John 17

The other evening at confirmation class we were talking about the Lord's Prayer. I thought I heard our youth director at Central Lutheran in Elk River mention a verse in John 17, so I turned there. The students soon went to their small groups and I sat there and read John 17. I realized something very humbling that I've never realized before. Jesus prayed for me. John 17 is nothing but Jesus praying. He begins by praying for Himself, recognizing that the time has come for the Father to glorify His Son so that the Son could glorify Him. Jesus then prays for his disciples, praying that the Father would protect them by the power of the name of Jesus. Jesus prays that God will not take them out of the world but will protect them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

Jesus then prays for future believers.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

How extremely awesome is that!!!

Interviews #2 and #3

Interview #2 will happen this Thursday at Shalom Lutheran Church in Alexandria, MN.

Interview #3 will happen this Sunday at Morningside Lutheran Church in Sioux City, IA.

In the meantime, I'm being driven to the foot of the cross. As curious as I am regarding where I will be next year, I really just need to allow God to do the work of opening and closing doors where He needs to in order to plant me where He wants me next year.

Until then, I've got three weeks left of the semester, a week off, and CPE starts on May 27 (or whatever the day after Memorial Day is).

Slow Fade

Last night, I took advantage of an opportunity to worship with Casting Crowns at the Excel Energy Center. I had already purchased their newest CD, The Altar and the Door, so I new what I would be hearing last night. But I was still amazed. For those of you who haven’t yet, I strongly encourage you to read their book, Lifestories. It is a book explaining how each of the songs on their first two CD’s came to be written. As I read the story behind each song, I found myself having a newfound respect for this amazing group. That respect became deeper last night. Last night, towards the end of the concert, they took time out and praying over the almost 8,000 people in attendance. One by one, members of the band prayed for marriages, people struggling with addictions, people who had not yet responded to God’s call to be in relationship with them. One of the band members prayed for the guys in attendance, asking God to build them into the godly men this world so desperately needs. It was just an awesome time of worship.
Now for the title of this entry. They have a song on their new CD entitled Slow Fade. Mark Hall shared a little of the back story of this song. He was meditating on Psalm 1 and noticed something different about it. Verse 1 says: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” He noticed that it’s a slow fade. He then mentioned different things taking place within our culture. Families don’t fall apart in a day, marriages don’t crumble in a day, people don’t walk out of church on Sunday and fall apart on Monday. Those things all happen over a period of time. They all happen slowly. It begins when we begin walking in the counsel of our secular society. Soon after, we find ourselves standing in the way of sinners, only to later find ourselves sitting with mockers.
I began thinking about my journey through the candidacy process within the ELCA. As soon as I did, I was immediately thankful that God’s hand of protection has been upon through this whole journey. (When I figure out how to explain my year in a way that makes sense, I will. Maybe that will happen after I find a job.)
One more thing about one of their songs. It’s entitled What This World Needs. This world doesn’t need us to attach anything to the Gospel. They don’t need our denomination, our theological convictions, political convictions, etc. They simply need Jesus. They need a Savior who will rescue, a Spirit who will lead, a Father who will love them, in their time of need.

It's snowing (and other random info)

It is April 26 and it is snowing. Not to mention cold.

Those theological ponderings I mentioned in the last post have been worked through and I honestly can't remember enough to write about them. One of them revealed a weakness in the area of pastoral care. When I remember what that was, I will try to remember to write about it.

Tonight, I have the opportunity of worshipping the Lord with Casting Crowns at the Excel Energy Center. I'm very excited for this evening of worship and for what God might do in the hearts of people tonight.

Very random, I know. Needless to say, I am now entering into the final three weeks of the semester with enough to do to keep me busy. I'm working on lining up an interview with a church in Alexandria, MN and Sioux City, IA. I'm STILL waiting for May 1 (only 5 more days to go!!!). Hopefully in the early part of the following week I will find out about an interview at a church in Jamestown, ND.

Stuff

I've been having a lot of theological ponderings in my head in recent days and weeks. When I have some time, I will write about some of them. For now, I just simply want to offer up a prayer for people who have lost loved ones in recent days and weeks.

Heavenly Father, I ask for you comforting presence to surround the families of those who have lost loved ones. You know who they are, and I ask that they will feel your comforting presence. I ask that you will provide them with the hope and knowledge that one day they will see their loved ones again. Surround them with your love, and provide them with the strength they need to face the comings days, weeks, months, and years without their loved one. All this I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. AMEN.

10 Days and counting

In 10 days, it will be May 1. Hopefully soon after that, I will know when I can interview in North Dakota. In the meantime, I'm playing a game of phone tag with a lady from a church in Alexandria, MN. We are trying to schedule an interview. Hopefully soon we will be able to actually contact and bring an end to our game of phone tag.

Sermon text on 1 Kings 18:20-39

Every day, we are faced with decisions to make. What will we eat for meals? Will we cook or dine? What clothes will we wear, shorts or pants, or short-sleeve or long-sleeve shirts? We also have big choices to make, decisions that require more thought than what we will eat or wear. What college will we attend after high school? Do I want to pursue that Master’s degree? Is this the person I’m supposed to marry? Is this the right house, car, or appliance we’re looking to purchase? How much longer should I continue to receive cancer treatments? We can each create our lists of decisions that we’ve either made or will make throughout our lifetime.

Yet in the midst of those decisions, we’re faced with an even greater one. “If the Lord is God, follow him. If Baal is God, then follow him.” We have a choice to make. Or do we?

The Israelites had a choice. Now, as Lutherans, some of us might have an issue with that because we believe God acts first. If this is you, I ask you to embark on a journey with the Israelites. They gathered at Mount Carmel where they were presented with their only two options. They could either follow God or Baal, but said nothing. By default, their indecision meant they were choosing to follow Baal. So Elijah presents them with another option. The prophets of Baal can prepare a bull for sacrifice and call upon the name of their god. Elijah would do the same. The god who would answer by fire would indeed be God.

At this point in time, the people are willing to choose. They weren’t earlier, but they are now. They are willing to accept the contest, because to do so is to “acknowledge that there will be a winner and that the winner is to be the object of exclusive faith. To be willing to choose is in some sense an act of faith in itself.” They are open to the idea that God might do something powerful in their lives.

Our text goes on to explain how the sacrifices were prepared. For the prophets of Baal, their preparations were sketchy, their prayer was pretty abrupt, and their liturgical action was frantic. Elijah’s preparations, on the other hand, were methodical and correct. His prayer is impressive and dignified. His preparations make things seemingly impossible for Yahweh. The water poured on the sacrifice makes things even more impossible. Yet, it’s through this impossibility that Yahweh shows His glory. It is because of His glory the people fall down and worship Him.

Elijah prepared the sacrifice to receive fire from God. It relates to a story I heard while watching the movie Facing the Giants. The movie is about high school football coach Grant Taylor. In his six years of coaching, his Shiloh Eagles have not had a winning season. The new season gets off to a bad start when the star player transfers to another school. After losing the first three games of the season, Coach Taylor overhears a group of fathers plotting to have him fired. Combined with pressures at home, Coach Taylor loses hope in his battle against fear and failure. But an unexpected challenge helps him find a purpose bigger than victories. The unexpected challenge comes from Mr. Bridges, a man who wanders the halls of the school everyday praying for God to transform the lives of the students. Mr. Bridges tells Coach Taylor that God hasn’t shut the door on his opportunity at Shiloh Christian School. Coach Taylor says he’s been praying but hasn’t seen God at work. Mr. Bridges shares a story about two farmers who desperately need rain. Both farmers ask God to give them rain, but only one of them went out to prepare his fields to receive it. After a short discussion about who trusted God to bring the rain, Mr. Bridges asked Coach Taylor, “Which one are you?”

As the movie continues, Coach Taylor transforms into a person who prepares his football team to receive the blessings God wanted to bring into their lives. Though the most important blessing was the transformed lives of his players, they were also blessed with the opportunity to play in the state title game against the Richland Giants. With one second left on the clock and three points needed to win, Coach Taylor calls on his back-up kicker David Childers. Childers, who can only kick a football 39 yards, is called on to kick a 51-yard-field goal, against the wind. When all seems impossible, God’s power shows through Childers’ weakness. Right before he kicks the field goal, the wind changes directions. Instead of kicking against the wind, Childers kicks with the wind and makes the field goal, giving the Eagles the state championship.

Just as Coach Taylor’s decision made the possibility of winning a state championship seem impossible, Elijah’s preparations made the possibility of a fire seem impossible. Yet in both situations, God’s possibility showed through the seeming impossibility. God’s power showed through in weakness.

How does this concept of preparing things to receive connect with whether or not we choose to follow God? Let me close with two final remarks that might help bring this all together. Richard Nelson writes in his commentary on this passage: “The people, who already had that sort of preliminary faith which is volition to make a choice, received proof that their choice must be for Yahweh. On the one hand, the people have chosen the option of faith freely, uncoerced by any proof. On the other, their choice of Yahweh has been forced on them by the evidence of fire from heaven. Their choice to choose was a free one and was confirmed later by experience, but their hearts were actually turned around by God. Fire coerced their choice and left them without option. Is faith a matter of free human choice or is it an irresistible gift from God?”

I confess that I don’t know how to answer this question. However, I do want to challenge us with one final thought. It’s possible that Elijah, by presenting the people with options, was preparing them for the day they wouldn’t have an option. When the people agreed to the contest that revealed the true God, they made a decision to follow God before experiencing God’s revealing act. When God revealed Himself by answering Elijah’s prayer with fire, the people fell down and worshipped Him, not because they were coerced, but because they were open to the mighty act God was about to do in their lives.

Let us pray: God, we are left with some challenges to wrestle with and thoughts to ponder. As we leave here and go into the world, may you open our hearts and continue to challenge us into the deeper truths of your Word, so that we may be able to proclaim Your saving acts to the world. AMEN.

Patient sort of crazy

OK, so I’m going crazy. It’s the patience sort of crazy. I’m anxiously, eagerly, patiently waiting for May 1. That is the day resumes are due at a particular church. Soon after, I will know when I get to interview for the position. In the meantime, I’m interviewing for other positions, but this particular church is screaming at me. Why? I don’t know. As I’ve read some articles written by the staff on the website, I’m struck by the fact that they are looking for the person God has hand-picked for that position. I’m struck by the fact that they are stepping out of the Lutheran box to reach people with the message of Jesus Christ. I’m struck by the fact that the high school is located 2 blocks from the church. I’m struck by plenty of other facts as well, but too many to be named here.

And then I think about my story of how I ended up in a position where I’m looking for a job as a youth director. Could it be? I don’t really know. All I know is that in my third month of band directing, I wanted my students in my youth group instead of in my band program. It took me a year and a half to realize that God was calling me into youth ministry, but what did I decide to do? Pursue a Master of Divinity degree which would have led to my being a pastor someday. Yes, I thought that would allow me to do just about anything. As this year has unfolded, I’ve discovered that’s not the case. It has also become abundantly clear (although at this point in time abundantly unclear where God will plant me next year) that God has called me into youth ministry. When I put together my resume and actually saw everything I’ve done in the last several years, it screams youth ministry. When I read about such and such a church, it screams at me, but I continue to ask God to work things out in His will, no matter how things unfold this summer.

One down, several to go

I had my first interview last night at West Immanuel Church in Dresser, WI. It was a fun interview and I came away with a better understanding of the position for which they are looking to hire someone. It was good, but it definitely wasn't God. It was not a church that was screaming at me before the interview, and it's not screaming at me now. Next up: Shalom Lutheran Church in Alexandria, MN. But that one's not screaming at me either. Which church is screaming at me? -------- Church in ------, ND (I don't care to list the actual church). As much as I'd like to have that interview tomorrow, I need to be patient and allow God to do what He needs to do, and allow God to make clear to that congregation who He has hand-picked for that position.

Interview #1

This Sunday, April 13, I have interview #1 in my quest to find a job for next year. This interview is in Dresser, WI for a Director of Ministries position. When I sent in my resume, I thought I was applying for a youth director position. (The position was posted on ELCA Youth Networkers Page.) Anyway, I am hoping to learn more about this position in my interview this weekend because I don't completely understand what or who exactly they are looking for. After all, my heart is set on Jamestown, ND for some crazy reason. However, I don't have a problem if I end up back in Albert Lea, either.

Is Spring almost here? Or is it still Winter?

You know it's spring when you walk outside of your apartment on the campus of Luther Seminary and see ducks. And yet you wonder when Spring will really get here knowing there's a winter storm watch for tonight into tomorrow.

Facing the Giants

As I write this, I'm watching the movie Facing the Giants. It is one of the all-time greatest movies ever made, in my humble opinion. If you've never seen it, it's a must see. As I watch this movie, I also have all these ideas in my head for my sermon I'm preaching in lab on Thursday, but nothing is very coherent right now. The text is 1 Kings 18:20-39. That text puts a new perspective on this movie. If this sermon is anything like the last sermon, God is going to write it while I'm getting ready for class tomorrow morning.

God is at Work in the World

Lately, I’ve been attempting to encourage a friend to look for where God is at work in the world and join Him there. Though she doesn’t want to do that at this point in time, it’s something that I’ve been thinking about lately. As God would have it, Sunday morning at church I heard a sermon on this very subject. God is at work in the world. Though God’s work is not dependent on me, or you, or us, God is still at work in the world. The question of the day is this: Will we adjust our lives to His work in the world?

What if?

What if Jesus has already come back and we are the offspring of those who were left behind?

God's grace or God's redemption?

Is God's grace the basis for one's salvation, or is God's redemption the basis for one's salvation?

Continuous pattern of breaking and molding

My time at Luther Seminary continues to be that of God breaking me and re-molding me into who He wants me to be, who He created me to be. It is definitely a rewarding journey that I have the privilege of walking. Learning how to be a follower and not simply a believer is really learning about trodding down the narrow path. I look forward to the day when I will truly understand why God planted me at Luther Seminary for these past two years. While they've been trying, they've been rewarding, but everything I've experienced up until this point has been ordained by God and for that I am truly thankful.

Universal Salvation

“Those ‘who belong to Christ’ (1 Cor. 3:23; 15:23) have passed through the abyss of God’s judgment; they have been baptized into Christ’s death and have been buried with him (Rom. 6:3-4). Although this radicalization of the human condition in the cross of God’s Messiah logically seems to lead to a conception of universal salvation, Paul refrains from any unequivocal assertion of this point. The time between the cross and the end-time is a time for commitment, decision, mission, and endurance. Those who are disobedient to the gospel will be judged and destroyed in the last judgment because they behave as if the powers defeated by Jesus Christ still rule the world. Thus the thrust toward a notion of universal salvation is balanced by an emphasis on responsibility and obedience for those who have heard the gospel.” - J. Christian Beker, Paul’s Apocalyptic Gospel: The Coming Triumph of God, pg. 35-36

Crucifixion

“The cross is not to be relegated to a mere stage on the way to the more triumphant resurrection. Good Friday is not simply the problem for which Easter provides the solution. The participle ‘crucified’ in (1 Cor.) 1:23 and 2:2 appears in the perfect tense in Greek, designating an action that occurs in past time but that has continuing effects for the present. To be sure, the Christ Paul preaches in Corinth has been raised from the dead, but the resurrection does not erase the marks of the crucifixion, as if it were merely an obstacle Jesus has overcome in moving to bigger and better things. As risen, he remains the crucified Christ.” - Charles B. Cousar, The Letters of Paul, pg. 102-103

Knowing Christ

“It is important to recognize that by the phrase ‘knowing Christ’ the text implies much more than merely the possession of information about the crucifixion of Jesus. ‘God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe’ (1 Cor 1:21, italics added). Believing is Paul’s term for a form of knowing that does not reject but goes beyond rationality or the mere acquiring of data. It entails a certain leap of faith, a commitment of the self, a decision of the will. A relationship is established between Christ and the individual.
“In terms of his relation to Christ, Paul describes it this way: ‘What I want is to know Christ, the power of his resurrection and the participation in his suffering, by being conformed to his death, if only I may finally attain the resurrection of the dead’ (Phil 3:9-10). Knowing Christ entails a deep involvement in his destiny---both in the vindication of his resurrection from the dead and in the shame of his suffering and death.” - Charles B. Cousar, The Letters of Paul, pg. 101-102

Random Quote

“Jesus Christ forces a revamping of perspectives, a radical envisioning of life. It is not that Christ confronts Paul with choices he must make, a new way to be loyal if he only will opt to do so. Quite apart from Paul’s own predilections and decisions, God intervenes to make all things different, and the difference is Jesus Christ.” - Charles B. Cousar, The Letters of Paul, pg. 95