8-16-2020

 Good Morning All, 

      Matthew 16:5; “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” 

     Some of you remember the Beatles.  They were/are one of the biggest bands in the history of rock and roll music.  When the band broke up forty years, it was quite the spectacle.  There were many theories as to why the broke up; drug use, creative differences, differences in management thought and the like.  The most common reason for the breakup was believed to be because of the relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono.  Yoko Ono and John Lennon took a path of unique events like spiritualisms, drugs, etc.  Many of the fans of the band would call radio stations and claim that “Yoko, you’re splitting up the band!”  After years of working together, the band split up because of the influence of a single person. 

    In our verse, Jesus is warning his disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees.  The little influences which can infect the teaching of truth and the well-being of the Church, which can lead it in a way or direction that it is not supposed to go.  These little, seemingly, meaningless comments or actions can cause harm.  He is warning them about the little influences which can destroy “the group” the amazing thing is that it never takes much leaven (yeast) to work this way.

    We see the “leaven of the Pharisees” often, unfortunately, we do not recognize it.  It occurs every time and any time that we allow sin to harm the body of Christ.  It can occur in ways that we do not see at the time. Perhaps a person has an idea for a service project or a worship experience, but it gets voted down.  Are we hurt because our idea didn’t fly?  Were we one of those who shot the idea down because deep down we were jealous?  Do we let little comments come from our mouths which are little cuts into another person, slicing them down to size a little at a time?  Do we refuse to admit that we are wrong and simply dig our heels in?  Do we let the idea of control and power rule our thoughts?  Are we easily offended by the slightest comment or action?

    These are a few ways that the “leaven of the Pharisees” can infect the Body of Christ, causing us to battle with each other rather than place all our efforts into the service of Jesus.  The disciples fought this same leaven, as the too wondered about who was the greatest; the struggle is as old as the Bible and will continue until Christ returns; the cost of working with sinful men.  We must always be on guard against this leaven.  We must be careful to make sure that when we look or listen; we do so with faith, trusting in God to lead his Church.  In the explanation to the eighth commandment, we are told to “put the best construction on everything”; giving all a chance to aid the body of Christ in its growth and expansion in the task of bringing Christ message of redeeming love to all. 

Father of mercy, remove the leaven in my life.  Bring me closer to you.  Help me to see that all can work together to serve you.  We all have many gifts or talents which, when shared bring glory to you and aid to our neighbor.  Give us that unity to grow in you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret      

8-15-2020

 Good Morning All, 

      Acts 5:19; “But at night an angel from the Lord opened the doors to their cell and led them out of the prison.”

      Have you ever been on the wrong side of a locked door?  Maybe you were locked in but usually we are locked out.  Maybe you locked your keys in your car or slammed the door of your house or apartment shut just as you remembered the keys on the table.  For most of us, this is more embarrassing than anything else.  But have you ever been locked in or out on purpose?  Have you ever had someone keep you away from them by design?  Have you ever been locked in a jail cell?  Have you ever been locked in a jail cell unjustly?  This would be extremely difficult.  There was recently a story of a young man who was accused of stealing a backpack.  He was held for two years waiting for a trial; he was eventually released.  He missed his junior and senior year of high school and never could recover and re-enter society.  He committed suicide at the age of 22.  He could never get out of prison.

    Our verse is the first of three times in the Book of Acts where God opened the jail to free the apostles.  This was done to protect the apostles, to embolden the apostles, and to be a witness to the world.  Nothing could stop the kingdom of God from expanding.  Nothing can stop God when it comes to his expression of love for his people.  This love strengthened the apostles in their bold proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus.  It strengthened their faith to face all the challenges of life that was in store for them.

    Earlier, I asked if you had ever been in a jail cell.  Most will answer no.  Yet we all have been in jail; we are held prisoner by our sins.  The devil will hold us there as long as he can.  He will torment us as long as he can, and he can as long as we stay there.  But we do not have to stay; God comes and opens the doors to your cell to free you.  He opens the door that you can leave the depths of the darkness of the cell of our guilt and fear.  God opens the door so that you can be reconciled to him and be part of his family.

    There is nothing in your past that must keep you in your prison.  God has freed you by the forgiveness of your sin.  The devil will tell you to stay in your cell, but the door is of and God calls you out of the dark and dank into the refreshing and the light.  You do not have to stay there in that cell.  God has freed you from sin and freed you from the devil’s prison.  God opens doors so that you may freely and confidently approach his throne, seeking his mercy and grace.  God opens doors so that you may approach him as children approach their loving father.  The doors are open; do not stay in prison!!

Father of all mercy, we give you thanks that you have freed us from the devil’s prison.  Give us the faith to walk out the open door to the freedom that you give us.  Guide us by your Spirit to know the comfort of being out of prison and living in the joy of your eternal kingdom.  In your grace, we are free indeed.  In the precious name of Jesus our risen Savior we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

8-14-2020

  Good Morning All, 

1 Chronicles 16:10; “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

    What do we seek?  Where do we place our deepest desires and our greatest hopes?  For some it is wealth; for some it is fame.  These are two obvious ones, and everyone sees them but what about us?  Most of us do not dream of becoming multi-millionaires or of having to worry if the twitter feed is going to worry about what we wore to the Academy Awards.  Yet sometimes we seek some things that may not be God pleasing.

    Perhaps we spend too much time trying to figure out ways that we can have control in a relationship instead of sharing in one or making our co-workers look bad, so we look better.  Perhaps we spend too much time trying to butter up a neighbor to try and get his land before someone else does.  There are lots of ways to seek what is not in God’s favor.

    It might be something as simple as making snide remarks about another person, always cutting them down.   We see it in many ways and it always comes back to our pride and the desire of our sinful nature to be number one.  It is as old as sin itself, who sits on God’s throne in our life.  Is it God or do we try and take that spot? 

     One of the most interesting facets of human life is that when we engage our sinful nature; it is never satisfied.  Very few people who seek great wealth ever think they have enough.  How else do we explain such incredible greed from people who already have billions of dollars and yet try to cheat people for more?  Those who seek fame, even when it is fleeting, never have enough.  Why else do we always seem to easily attack or run-down others?  If we cannot be the top dog of our circle; how can we put our self on the throne of God? 

     So, we run in circles, like a dog that chases its own tail, until we cannot even stand.  We are exhausted and have gained nothing.  When we glory in God’s holy name; when we quit trying to take God’s place in life and receive His blessings and grace, our life becomes much easier.  We trust in God to love us and to care for us.  That he will richly provide for all our bodily needs.  When we trust God, we can rejoice because He has promised to take care of us.

     Some of us may be disappointed as we look at that.  What we need and what we want can be two vastly different situations.  Do we need a cell phone, or a big screen TV with satellite cable or a computer?  Do we need multiple vehicles or the place at the lake?  Perhaps we do, but perhaps we do not.  The central thing is to remember that what we do have comes from God’s blessings.  We do not worship the blessings or think that “we did it all.”  Rather, we give thanks to God for what he has given us and what he will give us tomorrow.  When our faith is in God, when we trust that he will take care of us and deliver us; then our hearts are seeking the Lord and we can rejoice in Him.

    Gracious Lord, we are slow to see our deepest sinful desires, help us to see them and to repent of them that we may truly seek after you and that we may have that true peace which only comes from you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

8-13-2020

 Good Morning All, 

    Psalm 30:5; “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

    “I am tired”, this is a phrase I have heard a lot lately.  People are tired of the covid virus and the impact it has on their life.  Some complain because they are tired of staying home and watching life out of their window but not going outside.  I try and call some of our shut ins, especially the ones with little or no family but they rarely talk long; they are tired of it all.  I used to lead devotional services at a couple of the assisted living centers, now we are trying to use the internet.  They watch on TV as I “preach” to a computer (it is not the same); I deeply miss the people who came to those services.  I am trying to prepare in case everyone goes on lockdown again this fall so we can continue our confirmation classes.  I am tired as well from the stress of “why are you meeting?” alongside of “why aren’t you meeting more?”  I am tired is a common phrase but hidden beneath it is the subtle question, “where is God and why is this happening?”

   Our verse is from the 30^th Psalm and has the speaker (probably David) thanking God for saving him from the jaws of death, from “going down to the pit.”  We don’t really know if David is talking about an actual life and death moment or is speaking of emotional and spiritual battles and fatigue.  It might be a combination of both.  Yet, repeatedly, that is what David claims in this psalm; that he is rescued from the pit and thus his praise overflows.  Our verse even hints to the thought of going to bed and wondering if you would wake up in the morning.  Weeping at night, fearful of what the night will bring inly to awaken to the joy of a new day where God’s mercies are new every morning.

    David does not ask or wonder why the things are occurring; he is thankful that God rescues him.  David avoids that three-letter word that causes us so much worry and fear; why?  “Why does God allow (fill in the blank)?”  Yet even in this hiddenness of God which is beyond our understanding; God saves his people and comforts them.  Even in our greatest struggle and fear, God provides for us.  Our future is secure with an even more dramatic rescue then what David experienced in our psalm.  Our rescue is for eternity.  We don’t understand it (remember Paul said, “I tell you a mystery”), and yet it is this sure and certain word that allows us to rest and to refresh as we face each new day.  I go to bed tired because sin leads me to try and figure everything out rather than trusting in the God who has already laid the path to life eternal.

    God invites us to rest in this truth.  He invites us to leave our mourning and dance with joy because of His great promise of salvation.  He invites us to remember that He has pulled us up, given us peace, comfort, and hope.  It is his will that you are saved, never lose sight of that!

Father of all mercies, lift us up that we may never lose hope.  Guide us by the unwavering certainty of your grace.  Keep us safe in your loving arms.  Defend us from all evil and help us to be the beacons of hope in this dark and dreary world.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

8-12-2020

 Good Morning All, 

         1 Corinthians 10:31; “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

    While discussing Luther’s views on vocation in a confirmation class, we talked about what was meant by the words “sacred” and “secular.”  It took a little time and a little coaxing, but we finally agreed that “sacred” referred to church work or church activity.  So, being a minister was considered a “sacred” occupation but being a public-school teacher was a “secular” occupation.  We also decided that Sundays, some Wednesdays, and whatever day religious holidays occurred were “sacred” days and times.  The other days were secular.  When we got done and the kids were confident of their answers, I wrote on my whiteboard “THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SECULAR!”  Well that went over like a lead balloon so I explained.

    If you are a Christian, that is your identity, you cannot shake it or avoid it.  That is who you are, that is what you are, always.  For many people, there faith is a lot like the suit or extra nice dress they have in the closet.  You put it on for special occasions but the rest of the time, it just hangs in the back of your closet.  For a Christian, for a true redeemed child of God, it is more like your skin, you never leave home without it.  Our faith, our true faith, is shown by the way we act.  This was Jesus’ message to the Pharisees when he called them hypocrites.  They acted holy but they were crooks and thieves; they knew it and Jesus knew it.  For a true Christian, whatever we do, we should do for the glory of God.

    We do things for the glory of God when we help or take care of our neighbor and not just any neighbor.  I was telling my class that if they stopped and helped me mow my lawn that would be a nice gesture, but I really do not need the help.  I have two riding lawnmowers, a push mower, and a weed eater.  I can mow my small lawn.  They really should visit the person who needs the help; someone who is too ill to do it or lacking a lawnmower or lacking the time.  In other words, the neighbor we help should be the one in most need.  This should be regardless of this person’s popularity or likeability or ability to pay, none of that should enter in, only the need of the person.  Some theologians point out that when Jesus called a child the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, it wasn’t about the child’s innocence but his neediness, his complete dependency on adults to care for him.  A couple of theologians have suggested that this child that Jesus lifted up may have even been deformed or disabled in some way, completely dependent on others.   

    So, as you and I go out and about, we wear our faith, for good or for ill, for kindness or harshness, we wear our faith.  God calls us to live a life which is to his glory and for the benefit of your neediest neighbor.  Since our own future is secure by the resurrection of Jesus, we only have to serve Him until his return.  There is nothing secular; everything shows our faith.

Heavenly Father, lead me to be your willing servant.  Open my eyes to the suffering and pain of my neighbor.  Lead me to anguish in their suffering that I may come to their aid in love and compassion.  Guide me by your Spirit.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

8-11-2020

   Good Morning All, 

    Galatians 6:8; “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

     Throughout history, there have been many imaginative (and somewhat disgusting) methods of exacting capital punishment.  Some were relatively quick and easy.  They would behead the murderer.  They might use something called “draw and quarter”.  This was kind of nasty.  They would cut you open and remove your stomach and intestines (that’s the draw) then they would attach each arm and each leg to four different horses and then have them run in different directions (that’s the quarter).  The one that I found most unique was for the murder victim’s body to be tied to the back of the murderer.

    The murderer would walk around with the weight of the victim on his back.  Everyone would see that you murdered this poor person.  It would not take long for the stench of the decaying body to be overpowering and no one would come anywhere near to the convicted murderer.  Eventually, the decaying body, with the accompanying maggots would cause an infection in the body of the murderer who would then die a rather unpleasant death.

    I hope you do not read this with breakfast, but this is very much like our sinful life.  We carry the decaying body of our sin on our back.  Between the stench and the decay, it is a miserable and wretched existence.  In the end we suffer, horrendously, and then die because of the decay and corruption of the body of sin on our back.  Not a pleasant thought but accurate.  Sin destroys us in this fashion.  It is a disgusting horrible life to live and the devil tries to extract every ounce of discomfort, sadness, and pain that he can.  His only goal is to make us miserable. 

    Yet this is what God does for us.  He cuts the ties which keep the body of sin attached to us.  Jesus does this through the atonement on the cross.  So, what Jesus also does for us is to change our desire to sin; that’s the sow to flesh part; to our desire to live according to his will; that is the sow to the Spirit part.  That is what faith does for us; it changes our desire from sin to salvation.

    The Spirit instills in us the desire to follow God’s will.  Yet our sinful nature will get in the way sometimes.  Yet we know that God forgives our sins and helps us to get up and go again.  He continually cuts the ties of the body of sin that attempts to attach itself to us.  He does this through the renewing Spirit that we receive through our Baptism.  He does this out of love.  So, we are given new life; a new life that is not built on the corpse of sin but rather is built upon the grace of God and the promise of salvation.  We will battle that corpse of sin, sometimes it will succeed in drawing us down, but God’s grace will pull us out and by faith we will persevere.

Gracious Father, through your mercy we lose our corpse of sin.  Give us the comfort to know that it will never destroy us.  Keep us in your loving arms.  Be with those who are especially weighed down at this time.  Help them to feel the cords cut and the freeing of their spirit by you.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret 

8-10-2020

 Good Morning All, 

     John 8:32; “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

     There is an old saying that goes like this; “If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.”  Most people ascribe this statement to Lenin, the architect of the Soviet revolution in Russia.  Interestingly, there are some who think it was Joseph Goebbels, the chief propagandist for Nazi Germany, who first spoke it in 1928.  Some then say that all Goebbels was doing was quoting Hitler from his “Mein Kampf” book.  I am not sure who to attribute it to but find it interesting that most attribute it to three of the 20^th century’s greatest liars.

    Regardless of who first said it, it seems to be true.  In most aspects of life, we see this truth.  It has been a few years since I would umpire some baseball.  Yet, I always found it interesting when someone wanted to argue the rules that they are sure they are right about. “That’s the way my dad taught me” (maybe he didn’t know either) “That’s the way I’ve always played it” (it was always wrong). “That’s how I saw it called one time” (still might be wrong).  Yet the idea that repetition makes something right or correct is an interesting thought.  How often do we accept something as the truth just because it has been repeated many times?  Is that our only standard?  No wonder the devil has so many “truths” out there.

    The devil is the “Father of all lies”.  He tells them without hesitation.  That is the interesting thing about his lies; he does not care.  When people hold onto the truth, they value it, they cherish it, they hold it with high esteem.  The devil has none of this.  A lie told today that is disproved simply means a different lie tomorrow.  There is no regret or recrimination.  Lie, lie, and keep lying seems to be the order of the day.  That is why it is so important that we keep focused on the truth.

    Jesus tells us that he is “the way, the truth, and the life”.  Our verse tells us that the truth will set us free.  So, we can see that Jesus sets us free.  Jesus is truth.  The only truth we need to focus on is the truth of God’s grace gives us salvation.  God’s grace saves us and gives us the comfort for this life as we do battle with the devil’s lies.  The truth, the simple and whole truth is God’s unending love for us. 

    The devil will tell you many lies; he will try to separate you from God’s love but our faith rests in God’s undying love; in the truth.  Jesus died that you would be saved.  That is the truth and that truth sets us free from all the devil’s torments.  The devil will launch them at us, but they will only bruise us. God’s grace saves us.

Father of all truths, the devil lies to us constantly.  Keep us strong in your truth.  Guard us from the devil’s assaults.  Be with those who are falling prey to those lies.  Help them to see your truth as their only source of salvation.  This we ask in the precious name of Jesus, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret