For Whom Does the Church Exist?

Calvary Church, Stonington, CT

Yesterday afternoon, while talking to a Christian homeschooling parent about whether our struggling support group should remain exclusive (i.e., admit only those who agree with a statement of faith) or whether we should make it more accessible to all homeschoolers, I encountered this, which is not a direct quote:

Would you let unbelievers into your church where they can influence others with their non-Christian ideas?

As a practicing Lutheran, I was so astonished by this question, I could not think of a response.  Why?  Because one of the strategies for evangelism in my denomination is to bring people to church where they can hear the Word of God preached and taught.  An even better situation:  someone willingly enters the church because they are seeking God.  In this latter case, no one had to do any work to get them there;  they arrived on their own.  Why, then, would I turn them away, or prevent them from entering in the first place?  At that point, they are fair game for the unfettered teaching and preaching of the Word because, forgive the analogy, like prey in a spider web, they trapped themselves.

Which brings me to my question:  for whom does the church exist?  Is it only for those of us who already profess faith in Christ?  Or is it for believer and unbeliever alike, the believer to teach and witness and the unbeliever to learn and come to faith?  The former implies that the church is the body of believers and the Church is exclusively for those people, which makes me wonder about the importance of the Great Commission.  The latter, on the other hand, recognizes that the church is the body of believers and the Church has the job of evangelizing both within it's walls and without.

Can someone please explain this to me?!  I thought church and Church were about loving God and loving your neighbor.

The Epiphany Story: Read the Bible

On this day, according to the liturgical calendar, the Christian Church commemorates the visit of the wise men to the Christ Child.  Some, like Lutherans, call the day Epiphany;  others, like the Orthodox Church, celebrate Christmas.  Whichever label you use, the fact is that the account of this call on Jesus' household by the magi is recorded only once in Scripture, in the Gospel of Matthew:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.  They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea;  for this is what has been written by the prophet:

'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child;  and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."  After hearing the king, they went their way;  and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.  Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
--- Matthew 2:1-12 (NASB)

Looking closely at these words, we learn the following about the magi and their trip:

- they arrive after the birth of Christ in Bethlehem;
- they arrive during the reign of King Herod;
- they hail from the East;
- they go to Jerusalem;
- the purpose of their journey is to find and worship the Child who was born King of the Jews;
- they find their way to Jerusalem by following a star;
- their mission (to find the Christ Child) troubles Herod and all Jerusalem;
- Herod consults the chief priests and scribes about the Messiah's prophesied birthplace;
- Herod secretly consults with the magi to determine the time frame for the Messiah's birth;
- Herod dispatches the magi to search for the Christ Child;
- Herod asks the magi to report back to him per the location of the Christ Child;
- the magi continue on their way, following the star until they find Jesus and His family;
- Jesus and His mother, Mary, are residing in a house;
- upon locating the Christ Child, the magi worship Him and present Him with gifts;
- the magi present gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh;
- the magi are warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, prompting their departure home.

Now let's compare this information with what I gleaned from an article in the Latino Voices section of the Huffington Post, an article that came to my attention yesterday through the Facebook posting of a friend.  Quoting from the aforementioned source:

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the men found the divine child by following the North Star across the desert for twelve days to Bethlehem.  Melchoir, Caspar, and Balthazar --- representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa respectively --- traveled by horse, camel, and elephant in order to present baby Jesus with three symbolic gifts.

It should be clear from reading the above passage of Scripture that errors were made in the HuffPo article:

- the North Star is nowhere mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew;
- the length of the journey taken by the magi is not mentioned in the Gospel reading;
- crossing the desert, especially in twelve days, goes unmentioned;
- the number of wise men is not given;
- the ethnicity or nationality of the wise men is not mentioned;
- Scripture is silent on the types of animals that were used to travel to Jerusalem an Bethlehem.

The only remotely correct information in the above-quoted paragraph was the reference to the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh being symbolic.  This is true.

GOLD.  Commonly understood to be a gift fit for a king.  It is a symbol of kingship on earth.  Gold can
also symbolize virtue.

FRANKINCENSE.  A perfume spice often considered symbolic of divinity or deity.  Frankincense can also represent incense that is burned as an offering to God, or prayer.

MYRRH.  Used as anointing or embalming oil, myrrh is symbolic of mortality and death.  It can also represent suffering and sacrifice.

Let's face it, much of what we actually know about the visit of the wise men is tradition, narratives that have been around so long the average layperson rarely remembers where the tales came from or if they are factually true.  They make great teaching tools for children and make for beautiful holiday rituals.  These "stories," if you will, perform these functions so well because they stick to what I like to call the "plausibly miraculous."  They aren't so far-fetched as to be comical, yet they clearly communicate the miracle of God in sending His Son to live among us and in leading the wise men to greet our Lord and Savior.  They also don't use modern-day references, like the North Star, or patently false information, like elephants as a mode of transportation, and attribute these things to an easily verifiable Gospel story.

2013 Epiphany lesson:  if you plan to tell the story of the magi to your children, keep it simple.  Don't embellish.  Stick with the real Gospel of Matthew and allow their imaginations to fill in the blanks.  There will be plenty of time, as they grow to adulthood, to discuss the inconsistencies with tradition.  For now, just enjoy reading the Bible with your kids.

New Year's Eve Worship

This evening, before heading to a favorite local restaurant for some ring-in-the-New-Year dessert with my daughter, I attended worship at my local church.  Since so many of my friends have never experienced a Lutheran service, I thought I might post the one from last night, New Year's Eve 2012.  Written mostly by my pastor, the order of worship follows the Divine Service closely though not exactly.  His introduction, As We Gather, provides some food for thought and a theme for the service.
----------------------------
AS WE GATHER
On New Year's Eve most of us step back and take inventory of our lives.  Many of us make resolutions or decisions to improve our life in one way or another.  Tonight, however, St. Paul has us step back, way back to get the broadest view of our entire life.  The hopeful reason is that we might see not so much our feeble efforts to improve, but that, as baptized children of God, we may be increasingly convinced of God's great love.  It is great because there is nothing in our lives, our world or all of creation that can ever separate us from God's love.  With such a view of God's love in our life we are freed even more to make our resolutions since, if we happen to fail (again), it doesn't change the most important things:  the grace of God, the forgiveness of all our sins, and the gift of eternal life now and forever.

PRELUDE

OPENING HYMN:  "Now Greet the Swiftly Changing Year"

INVOCATION
Pastor:  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People:  Amen.

CONFESSION
Pastor:  Having come to the close of another year, we are compelled to look back upon it and to carry forward its joys and blessings into the New Year.

People:  Thank you, Lord, for the goodness You have shown to us in the year now ending.  You have blessed us in ways too numerous to count.  You have sustained us in times of trouble in ways we cannot ever fully appreciate.

(Silence for personal reflection)

Pastor:  Having come to the close of another year, we are compelled to look back upon it and to unburden ourselves before God of all that destroys our happiness and hinders our mission.

People:  Merciful Father, this has been another year of sin.  We have grieved Your heart with our rebellion in thought, word, and deed.  And even though we bear the name "Christian," we have failed to lead lives worthy of that calling.  We have not done the good things required of us in Your commandments.  We ask Your forgiveness in the name of Jesus, Your only Son, who died for our sins.  We ask Your Holy Spirit's help in the year now beginning to faithfully reflect the image of Christ.

ABSOLUTION
Pastor:  God has heard your confession.  His love, mercy, and grace are everlasting.  Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, I forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

People:  As we begin a new year, forgiven by God, we are reminded that we are His redeemed saints.  We forge ahead in this new year, not in bondage, but in freedom;  no longer in futility, but persevering in hope that does not disappoint us.  God bless us and keep us in the coming year.  Amen.

HYMN:  "The Lord, My God Be Praised"

PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
Pastor:  Let us pray.

All:  God of all time and eternity, Alpha and Omega, we commit to You the year now completed and commend to Your kindness and love the year now at hand.  Throughout the coming days, weeks and months, encourage us by Your Spirit to make wise use of Your Word and Sacraments that we may be thoroughly strengthened in our faith, and grounded in the love, grace, and mercy of Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray.  Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING:  Isaiah 51:1-6
(God promises His people eternal love that exceeds the limits of time.)

Pastor:  This is the Word of the Lord.
People:  Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE READING:  Romans 8:31-39
(Nothing will separate us from God's love for us.)

Pastor:  This is the Word of the Lord.
People:  Thanks be to God.

HOLY GOSPEL
Pastor:  The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 12th chapter.
People:  Glory to You, O Lord.

Luke 12:35-40

Pastor:  This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People:  Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY:  "Across the Sky the Shades of Night"

SERMON:  "What's Your Resolution?" based on Romans 8:31-39

CREED (A Statement of Belief)
We believe in one God.  God the Almighty Father made everything that exists, even those things we cannot see.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ.  He is the eternal Son of God, and is really God Himself.  In order to save us from our sins, He came down from heaven and by the power of the Holy Spirit He was born a man, the child of the virgin Mary.  For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died and was buried.  As the Bible had foretold, He rose form the dead on the third day.  He returned to heaven, and rules there with God the Father.  He will come back in glory to judge all people, and He will rule forever.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the giver of life.  He is to be worshiped and glorified together with the Father and the Son.  He speaks to us in the Bible.  We believer that all Christians are called to be members of the Body of Christ, the Church.  We believe that our sins are forgiven in Baptism, and we look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the eternal life promised to us.  Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

OFFERINGS (Please take this time to sign the Friendship Register)

PREFACE to COMMUNION

Pastor:  The Lord be with you.
People:  And with your spirit.

Pastor:  Lift up your hearts.
People:  We lift them to the Lord.

Pastor:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People:  It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

Pastor:  It is right and fitting that we should give thanks to You, gracious Lord.  You are the source of our life and the ruler of time.
People:  Strengthen us with Your presence, eternal God, that we may ever live to Your glory.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples and said:  Take, eat;  this is my body, which is given for you.  This do in remembrance of me.  In the same way also he took the cup after supper, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying:  Drink of it, all of you;  this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Communion Distribution Hymns:
"Your Table I Approach"
"O Living Bread from Heaven"

BLESSING

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Pastor:  Let us pray.
People:  Lord, we thank You that once again You have been with us as we have gathered in Your house and at Your table.  We thank You, that of Your mercy You have strengthened us with Your heavenly feast and with the very body and blood of Your Son.  Bless our lives with Your abiding presence and bring us at last to Your eternal kingdom.  We ask this for Jesus' sake.  Amen.

BENEDICTION
Pastor:  The Lord bless you in the year to come;  the Lord's face shine on you now and always;  the Lord look upon you with His favor and be present in your life, now and for eternity.

People:  Amen.

CLOSING HYMN:  "O God, Our Help in Ages Past"

POSTLUDE

Go, My Children, With My Blessing

This was the closing hymn at church two weeks ago.  As I was singing it, I thought it might be an interesting song to sing at the end of a funeral, as a reminder of the departed's relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but also as a comforting statement of God's relationship toward living believers.  As I was typing the lyrics this morning, it occurred to me that this is what believers should remember and live as their daily "sending song," whether at the end of a worship service or at the conclusion of a personal daily devotion.

Written by a Lutheran pastor of Slovak descent, Jaroslav Vajda, the hymn is one of more than 200 he either composed or translated during his later life.  To learn more about the reverend's perspective on the piece, click here.



Go, My children, with My blessing,
Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you;
You are My own.
In My love's baptismal river,
I have made you Mine forever.
Go, My children, with My blessing ---
You are My own.

Go, My children, sins forgiven,
At peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you,
What I can cure.
Here you heard My dear Son's story;
Here you touched Him, saw His glory.
Go, My children, sins forgiven,
At peace and pure.

Go, My children, fed and nourished,
Closer to Me;
Grow in love and love by serving,
Joyful and free.
Here My Spirit's power filled you;
Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go, My children, fed and nourished,
Joyful and free.

I the Lord will bless and keep you
And give you peace;
I the Lord will smile upon you
And give you peace:
I the Lord will be your Father,
Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, My children, I will keep you
And give you peace.

This hymn also has a verse that can be used at weddings:

In this union, I have joined you
Husband and wife,
Now, My children, live together
As heirs of life:
Each the other's gladness sharing,
Each the other's burdens bearing,
Now, My children, live together
As heirs of life.

The Sacrament of Penance (Part 3)

Repentant Peter by El Greco

I can't believe it has been more than ten days since I posted anything from my readings in "The Sacrament of Penance," written by Martin Luther in 1519 A.D.  If you recall, I am exploring the question, "what is this faith?" as penned by the great German theologian in the aforementioned essay.  Here, as a reminder, is the quote that first struck me:

Everything, then, depends on faith, which alone makes the sacraments accomplish that which they signify, and everything that the priest says come true.  For as you believe, so it is done for you.  Without this faith all absolution and all sacraments are in vain and indeed do more harm than good.  There is a common saying among the teachers that goes like this:  Not the sacrament, but the faith that believes the sacrament is what removes sin.  St. Augustine says this:  The sacrament removes sin, not because it takes place, but because it is believed.  For this reason in the sacrament one must studiously discern faith...

I am attempting to faithfully accomplish that goal, again asking the question referenced above.  For this installment, I looked at paragraphs 5-6 of "The Sacrament of Penance," recalling always the lens through which Luther processes:  1) the comfort and consolation of the believer, and 2) his understanding of the keys of the kingdom as presented in Matthew 16:19:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

5.  SUMMARY:  In paragraph four, Luther dealt with the fact that only God can accomplish the forgiveness of sin and the forgiveness of guilt.  But how does He do that?  Does He provide an earthly method whereby the believer can be assured and comforted that such forgiveness has taken place?  Yes, Luther says:

The true way and the right method, without which there is no other, is that most worthy, gracious, and holy sacrament of penance, which God gave for the comfort of all sinners when he gave the keys to St. Peter...

The theologian continues:

This holy, comforting, and gracious word of God must enter deeply into the heart of every Christian, where he may with great gratitude let it become part of him.

Then, Luther defines the sacrament of penance for us:

For the sacrament of penance consists in this:  forgiveness of sin, comfort and peace of conscience, besides joy and blessedness of heart over against all sins and terrors of conscience, as well as against all despair and assaults by the gates of hell.

My thoughts:  It is important to remember that what Luther is describing here is an earth-bound process that comforts the believer on a spiritual level.  The amends making that is described by the phrase "forgiveness of sin" has already been accomplished for us by the death and resurrection of Christ.  Our faith in Christ, in who He is and in what He did for us by dying and rising again, grabs hold of that forgiveness for us.  The comfort and peace of conscience is the forgiveness of guilt that has been mentioned in previous posts.  The joy and blessedness of heart should follow for us as we repeatedly (hopefully daily) recall the enormity of the sacrifice that was made on our behalf so that we can stand before God at peace and pure.

6.  SUMMARY.  Here, Luther breaks down the earth-bound process described in paragraph five even further by sharing this:

Now there are three things in the holy sacrament of penance.  The first is absolution.  These are the words of the priest which show, tell, and proclaim to you that you are free and that your sins are forgiven you by God...

The second is grace, the forgiveness of sins, the peace and comfort of the conscience, as the words declare.

The third is faith, which firmly believes that the absolution and words of the priest are true, by the power of Christ's words, "Whatever you loose...shall be loosed..."

Paragraph six also offers a description of Luther's understanding of a sacrament:

...a holy sign, because in it one hears the words [of God] externally that signify spiritual gifts within, gifts by which the heart is comforted and set at peace.

My thoughts:  Again, it is crucial to recall that Christ has already made amends for the sins you have committed.  Absolution, if you will, is a done deal.  The words of the priest referred to in this first part of the sacrament are merely a reminder to you of the incredible sacrificial gift that was given for you (Christ).  The second part of the sacrament, grace, has to do with that forgiveness of guilt concept that comforts and consoles the believer.  The third part, faith, is the activator of all because it believes in Christ and in what was done by Christ for the believer.  As Luther said, the sacrament is a physical externality that signifies a spiritual reality.

Located at the end of paragraph six are the words that set off this project:

Everything, then depends on this faith...

Stay tuned as I continue to explore.

