Post-moderns Will Make Great Lutherans

Skeptic, jaded, rebellious: call them what you want, but go to any campus and ask student’s their thoughts on any “institution” and you’ll likely receive some post-modern answer about how institutions, doctrine, or objective truths are to be rejected. We have a generational wave of young adults and students who approach religion and theology with great intrepidation. They carry with them the sum of generational hurt, pain, and misdeeds of said institution. But I see hope for these young churchless people in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

Many call this generation “post-church” but I think a better analysis would be “post-religion.” Take for example THIS video. In a matter of days it made it’s way through the Twitter-verse, plastered on Facebook walls, and even 2 of the 7 Google+ users posted it. Perhaps this video is so popular due to it’s broad sweeping statements against organized bodies (churches). Or maybe it just plays on the heart strings of the growing ‘spiritual-but-not-religious’ crowd. As bad as the video is doctrinally (please view THIS), it does do a good job of illustrating the frustration many young people have with the church and religion.

When the church is viewed through their eyes how could you not be jaded? Corruption, abuse, manipulation, hurt and deceit are words that would be on the top of many lists used by post-moderns. Joel Osteen, Ed Young, Rick Warren, TD Jakes, TBN, Day-star: these are the faces of Christianity in America. To them the church has never been a place where the full council of God’s Word is preached and the Gospel proclaimed. Instead it is a place where the hopelessness of Osteen’s limp theology is espoused, a platform for an hour long infomercial where they see the likes of Copeland pleading for their money, or a stage for a chaotic spectacle where people like Hinn entrances sick and desperate victims. When you look at the church through their eyes you can see why they have such utter contempt for American “christianity”; a place where the hopeless subjective garbage is displayed as solutions for problems they don’t have.

To these young hurt and skeptical people I offer you the hope of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins found in the Divine Service: a place that Jesus’ says He can be found. In the Lord’s Supper, they receive Christ’s true body and blood for the forgiveness of their sins. They have never heard the law preached lawfully (crushed by it’s condemning immensity) nor the Gospel to it’s sweetest tune. The LCMS church, through it’s liturgy and hymnody, has Law and Gospel, sin and forgiveness, Moses and Jesus. Pomos have never read the likes of Luther, Walther, Chemnitz, or Veith. Nor have they ever been blessed with the comprehensive brevity of a Cwirla pericope or the enduring theology of a hymn like Of the Father’s Love Begotten. Pomos will make great Lutherans because our liturgy and theology is not about us, but about what Christ has done for us. For them, they have always attached Christ objective work on the cross to that of the subjective affairs of modern evangelical leaders.

This disconnect from subjective to objective is a tremendous task indeed, only carried out by that of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of God’s Word. As Lutherans we believe that His Word will do what it says it will do, bring people to repentance and endow them with faith. Not even the greatest Pomo skeptic can resist the Holy Spirit. I have great hope for this generation and the LCMS church; a church that has boldly rested on the foundation of Jesus Christ. I look forward to days ahead where Christ is drawing His blessed Pomo sheep near. May the Lord let us understand the validity of the criticism Pomos see in mainstream American evangelicalism. May we let the distinctives of the LCMS church be a source of great comfort and embrace. For even the most lutheran Lutheran needs to be reminded of blessed gift he has been given.

The Great Baptismal Heist!

As I grow in my Lutheran faith I have found that more and more modern evangelicalism perplexes me. There is a tinge of guilt because I was a willing and able participant. Like all of my friends, I was baptized around the age of 12. It was something you looked forward to because you were telling the world that you were a Christian. But that idea is what gives me the rub! Where in the Bible does it speak remotely of this being the purpose and conduct of baptism? It's as if baptism has been stolen, re-packaged, and sold to a people who feast on symbolism.

So What Does the Bible Say?
Perhaps the most important detail of all. Most, if not all, of our false doctrine would be fed to the fire if we simply held them to the refining furnace of His Word. In the last chapter of Matthew Jesus says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." St. Mark quotes Jesus in chapter 16 saying, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." The important point is that these are Jesus' own words, God Himself. They are not derived from sinful man. Luther quotes it best in this manner, "Baptism is no human plaything, but it is instituted by God Himself."

Does Baptism Do Anything?
This is perhaps my biggest contention with evangelicalism. As with the Lord's Supper, baptism is viewed as symbolic, a way of remembrance of Jesus and His life. But this view is all wrong and not supported anywhere in Scripture. Baptism, along with Communion, is a Sacrament. Sacraments are instituted by God, a physical element joined with His Word, and offers forgiveness of sins which has been earned by Christ. In Peter's first epistle he says "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you." (Please read Peter's previous passages for context, it is truly beautiful)

Ask any catechumen worth his salt if baptism is simply water. Your question should be met with and enthusiastic "Baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with His Word." If you're lucky you'll also get a "this is most certainly true" out of the young believer. Lest we not be confused, baptism is meaningless without faith in Jesus as Christ. Luther says "Baptism is not a work which we do but a treasure which God gives us and faith grasps, just as the Lord Christ upon the cross is not a work but a treasure comprehended and offered to us in the Word and received in faith." The blessing of baptism is to save!

Where's the Beef?
So the challenge is laid down evangelical, what Biblical backing do you use? This is Saddleback Church's belief on baptism "Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and is your public declaration that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Baptism does not save you, but shows the world that you have already been saved. And while baptism is not required for salvation, it is a biblical command and demonstrates your love and obedience to Christ." 

Theologically, this is a very weak statement ( I know, it's hard to believe that Rick Warren doesn't have a sound theological view on something!) Speculative theology and doctrine seem to be all the rage. We must rest on God's Word, believe what it says and trust it to do what it says it will do. 

The Case of the Missing Frontal Lobe

A wise man once said "A man that stands for everything, stands for nothing." Ok, maybe I just made that up and I'm certainly not wise! A recent event has had me thinking about society, faith, and culture.

Pictured above is the beauty of Cannon Beach at sunset. The goliath rock that protrudes from the Pacific Ocean is called "Haystack Rock." As with most of God's truly magnificent creation, the picture does not do justice! The night before this picture was taken I met a man named Atticus (how can you forget a name like that). The circumstances for our introduction were quite unique. A group of teenagers and I had just began a Bible study on the beach, nestled close to our cozy fire. In the growing darkness of the twilight, I saw two people approaching our beach encampment. I had just began my lesson on the Beatitudes and as I was speaking a soaking wet Atticus asked if he and his "girl" could crash at our fire and dry off. I must admit that I was taken aback, almost speechless. Not flustered by their question, not feeling that it was rude, but out of the sheer unexpectedness of the event.

Bible in hand, I said "Absolutely, grab a seat!" As if my words had magically removed all strength from his body, Atticus flopped to the ground. "So what are you guys talking about?" he asked benignly. I intrepidly answered "We're doing a Bible study bro." I admit that I expected some resistance, or at least a mild frustration with the topic, but Atticus said enthusiastically, "Awesome! I love god!"

As a life long church attender, one instinctively goes back to these crazy missionary stories that we would hear growing up. The ones were a chance encounter with some vagabond turns into this wonderful story of conversion. Briefly, this all went through my head.

Coming back to reality, I could see the blank stares of the teenagers through the flickering campfire light and continued on with my lesson. Going through the Beatitudes and explaining them one by one went by without a hitch. I closed with prayer to the applause of Atticus. With my sermon done his "sermon" began.

"God is awesome!" his opening statement was met with great approval and amens. "I have a Bible in my bag and I read it everyday," he quickly followed to our smiles and nods. "I really do love it and find it amazing how God is in all things and all religions" he rambled to a long pause, "...it really is all about love, no matter what your path is to God." Cue awkward pause and gaping mouths. Gathering composure I lovingly discussed with Atticus that there was no truth in his final statement. That the Bible tells of His exclusivity. That Jesus states in John 14:6 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." In His statement He is not claiming to be a way, but the only Way.

Atticus quickly followed my comments with the standard post-modern motto of "How you get to god may be different than how I get to god, your truth maybe different than my truth, I don't want to judge anybody." We continued our conversation for a little bit longer and eventually left Atticus with our warming fire as we headed back to our campsite.

That night I was troubled as I lay in my sleeping bag. I couldn't help but think that Atticus had had such an open mind that perhaps his brains had fallen out. His "anything-goes" theology has no basis in reality. Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity all claim exclusivity. But unlike other religions, we have an empty tomb. Jesus justified His claims of being God by dying on the cross and three days later raising Himself from the dead. It has been said that Christianity has the "scandal of particularity." This means "uniqueness," a claim to be the only thing of its kind in the world. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, comes only through Jesus Christ and His shed blood.

Though Jesus is exclusively the Way, He is also inclusive in His love. For earlier in John Jesus says that "For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world! As Christians, we have the privilege to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world. All nations now have access to Jesus' forgiveness through the proclamation of repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name.

Atticus' world view is all too common set against the back drop of American pop-culture/psychology. Images of Jerry Springer's guests screaming "Don't judge me!" and "You don't know me!" play across the movie screen of my brain as I think back to his statements. However, Atticus' words are half right: all roads do lead to God. In the form of judgment, every knee will bow down before God. Thankfully, on that day of judgement for all who believe, Christ's redemptive blood will cover the multitude of our sins and we will be called righteous for His sake.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Today, Jesus is called many things; revolutionary, social activist, best bud, moral crusader, good teacher. In the picture above, the artist has drawn on the now famous image of Argentinian Marxist Che Guevara. It has became vogue to mislabel Jesus as a social reformer, battling against the oppressive socio-political structure of Israel's Roman occupation. But to call Him anything other than the Christ is to border on blasphemy! In the Gospel of Matthew, Simon Peter is asked this simple, yet profound, question by Jesus, "who do you say that I am?" Peter replies with "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Peter clearly identifies Jesus as the promised Messiah.

As Christ, Jesus fulfills three distinct roles: Redeemer, Reconciler, and Mediator. In His redemptive role, Jesus pays the price we owe, not with silver or gold, but with His blood. Luther says it this way, "Those tyrants and jailers [the devil, sin, death, God's wrath] now have been routed, and their place has been taken by Jesus Christ." (Large Catechism). Paul writes to the Galatians that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." (3:13) So Paul is saying that Jesus became sin on the Cross and by bearing the rightful punishment for our sin, we are now free from it's curse.

Jesus as Reconciler re-establishes a harmonious relationship between man & God. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19 "In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them." Jesus Christ reconciles us to God by His merits, not our own. He fulfilled the Law by living a sinless life and as the Lamb of God He took away the sin of the world. Revelation 1:5 affirms and comforts the reader by saying that Jesus has "freed us from our sins by his blood."

His final role as Christ is Mediator. A mediator is one who intervenes for the guilty and pleads their case.  God was angry because of our sins, and as poor wretched sinners, we did not have the strength nor the will to atone/propitiate/mediate/reconcile on our own behalf. God the Father sends His one and only Son to make satisfaction for the sins of the world.

An obvious question is 'How do I use Jesus Christ as Redeemer, Reconciler, and Mediator?" The answer is simple: faith. In Romans 5:1, Paul writes "since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The Apology of the Augsburg Confession presents it this way "faith (by which a man believes that because of Christ his sins are forgiven him, and because of Christ God is reconciled and sees us favorably) gains forgiveness of sins and justifies us.

May we always look to Jesus as the Christ, proclaiming repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His name!

Just Hang On!

"Just hang on!" the people shouted from the icy shore line. The lady at the end of a long line with a life preserver tied to it was losing strength. But if she could just hang on, if she could just muster enough strength to grasp that life ring she would be rescued. Her life depended on it, haven't we all heard of those stories where a mother lifts a Schwann truck off of her trapped child, freakish strength is possible. "Just hang on!"

It was obvious to all that unless someone did something she would slip below the surface of that nearly frozen river for the last time. And someone did act, Lenny Skutnik jumped into an icy Potomac River on January 13, 1982 after an Air Florida plane crashed shortly after takeoff. He managed to save Priscilla Tirado from certain death.

I would love to ask Mrs. Tirado what exactly she did to get saved. Did she will Lenny into the water? Did she say some magic word? Perhaps she had earned this life giving gift through a good moral life. Maybe it was a combination of her actions and Lenny's big heart.

The reality is...she did nothing to merit this great gift. It was an act of compassion that pulled her from those icy depths and certain death. This is such an interesting story because of what it says about our nature, or more importantly, what Scripture says about our nature and where our salvation comes from. David exhorts in Psalm 51:5 that he, like all, "was sinful at birth." Paul expounds on this in Romans 5:12 where he states that "sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men." Bluntly put, we are dead in our sins. Dead is dead, not alive, not living....dead.

So what does this have to do with a plane crash some 30 years ago? The temptation is to think of ourselves as Priscilla grasping to the ring of Jesus' salvation. We aren't doing much, just holding on (and holding on for dear life at that). Jesus is doing all the real work; the towing, the flying, the important stuff. But this idea of salvation is ALL wrong. We must ask ourselves 'What role do we play in our salvation?' and be prepared to look to His Word for the answers.

I immediately think of Lazarus in the tomb; dead, decaying, rotting. Jesus, upon arrival to the tomb, commands dead Lazarus to "Come out!" in verse 43 of John's 11th chapter. But verse 44 says it all, "The dead man came out." Like Lazarus, we are all dead in our sins, cursed from Adam since birth, rightful heirs to God's wrath through our sinful actions. Going back to Paul and his proclamation to the Romans in Chapter 5, he continues in verse 18 "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life to all men." And in verse 21 "just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Lazarus did not chose to accept Christ's restoration of life. Christ found him and saved him from the grasps of death itself.

We have life because of Jesus and His death and resurrection. There is no mention of good deeds (not even just a little bit). Salvation, as the Scriptures speak, are solely through Christ (Sola Christus) and His atoning blood. If it's up to us to hang on, what hope is that?! How can a dead person do anything, let alone reach out and grasp a floating ring?

So back to the helicopter rescue. Can we redeem this story, perhaps norm it by Scripture? From a Biblical perspective it would look something like this: Priscilla Tirado lay dead in the water, succumbed to the freezing temps. Her body floating along the river mostly submerged, face down. In the distance you hear a helicopter and begin to see that this helicopter doesn't have a jimmy-rigged life ring tied to a string but a large basket attached to a winch. Precisely, the helicopter maneuvers into position and lowers the basket. Priscilla, being dead, does nothing. The pilot masterfully positions the basket under and around Priscilla's floating body and begins to raise it back to the safety of of the hovering aircraft. The basket has her safely in it's grasps, no frantic grasping, no shouts of "Just hang on," no effort from this dead soul. As the basket is brought onboard, paramedics perform CPR and literally bring her back to life. She was lost but now is found, she was dead but now alive!

May we continue to look to Christ on the cross and see His sacrifice is sufficient!