Joy Lutheran Church, Ocala, Florida

Not too long ago, I purchased a new pair of glasses.  As many of you know, it’s not as easy as purchasing a new shirt.  First there’s the doctor’s examination, then the new prescription.   There are frames to try on, are they the right shape, do they fit, do I like the color?  And then of course ordering them made up with the new prescription.  All the while hoping that on that final day when they arrive, they will actually fit and my vision will be improved as promised.

We do all this because our vision is important to us.  We want our sight to be as good as it can be.  If it is possible we want to see clearly enough to drive, to read, and to enjoy the world around us.

Do we also need sight to walk our spiritual journey?  We need sight to read and study God’s word. We need sight to see the needs of those around us, those who we can help and serve.  But in 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us that our spiritual walk is guided by something more than sight alone.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

There’s a wonderful hymn that expresses this thought beautifully.  The English theologian and hymn writer, Henry Alford (1810-1871) composed a hymn based on this text.  More recently Marty Haugen composed a newer interpretation, exploring the Christian’s experience of faith over physical evidence.  I quote one stanza of the hymn:

We walk and not by sight
No gracious words we hear
Of Him who spoke as none e’er spoke
Yet we believe Him near

God in his unconditional love gives us the strength to believe, the courage to have faith even in that which we cannot see.

I hope you enjoy the following rendition of the hymn set to the tune “Dunlap’s Creek” and sung at the First Presbyterian Church in Clarksville, TN.

Judy

I do love to walk, but am rather picky in that I prefer a pleasant breeze and cooler temperatures.  Sweating with temps in the 80’s and 90’s is not my favorite walking scenario. Ok, so getting ready is a routine of getting my feet ready, lotion and a nice quick massage. Next are the great walking shoes. Depending on the weather the walking pants are long or knee length, but definitely comfy with pockets.  Long sleeve t-shirt or short sleeve, again, weather directs this choice. Lip protector on. Face lotion on. Ear buds in. Praise and traditional hymns begin. Sunglasses on. Dog treats in right pocket and phone in left pocket. Dog treats are of course for my four-legged friends I meet along the walk.

Does this much effort go into my time with Jesus? Romans 5:6-8 “Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.”

Doesn’t this verse just say it all? We are loved unconditionally and He does not wait for us to get ready.  I love this reminder. I can have my priorities out of sync, or my mind caught up in “stuff,” but my Lord loves me and that will not change…. ever! I will put my attention on Jesus, like I do my prep for walking.  The joy will be everlasting. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me.

Jill

One of the greatest comforts of my faith is knowing God sees the big picture. As human beings, we often see only a small part of what is happening in our lives. We face disappointments, setbacks, and unexpected challenges, wondering why these things are happening the way they are. From our limited perspectives, life can seem confusing and unfair.

Fortunately, unlike us, God is not limited by time, circumstances or human understanding. He sees the beginning, the middle and the end all at once. He knows what we don’t. What might appear to us as a closed door may actually be God protecting us. What feels like delay may be His perfect timing. Even painful experiences can be used by Him to shape our character, strengthen our faith and prepare us for blessings yet to come. This is how He lets us know what we need in order to thrive by His plans.
In Isaiah 55:8-9, Isaiah reminds the people of Judah and Israel to let go of their sins and invites them to instead come to the Lord’s Salvation.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you can imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts”. In other words, while we may not understand His plan, we can trust that He is working for our good and His glory.

When life becomes uncertain, we can find peace in knowing that God loves us unconditionally and He sees what we cannot. He is carefully weaving together every detail of our lives according to His purpose. Because He sees the big picture, we can assuredly place our trust in Him. Thanks be to God!

Patty

When I was a child, my parents subscribed to several Book of the Month Clubs. One in particular was specifically for us children. It was a Saint of the Month Club. Life stories of saints from the beginning of church history filled our mailbox every month. 

Fortunately, as the oldest of the brood, I was privileged to be the first to read the books. How I loved those books! The tales of courage, sacrifice and love of God instilled a special feeling in my soul for the work of our God.  

As my baptismal name is Therese, (only used by my father to get my attention), I enjoyed reading about the various Saint Theresa’s.  There are a few. I once asked my mother which one I was named after and she was stumped. So, I decided, after reading about “the Little Flower”, that she was my patron saint.  

I recently heard a homily in which the preacher referred to St. Theresa’s Prayer. Searching out some background for the prayer, I found John Michael Talbot’s hymn “Christ Has No Body.” In a few words accompanied by beautiful music, Talbot and Theresa express the goal and purpose of our lives as Christians.  

Here is a version of the hymn sung by John Michael Talbot. In its simplicity you will see the life that we can follow for the God who loves us unconditionally. Amen! 

Terri 

Most Christians, including Lutherans, accept the Nicene Creed as their confession of faith. So how do Lutherans distinguish their beliefs from what most others confess? The answer is the Augsburg Confession. Joy professes the Augsburg Confession “as a true witness to the Gospel.” So what is this Augsburg Confession?

In 1530 the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V called on the Princes and Free Territories in Germany to meet in Augsburg, Germany, to explain their religious beliefs. Elector John of Saxony asked Martin Luther, Justus Jonas, Johannes Bugenhagen and Philipp Melanchthon to prepare a statement of faith. Luther couldn’t go to Augsburg because he had been declared an outlaw in 1517. Melanchthon did more work on the 28 articles before it was presented to the Emperor on June 25. 

