Author: TechCommittee

August 22, 2021                        Text:  Ephesians 5:22-33

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Toni and I were blessed with 30 years of marriage recently.  For various reasons we talked about why we need to lift up these milestones in people’s lives.  Really celebrate them.  We should never downplay what our Lord does to keep two people together in this most sacred of relationships.  I know all of you feel the same way.  If we want marriage to be the way God intended it then we need to speak positive about it, look to God’s Word for the inspiration and the backbone to say, “Thus says the Lord.”

    Our text, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is such a “Thus says the Lord.”  We hear it every three years in church.  We hear it at many marriage worship services and it is part of the human vernacular.  But boy doesn’t God make us all nervous and wiggly when we have to explain it or understand it?  Do you know what I am talking about – those uncomfortable words we don’t want to throw around at dinner parties.  Words like “submit” and “head” and “give of self” and “one flesh” and dare we even say the word “love?”

    I pray you are here because you trust the Lord’s words and He might actually know what He is talking about.  He’s in the words.  He’s in the marriage.  He has to be, right?

“THE BLESSING OF A TRIANGLE”

    I was not good in geometry but the triangle is one shape I understand.  I could put the triangle in the proper slot as a youngster.  I get three and all sides being equal and well you know the rest . . .

    The triangle in marriage is important because the devil is moving up the food chain.  Adults have been told for years they can do what they want.  It’s your life.  If you are unhappy then leave.  You deserve better.  It is about you.  No thought to the children who suffer the consequences.  No thought to the pledge given in the sight of the Lord.  We let go of marriage and it lost all definition.  Now you can marry same sex, an animal or even yourself.  Anybody can get a license on the Internet to perform said ceremony and voila what marriage is, is no longer what marriage is.  Can we sing of Christ as groom and church as bride if we can no longer confess what marriage is?  What will it mean to call God our Father if we say a man can have a baby?  If we play along and say that he is she?  Or she is he?

    To break the bonds we have to break the sin.  Again, we have to celebrate our Christian marriages.  We have to work on our selfishness.  The Triangle is a blessing because the only known antidote to selfishness is Jesus Christ.  In Him, we are new creations.  He substituted me with Him.  He substituted you with Him.  You and me did not have to pay for our sins.  God the Son gave His life for our sin payment.  “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.”  

    Does this Christ give us a long list of do’s and don’ts and our marriage will last?  Actually, no.  The Spirit lays two things upon a marriage:  “Wives, submit to your husbands.”  “Husbands love your wives.”  Both equal this:  “Forget ME, seek rather THEE.”  These admonitions even come with a reason.  Surely, you heard it, didn’t you?  “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.”  See the triangle?  “Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”  See the triangle?  

    How do we do this as sinful humans?  To the unmarried.  A committed Christian.  Don’t settle for a promise.  Pray.  This is the biggest decision of your life.  The blessing of a triangle.

    To the married.  May the Holy Spirit let the triangle flourish in our attitudes, our priorities, our strengths, our choices . . . by way of the Scriptures and Holy Communion.  Grow in devotions together.  Seize the strength of worship and Bible Class.  Be lifted in Christ’s true body and blood.  The third partner is in the marriage.  The marriage counselor is by your side.  Turn to Him.  The blessing of a triangle.

    Remember what Jesus left for you.  Left the holy, perfectly peaceful, thoroughly satisfying company of the Father and the Holy Spirit.  He left it all . . . for you.  Humbled Himself.  Became a lowly babe.  Lived out His days in poverty.  Was constantly misunderstood.  For you.  That you might be the Father’s forgiven child.  He gave up his life . . . for you.  And now He asks you serve your wife, your husband, to please Him. 

    Ever try to put a triangle together that is just off a degree?  It’s uneven.  No matter how hard you try it is not going to fit.  But when it all comes together, wow, what a beautiful thing.  Even in the mundane that is marriage.  In the ups that is marriage.  In the downs that is marriage.  Joys and sorrows co-mingle but that is marriage.  It works.  We celebrate it.  We honor it.  The blessing of a triangle.  Because of Jesus.

            Amen.    

August 15, 2021                        Text:  Proverbs 9:1-10

Dear Friends in Christ,

    On the Indonesian island of Java they like to tell the story of the young man who saw a beautiful young lady on the road and followed her for a mile.  She wheeled around and demanded, “Why do you dog my footsteps?”  

    “Because you are the loveliest thing I have ever seen.  I fell in love with you at first sight.  Be mine.”

    “But if you just look behind you,” said the girl, “to see my young sister, she is ten times more beautiful than I.”  The cavalier young man wheeled around to see a very unattractive maiden.  “What kind of mockery is this?” he demanded of the beautiful girl.  “You lied to me!”

    “So did you,” she replied.  “If you were so madly in love with me, why did you turn around?”

    Ah, the beauty of wisdom.  This young lady had it and she saw through the phoniness of the young man.  Do you consider yourself a wise person?  I imagine that most of us do.  We think we are pretty smart.  We think things through.  We see things for how they really are.  It’s wonderful when it all comes together.

“THE BEAUTY OF WISDOM”

    The world has always been populated with the wise and unwise.  That is basically our text for this morning.  Solomon giving some nuggets about the beauty of wisdom.  Wisdom is an invitation that goes out to all people.

    Because everyone thinks they are wise this is where the problems come in.  When you have people telling you to do one thing because they think they are so smart but then they don’t follow their own advice, well . . . people start to see through that and we get what we have today in society.  Listen to this insightful commentary by Neil Postman on Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World written in 1932 and George Orwell’s 1984 written in 1949:

    “Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing.  Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression.  But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history.  As he saw it, people will adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.  Orwell feared those who ban books.  Huxley feared there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.  Orwell feared we would be deprived of information.  Huxley feared they would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity.  Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us.  Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.  Huxley remarked the civil libertarians who are on alert to oppose tyranny ‘failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.’  In 1984, people are controlled by inflicting pain.  In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure.  In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us.  Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.”

    Postman then added this bit of wisdom.  “In America, we are never denied the opportunity to amuse ourselves.”  

    This is not working well.  Despair is skyrocketing.  Deaths of despair – drugs, alcohol, and suicide have doubled since 2000.  People we never thought would kill themselves are.  And the world continues to think they are so wise.

    Prayerfully we see through man’s wisdom.  We understand these words of wisdom in our text, “Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.  Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you.”

    None of us likes to be corrected or reproved.  Come on, I’ve got it all together.  Do we?  Can we leave our simple ways and live?  Can we walk in the way of insight?  Can we see the beauty of wisdom?

    We do if we see the beauty of wisdom coming from our Lord.  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”  It begins with our repentance.  Maybe we aren’t the smartest in the room.  Do we need to humble ourselves before our Creator?  Don’t we run after pleasure and distraction like Huxley wrote?  Then get on your knees and tell the Lord where you have failed.  “Reprove a wise man and he will love you.”  We take the Lord’s correction through Jesus because He knows what is best for our lives.  “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”

    The Apostle Peter wrote us something quite wise in his 2nd letter.  “The Lord’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted us his precious and great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 

    Christ has set us free.  We have His promise.  The beauty of His wisdom is our wisdom.   May the Holy Spirit help us to use it – and live.

                                    Amen. 

August 8, 2021                        Text:  Ephesians 4:17 – 5:2

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Back in 1991 Rodney King was a motorist pulled over for drunk driving.  The Los Angeles police subsequently beat him and the video made of it became part of history.  The officers were acquitted in court and that led to riots in LA and elsewhere around the country.  Rodney King went on TV and uttered these famous words:  “Can we all get along?”

    The Apostle Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus this morning with that same theme.  Still relevant.  Still important.  All of his words are much needed in our society.  All of his words are things we need to hear as well.

“CAN WE ALL GET ALONG?”

    We have all heard these words since childhood.  Can we all get along?  Easier said than done, right?

    In 416 BC, during the war between Athens and Sparta, Athens decided to attack the neutral island of Melos.  When the Melians protested they had done Athens no wrong, the Athenians replied, “The strong do what they can; the weak suffer what they must.”  The Melians were starved into surrender.  The men were killed and the women and children sold into slavery.

    This wasn’t unusual in the ancient world.  The strong would dominate the weak.  But things began to change.  What brought about the change?  The difference was Christianity.

    It is interesting that Paul would write this Epistle.  He at one time was someone strong who oppressed the weak.  He lived it.  He had a perspective few had.  Paul came to realize that all persons were made in the image of God.  This meant every human being has worth and dignity.  The Christian further emphasized the spiritual and moral equality of all people.  We all suffer the same problem – sin.  We all are in need of the same solution – salvation through Jesus.

    Look at the old self-problems Paul points out:  darkened, alienated, hardness of heart, callous, sensual, greedy, impure.  We have to be careful we don’t start thinking, “Yes, our society has problems with all of those.”  They do.  But so do we.  We too have to put off the old self and put on the new self.  The Holy Spirit helps us with this so we can live in “the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (v. 24)

    With our new self we strive to get along.  I don’t pretend to know all the ins and outs of all the theories being bandied about in our world.  This much is clear.  Christianity is the sole historical source of concepts now taken for granted:  human dignity – we are all made in God’s image.  Human equality – we are all one in Christ all can come to faith and be saved.  Universal human rights – these are endowed to us by our Creator God.  Everyone is important in God’s eyes.  

    How do we know this?  Because God sent Jesus to die for the sins of the whole world.  Jesus is the Savior of the nations.  Christ dying and rising again has given all humankind a hope and a future.  The Lord wants us to be His and to serve Him and one another willingly.  This is only possible because He removed the sin that separated us from Him.  Can we all get along?

    What does that look like?  Paul spells it out for us.  We speak the truth.  We control our anger.  We build people up with our talk.  We do not tear them down in person, on social media, behind their back.  We give grace to those who hear.  We let go of bitterness and malice and slander.  We are kind to one another.  We are tenderhearted.  We forgive one another just as Christ has forgiven us.  As we do these things we all get along better.  As we do these things we build each other up.  As we do these things are little corner of the world is a better place to live and raise our children.  

    The last part of our text is continued encouragement.  Imitators of God.  Walk in love.  A fragrant offering.  The Greek word for “imitator” gives us our English word, mimic.  We mimic our Heavenly Father like children mimic their parents.  Children who live in a loving home see how it’s done.  Christ how taught us to love by loving us first.  Christ has taught us how to forgive by forgiving us first.  Can we all get along?

    You have probably never been asked this question, but can people smell your goodness?  When people see you coming do they think this is going to be a good day, a good conversation, a time for a faith lift?  What attitude do you bring to this party we call life?  We need our Christian goodness to smell up everything around us.  Let it permeate those who want to divide because of their selfishness.  Let the waft of love and forgiveness stick to the minds of those who see no hope.  May the aroma of Christ, which we carry, give direction to men and women everywhere.

    Can we all get along?  Living in Christ we can.

                                Amen.    

August 1, 2021 Text: Ephesians 4:1-7

Dear Friends in Christ,

Frederick B. Speakman wrote about an incident in which a veteran waitress was taking orders from a couple and their young son. The couple had specific requests regarding substitutions. Speakman wrote than when the waitress addressed the son, the son “began to order with a kind of fearful desperation. ‘I want a hot dog…’” he started. Then this: “And both parents barked at once ‘No hot dog!’ The mother went on. ‘Bring Lyonnais potatoes, beef, vegetables and a roll.’

“The waitress wasn’t even listening. She said to the youngster, ‘What do you want on your hot dog?’ He flashed an amazed smile. ‘Ketchup, lots of ketchup – and bring a glass of milk.’

“’Coming up,’ she said as she turned from the table, leaving behind the stunned silence of utter parental dismay. The boy watched her go before he turned to his father and mother with astonished elation to say, ‘You know what? She thinks I’m real! She thinks I’m real.’”

We might not agree with the way the waitress handled it but it makes a point. God sees us as real. We are His. At the beginning of the Book Ephesians it says that God chose us before the creation of the world. Imagine that. It was His will to choose us. He has made us His through faith in Christ. As our text says, “you have been called.” Let’s not complicate this topic. Let’s keep it simple.

“ONE”

When Paul wrote this epistle he was in prison. He had offended the Jewish leaders who hung onto their laws and traditions that were contrary to salvation in Christ alone – One. Society couldn’t have someone spouting absolute truth so he had to be put behind bars.

We learn from the imprisoned Paul this morning. Did you catch all the One references? One body, One Spirit, One hope, One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father, grace given to each One. Christ’s Church is One.

We call this church the invisible church. It consists of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What binds us all together? Faith in the person of Christ. Faith in His life and suffering and death and resurrection. Denominations and divisions do not destroy the unity and Oneness of Christ’s church. This Oneness transcends denominations or labels. It is a holy church.

The church is One and holy because Christ made it so. He took our unholiness, our sins, and made us holy by redeeming us on the cross. The true believers of the church are found in all denominations. We are unified in the Old and New Testament Scripture as God’s Word. We are One in our belief that Christ died to save us from sin and grant us eternal salvation. We say it again. One body, One Spirit, One hope, One Lord, One faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of us all who is all and through all.

The visible church is right before our eyes. We see a church where hypocrites and unbelievers are present. This church may have false teachers and teachings. The visible church is the church at war. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating, “It is the Christian Church on earth that has done far more damage to the church and Christianity than unbelievers or outsiders.” God would love for the visible Church to be One in doctrine and teaching, but not at the cost of forsaking the truth of His Word. Paul lifts his voice for unity. Unity of Spirit and bond of peace.

Professor Eugene F. A. Klug wrote this in his book on Church and Ministry: “Differences in doctrine, therefore, between Christian church bodies on earth cannot be a God-pleasing thing, nor is the church’s splintered condition into many denominations. The solution for this disunity and division, does not, however, lie in the direction of tolerance or allowing false teaching in the church – all of it is misguided and wrong – but in humble listening and obedient bowing before God’s Word of truth, the Sacred Scriptures. This is the posture demanded by God of every devout follower of His and of every church, be it a congregation or a larger fellowship of congregations bearing Christ’s name.”

We all have the responsibility to find a church where God’s Word and Sacraments are taught and preached in truth. This makes us One. If you can’t find that, become a missionary. Christ’s grace has been given to each One of us.

We are called to speak the truth, grow in faith toward Christ who is our Head, and move as One body, waiting together for the return of our Lord and the resurrection of all flesh. All this we believe and confess with One voice as Christ’s true Church on earth.

Amen.

July 25, 2021                                                                                    Text:  Mark 6:45-56

Dear Friends in Christ,

            Have you ever had your back up against the wall?  You have that conversation with yourself that is straight out of a black and white war movie or sports movie.  “Men, we are surrounded.  We have our backs against the wall but we are not going down without a fight.  Who is with me?  All right, let’s go!”  Except in your conversation you stand there terrified.  “Cancer?  It can’t be?”  “He wants a divorce?”  “What did you just tell me about my child?”  “You can’t let me go, I need this job.”

            We are with the disciples this morning and they too have their backs against the wall.  What can be done?  Will it be an inspiring speech or will we see some action? 

“WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL”

            Let’s get going.  “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.  And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.  And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.” (v. 45-47)

            Thousands of people had just been fed and they were satisfied.  This caused them to run after Jesus because they wanted more.  They wanted to make Jesus an earthly king so the Lord and his disciples had to get going.

            Jesus goes to pray.  These 12 men board their own charter.  We are the disciples as we scatter into our own boat or boats.  Where’s Jesus?  Here and there.  Or we give the standard Lutheran answer – “He is in the Word and Sacraments.”  Good job.  Come on up, I will put a star on your paper.  You are correct.  But what about times of sorrow?  What about those times are backs are against the wall?  Is the Lord there?  Does He care what is happening to me?  And if He does, why is He taking so long?

            Listen to David in Psalm 69:  “Save me, O God!  For the waters have come up to my neck.  I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.  I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched.  My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.” (v. 1-3)

            “Waters have come up to my neck.”  Ever have something flooding your life?  Your home or church the last few weeks?  Stress, conflict, upheaval and no foothold.  No foundation.  Nothing of certainty.  Have you been there…at least momentarily?

            As the Lord’s people we cry for help all the time.  If we believe that Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world, then neither is ours.  Our ultimate Kingdom is with Him in heaven.  Entering into eternal life takes us from our troubles.  He finds a way out for us.  He moves through “our backs against the wall” moments and He provides the strength.

            Let’s recall Joseph from the Old Testament this morning.  Siblings who thought it would be fun to sell him into slavery.  Then Potiphar’s wife falsely accuses him of sexual harassment and he ends up in prison.  His back was against four walls as he is left to die.  And God allowed it to happen.  But the Lord intervenes and as fast as you can say, “Interpret my dreams” Joseph becomes 2^nd in command to the King of Egypt.

            Do you recall the words Joseph spoke to his brother’s years later?   These same neophytes who wanted him dead.  “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life?” (Gen. 45:4-5)

            Where is God sending you?  Do you need to forgive a sibling who got the tea set mom promised you?  Is there someone who put you against a wall, but they repented, and you need to release them?  God has a design.  We get into a boat – a situation – and we need the Lord.  He delivers.  He works it for His purpose.  He works all things to the good.  He does all of this to draw us to Christ and everlasting salvation.

            “He saw they were that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them…He immediately spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart; it is I.  Do not be afraid.’  And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.” (v. 48, 50)

            Here is our Lord again.  In the midst of our storms.  Like our church sign says,  “Need a lifeguard?  Jesus, our Savior, walks on water.”  Christ’s forgiving love is always there for us. 

            Do you see him when your back is against the wall?  Or is our faith so confused that we think He ought to put us on easy street?  Keep us from problems?  Never let wind or wave bother us?  Always hear, “you are in perfect health.”  That we will never have to be put in a position of having to declare to those who hate Jesus, “I believe?”

            How do we understand it . . . when our backs are against the wall?

                                                                                                                                    Amen.