Surf over to Issues, Etc. for some excellent programming on Reformation topics. Several years' worth of programs are archived at this link.
A myHT Fortress
Monday, October 31, 2011
Free Indeed: A Homily for the Festival of Reformation
Festival of the Reformation
30 October 2011
St. John's, Chicago, IL
In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You can have the burden of slavery and know it.
They had been there for 400 years. The descendants of Jacob and his twelve sons had been fruitful and multiplied, to the point that Pharaoh feared them. He forced them into labor for Egypt, and tightened his grip on their lives as slaves. Years, decades, then centuries were spent serving Egypt in hard labor. The children of Israel were slaves, and they knew it.
They worked. They cried. They prayed that the Lord would free them from their burden of slavery, so they could be free indeed.
Father Martin, the Augustinian monk in Wittenberg, had the burden of slavery to sin. His mind and heart were constantly burdened with it. He worried so much about this slavery that he was constantly going to confession and admitting the most insignificant offenses. He was scared to death that God was going to condemn him to hell. He cried to God as he faced this burden, and the Lord would soon bring him to realize that he had been made free indeed.
You can have the burden of slavery and not know it.
The Jews to whom Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel lesson were still stuck in slavery to sin. They did not understand or believe what God was doing to free them from their transgressions. They attempted to keep God’s Law, but truth be told, they did not place their trust in keeping the Law. Their faith was in the fact that they were descendants of Abraham. They were in the covenant.
Kind of like when a family brings their child to be baptized, and does not return to keep the child being taught the Word of God. The Lord has brought them into His covenant, and has made them His children. But the families are keeping the children away from the nourishment of the Lord’s Word and Sacraments, and thus those children often fall from faith, and die an early spiritual death. They may grow up and know they are baptized, yet have no clue what that means or the salvation they have denied.
When you support and encourage such a baptism, it is as if you assisted a woman in giving birth while journeying on the Underground Railroad, but then helped to send mother and child back to the plantation. So should you discourage such baptisms? Not exactly. Don't discourage, but don't aid parents in their sin of not returning to Divine Services. Warn them of the judgment that they are invoking on themselves by keeping their children from the Word of God! Help them to understand the ongoing need for forgiveness and nourishment that they and their children have, just like everyone else. Christians must make every effort to support and encourage the ongoing receiving of Christ's Means of Grace. When we don't, we aid people in staying slaves to sin, without their knowledge of it.
You can be freed from slavery and not know it.
By the Middle Ages, a problem had developed in the Church. Misunderstandings and incorrect teachings led many Christians to think they were still under the burden of sin's slavery. That somehow the work of Christ had not been enough to free them from the old masters of sin, death, and the devil. So many went about, believing in Jesus' death and resurrection, but fearing that He would not be pleased with them, or judge them worthy of Him.
How sad that so many lived with troubled consciences! Jesus Christ had freed them from all that condemned them, yet they did not understand this freeing grace.
The sad thing is, many still do not recognize that to this day. Some are people in the Roman Church who know that Jesus is their Savior, yet still fell the need to "do their part" with works of love. They think they still need to work at being freed from sin. Others are Protestants who don't think they are freed from slavery to sin until they are old enough to decide for themselves, and make a decision for Christ--that somehow it is the work of their faith making Him their Lord and Savior.
And don't go shaking your head at them. This can be a frequent sin of yours. You can think that there is something more that you need to do. "God has done His part, now, if only"...There it is. If you hear things in your own mind or other preachers say phrases like,"if," or "all you need to do is," you know there is false teaching going on. Don't give in.
You ARE freed from slavery and know it.
"The Holy Spirit has called [you] by the Gospel, enlightened [you] with His gifts, sanctified and kept [you] in the true faith." By the suffering and death of Jesus, you have been freed from the clutches of sin, death, and the devil, which have been your slave holders, having had a hold on you. Christ is the Champion who has defeated these enemies, who were your masters. He has rescued you.
Now you are free indeed! Jesus redeemed you from the sin you were born into, the slavery that held you from conception, and delivered you up out of slavery. He has claimed you, washed you, and given you new birth into life everlasting, making you free indeed.
Now, He leads you, His baptized, to abide in [His] Word and be His disciples. So now you... know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. Not just any truth in this world. Not some bit of knowledge or wisdom. Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. Yes! He is Truth incarnate! So if you abide in the Word of God, you will know He who is the Word of God -- He who is the Truth -- Christ Jesus!
Dear friends in Christ, you are free. Free indeed! Christ Jesus has purchased and won your redemption, and there are no strings attached. No "if's," "and's," or "but's" for you to complete. No fictitious purgatory for you to suffer and endure. No good works needed to please God and have Him save you. No adult decision to follow Jesus required in order to please God and have Him save you. The Son of God has done it all. Nothing depends on your own works or words or abilities. It is all Jesus! It is all God the Son! And "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Amen.
Rev. Richard A. Heinz, Pastor,
St. John's Lutheran Church, Chicago, IL
Thursday, October 27, 2011
St. John's, Chicago and Issues, Etc.
Thanks be to God for Pastor Todd Wilken, Jeff Schwarz, and all the people who make Issues the great show that it is. And thanks be to God for the donor who helped our involvement happen!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Mercy Journeys with Pastor Harrison: Photos of a YEAR to Remember
Mercy Journeys with Pastor Harrison: Photos of a YEAR to Remember
I am humbled and honored that a photo of me, along with one of my heroes, Archbishop Walter Obare of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, is among the images that President Harrison chose to recap his first year in office.
Praise the Lord for such a faithful servant in that office! I constantly thank God for him!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Who Is the Greatest -- In My Name: A Homily on Matthew 18:1-20
12th Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 18
4 September 2011
St. John's, Chicago, IL
In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
"Who is the greatest?" how frustrating for Jesus, that once again, the apostles are up to their same old competitions! Each of them wanted to be the greatest -- the leader -- the one who could have authority and control.
Jesus has been talking about how He would go to Jerusalem and be killed and then rise, and it is as if they haven't heard a word. He has been clear and direct that this is the way of revealing His true glory, in His suffering and death for all. Yet they seem to shrug their shoulders and go right back to the same old arguments.
"Who is the greatest?" You tend to go right along with the Twelve. You think in terms of the older one. The one more educated or more highly trained. The one with more wealth or political clout. But that isn't what Jesus says. He sees you and most people chasing all these wrong ideas, and so He turns the tables.
In Episode Two of the Star Wars movies, we find a corresponding moment. Jedi Master Obi-Wan was stumped and could not answer a mystery. Then Master Yoda asks a group of children, the oldest ones of whom appear to be about five years old. And one comes up with the answer right away! "Truly wonderful the mind of a child is!" Yoda exclaims.
Now, in the film, it was to the credit of the child himself, and his mind. The reality is that the Lord gifts with wisdom. He gives simple childlike faith. Not to any credit of our own, but entirely His generous gift. Children depend on their parents. A baby cannot feed or clothe or shelter herself. The parent provides and gives, and the child receives. The parent of a little child does everything for him, as he is weak, helpless and dependent.
So what are we to do? The NIV quotes Jesus as saying, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." The ESV translates it as: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
But if you think you are the one changing or turning, you are puffed up with pride, trusting in your own works. You are then full of yourself. And guess what? That means you are not like a child with humble, helpless faith. That means you are thinking that somehow you can influence your own salvation. That you can make some decision to make Jesus your Lord and Savior, when you don't have that ability or authority. He gives. You receive. You cannot be the one "doing the verbs."
In these English translations, "change" and "turn" sound like we are the ones doing it. But Jesus' actual choice of verb here is passive. In other words, He says you are turned, you are changed. You are converted. The Holy Spirit converts you and gifts you with childlike faith.
But don't stop with the thoughts on "childlike." Jesus also is making it clear that children are a part of His Church. Unlike many others of that time, Jesus is very much an advocate for the children, and brings the little ones to Himself in baptism and His preaching and teaching. He does not segregate them from His adult followers, but calls young and old alike. The infants are as much a part of His kingdom and their parents, and join them in that kingdom through Holy Baptism.
Yes. He is speaking of Baptism here. The way in which Jesus speaks of receiving a "child in My name," uses grammar and language the same way as other baptismal passages in Matthew. Yes. Jesus is telling His Church that she will receive these little children through this sacred washing of rebirth and renewal!
"In My name" -- "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." That is the name of which Jesus speaks. That is the name in which the Lord received you into His Church -- His kingdom. That is the name in which you receive forgiveness of sins. That is the name of the One who will change your lowly body so that it will be like His glorious body at the day of the resurrection of all flesh.
A friend of mine is a pastor in southern Illinois. He has spent the past two weeks in Russia finalizing legal details, signing all the appropriate paperwork, and completing everything necessary. For what? He and his wife have adopted a little boy. And when all is said and done, the passport of that child as he flies to the U.S. will list his new parent's family name as his own. He belongs to them, and they are now his parents.
Rejoice, dear friends in Christ! You have been given the name of our Lord God as a free and amazing gift. Jesus gathers you into the family of God and now that you have been adopted, His name is yours. And along with that name, His authority, and all the rights and privileges of being His child.
Rejoice, because you need not worry and squabble about who's the greatest. The truth is, not one of us is greatest. Jesus Christ Himself is the greatest. He gifts you as children of God. And He gives you the gift of greatness through faith. Yes, He gives you amazing greatness, as you remain humble in His Name. Amen.
Get Behind Me: A Homily on Matthew 16:21-28
Proper 17
28 August 2011
St. John's, Chicago, IL
In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Oh, Peter! How ridiculous you are! Do you really think that you know better than Jesus?! What a shame you don't know the Lord as well as we do. You and your crazy ideas about Jesus the Warrior-King! All you ever think about is glory and His popularity and power. You sure need Jesus to set you straight.
Hmm...have you stopped and thought about how ridiculous you are? Do you really think that you know better than Jesus? What a shame that you don't know the Lord as well as you think you do. You may not think of glory, popularity and power in terms of an earthly kingdom of Israel, but you have the same sentiments.
Oh! That congregation has five times as many people every Sunday, they must be doing something right! Why do we have all this death and resurrection talk? Why can't we just hear about improving our attitudes or daily life? Maybe we should find something exciting to visitors, and not talk so much about this suffering and sin business. That's kind of a "downer."
Sadly, many churches have done this over the years. Change the message so they don't offend. But that is falling into the same trap as Peter. And when you start feeling the same, and how we might be more popular if we laid off the suffering, dying, and rising of Jesus, and instead focused on living your life right, Jesus tells you: "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
Yet not only is Jesus' response a rebuke of what Peter said, it is also an urging to "fall in line." "Get behind Me." "Get on board. Take up your cross and follow Me." And with that, He is talking to you, too.
And you are thinking, "Umm. Yeah. Jesus, about that..." it scares you. It disturbs you. You don't want to give any consideration that your life as a Christian is not happy and easy in this world; it can be challenging, difficult, and even painful. "And ya know, while we are at it, we really don't like following. You see, we are born leaders. Don't need anyone else's directions or orders, we've got it under control.
"It's nothing personal, Jesus. We just don't want to think about suffering or dying, or being harassed or humiliated, or having to answer to anyone for anything."
And Jesus says, "Neither did Peter. But I forgive you both." Christ our Lord does not give Peter the pink slip and hire another disciple. He doesn't get mad at him and cut him off from His kingdom. He gives Peter the Law, but then assures repentant Peter with Gospel.
You too. For all the moments that you don't even want to look at the crucifixion, much less dwell on it and ponder it, our loving and forgiving Jesus releases you from the guilt of your sin and "set[s] your mind on the things of God." He restores and renews you, just like He did Peter, and you are His baptized, forgiven child, following Jesus who is carrying your cross too!
Dear friends in Christ, there is your sweet comfort. Your dear Jesus who has borne His own cross to take away your sin and give you life and salvation, now carries your cross too. You are not enduring anything in this life, alone. He endures it all, on your behalf.
The Son of Man endured it all as He came into His kingdom. There on His cross, He was crowned and enthroned, truly gaining the world as He lost His life for it. Having gone up to Jerusalem for you, He repays you according to what He has done, suffering, dying, and rising for you!
So even when life is overwhelming, and you get harassed or suffer for the Gospel, He is there, enduring it for you. Christ is your Mighty Fortress, protecting you so that not even the gates of hell can prevail against His Church.
You are forgiven. You are following Him. And for every failure, He is constantly restoring and renewing you in His one, true faith! "Get behind Me?" Yeah. Fall in line. "Take up your cross and follow Me." Jesus invites you to come after Him today, and with His grace and mercy, thanks be to God, He fulfills our following. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)