tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116101712024-03-23T14:08:50.544-04:00The Burr in the Burgh"I cling to my Lord Christ like a burr on cloth." - Katherine LutherPastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.comBlogger794125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-37523899802726507472008-09-28T07:10:00.005-04:002008-09-28T07:15:08.384-04:00NEW ADDRESSAnnouncing a new residence for my blog. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Burr in the Burgh</span> will now have this address:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.burrintheburgh.com/">www.burrintheburgh.com</a><br /><br />Please update your listings.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-21940758277540882262008-09-25T06:43:00.002-04:002008-09-25T06:56:11.679-04:00Thought on Google Chrome?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIdw2SUGJWc-1o95KedPLTc6MhDaW9LoUCc4moeYxxFCI-jJU-G682Q-nljfCuPirS6F-r9nPXdUiJ2WWn-5R2yFbHOeaqks64SVkUJ1R9g031F5ivCse7EnSOeiGQo6uwuZT/s1600-h/Chrome.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIdw2SUGJWc-1o95KedPLTc6MhDaW9LoUCc4moeYxxFCI-jJU-G682Q-nljfCuPirS6F-r9nPXdUiJ2WWn-5R2yFbHOeaqks64SVkUJ1R9g031F5ivCse7EnSOeiGQo6uwuZT/s320/Chrome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249908167532769330" border="0" /></a>Time to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_browsers">compare web browsers</a>. Do any of you web savvy browser mavens have insights into the new browser "<a href="http://www.google.com/chrome">Google Chrome</a>?" Is it worth investigating?<br /><br />I prefer <a href="http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/">Firefox</a> over everything I've tried because it's just super customizable and functional for me. Some webpages only work properly when viewed on <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx">IE</a>, so I do keep that one around basically put I have to. I tried <a href="http://www.apple.com/safari/">Safari</a> but didn't like it. <a href="http://www.opera.com/">Opera</a> is great because it is super fast. I've even used <a href="http://flock.com/">Flock</a> which is very cool for social networking. Now what about Chrome?Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-48319090951852280062008-09-23T07:08:00.004-04:002008-09-23T07:20:03.599-04:00Gobble This Up!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlboD0cjy1W6DUtua8hCk64zktCZpq6pv2D5lmg_3rehgKF_DHwXnTt5nCaD_rkAlNLAfZcrd3rQwBtNv50N83oHf35HNPCnvYX6s_UFDyalSknZPlwBQmCCdc33i7jsjI6fSx/s1600-h/GobbleGobble+compressed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlboD0cjy1W6DUtua8hCk64zktCZpq6pv2D5lmg_3rehgKF_DHwXnTt5nCaD_rkAlNLAfZcrd3rQwBtNv50N83oHf35HNPCnvYX6s_UFDyalSknZPlwBQmCCdc33i7jsjI6fSx/s320/GobbleGobble+compressed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249174221742458162" border="0" /></a><br />My wife's latest children's book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525479597?ie=UTF8&tag=theburrintheb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525479597">Gobble-Gobble Crash: A Barnyard Counting Bash</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theburrintheb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0525479597" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; display: none;" border="0" width="1" height="1" /> published by Dutton. Unlike most of Julie's books which can be purchased from <a href="http://www.cph.org/">CPH</a>, this one is not religious.<br /><br />Her latest book is also one of her earliest books. I remember the day she wrote it in our backyard in Pittsburgh about eight or nine years ago. For those of you who aspire to publish, patience is your friend.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-90225224449972593722008-09-07T07:25:00.003-04:002008-09-07T07:36:29.208-04:00Language of the Liturgy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnFVbzjI_wLyCHQroTfYi0ENX0Dv11v65bJzx3IkP_wI5uwQh0HnvZ38Q5HmUn5NTV6h_q0-eAG2_OyIwTwEAGaRlsHwj-OEvRvj8txbK38iQQREIrKyaGYRDx80xdlogltmR/s1600-h/Music.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnFVbzjI_wLyCHQroTfYi0ENX0Dv11v65bJzx3IkP_wI5uwQh0HnvZ38Q5HmUn5NTV6h_q0-eAG2_OyIwTwEAGaRlsHwj-OEvRvj8txbK38iQQREIrKyaGYRDx80xdlogltmR/s320/Music.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243241115997986866" border="0" /></a>Recently, I read that the Roman Catholic Church will soon be revising the wording of bits of their liturgy. <a href="http://seminaryblog.com/2008/08/25/new-wording-of-roman-mass/">The discussion then ensued</a> about whether liturgical language should be lofty or more colloquial.<br /><br />I noticed from the examples I read online that a number of the "updates" actually bring the new Roman mass closer to our Lutheran worship texts. So I asked our seminary Dean of Chapel, the Rev. Dr. Paul Grime, to comment. Prior to coming to teach at the seminary a year ago, he was the chief architect of our synod's newest hymnal.<br /><br />His comments are found on <a href="http://seminaryblog.com/2008/09/06/language-of-the-liturgy/">our seminary blog here.</a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-88241341438797035722008-09-05T07:01:00.006-04:002008-09-05T08:07:08.506-04:00Why I Support the McCain - Palin TicketJohn McCain has never been my favorite Republican. I haven't always agreed with him on every issue. I'm not a hard right-winger or anything. I really don't like Rush Limbaugh (oooooooh). I am definitely no Libertine, uh, I mean Libertarian.<br /><br />I believe in fiscal responsibility, but I am not voting primarily on the economy. As I understand it, human governments are instituted by God primarily to protect us. One of the few real reasons we need a federal government is to raise and command armed forces.<br /><br />That's how God protects us on a national scale. The armed forces. In a more personal sense, God protects us through legislature, courts and law enforcement.<br /><br />And here is where the rubber hits the road for me. If you and I cannot agree on the definition of "human being," we've got problems. How can a man deny that a human zygote or a fetus deserves to be protected? Even a mangy dog will protect his pregnant bitch. Even a goose will become aggressive if you approach her eggs. In other words, denying the humanity of an unborn child is contrary to natural law. And everyone knows it.<br /><br />A leader who will not agree that it is his/her divine calling to defend every person in his realm, the aged, the ill, and <span style="font-style: italic;">in utero</span> is both self-deluded and dangerous.<br /><br />What is a human being? If you don't know or are not sure, then you are not qualified to govern.<br /><br />I believe that John McCain and Sarah Palin know what a human being is. And they know it would be their responsibility to protect all Americans.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.johnmccain.com/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcjLatDiUTjtnLnC0I5ZrrcR1E1E8-Lf7XZdAHSMq1g9LvUhl3xZQr0fMjgqP_o-T9o_xSky_iH5kyruaVTz18xdr-BKBMzh8zKG8hjWbGO8ELujmp1az9aWx3HcvO4lOYZsv/s320/McCain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242490938946789026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/c1af6c79-f5bf-42ed-9fb9-9e83b0c580e1.htm"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZskr5-Ghk_UBhlTWbOGNzB9XzacZB7h5kkxdrsJ8adwLgbjFreqhCqTLoHextzscGI0mFQdNrNcSpKA3zjmTOABml7eJapcunrGnCCbeWw0oNbci2RJHZsZ1w67O5DBqdWxZ1/s320/sarah_palin2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242490944470899042" border="0" /></a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-72595462655677724992008-08-27T09:10:00.004-04:002008-08-27T09:17:02.685-04:00Sexual Harassment: Judge ApprovedA Russian judge ruled that it is acceptable for men to sexually harass women in the workplace because such behavior helps to insure the survival of the species. No, you know what would <span style="font-weight: bold;">really</span> help the human species survive?? The banning of abortions. Russia has one of the highest abortion rates in the world, something like 2 abortions for every live birth.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2470310/Sexual-harrassment-okay-as-it-ensures-humans-breed,-Russian-judge-rules.html">Is this for real?</a> I expected to see that this came from a humor mag like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Onion.</span> It seems like a real news item.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-21866904916473450322008-08-24T07:27:00.002-04:002008-08-24T07:30:56.601-04:00Useful Quiz for VotersThanks to <a href="http://darwen.us/southcon/2008/08/very-useful-political-site.html">SouthCon</a> for this nifty tool. A page called <a href="http://glassbooth.org/">Glassbooth</a> can show you which of the presidential candidates most closely shares your views on a variety of subjects.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-45848140628836835102008-08-22T17:10:00.002-04:002008-08-22T17:13:15.108-04:00An Amazing Tool for Writers<a href="http://www.visuwords.com/">A Visual Dictionary.</a><br /><br />I think this is amazing! A dictionary which uses visual dynamics to show how a word relates to other words while defining it. <a href="http://www.visuwords.com/">You have to see it.</a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-27376721545484397582008-08-14T20:39:00.001-04:002008-08-14T20:42:45.155-04:00St. Mary, Mother of Our Lord (obsvd)<span style=""><span style=""><b style="">Text:</b> Luke 1:39-55</span></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">There are only 133 shopping days left until Christmas.<span style=""> </span>If you are like most people, here in the middle of the August heat and humidity, Christmas is probably the farthest thing from your mind.<span style=""> </span>It seems strange to consider at this time the narrative of the Annunciation, the Holy Family, and Mary’s visitation to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Elizabeth</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style=""> </span>But there is good reason for us to do so.<span style=""> </span>There is always good reason to examine the deeds of God in and among his people.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">The early fathers of the Lutheran Reformation continued to faithfully observe much of the same holy calendar which had become custom in the West.<span style=""> </span>Even though many Lutherans today feel uncomfortable with recognizing saint days, that was not the case for our spiritual forefathers.<span style=""> </span>They knew that there were indeed certain excesses and malpractices to be avoided.<span style=""> </span>But they also well understood the value and benefit of observing these special occasions in the liturgical life of the church.<span style=""> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">One of the benefits of remembering the saints, for instance, is for our encouragement and the strengthening of our faith.<span style=""> </span>How does this happen?<span style=""> </span>When we recall the marvelous things which God accomplished through those earthen vessels, we respond in hearty thanks and praise.<span style=""> </span>Look how God Almighty rescued the Israelites from cruel slavery in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> through His servants Moses and Aaron and Joshua.<span style=""> </span>See again how God defended His people from the giant Goliath through a shepherd boy’s sling.<span style=""> </span>These accounts along with dozens of others help us to understand the nature of God, that He protects His children and provides for them.<span style=""> </span>As it was in the past, so it will be today.<span style=""> </span>God is at work even now guarding you against the Evil One and He is providing for your needs of body and spirit.<span style=""> </span>You and I have never seen God directly.<span style=""> </span>No, God is known through His deeds.<span style=""> </span>And His greatest deeds are often accomplished through men and women He chooses.<span style=""> </span>No one sees God directly.<span style=""> </span>But we see Him at work in our world through those whom He calls and appoints to serve us.<span style=""> </span>God is active in our government officials, through public servants, through police and firefighters, through doctors and scientists, through farmers and laborers.<span style=""> </span>It is by those means that He helps you, defends you, feeds you and heals you.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">Furthermore, our faith can strengthened when we recall the great compassion He has shown toward sinners.<span style=""> </span>David was forgiven for his adulterous affair.<span style=""> </span>St. Peter was absolved for denying Christ.<span style=""> </span>When we see the mercy of God at work in the lives of Christians who have gone before, we can take heart that God’s mercy will extend also to us.<span style=""> </span>God is good to sinful men and women.<span style=""> </span>In our corporate confession of sins we acknowledge that we deserve to be punished for our sins both now in time and forever in eternity.<span style=""> </span>But God does not treat us as our sins deserve.<span style=""> </span>He loves you and extends the hand of friendship to you.<span style=""> </span>He invites us into His presence to enjoy table fellowship with Him.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">A couple of years ago, I was a guest at a family’s house for their New Year’s Eve celebration.<span style=""> </span>I’d never met them before.<span style=""> </span>I was traveling for the seminary and circumstances just worked out for me to be there that night.<span style=""> </span>In some ways, I felt very out of place at that meal and the celebration of the evening.<span style=""> </span>This family and their group of friends were all wealthy, highly educated people, people in positions of power and authority and influence.<span style=""> </span>And then there was little ol’ me.<span style=""> </span>But I guess I would say that was one of the most enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebrations I have every experienced.<span style=""> </span>The meal was grand and expensive.<span style=""> </span>We were served delicacies and wines of the highest quality.<span style=""> </span>But the main reason it was such a pleasantly memorable night for me was because of the warm welcome that I was shown.<span style=""> </span>Though I was a stranger, though I am not a person of affluence and power, everyone was kind and gracious.<span style=""> </span>They made me feel welcome and as though I belonged.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">We are unworthy of standing in the holy awesome presence of God.<span style=""> </span>Our God is a consuming fire.<span style=""> </span>It is a fearful terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.<span style=""> </span>But we can come into His presence, not trembling with self loathing, terrified of His wrath, unsure of our standing before Him.<span style=""> </span>Because of the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross, we are declared righteous in the eyes of God Almighty.<span style=""> </span>Our sins have been atoned for in full by the bloody sacrifice of Jesus Christ.<span style=""> </span>And it is on His account, by His merit, that we can enjoy God’s good favor and be welcomed into His festal hall.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">Our faith is fortified when we understand that God so often chooses the weakest and lowliest among us to accomplish His purposes.<span style=""> </span>This was never more true than in His selection of Mary of Nazareth to bear and deliver His Son.<span style=""> </span>In the eyes of the world, she was nothing.<span style=""> </span>She was a peasant, a nobody, a peon.<span style=""> </span>But in the eyes of God, she was precious beyond measure.<span style=""> </span>It was not due to any merit or virtue in her as a person that God chose her.<span style=""> </span>It was purely out of God’s incredible grace that He showed His servant this unspeakable kindness, that she should become the Mother of our Lord. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style="">It seems to me that Mary, the mother of our Lord, was one of the world’s most profound theologians.<span style=""> </span>For in her beautiful song, the Magnicat, she exhibits an understanding of the ways of God which seems to escape so many wise heads both then and now.<span style=""> </span>She sang, “He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.<span style=""> </span>He hath put down the mighty from<i> their</i> seats, and exalted them of low degree. <span style=""> </span>He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away….”<span style=""> </span>She understood so eloquently that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.<span style=""> </span>For it would be the way of the world to bless the rich and curse the poor, to admire the strong and despise the weak.<span style=""> </span>But God lifts up the lowly and removes the haughty.<span style=""> </span>Beware all you who are confident in yourselves, for God will leave you to yourself.<span style=""> </span>The God of Moses and David and Peter and Mary is the God who dines with sinners.<span style=""> </span>He is the God who comes down to the lowly and then exalts them.<span style=""> </span>He has come for you.<span style=""> </span>God, in Christ, has chosen you in your sorrow, your fear, your failure, your unhappiness.<span style=""> </span>He has chosen you in your sin, your rebellion, your disease.<span style=""> </span>God Has chosen you to be the lords and ladies of His Kingdom.<span style=""> </span>He will wipe your face.<span style=""> </span>He will dress you in finery.<span style=""> </span>He will take you proudly, a groom with his bride, into the hall where angels will bow before us.<span style=""> </span>In Jesus’ name.<span style=""> </span>Amen.</span></span></p> <span style=""></span><span style=""></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-90715067505143980002008-07-27T07:20:00.003-04:002008-11-15T09:26:58.993-05:00Vacation to D.C. and Beyond<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO8INyG5S2nkY3PyQhf24FtGbq6MCfggTUp49hyphenhyphensqgkmzdQeadzr2hh3uvEaDrdq4zCfDpUWu1flSeKZaYVqxyZIs9if8UA3ttTqcSBgu-xTSaujwUlEPWfzekcPLaDLev7VV/s1600-h/IMG_1309.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO8INyG5S2nkY3PyQhf24FtGbq6MCfggTUp49hyphenhyphensqgkmzdQeadzr2hh3uvEaDrdq4zCfDpUWu1flSeKZaYVqxyZIs9if8UA3ttTqcSBgu-xTSaujwUlEPWfzekcPLaDLev7VV/s320/IMG_1309.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227668192466230802" border="0" /></a><br />Our family left Friday night for our annual two week vacation. For the past several years, we've gone to Colorado (Denver, Colo Springs, Rocky Mtn National Park, Grand Lake, Glenwood Springs), which we always enjoy. But this time, we just wanted to see something different. Jacob's never seen any part of New England and I've only seen parts of it in passing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">11:45 p.m. Friday, July 25: </span>We got two sleeping compartments on the Amtrack which took us from the station north of Fort Wayne all the way to Washington D.C.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26:</span> Arrived in D.C. and took cab to hotel in downtown, about a mile from the Capitol building.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4:00-10:00 p.m. July 26</span>: Got checked in and hung around the hotel. We ordered room services. Jacob and I got some mean chicken wings. Julie ordered a salad. And a bucket of Amstell Light. Went swimming on the rooftop pool.<br /><br />J & J went on a walk and took some nice snapshots. I stayed at the pool area to finish reading Arthur C. Clarke's <span style="font-style: italic;">2001: A Space Odyssey</span>, which is really good, by the way.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10:30 p.m., July 26: </span>Sack time.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-16704457141725209372008-07-25T10:37:00.003-04:002008-11-15T09:26:59.119-05:00Dark Knight of the Soul<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKX9OjcZGev4BxBN4VxaddTy1nOY25ASNxyQuvI-PEPoJHgI16RNvdNnrfXtcKa9vv-s_fhWzUnuWoniYP4r0QwpgPnVi9NrbMTzHBjwajp384y4NVwoRvGyhz_tVPqj1yoHV/s1600-h/Heath+Ledger+the+joker+in+the+Dark+Knight%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKX9OjcZGev4BxBN4VxaddTy1nOY25ASNxyQuvI-PEPoJHgI16RNvdNnrfXtcKa9vv-s_fhWzUnuWoniYP4r0QwpgPnVi9NrbMTzHBjwajp384y4NVwoRvGyhz_tVPqj1yoHV/s320/Heath+Ledger+the+joker+in+the+Dark+Knight%5B5%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226962960635672850" border="0" /></a>St. Paul wrote: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things (Phil. 4:8)."<br /><br />Many Christians read this passage and focus on the pure & lovely. But notice that the first word Paul uses is TRUE. Think on the truth. Not every truth is delightful to behold. According to the pure & lovely standard, narrowly understood, one might need to exclude important scriptures such as the beheading of Goliath, the global destruction of the flood, the slaughter of the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel, or the torture and murder of Jesus. Those are horrifying scenes indeed. I know of people who have been deeply upset to learn of such excessive violence in Holy Scripture. In some cases, their very faith was shaken. The book of Ecclesiastes often takes fire for being, in the eyes of some, a hopeless text. The Gospels are blamed for inciting hatred against the Jews. The epistles of St. Paul have several rather harsh blasts of holy anger. My point is that the Bible itself contains much distasteful content. It is, at times, disturbing, unsettling, and infuriating.<br /><br />Other important works of literature may not pass the pure & lovely test either, including the plays of Shakespeare (Macbeth, Hamlet, Titus Andronicus), Homer's Odyssey, the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Graham Greene, and John Steinbeck to name only a few.<br /><br />Some Christians will disagree with me vehemently, but I think the latest cinematic Batman episode, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/">The Dark Knight</a>, written and directed by Chris Nolan, is a work of genius. Yes, it is dark. Yes, parts of it are hard to watch. But it tells the truth, at least part of it. An important part.<br /><br />I'm no expert on the work of Spanish mystic, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_John_of_the_Cross">St. John of the Cross</a>, but I am familiar with his great work entitled "Dark Night of the Soul." That phrase has come to refer to those times in the life of a person when God seems particularly distant, when the soul is alone with his corruption. That's what this movie is about. The Joker is the archetypal man.<br /><br />Much of contemporary culture is infused with a deadly optimism about human nature. And this is a demonic lie which blinds people to the depth of their need for someone more than a super-hero, a true white and noble Knight to rescue them.<br /><br />Mutilation. Disfigurement. Anarchy. Random violence. Betrayal. It's no Frank Capra flick. Chris Nolan did not make a "feel good" picture. But he did make a great movie that tells the important truth of mankind's deep inbred narcissism. Without external restraints, we are worse than savages. Apart from restoration in Christ, all people are disfigurements. Deep beneath the veneer of civility, all human beings are unfunny clowns who appear to thrive on mayhem. At one point, the Joker says, "Madness is like gravity. All people need is a little push."<br /><br />One extremely useful insight the film conveys is the utter meaninglessness of evil. We don't want to believe that. We constantly want to explain away our bad behavior, to make excuses, to justify ourselves. I steal because I'm poor. I hate because I'm ignorant. I kill because I'm a victim. Ultimately, that is just baloney. We do those things because we are bad. That's all. Sinners sin because they are sinful.<br /><br />The Joker says, "Do I really look like a man with a plan, Harvey? I don't have a plan. The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. I just *do* things."<br /><br />Alfred, Batman's butler, gets it. He says, "Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."<br /><br />In the dark night of the soul, when God is absent, there is no meaning, no purpose, no direction. Even an evil direction would be more bearable than having none whatsoever. Of course, Chris Nolan's masterpiece knows nothing of the dawn, the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). But if you can sit through the 2 1/2 hours of "Dark Knight" and not exit craving the sunshine, you are made of cement.<br /><br />The untimely death of actor Heath Ledger several months ago, makes his performance particularly bitter to watch. What a loss. His Joker strikes me as one of the most amazing on-screen performances I've ever seen. Of course, it goes a bit over-the-top. It has to. Otherwise most of us would scarcely notice. As Flannery O'Connor once said, "you have to make your vision apparant by shock, to the hard of hearing, you must shout. And for the almost blind, you draw large and startling figures."<br /><br />In my judgment, this is not a movie about Batman. It's about the Joker. Which is to say that it's about me. The Joker is a mirror, a truth-teller of unpretty realities.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-73082929434952043352008-06-22T20:53:00.001-04:002008-06-22T21:17:45.955-04:00Christ Academy Sermon, 2008<span style="font-weight: bold;">June 21, 2008<br />Text: </span>Colossians 2: 1-12<br /><br />When I was a teenager - about 150,000 years ago - I was a pretty big fan of riding roller coasters. The amusement park near where I grew up in Kansas City, MO is called <i style="">Worlds of Fun.</i> I can remember the first roller coaster that I ever rode that had a loopty loop. It was called the <i style="">Scream Roller</i>. The first wooden coaster I rode was the <i style="">Timber Wolf</i>. But my all-time favorite, which now no longer exists, I'm sad to say, was the <i style="">Orient Express.</i> I could go on and on. And now I have the joy of watching my almost 13-year-old son become entusiastic about theme parks and extreme thrill rides.<br /><br />Last year, I went with the Academy to <i style="">Cedar Point</i> and a great time, even though my stomach cannot tolerate the rides like it used to. There is just something about being thrust along at 70 m.p.h., 75 degree angles, 350 foot drops, loops, twirls, corkscrews and having my head jostled around, back and forth, like a bobble-headed doll in an earthquake that just is not as fun as it used to be. It can be disorienting. It makes me feel dizzy and light-headed and yes, maybe even a little bit nauseous.<br /><br />Like so many things, this can be a metaphor for life. Is your life merely a day at the park? All fun and games? Cotton candy for dinner and ice cream for dessert? Or is it sometimes fun and sometimes confusing, disorienting, dizzying, terrifying or even nauseating?<br /><br />We have an enemy, the devil, and he is a liar. Jesus said that the devil has been lying from the very beginning. Ever since he told that deadly little fib to our first mother, Eve, in the garden of earthly delights. Jesus said that when the devil lies, he is speaking his native language.<br /><br />The very best lies, the most effective deceptions, are those which are blended with a dose of the truth. The difficulty is being able to divide the truth from the errors. St. Paul speaks to us today and he says: <i style="">"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."</i><br /><br />This is precisely the reason why I rejoice to God that all of you are here at Christ Academy these two weeks at the end of June. Some of you are here for the very first time and others of you have been here year after year. Frankly, I consider that to be a miracle of God. It is miraculous that you young men, with all the world's temptations displayed lavishly before you, have chosen to be here in humble Fort Wayne, IN in order to study the very words of our great and living God. You are here by God's design. Not your own. And what we give you here are not the philosophies of this age, the empty traditions of men, but rather the truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that the truth shall make you free. Well, He is the truth. He is the One who makes us free. Not as a mere theory or abstraction but in reality, in flesh-and-blood, in history, on the earth.<br /><br />We want you to have fun while you are here as well. And we schedule a number of events and activities that we think you will enjoy like Cedar Point yesterday, the baseball game on monday, a movie night later next week. We want you to enjoy the good things of God's world and to make lasting friendships with one another. But most importantly, Christ Academy exists in order to train young men in the things of the spirit, to deepen the roots of your faith in the soil of Holy Scripture and perhaps even to equip some of you for a later life of formation and pastoral ministry.<br /><br />One of the most pernicious and persistent lies of this age is the doctrine of naturalism or scientific materialism. This is the belief that all there is to human existence is summed up in what the hand can hold and the eyes can see. Very persuasive entities in our culture maintain that nothing exists except that which can be observed. And although most Americans still profess some kind of belief in God, many are living as if all that really matters is material stuff: money, possessions, bodily enticements, and the feeding of your carnel appetites.<br /><br />St. Pauls was concerned for the congregation in Colossai that they not be, as he puts it, <i style="">deluded by plausible arguments.</i> That rebelliousness that resides inside all of us wants to be deluded by plausible arguments. We want to be persuaded that the pursuit of earthly gain is a good thing. We want to believe that everything is ok and we are alright in the sight of God, all on our own, no matter what. A part of you wants to be independent, not just from your parent, teachers and human authority, but from God Himself. And there is nothing natural or good or beneficial in that rebelious wish. In fact, it is destructive, corrosive, poisonous and foul.<br /><br />In our reading from Colossians chapter 2, St. Paul states: <i style="">Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in him.... </i>"Walk in him" is a common biblical way of saying live your life in Christ, take every step in fellowship with Jesus. He says, "as you recevied Christ Jesus... so walk in Him." In other words, live your life as a Christian in the same manner as you began it. And how did you receive Christ? In what manner did that occur? Certainly, not as a result of your good works. Not by the effect of your will. No, you received Christ Jesus by God's grace. He gave Himself to you at your Baptism. He continues to give Himself to you in preaching, absolution and the sacrament of the altar. God is a giver. It is the very nature of God for Him to offer himself to those whom he loves. That is the definition of love, the giving of oneself to another, with no thought for personal gain. Our Lord has no need of us. There is nothing compelling Him to love us, forgive us or save us. This He does freely, purely out of goodness and mercy, concepts which we can never fully understand. For just as it is the very nature of God to give, it is the very nature of created beings to receive.<br /><br />You have received Christ and with Christ, you receive all things, forgiveness, righteousness, and abundant life both now and forever. As Christians and as sons of God, we live by faith, not by sight. The Bible says, "<i style="">Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)."</i> Contrary to the philosphers of this age who place their ultimate hope in material goods, we see what lies beyond.<br /><br />It reminds me a little bit of those police television shows where the detectives are interrogating their prisoners in the poorly lit room with no windows. There is only a single long mirror on the wall. But of course, we the viewers all know that it is not really a mirror, but a two way glass and that there are other detectives on the other sides observing all that takes place.<br /><br />Like the suspect in the interrogation chamber, the people of this world look and all that they see is a reflection of themselves. We are on the other side of the wall and because of illumination we have in Christ, we can see through the glass, not at ourselves, but at reality as it truly exists.<br /><br />You know the truth about yourselves, about this world and its passing fantasies. You know the truth about your Creator and your eternal destiny in Him. For Jesus Christ, in whom dwells all the fullness of the deity in bodily form, He has suffered and died on your behalf, in your place, in the place of sinners, so that we who were once captivated by the lies of Satan, in bondage not with shackles of iron but with the brittle chains of false promises. And you have been liberated from your bondage, set free from captivity, unleashed by the pronouncement of God. In Jesus' name. Amen.<br /><br /><br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><!--[endif]--><p></p>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-80082461505349873352008-06-08T15:16:00.003-04:002008-11-15T09:26:59.281-05:00The Best Burger's in the World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.winsteadskc.com/"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXIa4NvZn0jnxhxqEzPaPt-9GpztuRIJ2AvReAe87OlRnChEXuH_I_-FznXfHIxzNsiZal-ngrLMjtBqWPflBF-kMNWm_F6F7qKbW59N726hayLv25uewvSKtGIwXaPyquuK-/s320/Winstead's.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209592959234914674" border="0" /></a>I'm back in my hometown area, Kansas City, MO, doing a bit of recruiting for the <a href="http://www.ctsfw.edu/">seminary</a>. I do love being here. One thing I'd nearly forgotten about is the legendary <a href="http://www.winsteadskc.com/">Winstead's burger joint</a>. I'm glad to see there are some new locations, but this place is pretty unique to Kansas City. There just happens to be one near my hotel. I haven't eaten there yet, but will probably for dinner tonight. They have arguably the best steakburgers in the world and the awesomest chocolate malts named <span style="font-style: italic;">The Frosty</span> long before there ever was such thing as Wendy's. They've been in business since 1940.<br /><br />If you ever come to Kansas City, MO, there are a few must sees. One is the excellent art museum, the Nelson Atkins gallery. I've been to art museums all of the nation and the one in KC is one of the best. Another is Gate's Bar-B-Q. But if you don't at least once at Winstead's, there's something wrong.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-57000731662187814112008-05-29T11:01:00.003-04:002008-05-29T12:03:38.095-04:00Candy Coating JesusA great pal has <a href="http://lutheranlogomaniac.com/?p=107">this short insightful post</a> on his blog, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lutheran Logomaniac.</span> <br /><br />In case you've wondered at the recent scarcity of posts here, I have been putting most of my blogging energy recently into the new seminary admission department blog called <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://seminaryblog.com">Concordia TheoBLOGical Seminary</a>.</span> Come pay a visit.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-88949108181476870622008-04-25T10:41:00.000-04:002008-04-25T10:42:27.956-04:00Remind Me Not to Go to Congo...<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2319603620080423">Penis Theft Panic Hits City</a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-56616233346227952072008-04-19T18:24:00.001-04:002008-04-19T18:25:39.280-04:00New Way to Search OnlineI don't know yet what I think of <a href="http://www.stumpedia.com/">Stumpedia</a>. It's interesting. I've been adding a bunch of links. You should too.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-43624897073361273192008-04-09T13:25:00.001-04:002008-04-09T13:27:44.415-04:00Supporting "Issues, Etc."I think this is great! <br /><br /><a href="http://lutheranlogomaniac.com/?p=73"><span style="font-style: italic;">South Wisconsin District Votes Unanimously to Support "Issues, Etc."</span></a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-33922214365545799392008-04-09T09:06:00.002-04:002008-04-09T09:40:47.586-04:00Making the Internet ObsoleteDid you just figure out how to get online a year ago? Have you only recently discovered what "Googling" means? Well, get ready for the next information technology paradigm shift.<br /><br />European scientists are unveiling something called "the Grid" which is supposed to be so fast that it will download full length feature films in two seconds. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,347212,00.html">Check it out.</a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-38890933343155842342008-04-02T11:50:00.002-04:002008-04-02T12:22:30.631-04:00Satanists At LargeI've been doing some research lately on the history and practice of Satanism. I just finished <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081475645X?ie=UTF8&tag=theburrintheb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=081475645X">Lure of the Sinister: The Unnatural History of Satanism</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theburrintheb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=081475645X" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />, in which the author, Gareth Medway, argues that there is no proof of any satanic crimes or ritual abuse/murders, as was the scare in the 60s, 70s and 80s. For the longest time, it was frequently reported that covens were sexually abusing, torturing, and murdering children and adults in Black Masses or other satanic rituals. <br /><br />You can see evidence of this popular fascination with Satan by the way scary movies changed in the 1970s. In the 30s, horror films dealt mostly with mythical and literary figures. In the 40s and 50s, the struggles with fascism and communism were mirrored in alien invasion pictures. Also in the 50s, a string of atomic mutant films emerged with giant ants, Godzilla, etc. But in the 60s and 70s, the horror themes became much darker. That's when satanic conspiracies were in the backs of peoples' minds, i.e. The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, The Omen.<br /><br />Medway posits that this is a phenomena akin to people who talk about being abducted by aliens: lots of reports and rumors with scant physical evidence. <br /><br />Certainly, we saw lots of "survivors" of ritual abuse and former high priestesses on Oprah and Sally Jessy Raphael. In the 70s and 80s, a popular evangelical preacher/comedian named Mike Warnke made an impression on me. I had some of his comedy tapes and I thought he was hilarious. But then he would become serious and talk about his years as a satanic high priest as his evangelistic hook. The trouble is that he made it all up. He was exposed as a liar and fake. Medway points out that this is the pattern with most of these scenarios. <br /><br />Gareth Medway is not unbiased. His inclinations are easily apparent. He reveals upfront that he is a practicing pagan. And it is evident that he believes that followers of dark spiritualities have been persecuted by narrow minded Christians. Indeed, many innocents have had their reputations destroyed by the conspiracy theorists. <br /><br />I don't know if he's right or not about satanic crimes and ritual abuse. And it is helpful to distinguish between Wiccans, neopagans, Church of Satanists and run-of-the-mill devil worshippers. What is crucial, I believe, is that the Christian Church have a clear understanding of the person and work of Satan. Out of sight, out of mind. But this mustn't be out of our mind. If the sensational stories are mostly bunk, there still is a rebellious spirit who oppresses the earth and all upon it.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-20883604118649310122008-03-26T17:24:00.001-04:002008-11-15T09:26:59.856-05:00The Annunciation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfnry6SiTajtw2_t8osFMu0RdlMtz8kpC1zRJgywFBa795Bt28oyvYyDp_MRL9iZTbB004y3YOFW4xzaADoGhD_BYyUrVt4wBgoYGcCwdm75p4a1kBoEd5k_0aYhHIe6MUxu8/s1600-h/annunciation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfnry6SiTajtw2_t8osFMu0RdlMtz8kpC1zRJgywFBa795Bt28oyvYyDp_MRL9iZTbB004y3YOFW4xzaADoGhD_BYyUrVt4wBgoYGcCwdm75p4a1kBoEd5k_0aYhHIe6MUxu8/s320/annunciation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182164897359653746" border="0" /></a>I posted a commentary on the incarnation and abortion over at the seminary blog. <a href="http://seminaryblog.com/2008/03/25/abortion-and-christmas/">Go here </a>to check it out.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-56257305580383328302008-03-25T09:22:00.004-04:002008-11-15T09:26:59.944-05:00Vampire Author's Second Novel About Jesus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxyMdccGny60q12z4BLtArfS5mT1AYMqRQDmZkSLOboFaIYNxaqbqol6x81OzbRPd4DwDwRm-hQL8J0q3z8tsENIo7nd-xpc_YVnfrZ-SQwLQIXNRI98os9QY8rFuxG-r_fJl/s1600-h/abc_anne_rice_0803305_ms.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxyMdccGny60q12z4BLtArfS5mT1AYMqRQDmZkSLOboFaIYNxaqbqol6x81OzbRPd4DwDwRm-hQL8J0q3z8tsENIo7nd-xpc_YVnfrZ-SQwLQIXNRI98os9QY8rFuxG-r_fJl/s320/abc_anne_rice_0803305_ms.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181669533011602274" border="0" /></a>I'm thoroughly enjoying Anne Rice's second novel about Jesus, having read and enjoyed the first when it came out. It's called, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400043522?ie=UTF8&tag=theburrintheb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400043522">Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana. </a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theburrintheb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1400043522" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /> Her first novel about Jesus which looked at a portion of his childhood is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345492730?ie=UTF8&tag=theburrintheb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0345492730">Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theburrintheb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0345492730" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />.<br /><br />I am one who has also read a couple of her former vampire books, and derived a certain literary enjoyment even from them. She is, without question, a gifted writer.<br /><br />And I can't imagine the overpowering experience it must have been to pen these books on Jesus' life, especially as they are told in the first person, from the Lord's point of view. I would be terrified to attempt that. And I ordinarily would scoff at anyone who would be bold enough to attempt it.<br /><br />But my impression is that she pulls it off. The books are reverent without being saccharine or entirely predictable or boring. Her extensive biblical and historical research is evident, but not in the sense of bogging down the story. Rather in the sense of illuminating it. Writing these must have been an act of worship for her. I can see no other way. Only with much prayer and fasting could one do this.<br /><br />I have not finished The Road to Cana yet, but what I've read so far is very encouraging.<br /><br />Dr. Gene Vieth posts some new remarks from Rice about her conversion over on his blog. <a href="http://www.geneveith.com/anne-rice-on-jesus-faith-vocation/_458/#comment-5360">Go here to see.</a>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-63242724801715766062008-03-14T12:18:00.002-04:002008-03-14T12:32:05.787-04:00Cats and Dogs: Images of Human NatureWe have two cats and one dog. Our dog happens to be one of the most popular breeds, a Golden Retriever. <br /><br />Living with these animals, I enjoy observing their behavior especially as they relate to Julie and Jacob and I.<br /><br />The dog is an innocent. She really is without guile. This animal adores us. She worships us. Her greatest desire is to please us. Her greatest fear is our displeasure. If anything, she is too obsequious. It gets kind of pathetic at times, her constant need for our approval. But that is unarguably a dog's charm. There is no one more loyal, no one more faithful, no one more reliable than one's pet dog. Man's best friend. She is also a pacifist. Don't raise your voice in her presence. Don't appear to make any threatening gestures. If she thinks you are getting violent, she will not hesitate to take you DOWN! She even breaks up the cats when they fight with each other. Though Lucy can be annoying as she fawns for attention, she is amazing in that she is always happy to see me, she is always the first one to greet me when I get home from work, she is always ready to do whatever I desire. I have no greater fan than Lucy and no more loyal subject.<br /><br />The cats are different. Everyone knows that. They are more solitary animals. In their feral state, dogs live in packs while cats are their own masters. They do like human companionship but they aren't as obsessed with us as the dog is. The relationship is always on their terms. <br /><br />I am clearly Lucy's master. Not so with the kitties. They acknowledge no lord but themselves. I exist to serve them, not the other way around.<br /><br />When Lucy does something "bad," and I scold her, her emotional state is clear as crystal. Immediate remorse and fear of punishment. The cats don't give a rip. Oh, they know what I'm saying, they just don't care.<br /><br />Not all cats and dogs are the same. When you are around them for any stretch of time, you begin to note their unique "personalities." But what amazes and amuses me, at times, is how much they reflect various aspects of people.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-34834558838624425592008-03-08T00:28:00.004-05:002008-03-08T17:21:09.463-05:00Across the UniverseAll I can say is "Wow!" Julie and I watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Across the Universe</span></a> this evening after a romantic dinner at the Glenbrook Mall food court. It's a terrific film, particularly for music lovers. When was the last time you saw a really good new movie musical? <span style="font-style: italic;">Moulin Rouge? Chicago? </span>Those were good, but this one transcends them.<br /><br />Hearing all those incredible Beatles songs in these new settings was a really powerful experience for me. I've always liked a lot of their stuff, but tonight I completely fell head-over-heels in love with them all over again. Man, oh man.<br /><br />Just the other day, Julie and I were listening to some of the tracks from <span style="font-style: italic;">Abbey Road</span> and remarking on how creative was the Fab Four. Every song is completely unique. They sound like absolutely no one else. Poets and musical geniuses really. Most of today's popular music sounds like the same song just replayed over and over again. Blah! Like eating nothing but Saltine crackers for every meal.<br /><br />Over impressed with their massive talent, I'd almost forgotten how truly sweet and charming so many of their songs are. And humorous too. But the performances in <span style="font-style: italic;">Universe</span> with the art, the style, the dance, the design, the 1001 inside jokes and references, and the story moved me. Bravo!Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-20238484919905784872008-03-01T23:42:00.003-05:002008-03-02T00:29:28.547-05:00Challenge of IslamIt's not very politically correct, and in some quarters is not even safe, to say that Islam is a problem. A couple of years ago, I spent several days in the Kenya/Sudan border town of Lokichoggio in the Turkana district of Kenya. If you've seen the movie <span style="font-style: italic;">Constant Gardener,</span> Loki factors into that plot. Getting to know one of the Christian men there, I noticed that he kept referring to a lot of the locals simply as <span style="font-style: italic;">al Quaeda</span>. Here in the U.S., of course, one think of that term to refer to a very specific group of Islamic terrorists. I asked my new friend about this and he simply said that that is how they refer to all Muslims there.<br /><br />My point is that the soft and ignorant Westerners tend to want to assume the best of everyone. All Muslims are nice until proven otherwise, we are prone to think. I'm just not so sure. People in other parts of the world, such as Africa, seem to perceive Islam a bit differently.<br /><br />I'm delighted to report that our seminary is hosting a conference on the challenge of Islam led by Dr. Adam S. Francisco, of our CTS faculty. <a href="http://www.maggotsack.com/wp-content/uploads/2008%20Islam%20Seminar%20Brochure.pdf">Click here for the brochure</a>.Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11610171.post-71447835646237156572008-02-25T17:41:00.003-05:002008-02-25T17:46:57.924-05:00Homily on Luke 11:14-28<span style="font-weight: bold;">Third Sunday in Lent</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />February 24, 2008</span><b style=""><br />Text: </b>Lk 11.14-28<br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="">We don’t know much about the man who was possessed by the demon in Luke chapter 11.<span style=""> </span>We don’t know his name or where he came from.<span style=""> </span>We don’t know how long he’d been possessed or how he came to become possessed.<span style=""> </span>All we do know is that while he was under the control of Satan, he was mute. <span style=""> </span>And when Jesus performed the exorcism, the man began to speak.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There were three types of response to this miracle.<span style=""> </span>The Scripture says that some were amazed.<span style=""> </span><i style="">So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.</i><span style=""> </span>They conclude, and rightly so, that this is clear evidence that God is moving amongst them in powerful ways.<span style=""> </span>Matthew's account tells us that a hopeful murmur went up from the crowd, "Could this be the Son of David?" <span style="">Is he the one?<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Incredibly, some of them doubted and said, <i style="">“He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”</i> The word “Beelzebub” is usually translated as “Lord of the Flies.”<span style=""> </span>It could also be “Lord of the Dung Heap.”<span style=""> </span>This verse reminds me that there are always people who insist on seeing everything in the worst light.<span style=""> </span>They aren’t happy unless they’re mad at something.<span style=""> </span>A man is delivered from a debilitating demonic affliction.<span style=""> </span>It must be the work of the devil.<span style=""> </span>They can’t tell the difference between good or evil.<span style=""> </span>God blesses them and they insist that it’s a curse.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.<span style=""> </span>But if releasing a man from demonic possession is not a sign, I don’t know what is.<span style=""> </span>What they had just witnessed in the cleaning of the demoniac was an unambiguous demonstration of the power of God.<span style=""> </span>Yet they are so blind to God’s mercy that they fail to see the obvious.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Jesus' exorcism of demons should be seen as signs pointing to the arrival of the Kingdom of God</span></em>, just as seeing leaves budding on the trees is an indication that the lifeless tyranny of winter is coming to an end.<span style=""> </span>The exorcisms indicate that an invincible, world-transforming potency has been set in motion. <span style=""> </span>The visions of the prophets are being fulfilled! <span style=""> </span>The day is dawning.<span style=""> </span>The night is over.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Remember the song?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="">Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!<br />Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.<br />Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.<br />Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. <span style=""> </span>She's gone where the goblins go,<br />Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.<br />Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.<br />Let them know <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>The Wicked Witch is dead!<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The scene in <i style="">The Wizard of Oz</i> when the munchkins realize that their oppressor had been crushed under Dorothy’s house?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Jesus is not a pacifist.<span style=""> </span>Elsewhere he said, <i style="">“Do not think that I came to bring peace to the world, but a sword.”</i><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Muslims speak of the concept of a jihad, or a holy war.<span style=""> </span>The only holy war is the war that Christ has waged against the Devil.<span style=""> </span>And it is a war that will not be fought and won with bullets and guns.<span style=""> </span>Our sword is the Word of God that pierces through your armor of defensiveness and self-justification.<span style=""> </span>There is no diplomacy.<span style=""> </span>There is no negotiation.<span style=""> </span>There is no appeasement.<span style=""> </span>There is only crushing, brutal, devastating victory from the ashes of which springs new life.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are no <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Switzerlands</st1:place></st1:country-region> in spiritual warfare.<span style=""> </span>Neutrality is not an option.<span style=""> </span>No one is merely an onlooker.<span style=""> </span>If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. It is impossible to remain uninvolved in the conflict of the ages – the conflict between the Church Militant on earth, and the satanic realm of darkness and evil.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">On the one side, there is joy and peace and knowledge and power.<span style=""> </span>And on the other is madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus said, <i style="">“Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”<span style=""> </span></i>I think many times Christians understand this to mean that God will preserve His Church on earth through every toil and pain, that no matter what evil Satan pours out upon us, the Holy Church will endure by the grace of God.<span style=""> </span>It certainly means that, but also something more.<span style=""> </span>The idea is not merely that the Church will survive, but that the Church will prevail.<span style=""> </span>It says the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against us.<span style=""> </span>We, the church, are on the offense.<span style=""> </span>We are not quietly enduring the assaults of the devil.<span style=""> </span>No, the Church is laying siege to hell itself.<span style=""> </span>And the battering ram of the gospel, of the good news of forgiveness, will shatter the gates of Satan’s realm. <span style=""> </span>The chains of guilt which bound us drop from our arms and the prisoners, newly freed, go delirious with their freedom. In Christ, the dominion of evil is ended.<span style=""> </span>By his glorious resurrection from the dead, our Lord Jesus is not merely a survivor.<span style=""> </span>He is the victor.<span style=""> </span>Christ’s epic battle with Satan is not some kind of draw or stalemate or deadlock.<span style=""> </span>He won the decisive victory. He is the champion and his scars are his trophies.<span style=""> </span>Jesus is the victor and He shares the spoils with all of us.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But that does not mean there will not still be trouble for us here.<span style=""> </span>The enemy insurgents are still trying to sabotage Christ’s victory.<span style=""> </span>But do not be afraid.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A couple of years ago, when I was still pastoring a congregation in Pittsburgh, PA, there was one Sunday morning when I was sitting in the Sedalia off the to the side of the chancel during the hymn just before the sermon and I saw coming toward me on the carpet a big, black, fuzzy spider.<span style=""> </span>Of all of God’s creatures, the spider is one of the few that creeps me out.<span style=""> </span>I know I should have been paying attention to the hymn or at least thinking pious thoughts in preparation for delivering the message.<span style=""> </span>But I just kept watching that little fiend coming closer and closer.<span style=""> </span>Finally, it came to the point, where I felt action was required on my part.<span style=""> </span>So right when he got to my foot, I lifted my black, leather, wingtip shoe to send him to his maker when the most amazing thing occurred.<span style=""> </span>For at that moment, the spider must have detected my challenge and he stopped in his tracks and he raised up his legs at my shoe like this (<i style="">demonstrate</i>).<span style=""> </span>Now I almost had to laugh because, his threatening gesture aside, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was going to smoosh him.<span style=""> </span>And I did.<span style=""> </span>That spider was no match for the sole of my shoe.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the words of Jesus this morning, Satan is the strong man who has built a fortress around his possessions.<span style=""> </span>And we are born into this world as objects of God’s wrath.<span style=""> </span>Before we do or say anything, we are alienated and enemies of our Creator.<span style=""> </span>And we are fully subjects of the Evil One.<span style=""> </span>Looking all around you, it is obvious the mastery which Satan has in this world, this fallen order of things.<span style=""> </span>Yes, Satan is strong.<span style=""> </span>He is the strong man.<span style=""> </span>But Jesus Christ is the stronger man who comes to invade the devil’s fortress.<span style=""> </span>Jesus Christ breaks down the doors of hell and He overpowers the tyrant.<span style=""> </span>And He expels that bully, that braggart, from our lives forever.<span style=""> </span>And He did so with the flick of His finger.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Once upon a time, the Israelites were slaves in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and Pharaoh would not let them go.<span style=""> </span>How were they eventually freed?<span style=""> </span>God Almighty attacked the arrogance of Pharaoh and his evil magicians with one plague after another to confound them.<span style=""> </span>In exasperation the sorcerers and witch doctors of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> exclaimed: "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:18).<span style=""> </span>That is the same unusual phrase Jesus uses this morning.<span style=""> </span>He casts out demonsby the finger of God.<span style=""> </span>We are also told that after God finished speaking with Moses on <st1:place st="on">Mount Sinai</st1:place>, He gave him two tablets of stone, written by “the finger of God.”<span style=""> </span>Jesus had the same power and authority as Yahweh when He emancipated His people of old.<span style=""> </span>And He comes to emancipate us as well.<br /><o:p></o:p><br />Think of that the next time you see your pastor use finger to make the sign of the cross upon the baptized to mark him as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.<span style=""> </span>In Jesus’ name.<span style=""> </span>Amen.</p>Pastor Scott Stiegemeyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344noreply@blogger.com1