Burden & Blessing

In Part 2 of our review of Matt Walsh’s videos against the Biblical view of a Young Earth Creation, Pastors Mark Tiefel and Nathanael Mayhew discuss a few additional issues. Why would Matt Walsh single out Ken Ham and not the other scientists on the Answers in Genesis team? First, Ken is probably the most familiar, and while he doesn’t have a scientific PhD, he has many people working with him who do. Leaders in the fields of biology, astronomy, geology and more work side by side with Ken Ham and also accept the historical record of Genesis 1. Matt Walsh is also inconsistent when he says that he is not insisting on his own view, but then says that Ken Ham, and all other young earth creationists, are wrong. They also dig into Matt Walsh’s view that Genesis is “metaphorical and theological,” and the theological problems you have if you take it in a metaphorical way. There is only one interpretation of any verse, and that is God’s intended interpretation. Join us for a journey through Biblical interpretation and defending the truth of God’s inspired Word!

See Matt Walsh’s first video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG8JihEKrUI

See Matt Walsh’s second video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ0AxTx1kZY

See Answers in Genesis’ rebuttal here: https://youtu.be/v08w_P9EIaw

Pastors Mark Tiefel and Nathanael Mayhew discuss and respond to popular Catholic blogger Matt Walsh and his unscriptural attack on Young Earth Creation, and the account of creation in Genesis 1. Since Matt Walsh is popular in conservative Christian circles, and many of our listeners may have seen his video, we felt it was important to respond and point out the truth, as well as the blatant errors of Matt Walsh on this topic. They discuss…

• How we read and understand the Bible and whether Genesis is literal (historical) or metaphorical.
• The actual Hebrew word for “day” and how God intends it to be understood in Genesis 1.
• The importance of science, and what it can and cannot tell us.
• And the reason why this is so important and how Walsh’s views are dangerous to true Christianity.

We hope you find this helpful and instructive.

You can find the Matt Walsh video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG8JihEKrUI

Please take a moment and watch this video. I first saw it this morning on TV. After looking it up on ESPN’s YouTube page I found that it was censored. The part below in the tweet was cut out, and upon watching it I’m sure you’ll understand why. It may be about sports (granted, not the most important thing in life). You may also not be aware of the context, which is quite a bit more serious. If you want to find out, look up the Maryland football team on Google. What happened to that football team and the McNair family is devastating, there is no doubt about that. This video clip isn’t about proving who is right and who is wrong in the situation, either. I want you to watch it because the broader message presented is valuable. There’s a disturbing trend in our culture to cave to pressure from popular opinion, especially on social media. Instead of making decisions based on popularity, we should have convictions based on the truth and stand firm in those convictions. For Lutherans, it’s especially fitting around Reformation time. Young people really need to hear this – not just in sports or other matters of culture but most of all in their faith. Take 1-2 minutes to watch, it will be worth your time.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Jude 1:3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.

.@TimTebow went off on Maryland for firing DJ Durkin shortly after reinstating him. pic.twitter.com/vxhKuEyyni

— First Take (@FirstTake) November 2, 2018

Pastor Nathanael Mayhew joins Pastor Mark Tiefel for an in depth look at the Jehovah’s Witness organization. They will briefly discuss the history of this group which began in 1884. While many people think that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christian, we learn that they reject the three foundational truths of Christianity: The Trinity, the Deity of Christ, and Salvation by Grace through Faith in the Atonement of Christ. We also look at the New World Translation of the Bible, which isn’t a translation at all, but a deceptive promotion of the false teaching of the Jehovah’s Witness organization. Finally they will offer some suggestions about how to witness to a Jehovah’s Witness, by directing them to the Gospel of Jesus. Click here for a good, Biblical response to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Series Theme: When we think of idolatry we often imagine scenes of a carved image from the Old Testament or a false religion today. Idolatry seems like an easy sin to detect and stay clear of. But, there is another side of idolatry that is more subtle. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism calls this “secret idolatry.” This doesn’t mean you are bowing down to an idol in the privacy of your home. Rather, it means that something without religious significance has become more important than God in your life. Luther once said, “That upon which you set your heart and put your trust, is in reality your God.” Our “Not Your God” series will examine several modern day “deities” that can wrestle away our hearts quicker than we think.

#4: Appearance

Appearance is tricky thing in the church. It can become a dangerous thing in two directions. In more formal churches, newcomers or young people can easily be looked down upon if their appearance doesn’t match the traditional custom. Judgments of a person’s faith and their standing with God can easily be weapons wielded by churchgoers in the name of appearance. Deep down, we probably want people to match our expectations of appearance because we think it builds the community atmosphere of church. Often, arguments about appearance merely seek to build a person’s faltering insecurity. It’s truly a sad thing when appearance gets in the way of a person’s faith and what Jesus has accomplished for them. If you’re someone who has felt estranged or alienated from church because of what someone else said about your appearance, try not to give up. The most important part of church will always be about receiving God’s Word. Satan wants you to quit doing that.

There’s another side to appearance that can be dangerous too. When I think about this aspect I often draw upon my experience in high school as parallel. I’m pretty sure everyone has experienced this same thing in some way so hopefully you can relate. In high school, appearance was king. Having the right brand of clothes, fitting in with the popular hairstyle, and showing everyone else how many friends you had were all examples how important appearance was during that time of life. But, what we eventually realize is that those things really aren’t all that important. I can remember feeling great stress and anxiety in high school at not having the most popular clothes but now I hardly think about it. In the end, it never really impacted my life. How many times have we learned the same lesson about appearance? One aspect of maturity is being able to focus on what is truly important and being able to block out what is really not all that important.

The fascinating thing is that this high school brand of appearance-seeking is one of the most common trends in American Christianity. Christians, particularly those in evangelical-based churches, are continually fed with the impression that appearance is so important to faith. It even parallels high school in the way it boils down to hairstyle and clothing choice. Check out any megachurch/non-denominational pastor and you’ll see what I mean. Chances are they go to great lengths to send a non-verbal message through their appearance. That message most often is, “I’m relevant, please listen to what I have to say.”

This trend is obviously a great contradiction as one of the most beloved themes in the Bible is that God loves us regardless of our appearance, in fact, despite our unworthy appearance. Even though many of these churches will emphasize those qualities of God, they will at the same time send these strong undertones of the importance of appearance. And, naturally, we want to be part of that just as we did in high school. Who doesn’t want to be relevant and popular? This is such a dangerous thing because any focus on our own appearance as a measure of our status with God, or other Christians, will only lead us to despair. And it detracts from the power of God’s Word. If people only listen to a pastor because of how he looks, from the glasses, to the hairstyle, to the jeans, and whatever else it may be; they are saying that the actual truth of the message is at best, secondary, and at worst, unimportant. The same thing applies to choosing a church or even being a Christian at all.

Consider what James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:17-18).” True blessings from God are not attractive because of their appearance. They come down from above – from God. Without God’s grace in bringing those blessings to us – we would not seek them out. Even Jesus was characterized as having “no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2) Blessings from God are born of the Word of God – the most important being your Christian faith. Don’t let self-righteous Christians judge your faith based on appearance. But, don’t let modern Christians lead you by appearance away from the truth of God’s Word, either.

Abstract: When we think of idolatry we often imagine scenes of a carved image from the Old Testament or a false religion today. Idolatry seems like an easy sin to detect and stay clear of. But, there is another side of idolatry that is more subtle. Luther’s Small Catechism calls this “secret idolatry.” This doesn’t mean you are bowing down to an idol in the privacy of your home. Rather, it means that something which is not typically looked at as a god has supplanted the importance of the true God in your life. Luther once said, “That upon which you set your heart and put your trust, is in reality your God.” Our “Not Your God” series will examine several modern day “deities” that can wrestle away our hearts quicker than we think.

#3: Control 
*Apologies to our readers on the long break between articles. We’ll try to keep this series, and other articles, going regularly.
Control can be a tough thing. We desire it. We strive for it. It feels like we need it. But, very few of us actually have it. How many of you reading this right now are going through something in your life that is driving you crazy because it is beyond your control?
Financial struggles?
A relationship gone sour?
Health scare?
Stressful job or co-workers?
The list goes on and on.
Enduring through struggles is not idolatry. But, control can be a problem for our lives because it is, by its nature, at odds with faith. Faith is really an attribute of those who do not have control. Think of how Jesus described faith: Luke 18:15-17 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all.” 
What Jesus said was profound. Little children, even infants, are the examples of true members of the kingdom of God. That’s because everything about a little kid’s life involves faith – not only faith in Jesus but simple trust in others. What will a child eat? What will a child wear? Where will a child be safe? They are completely dependent on others for those needs. In other words, they aren’t in control.
This is how we all are, regardless of age, when it comes to faith in Jesus. We are completely dependent on Him. Our souls are fed and nourished by what He provides – His Word. We are protected by His grace (from ourselves) and His power (from Satan). We live with Him as a product of His mercy for us. We are not in control – far from it actually, and thankfully so.
But that doesn’t stop us from wanting control. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not wrong to be on top of your life or to be organized and effective from day to day. That’s great. You don’t have to seek out the most chaotic path in life, either, just to make sure you’re not in too much control. Instead, control becomes a danger when it is more important to us than what God has done – or when we crave control more than we trust by faith. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Those who are of the faith family of God are led by God. That means faith involves submission to God and obedience to His plan. In practical ways, that means scooting over from the driver’s seat to the passenger side. This can be scary. Letting go of our own control seems counter-intuitive and illogical. But your life is safest when the strongest one is in control. One thing we should all be able to agree on is that we make plenty of mistakes. When I look at my track record I am thankful that God is in control. I shutter to think of where I would be and what life would look like if I was truly on my own. In fact, that’s also how the Bible describes hell – the complete absence of God. People in hell have that kind of control but at an eternal price.
The world may build up this idol in your mind by making you feel like you have to have everything under control. We are told to be popular, to fit in, to look and act certain ways, to conform – all for the false perception of control. See through the mirage. Control is not your God. Jesus is more than sufficient for your life. By faith, He is in control. The sufferings He allows into your life have a purpose. His will is always accomplished in His time. For all of you who are currently experiencing a lack of control, may your Savior offer you something much greater in its place – His comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 

Psalm 22:30-31 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (NIV)

You might be just as surprised as me. That’s the NIV up there. It uses the word “posterity,” which is strange for a modern translation. Perhaps it’s an indication that a better word really doesn’t exist. What does posterity mean? It’s one of those words that has no doubt fallen out of use in our culture. I can’t think of one time I’ve used it outside of a Biblical context. Look it up and you’ll find out it means a person’s descendants or future generations. When you think about the above verses with an understanding of posterity, it really shows the Lord’s amazing power. At the end of one of the most vivid portrayals of Christ’s death in the entire Bible, even prophesying His cry to the Father on the cross, we are told that one of God’s concerns is the future faith of those yet unborn – the posterity.
As I reflected upon another anniversary of the Roe v. Wade (Jan. 22, 1973) court decision in our country, legalizing abortion, I couldn’t help but consider the import of this verse on the sanctity of life discussion. Hundreds of years before God’s own Son was crucified for the sins of the world, He was thinking of the posterity – you, me, and countless other people. Through the mystery of the incarnation, Christ Himself was part of this very group as He would be born nearly 1,000 years after this Psalm was written. These verses are further proof, in a substantial list of evidences from Scriptures, of the great importance God places upon children, especially those “yet unborn.”
In many ways, children are forgotten just as much as the meaning of posterity. This verse also speaks to the investment that children are. Parents are given the responsibility by God (not personal choice) to care for children and raise them. This takes time, effort, work, heartache, blood, sweat, tears, patience, love, understanding, and a many more qualities. But, just as God lays this great and awesome burden upon mothers and fathers, He also promises the gifts to accomplish the task. No parent can complain that God hasn’t provided what is needed. No father can say he isn’t prepared. No mother can claim that she can’t do it. Being a parent is inconvenient even for those who have their child’s life planned in every way from conception. It’s the way investments work. It takes work and sacrifice – there is no easy path. And if it does become too much to carry alone, there are many others who would welcome the opportunity to help.
The idea of a “posterity” reminds us to think long-term, just as you would when measuring an investment. Unplanned pregnancies need this vision. My heart aches for the unwed mother who is abandoned by a cowardly boyfriend and tasked with completely changing her life to make room for a child (not the only context of abortion by any means but perhaps one of the most common). Those situations are devastating. They are tougher than anything I’ve ever faced. They are proof of the importance of God’s marital standards. But one thing that situation is not is cause for murder. Never. And no matter what is deemed legal or what excuse is pressed upon a young woman by doctors, politicians, friends, or family you will never feel better about taking an innocent life. That’s because the posterity matters. God has made it so. God has made you so that you feel it to be so.
If you have a investment I’m guessing you’re careful with it. If you want it to amount to anything of value, you have to be. A mature investor recognizes the need to be consistent, patient, focused for the long-term. For far too long our nation has been neglecting its greatest investment. If we care enough about retirements, mortgages, and financial portfolios to be responsible and plan for the future- why not with our children? May we always love, care for, and consider our “posterity” just as the Lord has been doing from the beginning of time!

When we think of idolatry we often imagine it to be an easy sin to detect and stay clear of. Thoughts of carved images and statues from the Old Testament come to our minds and certainly no good Christian succumbs to such things. But, there is another side of idolatry that is more subtle. It’s the type of idolatry that takes something good and makes it more important than God. This idolatry doesn’t involve formal worship or a confession of faith, yet it is just as dangerous. Martin Luther once said, “That upon which you set your heart and put your trust, is in reality your God.” Our “Not Your God” series takes a look at several modern day idols that can wrestle away your heart faster than you may think.

Luke 12:15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”
I enjoy sports. I enjoy watching them and participating in them. I would say that sports are a big part of my life. Because of this, as I think of sports I often draw connections and applications to real life. Many of you are familiar with the most basic sports analogies – teamwork is important, together we can accomplish more, persistence in adversity pays off, etc. These are often so common they become cliches.
However, when it comes to professional sports, we’re currently witnessing a new moral lesson that can be learned. Jesus says it best of all in the passage above, “one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.” The major professional sports in America (football, basketball, baseball, and hockey) have become gigantic money-making enterprises. This wealth extends from the owners to the players. The fame of being a notable sports professional even extends beyond the field and court, to lucrative promotions and advertisements with other companies. This isn’t even mentioning the overall popularity and praise heaped upon today’s athletes. We’re kidding ourselves if we act like these kinds of things don’t affect a person. That’s not to say that wealth is evil, but there is a reason why the Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil… (1 Timothy 6:10)”
Greed is one of the biggest idols in America today. In professional sports it causes athletes to complain, to invest in materialism instead of what really matters, and to turn their backs on the very things that make sports appealing, like teamwork and effort. While most of us live much different lives than rich and famous athletes, we do have a tendency to look up to them as role models. That’s why they work so well as spokespersons for major companies. Fame can sell. But as we look up to athletes for their achievements, there’s also a part of them that looks back and shapes our lives. We follow them for more than just their accomplishments between the lines of competition. It’s becoming more and more common for professional athletes to speak their minds on political, cultural, and even religious issues. Sometimes, we buy into what they say just because we like them or because they must know something we don’t since they’re so popular. What happens is that we stop judging things based on God’s Word and we start making our own decisions based on the opinions of those we admire.
And so it is important to remember what Jesus said, to paraphrase, “life is not about what you have.” No one is entitled to the truth. Knowing the truth is a privilege, not a right. It has nothing to do with the amount of money or Twitter followers you have. Jesus phrased it this way in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:1).”  While wealth is not evil, it does have a way of wedging itself between a person and God. The point here is that that can happen through another person’s wealth just as easily as through your own. We are often well aware of the dangers of personal greed, even if we have a hard time living by it at times. But it seems to me that we are almost entirely ignorant of how the people we admire have an effect on our lives, especially because of their wealth. If you trust and listen to a person just because of their sway here in this world, you could be submitting to an idol, and one based on greed.
The gospel is often communicated in financial terms. We speak about Jesus paying for our sins, that He has bought us back to God, and that He fulfilled the debt we owed to God. This is where real true, lasting, and abundant life (John 10:10) is found. And as Jesus freely gives us this priceless wealth, we follow and obey Him as our God. No need to be greedy. No need to make everything, even our thoughts and opinions, a matter of popularity and fame. True wealth comes by God’s grace – His undeserved love for sinners.
 
 

Today is Reformation Day and, as I’m sure you know by now, not just any ordinary Reformation anniversary. It’s 500 years from the day that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Reformation Day is rightly one of the high festivals in the Lutheran Church. It was such an important movement to restoring the unconditional gospel of Jesus Christ that for many years was shrouded in mysticism and ritualism. But, anyone with just a little knowledge about the Reformation knows that in 1517 things had hardly been fixed. In fact, the Reformation was just beginning. Why, then, celebrate this date as its anniversary? Wouldn’t a later date, when everything finally settled down, be more appropriate?
In 1517, Luther was still wrestling in his heart about the true nature of God and his relationship with God. Many of the 95 Theses Luther penned were contaminated with false teaching. At this time he still confessed allegiance to the Roman Church and the papacy. In fact, in 1518, in a document which defended his 95 Theses, Luther wrote this about Pope Leo X: “Finally, we now have a very good pope, Leo X, whose integrity and learning are a delight to all upright persons. But what can this man who is so worthy of our respect do amidst such confusing circumstances? He is worthy of having become pope in better times, or of having better times during his pontificates.” Just so you know, Leo X eventually declared Luther a heretic and outlaw and excommunicated him in 1521. Clearly, in 1517, God was still maturing Luther’s faith and knowledge.
So, why not wait to celebrate the 500th anniversary of something that happened later, when things weren’t so messy? Well, the answer is simple: it was always and still is messy. There was never a point where Luther finally relaxed because he had finally accomplished everything he wanted. Even days before his death he was still busy refining his German translation of the Bible. After Luther’s death, things got even worse. War broke out in Germany. Regional princes and leaders succumbed to pressures from Rome. Even after peace was restored, major doctrines of the Reformation came under attack almost immediately during the “counter-reformation”. Mass emigrations to the Americas took place in the 1600s and 1700s because of attempts at forced unity between Lutheran and Reformed churches. There has never been a period of outward peace for faithful Christians here on this earth and the Reformation never happened for that purpose, either.
1517 is about as appropriate a date to remember as any because it was the official beginning of the Reformation. For the first time, Luther aired his grievances in public. The courage and boldness that we remember in his fiery spirit was ignited this day. But, let us remember, Luther was always a work in progress, too. He was confident in Christ’s atonement, but the Lord never told him he had finally attained perfection on earth. We, too, are being worked upon by the Holy Spirit day by day; to increase our courage, boldness, and peace by faith. Don’t expect an end to difficulties while this earth remains because you won’t find it. If you’re interested in God’s truth, hardship will be your companion; but more importantly, peace with Christ will be yours too. The blessing of the Reformation, the reason we commemorate it and celebrate it, is because it points to the real solution to sin. The Reformation continues to be a shining beacon to lead desperate people to the cross of Jesus, for renewal and forgiveness; and ultimately to eternal life with God without pain or misery; an age when things will finally change for good. That was and remains its importance in the lives of sinful men and women.
Peace through Jesus be with you today, that’s what Luther would want you to think about!