February Newsletter Thoughts

On December (24) 25, we celebrated Christmas and the birth of the One promised back in the Garden of Eden, the One reiterated to Abraham, the One promised to save the world, even God in human flesh.
 

On January 1, we celebrated the circumcision and naming of Jesus. Indeed we celebrated His fulfilling the Law for us, in our place.
 

On January 2, we celebrated Jesus’ first Jewish festival, the Passover and perhaps His bar mitzvah. I believe it is interesting that Jesus’ first festival was the Passover because one of the last things He will do before going to the cross is that we will give to us His Holy Supper, the Lord’s Supper from this Passover. I very often use this connection to help people understand the Real Presence of Jesus’ body and blood in the Lord’s Supper.
 

On January 9, we celebrated Jesus’ Baptism and again, His fulfilling of all that is necessary for salvation, for us.
 

On January 16, we celebrated Jesus’ first miracle, the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. This miracle is one of the signs, wonders and miracles the Gospel writer especially John points out proving that Jesus is truly God along with being truly human.
 

So, in four to five weeks we have celebrated 30 years of Jesus’ life. For us Lutherans, the Church year and the events of the Church year are very important. As we walk through the Church year and these events we are taught, we are strengthened, we are given the gifts the Lord has to give so that we are always ready to give an answer for the hope we have in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
 

I must say, maybe a bit tongue in cheek, that I am usually in awe of my “Bible-Believing” Christian friends because when I am asked and when I am able to give an answer especially concerning the means of grace, they do not seem to have an answer as to the “where”, the “why” and the “what for” of Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution and Holy Communion.
 

Because even among the members of our own congregations there are many who have not learned or have forgotten the importance of the means of grace, I am constantly placing this wonderful gift before them. Our own sanctuary bears witness of what we believe, teach and confess. As you enter our sanctuary, your eyes are drawn to the cross. Hopefully the cross reminds us of our sins and our need to repent, but also of our Savior who had to be a human in order to be our substitute, trading His perfect human life for our imperfect, sinful human life.
 

From the cross our eyes move down and to the left where we see the baptismal font, and we are reminded, as well as through the invocation, that we have entered into the Church through the waters of Holy Baptism. Jesus, using the pastor’s hand, puts water on our heads, and using the pastor’s mouth, speaks His name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit on us, claiming us and making us His child.
 

From the baptismal font our eyes move down to communion rail where our pastor kneels in confession and then rises allowing God to speak through him the most precious words we can hear, that our sins are forgiven because we know that with forgiveness is life and salvation. We know those are the most precious words because with forgiveness is life and salvation.
 

From the rail our eyes move up and to the right where we see the pulpit. From the pulpit our pastor reads and preaches God’s Word, the heart and power of Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution and the Holy Supper.
 

Finally, our eyes move to the center of the altar area where we see (not a band set up) the altar and the Holy Supper of our Lord where-in He gives us His body to eat and His blood to drink, not in any symbolic manner, but in a real way so that our Lord becomes a physical part of us. His perfect life becomes our perfect life, His suffering becomes our suffering, His death becomes our death and His resurrection becomes our resurrection.
 

Why am I Lutheran? Because we get justification right, we get sanctification right, we get Law and Gospel right, we get salvation right. Indeed, I cannot say it enough, we get it right when we point to Jesus, and our means of grace, Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, the Holy Supper and the power of these of grace is the Holy Word which gives the gifts God has to give and we can rest assured we have the certainty that we are given to. Thanks be to God.