Holy Spirit

Jul

2020

We are his witnesses

by David Sellnow

A message referencing readings for the 7^th Sunday after Pentecost: Isaiah 44:6-8, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30

“Do you promise that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” We would expect to be asked a question like that in a courtroom, if we were asked to give testimony. That’s probably what we picture as what it means to be a witness. We think of it as something formal, something done in an official setting. I wonder if that image of what it means to be a “witness” confuses our understanding of what Jesus meant when he said, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

I knew a church that had an evangelism committee that hadn’t yet done any evangelizing. The congregation knew they had a mission to tell God’s good news to others. So, they established an evangelism committee. That committee began meeting and studying about communicating the gospel. They continued in that study for two years and had not yet made any visits to anyone. The members of the committee were dutifully concerned that they would do everything right, say everything right. But their fear of speaking something inaccurate kept them from fulfilling their intention of giving witness to the Christian message. Do we maybe think that we must have specialized training before we can serve as witnesses?

I wonder also if we consider what we do inside the church as the primary witness of the church. Have we been depending too much on the church itself (as an institution) to be the witness, rather than we ourselves, the people of the church, as the witnesses? We’ve probably worried that the current health emergency (COVID-19) will reduce the church’s witness. We look at our church buildings, which now must limit the number of persons in attendance, as the main place of witnessing. But at the time when God spoke through Isaiah and said, “You are my witnesses” (Isaiah 44:8), there were no churches, no synagogues. For the half of history when the nation of Israel was called upon to be “a light to the nations,” and extend God’s salvation “to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6), they did not do so through local congregations. Solomon’s temple had been built as the singular place of worship. It was not until more than a century after Isaiah, after Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians (six centuries before Christ), that the Jewish people began to establish synagogues as places for religious instruction. Israel was God’s witness in the world long before they had local synagogues to spearhead that effort.

So also, when Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8), there were at that time no Christian church buildings. Christians in the first decades after Jesus’ ascension met together in people’s homes, in public spaces, in whatever meeting place they could find. The people themselves were a driving force of the spread of Christianity in those early days, along with the activity of the apostles. They were his witnesses. Even when believers in Jesus were persecuted and scattered, they continued to live their faith and speak about Christ wherever they went (cf. Acts 8:1-4).

Maybe the present difficulty for churches gathering inside our own buildings will remind us of the essential role each of us has in our everyday contacts outside with people–wherever and however those contacts can occur within a socially distanced environment. In Jesus’ parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9), we hear how God sows his word liberally everywhere–almost seeming like someone who is wasting his seed because so much falls in places where it doesn’t take root. But it isn’t a waste. It’s how God’s word works. It finds its way into hearts according to God’s timing, not ours, according to his will, not ours. As witnesses of God’s truth, we sow seed in that way. We spread our witness all around us, all the time, every day, wherever we are, in whatever we do or say. Being a witness is, in many ways, about simply exuding who we are as God’s people. Our identity as God’s people will be something others will notice.

Think of the way our daily existence was described in Paul’s letter to the Romans (8:12-16): “So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh … If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Paul went on (Romans 8:18-25) to describe the constant hope in which we live as children of God, hope for the future, hope for redemption, enduring hope even in the face of whatever suffering we may suffer now. That kind of hope, that confidence that God is good and always cares for his people–that’s what we witness to others by the ongoing attitude we embody and demonstrate.

But what if the attitude evident in people who say they are Christians is not consistently illustrating God’s redeeming grace? About a dozen years ago, Barna Group president David Kinnaman, partnered with Gabe Lyons, another leader in looking at trends concerning Christianity and culture. They engaged in three years of research across the United States. They surveyed and interviewed thousands of young adults (ages 16-29) outside of the church, asking about their perceptions of Christians and Christianity from an outsider’s point of view. In the book detailing what they learned (Baker Books, 2007), Kinnamon and Lyons said: “Christianity has an image problem. … Our research shows that many of those outside of Christianity, especially younger adults, have little trust in the Christian faith, and esteem for the lifestyle of Christ followers is quickly fading among outsiders. … [Outsiders] reject Jesus because they feel rejected by Christians.” Kinnaman and Lyons titled the book unChristian because that “reflects outsiders’ most common reaction to the faith: they think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind” (p. 11,15). One of the biggest perceived problems is that Christians are not, for the most part, loving people. According to the research, “nearly nine out of ten outsiders (87 percent) said that the term judgmental accurately describes present-day Christianity.” They elaborated: “To be judgmental is to point out something that is wrong in someone else’s life, making the person feel put down, excluded, and marginalized. … Being judgmental is fueled by self-righteousness, the misguided inner motivation to make our own life look better by comparing it to the lives of others” (p. 182). One of the young people interviewed summed it up this way: “Christians talk about love, but it doesn’t feel like love. I get the sense they believe they are better than me” (p. 192).

That’s a stinging indictment, and maybe we feel that’s unfair. But the impression that Christians are more judgmental than they are loving was something even young people within the church said was true. According to the research, more than half (53 percent) of 16 to 29 year-old Christians also agreed that “the label judgmental accurately fits present-day Christianity” (p. 183). And in the years since unChristian was published, those trends have continued. Between 2009 and 2019, the percentage of young adults (those in their 20s and 30s) who identify as Christians declined by 16% in America, a greater drop-off than any other age group, according to findings by the Pew Research Center.

How is it that the church’s witness is giving off such a negative impression and turning away even many of our own young people? Maybe churches too often have forgotten what Jesus taught in the parable of weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). In an overzealous desire to keep the church pure of any “weeds,” churchy people point out anything they see as unrighteous in anyone else and try to rid the Lord’s harvest field of any plant that isn’t perfect. Jesus told us not to do that. “No,” he said, “for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:29,30). It will be God’s responsibility at the final judgment to separate “weeds” from “wheat,” those who are faithless from those who have trusted in him. Exercising final judgment over another human soul is not our responsibility; it is in God’s hands. Our task is to nurture and tend to every person as someone who may grow to be one of God’s children.

Our witnessing isn’t about us. It’s not about how tidy and well-groomed we can keep our little corner of the whole earthly garden where God is seeking to grow believers. It’s about extending God’s goodness to all people. It’s about God’s Spirit inspiring a spirit of mercy in us, not a judgmental spirit. As Jesus’ brother James taught us: “You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’” understanding that “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:8,13). Being witnesses of the good news of our God means letting his gospel grow unimpeded, without letting ourselves and our judgmentalism get in the way.

There’s another way that we stumble over ourselves and get in our own way as witnesses. When we hear Jesus say, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16) – what do we think of as the “good deeds” that people are to see in us? Do we think people are watching to see how often our cars are in the church parking lot? Do we think people are listening to make sure no foul language ever slips out of our mouths?

It’s like the church committee I mentioned before that thought they had to prepare a flawless script if they were going to do witnessing. It’s not about whether we say everything perfectly. In our own less-than-perfect ways, we just keep pointing to the one who is perfect for us. It’s not that we know all the answers. We show others the one who holds us in his mercy even when we struggle to answer life’s hardest questions. The same principle holds when it comes to our behavior as God’s witnesses in this world. It’s not about showing our neighbors how righteous we are. It’s not about how much we pray in public places. You may recall that Jesus said, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others” (Matthew 6:5). Jesus called out people who tried to look perfect in public as “whitewashed tombs — which on the outside look beautiful” but inside they are full of deadness and hypocrisy (Matthew 23:27-28). That’s not the sort of witness Jesus calls for.

What did Jesus say? “Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). The witness we give to the world of who God is and what God is like is shown by the love we show to others. How much grace is in our souls, evident in the way we treat every person we meet? After all, if we could speak as perfectly as angels, but do not have love, we are like banging gongs or clanging cymbals (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1). The world doesn’t need self-congratulatory noise from Christian people. The world needs our consistent, faithful, loving witness. The world needs embodied, lived, expressed testimony of God’s grace in action through us. “God is love” (John 4:16). Living in love thus is the primary ingredient in our witness. By our love we give witness to a Father who loves the whole world so much that he gave us his Son. By our love, we give witness to Christ, who gave up his own life, “the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18). By our love we give witness to the Spirit of God, whose fruit–the things the Spirit produces–are “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23).

Isaiah’s prophecy announced the truth centuries ago. There is no other god besides “the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer” (Isaiah 44:6). There is no other rock, no other solid ground to stand on, no other source of love so strong and so deep. And the Lord, the King, our Redeemer says to us, “You are my witnesses” (Isaiah 44:8). May we, as his witnesses, live up to what we sing in a familiar song:

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

– Father Peter Scholtes, “We Are One in the Spirit” (1966)

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jan

2020

Trusting God’s Word

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on April 6, 2017.

Written as a letter to someone doubting their faith and realizing that they are merely “going through the motions” of attending church. They often question and doubt that the Bible is, in fact, the Word of God.

God’s Trustworthy Word

by Sarah Couture

My dear friend,

I know you have been struggling lately. First, I want to reassure you that you are not crazy. Having questions about the Bible and its teachings is completely normal. In fact, I think it is healthy to ask tough questions. You may feel like these concerns you have are driving a wedge between you and your Savior, but I truly believe that expressing your concerns and seeking answers will only bring you closer to the Lord.

You have previously expressed that you are not completely convinced that the Bible is God’s inspired Word. I can understand this concern. Many Christians defend the validity of the Bible using circular reasoning. For scientific thinkers, such as you, circular reasoning does not hold much weight. “The Bible is God’s Word because it says in the Bible that it is God’s Word” leads people like you to have further doubts and questions. I’d like you to take a step back and look things from a different angle. A friend once explained it to me this way:

We have numerous accounts, outside of the Bible, that speak of Jesus. In fact, we have more proof that Jesus existed than Julius Caesar. Knowing that a man named Jesus existed is where we’ll start. Now let’s take a look at the resurrection. We see accounts of this event in all four of the Gospels. Each of these accounts provides a unique view and different details of the resurrection of Jesus. If the authors of the Bible were writing about a fictional event, they would try to keep their stories vague in order not to contradict each other. In reality, the testimonies are unique and provide unique perspectives on the event. Furthermore, during this time in history, women had little to no power or influence. Therefore, if the disciples were trying to convince people of a fake resurrection, why would their accounts have women be the ones to find the empty tomb? Finally, after the resurrection many disciples were martyred for their beliefs. In the case of Peter (as told by the historian Eusebius), he was forced to watch his wife die before him, and was told that all he had to do was admit Jesus was not God and did not resurrect from the dead. None of the disciples gave in. If the resurrection was a lie, why would these men let their families and themselves be killed brutally? They would not.

I know you have many other questions running through your brain. For so many years, you have gone to church and Bible study and believed everything that was taught to you because a master of theology with a white robe said it was the truth. Friend, I encourage you to voice your thoughts and concerns openly. Ask questions and seek answers. I promise you that others have similar questions. You will not be judged. People will not look down on you for asking challenging questions. And if they do, they are not acting as proper ministers of the faith. The fact that you are concerned about your lack of faith is comforting because it shows you continue to have faith. Please do not be discouraged. Read the Bible, especially on days you have doubts. You’ll be amazed how the Holy Spirit works through the Word.

Dec

2019

What the Spirit produces in us

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on October 3, 2014.

This post is a creed of sorts, a personal confession. Rachel Nitz offers thoughts in creedal style concerning what the Spirit of God brings about in our hearts and lives.

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Fruits of the Spirit

by Rachel Nitz

From the moment we received faith from the Holy Spirit through God’s Word,
he began working a transformation in our corrupt hearts.
We have been set free
and by the Spirit we receive these graces to serve one another:
Love, first for God and in turn for every person on this earth,
following the example of Christ’s perfect, selfless love for us;
Joy overflowing in our daily lives, through both happiness and hardship,
that those who observe us will see the impact of Christ’s sacrifice for us;
Peace based on the knowledge that nothing can separate us from God’s love
and that all earthly trials serve God’s good purpose;
Patience with the sinful natures of ourselves and others
not out of tolerance, but out of a desire that they, too, be transformed;
Kindness displayed through words and, more importantly,
our actions toward all people, including those who hate us;
Goodness to overcome evil in this sinful world,
and stemming from the ultimate good, who is our God;
Faithfulness to the words of the Bible and commands of our Lord,
strengthened by prayer and frequent study of the Word;
Gentleness, not giving in to selfish anger or violence,
but consciously submitting to the will of our Father;
And self-control, rejecting the sinful nature and all its desires
by living in a way that is unnatural to us
because we are looking forward to a greater hope:
becoming like Christ by the power of the Spirit.

Dec

2019

New Year, Renewed You

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on January 14, 2018.

New Year, Renewed You!

by Dan Kleist

“What are your New Year’s resolutions?”

It’s a common question when a new year begins, and almost everyone is expected to have made some sort of promise for change in the year ahead. A new year is much more than a flip of a page on a calendar – it signifies a fresh start and clean slate, an unwritten page in which you can become your “best you” and let go of the disappointments of the past.

What drives our desire to make New Year’s resolutions? While it’s possible that too much of Grandma’s strawberry fluff and too many of Aunt Barb’s peanut butter bars could be to blame, resolutions are often characterized by what is lacking – time management, self control, personal accomplishments, discipline, feeling healthy, being healthy. Sure, there are times during the year when we can feel as though we’re doing well or at least good enough, but most times it just feels like a constant struggle to stay on top of our priorities and our quality of life suffers as a result. In the end, our only options are to buckle down and resolve to try harder this year, do our best to tolerate the problem a while longer until we can make the changes we need to, or hope things miraculously improve on their own.

A Christian’s faith life can often be similar. There can be times of joyful clarity, relishing the simplicity and extravagance of God’s love personally, and appreciating and reflecting his love for all people. Our relationship with God can be undoubtedly solid. Sometimes it can be neither hot nor cold, perhaps taking his love and presence for granted while still finding glimmers of joy and hope through his promises and blessings. At its lowest points, that simplicity and joy of God’s love can seem like a distant memory, and feel as though there is a “veil” over the eyes of our heart, which causes a longing for that solid relationship to return. Faith can feel like head-knowledge rather than heart-knowledge – and that’s when it’s easy to notice what is lacking.

So, what do we do about this? How do we move closer to God when we’re brought to the realization that we need to make a change? Is a “resolution” toward spiritual renewal the right answer?

The Struggle for Renewal

The “roller coaster” of faith is nothing new. It is one expression of the Christian’s struggle with sin since it first entered our history and created physical, emotional, and spiritual voids that every human experiences. Perhaps our struggle is the result of neglecting time in the Word or worship in our search for “balance.” Maybe we started going through the motions in our devotional and worship time. Sometimes doubts can surface, and rather than seeking God’s answers to our questions we can let them stand in the way and spend some time “figuring things out” on our own.

In any case, our sinful nature wants nothing to do with matters of the Spirit (Galatians 5:17), while the devil and the world are proactively trying to pull us away and distract us from a relationship with God. At the same time, the “new man” God has created in us longs to serve God and walk in that relationship with joy and gratitude. Paul expressed the struggle with sin clearly when he described his desire to carry out God’s will and his inability to do so. He finally exclaimed, “What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Romans 7:24-25).

The Resolution for Renewal

Spiritual renewal in our lives does depend on a resolution – but not our resolve. The resolution was made by God, in the Garden of Eden, immediately after the curse of sin entered our lives (Genesis 3:15). God promised to send a Savior from sin – and followed through on that promise by sending Jesus to be our perfect substitute in life, and to suffer our punishment in death.

Paul saw himself as victorious over his struggle with sin, despite the sin’s manifestation (and victories) in his life. How was this possible? He understood that he was justified before God – declared not guilty by God himself, because of Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection. The relationship with God we could not – and would not – pursue on our own, God freely gives to us! God has made us his own children. Even in our weak moments of faith, we retain the status of children of God in Christ. Because of this, we can rejoice with Paul, saying, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:7).

The Power for Renewal

Our justification is done – a one-time event won for us on the cross. In Christ, we have been made new. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). At the same time, because of the struggle with our sinful nature, the life we live as a child of God is one of constant renewal. Paul said as much when he wrote, “You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge and in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:9,10). Taking off your old self and putting on the new self are things that have already happened. The new self, however, is also “being renewed…” This renewal is an ongoing process. This is often our struggle! How do we go about making progress?

Fortunately, this too is God’s work! The Holy Spirit, who brought us to faith in the first place, gives us the will and has promised us the strength to live the new life we and God both desire. We are told that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6), and, “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:12,13). He does this work through the means of grace – the gospel in Word and sacrament.

The gospel message, the source of our renewal, serves as the power for our new life in Christ. Our baptism serves as a daily reminder of our justification. In baptism, God appropriates the blessings Christ won for us on the cross to us – personally, and completely. One author states that “baptism is the giving of new life, and the new life is laying hold of baptism.” The Lord’s Supper assures us of our forgiveness – even for the times we’ve neglected the very means for our daily renewal.

Whenever we experience our spiritual lows, we have a resolution for renewal. Not our own, but the one God made for our sake, died to uphold, and for which he provides the strength we need. Through the means of grace, we see that the renewal we seek is already ours – and we will continue to be renewed through the gospel means until the day we see our perfection made complete in heaven. And so again we shout with Paul, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Dec

2019

Waiting on God

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on October 13, 2016.

Waiting on God

by Cassey Davis

Imagine this. The sky is jet black, the wolves are howling, and the air is crisp. As you climb high into your deer stand, you shiver from the bone chilling breeze. Finally, you are all situated and ready for dawn to break. Once the sun rises and thaws your frozen fingers and toes, you gaze at the glowing forest around you and sit in awe of the beauty and wonder God has created. Yet, when the morning sun begins to fade and the dew begins to melt away, waiting becomes incredibly hard. Your mind begins to wander to the sounds around you; every crack of a stick makes your heart race until a squirrel jumps around the corner. Indeed, waiting for the prize trophy deer to saunter in front of your stand is no easy task.

While waiting for a deer to come by your stand proves to be a test of your patience, waiting on God’s timing can prove to be even more difficult. All too often we rely upon ourselves, instead of God, to answer our prayers of desperation … such as yearning for a loved one to be healed of a terminal illness or for a beloved soldier to return from a deployment. Yet, when we struggle to rely upon God to come to our aid, are we forgetting who created us in his own image? Who loved us so much he sent his one and only Son to die for the entire world? So therefore, why do we struggle so much with waiting for God’s timing instead of our own? The answer is sin–the dirty, rotten, filthy sin we daily fight through but is washed away by the blood of the Lamb. Daily we struggle with waiting on earthly things, such as waiting in traffic or waiting for an important phone call. But everything we wait for here on this earth with someday soon be forgotten in the blissfulness of heaven.

The Holy Spirit, who burns a fire within us, leads our hearts to rely upon God’s timing instead of our own, reminding us: “If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:25). Being patient can seem an impossible task; yet if we place our confidence in Christ, he will surely give us the desires of our heart, according to his timing. So, when you are waiting–maybe not so patiently–remember God’s timing is perfect. He will answer as he sees fit so answer you, and he will do so when the timing is just right.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we often become fidgety and impatient when it seems like we’ve been waiting awhile. Remind us that your timing is perfect and that you will provide for us when the timing is right. Guide us, Lord, as we struggle with being patient in our daily lives. Turn our hearts and minds back to your Word, where you teach us that when we hope for something, you give is to us when and if you see fit. Grant us patience, oh Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Dec

2019

Why I go to church

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on July 23, 2015. Someone the author knew, who didn’t attend church, asked Rebecca Hinderman why she went to church. Rebecca wrote this wonderful letter in response to the question.

Why I go to church

by Rebecca Hinderman

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When you asked me, “Why do you go to church?” so many thoughts were racing through my head. I apologize for the short, incomplete answer I gave you. I am writing this letter to share fully what it means to be a Christian and why I go to church.

Starting with the word “church.” It’s not just a building or a group; it’s a family of fellow believers in Jesus Christ. We gather to worship and praise our Savior for what he has done for us – not because we have to but because we want to. We learn about Jesus, our need for salvation, sin, the power of the devil, forgiveness, love, the grace of God, and so much more. All this we find in the Bible, our instruction manual for life. Christians believe the Bible is God’s word. Even though there are many authors throughout the Bible, it is the true word of God; God-breathed, so to speak.

God’s word shows us how we are all sinful from birth. “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). We are all sinful not just by our actions, but also by our thoughts and words.

Our sinful nature was inherited from Adam and Eve who committed the first sin. Because of sin and our human inability to earn forgiveness, we are all condemned to death and hell. I know this is a strong, powerful statement. This truth should rattle us to the core. But there is a way to be right and sinless before God. God, through his love and grace, sent his Son Jesus to suffer and die the death we all deserve. Jesus was our substitute and saved us from our sins. “Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). We now appear to God as perfect and sinless as Jesus was.

The gift of salvation through Jesus is the gift of God’s great love for us. This great love–this grace– goes beyond our human understanding. The love and forgiveness God has given me is why I go to church. I want to thank him and praise his name for the gift of salvation given through Jesus. Knowing the truth of his love has moved me to share that truth with you and others. Attending church services gives me strength and support, a time to rest my soul and focus on what is truly important.

Without this renewed strength and focus, I can become easy prey for the devil. The Bible says, “Be self-controlled and alert for your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are all weak and vulnerable to the devil’s deceitful ways and can get sucked into situations and relationships that are harmful to our souls. Slowly, so subtly, we can be moved away from Christ and the saving gift of grace. It can be a battle both external and internal. What weapons do we have to ward off this attack? The answer again is God’s word – the Bible. God’s Holy Spirit will work in our hearts and minds to strengthen us and create faith as we read the Bible. Even a little each day, a short chapter, gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work its work in us. Knowing this gives me such peace and comfort as well as the boldness to talk about the truths of God’s word.

The first disciples, by the power of the Holy Spirit, began preaching and teaching the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. What unshakable faith they had! They endured much suffering and persecution as well as being put to death for their beliefs. Rejection of the salvation message was as commonplace then as it is today.

Still, I will speak up and risk your rejection of me and God’s word. Why would I still do this? You are too important. You are God’s creation. He desires you as his dear child. I pray through me you will feel his love for you, understand his word and believe in Jesus as your Savior from sin.

All I have said are God’s truths. I am not forcing any expectations on you nor am I putting myself above you. We have all messed up, sinned, knowingly or unknowingly. One person is no better than the next.

I invite you to join me anytime to attend church services and learn more for yourself. We also have a Bible study time. During this time we look at certain sections of Bible or specific topics and read what God says about such things. It’s a time to ask questions and learn in a non-judgmental small setting.

I will continue to pray for you and value your friendship. Thank you for your question and I hope my answers have aroused some curiosity and move you to come and learn about Jesus!

Dec

2019

Christian Life

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on June 19, 2014.

In the history of the Christian church, theological writers often have titled their works in this straightforward fashion:

On the Incarnation (Athanasius of Alexandria)
On the Trinity (Hilary of Poitiers)
On the Freedom of the Christian (Martin Luther)

This blog post takes up an assignment such as that from a New Testament course, in which students were asked to write “on the life of a Christian.”

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On the Life of a Christian

by Danica Scharlemann

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who recognize and accept Christ as their Savior from sin and those who reject Christ and his works of grace. While members of the later grouping have no permanent hope on which to drive their lives, Christians have every reason to hope and live in joy, for they are compelled by the undying love of Christ.

The life of Christians begins as the lives of the whole world—drowning in a pool of original sin. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). It was for this reason, moved by his love, that our heavenly Father gave up his only Son as a lamb without blemish to be sacrificed on our behalf. And so Christ Jesus made in the flesh, yet being in the same nature God, made his dwelling among us and lived a life of perfection under the law of God and of man. His perfect life only led to his suffering and crucifixion. On the cross, Christ bore the punishment of hell for the sins of the entire world. In doing so, our lives were redeemed and salvation was won. This is how the lives of the world were restored from their damning state.

Now we are precious children of our heavenly Father, and the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to create fruits of faith. It is this faith that determines our salvation. We are members of God’s elect–those to whom he has graciously promised eternal life to through the works of the Father, Son, and Spirit. It is not by our works, but by his works that we are granted life everlasting. This is the hope by which we live.

This hope is what defines the underlying confidence behind the life of a Christian. We walk through life, not as if our actions are meaningless and forgiveness is futile, but bearing the sign of Christ. “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14). It is not the old self of sin that thrives in us, but the new self in Christ, which strives to live in love and joy in every circumstance. We do not simply accept our salvation and become contented in our every action, for it is written, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17). Christians do not act in attempt to win their own salvation, for it is not their works that assure them of heaven. Instead it is God and God alone who is capable of bringing us to heaven. As Paul stated, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Our good works are surely not to be attributed to our own powers, but instead to God we give all glory. Yet our sinful deeds are still of our own doing, and we still do sinful deeds in our lives now. It is not until we reach our heavenly home that we will live in the totality of righteousness and holiness that only Christ attains.

Although Christians live with the confidence of salvation, they strive to live in the way of Christ, taking on the nature of a servant. We spend our days being models of Christ, showing through our own actions the wonders of our God. Again, it is only through the Spirit that faith is found, but we work as instruments of the Spirit to spread the love of Christ to the world. For who, with such wonderful knowledge of love and joy, would be able to keep from telling the world? This is the joy, the confidence, and the love behind the life of a Christian: Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Dec

2019

Thoughts on the day of Pentecost

First publication on The Electric Gospel – June 8, 2014.

Pentecost was an Old Testament festival — a time at which worshipers would gather in Jerusalem. The Lord used that occasion (fifty days after Passover and the death and resurrection of Jesus) to give birth to his New Testament church. Miracles attested to the significance of the message the apostles were given to speak on that day … but the message of Jesus was (and always is) the central thing. Calling attention to Jesus is what the Spirit of God does.

In the church today, people sometimes get confused about the role played by the Holy Spirit. The following message ponders the Spirit’s work.

A Message, Not a Mumble[1]

by David Sellnow

[Jesus said to his disciples]: “Now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

John 16:5-15

**************

When I was pastoring a congregation in West Texas, one day a young woman called our church. She was confused and searching in her religion; someone had told her Lutherans were reliable in that regard. She was 20 years old, and grew up experiencing so-called “Spirit-filled” worship. As she became an adult, she became skeptical and uneasy about much of what went on in her congregation.

She said, “When the old men in the church get the spirit and start running around all wild, it scares me.” She was scared, too, by the preaching, which was mostly about judgment day, the rapture, and how you’d better be ready. But she wasn’t sure if she was ready or even how to be ready. It was supposedly a Spirit-filled church, but her spirit was spooked.

In our congregation, we had not experienced any of our old men–or young men or mothers or daughters, for that matter — hooting and hopping and running around the chapel all filled with a spirit. In many years of worship services, I don’t know of one where anyone stood up and spoke in tongues. So, did that mean we didn’t have the Spirit — if we didn’t babble in tongues or fall down slain or quake uncontrollably or burst into spontaneous laughter? Did the Spirit bypass us? Are those outward signs the best expression of what the Spirit does? Is there always such external evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence?

Certainly, the Spirit has given supernatural gifts on certain specific occasions for certain special reasons. At the birth of the church in the New Testament, on the day of Pentecost, he gave his apostles the power to communicate in other languages so they could better spread Christ’s message (Acts 2:1-12). On occasion he used the gift of tongues as a way to verify that Gentiles were to be as much a part of his kingdom as were Jews (Acts 10:44-46, 11:15-18). But God never decreed as a general rule that tongue-speaking would be the mark of his church in every place or forever. In fact, the apostle Paul went on record saying, “Where there are tongues, they will be stilled” (1 Corinthians 13:8). In that section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul described tongue-speaking as an aspect of the childhood stage of the church (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:11). It was no longer useful or necessary after the apostles’ time when the full Word of God was completed.

So now, let’s ask again: What is the real work of the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Ghost do? Who has the gift of the Spirit?

Jesus answered those questions when he promised that the Spirit would come. He said that when the Holy Spirit comes, he comes to convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8). He proves the world to be wrong in its views about sin, the way the world endorses sin and excuses sin and encourages sin. He convicts individuals’ hearts with the message of God’s law. He brings us to our knees in repentance. And the Spirit also convicts or convinces the world in regard to righteousness and judgment. He shows that all righteousness is in Jesus Christ, who is the ONLY way to the Father, who goes to the Father himself and is the one way and truth and life for us to come to God. And the Spirit convinces the world that there is a day of judgment coming. For, as the apostle Paul said when preaching to a pagan audience in the city of Athens, God “has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed (Jesus). He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

So that’s what the Holy Spirit is all about—showing us the truth, convincing us we are sinners, revealing the only real way of righteousness, and announcing inescapable judgment on all who would believe otherwise.Jesus answered those questions when he promised that the Spirit would come. He said that when the Holy Spirit comes, he comes to convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8). He proves the world to be wrong in its views about sin, the way the world endorses sin and excuses sin and encourages sin. He convicts individuals’ hearts with the message of God’s law. He brings us to our knees in repentance. And the Spirit also convicts or convinces the world in regard to righteousness and judgment. He shows that all righteousness is in Jesus Christ, who is the ONLY way to the Father, who goes to the Father himself and is the one way and truth and life for us to come to God. And the Spirit convinces the world that there is a day of judgment coming. For, as the apostle Paul said when preaching to a pagan audience in the city of Athens, God “has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed (Jesus). He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Repenting of sin and believing in Jesus are not things we have the capacity to do for ourselves. The Spirit of God is the one who brings individuals to faith as the chief work that he does. He causes you to repent of sin and creates within you a trusting attitude, a reliance on Jesus and his love.

Everything the Spirit says and does is to direct attention to Jesus. According to Jesus, the Spirit “will not speak on his own… He will bring glory to me by taking from me what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine” (John 16:13-15).

The Spirit isn’t into self-promotion. The Spirit doesn’t pump his own image or push his own agenda. The Spirit is one with the Father and the Son, and the message of the Father and the Son is the message that he shares. A so-called “Spirit-filled” church that isn’t pointing you strongly to Jesus isn’t really all that Spirit-filled. That young woman in West Texas needed the Spirit’s comfort in Jesus most of all – and that’s what the Spirit really is all about. The Spirit “brings glory to me,” Jesus said. He takes the message of Jesus and makes it known to you. He takes the Word of the Father and reveals it to you. The Spirit isn’t campaigning for his own election as the most important member of the Trinity. He quietly takes the role of servant and preacher to bring glory to the Father and the Son. The true voice of the Spirit is a message, not a mumble. It is the message of Jesus Christ as the bringer of righteousness, the Savior from sin, our advocate in the judgment. Just because something is full of excitement and enthusiasm and ecstatic hallelujahs (or less intelligible words) doesn’t mean the Spirit of God is in it. Where the Spirit of God is, there the message of Jesus is proclaimed.

The young lady who was fearful about so-called “spirit-filled” religion decided she would leave her parents’ home and church and move to Memphis. I hope she found spiritual peace. The time we spent on the phone we talked about sin and grace, about righteousness and judgment. We talked about Jesus’ true message, about Jesus’ true comfort. Her heart was happy to hear such good news — the real good news of the gospel — not just spiritual-sounding noise.

Praise God that you heard the true voice of his Spirit, revealed to you in his Word, believed by you in your heart. If it happened quietly, in no spectacular fashion, that’s fine. You probably don’t even remember the first day you believed. But you do believe. In your heart you trust Jesus as Lord. That’s only possible when the Spirit of God is living in you.

So thank God for sending you his Spirit, and offer yourself–your lips, your words, your testimony–as an instrument for the Spirit to use in bringing faith to others. You don’t have to speak in tongues. Simply communicate the love and truth of Jesus.

PRAYER:

Jesus, thank you for delivering on your promise to send your Spirit to us. We don’t look for your Spirit to come to us in flashy or spectacular ways. What we need most is the conviction and comfort of the Spirit deep in our hearts. Continue to bless us with your Spirit as he communicates with our hearts and minds in your holy Word, dear Jesus. Amen.

[1] Adapted from article originally published in Lightsource magazine (2000) and message aired on the Lutheran Chapel Service radio program (2014).

Dec

2019

Women and Men in Relationship under Christ

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on May 24, 2014.

When I originally began the Electric Gospel blog, it was to give voice to what I considered an important thought from a young woman who struggled through a relationship. She had dated a man who didn’t understand what God wants of men as they relate to women. This message returned to that theme, this time with a letter from another young woman, writing to her sister about what to seek in a relationship with a man.

A Letter to My Sister

Author’s name withheld by request

I need to tell you that I am sorry. You have endured countless trials over the last few years, and I have seen how hard each one has been for you. But I will be the first to admit that I have not always been there for you during the rough times. Even when I was present, I didn’t provide the support and comfort that you needed at the time. I wasn’t always willing or able to share your burdens, because I didn’t understand how you ended up in many of those situations. I thought I knew what was best for you. I just couldn’t comprehend why you couldn’t see things the way I did. I wanted you to stop being so depressed. Instead of listening to you, understanding what you felt and discovering your needs, I tried to cheer you up. I tried to distract you and show you where to go next. When it comes down to it, I made it all about me.

It never should have been that way. I am sorry that I failed to sit with you, let you cry and listen to you. I’m sorry that I tried to fix you instead of help you.

Lately I have been working very hard to listen to you. I mean really listen to what you say and what you truly mean–rather than what I think you should mean. What I want to tell you now speaks to what is truly on your heart and mind. I am not telling you this because I just want the crying to stop or because I somehow need to say this for myself. I am telling you these things because I truly care about you and your future relationships.

I know you have trouble believing what the Bible has to say about women submitting to their husbands. Christ’s apostle said, “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18). You say that it shouldn’t be that way, because women should be equal to men. Women shouldn’t be held back or forced to go down the wrong road because of bum husbands. You think that a woman should be strong and independent.

I can understand where you are coming from. You have dated men who don’t respect you the way they should, who don’t understand your needs as a woman and who fail to value your unique gifts and perspectives. On top of that, all around us we see men who simply don’t live up to God’s expectations for their lives. In turn, we see women who pay for it.

I think there is a lot we are forgetting about here. Remember that the Bible has something to say to men, too. Paul also wrote in one of his letters, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

Just as Christ loved the church.

Wow. Christ loved the church a LOT. Christ left heaven to live among sinful human beings. He was eventually tortured and killed by the very humans he came to redeem. He suffered hell on the cross when God left him completely alone with the sins of the entire world on his shoulders.

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.

When the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write these words, the intention wasn’t that women would go out and marry men that would control and oppress them. The intention was that God’s children would model their lives, attitudes and relationships around the model of Jesus Christ and his beloved, the church. Christ is the head of the church. He leads his sheep. He listens to them. He does what is best for them. He gave his life for them.

Of course, we don’t find this in our imperfect world. Far too often we encounter men who abuse their wives. We see men who push their wives around and take advantage of them. Many husbands simply fail to provide their wives with the attention, leadership, respect and sensitivity that they should.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. I want you to look for someone who models his life after Christ. This man will lead you in the way that is best for you. He will respect you and listen to you. He will strive to understand you and your needs. In turn, you will respect him and support him. You will encourage him and help him be the man God has designed him to be.

He still won’t be perfect. You still won’t be perfect. But I urge you to look to Christ. Ask the Spirit for strength during the good times and the bad. Use God’s Word as a model for your lives together. God will be with you as you live together the way he intended, and you will be greatly blessed!

I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I promise to listen to you. I promise to help when you want it, not when I think you need it. I promise to do what I can to be a better sister and a better friend.

God’s Trustworthy Word

Fruits of the Spirit

New Year, Renewed You!

Waiting on God

Why I go to church

A Message, Not a Mumble[1]

Saturday, May 24, 2014

A Letter to My Sister

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