the fourth sunday after pentecost

reflecting on the journey
The “body” – like the “members” – is saved by grace, for christ’s sake, through faith!

Over the years, you’ve heard me mention “The Four Spiritual Laws.” A sermon, now and again. Sunday school. Study groups. They’re something I ran into back in college. Usually, they came packaged in a booklet, about the size of a business card. Sixteen pages. Everything you needed to know about being saved, about being bornAgain. Now, before I go any farther, I want to make one thing clear … they aren’t Lutheran. They aren’t Lutheran, but they are American. Very, very American. This is what faith here in the States looks like. These four laws have been a part of the story, from the very beginning. They aren’t Lutheran, but they’ve had their influence on us. In fact, I’d guess the overwhelming majority of us tend to lean in this direction, theologically speaking.

Law 1: God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.

Law 2: Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for his life.

Law 3: Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through Him you can know and experience God’s love and plan for your life.

Law 4: We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.

Cue “Just as I Am.” Begin the altar call. Man the phones. Softly, tenderly, Jesus is calling. Like I said, it’s not Lutheran, but it is American. And it’s not anything we haven’t seen and heard before.

Thing is, for us, there are – pretty much – only two laws. Law 1: God loves! And law 2: Nothing can change law 1! Nothing and no one! We don’t see ourselves as sinners in the hands of an angry god. We’re sinners – people, actually – in the arms of a god who loves us! For us, believing isn’t fear; it’s trust! For us, believing isn’t threats; it’s promises! God loves! Loves us! Loves the world! We believe we’re saved! We believe we’re salvaged! Not because we believe, but because god loves! We’re not saved because we believe, we believe because we’re saved! There’s a difference! A big difference! We’re saved not because of anything we’ve thought. We’re saved not because of anything we’ve done or said. We’re saved because god loves! God loves us and god saved us! Loves us and saves us!

That’s what sets us apart from most of American Christianity. We believe we’re saved by grace! No strings attached! For Christ’s sake! Through faith! And it all begins not with us! With our choice, our decision, But with god! With god’s choice and god’s decision! We’re not saved because we know the bible by heart … or because we go to church, every Sunday morning … or, even, because we’ve been baptized … We’re saved because god loved us and saved us! Loves us and saved us! Always has! Always will! There aren’t four laws. There are two laws that count! Only two laws that matter!

But it’s funny. Something happens when we go from christian to congregation. Something goes haywire when we go from “me” to “us.” For some reason, it’s easier to believe that god saves “me” out of the goodness of god’s own heart. But it changes when we talk about saving church! Somehow, that love is never enough. And there’s always something else. Something more. To think, to feel. To say, to do.

“The church is dying,” they say. “Getting smaller. Growing grayer.” And the future ends up being in our hands! Our responsibility to change it! Our obligation to make a difference! For years, it was the book PowerSurge. If only we prayed … prayed, every day! If only we worshiped … worshiped, every week! If only we read the bible … and served in the congregation and out … and were in relationship with each other … and gave of our time, talents, and resources! Generously! Liberally! It’s all woulda, coulda, shoulda! And god? God’s just along for the ride. It all depends on us. Personally. Individually. Only one problem …

There’s very little difference between a single christian and a whole group of christians! Both fall short. Both miss the mark. Both nothing more than people. Both confess they’re captive – in bondage – to sin. That they can’t free themselves. Both do the things they shouldn’t. Don’t do the things they should. And it’s up to god – god and god alone – to change it. Beginning to end. Start to finish.

Congregations are christians. They don’t save themselves! They can’t save themselves! God does! By grace! For Christ’s sake! Through faith! The gospel’s proclaimed! The sacraments’re administered! And we’re changed! As individuals! As assemblies! As communities! The gospel creates us! The gospel saves us! The gospel makes us new! Does that mean we live happily everAfter? Of course not. Sometimes things are better. Sometimes not. More often, the changes and chances appear to have the last word. It doesn’t mean we did something wrong. It doesn’t mean we didn’t do something right. It just means … that’s life! But the church persists! The gospel continues!

But then, this – all of this – isn’t about us! About Bob Barndt. About Midland Lutheran Church. This is about Jesus! About Jesus and his love! About Christ and Christ crucified! About the world, the universe, for which he lived! Lived and died and rose again! No matter what happens to us … No matter what happens to the congregation … to the church … god still holds creation in god’s arms! Certain! Sure! We stake our lives on that! Even more, we stake the lives of everyone else on it, as well!

Will we be here, five years from now? I don’t know! Ten years? Fifty years? I can’t, even, begin to guess. But what I do know, god will be here! And Christ! And the gospel! Loving us just as much as god does now! Creating as god has always created! Redeeming as god is always redeemed! Making holy, making new, as god will always make new! So, whether individual or community, church or Christian, there are only two laws. Law one: God loves! And law two: Law one never changes!


amworship 6.20.21

MLC amworship 6.20.21 — Happy Father's Day!

Posted by Midland Lutheran Church on Sunday, June 20, 2021
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