A Christmas message.

(This message was delivered on Dec. 16, 2009 at Hope Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI.)


Let us pray:

Father in heaven,. our hearts desire the warmth of your love and our minds are
searching for the Light of your word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior
and give us the strength to grow in love that the dawn of his coming may find us
rejoicing in his presence and welcoming the Light of his truth. We ask this in
the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.


Tonight, we continue with the theme; "The Light of Christ." The joyous message
of this season is that light has come into the world. This is the light of life
and salvation. It is the light that breaks through the darkness of the night of
sin. This world seems so dark, but in this season reminds us that light has come.
Jesus is the light who brings life, peace, and salvation. This season tells us;
"Arise, shine, for thy light has come."(Isaiah 60:1) We will journey to the
fields of Bethlehem and witness the shepherds hearing the angel's
Proclamation of the the Savior's birth.

I present to you this evening this theme:

THE LIGHT OF THE SHEPHERDS AND ANGELS
Luke 2:8-17

It was a chilly evening. Some shepherds were out in the fields watching
over their flocks. It was a dark evening, the only light that they
had were the moon, stars, and the flickering fire that they huddled
around for warmth. These were humble, poor men, and this seemed like just
another evening out in the field. They did not know that an event would
soon occur that would impact their lives and change the course of human
history.

All was quiet when suddenly, light burst forth. Light broke through
the darkness of that night, and they saw the angels. They were about
to hear the message that the people of old had long waited to hear.
They would be the first to hear the fulfillment of God's promise that
he had made to our first parents in the garden. That promise that he
would send a Savior. Now the promise had been fulfilled. The Savior
had come.

Some might wonder; "Why was this proclamation made to these shepherds
rather then first to the leaders?" This demonstrates that the glad
tidings of this message are for all people. The leaders would have
looked down upon these shepherds and would have rejected the message.
The message of the Savior's birth and the light that he brings is for
all people, no matter who they are, or where they come from.

There is no doubt that the appearance of these angels scared the
life out of these shepherds. They were not sure the meaning of
the angel's appearance, nor what would happen to them. The angels
realized that the shepherds were scared. Wouldn't you as well
be scared if the heaven's opened up, and angels appeared to
you? The first thing that the angels did was to put their fears
to rest. One of the angels said; "Do not fear." These are powerful
words still for us today. Those who trust in Christ have nothing
to fear. He puts the fears of believers to rest, and comforts
them with his presence and his peace. He is the God of all
comfort, and the Prince of peace. He is the source of both hope
and strength. Trials and setbacks will come along the journey,
but we need not fear. Jesus tells us; "Do not fear. I am
with you." The light of his presence gives us strength to press
on in the journey.

Those who do not believe in Christ fear him, hate him, and they are
indifferent to his message. They prefer to remain in the darkness of
sin and unbelief. There are those who work against the Kingdom and
oppose Christ's people because the message of the Gospel is offensive
to them. This is why we've seen Jesus being removed from every
aspect of life including both Christmas and Easter. Yet unbelievers
cannot dim the light of Christ, nor can they silence the message of
the Gospel.

Now the angel makes the glorious proclamation. He gives good news.
This is news that the world today still needs to hear. That good news is that
the Savior has been born. Sadly, this news has been drowned out by the
commercialism that has taken over. There many who either do not know
the true meaning of the season, or have forgotten that the season centers
upon Jesus. The angel said; "unto you, a Savior has been born." He has
come to lead his people from the captivity of the devil and to break the
powers of sin and death. He has come to bring you peace and joy. He
would go from the crib to the cross, and would open the Kingdom of
heaven to all believers.

Then the whole heavenly host broke forth with the joyful song;

"Glory to God in the highest
And on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

This is a song of the Church in heaven and on earth. It is the
song that the Church sings in worship Sunday after Sunday. It is
a song of joy and thanksgiving to God who gave his Son to us. It is
a song of praise to Jesus, who is the Prince of peace and the Light
of salvation. It is a song of triumph and victory; praising the Lord
who has crushed the powers of sin, death, and the devil. It is sung in
praise and honor of the One who strengthens us each through our
earthly journey, and will lead us to our heavenly home.

After the angels had returned to heaven, what did the shepherds do?
Did they shrug the whole thing off and return to their sheep?
Not at all. They went to see the child for themselves. When they had
found him, they bowed in both worship and praise. At this time of the
year, we too come to see the Christ child and to bow down in worship.
Even though this is a busy time, let us remember the true meaning of this
season. It's not sitting on Santa's lap, nor about getting those last
minute gifts. It's not just about getting together with family and friends.
This season has a more special meaning. It is about bowing before the
manger of the Savior. It's about pondering and giving thanks to God
for his special gift. It's about gathering with fellow believers and
celebrating the blessed light that has come into the world.

Once the shepherds had seen the Christ child, they went out and told
others. They couldn't keep silent about what they had seen. They were
filled with joy, and they had to talk about it. The shepherds were the
first ones who told others about the Christ child.

So the witness continues. That the joyful tidings of Christmas are meant
for "all people" is symbolized by the fact that Christ's birthplace was
at the crossroads of the world's continents, Asia, Africa, Europe. The
babe of Bethlehem is God's priceless gift to the whole world as John
3:16 says; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,"
And it is God's earnest desire that all should hear this good news.

We celebrate Christmas because others in the past brought the good news
to us. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, it is now our obligation and
privilege to make known the things which were told us concerning this child.

The light of the shepherds and angels still shines. Christ's light
continues to shine in this dark world. As we stand in this light, may we
also share this light with others. This is a wonderful time to tell others
about the Savior. May we like the shepherds bow before the Child, and also
like the shepherds, may we go forth and tell others the good news that brings
joy. Light shines in the darkness, Christ, the Light of the world has
come.

Let us pray;

Almighty God, who has poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word:
Grant that the same light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our
lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen


Michael Carter

When you feel like singing the blues.

When I served as a pastor in Memphis, Tennessee, one of my favorite places to hang out after work was a place called Beale Street. It's a great place to eat some ribs and hear the Blues. There's a park there called, W.C. Handy Park. People gather there on warm evenings to hear some great music. Memphis is a great place to go if you want to hear and sing the Blues.

Songs of sadness and pain.

I have listened to many Blues songs, and I have read about the lives of many Blues performers. I always noticed that the songs and the lives of the were full of pain and sorrow. Blues music might be enjoyable to listen to, but in the songs are sadness. The songs tell of broken hearts and hardship. The songs reflected the lives of the performers and sometimes those who listen to the music. The people who sang the music, knew the Blues, they had felt it in their lives. They told their story, when they sang the Blues.

When people are said to "sing the blues," it means that they are talking about the struggles that they are going through. Life can be rough, and at times this causes some people to sing songs of sorrow rather than songs of joy. The stresses and strains of life can be seen on their faces and reflected in their lives. They believe that they are carrying burdens too great to bear. Their hearts are crushed, and theirs is not a song of joy, but one of sorrow. They find themselves, "singing the Blues."

I've had that feeling many times in my own life. There have those times when I've felt like "singing the blues." I have also encountered many people during my years of ministry who felt the same. In my years of both urban and correctional ministry, I encountered people whose songs were songs of sorrow and pain. Some of these people were dealing with family issues, spiritual struggles and rejection. Many were young men caught up in drugs, proverty, and hopelessness. They had lost their songs of joy and found it difficult to press on in the journey of life. They carried with them feelings of bitterness, anger and confusion. All of these people wondered where God was. They wondered when they would be able to break forth with songs of joy. Some would ask; "Why should I praise God or be joyful when I'm hurting so bad?"

I would like to ask you these questions. Have there been times when you've felt like "singing the Blues?" Have you had those times of both deep hurt and sadness? If you have, know that you are not alone. There are many people walking around with the blues. When we sing the blues in our own lives, we take our eyes of the One who is able to bring us joy. We allow the devil to steal our joy and to silence our song. Despite all of this, there is good news. God can take us from singing the blues. He is able to replace the song of the blues with a song of praise.

Jesus is our song of praise. He has opened the way of salvation to all believers. He has promised He gives us His abiding presence and strength through His Word and Sacrament. We sing of Christ, for the Scripture says;"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation."(Ex. 15:2)We sing, because through faith, we have salvation. We have strength for the journey. The journey might get rough at times, but Jesus still fills us with His joy.

The songs of praise goes on

The Holy Spirit puts a new song in our hearts. The Psalmist wrote;"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." (Ps. 40:3)He fills our hearts and mouths with songs of thanksgiving and praise. Songs of thanks, for all of the rich blessings that have been bestowed upon us. This is a song that we sing in the Divine Liturgy and in our daily lives.

Sing your songs of praise throughout the journey. There will be those times when you'll want to sing the blues, but sing praises instead. Sing your praises to the One who has saved you, and blesses you each day.

As we sing our praises, others will hear our song. Through our songs of praise, we bear witness to our faith and to the One who is our strength. Scripture declares:"Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare among the nations his marvelous deeds among all people." (Ps. 96:2-3) Others will hear our song through the storm. No matter what comes, just keep sing the praises.

Let's leave singing the blues to the performers. Let's not sing the blues in our everyday lives. Life has so much to offer. There are so many good things that God has done. There are too many dreams and goals to be fulfilled. Singin the blues would limit both faith and hope. It would only bring things to a grinding halt. Even in the tough times, the Holy Spirit can put a song of joy in your heart, when you feel like singing the blues.

-Michael Carter.(2007)

The Justice of God-Romans 3:28

In the eternal court in heaven, a trial was taking place. On trial was the whole human race. The charges were sins committed against God's Law.

Standing for the prosecution was the devil. The devil stood up and began to accuse the human race. "Your honor, the human race has broken your Law. They have failed to keep it time after time. They are not worthy of your mercy. They should be cast away into eternal death."

Standing for the defense was Jesus. "Your honor, I stand here and speak on behalf of the human race. They have struggled with sin and need your mercy. I ask you to show them your mercy and not to cast them into eternal death."

When all of the arguments had been made, and all of the evidence had been presented. it was time for the verdict. The Judge read both the verdict and the sentence. "You
have been found guilty of sin. The punishment is death. For the wages of sin is death." Then Jesus stepped forward. "I will take their sentence and the punishment on myself. I will suffer and die in their place so that they will have pardon."

The Judge called the human race to the bar. "I will accept the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus will pay the price for your sins. Through His death, divine justice will be served. A blessed exchange will take place; Jesus will take your sin and punishment, and you will take His holiness and righteousness. You have recieved grace. You have been justified and made free."

Jesus who knew no sin, became sin for us. He offered Himself as the one time sacrifice for our sins. He stepped in our place, and took the punishment that we deserved. Through His suffering, death and resurrection, He won for us, forgiveness, salvation and life. He makes these gifts available through faith in Him. Because of Jesus, God the Father looks at us through the cross. Through faith in Christ, we have been justified. We have been set free.

By Michael Carter(Written 2007)

THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCH. Revelations 3:14-22

The Church at Laodicea

Jesus is the true and faithful witness. He delivers the message in truth, and
He does not withhold the facts. His testimony is without fault. Jesus addressed
this letter to the pastor of the congregation. The pastor bears the responsibility
for the congregation's poor condition. Here, Jesus brings this pastor to task,
and He did not mince words. It is a reminder that pastors are to help
strengthen and encourage the congregations under their care.

Jesus knew much about this congregation, and He clearly pointed out their major
problems. This was a lukewarm, indifferent and cold congregation. How many
churches are like this congregation? Are there churches that are lukewarm,
cold, and indifferent? It is sad when churches become this way, and this
is not what the Lord wants to see. A Christian congregation cannot afford to
become indifferent, lukewarm, or lazy. Never should a congregation lose it's
zeal for the Lord, nor it's passion for sharing the Gospel. When a congreation
becomes too comfortable with itself, and becomes more like a "social club"
then it has become lukewarm. Jesus looked at this congregation and He
wished that they were either hot or cold, but their were neither. If they
were cold, they could then be warmed by the Gospel. But because they were
neither, Jesus was ready to spit them out.

There are churches today that have grown comfortable with themselves. In
some of these churches, their mission efforts seem "lukewarm", and there
seems to be little zeal in carrying out the work of outreach. There are
some churches that are so focused on themselves, that they appear to either
be cold or indifferent. If these churches are neither hot nor cold, then what
are they?

This congregation was so wrapped up in itself, that they thought that they
had all that they needed. They were more concerned about taking care of their
own rather than being active in outreach. This congregation was lacking, it
didn't have what it really needed. In reality, they were really poor and naked.
They were clothed in their own self satisfaction, they were in their own little
comfort zone.

There times when Jesus has to shake a church out of it's comfort zone and
give it a reality check. He does this so that the church will refocus and see
that it's dependence is upon Him alone. The Church of today must be careful
that it does not fall into either indifference nor being too focused on itself.
When a church becomes indifferent or is more concerned about material goods,
it has lost it's spiritual need. When a church becomes lukewarm, or too
comfortable with itself, it has pushed it's dependence on the Lord aside.
When a church allows pride to replace faith, and they turn their eyes always
inward rather then upward, then they are poor and naked. When the church
teaches doctrines that are not biblical, then the church becomes lukewarm,
naked, and poor.

Jesus not only pointed out this congregation's fault, He also told them how
to correct it. Jesus pointed them to the true wealth that they needed. Jesus
wanted this congregation to turn their eyes to the richness of the Gospel.
This is the kind of gold that will neither tarnish nor fade. He also urged
them to be clothed in the white garments of His righteousness. He pointed them
to His Word, which is that healing salve that removes spiritual blindness.
the Gospel restores our spiritual eyesight, and allows believers to see Jesus.

Jesus urged them to take His words seriously and to repent. Jesus stands at
the door and knocks. Through His Gospel, the Savior speaks to us. He leads us
to the open door of eternal life. Jesus is the one who opens the door. He
invites us to have blessed fellowship with Him. There will be those who
refuse to open the door of their hearts to Him, and this sad. They will miss
the blessed presence and comfort of the Savior. Those who open the door of
their hearts through faith will have victory and peace. They will have
victory in the battle against sin and unbelief. They have a Savior who abides
with them and strengthens them. They will be sustained by His grace through
their journey. When that journey has ended, they will enjoy eternity with
Jesus.

The Church's treasure is not found in material possessions. The Church's
treasure is found in Christ alone. The Church's hope is not built upon
worldly wealth, but upon the riches of faith in Christ. The Church's comfort
is not centered on the promises of the world, but on the promises of Christ.
In these times, let the Church be neither cold nor indifferent, but on
fire for Christ. Let it not be centered solely upon itself, but totally
focused on proclaiming a changeless Christ, for a changing world.

Letters to the Church- Revelations 3:7-13

THE CHURCH AT PHILADELHIA

The words of Jesus are both holy and true. In Him, there is no falsehood.
He holds the keys to both heaven and eternal life. These are doors that
only He can open or close. Jesus is the "Key of David." When people believe
the message of grace, He opens the gates of heaven to them. If people
refuse to believe, they shut themselves off from Christ and eternal life.
Jesus has closed the door against them.

Jesus mentioned that this congregation had "little strength." It was
struggling, yet it had not denied His name, nor lost faith. It is not
by our strength that we are saved, but it is through grace alone. The
holding of the open door is not by our strength, it is by Christ's
strength. This congregation had it's struggles, but it's faith remained
firm. It's strength was in Christ alone. There are many challenges that
can drain the strength of a church. There are many challenges that seem
to threaten the existance of a church. The church is not without hope,
it can always look to Christ for strength and courage. The church recieves
it's power and strength from the One who is the source of all strength;
Jesus Christ. It does not matter whether a congregation is large or small;
it can become drained and lose strength. The saints must draw their strength
daily from Christ through His Word and Sacrament.

This congregation had it's share of struggles, but these struggles did not
draw them away from Christ. Through the struggles, they held on tightly
to their confession of Christ. Their faithfulness serves as an example for
the Church of this day. The Church in these times still has to struggle and
face many challenges, but it still hopes on to faith. Let the Church not
give in to pressure from the world, nor grow weary; but may it continue
to stand upon Christ and preach His Gospel. The Lord will strengthen His
Church for the task. Christ is faithful; He will renew the Church's
strength and hope.

Jesus tells the saints that He is coming soon. The Church awaits the
fulfillmet of this promise with joy. Jesus encourages His Church to
hold on. Hold on even when times seem both uncertain and difficult.
Hold on Church and remain faithful; Christ is coming soon. When He
does return, He will take His bride the Church, to be with Him
forever.

Letters to the Church: Revelations 3:1-6

The Church at Sardis


This congregation was at the point of dying out. The Holy Spirit had not
forsaken this congregation. He wanted the saints that even through
their struggles, He was still with them. Jesus wanted to give these saints
the courage to continue to press on in faith and not to grow weary. The
Holy Spirit would continue to uphold this congregation and to breath in
it new life. Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus would revive it's dry bones.
(Ezek. 37:14)

Jesus stills speaks and encourages His Church even today. In this post-
Christian age, there are many struggling Churches that are hurting and
need encouragement from the Lord. In many cases, memberships have fallen,
and finances are not always available to meet the challenges of ministry.
Many Churches have become "dry bones" and need revival. Because of the
struggles, some people have grown discouraged and burned out. Some Churches
struggle on, trying to maintain ministry as best as they can. Others just
give up, and just close their doors. It is difficult for the Church to
minister in a world that is either hostile to, or indifferent to the message
of the Gospel. Nevertheless, the Church has the Lord's Great Commission, and
must be faithful to it. The Lord has always promised that He will forever
abide with His Church.

The Church in this world has never been promised a life of ease. It will
know times of hardship and struggle. But the Church has the Holy Spirit, and
the Lord Jesus, who has promised never to forsake His Church. In the eyes of
the world, the Church might seem weak and upon the brink of death, it is not.
The Church that remains faithful to Christ, has life in abundance. If a
congregation is struggling and seems to be dying, it does not mean that
Jesus has forsaken His own. The Lord tells His people to stand strong,
and to press on in faith and hope.

Jesus knew about the nature of this congregation. Outwardly, this seemed to
be a strong thriving congregation. Jesus was not impressed, nor pleased
with this congregation. He saw the true nature of this congregation, and
He saw it wanting and in need of change. This congregation seemed like they
were really alive, but in truth, they were dead. They might have been doing
good works in the community, and the pastor was well known, but they were
still dead. It is good that a congregation is active in good works, but the
real condition of a congregation is demonstrated by what is preached and
taught. If a congregation is not faithful to the Word, if the pastor is
preaching on everything but the pure Word, that congregation is dead.
A dying church is not a Church that neglects the pure word. A dying
church is a Church that neglects the pure Word.

The Church should speak out on social issues when needed. It should be
affairs of the community when possible. These things should never come
before proclaiming the Word. All that the Church does, flows from the
Gospel. If the Church allows itself to be just concerned with social
action, then it becomes nothing more than a social service agency.
When the preaching of the Word and the administration of the
Sacraments are neglected, then the Church is wanting in the Lord's
eyes. What is a dead Church? Is it a place where are few members?
A dead Church is a Church where there no pure preaching of the Word.
If a Church is more concerned about being "politically correct" then
being "biblically correct," then that is a dead Church.

Jesus urged this congregation to wake up. He urged them to remember what
they had recieved and heard. They had lost their focus and they needed
to strengthen what had been given to them. They needed to have a change
of attitude and to remember that they were called to preach the Gospel.
Jesus wanted them to repent, and focus their efforts upon preaching the
Gospel. This congregation needed stern words from the Lord. They had
been more concerned about social ministry rather than Gospel ministry.

If this congregation refused to repent, there would be dire consequences.
They would have to face the judgement of Jesus. He warned them that He
would come like a "thief in the night." Since we do not know when Jesus
will come again, we cannot ignore His warnings and call to repentance.
Jesus does keep a close eye on His Church. He governs His Church, and
He corrects the Church when it drifts into error.

Jesus said that there were some in the congregation who had remained faithful.
Those who had remained faithful had not defiled themselves with unbelief and
false doctrine. They had remained true to their Lord, and to their confession.
The Lord expects the same of the Church today. The Church should remain
faithful to the Lord and true to it's confession. It should in no way defile
itself with false teachings, but always remain to Him, who has the book of life.

Letters to the Church: Rev. 2:18-29

The Church at Thyatira

Jesus is described as the one whose eyes are like fiery flames, and His feet
like Lebanese brass. The fiery eyes would describe His omniscience. The
Lord sees and knows all things, and He knows all that occurs in His
creation. His feet symbolize His power to enforce His will, and His power
to overcome and crush His enemies.

Jesus had brief words of commendation for this congregation. He praised them
for their hard work, faith, and service. This indeed, was a hard working
congregation. They had quite a reputation for being active in works of
service. There was no doubt that they were well known for all that they
had accomplished. Even though they were active and busy, Jesus had some
words of correction for them.

Jesus was not at all pleased that this congregation had tolerated a false
teacher in it's midst. There was a woman in the congregation that the Lord
referred to as "Jezebel." This may not have been her real name. In the
Old Testament,(See 1&2 Kings) Jezebel was the evil wife of King Ahab.
She had introduced the worship of the god baal to the people of Israel.
Through her influence, the people turned away from the worship of God.
When a woman is called a "Jezebel", it means that she is a shameless
impudent scheming woman.

This congregation had such a woman. This woman was actively promoting
false teachings within the congregation, and nothing had been done
to stop her. This was a concern for Jesus. He had stern words of warning
for her, and had given her time to repent. Since she had refused to repent,
the Lord threatened to inflict her with great suffering. This woman had
great influence within the congregation, but she had used it to gain power
and followers within the congregation. She wanted to be apart of the
congregation, but she did not want to turn away from false teachings.
There some within the Church today who have the same attitude. They
want to be apart of the Church, but still cling to false teachings that
come from the world. Jesus makes it clear to His people that they cannot
have divided loyalties. Jesus said; "No man can serve two masters; for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold
to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
(Matt. 6:24) Jesus made it clear that it is either Him, or the world.
His Word is truth, and His Church should speak His Word in truth, and not
tolerate those who stand in it's presence and teach falsehood.

Jesus warned those who tolerate false teachings are putting themselves at
risk. The risk is that false teaching spreads, and corrupts the Gospel
message and harms the faith of believers. Such teachings can and do
ruin the health of a church. The Lord expects the Church to keep it's
doctrines pure and to teach according to His commands.

In these times, people are no longer content with sound doctrines, but are
turning to fables and to teachers who will appeal to their egos. This is
the devil's attempt to lead people astray, and the flesh's desire to rebel
against God. The Church must through all of this, remain faithful, and not
depart from the truth. The Lord expects and demands that His Church remain
faithful.

Jesus has words of encouragement for those who remain faithful. He
encourages the faithful to hold on to Him. He shall give to His
faithful the strength to endure, and not be overcome. The ones who
hold on and remain faithful, are those ones who overcome. In this
journey, believers will not be free of the struggles with sin, but
in Christ, there is both strength and victory. In Christ, believers
triumph. Jesus comforts His people and encourages them in the journey.
He gives of Himself, so that believers will have the strength to press
on in the journey, and look with faith, to the life to come.

Letters to the Church: Revelations 2:12-17

The Church at Pergamum


In this letter, Jesus described Himself as the One "with the sharp two-edged
sword." The sword is a symbol of authority. Christ has authority over all
things. He said;"All authority in heaven and earth has been given
to me>"(Matt. 28:18) His words are like a sword, both sharp and
effective. He speaks words that comfort, encourage, teach, and rebuke.

According to this letter, Satan was very active in this city. He had influence
in winning Christians away from the faith. Satan is busy even today. He is
still trying to pull Christians away from the faith, and to destroy their
hope in Christ. If we want proof that Satan is still busy, all that we need
to do is to look around us today. His influence is clearly seen in our world,
and in the unbelief that is all around us. Sadly, there are many believers
who fallen away from the faith and have rejected Christ. It is important to
remember that Satan likes to work in the shadows, and he will use all of his
tricks to choke faith in Christ. Satan will only have influence over us if we
let our spiritual guard down. If Christian's do not remain firmly in both
the Word and Sacraments, if they do not listen to the voice of Christ, then
that gives Satan an advantage.

Satan has a special target in his sights. This would be our youth. He does
not want our young people to have a saving faith in Jesus. Satan does all that
he can to entice young people away from Jesus, and to harden their hearts
towards the gospel. Satan's influence can be seen in every aspect of society,
this how he is able to lead people away from Jesus. Satan's influence can be
seen in entertainment and in the media. Satan convinces people that there is
no need for the gospel. The world considers the preaching of the cross to be
pure foolishness, and the flesh follows it's own desires. Through the world
and the flesh, Satan works his influence. Sadly, many do not resist the
influence of Satan, and have fallen away. How then, can Satan's influence
be resisted? The way to resist Satan's influence is to be grounded in the
Word. Believers can stand strong against Satan by standing firmly on the
Savior's promises. Since Satan targets young people, they should be taught
at any early age to be grounded in Christ. This first begins in the home.
Here, families are encouraged to have time for prayer and devotions. In
the home, the father is the "priest" of his family, he sees to it that the
family is brought up in the Christian faith. If our young people are to
be taught to resist the influences of Satan, then it first begins in the home
with parents who see that their children attend worship and hear God's Word.

Satan can also use religion to work his influence. He can and does use false
religions to mislead many, and to pull people away from the Gospel. This quite
common in this age of religious pluralism. People's attraction to religions
that do not preach Christ show that they have no interest or knowledge in the
truth of the Gospel. This has only confirmed the words of St. Paul. He wrote;
"For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but,
following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers
and will stop listening to the truth and be diverted to myths."(2 Tim.4:3-4)
This is happening today. Satan uses religions that appeal to the ego to draw
people away from the truth. Believers are encouraged to be grounded in the
Word, so that they will neither be misled nor influenced by Satan.

Jesus commended this congregation for it's faithfulness. They held on to His
name in the face of hardships. The Name of Jesus carries great meaning. His
name tells us who He is, and what He came to accomplish. There is no other
way to salvation, expect through faith in Jesus. Scripture declares: "There
is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven
given to man by which we are to be saved."(Acts 4:12)This congregation
believed this and held on to their confession. However, there few some who
were not faithful in their confession. These people saw nothing wrong in
taking part in pagan worship. The Lord did not tolerate this, and commanded
that the congregation disciple those who taught and acted falsely within
the congregation. If they refused, then He Himself, would deal with them.

The Church of today should always remain faithful and keep it's doctrines
pure. There will be times when the Church will be tested in it's faithfulness.
There will be times when the Church will be confronted with false teachings
within it's midst. When this does occur, the Church should lovingly correct
those in error. The Church should never turn a blind eye towards those who
teach false doctrines with it's midst. False doctrine is a cancer; once it
spreads, it can kill the whole body.

Jesus encourages all who remain faithful to Him to hold to true doctrine.
Believers who remain faithful are the ones who overcome. They stand strong
in faith and place their hope in Christ. They walk by faith and receive
the blessed promises of the Gospel.

Letters to the Church: The Church at Smyra-Rev. 2:8-11

In this letter, Jesus referred to Himself as; "The First and Last, who was dead
and came to life again." He is the eternal Lord, who rules over all creation.
through Him, all things were made, both in heaven and on earth. He is the very
Word of God made flesh.(John 1:1) He is the One who humbled Himself, and
took upon Himself human flesh and suffered for the sins of the world.He was
put to death for our sins, and was raised for our justification. Those who
believe on His name have the blessed promises of forgiveness, peace, and
eternal life. This is the wonderful message that the Church proclaims to
the world. It is the message of Him who has come, and will come again.

Jesus informed this congregation that He was aware of their struggles. He
knew all that they had undergone for the sake of His Gospel. Jesus knew
that they needed both His presence and His encouragement. As with this
Church, the Church today stills needs both the presence and the
encouragement of Christ. The Church on earth has to endure much as it carries
out ministry. There are times when churches do struggle and become weary.
It is easy for the saints to become weary and discouraged. They might think
that their efforts have failed. Christ has words of encouragement and strength
for His struggling saints. He encourages the saints to hold on to Him, and
to remain always faithful.

The Church at Smyrna was a poor struggling Church. They may have been poor
in material goods, but these were people who were rich in faith. These were
people who came from the poorer class, so they did not have much. They had
lost much due to persecutions and hardships, but they still held on. They
held on to their faith despite all that they had endured. In truth, they
were really rich. They had held on to the true and lasting treasure, faith
in Jesus Christ. This was a treasure that could not be taken away from
them.

The Church of today still faces many struggles. There are places in the
world where Christians still suffer for the faith. There are many Churches
that are struggling to maintain ministry through difficult hardships. In
the eyes of the world, these Churches might seem weak and poor.This is
not the case at all. The Church that remains faithful to Christ and to
His Gospel is really rich beyond compare. The Church might be poor in
material goods; it is rich in the Savior's grace and blessing.

The Church at Smyrna was a courageous Church. It did not allow the struggles
and the persecutions to stop it's service to Christ. These saints remained
faithful and strong in Christ. They took hold of the faithful promises
of the Savior. Jesus urged them to remain faithful to the point of death,
and they would receive the crown of life.

This is an example for the Church today. The Church on earth will never
have a life of ease. The faithful Church will always know both struggle
and hardship. Yet the Church can still press on in the mission. The
Church can press on because it lays hold of the Savior. The world
might see the Church as poor and broken, it is not. The Church's
wealth and victory come from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Letters to the Church-Part One.

The Church at Ephesus 2:1-7


The Lord Jesus expressed both His care and concern for the saints in this congregation. This is a reminder that Jesus always cares for His Church. He is aware of the struggles that His Church has to endure in this world. The fact that some churches struggle might convince some that the Lord does not care about His people. The truth is that Jesus does care about His saints. He has never promised that the Church would ever have it easy. He has promised that He will always abide with His Church.(Matthew 28:20) He holds the Church in the palm of His hand and has given His Holy to both guide and strengthen the Church. He holds the promise of salvation and has open the Kingdom of heaven to all believers. It is a comfort to know that Jesus holds in the palm of His hand. There is nothing that is able to pull
His people away from Him. (Romans 8:38-39)

Jesus saw the condition of the Church at Ephesus, and He was aware of the hard work of these saints. He knew of all of the hardships that they had endured. The work of the Church is never easy; it takes hard work and faithfulness. It means enduring the attacks that come from the devil, the world, and the flesh. But it also means standing firm upon Christ and His Gospel. It means being both guided and strengthen by the Holy Spirit. No matter how difficult it might become, the Church is to remain faithful and carry out it's ministry of Word and Sacrament.

Jesus commended this congregation because it did not tolerate false teachers. The congregation had remained faithful and had rejected error. The Church of today must not tolerate nor ignore false teaching. Sadly, there those within the Church that do teach false doctrines. There are some denominations that claim to be Christian, but their doctrines often depart from the truth of the Scriptures. Those who teach and preach doctrine insult the Gospel, and harm the faith of many.False doctrine is like a cancer; once it spreads, it can destroy the whole body. Those who teach and promote false doctrine should lovingly, but firmly confronted. They should be shown their error and called to repentance. Because there are many false teacher believers should be grounded in the Word. They will not only grow in grace and knowledge,(2 Peter 3:18)they will want to flee from those who do teach falsely.(Romans 16:17) There is something else; they are better able to hold pastors and teachers accountable as they teach the Word.

Jesus not had words of praise for this congregation, He also had words of stern
correction. Jesus speaks both the Law and the Gospel to His Church. He not
only praises His Church, but He also speaks words of correction when needed.
When Jesus speaks a word of rebuke, He does so out of love. He corrects
those whom He loves.(Hebrews 12:5-11)

This Church had lost it's first love. They had lost their zeal for the Lord's
house. They had also taken the Gospel for granted. Has this happened to the
Church of today? Where is the zeal for the Lord's house? Have some believers
taken the Gospel for granted and have become "too comfortable with themselves?"
Some of these people are lax in attendance and in service.

A Church can lose it's first love when it no longer has the Gospel as the center
of it's preaching and teaching. When other things overshadow it's main task,
then it has lost it's first love. When a Church becomes more like a "social
club," then a place where the saints are equipped for mission, then it has
lost it's first love. The Church love should always be the Lord Jesus, and
His Gospel.

The Church should never lose sight of it's love. It's love for Christ should
be demonstrated by both it's words and actions. Through it's proclamation
and it's ministries of Human care, the Church shares it's love for Christ
with the world.

The Savior's stern words were followed by a call for repentance. Even the
Church needs to be confronted when it strays from the Lord. The Church
also needs hear words of correction and the call to repentance. The
Church must always be reminded of it's first love and it's mission.

Jesus called upon this Church to change it's ways. It had become too
comfortable with itself, and it had grown cold. It needed to "put first
things, first." It needed to renew it's zeal for Christ, and not allow
itself to lose sight of it's mission. They needed to keep the message focused
on the Gospel. The Church of today needs to keep "first things, first."
It should never lose it's zeal for Christ, but always be zealous for Him,
and for His Gospel. It should not allow the world to direct it's doctrine,
but always be guided by the Holy Spirit. It should never grow "cold" in
it's love, nor be afraid to proclaim the truth of the Gospel. A Church
that has Christ as it's first love will be zealous to share His love with
others in all that it does.

Jesus says; "He who has ears, let him hear what the
Spirit is saying to the Churches!"Let the Church listen to the voice
of the Holy Spirit. There are some Churches that are more concerned with
what the world has to say. They don't intently listen to the voice of Christ.
When Christ speaks, the Church should always listen. It is He, and not the
world that guides the Church. Christ still has much to say. The task of the
Church is to faithfully proclaim His saving message to the world.

Next blog: The Church at Smyrna

The Church in the Public Square

PART ONE

In Acts 17:16-22, the Apostle Paul was in the city of Athens. He had traveled there to await Timothy and Silas who had remained in Bera. While Paul waited for them, he did not remain idle. He went about the city and visited the many temples there. He also spent time in the synagogue and debated with the Jews concerning Jesus Christ. Through his powerful testimony, he proved to them that Jesus is God. Paul did not limit his activity to the synagogue, he also went to the public market public. There in the market place, Paul boldly proclaimed the message of Jesus Christ. The Greeks were always interested in hearing new teachings, and they listened intently to Paul. Some of the Greeks considered Paul's message to be nothing more then pure nonsense. However, they still wanted to hear more about Paul's message. Paul was taken before a body that was called the Areopagus. This was a court that dealt with the moral and religious issues that were taught in public. Paul stood before this council and boldly proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some of the Greeks scoffed at Paul's words, while others believed Paul's testimony.

Paul's straight forward testimony had been rejected by most of the intellectuals that were present, but Paul continued to preach the Good News. While his preaching did not yield much fruit, the Spirit still added to the Church through the message.
The early Christians also publicly proclaimed Jesus, knowing that they faced great risks. Yet, they also knew that Jesus stood with them. They believed that the Holy Spirit would grant them boldness as they proclaimed the truth. They preached publicly the message to many who were hostile to Jesus. They suffered much persecution for the faith, but they still held on to Christ. They sought to remain faithful to Christ and to carry out His Great Commission.(Matt 28:16-20)

Since the time of the early Church, believers have boldly spoken of Christ in the public square. Through it's ministry, the message of Christ continues to be lifted up to a world in need of the message. The world has not always welcomed the message and through the ages has fought against it. As the Church proclaims Christ, it must always be faithful to it's confession and "fight the good fight". It must not wavier nor compromise preaching both the Law and the Gospel. It dare not "water down" the message, but preach it faithfully and without fear.

The Church proclaims the message in a world that has often rejected and ignored it's witness. Yet, the Church has always pressed on in the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the ministry of Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit still continues to change lives and bring souls to the Savior. The Spirit still guides and builds the Church in it's task. There have been, and are still times when the Church strays from it's mission. The Spirit raises up individuals to remind the Church of it's primary task. This task should be to proclaim the Gospel. There is no other task before this.

When the faithful Church spoke and ministered, it always held up the name of Jesus Christ. It's sole agenda was to preach Christ, and only Christ. This should still be the sole agenda of the Church. However, some Churches have departed from this mission. Some Churches preach messages that are not faithful to the Gospel. Some of these Churches promote teachings that make people feel good, and focus more on themselves rather than the cross. They follow the opinions of the culture, then the command of Christ. They do not teach the doctrines of Christ, but the doctrines of men. Christ will harshly judge them for their false doctrines. When the faithful Church speaks, it proclaims no other message then the cross. It does not bow before the altar of public opinion, but before the altar of Christ.

The times have surely changed. We are living in an age of religious pluralism. This term refers to the view that no one religion is the sole and exclusive source of truth. Someone might ask; "How do you know that your religion is the only source of truth?" Those who hold this view believe that some truth and values exist in all religions. As a result, some that all religions have a way to salvation. The Scriptures do not teach this. What do the Scriptures say? Jesus said; "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6} The blessed Apostle Paul wrote;"For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The Scriptures teach and the faithful Church proclaims the message of Christ. He is the sole source of truth, and that He alone is the way to salvation.(Acts 4:12) Many in the world might like this message, but it the truth. The faithful Church cannot remain silent, but preach this message.

As the Church engages the world, it needs to remember that it always bears witness to Christ. The visible Church will always have it's share of struggle and conflict. There is no perfect Church; it is made up sinners who daily need repentance and forgiveness. The Church in this world has to endure much. It has endured struggles and scandals within it's walls, and also the attacks from both the devil and an unbelieving world. Through all of these challenges and struggles, may the Church never lose sight of the Master. He has promised to always abide with His Church.(Matt.28:20) Because the Lord abides with His Church, it can press on. The Church will always preach the Word in the public square. Because it stand on Christ, neither the devil nor the world will ever silence the message.

There are those who said that the Church is no longer relevant. Their argument is that the Church's message outdated and does not address the times. This is not true. The Church's message is irrelevant if it no longer preaches pure doctrine. The message of the Gospel will always be relevant. It is a message that all still need to hear. It is a message that speaks to all people and points all people to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a message of repentance and forgiveness through faith in Christ. It speaks to the entire human condition and gives both comfort and strength in Christ. Many things in this world will no longer and pass away, but the Word stands forever. Scripture declares; "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever." (Is. 40:8)

PART TWO


The Church still speaks. The cross still stands. Even though the Church still faces
great challenges, it still has the Lord's command to preach the Word. The times have changed, but the needs have not changed. The call to repentance still must be sounded, and the Gospel of salvation still proclaimed. There will always be those who wish to silence the message of the Gospel. Many have tried; but no have been successful. The Church stands on the solid rock of Christ(Matt. 16:18)His message and truth shall forever endure.


The Church still has the challenge to boldly speak in the public square. This is not a time for the Church to turn inward nor retreat. This is a time for faith, zeal, and action. The Church does go out alone. It has the Holy Spirit to both guide and strengthen it. The Church must always stand in the public square and proclaim: "A
changeless Christ, for a changing world."

"Everlasting God, whose will it that all should
come to you through your Son Jesus Christ:
Inspire our witness to him, that all may know
the power of his forgiveness and the hope of
his resurrection: who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen."
- Prayer for the Mission of the Church, Book of Common Prayer.

When you hit rock bottom

Has there ever been a time in your life when you've hit "rock bottom?" These are experiences that occur that can bring us down. None of us gets through this life without setbacks and disappointments. When setbacks and disappointments do occur, they have a way of just taking the life out of us. There are many feelings that can come upon us during these times. There might be feelings of hopelessness, defeat and despair. Just when things seem to fall apart, it seems that more troubles just seem to come. Some people become so overwhelmed that when they have been knocked down, they just stay down and have neither the will nor the strength to stand again.

When you've had those moments, when you've had the setbacks, how do you respond? It's
far too easy to remain down and have a "pity party." It takes faith and strength to stand and to continue to press on. You will surely have those times when you're just knocked on your back. When you've hit rock bottom, look to the One who is able to cause you to stand again.

WHEN TROUBLES SINK YOU LOW.

We are living in times when people are facing great challenges. Many people have hit rock bottom because of the economy. Many have lost their jobs, and cannot afford to pay their bills, and some have even lost their homes. As a result, many have been knocked off their feet and have lost all hope. Some have felt that all is lost, and there have been those who have taken their own lives. There are many reasons that people hit rock bottom. A person might find out that they have an serious illness. An
alcoholic or drug addict hits rock bottom when their drug of choice no longer works. Sometimes the setbacks become so great, that life becomes overwhelming.

Some people are able to pull themselves through the difficult times, while others are not. There are those who are not able to pull themselves up, and they just lose all hope and just give up. They might hear others tell them; "You can do it. All that
you need is self will." This view focuses more on self rather then looking to God and to others for encouragement and support. When people hit rock bottom, they need more then their own will. If they depend solely upon themselves, they will fail.
They need One who is both able to raise them up and to fully restore them. They need a power that is greater then themselves.

THE ONE WHO RAISES US UP

There is a blessing that comes when we've been knocked on our backs. This causes us to take our eyes off of ourselves and to look to the cross. When we've been knocked on our backs, there's no place to look but up. When we do look up, what do we see?
We see the Savior who is able to raise us up. We see the Savior who is able to give us strength and to restore our hope. When we've been brought low, Christ raises us up. The Savior reaches down from the cross and reaches out His hand. With faith, we take hold of His hand and we are able to rise up.He pulls us out the pit and gives new life. Because He does this we can say; "Yet, You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God." (Jonah 2:6)

Christ through His death and resurrection reached down from the cross and pulled us up from the curse of sin, death and the devil. These had brought us low. But by His grace, He has freed us from their power. Through faith, we take hold of the gifts that He offers to us. Through faith in Him, our soul is restored.(Psalm 23) Daily Christ lifts us up with His word of forgiveness and nourishes us for the journey through the Sacrament of the Altar. Through faith, when we hit rock bottom, we have the power to stand.

DON'T STAY DOWN, GET UP!

There will be times when you'll hit rock bottom. Don't think of it as the end; think of it as a new beginning. Think of it as a chance to start over with a new outlook.
Don't wallow in misery, and turn down any invitations to go to a "pity party." Take hold of the Master's hand press on. When you're knocked down, get up, brush off the dust and get on with the journey. When you hit rock bottom, don't stay there. Look up to the One who is able to raise you up.

By Michael Carter

From the collection:Reflections along the journey.

God is able to turn scars into stars.

There are times in our lives when we have "scars" These are events that affect our lives in profound ways. These events that rise up and challenge us, and the results linger for a long time, even a lifetime. These events can be so overwhelming, that they
leave "scars." These are memories and feelings that stay with us. If we allow them, they can control us and keep us stuck in the past. We might feel that we can't move past the scars on to healing. The scars will come, but they need not remain. God's power is greater than pain that we suffer. God reminds us that He will bring us through those rough times that we face. God is a God of restoration; He is able to work all things together for good.(Roman 8:28) What might be painful scars, God is able to turn into bright stars.

Each one of us will face our own share of scars. We are not promised that we will not be free of them. The scars come in different forms, and affect people in different ways. There are those who overcome, and move on. Others never get past the past, and the memories torment them. Those who still struggle with their scars, struggle with both hopelessness and despair. They want both peace and healing from their pain.

The pain of scars sometimes never seem to heal, and seems to get worse. Are there scars in your life that never seem to go away? Has there been a painful experience that is tormenting you now? Have you wondered if there's going to be any healing and peace? May you've struggled with your faith, and have wondered why God hasn't given you any peace.

If there is no healing for the hurt and the pain, then feelings of hopelessness and defeat remain. We can either allow the feelings of hopelessness to remain, or we can rise above our feelings. We cannot do this on our own. God is able to bring us through the dark days. With faith in Him, we find healing for the scars. He is able to turn scars into stars.

God gives healing for the scars that we bear. God first healed the scars that were left by sin. How did He do this? He did it through the cross of His Son. Through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, the stain of sin was removed. Through the blood, there is healing. Through faith, we have the healing balm of forgiveness, and the comfort and peace that Christ gives.

God is able to heal the scars that come into our lives. As we face the scars in our lives, we are reminded in the Scriptures that God works for our good.(Romans 8:28) God knows what to do with our scars. He won't let them fester. He'll bless us. He'll heal us over time. He'll turn our scars into stars. He'll make us shine through all of our struggles. When we shine bright, then we can give witness to others and point them to the God who is able to turn scars into stars.