StarboCho

"To be a priest in the permanently valid sense means to approach God - and particularly for others.  So there is one element in the ancient priesthood that is retained in the gospel: men have mutual responsibility for the Christian condition of others.  None is to stand before God only as an individual concerned only with his own petitions.  All the members live by the Christian condition of the others; each one in his own Christian life has responsibility for the others, that they may be led to God through him.  'Universal priesthood' definitely does not mean an individualistic dissolution of the church as a fellowship.  It is just the opposite; it is the binding of every member to every other member in the inner structure of the fellowship.  Priesthood, in the Reformation sense, means the 'communion of saints.'"

--Paul Althaus (from Doberstein's Minister's Prayer Book)

Here is a link to the audio of my sermon from Good Friday's Tenebrae Vespers.  Enjoy!

The Debt Paid

In the midst of Satan's war, the Savior of this world revealed his sacred face.  Enmity had come from the woman's seed.  Born in the flesh and blood of man, Satan is undone.  From the Father's love - the second person of the Trinity - the Son begotten, Jesus born of Mary, fully man, yet fully God, comes to bring peace because there's war.  Anger and strife, casualties and darkness, in the very midst of the world's life - Augustus Caesar, Quirenius, Herod, Mary, Joseph, the snares of death surrounded them... In the very midst of our life - specifics, persons, places, and things... Houston, Memorial, Westheimer Road... The powers of hell would overtake us, only God can help us in the fight, only God can save us from the strife.  

Satan, He will crush your head... it was the promise made in a garden destroyed by sin.  For by a tree all had been made dark and polluted in sin - and now by another tree all things would be made new.  He will crush your head, Satan.  In the very midst of your war, you will be undone by a man.  The seed of woman will overpower you, and by his blood you will be destroyed - and all the world's sin with you.  

This was the time.  The specifics of Satan's demise had come to pass when Augustus was Caesar.  It will not be hidden in the obscurities of lies and half truths.  He will not be disguised in darkness, but rather displayed in the light.  All things he will speak plainly in the open and this Jesus will be truth itself, to comfort us, to preserve us from the evil one.  And so, quite specifically, God is born in the flesh of an infant - a baby born of a woman, the Virgin Mary. Born under the law so that he might free you from the law.  In the midst of utter woe, when our sins oppress us - Jesus has come to bring peace on earth... good news of great joy fills your ears this night, for this day is born to you a Savior!  

It isn't peace against bombs and famine and drought.  Not a peace against theft and terrorism or persecution or even the ravages of earthquakes and hurricanes.  This is a peace for you from sin and your own polluted nature you have brought through the door.  It is peace against Satan and his demons, against lies and doubts and unbelief.  This is peace from your sin and from your death.  Amid the hassle of a fallen world, a Savior is born - who is Christ the Lord.

So we celebrate with the shepherds and the angelic host of heaven, with Mary and Joseph and ox and donkey too... the weight of the Law will be taken on by man, this infant, this holy baby - for it is for this reason that Jesus was born, that he would lay down his life and die to save the world.  The one Joseph named, "Jesus," who laid his sacred head in the wood of a manger would rest his head against the wood of his cross.  For by a tree, we shall be saved and by this tree of calvary (his holy Cross) we shall know that God has come to dwell with his people.  It's Emmanuel that we crucify.  It is the God that created the heavens and the earth that is born of woman, tender and mild.  It's this same God that dies...lying down his life so that he can make new again.

And so he does.  Laying down his life he dies.  What child is this?  We claim to know nothing but him.  And him we call the crucified one.  He died, but then what he had laid down, he picked up again.  For the crucified one is alive.  Alive and thus giving to you his life.  A baby born that he would make all things new.  Your God, your Savior.  It came to pass in specifics, in a little town of Bethlehem, it may have been a silent night or even a midnight clear - but God was born of Mary, in the midst of war - that he would be THE casualty of that war and by that death conquer all things.  And so he does, here in Houston... here at Memorial... here for you...Today. This is your God, born and laid in a manger, born that he would die, born to save you from your sins.  Born that you would be called highly favored, righteous ones, born that he would restore to you paradise and a right relationship with God.  This is your God, the God that is man, the God that comes to men and women, the God that dwells with you and gives you of himself.  This is Emmanuel, the baby, born of Mary - called Jesus, because he saves you from your sins...  Merry Christ Mass.  

Preached at Memorial Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas

Rev. Steven Cholak

It’s our nature to think Jesus can’t really take care of things.  Send them away Jesus, for it’s late and the day is far spent.  They have nothing to eat.  They need to take care of themselves.  We have enough problems to worry about on our own, Jesus, don’t make us have to deal with them, too.  Send them away into the villages and towns…because they won’t find any food here. 

Not only do we fail to think Jesus can’t take care of things, we don’t expect Jesus to take care of us. 

We expect to pick ourselves up off the ground, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.  This is America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.  We’re strong, inventive minds.  So set is our resolution on our own navels, we fail to see that we can’t pick ourselves up, nor how miserable our condition is.  We can’t help ourselves, we won’t make it to the village – there isn’t any food for us to buy.  We’re dead in our sins.

Repent.  The kingdom of God is at hand. 

He came to a desolate place.  The storms of sin and the darkness of death have cast long shadows in this valley of death.  The whole of creation, yes, even your own flesh groans in the pains of sin, falling in the vacuum of death.  Yet it is here, that God has come.  It’s to this flesh and blood of man that he has forever bound himself… that he might give his life for you. 

Don’t make them go away!  You give them something to eat.  I give to you and I deal with them by your hand, with your mouth, in my stead.  By my command keep them here, bring them close, I will feed them.  I will care for them.  I tend my sheep. 

Jesus takes care of things.  He takes care of you, by his Word and by his Body and Blood.  Washing you in baptism, he calls you his own.  By the will of God you have been made whole.  The living Bread of heaven, has well taken care of you.  Sit, no- kneel before his gracious hand, and the gifts that flow forth will fill your heart with rest.  Oh, wondrous food of blessing, Oh, cup that heals our woes!

By the Spirit of God – the desolate are made whole again, nourished and loved.  Come to the feast, and eat.  Eat of his body, drink of his blood, be satisfied for this day Christ has forgiven you.  You need not go away, for your Lord has come to you. 

In +Jesus’ Name.

We sang In Thee is Gladness yesterday at the divine service.  It made me think of Abraham and a sermon I preached from day's past...

In Abram was gladness, amid all the sadness and death of this life - God counted him righteous.  No longer was he to be Abram, but now - because of Jesus - he would be called Abraham.  Kings would come from him...a son promised him...an everlasting possession granted him.  God made a covenant with man.  He declares a promise and remembers his mercy.  Forth from his mouth comes his mighty Word.  To break our bonds and to make us his own special people.  

Evil ruled in your heart and darkness reigned over you.  Locked in Satan’s chains, your bondage like that of your father Adam.  Lost in your sin, you despise God and his good things, fearing powers - of earth, and sin, and death.  The state of man - is great depravity - evil lurks and fills the hearts of men as your sin leads you astray.

But the Son has dawned on father Abraham and upon your hearts, too.  The promise is for Abraham and for you.  But why does God look out over the land and count yourighteous?  What have you done to receive the gifts of heaven?  

Nothing!  In fact, apart from God, you can do nothing, your souls are sleeping, your bonds hardening, and your hearts are troubled.  But the promise is for Abraham and for his children - for you.  For you, because you are the object of his love and attention.  For you, because of his great love.  He likes you and no power, not of earth, nor sin, nor death can have you from his hands.  Forth from his mouth comes his mighty Word...to break your bonds and to make you his own bride.

For we rejoice that amid all our sadness, God did not ignore us and leave us to our own destruction.  Instead, he became man...seeking...traveling...finding you.  The Lord remembers his promises and showers you with his mercy.  This promise - the gifts of heaven come flowing from the darkness of Calvary’s cross.  The sunshine of your hearts shines forth only from the darkness of Jesus’ crucifixion.  For while you were caught in your sin, the God-man Jesus died and shed his life - body broken & blood shed - true gifts to wake your souls and break your bonds.  

A promise - He will be your God!  What does this mean?   God’s life is yours.  He gives you all of himself.  On Calvary’s cross he defeated Satan and destroyed death.  He brings that blood - the life of the world and washes you in his Word.  With his very breath he takes away the sin of the world and speaks comfort to his bride.  With blood spilled and Word spoken, Jesus places crowns upon your heads and calls you his love.

We shout for gladness, triumph over sadness...God has made kings come forth from Abraham!  He has established great nations for by Jesus’ blood God has given the gifts of heaven to you!  Your souls now awake, your bonds now broken.  You stand with Jesus forever!  Alleluia.  In +Jesus Name.  Amen.

1 Peter 2:1-6 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." 

Isn't it an oxymoron? How can a stone be living? In itself a stone is without life. It even is the mark of death...a slab of rock to record your epitaph. And without the Lord Jesus, it is the very thing we are. Without God, we’re lifeless. We cannot do anything that is good and we have no fear, no trust, no love for God or his Word. We despise the Lord Jesus and everything that he speaks. And so it is that beating within our chest is a heart of stone—a cold rock... to defy, to lie, to deceive, to slander, to hurt and to hinder. It’s a heart that seeks out an independent road, a path of our own, our own way to salvation. It's a heart that ignores the needs of others and exults self. When the man and the woman ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and their eyes were opened... the first thing they did was cover themselves and hide from God. In their shame and vice they drew themselves away from God and away from each other. We no longer are born with true love of God—instead we have a true desire to sin and to run from God. We despise Him and end up alone in the midst of the valley of death with the weeds and thistles of life growing up around us.

Our Lord Jesus is the cornerstone. His work is never to stand alone, but to draw all men to Himself. He makes us like Himself, little Christs, little lights for the world… not stones that refract the light, but stones that produce light… not stones that stand alone, but stones that find their strength when they are built up in Him, the chosen and precious cornerstone of Zion. King David called this world the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Satan would have it a darkness with a chilling breeze. He would have our sin be our crutch and our hearts beat to a tune that’s different from God. But there came a man, sent from God, a man that is God, chosen and precious in all of heaven. True man, born of a peasant girl named Mary and also true God begotten of the Father from all eternity. This One has come to bring light to the valley and the warmth of life to you.

All this He does through His Word. That your heart of stone would be ripped from you and a living, beating, heart of flesh take its place and your sins removed from your white knuckled clutches, He drowns you in the waters of Baptism. And baptized you become a living stone… a brick, to be placed and used in the building of His spiritual house. It’s as a living stone that you have a life together with the many members of the church and with Jesus Christ Himself. He means for it to be a life together. The Greek word koinonia is often translated as fellowship or communion. Our life as Christians is made whole as Jesus makes us members of this fellowship — but not just that! He continues to sustain us and carry us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death with that fellowship. When Adam and Eve hid themselves—God went and found them. He didn’t need to...but He did. He confronted their sin, but covered their shame with garments made of skin. In God’s proclamation of the Gospel to Adam — He gave absolution. In the same way He finds us, sends His Holy Spirit to call us with His Gospel and gathers us unto Himself. He creates in us a clean heart and restores the joy of His Salvation to us in the partaking of the body and blood of the Cornerstone Himself. In the eating and drinking of Jesus’ body and blood we are given a right spirit again.  It’s in this beating heart of God that we are forgiven, given new life, and are emboldened in a life together of being little Christs, full of mercy with a mouth opened by God to witness the praises and the promises of Jesus.

I've know about MagCloud for a year or so.  It's really a neat idea.  You upload a PDF of your own creation and people can order a copy on line.  MagCloud will print it, bind it, and send it to you in the mail.  You can also download digital versions of your magazine if you prefer to read them on the computer or iPad.  

Up until today, I hadn't really ever used it.  I had an account, but never uploaded anything.  That all changed this afternoon.  Please check out http://mlchouston.magcloud.com and see what you think.  You'll find a version of the church's newsletter that was snail mailed out to the congregation today.  This version is slightly altered to look a little more appealing on your iPad or computer screen.  I'd love to know what you think about the service... and if you want to pay for a hard copy, you can do that too!

Going to the Supper is a defiance of death (anyway) - for as oft as we eat and drink, we do show forth the Lord's death until He comes... we show Death itself a reminder that it is defeated, and our Lord who defeated is coming again.  —Pastor Eric Brown, commenting on Four and Twenty Blackbirds