Church of the Lutheran Confession
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. (Psalms 37:5-7)Read More »Pastoral Letter December
We have only five loaves and two fish.” (Matthew 14:17 ESV) “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (John 6:9 ESV)
John tells us that this miracle took place at the time of the Passover. This would place this event at about a year before Jesus’ crucifixion. Matthew places this event immediately after the beheading of John the Baptist by King Herod. Matthew tells us that “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat to a solitary place.” The opposition to Jesus was increasing. The storm clouds of the cross were beginning to gather. Jesus was in the northern province of Galilee far from Jerusalem. Read More »Sept – Pastoral Letter
Ezekiel cried, “Dem dry bones!”
Ezekiel cried, “Dem dry bones!”
Ezekiel cried, “Dem dry bones!”
“Oh, hear the word of the Lord.”Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Read More »April – Pastoral Letter
“This is the King of the Jews”
(Luke 23:38 ESV).
The season of Lent reveals Jesus to us as the promised messiah-King. Jesus established His everlasting kingdom by delivering us out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and sin into His everlasting kingdom of light. Luke ends his Gospel by presenting to us “Christ the King!” The events of Palm Sunday revealed Jesus as a strange kind of king.Read More »This is the King of the Jews
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.Read More »Epiphany
President John Schierenbeck | December 2010 Pastoral Letter
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. (Psalms 37:5-7)Read More »Advent
Pastoral Letter
November 2010
Dear Fellow Servants:
Ten lepers called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” They probably had heard of Jesus’ healing miracles in Galilee. The report of Jesus’ power had spread throughout the entire region. They addressed Jesus as Master. They also appealed to Jesus for mercy and healing compassion. They believed that Jesus had the power to help them, and they appealed to His mercy for help.Read More »Where are the nine?
Pastoral Letter
September 2010
“Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 ESV).
Dear Fellow Servants:
We live in an age which emphasizes self-esteem and self-worth as desirable characteristics.People take classes in self-assertion. This attitude of pride is nothing new. In Jesus’ day the Pharisees or religious leaders were proud of their position and proud of their works. It was the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men.” Most religions emphasize doing things that make you feel you are better than others.Read More »A Servant is Humble
Pastoral Letter
“From the Mountain to the Cross”
July and August 2010
“Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray….And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.” (Luke 9:28, 36 ESV).
Fellow Cross Bearers:
Sharon and I recently returned from a five thousand mile trip to visit our children and grandchildren. Along the way I spent a week in Eau Claire, WI attending the 29th Convention of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. It was a demanding week that involved a lot of sitting, a lot of listening, and a lot of prayer. It was good to get back home again. But guess what – the problems that were here when I left are still here. It was back into the demanding regular work of the pastoral ministry. Someone said that convention will help you appreciate your congregation and your calling. Sometimes I experience a letdown when I try to turn the excitement and possibilities of convention into the reality of my ministry.
Pastoral Letter
May 2010
“But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over
them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your
servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man
came not be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28
ESV).
Fellow Servants:
While I was at ILC attending the recent Co-ordinating Council meeting, I listened to a chapel
address reminding us that the greatest quality for leadership in Jesus’ Church is service. This
is contrary to the thinking of the world. The apostles were incensed because the mother of
James and John had asked Jesus that her two sons be permitted to sit at the right and left
hands of Jesus in his kingdom. The apostles were indignant not because she had asked, but
because James and John might have gotten in the front of the line. Jesus acknowledged that
this is the way it is among the rulers of the Gentiles who lord it over you. But Jesus said, “It
shall not be so among you.” Jesus turned everything upside down, “Whoever would be first
among you must be your slave.”