Dear Sinners and Saints,

Have you ever bought yourself a gift? I remember several Christmas seasons ago. I went to the electronics store, bought the thing I wanted, wrapped it, and put it under the tree. When I opened it, I said, “Wow! Just what I always wanted!!!”  But, was that really a gift? No. It wasn’t. I bought it with money I set aside. It wasn’t given to me – it was given by me. I bring that up because, one of Paul’s most recognized passages hits on this idea.

Many have heard and recognize Paul’s passage in Romans describing the difference between purchase and gift. He writes, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)” A wage is something we earn. I worked to earn the money I set aside for that Christmas “gift”. I earned it. Paul also writes, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)” So, we’ve all earned the wages of sin – death. But, God, in His infinite mercy, despite what we’ve earned, gives each of us a true gift – the opposite of death! He gives us eternal life. Free of cost to us. It’s there for the taking. All we need to do is pick it up, open it, take it, and use it. Forgiveness.

Actually, this gift might be free to us; but there’s, “No such thing as a free lunch.” Somebody paid for our gift. Jesus Christ, paid the price for the gift of our forgiveness and eternal life by dying on the Cross. Free to us – yes. But, not free. God, in His love, gives this gift to all who believe in Jesus. 

And He desires for us to pick this gift up and use it. He desires that we forgive as we’ve been forgiven. Showing the love of God for us to others, so they might also accept the gift purchased for us by Jesus’ precious blood and join us in eternal life.

                                                                                        Your Fellow Sinner and Saint,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

CREDIT: rawpixel.com

Dear Children of God,

When I’m injured, I often believe, “Time heals all things.” Time and some Tylenol. Eventually, I’ve had enough. I go to the doctor. They diagnose my stupidity, “I can heal you but …” It’s that “but” that I hate. However, in the end, the doctor gives me the treatment – a procedure, therapy, hard work. It would’ve been easier if I would’ve just gone to get my “medicine” earlier, before time made it worse.

Hosea was God’s messenger to Israel – long after the glory days of King David – when God’s people felt pretty crummy. Why? Injuries caused by their sin. They thought “time” and their efforts would heal themselves. Bad choice! Hosea reveals they are “Torn … struck down.” (Hosea 6:1) They think bringing God offerings will get Him to heal them, to bind them up. But God can see through their attempts to buy His mercy saying, “I desire steadfast love not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6)

God tells Israel what they need to do to be healed through words from His mouth to His prophet’s ears. (Hosea 6:5) But Israel won’t hear it. They want their injuries to go away, but they aren’t willing to address the cause – their sin! They think the “Tylenol” of their sacrifices is enough. What they need is surgery … surgery they ignore hoping time and their own efforts will bring healing.

The pain our sin causes comes about because of our choices, not God’s. He clearly warns us of the consequences of sin. However, He also holds the cure out to us – faith in the healing power found in His Word, His mercy, His steadfast love for us. As the Spirit leads us to the knowledge of God’s love and mercy through the words of His mouth, God stands ready to heal us and bind us up. Let’s take His forgiveness! Then, healed by His Word, respond by steadfastly loving Him and our neighbors as He calls us to do. That’s how we return to the Lord.

                                                                                                In God’s Steadfast Love,

                                                                                                Pastor  Jim 

Dear Children of God,

Words matter! How many times a day do you hear the word “God” thrown around? It gets used a lot. For most, unfortunately, it’s lost its meaning. Because “God” should never be used lightly. After all, how would you like it if your name were used as a routine exclamation, “Oh my Jim, that cake was amazing!”

For many the word “God” symbolizes a “divine” they believe in. But even then, “God” gets used lightly. We swear to “God,” pray to “God,” and believe in “God.” And that sounds good, but what do we really mean when we use the word “God?” The answer has eternal impacts.

God wants us to use it properly. So, He tells us, “The Lord is one;” (Deuteronomy 6:4); “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3); “(Baptize) them in the name of the Father … the Son … the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19); and Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3,14 also tell us the Father, Son (the Word made flesh), and Spirit were present at creation. Digging into God’s Word, God tells us He is one God and He is three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

So, when someone says, “I believe in God,” ask, “What do you mean by ‘God’?” If they answer, “The Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” they might understand who God really is. But, if they deny Jesus … or the Holy Spirit … or the Father … is God, they aren’t talking about the true God found in Holy Scriptures. Or, if they deny the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate persons of God indicating God was first the Father, then appeared as the Son, and finally returned as the Spirit they aren’t talking about the one true God either. 

The one true God is three persons and one God – the Holy Trinity – confessed in the Creeds. It’s an unexplainable mystery. All other “god’s” are idols created by people who fail to ask the right question or understand the answer. Words matter!

                                                                                        In the Triune God’s Name,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Easter People,

Name the four biggest days of the church year. I’ll give you a moment … 

I’m sure you thought of Christmas and Easter. Perhaps you thought of Pentecost. How about Ascension? Ascension is the day Jesus returned to His Father in heaven. It’s among the church year’s most important days because we celebrate Jesus going ahead to prepare a place for us to live forever and His gift to us of the Holy Spirit (John 14:1-3, 26).

Jesus departed physically, but it didn’t mean He has disappeared from our lives. In fact, immediately after ascending, His disciples went to the Temple to be with Him (Luke 24:50-53). They prayed for His guidance in selecting a new Apostle (Acts 1:24-25). They prayed to Him as they organized their new community of believers (Acts 2:42). They prayed for His help as they proclaimed His gospel to others (Acts 4:29-30). Whenever they needed to hear from Jesus – they prayed, and He answered them. What’s more, Jesus continually spoke to His disciples as they recounted His gospel to everyone they came in contact with. Jesus was never far away from His faithful people then …

Nor is He far from us today. Through the Spirit, received in Baptism we believe Jesus and His promises. Through the Spirit, whenever you open His word and read it, or hear it spoken, you know Jesus is right there with you – speaking to you in those words. Whenever you open your heart and lips in prayer, He is near to you – speaking to you through His answers. Whenever you come to worship, He is present in His Word and in His Sacrament of Holy Communion. He is never far from you. And one day, He promises to return. When He comes back, He will return to judge all the living and the dead. Then He will bring all who believe in Him back to His Kingdom to dwell in the places He has prepared for us. Jesus is never far from us. He’s here right now.

                                                                                        In Our Risen and Ascended Savior’s Love,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Easter People,

Happy Mother’s Day! We all have one thing in common – we have a mother. As I ask God to bless and keep all our mothers – the ones who bore us, the ones who cared for us, the ones who love us, I know not everyone’s “mother experience” is the same. No matter who you consider to be your mom, I hope you appreciate their help – their teaching, their comforting, their encouraging, their presence along the way. In these and many other ways, our moms have helped us get to where we are today.

I understand our experiences with our own mothers are all different – and for me personally, I’m more thankful than you can imagine for the help and support mine has given me throughout my life. But as much as I know she helped me in my life, there’s another who has helped me … who has helped all of us … even more. God tells us He won’t leave us alone, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) He gives us another Helper, the Holy Spirit to be with us forever; to dwell within us all the days of our lives (John 14:16-17).

It is this gift of the Spirit that enables us to live as God’s own children, His sons and daughters. The Holy Spirit, given in baptism, takes up residence in our hearts. He helps us to live our lives in accord with God’s Commandments, loving Him and loving our neighbors – the people we like – who look, act, and agree with us, as well as the people we don’t like – who don’t look, act, or agree with us. Keeping the Commandments perfectly is impossible. But that’s where the Spirit helps us most. He helps us see how we fail to keep God’s commandments. He helps us turn back to God to ask for His forgiveness – which He gives. Then He helps us continue on, loving better than we ever could without Him. It’s the exact help we all truly need.

                            ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!

                                                                         Pastor Jim

Dear Easter People,

Alleluia! Christ is risen! 

There’s great wisdom in a piece entitled All I Really Need to Know … I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. The top of the list – “Share Everything.” Pretty simple advice, but when you think about, most of the conflict we see in the world today starts with – not sharing. Seriously! Think about it! The wars raging in the world today are primarily because one side refuses to share with the other side and the other side is fighting back because the one side also isn’t willing to share. Both sides want everything and neither is willing to give in until they have it. How different would it be if we learned to share?!

The Book of Acts, Chapter 2:42-47, shows a group of people who came together over the idea of “share everything” as they worshipped Jesus Christ – who shared everything by dying on the cross to enable forgiveness of sins and give eternal life. “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.” (Acts 2:46-47a) In sharing what they had with each other, giving to others what they lacked; they were a witness to the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the change His resurrection brought to their lives. People who saw this transformation were in awe of them and the wonders and signs they did through their grace-filled, sharing with not only each other, but with those they encountered. The result? “The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47b)

God has blessed us with an incredible set of gifts to be shared with others – the gift of faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s share that gospel with others in words and acts that show we too have been transformed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That the Lord will add to our number those who are being saved.

                                                                                                He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

                                                                                                Pastor Jim

Dear Easter People,

Alleluia! Christ is risen! 

I’ve never met anybody who willingly undergoes “the knife.” But sometimes “the knife” is necessary. So, in order to correct a serious condition, people have surgery. And when it’s over many say, “Why didn’t I do that sooner?” The surgery might leave a scar. It might leave some residual pain. But it also brings healing and relief from pain – correcting whatever condition might have existed.

While surgery can bring about healing, eventually, due to the nature of life in a sin-filled world, our bodies will fail … leading to death and a more painful condition … eternal separation from God our Father – eternal death.

Peter stood before the house of Israel one day to bring the healing knife of God’s Word to Israel’s ears saying, “‘Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made (Jesus) both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified!’ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter … ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:36-37)

God’s Word, spoken in sharp truth, cut through their sinful hearts like a razor-sharp scalpel, revealing to them their dire condition. It caused them to see they were helpless, on their own, to do anything about it. But Peter followed the sharp word of the law with the comforting, healing goodness of the gospel … “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. (Acts 2:38)” And that day, over 3000 people were saved from the eternal effects of sin and death.

We too hear God’s Word. We hear the cutting news of the law. It convicts us of our sins. We see our need for the healing word of God’s gospel. Then, as we confess our sins, our God and Father, on account of His Son, Jesus Christ, cuts them away with His forgiveness. As we say, “Why didn’t I do that sooner?” He restores us to full health and eternal life.

                                                                                        He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

                                                                                        Pastor Jim