admin, Author at First Lutheran Church

Easter Vigil

Posted on Mar 23, 2025 in pastors pen |

What does it mean to hold a vigil? It means staying awake when we are supposed to be sleeping. To put it another way, we are to keep watch. That is exactly what our great ancestors did when they observed Easter Vigil. Our fathers and mothers of old stayed awake through Holy Saturday to see the break of Easter dawn in the hopeful expectation of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. They took this very seriously, coming together to sing songs, recite psalms and Scripture, meditate with one another, and really try and understand the miracle that is Jesus rising from the dead.

Think about it, Jesus rising from the dead is the greatest miracle. It proved Jesus to be exactly who He said He was. It proved that life eternal was possible and that death was an enemy that could be beaten. It proved that God does, in fact, reign supreme over all things and nothing overcomes Him. It is the foundation of our entire faith. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” Harrowing words from the Apostle. It shows just how important Easter is to us. It is far more than flowers and niceties but the reality of our salvation. Our fathers and mothers understood this very well. So they kept watch, knowing the night would give way to the dawn.

While we may not wait through the night in this age, it is important for us to still show that reverence and honor to our Lord. Serious, excited anticipation of the resurrection that has already happened and looking forward to the one that is to come. For the miracle did not stop with Jesus, but it is given to us as well. Our Lord, in His great mercy, saved us and gifted us with eternal life through His Son. Not just eternal life, but eternal paradise with Himself. St. Paul goes on to say in chapter 15, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” Through Christ, we are alive brothers and sisters.

Alleluia! Christ has risen!

Pastor Tommy

Doubt

Posted on Feb 26, 2025 in pastors pen |

Since Genesis 3, doubt has constantly assailed God’s people whispering to them the same question the serpent asked so long ago. “Did God really say?” This question is the catalyst for unbelief and all the accompanying emotions. Anger and resentment, sorrow and despair, confusion, and rejection all stem from the question the serpent asked Eve. Did God really say that He would protect you? Did God really say that He would provide for you? Did God really say that He saved you from your sins? Did God really say that those things are even sins at all? Even though throughout time the question has been dressed up in different ways by the devil, false prophets, and unbelievers the core premise remains the same. You should question God’s Word.

For the Christian, it is quite taboo to talk about doubt. There seems to be air of great fear and disgust when someone brings up questions of doubt or worry they may have. It is as if someone’s doubt automatically means that they must not be saved or on the brink of betraying their faith in Christ so they must be excised from the Church in order to not pollute the rest. Brothers and sisters, it should not be this way. While, yes, doubt is a problem to be taken seriously, it should not be met with the hammer of the Law or a prideful superiority complex. Instead, listen to the word of St. Jude, “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to other show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Since doubt and unbelief have been with us from the beginning, we should not shy away from speaking about it. Questions should not be treated as unmentionable or prohibited but instead addressed and talked through drawing people back to God’s Word. Think about it. How many times does God repeat Himself through the Scriptures? How often does He reassure us, prophecy to us, comfort us, warn us, and guide us? If the Lord must repeat Himself, how much more will we have to do this for one another?

Listen again to the word of St. Jude, “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.’” Dear Christian, hear the counsel of St. Jude. Christ and His apostles, the Old Testament Prophets, the martyrs, and saints of our age all remind us of the suffering that we will endure. We live in a fallen world with fallen people. Tragedies both caused by man and caused by nature will befall us and all people. I know it is difficult to look at those and believe in a loving God. However, I implore you to seek counsel where the Lord says it may be found. Namely, His holy Word. He has spoken about these things, the struggles and sufferings of His people, the terrible pain sin causes us, the horrible burden that we must bear sometimes and He does not dismiss those concerns. Instead, Christ points us to the resurrection. Points us to the time where all things will be made right. In mercy, the Lord waits to return so that all may hear the Gospel, and I know the wait is hard. Yet, there is a time that is coming when suffering will cease. Not only that, but God Himself will be the one to wipe away every tear from our eyes and bring us into eternal glory. Cling to this promise. Not only for your sake, but for the sake of your loved ones. For it is not just your tears that will be wiped away, but every tear of your friends and family. As we wait, let us then continue to build one another up and deal with each other in mercy.

In Christ,

Pastor Tommy

Stand Firm

Posted on Feb 8, 2025 in pastors pen |

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:15

These words of Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have stood as a bulwark against many heresies throughout the ages, and we would do well to take heed of them now. Why? Because in each and every age there are those who claim to find something “new” or “unique” in Scripture that had been hidden until this point in time, when they discovered it. These false prophets parade their “new” discovery through the streets proclaiming the Lord has given them supernatural insight into the Scriptures fundamentally changing the message of the Gospel and glorifying themselves in the process. Every single age, without fail, the same heresies present themselves with a new coat of paint pretending to be something “new.”

Imagination, invention, and novelty are nothing new to the Christian faith at this point. The naming and exploration of these heresies would be a worthy endeavor and indeed necessary for us to cover in a bible study or special class. But to try and give an exhaustive list here would exceed the limits of a simple newsletter article. That is why I have highlighted the words from 2 Thessalonians. This one sentence is a shield and defense against all heresy and falsehood. We are instructed to cling to the Apostolic teachings of the church and stand firm upon them. Which means that we do not give up ground, entertain false prophets, or compromise on the doctrines of faith that have been handed down to us.

So what must we do? A good question. We pray for those who have been lured away from the true faith and stand firm on the doctrine handed down to us. Firm, not hateful. Knowledgeable, not conceited. Reasonable, not rude. Kind, not boorish. Loving, not compromising. I will leave you with words from our Church Father Cyril of Jerusalem concerning the Creed, “For the articles of faith have not been composed to please human desire, but the most important points collected from the Scriptures make up one complete teaching of the faith. And just as the mustard seed in a small grain contains in embryo many future branches, so also the creed embraces in a few words all the religious knowledge in both the Old and New Testament. Pay attention, therefore, brothers, and cling to the teaching which are now delivered to you, and ‘write them on the tablet of your heart.’”

In Christ,

Pastor Tommy

Holy Words and Sacred Spaces

Posted on Dec 31, 2024 in pastors pen |

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – Matthew 18: 20 What happens on Sunday mornings? I am quite confident that if I asked any of you this question you would be able to respond in detail describing our liturgy, hymns, rituals, and traditions. Some may have even memorized our liturgy and hymns knowing these traditions like the back of their hand. So why would this question be important? Perhaps it even sounds a little silly given everything you know.

Well, unfortunately, in these recent times there seems to be a misunderstanding on the purpose of worship. What do I mean by this? More often than not I hear people describing worship as something that we do for God. We sing, we pray, we read, we listen, we stand, we sit, and all of those things are true! These actions are good, right, and proper for us to do. However, it is important to remember that we are not the main focus of the Divine Service. Let me explain.

Sunday mornings are not about what we can offer God, but what God gives us. The Divine Service is God’s service to us in which he blesses us beyond compare and continues to tell the story of how He has rescued us from sin, death, and the devil. That is the point of the Divine Service. Jesus forgives us, guides us, teaches us, and reminds us of His love constantly. Our response to these great gifts the Lord gives us is praise and adoration. Arthur A. Just Jr. in his book Heaven On Earth sums it up nicely, “In our worship, Christ, the author of life, is present, telling that story through the words of the prophets and apostles and serving as host of a heavenly feast where the world’s story is given its heavenly reality.” The only thing that makes the service divine is the presence of Jesus. He alone is the one who hallows our ground and purifies our words.

For the next few months, I plan on writing about several different parts of the Divine Service and show how the heavenly reality of our Lord is made manifest here with us on earth. How wonderful it is that we can shout with confidence, “Our God is with us!” and it be true.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Tommy

In the Name of God

Posted on Dec 31, 2024 in pastors pen |

What does it mean to invoke the name of God? Perhaps Luther’s explanation of the second commandment can give us some insight, “We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.” The name of God, the name above all names, isn’t meant to be used in nefarious ways or in some flippant manner. Instead, it is to be used in a reverent and holy manner befitting of who God is. Of course, I am sure you know this. But how often do we really consider the Lord’s name and greatness that it bears? For to call on the Lord’s name is to call upon the Lord Himself. Names do not exist in a vacuum but are attached to someone. Typically, when you call someone’s name, they give you their attention. It is no different for the Lord.

That is why we start our service with the Invocation. We call upon the name of the Lord so that He comes to us and blesses us. We do not call upon God to simply be a spectator to what is happening Sunday morning but instead to be the one acting for us, forgiving our sins, teaching us His word, and strengthening us with His grace. The Lord promises us that when we call, He will answer. Praise be to God that He does! Brothers and sisters, we need not fear the presence of God because of His Son Jesus. Jesus has brought us from sinner to saint so that the Father make look upon us and bless us according to His grace. So, when we call upon the Lord, we are not visited by a wrathful judge but a wise and loving father. One who continues to uphold us to this day. So next time you hear the invocation know the Lord is with you and has come to bring blessings untold.

In Christ,

Pastor Tommy

I Confess to You, O Lord

Posted on Dec 31, 2024 in pastors pen |

After the Invocation, after we call upon the Lord to be in the midst of us, we immediately move to Confession and Absolution. Which, of course, makes sense. If we call the Lord to be with us, we must then ask for His forgiveness so that we stand in His holy presence with joy and not trembling. However, most people don’t enjoy doing this. I don’t say this as an insult but more of a fact. The act of confessing something that you did wrong is widely regarded as difficult. I don’t have to tell you that. You know this to be true. Look at how we act toward one another in regard to saying sorry. Generally, we have to work up the courage to say that we are sorry and more often than not we just say, “I am sorry.” The response being, “It’s ok,” or “It’s fine.” But is that really the proper way to do these things? Think about how much more impactful, meaningful, and genuine an apology (confession) sounds when you actually name the thing that you do wrong. Instead of the “I’m sorry” that just assumes we all know what is going on the Lord teaches us to be specific. “I’m sorry that I sinned against you in this way by doing or saying this thing.”

The response to such a confession is also important. In the pre-marital counseling sessions I’ve been blessed to do, I have often reminded couples that the right response to a confession is to say, “I forgive you.” The Lord doesn’t teach us that we are tell people that their sins against us or sins against others is “ok” or “fine” or that we “shouldn’t worry about it.” Instead, we say “I forgive you” as if to say “I know that you have wronged me and I will not hold this against you. Christ has covered this sin as well as my sins. I love you.” If this is the way the Lord has taught us to confess to one another, how much more so should we also confess to God in such a way. That is why there is more than a moment of silence before we recite our corporate confession together on Sunday mornings. It is not silence for silence’s sake. Instead, we take that time to actually confess before God the sins that burden us. More importantly we hear His comforting words of the Absolution. The Lord comes to us willingly and joyfully full of grace and mercy for His people. So next time we confess together, remember how much God loves you. His responses are not flippant but full of wonder and love. God says, “I forgive you and I love you.”

In Christ,

Pastor Tommy

Work & Weariness

Posted on Dec 31, 2024 in pastors pen, Uncategorized |

School is in full swing and with it comes the dreaded busyness of the year. Children are now back in the swing of mimicking the adult life, eight hours of work, then come home and work more, then find time to fit in extra curriculars, and also maintain some level of family and social life. For the parents, you do the same thing with even less time. For grandparents, you try and take care of your kids and grandkids, assuring them that they are not going insane and they can accomplish the tasks set before them. If I could sum this part of year up in a word it would be: chaos. Now, I know what you are thinking. Pastor is going to tell me go to church, and how important it is, and why I should be doing it. Yes. I am. But give me a few moments of your precious time to explain why and maybe convince you to move church things out of the “to do” column into the “get to” column.

Chaos is a breeding ground for sin. When you are overworked, stressed, and busy, sin has ample opportunities to take hold and make life worse so that you become even more overworked, stressed, and busy. Our temperaments are terrible, our minds are rushed, our emotions are out of our control and this leads to us sinning against our God and hurting others. Sometimes in the chaos, others sin against us. Just as we are prone to much sin when we are drowning, others are prone to it as well. As sins begin to pile up, the weight we feel starts to crush us and lock us into a cycle of sins upon sins. You may suffer in silence, but I know you suffer. You know you suffer. You know others suffer. The question becomes what do we do about it? Who will save us from these unspoken, often ignored wounds? Where do we go?

Church. We go to church.

Our Lord Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We go to where Christ says to go. We go to Him. There in His holy house, He offers us His Word and His Sacraments for our rest and benefit. He says to us, “Come, hear that you are forgiven, hear that your neighbor is forgiven, taste and see that this forgiveness is for you in My body and My blood. Come, be strengthened by your brothers and sisters in the congregation. Come, learn from Me and take My yoke upon you, see I am gentle and lowly in heart. My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” In the Divine Service we witness holy things. Those holy things are given to you for your benefit so that the chaos of the world does not drown you. Again, listen to the words of our Lord from Mark 2:27, “And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’” We go to church not because of some pharisaical law to do so, but because the Lord has promised His rest and His gifts there. So if you find yourself overwhelmed, if your children are overwhelmed, come and see Jesus. His yoke is easy, His burden light, His gifts free.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Tommy

Righteousness and Repentance

Posted on Dec 31, 2024 in pastors pen |

“I tell you that there will be in heaven over more rejoicing one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

– Luke 15:7

It is clear from the two parables that Jesus uses in Luke – the lost sheep and the lost coin – that he values repentance over righteousness. That may seem strange to us, since the New Testament exhorts us again and again to live godly and righteous lives. Yes, as followers of Christ we are to strive to live daily in a manner as free from sin and darkness as possible. In this process of sanctification, we need daily help from the Holy Spirit, who helps us recognize our sin, convicts us of it, and gives us the power to turn aside from its alluring temptation.

But Jesus values repentance even more highly, since it is through repentance that we can meet Him and he can return us to a close relationship with Him. We are the lost sheep; we are the lost coin. We wander away from time to time. We get lost in dark corners. We cannot find our way back. So, in His great love, He comes to find us. In His mercy, He forgoes punishment and leads us back to the light, to the security of the sheepfold, and to the place of usefulness.

It is when we acknowledge that we have gone astray that Jesus comes to our rescue. It is then that we rediscover His mercy and love. We are like foolish sheep when we deny that we need His saving. We will remain lost when we fail to be honest about the state of our soul or about our dangerous circumstances. Sometimes He allows us to wander off until we are in danger. He waits for us to call out desperately to Him before He reaches out to save us. He is always there. His love is constant, as He waits for us to express our need.

Prayer: Lord, help me to confess my sin and lead me in repentance back to you. Amen

In His Peace,

Pastor Schultz

Choosing What is Better

Posted on Jun 27, 2024 in pastors pen, Uncategorized |

“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.”

– Luke 10:40a NIV

Luke tells us that Martha had opened her home to Jesus and his disciples. Custom required that she welcome them properly, and this was no small undertaking. Martha was busy seeing that all the details of meals and lodging were suitably observed. When she had invited Jesus, she most likely was counting on her sister, Mary, to help make his visit a success. However, Mary made a different choice. From the moment that Jesus arrived, she had focused her attention on him. Seated there at his feet, she listened intently to all that he had to say.

Martha was piqued. When she discovered Mary sitting “idly” at Jesus’ feet, she was no longer able to contain her anger. She admonished Jesus, saying, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Her outburst betrayed her. She wasn’t the gracious hostess she sought to be. She not only accused her sister of laziness, but at the same time she accused her guest of being uncaring. She demanded that he remedy the household situation!

Martha’s distraction, I believe, came partly from her personal list of musts and shoulds. We all have such a list. They include the way that we feel particular tasks must or should be done. They are the best ways of doing things, our way, a way that grants our personal stamp of approval and helps us feel good about ourselves. We invest much personal energy in our way of doing things, the personal energy that Jesus encountered in Martha’s outburst. While the standards of Jewish hospitality could have been met adequately by her household servants and friends, Martha’s personal list became her distraction. She needed to oversee things personally to make sure they were done properly. Martha had lost her focus on spiritual things. Jesus was at Bethany. By fulfilling her own agenda, she was about to miss being with him.

Jesus didn’t go to Bethany to approve Martha’s hospitality. He doesn’t come to judge our way of doing things, either. On the contrary, he comes to free us from the personal anxieties and habits that rule our lives, separate us from others, and distract us from our relationship with him. Do you know what is on your list? Ask him to show you. Once he shows you, ask for his help to choose what is better.

Prayer: Lord, give me eyes to see the things on my agenda that separate me from others and from you. Give me grace to give them to you, and to find your peace. Amen.

In His Peace,

Pastor Schultz

On Forgiveness and Love

Posted on Jun 3, 2024 in pastors pen |

“Therefore I tell you, her sins which are many, are forgiven, because she has loved much; but

he who is forgiven little, loves little.” – Luke 7:47

Does it surprise you that Jesus relates our ability to love to the amount we have been forgiven? Many think that a person can learn to love: that some- how we can set our wills to love and it would just happen, like learning algebra or physics. But Jesus makes it very clear that our receiving forgiveness has a great deal to do with our loving others.

What would you have thought had you seen the woman in the story making such a public display of affection for Jesus? Why did she do such a thing? Why would an “especially wicked sinner” (Amplified Version) be drawn to Jesus who was so pure and holy? One might think that such a person would run away from righteousness and purity. Perhaps she recognized in Jesus One who would not judge her or reject her. What she needed was not rejection, but forgiveness and healing. It seems that by just being in His presence she received exactly what she needed. It is no wonder that she began to weep and affectionately anoint his feet with perfume. She has been set free from all the hurt and destruction of her past. She had an opportunity for a new beginning. She could realistically hope for a better life ahead. She no longer felt condemned to a life of sin, shame, and despair. In that light it is understandable that she “made a scene” and disregarded what others would think of her. She was grateful for the forgiveness Jesus had brought her and for His making it possible for her to love someone beside herself.

This story gives new insight into how we can grow in our love for others. It is not simply a matter of making some persistent effort on our part. It is not simply by sweet words or good deeds. It is by confessing our sins and acknowledging our need for forgiveness that we are opened to the ability to love others. It seems that so many of us are afraid to admit who we are. We posture and pretend to be somebody other than who we are – a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness and healing. It is when we acknowledge our need that we draw close to Jesus and, in experiencing His incredible love for us, our own capacity to love Him and others is increased.

Prayer: Lord help me to admit my need of You and to freely receive Your forgivneness that I might express my love to You unashamedly and then be a better channel of Your love to those around me. Amen

In His Peace,

Pastor Schultz