Stay Hopeful - Sermon for the First Sunday of Advent Year A

Stay Hopeful

Advent 1A

November 27, 2022

Christ, Preston, MN

Matthew 24.36-44

I was in the break room of the Minnesota Fabrics store where I was an assistant manager, one of the careers I had before I went to seminary and became a pastor. Somehow, the young clerk who was also there discovered that we were both Christians. Her next question surprised me a bit: “Do you believe we are in the end times?” Now, I hadn’t been back in the church very long, but long enough to know what that meant. By her question she was probably a dispensationalist, someone who follows the teachings of John Darby, that human history is divided into ages or dispensations. People who follow that teaching are particularly sensitive to reading what they believe are the signs around us and in doing so believe we are in the end times.

“Yes,” I replied, though I knew I meant something different than she did. I did not want to elaborate because I didn't want to get into a theological discussion. Today is the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church year and that period of preparation for the celebration of Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent is always set aside for texts related to the return of Jesus, his “second coming.” We do this because as we prepare, we are encouraged to be alert and to watch for the presence of Jesus in our world right now. Furthermore and traditionally, as we heard from the Corson family, the theme of the day is also Hope.

Advent also reminds us that we are in an in-between time, albeit a very long one for us. For Jesus’ followers and those a generation or two removed, it was very disturbing that Jesus hadn’t returned as they expected. So, Jesus’ words to them and us are designed to help us in these in-between times we experience. First of all, Jesus wants us to wake up and open our eyes to his presence right here and now. Part of waking up and being alert means being hopeful about God’s action in the world.

Second, Jesus’ words invite us to be open to new possibilities, things we might not have considered before. When we are set into a routine, we might  miss what God is up to in the world and our lives. Third and finally, Jesus invites us to let go of those things or attitudes that are holding us back. We can honor our past and where we have been, but hope demands that we let some of those things go. So, in this in-between time we wake up, open ourselves to new opportunities, and let go of things that are holding us back.

I can think of no better example of hopefulness than the sacrament of Holy Baptism done today. Seeing Cameron baptized today helps wake us up to what God is doing in Christ Lutheran Church through us as we live out our baptismal promises and opens us up to new possibilities for mission and ministry. Finally, we have permission to let go of what has come before us knowing God is doing new things in our lives.

This is where the slips you received come in, what I call Hope Slips: Please take those out now and write a short answer to the sentence, “My greatest hope for Christ Lutheran Church is…” Please, keep it brief and limit it to one thing. (I’ll ignore whatever is written after the first one. I’ll collate these responses and work with the Transition Team to see what’s on your hearts and minds. We’ll use this information in our work to help see what God is up to at Christ Lutheran as we move forward. Stay hopeful, my sisters and brothers in Christ, for God is coming. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

Re-Membering - Sermon for Christ the King Sunday Year C

Re-Membering

Christ the King C

November 20, 2022

Christ, Preston, MN

Luke 23.33-43

In addition to being the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, today is also Christ the King Sunday. That means (among other things) this is the end of the Church Year. We are an odd bunch, we Lutheran Christians, who end a year in late November or early December. We are even odder for ending with a story about Jesus’ crucifixion, that leaves us literally “hanging.” There is No resurrection, no sitting on a throne from the book of Revelation, just Jesus being brutalized, tormented, and derided by the powers that be. It gets weirder next week as we begin Advent, the time of preparation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth. That’s a decent enough beginning to a new year if we didn’t begin the season with a story about the end times, but more on that next week.

This commemoration is especially jarring as we have come off a rare celebration of King Charles’ ascension to the throne of Great Britain. Many of us sat enthralled as we said goodbye to the longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth. And then were further treated to Charles’ long-awaited and anticipated enthronement. Even though the monarchy in England is questionable, and Charles is head of state, not government, we are still captivated by the pomp, circumstance, pageantry, and glamor of it all. Though Americans rejected the monarchy over 250 years ago, it seems some bathwater stayed behind as we somewhat kept the baby.

Of course, that’s rather the point, is it not, that Jesus is a different kind of king who has a very different kind of kingdom. While most of those who were at the cross were either disdainful or silent, perhaps the most unlikely one of them, a criminal who was admittedly justly accused, acknowledges Jesus’ kingship. “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom,” he says, and with that makes an incredible statement of faith. All evidence to the contrary, and contrary to traditional notions of kingship, the thief recognizes Jesus’ sovereignty over the things that really matter, both in this world and whatever world to come.

I’m struck by the thief’s request to be remembered. Why does he not make a plea for salvation or deliverance? Maybe he does. Though it doesn’t appear so, the word for “remember” is a theologically loaded one. To remember something is not a mere mental act as you call to mind one thing or other. Jesus doesn’t say, “Oh, yes, I recall that guy who was crucified with; he was the only decent one there. Too bad.” No, to remember is to actually make present the thing being remembered in a real and profound way. It is the same kind of remembering as when Jesus tells his disciples (and us) at the Last Supper instituting Holy Communion: “Do this in remembrance of me.” When we celebrate Holy Communion and remember, Jesus is fully present, body and blood in, with, and under the elements of bread and wine.

As my sermon title suggests, I like to split the word ``remember” into its component parts, to “re-member.” As sovereign king and lord, and through his willingness to die so that we may live, Jesus literally “re-members us,” putting us who are broken and estranged from God back together again, with God and with each other. Forgetting and being forgotten are awful feelings, because it is as if we don’t exist anymore. We who have walked with loved ones suffering from dementia know this feeling all too well. Yet, into this reality, where we might question our worth, where we might think God forgets us, a lowly thief from 2,000 years ago reminds us that God doesn’t forget anyone, no matter what we have done or left undone. My siblings in Christ, you are beloved of God, the one who remembers and re-members. Thanks be to God. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

When Things Fall Apart - Sermon for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost Year C

When Things Fall Apart

Pentecost 23C (Lectionary 33)

November 13, 2022

Christ, Preston, MN

Luke 21.5-19

I can relate to the sense of awe and wonder that Jesus’ followers express upon seeing the temple in Jerusalem. It’s likely they’d not seen anything like it before. My wife and adult daughters had a similar experience when we had the opportunity to tour Western Europe this summer after a two-year delay due to the pandemic. We saw many such incredible churches, especially the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) in Barcelona Spain. Sagrada Familia has been under construction for the last 100 years and is not even finished yet. The spires rise far above the skyline and there are intricate stone carvings – truly awe inspiring. So, I understand the Jerusalem temple, actually the third temple, because the previous iterations were also destroyed. According to the historian Josephus, There were huge, 40 ft. blocks of white stone painstakingly dressed and so much gold it blinded people when the sun shone upon it.

But we also saw Notre Dame in Paris, nearly destroyed by fire but in the process of being rebuilt. Then in Rome we visited the ruins of the Forum and the Colosseum, all reminders of the temporary nature of existence. It’s also important to note that all of the once powerful empires eventually fell: Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and even the Roman empire. For the Judeans of Gospel writer Luke’s time, which is about 50-60 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, and 10-20 years after the temple was destroyed as Jesus predicted in 70 CE, it was devastating.

The temple was not only a place of worship, but it was also considered the dwelling place of God. The totality of Jewish identity was tied to both Jerusalem and the temple, especially in its restored condition, something that took years to accomplish. To get an idea of what this must have been like, imagine what it would do to the American psyche if a foreign power managed to occupy our country and then in an act of retaliation, destroy Washington DC, including the Capitol Building, White House, and other iconic buildings. Jesus’ followers, and the community to whom Luke later writes, try to make sense of these events.

Life is falling apart for the Jewish people, but even more so for Jesus’ followers as many of them face imprisonment, torture, shunning from family and friends and other horrific trials. Many of Jesus’ followers had expected Jesus to return already, and were wondering at his delay, a theme we’ll see again on the First Sunday of Advent. For both groups, those who lived immediately following Jesus’ death and resurrection and prior to the temple’s destruction and those living in the aftermath, Jesus’ prediction and assurance provides comfort.

Like the temple, there are things in our life we think will last and are devastated when they fall apart. A marriage we think is rock solid disintegrates and even though it is amicable it still leaves us changed. A severe illness or cancer changes us forever, and even the best medical care only gets us so far. We lose a job we love and count on, and all the savings that will carry us through can’t change the hurt and even shame we experience. The death of a loved one, especially unexpectedly, leaves a hole in our lives that will never be filled.

The good news in today’s Gospel is that God is with us whenever things fall apart and gives us whatever we need in the midst of that. God doesn’t take it away but goes through it with us. We are strengthened and encouraged when we know we aren’t alone, another reason why God gives us community. Yet, unlike the temple, our lives are put back together, not the same but transformed by God’s love. This is especially true as we recover from the disruption of the pandemic: God is with us no matter what. My siblings in Christ, whatever is happening in your life, God knows every hair on your head and cherishes them. God gives you everything you need. Thanks be to God. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

For All the Saints - Sermon for All Saints Sunday Year C

For All the Saints

All Saints Sunday C

November 6, 2022

Christ, Preston, MN

Luke 6.20-31

This All Saints Sunday is particularly poignant because I have three aunts who have died in six months and a fourth who is actively dying. Two weeks ago, it was my godmother Elaine whose service I attended in Rice Lake, WI, and yesterday, Aunt Jen, who died a few months ago but whose service was live streamed from Spokane, WA. My aunt Marge’s service several months ago was also live streamed from Spokane. It is their sister, my Aunt Dot, who is expected to die soon. When she goes, she’ll be the last of my mother’s eight siblings to go. My own mother died many years ago.

They all in their own way influenced me, but mostly as they showed me more about Grandpa Johnson, who was responsible for them living so far away. My grandpa Johnson owned and operated a milk can re-tinning business in Rice Lake, WI. When World War II started, he transformed it into a truck body business, which continued after the war. (Those Schwan's trucks you see all over the place were made by my grandpa’s business, Johnson Truck Body, still in existence though long under other management.) 

Business was so good that he brought his two brothers into the business, but it didn’t work out. They were forcing him out of the business and, as a strong Christian he literally turned the other cheek. He and grandma packed up six of their eight children and headed west to start a new life. 

The family story that is told says he would have gone all the way to the Pacific Ocean but at Spokane, WA, grandma said, “No farther.” Grandpa had long built boats as a hobby, which he now turned into a business. In fact, he was one of the first boat builders to use fiberglass instead of wood.

Because we lived so far apart, I didn’t see much of Grandpa, and I know that he would be the first to say that he didn’t live up to my idolized vision of him. But his story and life continue to affect me deeply. In today’s Gospel, Luke’s version of Jesus’ kingdom vision seems to be a summary of what Grandpa Johnson embodied: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ extended message is called the Sermon on the Mount. Here, Luke’s shorter version is the Sermon on the Plain because Jesus is in a level place. However, both claim that the way of the world as it stands is contrary to the way God desires it to be.

Peculiar to Luke’s version is the addition of “woes” that are direct opposites of the “blessings” Jesus proclaims, commonly referred to as the Beatitudes. In speaking such, Jesus addresses real issues, that his disciples are truly poor and have difficult lives while there are rich people who take advantage of the poor within systems of oppression. He wants them to know that God knows their suffering and their suffering isn’t the last word. They are blessed, or fortunate, as I like to translate the blessing, because they are seen by God. When he pronounces woe on the privileged, he’s not advocating for socialism as much as he is saying, “Watch out!” lest you rely on your wealth as a guarantee of the true life he brings. When things are going well, we tend to think that we are responsible and trust in our own ability rather than God’s presence.

It’s natural for us to look at the Beatitudes, the attendant Woes, plus the rest of Jesus’ exhortations as something of a checklist. We like to see how we are doing and if we measure up to Jesus’ vision. It’s also tempting for us to dismiss them as pie-in-the-sky, wishful-thinking that comes in only when we get to heaven. It is true that the Sermon on the Plain confirms Jesus’ mission to the poor, outcast, and marginalized. It is also true that Jesus’ words shape our conduct. They are not less than that but they are also far much more.

Last week we celebrated the Reformation and Martin Luther’s tremendous insight that we are saved by grace through faith, not of our own doing, but as a free gift from God. One of his great gifts to us is the realization that we are all both saint and sinner at the same time. In other words, we are “mixed bags” as I like to say. Practically speaking, one thing that means is that God uses us, imperfect as we are, and transforms us in the process. We are holy, set aside for God’s purposes. For all of us, no matter who we are or done, it also means we have a future, even if that possibility seems unlikely.

In a few minutes, we’ll read the names of those who have died in the last year and remember what they’ve meant to us. We’ll also read the name of one who was baptized, to remind us that we already belong to God. And then we will come forward to light our own candles of remembrance for those we hold dear. We’ll do so knowing that God’s countercultural vision for life here is the true one because it was confirmed through the greatest reversal of all, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died and rose so that we would have new life. Then, we’ll come forward again for Holy Communion, surrounded by blazing candles, basking in the mystery that those and all people of every time and place, past, present and future, will be gathered with us, strengthening our lives. Thanks be to God. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

Always Reforming - Sermon for Reformation Sunday

Always Reforming

Reformation Sunday

October 30, 2022

Christ, Preston, MN

John 8.31-36

Five hundred and five years ago Martin Luther nailed 95 theses, or propositions for debate, to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. That was the mode of argumentation before the internet and social media. Like now, his posting drew a flurry of activity. Chief among Luther’s quibbles with the Institutional Church was the selling of indulgences, or certificates of grace, that purportedly would hasten a loved one’s journey to heaven. That was something Luther felt should be free since grace is, well, free. Luther wasn’t the first to argue against this and other perceived abuses, but a confluence of events pushed him and the issues to the fore. The Reformation would change the church, society and even the government permanently.

Along the way, Luther would translate the Bible into the tongue of the people, coincidentally solidifying the German language. In doing so, Luther would make the Bible accessible for anyone who could read. He would also produce other widely read tracts, all fueled by the technological innovation of the day: Gutenberg’s printing press that made mass production possible. Also along the way, he insisted on four “solas” or “onlys:” Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone. In short, we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone as revealed in Scripture, which is our sole authority, and this is not of our doing but a free gift from God.

The institutional church was not happy with Luther and attempted to shut him down. But Luther at his trial, asked to be proved wrong from Scripture, uttering the famous words, “Here I stand, I can do no other.” The actions of Luther and other reformers led them to be called “Protestants,” a name that embraced them as they embraced it and would be welcomed by many. Though not Luther’s desire, the formation of not just one but many new churches. Still, Luther’s overriding concern was the truth shown in Scripture, that we are made right with God by faith apart from our own works, and that the truth of this shall be known and set us free.

It is tempting to think of the Reformation as a past event, albeit an important one, merely an artifact of history. But I would argue, and I think Luther would agree, that we shouldn’t just celebrate the Reformation but also embody it, much like we embody the Incarnation of Christmas and the dying and rising of Easter. We tend to think of freedom as being able to do whatever we want. But the witness of Scripture is that we are not only freed from the brokenness of sin, death, and the power of evil but also freed for a new life. Luther in his essay, Freedom of a Christian says it this way: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”

Here’s what I think the bottom line is: God has a mission to love and bless the world, to bring people back into relationship with him, and for that mission, God has a church, like Christ Lutheran Church. We need to acknowledge that we don’t always get that right, that God’s grace often gets muted, if not obliterated. The church of the Reformation is always reforming because God is always on the move and because each generation is in a different place and time. So, the Good News of Jesus Christ’s love for everyone, which never changes, is declared in new ways so that people can hear it in their own language.

My Siblings in Christ, as you prepare for your next settled pastor, you have a wonderful opportunity to discern what that means for Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, MN in 2022 and beyond. That can be daunting, but today we remember and celebrate that we are an ordinary people who have an extraordinary God, a God whose love has set us free. Thanks be to God. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

True Humility - Sermon for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost Year C

True Humility

Pentecost 20C – Lectionary 30

Christ, Preston, MN

October 23, 2022

Luke 18.9-14

In 1980, singer and songwriter Mac Davis released an album, “It’s Hard to Be Humble.” The title song on that album quickly rose in popularity, both in America and abroad. The opening lines are so iconic they’re indelibly etched in our minds:

Oh, Lord, it's hard to be humble

When you're perfect in every way

I can't wait to look in the mirror

'Cause I get better lookin' each day

For some reason, the song struck a chord (pardon the pun) with people around the world. And if this song is now stuck in your head for the rest of the day, you’re welcome.

The opening line to Davis’s song might be a fitting summary of our gospel reading today from Luke. At first, the parable Jesus tells seems straightforward: don’t be like the self-righteous Pharisee. Last week, we heard one example of prayer from the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. Today we hear two more kinds of prayer, the tax collector who beats his breast over being sinful and the Pharisee who congratulates God for not making him like the tax collector. And Jesus’ pronouncement at the end also looks clear: don’t exalt yourself or else you’ll get yours.

But I think Jesus has set this parable as something of a trap, but not in the sense of “gotcha.” Jesus uses two stock characters in this parable as examples that we see often in Luke: the despised tax collector who was a Jewish citizen but also a collaborator with the Roman occupying forces; and the Pharisee, a religious leader whom Jesus unfairly portrays as an uptight, rigid observer of the law. The trap comes when our reaction is to identify with the tax collector: “Thank God I’m not like the Pharisee!”

The infamous words of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir seem appropriate: “Don’t be so humble; you’re not that great.” This is where Mac Davis speaks a small amount of truth: it is indeed hard to be humble. We don’t know why the tax collector and the Pharisee come to the temple that day nor do we know what happens to them afterward. Does the tax collector ever change his ways? Does the Pharisee get a lesson in humility sometime? We don’t know, and perhaps that’s the point: they aren’t the focus of the parable, God’s mercy and grace are.

Luther Seminary Professor Emeritus of Church History James Nestingen tells a story about an experience his father had while he was in seminary. On returning to campus on a Sunday evening and running into a classmate, the classmate said to the elder Nestingen, “I had a good day today. I didn’t sin.” Nestingen’s father replied, “It was good of you to give Jesus the day off.” If we aren’t careful, we can engage in a humility contest, which defeats the purpose. Nestingen’s father had a point: whatever ability we have to follow the way of Jesus comes from God and God alone.

So, what brings you to Christ Lutheran Church today? Why are you here? I’m hoping that you are here because this is a safe place for you to be vulnerable and admit your need for God's mercy and grace. I hope it’s a place where you don’t have to pretend to be something you are not, for whatever reason you might think so. Even more so, I hope it’s a place where you will hear God’s unconditional love, mercy, and grace for you no matter what your situation in life. My siblings in Christ, you are worthy of love and belonging through Jesus’ justifying action. That’s true humility. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.

Do Not Be Afraid

Pentecost 19C Lectionary 29

October 16, 2022

Christ, Preston, MN

Luke 18.1-8; Genesis 32.22-31

I think that one of the hardest questions in the life of faith is why, if there exists a loving God, there is evil in the world. As Rabbi Kushner said in his famous book,  why “bad things happen to good people.” For those of you playing Theological Bingo at home, this is known as the problem of theodicy. Perhaps a similarly difficult question and even related to theodicy, is why God rarely answers our prayers and often remains silent. That was a struggle for the Apostle Paul who wrestled with his infamous “thorn in the flesh.” Paul asked God to remove that unknown affliction, but God remained silent. I’m guessing that many of you have similar experiences regarding illnesses, jobs, relationships and many other difficulties.

“Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” Notice the word, “then,” which means our text for today follows something else. If we were to go back to the end of chapter 17, we’d hear Jesus talking about the coming kingdom of God, including the mysterious claim, “the kingdom of God is within you.” Why is this important? Well, it’s helpful to know that Luke writes to his community about 50 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. He writes to people who have experienced the temple’s destruction and wonder where God is in all of this confusion. They have expected Jesus’ return and are losing heart as they see what’s happening around them.

I would also guess that most of us spend little time wondering why Jesus hasn’t come back. Even so, we do wonder from time to time where God is in the world and we see little of Jesus’ presence. We might even be tempted to see God exactly like the unjust judge: vindictive and uncaring. But it’s as if Jesus is reading our minds because he quickly says that God is not like that. And because parables are provocative, (they provoke our thinking), we can entertain the idea that perhaps God is more like the widow who works on our hard hearts. Maybe prayer is designed to change us more than it is supposed to change God.

Dr. Samantha Meints and Rev. Dr. Marta Illueca are leading a research project that will help identify the types of prayer that are most helpful for folks with chronic pain. In doing so, they can better help people better cope with their pain. One of their initial findings is striking. When people pray for God to take away their pain, there is little or no benefit. But when they ask God for help to bear the pain, they are better able to cope with the pain. Prayer changes us.

When we lose heart in our prayer life, we become tired, despondent, and resigned to our situation. We lose our sense of purpose and get cranky. But when we pray like the widow, we have a purpose and clarity about what we are to be, and we are changed in the process. Praying with heart wears down our inner judge and makes us open to what God is doing in our lives. In the Genesis reading, Jacob wrestles with God until he receives a blessing, and he is changed forever, signified in his name change to Israel, one who strives with God. As Debie Thomas notes, God delights in those who dare to strive with him, because in doing so they keep hold of God tightly.

We’re in an uncertain time now, post-pandemic. You have said good-bye to your pastor, wondering what the future holds. Maybe some of you are even afraid that God won’t show up. My siblings in Christ, do not lose heart. Continue wrestling with God, expecting a blessing in return. Amen.

My sermons often preach a little differently than written and you can find the video here.