Rev. Rickert - A Lutheran in SC

Worship for Epiphany 5 - 2012

2012-02-01T22:39:00.001-05:00

Wednesday after Epiphany 4
February 1, 2012

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. It is also the commemoration of Jacob (Israel), Patriarch. For our liturgy we will be using the Service of Prayer and Preaching (page 260 in the hymnal). The appointed lessons for the day are Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-27, and Mark 1:29-39. The appointed Psalm is Psalm 147:1-11, and the antiphon is verse 5. Our hymns will be “Within the Father’s House” (LSB 410), “I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus” (LSB 729), and “All Depends on Our Possessing” (LSB 732). The sermon text will be Isaiah 40:21 and the sermon is titled “Ignorance is Bliss?”

In our prayers Sunday we will remember the Japan Lutheran Church (JLC) and their President, Rev. Yutaka Kumei. We will remember Jack and Cathy Carlos, missionaries in Guinea West Africa. We will remember the persecuted believers in China and our sister congregations: St. John, York, PA; Abiding Savior, Anderson, SC; Greenwood, Greenwood, SC; Emmanuel, Rock Hill, SC; Risen Christ, Myrtle Beach, SC. We remember the orphans in Haiti that our youth are seeking to help. We also will continue to remember those who are trapped by the modern practice of slavery, and those who have fallen victim to our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality.

The video below is of our sermon hymn, “I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,” sung by the “Lutheran Warbler.”

Our adult Bible class meets at 9:00 Sunday morning. This Sunday we will pick up at Matthew 13:24. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Isaiah 40:21-31: God is great, the creator of all things. Don’t be a dumb bunny and ignore this basic reality. Instead, trust in the Lord and you will find he provides amazing resources of life, both here and hereafter. Trust me, Isaiah says it much better! This reading is the text for Sunday’s sermon, so I say no more.

1 Corinthians 9:16-27: This reading follows right on the heals of Paul writing about how ministers have a right to be paid for their services. He then shares that he has not exercised that right. His reason is to be more effective in reaching others with the Gospel. He explains then how he is always judging his actions by that one goal, seeing people converted. Paul knows that we all have “rights” as well. We have the “right” to eat meat. We have the “right” to drink a glass of wine. We have the “right” to work on Sunday. We call this Christian Liberty. However there are many who do not know about such things. So Paul is always looking at others, asking if his behavior might be a stumbling block to them. The very Gospel is a stumbling block, and he will not give that up. But why should the way we dress or some other trivial thing stand in the way of hearing the Gospel? It certainly can be a fine line to walk. However, what a blessed reward, a share in the blessings of the Gospel. This is an imperishable treasure. The things we run after in this life are all fleeting. What we receive at the resurrection on the Last Day will be eternal. Paul wants that to motivate us.

Mark 1:29-39: In his typical breakneck speed, Mark quickly covers Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law, then a multitude of people, casting out demons, and preaching. Jesus then slips out of town for private prayer. When his disciples fine him, telling him that the whole town was looking for him, Jesus responds by telling the disciples it was time to move on to other towns. The big point is to look at Jesus. Who is it that can do such wondrous things? It is none other than the Son of God, which Mark told us he was writing about in verse one.

Tidbits

• The Super Bowl will be this coming Sunday. It is such a big deal in the USA that they even put it in my appointment book I get from the denomination. In recognition of this American obsession, nothing is scheduled tomorrow after the worship service. However …

• Our Elders meet Monday;

• Our Cub Scout Pack meets Tuesday;

• Our Junior Confirmation Class meets Wednesday;

• and our Women’s Bible Fellowship meets Wednesday as well.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

John Chrysostom, Preacher - 2012

2012-01-27T21:06:00.003-05:00

Commemoration of John Chrysostom, Preacher
January 27, 2012

The Lord be with you

Chrysostom was not John’s last name, not really. It is Greek for “golden-mouthed.” That is what first his parishioners called him, and soon so did everyone else. St. John Chrysostom was a dominant force in the fourth-century Christian Church. Born in Antioch around 347 AD, John was instructed in the Christian faith by his pious mother, Anthusa. After serving in a number of Christian offices, including acolyte and lector, John was ordained a presbyter and given preaching responsibilities. His simple but direct messages found an audience well beyond his hometown. In 395 AD, John Chrysostom was made patriarch of Constantinople. His determination to reform the church court, and city brought him into conflict with established authorities. Eventually he was exiled from his adopted city. Although removed from his parishes and people, he continued writing and preaching until the time of his death in 407 AD. It is reported that his final words were “Glory be to God for all things! Amen.”

The best way I know how to let you know what his preaching and writing were like is to give you a sample.

“He gave Himself a ransom,” he said, how then was He delivered up by the Father? Because it was of His goodness. And what does “ransom” mean? God was about to punish them, but He did not do it. They were about to perish, but in their stead He gave His own Son and sent us as heralds to proclaim the cross. These things are sufficient to attract all and to demonstrate the love of Christ. So truly, so inexpressibly great are the benefits that God has bestowed upon us. He sacrificed Himself for His enemies, who hated and rejected Him. What no one would do for friends, for brothers, for children, that the Lord has done for His servants; a Lord not Himself such a one as His servants, but God for men, for men not deserving. For had they been deserving, had they done His pleasure, it would have been less wonderful. But that He died for such ungrateful, such obstinate creatures, this t is which strikes every mind with amazement. For what men would not do for their fellow men, that has God done for us!Prayer: O God, You gave to Your servant John Chrysostom grace to proclaim the Gospel with eloquence and power. As bishop of the great congregations of Antioch and Constantinople, he fearlessly bore reproach for the honor of Your name. Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellence in preaching and fidelity in ministering Your Word that Your people shall be partakers of the divine nature; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor

Worship for Epiphany 4 - 2012

2012-01-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor
January 26, 2012

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. For our liturgy we will be using Morning Prayer, which begins on page 235 of the hymnal. Morning Prayer is a non-communion service. This service uses the appointed Psalm instead of the appointed Introit for the Day. It will be Psalm 111. The antiphon will be verse 3. The appointed lessons for the day are: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28. Our opening hymn will be “Within the Father’s House” (LSB 410). The sermon hymn will be “O Bless the Lord, My Soul” (LSB 814). Our closing hymn will be “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” (LSB 528).The text for the sermon is Mark 1:22, taken from our Gospel lesson. The title is “Greater Than Moses.”

In our Prayers we will be remembering the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC) and their president, Rev. J. Samuel, President. We will also be remembering the missionaries Jack and Cathy Carlos, who are serving in Guinea West Africa. They have specifically asked that we pray: that Jack and Cathy will learn the necessary health care education skills to benefit the Maninka people, that they will be able to learn the French and Maninka languages, and that the relationships they build with the Maninka will result in the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. We are also asked to remember their children, Raymond and Hannah, who will remain in the United States attending school. We will remember the persecuted Church in Chiapas, Mexico. We will remember the following congregations: Concordia, Wilmington, DE; St. Paul’s, Columbia, PA; St. John, York, PA; Good Shepherd, York, PA; Holy Lamb, Myrtle Beach, SC. As is our practice, we will again remember the orphans in Haiti that our youth are seeking to help; those who are trapped by the modern practice of slavery; and those who have fallen victim to our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality.

The video below is of someone playing “O Bless the Lord, My Soul.” No singing or lyrics. This will be our sermon hymn.

Our adult Bible class this coming Sunday should finish Matthew 11, and maybe even make it into Matthew 12. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Deuteronomy 18:15-20: In trying to give the Junior Confirmation Class a handle on the different book in the Bible I tell them that Deuteronomy is “five long sermons.” A reading like this one points up just how inadequate a description that is. Here Moses reminds the people of an incident that happened while the people were at Mount Horeb. There the people expressed a desire to have a mediator, a prophet, so they would not have to face God directly. God recognized this as a reasonable request. God promised to send a prophet like Moses, that is to say, a descendant of Abraham. To that prophet the people should listen to as if they were listening to God himself. Throughout the centuries the Israelites/Jews speculated as to who this “prophet” might be. As it turns out, those who identified the “prophet” as the Messiah were correct. Jesus is the fulfillment of this Old Testament prophecy. All the prophets that came between Moses and Jesus were a foreshadowing of Jesus, the Prophet who was like Moses, but greater than he.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13: It has been said, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” When it comes to our Christian lives, that is certainly true. For the believer, all must be tempered with Christian love. In this reading, Paul shows how something that is perfectly all right can, given the right circumstances, be sinful. How do we know what to do? The way to answer that question is to ask, “What is the loving thing to do.” Will my actions build a fellow believer up, or might it cause them to stumble in the Faith? It is better to give up your liberty than to cause someone to stumble in the faith.

Mark 1:21-28: Mark is such a fun Gospel to read. Everything happens so fast. In this short reading the English Standard Version of the Bible has the word “immediately” twice and also the phrase “and at once,” meaning the same thing as “immediately.” In this lesson, 1) Jesus goes to church and becomes the guest teacher; 2) the people are astonished at his teaching; 3) Jesus drives out a demon from some poor man; 4) the people are even more amazed and really begin to ask who Jesus is; 5) “and at once” his fame spread everywhere. Who is Jesus? Even the demons know. He is the “Holy One of God.” By the end of Mark’s Gospel, all his readers should know this as well. However we will not have the same fear of the demons, eternal damnation, for Mark wants our knowledge to be the knowledge of faith, which grants eternal life.

Tidbits

• Our prayers are with King Moore, whose wife went to be with the Lord this morning.

• Saturday Kitty and I will be in Irmo representing Lamb of God at our Circuit Forum.

• As usual, our Cub Scout pack will meet on Tuesday and our Junior Confirmation class will meet on Wednesday

• The office will be closed this coming Thursday as Pastor will be at his supervision group meeting for Gardner-Webb.

• On Friday our Cub Scout pack will be visiting a local radio station.

• Thursday, February 2, is The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord. Sunday, February 5 is the commemoration of Jacob (Israel), Patriarch.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. Titus - 2012

2012-01-26T12:45:00.001-05:00

St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor
January 26, 2012

The Lord be with you

Today is the festival of St. Titus, Pastor and Confession. Technically this is a memorial day on our liturgical calendar (like the Conversion of St. Paul). Memorial days are not intended to change your regular Sunday morning worship service (like say Christmas or Easter does). Instead, they are remembered in the Church’s prayer. Other propers are often assigned by different denominations, in case you wish to focus even more on the biblical themes the specific event or person presents to us today.

St. Titus, like Timothy with whom he is often associated, was a friend and co-worker of St. Pau8l. Titus was a Gentile, perhaps a native of Antioch, who accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem when they brought assistance to the Christians in Judea during a famine (Acts 11:29-30; Galatians 2:1). It is not known if he accompanied Paul on his first or second missionary journeys, but Titus was with him on the third one, when he helped reconcile the Corinthians to Paul (2 Corinthians 7:6-7) and assisted with the collection for the Church in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:3-6). It was probably on the return to Jerusalem that Paul left Titus in Crete (Titus 1:4-5). Afterward he is found working in Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10). According to tradition, Titus returned to Crete, where he served as bishop until he died about 96 AD.

Prayer: Almighty God, You called Titus to the work of pastor and teacher. Make all shepherds of Your flock diligent in preaching Your holy Word so that the whole world may know the immeasurable riches of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor

Converstion of St. Paul - 2012

2012-01-26T12:15:00.004-05:00

January 26, 2012

The Lord be with you

Yesterday, the 25th, was the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on our liturgical calendar. Unfortunately, I did not post anything about it yesterday. So I am going to post something today.

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

Saul, the persecutor of Christians, became Paul, the “fool for Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:16-17). He who had set out to destroy the Church spent his life building and extending it.

For those who like historical details, the day seems to have first been celebrated in “Gaul” (France), but didn’t really start spreading until the 12th century. It never did catch on in Eastern “Orthodox” churches.

Prayer: O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul, you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world; Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor

Worship for Epiphany 3 - 2012

2012-01-19T14:02:00.002-05:00

Thursday in the week of the Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 19, 2012

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. For our liturgy we will be using the First Setting of the Divine Service (page 151). (I know we have used the terminology “Divine Service” since the introduction of Lutheran Worship back in 1982, but it still sounds pompous to me. I still prefer “Morning Service,” as the main service was called in The Lutheran Hymnal. Oh well, I guess I just need to get over it.) This is one of the “Cathedral” services in our hymnal. These services (all called “divine” in our hymnal) that come to us from the cathedral services which developed throughout Europe. They are designed with the idea that the laity will be attending (unlike the “monastic” services, like Matins). As such, they are communion services, and we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper Sunday.

The Epiphany season will be reflected in our opening hymn (“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,” LSB 411), sermon hymn (“O Savior of Our Fallen Race,” LSB 403), and the first of our distribution hymns (“O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright,” LSB 395). Our second distribution hymn is a favorite communion hymn, “Eat This Bread,” LSB 638. Our final distribution hymn (“I Love Your Kingdom, Lord,” LSB 651) and our closing hymn (“Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing,” LSB 737) each reflect the sermon to some degree (as does the sermon hymn, it just also happens to be an Epiphany hymn). .

The appointed lessons for Sunday are: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-35; Mark 1:14-20. We will be using Mark a lot this year for our Gospel lessons. The sermon text is Mark 1:15. The sermon is titled “The Kingdom of God.”

In our prayers Sunday we will remember The Lutheran Church - Hong Kong Synod (LCHKS) along with its President, Rev. Dr. Allan Yung. We will also remember Tony and Constance Booker, missionaries in the Czech Republic. We will remember the persecuted believers in Burma (Myanmar) and our sister congregations: Our Redeemer, Newark, DE; Our Savior, Rehoboth Beach, DE; Christ, Seaford, DE; Peace, Smyrna; DE; Mt. Olive, Irmo, SC. We will also remember the orphans in Haiti that our youth are seeking to help. We also will continue to remember those who are trapped by the modern practice of slavery, and those who have fallen victim to our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality.

The video below is of our opening hymn, “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light.” It has the words and some beautiful photographs.

Our adult Bible class meets at 9:00 Sunday morning. This Sunday we will pick up at Matthew 12:33. I’m hoping we will get through verse 42, which includes the sign of Jonah. That is because our Old Testament lesson for Sunday comes from the book of Jonah. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Jonah 3:1-5, 10: Jonah is a book that is best known for the prophet being swallowed by a great fish, only to be regurgitated three days later. I have no desire to get into the debate about whether or not such a thing happened to Jonah. However, it is true that people, in modern times, have had similar experiences without having a call from God to go preach repentance to some foreign nation. Therefore, there is no reason in nature to discredit the account. Our lesson for Sunday comes immediately after Jonah is vomited out upon dry land. His call to go to Nineveh is renewed. Jonah goes and proclaims God’s message of judgment. The people of Nineveh, an enemy of Israel, repent. Upon repenting God calls off the destruction of the city. To me, one of the biggest themes of Jonah is that God’s grace in Christ Jesus is for all people. Tied to that is our call to go to all nations and make disciples of Christ by baptizing and teaching. So we have two main messages: (1) Christ is for all people and, (2) his Church is his messenger. Of course Jesus uses chapters one and two, in a typological way, as pointing to his death and resurrection. This understanding you would probably not get just by reading Jonah (which is only four chapters long). However, with the insight provided us by our Lord, we also find in this book a very important typological presentation of our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice and victory.

1 Corinthians 7:29-35: Most of this passage is easy enough to understand. We are living in the Last Days (Hebrews 1:1-2). We should, therefore, live with “undivided devotion to the Lord” (35). Paul has some recommendations about how this might be accomplished, but clearly says “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you,” meaning this is not a command from the Lord but just how Paul sees things. All of us who are married can relate to his observations. Married men are (or should be) concerned about the welfare of their wives, and vise versa. This is how the Lord wants it. However it does take time away from other things you might be doing. The tricky part of translating this passage is found in verse 7. The ESV reads “the appointed time has grown very short.” Paul is talking about this present age and how long until the Second Coming. The phrase “grown very short” is two words in Greek. One of them is the word “is.” The other one is in the perfect tense, which is used for something that has been accomplished. While the ESV translation is possible, so is a translation like “has been shortened.” I prefer this second way because it does not imply that Paul was expecting the Second Coming at any moment. What Paul is saying is that we should live realizing that the time we, indeed the world, has is limited. Some have aptly used an analogy to the terminally ill. The person who knows his remaining time is limited has a changed perspective. He sees, hears, and values everything in a new way.

Mark 1:14-20: Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the four canonical Gospels. In it everything seems to happen fast. This lesson covers the calling of our Lord’s first disciples. It happens after Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (verses 12-13) and the arrest of John the Baptist (the first halve of verse 14). Boom, boom, and Jesus is calling Peter, Andrew, James and John. There is no hint that these men even knew about Jesus before he calls them, yet they leave their work and follow Jesus. This accents the power of Christ’s calling word. What was Jesus doing during these early days? Mark says he was, “proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the gospel’” (14b-15). These verses form the text for Sunday’s sermon.

Tidbits

• Information for the February newsletter is due Sunday. You can put it in Kitty’s box, hand it to her, or e-mail it to her.

• The Evangelism Committee will get together Sunday for lunch and their regular meeting. Part of what they will be planning is our upcoming “Game Day” (February 11). They will also be planning ways to get the word out about our upcoming Lenten services which will feature a look at the Stations of the Cross. Lent, after all, begins Ash Wednesday, February 22.

• Tomorrow is the Commemoration of Sarah. Look for a post about her on this bolg tomorrow. Next week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the Church also has special commemorations (St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor; the Conversion of St. Paul; St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor; John Chrysostom, Preacher). Come to this blog each of these days and you will find a post for each one of them.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Confession of St. Peter - 2012

2012-01-18T22:08:00.002-05:00

Confession of St. Peter
January 18, 2012

The Lord be with you

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

(Treasury of Daily Prayer, Concordia Publishing House, slightly adapted)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Epiphany 2 - 2012

2012-01-12T12:41:00.002-05:00

Thursday after the Baptism of Our Lord
January 12, 2012

The Lord be with you

For those who come to this blog regularly, you will know that the worship notes have not been posted for the last two weeks. That is because I have been on vacation. What does a pastor do on vacation? Well, I spent most of my time working on what Lamb of God will be doing this upcoming Lenten season. It was still a vacation because I vacated my home. Sometimes I even do more typical things on my vacation, like sight seeing or visiting friends and family. But I’m back now, and so are the worship notes.

Epiphany was back on Friday, January 6, so we are now in the season of Epiphany. There can be up to nine Sundays in Epiphany. Just how long it is depends on the date of Easter. This year Easter is a little early, April 8. That means that Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent and therefore the end of Epiphany) is also a little early, February 22. So we will have seven Sundays in Epiphany. The first Sunday in Epiphany is always the Baptism of Our Lord and the Last Sunday in Epiphany is always the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This should give you an idea of the focus of the season. This man Jesus is, in reality, God in the flesh.

This coming Sunday is the Second after the Epiphany. For our liturgy we will be using the service of Matins (page 219). This is one of the services we use that uses the appointed Psalm instead of the appointed Introit for the day. This week's appointed Psalm is Psalm 139:1-10. The antiphon is verse 14. Matins is a non-communion service, having been born in the monasteries. The appointed lessons are: 1 Samuel 3:1-20; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51. Our hymns will be “O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright” (LSB 874), “All Christians Who Have Been Baptized” (LSB 596), and “Arise and Shine in Splendor,” (LSB 396). “O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright” is a new hymn for Lamb of God, so we will be singing it a couple of weeks in a row. The sermon is titled “Your Call” and the text is John 1:43.

In our prayers Sunday we will remember the China Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC) (Taiwan ROC) along with its President, Rev. Andrew Miao. We will also remember Tony and Constance Booker, missionaries in the Czech Republic. We will remember the persecuted believers in Brunei and our sister congregations: Concordia, Upper Marlboro, MD; Peace in Christ, Walkersville, MD; Faith, Bear, DE; St John’s, Dover, DE; Island, Hilton Head Island, SC. We will also remember the orphans in Haiti that our youth are seeking to help. Each Sunday at Lamb of God we also remember those who are trapped by the modern practice of slavery, and those who have fallen victim to our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality.

The video below is a gentleman playing “All Christians Who Have Been Baptized” on a trombone. Over the years I’ve dabbled at playing some musical instruments, trumpet, piano, and guitar. All these instruments have something in common. You really can’t be close to your note. You either hit it, or you don’t. With some instruments, like violins or trombones, you can be close but not on the money. I’ve always been a little in awe of such musicians. The trombonist stops his slide at just the right spot. The violinist places his finger in just the right place. It is kind of cool. At any rate, Bob does a good job.

Boy it seems like forever since the last time our adult Bible class met. That is what happens when you have off two Sundays in a row. At any rate, we will meet again this coming Sunday. We are in Matthew 12 and we will pick up either at Matthew 12:9 or 14. I’m sure the class will help me remember. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

1 Samuel 3:1-20: The book of 1 Samuel deals with a time of transition for Israel. At the beginning of the book Israel is a loose association of tribes where “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The main religious and political figures that gave these tribes some unity were called Judges and/or Prophets. By the end of 1 Samuel these tribes have become a kingdom, complete with a king. An interesting way to read the book is to be aware of all the vows/oaths/promises that are made. Ask yourself such questions like: How important are they? How does God view them? Sunday’s reading has the first vow/oath/promise in the book.

The reading for Sunday tells the story of the birth of Samuel, the last great Judge before the rise of Israel as a kingdom. He actually anointed both King Saul and King David. This story has clear overtones of the New Testament births of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus. In each case a woman who could not bear a child, received a child by the promise of the Lord. This is another worthwhile way to read, not only this book but the entire Old Testament. Ask yourself, “How does this relate to the New Testament?”

1 Corinthians 6:12-20: This lesson has two thrusts. The first is Christian Freedom. The second is application. Paul sums it up in verse 12. “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything.” Luther summed it up this way: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject of all, subject to all.” One application of this principle Paul presents deals with food. That may seem odd to us, but it was a big deal in his day. The Jewish Christians had grown up with all kinds of dietary rules. The Gentile Christians didn’t, however they had grown up the idea that eating the meat of animals that had been sacrificed to idols was the same thing as participating in the worship of the idols. Jewish believers had no problem eating such meat, which was cheaper, because idols represented nothing. Gentile believers had no problem eating pork, because they didn’t grow up with the diet restriction of the Jews. Paul says that it is okay to eat anything in and of itself, but it is wrong to eat anything if it causes a fellow believer to stumble. The next application comes with sexual immorality. The problem with this should be more obvious. It is distressing that our culture has so influenced believers in America that sexual immorality not only is not rejected, but some denominations even endorse it. Paul reminds us, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (19-20). Compassionate and moral Christian living flows directly from the sacrifice of Jesus. How we live reflects just how important his sacrifice is to us.

John 1:43-51: This is the account of the call of Philip and Nathanael. Jesus finds Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” On the word of Christ alone, Philip does. Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael is skeptical, to say the least, but Philip manages to bring him. Jesus shares some information with Nathanael, about Nathanael, which would be humanly impossible for Jesus to know. Nathanael confesses faith in Jesus as "the Son of God." Jesus basically says that what Nathanael has witness is small potatoes. He will see something far greater. In somewhat guarded phrasing, Jesus says Nathanael will see the joining of heaven and earth, that is, the redemption of humanity, which is accomplished on the cross. The power of Christ’s word in calling Philip, the knowledge about Nathanael, the knowledge of the future, all point to Jesus as exactly who Nathanael confessed him to be, “the Son of God.” This is the theme of Epiphany.

Tidbits

• The Church Council is scheduled to meet Sunday after the worship service..

• The Greek Club will meet Monday morning at 8:30.

• Monday is also the observation of Martin Luther King Jr, so banks and some other business will be closed. This shows-up a difference between the dates the Church assigns to commemorate someone, and the dates the culture assigns. January 15 was picked for Martin Luther King Jr. because he was born on that date. The Church will typically choose the day the person dies. For this reason the Episcopalians and Methodists, who have included King on their liturgical calendars, have his commemoration on April 4, the anniversary of his death. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also commemorates King, but has adopted the date of his birth, just like our culture.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Epiphany

2012-01-06T10:37:00.007-05:00

Epiphany
January 6, 2012

The Lord be with you

Today is Epiphany. The lead article for this month’s newsletter is about this day and I will not repeat myself in this post. Instead I’ll add a few different notes, more like Epiphany trivia. You may read the newsletter article by clicking

HERE.

The first two festivals the Early Church recognized and celebrated each year were Easter and Pentecost. These took root in the first century. The first reference we have to Epiphany comes from second century Egypt, making it the third-oldest annual celebration of the Christian Church.

One of the themes associated with this day is the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. This story is recorded only in Matthew. The Excerpta et Collecteana, associated with the Venerable Bede (672/673—735), gives the number of the Magi as three and supplies their names as well as a fanciful description of each and a symbolic interpretation of the gifts they brought.

The Magi were the ones who gave gifts to the Lord. The first is said to have been Melchoir, an old man with white hair and a long beard … who offered gold to the Lord as king. The second, named Gaspar [or Caspar or Kaspar], young and beardless and ruddy-complexioned … honored him as God by his gift of incense, an offering worthy of divinity. The third, black-skinned and heavily bearded, called Balthasar … by his gift of myrrh testified to the Son of Man who was to die.Down to this very day Bede’s description has influenced the portrayal of the Magi.

Because Matthew’s account of this visit mentions that the Magi “entered the house” where the Holy Family were living, the tradition of blessing homes on Epiphany arose. As a sign of the blessing, three initials representing the traditional names of the Magi (K for Kaspar, M for Melchoir, and B for Balthasar) were marked with chalk over the doors of the blessed house. Each initial was preceded by a cross (+) signifying “holy” or “saint.” The year the home was blessed was divided in half and placed on each side of the initials. So a home blessed this year would have marked in chalk above the door: 20 + K + M + B 12. The letters also became associated with the Latin Christus mansionem benedicat (Christ bless this house).

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Wilhelm Loehe, Pastor

2012-01-02T10:33:00.003-05:00

Commemoration of J.K. Wilhelm Loehe, Pastor
Ninth Day of Christmas
January 2, 2012

The Lord be with you

Today is the Commemoration of J.K. Wilhelm Loehe, Pastor. This is another new commemoration on the LC-MS calendar. Although he never left Germany, Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe, born in Fuerth in 1808, had a profound impact on the development of Lutheranism in North America. Serving as pastor in the Bavarian village of Neuendettelsau, he recognized the need for workers in developing lands and assisted in training emergency helpers to be sent as missionary pastors to North America, Brazil, and Australia. A number of the men he sent to the United States became founders of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. (There were three major contributing groups, the Saxons, the Loehe men, and some Lutherans in Texas.) Through Loehe’s financial support, a theological school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and a teachers’ institute in Saginaw, Michigan, were established. Loehe was known for his confessional integrity and his interest in liturgy and catechetics. His devotion to works of Christian charity led to the establishment of a deaconess training house and homes for the aged.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Circumcision and Name of Jesus - 2012

2012-01-01T20:09:00.003-05:00

The Circumcision and Name of Jesus
The Eighth Day of Christmas
January 1, 2012
(New Years Day)

The Lord be with you

For those who use the Gregorian calendar (all “western” countries that I know of) today marks the beginning of a new year. However, in reference to the Church Year, the new year began with the First Sunday in Advent. Today, eight days after we have celebrated the birth of Jesus, we naturally celebrate his circumcision and naming. In Jewish circles, baby boys were circumcised and given their names on the eighth day, and Jesus was a Jew.

Both our Lord’s circumcision and his name are related, for both tell of his mission as Savior. His circumcision was the first shedding of his blood, a foretaste of the cross where he earned our salvation. The name of Jesus means “Savior” as the angel said: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). In the circumcision of Jesus, all people are circumcised once and for all, because He represents all humanity. In the Old Testament, for the believers who looked to God’s promise to be fulfilled in the Messiah, the benefits of circumcision included the forgiveness of sins, justification, and incorporation into the people of God. In the New Testament, St. Paul speaks of its counterpart, Holy Baptism, as a “circumcision made without hands” and as “the circumcision of Christ” (Colossians 2:11).

Appropriate prayers for this day include for a deeper devotion to our Lord and a greater reliance on his saving power; for the cleansing of God’s people from sin; for reverence for the holy name of Jesus; for God’s blessing on the new year.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

David

2011-12-30T18:12:00.003-05:00

December 30, 2011
The Sixth Day of Christmas

The Lord be with you

Yesterday (and today as far as that goes) I have been absorbed in a writing project for the D.Min. degree I’m working on. It is my project proposal. What this means is that I utterly forgot to post something yesterday, which was the Commemoration of David on the LC-MS calendar. This is another day added with the adoption of the Lutheran Service Book. I thought I’d put something up today under the general rubric “better late than never.”

David, the greatest of Israel’s kings, ruled from about 1010 to 970 BC. The events of his life are found in 1 Samuel 16 through 1 Kings 2 and in 1 Chronicles 10-29. David was also gifted musically. He was skilled in playing the lyre and the author of no fewer than seventy-three psalms, including the beloved Psalm 23. His public and private character displayed a mixture of good (for example, his defeat of the giant Goliath [1 Samuel 17]) and evil (as in his adultery with Uriah’s wife, followed by his murder of Uriah [2 Samuel 11]) David’s greatness lay in his fierce loyalty to God as Israel’s military and political leader, coupled with his willingness to acknowledge his sins and ask for God’s forgiveness (2 Samuel 12; see Psalm 51). It was under David’s leadership that the people of Israel were united into a single nation with Jerusalem as its capital city.

Appropriate prayers include a repentant heart, for loyalty to the Lord, for our political leaders and the political leaders of the world, for peace in the Middle East.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

The Holy Innocents, Martyrs - 2011

2011-12-28T10:04:00.003-05:00

Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Fourth Day of Christmas
December 28, 2011

The Lord be with you

Today is the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs, also called the “Slaughter of the Holy Innocents” sometimes. This event is recorded only in the Gospel of Matthew. He tells of King Herod’s vicious plot against the infant Jesus after being “tricked” by the Wise Men. Feeling threatened by the one “born King of the Jews,” Herod murdered all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or younger (Matthew 2:16-18). These “innocents,” commemorated just three days after the celebration of Jesus’ birth, remind us not only of the terrible brutality of which human beings are capable but more significantly of the persecution Jesus endured from the beginning of His earthly life. Although Jesus’ life was providentially spared at this time, many years later, another ruler, Pontius Pilate, would sentence the innocent Jesus to death.

The celebration of this day first appeared in North Africa in the third century, making it one of the oldest dates observed. If the Church was interested in a strict chronological reliving of the life of Jesus, this day would be celebrated after Epiphany (which in part remembers the visit of the Wise Men). However the Calendar is more about proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom that has begun in Christ and will be completed in the future.

Appropriate prayers for today include repentance for our national sin of legal abortion; for children; for sensitivity to the suffering of others; for courage to resist oppression and to share the lot of the oppressed; for repentance for brutality and repression, especially that committed in the name of the Holy Child Jesus; for all who are oppressed for the sake of the Gospel.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

2011-12-27T12:28:00.004-05:00

Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
Third Day of Christmas
December 27, 2011

The Lord be with you

Today is the Feast Day of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. St. John was a son of Zebedee and brother of James the elder (whose festival day is July 25). John was among the first disciples to be called by Jesus (Matthew 4:18-22) and became known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” as he refers to himself in the Gospel that bears his name (e.g., John 21:20). Of the Twelve, John alone did not forsake Jesus in the hours of His suffering and death. With the faithful women, he stood at the cross, where our Lord made him the guardian of His mother. After Pentecost, John spent his ministry in Jerusalem and at Ephesus, where tradition says he was bishop. He wrote the fourth Gospel, the three Epistles that bear his name, and the book of Revelation. Especially memorable in his Gospel are the account of the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12), the “Gospel in a nutshell” (John 3:16), Jesus’ saying about the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-16), the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11), and Jesus’ encounter with Mary Magdalene on Easter morning (John 20:11-18). According to tradition, John was banished to the island of Patmos (off the coast of Asia Minor) by the Roman emperor Domitian. John lived to a very old age, surviving all the apostles, and died at Ephesus around 100 AD.

Yesterday we commemorated St. Stephen, the first Martyr. Today we remember John, who was willing to suffer martyrdom for Jesus, but died of natural causes. Tomorrow we will remember the children who were martyred by Herod in his vain attempt to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:16-18). These three stories weave together three possible outcomes of following Christ into death and heaven. Stephen was a martyr in will and deed. John was a martyr in will, but not in deed. The Holy Innocents were martyrs in deed but not in will, being too young to make a conscious choice.

Appropriate prayers for the day include prayers for the work of the new creation in us; for the spirit of awe and reverence in the presence of God; for a glimpse of the glory of God in Jesus Christ; and for increased knowledge of the incarnation.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. Stephen, Martyr

2011-12-26T18:55:00.003-05:00

Feast of St. Stephen, Martyr
The Second Day of Christmas
December 26, 2011

The Lord be with you

Today is the Feast of St. Stephen, Martyr. St. Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5), was one of the Church’s first seven deacons. He was appointed by the leaders of the Church to distribute food and other necessities to the poor in the growing Christian community in Jerusalem, thereby giving the apostles more time for their public ministry of proclamation (Acts 6:2-5). He and the other deacons apparently were expected not only to wait on tables but also to teach and preach. When some of his colleagues became jealous of him, they brought Stephen to the Sanhedrin and falsely charged him with blaspheming against Moses (Acts 6:9-14). Stephen’s confession of faith, along with his rebuke of the members of the Sanhedrin for rejecting their Messiah and being responsible for His death, so infuriated them that they dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. Stephen is honored as the Church’s first martyr and for his words of commendation and forgiveness as he lay dying: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:59-60)

On this day, the day after we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus, we remember another birth, the birth into heaven of Stephen. His feast day is yet another way of declaring the church’s confidence that the outcome of the Christian struggle is certain. It is also a further testimony that the birth of Christ achieves its purpose, eternal glory for the believer.

Appropriate prayers include prayers for the light of Christ’s glory to shine through us; for grace to adore the mystery of the incarnation; for the poor and the despised, first to hear the announcement of Jesus’ birth; for those to whom the coming of God in human flesh means nothing; and for peace in the Holy Land where Christ was born.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Christmas Day - 2011

2011-12-25T08:47:00.003-05:00

Christmas Day
December 25, 2011

The Lord b with you

The following is an excerpt from a sermon, given by Martin Luther in the afternoon, Christmas Day, 1530.

(Luther’s Works, volume 51)

Merry Christmas

Pastor John Rickert

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T11:29:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve
December 24, 2011

The Lord be with you

The exact date of the birth of Jesus is not known, and during the earliest centuries of the Church it seemed to have little significance. This followed the Early Church’s tradition of honoring and celebrating a Christian’s death as his or her birth date into eternity and the ongoing presence of Jesus. Likewise the life, work, death, and resurrection of Christ was of much greater importance to early Christians than the earthly details of His birth. The earliest nativity feast, Epiphany (January 6), celebrated both the birth and the Baptism of Christ. However, in the fourth century great Christological controversies that questioned Christ’s divinity and humanity raced throughout Christianity. By 336 AD, December 25 had been established in Rome as the celebration of Christ’s birth, a festival welcomed particularly by orthodox Christians in the West. The date was chosen because it was believed great prophets died on the day they were conceived, so the date was calculated from the first Good Friday. From Rome, Christ’s natal festival spread throughout the Western Church. In Eastern traditions of the Church, Epiphany remains the principal celebration of the birth of Jesus. (adapted from Treasury of Daily Prayer)

A blessed Christmas,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Christmas Eve & Day - 2011

2011-12-22T10:42:00.002-05:00

Thursday after Advent 4
December 22, 2011

The Lord be with you

Saturday is Christmas Eve and Sunday is Christmas Day, both very special for Christians around the world. At Lamb of God we will celebrate with special services for each day. On Christmas Eve we will have a Candlelight service, beginning at 7:00 PM. On Christmas Day we will have a service of Carols and Communion, which will begin at 10:00 AM. These worship notes will be different from my typical Thursday post because it will cover both days.

One of the aspects of Christmas that people truly look forward to are the great Christmas hymns. In our Christmas Eve service we will be singing “A Great and Mighty Wonder,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “What Child Is This,” “Silent Night, Holy Night,” and “Now Sing We, Now Rejoice.” In our Christmas Day service we will sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Joy to the World,” and “Let Us All with Gladsome Voice.”

The appointed lessons for Christmas Eve are Isaiah 7:10-14, 1 John 4:7-16 and Matthew 1:18-25. The Gospel lesson is about when Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant and his decision to marry her after an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The appointed lessons for Christmas Day are Isaiah 62:10-12, Titus 3:4-7, and Luke 2:1-20. The Gospel lesson is probably the most famous version of the Christmas story. It tells of Joseph and Mary’s trip to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, and the visit of the shepherds.

As I have done for several years now, the messages in these services are rather different from my typical sermons. For the Christmas Eve service I tell a Christmas story. This year it is titled “Dear Santa” and focuses on a family who lost a son in Afghanistan. For the Christmas Day service I provide short introductions to the Christmas hymns, which replace the conventional sermon. The theme of these introductions this year is the meaning of Christmas.

Our choir will be singing during the Christmas Eve service.

I will be starting a one week vacation on Christmas Monday, so I will not be posting the worship notes next week.

Christmas blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. Thomas, Apostle

2011-12-21T10:17:00.002-05:00

Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle
December 21, 2011

The Lord be with you

Today is the Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle. All four Gospels mention St. Thomas as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. John’s Gospel, which names him “the Twin,” uses Thomas’s questions to reveal truths about Jesus. It is Thomas who says, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” To this question Jesus replies, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:5-6). John’s Gospel also tells how Thomas, on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, doubts the report of the disciples that they had seen Jesus. Later “doubting Thomas” becomes “believing Thomas” when he confesses Jesus as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:24-29). According to tradition, Thomas traveled eastward after Pentecost, eventually reaching India, where still today a group of people call themselves “Christians of St. Thomas.” Thomas was martyred for the faith by being speared to death.

A Reading from a sermon by Kaj Munk (modified)

And now, this Gospel is for you, my Christian friend, who struggles with doubt and faith, with anxiety and denial. This is the Gospel that does not come to catechize you and force upon you certain dogmas, or to condemn you, but comes only to listen to the heartbeat of your soul. If it leans toward Jesus no matter what happens it has chosen Him and wants to belong to Him, then the Gospel says to you: Be faithful, continue in the faith.

It is great to have assurance of faith, but perhaps you do not belong to those who can always take this for granted. However, the Master is also able to use the Thomas type. Such people have a place in His group of disciples. And let me tell you that when the time is at hand, Jesus himself will come and bring an end to your uncertainty and your timid spirit. You will understand that it is not what you fail to understand that matters. Christ has had disciples who did not understand many things. Do not just stare blindly at them. Let not the devil fool you into thinking that unless you understand these things, you cannot be a disciple of Christ.

Abstain from empty and morbid speculation about whether you believe or not. This will get you no place but downwards. As Luther once said about reading the Bible, “where one does not understand it, pass that by and glorify God.” Be faithful to what you do understand. Practice Christianity and at the proper time, even though the doors be ever so tightly closed, Christ himself will appear before you and show you the hands that were pierced for your sin; and you will bow down in prayer, crying to Him in repentance and joy, “My Lord and my God!”

And after you have first addressed Him with so great a name, other things will no longer seem unintelligible. Perhaps it will then come to pass that the things you could not accept before will become dearest to you and your common sense.

Appropriate prayers include remembering the believers in India, for a healthy skepticism, for a renewal of the Easter faith, and for grace to receive Christ.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Katharina von Bora Luther

2011-12-20T14:24:00.002-05:00

Commemoration of Katharina von Bora Luther
December 20, 2011

The Lord be with you

Katharina von Bora Luther (1499-1552) is another new addition to the LCMS liturgical calendar. In this we are following the German Evangelical Calendar of Names (1962), which I think was the first time she was included on any such calendar.

Katharina was born to an impoverished noble family, January 29, in a village near Leipzig. Her mother died and her father remarried in 1505. In 1508 or 1509 she was sent to the Cistercian convent in Nimbschen. Most of the novitiates at this convent were from noble families. Katharina’s maternal aunt, Margarete von Haubitz, was the abbess. Katharina’s paternal aunt, Magdelena von Bora, was a nun there as well. On October 8, 1505, the sixteen-year-old Katharina made her final vows to live according to the precepts of Bernard of Clairvaux.

Katharina’s convent was situated close to the boarder of Saxony and so it was perhaps inevitable that the message of the Reformation would penetrate its walls. On Easter Day, 1523, several of the nuns (some sources say 8, others say 12) from the convent escaped, hiding in empty pickled-herring barrels and made their way to Wittenberg. Katharina was among them.

Martin Luther assisted the ladies in finding homes. Some returned to their families. Some found shelter with good families where they served as governess and the like. Husbands were found for others. However none of these solutions suited Katharina. It wasn’t that she didn’t have offers of employment or suitors, it just that Katharina didn’t find any of them suitable. (She was a woman who “knew her own mind.”) Once she said the only men she knew that would do for her was either Nicholas von Amsdorf (1483-1565) or Luther. Many think what she meant was only Luther would do as Amsdorf was clear that he would not marry.

Luther also was not inclined to marry. However, he was convinced that it would be good for the Reformation if he married so he and Katharina were engaged and married on June 13, 1525. Though Luther did not marry Katharina for love, she did win his heart and the marriage was a happy one. They were blessed with six children, four of whom were living when Katharina died.

Katharina skillfully managed the Luther household, which always seemed to grow because of the reformer’s generous hospitality. She ran not only the kitchen but also the brewery and the stables of the Black Cloister, where in 1542 there were five cows, nine calves, four goats, thirteen pigs, and several horses. There was a fish pond with pike, perch, carp, and trout. There were gardens in the town and fields outside the gates and also the farm at Zulsdorf. She was also skilled in medicine, using what we might call today “home remedies.”

Following Luther’s death in 1546 the Smalkaldic War broke out. Katharina fled Wittenberg. When she returned she found her properties ruined and hard times befell her. Then Plague broke out in Wittenberg in 1552. As she traveled to Torgau she had an accident, falling from her wagon and suffering serious injuries that eventually took her life on December 20, 1552. Because of the unsettled conditions in Wittenberg, she was buried in Torgau.

Quotes from Luther:

“I would not trade my Kate for France and Venice for three reasons: (1) Because God has given her to me and me to her. (2) I have seen, time and again, that other women have more faults than my Kate. (3) She is a faithful marriage partner; she is loyal and has integrity.”

“The Letter to the Galatians is my beloved epistle; I trust it. It is my Kate von Bora. …”

“To have grace and peace in marriage is a gift second only to the knowledge of the Gospel. … Kate, you have a god-fearing man who loves you. You are an empress; realize it and thank God for it.”

Appropriate prayers for this day include prayers for wives and husbands, for the strengthening of Christian homes, for all whose duties are many and burdensome, for faithfulness to Christ to the end, for the wife and children of all married ministers.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Adam and Eve

2011-12-19T10:14:00.003-05:00

Commemoration of Adam and Eve
December 19, 2011

The Lord be with you

Adam was the first man, made in the image of God and given dominion over all the earth (Genesis 1:26). Eve was the first woman, formed from one of Adam’s ribs to be his companion and helper (Genesis 2:18-24). God placed them in the Garden of Eden to take care of creation as His representatives. But they forsook God’s Word and plunged the world into sin (Genesis 3:1-7). For this disobedience, God drove them from the garden. Eve would suffer pain in childbirth and would chafe at her subjection to Adam; Adam would toil amid thorns and thistles and return to the dust of the ground. Yet God promised that the woman’s Seed would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:8-24). Sin had entered God’s perfect creation and changed it until God would restore it again through Christ. Eve is the mother of the human race, while Adam is representative of all humanity and the fall, as the apostle Paul writes, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

A writing from Valerius Herberger (1682)

In the midst of paradise stands the tree of life. From this, Adam [and Eve were] driven away so that [they] would not eat of it but instead would die according to God’s judgment on account of the sin [they] committed. But the cross of Christ is the noble tree of life on which hangs the noble fruits that bring us eternal life. “No forest produces such foliage, blossoms, sprouts.” Whoever consoles himself with the precious merit of Jesus Christ shall live, even though he die. “And whoever lives and believes in Him shall never die” (John 11:26). Because of their sins, Adam [and Eve and their] children were locked out of paradise, but through the key of the holy cross, it will be opened once again to all repentant Christians. Crux Christi clavis Paradisi, that is, “The cross of Christ is the key of paradise,” says John of Damascus. To this, the fathers of the Church relate the key of the house of David, which can open so that no one can shut [Isaiah 22:22]. Let all evil spirits be defied, who would like to lock heaven to us, which the Lord Jesus opened by His cross and death.

(Treasury of Daily Prayer, CPH)

Appropriate prayers this day include thanks for Christ overcoming sin, death and the devil on the cross, for all who have not yet received God’s grace in Christ, for marriages and families. One may also remember our responsibility as caretakers of the earth.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Daniel and the Three Young Men

2011-12-17T09:19:00.003-05:00

Commemoration Daniel the Prophet and the Three Young Men
December 17, 2011

The Lord be with you

The following link will take you to a post I made in 2009 concerning the Commemoration of Daniel the Prophet and the Three Young Men.

http://lutheran-in-sc.blogspot.com/2009/12/daniel-and-three-young-men.html

This day is also recognized on the Byzantine calendar.

A Writing from Veit Dietrich (1555)

This is a prophecy that the king of Assyria would be defeated before Jerusalem and would retreat with shame, and the righteous would be saved, against all the hopes of the desperate hypocrites. And the prophet comforts them well, so that whoever keeps himself in God’s will and guards himself from sin shall be safe, as if he were on a high rock, and he shall have his bread and water, that is, his nourishment, even if everywhere else everything goes badly. He also promises the forgiveness of sins. And by doing so, he touches on the New Testament, in which the true enemy, the devil, shall be defeated, and the true Jerusalem, the Church, shall be made safe through Christ.

Appropriate prayers include remembering those whose circumstances require them to make a stand for Christ, that our Savior would be with then and guide them, for our ability to remain faithful, and for believers in areas where Christianity is persecuted.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Advent 4 - 2011

2011-12-15T14:28:00.002-05:00

Thursday after Advent 3
December 15, 2011

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Fourth (and last) Sunday in Advent. For our liturgy we will be using the service of Matins (page 219). This is one of the services we use that uses the appointed Psalm instead of the appointed Introit for the Day. This week that appointed Psalm is Psalm 89, verses one through five. The antiphon will be verse eight. This is also a non-communion service. Matins has options that are used during Advent, and we will be using them. For our canticle we will use the Benedictus, which fits the Advent season better than the Te Deum. The appointed lessons are: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38. Our hymns will be “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” (LSB 359), “Thy Strong Word” (LSB 578), and “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding” (LSB 345). The sermon is titled “Living By The Word” and the text is Luke 1:38.

In our prayers Sunday we will remember The Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) along with its President, Rev. Christian Ekong, President, Concordia International School Hanoi, the persecuted believers in Bangladesh, and our sister congregations Redeemer, Parkton, MD; Galilee, Pasadena, MD; Immanuel, Preston, MD; Lutheran Church of the Cross, Rockville, MD; and Holy Trinity, Columbia, SC. We will continue to remember those who are trapped by the modern practice of slavery, and those who have fallen victim to our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality. We will also remember the orphans in Haiti that our youth are seeking to help.

The video below is of the Tyler Junior College A-Cappella choir singing the first two verses of our opening hymn, “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” This hymn is based on Isaiah 11:1, which was part of our Old Testament lesson this past Wednesday. It is also the verse that inspired our Advent Altar paraments.

Our adult Bible class this coming Sunday will pick up at Matthew 12:9. We looked briefly at 9-14 last week but will give it a closer look this coming week. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16: In this reading we have a story from a time when David’s throne was secure and peace had come to the people of Israel. The Tabernacle (a large tent) had been the site of the Arc of the Covenant and the worship place for Israel since the days of Moses. David decided that God should have a permanent dwelling place (the Temple) and ran the idea by the prophet Nathan. Nathan gives David the “thumbs up.” I guess the idea seemed like such an obviously good one that Nathan didn’t feel he needed to confirm the plan with the Lord. However, that very night, the Word of the Lord came to Nathan and told him that David should not build the Temple. God has built the “house” of David, but David is incapable of building a “house” for God. Nonetheless, the Lord did say that David’s heart was in the right place so the Lord reveals, through Nathan, God’s plan to continue to build David’s “house.” David is promised a house and kingdom that will last forever. This is a promise concerning Jesus, whose rule has no end. Through Jesus, the line of David still reigns, and will for all eternity. We do know that David’s son, Solomon, was permitted the privilege of building the Temple. Both the Temple and the Tabernacle were types of Jesus. They represented God dwelling with his people, and Jesus is the fulfillment of that type and promise. Jesus is “God with us.”

Romans 16:25-27: This is a particularly rich text. Just a few highlights include Paul writing “my gospel.” We should all be able to say of the gospel that it is “my gospel.” Paul also speaks of the gospel as “the preaching of Jesus Christ.” Jesus was then, is now, and ever shall be, the heart of the gospel. Take away Jesus and you take away the gospel. You also take away all the divine assistance Paul speaks of in this passage. Paul also writes about the “mystery that was kept secret for long ages.” This “mystery” is one of those things that people don’t understand until after the fact, then everything falls into place. It is kind of like a well written mystery. Once you read the last chapter you can recognize all the clues from the preceding chapters, but before that the ending was a “mystery.” The “mystery” Paul is speaking of is that the Messiah was for all people. This is why Paul says the mystery, “through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations.” Once again we see Jesus as the heart of the gospel. We should also recognize the vital roll the Old Testament prophets had in communicating this gospel mystery.

Luke 1:26-38: This is Luke’s well know account of the announcement of Jesus’ forthcoming birth to the virgin Mary. You might say this story suffers from being too well known. I don’t know who selected the various passages for our lectionary, but pairing our OT lesson with this Gospel lesson was a stroke of inspiration. In this lesson we recognize that the entire Old Testament hope is about to be realized. The promise of the Tabernacle and the Temple is coming about. Protestants often have trouble with the role of Mary. This is an anti-Roman Catholic sentiment and really has nothing to do with the Bible. Certainly the Bible depicts Mary as a remarkable and blessed woman. In this lesson she is described as a virgin. There is no linguistic argument that has any merit which would have us translate this word any other way. She has found favor with God. This is not a reference to any merit on her part, but a reference to God’s grace which she has received. She is a descendant of David and will be the instrument of God fulfilling his Old Testament promises. In verse 38 Mary says, “I am the slave of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” This statement of faith received the word spoken by the angel. So we too receive the Lord when we receive the word in faith. Mary conceived the Lord then by the action of the Holy Spirit (35). So with us also, the Lord Jesus is conceived and born in our hearts by the working of the Holy Spirit through the word. I could go on, but the focus of this text is really Jesus. He is Mary’s Son and the Son of the Most High. He receives the throne of his Father David and there will be no end to his reign. He is holy and the Son of God. I might also point out that the Trinity is found throughout this reading. However, as this text will be the foundation for Sunday’s sermon, I’ve probably written too much, so I’ll end my comments.

Tidbits

• The Church Council is scheduled to meet Sunday after the worship service..

• Information for the January newsletter is due Sunday.

• Thank you to everyone who helped “Green” the church this past Wednesday.

• We have just one more Advent service. This coming Wednesday the saint we will focus on will be the Apostle Thomas. Wednesday is his Saints’ Day. Our first service is at 12:15 and our second service is at 7:00 PM. We will also have a soup supper beginning at 6:15 PM.

• The choir will practice after the evening Advent service. This is our final practice before Christmas.

• Christmas falls on a Sunday this year. We will have our regular “Christmas Day” schedule. That means worship will be at 10:00 AM, and we will not have an education hour. The Christmas Day service will be our “Carols and Communion” service, which we have done for a number of years. In this service we do not have a single “long” sermon but several short meditations inspired by the Christmas Hymns we sing.

• We will also have our traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight service. This service begins at 7:00 PM. As I have done the last couple of years, instead of a “normal” sermon I will tell an original Christmas story. Just to put everyone’s mind at ease, this will not be a “Santa is really real” or “someone falling in love at Christmas” story. I’m leaving those to the television stations.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Lucia, Martyr

2011-12-13T09:54:00.003-05:00

Commemoration of Lucia, Martyr
December 13, 2011

The Lord be with you

Another post-Biblical saint newly introduced to the liturgical calendar of the LC-MS with the introduction of the Lutheran Service Book is Lucia (Lucy) who was martyred around the year 304. Her memory was venerated at an early date, and her popularity spread across Europe and the Scandinavian countries.

Her life, it is said, was one of purity and gentleness, and she was loved by the poor. Legends about her abound. When her mother was cured of a disease, one story reports, Lucy in gratitude to God gave all her bridal possessions to the Christian poor. Her disappointed suitor then reported her as a Christian to the prefect Paschasius, who condemned her to be arrested and to taken to a brother. When she would not cooperate in the activity of the place, they built a fire around her to frighten her into submission. She was finally killed by being stabbed in the neck, probably in the year 304 at Syracuse. Her body was taken to Venice; another supposed body of hers was taken to Corfinium in the eighth century and to Metz in 970.

Lucy is remembered with great affection by the people of Sicily and southern Italy. She is regarded as the patron saint of the laboring poor and, because her name means “light,” as a protector against diseases of the eye.

In medieval Europe, before the Gregorian reform of the calendar, St. Lucia’s day was the shortest day of the year, and the day was celebrated, especially in Scandinavia, as the turning point from the long nights. Swedish communities, including many in America, still have special festivities on this day, “Lussida’n.” In private homes one of the young girls of the household, dressed in white and wearing a crown of lighted candles, awakens the family in the morning and offers them coffee and cakes from a tray. For the rest of the day she is called “Lussi” instead of her own name. You can find many pictures of this on the internet.

Appropriate prayers include remembering those who walk in darkness, those who treat eye diseases, and those who struggle to resist the temptation of the world and its ways.

(Adapted from New Book of Festivals & Commemorations: A Proposed Common Calendar of Saints; Philip Pfatteicher)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Advent 3 - 2011

2011-12-08T14:32:00.001-05:00

Thursday after Advent 2
December 8, 2011

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Third Sunday in Advent. The appointed lessons are Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 and John 1:6-8, 19-28. The text for the sermon is Isaiah 61:10 and the sermon is titled “A Sharp Dressed Man”. We will be using the third setting of the Divine Service (page 184). This is a communion service. You may prepare by reading what the catechism says about the Lord’s Supper. Our opening hymn will be “Come, Thou Almighty King” (LSB 905). The sermon hymn will be “The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace” (LSB 580). The closing hymn will be “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer” (LSB 918). Our distribution hymns will be “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding” (LSB 345), “Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness” (LSB 636), and “Hark the Glad Sound” (LSB 349). Because it is Advent we will omit the Gloria in Excelsis. Our choir will be singing.

In our prayers Sunday we will remember the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK) along with its Presiding Bishop the Rev. Walter E. Obare, Concordia International School Hanoi, the persecuted believers in Azerbaijan, and our sister congregations Trinity, Mount Rainier, MD; First, Odenton, MD; Good Shepherd, Olney, MD; Christ the King, Owings Mills, MD; and Good Shepherd, Charleston, SC. We will continue to remember those who are trapped by the modern practice of slavery, and those who have fallen victim to our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality. We will also remember the orphans in Haiti that our youth are seeking to help.

The video below is of our closing hymn, “Hark the Glad Sound.” I gave up trying to find a video of someone singing it at a lively pace (as the opening words would seem to suggest it should be).

Our adult Bible class this coming Sunday will pick up at Matthew 12. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11: This is one of Isaiah’s famous “Servant” songs. The “Servant” is Jesus. What the Servant gives is a sure thing. The message of the Servant is God’s message. The Trinity is clearly revealed in verse 1: “The Spirit [Holy Spirit] of the Lord GOD [the Father] is upon me [the Son] …” This passage is pure Gospel and forms the foundation for Sunday’s message so I’m not going to say anything else.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24: As Paul ends this letter, he encourages us to pursue various aspects of a “sanctified” life: rejoicing, praying, giving thanks in all circumstances, not quenching the Spirit, testing all teaching by the standard of God’s Word, holding to what is good and avoiding what is evil. He then pronounces a blessing on us that the Lord will accomplish this in us and keep us “blameless” in our “whole spirit and soul and body” until Christ returns. God is surely able to do this. The blessing is upon our entire being, indicating that our salvation applies to both our physical as well as our spiritual being. Christ’s redemption is comprehensive.

John 1:6-8, 19-28: This is John’s testimony concerning John the Baptist, which includes the Baptist’s own testimony concerning himself. John tells us that he is all about Jesus. We should be also.

Tidbits

• Our Cub council is scheduled to meet Sunday after the worship service..

• The LWLM will have their Christmas party after Sunday’s worship service.

• We will “GREEN” the church Wednesday. Those who attend the 12:15 service will begin the process and those who attend the 7:00 service will finish the job.

• The saint we will focus on during Wednesday’s Advent service will be Nicholas of Myra, Pastor. Our first service is at 12:15 and our second service is at 7:00 PM. We will also have a soup supper beginning at 6:15 PM.

• The choir will practice after the evening Advent service. New voices are welcome.

• The following Saints’ Days are upcoming: Lucia, Martyr (December 13); Daniel the Prophet and the Three Young Men (December 17). Visit the blog on those days to read a post about them.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Ambrose of Milan

2011-12-07T10:03:00.003-05:00

Commemoration of Ambrose of Milan, Pastor and Hymnwriter
Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Lord be with you

December 7th is the day set aside on the LC-MS liturgical calendar to remember Ambrose. Ambrose was the first Latin Church leader to be born, raised, and educated not as a pagan but as a Christian. He was born about 339 in the city of Treves (Trier) in what is now France, where his father was Prefect of Gaul, the governor of a large part of Europe. Ambrose studied the classics and the law at Rome, and before he was thirty-three, he was named governor of Liguria and Aemilia, with headquarters in Milan, which was at that time the seat of the imperial court. When the Arian bishop of Milan died, Ambrose settled the violence that broke out between the Arians and the Catholics. Both sides unanimously insisted that he become their bishop, even though at that time he had not yet been baptized. (It was a custom of the time to delay baptism until late in life so that one might be cleansed close to the time of death.) Ambrose finally bowed to pressure from Church and state authorities and, at the age of 34, rapidly was baptized, ordained priest, and consecrated bishop; some say it was all done on the same day, December 7, 373 or 374.

He gave a portion of his family wealth to the poor and set an example of strict asceticism. Although the Roman Empire was in decline, Ambrose, by his preaching, writing, organizing, and administration, made Milan one of the most distinguished centers of learning and Christian activity in the world, in some way surpassing even Rome itself. He was a powerful preacher, and his sermons affected many, most notably Augustine of Hippo, whom he baptized in Milan at the Easter Vigil, 387.

The empress Justina, mother of Valentinian, jealous of the growing importance of Ambrose, organized a coalition against the bishop and at the beginning of Lent in 385, demanded that one basilica in Milan be given to the Arians. Ambrose refused, and a riot broke out in the city. Just before Easter, Justina demanded the bishop’s own cathedral. On Palm Sunday, there were a series of clashes between the imperial troops and Ambrose’s congregations. On Maundy Thursday the court abandoned its attempt to seize and hold a church. The struggle, however, continued. An edict against the Catholics was promulgated in June 386, and Ambrose was summoned to appear before the emperor. He refused and took refuge in his basilica, which was surrounded by imperial troops. Inside, Ambrose and his people spent the time singing psalms and hymns of their bishop’s own composition. At length, the court was forced to rescind the edict. In 379 Ambrose convinced the Roman emperor Gratian to forbid the Arian heresy in the West. At Ambrose’s urging, Gratian’s successor, Theodosius, also publicly opposed Arianism.

Ambrose was a zealous defender of orthodoxy and one of the most important Latin authors of his day. At the request of the emperor Gratian he wrote On the Christian Faith. He is also the author of a work of pastoral care, On the Duties of the Clergy. One comes closest to the saintly bishop, perhaps, through his hymns. He was one of the first to write metrical Latin hymns, and many of them are still sung in Christian churches. Three of them have been included in the Lutheran Service Book: “Savior of the Nations, Come,” LSB 332; “O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright,” LSB 874; and “O Blessed Light, O Trinity” LSB 890. St. Augustine, addressing God, says of Ambrose’s hymns:

Confessions,

While there are many Icons of the saints, Ambrose is the only Church Father of whom we know for sure his image is based on the real man. There is a mosaic with his name that adorns a chapel in the basilica dedicated to his brother Satyrus that was made at the beginning of the fifth century, shortly after his death.

Ambrose died at Milan on Easter Eve, April 4, 397.

The video below is of three of the eight verses from Savior of the Nations, Come. On a “Lutheran” note, it was Martin Luther who translated the hymn into German.

Prayers appropriate for the Commemoration of Ambrose: For those who are persecuted for the Christian Faith by their government, that governments allow the spread of the Gospel, for lawyers and government officials, for preachers of the word of God and for hymnwriters, for a joyful confidence in God’s care, for the church in Milan and in northern Italy, and for all leaders of the church that they may show by their lives and preaching a dedication to the truth Christian Faith and the love of God for the world.

(Adapted from New Book of Festivals & Commemorations: A Proposed Common Calendar of Saints, Philip H. Pfatteicher)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. Nicholas of Myra, Pastor

2011-12-06T00:19:00.004-05:00

Commemoration of Nicholas of Myra, Pastor
Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Lord be with you

Today is the commemoration of Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra. Yes, Virginia, there really was a St. Nicholas and he lived in the mid 300’s. However the only rock solid, indisputable fact we know about him is that he was bishop of Myra in the mid fourth century. However we can deduce from his extreme popularity that there must be some fact behind all the stories and legends. How popular is Nicholas? Well, around the world, there are more churches dedicated in his honor than any other saint. What follows is either what I consider the most likely to be factual elements of his legend, or portions of that legend that have given rise to traditions that continue to influence to this day.

It is said that Nicholas was born in the village of Patara in what is now modern Turkey. At that time the area was thoroughly Greek in its culture and language. His parents were wealthy and raised Nicholas in the Christian Faith. However Nicholas’ parents died in an epidemic when he was still young. This left Nicholas with a large estate, which he decided to use to help those who were poor, sick and suffering. His uncle, also named Nicholas and the bishop of Patara, took the boy in, furthering his education and advancement in the Christian Faith. As a young man he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands and spent some time in a monastery named Holy Sion.

The opportunity soon came for the young Nicholas to put his fortune to charitable use. According to legend, a citizen of Patara had lost all his money and his three daughters could not find husbands because of their poverty. In despair their wretched father was about to sell them into a life of shame (slave prostitutes). When Nicholas heard of this, he took a bag of gold and at night tossed it through an open window of the man's house. Here was a dowry for the eldest girl, and she was quickly married. Nicholas did the same for the second and then for the third daughter. On the last occasion the father was watching by the window, and overwhelmed his young benefactor with gratitude. According to some versions of the story the gold landed in either stockings or shoes left by the fire place to dry. Hence arose our tradition of “hanging stockings by the chimney with care.” Such stories of Nicholas’ charitable acts abound.

It happened that Nicholas was in the city of Myra when the clergy and people were meeting together to elect a new bishop, and God directed them to choose him even though he was still just a young man. This was at the time of Diocletian's persecutions at the beginning of the fourth century. All accounts agree that Nicholas was almost immediately arrested and imprisoned. It is said that the jails were so full of Christians that there was no room for the thieves and murders. At this time Nicholas was tortured, like so many believers. When Constantine became Emperor, the Christians were released.

Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

During this century the Arian heresy was spreading throughout the Eastern Roman Empire, however Nicholas was a staunch defender of Orthodoxy and managed to keep the false teaching outside of his territory. He was present at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) which examined Arius and his teachings and found them to be contrary to the truth of God’s Word. The Arian heresy spread, in part, through popular songs that Arius wrote. Catchy, singable ditties, that denied the eternal divinity of Jesus, making him just a very good follower of God. It is said that Arius sang one of these “pop” songs while testifying at the Council of Nicaea. Nicholas, so outraged by the blasphemous lyrics, got up and struck Arius in the face. At this, they say, he was deprived of his Episcopal insignia and imprisoned, but Our Lord and His Mother appeared and restored to him both his liberty and his office.

Nicholas also took strong measures against paganism in his district. He had torn down many pagan temples, among them one to the Greek goddess Artemis, which was the chief pagan shrine of the district.

He died December 6, 343 AD in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where it is said a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th

Over the centuries many more stories developed concerning Nicholas where he rescued sailors, children, stopped famines, and even managed to raise the dead. The church where he was buried became a major pilgrimage site. In 1034 Myra was taken by the Saracens (Moslems) in battle. Fearing that access to the site would become restricted, and desiring the economic advantage that comes to a major pilgrimage site, the Italian cities of Venice and Bari vied to get the Nicholas relics. In the spring of 1087, sailors from Bari succeeded in spiriting away the bones, bringing them to Bari, a seaport on the southeast coast of Italy. An impressive church was built over St. Nicholas' crypt. It is this story that gave birth to the Christmas song, “I Saw Three Ships A Sailing.”

In a major renovation of the church where Nicholas’ remains lay in the 1950’s, scientist were allowed to examine Nicholas’ remains. They discovered he was only about five feet tall. This was a rare opportunity. In the Middle Ages the veneration of relics was a major enterprise. Most remains of the saints were disbursed over large areas. Nicholas is one of the very few whose remains remained in tack and in one place.

The stories of Nicholas continued to expand during the Middle Ages. One of the oldest stories showing St. Nicholas as a protector of children takes place long after his death. The townspeople of Myra were celebrating the good saint on the eve of his feast day when a band of Arab pirates from Crete came into the district. They stole treasures from the Church of Saint Nicholas to take away as booty. As they were leaving town, they snatched a young boy, Basilios, to make into a slave. The emir, or ruler, selected Basilios to be his personal cupbearer. Because Basilios did not know the language, he would not understand what the king said to those around him. So, for the next year Basilios waited on the king, bringing his wine in a beautiful golden cup. For Basilios' parents, devastated at the loss of their only child, the year passed slowly, filled with grief. As the next St. Nicholas' feast day approached, Basilios' mother would not join in the festivity, as it was now a day of tragedy. However, she was persuaded to have a simple observance at home—with quiet prayers for Basilios' safekeeping. Meanwhile, as Basilios was fulfilling his tasks serving the emir, he was suddenly whisked up and away. St. Nicholas appeared to the terrified boy, blessed him, and set him down at his home back in Myra. Imagine the joy and wonderment when Basilios amazingly appeared before his parents, still holding the king's golden cup. This is the first story told of St. Nicholas protecting children—which became his primary role in the West.

Another story tells of three theological students, traveling on their way to study in Athens. A wicked innkeeper robbed and murdered them, hiding their remains in a large pickling tub. It so happened that Bishop Nicholas, traveling along the same route, stopped at this very inn. In the night he dreamed of the crime, got up, and summoned the innkeeper. As Nicholas prayed earnestly to God the three boys were restored to life and wholeness. In France this story is told but features three small children. While playing they wandered off and became lost. They were lured and captured by an evil butcher. St. Nicholas appears and appeals to God to return them to life and to their families. Again we see St. Nicholas as the patron and protector of children. These stories seem to have started from an incident where a local governor had been bribed to condemn three innocent men to death. On the day fixed for their execution Nicholas stayed the hand of the executioner and released them. Then he turned to the governor and reproved him so sternly that he repented.

Another story relates to his pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. As he was returning by sea, a mighty storm threatened to wreck the ship. Nicholas calmly prayed. The terrified sailors were amazed when the wind and waves suddenly calmed, sparing them all. And so St. Nicholas is the patron of sailors and voyagers. It was as the patron saint of sailors and voyagers that the stories of Nicholas spread far and wide.

St. Nicholas chapels were built in many seaports. As his popularity spread during the Middle Ages, he became the patron saint of Apulia (Italy), Sicily, Greece, and Lorraine (France), and many cities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Following his baptism in Constantinople, Vladimir I of Russia brought St. Nicholas' stories and devotion to St. Nicholas to his homeland where Nicholas became the most beloved saint. Nicholas was so widely revered that more than 2,000 churches were named for him, including three hundred in Belgium, thirty-four in Rome, twenty-three in the Netherlands and more than four hundred in England.

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas' feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity. In Germany and Poland, boys dressed as bishops begged alms for the poor—and sometimes for themselves! In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. December 6th is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands St. Nicholas is celebrated on the 5th, the eve of the day, by sharing candies (thrown in the door), chocolate initial letters, small gifts, and riddles. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint's horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts.

As we can see, through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas' life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as a protector and helper of those in need.

The legend of Santa Claus is really an amalgamation of three stories. One is of a Nordic magician, who visited during winter bringing gifts for good little boys and girls but coal for those who didn’t measure up. This is also where we get the North Pole address and sleigh as a means of transportation for Santa. The second tradition is the English Father Christmas. This is where we get Santa’s distinctive outfit, but not its color. Red comes from St. Nicholas, because red became the distinctive color of bishops. The name Santa Claus comes from a distortion of the Dutch Sinterklaas, itself a distortion from earlier versions of the story.

Santa Claus is a very popular part of the American culture and children wait for Christmas morning with eager anticipation to see what Santa has brought them. However the time comes when every child either realizes that Santa is “only” a story, or they are told by someone. Personally, I think this is more traumatic for the parents than the child, as the parents are coming to grips with their children growing up. Still, the question of how to break the news to a child who is wondering “if Santa is real” is an issue many parents face. In these trying economic times, parents might be facing this discussion at an earlier age than a decade ago. I have found the following approach helpful. First, take the child out to lunch. This places the discussion in a special time between adult and child, a rite of passage so to speak. Second, tell them about St. Nicholas, the “first Santa Claus and a hero of the Christian Faith” Third tell them how people kept his generous and loving spirit alive by annually doing acts of charity and giving gifts, especially to children. Fourth, explain how the story of St. Nicholas changed over time as it moved from culture to culture. Fifth, the presents the child has received in the past from “Santa” have really come from people who love them, but do not want to take credit for the gift (just like the original Nicholas didn’t seek credit for the gold he tossed through the window for the dowry of the girls). Finally, tell your child to not destroy the story for others who have not yet learned the truth behind the legend. Their time will come. However they can thank God for such a wonderful man who inspired such a wonderful tradition that values children and generosity. They can keep the spirit of Nicholas and Christmas alive by keeping Christ central in their lives and fostering a spirit of generosity (just like Nicholas did).

Appropriate prayers for the Commemoration of St. Nicholas, pastor, include prayers for a spirit of generosity, for children – especially those who have no one to care for them, for those who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel, for mariners and travelers, and Christians in Turkey, Greece, Russia, and other locals that consider Nicholas their patron saint.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert.

John of Damascus, Theologian and Hymnwriter

2011-12-04T08:15:00.005-05:00

Advent 2

Feast Day of John of Damascus, Theologian and Hymnwriter
December 4, 2011

The Lord be with you

John of Damascus, sometimes called John Damascene, was born about 675, grew up in wealth and luxury, and at an early age succeeded his father as an official in the court of the Caliph of Damascus, Abdul Malek. John is said to have been educated by a Greek monk from Calabria whom the Muslims had taken prisoner. He became a monk around 715 at the famous monastery of Mar Saba, a still-extant hermit colony founded in 484 by St. Sabas (469-532) in the mountain wilderness between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, and there devoted himself to an ascetic life and to the study of the Fathers. In 725 he was ordained a priest.

About this time a violent controversy concerning the veneration of icons erupted. The Byzantine emperor Leo III forbade the veneration of sacred images, icons, and ordered their destruction. John wrote three treatises in defense of icons, entitled Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images. He effectively defended the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, and the veneration of the Virgin Mary. He also wrote a great synthesis of theology called The Fount of Knowledge, of which the last part, On the Orthodox Faith, is best known. His work is highly regarded in the Eastern Church, and he is considered the last of its Fathers.

He is best known to many as the author of the Easter Hymns, “the Golden Canon” or “the Queen of Canons,” “The day of resurrection, earth tell it out abroad”, and an Ode written for the Sunday of St. Thomas (the Second Sunday of Easter), “Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness.”

John of Damascus died near Jerusalem around 760. His feast day in East and West is December 4.

A quote from The First Oration against Those Who Attack the Divine Images by John of Damascus

In former times, God, who is without form or body, could never be depicted. But now when God is seen in the flesh conversing with men, I make an image of the God whom I see, I do not worship matter; I worship the Creator of matter who became matter for my sake, who willed to take his abode in matter; who worked out my salvation through matter. Never will I cease honoring the matter which wrought my salvation! … Because of this I salute all remaining matter with reverence, because God has filled it with his grace and power. Through it my salvation has come to me. Was not the thrice-happy and thrice-blessed wood of the cross matter? Was not the holy and exalted mountain of Calvary matter? What of the life-bearing rock, the holy and life-giving tomb, the fountain of our resurrection, was it not matter? Is not the ink of the most holy Gospel-book matter? From it we receive the Bread of Life! … And over and above all these things, is not the Body and Blood of our Lord matter? Either do away with the honor and veneration these things deserve, or accept the tradition of the Church and the veneration of images. Reverence God and his friends; follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Do not despise matter, for it is not despicable. God has made nothing despicable.Appropriate Prayers: For artists who adorn churches and who write icons; For a proper appreciation of art and outward beauty as a gift from God; For the church in Syria; For those who teach the church through hymns and song

(Adapted from New Book of Festvals & Commemorations: A Proposed Common Calendar of Saints; Philip H. Pfatteicher)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Advent 2 - 2011

2011-11-30T16:02:00.002-05:00

Feast Day of St. Andrew, Apostle
November 302011

The Lord be with you

Today is the Feast Day of St. Andrew, Apostle. To find out a little more about this day check out the post I made earlier on the blog. I normally post my worship notes on Thursdays, but I will be out of town tomorrow so I’m doing it today.

This coming Sunday is the Second Sunday in Advent. It is also the Commemoration of John of Damascus, Theologian and Hymnwriter. Typically this year that would mean that we would be using the lections for John of Damascus (Psalm 118:14-21 or 16:5-11; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 or 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2:1-3; John 5:24-27). However the readings appointed for the first three Sunday’s in Advent all come from Isaiah, and I have chosen to do a little mini-series I’m calling “Isaiah’s Advent” so we will be using the regularly appointed lessons (Isaiah 40:1-11; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8; Psalm 85, antiphon v. 9). To compensate, we will have an insert dealing with John of Damascus.

The insert will be part of the way we keep out theme for the year, the Communion of Saints, alive. With this theme we are also remembering various denominations around the globe. This Sunday we will remember our partner church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG), and their president, Dr. Paul Kofi Fynn. We will also remember again our mission for the month, Concordia International School Hanoi, and its head, Steven Winkelman. There will be another insert about the school in the bulletin. Each week this year we are remembering Christians who are persecuted for the Faith. This week we will remember our brothers and sisters in the Faith from Algeria. We will also remember in our prayers Trinity, Lexington Park, MD; St. John’s, Long Green, MD; St. Paul’s, Mechanicsville, MD; St. Mark, Middle River, MD; Calvary, Charleston, SC, all sister congregations in the Southeastern District.

For our liturgy Sunday we will be using the service of Prayer and Preaching, page 260. This is one of those services that uses the appointed Psalm instead of the Introit. Our hymns will be “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry” (LSB 344), “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding,” (LSB 345) and “Savior of the Nations, Come” (LSB 332). The sermon is titled “Are You Ready?” and the text for the sermon is Isaiah 40:10. Our choir will be singing.

The video below of “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry” is by Jim Bode. While he uses the tune found in our hymnal, it has been “refreshed.” This means it isn’t done on an organ, and the arrangement is a little jazzier.

Our adult Bible class this coming Sunday will pick up at Matthew 11:25. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Isaiah 40:1-11: For those of you who know Handel’s Messiah, you will have a hard time not bursting into song as this lesson is read. In this lesson Isaiah foresees the ministry of John the Baptist as he announces the Advent of our Lord. Beginning with the words “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God,” Isaiah reveals that John will be the forerunner of Christ, crying in the wilderness, preparing his way. This mighty intervention is then contrasted with the weak efforts of humanity, which withers and fades. This comparison is especially stark when we consider the humble nature of Jesus’ life and ministry and his death on a cross. So Isaiah reminds us that “the word of our God will stand forever.” His might (10) is not like the might of men. His reward is not like the rewards men offer. They are eternal. In the humble birth of Jesus, in his shameful death, God reveals his rule. As this is the text for Sunday, I will say no more.

2 Peter 3:8-14: Peter speaks of the patience of God. Apparently some were wondering why the Second Coming was taking so long. Peter tells us that it is so the maximum number of people can be saved. Indeed the Lord desires all to be saved (9). However Peter does tell us that the Second Coming will come. When it does, all will be surprised. He also tells us that this present creation will be destroyed. It will be replaced with “new heavens and a new earth.” In light of this Peter asks, “what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness?” The answer is obvious, I should think. We are to pursue lives of holiness and godliness. Think of it this way. You can pursue two different types of money. One is Monopoly money, by becoming the king of Monopoly. The other is US Dollars. Dollars have real value. Monopoly money doesn’t. When the game is over, it goes back into the box. Well, in the light of eternity, US Dollars are just as valueless as Monopoly money. “You can’t take it with you.” The “currency” of eternity is holiness and godliness.

Mark 1:1-8: Mark begins his Gospel with a bang. John the Baptist appears preparing the way for Jesus. No genealogies, no effort to date the events by telling us who was ruling this or that country, no nice prologue setting the stage, no infant narratives. This is Mark’s style. He tells us right off that this is about Jesus, the Son of God (1). Let’s not clutter things up with other stuff. He sites Isaiah for John’s credentials. The message of John is summed up with two points: 1) he proclaimed a baptism for the forgiveness of sins and 2) One would come after him who was mightier than he, who gives the Holy Spirit. In verse 9 Jesus is introduced as that One to whom John was pointing. This “speed” approach focuses us on Jesus all the way. That is what Marks wants, and it works.

Tidbits

• I think the Board of Evangelism will be meeting Sunday after the worship service.

• Advent services have begun. The theme is “The Saints of Advent.” We meet each Wednesday. Our first service is at 12:15 and our second service is at 7:00 PM. We will also have a soup supper beginning at 6:15 PM. Ambrose of Milan, Pastor and Hymnwriter, will be the saint we will consider December 7.

• Choir practice has resumed. We meet after the Wednesday evening worship service. New voices are welcome.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

St. Andrew, Apostle

2011-11-30T10:04:00.003-05:00

Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle
November 30, 2011

The Lord be with you

Vocation, acceptance, God’s call, our response, and ministry to our own family are themes of this feast day. Andrew, whose name means “manly,” was the brother of Peter, and was born in Bethsaida, a village in Galilee. He was the first apostle to follow Christ, his title in the Eastern Church is “the First-Called,” and his name regularly appears near the head of the lists of the apostles. Perhaps his greatest work was to bring his brother Simon Peter to Jesus.

After Pentecost, Andrew is said by Eusebius to have preached in Scythia, by Jerome and Theodoret in Greece; by Nicephorus in Asia Minor and Thrace. A late and rather unreliable tradition says that he was martyred on November 30 around 70 AD, at Patras in Achaia, Greece. The tradition he was crucified on an X-shaped cross first appeared in the tenth century. He was martyred, legend has it, for defying the proconsul Aegeas, who ordered Andrew to stop preaching and to sacrifice to the gods.

St. Andrew’s body is said to have been taken, along with St. Luke’s, to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople in 357 and later removed to the cathedral in Amalfi, Italy. The church at Constantinople claimed St. Andrew as its first bishop. The churches in Greece and Russia in particular hold Andrew in high honor. Also, quite early, certain of his relics were taken to St. Andrew’s Church in Fife, Scotland, and he became a patron saint of Scotland; the X-shaped cross of St. Andrew in the Union Jack represents Scotland.

The feast of St. Andrew was observed as early as the fourth century by the Eastern Church and by the sixth century in Rome and elsewhere. It is a national holiday in Scotland.

St. Andrew’s Day determines the beginning of the church year, since the First Sunday in Advent is the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day whether before or after. Because of this, the Feast of St. Andrew is the first day on our liturgical calendar, and many others.

St. Andrew’s eve, as the beginning of the church’s year, was long a traditional time for young girls to expect to see in dreams their future husbands.

Appropriate prayers on this feast day include prayer for obedience to God’s command, for a sense of mission, for those on spiritual pilgrimage, for the church in Scotland, for the church in Greece, and for those who minister to their own families.

(Adapted from: New Book of Festivals & Commemorations: A Proposed Common Calendar of Saints, by Philip H. Pfatteicher)

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Noah

2011-11-29T14:30:00.003-05:00

Commemoration of Noah
November 29, 2011

The Lord be with you

One of the features of the Liturgical Calendar developed for the Lutheran Service Book is the addition of a number of Biblical saints not previously celebrated in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod with a designated day. One of them is Noah, whose name means “rest.” His story can be found in Genesis 6-9.

In the days of Noah the world had grown so corrupt that only one man, and his family, retain faith in God. Having abandoned the source of life, they went after the devices of their own hearts, following in the ways of death. God determined to judge the world by sending a flood. Noah was warned and he built the Ark, sort of a giant floating barge, in which he, his family, and representatives of the diverse animal kingdom, would ride out the flood. Along with building the Ark, Noah also regularly warned humanity, but none believed him. On the day Noah and the other passengers entered the Ark, the rains started, great subterranean guises gushed forth, and the flood came. After the Ark beached itself, and the land dried up, Noah disembarked along with all the rest, to give the earth a second chance. God used the rainbow is a symbol for all humanity that he would never again destroy all life with a flood. He did this in spite of the fact that he knew we were all sinners and really deserve nothing but death and damnation.

The debate over the historicity of this story rages. By focusing on this aspect, we often overlook the lessons of the story. In 1 Peter 3:18-22 the Flood and the salvation of Noah through the Ark are presented as a type of Baptism. Just as Noah were brought safely through the waters so “baptism now saves us.” This taps us into the Gospel message of Genesis 6-9. God wants to save. Those who perish are those who reject God’s saving purpose for them.

Noah also is a model of faith. He acted on what he believed. Sometimes we might think that beings saved by grace alone through faith alone means we can sin all we want. Such an attitude is not only not scriptural, but does not reflect saving faith. Saving faith is a faith we act on. Noah didn’t just believe in God as some propositional truth, but he put his faith into action.

A third lesson we might learn from Noah is the need to be vigilant. After the flood he got sloppy drunk and passed out. Clearly this man of God had his flaws. However, so do we all. “None are righteous.” Therefore we learn to keep a watch over how we live our lives.

A fourth lesson we can find in this story is the importance of passing the Faith on to our children. It seems most parents failed in this responsibility in the antediluvian world. Noah, though, had succeeded. Though the names of his family are not recorded, clearly they believed for instead of joining with everyone in the society that mocked Noah, they joined him in the Ark. We too should take every opportunity to pass the Faith on to our children.

A final lesson we might learn is that God knows how to save those who believe in Him. We might say by analogy that the antediluvian world represents our own fallen world. The ark of wood, by which Noah and his family were saved, represents the cross of Christ, by which we are saved. The post-diluvium world represents heaven. The Flood represents the Final Judgment. To be saved on the Last Day, one must have received God’s grace in Christ Jesus. God, who is faithful and just, will safely bring us to that distant shore.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Advent 1 - 2011

2011-11-24T08:37:00.002-05:00

Thursday after Christ the King Sunday
Thanksgiving Day (USA)
November 24, 2011

The Lord be with you

First, let me say that I hope everyone is having a blessed Thanksgiving Day. While I’m writing this early and will post it on Thanksgiving Day, Kitty and I plan to spend the day with my daughter and her family. At Lamb of God we have an Eve of Thanksgiving Day worship service so I get the day of Thanksgiving off. In my childhood, at Holy Cross Lutheran in San Diego, CA, we always had a worship service on Thanksgiving Day. While I always did, and still do, think that is most appropriate, in retrospective I have to wonder how that impacted the family gatherings of my pastor. Pastor Koenig was a dedicated servant of the Lord with a real heart for his people. It is not surprising to me that at least four men in our congregation (those are the ones I know) went on to become pastors themselves.

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. This marks the beginning of a new Church Year (happy New Years!). For those who use a three-year lectionary series, this means that this Sunday we will be moving to the next set of assigned readings. For us it is series B. Series B uses Mark heavily in its Gospel lessons.

Another feature of Advent is the dropping of the hymn of praise and all “Alleluias.” That is because Advent is a penitential season. The hymn of praise is either the “Gloria in Excelsis” or the much more contemporary “This is the Feast.” These features of praise will return with Christmas.

One last “Advent” note; You may have wondered how the date for the First Sunday is Advent is determined. Well, it is always the Sunday closest to the Feast Day of St. Andrew, Apostle, which is November 30. This year this feast day is a Wednesday and therefore the First Sunday in Advent is the Sunday before the Feast of St. Andrew.

For the upcoming year Lamb of God will also be accenting the “communion of saints” in our worship services. This will be done in a number of different ways. One of those ways will be in our prayers. We will be remembering all our partner churches and their leaders around the world. We will also be remembering various missionaries and missions. In addition, we will be remembering Christians in areas where persecution because of the Faith is common. We will also continue to remember the churches in the Southeastern District of the LC-MS.

So, this coming Sunday, we will be remembering Rev. Matthew Harrison, who is the president of our denomination, and Rev. Jon Diefenthaler, who is the president of the Southeaster District. We will pray for the Concordia International School Hanoi and Steven Winkelman, who is the head of that school. We will remember the Christians in Afghanistan, who face all kinds of problems for the sake of Christ. Finally, we will bring before the Lord St. Paul’s in Kingsville, MD; Grace in La Plate, MD; Ascension in Landover Hills, MD; Our Savior in Laurel, MD; and Bethlehem in Aiken, SC.

Let us now turn to more typical information fond on this blog in the worship notes. The appointed lessons for Advent 1 are Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, and Mark 13:24-37. The sermon will be based on our reading from Isaiah and is titled “A Scary God.” The text will be Isaiah 64:1-2. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, using the first setting of the morning service beginning on page 151 of our hymnal. Our opening hymn will be “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding,” (LSB 345). Our sermon hymn will be “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near” (LSB 508). Our closing hymn will be “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” (LSB 524). Our distribution hymns will be “The Night Will Soon Be Ending” (LSB 337), “O Lord, We Praise Thee” LSB (617), and “The Advent of Our King” (LSB 331).

The video below is of Christ Church Bronxville singing our opening hymn, “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding.” It includes an excellent brass section. The hymn was written in 1868 by Daniel March, a Congregational pastor in Philadelphia. He had been asked to preach a sermon to the Philadelphia Christian Association and, at a late hour, he learned that one of the hymns selected was not suitable. He wrote the hymn in “great haste,” and it was sung from the manuscript. It has since become an Advent favorite in many denominations.

Our adult Bible class this coming Sunday will pick up at Matthew 11:20. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Isaiah 64:1-9: Isaiah received his call in 740 BC and was active until 681. This means he lived through the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrian Empire. There is so much Gospel in Isaiah that he is sometimes called the Old Testament Evangelist. That doesn’t mean that there is no Law. However the general purpose of the book is to comfort God’s people with the good news of Zion’s redemption. The Lutheran Study Bible identifies the following “Law Themes”: Judgment on false worship; Judgment Day, selfishness; woes against Israel and the nations; defeat by Assyria and Babylon; idolatry condemned. The same study Bible identifies the following “Gospel Themes:” The remnant preserved; Immanuel; the Messiah’s just reign, salvation promised to Ethiopia, Assyria, and the nations; the feast; mercy for Hezekiah; God’s comfort for Zion; the Lord’s Servant; Zion’s deliverance; new heavens and a new earth.

In this reading Isaiah speaks of Judgment Day with images drawn from Israel’s days in the wilderness. He recognizes that Israel deserves judgment for their sins. (Verses 6 & 7 are quoted in the New Testament as evidence that we are all sinners.) Still Isaiah pleads for mercy. Therefore the reading ends on a Gospel note, asking the Lord to “remember not iniquity forever.” While calling God “Father” is not common in the Old Testament, this is one of those places where he is. Those who believe in him can come to him as children of a loving Father.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9: In these opening words of St. Paul to the Corinthians, Paul lists numerous reasons he gives thanks to God for the Corinthians. However he makes it abundantly clear that these blessings are not something they have done, but are gifts from Jesus. The last of the blessings mentioned, and therefore the apex of the blessings, is that Jesus will sustain them to the end, guiltless as they stand before the Judgment Throne. God’s grace doesn’t last just a lifetime, but is good for all eternity. Verse nine wraps this up with a reminder that God is faithful, meaning he will keep all his promises, and those promise are all grounded in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Mark 13:24-37: This lesson is taken from the last week of the earthly life of Jesus. He is speaking of the Last Day. The fundamental message is to “stay awake,” meaning always be looking for the Second Coming. How do we do this? We attend to the word (verse 31)! For example, Jesus says in 32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Every generation produces false prophets who claim to know when the Last Day will be, or at least to know that they are living in the last generation. Jesus calls them frauds. You can’t circle the Last Day on your calendars. You must be ready at all times, for we do not know when this current age will end.

Tidbits

• Well, as this will be posted on Thanksgiving Day, let me once again say Happy Thanksgiving!

• The December newsletter is already posted on the blog and paper copies will be available Sunday.

• The office will be closed this coming Thursday as Pastor will be attending class.

• Advent services begin next week. The theme is “The Saints of Advent.” Our first saint will be the Apostle Andrew. It seems appropriate as November 30 is his Feast Day. Services will be at 12:15 and 7:00 PM. We will also have a soup supper beginning at 6:15 PM.

• Choir practice has resumed. We meet after the Wednesday worship services. New voices are welcome.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Thanksgiving

2011-11-21T15:02:00.003-05:00

Monday after Christ he King Sunday
November 21, 2011

The Lord be with you

This coming Thursday, November 24, will be celebrated in the United States as Thanksgiving Day. The foundation for this national holiday has eroded in recent decades. That foundation is to set aside a day for the nation to give thanks to the Almighty for his many blessings to our nation and to implore Him to protect and bless us in the future. One of those blessings many of us enjoy is that of family. As such families often gather together, and that gathering typically includes a large meal. Featured in this meal is often a turkey. Those who have lost the original meaning of the day, or have had it pushed into the background by the contemporary culture of the USA, often simply call the day “Turkey Day.” It becomes an excuse to indulge our appetites and entertain ourselves with television specials.

Now there is nothing innately wrong with gathering with our families, enjoying a meal together, or even watching television on Thanksgiving Day (at least many programs on television). What is wrong is when such things become the center of the day, when God is pushed into the background, when it becomes a day to pat ourselves on the back as if God didn’t exist and our particular desires are the center of the universe.

At Lamb of God we will have a Thanksgiving worship service, held on the Eve of Thanksgiving Day, Wednesday, November 23. While our members are encouraged to attend, I encourage all who read this post to attend a Thanksgiving service wherever you may be.

If you live in the Spartanburg area, we invite you to join us. Our service will begin at 7:00 PM. We will be using Evening Prayer for our liturgy (page 243 of the Lutheran Service Book). The focus of the homily will be prayer.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Ancient Whale Bones Discovered in Desert

2011-11-21T14:08:00.006-05:00

Monday after Christ the King Sundya
November 21, 2011

The Lord be with you

The following AP story appeared on the internet today and I thought I’d share it.

Ancient Whale Bones Discovered in Desert

Paleontologists in Chile have made a surprising discovery in the desert. Scientists uncovered what appears to be a massive graveyard of whale bones in Copiapo, more than a half-mile from the ocean. More than 80 whales, including 25 complete skeletons, were found in one of the driest deserts in the world. There is currently a construction project to widen the highway near the Atacama Desert, where the bones were found. Scientists believe the bones could be between 2 million and 7 million years old. So how did the whales make their way from the ocean to the desert and end up so close to one another when they died? Scientists have many theories: Maybe the area was once a lagoon and it dried up, maybe there was a giant wave that flung the whales onto shore, or maybe a giant earthquake sealed them off. Whale bones were not the only find for the paleontologists. A dolphin carcass with walrus-like tusks was also uncovered. Scientists say this discovery gives them a glimpse of ancient sea life. One paleontologist said, "The fossils are exceptionally well preserved and quite complete--a rare combination in paleontology and one that will likely shed light on many facets of the . . . ecology and evolution of these extinct species." People on social media are debating creationism vs. evolution theories. Some people are just waiting for a scientific explanation. Still others are saying they should "accept the biblical account of the flood."

The following link will take you to the story:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/ancient-whale-bones-discovered-desert-parents-outraged-hooters-165721306.html

I’m sure the scientist will come up with some explanation for these bones; they always do. However, will that explanation be credible, or just yet another example of the inability for modern theories to predict but only explain and in an after the fact kind of way. If all these theories about the ancient earth were truly sound, why didn’t they go looking for whale bones in this desert much earlier? Why didn't the paleontologists warn the goverment of Chile that this project would unearth ancient marine fossils? Why did they have to wait for a road to be widened? I know why creationists have to wait – they don’t have the money. But surely these people, who have drawn up all these maps of the globe millions of years ago, should be able to spot likely places to make such finds. Well, it is something to think about.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

A Timely Question

2011-11-17T17:16:00.006-05:00

Friday after Pentecost 22
November 17, 2011

I guess just about every congregation has at least a few members who are “watch watchers.” They seem to feel that the time they spend Sunday morning in the sanctuary should fit into a discreet time segment, typically an hour. God help the poor minister if the worship “hour” lasts 70 minutes. Tongues can start wagging and the ministry of the Lord can be undercut.

Who decided that Sunday worship should only be an hour long? That certainly wasn’t the sentiment for the first 1500 years of the life of the Church. That means it is a development of the modern era.

Perhaps we can blame large churches that have multiple services on Sunday morning. Clearly they have to finish one service before they can start a second service. Therefore, there is a time limit looming over them. Perhaps we can blame television, which tends to neatly wrap things up in half-an-hour or an hour (with time to spare for commercials, to boot). Perhaps we can blame professional sports, or other things that are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, that create a feeling that the worship of God is cutting into time reserved for other activities. Perhaps we can blame the invention of watches, which can turn each person into a timekeeper. What is a timekeeper if there is no specific designated time to watch over? When I raced as a child, the question was, “who finished first?” Nowadays, it is “who had the best time?” Perhaps we can just blame the general trend of modernity, which marginalizes Christianity. Perhaps the growth of the accent on the individual in modernity is to blame. This is “my” time. Whatever the source of the idea that Sunday worship should be limited to an hour, for many it is something of an unchallengeable fact.

Such self-appointed timekeepers can have a wide range of suggestions for how the time spent in worship by the Body of Christ can be reduced to its “proper” length. If the minister announces such things like the hymn name and number, or some other rubric (we confess the Apostles’ Creed found on page …, let us join in the Kyrie on page …, etc.), you might hear that such information is superfluous. People can read it in the bulletin or find the information on the hymn board. If the pastor takes verbal prayer requests, it can be suggested that these should be written down before the service. If the pastor greets the congregation with more than five words, this can be considered a waste of time. General announcements about upcoming activities of the Body of Christ may be deemed unnecessary as people who want to know “should” read them in the bulletin or newsletter. Hymns are evaluated by how long they are, not by content. Sermons are subject to the same standard. Choirs, soloists, prayers, and just about anything else can be subject to the same tyranny of time. It can even be suggested that services that last longer than an hour hamper a church’s outreach activities as people certainly couldn’t imagine inviting someone to a worship service that lasts more than an hour, and people who are not regular attendees at worship certainly would not stand (or sit) still for a worship service that lasted longer than an hour. They might do so for a movie or football game, but never for the worship of God.

I suggest that focusing on the time spent in the worship service is not appropriate. As we gather on Sunday morning, it is not because we simply need to fill an hour in our day. You can stay home and watch the talking heads on television if that is all you are trying to do. “How long is your worship service?” is simply the wrong question and leads down paths that are not pleasing to the Lord.

The question we should be asking is, “Why do we gather?”

I suggest that we gather as the Body of Christ, as it is expressed in this or that local congregation. As the Body of Christ, as the expression of our Lord in this locale, we manifest who we are through what happens on Sunday morning. That is expressed in prayer, sermon, song, scripture, sacrament, and so on. If the congregation greets each other on Sunday morning, perhaps “sharing the peace,” this is an expression of the love Christ has for us. The sermon, the hymns, the choir pieces, are all words of Christ; it is the Lord’s voice in the Body. Announcements of upcoming events are expressions of the life we have as the Body of Christ. Even a car wash by the youth or a Christmas party by the women are expressions of who we are as the Body of Christ. To artificially limit the time for announcing such expressions of our identity is to say the most important aspect of our life together as the Body of Christ is time. It is to say that we may be the Body when we sing a hymn or hear the sermon, but not when we hear about a new Bible study that is beginning or learn of the upcoming Christmas schedule. It is to say that nothing of value can happen beyond a certain time limit.

Others may answer the question “Why do we gather?” differently. However, if they are asking that question, and not the question of time, then they are asking the right question, at least in my opinion. The more we can get the members of our congregations to ask the right question, the better their time will be spent on Sunday morning as the Body of Christ, no matter how long or short that time is.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 23 - 2011

2011-11-16T14:17:00.002-05:00

Wednesday after Pentecost 22
November 16, 2011

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost according to the liturgical calendar used by most LC-MS congregations. Other liturgical calendars can identify the day as Christ the King, Last Sunday of the End Time, and the Last Sunday of the Church Year. I would not be surprised if many churches that use the same calendar as Lamb of God still use one of the other names for this Sunday. I can’t blame them. The other names are far “cooler.” But, no matter what you call the day, the appointed lessons for the day will deal with the End Times.

As one of the alternate names suggests, this is the last Sunday in the Church Year. The Sunday following (November 27) will be the first Sunday in Advent. Therefore this coming Sunday marks the end of “ordinary” time and we are moving into the festival half of the church year. In the USA the first service will be a Thanksgiving one. Thanksgiving is not a liturgical holiday but a national one. However it always falls at the beginning of the festival half of the Church Year and so becomes the first service churches have in that half of the Church Year. This is only true in the USA. Other nations also often have an annual Thanksgiving celebration, but they just choose some other day in the year.

We will be using Matins for our liturgy (LSB page 219) so we will be using the appointed Psalm for the Day instead of the Introit. The lessons are: Psalm 95:1-7, antiphon v. 7a; Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; and Matthew 25:31-46. The sermon text will be Matthew 25: 31 and is titled “Judgment.” Our Opening Hymn will be “The Clouds of Judgment Gather” (LSB 513). Our Sermon Hymn will be “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near” (LSB 508). Our Closing Hymn will be “Built on the Rock” (LSB 645).

The video below is of the LutheranWarbler singing and playing our closing hymn, “Built on The Rock.” It was written by Nikolia Fredrik Severin Grundtvig and translated into English in 1909 by Carl Dövig. Grundtvig was born in Denmark in 1783. He died in 1872. He wrote so many poems and hymns that it took five volumes to publish them upon his death. Only two, however, made it into the Lutheran Service Book, this one and “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage” (LSB 582). Some have called him “the most important Scandinavian hymn-writer of the 19th century.”

Our adult Bible class this coming Sunday will pick up at Matthew 11:2. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24: Ezekiel’s career began about seven years prior to the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587 BC, and concluded around 570, almost 20 years after the deportation of the Jews. Ezekiel is one of the most difficult books in the Bible to understand. The rabbis of the Jews said a person should not read the beginning and ending few chapters until they were 30 years-old, that is, until they had a mature enough faith to not misunderstand it. The idea that a reader should have a good understanding of biblical teaching before tackling Ezekiel is sound. Many false ideas that circulate among Christians, that twist portions of this book, could be brought back into line with the Bible if this rule was observed. Ezekiel was a priest and so lived to see his beloved Temple destroyed by the Babylonians. Some of his imagery is drawn from his priestly background. He also engages in physical acts which are prophetic. His language can be shocking, using sexual images. These sexual images depict the unfaithfulness of Israel in quite graphic terms. Ezekiel 34:1-10 is a strong condemnation from the Lord against the “shepherds of Israel.” This is a metaphor for the priests, Ezekiel’s co-workers in the Temple. It is also a strong word for pastors and denomination leaders. God is watching and God expects us to be faithful. If we do not care for the “sheep” (the parishioners) God will judge us for our unfaithfulness. Even though the “shepherds” have proven to be unfaithful, the “sheep” are not abandoned. Picking up with verse 11, God promises to search for the “sheep” himself. Verses 11 through 16 ultimately are about the Last Day, when all the dead will be raised and those who have been brought to faith in Christ enter eternal joy. However it is also about the “in-time” reality that the Church (which is the Body of Christ) reaches out with God’s love and grace, bringing all that receive God’s mercy into God’s fold. The prime example of both of these gatherings is Jesus. In-time he came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). At the end of time he will return to gather his sheep into eternal pastures. Verses 17-19 are a warning to “sheep” (parishioners). There are those who seem to specialize in troubling congregations. Many problems in churches are caused by members, not the pastors. God is watching you also, and judgment awaits those who will not repent. Verses 20-24 are God’s solution. Not surprisingly, it is the same solution – Jesus. God will set up Jesus as the “shepherd” who will protect the “sheep” from those other sheep that would prey on the weak, and ensure that they receive their food (word and sacrament). So, basically, the appointed reading kind of skips over the Law portions of Ezekiel and focuses us on the Gospel portions. The closing verses of Ezekiel are also Gospel, looking forward to the blessings of heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28: This chapter is sometimes called the “Resurrection Chapter” of the New Testament. In verses 1-11 Paul covers the highlights of his gospel message. A point he emphases is all the people Jesus appeared to after his resurrection. The rest of the chapter unpacks the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus for us. Those who deny the resurrection of Jesus deny a critical element in the Christian Faith, a linchpin, a foundational truth. It is, in reality, a denial of Jesus himself. It is so important that it is in all three of the Ecumenical Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, Athanasian). This particular pericope focuses on the connection between Jesus resurrection and our own on the Last Day. Our Lord’s resurrection means that he will return, raise the dead with bodies, and rule for all eternity. Denying Jesus resurrection, then, is tantamount to denying his return, denying our physical resurrection, and denying Jesus as God in the flesh who rules all things. For those who have faith in the Resurrected Christ, this passage is pure gospel, the promise of our future is secure, as secure as the physical resurrection of Jesus is sure.

Matthew 25:31-46: Sunday’s sermon is based on this passage so I’m not going to say much. The whole chapter deals with the Second Coming of Jesus. In these verses, Jesus describes the Last Day with a courtroom scene. Humanity gathers before him, separated into two groups. The evidence of their faith is examined. Those who have faith, and therefore expressed their faith in various “good works,” are invited into heaven. Those who lack faith, and therefore have no “good works” to be examined, are expelled. Those who lack faith will go to “eternal punishment” but those who receive the righteousness of faith will go into “eternal life.” A key difference between this week’s reading and last weeks’ is that the nature of our “good works” come into sharper focus.

Tidbits

• After our worship service Sunday we will have a voters’ meeting. At this meeting we will be voting on our budget for the coming year. We will also be voting on whether we want to nominate various people from around our circuit for district positions. Finally we will be casting our vote for Circuit Counselor. The selection of Circuit Counselors is different from other district positions. For those other positions congregations and circuits nominate individuals and the district, in convention, elects individuals to fill the various rolls from those who have been nominated. The position of Circuit Counselor is filled by the member congregations of the Circuit in question and the district convention ratifies the selection made by the Circuit.

• Information for the December newsletter is due Sunday.

• Next week we will have a Thanksgiving worship service on Wednesday, at 7:00 PM. This is our custom at Lamb of God. The office will be closed for the national holiday Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 24).

• Junior Confirmation class has been meeting on Wednesdays this year. For the Advent season the students will be attending the Advent services and writing a paper on each of the homilies.

• Our first Wednesday Advent service will be November 30. We will again offer a service at 12:15 PM and a second service at 7:00 PM. The evening service will be preceded by a soup supper, which will begin at 6:15 PM. .

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Transforming This Christmas

2011-11-14T15:15:00.002-05:00

Commemoration of Emperor Justinian, Christian Ruler and Confessor of Christ
November 14, 2011

The Lord be with you

The Church Year is rapidly drawing to a close. The Advent season, the first season in the Church Year, will officially begin Sunday, November 27. This is followed by the Christmas Season, which lasts 12 days and begins on December 25. Epiphany (January 6) commemorates (among other things) the arrival of the Wise Men in Bethlehem.

For the next month and a half we will be hearing Christmas songs, watching Christmas specials, buying Christmas gifts, and generally getting ready for December 25th in some fashion. The goal is often to have a Christmas to remember, one full of laughter, joy, friendship, hope and peace.

However times are tough. Many people are having a difficult time making ends meet. Maybe you have been out of work far too long. Maybe your marriage is in a bad way. Maybe your children have gotten caught up in the wrong crowd. Maybe one of your loved ones is in the military and engaged somewhere around the world. Maybe you, or a loved one, is struggling with a serious illness. Maybe you have lost a loved one to death.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this Christmas we could rise above the turmoil in our lives? Wouldn’t it be great if you could really find joy and peace despite all the burdens you carry and the mad, hectic preparations for Christmas?

This is just the point of the Lutheran Hour Ministries Advent/Christmas devotions this year. Copies of “Transforming This Christmas” have been placed in the mail boxes at Lamb of God. However you can also have the devotions sent to you by e-mail, read them on line, or listen to them read to you by clicking here.

These devotions were written by LHM’s Theological Editor and Writer Rev. Wayne Palmer.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Kakuma Refugee Camp

2011-11-11T12:36:00.005-05:00

Commemoration of Martin of Tours, Pastor
Veterans’ Day
11/11/11

The Lord be with you

Rev. Shauen Trump is a missionary of the LCMS in East Africa. Kitty and I have supported him this past year with our prayers, and a small financial gift. He has, in turn, keep us informed concerning his work through his newsletter, which is available on line (http://TheTrumps.org/newsletter/). The following post is from their October newsletter.

In a shallow depression of a parched and desolate land lies the Kakuma Refugee Camp. Approaching its 20-year anniversary, the refugee camp is located close to Kenya’s border with Sudan and at its peak provided living space to 70,000 refugees. Today the camp contains an unknown number of refugees from Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, and Uganda.

Years ago, as part of its work with the developing Lutheran Church in Sudan, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) began to provide pastoral care for the Sudanese Lutherans in Kakuma. At one point there were four Lutheran congregations in the camp, each ministering to a different people group. A lay leader provided for the day-to-day spiritual needs of the congregations and LCMS missionaries or pastors from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya (ELCK) visited as they were able. It’s been three years since a Pastor was able to visit the congregations in the camp.

Last month the ELCK’s Archbishop asked Shauen if it would be possible for LCMS World Mission to send someone to visit the congregations in Kakuma. Shauen’s immediate response was “I myself will go. Who will you send with me?” So this month, as part of an Advance Trip for New Hope Missions Church of Mooresville, NC, Shauen and seven others were able to visit the three congregations in the camp.

Together we rejoiced as Water and the Word flowed in 150 baptisms of men, women, and children. We presided over scores of confirmations and celebrated Holy Communion with those who had not received it in three years. In one congregation a small group of eight children sang, danced, recited Scripture, and presented a dialogue with energy and conviction that astonished us: “We are the young soldiers of Jesus Christ that will move the church forward into the battle of tomorrow. Yes, we are bishops, pastors, and evangelists of tomorrow. But without some foundation we cannot hope to go on… We must be sure we are in the Lord, the One Foundation … Remember we are marching through the world with the cross of Jesus Christ!”

As is often the case, Shauen set out to joyfully serve and encourage God’s people here only to find that it was they who served and encouraged him. Praise the Lord for His people in Kakuma!

(The first picture is of Shauen as he Baptizes in the Kakuma Refugee Camp. The second picture is of the children in the Kakuma Refugee Camp sharing their faith.)

I am reminded of the following wonderful hymn.

Hark, the voice of Jesus crying,
“Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting—
Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth;
Rich reward He offers thee.
Who will answer, gladly saying,
“Here am I, send me, send me”?

If you cannot speak like angels,
If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked
With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Savior’s waiting arms.

If you cannot be a watchman,
Standing high on Zion’s wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven,
Off’ring life and peace to all.
With your prayers and with your bounties
You can do what God commands;
You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the prophet’s hands.

Let none hear you idly saying,
“There is nothing I can do,”
While the multitudes are dying
And the Master calls for you.
Take the task He gives you gladly,
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
“Here am I, send me, send me!”

As verse three reminds us, supporting missionaries with our prayers and financial aid is a real and valued way to respond to our Lord’s call to reach out with the Gospel. Everyone can’t go to Kenya, or China, or wherever. But “with our prayers and with our bounties” we can, and should, fill the roll of Aaron.

Maybe you would like to support a mission/missionary with your prayers and with your bounties, but East Africa just isn’t pulling at your heart. I strongly recommend “Mission Central,” headed up by Gary Theis, as a place where you can be put in touch with men and women who are doing the Lord’s work and in need of support. Mission Central is sort of a clearing house for missions/missionaries associated with the LC-MS. If there is a need they go to Gary and Gary finds a way to meet the need. Mission Central’s web address is: http://www.missioncentral.us/missioncentral/welcome. Mission Central put Kitty and I in touch with Shauen. They can connect you with a missionary or mission of your own.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 22 - 2011

2011-11-10T13:12:00.002-05:00

Thursday after All Saints’ Sunday
Martin Luther’s Birthday
November 10, 2011

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday is the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost according to the liturgical calendar used by most LC-MS congregations. Other liturgical calendars can identify the day as the Third Last Sunday of the Church Year and the Third Sunday of the End Time. As you might surmise from the other names, the Church Year is almost over. With our three-year lectionary there is the chance for up to 27 Sunday’s after Pentecost. Just how many you have depends on what date Easter is. We have but one more (November 20) this year.

The accent of the lessons at the end of the Church Year are themes that deal with the “eschatology.” Eschatology is the study of end time things. This obviously includes the Second Coming of Jesus, but also our death, heaven, judgment, and eternity. Some of these traditional themes come through in our assigned lessons for Sunday. They are: Zephaniah 1:7-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30. The sermon text will be Matthew 25:19 and is titled “Will Christ Say, ‘Well Done’?”. For our liturgy we will be using the third setting of the Communion service, which begins on page 184 of the hymnal. The opening hymn will be “Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me” (LSB 756). The sermon hymn will be “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying” (LSB 516). Our closing hymn will be “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” (LSB 515). The distribution hymns will be “Jesus Sinners Doth Receive” (LSB 609), , “Glory Be to the Father” (LSB 506), and “Sent Forth By God’s Blessing” (LSB 643).

The video below is of the LutheranWarbler singing and playing “Glory Be to the Father.” This hymn by Horatius Bonar was first published in 1866. It has been in all four of the main English hymnals used in the LC-MS.

Good Lord willing, we will finish chapter 10 in Matthew in our adult Bible class this coming Sunday. Class begins at 9:00 AM. As always, everyone is invited to come.

Preview of the Lessons

Zephaniah 1:7-16: Zechariah is one of the so-called Minor Prophets. These twelve prophets received this title, not because their writings are unimportant, but because they are short when compared to the Major Prophets. All twelve could fit on one scroll. (Zephaniah is only three chapters long.) Zephaniah was active from 640 to 609 BC. This puts him about a generation prior to the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586. Jeremiah was a contemporary, beginning his work after Zephaniah did, and ending his work after Zephaniah. Not surprisingly there are many similar themes in Zephaniah and Jeremiah. The fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians in 722 BC happened a generation or so earlier, so only the Southern Kingdom of Judah remained. Zephaniah spoke of the coming judgment on Judah because of their sin and rebellion against God, as well as providing great comfort in speaking of God’s mercy in Christ. Of course few listened to him, just like few listened to Jeremiah. The same is always true when God’s Law is spoken. Does our nation listen when told that sexual relationships outside of marriage are sinful? Does our nation listen when told that even “committed” homosexual relationships are sinful? Do people listen when told that skipping worship services Sunday after Sunday so they can sleep in, watch NASCAR, or whatever, is sinful? Do people change when they are told that profaning God’s name by using it casually or as an expletive is sinful? Do people cringe when the True God of the Bible is placed on a pare with the idols of the nations? In this particular pericope Zephaniah warns the people of the coming disaster (a warning they ignore). As always, these disasters not only warn of some calamity in time, but also the great calamity for those who reject God at the end of time. Scripture consistently uses such temporal judgments to warn us about the final judgment. However most will respond just like the Jews of Zephaniah’s day. Most said in their hearts, “The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill” (verse 12). Such are the proud of heart today who believe God will not judge. They interpret his patience as either an endorsement of their sin, or as evidence that God cannot, or will not judge.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11: Paul writes about the coming “Day of the Lord.” He tells us to not be concerned, because we are ready by grace through faith in Jesus. The Last Day will mean destruction, but not for Christians. However we are told that we do not know when the Last Day will be. So we are encouraged to always be ready. As believers we are to “put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation” (verse 8). Faith denotes our relationship with God. Love denotes our relationship with our fellow man. Hope denotes our confidence in our future in glory.

Matthew 25:14-30: This reading is a parable Jesus told about a man who goes away on a journey. Before going he gives sizable amounts of money to three of his servants, entrusting them to use it in their master’s best interest. After a long time the master returns and receives an accounting from the servants concerning how they used the money. This parable is sometimes called the “Parable of the Talents.” All of chapter 25 in Matthew deals with Christ’s return on the Last Day, and this parable is no different. However, as this text will serve as the foundation for Sunday’s sermon, I’ll say no more.

Tidbits

• Our Cub Council will meet Sunday after the worship service.

• The Arbors Homeowners Association will be meeting at Lamb of God Monday, beginning at 7:00 PM.

• The Kappa-Alpha Fraternity of Wofford College will be using our building Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 PM to midnight, for their induction ceremony.

• Our Greek Club will meet Monday morning at Panerra’s Bread Company for breakfast and some translating.

• The office will be closed Thursday, November 17. Pastor will be attending his “supervision group” meeting in Asheville, NC. This is part of his D.Min program.

• Our Beading Class will meet Saturday, November 19, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The gathering includes lunch. Cost is $10.00.

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTIN LUTHER. If alive today he would be a spry 528 years old.

Well, I pray I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Atheist Delusions

2011-11-09T20:33:00.002-05:00

Commemoration of Martin Chemnitz (birth), Pastor and Confessor
November

The Lord be with you

I receive a journal named Logia: A Journal of Lutheran Theology. One of the features I enjoy are the book reviews. Trust me on this; the books they review are not reviewed by the New York Times. In Volume XX, Number 4 (Reformation 2011) there was a very interesting review by Jack Kilcrease. I thought I’d share it with you.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies. By David Bentley Hart. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009.

Atheist Delusions is the attempt on the part of Eastern Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart to write a rebuttal to the new atheist movement (Dawkins, Hitchens, and so forth). From the first page, Hart demonstrates his extreme erudition as well as a keen writing style. He displays a thorough knowledge of classical Christian thought and the Western philosophical tradition. His first few chapters debunk the "Scientism" that is the presupposition of the new atheists. Hart shows himself to be a master of demystifying their faulty thinking and ignorance of post-Enlightenment Western thought. Despite their pretense at being "Brights" (Dawkins’s suggested alternative name for atheists), they show a profound ignorance. Frequently they are simply repeating long-discredited philosophical, theological, and historical fallacies. Hart suggests their popularity stems not from the theological or philosophical viability of their proposals, but rather from the appeal of their metanarrative of nothingness. Modern and postmodern people think of themselves as self-positing, free-willing, and unconstrained subjects. They see God as interfering with this autonomy and ability to self-create. Nevertheless, to be totally undetermined means to be nothing in particular. Only nothingness is pure indeterminacy and absolute autonomy. Modern and postmodern people, in effect, argues Hart, believe in nothingness more than anything.

Most of the rest of the chapters deal with historical questions and the impact of Christian theism on world civilization. The Christian narrative is the ontology of peace rooted in the inner life of the Trinity and the peaceful act of creation ex nihilo. Paganism held a narrative of order and chaos in a perpetual conflict (see Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy). Here Hart echoes John Milbank, among others. The claim that Christianity is actually an ontology of violence masquerading as ontology of peace is unfounded, notes Hart.

Similarly, the claim that Christianity maintains its peaceful charade in order to perpetrate violence is false. The claims that historically Christians have been responsible for the lion’s share of violence and intolerance in world history are also false. For example, the new atheists frequently attack Christianity for causing religious wars, from which only the secular state can save us. This is pure propaganda. Hart notes that the Thirty Years' War, frequently credited with showing Westerners the need for religious toleration, was about the birth of the secular state, not about religious rivalry. The modern secular state has bequeathed the human race far more violence and misery than Christianity ever did. Furthermore, Christian values—the belief in the order of creation and value of each individual—have informed the West’s cultural striving in ways that directly contradict paganism. Nietzsche was correct that one cannot reject a Christian worldview and expect to hold on to its ethical dimensions. If each human is not made in the image of God and therefore valuable, then why respect them? If the world was not created by a rational and intelligent mind, then why look for order in it through scientific inquiry?

The new atheists demonstrate their profound historical ignorance when they posit that Christianity has constrained peace, freedom, and scientific inquiry. In fact, the ancient pagan world, which Christianity conquered, was not the sphere of tolerance and scientific inquiry that they imagine it to be, but a gloomy place, stagnating in its technological and scientific advancements. (By the time of Augustus, all discernible scientific or technological development had more or less ceased.) Regarding liberties and freedom, the Pax Romana was a tyranny much like the empires that preceded it. Its literature, philosophy, and religion all presupposed a tragic metanarrative. In effect, it was nothing like the ethical, optimistic, and scientific world Dawkins and Hitchens believe would exist if the Christian church were to blip out of existence. In truth, to the extent that the secular metanarrative upholds these values, it is simply parasitic upon the Christian worldview. It posits a meaning, peace, and order to the cosmos that its own tragic atheism cannot logically sustain. In the end, Hart demonstrates that the atheistic worldview stands in great conflict with its own moral compass, as well as its scientific and historical pretensions.

2011-10-11T12:23:00.003-04:00

October 11, 2012
Commemoration of Philip the Deacon

The Lord be with you

Appreciating with all his heart the liberty from sin, death, and damnation which his Savior purchased for him at the cost of His own life, the Christian feels that a whole lifetime of service will not repay even a part of that which God has given him as a free gift. He, therefore, is a good steward, not because he desires to win a reward, but because he considers himself under grateful and perpetual obligation to Him by whose mercy he has been blessed beyond measure. In other words, not what he hopes to possess, but what he already has, is the mainspring of his stewardship.

Karl Kretzxchmar
The Stewardship Life
1929

Blessings in Christ
Pastor Rickert

Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg

2011-10-08T13:04:00.003-04:00

Saturday after Pentecost 16
October 8, 2011

The Lord be with you

Yesterday was the commemoration of Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg (1711-1787). Who, you ask? Henry Muhlenberg was an early American Lutheran pastor, church organizer, chronicler and “patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America.” He was the founding pastor of many Lutheran congregations, mostly in Pennsylvania, a key organizer of the first Lutheran synod in America, and he was instrumental in creating the first American English Lutheran liturgy. You can read more about Muhlenberg here. Below is a quote from him.

Error must be refuted. Since our church members dwell among all kinds of hostile sects, controversy cannot be avoided; yet you should not mention names. The matter should be so treated that the unholy founts of heresy and sectarianism are exposed with due humility and moderation. As many parties dwell together, intermarry, and have business relations with one another, a dangerous indifferentism easily arises. Therefore it is necessary at all times to point out [doctrinal] differences, as otherwise the suspicion of indifference may also fall upon the preacher. Carefully inquire into the moral condition of the members, and let it be a guide in the preparation of sermons. Above all, let us sow with tears, and have the edification of each individual at heart, and take heed unto ourselves and unto the doctrine."Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert