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How often do you wake up and think, “This could be my last day here on earth!” Probably not too often. I would guess none of the children in Uvalde thought that as their school year was coming to an end. Probably none of the people killed the week before last in Buffalo thought that when they went to the supermarket.

I sometimes have that thought. It is not a morbid thing. I realize that I have already been blessed with a lot of years here on this earth. I am grateful for the life I have lived. And I will take whatever time I have left here and try to enjoy it with my family and friends.

The reality, however, is that I am now the same age my father was when he went to see Jesus face to face. And his father did not make it to 70.  That was part of my rationale for retiring when I did. While I will continue to serve my Lord and His church in various ways, I no longer do so full time. That allows me time to travel with my wife, spend time with my children and grandchildren, offer myself as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and Lutheran Disaster Response, serve on couple of Boards for ministries and just have fun building things and making stuff around our place.

My approach to life is to have the same attitude Paul wrote about to the believers in Philippi: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). I was blessed to be born into a home where Jesus was in control. My parents made sure I was baptized so I could receive God’s washing and let the Spirit work in my life. I was taught about what Jesus did for me. His death paid for my sin. His life was lived for me. His resurrection is my victory over death. His Ascension to the right hand of the Father assures me that He is interceding for me still. I know I am His, and because of what He did, I have forgiveness now, life now with that conviction, and life forever with Him.

Today is Ascension Day. The disciples who spent time with Jesus before He was crucified and then after He rose from the dead stood watching as Jesus was taken up into heaven. They were assured He would come back. Because of what they had seen and experienced, they lived for Him. While I did not see what they saw, I have heard what they heard, and the Spirit has enabled me to believe this Good News.

This is why I strive to live the new life to which He has called me. It is my grateful response to everything Jesus did for me.

My last devotion was about sharing “treasure” with my 8-year-old grandson. The same day I posted that I heard the gut-wrenching news of 8-, 9- and 10-year-old children being gunned down in their school here in my home state. I literally felt sick to my stomach. My wife asked through her tears, “Who does that to children?”

Those who question the reality of sin and evil don’t have to wait long to see it. It constantly rears its ugly head. Too many want to stick their own heads in the sand and try to ignore it, but evil has a way of making itself known.

It has been that way since the first disobedience in the Garden of Eden, what we often call “The Fall.”  It has intensified ever since then. Just before the God sent the Flood, we read this:

⁵The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. ⁶The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. ⁷So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” ⁸But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:5–8 (NIV84)

God would have been justified in wiping out everyone. It was deserved. But in His mercy He spared Noah and his family, along with animals to repopulate the earth. The irony is that because man was spared, sin continued. And it increased. Ever heard of Sodom and Gomorrah? We are still living with it today.

A story like the one we heard yesterday reminds us of just how terrible and pervasive sin is. That is precisely why Jesus came. God has always known how horrible our disobedience is and the devastating consequences it brings. Jesus came for that reason, to bear that entire weight on Himself, the burden of all sin, when He hung on Golgotha’s cross. He paid for every sin. Including that Uvalde gunman’s misdeed yesterday. And also every grievous act you have thought, said and done.

God so loved the world. Yes, there is Good News, especially for times like this. God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. The victims who believed this are now with Jesus. The survivors will find comfort in this promise to guide them through their grief and terrible loss. It is the only answer we have, but it is also the only answer we need.

The same Jesus who wept over the death of His friend Lazarus is the one who shared these words with us all:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, have mercy.

Yesterday I shared some thoughts about this year’s Gospel lesson for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, John 16:23-33. I pointed out that believing that Jesus is your Savior has implications for you here and now, not just for the future.

I know that there are some preachers who put a lot of emphasis on how God wants you to be blessed here on earth, and in the process neglect the message that God sent Jesus to save you for eternity. Others stress the message of the life to come in heaven while ignoring the here and now. It should not be one or the other, but a both/and proclamation.

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Our new life in Christ is something we have now, not just in the future. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Will it be better in the life to come? Certainly. That is why Paul said, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23).

However, we live now with the confidence we have because of what Jesus did through His life and death and resurrection. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

We live in that hope here and now, but we also know that this is not all there is. “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Psalm 67 gives us an insight into how God’s Old Testament people lived in hope. They believed in the promise of God’s salvation. Yes, they had been saved from Egypt, but they knew God promised an even greater salvation in the coming Messiah.

Psalm 67 (NIV84)
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

¹May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
²that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
³May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
⁴May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. Selah
⁵May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
⁶Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
⁷God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Note how the psalmist rejoices in the blessings God’s people enjoy here on earth. But this comes from the knowledge of an even greater blessing, the coming rescue that would be accomplished by Christ.

They were looking forward to that. We know it has already happened. We have heard the message of Jesus living without sin for us. We know He offered His life in our place as the payment for sin. He promised that everyone who believes in Him will have forgiveness. And His victory over death assures us that He has conquered death for us, so that we might have life to the full now and life to the full forever.

At a recent circuit pastor’s conference, I was leading a study. During our discussion time, a friend of mine that teaches seminarians brought up an interesting observation. He said that much of the preaching he has observed speaks of Jesus as our Savior for some kind of future reward, namely heaven. His observation was that there is not enough emphasis on the difference Jesus makes for the here and now.

I appreciated his insight and was still thinking about that when I read one of the Gospel readings assigned for today.

“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”” (John 16:23–33, ESV)

Jesus came into this world because He loves the world. Yes, He said here that He would be leaving this world and returning to the Father, but that does not lessen His love for the world. He cares for us deeply right now, while we are in this world. What He did through His life and death and resurrection has significance and meaning for us in our present, not just the future.

One of the reasons it is critical for followers of Jesus to comprehend this is mentioned here. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. The word “tribulation” is sometimes rendered as “trouble,” and it can also mean affliction. And we’ve got trouble. It is a reality. Most recently people are speaking about the rapidly rising costs of fuel and the resulting rise in cost of everything else. Some are dealing with the loss of a loved one. Others an unwanted diagnosis of physical ailments. Oh, we’ve got trouble. Right here in River City.

But let’s not forget what we know. In Jesus, we have peace. Now. He has overcome the world. We live in that confidence. That helps me keep a proper perspective on what Paul calls “our light and momentary troubles.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

I’ll delve into this again tomorrow.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Luther said to sin boldly!” and use that as an excuse for doing something that is clearly outside of God’s will? Did Luther really say that? And is that what he meant?

The quote comes from a letter that Martin Luther wrote to a fellow reformer, Philip Melanchthon, in 1521.  This was just a few months after his “trial” at the Diet of Worms when he made his famous “here I stand” declaration. He was in hiding at Wartburg Castle because many sought to end his life.

Meanwhile, back at Wittenberg, the other reformers were in a bit of confusion about things such as celibacy, fasting, receiving only the bread in communion and other catholic practices. Melanchthon wrote Luther asking for guidance.

We only have a portion of Luther’s response today. But neat the end of that letter, he wrote this.

If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [or sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2 Peter 3:13), are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign. It suffices that through God’s glory we have recognized the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard for you are quite a sinner.

We have all heard “Sound Bites” taken out of context to make it sound like the person said the opposite of what they intended to say. That is how this “sin boldly” quote is often used. But read in the context of Luther’s letter, he is telling Philip (and all of us) to own up to your sin. Acknowledge it. Admit that you are a poor, miserable sinner. And then cling to the cross. It was the same message he had defended at Worms. The Law shows us our sin and our inability to contribute anything to justification. That is all God’s doing. We need to acknowledge our utter and complete sinfulness so that we can appreciate the magnitude of what God has done for us in Christ.

“Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger.”

Our sins are real. They do matter. Don’t think you are pretty good, because on your own you are all sinner and zero saint. You need to understand your sin to be real so that you understand that God’s Grace is real. And don’t forget the second part of Luther’s quote:  “but let your trust in Christ be stronger.”

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.” (Romans 7:15–17)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

We should never imply that sin is acceptable and endorsed by God. “Sin boldly” is not freedom to sin, but the encouragement to depend wholly on Christ because of our sin. The boldness of sin takes us to the cross. It is a boldness to admit that we totally need Jesus.

“See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand! Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God. Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” (Galatians 6:11–18)

No one keeps the law all the time. Not even the most upstanding citizen. That is true whether you are talking about the laws of man or the law of God. We all slip up, make mistakes, and sometimes even willfully do what we know to be wrong.

That was true of those men Paul was rebuking as well. They insisted that everyone had to be circumcised to be a follower of Jesus, but Paul reminds us that they were lawbreakers as well.

The thing that matters is “a new creation.” He spoke about that in his second letter to the church in Corinth.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I mentioned yesterday that the cross and the resurrection have implications for us here and now in this life. Knowing what Jesus has done for us makes us want to live a new way. Call it the new life, the new man or the new creation. It is an entirely different attitude about this world and everything in it because we belong to Jesus. We know we are sinners. We know He paid for our sins. Our sins will not be held against us for Jesus’ sake. When you have that faith and confidence, you live your life a new way. You will still get tripped up, stumble and fall along the way, but your desire is to live a new way for Jesus’ sake as well.

Peace and mercy to you.

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:1–10)

Most of us are quick to point out sins of others. Especially if they sin differently than we do. Are we as quick to do good to others? Do we as readily carry their burdens? Anyone who has tried to get volunteers knows that folks easily come up with all kinds of reasons and excuses for NOT volunteering.

The truth of the matter is that we are usually more concerned with our own wants and desires than we are with the needs of others. That is our old sinful self telling us to “watch out for number one.”  But if you think about it, number one should be Jesus, not yourself. And his instructions were very clear.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37–39)

If you love God above everything and your neighbor as yourself, you will be concerned about their needs and wants and desires.

Earlier this week I came across some videos of a guy in Kansas who spends his evenings and weekends mowing and cleaning up yards for people who need it. He does this free of charge. He looks for and finds ways to use what he has to help his neighbors.

What are the gift and talents and abilities God has given you? How can you use them to “do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

And let’s remember why we do this. As followers of Jesus, we know without a doubt that we have forgiveness. We have eternal life, which has already started. His death and resurrection certainly have eternal implications for us, but they also have implications for us here and now. Because we know what Jesus has done for us, we live each day with the confidence of our status as redeemed children of God. We are His. Nothing can snatch us out of His hand. That joyful confidence should be evident in the way we live, the way we treat our neighbors. Luther urged us to let the “new man … daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”

The life we live in response to knowing we are God’s dearly loved and forgiven children should be different.  Let us not become weary in doing good.