Jim & Casper go to church

Tuesday after Pentecost 14
August 31, 2010

The Lord be with you

Jim & Casper go to Church: Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and Well-meaning Christians (Carol Stream, Illinois, BarnaBooks, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, INC., 2007) is a book by Jim Henderson and Mat Casper. Jim is a Fifty-nine-year-old ex-Pentecostal preacher, ex-housepainter, current leader in the organization called Doable Evangelism, Christian, and resident of Seattle, WA. Matt Casper is a thirty-seven-year-old marketing copywriter, musician, atheist, ex-New Yorker, and current resident of San Diego, CA.

Jim was puzzled by the fact that many non-Christians say they like Jesus, but not his followers (Christians). There is a famous quote attributed to Gandhi where he said this very thing. However Gandhi’s sentiments have been echoed many times by others. So what is it about Jesus that attracts the admiration of Atheists, Hindus, Moslems, and more? And what is it about his followers that these same people find off-putting?

In order to discover at least a piece of the answer, Jim hired an Atheist (Mat) to attend Christian worship services with him (Jim) and give his (Mat’s) honest impressions. Jim advertised in the Wall Street Journal, and Mat won the job. Together they visited twelve different churches around the country, dialogued about their experiences, and wrote this book. At the time of the book’s publishing Mat was still an Atheist and Jim was still a Christian.

The great strength of this book is that it provides the honest impressions of a non-antagonistic atheist of the worship services he attended. The great weakness is the selection of churches Jim made. For the most part they went to “megachurches.” These are churches that accent, as Jim calls them, the three “Bs” (Buildings, Butts, and Bucks), They pack in thousands each Sunday, meet in multistoried buildings or even sports arenas, have restaurants, book stores, waterfalls, lighting and sound systems that would make any director in New York green with envy, etc., and are on the cutting edge of “contextualizing” the Christian message ("compromising" the Christian message if you are not a supporter of such moves). The real problem with these choices is that Mat visited churches that represent less than 1% of the churches in America. These churches all had a similar style of worship, and it certainly wasn’t historical. There was one exception, a Presbyterian service (which Mat seemed to appreciate greatly). Even then the Sunday services attract about 500 people each Sunday, which makes it a large church. Well over half of the churches in America have under a hundred worshipers each Sunday. The only service of that size Mat attended was on an “off” Sunday, when he visited a worship service of a friend of his. At that, though, it was not an historical worship format.

The reason for this selection is clearly Jim’s bias against historic worship services, and the historic expressions of Christianity in general. He believes that, with the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire by Constantine, the followers of Christ abandoned what Jesus intended his followers to be and slipped into what he calls “beliefism.” In short, this is when Christianity became a “religion,” in Jim’s view.

Because of the churches Jim selected, some of Mat Casper’s observations miss the mark for most churches in America. Just one exchange between Mat and Jim illustrates this point.

Jim said, “So are you saying that at a megachurch, it’s impossible to connect to God? It seems like you’re saying that the larger a church grows, the more difficult it is to keep people connected, and not only to God but to each other.”

“I hate to simplify it like that, but yes,” he responded. “Think about it: How do schools sell themselves? By class size. The lower the student/teacher ratio is, the smaller the class size, the better the education. It’s because you get more interaction with ‘the expert,’ and more interaction with your classmates.

“Why do churches seem to do just the opposite? Why is a church deemed successful by its size rather than its ability to truly teach its people?”

As Jim says in the book, “Atheists say the darndest things.”

In spite of the book’s obvious weaknesses, I can strongly recommend it. It can give you a refreshing look at contemporary Christian culture from an outsiders view. If we agree that the Church has been called to reach those who are not part of it with the love of Christ Jesus, knowing who we are reaching out to and what they think is a wonderful asset. I should also add that the book is entertainingly written. On more than one occasion I did laugh-out-loud and also felt compelled to read Kitty this or that passage.

A Word about Contextualizing the Faith: The Church has always contextualized the Christian Faith. The very fact that you have an English-language translation of the Bible is more than enough proof of that. The question is: How much contextualizing to your current culture can you do before you start compromising the Christian Faith? On that question, there is much debate.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Christians Persecuted in England

Monday after Pentecost 14
August 30, 2010

The Lord be with you

First, I am not Roman Catholic. I do feel that they have some serious doctrinal issues. I do not wish the fact that I’m posting the following news article to be understood as denying this position. The reason I am posting it is to remind us of the importance of keeping the Church of Christ around the world in our prayers. Yes, I do believe that there are many Christians in the Roman Catholic Church. I also do not believe that something is wrong just because the Roman Catholic Church teaches it. For example, the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church both teach that God is Triune. With that introduction, read what some brothers and sisters in Christ are facing in the UK.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Pope to Brave Persecution in UK
Hostility Intensifies With Trip 18 Days Away
By Father John Flynn, LC

ROME, AUG. 29, 2010 (Zenit.org).- As the date for Benedict XVI’s mid-September trip to Scotland and England draws closer, the anti-religious hostility is becoming more intense.

Peter Tatchell, a well-known critic of the Catholic Church, penned an opinion article published Aug. 13 in the Independent newspaper. “Most Catholics oppose many of his teachings,” he claimed in regard to the Pope.

In his role as a spokesperson for the Protest the Pope Campaign, Tatchell then went on with a long laundry-list of Church teachings, which he described as harsh and extreme.

