Third Mid-Week Lenten Service, 2015

Third Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, 2015

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Time 

The Hymn # 159  Go to Dark Gethsemane            2.30
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody                   Psalm 2                  p. 128
The Lections                            The Passion History

                                                 John 8

The Sermon Hymn # 479       Zion Rise                    2.13

The Sermon –     I AM the Light of the World

 
The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymn # 654       Now the Day Is Over             2.7

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.

 I AM the Light of the World

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We know "light" is an important word, because everyone wants to take it away from the Son of God and attribute "light" to their delusions.

The Enlightenment was a time when rationalism took over Europe and ministers gave sermons on building bridges and other practical matters - because they had nothing to say about matters of faith - just like today.

The Enlightenment had taken over the training of ministers when CFW Walther went to Leipzig University (where he earned his only degree, a bachelor's). 

Morningstar is associated with Christ but also with Satan, who is named Lucifer in a derivation of the morningstar name. This is appropriate because Satan always apes the Christian faith in every way possible. Thus the Satanists use Christian rites backwards and say such things as Bless God instead of God bless.

In the name of human reason, the most absurd and evil things take place because people think they are free from the restraints of society when they are in fact obsessed with those restraints, enslaved by their rebellion.

This sermonic exchange is something the unbelievers like to make fun of. In fact, I had a logic book that liked to use exchanges like this. The sayings of Jesus are comforting and strengthening for believers, but they offend unbelievers.

I AM - this a divine claim, because I AM is the Name of God. Moses asked, "What is Your Name," and the Angel of the Lord (the Son of God, before the Incarnation) answered, "Tell them I AM sent you."

The statement is triadic, which makes it easier to remember, when seen as poetic stanzas. 

• I AM the light of the world: 
• he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, 
• but shall have the light of life.

The Son of God is defined as the source of all wisdom and understanding. This is the ultimate claim, and it is extraordinary. This claim excludes the idea is nice, or is a placebo, or is something sentimental and sweet and nostalgic.

That means, if Genesis 1 and John 1 say Jesus is the Creating Word, then every single plant, animal, microbe, and mineral was created through Christ - and nothing was made apart from Him - all in six 24-hour days.

There can be no compromise between this article of faith and the rationalistic view of evolving Creation over millions of years and other such nonsense. The Evangelicals were already compromising on evolution in the 19th Century, which shows how shaky the Protestant foundations became, long ago.

• he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, 

Those who follow the Savior will not walk in darkness. Faith in Him means having our lives illuminated by the Gospel He gave us, and that light truly matters.

When something is lost or missing, the first thing we want is a bright light that will distinguish between one thing and another. Walking in darkness is no fun either. I used to take Sassy outside at night to get something - in Bella Vista with no street lights. I could not find anything or see our dog in the dark. Finally I got a little LED light on the key change. 

Walking in darkness is allegorical - it means tripping and falling - and it can also mean being scared. "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet."

This light is true Christian understanding, which quite the opposite of human wisdom.

• but shall have the light of life.

Darkness and light. Good and evil. Falsehood and truth. John's Gospel highlights what the Savior teaches, in the most basic language, so that no one needs to feel puzzled, confused, or conflicted.

13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

The opposition of the Pharisees made it easy for Jesus to clarify His message, which was and is the Father-Son relationship.

If someone rejects this relationship, the statements by Jesus are easy to ridicule. We often ridicule what we do not understand. But these truths are revealed by the Holy Spirit, so believers can easily grasp what is being taught. After all, the Bible has hundreds of references to the Trinity, and many more about the Father-Son relationship. Believers understand this spiritually, so this is Jesus explaining it further.

The Two Persons (Father and Son) agree. That is one point Jesus makes. And the Third Person bears witness to this (the Holy Spirit). 

Let us assume for a moment that Jesus is the Son of God. He knows Who He is, and where He has come from. How can anyone argue with that? We have no way to grasp His divine experience and He cannot prove it to us with facts.

One fake on TV said today that He went to heaven and obtained two books to help with translating (very Mormon-like). He wanted to take another one, but was not allowed - an extra chapter of John's Gospel. Was that new to you, too?

Maybe later this fake will reveal it to us, for a price. He raised a baby from the dead too, and he was so full of the Presence one day that people fell down all around him.

If the Pharisees died without faith, they could NOT say, "No fair, You did not tell us about being the Son of God." But Jesus did and many were converted. How could they be converted when His experience and sermons were so different?

Jesus' miraculous healings were so dramatic and public that thousands saw the power of God manifested in many forms - healing and raising the dead, command over nature, and defying the laws He established - water into wine, walking on water, helping Peter to walk on water, and finally - rising from the dead.

19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Jesus compassion included both teaching the truth about Himself and final judgment against unbelievers. The opposition continues so he warned them against dying in unbelief.  This included a reference to the future crucifixion - lifting up the Son of Man, because He knew He would rise from the dead. What He taught the disciples nurtured their faith in the darkest days. What He taught the Pharisees condemned them if they did not believe.

And yet, many believed on Him. Jesus taught the Gospel plainly and planted faith in their hearts. He did not appeal to them or try to figure out their felt needs. He taught:

1. There is only One Truth.
2. He is the Truth and the Life-giver.
3. Believing in Him brings true wisdom and eternal life.

Heavy Rain Turned to Sleet, Which Morphed into a Blowing Snowstorm. We May Lose the Ustream Signal But Will Try

Yesterday, the state's largest Walmart told me they had no snowmelt and no snow shovels of any kind. I only wanted snowmelt. So I asked about water softener tablets. 

They directed me back to the gardening area, and I found stacks of pool salt and water softener pellets. On the way out a staffer asked if I needed anything. I said, "You claim to be out of snowmelt, but pool salt and water softener are the same." She said, "They are?" I said, "Yes, so don't tell people you are out. You could empty your supplies today." She said she would tell the manager. 

"Water softener works too?" I said, "Yes, it does."

The rain fell all night and turned to ice this morning. I was salting my driveway and our two neighbors' driveways. Our neighbor across the street needed salt, so I gave him the rest of the 40 pound bag. I had a spare 40 pound bag. Everything began canceling today and should be shut down tomorrow.

This area faces the Kobayashi Maru scenario each winter. If they order snowblowers, shovels, and snowmelt for a tough winter, no one will buy them until that winter arrives - if it ever does. If an enormous storm shuts down NW Arkansas, everyone wants shovels, salt, and snowblowers. The supplis are always short when they are needed. So I ordered snowmelt from Amazon to be sure and bought pool salt just in case. I will be out of both by tomorrow. I hope Sam's Club has a sale on table salt.

After this, it should get warmer.

Given the size the of the storm, we might have blackouts during the service. If it shuts down the second time, I will stop trying. Experience has shown that several shutdowns in a row mean several more to come.

But we will try. Doubtless few will drive to any church today.

We see this little guy every day, checking out the suet.

Pope John the Malefactor Will Meet with the Rolf Synod

March, 2015 The Pope Speaks Newsletter - 
Phoenix, Arizona, Meeting

Rev. Robert Lawson, Jr., and Rev. Steven Brockdorf, former pastors of our synod, presently serving in the Association of Confessional Lutheran Churches (ACLC), met informally with Pres. Moldstad and ELS Pastor David Jay Webber on February 26, 2015, in Phoenix, Arizona. This meeting, occurring with the knowledge and approval of all five pastors in the ACLC, was an initial attempt to explore possible efforts toward peaceful resolution of issues that led to their departure from the ELS in 2006. At this initial session, 

Pastors Lawson and Brockdorf emphasized that their filing of a “state of confession” in 2006 was never intended as a rejection of the “Public Ministry of the Word,” adopted by the synod in 2005. We pray future meetings will provide opportunities to address in a God-pleasing manner items of concern, knowing how confessional unity in doctrine is necessary for restored relationships (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Robert Preus was the first graduate of Bethany Lutheran Seminary.
Too bad he is not here to explain this quotation to UOJ Stormtroopers.

Start the Feeding and Splashing Early

This should clear up the part about Creation
and how this affects everything in Christian doctrine -
the efficacy of the Word.

The first question new bird-watchers ask is, "Why are the birds not using my feeder?"

Birds are suspicious of anything new. When I put up the Jackson EZ Bird Swing, I assumed they would avoid it - even the nearby feeder - for a time. Likewise, bird baths will seem to be a threat until the scout birds have tried them repeatedly and no reports of fatalities are rumored about.

This works for the bird-watcher and gardener too. Once they have the habit, they keep coming back and bring their friends.  Birds are noisy eaters and joyous bathers. They advertise the attractions and bring more to the party.

I am usually up  before the birds, so I look out the window for them at the Jackson Bird Spa, which I set up between two trees. They have several bags of suet, four bird baths, and the beat up wooden filing cabinet for food. I keep seed on various levels and scattered around the area. Anticipating this current storm, I bought a Giant Cob of corn and other seeds pressed into a brick.

Even though it is raining steadily, the birds are feeding and splashing. The suet bags seem to be constantly pecked at during the day, and the birds move from one opportunity to the next. They will drop to the ground, fly to a bag, or move to the feeder at the window.

The Unspoken Word - Abuse of Members and Church Growth Tactics Have Murdered and Scattered the Flocks

 http://blogs.lcms.org/2015/synod-leaders-assess

UOJ is absent in Lutherdom until the era of rationalistic Pietism
- thank-you Calvin -
as this Book of Concord quotation shows.
But the Emmaus conference will force-feed
to their robotic followers anyway.

Synod leaders assess church decline, future at summit

on March 3, 2015 in NEW THIS WEEK, NEWS, REPORTER2 

By Roger Drinnon

ST. LOUIS — Factors behind the Synod’s overall numerical decline — down about 12 percent in the last decade alone — might not be what you think, in some cases.

Dr. Ryan MacPherson, right, a professor at Bethany College and president of “Into Your Hands” consulting, talks with the Rev. Al Tormoehlen, director of The 72, part of the LCMS’ Witness & Outreach Ministry, during a break from the “Generational Generosity” summit Feb. 3 at the LCMS International Center. MacPherson presented findings from his recent study, which looked at underlying factors for the Synod’s membership decline. (LCMS/Frank Kohn)

[GJ - Al Tormoehlen, Stolzenburg's co-worker,  told me how promiscuous Floyd Luther Stolzenburg was, but WELS welcomed Floyd with open arms, and the ELS worked with him through Thoughts of Faith, John Shep, Jay Webber, and Roger Kovacincy. Conclusion - run as fast as you can from the WELS-ELS-LCMS. Hide your daughters, your sons, and your wives.]

The Synod’s Office of National Mission (ONM) hosted Dr. Ryan MacPherson, a professor at Bethany College, Mankato, Minn., and president of “Into Your Hands” consulting, Feb. 3 at the LCMS International Center here. MacPherson outlined some reasons for the Synod’s demographic decline while dispelling myths and offering recommendations for Synod leaders and laity attending his “Generational Generosity” summit.

MacPherson listed several “standard stories” — assumptions Missouri Synod Lutherans might hold to as either causes of or remedies for the decline. He debunked them all, based on his research. Some of these assumptions and MacPherson’s findings included:

• “If only we could evangelize more like the Baptists.”MacPherson: The Southern Baptist Convention is also in decline and cannot boast of any higher evangelism gains above the LCMS.

• “LCMS is a rural Synod while America is increasingly urban.”MacPherson: Rural, suburban and urban congregations all are experiencing a decline.

• “If only we weren’t so conservative, more people would come and more would stay.”MacPherson: Facts show liberal church bodies have declined even faster than conservative ones.

Two major factors account for most of the downward trend in LCMS membership, according to MacPherson’s study. First, the birth rate has been declining for over 50 years for white-Anglo Americans of Northern European descent — a major Synod demographic. His study revealed that rising rates of divorce and non-marital cohabitation among younger people have exacerbated this challenge the Synod now faces.

Second, over the past 20 years, the retention rate of baptized infants as they grow up toward youth confirmation age also has declined.

“Only about half of the children baptized a decade-and-a-half ago were present for confirmation in the past few years,” noted MacPherson.

MacPherson said LCMS preschools and other such schools and childhood centers are commendable, but he cautioned that these are not a panacea for attracting young families.

His study showed that child baptisms plunged 55 percent from 1990 to 2010, a time frame when LCMS childhood centers were growing in number and enrollment.

“Although congregations with schools and elementary schools have tended to have a higher child-retention rate than congregations without schools, the retention advantage conferred by schools has been declining,” he said. “It seems that more and more families connect with a congregation for preschool, but then disengage in the years that follow.”

However, MacPherson emphasized that with half or more of LCMS preschool children being from outside the Synod, early-childhood centers present a significant mission opportunity, noting that programs focused on children often fail to engage the parents for the long term. He posited that more adult-to-adult ministry is needed as well as a holistic approach to young families.

“The family will be a key part of the LCMS’ future strength in sharing the Gospel,” said the Rev. Nathan Meador, assistant coordinator of stewardship for the ONM. “This report serves as a call to come to grips with who we have been, who we are now and then to seize the God-given opportunities to be who God called us to be. There is the idea that we are headed toward being a smaller church body in the future. It is accompanied by the reality that we hold a strong position as a ‘faithful remnant church’ going forward.”

Meador and the Rev. Heath Curtis, ONM stewardship coordinator, brought MacPherson to the International Center for the summit as part of the ONM’s stewardship-ministry efforts.

Roger Drinnon (roger.drinnon@lcms.org) is manager of Editorial Services for LCMS Communications.

"We have been sent to warn the Synodical Conference
against justification by faith, the efficacy of the Word, and the Means of Grace,
thanks to a Thrivent grant from Branch #666."

Even Good Lovejoy Nods - My Problem with Killing Garden Pests - They Are Food for the Beneficial Creatures. Feed Them and They Will Come

Everyone is in a storm today. We expect our drenching rain to turn into sleet and then snow. Our weather prediction is - travel will be difficult to impossible.

Yesterday we went to foot doctor, so I took Trowel and Error along. The classical scholars, who have noticed flaws in Homer's Iliad, have a saying, "Even good Homer nods." In other words, the ultimate author, the foundation for all Western literature, was not quite perfect. Nor can any human author be perfect, without contractions. God has published only one Book, and that remains the only one without errors or contradictions.

These tiny ichabod - I mean ichneumon wasps -
will destroy the pests that harm the garden.

Balance of Nature - the Creator's Plan
So far, with my budding Lovejoy library of three books, I am overwhelmed with her knowledge, experience, and observations about Creation. But in one area I part company with her advice.

The balance of nature - really, the design of Creation - is "feed them and they will come."

Here is my expert in that area, who agrees with what my mother taught me 50 years ago.

It’s important to see that the population of predators always lags behind that of the prey (this is particularly true if a parasitoid is involved, as their lag time is actually a generation or two behind their host prey). If you put it on paper, it looks much like two undulating, wavy lines with the one representing the predators always hitting its peak slightly after the one representing the prey. In an undisturbed cycle, neither the population of predators nor that of prey will ever hit zero. This means that in order to sustain a healthy population of predators in the garden, one always has to have prey available. 

and it matters because … 

What does this cycle mean to a gardener or farmer? Well, all too often we take notice of a population of naughty pest insects (the prey) when their numbers hit the high point in the cycle. In the case of a pest outbreak, this also happens to be about the same time there are enough prey insects present to start luring in the beneficials. We do something to get rid of the pests just when our little natural army is beginning to work their magic. Whether we choose to eradicate the pests with a synthetic or a natural pesticide, we are inserting ourselves into the predator–prey cycle. It’s a place where, more often than not, we don’t belong. The biggest lesson here is to understand this natural cycle and be willing to take yourself out of it when the time comes.

Walliser, Jessica (2014-02-26). Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control (Kindle Locations 284-295). Timber Press. Kindle Edition. 

Lady beetles, named for the Virgin Mary, arrive in armadas to eat cottony scale insects,
but insect sprays kill them by the thousands.
A good idea to spray or pluck up their food? No.

Back to Lovejoy - Put Down that Weapon!
I was reading Trowel and Error in the reception room when I happened upon advice for killing insects in the garden. The basic ingredient was detergent! - in spite of many Lovejoy cautions against anything ending in "cide."

Nothing is quite so harmful to all life than detergent. As they discovered with dispersing oil spills in the ocean, detergent kills everything, wiping out life from the microscopic on up. Mrs. I's engineering firm learned about that in the wake of the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. Oil is natural and disperses itself in time. Detergents aimed at crude oil eliminate all life, all fish. Birds that eat fish are going to die or move away from Ground Zero. Yes, crude oil spills are bad - but detergents are worse.

Killing all life through detergents is bad by itself, but a second problem is killing the food of beneficial insects. Take away their food and they go elsewhere to dwell, or they dwindle away.

"If you pluck up and kill my food,
I will work at the Jackson's."

When we had asparagus beetles eating the plants away, we parked a praying mantis egg case on the ferns. The insects hatched and had a feast, the damage stopped.

Other suggestions about "pests" are aimed at weeds, which are valuable in the right place. A weed that produces a lot of seed will attract birds while sheltering insects and other wildlife. Ragweed is easily treated in the lawn with regular mowing, using a mulching blade. The ginormous crab-like plant, brought over for grain, will not develop and will not go to seed. Spray or burn a mature one and the lawn will look like it was bombed.

So-called weeds are great in a wild area, with many benefits - improving the soil, feeding wildlife, and helping the bee population.

Still a Lovejoy Fan
The vast amount of Lovejoy lore shows an enormous appreciation for God's Creation, how it all integrates - every creature and plant has a purpose.

My first Lovejoy lesson was using more seedy plants, to benefit birds and bees. Now I am looking for ways to grow more berries for birds, more seeds for birds, more shelter for birds. The bees benefit at the same time, and they all benefit us, the paragons of God's Creation.

My second Lovejoy lesson was increasing the diversity of creatures and plants, which is also the plan for Queen Elizabeth's private gardens.

Sharon Lovejoy lets this beautiful herb grow, bloom, and go to seed,
as I do. The parachute seeds are good for hummingbird nests.
Only a cad would take those away.