It's All About Christ

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany of Our Lord
January 31, 2010

The Lord be with you

As our worship service was canceled today because of the icy roads, I thought I’d post a reading from Anselm of Canterbury, which was a portion of my morning devotion. I’m using Treasury of Daily Prayer, published by Concordia Publishing House. Anselm of Canterbury (c. 1033 –April 21, 1109) was an Italian, a Benedictine monk, a philosopher, and a prelate of the church who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109.

Christian soul, soul raised from sad death, soul redeemed from miserable slavery and set free by the blood of God: rouse your mind, dwell upon your resurrection from the dead, and ponder well the history of your redemption and your liberation. Consider where the strength of your salvation comes from, and what it is. Employ yourself in musing on it, delight yourself in contemplating it; shake off your sloth, do violence to your heart, bend your whole mind to it. Taste the goodness of your Redeemer, break forth in fires of love to your Savior. Bite the honeycomb of the words that tell of it, suck their savor more pleasant than honey, swallow their wholesome sweetness. Bite by thinking, suck by understanding, swallow as you love and rejoice. Gladden yourself by biting, exult in sucking, fill yourself to the full with joy by swallowing. Where and what is the strength and power of your salvation? Christ, Christ assuredly has raised you up again. He, the Good Samaritan, has healed you. He, the good friend, has redeemed you with His life and set you free. Christ, I say, Christ is He. And so the strength of your salvation is the strength of Christ....

Christian soul, here is the strength of your salvation; here is the cause of your freedom; here is the price of your redemption. You were a captive, but you have been redeemed; you were a slave, but [by Him] are made free. And so, an exile, you are brought home; lost, you are reclaimed; and dead, you are restored to life. This let your heart taste, O man, this let it suck, this let it swallow, while your mouth receives the body and blood of your Redeemer. In this present life make this your daily bread, your nourishment, your support in pilgrimage. For by means of this, this and nothing else, you remain in Christ and Christ in you, and in the life to come your joy shall be full.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship Service Canceled

Saturday after Epiphany 3
January 30, 2010

The Lord be with you

Due to the snow and ice, we have canceled tomorrow's worship service at Lamb of God (LCMS), Spartanburg. When I grew up in San Diego, CA, the idea that a worship service might be canceled due to weather never even crossed my mind. The three years I spent in Indiana sure opened my eyes, in that department. Now I’m sitting here with no sermon or Bible study to go over, and wondering what we can take away from this. One idea is that we should never take having a chance to worship together for granted. Having a chance to gather with other believers and sing the hymns of the Church and worship with the words that have been handed down to us is a precious gift. It can not be duplicated with a radio or television program. Sure a good sermon on the radio or a televised worship service is better than just watching the “talking heads” on Sunday morning, but they can’t replace the fellowship that is present only when we gather in one place. So let us not take for granted this precious gift from our loving God.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

From Scrolls to the Bible

Friday after Epiphany 3
January 29, 2010

The Lord be with you

At Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS) we will continue our series “Puzzlers and Questions about the Bible” in our adult Sunday Bible study this coming Sunday. In this series we simply address questions people have submitted. The following question is the one we will consider this Sunday:

“Are the letters of Paul arranged in chronological order in the Bible? If so, I have a question: In Philemon, Demas is one of Paul’s “fellow workers.” But in 2 Timothy Demas left Paul, yet Timothy’s letter is before Philemon in the Bible. So, what happened? If the books are not chronological … never mind.”

The simple answer to this question is, “No, the books of the Bible are not arranged in chronological order.” As the person has given me permission to skip the question if the answer is “no,” I thought about doing just that. However I have decided to address a related question. “Why are the books of the Bible arranged in the order we have them.” I will also give a history of the transmission of the biblical text. This lesson, therefore, is not strictly a “Bible study.” It is more a study about the Bible. However, we will be looking up some passages.

The name of the study is “From Scrolls to the Bible.”

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Epiphany 4

Thursday after Epiphany 3
January 28, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. The appointed lessons are Jeremiah 1:4-10; 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13; and Luke 4:31-44. The sermon, based on the Gospel lesson, is titled “The Word of Jesus”. Our hymns will be “From God the Father, Virgin-Born (LSB 401), “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast” (LSB 577), and “Jesus Loves Me” (LSB 588).

For those of you who remember The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH), you will recall that that hymnal had only two settings for the morning service, page 5 without Communion, and page 15 with Communion. The third setting of the morning service in LSB is basically page 15 of TLH. There was very little difference between the two services other than receiving the Lord’s Supper. This coming Sunday we will return to page 5, so to speak. After the General Prayer we will pray the Lord’s Prayer, the Collect for the Word, then speak our mission statement, receive the benediction, and close with “Jesus Loves Me”.

I’m running a bit behind today so the Preview of the Lessons section will be abbreviated.

Every hymn for Sunday can be found on line at “Better Noises” (see link on the right-hand side of this blog).

