3-23-2021

 Good Morning All,

   John 13:17: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”   

    This verse comes from what we call the “Upper Room” discourse.  This occurs on what we call Maundy (or Holy) Thursday.  Jesus is spending the last night with his disciples before he is betrayed by Judas.  He was giving them the instructions that they would need to manage these next few days.  In the first part of chapter 13, we see Jesus as he demonstrates true humility.  He washes the feet of each of them, a menial task usually performed by the lowliest slave.  In the next section he teaches about holiness.  This is about being different from the world, we are to love one another and not be jealous or envious.  In this verse, Jesus tells us about happiness or being blessed.  Our happiness is based on holiness and humility.  We are given Jesus’ holiness so that we can stand before God, so we can come to God in prayer in confidence.  This is given to us; we do nothing to earn it.  Because of this fact, we should be humble, humble before God.

    But we see that knowing what is right and proper is not enough to keep us happy; we must put this knowledge in practice.  Jesus has just shown his disciples a lesson in humility, in serving others. This is where the Christian finds his contentment.  We are returning to the original reason we were created, to take care of the creation.  The world will ask,” how many people serve you?”  God asks us,” how many do you serve?’  How many do we help?  How many feet have you washed today?  While this may sound strange to the world, God gives us peace and happiness in our task.  We have no great effort to do to earn our salvation, we have no great work to do to battle the devil; Jesus has done this already for us.  Now that we are saved; we are free to enjoy his grace and to share his love with those around us.  This is part of God's plan for you; to enjoy the life that He gives you. 

    When we are returned to our original purpose, the joy of serving God by serving others, we find the peace that God wants us to have.  It is in his service that we find contentment.  When we seek what the world calls “happiness”, it is hollow.  This is why those who succeed by the world’s standard are rarely content.  They always need more because what they have now is not enough, it is not satisfying.  The millionaire needs to be a multi-millionaire who needs to be a billionaire.  There is never satisfaction, there is never contentment.  Jesus shows us contentment.  It is by his death and resurrection that we are freed from the bondage of sin.  We are freed to be what we are meant to be, caretakers of God’s creation.  It is when we fulfill our purpose that joy and contentment are known and when we know this, we are blessed when we do this.

Lord Jesus, we are too often unhappy because we do not place our trust in you.  Forgive us our weaknesses and sins.  Give us strength to follow you with all humility and holiness.  Use us as your hands to serve others that we know true happiness in your grace.  In your name we pray, Amen.

God’s Peace

Pastor Bret

3-22-2021

 Good Morning All,   

    Hebrews 10:24-25;” And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

    We have many ways to use the word “church”.  It can be a place as in “I am going to church.”  It can mean an activity as in “what time is church?”  It can mean an institution as in “the church supports life ministries”. 

    But these all miss the meaning that Christ uses.  When Christ speaks of the church; he sometimes refers to it as a family.  We are children of God and we are brothers and sisters of Christ and of each other.  And like a family, it is good to get together with each other.  It is a time to share the joy in the family.  We recently were given a grandson and look forward to a new daughter-in-law.  The whole family shares in that joy.  When a member of the family is sick, we gather to offer comfort.  When a family member dies, we gather to mourn together and to give each other hope.  We gather at holidays and share meals and gifts but mostly laughter and love.

   Now you never have to go to a family holiday event; you are still in the family but look at what you miss.  You miss the love and joy, the camaraderie and fellowship, the common history and future are all missed when we stay away from our family.

   The same is true of our Christian family, the church.  It is here that we receive the pronouncement of forgiveness; it is here we join in the holy meal; it is here where we find comfort and consolation when we need it and a place to share in joy when we feel it.  It is where we encourage one another and stir up love and good works just like our verse states. 

    So, as we begin to crawl out of the hibernation that occurred during the quarantine, do not neglect to meet together.  Do not let the idea of staying home and watching “church” replacing being the “church”.   For it is the gathering of God’s people where the fellowship of the family truly occurs.  It might be easier to stay home but it is not as beneficial.  It is the gathering that provides the blessing.

    Obviously, if health issues prevent gathering then the “next best thing” is to listen to the radio, or Facebook or televised services.  But if you are able, do not neglect meeting together.  It is useful, beneficial, encouraging and the best way to enjoy some of God’s greatest gifts.

     Dear Father, we are often ungrateful children who bicker and fight with each other.  Forgive us and move us to be your holy family here on earth.  Let our love for each other point to You as the source of our love through Your grace.  This we ask in the Name of our Brother Jesus, Amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

3-21-2021

Good Morning All,   

     Leviticus 19:32; “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.”

    It was a number of years ago that this verse first raised its head to me.  I was in high school and it was Thanksgiving.  Instead of the usual cousins and relatives, my parents invited over two of our neighbors.  One was an old widower whose wife I never knew even existed.  The other couple was an older childless couple.  I really did not have anything in common with these people other than being a neighbor a couple of generations removed.

   I figured I had football to watch.  I would eat my meal with them, say “please”, “thank you”; smile a lot and look interested like I was supposed to.  I would mind my manners but mostly bide my time.  That was the plan; but plans change.

    As we ate the Thanksgiving meal, the widower started to tell some of his life stories.  He was much more than a widower farmer.  He had been a teacher, an architect and did some construction.  He then told me something that I could not even imagined.  He had helped to design and build our church.  He told of digging the basement and all the large rocks that were found and then reused in the actual walls.  He spoke of the bracing of the ceiling and asked me if I had ever walked on the “cat beam” in the ceiling.  This is a walk space that forms an attic in our church.  At that time, I had no idea it existed.

    We finished dinner; he kept talking and I kept listening.  I missed the football game, but I gained so much more.  I gained knowledge, I gained insight but above all I began to understand what this verse means.  Our lives are about the relationships that we have because of God’s grace.  He places people in our lives who can enrich our lives and fill it with an appreciation of what God has done for his people in earlier times.  We can see God’s faithfulness even in the toughest of times.

    So, it may be that great uncle or aunt who talks a little loud or repeats themselves often; it may be the lonely neighbor down the street; it might be anyone of a dozen people that God has place into your life that God calls us to respect.  That is really what the second table of the Ten Commandments are about; respect for others, respect for ourselves, and respect for what God has given to us. 

    So, take the time to show respect for your elders, for those in your community to whom God has given the gift of long life.  God has blessed them, and they deserve our respect and our honor.  Yet if you truly honor them and listen to them; they can enliven your life and enrich your knowledge and understanding of God’s riches.

God of grace, you bless our lives with many people in our midst.  Remind us of the grace that you have bestowed on others and how, through them, you bestow your grace upon us.  Guide us to receive these blessings as the enrichment of our lives.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,                  

Pastor Bret    

3-20-2021

 Good Morning All,   

         Genesis 3:5; “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

     “Be all you can be” that was an advertising slogan for the army a few years ago.  It was to encourage the new enlisters to see the army as a way to accomplish their goals in life.  That is something that we encourage our children, and adults, to do.  Seek out our goals and try to accomplish them.  But this can be a dangerous time.  The young man or woman who dreams of being a professional athlete and uses steroids or other drugs to accomplish this is going the wrong way.  Sometimes a dream can go too far.

     We encourage people to “be their own man or woman” or we tell them “you are the captain of your own life.”  We do this so people will be active agents in their lives and willing to take responsibility for their actions and willing to work for what they need and want.  There is nothing wrong with this; it is even worthwhile.  But sin puts a dark spin on this if we are no vigilant.

    When the devil tempted Eve, it was not with gold or silver, or even with the sweet taste of a forbidden fruit.  The devil’s temptation was that Eve would be like God.  Eve could have even thought she might be greater than God and so the long-time battle within man’s heart began.  In a way it is interesting when we look at it, the age-old question; who sits on throne in your life, God, or you?

