Friday, November 30, 2018

Something from ... Pope Leo on the Two Natures of Jesus

With Christmas approaching soon enough, we get to ponder once again one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith -- that Jesus is both God and man.  Logic dictates that he must be one or the other.  Scripture asserts that he is completely God and completely man at the same time.  How can this be?  That is the mystery.

Both are essential if Jesus is to be the Savior of the world.  He must be true man if he is to be our true substitute in life and in death.  As true man, Jesus fulfills the Commandments.  So, a man has earned God's favor.  As true man, Jesus dies.  And in Jesus, a man has conquered the grave, overcome death, and opened up heaven to all mankind.

And yet, as the Psalms remind us, "Truly no man can ransom another or give to God the price of his life." (Psalm 49:7)  So, if Jesus is only a man, he earned his spot in heaven.  Good for him; but he would have done nothing for you or me.  Therefore, he has to be God in order for his perfect life and sacrificial death to count for all.

This is not a Lutheran teaching, as if Lutherans invented this teaching.  This is the teaching of the Christian church, the church catholic--with which Lutherans concur.  We are declaring only what the Scriptures declare.  In teaching and confessing this, we find comfort that Jesus is the very Savior we need, and that his work of redemption guarantees our place in God's kingdom.

Pope Leo the Great
This was also decreed after the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) by a letter from Pope Leo I ( c. 400 – 10 November 461) to Flavian, bishop of Constantinople, regarding Eutyches who had been teaching that Jesus was not really a man, but bore only the form or appearance of a man.  What Pope Leo writes is the correct teaching of the Scripture and the faithful confession of the Church.  It is a mystery worth pondering.  Here is a portion of Leo's letter:

"So the proper character of both natures was maintained and came together in a single person. Lowliness was taken up by majesty, weakness by strength, mortality by eternity. To pay off the debt of our state, invulnerable nature was united to a nature that could suffer; so that in a way that corresponded to the remedies we needed, one and the same mediator between God and humanity the man Christ Jesus, could both on the one hand die and on the other be incapable of death. Thus was true God born in the undiminished and perfect nature of a true man, complete in what is his and complete in what is ours. By “ours” we mean what the Creator established in us from the beginning and what he took upon himself to restore. There was in the Saviour no trace of the things which the Deceiver brought upon us, and to which deceived humanity gave admittance. His subjection to human weaknesses in common with us did not mean that he shared our sins. He took on the form of a servant without the defilement of sin, thereby enhancing the human and not diminishing the divine. For that self-emptying whereby the Invisible rendered himself visible, and the Creator and Lord of all things chose to join the ranks of mortals, spelled no failure of power: it was an act of merciful favour. So the one who retained the form of God when he made humanity, was made man in the form of a servant. Each nature kept its proper character without loss; and just as the form of God does not take away the form of a servant, so the form of a servant does not detract from the form of God."

Sourece: http://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum04.htm

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Update from Good Shepherd

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE
Our Divine Services are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Thursday services at 3:30 PM are also offered, but call or text to confirm you are coming (248-719-5218).  If no one calls to confirm their attendance, he may not be at the church.

SUNDAY SCHOOL & ADULT BIBLE CLASS
Our Sunday School & Adult Bible Class meet at 8:45 AM.


SUNDAY SCHOOL REHEARSAL
       In order to prepare for our Sunday School Children's Christmas service (December 16), we will be having several rehearsals.  Parts will be distributed this Sunday (December 2).  Please note the schedule.
        Rehearsal -- Sunday, December 2;  11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (lunch provided)
        Rehearsal -- Sunday, December 9;  11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (lunch provided)
        Dress Rehearsal & Christmas party -- Saturday, December 15;  9:00 - 11:00 AM
        Children's Christmas service-- Sunday, December 16;  10:00 AM 

JESUS CARES MINISTRIES -- Worship at the Cross
Good Shepherd will be offering worship services and a Sunday School class for people with special needs.  These people, precious to Jesus, are often neglected.   This service will be offered on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM.  Our start date will be Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM.  The service is called "Worship at the Cross," since the word "worship" describes what we are doing better than Jesus Cares Ministries.  (NOTE: Jesus Cares Ministries and Worship at the Cross may be used interchangeably.  While Jesus Cares Ministries offers other programs, for our purposes, they refer to the same thing.)
Finally, in order for this ministry to truly be of service to those who need it, we need to publicize this.  If you know of anyone with developmental disabilities (e.g., Down Syndrome, Autism, et al.), please inform them of our Worship at the Cross efforts.  Word of mouth is usually best received, but you can help us get the word out in other ways, too.  Once again—we begin on Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM.
You can find out more about Jesus Cares Ministries and Worship at the Cross at: http://www.tlha.org/jesus-cares-ministries .

ADULT BIBLE CLASS  — St. Paul's Epistles to Timothy

What does God expect of his church?  What does God desire for worship?  What are the qualifications and responsibilities of a pastor?  These are the questions St. Paul addresses in his letter to protegee, Timothy.  Having trained Timothy for years, St. Paul entrusted Timothy to serve as the pastor of the church at Ephesus.  Paul's instructions teach us what the ministry is supposed to look like.  These instructions still apply to Christ's Church today.
        December 2 1 Timothy 4 (Apostasy and Faithfulness) – left over from Nov 25 December 2 1 Timothy 5 (Instructions for the Church) December 9 1 Timothy 6 (Striving for godliness rather than gain) December 16 2 Timothy 1-2 (Guard your faith and your teaching) December 23 2 Timothy 3-4 (Faithfulness in a faithless world)

In our prayers....
While we offer up prayers for specific requests in our services, petitions and intercessions can be offered up throughout the week for continued concerns.  Please continue to remember these in your prayers:
-- For Dale Peterson, father of Jeanette Schneider, who is still recovering from a stroke
– For Mary Buccilli's continued recovery from knee surgery
– For Steve Smith's (brother-in-law of David Kirvan) continued recovery from surgery
– For the family of William Winterstein, uncle of Jeanette Schneider, who died
– For Jon Rumics, son of David & Diane Rumics, who has been diagnosed with cancer.
– For the family of Oliver Barber, father of Terry Barber, who was called to eternal rest (11/23/2018)


COOKIE EXCHANGE
The Ladies of Good Shepherd will be hosting a cookie exchange on Sunday, December 9 after church.  Ladies, please bring two dozen Christmas cookies.  They will be packaged for members to take home.  Donations received for cookies will go to purchase new altar linens.  (Some of them are quite threadbare.)

LADIES OF GOOD SHEPHERD—ADVENT TEA
THIS SUNDAY (December 2) at 6:00 PM, the Ladies of Good Shepherd will be hosting an Advent tea.  In addition to enjoying fellowship with one another, devotions will be read and hymns sung as we consider the significance of Advent and prepare for the coming of the Lord.  This is a great opportunity to invite friends to become acquainted with our congregation and, more importantly, to hear the good news of salvation through Jesus, our coming Lord. 

CHURCH DECORATION MINI-PARTY
Want to get in the Christmas Spirit? We are going to try something different for the church decorating this year. We will do the church decorating on Saturday, December 8 starting at 4:00 PM. But we want to do more than decorate, we want to make a mini-Christmas party out of it. We will play Christmas music, watch Christmas shows (bring your favorite), order some pizza, and have some fun.
Other ideas on activities are welcome. Hope we can see a bunch of you there.

SUNDAY NIGHT BIBLE SERIES
A next session of our Sunday Night Bible Series will be  Sunday, December 9 at 6:00 PM.  This series, entitled “Eating God's Sacrifice,” explores the Lord's Supper portrayal in the Old Testament sacrifices.  While the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper flows from the Passover, its roots and forgiveness come from all the Old Testament sacrifices.  After viewing each DVD segment, Pastor Purdue and Pastor Schroeder will lead a discussion about the material which is in the DVD.  All sessions will begin at 6:00 PM.  These are intended to be interactive discussions as well as informational.  Desserts and snacks will be served.  All are welcome.

ADVENT VESPERS
We prepare for the coming of the Savior with repentance as we prayerfully, quietly, and eagerly await our Savior.  Our Advent Theme is: God's Faithful People Await the Coming of the Lord.
December 5         They Prepare.  (Luke 1:5-22)
December 12 They Are Humble.  (Luke 1:26-38)
December 19 They Are Saved.  (Matthew 1:18-25)
Join us on Wednesdays for Advent.  Supper begins at 6:00 PM; Vespers begins at 7:00 PM.

ADVENT DINNER SCHEDULE
We will have our Advent dinners before each mid-week Advent Vespers.  Dinners will be served at 6:00 PM.  The following groups will be heading up the meals for the Advent dinners:
December 5         Ladies of Good Shepherd
December 12 Church Council
November 19 Church Council
If you are willing and able to help with the Advent dinners, please speak to the contact person listed above.

POINSETTIAS

          The Ladies of Good Shepherd will be setting out a sign-up sheet soon for Christmas poinsettias.  The cost will be determined soon.  Checks can be made out to Good Shepherd Worship Committee.  Cash can be left in the collection plate but needs to be designated “poinsettias.”  The poinsettias will be used to decorate the church for the Christmas services.  You are welcome to take yours home after the Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service.

HVL CHRISTMAS CONCERT 
This year’s HVL Christmas Concert will be held on Sunday, December 16, beginning at 3:00 pm.  Come worship the Christ-child with the HVL Choir, and Hawk Singers as they perform music for the season.

DO YOU LIKE US?
Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook.  Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings.


BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD
For future reference (or a reminder) here is the bad weather policy for Good Shepherd services:
We will always have services as scheduled at Good Shepherd.  Since I live across the parking lot, I can get to the church no matter how bad the weather gets.  Even if the service is just me and my family, we will be here.  For everyone else, please use your God-given common sense to determine whether or not you will get on the road to attend any service when the weather is bad.  We don't want anyone to risk his or her life to be here.  But if you do venture out, the scheduled service will take place.  It may be only a handful with a capella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here.
Bible Classes and meetings may be cancelled due to weather.  Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events is cancelled.  If there is no email about it, it is not cancelled.  But again, use common sense to determine if you can make it, and call the pastor to let him know if you will not be coming.

God bless you.

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
==============================

DIVINE SERVICES
     Sundays at 10:00 AM

ADVENT VESPERS
     Wednesdays, December 5, 12, & 19, 7:00 PM

SUNDAY SCHOOL
     Sundays at 8:45 AM

ADULT BIBLE CLASS
     Sundays at 8:45 AM

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG


Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church
41415 W. Nine Mile Road
Novi, Michigan  48375-4306
+   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Divine Services -- Sundays at 10:00 AM
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Private Confession and Absolution -- Saturday, December 2, 2018

Private confession and absolution will be available at church from 9:00 - 11:00 AM on Saturday, December 1.  No appointment is necessary.  Just stop in.  If this rite is new to you (and it is for many who attend here), the pastor will walk you through the rite so that you understand and appreciate it more.  Private confession and absolution is always available by appointment throughout the year.

Why Private Confession & Absolution?  The answer follows:

When Lutherans hear someone speak of Private Confession and Absolution, the response is usually a knee-jerk, "That's Roman Catholic!"  Though that may be a common perception, the perception is because either it was taught wrongly or understood wrongly.  Consider what the Lutheran Confessions teach about Private Confession and Absolution.

Our churches teach that private Absolution should be retained in the churches, although listing all sins is not necessary for Confession.  For, according to the Psalm, it is impossible.  "Who can discern his errors?" (Psalm 19:12) -- Augsburg Confession, Article XI

What is Confession?
     Answer: Confession has two parts: the one is that we confess our sins; the other is that we receive Absolution, or forgiveness, from the confessor, as from God Himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are forgiven before God in heaven by this.
What sins should we confess?
     Answer: Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even of those that we do not know, as we do in the Lord's Prayer.  But before the confessor we should confess only those sins that we know and feel in our hearts. -- Luther's Small Catechism, Part V

These are basic confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.  They are catholic, insofar as they are Christian.  But they are not Roman, insofar as the penitent is not obligated to orally confess every sin in order to be forgiven of it and insofar as one's forgiveness is not dependent upon some action on the part of the penitent.  The forgiveness is based on Jesus' sufferings and death for the penitent who has been baptized into his name.

Since the practice of Private Confession and Absolution is a Lutheran practice, it would be good for Lutherans to practice it.  It is good for the penitent who is grieved by a particular sin to confess it so that he can hear Christ say through the mouth of his minister: "I forgive you."  It would be good for the one who is burdened to be relieved of his burden by Holy Absolution.  It would be good for this practice, though foreign to many in my corner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, to be restored.  And so it will be.

Private Confession and Absolution has always been available to all members by appointment.  (I am guessing that has been a pretty good secret.)  In order for this practice to be restored and perhaps put to better use, there will be dates on the calendar set aside for anyone who would like to drop in and make use of this means of grace.  These will be set up about 4 times per year.  Private Confession and Absolution will still be available by appointment in addition to these scheduled times.

It is anticipated that Private Confession and Absolution will roughly follow this regular schedule.
     The Saturday before or on Epiphany (Epiphany is always January 6)
     The Saturday before Palm Sunday
     The Saturday after Labor Day weekend
     The Saturday after Thanksgiving weekend (should coincide with the 1st Saturday in Advent)

The next scheduled date and time for Private Confession and Absolution will be Saturday, December 1, 9:00-11:00 AM.  Appointments are not necessary.  You need only drop in.  All participation is voluntary, as Absolution cannot be forced upon anyone.

Of course, this will be new to pretty much any member who decides to make use of it.  If you happen to come in, the pastor will walk through the rite with you and explain the various parts of it, especially including the "private" part, namely, that this confession is to Christ and, therefore, remains his business alone.  The pastor will not report any confession or even the names of those who come for confession.  Finally, the point of this is not for a pastor to learn everyone's dirty, little secrets.  (His life is easier if he remains ignorant.  But God's people do not call a pastor to be ignorant; they call him to absolve in the name of Jesus.)  The point is for the guilty and the grieved to find relief and receive forgiveness, or absolution.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Jesus Cares -- Worship at the Cross to begin Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM

WORSHIP AT THE CROSS
A Service for People with Special Needs

Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Novi (9 Mile & Meadowbrook) is eager to meet and to serve people with special needs.  In conjunction with Jesus Cares Ministries (http://www.tlha.org/jesus-cares-ministries), we are offering a monthly worship called Worship at the Cross.   Worship at the Cross is a 25 minute service which is tailored to the needs of its participants.  Volunteers will assist to ensure everyone feels comfortable and can take part to the best of their ability.  Following the service, we will enjoy a snack and an interactive project.  
Worship at the Cross will meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month.
Register at http://goodshepherdnovi.org/worship_at_the_cross .  You can also contact Pastor Thomas Schroeder at 248-349-0565 or at welsnovi@aol.com for more info.
        Please share this information to any family which may find this of interest!

        Our first Worship at the Cross service will be Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Sermon -- Hymnfest Devotions (November 25, 2018)

HYMNFEST 

This year's Hymnfest featured hymns which represented Christian hymnody as it progresses through the Church Year – Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and End Times.  Every year, the Church repeats the life of Jesus who lived, suffered, died, and rose for the salvation of his Church.  He sent his Holy Spirit to gather us together as his family of believers.  By repeating the words and works of Jesus every year, we are reminded of his mercies, strengthened in the faith, and properly focused on what keeps us in the Christian faith.  Our Hymnfest will not only allow us to sing a sampling of these hymns, but we will also consider the stories of the hymn writers, the background of the hymns, or ponder the message in them.  (NOTE: These were written in the footnotes of the bulletin.)



        Here are a few of the devotions from Hymnfest.


EPIPHANY          John 2:1-11

When Jesus was born, the angels proclaimed to the shepherds that Jesus is Christ the Lord.  Such angelic announcements did not continue to announce Jesus throughout his life.  Nevertheless, Jesus revealed his identity with miraculous signs.  Each sign proclaimed him to be Christ, the Lord.
The first such miraculous sign was at Cana, at a wedding.  The celebration was about to come to an abrupt, shameful halt because they had run out of wine.  Jesus graciously supplied what they needed and abundantly more. 
Jesus is the one who supplies all that we need for salvation.  He supplies in abundance.  He does not forgive only a few bad sins.  He does not merely pardon a bunch of sins which we do not feel are that bad.  He takes all sins and pays for them all.
Jesus Christ has supplied all that we need to enter the heavenly wedding banquet.  When our time on earth ends, even if it is abrupt, it will not be shameful.  Rather, our place at the wedding feast has been secured by Jesus.  That banquet will be everlasting.  For, the Christ supplies all that we lack.  At our baptism, the Lord has bestowed upon us our wedding garments.  Therefore, our joy will be eternal as we and all the Church will feast with the heavenly bridegroom.


LENT          John 19:16-31
“He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.” (Apostles' Creed)  These are historical facts.
“Who for us men … became man.” (Nicene Creed)  Jesus Christ did this for us.  That is theological fact.
The agony of Jesus' sufferings and death was far beyond the cruelty of execution on a cross.  It is that Jesus drinks the cup his Father gives him.  That was the cup of God's wrath.  It was given to Jesus who bore our sins and guilt.  He, though innocent, died the death of the guilty so that we, who are guilty, would be forgiven and found innocent in God's sight.
Some ask occasionally why we have images of Jesus on a cross when he is risen.  The idea is that we should think of the victorious resurrection and, therefore, live as victors.  I suspect that some also think it means we should always be happy and prosperous throughout life.  While we are always victors, life is not always happy.  Jesus knew the bitterness that comes with sins.  But rather than tell us to buck up, Jesus takes our sins and guilt away from us.  The payment for your sins was at the cross.  There is the propitiation, that is, the sacrifice which diverts God's wrath from you to Jesus.  That is where God reveals love, mercy, and salvation.  And that is why we preach Christ crucified, and proclaim Christ crucified for you.


ASCENSION          Acts 1:1-11

“He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.” (Apostles' Creed)  We are not confessing a literal place, but a position of authority.  He who is a man has ascended into heaven, the presence of God.  Wherever God's arm extends, there Jesus is.  Therefore, Jesus rules over heaven, earth, and all things.
In ascending into heaven, Jesus shows what the future of his redeemed people is: We, too, will go to dwell in the presence of God forever.  For all eternity, he will remain our Immanuel—God with man and men dwelling with God.  For, our God loves and desires to be with us forevermore.
Until that day, Jesus lives and reigns over all things for our good.  You and I may not understand why Jesus permits what he does in this world or in our lives.  But nothing happens apart from Jesus' authority.  And all of Jesus' authority is devoted to our eternal good. 
Just as Jesus has ascended into heaven, so he will return to judge the living and the dead.  Rather than dread his return and his judgment, we pray for it.  For we shall be taken into glory with him, and we will live and reign with him forevermore.


PENTECOST          Acts 2:1-21

At Babel, the arrogance of man was dealt with by God's judgment.  He confused the languages of the people who were there, which caused them to be divided and to fill the world.  He created nations, tribes, peoples, and languages.  No longer does the world speak one language.  And no longer is the world united for a common good.  Now we know nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and race against race.
But when the day of Pentecost came, the Lord addressed the division of languages.  Rather than reversing the curse entirely by bringing back the world to one language, the Lord blessed all the languages and brought them all into the Church.  No longer was the Church to meet in one place to find God's presence among them, such as the Temple in Jerusalem.  Now, the Lord dwells with people who gather in his name, where the word and the sacraments are.  In fact, your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit—for, he dwells within you.
Therefore, all languages have been sanctified for the praise of the Lord.  We still retain the language of the saints of the past.  We share the Jews' “Hallelujah!”  We speak with the Greeks, “Kyrie, eleison!”  We repeat the Latin hymn, “Gloria in excelsis Deo!”  And in order to declare the wonders of God to people of our own land, we speak American English so that the average person may know that the Savior of the Nations includes them.
When St. John caught a glimpse into Revelation, he heard your language.  “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before them Lamb … and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God....!” (Revelation 7:9-10)  For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord—no matter with what langauge they call—shall be saved.

Friday, November 23, 2018

Update from Good Shepherd (November 23, 2018)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE
Our Divine Services are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Thursday services at 3:30 PM are also offered, but call or text to confirm you are coming (248-719-5218).  If no one calls to confirm their attendance, he may not be at the church.

SUNDAY SCHOOL & ADULT BIBLE CLASS
Our Sunday School & Adult Bible Class meet at 8:45 AM.

JESUS CARES MINISTRIES -- Worship at the Cross
Good Shepherd will be offering worship services and a Sunday School class for people with special needs.  These people, precious to Jesus, are often neglected.   This service will be offered on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM.  Our start date will be Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM.  The service is called "Worship at the Cross," since the word "worship" describes what we are doing better than Jesus Cares Ministries.  (NOTE: Jesus Cares Ministries and Worship at the Cross may be used interchangeably.  While Jesus Cares Ministries offers other programs, for our purposes, they refer to the same thing.)
Finally, in order for this ministry to truly be of service to those who need it, we need to publicize this.  If you know of anyone with developmental disabilities (e.g., Down Syndrome, Autism, et al.), please inform them of our Worship at the Cross efforts.  Word of mouth is usually best received, but you can help us get the word out in other ways, too.  Once again—we begin on Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30 PM.
You can find out more about Jesus Cares Ministries and Worship at the Cross at: http://www.tlha.org/jesus-cares-ministries .

ADULT BIBLE CLASS  — St. Paul's Epistles to Timothy

What does God expect of his church?  What does God desire for worship?  What are the qualifications and responsibilities of a pastor?  These are the questions St. Paul addresses in his letter to protegee, Timothy.  Having trained Timothy for years, St. Paul entrusted Timothy to serve as the pastor of the church at Ephesus.  Paul's instructions teach us what the ministry is supposed to look like.  These instructions still apply to Christ's Church today.
November 18 1 Timothy 2-3       (The pastoral office)
November 25 1 Timothy 4     (Apostasy and Faithfulness)
December 2         1 Timothy 5          (Instructions for the Church)
December 9         1 Timothy 6   (Striving for godliness rather than gain)
December 16 2 Timothy 1-2  (Guard your faith and your teaching)
December 23 2 Timothy 3-4      (Faithfulness in a faithless world)
HYMNFEST 
On Sunday, November 25, we will have a Hymnfest.  The hymns featured this year will represent Christian hymnody as it progresses through the Church Year – Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and End Times.  Every year, the Church repeats the life of Jesus who lived, suffered, died, and rose for the salvation of his Church.  He sent his Holy Spirit to gather us together as his family of believers.  By repeating the words and works of Jesus every year, we are reminded of his mercies, strengthened in the faith, and properly focused on what keeps us in the Christian faith.  Our Hymnfest will not only allow us to sing a sampling of these hymns, but we will also consider the stories of the hymn writers, the background of the hymns, or ponder the message in them.

INTERCESSIONS 
Intercessions that are requested prior to the bulletin’s printing will be included in the bulletin.  Requests may be made prior to the service as well.
>  For Jon Rumics, son of David & Diane Rumics, who has been diagnosed with cancer.
>  For the family of Oliver Barber, father of Terry Barber, who was called to eternal rest (11/23/2018)

In our prayers....
While we offer up prayers for specific requests in our services, petitions and intercessions can be offered up throughout the week for continued concerns.  Please continue to remember these in your prayers:
-- For Dale Peterson, father of Jeanette Schneider, who is still recovering from a stroke
– For the family of  Dave Ziolkowski, uncle of Carol Casmer, who died 
– For Mary Buccilli's continued recovery from knee surgery
– For Andrew Schroeder's continued recovery from wrist surgery
– For Steve Smith's (brother-in-law of David Kirvan) continued recovery from surgery
– For the family of William Winterstein, uncle of Jeanette Schneider, who died

COOKIE EXCHANGE
The Ladies of Good Shepherd will be hosting a cookie exchange on Sunday, December 9 after church.  Ladies, please bring two dozen Christmas cookies.  They will be packaged for members to take home.  Donations received for cookies will go to purchase new altar linens.  (Some of them are quite threadbare.)

LADIES OF GOOD SHEPHERD—ADVENT TEA
On Sunday, December 2 at 6:00 PM, the Ladies of Good Shepherd will be hosting an Advent tea.  In addition to enjoying fellowship with one another, devotions will be read and hymns sung as we consider the significance of Advent and prepare for the coming of the Lord.  This is a great opportunity to invite friends to become acquainted with our congregation and, more importantly, to hear the good news of salvation through Jesus, our coming Lord.  

SUNDAY NIGHT BIBLE SERIES
A latest series for our Sunday Night Bible Series has begun.  The next session will be  Sunday, December 9 at 6:00 PM.  This series, entitled “Eating God's Sacrifice,” explores the Lord's Supper portrayal in the Old Testament sacrifices.  While the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper flows from the Passover, its roots and forgiveness come from all the Old Testament sacrifices.  After viewing each DVD segment, Pastor Purdue and Pastor Schroeder will lead a discussion about the material which is in the DVD.  All sessions will begin at 6:00 PM.  These are intended to be interactive discussions as well as informational.  Desserts and snacks will be served.  All are welcome. 

DO YOU LIKE US?
Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook.  Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings.


God bless you.

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
==============================

DIVINE SERVICES
     Sundays at 10:00 AM

SUNDAY SCHOOL
     Sundays at 8:45 AM

ADULT BIBLE CLASS
     Sundays at 8:45 AM

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG


Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church
41415 W. Nine Mile Road
Novi, Michigan  48375-4306
+   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Divine Services -- Sundays at 10:00 AM
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Sermon -- Thanksgiving Eve (November 21, 2018)

LUKE 17:11-19

TRUE THANKSGIVING
RUNS BACK TO JESUS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     For the majority of the year, we give our attention to what are termed 2nd Article and 3rd Article blessings—that is, blessings which come through Jesus (Apostles' Creed, 2nd Article), who removes our sins from us and bestows his righteousness upon us, and blessings which come through the Holy Spirit (Apostles' Creed, 3rd Article), who enlightens us through the Gospel and sustains us in the Christian faith through that same Gospel.  We often overlook the 1st Article gifts from God the Father—clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, spouse and children, land, cattle, and all we own, and all that we need for our body and life.  One of the reasons is that receiving these things do not save us.  Even unbelievers get these things.  Another reason is because God blesses us so faithfully and generously that we give no thought to these things at all.  In 21st century America, we expect that we will always have them in great abundance and variety. 
     There were ten men who knew what it was to not have such blessings, or at least to be limited in them.  Ten men had formed their own mobile leper colony.  Leprosy had banished them from their churches, their jobs, their communities, and their families.  One by one, each man was sent away with his head wrapped in a cloth.  One by one, each would yell, “Unclean!  Unclean!” to any passerby.  Eventually, they found each other as they greeted each other by shouting, “Unclean!” back and forth, until finally there were ten of them.  Although misery loves company, they would rather have been relieved of their misery, healed of their disease, and restored to their families. They caught sight of Jesus as he traveled through the area where they were.  Rather than yell, “Unclean!”, they yelled that they wanted to be cleansed.  They stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luke 17:12-13) 
     How they had contracted leprosy we do not know.  But we do know that leprosy is not normal.  It is not normal for people to have debilitating diseases.  They are common, and we all probably know someone who has one.  If so, you know that it affects you as you have to adjust your life for their sake.  It is normal in that it is common, but it is not normal in that everyone is diseased.  There are countless diseases in this world, and we could suffer from many of them.  Our Lord, in his mercy, usually spares us from them.  But when they come, we recognize that they are not normal.  They happen because our bodies grow weak.  Our immunity fails.  Cells mutate.  Viruses invade.  Parasites burrow in.  It happens because this is a sinful world, and we ourselves are sinners in it.  This is all the more reason to cry out, “Lord, have mercy upon us.”
     The ten lepers did not resign themselves to their leprosy and conclude, “This leprosy is God's will.  I guess we should be content to live with it.”  No, instead, when they saw Jesus, they saw the one who could bring cleansing and healing to them.  So, they cried out to him.  They were not disappointed.
     Jesus heard their plea for mercy, and he responded in mercy.  When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went they were cleansed.  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks.  Now he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:14-16)  
     True thanksgiving runs back to Jesus.  Of course, this did not mean the others were not cleansed.  Jesus knew they were, for his word did what he had implied with it.  The reason the lepers were to show themselves to the priests was so that the priests could inspect their skin and proclaim them clean.  Once declared clean, the men would shave themselves completely, bathe in clean water, and then, after a sacrifice, would be restored to their churches, their communities, and their families.  Therefore, Jesus asked, “Were not ten cleansed?  Where are the nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17-18)  
     It would be easy for us to assume that the nine were ungrateful.  There is not a doubt in my mind that the nine lepers were overjoyed that they were finally cleansed of this disease which banished them from all that was near and dear to them.  I am sure that the reunion they had with their families was full of laughter and hugs and tears.  And I am sure that they even appreciated going back to work and being productive members of society.  We should not think of the nine cured lepers as bitter, angry men.  In the same way, even people who do not believe in Jesus can appreciate the 1st Article blessings of God.  They will eat turkey and pie tomorrow, and it will be tasty.  They will be with family and they will cherish it.  Even if they do not honor God for his blessings, God is still good, and he still gives his blessings.
     True thanksgiving runs back to Jesus.  The Samaritan ran back to Jesus not just because he was cleansed, but because he honored Jesus as the one who delivers us from all sin and its curse.  The Lord Jesus demonstrates his mercy upon us by bringing the kingdom of God to us.  That kingdom is marked not only by the forgiveness of sins Jesus brings through his sufferings and death, but also by restoring all that has been ruined and corrupted with sin.  Jesus took into his body everything that has to do with sin—our guilt, our shame, our pains, our sorrows, and all its curse.  The body which Jesus gave into death has risen, freed from all sin and all its consequences.  He is forever free from death, from sorrow, from pain, and from every evil.  And Jesus delivers us from every evil, too.  He delivers us from the curse of sin, and he puts an end to all the consequences of sins.  That is why true thanksgiving runs back to Jesus.  These are the things we long for, and Jesus supplies them perfectly and permanently.
     Therefore, when Jesus walked the earth some 2,000 years ago, he brought miraculous healing with him.  It is not God's design that bodies should be sick, or diseased, or for that matter die.  So, Jesus delivered healing to ten lepers and restored their bodies to wholeness.  Likewise, he brought sight to the blind, strength to crippled legs, wholeness to withered hands, and even life back from the grave.  This is what Jesus delivers when  the kingdom of God comes. 
     We know the difficulties and frustrations of this fallen world.  They cause us to cry out, “Jesus, master, have pity on us!”, just as the ten lepers did.  But too often, like the nine lepers, the mercy we pray for is the temporary relief of good health.  We want to a sound body so that we can get on with life.  If that is our goal, then we cannot fault the nine lepers for not coming back to Jesus to thank him.  Then we will treat the doctor and the pharmacy as our gods, trusting that they will provide the pain meds and therapy we want to get better.  If we crave only the 1st Article gifts, that is, our worldly goods, then we lose out on the greater gifts which bring everlasting mercy and wholeness.
     True thanksgiving runs back to Jesus.  The nine lepers did not desire the better gifts.  Even though they did not honor Jesus, Jesus did not rescind his healing.  They remained cleansed of their leprosy; but we have no reason to believe they were cleansed of their sins.  In the same way, when the world fails to honor and thank God for all his goodness, God remains good, and he continues to supply our daily bread.
     True thanksgiving, however, runs back to Jesus.  The Samaritan recognized all that Jesus had to give.  He recognized that the kingdom of God is more than pain relief, a comfortable home, or a full belly.  When he saw that he was healed, (he) turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. (Luke 17:15-16) Even though the other nine were still cleansed of their leprosy, only the Samaritan got to receive Jesus' salvation.  He ran back to Jesus, and Jesus answered, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19) 
     True thanksgiving runs back to Jesus.  Your problems and your pains may well cause you to cry out, “Jesus, master, have mercy on me.”  Jesus hears your prayers, and his answer is “Yes.”  Jesus may not deliver you or your loved ones from all their diseases right now.  But on the Last Day, he will surely deliver his redeemed forever from every evil.  He takes away sin and death.  He will take away disease, disability, and decay.  Just as he restores you to his Father, so he will restore all things in you as well. 
     Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures forever.  Thanks to Jesus, so will our praise.  Go your way in peace; your faith makes you whole.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

Monday, November 19, 2018

Hymn Notes: Now Thank We All Our God (CW 610)


One of the hymns we sing at our Thanksgiving service without fail is "Now Thank We All Our God," (610, Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal).  While this hymn is sung with great joy, it was written by a pastor who had endured great heartache.  Consider this history of Pastor Martin Rinkart, author of the hymn.

"Now thank we all our God" is a popular Christian hymn translated from the German "Nun danket alle Gott", written c. 1636 by Protestant minister Martin Rinkart. The melody is attributed to Johann Crüger, who wrote it c. 1647.[1]
Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran minister who came to EilenburgSaxony at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War. The walled city of Eilenburg became the refuge for political and military fugitives, but the result was overcrowding, and deadly pestilence and famine. Armies overran it three times. The Rinkart home was a refuge for the victims, even though he was often hard-pressed to provide for his own family. During the height of a severe plague in 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor in Eilenburg, conducting as many as 50 funerals in a day. He performed more than 4000 funerals in that year, including that of his wife.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_Thank_We_All_Our_God

Despite the bitterness which had afflicted his life, Pastor Rinkart penned a hymn which urges us to give thanks to God in all circumstances.  No matter what our circumstances are, the Lord remains our good and merciful Father in heaven, the giver of every good and perfect gift, and the Savior of mankind.  

Join us this Wednesday, November 21 at 7:00 PM to sing this hymn, to ponder God's promises, and to give thanks to the Lord for all his goodness.

Now thank we all our God
   With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
   In whom his world rejoices, 
Who from our mother's arms
   Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
   And still is ours today.

Oh, may this bounteous God
   Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
   And blessed peace to cheer us
And keep us in his grace
   And guide us when perplexed
And free us from all ills
   In this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
   The Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns
   With them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God,
   Whom earth and heaven adore!
For thus it was, is now,
   And shall be ever more.

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday of End Times (November 18, 2018)

DANIEL 12:1-3

YOU WILL SHINE IN GLORY.

In the name + of Jesus.

     What does a Christian look like?  I suppose your answer will vary depending on what has been going on or who you ask.  If you ask people who despise the Church, they will say that Christianity is about persecuting people who are different.  They will talk about the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition or some misguided fool who thought it was his God-given job to blow up an abortion clinic.  I'm sure you've heard the charge before: “Christians are a bunch of hypocrites.”  Since some Christians have done horrible things over the years, unbelievers insist that this image represents all Christians.  It is not a fair description at all, but people use this image as the reason they don't want to be Christians.  They insist that they are better and more loving. 
     When you ask Christians what a Christian looks like, our answers might be as flawed as those who hate the Church.  We could look at the worst behavior of an unbelieving world.  It isn't hard to find.  Scripture warns us:  “In the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)  We might insist that Christians are better and more loving than that.
     But if we boast about how good Christians are, we might do nothing but heap guilt upon a lot of Christians.  We are all sinners, and sometimes we prove that in rather disappointing ways.  It is like saying, “Real Christians forgive like Jesus does.  Real Christians do not show favoritism or practice bigotry.  Real Christians do not get divorced or twist the truth or withhold charity.”  If we say things like this, then we will all have the same conclusion: “I guess I am not a real Christian, then.”  Now, if you want to talk about what a Christian should look and act like, then it is true.  We are supposed to direct our lives according to the Ten Commandments.  They are God's will for our lives.  They show us the good we are supposed to do and expose the evil we are to avoid.  We should obey them.  But we don't.  Real Christians are still real sinners.  The point is not that we have overcome all sins; the point is that we repent of them and, more importantly, we are forgiven for them.
     The prophet Daniel spoke about what Christians will look like.  He wrote: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:2-3)  You will shine in glory.  The day will come when you will look like the children of God.  But note the verb tense.  It is future.  You will shine in glory.  You are not there yet. 
     We are the children of God.  This is what we confess because this is what God says.  “How great is the love our Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God!  And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NIV (c) 1984)  We believe we are children of God because God says so, not because it looks like it or feels like it.  Even if there are days when you feel unbelievably blessed by God, there will be plenty of days when you will be hounded by guilt, regret, and shame.  You will wonder if you really are a child of God, or if God really forgives you.  Others might challenge you: “How can you call yourself a Christian when you act like that!?”  What can we say?  Sins are sins.  Wrong is wrong.  A hypocrite will insist otherwise.  Instead, be honest: Confess your sins.  Amend your wickedness.  Repent.  And flee to Jesus.  He has a word that sustains you.
     You will shine in glory, but not yet.  Now, we live by faith, not by sight.  Now, we take God at his word.  The children of God always come to hear the Father speak tenderly through his Son, Jesus.  This is what the Lord says through the prophet Daniel: “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)  You will shine in glory.  Never mind what it looks like now.  God has made you wise for salvation.  He has revealed Jesus to you as your Savior.
     What does God see when he sees you?  God tells you.  “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27)  Through baptism, you have received all that Jesus Christ has done for you.  Jesus did perfectly order his life according to the Ten Commandments.  His enemies could not find fault with him, no matter how much they tried to entrap him or how severely they accused him.  The Father in heaven also declared that with his Son, he was well pleased.  Jesus' holy, obedient life was lived for you.  That is what covers you.  At your baptism, the Lord put his name upon you to mark you as his own.  He has made you a child of God, covered in the righteousness of Jesus, and cleansed you of all sin.  Since you are all sons of God, you are also heirs of the heavenly kingdom.  You are children of the resurrection.  You will shine in glory. 
     While your glory will come when people are raised from the dust of the earth, your place in God's family is already secure now.  You are the children of God because you have God's word on it.  Of course, we also want to live as children of God.  God's Commandments are good.  They direct us to what a good and godly life is supposed to look like.  Jesus has encouraged us, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)  In other words, it is God's will that we already begin to shine and to reflect Jesus' righteousness in our lives now.  The children of God are set apart, and we pray that it would look like it.  This is to God's glory, not ours.
     Nevertheless, our true glory does not come yet.  We still struggle against temptations.  And worse, we still give in.  Then we have to deal with shame, regret, and frustration.  There is a reason we still confess our sins.  We still have them.  We do not look like the children of God yet.  There is a reason we flee to hear God's word over and over again.  We live by faith, and our faith is informed and sustained by God's word.  He continues to declare his love for us, to absolve us of our sins, to feed us with the heavenly feast, and to encourage us to continue in godly living, no matter how much of a struggle that is.  He puts away our shame and regret, and he reminds us that we are his.  Even if you don't feel like it, you are.  The Lord says so, and we take him at his word.  We live right now by faith, not by sight.
     But Daniel's words are also true, for they are the word of the Lord: “Your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.  And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:1-3)  You will shine in glory, for the Lord has written your name in the Book of Life, just as surely as he has written his name upon you through your baptism.
     What does a Christian look like?  A Christian is one who hears God's word, kneels at his altar, confesses his sins, confesses the faith, and strives to put God's word into action in his life.  How good that looks like to other people, or even to yourself, does not prove anything.  The world may define you by your flaws; the Lord does not.  Salvation belongs to those who are wise for salvation; for they hear God's word and believe it.
     But you will shine in glory.  On the Last Day, you will be raised from your grave, and you will look and act like the children of God he says you are.  You will be forever free from regret and shame.  You will be delivered from struggles against temptation and the frustration of your sins.  You will serve the Lord in perfect obedience and rejoice in doing his will without fault.  You will even be delivered from pain, sorrow, deformity, disability, disaster, and death.  For it will be an everlasting age of glory and peace.  This is your inheritance, for you are the children of God.  That is what you are now; for God has said so.  And soon, you will look like it; for you will shine in glory forevermore.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.