How to keep the Third Commandment

Martin Luther explains it for us in the Small Catechism:

We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

Join us at Life in Christ this weekend to hear God's Word read and proclaimed to you.  Saturday worship is at 5 pm; Sunday at 8, 9:30 and 11 am.

Have a blessed weekend!

Did you hear the one about the substitute Sunday school teacher?

The Sunday school was going to be one teacher short so a substitute was found.  She was told that everything she needed for her class was in a supply cabinet.  The cabinet was locked but she was given the combination to open the lock.

When she got to church she couldn't get the lock to open.  Maybe she had forgotten the combination. She walked down to the pastor's office to see if he could help.  The pastor said he could.

Standing in front of the supply cabinet the pastor turned the dial on the lock.  He turned the dial to the right and then to the left.  But then he stopped.  After a few moments, the pastor looked heavenward, briefly whispered, and then turned the dial and the lock came open.

The substitute teacher was amazed.  She said, "Pastor, what a blessing to see you pray like that.  I'm in awe of your faith."

The pastor replied, "It was nothing, really.  The combination is on a piece of tape on the ceiling."

What good works demonstrate

We Lutheran are sometimes accused by other church bodies of overemphasizing the doctrine of justification at the expense of sanctification.  We take seriously verses like those from Ephesians2:8-9 - For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. 

These verses proclaim such good news! Salvation comes by grace...through faith...a gift from God!

And yet, what does Paul write in verse 10? For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Good works and deeds are important.  They don't bring or even contribute to our salvation.  But such works are a result of our salvation.  And notice that while important, we can't even claim these works of love and service because God created them for us Himself.

Martin Luther helped the church get justification right.  Still, listen to Luther as he explains what good works demonstrates: Where there are no good works, there is no faith.  If works and love do not blossom forth, it is not genuine faith, the Gospel has not yet gained a foothold, and Christ is not rightly known.

So, pray today for the opportunity to serve your neighbor, not because you have to but do so in response to the gift that God has given you - forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ, your Savior!

A Way Out

Every temptation

that has come my way

is the kind

that normally comes

to people

For God keeps his promises

and He will not allow me

to be tempted

beyond my power

to resist

but at the time

I am tempted

He will give me

the strength to endure it

and so provide me

with 

a way out

From "Prayers For People Under Pressure," page 41

When you feel cast aside

God never rejects you. Nothing will separate you from His love. The certain words of Romans 8 underscore that God will not cast you aside - even if you feel He has: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). 

No loss or rejection you suffer indicates abandonment by God. He is committed to you for the long haul. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6,8)... If anyone understands feeling cast aside, Jesus does. And be assured, the One who broke rejection's very personal and crushing power when He rose from the dead will take you with Him out of rejection to new hope and life. To Jesus, helping you when you feel cast aside is personal, very personal.

From "Hope When Your Heart Breaks," by Michael W. Newman, pages 39-40

Doing to the least of these

            There is a legend that tells about the time when Ireland was ruled by a king who had no sons.  The king desired to have an heir so he sent out his couriers to post signs with a very important message all through his kingdom.  The message advised that qualified young men were being encouraged to apply for an interview with the king as a possible successor to the throne.  However, those who apply must have two important qualifications.  They must (1) love God and (2) love people.

            One young man saw the signs and he knew in his heart that he loved both God and people.  However, he was so poor that he had no clothes that would be presentable to the king and he didn’t have the money to make the long journey to the castle.  The young man begged and borrowed until he at last had the money for the appropriate clothes and to cover the expenses of his trip.

            He had been traveling for a number of days until finally he could see, in the distance, the castle.  Soon he would have his audience with the king.  In the next instant the young man happened upon a poor beggar, sitting alone by the side of the road.  The beggar sat trembling, covered only in rags.  The beggar reached out to the young man.  He barely whispered, “I’m hungry and I’m cold.  Can you help me?”

            The young man was so moved by the needs of the poor beggar that he immediately stripped off his new clothes and exchanged them for the rags of the beggar.  Without a second thought he gave the beggar all his money.  And he helped the beggar up and sent the poor man on his way.

            At first the young man thought he would turn around and go home.  But he was so close to the castle.  And he had no money to get himself back home anyway.  He decided to go ahead and meet the king.

            Surprisingly, he was granted entrance to the castle.  He was escorted to the throne room and it was there that the young man got the shock of his life.  He looked into the eyes of the king and exclaimed, “You…you were the beggar by the side of the road.”  The king nodded his head, “yes.”  The young man asked, “Why did you do this to me?” 

            The king replied, “I had to find out if you do love, if you really love God and people.  I knew that if I came to you as king, you would have been impressed by my crown of gold and my regal robes.  You would have done anything to impress me but I wouldn’t have known what was in your heart.  So I came to you as a beggar, with no claims on you at all.  And I found out by the way you treated me that you do love God and you love people.  That’s what I needed to know.  You, young man, will be my successor.  You will have my kingdom.”

            When I first heard this legend, I couldn’t help by think of what is called the Greatest Commandment in the Bible.  When Jesus was asked this question, he replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

            When you show love to your neighbor, you show your love for God.  When you love God, you show His love to others.  So here’s your assignment for today – love God! Your neighbor will be grateful.

From a "Wake Up With The Word" devotional written in 2012

Top 10 Signs Your Pastor Has World Cup Fever

Is your pastor a soccer-nut? If so, watch for these signs:

10) Names his new born son, "Pele"

9) Gives his wife a copy of "Soccer for Dummies" for her birthday

8) Announces "All sins are forgivable.  What is not forgivable is the USA failing to qualify for the World Cup!"

7) Ends a prayer, "Goal! Er, Amen"

6) During children's message, asks the kids, "Who's better? Messi or Ronaldo?"

5) Claims Adam and Eve would not have fallen to the devil's temptation if they had formed a 4-4-3 formation

4) Issues a red card to an usher who fails to seat late arriving guests

3) Replaces image of a shell on baptismal certificate with image of a soccer ball

2) Adds 3 additional minutes to the service because of excessive noise by several children

And the number one sign your pastor has World Cup Fever?

1) Changes his name to Alexi Lalas