Tatchell has also been chosen by the television station Channel 4 to front a 60-minute program on the Pope, which will be broadcast around the time of the papal visit, the Telegraph newspaper reported on June 4.

It won't be the only television special critical of the Catholic Church. The BBC is working on an hour-long documentary on the clerical abuse scandals, the Guardian newspaper reported Aug. 3.

Along with the unsurprising opposition to the visit from the Orange Order of Ireland and Protestant preacher Ian Paisley, the British government also got caught up in an embarrassing instance of anti-Catholic prejudice.

The Foreign Office had to issue an official apology after a government paper on the visit became public, the Sunday Times reported on April 25. A document that was part of a briefing packet sent to government officials suggested that the Pope should sack “dodgy bishops," apologize for the Spanish Armada, and open an abortion clinic.

Nervous

The attacks have not gone unanswered. Although not official representatives of the Church, a group of Catholic speakers was set up under the name of Catholic Voices. Under the leadership of Jack Valero, who is a director of Opus Dei in the United Kingdom, the team of speakers are offering themselves to defend the Church’s teachings.

Support is also coming from secular sources. Self-declared atheist Padraig Reidy criticized the extreme nature of the anti-Catholic rhetoric in an article published by the Observer newspaper on Aug. 22.

On July 28, Kevin Rooney, also an atheist, writing for the online site Spiked, described the attacks on the Church as “illiberal, censorious and ignorant.”

Rooney, who grew up as a socialist republican in Belfast, said that not only do the critics oppose the teachings of the Church, but they also want to prevent it from speaking out at all. Moreover, he noted, any accusations made against the Church are immediately taken as being true, without any need for proof.

“As with the right to free speech, it seems the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty does not extend to the Catholic Church,” he observed.

The problems faced by the Church are far from being limited to verbal hostility. A raft of laws on so-called hate crimes and anti-discrimination create a continual series of legal challenges for Christians in the United Kingdom.

According to a booklet just published on this topic by Jon Gower Davies, there are more than 35 Acts of Parliament, 52 Statutory Instruments, 13 Codes of Practice, three Codes of Guidance, and 16 European Commission Directives that bear on discrimination.

In "A New Inquisition: religious persecution in Britain today," (Civitas) he outlined a number of recent cases where Christians have suffered from these laws.

Adoption

The latest example of this was the loss by Leeds-based Catholic Care in a High Court appeal on the issue of whether they could continue to deny placing adopted children with same-sex couples.

The origin of the case was a 2007 sexual orientation regulation, which outlawed adoption agencies from such "discrimination."

According to an article published Aug. 19 by the Telegraph newspaper, Catholic Care is the last remaining Catholic adoption agency to resist the regulations. Since the law came into effect in January 2009, the other 11 Catholic adoption agencies have had to either shut down or sever their ties with the Church.

There have been numerous other cases in past months where Christians have faced legal battles.

-- A foster carer won her struggle to continue fostering children, after she had been banned by Gateshead Council. The ban was due to the fact that a girl aged 16 that she was caring for decided to convert from Islam to Christianity. The carer, who remained anonymous in order to protect the identity of the girl, had fostered more than 45 other children. Although the matter was righted in the end, the woman suffered considerable financial losses due to the ban. (The Christian Institute, July 11)

-- A Christian preacher was arrested for publicly saying that homosexuality is a sin. Dale McAlpine was locked up in a cell for seven hours and subsequently charged with "causing harassment, alarm or distress” (The Telegraph, May 2). After widespread protests the charges were dropped. (The Christian Post, May 18)

-- A Christian relationship counselor was denied the opportunity to go to the Court of Appeal regarding his dismissal by Relate Avon after he admitted he could not advise same-sex couples because of his beliefs. Gary McFarlane lost his claim of unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal and at a subsequent tribunal appeals hearing. (Christian Today, April 29)

-- Shirley Chaplin, a Christian nurse, lost a claim for discrimination after she was moved to desk duties following her refusal to remove a crucifix on a necklace. Even though John Hollow, the chairman of the employment tribunal panel, admitted that Chaplin had worn the crucifix for 30 years as a nurse, he said that wearing it was not a requirement of the Christian faith. The archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, mentioned the case in his Easter sermon. He said there was a ''strange mixture of contempt and fear'' toward Christianity. (The Telegraph, April 6)

Earlier this year the situation reached the point where the former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, together with six other Anglican bishops, wrote a letter to the Sunday Telegraph complaining that Christians in Britain are being persecuted and treated with disrespect.

As an article on the letter in the March 28 edition of the Sunday Telegraph explained, the bishops argued that, while believers of other religions are shown sensitive treatment, Christians are punished.

"There have been numerous dismissals of practicing Christians from employment for reasons that are unacceptable in a civilized country," the letter declaimed.

Right to be heard

The notoriety of restrictions on Christians reached the point where the Pope publicly intervened. During his speech on Feb. 1 to the bishops of England and Wales, present in Rome for their five-yearly visit, he commented on the topic.

Benedict XVI observed that their country was noted for its equality of opportunity to all members of society. He then urged the bishops to stand up when legislation infringed on the freedom of religious communities.

"In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed. I urge you as Pastors to ensure that the Church’s moral teaching be always presented in its entirety and convincingly defended," the Pope said.

"Fidelity to the Gospel in no way restricts the freedom of others -- on the contrary, it serves their freedom by offering them the truth," he added.

