Martha, Martha -- an example for us

I generally don't pay attention to all the minor feast days in the Christian calendar.  It's traditional within the church to designate certain days to remember people of faith from our past.  Persons who died martyr's deaths are typically remembered on the day of their deaths -- the day they went on to be with the Lord in glory.  Others simply have dates assigned by tradition.  We aren't the type to pray to persons from the past; we rely on the LORD God alone.  But we do recognize the lives of trust that our predecessors lived and we desire to emulate their confidence in Jesus.  Scripture urges us to ponder how they lived by faith (cf. Hebrews 11).  "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2).

July 29 is the traditional day for remembering Martha of Bethany, sister of Mary and Lazarus, dear friend of Jesus.  We would do well to think about Martha's example as a believer.

I'm afraid what most of us remember about Martha -- and usually with disapproval -- is how she raced about in the kitchen when Jesus came to visit, and was frustrated that her sister wasn't helping her.  Luke 10:38-42:

Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Don't be too judgmental of Martha.  Jesus wasn't.  His words to her were a warm encouragement, not a stern rebuke.  Martha loved Jesus dearly and opened her home to him.  Who of you would not try to put your best meal on the table if Jesus came to visit?  So often so many of us need the reassurance of Jesus -- that we can quit all our racing around and just sit with him and listen to his message of hope.  We don't have to be the perfect accomplishers of all of life's little tasks.  We have a Savior who just wants us to be with him.

We would do well to remember another conversation between Martha and Jesus.  Martha's brother Lazarus became very ill and died ... and Jesus had not hurried to go to his friends when Lazarus was ill.  He came to Bethany finally after Lazarus had been in the grave for four days.  The evangelist John tells what transpired (John 11:20-27):

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him ....

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus demonstrated his grace and his almighty power that day, summoning the wrapped corpse of Lazarus out of his tomb and back to life.

  

Martha demonstrated the rock-solid faith of a disciple of Jesus that day, not afraid to question her Lord in prayer (conversation) with him, and also firmly convinced of the reality of his gospel.  Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who came into the world to give us resurrection and life.

Martha knew that about Jesus.  We know that about Jesus.  

Through Jesus "you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God" (1 Peter 1:21).

Image by Johannes Vermeer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

Tumbleweeds

During these summer weeks, The Electric Gospel is featuring items written by participants in the summer 2014 Devotional Writing workshop.  This week, Jenni Mickelson uses an illustration from nature to show our wandering tendencies -- and our need for rootedness in Christ.

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Blowing in the Wind

by Jenni Mickelson

John 15:5-6 – “‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.’”

If you find yourself on a flat slab of barren land in the western United States, you will most likely come face-to-face with the local drifter: the tumbleweed. Tumbleweed is a plant that finds its home in areas where the ground is either weathered by the natural elements or cultivated by farmers. Once the growing season passes and the tumbleweed shrivels up, though, the wind can easily pluck it out of the soil and blow it around aimlessly in the remote plains and deserts. The tumbleweed also carries with it thousands of seeds that spread about the land and will later foster a new crop of menacing weeds.

Tumbleweed, in its dry, lifeless state, is useless. It only moves, with no anchor to keep it positioned in the ground where it belongs.

We sinners are in danger of drifting like tumbleweed, alone and without purpose. Lost dreams, wrongdoings, and hardships leave us parched and cast our minds into hopeless wandering. We blow in the wind, with no root system to keep us steady, when we forsake God’s will and instead succumb to the enticing but fleeting temptations of this world, the devil, and our flesh. We foster sin’s weeds and put others at risk of flying away when we live our lives in this way. 

God does not want us to roam in this manner. He yearns for us to remain secure in him. It was for this loving reason that he sent his Son Jesus into the world. Jesus brought us back to God through his perfect life, innocent death, and glorious resurrection. Thus he is and forever will be our vine, our root, to keep us firmly grounded in the Lord. When we rely solely on Christ’s redeeming love and sacrifice for our salvation, and not on ourselves, we are no longer tumbleweed but rather the sturdy branches of God’s vine, nourished and strengthened by faith.

Tumbleweed – it blows around with seemingly no purpose but simultaneously gives off the impression that it is desperately searching for something out there in the world. How grateful we can be to Jesus for giving us a purpose to live for – him!

Prayer:

Jesus, forgive me for all of the times that I forget about being rooted in you and instead turn to the unstable pleasures of this world. Plant me firmly in you and nurture me once again with the news of your everlasting love through your life, death, and resurrection. Guide me in being your witness to others rather than being the cause of their drifting away from you. Amen.

God's guidance when life hurts

During these summer weeks, The Electric Gospel is featuring items written by participants in the summer 2014 Devotional Writing workshop.  This time, Ben Bain offers us a very personal story about how the Lord worked on his faith during a particularly painful time in his life.

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Shaped by the Potter’s Hands

by Benjamin Bain

“You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:8).

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As a sophomore in college, I came home for Christmas break to a surprise.  It wasn’t a good surprise, unfortunately.  When I got home, my dad wasn’t there.  My mom told me he had moved out. They were separated and trying to work things out.  I was shocked and confused.  How had this happened?  Why am I finding out now?  Talk about a “merry” Christmas! 

I told my parents I would drop out of school so we could work this out as a family.  Both said I shouldn’t do that.  They told me it was their problem to deal with, not mine.  So I went back to school.

At school, I dug into God’s Word to learn what God said about divorce, the roles of husbands and wives, and blessings of marriage.  I prayed that God would bring healing and reconciliation for my parents, so that my family could be whole again.  Friends offered me encouragement and prayed for my family and me.

As painful as my parents’ separation and eventual divorce was, God used it to draw me closer to him.  I sought God’s wisdom in his Word.  My faith was strengthened.  My knowledge of God’s Word grew.  My understanding of Jesus’ love for me and all of his children blossomed.  I knew Jesus forgave my parents for their sins.  I knew Jesus forgave me for the pain I caused my parents and brothers.  I trusted Jesus could bring healing to all of the relationships in my family, but I also understood what Jesus meant when he said, “For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother” (Matthew 10:35).   I follow Jesus, even if no one else in my family does.

God uses many kinds of events in our lives to shape us into the people we are today.  And each of us is uniquely formed from the particular experiences of our lives.  And he blesses us with roles to play in his kingdom, distinctively suited to who we are.

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Prayer:

Loving Father in heaven, you have guided our lives, molding us lovingly into vessels for your good work.  Forgive us when we have tried to force ourselves to become something out of line with your plan.  Continue molding our lives as you see best.  We trust you fully.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Check out posts you might have missed

The Electric Gospel in its present format is four months old today.  So far the blog is averaging a couple hundred page views per month; hopefully that will increase as readers share links to the blog and more sign on as followers.

I thought I'd report today on the most-viewed devotional messages so far, as well as highlighting some other past posts.  Maybe you'll notice something you missed that you might like to read.

The "top ten" viewed pages (March thru June) are:

1. "Are You a Perfectionist?" by Kathy Kolell
2.  "An Invitation to Church" by Candace Hoefert
3. "When Words Fail" by Gina Grove
4. "I Will Respect You" (author's name withheld by request)
5. "From Darkness to Light"  (author's name withheld by request)
6. "Free to Be Faithful" by Kaylee Messman
7. "The Importance of Holy Communion" by Jared Natsis
8. "The Spirit Works through our Words" by Andy Westra
9. "Served by Jesus, We are Servants" by Deyi Shi
10. "Forgiveness" by Brooke King

There are other posts you might want to check out beyond those ten.  For instance ...

• "A Letter to My Sister"  (author's name withheld by request)
• "On the Life of a Christian" by Danica Scharlemann
• "The Symbols of Holy Week" by Jennifer Birr

You can also click on the month-by-month links to the archives.  (For instance, there are new messages by Dawn Schulz and Justin Slominsky in the July files.)

If you find something you like, share it with friends.  Encourage folks to sign up as followers of the blog.  And if you have something you're writing which you'd like considered for posting on The Electric Gospel, send it my way!

- David Sellnow

Encouragement to Bible study

During these summer weeks, The Electric Gospel is featuring spiritual pieces written by participants in the summer 2014 online workshop on Devotional Writing.  

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Is your church offering Bible class opportunities this weekend--or at other times, in other groups, during the week?  Justin Slominsky urges your attendance at these rich spiritual meals.

Meet you at the potluck!

by Justin Slominsky

Cheesy potatoes, oriental coleslaw, Jell-O fluff, baked beans and bacon, taco dip, cheese and sausage, spaghetti and meatballs, mac and cheese, broccoli salad, hot dish, desserts, more hot dish, desserts, desserts, desserts and desserts!

I haven’t been a Lutheran as long as most Lutherans. I do however enjoy and look forward to our many opportunities for Lutheran potluck.  Food is good for us.  Food makes us happy. Food provides much needed fuel and energy. Food is satisfying.

The same can be said for God’s food—in an even more vital way.  More urgently than the way we feed our mouths, we want to be consuming a spiritual diet that feeds our hearts and minds.  The Bible speaks directly to our spiritual diet: 

• Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” – Luke 4:4
• All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. - 2 Timothy 3:16
• My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. – Proverbs 3:1-2
• Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. – 1 Peter 2:2

We have great choices and selection.  All of God’s Word is useful, relevant and practical.  For each week’s Bible class session, our pastors pick especially pertinent and interesting topics. We have great pastors who diligently prepare, who are trained in the original languages and are committed to preserving the Word in all purity without intimidating those not as well-versed in the Bible.  We have great lay leaders who, with the help of the pastors and the Holy Spirit, joyfully and zealously share their time and talent with others in small group studies.  We have great members who participate with challenging and mature questions—members who are engaged and create solid conversation for growth. These members are graciously willing to share.  

Jesus died for each one of us. We did nothing.  He nourishes us.   Regular Bible study renews, edifies, and prepares us to live out our faith joyously and share with others eagerly.  “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63).

A significant number of church members are making use of the many Bible study opportunities available to them.  If you are not taking deeper bites into God’s Word through Bible study with your fellow worshipers, please prayerfully consider one of the buffet of choices offered through your church.  Please join in the “potluck” of God’s Word.

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, motivate us by the good news of Jesus and lead us to be present at your potluck of wisdom and knowledge through the study of your Word.  Fill us with your Word that it might nourish us and aid us in our lives of service as we honor and glorify you daily with our lives, in Jesus.  Amen.

Jesus quenches our thirst

During these summer weeks, The Electric Gospel is featuring spiritual pieces written by participants in the summer 2014 online workshop on Devotional Writing.  

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If anyone thirsts?  Something to consider…

by Dawn Schulz

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’”   (John 7:37-38).

“The great day” was during the Feast of Tabernacles.  During this festival the Israelites were required to live in tents for seven days in remembrance of 40 years wandering through the desert.  On the last day they gathered as a sacred assembly to present an offering of fire to the Lord (Lev. 23:36).  Over the years one particular ceremony had become tradition during this festival.  Each day, at the time of the morning sacrifice, a priest led a procession to draw water out of the Pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher.  After drawing the water he returned to a temple filled with worshipers.  During his ascent to the altar they sang the words from Isaiah 12:3, “With joy you shall draw water from the wells of salvation.”  Trumpets blasted as the priest spilled the water and drink offering onto the altar.  This last and greatest day served to commemorate God’s miracle of water to the thirsty Israelites at Meribah (Exodus 17). [1]

It was at this point that Jesus stood and called, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”   In contrast to a ceremony reminding the people of how God satisfied their greatest physical need, Jesus offered himself as satisfaction for their greatest spiritual need.   It must have momentarily stopped the service as every head turned in unison to find the source of this bold claim.  John records that there had been much controversy among the Jews at the festival as to who Jesus was (John 7:12-31).  Now, at the climax of the celebration, Jesus answered their questions by standing to say, in no uncertain terms, that he was the Christ whose sacrifice would fully atone for sin.  Jesus ended all discussion with this announcement.  For those at the sacred assembly the only thing left to consider was if what Jesus said was meant for them. 

The question remains for consideration still today.  “If anyone thirsts…”   For some, this question is a challenge and the answer is “No”.  They are too busy running children to activities, caring for elderly parents or pursuing professional goals to even take notice of their condition.  Others live a comfortable lifestyle enjoying the pleasures that come with it and don’t see a need for what Jesus has to offer.  Some might recognize the need, but feel they are quite capable of taking care of it on their own.  There are also those gathered in the “sacred assembly” who come, but don’t drink.   They continue to thirst because they sip on fellowship, meetings and programs, but don’t let Jesus fill them.

The unfortunate truth is that all of them are thirsty.  Like the golden pitcher they find themselves empty day after day.  Repeatedly poured out into distractions, laziness and pride they return to things that do not satisfy their thirst.  Jesus’ offer is meant for them because only he can satisfy.  But they don’t see it or want it.  Sadly, their unquenched thirst will lead to death.

But for those who are aware of their thirst, the words of Jesus are an invitation.  Too long they have wandered in the desert of guilt and shame.  They are sorry for choices that left Jesus out of their life and long for forgiveness.  They know they’ve wasted his gifts and blessings on selfish living.  They crave peace knowing their attempts to earn God’s favor in the past have failed. To them this invitation to “come and drink” is a gift that gives pardon for sins, peace with God, and life eternal.   They drink deeply knowing that “streams of living water will flow from within them.”  To the thirsty, Jesus’ offer of himself is a gift received in humble thanks by those knowing they would be spiritually dead without it.

Jesus' disturbance at the Feast of Tabernacles was intentional.  He wanted everyone would to know exactly who he was.  The way he addressed the crowd was also intentional.  He wanted everyone to know why he came.  We have this account written in the Bible so that we intentionally consider our need.   “If anyone thirsts…”   He came for those who recognize their helpless condition so he can simply invite them “to come to him and drink.”   In Jesus, God has provided for our greatest spiritual need.

Prayer:  Dear heavenly Father, you’ve told me in your word that only Jesus quenches thirst.  So many things offer to do that, but they fail.  Forgive me for pursuing them.  I am thirsty.  I thirst for the forgiveness and grace that is only possible through Jesus.  Thank you for his sacrifice and the life that it has given me.  Continue to nourish my soul by the Holy Spirit through word and sacrament.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen. 

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[1] R.C.H. Lenski, Interpretation of John’s Gospel 1-10,  p. 574-575.

A message on the 4th of July

If you happen to read this on the 4th, I hope you're having an enjoyable holiday.

I thought I'd post something nation-related today as a bonus blog post for this week.  The following is abridged and adapted from a sermon I once delivered.

- David Sellnow

The Electric Gospel

Speak to Your Nation's Soul

The country in which we live has its share of problems -- problems of crime, of corruption, of callousness.  In every direction, from drug abuse to abuse of power, from security threats at airports to random shootings at schools, we are a nation in need of more decency and order, more right and less wrong, more truth and less media spin.  But we won't bring about a more God-fearing populace by passing new laws.  We won't remedy human problems by authorizing more funding for education or social programs.  We won't be redeemed by a change of administrations in the government.  Whatever happens in our national politics and elections, we can be quite certain that the day after any votes are counted, we still will have our work cut out for us as people who speak for God in this world.  "In these last days" (Hebrews 1:2), we are called to speak the word of Christ in whatever nation where we live.  And our nation -- like nations all through history -- is full of people who need that message spoken.  

The prophet Ezekiel serves as an example for us.  The LORD God said to Ezekiel:  

"I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them" (Ezekiel 2:3-5).

The nation in which we live and speak for the LORD is not much different than the nation in which Ezekiel prophesied.  We Americans likewise are proud. We are stubborn.  Our biggest weakness often is the very thing that made this nation strong -- we are so fiercely independent.  That independent streak goes beyond national pride.  Our independent streak becomes a strong will set against the will of God.  "I am independent and self-sufficient," we say.  "I can do what I want to do, have what I want to have."  It's not just other Americans who take such an attitude.  You and I are cut from the same stubborn cloth.  Every one of us is instinctively rebellious and obstinate, resistant to the words of God.  We all share the same human problem.  We bristle and balk at whatever God commands.  Our souls (all human souls) are naturally in a state of revolt against God.

But while human hearts naturally don't want to listen to God, the only way to redeem human hearts is by the words that God speaks.  So we keep speaking -- whether others listen or fail to listen.  And we keep praying that the Spirit will do his work -- one by one, convincing one soul at a time, just as he has convicted us with God's law and convinced us with hope in the good news of Jesus.  The word of Christ has spoken to our hearts ... and we will speak those same words to our neighbors.  "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Luke 6:45).

God's help in our weakness

Starting this week (and for several weeks to follow), The Electric Gospel will feature spiritual pieces written by participants in this summer's online workshop on Devotional Writing.  

This week's message comes from Gina Grove.  Gina has members of her family diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, "the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease, [which] causes a progressive decline in mental abilities. ... In Lewy body dementia, protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in regions of your brain involved in thinking, memory and movement [motor control]" (MayoClinic.org).  If you'd like to offer well-wishes or prayers on behalf of Gina and her family, do so by posting a comment in reply to the devotion.  (If you're on the page for just this blog post, comment box should appear at the bottom.  If you are viewing the website main page showing all recent devotions, at the bottom of the devotion, click on the link that shows number of comments so far; that will take you to the spot for adding your comment.)

Gina's devotion is written for persons in early stages of dementia as they look ahead at the struggles to come in their mental lives.

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When Words Fail

by Gina Grove

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26 (NIV) 

Word salad. For someone who’s munched on salad most of my life, this is one I wouldn’t willingly order.   Imagine a conversation where each word is a stand-alone piece of lettuce, a hunk of celery, a random cherry tomato. All the pieces are there, but they are tossed and disconnected.

I’ve been told that this is something to expect with my dementia.  I’ll know what I want to say, but my brain will scramble the words and syllables.  A confused offering of sounds with no apparent meaning will come out of my mouth.  

It’s terrifying to think I won’t be able to articulate what I want someone to know. “I love you.” “I wish you could stay longer.” “I miss my sisters so much.”    Or that my simple requests will go unheeded: “I need a sweater.” “I’m thirsty.” “The TV is really loud.”     My failing mind will send failed messages to my lips.   

Loving family members and caring providers will do their best to pick through the pieces of my salad to find meaning.  I hope I won’t realize they can’t understand me.  Will their non-specific responses of “Mm, hm” and “Really” be  enough for me to feel heard and understood?

So who am I if I can’t speak?  Who am I if I can’t express my thoughts and feelings?  I am still a child of I AM--the God who is and was and is to come.  I am a child of the eternal Father, who loved me enough to send Jesus to cry out on my behalf.  When I can no longer speak here on earth, my Savior will continue to plead my case before my Father in heaven. “We have Jesus Christ, who has God's full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father. I John 2:1 (GOD'S WORD® Translation)

God has spoken and, by the cross of Christ, I am forgiven.  He has promised that this season of confusion is temporary.  As horribly scary and frustrating things may become, Jesus has promised that one day I will stand before his throne in heaven, singing loudly and clearly with the angels.  My days of word salad will be transformed into the most beautiful songs of praise: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive . . . honor and glory and praise!"  Rev. 5:12 (NIV)

Dear Lord, until I get to heaven and sing clear songs of praise to you, comfort my spirit, calm my fearful heart, and keep me close to you.  Amen.

Christian Life

In the history of the Christian church, theological writers often have titled their works in this straightforward fashion:

·        On the Incarnation  (Athanasius of Alexandria)

·         On the Trinity  (Hilary of Poitiers)

·         On the Freedom of the Christian  (Martin Luther)

This week's blog post takes up an assignment such as that -- "on the life of a Christian."

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On the Life of a Christian

by Danica Scharlemann

           There are two kinds of people in the world: those who recognize and accept Christ as their Savior from sin and those who reject Christ and his works of grace.  While members of the later grouping have no permanent hope on which to drive their lives, Christians have every reason to hope and live in joy, for they are compelled by the undying love of Christ.

            The life of Christians begins as the lives of the whole world—drowning in a pool of original sin. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).  It was for this reason, moved by his love, that our heavenly Father gave up his only Son as a lamb without blemish to be sacrificed on our behalf.  And so Christ Jesus made in the flesh, yet being in the same nature God, made his dwelling among us and lived a life of perfection under the law of God and of man.  His perfect life only led to his suffering and crucifixion.  On the cross, Christ bore the punishment of hell for the sins of the entire world.  In doing so, our lives were redeemed and salvation was won. This is how the lives of the world were restored from their damning state.

Now we are precious children of our heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to create fruits of faith. It is this faith that determines our salvation.  We are members of God’s elect--those to whom he has graciously promised eternal life to through the works of the Father, Son, and Spirit.  It is not by our works, but by his works that we are granted life everlasting. This is the hope by which we live.

This hope is what defines the underlying confidence behind the life of a Christian. We walk through life, not as if our actions are meaningless and forgiveness is futile, but bearing the sign of Christ. “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14). It is not the old self of sin that thrives in us, but the new self in Christ, which strives to live in love and joy in every circumstance. We do not simply accept our salvation and become contented in our every action, for it is written, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17).  Christians do not act in attempt to win their own salvation, for it is not their works that assure them of heaven.  Instead it is God and God alone who is capable of bringing us to heaven.  As Paul stated, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).  Our good works are surely not to be attributed to our own powers, but instead to God we give all glory.  Yet our sinful deeds are still of our own doing, and we still do sinful deeds in our lives now.  It is not until we reach our heavenly home that we will live in the totality of righteousness and holiness that only Christ attains.

Although Christians live with the confidence of salvation, they strive to live in the way of Christ, taking on the nature of a servant. We spend our days being models of Christ, showing through our own actions the wonders of our God.  Again, it is only through the Spirit that faith is found, but we work as instruments of the Spirit to spread the love of Christ to the world.  For who, with such wonderful knowledge of love and joy, would be able to keep from telling the world?  This is the joy, the confidence, and the love behind the life of a Christian: Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Encouraging one another in worship

In my religion classes this past year, I showed students a letter from a church that aimed at improving church attendance.  But that letter (used in an actual congregation) did so in an exceedingly harsh and judgmental way.  I asked students to critique that letter or write a replacement letter.  Candace Hoefert wrote a letter with a wonderfully gentle and encouraging spirit.  I urge you to read it ... and to attend worship this weekend!  :-)

The Electric Gospel

An invitation to church

by Candace Hoefert

Dear members of the church, called to be faithful to the Lord,

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

Isn’t that joyous news? God has forgiven us of our sins through his Son Jesus! This is something we want to share to one another and remind each other daily. Unfortunately we don’t have somewhere we can get together every single day to remind ourselves of this joyous news, but we do have somewhere we can gather at least once a week to praise our Lord for this gift he has given to all of us!

I know, you think that I’m here to preach to you about how you should attend church every Sunday and it is a sin to not be in church … but that’s not why I’m writing you this.  It is not for me to question someone’s faith based solely on their church attendance.  There are some circumstances that don’t allow for regular attendance and no one should automatically assume that because someone isn’t in church it’s because they don’t believe Christ’s word.  But the benefit of having a close community with your church is immeasurable – a family of believers who all look out for one another in love, strengthening and supporting each other in their faith and building each other up. These are things that are hard to find on your own outside the church. I encourage everyone to attend church because of that sense of family, the sense of belonging.  Christ promised us, “Where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them” (Matthew 18:20).  The opportunity to worship together with other believers surrounded by God is an incalculable sense of comfort.

You never know who in your congregation may need your faith and your smile to help them have a better day, to perhaps strengthen them in their own faith. The lives that I could change by sharing my faith among a community of believers is of great motivation to me. You don’t have to be a minister in order to be a worker of the gospel. Christ gave the command to all of us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15).  This wasn’t just for your pastors or teachers, but the whole nation of believers, for me and for you.

Therefore I urge you in the brotherly love of our Savior to come and share your faith with one another in the Word. You have something to offer that no one else does, your own faith and your person and your unique experiences with God’s love in your life.  Rejoice with those who will joyfully say to you, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).

Thoughts on the day of Pentecost

Pentecost was an Old Testament festival -- a time at which worshipers would gather in Jerusalem.  The Lord used that occasion (fifty days after Passover and the death and resurrection of Jesus) to give birth to his New Testament church.  Miracles attested to the significance of the message the apostles were given to speak on that day ... but the message of Jesus was (and always is) the central thing.  Calling attention to Jesus is what the Spirit of God does.

In the church today, people sometimes get confused about the role played by the Holy Spirit.  The following message ponders the Spirit's work.

A Message, Not a Mumble[1]

[Jesus said to his disciples]: “Now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’  Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.  But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:  about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” 

John 16:5-15

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When I was pastoring a congregation in West Texas, one day a young woman called our church. She was confused and searching in her religion; someone had told her Lutherans were reliable in that regard. She was 20 years old, and grew up experiencing Pentecostal-style worship. As she became an adult, she became skeptical and uneasy about much of what went on in her congregation.

She said, “When the old men in the church get the spirit and start running around all wild, it scares me.” She was scared, too, by the preaching, which was mostly about judgment day, the rapture, and how you’d better be ready. But she wasn’t sure if she was ready or even how to be ready. It was supposedly a Spirit-filled church, but her spirit was spooked.

In our church, we’ve never experienced any of our old men--or young men or mothers or daughters, for that matter — hooting and hopping and running around the chapel all filled with a spirit. In many years of worship services, I don’t know of one where anyone stood up and spoke in tongues. So, does that mean we don’t have the Spirit — if we don’t babble in tongues or fall down slain or quake uncontrollably or burst into spontaneous laughter? Did the Spirit bypass us? Are those outward signs the best expression of what the Spirit does?

Some would say so. A flyer from a United Pentecostal Church says that after you determine to turn away from sin and after you decide to give yourself to Jesus, step three of God’s salvation plan is that you “receive the Holy Spirit baptism, evidenced by tongues,” because “tongues is the initial evidence of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

But is that true? Is that always the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence?  Sure, he has given that gift on certain specific occasions for certain special reasons. At the birth of the church in the New Testament, on the day of Pentecost, he gave his apostles the power to communicate in other languages so they could better spread Christ’s message (Acts 2:1-12).  On occasion he used the gift of tongues as a way to verify that Gentiles were to be as much a part of his kingdom as were Jews (Acts 10:44-46, 11:15-18). But God never decreed as a general rule that tongue-speaking would be the mark of his church in every place or forever. In fact, the apostle Paul went on record saying, “Where there are tongues, they will be stilled” (1 Corinthians 13:8). In that section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul described tongue-speaking as an aspect of the childhood stage of the church (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:11). It was no longer useful or necessary after the apostles’ time when the full Word of God was completed.

So now, let’s ask again: What is the real work of the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Ghost do? Who has the gift of the Spirit and who doesn’t? 

Pentecost by El Greco  (ca. 1596)

Jesus answered those questions when he promised that the Spirit would come. He said that when the Holy Spirit comes, he comes to convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8).  He proves the world to be wrong in its views about sin, the way the world endorses sin and excuses sin and encourages sin.  He convicts individuals’ hearts with the message of God’s law.  He brings us to our knees in repentance.  And the Spirit also convicts or convinces the world in regard to righteousness and judgment.  He shows that all righteousness is in Jesus Christ, who is the ONLY way to the Father, who goes to the Father himself and is the one way and truth and life for us to come to God.  And the Spirit convinces the world that there is a day of judgment coming.  For, as the apostle Paul said when preaching to a pagan audience in the city of Athens, God “has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed (Jesus). He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

So that’s what the Holy Spirit is all about—showing us the truth, convincing us we are sinners, revealing the only real way of righteousness, and announcing inescapable judgment on all who would believe otherwise. 

A lot of people within Christianity think that repenting of sin and believing in Jesus are things you need to do yourself.  That’s not the case.  The Spirit of God is the one who brings you to faith as the chief work that he does.  He causes you to repent of sin and creates within you a trusting attitude, a reliance on Jesus and his love.

Everything the Spirit says and does is to direct attention to Jesus. According to Jesus, the Spirit “will not speak on his own… He will bring glory to me by taking from me what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine” (John 16:13-15).

The Spirit isn’t into self-promotion. The Spirit doesn’t pump his own image or push his own agenda. The Spirit is one with the Father and the Son, and the message of the Father and the Son is the message that he shares. A so-called “Spirit-filled” church that isn’t pointing you strongly to Jesus isn’t really all that Spirit-filled.  That young woman in West Texas needed the Spirit’s comfort in Jesus most of all – and that’s what the Spirit really is all about.  The Spirit “brings glory to me,” Jesus said. He takes the message of Jesus and makes it known to you. He takes the Word of the Father and reveals it to you. The Spirit isn’t campaigning for his own election as the most important member of the Trinity. He quietly takes the role of servant and preacher to bring glory to the Father and the Son.  The true voice of the Spirit is a message, not a mumble. It is the message of Jesus Christ as the bringer of righteousness, the Savior from sin, our advocate in the judgment.  Just because something is full of excitement and enthusiasm and ecstatic hallelujahs (or less intelligible words) doesn’t mean the Spirit of God is in it. Where the Spirit of God is, there the message of Jesus is proclaimed.

The young lady who was fearful about so-called “spirit-filled” religion decided she would leave her parents’ home and church and move to Memphis. I hope she found spiritual peace. The time we spent on the phone we talked about sin and grace, about righteousness and judgment. We talked about Jesus’ true message, about Jesus’ true comfort. Her heart was happy to hear such good news — the real good news of the gospel — not just spiritual-sounding noise.

Praise God that you heard the true voice of his Spirit, revealed to you in his Word, believed by you in your heart. If it happened quietly, in no spectacular fashion, that’s fine. You probably don’t even remember the first day you believed. But you do believe. In your heart you trust Jesus as Lord. That’s only possible when the Spirit of God is living in you.

So thank God for sending you his Spirit, and offer yourself--your lips, your words, your testimony--as an instrument for the Spirit to use in bringing faith to others. You don’t have to speak in tongues.  Simply communicate the love and truth of Jesus.

PRAYER:  

Jesus, thank you for delivering on your promise to send your Spirit to us.  We don’t look for your Spirit to come to us in flashy or spectacular ways.  What we need most is the conviction and comfort of the Spirit deep in our hearts.  Continue to bless us with your Spirit as he communicates with our hearts and minds in your holy Word, dear Jesus.  Amen.

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[1] Adapted from article by David Sellnow in Lightsource, WELS Campus Ministry (2000)  and from message aired on the Lutheran Chapel Service radio program (KNUJ radio, June 8, 2014).

Last call for devotional writers' workshop

Starting next week, I'll be leading an online workshop for spiritual writers.  It's a college level course (and yes, you pay college tuition costs to take the course).  But we work very hard at honing your theological acumen and writing abilities.  

If you are interested in the online course on Devotional Writing (which begins on June 9), information and registration can be accessed via this link.

The course offers 1-credit and 2-credit options (depending how much writing you wish to do) -- as an accredited college course through the Continuing Education program of Martin Luther College.

- David Sellnow