Whatever Happened To Freedom?
‘For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.’ (Galatians 5:13).
As a denomination, we deeply value the freedom Christ has won for us. Yet we’re in a doctrinal bind over who can be an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church! Jesus said, ‘If the Son makes you free you will be free indeed.’
Whatever Happened To Passion?
Where is the passion of the Lutheran church for lost souls? What is our passion as Lutherans? It’s important to have sound biblical/doctrinal knowledge but until the hearts of people are overflowing with the full impact of passion for Jesus, both Jesus’ passion for us and passion for the mission of sharing the Good News, our denomination will continue to decline. We have to face this truth even though good things are happening in congregations and agencies within our denomination. Let’s become passionate again about acknowledging God’s grace, love and Good News. Forgiveness of sins is like someone producing a much-needed goal; Jesus ‘kicks the goal of forgiveness’ for his team, a good reason to move and celebrate God’s Fatherly love; the love God absolutely wants us both to know in our minds and feel in our hearts. Freedom and passion belong together because they are life-giving! The Bible is the living word of God. God’s word speaks life and our understanding of it surely increases over time. If God’s living word does not change our hearts and lives we haven’t clearly heard its message. We live in a vastly different culture from Bible times. Though we read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever God’s word calls us to change the way we live, practice and share faith in our present world.
Whatever Happened To Joy?
Where has our joy gone? The joy of being Jesus’ followers; joy that wants to burst out spontaneously in praise and thanks for all God has done for us in Jesus! The best testimony is when someone shares the joy of what the Lord has done for them. We can’t tell someone else what to believe, but when I tell others what God has done for me, no one can deny my personal witness. Personal testimonies are a great witnessing tool in our congregations and communities. This is practical, shared Christianity not just the pastor preaching, it’s using the gifts of everyone to make our congregations a team ministry. This scripture was the theme of Union in 1966, Nehemiah 8:10: ‘…and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’ Let’s not lose this true joy, the joy of being hidden in Jesus’ death and resurrection, sustained and encouraged in true love by the Holy Spirit to lead and empower us as individuals and as the Church, the joyful, radiant, beloved Bride of Christ!
Whatever Happened To Unity?
God calls all of us his dearly loved children. God doesn’t love or value some more than others. God calls all of us to unity.
‘I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.’ (Ephesians 4:1)
It would be appalling to see the LCANZ split over who can proclaim the Good News of the kingdom. Surely the message of salvation is more important than the messenger who brings it! God is calling women and men to be pastors in the Lutheran church. How can we as a church continue to deny these called ones? Sadly our denomination is tied up in legalistic knots over constitutions/doctrines that have backed us into a corner, through a few ‘doubtful interpretations’ of scripture, seemingly aiming to power-block any means for change. Whose power is it anyway? We are guided by the Holy Spirit, are we not?
‘May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Romans 15:5).
Unity is critical to the LCANZ. For every reason we can think of we cannot afford to split. Our witness would be severely damaged, as if it’s not already. Please, please God help us to work this out with prayer, serious, corporate prayer, prayer vigils, and other ways we learn from leaning on you, learning from your Holy Spirit’s guidance.
Whatever Happened To Repentance?
The core message of the Gospel is about reconciliation: between God and ourselves, and ourselves and others. To even consider the LCANZ splitting with all its ensuing implications would show disobedience to the gospel for which we need to turn to God in repentance and faith. This is God’s church, not ours: we are privileged to be called to be his Holy- Spirit-empowered disciples, his messengers and missionaries. Repentance is an act of turning away from the sin that would condemn us unless we seek and accept God’s forgiveness, and move on as God’s people who are free, passionate and unified in joyful celebratory worship, who live joy-filled, lives, spreading the Good News of God’s kingdom by every possible means!
