The Burr in the Burgh

Hell and damnation are real, says Pope Benedict XVI.

It's not easy in this day and age to speak about these subjects. Few take the words of Jesus seriously. He tells us more about hell and damnation that any other figure in the Old or New Testaments.

I've met Christians who may agree that hell exists, just don't think anyone really goes there. No one except baby rapists, in any case. Jesus teaches differently.

A pastor must learn to know his sheep so that he can apply the whole counsel of God appropriately. While the message of atonement through the blood of Jesus is central to all we proclaim, the gospel has no context if we don't announce the threat of hell. If there is no such thing as eternal damnation, then what, precisely, did Jesus save us from? Some people are afraid to die, they fear the judgment. And rightly so. We must ease their fears with the promise of grace. But many others are not afraid of God at all. To them, the cross is just a weird thing pastors talk about.

I get so irritated with myself when I let so many days pass between blog posts. I strongly desire to post every day. But some weeks I just don't have it in me.

Tonight, I don't want to talk about me however. I want to talk about our staff in the Admission Department of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN.

This weekend, we have a bunch of guests for one of our two annual visitation weekends. It is exciting to have so many excellent prospective students and their families with us.

I must say that I was particularly impressed with my recruitment staff today and this evening. This is an outstanding group of hardworking and dedicated individuals. They really do go above and beyond the call of duty. I am thankful and the seminary is blessed to have them.

A friend and I went to see 300 this evening at the local theater. What a spectacle! One thing I thought very interesting was how Satanic Xerxes was in the movie.

Certainly, it was not uncommon for ancient near eastern monarchs to attribute divine status to themselves - an act which is inherently Satanic. But I could not help noticing how similar his speeches were to the enticements of Old Nick himself.

"Hey, I don't ask for much. You can keep your lands. You will receive wealth beyond your wildest imaginings. You're a victor. You can be the warlord of all Greece. Only bow to me and all this can be yours."

Not so different from the Tempter's attempted seduction of Jesus, eh? This is the Enemy's tactic. He presents himself as your greatest ally. He's really on your side after all. He only wants what is best for you. "Jesus, you're hungry. Make yourself a sandwich."

For a nice write up on the film 300, see Pr. Petersen's blog here.

So who has seen 300? What are your thoughts? I haven't seen it yet, but am thinking tomorrow night sounds good.

Not surprisingly, the Iranian government doesn't like it. See here. It's astonishing how the official quoted actually thinks Hollyweird bows to the political wishes of our president.

So this morning, I just finished reading Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris. It was a disappointment, I must say. It is definitely the weakest of the books in the Hannibal Lecter series. It seems that Harris was writing on auto-pilot, probably just fulfilling the request of some movie producer. It's formulaic and predictable, not scary in the least. Serious fans of the franchise will want to read it, if only to fill in the blanks, but it is not a must-read for anyone else.

I guess my most serious criticism is that Harris succumbs to the post-modern trend of making the bad guys the real good guys. How can anyone really fault Hannibal for his atrocious deeds when you consider the circumstances? The reader roots for the villain, who is quite understandable after all. This is a far cry from the complicated yet undeniably evil Dr. Lecter of the previous stories.

Are real serial killers made or born? The evidence says both. I regret that Harris's latest installment makes Lecter purely a product of his experiences. He is not just a sociopath. He's a victim.

If you or someone you know is planning to prepare to become a Lutheran pastor, go to my facebook page and request to join my group called, "LCMS Pastors 2 Be." We are currently discussing "contemporary worship" and "contemporary Christian music."

Everyone who runs meetings should look at this book by Patrick Lencioni, Death by Meeting. We all hate meetings. Me too. But the problem is not usually that we have too many meetings, but that our meetings are too disorganized. Hence they last too long and get very little done.

Lencioni recommends have more meetings, not less, but doing them smarter. He suggests four types of meetings. These are my take on what he writes:

• The Daily Check-IN - No more than 5 minutes every morning. No one sits down. Everyone has 60 seconds or less to tell the others what they're doing that day. This is nota time to problem solve. You can ask clarifying questions but no debate.


• The Weekly Tactical - This should be an hour or two. This is the meeting where you plan how to get things done. You solve nuts-and-bolts problems.
  


• The Monthly Strategic - 2 to 3 hours. Let people think big and talk big. Discuss strategy, vision, goals and long-range plans.


• Quarterly Brainstorm - A offsite retreat. Lencioni suggests 2-3 days long. Gives everyone a chance to talk.

I am usually reading at least three books at any given time. I like to have one fiction, one general non-fiction, and one on religion or theology. You can determine which is from which category.

Here's what I'm reading these days:

• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die - I think the title is very self-explanatory. I think anyone who ever has to communicate ideas (pastor, teacher, advertiser, parent, coach, etc.) should read this book. Made to Stick reminds me a lot of another book I like a lot, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.

• What Dreams May Come- So far, I've enjoyed everything I've read by Richard Matheson. Besides this one, I've read I Am Legend and The Beardless Warriors: A Novel of World War II. Dreams is a fanciful story of a man who dies, goes to "heaven" but misses his wife so much that he is willing to endure the torments of hell to be with her. This book does not convey a Christian understanding of life, death and the afterlife. But he has researched very thoroughly the views of other world religions which inform many of the trendy armchair philosophers of our time. Very romantic. Very interesting. Very full of rubbish.
  

• Faith and Film: A Guidebook for Leaders - Just trying to increase my understanding of film both as an artistic medium and as a conveyer of particular impressions and ideas.
  

What is the difference between faith and wishful thinking? Someone said to me regarding a specific desired outcome to a problem, "let's trust God that this will happen."

Now that would have been good and pious if he'd meant, "I don't know what will happen, but I believe that God is good and He will work it all out for the best." But that is not what this person meant. The rest of his conversation made it clear that he was saying, "I want this to be resolved in this particular way. I will put my faith in God that he will resolve it in this very manner."

It's like someone saying, I have cancer and I am going to trust God to heal me. Or I want this thing so I'm going to pay for it, even though I can't afford it. I will trust God to make my ends meet for me.

Faith can only exist where there has first been a specific promise. If you can show me that God has promised unequivocally to heal you of your malady in this lifetime, then you can trust him for that. Otherwise, it is wishful thinking.

We can't use faith to excuse us from being responsible beings. God does not promise to pay your credit card bills or remove every disease in this lifetime. So many times people simply project their wants and desire on God and make him responsible for them. And then when things don't happen as hoped, they get hurt and upset with God.

Remember this: Faith requires a promise. You cannot get mad at God for not doing things which He has never promised to do.

I've learned that computers do not like to drink coffee. I discovered this interesting fact after spilling coffee all over my laptop yesterday morning. It is now ... how do you say... on the fritz.

After a busy morning filling in for our pastor, I flew out west for a week-long recruitment trip. Arrived in Phoenix Sunday evening. Went to the restaurant attached to the hotel and lo and behold, what did I see? They have rattlesnake on the menu. And let me tell you that rattlesnake does not taste like chicken. That is, unless you think chicken tastes slightly sweet, is slimy and chewy.

I am always intrigued by the story from Genesis 32 of Jacob wrestling with the angel. Of course, this passage and Hosea 12 identify the mysterious stranger as the Lord God himself.

What does it mean to wrestle with God? Jacob was always wrestling with someone. Even in his mother's womb, he wrestled with his twin brother Esau.

What is remarkable is that Jacob refuses to release the angel until he grants him a blessing. What is it with Jacob and his obsession over getting blessed? Remember his crafty deception of his father, Isaac, to steal the blessing intended for Esau?

Jacob wrestled with God and lived to tell about it. Notice he didn't walk away without injury, however. Being in the intimate presence of the holy one has a crippling effect upon us. But in our hobbling, we become recipients of divine favor.

Interestingly, the lectionary our congregation uses aligns this Old Testament text with the healing of the Canaanite woman's daughter in Matthew 15. There was another example of someone grasping desperately for God, refusing to be discouraged, insisting humbly on being helped. Martin Luther said we should boldly expect God to honor his promises. And what precisely does God promise the sinner? Forgiveness. God gives the sinner the right to demand that God fulfill His own Word. That's the kind of firm confidence demonstrated by the woman who persisted in prayer despite Jesus' initial unfriendliness and Jacob putting God into a headlock.

We went last night to our 11-year-old son's school musical. It was based on all those awesome Schoolhouse Rock ditties from the 70s. I used to enjoy those on Saturday mornings. Still remember so many of the lyrics from Conjunction Junction, I'm Only a Bill, Interplanet Janet, etc. It was great fun and the kids were beyond cute.

One thing struck me, however, when they sang the one on America being the great melting pot. I was reflecting on how politically incorrect that is today. You can tell that was written at least 30 years ago.

The favored notion today is multi-culturalism and NOT that we're a melting pot. The melting pot image says that people come here from all different backgrounds and blend together to make something new and wonderful. That's a cool image for America. But the politically correct view is not that our former cultural distinctives should be blurred to create a new and truly American culture. The newer view is that I am identified first by my native tribe and only secondly by being an American citizen.

Actor and comedian Jim Carrey riffs on religion etc. here.

Notice the dry, withered, old canard, "I'm not religious, but spiritual."

This is the first time I've heard of this particular group, a cult calling themselves Growing in Grace. The leader has called himself everything from the reincarnation of St. Paul, to the antichrist to Jesus Himself. Many of his church members are so dedicated that give up to 40-50% of their incomes to him. And now, as the latest trend and to show their devotion to their leader, many members are getting the numbers 666 tattooed on their arms, legs or necks. Go here.

Here is a story about abortion and infanticide in India. Many poor traditional Indians view sons as future bread-winners and girls as financial burdens. So now there is a government action to save the lives of unwanted girl babies. Recently a dump with hundreds of fetal and infant children body parts was discovered in a hospital lot.

It raises the question of the value of human life. Are some lives more valuable than others. If you do a cost analysis, do some human beings cost more than they are worth? Of course, this is a barbaric line of thought, but it is how many do think - not just in pagan India.

Parents do tests to see if their pre-born baby will have any defects such as Down's Syndrome. They may decide to have an abortion because they determine that such a life is not worth living or will be too costly emotionally and financially. The elderly or the terminally ill may feel pressured to allow themselves to be euthanized because they feel as if they no longer contribute to society.

In India, human life is cheapened by the prevailing Hinduism which teaches reincarnation. Killing your children will not be seen as evil because the soul of that being will merely go to inhabit a new body.

In the West, human life is cheapened by Darwinist materialism, the view that we are merely what we eat. This notion is that human life is nothing more than the result of random molecules stumbling into chance chemical reactions. There is no intrinsic value to anything. A life only has the value that you assign to it.

Christians see things differently. All human beings are precious to God, the Creator. He loves human beings such that He offered His Son's life for the redemption of our lives.

A mama Rottweiler rejected her puppy and this mama cat willingly obliges and lets him in to nurse.

I heartily commend the Bishop of Rome for this helpful statement.


Pope Benedict XVI reportedly lashed out against laws that he said threaten the family and social order, saying none "can overturn that of the Creator."

"No law made by man can overturn that of the Creator without dramatically affecting society in its very foundation," said the pope, according to the I-Media news agency, which reports on Vatican affairs in French.

The pope's remarks to a delegation attending a conference on "natural law" at the Pontifical Lateran University came as Portugal moves to liberalise abortion and Italy plans to grant legal status to unwed couples.

"Weakening the family is punishing society," he told the delegation. Natural law "has rules that supersede all human laws (and) does not allow for derogations by anyone."

Natural law has "concrete applications" such as protecting human life from conception to its natural end, and the institution of marriage between a man and a woman, Benedict said.

"Awareness of natural law is inscribed in our very being," he said. "The law inscribed in our nature is the true guarantee offered to everyone to be able to live freely and in dignity."

The Vatican II Council of the 1960s "reaffirmed that the institution of marriage is established by divine order, and therefore this sacred bond for the well-being of spouses, children and society" cannot be severed, he said.

Those who knew Prof. Kurt Marquart know that in addition to being a brilliant scholar and teacher, he also had a burning zeal for mission work. Of particular interest to him was Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere.

In his honor, the graduating CTS class of 07 have established a fund for pastoral education in the Lutheran church of Haiti. Go here to help.

Aha! The best evidence that Darwinism is a farce is the skull of Charles Darwin himself. Look at these two photos. I see very little advancement btwn the caveman and the 19th century British naturalist. It just proves that Neanderthals never became extinct. One of them just wrote that they did.

Funny.

I just visited the wonderful new public library in downtown Fort Wayne, IN. And, as expected, came home with a bag of books. I've been wanting to read a biography of John Lennon for some time and in searching for one, I came across a collection of his sayings. Here is one that immediately struck home for me:

Part of me suspects that I'm a loser, and the other part of me thinks I'm God Almighty.

At their best, artists assist humanity in understanding reality. Here John gives us all a helping hand. I think many many (if not all) people have this same dual consciousness, the feeling that one is worthless AND the feeling that one is the center of the universe. When you understand that this is the basic modus operandi of most people, it really helps you know how to apply God's Word to their lives.

Part of you needs to be comforted and assured of God's love and His kindness toward sinners. But the other part of you needs a swift kick in the britches.

As you may recall, I am a fan of Anne Rice's novel about the childhood of Jesus. Here is a terrific review on the book by Dr. Gene Veith.

I just finished reading the latest Michael Crichton novel. It's called Next. I am a pretty big fan of Crichton's books but this one was disappointing. It deals with the dangers of genetic engineering and gene therapies of the possible future.

His other recent cautionary tale, Prey, about nano-technology, was quite a thrill ride. And his politically incorrect, State of Fear, about global warming deserved every bit of controversy it generated, to my delight.

To its credit, Next does bring attention to many of the troubling ethical and dangerous scientific implications of advancing genetic technologies. Crichton does not represent the religious concerns that many share, but he does highlight devastating potential abuses.

These issues sharpen even further when you understand human life to comprise more than just a random jumble of minerals and chemical reactions. A Christian author would see a much more three-dimensional problem with the current research trajectories. Nonetheless, it is useful for a secularist to observe many of the same problems and come to similar conclusions.

My problem with Crichton's latest book is not philosophical or theological. It's just not that great of a story, esp when compared to his other works. The characters are under-developed. The plot is uncertain and confused.

For a thoroughly Christian work of fiction asking very similar questions about science and human life, see instead P.D. James'The Children of Men (The book, of course. Not the film.).

Martin Luther once famously wrote that you can no more separate good works from faith in the Christian than you can separate heat from light in fire. This pertains to classic Reformation teaching next to traditional Roman Catholicism (and ironically much of "evangelical" protestantism).

I think a Roman Catholic would want to stress that we cannot separate true living faith in Christ from a transformed life of holiness. We agree that these must not and cannot be separated.

However, even though faith and works cannot be sliced apart, they should be distinguished. Take the fire example once again. I cannot separate the heat from the light but I understand the distinction. Heat and light may be inseparable in fire but they are different and have different functions.

So when I want my plant to grow, I don't subject it to more heat, but place it in better light. And when I want my leftover pizza to taste better, I don't set it in the light, but apply some heat.

So even if faith and works cannot be separated in the life of the Christian, I understand them to serve different functions. Faith is the instrument by which I apprehend the benefits of Christ's life and sacrifice, namely forgiveness and salvation. Works are the natural outflow of living faith.

If you enjoy the popular music of the last fifty years, you will love this feature from an issue of Rolling Stone magazine. The editors selected fifty legendary musical artists of the rock era and asked current stars to write brief reflections about them. It is a fun and fascinating read.

My favorite is the one on Elvis Presley written by Bono of U2. First of all, Bono is a genius with words. He has a very refreshing way of putting things. Read any of the scores of interviews he's done in the last twenty years and most of them will be full of rich expression, even when about the most mundane things.

Particularly, I was struck by Bono's observation that for Elvis, grace was not amazing enough. He says that in the context of describing the tortured interior life this megastar endured. Friends say that when Elvis was especially upset, nothing soothed him as much as going to be alone and singing old spirituals and hymns with his piano. And yet this was the drug addicted superstar who read the bible, loved his mother and shot the television in his living room.

Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. It is a profound Christian reality but only if grace is understood for what it is. Grace is not a power that God gives us to become better people. If that were the case, then clearly his grace is insufficient. The evidence for most of us is that we do not become measurably better as time goes on. In some ways, yes. But remember C.S. Lewis who said that whenever I remove the big stones from my field, I just see the thousands of smaller ones that were there all along. And these pebbles are much harder to clear away, thus more pernicious.

God's grace is fundamentally His own mindset toward us. It is the favor He shows sinners on account of Christ. And this epiphany does indeed powerfully change us, but not ultimately until our own resurrection on the Last Day.

I feel bad for Elvis sometimes. I remember exactly where I was in 1977 when I heard about his death. He was certainly a talented man who loved his family, was a patriot, was moved by music and exhibited an abiding Christian faith. God's grace is amazing enough. How painful it is when even believers are taxed with despair.

If you would like to hear our seminary choir, the Kantorei, singing tune to the Concordia Theological Seminary website to listen. Click on Thursday. I was the preacher.

Yesterday I posted an explanation of my appreciation for certain contemporary books and movies that deal with dark and depressing subject matter. And while a lot of current media do come from a particularly nihilistic mindset, dark and depressing have characterized great works of art for centuries.

• Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Man sleeps with mother and murders father. Has his eyes gouged out. Lesson: don't defy the gods.
• Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare. Perhaps the bloodiest and cruelest play ever written.
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Murder, guilt, sorcery, divination, treason.
• Othello by William Shakespeare. Deception, distrust, murder.
  
• Anna Karenina by Lev Tolstoy. Adultery, greed, selfishness, gruesome suicide
• Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoevsky. Axe murderer redeemed by a prostitute with a heart of gold.
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Adultery, hypocrisy.
• The Tell-tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe. Murder, guilt.
• Jude, the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. Adultery, depression, suicide.
• Moby Dick, The Great Gatsby, Farewell to Arms, and so forth.

Sometimes people ask me why I "like" books and movies that most people consider dark and depressing. I'm sure there is a sophisticated psychological reason, but my response is more theological.

I appreciate some books and films that examine disturbing subject matter. Occasionally, someone will quote St. Paul to me: "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 (Philippians 4)." The apostle directs us to fill our minds with thoughts that are lovely, noble, pure and admirable. Indeed. But first he says, think on things which are true. And the truth is not always pretty or pleasant or uplifting. The truth can be gory and upsetting and awful.

I believe that just about all serious novels and films are theological in nature. Everyone is a theologian and a philosopher because everyone expresses views about the ultimate questions. Questions about God, life, death, right, wrong, relationships, love, damnation, etc.

This is not to say that all serious books and films express good theology or correct theology. There is a lot of false doctrine out there, to be sure. However, even a blind pig uproots an acorn once in a while. Artists - even unbelievers - frequently tap into holy truths, either intentionally or not.

Movies that deal with horrible scenarios, despicable people, and upsetting subject matter can do a lot of good in our society I believe. They can be effective preaching of the law. Everything is totally screwed up. People are basically screwed up. And there's nothing we can do about it. Not that I revel in the accusations and condemnations of the law. But in a culture that generally rejects the need for divine intervention, I think a little "dark" can prepare people for the gospel.

I was happy to be on Issues, Etc. today to discuss trends and issues with current prime time television. Go and take a listen.

The seminary Kantorei tour is now ended. I'm sitting now in Boston's Logan Airport waiting to begin the trek home to Fort Wayne.

What a terrific tour! It was a joy to be the preacher for our wonderful seminary choir. The people at the churches we visited responded so warmly and generously. I particularly enjoyed getting to meet the people who graciously housed us. I met so many wonderful Christians this week. This morning's concluding services in Boston were most edifying.

All that having been said, I am truly anxious to be home.

That's Manhattan, NY and not Manhattan, Kansas, in case you were confused. Traveling with the seminary Kantorei, they sang and I preached last night at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bayside. Tonight we go to Greenwich, Connecticut which is only about 25 miles away. This meant that both yesterday and today, we had time to explore NYC.

In the past two days, I got to see the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, St. Patrick's cathedral, etc. I did so much walking around because the weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny. So my feet are dog tired. I could have seen more - museums and such - but I'm not that kind of traveler.

I like to go to see touristy things, including museums, when I travel but I can't stand trying to cram everything in at once. I like to take my time and maybe only do a few things at a time. That's enough for me. Especially if the trip is supposed to be a vacation, which this isn't.

Certainly, there is a fair bit of free time during the days of choir tour. Often, the choir would be trapped on a bus all day going from one location to the next. But since these New England stops are so near each other, transit time is relatively short. But so far, in my capacity as Admission Director, I have been able to touch base with 5 or 6 prospective students.

When I was a pastor in Pittsburgh, for the first few years, I used to put a little blurb at the end of the Sunday bulletin called "Why We Do It." I should have kept doing it, but let it slip after a while. This was just a paragraph I wrote each week explaining the reason for some particular worship related practices. Why we bow at certain times. Why we make the sign of the cross. Why the pastor wears vestments. Why we take an offering. Why we stand for the reading of the Gospel. And so forth.

I got a lot of favorable responses to this, mostly from new church members, but also from life-long folks. What was the purpose? Sadly, the Lutheran church in America is experiencing nothing less than liturgical chaos. In our own biblically conservative denomination of Lutherans, the whole gamut exists.

I was talking with some seminarians this evening over beer and pizza about these matters. And here are a couple of my observations:

• Recognize that you can't know another man's motives for doing something. "Oh, he is just being showy." Or "That person has no respect for the history of the church." Assume the best of others' intentions.


• Give each other liberty. I won't judge you for not using incense or making the sign of the cross or using ashes on Ash Wednesday. Don't you judge me for doing so.
  


• Don't misunderstand my call for liberty as a defense of liturgical chaos. Just because I think some things are not points to fight about does not mean I think anything goes. Doctrine and practice go together. Faith and life. Belief and worship. Substance and style. These things cannot be divorced from each other. You reflect your beliefs in your worship practices.
  

Most of you have seen video clips and photos of the hanging of Saddam Hussein. The death penalty is a controversial subject in this country. Most of Europe has eradicated it entirely. I know that the Vatican has condemned Saddam's execution though I have not yet read the reports.

Romans 13 is the traditional biblical text supporting the death penalty. God has established government to oversee law and order in a society. From my brief review of the Roman Catholic Catechism, the Church of Rome recognizes this God-given role of government but states that the imposition of the death penalty should be exceedingly rare.

Is it right to take the life of a mass murderer? Yes, it is. But it does not work as a deterrent. That's probably true although I don't know how anyone could know that for sure. But I don't support the death penalty because I think it will deter other criminals. But shouldn't we focus on rehabilitation? That's a great idea. But the fundamental role of government is to make and enforce laws, to protect the innocent and to punish the guilty. Punish.

Some crimes, such as mass murder, are so repugnant and reveal a character so corrupt that the only just response is to resort to capital punishment.

What about forgiveness? There are two realms. The realm of grace, the church. And the realm of law, the state. God is the ruler in both. But he works through them very differently. It is given to the church to preach the gospel and to absolve penitents. That is not and must not be given to the state. That's why we don't ask our governors to be evangelists or missionaries. And that is why judges should not absolve murderers, robbers, rapists, child pornographers, embezzlers, etc.

The state is to raise armies, enforce laws and punish wrongdoers. That is not given to the church. So the church must not imprison people, raise armies, or burn people at the stake.

So I got my wife a bat house for Christmas? Wanna fight about it? Yeah, I'm a hopeless romantic. Her other gift was a set of diamond ear rings.

But seriously, the bat house. Check out Julie's blog on it.

I took my family last night to see The Nativity Story. I'm giving it 4 stars out of 5. It was beautifully filmed and reverently treated. Most of the plotting moves along kind of slowly. Some of it is unabashedly schmaltzy, but there were scenes that were quite moving. I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a few man tears. (I told my son I had something in my eye.)

A few negatives. First, I didn't really care for using the magi as comic relief. And the film perpetuates the misunderstanding that the wise men came to the manger. Scripture actually says, of course, that they arrived later, perhaps a year or two later. But for me, this is a minor point.

I guess I was most disappointed with the angelic appearances. Especially disappointing was the event with the shepherds. Very lame. First, the dude cast as Gabriel was funny looking. And secondly, what's the biz with the voice on the wind? Gabriel should have been majestic, striking holy fear in those who see him. Since the angel is critical for the narrative, this is a substantial weakness of the movie.

Otherwise, the casting was superb. Herod was sufficiently creepy. Mary appears humble and holy. And what a terrific Joseph! This is the first time I've ever seen Joseph so well developed. Contemplating the much neglected role of Joseph certainly deepens one's grasp of the Christmas event.

I'm hoping you all go see this movie. Take your kids. They'll enjoy it and you can use it as an opportunity to teach them. Even moderate box office success will lead to future reverently made biblical pictures.

Christmas Day, 2006

Text: John 1:1-14

It’s striking how people can become accustomed to almost anything and begin to think of it as normal. Plato tells the story of men who are born in a cave who never see the sun. The only light they see is that cast by a fire lit and kept behind them at all times. The only forms they see are shadows of objects flickering against the wall in the dim firelight. But they don’t mind being in this state so much because they don’t know anything else. They’ve never heard of the sun, let alone seen it.

But then take these men out of their caves and bring them to the surface. What will be their reaction? Do you think they will thank you for showing them the light? Certainly not. They will squint with pain and wonder what torment you’ve subjected them to. Only with time, will their eyes adjust. And then everything will be different. They will experience colors and shapes and images they’d never imagined. They will enjoy beauty they didn’t dream could exist.

Some, however, will refuse to believe that this searing brilliance will ever amount to anything good and they immediately long to return to the comfortable darkness they’ve always known.

It’s sort of like the ancient Israelites who begged to be liberated from their bondage in Egypt but then immediately complained about the discomforts of the wilderness. And they began to pine to be back in the land of their captors where at least they ate onions and cucumbers and melons instead of that boring manna day after day. It’s not that they enjoyed the slavery when they were in Egypt, but they had hoped to get to the land flowing with milk and honey a bit quicker. They had no patience for the lifelong pilgrimage in between.

Jesus Christ is the light which gives life to men. The prophet foretold: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined (Is. 9:2).” Men, however, love the darkness, even though it is killing them. The bright light of day is intimidating, demanding and overwhelming. And that’s because it changes you. St. Paul said that at the glorious return of Christ when the dead are raised and all those who are in Christ will be taken to meet him in the air, he said, “We shall all be changed.”

But I’m here to tell you that that metamorphosis has begun in you already. It is the seed planted in you at your baptism which will only fully flower on the day of your bodily resurrection from the dead when you shall be glorified.

The light of Christ is not just light in the sense of showing us the way. Psalm 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” So Christ is the light who illumines the correct path. But He is more than that.

Sunlight that strikes the leaves of a plant does not give instructions to the plant. It does not teach it what to do and how to be. No, the sunlight is the power which enlivens and awakens the plant, giving it health, and causing it to grow and bear fruit.

In a similar way, Jesus Christ is not just a moral guide telling us how to live better and more effective lives. He is the light which gives life. Jesus changes us from dormant seeds into vibrant blossoming plants full of color. But sometimes it hurts to change. Sometimes men prefer to be lifeless, barren and bland. We prefer the drabness of our sins because the Deceiver has convinced us that it is better that way.

This is one of the things I really love about The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, especially The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. If you’ve read the book or seen the movie, you know what I mean. Under the control of the evil witch, the land of Narnia is stuck in perpetual winter; everything is frozen, covered in snow, with no warmth or joy or color. It’s always winter but never Christmas, they said.

That is, that’s how it was before the great lion Aslan arrived. Aslan, of course, is Lewis’s Christ figure in the stories. When Aslan comes, everything begins to change. The ground begins to thaw, flowers of yellow and purple and red begin to pop from the earth. Birds are singing, the sun is shining, and you can hear the flow and trickle of water around you. When Aslan came, the evil witch began to lose control of Narnia. It slipped from her spell and what was a barren wasteland metamorphosed into a garden teeming with life.

And that’s how it is with Christ. The devil freezes us. He imprisons us. He promises us that a life of sin will be happy, but it’s not. It’s dull and boring and the same old – same old all the time. Only with Christ does life begin to vibrate with color and warmth and interest.

The story of the birth of Jesus is not told in the Bible because it is sweet and makes us all warm inside. Even Martin Luther succumbed a bit to this kind of sentimentality in his Christmas sermons saying that God became a baby because who can resist a baby? No one is afraid of a baby, he said. Everyone loves a baby. I’m no exception. I love children. But the Son of God didn’t become a baby in order to charm us with his pudgy little knees and win our love by being cute and adorable.

As much as we all love this time of year and are so fond of the Christmas story, we must acknowledge that it’s not all red ribbons and sugarplums. There is much pain and suffering in the Christmas narrative if you have ears to hear. The ridicule which Mary and Joseph must have been subject to. The hard travel while 9 months pregnant. No room in the inn. This young girl, giving birth presumably without the comfort of her mother or family. Not to mention the madness and deception and vicious bloodshed of King Herod the Great.

The life of Jesus, even from the start, was characterized by suffering. Commemorating the martyrs this coming week reminds us that the cute and adorable baby is, in fact, the sacrificial lamb who will break his mother’s heart and be handed over to wicked men who will do unspeakable things to him before killing him for all to see. Aside from all the sweetness, this is a story about God getting serious about sin and its fatal consequences. This is a story about God rolling up his sleeves, and getting down amongst the problems of our world and doing something about them. Jesus was quite literally born to die.

They say that familiarity breeds contempt. I think it also breeds deafness. In the church, we hear these realities spoken and sung so often that we may at times fail to hear them. The baby of Bethlehem was always going to be killed on a cross. His crucifixion was not a mistake or a detour. It was the purpose of his incarnation, birth, and life among us. To shed his blood as a ransom for many, to offer his own life to rescue sinners from eternal damnation.

A Roman Catholic author whom I admire named Flannery O’Conner once said that for the hard of hearing, you must shout. She meant that for those who are morally and spiritually hard of hearing, it becomes necessary for the church to speak more boldly. So let’s enjoy our nostalgia, our Bing Crosby albums, our Jimmy Stewart movie. But let’s say out loud for all to hear that Jesus is God in the flesh come to rescue us and give us eternal life. He is, in fact, the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome.

Christmas is more than just a birthday party for Jesus. It’s the recognition that God is in the business of saving sinners. When the angels announcing Christ’s birth sang about ‘good will toward men,’ they were not singing about people showing good will toward other people, but about God showing good will toward all of us. Instead of treating us as our sins deserve, God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.

It’s a wonderful life, when you think about it. Not the film. But life in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer, Rev. David Petersen, and Seminarist Jason Braaten)

Here we are after Divine Service on Christmas day. I preached. Pr. Petersen was the celebrant. And Mr. Braaten was our deacon.

This was the first time I'd ever worn a cope. It's pretty heavy. I wasn't able to flail my arms around in the pulpit like I usually do.

Mr. Braaten's newborn son was in church for the first time today. What an adorable baby! God bless them.

I always love coming to church at Redeemer. Pastor Petersen is a terrific preacher and the worship is always glorious. But I must say that the Christmas Eve service last night was especially amazing. The music was heavenly. Our Kantor, Dr. Reuning, is a very talented individual and his musicians are beyond good. And Petersen surpassed himself with a powerful and quite memorable sermon. (I wanted to punch him in the nose, however, when he told me today he slammed the sermon out in about an hour - with all due respect, of course. How do people do that? I have to grind sermons out. My muse gives nothing easily. It's like pulling teeth.)

The liturgy at Redeemer Lutheran Church has a reputation for being a bit more ornamented than what is typical for our denomination. Vestments, bowing, incense, and such. Some people like this and others criticize us. I will admit that I am not used to some of the rubrics. I'm no liturgical highbrow. But there is something truly satisfying in a service done in this manner. There is no question what we are doing. We're not casually hanging out with God. We are in the presence of the Almighty who comes bearing gifts.

January 15, 2007. I'm mentioning it now because I'm sure I'll forget about it if I don't. Check it out.

So how does one behave on National Talk Like Jack Bauer Day?

• Take a helicopter to work.
• Scream "There's no time for that" whenever someone asks you to do something.
• Ask a co-worker for a hacksaw and lighter fluid with no explanation.
• Trust no one except the mole, of course.
• Ask "Who are you working for?" to people throughout the day.
• ALWAYS SPEAK IN CAPS WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!
• Ask people to download stuff to your PDA.
• Die, at least once.
• Threaten to staples your boss's eyelids to his desk if he doesn't starting telling you the truth NOW!

Many thanks to Judy, a former parishoner, who thoughtfully sent me these two photos of good ol' Concordia Lutheran Church in Brentwood, PA decorated for the celebration of our Lord's nativity.

Advent 3
December 17, 2006
Text: Matthew 11:2-11

Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Something tells me that John the Baptist wouldn’t show up on most congregations’ call list for a new pastor. He’s not very warm or fuzzy. He doesn’t tiptoe around the issues and he doesn’t beat around the bush. He doesn’t care what you think of him and he certainly doesn’t seem to care if he hurts your feelings. John is a prophet sent by God. His words are not his own. And they’re not smooth and polished either. They’ve got rough edges, edges that cut. He called people to a change heart, a new way of thinking, a recognition of our standing before God.

Jesus said that John was not a reed shaken by the wind. So many preachers are just exactly that. Reeds shaken by the wind. A lot of times, pastors like all Christians, are tempted to just go with the flow, to avoid talking about the difficult teachings of Scripture, to shy away from controversial subjects or offensive moral instruction.

We want to be popular. We like it when people pat us on the back and say, “well done.” We think we need to be loved and respected by everyone. But Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets (Luke 6).” Preachers, just like all Christians however, should worry less about winning the admiration of the world and think more about finding favor with God.

John hammered at the arrogance of men. Particularly religious arrogance, the sin of the Pharisees, the ever-present danger of the dedicated churchgoer. Pharisees, old and new, imagine that the kingdom of God belongs to them because they sing in the choir, attend every church function, give 10% of their income to missions, and volunteer all their free time to good causes. Please don’t misunderstand me. I wish every person did those things. Do those things. They’re good things to do. But don’t forget that your status as a child of God rests solely on the kindness of God, and it’s never because we have toed the line. Because we have not. There is no one so pious among us who can boast before the Lord. Even when you pour out your lifeblood in service to your neighbor, fighting off wild animals to spread the Gospel, even your most holy works are tainted by selfishness or the desire for recognition and reward.

In one of his less tactful moods, John criticized King Herod Antipas for stealing his brother’s wife. And that is what eventually led to John’s arrest and execution. So today, as John awaits the chopping block he sends some of his followers to Jesus to ask if He is the One or not.

I should add that many interpreters have understood this text to mean not that John himself was having doubts but that his followers were wavering and he sent them to Jesus for their benefit more than his own. But either way, you need to face this question. Is Jesus the One or do you want someone else? Why did you come to church today? Did you come here to be entertained or to have your egos stroked? Did you get up and come out of a sense of obligation? Or did you come here because God makes Himself known to us in the breaking of the bread, because you need what God wants to give and you know you need it?

A few years ago, there was a book that came out with the title: “Disappointment with God.” Disappointment occurs when our expectations are not met by our experiences. Haven’t you ever made a choice or a decision only to find that what you got was not what you thought you were going to get? Of course you have. We all have. A doctor at Johns Hopkins did a study and concluded that one of the main emotions experienced by adults in America is the feeling of disappointment with their lives. How can it be, you may ask, that the richest, most pampered and highly entertained society on earth could feel this way? Because what we assume will make us happy – riches, pampering and entertainment – seldom does.

As Christians, our disappointments in life often translate into being disappointments with God. All of us have certain expectation for what God should be like. If you could write God’s job description, what would you say? In my baser moments, here is what I would write: The right god for the job should always answer my prayers how I want, when I want. He should never make me wait. He should never say anything to make me feel bad about myself. He should always affirm my decisions. He should not place demands on me or require me to do things that I don’t want to do. And he should give me a lovely house on the beach surrounded by lots of friends and let me die in my sleep. That’s the kind of God our flesh wants. Actually I guess what I’ve really described is a genie in a bottle. Give me seven wishes. Even Santa Claus only gives you presents when you’ve been good. Maybe your job description for God would be a little different from mine, but I’ll bet I nailed it pretty close.

A lot of people had expectations for the Messiah and they weren’t always sure that Jesus fit the bill. People become disillusioned with God when they expect Him to do things for them which He has not promised to do. People give up on church when they expect it to be something which it is not.

Jesus never promised us an easy life if we follow Him. Not in this world. Quite the opposite, He told us we could expect to be mistreated on His account. He taught us to anticipate martyrdom. John the Baptist may not have liked being in jail for calling sinners to repent, but he surely was not surprised. Nor should we be surprise when the world rejects us on account of Christ as if something strange were happening to us. No servant is greater than His Master. If our Lord was despised and rejected by men, why should we expect a standing ovation?

What God does promise is absolution to every sinner who repents. He promises eternal life to those who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. He promises that though you may suffer in this life, you will one day be lifted up and exalted above the stars.

We suffer for our confession of Christ, but we also suffer because we do stupid things, because we are mortal, because our family and neighbors sin against us. There are all sorts of reasons to suffer, but one reason to rejoice. God is good and in His goodness, He looks upon you with favor. Because Jesus died on the cross, God is no longer holding your sins against you. He’s not like us. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. When you get into a fight with your spouse, you bring up every bad thing they’ve ever done. But that’s not what God does. We hate our enemies and love our friends. But God in Christ loves His enemies and turns them into His friends. You are touchy and easily offended and find it very difficult to forgive people who hurt you. But God is slow to anger and quick to forgive. Here is a trustworthy saying, deserving of full acceptance: God will not treat you as your sins deserve because Jesus has been treated as your sins deserve in your place. And we will be treated as Jesus deserves, like a Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Not long ago, I watched Sophie Scholl - The Final Days. I'd read much about it when it was briefly in the theaters. Then I got it through Netflix but kept putting off watching it. I need to be in the right mood to watch a film with subtitles. What a terrific movie! It's based on a true account of a young German woman and her family who resisted the Nazis during WWII. Naturally, I was particularly pleased with the sympathetic manner in which Scholl's Christian faith was portrayed.

Concordia Theological Seminary has a wonderful 16 voice choir, the Kantorei. Their Epiphany tour this year takes them to Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Here is their itinerary. Yours truly will be traveling as the preacher. Come hear us. And tell any prospective seminarians you might know to come and meet with me. Go to the link and you can listen to selections of the Kantorei's music.

How many of you have heard of this? It sounds cool.

Just another reminder that we are producing 5-minute audio devotions for each day in Advent. Go here to listen.

I recorded one this evening which will go up in a couple of days. In it I talk about the continuity that exists between the Old and New Testaments of the bible. I didn't include this but I was thinking that this brings up a common problem. Many Christians will read the bible like they eat from a salad bar. I really like the carrots, spinach and peppers but ignore the sprouts and have no use for bacon bits unless they're made from real bacon. Similarly, you read some from the Gospels, maybe the psalms, and a few scattered passages from Paul's epistles. But what about the rest?

I highly recommend the practice of reading entire books of the bible from beginning to end. Obviously reading from Genesis to Revelation makes a lot of sense. From time to time, you will return to those isolated verses here or there which you love. But pulling 10 or 20 consecutive words out of the Bible can become problematic if you lose the sense of the whole thing. A good rule of thumb is simply to read more and to read continuously.

After the massive success of The Passion, Hollywood has been percolating with ideas about how to cash in on the whole religion thing. The current film, The Nativity Story, is an example of this.

First, has anyone seen the Nativity movie and what did you think of it?

Secondly, here is an interesting article explaining how Hollywood can truly turn the religious faith of millions of Americans into box office success.

I know it sounds like the title of an Agatha Christie -style murder mystery. But it's not. Some archaeologists believe they've found the bones of the apostle. See here.

I haven't posted much lately in large part because I've been terribly sick with some virus. It's been three weeks and I think I am only now starting to turn the corner.

But here are a couple of things going on:

• Work in recruitment for the seminary is fun and challenging. I really enjoyed a conference in Indianapolis which focused on recruitment for theological schools. I have a wonderful staff and it's been rewarding to learn to know and utilize their respective gifts.
  

• Next week, I'm going to meet with three focus groups. I'm getting three sets of five first year students and their wives to meet with me for 30-40 minutes. I'm going to interview them to find out why they chose to come to CTS, what the chief issues were, and to get their ideas for how my team can better serve future prospective students.

• We're still putting up our daily audio advent devotions which you can get by going to our seminary website. I have another one of mine going up tomorrow. Excuse how hoarse I sound.

• I re-watched the movie, Crash, the other night. I really think that's a great flick. It's a very clever commentary on all different aspects of racial stereotyping. Everyone does it and the movie is good about showing the flaws and strengths of each character. Everybody is bad but nobody is all bad. I liked that about the movie. We talk in Lutheranism sometimes about "total depravity" but that really is a Calvinist category. I don't know that I accept it. Certainly, before God I have nothing to offer but my sin. But even the vilest person does nice things for his neighbor. When we speak of the fallen nature of man, we should distinguish between righteousness before God and righteousness before man. I don't have any righteousness of my own to offer God for salvation. But toward my neighbor, I may do all sorts of right things, even as I do a lot of wicked things mixed in. Lutherans must not talk about the fallen-ness of man as if to say everything he ever does or thinks or says is worthless in every way. I think we do that sometimes.
  

How well do you know the Nativity story? Take this quiz.

I want you to give me your ideas for how to recruit more excellent students for the seminary. I have lots of ideas we're working on, and this recent conference in Indy really got some juices flowing. What do you suggest?

I haven't posted as much lately, in part, because of being on the road a bit. But I've also just started to emerge from a nasty cold. I got back from a conference in Indy on Friday night. I laid down in the recliner and didn't get up until this morning at about 8 a.m. to go to work. I literally slept all weekend. I feel better but now I hardly have a voice.

This Sunday marks the beginning of the new liturgical year. Many Christians observe this special season by special offerings, midweek worship services, advent calendars, wreaths, etc. I don't know how common this is in other traditions but we Lutherans like Advent devotion books. Daily Scripture readings with short meditations and prayers.

The Admission Counselors at Concordia Theological Seminary will post an audio devotion each day in Advent on our website. The first devotion is already up (a bit early).

Go here.

Why not check it each day as a way to observe the holy season we are soon to enter?

Now this might surprise you in light of my last post. But a comment made by Peter below set me to thinking.

One of my pet crusades is that TV deadens the mind. I say that a lot. I believe it. The evidence is all around us. At 12:15 a.m., August 1, 1981 the very first music video to be shown on MTV was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. Well, of course, music videos did not kill radio. Far from it. You'd be hard pressed to find any music programming on MTV these days. But I do believe that watching lots of television kills the ability to communicate verbally.

When people (especially children under 8) spend hours watching television, it literally damages their brains and impairs their ability to think verbally. Vital synapses are underdeveloped. How many people have you heard say, "Well, I learn visually"? Sure. That's legit. But it becomes a problems when folks are truly unable to follow a sustained argument or express complex thoughts verbally.

Everyone should read: The Vanishing Word: The Veneration of Visual Imagery in the Postmodern World (Focal Point Series) by Arthur W. Hunt III, edited by Gene Edward Veith.

That having been said, I also believe that American television is in a golden age. Insofar as anyone can identify their current age as golden, I think this is the case for American TV. And why has this happened? Market economics. There is sooooo much television these days that producers have had to come up with truly high quality material in order to stand out. Hence, the proliferation of so many very well written and excellently produced programs. Some that I have found to be very powerful and entertaining include: 24, The Office, The Sopranos, Carnivale, Lost, and Battlestar Galactica. Other people have sung the praises of House, Heroes, and others. But I'd be surprised if these programs constitute even 1% of all that is available on television.