We love going out to eat.  Most people do. Afterall, who wants to menu plan and cook when you can have someone else do that for you!?  My wife and I looking for and trying new restaurants. Searching to find the best dive bar for chicken wings or a hole-in-the-wall place with the best burgers.  If we could, we would eat out most days of the week.  This is especially true now in this busy fall season—as we are chauffeuring and shuttling kids all over the place for cross country meets, field hockey practices, and football games.  As our parental uber responsibilities take us all around the northern part of the state, it is especially seductive to look at the local restaurants.  Even more so when we can have them Door Dash a meal right to the sidelines of whatever field we are at!  (Man are we a spoiled nation!)  Unfortunately, we can’t afford to do this.  The funds only go so far.  The gift cards eventually run out. Eating via Door Dash is not sustainable; and truth be told it is probably not very healthy either.
 
As we were driving home last night, from a late-night football game in Rockaway, my stomach was grumbling like crazy.  My sone and me were hungry.  I drove past a number of restaurants that looked good. I thought to myself as we passed each one, “If only I had a gift card for that place right now.  Or a rich uncle…”  That would definitely solve the problem. I wouldn’t hesitate to stop.  It is always nice when someone else pays the bill. When a gift is given so that you can enjoy a tasty meal.  You can sit back, relax, and order all sorts of things from cocktails to appetizers to desserts, not worrying about what it will cost in the end. If only…
 
This is the beautiful story of the Gospel. 
A gift given. A debt paid. A problem solved.
​Even a meal provided. 
 
Every Sunday morning, we are invited to come out and dine at the table of our Lord where we are reminded that He has paid the ultimate price for us.  He has covered all the expenses. “This is my body, given for you.” “This is my true blood, shed for you.” With these grace-giving words, God satisfies a need that no other food can placate and a hunger that no restaurant fulfil.  Jesus fits the bill. All of it. For each of us.  He is far greater than a rich uncle; He is our redeemer and deliverer.  This is good news indeed. This mysterious meal is the means by which God delivers the healing fruits of His Gospel into the hearts and lives of all who kneel at the altar. This is where heaven and earth collide each week in a sacramental meal that points us to our eternal place at God’s heavenly banquet table. This meal puts an end to the grumbling of the soul, so that we can rejoice in the priceless meals of paradise. 
 
Forget the unhealthy fast-food; this is powerful, salvific faith-food. 
The restaurants will have to wait.
You can Door Dash another day.
Welcome to the Lord’s Table. 
Come, eat, and be satisfied! 
 
Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst… I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:35, 51)

This past Sunday, we had our annual Rally Day picnic and potluck. After several years of rain, we finally had a beautiful morning.  While sitting out on the front lawn here at church, enjoying the food and fellowship of those in attendance, I couldn’t help but notice our freshly manicured and newly mulched flowerbeds.  As you know, we had two intense workdays over the summer. The first day in July was dedicated to removing all the overgrown shrubs, getting rid of dead branches, and pulling out weeds.  We worshiped and then we weed-whacked.  We sprayed every nook and crack on our parking lot. The second day in mid-August was all about spreading 20 yards of mulch throughout the property. We worshiped and then we wheel-barrowed.  Shovel by shovel that mountainous pile disappeared. Then in the days afterwards, all the flowerbeds were covered with fertilizers and weed preventer.  Over a span of several weeks, so many volunteers worked their butts off and transformed the property. It looked great. It still does.  

​Yet, as I sat there this past Sunday, I couldn’t help but notice the persistent weeds poking through the mulch; the incessant crabgrass rising from the depths of the freshly-strewn mulch surrounding our trees.  Apparently, in order to really keep these tenacious weeds away, one or two days of work is not enough. It needs to be a regular practice.  Certainly, most of them are still gone, but little-by-little the weeds keep popping up. In spite of our valiant efforts, the job is endless. We must keep at it. We’ll have to walk around the property again doing the less intensive, but still necessary task of pulling weeds.
 
So it is, in the life of a faithful Christian.  Most certainly, in the waters of baptism the damning roots of sin were removed. We were washed clean and created anew.  But over time, and throughout our lives, the ugly weeds of sin still show up. They keep poking through. The devil still keeps tempting; and our own sin is just as stubborn as those stupid weeds.  So how do we take care of this?  How do we keep up with spiritual weeding?  We come together for worship. In worship the Divine Creator serves His creatures through His forgiving word and pardoning sacraments. This is the beautiful reality of what worship is. It is not about us coming to do our “Christian duty.”  It is not about being pious. It is not about going through the religious motions we assume are expected of us. It is not about easing our conscience by throwing money in the offering plate. It is not about trying to appease God with our prayers or songs. Worship is about God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. In worship, our Lord reaches into the dirt of our lives and rips out the weeds of sin in all its ugly forms. The envy. The judgment. The pride. The doubt. The arrogance.  The idolatry. The messed-up priorities. All of these “weeds” are ripped from our lives before they can choke out the hope and faith that we have. No wonder, God calls us to regular worship; it is His gift to us. In Christ, we have been transformed.  The weeds of sin have been removed. No matter what they are and how often they pop up; our heavenly and eternal Gardner will not stop in His work of sanctifying those whom He has already redeemed. Thanks be to God!
 
In my Bible study preparation for this week, I came across these relevant and applicable words. They are the words of Martin Luther from the Large Catechism, in which he discusses the importance of continually keeping the Word of God in our ears and hearts and upon our lips. I commend them to you: “Even though you know the Word perfectly, and have already mastered everything, still you are daily under the dominion of the devil, who neither night nor day relaxes his effort to steal upon you unawares and to kindle in your heart unbelief and wicked thoughts against all these commandments.  Therefore, you must continually keep God’s Word in your heart, on your lips, and in your ears. For where the heart stands idle and the Word is not heard, the devil breaks in and does his damage before we realize it.  On the other hand, when we seriously ponder the Word, hear it, and put it to use, such is its power that it never departs without fruit. It always awakens new understanding, new pleasure, and a new spirit of devotion, and it constantly cleanses the heart and its meditations.  For these words are not idle or dead, but effective and living. Even if no other interest or need drove us to the Word, yet everyone should be spurred on by the realization that in this way, the devil is cast out and put the flight, this commandment is fulfilled, and God is more pleased than by any work of hypocrisy, however brilliant.”  (LC, 3rd Commandment)
 
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
 
“I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.” (Ezekiel 35:25-27)

Since yesterday, the story of Mary and Martha has been on my mind.  You likely remember the story of these two busy sisters, and genuine friends of Jesus, from Luke 10. Amidst His travels, the Messiah had come for a visit. One sister is hard at it, the other just sits at the feet of Jesus.  Martha is diligently working her tail off to get the house cleaned and food prepared. Mary was lost in conversation, providing no aide or assistance to her stressed-out sister. 
 
As a new school year is upon us, I can’t help but think of these words of Jesus to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” He then commends Mary for taking time to tune out the distractions, rest in His words, and relish the moment of calm companionship.  The dawn of a new school year brings all sorts of stress and distractions.  Back to school nights. Teacher’s meetings. Forgotten trumpet rentals (oops).  New practice and game schedules.  All of these are good things, but all of them can lead us to places of anxiousness.  Even if you do not have kids to shuttle around and fill up a color-coded calendar, the pace of life continues to press down.  There are always the demands of household chores, doctors’ appointments, volunteer opportunities, and increased traffic (and construction) on every road. Again, these are necessary things, but they certainly aren’t without stress.  And it is no different here at church.  Grandparents Day. Rally Day. New Bible classes. The start of The MomCo and DivorceCare.  Youth group and much more.  All sorts of exciting, new things are ready to start here too.
 
In His words to Martha, Jesus is by no means teaching that servanthood is not of extreme value to the kingdom. However, He is instructing us that when we walk in relationship with Him, this is a journey that is evident by both service and stillness; doing and being.  After all, it is impossible to pour Jesus into others if you are not full of Jesus yourself. No matter our age or season of life, Jesus reminds us that the single, most “necessary thing” is to take time to be present with Him. God is too easily and often forgotten in all of the madness of our busy lives. Who has time to pay attention to spiritual things? We can sometimes be too busy, too tired, too entertained, or too overwhelmed to care.  The one needed thing is to hear, and this is not just Mary’s need, but it is needed by all the people of God! Your ears are not hearing everything they can if the Word doesn’t regularly tickle your ear drums! When we move too fast, when we are distracted by the busyness of the world, it is easy to lose the crystal-clear Word of God in the cacophony.  To not hear God’s Word is to not hear God’s love for you, not to be called to repentance, and not to hear the good news that God in his mercy gave his Son to die for you, and for his sake forgives you all of your sins!  What a delightful sound this is! 

One final thought… what else did Jesus say about Mary? Not only was she doing the one necessary thing, but she had chosen the good portion. The good portion was necessary, but it also was a choice.  As the world careens on in all its frenetic madness, and many demands insist on our attention, we can become people who choose to be still, sit at the Lord’s feet, and listen to His voice. For it is in His Word that we will receive the good portion we need most.  Hope that you can join us for worship, in person or virtually, in these upcoming weekends, it is the ideal place to find that most “necessary one thing.” 
 
“It is the very nature of sin to prevent man from meditating on spiritual things.” (M.M. Sherwood)
“Christians need the Gospel, just as much as non-Christians do.” (Tim Keller)
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Before we returned home from our baseball week in Cooperstown this past Sunday afternoon, we had to travel one last time down Main Street to look for our official “Home of Baseball” souvenirs.  Calie and I both got shirts that let you know, clear as day, where they came from. No doubt they will initiate a conversation or two when we wear them.  “When were you in Cooperstown?” “Did you get to the Hall of Fame?” 
 
This past Tuesday, I worked from home as we had new carpet installed throughout our home.  When the two workers showed up in their company shirts, I noticed that Romans 10:13 was printed on their right sleeve. You better believe that led to a conversation with them, albeit brief.  It also fueled another conversation with the owner of the company later that night.
 
The two scenarios above show how simple we can bear witness to the faith we hold so dearly.  It doesn’t have to be difficult. It doesn’t have to be daunting.  Whether it be a t-shirt, a cross necklace, or a bumper sticker there are so many ways that we can let people know who we are and what we believe.  Of course, there is nothing better than genuine conversation, but making use of the everyday tools we have around us can open the doors for the Holy Spirit to use us. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 

For whatever the reason, on a number of occasions over the past couple of weeks, I have heard these words: “It’s OK Pastor, I don’t want to bother you.  I’m fine.  You’re already busy. Don’t worry about it.”  It has come from many people.  It has come in a variety of scenarios and contexts.  As a result, I want to take this chance to set the record straight and make sure it is crystal clear what DOES and DOES NOT bother Pastor Steve.
 
Here are some things that DO bother me:

• When people are unwilling to engage and understand people with different views and beliefs.
• Having ink or marker anywhere on my skin. 
• When people complain about things but are not willing to do anything about it.
• Having crumbs in the bed or hair in the shower drain.  Gag!
• Young baseball players that leave empty water and Gatorade bottles all over the dugout.
• When people are disrespectful, talking, or goofing around during times of prayer.

 
Here are some things that DO NOT bother me:

• When a member has a question regarding something they read in the Bible, heard in a sermon, read in a book, or saw on TV.
• When a member needs some form of help—financial, manual labor, or otherwise.
• When a member is having problems in their relationships with family, friends, etc.
• When a member feels lonely and needs a visit—at home or in the hospital.
• When a member needs someone to talk to and cry in front of.
• When a member is seeking guidance & encouragement in faith or any other arena of life.

 
As a pastor, God has given me a wonderful calling to be “bothered.”  At one point, I recall a fellow pastor referred to the life of a pastor as one filled with holy interruptions.  He encouraged pastors to embrace the interruptions, because that is so often when real-life and faith collide.  Truthfully, the interruptions that come into my life, into my week, into my every day are not interruptions, as much as they are ministry itself.  This was true of Jesus. He was interrupted all the time—when He was teaching, when He was traveling, when He was trying to find rest.  A great many of His recorded healings and interactions, when lives were transformed and souls were saved, was while He was being interrupted from doing something else.  Jesus was so often interrupted or bothered, even his interruptions were interrupted!
 
As your pastor, God has specifically given me a calling to be “bothered” by each and every one of you!  Anytime, anywhere, regarding any issue.  Of course, the word “bothered” carries all sorts of negative connotations; please know that I don’t use it in that way at all.  As your pastor, I am NEVER too busy for any member of this church.  This is the very reason God established this vocation. My office door is open, my email is accessible, and my cell phone is on.  I am here to serve you.  To help you.  To pray for you.  To counsel you.  To support you. To encourage you.  To laugh with you. To cry with you.  In other words, bring on the interruptions! I look forward to our years of ministry together and I am especially eager for all the unscheduled, unplanned and spontaneous visits that are not, and will never be, a bother!
 
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”  (1 Timothy 1:12)
 
“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own,' or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life—the life that God is sending one day by day.” (C.S. Lewis)
 
“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) 

We Christians have this tendency to look at the plans of this ungodly world and then quickly jump to despair.  Have you been there?  If not yet, I suspect in the months ahead you will.  Nations at war. Regimes tottering. Divisions abound. When we look at all the evil in the world, as well as all the grandiose, chaotic plans of the world, we can easily conclude that the church is about to go to ruin and that ungodliness is about to take over everything.  We say to one another, “I have never seen it this bad before.” Or, “It is getting really bad out there.  I worry for my grandchildren.” 
 
We indeed look at the world with its evil plans and can easily be given to doom and gloom.  The prophetic words of Isaiah are just as relevant now as they were when he first penned them, “[those who] call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (5:20)  We see the empty pews, we hear the great plans of human leaders, and we see the rampant evil in the world and conclude that everything is going to hell in a handbasket.  But lest we drop too far off into the pit of despair, we must remember that God is still in control. 
 
It is imperative that we guard ourselves from being tempted to naively believing in the world’s greatness.  Or to say it another way, don’t give this fallen world too much credit. Do not be so easily deceived into believing that the world has the corner market on being all-knowing, all-present, and all-powerful.  The Lord has told us not to put our faith in the princes and presidents of this world (Psalm 146).  After all, there is an expiration date on all who wield the sword in this world; the best-laid plans will perish with them. While the world operates with self-inflated arrogance and robust pride, we do well to remember that God runs the course of the universe.  It is His will that will come to fruition, His plans that will outlast the schemes of this world. Strange though it may seem to us at times, especially if we spend too much time watching the news, God is in charge.  In fact, looking at waywardness and paranoid fear of the ungodly, Psalm 2:4 declares, “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.” God laughs at the futile, faith-less plans of this world.
 
So do not be frightened when you see the world enacting all its plans. Do not be discouraged in this politically divided climate.  Do not lose hope as the church is persecuted by the world.  The Lord is in control. He laughs at the world’s silly pride and will not only confound the world but will certainly sustain His church.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (Jn 14:27-28a)
 
“When it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who hasn’t surrendered His authority.” (AW Tozer)
 
“When you accept the fact that sometimes seasons are dry and times are hard and that God is in control of both, you will discover a sense of divine refuge, because the hope then is in God and not in yourself.” (Charles Swindoll)


(H/T to Pastor Matt Richards for his inspirational sermon on Genesis 11.)

​My poor rose bush. It’s been a tough few weeks for it.  Of course, there’s been the lack of rain and excessive heat. But it has also been under attack by Japanese Beetles, cutworms, and something called black-spot fungus. (You'll never guess why it was given that name!?) 
 
When our rose bush is healthy, it is beautiful—speckled with colors of pinks, yellows, and orange.  But lately, the picturesque flowers have given way to an increased number of brown leaves and bare branches.  Between Amazon, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart we’ve thrown all kinds of powders and sprays at that poor plant.  Fortunately, after investing a good deal of time and money, we are nursing it back to health.  It will take some time yet before all the bugs are gone and fungus dissipates.  Nature may still throw another deflating obstacle our way (i.e. spotted lantern flies).  But slowly and surely, our roses will bloom full force again.
 
Aside from the oppressive heat, what’s been eating away at you lately?  What frustrating outside factors have caused your leaves to go brown?  Summer vacation plans that have been cancelled.  Unexpected cost of car repairs or the need for a new air conditioner.  Sickness and diagnosis of a loved one.  Sideline drama with another team parent or frustration with an estranged family member.
 
This is not an easy world to live in. Tough weeks come for more than just rose bushes. We know this to be true. But so does our Heavenly Father, which is why His word is ever-present to encourage and comfort us.  An underlying theme of our most recent Sunday morning psalms have called us to perseverance and trust in the midst of life’s moments that are more burdensome than beautiful. For example, in Psalm 30:1-2 we read, “I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.”  Or in Psalm 34:8 which declares, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”  We may not be bombarded by beetles and bugs, but nevertheless we do feel the weight of the perpetual brokenness of this world.  Thanks be to God, that our help is in Him.  He comes to our rescue, not with magic powders or quick-fix sprays, but with the blood of our Savior that flowed from the cross.  No more wilting. He gives us His word and the love of Jesus to nurse us back to health—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
 
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” (Psalm 130:5)
 
“It is only when you reach the very bottom, when everything falls apart, when all your schemes and resources are broken and exhausted, that you are finally open to learn how to completely depend on God.” (Tim Keller)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Here’s what I’m thinking about doing. As our kids get out of school this week, and summer officially begins, I’m thinking about telling my wife that I am going to take the summer off from her and the kids.  Don’t get me wrong, I obviously still love her and the kids. They are still really, really important to me. Really, I mean it. These are not just words to make me feel better about this decision. It’s just that there are some other things I want to get done this summer also—and sometimes they cramp my style, they slow me down.  Places I want to visit and things I want to do; having a family prevents me down from checking things off of my bucket list, what I want to do. Don’t worry. I will reassure her that I’ll see her again in three months. Plus, if there is some sort of major emergency, I will probably check in with her for an hour or so. I may even make an exception for a week or two in August so we can do some sort of obligatory family vacation. I will even Venmo her a few bucks after each paycheck to keep her happy. But other than that, it’s “Sayonara baby!”   Think about it… for the next three months I’m not going to waste any of my resources—time or attention, energy or money on my family. Just three glorious months of no one to make happy but me.  No more coming home, spending time with family. No more cleaning. No more dishes. No more laundry. No more conversations. No chauffeuring kids to games or piano lessons. I am just going to spend 92 straight days doing whatever I want, whenever I want.
 
Sounds ridiculous, right? Of course it does. This is not really going happen.  I would never do such a thing; and Calie would not let me. 😉 Even the suggestion of taking a summer off from your family sounds neglectful and absurd.  Which wife in her right mind would tolerate a husband living in selfish solitude golfing and fishing the summer away without her?  Yet the irony here is how easy it is for far too many to take the summer off from God.  Seriously!  Sure, we may not see it that way, nor do we do it intentionally, but the summer months often lend themselves to a less than consistent worship schedule.  Most churches experience less attendance, less excitement, and less generosity during June, July, and August. Truth be told, this trend has already crept its way in here.  As our summer schedules fill up, we can find ourselves tripped up by Satan and slacking in our “remember the Sabbath” duties.  We spend all of Saturday busy, so Sunday feels like a good day to sleep-in.  Vacations and trips to the lakes or down to the Jersey shore are the norm during the summer—but that doesn’t mean our worship habits should take a back seat. 
 
God will understand you taking a well-deserved vacation. He told you to “rest” on the Sabbath, as He knows you need a change of pace in order to recharge your batteries. Exodus 20:8-10 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” God didn’t tell you to ignore worshipping Him for months at a time, but instead, find ways of worshipping him as you take a break from the busyness of your daily life. Maintain God as a priority in your life, not just when it is convenient. The most important thing we can do for our families is show them that Jesus is still on the throne of our hearts, even when it gets to be short-sleeve weather. On Sundays over the summer whether you’re in town or somewhere else—go to church.   Be immersed in His story.   Seek out a place to worship God and be fed by the holy goods that only He can give.  Worship is the place where God promises to meet us and give us His life-giving, forgiveness-granting goods.  Church is the place where God gospelizes and graces His people.  It is the place where the Divine serves us. What a gift, don’t miss it!
 
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Hebrew 10:23-25
 
“I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” (Martin Luther)
 
(Devotion adapted from our Weekly Blast, 6.1.21)
​

Imagine parents seeing their child playing on a busy street, saying, “Everything is OK.”
Or a doctor finding cancer in a patient, saying, “That’s fine.”
Or people watching a blind man walk toward the edge of a cliff, saying, “He will be safe.”
 
