A prayer based on the first petition

Father, You name is holy in itself. We praise You through the gracious work of Your Holy Son, who cleansed us. Holy is your name and holy is the work of Your Son. Cause us to live holy lives as we follow Him.

From "Our Way Home," by Dan Paavola, page 66

Hey! That's my seat!

Why are church people kind, polite and sweet-spirited - until you try and sit in their pew?

Give it up!

Don't recall where I found this Martin Luther quote.  It emphasizes the importance of "holding loosely" the things of this life.

Many things I have tried to grasp, and have lost. That which I have placed in God's hands I still have.

Thankful for learning the basics

During my first year at Seminary I attended my first Homiletics class.  It was taught by Rev. Dr. Glenn Nielsen, who inspired me to try and become a good proclaimer of God's Word. Dr. Nielsen could stand in the middle of our class and practically create a sermon on the spot! It was amazing to me.

One day I asked him how he did it.  His answer? "By learning all the things I'm teaching you in this first class."

What was he teaching us? The basics. He warned us at the beginning of the class that we were going to do a lot of what might seem like tedious work.  But by picking a text, studying the text by looking at the Sunday in which the text is being used, looking at the text in the original Hebrew or Greek language, doing a word study, seeing how that key word is used in other verses, finding the doctrine being taught in the text and looking at commentaries, one would be ready to write down the goal of the sermon and then write the manuscript.

It was tedious work.  But by the time I left Dr. Nielsen's class and along with the other Homiletics classes to took, I had down the basics of writing a sermon.

Fast forward about 21 years later.  Last week I had two sermons to write.  One was for Gerry Schemers' memorial service.  I had been very close to Gerry and I knew that it would be an emotional service for me.  I worked on the sermon Tuesday and Wednesday; the service was on Thursday.

Along came Friday and I need to write another sermon.  Since I hate writing on Saturday (too much pressure for me) I was determined to get something down on paper.  The text was the last verses of Mark, chapter two where Jesus rocks the boat of the Pharisees, so to speak, by declaring Himself to be Lord of the Sabbath.

I remembered something I had heard in a video Bible study - Mark, chapter two is a series of confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees.  That thought caused me to think of something I had recently read about how fight or flight were the two basic options a person had when finding themselves in a threatening situation or confrontation.  In looking at all the confrontations in the chapter it became clear that Jesus was fighting on our behalf.  Jesus has the authority to forgive sin - our sin.  Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath - a Sabbath in which He gives us rest.

Jesus doesn't flee - from His confrontations with the Pharisees but He doesn't flee from His appointment to suffer and die for our sins at the cross.  Jesus lets nothing stand in his way from redeeming us from eternal death and punishment.

With all of that information, I could write.

Looking back at the manuscript, I saw thoughts that could have been better developed and realized that a couple of points could have been strengthened.  But I did produce a sermon.  It seemed to preach well, based on the feedback I received. 

And it wouldn't have happened if I had not learned the basics.

Better than all the riches in the world!

Some books are so good that you just have to read them again and again.  I'm on my second reading of Dan Paavola's exceptionally great book, "Our Way Home." Paavola offers a fresh new way of looking at the Lord's Prayer.  Not only does the reader gain new insights into the prayer Jesus taught us to pray, Paavola's book is helpful for bringing new life to your prayer and devotional life. It's that good!

Paavola quotes Martin Luther a number of time (which I like) so here is something Paavola captured from the Large Catechism:

Therefore, there is no nobler prayer to be found upon earth than the Lord's Prayer. We pray it daily (Matthew 6:11) because it has this excellent testimony, that God loves to hear it.  We ought not to surrender this for all the riches of the world.  Taken from "Concordia," part three, paragraph 23.

I remember talking with a person from my first congregation who surprised me by saying, "I've moved on from the Lord's Prayer.  My own prayers are of more value to me." It's a good thing I'm not Martin Luther for Luther probably would have cuffed this person upside the head, as the say. Yes, we have specific petitions which we offer to God in prayer.  But, my friendly readers, do not forsake the Lord's Prayer. It gives voice to our heart and is music to the Father's ears.

Paavola's book "Our Way Home" is available from Concordia Publishing House

It's June already?

Wow! Has time kicked it up a notch? I blinked and June is here. What happened to me in May?

Celebrated the 1st Anniversary of our Memory Cafe (a ministry for those suffering from memory loss issues and their caregivers)

Saw the play "Godspell" with the Greens

Traveled to Wisconsin to visit with my youngest daughter and her family and to attend at Parish Nurses conference (Pastors could attend for free - it was one of the best conferences I've ever attended)

Officiated at a wedding (where the bride was 20 minutes late - giving us all a slight heart attack)

Preached at the Memorial Service for our dear sister in Christ, Gerry Schemers

Now what? I'll get back to you in 30 days.  In the meantime:

Worship with us this weekend - Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 8, 9:30 and 11 am.  I'll be preaching at all three Sunday services and the sermon is titled, "Fight or Flight."  Read Mark, chapter two and you'll know what I'm getting at.  Also, my little group will be providing the music at the 9:30 service.

Get June off to a fine start - join us for worship this weekend!

A Letter to Gerry

Gerry Schemers was a charter member of our church.  She fell asleep in Jesus a week ago today.  We held her memorial service yesterday and my message took the form of a letter to Gerry.

            Dear Gerry,

            I have so many sweet memories of you.  Visiting with you in my office.  Talking about your kids and grandkids – you loved them so much.  Talking about your job – you were continually amazed that God could use you at the pharamacy, sharing His love with others.  And, of course, talking about loneliness and how you missed your husband, Bill, who had gone to be with Jesus.  Your family tried hard to fill the void but it still hurt to be on your own. 

But the memories I enjoy the most are connected with the illustrious Bulletin Bunch, you gals who folded bulletins, stapled newsletters, stuffed envelopes and did whatever else that needed to be done.  Those Fridays were fun days, weren’t they?  I would be sitting at my desk working when suddenly I would hear the sound of whooping and hollering and hee-hawing coming out of Room 1.  You and Virginia, Yvonne, Georgie and Elaine got to do an important task for our church and you ladies had a blast doing it.

            One thing I noticed was that you all talked about everything.  No subject was off limits.  At times, we men didn’t need to be around.  Yes, you guys talked about everything and that included the topic of death.

            On day you all were talking about what you wanted your memorial service to be like.  I still wonder how that subject come up? Anyway, I walked in as Virginia was saying that she wanted her memorial service to be a celebration.  She was going to be in heaven and it would be a happy place and so she wanted her family and friends to share her happiness.  And I think the other ladies agreed with her.

            So, it was a huge surprise when you said that you hoped that everyone, at your passing, would be sad and there would be lots of tears.  When we pressed you, Gerry, you said that you hoped that everyone would miss you and that would bring a lot of tears.

            Gerry, to this day I’m not entirely sure that you were serious when you described your hoped-for funeral.  After all, you once threatened to dance on top of the worktable.  But we do miss you.  And there have been lots of tears shed.

            Those tears began as your health started to deteriorate.  It was hard to see you suffer.  Your eyes were giving you fits.  Getting around became harder and harder.  You got frustrated when your memory seemed to be failing.  The last couple of years for you were difficult to say the least.

            Many more tears were shed during the three last weeks of your life.  You were having such difficulty breathing.  It was a struggle.  It was hard to watch.  Your family hated to see you suffer.  It broke their hearts.  They wept.  Kleenex came out to wipe away the tears.  Gerry, in those final 12 hours they never left your side.  They were there for you.  Even in the midst of their sadness, they were there for you.

            Your church family wept for you too.  You’ve been an important part of Life in Christ for so many years.  Yes, you worked with the Bulletin Bunch.  But you did so much more, and I doubt that you even realized it.

            The word “faithful” describes your participation in worship.  When you were well you never missed a Sunday.  You found joy in worshiping the Lord with your church family.  You confessed Jesus as your personal Savior.  You were glad to hear the good news of God’s love for you in His Son.  You never tired of hearing that Jesus paid for your sins at the cross, and in exchange, dressed you in His royal robe of righteousness.  Dressed in Jesus’ clothes, you could be certain that you were holy and right before God and that there was a place for you in His kingdom of glory.

            Yes, Gerry, you were faithful.  The last year or so it was hard for you to come to church.  But it brought us all so much joy to see you coming Sunday morning with Dick and Sharon.  How easy it would have been for you to have said, “Oh, I don’t think I’ll be going to church.  I hurt too much.” You were tempted to do so and we all would have understood.  But you came! You heard God’s Holy Word.  You received God’s Holy Supper.  You made the effort, Gerry! It was a powerful witness to us all.

            So, on this day, Gerry, there are tears.  And, we certainly have feelings of sadness.  But these feelings are tempered by something far greater.  You are at peace.  You no longer hurt.  Breathing is no longer a struggle.  You rest in the arms of your Savior, Jesus.  So even in our sadness, we have reason to be happy.  And we are.

            Gerry, the next time I see you, my first question will be this – did you see any Kleenex in God’s kingdom? I’ll bet you didn’t!

            We have so much to look forward to.  Jesus is going to come on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead.  Unbelievers will receive judgment.  Believers will receive an invitation to join God in His kingdom. 

            It will be amazing, Gerry.  God will be with us.  He is going to pitch His tent among us and we will enjoy His company.  The apostle Paul once wrote that in this life we don’t see things clearly; it’s like looking in a hazy mirror.  But in heaven, you won’t have any trouble with your eyes, Gerry.  Your vision will be perfect, and you will see God.  You probably won’t be able to take your eyes off Him.

            Meanwhile, there’s not a Kleenex in sight.  They aren’t needed in heaven.  God is going to elimate all the stuff that caused us to cry in this life.  We won’t weep over the death of people we love – no death in heaven.  And if there is no death, there is no reason to mourn, right? Pain can make us cry.  We hurt, and we cry out for relief.  In heaven, God is going to take that away from us too.  That body of yours that ached all the time.  That body that caused you to cry the last time I saw You, Gerry.  It won’t hurt anymore.  No tears – no Kleenex in heaven.  None whatsoever.

            Jesus says, “I am making everything new!”  This is a wonderful promise our Savior makes to us.  We all desire to live happy lives.  We all seek an uncomplicated life.  But no one has a problem-free, happy-all-the-time kind of life.  We deal with disease and divorce.  We struggle with finances or failing health.  Jesus once told his followers that they would have trouble in this world.  But then Jesus said, “I have overcome the world!”

            That’s what Jesus did.  For you, Gerry.  For me.  For everyone.  He defeated death in His resurrection from the dead.  He defeated sin by paying for it all at the cross and those sins will never be charged to us again.  He defeated the devil and will put Satan away for good on the Last Day.  Everything that threatened our happiness in this life, Jesus has overcome.  And He shares His victory.  His victory is your victory. 

            Well, Gerry, I better close this letter for now.  But I do so with the confidence that I will see you again.  We’ll know each other.  We might even give each other a big hug.  You’ll do the same with your family.  Gathered around the throne of Jesus, we will worship with all our might.  Our joy will have no limits.  Happy won’t begin to describe the feeling of being with Jesus for eternity.  We will be absent of just one thing.  No more tears.  No more tears.

            Your friend in Christ,

            George

            Amen.