Our Joyous Mission

This article also appears in our congregational newsletter, The Hope Lutheran, for September 2010.

A Scary Story

A brother pastor recently told me a story that’s both scary and instructive. This story involved his daughter, a very bright and discerning young lady in her early teens, and the recent LCMS Youth Gathering held this summer in New Orleans. This was the first national youth gathering this young lady had ever attended. As are most youth, she was excited to see so many other Lutheran youth gathered in one place and she did enjoy getting to know some new brother and sister Christians.

However, one thing disappointed this young lady: the very guilt-laden “missions” message pushed by presenters. Gathering presenters may have meant well in teaching the youth to bear witness to Jesus, but their message actually ended up burdening the young people. The presenters were so focused on prompting these Lutheran youth to carry out the mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ (a.k.a. “witnessing to Jesus”) that the youth felt guilty for not witnessing enough. That’s how this pastor’s young daughter received the message, but it’s hardly the way to teach people on the Church’s mission.

The scary side of the story did not end there though. As the true story goes, many of the youth went on a tour of a New Orleans cathedral. As the group was touring inside the large space dedicated to worship and prayer, my friend’s daughter got separated from the group as she was looking at something else. All of a sudden an older man, evidently homeless and dressed in tattered and dirty clothes, approached the young lady. The man told her that he was an atheist and began mocking religion in general.

Guilty for Not Witnessing?
What makes this part of the story so scary is the moral dilemma that flooded the young lady’s mind. Should she stay and try to “witness” to this obviously bitter and unbelieving man, or should she return to her tour group and its certain safety? She knew she should have paid more attention and stayed with her group, but now she was also feeling guilty for wanting to flee to safety and not witness to this unbelieving homeless man. She chose to leave the confrontational man and return to her tour group. However, as she did, she also felt incredibly guilty. She had not, in fact, witnessed to that older man. And wasn’t that, after all, the message she had been hearing at the gathering?

For me—and I’m sure for my brother pastor and his wife—the mere prospect of this young lady, off by herself, being abducted by this stranger is truly scary. However, what’s even more frightful is that she was compelled to feel guilty at choosing her safety over “witnessing to Jesus” at a time like that. That’s what happens when mission work (a.k.a. “missions,” “evangelism,” “outreach,” or “witnessing”) is presented and taught in a burdensome, guilt-giving manner. And, sad to say, these days we hear the Church’s mission taught and proclaimed more and more in this negative manner.

An Instructive Story
However, here’s where this story transitions from being scary to becoming instructive. It actually instructs in what not to do and how not to teach Christian witnessing.

This pastor’s daughter was exactly correct in seeing through the “missions” presentations for what they really were: burdensome guilt trips dressed in the sheep’s clothing of “witnessing to Jesus.” She was also exactly correct in fleeing from the stranger and returning to her tour group. She need not feel guilty about “not witnessing” to him. Rather, she actually did witness to him. How? By returning to her God-given vocation of being a) a student learning about the cathedral, b) a participant in the youth gathering, and c) a daughter who needed to return home to her family safe and sound.

At first we might think: “But how do those things bear witness to Jesus?” That’s easy. The young lady bore witness that she is a Christian by learning more about that cathedral (That was her purpose at that place and time.), by returning to and staying with the group of Christians that brought her there (She was under the care of gathering chaperones.), and by loving and honoring her parents (Remember what mom and dad said about not talking to strangers?). Believe it or not, this young lady did show that she is a Christian in these very normal and ordinary ways.

No, she did not spark up a conversation about Jesus with that confrontational stranger. But let’s be honest, such conversations born out of such confrontations rarely “make disciples.” If anything, a quick and off the cuff talk about Jesus and religion most likely would only further solidify that man’s hard-hearted hostility toward Christ and His Church.

The Joy of Mission Work
Should this young lady—and we—be concerned about lost, unbelieving people such as the stranger in the cathedral? Of course! It’s basic Christian love. Now there’s the proper motivation for “mission work” (a.k.a. “missions,” “evangelism,” “outreach”).

When “mission work” is taught in a burdensome, guilt-giving manner, it’s usually done with some kind of self-serving purpose—a purpose such as increasing the size of an institution or ensuring institutional survival (either of a congregation or of a whole church body). That’s hardly Christian love for the lost neighbor!

The joy of carrying out our God-given mission work comes when we love our neighbor enough to show them their “lostness” in their sin and then show them the Savior who comes to seek and save the lost—them. It’s a lot like putting up road signs and barricades on a highway that leads to a deep canyon where the bridge is out. Road crews put up the signs and barricades out of love for their neighbor. After all, authorities do not want cars racing down the highway, especially at night, and plunging into the canyon to their doom. When we Christians bear witness to Jesus in our daily lives, and when the Church proclaims Christ crucified and risen to rescue us sinners, we are trying to love people enough to turn them from plunging to their eternal doom.

The joy of witnessing to Jesus comes not in keeping tabs on how many times we’ve sparked a conversation about Him with unsuspecting people around us. Rather, it comes from living as God’s redeemed children and enjoying the forgiveness and life that He freely gives in His Gospel and Sacraments. It comes from faithfully receiving His goodness and mercy in the Divine Service.

