Having a Thankful Heart

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; 
       come before him with joyful songs.

 3 Know that the LORD is God. 
       It is he who made us, and we are his; 
       we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving 
       and his courts with praise; 
       give thanks to him and praise his name.

 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; 
       his faithfulness continues through all generations.

~Psalm 100

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; 
       his love endures forever.

 2 Let Israel say: 
       "His love endures forever."

 3 Let the house of Aaron say: 
       "His love endures forever."

 4 Let those who fear the LORD say: 
       "His love endures forever."

 5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD, 
       and he answered by setting me free.

 6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. 
       What can man do to me?

 7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper. 
       I will look in triumph on my enemies.

 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD 
       than to trust in man.

 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD 
       than to trust in princes.

 10 All the nations surrounded me, 
       but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

 11 They surrounded me on every side, 
       but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

 12 They swarmed around me like bees, 
       but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; 
       in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, 
       but the LORD helped me.

 14 The LORD is my strength and my song; 
       he has become my salvation.

 15 Shouts of joy and victory 
       resound in the tents of the righteous: 
       "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

 16 The LORD's right hand is lifted high; 
       the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

 17 I will not die but live, 
       and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, 
       but he has not given me over to death.

 19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; 
       I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

 20 This is the gate of the LORD 
       through which the righteous may enter.

 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; 
       you have become my salvation.

 22 The stone the builders rejected 
       has become the capstone;

 23 the LORD has done this, 
       and it is marvelous in our eyes.

 24 This is the day the LORD has made; 
       let us rejoice and be glad in it.

 25 O LORD, save us; 
       O LORD, grant us success.

 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. 
       From the house of the LORD we bless you. 

 27 The LORD is God, 
       and he has made his light shine upon us. 
       With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession 
       up to the horns of the altar.

 28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks; 
       you are my God, and I will exalt you.

 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; 
       his love endures forever.

~Psalm 118

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

 27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."

~Matthew 26

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4

Just a few scriptural examples of giving thanks.  But the idea is that we rejoice always, give thanks to God in all things, and pray without ceasing!  Do it out of love.

Blessed Thanksgiving!

Some Post NYWC Thoughts

Just got back from Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention...and it was a rip, here are some thoughts from it:

This convention has broken through to me with things I've seen coming for a while now.  Jesus is in the poor.  It isn't even about abandoning political ideas or theology to reach them either.  It's about recognizing a brother or sister in need and being Christ to them.  And the great thing is, in turn they will be Christ to us.  The "theologia crucis" says Jesus, God, is the embodiment of pain and tragedy.  He is right there.  Sometimes I've looked at serving and salvation as mutually exclusive.  But I was wrong, we serve because we are saved, and they are so very closely connected.  

Going back to that story in Genesis 22 of Abraham and Isaac, we see that on the mount of Yahweh it will be seen through.  At the cross God did see it through and He continues to see it through/provide by His church today.  At the end all suffering will cease, and what a time we should pray for daily.  When people in their despair feel God is so far away we get to show them He is right there in the midst of it all.  

Although, and especially in today's unfortunate context, we even see kids and adults in suburbia who deal with real life issues.  Divorce rate in and outside the church is pretty much the same (50%), drugs are rampantly used in the whitest of white boy towns, sexual pressures (hetero and GLBT) are thrown around everywhere, and there are girls out there who may feel abortion is necessary because they've never been loved.  Where is the church in all of this?  The church needs to be right in the midst of it all telling the heterosexual struggling they are loved because Jesus is there.  The church needs to be right in the midst of the struggles in the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender community giving them love because that is where Jesus is.  The church needs to be holding the hand of a girl who feels her only option is abortion because she is too scared to think of what lies ahead, because Jesus is right there.  For the addicted and the afflicted the church needs to stop with the fear and embrace those who seek help.  There is a lot of "help" being offered out there in the world, and if we believe what we do then why wouldn't we be out there extending a hand and saying "follow me?"  That's what Jesus did.  And Jesus is ever so present in the lives of the poor and oppressed.  But unfortunately it all seems so distant and is not in our face.  St. Paul talks about entertaining angels and how we should treat everyone we meet with love.  For how long has the church been treating angels as lepers instead?  

Poverty and disease is something we all suffer with.  It's just that sometimes we see it as separate.  Maybe if we had true compassion (latin-to suffer with) we could fearlessly hit the streets with the cross.  When a brother or sister suffers we all do and if we are God's people we need to be where God is present.  We get to be where God is present.  This is not Law, this is all Gospel.  Take heed to the angels pleas, "Be not afraid!"

"Why Believe...?"

"Why Believe in a God?" Ad Campaign

The American Humanist Association is putting out ads that will be on buses all throughout or nations capital this Christmas season that say "Why believe in a god?  Just be good for goodness sake."  

Prediction:  The "Evangelical" sect of Christianity will go wild over this and declare the "war on Christmas" has hit new levels.  What we should do, or more importantly, what we get to do as Christians is have a conversation!  "Why believe in a god you ask?  What a wonderful question! Let's chat!"

Especially, and I cannot stress this enough, LUTHERANS need/get to be out there not only to "combat" humanism and other non Christian forms, but also the law-based evangelicals who will swing at this ad and miss terribly.  I cannot remember an easier time for evangelism than this!  The world is asking us right in front of our faces, "Why believe in a god?"  Show them/tell them about the joy that the love of the One True God brings in your life and let them know you GET TO do this and this is not a set of rules and regulations one has to follow...or else.  Show them you're on the same level as them that you are a sinner and are no better than them and invite them to come learn more about this Jesus who saves such sinners.

It may very well fall on deaf ears, if it does we must move on, but what a wonderful gift for the holiday season that it won't be intrusive or invasive for Christians to freely talk about their faith.  All throughout Advent, our holy season, buses in Washington, D.C. will be asking the question "Why believe in a god?"  Have fun with it, engage some people, tell them about Christ's love.  That will bring about TRUE change in a world and especially a country that clearly yearns for "change."

Abraham and Isaac

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2022&version=47

In a world such as this, how refreshing to hear a true story of sacrifice, devotion, and love.  At the outset this is a pretty scary story.  What with a loving father taking his only son to a mountain to sacrifice him because why?  Oh, God told him to do it.  

That sounds like a story we'd hear today on CNN Headline News and Nancy Grace would be popping off about the horrible parenting involved.  If we caught such a headline we would mutter things and probably all agree the nut job father should be sent straight to jail or perhaps a mental institute.  Well, this story is different.

One day Abraham is minding his own when God decides it is time to test Abraham.  Now, what is important to keep in mind is that anytime God tests and anything God does He is looking to bring glory on Himself and his plan, this is even true in the Old Testament where we see this story come from.  EVERYTHING is Christ-centered.  If scripture is read without pointing to or back at Christ, it is read incorrectly.  So how does all of this Abraham getting ready to off Isaac point to Christ?

So God commands to Abraham that he take Isaac, his only son, whom he loves to the land of Moriah and to a mountain top which He will appoint.  Not only that but God specifically states that Isaac is to be offered up as a burnt offering!  What does Abraham do?  Does he fight God on this?  No evidence to such a thing in this story, perhaps he did, but one must conclude from the text that Abraham went along faithfully.  

A little geographical information would help here.  The land of Moriah is where modern day Jerusalem is.  Keep in mind that during the day of Abraham there was no Israel nation or Jerusalem, God was making one through him.  On the third day (hmm) Abraham saw the place from afar and told the servants they were with to stay put and to await the both of them to return.  Wishful thinking on Abraham's part?  Or just not trying to startle everyone, including the boy Isaac?  Who knows, read on.  

At this point Isaac begins to get a little curious.  He knows they are there for a burnt offering but only Pops and him are heading up the mountain with all the supplies needed for the burnt offering.  The curious boy Isaac asks Abraham, "Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"  And Abraham answers him, "God will provide for Himself a lamb for the burnt offering..."

They get to the exact spot and Abraham bounds Isaac to an altar he had just built.  No doubt this had to have been an emotional moment and the Hebrew with the words it uses really captures the drama of the moment.  As Abraham goes to slay his one and only son Isaac a voice called from heaven and told him to stop.  What voice?  Who's voice?  The Angel of the LORD.  The LORD is Yahweh or YHWH, the divine name of God Himself.  Not translated in the Old Testament out of reverence for the 2nd Commandment.  If you don't say it, you can't misuse it!  This Angel of Yahweh character is often seen in these high drama moments as the one God sends to test, to teach, to stop those He is engaging with.  It is popular within Christianity to conclude that the Angel of Yahweh is the pre-incarnate (pre human form) Jesus Himself.  

Anyway, the Angel of the LORD (Yahweh) tells Abraham that He now knows that Abraham truly fears or has faith in God.  But remember, God knows everything, and God tests to glorify Himself and to show His will.  It is a safe bet God did not sit on His throne in Heaven chewing His fingernails wondering if Abraham would actually go through with it.  God tested Abraham to show him, Isaac, and all something.  What is this something?

As the story goes on the LORD tells Abraham that his offspring will be as great as the stars in the sky and that because of this faithfulness the promise can come through.  But back up for a moment, remember when I told you the land they went to was practically modern day Jerusalem?  Tradition states the Temple Mount is on the site where this event took place.  Interestingly enough we find out the LORD provides a ram, or a lamb, right there in the thicket not far from them.  Well then, I guess Abraham's prediction that the LORD will provide has come to fruition then?  Only in part.  Scripture has a tendency to wrap double meanings around things to show an immediate fulfillment and one of future and fuller fulfillment.  The point of this story was not for God to test Abraham and then give him a ram and call it a day.  No the point was so that God could show Abraham that He will provide the lamb.  

Verse 14, "So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."  

The Hebrew can also translate the word provide for the LORD will see.  As in the fact that the LORD will see through that He will be providing a lamb for a burnt offering.  And where might this take place?  "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."  Remember the story takes place in Jerusalem before it was called Jerusalem, but wait, wasn't there a mount in the same area that the LORD did in fact provide a lamb, The Lamb, for the offering?  Indeed.  On Golgotha, or Mount Calvary, the LORD provided a lamb for the sacrifice.  Jesus Himself provided by God on behalf of fallen humanity.  

Hallelujah.  

Lutheran Youth E-Source

What I think is an important tool out there is the LCMS' "youth esource."  The Source is a place where youth, and DCE's/Youth Directors can come and garner materials and tools and resources for leading their ministry.  I've been hard on the LCMS' youth aspect in the past, and this new website (redesigned) is certainly a good resource for youth ministry--specifically of the Lutheran persuasion.  So I'm giving credit where it is due.  My favorite part?  The Apologia articles.  The word Apologia hearkening back to the Apologia or Apology of Concord written by one of the great reformers Philip Melancthon in defense of the Augsburg Confession.  

Check it out:

Youth E-Source

Good Evangelism Tool

Martin Luther, founder of the Reformation, created a symbol for himself and more importantly his theology to break down and express what faith means to him and the followers of the universal faith.  The symbol is called the "Luther Rose."  And in the following paragraph are Dr. Luther's own words about what this rose/symbol means.  

"Grace and peace from the Lord. As you desire to know whether my painted seal, which you sent to me, has hit the mark, I shall answer most amiably and tell you my original thoughts and reason about why my seal is a symbol of my theology. The first should be a black cross in a heart, which retains its natural color, so that I myself would be reminded that faith in the Crucified saves us. For one who believes from the heart will be justified" (Rom. 10:10). Although it is indeed a black cross, which mortifies and which should also cause pain, it leaves the heart in its natural color. It does not corrupt nature, that is, it does not kill but keeps alive. "The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17) but by faith in the crucified. Such a heart should stand in the middle of a white rose, to show that faith gives joy, comfort, and peace. In other words, it places the believer into a white, joyous rose, for this faith does not give peace and joy like the world gives (John 14:27). That is why the rose should be white and not red, for white is the color of the spirits and the angels (cf. Matthew 28:3; John 20:12). Such a rose should stand in a sky-blue field, symbolizing that such joy in spirit and faith is a beginning of the heavenly future joy, which begins already, but is grasped in hope, not yet revealed. And around this field is a golden ring, symbolizing that such blessedness in Heaven lasts forever and has no end. Such blessedness is exquisite, beyond all joy and goods, just as gold is the most valuable, most precious and best metal.This is mycompendium theoligae [summary of theology]. I have wanted to show it to you in good friendship, hoping for your appreciation. May Christ, our beloved Lord, be with your spirit until the life hereafter. Amen."*

This beautiful symbol should not only sum up the faith of a Lutheran, but of the church catholic for all Christians.  It is a symbol for all ages, for all peoples, in all times, in all places.  It gets to be displayed proudly, and one ought to learn what it means so in evangelism they can share this "rose" with others so that they may come to know what it is we Lutherans believe and what we teach.

*http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2558

Lutheran?

Been following and involved in an interesting online discussion amongst pastors and lay of Lutheran Churches.  The discussion, which can be found over at the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, is centered around a question asking if the Lutheran name is a detriment into bringing people into the church.

Some argue the name is too German, too much of that European aspect, and too much centered around an fallible man (Martin Luther), instead of being centered around the cross of Jesus.  To be fair, those arguing against Lutherans using the name Lutheran are not advocating doing away with the symbols of the church (Luther's Catechisms, Book of Concord, church catholic symbols of sacraments, office of holy ministry, etc.)  Rather they are advocating that those who may be coming in from different backgrounds (Spanish or Hispanic being the most prominent though certainly other cultures and languages and peoples abound) have no idea who Martin Luther is.  

Where I do agree with the people arguing against using the name Lutheran is where they say Lutherans like to keep things to themselves as if it is "our little secret."  Not everyone does, most of our pastors are strong stewards of the Word and Sacraments.  However, there is this idea imbedded in Lutherans that if we "go out there" we'll become "just like them."  Who are the "them?"  Atheists?  Idolaters?  Drug lords? Sex addicts? Non-believers?  Nope, the "them" are other Christians.  

Many Lutherans have this absolute fear that if the Lutheran Church "markets" herself at all, she'll adopt the theology of other churches (which are weaker) and be indistinguishable from the church of the Augsburg Confession.  Unfortunately, this has happened.  Jefferson Hills Church is one church that comes to mind for me when thinking of that happening.  But, and here's where it gets dicey, to me it is worth the risk of getting our message out there.  The Lutheran Church, and I'll speak specifically for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod since I am a part of her denomination, has a great message.  We preach Christ crucified and risen, we preach Law and Gospel, we administer the sacraments and rally around the altar to proclaim our great faith by taking and eating the physical body of our Lord and drinking His blood "in, with, and under" the elements of the bread and wine.  

But for some reason, we like keeping it to ourselves.  This innate fear of becoming like "them" has held the Lutheran Church back for decades.  Now, with an influx of hispanic speaking peoples and others coming into this country more than ever, and with newer generations not being brought up in the traditional church, and with many young people having disdain for Christianity because of so called "evangelicals" and their law based Gospel, it is our time.  I will not say we "must" seize it.  Because to be honest, the "Lutheran" Church could fade away and God's Gospel will still find a way, believe it or not.  But I will say it is our time, and we "get to" do it.  

I advocate for keeping the name Lutheran, because it's important to tell people who we are.  We have a great message.  We do need to be able to distinguish from other messages out there, even some Christian messages.  In our explanation of these things Martin Luther's name is bound to come up.  But we should stress his theology, his proclamation he rejoices with just as proudly as St. Paul that "the righteous will live by faith."  

Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Soli Deo Gloria

Let us "get to" teaching the people what this means, and why we call ourselves Lutherans.  Perhaps that will do us some better, perhaps not.  But one thing is for sure, "His Truth is marching on."