“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us.”  (1 John 1:3)

It’s something that you experience in a non-religious way all the time.  Perhaps a few of your friends go on a trip, and when they return, there’s only one way to reconnect: listen to their stories of the trip.  Or maybe a neighbor becomes ill and undergoes a long treatment.  How can you be that neighbor’s friend without hearing about the treatment?

So it goes with the Gospel.  Our God has become flesh—He became a human agent in history who affected the people of a particular place and time in a particular way.  The only way to know this event in God’s life is to know the stories of those who experienced it.  There’s simply no other way.

It’s a reality that stands behind an old saying in the Church: extra ecclesiam nulla salus, “outside of the Church, there is no salvation.”  It’s not a statement of tribal authority (although it has been used that way!), but simply an acknowledgment that the Church is simple: people telling and hearing the history of God, and without knowing His personal history, how can we be His friend?

So now think!  You have heard the story—it’s reached you, touched you, fed you—opening up God’s fellowship and friendship with you.  Are you not amazed?

LET US PRAY: Than you for your Gospel, O Lord, and thank You for the fellowship of those who share, hear, and love it.  Open the ears and hearts of the whole world to Your truth, and thus raise up the harvest of Your Church; in Jesus’ name.  Amen

Pr. Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau

“Do not lift up your horn on high, do not speak with insolent pride.” For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation;” (Psalm 75:5-6)

The proud of this world speak boasts and make promises and declarations. Only in You Lord is there any boast, for all things are in Your hands. Who are any of us to boast of anything, for You give and You take and You have purposes that we are unable to fathom. Let it be enough to know You and to be invited to walk in Your ways that we might learn to truly praise You in all things.

Lord, I do rail against things that are not in my control. Guide me, Lord, in Your ways that I may know that only in You can I begin to see things as they are. Help me overcome the sin that causes me to think that I can either boast, or lament when what concerns me is in Your hands. From You alone comes the hope or the lament of this age. Teach me to respond faithfully in Your will.

Lord Jesus, as You walked the earth, You showed us the range of emotions that You had concerning humanity. In great love, You reached out to heal the sick and to lift up the lonely. You gave Yourself that we might know life and be prepared for life eternal. Over what then should I lament? It is all in Your hands. Teach me to lift up my voice and hands to proclaim with my life Your salvation. Amen.

“The earth and all who dwell in it melt; it is I who have firmly set its pillars. “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn;” (Psalm 75:3-4)

Upon whom, not what, does existence rest? It is upon the Lord God who made all things. Apart from Him there is nothing. Only in Him are the nations upheld. See that it is the Lord who causes all things to be and that only in Him is life sustained. The fool says there is no God, but those who come to wisdom know that He is the One who is the center and the hope of all people.

Lord this earth will pass away. Even the ones who deny you know that one day they will die and for them, the earth will melt away. Lead me, O Lord, in the way You have established that I may walk according to Your counsel and not be led astray by the wicked of this world who deny You. Guide me, Lord, in Your wisdom that I would forever hold fast to the truth You have revealed.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for coming and showing us the truth of salvation. Thank You for being the way in which we can follow. Thank You for the grace You give to make it possible to walk in the way of the LORD. You are the hope of all people, for You have come in person to show the way and lead us to eternal life. In You alone is the hope of all people.  Guide me in You Lord Jesus. Amen.

“We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks, for Your name is near; men declare Your wondrous works. “When I select an appointed time, it is I who judge with equity.” (Psalm 75:1-2)

The Lord is good and Mighty is His name. He provides for all in season and out of season. In Him is the hope of all people at all times. He will raise up for Himself those who will walk in His counsel and live according to His Word. You have been called by the Mighty Lord to walk in His ways and live in the grace He has granted for all through the merits of Christ the Savior.

Lord, I know these words and I hear them, but it is often difficult to put these words into action. Affect my life that I may walk in Your counsel and live according to Your Word.  Help me in every time of need to see that You have given the words of eternal life and that I am called by grace through faith to live humbly with You in every circumstance, knowing that You alone are God.

Lord Jesus, the helper of the weak, walk with me and lead me by grace through all of those things which hinder my way of walking faithfully with You. Guide me in the goodness You have granted for the sake of the Father’s will that I would humbly submit to Your leading and be guided by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Grant that I would be gracious with others as You have been gracious with me. Amen.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
Devotional for April 15, 2018 based upon Luke 24: 36-48

Are you a worrier? Do you know someone who is a worrier? I know that for me most of the things that I worry about never happen. And the bad things that happen often are things that I had never thought of to worry about. But still, I keep on worrying. Whenever my wife says, “Don’t panic, but. . . .” I always start to panic.

One father told of when his children were small, he put together a swing set for them in the backyard. But then he started to worry about all the ways in which he might not have put it together correctly so that it might come apart and injure his children.

One person once said, “We used to take life with a grain of salt; now we take it with five milligrams of valium.” A lot of people today are worried and afraid. Many people have good reason to be afraid. In our Gospel reading for April 15 Jesus asked His disciples, “Why are you frightened? What are you afraid of?” It is a good question for us as well.

First, MANY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT AND ARE AFRAID OF THE FUTURE.

Some worry about Social Security. Will it be there when I need it? What will I do if it is not there? Others worry, What if Chicken Little is right? What if the environmentalists are right? What if good old Mother Earth really does become an uninhabitable greenhouse?

The disciples also were afraid for the future. After all, they were facing some pretty tough enemies. Both in the Temple as well as in the State. Their leader had been crucified. It would have been very easy for them to have asked, Where was God when we needed Him the most?

For the disciples it looked pretty bleak. It would have been very easy for them to wonder, What will the future hold? Will we even have a future? They needed to remember what we also need to remember. That there are 365 Fear Not’s in the Bible. One Fear Not for every day of the year. And I am sure that in Leap Year, one of those Fear Not’s will work for two days.

“Why are you frightened?” Jesus asked His disciples. “Why do doubts arise in your hearts?” Then He showed them His hands and His feet. Jesus wanted His disciples to know that He was alive. It was all real. Death had been conquered. The Gospel is true.

But then notice what happened next. Luke tells us that in their sheer joy they still did not believe. It was just too good to be true. They wanted to believe, but they were having such a hard time. They were afraid for the future. Are you afraid for your future? Believe that the same Jesus who has conquered death can also defeat anything that might try to defeat you.

Second, MANY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT AND ARE AFRAID BECAUSE OF THE PAST.

Have you ever gotten about halfway through a project and then wished that you could start over? A lot of people feel that way about life. They get about halfway through life and then wish they could start over. We all have regrets – over things that we have done and over things that we have not done. We all have plenty of things to feel bad about. We all carry a load of guilt.

Once again, our Gospel reading for April 15 speaks to our needs. Jesus said to His disciples, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins (must) be proclaimed in (my) name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Repentance and forgiveness of sins. There is a way to deal with guilt. And it is a way that will work as no other way will work. It is God’s way. Repentance and forgiveness of sins – made possible by the death of Jesus on the cross. His blood that was shed on the cross for you can completely cover over your past.

And then, third, MANY PEOPLE ARE WORRIED AND AFRAID BECAUSE THEY FEEL POWERLESS TO DEAL WITH THE PRESENT. They feel overwhelmed with the here and now.

Someone was asking General Norman Schwarzkopf of Desert Storm how he was adjusting to life in retirement. He answered, “Only a year ago I could issue an order and 541, 000 people would obey it. Now I cannot even get a plumber to come to my house.” General Schwarzkopf was finding out what it is like to feel powerless.

Many people today feel powerless. Not only in getting a plumber, but in dealing with life. They feel overwhelmed. Defeated. Unable to get on top of and gain control over their lives.

Once again Jesus gives us Good News. In the verse immediately following our Gospel reading for April 15 Jesus said, “I will send upon you what My Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Power from on high. That is exactly what we need. Power from on high. And the Good News of Pentecost, which is only five weeks away, is that we all can receive power from on high. Human power is so limited when we compare it with some of the circumstances in which we can find ourselves. But even the worst of circumstances has no real power when compared with God’s power. And because of the cross and the empty tomb God’s power is available to you.

So what are you afraid of? Why are you frightened? Is it because of the future? God has your future under His control. Is it because of your past? Your sins can be thrown into the deepest sea, and because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead for you, they need never be retrieved again. Is it because of the present? There is power available to all who call upon His name. So call upon His name.

Dennis D. Nelson
President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE

“Arise, O God, and plead Your own cause; remember how the foolish man reproaches You all day long. Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries, the uproar of those who rise against You which ascends continually.” (Psalm 74:22-23)

The cause of the Lord is the whole of Scripture itself which speaks of His salvation in Christ. Oh how the foolish ignore what is given that they may continue in the futility of their minds to imagine a creation they cannot create. Come to the Word of the Lord and hear of the creation He has made and what shall come about for those who love Him and know His mercy and grace.

Lord, I have fallen prey to those who speak ill words of You and seek to lead people astray. Though You have presented Your case and made the necessary atonement for those who believe; yet there are many who go in their own direction and do not believe what You have said. Guide me, O Lord, in Your purpose that I would forever hold fast to the truth You have already spoken.

Lord Jesus, the final answer for this age, You have called me in the goodness of the Father to walk with You in faith. Guide me now and always to share what You have given amidst the pretenses of the foolish who reject the truth You speak. Lead me now and always to look to You, the author and finisher of my faith, that I may remain faithful and hold to the truth of all ages. Amen.

“Consider the covenant; for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. Let not the oppressed return dishonored; let the afflicted and needy praise Your name.” (Psalm 74:20-21)

The covenant of God is always before us. He will be our God and we will be His people. Come then into the covenant which is unchanging, but fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Know the goodness of His mercy and walk humbly in His ways, knowing that He is God and all who are His people will walk with Him forever. Come and praise the Lord for all His goodness and mercy.

Lord, You call each of us to humbly come before You and walk in the ways You have established from the beginning. Guide me, O Lord, to walk in the ways You have established that I may not be led astray by the wicked of this world, but live in peace with You, seeking to live in peace with my neighbor. Only in You is there hope for the ages. Only in You is there peace that surpasses understanding.

Lord Jesus, You know the circumstances in which we find our selves. Only You know what is needed for each day. Guide me in the grace You have provided to walk humbly with You all the days of my life knowing that in You is the hope of every tomorrow. Lead me away from the wicked ways of this world into the glorious peace You give for those who walk with You in grace. Amen.

“Remember this, O Lord, that the enemy has reviled, and a foolish people has spurned Your name. Do not deliver the soul of Your turtledove to the wild beast; do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.” (Psalm 74:18-19)

Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, strength, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. This is the summation of the whole of the law. God has established this from the beginning and there are those who continue in rebellion to do otherwise. Do not be deceived; those who are the enemies of the Lord will suffer the affliction of their rebellion which they now impose upon the faithful.

Lord, my sense of justice is immediate and I do not see at times that Your hand will not forever stay judgement against those who mock You. Guide me away from this kind of thinking to cherish what You have given and live into the life which You have established to be lived in the goodness of Your mercy and grace. Lead me, O Lord, to walk according to Your ways.

Lord Jesus, You have come not to judge, for that is already done, but to lead those who will be faithful into an abundant life of living into the purpose for which You have called us all. Lead me, O Lord, this day into Your goodness that I would do those things which are pleasing to the Father and in accordance with the simple truth that has been revealed through You. Amen.

“Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; You have prepared the light and the sun. You have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.” (Psalm 74:16-17)

God invented time. It is something He made into which He has poured what we call the creation. This, along with all things, is in the hands of the Lord. Nothing apart from Him can happen; for He watches over all things that He has made. Abide in the Lord and see that His hand is upon all things. Know that He who made You has plans for You and knows what You need before You ask.

Lord God, I come from the place at the center of myself and cannot see clearly. I do not understand all of the things of this world, but react to what happens around me. You have caused the seasons of the world and the seasons of my life. Lead me, O Lord, according to Your goodness that I would walk with You all the days of my life. Show me Your presence daily.

Lord Christ, Savior who has come to lead all who look to You for solace, guidance and hope, help me now and always to see in You the glory You have throughout my life and for Your purpose. Help me overcome the doubts and fears that debilitate me that I would forever walk in the light You have shown to all generations. May I be faithful in the call You give me this day. Amen.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)

Have you ever seen one of those lists, “Ten Reasons to Go to Church?”  They can sometimes be helpful, reminding us of the benefits and obligations of a believer.  Yet they often miss the mark, too.  Focusing on the social or personal benefits of worship, they can neglect what St. Paul calls the matter of “first importance”: Christ died; Christ rose; and Christ appeared to the disciples.

Whatever else we do in the Church, that proclamation stands at the front and center.  For by undoing death (the “wages of sin”), God has canceled the power of sin, putting forgiveness to work in the flesh of Christ.  By appearing to His disciples, Christ put this same forgiveness to work in His followers, sending them to preach it in His name.

What Christ preaches, He gives, and what He gives keeps giving.  To preach the resurrection and rejoice in its benefits, and thus to ready the world for Him who will appear again—here is why we “go to Church,” or even better, why we are the Church.

LET US PRAY: Almighty Savior, triumphant over death: You live and rule above every authority in heaven and earth, and yet You are pleased to dwell among those who trust in You.  How tender Your mercy, how comforting Your power!  May Your Name be praised into eternity, even by my own lips; for You are the beloved Son of the Father, in the glory of the Holy Spirit, one God forever.  Amen

Pastor Steven K. Gjerde

Zion, Wausau