CREDIT: Sergey Kozak

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Why didn’t I think of that!?” Sometimes, when I’m trying to solve a problem, my knowledge and wisdom can blind me. While the answer is obvious, my “engineering brain” can overthink and make things harder than needed. Then someone like my wife says, “Did you ever think about (insert obvious answer here)?” Well, what do you know, that was easy! “Why didn’t I think of that!?”

We all have problems in our lives. But the most critical problem of all is the same for all of us. And the solution is quite easy. Yet we can make it a lot more complicated than it needs to be. Our wisdom, knowledge, and pride combine to lead us to ignore the only remedy – and it is a simple one.

This problem? Our sin and the eternal separation from God it causes. Our solution? We try all manner of things to ward off sin’s eternal effects – elaborate prayers bundled with good deeds … packages of complex rituals and worship practices … or some other over-complicated set of things. Yet for all our efforts, we’re still unsatisfied. There must be more to it! And so, we and many others continue our search, ending up caught in an endless cycle leading right back to where we started.

Jesus prays, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11:25) It’s not that Jesus doesn’t want us to see the solution. But He doesn’t want us trying to figure out how to make it happen on our own. Or to say, “That’s too easy! There’s gotta be another way I can try.” The solution to our problem is simple, trust in our Father’s promise of forgiveness through Jesus. The truth – it is that easy for us, there is no other way. Let’s thank God that He thought of it and trust Him to free us from our sins and eternal death through Jesus Christ, His only Son.

                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Gerd Altmann (geralt)

Dear Sinners and Saints,

As a junior Captain, a grizzled Master Sergeant schooled me saying, “Sir, I can take bad news. At least I can react to it. It’s no news that bothers me.” It was his way of telling me to be honest with him. If something needed fixing, he needed to know. Unfortunately, people too often soft peddle bad news to make it seem not so bad. Or worse, keep bad news hidden.

As Judah entered exile in Babylon, the false prophet Hananiah said, “Within two years, we’ll be back in Jerusalem with our kings and our treasure.” To make his lie even worse, Hananiah claimed God had told him so. (Jeremiah 28:2-4) This may’ve been what Judah wanted to hear, but it wasn’t what they needed to hear. Jeremiah corrected Hananiah with some bad news, “I wish you were right. Previous prophets told us this would happen, and it did; that it would be bad, and it will be.” Jeremiah also said, “As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent that prophet.” (Jeremiah 28:9)

God told Jeremiah to speak the cold, hard truth of the impact of disobedience so Judah could see their errors, react to them, and repent! They had to hear the bad news to change. The lies of false teachers might make us feel good. But, in the end, things just get worse until the smell of death overwhelms us. 

God’s law doesn’t often sound like good news. We may not want to hear it. But we need to hear it to see our sin and the death it brings. Only then do we turn to God, receive His forgiveness, and make our way to eternal life with Him. Let’s pay attention to the bad news God’s law lays out so we can grab hold of His good news, the gospel, found in His mercy on account of Jesus and the change only He can make in our lives.

                                                                                        Your Brother in Christ,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Fear has many forms. There’s “fear of the unknown” … those things our imaginations conjure up that might hurt us — something, we’re not sure what, we think might cause us great harm. There’s also “fear of the unlikely” … bad things that could happen, but likely won’t — the proverbial bus that might hit us. Then there’s “fear of the known” … those things that if they happen, will most likely negatively impact us — telling someone bad news we know they don’t want to hear. It’s this last fear that often paralyzes us when we know we need to do something unpleasant, while also knowing a terrible consequence likely awaits.

Jesus calls His disciples to proclaim the truth - God’s law and His gospel - to all those who don’t put their full trust in God ahead of all things besides Him. He knew they’d suffer when they “proclaim (this truth) on the housetops” for all to hear. (Matthew 20:27) He knew this because it had happened before — to God’s boldest prophets, like Jeremiah. Jeremiah knew God had called him to speak to Israel about God’s hard, unpopular truth and the impact of their godless, sin-filled ways. Even Jeremiah found it difficult to carry out God’s will. He cried out to God in anguish, “O Lord, You have deceived me … I have become a laughingstock all the day, everyone mocks me!” (Jeremiah 20:7) 

Jesus also calls us to proclaim His truth — the uncomfortable law, as well as the comforting gospel — to a disbelieving world from the housetops. But He encourages His disciples then, and us today, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) Proclaiming God’s truth to a hard-hearted, sin-filled world might cause pain — even death. But, for Jesus’ faith-filled followers death isn’t the end of the story. The end of the story for us is eternal life in God’s new creation, His eternal kingdom. Therefore, have no fear!

                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Lewis W. Hine, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A devotion I read had this little anecdote about a church sign in “farm country.” It said, “Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing.” There’s a lot of truth to those words. It shows faith in God’s promise to hear prayer. And it reflects the truth that God gives us all gifts to be used to fulfill His will in the world.

Jesus began His ministry without any disciples. However, as He gave people the gift of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) the number of disciples grew. Then He let His disciples witness His divine power through healings, mastery over nature, and exorcising evil demons (Matthew 8-9). But these gifts simply set the stage for what Jesus truly intended for His disciples. Yes, He wanted them to believe in Him and His work. Yes, He wanted them to follow His example and live according to His teachings. But, more importantly, He wanted them to use these gifts to lead others to saving faith in Him.

Jesus selected twelve of His disciples to be Apostles, from the Greek word ἀποστέλλω (apostello) which means “sent out.” They were to go into the world using the gifts He’d given them to say, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) Jesus taught them to pray and called them do so that God would save the lost sheep of Israel. He also called them to be the means, the workers, God used to bring His kingdom to fruition.

Two-thousand years later, we’re Jesus’ disciples. God has blessed each of us with many gifts, including the gift of saving faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We know God hears and answers our prayers. However, we also need to realize that we are quite often the answer to prayers — our own and others. As we pray for family, friends, and neighbors to come to Christ, remember to “keep on hoeing.” God has gifted us to faithfully work the fields, so He can bring in the rich harvest.

                                                                                                In Christian Love,

                                                                                                Pastor Jim

Dear Disciples of Christ,

“When do you go to a doctor?” The obvious answer – “When you’re sick.” We might try home remedies or cures we’ve found on “Life Hacks” websites. But when we try to heal ourselves, and fail, it’s time to see the doctor. That’s why we have them – to heal us when we can’t heal ourselves. Unfortunately, we must usually make an appointment to see them. They rarely come to see us. Nevertheless, at the doctor’s office or our home, the doctor can bring healing when we can’t heal ourselves.

Left untreated, disease can lead to death. Which is why Martin Luther used the analogy of disease, doctors, and medicine to explain sin – the disease we all have – and forgiveness – the healing we can only receive from “the doctor”, Jesus, the Son of God. Fortunately for us, Jesus makes house calls!

Right after calling a dreaded tax collector, Matthew – also called Levi, to be one of His disciples, Jesus went to Matthew’s house for dinner (Luke 5:27-29). There, all kinds of tax collectors and other sinners gathered with Him … Jesus was exposed to them all. The Pharisees questioned Jesus’ choice of company, “Why is He hanging out with all these sinners!? Doesn’t He know that’s a good way to catch sin-itis too?” Jesus responds, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick … I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13) 

Jesus, the Son of God, not only made a house call to Matthew and his friends to bring them His healing grace and mercy; but He also comes into our lives to bring us healing from the deadly disease of sin. Despite being immersed in a sin-filled world, Jesus never caught the disease. His perfect life, suffering, and death brings the cure for our sin – His Father’s forgiveness. And His resurrection eliminates sin’s effects – restoring us to eternal life. We can’t heal ourselves. Thank God for His love and sending His Son to make a house call and bring us healing.

                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Disciples of Christ,

Can three things exist together at the same time and place as one thing? In nature, under very specific conditions liquid water, frozen water, and vaporized water can all exist at the same time and place. It’s one thing – water, yet in three phases together – liquid, ice, and steam. The “Triple Point of Water” exists when water is exactly 32.018 degrees Fahrenheit at 611.657 Pascals (a unit of pressure). Check it out at this link.

The Triple of Water – or any other substance – is similar to, but not exactly like, one of God’s mysteries. Based on God’s word, we believe there is one God and we should have no other gods (Deuteronomy 6:4, Exodus 20:3). However, from God’s word, we also believe in three persons of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). We call this the Trinity, a word that combines “tri” – meaning “three” – and “unity” – meaning “one.”

The Trinity, the three persons of God, show up at the same time and place as the one, true God throughout scripture. There’s Jesus’ baptism – the Son is standing in water as the Father praises Him while the Holy Spirit descends upon Him (Matthew 3:16-17). But even before time began, the Trinity existed. Genesis 1 tells us the Spirit hovered over the face of the waters as the Father spoke all things into existence. You might ask, “I see the Spirit. I see the Father. But where’s the Son?” John tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14) All things, seen and unseen, were created by the Word, the Son of God, who became flesh, living among us. The Trinity – three persons of God, yet also one God. It’s a mystery we believe in faith, but we see and know it to be true through God’s word.

                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Wally Gobetz

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”  After two years of instruction at First Lutheran, Confirmation students confirm their faith in Christ. But Confirmation Day is not the end. It’s “the first day of the rest of their lives of faith.”  Today is also the first day of the rest of all our lives of faith. 

Last week, we celebrated Jesus’ Ascension. Jesus told His disciples, “You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:48-49) Ten days later, that power swept down upon the disciples as promised. The Holy Spirit enabled the Apostles—simple, working-class men from Galilee—to clearly proclaim the gospel of Christ to people from around the world in their own language (Acts 2:1-13)! This “1st century United Nations” heard the good news that “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) Pentecost signaled the beginning of a new life of faith for God’s creation. “Clothed with power from on high” the disciples would never be alone as God worked through them to reach all mankind. They became the world’s first “Confirmation teachers” by instructing all mankind in the essential elements of the Christian faith.

Confirmation provides Christians with knowledge and insight to faithfully proclaim their faith to all who ask about Jesus. But this instruction from God is only a continuation of the rest of our lives of faith. Each of us are called by Jesus to a life of continuous learning to continue to grow in His word through regular worship—hearing His word, receiving His grace. We’re also called to show His love in our words and deeds to those He brings into our lives. Then, one day, when Jesus Christ returns as promised, He’ll find a world filled with His disciples whom He’ll joyfully bring into eternal life in His glorious kingdom.

                                                                                        In the Love of Christ,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim