"CHILDREN OF ADAM & ABRAHAM - CHILDREN OF GOD!"

The following was an overly ambitious attempt to pack too much into a single sermon. Even with cutting it short during the delivery, the result was a 25-mitnute presentation. It is presented here for blog readers to review the material at their leisure. Scripture references were taken from the New International Version; the reader may use any Bible version of choice for personal study.

4^th Sunday After Pentecost

16 June 2024

 

“CHILDREN OF ADAM & ABRAHAM –

CHILDREN OF GOD!”

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church – Johnstown, PA

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!

Heavenly Father, thank You that in Your grace You designed Your perfect plan of salvation, that all who are born of Adam into the original creation that was cursed, may be born again into Your new creation where death is defeated and fellowship with You is restored for all who believe in the death, burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Thank You for being willing to send Your dearly beloved Son to be the sacrifice for our sin and that Jesus was willing to die on our account. Praise Your holy name that death is swallowed up in victory and we are restored into fellowship with You.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

[Now] may the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.  Amen.

The first of several Scriptures for our attention this morning are those verses of Genesis, chapter 3, which were not included in last week’s First Reading. Hear now Genesis 3, beginning at verse 1.

[Genesis 3:1-7; 14-24 NIV]

Adam and Eve’s sons followed them into sin. We turn to Genesis 4.

[Genesis 4:2-10 NIV]

The promise that God would provide an atonement for sin was first made in the Garden of Eden and later to Abraham who was put to the test.  We hear Genesis 22, starting at verse 1.

[Genesis 22:1-14 NIV]

While God’s people waited for a second Adam, He established ritual sacrifices to symbolize the one who would come to fulfill the atoning sacrifice once and for all.  Leviticus 16…

[Leviticus 16:6-19 NIV]

“In the Shattered Bliss of Eden” vv. 1-3

God provided the ram for Abraham’s sacrifice in place of his son, Isaac.  Now, God would provide His Son as the sacrificial Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world.  We hear John the Baptizer’s declaration from the Gospel according to St. John.

[John 1:29-36 NIV]

John writes in the Book of Revelation how tens of thousands of angels surround the Lamb who was slain and sing His praises.  This should be familiar to us – “This is the Feast of Victory for Our God”!

[Revelation 5:6-13 Select Verses NIV]

Just as sin entered the world through the original Adam and all men sinned, so also through the obedience of one man – the new Adam – many will be made righteous.  Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 5.

[Romans 5:12-21 NIV]

The forgiveness won for us by Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection is offered to us freely by grace and received by faith in His Holy Supper.  We turn to the Gospel of Matthew…

 [Matthew 26:26-29 NIV]

John continues to reveal the worship of the Lamb as a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language – those who have come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb – surround the throne day and night.

[Revelation 7:9-17 NIV]

By grace through faith, we are made new through our Baptism into Christ.  Only God has the ability to take away our sin, cleanse and us and work new life from the inside out through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Paul describes this process in Galatians, chapter 3.

[Galatians 3:26-29 NIV]

“In the Shattered Bliss of Eden” vv. 4-6

Paul says that those baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  He used this metaphor, like when we put on new clothes, to describe how it can change how we feel and present ourselves.

Putting on Christ transforms us from the inside out.  It means we are clothed in His righteousness, love, and grace.  Jesus covers our old self with all its flaws and failures.  Living with this identity can change everything.

When we remember that we are children of God, we start to see ourselves and others differently. We understand our worth and the worth of those around us.  This identity can give us confidence and peace, as we know that we belong to God and that nothing can separate us from His love.  It starts with reminding yourself of this truth every morning.  You can begin your day thanking God for making you His child.

When challenges come, remember that you are not alone, God is with you, guiding you as your loving Father.  In Christ, we have a new identity, a new family and a new way of life.  Embrace it fully, and let it transform you.  You are a beloved child of God, clothed in Christ.

May this truth shape our hearts and actions today and throughout our lives.  Amen!

__________________________

"In the Shattered Bliss of Eden" [Hymn Text © 2002 Stephen P. Starke / Published in Lutheran Service Book by Concordia Publishing House (CPH), 2006]

"THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT!"

