6-14-2023

Good Morning All,

    Ecclesiastes 4: 9-11; “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

    This is a longer passage than we usually use.  It just doesn’t work to break it up.  I love what this says to us.  Many will use this as a passage for a wedding.  We focus on the idea that a threefold cord will not quickly break to mean that a husband and a wife that are bound together “through, with and under” (Lutheran alert!!) Jesus is in their marriage.  We see Jesus as the true strength of a marriage and not each other.

    I would like to go a little different direction.  Many of us in this country suffer from “boot-strap-ism.”  We look for a story, somewhere in our life, where we overcame tremendous odds and struggled, persevered, and then claimed the prize.  At some point in our life, we want to get credit for what we have and who we are.  Remember; walking to school in waist deep snow, six miles, uphill, both ways and we were thankful for what we had.  We want glory.

    The problem with that story is that it is not real.  “I” did not do anything; “we” did everything.  “We” being those of us who are claimed by God as his redeemed children.  God redeems us, declares that He is our God, and we are his people, and finally, He promises to bless us; what part of that is “me”?  Two are better than one; one will fall and not be able to get up and there is no one to lift him up.  “Lift him up” is an interesting phrase.  Jesus was “lifted up” on the cross as the sacrifice for us. 

    This passage speaks to the idea that we are a “people.”  We are not just a collection of single people who meet at the same time to do the same thing as individuals; we are God’s holy, wholly, people; we are one big unit.  We can look at this with the idea of a herd of animals being hunted by a pack of predators.  What does the lion want to do?  He seeks to separate a weak one from the herd.  It is safe in the herd; it is lost on its own.  You and I are safe when we remain in the faith, when we remain in the church.  This is why it is critical that we understand that our faith is not just an example of “me and God.”  There is a place for an individual faith, but we are part of a greater thing; we are part of God’s family, holy and redeemed.

    This is the promise that he made to us. He promised to be with us and to protect us through His Spirit.  He promised to nourish us by his grace through His Word and His sacraments.  God has promised to be with you.  That is the two-cord and by placing you in the church you become part of the three-cord; that cord that is hard to break.

Dear Father, keep us in your covenant grace which is eternal for us.  Guard us, redeem us and bring us to you that we may know your comfort and your strength against all we face.  Be with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing the lions that are trying to separate them from your love.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret         

6-13-2023

 

Good Morning All,

Philemon 1:7; “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”

    I am a child of the 1970’s.  Now there are some really weird things about the 70’s which remain as cruel tricks to us: mood rings, pet rocks, lots of hair, disco, leisure suits (oy!!) just to name a few.  But we also had some cool songs.  Most were light and just kind of lie in the back of your mind.  Sometimes, they come back as theme songs for TV shows.

   One of those songs is the theme to the “Golden Girls.”  You can hear it in the back of your head can’t you: 

                                                 Thank you for being a friend
                                         Traveled down the road and back again
                                   your heart is true you're a pal and a confidant.

 

This little tune goes a long way to show what Paul was writing about to Philemon in our verse.  “The hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you;” isn’t that how we would like to have a friend greet us one time when we meet?  You have refreshed me.  “You have lifted me up from the depths of my sorrow and renewed my hope and vigor” (Maj. Winchester on MASH) 

   Over the course of some of these devotions, I keep stressing to us that we are not single individuals facing the world on our own.  God has promised to be with us; to have his presence with us; to guard us and then to lead us on.  He does this in a spiritual way by reminding you of the Scriptures that you have read and know.  This is why it is important to “read, mark, learn and take to heart” the Words of the Bible.  This is how God usually speaks to us.  Usually, God does not speak to us like we speak to the guy down the road.  He uses the Words already spoken to reveal his message to us.

    Yet, God also speaks to us by using the elements of the created world.  He uses family and friends, even people who are barely acquaintances to bring you hope.  In my own life, it never ceases to amaze me how, “at just the right time,” I will get a card or letter or email from someone who offers a word of encouragement.  The lift is incredible.  I hope we all do this for all the people in our lives. Sometimes it takes a friend to lift you up.  So, when you need a friend look for him and if you have a friend who needs one, be that friend.      
    One other thing that helps is to verbalize it.  When people come to me with a problem, trying to get them to say what it is can be half the battle.  Even if I know what the problem is, I want them to say it.  When we say the problem out loud, the problem suddenly gets smaller, and we can begin to see ways to address it.  The same is true in our prayer life.  Tell God what is hurting you.  This is for your benefit not his.  This is one way which God uses to let you see that the problem is smaller than God.  Sometimes, we really need to remember that.  It isn’t that God needs to hear our fears; we need to hear them.  Take the power that these fears have over us away and see God’s grace truly at work in our lives.

Dear Father, as we go through life, it is filled with danger, pain, and sorrow.  If we did not have your love to sustain us, all would be lost.  Keep us in your arms, protect us and give us hope.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-12-2023

Good Morning All,

Luke 15:20; “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” 

     This is a verse from the Parable of the Prodigal Son; I would encourage you to read all of chapter 15.  Note a few things as you do.  In the start of the chapter, notice that the original audience is the Pharisees.  Then note verses 7 and 10.  Then remember that the word “prodigal” means wasteful.

    As we read this parable, who is the prodigal son?  Almost everyone will say it is the younger son because he takes the money and blows it.  As you can probably guess, I don’t really buy that.  One of the reasons is that we assume that the most valuable thing we have is our earthly possessions.  We see this young man as wasteful because of money or stuff.  This parable, like the other two, is about relationships and not about ownership.

    There is almost universal acceptance that the father in the parable is God the Father.  In our single verse notice how, the father runs and has compassion for his son and embraces him and celebrates.  The older brother has nothing to do with it.  In the first two short parables there is joy at the rejoining of the relationships.  But in this parable, there is no joy mentioned.

    The most important things in our lives are our relationships with God and with each other.  This parable speaks volumes to this.  How many times do we waste relationships because we spend our energy, our desire and passion, on stuff and not people?  Instead of desiring to spend time with our children or spouses or friends, do we spend time in pursuit of temporal things?  “I’ll spend time with you later” I have to clean the house or mow the lawn or fix the gutters or anything else that we put on our to-do list that is ahead of our relationships.  We put things and stuff ahead of our loved ones and ahead of God.

    We need to remember what God was willing to give up in order to keep a relationship with you.  The Son of God willingly left all the glory of heaven to die on a cross.  He did this because he loves us and wants us to have that perfect and holy relationship with him.  He also wants us to have a loving and joyful relationship with each other.  One that is based, not on stuff, but on the desire to live together in harmony and in worship of God: together. 

    Too many look at the cross and feel a ton of guilt.  Look at the cross and see the love of the Father who would give anything to run to you and greet you with compassion.  Look at the cross and hear God calling you, inviting you into the celebration.  Look at the cross and see a father who spared no expense for you, holds no accounts payable over you, who demands no sacrifice or payment from you; He only offers us his incomprehensible love.  Grab hold of the Father as he greets you with that hug.  Then go out to your family and friends; let the house be messed up for a little while, the lawn will be there later but rejoice and celebrate in the relationships which God has given you in order that you might enjoy this life more fully.

Dearest Father, so many times have you come running after me as I stray while on my journey.  Forgive me Father for the poor way I treat your love and the poor way I keep my relationships strong.  All this we asked in the name of our Crucified Lord, amen.     

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-11-2023

Good Morning All,

      1 Corinthians 15: 56-57; “The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

    I watched an old western movie the other night.  It had Walter Brennan in it.  He was a crusty, retired army scout who was helping the star of the movie try to get 100 repeating rifles to a distant fort.  Everyone was trying to steal the guns and then turn around and sell them.  First it was some scavenger type guys.  Then it was some of the men in his command and finally it was a party of Indian raiders.  Of course, Walter Brennan’s character knew the Indian chief and could speak to him.

    As the final battle with the Indians raged, many of the army members were getting shot and dying.  The army was trying to keep the weapons from the Indians, but it looked bleak.  Just as the Indians were about to capture the guns, out came Walter Brennan.  He had filed all the firing pins of the guns so the guns would not shoot.  Seeing that the guns were worthless, the Indians rode away.  The army failed to get the guns, but the army kept the guns away from an enemy who planned on using those guns against them.  The weapons no longer worked so the value of the gun was nothing.

   Our text tells us this same truth.  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  After Jesus died and rose again, the “firing pin” of sin is gone.  It is the pain of eternal death which gives death its sting.  But with Christ’s victory over the grave and with his glorious resurrection, the tomb that once sealed us in is now only a door for us.  In the blink of an eye, the world changed.  In the blink of an eye, we enter into his heavenly kingdom.

    The sting and power are gone; the joy and grace are here to stay. With Jesus’ victory over the grave, a victory which he lovingly gives to us, we are guaranteed salvation.  With Christ’s victory we can loudly cry, “O death where is your victory?  O death where is your sting?”  We are assured of victory.

    We can take comfort and hope in this statement.  We have victory because of Jesus. No matter what the world throws at you, not matter what trouble or pain you may feel; God is there to save us.  We will always be victorious!  It may be on the other side of the grave, but we enter it knowing that there is no sting to harm us.  So, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as our great victory, we can take hope in our victory, won by Christ and freely given to us.

Dearest Father in heaven, to you alone goes all glory.  Be with us and defend us from the power of the devil and his ways.  Protect us with your mighty hand.  Receive us into your blessed kingdom.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-10-2023

Good Morning All,

        Luke 24:5; “And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? “ 

    When I was a child, my mom used to say I was a “cow’s tail.”  I used to drop stuff right where I was; never look back and never care.  Then the next morning I would frantically search high and low looking for my belt or schoolbook.  I don’t know how my mom kept her sanity.  I am much better today (just don’t ask my wife!).

    One side effect of this type of behavior involves a certain amount of dread.  “Where did I put that?”  When I am desperate, I ask my wife to help.  She does; she doesn’t complain out loud, but I still think she just shakes her head.  But my searches for items needed or wanted cause a certain amount of worry.

    The women going to the tomb must have had worry as well.  Fear must have been great; sadness, hollowness, a feeling of being completely drained was probably common.  You wonder about the tension in the heart they felt as they approached the tomb and saw the rock, which had covered the opening, was gone.  They cautiously look in the tomb and see the empty burial cloths and then the angel as he asked them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

    Why do we seek Jesus among the dead?  Too many Christians want a God that is there when we need him, when it is convenient for us or to give us an excuse to have a party.  We want it to fit into our schedule or life.  We don’t want it to get in the way of what we want.  Yet the truth is it not only gets in the way; it changes our way.  Jesus takes us from the life of death, of hopelessness and total emptiness into a life of grace.  He brings us to the land of hope, the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey.  Yet we can’t keep clinging to the past, we can’t keep living in the land of dead for when we seek Jesus, he is not there for he is alive.

    As we celebrate the wonderful, life-changing event, we are blessed with life, eternal life but also with the gift of a renewed life.  We are given blessing for today to live today in order to deal with today.  The world will challenge us; the world will attack us; it will attack you on all fronts, but God gives us the faith, the strength to face the world.  Only a living God can do this; only a living God can battle for us.  “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”  Jesus lives!!  We do too!!  Christ is risen; he is risen indeed!!!

Dear Lord, we give you thanks for your wonderful grace and mercy.  On this day we see your loving kindness beyond our understanding, we experience it every day in every way to you be all honor and glory and praise.  In your risen holy name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret         

6-9-2023

Good Morning All,

         Luke 24:32; “They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

    Are you like me in that I like to watch some movies over and over?  There are some movies that I just can’t watch enough.  Some of the nuances in the film can be missed the first time or two.  Sometimes you need to read some background on the film or the era of the film setting.  Sometimes, you have to hear the line or see the scene over and over to make it make sense.  Sometimes, it just has to “click” in your mind.

    One of those movies we watch often is “Forrest Gump.”  It took a few times watching it to hear the line where Forrest is asked if he had ever been on a shrimp boat.  He answers,” no but I’ve been on a really big boat.”  Bubba was talking about the type of work that the boat did, as in a boat that catches shrimp.  Forrest thought it meant the size of the boat; he rode a big boat not a small (shrimp) boat.  It takes some listening to truly hear the comment and sometimes you have to be in the right mood as well.