The joy of witnessing to Jesus shows as we love our neighbors enough to want them to enjoy the forgiveness and life that Jesus brings for them too. We certainly invite them to join us in the Divine Service at church, where they get to hear the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection for them. Most of the time, though, witnessing to Jesus simply means living in our God-given vocations—such as father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, worker, citizen, etc.—and showing that we Christians live differently than other people around us. We spend time with our families and learn the Word of God together; we work diligently at our jobs; we do works of mercy for those in need; we love and pray for one another, both inside and outside the Church.

As one of my professors once said, witnessing to Jesus is as simple as: “Pray, and when you get a chance, say.” Pray for your neighbor who does not yet know Jesus Christ, and then when the time comes, speak of Him and what He has done for you and your neighbor. St. Peter said it well: “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

I’ve often used the illustration of a young lady wearing an engagement ring for the joy of mission work. No one needs to coax or cajole her to show off her new ring. She is just plain happy to do so every chance she can! In fact, you cannot stop her. :) Christians bearing witness to Christ are like that. In their Baptism they have been engaged to Jesus the Bridegroom, and now they joyfully spread the word and want others to join them in that joy. After all, the wedding feast on the Last Day will be a superb joy! Perhaps instead of focusing on coaxing and cajoling youths and adults to “Get out and do the mission work (or else!),” we need to focus on the joy of life from Christ, life with Christ, and life in Christ.

If our mission work is lackluster, it’s probably because we do not find our joy of life in Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen. However, when we cling to our Savior and treasure the boundless depths of His forgiveness, grace, and life, then our joyous mission properly – and naturally – falls into place.

Wish List for New LCMS Prez - Item #2

The first item on my “wish list” for new LCMS President Matthew Harrison was to keep our focus on sinners (referring to himself and us) and their need for the forgiveness that only Jesus (not synodical bureaucracy, bylaws or resolutions, etc.) can give. Aside from this first item being most important and thus placed first in order and priority, subsequent items really have no priority other than when I happen to think of them and write them up.

I also tried to clarify and qualify the purpose of my “wish list.” No, I do not set Pres. Harrison’s agenda, and no, I really don’t expect my words to be seriously entertained as agenda items. These posts are merely “a view from the pew” from a simple parish pastor – in an office divinely instituted by Christ Himself – spoken to one who now occupies a high and lofty – yet humanly instituted – office. If he reads and hearkens, fine. But these “wish list” items are chiefly intended for consideration and conversation in this forum.

So, on to Item #2. If I could offer our new synodical president my “wish list” for how he can best serve our church body, I would say next: Mr. President, please do not give us missions brow beatings or evangelism guilt trips. Instead of haranguing us to perform some burdensome chore (as though not doing mission work will cause the world to implode and the LCMS to disappear from history's radar screen), inspire us and lead us in the joyous mission task of proclaiming our glorious and gracious Savior and His good gifts.

You see, Mr. President, haranguing us to "get out" and “fulfill” (Can that actually be accomplished this side of heaven?) the Great Commission is not what we need. Yes, our Lord has certainly summoned us, His Church, both clergy and laity, to “make disciples” (Mt. 28), “proclaim the Gospel” (Mk. 16), proclaim “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Lk. 24), and “forgive the sins of anyone” (Jn. 20). But constantly thumping us on the head and pulling us by the ear with mandates of “Get out and go, go, go!” or “Witness, witness, witness!” because, after all, so many people are going to hell with every passing moment or every snap of the finger? Well, let’s just say chicanery is not really necessary, nor is it becoming of Christ's holy people.

Missions brow-beatings in general remind me of a small though pesky thing from seminary days. The Daily Announcements used to include a brief feature called "Mission Minute." Those pesky little bulletin blurbs were well intended, I’m sure, in wanting to keep the Lord’s mission foremost in our hearts and minds. However, I also recall the typical guilt-trip tones and unwritten assumption that sent a clear, and perhaps unintended, message: "You just don’t care enough about missions! You don't quite yet have a 'heart for missions.'" I also recall (as clearly as 20 years down the timeline will allow) several seminary buddies and I pondering: "Hmm. What are we doing studying at the seminary and preparing to serve as pastors if not to carry out the Lord’s mission?"

Guilt-trips and harangues really don't further the Church's missionary task; rather, they produce, well, only burdensome guilt. I distinctly remember one dear man from a former parish who was so burdened about that unsaved person on the other side of the globe in India. "What should I do about him?" he would ask in Bible class. Aside from buying a plane ticket and going to track down that unspecified, unnamed person seared in his consciousness, perhaps pray for him and let the Lord take care of him? But the man in my former parish just could not unload the burden.

Please don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to be callous or indifferent toward those who do not trust Jesus Christ for their forgiveness, life, and salvation. Far from it! I most certainly want everyone possible to join in the life of Christ in the life of the Church and for life eternal. But is their potential damnation caused by my/our stumbling, even failing, mission efforts? Will the Lord of the Church hold me, for example, responsible for one or more of those folks who reject Christ and end up separated from His love and life for all eternity? What about those words from Deuteronomy 24:16: "Each one shall be put to death for his own sin"?

No, the mission of the Church cannot and dare not be inspired or motivated by snapping fingers or tabulating how many people have gone to hell since I started writing these words or you started reading them. We need some other motivator, some better, more Gospel-centered and Christ-focused inspiration.

We need love ... and joy.

