Oct. 29, 2017 Reformation Sunday

Oct. 29, 2017  Reformation Sunday

On this the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation my posting is going to be a selection of quotes by Martin Luther.

When Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenberg church (Oct.. 31, 1517)
he started what became the biggest revolution in the history of the world, religiously, economically, and even politically.  His words echo down through the years and have been a rally cry for freedom of religion “ I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against
conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.”

For centuries Reformation Day was a time to attack the Catholic Church and beat the drum for Luther’s three major emphasis :  the Word Alone, Faith Alone, The Priesthood of all Believers.

Today we find Reformation Sunday being observed in the Catholic Church (maybe not celebrated but at least recognized) and there has been great progress in seeking unity in the whole church.  Pope Francis even attended the opening commemoration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation in Lund, Sweden.
So Luther’s words about the Pope being the “anti-Christ” are not worth remembering.
As are his words about the Jews, for which the Lutheran Church some years ago made formal apology to the Jewish people.

But many of his words are worth remembering for they speak to our life of faith today.
So here are some I find both helpful and inspirational.

Lets start with what I had to memorize in confirmation - long before I knew I was going to be a pastor.  The meaning to the  Second Article of Creed.

“I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.
This is most certainly true.”

Now to some Luther quotes to cherish in the life of faith.

“Forgiveness is God's command. “

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

“Every man (person) must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.“

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.”

“Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.“

“The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid. “

“Nobody is in this life is nearer God than those who hate and blaspheme him. He has no more dear children then they.”

“There is more honest faith in doubt than all the creeds of Christendom.”

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”

“If I am not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there.”

“Pray, and let God worry.”















Prayer thought for the week:  “Ah, dearest Jesus, Holy Child,
Make thee a bed, soft undefiled
Within my heart, that it may be,
A quiet chamber kept for thee.”
Martin Luther

Oct. 22, 2017 Pentecost 20

Matt. 22:15-22 (The Message)

“15 That's when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. 16 They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod's followers mixed in, to ask, "Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don't pander to your students. 17 So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 18 Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, "Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? 19 Do you have a coin? Let me see it." They handed him a silver piece. 20 "This engraving - who does it look like? And whose name is on it?" 21 They said, "Caesar." "Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his." 22 The Pharisees were speechless. They went off shaking their heads.”

Life isn’t black or white.  It is made up of the shades of gray.  It is not just having the answers; it is living with questions, struggles, even dilemmas.  When ever we ask a question which begs a “yes” or “no” answer, we are either setting a trap or evading the struggle which is necessary to grow.

Jesus didn’t answer such questions.  When closed minded people asked him a closed question, he gave them a riddle or a parable which made them come up with the answer.  It also reveal their hypocrisy.






It is a dangerous thing to be closed minded.
It just might keep us from ever getting close
to the Kingdom of God.








Prayer thoughts for the week:
     “Lord, keep my mind and heart open to the unexpected, where You are often hidden.
       Help me to not be so closed minded that I cannot see another point of view.
Keep me from hypocrisy, which is born in a closed heart and mind.”

Oct. 15, 2017 Pentecost 19

Matt. 22:8
-14  (The Message)

8 "Then he told his servants, 'We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren't up to it. 9 Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.' 10 The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on - every place filled. 11 "When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn't properly dressed. 12 He said to him, 'Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!' The man was speechless. 13 Then the king told his servants, 'Get him out of here - fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn't get back in.' 14 "That's what I mean when I say, 'Many get invited; only a few make it.'"


We are shocked and surprised by the treatment of the one who came to the feast without a wedding garment. We do want to have our cake and eat it too.  As Dr Helmut Thielicke says, “We seat ourselves at the banquet table without a wedding garment when we allow our sins to be forgiven but still want to hang on to them.”
When we have no intention of being changed by God’s grace!

“Christian satiation is worse then hungry heathenism.”  Dr. Helmet Thielicke
Indifference and complacency are both dangerous to faith.  They take the life out of it.

God expects to see something
different in our lives because
we have been to his banquet.












Prayer thoughts for the week:
  “Lord, help me to live as one who is being changed by grace.
keep me from smug complacency which fails to be graceful towards others.
     Let something different happen in and through me because I have been forgiven.”  

Oct 8, 2017 Pentecost 18

Matt. 21:33-46 (The Message)

 33 "Here's another story. Listen closely. There was once a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, put up a watchtower, then turned it over to the farmhands and went off on a trip. 34 When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent his servants back to collect his profits. 35 "The farmhands grabbed the first servant and beat him up. The next one they murdered. They threw stones at the third but he got away. 36 The owner tried again, sending more servants. They got the same treatment. 37 The owner was at the end of his rope. He decided to send his son. 'Surely,' he thought, 'they will respect my son.' 38 "But when the farmhands saw the son arrive, they rubbed their hands in greed. 'This is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.' 39 They grabbed him, threw him out, and killed him. 40 "Now, when the owner of the vineyard arrives home from his trip, what do you think he will do to the farmhands?" 41 "He'll kill them - a rotten bunch, and good riddance," they answered. "Then he'll assign the vineyard to farmhands who will hand over the profits when it's time." 42 Jesus said, "Right - and you can read it for yourselves in your Bibles: The stone the masons threw out is now the cornerstone. This is God's work; we rub our eyes, we can hardly believe it! 43 "This is the way it is with you. God's kingdom will be taken back from you and handed over to a people who will live out a kingdom life.

When asked, “what do you think he will do with the farmhands?”, they (the religious leaders) give the right answer.  The right answer that is, for them.  Not the right answer for God. For God is not satisfied with judgment, ever.  Not even with them.  God does not delight in judgment, ever!  This is not Gods nature and it is not Gods liking.  Judgment is always second to mercy and its purpose is only and always to prepare the way for love and grace to flow, full and free.  This is why Jesus tells this parable - to try wake the people up to Gods love, not Gods judgment.  God’s love which is beyond human comprehension!





“God does not delight in judgement, ever!
God is not like this."













Prayer thoughts for the week:
“Lord, help me to not be so judgmental.
…keep me open to grace happening, even when it seems so unfair.”
…help me to remember that God is more gracious than condemning,
beyond my wildest dreams.”

Oct. 1, 2017 17h of Pentecost

Matthew 21:28-32 (The Message)

28 "Tell me what you think of this story: A man had two sons. He went up to the first and said, 'Son, go out for the day and work in the vineyard.' 29 "The son answered, 'I don't want to.' Later on he thought better of it and went. 30 "The father gave the same command to the second son. He answered, 'Sure, glad to.' But he never went. 31 "Which of the two sons did what the father asked?" They said, "The first." 32 John came to you showing you the right road. You turned up your noses at him, but the crooks and whores believed him. Even when you saw their changed lives, you didn't care enough to change and believe him.

The parable of the two sons is a biting parable which confronted the people of Jesus day - and confronts us, who are trying to be religious, moral, good, and God fearing  - with the disturbing truth that it is not enough to just talk the talk.  It is necessary to walk the walk.  That means we may have to do something we don’t want to do, something we are not inclined to do, something we may even say no to, then have a change of heart, and go do it.

All too often even our religious beliefs help us to not change our minds and believe something new and different.  To not get “a new heart and a new spirit.”  Ezekiel. 18:3



“It is not easy to ‘change our minds
and believe’ something we don’t want
to believe.
We do it slowly, cautiously, reluctantly,
if we do it at all.  Most of the time we
try not do it at all.”







Prayer thought for the week:  “Lord, open my heart and mind to that which I find difficult to believe.  Give me a new spirit so your love will always shine through me.”