    Luther saw this as the crux of sin.  The First Commandment is first because it is the prime commandment.  When Luther wrote his catechism, he took a portion of the First Commandment from Exodus 20 and made it the close of the Commandments.  He did this by design.  All of the Commandments are in the First Commandment.  Who sits on the throne of your life, God, or you?  If it is God, you will honor his name and his worship.  You will honor your parents and not kill or commit adultery or lie about your neighbor.  If God is the God who occupies the throne of your life, these will be easily kept.  But when you place yourself on the throne, then selfish desires arise.  You see yourself as more important than God or your parents.  If others get in your way, get rid of them.  If you want something or someone just take it any way you can.

    The age-old question, who sits on the throne of your life, God, or you?  God’s mercy calls you to see that God’s benevolence and love is far better than our own selfish desires.  God’s mercy calls for you to repent and see that God is truly the God of our life and through Him we have life.

God of grace, far too often we place our self on the throne of our life and when we do, we destroy so many things, lives, relationships, your creation. Forgive us when we do this.  Keep us mindful that you are our king.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

3-19-2021

Good Morning All,   

     Romans 5:2; “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

    One of my past times is to watch movies.  I like most kinds, but I really enjoy comedies, westerns, pirate movies, movies about knights, action movies and space movies.  If you can combine two or three of these, I really like them.  One of my favorites is a movie called “Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail”.  It is a very absurd comedy that makes fun of the knights of the Roundtable who are searching for the Holy Grail.  It spoofs the entire genre of knight movies.  One part that always made me chuckle was when the knights come to a bridge that they need to cross, and a troll stops them and demands that they answer three questions, or they cannot pass.  The scene ends with the troll being asked to clarify a question, he cannot, so the troupe passes on by.

    There is always a scene in movies like this where in order to have access to a bridge or a room our hero needs to know the access code.  It might be a test of courage or bravery.  It might take skill and cunning.  It might take possessing a key or some other device but there is usually a major part of the movie that turns on having a way to access an important place.  Without this access our hero will fail and either the pretty girl will die, or the kingdom will fail; one of those dramatic events will occur.  So, having access is crucial.

    Our faith life is just like that.  Sin caused us to have an “access denied” sign flash in front of us.  We could no longer have access to God because we lacked the access code or the key for entrance.  We were no longer perfect; we were sinful being whose sin had cause us to lose the key to God.  We lost it to the point that we could never get access again.

    So, God showed his grace to us by having Jesus pay the price for our sin.  By doing so and by giving us the desire (faith) to trust that promise we now have access to God’s grace.  It is here that we rejoice in hope (certainty) of the glory of God.  God sent Jesus to give you back the access that our sinned took away.  God did this out of love for you.  God continues to do this for us every minute of every day.

    So now we have total access to God.  We can come to him at any time and in any state of trouble or fear.  We can come in any time of joy or celebration.  God invites us to use this free access at all times.  God invites us to use prayer to access him.  He invites us to worship him to hear his Words of forgiveness and acceptance.  God has given you access; use it continually.

Father of all mercy, through your grace we are given access to your love continually.  Give us the wisdom to use this gift often.  Give us the strength to trust in your free access to guide us through life’s struggles.  Be with those who seem to have lost their access to you.  Give them the faith to again access you and your grace.  All this we ask in Jesus’ precious name, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret      

3-18-2021

 Good Morning All,   

            1 Peter 3:18; “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

    It is a very simple phrase; yet it can strike fear in the hearts of parents everywhere, especially at Christmas time or birthdays.  We try and watch for it but sometimes it just slips by us.  When the little ones open the package, that phrase is there as big as life; some assembly required!  That is a phrase to make most shudder.  First, the instructions are always in six different languages; none are English.  I am never sure if it is a flap or a slot.  Sometimes I do not have enough parts; usually I have parts left over.  In fact, I have a whole drawer full of “essential” parts some are almost thirty years old.

    It is when you try to “quick fix” it.  This is where you “sort of” put it together so the kids can play with it.  The problem is that once assembled; slot “A” doesn’t always pull back from flap “B”.  Sometimes it sticks together even if it is wrong.

