St. Mark's Lutheran » grace

Christmas Day – Children’s Pagent

Parson Brown — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:37:32 +0000

I have a big thank you to send to the parents of St. Mark. By a blessed miracle they were all in town and agreed to do the children’s service on Christmas day. The picture above is the “stars”: Mary, Joseph, Shepherd and Angel, preparing before the service. We also had a couple of wonderful readers who read us the Christmas story (and one OT passage), and a couple of sheep this year (although the sheep got scared and decided not to hang around). We had joked during practice about Christmas turning into a sermon on the parable of the lost sheep.

The service was broken into three parts according to the movements (Birth, Passion, Ascension) of the 2nd part of the Apostle’s creed. The children would read and act out. The congregation would respond and sing. I’d add a short meditation.

It was a really humble Christmas service that was just lovely. Adding to that vibe was the fact that we sang acapella. We exhausted our organist the night before. So we decided that we’d just sing. Thank you also to those who “kicked us off” close to pitch.

Meditations
Service Folder

All the Stockings are hung by the Chimney with care….

Parson Brown — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:24:30 +0000

Well the sermons are done, the programs are practiced, the booklets being printed. As the sticky post above says, everyone is invited to come and worship. Its good for your soul, even if you don’t know what that word means. At Christmas you find amazing things where you don’t think they belong.

There are several people my thoughts and prayers stray toward at this moment. Most of those prayers are for a measure of peace to be granted. Mixed in with those have been a couple of songs in my “Christmas Album” this year. (Here is the Album, by the Lower Lights – it really is gorgeous) In going through my brothers things I found a huge collection of Christmas albums. I converted most of them to MP3. It reminded me of just how big a softie he could be. Every year he would buy a few more, but they were never the big ones. Not a Mariah Carey to be found. He found singers instead of pop stars; instrumentalists and choirs instead of soloists. So I’ve kinda inherited the tradition. I’m sure sometime in early December to pick up a Christmas album. It doesn’t take but a couple of days of WARM 101.3 “Frosty Fest” after Thanksgiving to get my fill of secular tunes. (If I hear Rudolf or this years off-beat tale of grandma being run over again I’ll beat something.) To hear the sacred takes MP3s it seems.

One of the Songs is I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Its taken from a Longfellow poem. And the third stanza seems very “unchristmas-y”.

And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Sorry for the downer, but I bring that up for two reasons. First, unlike this plastic season of manic Christmas we seem to get foisted with, the older Christmas was preceded by Advent and had the strength within it to contemplate such things. Look at all the good older Carols and Hymns of Christmas. Look past the first verse into verse 2 and 3. Take What Child is This – “Nails, Spear shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you”. Take We Three Kings – “Myrrh is mine, is bitter perfume, breathes a life of gathering gloom, sorrowing, sighing, breathing, dying, sealed in a stone cold tomb”. Take Once in Royal David’s City – “For He is our childhood’s pattern, Day by day like us He grew; He was little, weak and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew, And He feels for all our sadness, And He shares in all our gladness.” Longfellow talked of all the bells of Christendom. The days of Christendom as Longfellow knew it are over, but that culture knew things that we forgot – or never bring to mind, until forced to.

That brings up the second song on this years album – Stars of Glory. The performance seems designed to break your heart just at the time the soprano’s folk-y voice breaks. The hymn must be a Roman Catholic favorite as it is older. I was not aware of it to my impoverishment. But verse one strikes just the right vein…

Stars of glory, shine more brightly,
Purer be the moon-light’s beam,
Glide ye hours and moments lightly,
Swiftly down times deepening stream,
Bring the hour that banished sadness,
Brought redemption down to earth,
When the shepherds heard with gladness
Tidings of a Saviour’s birth.

The hours and moments gather. Time’s stream deepens. Even in sadness all is not lost. It is brought to fulfillment. The angel’s tidings of peace and joy still ring, even though they are mocked from all corners, because the LORD upholds them. The LORD chose to be with all the moments: Gladness and sadness. Cross and manger; tomb and throne.

I have no interest in a plastic Christmas. But the LORD who can inspire such songs…be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay.

Standby by for some Announcements…

Parson Brown — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:11:23 +0000

Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-38
Full Text of Sermon

I’m not sure why but Advent 4 (Mary’s week in the lectionary) and Thanksgiving are probably the two occasions that I almost always feel real good about the sermon. On firm Lutheran grounding I’d just say that they are opportunities to proclaim a very clear gospel. In my theological understanding I’d say they are times that give themselves to Christology – and the gospel is first and foremost a proclamation of Christ. If I was being a little more spiritual and sentimental (or Roman Catholic) – I’d say an extra measure of the Spirit is given to preachers talking about Jesus’ mom or eucharist/thanksgiving. Whatever the reason, this a sermon that all I can really say is take a listen…

If I don’t get back here this week, I hope to see you at Christmas Eve or Christmas day services. If you are a remote reader/listener, Merry Christmas and please find a church to celebrate Christmas with this week in your hometown.

Quick Notes

Parson Brown — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:35:25 +0000

In some ways it feels like the passing of an era. I’ve been at St. Mark’s three years. Long enough to know some of the history. Not long enough to know the secrets. But one of the things that smaller churches typically have are “names”. I don’t mean that to put anyone else down, but certain surnames often are associated with certain churches. In the church I grew up in there were Studemanns. One of the names at St. Mark was Bushman. The last Bushman name received Christian burial today. She is survived by a daughter in the congregation and a sister-in-law, but the name passes. The words said today.

Requiem in pace, Jeanne Bushman.

At the same time my father-in-law is not in great shape, any prayers would be appreciated. The parson’s wife has been away. Back for a short time probably to go again. Been watching the three kids in the meantime.

With Thanksgiving a couple of days away, I should note that we are able to say thanks even in the middle of hardship. Churches are an extended family. And this one is a good one.

Saturday Book – One Thousand Gifts – Part 3

Parson Brown — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:02:12 +0000

Here is a link to part 1.
Here is a link to part 2.
We take up Chapter #2 this time. Chapter 1 was the writer’s confrontation with her lost or sad state. It also starts to ask the questions if anything else is possible. Chapter 2 in my mind asks the question: Where does it start? If I have been brought low where does the outward spiral of grace start? The big protestant theological word is Justification – How am I made just or righteous. But I like AV’s journey or life metaphors better. If you are a Protestant you have lived in the hegemony of legal metaphors – “declared righteous”. It is not that this is wrong, but as a pastor it feels like that metaphor is tired. It is fighting the last war. AV’s life metaphors are better for today.

I. AV’s p 26-27 – “For years of mornings…or in empty nothingness”
So what is the start of grace? Reflecting on the graphic of the last post, when does the inward curve stop? How is AV describing that end? What did you think when you read those words?
Part of my understanding of One Thousand Gifts is its deep connection to the universal Christian story. Post #1 listed some of those. So I bring some secondary material to show this every now and then. This chapter has a great parallel in Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation. Luther’s HD #18 – “It is certain that man must utterly despair of his own ability before he is prepared to receive the grace of Christ.” How is AV at that point?

II. AV’s p 31-32 – “All my eyes…reads ‘eucharisteo’”
What is the key to grace for AV? What unlocks the heart or the head? Where does one “see” God? (NB – Luther joked about discovering the gospel in the same place (in cloaca). I don’t think that AV’s toilet brush is an accident.)
Is the juxtaposition of toilets and bread jarring? (C/R John 6:51-66, what’s he talking about? )
Where do we see God right now? What is the sacrament of: Grace, joy, thanksgiving (p33)?
There is a strong sacramental theme in AV’s book. The sacrament itself is eating and drinking the body and blood. Grace can be offensive. It is worth pausing to think about how grace can offend, and when one is ready to give thanks for it.
Go to AV’s p 37 – “But I wonder it …fulfilling life?”
What is AV’s initial understanding of this? How is Eucharist/Lord’s Supper/Communion an odd jumble of taboos? How does it force us if we are thinking to confront our situation? How does it proclaim grace? What does it mean that God is present – even here?

III. AV’s p40 – end of chapter – “The act of sacrificing…”
Talk about how a sacrifice is a breaking of the inward curve to an outward life.
What do you think of AV’s last question? Are there times when we might be more open to saying “yes”? What comes first? What is answering no? Is saying yes the end – is it just a point in time, or does the “yes life” continue? How do we live Eucharisteo?

It is here where the modern protestant understanding of grace is seriously handicapped. It has too often taken the legal metaphors of declared righteous as doctrinal taboos that exclude other biblical ways of talking about the work of grace in our lives. AV wants to live Eucharisteo, not just be satisfied with a mental understanding. Chapter 3 next time will pick up on this theme more fully. If chapter 1 is the end of the rope, and chapter 2 is the beginning of grace, chapter 3 is – How does one live grace?

Stewardship 1: The messy side of the gospel

Parson Brown — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:02:15 +0000

One of the planks of our vision statement says that we grow and engage the faith. The church has many euphemisms. It also has many fine words. Too often what I have found is that fine words also have euphemistic meanings. And the church has worked to promote the euphemism because it is easier than the hard work of teaching the good word. It is easier until it isn’t. And when it isn’t, things have stopped working. We are teaching the good words and wrestling with them.

One of those fine words with a euphemism is stewardship. The euphemism that we all know is: 1. It is budget time and the pastor’s salary is at risk. 2. A pet project needs some money. 3. We will talk about time, talent and treasure, but what we really want is your treasure.

The good word is much more complex. Something like: the proper use of what is not actually yours.

Good stewardship is a theologically deep and complex problem because it lies on the messy side of the gospel. Lutherans like to talk about law and gospel or one big theological word – justification. The entire reformation split was over justification – how God makes us right with himself. The reformers answer was pure grace. The law shows us our sin and the gospel pronounces the grace of God over that sin. So, there is a sense that we can say that we are saints. We are baptized, and in baptism God has connected us to His son Jesus Christ. We are justified, declared righteous, in Jesus Christ through baptism. End of story, right?

Well, it would be if at baptism God also decided to rapture you. But then there would be no one left to baptize the next person. No, we live in tension that we are now saints, but not yet fully realized. Christ has already won the victory over sin, death and Satan, but we still struggle. One little word can kill them, yet they seem so strong. Welcome to the messy side of the gospel.

The big theological term for this is sanctification. When Luther would write in the small catechism his explanation to the 3rd article of the creed, “…the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified, and kept me in the true faith…” he was compressing the Christian life. All too often the churches of the reformation fight the last battle. Constantly on the lookout for anyone who might be teaching works righteousness we miss that fact that if surveys are to be trusted – nobody is worried about God being judgmental and having to appease him or thinking they can. In other words they’ve accepted the gospel, but it is not the costly gospel of Jesus Christ but a cheap gospel substitute. We get scared away by the messiness of sanctification and retreat back to the bright line justification. In the words of the writer of Hebrews – we stay with the milk. (Heb 5:11- 6:3)

Stewardship is squarely on that messy side. We confess the creed. We believe our justification. How then do we live? Stewardship is really a word that describes how we use money (and other good things from God) in a sanctified way. Our entire lives are a form of stewardship.

I promise to get more concrete as we move into this series, but before that I’d ask you to read two biblical stories: either Matt 25:14-30 or Luke 19:12-27 and the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4.

Jubilee

Parson Brown — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:36:21 +0000

Being married and a minister I shouldn’t say such things, but I love Megan McArdle. Before someone gets the wrong idea, for my two cents (I used to be a CFA finance guy so maybe 3 cents) she is the best financial journalist out there. And on top of that she is biblically literate and I never get the feeling that she is disrespecting faith when it enters the question (hello Dave Ramsey).

Her blog posts have been getting longer (the format seems to be morphing), but this one is outstanding and it mentions Jubilee – an OT biblical concept that Jesus in the NT proclaims the start of his ministry is the start of the Jubilee. There is a deep connection in the bible between debt and the gospel. God is the person who clears the debt, who sets the prisoners (debt-prisoners) free.

Beyond being a great journalist with a healthy respect for multiple vantage points, she is also pretty wise. While a general Jubilee for debt might not be possible – her recommendations on school debt seem right on. I know too many people drowning in debt from the age of 22. Yes, they agreed to it, but they were playing by the rules and the rules turn out to have been written by those in power to enrich themselves. (As she so ably demonstrates.) The prophets it turns out had something to say about such inequities as well.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like this…

Parson Brown — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:05:45 +0000

Full Text of Sermon

The toughest part about grace to me is its timespan. Grace comes daily. Grace comes hourly. As the spiritual goes – “I need thee every hour.” Grace is like manna, you can’t store it up. It falls and you collect it and if you try and hold on it goes bad. You have to go back out and get more. The Christian is being led to trust God for that daily bread. We think that with the law we get certainty or control, but that is really just a mirage. The law is more like the tar-baby. If thrashing around in the goo is control – ok. But it just gets you deeper and dirtier. The cross is the display of the lengths and depths that God will go to, to ensure our daily bread. But that timespan, that living hour to hour, is tough right now in this world – to eyes trained in scarcity and preservation.

Where’s the leader?

Parson Brown — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 23:56:10 +0000

Full Text

It is not really fair to make fun of the disciples. We are at a great advantage. We know the full story and we have the Spirit. (Yes, Pentecost means something). And I’m sure I’m bulldozing over huge cultural difference, but I just kinda think that human nature never changes. (Without the intervention of the Spirit.) The disciples’ questions may seem thick, but they are usually very logical. When they ask, like today, who is the greatest – they are asking a real question. Maybe not the way we would put it, but even a question that has prophetic background. Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit of Elijah. A prophet who is going away leaves a successor. Jesus has predicted his death three times in rapid succession. The disciples are just asking who’s next in line. What is the succession plan? A natural question.

But hierarchies and succession plans and great leaders are not what the church is about. The gospel does not depend upon the leader. Because the gospel is Christ’s. And he is present wherever two or three call in his name. And what does that look like? Keep on eye on the least – the little child. Be watchful; remain faithful. Look for the lost. Seek reconciliation; not just forgiveness but living with your brother who has wronged you. All of these things are how the church lives grace and depend not a whit on who the local leader is. You can choose to live a life guided by grace. (Enabled by the Spirit). The church is the place where that happens. Where ever two people practice grace instead of power – there Christ is.

So easy, yet so hard to do.

The Milk of Faith

Parson Brown — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:14:55 +0000

Draft 1.0

There are some very simple statements that are rarely expressed that are the seed bed of faith. You get close to them if you look at the world and just say what you see. Do you see millions of atoms randomly moving around? Do you see a tragic beauty? Maybe just beauty? Probably your answer to that sets your course. You presuppositions typically set your logic.

I was converted in a way to our VBS this year. It did a masterful job of talking about some of the unexpressed basic assumptions. Who is God and how does He act in regards to us? What are your gut level thoughts and presuppositions about God? VBS took Psalm 139 as the text. I pays every Christian to bring those basic thoughts to life every now and then. The world and our adversary will try and convince you that you are a fool for thinking something like: God loves you no matter what. But that is what God has revealed about himself in the Bible, in Creation and most clearly in Christ, in the cross. Those simple statements are the simple milk of faith.

[Note - in the podcast the sermon starts about the 5:00 mark]