6-30-2015

Good Morning All!!

        Psalm 104:16; “The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted”

     The trees of the Lord are full of sap.  I usually use the ESV translation but sometimes the KJV has just a little more zip to it.  Throughout the Old Testament, especially in Psalms, believers (Christians) are compared to trees.  The believer is like a tree planted by streams of water in Psalm 1.  We are trees full of sap.  Now at first that may sound like something less than a compliment but look at what the Psalmist is really saying.

     The sap of a tree is its lifeblood, literally.  The sap is what takes the nutrients from the roots and pulls them up to the leaves for photosynthesis to convert them to energy by the power of the sun; which feeds the whole plant.  If the sap does not flow; the tree does not grow, the fruit is not produced and the tree is more susceptible to harm by insects or fungus.  If the sap does not flow; the tree dies.  The tree may stand and look good but soon the weather and the insects and the fires will destroy it.  In so many ways, you and I, as God’s redeemed children, are exactly like those trees. 

     We, as Christians, are fed by the flowing of this sap; this life giving mixture which feeds us.  The Spirit flows through us bringing nutrients to us through the Word and through the Sacraments to be converted into energy by the power of the Son (Jesus).  We need this nourishment; we need to be full of sap in order to withstand the trials and tribulations of this world: the insects and the fungus.  We need the Spirit to flow through us so that we may continue to grow as the type of disciple that God is shaping us to be.  Just as the size of the tree and the quality of the fruit is shaped by the stresses that the tree experiences; so are we as well shaped and formed.  Faith that is not tested is not real faith.  Real faith is like pure gold; it is refined through fire to burn of the impurities within.  I am sure some of us feel we have been through the refining fire quite a bit lately.  Maybe you have had some health scares or job worries or family strains or a whole host of other fires.  These are but tests for us.  Some sent by God others just used by God to show us what we are made of; God already knows what we are made of He just wants you to know.  He wants you to know that you are full of sap, full of his life giving Spirit.

    The Spirit flows freely through you feeding you, nourishing you, protecting you even to the point where, like the sap of a tree, He forms a healing cover over the wounds that threaten to destroy you so that you may continue to grow.  But like that tree that is planted by the streams of water; we too must be planted in the good soil with plenty of water.  We must be planted by faith in Jesus as our Savior.  Through Him we receive the nutrients which the Spirit brings to us to feed and protect us.  We are full of sap let us rejoice in mercy of God.

 Gracious Father, you feed and nourish us through your Word and Sacrament.  You protect and defend us from all danger.  Keep us full of your Spirit that we may continue to grow as your children and to bear the fruit which you desire.  In Jesus precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-29-2015

Good Morning All!!

            Ecclesiastes 1:2; “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

    My wife and I have always enjoyed barbequing.  We wear our grills faster than most people wear out socks.  We usually use a gas grill because it is faster but I really prefer to use a charcoal grill.  I think you get a better heat and a better flavor.  The problem with charcoal is that you have to plan.  It takes a while to heat up the coals and then they have to cool down when you are done.  Oftentimes, I end up dumping the ashes from the charcoal grill a couple of days later when they are entirely cooled off.

   One time, as I was getting ready to dispose of the ashes, there were about ten coals that looked like they hadn’t burned.  They were kind of on the edge so it was possible.  They were not black but kind of an ashen color.  I thought that the ash from the other coals just settled on them.  I thought I would pick them out and use them later but as I went to grab them; I bumped the edge of the grill and those coals fell completely to nothing.  The coals had burned completely up and left only ash which, when shaken, completely disintegrated into nothing and blew away in the wind.  Our verse tells the same story about life without God.

    It is fairly commonly accepted that the book of Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon when he was an older man; perhaps during the time in which he feel away from his faith or shortly after he was returned to his faith.  Solomon recognized that a life without purpose is no life at all and the purposes that the world gave for living: wealth, fame, pleasure and wisdom are like the ash of those coals.  They look like something but in the end they are “hebel” which is the Hebrew word that is translated here as “vanity”.  It can also mean a mist or a fog or even mere breath but it is something that is transitory or meaningless or lacking substance.

    Solomon goes on to conclude that a life that is lived apart from God and his grace is meaningless and that value is found only in seeking God.  This is where our meaningful purpose exists, when we serve God.  Meaning is given to our life when we strive to live according to God’s will and to serve Him, take care of each other and care for God’s creation; this is when our life has meaning.  If we seek any other path or go a different direction away from God then our life will be “hebel”, it will be empty and meaningless.

    So if you feel that your life is adrift and empty; seek out God where you last found him, in His Word and in His Sacrament.  This is where Jesus said he would be so this is where you find him.  Drawing on God’s Word you will hear God’s voice of forgiveness, of purpose and meaning.  Seek the Lord when he may be found and your life will have meaning again.

Father, when my life is going in circles and nothing seems to have value; remind me that my value is found in you.  Lead me to know that my purpose in this life is to serve you until I reach eternal life with you.  In the precious name of Jesus our Risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret   

6-28-2015

 Good Morning All!!

           John 1:12; “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” 

     Why did Jesus come to earth?  Why did he leave his holy temple in heaven to come down to live with lowly man?  God could have just snapped his fingers and everything would have been changed, so why did he come to earth?

     The easiest answer is that he came to die for our sins.  This is the correct answer but it leaves us hanging a little.  Jesus’ coming to earth in human form is part of the great story of the Bible.  Many people see the Bible as a collection of stories, some connected some not; some important some not; some of great value and some not.  The Bible is really one long narrative telling us what God is doing in our lives.

     Whenever the media covers a major news event, I only watch about 15 minutes of the first news coverage.  They present the facts, as they know them, and then just keep repeating them over and over.  They will use different reporters, those reporters will be in a studio or at the scene but we always get the same few snippets of information.  I like to wait so that they can tell it to me in a longer story so that I can begin to process what they are telling me is going on.  Here the news people will sift through the data and relay a narrative that follows a line of thought to make a coherent story.

     When we read the Bible, we can read it and look for different themes or threads of the story to follow.  One of those themes is the theme of restoration.  We can read from the fall of man into sin in Genesis 3 about how God is going to restore man and his creation.  Adam and Eve have to leave the Garden of Eden; they have to work hard, suffer pain and loss, live chaotic lives and then die.  This is not how God designed it but it is how man chose to go.  The introduction of sin causes all our problems. 

      In order to fix this, God chooses to restore man to his rightful existence.  God sent Jesus in order to restore us to be children of God.  Think of who Adam and Eve were, who were their parents?  They had no human parents; they were children of God living in the perfect Garden in holy communion and companionship with God.  We were to participate, in an active way, with God in the caring for the created world.  Yet when we sinned, we broke this relationship, we broke away from God.

     Jesus came so that we can experience his life and death and resurrection.  These are real events which give witness to God’s incredible mercy and his unbelievable grace.  Jesus came to bring you back into the family of God.  You are declared a child of God and we are given a promise to cling to and then we are given the faith to cling to it.  This faith doesn’t remove our struggles but it does give us hope.  A hope that tells us that this struggle we call life isn’t all there is to the story. 

     All that the story is about is our restoration, our becoming children of God in order to receive the gift of eternal life.  So we wait for the promise to be perfected or completed at which time our perfection will be restored and we can walk with God and converse with God without pain or sorrow.  Why did Jesus come to earth?  He did so in order that you might have eternal life; the eternal life with him in his holy kingdom.

 Dear Father in heaven, through your mercy you have made us your children.  We rejoice in the certainty of this gift.  Help us to see that your will for us is alive and active and moves us every day to live according to your will and purposes for us.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-27-2015

 Good Morning All!!

            Romans 12:20; “To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

    So now what?  That seems to be the question that many Christians are asking in light of the Supreme Court ruling; now what?  What do we do?  Well first, what we don’t do is panic.  Don’t grab your guns and run for the hills; don’t retreat or withdraw but stand firm.  In spite of what the media and a lot of the world want you to believe; this world still needs to hear about Christ Crucified.  This world still needs God’s grace; we still need God’s grace and we are still agents of that grace through the Body of Christ, the Church.  So now what?

   First, remember Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”  God is always in control; always.  You and I may not see it or understand it but we can always be sure of it; God is always in control; always.  We can have total confidence in this truth; we can rest assured in this truth.  This means we do not have to “figure it out” or “come up with something new”; remember God has it figured out and is in control; always.  Since God is in control we should continue to live our life in devotion to him.

   I would encourage you to read the expanded portion of this verse.  Read Romans 12: 9-21.  The ESV title of this section is “Marks of the True Christian.”  The NIV titles it “Love”.  The NAS defines the whole chapter as “Dedicated Service.”  These are all the same thing.  Yet here Paul explains it in a way that can and should give us that needed breather.  Rather than go off in some wrong fashion, stand firm (Ephesians 6:10-18) and live as a True Christian.  While the world claims it is all about “love”; show them what true love, love that is genuine and not just popular at the moment, means.  Live as God desires us to live; in joyful contentment of his grace.  Live as God desires us to live; bringing hope to the hopeless, comfort to the sorrowful, healing to the broken.  This section of romans is a good primer in what that means.

    Finally, remember the words of Jesus to his disciples (and we are his disciples) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)   The victory is won; salvation is ours so live in peace.  Live in the peace of God which the world does not understand.  We do not have to defeat the world; Jesus has already accomplished this.  So live as Jesus wants us to live; caring for each other, caring for the creation, praising God for his blessings and be at peace; our sins are forgiven and our salvation is secure.

Father, many times I shake my head in sorrow and wonder.  Do not let me be discouraged.  Keep me strong in your grace.  Lead me to be your agent, your ambassador in this broken world.  Guide me to bring healing to those who have need of it.  In the precious name of Jesus our risen and victorious Lord we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret