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Current Events

The Most Beautiful Church in Germany

A Pastor’s Wife Visits Christ Church, Erfurt

by Glenda Mumme

While in Germany we visited many churches. Some were Lutheran, some weren’t. Some were very ornate, some were not. The one thing all of them made me do when I walked inside was look up. The grandeur of the building, the soaring sides to the very high ceiling added to the sense of majesty and holiness of the space.

But the one church that, by far, was the most beautiful and precious to David and I was Christekirche in Erfurt. Not because of the way it looked, because it was the plainest, least ornate church of all we had seen, but because of what we received, which was more beautiful than anything we had seen.

Christekirche is a member of the SELK, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Germany. SELK is our “sister synod,” in full fellowship with the LCMS.

Cousin Jonathan Mumme had spent a year as a vicar in Berlin. He gave Paul a church and pastor’s name to contact. Paul was able to email Pr. Schneider and ask if it would be okay for 50 Americans to come and worship with them on Sunday morning. Pr. Schneider was delighted to welcome us.

While in Eisenach the day before, we met another group. Pr. Gier, who knew Mark at the seminary, was leading 16 from his church on a Lutherland tour. When he found out where we would be worshipping on Sunday morning, he was able to work it out with his tour guide to join us. Therefore 76 Americans descended upon Christekirche on Sunday morning, Nov. 4, 2007.

We arrived early and had the opportunity to look around at the church and for Paul, Mark, David and Pr. Gier to visit with Pr. Schneider. The church was in need of repairs having been under the communist regime for many years. There were flyers in the narthex informing members of upcoming fundraisers to help with the repairs.

The outside and inside of the church were very plain compared to other churches we had visited and would visit in the coming days. No beautiful paintings or stain glass windows. No ornate crucifixes or pulpits. It was all very “plain” to the eye.

It was also chilly. Stone walls do that. Once all the Americans were settled in the pews and were given some hints as to what to expect, some of the German parishioners began to arrive.

Every one of them came to the vestry to announce to Pr. Schneider their intention of communing that morning. All smiled genuinely at us, welcoming us with their faces. At the beginning of the service, Pr. Schneider welcomed the congregation in German and then also in English.

We had their hymnal, similar in size to the new personal editions of LSB. David was able to follow along and point where we were so that he and I were able to try and pronounce the German liturgy and hymns.

All came forward to receive absolution with Pastor laying his hand on each parishioner announcing God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness. He said it in German for his parishioners and in English for us Americans. Notice there aren’t any railings, although there is a cushion to kneel upon. That was a bit tricky for some of our older members to get up and down without the aid of a rail.

The German parishioners sang and sang well. They didn’t need prompting for when to stand, kneel, or respond with an “Amen”. There weren’t ushers. When it was time for the absolution, everyone came forward to fill a “table.” It was the same for receiving the sacrament. Once a table was dismissed others came forward to fill the next.

Pr. Schneider preached in German. But he had translated his sermon into English. One of his parishioners stood to the side and after he preached in German for about a paragraph, he would look at her and she would read in English what he had just said. A couple of times he stopped and looked at her, she shook her head “no,” he continued. then when she spoke, it was only a few words. The look on her face made us think she was thinking that we would never believe that all those words he had just spoke in German were only a few in English.

I also loved how many of the chant lines were the same, especially the proper preface. When Pastor Schneider began chanting, I could sing along and know what he was saying. “It is truly, good right and sal-u-u-tar-r -y,…..”

After the service Pr. Schneider welcomed us and asked us to stay for refreshments and to visit with the members. Unfortunately we had to go. But we were so thankful to have been blessed to worship with the saints in Erfurt. Hopefully we will again one day on earth, but if not, we look forward to the day we will worship with them and the whole company of heaven for all eternity.

Why was this the most beautiful church in Germany? Why did it impress me more than the soaring spires, amazing detail, and incredible artwork of many other churches and cathedrals? Because here God came to me in His word preached and in His Body and Blood given and shed for the forgiveness of my sins. There isn’t anything more beautiful or precious than that!

Glenda is the wife of the Rev. David Mumme. She homeschools their five children who now are dreaming of the day they get to visit Germany.

Categories
Catechesis

Higher Movies: Beowulf

By Nathan Fischer

When I first heard that the movie Beowulf was coming out (and in 3D, no less), I was absolutely thrilled. The poem is a classic, one of my favorites, and I just couldn’t wait to see how it turned out on the big screen. I must say, I was not disappointed. Though adhering more loosely to the poem than many might like, the movie still has much going for it: some incredibly awesome action scenes, the best CGI animation to date, and the acting wasn’t half bad, either. It also had a great story, a very human story, which I will get to in just a minute.

One thing I should say up front is that I’m not sure how Beowulf got away with a PG-13 rating, so don’t let that fool you. I think it should be rated R. It has more gross violence and bloodshed than my Mature rated video games, not to mention some backend nudity and a CGI copy of Angelina Jolie with some very… strategically placed gold markings. This movie’s probably not one for the younger kiddos to enjoy.

Another disappointing thing to note about the movie is that the writers and directors included some snide remarks about Christianity in it, and our Lord Christ most specifically. The comments were completely unnecessary, and they certainly were not in the poem. I’m sure such remarks were probably made around that time period by the local heathens as the Church was pushing further to the north, but regardless of historical accuracy or not, it is something to be aware of (especially considering that in every other respect, this movie is as far from historically accurate as one can get).

All of that said, there is much that is excellent about Beowulf, and despite its little jabs at Christianity here and there, it contains some very Biblical themes. The biggest theme I saw in the film was Beowulf’s move from seeking glorification to seeking sacrifice.

Beowulf himself begins as a young hero, capable of extra-human feats of strength. He is very sure of himself, cocky and arrogant. He also seeks nothing but self-glorification. To quote him: “I am the ripper, the terror, the slasher. I am the teeth in the darkness! The talons in the night! My name is strength! And lust! And power! I am Beowulf!”

In the end, though, it is this self-glorification that is his downfall. When the demon who was Grendel’s mother offers Beowulf even more power, more glory, more fame, he succumbs to the temptation. At this point, he becomes a liar and a thief. He gives the demon a son, and this forever haunts him.

The movie would be a tragedy, except that Beowulf “finds redemption” (if I may use that phrase) in sacrifice. When his kingdom is threatened by the very son that he had with the demon, he knows that he cannot think about himself any longer. He must ride out and face the dragon himself. He does not do it for glory or fame. He does it for his people. He knows that he most likely will not survive, but that is okay. He will perform a very Christian act, to sacrifice himself so that his people may live.

I won’t tell you how it all turns out, but the theme is there, and it stands in stark contrast to his younger self. What he is known most for is the sacrifice he gave for the people – not his other deeds that meant so much to himself. He is transformed from hero to savior.

Now, I’m not comparing Beowulf to Christ, I’m not saying Beowulf is a Christian. He certainly wasn’t. More than that, though, I think Beowulf is a very real person, and he exemplifies the way in which God works in our own lives. When we hold ourselves up with pride and arrogance, it is quite likely that God may allow us to be knocked into the mud and dirtied up a bit. Our Father will use our own sin and our transgressions to break us, so that we might turn to His Son, the one who sacrificed Himself for us. It is for our own good that we feel this guilt and pain – even though we cannot see it at the time.

Of course, in Beowulf’s case, this meant not a turning to Christ’s sacrifice, but sacrificing himself and putting the neighbor first – which is a Christian theme, as it is something we, as Christians, are called to do each and every day. We are not to revel in our own self-glorification, but rather to lay down our lives in service for our neighbor.

So if you’re looking for a good, action packed movie with beautiful animation, I heartily suggest Beowulf for you older teenagers and adults out there. It may not be as thematically deep as the poem, but it certainly is worth seeing on the big screen – especially if you can get to a theater that has it in 3D.

 

Nathan Fischer is a graduate of Concordia University – Wisconsin and a first-year student at Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne.  Among other interests, he and his wife Katie enjoy watching movies, playing video games, and comparing and contrasting them with our faith.

Categories
Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: Beowulf

By Nathan Fischer

When I first heard that the movie Beowulf was coming out (and in 3D, no less), I was absolutely thrilled. The poem is a classic, one of my favorites, and I just couldn’t wait to see how it turned out on the big screen. I must say, I was not disappointed. Though adhering more loosely to the poem than many might like, the movie still has much going for it: some incredibly awesome action scenes, the best CGI animation to date, and the acting wasn’t half bad, either. It also had a great story, a very human story, which I will get to in just a minute.

One thing I should say up front is that I’m not sure how Beowulf got away with a PG-13 rating, so don’t let that fool you. I think it should be rated R. It has more gross violence and bloodshed than my Mature rated video games, not to mention some backend nudity and a CGI copy of Angelina Jolie with some very… strategically placed gold markings. This movie’s probably not one for the younger kiddos to enjoy.

Another disappointing thing to note about the movie is that the writers and directors included some snide remarks about Christianity in it, and our Lord Christ most specifically. The comments were completely unnecessary, and they certainly were not in the poem. I’m sure such remarks were probably made around that time period by the local heathens as the Church was pushing further to the north, but regardless of historical accuracy or not, it is something to be aware of (especially considering that in every other respect, this movie is as far from historically accurate as one can get).

All of that said, there is much that is excellent about Beowulf, and despite its little jabs at Christianity here and there, it contains some very Biblical themes. The biggest theme I saw in the film was Beowulf’s move from seeking glorification to seeking sacrifice.

Beowulf himself begins as a young hero, capable of extra-human feats of strength. He is very sure of himself, cocky and arrogant. He also seeks nothing but self-glorification. To quote him: “I am the ripper, the terror, the slasher. I am the teeth in the darkness! The talons in the night! My name is strength! And lust! And power! I am Beowulf!”

In the end, though, it is this self-glorification that is his downfall. When the demon who was Grendel’s mother offers Beowulf even more power, more glory, more fame, he succumbs to the temptation. At this point, he becomes a liar and a thief. He gives the demon a son, and this forever haunts him.

The movie would be a tragedy, except that Beowulf “finds redemption” (if I may use that phrase) in sacrifice. When his kingdom is threatened by the very son that he had with the demon, he knows that he cannot think about himself any longer. He must ride out and face the dragon himself. He does not do it for glory or fame. He does it for his people. He knows that he most likely will not survive, but that is okay. He will perform a very Christian act, to sacrifice himself so that his people may live.

I won’t tell you how it all turns out, but the theme is there, and it stands in stark contrast to his younger self. What he is known most for is the sacrifice he gave for the people – not his other deeds that meant so much to himself. He is transformed from hero to savior.

Now, I’m not comparing Beowulf to Christ, I’m not saying Beowulf is a Christian. He certainly wasn’t. More than that, though, I think Beowulf is a very real person, and he exemplifies the way in which God works in our own lives. When we hold ourselves up with pride and arrogance, it is quite likely that God may allow us to be knocked into the mud and dirtied up a bit. Our Father will use our own sin and our transgressions to break us, so that we might turn to His Son, the one who sacrificed Himself for us. It is for our own good that we feel this guilt and pain – even though we cannot see it at the time.

Of course, in Beowulf’s case, this meant not a turning to Christ’s sacrifice, but sacrificing himself and putting the neighbor first – which is a Christian theme, as it is something we, as Christians, are called to do each and every day. We are not to revel in our own self-glorification, but rather to lay down our lives in service for our neighbor.

So if you’re looking for a good, action packed movie with beautiful animation, I heartily suggest Beowulf for you older teenagers and adults out there. It may not be as thematically deep as the poem, but it certainly is worth seeing on the big screen – especially if you can get to a theater that has it in 3D.

 

Nathan Fischer is a graduate of Concordia University – Wisconsin and a first-year student at Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne.  Among other interests, he and his wife Katie enjoy watching movies, playing video games, and comparing and contrasting them with our faith.

Categories
Higher Homilies

What Makes a Saint?

by The Rev. Randy Asburry

Everyone loves browsing through the family photo album. “Ah, what memories!” we say as we take in the faces and the antics of the past. Grandmas and grandpas; aunts and uncles; children and pets; holidays and other festive times; even just good ol’, ordinary, day-to-day happenings around the house. But why look at the photo album? We like the trip down memory lane. We might be just curious about what sweater Grandma was wearing that day. But let me suggest a deeper reason. Why keep and look at the photo album? Because it gives us an anchor to our past. It reminds us who we are. It gives us a foundation for carrying on the family line and living the family life.

This is also why we celebrate All Saints’ Day – technically, November 1, but we celebrate it today. All Saints’ Day is the big day when the Church stops to look at her own photo album. How comforting to look at past saints and see how God dealt with them in His mercy and forgiveness. How comforting to have the family history of God’s people. It reminds us who we are as God’s people. It reminds us that we are not alone on this journey of faith. It reminds us that we are not home just yet. We are merely passing through this world.

So, what makes a saint? When you look at God’s saints, you can see it. When you listen to our Lord Jesus today, you can hear it. What makes a saint? The answer is simple: God’s blessing—being in the right place with God, living in communion with the true “Holy One,” our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, we poor, sinful human beings cannot make ourselves saints. So, Jesus tells us how saints are made. Four blessings focus on our emptiness, our need for God’s favor; four blessings focus on saintly lives of love.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What makes a saint? Being poor in spirit, having nothing to offer God, being empty of yourself and your pride. Not only do the poor in spirit receive the kingdom of heaven, but the kingdom of heaven is made up of the poor in spirit. When Jesus makes a saint, He does not begin with spiritual supermen or religious wonder women. Instead, He uses spiritually poor people who faithfully receive His mercy, His life, His forgiveness, and who lead holy lives as a result. God blesses the poor in spirit and uses them to make up His kingdom.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. What makes a saint? Being comforted in the midst of sorrow. Jesus does not preach against grieving. We all mourn—loss of loved ones, pain of family trials, stress on the job, confusion over the chaos of the times. Those who mourn are emptied of their own, self-made comfort. Instead, their comfort comes from the Lord Himself. They seek the Lord and He delivers them from their fears. Jesus blesses the mourners by comforting them with Himself.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Being meek does not mean being weak or milquetoast. Meekness is strong gentleness. The meek do not have to assert themselves with aggression. Instead, they have the poise of faith, the same poise Jesus had when He was falsely accused and slandered. There is strength in that gentleness. It’s the strength of Jesus. That’s how saints inherit the earth. They don’t look to themselves to control or dominate. There’s nothing there but sin and death. The meek rely on Jesus. His love controls and strengthens His people.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. It’s amazing how Jesus keeps praising those who are empty of themselves and their own goodness. You see, if you are full of your own goodness and rightness, then Jesus can’t fill you up with His. But when you hunger and thirst for “rightness” with God that means you don’t have it, you couldn’t get it, and you can’t buy it. And speaking of hungering and thirsting, how can we not think about the Lord’s sacred meal of His Body and Blood? When you hunger and thirst for Jesus and His “rightness,” the Lord’s Supper is where He fills you. Jesus fills you with His “rightness” when you eat and drink Him.

So, what’s the result of God blessing you in these ways? You show mercy. You are pure in heart. You are peacemakers. And you are even persecuted because Jesus makes you His saints. First, Jesus fills you with His mercy and life, with the riches of His dying and rising, with His forgiveness. Then He teaches you how you live as saints in the world.

The merciful show mercy because Jesus first showed His mercy to them. We love because He first loved us and sacrificed Himself for us. The pure in heart watch and ponder what God says. Their ideas get replaced by God’s pure Truth. Their impure, man-made priorities and solutions get replaced by God’s pure Gospel priorities and solutions. That’s seeing God! The peacemakers are those who bring other people to God’s peace. Jesus probably had in mind the Hebrew word SHALOM. SHALOM means wholeness. Peacemakers are “whole-makers.” They seek to make people whole by bringing them to the peace of Jesus. Peacemakers don’t just get rid of conflict by glossing over problems or differences. They resolve the conflict by calling people to confess their sins and then giving rich doses of Jesus’ forgiveness. And the persecuted—they are scorned, despised, gossiped about, attacked, and all out condemned because they want Jesus to be the center of attention. Again, God’s kingdom is made up of these people.

But is all this just the perfect picture of sainthood? Is this only a target that we try to shoot for, but we know we’ll never hit it? No. Let’s open the Church’s photo album. Let’s see how Jesus made saints of two other people, because He makes us saints in the same way.

Let’s look at St. Ansgar. He lived in the 800s. We know of “Murphy’s Law,” but back then they might have called it “Ansgar’s Law.” For St. Ansgar everything that possibly could go wrong did go wrong. Yet he’s still a saint. Every mission effort he started failed. He preached Christ and Him crucified and risen, but very few converts resulted from his preaching. He went to Denmark and Sweden to preach the Gospel, but just when he seemed to make progress, pagans would invade the land. Sure, some received the Gospel. King Erik and his subjects believed the Good News of sins forgiven in Jesus. St. Ansgar shows us that when Jesus makes us His saints, He doesn’t call us to be successful, just faithful.

And then there’s St. Bridget. She lived from 1303 to 1373. Did she know death and tragedy! Her mother died when she was young. She became a widow early in life. Two of her eight children died; the others had marital problems and extra-marital affairs. St. Bridget stands out not for how she avoided the trials, but for how she endured the pain and tragedy. She was known for her education and her devotion to Christ. She was made chief lady-in-waiting for the Swedish queen, Blanche. Bridget was able to influence the king’s policies for better human rights. Later she moved to Rome and taught Christian women in the ways of prayer and Christian charity. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. It was true for Bridget; it’s true for you.

As we ponder our fellow saints, it’s very comforting to know that they were just like us and we are just like them: poor in spirit, mourners, gentle, and hungering and thirsting to be right with God. The Lord Jesus died and rose for them; He also died and rose for you. In a world of fast-paced change, it’s good to know that some things never change. God blesses us in Jesus in the very same way He has blessed all His saints through the centuries. God even uses His saints of yesteryear to inspire us to trust in Him and to love one another. What makes a saint? Jesus, His bloody death and His glorious resurrection. Jesus is the merciful One, the pure-in-heart One, the one true Peacemaker, and the One who endured persecution to make you right with God. That’s what makes you saints. Blessed All Saints’ Day!

 

The Rev. Randy Asburry is pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Saint Louis, Mo.  His RAsburry’s Res is a new addition to the blogosphere where he recently posted this sermon.

Categories
Pop. Culture & the Arts

“Pushing Daisies” Or Pushing Beliefs?

by Kimberly Grams

I had a rule. But then Rev. Heinz asked if I had seen “Pushing Daisies” and was interested in the subject of the “afterlife” on TV. My rule? No new shows until the cancellation carnage is over! A show premieres. I watch it. I like it. Then it’s cancelled, leaving me hanging and I feel like I wasted my time. Or, if it’s on Fox, the itchy-trigger-finger-network, there’s two months of commercials for the show, followed by two actual episodes, and then it’s yanked. I’ve been burned once too often.  If it “sticks”, I check it out during summer reruns. But, for myHT I’m ready to set that rule aside.

I caught episode 3 of “Pushing Daisies” and the premise is simple. The main character, Ned, a.k.a. the “Pie Maker,” has the ability to touch a dead person and bring them back to life. The catch? If he doesn’t touch them a second time within sixty seconds, another person will die instead. That person could be anyone within the vicinity. The Pie Maker doesn’t control that factor. He touches murder victims to find out who killed them, and then puts them “back under”.  He and a PI friend collect the reward money.

Plot twist: He used his power to bring back childhood sweetheart, Chuck (for Charlotte), and this is the episode where she finds out that someone else died in her place. (It turns out to be a crooked, grave-robbing funeral director, so no one feels too bad). Oh yeah, and he can’t touch her ever again, or she’ll be re-dead. There’s a lot of comedy coming from the whole one-minute thing. In one hilarious scene, the Pie Maker is trying to get answers from a dead person when the lid of the coffin closes and gets stuck. The PI, who was with Ned, runs away willy-nilly, so as not to not be in proximity – in case the Pie Maker misses the one-minute deadline.

Interesting premise, but what makes the show fun for me is its tone. It’s funny, quirky – almost Tim Burton-esque, but not as dark. There are lots of interesting characters – some recurring, some for that episode, and some for just one scene. A narrator ties the interplay between these characters together. The setting seems to be from a bygone era – I’ve seen elements (fashion, cars, décor) that remind me of the 1940’s through the ‘60’s, but nothing specifically defines the time period. It has really snappy dialogue and the humor is very tongue-in-cheek. It’s a smart show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. From an entertainment standpoint, it was good enough for me to watch another episode and add it to my DVR.

But from a Christian standpoint, could this premise be a problem? Let’s discount my friends who are non-Christian (and yes, I do have some). Among my Christian and even LCMS friends, it’s amazing what ideas people have from stuff that was made up for TV and movies. Think about it.  There are tons of shows where the worldview doesn’t jive with what’s Biblically true. “Touched By An Angel”, “Joan of Arcadia”, “Highway to Heaven”, “Ghost Whisperer” are some recent (or not so recent) examples.  I usually avoid these shows, finding them boring, melodramatic, or annoying (because of the hit/miss views on the afterlife). But, a lot of Christians DO watch shows like this, because they are mostly non-violent and wholesome. But how much of TV Pop Culture creeps into one’s belief system?

Example: One of my favorite movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” skews our perception of the afterlife.  It’s a holiday classic, but let’s be clear – angels are creatures that God created SEPARATE from people. Angels are NOT your dead relatives. Take a poll. Do you know how many people believe this? More than you think. My Dad died and he is in heaven with Jesus. He’s not floating around waiting to get his wings. When a bell rings, it’s just a bell. Lots of people have weird, mixed up things that they believe about angels (and many afterlife issues).  Just on the angel issue alone, many people have no idea what is from the Bible and what they learned from another source, like TV. When I hear a bell and some Christian says, “Oh, an angel just got their wings,” I really want to smack them.
(See our Catechesis article St. Michael and All Angels and Higher Homily Let Your Holy Angel Be With Me. –Editor)

But back to “Pushing Daisies.” If someone really had the power to touch people and make them not dead (and they weren’t Jesus), where would that power come from? The devil has power too, and his demons are always ready to trick us. There’s a heaven and there’s a hell and we’re all going to one or the other when we die. Only those who believe in Christ, and Him crucified are going up. Who’d have thought TV shows could be so dangerous? They can be, if you let them influence what you believe.

But we’re smart. We know the difference. We can watch whatever we want as long as we understand the difference. But what about the ones who DON’T get the difference, who are letting their TV get mixed in with their beliefs? Hmm. Maybe that’s a good place to start a conversation about the Gospel and our Lord Jesus. Like this show, I bet it will be interesting.

My rating for “Pushing Daisies”: entertainment value, A; worldview, F.

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. She is myHT’s regular columnist for Pop Culture & the Arts.

 

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Hey readers!  Post your comments.  What new shows are you watching?  What shows do you want to hear about in Pop Culture?  Have you watched “Pushing Daisies”?  What do you think about the show?  What do you think about Pop Culture images of death and the afterlife that are pervading people’s beliefs?

Categories
Current Events

Light that Shatters the Darkness

by Darrell Wacker

“For my eyes have seen your salvation
     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
     and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:30-32 ESV

A recent story in the news recounted the story of three University of Texas students who had gone spelunking-or cave exploring-and became lost and disoriented. The students were plunged into complete darkness for nearly 30 hours in a world completely foreign to them-dark, damp, quiet, devoid of life. As their fear increased and the hours went by, doubt of being found began to set in, despite the fact that they had left clues for anyone who might come looking for them.

It seems our three explorers must have had a hunch something might go wrong, because they left items behind on their way into the cave, marking their path. Rescuers found empty water bottles, cell phones, and fresh leaves to indicate where the cavers had been, and used those items to eventually find them muddy, wet, hungry, and thirsty, yet otherwise unharmed.

I am sure that more than once during their ordeal one or all of the students wished they had a flashlight or a match-anything at all that could provide a glimmer of light that would comfort them, calm their fear, perhaps show them the way out.

Light comes in many forms-from the warm rays of the sun on a summer day, to the flickering of a flame on a candle. All of us rely on light to accomplish the tasks of each day, and we often take it for granted. After all, flipping a light switch to turn on a light certainly isn’t remarkable-its only remarkable if the light doesn’t come on. Lights are all around us, a part of our very existence.

There was a time, though, when that wasn’t the case. As a matter of fact, there was a time when light itself didn’t even exist. The earth was dark, formless, and empty-only the Spirit of God existed. With four simple words, however, God changed the universe eternally-“Let there be light.” Thus began the creation of the earth, the stars and planets, the creatures of the seas, and finally, man, the pinnacle of God’s creation, created in God’s own image.

Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the story, for if it was, the earth would still be perfect, basking in God’s light, with no sickness, war, or death. The story continues not with a happily-ever-after tale, but instead with rebellion, sin, murder, and judgment. Adam and Eve plunged our world into darkness of a new kind, one that had never been known. It is the darkness of separation-separation from the God who created us, who loves us, and who grieves over our sin.

Although not a perfect comparison, that darkness is in some ways similar to that the three Texas students found themselves in-utter, lonely darkness, and complete separation from the world they knew, with no light whatsoever.

Sin drives each of us into that same sort of darkness-separated from the God who loves us, and separated from the persons we have sinned against. Just like the cavers who wanted to descend into the cave, our sinful nature plunges us into sin willfully, not thinking about the consequences. Sin leaves us in a deep, dark hole that leads to fear, loneliness, and ultimately death.

Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us in the deep darkness of sin. Unable to rescue ourselves, God knows just where we are, who we are, and more importantly, whose we are. He seeks us out, not because we deserve it, but because of His mercy and grace, and He provides us the true Light-Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Light that shatters the darkness of our sin, allowing us to emerge from the shadows to new life in Him. The perfect life, death, and resurrection of Christ accomplishes that what we cannot do ourselves-defeat of sin, death, and the devil-and in turn gives each of us a new life, both now and for eternity.

Through the proclamation of God’s Word, our Lord casts light where there is darkness, proclaims freedom to the captives of sin, and reveals the true Light-Jesus. Through the waters of Holy Baptism and the body and blood of our savior in the Sacrament of the Altar God gives forgiveness of sins, and creates new life and light in each of us.

God’s Word can be harsh at first, showing us our sin, pointing out where we fall short. It’s harsh when a light is turned on first thing in the morning, and it was even harder for the cavers to adjust to the bright light as they emerged from the darkness, and so it is with the Word. Yet with the harshness also comes salvation as revealed in the person and work of Jesus on the cross. Once the Light has been revealed, we can sing with Simeon “my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people.”

 

Darrell Wacker is a member of St. Timothy Lutheran Church in Huber Heights, Ohio, where he serves on the Parish Education Committee and as a Communion Assistant.  He works for the YMCA of Greene County as a Grant Writer and as a freelance sports writer covering high school sports for Times Community Newspapers in Dayton, Ohio.  He is the husband of Barbara, and the father of Matthew (19) and Daniel (7).

Categories
Higher Homilies

Physician of the Soul

by The Rev. Randy Asburry

Luke 10:1-9

On this day the Church commemorates St. Luke the Evangelist. He wrote the Gospel account that carries his name, and he wrote the sequel that we know as the Book of Acts. In his first book St. Luke did his historical research and interviewed eyewitnesses to tell “all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up” (Acts 1:1-2). In his second book St. Luke records how the Holy Spirit began leading the Church into all truth (Jn. 16:13) by making the apostles “witnesses [of Jesus] in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As St. Luke gives us the life of Jesus and the life of the Church, he shows us that he is God’s gift as a physician of the soul.

We know from the Bible that St. Luke was not a Jew, but a Gentile. He was also a physician, schooled in the medical arts. In the Book of Acts St. Luke shows up as a companion and missionary partner of St. Paul. When others had abandoned St. Paul, St. Luke remained faithful and brought comfort to the apostle.

According to Church Tradition St. Luke was born in the town of Antioch in the country of Syria. This is also the city where the followers of Christ were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26), and there were probably quite a few Christians there at that time. Church Tradition also says that Doctor Luke heard about Christ and traveled to hear the message of salvation from the lips of the Savior. And while Holy Scripture doesn’t name the 72 preachers whom Jesus sent out, Tradition says that Dr. Luke may have been one of them. And it may very well be that Dr. Luke was also one of the two disciples whom Jesus met on the road to Emmaus and taught after His resurrection. At that point Dr. Luke certainly would have learned that it was “necessary that the Christ should suffer [death and resurrection] and enter into his glory” (Lk. 24:26).

When it came to writing his Gospel account, many in the Church have held that St. Luke learned the details of Christ’s life and saving work from St. Paul and even from the Virgin Mary. And in addition to writing the Gospel and the Book of Acts, St. Luke is said to have preached the Gospel in various countries and suffered martyrdom in the city of Thebes.

So while we do not gather to worship St. Luke, we do thank God for this great physician of the soul. We do honor him for faithfully proclaiming the Great Physician, Jesus Christ Himself. It’s because of St. Luke that we have the beloved account of the Holy Spirit coming to the Virgin Mary to announce the Birth of the Savior. It’s because of St. Luke that we get to hear the Christmas story every year and learn how the Son of God became Man to restore us to God’s image. It’s because of St. Luke that we learn many parables of Jesus and how He, the Lord of Life is the Good Samaritan who rescues us from our death of sin on the side of the road. It’s because of St. Luke that we learn to trust God our Father who welcomes us prodigal sinners back into His family and puts on us the robe of Christ’s righteousness. It’s because of St. Luke that we can rejoice in Jesus as our atoning sacrifice, saying “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” And it’s because of St. Luke that our hearts can burn within us as we know and receive the risen Lord “in the breaking of the bread.” These things that Jesus began to do and to teach are the healing medicine for our souls, and St. Luke, the doctor of the Gospel, delivers the soothing balm.

It’s also because of St. Luke that we can rejoice in the Church and the Holy Spirit coming to give us Life with God. Just as the Spirit breathed life into the Apostles to proclaim the forgiveness of Christ, even in the face of opposition and persecution, He also breathes life into us to “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of [our] sins” and to “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The Higher Things devotion for today invites us to thank the Lord for St. Luke. Here’s how it reads:

“Thank the Lord for St. Luke! He is one of the men that the Holy Spirit used to publish the Good News of Jesus to the ends of the earth. St. Luke carefully listens to the eyewitnesses of Jesus birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension. St. Luke is used by the Holy Spirit to write down for us the Good News of Jesus’ life and death in our place. He records Jesus’ words and work, which the Lord spoke and did for our salvation. St. Luke, in the Gospel that bears his name, has given us a record of the salvation accomplished by Jesus for us.

“Thank the Lord for St. Luke! He didn’t just stop at the cross or grave. He didn’t end his writing with salvation accomplished. He also recorded salvation delivered! St. Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. In this book, he records the preaching of Jesus by the apostles, the conversions of Jews and Gentiles, and the ministry of St. Paul, who brought the Gospel of Christ to the very heart of the Roman Empire. In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit, through the writing of St. Luke, teaches us God’s grace in saving us through the preaching of the Holy Gospel, through Holy Baptism, and through the Lord’s Supper. The Holy Spirit teaches us what the church is and how He has founded it: upon the preaching and teaching of Christ by the apostles.

“Thank the Lord for St. Luke! The Gospel that bears his name and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles are the Lord’s gifts to us so that we may hear the Good News of salvation in Jesus and be pointed to where that salvation is given to us in His holy, Christian Church. Thank the Lord for St. Luke! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.”

 

The Rev. Randy Asburry is pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Saint Louis, Mo.  His RAsburry’s Res is a new addition to the blogosphere where he recently posted this sermon.

Categories
Life Issues

Exploring the Pastoral Ministry: 2007

by The Rev. Joel Fritsche

This past summer twenty-two high school men gathered at Concordia Seminary—St. Louis for its annual Exploring the Pastoral Ministry (EPM) event. St. Louis was as it always is in August—hot and sticky. Nevertheless, these young men spent three days with seminary professors, students and local pastors because someone (a pastor, teacher or relative) saw in them the potential for full-time service as a pastor in Christ’s Church.

On the first day of the event, after orientation and a tour of campus, we dove into Holy Scripture to learn more about what it confesses concerning the Office of the Holy Ministry with a study and discussion entitled, “Being a Shepherd of God’s Flock.” We rejoiced in how the Lord Jesus Christ works through the pastor to feHis sheep with His life-giving Gospel. Fellow admissions counselors Rev. ed Kyle Castens and Rev. Paul Philp discussed ways in which high school men can prepare for the pastoral ministry. One of the many things they mentioned…“Get involved in Higher Things!” As always we encourage all young men who are interested in pastoral ministry to talk about it regularly with their pastor.

The official theme for this year’s EPM event focused on the Office of the Keys and Confession. Dr. Norman Nagel had been scheduled to teach on the Office of the Keys. However, Dr. Nagel suffered a stroke earlier in the summer, so Dr. Robert Kolb graciously taught in his place. Among other things, Dr. Kolb related stories from his experiences as a teacher and pastor overseas. Next, Dr. Ronald Feuerhahn taught a sectional on Confession and Absolution, even demonstrating the Rite of Individual Confession and Absolution from the hymnal. Rev. Philp “confessed” his sins. For some reason he forgot to confess that he belted me across the face earlier that week. But that’s the beauty of the Lord’s Absolution. We need not torture ourselves to confess every sin we’ve committed in order to receive Holy Absolution.

A key part of the event involved a couple of servant projects that the guys did alongside some of our seminary students. We spent a few hours at Dr. Feuerhahn’s home pouring concrete and creating a ramp from the Feuerhahn’s driveway to their front porch. Dr. Feuerhahn has Parkinson’s disease. The ramp provided a much easier route for him to get from the driveway to his front door. It was a joy for our visitors to sit at the feet of Dr. Feuerhahn when he taught them, but also to “wash his feet” as they served him in Christian love. Several hours were also spent at St. Peter Lutheran Church in St. Louis doing construction work to prepare the facilities there to act as a community center in the area. We were busy painting, busting up concrete, and cleaning up stuff people had dumped on the church property. I even got to bust up an old fiberglass tub with a sledgehammer.

For the last night of EPM, we held a “town hall meeting” discussion on the joys and challenges of pastoral ministry with several local pastors and a couple of professors who served numerous good years in the parish. EPM guys had an opportunity to formulate their questions ahead of time so that we could spend the max amount of time letting them hear from our panelists. Questions ranged from preaching and worship to what the genus maiestaticum is (ask Pastor Borghardt what that is).

Worship, as always, played a critical role in EPM. We spent time in God’s Word through devotions and prayer services throughout the event. Seminary students led devotionals and Dr. Tim Saleska, Rev. Philp and I each led services in the evenings. The guys did very well singing hymns and canticles from LSB without accompaniment. Some of our guests assisted with worship by serving as acolytes and lectors. We were certainly

Finally, there were plenty of opportunities to kick back and let off some steam. Guys played basketball, frisbee, numerous board games, and even bollo (otherwise known as hillbilly golf). On Wednesday evening we took in a Cardinals baseball game at Busch Stadium. Don, our master event coordinator, even snuck in some tofu ice cream bars for snacks throughout the event. It really did taste like an ice cream sandwich! I don’t think anyone knew they were tofu but Don. By the end of the event there was one thing we all knew, what a gift this ministry of Christ is to His Church! How awesome it is to stand in His stead, speaking His Words of forgiveness and life.