That, in essence, is what God accused the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day of saying. These prophets “say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you’” (Jer. 23:17).  They comforted the unrepentant. They affirmed evil. Instead of preaching the law and calling sinners to repentance, they said, “Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re good.”  Claiming to speak for heaven, they preached for hell.
 
None of us likes correction. But we need it. We need to hear the stern and clear Word of God that shows us our sins, points out God’s threat to punish evildoers, and calls us to repent. This is neither an easy thing to preach nor an easy thing to hear, but the truth must be spoken. God save us from churches that do not preach the law, and do not call us to repent!
 
God also save us from churches that do not follow this preaching of the law with the proclamation of the Good News of forgiveness and life in Jesus. It ultimately does no good to realize we are sinners and we have done wrong if that is the end of the proclamation. Telling us, “Do better!” will not help. Telling us, “Improve your life!” will not help.  What we need is the sweet, consoling, life-giving Gospel preached into our ears. That Gospel will generate repentance. That Gospel will enliven us. That Gospel will pour Jesus into us so that we stand forgiven, righteous, and holy in him.  Preach the law? Yes. Preach the Gospel? A thousand times, Yes! That Good News is our hope because it gives us Jesus, who forgives, renews, and leads us to a life pleasing to him.
 
(Devotion from author Chad Bird, 6.11.24)
 
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
 
"A man who wants to help people tell them the truth, and a man who wants to help himself tells people what they want to hear." (unknown)

“Well, this is going to stink.”
 
This has been the consistent reaction in the Jefferson/Sparta areas over the past 18 hours. Perhaps you have heard, but Route 15 Southbound is closed indefinitely. One of the bridges they have been working on for the past year has now been deemed unsafe. Rumor has it that parts of the bridge began to crumble into the river below yesterday afternoon. Thankfully, they were able to make this determination early so that no one was on the bridge.  Even still, this is closure of a major highway that will be a lengthy headache for many. Travel plans and work commutes have been radically disrupted. Frustrating. Inconvenient. Prolonged. Our local social media outlets have been saturated with people venting over this recent development. NJ DOT has warned, “expect significant delays” and “look for detours.”  Truer words are rarely spoken. Earlier this morning, my wife and I found our commutes to work about 30 and 55 minutes longer than normal respectively.  Of course, we both took alternate routes (we had no choice), but so did everyone else that normally travels down Rt. 15. 
 
As I sat in stop-and-go traffic this morning, I pondered the teachable moment in this.  The Holy Spirit always has a lesson for a discerning heart. The verse that came to the forefront of my mind were these familiar words of Jesus, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)   When it comes to our eternal salvation, there is no detour. No alternate route. No roundabout way to get to the same place.  Jesus makes it clear that He is the ONLY way to eternity.  Fortunately, and unlike this current transportation nightmare, this is hardly inconvenient. Quite the opposite is true. There is great joy and freedom in knowing that we need not fire up Waze or another traffic app to find the quickest alternate route. Two weeks ago, we heard these beautiful words of Jesus from the Gospel of John.  You know them well.  “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.”  There is nothing stinky about this message. This promise and invitation of God is an open gift, to all people.  The highway to heaven is paved with the blood and love of our Savior; and this road that leads to life will never be obstructed. It will never be too congested. It will never be closed. By faith, we journey down the traffic-free road of salvation through the vehicle that is Jesus Christ.
 
Sadly, there are a lot of people today who feel there are many ways to get to heaven. They believe the way to heaven is like a mountain with many paths leading to the top. They are convinced that it doesn’t matter what “god” you believe in or what religion you are—as long as you do the right thing and are a good person, you can earn your way to heaven. This type of teaching is false and very dangerous; but it is far too commonplace in our culture today, especially in our northeast American context. The Bible is clear that there is only one way to heaven, and that is through faith in Jesus. Is this exclusive? Yes!  But it is also a gift that is available to everyone.  It is inclusively exclusive. To the unbelieving world this message is foolishness. As God’s children, this message brings us peace. It also nudges us to be more bold and vocal about this reality. Just as we may try to warn our fellow commuters about closed roads and compromised travel plans, so also may we proudly showcase the life-giving path that only Jesus provides.
 
“Keep using my name in vain, I’ll make rush hour longer.” –God 😉