"Cancelling Worship."

"Cancelling Worship."

By:  Pastor Jack Scneider

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.”  [Ps.95:1-2,NIV]

“Seven days with no worship makes one weak!” That was a favorite saying of an early mentor from our Nebraska pastoral circuit, Rev. Henry Nierman. Any farmer not in church on Sunday could count on a mid-week visit from Henry; there was nothing subtle about his shepherding. I thought of Henry last Sunday morning…

Cancelling worship last weekend with the ice storm was weird for me. I know it was the wise thing to do, and we made that decision [pres, vp and elders] only with prayerful consideration. Still, it has been rare over these 40 years that “my church” has felt God gave us reason to keep the doors closed on Sunday morning. We know any prolonged time away from one another in fellowship and worship does, indeed, make us weak.

So what is one to do when travel, illness, weather or work unavoidably calls?

Once upon a time, there were reasonably sound alternatives available on tv or radio. Not anymore. The only source I will unhesitatingly recommend each week is The Lutheran Hour, broadcast locally out of Irving on 100.7, KWRD at 9:30 each Sunday morning. If you’re traveling you can search your iPhone for a local station to listen to either Pastor Greg Seltz or Pastor Ken Klaus, both of whom are outstanding speakers from the Word. Additionally, Lutheran Hour Ministries website has a great lineup of other resources for you and your family, especially coming up here at Christmas. Check it out -- it’s a lot deeper than “the island of cast away toys,” trust me!

Something else that we tend to forget is the resource spelled Y-O-U. That’s right. Take the time to sit down with one another, the members of your family/marriage, and look up/read the appointed Scripture lessons for the day.  Where do you find those? Right on our Synod website: www.lcms.org. On that home page see the tab marked “resources”? Click it, and then move down and to the left column to “lectionary readings.” This year you’ll see we’re in Series A, and you can download the entire series -- or if you wish, you can always grab one of the old blue LW hymnals from here at church [it will have the readings in the front of it].

Finally, take advantage of your social media skills to connect with other families and host a worship/study time together. What better excuse to sit around in ‘jammies and sweats when the snow is blowing, or while you’re propped up at the end of a business day and there’s just enough time for family devotions before bedtime. FaceTime is a great way to end the day, and even better when it’s in Christ.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! [Ps.118:24]

- Jack

"Have You Been Listening?"

"Have You Been Listening?"

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  [Matt.6:33,NIV]

Next week we will make important choices in a Call meeting as we look ahead to the next shepherd God has in mind for us.  My final words of counsel for you are to remember that goals are where we’re heading, but values determine why we want to get there. 

In the Church, where we have limited time, personnel and resources, it’s critical we have our Apostolic values in Biblical order and learn to prioritize to higher levels.  In short, we grow up spiritually and back off at a lower level because of the benefit to a higher level.

In practice, this means Level One [personal preference] values are driven simply by our likes and dislikes. You like organ accompaniment; your spouse prefers guitars. You wear a sweater because it’s snuggly. He buys only Fords. I like the way you wear your hair.  Though these values are the most shallow, they often control the everyday decisions of our lives and churches.

Level Two [institutional] values affect decisions we make to live or work more effectively, do things decently and in order, and often deal with organization or structure. They also usually include power or control issues. In the Church this is where we hear “because we’ve always done it this way” or “it will wear out the carpet,” or even “real Lutherans use a hymnal!”

Level Three [identity] values frame us within the larger picture. “Lutheran” Christians stand on the doctrine of justification by faith. Real Presence in communion is more than a statement of what we do, it’s a confession of who we are. Right-to-strike is an identity value for organized labor. What we decide on this level must always be for the sake of Christ’s mission, otherwise our “identity” collapses down to level two with its politics and control games, or even lower to level one and “but I just want…”

And that leaves us with Level Four [Lordship] values, which define and measure who and what we are in Christ’s Great Commission [Mt.28]. What are we willing to die for? If God needs to change us to touch others with his grace, will we let Him? Will we back off on our personal preferences if this will benefit the body of Christ or, better, the unsaved in our neighborhood and community?  This is where we think, say and do everything for Christ’s sake -- and for the sake of the Church [1 Cor.10:31].

For 13 years I’ve taught you these Apostolic Values. Frankly, it would be a pity to discover it went in one ear and out the other.  Have you been listening?  I believe so.  Prove me right, brothers and sisters, and God will bless our search!

- Jack

"Key Things That Block the Church."

"Key Things That Block the Church."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  [Prov.27:17,NIV]

At this critical time when we call a new Senior Pastor, it’s so very important to remember the elements that affect our walks in faith, as well as those that block our effectiveness with family, friends and our growth in Christ. That’s right -- there are key things that block the Church, the Body of Christ, from its full impact on an unbelieving world, and they’re not uncommon among us.  Here are three of them:

First is a spiritual self-centeredness where our energies are so inward-driven that we become isolated and concerned only about our own preferences.  The things we do and ministries we support are for our benefit and personal pleasure rather than the Kingdom; it becomes all about us.  The result? Our vision becomes “small, shrunken and ineffectual.”  Scary language to describe ourselves and the Church at large.  Remember, our purpose is to glorify God.

Second, our impact as Christ’s disciples is blocked by the fear of man.  Maybe we’re afraid of change or, being people-pleasers, we’re fear offending others so we struggle to stay vanilla, politically correct and neutral.  Some are afraid of ridicule; better to be quiet and invisible.  Others are afraid of being exposed as hypocrites because talk is cheap and it costs to play the game.  In contrast, Jesus was pointed in His call:  “The time has come.  Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  [Mk.1:15,18] 

Third, and most importantly, we’ll never cut it when we stray from Scripture’s clear teaching.  There is plenty in a Biblical context oriented to culture, ethics and justice [think of sexuality, entitlement, elitism, immigration, citizenship, life issues for both in-utero and geriatric]. You can legislate behavior but not character development.  That development is discipleship, and it happens only when a faithful use of Jesus’ Gospel transforms our hearts and lives.  The question is what the Word says, not whether I think it has changed over the last 2,000 years.

I don’t question there is a presence of holiness, spiritual fruit, loving service and active witness inside many churches today.  But you don’t see it out in the world at large, and this is a concern, for we’ve been called to be salt and light [Mt.5:13] to affect and infect others in Jesus’ name -- “out there.”  Jesus made it clear: when He returns He will be looking not for a holy huddle but for an incredible community – His Church, individually and collectively – actively engaged in embracing others in His name.

That’s the kind of pastor we must be calling. One who will sharpen us in the Word, and who challenges us to sharpen one another in the Spirit.

- Jack

"Solomon Missed the Point."

"Solomon Missed the Point."

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, or the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”  [Eccl.1:8,9, NIV]

Wednesday night’s “Digging Deeper” class is now in Ecclesiastes, having a blast working with Solomon’s struggles. How could one man spend that much time, energy and resources blowing away life and yet come away so empty?!  Solomon unabashedly tells us he denied himself nothing his eyes desired and refused his heart no pleasure, yet still claims “In all this my wisdom stayed with me.” 

Oh, really? Hmm. That’s not the picture we get when reading 1 Kings 11, the windup of Solomon’s life, is it?. What I see there is a man overrun by pagan wives and concubines, hurriedly building idol altars to satisfy whoever is his favorite of the week. Somewhere along the line testosterone [or desperation] replaced wisdom, and God snatched the kingdom away from this son of David. The wisest man who lived forgot his own counsel from Eccl.2: “I see this from the hand of God -- without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom knowledge and happiness.”

One of our class members reflected that even today our culture echoes Solomon’s attitude of excess -- I want more, and I want it now! We’re unwilling to deny ourselves ungodly pleasures of life even though Jesus said discipleship requires denying things that pull us from Him, instead taking up our cross and following Him. What sort of fun is that?

The truth is, God is already pleased with you and the fun has already begun.

Forget chasing the wine, wo[men], and songs, worrying that death may be just around the corner. You’ve already died, in Christ through your Baptism and been raised to new life here and now. And that cross? It’s not so heavy, after all. The love of Christ makes it lighter as we serve others in His name. Solomon missed the point: he was placed as king to serve in God’s name, not to be served.

We simply cannot change how people will act in the marketplace or government, nor do we know what the future holds. We can, however, live in the present, firm in the assurance that Christ Jesus has given us life, abundant life both now and into eternity. The forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation -- these are the things Solomon needed to treasure more than all the riches and diversity of his kingdom, and they are ours to treasure now.

- Jack

            

"Hacked."

"Hacked."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“”The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will watch over your soul; the Lord will watch over your going out and your coming in, both now and forevermore.”  [Ps.121:7, Heb. literal]

This last week a number of you were shocked to receive an e-mail, purportedly from Pastor Andy in Manila, the Philippines, claiming to have been waylaid and robbed while there on a trip. According to this tale of woe, he needed your financial help; could you come to his rescue via wire and send him money? Thankfully, you were suspicious of such a claim and checked it out with me or called Andy personally, and discovered that, indeed, this was a hoax. In the meantime, I’d had Laura send a blanket e-mail from the church office via “Member Connect” notifying most of you of the same thing: Pastor Andy was fine, and someone had hacked his e-mail account.

Several lessons from this include: 1] don’t EVER wire money to someone claiming to be a relative, friend or such without first verifying through unimpeachable sources that their story is true. In this day and age vast amounts of personal information can be gleaned from public pages and Facebook, so be very careful. 2] Set up trigger/pass words known only to you and your loved ones in the event of emergencies. If someone claiming to be close to you asks for help and does not know this contact info, he/she is a scoundrel looking to rip you off. 3] Don’t ever let someone intimidate you or “heart-string” you into cooperation. Maintain your composure; get contact numbers and take time to get your facts together for a well-thought decision.

Finally, do not forget the promise of God above. Yes, He expects and calls us to be responsible stewards -- harmless as doves but wiser than serpents when it comes to the ways of the world -- and yet He reminds us in the words of the Psalmist that He will never leave our side.  Some translations say He will protect us from “harm” and preserve our life; the Hebrew literally says He will guard our hearts from “evil” and watch over our “soul.” The difference? We will surely have to deal with the scoundrels of this world on a daily basis, but the deeper, eternal dangers can never shake us from the hand of God.

Yes, He will watch over us as we go out and come back each day, whether it’s to Manila…or the grocery store…wherever the Spirit leads us on the Way.

- Jack

"In Our Own Evangelical Ghetto."

"In Our Own Evangelical Ghetto."

By: Rev. Jack Schneider

“It has always been my ambition to preach the Gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. As it is written: ‘Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’”  [Rom.1520,21, NIV]

“We hide in our own evangelical ghetto, and we go to churches that would only be welcoming to people that think like us.”  So writes Jeff Christopherson, vice president for the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Missions Board.

We might think at first glance that his comment applies only to his Baptist brethren -- but it doesn’t. The fact is, studies today are showing that 60% of the non-Christian population has no relationships with Christians.  Few Christians embrace them, not in neighborhoods and communities, and certainly not across ethnic boundaries. A non-Lutheran friend of ours calls it a “suburban social ethnicity that uses shared values and religious consumerism” and nothing to do with a sense of mission for God’s Kingdom.

Ouch. If they smell like us, look like us, talk like us, think like us and, most importantly, think and believe the way we do, they’re okay.  If not…  Well, there’s another church down the road for people “like that.” God forbid we should ever become this kind of dead church. A church like this has lost its purpose for life in this present world, abandoning Jesus’ call for abundant life here and now while we have both feet on terra firma. Yes, we live in the midst of strife and sin, but Jesus’ promise and ministry are fulfilled in sweat and blood and tears, not through halos and harps and clouds.

Both Jesus and John the Baptist had the same message: “The Kingdom of God is at hand…it is near…it is among you…in you.” Be about the King’s business! Share the Good News, for the time is coming when the window of opportunity will not be open for others to hear it and the Spirit can no longer work on their hearts.

I have the privilege of mentoring Ed Torea in our Seminary’s Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology program as he and 5 other men study for the pastoral ministry. How powerful it is to hear how God has led them across African deserts and Asian deltas to join Ed in this great journey of service in the Kingdom because someone cared enough to reach across ethnic and social boundaries to share God’s Word with them.

Lutherans who don’t look or sound German? Wow! Whodathunkit?!

Just remember: on the horizon is the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia -- 6 million people. And they don’t look German, either.  Praise God!

- Jack

"Excitotoxins & Sin."

"Excitotoxins & Sin."

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“He loved the taste of his wickedness, letting it melt under his tongue. He savored it, holding it long in his mouth. But suddenly, what he has eaten turns deadly within him, a poisonous venom in his body.”  [Job 20:12-14, PJV/NLT]

My doctor is helping identify foods I cannot afford to eat, and we’re not talking dollar signs on a menu. Built-up physical/nerve damage over the years has taken a toll on my back and hearing, triggered by foods containing certain chemicals and even natural substances proving harmful to my health and, perhaps, to yours. The worst, for me, have a name: excitotoxins, and they act exactly as they sound. They excessively stimulate nerve and brain cells [think of your brain’s response to your taste buds on this one…] until, after a short time, these cells die. Hence, the last part of the name: “toxins.”

You’d think this would keep me in check. But we like flavor and sweetness, don’t we? We don’t want bland, tasteless food or crave drinks that pass for last night’s dishwater. So, on goes the MSG [monosodium glutamate, “flavor enhancer”] and in goes the aspartame [“natural sweetener”]. Our taste buds are thrilled! Oh, yeah, one more thing… For the next two days I walk and move like I’ve been run over by a truck, and that’s how I feel.

On a spiritual level, this is exactly how satan pitches us with the excitotoxin known as sin or, in the Word above, “wickedness.” What does the Father of Lies slip under your tongue to get your senses rolling and your brain charged up? It’s the same process as our taste buds, but far more deadly. Flattery is sweet, and envy has a way of creeping in to add a little “zing.” But there are some biggies that absolutely burst onto our spirits: pride -- because we do not like it when someone appears to get the better of us or things have not gone our way; and do not forget the subtlety of lust and the physicality of our looks.  Make no mistake, satan knows just how to pull your chain and mine. He knows us inside and out. And the flavor lasts, like a Jolly Rancher.

The Good News is, “He that is in you is greater than the one who is in the world!” [1 Jn.4:4]  Jesus lives in you and will not leave; He will not quit.  Even when we struggle with the lure of sin and only later discover how deadly it is [Prov.20:17 “Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but we end up with a mouth full of gravel.”]. There is joy and forgiveness as we turn and confess our sin, trusting our faithful Lord’s promises. You see, it takes two days of drinking pure, cleansing water to flush the poison out my system before I can walk upright again; it takes only one instant of absolution based on the pure, cleansing waters of your baptism to flush the poisons out of your life. [1 Jn.1:8-2:2]

- Jack

"Black Socks With Sandals."

"Black Socks With Sandals."

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short… For this world in its present form is passing away.”  [1 Cor.7:29,31, NIV]

Apparently I’m a trend-setter. Oh, certainly not with style -- my wife and grown-up kids still have to pick out new clothes for me if I want to look decent. In fact, they still threaten to sew “Garanimal” tags into my clothing so I can match up outfits; you know, tiger shirts go with tiger pants, lions with lions, etc… I’ve made progress through the years, though. I know enough not to wear plaids with plaids and never, never, black socks with sandals!

So what’s the trend? At our Synod Convention in St. Louis I found two former classmates who are following my lead in retiring. One, Jim, decided after a lengthy, positive conversation this was something he needed to do. The other had made his commitment about the same time as I, retiring from Lutheran Hour Ministries in St. Louis after ten great years of seeing God’s Word change lives around the world. That’s Bruce, and at the convention he reminded us that of the 7 billion people in the world, 4.8 billion of them do NOT know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. To give you an idea of the enormity of 7 billion people, let’s turn that into dollars, and I’ll challenge you to begin spending at the rate of $1 per second, 60 seconds per minute, 60 minutes per hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And it would take you 217 years to spend it all.

Classmates spend time talking about “the old days,” sure. But we also spend time talking about the challenge of today with so much yet to be done. Retirement doesn’t mean we stop the Great Commission in our own lives or even “hand off the baton” to someone else. It has to do with re-prioritizing the time and energy God gives us at this stage of our lives to be good stewards, more effective coaches and mentors with those around us.  How do you touch 4.8 billion people who don’t know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?  By training and equipping teachers, pastors, evangelists, church planters, DCEs, deacons, missionaries, every imaginable door and pathway that God can use to touch and change the lives of these people with His love and grace through the Gospel.

We at St. Paul are an incredible part of that mission. What a privilege, and what a joy! Almost yearly we take another step of creative faith in some venture, either in mission or education or training. In September Ed Torea will become a Vicar through Concordia Seminary’s Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology on his way to ordination as an LCMS pastor. It takes time, but that’s how you touch people.

It’s a trend we, and they, can live with!

- Jack

"Don’t Go Looking For Trouble."

"Don’t Go Looking For Trouble."

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.”  [Rom.12:17,18, NLT]

My grade-school teacher, Mrs. Wright, used to tell me, “Jack Arthur, if you go looking for trouble, it’s bound to find you!”  Of course, she always said that after I tried to excuse my behavior by blaming someone else for what had taken place.  You see, things were never my fault…someone else always made me do it. If not innocent, I certainly was not guilty. Man, does that ever resonate with recent events in the George Zimmerman case.

Such a travesty, and all because one ill-advised person went looking for trouble. Make no mistake, I understand and agree he was acquitted, which, in this case simply means the prosecution did not prove the necessary intent of hatred. Yet no amount of legal maneuvering or self-justification can erase the needless death of a young man who was pursued in a manner opposite the Biblical admonition above. Here in Texas we are allowed to defend our homes and families in a reasonable manner; when we step outside those homes, however, common sense and brotherly love are expected to rule our hearts and minds.

Do they? When we walk our communities, do we see our brothers and sisters as people worthy of God’s compassion and grace? If not worthy, do we see them as needing His mercy and peace? You see, those are hard questions -- for me -- because I am often an unmerciful respondent to those who drive alongside me, or those who clearly reflect different values than those I supposedly hold dear. Oh, dear Lord, hardly a day goes by that He doesn’t show me what a poor job I do of genuinely loving my neighbor! Truth be known, it’s not that I hate those in my community, I just don’t give them a second thought -- and that’s perhaps worse.

If George Zimmerman wanted to be effective in his neighborhood watch, he’d have done better to stop and ask Trayvon Martin if he could help him. Instead, he suspected the worst and instigated the worst possible scenario. God forbid we should do the same as people of faith in our own neighborhoods and communities. Our call and commission is to be a Light, the light of Christ to all we meet in our everyday lives. Where necessary, indeed we are to be wiser than serpents and harmless as doves.

Don’t go looking for trouble. Surely, it will find you. Instead, live at peace, as far as it depends on you. 

- Jack

"Be Well"

"Be Well"

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”  [Rom.1:7, NIV]

My daughter was incensed -- a nice way of putting it. She was truly hacked off when she called the other day to say, “Dad! You need to write about this! I can’t believe what just happened!” Once calmed down enough to explain what had her upset, we talked about the creeping cultural shifts making their way into our lives…and, perhaps, the faith-life of careless Christians. The issue? She had gone into one of our national-chain drug stores and, at checkout, got a greeting she’d never heard. 

What do you normally expect to hear from your checkout clerks? That’s right -- probably something like, “Have a good day!” You might even get a “Thanks for shopping ______!”  Not this time. The greeting/dismissal that had Karen so worked up was “Be Well.”

Be Well? Come on…be more creative!  “Be Well” is a line from the 1993 sci-fi action film, “Demolition Man” with Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock.  In this satire about a 2032 A.D. Utopian [supposedly] society, Stallone is the “thawed” hero, John Spartan, charged with capturing bad-guy Snipes [also thawed]. Bullock is the hero’s modern police partner, and the film has as much unprintable humor as action in presenting the flaws of a politically-correct society gone amok. “Be Well, John Spartan!”

Someone in the drug store chain didn't do his/her homework.

Compare this with Paul’s greeting to the Romans [and others]. We’re not supposed to be so direct today as Paul writes, but wouldn't you rather hear -- and give -- a grace- and peace-filled greeting than the empty “Be Well” now required in Walgreens? In fact, the best greeting is one that’s shown in our lives by the way we deal with one another in Christ-like love and transparency. Treating sales-people and others with kindness and thanks is a start; being unhesitant to smile and wish someone a pleasant day in a Godly fashion is just a step away. Faith that shows will grow and bear fruit.

I have no plans to boycott Walgreens over this inanity. I will, however, send their corporate office an e-mail of my opinion.  That’s part of what makes America great: we’re free to communicate important principles while exercising respect for others. Now if only the rest of our culture would allow Christians the same freedom with no bias…

This can get a person worked up, even make you hungry. Wanna go get some Taco Bell, John Spartan? And, hey, don’t worry; be happy!

- Jack

"A Bad Tooth Wears On You."

"A Bad Tooth Wears On You."

By:  Rev. Jack Schneider

“To Adam He said, ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken.’”  [Gen.3:17,18, NIV]

A bad tooth wears on you. It’s not my practice to place blame, but in this case it’s small consolation that I know Adam is the reason I had such a painful week. There’s no fun in nursing an abcessed tooth and waiting to get in for a root canal so, by the time my dental appointment rolled around, I was ready to walk up to Adam at the Last Day and tell him “Thanks a lot for the misery of toothaches!” Three days after the repair I still resemble a chuffy-cheeked chipmunk and impatiently await the night I can sleep through without discomfort.

Yes, there’s a lot wrong in this world that can be laid at the feet of our fallen first parents, Adam and Eve. Scripture tells us that childbirth would be painful, cultivating crops and food would be sweaty, and that even death would rest upon us. Worse, the broken relationships are countless -- including family and marital struggles, the failure of simple courtesies between tribes and nations and, above all, the failure of relationship between Creator and created. And, while I can’t say I contemplated all this during my recent days of tooth misery, I can tell you the last thing I felt was the desire to be cordial and pastoral. That’s the result of sin from our ancestors, and it’s a carryover to every corner of our lives today.

“Who will deliver me from this wretched body of sin?”  Paul asked and answered this by the Holy Spirit in his letter to the Roman Christians. “Thanks be to God Who has given us the victory” in Christ Jesus. Yes, Adam and Eve certainly messed things up but it was also to them and through them that God delivered the promise of a Savior -- even the simple assurance that discovery and modern medicine could one day help ease the sufferings of this world.

Make no mistake, there’s only one cure for sin and separation from God; His name is Jesus, and it took great pain and suffering on His part at the Cross to bring us this peace. Yet we have every reason to praise God for what He accomplishes in our world through the compassionate hands of doctors and nurses, as well as researchers who tirelessly devote themselves to developing medicines and treatments that bring relief and hope to the ill. My prayer is that their efforts always keep in mind Who is the Creator, and who is the created. Without that distinction, it’s hard to know the difference between life and death.

“I will praise You, O Lord, as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands.” [Ps.63:4]

- Jack

"Without It, We're Cat Food."

"Without It, We're Cat Food." 

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“Be sober, keeping your head straight…and alert, on your guard. Your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion looking for someone to gulp down.  Stand against him, firm in the faith!”  [1 Pet.5:8-9,PJV]

Someone dropped off a child’s box with the Armor of God here in the pastors’ office, probably for Sam Whaley. I get a kick out of looking over at these kid-sized items and can imagine him running around with helmet, shield, sword -- hey, he’s all boy! Even better, I know he already understands the meaning of these things because his mom and dad are teaching him God’s Word of Truth.  It’s the best defense parents have in preparing children for the world.

The thing is, too many of us leave home without our armor each day, and that’s one big, mean cat running around out there, just waiting for us. It’s so easy to be caught napping -- after all, this is Plano, Texas, home of never-ending distractions and, besides, summer is only days away. Sweat, vacations, kids out of school and underfoot, over-heated traffic…  Oh, yeah. And these are just the local, minor-league distractions satan will throw into your relationship with your Savior.

It could be much worse. In an old file yesterday I ran across an article predicting the arrival of an “anti-Christian chapter” to our modern Western culture. Startling in his accuracy, the writer spoke of the rise in levels of intolerance toward Christianity, and that public policy would become hostile, seeing this faith as the opponent of the common good.  He even said Christian schools, ministries and media would be reduced, if not eliminated, and people will desert the faith from fear. Yes, it’s happening now, for God’s Word is under attack daily.

But remember, please: satan has been doing his worst ever since Easter Monday, and he still has not won. No matter how much our culture changes or the tide of popular opinion wavers toward the Church and God Himself, the grace and mission of God will reach the ends of the earth. His Word will accomplish the purpose for which He sends it out [Is.55:10-11] as we, the Church, are trustful and obedient to His commission -- making disciples in the name and through the person of Jesus Christ.

Don’t leave your armor at home. Don’t leave it in the box. Don’t leave it unnoticed between the pages of a family Bible gathering dust on a coffee table or book shelf. Get back into that Word and put on the Armor of God [Eph.6:13-18]. Be faithful in worship and the Sacraments, for the truth is, this grace of God is our greatest defense, just as He intended in your daily struggle with satan.

Without it, we’re cat food.

- Jack

"God is in Charge."

"God is in Charge."

“You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong and firm.  He is in control forever! Amen!”  [1 Pet.5:10-11,CEV]

Wish I could claim credit for the following, but I can’t. The origin is unknown; I adapted it long ago as “observations on the nature of suffering,” and it seems appropriate to share in light of recent events. Just remember what Peter says above: God is in charge.

1] Suffering is painful. It’s never easy. No matter what we know and how hard we apply Godly principles, it’s going to hurt.

2] Suffering makes us scratch our heads. It’s mystifying. Why now? Why me? What’s God doing? All we know is, it’s designed to build our trust in God.

3] Suffering is purposeful. In spite of 2], it’s not without meaning. The main purpose is to make us Christ-like in character.

4] Suffering proves/tests us. It’s what challenges our character/integrity and the object/quality of our faith.

5] Suffering is a process. It takes time, and the results God seeks require time and endurance.

6] Suffering acts as a purifier. It will raise the dross - our impurities - to the surface, for we won’t be perfect in this life.

7] Suffering provides opportunity. …For God’s glory, our growth, transformation, witness, ministry -- though not of our choosing.

8] Suffering requires our cooperation [to achieve God’s purpose]. We all want the product, character…but we don’t want the process, suffering. We can’t have one without the other.

9] Suffering is appointed. The Word says it will come; it’s no surprise the children of God are struggling as much or more than the children of the world.

10] Suffering is inevitable. It’s not a matter of “if” we’re going to have trials in life but how we will respond to them.

11] Suffering is a struggle.  It’s going to be a battle all the way. That’s why they’re called trials and testings.

Even when we understand the purposes/principles of suffering and know God’s promises in the Word, dealing with “life” is never easy because suffering hurts. Trials simply give us the opportunity to practice what the Spirit gives us the capacity to do: joyfully trust in God’s grace each day -- something we could not do in and of ourselves.

- Jack

"What PHAT Stands For."

"What PHAT Stands For."

By: Pastor Jack Schneider

“You are the people of God; He loved you and chose you for His own.  Therefore, you must put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Be helpful to one another, and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. Forgive each other in the same way the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity. The peace that Christ gives is to be the judge in your hearts.”  [Col.3:12-15, TEV]

It was Mothers’ Day Tea at St. Paul School, and I wanted to let these moms and grandmas know how special it is to have their children in our care. So I grabbed one of our Youth chocolate chip “Cookie Kits” and used it for the object lesson. All these ingredients, they were told, are like your children when brought to us, and we are privileged to add the knowledge of numbers, colors, letters, etc. But more importantly, we add the knowledge of God’s Word in His Son, Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the children learn to sing the Truth of life in Christ and take it home to share with their families!

Each “cookie kit” assembled by our Youth needs only the addition of butter, an egg, and a dash of vanilla to end up with a delicious batch of “PHAT” -- pretty, hot, and tempting -- mouth-watering goodies [and thanks to Pastor Andy for giving us that unforgettable acronym]. How awesome it is that our school children are PHAT witnesses for the Savior, Jesus Christ, in homes that, in numerous cases, are not Christian!

Now, how about us -- you and me? We already have the ingredients by virtue of our baptism into Christ Jesus. He has named us His own [1 Peter 2:9-10]. By His Spirit we have been poured, mixed and stirred. So where’s the aroma of fresh-baked cookies?  Is it present? The key to your answer is v.14 in the Colossians text above: “add love” which binds it all together. Like a recipe missing one key ingredient, a Christian missing this one component will find his/her life lacking the PHAT-ness of fresh chocolate chip cookies, and it’s unmistakable.

So here’s what I’d like us to do… Bake some cookies, soon.  I’m serious. Of course, I’d prefer you grab one of the Youth “Cookie Kits” from under the table in the church foyer because they illustrate my point exactly, but I’ll settle for your favorite recipe from grandma. Then take that batch of cookies while still warm and give it to someone [well, maybe except for one or two…] and tell them what PHAT stands for -- and Who it stands for. Let them know you love them as a person, and you’ll be praying for them this week, no strings attached.

It’s amazing what God can do with a little time, temp…and love.

- Jack

"So Toxic... Nothing Can Survive."

"So Toxic... Nothing Can Survive."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“Don’t stifle God’s Spirit or ignore prophecies. Put everything to the test, holding on to what is good while having nothing to do with anything that is evil [contrary to the Word].”  [1 Thess.5:19-22, PJV]

A recent “Digging Deeper” class was talking about the Aral Sea.  As recently as 1980, this 4^th largest inland saline body of water in the world covered over 42,000 square miles, employed over 60,000 people in the fishing industry and provided countless others income through tourism. Then the USSR decided to make the area the world’s major cotton exporter by tapping the sea’s two major feeder rivers, in much the same way as has happened here in the U.S. with the Colorado and Rio Grande. Flow into the Aral Sea stopped and, without the influx of fresh water, the sea literally died.  It became too salty even for the sea fish, eventually losing over 90% of its volume until now the seabed is a desert littered with rusting hulks of shipwrecks. All that remain are two small portions, hundreds of miles apart and far from any previous shoreline populations.

Our “DD” class applied this lesson to what happens when God’s people stifle His Spirit, ignore prophecies and, in general, shut down the fresh, challenging conversations of people He places in our lives each and every day.  We’re quick to dismiss unbelievers or those who do not share our opinions and beliefs [perhaps our values and politics?] when, in truth, they may be exactly what we need to keep us from becoming so toxic that nothing can survive around us. Even our own family members and friends at church will be avoided if, God forbid!, they disagree with our lock-step mentality.

I know, I know.  Much can be said about maintaining doctrinal/Biblical purity, which is why the Thess. passage above talks about testing everything and holding on to the good. But there’s a lot of good extra-Biblical stuff out there, and Jesus was not afraid to go looking for it and people welcomed Him into their homes as a result. We’re talking about keeping an open mind, a fresh outlook in order that we do not become dead seas, so to speak -- people who wither and die because of a lack of renewing, revitalizing conversations and relationships with our families, friends, churches and communities.

And you’re right, there is another Dead Sea: the original from Scripture. Same problem: nothing of the Jordan River reaches this infamous body of water and it, too, is vanishing; nothing in, nothing out. On the other hand, we have been blessed to BE a blessing, even as our Lord Jesus has said [John 7:38], 

“Whoever believes in Me, streams of living water will flow from within him.” We take rest in God’s Word, rejoicing in His people, prospering His communities wherever He has planted us.

The alternative is to dry up and blow away.

- Jack

"Beyond Our Fragile Planet."

"Beyond Our Fragile Planet."

“’But the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will punish her idols… Even if Babylon reaches the sky and fortifies her lofty stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,’ declares the Lord.”  [Jer.51:52, NIV]

Stephen Hawking has spoken. Like a 21st Century prophet, the British cosmologist has declared that space exploration is the key to saving humanity, since we are not likely to survive another 1,000 years “without escaping beyond our fragile planet.”

C’mon. You seriously expect me to buy into the idea that we’re going to figure out how to bail ourselves off this rock and go somewhere else when we’re not bright enough to clean up the poop in our own back yard that trashed this one in the first place? [I know, pastors aren’t supposed to write like that, but it’s truth, isn’t it?]  Better yet, if we COULD go somewhere else in the universe and start over, what’s the filter to keep us from starting the whole destructive process all over again? That’s the real issue. Sounds to me a whole lot like Noah and his boys with their families. The problem is not with the process of reconstruction but with the DNA -- the sample is tainted.

And that, my friends, is what the Jeremiah passage reflects. It reminds us of Genesis 11 and the tower of Babel while looking forward to the arrogance of Babylon and her astrologer armies. These are idols, no doubt, along with others of wood, silver and gold. But our idols today take on other forms, as well. They’re digital, computerized, flashy, and sometimes do nothing more than take up space on our calendar to drag us away from Godly priorities in life. And wrong priorities are deadly. They’re like trying to build a rocket ship when all we really need to do is clean up the back yard. 

Which is what God has done in His Son. That’s what the Cross and Resurrection is all about. “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” [Rom.5:6,8] The key to saving humanity, contrary to the brilliance of Hawking, is not going somewhere else to start over but staying right here and regaining our center in the grace of God through Jesus Christ, Who makes all things new.

Hawking is right about one thing, for sure: this is a fragile planet. Furthermore, God has placed us here as stewards, managers of His creation, and He expects the best from us.  May we one day stand before Him to hear His voice proclaim, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” The alternative, to treat His creation with callousness and sloth, leaves us no place to hide. Literally.

Think about it.

- Jack

"An Example of God's Grace and Power."

"An Example of God's Grace and Power."

By:  Pastor Jack Schneider

“[T]he holy Scriptures…are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  [2 Tim.3:15-16, NIV]

Pastor Oscar Benavides, the director of LINC NT [Lutheran Inter-City Network Coalition North Texas], has preached here at St. Paul a number of times and is well-known to you. This story comes from him as an example of God’s grace and power.

At one of LINC NT’s new mission sites, two teens snuck out of their apartment with the keys to the family car. The parents did not know the twins had left without their permission. Around 1 a.m. the parents got a call the boys had parked the car in a no-parking zone and the police were ready to tow the car. It was also discovered the boys did not have licenses. The parents were shocked and went to rescue their car and teens. The brothers were cited and required to appear in court the next month.

At the court hearing, the mom told the judge that she was attending a parenting Bible study with LINC NT. The judge asked more about the curriculum and inquired if the boys were attending the Bible study [they were not]. The judge then compelled the boys to attend the Bible study every week for three months, requesting that LINC NT verify their attendance. We now have two 15 year old teens learning about the Bible at our Wednesday study with their family. We are in awe of God’s sense of humor and work. Please pray for these boys, that His Word would infiltrate their lives in such a way that they choose to be at the study even after the term is completed. God is amazing!

Wow! What a great witness this is! On the one hand, we see the incredible things God is doing through LINC. On the other, we see how He is using “secular” judges to accomplish His will in bringing His Word to hearts that so desperately need it. And on top of it all, we give thanks for the creativity of pastors/leaders like Pastor Oscar and his teammates who search for doors into our communities -- ways to introduce Jesus Christ into the lives and homes of the people who live right there.

Of course this begs the question: how can we at St. Paul knock and open doors into the lives of people around us here in Plano? We have great facilities, a tremendous early childhood ministry in our school, we are highly visible on a well-traveled venue and, with all this, we have the benefit of skilled volunteers. We do not need to have a perfect plan to get things going -- just the perfect peace that God will use what we bring for His purpose.

- Jack