Preview of the Lessons

Jeremiah 1:4-10: This is the call of Jeremiah. Lessons that can be learned here is that the Lord is involved in our lives from before our birth; that “while we are weak, he is strong” and therefore we need not fear our inadequacies; and most of all the power of God’s word.

1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13: This is the famous “Love Chapter” of the Bible. While faith, hope and love abide, the greatest is love. Love of God and others ensures that we use our gifts in a God pleasing way.

Luke 4:31-44: You might call this passage a day in the life of Jesus. He preaches in a synagogue, casts out daemons, and heals the sick. Repeatedly the text brings our attention to the word of Jesus. His teaching astonishes people. By his word daemons are cast out. He rebukes sicknesses and the illnesses leave. Jesus says he must preach the good news of the kingdom of God. It even ends with “And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.” The “word” aspect of the lesson ties it with the Old Testament lesson. The many acts of mercy and the very proclamation of the Gospel, ties this lesson to our Epistle lesson.

Sunday’s Collect

Almighty God, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Psalm 117:1-2a; 96:8)

Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Verse (Luke 4:43b)

Alleluia. I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose. Alleluia.

Introit (Psalm 102:18-22; Psalm 102:13)

Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
The Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart;
you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.


The February newsletter will be available Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Paul & Titus

Wednesday in the week of Epiphany 3
January 27, 2010

The Lord be with you

Well, once again I have a post that must come under the heading of better late than never. Monday, January 25, was the Commemoration of the Conversion of St. Paul. Tuesday, January 26, was the Commemoration of St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor.

St. Paul’s life-changing experience on the road to Damascus is related three times in the Book of Acts (9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18). As an archenemy of Christians, Saul of Tarsus set out for Damascus to arrest and bring believers to Jerusalem for trial. While on the way, he saw a blinding light and heard the words: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul asked, “Who are You, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” In Damascus, where Saul was brought after being blinded, a disciple named Ananias was directed by the Lord in a vision to go to Saul to restore his sight: “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). After receiving his sight, Saul was baptized and went on to become know as Paul, the great apostle.

St. Titus, like Timothy with whom he is often associated, was a friend and co-worker of St. Paul. Titus was a Gentile, perhaps a native of Antioch, who accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem when they brought assistance to the Christians in Judea during a famine (Acts 11:29-30; Galatians 2:1). It is not known if he accompanied Paul on his first or second missionary journeys, but Titus was with him on the third one, when he helped reconcile the Corinthians to Paul (2 Corinthians 7:6-7) and assisted with the collection for the Church in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:3-6). It was probably on the return to Jerusalem that Paul left Titus in Crete (Titus 1:4-5). Afterward he is found working in Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10). According to tradition, Titus returned to Crete, where he served as bishop until he died about 96 AD.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor

Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Festival of St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor
January 24, 2010

The Lord be with you

Today is the Festival of St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor. St. Timothy had Christian believers in his family. His mother, Eunice, was a Christian woman and was the daughter of a Christian woman named Lois (2 Timothy 1:5). Acts records that St. Paul met Timothy on his second missionary journey and wanted Timothy to continue on with him (16:1-3). Over time, Timothy became a dear friend and close associate of Paul to whom Paul entrusted mission work in Greece and Asia Minor. Timothy was also with Paul in Rome. According to tradition, after Paul's death, Timothy went to Ephesus, where he served as bishop and was martyred around 97 AD. Timothy is best remembered as a faithful companion of Paul, one who rendered great service among the Gentile churches.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor John Rickert

Quantum Physics and Theology

Saturday after Epiphany 2
January 23, 2010

The Lord be with you

“All truth is God’s truth” is a sentiment Rev. Dr. John Polkinghorne must certainly agree with. For the first twenty-five years of his adult life he made his living as a theoretical physicist working on theories of elementary particles and he played a significant role in the discovery of the quark. He then left that field of study and turned his focus to theology, becoming a priest in the Church of England. He excelled there also, eventually becoming president of Queens’ College, Cambridge. He has written numerous books and articles, received numerous awards, and been involved in numerous organizations, especially those that deal with the relationship between religion and science.

I have recently finished his book Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Kinship. His goal in this book is to encourage scientists who have discounted theology to take a second look at what theology has to say, and to encourage theologians who have discounted science to take a second look at what science has to say. As I do not fall into either of these categories, it is hard for me to say if the book accomplishes its goal (I am a theologian that feels science is a great blessing as it seeks to understand the created universe our God has placed us in.) You might say, for me, Polkinghorne was “preaching to the choir.”

I did, however, find the book fascinating. Polkinghorne was able to explain his scientific points in a way that a person unfamiliar with the intricacies of the mathematics of quantum physics could understand. The parallels between the truth seeking efforts of science and theology were well thought out. The possible theological implications of quantum physics could have been fleshed out more, but perhaps the scientists reading the book would not be quite ready for that. Then again a quantum physicist might feel the say same way about his field and theologians.

One thing that scientists often search for is some unified theory that explains everything, something like the underpinnings of all reality. Polkinghorne ends his book with the statement, “I believe that ultimately the cousinly relationships that we have investigated in this book find their most profound understanding in terms of that true Theory of Everything which is Trinitarian theology.” Though I do not agree with all his conclusions, to that one I give a big “Amen!”

This is a short book (just over 100 pages), and well written. However I do think that most people would need some college to really follow what he is saying. This is not Polkinghorne’s fault. It is the fault of the subject matter. For those of you who are members of Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS), you can expect an insight or two that I’ve gleaned from this book to surface in my sermons from time to time.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Epiphany 3

Thursday after Epiphany 2
January 11, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. It also happens to be the Commemoration of St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor, a minor holiday which will not impact our worship. However I will post something about St. Timothy on this blog. The appointed lessons are Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; and Luke 4:16-30. The sermon, based on the Epistle lesson, is titled “The Mystery of Baptism.” We will be using the third setting of the morning service (page 184) for our liturgy (the one like the Morning Service in The Lutheran Hymnal). We will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. To prepare you can read the “Christian Questions with Their Answers” from Luther’s Small Catechism, found on page 329 of Lutheran Service Book or in your copy of the Catechism. Our opening hymn will be “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” (LSB 901). Our sermon hymn will be “Baptized into Your Name Most Holy” (LSB 590). Our distribution hymns will be “”From God the Father, Virgin-Born” (LSB 401) (the hymn we are learning), “Eat This Bread” (LSB 638), and “All Christians Who Have Been Baptized” (LSB 596). Our Closing hymn will be “Go, My Children, with My Blessing” (LSB 922).

Every hymn for Sunday can be found on line at “Better Noises” (see link on the right-hand side of this blog). I found a video of “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty,” sung at an installation service at a Lutheran congregation. The embedding function has been disabled but if you click on the highlighted hymn title you will be taken to the video.

Preview of the Lessons

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10: Judah had been taken captive by the Babylonians, the city walls and temple destroyed and only the poor and uneducated left in the land. The Babylonians, in turn, were conquered by the Persians. The Jews were allowed to return to their homeland and the returning Jews were led by Nehemiah (political leadership) and Ezra (spiritual leadership). The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are largely about the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls and temple. In this lesson a break is take from building the walls to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:24-25). It was a day for worship, the offerings of gifts and sacrifices to the Lord, the partial stopping of work, and in this case feasting and the exchange of presents. Ezra read from the “Book of the Law of Moses” (1) which could have been any of the first five books of the Bible but most think it was Deuteronomy. There was also preaching (7-8) or at least what we might call Bible class. The Spirit worked repentance in the people but they were in danger of remaining broken (9-10). Nehemiah quickly realizes that the people need to move from sorrow over their sins to the joy of forgiveness. What makes a day holy is not so much regret for sins but the reception of forgiveness, the restoration of a right relationship with the Lord. One way this is reflected in modern practice is in the season of Lent. Many fast from Ash Wednesday until Easter. However the Sunday’s in Lent are not part of Lent. They remain Feast Days. On Sundays, according to tradition, you do not fast. This lesson accents the importance of the Word of God and corporate worship as well as the joy of having our sins forgiven in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a: The thrust of this passage is Baptism, how it connects us to Christ and therefore to one another making us the body of Christ. It ends with another “gift” list. These gifts are, therefore, linked to baptism, indicating that the Spirit has given us gifts in our baptism to use for the common good of the body. Certainly the greatest gifts given in baptism are that “it works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare” (Mark 16:16). We will hear more about baptism in Sunday’s sermon.

Luke 4:16-30: This account is from the first year of Jesus’ public ministry. He returns to his hometown of Nazareth and is invited to read and expound on the Scriptures. He reads from Isaiah 61. This is a pure gospel lesson from Isaiah which reveals the Trinity. The (Holy) Spirit of the LORD (the Father) is upon Me (the Son) …” According to Isaiah the work of the Son is to bring deliverance. That deliverance ultimately was accomplished through the cross. Jesus indicates that the Anointed One (Messiah/Christ) spoken of by Isaiah was himself. The people were not interested in forgiveness (I guess they figured they had that handled just fine by themselves). Instead they wanted Jesus to perform miracles. Therefore they rejected Jesus and tried to kill him. Again the importance of worship is accented as we are told that it was Jesus’ custom to regularly attend the worship services (16). The word is accented as Jesus reads from the Old Testament. Sermons are accented as Jesus expounds on the Bible reading. Grace is for all is accented in Jesus’ sermon as he brings in two non-Israelites who received God’s grace while many in Israel were rejecting it.

Sunday’s Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Psalm 117:1-2a; 96:8)

Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Verse (John 2:11)

Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. Alleluia.

Introit (Psalm 102:18-22; Psalm 102:13)

You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come.
Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has come.


* Information for the February newsletter is due Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Palindrome

Commemoration of Sarah
January 20, 2010

The Lord be with you

A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.

This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen forward and backward.

This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it..



Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Commemoration of Sarah

Commemoration of Sarah
January 20, 2010

The Lord be with you

On the liturgical calendar used in the LCMS, today is recognized as the Commemoration of Sarah. She was the wife (and half sister) of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham (Genesis 11:29; 20:12). In obedience to divine command (Genesis 12:1), she made the long and arduous journey west, along with her husband and his relatives, from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and then finally to the land of Canaan. She remained childless until old age. Then, in keeping with God’s longstanding promise, she gave birth to a son and heir of the covenant (Genesis 21:1-3). She is remembered and honored as the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, the second of the three patriarchs. She is also favorably noted for her hospitality to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8). Following her death at the age of 127, she was laid to rest in the Cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23:19), where her husband was later buried.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

She Bears Kill Teenagers

Tuesday after Epiphany 3
January 19, 2010

The Lord be with you

At Lamb of God Lutheran Church (LCMS), in our adult Bible study this coming Sunday, we will continue our series “Puzzlers and Questions about the Bible.” The submitted question we will consider is:

2 Kings 2:23-24 – Little children came forth out of the city and mocked Elisha’s bald head. Elisha cursed them, and two she-bears came out of the woods and ate 42 of the children. Are we to accept this as literally true?

As phrased, this is a question about “hermeneutics.” Hermeneutics is the branch of theology which deals with the study of the principles of interpretation. Obviously we will not have the time to do a full study of the various approaches to biblical interpretation. Instead we will quickly review four different systems and how they could treat this story, then zoom in on how this text can be handled using the “Historical-Grammatical” approach. (This part will answer the literal/figurative question from my point of view.)

We will finish by considering what we can learn from this text, even though that is not part of the question.

The study is titled: Literal or Figurative (How Can We Tell the Difference?)

Sunday Bible study starts at 9:00 AM.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Martin Luther King Jr.

The Confession of St. Peter
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 18, 2010

The Lord be with you

In the Church Year today is set aside as “The Confession of St. Peter.” On the secular calendar used in the United States today is used to remember Martin Luther King Jr. This post deals with Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States, and he has become a human rights icon. King is recognized as a martyr by two Christian churches (the ELCA and the Episcopal Church USA). King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its first president. King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, raising public awareness of the civil rights movement.

In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent means. By the time of his murder in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and opposing the Vietnam War, both from a religious perspective. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. national holiday in 1986.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Confession of St. Peter

The Confession of St. Peter
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 18, 2010

The Lord be with you

In the Church Year today is set aside as “the Confession of St. Peter.” On the secular calendar used in the United States today is used to remember Martin Luther King Jr. This post deals with the Confession of St. Peter found in Matthew 18:13-20, Mark 8:27-29, and Luke 9:18-20. This is where Peter confesses Jesus to be “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” In each of the Gospels that record this event it is a turning point in the story. From this point on Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem and Holy Week.

The confession of St. Peter did not arise in the imagination of Peter’s heart but was revealed to him by the Father. The reason this confession is important is seen in Jesus’ response: “You are Peter [Greek Petros], and on this rock [Greek petra] I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). As the people of God in the Old Testament began with the person of Abraham, the rock from which God’s people were hewn (Isaiah 51:1-2), so the people of God in the New Testament would begin with the person of Peter, whose confession is the rock on which Christ would build His church. But Peter was not alone (the “keys” given to him in Matthew 16:19 were given to all the disciples in Matthew 18:18 and John 20:21-23). As St. Paul tells us, Peter and the other apostles take their place with the prophets as the foundation of the Church, with Christ Himself as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The confession of Peter, therefore, is the witness of the entire apostolic band and is foundational in the building of Christ’s Church. Thus the Church gives thanks to God for St. Peter and the other apostles who have instructed Christ’s Holy Church in His divine and saving truth.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Christmas Truce 1914

Epiphany 2
January 17, 2010

The Lord be with you

I have just finished the book Silent Night, the story of the World War I Christmas Truce by Stanley Weintraub. It recounts how, for Christmas 1914, the common soldiers in the trenches of WWI stopped fighting and celebrated the Lord’s birth. They sang Christmas Carols and other songs, they shared food, they buried their dead, and in many places even played soccer together. Sadly those who were in no danger of losing their lives, the politicians and Generals far from the front, were incensed by the peace and ensured that it would end. The blood of soldiers was a small price to pay to satisfy their greed. This soldier lead Christmas peace was an opportunity to end the war years before it actually ended, which would have saved the flower of the youth of all countries involved. The men who were fighting and dying realized that “at each end of the rifle, men were the same.”

The book is well written and well documented. It is not told in a story format, but more as an investigation of events as they happened along the entire front. Therefore this is not a warm and fuzzy book, nor is it overly grizzly. It is a “just the facts, maam” book, filled with excerpts from diaries and other firsthand accounts. Oh, and so you know, it was the Germans that instigated the peace. In the book, at least, the Allied Command and politicians were the most against it and worked hardest to end it, though the German Command did the same as well.

I can recommend this book as a fascinating window into a few days in 1914.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

P.S. The photograph is an actual picture of German and English troops taken Christmas Day, 1914.

Worship for Epiphany 2

Thursday after the Baptism of our Lord
January 14, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The appointed lessons are Isaiah 62:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; and John 2:1-11. Psalm 128 is the appointed Psalm. Verse 5 is the antiphon. The sermon, based on the Epistle lesson, is titled “THE Mark of the Spirit.” We will be using Matins (page 219) for our liturgy. Our opening hymn will be “From God the Father, Virgin-Born” (LSB 401). The sermon hymn will be “O Holy Spirit, Enter In” (LSB 913). The closing hymn will be “All Depends on Our Possessing” (LSB 732). Better Noise (see the link on the right-hand side of this page) has each of these hymns. “From God the Father, Virgin-Born” is a new hymn for Lamb of God, and we will be singing it each week for the next few weeks, to learn it. The hymn was selected by our hymnal review committee. While it may be new to us, it is hardly a new hymn. “From God the Father, Virgin-Born” was written sometime between the 5th and the 10th centuries, in Latin. So this hymn must certainly be considered a “good old hymn.” I could find no videos of the hymns on YouTube.

We are in the Epiphany Season, which always begins on January 6th. The length of the Epiphany Season varies, depending on the date of Easter. As Easter comes early this year (April 4), we will have only 6 Sundays in the Epiphany Season. The word “epiphany” means “manifest,” “to make obvious,” etc. What is being made obvious in the Gospel lessons throughout the Epiphany Season is that Jesus is the Son of God. That Jesus was a human being was obvious to all with eyes in their heads. He ate, he slept, he bled, he died, and was able to do all else that people do. That he was the Son of the Father could not be seen (and still cannot be seen) with human eyes alone. It had to be revealed; it had to be made obvious. So the Gospel lesson for the First Sunday after the Epiphany is always the Baptism of our Lord, where the voice of the Father identifies Jesus as His beloved Son. The Gospel lesson for The Second Sunday after the Epiphany is always Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana. Certainly no mere human could do this. The Last Sunday after the Epiphany is always Transfiguration Sunday, where Jesus is transfigured with some of the glory he had before the incarnation and again the voice of the Father identifies Jesus as the Son of God. Each week throughout the Epiphany Season, as you listen to the Gospel lesson, ask yourself, “How does this lesson reveal that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Father, God in the flesh?”

Preview of the Lessons

Isaiah 62:1-5: Isaiah lived and prophesied from 740 to 681 BC. This means that he saw the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrian Empire (722 BC). He worked, though, in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Kings that ruled Judah during his lifetime were: Uzziah (who died in 740), Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. Manasseh outlived Isaiah by many years. Isaiah is sometimes called the Evangelist of the Old Testament. While he certainly has passages of judgment, his clear gospel messages are what have drawn Christians to this book over the centuries. This reading is one of those Gospel sections. Isaiah has seen the coming captivity of Judah by the Babylonians, a nobody-nation at the time of Isaiah. This passage looks forward to the deliverance of God’s people. The deliverance of OT Israel is a type of the greater deliverance Jesus accomplished by his death on the cross. So, while this reading certainly had meaning for the OT people of God, giving them hope in their dark times, it also continues to have meaning for the NT people of God. The “righteousness” and “salvation” that goes forth from the people of God ultimately is Jesus (1). This is not self-righteousness. It is not how to live in order to please God. It is pure grace. This righteousness (Jesus) goes forth to the nations (2) bringing all who receive Jesus salvation. The people of God receive a new name (2), which is “Christian.” Verses 3-5 speak of just how precious believers are to the Lord, and how blessed we are by the Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11: This will actually be the text for the sermon, so I’ll be even briefer in my description. This is one of the well-known “gift-lists” in the New Testament that are so popular with Pentecostal and Charismatic groups. These groups began in the first decade of the 20th century in Los Angeles, CA. The movement is now global, probably touching every major denomination. Most who read this already know that I think this movement is supported by a faulty understanding of the Bible and at its best driven by human emotions. This lesson will help us see that a truly “Spirit-filled” person is focused on Jesus, not the Holy Spirit, not Spiritual gifts, and certainly not on ourselves. We will also see that a truly “Spirit-filled” person gets involved in service. Enough said for now. Come Sunday and hear more.

John 2:1-11: This is the standard Gospel lesson for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. Jesus attend a wedding with his early disciples (Jesus has not yet picked the 12, but the ones with him will become part of that group). The wine runs out. Mary, the mother of our Lord, asks Jesus to help. Jesus does, turning water into wine. The text ends with the disciples believing in Jesus. This lesson has been used many ways through the centuries. Jesus presence at the wedding is used to underscore God’s approval of marriage. Mary turning to Jesus in a time of need has been used to remind us to turn to Jesus in all our needs. Jesus obeying Mary and helping has been used to remind us that we are to honor, serve obey, love and cherish our parents and other authorities. That Jesus turned water into wine has been used to remind us that having a glass of wine is not, in and of itself, sinful. But the main point of the text is that Jesus “manifested his glory” and because of that his disciples believed in him. This belief was not that Jesus was a human being, a good teacher, a great showman, a dutiful son, that Jesus thought drinking wine was okay, etc., but that he was the Messiah, God in the flesh. Sure, their understanding was imperfect, but whose understanding isn’t imperfect. Sure, we have a greater understanding because we live after the cross, but they already believed that the Messiah had come, and that Messiah was Jesus who “manifested his glory” that day.

Sunday’s Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Psalm 117:1-2a; 96:8)

Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Verse (John 2:11)

Alleluia. This, the first of his signs, Jesus Did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. Alleluia.

Introit

Psalm 128 is the appointed Psalm for the day and we will be using it instead of the appointed Introit.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Great Music

Wednesday after the First Sunday of Epiphany
January 13, 2010

The Lord be with you

There is a great new music CD published by Concordia Publishing House tilted Evening & Morning the Music of Lutheran Daily Prayer. It is a recording of The Seminary Kantorei of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, singing Matins, Vespers, Morning Prayers, Evening Prayers, Compline, and the Litany from the Lutheran Service Book. It is intended as an aid for those who use the Treasury of Daily Prayer for their personal devotions, but maybe they can’t sing all that well. However it is wonderful even for those who don’t use this daily devotional resource. Pop this puppy in on your drive to work and arrive relaxed. Listen to it at the end of the day and feel your stress melt away. You will want to chant along with the services you know, and you will love to just listen to the services you don’t know yet. Click here for a link to Evening & Morning on the CPH webpage.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Two Powers in Heaven

Monday after the First Sunday of Epiphany
January 11, 2010

The Lord be with you

I have recently finished the book Two Powers in Heaven by the Jewish scholar Dr. Alan F. Segal, publisher Brill Academic Publishers, Inc., © 1977. The sub-title is Early Rabbinic Reports about Christianity and Gnosticism.

Within Rabbinic Judaism, as it is expressed in the Mishnah (compiled around 200 AD) and the Gemara (compiled around 500 AD) (the Mishnah and Gemara together comprise the Talmud) there was a polemic against a position known as “two powers in heaven.” Segal reviews first the Talmudic evidence, and then the extra-Rabbinic evidence in an effort to identify what group(s) this polemic was against.

Excluding biblical evidence, the earliest written evidence Segal considers is the Jew Philo (20 BC – 50 AD) who described the “logos” as a mediator and even as a “second god.” He also considers the New Testament witness and the witness of the Church Fathers. He reviews “Merkabah mysticism,” a form of Jewish mysticism that emerged after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD. Segal considers what can be known about Gnosticism in his target time as well. This is not a complete listing of the types of information Segal considers, but this sampling indicates that he was thorough.

Belief in “two powers in heaven” was the charge/heresy the rabbis accused groups/people of who broke with monotheism. Sometimes they were accused of believing in “many powers in heaven.”

While tentative, he concludes that a “radical Gnosticism superceded rather than preceded Christianity as a target for the rabbinic debate.” In other words, while certainly Christians came to be accused of this belief, they were not the original targets. Instead, Rabbis modified a pre-existing category to fit the Christian Faith.

Professor Segal’s book is well written, well researched, well foot-noted, and has had a significant impact on the understanding of this topic. However it is not a book for everyone for two reasons. First, he has to assume a general knowledge of Jewish history from say 500 BC to 500 AD, and many (most?) people simply do not have that knowledge. If he didn’t make this assumption the book would be two or three times longer. The second reason is that he has to assume that the reader is familiar with standard abbreviations used in the Talmud and other ancient documents. This includes a general knowledge of traditional dating for the material found in the Talmud. Still, I enjoyed the book.

You may be wondering why a Lutheran Christian pastor might be interested in the arguments of Jewish Rabbis from 200 to 500 AD. First of all, the Talmud represents the main-stream view of Rabbinic Judaism, and this tradition became Orthodox Judaism. Therefore the arguments they developed became the standard Jewish arguments for countering Christianity. If you plan to reach out to Jewish people today, knowledge of the standard counter-arguments to a Christian understanding of many Old Testament passages can be quite helpful. If you know where the land-mines are, so to speak, it is easier to diffuse them. This was not why I read the book. It was, though, a pleasant side-benefit.

The reason I read the book was to get a clearer picture of the diversity of thought among the Jews in the first few centuries of the Christian Era. It is obvious to anyone who reads the New Testament that there were divisions among the Jews. There were Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Rabbis, Essenes, Hellenized Jews, and so on. It is also clear that some Jews quickly embraced Christianity while others quickly rejected the Faith. If we continue to consider what happened historically in the first few centuries AD, we find that in many areas Judaism actually disappears as entire Jewish populations become Christian. My question was: What was the intellectual milieu in the Jewish community that allowed Christianity to find such a positive responsive?

I think many tend to view First Century Judaism through anachronistic eyes. That is to say, we tend to think of First Century Jews as being pretty much like Twenty First Century Jews. However this book demonstrates that there was a great deal of divergence of thinking in the Jews of Jesus’ day. Often this difference of thinking centered on Old Testament passages that spoke of Jesus. However these groups did not put it all together. When someone like St. Paul came along and showed how Jesus was the being these passages were speaking of, many Jews received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. As Segal observed, “This leads one to suspect that Christianity was the first to synthesize the various divine agents at creation by identifying all of them with the Christian messiah.”

It seems that when Paul wrote “But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman …: (Galatians 4:4), he meant more than just the Roman Peace, Roman roads, or the general use of the Greek language throughout the Roman Empire. He also meant the mind-set of many Jewish people; people who had been pondering the plural references to God, people who had been pondering the “Man of God,” “Angel of the Lord,” and so on, passages in the Old Testament. Who knows how many times Paul’s experience in Berea (Acts 17:10-12) was repeated by other Believers as they shared the Gospel of God’s grace in Christ Jesus with Jews in the first few centuries after the Resurrection of our Lord. May the Lord of the Church continue to bless efforts to reach all people, including Jews, with the message of salvation.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

The Cappadocian Fathers

First Sunday after the Epiphany of Our Lord
The Baptism of our Lord
Commemoration of Basil the Great of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa, Pastors and Confessors
January 10, 2010

The Lord be with you

The Gospel lesson for the First Sunday after the Epiphany is always one of the accounts about the baptism of Jesus (just like the Gospel lesson for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany is always the wedding feast at Cana). This year the First Sunday after the Epiphany just happened to fall on January 10, which also happens to be the Commemoration of the Cappadocian Fathers (which these three men are also called). They were leaders of Christian orthodoxy in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the later fourth century. Basil and Gregory of Nyssa were brothers; Gregory of Nazianzus was their friend. All three were influential in shaping the theology ratified by the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD, which is expressed in the Nicene Creed. Their defense of the doctrines of the Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity, together with their contributions to the liturgy of the Eastern Church, makes them among the most influential Christian teachers and theologians of their time.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

A Lesson From A Texas Immigrant

Saturday after the Epiphany of our Lord
January 9, 2009

The Lord be with you

Rev. Paul T. McCain posted the following on his facebook page. I like it enough to post it on this blog.

Thanks to Rev. Matthew Harrison for this great post. Johann Kilian (1811-1884) was a Wendish Lutheran who opposed the Prussian Union (the force uniting of Lutheran and Reformed congregations into one church by the Prussian King in 1817). Kilian preached at the dedication of an independent Lutheran church building in Prussian Lusatia in 1848 on being Lutheran. He suffered constant harassment as a genuine Lutheran, and finally emigrated with 500 Wends to Texas in 1853. The congregation at Klitten, Germany, where this address was given, is still a member congregation of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany. He officiated with Pastor Gessner, who had been imprisoned for five years for his refusal to accept the union of Lutherans and Reformed. Kilian was a great Lutheran, and founder of confessional Lutheranism in Texas. LCMS Lutheranism in Texas can trace its history directly back to Kilian and others like him. Texas Lutherans do well to remember and follow the example of their father in the faith. Here is how Kilian explained why the Book of Concord is so important for Lutherans.

Our Evangelical Lutheran church has such a unique written rule in the Catechisms of Luther, the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and in the Formula of Concord. These confessions further explain the faith against erring superstition and unbelief, against which it must be defended. These confessions teach us how those who are called Lutheran understand Biblical truth. They show us in which parts Lutheran doctrine agrees with other parts of the church and in which not. Now when we set our public confessions, and also Luther’s writings, over against not only Catholic and Reformed errors, but also other errors, in doing so we in no way place our Catechism and the other Lutheran writings above the Bible. We only place them over other human writings on the faith and explications of the Bible. The Lutheran writings are to us more thorough, more correct than other human written descriptions of the faith. Our intent is only to understand and explain the Bible as those have understood it and explained it, in unity with the ancient apostolic church, and with Luther, against all Catholic superstition, and the unbelief of the Reformed and others as a man publicly bore witness and through their certain and powerful confessions, regarding Catholic, Reformed and other errors, they have separated themselves as a strong and united army. We do not judge the Bible according to this witness and according to their writings. We only judge various human expositions of the Bible, indeed even our own thoughts. And so we desire to remain disciples of the thousands who have left for us in our confessions such a beautiful pattern of churchly and doctrinal unity. We simply desire to understand, teach and learn the Bible according to the Catechism of Luther, the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, and according to the Formula of Concord. Each teacher explains biblical passages according to something and someone, if not according to a certain ordained doctrine, then according to his own reason, and if not according to someone else, then according to himself. It is a great act of arrogance to teach only according to one’s own ideas. So we Lutherans have been given the humility to realize that we are not alone wise, as though we do not need the instruction of our old Lutheran fathers any more. So we interpret the Bible according to our Catechism and according to Luther and the Lutheran confessors. In doing so, we do not place their writings above the Scriptures. We only place the confessions over the self-proclaimed Meisters [selbstklugen Meister], who are of the opinion, that they do not err, and are more informed than Dr. Luther when they teach what pleases them, along with their favorite theories. (Trans. Matthew Harrison)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

(The photograph is of Rev. Kilian and his daughter.)

Christmas Day?

Thursday after the Epiphany of Our Lord
January 7, 2009

The Lord be with you

Over the centuries the year has been divided up in many ways. We tend to think of twelve months as natural, but some calendars have had fewer months, and other calendars have had more. When a month begins and ends has also varied, as well as how many days a month has. Even weeks have been composed of differing numbers of days.

In some Orthodox Church bodies, they do not use the calendar most of us in the West use. Instead they use the old Julian calendar, without the modification made by Pope Gregory the Great (he is the one who added the ¼ day to each year). On the old Julian calendar, December 25 falls on this day, making it Christmas for them today. This will be the case until the year 2100.

So, to anyone who reads this blog, who might belong to one of these Orthodox bodies, Merry Christmas. For those of us who use the more conventional calendar used in the West, we can let this be a reminder that the Incarnation of our Lord is something to celebrate all year long.

The photograph is of a Russian Orthodox Christmas service.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

The Epiphany of Our Lord

The Epiphany of Our Lord
January 6, 2010

The Lord be with you

With the festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord, Christmas is officially over. Epiphany commemorates no specific event but presents an idea that assumes concrete form only through the facts of our Lord’s life. The idea of Epiphany is that the Christ who was born in Bethlehem is recognized by the world as God. At Christmas, God appears as man, and at Epiphany, this man appears before the world as God. That Christ became man needed no proof. But that this man, this helpless child, is God needed proof. The manifestations of the Trinity, the signs and wonders performed by this man, and all His miracles have the purpose of providing to men that Jesus is God. Lately, especially in the Western Church, the story of the Magi has been associated with this feast day. As Gentiles who were brought to faith in Jesus Christ, the Magi represent all believers from the Gentile world. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek and means “manifest.” That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, God in the Flesh, is made manifest. Other lessons associated with this season include the Baptism of our Lord, Christ changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and the Transfiguration.

Don’t forget that an Epiphany service is being offered by the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Greenville. A soup supper begins at 6:00 PM and the service begins at 7:00.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

The Blind Side

Okay, as long as I’ve done one, I may as well tell you about another movie that is more than worth seeing, The Blind Side. This is another BOATS. It is the story of Michael Orr, who is one of the best (many would say the best) left side tackles in professional football. For those who don’t know, the left tackle protects the “blind side” of the quarterback. But this is not a movie about professional football. It is the story of how a black boy with no real future that mere humans could see, and a white Christian family came together, changing the lives of all. Watch the trailer, then watch the movie.

Invictus

Kitty and I went to the movies yesterday and saw the movie Invictus. It is a "BOATS" (Based On A True Story). In 1992 South Africa was allowed to compete for the World Cup of Rugby after ending apartheid. Nelson Mandela was the first president elected and he became president of a badly divided country. Not only were the whites filled with fear and most blacks bent on some form or retribution, but the blacks were also badly divided by tribalism. Mandela turned to the mostly white national Rugby team, one viewed by most blacks as a symbol of apartheid, to help unite the country by winning the World Cup. This is that compelling story. Both Kitty and I truly enjoyed the movie and we can recommend it for all members of the family. Watch the trailer below and you will probably want to see the movie as well. It is playing at the Spartan 16.

J. K. Wilhelm Loehe, Pastor

Commemoration of J.K. Wilhelm Loehe, Pastor
Ninth Day of Christmas
January 2, 2010

The Lord be with you

On liturgical calendars used in most Lutheran Churches of America, today is set aside to remember Wilhelm Loehe. Although he never left Germany, Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe, born in Fuerth in 1808, had a profound impact on the development of Lutheranism in North America. Serving as pastor in the Bavarian village of Neuendettelsau, he recognized the need for workers in developing lands and assisted in training emergency helpers to be sent as missionary pastors to North America, Brazil, New Guinea, Ukraine, and Australia. A number of the men he sent to the United States became founders of The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. Through his financial support, a theological school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a teachers' institute in Saginaw, Michigan, were established. Loehe was known for his confessional integrity and his interest in liturgy and catechetics. His devotion to works of Christian charity led to the establishment of a deaconess training house and homes for the aged. January 2 has been selected to commemorate him as that is the anniversary of his death. Most “saint’s days” fall on the day the saint was born into heaven.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Old Christmas Cards

The Circumcision and Name of Our Lord
New Year’s Day
January 1, 2010

The Lord be with you

What do you do with all those Christmas Cards? Some may just throw them in the trash, others may recycle, but in the end all those cards from family, friends, and business acquaintances disappear. Soon they can become a distant memory. But there is an idea that many Christians use that keeps them alive all year long and is a blessing to each and every one who sent you a card.

Write down the name of each person who sent you a Christmas Card, then use that list in your daily prayer life. Did you get ninety cards? Then three names a day will mean you have prayed for everyone who sent you a card each month, and twelve times in a year. In less than five minutes a day you can ask God’s blessings on each and everyone who sent you a card many times throughout the year.

Be a blessing in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert