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Lectionary Meditations

What Sort of People Do We Love and Hate (Epiphany 3)

Rev. Eric Brown

So, what sort of people do you fear and hate? Seriously! If you close your eyes and think of a “bad guy”, what sort of prejudiced thoughts float to the foreground? It's just one of the things we sinful folks do: categorize and vilify people. Sin rears its ugly head once again.

For a Jew back in Jesus' day, there were several “types” of people whom were feared and hated. The main ones would be Romans, Samaritans, and lepers. In Matthew 8:1-13, we see two of them. They are iconic representations of fear and hate: a leper and a centurion. One was an emblem of a dread disease that would cut you off from community and family, the other was a tool of Roman oppression and violence. Things to fear, things to hate.

And yet, there is Christ Jesus. He doesn't just run off in hatred. Instead, He helps both sorts of people. He heals the leper (who had no business in the world coming up to Him) and sends him out. He heals the centurion after marveling at his faith. Jesus doesn't view them as enemies to be squashed or fled from—just folks who are desperate for Him.

Two great and simple lessons flow from this. First, the people your sinful flesh wants to hate and fear are just folks whom Christ loves and died for. Really, they are. It's good to remember that because it will shape the way we view them. Second, even on those days when you are convinced that you are hated and feared, when the weight of your sin has smacked you right upside the head, remember that you, too are loved and cared for by God. His forgiveness remains for you, and He never hates His baptized child.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois.

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Current Events

O, Give Thanks to The Lord!

By Rev. Donavon Riley

The “Hallel Psalms” or, “Psalms of Praise and Thanksgiving” have been used for thousands of years as a special prayer by observant Jews. On holidays the Jewish faithful recite, verbatim, from Psalms 113-118, which are used for praise and thanksgiving.

In the congregation that I serve, we use the Hallel Psalms in a similar way. Every year, on Thanksgiving Day, we gather in the morning before tables are set, furniture is rearranged, and pies are baked, to praise and offer thanks to our heavenly Father, the Giver of every good gift. We read the Thanksgiving Psalms responsively, not just to offer thanks for material, earthly gifts, but especially for the gifts of salvation that enlighten us so that we may see all things as gift from God.

The Hallel Psalms point us to Jesus and the fact that nobody can hope to live by bread alone. Instead, Christians confess that as Jesus teaches, we “live by every word that comes from God’s mouth.” Psalms 113-118 remind us that even though Thanksgiving is a cultural holiday—the one day of the year set aside for people to specifically “give thanks” for family, friends, and so on—for Christians, every day is “Thanksgiving Day.” Every day we’re turned toward Calvary’s cross, toward Jesus crucified for us. Sin? Forgiven. Death? Jesus knocked out its teeth. Satan? Powerless before the Name of Christ. Every day for Christians is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over all the powers that crush and kill us. Every day opens up to us the truth about the source of every good gift, in this life and life hereafter.

So, before we sit down for turkey and gravy, cranberries and stuffing, and all those delicious pies, we acknowledge to God and one another that on account of Jesus’ bloody suffering and death for us that we’re free to sit and eat and rejoice in earthly gifts, and even the lack of earthly things. Jesus sets us free to be people of God—baptized children of the Father, who receive every day as free gift and “all the fullness therein.”

This year, then, maybe before the first guests arrive or while you’re on your way to whomever is hosting the Thanksgiving meal, check out Psalms 113-118: the Hallel Psalms, the Psalms of praise and thanksgiving. And give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His faithful, lovingkindness for you endures forever. Amen.

Rev. Donavon Riley is the pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Webster, Minnesota. He is also the online content manager for Higher Things.

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Current Events

Idols and Politics

Rev. Eric Brown

Before we think a bit about politics and such, let’s just review the First Commandment. You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust God above all things. With this, we as Lutherans have our working definition of what an idol is. An idol isn’t just something false that you worship or set up a shrine to—it is anything that you fear, love, or trust above God.

Politics is full of idols. This year has been an especially wild and surprising election season. If you were watching election returns come in or scrolling through social media and seeing reactions, you saw a lot of fear, a lot of love, a lot of trust. Wild emotions raged all over the place. In reality, what you saw was a lot of idols being revealed. Possibly some of your own idols were revealed, too.

Politics so often touches upon that First Commandment because we think it’s the way in which we get to control things, the way in which we get to make things work the way we want them to work. We trust in our candidate while we fear the other candidate, and we think everything hinges upon whether or not we get our way.

Over and against this sort of thinking, the Lutheran Church has taught the idea of the Two Kingdoms: that there is a kingdom of the left which deals with laws and temporal lives, and that there is a kingdom of the right which proclaims the Gospel, forgiveness, and faith. However, this is NOT the modern American idea of the separation of church and state. The Lutheran point is that God Himself rules in BOTH these ways and that God is truly in charge of both kingdoms. God is in charge, not us. This is true whether we’re voters in a democracy or rulers ourselves.

Proverbs 29:26 reminds us of this truth: “Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the LORD that a man gets justice.” This is why Luther writes the following to the German princes in his great essay “To the German Nobility”:

The first and most important thing to do in this matter is to prepare ourselves in all seriousness. We must not start something by trusting in great power or human reason, even if all the power in the world were ours. For God cannot and will not suffer that a good work begin by relying upon one’s own power and reason. He dashes such works to the ground, they do no good at all. As it says in Psalm 33[:16], “No king is saved by his great might and no lord is saved by the greatness of his strength.” (LW 44:124)

We are taught and reminded at all times, no matter what we see, no matter what we think we can or cannot accomplish, God is still in control over this world. Ours is not the might; God is the mighty one.

So, whatever your thoughts or reactions to this election happen to be, flee from idols. Rather, remember that God rules this world, but also that He has won for you abundant salvation in Christ Jesus, and that the day will come when you will see the Lamb upon His eternal throne. Until then, we in the Church will continue to do what we have long done—gather together and pray for our rulers, whether we think them good or bad. Then we will join in and pray as our Lord has taught us “Thy kingdom come.”

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois.

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Current Events

Not a Crust of Bread

Rev. Jacob Ehrhard

The dust has begun to settle on Election Day 2016. Your preferred candidate may or may not have emerged victorious. You may be elated or depressed. You may not care at all. But regardless of your political leaning, if you’re a Christian you will certainly be praying these words: “Thy kingdom come.” The holy Christian Church throughout the world raises this petition on a daily basis. But what is meant by God’s kingdom?

“Answer: ‘Nothing other than what we learned in the Creed: God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, into the world to redeem and deliver us from the devil’s power. He sent Him to bring us to Himself and to govern us as a King of righteousness, life, and salvation against sin, death, and an evil conscience. For this reason He has also given His Holy Spirit, who is to bring these things home to us by His holy Word and to illumine and strengthen us in the faith by His power” (Large Catechism III.51).

Some people think that the kingdom of God comes with a political victory. Others may be certain that it’s the kingdom of the devil with a political loss. But the reality is that it’s neither. “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,” says Jesus, “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:20-21 ESV). God’s kingdom is not the result of elections, nor is it constrained by political parties or geographic borders. God’s kingdom is wherever God is active in His righteous reign, giving life and salvation. It doesn’t matter who’s king, or president, or congressman, or dictator here on earth.

On Tuesday, America elected the equivalent of a crust of bread. Bread is necessary for life, but it also perishes and fails to deliver eternal life. Good government is simply part of daily bread (for which we also pray!). But we should always remember that it and its officers are a temporal and perishable good.

God’s kingdom is something altogether different. “From this you see that we do not pray here for a crust of bread or a temporal, perishable good. Instead, we pray for an eternal inestimable treasure and everything that God Himself possesses. This is far too great for any human heart to think about desiring, if God had not Himself commanded us to pray for the same. But because He is God, He also claims the honor of giving much more and more abundantly than anyone can understand. He is like an eternal, unfailing fountain. The more it pours forth and overflows, the more it continues to give. God desires nothing more seriously from us than that we ask Him for much and great things” (Large Catechism III.55-56).

Rev. Jacob Ehrhard is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO.

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Life Issues

Daring to Be Lutheran On Campus

Justin Chester

Murray, Kentucky is not exactly what I would call a Lutheran-rich environment. There is one LCMS congregation in Murray, and the next closest Missouri Synod congregation is about an hour or more away in any direction. Murray is dominated primarily by Baptists, Methodists, and Church of Christ congregations. We have about six active members in our college campus ministry group here at Murray State University, while the other denominations boast numbers of 20 or more. These groups offer flashy programs and activities to involve the kids, and some kids would prefer to be in these rather than be in the minority. Or even still my friends will stop coming because they just want to make the weekend a relaxing time for them, rather than learn alongside fellow Lutherans, where God gives us strength, comfort, and a place to rest.

That said, there are two main areas I have struggled with while on campus: time management and my studies. Learning to balance work, classes, a social life, and church is a true test of our time management skills as young adults. Sometimes these things clash. It is easy to want to go out and have fun rather than study, or sleep in and have some “me time” rather than go to church. My sophomore year I had a professor who gave my humanities class a paper to write, proving how the Bible was wrong and that Jesus never rose from the dead because that’s impossible. I had the option to stand up for what the Bible says—that Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, died and rose again for you and me—or I could save my grade, give in and contradict my beliefs and convictions. I did write the paper, and I included a defense of the resurrection to my professor, and ultimately I got an A on my paper. Standing up for what we believe isn’t always easy, but it’s important that when we are in these situations that we do stand up for faith, and proudly dare to be Lutheran whether it is in the classroom or in our personal life. Sometimes standing up for your faith simply means to make time for church on Sunday mornings during your time in college.

The world is not our friend, and the devil is always looking for ways to slip us up. By threatening our social lives, our grades, and our wellbeing Satan will stop at nothing to snatch us out of God’s flock the church. He will point us to the flash and flair that perhaps bigger denominations or ministries have.

The fact is, even on the college campus, the devil has no power over you. God loves you and me and has He sent His Son to die for us. By the death of His Son, sin, death, and the devil were defeated and the cross became a source of life and comfort for all people. The cross is the place where water and blood flow from Christ’s side, and we are washed with this water in our baptisms, uniting us in Christ’s death. Just as we are united in Christ’s death we are also united in His resurrection (Romans 6:5) and we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness (Galatians 3:27) and God gives us the gift of eternal life. Therefore, we are invited and we should gladly gather around on Sunday mornings and receive the true Body and Blood of the lamb, because that is the only thing that will give us strength and comfort to get through this life. It is at the cross that we find safety from all the threats from this world, and it is at the cross that we receive the means that give us the strength to dare to be Lutheran on campus and in our lives, no matter where we are.

Justin Chester served as a College Conference Volunteer at the Higher Things 2016 Bread of Life conference at Vanderbilt University.

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Higher History

Who Was Martin Luther? Part 11

Wood carving of Luther rose
Saved by Christ alone

Rev. Donavon Riley

Throughout the course of his early lectures, Martin Luther found that even though he had been taught as a young monk that there was a vast, uncrossable chasm between sinners and a righteous God, that is not what he discovered in Scripture. Instead, especially in the pages of the Old Testament, Luther discovered sinful men and women pursued and saved by a God of faithful, lovingkindness; a God slow to judge and quick to forgive sinners; and a Savior God who led sinners down into darkest hell so He could carry them up into heavenly glory.

Martin was delighted to learn (and teach his students) that one does not become a theologian by knowing God’s mind and will, or by reading many theology books, but by “living, no, rather dying and being damned.” That, he discovered, is what makes a theologian.

This revelation was, as one Luther scholar writes, “like a pinch of yeast that gradually worked its way into his thoughts, his being, and his entire life.”

It is impossible to get to know Martin Luther unless one accepts that he embraced, in totality, what Scripture teaches about God’s righteousness: that God is righteous when He gives sinners His righteousness through Jesus Christ. God crosses the divide between Himself and sinners (a divide that sinners, not God, establish), and through Jesus’ bloody suffering and death, takes our sin on Himself and gives us His righteousness instead.

The reason this was so important for Luther, is that he also discovered in the Bible this truth: people cannot do anything other than love themselves. The first, middle, and last thing sinners only ever care about is themselves. Even when we are focused on being righteous our focus is on ourselves. We only worry about becoming righteous because we fear death and hell. Left to ourselves, without the threat of judgment and hell, we sinners will run amok through creation.

That is why, for Luther, he taught his students that people who imagine they can love God above all things and do what the Law commands as God Himself intends, are “plainly insane” “fools” and “pig theologians.”

There is no movement from sin to righteousness for Luther, not from us to God anyway. The whole movement of righteousness is from God to sinners through Christ Jesus. All a sinner, the Old Adam, contributes to his salvation, Luther said, is “sin and resistance.”

Everything human beings do is selfish, and everything God does in Christ Jesus is selfless. The scales of justice are then completely unbalanced because God has His thumb on the scale. Righteousness is always a one-sided action, from God to us.

This was a revolution for Luther that captured his entire imagination for the rest of his life, and it eventually resulted in his excommunication and a death sentence hung on him.

Next time, we will look more at this teaching about sin and righteousness that led to Martin Luther’s excommunication.

Rev. Donavon Riley is the pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Webster, Minnesota.

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Higher History

Who Was Martin Luther? Part 10

Luther reads about righteousness

Rev. Donavon Riley

For Luther, while he lectured on the books of the Bible at the University of Wittenberg, one question captivated his imagination: “Where can I find a merciful God?” And the one text that drove Martin forward was St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans [1:17] “For therein [in the Gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed.”

In the Late Middle Ages, it was popularly taught that the righteousness of God was the eternal law by which God is holy (and for us, unapproachable) and by which He will judge all people on doomsday. At that time God will hand out His just judgments on all people, and punishments or rewards will be handed out.

But, what about the righteousness of grace that comes through faith in Christ? Didn’t theologians before Martin Luther embrace that part of St. Paul’s teaching? The simple answer is, no, not really. Medieval theologians taught that what St. Paul meant by righteousness was this: The Church hands out righteousness in the place of and by the command of Christ.

At that time, righteousness was understood to be like money that is paid out because someone works hard for it or because someone makes a good investment of his time and talent. Christ’s righteousness doesn’t make someone righteous before God though. It puts one in a position to become righteous through faith and hard work. Then, at the Last Judgment, and only then, will each person learn whether righteous God has decided they are worthy of entering Paradise or whether they will be thrown into hellfire.

What was “new” about Luther’s discovery of the true, biblical meaning righteousness is that God’s righteousness cannot be torn away from Christ’s righteousness by which He makes righteous people for free as underserved gift. And that, Luther said, is “the reason all the faithful will be able to stand the test: ‘That is the long and short of it: He who believes in the man called Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, has eternal life – as He himself says (John 3:16): ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.'”

But why did Luther grasp this when so many other theologians, priests, and religious leaders did not? Because he tested what he read in St. Paul against the rest of the Scriptures. He did not go to church traditions, or theology books, or canon law, or the word of the Pope. The Bible, and nothing else, was his anchor at this time of gospel discovery. Only then, as he later said, were the “Gates of Paradise” opened and a flood of knowledge overwhelmed him now that he had finally broken through and grasped the text (Romans 1:17) in which St. Paul quotes the prophet Habakkuk: “The just will live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Therefore, as Luther said, “I am not good and righteous, but Christ is.”

Rev. Donavon Riley is the pastor of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Webster, Minnesota.

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Current Events

Why the Reformation Still Matters: Watch Your “Buts”

Rev. Brady Finnern

On October 31, we celebrate the 499th year of the Reformation. The question arises, as we will surely have many festivities this next year to celebrate the 500th year—why such a big fuss? Does the Reformation have any impact on us today? I would argue it does still have an impact because of how we use one simple word: but.

I have listened to countless sermons where, at first, it seems as though you are hearing the pure Gospel. The preacher will say wonderful words of God’s unconditional grace: “Christ has taken all of your sins,” “He gives You His full forgiveness,” and “By His wounds you are healed.” When the preacher is toward the end of the sermon, he looks like he will finish with a hearty, joy filled, comforting Amen. However, almost out of nowhere comes the word but. It hits your ears like the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard. “But you must receive Him as Lord and Savior” or “But you have to make this faith personal” or my favorite “But God has faith in you to do your part.” To add a but statement is not Gospel. This is essentially the same issue that Martin Luther had to fight in the 16th century. If we add anything to the cross, we make the cross only partly effective, and in essence, null and void.

I have also heard this kind of talk within our own churches and, to be honest, in my own heart. We baptize a baby and remind people of the promise, “Baptism now saves you.” In the background, you can almost hear people whispering to one another, “But… do they really understand?” Or when the pastor stands up and says, “By Christ’s authority, I forgive you all your sins…” and people say in their hearts, “But… what if they haven’t truly repented?” Or we give the blessing after communion, “Go in His peace, you are forgiven” and quietly people look at others and wonder “But…it doesn’t look like they take their faith seriously.”

The but instead of the Amen is the reason why the Reformation still matters 499 years after Martin Luther posted the 95 Thesis. The central doctrine of the Christian faith, which made the Reformation a seismic event in history, is justification. Justification calls us to not put a but where there should be an Amen. We do not need to add to God’s work, for Christ, crucified and risen, has done it all. As the Augsburg Confession states, “Our churches teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith…” Augsburg Confession, Article IV. We stand on the truth proclaimed during the Reformation and cling to promises of Christ—no ifs, ands, or buts!

Rev. Brady Finnern is pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church, Sartell, Minnesota.

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Catechesis

Just Don’t Condemn the Gospel!

Rev. Eric Brown

Sometimes we can view the Reformation as though what was taught was “fighting words.” We can sometimes think of the Reformation as the big, bold battle where we played our theological version of King of the Mountain, where Luther knocked down all his opponents then jumped up and down shouting, “We’re number 1! In your face, losers!”

Yet, if you look at the history of the Reformation, that’s not how Luther approached things. Oh, to be sure, Luther could verbally spar with the best of them, but what actually stands out is how much Luther was willing to yield to his opponents, if only they would let the Gospel be preached.

It was this way at the beginning of the Reformation. In the beginning of 1519, Luther was asked by Cardinal Cajetan (whom the Pope had sent to Germany to settle the burgeoning debates there) to stop writing anymore on these things; and Luther agreed… so long as those who were actively condemning his teaching would be silent as well. It was not a matter of ego for Luther—he didn’t have to prove himself right. His point was to not let the Gospel be condemned. But they continued to rant against the Gospel, so Luther was compelled then to defend the Gospel. And the Reformation continued.

This was also Luther’s approach when dealing with other reformers. By the late 1520s there was a raging debate between Luther and Zwingli about the Real Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in the Supper. They had a famous meeting in Marburg in 1529, where they went back and forth, but when it came time to conclude, Luther offered a phrasing that was in the middle: We’ll let you be, just don’t condemn us for confessing that Christ is bodily present in His Supper as His Word says. But Zwingli wouldn’t go for it. He was determined to denigrate the Real Presence. Thus, the Lutherans were compelled to proclaim loudly Christ’s presence. And the Reformation continued.

Even when the Lutherans gathered at Augsburg and presented the Augsburg Confession, it was not a massive “we’re right, you’re wrong” screed. Over and over the Lutherans point out that what we believe, teach, and confess is nothing less than what the Scriptures teach and what the Church used to teach. There’s no need for battles; please, just let the Gospel be preached! In fact, the last article of the Augsburg Confession says, “It is not our design now to wrest the government from the bishops, but this one thing is asked, namely, that they allow the Gospel to be purely taught, and that they relax some few observances which cannot be kept without sin.” (AC 28:77) Just allow the Gospel to be purely taught. But they wouldn’t, so there was separation and division. And the Reformation continued.

This whole approach was summed up by Luther in 1535 when he was lecturing on Galatians. Luther noted, “In the same way we are willing to concede everything possible to the papists, in fact, more than we should; but we will not give up the freedom of conscience that we have in Christ Jesus.” (AE 26 – Galatians 2:6) The reformers were willing to let other folks do what they want, even retain positions of leadership and authority, just so long as they didn’t undercut the Gospel. But they kept on diminishing Christ, and so we, the evangelical Lutheran church to this day remains adamant that the Gospel of Christ Jesus—that we are saved by faith through grace—must never be silenced.

We don’t seek victory. We don’t seek to destroy. Instead, we strive to remain faithful, and if others reject the Gospel, so be it. As we sing, “The Word they still shall let remain/ nor any thanks have for it.” So be it. “He’s by our side upon the plain/ with His good gifts and Spirit./ And take they our life,/ goods, fame, child, and wife,/ though these all be gone,/ Our victory has been won; the Kingdom ours remaineth.” We don’t need to defeat anyone, for our victory isn’t won by us. It was won for us by Christ upon the Cross. To Him alone be the glory!

Eric Brown serves as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Herscher, Illinois.

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Current Events

Pastors? Try Appreciating the Word!

Rev. Eric Brown

October is (for some reason that is beyond me) now deemed to be Pastor Appreciation Month. Now, at my congregation that means that there was a cake in my honor at the quarterly Voters’ meeting, and I am completely on-board with having some cake to accompany any church meeting. And yes, you should indeed appreciate your pastor because God has sent your pastor to you to do something wondrous: to preach the life giving Word of God.

Really, a pastor is a Word fellow. His job is to revolve around and be utterly enmeshed in the Word of God. When he preaches, he preaches the Word of God and not the whims of the day. When he teaches, he teaches the Word of God and not his own vain ideas. When he corrects and reproofs, he does so with the clear Word of God and not his own thoughts on how things ought to be. When he comforts and forgives, he simply gives again what Christ has proclaimed and given in His Word. Because he deals with the Word, your pastor is rightly to be appreciated!

This is what Paul reminds the young pastor Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” As Timothy goes about his duties, he is doing nothing apart from or without the Word of God. And your pastor knows that this what his focus is to be how he goes about his duties. It’s what all of us who are pastors promised to do when we were ordained.

So I’ll let you in on a little secret. Do you want to show your pastor that you appreciate him? Listen to him preach the Word. Attend Bible studies. Ask him questions about the Word. Let him deal with the Word of God with you. Because while cake is tasty, your pastor knows that man doesn’t live by bread (even wonderfully sweetened bread with a yummy buttercream frosting) alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Eric Brown serves as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Herscher, Illinois.