Everyday Lutherans

A few days ago, I was sitting with a young man.  We got to talking about what he did for a living and where he was before coming here.  When he came to the area, he had come to the bar because he was worried about fitting in.  He came there because it seemed that most people were welcoming and actually wanted to get to know him.  I began to ask him if he had a church home.  He replied to me, “No.” He explained to me how he felt like he had a relationship with God, but had a lot of questions and especially some hard times in his life. He was still wondering where God was in the world and in his own life.   I think that we all have times in our life that we come to this crossroads.  A time in which our faith is put the test; a time in which questions seems to outnumber the answers that we have; a time in which we feel like we are left to wander and wonder.  Yet, it is precisely at these times that we turn to our faith and our relationship with the community of believers to offer help and

A few days ago, I was sitting with a young man.  We got to talking about what he did for a living and where he was before coming here.  When he came to the area, he had come to the bar because he was worried about fitting in.  He came there because it seemed that most people were welcoming and actually wanted to get to know him.  I began to ask him if he had a church home.  He replied to me, “No.” He explained to me how he felt like he had a relationship with God, but had a lot of questions and especially some hard times in his life. He was still wondering where God was in the world and in his own life.   I think that we all have times in our life that we come to this crossroads.  A time in which our faith is put the test; a time in which questions seems to outnumber the answers that we have; a time in which we feel like we are left to wander and wonder.  Yet, it is precisely at these times that we turn to our faith and our relationship with the community of believers to offer help and

Today within our Gospel, we hear of the conversation between Jesus and his disciples.  As we hear this message, let us not forget that we are disciples too. Let us go back and look at the conversation and the message that is in there for each and everyone of us.   The first thing that we hear from the disciples is that they go and do what it is that they are wanting to do.  The very work that Jesus called them from to be disciples.  They go fishing.  There is nothing like going out on a beautiful lake and wrestling with a fish, only to be able to enjoy it over the fire that night.  However, when the disciples went fishing, they caught nothing.  NOTHING!  It was this simple act which reminds us that without God leading us, we will get nothing.  Even if we are doing the very thing that we think God is calling us to do, and we want to do.   However, from the sea shore, Jesus calls out to them, “Cast your nets on the right side.”  Really?  A simple change like that, what could possibly cha

Today within our Gospel, we hear of the conversation between Jesus and his disciples.  As we hear this message, let us not forget that we are disciples too. Let us go back and look at the conversation and the message that is in there for each and everyone of us.   The first thing that we hear from the disciples is that they go and do what it is that they are wanting to do.  The very work that Jesus called them from to be disciples.  They go fishing.  There is nothing like going out on a beautiful lake and wrestling with a fish, only to be able to enjoy it over the fire that night.  However, when the disciples went fishing, they caught nothing.  NOTHING!  It was this simple act which reminds us that without God leading us, we will get nothing.  Even if we are doing the very thing that we think God is calling us to do, and we want to do.   However, from the sea shore, Jesus calls out to them, “Cast your nets on the right side.”  Really?  A simple change like that, what could possibly cha

One of the main questions that I hear people ask about the resurrection is: What did Jesus look like? Many people will say that Jesus looked the exact same. However, when we hear from the disciples encountering Jesus after the resurrection, they do not recognize him.  They are not able to simply look upon him and know that this person is Jesus.  The disciples did not know that it was Jesus until after talking and being with him for a while.   You have heard the phrase, don’t judge a book by it’s cover.  This is a phrase that we often remind people, about but have a very difficult time putting into practice.  Especially in the midst of the world that seems to be getting more chaotic, more violent, and even more misunderstood.   Today, we hear of the closest to Jesus, his own disciples, hiding in fear of their own life.  They were worried about their own safety and security. They locked themselves into a room that would separate them.  This is a common notion that we have as people, fear

One of the main questions that I hear people ask about the resurrection is: What did Jesus look like? Many people will say that Jesus looked the exact same. However, when we hear from the disciples encountering Jesus after the resurrection, they do not recognize him.  They are not able to simply look upon him and know that this person is Jesus.  The disciples did not know that it was Jesus until after talking and being with him for a while.   You have heard the phrase, don’t judge a book by it’s cover.  This is a phrase that we often remind people, about but have a very difficult time putting into practice.  Especially in the midst of the world that seems to be getting more chaotic, more violent, and even more misunderstood.   Today, we hear of the closest to Jesus, his own disciples, hiding in fear of their own life.  They were worried about their own safety and security. They locked themselves into a room that would separate them.  This is a common notion that we have as people, fear

Some of you may be wondering why I have this shovel today.  I want you to think of the hard work that it really does take to use a shovel.  We are hopefully finishing up with the season of winter and will not have to use those snow shovels anymore.  However, we will be able to use a shovel like this.  With this shovel, we use it to move dirt.  We have simply turn over a small area so that we can plant something special.  We may use it to dig up around a plant so that we can move it.  Or we may use a shovel like this to dig a grave.   Do you know why we bury the dead? Why we place a person into the ground when they die?  Now some of you may say the words that are often spoken in the church, “It’s the way, we have always done things.” Or “It’s tradition”.  We do it because it reminds us, that God created us out of the dirt and out of the ashes of this world and breathed life into us.  We return the person back into the world, into that dirt and that ash, but also that we may be reminded

Some of you may be wondering why I have this shovel today.  I want you to think of the hard work that it really does take to use a shovel.  We are hopefully finishing up with the season of winter and will not have to use those snow shovels anymore.  However, we will be able to use a shovel like this.  With this shovel, we use it to move dirt.  We have simply turn over a small area so that we can plant something special.  We may use it to dig up around a plant so that we can move it.  Or we may use a shovel like this to dig a grave.   Do you know why we bury the dead? Why we place a person into the ground when they die?  Now some of you may say the words that are often spoken in the church, “It’s the way, we have always done things.” Or “It’s tradition”.  We do it because it reminds us, that God created us out of the dirt and out of the ashes of this world and breathed life into us.  We return the person back into the world, into that dirt and that ash, but also that we may be reminded

Today, we hear of the rather familiar parable known as the Prodigal Son.  Now just because it is a familiar parable does not mean that we fully understand it, or that we have taken that meaning and are living out that meaning.  So today, we look at this parable once again. Within the parable, it is important to note that when the son comes and asks for his half of the inheritance, the son is truly desiring the death of his father, and that his father would have no influence upon his life anymore.  The son, wanting all the wealth that would be given to him at a future date at the death of his father, is informing his dad I don’t want you in my life anymore.  My life would be better without you in it.  However, in a heart breaking act, the father does give the inheritance to the son. Gathering money and wealth all so that this son could go off and live his life the way that he would want and with complete disregard for what the father had learned within his own life. Now I want you to st

Today, we hear of the rather familiar parable known as the Prodigal Son.  Now just because it is a familiar parable does not mean that we fully understand it, or that we have taken that meaning and are living out that meaning.  So today, we look at this parable once again. Within the parable, it is important to note that when the son comes and asks for his half of the inheritance, the son is truly desiring the death of his father, and that his father would have no influence upon his life anymore.  The son, wanting all the wealth that would be given to him at a future date at the death of his father, is informing his dad I don’t want you in my life anymore.  My life would be better without you in it.  However, in a heart breaking act, the father does give the inheritance to the son. Gathering money and wealth all so that this son could go off and live his life the way that he would want and with complete disregard for what the father had learned within his own life. Now I want you to st

What do you think is the worst sin? How do you think sins are measured? For many of us, we put a value upon the sins of others. We value and place sins into a list or hierarchy in which one is worse than another.  However, when God looks upon our sins, he does not see them that way.  What God sees is that we are not producing the goodness and love for which we are intended.   Let’s look at the parable that Jesus shares in the scripture for today to understand this more fully.  In the parable there are two main characters, the Master and the Gardner.  The Master is God the Father and the Gardener is Jesus Christ.  Now there is one other character that we should make note of, YOU.  You are the tree.  We need to truly identify everyone in the parable to fully understand it.  As we look at this parable, we hear that God saw that we (the tree) were not bearing any fruit. We were not producing the love and goodness that we had been created to do.  So the Master, God the Father, tells Jesus t

What do you think is the worst sin? How do you think sins are measured? For many of us, we put a value upon the sins of others. We value and place sins into a list or hierarchy in which one is worse than another.  However, when God looks upon our sins, he does not see them that way.  What God sees is that we are not producing the goodness and love for which we are intended.   Let’s look at the parable that Jesus shares in the scripture for today to understand this more fully.  In the parable there are two main characters, the Master and the Gardner.  The Master is God the Father and the Gardener is Jesus Christ.  Now there is one other character that we should make note of, YOU.  You are the tree.  We need to truly identify everyone in the parable to fully understand it.  As we look at this parable, we hear that God saw that we (the tree) were not bearing any fruit. We were not producing the love and goodness that we had been created to do.  So the Master, God the Father, tells Jesus t