Author: Higher Things

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Categories
Pop. Culture & the Arts

The Gospel and “So You Think You Can Dance”

by Kim Grams

Best. Season. Ever. There are a number of things that made Season 4 of Fox Network’s “So You Think You Can Dance” (henceforth, SYTYCD) the best season ever. Cat Deely solidified her status as THE best show host with her charm, wit, genuine caring, non-snarkiness (hello, Ryan Seacrest) and her willingness to wear Twitch’s grill, “spit and all”.

From the first episode there were no train wrecks, the bar was raised, and there were many standout performances. Many of the dances were driven by emotion that was felt even through the TV. The level of God-given, natural talent was so high that it led to some wicked cool choreography. A few routines were not just dance, they were ART – living, moving, breathing art – like sculptures come to brilliant life. For the first time we had three favorites, which caused a voting dilemma (solved by each of us getting the phone and five minutes to vote like crazy and let the chips fall where they may). But perhaps the number one reason that this season came together so well in this time and place was the success of “untrained” dancers, particularly Joshua and Twitch.

It’s striking how many of this season’s themes could actually parallel our spiritual life (why does this suddenly feel like a “compare and contrast” essay)? Gotta say, this isn’t my strong suit. I’m good at interpreting pop culture and deconstructing shows – what I like about them and why – hopefully in a somewhat entertaining way, and then saying how it relates to us as Christians in little bits and pieces. But let’s have a go at trying something a bit meatier and see where it goes, shall we? There are many kinds of strength (both in the Bible and in life) and I found some interesting match-ups between some Biblical truths and my favorite dance show. (When “Dancing with the Stars” starts it’s new season, THAT will be my favorite dance show – thank goodness they don’t run at the same time!)

Much ado was made this season about “untrained” street dancers. What exactly IS an untrained dancer? I’d classify it as someone who has LITTLE or no formal training in technique and the foundations of dance, such as ballet. Joshua and Twitch both fit in this category. Yes, Joshua had SOME ballet lessons, but sporadically, and certainly not to the level of those who’ve had multiple classes in many genres over several years. (Having 10 years of ballet and tap, and 5 years of jazz, all before High School, I’d classify myself as a partially trained dancer; I have the basics, but never took it beyond the intermediate level). For both Joshua and Twitch, their main form of dance is street-style – hip-hop, popping, etc.

Every season the question comes up: can an untrained dancer make the final four? Top two? Could they win? And this year, Joshua and Twitch stood as the final two, with Joshua taking home the prize.

Host Cat Deeley summed it up moments before the results. “In four seasons a street dancer has never made it to the end of the finale, and now it comes down to the pair of you – two untrained street dancers.” Judge Nigel Lythgoe also stated, “…you’re inspirational for a lot of other people who didn’t have the opportunity of getting trained as dancers.”

Proverbs 22:6 pops into my head. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Many of us grew up in the church, were brought to Sunday School every week, and had the opportunity to learn of God’s grace from an early age. But just as many did NOT have that same opportunity. The prize is available to anyone, not just those who “grew up in” the faith.

Training is a good thing, but it’s not what ultimately what wins us the prize. As Pastor Heinz put it in suggesting this topic to me: “It doesn’t matter how hard we work or train at being good Christians – it all comes back to the Lord doing His work in us. We can’t train and practice to get into heaven; but the Lord gifts that victory to us.”

Another SYCYCD theme this year was physical strength. Both finalists were extremely strong, enabling them to do spectacular lifts and tricks that had previously been unattainable. This too brought some verses, such as Isaiah 40:31 to mind. “…But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”

The dancers are competing in hope of soaring like eagles and winning the ultimate prize – the title of America’s Favorite Dancer, among other things. They know they will need to renew their strength, so as not to grow weary. Our ultimate prize is heaven, but like the dancer we hope to soar like eagles in this life before our bodies give out. God is the source of ALL strength and “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Phillippians 4:13.)

I think Joshua would understand that. When asked if there was anything he’d like to say moments after his victory, he said, “Never let anybody tell you (that) you can’t do anything because no matter what you do you can always go forward – the sky’s the limit. Don’t let anybody tell you (that) you can’t do something because God is in control and with God you can do anything.”

Even more comforting than God being “in control” is the comfort of His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. As He gives these gifts, He can work anything. Perhaps Joshua meant to remind America of what Jesus assures us in Matthew 19:26: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” To that I say, Amen, brother!

Kimberly Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. A dancer and an avid reality TV viewer, she has also written over a dozen articles featured in the Pop. Culture & the Arts section of HigherThings.org.

 

Categories
News

Happy Birthday Pastor Buetow!

Today as we commemorate the festival of St. Mary, the Mother of Our Lord we’d also like to remember Pastor Mark Buetow. He’s another year older today and it was important to the Internet Services Staff here at Higher Things that we let you know about it. So, drop Pastor Buetow a line and send him special Birthday Greetings to remind him of how old he’s getting. You can e-mail him at buetowmt at higherthings dot org.

Categories
News

Trinity Season Reflections (Part 4)

Trinity Season Reflections (Part 4) are now available. The Trinity Season continues with more Jesus! Pastor Mark Buetow of Bethel Lutheran Church in Du Quoin, Illinois points us to Jesus accomplishing our salvation on Calvary and delivering to us through the holy gifts of His means of grace in the church. You can download the Relfections in a printable booklet format here.

Categories
Current Events

Conference Coordinator Copasetically Comments

by Sandra Ostapowich

Having just coordinated three Higher Things Amen conferences this summer, I have a few post-conference reflections to share…

Worship
Once again, conference worship (TEN total services in 4 days, plus nightly Prayer at the Close of the Day in small groups) was a huge highlight of the conferences. Worship at HT conferences is pretty much the same as it is in many of our home churches all across the country, using the liturgy and hymnal. Yeah, we find some pretty amazing organists. We’re pretty sure that Chris Loemker has a secret set of arms like some Hindu organ-playing demi-god. Oh, and Pr. Cwirla wore his “bling” stole for the Divine Service at Amen – Irvine. But other than that, things are pretty normal. 

Worship at HT conferences is not like a concert where you sing along with the band that actually drowns out the audience’s singing. The congregational singing – oh, the singing!! – is just…breathtaking. Hundreds of teenagers, singing HYMNS at the top of their lungs. In harmony!  Kids are supposed to require strobe lights, disco balls, and big-name (or big-name-sounding) bands, dramatic illustrations with movie clips on the big screens, etc. etc. etc. in order to get their interest in anything.  Not true!  They love the liturgy, they love hymns!  Chaplains took the opportunity at all three conferences to teach about different aspects of the service that might not be familiar to everyone.  The Daily Services book also contained important information that taught about the services and practices as well.

At HT conferences, only LCMS pastors preach and lead the services, only LCMS musicians (clergy and laity) play the instruments and direct the choirs. All of the services are taken straight from the LCMS hymnal. That means you can go to church on Sunday, open up the hymnal and see the very same services we used at the conferences. The hymns we sang are all in there too. And I bet your pastor would be tickled rose (the liturgical version of pink) if you asked him to lead one of them sometime, or teach your youth group about the history of the liturgy.

Work
Catechesis at the Amen conferences was also incredible. This year, we had two of our very best teachers leading the plenary sessions.  LCMS pastors, Rev. George Borghardt and Rev. Mark Buetow taught us about Salvation’s Achievement and Delivery and faith’s response of “Amen” in our lives and vocations.  Their dynamic and approachable teaching styles reminded us that Lutherans don’t always have to be stodgy and straight-laced (and for those of us who are stodgy and straight-laced, it’s still OK to crack a smile once and a while).  And who can forget their free-time karaoke performances?? (No one, since they’re on YouTube!)  For SIX 45-minute classes, they kept their youth audiences in rapt attention. I heard time and time again from kids (including ones I didn’t know) about how much they learned and grew from these sessions.

Breakaway and In-Depth Sectionals were also a hit. Conference attendees have the opportunity to choose an “In-Depth” sectional which meets for three sessions, as well as numerous “Breakaway” sectionals which are one-time sessions. The Catechesis Coordinators for each conference recruited a ton of great teachers from the adults registered to the conferences. There were sessions on just about every topic under the sun, all taught by LCMS pastors and laity. In total, there were 96 separate classes offered at all the three Amen conferences this summer!

Youth get to choose the specific topic they want to learn about, but all of the sessions teach meaty theology in an accessible way. Kids don’t need watered-down, children’s message type lessons covered with a sparkly veneer of fun. They don’t need skits or video clips (skits on a screen) to learn.  They don’t need hands-on activities touching rocks or burning pieces of paper to learn.  To learn, they need to be taught and given some meat to dig their teeth into and inwardly digest.  The learning opportunities at HT conferences challenges youth in their faith, teaches them substantial theology, and equips them to make use of it in their everyday lives. And they do! 

Play
This year was a little different as far as the fun and entertainment of the conference went. Instead of trying to herd hundreds of teenagers to a major venue for something fun (the Amen – Irvine beach party being the one exception), we brought in some different types of entertainment and let everyone just…have fun in their own way. The campuses provided a number of different activities from swimming and soccer to line-dance lessons, movies on a theater screen, dodge ball tournaments, and the ever-popular karaoke! Ultimate Frisbee, Apples to Apples, card games, and just hanging out gave youth from all over the country (even the world) to laugh and get to know each other. And if your group didn’t want to do any of those things, they could go and do their own fun thing during that time block. It really doesn’t take wads of money and glitzy production plans for everyone to have fun!

And while the entertainment portion of the conference days are well…entertaining, having fun is not the point.  Countless youth will tell you that the worship was “fun” and the catechesis was “fun”.  Fun in that context simply means they were engaged and interested in what they were doing.  It wasn’t just something they watched happen but piqued their interest, and made them want more.  If you think about it, when “church” is just another place to go to be entertained, play in a souped-up garage…er…praise band, listen to leaders of different denominations talk to you about morality, have fun, and hear a watered-down devotional (motivational) talk…then the place that has the coolest band, the biggest plasma screens, and the most motivating morality sermons will be where they go when they become adults. If they continue going to church at all.  

That’s what happens when we replace the theology of the Cross for the theology of Glory.  There are tons of places in the world where we can go to learn how to live with good, upstanding morals.  There are even more places to go and be entertained in all sorts of ways. There’s only one place to go to hear the Gospel – to the Church, where the Gospel is proclaimed in its purity and the Sacraments are administered in accordance with it.

We do all these things at HT conferences the way we do because we want nothing but the best for youth and want to help Lutheran pastors, parents, and congregations to provide it for them and keep them coming to Church, where God’s gifts for us in Word and Sacrament are being given out. These are the formative years when teens really develop a personal understanding of their faith, why would anyone want it to be shaped by the teaching of authoritative people who teach anything less than the pure Gospel of Christ and Him crucified for us?

(For more information from the conferences and pictures from this summer, please visit www.amen2008.org.)

 

Categories
News

Thank You!

As we in Higher Things continue to bask in the glow of three Christ-centered “Amen” conferences, it’s time to take a moment and thank all the people who taught, worked, preached, and sang at our conferences this year. 

This list is by no means comprehensive.  As is always the case, all the laity who volunteered and taught, are all members in good standing of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregations.  And all the preachers, teachers, and chaplains are rostered members of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

So, thank you.  Thank you for your preparation.  Thank you for your time.  Thank you for giving up sleep and for consuming large amounts of caffeine and sugar to stay awake.  Most of all, thank you for making this year’s conferences our best yet!

We’ll see you at Sola!

In Christ,

Rev. George F. Borghardt III
Conference Executive
Higher Things, Inc.

Amen – Poconos
Rev. David Kind Chaplain/Preacher University Lutheran Chapel Minneapolis, MN
Mr. Chris Loemker Organist/Choir Director Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church Freeburg, IL
Rev. George Borghardt Preacher St. Mark Lutheran Church Conroe, TX
Rev. Larry Nichols Preacher Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Smithfield, RI
Rev. Mark Buetow Preacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. Eric Andrae Preacher First Trinity Lutheran Church Pittsburgh, PA
Rev. Christopher Esget Preacher Immanuel Lutheran Church Alexandria, VA
Rev. Marcus Zill Preacher St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Laramie, WY
Rev. George Borghardt Plenary Teacher St. Mark Lutheran Church Conroe, TX
Rev. Mark Buetow Plenary Teacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. David Fleming In-Depth Teacher Our Savior Lutheran Church Grand Rapids, MI
Rev. James Gier In-Depth Teacher Mount Calvary Lutheran Church Excelsior Springs, MO
Rev. Gifford Grobien In-Depth Teacher Emmaus Lutheran Church South Bend, IN
Rev. David Kind In-Depth Teacher University Lutheran Chapel Minneapolis, MN
Mr. Stan Lemon In-Depth Teacher Redeemer Lutheran Church Oakmont, PA
Rev. Thomas Messer In-Depth Teacher Peace Lutheran Church Alma, MI
Rev. Kurt Onken In-Depth Teacher Messiah Lutheran Church Marysville, WA
Mrs. Sandra Ostapowich In-Depth Teacher Mount Olive Lutheran Church Loveland, CO
Rev. Jay Reinke In-Depth Teacher Concordia Lutheran Church Williston, ND
Rev. Eric Andrae Breakaway Teacher First Trinity Lutheran Church Pittsburgh, PA
Rev. Leonard Astrowski Breakaway Teacher Grace Lutheran Church Fairgrove, MI
Rev. Dr. David Balla Breakaway Teacher Trinity Lutheran Church West Chicago, IL
Rev. Duane Bamsch Breakaway Teacher Evangelists Lutheran Church Kingsbury, TX
Rev. Mark Buetow Breakaway Teacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. Dave Dodge Breakaway Teacher Our Savior Lutheran Church Union City, MI
Rev. John Drosendahl Breakaway Teacher Peace Lutheran Church Goldsboro, NC
Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher Breakaway Teacher Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, IN
Rev. Joseph Fisher Breakaway Teacher Pilgrim Lutheran Church West Bend, WI
Rev. Robert Franck Breakaway Teacher Mount Olive Lutheran Church Duluth, MN
Rev. Gifford Grobien Breakaway Teacher Emmaus Lutheran Church South Bend, IN
Rev. Kevin Johnson Breakaway Teacher Holy Cross Lutheran Church Carlisle, IA
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Naumann Breakaway Teacher Redeemer Lutheran Church Oakmont, PA
Rev. Larry Nichols Breakaway Teacher Redeemer Lutheran Church Smithfield, RI
Mr. Landon Reed Breakaway Teacher Zion Lutheran Church Tomball, TX
Rev. Jay Reinke Breakaway Teacher Concordia Lutheran Church Williston, ND
Rev. Kent Schaaf Breakaway Teacher All Saints Lutheran Church Charlotte, NC
Rev. Stephen Schumacher Breakaway Teacher Bethany Lutheran Church Naperville, IL
Dr. Jim Tallmon Breakaway Teacher Our Savior Lutheran Church Winchester, WV
Dcs. Jennie Waters Breakaway Teacher Concordia University – Chicago Chicago, IL
Rev.Marcus Zill Breakaway Teacher St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Laramie, WY
       
Amen – St. Louis
Rev. D. Richard Stuckwisch Chaplain Emmaus Lutheran Church South Bend, IN
Kantor Richard Resch Organist Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, IN
Mr. Timothy LaCroix Choir Director Concordia Lutheran High School Fort Wayne, IN
Rev. George Borghardt Preacher St. Mark Lutheran Church Conroe, TX
Rev. Joel Fritsche Preacher Concordia Seminary St. Louis, MO
Rev. Mark Buetow Preacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. Richard Heinz Preacher St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Lanesville, IN
Rev. Jeffrey Gibbs Preacher Concordia Theological Seminary St. Louis, MO
Rev. Bruce Keseman Preacher Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church Freeburg, IL
Rev. William Cwirla Preacher Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Hacienda Heights, CA
Rev. George Borghardt Plenary Teacher St. Mark Lutheran Church Conroe, TX
Rev. Mark Buetow Plenary Teacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. Paul Beisel In-Depth Teacher Concordia Lutheran Church Warsaw, IL
Rev. Jeffrey Bloom In-Depth Teacher Immanuel Lutheran Church Lincoln, NE
Rev. Allen Braun In-Depth Teacher Mount Hulda Lutheran Church Cole Camp, MO
Rev. Kirk Clayton In-Depth Teacher Zion Lutheran Church Mascoutah, IL
Rev. Marcus Mackay In-Depth Teacher Peace Lutheran Church Hastings, NE
Rev. Klemet Preus In-Depth Teacher Glory of Christ Lutheran Church Plymouth, MN
Rev. William Cwirla In-Depth Teacher Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Hacienda Heights, CA
Mrs. Sandra Ostapowich In-Depth Teacher Mount Olive Lutheran Church Loveland, CO
Rev. William Snyder In-Depth Teacher Holy Cross Lutheran Church Emma, MO
Rev. Jon Bakker Breakaway Teacher Zion Lutheran Church Mount Pleasant, MI
Rev. Michael Brockman Breakaway Teacher Christ Lutheran Church Hutchinson, KS
Dcs. Emily Carder Breakaway Teacher Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Brandon, MS
Rev. Steven Cholak Breakaway Teacher Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, IN
Rev. Tyler Hauptmeier Breakaway Teacher St. Peter Lutheran Church Summerfield, KS
Rev. Richard Heinz Breakaway Teacher St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Lanesville, IN
Rev. Jim Holowach Breakaway Teacher Christ Lutheran Church Jackson, MS
Rev. Philip Houser Breakaway Teacher Lamb of God Lutheran Church Omaha, NE
Rev. Bruce Keseman Breakaway Teacher Christ our Savior Lutheran Church Freeburg, IL
Rev. Scot Kinnaman Breakaway Teacher Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO
Rev. Richard Kolaskey Breakaway Teacher Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Dillsboro, IN
Rev. Paul McCain Breakaway Teacher Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO
Rev. Alan Miller Breakaway Teacher Peace Lutheran Church Glidden, IA
Rev. Michael Monterastelli Breakaway Teacher First Lutheran Church Lufkin, TX
Rev. Mark Mumme Breakaway Teacher Zion Lutheran Church Hardwick, MN
Dcs. Pam Nielsen Breakaway Teacher Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO
Rev. Jeffrey Pautz Breakaway Teacher St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Freeman, SD
Rev. Rick Sawyer Breakaway Teacher Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Brandon, MS
Rev. Scott Schilbe Breakaway Teacher Christ Lutheran Church Rochester, MN
Rev. Eric Tessaro Breakaway Teacher Trinity Lutheran Church Springfield, MO
Rev. Clayton Vail Breakaway Teacher Bethlehem Lutheran Church Altamont, IL
Rev. Glen Wurdeman Breakaway Teacher Advent Lutheran Church Zionsville, IN
       
Amen – Irvine
Rev. William Cwirla Chaplain/Preacher Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Hacienda Heights, CA
Dr. William Heide Organist St. John Lutheran Church Orange, CA
Mrs. Audrey Mink Choir Director St. John Lutheran Church Orange, CA
Rev. George Borghardt Preacher St. Mark Lutheran Church Conroe, TX
Rev. Korey Maas Preacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Mark Buetow Preacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. Joel Shaltanis Preacher St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Pomona, CA
Rev. Steven Mueller Preacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Brent Kuhlman Preacher Trinity Lutheran Church Murdock, NE
Rev. George Borghardt Plenary Teacher St. Mark Lutheran Church Conroe, TX
Rev. Mark Buetow Plenary Teacher Bethel Lutheran Church Du Quoin, IL
Rev. Dr. James Bachman In-Depth Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Prof. Mark Brighton In-Depth Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Charlie Mallie In-Depth Teacher Zion Lutheran Church Tomball, TX
Rev. Dr. Steven Mueller In-Depth Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. William Cwirla In-Depth Teacher Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Hacienda Heights, CA
Mrs. Sandra Ostapowich In-Depth Teacher Mount Olive Lutheran Church Loveland, CO
Prof. Mark Siegert In-Depth Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Prof. Scott Ashmon Breakaway Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Dr. Susan Bachman Breakaway Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Dan Bremer Breakaway Teacher Grace Lutheran Church Grand Island, NE
Rev. Tim Eaton Breakaway Teacher Christ the King Lutheran Church Newbury Park, CA
Rev. Dr. Korey Maas Breakaway Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Ian Pacey Breakaway Teacher Catalina Lutheran Church Tucson, AZ
Rev. Jeremy Rhode Breakaway Teacher Faith Lutheran Church Capistrano Beach, CA
Dr. Christine Ross Breakaway Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Prof. Greg Seltz Breakaway Teacher Concordia University – Irvine Irvine, CA
Rev. Wiley Smith Breakaway Teacher Christ the King Lutheran Church Redlands, CA
Rev. Marcus Zill Breakaway Teacher St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Laramie, WY
Rev. Grant Knepper Breakaway Teacher Zion Lutheran Church Hillsboro, OR
Rev. Brent Kuhlman Breakaway Teacher Trinity Lutheran Church Murdock, NE
Mr. Stan Lemon Breakaway Teacher Redeemer Lutheran Church Oakmont, PA
Categories
Higher Homilies

What Shall We Do?

by The Rev. Christopher S. Esget

Acts 2.37-47; Luke 24.13-27

The voice of terror and doom pierces our every hiding place; it is the voice of the LORD, which demanded of Adam, demanded of Cain, and demands of you: What have you done?

  • What have you done in the dark? Did you think I would not know?

  • What have you done with the door closed? Did you think I would not see?

  • What have you done, against My commands? Did you think I would overlook it?

  • What have you done, by ignoring My Word? Did you think I would not care?

  • What have you done with the talents and gifts I gave you? Did you think they were something to be squandered on useless and foolish pursuits?

  • What have you done against the parents I appointed over you? Did you forget I gave them My authority?

  • What have you done with the body I gave you? Did you think the institution of Holy Marriage was a joke, and My gift of sexuality was something you could tarnish by your lack of self-control?

  • What have you done with My Son? Why have you pierced His hands and His feet? Is this how you thank your God?

What can you answer to such questions? There is no bargaining with God – He holds all the cards. What shall we do? We are not alone with such thoughts – those who listened to Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost had the same question; we heard it in the first reading:

“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Their situation is hopeless; Peter has just accused them of murdering the Son of God – and guilt turns to dread when He says that the One they murdered has come back from the dead, has ascended so that He fills the heavens, and has been given all authority in heaven and earth. You murdered Him, but He is back from the dead. How do you expect Him to respond? That is what lies behind the panicked question, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” And then, the astonishing answer: There is nothing for you to do; this Jesus who is risen from the dead has not come for vengeance, but for pardon. Repent and be baptized, and you will receive His gifts: the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, life.

A different kind of dread hung over those two men walking on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus; we heard about them in the Gospel. It was Easter, but they were singing no Alleluias. “What shall we do? Jesus is dead; we thought He was going to redeem Israel! Now everything is lost.” The shadow of death hangs over them, and they cannot even recognize Jesus when He walks with them on the road. But their ears hear Him open the Old Testament Scriptures – “All of it,” He says, “shows that the Christ had to suffer before entering His glory.” And then, the story continues beyond what we read: Jesus sits down to supper with these men, who still don’t recognize Him. And He takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and gives it to them. Sound familiar? And that is when they recognize Him. The risen Jesus is there with them in His Supper. He vanishes from the sight of their eyes, but not from their midst. Jesus continues with them, and continues with us, in His Supper, in the breaking of the bread.

In both cases, hopelessness was turned to joy, only by Jesus. Now our lives deal us plenty of circumstances where everything feels hopeless.

  • What shall I do, when everything is going wrong with my family?

  • What shall I do, when everything is going wrong with my friends?

  • What shall I do, when everything is going wrong in my body?

  • And then the worst, when we have messed up and done horrible things that offend God, things that we wish we could take back, things we would like to keep covered up, and yet we know and cannot avoid the fact that God sees, and He will judge – and we ask, What shall I do?

And the answer for you is the same as it was in Jerusalem – it is the voice of God pointing you to repentance and Baptism, saying everything is pardoned, everything is atoned for, everything is made new in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

“What shall we do?” Wrong question! What has Jesus done? He has done what you cannot; He has redeemed what you have lost; He will restore what in you leads only to ruin.

Why are you gloomy and sad? Christ is risen, and death is undone!

Why are you anxious and worried? You are baptized, and your sins are drowned!

Why are you hungering for the food that cannot satisfy? Christ is in our midst, and gives you the bread of life!

He says to you: “You are foolish” – and we can only reply, “Yes, yes, it is so.” He says to you: “You are slow of heart to believe” – and we can only reply, “Yes, yes, it is so.”

But then He says to you: “You are still Mine; I claimed you in the font” – and all there is for us to say is, “Amen!” And again He says, “Behold, I give you My body and blood, and join you to Myself” – and all there is for us to say is, “Amen!

And when you are dying, you will remember these things, and look at the crucifix, and go to your short slumber saying, “Amen!”

And then on the last day, our Lord will call you from your grave, and to a world made new you will rise in a body made new, and you will say, “Alleluia! Amen!” +INJ+ 

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

 

The Rev. Christopher Esget is Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School in Alexandria, Virginia. Formerly a student sacristan at Kramer Chapel (Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne), he served as Worship Coordinator for the 2008 Amen Conferences. This Sermon was preached at the Divine Service during Amen – Scranton.

Categories
Higher Homilies

Washed in the Blood

by The Rev. William Cwirla

In Nomine Iesu


Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.   (Rev 22:14)

There is a famous scene in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  Perhaps some of you have learned it; I did when I was in high school.  Lady Macbeth is racked with guilt over the bloody murders she and her husband have committed.  She roams through the halls of the castle in her sleep late at night, desperately wringing her hands, trying to wash away the bloody evidence that tortures her conscience to the point of madness.  “Out damned spot, out I say!”  but the spot just won’t go away.  “Who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him,” she cries, scrubbing her hands.  She can smell the blood on her hands.  “All the perfumes in Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”

Sin has left its mark on you – on your soul, your body, your mind, your psyche, your robes.  The damned spot of Adam, the original sin and the origin of all sins – your lies, your immoralities, your blasphemies, your idolatries, your greed, your coveting, your murders, your disobedience, insolence, arrogance, hatred – there’s no covering them up.  They have all left a mark on you. You have blood on your hands.  You search in this world for something that will wash that damned spot of sin away- drugs, alcohol, religion.  You discover the terrible truth of Lady Macbeth.  That damned spot doesn’t go away, no matter how hard you try.  Your prayers and pieties won’t do it.  Your guilt and shame won’t wash it away.  The smell of sin is on you and all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten it.  And then you hear Jesus say, “I am coming soon, bringing my recompense to reward everyone for what he has done.”  So now what?

You need to wash, and I don’t mean clean up your act.  You need to be cleansed, and like Lady Macbeth, you can’t do it for yourself.  All you can do is wring your hands in madness.  But is a detergent for the damned spot of sin – the blood of the Lamb, the blood poured out for you on a cross, the blood poured out on you in your Baptism.  Though your sins be as scarlet, this blood of the Lamb will make them white as snow.

“Blessed are those who wash their robes.”  Blessed are you baptized, believing one.  The gates of the heavenly city lie open to you.  The Tree of Life is waiting for you to pluck its life-bearing fruit.  Earlier, John saw the worshippers of heaven, a congregation no ushering crew in the world could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language.  He asked one of the 24 elders, “Who are these in white robes and where did they come from?”  And the elder said this:  “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Who would have thought that the Lamb would have so much blood in Him?  And such a blood it is that can cleanse the spot of sin and wash it away forever!  Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Have you ever wondered where your sins go when they are washed away?  It all has to go somewhere, right?   Ever wonder where where the drain goes, where the sewer pipe ends?  It goes out, away, far away, deep into the earth, outside the city.  There is no place for sin in the heavenly city of God.

Outside the city gates is the garbage dump, the septic tank, the cesspool, the place where the dogs hang out, not referring to the likes of that poor Canaanite woman with her puppy dog faith you’ve heard of, but those who revel in the stale stench of humanity gone bad – the sorcerers and the perverts and sexually immoral, the murderers and idolaters, and all who practice and delight in falsehood and lies.  Do you lie?  Outside the city gates would be our destiny too, were it not for Jesus. 

But He was crucified outside the city bearing your sins on the garbage heap called Calvary.  Jesus was made sin for us.  He absorbed the damned, indelible spot of fallen humanity – Adam’s sin and yours – and washed it all away in the blood and water that flowed from His side and ran down the wood of the cross to the cursed, weedy soil, trickling down into the deepest depths of hell, where they belong.

If you wish to keep company with your sin, if you wish to commune in your corruption, if you wish to take delight in the evil you have done, then you must go outside the gates of God’s city, to the dogs.  You must go to hell.  But that’s not what Jesus has in mind for you.  He died and rose so that you would have a rather different outcome.

The Spirit and the Church, say “Come.”  You are invited.  Come.  Come, you sinners, poor, broken, needy.  Come, young and old, torn by guilt and shame.  There is living water to refresh you here, cleansing blood to wash away that damned spot.  Flush it down the drain of your Baptism together with the old Adam and all his sinful desires and deeds.  Let Jesus deal with it.  He already has.  Come, drink of that stream of forgiveness that flows from His cross to you.  Come the church, God’s inn of mercy.  Come to the ministry of forgiveness and healing, to your fellow priests clothed in Christ.  Come, sons and daughters of Adam, no matter how great your sin, no matter how deep the stain, it’s all washed away by the slain Lamb who lives and reigns.

“Yes, I come quickly.”  Jesus’ last word to His Church.  “I come quickly.”  Speedily.  To save you.  To raise you.  To welcome you.  To claim you.  To forgive you.

And the Church, washed in the blood of the Lamb, responds with that little Hebrew word that encapsulates all of faith:  Amen.  “Come, Lord Jesus.”

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you, His saints.
Amen.

 

Rev. Cwirla is Pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, CA. He serves as President on the Higher Things Board of Directors and preached this sermon at the 2008 Amen Conference.

Categories
Current Events

Unfulfilled Dreams?

by the Rev. Rich Heinz

“Paul Hamm won’t be going to the Beijing Olympics, after all,” reported Fox News on Monday.  Hamm suffered a broken hand on May 22 at the national championships, and despite surgery his recovery will not be swift enough to compete.  In his effort to accelerate recovery, Hamm also hurt his rotator cuff.

Newscasters speculate that this withdrawal will likely end Paul Hamm’s gymnastic career.  This is quite a blow, both to Paul and his twin brother, Morgan (a fellow Olympic teammate), as well as the U.S. gymnastics team.  It seems as if they – and Paul in particular – have some unfulfilled dreams.

Paul Hamm has worked hard for years.  Before and after completing his degree at Ohio State, he has trained and prepared himself to receive Olympic medals.  Yet now he himself will not enter the Beijing arena.

Moses seemed to have some unfulfilled dreams too.  He worked hard for 40 years, wandering in the wilderness with the children of Israel.  Under God’s direction, he had prepared a whole nation to receive the gift of the Promised Land.  Yet he himself would not enter it.

But wait!  Moses’ dreams were not unfulfilled!  Yes, he dreamed of entering the Promised Land.  Yes, he was prevented from entering Canaan.  However, the Lord took him directly to the true Promised Land, bypassing the earthly shadow that the rest of the nation would enter with Joshua.  His dreams were not unfulfilled – they were fully realized, and more!

This week, whether he realized it or not, Paul Hamm was given a gift.  He will not have the gift of competing in Beijing.  Nevertheless, there is a gift in the injured hand.  Throughout his recovery, Paul will be shown his complete and utter dependence on the mercy of God.   The Lord will display to him the greater gifts: the loving forgiveness and grace of Christ – undeserved, unearned, given freely.

We all can get caught up in thinking we deserve something because of the effort and time we have invested.  There are few people who invest more than Olympians.  Perhaps that is what makes Paul Hamm such a prime example of our inability to count on our own strength, knowledge, and perseverance.  He did everything possible to realize his dream, but now he cannot attain it.

Jesus, however, is our great Champion.  He has accomplished the victory of salvation and given that “gold medal” to us without any merit or worthiness in us.  Like Paul Hamm, Jesus’ hands are scarred.  Unlike Paul Hamm, Jesus’ wounds impact every one of us.  Far more than one’s self, a brother, or a team, Christ’s injuries impact the world! His scars are comforting, eternal marks of love poured out for us.  Those wounds are wondrous trophies for the King whose crown was not Olympic laurels, but twisted thorns.

Now, our Savior gives you Himself, as water and blood flow from His wounds.  The injuries Jesus suffered not only fulfill your dreams, they exceed them!  Life’s plans may change, and the Lord may gift you with suffering and injuries, but you will always have Holy Gifts coming from His hands that were wounded—for you!

The Rev. Rich Heinz is Pastor of Saint John’s Lutheran Church & School in Lanesville, Indiana.  He serves as front page editor for HigherThings.org.  Pastor Heinz is not much of a sports fanatic, but does enjoy viewing some gymnastics and swimming events every four years in the Summer Olympics.

Categories
Pop. Culture & the Arts

Re-runs

by The Rev. Rich Heinz

Re-runs. It is summer, and that is the majority of prime-time television. Episodes of programs that aired earlier this year – or even in previous years – are the staple of summer TV.

So what is the problem with reruns? You already know what will happen. They are predictable. The outcome will not change. Hannah Montana’s zany antics with Lily will turn out fine and her identity will remain hidden. Drake and Josh will get over their anger and frustration, and everything will turn out fine in their home. The Brady Bunch will get through their problem and Mom and Dad will restore peace within the 30-minute episode. And every time you view a given episode, it will conclude the same way. It does not change.

Our Old Adams are a lot like re-runs. Daily, we fall into many of the same temptations and often, we fall back into the same sins. We can almost look like re-runs in the choices we make (again and again) as we give in to the devil, the world, and our sinful selves.

The difference is, however, that our loving Savior does not grow tired of the re-run. You and I may not be able to stand one more half hour of a certain episode. (Although, thanks to my “tween” son there are some Zack and Cody’s that I can soon quote verbatim!) Okay, and I can remember various Gilligan’s Island or Brady Bunch plots that I must have seen a hundred times. Still, most times we can bore pretty easily.

Yet Jesus does not grow bored with us. He knows us and knows the sit-com re-run patterns into which we fall. He knew it before He gave His life on the cross, and still chose to save us! Our loving Lord reached out that we may not be stuck in our sin, locked into the bad that we would choose.

Instead, He has redeemed us, lost and condemned persons, purchased and won us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil. Yes, we are still helpless to pull ourselves out of the re-runs of sin, but the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith.

Does that mean we just go on carelessly re-running our sins, since He re-runs His Gospel and forgiveness? Of course not! We abide in forgiveness, striving to live in faith toward God and in love toward neighbor. But for the many times we fall back into the re-runs of sin, we do not despair.

The Lord does not want you stuck in bad re-runs. So He makes you new. The New Creature from Baptism is given by God, emerging daily from the drowning of Old Adam. Our Redeemer raises you to new life, rescuing you from the eternal stain of re-run sin. “We were therefore buried with Him through Baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4, quoted in the Small Catechism, Baptism, Section 4.)

As you scan the summer TV Guides, and see nothing but re-runs, pause and give thanks to God. Praise our Lord who has rescued you from your re-runs of sin, and restores you as His cleansed child! “Behold, I make all things new!” (Revelation 21:5 NKJV.) Amen.

Rev. Richard Heinz is Pastor of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Lanesville, IN. He works with Higher Things Internet Services, serving as editor of the Front Page.

Categories
Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: The Dark Knight

by Stan Lemon

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain,” says Harvey Dent to Bruce Wayne at a party thrown for Gotham’s White Knight.

The Dark Knight is perhaps the best movie yet to grace the big screen this summer. Following in the Batman franchise and the excellent work done in Batman Begins we find our everyday superhero once again struggling with purpose. Batman is still portrayed as a vigilante to much of Gotham, but there is hope in the eyes of Harvey Dent, a recently elected District Attorney for the City of Gotham.

SPOILERS FOLLOW: Today’s bad guy is the Joker, and if you know anything about the comic then you know that Batman is always struggling with “the rule” when it comes to our smiling friend. The rule is simple: don’t take a life. At every turn Batman finds himself faced with more than one life hanging in jeopardy; whom will he choose to save? The Joker seems to thrive on watching Batman struggle with this question.

This question will eventually kill his childhood friend and secret love Rachel Dawes. Rachel’s death is yet again another trick by the big bad Joker. If only Batman would break his rule just once…how many lives could be saved by killing the Joker? Of course, there’s always the possibility that the Joker would repent and live a normal life. Does that ever happen though?

In the end Gotham’s White Knight, Harvey Dent, is ruined by sin and he finds that the good he wants to do he does not do, and the evil he does not want to do he finds himself doing. So driven by sin, Harvey “Two-Face” Dent goes after the one man who could have saved his future bride—Commissioner Gordon. All the while he’s convinced that he is choosing his own fate, throwing a little chaos into the picture.

Batman saves the day and Harvey meets his demise, but then Batman swears Gordon to secrecy. The city must not know what Harvey had done. Batman tells Gordon to tell all of Gotham that it was he who committed the five murders, not Harvey. Harvey must appear blameless and right before the eyes of the men and women of Gotham city. That burden and sin will become Batman’s, though he was blameless. He became sin so that Harvey would not be sin!

Our Old Adam (the Joker) will drive us to do many things that we do not want to do. We find ourselves in a heap of sin, doing the very thing we know to be wrong. Like Harvey Dent (you and I) we throw a little chaos into the picture and kill the God-Man Jesus Christ. Death by our hands has no sting, Jesus (Batman) prevails and in His victory He takes on our sin (five murdered, two officers) and claims it to be His own. Then when God the Father (Gotham) looks to us they do not see a sinner, but a saint. Jesus redeems us from ourselves and by His stead our sins are washed away.

Jesus could be done with us. He could just simply end all of sin and destroy humanity in one foul swoop. Likewise, Batman could save all of citizens of Gotham by killing the Joker. Break his one rule and sin is solved! But that’s not how the Lord works, is it? The Lord would rather work bear the burden himself, and rather than wipe out the people of Gotham, save them from the sin that has infested them.

Some have talked about Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker character and whether or not the portrayal itself contributed to his death. Much of this has come out since the release of The Dark Knight and the realization of how twisted the character of the Joker is in this film. Bottom line is that Heath Ledger did an amazing job as the Joker, his role as that character will go down in infamy as perhaps one of the best portrayals of a villain ever. Whether or not the specific character of the Joker drove him to take a fatal cocktail of prescription medications no one will ever know.

The Joker, as I have pointed out, is the epitome of sin. His character is really our Old Adam struggling to survive the waters of Holy Baptism. There’s no rhyme or reason to Old Adam’s sin, he just does it, and sometimes he does it for fun! Sin will drive any man to do things he would normally not do. Sin will even drive a man to take his own life. What we do know about Heath Ledger’s passing is that whether or not it was the Joker that drove him to have a fatal cocktail, it was without a doubt sin.

The story doesn’t end with the Joker though, and it doesn’t even end with suicide. It ends at Calvary where our “Batman,” the Lord and Savior of the world, hung on a tree once and for all. Salvation’s achievement on the cross does not leave us bondage to our inner Joker and does not let us despair in our sins. Salvation’s delivery points us back to the Word delivered by the mouths of our pastors, back to the Blessed Waters of Holy Baptism and back to measly bread and wine as they become Flesh and Blood, Given and Shed FOR YOU.

If you haven’t seen The Dark Knight yet, go now! It’s a must see, and without a doubt the best blockbuster of the 2008 Summer. Yes, it’s even better than Ironman – so much better that this one gets all the Lemon money can buy! Like every good comic book movie you’ll see Christ in the character of the hero, Batman and yourself in the character of the villain, the Joker. You’ll also see the hero save the day, despite enormous odds against him. Our hero will overcome death and the devil to save the world. Thanks be to God we have a loving Lord who sent His only Son into human flesh to save us from our sins.

Stan Lemon lives in Pittsburgh with his wife Sara and his dog Ivan. He serves as the Higher Things webmaster and is a huge Pirates fan. He has also written a many other movie reviews for Higher Things.