3-16-2021

 Good Morning All,   

    Psalm 68:35; “God, the God of Israel, is awe-inspiring in his holy place.  He gives strength and power to his people.  Thanks be to God!"

    I had a neighbor who has an automotive/fix-it shop.  His wife was our mail carrier.  She drove a little pickup that had over 300, 000 miles on it.  I think it helped that he was a mechanic.  It seemed about every other week or so, he would have this little pickup up on the hoist and he was changing oil or replacing u-joints, or bushing, or brakes.  He was always fixing or replacing something.  Maintenance is always important to keep the vehicle running right.

    We used to notice this when we would go to farm sales where the sales were somewhat distressed.  That is the farmer did not want to sell but could not afford to keep farming.  You could see that often the maintenance of the equipment was not what it should have been.  You knew how it worked.  Maintenance takes money and when money is tight often maintenance is pushed down the list.  Yet it never takes long for this lack of maintenance costs more in the long run.  It often shortens the lifespan of the equipment plus you end up spending more on repairs as well.

    Our faith life is a lot like taking care of a car or other equipment.  You need to do the maintenance in order for it to work properly.  You need to do the maintenance so that the equipment works when you need it the most.  This is true of our faith life as well.  Now this does not mean that we must work on our salvation; that is already settled by God’s mercy.  Because of this mercy, God gives us the grace to face our daily struggles.  He gives us His Spirit to help us as we deal with our daily struggles.  He gives us the gift of His Words of forgiveness, his sacraments, and the gift of prayer and of His written Word.  We also have the gift of His Church, the body of believers, who are there to comfort and console us.  These gifts are all there for us to face the daily grind of our life here on earth.

    But we must use them and often.  This is how we maintain our faith.  We need to regularly attend worship services.  This is where we hear God’s Words of forgiveness and grace spoken to us.  We can hear the precious joy of God’s pronouncement of his unwavering love for us.  We need to share in Holy Communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  This nourishing of the spirit and soul will strengthen the bond of fellowship with our fellow believers.  We need to spend time in the study of God’s Word and in prayer.  This is the rhythm of our devotional life that can serve as a major part of our maintenance program.  God gives us the tools and the desire to follow through with them.  So do your maintenance every day!

   Gracious Father, you give strength and power to us as we face the daily struggles of this life.  Guard us by your Spirit and move us to maintain our faith in you.  Move us to search your Word, to partake in your sacrament, and to trust wholly in you.  Be with those who have let their maintenance lag.  Help them to return to the safety of your loving arms.  This we ask in the precious name of Jesus, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret       

3--15-2021

      Good Morning All,   

             1 Corinthians 13:12; “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

    Have you ever gone through a funhouse with the mirrors?  The ones that have the curved mirrors that distort the way things look.  They are also usually smeared, and the lighting is bad so it can be hard to see clearly in them.  We can usually only get vague or hazy images.  We can never really tell exactly what we are looking at.  It is a dim reflection of what we see.

    Thousands of years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato, once described our life as one where we never really saw the true image.  We only saw a shadow of the image on the wall ahead of us.  It was as if life was occurring behind us and a strong light was casting the shadows on the wall ahead of us.  We saw the movement and the shapes, but we didn’t see the true form.  In some ways this is what Paul is telling us in this verse.  In this verse, and this chapter, he is explaining what true love is like.

    In this chapter of Corinthians, often called the love chapter, Paul is describing true and complete love.  In Greek it is agape.  This is the type of sacrificial love which God displays for us in Jesus.  God loves us so completely that He sent Jesus to die in our place and he did this before we loved him.  God did this for the portion of his creation that he loved so much he wouldn’t destroy them and start over.  He redeemed us, he bought us back from our own sin in order to make us his own again. 

    It is the kind of love which we can never fully grasp or understand in our current form.  We may speak of this kind of love, but no human truly has it.  We all have limits to our love.  We may claim to love unconditionally but, in our hearts, we have a limit.  It might be different for different people, but it exists.  So, when we talk of this kind of love; this never ending, sacrificial, all-encompassing love; we really cannot understand it.

    Paul is telling us that what we see, that is what we perceive, is just a dimmed reflection in a mirror compared to God’s love for us.  It is so far beyond our comprehension.  We have nothing to compare it to.  We only have God’s mercy showered upon us; declared to us in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.  There is no other kind of love that comes even close to this kind of love.  That is why Paul describes it as he does.  Love is patient, kind, never ends are just a few of the descriptions. 

    We will never fully understand it until we get to heaven.  It will always be upon us, but we will only be able to grasp it like a dull mirrored image.  So, we can take heart in a love so great, we cannot even imagine it.  With a love that great, we can know that our salvation is certain and our hope secure.

Gracious God, you are love.  Through you we see true love and yet we cannot comprehend.  As you send your love to us, help us to share some of that love with others.  Direct us to those who are in most desperate need of your love.  Guide us by your Spirit.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

 

3-14-2021

 Good Morning All,   

Luke 7:15; “And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”

    This verse is from one of the more touching stories in the Bible.  It is from the story of the widow from the town of Nain.  She was a widow, and she was in the process of burying her only son.  This was not only an emotionally destructive event; it was also an economically destructive event.  It was most likely that any property that her husband had left to her son would now go to the brother of her dead husband.  So, unless he was willing to share, she was out of luck and out in the cold.  So, with the death of her son, she was completely destroyed.  She had no future; she was isolated from everything she had that would support her.  Everything that she counted on was gone.

    As the funeral procession was going out of town, Jesus and his disciples were coming into town.  The two groups met, and Jesus had compassion on the widow.  He restored the young man to life and gave him back to the widow.  He gave the man life, and he gave the widow hope.  He had compassion and gave life and hope.  There is a lot to draw from this story but for today let’s look at it this way.

    As most of us read the stories of the Bible, we like to figure out who we would be in the story.  I would like you to be the dead man for a moment.  That is what we are.  We are dead in sin.  We suffer from the torment of sin and we have no future for we are truly dead.  Yet Jesus, through his death and resurrection gives us life.  He gives us salvation.  We now have eternal life and the grace that He gives us to live.

   Yet too often we stop there.  Too often, we think, “I’m saved” and then we turn and walk away.  Yet we should remember that as Jesus gave the man his life back, Jesus also gave him back to his mother.  We should see this as part of our calling as Christians.  Jesus gave the man life and then gave him back to his mother; presumably for him to continue to care for her.  Jesus did not just free the man from death; he freed the man from death and then gave him a purpose.  Jesus gives us life, but he also gives us a purpose.

   He leaves us in this world for a while, for a purpose.  We are to show, share, and be his love in this world.  He empowers us to be his hands, his arms, his voice in this broken and sin filled world.  He wants us to be active in this world.  We know all the phrases; “Be witnesses”; “love one another”; “the least of these my brethren” We know that Jesus has given us life, but do we remember that he gives us back to the world for a while?  Do we remember we are to be the light in this world?  So, as you begin this New Year, remember that you were given back to make a difference as well.

Father of grace, lead us to be your light in this world.  Keep us mindful that we are to be about your business as we wait for our eternal glory.  Use us to reach out to those who are suffering the most.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

3-13-2021

 Good Morning All,   

            Mark 6:48; “And he (Jesus) saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.”

    I will keep my eye on you.  That is a phrase that parents will often tell their children.  The funny thing is that when the child is 5 or 6; they see it as a security blanket as they begin to venture out.  When they are 15 or 16, well it is seen as more of a hindrance or embarrassment.  They want their parents to see them as capable of dealing with whatever comes along.

    Knowing that someone is keeping an eye on you can mean one of two things.  We can be like the 5- or 6-year-old and see it as a comfort as a security.  Knowing that someone is watching out for you can be a comfort as you attempt something new.  Knowing that someone who has done the job, or driven the route, or has already had the experience.  It can be comforting knowing that someone with experience can step in and take over or at least offer some sage advice.

    Of course, knowing that someone is watching can be disconcerting as well.  There are times when we do not want someone else to see what we are doing, hear what we are saying, or know what we are thinking.  There are times when we would like to think that no one is keeping an eye on us.  If no one is watching, stealing that piece of candy, or saying that unkind thing or know the thoughts that our sinful heart is forming.  It is at these times that we do not want someone to keep an eye on us.

    As the sinful being that we are, we do not want God keeping an eye on us.  We want to have some hidden time to let our hidden sins fester and grow.  The problem with that is that we do not have any hidden sins; all our sins are seen by God.  We only fool ourselves if we think that some of our sins are hidden.  God sees all.

    Yet as God’s redeemed children, we can take great comfort I the fact that God keeps an eye on us.  Living in a broken and sinful world, we are often making headway painfully.  We are making headway but there is a lot of pain and sorrow along the way.  Our headway is moving forward with our life; each moment we are closer to heaven.  But that journey is an arduous one.  We come upon times and events which are new to us.  The death of our parents, the time of learning who we are in this world, the time of marriage, the time of child rearing, the time of aging and the time of death are all new experiences.  We can take comfort that God keeps an eye on us.  He looks out for us and he prepares the way for us.  He gives us comfort and consolation along the way.  He goes ahead of us to prepare for us.  He goes ahead of us because he has already gone ahead and paid the price of our debt.  He has already experienced the pains of this life for us.  So, he has compassion on us.  His mercy is ever upon us.  The psalmist says that we are “the apple of your eye”. God keeps his eye on us with his grace and mercy.

Father of all goodness, you guard and protect us and keep your eye upon us.  Keep us mindful of this truth so that we may have comfort and peace in the knowledge of your mercy.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret

3-12-2021

 Good Morning All,   

            Matthew 9:36; “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

     Sheep are a defenseless animal.  About all they can do is charge at you.  They do not possess sharp teeth to bite with.  They are easily attacked by any wild animal.  They are also very docile animals that need to be led, fed, and cared for.  Left to their own ways, they get lost easily.  Without guidance and direction, they will wander aimlessly and soon be separated from each other.  They are easily spooked and will run in all different directions.  They will end up totally lost, totally disconnected, beaten down and completely helpless.

    In our verse Jesus looks out at the crowd of people and compares them to sheep.  These are sheep which had a bad shepherd.  He was careless and lazy.  He did not take care of them properly and then just ran off and left them.  They were left to be attacked by the wolves.  They were bloodied, bruised, and destroyed.  They were lost and completely helpless; sort of like we can be.

    Being described as sheep can be very accurate.  We are easily misled.  We are often told something that sounds too good to be true, but we believe it any way.  We see dozens of others doing it so we assume that it must be ok.  We do not think for ourselves we just follow the crowd.  We are easily led astray and soon are far from the safety of the watchful eye of the shepherd.  We soon are beaten down by the ravages of the devil and this world.  We are tormented and attacked.  We are trampled on and depleted.  We follow the wrong shepherd, and we end up abandoned.

    This is why Jesus had to come to the world.  We were so hopelessly lost that we would never find our way and those who should lead us had abandoned their duties.  Nothing short of God’s intervening in our lives was going to change things, so he did.  God intervened and completely changed the way the sheep lived.  The sheep (us) got the true shepherd, the one that would lay down his life for the sheep.  Because of his great love for us, Jesus had compassion on us and did whatever was necessary to bring us back into the flock of his children.  He even gave his life so we could have ours.  He healed our wounds and defeated our enemies; all because he loves us. 

    So no matter what the world throws at us, we know that Jesus, our true Shepherd, is there to guard and protect us.  He is there to comfort us and to apply the balm of forgiveness to our wounds of sin.  He is there to offer us hope and peace.  He gathers us up and leads us to the quiet still waters and lush pasture where we can live contented lives with him.

Gracious Lord, you are the shepherd who saves us.  You are the shepherd who provides for us and protects us.  Lord, there are so many of your children who are lost and harassed, like sheep without a shepherd.  Bring them safely into your loving embrace that they too may know your boundless grace.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

3-11-2021

   Good Morning All,   

               Job 1:10; “Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”

      It is sort of like the backyard fence.  You put it up and then you let the children play.  As long as they are within the fenced in area, they are safe.  However, if they are ever outside of the fenced in area, then danger lurks.  Stay inside the fence and you are safe; outside the fence and problems will arise.

    Our verse is part of the conversation between Satan and God as they discussed Job.  Satan claimed that the reason Job was faithful was because God had put a fence around him, and only good things had happened to Job.  He was the wealthiest man in the region.  He had a large family; life was good.  So, Satan claimed that the only reason that Job was faithful was because God protected him from the pain of the world. 

    So, God, in essence, let Satan into the fenced in area to test Job.  Job eventually stood the test, as great as it was.  Yet, he was still inside the fenced in area.  He was still protected by God.  God was allowing Satan the freedom that he had but it was never out of God’s control.  Even though there were times when Job probably was not really sure; he was always under God’s loving arm and protective eye.

   We are as well.  God’s grace is poured out upon us and we are protected from all that the devil will throw at us.  He can never separate us from God’s love.  God’s grace is always there for us.  The only time it is gone is when we leave the fenced in area, when we walk away from God.  Then we have made the choice to do battle with the devil all on our own.  We will fight and we will lose.  The devil is far too powerful for us to win against.  He will torment and lead us into all sorts of pain, emotional, physical, and spiritual.  Out there, we have no chance but if we stay in God’s hedges, the fenced in area, we will always be safe.

    God sent Jesus to die for us in order that the devil may not harm us, but the devil still prowls around looking for new victims.  But God’s mercy is in full effect for us.  He seeks us our and places us back into the safe area.  He keeps placing us under his loving arms and care and no matter how many times we run; He will always bring us back.  Yet if we keep running, eventually the devil may trap us. 

    So, we can live contented; we can live safe within the hedge that God provides. We can remain safe in his loving arm.  We can remain safe under his watchful eye.  It is here we can live the life he has for us to enjoy.

Gracious Father, in you we have our salvation.  You keep us protected from all the devil wants to throw at us.  Keep us safe.  Bring back those who have run away and fear to return.  Bring them safely home; end their torment and their fear.  Give to them the peace that only you can give.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret  

3-10-2021

 Good Morning All,   

             John 6:47; “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”

    “Truly, truly” who talks like that?  I know I don’t.  I would guess that most of you don’t either.  I would also guess that Jesus probably did not talk this way either.  The difficulty is that the New Testament is written in Greek and sometimes the translations are awkward.  Some Greek words do not translate well into English.  In addition, Greek grammar is somewhat different than English as well.  The more literal the translation, the more awkward the sentence structure. 

   So, when Jesus says, “truly, truly” what was he saying?  The better translation would be “amen” which means, “it is so, or it is true.” Hence the “truly” in the newer translations and the “verily” in the King James.  Verily comes from the Latin word “veritas” or truth.

   So, we can see that Jesus is telling us, he is speaking the truth to us.  The truth, which Jesus defines Himself as the Truth, is being spoken to us.  These are the facts, the certain truth, even the guaranteed truth.  Remember, God took an oath when He made His covenant with Abraham.  God made a sacred promise to Abraham that He would never break.  You and I, through the blood of Jesus, are the beneficiaries of that oath.  Every time Jesus spoke to the people, He kept making this same promise, the promise of eternal life for those who believe that Jesus gives it to them.

    I would suspect that if Jesus had been born a Midwesterner, He would have said it like this, “Anyone who believes has eternal life, I guarantee it!”  Next time you read your Bible and you read Jesus saying, “truly, truly” or just “truly” or even “verily” try reading it as Jesus is saying, “I guarantee it!”  To the thief on the cross Jesus said, “today you will be with me in paradise, I guarantee it.”  Or “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.  I guarantee it!”   Or “if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death, I guarantee it!” Or “whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. I guarantee it!”

    We have Jesus’ guarantee on every promise that He has made to us.  Jesus put His stamp, His mark, on you to seal that promise, guaranteed to you by Jesus.  What an amazing gift!  What a generous act of love!  Jesus makes us this promise, fulfils it on Calvary and delivers it to you in your Baptism.   Promises of eternal life, eternal companionship, peace, comfort, hope, love all made to you, all guaranteed and delivered.  Anyone who believes has eternal life, guaranteed.

Father of all mercies, you grace is poured upon in an unquenchable river of love.  Keep us mindful of Your guarantee as we look to Jesus for our hope, our future, our comfort, and our life.  Give us peace to walk in Your holy will.  Move us to love those who are hurting, to comfort those who suffer and to encourage the downtrodden.  Direct us as we go.  Be with those who are lost and suffering and bring to them the light of Your truth.  In the precious name of Jesus, we do pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret