In the Hope of the Resurrection

They buried his body in the hope of the resurrection.
　
Whatever grief wracked them, and whatever threat of hopeless despair assaulted them, they came for his body and laid it in a tomb in the hope of the resurrection.
　
That was the hope he had preached, to which he had pointed, in which he had baptized them and many others. That was the hope in which he lived, in which he died and was buried.
　
And that hope has not been disappointed.
　
For he was a prophet, and more than a prophet. He came in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the way of the Lord. He was the Forerunner of the Christ. He announced the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. To fulfill all righteousness, he baptized that same Lamb, Jesus, in the Jordan River, and saw Him emerge and arise from those waters, and the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descend upon Him and remain upon Him in the flesh.
　
That is the hope of the resurrection for all who believe and are baptized into Christ Jesus.
　
That is the hope that St. John the Baptist preached, and the hope in which he preached. Even when his beautiful feet were shut up in prison, still he preached in that hope of the resurrection, until his beautiful lips were also shut up in death
　
That is your hope also. What? That you should suffer and die? No, beloved and well-pleasing child; you have already died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Thus your body lives and dies and rises with Him, as sure and certain as your Baptism into His death, as sure and certain as His own Cross and Resurrection from the dead. Because He lives, you live also: body and soul, now and forever.
　
That is your hope, and that is your life.
　
Do not be afraid. Do not let suffering, sickness, pain or death perplex you. Do not despair, and do not grow weary of doing good.
　
Your life — your true and lasting, real life — your body, soul and spirit — are safe and secure in Christ Jesus. And He will not disappoint you.
　
Live in that hope, in Him. For His Name has not only become well known, but has been given to you, as your Name, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. So it is that you are in Christ, and Christ lives in you.
　
For St. John the Baptist, that life in Christ meant preaching, imprisonment, and decapitation. What are your vocations, and what are your stations in life? What has the Lord your God called you to do, and where and how would He have you live in faith, hope and love?
　
If you are a husband and father, then you are the head of your wife and children. Serve them faithfully and wisely, with patience and gentleness, with compassion and forgiveness, in the way that Christ is the Head of His Body, the Church. Do not be driven by your selfishness, but give yourself for those whom the Lord has given to your care.
　
If you are a wife, submit to your own husband in the hope of Christ, your heavenly Bridegroom. And if you are a mother, then care for your children with mercy and kindness, in much the same way the Church shelters and protects the children of God. Feed them and clothe them, teach them the Gospel in word and deed, and love them.
　
Whether you have a spouse and children of your own, or not, cherish and serve your own parents as long as you are able. Love and care for your Church family, too, your brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as your neighbors in the world. Do your job carefully, honorably, gladly and well. Be content with what you have and where you are, even as you continue to work and grow, to study and learn, and to look for new ways to contribute to the benefit of others.
　
It is especially within your vocations that you bear the Cross of Christ for your neighbor, and it may well be that you suffer hardship, pain or difficulty on account of your vocations; sometimes precisely because of your faithfulness. That is how it was for St. John the Baptist, and for Christ your Lord Himself. To live in your vocations according to the Word of God, under the Cross, is to live, already now by faith, in the Resurrection of that same Lord, Jesus Christ.
　
Your God-given stations in life may seem like a prison, in which you languish and die a little more each day. Your commitments, obligations and responsibilities tie you down and hold you back, like a heavy ball and chain around your neck. You may feel yourself forgotten, neglected, overlooked, unfairly treated. So many demands upon you; so little freedom, it seems.
　
Lift up your head, your heart and your hands, in the hope of the resurrection. You have not been abandoned, nor shall you ever be forsaken. Fulfill your callings in life, and bear your afflictions patiently. The Lord knows where you are, and how it is with you, and what is good and best for you. He has not turned away from you. He has not withdrawn His gracious hand. His strong arms are still stretched out in love to strengthen and uphold you, even in death.
　
Your dear God and Father in heaven is pleased with you. He delights in you and rejoices over you. For you are righteous and holy in Christ Jesus, the beloved Son. Your suffering for His Name’s sake does not negate that, but confirms it by His own Cross. Which means that His Resurrection and the power of His indestructible life are also yours, and shall not be taken from you. Because you are His, and He is yours forever. Signed, sealed, delivered; as good as gold.
　
As your body shall be raised from death — like His own glorious Body — to the life everlasting in heaven, it is also in your body, now, under the Cross, that you already live with Christ Jesus, by grace through faith in His Gospel; which is your redemption, the forgiveness of your sins.
　
Therefore, do not give your body over to unrighteousness and impurity. That which is not lawful is not the way of life, either, but of death and destruction. To disobey the Lord your God, to disregard His holy Word, brings death to both body and soul, both now and forever. So does sin bring fear and sorrow and bitter regret, resentment and anxiety, doubt, confusion and madness.
　
One sin leads to another, and grief upon grief, further and further away from your faith and life.
　
To give your body over to sin, is to live as though there were no the resurrection of the body. Yet, apart from the hope of the resurrection, your life in the world is perplexing and precarious.
　
If what you see in the world is what you get, and if what you feel and experience in your body here on earth is all there is to it — if there is no resurrection of your body to the life everlasting — then you are driven to and fro, and tossed about by covetous lust and selfish greed, or by dark despair; by anger and dread, frustration and jealousy. Then you would never find or ever have any true or lasting peace or joy or rest; not at all.
　
Such denial of the resurrection is why you manipulate, use and abuse your neighbor, even your own family and friends. You entice and seduce, you trick or treat, you blackmail and bargain. Everything becomes a terrible game, a strategy, a con, designed to satisfy your unquenchable thirst, to feed your growling hunger, your restless appetite and craving.
　
But it is never sufficient, never enough. It does not satisfy, and it never lasts. It cannot keep you safe, and it will not save you.
　
Apart from the hope of the resurrection, you will never have what you want, but you will always want more and more. Your sin becomes more and more desperate, and goes from increasingly bad to increasingly worse, until it brings forth death and eternal damnation.
　
In all of this, tragically, you will not find what you really need, even though it is freely given.
　
The world holds out promises to you that it cannot keep or fulfill. Sex for power, power for sex, and a thousand other trade-offs, one sin for another. Do not chase after these things. Do not seek to seize what is not yours. Do not trade the resurrection of your body to everlasting life for the momentary gratification of your flesh. It is a lie that robs you of everything and leaves you with nothing; no matter how comfortable, luxurious and easy it may appear to be for a little while.
　
In the end, the world has nothing to offer but a tomb; and even that will be emptied in the final judgment. On the last day, you and all the dead will be raised from the dust of the earth to be judged according to your life in the body: the righteous unto life, the wicked unto punishment.
　
Where, then, are your righteousness and life to be found? The Lord has granted sure and certain promises to you — all of which He has kept and fulfilled, for you and for all people, from before the foundation of the world — in the Cross and Resurrection of Christ Jesus, the Incarnate Son. That is what is true for you, even under the weight and suffering of the Cross. That is what is true for you, even in the face of your sins and the fierce judgment of the Law against you.
　
Herod was not the first king of Israel to commit adultery and murder; nor was he the first to be confronted by a Prophet of the Lord. Even such wicked sins and heinous crimes do not undo the Word and work of God in Christ Jesus. Thus, St. John continues preaching repentance to Herod, for the purpose of faith and life in the forgiveness of sins. That is what and why he preaches.
　
King Herod listens with interest to St. John, but refuses to hear and heed his preaching. He is perplexed and intrigued by what he says, but finds more pleasure in the dancing body of his niece than the preaching of repentance. So what Herod trades for his lust is far more than half his kingdom. He forfeits his soul, by shutting the mouth of the preacher.
　
Do not do the same. Do not shut the mouth of the preacher by shutting your ears or closing your heart to his preaching of the Cross. Repent of your sins, and believe the Gospel, because the Kingdom of God is here at hand. The righteousness and holiness of God, which are proclaimed to you by this Word, are not only the condemnation of your sin by the Law, but chiefly His forgiveness of your sins in the Name and stead of Christ.
　
Do not fear men. Do not fear their power, nor covet their praise. But fear God, and love and trust in Him. Cling to His Word and promises. Rely upon His gracious gifts. Hope in the Cross and Resurrection of Christ Jesus. And live in that hope and confidence.
　
If your body suffers and dies, do not despair; you shall yet live. If your body is healthy and well, use it to serve faithfully. Do whatever the Lord has called you and given you to do, wherever He has stationed you, for Jesus’ sake, by faith in His salvation. Receive whatever He gives you with thanksgiving, and use whatever you have in love, because your life is safe with God in Christ.
　
The surety and guarantee of that good life has already been granted to you, by and with the Holy Spirit: in your Holy Baptism, in the forgiveness of all your sins, and in the Holy Communion.
　
For Christ Jesus, the Lord’s Anointed, the true King, the Son of David, has willingly suffered arrest and execution, the punishment of his father David’s sins, and Herod’s sins, and your sins, and the sins of the whole world. He has done so in order to make a great Banquet for you and for all, in which He serves you, His guest, with His own holy body and precious blood. He pleases you with His grace, mercy and peace. He gives you the fulness of the Kingdom of His God and Father. He covers your nakedness and shame, and clothes you with His own righteousness and holiness. He raises you from death to life in both body and soul, both now and forever.
　
The suffering and death of St. John the Baptist — like his preaching and Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins — proclaim the Cross and Passion of your dear Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Head of His Body, the Church, and as He has risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, so do you and all His members rise and live. For your sins are all forgiven. Therefore your body also shall rest in peace, and be raised in glory at the last to live with God forever, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
　
In Jesus’ Name, and for His sake. Amen.

