Funeral sermon for Charles D. Lau (1939 - 2010)

Beloved family and friends, members of our church family here at Hope, and especially you Donna: grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Charles Lau was born on March 18, in the year of our Lord 1939. He was baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Confirmed in the faith of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Charles spent the last 25 years of His life here at Hope Lutheran Church. It was as a member of this congregation and of the one holy Christian and apostolic church that Charles drew his final breath this past Monday. He died in Christ on February 22, in the year of our Lord 2010. As St. John narrates from the Book of Revelation, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time forth" (Rev. 14:13). Amen.
Hear the Word of the Lord from the mouth of Simeon in the temple: "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation."
I chose this verse as the text for the sermon today in part because both Charles and Simeon died in peace. Not to say that they both wanted to die, from my understanding in my conversations with Charles, he most definitely wanted to live... to spend time with his loved ones, especially with Donna, his beautiful wife of 40 years. You see, in the short time I knew Charles, it became obvious to me that Charles was a man who understood so very well, like Simeon did in our reading, that life is a gift. Life is a blessing, especially if life is lived with faith in Jesus. Such a life, after all, is the only life well worth living. And such a life is the one that Charles lived, as Simeon lived long ago. It's Luke chapter 2, verse 29: "Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him."
What this means is that Simeon was a man who had lived a full life. He had lived his life in faith in God, and he knew that his time was near. One day, led by the Spirit, the old man went his way once more to the temple of God, his mind firmly holding onto that special promise from God that he would not die before he had seen the Christ, the Messiah. It's when that belief is rewarded, when Simeon finds the child, that he took that baby Jesus in his arms, holds him up and pours out his soul to God: "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation."
These words of Simeon, dear friends, were loud in my ears that day last Saturday when I had the gracious opportunity to give to Charles one final foretaste of heaven, when together we celebrated the Sacrament of the Altar, and Charles ate and drank of the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. You know, it's funny; it's one of those things that you never can really describe... but at that moment, after receiving God's gift... you could just SEE that Charles was at peace. I don't know how else to describe it. I mean, what does "peace" look like? I don't know, all I can say is that Charles had it. By the grace of God, our brother was allowed to do just what Simeon did, to "depart in peace."
How does someone get this peace? Allow me, if you will, to read a verse that I shared with Charles the first time I met him. It's from First Corinthians 6. St. Paul says: "You are not your own; [for] you were bought at a price." It hearkens back to our adoption into God's family. The day Charles received God's gift of water and the Word, he received the benefits of the greatest price ever paid. esus paid for Charles' life by dying on the cross. It is that price of blood that makes today —not a somber day, not a mournful day— but a joyous day. Joyous because Charles was "bought at a price." Joyous because that price paid his entry fee to heaven where all who trust in Christ receive rest from their labors... in the paradise of heaven where Jesus Christ Himself, the Lamb of God, welcomes us home.
This is important because— you see, Charles, like all of us, was not perfect. Charles, like all of us, was born under the power of sin, death and devil. Charles, like all of us, Charles needed a Savior. He needed someone to come and to make things right between him and God. He needed someone to come and make peace between him and his God. He needed someone to buy him back from these forces of evil that ensnared him and us. He needed someone and by the grace of God, he received someone, that same someone that Simeon took in His arms that long ago day in the temple in Jerusalem, the consolation of Israel, the savior Jesus Christ the Son of God. The same Jesus Christ who would buy Charles and all people back from sin, death, and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us on the cross so many years ago.
Now this has eternal significance for Charles, just as it does for you and me. Because he was bought with a price, that means that he belongs to God. He is one of God's children, holy and precious in His sight. That means that today —even now at this very moment!— Charles is with our Lord in heaven. When Charles died, because of his faith in Christ, he went to heaven. It's that simple. And one day soon, Charles, and all of God's saints, will rise from the dead, his body will be restored to him purified of sin, and he will live forever That's what Job was talking about in the Old Testament when he said, "[even] after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God" (Job 19:26). And again, St. Paul writes, "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet" (1 Cor. 15:51).
What a glorious day that will be, when heaven and earth are joined together again, when Charles and all who have died in the faith are lifted up out of the grave and reunited in the flesh, when all of God's children— living and dead are joined together in Jesus Christ! That is his future, and that is yours as well, all you who trust in Christ Jesus for your salvation. That day will be glorious, I promise you, but until that day, we grieve. We grieve because we miss him. We grieve knowing that, even though he died in peace, and at peace... still things just don't seem quite right with him gone. But dear friends in Christ, when you grieve, don't "grieve as others do who have no hope " (1 Cor. 4:13), for we grieve with hope. Our grief is tempered with the knowledge that that "twinkling of an eye" is coming, that "last trumpet" when Christ will come again in power and glory. We grieve and mourn, but we do so knowing that our grief will come to an end.
For this is the great Christian truth, the heart of Charles's faith, of Simeon's faith... the heart of the faith of that whole great cloud of witnesses with which the Church is surrounded: If we believe in Jesus our Savior and our King... if we put our lives in God's hand, all will be well. We also will truly "depart in peace." And falling asleep in peace, we will awaken in the arms of our Savior... to eternal life and eternal joy. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Christian Kids and the Internet

A good friend of mine, the Rev. Matthew Lorfeld, an LC-MS Lutheran and a child of Faith Lutheran in Allouez, recently posted the following for his congregation. He writes not about the dangers of kids and the Internet... not about warning parents to keep their kids away... but instead points parents toward good resources that they can trust. I liked it so much I'm stealing it lock stock and barrel. Here's what he wrote:

If you have kids that can walk and talk, chances are you also have kids who are already playing on the computer and surfing the web. While this can be a cause for concern for parents, with the right guidance there can be a treasure trove of fun, educational, and faith building websites that your kids can enjoy. Today I'd like to introduce a couple:

Arch Books Online by CPH For yeas CPH has been publishing Arch Books, which tell Bible stories in rhyme. They are great books for beginning readers. Now this new website will read these books to your children online highlighting each word as it goes. Of course, you can turn off the narration and read the book yourself. Either way, if you have children ages 2-7, show them this website.

JCPlayZone by Lutheran Hour Ministries This website has many fun activities including a Frogger-like game, Leopardy, Bible Stories, Devotions, and even recipes. Parents can also check out the companion site: JC Parent Zone for parenting tips, articles, and Q & A.

Commemoration of Polycarp, Pastor and Martyr

Our churches teach that the remembrance of the saints is to be commended in order that we may imitate their faith and good works according to our calling. — Augsburg Confession 21

February 23rd is the day set aside to commemorate one of the early martyrs for the faith, Polycarp of Smyrna. Polycarp (A+D c. 70 - c. 156) was a central figure in the early church. Said to be disciple of the holy evangelist and apostle Saint John, he stands as a critical link between the first generation of believers and later Christians. His home town of Smryna (modern Izmir, Turkey) was one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation (see 2:8-11 for the details).

After serving for many years as bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp was caught up in a local persecution of Christians. An old man of 86 years, he was arrested, tried, and executed for his faith in Christ on February, 23, c. 56. An eyewitness narrative of his death, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, continues to encourage believers in times of persecution.
According to the ancient records, he was tried solely on the charge of being a Christian. When the proconsul urged him to save his life by cursing Christ, he replied: "Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" According to the customary reckoning of his birth and death, this means that he must have been baptized as an infant, raised as a Christian, and lived his entire life as in the Faith. His fidelity follows the encouragement given by the Lord to the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2: "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (v.10).
The following prayer is recorded as his immediately prior to the fire being kindled for his martyrdom: Lord God Almighty, Father of Your blessed and beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of You, God of angels and hosts and all creation, and of the whole race of the upright who live in Your presence: I bless You that You have thought me worthy of this day and hour, to be numbered among the martyrs and share in the cup of Christ, for resurrection to eternal life, for soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. Among them may I be accepted before You today, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, just as You, the faithful and true God, have prepared and foreshown and brought about. For this reason and for all things I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You, through the eternal heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through whom be glory to You, with Him and the Holy Spirit, now and for the ages to come. Amen.
Let us pray: O God, the maker of heaven and earth, You gave boldness to confess Jesus Christ as King and Savior and steadfastness to die for the faith to Your venerable servant, the holy and gentle Polycarp. Grant us grace to follow his example in sharing the cup of Christ’s suffering so that we may also share in His glorious resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever, Amen. (Treasury of Daily Prayer:1150)

Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent, A+D 2010

Before reading the sermon, please read the lessons from God's Holy Word.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A forty-day fast. Can you imagine? I mean, I get tired and weak after a twelve hour fast to get my cholesterol checked! Forty days in the wilderness, with probably nothing but water. You ever wonder why? What's the point of Jesus beginning His ministry with this self-imposed suffering and weakness? The answer is clear. According to St. Luke it was so that Jesus could be "tempted by the devil" (v.1). I mean, think of it: WE pray "lead us not into temptation," but Jesus —hungry, weak, vulnerable Jesus— is led into temptation.
It's an epic battle. The devil desperately trying to get the sinless Son of Man to sin and so derail the Father's plan for our salvation. Just get Jesus to sin once... and so disqualify Him as the Lamb of God... just get Jesus to think about Himself first, instead of us... just get Jesus to choose just once the easy path, take the shortcut... and if ever Jesus was vulnerable, this was it. Because Jesus was hungry.
I mean, Jesus was hungry! Hungry with a hunger you and I have never known. Forty days without food and Jesus must have been hungry to the point of delirium. And so, enter [stage left], "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread" (v.3). It's almost a dare, if not a taunt. "You ARE the Son of God, aren't you? You're hungry, aren't you? You can do anything with a word, can't you? You made the whole universe, didn't you? If you really are Him, go ahead, who's gonna know? Speak to this stone and make it fresh baked bread and fill that starving, painfully empty belly of yours. Spare yourself this pain, this self-imposed suffering. You can do that, can't you, if you are the Son of God?"
And, you know, the devil's right. It wouldn't take any work at all for Jesus to change stone into bread. All He had to do was speak. And why not? He's hungry, why shouldn't He? Why didn't He? He didn't for this reason: "Man [does] not live by bread alone" (v.4). What He means is this: Bread, the things we need to live... yes, it's important for this life. It's important, but it's not ALL-important. Daily bread (that is– food, shelter, and clothes)... it's doesn't last. Nor can it give you what you really need. We cannot (we dare not!) live by bread alone. For that would, in the end, only bring us death. Jesus will do much for daily bread— because He knows it's important, but that doesn't mean He'll do ANYTHING for it. He knows our eternal bread is much much MUCH! more important.
And yet... by contrast, WE will do almost anything for bread. To get ahead in this life, to provide for ourselves... how readily we sacrifice our principles. How readily we sacrifice our relationships. We sacrifice unborn children who aren't affordable and elderly people who aren't convenient. Heck, we'll even trade the Word and the Supper of Christ for the Sunday paper and Sunday brunch. How quickly we put aside the things that last for that the fleeting.
But Jesus resists the temptation. He refuses to sin. Jesus refuses to turn aside from His mission. He will not use His divine power for personal gain. His mission is to do the will of His Father, to lay down His life as a sin offering for the world. He will not take a shortcut, he will not turn aside from things of eternity for the fleeting pleasures of this life. Jesus knows the stakes and He stands firm on the Word: "Man [does] not live by bread alone."
But the devil is not done. He brings Jesus up to a high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms and powers of the world. He proposes a deal. "It's all yours, Jesus. All the authority and splendor of the word." "If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours" (v.7). Oh, and not just for yourself, Jesus. Think about how you could change the world. You could bring about world peace and solve the problem of world hunger and you could do it on a Monday afternoon. Who needs Good Friday and the cross when you have money and influence and power and can pull all the right strings? All for one little act of worship.
Tempted? Maybe you don't have the kingdoms of the world dangling in front of you, but even a small slice of the kingdom will bring us to the bargaining table. George Washington once said, "Few men have the virtue to withstand the highest bidder." It's an eloquent way of saying, "Everyone has his price." The price dangling before Jesus was enormous— all the wealth and power and influence in the world, all for one act of worship. Bend the knee, bow the head.
How easily we fall into it, as easily as Adam and Eve biting into forbidden fruit with the promise that they'd be wise as God. The same reflex is there in each of us. The man who says, "I would never be tempted to cheat on my wife," hasn't met the right woman. The woman who says, "I would never take a bribe," hasn't seen a big enough bribe. The old Adam is more than happy to bargain and cut a deal for anything promising power.
But Jesus refuses. Again, He stands squarely on the Word: "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve'" (v.8). Worship? Absolutely— but worship the true God of heaven and earth. The One who made you and redeemed you. The One's whose kingdom of grace comes with a cross and a tomb. With a death and a resurrection. Anyone who promises glory without a cross and a kingdom without a death is a fraud. It may be great for a while, but in the end it won't last and it certainly won't save you.
Finally the devil takes Jesus to Jerusalem, brings Him to the peak of the temple. "If you are the son of God, throw Yourself down from here," the devil says. He even quotes the Bible. From Psalm 91: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone'" (Luke 4:10-11). "So go ahead. Jump. It's right there in the Bible. The angels will protect You. You have God promise You won't even stub Your toe. Or, don't you believe that? Did God really say that?
It's the temptation to doubt, to test God's Word. God says, "Trust me," and the devil says, "Make Him prove it." Did God really say you'll die if you eat from the tree? Did God really say the angels will guard you? Did God really say your sins are forgiven in the death of Jesus? Did Jesus really say this bread is His body, this wine is His blood?
Again Jesus resists the temptation with the Word. "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test" (v.12). Jesus knows, as we do too, that God never goes back on a promise. And because we can trust that God will keep His promises. we don't need to have Him prove it. Besides, hasn't he already proved it by sending His Son Jesus to die and rise for our sins? What's more, we know from history that the angels really were watching over Jesus. Even in His death the angels were there. They sat on the rock outside His tomb. They attended His resurrection. They're watching over you too. God never goes back on a promise.
We are tempted, you and I, every day of our lives. Tempted in all the areas of our lives... tempted in our strengths, but especially tempted in those place where we're the weakest. We are wide open and vulnerable to temptation, and if anyone here thinks he or she is strong enough to overcome temptation, be very careful. Every time you think you're strong, you're on the edge of a fall. The devil, who is very real and very active and very truly conspiring against you, to lead you astray.
And don't think for a moment that being a Christian makes things easier. If anything, being a disciple of Christ makes it harder. The devil works extra extra hard to tempt us. In fact, He focuses all his attention on Christians. The baptismal sign of the cross upon your forehead and upon your heart marks you not only as redeemed by Christ the crucified... it also serves as a bullseye for the devil's work. You are marked men and women. You, too, will be driven out into the wilderness of the world. But know this and remember this. You do not go there alone. Jesus has gone ahead of you. He waged war against Satan and conquered him with the Word. You have that Word too. The sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith "with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one" (Eph. 6:16–17).
The good news today is that Jesus was tempted for you. Tempted in every way as you are. And you, in Him, have been led through the wilderness of temptation to victory and life. Lean on Jesus, who has withstood temptation already on your behalf. And if you fail, don't despair, repent and turn again to Him. Remember that Jesus, despite being hungry and weak, and vulnerable, succeeded against all the devil's temptations. He has won your eternal life. Romans chapter 10: "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (v.13). In Jesus' name, Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

The Discipline of Lent, Part IV

Part IV of the series on Lenten Discipline: "our Lord's call to intensify our struggle against sin, death, and the devil— all that prevents us from trusting in God and loving each other" (Maundy Thursday litany). The fourth and final installment on Lenten Discipline is on the topic "works of love." Sometimes simply called "alms," this is a critical component of the Christian life. The intention of this part of the Lenten Discipline is to connect our faith in God's love for us with actions that are loving of others in the world.
Works of Love Jesus teaches us that "God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Love is why Christ came. Love is why Christ died. Love is why God raised Him from the dead. Love is the whole purpose and mission of the Church and of every Christian member: to show God's love in the world. Our response to God's loving gift of Jesus Christ is to share that love with others. 1 John 4:19— "We love because He first loved us."
Consider one or more of these suggestions for this portion of your Lenten Discipline:

1. Use Matthew 25:31-40 and Luke 4:18-19 as guides for choosing to do a work of love.
2. Go out of your way to do something nice for somebody at least once a week during Lent.
3. Make a donation for the needy through your church.
4. Volunteer a portion of your time with a local service organization that serves the poor.
5. Ask the congregation's Welfare committee for suggestions of a needy place or person that could use your time, talent or treasure.
6. Contact your local government center and see if you could perform any kind of volunteer service for the community, such as picking up litter.
7. Contact a hospital, nursing home or prison about making visits. Especially see those who otherwise receive no visitors.
8. Talk to the pastor about visiting shut-in members of the church. Perhaps make something and take it as a gift.
9. When doing your work of love, meditate upon Christ's words, "As you do it for the least of these, you do it for me" (Matt.25:40).
10. Don't tell anyone what you're about... just do it. And don't feel proud at having sacrificed your time for Jesus; His sacrifice was far greater. Simply rejoice that God is working through you and share His love.

The Discipline of Lent, Part III

Part III of the this series on Lenten Discipline: "our Lord's call to intensify our struggle against sin, death, and the devil— all that prevents us from trusting in God and loving each other" (Maundy Thursday litany). When we come to today's topic, prayer, we finally come to one that all Christians can agree on. Not all Christians are united their understanding of such God-given tools as repentance and fasting, but prayer is one of God's gifts that nearly all Christians agree upon.
The Discipline of Lent is four-fold: repentance, fasting, prayer and works of love. Today, then, we'll touch base on the third Lenten Discipline: prayer.
Prayer First of all, we need to answer the question of what prayer is. I like to answer it by stating first what prayer is NOT. Prayer is not mysticism. Prayer is not some sort of mystical activity in which we are drawn closer to God in contemplation and communication. If we want to be drawn closer to God, we go to God's Word and God's Sacraments. Prayer, by contrast, is us talking to God. It's a communication with God that naturally finds its anchor and focus in God's Word... and the best prayers are prayed with an open Bible in front of us. But prayer is not listening TO God, it's TALKING to God.
Daily prayer might include these things:

1. Begin by making the sign of the cross upon yourself in remembrance of your baptism as you speak the words of invocation ("in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen").
2. Use a devotional aid such as Portals of Prayer, the Treasury of Prayer, the Lutheran Hour, or CPH as a guide for prayer and meditation.
3. Use one of the Daily Prayer or Responsive Prayer services in the Lutheran Service Book (pages 294-298), following the lessons in the Daily Lectionary (pages 299-304).
4. The Psalms are a wonderful treasury for prayer. Use them. Sing them. Pray them.
5. Luther's Small Catechism is also is a wonderful tool for meditation and prayer. If you'd like, check out this unique resource: the Small Catechism in Prayer Form.
6. Use the Ten Commandments as a tool to examine yourself. Read each commandment one by one and hold yourself up to the mirror of God's Law. As it reveals to you your sins, turn to God in repentance and pray for forgiveness — knowing also that God's absolution certainly comes to you without delay.
7. Close your prayer time with the Lord's Prayer and with this little Lenten prayer: "Lord God heavenly Father, thank you this day and for this time of prayer. Through the Discipline of Lent, help me to grow in my faith in Your works; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen."

The Discipline of Lent, Part II

Yesterday's blog post introduced a four-part series on the Discipline of Lent. Lent is our opportunity to answer "our Lord's call to intensify our struggle against sin, death, and the devil— all that prevents us from trusting in God and loving each other" (Maundy Thursday litany).
The Discipline of Lent is four-fold: repentance, fasting, prayer and works of love. Today, t hen, we'll tackle the second Lenten Discipline: repentance. It's an easy one to tackle because I just blogged on it last week.
Fasting Fasting comes to us from Judaism and was recommended by Jesus both in example and teaching (see Luke 4:2, Matthew 6:16-18, and Mark 2:20). It is a practice that is used to strengthen the spiritual life by weakening one's attractions to pleasures of the senses and redirecting ourselves to the powerful and efficacious Word of God. Fasting, therefore, is not a dietary tool... is a spiritual tool. For this reason, fasting is always coupled with prayer and spiritual preparation.
Fasting, however, does not necessarily mean giving up all food for a day. Oftentimes it is the giving up or limiting of a particular food or food group (sweets, desserts, chocolate, butter, fat, eggs, etc.). Water is never given up in a fast. In addition, children, the elderly, the sick or infirm, and pregnant women should not fast. One practice that you may have heard of is to fast on a particular day, Fridays in Lent are often chosen as a special day of fasting because of it being the day of Christ's death.
By contrast to food, it is possible to fast (abstain) from an activity as well. Fasting from an activity such as watching television, movies, etc. on certain days and/or at certain hours or throughout the season is another way to observe the Lenten fast.
In the end, what you fast from is less important than what you do with the time that you have saved... or what you do with your thoughts when the hunger pangs come on. Fasting, remember, is a spiritual discipline.The idea is to devote ourselves to a time of prayer and the Word.
Many of the following suggestions for fasting have been practiced by Christians for centuries:

1. Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday with only one simple meal during the day, usually without meat.
2. Refrain from eating meat (i.e. bloody foods) on all Fridays in Lent, substituting fish for example.
3. Eliminate a food or food group for the entire season. Especially consider saving rich and fatty foods for Easter.
4. Consider not eating before receiving Communion on the Sunday mornings of Lent.
5. Abstain from or limit a favorite activity (television, movies, etc.) for the entire season, and spend the time in prayer, Bible study, and reading devotional material.
6. Don't just give up something that you have to give up for your doctor or diet anyway. Make your fast a voluntary self-denial (i.e., discipline) that you offer to God in prayer.