Messiah Lutheran Church and School

Saturday, August 27

Good morning everyone,

A front page article in the Journal-Sentinel this morning caught my eye.  It told about a couple in Milwaukee who recently quit their jobs and sold their possessions to set out on a 15 month trip around the world.  I’m sure it will be the adventure of a lifetime!  But would you do it?  How would you pack?  What would you take?  What about unforeseen emergencies?  We know the advantages of traveling light, but what if you need extra batteries, warmer clothes, different shoes, hair dryer, sunscreen, emergency cash, snacks, maps, etc., etc.?

We may never be faced with what to pack for a trip around the world, but what about our trip through this life?  What do we need to be prepared, so that we don’t end up stranded somewhere?  Isn’t our natural tendency to focus on “things” we imagine we should have: a certain income level, home, bank balance, employment, retirement account….?  It can be nerve wracking to try to anticipate future needs.  The thinking is that the more suitcases we have and the more we stuff into them, the readier we will be for any situation.  The Lord, however, counsels us differently.  He explains that packing too much will only bog us down and interfere with the trip.  What’s more, it doesn’t offer real security.

The key to a successful trip and fulfilling adventure is not “what” you have, but “who” is with you.  Which is better, to pull and carry four suitcases full of things you might need wherever you go, or to travel with someone who knows the way and has the means to provide whatever you need whenever you need it?  In the latter case, you can move much more easily and freely, while at the same time knowing everything is taken care of.

For the believer, the trip through this life is an adventure in which we don’t have to worry about the “what” and “how much,” because of “who” goes with us.  Jesus promises, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).  The Lord told Martha, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed” (Lk. 10:42).  ”Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33).  In tomorrow’s service we will be reminded again of how wonderfully the Lord provides for all our needs of body and soul.  The sermon text is Is. 55:1-5, which lays before us the most lavish “feast” ever prepared for sin-starved souls.  See you tomorrow!

In Christ,

Pastor

Saturday, August 20

Good morning everyone,

“I can’t believe I did something so stupid….again!”  Ever said that?  You know that the household gadget advertised on the infomercial is likely junk, because you’ve ordered other items before, and yet you pull out the credit card and do it again.  You hurt a family member with the same unkind criticism which you told yourself you would never use again.  It’s frustrating enough when we recognize how foolish or wrong something we said or did was, but to end up doing it again and again is especially disheartening.  More than that, it’s frightening to remember that God sees it all and hears every word!  Paul sums it up so well: “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing….What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:19, 24).

What’s the answer?  Can we ever get it right, or should we just give up, and say, “It’s just the way I am.”  After expressing his dismay and frustration, Paul continues in Romans 7:25: “Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  Jesus got it right for us.  His perfection is the answer to our repeated failures to follow God’s will in our lives.  His death wiped our record clean before God’s court.  Not only that, now the Lord promises the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable us to “get it right” as we go forward and live for the Lord.  We will still stumble and fall…again, but we can keep going back to the Lord’s throne of grace for forgiveness and renewed strength to “fight the good fight of faith.”  Since the Lord got it right for us so completely and perfectly, we are beloved children of God.  We can leave all our frustrations at His cross, and with the Spirit’s strength keep striving to overcome sin and live for Him who died for us.  Tomorrow’s sermon text (1 Kings 3:5-12) teaches us with the example of Solomon what it means to “get it right” when it comes to our prayers and requests of God.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor