June/July Newsletter Article - Preparing for Change

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?... Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25, 34, ESV)

Life goes by way too fast, that we have a hard time keeping up with it. Seasons come and seasons go and the greatest conflict that we face is struggling to find the time to fit everything in. We spend most of our lives preparing for the next big change in our lives. If we are young we look toward the beginning of the next school year, whether in eager anticipation or in fearful dread. As we age we look toward our first job, our first house, our first … anything. We want to be ready for these firsts, whether having the right skills or having enough saved up, we attempt to be prepared for anything. And then As we have children and as our children age, we look forward to their firsts, trying to prepare them for their own firsts. We prepare our minds, our bodies, and our hearts for the changes that are set before us.

In my own household we are busy already preparing for the next big change. Something happened during pastor’s time away that seemed to turn the corner upon this year. One moment we are in the middle of vicarage, and then suddenly we are near the end. We are preparing to leave and return back to Fort Wayne for one more year, God willing. We are preparing for Lydia to continue growing and developing, often a little quicker than we are really ready. We are preparing for change. And we are not alone in our preparation. The church too is looking forward to change with the coming for the next Vicar, Vicar elect DeBlieck. As one person disappears a new one appears. It is the way of things, life changes, never staying the same from one moment to the next.

It is easy to grow uneasy in the midst of so much change, to wonder what is going to happen. We try to be prepared for everything, but there always seems to be the one thing that we didn’t think about, or we didn’t have enough time to prepare for. Jesus spoke to his disciples about these things in Matthew 6:25-34 telling them not to be anxious or worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will come as it will. We take comfort in the knowledge that even though we do not know what comes, that God will continue to care for us through all situations. He sent us His son for our salvation, so that we would be prepared for life everlasting through His actions. We cannot ask for anything more than that.

It has been a joy to serve here this short time that I have dwelt among you, and I will always remember this year. Many things will change, but as we in the church move forward, we know that God’s love will never change. We trust in the Lord, for He has taken care of all our preparations.

God’s Blessings,

Vicar William J. Shupe, #42

Day of Pentecost - Come, Holy Spirit

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012 | PENTECOST
              Old Testament       Ezekiel 37:1–14
             Psalm       Psalm 139:1–12 (13–16)
             Epistle       Acts 2:1–21
             Gospel       John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15


EPISTLE - Acts 2:1–21

2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

            17       “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

                  that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

                  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

      and your young men shall see visions,

      and your old men shall dream dreams;

            18       even on my male servants and female servants

      in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

            19       And I will show wonders in the heavens above

      and signs on the earth below,

      blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

            20       the sun shall be turned to darkness

      and the moon to blood,

      before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

            21       And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

GOSPEL - John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Come, Holy Spirit

Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you from God our Father and Savior Jesus Christ, His Son our Lord. AMEN

Today is the fiftieth day after easter, Pentecost. Throughout the season of Easter, Jesus demonstrated that he is risen, and he taught his disciples before ascending up into heaven. He made them a promise throughout his forty days, that he would send them a helper and they were to witness of what he has done. And ten days after His ascension the Apostles went out and confessed and witnessed speaking in tongues. Pentecost is often associated with tongues of fire, and the Apostles speaking out in tongues, but the true focus this day is the Holy Spirit. For the holy spirit was sent into the world, as a comforter, councilor, and as a witness so that all humanity could hear and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord.

It is easy to set our focus on the big and flashy things, because they draw our attention, they keep us coming back for more. And so for this Pentecost Sunday we of course give note to the sounds of the rushing winds and the tongues of flame that rest upon all the witnesses of God the incarnate Son. Also the speaking in tongues is a great attention getter. To speak in tongues is to speak a language that the speaker does not already know and the hearers understand. To speak but not be understood would be worthless. The Lutheran Church is a church that boasts in the confessions of the historic church, but we don’t still confess, Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipoténtem,Factórem cæli et terræ,Visibílium ómnium et invisibílium. Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum,Fílium Dei Unigénitum,Et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sæcula. We confess this whenever we have communion, yet most here do not understand it even though Latin was the language of the church for centuries. Well we are good Lutherans, so perhaps another option of german would get a few more people, Ich glaube an Gott, den Vater,den Allmächtigen, but seeing as I don’t even know German, I dont think it would help all that much. No while these and other languages are the languages of the church historic, they mean nothing without understanding. True the church has spoken many languages over the years, but they mean little outside of their context. The substance of the message is lost without translation. But when the Apostles spoke in many languages appearing drunk to some of the passersby, there were not speaking gibberish, they were not speaking dead languages that only scholars knew. No. they were speaking the tongues of the people so that all could hear and understand the message. They were guided through the gifts of the spirit.

Speaking in tongues is considered a gift of the spirit. And, there are many churches that put special emphasis on receiving the gifts of the spirit. Some see it as a sign of truly believing, a sign that God has chosen them for a special calling. Some of these churches even have their new members fill out spiritual gifts inventories, so that their special skills and desires can be fully realized. It is good to recognize that you are a good teacher, or someone that is good at maintenance, but attempting to focus only upon our skills puts our thoughts not on above, but below. Trying only to receive the Holy Spirit is awefully short sighted and narrow focused.

It is perhaps unique that we speak about the holy spirit in the lutherand church, because of what the role of the holy spirit is according to the biblical accounts. Bbecause the holy spirit’s entire purpose is to direct our gaze upon the Father and the Son. In fact, if our focus did not turn to the Father and the Son, but focused solely upon the Spirit, we would be misunderstanding the spirit. For when Jesus spoke about the Spirit he said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, the will bear witness about me.” Yes the winds, and the flames, and the spoken tongues are good right and salutary, but the truly impressive thing that the holy spirit did was a lot more subtle. He gave the words to the apostles to preach. For while it was prophesied that a great signs and wonders would be done in Joel, the focus was not upon the deeds, but upon the result. ““ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” (Acts 2:17–21, ESV)

In our gospel Jesus knew that he would be leaving the disciples soon, but he was promising that they would not be left on their own, instead the helper, the Holy Spirit would proceedeth from the Father and witness to them about the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13–15, ESV) If any spirit comes and preaches about himself or about the Jesus revealed through the scriptures, that is a false spirit, one of deceit and not of God. Instead the helper came to direct us to the one and only saving faith in Jesus Christ.

We many never receive an experience quite as visually stunning as the apostles and the tongues of flame or the impressive sounds of rushing winds to herald witness in Chirst. Most of us, including myself, have a hard enough time speaking in English that we probably will never experience speaking in tongues either. But we have received spirit of truth through the washing in the blood of Jesus Christ through the waters of Baptism. We may rejoice and know that the Spirit moves in us, often quietly, so that we may know and confess that Jesus Christ is our lord and savior, that through love and grace he died on the cross, was laid in the tomb, and rose eternally defeating death, the devil, and all the powers of sin and darkness. All this he did for our sake. AMEN.

Easter 7B - What Now?

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2012 | EASTER

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

YEAR B

             First Reading       Acts 1:12–26

             Psalm       Psalm 1

             Epistle       1 John 5:9–15

             Gospel       John 17:11b–19 

FIRST READING
Acts 1:12–26

 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
                   “ ‘May his camp become desolate,
      and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
 and
                   “ ‘Let another take his office.’
 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

GOSPEL
John 17:11b–19
 

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.1 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them2 in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,3 that they also may be sanctified4 in truth.

Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009).

What Now?

Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you from God our Father and Savior Jesus Christ, His Son our Lord. AMEN

Our Text today for the Seventh Sunday of Easter comes from the Acts of the Apostles.

What now?

That is a question that I think every single person has asked at some point or another in their lives. If you have had an especially active life, you may have even said it a couple of times already. It can come in times of frustration, anger, productivity, sadness or confusion. What do we do now? A time that I can remember this question being asked often was the end of my sophomore year of high school, when my church suddenly found itself without a leader due to a heart attack. I remember hearing the elders asking in hushed tones, what do we need to do? I remember other congregation members asking similar questions. As the days and weeks went by the question remained on many people’s lips until a new shepherd had been called to lead our tiny flock. Gradually the commotion was over, and the constant what now faded into the background. “What now?” for as short of a question as it, carries with it a lot of weight. It fits into all emotions, and generally signals that change is about to happen. Whether small change or big change, we as human beings are not always ready for it, because we can only plan a short ways into the future, when our clearest vision is of the past. But we have been sent a helper, the Holy Spirit, so that we may be guided by the one who knows the past, the present, and the future.

I’ve got to believe that this question, “What Now?” was on the minds of the apostles following watching Jesus ascend up into the heavens. Just think about it for a moment. Passover came, which is always a busy time of year for the Israelites, and then your leader is betrayed by someone you thought was a friend, taken, put on trial, and killed all within a couple of days. Not only that, a few days later there started to be rumors that Jesus wasn’t really dead. And come to find out, he appeared in the middle of a locked room and proved that he wasn’t dead. He spoke and ate and taught the disciples for forty days after his resurrection until he ascended up into heaven not to be seen by the apostles again. All of a sudden The whirlwind has taken a rest, and everything is changed. The one that once was dead is no longer dead, and neither is he still on earth anymore, he pulled an Elijah and went straight into heaven without the need to die. And because of the actions of the betrayer there is an opening in the ranks of the chosen. What were the apostles to do? The steps of the apostles at this point were simple, fill the void left by Judas the Betrayer and beyond that pray and trust in God. The requirements were simple, “So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” Two men fulfilled those requirements, and they cast lots to let God decide between the men. They did these things to fufill what had been spoken by the prophets. Now what?

It would be a grave mistake to think that these men of God no longer had a purpose or a leader though, or to think that they were alone. We stand this day between Ascension and Pentecost, where Jesus ascended and the apostles went out with the Holy Spirit to witness about the Christ. Even though Jesus Christ was now no longer in the world, having come to the father, and they were still in the world, they were never alone. They had been taught the scriptures by the son of God, sanctified in the Word of Truth and consecrated by the blood of Jesus. They had been prepared for being witnesses to an incomparable event and yet they still had to manage what God had given to them in their time and place, for change was upon them.

There is a danger for Christians to underestimate the necessity of the day to day management that occurs in the church. It isn’t really important, only Sunday morning and the proclamation of the Gospel is important. And while that is first and foremost the responsibility of the church, there is a call to manage what God has given to us. Even the great and mighty apostles had to ask the question what next, because we still exist here in time and space. That is why Voter’s meetings, as dull or exciting that they can be are so crucial to a functioning church, because sometimes the roof has to be repaired or things need to be rearranged so that the word of God may be preached without being dripped upon and the sacraments may be accessible to all people. Even the mundane can assist the gospel. I want to be clear, for I know it could be taken this way, but this is not a reproach to the actions done or not done in a voters meeting, rather it is a pointing out that they serve more than an earthly function, but further the kingdom of God, by giving order in a small way. That is why Pastor begins each meeting with prayer to ask for God’s guidance, just like the apostles did when calling a new apostle to be one of the twelve.

And just like it would be dangerous to think the apostles were out on their own, so too should we remember that it is not through our own strength or power that we are able to care for the church, or even have a church in the first place. The question, “What now” stems from the fact that things change, that the earthly future is uncertain, that we do not always know what the best course of action is. Yet we too have a guide a counselor, the scriptures written through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the spirit we are able to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and trust that the Father cares for his church in this place and throughout the world. We may boldly confess in his name, trusting that he will make the rain fall when it is needed, and take care of us in our moments of need. Jesus asked of his father, I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. He has done that through his death and resurrection, so that we do not fear the future, for while our earthly future is uncertain, our heavenly eternal hope is in Jesus Christ, and the eternal life that he has won for us through his cross.

We are not always ready to ask the question, “What now?” but we can be sure and confident that we are not alone. We do not need to fear the changes of this world, for Christ is with us, his rod and his staff they comfort us. He protects and guide us through his spirit both now and forever more, so we can confess, CHRIST IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED ALLELUIA. AMEN.