Notes from Pastor Renstrom |
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On this page, you can read selected Grace Notes articles from Pastor Tim Renstrom from past months and study them in closer detail. Enjoy!
November 2021
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:16-18 CSB)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
We have a rare opportunity. Not that the “event” is rare—the “event” is a difference of opinion between two groups—but the opportunity is rare. The opportunity we have is to show how we as congregations can model how Christians listen to God’s Word and work at coming together—to walk together—in a God-pleasing way. To follow God’s Word, we are to work together to live at peace with everyone.
That doesn’t mean we won’t have conflict or disagreements as Christians. We live as sinners in a sin-filled world with the trinity of evil—Satan, the world and our sinful self—constantly attacking us to get us to not listen to God. But we also live as saints saved by Jesus, filled with the Spirit, who have the very ‘ear’ of the Father in prayer so that we might listen to God and do that which is pleasing to him.
So it’s not about winning when we are in a disagreement. Romans 14:19 (CSB), So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. When we are in disagreement, we don’t go after winning. Instead, we listen to one another and try to hear what it is that concerns the other so that together we can pursue peace—together.
From whence does this peace come? Ephesians 2:4 (CSB) For he is our peace… referring to Jesus. He broke down the dividing wall of hostility between God and man and between groups of mankind. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”—while we were still the sworn enemies of God, the Trinity made the ultimate sacrifice to make peace with us. And we are to be imitators of God...so in the peace he is for us, we are to make the ultimate sacrifice to be at peace with one another. In the calling to be Christians we have received from Holy Spirit, we “live worthy” making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3 CSB).
Our opportunity to practice our Christian faith comes in the challenge presented by our two recent congregations’ Voters Assemblies. One assembly has passed a budget with pastor’s salary at a different percentage raise than the other. While I admit that I’m the guy who picks up pennies off the parking lot and puts them in the offering plate because every penny is valuable, still, the amount of dollars we’re talking about is relatively small, less than 1% of the budgets. What’s big is who we listen to as we strive to resolve this difference. Can we listen to each other’s concerns?
I believe that our two congregations can. We have a plan in place—that was put in place when we joined in a multi-congregation ministry. We start with the Elders meeting jointly. Why the Elders you ask? Because they are to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of the congregations—not the budget, not winning or getting “my way”, but about our spiritual welfare. I hold Elders to a high standard. Whether it be on Council or in Voters, Elders are to only be concerned about our faith in Jesus Christ and how we live it. (And, once an Elder, always an Elder, whether or not you are serving on the Board—I hear it time and again from members, “Well, he served as an Elder once...”)
So the Elders, focusing on our spiritual welfare and God’s peace among us, will respectfully listen to the concerns of each group of Voters. Listening to God’s Word, they will arrive at a suggestion that reflects their listening. A special Joint Council Meeting will be called, at which the Joint Elders suggestion is presented. The Joint Council will then present a suggestion to each Voters Assembly for the voters to act on in their respective special meetings. Thus we will resolve our difference.
So, what do we do while all of this is in process? Pray. Talk to God about where your heart is and ask him to “create a clean heart” within you. Then encourage your Elders as they get ready to gather. Encourage them to lead and guide us in the way God—not in the ways of the world.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:16-18 CSB)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
We have a rare opportunity. Not that the “event” is rare—the “event” is a difference of opinion between two groups—but the opportunity is rare. The opportunity we have is to show how we as congregations can model how Christians listen to God’s Word and work at coming together—to walk together—in a God-pleasing way. To follow God’s Word, we are to work together to live at peace with everyone.
That doesn’t mean we won’t have conflict or disagreements as Christians. We live as sinners in a sin-filled world with the trinity of evil—Satan, the world and our sinful self—constantly attacking us to get us to not listen to God. But we also live as saints saved by Jesus, filled with the Spirit, who have the very ‘ear’ of the Father in prayer so that we might listen to God and do that which is pleasing to him.
So it’s not about winning when we are in a disagreement. Romans 14:19 (CSB), So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. When we are in disagreement, we don’t go after winning. Instead, we listen to one another and try to hear what it is that concerns the other so that together we can pursue peace—together.
From whence does this peace come? Ephesians 2:4 (CSB) For he is our peace… referring to Jesus. He broke down the dividing wall of hostility between God and man and between groups of mankind. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”—while we were still the sworn enemies of God, the Trinity made the ultimate sacrifice to make peace with us. And we are to be imitators of God...so in the peace he is for us, we are to make the ultimate sacrifice to be at peace with one another. In the calling to be Christians we have received from Holy Spirit, we “live worthy” making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3 CSB).
Our opportunity to practice our Christian faith comes in the challenge presented by our two recent congregations’ Voters Assemblies. One assembly has passed a budget with pastor’s salary at a different percentage raise than the other. While I admit that I’m the guy who picks up pennies off the parking lot and puts them in the offering plate because every penny is valuable, still, the amount of dollars we’re talking about is relatively small, less than 1% of the budgets. What’s big is who we listen to as we strive to resolve this difference. Can we listen to each other’s concerns?
I believe that our two congregations can. We have a plan in place—that was put in place when we joined in a multi-congregation ministry. We start with the Elders meeting jointly. Why the Elders you ask? Because they are to be concerned about the spiritual welfare of the congregations—not the budget, not winning or getting “my way”, but about our spiritual welfare. I hold Elders to a high standard. Whether it be on Council or in Voters, Elders are to only be concerned about our faith in Jesus Christ and how we live it. (And, once an Elder, always an Elder, whether or not you are serving on the Board—I hear it time and again from members, “Well, he served as an Elder once...”)
So the Elders, focusing on our spiritual welfare and God’s peace among us, will respectfully listen to the concerns of each group of Voters. Listening to God’s Word, they will arrive at a suggestion that reflects their listening. A special Joint Council Meeting will be called, at which the Joint Elders suggestion is presented. The Joint Council will then present a suggestion to each Voters Assembly for the voters to act on in their respective special meetings. Thus we will resolve our difference.
So, what do we do while all of this is in process? Pray. Talk to God about where your heart is and ask him to “create a clean heart” within you. Then encourage your Elders as they get ready to gather. Encourage them to lead and guide us in the way God—not in the ways of the world.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
October 2021
Just to Test the Waters…
I recently attended a conference during which the presenter, an LCMS pastor (the Rev. Paul Dare), presented his work, a Bible Study on “Christians in a Woke World: A Call to Courage, Confession, and Love”. In listening to the presentation, I found that I was/am not nearly as informed as I thought I was! Let me quote to you from the Bible study’s introduction:
Systemic racism, privilege, political correctness, woke, anti-racist, social justice are common words in the world today. What comes to mind when you hear them? Are you able to accurately define them?
Does the world seem to be more divided along the lines of race, gender, religion, and income?
