Weekly Word

Your faith doesn't need to be huge like a mountain. Faith the size of a tiny seed can accomplish great things. What are our excuses? We need more faith like the apostles? Or we don’t speak well like Moses? Or are too young like Samuel? Or are too old like Abram and Sarah? Faith might be able to move mountains, but only if you are committed to put it into action. Word The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (v. 5) Oh, says Jesus, if you just had faith the side of a mustard seed, you could instruct a tree to uproot itself and plant itself in the sea. No, Jesus tells his followers, what they need is not more faith but the right attitude and purpose. He wants them to be messengers and servants. Connection Is it possible that too many people stop with faith confession and don’t take the next step of faith action? Can we call ourselves Christian without acting like Christ? Instead of only understanding or knowing God, you and I are called to work for God....

Church vocal and bell choir in worship leads the assembled congregation to give God praise. Throughout the Bible, God and humans have used music to communicate with each other and about God’s greatness. Word In the Old testament, King David instructed the worship leaders of Israel to praise God for the kind and powerful help they received: “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. ” (2 Chronicles 16:7-9) The songbook of the Bible encourages creativity and diversity for giving glory to God with a new song. In one of its poetic hymns we are told that it is not only fitting but pleasing to God to join all creation “... with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!” (Psalm 98:6) And the early church saw spiritual songs as an expression of their new life in Christ. The apostle Paul wrote to believ...

I love our home. But I know that Jesus has a home prepared for us in heaven. Are you ready to leave home and follow Jesus to life in God’s kingdom? Ultimately you have to trust the promises of God. It is only by faith that we experience contentment and joy even in the uncertainties and disappointments of everyday life. Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) Even as Christians we are still attached to stuff more than letting go so we can live with God and let God’s purposes guide our life. We are only passing through this life on earth. When we live by trust in God’s promises, we can let go of worries and control. Faith is not the end of our problems. But faith gives peace through trust in God’s saving love. The Good News is: God is faithful and God’s love endures forever. God’s kingdom is ours. By faith we receive the fulfillment of God’s promise of protect...

What would you like your tomb stone to say about your life? I’ve been asking myself what I want my legacy to be. I want to make a difference, not for my own pride or benefit, but for God’s purposes and glory. Like bringing people to faith, or changing social problems. But that kind of legacy idea can become overwhelming and paralyzing. What if I fail? What if it becomes self serving? Word Perhaps that’s what Peter and the disciples felt too. But their perspective was changed on Easter. The risen Christ gave them a promise and challenge. Hear Jesus words to his followers then and now in John’s gospel from today’s reading: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34) Jesus gave us a command. To love as he loved on the cross, to save all people and share life with everyone. That’s not easy. But comes from the gift of God’s love on the cross. Connection So, I don’t need an impressive ...

Procession of Clergy during an Ordination service. The church celebrates faith in Christ together. It is difficult for us to relate to biblical events like Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The words like Hosanna, and actions like riding on a donkey, are not exactly something we use or encounter today. Word If Jesus were to live today to tell us about God beginning to take charge of governing the world it would be all over Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. God’s representative might come riding on a bicycle instead in a limousine. And people would probably wave their cell phones to express their excitement. Followers of the new visionary leader would shout something like: ‘Hey, yo! Welcome the Boss from heaven! Get ready for some serious change!’ Connection So if it so happened that Jesus were to come through our town on the way to die and rise so we would be freed to live in God’s realm here on earth and forever in heaven, would you even notice, would you believe hi...

My wife and I showed our devotion to Jesus by packing food for starving children. 'Why give money to World Hunger when they should help themselves and there’s people to take care of your own family or church or country?’ Or, one could say, why waste expensive perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet when you could have used the money to feed the poor? That’s rational, selfish, and sarcastic Judas speaking to willfully discredit Mary. Mary however, responded with love, generosity, and extravagant devotion. Word The lectionary gospel on the Sunday before Holy Week tells of Mary sharing her devotion for Jesus. She uses expensive oil, and outrageously, her hair and tears, to express her love, her service, her faith in Jesus. While they are at dinner, “Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.” (John 12:3) Guess what? Mary doesn’t care about the cost, or what other people might say. She does what feels right to her....

Playing with my nieces when they were young brought me joy. When we hear joy, we might think of Christmas, Joy to the World, excitement of presents. But not God’s gracious acceptance, forgiveness of sins, or change of life through faith each and every day. We Lutherans may know God’s grace better than anyone else but have difficulty showing it on our faces. Lent is an invitation to renew our faith through joy and show it through our daily actions. What brings you joy? How do you show it? Did you ever wonder what brings joy to God? God rejoices when we appreciate God’s gifts, love one another, and express our worship to God. Word The story of Jesus about a Father and his two sons describes numerous aspects of our relationship with God. One of them is joy. When the lost son returns, his Father runs to welcome and kiss him. And the father wants to share his joy, by giving a party for everyone, and talking to his older son who feels slighted. “The father said to him, ‘Son...

A "Walk for Water" experience invited all ages to put faith into action by learning challenges to clean and safe water access and supporting solutions. God’s kingdom has broken into our troubled world. God reigns. Not suffering, evil or death. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And our acts of love bring this good news to fruition. Word In a a parable Jesus describes God as the owner of a vineyard: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.” The man then asks the gardener to cut down the tree. Jesus is the gardener and says: “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.” Connection Lent is like springtime for our souls. A time to work on our faith and grow, like gardeners and landscapers with the first warm days. We should use this opportunity to hear God’s word and obey it, to renew our faith through action. Take the chance we have from God and bear fruit throu...

I enjoy Do It Yourself (DIY) projects. But they are not always as easy at they seem. I need to remember that they are much easier with help. I don’t like to ask for help when I’m working on something around the house, need a volunteer at church, or don’t know something. I rather struggle by myself until I get desperate. As a nation, we isolate ourselves instead of working on issues like conflicts, environment or trade with others from our global community. And as believers, we pretend we are perfect, and feel ashamed to share our personal struggles, instead of trusting God to care about us, or getting support from our church family. Word Jesus lived with hope in the present because he trusted in God’s care. You and I do well to follow his example: Jesus lived by faith. Trust that turning to God and believing in hope is not weakness, but instead it is sign of honesty and faithfulness. Jesus lived without fear. Trust that God provides direction and resources we need. J...

Kuchle are unique German doughnuts, especially popular during mardi gras. These are even “evangelical”. Lent has a bad rap. It’s often seen as a time to feel bad for sin and with fasting. Instead it should be an opportunity to renew our trust in God’s love and joy in newness of life. Lent is an invitation to learn from Jesus how to experience God’s love and how to love each other like ourselves. Word The temptations Jesus faced were not designed to see whether would sin, but to prove that he would not give in to temptation. Luke tells us: “for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, ...” ( Luke 2) Jesus believed that only God can provide what we need for life, and could not be tempted to give up that trust. Connection Temptations are a test to our loyalty, our trust in God and the gifts of God for our life. In order to trust God we need to re-focus on God’s true nourishment of our soul (and body) and that means minimizing...

Cleaning is not usually fun, and yet it can be spiritually satisfying. We rarely consider our mortality, or take time to search our soul like on Ash Wednesday. But it’s good to come clean with God so we can live life refreshed in our soul. Word In his repentant prayer David asked God: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:7) Connection Confession allows you to come clean with God. Jesus has forgiven us even though we don’t deserve it. When you forgive others you free not only them but also yourself. Message The Good News is: God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. In baptism we have the promise of forgiveness for eternal life. Jesus says to you: I am the way, the truth and the life. Repent and follow me in pursuit of life. Let go of your guilt and grudges. Live forgiven and free today.

I hope to continue to offer a message for your life through Weekly Word blog connections. However the format may change by shortening the posts. While this means that there is less substantive content, I hope that you will find brief inspirations are still effectively encouraging. I pray you benefit from my blog and welcome your feedback. If you like what you read, subscribe, tell others, and if possible hear my sermons in person.

Across Europe churches are built on mountains in a desire to feel closer to God who can seem hidden in the clouds. On Transfiguration Sunday, we celebrate the revelation of Jesus’ glory on the maintain. It’s often difficult to fully see God’s presence in our valleys of daily life. Three of Jesus’ disciples received a one-time glimpse of Jesus’ glory on top of a mountain. However, it was only a preview, not the final  destination. Because the disciples needed an affirmation of who Jesus is, and encouragement for the difficult road ahead. Just as you and me need faith in God’s presence and power when the going gets tough down here on earth. Word The apostle Paul, writing about the hope of our faith that shapes our lives, encouraged the Corinthian Christians that: “all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another ...” (2 Corinthians 3;18) In other wo...

I'm feeling very ambivalent about this photo of me playing laser tag. Because I am a pacifist follower of Jesus and yet feel the appeal of weapons in movies. What would it have been like if Luke would have given in to Darth Vader at their first encounter? Instead of fighting, struggling, and suffering through not one, not two, but three feature length movies, until finally destroying the emperor and almost killing his own father? What if the villains and heroes of our time and place would come together, be honest, and instead of investigating and denying would use their resources and talents for good? Could corrupt politicians, abusive priests, or totalitarian nations change their ways, admit their wrongs, and make amends? And, would we forgive them? Word Jesus proposes a life based on virtues that are counter-intuitive. Virtues like forgiveness, tolerance and charity. Jesus commends to his disciples in the sermon on the plain: “Do not judge, and you will not be judg...

The Matrix movies explored religious themes like alternate realities or salvation through a sacrificial hero. I like watching movies that entertain me, and touch on religious themes. For example Star Wars, the Matrix, or Gravity because I like Science Fiction, and also because they explore the reality of the supernatural while entertaining me. Do you remember the TV show “Touched by an Angel”? According to the late author Phyllis Tickle, it brought religion to TV and made faith accessible to a wider audience. It also showed that there is a desire for getting in touch with the divine in our lives. Word People flocked to Jesus to hear him and touch him. They came to hear him, and touch him to access his power that healed people. Getting in touch with Jesus shows us and connects us with the God’s goodness, possibility of life in harmony, and way to be blessed. Jesus declared that life with God transcends even adversity: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom ...