Christ Lutheran Church Irvington – Page 2

Good news: The Harvest is Great

Posted on June 14, 2020June 14, 2020 by nfuller

Do you see the harvest that is out in the fields right now? Do you see how ripe the conditions are for God’s kingdom to be proclaimed? Our nation, already reeling over the limitations caused by the Corona Virus, has been fighting with itself. Instead of looking to the chief Shepherd Jesus, many are seeking a self righteousness of their own in the form of doubling down on political strivings. Nowhere in the news does there seem to be an emphasis on striving to submission to our Lord in this time of need.

These recent events could simply be a cause for discouragement- a tense feeling in the shoulders and the back of the neck- when can I have a vacation from all of this? No matter how we feel about it, the world around us has been prepared by our loving God for the harvest.

The evidence is all around us. People are clearly lost, like sheep without a shepherd. The sin of racism has become a central focus in our nation in recent weeks. And certainly God’s Word makes no allowance for racism- all of us are created in God’s image.

How clever Satan is that as some people target one sin such as racism- they go down a rabbit’s hole of illogic and commit an entirely different sin of hatred and violence toward the authorities in place in our government.

We know from God’s Word that those who live through hate and outrage , those who carry a self righteous anger, no matter the political direction it comes from, are walking down a lonely road of bondage to their own sin. As a nation we are like sheep without a shepherd. The Harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

The Collect of the Day asks for faith to believe God’s promises that we may receive eternal salvation. This is language about how the harvest works. We take on the role of harvesters because we believe God’s promises. Our faith in Jesus is what allows us to collect any harvest. Without this trust in Jesus, we can do no harvesting for God’s kingdom.

The workers are few because there are many without faith or with a stunted faith. Many are called, few are chosen. Think of the parable of the Sower where some seeds are devoured by birds, other seeds came up on rocky soil and with no depth of roots the plants were scorched by the sun. Other seeds feel among thorns and were choked out by them. Only the one group of seeds out four fell on good spoil and produced a great harvest.

The laborers are few because unbelief reigns. When people do not have faith, they are not in any way qualified for the job. The scarcity of workers is because of the common place instances of unbelief and doubt, and denial of the truth of God’s Word.

Consider what it means that there is a greater harvest than the laborers available. There is a big percentage of the pie our role of service in the kingdom left for us to dig into. We do not have to fight off others for the cultivation of the harvest. There is plenty of fruitful work for us to pursue.

The work all revolves around our trust in our Savior, our faith in God’s Word.

There are so many troubling events happening in our time, everything from drug addiction to broken families, to racism, to the media throwing gasoline on fires. Karen and I were talking this weekend about what it feels like to search through the news looking for some answers as far as what direction our nation is heading and realizing the answers are not there.

God’s Word has all the answers about the state of our nation and about our future. Even our gospel reading for this morning has plenty of answers about the world we live in and how God has designed that we respond.

To start with consider Jesus’ reaction to the crowds of people: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” In the New Testament this Greek word for compassion is only used of God. Only Jesus who is without sin can fully understand how lost and helpless we are without Him. In Christ what was impossible is now possible. In Christ we can extend this compassion to others.

The answers are all in the scripture. Because people are without a shepherd, we have these tragedies of discord in our land. And because Jesus has taken our flesh and redeemed us, Jesus offers the path forward toward a new and better way.

A shepherd leads and guides. Think of the great commission from Matthew chapter 28, the 11 disciples at that time, were called to make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching. The answer to the helpless condition of our world is the new life in Christ, and the teaching of God’s Word that comes with this new life.

With verse 10 in our gospel reading we see a distinction between all of the disciples that followed Jesus and the particular 12 he sent out. Here things get tricky for our application as the church. What does this mean, is this a promise only for the Apostles, or only now for pastors who take on this role? Enter no town of the Samaritans? How do we apply this? The answers are in study of God’s Word. We find answers in considering how before the crucifixion Jesus directed his ministry to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and after his resurrection He commands his disciples to be his witnesses throughout Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

The calling to the pastoral office is a special thing instituted by our Lord, and it is a prayer often prayed in our church about pastors, that the harvest is great and the laborers are few, send out new men as laborers into the harvest fields as pastors.

But the harvest is for the entire church. No church ever grew with only the pastor doing all of the work. The shepherd leads and we follow, so that the harvest is great for us all.

Think again about what it means that there is more harvest opportunity for us than we have time to gather. Jesus has prepared in the hearts of countless people a willingness to hear His Word.

As a church there are many decision points we have as far as how often we offer Bible studies and other opportunities to grow in our faith. It is encouraging to consider that every ministry outreach we hold can play a role in collecting the harvest the Lord has prepared for us.

This is the continuation of the day of Pentecost message of the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us without limits. Nothing stops us from publishing posts on our church facebook page or our website that communicates the good news of Christ for us. The harvest is always there, what varies is whether we are prepared as workers to collect.

I pray the Lord would continue to provide me with faith and courage to help lead you all to greater faithfulness in your own vocations in life, whether at home or in the ministry of our congregation- so that every day of your life contributes to the Lord’s harvest.

Around this time 2 years ago I chatted briefly with LCMS President Matthew Harrison at a conference, while he was at a table for a book signing. I told him I was without a call to a congregation, and he told me to hang in there and advocated for more congregations to call pastors on candidate status. It was meaningful to me to have the President of the LCMS offer encouragement, it helped me realize we in the church are all working toward the same goals, regardless of what we have accomplished in life or what reputation we have.

The inscription on the book read: Nick, The Lord bless you and make you a blessing.” It’s a two step process that the Lord works in us, blessing us with faith, and blessing others through our faith. In all things the harvest is the Lord’s. God’s Word says it all.

Our reading from Exodus chapter 19 helps us see how the harvest is all produced by the LORD. “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” Faith for the people of Israel was clear as sight, the LORD’s deliverance of them.

Israel was carried to salvation from Egypt as on wings of an eagle. Because they were carried in this way, they were put in a position to be God’s treasured possession among all the peoples. “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

The harvest is so great, a whole nation stands before the world as a kingdom of priests. So plentiful the harvest, the church which is present in every country in the world shares the good news of the kingdom. We as the church are the priesthood of all believers who are built on the foundation of Christ. We are chosen for this calling. It is the Lord’s doing, He is the master gardener designer the beautiful and awe inspiring results. Amen.

Devoted to the Teaching of the Way

Posted on May 3, 2020May 3, 2020 by nfuller

Grace and peace to you brothers and sisters in Christ, from our risen Lord Jesus. To start with lets take time to reflect on the Hymn of the day for the Fourth Sunday of Easter: “The King of Love My Shepherd is” This hymn reminds us that Jesus is our shepherd through this wilderness of disrupted routines and disrupted worship.

The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever.

2 Where streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.

3 Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me.

4 In death’s dark vale I fear no ill, with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still, thy cross before to guide me.

5 Thou spreadst a table in my sight; thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight from thy pure chalice floweth!

6 And so through all the length of days, thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house forever.

This past week I notice I am starting to miss some of those things I and my family would not normally do every week, but more time to time, such as eating out at a restaurant or going to a park. It is not a surprise that I am feeling a sense of what is lacking during this time where the details of reopening aspects of society are discussed in the news- and the outlook seems to be more slow and painful in change than we would like. “I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever.” In Jesus we have everything. It is not going out to a restaurant that I truly need and long for, it is the ‘verdant pastures’ that Jesus provides for me that I need.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd just as much in times of joy and in times of sorrow. Let us pray in repentance for those times when we have felt like sheep without a shepherd this past week, for those times when we have failed to listen to His voice- forgive us Lord when our dissatisfaction with the difficulty we are in overtakes our thoughts and focus with fear and discontentment. Forgive us when we have lost sight of His promise to us that through length of days His goodness never fails.

Lord we are thankful that you have warned us that those who do not enter by the door are thieves and robbers- they carry a message that is outside of Your truth. You have given us the Holy Scriptures so that we may recognize who comes in by the door in your righteousness and who comes in another way. By Your Holy Spirit fill us with Your truth, that we may have ears only for our Savior’s guidance and see the liturgy of worry and fear of this world as something we gladly leave behind. Comfort us this hour with the truth that You Lord Jesus are the king of love.

Now that we have looked at a hymn with the theme of Jesus as our shepherd, I want to focus on the historical account of the first days of the church, where the King of Love led and guided the disciples to proclaim His love with courage and boldness.

The serial readings from Acts are part of the season of Easter. The joy of new beginnings we feel on Easter Sunday is matched with the First reading of worship (in place of Old Testament reading) describing the beginnings of the early church and how the Risen Lord breathed life into the new church with the Holy Spirit. This season of Easter, as we have been forced on the sidelines to home worship, the readings from Acts perhaps are more in the background than ever. This morning I would like to bring them to the fore front, even as we also celebrate the Good Shepherd Sunday in our readings on the 4^th Sunday of Easter

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

We have heard from our governor last Friday about a timetable for return to normalcy in our civic routines including worship service attendance timetables. These have been far less than ideal circumstances for us to live as a church community. In contrast the reading from Acts gives us a picture of ideal circumstances. Gathering for worship and caring for the needs of the body of Christ were at the forefront. This first church lived in awe at the wonders and signs being done through the apostles. Evidence of the power of Jesus’ Word was all around them, in their own actions and in the signs that were shown to the world.

How far of a contrast this is compared to the difficult circumstances we face as a church during a pandemic. How joyful it sounds to be able to devote ourselves fully to the teachings of the Holy Scripture, to fellowship with one another and to worship. This is the complete opposite of social distancing, where Jesus has brought those who were far off and living their own lives into one family in Christ. We have not had opportunity to celebrate the Lord’s Supper for 6 weeks now. We can pray together through online connections- but we cannot break bread together- we cannot be joined to the mystical union with our Savior in the fellowship of his table while sitting in our living rooms watching an internet service. Short of living somewhere half way around the world as a prisoner on account of persecution, I never imagined I would be facing such want and lack of the celestial food our Good Shepherd brings to us. May the Lord grant us relief from this burden soon!

As ideal as the fist church sounds, we must remember that they lived their lives with many of the same frustrations over the consequences of sin in the world as we do. The Lord’s Supper they received was no more special and salvific than what we receive in our own time. Sure it sounds pretty amazing to think of receiving the Lord’s Supper from the Apostle Peter or John or James, or any other disciple- but the Lord’s Supper is not about a distinguished and rich atmosphere, but only about the body and blood of Jesus given for us.

Our life of worship is not about the fulfillment or excitement we get through who we worship with- it is about Jesus. No matter how many we long to see and worship with, we all have the same common identity of sinners in need of the living water Jesus provides. And most importantly we all receive the same gifts of our Lord.

Even as we are scattered right now, we will soon have a date to return to worship. Acts 2:42 illustrates how the church works, whether it is the early church, our modern time, or the future with CDC regulations to account for as we return to worship. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

To devote ourselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship is simply to devote ourselves to the identity we have as God’s children by the waters of baptism. It is to repent of our sins daily and walk in the new life we have in Christ each day. This new identity brings us together in fellowship, a fellowship of love and compassion and kindness grounded in the joy of our Savior living in us. This is specifically lived out in our ‘breaking of bread and prayers’ our worship life, in receiving the gift of the Lord’s Supper and in the order of liturgy in our worship service.

We will get through the obstacles of life “post Covid 19” and as a church devote ourselves to worship through meeting weekly, and grounding our lives in the Lord’s Supper and the liturgy of our worship. My prayer is that when we are able to meet we will all take worship for granted less, that many in our congregation and in our nation would attend weekly as opposed to one Sunday here and there. I pray that the concerns about infection do not move us from a reduced celebration of the Lord’s Supper, but instead through careful practices that we receive the Lord’s Supper most of the times when we gather in accordance with the teachings of the apostles.

Getting back to the Good Shepherd theme, the more we hear God’s Word together as one body, the more we recognize that our Shepherd’s voice is not just theories and ideals to live by, the more we will see that the way of Christ purpose and joy of our life itself.

Jesus taught the disciples: “If anyone who comes in through me, he will be saved and go in and find pasture.”

Pasture provided by God is the greenest of all pasture. Pasture is room to grow and thrive as God intended for us! Green pasture leads to fulfillment, contentment, joy!

Jesus described how he is the only door to this pasture. To enter the sheepfold of His kingdom is the most important thing we can ever do in life. Our faith is more than something that we learn the basics in Sunday school and confirmation class. There is more than learning how it is that we are saved through faith and thinking ‘I will leave it at that.’

Once we enter the door through our Savior we have green pastures to mature and thrive in. This is our “Great Shepherd’s” gift to the church at all times, room to grow and abound spiritually whether in times of hardship or in times of plenty. May we know this comfort today. Amen.