Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Humble Briar

Thursday after Easter 4
April 29, 2010

The Lord be with you

Once there was a briar growing in the ditch. A man came with a spade, and as he dug around it, the briar said, “What is he going to do with me? Doesn’t he see that I am worthless? In spite of that, the gardener dug up the briar and planted it in his garden among the finest flowers. Again the briar thought, “What a mistake to plant a good-for-nothing briar among such beautiful flowers.” But the man, having planted the briar, went away, never heeding the words. After some time he returned with a sharp knife, made a small slit in the briar, and grafted onto it a flower. In due time on that old briar bush began to bloom a great number of fragrant, beautiful flowers. Then the gardener said to the briar bush: “Your present beauty is not due to what came out of you, but what I put into you.” (Catechetical Helps, Revised and Expanded, 122, Concordia Publishing House)

So it is with the briar, so it is with us. Praise God for his grace in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Easter 5

Thursday after Easter 4
April 29, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fifth Sunday of Easter. The appointed lessons are Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-7, and John 16:12-22. The appointed Psalm is Psalm 148. The antiphon is verse 13. We will be using the Service of Prayer and Preaching (page 260) for our liturgy. The opening hymn will be “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free” (LSB 473). The Sermon hymn will be “Were You There” (LSB 456), The Closing hymn will be “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” (LSB 469). The sermon is based on the lesson from John and is titled “Follow Your Heart?” The text is John 16:16.

Some hymns seem to me to be a perfect blend of text and music. The hymn “Were You There” is one of them. However, when professionals get a hold of such hymns, they find it almost impossible to not jazz them up, schmaltz them up, or in some other way ‘make the song their own. I kind of feel that such songs are the Church’s songs and are best when not tinkered with. The following video of “Were You There” is done straight, which is the way I like it.



You can hear the melody for most of Sunday’s hymns at Better Noise (see the link on the side bar).

Preview of the Lessons
Acts 11:1-18: At the first Pentecost people from all over the Roman Empire heard Peter preach (Acts 2:9-11), many becoming Christians. At first these new believers stayed in Jerusalem so they could learn more from the Apostles. In other words, they were handling the Great Commission by saying, “We will proclaim the truth, if you want to hear the truth come to Jerusalem.” First pressure to stop sharing the Gospel, and then outright persecution developed, in order to force the fledgling Church to reach beyond Jerusalem and Jews (Acts 3-7). This led to the disbursement of the believers (Acts 8:1) and the Gospel (Acts 8:4). However the Gospel remained mainly within Jewish circles. Acts 10 deals with the Gospel breaking through to the Gentiles. Acts 11:1-18 is Peter’s report to the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem, many of whom were not happy that Gentiles were becoming Christians. Our reading is the report from Peter. The bottom line is that Gentile believers are not second-class Christians. In the world there are people who might be called “second class.” These might be the poor, the uneducated, those from “foreign” lands, and so on. In the Church there are no second class people. All have an equal need as sinners before God. All are equally dependent on God’s grace in Christ Jesus for forgiveness, life, and salvation. All are equally citizens of the Kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:1-7: John sees a vision of eternal life after the Second Coming of Jesus. There is a “new heaven and a new earth.” The present creation, corrupted by sin, has been destroyed and replaced. The presence of a new earth accents the physical resurrection of the dead on the Last Day. John sees a “new Jerusalem.” This is contrasted with the city of Babylon in Revelation. Babylon represents all that is corrupt, all that is sinful, the fallen world with its fallen political systems. The new Jerusalem is adorned like a bride (what that looked like I don’t know). The Old Testament often depicted the people of God as the wife of God. In the New Testament the image of being the bride of Christ is used for the people of God. This city being adorned as a bride accents the truth that the new heavens and earth is people by the people of God from all ages, those who have trusted in Christ. In the new heavens and new earth there will be no separation between God and humanity (3). This accents the absence of sin, for sin is what separates us from God. There will also be no more consequences from past sins (4), sorrow, pain, etc. The accent that all this is by grace is brought out beautifully in verse 8 where we receive the waters of life without payment of any kind. In the world to come we will all be “sons,” that is, the child that inherits.

John 16:12-22: The setting for this text is the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday. John’s Gospel includes far more of the teaching Jesus did that night that the other three Gospels. In verses 12-15 he is speaking of the Holy Spirit. It would be a great text for Trinity Sunday. Consider verse 15: “All that the Father has is mine [Jesus]; therefore I said the He [the Holy Spirit] will take what is mine and declaim it to you.” Many today are quite confused about the Holy Spirit. They think the Spirit’s work is to glorify the believer or to glorify himself. Verse 14 speaks volumes, “He [the Holy Spirit] will glorify me [Jesus]. In verse 16 Jesus refers to his impending death, which the disciples do not understand. Jesus knows that his death will bring sorrow to his followers (20) but that the sorrow will turn to joy when Jesus is resurrected (21-22). It is instructive that this passion and resurrection revelation follows immediately after Jesus tells us that the Spirit will glorify Jesus, and take what is his and give it to us. All too often we freight “glorify” with carnal, human, fallen ideas of glory, power, riches, prestige, and the like. The glory of Christ is the cross (John 12:23). The way of the cross is also for us the way of glory (Matthew 10:38).

Sunday’s Collect
O God, You kame the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, whol lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (adapted from Matt 28:7; Heb 2:7; Ps 8:6)
Christ has risen from the dead.
God the Father has crowned him with glory and honor,
He has given him dominion over the works of his hands;
He has put all things under his feet.

Verse (Romans 6:9; John 20:14)
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Alleluia.

Introit
Psalm 148 will be used instead of the appointed Introit.

Adult Bible Study
We continue, in our adult Bible class, our series titled Puzzlers and Questions About the Bible. Every week we deal with a question submitted by someone. The question for this week is “Does God change His mind as a result of Moses plead? (Numbers 14:11-20)” Join us Sunday morning at 9:00 AM as we dig deeper into the Word of God.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Anselm of Canterbury, Theologian


Tuesday after Easter 4
April 27, 2010

The Lord be with you

Anselm of Canterbury died April 21, 1109 and so April 21 has been set aside to commemorate him. He was born in Italy in 1033 and is most closely associated with England, where he served as archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 until his death. A brilliant scholar and writer, Anselm used his political skills with the British kings on behalf of the established Christian Church, affirming that it is the leadership of the Church, not the state, that is responsible for establishing structure and maintaining order among the clergy. Anselm is especially remembered for his classic book, Why God Became Man, which taught that the reason for the incarnation was that Jesus, the Son of God, would suffer and die in place of sinners.

What follows is a quote form Anselm, which I found in Treasury of Daily Prayer, published by Concordia Publish House.


    The restoration of human nature by God is more wonderful than its creation. Both were equally easy for God; but before man was made he had not sinned so that he ought not to be denied existence. But after man was made, he deserved, by his sin, to lose his existence together with its design, though he never has wholly lost this, viz., that he should be one capable of being punished or of receiving God’s compassion. For neither of these things could take effect if he were annihilated. Therefore God’s restoring man is more wonderful than his creating man, inasmuch as it is done for the sinner contrary to what he deserves; while the act of creation was not for the sinner and was not in opposition to what man deserved. How great a thing it is, also, for God and man to unite in one person, that, while the perfection of each nature is preserved, the same being may be both God and man! Who, then, will dare to think that the human mind can discover how wisely, how wonderfully, so incomprehensible a work has been accomplished?
Blessings in Christ,
John Rickert

Saturday, April 24, 2010

"Private" Confession

Saturday after Easter 3
April 24, 2010

The Lord be with you

Like everyone, I suppose, I had an immediate negative emotional response to the revelations about sexual miss-conduct among the ministers of the Roman Catholic Church. Though I am not Roman Catholic, I recognize that such revelations “tar” the image of all Christian churches. The accent in the news that I have heard depict the way things were handled by the Roman Catholic Church as a cover-up. Thanks to this slant, I also had an immediate negative emotional response to how the Roman Catholic Church handled information. In all of this I suspect that I am quite typical of both Christians and non-Christians alike.

However I have had a chance to ponder a little bit about this sad chapter in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. Some questions have arisen in my mind. I thought I’d share them on my blog.

When a person confesses a sin to their pastor, they do so with the understanding that this confession is confidential. The pastor listens, offers guidance from the Word of God, and if the person is repentant, absolution. The person should have no fear that their sin will be pointed out in next Sunday’s sermon or appear on the nightly news. For example, John Doe should not have to worry about his pastor saying in Sunday’s sermon, “Lusting in ones heart, like John Doe does, is just as much a sin of adultery as that committed by the hookers downtown.” John should also not have to wonder if his pastor will call his wife up right after he leaves the office, or that his sin will become the topic of conversation among the church staff or civic club to which his pastor belongs.

Sins of the past often have an ongoing impact on the lives of people. Maybe something done in a person’s youth continues to dog the conscience of an adult. In such a case the Christian should be able to come to their pastor, confess their past sin, receive council according to the Word of God, and absolution. They should not have to worry about their past sins being exposed.

When a person confesses to their pastor, it is as if they are praying to the Lord in that it is strictly confidential. One difference is that they can expect guidance from a mature Christian pastor that is tailored to their specific situation. They can get real help.

What if there was a sign on the pastor’s office that read, “All minor sins will be kept confidential, all major sins will be made public. The pastor gets to decide what a major or minor sin is.” Who would come to such a pastor seeking his guidance?

Returning now to the accusation of sexual miss-conduct against some Roman Catholic priests; one thing the news is not telling us is how this or that official came to know that this or that priest was engaged in sinful sexual practices. Was it in the context of private confession? If so, do the “rules” that apply when a member of the laity confesses to his pastor not apply when a priest confesses to his Father Confessor? Does concern for those sinned against trump concern for the sinner? Does public opinion concerning this or that sin determine what sins should be made public? Does civil law determine what Church practice should be? If people (even pastors) cannot confess their sins, receive guidance and absolution, from their pastor (or ecclesial supervisor) to whom can they turn?

These are not easy questions to answer, especially for those in the pastoral office. No matter how they are answered, there is real impact on the ministry, on people’s trust in their pastor.

I do not wish to exonerate anyone who has used the office of the holy ministry to victimize others. I also do not wish to suggest that I think the ecclesial authorities in the Roman Catholic Church acted in the wisest fashion, or in keeping with the Christian Faith. All I am saying is that there are real and important considerations which the national news outlets are not dealing with. In fact, I do not think they are capable of honestly and equitably dealing with some of the issues. They are issues, though, that every pastor has to consider as soon as someone comes to him and says, "Can I talk to you privately?".

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Worship for Easter 4

Thursday after Easter 3
April 22, 2010

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Easter. The appointed lessons are Acts 20:17-35, Revelation 7:9-17, and John 10:22-30. We will be using the third setting of the morning service (page 184). We will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. The opening hymn will be “Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won” (490). The sermon hymn will be “Spread the Reign of God the Lord” (830). The distribution hymns will be “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free” (473), “Your Table I Approach” (628), and “He is Arisen! Glorious Word” (488). Our closing hymn will be “Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense” (741). The sermon is titled “Christ for a Changing World” and is based on the Gospel lesson.

You can hear the melody for most of Sunday’s hymns at Better Noise (see the link on the side bar).

Preview of the Lessons
Acts 20:17-35: Paul is on his way to Jerusalem with an offering from the Gentile churches. The gift will be given to the Church in Jerusalem for distribution to the poor. His ship has docked in Miletus and so the pastors from “Asia” (today’s Asia Minor) have come to him for some parting words. Paul knows he will be arrested in Jerusalem. Just a few nuggets from the text include the divine position of the pastor (28), the content of what ministers are to proclaim (20-21, 27), the sure fact that false teachers will trouble the Church (29-30) and our call to help the weak (35).

Revelation 7:9-17: John sees a scene in heaven where saints from all over the globe sing God’s praises for their salvation. It is clear that they consider their salvation a pure gift which they did nothing to earn or deserve. They are joined in their praise by the other beings in heaven, for our salvation is so awesome that all feel compelled to praise God for it. However the saints in glory have had their share of tribulations in this life (14). Such mistreatment for the sake of Christ is amply testified to elsewhere in the New Testament (Matt 10:16-25; Mark 4:17; James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6; etc.). These saints now receive the prize of joy everlasting (16-17), which Paul looked forward to in our Epistle lesson (Acts 20:24)

John 10:22-30: Jesus is in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication. The Jewish leaders ask Jesus if he is the Christ. Jesus says he has already answered that question, but the leaders simply do not want to believe. It reminds me of a child asking their parents for something. Mom and dad say “no.” The child doesn’t like the answer and so asks again (and again, and again). Jesus’ words and actions all proclaim him to be the Christ. His sheep hear his voice and believe in him, the leaders do not hear because they are not Christ’s sheep. Once again we see that our salvation “eternal life” is a gift from God (28-29) and not something earned.

Sunday’s Collect
Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; 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 (adapted from Matt 28:7; Heb 2:7; Ps 8:6)
Christ has risen from the dead.
God the Father has crowned him with glory and honor,
He has given him dominion over the works of his hands;
He has put all things under his feet.

Verse (Romans 6:9; John 20:14)
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. I am the good shepherd, I know my own and ny own know me. Alleluia.

Introit (Psalm 78:70-72; 79:13; antiphon: John 10:14, 15b)
I am the good shepherd,
I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life for the sheep.
He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skillful hand.
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever;
from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
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.
I am the good shepherd,
I know my own and my own know me, and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Adult Bible Study
We continue, in our adult Bible class, our series titled Puzzlers and Questions About the Bible. This week we will conclude our sub-series which looks at some “really old laws.” This week we will look at Deuteronomy 22:24-28 (laws concerning rape) and Deuteronomy 25:11 (a law concerning a woman aiding her husband while he is in a fight with another man). Some have said these laws force a woman to marry her rapist. Some feel the punishment prescribed in Deuteronomy 25:11 needs defending. Join us Sunday morning at 9:00 AM as we dig deeper into the Word of God.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Johannes Bugenhagen, Pastor

Commemoration of Johannes Bugenhagen, Pastor
April 20, 2010

The Lord be with you

On the Liturgical Calendar used in the LC-MS, today is set aside to commemorate Johannes Bugenhagen (1485-1558). He was from Pomerania in northern Germany and was appointed pastor of Wittenberg in 1523 through the efforts of Martin Luther. He, therefore, served as Luther’s own pastor and confessor. One of the greatest scholars of the Reformation era, Bugenhagen helped translate the New Testament into Low German and wrote a commentary on the Psalms. He also worked to organize the Lutheran Church in northern Germany and Denmark. In 1539, Bugenhagen became superintendent of the Church in Saxony. After the death of Luther (1546), Bugenhagen took care of Luther’s widow and children. Bugenhagen died in Wittenberg in 1558.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Friday, April 16, 2010

Worship for Easter 3

Friday after Easter 2
April 16, 2010

The Lord be with you

I’m a little late in posting these notes because I was out of the office all this week at either a District Convention or a Circuit Pastors’ retreat. Both represent time well spent, but they have seriously but a dent in my time for doing my regular duties. If I have time, I will post something about each of these gatherings, but for right now I will focus on Sunday’s service.

This coming Sunday is the Third Sunday of Easter. The appointed lessons continue to be from Acts, Revelation and the Gospel of John. We will be using the service of Matins for our liturgy. Our opening hymn is the one we are learning, “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free” (LSB 473). Our Sermon Hymn will be “This Joyful Eastertide” (LSB 482). Our closing hymn will be “Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain” (LSB 487). As we are in the Easter Season, each hymn is an Easter Hymn. Our appointed lessons are Acts 9:1-22; Revelation 5:8-14; and John 21:1-14. The appointed Psalm is Psalm 30. The Antiphon is a little unusual. I will chant the first half of verse 11. The congregation will chant with the second half of verse 12. Look below to see how that works. The sermon is based on the Gospel lesson and is titled “Do Over.”

The hymn “Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain” is truly a “good old hymn.” It was written by John of Damascus and is based on Exodus 15. John lived in the 8th Century AD. He is considered one of the last of the Fathers of the Greek Church and has been called the greatest of her poets. He wrote many theological works and hymns, and his music for worship continues to this day to have a major impact on the Greek Orthodox liturgy.

The following video was found on YouTube. It is of the choir at Kings College, Cambridge singing “This Joyful Eastertide.” You can hear the melody for “Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain” at Better Noise (see the link on the side bar).




Preview of the Lessons
Acts 9:1-22: This is one of the accounts of the conversion of Saul/Paul as he traveled to Damascus to persecute the Christians in that city. The Resurrected Lord appeared to him and turned his world upside down. He would no longer live his “religious” life in a fashion he felt, right down to the core of his bones, to be correct. Instead he would follow Jesus. It is like Paul was given a “do over.” This time, instead of doing whatever was right in his own heart (Judges 21:25), he would listen to the Lord Jesus (who often leads us in ways quite contrary to our hearts).

Revelation 5:8-14: The readings from Revelation are always too rich to do justice in these notes. In this case John sees a scene where Jesus has ascended and we see a piece of what we confess in the Creeds with the words, “ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.”

John 21:1-14: This is the text for Sunday. Jesus has risen, but not yet ascended. Peter and some of the other Apostles return to fishing. Jesus appears on the shore after they have spent a fruitless night plying their old trade. Our Lord not only gives them a miraculous catch of fish, but also prepares breakfast for them.

Sunday’s Collect
O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the perils of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (adapted from Matt 28:7; Heb 2:7; Ps 8:6)
Christ has risen from the dead.
God the Father has crowned him with glory and honor,
He has given him dominion over the works of his hands;
He has put all things under his feet.

Verse (Romans 6:9; John 20:29b)
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? Alleluia.

Psalm 30 (antiphon: vv. 11a, 12b)

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; (verse 11a)
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (verse 12b)

I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
By your favor, O LORD,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!”
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
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 have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Adult Bible Study
We continue, in our adult Bible class, our series titled Puzzlers and Questions About the Bible. We are in a little sub-series which looks at some “really old laws.” This week we will field two questions: In “Genesis 38:10 – Was Onan masturbating or practicing early withdrawal? And why is either a sin at all, let alone worthy of death?” and “What was … the strange fire offered by Nadab and Abihu? (Leviticus 10:1-2)” The study is called “Onan, Nadab and Abihu.” As always, our Bible study hour begins at 9:00 AM.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Out of Town

Easter 2
April 11, 2010

The Lord be with you

I will be out of town for the next several days and will not be able to post anything on this blog. I leave tomorrow morning at 4:00 AM to go to the Professional Church Workers Conference in Cary, NC. Then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I will be at a Circuit Pastor's retreat. I will be back in action Friday, even though that is my day off. However, with me not being able to do any of my regular duties during the week, Friday must be used for some of them.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Worship for Easter 2

Thursday after Easter
April 8, 2010

The Lord be with you

This past Sunday was not only Easter Sunday, but also the first Sunday in the Easter season. The Easter season lasts until Pentecost Sunday, fifty days after Easter. During this season the altar paraments are white, the Old Testament lessons are replaced with readings from the book of Acts (Easter being worked out in the life of the Church), the Epistle lesson is replaced with a reading from Revelation (Easter fulfilled), the “alleluias,” which have been missing from the liturgy throughout Lent return, and Easter hymns are sung. Our hymnal review committee selected seven Easter hymns in our hymnal that Lamb of God (LCMS) does not know but would be blessed by learning. This Easter season we will learn one, “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free” (473).

The traditional Gospel lesson for the First Sunday after Easter is our Lord’s appearance first to his disciples (minus Thomas) the evening of Easter Sunday, and then again one week later to the disciples with Thomas present (John 20:19-31). Our reading from Acts is chapter 5, verses 12-20. The lesson from Revelation is chapter 1, verses 4-18. The sermon text will be Acts 5:20, and it is titled “This Life.”

We will be using the first setting of the morning service (page 151) and we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Our opening hymn will be “Alleluia, Alleluia! Hearts to Heaven” (477). The sermon hymn, as already mentioned, will be “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free” (473). The distribution hymns will be “O Sons and Daughters of the King” (470), “Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord” (637), and “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice and Sing” (475). Our closing hymn will be “He’s Risen, He’s Risen” (480). Each one of these hymns is well-known, except the one we are just beginning to learn. Each one of these hymns is an Easter hymn, except one of the distribution hymns. In other words, there should be some great singing in the worship service this Sunday.

The nine verse hymn “O Sons and Daughters of the King” is almost always sung on the Second Sunday of Easter. Though it dates back to a Latin hymn written in the 1400’s, it did not make an appearance in Missouri Synod hymnals until Lutheran Worship. Verses 1-3 treat Christ’s appearance to the women at the grave Easter morning. Verse 4 deals with our Lord’s appearance to the Apostles the first Easter evening. Verses 5-8 deals with Jesus’ appearance to the Apostles the next week, when Thomas was present. The final verse is praise of God for Easter. The accent on the two appearances to the Apostles is why this is such a common hymn on the Second Sunday of Easter. Below is a video from YouTube that I found.



The words and music for “He’s Risen, He’s Risen” were written by C.F.W. Wather, the first president of the LC-MS. Therefore I do not know just how well it is known outside our circles. I did, however, find the following video on YouTube of a young man playing this hymn in a worship service. The hymnal is abbreviated “CW,” which I assume stands for “Christian Worship,” so someone outside the LCMS is singing this hymn.



You can hear the melody for each of Sunday's hymns, except “Our Paschal Lamb, That Sets Us Free,” at the Better Noise website (see the link on the side bar). Once again, the reason Better Noise does not have the melody for this hymn is due to copy write laws.

You will want to prepare your hearts for the reception of the Lord’s Supper. Reading Luther’s “Christian Questions with Their Answers” is an excellent way to do this. The questions can be found in most any copy of Luther’s Small Catechism. Luther’s Small Catechism can also be found in Lutheran Worship and Lutheran Service Book, so you can find the questions there if you have a copy of one of those hymnals.

Preview of the Lessons
Acts 5:12-20: The church was growing by leaps and bounds, and so was the jealousy of the Temple leaders. These leaders had some of the apostles arrested, but an angel released them in the middle of the night with orders to continue their preaching.

Revelation 1:4-18: All of Revelation is densely packed with theological truth, and I certainly cannot unpack these verses in a single paragraph! John is exiled on an island named Patmos for his witness to the resurrected Christ when Jesus himself appears to him in resurrected and ascended glory. Though his exile was intended to snuff out his influence, the revelation Jesus gives to the Church through John ensure that the life of the Church continues to be nurtured by the Word of God.

John 20:19-31: As mentioned above, this is a record of two appearances of the resurrected Jesus. These appearances were to but the faith of the Apostles, and us, on solid ground. We also have one of the key passages concerning the Church’s call to forgive sins (John 20:22-23), and another key passage concerning our Great Commission to spread the Gospel (John 20:21). We also have Jesus’ commendation of all who believe in him even though he does not make a personal appearance (John 20:29). John 20:30 is important, even though it is stating the obvious. Jesus did and said much more than what is recorded. (Most of the so called contradictions in the Gospel accounts melt away when we remember this little verse.) Verse 31 is maybe the key verse in John’s Gospel. It gives the reason he wrote. In deed it gives the reason for the Bible; “these [things] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Knowing how tall Jesus was, how he spent his time between ages 12 and 30, and so on, are of no importance in reference to the reason the Bible was written. The Bible is written so that you may have life. This is the same life the Apostles preach about in our Acts lesson and for which John was exiled.

Sunday’s Collect
Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (adapted from Matt 28:7; Heb 2:7; Ps 8:6)
Christ has risen from the dead.
God the Father has crowned him with glory and honor,
He has given him dominion over the works of his hands;
He has put all things under his feet.

Verse (Romans 6:9; John 20:29b)
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Alleluia.

Introit (Psalm 105:1-5, 8; antiphon 1 Peter 2:2-3)
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation—
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered.
He remembers his covenant forever,
the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations.
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.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation—
if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Adult Bible Study
We continue, in our adult Bible class, our series titled Puzzlers and Questions About the Bible. We are in a little sub-series which looks at some “really old laws.” This weeks question is: “Deuteronomy 24:16 says that shall be punished for his own sins. So why were Achan’s sons and daughters stoned to death because of Achan’s sin in Joshua 7:24?” As usual we will find the answer lies in the larger context, instead of “cherry picking” a passage from here and there. Join us at 9:30 AM for the study “Achan’s Apostasy.”

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

White Horse Inn

Wednesday after Easter
April 7, 2010

The Lord be with you

White Horse Inn is a broadcast with the tag line “Know What You Believe and Why You Believe It.” That tag line pretty much sums up their goal. Their web-site says, “We believe that many Christians today are malnourished and misled, due at least in part to the fascination with cultural fads and doctrinal indifference. We hope to enlarge the demand for faithful churches by provoking many Christians to rethink their captivity to a faith and practice distorted by the culture of marketing, consumerism, therapy, and moralism. In short, we want to see a second Reformation”.

Most everything they have done is available at their web site for download, including may radio programs. I bring this up because the White Horse Inn will be in Greenville in just over a week. What follows is information about that visit, and a link to learn more.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

These Last Days: A Christian View of History - PCRT (Greenville, SC)

I (Michael S. Horton) will be joining Joel Beeke, Ligon Duncan, Rick Phillips and Cornelius Venema on April 16 and 17 for the "These Last Days" conference. We will aim to provide biblical clarity on controversial matters, and to help Christians "know what they believe and why they believe it" when it comes to God's plan for all of history. I will be speaking on "The Present Evil Age" and "The Origins of Dispensationalism." (more)

Push-Ups and Doughnuts

Wednesday after Easter
April 7, 2010

The Lord be with you

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States

Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.

"How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time"

"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," said the professor.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.

Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"

Cynthia said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure!" Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"

Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.

Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr. Christianson said, "Look! This is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?"

Steve did ten. Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, "No!" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?"

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut."

Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"

Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone; I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.

When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, pleaded to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten. "

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.

"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not His Only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we receive His gift to us, the price has been paid."

A friend of mine who is involved with the Apple of His Eye ministries sent me this e-mail. I first heard this story many years ago. Whether or not it is true, or a modern parable, I cannot say. (The name of the professor seems rather fortuitous.) I guess I like to think it is true because, back in the day, I could do 200 push-ups. When I was in the Army my drill sergeant had me do as many push-ups as possible. I didn’t make 300, but I sure remember the strain as I pushed to make just one more, got up about half way, and could not finish the last one. Another reason I like this story is that it is such a wonderful illustration of the Gospel.

If you do not understand how this story illustrates the Christian Gospel, please leave a comment on this post and I will be very happy to explain. If you don’t understand, maybe some others who read this post don’t understand as well.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert









Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Easter Pictures

Commemoration of Lucas Cranach and Albrecht Durer, Artists
Tuesday after Easter

A
pril 6,. 2010

The Lord be with you


This past Sunday was Easter, the great celebration of our resurrected Lord. As I expect was true in all
Christian Churches, it was a great day at Lamb of God (LCMS). I thought I’d post a few pictures.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor John Rickert


Cranach and Durer

Commemoration of Lucas Cranach and Albrecht Durer, Artists
April 6, 2010

The Lord be with you

Well, I’ve been busy these past few days, so I have missed a few days posting items. I missed, for example, posting something about the Commemoration of Joseph, Patriarch, for March 31. However I am remembering today’s commemoration. Lucas Cranach (1472-1557) and Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) were both artists. Cranach, a close friend of Martin Luther, was a celebrated painter of portraits and altarpieces and a producer of woodcuts of religious subjects. Durer, a native of Nurnberg, Germany, was one of the most learned of Renaissance, artists and an ardent admirer of Martin Luther. His paintings and woodcuts include examples of the splendor of creation and skilled portrayals of biblical narratives. Both are remembered and honored for the grandeur of their works of art, which depict the glory and majesty and the grace and mercy of the triune God.

Below is a set of portraits done by Cranach, one of Luther and the other of Philipp Melanchthon. The other picture is of the often copied Praying Hands by Durer. The hands were those of a close person friend of Durer who once aspired to be an artist himself, but his hands were rendered unfit for such service by working to put Durer through school.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Rickert









Saturday, April 3, 2010

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday
April 3, 2010

The Lord be with you

Today is Holy Saturday. This is the day our Lord rested in the garden tomb. Tomorrow morning he will burst the chains of death and rise from the grave. As I grew up, the theological significance of Holy Saturday was not explored much in my church. I suspect that was true in most Lutheran churches. I therefore thought that some would appreciate a thought about this day.

Perhaps the chief point about Holy Saturday is that every aspect of our lives was experienced by Christ in order for him to redeem them, to sanctify them. He was conceived, born, baptized, grew-up, died and was buried. His rest in the tomb was the last aspect of his “humiliation,” that is, his complete identification with the human race. It was the last step in him “fulfilling all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) for us. [You may wonder about marriage as Jesus did not marry. However he did experience family life, which is what marriage is all about, and he did sanctify marriage when he went to the marriage feast in Cana (John 2:1-12).] So on Holy Saturday Jesus sanctifies our rest in the grave, the last phase of our sinful earthly life. From our graves we will, like Jesus, rise in resurrection glory on the believers great “Easter” day, the Last Day, when Christ returns.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Friday, April 2, 2010

Go To Dark Gethsemane

Good Friday
April 2, 2010

The Lord be with you

Go to dark Gethsemane,
All who feel the tempter’s pow’r;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see,
Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn from Jesus Christ to pray.

Follow to the judgment hall,
View the Lord of life arraigned;
Oh, the wormwood and the gall!
Oh, the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suff’ring, shame, or loss;
Learn from Him to bear the cross.

Calv’ry’s mournful mountain climb;
There, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time,
God’s own sacrifice complete.
“It is finished!” hear Him cry;
Learn from Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb
Where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom.
Who has taken Him away?
Christ is ris’n! He meets our eyes.
Savior, teach us so to rise.

This great hymn was written by James Montgomery (1771-1854). Wikipedia says of him:
    Montgomery, poet, son of a pastor and missionary of the Moravian Brethren, was born at Irvine in Ayrshire on 4 November 1771, and educated at the Moravian School at Fulneck, near Pudsey in Leeds. He failed school, became an apprentice baker, before settling in Sheffield in March 1792 as clerk to Joseph Gales on the 'Sheffield Register' newspaper. On July 4th 1794 he launched and edited the Sheffield Iris, and was twice imprisoned (in 1795, and again in 1796) for political articles for which he was held responsible. In 1797 he published Prison Amusements; but his first work to attract notice was The Wanderer of Switzerland (1806). It was followed by The West Indies (1809), The World before the Flood (1812), Greenland (1819), and The Pelican Island (1828), all of which contain passages of considerable imaginative and descriptive power, but, according to literary analysts, are lacking in strength and fire. He himself expected that his name would live, if at all, in his hymns, and in this his judgment has proved true. Some of these, such as "For ever with the Lord", "Hail to the Lord's Anointed",his carol, "Angels from the Realms of Glory, and "Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire", are sung wherever the English language is spoken. Probably his best-known poems are the one commemorating Arnold Winkelried and "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief". Montgomery was a good and philanthropic man, the opponent of every form of injustice and oppression, and the friend of every movement for the welfare of the race. His virtues attained wide recognition. From 1835 until his death in 1854 Montgomery lived at The Mount on Glossop Road in Sheffield.
Go To Dark Gethsemane” never fails to move me, like so many hymns used in Lent and Holy Week. This link (click here) will take you to a video of a woman singing the hymn with real feeling. Though it is in a worship service, all are silent, even the children. Unfortunately the video does not end with the soloist. The congregation sings a song, and they certainly are not ready for prime time. I suggest you just stop the video after the soloist is finished.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Worship Notes for Maundy Thursday through Easter

Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday
April 1, 2010

The Lord be with you

This is a very busy week in the Church. It started out with Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion and continues through to Easter Sunday. Some churches have a worship service every day. At Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS) we have worship services on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. We also participate in a Easter Vigil service with the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Greenville on Holy Saturday. Because of this busy schedule these “worship notes” will not follow my standard format. Instead I will describe each of the special services in more general terms (not counting Palm Sunday).

Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday
It was in the evening of Maundy Thursday that Jesus ate his last meal before his arrest. It was a Passover meal with his disciples. This service commemorates that meal. Matthew, Mark, and Luke give the bare bones of the meal, focusing on the chief part, the institution of the Lord’s Supper. John, who wrote his Gospel decades later, supplements the first three Gospels by providing much of what Jesus taught that evening that the first three Gospels glossed over. The very name “Maundy” comes from John’s Gospel. The word is from Latin and means “command.” In John 13:34 Jesus gives us a new “command,” to love one another. During the evening Jesus also washed the feet of the disciples (again recorded only in John’s Gospel), so churches often include a foot washing ceremony in a Maundy Thursday service. The service is a somber one, often not having preludes and postludes, the pastor not giving customary greetings, and the like. At the conclusion of many Maundy Thursday services the altar is “stripped.” This means that all the chancel appointments are removed. This ancient custom reminds us of the humiliation of Jesus at the hands of the soldiers, who stripped and beat him. Finally, Maundy Thursday services do not end with the customary benediction. That is because it is considered the beginning of a worship service that lasts until Easter Sunday. In the days of Saint Augustine the worship service actually continued from Maundy Thursday evening until Easter morning. People would leave to sleep or eat, but would return and rejoin the congregation. So from Maundy Thursday until Easter, whether or not you are in the church building, we are encouraged to think of ourselves as worshiping God. At Lamb of God we will receive the Lord’s Supper and the altar will be stripped. There will be no benediction and the congregation will leave in silence. Our evening service begins at 7:00 PM.

Good Friday
Good Friday encompasses everything after Jesus left the upper room where he celebrated the Passover through his burial. That includes his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, his arrest, the falling away of his disciples and the explicate denial of Peter, the abuse of Jesus, the mock trial and conviction of our Lord, the death of Judas, the crucifixion, our Lord’s last words from the cross, his death and burial in a borrowed tomb. Quite obviously there is a lot to choose from when crafting a worship service. Because the Jews considered the new day as starting at sundown, from a Jewish point-of-view, Jesus also established Communion on Friday. You can see why the church in Augustine’s time was able to conduct a continuous service from Thursday evening to Easter Sunday morning! Churches today must pick and choose from the many themes. At Lamb of God our service will begin with a large wooden cross being brought in. Later in the service the congregation will be encouraged to write some sin on a piece of paper and nail it to the cross. This same cross will be used Easter Sunday, with the sins stripped off and destroyed, just as the cross of Christ destroys the penalty we deserve for our sins. Our worship will end with a Tenebrae service (Service of Darkness). Each of the final words of Christ is read, there will be a short meditation on each word, and then a candle in the “hearse” will be extinguished. The lights in the nave are also dimmed as the candles are put out so eventually the sanctuary is in near darkness. The waning light symbolizes the increasing isolation of Jesus throughout the Passion story, until even the Father himself turned his face from our Lord. The very last symbolic act is when the Christ Candle (which is still lit) is removed from the darkened sanctuary, representing the burial of Jesus. A loud noise is made, representing the closing of the tomb. Then the candle is returned, representing the promise that Jesus will rise on Easter Sunday. Again there is no final blessing and the congregation leaves in silence. The service begins at 7:00 PM. Lamb of God will also have a Prayer Vigil from noon to three o’clock, the hours of darkness when Jesus was on the cross.

Holy Saturday/The Great Easter Vigil
Our Easter Vigil service lasts about an hour and a half, and that is with over half of the traditional service cut out! We begin with the lighting of “new” fire, outside. From this all other candles will be lit. The fire represents the Holy Spirit (who came with fire on Pentecost), the love of God that burns in us, and the passionate yearning for Easter. Everyone processes into the sanctuary where various readings from the Old Testament, all pointing to Christ in some way, are read. The scripture lessons conclude at the end of the service with the resurrection account as found in the Gospel of Mark. We often also have baptisms. There is a lot of singing, chanting, and praying. Rev. Steve Saxe, who designs this service each year, also burns some incense in the sanctuary prior to the arrival of the worshipers, so there is a special aroma that goes with the service (this is the only time in the year he does that). This is a powerful service that focuses us on the continuity of God’s grace throughout time and culminating in our Lord Jesus Christ. The service begins at 8:00 PM.

Easter Sunday
This is the day the entire Church Year is centered on. Christ’s victory is made manifest. Churches around the world will be pulling out all the stops. All-time favorite hymns will be sung with enthusiasm, choirs will be doing their very best, special musicians will assist, and who knows what else. If all days of the year became a dull, lifeless, grey, drudgery, Easter would stand as a brick wall against the trend and remain a day of joy and celebration. Many churches, like Lamb of God, will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. The word “alleluia,” that has been absent from our worship services during Lent, returns. One of the traditions we observe at Lamb of God is a “Resurrection Cross” or “Easter Cross.” The cross we nailed our “sins” to on Good Friday is returned and placed in the nave of the church building. People bring fresh cut flowers and decorate the cross. This represents the new life we have because of the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Now I’m not one to easily cancel Bible study, but on Easter we have breakfast, cooked and serviced by the men of the congregation, instead of the Bible study. (Actually, it is a nice “break” in all the preparation work I do.) We also have an Easter Egg hunt for the children. The Easter Egg is a symbol of the resurrection. As a new life comes from the “tomb” of the egg, so Christ came to life and left his tomb. We too will rise from our tombs on the Last Day, and those who have had faith in Christ will join him in Glory for eternity. Breakfast begins at 9:00 AM, the Easter Egg hunt at 9:30 (or so) and our worship service at 10:30.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert