Be Prepared…for our Prophet
Be Prepared...for our prophet
“Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.” – Luke 7:16-17
Advent is a time of preparation. We prepare for the coming of Jesus, God made flesh, who dwelt among us. He is the promised Messiah who came as our prophet, priest, and king.
In the passage above from Luke, Jesus had just raised a widow’s son to life. The people who saw what He had done were amazed and concluded that Jesus must be a prophet since Jesus was performing miracles.
Miracles, however, were not the primary purpose of a prophet. A prophet is first and foremost a messenger of God. A prophet is someone who delivers God’s Word to the people.
Jesus is the greatest prophet.
Jesus spoke God’s Word to the people. It is not just this crowd that noticed, but Jesus, Himself, said,
“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.” – John 12:49
When we read Jesus’ words, we know we are getting the truth. We know we are receiving the Word of God. All Jesus’ promises are true.
- When He says He will never leave us nor forsake us, He won’t.
- When He says that He has overcome the world, He has.
- When He says He has come to give us an abundant life, He will give us life and an abundant one at that.
- When He says He is going to prepare a place for us, He has.
All of Jesus’ promises are true and He both has the will and the authority to fulfill His promises. So, we can trust Him and find rest in Him, for His burden is light (another promise).
Dear Jesus,
You are our prophet. Everything You say is true. Help me to listen to Your Word and be changed by it. Help me to put aside my own beliefs and sinful desires to pursue You. Most of all, help me to put my faith in You and trust Your wonderful promises.
Amen
Who Do You Say That I Am?
Who Do You Say That I Am?
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:13-17
There are many ideas of who Jesus was/is.
- Some people say He was a good teacher.
- Others say He was a charismatic leader.
- Still, others say He wasn’t even real.
But who do you say Jesus is?
This is the question Jesus asked the disciples. The disciples make it clear that even back in Jesus’ day, there were a lot of ideas of who He was. However, Peter, speaking for all the disciples, said something amazing.
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
In the end, this is the question we all must answer.
Despite so many ways that people respond, there are really only two answers. Either we answer with Peter,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,”
or we say
“Jesus isn’t the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Like Peter, however, we cannot come to the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ of our own intellect or will.
Rather, God reveals Himself to us through His Word.
Thanks be to God that He does work through His Word to create faith in His people that we can confess He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Without the Father revealing this to us, we would be lost. So, let us not only confess that to each other but to all those around us that others may hear and believe.
Heavenly Father,
May You reveal to each one of us today that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Help us to believe. Then, help us to confess this boldly to as many people as we can that they might be brought to faith through Your Word.
Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
My Sheep Hear My Voice
My Sheep Hear My Voice
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” – John 10:27-28
What do you think of when you hear that Jesus is your Good Shepherd?
The Shepherd metaphor in the Bible was absolutely perfect for the people who were the original audience, but today shepherding isn’t so common and we can easily miss some of the meaning of certain aspects of the shepherd metaphor.
One thing that is amazing about shepherds and their sheep is the relationship that forms between them, at least when they are good shepherds.
- The shepherd watches out for the sheep.
- He provides for them.
- He treats injuries and disease.
- He guides them away from danger, even when the sheep seems intent on getting into danger.
- He protects them, even with his own life.
A shepherd knows his sheep and they know him. They trust him and they are completely reliant on their shepherd. And, yes, sheep really do know the voice of their shepherd. Check out the video below. It’s pretty amazing!
This is what makes the shepherd such a wonderful metaphor for our relationship with God.
He cares for us, provides for us, loves us, heals us, and directs us away from danger even when we are the ones who get ourselves into trouble. He even gave His life for us. He knows us and He reveals Himself to us so that we can hear His voice and follow Him. Also, we are completely reliant on Him. God provides everything we need for life and salvation and that life and salvation can come from no one else.
The Search for God
With all the places people go looking to commune with God and all the sources they seek out to hear God’s voice, there is one place we know we will hear Him.
We hear Him in His Word.
That is where we can be sure God speaks to us and reveals himself to us. So, many people want God to reveal Himself to them, but they reject His Word. Like the Jews in the John 10 passage, even when Jesus has made it obvious, those who are not His sheep, who do not listen to His voice, miss it. However, for those who hear and believe, He will give them eternal life and no one can snatch them out of His hand.
Dear Jesus,
Open my ears that I may hear Your voice. Make me Your sheep and be my shepherd.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
You Are Forgiven
You Are Forgiven
“I believe in…the forgiveness of sins,“ – The Apostles’ Creed
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
What do you do when someone wrongs you?
Sin is a big problem. Sin isn’t just about making poor choices or not doing the right thing. It is rebellion against God. It breaks our relationship with God. It breaks our relationships with each other. It’s a serious thing and it needs to be dealt with.
That’s OK.
I remember an incident from a couple of years ago. I was cooking dinner and my two kids were playing in the living room. My daughter, Kaylee, was building a train track with a bridge out of blocks while my son, Eli (2 at the time), was bouncing from one toy to the next. At one point Eli decided he wanted to build a tower with the blocks. So, he walked over to Kaylee’s bridge, knocked it over, and grabbed the block he wanted.
As you might expect, my daughter was not happy with that. I went over to them from the kitchen and saw the destruction. Kaylee told me what happened. So, I went to Eli and told him what he had done was wrong. He shouldn’t just take something someone else was using and shouldn’t have knocked the bridge over.
I told him to tell Kaylee he was sorry and give the block back to her. He gave her the block and said, “Sorry Kaylee.” Kaylee responded, “That’s OK.”
No, That’s Not OK!
I hear that phrase all the time these days. Someone wrongs someone else. They apologize and the response of the person who was wronged is, “That’s OK.” or something similar. I understand the sentiment, but the truth is it’s not OK. Damage was done. Someone was hurt. That’s not OK.
I understand that “That’s OK” is just a colloquialism and I don’t think my daughter or anyone else is doing anything wrong to say that nor do they intend to minimize sin. However, that is essentially what’s happening. We make it as though sin is not so big a deal.
We do this in other ways in our current culture as well. We call sin a “mistake” or a “poor choice.” I’ve seen several celebrities and politicians apologize and try to distance themselves from their own wrongdoing by saying, “That’s not who I really am.” Um…Actually…it is.
God Didn’t Excuse Sin. He Paid The Consequence.
God doesn’t minimize sin. He treats it very seriously. In fact, He treats it so seriously that He gave the life of His own beloved Son because of it. He didn’t excuse it. He didn’t say, “Don’t worry about it.” He bled for it. By doing so, He removes our sin from us, completely.
When we say we believe in the forgiveness of sins, we acknowledge the seriousness of our sin, but also claim the promise that, out of God’s great mercy, our sin is gone. We have been purified by the grace of Jesus Christ. With our sin removed, we are once again made right with God. Our relationship has been restored.
We Also Forgive
Now, having been forgiven of so much, we can forgive each other. We can acknowledge the seriousness of the wrongdoing and let the other person know we forgive them. When we sin against someone else, we can confess our sin and receive the comfort of their forgiveness.
This is a great gift of God that heals wounds and restores relationships. It can transform people and bring peace not only to the one who has done wrong but the one who has been wronged.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think it’s time to buck culture a bit. Next time someone wrongs you and confesses, rather than saying, “That’s OK,” try saying, “I forgive you.”
Heavenly Father,
I confess that I have not only sinned against you, but my heart is prone to sin. I am truly sorry. Thank you for sending Your Son to die for me. Please forgive me and help me to forgive those who sin against me, just as you have forgiven me.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
You Don’t Have to Go It Alone
You Don't Have To Go It Alone
“I believe in the…holy Christian Church,” – The Apostles’ Creed
Are you a part of a church congregation?
I remember when I was growing up occasionally hearing people use the phrase, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.” It’s a strange phrase in today’s society, as we have lost the context of the idiom.
Why are people throwing out bathwater?
How are they accidentally (or purposely) throwing the baby out with it?
I finally looked it up one day and found someone claiming the phrase came from the bathing habits in the 1500s where a whole family would use the same bathwater to bathe from oldest to youngest. Thus, by the time the baby was washed, the water would be so murky you couldn’t see the baby was still in the water and could accidentally throw the baby out with the bathwater.
This brought up several more questions/thoughts in my mind, like,
“Wait, is the baby underwater?!!”
and
“Ugh!! Gross!!! Who wants to bathe in water used by several other people?”
Thankfully, it turns out that isn’t actually the origin of the phrase. It came from a German book of proverbs called “Narrenbeschwörung” (Appeal to Fools) by Thomas Murner. The phrase quickly caught on and was even used by Martin Luther.
The lesson of the phrase is that while we should discard the useless and filthy, we shouldn’t throw out what is valuable with it.
“let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 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.” – Hebrews 10:22-25
In the past few decades, church has become somewhat unpopular a concept. This is not true just among non-Christians, but among Christians as well. They site the mindless religious acts of some or the corruption of certain church leaders and decide to throw the whole thing out.
“I have my personal faith, I don’t need the church.” some may say.
That, however, isn’t true. This is a case of throwing out the baby (the valuable church) with the bathwater (the corruption and empty religion).
Flawed, but Holy and Needed
It is true that the church has its issues. It makes sense, though. After all, it is filled with flawed and corrupt sinner people. We are selfish and greedy. We gossip and slander. We lust and steal and covet. When we gather with other believers, that behavior comes too.
However, our sinfulness is also why we need the church. We need each other’s encouragement. We need others to correct us when we go astray. We need to comfort each other. We need to hear the forgiveness of Jesus from each other. We need the church.
The church is not just some human institution like the rotary club.
It was created by God and Jesus is its head. God gave us the church because this life of faith can be hard and full of suffering.
Jesus told us that He would be there with us in the church. “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there.” (Matthew 18:20) He comes to us in the Word and sacraments He gave the church.
The church is precious and valuable. It is here so you don’t have to go it alone. You can walk with others who strengthen you.
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12
Together we are the body of Christ, designed to work together to the glory of God.
So, let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Instead, let’s cherish the church and the blessings God gives us through His church. Let’s discard the corruption and empty religion and walk together in the faith, encouraging and admonishing one another, and forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven us.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Your church. Thank you for the Christian brothers and sisters you have placed in my life to encourage and strengthen me and even correct and forgive me. Help me to value the church and be that encouragement to others.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
I Believe in the Holy Spirit
I Believe in the Holy Spirit
“I believe in the Holy Spirit,“ – The Apostles’ Creed
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” – John 14:26
When you think of the Holy Spirit, what do you picture in your mind?
The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is perhaps the most difficult for us to comprehend. The idea of a God that creates things and rules over us (the Father) we get. Jesus came in the flesh which we can certainly relate to. However, the Holy Spirit can seem much more ambiguous.
One of the things that makes the Spirit more difficult for us is that He often hides Himself. Sure, at Jesus’ baptism He descended in the appearance of a dove, and on Pentecost, there were what appeared to be tongues of flames above the disciples, but mostly He works in the background. Yet, we dare not dismiss the Spirit or underestimate Him.
Even though we can’t see the Holy Spirit directly, He is at work…a lot!
- He moves people.
- He creates faith through the proclamation of the Word.
- He comforts us.
- He reminds us of Jesus and what Jesus said.
- He changes us, producing fruit in our lives which we could not produce on our own, but which externally appear to come from us.
- I could go on…
The Spirit has been active from the beginning.
He was a part of creation, hovering over the waters. It is the Spirit who carried people along to write Scriptures. It is He who gives us life-giving faith. He moves through the church. He advocates for us, comforts us, gives us words to speak, and so much more. And, of course…
The Holy Spirit is God.
He is co-equal with the Father and Son. He is one with the Father and Son. He rules with the Father and Son and Saves with the Father and Son.
When we proclaim our belief in the Holy Spirit, we proclaim the one who enables us to proclaim our faith in the Triune God. We proclaim the one who reveals the truth to us. We proclaim the one who moves in us to live our Christian lives for God.
Holy Spirit,
Thank you for creating faith in me. Move through me and purify me of all unrighteousness. Produce your good fruit in my life that I might glorify God.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
The Trip To Hell
The Trip To Hell
Who goes to hell?
“He descended into hell.” – Apostles’ Creed
This is one of the lesser-discussed lines of the Apostle’s Creed, but one which we say every time we profess the creed. So, what are we saying when we proclaim Jesus descended into hell?
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison” 1 Peter 3:18–19
The Proclamation
This is one of the headlines the day after the Nazi surrender, marking the end of World War II in Europe. The war was over and victory was being proclaimed.
Jesus suffered and died on the cross to save us from our sins. It was on that cross that He paid the price for our sins. Just before He died, He said, “It is finished.” His sacrifice was complete. Then, He was buried in the tomb.
After this, 1 Peter 3 tells us Jesus was made alive in the Spirit and then He descended into hell, proclaiming His victory.
Colossians 2:15 says:
“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.“
Christ’s Exultation
This is the first act of Jesus’ exultation. Jesus, at His incarnation, was in a state of humiliation (humility). The God of the universe became man, lived in perfect obedience for us, served us, and then suffered and died for us.
Now, having completed His work of redemption, Jesus enters into His exultation where He is made alive the Spirit, descends into hell to proclaim victory, appears to His disciples to show His resurrection, and then ascends to heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.
Think of His descent into hell as a victory lap. I like how it’s stated in the Solid Declaration (from the Book of Concord)
“We simply believe that the entire person [Jesus Christ], God and man, descended into hell after the burial, conquered the devil, destroyed hell’s power, and took from the devil all his might” (Solid Declaration, Article IX)
What Does This Mean to Me?
Imagine living in war-torn France and seeing the headline above that victory was theirs and the war was over. What comfort and relief they must have felt, What joy!
1 Peter 3 is being written to Christians suffering under persecution. Christians who may face death, itself, for their faith. Peter is proclaiming the hope and victory of Jesus Christ into their situation. Jesus suffered and died so we wouldn’t have to go to hell.
In Christ’s descent to hell, we find great comfort and joy. Jesus has defeated death and hell. He was able to go in there, declare victory, and leave. This is the authority and power of our Lord and savior. No matter what your situation, if Jesus is for you, who can be against you?!
Dear Jesus,
Victory is Yours! You also share that victory with us. When we face trials and suffering in life, remind us of Your resurrection. Remind us of Your descent into hell. Remind us of your victory and that we have victory in You.
Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
He Suffered, Died, and Was Buried
He Suffered, Died, and Was Buried
“And in Jesus Christ…who…suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.” – Apostles’ Creed
Do you consider Good Friday good or bad?
It was only a few weeks ago that we observed Good Friday. As we were preparing for the church service, one of the youth asked me, “Why do we call it Good Friday if Jesus died on that day?” That’s a great question and one which I completely understand.
The day is a day of mixed emotions for me as well.
I am greatly saddened by the suffering Jesus endured and I am ashamed of my sin which required Him to die. At the same time, I am filled with joy that my sin has been forgiven and my punishment was taken from me. I am overwhelmed by the love the Lord Jesus showed us by suffering and dying for us.
Of course, it is not just one day out of the year that we should remember Jesus’ sufferings and death. We remember it daily. As we daily confess our sins and hear the Word of God tell us that our sins are forgiven, we face the cross once again with both sorrow and joy.
The Most Expensive of Gifts
I’ve heard it said many times that the gracious salvation of God is a free gift. Certainly, it is true, that our salvation cost us nothing. However, what comes to us as a free gift, came from Christ at great expense, His own life.
“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” – Isaiah 53:4-6
I thought I’d finish today’s blog post with one of my favorite songs, “By His Wounds.” It is almost word for word from Isaiah 53.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
My Lord and My God
My Lord and My God
Who do you serve?
“And (I Believe) in Jesus Christ, His (the Father’s) only Son, our Lord…”
This is the first credal statement of the Christian Church. Lord is not just some nice title that Jesus thought sounded good. It has real meaning. It means He has all power and authority. He rules over all things.
Sometimes, I think we use this title without really thinking about what it means. This phrase is both frightening and reassuring at the same time. Jesus’ commands are final and He is our judge, from which nothing can be hidden. He also is our savior who has the power to carry out any and all promises He makes.
- Fact: On the one hand, we are saying that Jesus is, indeed, Lord. This is a fact. Nothing can change this, even if we don’t believe it.
- Submission: On the other hand, we are proclaiming our full, personal submission to Jesus. Jesus is my Lord. I follow Him. I obey His commands. I trust His judgments. I rely on His promises. He has all authority not only in heaven and on earth, but in me.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt