The Father’s Waiting Ears

In the Holy Gospel appointed for tomorrow (Proper 12 C), Jesus concludes with these words:

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” [Luke 11:13]

Our Lord doesn’t mince words. We are evil. Our prayers often reflect this truth. Not the prayers uttered with the lips. We are too pious to say such things outwardly. But the prayers uttered from the deepest, darkest recesses of the heart. Left unrestrained, these prayers sound something like this:

Father in heaven: hallowed be my name; my kingdom come; my will be done on earth and in heaven. Give me this day the desires of my heart; and tolerate my trespasses even as I hold grudges against those who trespass against me; lead me into the juicy temptations of my flesh, and deliver me not from the evil one, his works, or his ways. For mine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

That’s why the sinful flesh needs to die daily. Why the absolution needs to be heard and believed daily. So that Christ’s life becomes your life. So that Christ’s prayer becomes your prayer. You know the prayer: the Lord’s Prayer! The prayer He places onto your lips, that you might place it into the Father’s waiting ears. The prayer your Father hears every time. The prayer your Father answers every time.

In return, He gives you what you truly need. His name. His kingdom. His will. Daily bread. Forgiveness. Protection. Deliverance. All because He is your Father and you are His child. And isn’t that exactly what evil hearts need to hear?

Synodical Leadership

Recently a group within the LCMS released a list of candidates it is promoting for the convention next week. It is titled “Our Future.” Below is the choice to be made as this group sees it:

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod [sic] is at a deciding moment in history. Will Synod faithfully choose leaders who are passionate about the Gospel in reaching the lost or will Synod choose leaders who are inwardly focused and who are living in the past. [sic]

Who are the leaders “who are passionate about the Gospel in reaching the lost”? And who are the leaders “who are are inwardly focused and who are living in the past”? How does one identify them? What is the criteria? Who is the judge?

Coming from a group that claims to be all about the Gospel, why this harsh judgment? What evidence can they provide that some leaders are inwardly focused? What evidence can they provide that some are living in the past (whatever that means)? What evidence can they provide that some are not passionate about the Gospel? What evidence can they provide that some do not want to reach the lost?

If the type of leadership you are looking for in the LCMS involves vague statements, a false dichotomy, and straw man accusations, then by all means follow the “Our Future” list.

I’m looking for leaders who mourn their sin and rejoice in Christ’s full and free forgiveness. Who hold up God’s holy Word and blessed Sacraments as the life of the Church. Who believe, teach, and confess the Lutheran Confessions because they are a faithful exposition of Holy Scripture. Who love the truth (doctrine) and love the sheep (evangelism and missions). I pray you are looking for the same type of leadership in the LCMS!

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

The Second Table of the Law is summed as follows: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8]

Who is your neighbor? According to God’s Law, your neighbor is...

• the one you are to honor, serve, obey, and hold in love and esteem; [4th Commandment]
• the one you are to help and befriend in every bodily need; [5th Commandment]
• the one with whom you are to lead a chaste and decent life in word and deed; [6th Commandment]
• the one whose property and business you are to improve and protect; [7th Commandment]
• the one you are to defend, speak well of, and put the best construction on; and [8th Commandment]
• the one you are to help and serve. [9th & 10th Commandments]

Ultimately, everyone is a neighbor. But don’t forget that your neighbor has a real name and real needs. God has placed him in your path because he needs your mercy. By God’s grace, speak Christ to your neighbor and be Christ to your neighbor. Show him the mercy of Christ. Lead him to Christ’s good gifts in Word and Sacrament. And teach him that Christ alone loves His neighbor as Himself; He does this for you and me and all humanity.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” [1 John 4:10]

President Harrison Re-Elected

It is with great joy that I post the following email from the Secretary of the LCMS...

LCMS President-Elect Announced
July 6, 2013

The convention delegates of the 2010 Convention adopted a new process for the election of the President of the Synod. Over the last several months, this process has been put into place by the Office of the Secretary of Synod.

The nomination process for the position of President began last year with the mailing of nominations ballots to all congregations of the Synod around October 1st. All nominations were required to be submitted by February 20, 2013, or 5 months prior to the start of convention, when the ballots, received by an outside auditor, were tallied and delivered to the Secretary of the Synod. The candidates for the office of President were the three ordained ministers who received the highest number of votes in the nominations process and who consented to serve if elected. The three nominees for President of Synod were the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, the Rev. Dr. David P.E. Maier and the Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller.

Four weeks prior to the convention, on June 22, the Secretary’s Office provided, through Election-America, a secure method and opportunity for two voting delegates from each congregation, to participate in the vote via electronic balloting services provided by Election-America. The voters in the President’s election were the congregations’ delegates in attendance at the 2012 district conventions.

The results of the ballot, conducted four weeks prior to the 2013 convention, were tallied and reported to the Secretary of the Synod by Election-America as follows:

Matthew C. Harrison: 4,262 votes (66.26%)
David P. E. Maier: 1,906 votes (29.63%)
Herbert C. Mueller, Jr.: 264 votes (4.10%)

Total Ballots: 6,432

Total Electorate: 8,201

Percentage Voted: 78.43%

The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, having received a majority of the votes cast, is declared elected as President-elect of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Non-Denominational Evangelicalism

After watching the opening mass event of the National Youth Gathering, I can say with 100% conviction: Thanks be to God for Higher Things!!!

There’s no shortage of youth in San Antonia this week who are “in love with” Jesus. Opportunities will abound to “praise” Him. And there will be lots of eye candy to boot. Most of these youth will even come home “pumped for Jesus” (whatever that means). But if the opening mass event is any indication of what Christianity is to these youth, is it any wonder why many are leaving the church (organized religion)—even Christianity (the faith)—in droves?

There is a split coming in the LCMS. A split between those who want to trod the path of non-denominational evangelicalism by watering down doctrine to make it “palatable” to a fickle culture and those who desire to remain true to historic Christianity. Contrary to popular belief, historic Christianity is not some stodgy, stale, dying relic from the past. It is the living voice of Jesus Christ, delivered in Word and Sacrament via a liturgy and hymnody that continues to incorporate the very best from every generation, and lived out by His people in their various vocations. Historic Christianity extols Christ and His good gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Non-denominational evangelicalism does not. It simply talks a lot about love and service and commitment, things that even a decent heathen can do.

Next week the youth of my congregation will attend the Higher Things From Above youth conference at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. They will participate in ten worship services, with the option of three more at the close of the day. They will enjoy four plenary sessions, each featuring deep, insightful, full-throttled, Christ-centered theology. They will also choose six quality breakaway sessions on various topics (from a list of more than 55). Yes, they will also have lots of fun and make lots of great memories in the process. But fun isn’t the primary focus. Christ is!

My advice to the Synod (though I doubt anyone up there is listening): Let’s stop feeding our children the sugary snacks of non-denominational evangelicalism and start feeding them the “solid food” of confessional Lutheranism. Let’s stop teaching our children to despise historic Christianity and start teaching them the treasures that have been passed down to us from our parents and grandparents. Let’s stop pandering to the culture and the “felt needs” of our youth and train them to love “the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15) and the Lutheran Confessions (because they are in full agreement with the Scriptures).

Parents, give your children Christ at home in devotion, prayer, song, and example. Pastors, give the people entrusted to your care—both youth and adults—Christ in the Divine Service, in the prayer offices, in Word and Sacrament, in catechesis, in your pastoral care, and in your example. Don’t water down Christ. Don’t try to make Him more palatable to itchy ears. He is who He is! And you cannot be His without daily taking up your cross, crucifying your sinful flesh, and rising to newness of life in Him.

Extol Christ to our youth. He alone has the words of eternal life!