[Matthew 16:21-28]

30 August 2020

Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost

St. Paul Lutheran Church - Johnstown, PA

“May [the] words of my mouth and [the] meditation of [our] hearts  be pleasing in your sight, [O]  Lord, [our] Rock and [our] Redeemer.” AMEN! 

[Psalm 19:14 NIV]

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today's gospel reading from Matthew is a difficult one for most Christians. In fact, many pastors will avoid this text as the basis for preaching on this 13th Sunday after Pentecost. Yes, this text is a challenging one indeed! Just last Sunday, we heard how Jesus held Peter up as an example after his confession of Jesus as “the Messiah, the son of the living God”. Jesus said that he would build his church on the rock of faith like Peter’s. What a difference a week makes! However, as time goes on and we hear from Peter again, we now must question Peter's understanding of what he was confessing in last week's gospel.

When the rubber hits the road, we find that Peter might have had in mind a different kind of Messiah. The Jewish people we're looking for a Messiah who would come as a conqueror, someone who would ride into Jerusalem like the glorious Kings of old, someone who would set up his throne like David or Solomon who followed him. The Gospel tells us that after Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus began to talk all kinds of craziness at least in the minds of the disciples! While the Jewish people and the disciples were looking for a Messiah who would conquer the Romans and throw out all of Israel's enemies, Jesus starts talking about going to Jerusalem, suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and ultimately, being crucified on a cross.

What Jesus began to talk about, the Heavenly Father's plan for our Salvation, simply did not fit with the disciples’ vision for a Messiah. We may even be shocked by Jesus response to what Peter said, especially when Jesus tells Peter to “Get behind me, Satan!” and paraphrasing here, “You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men!” By now, many of us will be extremely uncomfortable! We don't like to hear about Satan or the devil or evil. We may even play it off if we get caught doing something wrong by saying “The devil made me do it.” Fellow Christians, make no mistake, Satan is alive and well in our world and the more often that he can get us to focus on the things of men instead of the things of God, the happier he is.

Some would even dismiss the presence of evil or a Satan or devil is a reality. I can tell you from experience that the existence of evil in this world is real! While some would maintain that the Bible is an ancient book and has no relevance for our life today, I would contend that the things that are recorded in Holy Scripture are still very applicable. I have firsthand experience and knowledge of evil possessing individuals and speaking through them and causing them to act in ways that they do not even remember after the fact.

This morning, I would like to take us back to revisit the Old Testament and the account of Job. The story of Job is more than just about someone who loses everything through misfortune and disaster only to be more blessed in the end with the second family and more prosperity than even before.  It only takes 5 verses into the Book of Job and by the 6th verse, Satan makes his appearance! Hear now the first 12 verses of the Book of Job, chapter 1.

 

[Job 1:1-12 NIV]

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

At this point, what do we know about Job? At this point in the account of Job, we know that he was very wealthy, we know that he had a large family, we know that he loved his family and we know that he interceded for his children before God because he knew that they were likely to make mistakes! All that he had was taken away – God allowed Job's family and possessions to be taken away – by Satan. Then along comes Job’s friends who, in somewhat of a foreshadowing of Peter's statement in today's gospel, did not have in mind the things of God but the things of men!

 [Job 2:11-13 NIV]

When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was.

Instead of offering comfort and praying for him, Job’s friends tried to find fault and try to identify what it was that Job had done to deserve the things that had been inflicted upon him because surely somewhere in Job’s past, at some point in time, Job must have sinned against God. Doesn't that sound familiar? The extended rants of the friends of Job go on and on ad nauseum.

If you still don't believe that Satan is alive and well or that evil exists in our world, all you have to do is open your eyes and look around. The things that are happening in the world today on a daily basis surely have God shedding tears of sadness while the devil himself could not be more overjoyed. Those who would seek to destroy the world as we know it do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men!

How about us? Do we find ourselves grumbling about all manner of topics from family and friends to city leaders to state and national government representatives – people in positions of leadership and power. Instead of grumbling, have we prayed for them – interceded on their behalf before the throne of Almighty God? Do we curse the president or the opposing political party? Have you or I prayed to God asking Him to inspire our leaders and for His will to be done. In a few weeks, we will have the opportunity to vote for president and numerous other leadership positions. Will you pray before you cast your vote or put your will ahead of God’s plan and desires?

Earlier we joked about the devil making us do things. The reality may be that all he has to do is sit back and watch. We also do well to remember that when Jesus tells Peter to get behind him as Satan, Jesus knows firsthand what he's talking about. Remember before Jesus’ ministry, he went out into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. It was during that time that Satan led him to the top of a mountain and, ironically, told him that he would give him the whole world. Then he took Jesus to the top of the temple and told him to throw himself down for surely God's angels would protect him. Jesus has faced every temptation known to humankind!

Peter makes no attempt to rebuff Jesus’ rebuke and does not make a lame excuse about how Satan was influencing him when he protested Jesus’ revelation that he would face suffering and death. At the height of Peter’s ministry, he fully recognized the influence and presence of the Devil, Satan, in our world and personal lives. His words are a fitting prayer and reminder of God’s promises to us on this occasion. In the fifth chapter of the First Letter of Saint Peter, he writes:

[1 Peter 5:6-11 NIV]

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

“Whoever has ears, Let them hear!”

“Whoever has ears, Let them hear!”

12 July 2020

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, [O]  Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

[Psalm 19:14 NIV]

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

The text for this morning’s sermon is the Parable of the Sower. Hear again these verses from a slightly different translation.

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

[Matthew 13:1-9 NIV]

As I contemplated God’s Word set aside for this 6^th Sunday After Pentecost, and as I planned to lead worship today aware of the hymns which had been chosen to round out the worship service, a song which I first learned over 40 years ago came to mind. In fact, it is included in Lutheran Book of Worship – our green hymnal – in the “Canticle” section as #14 – “Listen! You Nations” and as we will discover fits nicely with both the Scriptures set aside for this Sunday, the Gospel text and the other hymns for this day.

Refrain:

Listen! you nations of the world: listen to the Word of the Lord.
Announce it from coast to coast; declare it to distant islands.

The Lord who scattered Israel will gather his people again;
and he will keep watch over them, as a shepherd watches his flock.

Refrain

With shouts of joy they will come, their faces radiantly happy,
for the Lord is so gen'rous to them; he showers his people with gifts.

Refrain

Young women will dance for joy, and men young and old will make merry.
Like a garden refreshed by the rain, they will never be in want again.

Break into shouts of great joy; Jacob is free again!
Teach nations to sing the song: "The Lord has saved his people!"

[Lutheran Book of Worship, Canticle #14]

The Old Testament reading from the prophet Isaiah appointed for today, the verses from Psalm 65 sung minutes ago and the section from Matthew’s Gospel devote a lot of attention to sowing and harvesting, the cycles of nature and the blessings that God pours out on us abundantly each and every day we draw breath on this earth. What are we really talking about today? What is the bottom line?

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans reminds each of us that “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” And again, he writes “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

Since it has been over 21 years since I left active ministry, I have often been asked if there is anything I miss about full time ministry. There is one event that often comes to mind when asked that question. Can you guess what it might be? No, it is not the Advent and Christmas during which we build up to and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Of course, that is a keystone of our faith and I do love Christmas. When in ministry, however, one is so consumed with the services and telling the story that there becomes a danger of missing the point for oneself.

Another guess? No, it is not the Lenten and Easter season when we remind ourselves of the sacrificial ministry, suffering and death of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We journey along with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, while the palms waved, coats lined the path and the King of Kings humbled himself and rode on a colt, the foal of a donkey. In the garden at Gethsemane, we may even feel the strain on Jesus’ heart and mind as he pleads with the Heavenly Father and sweat like drops of blood runs down his cheeks. In fact, we may even be swept to tears at His trial, as a crown of thorns is set on His head and he is beaten and nailed to a cross – not for His own transgressions but for our own sins. Sometimes we even sing “Were You There”!

The climax of the salvation story is of course, the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning! Jesus is Alive! The baby born in Bethlehem, crucified on Calvary’s hill and laid in a stranger’s tomb is risen from the dead! So we say “Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!” Merry Christmas! Happy Easter! Because all of us know that we cannot have Christmas without Easter nor Easter without Christmas. The Christmas – Easter salvation story is not the end; it is only the beginning!

That is why the event that I miss most when asked is an event we heard something about in recent weeks. Every summer, I remember those great weeks of Vacation Bible School as a child, as a teacher or coordinator and later in the years of ministry. At a Vacation Bible School in a small town church in Minnesota, a church I was later married in and where my eldest child was baptized, is where I first learned Canticle #14, the song “Listen! You Nations”.

How well we undoubtedly know the exuberance and excitement of children attending Vacation Bible school. Of course, they are often eager for the crafts and the playtime but they are also excited to learn the Bible stories and songs. Children have a willingness to tell others which seems to dissipate as we grow older and weary of the world and its ways. I can still remember various groups of children singing out the lyrics with force and emphasis, especially the words of the refrain:

Listen! you nations of the world: listen to the Word of the Lord.

Announce it from coast to coast; declare it to distant islands.

In a world that needs to hear more than ever, would that we could recapture that childlike enthusiasm to hear the Word of the Lord and bear fruit. Jesus concludes His explanation of the Parable of the Sowers saying, “the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” [Matthew 13:23 NIV]

Depending on the translation of today’s Gospel, the rendition is “Let anyone with ears listen!” or “Whoever has ears, let them hear! Lest we miss the point and the words of Scripture go in one ear and out the other, our final focus is on what God means in the Old Testament when in Hebrew we hear “Shema, Israel!” or when Jesus says in the New Testament gospels “Listen!” Jesus Himself offers an explanation when He speaks about hearing the Word and understanding it. It is more than just simple hearing. “To listen” as translated from the original Hebrew and Greek means to perceive, to comprehend, to understand, to put it into practice – “to obey” the Word of the Lord.

At the end of this service, we will sing:

Spread, oh, spread, almighty Word,

Spread the reign of God the Lord;

Tell how his own Son he gave,
All from sin and death to save.

In other words:

Listen! you nations of the world:

listen to the Word of the Lord.
Announce it from coast to coast;

declare it to distant islands.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear!” Amen

Jesus Has Risen!

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Happy Easter! Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Happy Easter!

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: " 'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.

"When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened." [Luke 24:1-12 NIV]

We Shall Overcome! Cliche or Fact?!

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

'For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 8:31-39 NIV]

Fear and Uncertainty

 "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." [2 Timothy 1:7]

The More Things Change... They Change!

"Which will you choose?"

The More Things Change... 
They Change!

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. [Malachi 3:6-7 NIV]

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. [James 1:17 NIV]

I know. I know. Again, with the tired old cliches! "Wait just a minute. You have it mixed up." You want to tell me that it is supposed to be "The more things change, the more they stay the same." OR "The more things stay the same, the more they change." While I have been contemplating this blog post for several days, it is not likely to carry the same words it might have when I first conceived the idea. Just today, in perusing clip art (yes that is still a thing) and images I ran across proof that I am not the only one championing the idea that "the more things change... they change"!

The Scripture verses at the beginning of this post indicate that there is only one Being who does not change. Truthfully, we must acknowledge that even the universe which we believe God created constantly changes. This planet that we call home is constantly changing. Our failure to recognize or embrace change becomes one more attempt to put ourselves in the place of God.

Earlier today, I remembered a woman who lived well in to her 90s and experienced more change than any of us can probably fathom. Born at the height of the First World War - the "Great War" as it was considered by many, she lived through the Great Depression, the Second World War, the Korean Conflict (War), the assassination of a president, the Viet Nam Crisis (War), economic downturns and booms, the first Gulf War, the 9/11 attacks, ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and so much more. She lived through the introduction of rural electricity, television, the transition from farming with horses to tractors, rabbit ears and antennas on a pole to cable TV, cooking with electric instead of a wood-fired stove, and eventually enjoyed a transition to indoor plumbing. A lot of change because as they are bound to do, things change!

It should be no surprise to those who knew her best that when, in the early 1980s, it was decided that her small Lutheran church would introduce a new hymnal for use in worship services and other events, this woman - my mother - embraced the change. She loved the "new" music, the more lively settings for worship and the opportunity to move beyond the staid and stoic 1941 hymnal. Never once do I recall her mentioning that she wanted to go back to the "old" hymnal. In fact, she was proud of the fact that her small dying church embraced the 2005 hymnal published for use in the congregations, universities, colleges and seminaries of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Elfrieda Turnmire recognized that change was a part of life and an opportunity to grow and expand one's horizons and not become stagnant as one who turns inward and opposes change for the sake of opposing change.

Lest we forget, Jesus the Christ was an agent of change in the world of his day and remains so today. Think about it. Jesus came to save the lost and rejected of the world. He was chastised for socializing and eating with sinners. We might also say that Jesus was the first preacher who on multiple occasions preached to thousands at one time. Today, we may be inclined to say that those who attend "mega churches" are going for the entertainment value. Perhaps some do go to "get lost in the crowd", remain anonymous and make no commitment. The same could be said of some who came to hear Jesus preach. In fact, when the going got rough and Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem, there were many who abandoned him and went home. Jesus' message was becoming too real!

What exactly about Jesus' ministry makes me consider him an agent of change? Remember some of the specific events of His ministry. Beginning with his baptism in the river, it became more and more obvious to his followers and the throngs that he was not like anyone else. Among his followers were women with whom he had close friendships, he dared to speak to Gentiles, the diseased, the lame, and he embraced children and set them forth as an example of the kind of faith one needs to enter the Kingdom of heaven. His preaching was simple, in words the common people could understand and relate to, and his very presence made the religious leaders of the day uncomfortable and afraid. 

While we are reminded of the God does not change, even God changed the method and the means by which He sought to save humanity. With all of its failed attempts at keeping the law, the untold numbers of animals sacrificed in accordance with the law and in vain efforts to appease the wrath of the Creator, without the grace and favor of God, these measures amount to nothing. What does God do? He provides a Savior in the person of His One and Only Son. Jesus embraced his divine mission and he came to earth as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. He fulfilled the law and opened the way to salvation by grace through faith for Christ's sake. What should have been a change embraced by the world, instead the religious leaders and zealots were threatened. Eventually, the Romans would be threatened and did everything in their power to extinguish the fire of those who became followers of the Way.

One of the common themes put forth by those who resist change may just end up being the seven last words of many church groups here on earth, "We've never done it that way before!" The mantra may also go something like this: "If it was good enough for us, it should be good enough for the younger generation as well." So is that really true? I challenge those who may have those thoughts to consider the impact of their belief. Pick a date. 1941? 1958? 1978? 1983? If you really want to return to the "good old days", does that mean you are ready to heat your home with wood or coal? Are you ready to give up your iPhone, Android, iPad, tablet or laptop computer? Those things did not exist in those years. Car phones existed but were not common and if there were mobile phones they might have been as bulky as a lunchbox (another nearly obsolete but historical part of our past). Forget those high-definition televisions, DVD and blu-ray players, Roku, Apple TV and the like.

Change happens. Sometimes it is downright shocking! Imagine my recent surprise to learn that the pastor who counseled me, drank coffee with me and helped begin the healing process 19 years ago when I first began a journey that led me to where I am today, is no longer a Lutheran pastor with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is now The Very Reverend [Unnamed], Dean of an Episcopal cathedral. The journey God sets out for us may lead in unexpected directions. 

The wife of the pastor who shepherded me when I joined another church after high school (more than 40 years ago) has been on a spiritual journey filled with change herself. As I am prone to do, I look for ways to reconnect with people from my past who have made an impact on my life. When a need arose to aid in the continued growth of a mission congregation, she took steps to become a certified Associate in Ministry. Later on, taking it a step further, she became an ordained pastor within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Imagine my further surprise and astonishment to learn that the church I attended when my life transition was in its infancy, an historical landmark in Fargo, North Dakota, has been transformed into a beautiful events center because the owner and developer wanted to preserve the heritage and not see the structure demolished. I had known that the congregation had moved out and sold the church building, which has become a common refrain of the 21st century, because the dwindling congregation could not afford the maintenance and upkeep of the facility. God does not change but the survival and relevance of the church on earth may depend on it.

As I have sojourned, some would say in the wilderness, over the past nearly 20 years, I could never, at the outset, have imagined the path I would be led to follow or the people that I would encounter throughout those years. Since I do not believe in coincidences, we all have opportunities to make a difference, to be change agents in the lives of others. When the churches are empty, the doors are closed and no one is left, will the last survivor say "We should have changed!"?

"Ponder anew what the Almighty can do!"

Jumping In The Deep End

JUMPING IN THE DEEP END

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NIV

Having contemplated the writing of this blog post for several days, it now seems strange to me that I chose the title "Jumping In the Deep End" which could also be titled "Jumping In With Both Feet". Bill was the swimmer. I, who never took swimming lessons as a child, was terrified when I had to take a swimming class to meet one of the physical education requirements to obtain my Bachelor's degree at the institution then known as Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Bill competed for swim teams at swim meets. For me, to pass that swimming class in college, I had to swim across the pool and jump in the deep end. I survived by the grace of God and actually managed a "B" in swimming of all things!

Perhaps it is indeed appropriate that I write a blog borrowing from Bill's experience as an accomplished swimmer since he was, for the better part of the past two decades, my biggest advocate. He encouraged me to pursue my true calling and return to the ministry. Even though I have clung to my lifetime Scripture verse spoken at the rite of my Confirmation of faith, there always seemed to be a small obstacle that I viewed as a mountain in the way. You see, Bill knew that I would never be truly happy or content unless I returned to ministry.

What many do not know, especially in my family and among friends and acquaintances from high school and beyond, is that I viewed every minute of my time with Bill and in many other situations over the past nearly twenty years to be opportunities to answer the call to ministry. While from the outside it may seem if I have been wandering in the wilderness, I was engaged in spiritual warfare, healing ministry, emotional and spiritual counseling often to the neglect of my own physical, mental and emotional needs. The time of sojourning in the wilderness is coming to an end.

Early in June of this summer, I started a position as a contractor working with the IT Service Desk of the American Red Cross here in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Midway through the second week of training, I became seriously ill and would not return to work until after a visit to urgent care on a Sunday and the emergency room on Monday. Missing 4 days of work in the first two and a half weeks is not an ideal way to start a new job. The next week, I was taken to the emergency room from work with a blood pressure of 210/100 and spent that night and the next day as a patient. Blood tests, urinalysis, x-rays, a CT scan, a stress test and a colonoscopy later revealed no real causes for the symptoms and recurring issues. On my birthday, July 27, management decided that I could switch to the schedule I had asked for - working an overnight shift - which would allow me time off during the week to schedule and keep medical appointments if needed. After continuing to be sick every other day or not even skipping a day in between, I implored my primary care physician to allow me stop taking one of my medications since I did not feel it had ever worked for me as was expected. He gave in and I have not been sick since. In fact, I feel better now than I have in several years! Thanks be to God!

Improved health and a clarity of thought and mind have allowed me to focus on spiritual things. Some of you will think this is odd but I have planned my memorial service including readings, hymns, a theme and a service for the committal as well. I have also compiled two CDs of my favorite music which are titled "In Memoriam - When You Hear This Think of Me" and "Saved By Grace". Paying attention to God speaking to me through His Word and in the words of hymns and spiritual songs, the message is clear. I remember singing the words of a hymn I looked forward to singing in that Midwestern congregation of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, "Hark the Voice of Jesus Calling".

Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, "Who will go and work today?

Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?"

Loud and long the master calls you; Rich reward he offers free.

Who will answer, gladly saying, "Here am I. Send me, send me"?

Let none hear you idly saying, "There is nothing I can do,"

While the multitudes are dying And the master calls for you.

Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.

Answer quickly when he calls you, "Here am I. Send me, send me!"

"In the year that King Uzziah died [Isaiah] heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And [Isaiah] said, 'Here am I. Send me!'” [Isaiah 6:8 NIV]

The time is right! The time is now! No, not mere cliches which I am finding with every year hold a lot more meaning than many people accredit to such pithy sayings thrown around without thought or concern. January 31, 2019 will mark 20 years since I stepped down from the pulpit at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Lidgerwood, North Dakota. It seems like a good time to share that I have begun the process of making formal application to return to ministry within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. I pray for God's blessing as I continue in the journey that He set out for me and before me. You might say "I am jumping in the deep end with both feet"!

"Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip [us] with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." [Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV]