PASTOR'S BLOG
Discovering Spiritual Truths & Celebrating God's Grace in the Every Day Happenings of Life.
I’m a hero.
That’s right. You read that correctly. No doubt, many of you probably hold me in this high regard already; but allow me to explain. This past Monday night I took Collin to a private coaching session for baseball. After a brief introduction and some basic mechanics from the coach, we stepped outside into the chilly fall air. This coach has a fully-enclosed batting cage in his backyard, complete with plenty of lights and pitching machine. Collin and I were both a tad bit jealous and dreamed of having one in our own backyard. Nevertheless, just as Collin was about to start taking live swings, we noticed a little rabbit caught in the netting way back in the corner of the cage. One line drive to the far-left corner of the cage would have sent that bunny into baseball oblivion, much like this poor bird. Talk about having a bad hare day! Fortunately, we saw the bunny caught before any pitches were thrown. So, the final 30 minutes of our lesson was spent trying to set him free. Easier said than done. Of course, the more this young bunny realized that he was trapped in the netting, the more he panicked. He flipped around with such reckless abandon that what was once, one foot caught had now become 3 legs caught and netting wrapped around his neck. Long story short, we were able to finally cut the rabbit free. After all the netting that entrapped him was cut loose, the bunny laid on the ground, still a bit shell-shocked, before finally scampering back to his home under the nearby shed. Hopefully to live hoppily ever after. On our way home, this Bible verses came to mind: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrew 12:1) The image of that poor rabbit violently bouncing around, trying desperately to get himself free, loudly preaches to the reality of sin. The more the bunny panicked and the more he attempted, the more stuck he became. You could see the struggle and fear in his big black eyes. What was once just a single leg had gotten far worse; and the gravest part was that the net was now wrapped around his neck multiple times. There was no way, that poor rabbit, would have broken free. If he had survived the onslaught of baseballs, he would eventually have died from the cold, starvation, or a passing-by predator. The writer of Hebrews reminds us to cast off and throw away anything that seeks to entangle us. Any sin. Any false priority. Any misplaced adoration. Any potential pitfall. If it seeks to remove our gaze from the Creator, it will eventually trap us in a no-win situation. Of course, sin is not something we can cut ourselves loose from. There is no amount of twisting or maneuvering that can shake us free. There exists no spiritual scissors strong enough to cut through the nets of sin we often find ourselves underneath. To put it bluntly, we cannot be the hero of our own story. The more we try to master the Devil who seeks to devour us, the more entangled and helpless we become. If we try to fight on our own, we will end up exhausted, defeated and without hope. As our opening liturgy reminds us of each week in worship, “We cannot free ourselves from our own sinful condition.” But the good news of the Gospel is that we don’t have to free ourselves. Allow me to bring back to mind this uplifting verse of the Reformation hymn we sang a couple of weeks ago. Verse 2 of A Mighty Fortress says: “No strength of ours can match his [the devil’s] might. We would be lost, rejected. But now a champion comes to fight, Whom God Himself elected. You ask who this may be? The Lord of hosts is He, Christ Jesus Mighty Lord, God’s only Son adored. He holds the field victorious.” Jesus Christ comes to battle and sets us free from all that entangle us. By His merciful acts, we are cut loose from the stranglehold of sin, death, and the devil. Our struggles cease and instead we can rejoice in what God does for us. Having no power to set ourselves free by own might or right, God breaks into his world to do the dirty work on our behalf. Suffering. Desertion. Crucifixion. Death. This was the excruciating price Jesus paid, so that we can know what it means to be restored and released from bondage. This is how we are held victorious. Now, as His redeemed and restored children, we can excitedly scamper back to the eternal homes that await us. We give thanks and we worship Jesus. The Hebrews writer continues on, “…Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Heb. 12:2-3) The English word ‘consider’ leaves so much to be desired. We do more than consider him, we reflect on all that He endured on our behalf, and we worship Him. We thank Him for the love, life, and forgiveness that He brings. We think deeply and intentionally how His act of salvation changes everything for our lives. We rejoice over the fact that we need not be weary or lose heart because He still promises, even today, that He is always with us. Whenever something entangles us, we throw it off—by the power of and in the name of Jesus. Or, to put it another way, Jesus is our hero. He is our champion. Thanks be to God! “The Gospel is the only story where the hero dies for the villain.” (unknown) “One crucial thing to keep in mind as you read any Hebrew narrative is the presence of God in the narrative. In any biblical narrative, God is the ultimate character, the supreme hero of the story.” (Gordon D. Fee) “The kids look at me, 'Ah, you're my hero.' I want to teach those kids. 'Hey listen, God is my hero. He died on the cross for my sins, and He's the one. That's how I wanna live, like Him, and I want you guys to do the same thing.” (MLB player, Albert Pujols)
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Goodbye ghosts, goblins, and skeletons.
Farewell insanely expensive big bags of candy. Don't move too quickly to Thanksgiving. Today is worthy of celebration too! Did you know? Today is not just a Halloween hangover day. True, our bellies may ache over one-too-many Snickers bars. Our children are probably droopy-eyed and still recovering from crashlanding off of night-long sugar highs. Nevertheless, this day is an oft-forgotten celebration—overshadowed by last Sunday’s red-clad celebration of Reformation or the candy-driven desires of the day before it. November 1st is a very significant festival (or holiday) on the church calendar. Today is All Saints’ Day, also sometimes referred to as the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. This day has been celebrated, in some capacity, by the universal church going all the way back to the early eighth century. The festival originally, in the Roman Church, honored those who were considered especially holy—heroic figures from the Scriptures and martyrs who had given their lives nonviolently in witness to the faith. However, it is an especially Lutheran accent for the feast to honor not only those who lived exemplary lives, but all who have been baptized into Christ’s death. For Lutherans, All Saints’ Day resonates with the conviction that in Christ every saint is a sinner and every sinner a saint. In other words, saints are ALL true believers on earth and in heaven, both living and dead. In our Lutheran Confessions and tradition, the departed ones do not hold a higher “position” in the Church. We do not pray to the departed Saints. We do not seek their approval or blessing. We do not request their counsel or ask for them to intercede to the Father on our behalf. Only Christ stands between us and the Heavenly Father as our one and only mediator (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5). Some saints are indeed revered for the role they served in Christ’s Church throughout history. But just like you and me, ordinary and faithful pew-sitters, they are each just another sinner washed in the blood of Christ. To be sure, we give thanks to God for their faithfulness and example, the impact they made for the Kingdom. But each is just another flawed and fallen individual who have been clothed by the white robes of Christ’s righteousness. For all of time, a person is given the title of “Saint” in a completely passive way. Not by their credentials. Not by merit. Not by work or accomplishment. The title of “Saint” is bestowed upon them, and us, by grace alone. Through faith given by the Holy Spirit, they believe Christ is their Lord and Savior. Flowing nicely from our timeless Reformation theme, we know that all people are saved solely by His complete atonement for their sins. In our commemoration of All Saints today (and in worship this coming Sunday), we remember those who have died in Christ with the sure and certain hope of salvation and redemption by His grace. We are thankful for the blessings the departed saints we knew brought to our lives. Our grandparents. Our parents. Former pastors and Sunday schools. Men and women who have modeled the faith and poured into our own spiritual upbringing. We also remember the Christian faithful from all generations, not limited by time, denomination or earthly accolades. Today, between bites of leftover Halloween candy, is a day to reflect and give thanks for those saints in your cloud of witnesses. These are the faithful people whom God worked through to instill the faith you and I have in Jesus today. So, celebrate today as a saint. For that is what you are. A beloved and sainted child of God; a justified and forgiven son and daughter of the King! Give thanks for all the sinners declared saints before you. Rejoice that this same performative Word that bespoke them saints is still speaking, still sanctifying sinners in Christ who rose for our justification and whose righteousness is our robe, the source of our sainthood. No, this title, dear friends and saints, is not earned or deserved. It is a gift. A gift given and freely available to all. And because this saintly title isn’t from you, it is as sure and certain as its Giver—the One to whom all the saints of every age point and in whom they live and move and have their being. Take off the Halloween regalia; adorn your saintly attire. Cover yourself with that white robe and garnish your head with that beautiful crown. Be not ashamed. Walk around as boldly and proudly as those cute-costumed kids that rang your doorbell last night. This “saintly” attire is no mere costume. It is the real deal. Try it on for size and wear it well, for it won’t ever wear out. It’s as eternal as the One who gave it to you. And instead of ‘trick-or-treat’ our tongue heeds the direction of the psalmist: “Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.” (Psalm 30:4) “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” (Revelation 14:12) I’m reflecting further on our reading from last Sunday, specifically 1 Thessalonians 1:9, “For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”
Notice the direction of this action: to God, from idols. It is not put the other way around. The people had come out of the darkness and into the marvelous light of the Gospel. They had been immersed in deception and misplaced adoration; then they left that for something better. You do not leave your idols for some reason and then painfully try to find God. What happens is that you discover moments of the beauty, the glory and greatness of God. Seeing that and wanting it, you are willing to forsake the cheap and tawdry things you have been trying to satisfy yourselves with. At its core, Idolatry is seeking of self rather than God. Idolatry is putting our trust in created things rather than the Creator. It echoes Satan’s words, which started all of this process: “You will be like God.” (Genesis 3:5) True worship of the true God recognizes the great gulf existing between the quality of life we are disposed to live and the sacrifice of God’s only Son on the cross. God is a God of justice and also a God of love. In the cross of Christ, justice and love have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The real God is a relentless pursuer who gives no peace until our religiosity is transformed into repentance and faith. Modern America is surely one of the most idolatrous countries the world has ever seen. We are surrounded with idol worship. We are guilty of the same self-serving idolatry. We may not fashion idols of wood or gold or silver as did our Old Testament ancestors, but we still find no end of things to worship—money, power, politics, youth sports, pleasure—whatever temporarily satisfies our selfish needs and desires. For example, perhaps our greatest idol that we encounter in our hearts today is the idol of comfort. Americans believe we should be able to do whatever we want and like. We should be able to do what makes us comfortable. We should do what makes us happy. This is the idol of comfort. Sound familiar? Trying combat that American mindset with a call to penance. Good luck! No wonder the Apostle Paul and others met such resistance in their early years of church planting and ministry. Whenever they called people to repentance, it was a rebuke to put God first. They called people to return to the Lord and away from self-gratifying idols and self-centered mantras. It also highlights why Paul and his fellow teachers were so impressed by the transformation in the lives of the early Thessalonians. Elsewhere, in Genesis, Jacob discovered in the corners of his own household a monstrous problem calling for drastic action: “Get rid of the foreign gods,” he said, “and purify yourselves.” These words of Jacob are just as much needed to today than ever before. Thousands of years later, they are just as relevant and the need has only increased in urgency. “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you.” Love for God allows nothing else to take first place; only God can hold that place. Because only God can bring the peace and healing we need. With this love properly fixated on God, the gods of materialism and self go out the window. That insanity that makes men pursue things as if they were gods is replaced by a new and holier affection. Life acquires a new center and a new direction. That center is God, and that direction is God-ward. May the Lord help us put aside everything that distracts us from Him, so that we can return to serve the living and true God. May our lives be renewed through Jesus Christ. Help us clean house Lord; it’s time for You to take over. “For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His Name; bring an offering, and come into His courts!” (Psalm 96:5-8) “Idolatry happens when we take good things, and make them ultimate things.” (Tim Keller) “The system of idolatry, invented by modern Christianity, far surpasses in absurdity anything that we have ever heard of.” (Orson Pratt) “We make a god out of whatever we find most joy in. So, find your joy in God and be done with all idolatry.” (John Piper) *** I read a number of similar blogs prior to putting this together. So, this is my attribution to a bunch of random blogs and authors that I didn't do a good job of keeping referencing. My apologies and thank you for the words/inspiration. FULL DISCLOSURE… this blog is a bit longer today. But it’s something, I believe, many need to hear. If nothing else, I’m writing this to myself. You’re more than welcome to join me for the ride and the reflection.
I’ve been thinking a lot about our epistle reading from church this past Sunday. Primarily, it is these words, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” We know these words from the Apostle Paul. I’ve seen many a wall plagues, Sunday School posters, kitchen magnets, and travel coffee mugs with this verse emblazoned upon them. It’s a happy verse. It encourages. We really don’t mind it, most of the time. As life is chugging along, things are good, and we count our blessings we have no problem putting it into practice... rejoicing. But let’s be honest, with all due respect to the Apostle Paul, sometimes joy is hard to come by. There are moments when joy seems so very unrealistic. There are many circumstances in life that can make us feel this way: grief over the loss of a loved one, failures in our endeavors, responsibilities in the workplace, battling loneliness, lacking relationships, or simply the constant background anxiety of living in a world under sin’s curse. There are times, when even the most faithful believer, is barely hanging on. Have you been there? I suspect we all have. We may put on our Sunday best facade and proclaim to the world that we are peachy-keen; but there are burdensome and melancholy moments, often kept hidden from reality, when the last thing we feel like doing is rejoicing. On any given day, there are a billion things that can steal our joy, but only one source from which we can receive it. This is the point. Joy is not found in the circumstance; but it is in knowing that Christ is present in whatever circumstances you are in. Joy is not found in the particular moments; but it is in knowing that Christ is present in every moment. Joy is not found in impressive success nor is it lacking in depressing frustrations or embarrassing failures; but it is in genuinely believing that the “Lord is at hand.” It is found in knowing that Christ is present whether you’re riding high or barely hanging on. Paul strongly emphasizes that such an attitude should be constant, not temporary. Rejoice in the Lord always, Paul writes from his prison cell in Rome. Paul is an inmate, a jailbird. That’s important to remember – that he writes these words while being imprisoned because of his Christian faith. So, when Paul tells us that we can rejoice in the Lord always, he really means, always. He is not writing these words from his high horse or a sheltered place of abundance. Rejoice. Always. To be sure, this is not easy—and we desperately need that gentle, constant prompting of the Spirt to remember these words. Always rejoice, because God is always faithful. Grounded in this unshakable truth, we won’t be destroyed by the sufferings of this world. In fact, we can thumb our nose at the hardships of this world and tell the Devil to go right back where he came from. Why? Because our joy in the Lord is not for sale, it cannot be polluted, it will not be seized. God is always faithful to His beloved. Isaiah 46:4 says, “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made you, and I will bear you; I will carry you and will save you.” That’s what we need to hear. When we are frustrated, sorrowful, filled with doubts… God is always faithful. He will carry us. Full of love and grace and mercy, the Lord promises that He is always there for you, always here with us. Back to the imprisoned Paul, instead of focusing on himself and his situation, Paul focuses on this Gospel and on how God is at work. He is especially focused on the idea that rejoicing is to take place at all times. This from the man who is a prisoner in Rome. He had been wrongfully arrested for some time, shipwrecked on the way there, bitten by a snake, and left under house arrest for two years. Paul had every reason to complain, yet focused on rejoicing. He rejoices in the opportunities he has to talk about his faith with the palace guard, he delights in the boldness with which other believers are speaking out, and, as for those who are preaching with false motives – as long as they are telling people about Jesus, Paul chooses to find joy in that. Even in chains, he trusted that the Lord was with him and caring for him. No matter what is happening in your life – no matter how bad it might seem – you have a God who loves you, a Savior who died for you, and a promise from our God to be with you always. Don’t look for your ability or desire to rejoice internally. Instead look up and look outward; look to God. C.S. Lewis once wrote, “I had hoped that the heart of reality might be of such a kind that we can best symbolize joy as a place. Instead, I found it to be a Person.” And that’s why you and I can always rejoice. Because we are rejoicing in a person, Jesus Christ the Lord. God’s blessings my friends and may the joy of the Lord be your strength! “Such is the rejoicing of which Paul speaks—a rejoicing where there is no fear of death or hell, but rather a glad and all-powerful confidence in God and his kindness. Hence the expression, "Rejoice in the Lord"; not rejoice in silver or gold, not in eating or drinking, not in mechanical chanting, not in strength or health, not in skill or wisdom, not in power or honor, not in good works or holiness even. For these are deceptive joys, false joys, which never stir the depths of the heart. They are never even felt. When they are present we may well say the individual rejoices superficially. To rejoice in the Lord—to trust, confide, glory and have pride in the Lord as in a gracious Father—this is a joy which rejects all else but the Lord…” (Martin Luther) Then Nehemiah… said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep. Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10) This past Monday, along with our church preschool staff, I went through first aid and CPR training. It had been many years since I had received any formal instruction, and though most of the direction and training has probably stayed the same, it was very necessary and beneficial for me to have a refresher course. I would hate to find myself in an emergency setting where I feel ill-prepared or hesitant to render help. But after a day of training, I can now quickly come to the rescue if someone starts choking on donuts during fellowship hour. In the event of any health crisis or accident, I am, at the very least, better equipped to act. God willing, I will never have to use any of the training. However, knowing that I have the necessary information and training, I feel confident that I can help provide the care to someone in danger without any pause.
What about Spiritual Care? When a crisis comes—and it will—how can we care for others? How can we come to their aid? Much like in physical situations, we want to be quick to react. No doubt. No hesitation. If we see someone hurting or suffering, we want to quickly take what we know and put it into action. Have you ever observed a lifeguard rush to the aide of someone who stopped breathing? Aside from watching it on TV in the series Baywatch or the movie Sandlot, I haven’t seen it firsthand. But lifeguards leap immediately to action. They jump in and go right to life-giving measures such as CPR. The Bible says we are drowning in our sins (see Psalm 38:4), unable to overcome our guilt and shame. But we are not without a rescuer. Jesus dove right in—overcame our trouble by living, dying and rising again so that we might live again in Him. Today, He wants to breathe that life right into your hearts and minds and make you "wise for salvation," to make you sure you are truly ready to face the challenges that await you and make the most of the opportunities that are set before you, chances to give spiritual care to those around us. Knowing that we have been loved and redeemed in Christ, that we have been rescued by Him and are healed by His wounds, gives us all the necessary tools and information that we need to come to the spiritual aide of those around us. The Apostle Paul says the Bible is God-breathed: that means it is already full of the power and presence of God, and when it enters your mind and heart through your eyes, through your ears, it's like God is performing spiritual CPR on your life. He is giving what you need to sustain you and help you preserver through the “emergencies” of this world. That's the picture Paul wants you to have for the Bible. The Bible is not so much a rule book or a book of principles and truths—though there are truths contained in it, for sure. The Bible ultimately is a book that is alive with the love, the grace, and the mercy of God for you. It is God-breathed so you can spiritually breathe again in Him. It is full of God's Spirit and life so that you can truly be alive by His Spirit. So, open the Bible, take a look. Who knows? It might be the breath of fresh air that you really need. “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” (Psalm 30:2) Last Tuesday, I sat at a meeting with area clergy from the Mountain Lakes, Denville, Boonton, and Rockaway areas. The question was presented to us, “In what area of ministry do you feel most helpless?” One answer, which was echoed by everyone gathered, was the undeniable and frustrating apathy that the general population has towards the church. Across the denominational spectrum, numbers have dropped and pastors are discouraged. Many blamed the past pandemic. Certainly, a factor, but I don’t buy it for the present. It’s a convenient excuse more than anything. People will spend money, drive distances, and assemble in crowds without any hesitation when it comes to sporting events, concerts, birthday parties, and food festivals. People simply don’t care about the church. They’re too busy. They’re not interested. They’re chasing after their modern-day golden calves. Thousands of years ago, the prophet Jeremiah observed that the people he was sent to serve had also run away from God, “…Judgement will be upon their wickedness, who have forsaken [the Lord] and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands… My people, [says the Lord], have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (1:16, 2:13) Sadly, not much has changed. How can the church at large increase our impact if people don’t show up? How can we grow together and in our relationship with Jesus if we only sporadically spend time together? How can we advertise and sell a life-giving product to the outside world, if we are not using and rejoicing in it ourselves? Recently, this math was shared with me to ponder in regard to church attendance. If a person came to church this year each Sunday (53 weeks) and then also for the midweek gatherings (9 hours total) and special services (5 hours) you would spend about 70 hours hearing God's Word, receiving Holy Communion, and singing His praises. 70 hours. Total. For the year. Add 53 more hours if a person also wanted to attend a weekly Bible Study. Total for attending church and Bible study = 120 hours—for the entire year. Here are the numbers, on average in a year Americans spend (from the 2017 Bureau of Labor and Statistics Time Spent study):
None of those things are bad in and of themselves, yet seeing the numbers compared to one another might help you understand just how weekly church and Bible study attendance is really not a priority in the lives of most Americans. It is not that hard and does not take a huge chunk out of your life when compared to other things we so gladly do. If only the devil, the world, and your sinful flesh hated television like they do church attendance... right? The church is not a club to join or group to belong to. It is not a place that can be found or duplicated by anyone else; it has not become irrelevant and will never become antiquated. The church continues to be the only “organization” that was instituted by God. It is the only community He sacrificed Himself for. God is the architect and builder of this temple. He is the founder and presider. For this reason, it is impossible to overstate the importance of the church in the eternal plan of God. The church is His building, His bride. It is where He shows up to grace, redeem, and grow His beloved people. Our heavenly Father, the Creator Himself, pledges that the church—that universal body of believers under Christ’s headship—will have a visible being and a testimony in this world as long as the world itself lasts. Do you remember this promise of Jesus? “… On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18) All the enemies of truth combined shall never secure the defeat or destruction of the church. We are on stable ground, a firm foundation. Remember you are baptized. You are a member of His body, a part of His family. This is where your God invites you. This is where He promise to show up to meet you, to listen to your prayers, to comfort your sorrows. This is where He forgives you. This is where He feeds you. Your pew is the sweet, Gospel reception spot. Make the time. Come to church. “Belonging to a church means investing your life in a gospel-centered community of believers who joyfully serve one another and advance Jesus’ mission together.” (Tony Merida) “The church isn’t just a particular building or congregation, but the spiritual fellowship of all who belong to Jesus Christ.” (Billy Graham) “If Church history teaches us anything, it is that we cannot afford to be a vacillating Church. We minister to a people who are in great need of hearing truth; we dare not make any attempt to soft pedal that glorious truth.” (Martin Luther) My daughter made the middle school field hockey team. In our town, this is only the middle school team’s second year of existence and my daughter's first time ever playing it. Nearly the entire team of girls are brand-spanking new to the sport. Prior moving back east to New Jersey, we had no real familiarity at all with the sport. Forced by dad to try something new, she made the team and we now have one more thing in our busy fall schedule.
This past Tuesday was her first game, so I traveled over to Pequannock in between work and a church council meeting to watch it. It was fun to see the excitement and energy of the girls—Carolina blue jerseys, flashy mouthguards, and colorful field hockey sticks in hand. After only a short week of practice, they were ready to go. They were bouncing up and down on the sideline, shrieking and cheering each other on. But I have to be honest, I had no idea what was happening. Granted, I do understand the basic concept; hit the ball into the other team’s net. However, that is where my knowledge of field hockey comes to an abrupt and embarrassing end. The best I could surmise is that if hockey and soccer had a baby, it would be field hockey. There appeared to be nuances and rules from each sport playing out on the bumpy, high-grass field. Fortunately, I could tell by the chatter of fellow parents on the sidelines, I wasn’t alone. We often had questions. Many times during the game, the whistle would blow, and the two referees would, in some arm motion toward each other, signal an infraction or penalty. Don’t ask me what it was or when it happened. I still have no clue. Before her second game tomorrow, I will have to find a “Field Hockey for Dummies” video on YouTube. It was fun to watch her out there, but it is tough to fully enjoy the game when you’re not sure what’s going on. This experience gave me flashbacks to days when my son and I would play a card game of Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh. No matter how many times I would read the instructions or the information on the cards, I had no idea what was happening. Despite his best efforts to explain the strategy of the game, it still made little sense to me. I would be winning one minute and getting whooped the next. Just when I thought I started to get things figured out, my son would inform me of some rule that would prevent me from utilizing a certain card or attack mode. On the cusp of what I through was about to be a victorious move, I would quickly find myself defeated and sent tail-spinning back to a state of frustrated cluelessness. Yes indeed, it is tough to enjoy the game when you’re not sure what’s going on. Sometimes life can feel this way. Out of control. Frustrating. Chaotic. Confusing. Peppered with penalties. Exacerbated, we throw up our hands and exclaim, "What is going on here?" But it shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus tells us, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) There will be so many times in life when we feel like we’re playing a game without knowing the rules. Things will happen that will leave us shocked. Events will take place that will leave us scratching our heads. The good word of Jesus is that no matter the confusion of “the game,” He will always be taking care of us, always watching out for us. Trials and temptations will continue to come; but we put our faith and trust in the One who is bigger than them all. This coming Sunday, you’ll hear this reading from Isaiah 55:8-9, which tell us to trust in the One who is all-knowing and all-powerful. Every challenge and crisis, or “trial and sorrow” that comes your way provides the opportunity for us to confidently trust God more deeply. The Psalmist knew this when he declared, “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.” (Psalm 18:32) “Winning in the game of life can only be assured if we trust God as the Mastermind.” (unknown) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) On Tuesday afternoon I found myself in a position of trying to help someone in need. It was a scary situation, though it thankfully has a happy ending. Still, I found myself, along with many others, trying to give necessary medical care to someone who was completely unresponsive. When the professionals arrive, what is the first thing they do? They check for vital signs—body temperature, oxygen level, blood pressure, pulse rate. Vital Signs help the health professional or the emergency worker know what’s going on and administer the best possible treatment. Thankfully, the young man in need, still had relatively healthy vitals. He was then transported to the hospital to receive the crucial care he needed to completely recover.
So also, there are spiritual vital signs that help us understand what is going on with us spiritually and get the best possible treatment. Yesterday morning, with brother pastors from our NJ district, we sat in conversation over the book, “Autopsy of a Deceased Church.” In this book, we are led to an uncomfortable truth and an unavoidable reality that far too many churches are dying. And so, in looking at churches that have closed, we were given insight on what “vital signs” churches should look for so that they can reverse the trends of decline and begin to see healthy growth again. By looking at deceased churches who have shut their doors for good, we discussed the warning signs and pitfalls. We talked about the ways to keep our churches alive, and move to a place again where we can thrive. In a similar vein, I would love for you to listen to this sermon/podcast. It was shared with me by Delia, our office administrator. It is 29-minutes long, but it is so worth it. It is by renown pastor and author, John MacArthur, and is entitled Why We Should Love the Church. This message perfectly encapsulates and speaks to something that has been weighing heavy on my heart for many months now. Living in this northeast part of our country, it is undeniable that the majority of the population have become apathetic towards they church. More than disenfranchised, they are simply not interested. They have sports games to attend. Trips to go on. Or beds to stay in and sleep. They have no time in their busy lives for the church. They have enough commitments and enough on their plate already. But it is not just the outsiders, it is on the inside of the church too. Members of God’s congregations have equally distanced themselves from regular interaction and engagement with the church. It is time again for all the reasons MacArthur mentions, to fall in love with the church, the beautiful bride of Christ. Let us fall on our face before God and worship… “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” (Psalm 103:1-5) I was up early this morning. No real reason. But when I woke up at 3:00am, I could not fall back asleep. After tossing and turning for a bit, I decided to head down to the couch and watch TV. One of the shows I occasionally get sucked into is called “Mysteries of the Abandoned” on the Discovery Channel. This shows travels the world in search of ignored and neglected ruins. They rediscover all sorts of long-forgotten engineering marvels, decaying cities and empty factories that once stood on the cutting edge of design and construction. Today, these relics are a shell of what they once were. They are rotting and falling apart. In each episode, historians and engineers examine the heyday of these old engineering triumphs. They tell the stories of who originally designed the structure, its historical significance, and why it was ultimately no longer viable. This morning’s story had some local flare; it told of the SS United States—now emptied, abandoned, and anchored in a nearby Philadelphia port. As fascinating as each story is, it is undeniably bittersweet. Sure, it is great to see the pictures and the videos, or the depictions, of when those places were full of life. Yet despite the bustling days of the past, such abandoned structures are now an unavoidable depiction of that site’s current uselessness and demise. Even though these structures were once the talk-of-the-town, they have come to a sad expiration. The stories of their “glory days” are all in the past; that is all they have left. The reality is that these sites are essentially dead.
There is no present. There is no future. Thinking about this show on my drive in, I couldn’t help but consider some of the statistics I’ve heard over the years regarding the church in America. It’s been reported that about 3,000 churches close per year in our country. These church buildings are then sold, bulldozed, or now sit abandoned. Additionally, years ago I recall hearing that about 1.2 million people leave the church each year. Each one abandoning their congregation and giving way to faith decay. We have a God who has promises, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” The presence of our God and the love He has for us exists beyond any set time or tangible place. He is reliable and dependable. In Psalm 94:14 the author comforts us with these words, “The Lord will not abandon his people; he will not desert those who belong to him.” What an incredible promise God makes to us! And this promise is not just to us as individuals, but also to us as a church. God will never leave or abandon our congregation. I believe that knowing our God continues to be with us, and desires to bless our congregation, assures us that we are still on the cusp of our heydays here at King of Kings. Our "glory days" still lie ahead. Because He is present with us, our future is most assuredly bright. This is true of any faithful, Biblical congregation. To be fair, the present state of the Church in America shows us that we have our work cut out for us. There will be tough times; hardships will come. Yet, we forge on. We continue to gather and continue to worship. We continue to study and continue to pray. We continue to reach out and continue to invite others in. The mission of the church is unchanging; we are to seek and save the lost with the beautiful and life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ. My hope and prayer for this new school year, is that we begin to really engage our neighbors, our friends, and our preschool families. We need to see the hustle and bustle in the Sunday morning walls of our church; it is time for this place to again be filled with the excitement of adults and the energy of children. Come on back to church this fall! 😊 “God is taking care of you, even when it seems like you’re all alone. Believe me, God is working hard behind the scenes of your life.” (Anonymous) “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) Having returned a bit earlier than anticipated from our Midwest wedding, and because I already secured pastoral coverage for worship here at King of Kings, this past Sunday our family attended worship like a “normal” family. By normal, I simply mean, not as a pastor and pastor’s family. All five of us got into the same car, at the same time, and only about 10 minutes before the service started. We all walked into the church together. We dressed in our summer, casual church attire and took our place in the seats, blending in as just another family in the crowd. When the service was over, we all walked out together, at the same time, and without having to make sure the lights were off and doors were locked. Truthfully, it was really nice and quite refreshing to worship together as a “normal” family. It was also neat to check out a nearby church, with its different style and format to worship. Even if it was rediscovered that I behave much better in church when I’m leading worship. (Although in my defense, the children definitely started it.) 😉
One unanticipated thing that I noticed, even prior to attending that church, was the temptation that the Devil put before me—starting as early as Saturday evening. We had our choice to go to any church at all… OR we could simply not go. Oh yes, I heard the sneaky whispers of that great deceiver. “Take the morning off! Lay low and do nothing! It’s just one week. You don’t need to go. Chill out!” Indeed, even after we narrowed it down to which church we would attend that Sunday, the temptation to play worship hooky did not subside. After all, this was not my church and I had zero responsibilities. No one would know if we didn’t show up. No one would see if we decided to go back to bed. No one would notice if we instead hit up a local diner for breakfast. No one would know if we rationalized our absence with an empty, half-hearted, “We’ll watch the livestream later.” No one would have a clue if we skipped church altogether. I have to be honest; the temptation was really strong to not go. But God’s Spirit continued to nudge at my conscious; reminding me that I know better. Thankfully, we did not cave to the deceiver’s tactics and off to worship we went. I’m glad we did. Of course, on a typical Sunday, I’m at our church about 90 minutes prior to worship beginning. Thinking through my sermon, finetuning Bible study, moving tables and chairs, etc. I don’t have time to be distracted or tempted. But you all most certainly do! My experience this past Sunday helps me relate and empathize with that temptation. “But Saturday was a late night.” “We could stay home and watch church in our pajamas.” “I really don’t want to listen to Pastor Steve preach again.” These are the persistent ploys and logical arguments that the evil one attacks us with. But we know better; the Bible teaches us better. I love the conciseness in Hebrews 10:25 via God’s Word Translation. It reads: “We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.” Don’t stop gathering. Don’t stop worshiping. Ironically, the message we heard last Sunday at this “other” church was a discussion on what healthy churches look like. Once such thing, pulled from Acts 2, is that a healthy church is one where people consistently show up for each other—a community with a shared belief in God and a genuine love for one another. Isn’t that what we want our church to be about? A place where we can find guidance and strength in God’s Word. A place where we can find support and prayer from fellow believers. A place where we can find acceptance and community. A place where people are able to be served and willing to serve others. A place that lifts us all up in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. A place where God’s good word proclaims that we have value and worth. A place where we want to go because we have good friends and maybe even a little fun! I know the temptations to stay home are real, especially in these last summer weeks. But keep showing up. You’ll be glad you did. “I go to church as an expression of my need for God and for God’s family.” (Philip Yancey) “Do not go where it is all fine music, grand talk and beautiful architecture. Go where the Gospel is preached. And go often!” (Charles Spurgeon) “The difference between listening to a radio sermon and going to church… is almost like the difference between calling your girl on the phone and spending an evening with her.” (D.L. Moody) |
AuthorPastor Steve Vera Categories |
King of Kings Lutheran Church
145 Route 46 Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 973-334-8333 Church Email: admin@kofkluther.com 973-334-4085 Preschool |
In-person, 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service |