Completely Out of the Pew
Many Roman Catholics in America have always felt they had a special card to play. Anytime they were asked about the more peculiar parts of the Roman Catholic faith (praying to Mary, viewing the pope as infallible, abstaining from all contraceptives, etc.) they often played it all down and said something along the lines of, "Oh we don't REALLY believe in all that." I've heard it numerous times from Roman Catholic friends and acquaintances. But a new problem has arisen. The pope recently reminded everyone the Roman Catholic church is... still Roman Catholic.
On May, 13, The Vatican just issued a decree outlining the many ways that Catholics can obtain a plenary indulgence during the 2025 Jubilee Year. As Lutherans that word indulgence sends up red flags. And with good reason! But what does "plenary" mean and why do people still need an indulgence in 2024?
What does this all mean for Roman Catholics? First, it means they do believe Christ forgave the sins of the world and believers go to heaven. Second, if they die with too many sins they enter a "waiting room" before entering heaven. The "waiting room" is called purgatory (which Lutherans do not believe in). How can someone reduce time in the "waiting room"? Plenary (full) indulgences! They are meant to reduce the time it takes for a soul to enter heaven. The requirements include sacramental confession, reception of the Holy Eucharist, and prayer for the Pope's intentions.
Dear Lutherans, this is a big deal. Plenary indulgences mean there’s no real certainty of heaven/salvation to be found except in the works of humans. 500 years ago Luther wrote, "Salvation consists not in our uncertain and sinful works but rather in the suffering and blood of the innocent “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” [John 1:29]
A fellow pastor also made the comment, "Our example should be the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43). He knew he suffered justly for his crimes by being crucified. It’s right that he did. But in the hour of death, he had nothing to offer God but faith, pure trust in Christ alone. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus told him nothing of satisfactions or purifying his soul in purgatory. He said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Pray for our Roman Catholic friends and love them. When the darker this world becomes, the brighter the light of Christ shines. We are completely holy. And this is according to the person and WORKS of Jesus Christ! Pure grace has been poured over us in Jesus. What good news! We Lutherans are...still Lutheran!
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Two months ago we witnessed the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore. It's still getting honorable mention in the news, mostly because it's taken 55 days to remove the destroyed cargo ship that caused the fiasco. Americans quickly learned how vulnerable we are. It only took the loss of a single bridge to see how reliant we are on seemingly insignificant structures. But when they're gone, we find ourselves unprepared for the consequences. Two week ago we witnessed the weakening of another bridge, the family. The family is structured in a particular way. Men and women marry and have children and TOGETHER, the structure is kept in place.
Like the Baltimore bridge, Americans thought little of that structure. But what happens when the family crumbles? How many years will it take to recover and rebuild? What happens in communities when dads are no longer in the picture? What will happen when moms are demoralized and no longer desire to have children? I'm not saying that the world hates families right now, but I am saying the family structure is starting to show cracks. And if Christians aren't ready to protect families, it could all collapse.
Just look at the hate received by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. He garnered criticism for his commencement speech at a private Catholic school. He's pro-woman, pro-college, pro-worker, but also pro-family. He dared to say some women find fulfillment in being a wife and mom (if God has so blessed them with children). Did he say anything radical? No. Did he say women weren't allowed to work? No. Did he say you NEED to be a stay at home mom? Nope. He was merely trying to keep the bridge from collapsing. In fact, he was stating nothing new. Without the family, America loses. Isn't it sad when your community finds out there's just not as many children entering school as there were five years ago? What happens to social security if the number of retirees outnumber the amount of workers? And beyond the practical, what does God say?
God says that the family reflects His own love for the entire world. And no, you aren't required to have children in order to live a God pleasing life. What God is saying is that within marriage, you show how you God in Christ LOVES. And the world watches this. The world didn't see Jesus die on the cross, but the world will see a mom sacrifice her "me time" to take care of a baby. The world didn't see Jesus suffer for the sins of the world, but they will see a husband defend his wife rather than put her down (Ephesians 5). And the reason why so many get angry when others speak of family is because the family is that bridge which connects the divine to the human. Again, it stands as a reflection of how God cares for us through Jesus Christ.
Will the Butker controversy last as long in the news as the Baltimore bridge? Who's to say. But both the Baltimore bridge and the family stand as a reminder that what some find insignificant are, in fact, necessary. Just like tending to cracks in a bridge, Christians are called to speak the truth. And this means DEFENDING one another (8th commandment). When we put things in the kindest way concerning fellow Christians, we upbuilt the whole body of Christ. If the world is demonizing one of us, we must respond with even greater support to those willing to be so public in their Christian beliefs.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
What this survey indicates is younger people seek authenticity over feelings. In a world which has become increasingly artificial (did someone say AI?), there is a growing generation yearning for the tangible. The data also stands as a reminder of the importance of religious instruction at an early age. Lutheran schools matter!
It's interesting to note that larger congregations have seen a greater loss year over year of membership. Is this due to members getting lost in a sea of people or a heartfelt desire to be more connected within a church family? That is all certainly up for discussion. This data tends to show many aren't looking for a large congregation, but rather a desire to settle into a smaller church atmosphere.
As Christians, the psalmist reminds us to "walk in the law of the LORD" (Ps.119:1). Maybe it's not surprising that many within our church body find comfort in what never changes, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Year after year the Church sees new ways in which God blesses the faithful who seek the Kingdom first above all else (Mt. 6:33).
We remember the Church endures because it's God's Church and He is faithful. Innovations come and go, while we are called to be faithful to the enduring Word. We as God' people don't seek fame and numbers, but forgiveness and salvation (1 Jn. 1:9). Christ is the solid foundation, and He will endure without end!
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
After a fourth month sabbatical from MailChimp, I've returned! By God's grace, your weekly beloved meditations from Pastor Barkley have returned to their normal schedule. As I get back into the groove of writing, I find myself reflecting on a new season in the Church. We've enjoyed weeks within the Easter season. The victory over death by Christ has been cemented in our lives and worship. But I've wondered, does this victory include your local church?
Jesus famously tells Peter the gates of hell "will not prevail" against the Church. This means not even the barricades set up by Satan and the demons are no match for the power of God in Christ. There is no place on earth in heaven or in hell that Christ cannot access. What a total victory! The Good News of Christ crucified and risen is without compare. So, if you stand in the company of winners and washed in the blood of the Lamb, why do you act like you're seated at the worst table?
At a wedding, those loosely connected to the bride and groom get relegated to a table filled with strangers. Worse, they get seated next to the speakers. Is this how you feel about your church? Maybe you often think you aren't really part of that church Jesus talked about earlier with Peter. Often, Christians can be the worst promoters of their church. Perhaps we Lutherans fear being too prideful. After all, Proverbs 8:13 says the LORD "hates pride and arrogance." Mark 7 makes it clear pride is one of those dishonorable things that comes out of our mouths that defile us. But has this led to a misunderstanding of pride?
When Paul finishes up his letter to the house churches in Rome he writes, "In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God" (Rom. 15:17). Paul is proud of the church of Jesus Christ. Never once in the book of Romans does Paul list the size of the congregation or how many baptisms were performed from year to year. Paul doesn't recount a bad voters meeting or that time the service started late. Paul was proud of a church that placed Jesus Christ at the center. In fact, OTHERS were proud of these Christians and their "faith was proclaimed in all the world" (Rom. 1:8). People knew about these Christians in Rome because others were proud of them.
Be proud of the church you attend. This isn't for your gain, but for the encouragement of those around you. Your faith encourages the faith of others. And you're not lying! You're not putting on rose colored glasses. Go ahead and spend a minute this week listing the benefits of your local congregation and follow up with a prayer of gratitude. Remember, other people want to delight in what you delight in. See your congregation as God sees your congregation; it's an assembly of saints covered in the blood of the Lamb. Perhaps in the weeks to come you'll even get comfortable saying, "In Jesus Christ, I have so many reasons to be proud of my church."
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Stewards take care of something they don't own. For Christians, the clearest example is the church building. We scrub the windows, replace the lightbulbs, and pay the heating bill. But no Christian walks around saying, "I'm fixing up the church because I own it." We understand it is always the LORD'S Church. God has merely given us stewardship over His building. After looking at all He created, God "saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). In our weekly Romans Bible Study we've learned about something else God has given us, worship.
In Romans 9:4, St. Paul talks about all the things God gave to the Israelites in the Old Testament. One of those great blessings was worship. We often don't think about this. Too often we consider worship an obligation we fulfill FOR God. We forget that worship was given as a gift to God's people.
How on earth would we know HOW to rightly praise God and know for certain our sins were truly forgiven if God hadn't FIRST given this gift of worship to people? We can now make two statements about worship:
Worship was created by God.
We are stewards of that worship.
In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given stewardship over God's creation. They were to care for what God had given. Now look at our Lenten Stewardship. Is the season of Lent something we do to add busyness to life? OR, is Lent a gift given by God for our benefit? In truth, we tend to the gift of Lent by attending Lenten services and increasing our devotional life.
Lent is a special time in the life of the church set aside for Christians to focus on Jesus' suffering and death for sin. No other season does this. No other worldly habit draws us into the cross like Lent. It is a season in the church that God has gifted His people. We aren't called to loath it, but to tend to it. We are to be stewards of Lent. We care for the season of Lent like Adam and Eve in the garden. We visit the church during those midweek services so as to hear MORE from God's Word. We devote more time in devotional reading so the depth of Jesus' sacrifice would drive us to repentance and forgiveness.
Lent doesn't belong to the Christian. It belongs to God. And God blesses us with this Holy Season. It is not ours to ignore, but ours to grab hold of and to tend. May we gather this year in expectation around this sacred gift of Lent.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
In 2021, Robert Downey Jr. received an award from Mel Gibson. In his acceptance speech, he acknowledge his road from addiction and depression to sobriety and joy. He credited Mel Gibson (another former addict) with his recovery. Jr. said that he learned from Gibson that he needed to "stop hugging the cactus." This means to stop holding on to your past sins. Don't look at what you've done wrong as if those events are what define you today. It's a common trait, to hold on to shame and guilt as if "hugging the cactus" is a path to recovery. It's not.
As Lutherans, you know how to speak in terms of confession and absolution. But you also speak of something deeper: Perfection. You want to get to the table of perfection. But notice that the paths you often take to perfection are so often led by you? You are the "Achieve-O-Matics". But maybe you can't understand why the path you walk is bringing so little joy. It's because so often the "cactus" you've been hugging is yourself.
Robert Downey Jr. has little understanding of God, but he did realize that nothing got better until OTHERS helped. For you, nothing improves if you're the ones trying to perfect your families, your jobs, or your futures. But here's the real truth; perfection is reserved for eternity. Your life WILL be perfect in heaven. But until that day, Christ fights for you in this imperfect realm.
Christ battles for you against "the cosmic powers over this present darkness" (Eph. 6:12). Christ, who is God and Man goes before you and acts as your champion and advocate. Lean on HIM and leave all your struggles at His feet. He has won the battle against sin on the cross and continues to fight for you in this life. Christ didn't hug the cactus for you, He hung on the cross for you. He went on the cross and you don't have to. Your sins are forgiven. That victory is won and paradise is guaranteed in His work. God doesn't call your old sins to remembrance. And when they appear in your mind, confess and receive absolution. Live, as 1 Timothy 1:19 says, by "holding faith and a good conscience." This all comes from Christ. So now you move forward, hugging Jesus.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
FAQS
Pastor has Returned a Call:
What does this mean?
It means that Pastor Barkley has returned the call to First English Lutheran in Dorset, MN and has decided to remain serving Luther Memorial and Grace Lutheran. We use the term "return" instead of "decline" because the Divine Call to First English is God's Divine Call and now that Call will be placed upon another man in the future.
What happens now?
First English Lutheran is planning to call a seminary graduate to serve as their pastor.
What can you do? Pray to GOD that the Lord of the Harvest would call more pastors into the field. There are MANY unfilled vacancies within the LCMS.
I announced on Sunday, December 31st that I have received a Divine Call to serve First English Lutheran Church in Dorset, MN. I will announce my decision in two weeks. The call process can seem shrouded in mystery. I hope to illuminate the very divine and very human components of a Divine Call. To do this, I will use the story of the wise men.
Regular sinners were called to travel West to find Jesus Christ. These wise men had no special powers nor were they more qualified than other men from their area. They studied the stars, and so God would use those gifts in their travels. But it was God all along who planned for their journey. So it is with the pastoral office. Jeremiah 1:5 makes it clear that God calls individuals to specific purposes.
God continues to use regular sinners as pastors. I have no special amount of holiness that makes me a pastor. What makes me a pastor is God's call. God DIVINELY called me to serve Luther Memorial and Grace Lutheran Church. Now, God has sent a Divine Call for me to serve at First English. Sadly, I cannot serve all locations at one time. Over the next two weeks I will pray, read scripture, and talk with members from all congregations. It is a wholly divine and human process.
The LCMS views the Divine Call as a threefold process involving the pastor, the congregation, and God. God works through the congregation and the pastor, guiding both to fulfill HIS divine purpose in ministry. Go back to the wise men. They get to Jerusalem and ask where Christ is to be found. The scribes are consulted, and they use the words of the Prophet Micah. In the same way, pastors are bound to act in accord with the Word of God. I don't serve where I can be glorified, but rather serve where I can best give glory to God and teach HIS Word.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
FAQS
Pastor has a Call:
What does this mean? It means that First English Lutheran in Dorset, MN has decided to ask Pastor Barkley to consider being their pastor.
Does that mean Pastor must leave? No. Pastor is now considering where GOD can use him best in the Lord’s Church. Essentially, Pastor has two calls now and cannot serve them all at the same time.
What happens now? Pastor will prayerfully seek to determine where GOD would have him serve at this time. This involves looking at the needs of all congregations. He also takes into account his other roles God has given him like being a husband, father, and son.
How long does this take? There is no set rule, but pastor hopes to announce his decision in two weeks.
What can you do? Pray. Pray for all congregations involved. Pray for your pastor and his family. Any decision he makes leaves someone without a pastor. Call, text, or email pastor if you have anything helpful to add to this process. Finally, pray to GOD that the Lord of the Harvest would call more pastors into the field.
You've got the shepherds and sheep snuggled up in the nativity. The ornaments are just where you want them. And you even know the meal plan for Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. You've remembered Jesus, of course. But did you forget about Satan? And no, I'm not asking you to keep his stocking on your mantle.
St. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 2:11 that Christians should "not be outwitted by Satan, for you are not ignorant of his designs." Paul makes it clear that you already know the devil's game plan. He isn't inventive nor are his tactics new. He will even use your Christmas activities to ruin this blessed season. Consider the following:
-Making the traditional cookies, eggnog, ham, etc.
-Predicting whose feelings get hurt when they don't receive your annual card this year.
-Wrapping. Wrapping. Wrapping.
The events above are not sinful, but the devil will use each of them to get a foothold. He doesn't strike where you're faithful, he strikes where you're vulnerable. And Christmas is the most vulnerable time of year. You're tired, nostalgic, busy, and sometimes bitter. But St. Paul says you don't have to be outwitted by the evil foe.
Here's the truth: You ALREADY know what makes you stressed. The same Christmas traditions that felt like a burden in 2022 will bring the same turmoil this year. But it doesn't have to be this way.
The best way to get rid of Satan is to already know HOW he works. Look at how he works below:
-Making the traditional cookies, eggnog, ham, etc.
You're worried Christmas wont be special if your list isn't completed. The devil loves to make you feel shameful and inadequate.
-Predicting whose feelings get hurt when they don't receive your annual card.
Instead of loving others, the devil wants you thinking the worst thing first about your neighbors. He doesn't want loving relationships.
-Wrapping. Wrapping. Wrapping.
The devil will tempt you to believe you have to give everyone in your family an equal amount of gifts in order to keep everyone happy. He wants you to forget that true joy isn't found in things, but in the one born on Christmas.
When Christ was tempted in the wilderness, He used the Word of God. Jesus reminded the devil that He did not live according to earthly bread, but the Word of God.
Dear Christians, hold on to Jesus. Christ IS your BREAD OF LIFE. Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means "House of Bread." When Satan comes to tempt you this week, remember that nothing can undo Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. The devil cannot stop what has already happened. Jesus HAS been born. Unto you a child is, a Son is given. When the devil is at you this week, tell him he cannot have Christmas and remind him "Christmas belongs to Christ." And at the Name of Jesus, the devil will flee.
This week belongs to your Savior. He has redeemed you and called you His own. Christmas will come on December 25th. And in Jesus Christ, that Christmas Day is going to be absolutely perfect.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
I remember Dr. Reynolds teaching me a valuable lesson. He was one of my pastoral care professors at the seminary. He once stood up and said, "Guys, do not be afraid to say that you don't know something." Dr. Reynolds' advice has held up well. Last Sunday was such a day. At Luther Memorial, the Bible Class was reading Romans 8. We came upon verse 20 and I was really hoping no one would ask about it. Frankly, I didn't know what it meant and the commentaries I was using didn't give any clear insight. I finally recited that familiar Dr. Reynolds phrase, "I just don't know." But, I was determined to turn this challenge into an opportunity! I continued my study of the verse and found some profound insights. So, here it goes. What on earth does Romans 8:20 mean?
"Subjected to futility"
Notice that the phrase here uses passive language? This means something has come upon us. We are enduring something we didn't have a part in causing. The futility is that we are completely corrupted. We call this original sin. After Adam's fall into sin God tells Adam the very ground is cursed (Gen. 3:17,18). This means Adam and all his descendances (us) will have lives of suffering. We will have to work for our livelihood and our lives themselves will be cut short.
"not willingly"
Paul is making is clear that we weren't there when Adam sinned. We didn't eat that fruit of the forbidden tree. Unfortunately, we've been drawn into Adam's sin. Adam's failure is now our failure. God has pronounced our original sin. Our inheritance from our first parents in Genesis is an inheritance of sin.
"but because of him who subjected it"
While Adam sinned, God is the one who subjected us to original sin. Does this make God unfair? By no means! We are inheriting a sin caused by Adam and Eve, not God. God does not treat sin lightly. But there is still hope!
"in hope"
The one who cast out Adam and Eve from the Garden promises salvation. This is our hope. It is the hope found in Genesis 3:15, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Here is the Messianic promise of Jesus Christ. Hope was made man in Christ the Lord. One day, all believers will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of glory in heaven.
The takeaway is this, we are filled with original sin on earth. This sin causes destruction and death. But even in the midst of our present sufferings, we still look with hope in Jesus Christ who won the victory over sin, death, and the devil. We will finally be free of sin when we are called home to heaven.
Here is Pastor Barkley's translation of 8:20:
"All believers have inherited original sin from Adam's fall in Eden. His sin is now our sin. God has made this clear. But this same God has also declared that Jesus will come and pay for the punishment for that sin."
Now you know!
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Oprah, Advent, & Togetherness
I'm back! As we enter a new church year and the season of Advent, I thought it time to send you some encouragement. And I want to start back up with someone unexpected. Oprah. She was interviewed by NPR concerning her newest book, Build the Life you Want. I haven't read the book, but I found her interview fascinating. No, I'm not here to obliterate her opinions or character. I'm writing to congratulate Oprah because she has, in fact, discovered what the Church has been teaching all along. People need to be by people.
The co-author of the book who deals with the science, says, " There's a neuropeptide in the brain called oxytocin. That's the molecule of human connection. You get it from eye contact and touch in person. You don't get it from social media." Did you catch that? There is an admission that we need to be with one another. As Christians, we call that an incarnational reality. Incarnation means, "in the flesh". Christians understand Jesus Christ didn't stay in heaven, but was born on earth. He became us (in His incarnation) to save us. This incarnational reality now extends to our worship. Look at how Paul phrases it in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, "The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."
In-person worship is incarnational worship. It's fleshly people gathering to be near a flesh and blood Savior. It means something, not because we emotionally want it to mean something, but because this is how God intended for Christians to exist. We confess sins together and receive an equal amount of forgiveness. We gather to listen to the living voice of Jesus in the Scripture lessons and sermon. We then receive the true body and blood of Christ. What we do in person matters. Does this mean live-streamed services are sin? By no means! Those who are sick, the shut-ins, and those far off should have access to the Word. But we should be cautious that online worship never replaces what happens in person (this is why we cannot logically have online Holy Communion)
People need to be by people. Or perhaps it would be better to confess, people need to be by the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.May you continue to be near Christ over this Advent season.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
We just don't know the future. But oh my do we like to predict the future. I saw a prediction last week that claimed the LCMS would be gone by 2042. How many others have predicted the downfall of the Church? Maybe for some the downfall of the church is wishful thinking. Consider the prophet Elijah. Here was ONE prophet amongst 450 prophets who followed Baal (a pagan god). Elijah was outnumbered. And those 450? They were predicting the downfall of Elijah's God (1 Kings 18).
Dear Christians, just because a majority adheres to the same sinful belief, doesn't mean they're right. Consider this; just because someone dislikes the church doesn't mean they're an expert in the church. Perhaps that's where we as Christians have floundered. We see, like Elijah, we're in the minority of believers in the true God. Is their god right? Is our God wrong?
Elijah tested the false prophets and their false Baal god. He wanted Baal to prove himself and help make a fire for the people's sacrifice. 1 Kings 18:29 says, "they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention."
Dear Christians, false gods give no answers. Do people today still call upon their false gods today? Absolutely! Their false god is their imagination. They believe they have secret knowledge of our church's downfall. But the Father of heaven and earth is never silent.
Just as God came down with fire to the altar of Elijah, Christ was sent down with judgement into this world. Jesus Christ came not just to lighten a sacrifice, but to be a new sacrifice. Jesus' death on the cross is our certainty that the Lord's Church will never be extinguished.
Are their more pagans than believers in 2023? Yes. Does that mean the world can predict when the Church will be extinguished? Absolutely not. Because it's not their church. It's Jesus' Church. He built it and paid for it with his precious blood. Elijah was one man against many. But so was Christ. Do not believe for one moment your church size determines the future. God does greatly with very little.
And the day will come when that one man Jesus Christ will descend on the last day. All the 450 false prophets will see Jesus as the true Christ. Countless more will also see the true Lord. Look forward to that day when the many will see that the Lord's Church was never any danger in the first place.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
During the Christmas season I had the opportunity to sit with my whole family and watch a movie from start to finish. With six children, this almost seems like an impossible task. My family are Roald Dahl book fans. Naturally, when the new Matilda movie appeared on Netflix, we just had to have a family viewing.
The musical version of Matilda first appeared on Broadway in 2013. Anyone watching the Netflix version can tell the musical score is well produced, the dialogue moves at an energetic pace, and the dancing keeps everyone entertained. So it is with sadness I found the themes of this musical Matilda worrying.
The musical bookends with two showstoppers. The first solo, entitled "Naughty", is sung by Matilda herself. It ends with the following lyrics:
But nobody else is gonna put it right for me
Nobody but me is gonna change my story
Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty
Later, the musical will end with a full cast song called "Revolting Children". The chorus goes:
We can S-P-L how we like
If enough of us are wrong, wrong is right
Every word N-O-R-T-Y
'Cause we're a little bit naughty!
I understand this is fiction. It's a musical trying to be different than the 1996 movie version based on a book written in 1988. I know this is a work of entertainment. But I can't help find a common theme in a movie...
You can allow yourself to break the rules because everyone else broke them first.
This was the theme running around in my head during the movie. Were Matilda's parents horrible? Yes. Was the head of her school atrocious? Absolutely. But I found the musical pressed into a new avenue that was not originally in the book. There was this glorification of the downfall of institutions. Why? Because the institutions failed the children. The children sang and celebrated when Matilda left her parents. The children waved flags and brought down a statue when the evil school principle was kicked out.
As Christians we have to ask ourselves, what deserves our evil? How much punishment do we bestow upon those who punish us? Are we allowed to disrupt because others have hurt us first?
Jesus says, "But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you" Matthew 5:39-42.
The Lord Jesus spent His life on earth as a servant. He was brought before the leadership of the Jews and the Romans. How many instructions failed Christ? All of them. And yet, how many institutions did Jesus overthrow while on earth? The Savior of the world came to serve and give His life as a ransom.
I don't want you to avoid this musical. I want you to watch it. I want families to watch it. But I also think families should then talk to their children about what they saw. It's a great discussion starter about patience, charity, forgiveness, and order. And the singing is quite good! My kids especially loved seeing all the dancing.
And if you have a little fun while watching, that's allowed as well!
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
It's 2023. Time for decisions. Don't be afraid of that "decision" word. Use it. Make it yours. Speak out your decisions with your spouse and to your children. It's 2023. It's time to decide that you'll run back to your village.
As Lutherans, you know that you don't decide to let Jesus in your heart. Faith is given. It is not a choice you make. Jesus Christ says in John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you...". So you can't decide to believe. But you CAN decide how you will live in this life of faith. I'm talking about holy living. How will you live holy? You know Christ. In fact, you know what Christ did to redeem you. So what now? Run to the village.
Your village is the place where God PROMISES He will give holy things to holy people. Maybe it's best to say what isn't holy in 2023.
Your reputation.
A little rest on Sunday.
Fancy vestments.
Your house.
The church building.
Your retirement package.
Political affiliations.
Cell phones.
Those things won't save you. So don't run to them. God didn't set those apart to forgive you or strengthen your faith. They might be beneficial, but they aren't necessary.
Your village is where the works of God are being done among you. Luther says it like this:
"Thus this Wittenberg of ours is a holy village, and we are truly holy, because we have been baptized, communed, taught and called by God; we have the works of God among us, that is the word and the sacraments, and these make us holy."
Get to your church in 2023. Be in your village. The building isn't holy, neither are the pastor's robes, or the vessels that hold wine. And you are not holy because of your deeds or character. What makes you holy is that you receive the holy things of God as He intends to give them to you. You live a receptive life. You live as receivers in a village where other believers settle and receive the same holy things.
Get to your village. It's 2023. Make a decision. Talk to your family. Say it aloud. Be pillars in your congregations. Don't dip a toe, but dive in. Recognize that in 2023 your church is where you plan to be at the same time every week and everything else takes a back seat.
And when you're in the village, yes, you are holy. For God has made you holy. Happy 10th day of Christmas. Oh, and happy New Year! Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
In social media circles like Tic Toc and Facebook, a video of a large church practicing for Christmas Eve has gone viral. The video shows drummers strung up and playing a modern version of the Little Drummer Boy. This, dear people, is what we call a red herring. It is being used intentionally as misleading. Watching the bright lights, smoke machines, and music evokes anger from everyone who ever held a grudge against the church. I mean, how can you take a church seriously as it tries to act like a Disney show? And the reaction has been swift and loud.
Bloggers, celebs, and other commentators have noted how frivolous that church looks. Right away, people have remarked how the church could be better using its time. Most look at these floating drummers and mention something about the financial waste. If only the church would finally start feeding the poor and giving to the needy! But here is the red herring. This one mega-church does not represent ALL churches. In fact, that one mega church probably represents only a few like it in the nation.
Most congregations have less than a 100 on Sunday. 37% of ALL churches in the United States worship between 51 – 99 people. You can see the data here:
https://churchanswers.com/blog/the-new-very-large-church/?fbclid=IwAR1fXVbzBIfknE68OIf2r6nAGQLl0GCGI3T7hjnopqHx3OXFYxXJb8yuHmI
Do you know how many churches worship over 250 on a Sunday? Less than 8%! The red herring is that every few years one large church will do something silly (I'm not allowed to stay stupid at home) and everyone assumes this is how all churches act. It gives ammunition to those who already despise the church. And then they get to use those buzz word phrases:
"Churches only care about money."
"They could sell their buildings and really care about others."
"The church is just full of hypocrites."
The danger is this; we often get painted with a wide brush. We get verbally assaulted by others and these buzz words. And no matter how much we deny those words, they still enter our minds. 1Timothy 1:19 speaks of a good conscience. No one gets to ruin that for the believer. The conscience is from God and bound by the very Word of God. Will mega-churches do some silly things over Christmas? Oh yes. And I'm sure some of them have oddball Easter celebrations planned. But they are not us. And one large church doesn't speak for all. It certainly doesn't speak for us.
So live as a Christian and be proud of your church. When others try and paint you with a wide brush, shrug your shoulders and move on. Let not your conscience be burdened. Talk to those who burden you and invite them like Phillip and Nathanial. Say "come and see" and hopefully they do see what you see. A faithful church, filled with Christ, looking to a time when all people will see Jesus on the last day.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
It's not the end of the world, but we're getting there. The last Sunday of the church year shows up on November 20th. For many weeks, the readings in the church have been about "last things" or the End Times of our Lord. Jesus will return, but He's not back yet. You wait for Jesus' return, but the world isn't making it any easier on you. The devil has this great tool in his toolbox. He'll make the very thing that saves you be the very thing you're taught to avoid.
In 1 Corinthians 1:23 Paul says the cross will be a stumbling block and seem foolish to the unbelieving world. The scary part? The devil wants you to think the cross is foolish too. So what else COULD save you? Your vote? Your goodwill? Your efforts to better yourselves daily? Joe Rogan, the famous podcaster, now sells "Alpha Brain" tablets to increase your productivity. Could this be the thing we're all missing? Why all the misdirection?
The devil knows the ONLY thing you can cling to while waiting for the End...is the cross.
On the Last Sunday of the Church year, the pastor will pray the following:
"Lord Jesus Christ, You reign among us by the preaching of Your cross."
Here on the Last Sunday, the church gathers and recalls the only thing that holds the church together in hopeful expectation. The cross of Jesus. The cross is not your stumbling block, but your salvation. The cross transfers you from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of God. The cross takes away your punishment and bestows on you the crown of life.
The Last Day isn't here. You wait. You cling. You look. Behold the cross. Be bathed in the preaching of Jesus' sacrifice. Hold on. Eternal paradise is almost here. You'll be there. Because on a hill far away, Christ secured your passage on the tree. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
"When the Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMXK9eDrMY
Remember Your Angels
The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels is always recognized by the church on September 29th. You may be shocked to know we Lutherans keep a day in our Christian calendar for angels. First consider Psalm 34:7, "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them." The word angel comes from the Greek ángelos, which means “messenger.”
Angels accompany you along life's journey and they will join you in heaven. They have special tasks in protecting believers. One author writes, "In the Scriptures, angels never act on their own. They always act as the Lord’s messengers, speaking His Word or carrying out His actions, bringing judgment or salvation. A true angel always points a person to see Jesus and His work. An angel proclaims the Gospel. Paul writes in Gal. 1:8, “If we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” That means that an angel of the Lord will not speak or deliver to you anything contrary to or different from the Holy Scriptures, particularly regarding our Lord, Jesus Christ. Angels love nothing more than to bring the message of the saving work of Jesus. https://witness.lcms.org/2011/st-michael-and-all-angels-9-2011/
An angel visits Mary to tell her she would give birth to the Savior. Angels were present when Jesus was praying in Gethsemane before His crucifixion. Angels announces Jesus' resurrection on Easter morning. Less famously, angels freed St. Peter from prison and spoke to St. Paul. But what about St. Michael?
St. Michael battled in heaven with Satan and his evil angels. Many readings (Dan. 10:10–14; 12:1–3; Rev. 12:7–12; Luke 10:17–20; Matt. 18:1–11) describe how the Lord used Michael to deliver His people from the accusations of Satan. Michael used the very same weapon you have; the Lord’s Word. Jude 9 says St. Michael battled Satan and said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
Rev. 12:11 goes on to say “They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Satan and his evil angels are defeated by the blood of Jesus and His Word. St. Michael and All Angels day reminds Christians that they are not alone. Christ and His holy angels walk with you, fight for you, and protect you. Remember Christ. Remember the battle is won. Remember your angels!
In Christ,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Returning a Call and Engaging the Church
On Sunday I announced to both Luther Memorial Sheboygan and Grace Lutheran in Haven that I have returned the call to Good Shepherd Lutheran in Tomah, WI. This means I will be staying put and ministering to the people God has given me to serve. Below the the announcement I read aloud to both congregations. Note: This was written to be read aloud. Forgive any gross grammatical errors.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am staying.
I have returned the call to Good Shepherd Lutheran in Tomah, Wisconsin.
Please note that I am returning this call, I am not declining this call. It is the Lord’s Divine Call and it will one day be fulfilled by a man of God’s choosing. Good Shepherd will be blessed with a pastor who will faithfully lead, teach, and love them.
Ultimately, I have concluded that it be best if I remain in Sheboygan. God the Father is still using me to serve and nurture the people in the Sheboygan area.
Yes, the Lord will probably send more Divine Calls in the years ahead. It happens. And whether I leave or whether I stay, this is still the Lord’s Church and the Lord’s people and the Lord’s saving Gospel.
But for now, I am staying. And so are you. I expect you to stay with me. By returning this call, I’m declaring that I am here for you. And I want you to be here for me.
Now is not the time to go into cruise control. Now a fire is lit. You do not hobble along, you run the race set before you, and you move with eagerness.
Now is the time to invest yourselves in your church. Dig deep. Go out on a limb. Dream and then dream even bigger. I’m not your CEO, business manager, project leader. I am your pastor. And you are my people.
Parking lots need replacing, buildings updated, your children and your relatives need to return to this church for good. Go to breakfast an hour later and stay for Sunday Bible Class. Join a board. Help plan the next evangelism event. Visit the wayward.
Pray for your church. Pray for me. Never give up on the Church of God. Delight in His Word. Rejoice in your congregation.
Yes, I am staying. So are you. And together, with Christ beside us and with the word as our shield, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
The future is bright. Because Christ is our Light. Always and forever. Let us walk together. In Joy. In Hope. In Christ.
To God be the glory. Amen.
Priests and Witnesses
A witness describes the event. A reliable witness is a boon in any courtroom. They can describe the scene, give context, and give a play by play of events. Witnesses are necessary, especially in the Church of God. Christ and His Gospel is to be spread throughout the earth. As Christians, we get it. I've heard more than a few times the phrase, "Get the message right and then get the message out." However, in our attempt to "get the message out", have we left the recipients in the dust?
In 1984 Rev. Dr. Robert Kolb wrote the book, Speaking the Gospel Today. He said believers are tempted to witness to others in two different directions:
1. Christians assume non-Christians will immediately understand them if they speak in Christian categories and talk over their heads.
2. Christians exaggerate the degree to which others have been "de-religionized" and talk to them like children.
Kolb suggests that we first ask, "What do you want to know?" and then listen carefully. We do this because, as Kolb puts it, "we have spontaneous communicative tendencies which leads us to talk to other people about our interests" (12) We must listen to what others are telling us! Then the Christian can witness and apply the message of God's Law and Gospel to the person with whom they are speaking. Kolb goes on to write, "Believers must imagine what it is like to see life from the other person's perspective" (12). What does this mean?
For me, this means that the first people we witness to are those we already know. We know about our co-workers and even close relatives. We already know their failings and worries and relationships. We are a priesthood of believers. A priest, in Latin, means literally a "bridge-builder". God has given Christians an ability to build a bridge between creation and its Creator.
We have heard the Word of God. We are witnesses to His miracles of faith, Baptism, and Lord's Supper. We can witness to others and trust that the Holy Spirit will be at work. We are qualified for this. But we must also be careful listeners. We then go to those in darkness, listen to others, and then speak God's Saving Word. Amen!
Trust the Holy Spirit
A Chick-fil-A in North Carolina attempted to hire new employees in a rather unorthodox way. They sent out a social media advertisement saying they were looking for "volunteers for our new Drive Thru Express! Earn 5 free entrees per shift (1 hr) worked." This deal sounded fishy to me. I couldn't explain why right away, but something felt off. I then discovered the same restaurant was paying employees $19 an hour for the same work they wanted "volunteers" to accomplish. And really, how many chicken sandwiches can one person eat in a week? Chick-fil-A is one thing, God is another. And if something sounds off about God, go ahead and trust the Holy Spirit.
During their wilderness wanderings, the people of God began to doubt God. They made wild claims about the Almighty. Collecting their gold, they handed it to Aaron and made a golden calf. Aaron then had the people believe this gold was pleasing to God. He built an altar before a new golden calf. Aaron then proclaimed, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord" (Ex.32:5). One thing led to the next and God's anger burned hot against the people for their faithlessness.
The golden calf moment for the people of Israel is a warning to God's people today. Do not be easily deceived. Even if others think something is a good idea, measure that idea against Scripture. If something sounds "off" during a preachers sermon, don't just let it pass by. Go back to God's Word and see if what was preached is based on God's Word. But who can help us when things sounds fishy? The Holy Spirit.
1 John 4:1 says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." We Christians are called to test everything to see if they are God pleasing. And the Holy Spirit, the Helper, will be there. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is the one who makes us feel uncomfortable or concerned when incorrect things are said or done. These are not just "feelings" we have, but the Spirit of truth reminding us that not everything is sound teaching. Trust the Holy Spirit. He knows what He's doing.
And boy, a chicken sandwich sure does sound good right about now. Amen.
VBS is Still Worth it
Vacation Bible School hails from a bygone era, when families would move their lives AROUND VBS. Summer plans would halt for one (or even) two full weeks as churches would pack the place with children. I doubt Christian churches will swell with such high numbers anytime soon. I know of many churches that have trimmed down their VBS into oblivion. I get it. It's tough. Volunteers are hard to come by. That old VBS enthusiasm isn't there. And many of the stalwart supporters have passed away. But I believe VBS is still worth it.
This week the north end congregations in Sheboygan are holding a joint VBS at Trinity in Sheboygan. Over 70 children have come for the week. It's easy to give up on VBS, until you meet the children. And this week I have begun to compile a list of things the children do NOT care about:
+How many other children are in attendance
+How well the teachers followed the schedule
+How many more kids used to attend VBS 50 years ago
+How energetic all the leaders look
+How organized the program feel
The children are there to see Jesus. John 12:21 recalls a group saying, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” This is why VBS still matters. For a moment in their hectic world, these children meet Jesus. I know this. I know it because they ask about Jesus. And the questions they ask at VBS aren't overly silly. In fact, they ask the kind of questions I wish adults would ask.
+"Did Jesus really have to die for me?"
+"Why do I feel sad about what happened to Jesus?"
+"If Jesus went to heaven, is He here with me?"
These are sampling of what I've heard this week. These kids are being fed with the Word. And yes, let's keep it fun and run around and eat sugar! But Christ is the focus, always. These little lambs came to see Jesus. So I say, let the little children come. Keep VBS alive. It's worth it. Because these children are worth it. And these children matter to Christ. Oh, and here's today's VBS memory verse: "Remember he Lord, who is great and awesome" (Neh. 4:14). Amen.
Patience is the Hardest Part
Janis Joplin once said of touring, "I love being onstage and everything else is just waiting." Tom Petty ran with the lyrics in 1981 and wrote the song, "The Waiting" which became an instant hit. Petty sings:
"The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part"
Now that you've got that song in your head, think of all the things you wait for. For my family, we're waiting on the arrival of our newest baby. And oh baby, is the waiting hard. The remedy to waiting is patience. And patience relies on faith. But this isn't obscure blind faith. It is a faith in God.
Faith in God is not the same as understanding God. That will always be a fools errand. St. Paul says as much in Romans 11:34, "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” No one knows why God does what He does. Christians believe that God does what He does because He is the Father.
God the Father does everything out of kindly love for His beloved children. Yes, even waiting is part of God's will. And in this waiting believers believe that the Father is working. Luther once said the following about patience and God: “Our Lord God resembles a typesetter, who sets his letters backwards. We definitely see and feel that He is setting His type, but the print we shall see in the beyond. Meanwhile we must have patience.” While I await the arrival of my baby girl, I trust that I am waiting because God wants me to wait. While I wait, I look to God who knows that my baby isn't ready to be born yet. While I wait, I pray to my Heavenly Father that all outcomes are His outcomes.
Waiting is the hardest part on this side of glory. None will know all of God's will until we see Him face to face in Heaven. And yes, Christians even have to wait on heaven. But God is not absent in the waiting. 2 Corinthians 1:3 declares that God is a "God of comfort" in all afflictions and waiting.
I wait for a baby. You wait for something else. May we together await all trials with patience and hope. May it be a hope in God who sent Christ to save us all. Amen.
What is Pastor Reading?
I've taken up a new book by my former teacher, Rev. John Pless, entitled Pastor Craft . He's a prolific preacher and he even preached for the 25th anniversary for our very own Pastor Mech (and that sermon IS in the book)! This book contains 24 sermons and additional pastoral articles. What a treasure trove of sermons! Check it out below.
https://shop.1517.org/products/pastor-craft-1
Start collecting your treasures
Beginning July 31, Luther Memorial will start collecting items for our August Rummage Sale. No televisions, refrigerators, adult clothing, or old appliances please. Toys, tools, and decorative items seem to sell quickly.
Click This
An LCMS Lutheran got interviewed by Fox News about COVID and faith in God. 81% of Americans still believe. But is this good news?
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What You Don't See
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I get it. Sometimes you come to church and get disappointed. Where's that family that used to sit in the back? And where is so-and-so who used to sit up in the front? Attendance isn't like you remember. Is the congregation shrinking? Where is everyone?
Here's the reality; you don't see everything on Sunday. You don't see all the shut-ins, the sick, the wayward, the traveling, and those far off. The Christian Church (big "C") includes ALL believers whom the Lord gathers around His Word and Sacraments (Baptism & Lord's Supper). It's important to remember you don't see the entire Church at a single Sunday Service.
During the month I often visit 7-12 Christians who cannot drive to Sunday worship. On average, there are another six other Christians (by my estimates) not attending because they're hospitalized, rehabilitating from a procedure, or down with a temporary illness. And then there's also another contingent of those who haven't returned to the House of the Lord because of personal struggles (which I won't go into detail here).
From Monday through Saturday, The Church is brought into homes, hospitals, and other facilities. The Lutheran reformers didn't specify a building, but they did specify a Gospel. And those who gather around this Gospel are considered the gathered "assembly".
"The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered." -Augsburg Confession V
(click below for more details on Book of Concord)
https://bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/of-the-church/
“God be praised,” writes Luther, “a seven-year-old child knows what the church is: holy believers and ‘the little sheep who hear the voice of their shepherd’ [John 10:3]” You don't see every Christian in the pews on Sunday. But be assured the congregation you're a part of is larger than you see with your eyes. Many more gather around the Lord's gifts during the week. Rejoice and be glad the same Gospel you hear on Sunday is brought to bedsides and living rooms. The same Holy Communion is taken to believers in other locations. There are many "little sheep" whom the Lord feeds Monday through Saturday.
But those of you who can, do! Do come to church. Do drive. Do worship each week. Do make coming to church a top priority. Do not think what you see is all there is. Give thanks that you CAN make it to the sanctuary and lift up your voices with others. Give thanks you CAN speak with other believers. Give thanks that you have a church home.
You won't ever see the "whole" Church on a Sunday, but you can pray for the whole Church on a Sunday. Be rest assured, the whole Church is praying for you. Yes, even the ones you can't see keep praying for you every day of the week. So when you gather next Sunday, take heart that you are part of something much larger. Amen.
Today the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in a 6-3 ruling. This means abortions are banned in many states, including Wisconsin. Now the work begins.
What can Christians do with such an opportunity?
First, pray. Pray for mothers feeling lost with no way out. Pray for those who have already chosen abortion. Pray for pregnancy centers to meet the rising needs. Pray for churches to remain faithful in a challenging world. Pray for church leaders to be faithful voices for life in the public square. Pray for yourselves that you would remain faithful in the days to come.
Second, expect rejection. Your Christian opinion concerning life is unpopular. Many loud voices will only get louder in the days to come. There will be protests, marches, and threats. Pregnancy centers will come under attack and your own churches will face scrutiny. Expect this. In John 15:18 Jesus said, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
Third, begin thinking of ways to help. Give money to your local pregnancy centers. Reach out to pregnant moms and ask if you can feed, clothe, or help them. Find ways to be a voice for life in your community.
Finally, stop thinking God is silent. God is not quiet. Rather, He is working all things for His purposes on earth. Roe has ended, this is God's work. He will work through you to be His voice of peace and life. He will continue to forgive sins. His Son Jesus continues to be present in Word and Blessed Sacrament. God is in charge. Psalm 139:13 says, "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb." God formed you from the beginning. He will be with you NOW. And the final victory is His. Jesus, His Son, has the keys of life and death (Rev. 1:18).
Dear Christians, fear nothing. Jesus saved you. Heaven is yours. This sinful world will crumble and fade one day soon. While you live here, you exist as a beacon of life. You know how this all ends. It ends with victory.
Now your work begins. But you do not work alone. The Father of all mercy is with you. He sent His beloved Son to you. And the message of life will win because Jesus the Christ is, in fact, the Lord of Life. Alleluia. Life wins. Christ wins. Heaven wins. Alleluia. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
During the last few weeks our nation took a break from inflation and Ukraine to watch a celebrity divorce trial. Every minute of the trial was recorded and the nation ate it up. What I found most interesting was how the attention shifted from the celebrity couple to the attorneys. One female attorney in particular grabbed the nation’s attention. She was ambitious, knowledgeable, unflappable, and she defended her client always.
She never let the other side get away with hearsay or bad evidence. She literally placed herself in front of her client and spoke to the jury on their behalf, pleading their case with determination.
When was the last time we remembered how Christ has advocated for us? When was the last time we considered the courtroom setting of our salvation? Jesus IS the Good Shepherd, Light, and King of Kings. But He is also our advocate. He goes before God the Father in our place, stands to plead our case.
1 John 2:1 says,
"But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
We could not stand before God on our own. We could not even speak on our behalf and recall the good deeds we've accomplished. Jesus the perfect One goes before us and shows God what HE has done. Jesus pleads before God and shows His nail marks, cross, and empty tomb.
God the Father looked at what His Son accomplished and then declared us free. No longer are we going to the jail of hell for our sins. No longer is guilt upon us. All forgiven. All freed. All by the work of Jesus. He is our Savior. He is our Advocate. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Every month worshipers pick up newsletters and their church bulletins. Those not in attendance have them mailed to their home, apartment, or nursing home address. As I have opportunity I pray by our church mailbox. Why? Because the envelopes that end up in the mailbox represent absent sheep. In June, Luther Memorial Church mailed out 27 envelopes. I prayed over these envelopes, but I'm really praying for the people God has entrusted to me (Acts 20:28). My prayer usually goes like this:
"Heavenly Father, you created your Church and redeemed it by the blood of Jesus. I don't know why these people weren't in worship. I don't know what's happening in their lives. Oh Lord, bring them home. Bring them back to the Father. Remind them that this is their Church and their place of forgiveness and love. Strengthen their faith by your Word and Holy Spirit. Bring them home. Amen."
I'm not an investigator. I try my best to obey the 8th commandment and defend others when they aren't in the pews. But as a spiritual father, I worry about God's children. I'm not here to shame wayward members. But I do think those absent from God's House think no one remembers them. That's just not possible. Children of God never cease to be children. And God never ceases to be their God (Jer. 32.38).
So when you notice an empty pew, go straight to prayer. Think the best thing first. Love. And do no harm. And then as you are able, take yourselves to them. And remind those sheep them of their home. Remind them they are welcome. Remind them they are missed. And tell them they are in your prayers, because they are.
I didn't grow up with those "you are now entering the mission field" signs in every church parking lot. For me, I look at the mailbox and I see the first mission field; God's redeemed people. I pray for them. I love them. God loves them. And now you pray for them. This is the first mission field, but by no means the last mission field. And by God's grace, He will bring them back. Alleluia, He will bring them back. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
In overcomplicating evangelism we often dare not dip our toes in the water for fear we'll soon drown. We like the idea of Africans getting Christ, but they're in Africa. "Safe" evangelism takes place oversees and in other times zones. It's "safe" because we don't carry much responsibility. But consider what God says:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. - Romans 1:16
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. -Matthew 5:15
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! - Psalm 105:1
These verses (and many more) make it clear Evangelism is not optional. But who to speak with? How to talk? What's the goal?
When considering the mission field, stop looking for the field. Just look at your phone. You’ll see the numbers of your children others who were catechized in the faith. You'll see a member's number who you haven't seen in years. Instead of reinventing the evangelism wheel, start first with those who already believe!
Now you're ready to make a call or visit. What to say? Keep it simple and keep it real. Tell them you miss them in church. Tell them the church is their home. Tell them the Lord is in His house waiting to give out His gifts to them.
Finally, we wonder about the point of it all. What's the goal? For us, it's not a personal goal. We don't look at the church in terms of numbers, but faithfulness. Even one returning sheep into the fold is a victory and all of heaven rejoices in that return! (Luke 15:7)
We need not search for a mission field. We're living in it and living right next to it. Let us have courage and speak of Christ to former confirmands, inactive members, wayward Christians, and those listed in our contacts.
Best of all, God will do His work of enlivening hearts and converting. God will bring in His people and feed them with the Gospel of His Son. We might labor in evangelism efforts, but God grants success. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Anatomy of a Sermon
What on earth happens before the sermon is preached? There is a bit of mystery here. Every week people expect something to come out of the pulpit. It's a tall order. Everyone has a standard on which they judge a sermon. Some need the sermon to be explosive and captivating. Others want simplicity. And others just want something that won't have them sleeping by the five minute mark.
I thought I'd write a bit on how I formulate a sermon in four main points.
1. Remember the Non-Negotiables
Jesus
Jesus' death for sins
Jesus' resurrection
Jesus for you
While these non-negotiables seem simple, I'm amazed at how few Christians place Christ at the center. 1 Corinthians 2:2 says, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." Everything said in the sermon must not only allude to Jesus, but place Him central within the sermon. Everyone coming to the church is coming to see Jesus only (John 12:21).
2. Preach the Text
I want the text to preach itself. I desire to exegete the text, meaning, I want to draw out the intended meaning from the text. I must be careful not to read my own hobbies or opinions into the text. This is called eisegesis. I'm not called to be a pastor that speaks his own interpretations into the Sunday readings.
3. Hit the Target
The arrow has to hit the bullseye. The sermon begins much like an archer releasing an arrow. The arrow can fly up for a while, even make some movements here and there, but it ultimately must land at the intended target. I try my best to make sure that the point of the sermon hits its desired conclusion. It takes much editing and many revisions before the text flows and lands home.
4. Leave them with Something
After a sermon is written, I mentally try and sum up the entire sermon in one sentence. If I can't, I then rework the sermon until it happens. Finally I challenge myself to see if I can summarize the entire sermon into one word. If I can't, I will try and see why. Often, it's because my sermon wandered too much or contained too many points.
I hope these four points shed light into my sermon preparation. It doesn't always go smoothly and takes real work. Every pastor prepares in his own way and the Lord has given each pastor their own voice. But the Word is the same. The sweet Gospel of Jesus Christ never changes. That Word goes out to every land and we thank God for different pastors who devote themselves to the truth of God's Word. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
The Paschal Homily of John Chrysostom
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Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!
Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!
Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.
Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
About St. John Chrysostom:
St. John Chrysostom ("The Golden Tongue") was born at Antioch in about the year 347 into the family of a military-commander, spent his early years studying under the finest philosophers and rhetoricians and was ordained a deacon in the year 381 by the bishop of Antioch Saint Meletios. In 386 St. John was ordained a priest by the bishop of Antioch, Flavian.
Over time, his fame as a holy preacher grew, and in the year 397 with the demise of Archbishop Nektarios of Constantinople—successor to Sainted Gregory the Theologian—Saint John Chrysostom was summoned from Antioch for to be the new Archbishop of Constantinople.
Exiled in 404 and after a long illness because of the exile, he was transferred to Pitius in Abkhazia where he received the Holy Eucharist, and said, "Glory to God for everything!", falling asleep in the Lord on 14 September 407.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
We don't need reenactments or mere remembrances, though today is indeed a day to remember. Our Lord tells Peter and John to prepare for the passover. Lamb, wine, and unleavened bread were the order of the day, but now there is something new on the menu. We come to the last of the cups, and Christ takes bread, saying, "This is my body." Did we hear him right, during this his last will and testament? Clear as a bell, and so simple, "This is my body." But then, there are those who wish to spiritualize things in such a way as to take away their essence, to imagine the Spirit apart from Christ's body. But our Lord makes it clear this is no metaphor, adding, "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."
Up until the incarnation, God's people lived with shadows and signs. The meals were like appetizers. The sacrifices proclaimed the necessity for atonement. But now with this meal, it has all come to fruition. Now, we eat from the tree of life. We eat the priestly food and drink the priestly drink. Manna has come from heaven. The bread of presence beckons. The loaves are multiplied. The wine is turned into wine, and the best wine has been saved for last.
This is the real deal. The bread is Christ's body, and the wine is his blood, a change effected by Christ's word, and made possible by his death.
If you want to know why our worship is solemn, well, this night is for you. Move your praise band out of the way, the altar beckons. This is no stage, no reenactment, this is our entry into the Holy of Holies, in a manner that the high priest of old never experienced. Solemn? Yes, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he returns. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
For many, this is too much to take in, so they try to deconstruct our Lord's words. They treat our Lord like so many treat, say, Pope Francis, "Well, what he really meant to say was . . . "
No, he said it and he meant it. This is my body, this is my blood. And the Lord knows we need it. It's the flesh of the sacrifice, as well as fulfillment of the promise to be with us always, even unto the end of the age. And in that blood is life, joy, and cleansing. And as we eat and drink the time and distance from the cross collapses, for we now are participating in the feast of the lamb slain from the very foundation of the world.
Here in the Supper, time and eternity meet.
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand. Tonight is not for the earthly minded, but is instead an invitation to a supper that has no end, a meal that comes from the cross, the crucified Christ. The world scoffs. Too much of the Christian world has been led astray, into the world of make-believe. But believe what he said for it is true. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
And what are those words? This is my body given for you, my blood shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins. Believe it, for it is true, and it is all for you.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
When you list your wants you can also list their benefits. A pay raise will lift you slightly out of worry. A new drill won't require as much charging. You're really doing your family a service by upgrading! And that couch? It would fit the space better, really bring the room together. And that lumbar support!
When you think of your wants you can easily list off their benefits. But your wants are never truly necessary. Isn't it amazing how difficult it is to list the benefits of your needs?
You need a new roof, but maybe it can wait another year. You need to call your parents, but that cuts into your Netflix time. You need to go to church, but it will probably be the same service as the week before.
Martin Luther tackles this idea of wants vs. needs. He was especially concerned with those who felt they had no need of the Lord's Supper. He wrote a series of questions to be answered by those seeking the Holy Meal. Question 20 asks:
But what should you do if you are not aware of this need and have no hunger and thirst for the Sacrament?
Here's the answer:
Are you alive?
Then you need it.
Alight, that's my abbreviated version. Luther really says:
To such a person no better advice can be given that this: first, he should touch his body and see if he still has flesh and blood.
Luther wants you to realize that as long as you live in this world, full of sin and trouble, you desperately need the healing balm of Jesus' body and blood. It's as simple as that. You need Jesus. You need Him delivered in the way He wants to be delivered. And the benefits?
The benefits of what Jesus did on the cross are delivered to you in the Holy Supper.
This is the delivery system of the Lord's goodness! It's Jesus' perfect body and blood delivered to forgive you. Do you live? Then you need Him. And the Lord makes Himself abundantly available to you. And Jesus is glad to be delivered! Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
17 years ago, the former Finnish Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen helped publish a pamphlet. This was not a government pamphlet, but one that she made personally to express her Lutheran beliefs, including the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman. It should be noted that Räsänen is a devout Lutheran who regularly attends a Finnish Lutheran church in fellowship with the LCMS.
In April 2021, Finland’s Prosecutor General brought criminal charges of "hate speech" against Räsänen. Some claimed she was a threat to human rights in Europe. In their closing statement, the prosecution alleged that the use of the word “sin” can be “harmful” and called for heavy fines in the event of a guilty verdict. The police then performed multiple interrogations about her Christian beliefs.
But this story has a victorious ending! This week, a Finnish court upheld the right to free speech by dismissing all charges against Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen! In a unanimous ruling the court concluded that “it is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts”. A relieved Räsänen said, "Although I am grateful for having had this chance to stand up for freedom of speech, I hope that this ruling will help prevent others from having to go through the same ordeal."
Acts 5:29 reminds us to "obey God rather than men." What is happening in Europe may soon happen in America. We must remember the LORD is with His people. Do not be afraid. Stand and confess! The truth is on our side. We thank God for victory this week and we are thankful for those who stand for God's truth! We must always be ready to stand by those willing to suffer for the Faith! Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
I spent this week at the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.
I'm thankful they exist. They affirm the faith. Speaking about the ark is one thing, seeing a replica is another. Maybe it's just nice to spend time in a place with fellow believers. Years ago I heard Christians preaching the cliché, "you can't raise your kids in a bubble, give 'em real world experience." We know that experiment was a disaster. The kids didn't just experience the world, they became the world. This gets us back to the Ark and Creation Museum. Oxen yoked together must exist as one. This is what happens when believers spend all their time living as unbelievers. They become one with the world. St. Paul warns in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" Is St. Paul telling us to stay cloistered in our churches? No. But he certainly isn't telling us we need to "get more real world experience." We have a surplus of worldly experiences. We've had enough from the world.
Get yourselves to a better place. Go see the ark. Bring your family and tell your friends. You'll visit a marvel surrounded by hundreds of other patrons, almost all devout Christians. They're kind, filled with zeal, ready to confess their faith.
You need this. It's refreshing. Get into the bubble. Be immersed in something that honors God, whether it be an ark or even attending Bible Class. Surround yourself with like minded believers. Now THAT is something to experience. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
We ask God for good weather, forgiveness, hope, and so much else. We also pray that we would remember to be thankful. Each morning we rise and give thanks for the thousands of things that have gone right in our lives (we're fed, clothed, received oxygen, etc.). We close the day in the same fashion. But what about Mr. Putin. Does he get our prayers?
Most of our prayers center on asking for personal needs or giving thanks. Where does the leader of Russia fall? Perhaps we've felt he doesn't deserve our prayers and if we don't pray for him, God will skip over him. Luther helps us with this. When writing an explanation to the petition "Thy will be done" Luther writes the following:
How is God’s will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die
Notice how God's will works? God is not just active in strengthening believers, but in breaking evil plans. Mr. Putin doesn't need our love, money, or works. He needs our prayers. We don't pray that he would suffer or that he would be harmed in any human sense. We pray that God would stop evil. We pray God would tear down evil empires. We pray that God would get in the way of devilish plans.
Does Putin get our prayers? Yes. Just like we get prayers. We all need to be prayed for! We all need to be carried by others in prayer to God the Father. James 4:12 says, "God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy."
God's will be done. Never our will. Never our punishment or praise, only His. God will judge. God will punish. God will save. God will subdue and have the final say. This is what it means to be a child of God; to believe God is our Heavenly Father. We go to Him. Ask Him. Trust in Him. Pray to Him alone. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
I can't help but play the numbers game.
We had about 40 attend Ash Wednesday and a little over 30 attend yesterday's midweek service. Lent is longer than Advent and it lacks the "energy and expectation" of those Advent Hymns. There's another struggle for Lenten worshipers.
Lent is a season which reminds us the world is not as important as the life of Christ. The 20th season of American Idol is not as important as our Lord's suffering. The war in Ukraine, tragic as it is, cannot compare with our Lord's sacrifice. The cost of fuel is a moment in time, but the cross stands eternal. Christ is more important. And every week the church must deny the world its due. During the season of Lent, we have to tell the world it doesn't even get an honorable mention.
I want believers to return. This isn't a guilt trip. I want guilty consciences washed away by the news of Jesus Christ crucified for sins. We will have to come back. We have to return. Lent will have to last. This is how believers will grasp the crucifixion of their Messiah.
In Lent we have to deprive ourselves of the world. It stings to remember none of what we see now will be with us forever. Jesus said "If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
I want Lent to last for my people. I want believers in the pews each week. When I see Christians sitting in God's House I know God is feeding them. When Christians deny themselves and the world, they gain Christ.
And lent will not last forever this year. Lent leads to Easter. The season of fasting and prayer leads to the season or resurrection. The story of the empty tomb is never far away. There in the life of our Lord will we find our life. Easter reminds us that there is hope, meaning, purpose, heaven, and a promise.
So maybe we should all play the numbers game? We should number the days of Lent. And we should be there, in the pew, waiting and praying and remember the cross. In denying everything else over Lent, we will gain eternity. Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
During Lent people sometimes "take on" a new challenge. I call on you to tackle the Psalms. Psalms contain different topics like prophecy, comfort, prayer, or thanks (often a combination of all the above).
Martin Luther said the following about the Psalms:
"The Psalter ought to be a dear and beloved book, if only because it promises Christ's death and resurrection so clearly and so depicts His kingdom and the condition and nature of all Christendom that we may call it a little Bible."
This year I encourage you to read the "little Bible". You can do it. A helpful reading plan is attached below. The 150 Psalms fit every situation. They also act as a prayer book. They give you words to speak when you run out of words. The Psalms are words meant for Christians who pray for blessings and return thanks to God. As members of His covenant people, use these Psalms in your daily devotional life. Lent is not a time to turn from God, but towards the Father in prayer.
Most importantly, the Psalms permit you to see Christ more clearly. Every word about forgiveness, eternity, blessings, and grace find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Psalms elevate your understanding of who Christ is for His people. Tackle these 150 Psalms over Lent. You will be blessed by God's abundant Word!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
We don't understand it all, but we believe it all. Truth be told most of us struggle very little with the above topics. They are matters preached about and accepted. We chalk them up as matters of faith and trust that when Jesus said things like "This IS my body and blood"(Matt. 26:26), He meant it.
If only we felt the same about forgiveness.
We understand forgiveness better than the Trinity and other doctrines, and yet forgiveness eludes us. Forgiveness is our struggle because it strikes us personally. The devil loves to get in our relationships. He finds a way to make every relationship sour. Just this week I had a delightful conversation with a fellow pastor, but on the drive home I remembered I was upset with something he said weeks ago. Oh, how the devil loves to ruin us! How can we ALL learn to forgive again?
Repentance.
Repentance doesn't start with our neighbor, but with ourselves. Repentance means putting a giant mirror in front of us and seeing our own faults first. Then we pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as You have forgiven us" (Matt. 6:12). We are the biggest sinners we know and still God saw fit to redeem us with Jesus' precious blood.
Martin Luther once said,
"I am completely steeped in, and saturated with, the article of the forgiveness of sins. I am dealing with it constantly, day and night; and all my thoughts are of Jesus Christ, my only Savior, who has atoned and paid for my sins" (Luther's Works, Volume 6).
Amen!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Christ is hidden.
That's not much of a comfort. We usually believe only in what we see on earth. We trust the Federal Government has enough money, we trust teachers are always helping students, we trust our police are praising good and punishing evil.
But notice that we can always verify those things we claim to trust? Pictures of currency printing machines are available for viewing. Teachers are available to speak with parents most of the time. Police now wear body cameras to document their every movement. While we say we trust, we really mean we trust in what we can see and verify.
But what about Christ?
When was the last time you saw Jesus in the streets? Can you find Him in a video? How does He sound when He speaks? He is not available in such earthly ways. You must stop trying to find Christ in ways He does not wish to be found. Christ is hidden...until He isn't.
I've visited with families after funerals, been in the ICU, and in various hospice situations. Everyone wants to know where is Jesus. I tell them, Jesus is where He says He will be. Christ is present for His people in Word and Sacrament. Jesus puts Himself in specific locations so believers know for certain they are encountering the crucified and risen Lord.
And this works both ways.
While you can be certain Christ is found in certain ways, Christ knows He is caring for you even when you don't "feel" or seek Him. You do not worry about where Christ could be (in dreams, special visions, etc.). You keep the hidden things hidden.
But you take joy in knowing where Christ says He will be. And in His Word and Sacrament, Christ attaches His promises of life and salvation. Those things Jesus never keeps hidden. Alleluia, Jesus is never really hidden at all. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
I remember taking a course on worship. The teacher said on the first day, "We are people of the book. I know we have the most difficult hymnal out of any church body. But is that always a bad thing?" What my teacher meant was, we are Christians who stick to the hymnal book. Our hymnal won't have easy hymns and isn't always "visitor friendly". It really got me thinking. Looking at other hymnals from other church bodies, there is a beautiful simplicity to it all. So why are we people of the "book" and why is our hymnal so difficult?
First, everything that is difficult isn't bad. In fact, most things that are worth anything in life don't come easy. So it is with our hymnal.
There is a reason over 90% of LCMS congregations use the Lutheran Service Book! Services were mostly a spectacle before Martin Luther. After the Lutheran Reformation, the people sang the faith, both liturgy and hymns, with a fervor not seen since perhaps the times of the Early Church.
Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16)." So how does our book dwell richly in Christians? Here's a story.
I used to visit Norman. He was in his 90's, blind, and always tired. I'd visit and help him sit up. He would fall asleep during meals, but not when I opened that hymnal! Norman would sing the Kyrie (Lord, have mercy) followed by the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), and then the Lord's prayer and even mouth the Word of Institution.
If you want to know whether our Lutheran "book" matters, go speak with an old Lutheran nearing death. Ask them what they remember, better yet, see what they can recite. You'll have your answer.
Again, Matt Harrison writes, "Hymns hold fast, rich with the promises of life eternal in the Gospel, and is worthy to be sung in the hour of death. Whatever we give our children, and our people, let’s not take this comfort away from them." Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Thousands of pro-life marchers descended upon Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life. Many LCMS Lutherans travelled from around the country to march. Below is a statement on life from our church president from 2019. May we always stand for life!
How long, O Lord, how long?
Our Christian faith teaches us to value life and to love each and every person as our neighbor. Love is life, and life is the great gift of love. Death is our natural enemy. This can be seen in our lives and in our world each day. Even the birds that seek food in winter testify that life is the goal of their movements and their work. The flowers that grow toward the sun seek the light that enlivens them. We all live under God, who grants life to His whole creation.
And in the giving of His Son to be the Savior, God shows that He is the Lord of life. Jesus came to love. He taught us to love all people, including those whom we consider our enemies. He taught us to unconditionally love every person, even those whom this world considers unworthy of love.
Jesus not only taught us to love. He brought healing and wholeness to the broken. He proclaimed peace to those who were troubled. He sat with those who were excluded. He lifted up those who were beaten down. But most of all, He loved through the sacrifice of His own life on the cross. He died to forgive the sins of all humanity. His forgiveness is a free gift for all who trust in Him, including those who suffer from guilt for aborting their child. He rose on the third day.
The resurrection of Jesus is God’s grand statement that life is the goal of this creation. The resurrection of Jesus proclaims that all creatures find the goal of their existence in life. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, so we learn that God treasures life over death.
We live as citizens in this world, and we seek to be obedient to our nation’s laws. We thank God for our leaders and for this great land He has given to us and for its precious freedoms and opportunities. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod advocates strong citizenship and active participation in government. We obey the laws of our land and encourage those around us to do so.
We are, however, bound by our conscience to speak against those laws that are unjust and, especially, those laws that violate God’s law and the natural law that binds all mankind. Abortion and other means through which humans kill humans violate these natural and moral laws that form the foundation of society.
Therefore, we stand against these actions and against all laws that sanction abortion or the taking of innocent life. We cannot stand silent when people elected to positions in which they are to protect citizens continue to pass laws and advocate for legislation that undermines the sanctity of human life. Our conscience is bound by both the Word of God and reason to speak for life as a precious gift of God and to speak against any and all who promote the killing of unborn children. We cannot hide the evil of these laws under the banner of “rights” or “privilege.” Children’s lives are at stake. They cannot speak for themselves. We will speak for them, and we will work to protect their lives.
And we will continue to work to love and support the women who face difficult choices or suffer from the consequences of abortion. We support young mothers who have chosen life for their children. We work to provide adoption and other opportunities to care for children in need. And we continue to show God’s mercy to all, just as He, in Jesus, has mercy on all.
We will work, love and pray that all might know the love of Jesus and trust in Him for salvation. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).
Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
The irony wasn't lost on me. I miss church the week after reminding everyone not to miss church! I crafted such a stirring email in order to embolden others to return to the pews, only to find myself in the church of St. Mattress on Sunday morning. The dreaded virus had hit our family and so we took our vitamins and rested. And last week, God worked in another kind of irony.
Acts 20:28 says that pastors are to pay close attention to the flock. My "job" is to watch over and care for God's people. But then came this virus. And I couldn't pay attention to anyone but myself. In holy irony, the congregations of Grace and Luther Memorial payed close attention to me!
St. Paul tells the Philippians he "seeks the fruit that increases to your credit" (4:17). I was cared for last week and I knew that it was a care born out of faithfulness. I was given an embarrassment of riches as people brought soup deliveries, sent endless texts, paid for pizza drop-offs, made kind phone calls, send Facebook messages of love, and so much more. God was working in the irony. The sheep came to help their shepherd.
Something amazing happened as I witnessed others care for me, my Christian community ceased to feel tiny. Both congregations I serve felt vast and full of life last week. Why? Because their great faithfulness was evident in all their good works towards me. I saw living and active faith working in love! The church is really never defined by numbers, but by faithfulness. It took a virus to help remind me of this. I thank God who continues to work in such irony! Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
C.F.W Walther (First Lutheran pastor of the LCMS) preached the following words on New Year's Day, 1845. His text was Luke 2:21 and His sermon was titled "Licht des Lebens" or "Light of Life".
“Should the Christian stand all day long at the grave of all joys which he enjoyed in past years?
Through Holy Baptism a great stream of joy has been conducted in his heart, which does not drain away, but streams forward with his life until its waves carry him into the sea of a blessed eternity.
Should the Christian be reminded all day long that the flowers of his youth fall more and more?
He stands planted by God in the water of his Baptism as a palm tree which becomes greener and greener and whose leaves never wither. Yes, his Baptism makes death for him like a short winter's nap, out of which an eternal spring—an eternal youth—follows.
For Baptism is a bath that washed me not only once when I received it—washed me pure with Christ's blood—but it continuously washes me clean even daily for as long as I hold it in faith. For just as that same water of the flood drowned the sinners, but Noah with his relatives were brought to salvation and carried to Mount Ararat, so also did the water of my Baptism drown my sins, but my soul was brought to the eternal mountain of divine grace. And just as once those same waves of the Red Sea, which swallowed up Pharaoh and his army, were a protective wall for Israel, so also has my baptismal water swallowed up all of my damnation and is for me a sure wall before God's wrath and punishment. . . .
Now then, all of you who believe in God's Word, let your watchword for entering the new year be this: "I am baptized!" Although the world may laugh at this comfort, the enthusiasts vex its confidence . . . nevertheless, abandon any other dearly held pledges and speak only throughout the entire year to come, in all terrors of conscience and necessity through sin and death: "I am baptized! I am baptized! Hallelujah!" And you shall prevail! In every time of need, you will find comfort in your Baptism; on account of it Satan will flee from your faith and confession; and in death you will see heaven opened and will finally come into the joy of your Lord to celebrate a great year of jubilee, a year of praise, with all the angels forever and ever. Amen!”
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Early Christians didn't use pagan holidays to date Christmas. Does this mean Christmas falls on a random date? Of course not. Early Christians spent a great deal of time dating the birth of Christ. Spend an hour online, and we will find multiple reasons for the December 25th date. In this COTP I'll introduce one way many early Christians have pinpointed the date, by using Jesus' death to date his birth.
We can all agree Good Friday was a significant day; it was THE day sins were forgiven at the cross. March 25th is the agreed up date of Jesus' death on Good Friday. Now it was only a matter of "Jewish math" to do the rest. Jewish tradition held that prophets died on the same day as their conception. This was called the "integral age". So if March 25th was the date of Jesus' death then March 25th must be (in Jewish tradition) the date of Jesus' conception. Add nine months (standard time of pregnancy) and we get to December 25th.
December 25th was considered Christmas Day in the first and second centuries. We also have letters from this time that confirm Christians were using this date to gather and celebrate the birth of Christ.
Do we Christians believe in an "integral age". No. Do we have other historical clues, documents, and sources that lead us to December 25th as being the best date we have for Christmas? Yes.
The Christian Church has used a very well-established and well-researched means to date Christ’s birth very soon after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Since the 1st or 2nd century, Christ’s birth has been celebrated by the church on December 25th. And that means that the date of Christmas was set based on historical evidence and the faith traditions of Judaism and Christianity. Now stop worrying about it! Celebrate the birth of Christ! Look only to the Lord and His Holy nativity! Merry Christmas. Christ is born! Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
You've changed. And I'm not just speaking about weight loss or weight gain. Emotionally you aren't the same person you were a year ago. Spiritually you've been strengthened in some ways, but perhaps become weak to certain temptations. Maybe hope has been replaced with pessimism and what you once loved you now meet with dread. You've changed.
And you better start admitting it. Why? Because very soon you will enter a time of traditions. Time for that Christmas Eve Service where you will, again, hear that familiar "And all went to be registered, each to his own town" reading. If you make to the Christmas Day Service, it's all about that "In the beginning was the Word" business.
Why go?
Isn't it the same?
Don't you already know the story?
Dear Christians, the Word never changes, you change. You are not the same person who sat in the pew last year. You lost someone, you're jaded where you used to show charity, you just don't feel like you used to.
So go to what never changes. The Word. That word of God continues to proclaim the same Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the same, yesterday, and today (Heb. 13:8). You don't need change. You need the Lord.
Go and invite others because they've changed as well. The world needs an unchanging Christ. Come and worship and celebrate the newborn King. And this means when you hear of Caesar Augustus and Mary and Angels and Bethlehem, you're really hearing it all for the first time. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Norman Minster was a Lutheran, father, church president, and architect. Norman designed every window, cross, doorway, and cabinet. In truth, however, it's an unfinished church.
The original plan was for a larger sanctuary to be built East of the property. The current sanctuary was originally intended to be the fellowship hall/gym/everything space. Stained glass windows were added to the current space in 1995 and the chancel flooring under the altar was later reinforced. Only after looking at the original plans, one notices Luther Memorial is incomplete.
We'll never know the whole story. Many of the "old timers" who knew the real history have entered into glory. Norman died a few years ago, blind, still speaking of adding that East side sanctuary along with a porte cochere. I'll let you look up that last word on your own.
Whatever the history, the present building stands and remains "as-is".
But this church is STILL a Church. It brings the complete forgiveness of Christ. The altar contains all of Jesus. The font is full to the brim of grace. But I do think there is a lesson in worshiping in an "almost" completed structure.
It reminds us we are also incomplete.
We are not finished.
We are "as-is" until God calls us up into heaven.
1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."
We are children of God, but what God has planned for us has yet to be built. Do we have God's mercy and forgiveness and promises? Yes! But we are not yet complete.
Construction will be finalized on the Last Day. In that day, all we have prayed for will appear. We will be complete enfleshed souls living in perfection. We look for that day, a great day, a day when we will be made complete. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Hands Off Notre Dame
"The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our own civilization."
-Frank Lloyd Wright.
Wright would say our buildings have a soul. He's almost right (pun intended). Buildings are filled with souls. This is especially true for our church buildings. Recent plans to renovate Notre Dame show something different and altogether dangerous.
The Notre Dame Cathedral suffered a horrific fire in 2019. Below is a review of the of the planned renovations:
Critics have warned that the world-famous cathedral will be turned into an “experimental showroom” under plans to dramatically change the inside of the medieval building. Under the proposed changes, confessional boxes, altars and classical sculptures will be replaced with modern art murals, and new sound and light effects to create “emotional spaces”...“It’s as if Disney were entering Notre-Dame,” said Maurice Culot, a prize-winning Paris-based architect, urbanist, theorist and critic who has seen the plans.
(Full Article: http://Full Article: https://stream.org/demolish-notre-dame/?fbclid=IwAR39GjcPEWMTGqtTMBR6BHx_WT47B8kjMppzAIsGrn6AUa2fssvUQSEP4mI)
A church is not a museum or "showroom". If society wants a museum they should go to...a museum. St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"
Why should our church buildings glorify what mankind can find outside?
Church buildings confess what Christians believe. Or to say it better, our buildings confess who we believe in. Christians are enfleshed souls who gather in church buildings to "Hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).
Church buildings are holy because Holy things reside within. Here in these buildings the Gospel is continually preached and Sacraments administered with reverent regularity.
Christians do not point to their church and say, "Let me tell you why you should come inside." We point to our churches and say, "This is how God comes to His people." This, dear world, is how God has chosen to care for His children.
Keep the altar, pulpit, Word, and Christ. Above all keep Christ! Never forget about Him.
Church buildings are filled with souls who believe in One who brings believers into heaven itself, Jesus Christ.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” John 20:21
Christ shows Himself to the disciples in a locked room. The crucifixion is over. Now comes the risen Bread of Life. Jesus comes with words of Peace, not anger. But the Lord does not stop at peace.
Jesus says He will send out the Apostles. Here we see the Gospel is not just news. The Gospel is announced news. Who will announce? The Apostles and the Church.
Jesus Christ is concerned about distributing His blood-bought gifts to the world. Everything He does is for the sake of serving and saving.
Right after rising, the Lord makes it clear news of His cross and His resurrection must reach the four corners of the globe.
Thanksgiving is upon us. It's a time of thanks and a time to care for others. Consider Christ this thanksgiving who gave of Himself to redeem the world. His Gospel wasn't just for some, but for all. His news is to be delivered by the Church; delivered so that by faith in Him we would be saved.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Charles Finney (1792-1876) started what came to be known as the "New Measures". This is how tent revivals get their start. Instead of using God's Word, Finney relied on human strategies to entice people to "give themselves over to God". He also used crowd techniques or what we might today call group think.
Sin became a repair job instead of God's rescuing work through Jesus. Sermons were filled with stories of human experiences rather than doctrine. Everything became pragmatic, meaning, whatever "worked" to get people in the seats was considered best. These "New Measures" were soon adopted in other church bodies.
It's no wonder the Lutheran Church was wary of these "New Measures". In the 1943 Constitution of the LCMS we read the following:
"Especially is synod to investigate whether its pastors have permitted themselves to be misled into applying the so-called "New Measures" which have become prevalent here, or whether they care for their souls according to the sound Scriptural manner of the orthodox (Bible believing) Church."
John 6:63 says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life." Salvation is God's work alone. We were dead in our sins (Eph. 2:1). Dead patients cannot apply a defibrillator to themselves. Only God can make us alive in Christ (Eph. 2:5). Only God converts and enlivens. Christians hold on to what they've always held, the living and abiding Word of God. The Holy Spirit will do His work using the Word.
In a culture continually captivated by experience we run to the liturgy of the church. The liturgy of the church is born out of Scripture. Every hymn and reading is breathed out by God's Word. In a world seeking direction, we cling to our baptismal identity in Christ. We don't need tent revivals. We need the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Give me that old time religion. Give me that Jesus who takes away the sins of the world. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
I didn’t preach on the Beatitudes last week. I believe there's one Beatitude which needs a closer look.
The poor.
We really misunderstand the poor. When the Pharisees hear about the poor being "blessed", they assume it means they have to become poorer. The Pharisees believed they could fulfill the law and assumed they could work for their salvation. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor” (Matt:5:3) the Pharisees think He's saying, “I command you to be financially poorer for the sake of the Kingdom.”
One modern false preacher made his members buy him a private jet. Some churches list a percentage members should give in order to be "real Christians". We ourselves consider the poor be homeless or on government assistance.
Jesus is not speaking about finances nor is He giving a command to be poor.
Jesus is listing the Christian condition. This is why he says "Blessed are the poor in spirit." We don't make ourselves poor, we realize we’re already poor.
We are Sinners Anonymous.
We confess “Hi, my name is_____ and I am a sinner. I am empty. I bring nothing. I need help.” The poor sinner realizes the riches of grace only come from God. God makes us wealthy in blessing. The sinner does not look within, but looks up to Christ. His salvific work on the cross saves. This is the posture of the poor.
Blessed are the poor, for they know they are rich in Christ.
Blessed are the poor, for they open empty hands expecting the Lord’s mercy.
Blessed are the poor, for they always look up knowing a heavenly treasure awaits.
Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Job's friends were really no friends at all. In a friendly attempt to help they begin to act as God's attorneys, speaking on God's behalf. Job's friends believe they need to plead God's case for Him.
How many times have we tried to figure out God's timing? How many times have we tried to help someone by speaking for God? Usually it starts with us saying things like:
"Well, I think what God is doing here is..."
"I think God is punishing so and so..."
"It was just God's way of telling you no..."
In Job 13:7, Job responds to his friends by saying, "Will you speak falsely for God and speak for him?" Job knows God does not need defending. God defends Himself. God is completely in control of every situation. Christians are not called to defend God. We are called to confess Him.
Later in Job 13:22 Job prays to God, "then call, and I will answer..." Job wants to hear from God. Holy Scripture is God's voice. We listen to His Word. It's how we know the very will of God. Word alone is how God defends Himself and we cling to that precious Word always. Yes, He defends and we confess.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Maybe it would be best to talk about what forgiveness is not. It is not unclear. It's not moving on and hoping for the best. It's not hoping the other party still feels guilty. Forgiveness is not the same as tolerance. It does not ignore sin.
I know I'm preaching to the choir but someone once reminded me, "the choir still needs to rehearse." Our world today is a negative community; a body of people living as either the oppressed or the oppressors. We are taught today, if we "feel" like the victim then those who hurt us should never be forgiven.
Ephesians 5:2 says, "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Jesus is the only true victim. He was wrongly convicted by oppressors. He was dehumanized on the cross, yet never returned hate with hate. Jesus didn't win vengeance, he won forgiveness.
Jesus' forgiveness is clear and lasting. In Christ there are no oppressed and oppressors. There are only sinners and Christ. All have broken God's commandments and in this we are equal. No one is above the other. Thanks be to God, who sent Christ for all in order to forgive all. And in Christ, oppressed are not made into the valiant. In Christ, sinners become forgiven saints. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Genders are changing and expanding by the day. You're saturated in a world celebrating everyone's personal choices. How did society get here?
Begin with a guy name Rousseau (1712-1778). He was heavily involved in the French Revolution. His philosophical work started the world on the path you see today.
Rousseau wrote that mankind must be its "true self". This kind of "true self" is inside of you...and it's innocent. Rousseau says you're good deep down, but outside influences take your goodness and make you evil.
Who or what are these outside influences?
Your neighbor.
Church.
Your own family.
Everyone else.
For Rousseau the goal is to say, "I need to be my true self apart from everyone else and everyone else is evil and has no say about my inner self."
This is how we got to where we are today. And now everyone is the enemy. This is why some teens come home for Christmas vacation and never speak to their parents. Someone taught them their parents are the enemy. Men are self identifying as women and vise versa. They don't want to hear from anyone else, because they believe everyone else is trying to take away their "true self" perfection.
All this true self and self identity work is false. It's hurtful. It's scandalous. And worse, it denies who you truly are. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).
As a Christian you identify as:
A sinner.
Unable to be perfect.
Lost without a Savior.
Dear Christians, after you look inside yourselves realize you can only find salvation outside. Christ is the only prefect One. He is the Lamb who takes away sins (John 1:29). By His work,
Jesus identifies you as:
Forgiven.
Child.
Guiltless.
Freed.
His precious possession.
On the Last Day, your inner selves will finally be made perfect. Your bodies will join your cleansed souls. You will stand before the lamb in white robes. You will be as God made you to be forever and ever. Amen.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Crisp air, falling leaves, and football means Thanksgiving is coming. The children and adults find their place settings. And don't forget the food. Oh, the feasting and gravy and that satisfying nap! Your table will be set.
But what if it's already set?
What if there was a meal set for you each week? Your family will gather, but it's not a traditional family. You won't always agree with everyone sitting around you. You might not have voted for the same candidate. But none of that really matters.
The meal matters.
And what a meal it is! The One who calls Himself the Shepherd and Lamb provides. This Holy One isn't going to ask you to bring your best dish. He's got it covered. He's prepared it all just for you. And He doesn't promise you'll be stuffed, He promises you'll be satisfied. You'll be filled with good, forgiving, strengthening, promise-filled bread and wine. But you know it's more than bread and wine.
On thanksgiving, you'll always remember who wasn't able to make it. So it is when you gather with you're other family. You notice when others should be there. Guess what? Others will remember when you're not there. Because you're family, remember?
So gather. Meet. Don't forget. There's plenty. And the one who prepared the meal is also the dish. All for you. The table is set.
In Christ,
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
20 Lutheran Things You Lutherans should Know about Your Lutheran Pastor
There was no Pastor Appreciation Month during the time of Jesus or Luther or Walther. According to one record, it began in 1992. Now we have Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday and National Pancake Day (alright, I like that last one).
I recently came across an article entitled Twenty Things You Should Know about Your Pastor. I've "Lutheranized" the list a bit. I hope it illuminates the life of your pastor and how you play a large role in his life.
Alright, here it goes:
1. He loves you more than you realize.
2. He is a painfully limited human being.
3. He probably at times has a pretty low view of his “performance”.
4. He wishes he were a better preacher.
5. He doesn't sleep well knowing you're hurting.
6. His work knows no time or locational boundaries.
7. He often hears much more negative information than positive.
8. He's chosen a vocation in which many leave.
9. He's in a unique job where he completes numerous tasks never listed on his call document.
10. He wishes he didn't have to beg members to return to church.
11. He's too busy enjoying his work now to think of serving another church in the future.
12. He wants to personally meet all the needs, but knows he can’t.
13. He’s often the only person in life not allowed to be late or miss an appointment or forget to call.
14. His entire family understands their life is on pause when dad has an emergency visit.
15. He rejoices when you come back.
16. He loves when you ask questions about the Bible.
17. He's mentally exhausted after Sunday because 90% of what he said on Sunday had to be memorized.
18. Don't wait until the Sunday handshake to tell him important information. By that point, only 10% of his brain is working.
19. He needs to hear that you prayed for him.
20. He has never ever, not even once, regretted being your pastor.
In Christ,
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Gone are the days of Charleston Heston holding up the Ten Commandments (1958). The cartoon musical Prince of Egypt (1998), which featured Patrick Stewart and Val Kilmer, might've been the last of the great Biblical film epics. Both movies captured the faith of God's people against all adversity.
I recently watched Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014). The first thirty minutes were a visual buffet filled with chariots, pyramids, and Israelite slaves. Moses was immediately depicted as a war general and that didn't bother me. Whose to say Moses wasn't trained up in the military arts under Pharaoh? But the wheels fall off the wagon in Act II.
Silliness abounds as Moses hits his head and sees a burning bush and a strange child. We never find out if the child is a ghost, angel, or God. Instead of portraying a man of faith, the Exodus movie shows a warrior Moses who's never really sure if God exists.
The Bible is never good enough for movies today. They depict confused characters with a menacing god.
This is all a ruse to make the skygod believable.
The skygod isn't the real God. It's just that "up in the sky creator" who sometimes gets involved with earthly matters. For this film and so many others, the skygod is unreliable.
Movies need to stop trying to improve God.
James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
God is not waiting it out. He's here. He's active. He's blessing. He's doing everything according to His will.
When we read the Bible, we see the real story. It's a story of salvation and victory. The triumphs are astounding and the people so ordinary. Films are fun, but they're like movie popcorn. Not very nutritious. Feed on the everlasting stuff, the Word of God. No skygod to be found in Scripture. Only the Father. Our Father. Amen.
In Christ,
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
The Ryder Cup is in town. 45k people are descending upon our fair city daily. The Sheboygan area is enduring helicopter traffic, police at every corner, and congested roadways. Getting to church might take longer on Sunday. Our routes might change and it will be an inconvenience. Some might avoid church altogether. But this brings about an important question:
Are we willing to be inconvenienced for Jesus?
My wife reminded me of a man who inconvenienced himself in order to see Jesus, Zacchaeus. We know he was short, but he was also an unloved tax collector. He waded through the crowd and climbed a tree. He pressed into the mob and gets to a higher position in order to see Jesus. When Jesus sees Zacchaeus, he says "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). In an amazing turn of events, our Lord inconveniences Himself for the sake of a sinner.
Our Lord didn't have to reach up to Zacchaeus, in fact, Christ would have been more popular had he ignored the short tax collector.
Jesus always inconveniences Himself in order to save sinners.
He starves in the wilderness to fend off the devil, He's born in straw to fulfill prophecies, He gives good wine to drunk people at the wedding at Cana, and dies for a world that can't remain faithful to Him. Jesus does it all out of love.
When Jesus enters the house of Zacchaeus He says, “Today salvation has come to this house" (Lk. 19:9). This is why all the traffic in the world is worth seeing Jesus. Salvation comes to us. Salvation feeds us with His Body and Blood.
And when we see Jesus as He really is, we realize coming on Sunday is no inconvenience at all.
In Christ,
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
We've got so many names for the evil foe. Today we remember one more.
Angel.
St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 11:14, “Satan still disguises himself as an angel of light.” We often view the devil as a snake; easily identifiable by his horns and lies. Unfortunately, that’s not how he works. Most of he time he appears like… an angel.
For the most part, angels in Scripture were bringers of Good News. They told the Shepherds about the Christ child and they announced to the women at the tomb Jesus had risen. So it makes sense that when the father of lies comes to tempt you, he will disguise himself as a bringer of “good” news:
"Go look at that website, no one will see. It will feel good."
"Take a few dollars from he register. You earned it."
"Join in that filthy joke at the lunch table and be part of the crowd."
"You go to church more than everyone I know, so who cares if you miss today?"
"Don't tell your neighbor they hurt you. They know what they did. They don't deserve your forgiveness."
Dear Baptized, The devil is a liar (Jn. 8:44). He will never give what he promises. He isn’t God and will never be God. The news he brings is always a temptation to make you stray from THE path set by God.
Thanks be to God, Lucifer is no match for Christ. And to make it clear satan is condemned, Jesus steps on his head (Gen. 3:15). The cross is planted into a sinful world and and Jesus’ crucifixion undoes that old evil foe.
Dear Christians, live without the father of lies. Don't let him tempt you. Pray always. Live like victors. You're not alone. Satan is already finished. He’s a snake on his last breath. And he is no angel.
Cling to these words today:
"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13)
In Christ,
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
― The herb-master in the House of Healing, quoting "doggerel" in Return of the King
Movies never live up to the books. This is especially true in the movie adaptation ofThe Lord of the Rings.I know I've already written about this, but one cannot simply just talk about LOTR once(inside Boromir joke here).In the concluding Book,Return of the King, there is this king...who returns. The greatest mistake made in the films is creating a King who is an anti-king; a man who never wants the crown and finally has it thrust upon his head in the end. In the books Aragorn is always looking to gain the crown and take his rightful place.He isn't avoiding the throne, but longingly looks for the day he can rule again as his ancestors ruled.
In the The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo writes the following poem.
"Renewed shall be Blade that was Broken,
The crownless again shall be king."
The movies make it seem like Aragorn is finally forced to admit he's the king. The secret is out. Time for the coronation. It's all very Hollywood and concludes with fanfare. But how was it really supposed to be?
In the books, the Aragorn rides into the city of men and does something only a king could do. He takes a worthless plant and begins to heal. He isn't healing those with war wounds, but those with damaged souls. This is how the people know the true king is in their midst. Aragorn takes athelas (which most in Middle Earth saw only as a weed) and uses it to heal bodies and souls. Only the kings of old knew its healing properties.
J. R. R.Tolkien, a devout Christian, weaved the story of Christ into his writings. The movies missed the Jesus connection. Matthew 21:5 says "Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey..." Jesus rides in humility. He takes the worthless things of the world and uses them to save. Jesus uses a wooden cross of torture to save the souls of the world. After His crucifixion, the Roman centurion finally admits, “Truly this was the Son of God" (Matt. 27:54). Jesus is known as the King of Kings because He does something only the Messiah could accomplish.
Aragorn and Jesus takes what the world finds useless and makes them tools to heal damaged souls. For Aragorn it was the athelas flower. For Christ it is bread, wine, cross, tomb, and Word. In the hands of Jesus the King, those things bring life and salvation. I end today, not with poetry from Bilbo, but from Revelation 19:16:
"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords."
In Christ,
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Three years ago Rev. Hans Fiene (Pastor of Peace Lutheran in Crestwood, MO) wrote the following story to describe the Christian faith. I'll be back next week with my own words, but this week Rev. Fiene will take the lead.
Once upon a time, Hazel sewed her family's clothes. She lived in an era when there were no department stores or major clothing labels. And Hazel's family couldn't afford the services of the nearest tailor, so Hazel sewed because that's what was necessary to survive. And because it was necessary to survive, Hazel taught this skill to her daughter Sarah.
When Sarah grew up and had her own family, she found that this skill was no longer a necessity. For a reasonable cost, and with the aid of a department store or a catalog, she could contract someone else to do the hard work of measuring and cutting and stitching. But even though she didn't need to sew anymore, Sarah still pulled out the Singer from time to time. She'd sit down with her daughter Kimberly in her lap and make a garment or two around Christmas. Sarah did this because the feel of the thread on her fingertips and the vibrations of the sewing machine on her palms reminded her of her mother, and she wanted to give some of those memories to her child.
But Kimberly couldn't even tell you how to thread a needle anymore. Her grandmother sewed out of necessity. Her mother sewed out of nostalgia. But Kimberly doesn't sew at all because, without necessity, nostalgia rarely makes it to the second generation.
The Christian faith is necessary. You are dead without it and nothing in this world can replace the salvation that Jesus gives to those who hear and believe His Word. But when your pastor doesn't see you for months at a time, when you let every conflict bump the Divine Service off your Sunday schedule, when you never talk theology with your children, you teach them that the Word of God is nothing more than a trinket we pull out of the closet whenever we want to taste the sweetness of our familial heritage. And when you teach that to your children, your children will not grow up to be Christians. They will not believe anymore than Kimberly sews.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Get in Your Pew
Everything is great
Everything is grand
I got the whole wide world in the palm of my hand
Everything is perfect
It's falling into place
I can't seem to wipe this smile off my face
These are the opening lyrics to "Life's a Happy Song" from The Muppets. Jason Segel and Amy Adams sing the number, complete with tap dancing. It’s joy exploding into syrupy sweet melodies that no one would sing in real life. The song's animated style brings a smile to our face, if only for an hour. Now counter "Life's a Happy Song" with this week's message below from the World Economic Forum:
The WEF, according to their website, "brings together decision-makers from across society to work on projects and initiatives that make a real difference."
WEF also sent out the following message:
This message is lightyears away from that tapdancing Muppets. Is positivity toxic? Should we dull our happiness in order to be more empathetic towards others? Do we give a fake smile or embrace realistic optimism? The answer is neither. Consider the following verse:
Rejoice in the Lord always:
and again I say,
rejoice. (Philippians 4:4).
The WEF and the Muppets miss the mark. They miss out on joy. Joy is the key. Joy is the hallmark of the Christian attitude.
Joy is not an emotion that depends upon our present circumstances. We CAN have days of depression, days of celebration, days of loss, and days of victory. What connects all our days is joy in Jesus Christ. He has come down to save us. The angel tells the shepherds in Luke 2:10, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."
God doesn't call us to ignore the sufferings of our neighbor. He doesn't expect us to tap dance during a funeral. We serve and love. We care and shed tears. We have days of jubilation. We've spent a whole day in bed.
Dear Christians, every day IS joyful because Jesus is our joy. His cross and empty tomb haven't changed. His attitude towards us is still one of compassion. His promises haven't dimmed. He is our joy. And so we joyfully declare with the Psalmist:
"The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." (Ps. 118:4)
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Get in Your Pew
The history of the church pew isn't all that glorious. In fact, it's a bit of a sad and strange history. There was a time Christians paid for their pews. You've heard the tired old joke about some old member saying to a visitor "You're in MY pew!" There's a drop of truth to it.
Long ago, England and then America adopted the construction of "pew boxes". Yes, you had to pay for your pew. Wealthy families actually held deeds to the pews and passed them down to their kids. How did you know which pews were saved? Look for the lack of hymnals. Wealthy members brought their own pews. Visitor pews and those for the poor contained hymnals available for the Service. This practice, as you can imagine, has long been out of vogue.
When you drive and see Free Baptist Church of Free Anglican Churches today, they could be talking about their freedom in the Gospel. Many, however, are making it clear that everyone can attend free of charge. So what about your pew?
Of course you have your space. You know you have your preferences inside the sanctuary. Maybe it's time to see things differently. Consider now Matthew 20:16 which says, "the last will be first." When you see others in your regular spot, rejoice a stranger is in the House of the Lord. At one time, YOU were new to your church.
The point ultimately is this: any pew you land in is your pew. Where you land is your spot in the congregation of Saints. There's really no bad seat in the House of God. And yes, it's free. Christ has made it so. Christ has set you free from sin and death and granted you life eternal.
Sunday will be here soon enough. Get in a pew. Any pew. Find one at your church. Rejoice and be glad. There's always room. One day there will be a space ready for your in the congregation of heaven. God has saved your spot!
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
There are No Successful Churches
John the Baptizer was beheaded, the early apostles never build expansive cathedrals, and Noah couldn't convince a congregation a flood was coming. The history of the Christian Church is not etched in the chapters of Art of the Deal or How to Win Friends and Influence People. Church history is not a history of winners.
When speaking to Ezekiel, God said; "Yet, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul" (Ez. 3:19). God calls Ezekiel to be truthful and faithful. If others fall away, it's never chalked up to as a failure to succeed.
Will some sheep leave the fold of the Lord's Church? Yes. Will some start questioning God to a point of disbelieving in Him? Yes. Will some call the church unsuccessful for having a lack of programs, finances, energy, and all other issues? Yes. But all of the above has nothing to do with the Church and her mission.
Dear Christians, Jesus is the only success you concern yourself with. His blood washes His people in victory. The devil is left with only parlor tricks to entice believers away. Pastors, like Ezekiel, will go out and preach. Some will listen and some will stray. On this side of glory we don't know why.
Church history is not a history of winners. It's a history of the redeemed. Much better than story found in a library, your salvation is secured by the only victor that matters, Jesus Christ. There are no successful churches, only faithful congregations. The faithful rarely receive earthly praise or even honorable mention. That is not the kind of success you're after. In the end all success will stay buried, but you will receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
Who's the Actor?
Vita Passiva
Learn this Latin phrase. Speak it. Memorize it. It means "passive life". This is your life, at least, this is how you should order your life. God is first. Then you. God speaks first and then you listen. God acts through His Son, then you receive the work done for you. It's a life of receiving.
In teaching confirmands, I ask the following question:
"Who's the actor?"
Who is the one who directs your life? Who do you listen to in times of fear? Who do you run to most often? During the Church Service, who is most important? Finally, when you consider your life inside the Church, who is the one doing all the saving work?
In asking about the "actor", you determine who does all the work of saving, securing, and sealing you with a promise?
The opposite of "vita passiva" is a life that focuses on your emotions. It is a life that wonders if God's Word is enough in the church, or maybe something new should be added? It is a life that sometimes wonders, "Did God really mean it when he said this or that?"
St. Paul writes:
"Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak." (2 Cor. 4:13).
Vita Passiva
The life of passive reception begins with God.
God acts.
And He acts through Jesus.
In His Service,
Pastor Adam Barkley
