David Bahn - Reflections

While these physical blessings are least important in my Top Five List of thanksgiving blessings, they do come from God. And it is fitting that we give God thanks for them all. Or as Martin Luther says, "For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true."

The example of Jesus and Paul is for us to seek God's reign and rule, be fully devoted to Him, no matter what our vocation, and live productive and peaceful lives. We'll never do it as perfectly as Jesus did. Not even many missionaries today are as sold-out as  was Paul. But we can all follow the example of obeying God, loving Him and our neighbor, and living a life of repentant faithfulness. In the words of Paul, "May the Lord direct [our] hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ."

God uses the nuts and bolts of daily living to make a thing of beauty when we take seriously not only our heavenly calling but our earthly responsibilities.

One of those responsibilities - which Paul mentions just a few verses prior to these - is to bring the Gospel message to the world. That's by no means a mere nuts and bolts proposition, but however we are able to bring that about is also a part of our service to God and our neighbor.

You cannot reflect what you do not see. You cannot give God's love if you've not received it. You cannot be steadfast if you're not convinced of Jesus' steadfastness. And even when we've received God's love, and been convinced of Jesus' steadfastness, we need constantly to turn our hearts toward Jesus for his never-ending supply of love and grace. Thankfully it is never-ending. Steadfast. Reliable. Perpetually present. May our hearts be drawn toward that and our faith embrace them and give us courage and the will to express them to others. We'll be blessed by it, and bless others in the process.

Paul realized that when we are completely dependent on God we are strongest in our faith. So now his prayer is for God's word to be received and honored. His heart is for the people who do not know Jesus, whom God has chosen for him to convert. I wonder if his prayer life is instructive for you. I know it is for me.

Open a door for my witness, dear God. Speed your word along through me today! In Jesus' name. Amen.

We often call on our pastors and church leaders to pray for us. That is good and proper. Today, I urge you to pray for your pastor. Maybe also send him a note, telling him that you thank God for him and have him in your heart and prayers today. He needs those prayers. You'll bless him by doing that.

The only way we can obtain the glory of Jesus is by his grace which we receive through faith in Christ alone. And here’s the stunning thing about that: He desires to give it to us. He has called us to this through the gospel message so that we may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s an unimaginable gift. There’s no way we could ever earn it. We simply must receive it by faith.

Even though the validity of the Gospel is not dependent on the one who proclaims it, a lifestyle at odds with the message of Jesus will definitely undercut people's willingness to listen or to hear. And the most competent leader of any kind devoid of character can cause great harm. Jesus commands us to love God and to love our neighbor. These are the two great commandments of God. Not suggestions. Not mere ideals. This is a command to reflect God's nature, character, and love for others.

But let not God's name or fame be forgotten. Because we have been saved, forgiven, brought into the fellowship of the redeemed, we are God's royal priesthood, his holy nation, a people of God who are to declare the glory of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

That's why Paul here prays for the Thessalonians and us to be established in every good work and word.

I share five of my favorite church traditions today, and one I do not observe-good as it may be. 

What's your favorite tradition? Does it honor Christ? Does it edify the believer? Does it serve the cause of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus? Does it express the reality of Christ's reign and rule in your heart? I think those are good ways to uphold edifying traditions.

Martin Luther railed against the traditions of the church in his day that got in the way of the truth of God's word and obscured the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He believed that traditions can be helpful. But he also knew that they can also easily become more important than the very things they are supposed to uphold. The sale of indulgences, unquestionable Papal authority, relegating the laity of the church to inferior status are just a few examples of harmful traditions in Luther's day.

Some good traditions remain today. Kneeling or standing for prayer, coming to the altar rail for communion, standing when the gospel is read in church are all excellent traditions. But if the standing or kneeling become more important than the act of prayer, the gifts of Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper, or the gospel message itself we have a grave problem.

We are in a sermon series at St. John with a clever motto: Keeping it Real: It's about the heart. Not about playing a part. This is Paul's message here. The traditions he is pointing to are all about the heart. They are those truths, teachings, and practices that center our hearts in Jesus Christ. His love, mercy, grace, goodness, and truth are the focus of every good tradition.

True traditions are not just about making the village work. True traditions anchor us to Jesus. They fill our hearts and souls with life and joy.