    Our verse is part of the story of the two disciples as they are on the road to Emmaus.  The then unrecognized Jesus joined them as they walked and talked about the events of Jerusalem and the death of Jesus.  As he sat and talked with them, their hearts burned as he talked to them.  You can imagine that they had heard his message many times during the three years that they had traveled with him.  Some of these stories they maybe had witnessed or experienced as well.  They had probably experienced the feeding of the 5000; perhaps the raising of Lazarus; perhaps they had heard him tell them that he would have to die and in three days rise again. 

    These two disciples had heard it before but this time it was different.  This time this message packed a wallop.  Their hearts burned.  Their hearts burned with the desire to really hear what God was saying to them.  I must confess there are times when I read and hear God’s Word like I have heard it over and over.  It sometimes doesn’t have the impact that it should.  I assume that you are the same way.  However, God has a way of changing our hearts.  He can make them burn.

    As the Spirit works on us, through the Word and through the Sacrament, he brings to us the desire to believe that God truly loves us.  Jesus died for us to pay for our sins.  The resurrection is the sign that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice and that the victory over death has been secured.  So, as you read and listen to God’s Word, listen with your heart on fire.  Hear anew the Words of forgiveness, the Words of hope and the Words of life.  Don’t just hear them with your ears, hear them with your heart.  If you need comfort or hope hear God’s Words of comfort and hope.  Know that this is part of God’s gift to you; a message of hope and comfort that you can use today and every day.  Christ is risen; he is risen indeed!

Dearest Father, through the gift of Jesus you bring us hope and you bring us comfort.  Never let your words become mundane or meaningless.  Keep our hearts burning on zeal for you and that we take each word to heart and grow closer to you trusting in your promise.  In the name of our risen Savior we pray, amen.

        

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

6-8-2023

Good Morning All,

       2 Samuel 22: 17-18 “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.  He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.”

    I remember watching a movie many years ago in which the story starts with a young boy who was out fishing with his father.  It was a cold day and the boy moved in the boat and fell into the water.  The scene was very surreal; the boy slowly was sinking in the cold water.  There was no sound; just him sinking.  Suddenly a hand grabbed his coat collar and yanked him back up.  As he was pulled out of the water, you heard yelling and screaming, and the little boy was coughing and crying, and the boat was hurrying back to shore to get him into dry clothes and warm him back up.  The boy was scared; the father was shaken.  The father never took the boy fishing again.  Yet the boy grew up to become a soldier who feared nothing.  The battle he fought was fear and he fought it head on.  

    In many ways this is what God does for us, he reaches down and takes hold of you and rescues you from your enemy –sin, the devil and death.  But God doesn’t just pull you out and then leave you.  When God takes hold of you, he holds on tight.  One way to think of it is that when God takes hold of you in what you could call a hug.  God takes you and hugs you close to himself.

     There are really three ways to respond to a hug.  First you can fight it and try to break away from it and run.  There are many in the world that do this to God’s hug.  They fight it; their sinful pride tells them they don’t need God’s love and care, his hug so they fight it and end up lost and often in struggles which they never win with problems that never go away.

    The second way to respond to a hug is to just stand there.  Let the person hold you but try not to respond to it.  Unfortunately, there are many Christians who respond to God’s hug in this fashion.  They wear their faith like their Sunday clothes, for an hour a week after that their faith; like their Sunday clothes, hang in the closet.  They miss the robust value of God’s relationship with them.  They battle life by themselves and often face tough roads all alone.

    The third way to respond to God’s hug is to hug back with all the gusto you have.  Cling tightly to God; this is what faith is it is clinging tightly to God.  As you cling tightly, you can experience his comfort, his strength, his guidance but above all you can experience the true peace which God promises us.  We experience this true peace when we fully embrace God and his promise, when we hug God back. 

    God gives us the ability and the choice to pick which way we will respond to his hug.  Let God strengthen you to hug him back!

Dearest Father, all that we have is from you; give me the power to hug you back to embrace your love with all that is within me.  Lead me closer to you, in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret