CREDIT: PickPik.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Have you heard of taking a couple steps backward to move forward? It might seem like a defeat, but moving backwards helps us gain the perspective needed to move forward. For example, I got stuck in the snow a couple weeks ago. Trying to move forward just got me more stuck. But once I put the car in reverse, I could see a better path, gain momentum, and get unstuck.

Sometimes we hear God’s Word and wonder what He’s trying to tell us. It can seem like He wants us more stuck. For example, God says to His people, through Isaiah, “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:10) God’s people were stuck because they’d ignored His Word and gotten firmly stuck in their sin. And they kept plowing ahead hoping to unstick themselves.

To get unstuck, God’s people needed to realize they needed to listen to God first. They needed to hear the hard part of His Word called “the Law” – words we don’t like because it shows us our sin and the death it eventually brings. But if we finally realize we need to listen to God we’ll not only see our sin, but we’ll also see our Savior and what He does for us in the part of God’s Word called “the Gospel.”

Just three verses later, God promises a “stump remains … The holy seed is its stump.” (Isaiah 6:13) This holy seed points us to Jesus who will be born from the remains of God’s people. Those who pay attention to God’s Gospel will see their Savior, confess their sins, and receive God’s forgiveness and eternal life. This requires us to take a few steps backward, giving up some things that are getting us stuck. But if we listen, we’ll end up, not just two or three steps ahead, but in eternal life forever.

                                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: printerval.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Are there certain things you simply cannot resist? You’re just going with the flow … doing what you always do … then suddenly you see “it” – the thing you can’t resist. That drives you crazy. If you’ve seen Lord of the Rings, think about Gollum, that creepy, big-eyed, bent-over hobbit who seemed generally calm until he saw “the ring”. Then he flew into a rage! Gollum couldn’t resist the ring and would do anything to get it.

Jesus found Himself with a “Gollum” in Capernaum while teaching in the synagogue one Sabbath. Suddenly, a demon possessed man flies into a rage at Jesus’ teaching. It would appear this man was a synagogue regular, attending each week without any issues. Then Jesus, the Son of God, shows up to teach. When God’s Word hits the man’s ears, the demons possessing him go crazy. Why? While they’ve heard many others speak, they know they aren’t God. They know they have no power over them. But Jesus is different. He is God. He is a real threat to their existence. They see Jesus and would do anything, not to have Him, but to get rid of Him. Their reaction is anger and panic rolled together.

Why? Because, unlike the unbelieving rabbis, Jesus has true power over them. He simply says, “Be silent and come out of him!” They couldn’t resist Jesus! They came out and left the man alone, unharmed. (Luke 4:35) Jesus and His Word, spoken in truth by His faithful people, are irresistible to Satan and his demons. 

As long as Jesus and His Word are kept quiet, the demons are comfortable. They settle in to affect whatever lives they can. Drawing people away from God and His truth. But once Jesus comes into the scene … when His Word is spoken in truth, Satan and his demons cannot resist. They must flee! When you feel threatened by Satan and his demons you have one weapon, the Holy One of God and His Word. Use them to send Satan away!

                                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Stoke Newington Library on FLICKR

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

There’s a first time for everything! I remember some of the firsts in my life. First day of school – intimidating. First time I drove a car – freeing. First time I preached – a bit nerve wracking. It was at Concordia Lutheran Church in St. Louis before a mix of Seminary professors and nice families all sitting there … waiting for me to proclaim God’s Word to them. 

In Luke 4 we witness one of Jesus’ firsts – His first sermon … in His hometown. Someone gave Him a scroll with the words of Isaiah on it. He read, 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
  because he has anointed me
  to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
  and recovering of sight to the blind...” (Luke 4:18-19)

Then, He gave His sermon, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21) But, rather than shout “Amen! Attaboy Jesus!” His hometown was aghast! They’d seen Jesus grow up before their very eyes – a carpenter’s son. Nothing special. Words were fine, but for them, without proof of miracles, signs, and wonders, He was another false prophet! In fact, they were ready to ride Him out of town on the rails and run Him off a cliff. But Jesus, the Son of God, wouldn’t be deterred. Ironically, by means of a miracle, He simply passed through the angry crowd intent on murder. He went on about His work – proclaiming good news to the poor in spirit, freeing people from the captivity of sin, and opening eyes to see that salvation came only through Him to all people across the ages.

As we hear this gospel with 21st century ears, proclaimed in truth and light through His church on earth, our eyes are also opened as we hear His word – in worship services, bible studies and devotions, and our prayers. As we hear His Word, let’s also live in His presence each and every day of our lives and bring Him to others!

                                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: pxhere.com

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

When you’re on a trip, how do you know you’re on the right road? How do you know the distance left to travel? How do you know where to go when in an unfamiliar place? Even with GPS, you still need something that correlates where you are with where you’re headed to make sure you didn’t miss a turn. You need signs! Signs are important guides … BUT … signs are not the point of the trip. The point is still the destination. The signs, however, do point you toward your destination. They’re important.

Here in the months following Christmas, we’re in the dark of winter. In the church we call this season “Epiphany,” a word meaning “a sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature of something.” These manifestations are “signs” that show the reality of something. In our case the signs – often called miracles and wonders – are things Jesus does or says that point to the reality of who He is and what He came to do. The signs themselves aren’t the important thing. The important thing is what they point to.

A good example is the first miracle recorded by John … Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana. Yes, turning water into wine is a nice thing to do, but it’s only a sign that points the careful listener to the reality of Jesus. He’s a great rabbi and teacher and prophet, but He’s more. Turning water into wine points to His power over creation – a power only God can have. The abundance of wine produced points to the abundance of His provision – both earthly and eternal. The exquisite quality of the wine points to the perfection of the gifts He gives us – perfect forgiveness of sin, perfect eternal life in His kingdom. 

You don’t stop at the sign pointing you to the destination. You keep going until you get there. Don’t stop at the great signs you see Jesus doing either. Follow them into His eternal kingdom – the kingdom of heaven.

                                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: U.S. Forest Service on FLICKR

Dear Saints and Sinners,

My wife and I have often traveled to one of God’s great creations – Yellowstone National Park … the Park. It’s a truly beautiful place. But the first time she took me there was after a massive forest fire. I’d heard how beautiful the Park was. I didn’t see it. All I saw were hideous blackened stumps and charred grass. Until … I went on my first hike. And there it was, new life among the ashes. Small, delicate, beautiful flowers. New, green shoots of grass. Surely, the black stumps were repulsive to look at, but at the same time beauty abounded in the new life bursting forth following the first rains after the fires ravaged the Park.

As we live in this world, the closest thing to a black stump I can think of is death. Its effects are emotionally and physically repulsive – the result of the fire of sin that has swept through humanity unabated since sin first came into the world. We have inherited sin and its effects. We are sinners.

And the penalty of sin is … death. (Romans 6:23a) Thanks be to God we have been united to His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ in our baptism. (Romans 6:3) “We were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead … we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) This means, we are also saints!

Our sin causes us to resemble the cold, black, dead stumps after a forest fire. But the waters of baptism, at the same time, nurture new life within us. Are we still sinners? Yes, we are. But “we are now dead to sin and alive in Christ,” (Romans 6:11) meaning sin doesn’t drive us or entice us. Do we sin, yes, but when we do, we don’t revel in it. We are remorseful. And God forgives us. Therefore, sin and death are not the last word, death no longer rules over us! We are both saints and forgiven sinners.

                                                             Your Fellow Saint and Sinner,

                                                              Pastor Jim

Dear Body of Christ,

Unique architecture fascinates me – especially when it looks like it should collapse even though it’s as solid as a rock. There’s a monastery in Spain where the king ordered the architect to install a column to make sure the arch wouldn’t fall. The architect complied. However, after the king died, he revealed the column was built in a way that it never actually supported the arch. The arch was built to support itself … it needed no assistance to stand on its own.

Just like that king, many people today still feel they can support their own salvation through their works. Knowing they have fallen under the weight of their own sin, they find it impossible to believe they don’t need to support their own salvation – surely some good works are needed!

God’s Word repeatedly reminds us Jesus Christ is the only bridge between us and God. And He needs no help to support His saving work. His one, single sacrifice on the Cross is all that’s necessary for the eternal effects of sin to be destroyed (Hebrews 9:26). “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28) Jesus needs no assistance to save us from our sins. His sacrifice on the Cross followed by His resurrection is all that’s needed to save us and all mankind from sin, Satan, and death. 

We’re saved for a purpose though … not simply to wait around for Jesus’ return. He calls us to serve Him and His creation through the use of the many gifts He’s given to us. Supported by the Holy Spirit, we act in faith to bring the love of Jesus to those who’re sadly trying to support their own salvation, showing them the all-sufficient work of Jesus to save them too. Then “(Jesus) will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” (Hebrews 9:28)

                                                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Picpedia.org

Dear Saints of First Lutheran,

This time between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a time to reflect on the old while awaiting the new. We’re all making plans for what the new year will bring. The most solid plan for my year – my nephew’s wedding in May. We’ll see what happens the rest of the way. As 2024 passes into 2025, the only thing truly certain is the promises God makes to us.

The week after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary knew exactly what their plans were. They had to take Jesus to the temple to be dedicated. What they didn’t plan on was meeting an old man, Simeon, and an elderly woman, Phanuel. These faithful people knew God’s plan to send a Messiah, but not exactly when. However, instructed by the Holy Spirit they recognized the baby Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s plan to save His creation. Simeon proclaimed, to Joseph and Mary’s surprise, “Lord, now you are letting Your servant depart in peace … for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” (Luke 2:29-30) All Joseph and Mary planned on was a simple temple rite … what they received was another reminder of who their son truly was.

As we depart our worship each week, we generally know appointments we might have. We know what work and school assignments are going to be due. And, as we think further, we might even know what vacation and other plans we have for the coming year – graduations, births, weddings, and anniversaries. We generally know where we’re headed.  

But God doesn’t promise us our plans will always go as we hope. He also doesn’t promise us everything will be good. However, He does promise us this … He will keep us safe from eternal harm. He will forgive us by His grace when we slip up on our journey. And when things get difficult, He will give us the strength to endure in faith and live in His peace no matter what. As we leave 2024 and journey into 2025, remember God’s promises to you!

                                                                                        Happy New Year!

                                                                                        Pastor Jim