Thanks Things First

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. -1 Timothy 2:1-4

Turkey Day is coming! Where are you going for Thanksgiving? Planes, trains, and automobiles will soon take us away or bring those far away toward us. Thanksgiving is marked with enormous sizes of food. Thanksgiving food is often worked off through football

and 5Ks galore. The specter of Christmas hangs over the day as crowds prepare for Black Friday. For all the tradition, Thanksgiving does not get the fanfare that Christmas and Halloween seem to get. Frankly, Halloween and Christmas have been thoroughly commercialized; a fate Thanksgiving has escaped so far. So many people don’t know what to do with Thanksgiving. It is my prayer that we would discover the deeper meaning and God given purpose of Thanksgiving.

Paul has just sent the young pastor Timothy to the church of Ephesus. His instructions are the book of 1 Timothy. While there is a lot we could mine out from this book, what is notable is item number 1 on Timothy’s to-do list from Paul. Number 1, first thing first, “I urge that supplications, prayers, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” In summary, Paul says the first thing we ought to do when we encounter a different or new situation is to give thanks to God

How beautiful is it that we have an entire holiday dedicated to this very thing!

In between the sugar-crazed frenzies of Halloween and the rush and crush of Black Friday, Thanksgiving stands as a sacred pillar of our obligation to thank God.

First things first, we ought to thank God for all he has given us. The catechism reminds us that spouse, house, home, children, family, friends, reputation, land, animals, and all we have are gifts from God!

First things first, we are called to pray in thanksgiving with other people. “Let us not give up meeting together as is the habit of some,” the author of the Hebrews warns in 10:25.

First things first, we are called to pray for “kings and those in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:2). Our thoughts this election season must travel from “who should I vote for,” to “Jesus, help this person do their job,” on the day after.

Finally, God desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. We give thanks for the salvation we have received through Jesus. We also readily give thanks for others that they too might enjoy life with God.

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving.

In Jesus’ Service,

Pastor Kurt Hellwig

When It Feels Like Scary Times Are Aside

It is the first week of October. Despite the unseasonably warm weather, we have all noticed Halloween decorations going up outside. (You can even find Christmas decorations in Costco!) Fall is firmly upon us with its many rituals and memories.

Halloween can be a divisive subject for Christians and yet, regardless of how you choose to celebrate if you celebrate, you might not be aware that Halloween was originally “All Hallows Eve”—a Christian holiday! November 1st is All Saints Day, a day to remember all those who have died in the faith over the past year. Just like how Christmas has Christmas Eve, so All Saints Day as “All Hallows Eve.” For a further recap on All Hallows Eve as a church holiday, recall that Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Church on the evening of October 31st. He knew many of the scholars and officials he aimed to influence would be at church that evening or the next day. While many superstitions and scary images have arisen around Halloween, the day cannot be separated from All Saint’s Day.

All Saint’s Day draws attention to something much scarier than monsters or costumes. Many churches choose to mark All Saint’s Day by reading the names of those who have passed over the last year and a bell is rung after each name is read. The fear of death looms large even in our isolated and sanitized culture. Losing loved ones is never easy and never the same. Even when the passing is expected it feels like our houses are haunted by grief. The early Christians among the Thessalonians, like many people, experienced these questions about loss. They asked Paul questions about loss. Paul encourages them with these words from 1 Thessalonians 4:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

God bringing the dead with him? This sounds like the stuff of Halloween. However, it is the promise of the resurrection. God will bring back the souls of those are with him. Souls that are with him now for safekeeping. Then they and all people will rise from the dead and inherent that perfect world which marks the end of the Biblical story. This is heaven. This is our life with God and departed relatives. This is our hope.

Life and death will give us pause for death was never meant to be a part of life. As death draws a little closer this month, God invites us to lean in through the All Saint’s Day. For as much as we reflect on death; there, God reminds us of the life that is to come. Although we are sounded by the unfamiliar, we can be unafraid. Sad but hopeful.

In Jesus Service,

Pastor Kurt

Who Carries Whom?

Who Carries Whom?

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 

He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities

-Isaiah 53:6-7

Michelangelo’s “Pieta” (below) is one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance. This classic evokes our strong emotions from Christian and non-Christian audiences alike. One is instantly touched by Mary’s unimaginable and unenviable position in this situation. Her face reads resignation; repressed and delayed grief. Michelangelo created with incredible detail and love. Passers-by have noted his passion for centuries. Perhaps one is drawn to Jesus’ lifeless body. The figure who walked on water is completely limp and laid out. This depiction of Jesus highlights the upside down nature of His message. God himself is upheld by the virgin mother of God. Whether Mary, Michelangelo, you, or me, we all have moments where we feel like we must uphold God. 

The Christian church in North America is a missionary church. As a missionary church, we are called to explain who our God is and what He is doing to others who have very different expectations of God and life.  God seems so weak compared to our expectations of Empire. Self help seems to make life so hard. God can feel like a burden. We are often afraid or at a loss for words when defending God, our lives, and His church. The problem is compounded when we struggle to make sense of what God is doing in our own lives. God is so mysterious and so far off. The best we can manage is platitudes, some trust, and straight endurance. We carry the weight of God with us. The God who must be defended. The God who seems about as popular as a funeral at times. The God who seems to trap us in our sins and the sins of others. God who is at once at the heart of everything through the phrase, “In God we Trust,” yet who is unknown by many. Surely, God will crush us if we try to carry Him on our terms. 

Linguistically, the Hebrew word for glory is related to the word for weight. One’s glory is literally one’s weight. One’s weight is one’s reputation. While the phrase the “glory of God” might create pictures of angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven in our minds. The phrase “glory of God” might take our minds to the words of a favorite hymn or our hearts to a time when our hearts burned within us. Nevertheless, the glory of God is God’s reputation and God wants His reputation to be the cross. 

. On the cross God carries the sins of the word. On the cross God carries our weak, limp human bodies and our sly human nature. On the cross God carries the world. Isaiah writes,  “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” God in Jesus dosen’t just carry these things, he lifts them up for all the world to see. Isaiah also writes, “He shall be high and lifted up, and He shall be glorified.” John uses these words to describe the crucifixion of Jesus. The bloody stake of the cross waves to us like a flag signifying that God has taken up our cause. He has taken our place. He has taken away the sins of the world and the consequences of sin chief of which is death. He lifts these things out of us and the world through the cross. He wants to be known for this. Therefore, despite the somber Lenten season, we can sing with joy these ancient words from the 6th century:

“Faithful cross, true sign of triumph,

be for all the noblest tree;

none in foliage, none in blossom,

none in fruit your equal be;

symbol of the world's redemption,

for the weight that hung on thee”

-LSB 454 v.4

A Sheep's Christmas

“My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life. And they will never perish, and no one will snatch them from my hand”- John 10:27-28

Dear Mount Calvary Lutheran Church,

One of the most endearing symbols of Christmas is the nativity scene. We see the silhouette in the neighbor’s yard. We see the giant figures outside the church. There are small pieces on the shelf. Which nativity character are you? Jesus is the star of this show. Joseph and Mary are vital. The wisemen seek Jesus through knowledge. They are learned scholars who decided on the babe of Bethlehem. The shepherd had an ecstatic religious experience. God pulled back the curtain of heaven and showed them the being all around them. Most of us don’t fit so nicely into these categories. Rather as we look eye level with the manger we see the animals huddled around Jesus. The scattered sheep stand by or lay down around the king of kings. Like loyal pets they contently keep an eye on Jesus. The biblical imagery floods our mind. What is Christmas like as a sheep?

We are comfortable calling Jesus the Good Shepherd. We are less content to think of ourselves as sheep. Sheep don’t have the best reputation. Whenever we discuss Jesus as the Good Shepherd, we seem to go out of our way to say how clumsy and vulnerable sheep are. That may or not be true of sheep. However, at Christmas the sheep are just along for the ride. 

I think this is how many of us feel as Christmas approaches. It is Christmas again. While Christmas is a nice time, our expectations of Christmas are low to mid. We don’t think this Christmas, Christmas 2023, will change our lives. We have our traditions we are happy to celebrate. But, this could hardly be a banner Christmas. Those Bethlehem bouvine type animals probably didn’t expect much on that winter day in the year 3 or 4 AD either. Part of being a follower is the excitement of never choosing life’s path. Yet, we can be sure it will be interesting. We ought to take time to open our hearts to the possibility that the Good Shepherd will lead us into just the grandest pasture this Christmas. 

Following as a sheep requires one to embrace uncertainty. However, we are never asked to trust one we do not know. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. His voice is clear on the cold morning. His protection is certain. He promises He will not lose one of His sheep. Wherever He leads we keep our eyes on Him and not on the forest or rocks around. He will keep us close to the manger. Perhaps vividly reflecting on Jesus’ day in and day out presence can transform our spirits and lift our hearts this Christmas season. 

Tradition and Change

“Jesus Christ isthe same yesterday and today and forever.”-Hebrews 13:6

Have you ever been disappointed by a little change? I don’t mean change in a general sense. I mean have you been disappointed by a small change. Perhaps, a little adjustment to a recipe at your favorite restaurant or a slight change in how your garden turns out. It's also amazing how a little change can go a long way too. For example, one simple adjustment when playing an instrument can make all the difference. One conversation can change a life. 

Change of course is rarely without controversy. Perhaps you remember a time when you were on the front lines leading for a change and had to overcome resistance to get there. Alternatively, perhaps you remember fighting against change only to be proved right in the long run after the dust had settled. As a pastor, one of the most common questions I get is, “does your church have a traditional or contemporary service?” The person asking the question wants me to agree with their belief. Their belief is closely tied to the idea of change. Things tend to change very quickly in our world, and this gives the impression that change is inevitable or that all change is good, or that even all changes are permanent. Conversely, it would be silly not to recognize the power of change or the need for change from time to time.

We have to understand that worship is first and foremost something outside of our human experience or expectations. Worship is the work of God among us. God gathers his people together, God speaks to his people through His Word, God feeds His people, and God sends them out to be His witness in the world. Worship is really God’s work. The church has decorated this work of God in different ways in different times and places. Theologians speak of enculturating worship into the local culture. Simply put, worship looks different in different cultures. One of our teachers at VLHS had a father who was a missionary in Papua New Guina. Rev. Meyer, the missionary, had to radically change the order of worship he grew up with in the United States for this new place. God was still gathering his people together, God was still speaking to his people through his word, God was still feeding his people, and God was still sending them out to be his witnesses in the world, but it looked and sounded different.

The expressions of worship most familiar to us come broadly from the experiences of Christians in western Europe and North America. These expressions of worship have been careful curated for centuries. There is a lot that could be said here. How did we get these expressions of worship such as, 4-part congregational signing for example? What should Christians think about “western civilization” and its now very public shortcomings? What does it mean for our worshiping tradition now that Christianity is a minority in some places in western Europe? I want to affirm the good that is in tradition. Tradition can be the best of the past and I think it is true of what is often called “traditional worship.” At the same time, every hymn in our hymnal was at one point new. There are always new expressions of the faith, and we cannot and should not choke off the arts in their creation of these new expressions. There are also many hymns written hundreds of years ago which did not make it in the hymnal. The hymnal creation process curates and selects our traditions. This reality shows how most new things do not last.

I want to leave you with an image of a river. Great rivers such as the Mississippi, the Amazon, and the Nile have lots and lots of small streams which feed into them. Each stream is powerful in its own right. Each stream has something to contribute to the great river. However, it can be hard to see the small stream in the big river. We at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church stand squarely in the great river. We get the best of a variety of traditions on Sunday morning. This is part of what it means to be Lutheran. Luther did not throw out everything he inherited from the Catholic Church. Rather, if it did not conflict with the Bible, he took the best and added his own small additions. Generations since then have done the same. We remain open to the contributions current generations will make. These traditions beautifully express what God is doing to us in worship.

Pastor Kurt