving Church Behind for the June 2014 “The Lutheran” magazine. Marty is a good soldier for the ELCA. Now fulfilling his oath to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is another matter. As with all good ELCA henchmen, the church and its’ congregational life is the most important aspect of their faith. Inclusivity, tolerance and diversity are what church is all about, isn’t it? After all, how could one properly embody true Christian love without an organization that leads the otherwise faithful. Marty muses about those that have kissed congregational life goodbye or have grown indifferent to faith. Curious the choice to place congregational life before faith is so very typical to this wayward denomination. This essay details several parishioners that fled his congregation. One couple left after reading his essay, Serendipitous, where on a particular Wednesday night, Marty inexplicably stopped at home to find his wife collapsed due to a brain aneurism. Marty’s Wednesday nights are typically filled with church activities and he seldom got home until very late. Not this day though. No credit given to God for directing him home at the precise time to enable him to save his wife’s life, simply an acknowledgement of a convergence of circumstances. Take a look at all some of the comments that accept Marty’s explanation that God is not in charge and that the Holy Spirit had nothing to do with this apparent miracle. It is so sad when a pastor decides that he needs to lead his flock astray in order to declare himself to be the smartest person in the room.

Marty cites another example of a self-absorbed man at whom Marty snarkily comments, “I sometimes wonder if Shawn is addicted to himself. He certainly figures frequently into the center of most conversations.” It appears that pastoral guidance and direction are above his pay grade. Marty then poses the question of what to do with those who were once shaped by Christian community and are a great distance from anything that hints of religious practice within an institution. Concern for their spiritual well-being will have to wait for someone else, perhaps like the ELCA doctrine of “Accompaniment”, since the seeds of faith were planted, his work is done. From there Marty moves into the blame game. Oh, those Christians that have the temerity to believe in the authority of Scripture. Those rotten Bible thumpers are always casting aspersions (and stones) on those lost souls that do not believe as they do. Holding true to the faith, believing that Jesus is the way and the light and the truth, believing that there is no way to the Father but through faith in the living Christ, apparently makes traditional Christians purveyors of exclusivity, building a wall between themselves and humanity. Yes, Marty does not specifically state this in his essay, but the inference is loud and proud. “Presumptuousness over our preferences and tastes is not a virtue.” Marty may liken himself to some of the great theologians that espoused novel and innovative interpretations of Scripture, but he doesn’t get it at all. In other words, his version of an explanation of the path God has set looks like so many lemmings falling off a cliff.

Yes, as followers of Christ, we are to embody Christian love. We are to share the love that He first gave us. We are to share the forgiveness that He gave to those who don’t deserve it. When we allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit, the love of Christ will flow from our hearts like a river. Everything we are is a gift from God. Pleasing Him is our greatest joy, yet our deepest disappointment as we fail, over and over, to follow our Father’s will. Paul said in Romans 7:14-25, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Jesus chose Paul to preach His Gospel to the world and even Paul found that his inner sinful nature caused him engage, over and over, in sinful behavior. We are no different. Through faith in the Risen Christ, one is no longer subject to the law, whose penalty is death. But, knowing that obedience to the law is pleasing to God, we can come to better understand the path He has set before us.

Therein lies the dangerousness of the doctrine of bound conscience that affirms sinners and disregards their sin. Without our acknowledgment that we are indeed sinful and cannot free ourselves from the grip of sin without our Lord and Savior, we are destined to fall away from His presence. Jesus Christ was sacrificed for us, a sinful humanity. Faith in the Risen Savior grants everlasting life. Our call is to share the love of Christ in our actions, in our words, and in our lives. It is the Holy Spirit working within us, not us trying to play savior. If someone’s spiritual logic is faulty, it is our responsibility to act to help lead them back to the Truth. 2 Timothy 4:2-4, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Sorry Marty, the theology of the ELCA is drifting much closer to myth as it continues to abandon God’s Truth.

Again, as in most ELCA essays there is the cursory nod to diversity and sensitivity. “We get to think and talk thoughtfully, bringing fresh clarity to our faith convictions while expanding our sensitivity toward what may seem like the odd practices of others.” This is also promoting the idea of universalism that seems to be overtaking the ELCA and the hands off approach to evangelism that abandons their responsibility to reach the lost for Christ. Seems to me that Marty is intent upon challenging Christians to stand down and accept the diversity of other religions, rather than to proclaim the Gospel and reach the lost for Christ. If this distorted version of Christianity continues to be exposed to the world, more and more of God’s children will be lost.

Peaks and Valleys

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38.

Our lives have many peaks and valleys, ebbs and flows. Our highs can be as brilliant as the sun, while we can also fall into the utter darkness of our lows. No matter how hard we try, some things will always be out of reach. Even our greatest successes come with the realization that our journey is not complete. Reaching the mountain peak ends with the trip back down that is just as arduous, perhaps even more dangerous than our ascent. No matter what achievements we accomplish, there is another hurdle waiting for us to conquer. No measure of fame or fortune will ever fully satisfy our longing. We were carefully crafted by our Creator. There is a deliberate emptiness ingrained into our souls that can be filled with the one and only thing that truly completes us.

Problem is, we need to deny our very self in order to welcome this life saving thing into our lives. Our selfish nature fights against giving in to the very thing that can truly fill our empty hearts. Self-preservation is the natural state of humanity and giving up our autonomy grates against that fact. What is so special about this thing that saves us from ourselves? That one special thing that your heart longs for is the saving grace of Jesus Christ. How do we get it? Open your heart and allow Jesus Christ to enter your heart. What is the cost? The cost was already borne by a Savior that stood in for you. When we come to the realization that we are bound to sin and cannot free ourselves without His saving grace, we can finally let go. No matter what we do, we cannot earn our salvation. No matter what we say can free us from the condemnation that is the consequence for our actions and inactions.
But, when Jesus was nailed to that cross, He took with Him all of our sins. He freely substituted Himself for us and accepted the punishment we rightly deserve. Three days after His death His resurrection opened the door to eternity for each and every one of us. How can this be? Don’t we have to earn this grace? Don’t we have to obey all the rules? It is simply having faith in the Risen Savior. That’s all. Allow Christ into your heart and let Him fill you with the joy of your salvation.

So many in the secular world decry Christianity as simply a religion of rules that cannot be kept, a religion that is critical of non-believers, and a religion that excludes, rather than welcomes. Why would anyone choose to belong to an organization with people who cannot even remotely live up to the commandments they profess to believe and revere? Because it is not about us. Because we are every bit as sinful as those who do not know Christ. Because nothing we can do or say can earn even a portion of the grace granted those who believe in God’s one true Son. Yet, the only thing God asks in return for this gift is your heart. When you believe in the Risen Christ, all is granted to you. When you step away from the shackles of this life that constantly pull you down and accept the freedom that comes with giving your heart to Christ, a great weight is lifted. When you realize that God is in control, the emptiness fades. From Casting Crowns praise hymn, "All You’ve Ever Wanted", “All You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted, all You've ever wanted was my heart. Freedom's arms are open, my chains have all been broken. Relentless love has called me from the start. And all You wanted was my heart. I was chasing healing when I'd been made well. I was fighting battles when You conquered hell. Living free but from a prison cell, Lord, I lay it down today. So I'll stop living off of how I feel and start standing on Your truth revealed. Jesus is my strength, my shield and He will never fail me. No more chains, I've been set free. No more fighting battles You've won for me. Now in Christ, I stand complete.”

Mainline Protestant churches fight to stem the loss of members by watering down the Truth, choosing to fight for social justice rather than proclaiming the Gospel, affirming sinful behavior rather than standing for the authority of Scripture and acquiescing to secular society rather than leading the lost to Christ. The leaders of the ELCA, UCC and Episcopal churches have lost their way. Far too many of our brothers and sisters in Christ have put their trust in churches that are leading them away from the Truth. Pray for those adrift in the heresies promoted by these errant denominations, that they open their hearts, eyes and minds and return to the path that the Lord has set before them. “Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32.

For You

As Christmas fast approaches, we need to keep this in mind. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was born for one purpose. He was born to die for us, a sinful humanity. That little baby in swaddling clothes, laying in a manger, was born under a death sentence. Because of the evil in this world, committed by a sinful humanity, He had to suffer the penalty that each and every one of us fully deserves. We rejoice that His sacrifice enables those who believe, to gain eternal life with our Father in heaven. We truly owe a debt of gratitude to our Lord. While so much of the world decries the Truth, instead placing their faith in this world, those who truly believe are filled with the joy of the promise of everlasting life. How empty this life must be for those who have no expectation of life after this inconsequential life on earth that we live. This makes our Lord’s command of the Great Commission to make Disciples of all nations, even more important. Our joy is meant to be shared. Our Father desires all of His children to come to Him. Just think, if every Christian simply shared the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with one person who does not know Him, just how many more may come to know the Truth and be saved. How many more brothers and sisters in Christ would there be in this world?

Many who do not know Him claim that a God that sent His son to die is truly not a God of love. Know this, our God, who is one with the Son and the Holy Spirit, came down in human form and experienced all the pain, suffering and death Himself. A sacrifice such as this is truly an example the greatest love. To give one’s life, especially in such an agonizing way, is the ultimate sacrifice. The Son, God incarnate, humbly offered Himself as atonement for our sin. John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Our sacrifice as Disciples of Christ is to simply step outside of our comfort zone and proclaim the Truth to the world. We need to break out of the routine denial of our faith. Even Peter, the rock on which the Christian church was built, denied our Lord. When we have the opportunity to testify to the Truth and choose to ignore that opportunity presented by the Holy Spirit, and to be sure, God’s plan consists of many opportunities for the faithful, we deny Him just as Peter did. When we fail to share the joy that the love of Christ provides us, because we “don’t want to come across as too religious, we deny our neighbor the chance to come to Him. Every sermon you hear, every word of Scripture you hear and read, and every prayer you offer to the Lord is used to prepare you to serve the Lord. The Lord is constantly grooming you for the task of proclaiming His glory.

2 Peter 3:8-10, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” One day, God will call the faithful home. He wants none of His children to fall into the abyss, so it is incumbent upon us to put on our spiritual armor and become Disciples of Christ. And Disciples are charged to bring the lost to Him. As John the Baptist proclaimed, Luke 3:4-6, "As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all mankind will see God’s salvation.” We are called to prepare the way for our Lord. It is the least we can do for Him, who gave everything for us. If we choose to withhold our testimony today, will tomorrow be too late?

Now What?

It may be someone you've just met or it may be a life long friend.  A lively discussion turns to religion. Then that person asks you about your relationship with Jesus Christ and salvation.  During the discussion the Spirit inspires that person to be open to giving their life to Christ.  Now what?  Sometimes that gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit is more like a kick in the teeth.  Someone is searching for Christ and the Holy Spirit has chosen you to bring one of the lost to Him.  How do I help lead this baby Christian to the Lord?  We can simply pray for the Lord to give us the words and not to let us mess this up or we can prepare ourselves for that eventuality.  2 Timothy 4::3, "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." The following may help you if you are ever faced with the task of leading one of the lost to Him.

Prayer For a New Christian

The Lord has been waiting patiently outside, and now you have chosen to let Him in.

Let us pray together,

Lord,

“Father, I know that I am broken and my sinful nature has separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life and toward you. Please forgive me, and lead me on the path you have set before me. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ suffered the punishment and died for my sins, That He was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to lead me to do Your will for the rest of my life.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

The Holy Spirit now dwells within you, and you have been reborn to life in Christ.

                   

You have begun an incredible journey and an exciting new life in Christ!  I pray the Lord will bless you wondrously.

The Lord has entered fully into your life; your sins are now forgiven from your past; Let us pray that you turn away from your past sin and don't look back. The Lord has granted you eternal life; Let us pray that you share it joyfully with Him.  You have become a blessed child of God.  Let us pray that you and I strive to do our Father's will. A great adventure lies ahead for you; Let us pray that you will triumph in His love.

And when the Great Deceiver tries to tempt you, let us pray that you resist his every move.

We pray this In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Real Thing

Sometimes lost in our disagreements within God’s church are the things that really matter. We argue about doctrine, but often fail to realize that we are justified by our faith in the Risen Christ, alone. Not by our works and not because we cling to sound doctrine. But, sound Christian doctrine does matter, and it matters greatly. When we are marked by our Lord as His, we no longer are dead within our sin. We are a new creation. We turn away from the flesh and reach for the Spirit. In our efforts to please the One we love, we endeavor to obey His commands. We fill our lives with all the things that bring us closer to our Savior. Even though we are no longer under the law, we obey out of our love for Him who took our sins to the cross, suffered and died so that we may live. Whatever your sin, it does not matter to our Lord, who forgives us if we only ask for His forgiveness. Jesus said, Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Some would cite this as a reason to allow those who fall into sin, to continue in sin because we are also sinners, no better than they, with no authority to offer correction. On the contrary, if a brother or sister falls into sin, it is our responsibility as a child of God to encourage that person back to the narrow path.

This is why it is so disturbing to those true to the Lord when they see a church fall away from Him, enamored with the things of this world. Our Lord and Savior hung on that cross, bearing the sins of all humanity for all time. He sacrificed Himself, suffering a horrible, excruciating death, receiving the punishment that we so justly deserve. And part of that punishment entailed God totally withdrawing from Jesus, leaving Him utterly alone, having to endure the awful burden of the past, present and future sins of the entire world. He offered Himself for us, each and every one of us. His blood bought us our salvation. Try to understand the suffering our Savior endured for us. Pilate had Jesus scourged as part of his punishment. A scourge was a cat of nine tails whip with wide metal hooks that actually tore out pieces of flesh with every lash. Every sin we commit caused those pieces of flesh to be torn out of our Savior. And death by crucifixion was slow and extremely painful. One had to hold up their entire body weight to keep from suffocating, then when totally exhausted, their own body weight would cause them to suffocate. And Jesus had to hold up His weight with limbs that were nailed to the cross. All this because he loved each and every one of us, with only one string attached, that we believe.

But, out of this terrible suffering came something so wonderful, so amazing that the world has been changed forever. Jesus defeated the powers of death and rose from the dead, paving the way for us to also defeat death. Once we believe, we are no longer under penalty of death. This world too shall pass away, but when we leave this world, something so very special awaits us. Our Lord and Savior promised in John 14:1-4, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” The way to our Father’s house is through faith in the Risen Christ. When we believe. we are born again and become a new creation. When we believe we die to this world and begin our new life as a child of Christ. Nothing is the same. We live differently than we did before. We live to please our God.

John 14:23-24, Jesus said “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” As Christians, we love our Lord above all else. We follow what He has taught. We joyfully obey God’s law. We look forward to our new life with our Lord. Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

You Can't Have it Both Ways

You can’t profess your morality in one particular way and then disregard those beliefs when you don’t want to apply them is a particular situation. To do so would be hypocritical. When one has a set of values that they espouse, those values should hold true, in all circumstances. We cannot abandon our core beliefs if the situation changes or if it is inconvenient for us. If a vegetarian has chosen to forgo the consumption of meat in his or her diet, with the exception that he or she likes to eat bacon, that person is not a true vegetarian. You can’t profess to be strict with your children, yet allow your child to do whatever they please. You can’t be a good example for others when your failings are all too apparent. You can’t say one thing and mean another. Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.“

The ELCA continues to serve two masters. On one hand the ELCA’s Confession of Faith states that this church confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. That Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. That the proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. That the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, inspired by God's Spirit and speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world. They accept all three creeds and all the confessional writings of the Book of Concord. All is in order in the ELCA, or is it?

But wait, they also accept the doctrine of “bound conscience” which allows one to have their own interpretation of Scripture, as long as they truly believe in their hearts, placing them in authority of Scripture and thereby relegating God’s word to a lesser standing than their own experience and tradition. Others are called to respect their interpretation, even if it is in obvious error. The gospel of affirmation is also acceptable to the ELCA, accepting the belief that God will affirm us within our sin with no need to ask for forgiveness. Universal salvation, the belief that everyone is going to be saved, regardless of faith, is also accepted by the ELCA. Congregations may engage in goddess worship and still maintain their “good standing” with the ELCA. The Lutheran Magazine, the ELCA’s official publication in an April 2008 feature article on Easter, questioned the deity of Jesus Christ and cast doubt upon the Resurrection. Other Essays, published on the ELCA’s website at the Digging Deeper section, since removed for clarification, also casted doubt upon the Virgin Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The ELCA revels in its’ diversity of opinion and beliefs. Nothing is out of bounds for this misguided denomination.

What is it going to be then? Do we take the ELCA at their word that their confession of faith is placed ahead of their social agenda and drive to be diverse and all accepting, or have they fallen in love with one doctrine while hating the other? Or do the leaders and scholars of the ELCA say one thing, but really believe something else?  Unfortunately for the ELCA there are absolutes in this world. No matter how hard you try or how much you want it to be different, when you add two plus two, the answer will always be four. It would certainly be nice if we could follow any old whim and believe whatever we wanted. But, that is not what our Lord has asked of us. God has given us a number of absolutes and no matter how hard the leaders and scholars of the ELCA proclaim that He is now telling us “something new”, these truths remain. John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” So, for a church to accept doctrine that denies that faith in the Risen Christ is not necessary to gain our salvation, to accept sinful behavior specifically prohibited by God’s word and to accept those that practice their faith contrary to their stated confession of faith, is not a church at all. For if the absolutes that our Father has placed before us do not matter to this church, this church should not matter to anyone who professes their faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Our Christian family that remains trapped within the ELCA is another matter. We must be diligent in our prayers that more will be rescued from this wayward denomination so that no more fall prey to these false teachings. The salvation of too many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are at risk to simply walk away.

The Great Deceiver

Genesis 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” God gave free rein to man with only one condition, that he must not eat of just one tree in the entire Garden. Man was given dominion over all the earth with only one law given to him by the Lord. Sounds pretty easy. Not so much. Genesis 3:1-7, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” The first time humankind is tempted by Satan, the decision is made to accept those words more pleasing to their ears, believing that they could be as enlightened as God Himself. And by using their limited experience and knowledge, original sin is given birth and thus begins humankind’s continuing discord within our relationship with God.

Jesus said in John 14:5-7, “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” No one comes to the Father except through faith in the Risen Christ. But, the leaders of the ELCA promote a kinder, gentler way. They want to please all those that want what their itching ears long to hear. They promote that all faiths have a path to heaven and all faiths are to be valued, even to the point of embracing the tenets of other faiths and blending them into their own. Their false gospels of univeral salvation and affirmation deceive their members with lies. These false gospels do not recognize sinful behavior and do not require a Savior, because this deceitful doctrine promotes no repentance for sin and salvation for all, regardless of your faith. If one would accept these false teachings, why then should we accept and have faith in the Risen Christ? Because, the leaders of the ELCA promote that although there are many ways to gain one's salvation, Christianity is a “better” way than some of the other world religions.  So, according to the doctrine of universal salvation, one is free to accept Christ or not, just continue in fellowship with the diversity that is the ELCA and continue to give your money to help them spread their message.  Does this sound like the church that Jesus commanded us to build?

In the Great Commision, Jesus commanded His disciples to go out and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:18-20, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The leaders of the ELCA have determined that it is inappropriate for those appointed as missionaries to proselytize. In other words, they are not to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations where they serve the Lord. Using the concept of "accompaniment” they forgo their responsibility to proclaim the Gospel, instead deferring to their mission partners and decide that they better accomplish their mission for the Lord as a facilitator, not as evangelists. The leaders of the ELCA claim on their website, that in the past they established, funded, and directed mission around the world. Now as a result of missions established around the world, they have become a partner in the global mission. These newly established churches will take on the command of the Great Commission and proclaim the Gospel. Apparently, the ELCA views it’s work around the world as done, needing only to supervise the few seeds they have planted. This is apparently why the mission budget for the ELCA took the brunt of the loss of revenue due to many congregations leaving and those redirecting benevolence. There is much more to do in this world since our Lord's message has yet to be heard by all.

Incest, adultery, bestiality, and homosexuality were forbidden by God. Numerous passages reiterate these laws against sexual immorality. Homosexuality was called detestable. Bestiality was a perversion. Incest was called dishonorable. Adultery was wickedness. Using clever and appealing words the leaders and biblical scholars of the ELCA have contrived doctrine to deceive their membership into believing that homosexuality is acceptable to God. Bound conscience was invented to legitimize “same gender oriented individuals living in loving monogamous relationships”. The ELCA enacts doctrine that disregards Scripture in order to placate those that wish to remain in sin without remorse, free to continue to feed the desires of the flesh without the need for repentance.  Wouldn't it be nice if all could engage in their chosen sinful behavior without the necessity of asking for forgiveness?  Wouldn't our children be happy if we allowed them to eat as much candy as they wanted?

Just as Satan appeals to our innermost desires and uses words that are so convincing, the leaders of the ELCA would have us believe that God is now telling us something new and we are within our rights to put aside those obsolete laws from the Bible. With friends like this, who needs enemies? This misguided denomination continues to uphold the things of the world while minimizing our Lord. There are so many well intentioned Christians that are falling into the trap set by the leaders of the ELCA. We must accept the responsibility to expose the heresy that is so prevalent in the doctrine of this church. We must continue in prayer, asking God to open the eyes and hearts of His children that remain trapped within the ELCA and errantly acquiesce to these false doctrines. These leaders and scholars of the ELCA use the same tactics as the “Great Deceiver”. We must remain diligent in proclaiming the true Gospel of Jesus Christ since we can no longer rely on the ELCA to conduct God’s business as He has commanded.

All Things Made New

When the leaders and biblical scholars of the ELCA try to justify their radical agenda, such as the Human Sexuality-Gift and Trust statement, they typically cite 2 Corinthians 5:17, saying that God has made all things new. Again, this is only part of the truth, since the leadership of this wayward denomination revels in half truths. Just as the evil one uses only the parts of truth that are pleasing in order to tempt us into sinful acts, the leaders of the ELCA use the same tactic. Taken out of context, this verse would lead one to believe that everything is new and maybe the old things, such as God’s law, written so long ago, must be updated and made new to better relate to our modern society. But, when one delves into the word and discerns the truth of God’s will, one will have a different idea of “new”. 2 Corinthians 5:15-21, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
 
Once we take the entire portion of this passage and listen to the word, we have a much better understanding of God’s will. While the leadership of the ELCA would have you believe that God is now telling us something new and that we should disregard portions of God’s law because we are now more enlightened, this is a false message. We are a new creation because we have set aside those things of the world that came between us and the Lord. We now deny ourselves and place His will before our own. Jesus said that we must be willing to take up His cross and love Him above all else, our families and especially ourselves. The doctrines promoted by the leaders of the ELCA lift up the self above our Lord and place human reasoning and experience in authority of Scripture. This is worse than heresy. This is a clear violation of the First Commandment, because to accept these doctrines is to worship yourself, your identities, and your worldly desires.

Revelations 21:1-5, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” The time to make all things new in this world is when our Lord and Savior comes in glory to begin His new kingdom. For the leadership of the ELCA to lead their flock astray with the false promises that their sin is somehow now acceptable to God is beyond reprehensible.

The evil one uses deception in order to convince us that our sinful behavior is justified. The leaders of the ELCA do no differently. For if we continue as slaves to sin, we will die in that sin. We need to become slaves of Christ, for only then will we be truly alive in Him. Romans 6:19-23, “Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If we follow the false gospel promoted by the leaders of the ELCA, we will become slaves to ourselves and wallow in our own sinful behavior. If we reject this false gospel and follow the Truth that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we will be set free from sin and truly be able to accept the gift of God’s grace. There will come a time when we will all be made new and sin will be no more, and that is when our Savior returns in glory, not when the misguided leaders of a church proclaim that certain sins are no longer sinful because they believe that now God is telling them something new!.

Unto You a Savior is Born!

After much prayer asking for the words to write a Christmas message, the Spirit remained quiet. After several less than fruitful attempts at composing the article, I came across this letter from the Augustana District of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, LCMC. His Spirit does communicate with us in many ways.

Shepherds Quake at the Sight

Well, yes, of course they did! They trembled and shook, and quivered and convulsed, and they did so with such ferocious terror that they became sore (as the old King James Version put it): “they were sore afraid.”

Nothing frightens us much anymore. Oh, we worry well. And we are well-aquainted with that villain we call dread. Tumbling 401k’s that don’t seem to recover, unpleasant diagnoses, an occasional terrorist threat, or a denomination run a-muck – to be sure, these bring worry and dread. But not fear. Not really. We’re too rational, too confident, too scientific, and too callous to “shake in our boots,” or “quake at the sight” of something rare. We’ve seen it all before!

But not the shepherds. Not that night. Minding their own business, they were, and doing what ne’er-do-well shepherds always do: lounging and lolling their way through yet another night (the scriptures, in their overly-generous and gracious way, credit them with a highly unlikely “tending” of their flocks). Then there appeared to them and above them and around them and in front of them, from out of nowhere, an un-named heavenly being flapping and fluttering, floating and flittering, while something called “the glory of the Lord” with its 1,000-watt halogens (yes, it’s derived from ‘halo’) “shone” – no, blazed! – “around them.” And sore afraid were they that they quaked at the sight!

And they should have! For the God who comes as a quiet, reticent baby to salvage sinners from death requires – somewhere! – an epiphany so entirely grand that a man’s only possible response is to quake at the sight. Quickly, when barely the last “and lying in a manger” words spilled from the angel’s mouth, a whole, holy heavenly host was dispatched not to Paris, Miami, or even Vegas, but to the quiet hillsides of Bethlehem, where the poor, unsuspecting shepherds were invaded by the brilliance of salvation. Such are God’s ways. Your salvation – yes, yours – had arrived… and the ne’er-do-wells were the first to know.

And lucky for us, they hastily quaked and quickened their way to the Baby, to “make known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.”

Whatever worry, dread, or even fear we may find ourselves encountering this Christmas, the brilliance of salvation overshadows it. In the Light of Christ, the villains of darkness, dread, and death have no choice but to scatter and flee into crevices of extinction, like bugs from poison. Such is his salvation.

Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight; Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia! Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!

Reprinted with permission from the Augustana District, LCMC

Luke 2:10-11, “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Merry Christmas and Praise the Lord. Our Savior is born!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Serve the Lord with all your heart. For whatever happens in your life, it is all part of God’s plan for you. It may not be apparent in what direction He is leading, but suffice it to say, for every season there is a reason. We tend to fret over things that are not within our control, but when we place our lives in His hands, we will never be led astray. Psalm 37: 7-8, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil.” If we learn that every event, every person placed in worldly authority, every condition, right down to how much rain falls is a direct result of God’s plan, our every day worries will soon fade away. Every situation we are faced with, every trial or tribulation, the good things and bad times are often the tools our Lord uses to mold us for the tasks He has planned for us. There may be times that we may feel that some ordeals are too much for us to bear, but the Lord will never encumber us with a burden that is beyond what we can tolerate. Out of the worst of times come revelations that may completely change our frame of reference and make us all the better for it. We may never understand why those things happen, but when we trust in our Lord, we will be able to overcome any of the difficulties of this world.

When we depend upon our own selfish understandings and position ourselves and our desires ahead of our Lord, in fact rejecting Him, our problems will become magnified and start to spiral out of control. But, when we serve our Lord and gladly obey His law, our lives will come under His control. When we abide by God’s will and behave in the manner that He intended for us to conduct our lives, we will be filled with the joy of His Spirit. When we accept and believe that the risen Christ suffered and died in our place to redeem us of our sin and defeated death, our salvation is granted freely by God’s grace. If we compare life’s problems with an eternity in paradise with our Lord, we will come to realize what the really important things are. Fill your heart with the love of our Lord. Increase your faith and block out the things that are of this world. Romans 6: 11-14, “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Paul teaches that we are no longer under that law as those who were under the law in the Old Testament era. During that time, those who sinned were condemned by the law, but the grace of God, through Christ, enables believers to reject ungodliness and joyfully accept God’s commands.

Titus 2: 11-12, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” By placing Christ first in our hearts, we will be able to joyfully conduct ourselves with our Lord’s ethics and morals. Even though we do not deserve it, God freely grants us His grace, not because of our good works or deeds, but because of our faith in the Risen Christ. But, our salvation comes with responsibilities. By His grace, we are released from guilt and judgment, but we are directed to conduct ourselves according to God’s moral compass. We are also called to reach out to our brothers and sisters in helpful service, in our Lord’s name. Our faith is the cornerstone for everything we do in this world. Without our faith, anything we accomplish is worthless. Once our faith becomes the most important aspect of our lives, our purpose becomes clear and our consciences will be bound to the truth that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The New "Normal"

Our current economic crisis has left almost 10% of United States workers unemployed and 17% under employed. Personal wealth and investments have plummeted, leaving many retirement plans underfunded and causing much consternation and worry. The tax and spend policies of our government has caused the national debt to soar. News reports indicate that a 10% unemployment rate will become the new “normal”. The doctrinal shifts of the ELCA mirror the U.S. economic upheaval. The leadership of the ELCA has determined that passing their radical social agenda is worth losing up to 20% of their membership. Pastors and congregations that remain true to the Word are leaving the ELCA and flocking to traditional, faithful Synods like LCMC and NALC at numbers that just may dwarf the ELCA leader’s estimates. These progressive leaders of the ELCA are exploiting the benevolence of ELCA members to promote their idea of social justice. This is causing many congregants to redirect their giving to other ministries that remain true to the Word of God. The combination of the economic downturn and redirection of benevolence has caused the ELCA to slash their budget, cut retired ELCA pastoral pensions by 27% and eliminate almost 40% of their staff.

One would think that this would give pause to the leadership of the ELCA and perhaps cause them to reassess the course they are charting. Not these enlightened leaders and scholars that know better than our Lord. It’s damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead with a progressive, liberal social agenda, leaving our Lord behind! What you learned in Sunday School and in Confirmation classes is no longer deemed appropriate by the leaders and scholars of the ELCA. They profess their faith in the creeds and confessions on the front page of their web-site, but then publish essays that cast doubt upon the tenets of our Christian faith, directed at those that are "new" or "returning" to church. Just like our economy will mean less jobs and more taxes, the ELCA gives you less Jesus and more justice. This new “normal” for the ELCA means that you needn’t trouble yourself with that bothersome resurrection thing. You no longer need to have faith in the Risen Christ. Everyone is saved no matter what you believe. They believe and teach that there are now many paths that lead to your salvation.

This new “normal” in the ELCA means that that troublesome book with all those inflexible rules, also known as the Bible, can be disregarded and replaced with your “bound conscience”. The ELCA’s new Lutheranism is easy. Don’t like the fact that God looks upon homosexuality as a sin, not to worry, the ELCA will put together a task force and have the Church Wide Assembly vote to ignore Scripture and adopt doctrine contrary to God’s law, because, of course, we cannot truly love and accept someone if we don’t also accept their sinful behavior. The old adage "love the sinner and hate the sin" is no longer valid, because the ELCA is in the business of eliminating sin. Never mind what God says in His Word, He didn’t really mean it because the ELCA scholars have discovered that He is now saying something new. Upset that God refers to Himself in masculine terms, no problem, the radical feminists have that one covered with their “mother within us” Lord’s Prayer. They have not only eliminated all references to the masculine God, they have replaced Him with a pagan goddess. In this new and enlightened ELCA, anything goes. Apparently the leaders and scholars of the ELCA believe that since we are under grace, the law is no longer of any consequence so they advocate ignoring God’s Word if you find it bothersome.

Romans 6:15-18, “Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed you allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and become slaves to righteousness.” Those that wish to remain faithful to the truth that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will have a tough road to follow should they choose to continue in fellowship with this wayward denomination. As the leadership of the ELCA adopts doctrine that drifts further away from the path that the Lord has set before us, eventually it will take a toll on its’ membership. Faith saves, but misguided love can deceive. The ELCA is deceiving its’ membership in a never ending love affair with the things of this world. Remember, this world is the dominion of the evil one. We are to resist the desires of worldly things and to hold fast to the promise that is our Lord. Those of you that remain true to the Lord, know this; The ELCA has already left you and if you decide to remain, you may eventually learn to accept this new “normal” that denies our Lord and Savior.

Just Words

In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The ELCA cites our Lord’s name in many of their social justice agendas and committees. The “Reconciling in Christ” task force sounds so appropriate. The Greater Milwaukee ELCA website has a link to the RIC annual report. Our Lord is obviously not the primary focus of this committee. This committee’s primary focus is, “empowered by the gospel we work for the equality and the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the ELCA.” In most correspondence regarding the Gospel of Christ, capitalization is used to underscore the significance it has to the family of Christians. Perhaps they cite a different gospel.

As the ELCA attempts to change the world into the welcoming, tolerant, and accepting place that they believe it should be, they continue to fail our Lord. By lifting their struggle for social justice above the call to lead people to the Gospel of Christ, they fall right into the evil ones trap. Without Jesus Christ as the central authority in our mission, we neglect our responsibilities as disciples of Christ. Words mean nothing if we fail to put them into action. Invoking our Lord’s name to add credibility to the social justice agendas promoted by the ELCA is nothing more than window dressing. Using our Lord’s name without promoting His agenda, is an empty promise to a humanity thirsting for God’s Word, God’s love and acceptance, and to those searching for their salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” As the ELCA discards God’s Word and replaces it with the words that fulfill their human desires, they worship in vain and lead others away from the Gospel of Christ with their human rules. Without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as the primary emphasis in our mission, we will surely fail. Those that follow the path that the ELCA promotes will also fail our Lord and fall away from Him. Luke 17:1-2, Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone though whom they come. 2 It would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around your neck that for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” Those that promote a false gospel and lead people astray are subject to God’s judgment. Christ’s mission for us is to be His disciples, share the Good News and lead our fellow man to the Lord.

The ELCA uses empty words that promise equality, social justice, acceptance and tolerance without the promise of God’s love and approval. Amending His law by replacing His Word with earthly terms is unacceptable for man, biblical scholars or the church. Our Lord is the sole authority and Scripture is His law for us. Using His name to attempt to justify an agenda that is contrary to Scripture will only cause believers to stumble and others will lose the opportunity to come to the Lord. Psalm 119:160, “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

Are You in Denial?

The Apostle Peter, the Rock, denied Jesus 3 times on the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion. He denied our Lord to save his skin, since he believed that he too, may have been brought to judgment on that night. How many times have you denied the Lord his proper place in your life? Our denials are not always as literal as Peter’s. We deny our Lord by placing ourselves and our interests before Him. Jesus told his disciples in Luke 9:23-26, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up the cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit your very self?  If any of you are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” To follow our Lord requires complete dedication and willing obedience. If we choose to concentrate on our own identities, our own families, our successes, or accomplishments, we will lose that which really matters, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is necessary in order to gain our salvation. Those of us more concerned with satisfying our worldly desires and pleasing ourselves before pleasing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will have no part in His kingdom.

So, we must deny ourselves in order to place Christ first and foremost in our hearts. This is not such an easy task for a sinful and selfish humanity. The ELCA is so passionate in their struggle for social justice that they have lost sight of the reason that we should work to right the wrongs of this world. Jesus is the reason that we strive to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, provide care for the sick and injured, and welcome all sinners to worship our Lord. We do these acts, not of our own volition, but because Jesus himself first did these things in His Father’s name. Without our Lord, we are lost, trapped in our selfish world, full of sin, with no one to deliver us from the corruption that can so easily overcome our lives. Luke 18:26-27,29-30, “Who then can be saved?  Jesus replied, “What is impossible with human beings is possible with God. Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” Salvation is a gift from God alone. No matter how we hard we try attain the kingdom of God by the virtue of our own accomplishments, we will fail. Only by the grace of God are we granted salvation.

Acts 4: 11-12, “Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.” Jesus is indeed the cornerstone that our faith and church is built upon. Without His death and resurrection, we all would stand accountable for our sins and the punishment that we so greatly deserve. All that we are and hope to be is a gift that He has provided to us. Since we owe our very lives to our Lord, why is it so difficult to thank and praise Him in our daily lives? Study God’s Word and you will be filled with His Spirit. The Bible is God speaking to each and every one of His children. Read it, learn it, and let His Word lead you to the personal relationship with Christ that He desires and that we all are seeking.

1 Peter 4:1-2, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because those who have suffered in their bodies are done with sin.  As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” When we place our Lord at the center of our lives and express our love for others as He did, sinful desires and worldly practices that we once placed as priorities, will cease to be important in our daily lives. We must be diligent then and temper our desires for the things of this world, so that we always place Christ first in our hearts.

More on Bound Conscience

When discussion of the ELCA ensues, the direction of the conversation tends to go one of two ways. Either its, “Can you believe that the ELCA is accepting homosexual behavior and is allowing homosexual pastors to preach?” or, “Why shouldn’t the LGTB community be accepted fully into the communion of the church with all rights and privileges, including having their unions blessed and allowing gay and lesbian pastors to preach?” Both of these arguments actually miss the real point of contention. In the ELCA’s “good intentioned” desire to be more welcoming and accepting of the LGTB community, they sought a way to legitimize the LGTB lifestyle. Bound conscience was conceived by Biblical scholars as a way to allow one to respect another’s interpretation of Scripture, as long as that person truly believes in their heart of hearts that it is acceptable to God. In the matter of human sexuality, this bound conscience allows one to respect those that believe that the LGTB lifestyle is acceptable in God’s eyes. The fact is that there is no Biblical authority for this bound conscience and allowing this bound conscience to supersede the authority of Scripture are the real issues.

In John 16:13-15, Jesus told the Apostles, "But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you." In these verses, Jesus tells the Apostles that He, through the Holy Spirit, will lead them in their testimonies. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ absolutely confirms that the writings of the Apostles are the inspired Word of God. In 2 Timothy 3:16, the Apostle Paul testified that “All Scripture is God-breathed”. Who are we to disregard Scripture and place our own opinions before His Word? What has become acceptable in the secular world is often not acceptable in God’s eyes. If we choose to ignore God’s Word, we are not unlike disobedient children. We do not replace God’s Word with those that happen to be more appealing to us.

So, the ELCA has, by adopting this doctrine of bound conscience, placed man in authority over Scripture. This is the reason that every Christian should be concerned as to the direction of the ELCA. When man’s opinion takes authority over God’s law, we find ourselves in a quandary. Do we remain part of this denomination, nail our 95 theses on the church door and fight to have this doctrine repealed or do we leave for a synod grounded in Scripture? What happens when human sexuality is not the only part of Scripture supplanted by our bound conscience? The Reformation began in the 1500’s after the Catholic Church adopted man’s law and used it to replace God’s Word. (See indulgences) History repeats itself and our modern and enlightened church leaders feel a need to place their desires above God’s law, and another Reformation begins. Unfortunately, the leaders of the ELCA are doing more than disregarding God's Word, they are leading our brothers and sisters in Christ astray. Luke 17:1 Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come." Many will accept this false doctrine and learn to place more authority over earthly opinions, especially, as in “Human Sexuality-Gift and Trust”, if it means taking the easier path.

As Jesus hung on the cross, bearing OUR sins, God terminated His relationship with Jesus, causing Him to cry out in Matthew 27:46, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God’s rejection of His Son was intended for us as the penalty for our sin. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, did this in our stead, so that we did not have to endure this great punishment that we so rightly deserve. When we place ourselves above the Lord, we push God aside and like a petulant child, turn away from Him, making our Lord’s sacrifice for us into a mockery. We need to bring ourselves closer to the Lord, not push Him away. God’s people must stand against this false doctrine of bound conscience. Do not fall into this trap that has been set by the leaders of the ELCA. We all are sinners, no better and no worse than any other child of God, and our Lord calls us to accept and love all sinners, no matter what their sin may be. John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Although this command was directed at his disciples, it also pertains to each and every one of us, as we are also His disciples. Our Lord desires our love and obedience. This bound conscience will only cause us to turn away from the Lord and suffer the loss of His presence. We cannot place ourselves before our Lord, who sacrificed all for us, in order to satisfy our selfish desires. If we diminish His sacrifice for us by accepting this false gospel, we jeopardize our gift of eternal life with Him.