Author: TechCommittee

September 27, 2020                                                                                  Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32

Dear Friends in Christ,

            If we pay attention we know what brings our loved ones pleasure.  Maybe they like a certain treat or type of food.  We know they enjoy a good massage or having their hair brushed.  We can bring them pleasure in telling them their team won and a team they don’t like lost.  We see their face light up at receiving a certain gift.  We know what pleases them.

            What gives God pleasure?  What makes God happy?  People worshipping Him consistently.  Trust in his Word.  Prayer.  Faith.  Love. 

            Today we are going to delve into something we probably don’t think a lot about.  The mind of God.  He lets us in through the words of Ezekiel.  What is our Lord thinking?

“WHAT IS GOD’S GOOD PLEASURE?”

            God delights in life.  He has since the beginning.  He took man from dust and put air in his lungs and made him a living creature.  In the Gospel of John He says that whoever believes in Jesus should not perish but have eternal life.  He tells us to have life and have it abundantly, also in the Gospel of John.

            Life was poured out on you at the baptismal font.  You feed on the living self of Christ at the Communion rail.  From this pulpit, the Father speaks into your heart new life.  What is God’s good pleasure?  That you live.

            Why do people die?  Does death give God pleasure?  Never!   People die, we die, because we chase our own pleasures.  “Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.” (v. 30b) 

            God designed us for life, life like His own.  When we live to make ourselves happy that is the real killer.  “Behold all souls are mine…the soul who sins shall die…” (v. 4)  Turn down God’s gift of life and you’re a goner, gone forever.  “You’re dying because you’re guilty, not because somebody else sinned.”  That makes it very personal.  The fact you will die begins and ends with you.

            We can’t pass that off.  Ezekiel was hearing the blame game.  God heard it in the Garden of Eden.  Do you ever whine, “Life’s not fair.”?  “There wasn’t anything I could have done about it.”  The Lord could just let us wallow in this quagmire of excuse making.  He is heart-struck by the accusation.  God defends Himself even to us:  “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’  Hear now, O house of Israel:  Is my way not just?  Is it not your ways that are not just?” (v. 25)  Ezekiel then quotes the Lord in the next verse, “When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness, and does injustice, he shall die for it; for the injustice that he has done he shall die.” (v. 26)  There are no excuses.

            Still, God says, “When a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.” (v. 27)  God wants to forgive.  God wants to give life.  He declares, “Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.” (v. 28)

            We need to turn away and repent and cast away our selfish desires.  Only the Lord can create a new heart within us.  We turn away from our sin to Christ’s forgiveness.  We cast away the death we deserve and turn to the Lord’s gift of life.  The resurrected Christ has given the good news that changes everyone.  God gives life.

            On April 26, 2006, Newell and Colleen Cerak received a phone call that their daughter Whitney, who was traveling in a Taylor University van, was involved in a crash with a semi.  The van had nine passengers, five were dead.  The Cerak’s daughter Whitney was one of the five.

            That same evening another phone rang in the home of Don and Susie van Ryn.  They were told their daughter Laura had been in the van; she was in intensive care, barely clinging to life.

            More than 1,000 people came to Whitney Cerak’s funeral.  Meanwhile, the van Ryn family stayed at Laura’s bedside.  She came out of the coma.  Five weeks after the crash her sister asked, “What’s your name?”  To the shock of the family, the girl they thought was Laura said, “Whitney.”  The coroner and the hospital had confused the two horribly battered young women.

            The van Ryn family for weeks had believed their daughter Laura was alive.  Devout Christians, the van Ryns now rejoiced to see the Cerak family receive Whitney back from the dead.  The Cerak family were also devout Christians, and four years later, they invited the van Ryns to Whitney’s wedding.  Whitney was married in the same church where her funeral was held.

            God makes no mistakes.  “The soul who sins shall die.” (v. 4)  Because He takes up the whole horrible load of my sin, Jesus dies.  No mistake.  The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.  Why?  The Lord, your God, declares that He has “no pleasure in the death of anyone.”  “So turn.”  Turn to Jesus “and live.” (v. 32)

                                                                                                                                    Amen.         

September 20, 2020                                                                         Text:  Isaiah 55:6-9

Dear Friends in Christ,

            Back in 1981 when President Reagan was shot, Vice-President Bush was not in Washington D.C.  Until he could return to the White House, Alexander Haig the Secretary of State called a press conference at the White House and famously said, “I am in control here.”  The press criticized him for the “power grab” and what they perceived to be his lack of knowledge about the succession of the President, which has the Speaker of the House next in line after the Vice-President.  He clarified his meaning later but the story was already written.

            If you have ever been in a group, on a board, served on a committee, been on a team or played in a band you want someone in charge.  Like my mom, a long-time teacher said, “you have to have a chief.”  If everybody is in charge, then no one is in charge and we know that brings chaos.

            People are looking for guidance in our confused and directionless society.  The problem is and always has been – we look to the wrong chief.  It is not a politician or a branch of government or a sports star or media personality.  The only way to have true meaning in this life is to “seek the Lord.” 

            The world is asking so let’s let God’s Word guide us in answering . . .

“WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE?”

            When we look outside of God for the answers we just jumble our life.  When we hear news that agrees with our hypothesis we want to tell others.  If we hear news that scares us, we retreat into our shell.  Every year people in the U.S. leave family and jobs behind to start life with a new identity.  But this too is hopeless without Christ.

            Some souls are so burdened with guilt and shame over past sins or so intertwined in the struggles of living that suicide is the only answer.  Just week or so ago someone took their own life on the property of one of our sister churches.  They lived nearby and ended it on church grounds. 

            When the question is asked, “Who’s In Charge Here?”  Most of us answer, “I am.”  You know the clichés, “master of my domain,” “captain of my soul.”  We trust in everything but the living Lord.  It may be the loudest voice or a buffet religion or science and technology.  Author Fred Brown wrote a short story about an electronic super-computer that was asked the question, “Is there a God?”  The computer replied, “There is now.”  If we took computers and phones away tomorrow, cemeteries would be filled by the end of the week.  “Who’s In Charge Here?”

            Our text proclaims that answers to life and its problems are to be found by seeking God.  To the modern mind that remedy is not simple.  Where is God found?

            God is not dead.  God has not departed from human history.  God reveals Himself in Holy Scripture.  Our text says, “He is near.”  God has entered human life and experience in the person of Jesus Christ, whose name is “God with us.” (Is. 7:14)  Jesus promised, “I am with you always.” (Mt. 28:20)

            He is not found in our thoughts.  “My thoughts are not your thoughts.”  God’s plans and reason are beyond our understanding.  Herman C. Theiss wrote this in Life With God, “The creator of our reason cannot be the product of our reason.  If we worship a god our mind has pieced together we are only worshipping ourselves.”  Our reason and thoughts are corrupted by sin.

            God is near.  God can be found.  Where is He?  Who’s In Charge Here?  God’s Word reminds us that it is “a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Ps. 119:105)  In Psalm 50 God says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”  Have you gone to the man in charge during these troubling days?

            In repentance – turn from these other “gods” you may be trusting in and return to the living God.  In faith – lean on the confidence of Christ and His Word.  In prayer – let Him untangle you from your fear and anxiety and know that the Lord Jesus Christ is in charge. 

            It brings me great joy to know that my ways are not His ways.  Yes, I like to be the chief sometimes, but not without the Lord’s help.  I pray you will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Lord has the world right where it needs to be so that His ways and His plans can further the work of salvation for all mankind.  In turning to the Man in charge you are receiving grace and mercy and compassion.  God will “abundantly pardon.”  We cannot comprehend God’s ways and thoughts to save fallen mankind. 

            This past week, in preparing for Adult Bible Class, I did a lot of research on the pandemic of 1918-1920.  The God of history enlightened me to see that not much has changed in the hearts and minds of human beings.  We still question.  We still do silly things.  We don’t tell the whole truth.  Despite all this, God brought many blessings 100 years ago and He will in our current times.  In order to see it, we must know Who’s In Charge Here?  “My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Relax, friend, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has this . . . because we know . . . Who IS In Charge.

                                                                        Amen.      

September 13, 2020 – Christian Education Sunday                      Text:  Acts 2:38-39

Dear Friends in Christ,

            Sometimes Pastor’s hear criticisms from their members.  Hear are two such cases that point to our need and understanding of Scripture and how people can view the church and its mission all wrong.

            “You talk about Jesus too much.  When are you going to talk about other subjects?”  And then the second one, “Why are you teaching so much Bible to our youth?  They’ll never want to invite their friends.”

            Why does the church exist?  What are we all doing here?  If it is not about Jesus and the Bible then our faith is worthless, because it is the power that makes us wise for salvation.  How wise are you feeling about your faith?  Do you wish you knew more?  It is about Jesus and Him crucified – welcome.  On this Christian Education Sunday . . .

“GOD IS TRUE TO HIS WORD”

            Our text is part of the Apostle’s Peter’s Pentecost sermon.  The focus in Peter’s sermon was on Christ.  That is the promise that makes all the difference for us.  Peter is relating the promise to the coming Holy Spirit.  It relates to baptism and our entrance into the family of God.

            “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (v. 38)  Why do we need to repent and be baptized?  I’m doing alright.  I’m a pretty good person.  I think I got things figured out.  Do you?

            In Wales years ago there was man named Roche.  He was deathly afraid of snakes.  So he went about building a castle.  He built it so high that there was no way for snakes to get in.  He lived in the upper part of the castle with a solid rock foundation.  He was safe.  He might die by some other means but it wouldn’t be because of a snakebite.

            This castle also had a fireplace.  To have a fire you must have wood.  One of his caretakers went out one day to collect wood for such a purpose.  What that caretaker didn’t know was that hiding in that pile of wood was a snake.  You‘ve guessed it by now but the owner – Mr. Roche died by the viper.  This castle is still standing and can be visited – one thing though – watch out for the snakes!

            Like the Roche castle we build our walls to protect us, but the snakes still get in.  “Lord, I’ve heard your Word and I am going to do better this week,” and . . . we end biting someone we love . . . or we strike with a careless word . . . or we wrap our negativity around someone and squeeze the life out of them.  Repent, indeed.  When we do the marvelous Gospel message sounds through the gloom of our guilt and shame.  God is True to His Word.  The death of Jesus Christ, which we caused, has earned forgiveness for us.  What could be more wonderful?

            For those who are parents there is an additional wonderful – “For the promise is for you and your children.” (v. 39a)  The Baptism Peter urges is also where our children, the next generation of believers, meet the Lord and experience adoption as His son and daughters – even while they remain our children.

            Despite everything we can give our kids, this is one thing we are incapable of providing.  Our children at birth were far from the Lord and covered in sin.  Their souls are precious to the Lord and at the baptismal font He bathes them with forgiveness.  Some see this act as simplistic and symbolical.  We see forgiveness.  We see the Lord creating faith in these young ones.  What joy it is to know that those we love as parents will be saved through all eternity.  God is True to His Word.

            But the promise extends beyond them.  “The promise is . . . for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (v. 39)  There is no limit to God’s love, there is no limit to God’s forgiveness, and there is no limit to God’s mercy in Christ Jesus.

            The Lord has given me the privilege and the responsibility of reminding all the members of our congregation the importance of Bible Study, devotions, and worship.  In this way we witness to all people regardless of age or race.  Your knowledge and wisdom of the Lord’s Scripture can help you to share it with friends.  The same gift you want your children and grandchildren to enjoy can also belong to neighbors and co-workers.

            The Spirit of God has promised to work through the Word here and beyond.  In being True to His Word God knew it just wasn’t for the ancient Jews who heard Peter that day or for us or our children.  It extends to all who hear the invitation of God in the Gospel.

            Share this Word where you can.  It is a responsibility that can bring great joy.  God Is True To His Word and He fulfills it in Christ.

                                                                                                Amen.

Sept. 6, 2020                                                                                 Text:  Romans 13:1-10

Dear Friends in Christ,

            “All roads lead to Rome.”  You’ve probably heard this in your lifetime but do you know where it comes from?  Observing France in the 17^th century Jean de la Fontaine put it in a French fable.

            Rome was the center of a massive set of roadways.  These roads spread outward from a single monument erected by Augustus:  the golden milestone, placed by the temple of Saturn.  On the monument were the major cities of the empire and the distances to them.  How far to the Wall of Britain?  Or the Rhine River?  These roads were more than a road atlas, they spoke of power.  Roman officials could go to any district and exert their power.

            The Apostle Paul lived in a time of great Roman power.  How did he view through the Lord’s inspiration government authority?  How should we view it now? 

“DOES GOD RULE THROUGH CIVIL AUTHORITIES?”

            Before we get to the answer let’s live with Paul.  When he wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome things were getting worse, not better.  Christians were killed in persecution and slaughtered in sport.  Even when they buried their dead, they had to go underground – into the catacombs.  On the walls of these underground tunnels they painted and sketched images of hope.  A shepherd carrying a lamb across his shoulders.  Crosses.  In the midst of death they wanted people to see clear visions of God’s mercy and power.  Through these mazes the early Christians confessed Jesus to be the way, the truth, and the life.  In the darkness of death, Christ reveals His power, his promise of life everlasting and of a world without end.  The same is true today.

            Crowds are not following Jesus.  Rulers are not bending their knees before Him.  Yet He remains the Savior of the world.  The world may reject Him, scholars may questions his words or resurrection, and academics may claim His followers are blind and stupid.  Still this Jesus comes for you.  He brings you into His kingdom.  He leads you through the pathways of this world.  How do you relate to the civil powers of world?

            When the early Christians left the safety of the catacombs to live in Rome what could they do?  Paul encourages them to see God’s authority behind the power of Rome.  They were to respect their rulers not because of their power but because, in some strange way, they were servants of God.

            Nero was the man in charge at this time and he promised a golden age of peace.  Behind the scenes there were rumors of his mother poisoning Claudius, her husband and uncle, to secure the throne for her son.  The public heard that Nero had hidden his sword but privately what they whispered about Nero revealed their darkest fears.

            What do we, as Christians do, how do we relate to civil authorities that publicly say one thing but privately do another?  How do we obey when what we are asked to obey is obscured by propaganda so you never know the truth?  When our government says 94% of deaths from the virus have had underlying health problems how far do we disrupt our churches? 

            We struggle as Christians with politics.  Do we trust?  How far do we follow their directives?  What is their motive in dealing with Christianity and the free exercise of?

            The theology of the Bible is the theology of the two kingdoms.  There are two ways God is at work in our world.  First through the Church.  The church is where God proclaims salvation.  The church is where God proclaims forgiveness through Jesus.  The church is where the Lord gathers His people.

            The second kingdom is God’s gift of civil authority.  We do not look for them to proclaim the Gospel but for an enactment of God’s good rule in the world.

            Paul anchors obedience to the rulers not on their character or the laws of the empire.  No, Paul anchors obedience on something as powerful and eternal as God.  “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”  The early Christians are turned from the realm of Rome to the realm of God.  God established the office and people in them.  Better hang on to these words of Scripture the night and morning of November 3 and 4. 

            Some who hold these offices test us.  Some who hold these offices offer a public witness and honor God through their words and actions.  But we don’t base it on the person but on God’s work.  They are to restrain evil and promote good.  Sometimes they use it wisely.  Sometimes they do not.  This does not diminish their office, the fact God has established the civil authorities not to save people but to care for them.

            The answer is yes.  God does rule through civil authorities, but we do not give our obedience blindly.  Faithfully, we seek to do good and avoid evil, and to honor these rulers as verse 6 says as “ministers of God.”  God rules over all.

                                                                                                                        Amen.   

August 30, 2020                                                                    Text:  Jeremiah 15:15-21

Dear Friends in Christ,

            Do you remember this story from two years ago?  It involves a teenager in the United Kingdom who went deaf and blind due to his junk food diet.  Here’s a portion of the article from Fox News.

            “The case involves a teen, believed to be the UK’s first such case, who slowly lost his eyesight and hearing after eating nothing but fries, chips, and other kinds of junk food…The then 14-year-old boy, described as a “fussy eater,” complained of experiencing tiredness to his family doctor.  By the age of 15, however, his hearing and vision became impaired…At 17, he was declared legally blind…The teen was eventually diagnosed with nutritional optic neuropathy, a result of nutritional deficiencies…The boy’s mother told the Telegraph that the teen’s condition has “devastated his life” and that he’s since dropped out of college.  She also left her job in order to care for him.”

            What a cautionary tale.  Many health situations can be linked to our diet.  What we put in our mouths has a bearing on one’s state of mind and health.  What are you feeding yourself spiritually? 

“YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT”

            If you have been around the Lutheran liturgy for a while you can recall these words:  “Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy Holy Word we may embrace, ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ…”

            Inwardly digest the Word of God.  Eating the Word is throughout the Scriptures.  Eating led to death in the Garden of Eden but eating is also connected to the promise of life.  At the Last Supper the promise of the New Covenant there was eating and drinking that gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.  “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

            In our text it is the prophet Jeremiah eating the Word of the Lord.  “Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.  I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation.” (v. 16-17)

            What are we going to eat?  A feast on the Word of God or will we open that bag of chips and gorge ourselves on the incessant junk food that is communicated to us daily?  You ever sit down with a snack while watching TV and before you know it half the bag is gone?  We just keep shoveling it in without a realization of what we are doing?  This happens to us spiritually.  We skip the daily devotions; we neglect the hearing and reading of God’s Word.  We fill our plates with that which does not satisfy. 

            Listen to this insight from an enlightened author.  “Spiritual junk food is comprised of the things we take in, that sometimes provide temporary comfort, but have little to no spiritual value; and once the moment passes, we feel worse than before.  Those things are often hidden in entertainment.  Many times entertainment serves as a means to distract us from the problems in our lives, escape reality, cure boredom, or make us feel better.  The content in entertainment is often high in spiritual sugar, salt, fat, and…empty calories.  Most people don’t like to admit that what they watch read or listen to, has an effect on their spiritual welfare.  To one who is accustomed to eating junk food, healthy food isn’t very appealing.  The same is true for one who is accustomed to enjoying spiritual junk food.  And the result of a spiritual junk food diet is a diseased soul.”

            What should we be putting into our mouths and minds?  God’s Word.  When hearing the Word what provided you comfort?  As you read the Word think of the grace that helped your trembling soul.  In marking your Bible how many times do you come back to that passage that you gives you a spiritual lift when life has you in the doldrums of the basement?  As you digest the Lord’s Words you fill yourself with forgiveness and life and salvation that the Lord died and rose again to provide.

            God’s Word doesn’t always have to be in a formal setting such as Bible Class or Sunday School.  Those are wonderful.  I love where Scripture says, “talk about them as you walk along the road.”  This puts it in our daily experiences.  It is part of our ongoing Christian walk.  What we eat we share with others.  Don’t always know what to say?  God has a word for that.  Know your Bible so that what you eat flows out of you to those around you.

            You are what you eat.  What will it be?  It is the prayer from this pulpit today that you choose the food that lasts forever.  As Jesus says, “Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” (John 6:27)               Amen.

August 16, 2020 – Building/Church Anniversary                         Text:  Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

Dear Friends in Christ,

            It was the summer of 1993 and a young LCMS Pastor from Texas brought his relatively new wife to Normal IL to show her where he went to college.  One of their stops was his college church – Wittenberg Lutheran Center.  They were informed a new mission congregation was forming in the Twin Cities with offices at Wittenberg.

            By 1994 this mission had 15 original members, one of which is still a member.  In 1995 a large influx of souls joined what was called Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.  Many were as Isaiah says in our text “outcasts” from another congregation, even to the point of being asked to leave.  This mission was made an official member church of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod on February 19, 1995 under the leadership of mission developer Rev. Clarence Mankin.

            This small band of believers would wander, like the Israelites in the Exodus, from Wittenberg to Holiday Inn to Eastland Conference Center to McLean County Farm Bureau where offices were procured.  Would they find a permanent home?  Would this mission last?  Many of us have lived the story.  But it is not about us.  It’s about Him – our Lord Jesus Christ.  This anniversary day . . .

“PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW”

            Many of the verses in our text from Isaiah have been marks of this congregation.  “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come . . . keep the Sabbath.”  The Lord’s people here have always known the importance of Sunday Worship – keeping the Sabbath.  Where the Synodical average in worship is around 35%, Good Shepherd has always been in that 60% range.  Even now in this “blip in our lives” the importance of coming together as God’s people in this place is reflected in those coming to the Lord’s House.

            God blessed that as well.  He gathered us together and when you called a Pastor from Shawnee Kansas with 7-½ years experience, the thought had to be where are we going from here?  He looks so young and he told us he likes to sleep in.  Is this going to work?

            Pastor and people prayed.  Another mark of these sheep of the Shepherd.  Isaiah says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.”  They had a voter’s meeting and were presented three plans for a church home.  They met in the middle and voted to ask the Church Extension Fund of their district for a $1.8 million dollar loan to build their place of worship and Bible study and fellowship.

            A group of them went to Springfield and presented a plan that most bankers and financial advisors would laugh at.  We are 150 little church mice and we prayerfully ask for almost 2 million dollars.  There are some concerns but they vote unanimously to grant the funds.  Huh?  What?  The Lord must know what He is doing.

            And of course He does.  As He promised the Israelites, “soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.”  The Lord’ righteousness is victorious over wickedness.  His salvation comes to His people solely because of Him.  Jesus would procure our salvation.  The Good Shepherd would lay down his life for the sheep.  This is our temporary home but while here on earth we are blessed by our Lord to be part of this congregation.

            Ground was broken in 1999 and the Lord blessed us with mild winter weather – construction would continue.  On June 11, 2000 a cornerstone was put in place.  Later that summer this church would find it’s promised land in southeast Bloomington and begin worshipping in this sanctuary.  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow.

            There is no doubt this is where we are suppose to be.  The unexpected blessings are too numerous to list but just a few:  church pews we didn’t expect to have, construction overruns of $200,000 we paid off, a pipe organ refurbished and paid for, putting the short pews in the middle of the sanctuary, instead of the back, and having a family from our neighborhood canvas come to worship that first Sunday with a wheelchair-bound family member.  Wow!  If you have been in this church for any length of time, you see the gracious hand of our Lord.

            He has allowed us to touch 535 members in 25 years plus visitors and family members.  We have been blessed with twice as many baptisms as funerals.  We have had adult confirmations almost every year of our existence.  We’ve maintained stability in spite of all those who have moved from our area because of our state economy and job opportunities elsewhere.  Even now, the Lord’s Church is resilient.

            Praise God From All Blessings Flow.  He has hold of us now and into the future.  It is a great time to be the church.  We are always a mission church.  Who needs the stability and rock solid foundation that only our Good Shepherd can provide?  Pray for that person.  Look to the Holy Spirit for guidance.

            We look forward to burning our mortgage and other blessings in the coming years.  That young Pastor in 1993 had no idea he would be called to lead this group.  What a joy it has been for our family.  Lord Jesus continue to grant us your grace, mercy and love as we await your return.  Until then . . . Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!          Amen.