Would you agree that trust in societal institutions such as religion, education, marriage, media and family is diminishing?
Does it seem to you that young people are often losing their Christian faith while attending college?
Do you think people desire to be considered a victim or part of a victim group?
To understand our world and answer these questions, a Christian in today’s America must understand the new Marxism, which is often called Cultural Marxism (defined as “the ideology of Marxism as it is applied to the culture rather than economic status or class”).
If there is enough interest in our congregations, I’d like to work through this Bible study in each of our locations. The “rules of engagement” would be that we stay out of the politics while doing a Christian analysis of a political ideology...in other words, no “blue” or “red” party conversations—they are out of bounds. We would look to understand things through our Christian worldview...asking “What does God say? What does His Word say?”
If we are to do this Bible study, we would need to really work on having and showing respect to our fellow participants. As it says in Colossians 3:12, “put on...compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” The group has to open to all sorts of questions, even those questions we can’t quite figure out how to ask—and they come out wrong.
I think the Bible study would be helpful for all of us because it will cause us to look and dig deeply into our Christian faith and be led by God, through his Word, to apply our faith to our everyday lives. I look forward to the opportunity to lead it.
So...all of that said, what do you think? Is there enough interest in our congregations to set aside time to consistently attend about 10 weeks of Bible study? Some at St John’s have suggested holding the class there on Wednesday evenings between Christmas and Ash Wednesday. How about at St Stephen’s? When would be a good time for us to gather in Braham? What other times would work in either of our communities? Please give me some feedback.
I know that some will suggest that we hold this Bible study on Sunday morning before worship. The elders and I think it would be best if the pastor leads this study. That said, I can’t do it at St Stephen’s before worship, and, at St John’s, before worship is too early in the morning for many to be able to participate. So I’m looking for your feedback for other times. Please talk to me, leave me a note, send me an email...whatever way you choose to communicate will be good.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Just to Test the Waters…
I recently attended a conference during which the presenter, an LCMS pastor (the Rev. Paul Dare), presented his work, a Bible Study on “Christians in a Woke World: A Call to Courage, Confession, and Love”. In listening to the presentation, I found that I was/am not nearly as informed as I thought I was! Let me quote to you from the Bible study’s introduction:
Systemic racism, privilege, political correctness, woke, anti-racist, social justice are common words in the world today. What comes to mind when you hear them? Are you able to accurately define them?
Does the world seem to be more divided along the lines of race, gender, religion, and income?
Would you agree that trust in societal institutions such as religion, education, marriage, media and family is diminishing?
Does it seem to you that young people are often losing their Christian faith while attending college?
Do you think people desire to be considered a victim or part of a victim group?
To understand our world and answer these questions, a Christian in today’s America must understand the new Marxism, which is often called Cultural Marxism (defined as “the ideology of Marxism as it is applied to the culture rather than economic status or class”).
If there is enough interest in our congregations, I’d like to work through this Bible study in each of our locations. The “rules of engagement” would be that we stay out of the politics while doing a Christian analysis of a political ideology...in other words, no “blue” or “red” party conversations—they are out of bounds. We would look to understand things through our Christian worldview...asking “What does God say? What does His Word say?”
If we are to do this Bible study, we would need to really work on having and showing respect to our fellow participants. As it says in Colossians 3:12, “put on...compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” The group has to open to all sorts of questions, even those questions we can’t quite figure out how to ask—and they come out wrong.
I think the Bible study would be helpful for all of us because it will cause us to look and dig deeply into our Christian faith and be led by God, through his Word, to apply our faith to our everyday lives. I look forward to the opportunity to lead it.
So...all of that said, what do you think? Is there enough interest in our congregations to set aside time to consistently attend about 10 weeks of Bible study? Some at St John’s have suggested holding the class there on Wednesday evenings between Christmas and Ash Wednesday. How about at St Stephen’s? When would be a good time for us to gather in Braham? What other times would work in either of our communities? Please give me some feedback.
I know that some will suggest that we hold this Bible study on Sunday morning before worship. The elders and I think it would be best if the pastor leads this study. That said, I can’t do it at St Stephen’s before worship, and, at St John’s, before worship is too early in the morning for many to be able to participate. So I’m looking for your feedback for other times. Please talk to me, leave me a note, send me an email...whatever way you choose to communicate will be good.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
September 2021
Upon Receiving a Call
Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15 EHV
Few things throw more panic and confusion into a congregation than when a pastor stands up after the worship service and announces, “I have received a call to serve as pastor of xyz Lutheran Church, whoknowswhere.” And while much of the panic and confusion is well-met and well-grounded, I think a lot of it is because we, pastors, don’t do a really good job of teaching the doctrines of the Holy Ministry and the Call. I know this both from the standpoint of being a pastor receiving calls and the standpoint of being a Circuit Visitor working with congregations who are calling pastors.
As most of you know, I recently received a Divine Call to serve as pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Leadville, Colorado. As of this writing, I am still prayerfully deliberating this call as well as the call to serve St Stephen’s and St John’s Lutheran Churches. And because of this reminder, I’m trying to do a little teaching about the Divine Call.
First is to realize that it is a Divine Call, that is, a call which comes from God, through His congregation, to a man who is trained and prepared, into the Pastoral Office that is also provided by God. That is to say, no man rightly seeks a call to a specific place. He is content to minister (serve) where God has placed him, all the time aware that God may call him to work in His congregations in other places.
That said, I have never asked that my name be placed on a congregation’s Call List. Congregations and District Presidents have asked that my name be on lists from time to time because they have been led to believe that I have the ministry skills and attitude that would be beneficial to a particular call. But it would be improper—understand: sinful—for me to ask that my name be placed on a specific congregation’s Call List. Still, for most of my professional ministry career, I have been of the belief that, if I am active in ministry, I am available to consider a call.
Nor, as it is sometimes thought, can someone rightly place my name on some church’s Call List because they don’t like me or how I do ministry. I have had that question asked me over the years as Circuit Visitor—and as I type it, the absurdity of it comes out! There may be enemies of the pastor in the congregation he is serving, but why would they wish him on their friends in the calling congregation?!
There are times when it is right for a pastor to ‘actively seek a call’ to another congregation. There are various reasons, but if/when that time comes in a pastor’s career, it is after long prayerful deliberation that he approaches his District President and makes that request. Then, through the district offices, his name is prayerfully offered to several congregations for them to prayerfully discern God’s will to call a pastor.
This gives some of the basics of the process of the Divine Call. Clearly there can be more questions—and if you have them, I’m glad to answer them.
In regards to my call to Good Shepherd—I generally suggest to men considering a call that they work with it about a month before announcing a decision. This is the advice I was given as a young pastor and is the advice I still follow. So, if God wills, I will likely announce my decision the first Sunday in September.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Upon Receiving a Call
Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15 EHV
Few things throw more panic and confusion into a congregation than when a pastor stands up after the worship service and announces, “I have received a call to serve as pastor of xyz Lutheran Church, whoknowswhere.” And while much of the panic and confusion is well-met and well-grounded, I think a lot of it is because we, pastors, don’t do a really good job of teaching the doctrines of the Holy Ministry and the Call. I know this both from the standpoint of being a pastor receiving calls and the standpoint of being a Circuit Visitor working with congregations who are calling pastors.
As most of you know, I recently received a Divine Call to serve as pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Leadville, Colorado. As of this writing, I am still prayerfully deliberating this call as well as the call to serve St Stephen’s and St John’s Lutheran Churches. And because of this reminder, I’m trying to do a little teaching about the Divine Call.
First is to realize that it is a Divine Call, that is, a call which comes from God, through His congregation, to a man who is trained and prepared, into the Pastoral Office that is also provided by God. That is to say, no man rightly seeks a call to a specific place. He is content to minister (serve) where God has placed him, all the time aware that God may call him to work in His congregations in other places.
That said, I have never asked that my name be placed on a congregation’s Call List. Congregations and District Presidents have asked that my name be on lists from time to time because they have been led to believe that I have the ministry skills and attitude that would be beneficial to a particular call. But it would be improper—understand: sinful—for me to ask that my name be placed on a specific congregation’s Call List. Still, for most of my professional ministry career, I have been of the belief that, if I am active in ministry, I am available to consider a call.
Nor, as it is sometimes thought, can someone rightly place my name on some church’s Call List because they don’t like me or how I do ministry. I have had that question asked me over the years as Circuit Visitor—and as I type it, the absurdity of it comes out! There may be enemies of the pastor in the congregation he is serving, but why would they wish him on their friends in the calling congregation?!
There are times when it is right for a pastor to ‘actively seek a call’ to another congregation. There are various reasons, but if/when that time comes in a pastor’s career, it is after long prayerful deliberation that he approaches his District President and makes that request. Then, through the district offices, his name is prayerfully offered to several congregations for them to prayerfully discern God’s will to call a pastor.
This gives some of the basics of the process of the Divine Call. Clearly there can be more questions—and if you have them, I’m glad to answer them.
In regards to my call to Good Shepherd—I generally suggest to men considering a call that they work with it about a month before announcing a decision. This is the advice I was given as a young pastor and is the advice I still follow. So, if God wills, I will likely announce my decision the first Sunday in September.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
August 2021
It’s Complicated…
Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the king as the supreme authority or to governors as those who have been sent by him to punish those who do what is wrong and to praise those who do what is right. For this is God’s will: that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Do this as free people, and do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but use it as servants of God. 1 Peter 3:13-16 EHV
I quit doing it… “it” being asking our son to explain what his job is. When most people ask him, they get the response, “I’m in IT and work with computers” and their eyes glaze over and they nod. With me he’s more patient. It usually starts with, “It’s complicated…” And I think the topic which I am about to broach with you is one that I often avoid because...it’s complicated. Too complicated for a 15 minute sermon. Very much too complicated for a short newsletter article.
But I’m going to do it anyway...so be aware that this is just a small sample of the topic.
What we’re going to talk about is Church and State. Church being the body of believers—individual and corporate. State being government at all levels.
While this topic is an important one in the life of a Christian, I try to discuss it during ‘off’ political times, so as not to sound in favor of one side or the other—not because I don’t have an opinion, but because it is my call as a pastor to be pastor to everyone in the congregation, regardless of his/her position on candidates and issues.
To begin extremely simplistically and briefly, Luther taught that Scripture tells us that God is at work in the world through two kingdoms: the Spiritual Kingdom (the kingdom of the right) and the Temporal Kingdom (the kingdom of the left). Through the Spiritual Kingdom God is restoring the world through the delivery of the Gospel. This is where the Church operates. Through the Temporal Kingdom God is preserving the world from overt acts of sinfulness. This is where the State operates. And the Christian finds him/herself in both kingdoms.
Scripturally, these two kingdoms are to cooperate and work together. Unlike what the reformers John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli taught (reformers contemporary to Luther who began the Reformed Church movement), the Church is “not driving for Christian government...It is enough that government is just, upholding what’s right.” It is a “practical, modest, realistic” goal (quoting Rev. Dr. Joel Bierman in an interview with Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, “One Nation Under God”).
It is not the Christian’s goal to make a Christian government. It is not that the Church shouldn’t be political, after all, God is at work in the world through governments. It is the Christian’s vocation in our modern world to hold it’s government accountable to do what is right and just in the eyes of God. It is enough that the State do it’s job to preserve the world through justice for all (Temporal Kingdom). The Church’s job is to restore the people of the world to God through the delivery of the Gospel (Spiritual Kingdom).
Luther sees that the State, which doesn’t proclaim the Gospel, cooperates with the Church when the Church isn’t doing it’s job (delivering the Gospel) by holding the Church accountable to having leaders who do deliver the Gospel to the people.
How does this translate to the individual Christian voter? We understand the answer to this question through the lens of vocation. All of our vocations—father, mother, son, daughter, worker, etc.—are done asking, “How can I serve others?” So, when voting, our question is “How do I vote to serve my neighbor?” You may have noticed...it’s not about me. As a Christian, it never is. In fact, while we may have been extended “rights” by our Constitution, there is a strong argument that asks, “Where in the Bible do you have rights? Christians have no rights. We are dependent on God for mercy and grace.”
Church and State...it’s complicated. But this gives you a good Biblical place from which to start your thinking and praying for understanding. And do it remembering that you are a Christian—one who is redeemed from all your sins by the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
It’s Complicated…
Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the king as the supreme authority or to governors as those who have been sent by him to punish those who do what is wrong and to praise those who do what is right. For this is God’s will: that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Do this as free people, and do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but use it as servants of God. 1 Peter 3:13-16 EHV
I quit doing it… “it” being asking our son to explain what his job is. When most people ask him, they get the response, “I’m in IT and work with computers” and their eyes glaze over and they nod. With me he’s more patient. It usually starts with, “It’s complicated…” And I think the topic which I am about to broach with you is one that I often avoid because...it’s complicated. Too complicated for a 15 minute sermon. Very much too complicated for a short newsletter article.
But I’m going to do it anyway...so be aware that this is just a small sample of the topic.
What we’re going to talk about is Church and State. Church being the body of believers—individual and corporate. State being government at all levels.
While this topic is an important one in the life of a Christian, I try to discuss it during ‘off’ political times, so as not to sound in favor of one side or the other—not because I don’t have an opinion, but because it is my call as a pastor to be pastor to everyone in the congregation, regardless of his/her position on candidates and issues.
To begin extremely simplistically and briefly, Luther taught that Scripture tells us that God is at work in the world through two kingdoms: the Spiritual Kingdom (the kingdom of the right) and the Temporal Kingdom (the kingdom of the left). Through the Spiritual Kingdom God is restoring the world through the delivery of the Gospel. This is where the Church operates. Through the Temporal Kingdom God is preserving the world from overt acts of sinfulness. This is where the State operates. And the Christian finds him/herself in both kingdoms.
Scripturally, these two kingdoms are to cooperate and work together. Unlike what the reformers John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli taught (reformers contemporary to Luther who began the Reformed Church movement), the Church is “not driving for Christian government...It is enough that government is just, upholding what’s right.” It is a “practical, modest, realistic” goal (quoting Rev. Dr. Joel Bierman in an interview with Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, “One Nation Under God”).
It is not the Christian’s goal to make a Christian government. It is not that the Church shouldn’t be political, after all, God is at work in the world through governments. It is the Christian’s vocation in our modern world to hold it’s government accountable to do what is right and just in the eyes of God. It is enough that the State do it’s job to preserve the world through justice for all (Temporal Kingdom). The Church’s job is to restore the people of the world to God through the delivery of the Gospel (Spiritual Kingdom).
Luther sees that the State, which doesn’t proclaim the Gospel, cooperates with the Church when the Church isn’t doing it’s job (delivering the Gospel) by holding the Church accountable to having leaders who do deliver the Gospel to the people.
How does this translate to the individual Christian voter? We understand the answer to this question through the lens of vocation. All of our vocations—father, mother, son, daughter, worker, etc.—are done asking, “How can I serve others?” So, when voting, our question is “How do I vote to serve my neighbor?” You may have noticed...it’s not about me. As a Christian, it never is. In fact, while we may have been extended “rights” by our Constitution, there is a strong argument that asks, “Where in the Bible do you have rights? Christians have no rights. We are dependent on God for mercy and grace.”
Church and State...it’s complicated. But this gives you a good Biblical place from which to start your thinking and praying for understanding. And do it remembering that you are a Christian—one who is redeemed from all your sins by the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
JULY 2021
The following sermon was published at the Concordia Seminary, St Louis, “Concordia Theology Commentary, Conversation and Resources for Life and Ministry Today” blogsite What ’s Wrong With Happy Endings? | Concordia Theology . It was given by Rev Rossow, a very honored professor at the seminary who most of us desired to learn from, by not all were privileged to do so. It was first delivered long before I was in residence, but I believe is still relevant today. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Posted April 8, 2021 by Editor in Articles, Feature703
WHAT ’S WRONG WITH HAPPY ENDINGS?
Editor ’s note: the following sermon by Professor Emeritus Francis “Rev” Rossow was published in the July 1977 issue of the Concordia Journal (volume 3, issue 4). The sermon was originally preached in the Concordia Seminary chapel on April 15, 1977.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:4).
Some time ago I ran across this conclusion about the Book of Job in a work entitled The Spirit of Tragedy by Herbert J. Muller:
Then somebody added the Hollywood ending in which Job is given twice as much property as he had had before, and a second set of children, thereby proving that virtue is always rewarded—and missing the whole point of the original book.
Here we see a scholar not only adhering to the critical principle that happy endings are aesthetically inferior to unhappy endings but even determining the authorship of a Biblical book on the basis of that principle. Mr. Muller, of course, has the utmost respect for the literary quality of Job. But then there ’s this inexplicable ending, so disappointing, and so disappointing precisely because it ’s so happy. Apparently, the only way to account for it, in Mr. Muller ’s opinion, is to hypothesize another author, an author much more limited in intelligence and critical taste than the original one.
Now, relax: the authorship of Job is not the subject of my sermon this morning —it 2 would hardly be an appropriate theme. But I do want to talk about the critical assumption behind Mr. Muller’s conclusion: the assumption that the more tragic a work of art is the better it is.
One runs across the same assumption in Shakespearean criticism, particularly in recent Shakespearean criticism. Generally, Shakespeare’s comedies are held to be inferior to his tragedies. Various reasons are given for this conclusion, some of them legitimate, but the most common one I find is that comedy just is not as accurate a reflection of the human condition as is tragedy. The human condition, it is implied, is blood, sweat, and tears. Life is complex. Life is hard. Life is tragic. And unless comedy can somehow capture this gloomy spirit in a variety of sick jokes or actually be a serious comment on life simply disguised as comedy, it is automatically doomed to aesthetic mediocrity. And turning to the tragedies, which is the greatest? Predictably, King Lear! Now I believe that a good case can be made for Lear: its superb structure; its universal questions; its rich language. But what is the most common reason given? The fact that it’s so intensely tragic and pessimistic: no cheap, tawdry ending; no compromise; and Cordelia’s gratuitous death thrown in for good measure. For once, it seems, Shakespeare has succeeded in holding up the mirror to nature.
And it is precisely this view of nature that I as a committed Christian take sharp issue with. Is life basically tragic? Is it only blood, sweat, and tears? Because I believe that Christ has redeemed me and all creatures, I say “No.” Because I believe that Christ rose again from the dead, I say “No.” Because I believe that I too shall rise from death and live eternally with my risen Lord (as our text this morning reminds us), I say, “No, life is not basically tragic. It is not only blood, sweat, and tears.”
Oh, I hate Mickey Mouse approaches and soap opera endings as much as you do. I think Kojak would rise in my estimation considerably if he’d occasionally lose a case. And these so-called Christians who sit around twiddling their thumbs and winking an eye at social ills while they chant, “God’s in His heaven; all’s right with the world,” annoy me as much as they annoy anyone. Must we eternally bask in sweetness and light and forever fare on a diet of sugar and syrup? To conclude every story with a happy ending is an obvious oversimplification. Certainly, any approach to life must cope with its sin-caused complexities, its unanswerable riddles, and its all too frequent pain and agony.
But isn’t it just as much an oversimplification to conclude every story with an unhappy ending? After all, even in real life somebody does occasionally strike it rich, problems are sometimes solved, and every so often couples marry and do live happily ever after.
But let us not settle the matter on the basis of merely empirical data. Let us settle it in terms of the resurrection. You see, there’s really the answer. The whole business does have a happy ending! Death is not the last word. Life is, eternal life. There is a rainbow’s end. We can live happily ever after. All because Christ rose from death. Hence to portray life purely in terms of tragedy is not only an oversimplification — it is a ghastly error.
Ironically, this very resurrection has itself been the victim of the sort of critical approach we are decrying this morning. “How pedestrian,” some say, “for an otherwise good story to end in this fashion. Christ crucified? Ah, yes, there was a story with possibilities. An idealistic young man cut off prematurely in his prime, loyal to his convictions, uncompromising, misunderstood by all, seeking answers but finding none. Here lay the true spirit of tragedy. But Christ risen? Ugh! Too bad someone had to slap on that Hollywood ending and spoil it all.”
You see, we’ve come a long way since Peter. It was of the crucifixion that Peter mistakenly said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” But it is of the resurrection that we today mistakenly say, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” Peter didn’t want to be sad. We don’t want to be happy. There’s twenty centuries of progress for you!
Not wanting to be happy! Can you imagine a more tragic tragic flaw? To be offered happiness and to refuse it because one thinks happiness is mediocrity. To be handed the meaning of life and to spurn it because of the mistaken aesthetic notion that life should have no meaning. Can you imagine a number of the damned on Judgment Day sulking their way into hell, disappointed that the universe did have a happy ending after all—at least for a number of people—and still insisting that they’ll be damned before they’ll go along with anything so cheap and tawdry? And won’t there be literary societies and coffee talks in hell?
Which leads me to my final point. It is apparent by now, in spite of a misleading introduction, that what we’ve been talking about this morning is more than a matter of literary criticism. It is a matter of life and death. Each of us here has been confronted with the Good News, “He is risen. He is not here.” We can accept this and be happy and live. Or we can tilt our nose and raise our eyebrows and be of all men most miserable and die. Even more, each of us here is dedicating his life to the proclamation of this Good News to others. Let’s be sure to proclaim it. Let’s not be ashamed of it. “Misery loves company,” but let’s make sure that we don’t practice this adage in our ministry, out of a false sense of maturity and sophistication emasculating the Gospel of its joyous content and landing both ourselves and our listeners in that outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Except we become as little children, we can in no wise—and our listeners can in no wise—enter into the kingdom of heaven. Hell may well be for the sophisticated, but heaven is for just such children.
Francis C. Rossow
The following sermon was published at the Concordia Seminary, St Louis, “Concordia Theology Commentary, Conversation and Resources for Life and Ministry Today” blogsite What ’s Wrong With Happy Endings? | Concordia Theology . It was given by Rev Rossow, a very honored professor at the seminary who most of us desired to learn from, by not all were privileged to do so. It was first delivered long before I was in residence, but I believe is still relevant today. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
Posted April 8, 2021 by Editor in Articles, Feature703
WHAT ’S WRONG WITH HAPPY ENDINGS?
Editor ’s note: the following sermon by Professor Emeritus Francis “Rev” Rossow was published in the July 1977 issue of the Concordia Journal (volume 3, issue 4). The sermon was originally preached in the Concordia Seminary chapel on April 15, 1977.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:4).
Some time ago I ran across this conclusion about the Book of Job in a work entitled The Spirit of Tragedy by Herbert J. Muller:
Then somebody added the Hollywood ending in which Job is given twice as much property as he had had before, and a second set of children, thereby proving that virtue is always rewarded—and missing the whole point of the original book.
Here we see a scholar not only adhering to the critical principle that happy endings are aesthetically inferior to unhappy endings but even determining the authorship of a Biblical book on the basis of that principle. Mr. Muller, of course, has the utmost respect for the literary quality of Job. But then there ’s this inexplicable ending, so disappointing, and so disappointing precisely because it ’s so happy. Apparently, the only way to account for it, in Mr. Muller ’s opinion, is to hypothesize another author, an author much more limited in intelligence and critical taste than the original one.
Now, relax: the authorship of Job is not the subject of my sermon this morning —it 2 would hardly be an appropriate theme. But I do want to talk about the critical assumption behind Mr. Muller’s conclusion: the assumption that the more tragic a work of art is the better it is.
One runs across the same assumption in Shakespearean criticism, particularly in recent Shakespearean criticism. Generally, Shakespeare’s comedies are held to be inferior to his tragedies. Various reasons are given for this conclusion, some of them legitimate, but the most common one I find is that comedy just is not as accurate a reflection of the human condition as is tragedy. The human condition, it is implied, is blood, sweat, and tears. Life is complex. Life is hard. Life is tragic. And unless comedy can somehow capture this gloomy spirit in a variety of sick jokes or actually be a serious comment on life simply disguised as comedy, it is automatically doomed to aesthetic mediocrity. And turning to the tragedies, which is the greatest? Predictably, King Lear! Now I believe that a good case can be made for Lear: its superb structure; its universal questions; its rich language. But what is the most common reason given? The fact that it’s so intensely tragic and pessimistic: no cheap, tawdry ending; no compromise; and Cordelia’s gratuitous death thrown in for good measure. For once, it seems, Shakespeare has succeeded in holding up the mirror to nature.
And it is precisely this view of nature that I as a committed Christian take sharp issue with. Is life basically tragic? Is it only blood, sweat, and tears? Because I believe that Christ has redeemed me and all creatures, I say “No.” Because I believe that Christ rose again from the dead, I say “No.” Because I believe that I too shall rise from death and live eternally with my risen Lord (as our text this morning reminds us), I say, “No, life is not basically tragic. It is not only blood, sweat, and tears.”
Oh, I hate Mickey Mouse approaches and soap opera endings as much as you do. I think Kojak would rise in my estimation considerably if he’d occasionally lose a case. And these so-called Christians who sit around twiddling their thumbs and winking an eye at social ills while they chant, “God’s in His heaven; all’s right with the world,” annoy me as much as they annoy anyone. Must we eternally bask in sweetness and light and forever fare on a diet of sugar and syrup? To conclude every story with a happy ending is an obvious oversimplification. Certainly, any approach to life must cope with its sin-caused complexities, its unanswerable riddles, and its all too frequent pain and agony.
But isn’t it just as much an oversimplification to conclude every story with an unhappy ending? After all, even in real life somebody does occasionally strike it rich, problems are sometimes solved, and every so often couples marry and do live happily ever after.
But let us not settle the matter on the basis of merely empirical data. Let us settle it in terms of the resurrection. You see, there’s really the answer. The whole business does have a happy ending! Death is not the last word. Life is, eternal life. There is a rainbow’s end. We can live happily ever after. All because Christ rose from death. Hence to portray life purely in terms of tragedy is not only an oversimplification — it is a ghastly error.
Ironically, this very resurrection has itself been the victim of the sort of critical approach we are decrying this morning. “How pedestrian,” some say, “for an otherwise good story to end in this fashion. Christ crucified? Ah, yes, there was a story with possibilities. An idealistic young man cut off prematurely in his prime, loyal to his convictions, uncompromising, misunderstood by all, seeking answers but finding none. Here lay the true spirit of tragedy. But Christ risen? Ugh! Too bad someone had to slap on that Hollywood ending and spoil it all.”
You see, we’ve come a long way since Peter. It was of the crucifixion that Peter mistakenly said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” But it is of the resurrection that we today mistakenly say, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” Peter didn’t want to be sad. We don’t want to be happy. There’s twenty centuries of progress for you!
Not wanting to be happy! Can you imagine a more tragic tragic flaw? To be offered happiness and to refuse it because one thinks happiness is mediocrity. To be handed the meaning of life and to spurn it because of the mistaken aesthetic notion that life should have no meaning. Can you imagine a number of the damned on Judgment Day sulking their way into hell, disappointed that the universe did have a happy ending after all—at least for a number of people—and still insisting that they’ll be damned before they’ll go along with anything so cheap and tawdry? And won’t there be literary societies and coffee talks in hell?
Which leads me to my final point. It is apparent by now, in spite of a misleading introduction, that what we’ve been talking about this morning is more than a matter of literary criticism. It is a matter of life and death. Each of us here has been confronted with the Good News, “He is risen. He is not here.” We can accept this and be happy and live. Or we can tilt our nose and raise our eyebrows and be of all men most miserable and die. Even more, each of us here is dedicating his life to the proclamation of this Good News to others. Let’s be sure to proclaim it. Let’s not be ashamed of it. “Misery loves company,” but let’s make sure that we don’t practice this adage in our ministry, out of a false sense of maturity and sophistication emasculating the Gospel of its joyous content and landing both ourselves and our listeners in that outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Except we become as little children, we can in no wise—and our listeners can in no wise—enter into the kingdom of heaven. Hell may well be for the sophisticated, but heaven is for just such children.
Francis C. Rossow
JUNE 2021
On Discipleship…
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, (John 8:31 ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 ESV)
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV)
Here, I think, is one of the great challenges facing all of us who are baptized Christians: Now that government mandates and closures are relaxing as God is giving us relief from the Covid-19 virus through means of the techonology given us in vaccination, how do we bring people back “through the doors” into the fellowship that is Christian discipleship?
It is a question that I personally ponder daily. It is a question that dominates conversation in our Elders’ meetings. It is a question that irresistably arises in every group of gathered pastors. Will people once again gather together in fellowship to worship? Who will get lost in the transition?
It doesn’t matter if you are on the side trying to encourage people to physically come to hear God’s Word and receive the Sacraments, or if you are the side that is struggling as you consider whether or not to join others in worship. The response from either ‘side’ is a discipleship response.
The discipleship I’m talking about is being a follower of Jesus. The Bible teaches that, by virtue of Baptism, one becomes a follower of Jesus—a disciple. Disciples are not defined by what they do—they are defined by who they follow. Disciples can be identified by what they do: They will know that we are Christians by our love—to paraphrase of John 13:35. Still, we, as the baptized, are identified in our baptism as disciples of Jesus.
Still, disciples must ‘do’ something. So, if we follow Jesus, we do as he says—as Luther points out in his explanation to the second article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the father from eternity and true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord” (emphasis added). A “lord” is one who has the right and obligation to tell me what to do and I must follow him. Like it or not, this is our confession. With that in mind, the verses above give us 3 rather basic directions from Jesus.
1. Abide in his word. To abide means to live in his word—some translations use ‘remain’. But the idea is that we never leave it, ‘it’ being—HIS WORD. To those who would like to ‘guilt’ disciples to return who are tempted to remain absent from gathering together for worship, this means that we allow God’s Word, not human manipulation, to do his work to call his disciples back together. To those who remain tempted to remain separated because “I can watch church on the internet or tv, etc.”, this means that all of God’s Word is calling and inviting you, including the commands to not ‘give up meeting together as some have done’, and especially the invitation to ‘take, eat; take, drink’ in the community of other believers for the mutual consolation and encouragement to be gained from being with fellow disciples.
2. Deny yourself. It’s not ‘all about me’ and my comfort or opinions or...anything. It’s about taking up our cross—bearing whatever discomfort there is for the sake of others. Frankly, it’s about dying. Dying to my desire to do whatever is distracting me from being “there” for others as well as myself. Dying to my desire to think more highly of myself that I ought because I am “here”.
3. Live as a harvestor. In his Word, dying to ourselves, we live as harvestors—gathering the crop that he has sown. Gathering with open arms the new disciples waiting to hear the words of Jesus from our mouths and actions… ‘here is true hope. Believe in me and be saved.’
The Rev. Dr. Mark Mattes wrote in an essay titled “Discipleship in Lutheran Perspective” (The Mercy of God in the Cross of Christ, edited by Ross Johnson and John Pless, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod © 2016, p. 517): “We have lost confidence in the Gospel; we have been so seduced by the world’s promises, whether they are the promises of therapy or politics or the economy. If we tend to the Word, there is promise that the Word itself will open us up from the inside out — just as it did at the time of the Reformation — and use us to change the world. To be wrapped up in the Scriptures and in their proclamation of good news may occasion the change which we seek. As Klaus Schwarzwaller puts it, we would move from kneeling (prayer) and sitting (study), as necessary as they both are, to enter the fray, fighting for the wellbeing of the world, cooperating with the Lord who is ever-creative of the world.”
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
On Discipleship…
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, (John 8:31 ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 ESV)
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV)
Here, I think, is one of the great challenges facing all of us who are baptized Christians: Now that government mandates and closures are relaxing as God is giving us relief from the Covid-19 virus through means of the techonology given us in vaccination, how do we bring people back “through the doors” into the fellowship that is Christian discipleship?
It is a question that I personally ponder daily. It is a question that dominates conversation in our Elders’ meetings. It is a question that irresistably arises in every group of gathered pastors. Will people once again gather together in fellowship to worship? Who will get lost in the transition?
It doesn’t matter if you are on the side trying to encourage people to physically come to hear God’s Word and receive the Sacraments, or if you are the side that is struggling as you consider whether or not to join others in worship. The response from either ‘side’ is a discipleship response.
The discipleship I’m talking about is being a follower of Jesus. The Bible teaches that, by virtue of Baptism, one becomes a follower of Jesus—a disciple. Disciples are not defined by what they do—they are defined by who they follow. Disciples can be identified by what they do: They will know that we are Christians by our love—to paraphrase of John 13:35. Still, we, as the baptized, are identified in our baptism as disciples of Jesus.
Still, disciples must ‘do’ something. So, if we follow Jesus, we do as he says—as Luther points out in his explanation to the second article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the father from eternity and true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord” (emphasis added). A “lord” is one who has the right and obligation to tell me what to do and I must follow him. Like it or not, this is our confession. With that in mind, the verses above give us 3 rather basic directions from Jesus.
1. Abide in his word. To abide means to live in his word—some translations use ‘remain’. But the idea is that we never leave it, ‘it’ being—HIS WORD. To those who would like to ‘guilt’ disciples to return who are tempted to remain absent from gathering together for worship, this means that we allow God’s Word, not human manipulation, to do his work to call his disciples back together. To those who remain tempted to remain separated because “I can watch church on the internet or tv, etc.”, this means that all of God’s Word is calling and inviting you, including the commands to not ‘give up meeting together as some have done’, and especially the invitation to ‘take, eat; take, drink’ in the community of other believers for the mutual consolation and encouragement to be gained from being with fellow disciples.
2. Deny yourself. It’s not ‘all about me’ and my comfort or opinions or...anything. It’s about taking up our cross—bearing whatever discomfort there is for the sake of others. Frankly, it’s about dying. Dying to my desire to do whatever is distracting me from being “there” for others as well as myself. Dying to my desire to think more highly of myself that I ought because I am “here”.
3. Live as a harvestor. In his Word, dying to ourselves, we live as harvestors—gathering the crop that he has sown. Gathering with open arms the new disciples waiting to hear the words of Jesus from our mouths and actions… ‘here is true hope. Believe in me and be saved.’
The Rev. Dr. Mark Mattes wrote in an essay titled “Discipleship in Lutheran Perspective” (The Mercy of God in the Cross of Christ, edited by Ross Johnson and John Pless, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod © 2016, p. 517): “We have lost confidence in the Gospel; we have been so seduced by the world’s promises, whether they are the promises of therapy or politics or the economy. If we tend to the Word, there is promise that the Word itself will open us up from the inside out — just as it did at the time of the Reformation — and use us to change the world. To be wrapped up in the Scriptures and in their proclamation of good news may occasion the change which we seek. As Klaus Schwarzwaller puts it, we would move from kneeling (prayer) and sitting (study), as necessary as they both are, to enter the fray, fighting for the wellbeing of the world, cooperating with the Lord who is ever-creative of the world.”
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
May 2021
With Ascension Day coming up, May 13, I found the following to be an interesting devotion. It is from The Devotional Bible: Volume One © 1948, CPH. I have taken the liberty of updating the language a bit for our modern ears. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
The Sign of the Prophet Jonah
Matthew 12:38-50
“Are you the Messiah?” How do we know? Jesus answered this vital question by saying that He would perform one great outstanding miracle. This would prove for all times to come that He was the promised Christ and Savior of the world. That sign was the sign of the Prophet Jonah. As Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days and lived, so shall He, the Son of Man, be put to death, placed into a sepulcher, and on the third day come forth out of the tomb.
The priest and the leaders of Jerusalem did not forget this challenging assertion. After Jesus had been placed in Joseph of Arimathea’s sepulcher on that Friday of the crucifixion, these men of the Sanhedrin went to Pilate and said: “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again” (Matthew 27:63). For this reason they made doubly sure that no one would come near the tomb to attempt to take the bodly. The tomb was officially sealed and then a detail of soldiers placed in front of it to guard it.
But this was to no avail. On the third day the tomb was empty, and Jesus was seen alive. By this miracle of miracles Jesus gave proof to the ages that He was God and that He had accomplished His task of redeeming the souls of men from the deadly clutches of Satan. But many do not believe. Therefore the inhabitants of Nineveh and the queen of Sheba shall rise in the day of judgment to testify against these unbelieving generations.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
(Mat 12:38-50 ESV)
Since Jesus is risen from the dead, unbelievers are without excuse. He has shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is God of God and the Savior of mankind. Those who reject Him in this present age and generation have not a foot to stand on in their inexcusable unbelief. If the Ninevites believed Jonah and the queen of Sheba accepted Solomon’s word, what excuse can any offer now since Jesus is risen from the dead?
How do we explain this obstinacy which refuses to accept the risen Christ? Satan has taken full possession of their hearts. They refuse to give Jesus the right of way in their lives. They reform but they refuse to turn to Christ. So Satan returns and, not finding consecrated but empty hearts, takes full possession. He allows them to be religious and good in the eyes of the world. Satan does not care how religious you are as long as you do not come to the sacred wounds of Christ and look up to the Cross for your salvation and eternal life. He does not object to respectability and self-righteousness. Satan does not want you to lean upon Jesus, but upon your own self.
And if we do seek heaven without Christ, we are closing the one door that opens the way to life. Thus many have ears and do not hear and have eyes and do not see that the labors of their hands are not sufficient to save their souls.
Blessed are they indeed who hear the Gospel and believe it. Peace comes to their heart as the risen Savior takes full possession of their lives and abides.
PRAYER: Lord, I am grateful to You that You have given to us the indisputable sign of Jesus’ resurrection and in this risen Christ the assurance of forgiveness of my sin, the hope of life everlasting, and the promise of a personal resurrection of this dying body. I know that my Redeemer lives, and because He lives, I, too, in my flesh shall see Him face to face in a life in which death and sorrow and decay cannot touch me. Praise to You, most gracious Father, for this blessed hope given to me through my risen and ever-living Savior. Amen
With Ascension Day coming up, May 13, I found the following to be an interesting devotion. It is from The Devotional Bible: Volume One © 1948, CPH. I have taken the liberty of updating the language a bit for our modern ears. Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
The Sign of the Prophet Jonah
Matthew 12:38-50
“Are you the Messiah?” How do we know? Jesus answered this vital question by saying that He would perform one great outstanding miracle. This would prove for all times to come that He was the promised Christ and Savior of the world. That sign was the sign of the Prophet Jonah. As Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days and lived, so shall He, the Son of Man, be put to death, placed into a sepulcher, and on the third day come forth out of the tomb.
The priest and the leaders of Jerusalem did not forget this challenging assertion. After Jesus had been placed in Joseph of Arimathea’s sepulcher on that Friday of the crucifixion, these men of the Sanhedrin went to Pilate and said: “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again” (Matthew 27:63). For this reason they made doubly sure that no one would come near the tomb to attempt to take the bodly. The tomb was officially sealed and then a detail of soldiers placed in front of it to guard it.
But this was to no avail. On the third day the tomb was empty, and Jesus was seen alive. By this miracle of miracles Jesus gave proof to the ages that He was God and that He had accomplished His task of redeeming the souls of men from the deadly clutches of Satan. But many do not believe. Therefore the inhabitants of Nineveh and the queen of Sheba shall rise in the day of judgment to testify against these unbelieving generations.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
(Mat 12:38-50 ESV)
Since Jesus is risen from the dead, unbelievers are without excuse. He has shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is God of God and the Savior of mankind. Those who reject Him in this present age and generation have not a foot to stand on in their inexcusable unbelief. If the Ninevites believed Jonah and the queen of Sheba accepted Solomon’s word, what excuse can any offer now since Jesus is risen from the dead?
How do we explain this obstinacy which refuses to accept the risen Christ? Satan has taken full possession of their hearts. They refuse to give Jesus the right of way in their lives. They reform but they refuse to turn to Christ. So Satan returns and, not finding consecrated but empty hearts, takes full possession. He allows them to be religious and good in the eyes of the world. Satan does not care how religious you are as long as you do not come to the sacred wounds of Christ and look up to the Cross for your salvation and eternal life. He does not object to respectability and self-righteousness. Satan does not want you to lean upon Jesus, but upon your own self.
And if we do seek heaven without Christ, we are closing the one door that opens the way to life. Thus many have ears and do not hear and have eyes and do not see that the labors of their hands are not sufficient to save their souls.
Blessed are they indeed who hear the Gospel and believe it. Peace comes to their heart as the risen Savior takes full possession of their lives and abides.
PRAYER: Lord, I am grateful to You that You have given to us the indisputable sign of Jesus’ resurrection and in this risen Christ the assurance of forgiveness of my sin, the hope of life everlasting, and the promise of a personal resurrection of this dying body. I know that my Redeemer lives, and because He lives, I, too, in my flesh shall see Him face to face in a life in which death and sorrow and decay cannot touch me. Praise to You, most gracious Father, for this blessed hope given to me through my risen and ever-living Savior. Amen
APRIL 2021
‘Tis the Season!
It is most often likely that when we hear the words “‘tis the season”, we think of Christmas—or maybe Easter—or some other “major holiday”. But April through May often ‘tis the season for—drum roll, please—confirmation.
I know. Some, and perhaps a growing number of churches which practice confirmation, are moving it to the fall. And I get it and really approve of the concept. The idea is to move confirmation away from the time of graduation, hoping that by doing so, the subconscious idea of graduating from church will disappear. However, I see no evidence that it has worked.
Now, back to ‘tis the season! Here at St. John’s and St. Stephen’s we offer the rite of confirmation to students who are prepared usually around April or May. But what is it? If it’s not graduation from church, what is it?
Our catechism (CPH 2017) answers it this way: “Confirmation is a public rite of the church preceded by a period of instruction in which baptized Christians learn about the confession, life, and mission of the Christian Church.” Our junior confirmation students may choose to answer it along the lines of: “Something my mom and dad make me go to and the pastor makes me memorize a bunch of stuff.” I often describe confirmation as an event when, after having learned about the faith one was baptized into, the baptized one says, “Yes, that faith my mom and dad had me baptized into—that’s my faith. I believe what God says.” And in doing so, the primary responsibility for faith growth and development (always it is God who is doing this but, humanly speaking) belongs to the confirmed. No longer can the baptized stand before God and use the excuse, “Well, my mom and dad didn’t teach me that.” Now God responds back to him or her, “You confirmed your faith. You took responsibility for your faith. Why didn’t you search for the “God” answer?”
The Rite of Confirmation contains a series of questions about life and faith after confirmation. Along with questions about belief in the Triune God, among them are:
· Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully?
· Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?
· Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?
I wonder if we realize how deadly serious these promises are? When we promise—to God in front of witnesses—these promises: to attend church and hear the word and receive the sacraments, to live and suffer whatever may come our way because of our faith; we are saying we’d rather die than to miss church or miss receiving the sacraments. And, yet, how many of us have fallen away for a time?
Matthew 5:37 (CSB): “But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.” These are the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. And in keeping with His teaching, the confirmands are instructed to answer, if they agree with the questions, “I do, by the grace of God” (my emphasis). Only by the grace of God.
The unholy trinity, the devil, the world and my sinful flesh, is constantly trying to pull me away from my simple “yes.” But, in and by the gifts the Holy Trinity gives me, God continues to pull me and hold me to himself. ‘Tis the season the devil paints a target on confirmation kids to yank them away from faith in the true God. But, in season and out of season, God has already marked them—marked us—as his own with the sign of the cross in Baptism, and “nothing can separate them from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
As we witness our confirmands confirming their faith this year, let us rejoice with them and pray for them. We rejoice with them that God has opened them to believe Jesus is their savior. We pray for them that they can remain faithful to their promises.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom
‘Tis the Season!
It is most often likely that when we hear the words “‘tis the season”, we think of Christmas—or maybe Easter—or some other “major holiday”. But April through May often ‘tis the season for—drum roll, please—confirmation.
I know. Some, and perhaps a growing number of churches which practice confirmation, are moving it to the fall. And I get it and really approve of the concept. The idea is to move confirmation away from the time of graduation, hoping that by doing so, the subconscious idea of graduating from church will disappear. However, I see no evidence that it has worked.
Now, back to ‘tis the season! Here at St. John’s and St. Stephen’s we offer the rite of confirmation to students who are prepared usually around April or May. But what is it? If it’s not graduation from church, what is it?
Our catechism (CPH 2017) answers it this way: “Confirmation is a public rite of the church preceded by a period of instruction in which baptized Christians learn about the confession, life, and mission of the Christian Church.” Our junior confirmation students may choose to answer it along the lines of: “Something my mom and dad make me go to and the pastor makes me memorize a bunch of stuff.” I often describe confirmation as an event when, after having learned about the faith one was baptized into, the baptized one says, “Yes, that faith my mom and dad had me baptized into—that’s my faith. I believe what God says.” And in doing so, the primary responsibility for faith growth and development (always it is God who is doing this but, humanly speaking) belongs to the confirmed. No longer can the baptized stand before God and use the excuse, “Well, my mom and dad didn’t teach me that.” Now God responds back to him or her, “You confirmed your faith. You took responsibility for your faith. Why didn’t you search for the “God” answer?”
The Rite of Confirmation contains a series of questions about life and faith after confirmation. Along with questions about belief in the Triune God, among them are:
· Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully?
· Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?
· Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?
I wonder if we realize how deadly serious these promises are? When we promise—to God in front of witnesses—these promises: to attend church and hear the word and receive the sacraments, to live and suffer whatever may come our way because of our faith; we are saying we’d rather die than to miss church or miss receiving the sacraments. And, yet, how many of us have fallen away for a time?
Matthew 5:37 (CSB): “But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.” These are the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. And in keeping with His teaching, the confirmands are instructed to answer, if they agree with the questions, “I do, by the grace of God” (my emphasis). Only by the grace of God.
The unholy trinity, the devil, the world and my sinful flesh, is constantly trying to pull me away from my simple “yes.” But, in and by the gifts the Holy Trinity gives me, God continues to pull me and hold me to himself. ‘Tis the season the devil paints a target on confirmation kids to yank them away from faith in the true God. But, in season and out of season, God has already marked them—marked us—as his own with the sign of the cross in Baptism, and “nothing can separate them from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
As we witness our confirmands confirming their faith this year, let us rejoice with them and pray for them. We rejoice with them that God has opened them to believe Jesus is their savior. We pray for them that they can remain faithful to their promises.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tim J. Renstrom