Pastor David Maier - Fighting Forward!

Christmas - The Story Stands!

One of the most respected TV journalists of our time was Harry Reasoner.  In 1971 he gave a Christmas commentary that, at the very least, is quite interesting.  As a Bible-believing, grace-receiving child of God, I found his perspective unique, challenging, and inspiring.  Although there are seemingly different versions of his text both in print and on the internet, here, in part, is what he said (as best I can find it):  

“Christmas is such a unique idea that most non-Christians accept it, and I think sometimes envy it.

“Christmas is such a unique story that, in reality, it leaves you only three ways of accepting it.

"One is cynically -- as a time to make money or endorse the making of it.

"Another is graciously -- the appropriate attitude for non-Christians who wish their fellow citizens all the joys to which their beliefs entitle them.

"The third is reverently.  If this is the anniversary of the appearance of the Lord of the universe in the form of a helpless babe, it is a very important day.  It's a startling idea of course. My guess is that the whole story -- that a virgin was selected by God to bear His Son as a way of showing his love and concern for man -- in spite of all the lip service given to it, is not an idea that has been popular with theologians.

"It's a somewhat illogical idea, and theologians like logic almost as much as they like God.  It's so revolutionary a thought that it probably could only come from a God that is beyond logic and beyond theology.

"It has a magnificent appeal. Almost nobody has seen God, and almost nobody has any real idea of what He is like.  The truth is that among men the idea of seeing God suddenly and standing in a very bright light is not necessarily a completely comforting and appealing idea.  But everyone has seen babies and most people like them.  If God wanted to be loved as well as feared, He moved correctly.  If He wanted to know His people as well as rule them, He moved correctly, for a baby growing up learns all about people.  And if God wanted to be intimately a part of man He moved correctly here, too, for the experience of birth and family-hood is our most intimate and precious experience.

"So it comes beyond logic. It is either all falsehood or it is the truest thing in the world.  It is the story of the great innocence of God, the baby.  God in the person of man has such a dramatic shock toward the heart, that if it is not true, for Christians nothing is true.

“So even if you have not got your shopping all done and you are swamped with the commercialism and the frenzy, be at peace. The story stands."

The story stands indeed!  Throughout the world wherever the name of Christ is known Christian people will gather to celebrate the birthday of their Lord and King.  Throughout the next month songs of praise and thanksgiving, anthems of adoration, and expressions of worship will be echoing in millions of hearts and homes.

Why will the eyes of millions be fixed on that blessed manger scene where lies the baby Jesus?  Because there we are reminded of God’s great love for us.  So great was it “… that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

We need only remind ourselves of the grave, horrific danger we would all be in had there been no Christmas!  Ever since the fall of our first parents, the human race has groaned under the evil rule and slavery of Satan – the most evil of taskmasters.  All were spiritually without help or hope unless ransomed by the promised Savior!

Then, suddenly, on that first Christmas night the heavens were torn open with the amazing, startling message of the angel:  "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)   The ransom had arrived!

The love of God which sent a divine Redeemer to rescue a doomed humanity is still the source of today’s hope and peace and joy.  For us, who in humble faith receive the Christ Child as or Savior and Redeemer by grace through faith, Christmas spells the difference between a hopeless world, and a hope-filled life, between purposelessness and a truly purposeful life, between letting the economy get us down, or by being lifted up by the truth that in Jesus we are richly blessed and truly have all.  Christmas spells the difference between an eternity in the company of the prince of darkness and a glorious eternity before the throne of God in heaven.  There we will be in the company of Him who loved us and redeemed us to be His own forever.

Perhaps you are already beginning to feel the stress and anxiety that are so much a part of the Christmas rush. If so, take a few minutes to contemplate again the miracle of Christmas: God came down to earth as a baby to become our Savior.  Focus on that message of incredible love and grace today and every day.  What a glorious festival, this Christmas!  What a glorious message, this Gospel!  What a glorious Savior, this Christ!

The story stands … INDEED!  

As the words of the great Christmas hymn sing out:

Let us all with gladsome voice  Praise the God of heaven, Who, to bid our hearts rejoice, His own Son hath given.

To this vale of tears He comes, Here to serve in sadness, That with Him in heaven’s fair homes, We may reign in gladness!  

We are rich, for He was poor; Is not this a wonder?  Therefore praise God evermore  Here on earth and yonder.

Being Accessible ... Can There Be Too Much?

I can hear my wife Pat ask, "Do you have to answer every phone call?"  It's not that she doesn't want me to communicate or be accessible.  It's just that it's dinner, or devotion time, or we just sat down to have a personal conversation that we haven't had in days ... weeks?  There are some priority questions here as well.

Being accessible is more than just a responsibility in the ministry, it is a key part in any position -- professional or personal -- of fostering, building, maintaining ... relationships.

To that end I recently read a blog post by one of Our Savior Lutheran School's illustrious graduates.  His name is Justin Thorp, and he works in Washington, D.C., and is intimately involved with the development of the world wide web.  Really cool stuff.

Justin recently wrote a blog post that challenged my thinking entitled, "Being Accessible..."  (The tite of the post is a hyper-link ... just click it and you will be taken to the post.)

I would like for you to read it also. 

I then want you to think about it's implications for ministry ... and family, and church, etc.

I will greatly look forward to your comments and the discussion that we might have. 

I left Justin a comment about the implications of his post for ministry, and he wrote back a very thoughtful reply that again challenged me.  Please read Justin's article ... and leave him a comment also.  He is an impressive and wonderful young man!

Blessings on your day!

PM

Twenty Fours Hours in the Life Of ...

Here’s a brief look at the last 24 hours … It was quite an awesome period of time … probably not too atypical of the ministry in some regards …

Had the opportunity to work with OSL’s minister of music, John Horak, on reworking/writing some lyrics for a couple of contemporary songs that we are considering for our contemporary worship services.  Music – traditional and contemporary – is such a gift of God.  I agree with Martin Luther when he said, “Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.”  I think that could also be said of some of the classical music I enjoy as well.

Then there was a pre-marriage session with a wonderful couple.  Went through the last part of our Prepare/Enrich marriage inventory.  It’s part of the pre-marital counseling that our Bd. of Spiritual Life has required of those getting married in our church.  It is an outstanding tool to look at couple strengths and areas of growth … that in the end their marriage would be a joy to them, a blessing to those around them, and bring glory to God.

Off to run some personal errands.  What a beautiful day it was … too bad I had to spend so much of it inside.

Phone calls … while on the road and upon returning to church.

Then people started arriving around 6 pm for our 6:30 pm meeting (preceded by a great pizza from DeLucas) with Gift Planning Services.  Pastor Bill Weiss was present from Peace Lutheran Church, Saginaw; Lance Moquin from MOST Ministries, Ann Arbor; 9 members of our Bd. of Directors and the presentors … Jennifer Nohelty and Ron Smith, Gene Kuebler, and OSL’s own Adam Heinlein.  Phenomenal presentation on “Helping people maximize what the Lord has given them to manage.”  Although the presentation fits into the whole of life stewardship … it especially recognizes that we each have the ability to make a difference … in our lifetimes, and after.  Gift Planning Services, a Lutheran and Christ-centered ministry, uses their skills and financial savvy “to help ordinary people do extraordinary things.”  It is true that most hard working people have far more assets than they realize.  They help identify those assets, set goals, and manage your resources in a way that supports and expands your belief system.

Interestingly, even with a modest estate, it is possible for them to create “lasting good works”.  They can help you:

    * Establish living trusts to provide for loved ones
    * Create scholarships and memorials
    * Pass gifts to your church and charities of choice

The HUGE realization was how Planned Giving allows you to protect your assets from undue taxation.  In other words, YOU, not Uncle Sam, should be able to choose your legacy, and decide how your life ’s work will impact the future of others.

Gift Planning Services works directly with churches and charitable organizations, and provides their services free of charge to the congregation or its members.  They are not commission based and they do not answer to Wall Street as large investment firms do.  But, as they say, they answer to a Higher Power.

The Bd. of Directors will be considering how we may join them, and they with us, in a joint ministry endeavor here at OSL.  As always, there was the meeting after the meeting … and I didn’t get home until 11 pm.

After a little bit of sharing when I got home, getting ready for the next day’s big events, I didn’t get to be bed until 12:30 am.

The 4:20 am alarm … seemed distant at first, THEN, way to loud.  But it served its purpose and soon I was getting coffee ready to brew for Pat when she would rise, and taking a quick shower.

Why so early?  By God’s design … to enjoy a phenomenal day.  It continued in the dark by driving to a friends and new members home so that we could go turkey hunting!  Two other gentleman joined us and we were soon headed for the woods.  One of the other men that joined us – is an expert turkey caller and strong proponent of managed land resources.  The other man, his brother, came along to film the hunt.

Inside Love - What's it Look Like?

We bask in the Easter glow of knowing that God loved us so much that He gave his only begotten Son to suffer, to die, to rise again for all mankind.  God loves us.  Yes! ... and Wow!

Jesus says in John 15:9:  "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."  In other words, the love that exists inside the Trinity, the love the Father has for the Son, Jesus, is the same love that Jesus has for us.

The logical question then is, What does "love" inside the Trinity look like? Since all the persons in the Trinity have always existed, God's love for Jesus was without beginning and will be without end.  It is eternal.  In Jeremiah 31:3 we learn that we have been loved also with "an everlasting love."  Already in eternity, before the cosmos was created, God saw us and loved us.

Our "loving" here on earth has beginnings (and quite often endings).  You can think of relationships that you have or have had, even your love with Christ had a beginning for you.  But God's love for us has been a steady flowing stream from eternity.

God the Father also loves Jesus immutably, that is without change.  What great comfort for us also that we should be so loved; that God's perfect, comforting, forgiving, peace giving, transforming love for us DOES NOT CHANGE!  We will have great highs and lows in life ... but God will love us just as much in the valley as he does on the mountain top.  Psalm 139:5-12 reminds us that wherever we are, wherever we flee too, God is there.  And since God is love, God is present there -- wherever "there" is -- with His love.  Since God does not change, neither does His love.  We are loved with an eternal love.  God's love for us knows no end.  In that love, in that inviting love we can come to Him and find rest for our weary and burdened souls ... always.  Whether we live or whether we die, we belong to the Lord.

God's love for Jesus knows no end.  Neither does Jesus' love for us.  His love for us is complete.  We must always remember that "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:2) 

We truly have an awesome God and Savior!  We have been, are, and will forever be loved without measure, without change, without beginning, and without end.

Just like the Father loves the Son.

OSL School Children’s Christmas Service -

Quick Take … If you even needed a reason to check out sending your children to a

Lutheran

Day School

… come to the Dress Rehearsal next Wednesday, December 20 at 1 pm, or the real deal at 6:30 pm that night.

Why?

I had the opportunity to walk through our Sanctuary the other day … and caught the kids practicing, get ready for, the Christmas Service / Program that they will be leading on Wednesday evening December 20.  The excitement that pervaded the Sanctuary, the special music, little kids looking up in awe at big kids (thinking what it will be like when they are in the Jr. High, I imagine) and Christ being celebrated freely, festively, phenomenally … was inspiring to me. 

The kids were sincerely involved in knowing that this service would have a message, not only for the grandparents and other family members and friends that will be coming, but also for them.  God loves them and brings them incredible hope.  If its anything like in the past … this is a message that they will remember all of their lives as they drift back in their memories of School Children’s Christmas services at Our Savior.

We have this awesome faculty that loves these kids, and prays for them, and makes sure they have the message of salvation straight while giving them the very best of academics, music and sports … and what I saw will impact them, me, and all who see “Christmas at Hope Central.”

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

Where would I … we … be without the incredible love of God, and His grace?   These past days of reading and mediating have made me so thankful for the many “pictures” in the Gospels of Jesus having table fellowship, meal-sharing, with all sorts of turkeys, rabble, nobodies and marginalized people on the fringe of society … because there, like no where else, is the “scandalous”, pure, redemptive love of God exposed more clearly, more dramatically.

Exposed!

Was going to take an early morning walk around 5:15 am this morning ... but if you were up you know that it was POURING rain.  So the coffee pot went on early and my devotions began earlier than expected.  The reading was John 8 ... and I was only able to get through the first 11 verses.  In fact I know that I will be back there again some time today ... and probably tomorrow.  What struck me was the blatant contrast between outright hypocrisy and Jesus' profound love for the woman "caught in the very act of adultery" before noted church leaders. 

It hit me that at times it is easy for me to act like the church leaders ... when in reality I am far more like the woman caught in the very act of sin.  My favorite section of the reading ... when Jesus was left with the woman all alone.  Trying to hide her nakedness and shame ... Jesus addresses her with love ... and suddenly she is somehow clothed with dignity, and understanding, and acceptance, and forgiveness ... that came from the Master. 

His words to her were not harsh or condemning ... they were not a final judgement ... but a commmissioning ...  as He said to her, as He and she viewed the rest of her life ... "Go ... and leave your life of sin."  What love, what grace, what encouragement for her future.  What a great way to live today ... with Christ's benediction and commissioning in my life as well.

Fathers' Day Remembrances ...

This coming Sunday will be Fathers’ Day … and since I’m one and have been ever since my first child, daughter Leah, was conceived some 20 years and 8 months ago … with three more such gifts in the decade that followed (Joel, James, and Hannah), I feel eminently qualified to share a few thoughts.

Mothers’ Day has officially passed and been recognized by thousands of corsages and thousands of pounds of chocolates, and maybe even Dads and children cooking something special for Mom that day (and then helping clean up the kitchen afterwards … of course? …) … FATHERS’ DAY will be here shortly … and new ties and BBQ tongs will be unwrapped and put into immediate use.  While the smoke is rising from the burgers, ribs or chicken … take the time to think about what should make Fathers’ Day special …

Technogy, Me, and Hell

I'm really looking forward to returning to the regular, daily practice of blogging.  Why?  Because of the great, original ideas I have and then have a forum to share them on.  Not hardly ... and not just because I don't have that many great, much less original ideas.  No!  Nothing more really that I just want to regularly communicate with an incredibly loving flock ... and encourage them in their walk with Jesus.

Why then the title?  Folks, pray for me ... because sometimes I think technology (Palm Pilots, Computers, Power Point, etc.) will always have something of an antagonistic relationship.  Even the Administrative Assistant at Church thinks that I have some type of "wierd magnetic field" or something that cause electronic stuff to foul up.  She's seen it first hand.

Anyway ... I haven't been blogging because

• my wireless router at home went on the blink and it roughly 6 hours over 2 days to figure that out and more time for the remedy ...
• we completely lost are cable connection for a number of days ... and someone at the cable company finally believed me ...
• my laptops power supply shorted out ... with sparks, the smell of fire, and that unique, pungent, destable smell of burning plastic ...

As much as I use and depend on technology (and I fear that we need to all the more in the future for communication sake) the last number of weeks has been something of a living hell.

Fortunately, my relationship with God the Father is personal, none technological, depends on no other connection other than the living Christ and the continued work of the Holy Spirit apart from no other means than the Word and Sacraments.  Ah, there's my Lutheran heritage coming out ... and in perfect communion with a now functioning computer.

And they say miracles don't happen in the present day and age ...

HEAVY WEIGHTS ... Godly Parents & Christian Education

This past Tuesday was an exciting day for many … it was a snow day for almost every kid I know … and there seemed to be lot of parents that had a day off … somehow.   Well it was a very exciting day for me too … not just because I discovered there was going to be a snow day early in the morning … or because there was a fire in the fireplace with the snow blowing outside … or because I had a cup of hot coffee in my hand … a silent house and a great time for devotion and prayer.   What made it most exciting was what happened a few hours later …

When Does Parenting End ... Or Continue?

Godly parents are sure a blessing … even when (maybe even “especially when”) you are older.  Certainly our parents loved and cared for us when we were growing up as kids and demonstrated immense patience when we were teens.  But the genuineness and reality of their faith and love. I believe, can truly be seen now that their love and concern for each of us and for our children remain demonstrated constants … even when they don’t have to be.

When we first discovered that Joel had a tumor … my parents and Pat’s mom were awesome encouragers.  Before and after the brain tumor surgery at the U of M hospital in Ann Arbor … they maintained there continuing support and encouragement for Joel and for Pat and myself.  Pat’s mom was just down the road in Monroe, MI … and my parents made frequent trips up from Ft. Wayne, IN.

I’d have to say that especially my father kept my head above water by continually pointing me to the presence and power and peace of Christ … his forgiving love … and his power to overcome and deal with doubts. 

What was exemplified by my earthly father is done so perfectly by my heavenly Father.  Maybe in the end that’s the best definition of fatherhood: imitating and pointing to … the heavenly father.  That’s certainly what I’d like to do in my life … something I truly want to pursue.