Yes, love. Not fear of folks going to hell; not guilt for not doing enough to prevent them from entering hell; but love. Love for our neighbor who does not know Christ Jesus. The great love that flows from the Lord who loved us and died on a cross to rescue us from sin and death and eternal separation from Him. Mr. President, please lead and motivate us to reach out to our sin-infected, death-bound neighbors out of love for them, with the same love that Christ has already shown us.

And yes, we need joy in our mission work. Who cares how many souls we may or may not divert from perdition's flames, or how many souls we can tabulate for congregational or synodical rosters? That's not the point! The point is that we want our family, our friends, our neighbors, and even that homeless, unemployed man down the street to join us in the joy of sins forgiven now, the joy of life with God now, the joy of peace in Christ's presence now, as well as the joy of living together with them and with the Holy Trinity for all eternity.

We need to learn and treasure the mission work that our Lord has given us - indeed that He carries on in our midst - week in and week out. Yes, the mission work is being done when a person, young or old, is baptized at the font. Yes, the mission work is being done when sinners are hearing that their sins are forgiven, both corporately from the pulpit and individually in the sacrament of Absolution. Yes, the mission work is being done when Christ's people gather around His Table to feast on His life-giving Body and Blood. And, yes, the mission work is being done when Christians leave the Lord's house, return to their own homes and daily live holy lives and bear witness to the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus in their daily vocations. Mr. President, please keep reminding us that our Lord is actually carrying out His mission in these ways and through us earthen (cracked-pot?) vessels.

At the risk of sounding too simplistic, our mission work needs to look less like the business man meeting his quota of products sold and delivered. Instead, it needs to look more like the young lady who has just received an engagement ring. She doesn't need to be cajoled, harangued, or coerced to show it off and announce to any and all who will listen, "I'm getting married!" No, she does all of that quite naturally and even with a certain improptu and vivacious spirit. She does it out of sheer joy that the one she loves wants to spend the rest of his life with her.

Our mission work, Mr. President, needs to be like that--inspired and motivated by the sheer joy that the One who died and rose for us loves us sinners more than we can either deserve or fathom, and He wants to spend all of eternity - all of His life - with us. With such an engagement to our heavenly Bridegroom, we cannot but show off the jeweled "ring" of His Gospel goodness and mercy.

St. Patrick Interview on Issues, Etc.

Check out yesterday's interview with yours truly on St. Patrick, Missionary to Ireland.

Christ Builds His Church

A little something that will appear in my congregation's September newsletter and just happens to speak quite well to the current and quite predominant (sadly so) views of "growing churches" and "mission work" in the LCMS:

Christ Builds

After Peter confessed Christ to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), our Lord Jesus gave this great promise: “I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Of course, Jesus was referring to “the rock” (petros) of Peter’s confession.

Note what Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer said about Christ building His Church:

“It is not we who build. [Christ] builds the church. No man builds the church but Christ alone. Whoever is minded to build the church is surely well on the way to destroying it; for he will build a temple to idols without wishing or knowing it. We must confess—He builds. We must proclaim—He builds. We must pray to Him—that He may build.

“We do not know His plan. We cannot see whether His is building or pulling down. It may be that the times which by human standards are times of collapse are for Him the great times of construction. It may be that the times which from a human point of view are great times for the church are times when it is pulled down.

“It is a great comfort which Christ gives to His Church: you confess, preach, bear witness to Me and I alone will build where it pleases Me. Do not meddle in what is My province. Do what is given to you to do well and you have done enough. But do it well. Pay no heed to views and opinions. Don’t ask for judgments. Don’t always be calculating what will happen. Don’t always be on the lookout for another refuge! Church, stay a church! But church, confess, confess, confess! Christ alone is your Lord; from His grace alone can you live as you are. Christ builds” (Life Together).

From "Missiolatry" to "Missionalism" & That Pesky Exclamation Mark(!)

A few years ago Pr. Weedon gave us a poignant essay on "missiolatry," that is, worshiping the mission (as opposed to worshiping, and focusing on, the Savior). Now Pr. Wilken gives us an incisive essay on "missionalism," that is, the ideological movement of being "missional" (whatever that is, especially under the odd grammar of "Ablaze!").

Both pastors warn us about focusing on "the mission" rather than on the Savior and His Good News of sins forgiven and life restored. If you haven't yet seen either of these essays, I highly recommend them for your reading, your pondering ... and your saving for posterity. I'll simply "second" everything they say...

...and then add these random thoughts:

The best way to carry out the mission that Christ gave to His Church is not to focus on the mission, but to focus on Him. When we focus on our heavenly Bridegroom and the life and salvation He brings, we will quite naturally and gladly speak with others about our "eternal engagement" to Him (just as any delighted bride-to-be will show off her engagement ring without needing to be goaded on by anyone else).

When it comes to the official "Ablaze!" theme verse, I puzzle over the choice and use of Luke 24:32, especially the key sentence: "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?"

When we read the context of these Emmaus disciples, they just *did not* get it; they were slow to catch on that Jesus was with them on the road. In fact, Jesus had said, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" (Lk. 24:25) even as He stood with them. Then He had to give them a crash course in Biblical theology as they walked. Then, even after that crash course, the Emmaus disciples still did not realize that it was the risen Lord walking with them. They only realized it in - yep, you guessed it - the breaking of the bread. Then comes their "aha! experience."

But the burning hearts? Is that not their own self-admission that they were slow to catch on? Surely that's not the message that the hawkers - er, I mean, "promoters" - of "Ablaze!" want to send, is it?

And speaking of theme verses, I still think that the "Ablaze!" theme verse ought to be Malachi 4:1 (in the ESV, of course ;-): "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." As we learn early on in life, we must use extreme caution when handling fire. After all, matches are no toys.

And as for those pesky little exclamations marks, well, thanks, Pr. Wilken for reminding us of our proper grammar and use of the English language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Evangelism is "Easy" and "Fun"?!

Over at Augsburg 1530, Mollie says:

I go to a church that is a member of the Southeastern District. We’re Ablaze!

An Ablazing Event!
The congregation of St. John’s, Farmville VA has received a firetruck and repurposed it to be a witness tool in the community. They will be dedicating it for mission on Sunday, June 29 at the 10:00 A.M. service. Pastor Joel Giese says: “The idea is simple. People, children especially, like fire trucks. They will come to see the truck and we have the opportunity to speak about Jesus. As the vehicle moves to and from events, it acts like a rolling billboard. I believe it will spark interest. The best part is that it is easy and fun. Who knew that easy and fun could be used to describe Evangelism?!”

Evangelism as "easy" and "fun"? Who would have thunk it?

Now I will admit that I also try to take the fear - the undue fear, that is - out of the evangelism task. After all, many years of training from Kennedy's "Evangelism Explosion," or the LCMS knock off called "Dialog Evangelism," did, I think, leave many people in the pew thinking that evangelism is a task only for those who are super-spiritual, or at least super-trained. I mean who really wants to memorize outlines for an evangelism presentation that ends in that key, confrontational question, "If you were to die tonight, do you know that you would go to heaven?" And then to press the issue with, "How do you know?" Who really enjoys and wants to go into the homes of complete strangers and talk the serious stuff of God and Jesus, sin and death, forgiveness and eternal life, especially with such canned questions?

No, the evangelism task should be more like the young lady who was just asked to get married and thus sports a glimmering engagement ring. No one has to tell her, "Go and show your family and friends." She just does it, quite naturally and quite gladly so. Why? For the sheer joy that her guy wants to spend the rest of his life together with her and a wedding is now in the making.

That's the Christian's evangelism task - to speak of the Bridegroom who has sacrificed Himself to show His eternal and boundless love for all humanity; to show off the "ring" of His forgiveness of sins won on the cross and given in the Gospel proclaimed, the water poured over us in Baptism, and the Supper that gives us His "forgiveness, life, and salvation." Yes, He wants to spend the rest of His unending, eternal life with us. Yes, there's a wedding in the making. We get a foretaste of it every time we gather at the Altar and feast on His Body and Blood. We get to look forward to the sheer joy of eternally feasting on life with our holy Triune God and growing in love for Him and for one another for all eternity.

But now to trumpet evangelism as "easy" and "fun"? What has a firetruck to do with the Kingdom of God? What does providing a large, fiery red vehicle for children to use as a jungle gym have to do with our wretched sinful state and God's unfathomable love and mercy in Christ Jesus crucified and risen? Sorry, I'm just not "getting it" ... and I hope I never do.

Perhaps someone should have told the Apostles that Jesus was just bluffing when He sent them on their first "evangelism journey" and told them: "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Mt 10:16). That's far from "easy" or "fun" while playing on a fire truck! Perhaps someone with bold, blazing evangelism zeal should have told Jesus that He just didn't have a "love for the lost" when He said, "Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues" (Mt. 10:16), or "They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God" (Jn. 16:2). Perhaps someone should have warned the Apostles Peter and John that the fiery tongues of Pentecost would quickly lead to them being thrown into jail simply for preaching Jesus Christ (Acts 3-4). I could go on, but that would be neither "easy" nor "fun."

No, evangelism is not "easy" or "fun," because evangelism involves confronting people with their sin and toppling the idols that they make for themselves - even idols such as "easy" and "fun." While evangelism should have the simplicity and joy of a bride-to-be showing off her engagement ring, that joy also entails the hard work of preparing for the great wedding and staying faithful to the Bridegroom who has graciously asked for our hand in His eternal "marriage."

Now, don't get me wrong. Of course we want people who do not yet know and love the Bridegroom to join the festivities, both now and for all eternity. That's a given. That's what runs through my mind every time I step into the pulpit or consecrate the sacred Meal or visit one of my sick or shut-in members or discuss matters religious and churchly with someone who is not yet a member of the church. I'd like to think that my ordinary, every day, run of the mill pastoral work - as well as the day by day work of my parishioners in their various vocations - is indeed the "evangelism task." And it can be carried out as simply as asking an acquaintance, a friend, or a loved one simply to come to church, where they will hear of the Bridegroom.

However, that simple task can also be a difficult task. No, I'm not talking about the needlessly onerous (and obnoxious) reminders of church bureaucrats who try to spur on the evangelism (a.k.a. missions) task by means of snapping fingers and reminding us of how many people are going to hell if we don't rush in to save their day. Instead, I'm talking about how people may or may not receive the great Good News of Bridegroom Jesus loving and forgiving them. After all, Jesus did say, "For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Mt. 7:13-14).

So I think it needs to be said that the evangelism task is, yes, a joy, but it also carries its burden. Because of this simple little fact - that not everyone wants to hear about their sin or the Savior's unending love shown by dying and rising for them - we really do need to take our evangelism task more seriously. No, I don't mean be dour. Rather, just be honest, speaking the Truth of Jesus Christ in the cross-shown love that He gives us. Entertainment strategies called "evangelism" (they seem to be multiplying like rabbits these days!), such as offering a rolling "jungle gym" called a firetruck, really do diminish the Evangel.

In fact, such "strategies," with their new thinking and new methods, just may be tantamount to replacing the bride-to-be's genuine gold and diamond engagement ring with a cheap gold-plated ring that sports, not a real diamond, but an inexpensive piece of cubic zirconium.

So, let's leave the fire trucks to the fire departments, and let's do what the Church does best. Let's boast and rave about our eternal Bridegroom who has already pledged Himself to us for all eternity. Let's tell everyone around us, like the joyous yet dedicated bride-to-be, that He is the greatest, especially as He comes to visit us in His Gospel and Sacraments, all the while preparing us for the eternal wedding feast. It may not be as "easy" and "fun" as a fire truck, but, hey, it's sure a lot more meaningful and joyful for all eternity.

Homily - Easter 7 - Exaudi

Witnessing of Christ
John 15:26-16:4

Dr. Robert Kolb, professor at Concordia Seminary here in St. Louis, said this about witnessing: “Believers are…called to give witness to their faith and the hope which lies within them. As a matter of fact, we cannot do otherwise. Our peace is reflected in our actions and raises questions from those who do not have it…. Our call to witness is one which we can never lay aside or avoid. We can only practice it better or worse.” (Teaching God’s Children, 8-10)

Dr. Kolb simply restates what Jesus Himself said: “You also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” Today Jesus says that when the Holy Spirit comes, Christians will naturally bear witness of Christ.

Six weeks ago we broke forth in great joy. Christ rose victorious from the dead! He conquered our worst enemies—sin, death, and Satan. He trampled down death by His death, and by His resurrection He gives life to us mortals who end up in the tomb. For 40 days we’ve done what the first disciples did: we’ve sat at Jesus’ feet, and we’ve listened to what His resurrection life is all about, how it changes all of life for us. This past Thursday we had another victory celebration, and a great one at that! Christ ascended to heaven. He sits at God’s right hand. He rules all things in the universe for the good of His Christian Church. He restores us to being fully human. Great days indeed!

But now we live in the in-between-time. Today, the 7^th Sunday of Easter, falls in between Jesus’ Ascension (this past Thursday) and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (next Sunday). Today also reminds us that we live in between Jesus’ Ascension and His glorious, visible return at the end of time. So, what are we to do? How are we to live? First, we look back to the great saving deeds of Jesus in the past. Then we also look ahead to the future when Christ will return riding on a cloud. And, as if that isn’t enough, we get to live in the here and now of this life. What do we Christians do? We bear witness. We testify of Christ.

Jesus tells us today that the Holy Spirit will testify of Him. “When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” This is now the fourth Sunday we’ve heard Jesus teach us about the coming Holy Spirit. Today we hear three things about the Holy Spirit.

First, the Holy Spirit is our “Helper.” The Greek word is “Paraclete,” which means “Advocate” or “Defense Attorney.” We know what it’s like to be accused of our sin. The devil is always telling us, “You’re not worthy to be a Christian!” Our own conscience always accuses us. When we hurt or harm someone else with words or deeds, we know it’s wrong, and our conscience keeps trying to remind us that it’s wrong. But the Holy Spirit comes as our “Helper,” our “Advocate,” our “Defense Attorney.” He defends us against the charges of our sin by drawing our attention to Jesus Christ and His cross-won, blood-bought forgiveness for us. The Holy Spirit comforts our conscience by reminding us that God loves us and has mercy on us because Christ died and rose for us. So the Spirit is our Helper.

The second thing we hear about the Holy Spirit is that He is the “Spirit of Truth.” As one saying goes, “Where God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel or a tavern next door.” That is, where God’s message of mercy is taught in its truth and purity, the devil will also give false preachers, false churches, and false religions. Where God puts a church focused on Christ and His forgiveness and life, given in the Gospel and Sacraments, the devil will erect a church that focuses on things like successful living or some purpose-driven life that you make for yourself. Who will help us see what’s true and what’s false? The Spirit of Truth. He shows us that the teachings we learn in the Bible and the Small Catechism are true. He makes our faith sure, He removes our doubts, and He enables us to discern the false teachers and false spirits. He is the “Spirit of Truth.”

How does the Spirit do all this? This is the third thing we hear about Him: the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ. Some people think that the Holy Spirit comes and works through ecstatic experiences, such as dreams or untranslatable languages. Some people think that the Holy Spirit works through emotions and feelings. But remember what Jesus says: “He will testify of Me.” “Testify.” A very unemotional, un-ecstatic word! The Holy Spirit will bear witness of Christ. The Holy Spirit shows us that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. He shows us and tells us that Christ shed His blood to cleanse us from all our sin. He testifies to us that Christ rose victorious from the grave and gives us His perfect, divine life. The Holy Spirit works through the Gospel and the Sacraments of Christ and thus brings us to faith and keeps us in faith. You see, He wants us to be absolutely certain of our salvation and life with God, so He testifies of Christ, and of Christ alone.

Since the Holy Spirit is our Helper and the Spirit of Truth, and since He testifies of Christ, now we also bear witness of Christ. Remember how Dr. Kolb said it, “we cannot do otherwise…. We can only practice it better or worse.”

You see, when we are born again in our Baptism, each of us is automatically a witness of Christ. There’s no special training required. It’s like being called to be a witness in a court of law. You take the stand. You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You don’t ask the questions, but you do answer the questions asked of you. And how do you answer those questions? You simply tell the truth of what you’ve seen and heard in Christ’s words and works. “Yes, we humans are fallen and sinful. Yes, I am a sinner. But also, yes, Christ has come into the world. He has suffered and died and risen again to rescue me and all people. Jesus Christ gives forgiveness and eternal life to me and all who believe in Him.” That’s the faithful and true testimony.

Now when Jesus first said, “you also will bear witness,” He was talking to His apostles, the first pastors and preachers of His Good News. When they would preach their sermons, they would bear witness of Christ. Isn’t it absolutely marvelous how their work has continued and multiplied over the centuries? Even to this day Christian pastors faithfully bear witness of Christ and His saving deeds. Don’t be hoodwinked by church executives and bureaucrats who try to make you feel guilty as if the church is not doing her mission! She is—all the time. She cannot do otherwise. Every time a Christian pastor proclaims the Gospel of Christ, every time a Christian pastor baptizes, and every time a Christian pastor distributes the Lord’s Body and Blood, he is bearing witness of Christ. That is the Church’s mission.

But are pastors and preachers the only witnesses of Christ? Of course not! You who faithfully gather around Christ in His Gospel and Sacraments also bear witness. When you come to church, you get to hear with your ears and “see” with the eyes of faith the wonderful deeds of Christ. Then you get to go back to your daily vocations and bear witness there. Some of you get to bear witness to family and friends who are outside the Church. Others get to bear witness to a troubled co-worker. Perhaps you get to bear witness to the clerk at the grocery store, or perhaps you get to bear witness to the doctor or nurse at your annual check up or when you lie flat on your back in a hospital bed. As Dr. Kolb said, “Those who know we are Christians form impressions of Christ from our lives, whether good or bad. Those who do not know we are Christian still see some glimpse of what gives us our ultimate sense of identity, security, and meaning, and whether it is working or not.” So, every Christian bears witness of Christ. You constantly bear witness of Christ!

Yes, “Our call to witness is one which we can never lay aside or avoid. We can only practice it better or worse.” But with the Holy Spirit always helping us and giving us the truth of Christ, with the forgiveness and life that come only from Christ in His Gospel and Sacraments, we can and we do bear witness of Christ. Amen.

Homily - Easter 2 - Quasimodo Geniti

From this past Sunday, Quasimodo Geniti (30 March 2008), and hopefully better late than never. :-)

Mission: Forgiveness
John 20:19-31

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

It was a TV show some 40 years ago. In recent years we’ve had three movies with Tom Cruise in the leading role. I’m talking about “Mission: Impossible.” The story always has some mission of incredible danger and risk, undercover spies and international intrigue. The Mission: Impossible team is assembled and briefed. They need to infiltrate a foreign regime to protect a diplomat from assassination. Or they need to work with one underground mob to keep sensitive secrets from falling into the hands of another underground mob. Whatever the mission, it always seems impossible. But the crack team somehow always pulls it off. And, as everyone knows, if anyone from the IM team is captured or killed, their superiors will deny all knowledge of the mission. Then the tape self-destructs in 30 seconds.

“Mission: Impossible” is a tempting description of Jesus’ mission on the evening of His resurrection. There sat the disciples, huddled in fear. The Jewish leaders had killed Jesus; and they were afraid those leaders would hunt them down. And one thing is certain. When you’re scared, you sweat. And when you sweat you stink. And another thing is certain. No doubt, these fearful disciples were at each other’s throats. “Peter, how could you deny the Lord?” “Well, you ran away when they arrested Him in the garden!” You can imagine the nitpicking and the gossip. “Yeah, those women who said He’s risen must be deluded in their grief.” You can imagine the self-justification. “Well, at least I didn’t betray the Lord for thirty pieces of silver!”

And yet Jesus still comes to this huddled, frightened, stinky, bickering bunch of disciples. You see, that’s all Jesus has on this earth—a company of frightened, unbelieving, unbelievable sinners! And He came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Wow! No rebuke. No chastising. Just forgiveness, absolution, the very peace of God! Jesus’ mission is not impossible. His is “Mission: Forgiveness.” So He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

This is exactly what we need to hear. We too are a frightened, huddled little bunch of stinky disciples. What frightens us? Everything from conflict in the Middle East to confronting a loved one about a sin. Everything from filing our taxes to balancing the family budget or the church budget. Everything from passing the test in school to getting the promotion at work to how the neighborhood is going from bad to worse. Yes, we are frightened. And what frightens us most is talking about our loving, forgiving Lord Jesus to other people!

And along with the fear goes the bickering. “Johnny, how could you call Susie that dirty name?” “Well, she started it; she insulted me.” And with the bickering go the gossip and the reputation shredding. “Martha just doesn’t care about me or my project.” “Well, I heard that Joe took a little money under the table, but don’t tell anyone.” “And did you notice the way she turned her nose up at you?” “And did you notice the way he just blew you off?” And so it goes. But what do you expect from fearful, stinky, unbelieving, unbelievable sinners?

Judging from what you and I see, it might seem like “Mission: Impossible” to keep our family going, to do our jobs, or even to get along in our church and school. And yet Jesus still comes into our midst. The risen Lord still comes to proclaim His peace, and forgiveness, and new life. For Jesus, it’s not “Mission: Impossible;” it’s “Mission: Forgiveness.” Peace be with you! You see, we are all Jesus has in this world. And it’s only with His peace—His forgiveness—that we can amount to anything. So He gives us His forgiving peace in water, words, and meal.

But what is forgiveness? A few years ago the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran an article on forgiveness. I for one was delighted to see a secular newspaper run an article on forgiveness. Why was I glad? Because they got it all wrong! One psychologist said that forgiveness is “the ‘feeling of peace that emerges as you take your hurt less personally, take responsibility for how you feel and become a hero instead of a victim in the story you tell.’” Huh? Another person said that he had to forgive himself for his son’s suicide! Yes, the suicide is tragic, but so is the view of forgiveness. And another person said that she “had to forgive” to ensure her own salvation. Yikes!

Luther was quite right when he described sin. He described sin as being curved in on yourself. We love to curve everything in on ourselves. Each one of us has that not so subtle desire to be the center of the universe. And each one of us curves everything in life in on ourselves. We even take a good gift from God—forgiveness—and turn it into something we do for ourselves, to make ourselves feel better. But that’s what’s wrong with us in the first place. We are too consumed with ourselves!

So what is forgiveness? Let’s listen to Jesus. [Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” Forgiveness is not how you treat yourself. Forgiveness is how you treat someone else. Let me illustrate.

Let’s pretend – and, yes, this is only pretend – that I love to play with big knives. So, one day, in your presence, I try to show off my knife twirling skills. As I twirl my big knife, it slips and I accidentally cut you on the cheek. It’s a long and deep cut, so I apologize profusely, and we rush to the Emergency Room and get you stitched up. As the wound heals, you notice you’ll have a scar. It won’t be easy to forget what happened! But the real question is this: will you forgive me? Will you look on that scar as forgiven or not? Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a decision. It is a decision for how you will treat another person.

You see, that’s how God forgives. God’s forgiveness is not about a feeling that He has. It’s a decision that He makes concerning you. God’s forgiveness is God’s decision not to hold your sin against you. Psalm 32 captures this: Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity. That is, Blessed is the person whom the Lord God does not charge with his or her sin. And how does God choose to do that? Because of His beloved Son, Jesus. When Jesus dies on the cross and rises on the third day, He pays the debt of sin that you incurred. So, your account is wiped clean. That’s forgiveness.

That forgiveness was for the huddled, frightened, stinky bunch of disciples on that first Easter evening. That forgiveness is for you, the 21st century huddled, frightened, stinky bunch of disciples. Forgiveness is what the Church is all about. As Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you…. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven….” There is only one institution on earth that can truly talk about and really deliver God’s forgiveness. That’s the Church. There is only one place on earth where you can receive Jesus’ cross-won, resurrection forgiveness. That’s the Church.

And Jesus’ forgiveness is the simple, single-minded mission of the Church. The mission of Jesus’ Church is “Mission: Forgiveness.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “I send you to be a religious club.” He doesn’t say, “I send you to imitate the world’s ways of business and entertainment.” He doesn’t say, “I send you out to take a poll and find out what people want in a church.” No, Jesus is too smart and too gracious for that. He simply says, “I send you out—you, My fearful little disciples—to promote and deliver My forgiveness.”

We receive that forgiveness in Baptism, in Gospel preaching, in words of Absolution, and in the Lord’s Supper. In turn, Jesus authorizes all of us to speak His forgiveness to one another. So, next time someone says, “I’m sorry” for something, try saying, “I forgive you.” And also decide to not hold the offense against that person. Do what God has done with you—decide not to hold the matter against your fellow Christian. That’s the mission you have from Jesus.

Many times our mission seems impossible. What can forgiveness do? But that is the mission Jesus gives to you, His Church. So, while many can talk a good game of forgiveness, you are the only ones in the world with the real thing from God. Yes, you—despite your fears and sins! You see, where there is forgiveness of sins going on, there is also life and salvation. Amen.

St. Patrick, Missionary to Ireland

In honor of St. Patrick on this March 17, 2008, here's a little something I wrote for my congregation's newsletter:

Who was St. Patrick?

When I say, “March 17,” chances are good that you think, “St. Patrick’s Day.” And once you think of St. Patrick’s Day, you probably think of all the green clothes and hats you can wear, the green food you will eat, and the green decorations that go up just about everywhere. You might even think of delicious corned beef and cabbage (Yum!), and perhaps even green beer. (Although that still doesn’t seem right. I mean why taint perfectly good beer by turning it green? ☺)

However, St. Patrick’s Day is about much more than that. March 17 is the Church’s day to commemorate the great bishop of Ireland and his tireless work to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ among people who were quite hostile to Christianity. Through the faithful and even life-threatening work of preaching the Gospel of Christ and founding many churches, God used St. Patrick to convert Ireland from pagan religions such as Druidism to Christianity. March 17, then, commemorates the death of St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century.

The LCMS website gives this summary of St. Patrick’s life:

Patrick is one of the best-known of the missionary saints. Born to a Christian family in Britain around the year 389, he was captured as a teenager by raiders, taken to Ireland, and forced to serve as a herdsman. After six years he escaped and found his way to a monastery community in France. Ordained a bishop in 432, he made his way back to Ireland, where he spent the rest of his long life spreading the Gospel and organizing Christian communities. He strongly defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in a time when it was not popular to do so. His literary legacy includes his autobiography, Confessio, and several prayers and hymns still used in the church today. Patrick died around the year 466.

On one occasion, in A.D. 433, Patrick defied the orders of King Loegaire and refused to honor a pagan festival. The king, then, tried to assassinate Patrick, but Patrick and his coworkers were able to escape unharmed. Tradition says that God’s deliverance from this peril prompted Patrick to write his best-known hymn, known today as “I Bind Unto Myself Today.” This hymn is an excellent confession of the Holy Trinity and of God’s deliverance from sin and evil through Jesus Christ. Here’s the text from our hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, 604:

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever,
By pow’r of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
His Baptism in the Jordan River,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spiced tomb,
His riding up the heav’nly way,
His coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today
The pow’r of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The Word of God to give me speech,
His heav’nly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile foes that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In ev’ry place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me those holy pow’rs.

I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three,
Of whom all nature has creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord!

So, this March 17, instead of merely donning the green and enjoying corned-beef for St. Patrick’s Day, we also thank God for the Bishop of Ireland and his faithful preaching of the Gospel and his confession of the Holy Trinity. No matter what opposition we face, we can also proclaim the goodness and mercy of our holy, Triune God, just as St. Patrick did.

True "Discipling"--Yes, the "Mission" IS Happening!

Pastor Weedon rejoices in his busy schedule of teaching Jesus to his flock. I must say that I certainly see where he comes from, and I share his joy! Yes, the hours get long, the energy often runs low, the cares increase, and the schedule gets just plain crazy. However, there is nothing more joyous for a pastor than teaching the things of Jesus to his flock. That's what this vocation of pastor is all about; it's what the Church is truly all about. Teaching Jesus - "discipling" - is the bona fide mission of Jesus' Church.

But we hear so much talk these days about being "mission-minded" and "missional" (who fabricated that word, anyway?), I really wonder if the missions "experts" even know what they're talking about. We often hear Matthew 28:19-20 quoted as an urgent command to get busy and merely bring more people into the church buildings, whatever the cost, whatever the method, however we must change our teachings, our practices, or even our identity (Should Lutherans really look and act like Pentecostals when they worship?). There also seems to be a thick layer of guilt attached, as if we Christians have never "discipled" anyone at all until someone from our recent generation unearthed the passage in Matthew 28:19-20, or as if to say, "Oh no, we'd better get busy and do this, or else the Lord will hold us accountable for other people's rejection of Him."

However, I find that when I keep the true meaning of "discipling" in mind, the true joy overcomes the false guilt. (I also find it easier to ignore the institutional and "missional" babbling and jaw-boning!) What a joy it is to realize that when I teach my flock the things of Jesus - whether that's from the pulpit on Sunday morning, in Bible class discussing the Augsburg Confession, in the day school teaching 7th-8th grade Theology, or catechizing a group of adults according to Pr. Bender's Lutheran Catechesis - then the mission IS being carried out. Yes, where and when the Gospel is being proclaimed, the Sacraments are being given out, and the teaching of Jesus is occurring, the mission of the Church IS happening!

This is why I find great joy in the following quote from F. Dale Bruner. While I too squirm a bit at his "decision" language, I appreciate what he says about "discipling":

"'Disciple'.... Interestingly, the usual missionary terms are not employed here: 'preach,' 'convert,' 'win,' etc. A slower, lower-profile verb is used, an almost scholastic, schoolish word, 'disciple.' To disciple means 'to make students of,' 'bring to school,' 'educate'.... The word pictures students sitting around a teacher more than it does penitents kneeling at an altar--an educational process more than an evangelistic crisis, a school more than a revival. The word's prosaic character relaxes and says in effect, 'Work with people over a period of time in the educative process of teaching Jesus.' Only the Cosmocrator can do the big things like convert, win, bring repentance, or move a person to decision [!]--all authority is his alone. But disciples can, must, and will do the little thing of 'discipling' others--that is, they will spend good time with people--in the confidence that sooner or later the Cosmocrator will create in these people the decision for baptism (or, in Christianized cultures, the decision to own baptism) and so to follow Jesus" (Matthew, Volume 2, p. 1096-97).

And I would be remiss if I did not include this quote from Bruner on "teaching," as he aptly summarizes the whole thrust of Matthew 28:19-20:

"'Teaching' is another slow word, too. All three of the main responsibility verbs in this commission--disciple, baptize, teach--are three slow or earthy ways of circling the same object, saying the same thing: disciple--take your time with people, work carefully with them, bring them along gently. First, we disciple by living among people and talking with the inquiring; then we disciple by baptizing the convinced; and then we disciple by teaching the baptized an ever-increasing loyalty to Jesus' commands" (Matthew, Volume 2, p. 1102).

Yes, the mission IS happening when faithful teaching of Jesus is taking place!