You did it to me

This space has been quiet for several months, but today I want to share some thoughts that I expressed at the recent funeral of a friend, coworker and fellow member of King of Kings. His name was Roger.

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If you have been around the Lutheran Church long enough, you will have a complete understanding of what I am about to say.

Roger was an old Missouri Synod Lutheran.

Do you have an idea what I mean by that statement?

Let me tell you what it means to be an old Missouri Synod Lutheran like Roger.

The old Missouri Synod Lutheran knows when and where he was baptized into the Christian faith because he understands it was the most important day in his life, even if he cannot remember it taking place.

But he does remember the date when, as a young man, he confirmed with his own lips the faith in Jesus he received in his baptism.

He can tell you the names of his baptismal sponsors.

He knows that sin is his problem and there is nothing he can do about it by himself. Plus, God has already handled it.

He believes Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead is and always will be the solution to the consequences of sin for all of us. Because Christ was raised from the dead, those with faith in him will be raised to eternal life too.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” and if God in human flesh said it, then we should believe it.

The old Missouri Synod Lutheran wears a suit to church most Sundays to give honor to Christ, who gave everything for Roger, and for you and for me too.

The old Missouri Synod Lutheran has been an usher for as long as he can remember and helps-out on clean-up days.

He serves God and the Church in ways that are useful and beneficial but not particularly flashy.

Look at the seat pocket in front of you and you will probably see a pencil. Go ahead, pick it up.

Nothing fancy. Just a regular Number 2 pencil. Recently sharpened, too.

And next to it should be some attendance cards. Take one of those also.

Attendance registration on one side. Prayer request on the other.

The old Missouri Synod Lutheran knows that some Sunday morning a person in this church, perhaps sitting exactly where you are now, will have just experienced the worst week of their entire life – the death of a loved one, a marriage that came apart, the discovery of a terminal illness.

One of us pastors will invite the congregation to use these pencils and cards to confirm attendance and to request prayers of thanks for the joys or healing for the anguish people were feeling at that very moment.

And someone sitting in one of these seats will reach forward, take a pencil and a card, and, for the very first time, truly seek Christ’s help and forgiveness.

And because the old Missouri Synod Lutheran and his faithful wife had dutifully seen to it every week...the cards were restocked...the pencil was sharp...prayers were raised to God...and God answered according to his will.

That’s how God works among us, you know. Through faithful Christian servants like Roger…..doing the little, barely noticeable, often routine things that aid in bringing people into contact with Jesus, their Savior.

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Jesus said it, and the old Missouri Synod Lutheran believed it. Amen.

Figuring out Transfiguration

This Sunday (February 11) is observed as The Transfiguration of Jesus.

Here is the account, from Mark 9:2-9 (NIV):

"After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

"Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

(12th Century Icon)

"Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

"As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what 'rising from the dead' meant."

I freely admit that the account of Christ's transfiguration has always puzzled me.  

Oh, I understand what took place on the mountain, the miraculous event that occurred.  Many people smarter than me have concluded that Moses and Elijah are the embodiment of the Old Testament scriptures - the Law and the Prophets - that were fulfilled in the Messiah Jesus.

I think I understand the Father's command to the disciples to listen to Jesus. (After all, he stands here in God's glory, right before your eyes.  Who better to listen to and follow?)

But it is very difficult for me to grasp the glory of Christ that was revealed to those three disciples.  I do not think I am alone in this.

The transfiguration of Jesus is observed at the end of the season of Epiphany - the time of teaching when Christ is revealed to the world.  The transfiguration is the greatest revelation of all.  He is not a mere man.  He is God in human flesh.

With that revelation in mind, we enter the season of Lent, the long slog that leads to his crucifixion. Holy Week climaxes in his Easter resurrection.  His ascension into heaven follows in 40 days and the day of Pentecost in 10 more, when the Holy Spirit is received by the Church.  All of this takes place so that we might be made members of his kingdom.

And that is what makes the glory of the transfiguration so difficult for me to comprehend.

I know everything there is to know about sin and evil because they have always been a part of me.  Scripture tells us that God's law is written on our hearts, therefore even those who have never read the Scriptures are aware of their separation from God because of sin.

I have felt the experience and guilt of sin.  All of us have. Those who claim that there is no such thing as sin are liars, especially to themselves.

Even for Christians it is difficult to imagine a world that is free from the impact of sin, a world filled with God's glory that gives light to everything in existence.

We are very good at describing the life that constitutes ultimate evil, which is rejection of Christ.  We are impossibly bad at describing ultimate good, which is Christ.    

Unlike the Apostle John, one of the three who were with Jesus at his transfiguration, we know little about God's glory, except by faith.
  
He wrote, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

In further writing John urges us to believe that as ones who trust in the redemption won for us by Jesus, we share in his glorious life, even though we continue in a world dominated by its sinful condition.

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)

So, at the end of this, I can state two things. First, I am a sinner in need of a savior and he is Jesus. He is the means by which God intercedes in his creation.  Second, I cannot fully comprehend the wonderful, glorious life Jesus has in store for me. It simply won't be possible until we meet face to face.  

However glorious that life is, he will share it with me. 

How is your memory?

With Christmas only a few days away I am reminded of an event.

I was in junior high school and my class was preparing for the annual children's Christmas program at St. Paul Lutheran Church in my hometown of Eldora, Iowa.

Several of us were asked to deliver portions of the Christmas Gospel from memory!

Although each of us needed to memorize only a short section of the first 20 verses of the second chapter of Luke's Gospel, we were challenged to commit the entire reading to memory.  

Memorization was never one of my strong suits, but I managed to do it - in the King James Version!  

That was more than 50 years ago.  With only an occasional misstep I can still recite this portion of the world's most important narrative today.

Here it is.  It is definitely worth the effort to commit it to your  memory and to your heart.

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them."