Notes from Pastor Renstrom |
|
On this page, you can read selected Grace Notes articles from Pastor Tim Renstrom from past months and study them in closer detail. Enjoy!
January 2020
From The Devotional Bible; Historical Meditations for the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, CPH 1948, pp. 24-26.
Wise Men Still Go to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-15)
Surely the star did not whisper that the King was born! How, then, did the Wise Men of the East know that this unusual star announced the coming of the King of Kings? They learned this the same way that you and I know this truth—through the Word of God.
Centuries before the coming of the Christ Child, King Nebuchadnezzar had invaded Palestine and led many Israelites into captivity. In this Babylonian exile the people of God spoke of the hope which was theirs that God would raise up unto Israel the Greater Son of David, who would establish an everlasting Kingdom. And though this promise of God was misunderstood—for many thought of an earthly kingdom—nevertheless this hope was expressed again and again by the captives of the East. The Wise Men surely knew the story. When they saw this unusual star, they put two and two together and concluded that the King had been born.
So they traveled to Jerusalem to do the King homage. There again, through God’s Word, they were directed to Bethlehem, where they found the Christ Child and worshiped Him as their Lord God and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: `And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." (Matthew 2:1-15 RSV)
We, too, go to Bethlehem in spirit and worship the Christ Child as our Lord and Savior. We know from the Scriptures that this Babe of Bethlehem is the Messiah of prophecy. Jesus is the Star of Bethlehem.
He is the Star of Peace. He came to reconcile us to His Father through His death on the Cross. Once more we can come to the bosom of the eternal God and know that He loves us. We are at peace with God and therefore at peace with our own conscience.
He is the Star of Hope. All the weary and heavy-laden can turn to Him and find rest for their souls. We can look into the future and see heaven with all its glory. This hope takes the sting of disappointment out of our hearts, our lives, our homes.
He is the Star of Comfort. Life is filled with sorrow and tears and death. But Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life; He heals broken hearts and promises that we shall live, because He lives.
He is the Star of Joy. Bethlehem’s angels announced good tidings of great joy. Sin is forgiven, salvation is certain, heaven is our home.
Wise men still go to Bethlehem. We, too, are wise if we go. Only if the Christ Child finds room in our hearts, shall we go on daily rejoicing that unto us is born a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord.
Prayer: Christ Child of Bethlehem, enter Thou into our hearts, and cleanse them from all sin, that we may worship and adore and serve Thee, who art the King of Kings and the Savior of us all. Amen.
From The Devotional Bible; Historical Meditations for the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, CPH 1948, pp. 24-26.
Wise Men Still Go to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-15)
Surely the star did not whisper that the King was born! How, then, did the Wise Men of the East know that this unusual star announced the coming of the King of Kings? They learned this the same way that you and I know this truth—through the Word of God.
Centuries before the coming of the Christ Child, King Nebuchadnezzar had invaded Palestine and led many Israelites into captivity. In this Babylonian exile the people of God spoke of the hope which was theirs that God would raise up unto Israel the Greater Son of David, who would establish an everlasting Kingdom. And though this promise of God was misunderstood—for many thought of an earthly kingdom—nevertheless this hope was expressed again and again by the captives of the East. The Wise Men surely knew the story. When they saw this unusual star, they put two and two together and concluded that the King had been born.
So they traveled to Jerusalem to do the King homage. There again, through God’s Word, they were directed to Bethlehem, where they found the Christ Child and worshiped Him as their Lord God and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: `And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." (Matthew 2:1-15 RSV)
We, too, go to Bethlehem in spirit and worship the Christ Child as our Lord and Savior. We know from the Scriptures that this Babe of Bethlehem is the Messiah of prophecy. Jesus is the Star of Bethlehem.
He is the Star of Peace. He came to reconcile us to His Father through His death on the Cross. Once more we can come to the bosom of the eternal God and know that He loves us. We are at peace with God and therefore at peace with our own conscience.
He is the Star of Hope. All the weary and heavy-laden can turn to Him and find rest for their souls. We can look into the future and see heaven with all its glory. This hope takes the sting of disappointment out of our hearts, our lives, our homes.
He is the Star of Comfort. Life is filled with sorrow and tears and death. But Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life; He heals broken hearts and promises that we shall live, because He lives.
He is the Star of Joy. Bethlehem’s angels announced good tidings of great joy. Sin is forgiven, salvation is certain, heaven is our home.
Wise men still go to Bethlehem. We, too, are wise if we go. Only if the Christ Child finds room in our hearts, shall we go on daily rejoicing that unto us is born a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord.
Prayer: Christ Child of Bethlehem, enter Thou into our hearts, and cleanse them from all sin, that we may worship and adore and serve Thee, who art the King of Kings and the Savior of us all. Amen.
November 2019
This month’s article comes from a part of a writing by C.F.W. Walther, 1st president of our Missouri Synod.
Matthew 7:28-29
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
A person may pretend to be a Christian while in reality he is not. As long as he is in this condition, he is quite content with his knowledge of the mere outlines of the Christian doctrines. . . . However, the moment a person becomes a Christian, there arises in him a keen desire for the doctrine of Christ. Even the most uncultured peasant who is still unconverted is suddenly roused in the moment of his conversion and begins to reflect on God and heaven, salvation and damnation, etc. He becomes occupied with the highest problems of human life.
An instance of this kind is afforded by those Jews who flocked to Christ and also by the apostles. Those multitudes heard Christ with great joy and were astonished because He preached with authority and not as did the scribes. But the majority of these hearers never advanced beyond a certain feeling of delight and admiration. The apostles, too, were uneducated people, but they acted differently. They did not stop where the rest stopped, but propounded all manner of questions to Christ. . . . It is, therefore, quite true what the Apology says: “Men of good conscience are crying for the truth and proper instruction from the Word of God”
—C. F. W. Walther
This month’s article comes from a part of a writing by C.F.W. Walther, 1st president of our Missouri Synod.
Matthew 7:28-29
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
A person may pretend to be a Christian while in reality he is not. As long as he is in this condition, he is quite content with his knowledge of the mere outlines of the Christian doctrines. . . . However, the moment a person becomes a Christian, there arises in him a keen desire for the doctrine of Christ. Even the most uncultured peasant who is still unconverted is suddenly roused in the moment of his conversion and begins to reflect on God and heaven, salvation and damnation, etc. He becomes occupied with the highest problems of human life.
An instance of this kind is afforded by those Jews who flocked to Christ and also by the apostles. Those multitudes heard Christ with great joy and were astonished because He preached with authority and not as did the scribes. But the majority of these hearers never advanced beyond a certain feeling of delight and admiration. The apostles, too, were uneducated people, but they acted differently. They did not stop where the rest stopped, but propounded all manner of questions to Christ. . . . It is, therefore, quite true what the Apology says: “Men of good conscience are crying for the truth and proper instruction from the Word of God”
—C. F. W. Walther
OCTOBER 2019
On Being Present
Most of you already know this...I believe I’ve mentioned it a number of times...I enjoy watching people. In fact, it’s about the only thing I enjoy about flying. I’d get back into a corner and watch people from all cultures...macro, mini and micro...and watch them interact with ‘the airport’, with the horde of people coming through the crowd, and with their friends and family. It was a unique learning experience!
Did I tell you that it’s likely been over 10 years since I’ve flown? Things have changed. It’s not as much fun anymore...the reason? The wonderful invention referred to as the ‘smart phone.’ More and more people of all different groups are joining the ‘head bowed to the glass screen’ culture, oblivious to the world around them.
Are they present? In a way, one could argue, they are. They are present with those with whom they are interacting on the other end of the invisible cable, even as they are not present with those they with whom they are bumping elbows.
Does it matter? I don’t know…
Are we ‘present’ with those by whom we are surrounded? We are called to be Christians, called by Word and Sacrament to agape—unconditional, other centered, always serving others—love. It’s the whole “Love your neighbor as yourself” command. Can we live the love to which we have been called if we are not ‘present’ with those who surround us?
I have to honestly say that I am not always present. And I can honestly say that, from time to time, the glass screen culture captured me, too! It is amazing how, even on vacation, when that little box buzzes, we have to answer, or at least glance at it, for fear we might miss out on something! I am not writing about a culture that I stand above and look down upon. I am writing about a culture that I am within and of which I have been a part for over 20 years.
Present...It was a third of the theme for the National Youth Gathering that eight of us went to this summer. One presenter that some of our youth went to see—an NBA professional—equated it to being “where your feet are”. There is a time to be on the phone texting important information. There is a time to be in conversation with someone on a phone. There is also a time to set that stuff down and to be present with someone in the same room or the same building as you are.
But glass screens aren’t our only distraction to being present. Maybe it is some other electronic device, like a TV. Maybe it’s a situation. Maybe it’s a thousand other distractions that lead us to not be present with others...or ourselves. How many times do we engage in a conversation...and can’t wait for it to end? That’s not being present! How many times do we ask someone, “How are you?”, and don’t listen to the answer? Or hope they don’t answer truthfully?
Some don’t like to be alone with our self. The worries, the struggles or everyday life are easier to deal with when one is not present.
On another level, how many believers are truly present with God? How many times are we “where our feet are” in worship? In prayer? In meditation? How many times are we presenting solutions to God for our situations rather than listening for him? Or planning our afternoon? Or preparing Sunday afternoon activities? How many times are we going through the motions rather than gladly hearing and learning God’s Word?
God tells us to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). And he tells us “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Our God who forgives our sins and sinful behavior because of the work of Jesus, his Son, is always present. Our sin doesn’t drive him away. He removes it. He is present. Our phones don’t drive him away. He breaks through the static. He is present. Our distractions don’t drive him away. He gets our attention and fixes our focus—our eyes fixed on Jesus, the starter and finisher of our faith.
On Being Present
Most of you already know this...I believe I’ve mentioned it a number of times...I enjoy watching people. In fact, it’s about the only thing I enjoy about flying. I’d get back into a corner and watch people from all cultures...macro, mini and micro...and watch them interact with ‘the airport’, with the horde of people coming through the crowd, and with their friends and family. It was a unique learning experience!
Did I tell you that it’s likely been over 10 years since I’ve flown? Things have changed. It’s not as much fun anymore...the reason? The wonderful invention referred to as the ‘smart phone.’ More and more people of all different groups are joining the ‘head bowed to the glass screen’ culture, oblivious to the world around them.
Are they present? In a way, one could argue, they are. They are present with those with whom they are interacting on the other end of the invisible cable, even as they are not present with those they with whom they are bumping elbows.
Does it matter? I don’t know…
Are we ‘present’ with those by whom we are surrounded? We are called to be Christians, called by Word and Sacrament to agape—unconditional, other centered, always serving others—love. It’s the whole “Love your neighbor as yourself” command. Can we live the love to which we have been called if we are not ‘present’ with those who surround us?
I have to honestly say that I am not always present. And I can honestly say that, from time to time, the glass screen culture captured me, too! It is amazing how, even on vacation, when that little box buzzes, we have to answer, or at least glance at it, for fear we might miss out on something! I am not writing about a culture that I stand above and look down upon. I am writing about a culture that I am within and of which I have been a part for over 20 years.
Present...It was a third of the theme for the National Youth Gathering that eight of us went to this summer. One presenter that some of our youth went to see—an NBA professional—equated it to being “where your feet are”. There is a time to be on the phone texting important information. There is a time to be in conversation with someone on a phone. There is also a time to set that stuff down and to be present with someone in the same room or the same building as you are.
But glass screens aren’t our only distraction to being present. Maybe it is some other electronic device, like a TV. Maybe it’s a situation. Maybe it’s a thousand other distractions that lead us to not be present with others...or ourselves. How many times do we engage in a conversation...and can’t wait for it to end? That’s not being present! How many times do we ask someone, “How are you?”, and don’t listen to the answer? Or hope they don’t answer truthfully?
Some don’t like to be alone with our self. The worries, the struggles or everyday life are easier to deal with when one is not present.
On another level, how many believers are truly present with God? How many times are we “where our feet are” in worship? In prayer? In meditation? How many times are we presenting solutions to God for our situations rather than listening for him? Or planning our afternoon? Or preparing Sunday afternoon activities? How many times are we going through the motions rather than gladly hearing and learning God’s Word?
God tells us to “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). And he tells us “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Our God who forgives our sins and sinful behavior because of the work of Jesus, his Son, is always present. Our sin doesn’t drive him away. He removes it. He is present. Our phones don’t drive him away. He breaks through the static. He is present. Our distractions don’t drive him away. He gets our attention and fixes our focus—our eyes fixed on Jesus, the starter and finisher of our faith.
September 2019
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
A couple of days after I am writing this for our newsletter, I have the privilege of presenting the opening devotion to the Circuit Visitors Conference up in our MN North District office. Then I get to hear and wrestle with a presentation given by a colleague for whom I have a great deal of respect, Rev. Dennis O’Neil, as he leads a discussion on a paper written by one of my old seminary professors, Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs.
His paper is entitled “The Myth of ‘Righteous Anger’”.
It intrigued me when I heard of it. So I looked it up. I think that this should be a very interesting discussion and want to share some of it with you! Dr. Gibbs writes in the opening paragraphs of his paper:
... as I have been talking with other Christians, some clergy and some lay, about this study and about what I’ve been finding in the Scriptures, most people have objected to and at times even instinctively rejected the clear, simple answer to the question, “What does the Bible, and chiefly the [New Testament], say about anger?” These friends and colleagues have not wanted to talk about what the Bible actually says about anger. They’ve wanted to move quickly, instinctively to other topics. People have offered special circumstances, or qualified the scriptural testimony—seemingly anything to avoid being confronted by the answer to a question that, once you search for it, is not hard to find and is really quite clear. If I may speak frankly, without exception my Christian friends and colleagues have wanted to justify their anger; each time they have done this, they have appealed to the category of “righteous anger.”
“They wanted to justify their anger…” Hmmm. Sounds like all of us! Dr. Gibbs moves in pretty ‘churchy’ circles, living in St. Louis, Missouri, teaching at our Concordia Seminary, and he points out that “without exception” when confronted with the question of what the Bible says about anger, his contacts wanted to justify their anger. And, I’m willing to wager, so do we all.
Dr. Gibbs points out, that in his study, people usually went to Ephesians 4:26 for a justification for their anger. “‘Be angry, yet do not sin.’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (EHV). We Christians want a Biblical excuse for our all so human anger, so we cling to a verse and twist it around so that we can be angry. We think that since God can be angry, we should be able to be angry and God would be ok with it, as long as we are angry about the same things that He is.
Yet this verse really doesn’t allow this. Dr. Gibbs, writing about Ephesians 4:26-27 and James 1:19-20, again:
The testimony of the NT barely acknowledges the presence or possibility of “righteous anger” in the sense that people normally use this phrase. There is certainly no direct teaching about or encouragement to such a thing. Whatever people may mean by “righteous anger,” it is a construct based on actions of various people (Moses, the prophets, Paul, etc.). But there is no such thing as a genuine, clear, biblical definition of or justification for “righteous anger”—unless the anger is the Father’s or the Son’s wrath. Far more often—in fact, almost exclusively—Christians are warned about the dangers of anger. The texts rarely, if ever, distinguish between the emotion of anger and sinful thoughts or words or deeds that may arise from that emotion. Here, simply and clearly, is the New Testament’s teaching about human anger: it is spiritually dangerous, and at times it can straightforwardly be called sin.
I would add, that within in the structure of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the discussion of anger is under Paul’s urging in 4:1-2, “As a prisoner in the Lord, therefore, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love” (EHV). He goes on to talk about peace and building up one another in love, and to put off the old self. Nothing encouraging anger—everything encouraging peace.
I think Dr. Gibbs has some very good words for us here. We should confess our sin of anger, not justify it, repent and receive the forgiveness earned for us and given us by Jesus on the cross—through his Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.
If you want to read the full article it’s online… https://concordiatheology.org/2018/11/jeff-gibbs-the-myth-of-righteous-anger/ . If you can’t get it, ask, and I can print out a copy for you.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
A couple of days after I am writing this for our newsletter, I have the privilege of presenting the opening devotion to the Circuit Visitors Conference up in our MN North District office. Then I get to hear and wrestle with a presentation given by a colleague for whom I have a great deal of respect, Rev. Dennis O’Neil, as he leads a discussion on a paper written by one of my old seminary professors, Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs.
His paper is entitled “The Myth of ‘Righteous Anger’”.
It intrigued me when I heard of it. So I looked it up. I think that this should be a very interesting discussion and want to share some of it with you! Dr. Gibbs writes in the opening paragraphs of his paper:
... as I have been talking with other Christians, some clergy and some lay, about this study and about what I’ve been finding in the Scriptures, most people have objected to and at times even instinctively rejected the clear, simple answer to the question, “What does the Bible, and chiefly the [New Testament], say about anger?” These friends and colleagues have not wanted to talk about what the Bible actually says about anger. They’ve wanted to move quickly, instinctively to other topics. People have offered special circumstances, or qualified the scriptural testimony—seemingly anything to avoid being confronted by the answer to a question that, once you search for it, is not hard to find and is really quite clear. If I may speak frankly, without exception my Christian friends and colleagues have wanted to justify their anger; each time they have done this, they have appealed to the category of “righteous anger.”
“They wanted to justify their anger…” Hmmm. Sounds like all of us! Dr. Gibbs moves in pretty ‘churchy’ circles, living in St. Louis, Missouri, teaching at our Concordia Seminary, and he points out that “without exception” when confronted with the question of what the Bible says about anger, his contacts wanted to justify their anger. And, I’m willing to wager, so do we all.
Dr. Gibbs points out, that in his study, people usually went to Ephesians 4:26 for a justification for their anger. “‘Be angry, yet do not sin.’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (EHV). We Christians want a Biblical excuse for our all so human anger, so we cling to a verse and twist it around so that we can be angry. We think that since God can be angry, we should be able to be angry and God would be ok with it, as long as we are angry about the same things that He is.
Yet this verse really doesn’t allow this. Dr. Gibbs, writing about Ephesians 4:26-27 and James 1:19-20, again:
The testimony of the NT barely acknowledges the presence or possibility of “righteous anger” in the sense that people normally use this phrase. There is certainly no direct teaching about or encouragement to such a thing. Whatever people may mean by “righteous anger,” it is a construct based on actions of various people (Moses, the prophets, Paul, etc.). But there is no such thing as a genuine, clear, biblical definition of or justification for “righteous anger”—unless the anger is the Father’s or the Son’s wrath. Far more often—in fact, almost exclusively—Christians are warned about the dangers of anger. The texts rarely, if ever, distinguish between the emotion of anger and sinful thoughts or words or deeds that may arise from that emotion. Here, simply and clearly, is the New Testament’s teaching about human anger: it is spiritually dangerous, and at times it can straightforwardly be called sin.
I would add, that within in the structure of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the discussion of anger is under Paul’s urging in 4:1-2, “As a prisoner in the Lord, therefore, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love” (EHV). He goes on to talk about peace and building up one another in love, and to put off the old self. Nothing encouraging anger—everything encouraging peace.
I think Dr. Gibbs has some very good words for us here. We should confess our sin of anger, not justify it, repent and receive the forgiveness earned for us and given us by Jesus on the cross—through his Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.
If you want to read the full article it’s online… https://concordiatheology.org/2018/11/jeff-gibbs-the-myth-of-righteous-anger/ . If you can’t get it, ask, and I can print out a copy for you.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
August 2019
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.” (The words of Jesus, Matthew 25:35-36.)
This is going to be old ‘news’ for some of you. Others may think, “I sort of remember hearing something about that?” Still, for others, this will be brand new. So let’s try to get everyone up to date so that we are all in ministry together at the same time!
Way back, early last spring, St. Stephen’s members will remember that we listened to a presentation by New Pathways Interim Executive Director, Mary Ann E.R. Westlund, after one of our worship services. Following the presentation, questions were asked and answered.
Prior to that meeting, the St. Stephen’s leadership had been praying about an opportunity to partner in ministry with New Pathways, and had also met with Mary and representatives from other area churches who were already in partnership.
Following the conversation after the worship service, four (4) members indicated an interest in facilitating St. Stephen’s ministry. With that interest indicated, the Council, believing that it is God’s will that we serve, encouraged the group to ‘go ahead’ and signed a contract with New Pathways.
Which brings us to the good Lutheran question… “What does this mean?”
If you have internet access, I encourage you to research www.newpathwaysmn.com. But, to give you a brief idea from their website…
New Pathways’ mission is to build a stronger community by providing shelter and support services to homeless families with children. Supporting families is a team effort, which is why our Path to Home shelter chose a model that relies on hundreds of local volunteers. Our hope is to connect families with people and resources that will help them to be successful long term. We want to see families thrive, as opposed to just survive. This includes meals, a safe, warm place to sleep, and skills and resources necessary to find and maintain housing.
St. Stephen’s ministry is to provide two weeks of hospitality for up to five families from our five county area—one week at a time. Our first week is September 22-29, 2019. Our Sunday School and youth rooms will be transformed into temporary bedrooms, the fellowship area will be their common area. They will arrive at about 5:00 p.m. and leave about 7:30 a.m. each day, Sunday through Sunday. We have the privilege of serving dinner to them and providing breakfast ‘fixins’.
The above information is just a brief overview of the ministry. We have scheduled a ‘training session’ for August 25—come for food at 5:00 p.m. and training from 5:30-8:00. This is for everyone to attend, whether you believe God has called you actively to serve in the ministry or if you are a casual bystander. It is important for you to know what God is doing through your congregation.
By now our St. John’s brothers and sisters have stopped reading, thinking this is just information for St. Stephen’s. That would be a wrong conclusion! The committee is planning to ask St. John’s to participate in significant ways—to be volunteer hosts for a night, to provide dinner(s), to donate needed bedding and other supplies…you can begin to get the drift! St. John’s members are very much encouraged to attend the meal and training on August 25!
Matthew 25 (above) puts it in perspective for us. Jesus expects us to be physically concerned about the needs of those he has placed around us. Our savior even goes so far as to claim that if we aren’t willing to help, that we may not have saving faith! What an opportunity Jesus is giving us to examine our faith and live it in his name!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.” (The words of Jesus, Matthew 25:35-36.)
This is going to be old ‘news’ for some of you. Others may think, “I sort of remember hearing something about that?” Still, for others, this will be brand new. So let’s try to get everyone up to date so that we are all in ministry together at the same time!
Way back, early last spring, St. Stephen’s members will remember that we listened to a presentation by New Pathways Interim Executive Director, Mary Ann E.R. Westlund, after one of our worship services. Following the presentation, questions were asked and answered.
Prior to that meeting, the St. Stephen’s leadership had been praying about an opportunity to partner in ministry with New Pathways, and had also met with Mary and representatives from other area churches who were already in partnership.
Following the conversation after the worship service, four (4) members indicated an interest in facilitating St. Stephen’s ministry. With that interest indicated, the Council, believing that it is God’s will that we serve, encouraged the group to ‘go ahead’ and signed a contract with New Pathways.
Which brings us to the good Lutheran question… “What does this mean?”
If you have internet access, I encourage you to research www.newpathwaysmn.com. But, to give you a brief idea from their website…
New Pathways’ mission is to build a stronger community by providing shelter and support services to homeless families with children. Supporting families is a team effort, which is why our Path to Home shelter chose a model that relies on hundreds of local volunteers. Our hope is to connect families with people and resources that will help them to be successful long term. We want to see families thrive, as opposed to just survive. This includes meals, a safe, warm place to sleep, and skills and resources necessary to find and maintain housing.
St. Stephen’s ministry is to provide two weeks of hospitality for up to five families from our five county area—one week at a time. Our first week is September 22-29, 2019. Our Sunday School and youth rooms will be transformed into temporary bedrooms, the fellowship area will be their common area. They will arrive at about 5:00 p.m. and leave about 7:30 a.m. each day, Sunday through Sunday. We have the privilege of serving dinner to them and providing breakfast ‘fixins’.
The above information is just a brief overview of the ministry. We have scheduled a ‘training session’ for August 25—come for food at 5:00 p.m. and training from 5:30-8:00. This is for everyone to attend, whether you believe God has called you actively to serve in the ministry or if you are a casual bystander. It is important for you to know what God is doing through your congregation.
By now our St. John’s brothers and sisters have stopped reading, thinking this is just information for St. Stephen’s. That would be a wrong conclusion! The committee is planning to ask St. John’s to participate in significant ways—to be volunteer hosts for a night, to provide dinner(s), to donate needed bedding and other supplies…you can begin to get the drift! St. John’s members are very much encouraged to attend the meal and training on August 25!
Matthew 25 (above) puts it in perspective for us. Jesus expects us to be physically concerned about the needs of those he has placed around us. Our savior even goes so far as to claim that if we aren’t willing to help, that we may not have saving faith! What an opportunity Jesus is giving us to examine our faith and live it in his name!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
July 2019
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Please be praying for Amanda, Chloe, Elissa, Jacob, Jordan and Montgomery. They, along with Renè and I, are your representatives at the LCMS National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis, July 11-15. They will be rubbing elbows with another 20,000 (a conservative guess) young LCMS members to worship, to grow in the knowledge of their faith, to grow in faith and to witness to their faith as they experience their Christian culture in a way most of them have never really thought about.
Even though this Gathering is closer to us than any that I have known about in recent history and, therefore, it should seem easier to prepare for...I’m discovering it’s actually harder to prepare for! Because we’re not going to some ‘exotic’ place like Orlando, or New Orleans, or San Antonio, or Denver...We’re just going to Minneapolis...it seems hard to get any excitement generated (I’m the same way!) when you’re just driving down the road an hour! It’s hard to believe that it’s going to be special!
But it will be as special for each of our young people as God makes it special and as they allow it. In addition to praying that we would be safe and well, please pray that we will be open to hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ; please pray that we can positively respond to everything that is happening around us; please pray that we can be a strong witness for the hope we have in the salvation we have been give by God in Jesus; and please pray that our faith finds new promises of God to cling to! And please pray now and often!
I’m hoping, after we get back, that I’ll be able to convince these 6 young Christian members of our congregations to give us some feedback on what God used this Gathering to teach them! Please encourage them!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim Renstrom
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Please be praying for Amanda, Chloe, Elissa, Jacob, Jordan and Montgomery. They, along with Renè and I, are your representatives at the LCMS National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis, July 11-15. They will be rubbing elbows with another 20,000 (a conservative guess) young LCMS members to worship, to grow in the knowledge of their faith, to grow in faith and to witness to their faith as they experience their Christian culture in a way most of them have never really thought about.
Even though this Gathering is closer to us than any that I have known about in recent history and, therefore, it should seem easier to prepare for...I’m discovering it’s actually harder to prepare for! Because we’re not going to some ‘exotic’ place like Orlando, or New Orleans, or San Antonio, or Denver...We’re just going to Minneapolis...it seems hard to get any excitement generated (I’m the same way!) when you’re just driving down the road an hour! It’s hard to believe that it’s going to be special!
But it will be as special for each of our young people as God makes it special and as they allow it. In addition to praying that we would be safe and well, please pray that we will be open to hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ; please pray that we can positively respond to everything that is happening around us; please pray that we can be a strong witness for the hope we have in the salvation we have been give by God in Jesus; and please pray that our faith finds new promises of God to cling to! And please pray now and often!
I’m hoping, after we get back, that I’ll be able to convince these 6 young Christian members of our congregations to give us some feedback on what God used this Gathering to teach them! Please encourage them!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim Renstrom
June 2019
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This is a fun time of the year to be pastor. Easter Sunday has been celebrated, but we’re still in the season of Easter; Pentecost Sunday is coming; Trinity Sunday (when we can sing “Holy, Holy, Holy”!) follows the next Sunday; and, then, we often celebrate Confirmation Sunday within this sequence; and plus all the other little things which we do as Easter winds down and Summer approaches! It’s just a fun time of the year to be a pastor!
And then there is another of my favorite things this time of the year: having some opportunities to preach on the Revelation readings which are often assigned during this season. (Actually, I struggle, because I also enjoy preaching on the Acts readings!) I especially enjoyed preaching on Revelation 7 a few weeks ago. Here God reminds us that He has all of this world’s problems and woes well in hand: “Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
That is the answer, isn’t it? We might be the ones with cancer in our family. It is such a devastating attack of the world on our sinful flesh. We hurt for the loved one who suffers…and we hurt because we have to watch the suffering. We pray for relief, hoping that God is a loving God, wondering how a loving God…well, you know the rest of that statement. And it always seems like such a sudden attack! It enters our perfectly organized and orchestrated plan to live our lives and DOESN’T FIT! But it’s not a surprise to God. He’s been preparing us to be faithful through this devastation long before it came upon us…and calls us to repeat, “Salvation belongs to our God.”
The same is true for heart disease, accidents, Alzheimer’s, old age and the ten thousands other maladies that strike at us every day! Not to speak of the homeless or loss of jobs, the family squabbles, the divorces, the run-aways…And deaths… These all interrupt our life plans. They all are so…inconvenient. It seems like God is against us at every turn. Why God?!
But it is not God who is attacking us. He is no longer at war with us. He has declared peace—despite our on-going struggles. It is the world, our sinful flesh and Satan who are attacking us. And God continues to defend us, protect us and prepare us against those attacks.
We are saved by grace (free gift) through faith (believing) in the Easter message of Jesus—his sinless life given as a sacrifice on the cross to pay for the sins of the world; his resurrection a guarantee of his defeat of our enemies: world, flesh and Satan. And, because he desires all to come to faith and have salvation, he walks with us as we live in this world so that others will have a chance to believe that salvation is for them as well (“if he can do it, well, maybe I can too?!).
I’ve got a coaster on my desk which sums things nicely. (Someone gave it to me, thinking that I needed it—lest you think I’ve got this all figured out!) “Take a deep breath, God’s got this.” That’s the whole of the message of John’s Revelation—no matter what you see around you, no matter how devastating and scary, take a deep breath, God’s got this. He’s not surprised. He’s planned for all this—and you are in his plan. Take a deep breath. You’re in good hands. Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
This is a fun time of the year to be pastor. Easter Sunday has been celebrated, but we’re still in the season of Easter; Pentecost Sunday is coming; Trinity Sunday (when we can sing “Holy, Holy, Holy”!) follows the next Sunday; and, then, we often celebrate Confirmation Sunday within this sequence; and plus all the other little things which we do as Easter winds down and Summer approaches! It’s just a fun time of the year to be a pastor!
And then there is another of my favorite things this time of the year: having some opportunities to preach on the Revelation readings which are often assigned during this season. (Actually, I struggle, because I also enjoy preaching on the Acts readings!) I especially enjoyed preaching on Revelation 7 a few weeks ago. Here God reminds us that He has all of this world’s problems and woes well in hand: “Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
That is the answer, isn’t it? We might be the ones with cancer in our family. It is such a devastating attack of the world on our sinful flesh. We hurt for the loved one who suffers…and we hurt because we have to watch the suffering. We pray for relief, hoping that God is a loving God, wondering how a loving God…well, you know the rest of that statement. And it always seems like such a sudden attack! It enters our perfectly organized and orchestrated plan to live our lives and DOESN’T FIT! But it’s not a surprise to God. He’s been preparing us to be faithful through this devastation long before it came upon us…and calls us to repeat, “Salvation belongs to our God.”
The same is true for heart disease, accidents, Alzheimer’s, old age and the ten thousands other maladies that strike at us every day! Not to speak of the homeless or loss of jobs, the family squabbles, the divorces, the run-aways…And deaths… These all interrupt our life plans. They all are so…inconvenient. It seems like God is against us at every turn. Why God?!
But it is not God who is attacking us. He is no longer at war with us. He has declared peace—despite our on-going struggles. It is the world, our sinful flesh and Satan who are attacking us. And God continues to defend us, protect us and prepare us against those attacks.
We are saved by grace (free gift) through faith (believing) in the Easter message of Jesus—his sinless life given as a sacrifice on the cross to pay for the sins of the world; his resurrection a guarantee of his defeat of our enemies: world, flesh and Satan. And, because he desires all to come to faith and have salvation, he walks with us as we live in this world so that others will have a chance to believe that salvation is for them as well (“if he can do it, well, maybe I can too?!).
I’ve got a coaster on my desk which sums things nicely. (Someone gave it to me, thinking that I needed it—lest you think I’ve got this all figured out!) “Take a deep breath, God’s got this.” That’s the whole of the message of John’s Revelation—no matter what you see around you, no matter how devastating and scary, take a deep breath, God’s got this. He’s not surprised. He’s planned for all this—and you are in his plan. Take a deep breath. You’re in good hands. Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
May 2019
If Easter Were Not True
Matthew 28:1-10
It’s true, Christ rose. Two facts stand undeniable in the Easter message: On the third day the tomb was empty, and Jesus was seen alive.
This is the crowning evidence of His Messiahship and His eternal Sonship. When Jesus was challenged by the opposition to perform one master miracle and give them one indisputable sign by which they were to know that He is before Abraham, then Jesus said He would give them the sign of the Prophet Jonah. Again Jesus challenged them: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
The sign of Jonah is fulfilled. As Jonah was in the belly of the fish and came forth alive, so Jesus was in the tomb unto the third day and then was seen alive. “Behold My hands and My feet that it is I Myself; handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have” (Luke 24:39).
Friend and foe alike say that He rose. The women, unsuspecting, came to anoint Jesus early on Sunday morning for His final entombment, to hear to their utter amazement: “He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Read Matthew 28:1-10
What difference does it make that Jesus rose? All the difference in the world! If Christ is not risen, then we are still unforgiven sinners, then we must face a condemning judgment, then heaven is closed forever to us, then we have no hope as we stand at open graves, then we are the most miserable creatures on the earth. Truly it were better then that we had never been born.
The Easter victory brings to us life and heaven, joy and peace, certainty and security.
Sin cannot condemn us, for we are justified by faith, which holds fast to the eternal truth that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our transgressions.
Death has lost its deadening grip on us, and we can pass through its dark valley with Christ at our side. Death is man’s greatest foe. Death stopped Alexander, stopped Caesar, stopped thousands of others, but death did not stop Jesus. He rose, He ascended, and He lives. Because he lives, I too shall live. In my flesh shall I see God. In me is indestructible life by faith in Christ, my living Savior.
A new life is given me even now. We have been quickened together with Christ. We are reborn creatures by the power of the Holy Spirit. Forgiven, we are transformed into the children of light. Sinners by nature, we are saints by grace. We can resist evil. We have a new and hopeful outlook. We have protection. No one can pluck us out of the Savior’s hand.
We have a lively hope. This expectation does not center around earthly, material things. All of these will fall out of our trembling, feeble hands when death knocks at our door. It is certain we shall carry nothing out. But my redeemed and saved soul shall see glory that no sorrow can lessen, no death can shorten, Easter makes heaven my home, where there shall be no more separation, no more crying, no more death
Easter is the brightest spot on the horizon of life. Each year we celebrate the greatest victory in history when we sing our Easter hallelujahs. We need not despair. We need not perish. We believers shall behold Christ in glory.
And so shall we be forever with the Lord—all because He died and rose again.
In Easter joy,
Pastor Renstrom
From The Devotional Bible
Vol. I Matthew and Mark pp. 236-238
If Easter Were Not True
Matthew 28:1-10
It’s true, Christ rose. Two facts stand undeniable in the Easter message: On the third day the tomb was empty, and Jesus was seen alive.
This is the crowning evidence of His Messiahship and His eternal Sonship. When Jesus was challenged by the opposition to perform one master miracle and give them one indisputable sign by which they were to know that He is before Abraham, then Jesus said He would give them the sign of the Prophet Jonah. Again Jesus challenged them: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
The sign of Jonah is fulfilled. As Jonah was in the belly of the fish and came forth alive, so Jesus was in the tomb unto the third day and then was seen alive. “Behold My hands and My feet that it is I Myself; handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have” (Luke 24:39).
Friend and foe alike say that He rose. The women, unsuspecting, came to anoint Jesus early on Sunday morning for His final entombment, to hear to their utter amazement: “He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Read Matthew 28:1-10
What difference does it make that Jesus rose? All the difference in the world! If Christ is not risen, then we are still unforgiven sinners, then we must face a condemning judgment, then heaven is closed forever to us, then we have no hope as we stand at open graves, then we are the most miserable creatures on the earth. Truly it were better then that we had never been born.
The Easter victory brings to us life and heaven, joy and peace, certainty and security.
Sin cannot condemn us, for we are justified by faith, which holds fast to the eternal truth that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our transgressions.
Death has lost its deadening grip on us, and we can pass through its dark valley with Christ at our side. Death is man’s greatest foe. Death stopped Alexander, stopped Caesar, stopped thousands of others, but death did not stop Jesus. He rose, He ascended, and He lives. Because he lives, I too shall live. In my flesh shall I see God. In me is indestructible life by faith in Christ, my living Savior.
A new life is given me even now. We have been quickened together with Christ. We are reborn creatures by the power of the Holy Spirit. Forgiven, we are transformed into the children of light. Sinners by nature, we are saints by grace. We can resist evil. We have a new and hopeful outlook. We have protection. No one can pluck us out of the Savior’s hand.
We have a lively hope. This expectation does not center around earthly, material things. All of these will fall out of our trembling, feeble hands when death knocks at our door. It is certain we shall carry nothing out. But my redeemed and saved soul shall see glory that no sorrow can lessen, no death can shorten, Easter makes heaven my home, where there shall be no more separation, no more crying, no more death
Easter is the brightest spot on the horizon of life. Each year we celebrate the greatest victory in history when we sing our Easter hallelujahs. We need not despair. We need not perish. We believers shall behold Christ in glory.
And so shall we be forever with the Lord—all because He died and rose again.
In Easter joy,
Pastor Renstrom
From The Devotional Bible
Vol. I Matthew and Mark pp. 236-238
April 2019
I found this interesting and informative…I hope you do as well. Dr. Paul Raabe was a professor of mine in seminary. (I shortened some paragraphs for space constraints.) Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Posted 20 days ago by Paul Raabe in Blog, Feature 1241
Strong on Doctrinal Topics But Weak on the Books of the Bible
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) is strong on doctrinal topics but weak on the books of the Bible. After teaching at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis for 35 years I’ve come to that conclusion. In the Synod those trained theologically can typically articulate our orthodox doctrinal position and can work with Lutheran concepts. They can explain, for example, the differences between deus revelatus and deus absconditus. But they can’t tell you the first thing about Haggai or Chronicles or 1 John. The situation is not a case of false doctrine. It’s just weird.
The theological debates that take place in Synod typically deal with Luther and Luther’s theological position. We debate Luther… After a while I want to respond: “What does the Bible teach? You know, the Bible, that book collecting dust on the bookshelf.” By listening to our debates one would get the impression that we are a Society for Luther Studies.
I have taught the books of the Bible to laypeople for decades, and I can speak from personal experience. Our laypeople typically do not know the books of the Bible. I remember once when I taught a series on the Minor Prophets. A solid Missouri Synod Lutheran layman, about 85 years old, sat in the front row every week. At the end of the series he told me that his pastors had faithfully taught him Lutheran doctrine many times over, but no pastor had ever taught him the Minor Prophets. I wondered to myself, “How can this be, a solid, life-long Lutheran was never taught all the books of the Bible?”
Occasionally I visit other churches to hear a variety of pastors preach. Sometimes I am thrilled to hear a solid, textual sermon. But I am surprised how often I hear topical sermons without a specific text in a specific book of the Bible. The sermons are doctrinally sound. I am not hearing LCMS preachers preach false doctrine. But often there is no functioning biblical text from a biblical book in the pulpit.
It seems to me that in the Missouri Synod the 66 books of the Bible take a backseat. Yet, we need to remind ourselves of the obvious. First and foremost, the Bible is a collection of books, not a collection of favorite verses or doctrinal topics but a library of books. And each book needs to be treated as a book, read in a holistic way by attending to how it flows from the opening verse to the closing verse. That is simply respecting the shape of the inspired Scriptures themselves. The Sacred Scriptures come to us in the form of books.
If Martin Luther were here today, my hunch is that he would agree. After all, he wanted the people to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Scriptures themselves and not only learn summary statements of what the entire Bible teaches. That is why he translated the Scriptures into the language of the people. That is why he preached and lectured through books of the Bible.
The books of the Bible are primary literature, while summaries of their doctrinal teaching are secondary literature. Yes, people have to be taught what all of Scripture teaches… But that…should not overshadow or eclipse the biblical books themselves. The written Word of God comes in the shape of books, and we should honor and love that shape and teach the Word according to that shape…
Our motto of sola scriptura sets up the expectation that our churches and ministers actually theologize that way, that in these churches the pastor is all about the Ministry of the Word, not “social justice” or “inclusivity” or feel-good psychology, but the Ministry of the Word (Acts 6). That requires devotion to both the orthodox [doctrine] and the books of the Bible.
I found this interesting and informative…I hope you do as well. Dr. Paul Raabe was a professor of mine in seminary. (I shortened some paragraphs for space constraints.) Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Posted 20 days ago by Paul Raabe in Blog, Feature 1241
Strong on Doctrinal Topics But Weak on the Books of the Bible
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) is strong on doctrinal topics but weak on the books of the Bible. After teaching at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis for 35 years I’ve come to that conclusion. In the Synod those trained theologically can typically articulate our orthodox doctrinal position and can work with Lutheran concepts. They can explain, for example, the differences between deus revelatus and deus absconditus. But they can’t tell you the first thing about Haggai or Chronicles or 1 John. The situation is not a case of false doctrine. It’s just weird.
The theological debates that take place in Synod typically deal with Luther and Luther’s theological position. We debate Luther… After a while I want to respond: “What does the Bible teach? You know, the Bible, that book collecting dust on the bookshelf.” By listening to our debates one would get the impression that we are a Society for Luther Studies.
I have taught the books of the Bible to laypeople for decades, and I can speak from personal experience. Our laypeople typically do not know the books of the Bible. I remember once when I taught a series on the Minor Prophets. A solid Missouri Synod Lutheran layman, about 85 years old, sat in the front row every week. At the end of the series he told me that his pastors had faithfully taught him Lutheran doctrine many times over, but no pastor had ever taught him the Minor Prophets. I wondered to myself, “How can this be, a solid, life-long Lutheran was never taught all the books of the Bible?”
Occasionally I visit other churches to hear a variety of pastors preach. Sometimes I am thrilled to hear a solid, textual sermon. But I am surprised how often I hear topical sermons without a specific text in a specific book of the Bible. The sermons are doctrinally sound. I am not hearing LCMS preachers preach false doctrine. But often there is no functioning biblical text from a biblical book in the pulpit.
It seems to me that in the Missouri Synod the 66 books of the Bible take a backseat. Yet, we need to remind ourselves of the obvious. First and foremost, the Bible is a collection of books, not a collection of favorite verses or doctrinal topics but a library of books. And each book needs to be treated as a book, read in a holistic way by attending to how it flows from the opening verse to the closing verse. That is simply respecting the shape of the inspired Scriptures themselves. The Sacred Scriptures come to us in the form of books.
If Martin Luther were here today, my hunch is that he would agree. After all, he wanted the people to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Scriptures themselves and not only learn summary statements of what the entire Bible teaches. That is why he translated the Scriptures into the language of the people. That is why he preached and lectured through books of the Bible.
The books of the Bible are primary literature, while summaries of their doctrinal teaching are secondary literature. Yes, people have to be taught what all of Scripture teaches… But that…should not overshadow or eclipse the biblical books themselves. The written Word of God comes in the shape of books, and we should honor and love that shape and teach the Word according to that shape…
Our motto of sola scriptura sets up the expectation that our churches and ministers actually theologize that way, that in these churches the pastor is all about the Ministry of the Word, not “social justice” or “inclusivity” or feel-good psychology, but the Ministry of the Word (Acts 6). That requires devotion to both the orthodox [doctrine] and the books of the Bible.
March 2019
White as Snow
“Come, let us settle this,” says the Lord. Though your sins are scarlet they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. (Isaiah 1:19 CSB)
I was desperately trying to find some way to tie this article with the snowmobiling trip from which my friend and I just returned home. I was not being particularly successful…I couldn’t find the term ‘snowmobile’ in the Bible! Long days following winding trails in the Minnesota north country, burning up gas, sitting at the restaurant or in the hotel lobby in the evening telling stories—none of it seemed to relate to an article to share with you. Even coming home to another 8+ inches of snow in the yard didn’t seem to bring up any ideas. Yes…it’s all part of God’s great gift of creation and his continuing sustaining power in and over the universe…but…
Then, finally, God got through my slow, cob-webby thought processes.
Snow. But not just snow. “Though your sins are scarlet they will as white as snow…” All this snow I’ve been playing on, all this snow that we have been fussing about as we have to move it out of our driveways and parking lots, all this snow that we have been have to worry about as we drive…all this snow is a reminder to us of God’s greatest gift to us! The forgiveness and removal of all our sins! Our free ticket to abundant and eternal life!
Jesus’ birth (Christmas), life (Epiphany), suffering (Lent), death (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter) are all summed up--in a simple snow fall. Our sins are bright red. They show up like a flashing LED sign. But the Lord said, “Come, let us settle this.” We are guilty—like we say, no one is perfect! But that little statement doesn’t excuse us; it confirms our guilt and justifies our eternal punishment. Again, but the Lord said, “Come, let us settle this.”
As it says in Isaiah 1:15b-17: “Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.” (CSB) But our every inclination is evil, from the time we are born (Genesis 8:21). We cannot wash ourselves.
But the Lord said, “Come, let us settle this.” And the triune God sent the Son, the only Son, to do what we cannot do. He fulfills the instructions of Isaiah—the instructions of the whole Word of God, because he is the Word of God. And He offers himself as our substitute, our sacrifice, and satisfies the perfection of our perfect creation by our perfect God.
Now our sins are as white as snow…no longer red…no longer seen…gone as far as the east is from the west. We are forgiven, given grace and given faith to trust that grace so that we may be brought home to home in heaven. Thanks be to God we can live life in that sure and certain knowledge!
Perhaps…just perhaps…you will try to join me in a change of heart? Instead of ‘cursing’ the snow of this ‘record-breaking’ February 2019, we can see it as a symbol that God uses to remind of his great love for us in Christ Jesus!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
White as Snow
“Come, let us settle this,” says the Lord. Though your sins are scarlet they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. (Isaiah 1:19 CSB)
I was desperately trying to find some way to tie this article with the snowmobiling trip from which my friend and I just returned home. I was not being particularly successful…I couldn’t find the term ‘snowmobile’ in the Bible! Long days following winding trails in the Minnesota north country, burning up gas, sitting at the restaurant or in the hotel lobby in the evening telling stories—none of it seemed to relate to an article to share with you. Even coming home to another 8+ inches of snow in the yard didn’t seem to bring up any ideas. Yes…it’s all part of God’s great gift of creation and his continuing sustaining power in and over the universe…but…
Then, finally, God got through my slow, cob-webby thought processes.
Snow. But not just snow. “Though your sins are scarlet they will as white as snow…” All this snow I’ve been playing on, all this snow that we have been fussing about as we have to move it out of our driveways and parking lots, all this snow that we have been have to worry about as we drive…all this snow is a reminder to us of God’s greatest gift to us! The forgiveness and removal of all our sins! Our free ticket to abundant and eternal life!
Jesus’ birth (Christmas), life (Epiphany), suffering (Lent), death (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter) are all summed up--in a simple snow fall. Our sins are bright red. They show up like a flashing LED sign. But the Lord said, “Come, let us settle this.” We are guilty—like we say, no one is perfect! But that little statement doesn’t excuse us; it confirms our guilt and justifies our eternal punishment. Again, but the Lord said, “Come, let us settle this.”
As it says in Isaiah 1:15b-17: “Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.” (CSB) But our every inclination is evil, from the time we are born (Genesis 8:21). We cannot wash ourselves.
But the Lord said, “Come, let us settle this.” And the triune God sent the Son, the only Son, to do what we cannot do. He fulfills the instructions of Isaiah—the instructions of the whole Word of God, because he is the Word of God. And He offers himself as our substitute, our sacrifice, and satisfies the perfection of our perfect creation by our perfect God.
Now our sins are as white as snow…no longer red…no longer seen…gone as far as the east is from the west. We are forgiven, given grace and given faith to trust that grace so that we may be brought home to home in heaven. Thanks be to God we can live life in that sure and certain knowledge!
Perhaps…just perhaps…you will try to join me in a change of heart? Instead of ‘cursing’ the snow of this ‘record-breaking’ February 2019, we can see it as a symbol that God uses to remind of his great love for us in Christ Jesus!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
February 2019
Doxology?
Doxology? What does this mean? Over the past few months the word has been tossed about around our congregations as a title to some workshop or conference that pastor was, and then pastor and some lay leaders were going to. But what does this mean?
Doxology. My Merriam Webster 9th New Collegiate Dictionary has, perhaps, the simplest definition: “a usually liturgical expression of praise to God.” The Lutheran Service Book defines doxology in its glossary as, “Words of praise addressed to the triune God. Hymns that conclude with a doxological stanza are so indicated with a r.” The Lutheran Cyclopedia explains it as, “[A s]tately and exultant hymn of praise addressed to the Triune God or to a single person of the Godhead…” It, and my A Dictionary of Liturgical Terms, identify two liturgical pieces common to many of us as Lutherans, the Gloria Patri and the Gloria in Excelsis, and the ending of the Lord’s Prayer, as examples of doxology.
But how does that help us to understand the conference to which pastor and our lay leaders went? Did they just sit around and sing hymns and pray the Lord’s Prayer? If you ask the lay leaders that went, I’m guessing that they’d say that it sometimes felt like that! After all, we had how many worship services in 48 hours?
Doxology: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel. That’s the official name of the RSO (Recognized Service Organization) headed up by Dr. Senkbeil, Dr. Yahnke, and Dr. Flemming designed to offer training, support and encouragement to pastors and congregations as we respond to God’s service to be in service to him.
God’s service? God sent his only begotten son to live, suffer, die on a cross, rise from the grave, ascend into heaven and rule over all creation to pay for the sins of the whole world and forgive the sins give eternal life to those who do not reject his outreached hand and believe in Jesus.
Our service? In response to his Holy Spirit, we believe in Jesus and work in his kingdom to be his hands and feet, ears and mouth, to proclaim his forgiveness and life that others will come to the same faith through the same work of the Holy Spirit.
So where’s the doxology? The hymn of praise? When pastor and congregation work together in God pleasing ways, it is a hymn of praise to our Triune God! When they do not, it is a song of great sorrow. Bringing pastors and lay leaders together to learn from God to help them be a positive witness of God’s grace assists in ‘writing’ that doxology. That’s what these conferences are about.
A group of five of us went to Racine, WI, last weekend. (Imagine riding 6+ hours each way in a pickup with pastor!) It was a weekend filled with hard work and lots of conversations. I encourage each of you to talk to Brian Moreau, Carol Werlein, Kay Christensen and Steve Baker. Buy them a cup of coffee (they all drink it—some even drink the ‘froo-froo’ stuff!). Get your money’s worth in learning what they learned. I don’t know the specifics of what the lay leaders heard and said…only what they have chosen to share with me to this point. But, then, they don’t know all that the pastors discussed, either—not because it is secret, but because there is only so much that the human brain can absorb at any given time! But, if by God’s grace, what comes out of our time together brings glory to God through our ministry together in our congregations and builds faith in the faithful and brings faith to the faithless…that is an awesome Doxology!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Doxology?
Doxology? What does this mean? Over the past few months the word has been tossed about around our congregations as a title to some workshop or conference that pastor was, and then pastor and some lay leaders were going to. But what does this mean?
Doxology. My Merriam Webster 9th New Collegiate Dictionary has, perhaps, the simplest definition: “a usually liturgical expression of praise to God.” The Lutheran Service Book defines doxology in its glossary as, “Words of praise addressed to the triune God. Hymns that conclude with a doxological stanza are so indicated with a r.” The Lutheran Cyclopedia explains it as, “[A s]tately and exultant hymn of praise addressed to the Triune God or to a single person of the Godhead…” It, and my A Dictionary of Liturgical Terms, identify two liturgical pieces common to many of us as Lutherans, the Gloria Patri and the Gloria in Excelsis, and the ending of the Lord’s Prayer, as examples of doxology.
But how does that help us to understand the conference to which pastor and our lay leaders went? Did they just sit around and sing hymns and pray the Lord’s Prayer? If you ask the lay leaders that went, I’m guessing that they’d say that it sometimes felt like that! After all, we had how many worship services in 48 hours?
Doxology: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel. That’s the official name of the RSO (Recognized Service Organization) headed up by Dr. Senkbeil, Dr. Yahnke, and Dr. Flemming designed to offer training, support and encouragement to pastors and congregations as we respond to God’s service to be in service to him.
God’s service? God sent his only begotten son to live, suffer, die on a cross, rise from the grave, ascend into heaven and rule over all creation to pay for the sins of the whole world and forgive the sins give eternal life to those who do not reject his outreached hand and believe in Jesus.
Our service? In response to his Holy Spirit, we believe in Jesus and work in his kingdom to be his hands and feet, ears and mouth, to proclaim his forgiveness and life that others will come to the same faith through the same work of the Holy Spirit.
So where’s the doxology? The hymn of praise? When pastor and congregation work together in God pleasing ways, it is a hymn of praise to our Triune God! When they do not, it is a song of great sorrow. Bringing pastors and lay leaders together to learn from God to help them be a positive witness of God’s grace assists in ‘writing’ that doxology. That’s what these conferences are about.
A group of five of us went to Racine, WI, last weekend. (Imagine riding 6+ hours each way in a pickup with pastor!) It was a weekend filled with hard work and lots of conversations. I encourage each of you to talk to Brian Moreau, Carol Werlein, Kay Christensen and Steve Baker. Buy them a cup of coffee (they all drink it—some even drink the ‘froo-froo’ stuff!). Get your money’s worth in learning what they learned. I don’t know the specifics of what the lay leaders heard and said…only what they have chosen to share with me to this point. But, then, they don’t know all that the pastors discussed, either—not because it is secret, but because there is only so much that the human brain can absorb at any given time! But, if by God’s grace, what comes out of our time together brings glory to God through our ministry together in our congregations and builds faith in the faithful and brings faith to the faithless…that is an awesome Doxology!
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom