Sermon: Trinity 5 – 2013

30 June 2013 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Luke 5:1-11 (1 Kings 19:11-21, 1 Pet 3:8-15)

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

Our Lord Jesus did something that we might think would be entertaining.  Before a crowd, He made multitudes of fish appear in a lake where seasoned fisherman had just worked all night and had come up with nothing.  And what’s more, Jesus knew this would happen.  He told them where to cast the nets.  And even in the face of their skepticism, it came to pass in dramatic fashion.

It’s a little like Babe Ruth pointing with his bat to predict a home run, and then actually hitting the ball over the fence right where he said he would.  It’s a little like a magician showing that he has nothing up his sleeve, and then making things seemingly come from nowhere.

But instead of cheering or clapping, Simon Peter’s reaction is one of horror.  He is stunned.  He is terrified.  For this was no boastful prediction by a flamboyant athlete.  This was no playful magic trick by a showman.  Jesus truly commanded the forces of nature to do the impossible, and the impossible happened before St. Peter’s wide eyes.  Or more accurately, Jesus did what was only possible for God to do.

It did not take St. Peter very long to figure out who this boat-preaching rabbi truly was.  In retrospect, Peter realized to whom he was actually speaking when he earlier said rather flippantly: “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at Your Word I will let down the nets.”  Peter knew two things that prompted his unusual response to ask Jesus to depart.  Peter understood: “This Jesus is God, and I am a poor, miserable sinner.”  And Peter concluded: “Because of my sins, I am unworthy to stand before this Jesus of Nazareth, the Man who is God.”

And so St. Peter the sinner kneels before the Lord and confesses his sins, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  Peter confesses his sins, but he also confesses Jesus as God: by kneeling and by calling Him Lord.

And that, dear friends, is the greater miracle.  Making fish appear in a lake is nowhere near the greatness of the miracle of faith, of the confession of one’s sins and of the confession of Jesus Christ as God, of the forgiveness of sins, and of life everlasting.

And thanks be to God that St. Peter’s prayer “Depart from me” was not fulfilled.  For Jesus would never abandon the apostle Peter, even when the apostle denied His Master three times.  And he does not abandon us, dear brothers and sisters!

“Do not be afraid,” says our Lord, with a startling, if not humorous prophecy, “from now on you will be catching men.”  And Peter, James, and John all walked away from their fishing businesses to follow Jesus, to study as his students for three years, in order to proclaim the good news that this Jesus, this Man who is God, has come not to frighten, but to forgive – and to draw people into the nets of the gospel using “fishers of men” who were themselves snagged by the Master.

Peter would see greater wonders, and perform many miracles himself.  But the greatest miracles of all involve confession – the confession of sins and the confession of Jesus Christ as God and Lord, as Savior and Redeemer.  This double confession is what it means to repent.  And that is the single miracle that brings the hosts of heaven to rejoicing.

The Lord taught this same lesson to his holy prophet Elijah.  Terrifying blasts of wind, horrific earthquakes, and raging fires may indeed demonstrate God’s mighty power on this created earth.  But it is nowhere near the magnitude of the power of the “sound of the low whisper,” that very Word of God that calls us by name and breathes life into us.  Whether shouted from rooftops or whispered in hushed tones, the real power of God is not in flamboyant displays or sleight-of-hand, but in the truth of His Word, the same Word that brought all things into being, that same Word that became flesh and dwelt among us, that same Word that declares us to be holy.

That is the real miracle, dear friends.  To confess our sins is a far greater miracle than a whirlwind.  To confess that Jesus has come into our world to forgive us poor, miserable sinners is a far greater miracle than an earthquake.  To hear the “sound of a low whisper” pronouncing the holy absolution is a far greater miracle than a fire. 

Jesus told Peter “Do not be afraid,” because Peter was made worthy to stand before our Lord, to enjoy His communion, and to never depart from the Lord’s grace and mercy.  Peter would enjoy that communion in good times and in bad, in his triumphs and his failures, in his wisdom and his foolishness.

Dear friends, we partake of the same miracle today: casting our nets into what appears to be emptiness only to be rewarded with abundance beyond measure, poured out upon us at the Lord’s Word, with such lavish grace that we think our nets will break.  And through everything, the good and the bad, the rejoicing and the sorrow, He also refuses to depart from us. 

St. Peter would later offer advice to his fellow redeemed sinners by teaching them likewise not to be afraid: “Now who is to harm you if you are zealous for what is good.  But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.  Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

The forgiving Word of God, even as a “low whisper,” is more powerful than all the tempests and storms this fallen world has to offer.  For we can stand in the presence of the Lord, for it is this mighty voice that says: “Do not be afraid.”

Amen.

His

on the sickness of sinto the next - and d w liars and sons of the devil, tament, a bloodye people on In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon: Trinity 4 – 2013

23 June 2013 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Luke 6:36-42

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

“Judge not, and you will not be judged.”

If we were to interrupt our Lord at this point, a lot of people would be out of work: the entire judicial branch of the federal government, anyone who tastes chili at a cook-off, and even Judge Judy would be removed from her bench.

Of course, our Lord is not against the hearing of cases before magistrates – in fact, there is a book in the Bible called “Judges” – as this was the way Israel was governed before she had a king.  There is nothing in Scripture for us to speak against chili cook-offs, and it would be hard to imagine Judge Judy drawing up wills for a living.

No, the Lord is not denouncing the concept of judging.  In fact, he is calling upon all of us – whether we are official judges or not – to “be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Just about every vocation in life must render judgments.  Every parent who has had to settle a family dispute, every teacher who has to figure out which student (if any) is telling the truth in a classroom argument, every umpire that rules “fair” or “foul,” is engaging in judgment.

Pastors are sometimes called upon to render judgments – sometimes involving ethical questions, or when parishioners are faced with difficult choices, or even in cases where a person may be impenitent of a sin. 

Our Lord is warning us that when we do render a judgment – whether within our vocation or not – that we will be judged the same way by God.  “For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

So, we would indeed do well to “be merciful” – even as our Father “is merciful.”

The word “merciful” can also be translated as “compassionate.”  The word “compassion” in English actually means to suffer with someone else who is suffering.  It means to be in sync with another person or living being, to internalize their pain, to be filled with the desire to alleviate their anguish as if it were our own.  To be “merciful” in this sense is to empathize, to see things from another’s perspective rather than our own, and then try to find a way to ease their pain and suffering.

And in this fallen life, we all suffer.  That is what it means to be a sinner in a sinful world.  We are in this together.  We all feel pain.  We all are saddened by disappointment.  We all grieve misfortune.  We all mourn for those who die while we yet live.  And each day that goes by, we are ourselves one day closer to dying.

And when we look at it that way, the things we get so angry about, so worked up over, suddenly don’t seem so important. 

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Our Lord encourages us in showing mercy by making a joke – or at least a humorous exaggeration.  For in our sins, we magnify the faults of others into skyscrapers, while we shrink our own down to the level of an anthill.  Our Lord asks the rhetorical question: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”  Our Lord identifies this mis-proportionality of which we are all guilty.  He says to us: “You hypocrite,” and yes, dear friends, this means you, it means me, it means every person who has ever walked on this planet except for one, and it is He who is speaking.  “You hypocrite,” He says, “first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”

This is the context of the “judge not” statement.  It does not mean that the courts should wink at injustice, that foul balls should be called fair, nor that Judge Judy should refuse to render a verdict in a case (nor hold back in her entertaining way of running her courtroom).  But it does mean that we need to judge ourselves with the strictness that we so love judging our brothers and sisters.  We need to take the log out of our own eye.  We need to humbly realize that “a disciple is not above his teacher.”  And our Teacher is merciful and compassionate.

But let us not forget why this is the case.  Let us not simply add our Lord’s exhortation to the Ten Commandments and chalk it up to one more thing we fail at.  For once more, dear friends, our Lord’s point was what He said right up front: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Our Father is merciful.  He is compassionate toward us.  He is saddened by our disappointments.  He grieves our misfortune.  He mourns for us as we die – even if one day at a time.  He is merciful because He is patient, kind, loving, and forgiving.  Rather than lash out at us in anger, He sympathizes with us, suffers for us, and dies in our place.  And, dear friends, even as “everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher,” our Teacher rose from the dead, and trains us to walk in His very footsteps to overcome our crosses, to conquer sin, death, and the grave.

Dear brothers and sisters, listen to the promise the Lord makes to us as a sign and seal of His mercy: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.  Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over will be put into your lap.”

For the Lord measures His gifts to us out of His mercy, and the measure He uses is generous – certainly a measure that we in no way deserve.  The Lord heaps His blessings upon us to overflowing, so that we can hardly even carry it around.

And when we focus on the Lord’s mercy, when we meditate on His kindness to us (in spite of our petty judgmentalism and vain hypocrisy), when we read the command “judge not” in light of the Lord’s mercy toward us, it becomes clear that there is no cause or reason for us to lack compassion, to be quick to anger and condemn, or to be stingy and self-centered.

Dear friends, our good, gracious, forbearing, patient Lord is merciful beyond measure.  And it is this grace and mercy that empower us according to His Word: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”  Amen.

His

on the sickness of sinto the next - and d w liars and sons of the devil, tament, a bloodye people on In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon: Trinity 3 – 2013 and Baptism of Hayden Rumfield

16 June 2013 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Luke 15:1-10 (Mic 7:18-20, 1 Pet 5:6-11)

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

You don’t have to be a child of the eighties to be familiar with the song “We Are the Champions.”  This anthem is played at nearly every sports championship around the world, be it the World Cup, the Super Bowl, or the World Series.  It is a reminder that in this fallen world, only one can be the champion, and everyone else is a “loser.”

“No time for losers,” says the song, because “we are the champions of the world.”  And in today’s parlance, it’s pretty bad to be a “loser.”  If you are a loser, you sit alone at lunch.  If you are a loser, nobody wants to speak to you.  If you are a loser, you are not going to be seen socially with the winners and the champions.

The champions of first century Jewish society in the Roman Empire – the Pharisees and the scribes – were grumbling at Jesus, as usual, saying: “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  In other words, Jesus has time for losers.  Jesus “receives” them, will be seen with them, talks to them, and even eats with them.  Jesus has broken the rule against allowing the losers to eat at the table with the champions, the winners, the cool kids.

For in their world, to be a “sinner” was to be a loser.  You did not associate with them, did not speak with them, and you most certainly did not eat with them, people like “the tax collectors and sinners” who were, incidentally, the ones who were “drawing near to hear” Jesus.

“So he told them a parable.”  Actually, he told them several, teaching them about the importance of the lost.  For Jesus is actually more interested in the humble lost than he is in the self-aggrandizing champion.

Our Lord first speaks of a lost sheep.  And in this case, the sheep is only one of a hundred.  Should a shepherd leave the 99 sheep who have not wandered to seek out the lost?  Well, that is just what a good shepherd does.  He will “go after the one that is lost… until he finds it.”  A lot of terrible fates can befall a lost sheep, but if the shepherd finds it, it is a cause for rejoicing.  It is a reason to throw a party.  It may not be the World Cup or the Super Bowl, but to the lost sheep, this is his life; and to the shepherd, this is his beloved sheep – even if to the world, this is a “loser,” a “sinner,” a creature that deserves to bear the consequences of his bad mistake.

Of course, that is not how God’s kingdom operates.  The King of love my Shepherd is.”  Our Good Shepherd is interested in saving the lost, not teaching them a lesson.  He has come to save us, not to condemn us.  And in fact, our Lord says: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

And consider the lost coin.  The woman in our Lord’s story does not give up on the coin just because it is lost.  No indeed!  She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and “seeks diligently until she finds it.”  She has time for the lost coin and doesn’t simply allow it to slip between the cracks or write it off as a loss.  “And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’”  And again, Jesus reminds us of the “joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Although Jesus is the Champion of the world, in the literal sense of the word, Jesus is the only one of our race to have never fallen into sin, the only Man who was not a “loser.” And yet, Jesus is willing to be treated as a lost sheep or a lost coin.  “My God, My God,” He cried out from the cross, “Why have You forsaken Me?”  Our Lord was not lost, but cast away.  He was the goat sent into the wilderness to bear the sins of the people, the scapegoat.  He was the coin used to redeem us back from sin, He who was himself sold to sinners for thirty pieces of silver.  And though the hosts of heaven wept at what our Lord suffered, they rejoice eternally for what He has gained.  For He has gained us, dear friends, us “poor, miserable sinners,” losers the lot of us.  All of us “lost and condemned persons.”  Lost, that is, until we have been found, redeemed, and rescued by our Champion who has time for us, and who draws us into eternity.

Dear friends, we have additional cause for joy, for rejoicing, on this holy Lord’s Day.  A little lost lamb has been found and delivered safely to his home, Hayden Rumfield.  By water and the Word, according to the promise of our Good Shepherd, the lamps have been lit, the house has been swept, and by God’s diligence, Hayden has been found in the Lamb’s Book of Life!  Heaven rejoices, and there is joy before the angels and before men.  And Hayden will sing with all of us: “God’s own child I gladly say it, I am baptized into Christ.”

He is yet another fulfillment of the Word of the Lord, who “will again have compassion on us: He will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast our sins into the depths of the sea.”  For Hayden’s sins, including those inherited from his parents, and those of his own, have all been drowned with Pharoah’s hosts and with the evil of the world at the great flood.  He is preserved in the Ark of the Church, found and rescued by the one Champion who has time for losers, who finds the lost, and who makes each one of us “more than conquerors” by the cross, by the forgiveness of sins, by His Word, and through His very body and blood.  And the vault of heaven resounds!

And having been found, we can indeed “be sober-minded; be watchful,” although “your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,” because the Lord has rescued us.  He has rescued Hayden and all of the lost.  He has found us and lays us on His shoulders, the same shoulders that bore the cross for us, and He leads us in rejoicing!

There is no room for grumbling here, dear friends.  There is no need to seek a championship that excludes losers and tries to marginalize the lost.  For we are all lost.  And yet we are all found: champions by virtue of the victory of the One Champion, of the world and for the world, who has redeemed the world, who has found it lost and fallen and is remaking it new and glorious, who declares us to be “more than conquerors.”

And so, let us rejoice, dear brothers and sisters!  Let us rejoice in the Lord’s victory over the devil on our behalf.  Let us rejoice for all the baptized, including little Hayden, and ourselves!  Let us rejoice over every sinner who repents, over every wandering sheep who finds his way home, over every valued person created in God’s image who has slipped through the cracks of this fallen world to be found by our merciful Lord, everyone who is brought to repentance and everlasting life.  For in being found by Him who has sought us and saved us, we are champions indeed.  Amen.

His

on the sickness of sinto the next - and d w liars and sons of the devil, tament, a bloodye people on In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon: Trinity 2 – 2013

Lutheran Mass, Brandenburg, 1539

9 June 2013 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Luke 14:15-24

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

Our Lord is one of many who have been invited to a meal, and while at this meal, He tells a story about people invited to a meal.  And in fact, the Lord Jesus did not initiate the comparison between the kingdom of God and dining.  It was one of the Lord’s fellow diners “who reclined at table with Him” that started it.  That unnamed man said: “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

And he has said something very truthful.  Blessed indeed is every person who breaks bread with God Himself, who is invited to the feast, who reclines at table with Jesus, who enjoys communion with God the Son, who sits in His presence and hears His Word, who are blessed to receive His holy absolution, those who kneel before this holy altar to “eat bread in the kingdom of God.”  Blessed, indeed, are such people!

Jesus does not dispute the man’s statement, and even builds upon it.  But the catch that the man at the table hadn’t really considered is this: who has been invited?  And what about people who are invited but do not respond? 

And in consideration of this, the Lord teaches us about the nature of God’s kingdom.  It is a place for misfits, for sinners, for beggars, and for the “poor and crippled and blind and lame.”  And to the world, this is not where we want to be.  Our sinful flesh would much prefer to be where the beautiful people are, where there is money and power and the fawning of men.  And yet, dear brothers and sisters, here we are.  We are here in a rather humble building.  In the eyes of the world, this is a pretty meager banquet: a sip of wine and a wafer of bread.  There is no six course spread.  There is no motivational speaker teaching you how to get rich, nor a wise-cracking celebrity telling you all about his Hollywood connections.  There is instead a preacher proclaiming the Word.  There will be no write-up in the society pages, no clip on YouTube, nothing on the newscast tonight, and as icing on the cake: the majority of our own members are not even here.  It is hardly an impressive banquet by the world’s standards.

But just the same, dear friends, this is the greatest feast of all!  “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

For you have taken your place in this banquet house poor with sin, crippled with guilt, blind to God’s mercy, and lame to the point where you cannot even help yourself by walking into the kingdom of your own power.  You joined me in a public confession that we are “poor miserable sinners.”  And there are probably a thousand things you would rather be doing now: house work, yard work, parties, travel, TV, sports, and a million other tasks and chores that need to be done.

Maybe you own property that must be maintained.  Maybe you have some equipment that must be looked after.  Maybe family responsibilities are pressing.  It is hard to see the point of coming here to be told what you already know about Jesus, to hear the same words again: “I forgive you all your sins…,” and to ritually eat bread and drink wine as most of you have been doing for years.

Is there really any point, dear friends?  Are we “getting anything” out of the service?  I do hear that, you know: “I just don’t get anything out of” the standing, kneeling, sitting, singing, listening, and taking communion.  Usually, this is said by people who want rock music, dancing girls, a stand-up comic for a preacher, and “practical advice” for “daily living” that reduces our blessed Lord Jesus into a self-help guru.

But, dear friends, listen to Jesus!  He is no psychotherapist or talk show host.  He is the Son of God, the Son of Man; He is human, He is divine; and most importantly, He is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins; He is the atonement that restores our communion with God; He is the cure to death itself.  And this is what the kingdom is all about, for Jesus is our King, and He has given Himself for us to live in His kingdom.  He brings eternal riches to the poor, healing to the crippled, sight to the blind, and restoration to the lame.  It is He who uniquely has the power and the mandate and the will to forgive our sins!

What goes on in this house, this holy house, this banquet house, this house which is indeed the very gate of heaven on earth – are the most important things in your life.  For at this banquet, you are healed, restored, showered with God’s mercy and love, and you partake of the miracle, the divine and eternal miracle, of His body and His blood unto eternal life!  This place is an ark that weathers the storms of this fallen death-laden world, and it is a refuge, for here, in this place, we meet Jesus Christ in His kingdom, where He promises to be with us!

And even though we are teeming with excuses, even though our sinful flesh is tempted toward other banquets and other gods, this is where the Lord God Almighty shepherds us, the invited subjects of His glorious kingdom.  And what’s more, dear friends, our King doesn’t sit at the head table and leave us afar off.  No indeed!  He reclines at table with us, among us, even as He walked in our sandals and tasted our death.  He even bore our cross, and all to give us His righteousness.

“Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

But our King doesn’t stop there.  He not only invites us, we the outliers from the “highways and hedges,” we who are despised in the eyes of the world, we whose sins have set us against our Lord and Creator, but what’s more, our Lord becomes our very meat and drink indeed!  His flesh is bread for the life of the world!  His blood, shed for us men and for our salvation, is the New Testament, the cup He blesses with His Word, and which He shares with us “for the forgiveness of sins.”

One molecule of this consecrated bread upon which we feast has more power than all the atomic weaponry of the world.  One tiny drop of this consecrated wine is a sufficient portion of the sacrificial blood to save every “poor, miserable sinner” that has ever lived or ever will draw a breath in this polluted, fallen world.

We, dear friends, miraculously “eat bread in the kingdom of God!”  We poor, crippled, blind, and lame “miserable sinners” recline at table with God the Son.  We who are despised by the world and mocked by our flesh, we who are under the assault of the devil and dogged by death itself feast with, and upon, our Lord and our King – by His gracious invitation and unto our own salvation!

“Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”  Amen.

His

on the sickness of sinto the next - and d w liars and sons of the devil, tament, a bloodye people on In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Modern Parables (Very cool!)

This is a series of six trailers from a really cool cinematic project to retell some of our Lord's parables in the current age.  They have gone over so well that the company is fundraising to tell even more of our Lord's parables in modern cinematic form.

 Here is their main page, and here is more about the next phase.

No Surprise, Faithful Bishop Defrocked by Apostate "Church"...

Bishop Thor Henrik With's consecration in Tromsø, March 24, 2013

... and yet, Christ's Church continues serving the Lord with faithful ministers and laypeople in Norway!  Blessings to the faithful bishop Thor Henrik, and may the persecutors of the Church repent and allow the Good News to be preached in its purity unhindered by the evil one!

[Note: according to Dr. Chris Barnekov, the translator of the bishop's statement below, "As expected, Bishop Thor Henrik With was defrocked today by the Church of Norway for accepting consecration as Bishop of the new Evangelical-Lutheran Diocese of Norway.  Below is a note from him to those who have been praying for him." - Ed.]

Dear Praying Friends,

I am filled with deep gratitude to you who have prayed for my meeting with the Tunsberg bishop today. An extra thank you to all of you who responded so quickly. Assured of prayers and support from all of you, I traveled to Tønsberg with confidence. During the meeting, I felt comfort and peace.

The conversation in Tønsberg was characterized by a surprisingly calm seriousness. The Church of Norway has placed Mrs. Laila Riksaasen Dahl as bishop of Tunsberg diocese. Since I now live in Tunsberg diocese, it is her official duty to make the final decision on disciplinary measures, because I let myself be consecrated bishop in violation of applicable canon law provisions of the Church of Norway.

In the conversation I elaborated the basis for the actions that began with doctrinal conversations at my initiative with my then Bishop of Nidaros, and ended with my episcopal ordination in Tromsø in 2012. Laila Riksaasen Dahl listened attentively and sympathetically, revealing good theological insight and respect. She expressed, in an unexpectedly clear manner, her understanding that this matter shall at the Last Day be of profound seriousness to both parties.

I pointed out that when the bishops and CoN’s General Assembly accept unbiblical teachings in the Church, they break apart the unity of the Church of Norway. Because of the new doctrine of the bishop of Nidaros, I had to exclude him from the church communion fellowship. And when church members, because of what has happened elsewhere, have no shepherd and call me to help, my ordination vow commits me to take care of the flock – even as a bishop. With fervent desire I encouraged her, along with my former Bishop of Nidaros, to change their doctrine, and I promised my prayer for that to happen.

Laila Riksaasen Dahl concluded the conversation by stating that​​, particularly due to the episcopal ordination in Tromsø, she decided to terminate my authorization as a pastor in theChurch of Norway. To this I replied that the new doctrine contrary to Scripture has led us to this rupture, and to the consequences that are now taking place. There and then I put on my episcopal cross and made visible in this way our claim to be a diocese in the church. Explicit notice was taken of this symbolic act.

Epilogue:

I see an image of the Norwegian church as a large and pleasant area, built on floats. Priests, bishops - and laity in the CoN General Assembly – cut away the tendons that keep this area secured to land – one mooring after the other. When the floating area now drifts from shore, it can easily seem that they who control developments are sending us who have other foundations under our feet away from themselves. But we, who stand on the firm ground, know that really it is they who drift away from the mainland of Christ’s Church; they drift away before the weather and wind of this age.

Let us pray that the Lord may have mercy!

Yours in Christ

+Thor Henrik

Please Pray for this Faithful Lutheran Bishop

Bishop Thor Henrik With of Norway (left) and Archbishop Walter Obare of Kenya

[Note: This is an urgent request for prayers for a faithful Lutheran bishop in Norway, the Rt Rev. Thor Henrik With, who is being persecuted by his own church (sic) body for being faithful to Scripture.  Bishop Thor Henrik is asking for our prayers via our brother in Christ, Dr. Chris Barnekov, a Missouri Synod Lutheran, who translated the bishop's plea. Sed libera nos + a malo! - Ed.]

I just received an email prayer request from Bishop Thor Henrik With of the Evangelical-Lutheran Diocese of Norway (a recently formed Confessional Lutheran body associated with the Mission Province in Sweden and the Mission Diocese inFinland).  My quick translation is below.

Chris Barnekov 

Dear Friends,

Will you pray for me and for a discussion tomorrow, Thursday, May 16?

I am summoned to a meeting with the bishop of Tunsberg at 10:00 am [4:00 am US Eastern Daylight Time], because I have allowed myself to be consecrated bishop of the Evangelical-Lutheran Diocese in Norway. Apparently the bishop of Tunsberg wants to inform me of the decision that my authorization to serve as a pastor in the Church of Norway will be revoked, what is called being defrocked.

After The Church of Norway made the heresy that God blesses gay relationships into a doctrine that bishops and priests can advocate in their dioceses and parishes, the loss of pastoral authorization is sad, but no disaster. What is heavy to bear is that the church’s members will be deceived in this way, and that brother pastors with whom I have previously fought alongside for the good of the faith have become opponents. The church that took me into pastoral ministry in my ordination on 16 December 1979 is also suffering in other serious ways in severe conflict with the only Word that can give life and eternal salvation.

Will you pray that I receive wisdom and love express to bring concern and good counsel to the bishop of Tunsberg, and to bear witness clearly about what God's Word commits us to?

What is first and foremost at stake is the bishops’ and priests’ faithfulness to Scripture and the Lutheran confessions, the allegiance which they solemnly vowed at their ordinations – and thus their correct guidance and care for all God's people, on the path to the Judgment and the resurrection of life.

Thank you, friends, that I can count on you!

Yours in Christ,
+ Thor Henrik

Thor Henrik With
Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of Norway
Lavaløkka 9, 3442 Hyggen

Norway

Nullification Picking Up Steam, Zombies Unhappy

On nullification, 44% pro, 36% con, 20% undecided.  Details here.

Zombies are still not convinced...




But they are funny in their own brain-dead sort of way...



'via Blog this'

"This is America. Speak English!"

 Have you ever heard anyone say this?  Ever see that on a tee shirt or in a facebook meme?  It's usually said with a self-righteous, scolding tone - or even with anger.

Interestingly, I ran across  an American children's book in our local parish library (that's "parish" not "county" by the way) that was published in my home town of Gretna, Louisiana by the Pelican Publishing Company.  In fact, the illustrator is a Missouri Synod pastor, now retired, who was one of my predecessors at Salem Lutheran Church in Gretna.

To the apparent shock of the "English Only Movement," There is no English in the text of this book.  It is written entirely in French. Louisiana has no official language, though French has had special status in the state since 1968.

How can this be?

Well, not every state in the Union originated as an English colony.  Louisiana was settled by the French and the Spanish long before it became part of the predominantly English-speaking United States.

In fact, in the western part of the state, French is still spoken in many homes, heard on the radio, and is quite apparent in the last names of prominent families.  French was spoken here generations before English.  It is the ethnic heritage of many people in our state.

So, maybe some people here could scold Anglophones with something along these lines: "C'est la Louisiane. Parlez français!"

Even the copyright page of this book is written in French (aside from the name of the government office, and even that is bilingual).

And why is this offensive to some people?  Why would this prompt someone to wear a tee shirt that says: "This is America.  Speak English"?

The answer is really pretty simple: in the words of St. Augustine, it is the "lust for domination."  It is bullying.  It is the desire to control other people and entire populations - even the the point of regulating the speech of school children.  The state constitution of 1921 effectively abolished the use of French in public schools.  Older Cajuns recall being physically punished for speaking French even on the playground.  This has created a situation in many families where older people speak French, but felt ashamed to teach it to the next generation.  This was a sort of ethnic cleansing that has resulted in thousands of people with French last names, Cajun heritage, and francophone grandparents who can't speak French themselves.

There are few things that government does well.  Genocide, including that of the cultural type, is one of them.

Now, schools often have to recruit French teachers from Canada, France, and Belgium to teach ethnically French children how to speak the language their own state government attempted to stamp out.  CODOFIL is an organization dedicated to the encouragement of the French language in our state.

This organization was made necessary by previous generations who maintained the short-sighted attitude that  "This is America.  Speak English."

We Americans are known throughout the world for our inability to speak other languages.  As a professor at the seminary put it, half of our theological library is in German.  Unless a student can read German, half of the books are off limits to him.  What advantage is there in being unilingual?  Is this really something to be proud of?

Germans in America likewise suffered the loss of their linguistic heritage because of pressures from "patriotic" Americans during World Wars I and II - perhaps some of the same "patriots" that interred Americans of Asian descent into forced relocation camps complete with barbed wire and guard towers - even the relatives of some American military personnel who were fighting and dying in Europe.  "This is America..."

But the reality is this: compelling the use of English is un-American.  For the first amendment - a cherished explication of the American mind and articulation of the foundational rights explicitly defended in the Bill of Rights - protects the right of free speech: "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech...".  Instead of "This is America.  Speak English," the truly patriotic sentiment is: "This is America.  Speak whatever you want!"  That is, if we still connect America to freedom, if we still believe it is the preservation of liberty that defines who we are as a people.

Instead of bullying foreigners and Americans into using exclusively English, why not let the free market decide?  Most people will speak English - perhaps only English.  But where freedom is allowed full course, some people will speak French in Louisiana, Spanish in Texas, German in Wisconsin, Norwegian in Minnesota, and Hawaiian in Hawaii.  So what?  And by teaching our children to be multilingual, they will only increase their odds at being successful in a global economy.

The fact of the matter is that Americans and foreigners are free to speak anything we want - in our homes, on the street, in our churches, at school, at work - anywhere.  If you want to say your prayers in Latin, read the Bible in Greek or Hebrew, converse with your family in French or Spanish, watch movies in Russian or Italian, order your meal in Hindi, Japanese, or Mandarin, or just plain learn to speak Icelandic for no reason at all, so what?  More power to you!  There are even artificial languages like Esperanto and Klingon.  People can even communicate in Morse Code or Pig Latin.  So what?  Why should I have any desire to compel someone to speak English?

Is this really anyone's business?

Here in New Orleans, some people do still speak French.  Spanish is quite common.  Just off the top of my head, I have also heard people in Louisiana speak Vietnamese, Chinese, Swahili, Russian, Japanese, German, Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Italian, and Arabic.  It is likely that English will always be spoken here.  And if for some reason it dies off (as even Latin did in Rome itself) it will be because over time, people will freely choose to speak something else.

And the words "freely choose" are important here.  That is supposed to be how decisions are made in America.  Not by government decree.  Not by bureaucratic bullying.  Not by social harassment and intimidation.

"This is America.  Speak whatever you want!"  And as we often say in our laissez-faire Louisiana culture: "Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

Paleo Coach!

I just picked up a book from the library called Paleo Coach: Expert Advice for Extraordinary Health, Sustainable Fat Loss, and an Incredible Body by Jason Seib (rated an impressive 171 five-star reviews out of 180!).

I have been paleo/primal now for quite some time - more than a year.  I am still enjoying it, eating awesome tasty food, have no belly fat, wear 28 inch pants, have lots of energy, and almost never get sick.  Just skimming through the book, this may be the best quick and easy intro to primal/paleo living and eating.

Page 12 basically tells you all you need to know in one fell swoop:

"The Paleo Lifestyle  At a Glance

Foods to Enjoy

• Meat
• Vegetables
• Fruit

Foods to Avoid

• Grains
• Legumes
• Vegetable Oils
• Refined Sugar
• High-Fructose Corn Syrup
• Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
• Soy
• Most Dairy

Exercise

• Walk
• Lift Heavy Things
• Sprint
• Get Flexible
• High Intensity Interval Training
• Avoid Traditional Cardio

That's pretty much it!

The book includes some testimonials, some detailed explanations of the above, a few recipes, and some "coaching" to encourage the transition to a healthier life.  There are some before-and-after pictures and case studies, and a helpful short bibliography.

The author, Jason Seib, includes this wonderful challenge on page 193:

Disbelief?

Maybe you just can't get your head around the fact that most of what you have been taught is complete bunk.  To you, my friend, I issue my favorite challenge.  Do you think that anything I am suggesting will kill you in a month?  If not, then eat strict Paleo for at least three weeks.  If you see no benefit in the way you look, feel, or perform, put a brick through my window and tell everyone on Facebook that I am a scam artist.  Also, be sure to come to one of my seminars and heckle me.

I would certainly not say that if I had not seen the results with my own eyes, time and time again.  While other diets ask you to dupe your body into the illusion of health, Paleo actually delivers health, and it usually begins working its magic right away.  I am not claiming that Paleo will give you the results you want immediately, but you will see enough improvements in your health and vitality within three weeks to know that you have finally found what you have been looking for.

Nothing is more frustrating for someone like me than the critic who has never tried Paleo.  I am not interested in discussing anyone's theories about why Paleo would not work for them.  You have to come at me with something more tangible than that.  All I am asking is that you give it a shot. Even if your only motivation is to make me eat my words.  Please give it a shot.

I agree with Seib on this.  Some of the biggest critics of paleo/primal seem locked into their belief that this is another fad, it won't work for them, they "could never do that," there is something evil about not eating bread when Jesus used bread (though without all the additives and genetically altered garbage that is in our food supply today) for the Lord's Super, and they are simply and contentedly doomed to being fat, sick, and headed to a health crisis.  I agree with Seib.  You can take charge of your health and do something about it.

Try it.  You won't look back, and you won't be sorry!

Teaching and Learning Latin the Fun Way

I've recently heard from some parents who are teaching their children Latin, as well as from some adults who are interested in learning it.  There are, of course, a lot of great approaches and books out there, but I highly (highly!) recommend a book and approach by Danish scholar Hans Oerberg called Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata.  I used this text for middle school kids for several years, and it was a rip-roaring success!  My students were not all gifted (Latin was a requirement of all students).  And I only had them in class twice a week.  Nevertheless, my students blew me away with how quickly they progressed, and I am still hearing a lot of success stories from former students.  Some of them are now studying Latin in high school and college and are excelling.  Others are breezing through Spanish.  The most common feedback I get involves an explosion of English vocabulary and very high SAT scores in the verbal section.

Oerberg is solid pedagogy, but it is also fun because it is interesting.  It is not rote memorization of paradigms, but is rather a story.  It is basically an innovative novel all in Latin.  The only English in the entire book is on the copyright page.  You learn Latin by reading Latin, figuring it out by the context, pictures, and clues in the margins, and then the new information becomes old information as you grow in your reading.  Over time, Oerberg introduces vocabulary and concepts that prepare the student for reading Caesar (military terms), the Bible (the Vulgate), ancient myths (such as the Minotaur and Icarus), the Roman Calendar, as well as learning the cultural aspects of 1st century Roman life (Roman roads, geography, homes, money, navigation, clothing, medicine, etc.).  And the story is wrapped up in the day to day life of a family.  You learn the grammar by seeing the language used followed up by very brief reviews at the end of the chapters.

It really works!

In using Oerberg, you are trained to read (and actually think!) in Latin (not translate into English).  Thus you can enjoy the story, as well as other Latin texts you may read (actually read!) later, rather than clumsily parsing and translating (which is terribly boring).  Thus Latin becomes a living language, and you begin to see it in everyday English everywhere you look.

The basic first year text is Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata - Pars I Familia Romana.  You can get by with just the text - but I found that some of the other supporting texts are a great help.  Lingua Latina: A College Companion by Jeanne Marie Neumann is WONDERFUL!  It combines several other books in one volume (such as the Latine Disco student guide, the vocabulary lists, and the Grammatica Latina grammar text).  The Companion is a sort-of one-stop-shopping resource.  It is really well laid-out.  Both of these are also available as PDF e-books (see the links).  I got my PDF of Familia Romana at Books a Million's website.

There is a short companion text of readings called Colloquia Personarum that I really like - just for variety and to reinforce the material.  The readings use the same characters as the book, and are very short and amusing.  I also highly recommend the CD-ROM version ( Familia Romana CD-ROM) of the book - which includes the entire text, audio of the book read by the author, and interactive versions of all the exercises in the book.  

There is a teacher's guide ( Lingua Latina Instructors Materials) that has an answer key.  I also bought Latine Doceo: A Companion for Instructors, but don't find these particularly helpful.  I would not recommend buying them.  Get the College Companion instead.

I found that Amazon, for the most part, has better prices than the publisher (Pullins).  However, they don't sell everything.  If you end up buying all the books I recommend, you may want to order some through Amazon, and others through www.pullins.com.

One last thing that is a must: there is an e-mail list for Oerberg instructors/enthusiasts from around the world.  The lady that wrote the College Companion is one of the participants, as well as some really heavy-hitting scholars.  They are all so friendly and encouraging, and the teachers share a lot of things like quizzes and teaching methodologies. You can toss out any question, and someone will be able to help.  The publisher also monitors the list and is always looking for ideas for helpful resources.  Here is the info about the list:

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit

        http://nxport.com/mailman/listinfo/oerberg

or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
       oerberg -request@nxport.com
You can reach the person managing the list at
        oerberg-owner@nxport.com
or ddfarms@earthlink.net

So in summary, if you want to study Latin on your own, or teach your children (or if your children want to do self study), this is my recommendation:

• Get the text Lingua Latina (Familia Romana)
• Get the College Companion
• Subscribe to the Oerberg list

Also valuable, but not necessary:

• Get the Colloquia Personarum
• Get the CD-ROM

And of course, have fun!

I would not get anything else to start with (except some of the other texts after completing Lingua Latina, such as the sequel volume and its materials: Roma Aeterna.

This approach is good for adults, college students, high school students, and with patience, for middle school students and even younger.  I am moving slowly through the first chapter with my 8-year old son, and he is doing extremely well.  For younger kids, there are also some great resources from Classical Academic Press.  So far, I'm using those materials to lay the groundwork for Oerberg.  

Bona fortuna!

Thank You, Hamilton Jewelry!

Hamilton Jewelry is located at 113 Lapalco Blvd, Suite 105, Gretna, LA 70056

It is easy to be cynical when dealing with businesses.  It seems like they are all dishonest and eager to get over on their customers.  And while that is certainly true in some instances, there are also some really outstanding businesses and owners, managers, and workers out there who are honest and upright, who still see their work as craftsmanship.

A couple years ago, I had meant to blog about Hamilton Jewelry at the intersection of Lapalco and Belle Chasse Highway.  I'm sorry that I didn't at the time - better late than never!  This began because I have a pocket watch that is a gift from my dad (of more than 20 years ago), a quartz-driven Jules Jurgensen  that had developed a problem with the date display.  I braced myself for a very bad prognosis.  I figured it would cost me a hundred bucks (maybe more!) to get it fixed (parts from Europe, labor, etc.).  And given the sentimental value of the watch, I would have paid it.  What choice did I have?  I'm not going to throw it in the garbage.

So I brought it to Mr. Hamilton.

It turns out that the watch just needed a minor lubrication.  In fact, I think he did it for free and only charged me for a new battery that it needed.  I was absolutely blown away.  This says to me that this business is reputable and honest.  And when it comes to things like watches and jewelry, that's pretty important.  He could have easily ripped me off and I would not have known the difference.  Instead, he took the high road, and that has won my loyalty.  I ended up buying a watch chain from him.

So, fast forward to about three weeks ago.  I looked down at my hand, and was horrified to see that my wedding band had cracked completely through.  I have no idea how or why.  I had not banged it against anything.  I leave it on my finger all the time.  How do such things happen?  So, once again I was thinking I was in for a really expensive repair job - even if it were possible.  I mean, how do you fix a broken wedding ring, especially one that has intricate scrollwork on it?

Ouch!

Well, given my last experience, I knew exactly where to go.

And once again, it was Mr. Hamilton and his wonderful staff to the rescue!  It was also time for a new battery in the pocket watch.  Both repair jobs were done in a week for $50 out the door.  Even upon close examination of the ring, I can't even find evidence of the former break.  Mr. Hamilton is a true craftsman.  He soldered the ring with gold.  He even gave it a good cleaning.  How he made the repair "invisible" I don't know.  That's why he is a master at fixing jewelry and I can only look upon his work with wonder.

After Mr. Hamilton's expertise

As a funny side note, I just had to wear something on my left hand during the interim.  After 19 years, my wedding-ring finger felt downright indecent being publicly unclad.  So I brought out my old class ring from Walsh Jesuit High School and placed it on my wedding finger.  This turned into a display of the divine sense of humor.  While I was saying Mass at the altar with my hands held up in the "orans" (praying) position, I saw, out of the corner of my eye to the left, the coat of arms of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) on my left hand.  In my right periphery, I espied the statue of Bl. Martin Luther, the leader of the Evangelical Catholic reform movement (the Lutherans) on my Concordia Theological Seminary class ring on the other hand.

This called to mind the old joke:

A Roman Catholic boy asked his pastor the difference between the Dominicans and the Jesuits.  The priest replied: "The Dominicans were founded to get rid of the Albigensians.  The Jesuits were founded to get rid of the Lutherans."  The boy asked: "Which order is better?"  "Well," retorted the priest with a sly grin, "how many Albigensians have you met?"

Ignatius of Loyola

Martin Luther

At any rate, "Thank you" to Hamilton Jewelry!  If any FH readers are looking to buy jewelry or have something repaired (or even designed from scratch!), I think their honesty and integrity speaks volumes!  There are indeed more quality jewelers with integrity and top-notch customer service in the Gretna area than there are Albigensians.

19 years and still going strong!  

Two Perspectives on Life

Gen 1:27

(use the cc button at the bottom to turn on English subtitles)

John 13:35

 

HT: Lew Rockwell blog.

Shoe Repair Shop Fixes Bible!

There is a local shoe repair business in Gretna that Mrs. H. and I have been frequenting for many years: Moran's, located at 301 Westbank Expressway.

It is a husband and wife business run by C.J. and Mary Moran.  They always give prompt, courteous and professional service.  They have facilitated the near-miraculous reincarnation of my loafers many times beyond their normal lifespan with sole and heel replacements - as well as repairs to the stitching.  They have also provided Mrs. H. with countless heel tips for her boots and shoes. 

I want to give C.J. and Mary a public pat on the back for going "above and beyond."  I have a pocket-sized leather-bound ESV Bible that I bought while I was still a seminarian.  It has given me years of excellent service.  There is, however, a weak link: the leather strap that holds the bible closed.  It had frayed to the point of wearing out.

The bible really needs a way to hold it closed.  I could not find a good solution.  I certainly did not want to discard the Bible.  I'm always loathe to do so as this is God's Word.  Moreover, I like it.  It is "comfortable."  It is also well-made.  Aside from the Achilles Heel of the strap, it could last for decades more.  It has already been with me my entire ministry, from my vicarage in South Carolina, to teaching and pastoral work in New Orleans, and on planes, trains, and automobiles across North America for private meditation and public lecture.  It even went with me to Russia two years ago - from Moscow to the mountainous Republic of Khakassia in Siberia just north of Mongolia.  In fact, my colleague, the Rev. Dan Johnson, made use of it in the pulpit of St. James Lutheran Church in Novokuznetsk where he preached a sermon.  This proclamation of the Word of God and the open carrying of an English Bible by an American clergyman would have been unthinkable only twenty years ago.  My little globetrotting ESV has quite a story, and it is clearly not finished yet!

Looking for a solution, I took the Bible to Moran's.  Mary looked it over, and said that she could replace the leather strap and have it for me within a week.  It would cost me the princely ransom of $8.95 plus tax.  I was thrilled!

She actually called me back about an hour later to let me know the job was done.  I picked it up right away, and it looks great!  She has breathed new life into this little Bible.  I wonder how many other shoe repair businesses would have just automatically said "no."  Mary Moran didn't!  She thought outside the box and found a way to meet her customer's needs.  That, to me, is the greatest argument for a free market: everybody wins and the standard of living improves for all involved.  And it also gives us the opportunity to serve our neighbor and glorify God by our life and work.

So way to go C.J. and Mary!  You will certainly see us the next time our loafers and heels need to be born again.  If you live in the area and are looking for prompt and quality shoe repair service, I heartily recommend Moran's!