Update from Good Shepherd (January 16, 2025)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE 

Divine Service is Sunday at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is on Sunday at 9:00 AM.
Adult Bible Class is on Sunday at 9:00 AM.
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.

CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

INTRODUCTION VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH

          Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Share it as much as you can.

BIBLE MATTERS WINTER SESSION

          Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.  We welcome all for this discussion group.  This winter’s topic will be “Jesus responds to challenges by his enemies.”  These challenges were hurled at Jesus during Holy Week in an attempt to accuse him of false teaching and practice.  A detailed schedule can be found here. 

AID AND RELIEF FOR CALIFORNIA FIRES
          We will be collecting an offering through this Sunday (January 19) for aid and relief in regard to the California wildfires which have ravaged large swaths of land around the Los Angeles area. Our offerings will be given to WELS Christian Aid and Relief. Additional offerings beyond January 19 can be contributed through this link: Donate Online - WELS

ETHNIC FOOD NIGHT: THAI FOOD
          You are invited (and so are your friends) to a Good Shepherd outing on Friday, January 31.  We will enjoy an evening of ethnic food. For our first ethnic food outing, we will be going to a Thai restaurant. The time will be announced later. But before we meet on January 31, there are two things we need.
          1) RSVP to indicate who is coming and how many you represent. This allows us to make sure we have enough space reserved for our group.
          2) Help us select a Thai restaurant. If we have multiple suggestions, we will work from those and announce our destination as we approach January 31.
          All responses can be sent to welsnovi@aol.com.

USHER TRAINING

          We encourage all confirmed men of our congregation to join the usher crew. While it is not difficult to do, we are eager to brush up from time to time so that anyone who serves may do so with confidence. There are a few procedures which we do well to review so that everything runs smoothly. There will be a training session after church on Sunday, January 19.

ALTAR GUILD
          We invite and encourage any of the confirmed ladies of our congregation to serve in our altar guild. The main duties of our altar guild regard the preparation of the elements for holy communion and care for the sacred vessels. We will be having a training session for the altar guild on Sunday, February 2 after church. Anyone interested in serving on the altar guild is welcome to attend this meeting. We will also team you up with a seasoned member of the altar guild to address any questions.

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (December)

>    The church council approved expenditures of up to $15,000 for updating the kitchen at the church.  We will save on the cost of new cabinets by ordering them sooner rather than later, although we do not expect them to arrive until perhaps early March.  Renovations will not occur until after Easter to allow us to use our existing kitchen for Lenten dinners and Easter breakfast.

>    We discussed the possibility of adding a handicapped-accessible push-button entrance for the church.  It is possible that some grants will make this a less expensive project.  However, we also discussed adding an air-lock to the church entryway so that the winter winds do not whip right down the hallway.  That would be a more costly project, but would be a welcome addition to our entrance.  This is still in the discussion stage.  And as long as we were discussing ideas, we considered updating our bathrooms so that they would meet current handicapped-accessible codes.  This would likely increase the size of both bathrooms and would have the pastor’s office moved to a new location.

>  New flooring was installed in part of the parsonage basement.  There are about 100 sq. feet of extra flooring available for anyone who wants them.  They will be in an unused Sunday School classroom throughout the month of January.  After that, they will hit the curb and be free to the public.

>    If you would like to see a copy of the budget for the 2025 year, please contact Dan LeFevre.

BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD
          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 cappella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here.
           Bible Classes and meetings may be canceled due to weather. Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events are canceled. If there is no email about it, it is not canceled. 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.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
           Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the service from January 5, 2025: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, January 5, 2025

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS

            The pastor will try to hold formal office hours Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon. It should be noted that some meetings are scheduled for those times. It is best to call or text to confirm any meetings with the pastor (248-719-5218).

 

DO YOU LIKE US?

          Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
          We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder

==============================

REGULAR SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM.  
Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM.  

Bible Matters -- Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com 

A Pastoral Concern on Marriage and Family (or, the lack thereof)

This pastoral concern was sparked by an article written by Gene Edward Veith.  The link to his article is at the bottom of this post.

A few weeks ago in Bible Class, I had posed the question: "Evaluate: We have a culture that devalues motherhood and despises large families."  The initial response was that the statement was extreme.  That was countered by people noting how much abortion had become a chief issue leading up to the elections.

Sadly, many young people have made it a goal to NOT have children.  Young girls are encouraged to pursue lucrative careers.  The encouragement also suggests that the career is doing something valuable with your life.  How many young girls are encouraged to be wives and mothers?  How many are told that being a stay-at-home mom is a noble vocation?  Well, if you ask Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, he will let you know that such a sentiment invites the wrath of many people. (For the full transcript of his speech, click here.  Scroll down to "A Message to the Women Graduates" to find his allegedly controversial statements about motherhood.)  When he upheld the vocation of wife, mother, and homemaker, he was vilified.  People called for him to be fired.  One person even posted where he lived, implying that he should be persecuted if not outright killed.

This is what the Lord says: "Indeed, children are a heritage from the Lord.  The fruit of the womb is a reward from him.  Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.  How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them" (Psalm 127:3-5).  The Lord declares that children are a blessing.  It is a blessing which was established upon the creation of a man and a woman (Genesis 1:28).  It was repeated after the Flood when Noah and his family left the ark (Genesis 9:1).  It is a blessing meant for as long as the earth endures; that's why people have a sex drive.  Now, if children are a reward, then being a stay-at-home mom is a high and noble calling.

Some might see this as a condemnation of women who have careers.  Let's be clear: Anyone can contribute to society with a career, but I suggest to you that there is no greater vocation in this world than father/mother.   What greater influence can someone have on society than in raising godly children? Unfortunately, those vocations are being avoided, and many who are avoiding them are taking great pride in resisting marriage and family.  Beware: This celebratory attitude will become deep regret in your old age.  No elderly people are celebrating loneliness.

Here is something from Gene Edward Veith at his Cranach blog about this issue.  He backs up the sentiment that marriage and family are being despised with some statistics which, I hope, will be shocking and disconcerting.   “They Will Say, ‘Blessed Are The Barren'” | Gene Veith

Sermon -- 1st Sunday after Epiphany (January 12, 2025)

LUKE 3:15-17,21-22

THE TRIUNE GOD POURS OUT HIS GRACE IN BAPTISM.

In the name + of Jesus.

     St. Luke’s record of Jesus’ baptism is the shortest in the Gospel, except for John who does not record it at all.  Even though St. Luke is brief, what he records is amazing.  Luke records three things that happened at Jesus’ baptism.  It happened, first, that “heaven was opened” (Luke 3:21); second, that “the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22); and third, that “a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love.  I am well pleased with you’” (Luke 3:22).  Each event teaches us a lot about Jesus, and they give us great comfort in regard to our own baptisms.

     First, we hear that heaven was opened.  What this actually looked like I don’t know.  No Gospel writer gives any details about it.  Maybe it just meant that there was a break in the clouds.  But maybe it should be understood metaphorically.  The Son of God had left the glories of heaven to live in our world.  The first thirty years of his life were unspectacular.  Jesus grew up in Nazareth and lived obediently under his parents’ watch.  Presumably, he worked as a carpenter’s apprentice under his earthly father, Joseph.  He did not do any miracles or preach in the synagogues. 

     Jesus left the glories of heaven, but he was not banished from it.  When he was baptized, the heavens opened up.  That brought about the sending of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father.  The Triune God was made evident as each person of the Trinity was distinctly seen and heard on that day.  The Triune God poured out his grace at this baptism.

     St. Luke noted, “The Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22).  This is where Jesus was revealed as the Lord’s anointed.  Anointing usually signaled the authority and the gifts granted to those who served God’s people—whether it was the high priest, like Aaron, the king, like David, or a prophet, like Elisha.  Those men were anointed with oil and were recognized as God’s appointed men with the authority for their particular office.  Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to fulfill all three offices.  As prophet, he proclaimed the good news of salvation.  As king, he went out to fight for us the battle against sin, death, and the devil and to conquer our foes for us.  As high priest, he was to make the sacrifice which reconciles us to God the Father.  And, in fact, he IS the sacrifice which reconciles us to God the Father.  At his baptism, Jesus was publicly revealed as the Christ and was set apart to do the work as our Savior.

     If there were any doubt about who Jesus is, God the Father made it abundantly clear when “a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love.  I am well pleased with you’” (Luke 3:22).  Jesus is God the Son.  This relationship has existed between the Father and the Son from eternity.  Normally, the relationship between a father and a son has a start date.  I did not become a father until the birth of my first child.  The birthday for each of my children is on our calendar, and we celebrate it every year.  Every year, we mark how many years we have enjoyed these children. 

     The relationship between me and my children is 30 years or less.  But not so with God the Father and God the Son.  That relationship goes back to eternity where there is neither a clock nor a calendar.  Time does not exist in eternity.  We don’t ask about a when for that relationship, but a what.  God the Father and God the Son are eternally Father and Son—as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end.  At Jesus’ baptism, the Father revealed who Jesus of Nazareth is.  “This one,” he declares, “This one is my beloved Son.”  Jesus is God the Son in the flesh.  The Father is well pleased with him because he has come to do the Father’s will, which is to save sinners. 

     Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, so Jesus did not need it for his sake.  He did it for yours.  Jesus was baptized in order to unite himself to you.  The three things that happened at Jesus’ baptism happened to you in yours.  The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.

     When you were baptized, heaven was opened to you.  The one thing that keeps people out of the kingdom of heaven is sin.  Nothing sinful can stand in the presence of a holy and pure God.  Therefore, Jesus came to take away all your sin and guilt.  That happened about 2,000 years ago on a hill just outside Jerusalem.  There, Jesus suffered to pay for all sins and died bearing the curse deserved by all sinners.  So, how does that payment for sin get applied to you now?  Through your baptism!  Baptism washes away all your sin and purifies you from all unrighteousness.  And since sin no longer clings to you, heaven is open to you.  The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.

     Secondly, when you were baptized, you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Now the Holy Spirit dwells in you.  He has created faith in you which receives the benefits of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  He has convinced you that God’s word is true and good and right.  Therefore, he also works in you to live and think according to God’s word.  He puts your faith into action.

     However, you and I never stop being sinners.  We struggle with it day after day.  It is not because we are ignorant, as if we don’t know what is good and God-pleasing.  God has told us what pleases him.  Faith concurs with it and delights in God’s commands.  But the sinful nature in us does not.  So, we continue to sin.  You are probably guilty of breaking Poe’s Law.  Poe’s Law is that you interpret someone’s joke in an email or a text as if they were serious.  Imagine a boss who responds to a petty, office squabble by writing, “Maybe I need to fire the whole team.”  An ironic comment which was supposed to defuse a spat blows up into anger, back-biting, fighting, accusations, and so on.  You sin against the boss and others because you would rather assume the worst than seek clarification.

     Or, what if someone sins against you?  You know what Jesus says to do.  Turn the other cheek.  Have mercy.  Forgive freely from the heart.  And the Holy Spirit in you would have you agree.  But the sinful nature in you wants revenge.  You want to lash back and make him feel more pain than he inflicted.  So, which will it be?  We all struggle with our sinfulness in countless ways.  Sometimes we fight off the sinful inclinations.  Sometimes we give into them.  If we ever get to the point where we stop the fight and just let sin have its way with us, the Holy Spirit may depart from us because we have made it clear that we prefer sin to righteousness. 

    This is an on-going work of the Holy Spirit in you, and you need to continue in God’s word and to feast in the sacrament so that faith will continue to be fed, grow, and increase your good works.  John the Baptist told us what Jesus gives us in our baptism.  He said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).  The fire is not God’s damning judgment.  Rather, it is God refining you to strengthen your faith and to purify your heart and mind.  When gold is purified, it is put through intense heat.  It is turned to liquid so that impurities float to the top.  Then they are skimmed off, because no one wants flawed gold.  Likewise, the Lord is not content to have us live with our flaws.  He puts us through trials.  We would call it suffering and pain but it is discipline.  God works through that to rid us of things we don’t need and should not have.  While trials by fire are not fun, they are good for us.  And they prove that all we truly need in this life is Jesus Christ and his gracious promises. 

     The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.  And that brings us to the third thing God does in your baptism.  You did not hear the voice of the Father audibly speaking from heaven, “You are my (child), whom I love. I am well pleased with you” (Luke 3:22), but it is recorded in the Bible for you.  In your baptism, God adopted you into his family.  He put the family name upon you: Christian.  If you are in God’s family, then you receive all the benefits of the kingdom.  Your sins are pardoned.  The grave has been robbed of its power.  You have been delivered from the devil and all his accusations.  The Father is pleased with you because you have been clothed in Jesus’ innocence.  And if you are a child of God, then you are also an heir of his heavenly kingdom. 

     The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.  And what a comfort it is that you have been baptized!  You have the promises of God sealed upon you.  It is more than hearing God’s word and taking it to heart.  That is good, too, but the devil is quick to divert our attention away from God’s promises and turn the focus to ourselves.  How many Christians live in terror because they fear that they do not have a strong enough faith?  That happens especially when you are confronted by death.  You know you can’t escape it.  But then your fear takes over.  You assess your life and your faith and you wonder if you are really good enough.  If you focus on yourself, you will throw everything into doubt and confusion. 

     But the Triune God has poured out his grace upon you in your baptism.  He has done all the work.  Jesus has taken up your sins, so they do not condemn you.  Jesus has overcome the grave, so it has to give you back.  Jesus has opened up heaven to you and sent his Holy Spirit upon you.  The Father has marked you as his own dear child.  All of this is yours not because you have believed strongly enough.  It is yours because God has put it upon you in your baptism.

     Think of it this way.  Why are you a member of your family?  Is it because you loved your parents enough?  Is it because you have contributed to the family estate?  No, it is because you were born into it.  You have your family’s name upon you because you were born into it.  You benefit from your parents providing and protecting because you are their child.  You did nothing to earn this special place.  It is the same in God’s family.  God has brought you into his family in your baptism.  This is the grace he has poured out upon you.

     Jesus Christ was baptized to unite himself to you, and you were united to Jesus in your baptism.  The Father is pleased with you.  The Spirit dwells in you.  Heaven is opened to you.

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

Update from Good Shepherd (January 9, 2025)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE 

Divine Service is Sunday at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is on Sunday at 9:00 AM.
Adult Bible Class is on Sunday at 9:00 AM.
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.

CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

INTRODUCTION VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH

          Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Share it as much as you can.

BIBLE MATTERS WINTER SESSION

          Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.  We welcome all for this discussion group.  This winter’s topic will be “Jesus responds to challenges by his enemies.”  These challenges were hurled at Jesus during Holy Week in an attempt to accuse him of false teaching and practice.  A detailed schedule can be found here. 

BIBLE INFORMATION CLASS

          We will be starting up a new Bible Information Class in the new year. The classes will be on Mondays from 7:00-8:30 PM. The start date will be Monday, January 13. The schedule can be viewed here. There is no cost. To register, contact Pastor Schroeder at welsnovi@aol.com.

          Who might you invite to this class and attend it with them? 

USHER TRAINING
          We encourage all confirmed men of our congregation to join the usher crew. While it is not difficult to do, we are eager to brush up from time to time so that anyone who serves may do so with confidence. There are a few procedures which we do well to review so that everything runs smoothly. There will be a training session after church on Sunday, January 19.

ALTAR GUILD
          We invite and encourage any of the confirmed ladies of our congregation to serve in our altar guild. The main duties of our altar guild regard the preparation of the elements for holy communion and care for the sacred vessels. We will be having a training session for the altar guild on Sunday, February 2 after church. Anyone interested in serving on the altar guild is welcome to attend this meeting. We will also team you up with a seasoned member of the altar guild to address any questions.

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (December)

>    The church council approved expenditures of up to $15,000 for updating the kitchen at the church.  We will save on the cost of new cabinets by ordering them sooner rather than later, although we do not expect them to arrive until perhaps early March.  Renovations will not occur until after Easter to allow us to use our existing kitchen for Lenten dinners and Easter breakfast.

>    We discussed the possibility of adding a handicapped-accessible push-button entrance for the church.  It is possible that some grants will make this a less expensive project.  However, we also discussed adding an air-lock to the church entryway so that the winter winds do not whip right down the hallway.  That would be a more costly project, but would be a welcome addition to our entrance.  This is still in the discussion stage.  And as long as we were discussing ideas, we considered updating our bathrooms so that they would meet current handicapped-accessible codes.  This would likely increase the size of both bathrooms and would have the pastor’s office moved to a new location.

>  New flooring was installed in part of the parsonage basement.  There are about 100 sq. feet of extra flooring available for anyone who wants them.  They will be in an unused Sunday School classroom throughout the month of January.  After that, they will hit the curb and be free to the public.

>    If you would like to see a copy of the budget for the 2025 year, please contact Dan LeFevre.

BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD
          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 cappella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here.
           Bible Classes and meetings may be canceled due to weather. Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events are canceled. If there is no email about it, it is not canceled. 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.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
           Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the service from January 5, 2025: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, January 5, 2025

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS

            The pastor will try to hold formal office hours Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon. It should be noted that some meetings are scheduled for those times. It is best to call or text to confirm any meetings with the pastor (248-719-5218).

 

DO YOU LIKE US?

          Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
          We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder

==============================

REGULAR SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM.  
Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM.  

Bible Matters -- Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com 

YouTube -- Epiphany, transferred (January 5, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, January 5, 2025.

Sermon -- Epiphany, transferred (January 5, 2025)

ACTS 13:46-49

JESUS IS REVEALED AS THE SAVIOR OF ALL NATIONS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When St. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, he stated, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes—to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).  That might sound like God has a preference about who is saved—that Jews are his primary concern and then he might get around to the Gentiles.  To come to this conclusion, however, you would have to ignore quite a few Old Testament prophecies. 

     God chose to work through the nation of Israel to bring the Savior into the world.  Therefore, God sent his prophets primarily to the Jewish people to guide them, guard them, and give them warnings so that they would not lose what God had promised.  Even though God worked through the people of Israel, neither God’s word nor God’s Savior was their exclusive property.  The Savior came through one nation, but he came for all nations.

     Still, St. Paul honored the pattern he had written about in his letter to the Romans.  When he traveled to a new town, his first stop was to his fellow Jews at the synagogue.  Paul’s teaching at the synagogues could be summarized by this verse from Acts: “As was his custom, Paul went to the Jews, and on three Sabbath days he led them in a discussion from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.  He also said, ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ’” (Acts 17:2-3).  Paul would refer to all the prophecies about the Christ—particularly that he had to suffer, die, and rise from the dead.  Then, Paul would reveal that Jesus of Nazareth had fulfilled every promise and prophecy God had made.  Jesus was revealed as the Savior.

     Our reading from Acts records Paul’s visit to the synagogue in a city called Pisidian Antioch.  It was in modern-day Turkey.  At first, the Jews there received Paul’s message well.  How thrilling to learn that God had finally sent the Messiah they had been waiting for!  They enthusiastically invited Paul back to preach and teach more about the Scriptures and about Jesus.  On the next Sabbath day, the whole town showed up.  Not just the Jews, but even the Gentiles came to hear the Gospel Paul was preaching.  And this is when the problems erupted. 

     “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with envy and began to contradict what Paul was saying by slandering him” (Acts 13:45).  What would fill the Jews with envy?  They were convinced that they were the sole possessors of God’s affection and of God’s revelation.  They believed the Messiah was a Jew who was meant for Jews.  When all the Gentiles showed up in the synagogue, the Jews reacted as if to say, “What are you doing here?  What right do you have to any of this!?  These are our Scriptures.  These are our promises.  This is our church.”  The Gentiles were not welcome to the good news because they were the wrong kind of people.

     This is why the story of the Magi is so shocking, or at least, it should be.  It was not surprising that dignitaries from a foreign nation should come to Jerusalem to consult with King Herod the Great.  Great leaders often make efforts to meet with one another.  The surprise is that these foreigners came to the Christ-child and were welcomed there.  If he was born the King of the Jews, Mary and Joseph could have treated these guests with contempt and demanded, “What are you doing here?!  The angel had clearly told us about this child, ‘He will save his people from their sins’ (Matthew 1:21).  Did you get that?  ‘HIS people.’  You are not the right kind of people.”  But there is no one who is the “wrong” people.  Jesus is revealed as the Savior of all nations.

     Unfortunately, the envy and self-centered spirit die a hard death.  It is very easy for us to remain comfortable with the people we know and to be content with our little group.  When we gather for worship, we are quick to greet our friends and ask how our lives are going.  We gravitate to those most familiar to us, but to some it may look like our kindness is reserved for a select few.  If you are newer to our congregation, maybe it feels like you are not quite in the inner circle or that you don’t really belong.  If so, that is a pity.  Long-time members should embrace newer people and encourage them.  Newer people can help themselves immensely by coming to Bible classes and church outings so that we can forge these bonds better and stronger.

     But sometimes strangers come in.  Maybe they look different.  Maybe they have an accent or barely know any English.  Maybe they have come because their lives are a mess and their shameful reputation has been earned.  In theory, we know that they are welcome here.  In practice, our body language might suggest to them, “What are you doing here?!  You are not the right kind of people.”  Then we are like the Jews who had no interest in receiving Gentiles in their midst, suggesting that God’s affection and God’s salvation are reserved for a privileged few.  Repent.

     Jesus is revealed as the Savior of all nations.  All need him because there is no difference in any of us.  There is only one human race and we are all in it.  We all come from the same parents, Adam and Eve.  Even though we have different skin pigments and varying accents, we all bleed the same color and breed the same way.  We were all created in God’s image, but that image corrupted by sin in all of us.  St. Paul reminds us, “There is no difference, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23). 

     There is no difference whether you are a man or a woman, whether you are black or white, whether you are an American or not, or even whether you are a Christian or not.  All people sinned against God.  You have assumed that God thinks and judges as you do, and therefore you have faulted God as unjust because he thinks and acts differently than you.  How easy to forget: He is God and you are not.  All people sinned against their fellowman.  You have looked upon him with scorn rather than in mercy.  You don’t know him or his story, but you judged him anyway.  None of us can claim that we have earned God’s approval.  We all must confess that we have earned God’s judgment.  We all need a Savior to rescue us from a damning judgment and an endless death.

     Jesus is revealed as the Savior of all nations.  This is what St. Paul told the people of Pisidian Antioch.  Unfortunately, it was not received well there.  When the Jews realized that God does not play favorites and that no one has preferential treatment in God’s kingdom, they despised Paul and Barnabas and slandered them.  “Then Paul and Barnabas responded fearlessly, ‘It was necessary that God’s word be spoken to you first.  But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, look: We are now turning to the Gentiles!  For this is what the Lord has instructed us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth’” (Acts 13:46-47).  

     At first glance, it would seem that Paul and Barnabas were the light for the Gentiles and that they would be the ones to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.  However, Paul and Barnabas were only preachers.  Their message was useless unless it was true, and their message could only be true if someone else had accomplished this salvation.

     Isaiah had prophesied that Jesus is the light of the world and the Savior of the nations: “The Lord, who formed me from the womb to be his servant…, the Lord said: It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:5-6).  Jesus enlightens us to see that God’s love is not limited to a privileged few.  God’s love is based on who he is, not on who you are.  God IS love, and he loved the world.  That is why he sent his Son to be the Savior of all nations. 

     Jesus is revealed as the Savior of all the nations.  Jesus did not save us by his skin pigment, language, culture, diet, or wardrobe.  Jesus saved us by becoming one of us.  Jesus is a child of Adam—a human being joined to the human race.  And as a man, he lived and died for all mankind.  While we may despise other people, Jesus lived with a perfect love toward all—from Jewish tax collectors, fishermen, and prostitutes to Roman soldiers, demon-possessed Canaanites, and Greek pilgrims.  Jesus’ perfect life answers for our sinful lives.  And then Jesus offered up his perfect life as the sacrifice which atones for our sins.  He endured the scorn of sinful men while paying the price for the scorn we have had for others.  He bore the curse for the false assumptions and unjust accusations we had made about God.  Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

     Jesus is revealed as the Savior of all the nations.  There is no one Jesus would turn away, demanding, “What are you doing here?” because Jesus came for all.  No sinner is so grotesque or vile that Jesus would chase them away.  No religious person is so pure that Jesus is not needed.  We celebrate the death of Jesus Christ because there we see the love that God has for sinners.  We don’t have to make any assumptions about God’s love or forgiveness.  Jesus has proven it by his death.  He has guaranteed it by his resurrection.  He sends his people to make his salvation known to the world.  The world has no other Savior, but then the world does not need any other Savior. 

     Jesus is revealed as the Savior of all the nations.  “When the Gentiles (in Pisidian Antioch) heard this, they were rejoicing and praising the word of the Lord” (Acts 13:48).  We, too, rejoice.  The Savior who has cleansed our hearts also cleanses our minds so that we do not think evil of anyone or dismiss anyone as a lost cause.  We know that we have what the whole world needs.  Therefore, we pray for all people because we know that Jesus died for them all.  We open our church and our hearts to them because our Lord wants all people to be saved, even if they seem strange or scary.  For, our goal is not to keep ourselves safe in our little group.  Our goal is to serve our Lord for as long as he is pleased to keep us in this world, and then for all eternity.  Besides, if we are in Christ, we are safe; our salvation is secure.  This is the good news of great joy, and it is for all the people.

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

Traveling with the Schroeders--Wisconsin via the U.P.

We were able to skip town after Christmas for a short run to Wisconsin.  For the sake of the scenic view, we went over the top of Lake Michigan.  We stay in Mackinaw City.  Not surprisingly, it was pretty dead.  There were perhaps two hotels open and restaurants were limited.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed seeing the main street all lit up, as well as the Mackinac Bridge.

From there, we drove down the east side of Wisconsin to see family in Fond du Lac, including my mother who just turned 90.  We had some nice family time with her and with my brother and his family before making the trip back.  Time to get back to planning for Sunday and beyond.

Peter at the Big Boy in West Branch, MI.

The quiet streets of Mackinaw City.