Month: September 2012

Text: Numbers 11
Date: Pentecost XVIII (Proper 21) + 9/30/12

When people talk about “the spirit of the times” they mean to set about describing the character, the mood, the temper or disposition of people populating a place at a particular time. God’s Word before us today describes God’s people of all times, the Church as she struggles between faithfulness to the God who called her into existence and the spirit of the world that tempts us to fall back into disobedience and faithlessness. The Spirit of the Church in this world is always such a struggle. There are times when we may feel especially, purposefully committed, faithful and bold in following the Lord who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. But then, if we are honest, there are times when such jealousy for the Lord turns into only pride of self. The account of Israel’s initial travels in the wilderness after their miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt describes all-too-familiar thoughts and emotions of the Church today, of a people called to follow the saving God by faith in His Word and promise alone. We need the encouragement of God’s Word to remain faithful through it all, to be able to repent when we are in the wrong, and nevertheless, as Luther said, to “sin boldly and yet believe in God more boldly still” when we act in the right of God’s Word. For this struggle and journey God gives His Holy Spirit to all whom He has called into His family. Continue reading “The Spirit of the Church”

Text: Jeremiah 11:18-20
Date: Pentecost XVII (Proper 20) + 9/23/12

In a world where one TV pundit famously promises that “the spin stops here because we’re looking out for you,” a time when a lot of people are arguing angrily in the public square about politics and religion, a moment of conflicting worldviews dismantling formerly solid, unquestioned values and self-evident truths, even the Church is threatened to violate her own tenets and teachings. In concert with our Synodical President’s testimony before a congressional committee and any number of supporting statements from our district conventions this summer regarding the threat to religious liberty posed by the so-called “women’s preventive care” mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the faculty of our Ft. Wayne seminary has recently published a statement on Religious Liberty.[1] They remind us of Martin Luther’s own confrontation against the princes and the emperor of the Roman Empire at the Diet of Worms where he famously said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against my conscience. May God help me. Amen.” This reminds us of the earlier bold confession of the Apostle Peter before the Jewish council, upon the threat of imprisonment and death, saying, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). And there are many other examples in history that we could mention. Continue reading “Silencing the Messenger”

Text: Isaiah 50:4-10
Date: Pentecost XVI (Proper 19) + 9/16/12

Interestingly, we have never heard today’s Gospel (Mark 9:14-29) on a Sunday in any of our previous lectionaries. Even more interestingly this new addition we share only with the Episcopal Church. St. Mark’s account of Jesus’ healing of a boy with an unclean spirit agrees with Matthew and Luke that this incident happened immediately following our Lord’s Transfiguration (Mt 17:14-19; Lk 9:37-42). It seems that while Jesus and His inner circle of disciples, Peter, James and John, were having their “mountain top experience,” the other disciples were approached by a man who asked them to cast out an evil spirit from his son. The disciples apparently tried, as they had previously been authorized to do and even had success (Mark 6:7 and 13), but in this instance they were not able. When He arrived Jesus took the opportunity to speak about faith, both to his disciples (calling them, “O faithless generation”) and to the man who now doubted that if His disciples couldn’t heal his son, maybe Jesus couldn’t either. “If you can,” asked the man. “If you can!” answered an exasperated Jesus. There is no question that Jesus can heal the boy. What was in question was the man’s faith. “All things are possible for one who believes,” challenged Jesus. Continue reading “Who Is My Adversary?”

Text: Isaiah 34:4-7a
Date: Pentecost XV (Proper 18) + 9/9/12

Last week residents in my neighborhood of Waterford received a mailing entitled, “Understand Prophecy: Finding HOPE in Uncertain Times.” Billed as “a dynamic Bible prophecy series” it, of course, treats “prophecy” primarily as telling the future, specifically of the end of the world. People have always wondered and are fascinated by questions concerning the end of the world, “judgment day” as at least some of us still refer to it. Gazillions of books have been written on the subject, all of them claiming to have some insight and evidence from the Bible. When asked, “Which book of the Bible do you want to study next?” more times than not the response is, “Revelation.” There is a fascination about the Last Day, the end of the world, the Day of Judgment. Continue reading “Behold Your God”

Text: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9
Date: Pentecost XIV (Proper 17) + 9/2/12

In today’s Gospel Jesus responds to the confusion of the Pharisees and scribes over the proper interpretation of and faith in the word of God’s law. He exposes their presumed faithfulness to be nothing but hypocrisy. But today we see that Jesus does not merely slam them (or us) with a word of judgment and walk away, but continues to reveal the Heart of God’s law to us, the true, graceful, life-giving intent and purpose of God’s law. It’s not the mere outward observance of the law but the inner conversion and renewal of the heart that redeems and saves. “Nothing outside a person…can defile him…. What comes out of a person defiles him…out of the heart.” The issue is the heart. The issue is sin. What people need is that for which Psalm 51 prays, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Ps 51:10). Continue reading “Learn By Heart”