Given the Pope's concern over this matter, and the continuing cases of Christian persecution, we may well expect him to speak out on it during his visit next month.

The Book of Concord and You

Monday after Pentecost 14
August 30, 2010

Blessings in Christ,

The following video was made by Rev. Fisk and can be found on his blog Worldview Everlasting. My sister in California sent it to me. Fisk askes the question, "Is the Book of Concord of practical value for the everyday Christian?" Check it out!





Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

The Commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
Pentecost 14
August 29, 2010

The Lord be with you

In contrast to the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (observed on June 24), this festival commemorates his beheading by the tetrarch Herod Antipas (Mark 6:14-29). From the perspective of the world, it was an ignominious end to John the Baptist’s life. Yet it was in fact a noble participation in the cross of Christ, which was John’s greatest glory of all. Christ Himself said that there had arisen none greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). He was the last of the Old Testament prophets and also the herald of the New Testament. As the forerunner of Christ, John fulfilled the prophecy that the great prophet Elijah would return before the great and terrible Day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:10-13). By his preaching and Baptism of repentance, John turned “the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). And in the footsteps of the prophets who had gone before him—in anticipation of the Christ whose way he prepared—this servant of the Lord manifested the cross by the witness of his death.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Mark 16:9-20

Commemoration of Saint Augustine, Pastor and Theologian
August 28, 2010

The Lord be with you

If you have read the worship notes post for Sunday, August 29, 2010, you will have notice that the Bible class will be looking at two verses, one from Mark and one from Luke. The passage from Mark comes from Mark 16:9-20. What you may not know is that these verses are not considered genuine by many conservative scholars.

In determining what the original Greek text of the New Testament is, the discipline called “Lower Criticism” or “Textual Criticism” is used. Often critics of the Bible attack the Bible based on a lack of knowledge of Textual Criticism. Christians, often unaware of such issues, are taken aback. Has the Church really been keeping “the truth” from us?

I have, therefore, decided to make our next Bible study a two-parter. This Sunday’s lesson will focus on the textual critical aspect of Mark 16:9-20. Next week will focus on the exegetical question posed by whoever submitted the question. This weeks lesson should be of general interest to all, but specially to those who took the Greek language class.

Blessing in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Augustine of Hippo

Commemoration of Saint Augustine of Hippo, Pastor and Theologian
August 28, 2010

The Lord be with you

Augustine was one of the greatest of the Latin Church Fathers and a significant influence in the formation of Western Christianity, including Lutheranism. Born in 354 AD in North Africa, Augustine’s early life was distinguished by exceptional advancement as a teacher of rhetoric. In his book Confessions he describes his life before his conversion to Christianity, when he was drawn into the moral laxity of the day and fathered an illegitimate son. Through the devotion of his sainted mother, Monica, and the preaching of Ambrose, bishop of Milan (339-397 AD), (Ambrose is commemorated on December 7) Augustine was converted to the Christian faith. During the great Pelagian controversies of the fifth century, Augustine emphasized the unilateral grace of God in the salvation of mankind. Bishop and theologian at Hippo in North Africa from 395 AD until his death in 430 AD, Augustine was a man of great intelligence, a fierce defender of the orthodox faith, and a prolific writer. In addition to Confessions, Augustine’s book City of God had a great impact upon the Church throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Monica, Mother of Augustine

Commemoration of Monica, Mother of Augustine
August 27, 2010

The Lord be with you

Today is set aside for the Commemoration of Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine. Monica (333-387) was a native of North Africa. Throughout her life, she sought the spiritual welfare of her children, especially that of her brilliant son Augustine. Widowed at a young age, she devoted herself to her family, praying many years for Augustine’s conversion. When Augustine left north Africa to go to Italy, she followed him to Rome and then to Milan. There she had the joy of witnessing her son’s conversion to the Christian faith. Weakened by her travels, Monica died at Ostia, Italy, on the journey she had hoped would take her back to her native Africa. On some Church Year calendars. Monica is remembered on May 4. She is remembered for her great faith, her persistence in prayer, and her dedication to her vocation as a wife and mother.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Fan Into Flame

Thursday after Pentecost 14
August 26, 2010

The Lord be with you,

Learn how the Fan into Flame campaign is supporting new mission projects around the globe—all in the name of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Fan into Flame is the fundraising initiative directed by the 2004 Synodical convention to develop new financial support for the Ablaze! mission movement. These new funds are providing financial support to the Ablaze! goals of launching 2,000 new congregations, reviatlizing 2,000 existing congregations, and placing new missionaries in the field in both North America and with our partner churches throughout the world. View the following vied to learn more.



If you want to know even more, click here to go to their blog (which is where I got this video).

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 14 - 2010

Thursday after Pentecost 13
August 26, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the Feast of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. While this feast-day will not mark a major element in our worship on Sunday, we will recognize it with our final hymn, “By All Your Saints in Warfare.”

If you know what I mean by “page 5” and “page 15,” you also know The Lutheran Hymnal. This hymnal served our denomination well from 1941 until 1982, when Lutheran Worship came out. Many of our churches were slow to adopt Lutheran Worship and so The Lutheran Hymnal continued to be used for many years after 1982. “Page 5” and “page 15” refer to the two settings (yes there were only two) of the “morning service” (now called the “Divine Service.”) “Page 5” was a morning service WITHOUT Communion. “Page 15” was a morning service WITH Communion. Musically they were the same, until you concluded the “General Prayer” (now called the “Prayer of the Church”). At this point the liturgy for Communion began in the “page 15” service. In the “page 5” service you went immediately to the Lord’s Prayer, a concluding collect (a very short prayer), and the Benediction. Other differences included the use of the Apostles’ Creed in “page 5” and the Nicene Creed in “page 15.” The Creed was spoken after the Scripture lessons in both services. They each used a different “Confession of Sins” as well.

The Divine Service, setting 3, in the Lutheran Service Book (page 184) is intentionally very similar to these two services. There are some minor differences. For example, believe it or not, there is less chanting in the Lutheran Service Book version of the service. Lutheran Service Book also mashed the two services into one and simply placed the following direction after the “Prayer of the Church:” “If there is no Communion, the service concludes with the LORD'S PRAYER (page 196), a concluding collect, and the BENEDICTION.”

This coming Sunday is a fifth Sunday. Our normal rotation of services is: First Sunday – Prayer and Preaching; Second Sunday – Divine Service, setting 3; Third Sunday – Matins; Fourth Sunday – Divine Service, setting 1. On Fifth Sundays’ (there are four each year) I’ve been using “Morning Prayer,” which begins on page 235. However, because we don’t get to use it much, the congregation doesn’t sing it well. More than one individual has suggested we not use it. Now I’m not saying this fine service will not appear in our rotation again, but for this fifth Sunday, we will be using Divine Service, setting 3, and use the settings that make it like “page 5.” For those of us whose membership in the LC-MS precedes 1982, this will be like a walk down memory lane.

As already mentioned, our closing hymn will be “By All Your Saints in Warfare” (LSB 518:1, 24, 3). The sermon hymn will be “Spread the Reign of God the Lord” (LSB 830. The opening hymn will be “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” (LSB 793). Our assigned Scripture lessons are Proverbs 25:2-10, Hebrews 13:1-17, and Luke 14:1-14. The Gospel lesson will serve as the foundation for the sermon, titled “Party Tips From Jesus?”

The only videos I could find for the hymns for this coming Sunday were of “Praises, My Soul, the King of Heaven.” This is the hymn we are learning, and I posted a video of it last week. So If you want to listen to it, go to the video in last weeks worship notes. You can also hear the melody line for the hymns at Better Noise. See the link on the sidebar.

Preview of the Lessons

Proverbs 25:2-10: Proverbs contains many sayings. Some were spoken by Solomon. Some were gathered by Solomon (who wisely recognized the wisdom of others). Some were gathered after Solomon. This reading deals with public life in a king’s court. However the application is broader. They speak of being humble and keeping confidences. These are traits our Lord demonstrated, and urged upon us. As such, it ties into our Gospel lesson.

Hebrews 13:1-17: This reading is form the final chapter in Hebrews. The writer is wrapping things up. Verses 1-6 basically say love your neighbor as yourself and trust in the Lord in all things. Verses 7 through 16 basically say remain true to the Christian Faith you have learned in the Church. Verse 17 basically says; don’t bum-out your pastor. Perhaps the best know quote from these verses is verse 8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” One of the purposes of the book of Hebrews is to provide a correct way to understand the Old Testament ceremonial law. Verses 11-12 teach a little know truth about that law. Check it out.

Luke 14:1-14: This lesson will serve as the foundation for Sunday’s message. This lesson occurs on a Sabbath. Jesus has been invited to the hope of a Pharisee for dinner. At the dinner he heals a man (My gosh, he worked!). He then tells some parables about the Kingdom of God using feasting metaphors.

Sunday’s Collect

O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Psalm 34:9, 19, alt.)

Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing!
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Verse (Luke 14:11)

Alleluia. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Alleluia.

Introit (Psalm 75:1-2, 9; antiphon: Psalm 75:7)

It is God who executes judgement,
putting down one and lifting up another.
We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.
At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up.
But I will delcare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

Adult Bible Study

We continue our series “Puzzlers and Questions about the Bible.” This Sunday’s question is: "Mark 16:18 & Luke 10:19 – What is the intent of these verses? What is the meaning of “evil spirits”? "

These passages read:

“… they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:18)

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19

Luke 10:20 has the word “spirits” in it, and I am assuming the question about “evil spirits” is referencing that. The name of our study is “A Deadly Battle.”

Well, I hope to see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

I Did It!

Tuesday after Pentecost 13
Festival of St. Bartholomew, Apostle
August 24, 2010

The Lord be with you

I did it! There is a different survey on the side bar. Please take it so I can know if I really did get it right, or if I’m just full of myself. Thanks.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

My First Survey

Tuesday after Pentecost 13
Festival of St. Bartholomew, Apostle
August 24, 2010

The Lord be with you

I’m in the process of upgrading my blogging skills. There are several reasons. First, our congregation desires to change our web presence. The hope is to eliminate our conventional web page and use this blog exclusively. To do that I need to learn how to put on my blog more static information, like worship times. We are also considering using this blog to publish our newsletter. To do that, I need to figure out how to add pages to this blog. With additional pages you could click on a link to our newsletter.

The next reason relates to the Doctorate of Ministry degree I’m working on at Gardner-Webb University. Part of my project will require surveys. At least one of those surveys will be of people who are not regular attendees at Lamb of God Lutheran. I have created a test survey, and I hope you take it. I just want to know if I have done this correctly. I’m also hoping to figure out how to put a survey in the sidebar.

Thank you for helping me out with this.


Click here to take the survey.
(I goofed on the last question.)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 13 - 2010

Thursday after Pentecost 12
Commemoration of Bernard of Clairvaux, Hymnwriter and Theologian
August 19, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost. We will use the first setting of the morning worship service (page 151) and be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. You may prepare your heart to receive this sacrament by reading Luther’s treatment of it in his Small Catechism. We will start learning a new hymn Sunday, “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” (LSB 793). This is another hymn selected by our hymnal review committee. The words of “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” were written by Henry F. Lyte (1793-1847). After he was abandoned by his parents, he became the object of the charitable interest of Rev. Robert Burrowes, who paid for his education. His education was first in medicine and then divinity. He was ordained a deacon of the Church of England in 1814 and then a priest in 1815. He wrote the lyrics of two LSB hymns, this one and the well known “Abide with Me.” “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” will be our opening hymn.

Our sermon hymn will be “Fight the Good Fight” (LSB 664). Our distribution hymns will be “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” (LSB 621), “The Church’s One Foundation” (LSB 644), and “I Lay My Sins on Jesus” (LSB 606). Our closing hymn will be “May God Bestow on Us His Grace” (LSB 824). You may recognize the closing hymn as one recommended by the hymnal review committee that we have already learned. The tune for each of Sunday’s hymns can be heard at “Better Noise” (see link on the side of this page) except for our closing hymn (which could not be done due to copyright restrictions).The appointed lessons are: Isaiah 66:18-23; Hebrews 12:4-24 (25-29); Luke 13:22-30. The text for the sermon is Luke 13:29. The Sermon is titled “Heavenly Residents.”

The video below is of an organist playing “Praises, My Soul, the King of Heaven” If you would like to sing along, the first verse is:

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet your tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.



Today is the Commemoration of Bernard of Clairvaux on our liturgical calendar. If you don’t know anything about him, you might want to read my blog post about him.

Preview of the Lessons

Isaiah 66:18-23: These are the closing verses of the book of Isaiah. It speaks of the spread of the Gospel, especially during the generation of the Apostles, the Final Judgment and life beyond that Day. Verse 18 speaks of “their works” and “their thoughts” etc. In the foreground the “they” are unbelieving Jews, those who oppose God and his will. However Isaiah expands this group to include “all flesh.” Therefore, while the reading has its primary fulfillment with Christ and the first generation of believers, it also applies throughout this New Testament Age. The “sign set among them” (19) is Christ, especially his crucifixion and resurrection. The “survivors” are first the Jews who escape the general rejection of Jesus by their fellow Jews, receiving salvation by grace through faith. These go forth with the Gospel into the world (19-20) (the first generation of Jewish believers like Paul and Peter). Many Gentiles receive Christ, some becoming full time ministers in the Church (21). The judgment comes first to the Jews, probably because they have had such a favored history with all their prophets and especially the Messiah coming from them. Verses 22-23 deal with the life after the judgment believers will have. I think the “new heavens and new earth” are real and not metaphorical (though they could be understood metaphorically). As the Bible teaches the resurrection of the body, a new heaven and earth makes sense (we will need something like this as a place to live).

Hebrews 12:4-24 (25-29): This reading picks up where last weeks reading ended. The writer is still urging his readers to remain faithful to Christ. Verses 5-11 reminds us that discipline may not be appreciated when received, but in the end we value what it accomplished in us. Verses 12-17 remind us of certain common temptations we should avoid like the plague, for they can keep us out of heaven. Verses 18-20 speaks of the terrifying experience Israel has at the foot of Mount Sinai and is contrasted with verses 21-24 which gives us a peek into heaven. This is a Law/Gospel contrast.

Luke 13:22-30: This lesson will serve as the foundation for Sunday’s message. Jesus is asked if the number of the saved will be small. He answers with an illustration about a great dinner, but everyone does not get in. To learn more, come to church on Sunday.

Sunday’s Collect

O Lord, You have called us to enter Your kingdom through the narrow door. Guide us by Your Word and Spirit, and lead us now and always into the feast of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Psalm 34:9, 19, alt.)

Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing!
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Verse (Luke 13:29)

Alleluia. People will come from east and west, and form north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. Alleluia.

Introit

Splendor and majesty are before him;
we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise 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.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!

Adult Bible Study

We continue our series “Puzzlers and Questions about the Bible.” This Sunday we will look at two questions:

1. Do Enoch & Elijah already have perfect bodies? Will they, too, be judged on The Last Day? [Genesis 5:18-24; 2 Kings 2:1-18]

2. 1 Corinthians 15:51 … we shall not all sleep … and verses 55-57. If all the verses before reference to physical death – is the word death in 55-57 not physical death also?

The name of our study is “Dead Questions.”

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Bernard of Clairvaux

Commemoration of Bernard of Clairvaux, Hymnwriter and Theologian
Thursday after Pentecost 12
August 19, 2010

The Lord be with you

Today is recognized as the Commemoration of Bernard of Clairvaux, Hymnwriter and Theologian on the liturgical calendar used in the LC-MS. Honored in his native France and around the world, Bernard was a leader in Christian Europe in the first half of the twelfth century, AD. He was born into a noble family in Burgundy in 1090 but left the affluence of his heritage and entered the monastery of Citeaux at the age of twenty-two. After two years, he was sent to start a new monastic house at Clairvaux. His work there was blessed in many ways. The monastery at Clairvaux grew in mission and service, eventually establishing some sixty-eight daughter houses. Bernard is remembered not only for his charity and political abilities but especially for his preaching and hymn composition. The hymn text “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful” and “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” are part of the heritage of the faith left by St. Bernard.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Commemoration of Johann Gerhard, Theologian

Tuesday after Pentecost 12
Commemoration of Johann Gerhard, Theologian
August 17, 2010

The Lord be with you

Today is recognized as the Commemoration of Johann Gerhard, Theologian on our Liturgical Calendar. Gerhard (October 17, 1582 - August 10, 1637) was a great Lutheran theologian in the tradition of Martin Luther (1483-1546) and Martin Chemnitz (1522-86) and the most influential of the seventeenth-century dogmaticians. His monumental Loci Theologici (twenty-three large volumes) is still considered by many to be a definitive statement of Lutheran orthodoxy. Gerhard was born in Quedlinburg, Germany. At the age of fifteen he was stricken with a life-threatening illness. This experience, along with guidance from his pastor Johann Arndt, marked a turning point in his life. He devoted the rest of his life to theology. He became a professor at the University of Jena and served many years as the superintendent of Heldburg. Though virtually every University of note in Europe sought to hire him, he spent the rest of his life in Jena. Gerhard was a man of deep evangelical piety and love for Jesus. He wrote numerous books on exegesis, theology, devotional literature, history, and polemics. His sermons continue to be widely published and read. I own a few of his works that have been translated into English and found them to be excellent.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 12 - 2010

Thursday after Pentecost 11
August 12, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. It is also the Festival of Saint Mary, Mother of Our Lord. We will recognize the festival with our opening hymn, “By All Your Saints in Warfare” (LSB 518). Verse 22 is about this festival so we will sing verses 1, 22, and 3. We will use the service of Matins (page 219) for our liturgy. The sermon hymn will be “All Depends on Our Possessing” (LSB 732) and our closing hymn will be “My Faith Looks Up to Thee” (LSB 702). The appointed lessons are: Jeremiah 23:16-29; Hebrews 11:17-31; 12:1-3; Luke 12:49-53. The appointed Psalm is Psalm 119:81-88; antiphon verse 81. The text for the sermon is Hebrews 11:17. The Sermon is titled “By Faith.”

The video below is the singing of the hymn “My Faith Looks Up To Thee.” The nice thing is that the words are included so you can sing along.



St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is mentioned repeatedly in the Gospels and the Book of Acts, with nearly a dozen specific incidents in her life being recorded: her betrothal to Joseph; the annunciation by the angel Gabriel that she was to be the mother of the Messiah; her visitation to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer; the nativity of our Lord; the visits of the shepherds and the Wise Men; the presentation of the infant Jesus in the temple; the flight into Egypt; the Passover visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve; the wedding at Cana in Galilee; her presence at the crucifixion, when her Son commended her to the care of His disciple John; and her gathering with the apostles in the Upper Room after the ascension, waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. Thus she is present at most of the important events in her Son’s life. She is especially remembered and honored for her unconditional obedience to the will of God (“Let it be to me according to Your word” [Luke 1:38]); for her loyalty to her Son even when she did not understand Him (“Do whatever He tells you” [John 2:1-11]); and above all for the highest honor that heaven bestowed on her of being the mother of our Lord (“Blessed are you among women” [Luke 1:42]). According to tradition, Mary went with the apostle John to Ephesus, where she died. Aside from this coming Sunday she is remembered on our liturgical calendar on February 2 (The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord) and March 25 (The Annunciation of Our Lord).

Preview of the Lessons

Jeremiah 23:16-29: Every time I read this passage, and ones similar to it in the Bible, I can’t help but think of the so-called prophets on television and the so-called prophets in so many charismatic churches. There are two types of prophets, false prophets that proclaim the imaginations of their own heart, and true prophets that are grounded in and proclaim the word of God. God knows, of course, which is which. You can also know by comparing their words to the words of Scripture. We will have both types of prophets until the Last Day. When Jeremiah says “Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream” (28) we need to remember that these dreams are described in verse 25 as lies. True prophets are those who “speak my [God’s] word faithfully’ (28). False prophets lead you away from Christ. The word leads you to Christ. False prophets tell you what you want to head (health, wealth, success, blessings, etc.) The word of God reminds us of our sin and our need for our Savior, Jesus Christ. The word “prophet” means “one who speaks forth.” A true prophet is not so much someone who has a vision or dream, but one who speaks forth the pure word of God.

Hebrews 11:17-31; 12:1-3: This is our second lesson in a row out of Hebrews 11, the famous “Faith Chapter” of the Bible. This reading is basically a catalogue of saints who, by faith in the Messiah, triumphed. “Triumphed” needs to be understood as the writer of Hebrews understood it; as remaining faithful unto death and inheriting the crown of life. We are not to think of temporal victory as the promised victory these saints rejoiced in. This is accented by reference to suffering for the Christ in this list. It is especially accented in the omitted verses 11:35-38, where stories that in no way could be thought of as temporal earthly success stories are referenced. (This, by-the-way, is perhaps the biggest weakness I’ve seen in Christian fiction. Where are the stories that end like verses 35-38?) I will say no more as the sermon is coming from this reading.

Luke 12:49-53: This is a short lesson, but tricky for some to understand. Jesus uses the word “baptism” metaphorically to refer to his upcoming death. He may have chosen this imagery because of the upcoming institution of baptism, where we are baptized into his death. He also speaks of the division he brings into the world. Those who stand for Christ are rejected, even persecuted, for their determination to cling to the one true God. Think of the ten medical missionaries who were murdered in Afghanistan this past week. The main reason they were slaughtered was that they believed in Jesus. If you wish to learn more about the price many have to pay to remain faithful to the Lord you can check out Voice of the Martyrs. Jesus goes on to say that this division based on him will even split homes. Faithfulness has a price.

Sunday’s Collect

Merciful Lord, cleanse and defend Your Church by the sacrifice of Christ. United with Him in Holy Baptism, give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of His redeeming work and daily follow in His way; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Psalm 34:9, 19, alt.)

Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing!
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Verse (Jeremiah 23:29a, 28b)

Alleluia. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD? What has straw in common with wheat? Alleluia.

Introit

Instead of the Intorit we will be using the appointed Psalm for the day.

Adult Bible Study

We continue our series “Puzzlers and Questions about the Bible.” This Sunday we will look at two questions:

1. Matthew attributes this quote to Jeremiah, but Jeremiah has no verse that is even similar to the words given in Matthew. Matthew confused Jeremiah with Zechariah.
“Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, and the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced’” (Matthew 27:9).
“So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, ‘Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them.’ And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD” (Zechariah 11:12-13).

• This has often been used as proof that the Bible is not inerrant – that it contains error, and thus cannot be the inerrant word of God. How do we, as Christians, respond to this?

2. An arithmetic problem –

• Abraham was born when his father was 70 (Genesis 11:26)
• Abraham’s father died at the age of 205 (Genesis 11:32, making Abraham 135 at that time.
• Abraham left his home after his father died at God’s instruction (Acts 7:4), at age 135 or more – but …
• Genesis 12:4 says Abraham was 75 when he left his homeland. If Abraham was born sometime after his father was 70, the math would be closer, but a 60-year difference is difficult not to see as a contradiction, isn’t it?

The name of our study is “Reconciling Passages.” These are the sort of nitpicking things non-Christians throw at Christians in an effort to undermine their faith in the Word of God. By reconciling them we can strengthen our faith in the Bible and fortify ourselves when another nitpicking question comes along. We may not know the answer, but we are confident that God’s truth still stands.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship, Adiaphora, Confessions, and Keeping Our Heads

Wednesday after Pentecost 11
August 11, 2010.

The Lord be with you

In the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod you can find a fairly diverse range of worship practices. In my own circuit we have at least two congregations that display Easter Orthodox Icons in their sanctuary. In at least one of our congregations, a large screen is used from time to time to display the words for songs sung and other images for the worshiping community. At Lamb of God, we kneel during the confession and absolution, but that is not observed in all our congregations. This diversity (and I could go on) exists even though we all have the Lutheran Service Book in our pews (at least I think we all do). This diversity also exists despite the fact that each of the pastors and congregations have sworn to God to be faithful to the Lutheran Confessions. This diversity exists even though each congregation and pastor has subscribed to the Bible as the word of God and the only source for our teaching.

This diversity has led to, or been an excuse for, what some have duded our “Worship Wars.” Much of the debate centers on the idea of “adiaphora.” Adiaphora are things neither commanded nor prohibited in Scripture. The debate can be heated and, at times, motives and believes can be attributed to others even when they emphatically deny such motives or beliefs.

I was pleasantly surprised the other day when I received a link to an article in the WorshipConcord Journal by James Alan Waddell titled “All Adiaphora Are Not Created Equally – A Response.” He was responding to a paper by Dr. Carles Arand that was delivered at the Model Theological Conference on Worship titled, obviously, “All Adiaphora Are Not Created Equally.”

I have read both papers and found them to be excellent examples of how to move this conversation forward in a caring Christian fashion, avoiding the posturing that so often accompanies such discussions. I commend them both to you for reading.

All Adiaphora Are Not Created Equally

All Adiaphora Are Not Created Equally – A Response

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Mortality, Thrash Metal, and the Church

Tuesday after Pentecost 11
Commemoration of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
August 10, 2010

The Lord be with you

Today I read an article on the Lutheran Forum Blog titled “Mortality, Thrash Metal, and the Church.” It was written by Pastor Greg Alms (who has also written for Portals of Prayers). Though you might not be able to tell from the title, the article is about death. It is excellent.

“The world seems a smaller place and less of it is mine.” I heard that in a song somewhere once. It speaks of growing up and looking back and realizing that as one gets older there are fewer possibilities. This is simply a product of living in a world of time, of the drip, drip, drip of moments come and gone. From the moment we are born, the possibilities ahead of us contract...

“The world seems a smaller place and less of it is mine.” I heard that in a song somewhere once. It speaks of growing up and looking back and realizing that as one gets older there are fewer possibilities. This is simply a product of living in a world of time, of the drip, drip, drip of moments come and gone.

From the moment we are born, the possibilities ahead of us contract. Each moment sets one on a path which eliminates all other possible paths. Life is one giant contraction. To decide to go one way means …

You can finish the article by clicking on the final words of what I’ve quoted here. Doing that will take you to the article. Trust me, in an American Christianity that largely ignores death, this is a welcome article on something that everyone faces, not only in their own death, but in the deaths of those we know. (P.S. To understand why I chose the graphic I did, you have to read the article.)

