Ah, yes . .  . it’s Fall – the time of year for pumpkin spice lattes, leaves turning colors, a nip in the air, and shortening days. The dog days of summer are over, and the kiddies are back in school. Autumn is one of my favorite seasons; the only problem is . . . that’s not the kind of Fall I’m talking about.

No, the Fall I’m talking about is humanity’s Fall from grace into sin and death, caused by our first parents’ willful disobedience to God’s command, thereby dooming all mankind – and indeed all creation – to God’s curse and the effects of sin on the world.

The news is full of the evidence of the Fall: a mother kills her own children, a terrorist sets off a car bomb, a school shooter targets a grade school, someone burns a church, vandals deface a synagogue, a crowd of teens does a smash-and-grab looting a store, missiles blast an apartment building, and so on. We ask, “What is the world coming to?” forgetting that this has been happening, in one form or another, since almost the start of mankind’s run. In fact, it is what US soldiers coined in World War II: SNAFU, an acronym standing for Situation Normal All Fouled Up*. In other words, what’s gone wrong is normal. We can expect problems, because that’s the way things are. We shouldn’t expect anything different, because mankind has fallen.

What are the effects of our Fall?

1. First, because we disobeyed God and tried to become gods ourselves, God proclaimed a curse on all creation. Genesis 3 tells what happened, how we ate the forbidden fruit, believing the serpent’s lie,  “you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” We incurred God’s wrath, hearing his words of punishment:   “cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
2. So, one consequence is that we all die. In fact, death comes not only to people, but to all living things. Animals which were created vegetarians (as we were) suddenly were changed into predators and prey. Peaceful creature became “red in tooth and claw”** Even if nothing is killed violently, it will age and die. Scientist have identified a specific gene they call the “kill gene,” that limits the number of times cells can reproduce, leading to the eventual death of that cell. When enough cells die, so does the person or other creature.
3. The Law of Entropy took over. Entropy in the wearing down, running down, of all things and systems. Energy is lost, and heat is dissipated. Things go from organized to chaotic. It takes energy, human and otherwise, to keep everything working. The system ends in what is called, a “heat death.”
4. And then there is the effect on human thought and action. The very first person born on earth became a murderer, killing his own brother due to jealousy (Genesis 4:8). As the first generations grew and multiplied, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6). God acted to wipe out mankind by the Great Flood, sparing only Noah and his family to start over. That purge did not end man’s sinfulness – God’s angels destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because there were not even ten righteous people in them (Genesis 18:22-33).
5. The effect of sin on human interactions was evident from the start. First, Adam and Eve tried to hide from God (feeling guilty, maybe?) Confronted with his disobedience, Adam blamed Eve (and God) for what he did. “This woman whom you gave me!” (Genesis 3:12). Then Eve blamed the snake. The snake had no one else to blame. All received God’s judgment.
6. Even microscopic beings are out to kill us! Bacteria, viruses, prions (Mad cow disease, anyone?), allergens, fungi, molds, parasites. (I was going to say, “pick your poison,” but lets just include poisons on this list.)
7. The Bible, and all other written history, is full of accounts of war, murder, theft, betrayals, slavery, conquest, and genocide. Pick a time when you would have rather lived – and I can show you just how evil that time was as well.
8. The world is full of false religions that teach falsehoods about God – or deny him – and lead people astray. Multiple gods and goddesses, or demonic entities, self- deification or atheism – all substitutes for the true God, will lead a person to the grave and hell. As Paul put it in Galatians 1:8-9, “ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” Most evil among these are those which distort Jesus and make him anything other than the Lord, Creator, and Judge of all, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

By now you are saying, “My, what an uplifting blog this is, pastor.  Do go on!” We could continue, for there are many examples of how messed up the world is because of the Fall. But you get the point, and you already know it is true, because see it for yourself. So do we just give up because the situation is hopeless? No. God knew the situation when he sent his Son into the world to provide salvation and hope. He sent the Holy Spirit to  change us, to sanctify us, to make us better than we were. God has created a situation-not-so-normal. Here’s what we do:

1. Believe in the One who came to save us, paid the penalty for our sins, and rose victorious from the grave to defeat death and show that we are forgiven.

2. Read God’s Word, to build our faith, and to guide us into right living – not to earn forgiveness, but to shape our lives to live holy and righteously. The Bible teaches us what God’s standards are, and his Holy Spirit works in us as we read to conform us to a life that honors God and transforms us to live rightly.

3. Love God through good works (which glorify him) and biblical worship, and love those people around us by serving their needs. Reject the world’s lies to grab what we can and get away with; put others first. Live humbly. give generously, speak honestly.

4. Tell people why you are acting differently from what the world expects. This is not bragging; it is modeling and giving credit to Whom it is due. Share the Good News.

5. Get an eternal perspective. Everything you have on earth is passing away. You cannot hang on to it. Wealth, youth, popularity, health – “All is vanity” according to Ecclesiastes 1:14, “ I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.” Instead “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

6. Pray often – even constantly – and let the fruit of the Spirit grow in you. Let love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control guide your feelings, actions, and words. (Galatians 5:22-23).

We are all victims of the Fall, but more importantly, by faith in Christ we are children of God, and therefore we share in Christ’s victory over all the horror of the Fall. Let us not despair; for the time has come when the Fall will be reversed, the curse lifted, and a new heaven and new earth established. Let us look forward with joy to that great day!

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Genesis 3; Romans 8:18-25; Revelation 21.

* Yes, I know, the soldiers used a different word for “Fouled,” but this blog is rated PG-13, so I used “Fouled” instead of the more historically accurate term. 

** A term authored by Alfred Lord Tennyson at the death of a friend at age 22 from a brain aneurysm. In Memoriam A.H.H., published 1850,

Recently, the news has been filled with descriptions of the meeting between U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi. Because the meeting is between the highest officials of both countries, it is called a “summit.” Issues of concern to both countries are on the agenda, as is the opportunity to further some kind of relationship between the world leaders. While much of the meeting is surrounded with the usual pomp and circumstance befitting heads of state, there is always hope that such a meeting will lead to substantive agreements.

When I thought about such meetings between world leaders, I remembered times I have personally had my own “summits” with such people. I actually met the following political celebrities, though I doubt they considered our meetings as “summits,” nor that they even remember them: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Martti Ahtisaari (President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate), and Boris Yeltsin.

Of course, meetings between political leaders are not true summits. To have a real summit meeting, you have to go to the real summit – the Creator and Ruler of the universe. True summits require encounters with God himself, because there is no one higher than God. So anyone meeting with him is not a meeting between equals, because he has no equals!

The Bible records several such “summits,” and how they worked out.

1. First, there was the summit between Adam and Eve and God. It started wonderfully, but ended badly. The state dinner began with all kinds of fruit and veggies, and a close relationship between the parties. But when the guests broke protocol and ate the one food forbidden them, things went downhill fast. First, they tried to hide from the host in his garden. Then, they were dressed improperly. Then they tried to blame everyone else, including the host, for their mistakes. What had begun with such promise, ended with exile and a death sentence.

2. Later, Satan had a summit with God (Job 1), in which Satan suggested that if the righteous man Job were to lose all his wealth and blessings, he would curse God. In other words, the only reason Job was loyal to God was because God had blessed him. Satan (whose name fittingly means “accuser”) was sure his plan would work, but in spite of losing wealth, family, and health, Job remained loyal (Job 1:22). God showed who was in charge by allowing the test and limiting what Satan would do to Job (Job 1:12). And restoring what Job had lost.

3. The first patriarch, Abraham, had a summit with God and two of his angels. Genesis 18 tells of this meeting by the oaks of Mamre. The Lord was on his way with the angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, but Abraham negotiated with God to spare the cities if a certain number of righteous people were found in them. The negotiations began with fifty righteous and reduced to ten; but because there were not even ten, God destroyed the cities anyway. God controlled the conversation, and the result; he was the ultimate judge, jury, and executioner.

4. An unusual summit was held between Jacob and God near the river Jabbok (Genesis 32:22-32). It was more than a meeting; it was a wrestling match! God appeared to him in human form, called “a man.” This is considered one of the pre-incarnate appearances of Christ. They wrestled all night until the man touched Jacob’s hip and dislocated it. Because Jacob didn’t give up, God changed his name to “Israel,” because he had “striven with God and with men, and have prevailed” (32:28). Just imagine if current leaders settled their differences in the boxing ring or in cage matches? Or in single combat like David and Goliath? There would be fewer wars, and shorter ones.

5. The Book of Daniel has several encounters that could be considered summits in which God demonstrated his power over pagan gods and protection of his people. But a true summit between a pagan king and the King of king is described in Daniel 4. King Nebuchadnezzar surveyed his city from the roof of his palace, and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30) Taking the glory for himself, he was struck insane and crawled around, eating grass like an ox, until he finally admitted it was not his doing, but God’s. When he at last praised God’s dominion, saying all “the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,” (Daniel 4: 35) God restored his mind and fortunes. In other words, he realized there was a God, and it wasn’t him.

6. In 2 Kings 19, we read the story of the Assyrian King Sennacherib defying the true God, saying that God could not deliver Jerusalem from his victorious army. Verse 10 quotes the Assyrian king’s taunt: “Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” God’s answer to Sennacherib concluded with, “Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come into my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.” The result of the summit was, God struck down all 185,000 men of the Assyrian army in one night, causing the king to flee beck to Nineveh – where he was murdered by his own sons.

7. Another direct encounter between kings was when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4). The ruler of this world (John 12:31), the devil, came to tempt Jesus when the latter was hungry from fasting. The devil suggested Jesus turn some stones into bread, jump from the temple’s pinnacle to prove he was God, and worship the devil in return for all the kingdoms of the world (I wonder if any of today’s rulers could turn that offer down!) Jesus countered the devil’s temptation by quoting Scripture, preserving his mission to save mankind.

8. Finally, there is a summit to which we are all invited. We are dressed for the occasion, dressed in robes of righteousness given to us by the host. Our state dinner will be filled with good things: “And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow” (Isaiah 25:6). By receiving and believing in him we have the power to become children of God (John 1:12). As his children we can give our burdens to him and receive the inheritance of heaven.

Our summits with God are greater than any earthly meeting between rulers, because our ruler is the King of kings, the only King that matters. By his grace we can come to him, no matter how lowly a sinner we are, or what station we have in life. He welcomes us, with loving arms, having made the way open through the gift of his Son: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Now, that’s one summit I am happy to attend! But in reality, we as Christians already have that opportunity daily, when we read God’s word and call on him in prayer, when we unburden our concerns to Jesus and walk in his ways.

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Job 1; 2 Kings 19; Daniel 4; Matthew 4.

Today is Labor Day, a day set aside to honor workers. That made me think about work and the part it plays in our lives. Which also brought to mind what someone said about such work.

Recently, one of the proponents of artificial intelligence (AI), Elon Musk, predicted that one day in the near future, AI would advance to where it would do all of our work for us, leaving us to receive a large basic income and freeing us to pursue our hobbies, leisure, or whatever we want. In spite of the fact that his idea describes me personally (I receive a basic income, don’t work, and am able to pursue my own hobbies daily), that description terrifies me – for the future of mankind. Call me a hypocrite, but such a system would be absolutely devastating if it applied to everybody.

Why? Besides the destructive social impact of universal unemployment, there is an even more basic problem: though it might sound good to those who hate their work or are stressed by overwork, not having work to do goes against our Creator’s design for us. So, following are some of my thoughts, not in any particular order (because it would take work to organize them!). Consider the following.

• Work is not a curse, but the natural condition of life. Before mankind fell into sin and received God’s curse, God had already assigned work for us to do. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Therefore, Adam and Eve didn’t just lie around all day eating grapes brought to them by monkeys; they had work to do.
• The natural state of mankind is poverty. It takes work to create goods, deliver services, practice trade, and meet basic needs. People create wealth by work, transforming their labor into things of value, such as money, which can then be used to purchase the fruit of other people’s labors.
• Some people believe that guaranteed income, that is a check from the government, is a good substitute for a paycheck. After all, if everyone had enough money, they wouldn’t have to work, right? Setting aside basic issues of economics, my question is: What good is that money going to do you if everyone else gets their check and decides not to work either? What good is your money if no one makes any goods for you to buy? What if no one is available to provide the services you want or need? What if you are hurt or sick and all the former medical people are sitting at home with their checks?

Work has more purposes to it than just earning money, as important as that is. I think we can identify five reasons why work is beneficial.

1. Our work provides financial rewards to those who work and their families. Work transforms our efforts into tangible rewards with which we can purchase goods and services we need and want. By working we are trading our time and effort for money or some other means of exchange.  The Bible recognizes employment for gain. Jesus’ parable about workers in the field    centers around workers being paid for their labors (Matthew 20). Luke 10:7 says, “The laborer deserves his wages.”  1 Timothy 5:18 speaks about fair pay when it says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” And 2 Timothy 3:6 says, “The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.” The Bible warns those who would cheat workers of their just pay in passages like James 5:4, “Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.” On the flip side, the Bible also warns those too lazy to work: “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Work for pay and pay for work are good things.
2. Our work provides goods and services to other people. As I said above, without workers, we wouldn’t be able to buy any goods or secure any services. But when we work, we produce things and services that other people need to live and enhance their lives. The farmer works hard and produces the food that many people need to sustain life. The electricians install and service lines to provide our homes and businesses with electricity. Teachers instruct our children and watch them a good part of each day so we can work to provide other people with their needs. Just as a tree produces fruit, so a person provides fruits of his or her labors to benefit others. Ephesians 4:28 says, “doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
3. Our work is spiritually and emotionally rewarding. It just feels good to work hard at something and see what you have accomplished. There are sayings about “a good day’s work” and “a job well done” that speak to the satisfaction that comes from hard work. It satisfies us to see our work do good for others, or else why would so many people volunteer to serve others without pay? We feel happier to help others without expecting any remuneration in return. (Besides, no one could afford me if I charged what I am worth!)
4. Our work is important for our socialization. Where do we learn how to work with other people, get along with them, handle disagreements, celebrate joint accomplishments, and learn communication skills except in places where we work? Tough bosses can frustrate and anger us, but we learn how to do our jobs while placating them. Lazy co-workers? We learn how to deal with them, too. Rude customers? We gain experience from every one of them. (During college, I worked part-time in a department store. In our training, the trainer told us that everyone should work in a job like ours, to learn courtesy and sympathize with other workers when we become customers.) Even if we don’t like them, we can thank God for the “on the job training.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 commends working with other people: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.”
5. Our work is for the Lord. Whether we work for a company, a corporation, a school, a government, or are self-employed, our ultimate employer is God. Our good works, paid or volunteer, glorify him above all, so we are called to serve him in all our work. In the Old Testament, Proverbs 16:3 promises, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” In the New Testament, Colossians 3:23-24 tells us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Summarizing, our Lord Jesus taught us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

So you see, whatever work we do here on earth, it is much more important than the paycheck we may receive for doing it. Our work benefits ourselves, others, and even glorifies God. Whatever we do for the Lord is valuable: 1 Corinthians 15:58 sums it up: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Deuteronomy 5:13-14; Psalm 90:17; Philippians 4:13; 1 Peter 4:10.

In my last blog, I shared some of the passages in the Bible that I find to be, well, scary. Many of these were verses spoken by Jesus himself, which warned about people missing out on the kingdom of God because of their unrighteousness. For the One who brought the Gospel, much of what he said sounded more like the Law and its requirements. After all, Jesus did say, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

So then, why do I not despair over all the scary verses? Simply because the Scripture is full of comforting verses which proclaim the Gospel, the good news of why Christ came and what he accomplished for us. The passages are full of promise, and put the scary verses in context. I call these comforting verses my “happy verses.”

Here are some of the “happy verses” that give me hope and comfort, and why they make me happy. We begin with the Old Testament:

1. Psalm 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

This verse is one of my favorites for two reasons. First, because of the promise that my transgressions will be fully separated from me as far as can be. I don’t want my forgiven sins to cling to me like a bad aroma. They are gone! Second, I love what it says about Who is removing those sins: God himself. The One who knows me and my sins perfectly, and who set the standards, is the One who removes them. And if God is for me, who can be against me? (Romans 8:31).

2. Jeremiah 31:34 “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Repeated in Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17).

Another wonderful verse, full of promise and hope. Is it possible that God could forget anything – he who is omniscient of everything there was, is, or will be? Not in a forgetful sense; not in the sense of a senior moment; not in the sense of me forgetting why I went into  room. No, it is a purposeful deciding not to hold my sins against me. And that is a blessing that makes me happy!

3. Joel 2:32 “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Also quoted in Romans 10:13.)

This is a welcome promise, not only for me, but for the entire world. While not everyone will call on the name of the Lord, those who do will be saved. This offer shows the attitude of God toward us; he loves us and wants us to be saved. And the way of salvation is not some difficult, complicated process. It’s just a simple calling on the Lord.

Now we move to the New Testament.

4. John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

This verse was my confirmation verse! But that’s not the only thing I like about it. I like that it promises an intimate, family relationship with God. He’s not some far-off deity removed from us and our concerns, but a Father who cares for us, protects us, and provides for us more perfectly than any earthly father could do. We are promised that as children of God, we will abide with him forever (John 8:35).

5. John 3:16 “ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

How could I not include this verse among my favorite “happy verses?” This verse has been called “the Gospel in miniature.” It tells God’s attitude toward us (love), what he did about it (sent his Son), what we are to do (believe in the Son), and the ultimate result (eternal life). In the words of the hymn, “What more can He say than to you He hath said?”*

6. John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

When I read all the law-oriented words spoken by Jesus, demanding perfection and righteous living, I turn to this verse, which reminds me of the purpose of Jesus coming into the world: not to condemn us, but to save us. He has provided a way to save us by his death and resurrection; without his work we would be condemned.

7. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

At the end of Romans 7, Paul tells of being prone to sin, and laments, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” He answers himself in 7:25, saying, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” followed by this happy verse: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He realizes he sins even though inwardly he tries to obey God. He is helpless to save himself, but God provides what he needs – or Whom he needs – Jesus Christ. When I slip and do , say, or think what I should not, I can affirm with Paul that I have a Savior and not a Condemner.

8. Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

This is one of the most triumphant passage in all of Scripture. It proclaims that no power in the universe, even death, can separate us from the love of God. It even names the things that would threaten our salvation, and says that with Christ we are not just victorious, but more than conquerors! When I read this, I can hear trumpets and drums sounding as God surrounds little old me with legions of angels. These are truly happy verses!

9. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

In this verse, Peter is answering those mockers of his age (and ours!) who say, “Where is the supposed return of Christ?” Peter tell us to be patient, because he is coming, but in God’s timing. This verse also reiterates that God is patient with mankind, and wants to give us a chance to repent and be saved. Think of all the people who wouldn’t have been born if Christ had returned in Peter’s day during the first century. But because God is patient, the Gospel has spread throughout the world to billions of people.

10. John 3:8b “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

The phrase used by theologians is Christus Victor; he is victorious. He has accomplished what he came to do: to destroy the devil and his works. What is the devil’s chief work? To oppose God by leading mankind to sin, causing the rightful condemnation of God’s highest creation. We were made in God’s image, so by destroying us, the devil has struck against God himself. But Christ came to undo the devil’s work, providing salvation by taking our punishment on himself. Christ wins, the devil loses, and we get to join in Christ’s victory!

11. Revelation 24:3-4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”

Do I really need to explain why this passage makes me happy? Or why I often used it in funeral services to call the mourners’ attention to what awaits us in heaven? God has not revealed all of what heaven is like, but these verses give us enough of a picture to comfort us. We don’t know all that heaven will hold, but we know what won’t be there: death, pain, or loss. And that is good enough for me!

So there you have it: some of my happiest Bible verses. They give me comfort when I read my scary verses, because I know where all Scripture points – to Christ’s victory and our eternal life with him in glory. Thanks be to God who has won us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Revelation 19:1-8.

* How Firm a Foundation, 1787 by “K.”

At various times while reading or preaching from the Bible, I have come across certain passages that have, how should I put this? How about: they have caused me consternation? Or how about: they have caused some trepidation? Or more plainly: they have scared the bejeebers* out of me!

To many people, the Book of Revelation is scary. Talk of a beast rising out of the sea with the number 666, locusts with tails like scorpions, stars falling to earth killing a third of all people, water turning to blood, and four horsemen who bring famine, pestilence, war, and death. Yeah, that’s plenty of scary stuff. But Revelation doesn’t scare me, because its message is that Christ, the Lamb of God, wins in the end. Evil is destroyed, and God’s people are vindicated and rewarded with everlasting life in a restored paradise. Not so bad, in spite of the tribulations on the way there.

No, the biblical passages that really frighten me are the ones that raise questions of who will be included in the people of God, and specifically, the warnings by Jesus himself against false belief and unrighteousness. They are enough to make me ask, “Am I really saved?” and “Can I lose my salvation?” It’s the most important question anyone faces, because the thought of spending eternity in conscious pain and terror, knowing it will never end, should scare the bejeebers out of everyone!

Now, I know that my salvation is sealed by faith in Christ and what he did on the cross, and not by my own works of righteousness. And it’s a good thing it is up to him and not up to me, because without that assurance, the following scary verses would destroy me. Here they are, and why they make me tremble:

1. Matthew 5:20 “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The scary thing is not that the scribes and Pharisees said this, because you might expect them to hold themselves up as the epitomes of righteousness. On the contrary, Jesus said this. And who were the scribes? They were the Bible experts of their day; they studied the Scriptures and probably knew them by heart. They were the ones you went to to know what God had said. And the Pharisees? They were the people who kept the Law and traditions perfectly, down to the smallest letter. In fact, the word Pharisee means “separated,” referring to them being set apart from other people because of their “holiness.” So, if Jesus said my own righteousness has to exceed these two experts of keeping God’s Law, I could be in trouble!

2. Matthew 5:48 “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Forget the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees! Now Jesus ramps up the comparisons: now I must be as perfect as God the Father! How is that even possible? Who can even approach even a tiny sliver of God’s perfection? By this impossible standard, I am doomed forever.

3. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

This passage contradicts universalism, the belief that everyone goes to heaven, that “God is too loving to condemn anyone to hell.” Not only do some people not make it to heaven, most people don’t make it. While I, like many people, think we are on Jesus’ narrow path, this passage causes me to ask whether I am truly on the narrow way to life. This is especially true because I don’t find belief in Jesus very hard; I have always believed in him and sought to follow him. Has it been too easy for me to be on the hard path?

4. Matthew 7:21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Ouch! Just when people think they are “in,” Jesus warns them that he will cast them aside because he never knew them. When I read that even if many people do mighty works in his name, yet they would still be rejected, I wonder if all my work as a pastor (and blogger) give me a sense of false security. How does Jesus consider my works, even if done in his name? If some Christians I look up to as paragons of the faith could be lost, then how will little old me fare better?

5. Matthew 12:31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”

Okay. So I don’t plan to cuss out the Holy Spirit. I agree with the Nicene Creed which says about the Holy Spirit, “with the Father and the Son he is to be worshiped and glorified.” So what does this warning mean? In the original context, Christ cast out a demon. When his religious enemies heard this, they said “It is only by Beelzebul**, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” Jesus said no, it was by the Holy Spirit, and warned them not to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Why the Spirit and not the Father or the Son? It would be wrong to blaspheme all persons of the Trinity. But the difference with the Spirit is that he is the one who creates faith in us, so to blaspheme him is to reject the saving faith he would give us. So with out that faith, we are lost. I don’t think I could accidentally blaspheme the Holy Spirit, but it is a warning. . .

6. Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”

As a Christians, I believe I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). But then I read this passage which warns Christians not to fall away, for then it would be impossible to restore me. But what does it mean to “fall away?” Some blatant sin? A momentary doubt? Could I do this accidentally, or does it have to be willfully done? Could this be done privately in my own mind, or must it be a public rejection of Christ? Jesus said if we deny him before others, he will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). Is this what he means?

7. 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Is this appearance in public before the great multitude, or in private with my friend Jesus and me? Will he bring up all my sins (my evil deeds)? Will I get a chance to tell him why I acted the way I did, or will my defenses melt when he looks at me. While I like the thought of rewards, I don’t want to receive what I am due for evil acts and thoughts. I thought all those other guys will face judgment, but me too?

8. Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

I like to think of myself as not being one of these doomed groups. Yay for me! But then I remember what Jesus taught, that we are guilty of these sins by desiring to do them in our thoughts. Lust in our hearts makes us guilty of adultery. Coveting is guilty of stealing. Name calling and hateful speech is like murder (Matthew 5). Since all of us have committed many sins in our hearts, I hope this passage refers to those who continue to desire and act in these sinful ways. Otherwise, we would all be lost.

Whew! That’s a lot off my chest! These are truly scary verse, but fortunately the Bible does not just contain warnings and the Law; it also contains many comforting words of assurance in the Gospel promises. Gospel means “good news,” and in the next blog we will read words of divine comfort. Don’t miss it!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 5:17-58.

*I have no idea what “bejeebers “means, but it gets scared out of people all the time, especially in olden days.

**Beelzebul was a name for the devil, or Satan.

One of the current major movie releases is The Odyssey, which is based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer. The original poem tells the story of the hero Odysseus, who is returning home to Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War. I have not seen the movie (nor do I intend to), but one of the scenes portrays the well-known story of the Trojan Horse.

The story of the Horse takes place near the end of the war, when the Greek attackers built a huge wooden horse, and left it as a gift to the Trojans, who had held off the besieging Greeks for 10 years. Then the Greeks sailed away, apparently abandoning their attack on Troy. The Trojans, who apparently worshiped horses, were delighted with the gift, and rolled it into the city as a gift to the goddess Athena. Then, during the night, Greek soldiers, who had been hiding in the hollow horse, climbed out and opened Troy’s gates, allowing their army to swarm into the city to plunder and destroy it. By this ruse, the Greeks won the war, and Odysseus was free to sail home. This story is also the origin of the saying, “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.”*

So, why would I write a blog about a movie I haven’t seen? Well, this is not about the movie, but about the dangerous practice people have of welcoming dangerous things into their lives. Just like the Trojan Horse, these things appear desirable. They are beautiful, promise great benefits, and seem harmless. So, like the Trojans, we welcome them and draw them into our lives. Like the Trojans, we may even worship them – though not outwardly – but still inwardly. And yet, in spite of our excitement to receive these things, in the end we will suffer personal or spiritual loss because of them.

So, what are some of these modern day “Trojan Horses?”

1. One of the most prevalent ones is wealth. Who wouldn’t like more money? Even when America’s first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller, was asked “How much money does it take to make a man happy?” he replied, “Just one more dollar.” The goal of many people is to win the lottery, believing that will bring them happiness, comfort, and security for life. Yet, for many winners, they end up broke, divorced, or even murdered. On the plus side, they do get to meet many friends and relatives they never knew they had . . . As the Scripture warns us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

What are some of the evils that the love of money causes? How about cheating on time sheets and taxes, shoplifting, robberies, car-jacking, over-charging, gambling, and hiding expenses or income from a spouse.

In response you may say, “But we need money to survive in this world!” To that Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’.” And Jesus himself said, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33). Jesus also said, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Why is money a Trojan Horse? Because with the allure of wealth, it brings spiritual ruin.

2. A second “Trojan Horse” is fame. Just because a person becomes famous does not mean they have sinned. The Bible mentions the fame of Joshua, Solomon, Jesus, and God himself. So fame is not the problem: seeking fame is where problems come in.  Fame is linked to pride, seeking glory and honor for oneself instead of for God.

• • • Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.”
    • In Genesis 11:4–9, people wanted to build the Tower of Babel to “make a name for themselves,” which led to God’s judgment.
    • God loves humility over pride: ““Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10).
    • Jesus said, “Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26)

Our attitude toward fame should be that of the Apostle Paul, who wrote in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Amen.

3. Yet another deceptive thing of value is knowledge. We want to know more and more, believing that with knowledge comes wisdom to live a better life. Unfortunately, that was the original temptation that led mankind into sin! What did the snake say to Eve? That if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would “be like God, knowing good and evil.” He was partly right: she who had known only good, soon learned about evil.

Mankind has always wanted to gain more knowledge. Certainly, we have gained many benefits from seeking knowledge: improvements in health care, food husbandry, science and technology, the ability to harness energy and use materials to enhance our daily lives. But our learning has also given us nuclear bombs, chemical weapons, bio-engineered pathogens (remember COVID, anyone?), and forever-pollutants. We have drained our resources. But most of all, we believe that our science makes us more knowledgeable than God. Have you ever heard anyone say that we know more than the Bible writers did, and therefore we can ignore their words because “they were primitive” in what they knew, but now we know better? But Ecclesiastes 1:18 says, “For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

Paul rebuked the Corinthians who thought they knew the truth, saying, they ”  . . possess knowledge. This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). He warned Timothy (1 Timothy 6:20-21) to “Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so‑called ‘knowledge’ which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Instead, we are to seek God, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

A final warning: Scripture tells us that one of the signs of the coming end of the world is that, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4).

4.  A fourth and very seductive “Trojan Horse” is sensuality. This has to do with physical pleasure, whether comfort, slothfulness, laziness, sexual lust, or gluttony. Whatever appeals to our physical appetites we view as good for us, because they make us “feel good.” While rest is good and needed, it can become the enemy of productive work and exercise. Sex is a gift from God for the blessing of marriage, but our culture is obsessed with it and its various perversions. It comes to us promising enjoyment, while inside is hiding heartbreak, disease, and spiritual death –  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:8-10, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Some of the Old Testament heroes succumbed to sexual temptation: David, who lusted for Bathsheba, committed adultery (the Sixth Commandment) with her, and had her husband killed to cover his sin (Fifth Commandment). And Sampson lost his God-given strength by revealing his secret to Delilah. We are told in 1 Corinthians 6:13, ” The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

These four Trojan Horses look desirable, but along with any good benefits, they also can bring disaster. Just as Troy was destroyed, so also our lives can be upended, and our relationship with our God damaged.

So, beside these four Trojan Horses, what other horses can you name that are just waiting for you to take into your life? Power, hobbies, careers, sport stars, celebrity worship, possessions? Any others?

May the Lord protect you from every physical and spiritual danger, and may you look to him for the fulfillment of all your needs!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Joshua 7:1-5, 2 Samuel 11, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.

*This saying originated in Virgil’s epic poem, The Aeneid, written between 29 and 19 BC, referring to the Trojan Horse.

One Sunday a number of years ago, a member came up to one of our church’s pastors and admonished him for including our government in the prayers of the church. His argument was that we must keep church and state separate, and avoid getting into politics.

While I certainly want to keep political party and candidate endorsements out of our worship services, the pastor was only following what Scripture commands: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way”  (1 Timothy2:1-2).

In fact, the Bible is full of passages which talk about the importance of the role governments play in our lives, and our requirement to be good citizens – and praying citizens – even when that government is far from perfect (which all governments are!).

First of all, our attitude toward government is based on our attitude toward all authority, beginning with our parents. The commandment to honor our father and our mother helps form how we honor, and obey, God, the ultimate Father-figure. For if we cannot love the father we see, how can we honor the Father we do not? In between our parents comes our governing authorities. They too must receive honor for fulfilling God-given responsibilities for us, such as maintaining good order, protection, and peacefulness.

Romans 13:1 states, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except that which God has established.” Paul wrote this when Roman emperors ruled the known world – men who were not known for wise or peaceful governing. Yet he still said to pray for them to do God’s will with their earthly power, for the benefit of those they ruled. Do we think that today, our imperfect leaders DON’T need our prayers and God’s guidance to fulfill their duties? Especially when their motives are less than godly?

Romans 13:1 is followed by one of the most hated passages in the Bible: 13:6-7, ^“For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Yes: pay taxes. Not often a subject of sermons I have heard (nor preached!). Yet we are commanded to pay them. Again, this was commanded at a time when the Jewish people paid a Temple Tax to their own priests, plus local taxes, plus imperial head and land taxes to the Romans: somewhere around 60% total. 

But should we pray at all for our country? After all, isn’t Christianity a global faith? Shouldn’t we pray for all countries, not just the one we happen to live in? Of course we should pray for all peoples everywhere, and for them to live under good governments. Revelation 7:9 (also 5:9) speaks of heaven being filled with a multitude that no one can count, from “every nation, tribe, and language.”  Yes, Christianity is a world-religion – the largest one with over 2.6 billion adherents. We are one body, and ultimately “. . .our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

Yet every one of those Christians is in a country, one with a ruling government that impacts their lives greatly. In fact, God has determined what country we are to inhabit: “. . . he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands” (Acts 17:26). Therefore, the well-being of our lives is tied to the well-being of our different countries. Jeremiah spoke of this in Jeremiah 29:7, saying, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean we are to be passive “subjects,” but rather good citizens, striving to make our country better. Proverbs 14:34 says that, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” Are the problems our country faces possibly the result of our abandoning God and his Word? There is hope: remember: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). The Christians in America are a people called by Christ’s name. It is up to us to humbly pray for our nation, to be examples of godly living, and to serve our neighbors in love. It also means we confront our government when it does evil and fails to fulfill its duties.

This week, our country is celebrating its 250th anniversary of independence. Some of the words you will hear include Freedom and Liberty. Those are lofty goals, but remember that they do not mean we are free from God, but rather to be free to live for God! As Peter tells us in verse 16 of his second letter, “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.”

Finally, as we celebrate the Fourth, thank the Lord for all his blessings on our land, for the freedom to worship him, for all our civic freedoms, for material prosperity, and for natural beauty and resources.  And as you do so, remember what God has promised: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!” (Psalm 33:12).

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Romans 13, 1 Timothy 2, Titus 3.

Today is Father’s Day, a tradition that began in 1910 in Spokane, Washington. It is a day that honors fathers not only for “siring” children, but also for their sacrificial love and hard work raising those children. Good fathers provide for their families, protect them, and teach them – sometimes by words, some-times through discipline, and always as  role models of how men should live.

If both Karen’s father and my father were still alive, we would definitely honor them today, for they both were exemplary fathers who fulfilled their duties of raising their children to take their places in the world.

But the chief reason we are grateful to these men is that, in addition to the physical and social benefits they provided, was that they taught us and showed us what faith in Jesus Christ is all about. And in doing so, they told us about our other Father, the heavenly One.

For if we take a day to celebrate our earthly fathers, we certainly ought to spend time every day to honor our heavenly Father.

In fact, Jesus himself taught us how we should pray to God, calling him “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). He also taught us that our heavenly Father . . .

• • • loves us so much he sent his Son to die for us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
    • gives us good things when we ask “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).
    • desires us to be one with him, even as Jesus is “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).
    • showed us his nature and character in the person of Jesus,  “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father”  (John 14:9).
    • seeks us like a Father who welcomes a lost son; “his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:11-32, here verse 20).
    • sends his Holy Spirit as our guide and comforter, “the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26).
    • speaks to us with words of truth, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
    • does not want anyone to perish, “So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14).
    • judges the glory given the Son, “Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge” (John 8:50).

In addition, Jesus spoke of our being able to love the Father closely, not just as a distant judge. He called his heavenly Father, “Abba” (Mark 14:6), a term of endearment with the meaning of, “Daddy.” (Hence the title of this blog!” Later, Paul will tell us, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6, also in Romans 8:15.)

In the Ten Commandments, we are commanded to, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12). Paul referred to this commandment in Ephesians 6:2, where he said, “this is the first commandment with a promise.” The Church has always recognized that this commandment bridges the two “tables” of the law: the one loving God, and the other loving our neighbors. This is because our parents are not only our neighbors, but also authorities over us, acting on God’s behalf in our lives.

Part of the way our fathers perform a godly duty is to discipline their children, not as a punishment, but to teach them good conduct. Hebrews 12:6 teaches us, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Likewise, Hebrews 12:9 says, “Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?”

Unfortunately, many children grow up without their fathers being active in their lives. They miss the example of good fathers, they often lack discipline that shapes their values, and their families struggle with provision and safety.  It may be hard to love God as Father when a child grows up with an abusive or unloving earthly father, but God offers to be their “Abba” and supply all their needs.

In fact, God is Father of us all, so let us love and honor him, not only on “Daddy’s Day,” but every day, for we know that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Luke 15:11-32

Freedom is highly valued and sought in our country, and indeed around the world. In the US there are a number of events which are celebrated as the days on which varied amounts of freedom were achieved. The first event was when our forefathers declared independence from Great Britain, which was July 4th, 1776. We are about to celebrate the 250th anniversary of that milestone in our nation’s history. Then there is the day known officially as Freedom Day, which commemorates the event when President Abraham Lincoln signed the joint resolution of Congress which became the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, ending slavery in the US – a major victory for everyone who had been enslaved.

Another day, which has just recently been established as a national holiday, is known as Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when the Union army enforced the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas following the end of the Civil War. This day was first marked in 1866 by various communities of freed people across the South.

Then there are other, more personal and subjective attainments of freedom, such as graduation from high school, moving out of one’s parents’ home, getting that first full-time paycheck, and retirement (and receiving the last full-time paycheck!).

Freedom is also desired and celebrated in the Bible.  The Book of Judges tells how God empowered judges to liberate his people from foreign oppressors. The Psalms speak of the Lord setting people free: Psalm 118:5 says, “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.” But the big event in the Old Testament was the freeing of Israel from bondage (slavery) in Egypt. This freedom was the basis of God’s commandments to the people of Israel; in the preamble to the Ten Commandments, God states, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”  (Exodus 20:2). The Lord commanded that Israel celebrate that event every year in the Passover feast. Which Israel faithfully kept – even to the Last Supper which Jesus and his disciples ate.

But it was also Jesus who expanded the definition of true freedom from just a social or political situation, to being released from sin and death. His big discourse on freedom is found in John 8:31-36. This is what he said:

 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

As Jesus revealed, knowing the truth will set one free, but it’s not any truth, but the truth found in Jesus’ words. The truth found in Jesus is what sets us free, because he is the Son who frees us from bondage to sin. Without him, we cannot free ourselves; with him, we are free indeed. (Interestingly, John 8:32 is quoted on the wall in the lobby of the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Obviously, they are using Jesus’ words out of context.)

Paul writes expansively about slavery and freedom in his letter to the Romans. His point is that we are all slaves to something. Inherently we are slaves to sin and death; but having died with Christ, we are set free from slavery to sin, and are now slaves to God’s righteousness. He writes, “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). And not only us, but all creation has been set free from its bondage to decay and death: Romans 8:21 says, “that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Freedom sounds good, but what does it mean for Christ to set us free by his truth?

For many people, freedom means having no restrictions on our behavior. I can do whatever I want, free rein, no consequences. It means the absence of controlling authority. It is a teen telling his or her parents, “You can’t make me!” But that leads to chaos and not to any benefit. Freedom in Christ means we are free to be guided by his righteousness to blessings for us and for others. As Paul puts it in Romans 6:22, “the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” In other words, we are free to experience the blessings that come from obedience to Christ and his Gospel.

I once heard an illustration of the difference between freedom in Christ and freedom by the world’s standards. Imagine a train – some massive, diesel beast that is turned loose on the rails between two cities. The train is constrained to run on those tracks, and when it does, it can complete its course, running powerfully and carry many tons of cargo to its destination. But now picture that same locomotive with no tracks. It has been set free from its restraining rails; it is now “free” to go wherever it wants. So where does it go? Well, about two feet into the soft ground, where it becomes hopelessly mired down and stuck. Now how free is it?

The same with us. When we are freed from God and his laws and Spirit, we get mired in sin and trouble and are unable to live to the potential that God desires for us. Our intellect, our desires betray us, thinking we are free; in reality we are free to fail. But in Christ, we are freed from sin which would control and destroy us.

We humans have had this problem from the very beginning. When God created us, what was the one restriction he gave our first parents? Don’t eat the fruit of one specific tree. So what did we do? We wanted to be free of that one command, so we ate, and suddenly we lost fellowship with God and each other, we lost access to the Garden and its plenty, and we lost our lives on earth with all its joys and beauties. In short, we lost our freedom to the best things life had to offer – all from one act of self-proclaimed “freedom.” And thanks to them, because we were all in Adam, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

But fortunately, Christ came to set us free! Romans 5:17 promises, “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

That’s good new for all who desire to be free – truly free! So let us celebrate the true Freedom Day – Easter – when Christ rose victorious over sin and death, for that was the day when we too became free indeed!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: John 8; Romans 5; 1 Corinthians 7.

From time to time, I have posted a blog under the title, “Odds & Ends,” deviating from the usual mini-sermon/essay format to share news, do some “house-keeping,” or explain some things that don’t rise to the level of full blog material. This is the seventh such posting. Some of the comments may be familiar to you, but given that there are a number of new readers, I thought it wise to iterate the new and reiterate the old.

1. The blog address originally began with http:// but now starts with https://. The added letter “s” signifies “secure,” which is a security improvement to the website, provided by the host company. This is to the benefit of both the writer (me) and the reader (you).
2. Many, if not most, websites include paid advertising that pops up alongside or beneath the writers’ articles. This is very common, and is one way for the “bloggist” (Is there such a word? If not, there should be – “blogger” sounds so mundane. . . ) to pay for his or her site, or even to make money, based on the number of views they get. I have decided not to use paid ads, for three reasons. First, because I’m not doing this site to make money, and I can afford the low cost the web hosting company charges. Second, I can write what I believe without looking over my shoulder at sponsors, being afraid to run afoul of their editorial policies. I already have one very special Editor looking over my shoulder regarding my writing – and He is the only one I am accountable to. Third, in most cases the bloggist, er, blogger, does not get to choose which ads appear on the site. I have seen Christian blogs with some very questionable ads, and my immediate reaction has been to ask why the bloggers chose those ads – and then I remember they didn’t have a choice. So, to avoid those mixed messages, I chose not to take ads.
3. Likewise, I do not “harvest” data, either names or email, from my readers to sell to anyone. If you know someone who might like to read my blog, I will be glad to add them to my notification list, but only with their permission.  People can also subscribe on my site to receive notices directly from the blog as soon as I post each new article. This might help if you find my notices getting sent to your spam folder.
4. I find that I’m blogging about twice a month on average (281 blogs so far!), so if you don’t hear from me in over a month, check your spam/junk folders for my notices, or go directly to the blog to catch up. All the previous blogs are accessible on the right side of my site, listed according to when they first appeared. In the main part of my site is the current post plus the last two postings.
5. A couple reminders on format: I usually use the English Standard Version (ESV) for my biblical quotations, but occasionally use other versions when useful – such as when a key word is in a version I memorized. In those cases I signify which translation I’m quoting, such as KJV or NIV. Also, I usually don’t capitalize pronouns used for God, using “he, him, and his” instead of “He, Him, and His.” This is not to lessen reverence for God, but to follow the lead of the original biblical languages, which did not capitalize such pronouns, either. At least I don’t use “s/he, ze, or them”! I do capitalize titles used of God, such as Creator, Savior, etc.
6. A few of my articles have been picked up and published in our church’s national bimonthly magazine, The Evangel, such as in the March-April of 2021 issue (#198). That and other back issues of the magazine are available on the website at https://www.taalc.org/the-evangel-magazine.
7. The Bibles pictured in the heading on my blog pages are from my own library. While I was looking online for stock images of books to place in the header and portray my interest in reading, my wife asked me why I didn’t just take a picture of my own books since I had so many to choose from. It was one of those “duh!” moments. She was right of course, so I got out the camera and took the picture you see. We like how it turned out, and besides . . . no royalties! (Unless you want to use it, then let’s talk . . .)
8. I appreciate your comments on my blogs. You can either leave a comment on the site, or send me an email at richeddy@hotmail.com. This can include suggestions for future blogs. Generally, I will reply to any emails you send me directly. [;l

As always, I close with what is called the Aaronic Blessing, a benediction which, in Numbers 6:24-26, the Lord told Moses’ brother, Aaron, to say to the people : The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Ecclesiastes 12:12; Numbers 6:22-27

Today, there are 7,170 languages in use across the earth. Some are spoken by hundreds of millions of speakers, like Mandarin, Spanish and English, while others are spoken by one ethnic group in a small area, such as Basque. Many languages have gone extinct, and others have changed over time.

For example, what we call English has varieties based on location, where separate accents and idioms have developed – such as American (fanny-pack), Australian (Good’day, mate!), Canadian (eh?), British (Cheerio!) and so on. Languages also change over time. King James English from 1611 uses words that have changed meaning, such as “suffer” meaning “allow,” and not “be in agony.” Go back earlier in English and the words are unintelligible to us today.

For example, do you know what “Hū dēst þū?” means? It means, “How are you?” To which you might reply, “Ic eom wel. þanc  þē,” if you spoke Old English. Move ahead to Middle English, and you might read: “Ȝelde ȝe to alle men ȝoure dettes: to hym þat ȝe schuleþ trybut, trybut,” or, “pay your debts to all men that you owe.”

Languages add new words when new concepts occur, (such as drone, internet, and cell phone, none of which I used as a child), and slang, such as cool, sick, and dope – none of which means what it used to.

Some words sound familiar to us English speakers, thanks to our knack for borrowing words from other languages, such as pajama (Persian), canoe (Caribbean tribes), sauerkraut (guess!), and rendezvous and beef (French). Others are a mystery, such as 槐得好 or Schildkröte.

Where did this “embarrassment of riches” come from? Why do people – who have the same basic nature and social needs, speak so many different languages? The Bible tells us how it all began.

After the Great Flood, the survivors and their families all lived in one place and spoke one language. Genesis 11 tells us what happened. The people said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 

God saw what they were doing, and knowing their hearts, decided to stop their project. He confused their speech so they couldn’t understand each other. They moved away and began to spread out over all the earth, which was God’s original command to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28).

And so began the great migrations of peoples. Languages developed among scattered, isolated groups, changing over time and through contact with other groups. The result is what we have today.

So why do I bring up this ancient history? Because today is the Day of Pentecost, when God reversed the language curse by empowering the disciples to speak in “foreign languages” as a sign that God was creating a new people, known as his Church, who would be united by God’s word and the Holy Spirit.

No longer would people be divided; now they would be what Peter called, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

Acts 2:2-4 tells of the event, when the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples:  “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” 

Jerusalem was crowded at the time – Pentecost was a Jewish feast which brought pilgrims to Jerusalem – and the crowds were baffled by what they heard – Galileans (Jesus’ followers) speaking in all the pilgrims’ languages. The pilgrims list their native lands: Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs (Acts 2:9-11).

What the crowds heard was not just high school 101 beginning language: “How are you? My name is . . .” or “Where is the bathroom?” What the people heard that day was the disciples declaring the wonders of God in their own tongues! Then, Peter got up and preached the best sermon ever, because 3000 people believed and joined the Church. Talk about an altar call!

Of course, there are always doubters: some said the disciples were drunk on wine.  I wish I had known that all I needed to speak a foreign language was to drink some wine. Over the years I have studied a number of languages, but since I don’t drink, I had to put in the work to learn them: 5 languages with 14 years of formal study. Even so, I wish I could speak them all more fluently.

1. I studied German for six years, and stayed about seven weeks with a German family. While visiting them, we went on a trip along the Rhine River and found a kiosk that was selling maps of the Rhine in German, French, Italian and English versions. I practiced what I was going to say, asking the attendant for the German version. I was wearing a German shirt, and took off my glasses (apparently wearing them was a mark of being American). I sauntered up to the counter and asked in my best German, for ein Rheinlauf (a Rhine map). The woman working the booth smiled at me and asked, “the English version?”

2. During college I traveled to France to work in a summer camp there, with one year of French study. When boarding a train upon arriving in France, I wasn’t sure where to stow my baggage. I spotted one of the conductors and asked him in French, where to put my cases. He walked away with his hands in the air, saying in French, “I don’t understand! I don’t understand!” Funny, I could understand him just fine!

3. In the early 20th Century, a number of youthful missionaries went to mainland China, expecting the Holy Spirit to give them supernaturally the ability to speak the language, but it didn’t happen.

4. Sometimes, miracles do occur. When I visited Finland in 1988, I came upon a couple women in Helsinki who were preaching about Jesus to a group of mocking youths. I thought I would encourage them a little, though my Finnish was quite limited (“thank you”, “reindeer”, “book”and “elk” come to mind). I talked with one of the women, and somehow, I answered that I had Jesus in my heart. She was giving out Bibles, but only had one in Russian to give me. I explained that I didn’t speak Russian, but she said I would find someone who did. Two years later, I was given a free trip to Russia where, you guessed it, I befriended a Russian who was overwhelmed when I gave him the Bible. At the same time, he gave me a book on learning Russian – in French! I wish I had that conductor along to help me read it!

Languages enrich the world – but they also divide us. But there will come a day when we are no longer separated by our words, but united as one heavenly people. We are told in Revelation 7:9 about what John saw in heaven: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” Will we still speak 7,170 languages in heaven? I don’t know, but if so, we will all understand each other, for the Holy Spirit has made us one in Christ. To God be the glory!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Genesis 11; Acts 2.

Recently, I was invited by the national women’s group of the American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC), known as the Women of Life, to write a Bible study about the Lutheran Liturgy. Is this a shameless promotion of that study? Yes, it is. But because the study won’t be available until 2027, I thought I would give you a taste of the study. Well, not the actual study about the liturgy and its Biblical basis, but rather some short stories I included about what I called, “Adventures in Liturgy.”

These stories recount actual “adventures” I have had in worship services over the years which I thought you might find interesting. They say some things about me, obviously, but more so the power of worship in the life of a believer.

So, without further ado, here are some “Adventures in Worship!”

#1. While growing up, my family attended a Methodist church. It was a good church, but it did not have as full a liturgy as I would come to know in the Lutheran Church. That I would first come to experience during a trip to (West) Germany with my high school’s German classes. We split up and stayed with various families, who enhanced our six-week stays with family events and side trips – and church. I can’t remember the name of the church, but it was an Evangelische Kirche. Not wanting to stand out as ignorant, I learned the Lord’s Prayer from my German Bible, and when it came time in the service, I joined in praying it. I was feeling pretty good about it, until after the service, when my German host asked me why I had prayed the Katholische Version?

#2. The importance of a common Lutheran Liturgy was impressed on me when I went with a dozen or so fellow Americans to Finland to meet with counterparts in various youth service organizations. The final Sunday there we had a free day, so I looked up Lutheran services in Helsinki (duh, the whole country is Lutheran!). My main options were a large architecturally significant church, or a small English-speaking service in a rented room. By that point in the trip, I needed a real worship service and not a tourist attraction, so I joined the worshipers in my native language. The service was being conducted by a Missouri Synod pastor from South Dakota, and the congregation was from all over the world – from six continents and many countries. During the sermon, I could hear someone behind me talking along with the pastor – translating the sermon into Namibian for the mother of that country’s president. But it was obvious that no matter where we were from, we all followed the liturgy – it was an inspiring and unifying experience for Christ’s Church!

#3. I am not a good singer. I first learned that as a teenage camp counselor, when I tried to lead campfire songs. In the middle of an enthusiastic rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” I passed one little girl – about nine years old – who looked at me and tugged at my pants cuff every time I passed her. After about the third time, I bent over and asked what she wanted. She frowned and said, “Mister; you’re singing off key!” Fast forward to high school, when one of the choirs at my church in Wisconsin asked me to sing one verse of a Gospel hymn. I practiced with my mother – an accomplished singer and choir member herself – and even invited a friend from high school to come and hear me. When the time came, I was so bad, the choir director stopped looking at me, and the girls in the front row started giggling. When it was over, the friend told me he wouldn’t have “had the guts” to do what I did, and my mom just said, “Well, at least you tried!”

The final blow was during my training as a Lay Assisting Minister, when my pastor changed his advice from, “Anyone can chant the liturgy,” to, “Rich, maybe it would be better if you just spoke the liturgy,” which is exactly what I have done ever since.

#4. You would think that once I retired, I would no longer have church-related nightmares – you know, of standing in front of a congregation and stumbling through a sermon or losing my place in the liturgy. You would think that, but you would be wrong. Even while writing this study, I had one of those dreams. Usually, my dreams include getting up to preach without having written a sermon, but this latest dream was about my hymnal – an old LBW – being completely in tatters. Pages were out of order, turned upside down, or even missing. As usual in my dreams, the church starts off full of worshipers, but as I fumble, they begin to exit. I leave the sanctuary and search church offices and libraries, looking for an intact hymnal, but to no avail. Finally, I try to wing the liturgy from memory to the half-dozen people still there, and fail badly. I wake up sweating, clutching my LBW tightly to my chest. (Okay that last was an exaggeration.)

#5. The first Sunday I served as a Lay Assisting Minister in my Lutheran Church in Indiana, it was an incredibly moving experience. That Sunday there was both Communion and a Baptism – and I got to participate in both. First came the Baptism, when I held a lit candle and recited the words, “Let your light so shine before others, that they see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). I could barely get through it without choking up; it was so moving. Then came Communion, in which I helped distribute the wine. Fortunately, unlike Luther, I did not spill the wine the first time I served it. Combined with speaking sections of the liturgy, the whole experience was truly an adventure, and helped prepare me for ordained ministry.

#6. Before I went to seminary, I helped with services at a local, rural Lutheran church whose pastor had died. I did everything except consecrate the Lord’s Supper. One Sunday when I was leading worship, I made it through the service – and was giving the Aaronic Blessing (“the Lord bless you and keep you,” etc.). During the blessing, I saw a church member in the back row waving his hand at me. I continued to speak, but noticed that he was holding up a dollar bill. It took me a few seconds to realize the man was the Treasurer, and he was signaling that I had forgotten the offering. I stopped the benediction, and announced it was time for the offering, which we collected and then I resumed the benediction. The congregation and I had a good laugh – but I have never forgotten the offering ever since!

#7. BONUS. The first time I preached at that little rural church, I preached a sermon that I thought was horrendous. I packed everything I knew about our faith into that one sermon, so I was surprised when they asked me to come back and preach a second time. As I sat pondering what I could possibly say that I hadn’t already said in the first terrible sermon, I mentioned to my sister (who was living with us at the time), that I had already said it all, and didn’t know what to add. She then said to me a rebuke that I am sure was inspired, “What gives you the audacity to think you have exhausted the riches of God’s grace in one sermon?!?” She was right; after nine months of preaching there, and 22 years as a pastor, (plus over nine years as a blogger), I still haven’t exhausted the riches of God’s grace in Jesus Christ!

So there you have it – seven of my adventures in worship. Have you had any such experiences? Who knows how God will use worship to teach you, comfort you, and inspire you to serve him!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:25.

This Sunday, we celebrate the beginning of Holy Week by observing Palm Sunday. This joyous festival marks the final arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem leading to his crucifixion and resurrection. It is a festive event, celebrated by both Eastern and Western churches as Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into the holy city. It is full of visual imagery – Jesus riding on a donkey, people waving palm branches and laying them and their cloaks on the ground before Jesus as he rode,  and the crowds singing “Hosanna” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” It stands in stark contrast to the events of the coming Friday.

When I think of the events of the first Palm Sunday, a couple questions come to mind.

First, why is so much space and detail given in the Gospels to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem? All four Gospels report it – in a combined 53 verses. Details leading up to the entry,  and follow-up events to the entry are included. So why so much detail? After all, the writers could have summed up Palm Sunday in a single sentence: “Jesus entered Jerusalem.” As the Apostle John wrote in his Gospel, “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). So why this one event important enough to warrant inclusion? I think there are at last two reasons:

1. The first reason is that it actually happened. This was not a parable with a moral lesson, nor political propaganda to enhance a leader’s reputation. Jesus actually rode a donkey as he entered Jerusalem, and the crowds welcomed him enthusiastically. All four Gospels record it, each supplying various details to give us a full picture of the event. Matthew tells us of a donkey and its colt. Mark tells of “leafy branches” and John tells us they were palm branches. Luke tells us that it was the multitude of his disciples who shouted “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” and that the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his disciples. Then Luke tells us that Jesus made his famous reply to the Pharisees, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” The fact all four Gospels agree on the big picture, but supply different yet complimentary details, add to the veracity of the accounts.

Jesus had previously told his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem to die, and this was the fulfillment of that prediction. Matthew 16:21 says, “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” This was confirmed in Matthew 20:18 when Jesus said, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death.” So, the entry, and the purpose of the entry, were both predicted and fulfilled.

2. The second, and just as important reason for the biblical narrative of the events of Palm Sunday, is that it is intended to prove that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Before this event, Jesus was cautious early in his ministry about declaring he was the Messiah – “for my time has not yet fully come” (John 7:8). But John himself declares the reason for what he wrote, including the Palm Sunday account, by saying, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). 

What are the proofs of this conclusion? First, there are the similarities to the triumphal processions of Roman emperors after victories: the king rides at the head of a procession, while the crowds waves branches before him and and greet him with shouts of  acclamation. Of course, Roman generals would be followed by their conquered enemies – which imagery Paul used of Christ in Colossians 2:15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” – though of the larger picture of Jesus’ victory more than about Palm Sunday.

Another evidence is the quotation from Zechariah 9:9, which prophesied, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This was cited in Matthew’s Palm Sunday account, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” This was not only literally fulfilled on Palm Sunday, but also the significance of the event was given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in both Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15. The king was coming to Jerusalem in the person of Jesus.

Yet another evidence of the Messianic message of Palm Sunday is what the crowds shouted to Jesus. “Hosanna” means literally, “Save us now” and refers to the one person the crowd looked forward to saving them – the long-awaited Messiah. Next, they shouted, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” which is a direct quotation of Psalm 118:26. Psalm 118:25 calls on the one who comes to “Save us, we pray, O Lord!” which fits with the message of Hosanna. Finally, the crowds shouted, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” (Mark 11:10) and Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:6). These references to King David show that the people expected the Messiah to be of the lineage of David. Why? Because the Lord has promised that David and his heirs would have an everlasting kingdom: “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). This was not only the crowd’s expectation – it was the fulfilled truth, because Jesus was of the house and lineage of David.

A Jewish reader of the first century would have clearly recognized the message of the Palm Sunday accounts that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 

A second question I have always had regarding Palm Sunday has to do with the supposedly “fickle” crowds that turned from praising Jesus one day, to calling for his crucifixion just five days later. I’ve often heard that point made in sermons, to prove how fickle people and their faith can be. There’s some truth to that assertion – after all, the disciples vow their loyalty to Jesus at the Last Supper on Thursday, and then run and hide and even deny him on Friday morning. And certainly in our own lives, the fervency of our faith can waver from Sunday to Monday, so we need to guard our loyalty to Christ every day.

But I think the point is not valid when it comes to the crowds and Jesus. The point is, that we don’t know that the Sunday crowd consisted of the same people as the Friday crowd. In fact, I believe they were very different people.  This point is especially made by Luke, who said it was “the whole multitude” of Jesus’ disciples who “began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.” When the Pharisees heard this, they told Jesus to rebuke his disciples, showing again the nature of the crowd that was praising Jesus and calling him king and messiah. (Luke 19:39). If any non-disciple Jews were in the crowd, they were non-Jerusalem Jews who came from around the Diaspora to Jerusalem for the high feast. It was their duty to travel to Jerusalem, so as Jesus entered, he could have been welcomed by the non-Jerusalem Jews.

But on Friday, Jesus was condemned by a hastily convened court of Jerusalem’s religious leaders, who then took Jesus to Pilate for the death sentence. So who were the crowd members that day? Almost certainly the leaders’ friends, family, and supporters – people the priests could count on to demand the crucifixion of Jesus. The trial before Pilate was hastily called and held in the morning; it was unlikely the priests went around trying to gather a supportive crowd, especially of those who had welcomed and praised Jesus. They were correct that a crowd of Jesus’ disciple would hardly support their call for crucifixion. The jury was rigged, and the priests saw that it was so.

So, are we often fickle in our faith? Yes, but the idea that the same people who praised and welcomed Jesus one day and called for his death a few days later, just does not fit.

As we come to Palm Sunday, may your celebration be joyous, and may you recognize Jesus as your Messiah today and every day. May you welcome his triumphal entry into your life and greet him with shouts of, “Hosanna in the highest!”

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:8-40; John 12:12-19.

The Adventure has begun! That is, the Advent-ure has begun, because the special time of the Church year known as Advent is now underway. It began last Sunday – the fourth Sunday before Christmas – and continues up to Christmas Eve. Advent means “coming” and refers to someone or something that is approaching us or arriving.

This is the season we anticipate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The season of Advent is a time of preparation, prayer, and pondering about Jesus’ birth and why he came to earth to become one of us. It is a time to consider what his coming means for our lives, both here now on earth, and in eternity.

The season has been observed at least since the Middle Ages, when it was treated as a somber season of repentance before Christmas, the way Lent is before Easter.

Today, Advent is a season with its own special traditions: special songs and hymns like “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel,” the Advent wreath, special wall banners, Advent calendars to mark off the days until Christmas, and in some churches, midweek Advent services. Advent is not just four weeks to get through before the real celebration of Christmas.

At the Eddy home, we have a few Advent traditions. We hang an Advent buzzard, either a full-size one made of black cloth and a white sock with buttons for the eyes, or two miniature ones I made out of paper, which we hide on the Christmas tree for people to find. The tradition calls for striking the buzzard as you walk past, saying with force and determination: “I renounce the powers of darkness, and put on the armor of light!” (Romans 13:12). Then there’s the beautiful wooden Advent calendar Karen gave me one year, with little doors hiding scriptural quotes and tiny gifts. This year, we are opening an online advent calendar.

Unfortunately, in our culture around us, Advent has totally disappeared and been replaced by the season of “Let’s shop and party and get stuff.” To our society, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the last twelve shopping days before Christmas, rather than the real twelve days that begin on Christmas and last until January 6, the Epiphany,  when we celebrate the arrival of the Wise Men. Even in many churches, Advent is squeezed out as they move straight from Thanksgiving to Christmas in decorations, song choices, and programs. (And yes, we do some of that, too!)

Advent is an important time for Christians because we know that the true meaning of Christmas is more than parties, decorations, gifts, and songs about grandmas getting run over by reindeer. It is about more than even the sentimental “family-discovers-the-true-meaning-of-Christmas” TV specials this time of year (none of which actually gets around to mentioning the name of Jesus!). Advent reminds us each year of just who Jesus is and why we needed him to come to us. We are reminded of the prophecies that foretold His birth and sacrifice for our forgiveness. It truly prepares us to celebrate His birth with our eyes and hearts and minds wide open to the wonderful life-giving miracle of God becoming man.

Advent is about more than just pre-Christmas preparation, because during Advent we recognize that Christmas is only one of three ways that Jesus comes to us. There are actually three Advents:

1. Advent #1 – Christmas, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, when the eternal Son of God took on flesh and became one of us. We call this miracle of God becoming man the Incarnation. It was essential for our salvation that the eternal Son of God came to earth in order to live a sinless life and become the pure sacrifice for our sins. By his death our sins were paid for, and our punishment canceled. Paul tells us in Romans 5:19, “For as by the one man’s (Adam’s) disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s (Jesus’) obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Jesus became true man, able to suffer thirst, hunger, pain, sorrow, and death; he also remained true God, able to forgive sins, do miracles by divine power, and provide a sacrifice great enough to atone for all the sins of every human being. As Martin Luther stated in his explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, Son of the Father from eternity and true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord.”

2. Advent #2 – the Return of Christ. Christ’s return is sometimes called the Parousia, which is the word used in the Greek New Testament for his Second Coming. Our word advent (actually, adventum) is the Latin translation of that word.

But, whatever you call it, the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is coming back, visibly and physically. As our Creed states, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

Christ will come with a shout, descending to us in heavenly glory from the clouds. He will bring with him all who have died in him, and at his return resurrect them. We who are still on earth at that moment, will be changed and receive our resurrection bodies. And we will be with him forever.

Christ’s return will set all things right. All authorities will be deposed and all evil and wickedness removed. Those who are in Christ will rejoice and receive their rewards, while the unrepentant unbelievers will face everlasting judgment. All prophecies of Christ’s return will be gloriously fulfilled,

3. Advent #3 – Christ Comes to Us Personally. Besides the other two Advents which have world-wide, even cosmic impacts which affect everyone, there is an Advent in which Jesus comes to us personally to redeem, forgive, indwell, and give us new life. Christ comes to us in the written words of Scripture, when his Spirit moves us to believe and draws us to God. He gives you and me new life in the waters of baptism, and he nourishes us spiritually by his own true body and blood given in, with, and under the bread and wine of Holy Communion. He comes to us daily through prayer and works to change our lives that we might be transformed to become more and more like him. This is the individual Advent each of us needs.

In Revelation 22:20, the Apostle John wrote about Christ, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’.” Then John added, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

We join that chorus and say, “Amen! Come Lord Jesus to us at your birth, at your triumphant return, and to each of us personally through your means of grace.” And to all of you I say, “May Christ come to you powerfully this Advent season.” That is the adventure we have begun! Amen and Amen!

And now, may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, Matthew 28:16-20

During a recent Sunday, one of the scripture readings was from the Old Testament book of Habakkuk. It was from the second chapter, verses 1-4. It was as follows:

I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

And the Lord answered me:

“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.”

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.

As usual, I followed along as the passage was read aloud. Of course, the final verse about the righteous rang a bell, because it is quoted in Romans 1:17. and was core to Luther’s breakthrough understanding of salvation through faith alone. But in addition to that, I took note of the phrase, “wait for it,” and it made me smile.

Why? Because the phrase, “Wait for it” is used by comedians. They say,, “Wait for it . . . wait for it. . .” to build suspense in anticipation of the punch line. Likewise, when a video is rolling, the commentator says it to keep the viewers’ attention while the video plays out. The video may look mundane until the end, when an unexpected twist “pays off” the recording with humor. The words, “Wait for it” signal something is coming that is worth waiting for.

Now, I’m not used to imagining punch lines in church when I listen to scripture readings. But, while not always having humorous endings, there are many times in our lives when we have to “wait for it.” Maybe it’s when we wait for the school year to end (or for the school day to end, when the class is really boring!). We wait for our wedding day, for a child to be born (and the pregnancy to end). We wait for adulthood, a job to begin, or for it to end at retirement. In fact, waiting is a sign of maturity; a child wants it NOW, an adult accepts deferred gratification.

Waiting is also a sign of Christian maturity. In fact, the Christian life is defined by waiting, both in aspects of our daily life, and in the ultimate wait for the return of Christ and the end of the age.

The Christian life is defined by waiting.

Certainly, God himself commands us to wait. Besides the command in Habakkuk, Jesus told his disciples before his Ascension  to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit: “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” (Acts 1:4-5).

In fact, scripture is full of believers waiting for God to act. We are to  . . .

wait for it -Habakkuk 2. God will punish Judah for its idolatry and evil; the proud evildoers will perish, but the righteous will live by faith.

wait for it – Revelation 6:9-11 says, “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.  They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” God will avenge evil in his time.

wait for it – 2 Peter  3:9 reads, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” God wants as many people to be saved as possible while we wait for his vengeance to unfold.

wait for it – Isaiah 30:18 says, “For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” Good news, as we wait for justice in our world today.

wait for it – 1 Peter 3:20, “when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” Even God waits for the right timing!

wait for it – “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” (Psalm 33:20).

wait for it –  Luke 3:15 says, “As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ.” Jesus was revealed to be the Christ in due time. Until then, he forbade his disciples announcing it.

wait for it – Romans 8:19 declares, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” We’re still waiting . . .

wait for it – the Second Coming. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Waiting is a mark of faith. When we don’t yet see what we know/want is coming, we must be patient. Why should we wait? And how do we wait when our eyes don’t see what we are waiting for?

1. 1. If God has promised it, it’s worth waiting for. God’s promises are not for some fleeting, temporary benefit. They are about the future, forgiveness, and eternal life. They are about reconciliation with God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They are about the fulfillment of God’s love for us.
   2.  We can trust God’s promises, because he has already fulfilled many promises in the past. His promises to Noah, Abraham, and Israel (both the man and the nation) are evidence; ultimately in the birth, life, and death -and the meaning of – Jesus Christ, we see the most important fulfillment. As Paul told us through 2 Corinthian 1:20, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.”
   3. As Hebrews 11 tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” When we have to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises, we  are showing faith by believing, even though we don’t yet see it. Such faith honors God by trusting in him.
   4. It’s the adult thing to do. Unlike an infant who wants what it desires now we know when we wait for promises to be fulfilled, they will be even better and sweeter than we expect. For, in our present state, our understanding of God’s promises is limited: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

It’s no joke: when we “wait for it,” (if it is God’s promises), we will be blessed beyond all earthly measure. And that is worth waiting for!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Isaiah 25:8; Romans 15:8; Revelation 21:3-5.

This week, a young man with a rifle assassinated Charlie Kirk while Mr. Kirk was holding a public discussion/debate on the campus of a university in Utah. In the followup to this tragic event, the Governor of Utah offered condolences to the Kirk family, expressed outrage at the murder, vowed that the murderer would be found, and reminded everyone that the State of Utah still has the death penalty.

As I heard his comments, I was silently glad to hear that, and thought, “Good! The assassin deserves to die. I’m glad this didn’t happen in a state like California, where there has not been an execution since January of 2006.” Even though there are currently 587 inmates on “death row,” lawyers, the courts, and the governor have appealed, delayed, and stopped all executions of any condemned prisoners.

You must think I am a cold, compassionless person, and wonder how I could ever have been a pastor. After all, doesn’t the Bible tell me to forgive, turn the other cheek, and show mercy to those who sin? Since Charlie Kirk was himself a devout Christian, doesn’t the principle apply even more in this case?

Well, since Charlie was murdered, he is no longer able to forgive or turn the other cheek. So should we, in his stead, forgive for him? Does the death penalty, as some people argue, violate the commandment against killing? Does taking the assassin’s life make us no better than him?

As a person, and yes as a pastor, I believe that the death penalty is not only biblically warranted, but at times even required to be carried out. I base this on both Scriptural and practical grounds.

1. The first reference to the death penalty appears in Genesis 9:5-6. Following the Great Flood, God gave this command to Noah and his descendants (i.e., all of us): “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” Note that there is no reference to the death penalty as either a punishment or a deterrent; the penalty is because man or beast has killed someone made in God’s image. To kill a human, man or woman, is to strike against God himself.

2. The commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” is often used against the death penalty, but the word translated “kill” (ratsach) is actually a verb that means to murder, literally “to lie in wait, to commit premeditated murder.” Scripture makes a distinction between executing criminals and personal revenge killing or murder. When God condemned King Manasseh, it was because he had shed innocent blood (2 Kings 24:3-5).

3. God gave guidelines for preventing abuse of the death penalty. In Numbers 35, he established cities of refuge, to which anyone who killed someone “without intent” (accidentally) could flee for protection until the congregation shall hear his case and judge what should happen to him. In other words, a fair trial. In the case of someone who intentionally kills another, “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.” (35:30). The passage ends with the requirement that the murderer be put to death, because his evil action has defiled the land, and that no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. (35:33).

4. Even in the New Testament, the government (not the individual) is given the power to punish evil, even to the extent of putting those who do evil to death. Romans 13:3-4 warns, “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer (ESV).” As I have mentioned previously, a number of Sacramento sheriff’s deputies bought t-shirts with “be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain” and wore them under their uniforms. Governments are charged by God with securing the peace and restraining evil; that is government’s primary responsibility, and to do so it “bears the sword.”

5. Unfortunately, throughout history, governments have used executions as a political tool to hold onto power and oppress their enemies. Therefore, there must be guards against that power being misused. The US Constitution gives the death penalty as the punishment for treason, but like the Bible, requires “No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act” (Article III: Section 3, Clause 2). Then, the Fourteenth Amendment states: “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” State laws provide jury trials, appeals processes, and limitations on death sentences to especially horrid crimes, such as multiple victims. An important limit on potentially wrongful convictions is the improvement of forensic evidence, such as DNA, to convict or clear suspects. To execute the wrong person would be as grievous as was the original crime.

6. Practically, there are crimes, such as killing children and first responders, and serial murders, that are so evil, they demand the ultimate punishment. Not only are the costs of incarcerating someone for life (50-plus years) a burden on society, but when justice is swift and deadly, criminals are forced to hesitate before killing in the first place.

A number of years ago, I watched the 1957 film, “12 Angry Men.” In it, a jury of men is deliberating the fate of a teenager charged with murder. At first, they all vote for conviction – except for one juror – who rightfully says that with the defendant’s life on the line, their decision shouldn’t be too hasty. So far so good. But then during their arguing over the case, they get into matters of society’s guilt for the conditions that led to the crime. Finally, they all voted for acquittal, based on society’s failures. This was my first experience with the view that “the perpetrator is the real victim” mentality, which in recent years has set criminals free and increased crime and danger to society.

When God gave his commandments, he knew what restrictions we needed to live at peace with each other. He forbade the things that turn us against each other: “Do not lie, cheat, commit adultery, steal, or kill.” If we break those laws, it is right that we are punished for doing so – in this life. But thanks be to God,  we know that in Christ, there is forgiveness in the life to come. For Christ has taken our divine punishment upon himself, so if we recognize our sin and repent of it, he will forgive us.

Regarding Charlie Kirk’s assassin, I don’t know where he will spend eternity. Will he truly repent of his sins and ask for God’s forgiveness in Christ? We should pray for his repentance, just as we pray for consolation for Charlie Kirk’s family. But that’s a separate issue; for he has murdered a man created in God’s image, and for that, God requires his blood. But for us, let us not resort to hate or vengeance, lest we also become evil in our hearts.

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 5:21-22.

The other day, a cousin of mine called me and asked my pastoral advice on something that was bothering her. As she started to tell me what it was, her voice choked up a little – it wasn’t an academic question, but something deeply personal to her. After dealing with a number of people suffering with cancer, a good friend of hers was diagnosed with an advanced stage of the horrid disease. But what particularly bothered her, and the reason for her call, was that her prayers for her friend were not answered, even though the friend is a devout Christian and a wonderful person. For the first time, she found herself asking God, “Why no answer to my prayers?” and, “Why is this happening to her?” and, “How can my friend be at peace, when I am hurting for her?”

I answered as best I could, hoping my cousin would find some comfort. Among the things I said were things she already knew but needed to hear from someone else. Such as, that God acts according to his own will (Ephesians 1:5). And, that we can’t see what God is doing “behind the scenes.” He may have already done what we prayed for without informing us of what he is doing. And, that God always acts for the good of his people and for his own glory. I told her of the Psalms that lament, “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3) and Jeremiah’s complaint, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” (Jeremiah 12:1). To us, it seems a lack of justice that the good suffer and the bad people do just fine.

We talked for a full hour, and prayed for her friend – and her. Afterwards, she said she felt better.

In the days since we talked, I thought of more to say to her, and to anyone else (including me!) who struggles with unanswered prayer.

One Sunday while I was still an active pastor, I preached a sermon in which I told the congregation about an incident in which God answered my prayer for protection. Years earlier, I was walking through a dark parking lot, when I was confronted by two dobermans. The one street light was behind them, and the atmosphere was tense. The two dogs saw me and began to shuffle toward me. I realized this could end badly, so I prayed quickly, saying, “God, these are your animals; please protect me!” All at once, I felt at peace, so I said to the dogs, “Peace, be with you!” All at once, it was as if a switch had been thrown: the tension left, the dogs settled back on their haunches, and I walked peacefully past them to my car.

After the service, I was shaking the members’ hands, when one man came up to me and said, “You know those dogs that left you alone? Well, they bit me!” Of course, he didn’t mean the same dogs, but that God didn’t protect him from being bitten in a similar situation. That got me thinking: how do we handle when God doesn’t seem to answer our prayers?

Afterwards, I thought of four situations in the Bible when people’s faith was put to the test, but they showed that their faith was not dependent on God’s answer. Their faith can be an example for all of us.

1. The first was in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 3. Three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, stood before the mighty king of Babylon, knowing that their lives could well depend on their next words. Although they held favored positions in the kingdom, that would not save them from Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath, for they had flouted his authority by refusing to obey his command. And kings do not like to be flouted.

To most people in the Kingdom of Babylon, the king’s edict was harmless enough: whenever anyone heard musical instruments. he or she was to fall down and worship a huge golden statue that the king had set up. But, to faithful Jews such as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, worshiping a graven image was forbidden by God, and therefore, they had not obeyed. Now, hauled before the king and given the choice between bowing down and being thrown into a fiery furnace, the three men gave their answer: “O Nebuchadnezzer, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18, emphasis mine).

But if not. Note carefully what they said: they knew that God was fully able to save them from the furnace, but even if he did not, they would still hold fast to their faith in him. Their faith was not dependent on whether he answered their prayers.

2. I remembered another Old Testament man, Job, who after going through unspeakable loss and painful suffering, could still say of his Lord, “Though he slay me. I will hope in him” (Job 13:15). Job did not worship God only for the material blessing he received, nor did he abandon God when those blessings were taken away.

3. The third example is our Lord, Jesus Christ. In the Garden of Gethsemane in the night before he was crucified, he prayed to his Father that his cup (his coming suffering and death) be taken from him. And yet, though his prayers were ardent, he concluded his prayers with the statement, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). His love and obedience to the Father did not suffer in spite of his request not being fulfilled.

4. One more example was the Apostle Paul, who suffered from a painful affliction which he called his “thorn in the flesh.” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:8, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.” But God did not remove the “thorn.”  Instead, he replied, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (12:9). And so Paul went on, relying on the Lord’s grace and power.

I have a few other thoughts:

• Answers to our prayers do not depend on anything in us other than our prayers. We don’t deserve either what we have nor what we ask for. Such answers are not a mark of how often or how ardently we pray. Nor of how good a person we are, nor about any “deal” we make with God. He won’t answer us because we promise to attend church more frequently or give more in our offerings. Our prayers do not need to be fancy; they can be simple prayers, as our Lord taught us (Matthew 6:5-13).
• The answers to our prayers are based on a good and gracious God. Jesus said that if our earthly fathers want to give us good things, such as a fish instead of a snake, how much more will our heavenly Father do the same (Luke 11:12).
• If at first you don’t see an answer to your prayer, try, try again. Paul told us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and our Lord told the parable of a persistent widow who only gets justice because she didn’t stop nagging the judge (Luke 18:1-8).
• If we feel we can command God to do what we say, we are reversing our relationship with him. He is not a genie in the lamp, who answers our requests with, “Your wish is my command!” He is sovereign; his wishes are our command.
• If we feel discouraged by unanswered prayers, that is a normal and very human reaction. What we need to guard against is a rejection of God and disbelief in his goodness. We must not give Satan a foothold to doubt God’s word or reality.

When we pray, we glorify God and affirm our dependence on him. Our faith is not based on the answers we see, since they are all temporary to this life, but rather on Christ’s finished work on the cross, which promises eternal joy!

We thank God for answers to our prayers, “but if not,” we will still praise him!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 5; Philippians 4: 4-7.

The big news these days in computer science is Artificial Intelligence, or A.I. All the big tech companies are pursuing it; apparently Google is offering to hire some “whiz kid” for a billion dollars to make their A.I. the best in class: (I am seriously considering ending my retirement to do that!) One chip maker (not Lay’s or Doritos) saw its value surge to $3.58 trillion, up  $3.2 trillion in the two years since it introduced its open A.I. program called ChatGPT.

Besides the tech news, pundits are speculating and debating what impact the growth of A.I. will have on society. Some say it will put everyone out of work. Others say it will create new jobs. Some say it will usher in a leisure lifestyle for everyone; others say it will destroy meaningful work and social interaction when robots become our companions. No one knows for sure. Some even fear the computers will take over and exterminate humans like the fictional SkyNet in the Terminator movies.

Computers endowed with A.I. can do amazing things. For example, last year I had ChatGPT write a sermon for Christ the King Sunday. It took it about a second and the points of the sermon were quite good! (Note: I didn’t use it.) They can research vast troves of information very quickly. They can produce very real images and videos of people doing and saying things they never did or said. They can learn how to do thing by watching people perform actions, so someone writing complex code won’t be necessary for machine learning.

Unfortunately, A.I. is not perfect. And by that, I don’t mean it needs to become more intelligent. It has learned from humans too well. It has invented fake news reports that look real. One A.I. platform called Grok had to be taken down and “fixed” because it had adopted antisemitic views. Some A.I. platforms have used images of famous people and made pornographic content with those animated images.  And then there is the phenomenon of “hallucinations.” For some reason, when asked for information, A.I. often makes up things and presents them as true – in other words, it lies. When creating legal briefs for some lawyers, A.I. made up bogus cases with footnotes and citations. But when the attorneys checked its work, they found those cases didn’t exist. (“Objection, your Honor!”)

So, even though massive amounts of money are going in to making better and better A.I., I offer you my advice, free of charge, on something that is better than artificial intelligence. I offer A.I., that is, Almighty Intelligence!

1. Almighty Intelligence refers to the best Intelligence in the universe: the intelligence of God, our Creator. Look at all he has created: all matter and energy, the earth, the planets, sun, moon. and stars, all life: plants,  animals, angels, and humans. The One who created intelligent beings is even more intelligent than they, or any intelligence they could create.

2. Almighty Intelligence means God does not “hallucinate” nor lie: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind” (Numbers 23:19).

3. Almighty Intelligence shows God’s intelligence in all things. Even earthly A.I. recognizes God’s Intelligence as superior to it! I asked ChatGPT about God’s intelligence, and this is what it replied:

I. God’s knowledge is infinite

• • • • Psalm 147:5
        “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.”  This verse emphasizes the limitless scope of God’s understanding—beyond human comprehension.

      • Isaiah 40:28
        “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God… his understanding no one can fathom.” Again, God’s understanding is portrayed as unfathomable.

II. God’s Wisdom Directs All Things

• • • • Romans 11:33
        “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” God’s wisdom and knowledge are so profound that human beings can’t fully grasp His decisions or plans.

      • Proverbs 3:19
        “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place.” Creation itself is evidence of God’s incredible intelligence and wisdom.

III. God Knows Everything (Omniscience)

• • • • 1 John 3:20
        “For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” This is a direct statement of God’s omniscience.

      • Hebrews 4:13
        “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him…” God’s intelligence includes complete awareness of all things.

IV. God’s Intelligence Surpasses Human Wisdom

• • • • Isaiah 55:8-9
        “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” A clear contrast between divine and human thinking.

      • 1 Corinthians 1:25
        “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom…” Even what might seem foolish by human standards is still greater than our greatest intellect.

4. Almighty Intelligence is divine intelligence, and as such it is combined with true wisdom. God’s word tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (Psalm 111:10) and “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;” (Proverbs 1:7). There are many people who are known for their intelligence, yet they lack wisdom as to how to use their smarts. The scientist who rejects belief in God as “unscientific” is a prime example. God tells us that “The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men”  (1 Corinthians 1:25).

God, whose intelligence is beyond measure, is the source of our intelligence. He has given us the ability to think, to reason, and to remember. The Bible even says that the Holy Spirit has given special measures of intelligence to certain people to do skillful things (Exodus 35:30-32). So anything we can do is a gift from God. We should not get “puffed up” with pride at our abilities,  but seek wisdom as to how we can use our intelligence in service to our Lord.

As we can see, Almighty Intelligence is far better than Artificial Intelligence; after all, why settle for the artificial when we can have the real thing?

Finally, God has warned us that in the last days, there will be an increase in knowledge before the world comes to an end. Daniel 12:4 warns, “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” So, maybe the rush to artificial intelligence is not the beginning of a new era, but a sign of the end of one?

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Exodus 31:3, Psalm 8, Proverbs 15:32.

I have never coveted nor been impressed by bling. Bling, the slang word for personal adornment in the form of jewelry. I have not ever worn bling, in the form of necklaces, bracelets, rings (except my wedding ring), or earrings (nor nose rings or other piercings). I haven’t even worn a watch since before I retired. Years earlier, my sister gave our dad and me big, showy wristwatches to show our masculinity, but I guess I wasn’t very masculine, because it didn’t really do anything for me (except tell the time).  Plus, I had read somewhere that really successful men never wore watches, because they were not slaves to time – their subordinates were. So, considering myself to be a really successful man, I freed myself from being dependent on time and let all the other people around me wear the watches.

I don’t even wear a “smart” watch, even though many years ago I thought we would eventually come up with such a device that could do all kinds of things, from time, to navigation, to 2-way communication (for my aging peers, do you remember Dick Tracy and his 2-way radio and then TV watches?).

No, I’ve -never been attracted to bling – until now. For this week, I finally got my own personal bling: a Medic Alert dog tag.

I had been thinking about getting one for a while, but after recently getting a pacemaker plus restrictions on what medical actions could be taken on my right arm due to dialysis, I figure it was time to get one. It’s not the one that sends a signal in case I fall if I can’t get up, but for that, Karen can call 911.

It’s nice to know that if I have a medical emergency, first responders can see critical information about me, and can contact someone who has more in-depth details about me and my medical conditions.

What all these dog tags are lacking, is any information about the wearers’  spiritual condition. Has the person been baptized? Does the person believe in Jesus? Is the Holy Spirit working sanctification in him or her? Is the person saved and “bound for glory”? Does the tag list a person’s favorite sins?

In fact, is there any such “bling” a Christian can wear that marks him or her as a Christian? You could suggest wearing a cross. Many people do wear them, and when I led services at church I wore a cross that hung from a chain around my neck and lay across my chest. Others, like my wife, wear a dove, symbolic of the Holy Spirit.  My dad used to wear a little gold yoke as a lapel pin, symbolizing he was yoked to Christ (and as a conversation starter when people asked him what the yoke meant). Such jewelry can show we are Christian (especially when such identification is not popular), but they can also be worn by non-Christians as a cultural symbol or even to deceive others.

An ancient epistle referred to Christians being identified, not by any cultural markers, but rather by behavior. In the Letter to Diognetus, written in the 2nd or 3rd Century AD, the writer says:

Christians are not distinguished from other men by country, language, nor by the customs which they observe. They do not inhabit cities of their own, use a particular way of speaking, nor lead a life marked out by any curiosity. The course of conduct they follow has not been devised by the speculation and deliberation of inquisitive men. They do not, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of merely human doctrines. Instead, they inhabit both Greek and barbarian cities, however things have fallen to each of them. And it is while following the customs of the natives in clothing, food, and the rest of ordinary life that they display to us their wonderful and admittedly striking way of life.

They exist in the flesh, but they do not live by the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, all the while surpassing the laws by their lives. They love all men and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned. They are put to death and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich. They lack everything, yet they overflow in everything.

The point the writer makes, is that from their customs of language, dress, and food, Christians do not stand out as different from any one else. (He would have included “bling” in that if the word had existed back then). But instead, they are marked by their attitudes and actions.

1. As Jesus taught, they show they are his disciples by their love: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

2. They are marked by their love for God and for their neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40).

3. They react to abuse by others in a unique way as Christ commanded: “bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28).

4. They  know that their citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and they look forward with the hope of resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).

5. Christians are not conformed to the world in belief or actions (Romans 12:2), but exhibit in their lives the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Christians who try to follow the Ten Commandments and to live by Christ’s teachings and example, are not saved by their obedience, but their actions are a witness far more powerful than any jewelry they may wear.

A policeman pulled over a car and when the driver asked what he had done wrong, the officer replied. “Well, I saw you cut off another car, heard you blare your horn in anger, and then saw you make an obscene gesture to another driver. Then when I noticed you had a Christian bumper sticker, I figured the car must have been stolen.”

1 Peter 3:3-5 speaks of our internal witness versus our external: “Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.”

Finally,  Revelation 9:4 refers to God’s people being marked by “the seal of God on their foreheads.” In this life, God sealed us by his Spirit; but I look forward to wearing his outward sign forever, which will show for eternity his love for me and his ownership. That will be the only bling I really need!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Colossians 1:9-10; 1 Thessalonians. 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:17.

I have always thought of myself as young, active, and alert. Though not particularly athletic, I participated in various sports: canoeing, swimming, tennis (I won my division in my city’s tournament), baseball (as a Little Leaguer), basketball, racquetball, handball, and even college football (intramural flag football, that is). I was a lifeguard and swimming instructor. I took judo and karate (advancing to a yellow belt!). I tried a lot of sports, even though I wasn’t very good at most of them.

But those days are long gone. Now my sports consist of the 50 meter walker dash and popping wheelies in my wheelchair.

I have other indications of my advancing age. First, I am retired, and the government considers me as old enough to receive Social Security and Medicare. Second, a big indication is my chronic age-related health issues, such as kidney disease and cardiovascular concerns which led to me receiving a pacemaker. I’m not the spry young stud I used to be. And when I saw some bruises appear on my arms, my doctor called them “senile purpura.” That’s grounds for changing doctors.

But not all the indicators of my being old have to do with physical abilities or conditions. There are, of course, the images of an old man looking back at me from the mirror every morning.  But even beyond that, there are also the attitudes and values I have developed over a lifetime that quite frankly, belong to a time gone past. Even as a young man, I found I identified more with my parents and their generation than with my peers. While my fellow teens listened to rock music, I preferred classical music (from old records I bought with my mom at Goodwill). When I took my SATs, I arrived at the test in a 3-piece suit rather than the jeans everyone else was wearing. Yes, I was a weirdo.

What are my “older” values I have held to my entire life?

1. I believe in Jesus Christ my God, regardless of the popularity of the faith or the current antipathy toward it in our culture. I have never toyed with other religions or philosophies. It’s not that I have never fallen short (“For all have sinned and fall short . . .” Romans 3:23), but I have never doubted that God is real and Jesus is my Savior. My values and morals flow from that faith.

2. Although my musical tastes have widened since the early 1800s, I find most of current popular music unappealing. During my time as a YMCA youth director, I kept up with then-current music in order to relate to the youth I worked with, but since those days, I have become an old fogey.

3. Likewise with art. I much prefer the Old Masters, Renaissance and Reformation artists, and Grandma Moses (the latter should be a clue to which generation I identify with). I have been to modern art museums, but have yet to find much art in them. When an “artist” taped a banana to a museum wall that sold for millions of dollars, I would have preferred eating it. Give me daVinci’s Salvatore Mundi any day over  Picasso or Pollack; even though paintings reflect the artist’s perceptions and emotions more than a photograph, I admire the ability to craft art that is faithful to the actual subject being depicted.

4. My patriotism flows from a time when everyone in school said the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag (the Stars and Stripes, that is). I learned to treat the flag with respect, and never considered burning one in protest. I grew up singing many patriotic songs, including: Columbia the Gem of the Ocean, the songs of the armed forces branches, America, America the Beautiful, God Bless America, Hail to the Chief (yes, there are words to it!) and the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner which reads:

Oh! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation,
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n-rescued land,
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause is just,
And this be our motto – “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

5. My language is of a time past. On the one hand,I use archaic expressions (why abandon words that have valid meanings?) including “yonder,” “behold,” “brimstone,” “fourscore,” “fortnight,” forsooth,”  and “wench.”

On the other hand, I am appalled at how vulgar and coarse our  public discourse has become. While “F” bombs certainly predate my generation, they have become part of young people’s everyday vocabulary. Bodily functions and private parts are commonly discussed openly, when in my youth they were only discussed by my doctors and my dad (during “the talk”).

And as for using God or Jesus as curse words, I have always believed (and practiced) God’s command not to take his name in vain or to use his name in a curse (Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11, and Matthew 5:33-34). Yet many young people think nothing of cursing with God’s or Jesus’ name.

6. But the real marks of my becoming old are the following: I still use a checkbook, collect pennies and roll them in wrappers for the bank, write letters in cursive script, hoard actual books made of paper and ink (at least I gave up scrolls and cuneiform tablets!) I am a man of my times – though those times have passed.

So then, yes I am old. But that’s not a bad thing. Past generations used to honor and respect their elders. They looked to them for wisdom and knowledge. We were the Google of that day. No Artificial Intelligence, just real intelligence and the knowledge accumulated over decades of living.

Also,  the Bible speaks admirably of the old. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” Proverbs 20:29 says, “the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” (Nice to know I have plenty of splendor!) The first commandment with a promise, the Fourth, promises old age to those who honor their fathers and mothers. God says, “And I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn gray, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety” (Isaiah 46:4). Job 12:12 says, “Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old.” and Job 32:7 adds, “Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.” Leviticus 19:32 commands us to “Rise in the presence of the aged and honor the elderly face-to-face.” Also, lest (another archaic word) we forget, Moses was 80 years old when he confronted pharaoh, and  that was just the beginning: he led Israel for another 40 years!

So, now that I admit the reality that I am old, how do I deal with it? Get some hair dye, wear a corset, get plastic surgery, and buy a red sports car? No, I will take solace in what God says about aging. And in the fact that the life expectancy for a man in the U.S. is 75.8 at birth; for those who reach my age, it is 86. So, I’m still have a ways to go!

But even as an old codger, let me look to the Lord even in my dotage (another archaic word), remembering Psalm 71:18-19, which proclaims, “Now that I am old and my hair is gray, don’t leave me, God. I must tell the next generation about your power and greatness.”

I thank God he has given me all the years he has, and look forward to the years still to come.

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Ecclesiastes 7:10 “Never ask ‘Why does the past seem so much better than now?’  because this question does not come from wisdom.”

This weekend, there were many protests across the country, under the banner of “No Kings!” That was not a complaint about the Sacramento NBA team, (which indeed does warrant some criticism), but against our President and his policies, particularly regarding the enforcement of immigration laws. The implication was that the President was trying to exercise the power of a king.

When I first heard the slogan, the first thing that came to mind was not my happiness that I live in a constitutional republic instead of a monarchy, but actually some verses from the biblical book of Judges.

Judges has four verses, spread throughout the book, that present a recurring thought that defines the theme of the book. The first verse is Judges 17:6, which states: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This statement is repeated with more or less the same words in verses 18:1, 19:1, and  21:25. These verses are in passages that tell of the Israelites doing acts of violence, idol worship, theft, war, and wife-stealing. The judgment that “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” was a complaint of sinful actions by the people of God, unrestrained by laws of God or man, and not enforced by a king.

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Another repeated theme in Judges was a cycle of the people’s varied relationship to God and its consequences: first, peace and prosperity under God, then the people forget and abandon God, which leads to God chastising them with foreign oppressors. Then the people cry out to God for help. God hears and sends a judge (a military leader) who leads a God-empowered uprising to free the Israelites, who return to God. However, by the next generation, the people forget God again, and the cycle starts over (wash, rinse, repeat).

The criticism of people acting badly because of the lack of a king, was not the Scriptures’ endorsement of an all-powerful earthly ruler. We know this because later, in the book of 1 Samuel (8:4-6), when the Israelites insist that Samuel appoint for them a king “like all the nations,” God tells Samuel to do what the people want, but to warn them about the ways of kings. So Samuel warned the people with these words:

1. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots.
2. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties,
3. and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.
4. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
5. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
6. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
7. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
8. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
9. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. (Verses 8:11-18)
   

God summarized the people’s request for an earthly king with the pronouncement “they have rejected me from being king over them.” (8:7).

God said, “they have rejected me from being king over them.“

Now that we have enumerated  the spiritual issues facing our country, we can put our finger on the problem. Our country, in its modern, “enlightened” form, has rejected God, his laws, and his morals. Claiming to be free of any king, earthly or heavenly, they feel liberated, doing what they want, without restraint of decency, morality, nor legality. “There was no king in America; everyone did what was right in his (her) own eyes.” Free to loot stores? Yep! Free to attack people they don’t like who are trying to restrain them? Sure! Free to burn cars, buildings, people? Yes! Free to put a statue of Satan in the Iowa Capitol? Absolutely! And charge the Christian with a hate crime who smashed part of it?* Of course!

Now, Americans have always been sinners. Like everyone else, they break the commandments and take advantage of our laws and freedoms to lie, cheat, and steal (some more than others). But overall, there was an agreed upon moral structure which informed our laws and existed to perform the God-given design of government: to restrain evil by mores, laws, or if needed, force. Romans 13:1-7 explains the God-ordained role of government:

1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good.
4. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. ** For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
5. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
6. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

According to this passage, governments role is to maintain the peace and restrain evil-doers. The problem is, the general mood of many people in our country fits the pronouncement of Judges: “There was no king, so everyone does what is right in their own eyes.” And, without belief in or fear of God, there is no self-restraint, because they reject any earthly or heavenly authority over them.

After he crafted the U.S. Constitution, John Adams wrote a letter which said, “Because We have no Government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition, Revenge or Gallantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Adams is being proven right every day. The further we drift (that is, run) away from our Christian roots, the more that evil-doers will multiply and bring our society and our country to its knees.

Which is unfortunate, because the only time we should be on our knees is before the God in whom we claim to trust. For though we have no earthly king, we do have a heavenly King – Christ himself, whom the Scriptures call “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). Let us return to him, and experience what Israel did when it cried out to God for deliverance.

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: 1 Samuel 8:1-22; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 6:14-16.

*This is a true story. Statues of Satan  have also been placed in Detroit and Arkansas.

**I knew a sheriff’s deputy who told me that a number of deputies wore undershirts that read, “But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain.“

During church this week, we had the rite of confirmation, in which three 9th graders were confirmed in the faith, following several years of religious instruction (also known as “catechesis”). During the rite, the confirmands were required to deliver oral essays about their own personally-selected confirmation verses.

I was curious about what they would say, because when I was confirmed some 60 years ago (!), someone else chose my verse for me, and I was not required to write or deliver an essay on what the verse meant to me. All I had to memorize for my confirmation were four affirmations: “I do, I do, I do, I will.” Also, my verse was in a Bible version that is no longer used today. (No, it wasn’t in Greek, but in a version closer to Old English than today’s modern translations.)

So, when I listened to those young people’s essays, I began to think about my own verse, and wondered what I might say about it if I had to write my own essay. So here goes . . .

To begin with, what was my verse? John 1:12, which reads as follows: “But as many as receiued him, to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue on his Name:” No, wait, that is the original 1611 King James Version; my version was a little newer than that. I learned it according to the Revised Standard Version of 1952. That rendition reads:

“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;”

At first, when I received my verse, I was a little disappointed. Although I didn’t know much of the Bible, I had hoped for a more famous verse like John 3:16, or Psalm 100 (the first passage I had memorized in Sunday School), or Genesis 1:1, or the verse about Daniel being thrown in the lions’ den. Or maybe the verse about David slaying Goliath, or the behemoth of Job 40. At first, my verse seemed, in the words of this generation, “meh.”

1. But, as time has gone by, and I have mostly matured, at least in the faith, I have come to appreciate my verse more. For one thing, after becoming a pastor, I often led Sunday worship, which began with a liturgy that included my verse at the start, right after our confession of sins, when I would proclaim the absolution to the congregation: “To those who believe in Jesus Christ he gives the power to become the children of God. . .”  I thought that was cool, because it meant my verse was more important than I had previously thought.

2. The second reason I grew to like my verse, was the thought that I was now considered to be one of  God’s children. And the only requirement to become that, was to believe in Jesus Christ. I knew I believed (and still believe) in him, and therefore I am included with Christ in all the benefits which belong to him: salvation, eternal life (John 3:15-16), a place in heaven which he has gone to prepare for me personally (John 14:2-3), an inheritance in glory (Ephesians 1:18), and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit now as a guarantee of what is to come (Ephesians 1:14). As a child of God, I am at peace no matter what happens in this life, for I know what the future holds.

3. For the third reason I appreciate John 1:12, we need to do with it what we should do with all scriptures: consider it in the context in which it was given. That means to look at the verses before and after it in John’s Gospel. When we read John 1:9-11, we read:

⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

In these verses, we read that though Jesus is the light of the world, when he came into the world, the world – and even his own people – did not know him and rejected him. The contrast with verse 12 is thus set up: there are those who reject Christ (verses 9-11), and those who receive him (verse 12). The unbelievers remain in darkness (verse 5 – “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood/overcome it”), but the believers receive the blessing of becoming children of God. This means not all people are God’s children, they are all God’s creations, but to become his children requires faith in Christ.

When we read the verse after verse 12, we learn that as God’s children, we:

¹³ were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

This verse tells us that our adoption is not empowered by our desire or our efforts, but strictly by the will and power of God. What is required of us is faith, which itself comes from God (Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”) This tells me that my place in God’s plan is not up to my doing, to my doubts or stumbles, or my present emotions, but up to God’s will and purpose, which is unshakeable. This gives me peace in all circumstances, and security in times of testing.

So, all in all, my verse – John 1:12 – is not too shabby. I don’t know why my pastor gave it to me, but after all these years of study and life experience, I am glad he did. I can still read and appreciate the more exciting verses of the Bible, but this verse is mine, and I am grateful it is!

Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: John 1:1- 18; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 2:8-10.

P.S. Karen’s confirmation verse was John 3:16!

The message of the Gospel is the most powerful and important news in the history of the world. It should be the most exciting, life-changing, and captivating story a person could ever hear. It tells of triumph over the enemy that faces everyone eventually – death – and of reconciliation with God, and of eternal life to come. What could be better news than that?  The word Gospel literally means, “Good News!” Do you understand? GOOD NEWS!!!!!

And yet, to very many people, it hardly moves them at all. It’s old hat, yesterday’s news, boring, irrelevant, etc. They are hardly stirred by it. People who have never heard the Gospel seem more excited when they first hear it, than do people who have known all the details for years.

Why is that? Why aren’t more people running around excitedly, telling everyone the good news of life in Jesus Christ?

1. One problem is the way our minds function. We are designed to react and pay attention to new things. When we are surrounded by things we are used to, we relax – but when we encounter something out of the ordinary, we pay attention; it’s a survival skill that alerts us to threats or opportunities so we can react to them in a timely way. Therefore, after we hear the Gospel, we process it and “file it away” in our brain’s storeroom. It’s not that we don’t believe it or care about it; it’s just not new. This can be a problem, because our desire for “new things”  can lead to manipulation by false teachers who spout new teaching and ideas that are not in line with what the Bible teaches. Paul warned Titus that he must, “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

2. A second problem is that the world is largely under the darkness of sin, and sin does not want to heed the Gospel. In fact, as sinners, we don’t want to even hear the Gospel, because if we take the Gospel seriously, then we have to admit there is a God, God’s commandments, a judgment, and hell. If we pretend those things don’t exist, then we are free to live the way we want, with ourselves as our own god, with no restrictions or accountability to anyone else. This is what John 1:5 says about Jesus, the Light of the world: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood* it.” (NASB)

3. The devil also has a hand in this. Because God’s word overcomes the devil, he does all he can to cause us to diminish trust in that word. He began his assault in the Garden when he got Eve to distrust God’s word when he asked, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” Note he twisted God’s command to include any tree, and not just the forbidden tree. Then, he outright contradicted God by saying “You will not surely die.” Finally, he cast aspersions on God’s motives by saying, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:1-5). The result was sin, the curse, and death. Today, the devil continues his assault on God’s word by calling it out-dated, unscientific, judgmental, unloving, “patriarchal,” oppressive, extremist, and any other insulting term he can get God-haters to use in their rhetoric.

4. Related to the attacks on Scripture, is the portrayal in the media of devout Christians as unsympathetic characters. They are portrayed as harsh, cruel, even evil, people who are hypocritical and cult-like in their devotion and actions. They are never shown to be loving and true to high morals and devoted to their God. Adherents to other religions are respected and shown favorably, but Christians are criticized and ironically “demonized.” The next time you watch a movie/TV show, see how many times the villain wears a cross or has a cross on his/her wall. If a character dares refer to Christ or the Gospel, watch how the “cool” characters react with insults or eye-rolls.

5. Finally, maybe our presentation of the Gospel in sermons, songs, and other church-related means, is lacking in its forcefulness. Maybe the pastor has heard the message so often that it loses its impact on him, and therefore on his audience as well. If the pastor is not excited about what he is proclaiming, then how will his congregation be excited? Another problem with the proclamation of the Gospel is the churches that distort or pervert the Gospel to say something else. Messages of “health and wealth,” “name-it-claim-it,” “social justice,” “all love is love,” and “all paths lead to God” are false, distort the true Gospel, and lack the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives to become the disciples Christ commanded us to make (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus told a parable about a master who entrusted talents to his servants while he went away for a while. When he returned, he told those who had invested his money wisely, “Enter into the joy of your lord!” (Matthew 25:21,23). Notice that Jesus’ intent is for us to be filled with JOY for being in him, and for spreading the Gospel, which he has entrusted to us while he is away. Let us rejoice in the Good News and spread it joyfully until he returns and praises us for the fruit which our faithfulness has produced.

So, what is your response to the Gospel? Are you bored by it? Distrust it? Ashamed by it in your social life, your school, or workplace? Or can you say, boldly, with Paul, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel” (Romans 1:16)? Has it become “yesterday’s news,” or can you sing along with the song:  “I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.”?** Pray that once again, the fire of the Gospel will burn brightly in you!

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Romans 3:23, 5:1-2, 5:8, 6:23, 8:1.

• The word translated as “understood,” παρέλαβον, (parelabon), can also be translated as “overcome,” as in the ESV and other versions. Whichever meaning John meant by using that word, the truth is still the same: Jesus is the light of the world, and his light shines in the darkness, regardless of whether the darkness understands him or tries to overcome him.
• ** I Love to Tell the Story, Kate Hankey, 1866.
• UPDATE: Reader Steve G. sent another reason for the lack of excitement for the Gospel:

I think some of it might also be endless wait for Jesus’ return. I think that causes complacency. It is hard to maintain excitement.

The Pope is dead.

Now begins two journeys: one on earth for the Roman Catholic Church as it picks a new Pope, and one in the spiritual realm where the late Pope, Pope Francis, faces judgment before God (“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,” Hebrews 9:27). There, he will have to answer for all that he said and did in the flesh (1 Peter 4:5).

Which leaves us the earthly realm. After one day of the enclave, when all the cardinals are locked up in the Vatican until they choose a new Pope, all we have seen is black smoke, which traditionally signals they have not yet chosen a new Pope. Given that they are in a quandary over who the new Pontiff should be, let me offer a suggestion: choose me as the new Pope.

There are good reasons to choose me, and here are my qualifications:

1. I am the right age. I am 73 years old, close to (but less than) the 76 years Pope Francis had obtained when he became Pope. I could serve three years longer than he did.
2. I live in the Western Hemisphere, which Francis did before being elected Pope.
3. I am a man, still a prerequisite for priests and Popes.
4. I am a Christian, and part of the Priesthood of all believers.
5. Every Sunday I confess that I believe in the “holy catholic Church.” Isn’t that enough?
6. Like Francis, my church is called St. Peter’s. Not quite a basilica, but let’s not quibble.
7. I used to officiate over the traditional liturgy, and made the sign of the Cross over the congregation.
8. I am free to serve now, and available for a new job, having been retired for 8 years. As friends have told me, God isn’t done with me yet. Could this be what they meant?
9. My election would heal the schism between Protestant and Catholic; it is appropriate that a Lutheran would heal the split caused by Luther. Next: the reunion with the Orthodox Church.
10. I began learning Italian on my own (ciao bella!), and have formally studied five languages, including the biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew. I can pick up Latin on the way to Rome.
11. My wife could become a nun, as was Luther’s wife. (Remind me to check with Karen on this point.)

There are some traditions I would want to keep when I become Pope.

1.  Keep the “Popemobile,”a bulletproof limousine which would drive me around wherever I go.
2. Keep the Pope’s airplane, “Shepherd One.” No more TSA inspections, taking off my shoes, or baggage restrictions.
3. Let people continue to kiss my ring.
4. Retain the ability to canonize my friends as saints (which they already are as fellow Christians), staring with Saint Richard and Saint Karen . . .
5. Keep the Swiss Guard costumes/uniforms.
6. Keep the Papal Apartment in the Vatican, so Saint Karen and I have a place to stay whenever we’re in Rome; no more Motel Sixes!

Of course, there would have to be certain changes I would make, proclaimed by infallible papal bulls (edicts) issued “ex cathedra” (from the throne):

1. Remove the condemnations and excommunications which Pope Leo X issued against Martin Luther and the Christians who followed him.
2. Resolve and end any issues of corruption regarding finances or priests’ sexual behavior.
3. Use much of the Church’s wealth for missions and charitable work.
4. End the doctrines of purgatory and indulgences. With his death on the Cross, Jesus paid for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2).
5. End the practice of prayers to the Saints; “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
6. I will return Mary to a proper and biblical view, as the truly blessed mother of our Lord, but also a sinner who sang praise to “God my Savior” (Luke 1:47).
7. Proclaim the truth and doctrines of the Reformation: Salvation is by Sola Gratia (grace alone) through Sola Fide (faith alone) in Solus Christus (Christ alone), revealed by Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone, and to Soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone).
8. When all this is done, I will end the belief in the infallibility of Popes and traditions, lifting up the 66 books of the Bible as the only infallible, inerrant, and inspired Word of God, and the only rule of faith and life. However, I will keep the Popemobile.

So, what do you think? Are you with me? Do you agree that I am the perfect candidate for Popehood? If so, light up your grill and send up some white smoke! The Pope is dead; long live the Pope!

Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 23:9.

Today, when Karen returned to our car after shopping, she said, “I got you a present!” Then, she handed me her gift: a small package of marshmallow Peeps®*. I smiled gluttonously and replied joyously, “Now I can celebrate Easter!”

Of course, as soon as I said that, I realized my error, for Peeps have nothing to do with the meaning of Easter, nor with anyone’s ability to celebrate it. Nor do many of the other things that have crept into the holiday. Just as many Winter traditions have accreted to the holiday of Christmas, often obscuring its true meaning, so the celebration of Spring has become attached to Easter.

Think of our Spring/Easter customs:

1. 1. Easter eggs? A sign of Spring and new life being hatched. (Also indirectly a sign of Jesus coming out of the tomb – with new life).
   2. Bunny rabbits? Also a sign of Spring with “prolific” new births. (Also, a sign of many new lives in Christ.)
   3. Butterflies? Also Spring, when cocoons open and beautiful butterflies come out. (And Jesus emerging from the tomb with a new, glorified body.)
   4. Chocolate candy? It just tastes good.

The original Easter event took place in Spring, because that was when the Jewish celebration of Passover took place, and Christ’s sacrifice of himself was tied directly to the ritual sacrifice of the unblemished lamb at Passover, and to his institution of Holy Communion in the Passover feast. That is why the annual date for Easter is determined by a formula: the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox (the start of Spring).

But though intimately tied to Spring, Easter is not a celebration of Spring. It is not a pagan holiday marking the return of Spring and the new emergence of life as plants bud and new bunnies are born. It is instead the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to eternal life. It marks the victory of God’s Anointed over death, and with it proof that Christ’s sacrifice was accepted as payment for the sins of the world. Because of Easter, all people will also experience their own resurrection – “those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment”  (John 5:29). And, since all people have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) those who believe in Christ and throw themselves on his mercy, will receive forgiveness and be counted among the righteous (Romans 3:24).

The actual significance of Easter is so overwhelming as to make any other event in history fade away in comparison. It provides meaning to life here and now, it answers the question of life after death, it proves the existence of God and gives proof of his love for us: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Without it, there is no Christianity; without it there is no hope. Without it, as Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinth-ians 15:17-19).

So, if chocolate eggs, plush bunnies, and marshmallow Peeps are hardly appropriate ways to celebrate such an important and awesome event as the resurrection of the King of kings and the Lord of lords, then how should we honor it?

1. Honor Christ’s Resurrection in your heart. Before you try to outwardly show honor, make sure you manifest your honor inwardly. By this I mean that you make sure you understand what God did in the life, death, and resurrection of his Son. Then once you understand, believe it, and trust that your eternal life depends on it – for it does. Then feel the assurance that he gives, knowing that he has made you his child through faith (John 1:12). Remember that God sees the heart: “but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

2. Honor Christ’s Resurrection by reading what God’s word says about it. When was the last time you read all the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection? Set aside time to read Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20. And read what Paul said about Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

3. Honor Christ’s Resurrection by worshiping God in church. Your worship is a direct glorifying of God for what he has accomplished through his Son. It is a way to receive his blessing through his Word and Sacrament. It is a testimony to others that you believe, and an encouragement to them to believe and hold fast to their faith. And, it is an act of obedience to God’s word which tells us to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Remember that in church, every Sunday is a miniature Easter, so you honor God every Sunday you attend!

4. Honor Christ’s Resurrection by telling people about it. Don’t assume that everyone knows the story of Christ’s death and resurrection nor what it all means. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us, “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” What greater reason is there for our hope than Christ’s resurrection? Remember that faith in the resurrection of Christ is more than just believing it happened as an historical event; it also requires spiritual acceptance of what Christ did for us. Only by the work of the Holy Spirit will a person truly believe and become a follower of Christ, be forgiven, and inherit eternal life. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” (Romans 10:13-14).

5. Honor Christ’s Resurrection by eating Peeps. Okay, scratch this one . . . 

Even as we honor Christ’s resurrection with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, we receive the benefit and blessing of the Easter event. For if we believe in the resurrection, God’s word teaches us that we receive the promises it brings: “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

You may have your own special traditions for celebrating Easter, and that is fine. Dinners, family gatherings, special clothes, and baskets to gather hidden eggs around the house can be fun ways to make the holiday special and memorable. Just include activities which honor the “reason for the season,” the resurrection on our Lord, Jesus Christ!

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord life up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

*Peeps are a product and trademark of Just Born, a candy manufacturer founded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, by an immigrant from Russia (in what is now Ukraine), named Sam Born (1891–1959). They were first sold in 1953, originally for Easter, now for many holidays.

A couple weeks ago, I had several days that brought home to me that I am, in fact, a mere mortal. Which is a bit unsettling, considering that for the past 73 years I have pretty much considered myself to be immortal and invincible. However, as I was getting ready to leave the hospital after five days following a minor stroke (TIA), implantation of a leadless pacemaker, and every medical test known to modern science, (and a few medieval ones, excepting leeches and maggots), I told Karen that I never felt so mortal in my life. When I said that, she immediately thought of the hymn, “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise.”*

The Bible affirms God’s unique immortality in many passages. Some important ones are these:

• • In 1 Timothy 6:15-16, the Apostle Paul writes, “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”
  • In Exodus 3:14,, God reveals Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM,” indicating His eternal and self-sustaining nature. God is the source of His own life and because he is not dependent on anything else, he always is.
  • 1 Timothy 1:17 says, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
  • And because Jesus is God, Hebrews 13:8 can proclaim, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Karen bringing up God’s immortality was a good contrast to my mortality. Before, whenever I had any medical issues, they were minor, such as a bruise or scrape, or peripheral, such as feet or ankles, or fixable, such as teeth or cataracts or near-sightedness. They were things an “immortal” could live with. Even when I lost a couple toes a few years ago, they were my “little toes” and I expected to be normal once my feet healed up. And when I had to begin dialysis (due to kidney failure), I still didn’t think of my mortality because I was undergoing treatment and I felt fine. Forget the warning that without that artificial procedure I would learn how mortal I am very quickly! (I also noted how when I told people I was in dialysis, everyone told me they used to have a relative who was in dialysis.)

But this time, my brain and my heart had problems. Even my last morning in the hospital, they ran me through a stress test because an early morning (read, 2:30 am) CT scan had revealed deposits in my cardiac arteries that could need angioplasty to improve the blood flow. Fortunately I passed the test, so for now they left the arteries alone. As I said, I left the hospital feeling all too mortal.

Of course, if humans are to function in this world, and carry out the many activities life requires, we pretty much have to think we will be around in the future. We have faith we will be able to work, play, love, travel, and fight, and come out alive at the end of those activities. We set aside money for retirement planning to be alive to need it. Even if we buy life insurance, we don’t intend to really need it. . .

But if we take the Scriptures seriously, we have to take our mortality seriously, too. The very first death sentence was pronounced against the first humans, Adam and Eve, when they sinned and broke God’s one prohibition. In Genesis 2:17, God warned Adam, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat^[d] of it you shall surely die.” Then, in Genesis 3, God gave his judgment: “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

The reality of God’s judgment is echoed throughout all mankind through all the ages. The Psalms declare it: “You turn man back into dust and say, ‘Return, O children of men.”’ (Psalm 90:3);  “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10); and “What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” (Psalm 89:48).

There are many other passages that speak of death and the shortness of life. For example, Isaiah 40:7 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.”

The New Testament also emphasizes the shortness of human life. 1 Peter 1:24  says, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls.” Hebrews 9:27 adds, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” James 1:10 says, “and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.” James 4:14 is even more direct: “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Romans 5:12 declares the reason for our mortality: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

Fortunately, our story does not end there, for even though this life is limited for all humanity, our immortal God provides us with the chance of new life, of resurrection to eternal life – in a renewed body that will be raised immortal. Listen to what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:53-55 “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

The final book of the Bible ends with the promise of eternal life and joy for those who die in Christ. There, the voice from the throne of God proclaims: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-5).

In fact, the whole Bible tells the story of an immortal God creating humans to be immortal like him, only for them to lose their immortality due to sin, then for the immortal Son of God to give up his immortality to become mortal like us and to give his life for our sake that we may regain our immortality through him.

So, in light of God’s word, I don’t have to worry about feeling mortal, because in this life I have always been mortal even if I didn’t recognize that fact. The point, and it is a most reassuring point, is that thanks to Christ, I am also destined to be immortal!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give your peace. Amen.

Read:   Job 38                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          *Hymn by Walter C. Smith, 1867. Listen below:

In my last blog, I stated that there are forces working against God’s plan to bless the world with children, and gave current examples of what they are doing. I then asked: What are those forces? Where do they come from, and what do we do about them?

The forces opposing children are the three named in our confessions: the world, the flesh, and the devil.*  These three are also named in the Scriptures, specifically in Ephesians 2:1-3, which reads, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

We could say a lot about the influence of the world and its culture that promotes abortion as a “reproductive right,” or of the flesh, which puts personal material comfort, career, and goals ahead of having children. But, what I want to write about is what inspired me to write this blog: the realization that behind all this hatred of children is the devil himself.

Why does the devil hate children?

1. Because they are people, created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).
2. Because as God’s people they are the “apple of [God’s] eye.” (Psalm 17:8).
3. Because unlike the devil and his angels, the Son of God became one to redeem them from sin and death (2 Peter 2:4).
4. And, because the devil “was a murderer from the beginning,” (John 8:44). He hates them because, as Jesus said, “for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

The devil’s influence has been seen throughout history. Whenever he has been worshiped, either directly or through the pagan worship of idols, children have been considered disposable.

1. We see the example of the Egyptian pharaoh who ordered the killing of all the Hebrew baby boys (Exodus 1:15-16).
2. God’s condemnation of Israel for killing their children according to pagan customs. He said, “They have built the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind” (2 Kings 17:31).
3. God condemned Israel’s King Ahaz: “He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites” (2 Chronicles 28:3).
4. The Canaanites and others offered their children as burnt offerings to a god named Molech. God’s word calls such practices abominations and forbids doing so. Leviticus 18:13 commands, “You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.” Likewise, Leviticus 20:2, “Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.” God even prophesied that the Babylonians would conquer Judah because his people had sinned by worshiping idols. His complaint against them included the following: “They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”
5. One more biblical example was when King Herod heard that a “King of the Jews” had been born in Bethlehem, he sent his soldiers to kill all the infant boys of the age of two or younger.  (Matthew 2:16). Known as The Massacre of the Innocents, these boys have been considered the first Christian martyrs.
6. In the First Century, Romans who didn’t want their newborns, would abandon them on the city dumps. But Christians would find them there, and raise them instead – of course teaching them the faith as they grew.

These are all examples from times past, but today the war against children goes on with new organizations and new slogans to justify the murder of babies. So what do we, who are concerned Christians, do to defend the lives of children, both born and as yet unborn?

1. Support those organizations and churches already in the fight for children. As in the days of Rome, it is Christians who are at the forefront of speaking out and defending the rights of children. Charities such as Alternatives Pregnancy Center** and Preborn*** offer counseling and other free services to pregnant mothers in crisis.
2. Refuse to participate in any activity or organization that promotes anti-child actions such as abuse, pornography, or abortion. Speak out against such practices in your public discourse, social media, public hearings, and by the way you vote.
3. When possible, adopt a child or foster one as an alternative to abortion. Provide a loving home where the child will be raised as a Christian.
4. Support new laws, and the enforcement of laws already on the books, which protect children from neglect, abuse and trafficking.
5. Follow biblical guidelines for how you raise your children. Be sure they are baptized and raised in the faith. Model church-going by taking them to church and Sunday school. Be Christian in your speech and practice.
   • “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
   • “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
   • Teach the Scriptures to your children: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7).
   • Do not withhold discipline, but use it to correct, not punish. “For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7).
6. Pray. Pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Pray for the children who are suffering abuse and neglect of any kind. Pray for the mothers considering abortion, that they find new love for their unborn children and will save them. Pray for parents, foster parents, and adoptive parents for the challenges they will face. Pray for the church and organizations that work to protect children, both born and not yet born. Pray against the forces which promote child sacrifice, while also praying that the people involve to come to repentance and faith. As the Apostle Peter said, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8); let us pray that he has no one to devour!
7. Finally, remember: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Our enemy is the devil, not the people caught up in his deceptions. After all, those people were once children, too, created in God’s image. And by the grace of God, Christ died for them too, that they might be saved. Pray for their salvation. And take heart, for we know the devil’s fate: to be thrown into the lake of fire to be “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

May our ultimate hope be in Christ Jesus, our Savior. For in him, all who believe are children of God. John 1:12 (my confirmation verse!) tells us: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew 19:13-14; John 8:44; Revelation 20:7-10.

*Martin Luther, Large Catechism, “The Lord’s Prayer.”

**Alternative Pregnancy Center: 8689 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95826. https://alternativespc.org (not a link; type into your browser)

***Preborn offers ultrasound pictures to a mother of her child, reducing the number of abortions: https://preborn.com (not a link; type into your browser)

If you have ever read or watched a movie review, you have come across the disclaimer, “Spoiler alert!” It is meant to warn the reader/viewer that the reviewer is about to reveal a plot twist or surprise ending that will “spoil” the experience for someone who has not yet seen the movie.

This happened to me years ago when a group of high school buddies and I went to see a movie that one of our group had already seen and raved about. We were all enjoying the movie until it came to a dramatic scene. Just as we became engrossed in the suspense, our (former) friend blurted out, “Oh, I hate this scene! The bad guy wins!” We almost did to him what the bad guy did on the screen.

Well, today, I am going to follow in his footsteps. I am going to spoil the ending to what appears to be a tragic story. For today is Good Friday, the commemoration of a horrible event. On this day, the holy and sinless Son of the living God was arrested, tried, flogged, and crucified. Before the sun set, his lifeless body was sealed in a tomb and guarded by  soldiers to make sure no one stole his corpse.

His followers scattered, fearing they would be next. One of his twelve closest disciples had betrayed him, another denied him three times. The betrayer hanged himself, and the rest hid out of fear. Their hopes and dreams seemed to be over; the man they had followed as the long-promised Messiah was dead. Like other pretenders before him, Jesus and his kingdom were dead and buried.

“Good riddance!” said the religious leaders, who could brook no rival to their religious monopoly. “Good riddance!” said the Roman occupiers, who could brook no rival to Caesar. “Good riddance!” said the spiritual powers in dark places, who thought their enemy was defeated, leaving them free to tempt, torment, and destroy the creatures which God made in his image. Jesus was dead and gone, a joy for evil, but a devastation for those who hoped in the Lord.

So, that was that. End of story, right? Well, SPOILER ALERT! It’s not over! There’s more to the story. That well-guarded tomb, filled with the dead body of Jesus of Nazareth, would soon be empty, and the Occupant would be seen alive! He would appear to his  followers, men and women, eat with them, and invite them to  touch his healed wounds. He would teach them from the Scriptures about himself, and would ascend bodily into heaven. And because of that, his timid followers would boldly take the good news into the world, even at the cost of almost all of them being martyred for their faith and proclamation.

Yes, this has been a spoiler alert – but not as you might think. The real spoiling has been to those who thought they could destroy the Son of God and his mission to save us from our sins. For by killing him, they enabled his redemptive work to be done, and brought about their own defeat. Death could not hold him. Instead, Hebrews 2:14 tells us, “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”

As Tony Campolo, a Christian writer and speaker put it: “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’.”* That’s one spoiler I don’t mind hearing!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Mark 15.

*Campolo, Tony. It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Comin’. Contemporary Classics. 2002.

P.S. Watch for a new blog on Sunday!

Something big and earth-shattering happened since my previous blog. On August 31st I had a birthday – number 72, by the way. The earth shook, the stars fell, and the people cried out in agony. Okay, maybe that was a bit too dramatic, but my wife did bake me a German chocolate cake. And I spent half the day in dialysis. That was dramatic enough for me. Oh, and some of you sent me birthday cards, which was very thoughtful. Thank you!

As I contemplated my new age, I felt the dichotomy of recognizing the effects of aging on my body, while feeling like I’m still in my 20’s. I’m not in pain, am able to think and remember things (except for a few senior moments), and can handle daily activities as before. But thanks to my diabetes, foot problems, and kidney disease, I am only too aware that my body is showing its age. You might include my gray/white hair as evidence, except both my parents, younger sister, and I all turned gray at early ages.

The old folk song came to mind:

The old gray mare,
She ain’t what she used to be
Ain’t what she used to be,
Ain’t what she used to be
The old gray mare,
She ain’t what she used to be
Many long years ago.

My folks used to sing it to me; now it’s my turn.

In today’s youth-centered culture, old age is something to be looked down on. Youth and vigor is lauded, advertisers direct their efforts at young adults (their prime demographic), and young 20-somethings grace our media. The only place I regularly see 60+ people featured is in my doctor’s office (and for some reason they are all shown smiling, though they would smile more if they weren’t in their doctors’ offices.) Yes, youth is in great demand, and the oldsters are pushed to the side, sometimes with patronizing comments like, “Let’s put them out to pasture.” Some actually advocate withholding treatments for the elderly or “assisting” their passage from this life. The only place where old people are welcomed is in our government: Congress and the Presidency. (Am I old enough to run for office now?)

As Christians, our attitudes toward seniors should come from what God says in his Word, rather than from the culture around us, especially since much of that culture is under the direction of non-and anti-Christians. So, what does God say?

1. All life is precious, because God created us in his image. There is no age limit or restriction on that declaration (Genesis 1:26-27). Child in the womb? Included. Aged seniors unable to care for themselves? Yep. Any color? Absolutely. Any size or physical or mental condition? Ditto. When God instituted capital punishment in Genesis 9, he said whatever animal or man took the life of another person, would pay with their own life, “for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6).
2. When God commanded, “honor your father and your mother,” (Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16), he gave that commandment to adults who were to honor their older parents. Unlike the practice they had known in Egypt, where the elderly were taken out into the desert to die, the Israelites were to care for their aged parents and honor them. Interestingly, this commandment was linked to a blessing for those who obeyed it: they would see long life in the land where they were going. In other words, if they cared for their old parents, they would get to grow old, too!
3. The Scriptures say that long life is a blessing from God. Besides the blessing attached to the Fourth Commandment above, Psalm 34:12 connects fear of the Lord with longevity. It says, ” What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?” Moses was blessed with 120 years, Joshua with 110. (Not to mention the ancients who lived 900 or more years.) In Deuteronomy 6:2, God says to obey his commandments “that your days may be long.” Psalm 91:16 promises that for those who love the Lord, “With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” In the Book of Proverbs, where Wisdom is personified as a woman, it says that there is a blessing for those who find her: “Long life is in her right hand;” (Proverbs 3:16). Another proverb speaks of old age as a blessing: Proverbs 16:31 declares: “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”
4. Old people have the wisdom of life experience and the knowledge gained over many years. They have lived history and dealt with many of life’s challenges over their many years. That’s why many societies honored their “elders”, turning to them for advice and decisions that would affect the tribe or community.  Deuteronomy 32:7 says, “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” The key verse that affirms this point is Job 12:12, “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?”
5. Finally, the ultimate “Senior” is the One who lived before the earth began: the One the Bible calls “The Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9). In both Daniel and  Revelation 1:14 the Lord is described as having hair “white as snow” (snow white?). Jesus himself proclaimed, “Before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58), by which he announced his divinity and his eternal nature.

So there you have it. Now I don’t feel so bad, turning 72. Not only am I close to the US male life expectancy of 73.5 years, I also have the Bible on my side. Therefore, whenever I think of dying my hair, I recall the comforting words of Proverbs 20:29 which say, “The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.” Amen, brother!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Isaiah 46:2-4

Our nation is about to observe its newest federal holiday: Juneteenth. Although the federal holiday is only two years old, various states and localities have celebrated Juneteenth since 1866. The celebration commemorates the day, June 19th (=June-teenth), 1865, when Union Major General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for the slaves in Texas, just two months after the end of the Civil War. Although Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863) had already announced the end of slavery in the rebellious states, it was up to the Union army to conquer those states and enforce the proclamation. General Granger’s declaration is considered the final step in that process.

At first, the commemorations took place in churches, especially in Texas, but then they spread to other locales and other venues. In 1980 it became a state holiday in Texas, and in 2021 a federal holiday.

It is right to celebrate freedom.  We celebrate our freedom from Great Britain every July 4th. We sing it in our national anthem in the closing words, “the land of the free, and the home of the brave.” We often say, “It’s a free country, isn’t it?” (Not to be confused with the phrase, “Buy one, get one free!”) Our Constitution’s Bill of Rights enshrines our God-given freedoms of religion, speech, press, etc. and Franklin Roosevelt is remembered for his speech in 1941 that announced his desire for four universal freedoms: of speech, of religion, from fear, and from want. There is something innate within us that yearns to be free from oppression, coercion, and control. We want to be free to “do our own thing,” whatever that thing may be.

Unfortunately, the same impulse for political freedom can also be our undoing, when it leads us to do things harmful to ourselves and others by breaking the laws of nature, society, and God.

1. Nature’s laws are equal-opportunity restrictions. Everyone is bound by gravity and the necessities of air, food, and water. I may be free to do so, but if I use drugs, jump from a tall building, or crash my car into  a tree, I will suffer the natural consequences of my actions.  Wisdom is knowing how and when to exercise my freedom in ways that do no harm to anyone, myself included.

2. Society’s laws. Because people don’t always use good judgment in using their freedoms, or outright misuse them, society has to regulate our actions to protect us from each other. Traffic regulations, contract law, and laws against abuse, assault, theft and murder are examples of rules that limit our actions for the benefit of everyone. Although these days we are being over-regulated by an ever-increasing bureaucracy, government has a God-given responsibility to restrain evil (Romans 13:4).

3. God’s laws. These are the most important laws of all, yet the ones we have broken from the very beginning. The first law God gave Adam and Eve was not to eat from one forbidden tree, but their desire to be free from any such rule brought sin into the world, resulting in the punishment of pain and death. Mankind’s rebellion did not end there, but has continued on in every person of every generation ever since. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. . .”

No one would desire to be a slave, owned and controlled by someone else, but when we sin, we become slaves to sin. This is obvious when we indulge our desires with alcohol, drugs, pornography, or gambling, because addictions are a form of slavery. But it is just as true for every sin which binds us to the world. The Apostle Paul warns in Romans 6 that Christians are not to become slaves to sin by submitting to it, for they have been freed from that bondage by their baptism into Christ. Ultimately, we will either be slaves to sin, or slaves to righteousness.  As Romans 6:18 says, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

Slaves to righteousness? We humans rebel against those words. Why would we exchange one f0rm of slavery for another? Didn’t Jesus promise us freedom from oppression (Luke 4:18)? Didn’t he say, “. . .  you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)? Yes, he did. But note the context for his promises:  In Luke 4 he promised freedom from oppression, which is release from sin’s bondage. And in John 8, his promise of freedom is contingent on us knowing the truth. And how do we know the truth? He gives us the answer in verse 31: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth . . .”  So being set free means to be obedient to Christ.

I once heard an analogy about freedom and slavery. Think of a train. It is a powerful machine, capable of great speeds and strength, able to pull heavy loads from one place to another. The train is “free” to perform as it was designed to do – as long as it remains on the tracks. But, if you remove the train from its tracks, the train will just bog down in the dirt and not go anywhere. It loses its freedom. Likewise, when people are on the tracks of God’s commandments, they are free to live as God designed them to live; but when they try to live off the seemingly confining “tracks” laid down by our Creator, they become mired in sin.

The Jewish leaders who confronted Jesus in John 8 were offended when he promised to set them free. They objected, claiming to never having been slaves. They forgot that as a nation, they had been enslaved numerous times before, and had to be liberated by God. They were enslaved in Egypt until the Exodus; they were imprisoned by the Babylonians who destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple; the Greeks conquered them and oppressed them under Antiochus Epiphanes; and in Jesus’ day, they chafed under Roman rule. Now, their ultimate Deliverer stood before them, offering them the greatest freedom of all – from sin and death – yet they failed to recognize their bondage.

That’s the same problem people face today. Thinking themselves to be wise, they become fools (Romans 1:22); thinking themselves to be free from God’s moral restraints, they become even more enslaved. Let us recognize those areas of our lives where we have allowed sin to enslave us, and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth (John 16:13) and thereby set us free to be the people of God he wants us to be.

Ultimately, Christ will raise us to new life unshackled to a mortal body bound by the curse of sin and death. No more slavery to sin or to the oppressors of this world.

Then, we can join in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who ended his famous “I Have a Dream” speech with the exultation: “Free at last! Free at Last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”*

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Romans 6

*Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream”, August 28,1963 at the Mall in Washington, D.C.