    Because of sin we are in the situation of “some assembly required.”  Because of sin, we are broken, and we need to be re-assembled.  If we try it on our own, we will either come up short pieces or have pieces left that we do not know what to do with them.  Either way, we still do not “work” right.  We are still broken and non-operational.  We are still dead before God.

    That is why God sent Jesus to die for us.  He makes us right.  He assembles us properly and puts our brokenness aright.  Jesus picks up the broken pieces and heals us.  He does this out of love.  We can go forward as a new piece, a new creation.  All the assembly is complete. 

    The devil will try to disassemble us.  He will try and take us apart and pull us from God and his grace.  The devil will try to make you feel empty, like you are missing some pieces of your life.  He will want you to feel separated from God and his family.  At other times, the devil will want you to feel like there are pieces left over, that your life is so complicated and overwhelming.  He wants you to drown in the mess of confusion and pain.

    Yet we do not have to struggle with these fears.  God has made us whole and complete.  He has taken the brokenness that our sinful life was and recreated it to the newness of life that He desires for us.  It is this newness, the required assembly that gives us hope.  We are saved through His grace.  We are put together by his mercy.  We may face some battles, but we do not have to fall apart; we do not have to let the devil disassemble us.  God and his mercy will hold us together.

Father of all goodness, we give you thanks that you have made us new and made us whole. Give us the certainty of the knowledge of your love.  Give us the strength to withstand the devil’s assaults.  We especially pray for those who are being attacked at this time.  Give them the constancy of your Spirit that they may withstand and prevail.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret 

3-17-2021

 Good Morning All,   

        Psalm 18:6; “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.  From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.”

      When I was in college, I had a couple of classes with an instructor whose methods and manners were very different from my thoughts of what they should be.  He could have just walked of the local commune.  He had hair that looked like it had not (or could not) been combed in a few weeks.  He shaved once a week whether he wanted to or not.  We had an 8:00 am class; it was not unusual for him to be 10-15 minutes late; most of the students did not wait.  A few of us did because we had the next class across the hall.  He would come in late, make excuses and then begin his lecture.  I really struggled with the way he presented himself.  The man he replaced was a clean-shaven suit and tie kind of guy.

    For about three weeks, I told anyone who listened what I thought about this guy.  I told how poor an instructor he was.  I told how his preparation was weak and his classroom etiquette was a little under par.  While griping to a classmate, he asked me if I ever listened to the guy teach?  “Why?”, I asked.  Because the guy is a genius, and he was.  He was one of the top men in his field in the upper Midwest.  So, the problem that I had with him were the results of my assumptions and presumptions.  When I let the man teach, he was amazing.

    How often do we do that?  How often do we place so many structures and restrictions on our relationships that they often go bad before we even try?  Sometimes we go to great lengths to complain about them to others.  Sometimes when we have stress in any of our relationships, we complain to anyone who will listen except to the one who can matter the most.  We need to take our distress to God.

    We often do not think of going to God with our disappointments or our anger.  We think that this is a form of sin, so we will not do it.  We go to God with platitudes and half-baked verbiage that we hear in church.  But God does not want flowery language or “church words”; God wants us to have an honest and open, prayerful conversation with him.  God already knows our thoughts, fears, desires, and worries.  Even if we do not express it, God knows our heart.  The thing is that by expressing it; we will know our heart.  Had I really listened to my comments about my instructor, I would have heard the distance in the relationship was mine. 

    God will hear your cries, even your cries of distress and anger.  He will use his Spirit to help you if you are faithful in your prayers.  A huge part of faithfulness is total honesty on your part when praying to God.  Anything less will void your cry.  It will come off as sinful selfishness.  Yet God does desire to have a relationship with you and for you to have relationships with your fellow man.  Trust God to help you build them.

Gracious Father, too often we hold our distress out of fear and sadness.  In doing so we hold onto the pain of our sin.  Give us the strength to bring our cries to you.  Be with those who are in deep pain and distress.  Lead them by your Spirit to call upon your Name.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret