Everyday Lutherans

38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” 39 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. 42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell i with two hands. j 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. k 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it ...

38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” 39 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. 42 “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell i with two hands. j 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. k 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it ...

Lately I have read many understandings of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and even Easter. However, I am struck that so few are talking about the in between, what about Holy Saturday? (also known as (Latin: Sabbatum Sanctum), Easter Eve or Black Saturday, or among the Coptic Christians as "Joyous Saturday" or "the Saturday of Light" is the day after Good Friday . It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week in which Christians prepare for Easter.) Christianity has done a great job at celebrating Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and even having powerful Good Friday worship services. (Or the other popular rolling all three together into Passion Sunday, although I am not a fan of this but that is for another blog post.) The church has even done a great job of promoting the Easter story. It is after all why Christians are called Christian. If you need further proof, look at how the candy companies are attempting to commercialize such a large holiday in s...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP5MiAEDysg Alright so if you know the tune for Gangnam Style, this is a parody.  However, I am not gonna use words with this.  I just wanted to give you a visual. I thought about using  this dance for the children's sermon for two reasons.  At one church we are talking about Palm Sunday and the other both David entering Jerusalem and Palm Sunday.  Both celebrations. I will explain each of the moves to the youth and congregation. Ride the pony - riding the horse of Jesus as he entered into Jerusalem. Lasso - Cheering and trying to get Jesus to notice you Sasshay - Someone stands in front of you but you can't stop dancing cause you are so excited. I would only do this for a minute.  I thought it would be fun but also would be something modern in the church.  I think that the people would enjoy it.  But what do you think?

This question was raised by a confirmation student. While I wrestle with this question, it is one that all people wrestle with. There are evil things that happen all around our life. A fire will destroy someone's home, a flood will destroy farm lands and the death of a loved one. These are all terrible things that happen within the world around us. Yet is God the one who causes these events? I would argue that God does not however, God has the power to stop them. This is quite the distinction. For the original cause did not come from God, such that we know. For God knew the difference between good and evil. This was something that God did not intend for us to know. Yes God created us, happy, healthy and enjoying the world around us. It was not until we disobeyed God and learned the difference between good and evil that suffering truly began. For the punishment for disobeying God is death. However, God had mercy on us. Instead of killing us out right, God allowed us to l...

Social Media is all around us.  It is the way we connect with friends or family.  We can share photos, videos, and even what we enjoy.  There are a variety of social media platforms and each one offers a means in which the person can present themselves or even what they want to share.  Facebook, Twitter, and wikipedia are all places in which people can share ideas and information.  Instagram and Tumblr allow you to share images with a caption.  (This feature is also on facebook.) Regardless of what interface you or other use.  It has a profound impact upon a person's life.  A person will engage their device which allows them to share with others around them or at a distant who are following them.  When Christ came to his disciples he told them to "Follow Him".  Christ engaged these men and brought them into relationship with himself and one another.  Yet that is what the church is, the very body of Christ.  Allowing people to g...

If you haven't noticed, I have not written for a while.  So there are a number of comics and even more thoughts that I have been thinking about for me to write on.  Yet this one has been on my mind and my heart, WORSHIP.  Now I am thinking of a particular God, the One God.  I am not thinking of money, football or success in academia.  Though I know that each one of these are at the focus of many in these days with rise and fall of the stock market, the start of a new football season, and the start of a new school year.  However, it is also the start of Sunday School, Confirmation, and so many other programs or ministries that happen within the church.  I have also seen a growing number of people returning to the church services.  Yet the question remains, why did they take three months off?  In talking with many people, I have found that worship simply did not fit within the schedule.  They used the weekend to go out to their cabins so t...

Ever wonder about those really big questions about life and the Bible.  Well I had another theologian ask the question: " without saying the person is going to hell, "why do I need to do what the Bible says?".  This question really intrigued me so I simply gave answer and a small conversation followed, and here it is.   My Answer: Well this answer may use different words depends on the situation that the person is in and their age: You do not need to do what the Bible says, however, by studying the Word of God, we are able to hear what God has done for us and understand how it is that we are called into this world.   The theologian replied with:  The question on my mind is that Christians ought to live a certain way, and the problem with society is that most believe in Jesus but do not feel compelled to do anything or change the way they live. Thus, the Bible tells us we ought to do these things. As you  put it "how we are called into this world." Being cal...

I am often amazed to talk to a number of people who sit in the pew on a Sunday morning for worship and find out that they have never taken the time to read the Bible.  I have heard the excuse, "Well, it is so big, I don't know where to begin?" "I started to read it but after Exodus, it was just too boring." "It is so hard to understand."   I will admit that many of the above statements are indeed correct.  The Bible is large.  In fact, it is a collect of 66 books and not actually one book. The Bible was not meant for you to sit down and read it cover to cover.  The Bible is indeed hard to understand because it was written over the course years.  And not even just a few years but over thousands of years.  It was not written by one author with a coherent story line or plot twists to follow but changes dramatically from one book to the next. The Bible is one of those books that was gathered together not to share with you the history of the human race. (al...

Once again, another young theologian raised a great question that I just had to answer: Why should I read stories that I have already read within the Bible? The stories within the Bible are rich stories that have within them many layers that can and should be examined. The Bible contains stories of faith in which a person's life along with their relationship with God and others among them is discussed and sometimes analyzed.  Along with that, your own life (the events that are currently happening) help you realize the some of the various layers that are present within the stories.  Perhaps also you have yet to realize that there are sometimes not just one story but the same story told in various forms, from different points of views.  No, I am not simply talking about the gospels (those first four books of the New Testament) but there are actually several creation stories, there are several places in which the Ten Commandments are noted, and this is just the tip of the ic...

How true this is.  I mean we should be ready to go out into the world and spread the good news of Jesus Christ into the world.  However, one thing that did strike me about this is we are already IN the world.  We are already in the world and have relationships with people so instead of getting ready, how about we actually do.  I realize just being in church does not make a good Christian, I have heard that excuse a number of times.  However, dwelling in the very Word of God is something that nourishes your soul and fills that whole that you have been trying to fill within your heart.  Walking with one another in a community is important, it is for you and for the other person.  And yes even that person who is walking with you in faith, well they are not "ready". For they are a sinner just as much as anyone else is, which is why we need God's grace and mercy. Anyone who thinks that they are "ready" or think that they have generally scares me and I think...