In the world, Not of it

Had the honor to preach at the High School Overnight at church the other day. Here is what I had to say:

In chapter 17 of St. John's Gospel, Jesus is praying fervently in the garden shortly before His arrest. One of the most remarkable things to me about this passage is how Jesus, staring immense suffering and death in the face, does not pray for Himself but prays for His disciples. "Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one." For those of you in Church on Sunday, whether it was here or possibly elsewhere, the words of John 17 ought to sound familiar. Here at Trinity, Pastor Wackenhuth preached on Christians being in the world but not of the world. That the mark of the Christian is that their residence is elsewhere and their identity is in their baptism and not in their earthly gains or riches.

"I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." Not of the world. What exactly does this mean? It means Christians are set a part for something greater. The Greek word for holy is "hagios" and it is a word that goes much deeper than holy, it literally means to be set a part. When we think of Holy we may simply think of God, and respond that "Yes, God is holy." But to understand holy is to understand your own situation. In the Old Testament the LORD would command the Israelites to be holy just as God is holy. Well how in, out, or of the world can we do that? Be holy like God? Surely this is a joke, or just another impossible standard that God sets. And there is truth to thinking that way. For there are numerous occasions when we do not act or behave as a holy people, set a part for the work of God.

One of the coolest things for me in youth group was not only growing in faith and maturing in that manner but the fact that if you looked around you it was clear that the collection of kids in youth group would not be close friends if they solely knew each other in a high school setting. Because we all know that in high school there are cliques. We all know in high school there is hurt. We all know in high school there is sometimes unimaginable pain to a point where you're wondering if anyone can hear you, God included. That's the nice thing about youth group is that we are above that. The nice thing about youth group is that since it is part of the church, cliques, hurt, pain, even unimaginable pain doesn't exist. Or do they? Is it possible that we in the church sometimes act and behave like those in the world? Is it conceivable that we in the church would sometimes shun another or not hear them out or nudge them out of a "group" because we wouldn't hang out with them in high school, and since that's the way things are it has to spill over into youth group? Could it be that there are some in these very pews right now experiencing something so horrifying to them that they need a friend, and they come to the church to seek that friend but find the same treatment as they do in the world?

I'll let you decide if that's happening here and now. For me personally, I know it did when I was in high school. Cliques spilled over, hurt carried over, and pain persisted, even within these walls. How could this be since we are the church? It be because we are sinners. Myself, Chris, Erik, Ross, Kristina, etc., etc., We sin, and sometimes the ramifications of our own sin hurt others. The thing about sin is just how selfish it truly is. From the first sin committed by our first parents in the Garden of Eden, to the sins we will commit even later tonight. It is all centered around being selfish. And high school is about getting ahead and when you "get ahead" you ultimately leave others behind. Oh how God could have left us behind. How Jesus could have said, "Just forget all of this! It is not in the slightest bit worth it to them, why should it be worth it to me?" But did God leave us behind? Did Jesus forget us? No.

The One left behind for a while was the One left on the cross to suffer and die a death that we deserved to die. The One forgotten by God for a while as He hung on that tree was Jesus. So much so that He cried out in a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" God the Father forsake the Son so He wouldn't have to forsake us. And in turn so that not one of us could forsake another, and not one of us could honestly feel forsaken. The best thing about high school youth group to me was I did make friends, people I am still friends with, that otherwise in a high school setting I may not have been friends with at all. And that is not to say I didn't screw up. Because I did, and I will. But as a holy person set a part for God's purposes I and we are above that. The world can go on leaving behind and forsaking anyone in its path but in the church we rise above and we find those forsaken and left behind and reach out a hand. We don't see God telling us to be holy like He is holy as a threatening command, but a joyous inclusion to be the people of God set a part for a purpose.

"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth." Jesus the Christ, sanctified on His throne on Calvary is what seals the deal and our fate. See in the church we are above the things of the world because our identity does not rest in that of the world, but our identity rests in our baptism. In baptism we joined Jesus in His death and resurrection and in that vein we are set a part. Attached to baptism are the promises of God won by Jesus for us in His very death and resurrection. I once had a conversation with Chris on the idea of "youth group." I remember he told me that he didn't like the word group because that lends a connotation that means it's closed. He prefers the term "youth ministry." Group is closed, ministry is open. Instead of allowing the world of high school and what that says is normal to spill over into the church setting, let us take our baptismal identity and spill over a ministry of connecting to the hurt and afflicted and those not like us into high school and its setting instead. Speaking from experience as one who went to high school, allow me to impart to you some advice. The cute boy or girl now will probably mean nothing after high school. You may feel it is important to impress people now, but I will guarantee many of them if not all will not matter in the years to come. The world is temporary, everything of it has an end. But the friends you will meet in youth ministry and church are not temporary. This is a long lasting relationship that extends beyond even the grave. It's all about eternity. That doesn't make it easy however. Because as Jesus said the world is not going to like you. In fact the world will hate you just as it has hated Him. It will be weird. It will be unconventional. And to many it will not be normal. But then again doesn't the church thrive on being abnormal? After all, we do follow a Rabbi who claimed to be God's Son and died on a cross to free us from our sins and to settle God's wrath. But even more than that, He rose on the third day. Live in that, and let abnormality and LOVE rule the day. Amen.

Ascension Day

Acts 1:6-11

Th Ascension of Jesus marks the beginning of the end. It is a turning point in history to the end of days, but also a beginning. Ever since Jesus left earth and headed for heaven the end days were in place. We're still here 2,000 years later wondering if He will ever return. Many say no. And that should come as no surprise. Yet this will not deter the work of the church on earth that began that day. The angels ask the men of Galilee why they have their heads stuck up in the clouds. "Get to work" is the message. And it's a dual message which also lets them know that in the same why Jesus left, He will return.

Jesus Himself while on trial declares the Son of Man will come with the clouds, and this harkens back to a vision the prophet Daniel had. These signs and more point to Jesus being the Christ, the ever living Son of God. But the one sign that stands out above all else is where this Jesus took His place, on Calvary. Jesus defeating sin, death, and the devil on the cross is the greatest sign above all, and one that produces hope within us as He rose again on the third day.

Jesus' ascension is also about our own. As He takes his place in ascending we hold onto our own resurrection and ascension with Him when He returns finally at the end of all things. But for now get your head out of the clouds, and joyously get to work.

Graduation, and what Valpo means to Lutheranism

It seems like last week when I pulled my car up into its usual spot in the student parking lot at Islip High School for the last time as I walked, dressed in cap and gown, to the school to graduate. And here I am four short (long?) years later and in one week from today I will graduating once more. My time at Valparaiso University has been weird. One might classify it as a love/hate relationship. My heart clearly does not reside in the midwest, and yearns for the coast (says the guy going further inland to St. Louis in September). But regrets are not something I carry with my in regards to my college career. And by that I do not mean "no regrets" in the sense that many people mean it where they live recklessly and cannot distinguish up from down. There are definitely things I did I wish I had not, and my life would not be worse off. But in the context of regretting going to Valpo, I do not. The friends and connections I have made here will do well for me the rest of my life. And even though it pales in comparison to Long Island and the surrounding area, this Vale of Paradise has a lot going for itself.

Do some things annoy me about Valpo? Absolutely, no question. But I would not mail in the experience I gained here for any other in the world. It is the place I went to undergrad and in 7 short days it will be my alma mater. Valpo will always hold a special place in my heart and I thank God for coming here. The most valuable thing I have taken away from attending here has been the dialogue and interactions with students and professors. This campus in northwest Indiana is truly one of a kind, and is vitally important to the Lutheran Church in this country. Nowhere else do members of the LCMS and ELCA come together like this. Although much of my criticism of the ELCA still remains, and with good reason (see human sexuality task force) it is true that one often fears what one does not know. Growing up in a heavily Roman Catholic populated area I did not fear Catholics because I know Catholics, many of whom who are family and friends. And comparably I did not fear Jews, some of whom are family members and friends, because I know Jews. I also did not fear agnostics and atheists because coming from the "intellectual northeast" I know agnostics and atheists, some of whom are family members and friends.

But I cannot say that I knew anyone in the ELCA. Because of this I sinfully and wrongly lumped the "ELCA" in general into a camp of revisionist liberals looking to do whatever they want. At Valpo I have come to know the ELCA, many of whom are professors or fellow students or friends, so I no longer fear. It is true the ELCA has plenty of revisionist liberals, but it is also true that they have many moderates and many people who are more traditionalist and are outright traditionalists. In a growing pluralistic world and society Valpo is an extremely important place. It will get itself into trouble because of the task of balancing liberal arts and Lutheranism, but Lutherans are masters of the balance. It is my hope and prayer that Valpo will continue to be a place where the ELCA and LCMS can come together to have dialogue and to seek understanding. It is also my hope at the same time however that God's truth would prevail in all church related matters at Valpo.

I think this can be accomplished, and I certainly hope it will be.

"What a long strange trip it's been."