For more information about Concordia Seminary’s upcoming events for high school men and women, visit www.csl.edu.

 

The Rev. Joel Fritsche serves as an admissions counselor for Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, MO. He, as well as his counterparts at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, are always eager to discuss vocation with high school and college-aged men.

Categories
Catechesis

Saint Michael and All Angels

by The Rev. Jacob Sutton

The Festival of St. Michael and All Angels gives a unique opportunity to properly teach the doctrine of the Church concerning God’s holy angels. September 29th is the date of the dedication in the fifth century of a small basilica outside of Rome dedicated to Michael, the first in Italy. From earliest Christian history, many churches were dedicated in Michael’s honor since he is the only archangel named in Scripture (in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation… Gabriel, by the way, is apparently not thought of as “archangel” in many early Christian and Jewish writings, although Gabriel is certainly a very prominent angel in the whole of the Holy Scriptures).

In our cultural context, so many people have a misunderstanding and downright ignorance of who and what the angels are, where they come from, and most importantly, who they serve and point to in all that they do. As one pastor at a Seminary Chapel Service in Fort Wayne said in a sermon, he was always humored by the title of the television show entitled, “Touched By An Angel,” because according to the Biblical understanding of angels, the last thing one should want is to be “touched by an angel.” Angels have two missions in the Bible, he said, either to deliver a message from God, or to kill you, or both. The show, and other similar portrayals of angels as humans leading a second life in which they are allowed to return to do good works, is symptomatic of our culture’s lack of understanding of the Christian faith. Failure to understand rightly the work of Christ for our salvation will also lead to a failure to understand other doctrines, like the Bible’s teachings on angels.

Michael, “who is like God” in Hebrew, is the great prince who has charge of Israel. (Daniel 12.1) In the later days of tribulation, everyone whose name is found written in the book [of heaven] shall be delivered, and “some” of those who “sleep in the dust of the earth” shall awake to everlasting life – those whose names are found written in God’s book. (Daniel 12.1-2) Here we have a direct connection with John’s vision in Revelation 20.12-15 of the judgment before the great white throne, where the “book of life” is opened, and “if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

In Revelation 12.7-12, Michael and his angels fight and defeat the dragon and his angels. Satan and his angels are cast down out of heaven, to the earth. This seems to describe for us what happened sometime between the creation of the angels during the initial six days of Creation and the fall into sin. This battle is what Jesus was watching in the Gospel of St. Luke (10.18) – Satan falling from heaven like lightning.

Yet not only did Jesus watch that event, but by His blood has Satan been conquered (Revelation 12.11), so Jesus continually is watching Satan fall on account of His blood and “by the word of their testimony” – the logos of their marturias – the word of their martydom. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, because that blood is the preaching of Christ crucified, proclaiming the sure and certain confidence that Christ died and rose, so that they too would rise to new life in the world to come despite their earthly death and persecution at the hands of pagans. They treaded over the serpent and scorpion of death and persecution just as surely as Christ did. Both the victory of Michael in heaven, and the victory of the saints on earth, which indeed is the victory of the Gospel preached and the Sacraments given to God’s people, are on account of the blood of Christ shed for the full redemption and rescue of the entire creation.

The archangel Michael is a very Christ-like figure in Holy Scriptures, because of his very name, and since he is described as being the leader of the angelic host of armies. While Scriptures do not ever specifically say Michael is Christ, what we do know is that all the angels serve the Triune God and no other, and continually point to their Lord and ours, Jesus Christ. They fight for us in the spiritual warfare that surrounds us. They help, aid, and strengthen us even as they ministered to Jesus in His passion. Thus we pray in Luther’s catechism prayers for God’s holy angel to be with us, so that the wicked foe may have no power over us:

“For we who believe must be certain that the princes of heaven are with us, not one or two, but a great multitude of them, as is recorded in Luke that the heavenly hosts were with the shepherds (Luke 2:13). But if we were without this protection, and the Lord did not restrain the fury of Satan in this manner, we would not remain alive for a single moment… Therefore the good angels are busy in order that the fierce enemy may not inflict harm.” (Luther in his lectures on Genesis, Luther’s Works, American Edition, volume 3, page 270)

Luther’s colleague Philipp Melanchthon summarized it well in his hymn for St. Michael and All Angels day (Lutheran Service Book #522, stanzas 3,7):

They never rest nor sleep as we;
Their whole delight is but to be
with Thee, Lord Jesus, and to keep
Thy little flock, Thy lambs and sheep.

But watchful is the angel band
that follows Christ on ev’ry hand
to guard His people where they go
and break the counsel of the foe.

 

The Rev. Jacob Sutton is associate pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Plano, Texas. He is a 2007 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, husband of Karie, and father of two.

Categories
Higher Homilies

Jesus Ruins Funerals

by The Rev. Randy Asburry

Luke 7:11-17

Did you know that Jesus ruined every funeral that He ever attended? Consider what we just heard. As Jesus approaches the city of Nain, He meets a funeral procession. Obviously, all of the funeral arrangements had been made. The dead young man was in his coffin. The pallbearers were leading the procession as they carried the young man out of the town. Behind the casket came the young man’s grieving mother. She had no other family members to help and support her, so close friends were escorting her as she wept. And there were, no doubt, the professional mourners, people actually hired to weep and lament the death of this dear young man—you know, put everyone in the proper mood for mourning. They had all of their fine funeral arrangements made, and they were going out to finish the service by burying the young man in the family tomb. But Jesus comes along and ruins this perfectly good funeral!

Some time later Jesus ruined another funeral—the funeral of Jairus’ daughter. When Jairus approached Jesus, he simply asked the Lord “to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying” (Lk. 8:42). Jesus was momentarily distracted and delayed by a woman ill from “a discharge of blood for twelve years” (Lk. 8:43). She touched Jesus and was healed immediately as power went out from Him. After Jesus had healed this woman, someone from Jairus’ house came and told Jairus: “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more” (Lk. 8:49). You would think that Jesus would respect that. Now the family needed to make funeral arrangements. But Jesus loves to ruin funerals, and so He decided to ruin this one before it even began. When He arrived at Jairus’ home, He took Peter, James, and John, and the girl’s father and mother into the house. He told all the mourners not to weep because she was only sleeping, but they thought He was crazy. They knew that the girl was dead! Then Jesus took the girl by the hand and said, “Child, arise” (Lk. 8:54), and she did. Jesus ruined this funeral before it even began!

And who can forget Lazarus! I mean he had had his funeral; he had been buried. Let him rest in peace! Let the family, especially sisters Mary and Martha, get on with their grieving. But no! Jesus insisted on raising Lazarus. Oh, sure, Martha and Mary believed that their brother would rise on the last day, but Jesus was talking about raising him now, four whole days after he had died. So Jesus wept and sighed and prayed, and then “He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out’” (Jn. 11:43). And when everyone saw Lazarus come out of the grave, they knew that his funeral was all in vain. Jesus ruins funerals!

So, Jesus went to three funerals, and He ruined every one of them. All three funerals ended in resurrection. I sure hope that Jesus comes to my funeral, don’t you?

You see, dear saints, this is what makes Christian funerals different from any other kind of funeral. Jesus comes to meet death – your death and mine – head on. And when He collides with death, He conquers it, for you and for me. So, Christian funerals are not, as many people think, about celebrating the life of the deceased. No, Christian funerals are about the Life of Jesus—the life that cannot be held by His cross or His grave, the life that energizes the whole world, the life that transforms you and me and refashions us into God’s image. Let’s thank our gracious God that Jesus, His incarnate Son, comes to ruin our funerals, so that we can have life and fellowship with God.

Let’s remember these three funerals that Jesus ruined. Remember how He raised Jairus’ daughter. She was a young girl and barely dead. Remember how He raised the widow’s son. He was a young man, providing for his mother. He had been dead only long enough to be prepared for his the funeral but not yet buried. Remember how Jesus raised Lazarus. It’s thought that he was an older man, and he had been dead four days. Not only was he already buried, but, as people thought in those days, he was beyond hope of resurrection. What does all this mean? No matter how young or old you are, no matter how long you may rest in the tomb, Jesus still comes to ruin your funeral and raise you to life with Him. By His death He conquered death, and in His Resurrection, He gives life for all to have and enjoy.

Now, this is very good news, because we live in a world plagued with death. Six years ago death and destruction gripped our nation when terrorists attacked us on our own soil. Merely saying the words “September 11” brings to mind crumbling towers and 3000 dead. Two years ago Hurricane Katrina brought more death and destruction to our land, especially in and around New Orleans. We can’t say “Katrina” without thinking of death in some form. And, of course, death hovers over our land in the holocaust called “legalized abortion.” What a horrible spectre! Let the story of Jesus raising the widow’s son be your Easter hope in the midst of national death. You see, Jesus comes to ruin funerals; He comes to conquer death and give life; He comes to us who hate death because He hates death even more than we do.

But we don’t have to wait until we remember September 11, or the tragedy of New Orleans, or even ponder the abortion holocaust to worry about death. Each of us already faces death each and every day. You see, death lives in us. It’s what leads us to give in to our passions, those self-serving desires. It’s what leads us to turn from God’s merciful care. It’s what leads us to do wrong to another person. It’s what leads us to injure God’s creation. The death that lives in us causes us to “look out for number one” in so many ways. You see, when you are looking out for yourself, you are really trying to defeat death on your own terms, with your own ingenuity, with your own cunning. The disease of death leads a health nut to think that he can extend his life based on what he does or doesn’t eat. An overeater thinks he can keep death at bay and enjoy life the more he eats. The thief tries to keep death at bay by stealing and trying to find life in material goods. The town gossip tries to find life by putting other people down or spreading news, whether true or false. Yes, we all must face the death that lives in each of us, but we cannot conquer it; we cannot give ourselves life.

That’s why Jesus comes into our midst, just as He came into the village of Nain. That’s why Jesus stops not only our physical funeral processions, but also the processions of our daily attempts to give ourselves life. He tells us not to weep, because only He, the Son of God, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, can give life. When Jesus says to the young man, “Be raised,” He is also talking to you. He is raising you from the death of your sin. After all, you live in your Baptism. You’ve been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. That’s where He truly stopped your funeral procession and ruined your funeral long before it happens. And remember this when you come to the Lord’s Table today. When you eat and drink the Lord’s Body and Blood, you consume Life itself. There’s nothing better for ruining a good funeral than the Eucharist celebrated often and regularly. After all, it is the very medicine of immortality. As you eat and drink, this day and every Divine Service, remember that Jesus is putting His eternal life into you. He is giving you His life so that you can love Him and serve your neighbor. Even at this Altar, with this very Body and Blood, Jesus is already ruining your funeral.

The 4th century pastor Ephrem the Syrian said this about today’s Gospel reading: “The Virgin’s son met the widow’s son. He became like a sponge for her tears and as life for the death of her son. Death turned about in its den and turned its back on the victorious one.” Yes, Jesus soaks up our tears as we remember and mourn national tragedies and the devastating death that comes with them. Yes, Jesus soaks up our tears as we face our own mortality or as we confess the many sins we commit, vainly trying to give ourselves life. But remember this: Jesus soaks up our tears. In fact, He soaks up our tears by weeping with us, because He hates death even more than we do! That’s why He comes to ruin funerals. But also remember that Jesus came to be life for the dead young man, and for us. Yes, His death on the cross caused death to turn around and cower in its den. And the same goes for you. Jesus comes to ruin your funeral by giving you His life. And when He gives you life, He gives you back to each other so that you can serve one another and together rejoice in the life that He gives, both now and into eternity. Amen.

 

The Rev. Randy Asburry is pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Saint Louis, Mo.  His RAsburry’s Res is a new addition to the blogosphere where he recently posted this sermon.