Together

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love. Ephesians 4:11–16 (RSV)

I had dreams of being an All-State fullback. I knew I did not have the quickness and speed to be a half-back or an end. I was a back-up fullback for my freshman year and even scored a touchdown. Of course, Grandma Boots could have scored a touchdown against that team.

My line coach pointed out the truth. I wasn't that good. He rightly suggested that I would do much better as a lineman. The rest of my high school career was spent as a guard. Coach was right. I belonged on the line. He also taught me that a lineman was just as important as the best running back. If a lineman doesn't block well, the backs generally don't get far.

St. Paul also pointed out that it takes more than just an apostle for a church to accomplish its mission. It is important to remember that the listing of servants is not the only ministries in the church. A congregation needs musicians, janitors, sextons, council members, acolytes, and a myriad of other servants.

A congregation functions best when those who are called to a particular service fulfill that call. As our congregations approach their annual meetings, it is an excellent time to recognize all those whose efforts support our ministry. Our combined talents and gifts continue to upbuild the Body of Christ.

Follow Me

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."

John 4:39–42 (RSV)

Human beings love to divide themselves into groups. We do it so quickly that we barely notice that we have done it. We take the worst traits within ourselves and lay it on 'them'; the others we have determined are not like us. We are the good, decent folk, they are, well, you know what they are like! Fear drives us, as does ignorance. They have committed the crime of not being us.

The Samaritans who were coming to see Jesus were going against the grain. Decades of mistrust and fear had taught them that no Jew could be trusted. All the Jews knew in their hearts that God could not love these Samaritan heretics. They refused to worship in Jerusalem. They would not sacrifice in the Temple.

Jesus ignored it all as He asked the Samaritan woman for a drink. She tried to retreat into her fortress of prejudice and hate. Jesus broke down those walls by the simple act of treating her as a human being. True, she was a flawed and broken person, but none of that would stand before the Lord.

"I am He," Jesus revealed to her hope of the Messiah. Her ministry of evangelism began at that moment. She told everyone in the village about the man who 'told her everything she ever did, could this be the Messiah?'

The spiritual hunger brought them all to Jesus. They heard His words, their heart aglow with faith and hope. All the barriers so deftly crafted by generations of mistrust fell into dust as they knew this was the Savior of the world. Of the world, not just Jerusalem, not Galilee or Samaria, Jesus is the Savior of the world.

We have heard of all the barriers, misperceptions, prejudices, anger, and hate that stand between us this past year. Those flames have been stoked by a near-constant stream of images and reports of the gaps between us. Suspicious eyes gaze at everyone who is not us, and we affirm the right in us and the wrong in 'them'.

If this is all we allow ourselves to see, then the long nightmare of violence and hate will never end. Jesus does not see us in this light. He sees us all in the light of the Father's love. Jesus' love for even our enemies will pin Him to the cross. His love will go down into death and hell for us. The love of the Father will raise Him from the tomb.

All Jesus sees when He beholds anyone is a beloved child of God for whom He suffered, died, and was raised. May He heal our eyes that we may see in the other only a precious child of God. May distinctions fade as the love of the Father flows over all.

On the Sabbath

One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" And he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath." Mark 2:23–28 (RSV)

We haven't kept the Sabbath for centuries. We have not observed the third commandment since the Resurrection. Of course, who has lain awake at night deeply concerned that we have been lax in our Sabbath-keeping?

We have reached the opposite pole from the Pharisees. Where they were fanatical about the Sabbath, our generation hardly notices it at all. The Sabbath was a rigid law for the Pharisee. It is one option on how we use the day.

Neither is the proper use of the day. Keeping the Sabbath fails if it is enforced piety or if it is a pleasant tradition we may observe if we choose. The gift of the Sabbath is the Word. We are given a day set aside for the Word and our hearing of it.

It is the day that the Father has promised us that we will meet the Word, the Living Word, in prayers, hymns, sermons, chants, confessions, and sacraments. It is the day that the Lord has promised to be present to be heard, touched, tasted, and save.

The Sabbath, the day of the Resurrection, is the Father's gift to us, His redeemed children, so we may be covered in His love. He is the Lord of the Sabbath.

Following Jesus

He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:13–17 (RSV)

I am not wild about paying taxes. It is my responsibility as a citizen of Iowa and the United States. Each year, about this time, I begin gathering the documents and records to file our tax returns. I don't like it, but it is fair that I pay my share. I have never believed that my taxes were unfair, legalized theft. I view them as one way I can care for my neighbor.

Levi (Matthew) was a tax collector for the Roman Empire. As long as he collected the assigned amount for Rome, he could take his 'fee' as well. He would often have armed Roman guards to protect the money and 'encourage' any reluctant citizens. It was a system that worked for Rome and the tax collector.

Jewish parents would probably prefer that their child had died rather than become a tax collector. They were universally hated by Jews of all religious and political persuasions. It was shocking on two levels when Jesus called Levi. Why would a rabbi in his right mind even speak to Levi, let alone call him as a disciple? Why would Levi leave his lucrative job to follow Jesus?

As if it weren't embarrassing enough to call Levi as a disciple, Jesus sat down and ate with him. This was too much for the 'decent folk.' They wondered, out loud, why Jesus would do such an outrageous thing? Breaking bread with someone communicated that they were worthy of your time and attention. They were not beyond the pale, even though they were sinners.

'The sick need a physician. I have come to call sinners.' There is a secret place in my soul that goes, 'Atta Boy, Jesus! You really put those scribes and Pharisees in their place! That smug self-righteousness lasts as long as it takes the Holy Spirit to remind me that I am a sinner as well. My spirit is just as sick with sin as any tax collector, prostitute, or thief.

Jesus takes our sin, our sickness unto death, upon Himself and dies of the disease that would kill us forever. It stings to remember that I am as desperately ill as Levi or any of his friends. Jesus is the soothing balm that takes away the sting of sin, the finality of death.

Holy Jesus, teach our hearts to remember that You have come to heal the sin-sick and give life to the dead. Instruct us that you become sin for us, so we are made new by your dying and rising. We are healed. We are saved.

Seeing Jesus

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered together about the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him pursued him, and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Mark 1:32–39 (RSV)

'And he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew him.' It should not be too great a surprise that the demons knew Jesus and no one else does. The demons had once been in the Divine Presence. They lost that blessing when they were cast out of heaven, but they could never forget it.

Where so many humans could only see the man, the demons saw the divine and human natures in the perfection of oneness that is the Incarnation. The demons could see the future of humankind in Jesus. They could see the redeemed and restored nature that was lost in the Garden.

Jesus would have them silent as they fled from their victims. They were not worthy of announcing that Jesus is the Son of God. The sweetness of the Gospel could not be on their lips. Jesus reserved the proclamation of the Good News to His disciples. He reserved it for us to proclaim.

St. Peter spoke the truth, though he did not know it at the time: 'Everyone is searching for You,'. St. Peter wanted Jesus to deal with the crowds pursuing them all over Galilee. Though unknowing, he prophesied the great truth. Everyone is searching for Jesus.

We are searching for the One who will do more than heal our bodies or cast out demons. We are searching for the One who will bring us salvation. We are searching for the clarity of the soul that allows us to see Jesus.

Peace

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:17–22 (RSV)

Peace is more than the absence of strife. One can live in a land that has not heard a shot fired in anger for generations, yet be without peace. In truth, it is a simple matter to be without strife if that is all that is needed for peace.

The human heart has not been at peace since our First Parents tasted the fruit in the Garden. Our lips may not have tasted the fruit. Its bitterness is still very much in our souls. Count the number of people with whom you could spend a week, a weekend, or a day. Of those you could, how long before you needed some time away from one another?

How long can we stand being by ourselves without the distraction of someone, the internet, or a book, anything to distract us from disquieting within? It has been suggested that hell might not be a lake of burning sulfur. Hell may very well be spending eternity alone with ourselves.

So much of the world's sorrows come from the absence of peace within human hearts. It is into this tormented realm that Jesus comes. He comes proclaiming peace to all. He becomes our peace as He takes all our sin, suffering, and sorrow into Himself.

The peace of the world will be elusive as we are broken and distorted beings. Sin will ever deny us earthly peace. Jesus brings us the peace of God, the peace that passes all understanding.

Worship

Thus says the LORD:

"Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool;

what is the house which you would build for me,

and what is the place of my rest?

All these things my hand has made,

and so all these things are mine,

says the LORD.

But this is the man to whom I will look,

he that is humble and contrite in spirit,

and trembles at my word.

"For as the new heavens and the new earth

which I will make

shall remain before me, says the LORD;

so shall your descendants and your name remain.

From new moon to new moon,

and from sabbath to sabbath,

all flesh shall come to worship before me,

says the LORD.

Isaiah 66:1–2, 22–23 (RSV)

Close your eyes for a moment, drift back to Sunday, and think of the moment when the Spirit touched your soul during worship. You may not always be aware that the Spirit is filling every worship with the Divine presence.

There is no such thing as a boring worship service. A worship service may be poorly planned. A worship service may be badly led. The pastor may not have worked hard enough on their sermon that Sunday. But no worship service is boring, for we encounter the living God in worship.

Jesus has promised that wherever two or three gather in His Name, He will be there. The Father longs to have us all gather before Him in worship. St. John's Revelation reminds us that our purpose and our joy are in worshiping God.

We may not always hear it as we are singing it, but we sing, 'Give us a foretaste of the feast to come.' Our worship is shared by angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, by all the Saints who have gone before us.

King Jesus

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. John 6:15 (RSV)

The Powerball Lottery has reached around one half-billion dollars. Even after taxes, that would be a significant amount of money. A person could cut back on work if you had that kind of cash suddenly in your bank account.

You also would have a crowd of relatives you never knew you had. There would people coming to 'help' you invest your new found wealth. The phone would ring more than it did when you are warned about the car's warranty running out. A bevy of new friends would drop by to get better acquainted.

A sensible person would know that the majority of these folk wouldn't have given you the time of day the hour before you won. The allure of getting a cut of your winnings draws them like flies to a spoonful of honey.

Jesus fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes. They are ready to make Him King Jesus the First, ruler of Israel. The crowd's adulation grows more from grain and fish. They would offer the crown to the next guy down the road if he gave them lunch. They love Jesus for what they can get from Him.

When I was a young Christian, I was asked why I believed in Jesus. "I don't want to go to hell," was my response. It was an honest response. It is a response that many people would offer if asked.

It is true, Jesus saves us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. He descended into hell so all who would be enslaved there could rise with Him. He keeps me from hell.

I am grateful that this is so, but I have learned to love Jesus because He is Jesus. He is the Father's Son, the Father's love made flesh, come to give mercy and love beyond understanding. One discovers that it is the love of Jesus that is the purpose of life. Living each day enfolded in His love, learning to love as He has loved, is more than enough.

The joy of God's love through Jesus is all anyone needs. Wrapped in this love, we have no care for anything beyond His love. He loves us because we are and have been made lovely by the Father's mercy. We love Him in return, for He is worthy of our love.

Bread and Fish

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!"

John 6:1–14 (RSV)

"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" It is a sensible question to ask when you are doing a mental tally of the crowd. Five loaves of cheap barley bread and two dried fish is hardly a meal for two, let alone a crowd of thousands.

Any task that stretches our abilities is daunting to us. We consider what we can do with what we have, compare it to what needs to be done, then wonder how we will begin. St. Andrew wasn't unfaithful. He could not imagine how what they had would be enough. He calculated that ⅔'s a year's wages would not even make a dent.

Jesus commands us to evangelize the world. Sharing the Good News is akin to feeding thousands with a little boy's lunch. We don't see how we can do it. We are overwhelmed, so we don't even begin.

Jesus took what was given to Him, five loaves and two fish, gave thanks, and fed the multitude. How He did it lies beyond me. That He did it is plain, for we hear of it again and again in Scripture. Jesus did what we could not imagine could be done.

Jesus feeds the thousands through His trust in the Father. He sends us in that same trust, that whatever the Father chooses to do will be done. We may feel as helpless as did St. Andrew did. We may look at our talents and see only how far short they fall.

Jesus has promised to be with us always, to the end of the age. He who fed a multitude can equip us to share the Good News. As St. Gabriel said to Mary, 'With God, nothing will be impossible.

The Water

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the sabbath.

John 5:1–9 (RSV)

Do brokenness and affliction ever become normal? If it does, how long does it take? Is there a moment when the burden of suffering ceases to be a weight on the soul?

Thirty-eight frustrating years he had been carried to the pool of Bethzatha in the hope that he would walk home. Each night, those who brought him in the morning returned to bear him home. Where in those years did it become routine?

Suffering, disease, sorrow are not of the will and purpose of God. He created us to live in the perfection of Eden. We chose to be carried in the hope of healing that would never come. We would have been God and gained broken lives, always seeking the healing that cannot come.

We can never gain the healing waters. We have no ability to try. So there we lie, hoping against hope to be made whole. Hope comes, speaks to us, and by His Word, water is poured over us. This water heals. This water joins us to His dying and rising. We are lifted out of death into the life that cannot end. We are beyond suffering, sorrow and death, for these former things have passed away.

God Remains

"And he will come to Zion as Redeemer,

to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the LORD.

"And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the LORD: my spirit which is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your children, or out of the mouth of your children's children, says the LORD, from this time forth and for evermore."

Isaiah 59:20–21 (RSV)

Today is the day after the Epiphany when the light of salvation was revealed to all the world. Jesus is our Redeemer, turning the hearts of many away from sin to a new life in Him. The Father's promise from ancient days is alive among us through His Son. It is a promise intended to go forth unto the ending of days.

The Father has given the Spirit through Holy Baptism, that faith may take root and grow in our hearts. His Word is written in our hearts. It is a Word that will be spoken in every age until our Lord comes again.

He is not speaking to the seminary trained and the ordained. All who are His through Jesus Christ are given new life. As their children, grandchildren, they are given the Word down through all the years to come.

Our worship is hindered by the pandemic, at times prevented altogether. Our life in the community of believers takes place behind masks, hugs, and handshakes denied. We sit apart from each other and worry that a virus may be spread if we receive the Supper.

We entertain thoughts of our congregations not surviving, of members choosing live-streaming over returning once the pandemic is over, and other gods replacing the Lord. We question the Father's purpose, wondering if we are bring judged for our lack of faithfulness.

We forget the sufferings of the Church throughout the ages. We neglect the sacrifices of the Holy Martyrs as if this trial is more significant than theirs. We do not recall those whose lives were taken for sharing the Word of God.

We are in a time of trial. The future is unclear, for now. Remember, though we may not have the eyes to see what may come, it is the Lord's future. He will carry us with Him down the ages yet to come. He will give us the Spirit to speak His Word to peoples unborn. His Church cannot fail though all the hosts of hell rage against it.

'It is a promise intended to go forth unto the ending of days.'

Water and Wine

On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2:1–11 (RSV)

'This, the first of his signs,' 120 to 180 gallons of water into some excellent wine. The steward of the feast had, among his responsibilities, making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. When the wine ran out too early, the murmuring began. People have expectations. If they are not met, then anger is not far behind.

Mary had an expectation when the wine ran out, 'They have no wine.' Why she thought Jesus would be able to do something about the wine shortage is unclear. It may have been she was sharing what she had just heard. She may have had the instinct of a mother that her Son could make a difference.

Jesus was the maker of between 120 and 180 gallons of the best wine folk had ever tasted. The wine saved the wedding. No shame followed the young couple into their future. The guests enjoyed the best wine anyone had ever tasted. A small miracle at the beginning of Jesus' ministry set the stage for what lay ahead.

Water, wine, and bread would be woven into the mercy that Jesus brings to the world. Water and the Word would drown the old Adam within us all so that we might be raised to a new life in Christ.

Wine and bread would become His Body and Blood poured out for many, for the whole world, for the forgiveness that none could merit.

The couple whose wedding feast Jesus blessed with wine no more earned the wine than you or I do when the Holy Sacraments come to us.

No person ever deserves baptism any more than the couple the wine. While Jesus was a guest at the wedding, we are His guests at His Table, invited to feast on Bread and Wine/Body and Blood. His mercy comes by grace so wondrous even the angels of heaven cannot find words to praise it.

The merciful grace of our Lord shapes us, so even in the most broken places, the darkest valley, or the most prolonged hours of the night, we might have reason to celebrate and find joy.

The Epiphany

How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings good tidings,

who publishes peace,

who brings good tidings of good,

who publishes salvation,

who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice,

together they sing for joy;

for eye to eye they see

the return of the LORD to Zion.

Break forth together into singing,

you waste places of Jerusalem;

for the LORD has comforted his people,

he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The LORD has bared his holy arm

before the eyes of all the nations;

and all the ends of the earth shall see

the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 52:7–10 (RSV)

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany. It is a Greek word often translated as 'to reveal' or 'manifestation'. It reads, 'to bring light upon' as one would do if you desired to see what was there.

Our estrangement from God is often described as darkness or the lack of sight. We live in spiritual blindness apart from Christ. No matter the amount of physical light, those who prefer their sin to the mercy and grace of Christ will not see Him.

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the birth of Jesus and His revealing to all the nations. The Magi or Wise Men are often a symbol of this revealing.

Those seeking hope, who have been longing for something more than merely being alive, are blessed by Jesus' coming. They are given the gift of the One whose coming is by whom the salvation of God is revealed.

Epiphany is the feast of the Light of Christ shown upon the whole world. It is the Light of Christ shown on each one of us. We are granted sight to see our salvation.

The Way, The Truth, and The Life

"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.

John 14:1–6 (RSV)

The hosannas have faded along with the crowds who shouted them. Jesus has washed the disciples' feet. Judas has departed to betray Jesus to the priests and Pharisees. The Commandment to love one another has given. A confused St. Peter hears the prediction that within a few hours, he will deny Jesus three times.

The past five days have been a whirlwind of excitement, promises, confusion, and rising fears. The rejoicing of Sunday was gone so quickly, replaced with words of suffering, betrayal, denial, and a bloody Cross. It is no wonder that His disciples are uncertain what lies ahead of them.

All that has taken place and foretold will take place, leaves hearts troubled. Jesus speaks words of compassion to the disciples. Yes, He is going away from them for a time. He will prepare a place for them, a place of such abundance of love and mercy the heart will barely imagine. Hopes and dreams are raised beyond anything that has come to them. It is coming to them as Jesus will come to them when all things are ready.

St. Thomas longs to know, to know the where and when. How, Jesus, will we know? How will we know when the troubles of our hearts will be no more. How will we know, how will we know?

Hearts keep the long hours of the night, wondering what the dawn will bring for the one they love. Eyes gaze at the phone, anticipating a call and praying that it never comes. A chapter of the family book is about to close. Children will become the ties to the family past, for they are now the ones to carry the family stories forward.

Prayers turn from pleas for healing to seeking the last hour, the final breath, the end of illness, and the challenges of age. Waiting is what remains. Faith holds to Jesus' words, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.'

We wait for the ending of hours for a life. We rest in Jesus, who is our way to Life. We know this, for He has promised, and His word is the only truth, the only way to the Father. Sleep, Mom, sleep in the Lord, and may your eyes open to behold the Savior.

Mom

In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;

do not let me ever be put to shame;

in your righteousness deliver me.

Incline your ear to me;

rescue me speedily.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me.

You are indeed my rock and my fortress;

for your name's sake lead me and guide me,

take me out of the net that is hidden for me,

for you are my refuge.

Into your hand I commit my spirit;

you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Psalm 31.1-5

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11.28-30

My Mom, Florence Hatcher, was diagnosed with Covid 19 today. She turned 90 four days before Christmas. She celebrated with some of the staff at her care center in Osceola, IA. The pandemic kept all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at bay. Mom has dementia. She doesn't always remember the day, what she had for dinner or who has visited her. I haven't seen her since just before Christmas last year. Phone calls confuse her, so I haven't heard her voice since my last visit.

She isn't the first person in Iowa to suffer from the pandemic, and she won't be the last. She has a decent chance of recovering, but the fear gnaws at my heart that she may die. I worry that, like so many people, she may die surrounded by the staff at her care center, but none of her family.

We lean on the Rock of our salvation this year more than we ever have had to before. A virus we cannot see with the unaided eye has turned so many things upside down. The pandemic spreads, then pulls back only to spread once more. We are hesitant to go places. We worry about passing the virus on to others. It concerns us that we may contract it.

It is a challenge to be optimistic and upbeat when nearly every day is another announcement of the pandemic spreading, destroying lives, or mutating into a more contagious version. It is even more so when it touches someone you love and who has loved you.

Jesus calls us to come to Him when we are burdened. He promises rest for our souls. He is willing to bear the burdens we find too challenging to carry. How do we know this? The answer lies in Psalm 31. In the final moments of His life, dying on the Cross, Jesus prayed part of Psalm 31: Into your hand I commit my spirit.

These final words remind us that every burden, loss, or sorrow we know in life has been taken up with Him on the Cross. As He dies, their lasting power over us is broken. When He rises from the grave, He brings with Him all the mercy and grace of the Father. In His life, we are given hope that even a pandemic cannot destroy.

Even if Mom does not recover from Covid, she will still be the Father's child as we pray she will. What disease, age, and failing memory may have taken will be restored in a fullness we cannot imagine here. We will cast all our burdens on the Lord, for He will bear them.

Now, I pray that our Lord will heal her. I pray that I may one day soon see her, talk with her and hear her voice. I pray confident that whatever may come, it will be as the Lord directs.

Jesus, I lay my fears on you. I trust my hopes to you. Mom is in your hands, as she always has been. May all the families awaiting the outcome of the pandemic bring their burdens to you. Amen.

The Name of Jesus

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor Luke 1.26-32

'And you will name him Jesus.' I remind folk to pay attention to the names as they read Scripture. A name is a serious thing, often foreshadowing who the person will become and what they will do for the Lord.

When Abraham and Sarah are told that they will have a son, Sarah laughs, for she can't imagine it possible that at her age, around 90, that she will be able to conceive, let alone bear a child. God commands her to name her son, Isaac, which translates 'he laughs,' to remember her doubting.

When Isaac's son, Esau and Jacob, are born, their names warn of future events. Jacob means 'the one who supplants, or more simply 'cheater'. Jacob will cheat his brother Esau out of his birthright by deceiving his father, Isaac. Jacob gets the blessing intended for Esau.

Jacob will later have his name changed to Israel. Israel means 'he strives with God', speaking that Jacob/Israel has struggled with the direction God was calling him to follow.

So it goes throughout Scripture, names telling us what the person is called to be and do.

The first day of January is called the Name of Jesus. It remembers Jesus' circumcision eight days after his birth. On that day, He is given the Name that Gabriel told Mary He should have. Jesus' Name is more significant than any other name in all of Scripture. The name that was spoken over the infant would have been, Ye'shua. The Greek of the New Testament spoke it, Iesous. It is easy to see the jump to Jesus in English.

However you pronounce His Name, it's message is clear, 'God Is Salvation.' The Name of Jesus is the fulfillment of all God's promises. It is our daily reminder of who Jesus is and why He has come.

On Our Identity

2 Corinthians 5:16–6:2 (RSV)

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,

"At the acceptable time I have listened to you,

and helped you on the day of salvation."

Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

If you are asked who you are, how do you respond? I talk about my family, the circle of people made up of Jackie, my children, and grandchildren. I don't get into too great a detail on my extended family as I didn't grow up in Clayton County. If you want to take a drive over to Hamilton County, well, that's another matter.

I will talk about my profession. I am a pastor of Christ's Church. I am Lutheran by choice (though growing up in Jewell, even the cats and dogs were Lutheran). I would be Russian Orthodox if God did not insist that I remain in the ministry. I write with fountain pens, advocating that every child be given a nice pen, be taught how to care for it, and the schools should teach cursive. Somewhere in the conversation, I would mention that I am an Iowa State Cyclone Football fan.

I am also a new creation in Christ. I don't always remember that as I should, but that is my true identity as a human being. As much as I love my family, as much as I enjoy all the other things I mentioned above, the truth is that I belong to Christ.

St. Paul is correct; from now on, we cannot regard anyone or anything of this life from a human point of view. We are given a new life in Christ that has its beginnings in this world and moves toward the new one. God would have us witness to the transformation of our lives into His righteousness.

We carry with us the Good News that now, this day, is the day of salvation. Salvation is not some far off event that we will have when we are done with this life. We are alive in salvation today. It is the day in which we begin to speak of Christ as the first reality of our lives. We acknowledge that all the blessings of this life are from His hand. They root and ground us in the mercy and grace of the Lord. We see even the tiniest, ordinary thing of daily life as a treasure that helps us love Christ.

Who am I? I am a baptized child of God. I am a new creation through the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord. I am His ambassador sharing the Good News that today is the day of salvation.

On Mercy

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again." John 8:3–11 (RSV)

Those who are seeking to destroy another human being will use whatever tool that presents itself. The scribes and the Pharisees wanted to discredit Jesus in as public a manner as possible. The Law of Moses allowed for adulterers to be stoned to death. (Leviticus 20.10) The Law allowed for it, but it was not consistently practiced in Jesus' day. The proof of this is shown by who is brought to Jesus. Adultery takes at least two people, and only one, the woman, was presented for punishment. The man involved probably got a lecture and sent on his way.

The woman was guilty of adultery. She did not protest her innocence, nor did anyone speak on her behalf. The scribes and the Pharisees had the legal right to stone her to death. No guilt would be laid on them for the Law justified their actions. Again, they thought they had Jesus. If he let her go, they could say He rejects the Law of Moses. If He allowed her to be stoned, it would make of mockery of Jesus' teaching about the love and mercy of God.

They also made sure that a large crowd gathered to administer 'justice'. After all, who doesn't like a good stoning? Punishing someone else's sin takes the burden off of you, shifting it to the poor soul who had the bad taste to get caught.

Jesus measures His time in responding. Who knows what He wrote in the dust as the mob was getting ready to act. When you are eager for something to happen, time seems to slow down. Those who had brought their stones, keen to use them, must have thought, 'what is He waiting for? It is a clear cut case of adultery.' They kept asking Him to say something, give the signal to begin.

The mob tensed as one person when Jesus stood up to speak: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." He knelt again and wrote. His words must have been like an electric shock running through the mob. They stood frozen as Jesus' words sank in.

They glanced side to side, not daring to look anyone in the face. No one was so arrogant as even to consider casting the first stone. Jesus confronted them with their sin. No one could pretend he had not sinned. The older men left first as age is a good teacher of the truth about ourselves. It wasn't long before it was Jesus and the woman left. 'Who is there to accuse you now?' He asked. Where only minutes before there were bloodthirsty people ready to stone her, only Jesus remained.

'No one is left.' She said. Jesus did not condemn her either, though He alone had the right to do so. He offered mercy to her, mercy she did not deserve. He also admonished her, 'Go, and sin no more." Jesus does not pretend that sin is a small matter. He doesn't tell the woman, 'next time, don't get caught.' No, He tells her to become a new person, a person devoted to God.

Jesus shows the same mercy to each of us when our sins are forgiven. He forgives us day by day, for we sin daily. Were it not for Jesus; we would die in our sin. We, like the woman, are given mercy and a command to leave sin behind us.

On Judgment

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:8 (RSV)

And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment.

Revelation 21:6 (RSV)

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Revelation 22:13 (RSV)

I was sorting through the thousands of documents on my computer in the hope of making them a bit more usable. My colleagues assert that I am obsessive when it comes to keeping records. They may have a point, but if I want to find a sermon where I mentioned Abraham Lincoln that I think I preached sometime in the '80's, a simple search finds it.

I stopped at the file labeled, "Funeral Sermons". I would like to believe that it contained all the funerals from my parish ministry. I am confident that the majority are there. I started in 1977, soon, over an hour was gone.

Most of the names recalled faces of parishioners I knew well. A few names I struggled to remember the person. These were often funerals I was called upon to do as the family had no church background. All of them carried sadness and loss, some more tragically than others. A few were folk openly questioned the deceased's eternal destiny, wondering why we were going through the charade of a church funeral. Many were dear saints of Christ whose witness to the Lord was the fabric of their lives.

In my younger, more zealous days, I was confident in my ability to discern the direction the person would take. Heaven or hell, I thought I could give a pretty fair determination of if they were going up or down.

I am less sure about many things now that I am much closer to the grave. The passing of decades reveals that one knows far less about the mind of God than when the years were few. The eternal destiny of anyone, even myself, is not mine to judge. It has never been, nor will the Father ever turn it over to me.

Of course, it is as it should be. Who populates heaven and who resides in hell was never mine, or anyone else's, to determine. We are too finite for such things. Our transgressions blind us to see clearly enough to judge others.

This judgment is where the One who is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, will rule. God alone sees all things in the scope of eternity. He knows every heartbeat and a fleeting thought of all who have ever lived. In faith, we commend ourselves, the whole world, into His mercy. As St. Thomas confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

On Humility

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:1–6 (RSV)

Our Emma is four. She is the youngest of our grandchildren. Emma loves to give hugs and will not leave until everyone has gotten a kiss and a hug. She is, without a doubt, her own person. She has such a sweet, uncomplicated faith in Jesus that it makes one envious. She is very much what Jesus was speaking of in the Scripture we have read today.

Our world is a place of intense competition. We strive to achieve as much as we can, often at the expense of those around us. It is a model of success that has done great things in which we can have genuine pride.

It becomes toxic when all we want is more success, more achievement, more personal greatness. It is a life that is contrary to the Christian faith. In Christ, our lives are not ours to do with as we please. Power and authority are not a goal to seek above all else, especially if other lives are damaged or destroyed in the process. In Christ, we are to live a much different way.

Our faith is the faith that trusts the Lord as a small child trusts. We are to humble ourselves, for Christian greatness is found in those who are humble. Humility is not a weakness. A humble person knows who they are before God. They know that all they are and have are mercies given from the Father. C.S. Lewis wrote that a humble person is not someone who thinks less of himself; instead, they are someone who thinks of himself less.

Life in Christian humility allows all to be blessed and know the mercies of the Father. It is where the weakest, most vulnerable, are treasured and protected. It is where we, like our Lord, ensure that all are among the beloved of our Father.