The Sacrament of Penance (Part 2)

Repentant Peter by El Greco

A while ago, I started posting my notes from "The Sacrament of Penance" by Martin Luther, written in 1519.  Not too far into this essay, the famous theologian says the following:

Everything, then, depends on faith, which alone makes the sacraments accomplish that which they signify, and everything that the priest says come true.  For as you believe, so it is done for you.  Without this faith all absolution and all sacraments are in vain and indeed do more harm than good.  There is a common saying among the teachers that goes like this:  Not the sacraments, but the faith that believes the sacrament is what removes sin.  St. Augustine says this:  The sacrament removes sin, not because it takes place, but because it is believed.  For this reason in the sacrament one must studiously discern faith...

What I am exploring with these notes is the question:  what is this faith?  In looking at this question, it is important to remember two things:  1) for Luther, the comfort and consolation of the believer is paramount, and 2) a key passage relating to penance is Matthew 16:19:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loos on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

In Part 1, I only looked at the first two paragraphs of "The Sacrament of Penance."  This time, I will be furnishing my notes on paragraphs three and four.

3.  SUMMARY.  At the end of paragraph two, Luther states the following about the joy that should overcome the believer at the realization that his sins are forgiven:

And this is what true forgiveness of sins really means, that a person's sins no longer bite him or make him uneasy, but rather that the joyful conscience overcomes him that God has forgiven him his sins forever.

Here, Luther says that if the believer does not experience such joy over God's grace, no amount of making amends will help because the believer is missing the forgiveness of guilt.  He then issues a reminder to practice the forgiveness of guilt "first and foremost every day."

My thoughts.  In this paragraph, Luther also strongly states the following:

No one can be saved, however, without a joyful conscience and a glad heart toward God (that is, the forgiveness of guilt).

Does this mean, then, that the forgiveness of guilt is part and parcel of repentance?  Are the forgiveness of guilt and true repentance one and the same?  It seems to me to be so.  Logically, that would follow, especially since he admonishes the believer to practice it daily.

4.  SUMMARY.  The forgiveness of sin and the forgiveness of guilt can only be accomplished by God.  Neither good works nor, as in Luther's day, the purchase of indulgences can deliver absolution or peace.  Good works flow out of the forgiveness of guilt, that joyful heart that believers have toward God because Christ has made amends for them.

My thoughts.  So, there is an order to this.  First, by faith, I believe that the death and resurrection of Christ makes amends for my sins.  The result of my understanding that is a joyful heart and a glad conscience, two conditions that then motivate me to perform good works.  Sins must be forgiven before works can be produced.

We Have the Ear of God in Prayer

On Sunday, the opening hymn at my church was "Today Your Mercy Calls Us."  Given this past week, with the rioting overseas and the death of Christopher Stevens, Ambassador to Libya (a friend and colleague of a Navy family from my homeschool group who served in Tunisia for a time), I know I have been feeling like the world is just a little out of control.  A friend from Florida also feels that way.  In fact, I believe her words were, "There is no hope for society!"  It is easy and tempting to think that sometimes, especially if and when we focus too much on the physical world, the world this side of heaven, the world that is still under the Fall.  But as another hymn reminds us:

[Our] hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.

Sunday's hymn, especially the last verse, prompts us to recall that when life seems against us, as individuals or as a country, we have the ear of God, our Father, through Christ, our Savior.

"What should we do without him when heart and eye run o'er?"

Today Your mercy calls us
To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass,
Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy
Our hearts have turned away,
Your precious blood can wash us
And make us clean today.

Today Your gate is open,
And all who enter in
Shall find a Father's welcom
And pardon for their sin.
The past shall be forgotten,
A present joy be giv'n,
A future grace be promised,
A glorious crown in heav'n.

Today our Father calls us;
His Holy Spirit waits;
His blessed angels gather
Around the heav'nly gates.
No question will be asked us
How often we have come;
Although we oft have wandered,
It is our Father's home.

O all embracing Mercy,
O ever open door,
What should we do without You
When heart and eye run o'er?
When all things seem against us,
To drive us to despair,
We know one gate is open,
One ear will hear our prayer.  Amen.

Note:  The video is from one of the Lutheran churches in my college town, Mankato, MN.