Jesus Follower?

The modern believer has finally figured out the secret to salvation, truth, faith, life, evangelism, service, love. Ditch the label “Christian” and take up the label “Jesus Follower” (or “Follower of Jesus”).

I did a Google search to find a definition, a creed, a confession, or some set of beliefs held in common by those who call themselves Jesus Followers. What I found is hundreds of different statements, mostly short and generic. The Jesus Followers I have spoken with in person seem to want to keep things simple, loving Jesus and one another. That’s all fine and good on the surface, but what about the rest of God’s Word? What about original sin, baptism, absolution, and communion? What about Law and Gospel? What about daily crucifying the sinful flesh and rising to new life? What about all the other aspects of Christian doctrine that God has given us in His Word? Where does Holy Scripture ever take the minimalistic approach? Jesus gave His Church the task of teaching “all” that He has commanded (Matthew 20:18-19).

My observations have led me to conclude that Jesus Followers—though they seem to despise the concept of denominations—are a loosely knit denomination of their own.

By God’s grace, I am a Christian. I have a creed, a confession, a certain set of beliefs—all formed by Christ and His Word. When others ask me for a reason for the hope I have, my answer is simple: Jesus Christ and Him crucified for me. (For you too!) My only boast is in His cross, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Saint Luke gives us the origin of the title Christian. “In Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Those who sat at the feet of Barnabas and Paul in Antioch believed their proclamation of Christ crucified and were happy to be identified with His messianic title. Peter later speaks beautifully of this title when he writes: “If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (1 Peter 4:16). Given these wonderful examples, why would any believer want to ditch this Scriptural title for something “new” and “innovative”?

If you consider yourself a Jesus Follower, why do you believe this title is better or more effective than the title Christian (which has apostolic foundation and nearly 2000 years of usage)?

Cliche: Look Within

Today I saw yet another bad church sign message outside a local Christian congregation. It stated:

LOOK NOT BEHIND OR AHEAD,

BUT WITHIN

Christians should know better. Never does God’s Word call us to look within. Why? Because looking within is looking to one’s own heart. And what do you find there? Jesus says:

“What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” [Mark 7:20-23]

Instead of looking within, the Christian looks outside of himself to Jesus. Always. The author of Hebrews writes:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:1-2]

Even the Holy Spirit, who was given in Holy Baptism and now “dwells within us” (2 Timothy 1:14), bears witness about Jesus (John 15:26). In other words, He focuses our eyes and ears, our thoughts and desires, on Jesus. Thus, do not look within. Look to Jesus. Always!

Cliche: Two Hands

I am always astounded at the generic messages on church signs these days. Most of these messages are worldly, trite, and cliché. This morning I saw the following message on a local sign:

WE HAVE 2 HANDS:

1 TO GIVE

1 TO RECEIVE

We do have two hands. That is true for most, but not all, human beings. But what does it mean to give with one hand and receive with the other hand? Where does Holy Scripture teach such nonsense?

When it comes to receiving what God graciously gives, the Christian receives not with a hand, but with his ears and mouth. Christ’s Word is spoken into his ears (Romans 10:17). Christ’s body and blood are placed into his mouth (1 Corinthians 11:26). And when it comes to receiving help from his neighbor, is the Christian to receive this help with only one hand? What does that even mean?

When it comes to giving back to God out of joyful response to what He has first given us in Christ, the Christian presents not simply a hand, but his entire body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). And when it comes to serving his neighbor, is the Christian to give this help with only one hand? Isn’t it a little selfish to hold something back while serving others?

Stop the worldly gobbledygook. Put up something about Jesus. Preferably a Bible passage. Most certainly the Gospel. After all, the good news of Jesus for sinners is what every one of us daily needs to hear!

Screw You, God!

Yesterday the Illinois House collectively raised its middle finger in a childish temper tantrum and yelled “Screw You, God!” to the LORD God of heaven and earth. This gesture was disguised as a legislative bill that legalized same sex “marriage.” The Illinois Senate did the same thing back on February 14. The Illinois Governor has promised to sign this bill into law.

But try as it may, government can no more legitimately redefine marriage than it can legitimately redefine an apple “a banana,” a tree “a lake,” a dog “a crocodile,” or the sun “a giant luminous marshmallow in the sky.” Government cannot legitimately redefine what God has created, defined, sanctioned, and blessed. Nor does the Church recognize such a false “marriage” as true marriage.

God’s Word teaches us that marriage is a gift from Him. A man leaves his father and mother, holds fast to his wife, and the two become one flesh. God is the One who joins husband and wife together. In this sacred union, the husband nourishes and cherishes his wife as Christ loved His body, the Church. He pledges her his faithfulness. He loves, honors, and keeps her in sickness and in health and remains united to her alone as long as they both shall live. Reciprocating this love, the wife submits to her husband as the Church submits to Christ. She pledges him her faithfulness. She loves, honors, and keeps him in sickness and in health and remains united to him alone as long as they both shall live. In this way, marriage is held in honor and the bed undefiled.

Yes, we live in a sinful and broken world. Yes, husbands and wives daily fail each other. Yes, divorce runs rampant. All of these problems need to be dealt with in accordance with God’s Word. But none of these problems legitimizes our culture’s desire to redefine marriage to something it is not.

At the end of the day, you can take one of two stands on this issue. You can believe God’s Word and confess the beautiful gift a one man one woman marriage is, or you can reject God’s Word and raise your middle finger to Him in a show of defiance. I pray that you, by God’s grace, will add your Amen to what your loving God has given humanity for its good and with His blessing.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of His body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. [Ephesians 5:25-32]

Sacerdotalism

Sacerdotalism. It’s a big word. A theological word. A word denoting a certain false teaching. Some within Lutheranism are familiar with this word. Others are not. So, to begin the conversation, first let me list two consistent definitions from reputable publications.

The online Lutheran Cyclopedia defines sacerdotalism as follows: “View according to which the laity can establish relation with God only through priests.” (source)

The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sacerdotalism as follows: “Religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and humankind.” (source)

Confessional Lutherans believe, teach, and confess what God’s Word says about mediation. “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus is that one mediator. The pastor is not that mediator. Nor is the pastor the Good Shepherd, the Savior, or the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And yet, by means of the Office that Christ established and into which the Church places them, pastors are called to distribute Christ’s gracious gifts in Word and Sacrament. All those who are rightly called into this Office are “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1).

But there are some Lutherans who define sacerdotalism differently. One such alternate definition that recently came across my desk is the following: “Sacredotalism is a pastor taking upon himself the right to do things that have little if anything to do with Word and Sacrament ministry.”

I find such a definition troublesome for a few reasons. First, unlike the Lutheran Cyclopedia and Merriam-Webster citations above, I cannot find such a definition in any reputable source (I am happy to be corrected if there is one). Second, where does Holy Scripture or the Lutheran Confessions forbid a pastor from doing things outside of “Word and Sacrament ministry” (either voluntarily or when he is asked)? After all, most pastors do things that have “little if anything to do with Word and Sacrament ministry.” Many pastors do such things regularly. Below are twelve examples of things that many pastors in smaller congregations may do to one extent or another (many more could be listed):

• pick up office supplies for use at church
• place orders with suppliers via phone or internet
• prepare and print the worship bulletins
• assist with changing the paraments, banners, etc.
• set up tables and chairs for various classes and functions
• help clean and vacuum
• help decorate the sanctuary for various liturgical seasons
• help mow lawn in the summer
• help shovel snow in the winter
• help with various projects to better the church property
• write letters to village or business personnel on matters that affect the congregation
• track membership records, statistical data, etc.

None of these is essential to “Word and Sacrament ministry.” Does that mean that the pastor who does one or more of these is guilty of sacerdotalism? I don’t believe so. Why not? Because these things have nothing to do with the “view according to which the laity can establish relation with God only through priests” (see Lutheran Cyclopedia citation above). They are adiaphora—things neither commanded nor forbidden by God’s Word.

As Lutherans, we need to agree on a common definition and stick with it. I believe this would help clear up a lot of the misunderstandings and false accusations out there. Perhaps it would even lead to greater faithfulness in our Witness, Mercy, and Life Together!

Gaudiness Refuses to RIP

It started out as a single day. October 31. Halloween. A day for school kids to dress up—mostly in handmade costumes—and have a party. Bobbing for apples. Silly games. Freshly baked cupcakes and homemade apple cider. Then, near sundown, the trek through the neighborhood trick or treating.

Now it’s a season. A month-long celebration of gaudiness. Plastic tombstones, phony ghosts, blowup spiders, fake cobwebs, and a plethora of other lawn monstrosities. The costumes—once a work of art in their creativity—are now mostly bland replicas of the latest “in” thing. How much money do Americans spend on all this tacky stuff? A total of $8 billion in 2012 ($2 billion in candy and $6 billion in stuff). Is all this stuff really worth it? All the RIP signs I see around this time of year all scream the same message: Gaudiness refuses to “rest in peace.”

Thankfully, we live in a country where you are free to make your front yard the eyesore of your street. You are free to make believe your landscape is spooky. You are free to drop loads of money on all this pretend paraphernalia. You are even free to believe that you are enriching your neighborhood in the process.

I’m not anti-Halloween. My wife and I give out candy and love seeing some of the cool costumes—especially the creative handmade ones—worn by the neighborhood kids. But if you really want to make someone’s day in a meaningful way, skip the gaudiness in your yard and make a financial donation to your local food pantry or homeless shelter this Halloween. It’s one of the greatest “treats” you can give to those in your community.

If everyone did this, just imagine how much good $6 billion could do!

United in Christ

Jeff Soukup & Charlotte Weberling

United in Marriage

28 September 2013

Las Vegas, Nevada

Christ’s Blessing Received

12 October 2013

Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church

Bolingbrook, Illinois

“Let marriage be held in honor among all.” [Hebrews 13:4]