What to Look for in a Church

I've offered that reverence and courtesy are the underlying criteria and the baseline rubrics with which we ought to approach the conduct of the Liturgy. Pastor Cwirla has written of "relaxed dignity," and another colleague has referenced the "evangelical decorum" of the Formula of Concord (Solid Declaration, Article X). These several ways of speaking summarize the intersection of faith and love in the broad consideration of liturgical practice. They are general principles, which provide helpful perspective and guidance to pastors and congregations who seek to be faithful in receiving and handing over the Gospel of Christ Jesus. The specifics of a particular case, and the actual practices of a congregation, depend upon pastoral discernment, discretion and care. Such pastoral care belongs to the stewardship of the Mysteries of God.

Now, then, to speak more concretely to the receiving of those sacred Mysteries: What should a Christian look for in a congregation of the Church? If you are moving to a new location, or if you are sending your daughter or son off to college, how do you decide where you or they should be on the Lord's Day? This way of asking the question presses for a tangible and realistic response. As my children have grown up, moved away from home and gotten married, hardly anything has been more important to me than their continued hearing and receiving of the Gospel. And as the young people of my congregation graduate and leave for college, I have similar concerns.

It's not as easy as it ought to be to find the ideal congregation, if there is such a thing anywhere. If the Gospel is being preached faithfully, and if the Sacrament of the Altar is being administered regularly and reverently, there is true Paradise on earth for the pastor and people of God in that place. But words like "faithfully" and "reverently" still beg the question. What is the measure of faithfulness and reverence? We understandably and rightly grow attached to the congregation in which we have been hearing and receiving Christ Jesus, but, when we move to a new place, finding another congregation just like that one is unlikely if not impossible. In many parts of the country, there may be nothing at all that looks or sounds or smells or seems even remotely like the familiar church "back home" that we have known and loved. So what is a Christian to do?

Here are the ten most important things that a Christian ought to look for in a church, more or less in order of significance:

1. Faithful Preaching: Pastor Petersen has recently posted an excellent summary of what such preaching ought to be, and in his usual fashion he has said it clearly, succinctly and well. For my part, I have also commented on what I prefer to describe as "liturgical preaching." I still believe that, "if the preaching is liturgical and right, then everything else will follow as it should." Not every sermon will be great; nor should every sermon be the same. But you should be able to tell within a few weeks or a month whether the preaching is consistently faithful or not. If not, then you should look elsewhere; because, if the preaching is not right, everything will languish.

Faithful preaching will take up the readings of the day, especially the Word and works of Jesus from the Holy Gospel, and proclaim that to the people as the speaking of God to them. The sermon will not only talk about the Law and the Gospel, but will command what God commands, forbid what God forbids, and forgive sins in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will thus be the preaching of repentance, unto faith in the forgiveness of the Cross: preaching to and from Holy Baptism, to and from the Holy Communion. Such preaching is not a break in the midst of the Liturgy, but a fundamental and constitutive part of the Liturgy. It moves from the lectern to the Altar, from the Word of the Holy Scriptures to the Word-made-Flesh in the Sacrament.

2. The Regular and Reverent Administration of the Holy Communion: Look for a congregation where you will be given the opportunity to receive the Lord's Supper every week. There may not be any such congregation in some areas, but that is the benchmark. Frequency by itself is not the sole criteria, however. Look for a congregation that clearly practices "closed Communion," because that is the catholic and evangelical practice of the Church. Look for a prominent use of the chalice, even if individual cups are also offered as an option. Look for a congregation in which the younger children are being catechized and communed. In general, ask yourself whether the Sacrament is being administered with care and dignity. That's a judgment call, obviously, but you should be able to tell whether the Sacrament is being handled as the very body and blood of Christ, or as though it were little more than fish 'n' chips at the pub.

3. Hymnody: Not every hymn will say everything, but every hymn should say something, and what it says should be a faithful confession of the Word of God. Look for a predominance of strong, solid hymns, which fit the season of the Church Year, touch upon the readings of the day, and serve the liturgical purpose of their place in the Service. A few weaker hymns in the course of the Service are not necessarily a problem, so long as the larger context bolsters them with a real meat-and-potatos diet. If the majority of the hymns are mediocre fluff-and-stuff, and if the stongest hymns in the Service are typically those of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley, then look for another church. Look instead for the hymns of Luther, Nicolai, Gerhardt and Heermann. Rarely should there be a Service in a Lutheran congregation that does not include at least one hymn by at least one of these men.

4. Catechesis: Look for a church in which the pastor is personally and actively involved in the ongoing catechesis of the young and the old. Along with that, look for a congregation in which the parents are seeking ongoing pastoral catechesis for themselves and participating in the ongoing catechesis of their children.

5. Confession and Absolution: Look for a church where regular opportunities for Individual Confession and Absolution are provided and publicized. If you are not able to find a congregation where that is the case, then look for a pastor who readily responds to your request for Individual Confession and Absolution.

6. Daily Prayer: Look for a church where regular opportunities are provided for the parish to be gathered together for the Word of God and prayer during the week, whether for Matin and Vespers, or Evening Prayer. Likewise, look for a congregation in which the people are encouraged and assisted in the practice of daily prayer within their homes and families.

7. Service Book and Hymnal: Look for a congregation that uses the Church's service book and hymnal; whether that be the LSB, or TLH or LW. If everything is printed out every week, look for a consistency of practice from one week to the next, preferably following the order and form of the Service as published in one of the Church's books. Every congregation has its own local practices, but those should not deviate widely or wildly from the agreed-upon norms of the official service books. Parishioners should not be asked to confess words they have never seen or heard before (and which they will likely never see or hear again).

8. Vestments and Other Adornments: Look for a church in which the pastor is vested in his conduct of the Liturgy. Vestments cover the person of the pastor while adorning the office he serves in the name and stead of Christ. These are good things; not absolutely necessary, but significant and important. Likewise, look for a church in which paraments, architecture, artwork and other adornments are all used in such a way as to focus on Christ and His Cross and His means of grace. In particular, look for a crucifix; not because it is necessary, but because the prominent display of a crucifix is a good indication that the focus of a congregation is on the Cross of Christ.

9. Decorum and Demeanor: Look for a church where the decorum of the Divine Service and the demeanor of the pastor convey an ambience of dignity, rather than a casual sloppiness. You should be able to discern that there is a seriousness about what is being done, and that the pastor and people actually believe themselves to be in the presence of the Holy Triune God. At the same time, look for a relaxed confidence in the pastor's conduct and the congregation's practice. Anxiousness and overearnestness do not resonate with the Gospel.

10. Parish Communications and Announcements: In whatever is posted, printed and announced, look for a focus on the Church's life in the means of grace and in works of mercy. Other things happen in the routines of a parish, but it ought to be clear that the Gospel of Christ is the heart and center of things, the defining emphasis of the congregation. Faith and love depend upon the Gospel, and Christians live from the Gospel. So look for a church in which the Gospel is the focus of everything that happens.

Reverence and Courtesy

There's been a lot of discussion of reverence recently, which I have found both fascinating and at times frustrating. The subject of reverence came up repeatedly at the CCA, although it there seemed to be aimed primarily at musical considerations. An insistent focus on music is significant and telling, I think, but I am of the opinion that reverence is deeper and broader and ultimately more comprehensive than even the musical realm. It may also be more elusive and amorphous than music is.

In conversation with one colleague at the CCA, regarding "reverence," he posed the question: "Who decides?" Again, he was thinking chiefly of music, though I didn't fully realize that at the time. It is a good question, in any case, and I have been trying to formulate a response. Is reverence a matter of convention or taste, an aesthetic, or a programmatic body of rubrics? Is it objective or subjective (whatever those words mean!)?

It is easier to identify irreverence than it is to specify what reverence will look like or sound like. Or so I am presently convinced. Certain manners of speaking, dressing and acting would surely be recognized as rude and inappropriate, and therefore irreverent, because they flaunt the public mores, the social etiquette that polite adults and even children learn from the culture. There may be points of debate on the fringes of those standards, and the particular group one is with will make some difference in where the lines are drawn, but I believe there are boundaries outside of which everyone would agree: We just don't do that.

It is much harder to say what reverence is or ought to be. Some recent conversations would suggest that one man's reverence is another man's robotics. I have argued, and I still maintain, that genuine reverence is a matter of faith in the heart. It is the prostration of the heart in the fear, love and trust of the Holy Triune God, such as the First Commandment calls for. That reverence of the heart will manifest itself outwardly in the confession of the lips and the actions of the body, but I resist attempts to specify the details of those bodily actions or the particular qualities of the confession. What we speak in reverent confession will be as the oracles of God, but whether we speak, chant or sing, and whether we do so together or in turn, in unison or harmony, in English, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German or Spanish, will depend. What we do or don't do with our bodies, in reverence, will also depend.

Actions that are sinful are not reverent, surely, but there is a large realm of freedom in which we live with our bodies. As faith is free before God, so is outward bodily reverence free to that same extent. Genuine reverence neither derives from nor depends upon any predetermined dance of the body. Whether we stand or sit, kneel or bow; whether we fold our hands in one way or another, or not at all; and whether we bow our heads and close our eyes, or lift our heads and our hands to heaven, may or may not coincide with faith in the heart.

So what difference does it make, then, what we do with our bodies? Or does it matter at all? Is everything a free-for-all, barring outright sin or blatant impropriety? Already there are those boundaries, which suggest that other considerations may also be helpful and appropriate.

Pastor Cwirla has frequently called for a "relaxed dignity," which I have found a helpful way of thinking about these matters. He stresses that a man, a pastor in particular, must be comfortable with himself as a justified sinner before he will be able to conduct the Liturgy with "relaxed dignity." Then he will be able to wear vestments and follow rubrics in a manner that is neither slavish or awkward, but reverent and respectful. In general, I concur with these observations, but I believe there is still more to be considered and said.

For a pastor or any Christian to be comfortable with himself as a justified sinner is, indeed, to possess and exercise the reverence of faith in the heart. For a pastor to conduct the Liturgy, or for any Christian to receive and participate in the Liturgy, brings that reverence of the heart out into the open, into the public sphere of words and actions. That is where and when and why reverence goes hand-in-hand with "respect," as Pastor Cwirla has noted, or "courtesy," as Arthur Carl Piepkorn so helpfully indicated many years ago. It seems to me that respect or courtesy for the neighbor, and for the Church as the Body of Christ, is the key to discerning the outward contours that reverence will follow.

Reverence and courtesy are the baseline rubrics, from which everything else may be measured and determined, so as to serve and support the Gospel. I have very much appreciated this rule of thumb for some time now. It is simply another way to speak of faith and love, which is the way that Dr. Luther also approaches his writings on liturgical practice (and, really, the entire Christian life). Before God, by faith, we are utterly free, the slave of no man; in love, however, we are the dutiful servants of all. Likewise, the reverence of the heart before God is manifested in the courtesy of love for the brother and sister in Christ, together with whom we worship the Lord. Individual freedom is tempered by the pastor's public office, within which he administers the Liturgy as a public service. So, too, individual freedom is tempered by the Christian's participation in the public worship of the Church.

The dual criteria of reverence and courtesy are not simply parallel considerations. The reverence of faith before God is primary and determinative; however, such faith is never alone, but is always moving in love toward the neighbor, and dealing with the neighbor in courtesy. If one claims to love God, whom he cannot see, and yet hates his brother whom he can see, he is a liar. But, no, faith and love toward God are verbalized and visible in words and actions of love for the neighbor. That love is guided and governed chiefly by the Word of God, which reveals what is His good and acceptable will. Similarly, the pastor loves the congregation chiefly by his faithful preaching and administration of the Gospel. But in working out the details within the freedom of adiaphora, where God has neither commanded nor forbidden anything in particular, there love will seek to be courteous by setting aside personal proclivities for the sake of corporate unity.

Not only should a pastor be comfortable with himself as a justified sinner, but he should also be content and willing to discipline his outward actions in courtesy or respect for the congregation. He does not follow the rites and rubrics of the Church in order to impress or appease the Lord, but out of courtesy for the people of God, whom he has been called and ordained to serve. His reverence before the Lord is thereby manifested in love for his neighbors. The pastor does not insist upon this-or-that ceremony in order to impress the people, but in order to catechize them in the Word of God and in the confession of faith in His Word. In such matters, clarity and consistency are meet, right and salutary; thus, the heart that is utterly free before God reverently reins itself in, out of courtesy for the Church, in order to serve the people in love.

I like Pastor Cwirla's "relaxed dignity," but I shall prefer to speak of "reverent courtesy." Either way, it is not a matter of prescribing a predetermined set of particular rubrics, rites and ceremonies, but rather of guiding the free heart of faith in its external confession of words and actions. There is no assumption that reverence will always look or sound the same. Love does not force itself upon the neighbor, but first of all considers the neighbor's circumstance and need; and not only those of one neighbor (vs. another), but the circumstances and needs of the congregation as a communion of saints in a particular place and within the corporate life of the entire Church on earth. In the fear, love and trust of God above all things, we shall then love our neighbors and serve them in the catechesis and confession of the Word of God.

"Who decides?" Faith and love determine what reverence will do and say in a given time and place. If that answer is frustrating to our desire for more specific rules and regulations, it is only because we are still learning how to live in the freedom of faith and in the service of love. Daily we are called to repentance, to find our righteousness in Christ and not in ourselves, and to exercise ourselves to the glory of God and the benefit of others, rather than serving to our own glory and benefit. Clearly we are not to despise the Word of the Lord, which is the true Wisdom by which we live; nor ought we disregard the truly catholic and evangelical traditions of His Church on earth, which are among His gracious good gifts to us. But let us receive and use these things in faith and love and with thanksgiving. That is the way of reverent courtesy.

Laugh and the World Laughs with You, But if You Cry, What Then?

I remember an episode of the Simpsons, many years ago now, in which Lisa was feeling quite sad. When Marge dropped her off at school then, she gave Lisa the same advice that her mother had once given to her as child: Smile, and put on a happy face! So Lisa bravely got out of the car, and went to face her day with a forced smile threatening to crack her careworn countenance. As Marge sat there in the car, watching her daughter go, she recalled the times when she herself had faked such a smile at odds with her actual emotions, and how yucky that had made her feel. Then she hopped out of the vehicle and ran to give Lisa a different word of motherly advice: Be yourself, and smile when you're ready. Marge loved her either way.

Theologically speaking, "being yourself" is no real remedy or solution. We are sinful and unclean, and being our sinful selves is at the heart of the problem! But putting on a happy face, faking a smile, and pretending to be chipper are not the answer, either. It is the Father's love for us in Christ Jesus, and His forgiveness of our sins, that rescues us from the deadly despair of unbelief. That gracious forgiveness and steadfast love grant the true peace and joy of faith, with which we do rejoice, give thanks and sing. But let us not confuse that rejoicing of the heart with particular personality traits. It is a false gospel when we admonish a melancholy heart to fake a smile.

I resonated with that episode of the Simpsons, and with Lisa's mood in it, because I am also somewhat disposed toward melancholy. There are seasons of the year, especially from November through February, when it is hard for me to feel chipper. I've learned to cope with that, more or less, but coping is not the same as being cheerful. Even aside from that seasonal depression, which follows the waning of the sunlight, there are other times when my mood is on a low ebb. It's an aspect of my personality that I don't particularly care for, and I don't offer that as an excuse; I know that it is also linked to my sinfulness. Nevertheless, the remedy is not to be found in forcing myself to be happy, if that were even possible. I know that what I need is the preaching of repentance, the forgiveness of my sins in the name of Jesus, and the fellowship of my family and friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Those good gifts of God pull me out of myself and out of my hole, and set me before my Father in heaven, safe and secure in Christ Jesus, my Savior. That almost always makes me feel better, too, but not necessarily carefree and easygoing; it doesn't necessarily translate into grins and giggles galore.

It was roughly around the same time as that episode of the Simpsons, when a coworker of mine, a Pentecostal, made a comment that totally floored me. This young woman came to work one day, visibly anxious and weary, but with her usual toothy smile plastered across her face. She remarked that she was at her wit's end, but then she also went on to say that she had to keep smiling, because, as she put it, if she let her smile slip it would mean that she had lost her faith and forfeited her salvation. It's been almost two decades ago that she said that to me, but I've never forgotten it. Sadly, I don't remember what I said in response, because at the time I was so flabbergasted I didn't really know what to say. I hope that I would do better now, given the chance. What concerns me, though, is how often Christians seem to proceed with the same sort of mindset with respect to one another.

Laugh and the world laughs with you. We all know the saying, and who's to wonder? It's fun and easy to be around people who are happy and cheerful. But as members of the body of Christ, we are called to bear each other's burdens in love, with patience and forgiveness. In fact, it is all the more important that, when we cry, we not be left to cry alone. I don't mean to suggest that there's never a time for quiet solitude. As a man, I retreat to my "cave" from time to time, and I often find that helpful to prayer and meditation on the Word of God. But when the melancholy blues wash over me, I know that what I need is not time to myself, but the communion of my fellow Christians. I need to hear the Word of God, and to receive the love of God in Christ. At such times, especially, it is not good for the man to be alone. Yet, it is the most difficult at such times to reach out to others for conversation and companionship. Depression and despair tend to collapse the person inward. So it becomes all the more important for the neighbor to take the initiative and reach out to the brother or sister who is sullen and sad. Tragically, with few exceptions, that doesn't seem to be the case.

I understand and sympathize. It is hard work and exhausting to befriend the person who is down and seemingly bent on frowning. It is all the more difficult when that person resists the efforts of neighbors to draw close and engage in conversation. I've been on both sides of that equation too many times to count. For all of that, I have also come to know this: On the one hand, a melancholy disposition does not mean that a person is faithless or unbelieving; no more so than a cheerful disposition equates with faith and faithfulness. On the other hand, the person who is struggling with sadness, for whatever reason, needs the mercy and compassion, the patience and long-suffering, the love and forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ, as much or more than anyone else. And such a person may be less likely to seek out the Gospel or to avail himself of the means of grace than others might be. Therefore, rather than passing judgment on the person who is glum or down in the mouth, and rather than avoiding the melancholy soul, the Christian is moved by love to befriend and uplift such a person. Not to suppose that the goal is a smile, but simply to love with the love of Christ.

Sadness, or even a personality prone to melancholy, is not the same thing as depression; nor are any of these things coterminous with the despair of unbelief. The sourpuss may be every bit as pious and faithful as the interminably chipper and cheerful person. Sweet and sour alike live by the Gospel of forgiveness, or they do not live at all. For that very reason, we should resist the temptation to avoid the dour, but instead make a point of loving and caring for that person; even if it never results in a smile or a happy face. The laughing will never be lacking in company, and let us hope and pray their companions are Christians. But those who weep are too often left alone. It should not be so among those who belong to the Body of Christ. In fraility and weakness, let us love one another; for love is of God, whose power is made perfect in weakness.

For those who may suffer from the melancholy blues or clinical depression, I won't advise or admonish that you fake a smile or plaster on a happy face, but in my empathy for you I will recommend a new book by my dear friend and colleague, the Reverend Todd Peperkorn. It is entitled, I Trust When Dark My Road: A Lutheran View of Depression, and it is available free from LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Check it out.

Precious Vessels Consecrated for the Sanctuary of the Lord

Rahab the harlot is set forth as an example of faith by both St. James and the Epistle to the Hebrews; and St. Matthew identifies her as an ancestress of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is some irony in that, but what a beautiful paradox and blessed comfort, that the harlot should become the Bride, sanctified and cleansed by the precious blood of Christ.

I've been struck in recent years by the specifics of her case. She lives in the wall of Jericho; which is all the more remarkable in retrospect. According to the Law of Moses, there should have been no treaty made with her. As a citizen of Jericho, in particular, her life was subject to destruction. Yet, upon her confession of the Lord, the treaty is made, which both Joshua and the Lord honor and uphold. When the walls of Jericho come down, the home of Rahab is preserved; and when the people of Jericho are put to the sword, Rahab and her family are not only spared, but given to live in the midst of Israel. The Lord's almighty power is manifested in such mercy.

Everything sings of the atonement, of the Christ who will eventually be born from this foreign harlot woman who is saved from the city of man for the City of God. Joshua leads the priests with the ark of the covenant, and all of these signify Jesus the Christ. The sound of the ram's horn marks the days, circumscribing the city, the enemy fortress; recalling the ram caught in the thicket by his horns, provided by God in place of Isaac, the beloved son of Abraham. Six days pass, then peace and rest are granted on the seventh day, the Sabbath, when our Lord would rest in the tomb after completing His work of Atonement. The people march and shout, but the Lord brings down the wall and defeats the enemy for them. Only not Rahab and those with her.

Every man, woman and child is to be destroyed; every living creature is to be killed; and everything else is to be burned, except the precious vessels of gold and silver, which are dedicated to the Lord for use in His sanctuary.

The consecration of those precious vessels parallels the salvation of Rahab and her family, who are not put to death but saved for life among the people of God. The whore becomes the Bride, not only rescued but redeemed, sanctified and cleansed; not simply tolerated, but truly precious and valuable in the sight of the Lord.

It is because the Lord Himself, who has become the flesh and blood of Rahab and of us all, has suffered the divine judgment and destruction of Jericho, wholly dedicated to His God and Father. He is the new and greater Joshua, the great High Priest, the Ram whose horn is mercy and compassion, whose blood poured out is the New Covenant of forgiveness. He dies the death demanded by the Law, that we might live by the grace of the Gospel. Neither the gates of Hades nor the walls of Jericho can prevail against His shout of victory; nor against the confession of faith in His Cross. Thus are we consecrated as vessels for the sanctuary of God, precious and valuable to Him. For He has brought us out of Egypt and through the Jordan into Canaan; out of Jericho into the courts of His new Jerusalem; out of our own little hole in the wall, to become a living stone in His holy Temple. All of our adultery and worse is forgiven, and we are spared, freely granted to live by the mercies of God in the midst of His people, Israel.

The Fatal Flaw in Missouri Synod Polity, Structure and Governance

There are plenty of things broken and bent out of shape in the current polity, structure and governance of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and even more things are wrong with the proposals being offered by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synodical Structure and Governance.

However, the number one fatal flaw in LCMS structure and governance, in my opinion, is the inordinate power that the floor committees have over synodical conventions; especially because those floor committees are ultimately hand-picked by the President of the Synod. That critique is not aimed at the current administration, but at the polity itself on principle.

The floor committees control what comes to the Convention for consideration and action; they control the order and priority of that business, and the manner in which it is presented; and they have the significant ability to speak at length to resolutions, to defend and promote them, above and beyond what any of the other delegates are permitted or able to say or do in response.

Personally, I think the power and authority of the floor committees should be curtailed, for one thing, and the process by which overtures from across the Synod are presented as resolutions to the Convention should be handled more objectively and far more equitably than it has been in recent years. Along with those reforms in our synodical polity, I would suggest that the floor committees, instead of being chosen by the President of the Synod, should be elected by the Districts of the Synod, in much the same sort of way that the nominating committee already is.

Without some such changes in the formation and function of the floor committees, I have little confidence that even improvements in the structure and governance will accomplish any good; although, frankly, it doesn't appear that improvements of any sort are presently in the works.

Hymns for Proper 14-20 Series B

First Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 14 (Sunday on August 7–13)
1 Kings 19:1–8
Ephesians 4:17—5:2
John 6:35–51
　
Hymn of Invocation
Lord Jesus Christ, life-giving bread (LSB 625)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor (LSB 534)
　
Offertory Hymn
Evening and morning (LSB 726)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
O little flock, fear not the foe (LSB 666)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
In the shattered bliss of Eden (LSB 572)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (LSB 793)
　
Hymn of Departure
Father, we thank Thee who hast planted (LSB 652)
　
Alternative Hymns
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (LSB 821)
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side (LSB 752)
Crown Him with many crowns (LSB 525)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Father most holy, merciful and tender (LSB 504)
Feed Thy children, God most holy (LSB 774)
"Forgive our sins as we forgive" (LSB 843)
Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer (LSB 918)
Hail, Thou once despised Jesus (LSB 531)
I lie, O Lord, within Your care (LSB 885)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Let us ever walk with Jesus (LSB 685)
Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared (LSB 622)
Lord Jesus, think on me (LSB 610)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
The Head that once was crowned with thorns (LSB 532)
These are the holy Ten Commands (LSB 581)
Thine the amen, Thine the praise (LSB 680)
Where charity and love prevail (LSB 845)
　
　
Second Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 15 (Sunday on August 14–20)
Proverbs 9:1–10 (or Joshua 24:1–2a, 14–18)
Ephesians 5:6–21
John 6:51–69
　
Hymn of Invocation
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
　
Offertory Hymn
Let all mortal flesh keep silence (LSB 621)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
I bind unto myself today (LSB 604)
Lord Jesus Christ, life-giving bread (LSB 625)
The infant priest was holy born (LSB 624)
Sing with all the saints in glory (LSB 671)
　
Hymn of Departure
O living Bread from heaven (LSB 642)
　
Alternative Hymns
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Father, we praise Thee (LSB 875)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Jesus, priceless treasure (LSB 743)
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
Light of Light, O Sole-Begotten (LSB 914)
New songs of celebration render (LSB 792)
Now thank we all our God (LSB 895)
O blessed, holy Trinity (LSB 876)
O God of God, O Light of Light (LSB 810)
One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure (LSB 536)
Only-begotten, Word of God eternal (LSB 916)
Rise, shine, you people (LSB 825)
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
Take my life and let it be (LSB 783)
The Lord, my God, be praised (LSB 794)
Thee we adore, O hidden Savior (LSB 640)
Thee will I love, my strength, my tower (LSB 694)
You are the way; through You alone (LSB 526)
　
　
Third Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 16 (Sunday on August 21–27)
Isaiah 29:11–19
Ephesians 5:22–33
Mark 7:1–13
　
Hymn of Invocation
These are the holy Ten Commands (LSB 581)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Lord, help us ever to retain (LSB 865)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken (LSB 439)
All Christians who have been baptized (LSB 596)
Oh, blest the house whate’er befall (LSB 862)
　
Hymn of Departure
May God bestow on us His grace (LSB 823)
　
Alternative Hymns
Built on the Rock the Church shall stand (LSB 645)
Creator of the stars of night (LSB 351)
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
God’s Word is our great heritage (LSB 582)
How clear is our vocation, Lord (LSB 853)
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness (LSB 563)
Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide (LSB 585)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
My hope is built on nothing less (LSB 575)
O Christ, our true and only light (LSB 839)
O Morning Star, how fair and bright (LSB 395)
Once in the blest baptismal waters (LSB 598)
Soul, adorn yourself with gladness (LSB 636)
Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens (LSB 589)
The Church’s one foundation (LSB 644)
The clouds of judgment gather (LSB 513)
The gifts Christ freely gives (LSB 602)
The Gospel shows the Father’s grace (LSB 580)
The Law of God is good and wise (LSB 579)
　
　
Fourth Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 17 (Sunday on August 28—September 3)
Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9
Ephesians 6:10–20
Mark 7:14–23
　
Hymn of Invocation
Come, Thou almighty King (LSB 905)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless (LSB 566)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Triune God, be Thou our stay (LSB 505)
Hail, Thou once despised Jesus (LSB 531)
A mighty fortress is our God (LSB 656)
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart (LSB 708)
　
Hymn of Departure
Lord, dismiss us with Your blessing (LSB 924)
　
Alternative Hymns
Be strong in the Lord (LSB 665)
Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken (LSB 521)
Eternal Spirit of the living Christ (LSB 769)
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
God’s Word is our great heritage (LSB 582)
I bind unto myself today (LSB 604)
I know my faith is founded (LSB 587)
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
Lord, help us ever to retain (LSB 865)
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word (LSB 655)
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
Lord, open now my heart to hear (LSB 908)
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
O Jesus, King most wonderful (LSB 554)
O little flock, fear not the foe (LSB 666)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
On my heart imprint Your image (LSB 422)
Rise! To arms! With prayer employ you (LSB 668)
The Son of God goes forth to war (LSB 661)
Thy works, not mine, O Christ (LSB 565)
　
　
Fifth Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 18 (Sunday on September 4–10)
Isaiah 35:4–7a
James 2:1–10, 14–18
Mark 7:(24–30) 31–37
　
Hymn of Invocation
Word of God, come down on earth (LSB 545)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him (LSB 797)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Hear us, Father, when we pray (LSB 773)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
O Christ, our true and only light (LSB 839)
Thy strong word did cleave the darkness (LSB 578)
　
Hymn of Departure
Now thank we all our God (LSB 895)
　
Alternative Hymns
At the name of Jesus (LSB 512)
Come, my soul, with ev’ry care (LSB 779)
Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing (LSB 686)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Eternal Spirit of the living Christ (LSB 769)
How clear is our vocation, Lord (LSB 853)
I trust, O Lord, Your holy name (LSB 734)
Just as I am, without one plea (LSB 570)
Lord, open now my heart to hear (LSB 908)
My song is love unknown (LSB 430)
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
O Son of God, in Galilee (LSB 841)
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing (LSB 528)
Oh, that I had a thousand voices (LSB 811)
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (LSB 793)
Praise the One who breaks the darkness (LSB 849)
Son of God, eternal Savior (LSB 842)
To God the Holy Spirit let us pray (LSB 768)
When to our world the Savior came (LSB 551)
Your hand, O Lord, in days of old (LSB 846)
　
　
Sixth Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 19 (Sunday on September 11–17)
Isaiah 50:4–10
James 3:1–12
Mark 9:14–29
　
Hymn of Invocation / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
　
Hymn of the Day
Praise the One who breaks the darkness (LSB 849)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
If God Himself be for me (LSB 724)
From God can nothing move me (LSB 713)
Rise, shine, you people (LSB 825)
Jesus has come and brings pleasure eternal (LSB 533)
　
Hymn of Departure
O God, my faithful God (LSB 696)
　
Alternative Hymns
Chief of sinners though I be (LSB 611)
Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken (LSB 521)
"Come, follow Me," the Savior spake (LSB 688)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
Entrust your days and burdens (LSB 754)
Evening and morning (LSB 726)
"Forgive our sins as we forgive" (LSB 843)
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion (LSB 690)
I will sing my Maker’s praises (LSB 977e; TLH 25; LW 439)
Jesus, grant that balm and healing (LSB 421)
Jesus sinners doth receive (LSB 609)
My soul, now praise your maker (LSB 820)
Now that the daylight fills the sky (LSB 870)
O Jesus, King most wonderful (LSB 554)
Oh, how great is Your compassion (LSB 559)
Send, O Lord, Your Holy Spirit (LSB 681)
Sing praise to God, the highest good (LSB 819)
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)
Word of God, come down on earth (LSB 545)
Your hand, O Lord, in days of old (LSB 846)
　
　
Seventh Sunday in Martyrs’ Tide
Proper 20 (Sunday on September 18–24)
Jeremiah 11:18–20
James 3:13—4:10
Mark 9:30–37
　
Hymn of Invocation
One thing’s needful; Lord, this treasure (LSB 536)
　
Hymn of the Day / Catechetical Hymn of the Week
All praise to Thee, for Thou, O King divine (LSB 815)
　
Hymns for the Distribution of the Holy Communion
Now, my tongue, the myst’ry telling (LSB 630)
Salvation unto us has come (LSB 555)
Lord of glory, You have bought us (LSB 851)
Why should cross and trial grieve me (LSB 756)
　
Hymn of Departure
God’s own child, I gladly say it (LSB 594)
　
Alternative Hymns
A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth (LSB 438)
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing (LSB 633)
Children of the heav’nly Father (LSB 725)
Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice (LSB 556)
Draw near and take the body of the Lord (LSB 637)
Father, we thank Thee who hast planted (LSB 652)
Hope of the world, Thou Christ of great compassion (LSB 690)
I walk in danger all the way (LSB 716)
If thou but trust in God to guide thee (LSB 750)
In the shattered bliss of Eden (LSB 572)
Let me be Thine forever (LSB 689)
Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor (LSB 534)
Lord of our life and God of our salvation (LSB 659)
Seek where you may to find a way (LSB 557)
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle (LSB 454)
Son of God, eternal Savior (LSB 842)
The Son of God goes forth to war (LSB 661)
The tree of life with ev’ry good (LSB 561)
What is the world to me (LSB 730)
Where charity and love prevail (LSB 845)