Evelyn "Blondie" Elsie (Medenwaldt) Stack

Job 19 ^{- 21} Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends,
    for the hand of God has touched me!
²² Why do you, like God, pursue me?
    Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

²³ “Oh that my words were written!
    Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
²⁴ Oh that with an iron pen and lead
    they were engraved in the rock forever!
²⁵ For I know that my Redeemer lives,
    and at the last he will stand upon the earth.^[a]
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
    yet in^[b] my flesh I shall see God,
²⁷ whom I shall see for myself,
    and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
    My heart faints within me!

Revelation 2:10 - ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

John 14:1-6 - “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;^[a] believe also in me. ² 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?^[b] 3 And if 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. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.”^[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is the Gospel lesson, along with Evelyn’s confirmation verse.  Dear friends in Christ, especially Arlo, Eileen, and all other family and friends.  I hope there’s still room for me in heaven when I die.  One of the family members told me that this had often been Blondie’s prayer.  I hope there’s a room for me.  On this day, Blondie knows the answer to that question.  She has lived her life for 90 plus years, and now she is before the throne of God, in the room prepared for her since before the beginning of the world. 

I am sure, that Evelyn, just like you, and just like me, made this prayer out of a little nervousness.  I hope there’s a place in heaven for me, because I know myself, I know my own sin, I know my own guilt.  And so I hope that there really is a place in heaven for a poor miserable sinner like me.  I hope I can be forgiven, I hope I can be worthy, I hope that I have that promise of life, and life to the full.

This is even the same hope that Evelyn’s confirmation verse states, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”  Have I been faithful enough?  Have I done enough?   Is there a room in heaven for me?  Or will I be left out, will I be cast out into the outer darkness where there’s weeping and gnashing of teeth?

Where is our hope in this world of sin?  For we know it is not within ourselves.  We look even at Evelyn, and as nice, as faithful, as ornery, and as kind of a woman as she was she still had her doubts and worries.  She still wondered if she was good enough, or if she deserved that place in heaven.  And later in life, she was more forgetful about where she was and when it was.  Sin infects us all dear friends, and it looms large with doubts and questions.  Where is our hope, where do we turn?  Or are we left out?

And yet, Christ says in our text, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” “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 if 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.”  Christ answers our questions with a promise.  Yes, if you believe in me, there will be a room for you in heaven.  In faith in me, you will be brought to be with God forever in heaven. 

And so today as we gather to mourn, we also have a sure and certain answer to questions.  Today as we weep, and hurt, we know the truth, that the Way, the Truth, and the Life keeps his promises to his faithful people.  Today as we grieve, we have no doubt that for Blondie, for that sweet old lady whose teeth were always loose, who always asked if we had the horses properly put away, and who was forgetful in so many other places, that for her Christ kept his promise, and that she now has her room in heaven forever. 

We are certain of this, for Christ has died for her, he has suffered for her, he went to the cross for her, and he rose again for her.  And Christ has not forgotten Evelyn, he will not forget her, and he has brought her to be with him forever.  And the truth is dear friends, this is the promise for you as well.  There is a room in heaven for you as well.  Jesus has died for you also.  And Christ will not forget you either. 

Today we weep, and today we mourn.  It is right that we do.  And yet, “Let not your hearts be troubled,” for today, Evelyn has the crown of life.  Today she stands before the throne of God, and with her own eyes, she sees God.  And one day, when Christ returns, with her own flesh, though it be destroyed by the wears and weights of this world, she shall behold Jesus, and not another.  And we shall be there too, for there is room in heaven for you, for me, and for dear Blondie.  And Christ will bring us all to be there. 

Today Evelyn has the crown of life.  Today she is in heaven.  Today she is at peace, restored to perfection through Jesus Christ her Lord.  Through Jesus, there is room for you as well.  Praise be to God, and to Him alone be all glory!  Amen!  

Prayer Service Evelyn Stack

Philippians 1

For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, ²⁰ as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

John 10:27-29

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me,^[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

 Dear friends in Christ, To live is Christ, to die is gain.  These words are so important to us here today.  Evelyn, or “Blondie” as many called her, lived in this world for many long years.  In fact, when I first met her, she was no longer a “Blondie,” but instead was white haired and forgetful.  She was a sweet lady, who you could tell had a fun and ornery side to her.  She never could remember how old she actually was when I asked, but she knew it was 90 something. 

She had lived all those 90 something years here in this difficult and sinful world.  She got married, she raised children, she saw her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  And in those 90 something years, she lost loved ones, including her husband and brothers, and two sons, Jimmy and Bud.  She faced struggles and hardships and difficult times.  She saw the depression, wars, famines, hurt pain and loss.

She had a long and difficult 90 something years.  But through it all, Christ was with her.  To live is Christ.  That means that Jesus was with her as she faced each and every day.  Christ was with her from her baptism 96 years ago, even until this year.  He was with her as she became weaker, and more forgetful.  Jesus was with her as she remembered more about the old days of horse pulled wagons than what recent events had transpired.  Christ was with her, for to live is Christ, and that was the truth for Blondie.

And to die is gain.  Today, we here mourn, as Blondie has been taken from this world.  That old evil foe has caught up to us, and death has struck us again.  So we hurt, we cry, we mourn.  But for Blondie herself, it is all gain.  For in the life giving death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, she has gained all the glories of heaven.  She is now a fellow heir of all the gifts of Christ.  She stands before the throne of God, at peace, in comfort.  She has gained eternity apart from sin. 

Jesus tells us of that great gain in death, as he says of Blondie, and of you and me, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”  Blondie knew the voice of Christ in her life, and now she has eternal life, and will never perish.  She is with Jesus forever. 

To live is Christ, to be with him, to receive his gifts.  And so if to live is Christ, we know that it must also be that through him is great gain.  Today, Blondie has received that gift, and will never perish.  Amen. 

September Newsletter Article

Dear Friends in Christ,

On one of the last Sundays, our Epistle lesson was a great text from Ephesians 5:21 and following verses.  I preached instead on the Gospel, but still wanted to talk about the Ephesians text.  It is a text that is difficult and often misunderstood.

The text has two “commands”:  “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” and “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church.”  It is important to hear both of these words of God together, and also important to place them in context to the rest of the passage, which begins with, “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.”

This text describes the relationship between husband and wife, using it primarily as an example of Christ and the church.  Therefore, a wife submits to her husband, as she would submit to Jesus.  This does not mean that the wife must unreasonably obey commands from their husband such as “Get me a beer! And then vacuum the house again!  I’m the man around here!”

Submission to Christ means the willing reception of his love.  That is what the church does - receives Christ’s love.  Thus the submission of the wife has nothing to do with being less than the man, or being inferior, or being un equal.  Rather it has to do with being receptors of love.  Then in joyful response to the love given by the husband, she does willingly serve her husband back in love.  In trust, she places herself in the care of her husband, just as we do with Christ.

Husbands are to love their wives the same way that Christ loves the church.  Christ loved the church so much that He gave up His life for her.  He died to rescue her and to give her countless gifts, such as life and salvation.  Thus the husband’s job is to give to the wife. 

There is more to this than the normal idea of what a husband is supposed to give to his family.  Yes, a husband gives of himself to provide food and shelter to the family.  Yes, a husband should be willing to give his life in place of his bride’s – to guard and protect her.  But most importantly, he is to be the spiritual head of the family.  He gives his family the words of God as scripture teaches them.  That is why in the catechism it says, “As the head of the household should teach them in a simple way.”  Fathers are the ones who should be supervising and insisting on teaching the faith to their children.  That doesn’t mean moms shouldn’t help (they should), but dads should really be the instigators of Christian education.  To teach the faith, dads must really know their catechisms to help pass it on.

St. John’s Bible study on Thursday nights this fall will be further studying the roles of men and women in the church and go in depth further.  Please consider attending if you are interested in learning more.  Also, Adriane Dorr (an editor for the Lutheran Witness) will be speaking on this topic at the October Confessing Christ in the 21^st Century conference. 

Back to husbands and wives.  This two-way relationship flows the way that St. Paul describes it.  The husband gives and loves as Christ gives and loves to the church, and the wife receives these gifts from the husband, in love and in submission, as we receive joyfully from Jesus as members of the church.  This relationship of giving and receiving has been going on since marriage was designed by God, and is central to the institution of marriage. 

There are many other issues that flow from this idea.  Gay marriage is wrong, because in God’s design it doesn’t work with two givers or two receivers in the same relationship.  Divorce is to be avoided if at all possible because of the pain of destroying that trust-filled relationship St. Paul describes.  Living together puts people into this relationship without the permanence that God desires, leaving both people vulnerable.  These situations and others we see in our fallen world are not true reflections of God’s design in marriage. 

Now, I know that in this sinful world, marriage does not always work as well as God designed it.  With sin, often times marriages are put in stressful situations or even broken.  Sometimes husbands or wives misunderstand their roles, or even abuse their responsibilities.  Lord, have mercy!  This is not what God desires, or what we want.  Praise then be to Jesus Christ, the true bridegroom, through whose giving of His life and blood, we are forgiven forever.  By His death and resurrection, forgiveness reigns in our world, and marriages, even marriages on the brink of destruction, can be restored.  We as the church receive that gift, and share it with one another.  Even marriage cannot be separated from the cross.

Wives, submit to your husbands – not as a slave, not as a house cleaner, not as a second class citizen, but as we the church submit to Christ out of trust in his gifts and love for us.  Husbands, love your wife, not just a little bit, not as a mushy feeling, but as a love that always seeks to give to your wife everything that she needs to support her life and body in this world.  When that relationship falls apart in our sinful world, know that the forgiveness of the true groom Christ washes and keeps us His bride in his gifts now and forevermore. 

In Christ,

Pastor

Proper 15 - 2012 - G - The Word of Man or the Word of Life

Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18             Ephesians 5:6-21         John 6:51-69

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is the Gospel lesson, especially these words, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ, The last few weeks, Jesus has been saying some difficult teachings.  He has not earned for himself any friends among the Jews of Capernaum.  In fact, lets be honest, Jesus’ words are a little odd to us as well.  “I am the bread of life” Jesus says, eat my flesh, drink my blood, and then you will live.  Oh and by the way, if you don’t eat, you are dead.  You can imagine the response of those people that day so long ago, “Wait a minute Jesus, that sounds a little weird.  I mean we aren’t cannibals here.  We don’t go around eating people, in fact we lock those sorts of people up and throw away the key.” 

“And Jesus, by the way, what’s this dead talk?  You think we’re dead if we don’t eat you?  That’s crazy talk, and frankly, we don’t have time for it.  We don’t want anything to do with you and your cannibalistic morbidity.”  That day, many stopped believing in Jesus.  That day, many turned away from Jesus, listening instead to what their itching ears and what their reason told them to believe.

And its no surprise really is it?  I mean we do the same thing all the time.  What’s that Jesus, you think I should drink so much?  Hog wash!  What’s that Jesus, you think I shouldn’t swear or curse?  Too bad!  You say I shouldn’t commit adultery, or steal, or lie, or gossip?  That’s just too bad, because frankly, I’m going to do what I want to anyways.  I’m my own boss, and I don’t need the likes of you telling me what to do. 

And it goes beyond even what we do.  We struggle to believe the things Jesus tells us about himself.  What’s that you think your God’s Son?  I don’t know if I can believe that.  I mean you died and all, God can’t do that right?  And you think the little snack in the middle of church is your body and blood, I’m not sure I can believe you Jesus, because it just seems to represent those things.  And finally enough of this Jesus is the only way to heaven stuff.  I know that Muslims, and Mormons, and Jehovah’s Witnesses are just different understandings of our religion right? 

Dear friends, all of these things we so badly want to believe are true, but are not.  Jesus clearly teaches they are false teaching.  He is God’s Son, no doubt.  He is truly present in with and under the bread and the wine.  He is the only way to heaven, and Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses and more do not believe the truth in any stretch of the imagination.  Try as we might, believe as we may, these things are the work of Satan in our world and in our lives.  And despite our lies to ourselves, we do sin, and we need to hear it.  We want so badly to believe them though.  And when Jesus, or a Pastor, or anyone else tells us something we disagree with we grumble against them, just as the Jews do in our text.  We complain and moan, because we know in our sinful hearts, that “That’s not the way its supposed to be!”

When Jesus taught these difficult teachings so long ago in Capernaum, many people began to turn against him.  People began to stop believing in him and turned away.  We can’t believe that Jesus guy, he’s just full of hate.  We can’t believe that Jesus guy he’s a bigot and a lunatic.  We disagree with him, so we can’t be seen in public with him, or talk to him anymore, we just need to ignore that bigot Jesus. 

Jesus even wondered if his own 12 closest disciples would leave him.  He said to them, “Do you want to go too?”  But no, they had heard Jesus Powerful Word and believed.  They saw their own sin, they saw the miracles of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit worked faith in them.  Faith that trusted Jesus, faith that caused them not to doubt his word, but believe.  And So peter stands up for the 12 and says, “Lord to whom shall we go?  You are the one who has the Word of eternal life.

Dear friends, that is the truth.  Jesus has the words of eternal life.  He has the words that give you forgiveness.  He has the words that give you salvation.  He gives you those words through a poor lowly and sinful pastor, whose very job is to give those words to you.  And so when the pastor says, “This is sin” it is not the pastor’s opinion, but God’s.  He gives you those words, when the pastor says, “as a called and ordained servant of Christ, I forgive you all those sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  Amen.  Those are the words of Jesus, spoken through a poor pastor, to give you life and forgiveness. 

Jesus gives you the words of life in other ways as well.  He comes to you in baptismal waters, not just plain water, but the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s words of life.  “You are baptized” and thus a child of God.  Jesus gives you his Words of Eternal life as He says, “Take and eat,” “Take and drink”, “this is my body and blood”, all for your forgiveness.  Jesus gives you the words of life as you read, learn and inwardly digest his word in scripture, and as you hear it and believe it in the liturgy and church service. 

Dear friends, where shall you turn?  To your own reason?  To your own opinion?  To a friend’s opinion?  No.  Where shall we go?  Jesus is the one with the Words of Eternal Life.  And this should be no surprise to us, for he is the one who has power over life and death.  He’s the one who was bloodied and killed on the cross.  He’s the one who poured out the blood for forgiveness of all sin, and who took the punishment that brought us peace.  He’s the one who laid dead in the tomb for three days before rising into eternal life and ascending into heaven.  To whom shall we go?  Jesus has the Word of eternal life, and shares them with us all.  He speaks of the Spirit and Life.  He draws us in with the work of the Father, and he feeds us with the very bread of life. 

Dear friends, its not about your opinions.  It’s not about your feelings or thoughts.  It is all about Jesus.  What Jesus says goes.  And what Jesus says is this, “You are forgiven, so have life to the full.” Amen. 

Alvin Roy Schubert - 2012 - Funeral

Job 19:21-27                           Revelation 2:10                       Matthew 27:45-54; 28:1-6

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is Alvin’s confirmation verses from the book of Revelation to St. John, especially these words, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, Norma, Adam, Mark, and Frances, Today is a difficult day.  There is no way around that.  In the course of just a few months, you have lost a mother, a grandmother, and now today, a father.  There is nothing that can describe the hurt and pain of loss that you now face today.  I’m sure you are faced with all sorts of questions, “What kind of a God could take so many people from you so quickly?  Why must we face this pain and loss?  What’s the point?  Where do I go from here?” 

Dear friends and family, we have these questions today, and in the face of these difficult questions, we have the words of Alvin’s confirmation verse:  “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”  With the questions on our hearts today, these words seem so empty and broken.  We’ve lost so many loved ones.  To our eyes, Alvin is not alive.  To our hearts, there is a hole where he once was.  In our thoughts, we convince ourselves that he is gone for good. 

Be faithful unto death.  When I met with Alvin the first time after his diagnosis of terminal cancer, of death only weeks away, he was the first to admit he hadn’t always been as faithful as he should have been.  He was the first to admit that he was the chief of sinners.  He told me, “I haven’t been to church like I should pastor.  I haven’t kept prayed as I should, and now I’m out of time.”  As he told me these things, I simply said I know – and this was the truth.  Alvin faithfully confessed his sins, and as we hear them today, we know that they are our sins as well.  For none of us have prayed as we ought, none of us have been in church like we ought, none of us have been as good as we ought.  We have all sinned, we have all fallen short of God’s glory – this is most certainly true. 

And it is this sin deep within each one of us that leads us to days like today.  We suffer in this difficult world because of our sin.  We hurt, we struggle, we stumble about all trying to find a way forward.  Our world is place of death.  Our world is a place of pain.  Alvin knew that he had a slow road ahead, a road of pain during cancer, a road of increasing weakness. A road that eventually would come to its end with a dreadful demise. 

And yet these words, “be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”  Alvin confessed his sins to me, faithfully.  And as he confessed his sin, he looked not to himself, not to his own works, but to the God who came to save him, to forgive him, to give him the crown of life, the crown that cannot tarnish or spoil, the crown that this world cannot take away.  As Alvin’s body slowly was ravaged by cancer, he slowly became weaker day by day, but his God faithfully kept him, and I tell you the truth, today has brought him out of the valley of the shadow of death into life forevermore. 

For you see, dear friends, our God is himself no stranger to death.  In fact, as you see in our Gospel lesson, the sole purpose for Christ’s coming was to die for our sin, to suffer for our weakness, to give up his life as a ransom for all.  Jesus came and was nailed onto the cross, on your behalf dear friends.  He suffered the full wrath of God for you.  He cried out “My God why have you forsaken me” as he suffered took away your sin.  Jesus was faithful unto death.  Faithful for you.  Faithful for me.  Faithful for Alvin.  Faithful for all sinners who are just like us.  And now he gives the crown of life to all who trust in him. 

This was Alvin’s hope.  This is what he trusted in his last moments.  He had the faith that Job confesses in our Old Testament lesson, “I know my redeemer lives, and after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.  That’s what happens in our Gospel lesson.  Jesus dies, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split.  The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 

And so too with Alvin.  In Jesus, Alvin has hope, and so do you.  In Jesus, Alvin has forgiveness, and so do you.  In Jesus Alvin shall not be dead forever, but shall live forever in God’s holy kingdom.  For Jesus was faithful for him, faithful even to death.  And so today, and even forevermore, Alvin Roy Schubert – “Ears” has the crown of life.  Amen.  

Alvin Roy Schubert - Prayer Service - 2012

Revelation 7               Luke 2:25-32

Dear friends in Christ, especially Frances, Mark, and Adam.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father, through our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.   

This last few weeks and months were not easy for our dear friend Alvin.  He suffered terribly from cancer.  There was great pain as fluid built up in his abdomen, as cancer began to shut down his body.  It was a long, slow, painful wait the last week and a half, as slowly, life came to its end for Alvin. 

As Alvin’s body deteriorated into pain, and swelling, and death, the words of both our texts today came to mind, and I even had the privilege of reading them to Alvin.  “Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.”  Let him be at peace, let him go home, let him leave this world to finally be in heaven.  That has been our prayer for Alvin these last few weeks!  Please just let it all be done, and let him rest in peace.

That was the prayer of Simeon in our text as well.  He was coming to the end of his life, and he knew it.  But God had promised him that before he died, he would see the Savior, the Salvation of his soul, Jesus.  When finally Jesus came into the temple, Simeon beheld him with his own eyes, and held him with his own hands, then Simeon knew it was the time to depart, to be at peace, all of it according to God’s Word and promises to him. 

Alvin too beheld Jesus.  Alvin too held Jesus with his own hands, as the very body and blood of Jesus came to him a few weeks ago.  Jesus had made a promise to Alvin as well, a promise sealed in blood, that washed Alvin in the forgiving waters of Baptism so long ago.  A promise that one day, Alvin would be at peace.  That he would no longer face the struggles of this world.  That he would not feel pain anymore.  That he would depart this life and enter an eternal paradise prepared by God. 

There, “Alvin stands before the throne of God, and serves him day and night in his temple;  and he who sits on the throne shelters Alvin with his presence. Alvin hungers no more, neither thirsts anymore;  the sun does not strike him, nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne is now his shepherd, and guides Alvin to springs of living water, and God has wiped away every tear from Alvin’s eyes.”  Today, Alvin is at peace – peace that surpasses all human understanding. 

Dear friends, that promise is for you as well.  You too have struggles and difficulties in your life, as did Alvin.  You too continually face this sinful world and its pain and dangers.  And God’s promise is for you as well.  According to God’s Word, you too can behold your savior.  You too come into the presence of Jesus – the crucified and risen Lord for the sins of the world.  And being baptized, faith filled children of God may receive the crown of life, and depart in God’s peace. 

Today, Alvin is there, in heaven, at peace finally.  Today he rests from his many labors.  Today he no longer has pain.  He has departed in peace, according to God’s word.  For he has seen his Savior, and he has received his gifts. Amen.  

President Harrison - Message to Rural Congregations

A message to those of us in rural areas.

Proper 14 - G - 2012 - The Drawing of Jesus

Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 14

August 12, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

1 Kings 19:1-8            Ephesians 4:17-5:2      John 6:35-51

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, last week Jesus said the words that begin our text today.  I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.  So come to Jesus, come and eat, come to me you who are weary.  Come to me, Jesus says.  Come to Jesus.  But how?  What must you do to come to the bread of life?  What must you do to eat and be satisfied forever?  How do you, a poor miserable sinner, come to Jesus, the bread of life? 

There’s all sorts of answers to the question out there in our world today.  There are people who say, “To come to Jesus, all you need to do is be holy, after all Scripture says, ‘Be holy, as I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 11)’”  This sounds nice, doesn’t it?  And it is scriptural after all – Be holy!  Stop swearing, stop lusting, stop stealing, stop sinning period.  Be holy!  But when we examine ourselves, we pray to God that this isn’t the way to come to Jesus, for we have failed.  If we’re honest with ourselves, we see that despite our best efforts at “holyizing” ourselves, we still lust, steal, and sin.  We aren’t holy, but still unholy sinners.  For scripture says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3)

How do you come to Jesus?  Lately there have been more and more people saying “the way to come to Jesus is love.”  Just love everyone, and ignore what they are doing.  Don’t criticize someone, don’t yell at someone, don’t concern yourself with what they are doing.  Ignore their shortcomings, and just take them for who they are.  Judge not!  Just love.  But we fail at this as well.  We don’t really love everyone, we have all sorts of people we don’t even like.  And we can’t, as good Christians just ignore those who sin around us in the name of love.  Even Jesus told sinners to “Go and leave your life of sin.” 

So how do you come to the bread of life?  There must be some way!  Is there a special prayer I should say?  Do I need to accept him first?  Do I have to give money to the church, do I have to be buried in the right cemetery, do I have to come to church every week?  Do I have to have more good than bad in me?  Do I have to love, do I have to be holy?  What must I do, because no matter what I try, I seem to fail, again, and again.  What must I do, tell me, and I will.

Dear friends of Christ no!  You can’t came Jesus by your own reason or strength, and you can’t believe in him by your own doing.  As Christ himself says in our text, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” 

It is the work of Jesus to be drawn to God.  It is the work of Jesus to come to the Bread of Life.  It is the work of Jesus – entirely, completely and totally.  You don’t provide one ounce of help to God – you are too sinful.  You don’t have to do this or that, you don’t have to be holy.  Your walk up to the communion rail to receive the body and blood of Jesus doesn’t even earn you forgiveness.  It’s all Jesus.  It’s all his work.  It’s all his concern and care.  Jesus is the one who draws you to himself, who reels you in. 

In our text, Jesus himself uses a great illustration to describe this – manna in the wilderness – bread from heaven.  The people of Israel were 40 years in the dessert, without crops, without the normal means of sustenance.  But they ate all the same, for God gave them bread from heaven and quail.  Manna fell from the sky.  The quail flew into their camp to be eaten.  The people didn’t do anything, God was the one who did the work.  God came to them, God drew them in.   

So too with you.  You too are brought to God.  You are drawn to Jesus, and as Jesus says in our text, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”  Jesus brings you into the faith, he does this through Holy Baptism.  There in water you already died, drowned in your sin and were raised up with Jesus into new lie.  Baptism connects you with Jesus who dies on the cross, and raises again. 

Then God draws you in further, as you come through your childhood and learn the faith, as the head of your household teaches it faithfully to the family.  You are brought weekly to church, you are taught in Sunday School and Confirmation – all that Christ has become the salvation from sins in his death and resurrection.  God leads you further, confirming you in your faith, and bringing you to the altar, to eat the very body and blood of Jesus that suffered on your behalf, to take his glory and forgiveness into your own mouth to eat for forgiveness of sins.  And anyone who eats this bread, he will live forever.  Bread for the life of the world. 

Dear friends, Its not you, its not your work, but it is all the work and glory of Jesus Christ on your behalf.  Crucified and risen, to take away the sin of the world.  Its Jesus on your behalf.  The bread of life for you. 

Now, people will grumble and tell you your silly for believing this.  They will mock you and tease you, even hate you.  It happens even to Jesus in our text.  But do not fear, the words of someone taunting won’t stop God from drawing you, from reeling you in.  The hatefilled words of the world can’t prevent Jesus from coming to you to give you forgiveness.  Its there, evermore drawing you in through God’s own words and sacraments.  Its bringing you into heaven. 

I am the bread of life, Jesus says.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. Amen.  

Proper 13 - G - 2012 - Jesus the Buffet King?

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 13

August 5, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Exodus 16:2-15           Ephesians 4:1-16         John 6:22-35

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson, especially these words, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, You can imagine that with three boy children, one of my parents favorite places (and ours!) were all you can eat buffets.  Loads and loads of food without limits, all at one manageable low cost.  My brothers and I prided ourselves in getting our monies worth – or even more than our monies worth.  We would have contests to see who could eat more plates full of food, often times getting into the double digits.  We would gorge and stuff ourselves on food.  It is almost embarrassing to talk about!  And finally when we were all done, when we had eaten our fill, we’d make the comment, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat another bite.”

But meals would come again; we’d be hungry again just a few hours after filling up.  The next day we would eat just as much food all over again – because no matter how full you are of food, you always will need to eat more to survive. 

It’s this idea that is behind our text today.  Jesus has fed the people, five thousand of them to be exact, with only a few loaves and fishes.  And as our text said two weeks ago, when the meal was done, they were satisfied, they were full, they couldn’t eat another bite.  It was the end of an all you can eat buffet.  The people were so excited about their free food, that as they talked after the meal, the apostle John writes that they were going to make Jesus king by force.  Why?  Free food!  They wanted Jesus to be the Buffet King of Israel, the guy who provided food for them, the guy who let them eat every day to their fill. 

But that’s not what Jesus wants, so he hightails it out of there, walking across the Sea of Galilee, before they can make him the bread buffet king.  And thus our text today.  When the people finally find Jesus, when they finally catch up after running all the way around the Sea, they feign surprise, “Lord, what are you doing here?” they say “fancy meeting you here Jesus”.  But what is really on their mind?  Food.  Feed me Jesus.  I’m hungry.  Give me something to eat, and give it to me now.  I want more buffet.  I want more.  Gimme gimme gimme gimme!

But Jesus cuts to the chase, “You seek me, not because of who I am, but rather because you ate your fill of the loaves.”  But even if I feed you that bread again, you’ll be hungry.  Even if you eat bread every day for the rest of your lives, you will still face death.  You see, dear friends, Jesus has so much more than earthly care for us.  He’s much more than a buffet king, he’s a life king, an eternal king, and most importantly a forgiving king.  He’s the bread of life, the gift of God that keeps people alive forevermore, as their sin is gone in Jesus forever. 

What about you, dear Christians?  How often do you hunger for the things of this world, the things that will pass away, that won’t truly and eternally satisfy you.  How often do you want God to give you a worldly buffet of goodies, on your terms, with your timetable, while ignoring what he really wants to give you?  How often do you chase after God, do you come here to this place, hoping that by being a good enough person God will reward you monetarily?  Truly, truly, I say to you, if this is true, you are seeking God, not because you saw signs, but because you want your fill of the loaves, your fill of the world, and your fill of your desires.  And God will have nothing to do with it. 

Dear friends, dear sinners, hear God’s word, through the mouth of the Son of God, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”  In other words, Jesus is the thing that satisfies.  No matter how much money you have, without Jesus, it doesn’t matter.  No matter how nice a car you drive, without the Bread of Life, it is worthless.  No matter what you do, what you want, how you get, without Jesus it is just a chasing after the wind. 

But Jesus really satisfies.  Jesus really provides.  Jesus really gives what he says he does.  And when Jesus the bread of life comes to you with his gifts, you know they won’t just disappear the next day, needing to be filled by something else. 

The bread of life fills you so that you never hunger again.  He fills you with forgiveness, earned through his own deafeat of sin on the bloody cross.  He fills you with salvation, as he dies for your sins of want and selfish gain.  He fills you with life, life that surpasses all your understandings and imaginations – life with peace, and comfort before the throne of God.  You see, dear friends, the bread of life suffers so that you don’t have to.

So today, come and eat from the altar on which sits the bread of life that was nailed to the cross – and be filled.  Come and eat, and be satisfied with Jesus body in with and under the bread.  Come and drink, and be satisfied with the blood that poured out of his hands and side, drink the drink that in with and under contains blood for forgiveness, life and salvation for you.  Come and receive the gracious gifts of the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.  Come and be satisfied. 

You see, when I was a child, I’d go to the buffet and eat and eat, and still be hungry.  But with Jesus, I never hunger again.  For he gives me faith that fills me, faith that makes me well.  Faith that satisfies the hungry soul forever.  Amen.  

August Newsletter Article - Religious Voting?

   Dear Friends,

Well the time is almost upon us again:  the every four year presidential debacle.  This brings up a rather “heady” topic that I would like to address in this month’s newsletter.  Please bear with me and remember, as your pastor I would like to remain outwardly neutral as far as the candidates go.  I have my own opinions, but it is not my place to tell you to vote for one person or the other.  However, there are two questions that I keep getting asked that I would like to address.  (As I do, I will do my best to remain neutral in this debate.) 

The two questions are as follows:  “Pastor, are Mormons Christian?” and “I can’t vote for a non-Christian can I?”  I’ll take these questions one by one. 

I would like to start with addressing the second question:  “Can a Christian vote for and elect a non-Christian into office?”  Within the Lutheran Church, we firmly hold to the scriptural idea of two kingdoms:  an earthly kingdom, and a heavenly kingdom.  God is king and ruler of both, but he operates in different ways to rule each kingdom. 

Easiest to understand is the heavenly kingdom, as God rules his church by means His Holy Word.  His work in this kingdom is to create faith in Christians through the means of Grace.  (Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the Word.)  Thus the church falls under this kingdom, and within the church we are to be subject to nothing else but God and His Word.  In this kingdom, people are taught the faith, and learn to be pious and faithful people.  This kingdom deals with spiritual things only. 

On the other hand is the earthly kingdom.  God rules in the earthly kingdom as well by means of secular government and rulers.  God has allowed the rulers that exist today to rule by only His own will and authority.  He gives governments and rulers the power of the sword: that is to rule with force and power.  Their duty is to maintain peace and justice in our earthly world – in relation to life, liberty, and property on earth.  They are not to be involved in spiritual matters (hence our issues with the Health and Human Services Mandate).

So in the earthly kingdom, God allows earthly rulers to protect and defend their people.  In other words, the Prime Minister of England rules under God’s allowance.  In the same way, the President of Iran rules that country under God’s allowance – even as he does it without true faith.  God allows all leaders of the world to rule and protect their people – to provide for their earthly needs, not spiritual. 

In terms of the earthly kingdom, what one’s faith is does not matter.  We have examples like Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar in Scripture – faithless kings that God appointed to rule for a time.  Similarly, in our own world, be the ruler a Turk or a Jew or a Hindi, they all rule only because the one true Trinitarian God has allowed them to be in that position.  Whoever rules is allowed to be in that position by God’s good and gracious will.  God then works through the things that ruler does, for good or ill, to protect and care for the people of the earth in terms of worldly goods. 

So when you go to the ballot this November (or at any election for that matter), don’t base your vote on the reported “religion” of the person running for office, instead vote for the person you believe will do the better job caring for your earthly needs.  Who will give you more opportunities, who will allow you to get a better job, who will protect you militarily, etc.  In the secular earthly kingdom, faith is not the chief measure.  Luther himself famously said, “I’d rather be ruled by a smart Turk then a dumb Christian.”  In other words, keep religion out of politics, and trust that God will do His work no matter who is in charge. 

As for the Mormon religion itself, no it is not Christian, no matter what Mormons might claim for themselves.  Since the founding of the Christian faith at the resurrection of Jesus (And even before that in Old Testament times) the Christian faith has been monotheistic.  Monotheistic means that we believe in only one God.  The Athanasian Creed itself says, “Whosoever desires to be saved must believe above all else the catholic faith…And the catholic faith is this:  We worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity etc.” 

Throughout the ages, this Trinitarian God has been the center of the Christian faith.  Even in scripture itself the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is declared to be One God.  The Mormon religion denies this simple fact.  They do not believe in a trinity, but instead have uncountable numbers of “gods.”  In addition, the god that they most often reference, “the Father,” they believe was once a human just like you and me.  This human lived a good life, and now no longer human but divine. 

With these false teachings (and more), their “church” ceases to be truly Christian, and instead joins the ranks of countless non-Trinitarian cults.  There are many other dangerous teachings and beliefs that they wrongly hold.  These short comings, however, are in the heavenly kingdom.  They have a false faith.  But in the purely secular earthly realm however, they are often very “moral” and “nice” people. 

Bottom line, go and vote, but remember to vote your conscience, not religion.  If you believe current President Obama will do a better job than Candidate Romney based on secular credentials, by all means vote for him, and vice versa.  But as a good Lutheran, please do not vote for someone only based upon their religious faith.  For even if a non-Christian is the earthly ruler, remember, they are there because the one eternal heavenly king and ruler God has consented that they be there for a time.  He will work through their rule to bring about his will. 

In Christ,

Pastor Adam Moline