Burden & Blessing

As we continue to focus on Lent, Pastor Mark Tiefel goes into the word “Cross” and its importance for the believer in Christ. Most people don’t hang onto or celebrate reminders of suffering in their life. But the Christian faith does emphasize such a reminder in the cross. Paul says that we boast not in ourselves but in the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14ff). It was through the cross that Jesus reconciled sinful human beings to a holy God (Colossians 1:20). Christ has abolished death and the hostility that was against us through the cross (Ephesians 2:16). For these reasons the cross is a comforting thing because it reveals the grace of God for sinners. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him (Mark 8:34). The Christian will suffer and face persecution, but Jesus has overcome the world! It is worth it.

In our Review segment this week, Pastors Nathanael Mayhew and Rob Sauers dig into the Lenten Hymn, “A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth” by Paul Gerhardt. This hymn (number 142 in The Lutheran Hymnal) was written by Paul Gerhardt, who was a faithful Lutheran pastor in Germany who lived about 100 years after Martin Luther. In this hymn Gerhardt wonderfully depicts the purpose of Christ’s suffering and death, His willingness to carry out mankind’s salvation, and the great cost which He paid to accomplish it. He also describes the resulting effect of Christ’s atonement for sin in the life of the Christian, both now and in eternity. He describes how the Christian, in view of the Savior’s sacrifice for us, offers his life as a sacrifice for Christ. Because of Jesus’ redemption, we need not fear death or the Devil, but confidently trust in our Savior, who comforts us in our earthly afflictions. We also look forward to the joy of eternal life which is ours, by faith, because Jesus has purchased our release from sin and death. What a rich spiritual heritage we have in such Scriptural Lutheran hymns as this!

In our Word of the Week we continue to focus on a Lenten theme as Pastor Rob Sauers looks at the words “contrition” and “repentance.”
Repentance was a major theme in the preaching of both John the Baptism and Jesus (Matthew 3, 4:17). The Lenten season is called a “penitential season,” that is, a season of repentance, and so it’s good for us to ask, then, “What is repentance?” The Dicitionary defines repentance in this way: “to feel or express sincere regret or remorse.” This definition really describes the first part of repentance, namely, contrition. According to the Apology to the Augsburg Confession, contrition is, “the true terror of conscience, which feels that God is angry with sin and grieves that it has sinned. This contrition takes place when sins are condemned by God’s Word.” So contrition is that internal condition of fear and terror in the conscience that feels God’s wrath against sin (Psalm 38:4,8).
Repentance starts with contrition. Sometimes this sorrow is more like fear – fear of being separated from God. This sorrow is not a worldly sorrow. That’s the kind of sorrow that Judas had after he betrayed Jesus. His was a self-centered remorse and despair that wrongly concluded that all was lost in this life, that there was no hope, and that there was nothing God could do. True contrition is godly sorrow that is worked in us by God’s Law. That’s the first part. But there is a second part of repentance. The word translated “repent” in Greek means to turn or to change one’s mind. There are many who think and teach that repentance is about turning from sinning to not sinning. In other words, they believe that repentance is about trying to do better. So according to this definition, the second part of repentance is good works. The problem with this definition is that it leaves us with no hope that we’ve done enough to turn away from our sins. Scripture teaches us that repentance isn’t about turning from doing bad things to doing good things, but it’s about turning away from ourselves and our own righteousness and turning to Jesus and His righteousness. Repentance is not saying, “I’ve sinned and so I’m not going to sin anymore.” Repentance is saying, “I’ve sinned and I can’t save myself, so I trust in Christ to forgive me and save me.”
Think of the thief on the cross at Jesus’ crucifixion. He turned away from himself and to Jesus. And Jesus replied, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Repentance is a turning – not from sinning to not sinning, but a turning from trusting in one’s own righteousness to trusting in Jesus to save. And so, the second part of repentance isn’t good works, but it’s faith. When we understand repentance as Scripture teaches it, we have the true comfort that as we repent of our sins, we have God’s forgiveness. Because true repentance takes our eyes off of ourselves and our own efforts, we’re not left to determine on our own if our repentance is genuine enough to obtain forgiveness. Instead, true repentance turns us to Jesus who tells us from the cross, “It is finished.” The work of our salvation has been completed. True repentance, then, is a wonderful gift from God in which He works in us through His Law and Gospel. Though the Law, God brings us to contrition, a true, godly sorrow over our sins. Though the Gospel, the Lord works faith in our hearts to turn away from ourselves and turn to God for forgiveness and salvation. So rejoice in this wonderful gift of repentance. Rejoice to confess your sinfulness and inability to save yourself as this confession is a gift from God. And then rejoice that the Lord has turned you from unbelief to faith, from life to death – because you are forgiven of all your sins.

In this CPR episode, Pastors Mark Tiefel, Neal Radichel and Nathanael Mayhew all join together to discuss the topic of leaving a church.  Why would a person leave a church?  1) They are running from a church because they don’t like what it is saying.  2) They don’t agree with what a church teaches.  3) They are having a personality conflict with others in the church that they are running from.  When it comes to personality conflicts we are to forgive our brother and work toward resolving the issue.  When it comes to doctrine we are to avoid the false teaching immediately for the love of the truth.  God’s Word is the standard, not our personalities.  God doesn’t tell us to try and change false teachers, he tells us to avoid false teachers, because false teaching is destructive.  We are speak the truth in love, Paul says (Ephesians 4:15).  Either way we should carry out what God would have us do in love toward those around us.  Join us for this valuable discussion.

It is very important to give solid answers to tough questions about the Bible. Another such question deals with whether Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

Question: Why do I need to believe is Jesus? Aren’t there many roads that lead to Heaven?

Answer: No, there are not many roads that lead to heaven. Jesus is the only way. The Bible is very clear on this point. Jesus says:“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He also says, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). These are very exclusive statements, and the Bible is full of them. Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
We live in a world that offers us many options when it comes to employment, education, entertainment and more. We also want to believe that we have options when it come to God and the afterlife, and are deceived into accepting a blatant lie.
When a person says “all roads lead to heaven” they are saying that all religious belief systems are equal and lead to the same end. It is said: “It doesn’t matter what or who you believe, as long as you are a good person and are sincere in your beliefs.” In other words, belief in Allah, Jesus, Jehovah, Krishna, or any other god are equally acceptable options. They are all the same.
Let’s say you want to go to Chicago. Do all roads out of New York lead to Chicago? Of course not. The majority of roads out of New York will NOT get you to Chicago. So the idea of all roads leading to one place is faulty and contrary to our reason to begin with.
Some people believe that all religions are equally true. They point to the similarities between Christianity, Islam and Judaism for example. These religions all believe there is only one God, and trace their history back to Abraham in the Old Testament. But does that mean that they are essentially the same? Not at all! While there are a few similarities between religions, there are many drastic and irreconcilable differences between the religions of the world. They cannot all be true. These three religions are not describing the same god in a different way, the are describing completely different ways of salvation. They are going opposite directions!
Whether we like it or not, there are not many paths which lead to heaven. There is only one way, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ as the only Savior for sinners. His salvation is full and it is free!
If you have question you have struggled with, please share that with us at burdenandblessing@gmail.com. We will be glad to respond!

This Wednesday begins the season of Lent.  As we prepare for Lent, Pastor Rob Sauers takes us into a study of the word “rebellion” as it is defined in God’s Word.  Rebellion means “opposition to one in authority or dominance.” So the notion of rebellion presupposes the existence of authority. We often think of children rebelling against parents authority – not wanting to do what their parents tell them to do, and instead wanting to do those things their parents tell them not to do. Adults, too have engaged in many forms of rebellion from the household to the workplace. People don’t want to be governed and bound by a set of rules. We want what we want, when we want it, and we don’t want anyone or anything to get in our way.
The first rebel was Satan. Satan rebelled against God’s authority and was intent on setting himself up as the Most High. And when that didn’t work, Satan tempted Eve to rebel against God’s authority by eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Since those initial acts of rebellion, Satan has led mankind into a perpetual series of rebellions and the result has been chaos, destruction, and misery.  God warns us in His Word that rebellion is not a harmless and natural part of growing up, but it is a desperately wicked part of our sinful nature. There are terrifying consequences for rebellion. Samuel warned Israel in 1 Sam 12:15, “if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.” Maybe the most frightening consequence of rebellion against God is that God simply allows us to destroy ourselves if we remain rebellious. In Romans 1 verses 21 and 28 Paul writes, “Even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.… Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.”
What was true of ancient man is still true today. We are all rebels at heart. We don’t want to listen to God. As Psalm 107:11 says we have “rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High.” We have that same sinful nature that has been passed on to us by Adam and Eve. Paul writes in Romans 8:7, “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Since people have dismissed the concept of God, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” as Romans 3:18 says. Spiritual things are ridiculous to the natural man. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
By nature we rebel against God and as a result rely upon our own experience, reason, and feelings to guide our beliefs, attitudes, and behavior, and they won’t lead us in a godly direction. Our rebellion only leads away from God, and we deserve God’s punishment for our rebellion. Thank God that He has turned us from our rebellious nature. By His grace, the Lord leads us to repent of our sins, and as we turn to the Lord in repentance, the Lord comes to us with His love and forgiveness.
Maybe the best picture of this in all of Scripture is Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal son is the picture of rebellion. The prodigal son did not want to be under his father’s authority. He asked for his inheritance early so that he could go off and live as he wanted under no one’s authority. The father gave him the inheritance and so he went out and lived a rebellious life. But things didn’t turn out as He had hoped. He quickly got himself into trouble. The son repented, went back to his father to confess his sins and to beg his father to make him one of his hired servants.  And how did the father react? With pure joy at the sight of his son. He saw his son returning and ran out to meet him. The prodigal son confessed his sins of rebellion, but couldn’t even get out the part about being treated as a servant. The father was so overcome with joy that he had his son back that he right away completely reinstated him as his son. In this parable, we are the prodigal son, and the Father is God the Father. And that’s how He reacts to us when we repent of our rebellious ways and turn to Him. It’s that same love that moved Him to send His Son to live the perfect life in our place, never rebelling against the Father’s authority and will. And then he went to the cross to die for all of our sins of rebellion. Thanks be to God for His love in the face of our rebellion.
 

In this CPR episode, Pastors Mark Tiefel, Neal Radichel and Nathanael Mayhew all join together to discuss the topic of Church Attendance and how to find a church home. Why should we go to church? In church the Lord offers sinners His forgiveness through His Word and Sacrament. So when we are looking for a church, we should be looking for a place where His Word is proclaimed in its truth, not based on how close it is to your home or the programs which are offered. What about those who say “You don’t have to go to church to worship God”? We can see God in nature, but this is the natural knowledge of God which is limited and we need more than that. We need to have God reveal what He has done with our problem of sin, and that is only found in His Word. Consider this: If we don’t eat, we die. The same is true for us spiritually. If we don’t feed our souls with the Word of God as Jesus says we should, we will die spiritually! It isn’t enough to THINK about eating food if we are starving. We need to eat. Similarly, it’s not enough to think about going to church or reading God’s Word. We need to feed on God’s Word and receive His Sacraments to be spiritually sustained. The true Church is about substance, not about style. We shouldn’t pick a church based on what we want it to be, but what God wants it to be. That is what is important! “Preach the Word!” Paul says. The quality of what we take in is what is important. It is easier in an earthly sense to go the big church that has many programs but offers no substance. It is difficult to dig into God’s Word and compare what a church teaches with what God says in His Word. But it is very rewarding! Finding a church isn’t about the music, the programs, or even the pastor, but it is about how the church proclaims God’s truth. It is a lot of work to dig into the truth, but it is rewarding as we are pointed to Christ and the forgiveness He offers to us through the cross.

On this Presidents’ Day, Pastor Nathanael Mayhew digs into God’s explanation of the word “authority” in His Word.  In Romans 13 we are told that all authority comes from God. Authority given by God is to be used for the good, blessing and service of all involved. But it often doesn’t work out that way. Because of sin we often see abuse of authority in many areas of life. Proverbs 29:2 says: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” The government is entrusted with authority over its citizens. In Romans 13:1-3 Paul writes: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.”
God has given those in government authority to be used for the protection of society and the punishment of evil. When government leaders do not carry out that responsibility, or abuse their authority at the expense of others, they will be held accountable by God (Consider the account of Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings 21). At the same time, it is the responsibility of citizens to obey those who are in authority in government, even when we disagree with them! The only time we have a God given right to disobey our government is when our government forces us, by its laws or actions, to go against the command of God. In such a case Peter says, “We ought to obey God, rather than men” (Acts 5:39). When our government forms laws in areas where God has not spoken, even if we disagree for good reason, we are commanded by God to submit to those who are in authority. We are also called to pray for those who are in authority. He writes: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1).  Paul doesn’t say that we should only pray for those leaders we like or agree with. He says we should pray for “all who are in authority” so that we might be able to lead a life that brings glory to God through our words and actions.  Lord give us good and faithful leaders, and help us to be good and faithful citizens!

In a continuation of our introduction to the Book of Revelation last week Pastors Nathanael Mayhew and Rob Sauers tackle the issues of Biblical Interpretation that are important to solid, Biblical understanding of Revelation (as well as all the rest of the Bible). The literary structure of Revelation varies. The book opens in a way similar to other New Testament books, but the majority of the book is described as being figurative or symbolic in the opening verses. The events are real events, but they are described with picture language. Revelation is not to be taken literally, but literarily or depending on the kind of writing that is being intended by the writer. Some important rules of Biblical Interpretation include 1) The Bible interprets the Bible (use clear passages of Scripture interpret the less clear, not the other way around). 2) Don’t take passages out of context (of Scripture or the individual book or section). One example of bad Biblical Interpretation is found in Revelation 20 and the 1,000 years or “the Millennium”. Numbers in Revelation are symbolic, not literal. The pictures of the angel, the dragon are not literal either. Rather the 1,000 years refer to the New Testament Era (amillennialism). The first resurrection of that chapter refers to a spiritual resurrection (conversion) as seen in John 5:24-29. This does not indicate multiple physical resurrections as many millenialists say. The purpose of Revelation is to point us to Jesus and the victory which He won for us over sin, death and the Devil through His life and death. If we keep that in mind, the Book of Revelation is very easy to understand!

As we approach Valentine’s Day, Pastor Nathanael Mayhew digs into the Biblical definition of the word “Love.”  The word love is one of the most well known words in the English language. Even young children express their affection by saying, “I love you!” But in English, the word “love” is based on our feelings – on how we feel about someone else. Think of that same young child’s declaration when they are told something they don’t like: “I don’t love you anymore.”  In the Bible love is not based on feelings, but is an attitude of service toward another, even those who are may be “unworthy” or our actions. Love finds its definition and source in what God has done for us as Paul says: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God didn’t wait until we were worthy of His love before He sent His Son to bear our sins. He did this while we were still the enemies of God (1 John 4:7-11).  The love of God was not based on His feelings, but based on our need and His promise. Secondly, God’s love shown to us in Christ Jesus gives us an example of how we are to love others. Christians are to love God (Deuteronomy 6:5). Husbands are to love their wives (Col 3:19). Wives are to love their husbands and children (Titus 2:4). And even more, we are to love our enemies (Luke 6:27-28,32-33).
Finally, Paul’s familiar words about love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is a description of true self-sacrificing love as demonstrated clearly by God to sinners through Jesus. Lord, help us to appreciate Your love for us in Jesus, and to show that same kind of love to You and everyone around us!