Tag: Jesus Christ

GOD’S GRACE & PRESENCE

There are two ways of living: one is the way of resisting Almighty God, and the other is the way of surrendering to God’s eternal grace and steadfast love. Resistance to God always brings anxiety and distress, restlessness and hopelessness. Surrender to God’s grace, however, brings inner peace and joy, true happiness and hope.

The worldly person is always in a state of resistance and inner conflict. The spiritual person, on the other hand, has given up the struggle through sweet surrender to God. For as St. Augustine famously stated in his autobiographical confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

Therefore, true religion is about surrender, and a wonderful symbolic representation of this is the California condor. When it steps out off the cliff, it simply stretches wide its wings and floats in the rising air thermals. Likewise, yielding to God’s baptismal grace by faith in Christ our Savior, we are thereby freed to no longer flap our spiritual wings to exhaustion. With the uplifting power of God’s Holy Spirit freely given us through the Word and Sacraments of Christ, we are free to float weightlessly on God’s unlimited atmosphere of grace and renewal.

“Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles [and condors], they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31).

So, very truly, all the weight in our hearts and minds can be tied in some way to our willful and sinful resistance to the free and unlimited grace of God in Jesus Christ. The more you fight God, the lower you fall. The more you yield and surrender to him, the lighter you become and the higher you soar spiritually.

The Season of Lent is all about dying to our sinful rebellion and rising up unto the abundant Life and Light and Love of Christ. For this is what our Lord Jesus Christ meant when he said, “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

Consequently, as we move into Lent (meaning “length”) and the days lengthen toward Springtime, may we ever seek (by God’s grace) to give up the fight, surrendering to the forgiveness and renewal of the Lord our God given freely to us in Christ. Moreover, may we also be ever mindful of God’s Holy Presence with us and for us in the here and now, realizing that we stand spiritually before the amazing throne of the Eternal God each and every moment of our daily lives.

As the days lengthen and become warmer, may we come to understand more fully that the grass and flowers of the field, the trees and mountains, the rocks and rivers, as well as Christ’s Word and Sacraments, are altogether amazing means of God’s grace to us and for us. Truly, in/with/through Christ, we stand before the throne of God Most High right now… Right here and now, and forever… So, for this Lenten Season, and for the rest of our God-given life, may we remember our most Wonder-Full Lord God every single day, who is the ever-present Source of all creation and salvation, in whom “we live, move and have our being” (Acts 17:28a).

Blessed Lent to All of You!  Pastor Tim

LET US PRAY FOR 2026

The Word of God within the Holy Bible gives us amazing guidance on prayer, instructing us to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It also says the following:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” (First Timothy 2:1-2)

So, I’d like to offer the following extended prayer that I wrote for the New Year ahead:

Brothers and sisters in Christ, LET US PRAY for this Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Six…

Almighty and wonder-full God, we give you our thanks for your all-encompassing Presence as the One Source of all that is, both seen and unseen. We also give you thanks and praise for the birth, life, teachings, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. O God, in you we live, move and have our being, and by your grace in Christ we receive eternal consolation, assurance, wholeness and renewal.

As you are the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), you are in charge and you lead the way. You never leave us nor forsake us, and your steadfast love endures forever. Whether we live or die, in this life or the next, we are in your hands. You lead us, O Lord our God, on paths we do not yet know. There is a tomorrow we cannot see, and there are bends in the road we cannot know. But we know you will faithfully lead us according to your plan and purpose, because you are the Faithful One.

In this merciless world, you give mercy. In this graceless world, you give us grace upon grace. By your grace, we live a God-conscious life, which is a daily relationship of moment-by-moment dialogue with you and trust in you, no matter what happens or doesn’t happen. And by your grace, we follow you and abide in you. What amazing peace and joy you grant us!!!

And in response to your unlimited grace and steadfast love, we live lives of worship, prayer, Holy Scripture study, tenderheartedness, lovingkindness, hospitality and charity. Help us, therefore, to use times of crisis as opportunities for serving those in need and sharing your truth in love. And in times of adversity, we pray that you will draw us closer to you all the more.

O God, the great “I Am” of the Holy Scriptures, we pray these things in the saving name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The grace and peace of Christ be with you all in 2026!!! Pastor Tim

IN CHRIST WE TRUST

Generally speaking, when we were little children, we viewed our parents through an almost entirely positive lens. They could do nothing wrong in our eyes. Later, when we became adolescents and young adults, we tended to view our parents through an almost entirely negative lens. They could do virtually nothing right in our teenage and young adult eyes. And periodically during adolescence, teenagers will slip in and out of a childlike orientation toward their parents as they grow. However, if we had a loving and faithful set of parents, we then matured to realize in our full adulthood (usually around 25-30 years of age) that our parents are basically good and decent people (despite their various imperfections), and that they actually know a thing or two regarding the most important matters of life.

In a similar way, our United States of America has arguably been in its adolescent phase of development in recent decades as our national life has been marked by a great deal of adolescent-like angst about our national history, heritage and identity. So, while some Americans maintain a childish view of the USA as virtually doing no wrong in the world, there are many Americans who view the USA through an almost entirely negative adolescent lens.

Of course, the truth is that there’s no such thing as a perfect nation. All nations have negative aspects to their histories and present realities. Yes our United States of America is not perfect, but our history and heritage are not a horrible travesty either. The USA has been, by far, and continues to be, by far, a great blessing within our world. Therefore, it is indeed right and salutary that we should have a healthy sense of patriotism for everything that is good and laudable about our national founding, history, heritage and identity, especially as we approach the coming Year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-six, which is the 250th anniversary year of the USA.

While acknowledging the bad historical aspects, and learning lessons from these without falling into a kind of national self-loathing, we can make sure to uplift and give thanks every single Thanksgiving Holiday for the great many good aspects of our nation over and above the negative — and it’s these many good aspects of our nation that our national symbols point toward and represent, particularly the US Flag. Consequently, as we are on the brink of the yearlong national celebration of a quarter millennium of federal statehood, I believe it is important to be mindful of the fact that our national inheritance is truly a great good overall — although we have at times failed to live up to our highest ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers. I also believe it’s important to remember on this coming Thanksgiving 2025, and over the 250th anniversary year ahead in 2026, that our two national mottos (like two strong national pillars) declare the following: In Deo Confidimus (meaning “In God We Trust”) and E Pluribus Unum (meaning “Out of Many, One”).

In his book Mere Christianity, the great Christian author and lay theologian C.S. Lewis wrote the following… “God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there.”

As the people of the Church of Jesus Christ, we know this wonderful statement by C.S. Lewis to be most certainly true of both individuals and entire nations. So, no matter what, we recognize that it is in God alone that we place our trust and hope (first and foremost!), because our supreme citizenship is God’s Universal Kingdom of grace and truth in Christ Jesus our Lord. As it says in Philippians 3:18-20… “For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

And we also ought to recall the following biblical admonition from Psalm 146:3-5… “Do not put your trust in rulers, in mortals, in whom there is no salvation. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish. Happy are those whose salvation is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”

The ever-flowing Fount of Life is our Lord Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. Therefore, no matter what, let’s always remember our first citizenship in God’s Kingdom and our eternal salvation in, with and through our Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is in Christ alone that we the Church place our ultimate trust.

Christ is our King! And all glory, thanks and praise be to God Most High!

This November 2025, may you have a blessed All Saints’ Sunday (11/02), a joyous Christ the King Sunday (11/23), and a very happy Thanksgiving Day (11/27)!!!

By God’s Grace in Christ, Pastor Tim

SOLA GRATIA

We who are Christians of the Lutheran Confession emphasize the gospel principle known as Sola Gratia, which means “Grace Alone” in Latin. This biblical truth and good news, highlighted by Martin Luther and subsequent Protestant Reformers, declares that we are saved from sin, death, and the devil, by God’s grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ.

For the Word of God within chapter 3 of the Epistle to the Romans proclaims the following… “But now, apart from the Torah, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the Torah and the Prophets — namely, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; and all are now justified freely by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith.” – (Romans 3:21-25)

Now, it’s important to note that this profound gift of Sola Gratia rests entirely upon a Savior who is simultaneously divine and human. That is, salvation by God’s grace alone completely hinges upon the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is both fully God and fully human. For only such a One as this could accomplish the atonement for our sins and reconcile us to God.

Jesus’ divinity (his being co-equal and co-eternal with God Almighty) ensures his sacrifice for us is of supreme value, atoning for all sin of all time, once and for all. As he is God incarnate in human flesh (true God from true God), the Eternal Son, of One Being with the Father, Jesus is the perfect offering of infinite worth, capable of redeeming all humanity. Simultaneously, however, his humanity is equally vital. As he is truly human, born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus lived a sinless human life under the biblical Torah, and he truly suffered and died in our place, bearing the penalty of our sins. So, only a fellow human could represent us and stand as our substitute, and, at the same time, only Almighty God could offer a sacrifice of eternal value that would be sufficient for the world’s redemption.

Therefore, this mystical reality (that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human) makes our atonement and salvation possible. Christ’s atoning sacrifice, sealed by his blood shed for us and confirmed by his glorious resurrection, is the universal offering that reconciles us to God by grace alone.

For the Word of God within chapter 2 of the Epistle to the Ephesians states the following… “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.” – (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are completely justified (completely forgiven!!!) before God, which perfectly reconciles us to God, all by God’s grace through faith as a free gift, not by our own works. But this is not to say that our good works don’t matter. In fact, good works are very much a part of our Christian faith. So yes, we are indeed saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Christ alone, not by our good works; however, we are saved by God’s grace in Christ for the sake of living a Christ-like life of good works as best we can — saved for doing good works as our way of life in response to God’s free grace given us (see Eph. 2:10 above).

Approximately six months ago, my newsletter article was about the 1700th Anniversary of the Nicene Creed in this Year of our Lord, 2025, and about how it is the preeminent statement of Christian faith which boldly professes that Jesus is “true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father… for us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human.” Consequently, may we be firmly anchored in this true faith of our divine and human Redeemer, whose grace alone saves us.

Dear brothers and sisters, let us always rejoice in Sola Gratia (“Grace Alone”) trusting in the One Savior who is fully God and fully human — the One and Only who died for our sins, rose from the grave, secured our infinite atonement, and washes us in his baptismal waters of rebirth, renewal and eternal resurrection life.

For the Word of God within chapter 6 of the Epistle to the Romans declares the following…  “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” – (Romans 6:3-5)

All thanks, praise and glory be to God for Sola Gratia!

By God’s Grace in Christ, Pastor Tim

1700TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NICENE CREED

This coming May 20th, 2025, the Christian world will commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the preeminent creedal confession of Christianity: the Nicene Creed, which was first articulated in the City of Nicaea (43 miles outside of Constantinople) in the year 325 AD. So, as Lutherans, we join the global Church of Jesus Christ in celebrating the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed as an enduring confession of faith in the Triune God and in the saving work of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. For Lutherans, the Nicene Creed is a theological anchor and vibrant testimony to God’s grace, and its anniversary invites us to remain grounded in the unchanging truth of God’s Word and the theological fundamentals reflected in the Nicene Creed. Moreover, this 1700th anniversary also invites us to engage in ecumenical dialogue and cooperation with other branches of Christianity.

Back in 325 AD, the early Church faced a crisis. A teacher named Arius was claiming that Jesus Christ was a created being, not fully divine. So the Ecumenical Church Council of Nicaea gathered to defend the truth of Christ, producing the Nicene Creed (later refined in 381 at Constantinople). This creedal statement of the Christian Faith boldly declares that Jesus is “begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father” — fully God, of One Being with the Father and the Holy Spirit in an Eternal Tri-Unity (see the second article of the Nicene Creed). It’s a forthright and unwavering statement of who God is and what he has done to save us through his only begotten Son, Jesus.

When we confess the Nicene Creed, we’re not just reciting ancient history; we’re proclaiming the Living God who saves us through his Son, “who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven” (second article of the Nicene Creed). In an age of theological ambiguity, the Nicene Creed grounds us in the truth of the Gospel, pointing us to Christ as the sole mediator of God’s New Covenant. In a world that often dilutes God’s grace and truth, this creedal statement keeps us anchored to the truth of Christ our only Savior.

The 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed unites Christians across traditions: Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and others. This shared creedal confession creates a basis for meaningful unity, even as we acknowledge and navigate differences. For example, Lutherans may differ with the Roman Catholic maximalist understanding of St. Mary’s role within Christian spirituality, or Lutherans may differ with some Protestants concerning the spiritual efficacy of the Sacraments, but our common affirmation of Christ as our Divine Messiah gives us a starting point for increased ecumenical dialogue and cooperation.

True Christian unity is not uniformity, therefore. We’re not meant to gloss over theological divides. We’re not here to pretend differences don’t exist or to compromise our Lutheran confession for a superficial unity. Consequently, we Lutherans can approach inter-church dialogue and cooperation while holding fast to our theological and spiritual distinctives: [1] the Lutheran principle of the preeminence of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source and authority for Christian faith and life; [2] the Lutheran understanding that God’s Word within the Holy Scriptures speaks both Law and Gospel, and we must clearly distinguish between Law and Gospel (not confusing them together); and [3] the Lutheran conviction that God’s saving grace and truth are primarily transmitted to us through both the Word and Sacraments of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. So we approach Christian ecumenism with clarity and charity, focusing on the Nicene Creed’s proclamation of the Triune God and Christ’s redemptive work as the basis for Christian unity.

As we celebrate 1700 years of the Nicene Creed, we join Christians throughout the world to proclaim the Triune God with boldness and joy. For in the Everlasting Covenant of Jesus Christ that the Nicene Creed uplifts, the great New Covenant sealed by the blood of Christ, God freely offers salvation. Through “one baptism for the forgiveness of sins” (see the third article of the Nicene Creed) God pours out his grace, uniting us to Christ and giving us the gift of faith to trust in him alone for our salvation. So as we confess the Nicene Creed during these Seven Sundays of Eastertime, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Christians across centuries and traditions, transformed and united by the Good News of Jesus Christ that saves us. This Gospel truth is our anchor, and it’s the foundation for our ecumenical relations with all the various branches of the Church of Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

Christ is risen! Pastor Tim

THREE DAYS OF AMAZING GRACE

The Three Days, also known as the Triduum in Latin, takes place at the climax of Holy Week, and it’s actually one worship service in three parts over three days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday Easter Vigil.

First comes Triduum Part I (Maundy Thursday), and the word “Maundy” means mandate or commandment, referring to the Love Commandment of Jesus Christ our Lord. Consequently, Maundy Thursday centers on Jesus’ command for us to love one another as he loves us. It is also the night we commemorate the instituting of the Lord’s Supper. Then, at the end of this first part of the Triduum, the lights are dimmed and the altar is stripped bare while Psalm 22 is read, foreshadowing the commemoration of the crucifixion of our Lord on Good Friday.

Second comes Triduum Part II (Good Friday), and this day is the second part of the liturgy of The Three Days, extending from Maundy Thursday through Saturday Easter Vigil (Easter Eve). As the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world gathers to remember the suffering and death of Jesus on this day, the altar is dressed in black, and we focus on the significance of the sacrificial love that Jesus showed us upon the cross of Calvary. In this way, Good Friday brings us to the foot of the cross, where Jesus bore our sins and died in our place. Here we stand before the cross, beholding the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world [see John 1:29].

Third comes Triduum Part III (Saturday Easter Vigil), and this is the night when Christians around the world gather to celebrate Christ’s passage from darkness to light, from death to life. The Easter Vigil service is the other candlelight service of the Church calendar. This special service includes powerful signs: a “new fire” burning in a fire pit outside the church, the Christ Candle lit from the new fire, our handheld candles lit from the Christ Candle, the Word of our Baptismal Covenant declared, and the very first Eucharistic Meal of Eastertime received. As the altar is changed from the darkness of Good Friday to the white and gold of heavenly light, we are the first to exclaim, “Alleluia! Christ is risen!”

For Lutherans, the Triduum is the very heart of the Christian year. Far from a mere historical remembrance, the Triduum invites us to encounter the Living Christ, and through faith, we are united in the awe and wonder of his victory. Maundy Thursday calls us to love and serve as Christ did, and to be strengthened and kept in true faith by his body broken and blood shed for us, received in bread and wine. Good Friday anchors us in the cross as the source of our atonement and reconciliation with God. And Saturday Easter Vigil proclaims the new light and life we possess, showered upon us in our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, which changes everything for us.

Again, Maundy Thursday calls you to love and to receive grace. Good Friday anchors you in Christ’s atoning sacrifice and forgiveness, even when your life seems to be falling apart. Saturday Easter Vigil steadies you to wait on God’s timing to bring light anew and life everlasting. So the Triduum isn’t just three holy days — it’s a way of life. We live as those who are set free. When guilt creeps in, remind yourself that your sins died with Jesus on the cross and stayed behind in the tomb when he rose again. When fear of death looms, cling to the promise of your own resurrection made possible by his. And always celebrate small victories, like a kind word or a mended relationship, as echoes of the big victory of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ our Savior.

Blessed Triduum & Happy Easter!!! Pastor Tim

BAPTISMAL EVANGELISM

I recently read the Epistle of First Peter, and the words “Baptism now saves you” really stood out to me (see 1 Peter 3:18-22). As a result, I’ve been thinking a lot recently about our commission and ministry from our Lord Jesus Christ to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-20). And of course, our baptizing ministry to and for all peoples and nations is preferably done within the assembly of worship.

In worship, Christ is encountered. In the liturgy, Christ is present and self-giving, and he is ever-addressing his people. By the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, the Son of God is active and present through his Word and Sacraments. Consequently, a blessed assurance and confidence runs high within Lutheranism concerning the purpose of gospel proclamation and liturgical worship. In particular, according to the Word of God, Christ and his salvation are reliably encountered in Holy Baptism, in Holy Communion, and in the Holy Scriptures.

In the Old Testament, Psalm 105:1-6 declares the following… “O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered, O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.”

In this biblical song of praise, the “deeds” that are to be made known to the “peoples” (i.e., the unbelieving Gentile nations) are referring to the deeds of God in and through his Covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God’s great covenantal acts are to be made known to the nations, to both believers and unbelievers, through our shared liturgical life by “singing” and “praising” and “telling” and “remembering” God’s deeds of creation and salvation. And the purpose of such liturgical worship by the People of Israel was not merely for historical remembrance but for an encounter with the Lord God himself.

All of this is only intensified in the New Covenant. Our Lord Jesus performs his words, deeds, miracles and judgments in and through the worshiping assembly of his Church. In fact, Martin Luther comments on Psalm 105 by saying there are two things that belong to the true Christian believer: [1] The true believer has an illumined recognition of the Lord’s words and deeds (they have ears to hear and eyes to see the spiritual reality of things), and [2] The true believer has God-given affections for the Lord Jesus who is powerfully present in his Word and Sacraments. Therefore, liturgical worship is not merely a ‘style of worship’ but a whole theology of worship. Unbelievers hear the good news, and believers are conformed to the likeness of the Lord God whom they worship. In the liturgical assembly, Christ is present both to make disciples and to deepen discipleship. And it’s been said that the most solid and unwavering means of God-inspired, liturgical and missional activity comes by way of the Covenant of Holy Baptism.

In the great and global story of Christianity throughout the ages, neither door-to-door canvassing, nor tent revivals, nor even having stadium crusades have been the greatest vehicle of Christian evangelization. In every age of the Church of Jesus Christ, it’s Holy Baptism — particularly infant baptism — that has been the overwhelmingly greatest means of increasing, growing and expanding the Church globally. Since ancient days, Christians have babies and then bring those babies to Christ (in faith) to receive Christ’s saving Covenant of Holy Baptism, so that those infant children might one day grow to accept and affirm God’s baptismal grace and salvation for themselves by faith.

Through baptizing adults and children and infants alike, the Lord Jesus has built into the New Covenant of Holy Baptism an evangelistic feature that ensures the propagation of faith and salvation in which the Lord himself does all the saving work and receives all the glory. So, if we desire to see growth for congregations of the Church in our land, then every single one of us (both pastors and parishioners) would do well to ask people if they or their children have been baptized. And with this one simple evangelistic question, we will find that a great deal of gospel discussions will follow. In addition, we need to especially encourage married couples to bring their children to the waters of Holy Baptism.

A grace-filled theology and practice of Holy Baptism keeps the Church evangelistic and mission minded. Baptism is a mighty deed of the Lord, a miraculous act, and an absolving judgment — giving us much about which to praise and adore him. God’s grace in Christ alone fills our mouths with true praise, and our worship liturgy gives us the Bible-based words to do so. Furthermore, the evangelism of Holy Baptism is especially powerful when it takes place during our Sunday morning worship service, and it’s been too long (way too long) since the Sacrament of Holy Baptism has been administered at Mt. Olive.

I have to say that a lot of my best evangelistic moments have started with asking either of these simple questions: “Are you baptized?” and “Has your child been baptized?” So let us all commit to asking these simple evangelistic questions among the people of our relational circles more often. And let us always pray to God for guidance concerning who and when to ask these questions.

Together in Christ’s Mission, Pastor Tim

2025 JUBILEE

The biblical observance of a Jubilee Year is a special Divinely-sanctioned year of universal forgiveness of debts and pardon for sins. In the Old Testament the Jubilee Year is mentioned to occur every 50th year, during which financial indebtedness would be forgiven, prisoners would be pardoned, and slaves would be freed. In Leviticus 25, the Lord God Almighty commands that the Jubilee Year shall be a holy year, stating, “Thou shalt proclaim remission to all the inhabitants of thy land: for it is the year of jubilee” (25:10).

Regulating property rights was also included in the Jubilee observance found in the Book of Leviticus, and everyone was supposed to return to their family property in the Year of Jubilee. Moreover, the Jubilee Year was to be a time of reconciliation between adversaries and of personal conversion to faith in God.

As I write this newsletter article, it’s still the Season of Advent and it’s five days before Christmas Day. We have just finished our “Mary, Did You Know?” series for our midweek Advent services, and my mind is already turning to the New Year ahead. After contemplating the biblical answer to the question “Mary, did you know?” over the past several weeks of Advent, my mind is starting to shift to the themes of the various liturgical seasons of the Church calendar in 2025. And my prayer is that 2025 will be a year of personal, spiritual, national, and global Jubilee for all of us.

I pray that 2025 will be a year of Jubilee in our hearts, Jubilee in our homes, Jubilee among our friends and family, Jubilee for our city and state, Jubilee for our nation, and Jubilee for our whole world.

Just as Mary could not have known early in Jesus’ life that he would be the One and Only to give himself as the perfect offering of atonement for all humanity; and just as Mary (the woman uniquely graced by God to bear the Son of God) once held the infant Jesus in her arms while not knowing that she would one day hold his lifeless body in her arms at the foot of Jesus’ cross, as he thereby completed the once-and-for-all-time sacrificial offering for our infinite atonement and eternal life; and just as Mary could not have known that, after all the terror and death of Jesus’ crucifixion, she and many others would find his tomb to be empty on the morning of the third day, and they would encounter the risen Lord Jesus many times before his Heavenly Ascension, which brought ultimate victory over sin, death and the devil; and just as Mary and the Apostles could not have had detailed foreknowledge of the universal Jubilee of God’s salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we too do not know all of what God has in store for us in this Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-five, and in the years to come beyond it.

For as the Word of God declares within the Holy Scriptures, “Things no eye has seen and no ear has heard, that have not entered the heart of humankind — these things God has prepared for those who love him” (First Corinthians 2:9). Amen! And thanks be to God!

Happy New Year & Jubilee Blessings!!! Pastor Tim

STEWARDSHIP & THE MIRACLE MAKER

In chapter 12 of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus addressed the subject of temple offerings. The following is from Mark 12:41-43…

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.”

Of course, Jesus is not saying that we should give to the work of God’s Kingdom to the point of financial hardship. Rather, he is saying that those who give out of their abundant wealth are not giving as much as those with far less wealth who give a lesser amount. In other words, Jesus is simply praising the generous spirit of the poor widow over and against the less generous spirit of the rich elite of Jerusalem.

While Jesus is not advocating for our impoverishment in Mark 12, he is certainly advocating for us to be as generous as possible (without material injury to ourselves) for the work of the ministry of God’s Kingdom for all people. Because of God’s unlimited grace for us in Christ Jesus our Lord, we are free to joyfully and cheerfully give whatever it is that we have pledged to the mission and ministry of our “temple” congregation, Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. For that’s what it says in Second Corinthians 9:7, where it says, “Each of you must give as you have made up your own mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

ALL that we have and ALL that we are (absolutely everything) comes from God and belongs to God. From the Christian perspective, we are not owners but only stewards of all that the Creator gives to us — our lives, families, possessions, labor, income and talents. Therefore, everything that we have and everything that we are is to serve the glory of God for the sake of the world.

So, it’s not that we give a certain percentage to the work of God, and the rest is ours. No, it’s that 100% belongs to God, and we are to be good stewards of his 100%, including our offerings to our congregation. It is all from God anyway, and so it’s all in service of God’s Kingdom here in our earthly lives as a sweet foretaste of our heavenly lives to come. In other words, stewardship is everything we do after we say we believe. And stewardship is also the first things that we do. It’s the first fruits of our lives; the first fruits of everything.

“First fruits” means that we dedicate a certain amount of our time, talents and income to the work of God first thing — right off the top. For example, our Sunday worship service is the first fruits of our time each week, which is the morning of the very first day of the week. For another example, the Lord’s Prayer prayed each morning as we’re still sitting on the side of our bed (first thing) is a powerful first fruits practice. And of course, cheerfully giving a pledged amount of our income every pay period (first thing, right off the top) is a fundamental first fruits spiritual discipline.

Giving a set pledged amount to the work of God within our community of faith first thing off the top — rather than the last thing from the bottom dregs — is an act of worship that is multiplied by the offerings of others. As our Lord Jesus miraculously multiplied the loaves and fishes, we need to remember that it’s not for us to perform the miracle but it’s only for us to offer the five loaves and two fish. From everlasting to everlasting, the Lord God Almighty is the Miracle Maker and the Source of all that is, both seen and unseen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, eternal world without end! Amen!

Together in Christ, Pastor Tim

PLANTING TREES

There is no doubt that we live in a time of colossal and world-shattering change: socially, religiously, culturally, nationally, globally, etcetera. It is indeed the end of the world as we know it.

Historians have recognized that approximately every five hundred years human civilization goes through some kind of major transition from an older structure of things to a new one, and it sure feels like that’s exactly what’s happening in our time. In fact, the last major civilizational shift was the Protestant Reformation, five hundred years ago, when Martin Luther and the other Protestant Reformers sparked this world-changing transfiguration through their reforms of the Medieval Roman Church.

Today, the world as we have known it is rapidly being replace by an emerging reality that is not yet fully clear. Consequently, speculations of the various end times theologies and ideologies abound. And due to the influential pre-millennial theology of the Left Behind novels, some Christians have started to regard any global peacemaking initiative as automatically some kind of great antichrist deception.

Consequently, such Christians (in the name of Jesus) often orient themselves against work for international peace and reconciliation because their Left Behind theology says that such work is always secretly on the side of the evil one. However, our Lord Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). And when Martin Luther was asked what he would do today if he knew the world would end tomorrow, Luther said, “I would plant a tree.”

In other words, even if we knew that tomorrow the world was going to end and the Kingdom of God was going to come in its fullness, we are called to never stop planting “trees” today (both literally and metaphorically). That is, we are to especially plant the metaphorical trees of peace and truth and grace today, no matter what God has in store tomorrow.

God’s people are to always and continually take part in the creative and redeeming work of God today and every day! By the grace and power of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, we are to plant trees of faith in the midst of fear, trees of hope against all hope, and trees of righteousness and peace. And of course, we are to not forget to plant real trees that give us oxygen and help regulate the balance of life on God’s green Earth. Therefore, to prescribe and do anything other than this is to be “anti” (against) Christ.

As our Lord Jesus declares in Matthew 25:31-46, we are called to continue to labor to make the world a better place right up to the great Day of the Lord, the great Second Advent of Jesus Christ. By God’s grace, we are to continue to work (right up to the very moment of Christ’s return) to ease human suffering, to promote equal treatment under law, and, of course, to be peacemakers in the name of Yeshua (Jesus) our Eternal Savior.

Together in Christ, Pastor Tim