Blessings in Christ,
John Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 11 - 2010

Saturday after Pentecost 10
August 7, 2010

The Lord be with you

I’m late getting these worship notes posted this week. The reason for that is that I have been in class this past week at Gardner Webb University working on my D.Min degree. The time away truly cut into my preparation time for Sunday’s sermon. In stead of preaching a poorly prepared sermon, I have decided to go in a different direction. This Sunday we will have a "dialogue service." This is our regular liturgy (we will be using the third setting which begins on page 184 of Lutheran Service Book) interspersed with commentary on the liturgy. The commentary basically provides some of the biblical and theological foundation for the liturgy. Mr. Wayne Mabb will be our commentator. Knowing we were going to do this, I was able to work-up the commentary portion of the service several weeks ago. For the most part, then, the “sermon” will be the liturgy. I will have a very short sermon (about five minutes) titled “Worship Like the Saints.” The text will be Hebrews 11:4. So this will be a normal service with a twist.

This coming Sunday is the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost. The appointed lessons are Genesis 15:1-6, Hebrews 11:1-16, and Luke 12:22-34. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The opening hymn will be “O Bless the Lord, My Soul” (LSB 814). The sermon hymn this week will be the one we are learning; By All Your Saints in Warfare (LSB 517, vs 1, 4, 3). Our distribution hymns will be “Your Table I Approach” (LSB 628), “Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling” (LSB 650), and “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want” (LSB 710). Our closing hymn will be “Go, My Children, with My Blessing” (LSB 922).

The video below is of “O Bless the Lord, My Soul,” which is our opening hymn. I think Karen will play it a little faster than the person in the video (which in my opinion is a good thing).

Preview of the Lessons

Genesis 15:1-6: This reading begins with the words “After these things.” The things being referred to is the rescue of Lot along with the citizens of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, who had been captured by the kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim. As Abraham returned victorious, Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, came out and blessed Abraham. All this happened in chapter 14. In this reading “the Word of the LORD” came to Abraham and promised him many descendants, even though Abraham had not yet even one child. Verse 6 reads, “And he (Abraham) believed the LORD, and he (the LORD) counted it to him (Abraham) as righteousness.” It may sound amazing, but this is the first time in the Bible where believing in God is spoken of. Of course such faith is assumed right from the beginning. A legitimate question to ask is “why here?” This reference becomes a key text in the New Testament, being directly quoted at least three times (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). In this context we have contrasted the deeds of Abraham (rescuing Lot) with the faith of Abraham. Abraham is righteous (provided a right standing with God) by faith, not by his deeds. His deeds reflect his faith, but do not create it.

Hebrews 11:1-16: This is the great “Faith Chapter” in the Bible. The writer of Hebrews was facing a problem in the Church. Persecution of Christians was increasing. The Jews were a sanctioned religion in the Roman Empire (this was before the Jewish rebellion in 70 AD that led to the destruction of the Temple and the disbursement of the Jews). Many were tempted to abandon Christ and become Jews (or return to the Jewish Faith) to avoid persecution. Throughout the book the writer contrasts the Jewish Faith with the Christian Faith and demonstrates how the historic Jewish Faith was always pointing to Christ and was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus. To return to the Jewish Faith would be like leaving the dinner table and returning to the door of the restaurant and looking at the menu. In this chapter the writer provides a survey of many of the saints of old, telling us that they all looked forward to Christ and were saved by putting their faith in the One to Come, Jesus. Based on this faith they, and all faithful Jews in Old Testament times, were saved. In general, reading and understanding the book of Hebrews is one of the best ways of getting a handle on understanding the Old Testament.

Luke 12:22-34: This is part of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain.” There are many parallels in it to the “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in Matthew 5-7, leading some to think the Bible contradicts itself here (Where did Jesus give this sermon, a plain or a mount?) Such thinking is silly. Before the age of mass communication messages were repeated time and time again in different locations. For example, the Lincoln-Douglas debates in the 1800’s were repeated in many locations with much the same (but not identical) content. In this section of his sermon Jesus reminds us that life is far more than a physical reality. If we take care of our bodies but not our souls, we will in the end have nothing. Our true treasure is in heaven. We are to set our hearts on heaven, live like we know heaven is where our true treasures are, and trust in God to care for us. A concrete example might be putting money in an IRA to make our earthly retirement secure or giving money to help spread the Gospel, which will be recognized in heaven. Another example might be going to a ball game for an enjoyable afternoon out, or using that same time to help at a Church work day. In neither of these examples are any of the choices sinful, but one choice clearly values eternity at a higher level than the other choice.

Sunday’s Collect

Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; 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 34:9, 19, alt.)

Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing!
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Verse (Luke 12:32)

Alleluia. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Alleluia.

Introit (Psalm 147:8-11; antiphon: v. 7)

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
But the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
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.
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!

Adult Bible Study

We continue our series “Puzzlers and Questions about the Bible.” This Sunday we will look at two questions: “If someone lives their entire life never having learned of Jesus or heard the gospel is that person going to hell when he or she dies?” and “What happens to the souls of babies who die, and to people who are mentally retarded and unable to comprehend Christ’s gift of salvation?” Both of these questions revolve around how salvation is granted. The study is titled: “Salvation in Tough Circumstances”.


Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert