Making All Things New
Pastor Paustian • April 20, 2020
After 150 Years, Something New
In the office files, we’ve got a book written in 1945 for the 75th anniversary of this congregation. I read through the whole thing and I couldn’t find a single reference to any world-wide pandemics, online-only services, or Facebook posts. I guess even an old church can experience new things.
May 17th was supposed to be the first of three anniversary services celebrating Bethlehem’s 150th anniversary. We were supposed to have a game day on Saturday—with the idea to have some old German games they would’ve played 150 years ago. We were supposed to invite people who grew up here, served here, or used to go here to come back and celebrate with us at a special worship service on Sunday.
There are a lot of we-were-supposed-to’s happening right now, huh? Vacations, visits, concerts, tournaments… How many of our plans will be frustrated by the time this is all over? How many inconveniences will we be stuck with? How long will we have to live with this uncertainty, fear, heartache, and helplessness?
I don’t know… I don’t know.
What I do know is this: my plans are never as good as God’s plan. My inconveniences are good when they point me back to what’s really important (how things are between me and God). My uncertainties, my fears, and my feelings of heartache and helplessness keep me from putting my hopes in human strength and humanity’s ability to save itself. These uncomfortable feelings point me to a real Savior who can really save—a Savior named Jesus—who is my sure hope, the answer to all my fears, and my helper when I cannot help myself.
He has made my worn out, stony heart new, and I know the rest is soon to follow.
An anniversary is a time to look back on a lot of old things: old people, old places, old buildings. A church anniversary is especially about looking back at those old things and recognizing the one constant, the grace of God, which will one day make this worn out world shiny and brand new.
A reading from Revelation 21:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Pastor BLOG
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What is it you want most in life? What are you most afraid of losing? Abram wanted a son. Abram had good reason to hope for a son. God had specifically promised to give him one. Abram also had “good” reasons to doubt that promise. He was 99 years old. His wife was 89. Abram was afraid. “The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) A shield blocks the arrows, spears, and swords that would otherwise kill a soldier. The LORD promised to defend Abram from Satan’s attacks. What Satan most wants to kill is faith in God. Satan whispered to Abram year after year, “God said he would give you a son. Well? Where is he? Do you really think God would keep a promise like that for a person like you?” A son would have been a great reward, but even if God hadn’t given Abram a son, he had someone far greater. He had God—the source of “ every good and perfect gift ” (James 1:17). God is the perfect gift-giver—but the greatest gift is to have him as your friend and Father. Are you afraid? Afraid God might not keep his promises to you? Afraid God might take away that person you could not imagine living life without? You don’t need to be. God loves you so much. I know Satan whispers in your ear, “Does he?” He’s a liar. If God did not love you, he would not have given up his Son, his only Son, whom he loves, for you. He would not have paid such a costly price to forgive your debt to him. Will he give you what you most deeply want in life? I don’t know. Will he take away that person or thing you are most afraid of losing? Yes, one day. But the God who gave you these people and things to love for a time also gave you Jesus and the faith to believe in what Christ did for you on the cross. So you know no matter what you lose, he’s not losing you. Abram was still afraid. So God took him out under the night sky. He had him look up and try to count the stars. “ So shall your offspring be ,” God said (Genesis 15:5). Abram believed God. You believe him, too. By faith, you are one of those stars Abram counted that night. By faith, you are one of Abram's offspring. You are a sign that God has and will always keep his promises. Don’t be afraid. God is your shield, and your very great reward.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 I don’t know if you know this, but there’s an election coming up. Maybe you haven’t noticed the yard signs and flags and calls on social media to vote. Maybe you haven’t been getting the constant phone calls and mailings. You probably have. I’ve heard and seen a lot of political statements lately. A lot of them are mean-spirited. A lot of them misrepresent what the other side is saying. A lot of them are kind of whiny, to be honest. A lot of them are coming from Christians. Now (as always) it’s important to listen carefully to others who disagree with us so we understand what they’re saying. As Christians, we’re well-equipped to listen and love because we know that even if everything appears to be going against us, God is for us. Jesus is ruling over all things for the Church’s good. We’re guaranteed the victory in this battle against Satan, the world, and our sinful nature. Christ called us to love our enemies and pray for those who hate us, and I’m afraid too many Christians are spending too much energy complaining that people out there aren’t Christians, and “ conforming to the pattern of this world ” to get “our” people in positions of power so we can change things. A far better use of our energy is to share the gospel, because the good news about Jesus is the only message that can really change hearts. The gospel is the real source of our world-changing power as Christians. As we look ahead to November, remember that, whether you’re a Republican, or a Democrat, or a Libertarian, or a Constitutionalist (which I just found out is a thing), you’re a Christian first. Do not be conformed—be transformed. For all the crosses the Church carries in this life, there’s a whole lot more glory waiting on the other side. In Jesus, Pastor Paustian
Over the next couple weeks, I'll be giving you short summaries of information about worshiping during COVID-19. The info I'm giving you is mostly from a report our synod's Congregational Services put together. I'd highly encourage you to take the time to read this report, as it will explain how our congregation and others in our synod are responding to our current situation. You can download it by clicking here (for the original post, go to the WELS website ). So many of our normal activities have come to a screeching halt during this pandemic. As we work to process the frustration and anxiety of so much change and uncertainty, make sure to dedicate time to God's Word and to prayer (and think about counseling , too. It helps!). "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 God cares for you . He does. Can you believe it? It's crazy, but he does. Just look what he did for you. He gave you Jesus. If he would do that for you, what wouldn't he do?
Principal BLOG
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Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The theme for this month “Sent by Christ” echoes the Great Commission outlined in Matthew 28:16-20. We are sent by Christ to share the message of salvation in three distinct ways. First, as parents, we share the message of salvation as we also hear it when we attend worship services together with our children. We share the message when we review with our children their Bible stories and their memory assignments on a daily basis. We also share the message when we have family devotions whether at the beginning or the end of the day. Never underestimate the blessings that come when hearing, learning, and sharing God’s Word with your children. Secondly, we support mission projects and missionaries with our prayers and offerings. You can connect with our WELS Mission Programs through FACEBOOK (Like the WELS Missions Facebook page at fb.com/WELSmissions for additional photos and updates from our mission fields.) BLOGS (Subscribe to read weekly stories from home and world missionaries at wels.net/subscribe.) and NEWSLETTERS (Stay up - to- date by subscribing to the biannual Mission Update e-newsletter at wels.net/subscribe. Thirdly, we are to make disciples of all nations. This means a personal contact with people inviting them to a Bible Study, a Bible Information Class, or to a worship service. We call this ” Friendship Evangelism”. Share the entire message of Jesus' love with others without fear of embarrassment and without compromise. In all three ways just mentioned we can do this because of Jesus’ promise in vs. 20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” God bless you this summer as you are “Sent by Christ’ share the message of salvation.
Job 19:25-27 - I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! A popular response heard on Easter Sunday morning is…”Christ is risen...He is risen indeed?” This is a wonderful response to the fact that Jesus Christ has shown His power over the devil and because of that we live also. Look again at Job 19:25-27. Job confidently expresses his faith in the coming Savior. He says, “I know that my redeemer lives. I myself will see him with my own eyes - I and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job had learned of the true God (Jahweh) Jehovah and lived in a close relationship with Him. As Job looked ahead in faith to seeing His Savior, he could forget his present troubles and in faith see what lay ahead for him after his life on earth had ended. These words express the firm hope of Job’s own bodily resurrection after his death and that hope that has been shared by true believers ever since. Those thoughts of Job are the same for us. Because our Savior lives, we also live. When we die, we will continue to live. That living will take place in heaven which gives us opportunity to shout with joy in our heart, “I know that my redeemer lives!”
Luke 4: 1-13 - Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written; ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” The devil then led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered, “it is said; ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. The words of Luke 4: 1-13 review for us the temptations faced by Jesus after spending forty days in the wilderness. These temptations came from the devil who wanted to ensnare Jesus in his grip and lead Him to sin. But that didn’t happen because as the sinless Son of God, our Savior resisted the temptations of the devil. We, as sinful human beings, are easily tempted and fall victim to the temptations of the big three, “The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.” This happens over and over again. Try as we might, we cannot resist the temptations of these “big three’. In Matthew 26:41 we are reminded to “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptations. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” To help keep temptations away, to help us overcome temptations, to help us overcome situations which would lead us to sin we need help. That help comes from our Savior Jesus Christ. We hear in Hebrews 2:18, “Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.” So resist the devil’s snares and don’t become overcome by any temptations. Instead ask your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to help fight off the devil’s attacks with the knowledge that He is there for you and will help you in your daily struggles with temptations.
