A real feeling or feeling the new reality. . .

Sermon for Ash Wednesday, preached on Wednesday, February 10, 2016.

    No less an icon of pop culture Madonna sang “like a virgin,” putting into words and notes the longing of a people to feel new, fresh, clean, and pure -- after finding themselves feeling dirty, used, and discarded by spouses no longer loved, relationships gone sour, work become a prison, and pleasures that no longer satisfy.  She sang to a people who know exactly what she means.  We have indulged in a promiscuous pursuit of happiness and pleasure that did not satisfy but only left us feeling all the worse for wear.  But her words sing only of an exchange of feelings -- not really clean or fresh or pure but only feeling as if it were the case. Absent the prospect of anything more, feelings have become the tolerable substitute for real newness, cleanness, and purity.
    Christian life sometimes seems like this.  It is an endless cycle of indulgence to desire and then confession of our sin on Sunday morning without making any real headway toward holiness.  We are supposed to feel better but is that all faith is about -- feelings?  Without real repentance and without the promise of the God who delivers what He says, Christian life might seem to be mere resignation to the fact that we will soil ourselves with sin and but we have a God who takes us back anyway.  But that is not what God promises.  Christian life is not about feelings but a new reality.
    The false reality of feelings cannot be rejected until the Spirit leads us to to see the false treasure of the emotion of the moment, of good works never really enough and feelings that fade fast when we count on them most.  Today on Ash Wednesday, the Lord tells us we cannot settle for an imagined newness; we need the real newness.  This is God’s work in us - not better or longer lasting feelings but the new reality of what His Word and promise declares.
     Repentance is not about shaping up your life to earn God’s favor.  Repentance is the fruit of God’s favor at work in you.  It is first His treasure that will lead us to reject all false treasures.  His reality declared in the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin is more real than what our eyes see or our hearts feel.  Nowhere is this more clear than on Ash Wednesday.
    Without God's aid, our eyes are blind to how perishable things are.  Even when we glimpse their temporary reality, sinful desire would gladly choose a moment in the sun with money, fame, and power over righteousness.  Our hears fear that the worst consequence of life is disappointment but the real worst consequences are death and hell.  The treasures of this life are consumed by moth, destroyed by rust, and stolen by thieves.  All that we see is already passing away.  Even our own flesh.  Dust you are and to dust you shall return.
    You are perishable.  You body is failing and you cannot escape death.  It is the one thing we can all be sure of.  You were made from dust and to dust you shall return.  Hope would end right there if God had not chosen to inhabit dust.  Because our Lord Jesus Christ wore our dusty flesh died the death of dust, God has hidden His life even in dust.  Where Christ is, there is our hope.  There is our life.  God has entered our flesh to bear the stain of our sin and died our death to kill death once and for all.  This is where true repentance begins -- where the new reality of what God has done is revealed!
    The Word of the Lord endures forever.  Turn off your cell phones, let go of the distractions of this mortal life, and forget trying to find solace in your feelings.  Hear and believe!  That is the call of Ash Wednesday.  You were baptized into a new reality.  Sin is swallowed up by forgiveness and death is swallowed up by life.  Return.  Return to the Lord who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  This is the word not for the pagan who knows nothing of God but fear or disdain but for the people who know and forget who they are by God's grace and mercy.
    God never waiting for humanity to wake up to the emptiness of the world and its false hope of mere feelings before He acted.  While we were yet sinners and enemies He came in His Son to save and redeem, to satisfy the law and paid our debt.  Even now He does not demand that you shape up your life before He loves you.  God does not wait for your actions to match up to your words.  He meets you where you are -- in ruins of your sin, in the darkness of your death, and in your failed pursuit of newness, happiness, and holiness.  In the ravages of the wreck of our lives, God comes declaring that these are old and YOU are made new!  Lent is time of renewed awareness of this reality declared in the Word of God and written in the blood of Christ.
    He swallows up sin with the blood of His Son.  He provides forgiveness to the unworthy and undeserving.  He swallows up death by the power of the life that death could not contain.  So the call to repent comes because God has already provided for you, for your salvation, for your forgiveness, and for your new life.  God does not offer you the feeling of newness or being clean or pure.  He makes it so!  You are made new!  You are forgiven!  You belong to Him! 
    So do not play at faith.  You cannot serve two masters nor can you bank on two treasures. Your feelings are not trustworthy.  You don't need different feelings.  You need the new reality born of your baptism and written in the Word that endures forever– so real that death cannot over come it.  Ashes, dust, decay and death are the outcome of a world ruled by feelings and content with a brief moment of peace.  But God offers you the reality of a clear conscience, the concrete reality of new life, the eternal clothing of Christ's righteousness, and an imperishable treasure, hope, and life.  Don’t settle for merely feeling new when God offers you the real new life. Repent. Return to your baptism.  Hear His Word.  Eat His flesh. Drink His blood. Believe and live; you are already new.  Even in ashes is the sign of our hope in the cross.  Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen

A false reading of Luther. . .

From an Italian book on Luther, Luther by Angela Pellicciari,:

The push for subjectivity was one of Martin Luther’s arguments in his anti-Roman preaching. Angela Pellicciari writes: “With the elimination of the function of the magisterium, the denial of the priestly order, the exaltation of individual freedom and the rejection of the importance of works to achieve salvation, everyone makes his own decisions. Everyone reads the Bible and interprets it his own way, trusting in the Holy Spirit’s assistance.”

In the end, the risk of the institutionalization of “case by case discernment” is to arrive at the “by Scripture only” (sola fide) notion that Martin Luther promoted. The priest who discerns on a case by case basis puts aside the function of the magisterium and founds his activity on his personal interpretation of the Scriptures. He wields enormous discretionary power, but it is much more a human power than one derived from God.

In his encyclical Spe Salvi, Benedict XVI asks: “How could the idea have developed that Jesus’ message is narrowly individualistic and aimed only at each person singly? How did we arrive at this interpretation of the “salvation of the soul” as a flight from responsibility for the whole, and how did we come to conceive the Christian project as a selfish search for salvation which rejects the idea of serving others?”

Angela Pellicciari responds: “It did so because Luther has misinterpreted as slavery to Rome the universal charism of Peter and his function in defense of the whole Church. As a consequence, “the body has been abandoned”, it seems “in favor of souls, that is, of the most interior part of each of us, which corresponds to our conscience. It is as if soul and body are set one against the other, and each of them goes on its own. As if obedience to conscience is a substitute to obedience to Peter.”

These are still the main themes of our times. Unchaining the faithful from the authority of the Church, Luther gave to princes, the secular power, a fundamental role. He even claimed the authority of the secular power against the Pope, if the Pope makes mistakes. But the Pope’s authority, his sovereignty, is justified by the need for independence from secular power. Only this way – St. Leo the Great explained – can the Church be credible and really free.

Those who read Luther in this way are taking his points out of context and also treating Luther with the radical reformers who neither intended nor appealed to the fathers or catholicity.  Luther's appeal to conscience was NOT an appeal to individual conscience and reason and he did not seek to exchange one papacy for the papacy of every Christian to determine what Scripture says.  No, indeed, Luther appealed to conscience in the classic manner of conscience captive to the Word of God, the catholic doctrine and practice that has always surrounded that Word.  His condemnation was that Rome was the innovator -- drawing upon non-Scriptural sources to establish doctrine and govern practice in ways that violated the very catholicity that was claimed by the popes themselves.

It is certainly true that Luther was naive in his belief that accessibility to the Scriptures in their own tongue would result in orthodoxy and uniformity of doctrine and practice.  Luther's hope and faith was that Scripture let loose from its constraints in Rome would encourage unanimity of faith and practice.  Clearly Scripture was used as a step stool for those whose ultimate appeal was individual conscience alone and the primacy of reason and intellect.  While Luther did not foresee such an abuse of the freedom to read and understand the Scriptures, Luther himself did not presume the individual conscience to be above the Word of God nor did Luther join his more radical contemporaries in rejecting church history, creedal formation, or the liturgical framework (and even texts) of the Mass.

There are those in Rome who love to blame Luther for everything Protestant but even Luther would be appalled at the way conscience and reason have become the masters of the Word instead of them being captive to that Word.  That is the sour fruit of the Enlightenment and the development of humanism in which man and his potential are not seen against the backdrop of the Fall and original sin.  Enamored with the potential of man's intellectual power, liberal Protestantism has evolved to the point where the clear word of Scripture no longer constrains anyone and the gospel has become a mere principle of love and toleration instead of the convincing voice of the cross addressing sinners captive to sin and death.

Luther believed that the Christian Gospel was aimed at every individual but neither subject to the individual's intellect or conscience to define or delineate but the Word that endures forever is the same from generation to generation.  In rejecting Rome's exclusive claim to be Catholic because of the Pope, Luther sought a true catholicity that was the guarantee not of one individual or many but the fruits of faith captive to the Word of God and instructed by the Spirit who alone creates the unity of faith and is the final guarantor of its right understanding and catholicity.

God gives more than gifts. . .

One of the greatest revelations to me was to begin to understand that the Giving God whom we know in Christ is not merely the bestower of gifts but the One who gifts us with Himself.  Perhaps I could blame parents or Sunday school or simply my fallen nature for the mistaken idea that God is a larger version of Santa Claus who gives gifts not once but all year round.  Prayer is the same as sitting on the lap of old St. Nick and whispering in his ear your hopes and wants and dreams -- all the while acknowledging that he already knows before we speak and will watch to see if we are naughty or nice or worthy of the things of which we have asked.  Nevermind where I got it, I venture to say that it is the typical and usual understanding we have of God, of prayer, of grace, and of His gifts.

So it is not unusual for people to be disappointment when they have poured out their hearts in prayer and rehearsed all the reasons why what they wanted is both reasonable and they are worthy of these gifts . . . and then nothing seems to happen.  It is not unusual for Christians to worship regularly, to do their Christian "duty" in all things as they see them, and then find out that they are subject to the same ills and illnesses that characterize the mortal life of non-Christians as well.  We have fallen back into the default idea that the gifts are greater than the Giver, or at least of greater concern and importance to us than He who gives them.  We have left our focus upon the things He gives and not upon Him who gives them.

The gift God gives that is most amazing and most surprising is the gift of Himself.  He gives Himself to us as a Child born of the Virgin and the Holy Spirit.  He gives Himself to us in the Lamb of God revealed in Jordan's baptismal water and acclaimed by John for all the world to see.  He gives Himself to us in the righteousness that covers all the unrighteous and in the sacrificial blood that cleanses filthy sinners from their sins.  He gives Himself to us in the cold darkness of death's grave and in the life that refuses to go gently into the dark night but rises with victory for all the dead.

We are transfixed by water into wine, bread magnified to feed thousands, lame that walk, deaf that hear, mute that speak, sick healed, and dead raised.  We want this from God when God has given us so much more.  He has given us the gift of Himself.  Epiphanytide was all about this -- the revelation not of works but of God in flesh for us.  Lent will show us what this God in flesh is all about.  But until we realize that the gift is great but the Giver greater still and that the Lord of Life has given Himself to us, it is too easy to be both fixated upon earthly gifts and disappointed that Christians do not seem to fare much better than non-believers when measured by earthly standards of health, wealth, and happiness.

In fact this is the exactly why the health and wealth preachers do so well among us.  We want to believe what we hold dearest -- that the greater gift is an easier, happier, healthier, wealthier, more successful life and that God and eternal life with Him are extra bonus gifts on top of what we really want.  This is why they are both so successful and so dangerous.  They distract us from the Giver who gives Himself.  Only sacramental churches who acknowledge the vibrant and robust means of grace in which God has hidden Himself in word, water, bread, and wine have an immediate presence of the Most High as their refuge and joy.  Apart from the God who gives Himself, everything is but a bartering tool and faith but a negotiation to get what we want right now.

From Martin Luther, Confession Concerning Christ’ s Supper of 1528:

These are the three persons and one God, who has given himself to us all wholly and completely, with all that he is and has. The Father gives himself to us, with heaven and earth and all the creatures, in order that they may serve us and benefit us. But this gift has become obscured and useless through Adam’’s fall. Therefore the Son himself subsequently gave himself and bestowed all his works, sufferings, wisdom, and righteousness, and reconciled us to the Father, in order that restored to life and righteousness, we might also know and have the Father and his gifts.

But because this grace would benefit no one if it remained so profoundly hidden and could not come to us, the Holy Spirit comes and gives himself to us also, wholly and completely. He teaches us to understand this deed of Christ which has been manifested to us, helps us receive and preserve it, use it to our advantage and impart it to others, increase and extend it. He does this both inwardly and outwardly——inwardly by means of faith and other spiritual gifts, outwardly through the gospel, Baptism, and the sacrament of the altar, through which as through three means or methods he comes to us and inculcates the sufferings of Christ for the benefit of our salvation.  (LW 37:366)

Lenten Resources

Look no further than Synod and our own Chaplain and Worship Director for a couple of good resources for individual, parish or school usage. . . and they are free!

https://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=3952

https://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=3951

Ash Wednesday Poetry

"Ash Wednesday" by Christina Rossetti

Part I
 

My God, my God, have mercy on my sin,
For it is great; and if I should begin
To tell it all, the day would be too small
To tell it in.

My God, Thou wilt have mercy on my sin
For Thy Love's sake: yea, if I should begin
To tell This all, the day would be too small
To tell it in.

Part II
 

Good Lord, today
I scarce find breath to say:
Scourge, but receive me.
For stripes are hard to bear, but worse
Thy intolerable curse;
So do not leave me.

Good Lord, lean down
In pity, tho’ Thou frown;
Smite, but retrieve me:
For so Thou hold me up to stand
And kiss Thy smiting hand,
It less will grieve me. 

“Lent” by Christina Rossetti

It is good to be last not first,

   Pending the present distress;

It is good to hunger and thirst,

   So it be for righteousness.

It is good to spend and be spent,

   It is good to watch and to pray:

Life and Death make a goodly Lent

   So it leads us to Easter Day.

Psalm 130 - KJV

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: 
   I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Psalm 51 - KJV

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: 
     according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: 
     that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: 
     and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: 
     and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: 
     a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, 
with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: 
     then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Cross-ly Glory

Sermon for Transfiguration C, preached by The Rev. Daniel M. Ulrich on Sunday, February 7, 2016.

    All of us like to be in the presence of greatness.  It's exciting to be near people who are on top of the metaphorical mountain.  It's part of our human nature to exalt and praise those who've done great things.  We construct hall-of-fames to immortalize athletes for their feats.  It seems like every month there's some sort of award show to congratulate actors and musicians for their artistic abilities.  We love these things because they give us a sense of being around these people, around their glory.  We get to stand near home-run hitting bats and MVP trophies.  We get to watch glamorous actresses glide on the red carpet and across the stage.  We like to witness glory and exaltation, and so too did Jesus' disciples. 
I.    Peter, John, and James were witness to Jesus' divine glory.  They saw it first hand on top of the Mountain of Transfiguration.  Our Lord took these three disciples with Him up on the mountain in order to pray.  While they were up there, in a foreshadowing of the prayer vigil on the night of Christ's betrayal, these disciples fell asleep as Jesus prayed.  When they awoke, they saw Jesus' glory.  This was no dream.  Luke tells us these men were fully awake.  With clear eyes and conscious heads, Peter, John, and James saw Jesus' divine glory physically manifested.  As Jesus prayed, the appearance of His face was altered and His clothing became dazzling white.  Moses and Elijah, two of the great Old Testament prophets, also appeared with Christ in glory.  They were there with Jesus, conversing with our Lord. 
    When Moses and Elijah began to leave, that's when Peter spoke up.  He said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here.  Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah" (Lk 9:33).  Peter wanted to stay up on the mountain.  He didn't want this glorious revelation to end.  He wanted Moses and Elijah to stay.  He wanted to continue in Jesus' glory.  Peter was content, he was happy, he was pleased to witness Jesus' glory.  This is how Jesus should always look; He should always display His glory in the way.  And we would be happy with this too. 
     We want to be on the Mountain of Transfiguration.  We would love to be up there with the disciples, seeing Christ's face, seeing His dazzling white clothes, standing in His glory.  This is the Jesus that we want to follow, the glorious one. 
    We want Jesus to always appear in His divine glory, then there would be no doubt that He's God our Savior.  Seeing His face, seeing His dazzling heavenly garments we would be certain.  We could point to Him and say, "See!  That's God.  Look at His greatness, His splendor, His majesty."  This Jesus is easy to follow.  He's easy to see and He's pleasing to our eyes.
     We want Jesus to always perform mighty and glorious works.  The disciples were blessed to witness Christ's glory in His many miracles.  They saw Jesus heal people with physical ailments and all kinds of disease and illness.  They saw Him provide an abundance of food for thousands.  They saw Him calm a storm with just His word.  They even saw Him cast out demons and raise people from the dead.  This is the Jesus we want to see.  We want Him to come into our hospital rooms to heal us and loved ones.  We want Him to provide us with all we need for life, and then also give us all our wants and desires.  We want Him to show us His almighty power.  This Jesus is easy to follow.  He makes our lives easy and free of struggles.
     We want to always feel Jesus' presence.  We want our hearts to always be filled with joy, never feeling the depression and stress of life.  The hurt feelings from broken relationships, the uncertainty of things to come, we want Him to take it all away.  If we never felt these things, then we'd never doubt.  We'd be certain who Jesus was; we'd feel it.  This Jesus is easy to follow.  He makes us feel good and happy all the time. 
     Yes, we want the Jesus clothed in glory, the one the disciples saw on the Mountain of Transfiguration.  We want the Jesus of glory, the one who will give us glory, the one that will lead us to the mountaintop.  But this type of glory isn't Christ's glory.  His glory, His exaltation doesn't come from the Mountain of Transfiguration, it comes from His departure, His exodus, His cross.
II.    When Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus, they were talking about His departure which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem (Lk 9:31).  In the original Greek, it says they were talking about Jesus' exodus.  Moses, the prophet who led the exodus of God's people out of slavery in Egypt, was talking to Jesus, the true Prophet, who was about to accomplish His exodus on the cross.  With this exodus, with His innocent suffering and death, Jesus leads God's people out of the slavery of sin and death.  This is where Christ's exaltation comes from.  His glory is revealed in His work of salvation. 
    On the mountain, a cloud overshadowed the disciples and the voice of God said, "This is my Son, my Chosen One, listen to Him!" (Lk 9:35).  These words recall the Father's words at Jesus' baptism, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (Lk 3:22).  God the Father announces His pleasure in His Son, in His Chosen One, whose sole work and purpose is to save God's people, to save you, from sin and death.  And this can only be done with Jesus death on the cross. 
    In this suffering, with this sacrifice, Christ Jesus paid the penalty for your sin.  He took your just punishment of death, and He overcome your death.  He freed you from its slavery and leads you into everlasting life with Him, into the promised land of God's kingdom.  This is where Christ's glory comes from.  If it wasn't for His suffering and dying on the cross, the glory that Peter, John, and James saw would be meaningless.
     These three disciples were blessed to see Jesus' glory manifested that day on the mountain, but they couldn't stay up there.  What they saw was just a glimpse of Jesus' glory.  They had to come down, back to the ordinary everyday world, the world filled with sin, suffering, depression, and death.  This is the world we live in today.  Everywhere we turn, this is all we see.  We see it in others, and we see it in ourselves.  We wish our lives would be filled with Christ's glory that the disciples saw, we wish our lives would be free from suffering.  But Christ never promised us this.  He tells us in His Word that our lives will be filled with suffering.  But even in the midst of all our in-glorious struggles, Jesus still gives us a glimpse of His glory, the glory of His cross.  
     We get to see this glory when He miraculously saves children and adults from sin and Satan in the life-giving waters of Baptism.  We are witnessed to this glory when He speaks the renewing words of His absolution through pastors.  We get to see and taste this glory in His body and blood in the Lord's Supper where He forgives us our sins and strengthens our faith. 
     We aren't left without a glimpse of Christ's glory.  We see it every Sunday in the Divine Service, and every day of our lives.  Every time we hear God's Word, every time we receive forgiveness of sins, every time we forgive others, we are witness to it.  Even in the midst of life's struggles and sufferings, in illness, in depression, in the death of faithful loved ones, we see Jesus glory.  In these, He is with us, sustaining us in our faith and bringing us through them. 
     Peter, John, and James witnessed an amazing thing on the Mountain of Transfiguration.  They were blessed to see Jesus in His divine glory.  But they couldn't stay on the mountain, because that's not why Christ came.  Jesus came, He humbled Himself, so that His glory would shine forth in His cross.  Without the cross, without His sacrificial and saving death, we would never know His glory.  It's in Jesus' suffering that we see His exaltation.  It's His death, and our Baptism into it, that assures us that when He calls us home, or on the Last Day, whichever comes first, we'll see His divine glory in its fullness, forever.  In Jesus' name...Amen. 

Persecution in China. . .

The number of churches targeted for demolition in the Chinese province of Zhejiang has reached 1,500 in just two years, according to ucanews.com.  After claiming 2014 to be the worst year for religious persecution in China since the Cultural Revolution, observers in and outside the country say this year saw the situation deteriorate further in 2015. Relations between China’s religious groups and the Communist Party have not been this strained since the days of Chairman Mao.

The claim is often made that there are perhaps 100 Million Christians in China.  Though there is no way of actually counting them, Christianity in China is complicated by the fact that most churches and most Christians are unofficial -- that is, they belong to house churches which have no official sanction or approval.  In contrast to this, China does officially allow some churches, however, even these have faced increasing governmental scrutiny.  Clearly the only churches the government can tolerate are those it can control.  So the aim of the government has been to make churches more Chinese and more friendly to the goals and purposes of communism and the current leaders.

We hear little of the persecution of Christians from those who are charged with watching out for such persecutions.  The US government is strangely silent about the plight of Christians in China or in the Middle East, among other areas.  That silence does not and should not be interpreted as things improving.  Christians face more oppressive regimes today than in a long time.  It has been said that Christians fared better under what the West considered to be authoritarian and oppressive dictators than it has where those governments have been toppled.  That said, Christianity in China has not enjoyed very many protections and there, among other places, Christians bring great risk to themselves and their families by attending worship.

Our prayers and our voices should be raised on behalf of those who do not enjoy any protection for the exercise of their faith.  Governments may be silent in the face of this effort to silence or reduce the numbers of Christians but churches in America and throughout the West should not be silent.  We have a duty to tell their story even as we pray for them and for the protection of their right to worship without fear or sanction.

Don't forget them.

Orthodoxy is the new radical. . .

In an age in which self-expression is deemed the highest goal of freedom and in which it seems there are few boundaries left to be traversed in the pursuit of individuality, perhaps the most radical thing one can be is an orthodox Christian!

The media have presumed to know all things about theology and to discern the intent of Scripture that transcends its clear and plain word.  Liberalism has escaped the fence of creed and confession to embrace a gospel which has little if anything to do with the cross, empty tomb, forgiveness, life, and salvation.  Social justice and advocacy have become the pursuits of the evangelistic fervor of evangelicalism with a conscience and liberal Protestantism.  Personal happiness and achievement have taken over the rest of evangelicalism and even threatened the agenda of ordinary Protestantism.

The boomers remain deluded in the pursuit of personal preference and still think that strumming a guitar in church is the cutting edge of contemporary and emergent Christianity.  The feminist, gay, lesbian, transgender, and every other agenda have become the new orthodoxy of too many Christians and too many denominations claiming to be Christian.  There is tolerance for nearly everything that a generation or two ago would have been labeled a perversion but there is no stomach for doctrine and morality consistent with the Scriptures and the early church fathers.

No, if you want to be radical in this age, orthodox doctrine, creedal and confessional theology, and historic, catholic liturgy (with the expectation that God actually works through the means of grace) is about as radical and odd as you can get in the world today.  As one who danced to the tune of the moment in his youthful rebellious years, I have learned that the most radical thing there is and every has been is orthodox Christianity which takes the Scriptures at their word, seeks the fullest catholic expression of doctrine and practice, and finds the vibrant surprise of God's presence not in feeling or thought but in the Word and Sacraments that actually do what they say and deliver what they promise.

In a strange turn of events, the most conventional Christianity of all is the one that has been transformed by the spirit of the age, that listens to the heartbeat and pulse of the moment, that seeks to be on the forefront but not too far ahead of every movement of social change, that loves technology more than the unchanging Gospel, and divorces the gospel from text and story until it becomes merely a moral of the story and tacit approval of what we have always wanted or desired.  To be radical is to gather around the Word and Table of the Lord, to believe the Scriptures without seeking to find hidden meaning or principle that trumps the fact of what is said, and to rejoice that God is with us in the concrete splash of water, voice of absolution, taste of bread, and sip of wine.

There is nothing stranger to our world than a conscience and life captive to the Word of the Lord.  There is no sight more out of keeping with modern sensibility than a smokey setting of incense and prayer, chant and liturgy, preaching and Sacrament.  There is no truth more radical than one which does not adjust or change or reflect the times and tenor of the people from age to age.  There is no God more radical than the One who would inhabit a Virgin's womb, a manger bare, a crude instrument of suffering, and a cold, dark tomb.  There is no more radical hope than in death life is born and this life will transcend all earthly reality, dream, and imagination.  There is no more radical conviction than because He lives, I shall live also.

Nope, if you want to be radical, try being a confessional Lutheran gathered with other confessional Lutherans around the Word and Table of the Lord, paying homage to catholic ceremonial that flows from catholic doctrine, singing the chorales of yesteryear while adding the best of the best to the heritage of faithful song, praying with the saints the Amen of Thy will be done, joyfully giving tithe and offering in testament to God's giving love, and walking out the door to fulfill the baptismal vocation of worship, witness, prayer, service, and works of mercy.

Spiritual exercise. . .

Listening to the TV I discovered that January is the top month for the sale of exercise equipment, gym memberships, and weight loss programs.  Perhaps we looked in the mirror after Christmas feasting and decided that our New Year's resolutions needed to be self-improvement.  In any case, Americans have taken this to heart.  Some manufacturers are posting big sales with specially discounted equipment and many gyms and athletic clubs are offering bargain rates to sign up the flabby who want to be fit and trim. I must confess to wanting to be fit and trim but heartily unsure I want to expend that much money or effort to get there.  Guess I will have to suffice with walking and ordinary exercise and some judicious surveying of the food choices in the fridge and on the table.

It is kind of amusing, however, that as much as we want to get in physical shape, we seem to desire less the spiritual kind of programs to put us back in the pink.  Worship attendance, which slowly built up during Advent to bulge at Christmas Eve, will generally see predictable declines until they rebound in Lent and in time for Easter.  Therein lies the problem.  Statistics tell us that regular church attendance, which was once a euphemism for weekly attendance, has come to a new normal of a couple of times a month.  We are robust in our ideals but pale in the follow through.  Surveys show that 80 percent of people who join the gym in January quit by June; 4 percent don’t make it past January, and 14 percent more drop out by the end of February. So perhaps we are merely manifesting the same lethargy toward religious exercises as we do toward physical fitness.

My point is simple.  How do we expect to have a vibrant and sturdy faith to meet the challenges of this mortal life and to remain steadfast amid temptation when we only attend worship sporadically and starve our faith of Word and Sacrament?  Grow up.  Get up on Sunday morning (even when you don't feel it) and get yourself into a solid, orthodox, Word and Sacrament congregation.  Open the dusty Bible and start reading (you don't have to begin at the beginning -- spend time in the Psalms to start things out).  Get a prayer book or use the hymnal and its daily offices and force yourself (self-discipline is not a vice but a virtue).  Get into the habit.  It is no different from good eating or exercise.  But you need not purchase a spiritual gym membership or invest is expensive prayer books.  The Scriptures and the hymnal provide you with all the resources you need to start out.  Failing that, why not at least give Portals of Prayer a shot (if you are LCMS or if you are not, go to CPH.org and order a subscription).

It is amazing to me how many of us think that the road back to spiritual health begins with spiritual isolation, separation from the Lord's Word and House, and a diet devoid of the true spiritual food of Christ's flesh and blood!  If it is already February and you have not availed yourself of the worship of God's House or a daily devotional routine, Lent is almost here and it is the time to start up again (or even for the first time).  It is time for Christian habits to match Christian rhetoric!  Go to church!  It all starts there. . .

Thoughts on reading the newspaper. . .

There is little of most newspapers devoted to religion or religious news -- unless that somehow bridges the gap between hard news and religion.  So most of the time we get mere tidbits -- even in local newspapers about local churches.  A few Sundays ago I opened my own daily newspaper and found a feature story with pictures about the new rector for the local Episcopal Church.  You will recall from previous posts that the Episcopalians are going through hard times -- both locally and throughout the modern world (vitality being more or less confined to the less developed regions of the globe).  They suffered through a tempestuous tenure of Katherine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop -- a term more noted for the expenditure of millions in litigation and time spent in court than anything else.  You may have caught the several hour extravaganza of the installation of her successor (Michael Bruce Curry) complete with Native American drummers and a host of other things some might find surprising.

Back to my story.  I opened the newspaper and found a feature interview with the new rector of the local Episcopal congregation and found her interview both amusing and confusing.  On one hand she admits to being a nerd who loves Beyonce and attends the Dragon-Con in Atlanta every year.  On the other hand she describes her role as more life coach than priest and cheerleader for Jesus and the social causes that some Episcopalians have substituted for the Gospel.

Then she was asked: Is this an exciting time for the Episcopal Church?

Holland: This is a very exciting time for the church. It has a lot to offer; our church has this ancient worship style with very deep roots. This is Christian tradition that began with Paul. So, we have this very beautiful traditional worship, and yet the church is very open and constantly evolving. We ordain women; we have married priests. The national church has started same-sex blessings and same-sex marriages. We are kind of an anomaly, ancient worship and open ideals.

The things that Jesus taught us about who he considered a blessed person, who is a blessing to us, who is to be loved, and who we are supposed to be loving, is pretty clear. He meant for us to love everybody, He was very clear about that. We are supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves. In the Episcopal tradition, in our baptismal vows, we vow to strive for justice and peace and to respect the dignity of every human being. We take that vow very seriously.

Hmmm.  Read that first paragraph again.  This is an exciting time for the Episcopal Church?  That is not what most Episcopalians would say.  The Anglican communion is on the verge of collapse with deep divisions on the core of what is believed, taught, and confessed.  The old saying is certainly true:  may you live in interesting times but who would call the implosion of a once large and thriving communion to be interesting.

Then there is that confusing business of Christian tradition that began with Paul.  Or did it begin with Jesus?  Or is she talking about the liturgy beginning with Paul?  Or does she mean that the wholesale rejection of orthodox Christian doctrine that goes on under the guise of evolving church to be consistent with Paul's call to remain stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by ... delivered by the apostles, more than what we find contained in the Holy Scriptures. ... form of doctrine delivered to them, and the faith once delivered to the saints... (2 Thess. 2:15)?

Where does Scripture or the catholic tradition ever describe the church or faith as evolving?  Where is openness to new doctrines, teaching, and social justice positions heralded as a good thing for the Church?  But she did get it right -- we are an anomaly -- ancient worship and open ideas...  But that sort of negates the ancient worship since it ends up being lip service to ideas long ago rejected.

The second paragraph puts the whole Jesus thing into the context of behavior, social advocacy, and social justice.  But it is all Law and no Gospel.  Jesus is the moral model for us to aspire to -- never mind that His actual teachings conflict with the social positions taken by most liberal Episcopalians.  Sometimes you know the Gospel must conflict with the clear word of Scripture and you know which side we are supposed to come down!

Finally there is the suggestion that the Episcopal tradition has the core of its baptismal vows the promise to strive for justice and peace and to respect the dignity of every human being.  Not being immediately familiar with the Episcopal rites, I took a gander at the baptismal rite in the current Book of Common Prayer.  The beginning section of the vows or promises sounds rather ordinary and orthodox.

Then the Celebrant asks the following questions of the candidates who can speak for themselves, and of the parents and godparents who speak on behalf of the infants and younger children

Question	Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?
Answer	I renounce them.
Question	Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?
Answer	I renounce them.
Question	Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?
Answer	I renounce them.
Question	Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior?
Answer	I do.
Question	Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?
Answer	I do.

Question	Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?
Answer	I do. . .

Then you get there.  Sure enough, the Episcopalian baptismal rite seems rather ordinary and routine until you follow up this section with a few more questions and then it does appear that the purpose of the rite is not only to impart the new identity and new life in Christ that Scripture promises but also:

Celebrant	Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers?
People	I will, with God's help.
Celebrant	Will you persevere in resisting evil, and , whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People	I will, with God's help.

Celebrant	Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
People	I will, with God's help.
Celebrant	Will you see and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
People	I will, with God's help.
Celebrant	Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People	I will, with God's help.

The problem is that the first question (fidelity to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, breaking of the bread and prayers) has come in conflict with the later couple of questions -- at least if you believe that the apostles' teaching is equated with the Word of God/Scripture.  

Anyway, my point is that the Episcopal Church has become a church that is not sure who it is.  By the appearance of its worship on Sunday morning it tries to claim catholicity but it forsakes that catholicity upon the altar of relevance, contemporary social justice positions, and an idea of gospel that transcends and even conflicts with Scripture itself.  All of which goes back to the first part of the interview.  Is this an exciting time for the Episcopal Church?  Hmmmm.... not the excitement I would desire but for those relieved of any duty to the Word of God, it must be fun indeed!


  

Another one bites the dust. . .

Let me preface this news report (not all that new) with the concern that this is exactly what the LCMS is concerned about in our US based Concordia Universities.  It begs the question of assets, of whose assets they were/are, and how something that a church began can on its own disown its very existence and identity....  For those in Missouri who are looking at our own Concordias, the question in the back of our minds is whether or not something like this could happen to us:

From the Website of the Canadian Lutheran.

Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) no longer identifies itself as a Christian institution. The university’s Board of Governors made the decision on November 27, 2015 when it decided to remove all references to Lutheranism and the Christian faith from its mission and vision statements.  Prior to the action, Concordia’s Mission statement identified the institution as a “community of learning grounded in scholarship, freedom, and the Christian faith.” Among its Values Statements, it identified itself as an “excellent smaller Christian university true to its mission and vision,” that “maintains its mission as a Christian university serving the public.” Guiding Directional Statements professed that “Concordia will honour its Lutheran heritage” and “will provide a foundation of faith and intellectual integrity that supports a scholarly community.”  All references to faith have now been deleted.

Previously, the introduction to Concordia’s previous Mission/Vision/Values Framework read: “Throughout its history, Concordia has remained grounded in the belief that the Christian faith gives purpose to life and that success depends upon spiritual maturity. The entire educational experience at Concordia is built on a foundation of the Christian faith and intellectual integrity characteristic of a Lutheran university, where people of various beliefs and backgrounds are in dialogue in a common pursuit of understanding and truth that ultimately leads to wisdom. That is what is meant by our motto: Initium Sapientiae Timor Domini – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  Read Concordia’s original Mission/Vision/Values statement here.

LCC responds

Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) was given no advance notice that such action was being contemplated. As late as the end of August 2015, church officials had been assured in a letter from CUE’s Board of Governors that “all of the Board remains committed to Concordia’s Missions, Vision and Values.”

LCC President Robert Bugbee has communicated his dismay to CUE President Gerald S. Krispin over the recent action of CUE’s board, asking for clarity as to why the action was taken without consulting synod. He noted multiple assurances over the past years from Concordia’s leaders that such action was not being considered.

“Concordia was founded in 1921 as an educational ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,” President Bugbee reflected. “It is with incredible grief that we see Concordia now silence any reference to the Christian mission for which it was originally founded.”

Concordia’s recent decision has put LCC in a difficult situation: a number of professors (including the University president) are ordained ministers of LCC and hold calls from the church body to serve as ministers at the institution. As Concordia no longer claims to be a Christian institution in its mission statement, it is doubtful whether service at the institution can continue to be considered a call in the church’s understanding, thereby jeopardizing the place of these colleagues on the Synod’s roster.

The relationship between LCC and Concordia

CUE leadership held a town hall December 15, 2015 to answer serious concerns from faculty regarding the abrupt change in the college’s mission and values statements. LCC was not invited to or informed of the meeting. At the time, CUE President Krispin assured those present that the change in wording would not alter the deeper identity of Concordia, and that the college and synod could remain in cooperation despite these changes.  Concordia has taken a number of actions in recent years that have further separated it from the church. In 2010, Concordia notified LCC that it planned to alter its bylaws regarding the requirements for sitting on its Board of Governors. Previously all board members had been elected by Lutheran Church–Canada meeting in convention.

While synod raised concerns at the time, Concordia understood itself as able to make the decision with or without synod’s approval, arguing the 1978 Act of Incorporation that instituted Concordia as an independent organization failed to make provision for synod’s continuing legal authority over the college. The college, however, continued to operate under bylaws relying on LCC in convention to appoint its Board of Governors. But in 2010, as noted above, Concordia informed LCC it planned to change its bylaws regarding governance.  Even so, President Krispin assured LCC leaders that any decisions the college made would “not only maintain, but strengthen the shared ecclesiastical bond” with Lutheran Church–Canada. At the time, President Krispin further explained that Concordia’s Mission, Vision, and Values Framework would ensure the college’s identity as a Christian institution would be maintained. “It is this distinction that gives us our raison d’ être,” he wrote.

The actual change to a self-appointed (rather than LCC-appointed) board occurred in recent years. Consequently, LCC at its 2014 convention updated its own bylaws to recognize the alteration that had already occurred. Despite the changes, President Krispin assured the convention that “every member who signs onto the board has a charter to uphold the mission, vision, and values of this institution.” Concordia had also taken steps to ensure representation of at least three members of Lutheran Church–Canada: the President of the Alberta-British Columbia District, as well as two members from the general public.

In 2015, Concordia’s Board of Governors suspended the ABC District President’s ex officio position on the Board of Governors, citing uncertainty regarding the District’s corporate future and confusion over whom the appropriate representative should be (given the current division of labour between the ABC District President and LCC’s Interim Pastoral Leader). Despite this move, church leaders were assured by Concordia’s Board of Governors that “all of the Board remains committed to Concordia’s Mission, Vision and Values.”

President Bugbee is arranging consultation with Concordia’s leadership in determining what relationship the church body might have with the university going forward.

My Comments 

The school has undoubtedly been caught up in the financial morass of the Alberta British Columbia District and its Church Extension Fund.  That CEF made risky investments that now have forced the District to sell off much of its property and threatens to even close some of the congregations there.  Clearly this has had a wide impact and was at least part of the situation that caused the Concordia board to seek an independent status.  That said, there are too many questions to presume that this move simply insulates the school from the financial problems of the LCC District in question and it raises the issue of how long the school can continue offering chapel, religious courses, and pre-seminary training.  There is plenty of room to point fingers and to blame here but little that suggests a good future for either the school as it was once or the District and its problems.  If anything, this ought to provide good caution for churches and agencies who look to make investments.  Slow and steady is always preferable to risky schemes that depend upon too many factors to be successful and that promise rewards that might be appealing but not feasible.

Liturgical best practices. . .

The sad truth is that the liturgy with its structure and even specific texts is more often perceived as raw material to be kneaded and molded into something by those who plan and lead worship.  It is like a raw, basic dough that must be flavored and shaped.  Some advocate local circumstance as the primary tool when adding accents of taste and pleasing appearance.  Others define it according to personal preference.  Others use denominational identifications to tailor the ingredients to its finished form.  Even those who advocate for liturgical worship often see the liturgy as more starting point than ending product.  In the end the people who may have few things in common start at a common place in making the liturgy personal.  Though I am inherently disposed to being more friendly to those who add than I am to those who subtract, the truth is that both begin with what is there and adapt it.  Even me.  That said, there is something to appreciate about the evolution of the liturgy that has left us with a form that is not finished (Christ has not yet returned) but is itself the fruit of many years use, wisdom, and adaptation.  It is more a finished product than raw material.

Like it or not, educational theory has entered the realm of soft sciences and journal-driven research. Teachers are expected to know scientific “best practices” and follow them in their classrooms. Somehow experts have discovered that two plus two is best communicated at 71.5 degrees and 38% humidity, with 3200K soft-white lighting, with Mozart not Bach, by a teacher who promotes inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and individual autonomy for each learning style.

Our liturgy is a form of education, and Catholics too have experts who suggest certain worship aids, lighting schemes, boutique liturgies, color palettes, and gimmicks to “shock and awe” the faithful, hopefully spurring them on to become “dynamic” Catholics and buy the next book. Even if these folks don’t claim their materials and approach are the “best practice,” they usually are not advocating for the Roman Rite done well and done obediently. At best, the Roman Rite is seen as the springboard, the point of departure.

I would like to propose that the [Divine Service] is itself the accumulation of two thousand years of best practices. The lectionary, the liturgical calendar, and the rite [itself] all attempt to put Christian teaching into a three-year (or one-year) curriculum, one which is suitable for the young and the old, the wise and the foolish. According to current educational models, this is a preposterous and ridiculous goal, akin to a one-room schoolhouse for pre-K through doctorate. It’s easy to criticize, but the reality is that it works.

It does work.  The best of the generations before have passed on to us form and texts that have proven faithful and usable -- not perfect mind you but thoroughly vetted through the time and experience of the saints who went before us.  Even as I plead for those who pick and choose from the liturgy they view as starting point or smorgasbord, I would also plead for less innovation when it comes to the shape of buildings for worship, the furniture of the chancel, and the general setting in which the liturgy takes place.  Here, as well, history is a teacher and has left us with some solid forms and shapes that have befriended the liturgical action and assisted the voices in the spoken and sung Word, the practice of prayer, the Sacrament of the Altar, and community of those who gather in the Lord's House on the Lord's Day.


My own lifetime has seen a radical departure from the usual shapes of the church's building for worship and left us with many structures that are at war with what goes on inside of them.  If only in the area of carpeting and building shapes that render singing a difficult task we would be better off.  But the reality is that too many chancels are structured as if the distribution of the Sacrament were a rarity rather than the often of the Lord's command.  Lines of sight obscure rather than focus the eye upon crucifix, altar, lectern, pulpit, and font.  Stark walls deprive the wandering eye and restless mind from being recalled to the holy purpose of the gathering.  The focus is on the assembly rather than on what the assembly has been assembled for.  Things that were neat and cool in the moment have left too many congregations with great financial investment in buildings that are unworthy of and unusable for the Divine Service.  Warehouse settings discourage reverence and awe and invite a casual attitude toward what is happening on Sunday morning as if it were merely a religious version of the activity of the mall.

History has bequeathed to us a liturgical form and settings for the practice of that form which assist its function.  The liturgy always has options for season and Sunday that require us to make decisions about what and when but it is not raw material given over to unseasoned hands to flavor and shape.  The buildings we build should begin with what we have learned from the history of God's people gathering for the liturgy and not with a blank slate.  Learning from the past will help us not only serve faithfully the people of this day but bequeath to those to come practice and settings to connect them to what has gone before and assist them in singing the praise of God and receiving His gifts in a new generation.

God writes poetry and not prose. . .

At least that is how one Orthodox writer has put it. 

What counts as “historical” in the mind of the first century and what counts as “historical” in the mind of the 20th or 21st, are very different things. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that the first century mind was not capable of conceiving what we think of as “historical.” And this is a extremely essential part of understanding the Scriptures, as well as acquiring an Orthodox mind. . .

God is a poet. The world is His poem. It often needs to be read poetically in order to be understood. Protestants and modernists want the world (and God) to be prose. It is not.
The life of an Orthodox believer includes struggling to acquire the mind of the fathers, which includes losing the mind of modernity. In that mind, I would generally say, the “historical” character of the Exodus (or other stories), in a precise, objective form just doesn’t matter, inasmuch as it’s the wrong question asked by a wrongly shaped mentality. That doesn’t mean nothing happened. The assertion that the Exodus is nothing more than pure fiction is both wrong and implausible.

What this writer deems the difference between a secular viewpoint and understanding of history and the mind of a first century person like St. Paul sounds awfully close to what most skeptics of Scripture and its story say.  In fact, I would suggest that this author has fallen into the trap of becoming exactly what he is trying to avoid.  He has tossed out historicity as a modern concept and therefore ended up right where the higher critics of the 1800s and forward have left us -- with a story that does not need to be and certainly does not claim to be true in order for us to benefit.  In the modern critic, morality is what is left when you sift all of history from the Biblical message.  In this Orthodox writer's viewpoint, allegory is what is left when you dispense with the messy business of truth and fact and history.

It sounds like a spiritual high road but it is in essence a dark detour that will inevitably lead to a dead end.  The thing begins with St. Paul's words to Corinthians (1 Cor. 10:1-11) in which it certainly sounds like St. Paul presumes that the Exodus account is factual, historical, and true.  The questioner protests because surely everyone believes that this is mythistory, not history.  Well, it certainly does sound like St. Paul presumes that the Exodus account is factual, historical, and true.  And it certainly does sound like Jesus presumes such, along with the historicity of Adam and Eve and God's ordered creation of all that is.  What is even more compelling is the way St. Paul treats the resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15) in which not only is the factual, historical, and truthful nature of Christ's resurrection affirmed but the apostle insists on this fact, history, and truth hangs the whole balance of Christianity!

There are those who insist that trying to hold on to the historicity of the creation account and Adam and Eve as well as a host of other things deemed mythistory by the modern mind is a troglodyte mentality -- uniformed, uneducated, unsophisticated, and untenable!  The truth is that we hold to the truthful, factual, historical character of the Biblical record and its content not because we are incapable of higher intellectual thought but because these are the claims of Scripture itself and ultimately of Jesus Himself and one cannot pick and choose truth and fact and history without losing the whole forest for the sake of a few suspect trees.

Believing the creation account of Genesis or the Exodus or the miracles of the Old Testament is a small thing in comparison to believing the greater thing -- that the Son of God was incarnate of a Virgin, that He willingly suffered in our place to carry the burden of our sins into His death so that by His resurrection we might be raised from the death of sin to new and everlasting life.  Every other claim of Scripture pales in comparison to the mystery of Christ.  It is the most untenable fact and truth of Scripture!  If we have problems with lesser things, we shall surely have a great impediment to believing the greater.

Not just words. . .

Sermon for Epiphany 4C, preached on Sunday, January 31, 2016.

    It is the common complaint of politicians lies and those running for office that they are all talk and no action.  Of course, we are seldom happy when they do what they say, either.  If you walked down the halls of a local middle or high school, you might learn a few choice new words and be shocked at how our kids talk.  Of course, if you asked them about it, they would shrug their shoulders and say they are just words – they don’t really mean anything.  Just words.
    Just words, alright.  Truth stretched to the breaking point, promises made to be broken, vulgarity that substitutes for wisdom... but don’t get excited or upset, they are just words.  Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.  Right?  Well, maybe until you meet the Word made flesh.  He is the Word that spoke creation into existence and His words have the authority to do what they say.
    Once again we find Jesus in the synagogue on the Lord’s Day and once again His teaching stands in stark contrast with the teachers and rabbis who went before Him.  Even demons recognize that Jesus is not just words.  “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?” And with a word Jesus silenced the demon and cast him out.
    Did you catch how the bystanders responded?  “What is this Word?”  What is this Word indeed!  Jesus speaks with authority and His words have power.  Our Lord cannot lie, cannot play with the truth, and cannot stretch the truth.  He speaks and His word IS truth.  More than mere truth for the sake of truth, His words do what they say.  They are performative, efficacious, and deliver what they promise.  Scripture is not a word about but a Word that does what it says.  That is His authority.
    And this power is not something apart from the words but inherent in that word.  Jesus is the Word made flesh, the Word embodied.  Scratch any word of Scripture and the blood of Christ will flow.  The words of Scripture cradle Jesus and deliver Him to us so that through this word we meet Him, know Him, and believe in Him.  Through these words, our Lord acts.
    Jesus is the promise of Eden once given to Adam and Eve now embodied in the Virgin by the Holy Spirit.  That is what Christmas was about and what Epiphany manifests. Our Lord insists that the test of His claims lies in His Word.  If He keeps this Word, it proves that He is who He claims to be.  Faith is not an opinion but the conviction that Jesus has fulfilled His promise, delivered on His promise, and done what He said.
    Worship is the arena of the Word, heard in the ear, touched in baptismal water, and eaten and drunk in the Holy Eucharist. His Word is His promise and His promise does what His Word says.  Never before in the history of the world has there been someone who embodies the promise, grace, and mercy of God.  But this is what Jesus does for us and for our salvation.
    What kind of Word is this?  That is the central crux of the faith!  Our Lord cannot talk without something happening – the sick are healed, the dead are raised, the demon cast out, the broken made whole, the sinner forgiven and redeemed, and the dead made alive.  God Word is not just words. Scratch the Word of God and you meet Jesus, you touch His blood, and encounter the surprise of grace bigger than every sin and even death.
    Worship is our encounter with the living Word of God that does what it says and delivers to us what it signs.  The Word read in Scripture, preached from the pulpit, and visible in the Sacraments.  This is where and how God works.  And God is right now among us through His Word and by His Spirit healing the sick with sin, raising those dead in trespasses, and bestowing upon the mortal the gift of everlasting life.
    He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies His Church and you and I as members of that Church by His Spirit working through His Word (sacramental Word, preached Word, and written Word).  We are above all things people of this Word.  It does not surprise us but it does act for us and for our salvation.  How we use it and what we say matters because the Word of God is also in our mouths and on our minds.  That is true no less for you than it is for the one who preaches from this pulpit.  For the Word of God does not gain its power from its speaker but from the Spirit who works through that word in your mouth just as in mine, within the home, in the neighborhood, on the job, and everywhere you go.
      Just words?  Nope, not just words but the Living Word, the voice of Christ to us, for us, and through us.  The Word of the Lord will not return to Him empty but will accomplish the purpose for which He sends it.  Lord, make it so in me and through me.  Amen. 

Lawlessness is also a teacher.

Just as legalism instructs, lawlessness also instructs.  In different things, mind you, but no less effectively.  Yup, you got.  This is one more of those statements I wish I could say I crafted but it is borrowed.

The legalist certainly has come to have a bad reputation.  Some of it, mind you, is well earned but some of it is bereft of substance.  You see we idealize and sentimentalize the idea of freedom from any and all law.  We dream of the kind of society in which people are perfectly free to do as they desire, one in which there is no condemnation even for wrong.  It the false and misleading dream of a world where children grow up and decide upon what is right without benefit of parental leadership or even the instruction of the conscience.  In this make believe world, laws are few and personal freedom is abundant yet at the same time we fantasize that this would lead to less crime, less violence, less fear but more morality, more virtue, and more responsibility.

There is no slur more biting than to be named a legalist, at least in church circles.  Those who stifle creativity and progress by their slavish devotion to rules and regulations are typically derided as arrogant, prudish, hawkish, and self-absorbed.  Yet the truth is that these faults and failings are much more likely to be found among the lawless, those who disdain the rule of law, and who believe that unless one want's to do the right nothing should compel them.

In reality lawlessness is the ultimate legalism.  It refuses to tolerate anything that it finds repugnant.  It insists that no one should be forced to tolerate ideas with which they do not agree nor should the minority be protected from the intolerance of the majority.  So there is no one more evil in our culture than the person who places faith above personal expression and who rejects that which the majority has decided is right and, indeed, the only path.

Have you ever noticed that those most against smoking tobacco seem pretty positive about smoking marijuana?  Have you ever noticed that those who insist that you must do more than tolerate but cater to those whose lifestyles and values you object to refuse to tolerate you?  Have you ever noticed that the only sacred freedom is self-expression and self-definition -- that all others may be abridged if the majority deems it -- even freedom of speech?  Have you ever noticed that those who deviate from that which has historically been held as truth refuse to give history even a second glance against the moral outrage of the moment?

Legalism teaches much of which we ought to be object but lawlessness is not without its own errors that must and ought to be exposed and condemned.  Its sham of objectivity cannot erase how subjective modern judgment can be.  Its truth tied to the moment is the ultimate in captivity and blindness.  The legalist can and often is unduly harsh and difficult but the lawless ultimately cares little except about self.  If forced to choose, I would always choose the legalist over any form of self-indulgent freedom that presumes objectivity, neutrality, and flexibility.  What about you?

A blast from the past outdated hymnal

A what?  An outdated hymnal?  What would that be?  I know of hymnals no longer in current use but I would hardly call them outdated.  I have a shelf full of hymnals no longer in use in parishes, books that were published between 40 and 100 years ago, but I would never presume to call them outdated.  Outdated is what you use of those things where the information has changed or is no longer reliable.  It is not a term to be used of hymnals once held in the hands of the faithful, whose voices swelled the song, and whose words testify of the faith once delivered to the saints and now passed on one more time.  No, there is no such thing as an outdated hymnal.

This Christmas I received the gift of a hymnal more than 111 years old, imprinted with the name Lulu Schulz, and I marveled at a book that included all of Luther's Catechism with additional questions and answers, most of the liturgical rites common to the life of the church, the Augsburg Confession, all the Psalms, and the requisite hymns and liturgies.  Outdated?  Certainly not! 

A hymnal might be judged unfaithful if it does not faithfully confess the mystery of God and His work of redemption.  It might be deemed shallow if its songs speak too much of the heart of the people singing and too little of the Gospel which gives than cause to rejoice.  It might be deemed inferior if its words or music were faddish and more accurately reflected the moment than the legacy of the faith and the best of the present age.  But how can you call a hymnal outdated?

Sure, the world has discarded the ancient cadence and style of Elizabethan English and prefers modern syntax but that does not make the hymnal outdated.  Maybe the world has deemed the chant of ancient days passe or the great chorales too difficult but that does not make the hymnal outdated.  In fact, these judgments are themselves subject to trend, fad, and whim and may not be sustained by the ages that follow.  But the books remain and their testament to the Gospel in song stands as witness to the fact that we learned the faith from its instruction and still am in debt to its wisdom, faithfulness, and truth.

I could take any one of the many Lutheran hymnals on my shelf and have a perfectly usable book to inspire my tongue and teach my mind.  Sure, some might be better than others and others lesser but outdated?  No, not these books.  If I held in my hands the hymnal given to my grandfather at his confirmation I would have a book still thoroughly usable and faithful (even if many of its texts and tunes did not pass into the current book used in the LCMS).  If I opened the pages of the book that was new to my dad and ancient to me when I was confirmed, I would still have a wonderful treasure of words and music to teach and guide my heart and mind in the faith.  Hymnals that are inferior probably should be discarded but hymnals that are otherwise faithful even though no longer in regular service are good books and worthy of our attention still.

Outdated?  No way!

Which is worse?

Every now and then universalism raises its head again -- those who step into the place of God and decide everything in Scripture is really irrelevant and faith superfluous.  All will be and are saved.  God could not, would not, and shall not offend against the egalitarian presumption of largess in which all are saved or none.

I will admit that I am a universalist -- not the kind above but the kind who hopes and prays that when all is revealed on the last day there are no goats, there is no weeping and gnashing of teeth, and there is no one who hears the voice of judgment condemning them to hell.  I truly want all to be saved but I am content to leave it all to the wisdom and mercy of God in Christ to sort out.  I do not presume to judge in His stead but it is my pious hope and prayer that when the curtain is drawn back there is no one in the outer darkness. 

Like others (notably Richard John Neuhaus), I do not doubt that hell is real and wretched beyond imagination.  I do not doubt that there are those who deserve to be there and I count myself as one so deserving.  I do not doubt that the only hope of redemption for the lost and condemned is the blood of Jesus Christ and it is my plea and hope to be saved without any merit or worthiness or effort on my part.  We know that some will be saved.  Scripture does not leave us in the dark.  Revelation already points to those who have gone through the great tribulation, whose robes have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb.  The bosom of Abraham is not empty.  We know that the elect shall be saved and Christ is adamant that He has lost not one of those given (elect) to Him.  I trust His Word.  But I do hope against hope that in the hour of death repentance reclaims the proud, the haughty, the rebel, the Pharisee, and the sinner -- those of all stripes and nationalities.  I hope against hope that the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sins will in the end reclaim and cleanse all from the stain of sin and its cohort of death. 

Surely it is this that motivates us to spread the Gospel.  We hope against hope that, not given the privilege of knowing who are the elect, the work of evangelization will awaken in everyone faith by the Holy Spirit, bring forth the fruit of repentance, and bear the good fruit that lasts of good works.  This is not a doctrine of universal salvation but its pray and hope that at the same time defers to Christ for judgement, the wisdom of God to reveal it all, and the mercy of God to save any and all who will be saved.

I am not troubled by those who share this kind and blessed hope but it does trouble me that there are those who are not so bothered by the idea that people will suffer eternity in pain of hell and in suffering beyond comprehension.  It surely does trouble me that there are those who think the Christian Gospel so fragile and weak that they care not if it is told to others or kept to self.  It surely does trouble me that there are those who equate all claims and truths so equal that the cross is but one of many options and the Word of God but many voices claiming what none can fully offer.  It surely does trouble me that there are bitter so-called Christians who are happy people they know will be judged unworthy of eternal life and people they do not know will share the same fate.

There is surely something wrong with having just celebrated Christmas and then feeling so comfortable, safe, and secure in the idea that the incarnate Lord came for a few and the rest can be dismissed with the shrug of the shoulder.  I pray and hope that hell will be empty and even Satan Himself will have repented.  I have nothing to tell me that such will be the outcome and I am perfectly willing to trust to all the condemned the same mercy of God that has redeemed me, a lost and condemned sinner.  But it is my hope and prayer that all will be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  And it should be the pious hope and prayer of us all.  It is my consternation and confusion that there are Christians either too lightly concerned for the Gospel and pure doctrine that they have no mission zeal or so certain of those whom God will condemn that they feel no urgency or responsibility to speak and live the Gospel except within the realm of private belief.

It is damnably wrong to insert ourselves into the judgment seat of Christ and presume to know or have the hubris to decide who will and will not be saved.  But it is surely just as wrong to live perfectly comfortably with the idea that the folks next door either do not need the Gospel or were not include in the promise of Christ's blood.  Surely we all ought to hope and pray that hell will be empty. . . at least until we are given to know otherwise by the only One who does know.

I thought we had problems. . .

Rome is no panacea of perfection and the goofiness and idiocy we too often see in Lutheran parishes on Sunday morning is not isolated merely to us. . .









Footnote. . . Rome disciplined the priest.  Well, that is visitation, supervision, and accountability.  Despite what the Today show oohed and aahed over with clear sympathies toward the priest against the dark forces of authority, Rome did good.  Now it is time for Lutherans to get a backbone and tell those doing some of the stupid stuff among us that it is time to stop.  Period.

When WE is a brick wall keeping out THEE. . .

At the heart of our vision. . . so begins a PR piece sent to us by a Lutheran group thinking we might have some funds we might want to send their way.  The mission is probably laudable and doing credible work but the mission statement, core values statement, and vision statement were all written from the perspective of the people and offered little room for the Lord to squeeze in.  It was not intentional and I am sure that these folks listened to all the right voices, read all the right books, and attended all the right workshops on how to craft and use these devices to identify, explain, and inspire people to rally around your cause.  But it was language that could have been used by any secular organization and it did not give the Lord much room to direct or speak to what was being done in His name.

As any pastor who opens his mail will attest, there is no small cottage industry out there trying to help congregation's sharpen their focus, communicate their mission, and rally people to their cause.  Once I thought it was a tool that could be faithfully used but when we set up a group to actually write a mission statement, look at our core values, and cast a vision before the people, the end result was more navel gazing than it was useful work.  Perhaps it was my own ignorance and inexperience or just maybe this is inherently one of the weaknesses of the whole thing.

I am beginning to wonder if we need or even should have a vision.  It would seem to me that visions inevitably narrow a focus which in Scripture and Confession is rather broad (at least when it comes to such things as the means of grace).  Our vision tends to become preoccupied with small things, with attitudes, with feelings, and with outcomes that are generally pretty hard to evaluate.  God's vision is expansive and inclusive but narrowly focused upon and through the efficacious Word and the Sacraments that deliver what they sign.  In the many PR pieces I have read, the mission, vision, and values defined seldom have much more than lip service to do with the means of grace.

Contrary to what many people think, I don't have a vision for what the Lord wants us to do or to be.  But I have listened to the voice of His Word, I do pay attention to what we have confessed in our Concordia, and I am mindful of the catholic doctrine and practice that underlies everything we are and everything we seek to do as the people of God in a particular place.  I do have personal preferences (don't we all) but it is a fool's errand to impose a pastor's personal preferences upon a congregation (any more than it is to pick any other one person or even group and impose their personal preferences upon the whole).  It would seem to me that what we ought to be talking about is being captive to the Word of God, shaped by the faithful confessions that witness to this Word, and gathered around the Word preached and visible (in the Sacraments).  It is through these God has chosen to work in us, for us, and through us.  Maybe things would be better if we spent more time on His vision and less time on our own.

Or, maybe I am just plain wrong again.... either way, it behooves us to reconsider what we are saying and doing in all the time spent vision casting, mission defining, and values considering...