Easter

Easter recap

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

I love Easter sermons.  It is one of the few times during the year when I get to preach to a group of people who would not normally come to worship (Christmas and funerals are the other times).  So the question that I asked people this year was the same one that the angels asked the women who were weeping at the tomb (from Luke’s account of the resurrection), "Why do you search for the living among the dead" (See my sermons blog for the full sermon text).  I challenged people to stop looking for meaning and life and purpose elsewhere — Jesus is all you need.  I don’t know if I got through to people, I will TRY to leave that up to the Holy Spirit. 

But sometimes I feel like shaking people and asking them where they have been all year.  I mean, do they honestly think they can find a better savior than Jesus Christ?  "Come on…really…stop your searching and let Jesus give your life meaning."  Then again, maybe I should grab them and shake them up a little bit.  Maybe I should smack them across the head with a 2 x 4 and not just the Gospel.  Maybe that will get their attention (or get me thrown in jail).  Either way, I hope I don’t stop being feisty.  I hope I never stop caring for people’s souls.  I hope and pray those CEOs (Christmas, Easter Only people) finally figure out (through the Holy Spirit) that their search for a "savior" is a feeble one.  Jesus is the only Savior that can bring us life.  Nobody else died on a cross for us. 

Anyway, I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend.  May the joy of the resurrection stick with you all year long.  Praise be to God. -edh-

Saturday Christians

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Today is Saturday…between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday.  And this is exactly where we live as Christians.  But why do we like to jump straight to Easter morning?

I recently read a couple blogs that talked about this very issue.  Check out "Good Friday" at HERE I STAND and "Post 5: Isaiah 53:10-12" at curious notions.  I was intrigued by this question and want to ponder this with you for a couple moments.

This year, the combined Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship attendance was the lowest I have seen since I began serving at Salem in 2004 (and this was the second year with Salem AND Belmont worshipping together).  Good Friday attendance was the highest I have seen, but Maundy Thursday took a big hit.  Last year our Easter services (Salem Lutheran Church) saw the largest attendance in about 7 seven years (Belmont was about average).  So I am curious what tomorrow will bring. 

My point is this:  Are more and more people ignoring the "dark" side of life; ignoring the cross and focusing on the resurrection alone?  For me Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are very powerful.  It makes me think about the person I am and the great passion our of Lord.  I don’t think I could blow off Holy Week and jump straight to Easter (outside the fact that I am a Lutheran pastor and cannot blow off Holy Week).  I need to be reminded of my sinfulness and the darkness of our Christian walk.  I need to be reminded of what Jesus went through for me.  It is through this dark journey that the love of Jesus Christ truly shines forth.

Last night (Good Friday) I led a worship service of contemplation.  We took a journey that started in the Garden of Gethsemane and ended at the tomb.  Along the way we took some "pit stops" to contemplate and listen.  I allowed for long moments of silence to think about the scripture that was read and to listen to God speaking to us.  I had never done anything like this in worship before and personally it was a powerful experience for me.  I saw Good Friday in a whole new light.  I think Easter will be different for me this year.

If you skipped over Holy Week or any parts of it, I urge you to go to scripture and read the Passion story.  I urge you to not forget about the darkness of our lives and sinfulness that encompasses it.  We have to go through the cross to get to Easter. 

Today is Saturday…and this is where we live.  But we live here in the hope of the resurrection.  That is the Good News so there is no reason to be in despair.  Have a joyous and blessed Easter.  AMEN! -edh-

Holy Week ponderings

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Greetings everyone!  God bless you this Holy Week and beyond.

It has been a couple days since I have posted something so I wanted to write and update you on how my life is going and talk about the thoughts running through my head right now. 

Today is Maundy Thursday so I am in the midst of finishing that message up.  I am planning on talking about this "New Commandment" that Jesus gives to love one another.  After all, the word "Maundy" means commandment.  Tomorrow is Good Friday and I still have some finishing touches to put on that service.  Basically the service is one of contemplation.  I will be reading the Passion story, offering up a short reflection after certain selections and then allowing a couple minutes of silence for prayer and contemplation.  I have never done this before so I am curious how it will be received.

Then there is Easter.  The text I am using is the Resurrection account from Luke.  The question that the angels ask the women is one I find myself pondering, "Why do you look for the dead among the living?"  Isn’t that exactly what we have a tendency to do?  I am planning on getting a little "feisty" (did you catch that Kara?) on Sunday.  I am planning on asking people, especially the CEOs (Christmas Easter Only people) why they are searching for the living among the dead?  Why are you searching for meaning where there is no meaning?  Why are you searching for life where there is no life.  If you were searching for a child who ran away from home, you would not look in the cemetery.  You would search for them among the living.  People who don’t come to worship or who do not know Christ need to know that our only true source of life is in Jesus Christ.

Outside of Holy Week preparations life is good as well.  Connie’s sister came for a visit last night with our one year old nephew, Micheal.  We had a great time watching Micheal run around and explore the house.  Tomorrow is my "day off" but I got a feeling that won’t happen.  Oh well, I am on vacation next week so I will get caught up on resting then.

Anyway, I need to return to the task at hand.  God Bless and take care.  May the joy of our Lord resonant loudly in your heart.  -edh-

Un-Feisty Christians

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

A friend of mine commented on a blog entry I wrote recently called Bipolar Christians.  She made an interesting point that I want to highlight this morning.  Kara basically talked about people not being "bipolar" enough.  There are too many people who are lukewarm about their faith.  They walk around apathetic about Jesus.  As Kara said, "Most people today aren’t disturbed by Jesus".  And Jesus should disturb you.  If Jesus does not then you might not be listening hard enough. 

There is a cool blog entry you need to check out at Unlikely Conversation: A Lectionary Blog called Easter and Evangelism.  This author talks about Christians having the best story in the world to tell; and I couldn’t agree more.  Actually I would say we have an AWESOME story to tell.  But my question is this:  Why don’t more people get more excited about this story?  We share good news with each other about our kids, promotions or about losing 20lbs but why not THE Good News?  Well…I think the simple answer is that people are not disturbed by Jesus (as Kara boldly puts it).  We take more joy in our kid’s accomplishments or in our "success" at work or in our body image than in the radical Good News of the cross.  We worry more about our position on the social ladder or how much influence we have or how much money we have saved than in the wild forgiveness God shows us in Jesus Christ.

Maybe the problem is that too many churches don’t get feisty enough about their faith (if you knew my friend Kara, you would know the "feisty" I am talking about).  Maybe there is too much "Minnesota Nice" coming out in our proclamation (a problem my internship supervisor pointed out in me).  Maybe we, as the church, are not taking a definitive enough of a stand against injustices and issues in the world.  I mean think about…we have the best story in the world to tell and there is still a large number of unchurched people in our communities.  There are too many churches satisfied with maintenance (status quo) than in evangelism.  Secular attacks on the Christian faith go widely unchallenged by Christians ("The Di Vinci Code" & "The Lost Tomb of Jesus"). We need to be more feisty.

"Kill the ‘old Adam’", "Sell all you have and follow me", "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you".  If those statements by Jesus do not disturb you, then read them again…He is talk to you. 

Let’s get more feisty about our faith and A LOT MORE bold about sharing the best story in the world.  We cannot afford to be "lukewarm Christians". Thank you, Kara, for making me think more and thank you for being "feisty".  If only more people followed your example. -edh-