As you should know, in mid-July, we will be taking a group down to New Orleans for this summer’s LCMS National Youth Gathering.  This is going to be an incredible trip for all who attend—a spiritual mountaintop experience. We will join with about 20,000 of our closest Lutheran friends, from all over the country and other parts of the world. Please keep us in your prayers.  We will have a total of 35 people in our group, from 8 different LCMS churches in the area (15 from KOK). Our congregation is leading the charge, organizing the trip.  As you might imagine, it can be a bit overwhelming and stressful to plan a trip for 35 people.  For the last several weeks these efforts have amped up. Flight changes. Airport Shuttles.  Budgets and Payments. Dinner reservations. Daily excursions. Hotel room assignments. Trip Itineraries. Packing Lists… etc., etc.  After months and years of planning and preparation, we are in the homestretch.  Only 35 days to go!  In no time at all, we will be headed with our fingers crossed to Newark Airport, hoping for the best.  The excitement boosts for sure; but the anxiety does also. Have I packed everything? What did I forget? Do I have Real ID?  Do I have anything taken care of? How bad will the delays be at Newark?
 
Anyone who has ever planned a trip, or a vacation, knows this stress.  It doesn’t matter if you have a group of 35 people, a small family of 4, or your road tripping solo.  Vacations are supposed to be a relaxing event. No one would spend the time and money associated with such an adventure thinking it would be more stressful to experience than their day-to-day lives. Yet studies have unsurprisingly shown that trip planning is the most stressful aspect of the vacation, followed by travel to the destination.  No matter the size of your group or the destination of your choosing, you do whatever you can to make sure you have every detail correct. Fill out the paperwork. Cross the ‘t’s’ and dot the ‘i’s.’  Make sure every part of your trip is thought about and planned for.  No surprises or uncertainties. 
 
How wonderful it is then, that our journey towards heaven involves no such work or effort on our part. No need to plan for heaven. No arrangements to make. No financial burden hanging over our head. It’s already done. All of it. Taken care of and paid for by our Savior.  In John 14:2-3, we hear Jesus say, “In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”  Jesus promises His followers that, no matter the troubles or burdens of this world, our final place of rest is with Him.  In the gates of heaven, we can put up our feet and have no concerns or worries.  All of the travel arrangements—all the planning and timing and details—have been taken care of. They are already worked out. We have nothing to fear. No need for worry.  No need hidden payments.  Jesus has purchased our place by His blood. He has secured the destination and sealed our travel documents through the waters of our baptism.  No stress. Thank you, Jesus! 

I’ve been taking quite a bit of flak at home lately.  As coach of my daughter’s softball team, I get to nominate girls from our Sparta team for the league “All-Star” team.  It’s not like Little League. This is a single game, a non-consequential exhibition event.  As has been my custom for the past several years, I always nominate the 8th graders—so they have the chance to play in one last game. That’s what I did again this year.  All four of them. My daughter included.  Come to find out, after the invites were extended, I was only allowed to nominate three girls. No exceptions. No wiggle room. No grace from the softball powers that be, even though the game is only played for fun.

Now what do I do? How do I rescind an invitation? Which girls draws the short straw?  “Sweetie pie, I need to talk to you…” Thus, the bummer part of being the coach’s daughter. The other three girls will play; she will watch with me from the bleachers (although I did promise her ice-cream).  She, from the start, has been understanding and gracious about it.  She gets it. She expected it once she heard about the 3-player limit. It stinks, but she gets it. She really has been great about it.  Truth be told, she would be my first choice. (Shhh… don’t tell her I said this.) This is not a case of coaching nepotism. All season, she has been the best (and only) pitcher for our team, played her position extremely well defensively, and has been a consistent, solid offensive threat from the 4 or 5 spot.  I’ve told her repeatedly, that regardless of who plays on the field during the All-Star game this Saturday, she is unequivocally an All-Star.  She knows it. Our team knows it. Yet, she will not play.  And make no mistake, she still gives me a hard time about it. Lots of grief.

Busting my chops. Frequently. And I deserve it. 😉
 
It's good to be positively affirmed. It’s necessary. Especially in a world that breeds and spews nonstop negativity, it is uplifting and encouraging when you are built up and appreciated. Whether it’s a gold sticker in preschool or a promotion in the workplace, it feels good to celebrated when we are doing something right. When we are working hard. When we are doing good. When we are putting in the time. When we are showing up.  It fills our emotional and mental gas tanks—whether on the softball field or elsewhere—to be recognized!  To this end, I would like to recognize YOU, our KoK members, for being proverbial all-stars.  How?

1. At the start of the year, I challenged each person/family in the church to be present in worship at least twice a month.  This wasn’t about achieving some arbitrary number for worship attendance, but consistently engaging our church families in the life and ministry of our congregation.  A great many of our families have met this challenge. You’ve showed up.  Yes, our average weekly attendance has ticked up, ever so slightly, but most importantly we are seeing each other more frequently.  Relationships deepen, excitement grows, ideas form.  Of course, there is still plenty of room in the pews for other lapsed families, new families, friends and visitors! If you or your family haven’t quite hit that twice/month mark yet, don’t stop trying. This weekend is a great time to start!  I know it can be especially challenging/tempting to stay home in the summer months; but we want you here. We need you here. Our church is better when all are here, when we are together. We are a stronger church and can make a more noticeable impact when we are a community who worships together, encourages and cares for each other, and prays for one another.  If you have noticed a friend or church member who has been missing, reach out to them! Mail them a card. Give them a call. Shoot them a text. Send them an email. Let them know they are loved and missed.  
   
   
2. Back in January, we also asked you, our all-star KoK members, to continue to be faithful in your financial giving. This is being done.  Thank you. Many of you continue your generous offerings to our church from 2024, some have even increased their giving a bit.  As you may recall, last year was the first time in many years that our church budget finished in the black. We’d like to make this a recurring trend.  Unanticipated expenses are always coming up as we take care of our aging facilities. Necessary future projects and improvements are on the horizon. Additionally, and as you all know personally, other “monthly” bills and weekly purchases continue to see price increases. Your faithful generosity gives us the flexibility to meet our needs and think of ways to be a blessing to others. Thank you for your continued contributions to our church!
    
3. To add to this, and as way of a reminder, our upcoming voter’s meeting is on June 29th for the purpose of electing new church officers.  We are looking for people to serve in a variety of different capacities on both our church council (president, vice-presidents, youth group director, treasurer, fellowship, Christian Education, property chair).  We also have to open positions on our endowment committee.  Please consider how you, or others, might be able to use their God-given gifts and time to serve our church.  If you have questions about any of these, please contact me.

 
Thank you KoK “All-Stars” for being faithful to God’s church in this place!
 
“Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.” 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NLT)

I like to have a clean car.   My family would probably suggest that I’m a little obsessed about it. I will wash my car and vacuum it pretty much weekly from early spring to late fall.  My neighbors undoubtedly shake their heads at me when they see me outside washing and detailing it… yet again.  Quirky though it may be, I don’t like the dirt on the outside or the clutter on the inside.  And with baseball and softball seasons now back in full force, there is always infield dirt, artificial turf pieces, or the occasional fast-food wrapper to be found.  And so… I vacuum, I wash, I wipe down, and I make shine.  As a matter of fact, this past Saturday morning I was literally washing my car in the rain so that I could pull it into the garage and apply its first coat of wax for the season.  
 
That being said, this is also the time of the year where I will occasionally wonder if it is worth it.  Moments following any wash, after a few minutes sitting in the church parking lot or my driveway at home, the inevitable and unavoidable light dusting of pollen shows up.  Within a short time, my car turns from “Radiant Red” to “Pollen Powder Yellow.”  And no matter how fast I go down the highway, that dust doesn’t go anywhere!  These are definitely the early days of nicer weather when I wonder if I should just let the dirt, the grime, and the filth buildup and stay on my car until pollen season comes to a close.
 
Part of the Gospel reading for this coming Sunday is the risen Jesus restoring the disciple Peter, after having denied Him three times prior to His death.  Peter is dirty, more accurately, sinful.  His self-preserving denials were only a few days behind him. Guilt and regret was just as stuck to Peter as that pollen coats to my CRV.  Peter had sinned often and repeatedly in the past, and in spite of Jesus’ reinstatement of sorts in this post-resurrection encounter, he will most definitely be sinning again in the future. Can you imagine if Jesus had the same mindset that I have towards my car… Should I even bother? Should I forgive him, he’s just going to screw up again? I know I just cleansed him, but give him a few minutes and the damning stain of selfishness will cover him again shortly. Is this really worth it? Why should I continue to forgive those that can’t keep the dust of sin away?
 
Thanks be to God, Jesus does NOT treat Peter in this way. Jesus does NOT treat any of us this way.  We are no different from Peter. Although we confess our sins and promise to do better, our best laid plans and intentions will not come to fruition.  But Jesus never gives up on us. He never stops showing up to wash us and make us new again.  You might even say, with His love and compassion, Jesus is obsessed about us.  His amazing love will never stop pursing us, to cleanses us and make us whiter than snow! (cf. Psalm 51:7) Over and over the soot and blemish of sin engulfs us; but over and over again, Jesus pours out His mercy. He does not give up. With nail scarred hands, He scrubs us clean!
 
“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:9)

Blessed Holy Week!
 
There are times when watching sports, that a gruesome injury will take place on the field. Occasionally, and if I’m lucky, I may not have seen the injury initially happen. However, the broadcasts will inevitably show the replay repeatedly. Knees getting bent in the wrong direction. Ankles rolling over. Bones snapped in half. Fingers and shoulders dislocated. Just typing these words make me grimace.  When these replays are shown, I don’t watch. Turn my head and close my eyes. It’s enough to see that the player is pain and surrounded by medical staff; I’ll watch as they’re being attended to or being taken out on a cart. But I don’t need to watch the injury happen, over and over again, zoomed in from different cameras and distinct angles. No thank you. I don’t want to see it. It’s gross. It makes me squeamish. It makes me uncomfortable. I’ll tune back in when the football game resumes; but while the injury replays are cycling, I’ll use that time to get a snack or use the bathroom.
 
I think that many Christians take this approach to Holy Week—whether intentionally or not. We love the Hosannas of Palm Sunday. We can’t wait for the Alleluias to return on Easter.  But Maundy Thursday, and especially Good Friday, are too cringe-worthy. It’s all about death and despair, sorrow and sacrifice.  The tone is dreary. The hymns are monotonous. The mood is bleak. The atmosphere is misery. The services are dark and depressing. We know that Jesus was beaten, crucified, and died. But we’d rather not hear about it again. No need for a replay. Too bloody. Too gory. No need to look at the cross. Ouch. Yuck. No thanks. We don’t need to see it. We’ll avoid the pain and be content with the pleasure that Easter morning brings. We’ll wait patiently and contently until the lilies and white paraments of this coming Sunday arrive.   
 
I understand this mindset. But it’s not a good one. It's like eating a sandwich without the meat and cheese. There's no sustenance or filling. We dare not skip the cross. We can't gloss over the suffering. We dare not take it for granted. We dare not overlook it, or worse yet, look away completely. If you go from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, and skip the days in between, you’re fast-forwarding past the events that give Easter all its meaning and power. In Hebrews 12:2 we read, “For the joy set before Jesus, He endured the cross…”  The joy set before Him was you and me. The joy set before Him was our freedom from sin. The joy set before Him was making it possible for us to become children of God.  And the Cross was the ONLY WAY to make those things happen. This is true. Uncomfortable though it may be to look at. Repetitive though the story has become. Each year, we must pause at the doorstep of Easter, and stare at the blood soaked cross of our Savior.  Why? So we can appreciate anew the sacrifice made on our behalf—on that gruesome, gross, old-rugged cross. The Apostle Paul writes, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  The “power of God” which brings us salvation… that certainly sounds important to me. Certainly, worth slowing down for. Worthy of our worship-filled time and attention!  One author wrote, “Without Holy Week, you miss the mocking, the betrayal, the crucifixion itself. We miss out on the passion. We miss out on those few days that were the most trying time in the life of Jesus and his disciples. Their lives were thrown into chaos. People need to know how great God’s love was, personified in those final days of Jesus’ life.”
 
The only path to the hope and joy of Easter is through the struggle of Holy Week—uncomfortably depressing though it may be.  After all, if Jesus goes through the agony and inconvenience of the cross… is it really too much for us not shortcut around the “valley of the shadow of death.” We have to go through it. It’s the only way out. Without Good Friday, the true meaning of Easter cannot begin to be grasped: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

“Holy Week is a privileged time when we are called to draw near to Jesus: friendship with him is shown in times of difficulty.” (Pope Francis)

Many of us have made the Lenten journey so many times that it can become routine. No matter how familiar, however, Christ's passion, our repentance, and God's forgiveness never grow stale. Lent isn't simply a season. It's the Christian life in microcosm. It's a time to be renewed in faith, hope, and love as we see God's promises fulfilled, the door to heaven swung open, and grace on full display.  Lent is a season of repentance, but repentance is a continuous part of the Christian life. When Lutherans gather for the Divine Service, they stand accused. We hear who we are, the baptized, as God's name is spoken over us, but then we confess our unworthiness. We tell God that we've sadly come once again as we first came to him as sinners. And we know what sinners deserve. The wages of sin is death, and so we declare a verdict upon ourselves when we confess. We deserve to die now and in eternity.
 
Repentance, however, doesn't end with sorrow. God speaks a word through his pastors, and it's not a divine "It's ok," and it doesn't come with a wink and a nod, but with the sign of God's mercy traced with fingers. God speaks a costly word. God speaks an absolution. He does this because we don't stand alone before him when we confess in faith. We stand with one who has become our brother, our advocate, and our friend. God's messenger declare us not guilty on account of what we observe this Lent: what took place at the end of the road to Holy Week. We are innocent for Christ's sake – not our own – and so those fit for death receive life. 
 
As we’ve heard from Luke these Sunday mornings in Lent, he peppers us with warnings from Jesus about readiness and encouragement against anxiety. Jesus spoke to those who should have welcomed his coming and known what it meant. We also are those who should welcome his coming and know what it means. Do we, though? Have we been calm where we should be calm and ready for that for which we should be ready?  Jesus tells us to enter by the narrow door in Luke 13:22-30. He explains that many will claim to know him only to be shut out. They will use their mouths but not their hearts. They will know him as an idea but not as a friend. They will be like those in a crowd in a packed stadium, heading out after the game. They won't see the doors, but they will go with the flow of traffic, assuming that will lead them where they hope to go. That must not be us, however. We are called to fix our eyes on the narrow door, on Christ. This often means swimming against the current, even against our very selves. 
 
Historically, Lent is a season of fasting, of giving things up. In Lent, we are reminded of what Jesus gave up for us: his very life. And yet we are also reminded of what he didn't give up: you and me. Like a mother hen, he spread wide his wings in love on the cross. We do well, then, to hear Jesus' warnings and remember his promises this Lent. We do well to be ready and yet calm because while the end approaches. For we believers of Jesus, the end brings only a new beginning, one already settled. He who opened his arms for us hasn't closed them, so draw near to him now where he has promised to be, in Word and sacrament, and draw near to him then when he calls you to his eternal kingdom. Find refuge in his wings, spread wide to take hold of you.
 
“He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” (Psalm 91:4, NLT)
 
“For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:7-8, NLT)
 
 
H/T:  Devotion by Wade Johnston, 03/19/25 on 1517.org.  

For the next several weeks, our posts will reflect on the book Joining Jesus on His Mission by Greg Finke.  The premise of this book is to alter the way we see our lives as followers of Jesus; it invites us to think about what it means to be everyday missionaries. This book is being read and discussed by our church council; it is a very helpful and practical.  I invite you to read it along with us. We have extra copies available in the narthex or you can find it easily via Amazon.  The reality is that, in a remarkably short amount of time, the United States has become one of the largest mission fields on the planet.  No longer do we have to think of foreign lands when we consider those who are not Christian. We certainly do not need to travel to inner cities or go overseas.  Truth be told, the odds are very good that right now, wherever you live or work, there are an abundance of people who are not connected to Jesus at all. So, what does this mean? It means we heed the words of Jesus when He says, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  Or to borrow the phraseology of the book, it is time for us to join Jesus on His mission to redeem and restore human lives to the kingdom of the Father.  Or more simply put, to seek and save those who are lost. 
 
Thus, we take our cue from Jesus.  Two thousand years ago, He exchanged His heavenly throne room for a dirty stable. The Word became flesh. He made His dwelling among us. Our home became His. He took up residence. This is what we mean when we talk about incarnational ministry; Jesus moved into our neighborhood. Like Jesus, we see the mission field in our neighborhoods—among the people we consistently see where we live, work, and play. Again, we need not travel far to find ourselves in a potential place to share Jesus. You and I are regularly within reach of the same people. For instance, some of us have access to recreation leagues, yoga classes or craft beer clubs. Some of us are band parents or soccer moms, or we routinely wait with other dads as our daughters finish up dance classes. Some of us volunteer with community groups or social service agencies. We have weekly coffee gatherings with the same neighbors or longtime friends. Some of us are at country clubs, community centers, and gyms.  You get the point. We are already in the mission field. We are always standing in a harvest ripe for the picking.
 
We know that Jesus is already out there in our “neighborhoods” doing the heavy lifting of ripening people for their next step towards His Father’s redemption. So every morning, as we head out for a new day of adventure with Jesus, we can ask ourselves these simples questions: What is Jesus up to? Who are these people around me? How can I serve them? And what are they almost ready for?
 
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)
 
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Anyone who has lived for much time at all knows that in life storms will surely come.  Jesus warned as much, “In this world, you will have trouble…” Sometimes, seemingly out of nowhere, we are faced with an unexpected job loss, a grim diagnosis, the painful passing of a loved one, or the sorrow of goodbyes. Like the disciples caught in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, we can feel overwhelmed by these trials, as if our boat were sinking.
 
Following Jesus does not insulate us from life’s storms, but we can take comfort from knowing that God promises to hold us fast through them. After all, immediately after He warns us of the troubles of this world, Jesus brings a message of comfort by making it clear that He alone enables us to overcome whatever rocky waves and battering winds come our way. He can calm our hearts, and He may even quiet the very storms themselves.
 
When storms come, we are often tempted to doubt God. The disciples questioned Jesus even though they had seen His miracles firsthand. They looked Jesus in the eye, and they shared meals with Him every day—but when the storm arose, they took to panic stations of unbelief as if they’d forgotten who He was or what He was capable of doing: A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling … And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:37-39)
 
Don’t we often find ourselves there too? As soon as the turbulence hits—as soon as life’s winds and waves rise—our doubts and weaknesses burst forth, and we forget who it is who dwells within us and what He is capable of doing. God does not prevent storms from coming. But He is a God who is both present through them and sovereign over them. God promises to be with us always. Through the storms of life, He will be our anchor. And the best way to test the strength of an anchor is to endure a storm.  Jesus not only stayed with the disciples during the storm, but He displayed His power by calming it. As God, He had created the very sea itself. Why would the sea ever be a problem for Him? For us, too, even circumstances that seem hopeless and insurmountable unfold exactly as He has planned. When difficulties, fear, and pain persist, we can trust Him to give us a peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) and bring us through any storm to a place of calm, whether it arrives in this life or only beyond the final tempest of death.
 
The question, then, is not “Will storms come in my life?” They surely will. Rather, we must ask, “When the storms come, will I believe that Jesus Christ is able to deal with them—and will I let Him do that?” He can lift the clouds of doubt fogging our minds. He can mend broken hearts. He can soothe our longings for love. He can revive weary spirits. He can calm anxious souls. When you see Jesus as the Creator of the universe, the one who calmed the sea, and the one in whom everything holds together, then you too can experience the calming of the storm. Similarly, Proverbs calls us to build our lives on wisdom and righteousness—that is, having a right relationship with God. When we do that, we will be securely anchored and able to endure the storms of life. With God as our foundation, we can stand firm, trusting that our destiny is safe in his hands. 

“When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” (Proverbs 10:25)
                                                   
Devotion adapted from Alistair Begg Devotion, 1-22-2024.

This season our youngest is playing for a new, club baseball team.  He’s excited, especially since he gets to go back for a week-long summer tournament in Cooperstown.  All of our “once-in-a-lifetime” sales pitches that we espoused during our fundraising efforts last year turns out to be a bit of an unintentional fallacy.  Oops!  The truth is, having a summer birthday enables him to play again with kids in his grade this year.  He gets a second chance to go back.  Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out like that for us.  Usually, the once-in-a-lifetime family vacations or job opportunities are just that.  You can’t let them go by, because rarely do you get a second chance to go or do it again.
 
Thankfully, this recipe for regret is not evident in our dealings with God.  The Bible is full of people who got a second chance. God is the God of second chances—and hundredth and thousandth chances!  Abraham, who is called the father of faith, pretended his wife was his sister because he didn’t have faith that God would protect him. Moses murdered someone. Jonah ran from his assignment. Rahab worked as a prostitute. David committed adultery and had the woman’s husband put to death. And yet every one of these people are in God’s “hall of fame” in Hebrews 11.
 
If you had to be perfect to receive God’s grace, no one would stand a chance!  Job got some of the best advice for recovering what has been lost in your life and returning to God’s original plan for you: “Put your heart right, Job. Reach out to God. Put away evil and wrong from your home. Then face the world again, firm and courageous. Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more. Your life will be brighter than sunshine at noon, and life’s darkest hours will shine like the dawn. You will live secure and full of hope; God will protect you and give you rest” (Job 11:13-18 GNT).
 
What an amazing promise! When we repent of our mistakes, God always offers another chance.  Of course, we hear that most weeks in our liturgy:  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) This is a testimony to how patient, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love our God is.  God NEVER gives up on you!  Jesus is God’s lifeline of grace, redemption and hope. In Christ and because of Him, our God loves to give second chances. He is indeed the God of a second chance. We are each so incredibly loved by our Heavenly Father.  


h/t to inspiration provided in devotional by Rick Warren, somewhere out on the web.