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A young Christian got a job in the oil patch to work on rigs, hoping to become a roughneck. A friend of his warned him that they would most likely give him a hard time when they found out he was a Christian. But the young man really needed the job, so off he went. A year later, the two men met again. The friend asked, “How did it go? Did they give you a bad time because you were a Christian?” “No,” the man replied. “They didn’t give me a bit of trouble. They never even found out!”

Our calling is to be in the world to influence it, not be influenced by it. Jesus calls it being “salt.”

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13

It can be a challenge to know what to do and what not to do. I think that is the case because we are more prone to listen to the world than we are to Jesus.

The wisdom of the world says “don’t talk about politics and religion,” and yet the world is always talking about politics. However, they will use that adage to try to stifle discussions about faith. Well, at least the Christian faith. Any other religion will be hailed as “enlightened” or “new wisdom.”

Do not be deceived. This is the work of the devil in your life. He is the one urging you to keep your mouth shut about Jesus. Salt without taste is worthless and thrown away. You are not be worthless. In fact, God thought you were worth quite a bit. He loves you so much that He let Jesus come be your substitute payment for sin. He wants you with Him forever. You get that gift, that certainty, as a gift by believing what Jesus did was for you. And now you are to share that gift. Be salty.

Ask yourself how you can be salty for Jesus today. Then ask God to help you do it.

Luke 24:44-53 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  48 You are witnesses of these things.  49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.  51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.  52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. (NIV)

Today it was my privilege to preach to the saints at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Colleyville, Texas, where my son-in-law is Senior Pastor. They were observing Ascension Sunday, so I preached on the text above, focusing on the command of Jesus to be witnesses.

One story I shared was about my eight-year-old grandson who lives in Colorado. I am humbled by the way that boy shares his faith. When he was in Kindergarten, all through the school year, he would tell his mother, “Today’s the day I’m going to make sure — (and then he would name one of his classmates) – Today is the day I’m going to make sure he/she knows about Jesus. I’ve been praying to get ready, and today is the day.” And then he would do it. He’d come home and tell his mother how it went. “She already knows about Jesus” or “he had never heard about Him before.”  And he did that with most of his classmates throughout the year. Even one that was being bully to him. He wanted to make sure they know. “And a little child shall lead them…”

We can all do that. It is possible if we with the help the Spirit of God offers. The problems come when we forget that we are His witnesses. Remember who you are. You know that Jesus died to pay for your sin. You live in the certainty not only of the Resurrection, but also of the Ascension; our Lord lives and reigns in heaven; He has gone to prepare a place for you; while you are here, you are to live as His witnesses. God grant this.

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:15–23 (NIV84)

This is the Epistle lesson assigned for Ascension Day. While it does not specifically mention Jesus ascending, it speaks of Him being at the right hand of the Father, reigning as the head over everything for the sake of the Church. That is part of the assurance we should have as a result of the Ascension. Jesus is not only alive and in control, but He is reigning for our benefit. That is a comforting assurance we need to hear in this chaotic and grief filled world.

Verses 18-19 of this passage say “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” 

Paul Baloche wrote a song based on this passage that he released back in 2000. Lots of folks have recorded it. One of my favorites is Randy Travis’ version on his album Worship and Faith. The lyrics are simple and profound, asking that we recognize that Jesus is indeed the one who living and reigning and the good news that is for us. Meditate on these words for a while today.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you, I want to see you.

To see You high and lifted up
Shining in the light of your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy, Holy
I want to see you

Yesterday we finally delivered on our Christmas present to son-in-law Martin. He is a big fan of “Escape  Rooms,” so his gift was to treat him and our daughter to dinner and an Escape Room. Part of the gift was that Cheryl and I would participate as well.

For those who have not experienced one, it is an exercise in looking for clues and solving riddles. You are locked in a room and given a set amount of time in which to escape. You must be very observant of all your surroundings. You have to unlock a series of locks until you eventually navigate your way out of the room. While all the information you need is available, often times you have trouble deciphering it. If you get stuck, you call out to an unseen host for a hint, and it appears on a screen in the room. We had to make use of those hints, without which we would not have been able to negotiate our way through the puzzle. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience.

The parallels to our life here on earth jumped out at me. Life is a mystery, a puzzle, which we all are trying to navigate our way through. We have all the information we need to do so successfully available to us. It is the message God has revealed to us in His Word and His Word made Flesh, Jesus. But often times we get frustrated because we do not understand what is going on. And many people misunderstand the message or misinterpret it. Thankfully, we have an unseen helper we can call upon who will open our eyes to what is right in front of us. It is the one Jesus promised just before He ascended into heaven:

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit  …  you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”  Acts 1:4b-5,8a

God has given us all the information we need to Escape the punishment we deserve. It is in His Word. He has revealed everything we need to know. But we are not left to our own resources. We have a helper, a counselor, a comforter that will guide us anytime we call out to Him. He points us to what Jesus accomplished for us with His living, dying and rising again. We live with the certainty of forgiveness and eternal life.

This is not just good news for the future. God wants us to enjoy our time here on earth, too. We can have joy in our journey through this life by following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, believing in Jesus as our Savior, and for His sake knowing we have escaped the punishment we deserved.

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.