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Lectionary Meditations

First Things First: Snake Crushing – A Meditation on Genesis 3

“He shall bruise your head” – Genesis 3:15

So the LORD comes into the garden, and Adam and Eve have sinned. They have listened to the Serpent instead of Him, and all His good creation is shaken and tarnished and left to fall apart. And His Adam and His Eve are hiding and afraid. Even when, especially when He comes to them.

And they come out and they start talking, and the ravage of sin is already evident. Passing blame, not protecting or caring for each other. It’s a mess. Their lives will be messes. Creation will be full of messes because of them. And that’s going to be rough news to break to them – Eve’s going to hear about pain in childbirth and Adam’s going to learn about the ground being cursed.

But first things first. The LORD’s first response isn’t going to be to lay into Adam or Eve. No, the first thing to do is to deal with Satan. And there, in the Garden, Jesus told Satan that He was coming for him. There Jesus promised that He Himself would come and crush Satan under His feet to free His Adam, His Eve, His you, His me. All the other stuff – the impact of sin – that can wait for a moment. Jesus will bear that and pick that up too, but first things first – Satan, you are toast.

Even before the impact of sin is declared and shown, the LORD Himself declares the defeat and destruction of the Evil One. And this is precisely what we see play out in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Oh, to be sure, Satan strikes at our Lord, bruises His heel – but the Serpent’s head is shattered by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Come quickly, O Christ Jesus our true and living Head!

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Higher Homilies

Ash Wednesday 2010

Rev. Mark Buetow

Consider for a moment the ashes smeared on your head. Or if you don’t have ashes at least look around at someone that has them and think about the ashes for a minute. And understand this: everything that you love, everyone that you love, everything that is a treasure to you is going to end up like that: ashes, dust, gone. All the boardgames I love to play, all the sporting equipment you have, all the video games that you play, all the cell phones we use, all of the money we carry around or wish we carried around, and yes, even the people we love and even ourselves—we’re all going to be ashes. Dirt. Dust. Nothing. That’s why Jesus says not to store up these treasures on earth. Because that’s how they end up. They are great while we’ve got them and we’ll spare no expense to grab them up and hoard them. But in the end, just like us, they turn to ashes.

Now consider for another moment those same ashes. They are smeared into your forehead in the shape of the cross. That’s because when you were baptized, you were marked with the sign of the holy cross on your forehead and upon your heart, to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. Your baptism is God’s own promise to you that because His Son was covered in your sins, you have a treasure that does not turn to ashes. What is that treasure? Forgiveness of your sins and eternal life! That water and word that was put on you is what rescues you from being ashes. Oh, sure, unless our Lord returns first, you’ll get put in the ground the same as everyone else, but your baptism is the Lord’s promise that because Christ has conquered sin and death and risen again, you will be raised up on the Last Day.

The reason that Lent focuses so much on the suffering and death of Jesus is so that we poor sinners learn what our true treasure is. The preaching of the cross is given to rescue us from all those things that we love so much not because they aren’t our gifts to enjoy, but because we always want to love them more than the Lord and His Word. The reason that fasting and alms giving and prayer are the traditional works of Lent is not because we need to be taught that our money and our toys are bad but because we need to learn that our money and our toys are not the true treasure; they are not the most important things our heavenly Father has for us. Rather, the treasure in heaven, the treasure that does not turn to ashes, is Christ Himself and His salvation. Jesus can’t ever turn to ashes. Ashes are the reminder of death and what happens when we die. But when Christ died for our sins, He did not turn to ashes but instead rose the third day and threw down sin, death, the devil and hell. He threw down those enemies that make us into ashes! He threw down their power to keep us forever as piles of dust! By His rising from the dead, Christ shows that He is a treasure that doesn’t get stolen or eaten by moths or that rusts away or rots into dust and ashes. He is our everlasting and ever living Savior who brings us with Him by His Word to the realms of glory and eternal life!

It’s OK if you want to give something up for Lent. But do it for the right reason: do it because you’re reminding yourself that such a thing is not true treasure, that it won’t last forever. But more than that, the real way to celebrate Lent is to have more Jesus. More of the true treasure! More hearing His Word. More confessing your sins and being absolved. More eating and drinking of His body and blood. More study of His Word and prayer. More of the true treasure. It is by those gifts that Christ piles up for you such riches that you cannot even imagine! Today there are two crosses on your forehead to consider: the cross of ashes and the cross of water and the Word of your baptism. The cross of ashes reminds you why you need the cross of Christ but it is the cross of Christ, put upon you at the holy font which rescues you from a future of ashes and gives you the promise of a future of life and joy and peace in Jesus Christ because by His cross your sins are forgiven and you are set with Him in the heavenly places where the true treasure lasts forever. Happy Lent in the Name of Jesus! Amen.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Art Set Apart

art christian lutheran church

by Kelly Klages

As Lutheran Christians, we have a lot of freedom when it comes to using art in the church. You may have seen a wide variety of art forms in different churches you’ve encountered. But church art isn’t just a matter of style and personal preference. The way a church uses art communicates its beliefs. So whether your church is simply or ornately decorated, there are some common denominators in Lutheran art that paint a very distinctive picture of our faith.

Freedom to Use Art

We are free in Christ to adopt art forms that are beautiful, reverent and reflective of the truth of our faith. Lutherans aren’t iconoclastic (against pictures and statues), like some other Protestant churches. Paintings, statuary, wood carving, stained glass, and other kinds of art are welcomed in the church as a way of teaching the faith and beautifying our houses of worship. Because these things are neither commanded nor forbidden in the Scriptures, we are free to use them.

Art Confessing the Faith

The great, central teaching of the Lutheran faith is justification by grace through faith in Christ alone. Lutheran church art (like its sermons) will be very concerned with communicating, above all, the importance of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of your sins. This is portrayed in many ways. For example, you should never be surprised to see a crucifix in a Lutheran church or home, because it is such a clear and direct picture of the reality of our salvation.

Art Highlighting the Word and Sacraments

Also, Lutherans teach that this Gospel, that Jesus himself, comes to us in concrete ways through God’s Word and sacraments. So in a church sanctuary, your eyes will be drawn front-and-center to where those means are delivered to us: the pulpit, the altar, and the baptismal font. Many churches decorate these objects in a spectacular fashion so there is no doubt that what happens there is of great importance. Even in churches with simpler decoration, these things are usually placed in such a way that they are the most prominent things that you see in church.

Art Teaching Us What Worship is About

No matter how simple or elaborate the sanctuary is, it will be obvious that it is a set-apart place for a holy purpose (the word “sanctuary” comes from “sanctus” meaning “holy”). Because we believe that in the Divine Service, we actually encounter God in the flesh through His Word and gifts, church is distinct from everything else that happens in our Monday-to-Saturday lives. So your standard Lutheran church will look deliberately different from an entertainment center, movie theater, rec room, lecture hall, etc. This is not where we go to merely get information about God and life, or to seek thrills. It is a unique and holy place where we get to actually encounter the God of the universe to receive His blessings.

What Art Isn’t

Art itself isn’t a means of grace or a mystical portal into another spiritual dimension. No veneration of weeping Madonnas or praying “through” icons will happen in a Lutheran church, and of course the art itself is not an object of worship. Nor is it proper to use the arts to manipulate emotions to the extent that the feeling of tugged heartstrings is mistaken for the Holy Spirit. We 
look only to God’s Word and His Sacraments to receive God’s grace and forgiveness. Manmade means, no matter how attractively packaged, have no power of this sort. Art forms may adorn the means of grace, but they should not compete with them.

Art Reminds Us the Church is Bigger Than We Are

Not all forms of art must be exactly the same in all places (e.g., using only one painting style to depict Christ and the saints), but may vary according to Christian freedom. However, Lutherans also recognize the catholicity (or universality) of the Christian faith. That is, rather than reinvent the wheel for every generation, we acknowledge that we are part of the church of all times and places. This means that we use the best, most Christ-honoring traditions that have been handed down to us, and we continue to share them with other churches throughout the world.

For example, when you walk into any Lutheran church on Pentecost Sunday, odds are that everything will be decorated in red. At a different Lutheran church, you would probably also see many Christian symbols that you would recognize from the artwork at your own church. These are things that we hold in common from a long heritage together, and they help to communicate our unity. An emphasis on catholicity also means that the art forms used in church will seek to avoid a “dated” look that comes from mimicking pop culture trends. The artwork is more likely to be of a timeless quality that seeks to transcend one specific culture or era, since the body of Christ itself transcends one culture or era.

Artist is a Holy Calling

Another distinctive Lutheran teaching is that of vocation. Being an artist or craftsman is an honorable and God-pleasing calling when our neighbor is served by the good works that are done. As such, using art in the church is not categorically decried as a “waste of money.” Communicating truths about God through the arts, and doing it well, is a very important task for those creating church art. (And, of course, church art isn’t the only kind of artistic vocation honorable to God.) Doing art poorly can, perhaps inadvertently, communicate things about God or worship that aren’t true.

So, art isn’t an indifferent thing—it’s meant to tell you something. Next time your mind wanders at church, let your eyes rest on the art that you see, and ask yourself why it was put there. The answer is always the same—it’s meant to point your eyes, ears, and heart to Jesus.

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Higher History

Concord #11: Augsburg Confession (Baptism, Supper, Confession)

Baptism, Lord's Supper, Confession

Articles 9, 10 & 11: Baptism – Supper – Confession

The ninth, tenth, and eleventh articles of the Augsburg Confession take up Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Confession, respectively. Each of these articles is surprisingly short—the longest of them is only two sentences. But the brevity of this confession should not make you think that these are unimportant matters, or that there was relatively little difference with the Roman Church on these instruments of the Holy Spirit.

 

Baptism

“Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God’s grace. They condemn the Anabaptists, who reject the baptism of children, and say that children are saved without Baptism,” (Augsburg Confession, Article IX). The basic understanding of Baptism is that it is a vehicle of salvation, in agreement with Mark 16:16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,” and 1 Peter 3:21, “Baptism…now saves you.” Because children need salvation, they also need Baptism.

 

Lord’s Supper

“Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise,” (Augsburg Confession, Article X). Even more simply stated that Baptism. The Supper distributes the body and blood of Christ, which are truly present, to all who partake of it. This is what the words of Christ declare.

 

Confession

“Of Confession they teach that Private Absolution ought to be retained in the churches, although in confession an enumeration of all sins is not necessary. For it is impossible according to the Psalm: Who can understand his errors? Ps. 19:12” (Augsburg Confession, Article XI). Confession is kept with one caveat—you don’t have to list your sins.

Even though the means of grace are confessed clearly and simply in these three articles of the Augsburg Confession, there are some significant disagreements that are revealed when you go beyond the surface. The theology that underlies the sacraments in the Roman Church leads to a sharp divergence, especially in the practice of the sacraments. These are addressed in the final section of the Augsburg Confession (articles 22-28), as well as in subsequent confessional documents. Stay tuned for more!

You can read the Book of Concord at http://www.bookofconcord.org

 

“Concord” is a weekly study of the Lutheran Confessions, where we will take up a topic from the Book of Concord and reflect on what we believe, teach, and confess in the Lutheran Church. The purpose of this series is to deepen readers’ knowledge and appreciation for the confessions of the Lutheran Church, and to unite them “with one heart” to confess the teachings of Holy Scripture.

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

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Higher Homilies

You’re In

This sermon was preached at the Bread of Life Higher Things conferences. Pr. Riley preached this sermon at Wednesday Matins.

Rev. Donavon Riley

“And she said, ‘Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:27-28)

In the Name of + Jesus. Amen. Faith is the only correct answer to the question of God’s grace. Trust in Jesus is the only possible response. Jesus insists on it. The wrong question, then, is, “Do you have enough faith?” The right question is, “Do you have enough Jesus?” You can have great faith, but you can never have too much Jesus.

Jesus’ doing for this dog-Gentile wasn’t a, “Believe I’m God, go to church, clean up your life, and then I’ll perform an exorcism on your daughter” kind of transaction. It’s Jesus doing for her—for free—what she asks. All she’s got to do is believe it. Nothing else.

Jesus meant it when he said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” When people asked Him what they should do to work the work of God He said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one whom he sent.”

But then He goes even further and says, “God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him.” Jesus didn’t come to judge you. He comes to rescue you from shame, and guilt, and fear, and blame. He comes to deliver you from sin and death.

That’s why Jesus just won’t count this strange, foreign woman’s personal history for or against her: how far she’s walked; who watches her daughter while she’s searching for a miracle cure; whether her health insurance covers demon possession; where she worships on the Sabbath. None of it matters to Jesus.

But shouldn’t there be more to God’s doing for her than bare-naked faith? Wouldn’t it be helpful for everyone if God’s grace had a price tag dangling off of it? At least then you’d know it’s value and worth. That’d be something at least.

But look at it from God’s side of the checkout counter. Listen to Ephesians 1:4. “God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.”

God chose her in Christ before the foundation of the world. We know this first, because God’s Word created this woman and created her daughter, too, and second, because Jesus is God’s Word in the flesh, and He’s present for her, there, now. No more proof needed.

That means that not only is the outcome of their conversation already a victory, the result was never in doubt. She was created and chosen to enjoy God being God for her “before the foundation of the world.”

It means, faith was fully present from the beginning in Christ. It’s God’s effort, not your effort to obey God, not your good intentions, not your happy thoughts, not even your heartfelt prayers, that wins the day. It’s His grace, not your works. That’s the thing. Look at yourself. Jesus’ already done everything terrifically for you. What more is there for you to do? What more can you do to add to His doing for you?

So then, why does Jesus just up and heal the woman’s daughter? Why doesn’t He tell her to do something to prove she’s worth the effort, or at least ask for proof of insurance? It’s simple. She’s been in Him all along. She’s been chosen in Him “before the foundation of the world.”

The only thing for her to do about such a fantastic arrangement is just shut up. Believe it. Enjoy it. She’s already got it. The God who created the heavens and the earth, who delighted in creating her, who wove a baby girl together in her womb, who stands in front of her right now, has already got a hold of her.

The only judgment you can make about what just happened between Jesus and this mother who worships the wrong god, in the wrong country, with the wrong people is that their whole back-and-forth is just Jesus hunting up faith so that she’s set free to worship true God… Set free to worship Jesus.

He’s not throwing her out. Jesus reveals that she’s been in the whole time. St. Paul writes that Jesus is God’s “yes” to every “no” the world issues. “There is now therefore no condemnation for them who are in Christ Jesus” (Roman 8:1).

He’s had you home-free from the start, too. No matter what’s happened, no matter how much you hurt, how powerless you feel, how angry, how beggarly, how alone…He’s always been here with you in your mess. You’ve been in Christ all along.

What saves you from sin, and rescues you from death, and delivers you from Satan is Jesus. The way you get a hold of him is through faith. And faith is something that doesn’t mean anything other than Jesus.

“Do you have great faith?” Wrong question.

“Do you have enough Jesus?” You can never have too much Jesus. Right answer.

Faith is simply saying “yes” to Him instead of “no.” It doesn’t involve any special theological training. You don’t have to work yourself up emotionally to trust Him. And above all, faith doesn’t depend on your custom-designed list of good works—whether you run in a charity marathon, find the cure for heart disease, or give away free hugs. Faith just trusts that you’ve been in Jesus since the beginning. Faith trusts that He’s been doing terrific things for you all along.

So enjoy what Jesus does for you. Have fun with His gifts. You’re that free. Free to act in faith. Free to burst expectations. Free to ask and free to demand. Free to fear and free to trust. Free to work…or take a nap.

You’re always in Christ. You’re in. You can’t lose even in sickness, and sickness unto death. You see, Jesus doesn’t wait for you to get to Him with the right question or with the right prayer or to believe the right stuff. He produces it. His love for you produces godly faith and works and prayers and worship.

In Christ, your hope isn’t a Savior waiting for you to be your best you now. It’s that He’s always with you: in faith and in works, in prayer and in praise, in life and life-eternal, when you’re at your best, and especially when you’re at your worst.

Your one true hope is the promise He breathes into you. It’s the flesh and the blood He feeds you. It’s that for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, He loves and cherishes you, ’til in death He does join you together with Him in life everlasting.

The Canaanite woman comes as desperate mother. She goes home as Bride of Christ. You come and go in the way of Bride and Bridegroom, too. Ashamed, fearful, guilt-ridden, shouldering blame, running from the truth, beaten down, or giving up, it doesn’t matter to Jesus.

In Christ, you’re always God’s beloved. In Christ, you’re Gospeled. In Christ, you’re Baptized. In Christ, you’re bodied and bloodied. In Christ, there’s no more crumbs for little dog-Gentile you. There’s a seat with Christ at His table. A feast is prepared for you. Christ the host and Christ the meal. Good Friday Body and Good Friday Blood. The wedding feast of the Lamb without end, and you, His beloved Bride, are the guest of honor. Believe it. Enjoy it. And why not… you’re in. In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

 

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Lectionary Meditations

God’s Saving Vengeance – A Meditation on Isaiah 35:3-7

“Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” – Isaiah 35:4b

Revenge doesn’t sound like a very Christian thing. In fact, we are instructed not to seek out revenge because vengeance belongs to God, He will repay. And then we have Isaiah talking about this vengeance actually happening. God coming and there is vengeance, recompense, payback.

So what does God’s vengeance look like? How does His recompense take place? Sometimes, in our fears and doubts we think it might look like boils on our skin or pain and suffering – God striking us down for our trespasses. But that’s not what Isaiah says. What does God’s vengeance and recompense look like? It looks like Jesus coming to save you.

God vengeance is this. He becomes man, and He Himself opens the eyes of the blind and heals the deaf. He makes the lame to leap as a dear and makes the mute sing for joy. His vengeance is not against you, but it is a vengeance against sin and Satan and death to rescue you. The recompense is not pain or suffering for you, but rather Jesus Himself takes that all up upon the Cross to deliver you from it.

God is not some petty tyrant. He is not a nagging relative who is going to sit around and say, “I told you so,” after you do something stupid. The LORD saves. That’s what He does. He saves you, and His vengeance, His might, His power – these are all for your good, to rescue you from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Jesus died and rose so that you would be rescued from sin and death and raised to life everlasting.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Stanley Spencer, The Meaning of Life in Christ

Rev. Bror Erickson

I was introduced to the work of Stanley Spencer in the late 90’s while visiting the Hirshhorn museum on a day off from my duties at Bowling AFB. They had on display that day many of his paintings, and the intense Christianity of them intrigued me. “Crucifixion” held my attention for the better part of an hour with its grotesque distortion of time and space in the death of God. At the time I remember contemplating the almost empty room, and wondering where all the detractors of “Piss Christ” were now that a national museum was exhibiting an artist with overt Christian sympathies. Here was a man who understood the meaning of the death and resurrection of God, and hence the meaning of life.

Stanley Spencer (1890 -1958) was an English painter who grew up in the town of Cookham in Berkshire, England. He was for the most part homeschooled until attending the Slade School of Art before enlisting in the military to fight in World War I. At first in the ambulance core, he would later see combat in Macedonia fighting against both German and Bulgarian forces. He is recorded to have said that he buried so many of his fellow friends and soldiers that he could not believe death was the end. After the war he found it a bit difficult to paint as he had before. Yet, “In 1922 Spencer had journeyed with the Carlines to Munich and Vienna, and his encounters there with the work of Northern masters such as Cranach and Breughel helped reconcile him to a less idealized reality.” (Source: tate.org.uk).

The Crucifixion caused almost as much controversy as the violence shown in the Breughelian faces adorning its canvas. It was not well received at the Aldenham School that had commissioned it, a school funded by the red capped brewers shown to be nailing Christ to the cross. Stanley helped matters even less by explaining the meaning of the painting to the students. “It is you govenors and you that are still nailing Christ to the Cross.” Echoing the words of Peter “you killed the author of life” (Acts 3:15). It is as true of each and every one of us as it was to the council before which Peter spoke. It is our sins that caused the death of God to be necessary, it is our sin that pound the nails home. And though the events of Christ death and resurrection belong to the historical record of time, they are eternal realities of an ever present and loving God who gave His life for you. Or as Stanley Spencer himself puts it:

“When I lived in Cookham I was disturbed by a feeling of everything being meaningless. Quite suddenly I became aware that everything was full of special meaning, and this made everything holy. The instinct of Moses to take his shoes off when he saw the burning bush was very similar to my feelings. I saw many burning bushes in Cookham. I observed the sacred quality in the most unexpected quarters.” (Source: gresham.ac.uk).

 

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Higher History

Concord #10: Augsburg Confession (What the Church Is)

Article 8: What the Church Is

You don’t have to spend much time in the church to find out that it’s inhabited by sinners as much as it is by saints. But unlike the rest of the world, Christians’ faults seem to stand out in sharper contrast against the message of love, kindness, reconciliation, and mutual sacrifice that the Scriptures exhort them to practice. And it’s not just the members of the church. Sometimes the ministers set the worst example of all with their accusations, backbiting, controversies over words, and love of dissension. It’s as if they’re a bunch of fakes. For this reason, the world calls the church a bunch of hypocrites.

First, we must understand what a hypocrite is. The world defines it as “believing the right thing, but doing the wrong thing,” such as a Christian who confesses the Eighth Commandment on Sunday, but spreads rumors about his neighbor on Monday. But in the Scriptures, a hypocrite is someone who does the right thing, but believes the wrong thing. Like the Pharisees, who kept the Law to the letter, but whose actions hid a false faith.

The reality is that both kinds of people are found in the Church. Contrary to the world’s expectation, the Church is not the place to find perfect saints; it’s the place to find forgiven sinners. And there’s always room for another. But even so, there are also hypocrites in the Church—people who play the part perfectly, but are later revealed to be faithless and wicked. They did the right thing, at least outwardly, but believed only in themselves and not their Savior.

But to this the Augsburg Confession of the Lutheran Church says: “Although the Church properly is the congregation of saints and true believers, nevertheless, since in this life many hypocrites and evil persons are mingled therewith, it is lawful to use Sacraments administered by evil men, according to the saying of Christ: The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat, etc. Matt. 23:2. Both the Sacraments and Word are effectual by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ, notwithstanding they be administered by evil men” (Augsburg Confession VIII.1-2).

The comfort in this confession is that the Church and its holiness is not dependent upon the holiness of the people who occupy it. The Sacraments and the Word are not effective because of the perfection of the ministers who administer them, nor because they make perfect saints in this life. They are effective because of the institution and commandment of Christ. Even if the Church was completely full of hypocrites who believed nothing, the Word and the Sacraments would still stand because Christ is risen and they are His Sacraments. And because these means of grace are effective, even hypocrites can be transformed into saints by the working of Christ and the Holy Spirit.

You can read the Book of Concord at http://www.bookofconcord.org

 

“Concord” is a weekly study of the Lutheran Confessions, where we will take up a topic from the Book of Concord and reflect on what we believe, teach, and confess in the Lutheran Church. The purpose of this series is to deepen readers’ knowledge and appreciation for the confessions of the Lutheran Church, and to unite them “with one heart” to confess the teachings of Holy Scripture.

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

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Christ on Campus

Uncle Walther Wants You!… to Become a Lutheran Teacher

Article PDF | Bible Study PDF | Leader’s Guide PDF

By John Brandt

When Crucified 2014 on Concordia Wisconsin’s campus ended, I greatly enjoyed listening to my daughter recount her week as a College Conference Volunteer (CCV). She mentioned President Harrison’s outstanding plenary session, the intriguing breakaway sessions she attended and her circle of CCV chums that keeps expanding with every Higher Things conference. I was happy for her and the young men and women that would return to their families, friends, congregations, and schools with a week’s worth of Divine Service, Matins, Vespers, Evening Prayer, Compline and Lutheran instruction by confessional Lutheran pastors and speakers.

Now what? How can the ripple effect of a great, confessional Lutheran youth conference benefit the young men and women long after Chris Loemker has played the last note of the last hymn during the closing service of a Higher Things conference?

Consider becoming a Lutheran school teacher.

Before I attempt to convince you, let me digress. Perhaps it was because I was in the middle of reading my students’ Beowulf essays, but when I glanced at the C.F.W. Walther poster in my room (Yes, I really have his poster on my high school classroom wall) I thought it resembled the iconic Uncle-Sam-Wants-You poster. The connection clicked. C.F.W. Walther… and principals and teachers and parents and future students want you to be a Lutheran school teacher.

Visually, Walther as Uncle Sam isn’t that much of a stretch. Well, not if you squint long enough. Not seeing it? Keep squinting. In the meantime, let me explain why I think you should consider my proposition.

Your interest in Higher Things is what every Lutheran school needs. We need young men and women who desire to become experts in English, history, math, music, physics and other subjects. We need young men and women who understand the importance of teaching God’s Word in all its truth and purity (Titus 1:9). We need young men and women who understand the important distinction between Law and Gospel. We need young men and women who possess a passion for the Divine Service and liturgical worship. We need young men and women who know the difference between teaching about the saving Gospel and actually teaching the saving Gospel. We need young men and women who understand and use hymns that teach Christ and His redemptive work on the cross.

As a Lutheran teacher you will have daily opportunities to share God’s Word with your students. You can instill the value of great hymns by teaching and singing them with your students. Remember what singing “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God” was like at the conference? What about “God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It”? As a teacher at a Lutheran school, you are free to share the hope and truth of those and many other hymns by teaching and singing them for chapel or a classroom assignment or even during indoor recess.

This past year, my A.P. literature class was reading George Orwell’s 1984 and we were discussing the destruction of words and the harm it causes. It was a perfect transition to the importance of remaining steadfast in God’s Word and examining this excerpt from Luther’s Large Catechism, “Therefore, you must always have God’s Word in your heart, upon your lips, and in your ears. But where the heart is idle, and the Word does not make a sound, the devil breaks in and has done the damage before we are aware.” (LC I 100) The night’s assignment was to explain parallels between Ingsoc’s Newspeak and Matthew 13:24-30. Now that’s my version of a Lutheran teacher’s trifecta: literature, the Book of Concord, and God’s divine Word!

Each day will be filled with opportunities like 
that to share God’s wisdom, love and mercy with your students.

As a Lutheran teacher you can also be a Lutheran drama director, forensics leader, choir instructor, and coach. These roles will present many opportunities to teach, counsel and remind your students they are cleansed in Christ’s blood and their worth is found in Christ crucified, not in trophies, ribbons or conference championships.

The final reason you should consider becoming a Lutheran teacher is the day of your installation where you will vow…

  • to uphold the Word of God as the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
  • that the “three ecumenical creeds are faithful testimonies to Holy Scripture and that you reject the errors they condemn.”
  • “to faithfully serve God’s people in the teaching ministry in accordance with the Word of God, the Ecumenical Creeds, and the Confessions, or Symbols of the Church.”
  • “to grow in love for those you serve, strive for excellence in your skills, and adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a Godly life.” (Lutheran Service Book: Agenda)

Lutheran schools desperately need young men and women who dare to be Lutheran and who 
dare to teach Lutheranism.

Lutheran schools want you to be a Lutheran teacher!!

Categories
Higher Homilies

The Breaking of the Bread

This sermon was preached at the Closing Divine Service of the 2016 Bread of Life conferences.

Rev. Mark Buetow

“Oh, hello, stranger. Walk with us.”

“What are you talking about while you’re walking?”

“All that stuff that happened in Jerusalem.”

“What stuff?”

“Seriously? Are you a stranger in these parts? Have you, like, been under a rock the past three days? The stuff about Jesus. He was a mighty prophet. He did miracles. We THOUGHT He was going to redeem Israel but the chief priests got a hold of Him and he was handed over and crucified! Then we heard some of our fellow peeps say that some of the women had seen angels saying he was alive and couple of our pals went over there and saw that the tomb was actually empty! But they didn’t see HIM. It’s been three days since all this started and we don’t know what’s going on.”

And there’s the kicker. Lots of people can recite the facts. Even atheists can say, “The Bible says Jesus died on the cross and rose again and was alive the third day.” But that doesn’t mean they believe it. That doesn’t mean it does them any good. That doesn’t mean that just knowing that stuff means you’ll find Jesus or know where He is. Lots of people can tell you the facts, the details and not believe a word of it; not have a bit of comfort or peace or certainty in life because of what Jesus did. For that we need the Word and Jesus Himself to come to us.

“Oh you ignorant guys! Slow of heart to believe all the prophets taught! It’s all there. From Genesis to Malachi, it’s all about how the Son of God was going to come and suffer and die and rise again. Look, let me explain. In the beginning…”

And so Jesus explains to them what the Scriptures are all about. More directly, He teaches them that the Bible from beginning to end is about Him. Jesus teaches these two guys walking to Emmaus that He came to fulfill God’s promise to send a Savior to crush the serpent’s head. Everything in the history of Israel and the preaching of the prophets was getting things ready for the time when the Son of God would become man, be born of the virgin, suffer and die on the cross and then rise again the third day.

“You knuckleheads! All the stuff you’re talking about HAD to happen. It had to happen for YOUR sakes to save you from your sins.”

Yes, Jesus is a prophet mighty in word and deed. Yes, Jesus was handed over and crucified by evil men. Yes, His tomb was empty and the angels announced He is alive. Because all of that had. To. Happen. That’s what the Bible is all about. It all had to happen to save sinners. To save you! So that you wouldn’t be doomed forever. For YOU. It all happened for you. To save you.

“Emmaus! That’s our stop. Listen, buddy, it’s evening, the day’s almost over. Why don’t you stop and hang with us. You can tell us more of this Bible stuff. It’s really cool.”

So they go in and sit down for dinner. And Jesus takes bread, gives thanks, and breaks it.

“Hey! Wait a minute! That’s Jesus! He IS alive! Wait! He’s gone! Man, it’s like our hearts are on fire! It’s…It’s like we just finished a Higher Things conference! We gotta go back and tell the others.”

Back to Jerusalem. “Guys! Guys! He’s alive! He’s alive! Christ IS risen!” And they knew. They knew because He was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. You want to know that Jesus died and rose for you? Right there. The altar. The bread and wine that are Christ’s Body and Blood given and shed for you. You want to know that the resurrection really happened? Right there. The altar. Christ’s Body and Blood. There. He. Is! Right there! You never have to wonder where God is. Where did Jesus go? He’s right there in the breaking of the bread. The Bread of Life is right here so that you may eat His flesh and drink His blood and know that God keeps His promises. So that you know your sins are forgiven. So that you know Jesus rose from the dead, that the Scriptures are true, that the eyewitnesses really saw it. Right there, Jesus is in the breaking of the bread, so that you will be raised up and live forever, too.

So, here He is again. Your Savior, in the breaking of the bread. Given and shed for you. And you’ll run back home today declaring, “The Lord IS risen! And we knew Him in the breaking of the bread where He has always promised to be for us and where he will be every Divine Service. Until He comes again.” In the Name of Jesus. Amen.