Bringing Up Servant Leaders

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it."

                                                    Prov 22:6

This past Sunday, our children led a traditional liturgical worship service at Zion. As they stood in line to process into the sanctuary, I counted. I counted seventeen young people from preschool through High School who would in some way participate in leading the Advent Worship. This may not seem like a large number to many of you reading this. However, given the size of the community around us this is a huge number. The population is right around 200 in Skanee. Our public K-6 school has less than ten youth enrolled. The truth is that most of these young people come from elsewhere in the county.

We do have a couple of very shy students who will acolyte or receive the offering; but, most of our young people are willing to sing in the choir, to read, to pray, even to preach publically. For many years, we have been busy training not just adults; but, our children, as well, to lead worship; to proclaim the Good News in word and song. I have led very few mid-week Advent or Lent services since I was called to serve here as I understand a large part of my call to train others to be servant leaders. I do design the services; but, I do not lead them. We use these mid-week services to help others in the congregation to confidently lead this congregation or other congregations. One of our members presently serves as Lay Pastor to a congregation that is so small that they cannot call an ordained pastor. Pr. Peter is also very active in ministry at assisted living homes.

Our young people love being able to lead the liturgy, to pray the prayers of the church, and; yes, even to preach. They are becoming very good public speakers and witnesses to the Lord. I am grateful that we have this opportunity to train them to be servant leaders. Whether they will use these things that they are learning in the church or out in the world is yet to be seen. But, we trust that they will not depart from the way which they have been shown when they are old.

We do not believe that children are just the future of the church. They are also the church today. With the help of God, one day they will be training their children in the way that they should go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Sin

Not everyone wants to hear the truth. They will rally against Christian truth-tellers. They will accuse them of being unchristianlike. No one likes to hear that they what they do is a sin. Well, Jesus was a truth-teller. He did not condone sin as some would have us believe. He was not a pushover as some would have us think.

Remember the money changer's tables in the temple that he turned over and then drove those making a profit in God's house out of the temple with a whip? (Matt 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:14-15) How meek and mild does that sound?

If you think your pastor or teacher are acting in a manner not befitting a Christian because they call a sin a sin; think again, please. When was the last time one of them actually told you to "get behind me Satan" because you rejected the word and will of God? (Matt 16:21-23; Mark 8:31-38) I can just imagine the reaction if I said that to someone. I confess. I am a wimp. I have thought it. I have even implied it. But, never actually had the courage to use those words (except with a person or two very close to me).

And... please, don't bother using the story of the woman who had been brought before him accused of adultery. No, he did not condemn her. But, he not only confronted her with her sins when he told her to go and sin no more; he confronted the sins of the Scribes and Pharisees when he told them that the one who was without sin should cast the first stone. No one cast that first stone. (John 8:1-11) We are all sinners. That doesn't make sin something to be ignored. Jesus did not ignore it. We ought not ignore it in ourselves or anyone else.

Jesus did not ignore sin. He was tough on sin. In fact, he was so tough on sin that he was willing to hang on that cross for us so that sin would have no power over us. (1 Cor 15:56, 57) Bearing the sins of the world; now, that takes courage! (Rom 5:7-9) Jesus was and is no pushover and he does not call his followers to be, either. He spoke the truth. He lived the truth. He is the truth.

Jesus died for our sins; that is true. St. Paul wrote to the church: "What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (Rom 6:1-3) 

May God grant that we should acknowledge our sins and live so that we might glorify his holy name.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Before one accuses another Christian of being unchristianlike in order to justify our own sins; it would behoove us to read your Bibles thoroughly so that we get to know who Jesus really was and is and not just the verses we think might justify our own actions. Justification comes only through Jesus' death on the cross for you.

We Are God's Hands

"And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these." Matt 6:28-29

I am no longer sure what is in fashion or not. I know that I like long skirts. In the summer they are cooler than slacks or jeans and in the winter I can wear boots and long underwear under them instead of panty hose and no one is the wiser. The problem the market is not inundated with long dresses so my closet doesn't have an abundance of them.

Fortunately, one of the perks of being a pastor is that I don't have to think too much about what I'm going to wear. Shirt, collar and a skirt or (sadly) slacks. Sometimes, I wear my pink or purple shirt with blue jeans; depending where I'm going or what I'm doing. An alb on Sundays covers up anything I might be wearing underneath. At the little church in Aura, without air conditioning, I have threatened to wear my swimsuit underneath in the summer. The temperatures raise even more once the pews are filled with God's children. No one would know. I leave the house in an alb and return in the alb. No, one knows what I'm wearing underneath anyway.

Society spends an awful lot of time and money on worrying about what we should wear when there are a whole lot more important and pressing things to worry about. There are hungry children and multitudes of cold children who don't have the option of deciding which jacket to wear because they have none at all. There are the sick and the persecuted and the dying who need tending to. There is enough to take care of in this world to have time or money to worry about what we will wear. God uses us to help clothe and otherwise care for those in need. We are His hands.

May He help us to understand that rather than worry about which sweatshirt we should wear, we should be busy being His hands to feed and clothe those who are truly in need.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Toys for Tots Benefit Concert at Zion this Sunday at 2 pm in support of the children of Baraga County. See you all there! 

Unbelievably Sad

My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
    as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
    and my neighbors stand far off.

Those who seek my life lay their snares;
    those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin,
    and meditate treachery all day long.

Psalm 38:10-12 NRSV

 

I find myself unbelievably saddened today. I am sad because you are sad.

It never fails to astound me how quickly people who say they care will turn against someone or even desert them when someone is being afflicted. Instead of helping and supporting their "friends and companions," they turn on them much like Job's friends turned on him when he was afflicted. They turn on them and dessert them in their time of need and in doing so they hurt, even further, the one who is hurting.

 

I wish that I could help them in their loneliness. I am always willing to be there to listen. However, not everyone wants their pastor to care; after all, that's what pastors do: care for the afflicted. Sometimes people need more people than just their pastor. Most of us have probably been, at one time or another, in that place where it seems like there is no one left who cares about us. I have come to know the one who is always there for you... His name is Jesus. He is always with you. Talk to him. Hear his gentle voice: Be not troubled. Be not afraid. My peace I give to you. (John 14:27)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Believe And Be Baptized

Secondly.

What does Baptism give or profit?--Answer.

It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

Which are such words and promises of God? Answer.

Christ, our Lord, says in the last chapter of Mark: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php



 

I have run a across a very sad thing; there are those within the church on earth who have not been baptized! How does this happen? How is it that a believer has not received the Sacrament of Baptism?

 

I've heard a few reasons. Mostly, it has come down to embarrassment over not having been baptized earlier, as a younger person. Those who have not been baptized; yet, are within the church, receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion, will rarely just tell you that they are not. You will have to ask them. 

 

I first ran across this years ago when I was working on membership rosters and the official congregation records. We were missing information that should have been in the books: things like birth and baptismal dates that would have been registered decades earlier. I thought that this might be a good reason to do some extra home visits and get to know some of the congregation a little better. A very elderly woman whom I regularly visited in a nursing home was on the list for missing baptismal dates. When I asked her where and when she'd been baptized, she was relieved that I had asked her about it. No one else ever had. She confessed that she had never been baptized. When she was a child, they had a circuit pastor, who normally did baptisms during hay making season. As a child, she had been in the fields working with her family when the pastor came around. After she got older and got more active in the congregation no one asked her about her baptism and she was a bit embarrassed to admit that she hadn't previously been baptized. That's the short version of a very long story. Ultimately, she received the Sacrament of Baptism in the nursing home with her children and grandchildren around her about a week before she died.

 

This was not a lone incident. Most I've encountered, were then baptized. A few have declined to receive this gift from God.

 

We are to go and teach and baptize so that others might come to faith and be assured that they have received forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. The mission field is huge. It begins within our own congregations. Do not assume that someone is saved just because they attend worship once or twice a year or even every Sunday. Do not assume that they know Jesus. Do not assume that they have received the Sacrament of Baptism. Proclaim the Good News to all people and encourage them to receive this life saving gift from God. And... don't forget to tell them about the benefit of Baptism, a gift from God for them.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

 

 

2 Corinthians 13 A Threat and A Blessing

2 Corinthians 13 NIV
Paul closes his letter with a warning to the Corinthians that he will not deal lightly with those who have not heeded his warning when he sees them again. Paul's intent; however, is not to tear anyone down, but that they might be built up by putting aside the sin that dwells within them. His hope that they would all choose to live lives that would glorify God.

Apparently, he had a lot more authority than most Lutheran pastors. I was just imagining the response I would get if I wrote a letter like this and then closed with a threat for them to look out if they don't quit sinning. The church has definitely changed over the years. May God have mercy. God help us all to strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind and live in peace.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship  of the Holy Spirit be with you all. - Pr. J

1 Cor 7 Marriage or Not?

1 Corinthians 7 NIV
To marry or not to marry, that is the question.

Paul's concern is that whatever it is that we choose that it does not hinder us from serving the Lord. The married person has a family to care for and sometimes that will be the priority. Sometimes, family can be a distraction. Fortunately, most of the time it seems to be a blessing. The unmarried person may be distracted from focusing on service to the Lord by lust or not even always lost; but, just the desire to have someone to share life with.

I have been married for 43 years. And... yes, sometimes my family has distracted me from the ministry to which I am called. But, I was married and had a family long before I accepted that call to serve God as a Pastor in His Church. Paul exhorts us, in such circumstances to remain as we are.

Fortunately, my husband does support me in my call as I try to support him in his call as an administrator at our adult foster care. The main thing is that we both try to be faithful to our call and to the One who calls us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 17:10-15 Agitators

Acts 17:10-15 NIV
It appears that no matter where Paul went the agitators, against him and more importantly against the Word, showed up. He spent a bit of time in prison because of them. Sometimes, he simply left the area.

In Paul's case, it was probably necessary for him to flee so that he could cover as much area as he could with the Good News before his death. I'm not so sure that in this day and age leaving the area is always the best option. In the U.S., we can't be thrown into prison or beaten or flogged for sharing the truth about the Kingdom through Jesus Christ. Yet, we see many pastors who flee the community that they have been called to serve in because of the agitators. Sometimes, it may be necessary because the agitators (antagonists) have managed to switch the focus from Jesus to things of much less importance; in fact, things that cause division and not unity, like egos. Sometimes, pastors simply find it almost impossible to preach the Gospel due to this conflict and leave to go to a community that is willing to hear and then willing to serve the living God rather then their own egos.

Where am I going with this? Well, if your congregation is one that is having to look for a new pastor every two or three years; maybe, it is time to find out if there is someone(s) running these pastors out of the area and if the congregation somehow is supporting this person or persons by ignoring the agitation that they are causing; allowing them to switch the focus away from the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ. It may not always be the best choice to flee an area; but, on the other hand as we are called to proclaim the Gospel; sometimes, we need to go where people will hear it.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Acts 6:1-7 Ministry of Word

Acts 6:1-7 NIV
As a lay person, I understood my primary call to be a prayer warrior. I also had gifts that enabled me to serve as a youth leader and was involved in many outreach programs that helped feed people and cared for them according to their needs. As a pastor, I consider my primary call to be not only as a prayer warrior, but also as evangelist; one who proclaims the Word, not only within the congregation; but, in the whole community or wherever I might be in both word and deed. It can be summed up in these three words:  "Prayer, praise, proclamation." We are all given gifts to be used according to the needs of the community; for the good of all. We work together, using our individual gifts, for the glory of God. One person cannot do it all. I thank God for the many faithful disciples at Zion Lutheran who, according to their gifts, serve one another and the whole community.

The apostles began running into problems not too long after the church was born. The church was growing quickly. There was way too much for twelve of them to do. They were busy trying to minister to everyone who was hungry; feeding thing with physical food. Consequently, they found themselves with less and less time for the ministry of the word; less time to feed them spiritually. So that they would be able to give their full attention to prayer and the ministry of the word, they chose seven men who would be in charge of making sure that everyone, including all of the widows, were fed.

May God fill each of us with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom so that we will know how best to use our gifts for the ministry and the power to use those gifts for the good of all and the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 13:1-17 Serve At The Feet Of Others

John 13:1-17 NIV
Many Christians today are about as enthused about having someone wash their feet as Peter was when Jesus wanted to wash his feet. It is a most humbling experience to be served in such an intimate manner. I wash the feet of young people who are receiving their first Communion on Maundy Thursday. They are not thrilled with this ritual; but, they have come to accept the fact that it is going to happen. I have invited adults to come forward during this service and so far none have. None are willing to have me intentionally sit at their feet to serve them by washing their feet.

However...  As a female pastor who also owns an adult care facility I have been most privileged to be able to kneel at the feet of many as I put socks and shoes on them or otherwise help them to prepare for the day or night. I have also had the extreme privilege of being able to serve some of our members (and members of the whole community) in this manner, as well.

Visiting members and others in the community is one of the special privileges that pastors have. I normally do not call ahead because; when I do, I find that people tend to get nervous about my visits and go to extreme measures to make preparations (clean their homes, prepare food) to entertain and/or serve me. That's not what I go for. So, I surprise them :) When making impromptu visits, all kinds of opportunities to serve avail themselves to me. I have shoveled sidewalks, made the coffee, washed dishes, folded clothes, and all other kinds of household chores for shut-ins who have had difficulty doing these things. I have walked in on people who are going through withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. Yes, on more than one occasion, I have spent hours holding others while they shook and vomited and begged me not to take them to detox. At least one did beg me to take her to detox.

I have visited people in some unusual circumstances and places, including the bathroom of a nursing homes. I remember one woman, years ago, who, when I stopped by to see her in a nursing unit, called to me from the bathroom, and invited me in - that is in to the bathroom. I was a little reluctant to invade that particular space; but, also reluctant to refuse her request as she sounded very desperate. She was very, very ill. I sat on the floor of the bathroom for a couple of hours as we talked about Jesus and about her faith in him; then helped her back to her bed. We prayed together that God would grant her wholeness in his sight. She went to sleep. A few hours after I got home that evening, I received a call from the family informing me that she had died. I will never forget her or her willingness to allow me to sit at her feet and minister to her in her last hours of life here on earth. I will never forget her desire to see Jesus.

One evening, early on in my ministry, I stopped by to visit an elderly lady who was no longer strong enough to walk on her own. She was bound to a wheel-chair and needed assistance to get in and out of it. She had caregivers who lived near by, who came by throughout the day to help her. Her caregivers had gone out for the evening. So, I made coffee for us and washed her few dishes. I ended up staying longer than I had planned to as her caregivers were already late in checking in on her and I did not want to leave her alone just in case they did not show up. Finally, it got so late, she asked me if I would help her prepare and get into bed. I did. We prayed before I left and she cried. She admitted that when the congregation had called me to serve them, she was one of the most adamant that a woman should not be called as their pastor. She had, in the end, reluctantly voted to call me. She said that she would, never in her life, have imagined that she would need a pastor who would be willing and able to serve her in such a manner and now understood that God could send women to serve congregations in ways that male pastors never could. I just smiled. You never know whom God will send to serve you - even a woman!

Peter did not want Jesus to kneel before him to wash his feet. There are a few things that we might not desire; but, need. We all, like Peter, need to humble ourselves and allow Jesus to minister to us. We need to allow him into the most intimate aspects of lives so that we might be made completely whole.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I remember reading one of Martin Luther's sermons years ago. I can't find it now. But, in it he was talking about who could baptize. He said, if no one else was available, even a woman could. LOL

Luke 6:12-19 - Disciples and/or Apostles

Luke 6:12-19 NIV
I have often encountered the misperception that Jesus had only twelve disciples and with it comes the misperception that only pastors are disciples of Jesus. The reading today dispels that myth. It tells us that the disciples were actually many. They were a large crowd. After a night of prayer; out of the many disciples, Jesus designated twelve to be apostles.

Those who were his disciples were those who followed him. In Luke 9:23 we hear Jesus say to the people: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."  It is not just your pastor who is called to follow. It is not just a small group, but a large crowd, who are called to follow. Out of the crowd, God calls and designates some disciples to serve the whole community (the whole world) for the glory of God, according to God's will.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 4:14-30 Hometown Service

Luke 4:14-30 NIV
“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown." (vs 24)

Jesus had gone to Nazareth, where he grew up. He was run out of town.

A few years ago, I was asked by a former Bishop to serve the three-point parish where I grew up. I thought about it. But, not for too long. I figured if Jesus could not serve in his hometown, who was I too even imagine that I could? I know that it happens in some places. There are those congregations who have (for the lack of ordained clergy) raised up lay pastors from their own congregations. These men and women need our prayer support. They face obstacles to their ministry that we can't even begin to imagine. Sometimes, they aren't even aware of where the challenges are coming from; but they are there: seen or unseen; known or unknown.

Whether we serve the LORD from within the communities or not, we will find opposition to the proclamation of God's Kingdom in Jesus Christ. Not everyone loved Jesus then. Not everyone loves him today. Not everyone will love his followers.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 15:42-47 Conflict of Interest

Mark 15:42-47 NIV
There was a council member who abstained during the vote of the council of a small congregation. It was concerning the expenditure of about $100.00 for a non-essential item in the church. The budget was very small. The Pastor voted no as a similar item could be purchased for about $10.00 or less, citing poor stewardship. The rest of the council voted for the expenditure. But, this is not about stewardship. It is about why one council member would abstain. It was not a matter of conflict of interest for the council member to vote. Well, I guess there was a conflict of interest. He would not make a decision as a council member in order to stay on the good side of everyone. He simply did not want to offend the Pastor or the rest of the Council by voting against either one so he chose to do nothing. He just wanted to be a nice Lutheran and not offend anyone.

It was the hierarchy in the church that wanted Jesus out of their way. Yet, it was one council member who was willing to put his own life on the line and stand up for Jesus. Jesus was dead, so how was he going to know if Joseph of Arimathea stood by him? But, Joseph had hope in the Kingdom and it was important to Joseph that Jesus have a proper burial. He went to Pilate, knowing full well that the Council would find out, and asked for Jesus' body so that he could give Jesus' body a proper burial. Joseph was not afraid to do what he felt was right. Neither fear of Pilate or the other council members could keep him from doing what he felt he should and must do.

May God help us to do the right thing and not be afraid of what others will think of us or do to us when we stand up for Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jonah 1 - Just Do It!

The story of Jonah... Guess what? I believe the story! That is the bottom line... Anyway, the point of the story is not to give us a reason to debate whether a great fish is able to swallow a man and then spit him out later; rather, it is about this man who was called by God to serve Him and His people and decided to go in a different way.

How many of us have done that? I've known that I was called to serve as a pastor since I was about eleven or twelve years old. It took me decades to follow in the Way He would have me go. I heard the call many times. Repeatedly, I rejected it and put my priorities and the priorities that others set for me before His priorities. Repeatedly, I went the wrong way and found myself frustrated and unhappy and in more trouble than I anticipated - way more than I wanted!

My point is this: If God is calling you; if He is sending you somewhere to do His will; just do it. You most probably will in the end anyway; because, He will keep calling. Just trust Him and go for it!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Amos 5 - "Seek Me And Live!"

“Seek me and live..." (Amos 5:5 NIV)

One of my goals during CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) was not to enable the perpetually needy who refused to seek the LORD. There are those who would have their or someone else's pastor fix everything for them. I (as many other pastors) sometimes spend an inordinate amount of time helping people who absolutely refuse to worship and trust the LORD; who absolutely refuse to make any changes to their physical and/or spiritual lives. They can take up so much time that there is not time for the soul care of others; there is no time to feed the hungry. I am not saying that the first group doesn't have genuine needs. They do. But, they need to understand that others can't fix everything for them all of the time. Our help comes from the LORD and, yes, often that help comes through other people. Pastors can help others spiritually; but, they are not a replacement for a genuine relationship with God our Father, God who is Jesus the Christ, and God the Holy Spirit. Genuine, abundant life comes from being reconciled to God; from being in a loving relationship with His Son, Jesus; by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I cannot fix you. I cannot give you a better life. I cannot save you. Jesus saves. I can, of course, help feed you and find you a warm place to stay and provide warm clothing. But, those things are only temporary and helping one person week after week and month after month is only enabling them to continue in a way that is hurtful to themselves and to others. There are many hungry people in the world. They all need feeding - both physically and spiritually. And... my resources are limited as are most peoples. Those who refuse to seek the LORD and follow in His Way; but, depend on the Christian to provide for them, take the food out of the mouths of those who are willing to listen; willing to follow; and desire to seek the LORD and live life more abundantly. Thanksgiving is next week and I'm reminded of the lepers that Jesus healed. Only one was made whole. He was the one who turned around in search of the LORD to give Him thanks. He sought out the LORD.

Where am I going with all of this? Decisions have to be made by me and all Christians. Sometimes we have to decide whether we are genuinely helping someone or enabling them to live in dysfunction as they seek the ways of this world and their own desires. Seek the LORD and live...!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

P.S. Here at Zion, since we live in a small community whose needs are not extreme in regard to financial assistance, have decided that we would help take care of individual physical needs by budgeting and actively raising funds for and support agencies throughout the county like St. Vincent DePaul's (a local Catholic charity), Toys for Tots (Marine Corps League), Baraga County Shelter Home. These and other agencies are better equipped than we are to discern how best to help those in physical need. 

Ezekiel 43-44 - God's Glory

The temple is to be made perfectly, according to God's design, and the LORD will fill it with His glory. The people will see and be reminded that even as God is perfect, we are not. Yet, God calls those who are not perfect and sanctifies us. He calls us who were not holy; sanctified through the blood of the everlasting covenant, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

According to the Book of Ezekiel, the regulations and laws of the temple must all be followed. Those laws include:  “A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself." (Ezek 44:25 NIV)

All I can say about that is: the position of priest has drastically changed since the advent of Jesus the Christ. Through Jesus the Christ, we are now all members of a royal priesthood. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:8-10)  Who then, if not the priests or pastors (shepherds) would pray with the dying or hold them as they breathe their last earthly breath as they enter through the gateway of death into eternal life?

We declare the marvelous praises of Him who has called out darkness into His light and we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ (for in Christ, all are our brothers and sisters) even as they enter into God's glory most fully.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 36 - For His Holy Name

“Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes." (Ezekiel 36:22-23 NIV)

I just returned from the LCMC Conference in Dearborn, MI. I am worn out and frankly quite ill. I was not feeling well when I left and was feeling worse upon my return. Still debating whether to see a doctor or just get some rest.

I do not particularly enjoy large crowds nor have I ever enjoyed conferences or meetings of any kind. They wear me out, rather than refresh me. I was uncomfortable being there and I could not figure out exactly why. But, when Pr. Enrique Estrada spoke the answer came to me. It's about family. It's about caring for the children of God and while I am far away at conferences, I am not with the children of God that I have been called to live among and to care for. I feel like a ship out of water; stranded, when I am not within the community I have been called to serve. Now, this community is actually quite a large community. It covers a few counties so it's not like I'm a recluse. I am most comfortable when I am doing what I have been called to do; when I am out amongst the people, sharing God's love, His message with them. I am more refreshed when I am giving. All this is done not to glorify myself or anyone else. It is done to glorify, for the sake, of His Holy Name.

Many parents have a difficult time leaving their children behind when they have to go out of town. They feel a bit empty - like a part of them is missing. That is how I feel when I have to leave the area for any reason. I worry about the children of God. I wonder if this one or that one is feeling better or worse; if one has received employment or how they might still be struggling to put food on the table. When I am away from the community that I have been called to serve, I feel like a mother who has left her children behind at home or a Shepherd who has left their flock in the field to fend for themselves.

The message I heard from Pr. Estrada was about caring for all of God's children - genuinely putting others before ourselves. All this so that all people might hear and receive and be reconciled to the family of God in Christ Jesus and this for the glory of God's Holy Name.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 12 - Ezekiel's Exile

"The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people. 'Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious people.'" (Ezekiel 12:1-2 NIV)

"Son, of man, you are living among a rebellious people." Now, if that isn't the truth! It is truth not just for the days of Ezekiel, but for today, as well. With eyes that do not see and ears that refuse to hear, we continue on our own path, refusing to follow in the Way that has been set before us, frustrating more than one pastor, more than one shepherd.

The LORD tells Ezekiel to dig a hole in the wall and act like he's going into exile. Did it work? Did it change the people's minds about whom they should worship? Would it work today? Perhaps, but probably not. I've seen more than one Pastor go into exile (leave) and the people cheer. They celebrate because the one who left had been so adamant about proclaiming the Word of the LORD and would not please their itching ears is gone. He/she had not been interested in the people's agenda, only God's. The people lament that they cannot keep a pastor; that they go through pastor after pastor, one every two or three years; yet, they cannot begin to imagine that maybe they had something to do with it. It must be the Bishop's fault for sending them pastors who just don't have a heart for the congregation.

Well, Ezekiel doesn't really leave. He pretends to as a sign, as a warning, that the people will go into exile. They will lose God's temple because of their closed eyes and ears. May God open our eyes and our hearts and our minds, that we might see and hear His truth that His people might desire to worship only Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Lamentations 4 - Prophets and Priests to Blame

The lament continues. The people suffer. They are suffering, the lament tells us, because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests.

"But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
    and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her    the blood of the righteous." (Lam 4:13 NIV)

What were the sins of the priests and prophets? Simply put, they spoke falsely, in the LORD's name, to please the itching ears of God's people. The consequences were bad... really bad! Don't forget to read chapter 4 of Lamentations today to get a better idea of how bad things got for God's people.

Lutherans, as well as other denominations in the U.S., typically call their pastors. They meet each other; they hear him/her preach; they pray for God to help them discern whether He is calling the pastor to that community to serve; and, then the congregation votes. I cannot begin to tell you how tragic it ends when the people of God do not take seriously this discernment process. They must  listen to this man or woman they are considering calling to see whether they truly proclaim God's Word or if they speak to please the itching ears of those who call. I cannot begin to imagine how many congregations actually listen for and call those who are willing to serve their itching ears before the Word of the LORD. It is not good!

And, a word to the pastors and priests, who are called to serve: consider the consequences to the people that you are teaching falsely. Is your paycheck and retirement really worth the devastation that false proclamations will bring to the people, to the land? Consider the consequences, for all people, of your decision to proclaim the truth or not. Sure, some of them may not like you for speaking the truth. But, speak it anyway so that they might have life!

Let us part with a bit of good news: even in our reading today, God promises that the sorrow will pass.

God's Peace - Pr. J