Much of the Confession is meant to explain how the Protestants did not differ from the Catholic faith. It then goes on to explain some abuses the Protestants believed they had corrected. Unfortunately, the Emperor rejected most of the Confession leading to a permanent split between Catholics and Lutherans.

What’s in the Augsburg Confession? Here’s a section of Article IV: “people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith.” And some of Article X: “Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord.”

You can find the whole document here https://thebookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession/ Give it a read.

Read Romans 1:17 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

I read something odd in Martin Luther’s Sermon for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. He had been discussing the law, insisting that the law exists to promote love. If law is in conflict with love, the law must be ignored. He gives as an example a man with rigid rules about what should be eaten or drunk each day. Suppose someone in the household should take sick and could not eat any of the food for that day, but the man refuses to give him anything else because of the rule. Luther comments: “One ought to give him sneezewort to purge his brain.”

Sneezewort? I thought sneezewort was something J. K. Rowling made up for Harry Potter books where it is an ingredient for a Befuddlement Draught. Turns out sneezewort is a real thing. Scientifically known as Achillea ptarmica, the dried leaves are used to make a sneezing powder, like snuff.  I’ve never seen the point of taking something to make you sneeze, but I confess I’ve known a few people whom I thought needed their brains purged.

People get strange ideas. One of my clerical acquaintances was reported to her bishop for preaching about God’s love too much instead of God’s vengeance. I’ve run into many people who think the primary purpose of the church is to tell people to straighten out or God will get them. In my opinion they need a good dose of sneezewort.

We are changed by the love of God. That’s grace, not law.  That was Luther’s great discovery in the Reformation.

Gesundheit.

Read Romans 6:14 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

Paul was the first mission developer. Commissioned by Jesus and the Holy Spirit to be an apostle to the nations, or at least the cities all along the Mediterranean. They make for nice cruise destinations now, but in the 1st Century, it presented an awesome challenge to spread the Gospel to. It could be downright miserable, even life-threatening.

The congregation Paul founded in Corinth questioned his methods, his motives, his very ministry. Paul never gave up on those exasperating Corinthians, even though his heart was in great distress over them. He was not proclaiming himself but Jesus Christ as Lord. The light shone out of the darkness, and Paul became a slave to that light, that person.

Even with the sometimes chaos of our own lives, we can see the glory of God in the face of Jesus – and in faith of our brothers and sisters. To quote Paul in 2 Corinthians, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair; struck down but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in us”.

It is on the basis of patience and hope that we endure. We have long memories, which is a good thing in this case. The exasperating Corinthians rarely gave any outward sign that God’s Spirit was alive in them, even though Paul insisted it was. Friends in Christ, don’t bash yourself for not being constantly aware of this either. The Spirit’s seal is indelible, and our holy immune system is sufficient. The other 90 percent is God’s grace, God’s unconditional love.

Pastor Art

Father’s Day, whom did I honor?  My dad of  course, but how about his Dad as well and on back through the generations.  And then there’s my husband who was a wonderful Dad to our children, and our sons who are the best dads to their own families.  The gift of fatherhood is a blessing, and the love of a kind father is a very good thing.

My favorite verse related to fatherhood is Joshua 24:15. You see it was my father’s Confirmation verse, which he recited proudly each Palm Sunday at our church’s Reunion Service.  Even as I read the words, I can still hear his strong voice.

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”   Joshua 24:15

Dad was given those words on the day of his Confirmation, as his personal memory verse.  He lived those words every day of his life.  Whether at home or at work, decisions were made that would “serve the Lord.”  I was the very lucky beneficiary of his faith and strength.  I do not forget

Lord help each of us to live according to those words.  With the strengthening of your unconditional love, we can do this.  And when we fail, pick us up Lord, and help us begin anew.

Judy

Drive a car – the conditions: test, license, insurance.   Own a home – the conditions: credit, money, insurance. Lawyer/Nurse/Doctor – the conditions: education, degree, tests, license. Professional athlete – the conditions: stamina, strength, determination, skill. Everywhere you turn, conditions seem to apply from mowing a lawn to packing groceries to flying to the moon. Meet the qualifications, check all the boxes for conditions to pass. Whew! I am so very glad that Jesus loves me Unconditionally!  That truth is almost too hard to comprehend.

Have you stretched the truth? Have you had conversations that got heated and you overreacted? Have you ignored your spouse or taken them for granted? Has the ability to smile escaped you? Does stress control you and your demeanor? Have you even attempted to help a person in need? Are you becoming inflexible, unwilling to accept change?

We are sinners and that is the truth! The most wonderful news you will ever receive is knowing Jesus is your Savior, and you are LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY.  How can that even be true?….but it is!  Jesus loves each of His children.  Our missteps, our flaws, our sins, our ups, our downs…He is there with His mercy.  His grace.  His forgiveness. His unconditional love is for YOU. Trust Him. Thank Him. Follow Him. Listen to Him. He has chosen YOU so learn of Him and embrace the unconditional love from Him.

Jill

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:6, “Children’s children are a crown to the aged,” reminding us that grandchildren are a special blessing and a source of honor and happiness.

As I write this, we wait for the birth of our first granddaughter. Today is the due date, but she will come when God decides. We are hyper-excited.  We have waited for this for a long time.  We had our child late in life and our daughter has followed suit, making us a true example of the “aged” grandparents the verse from Proverbs talks about.

Grandchildren are one of God’s sweetest gifts. They bring joy, laughter and a renewed sense of wonder into our lives. As grandparents, we are given the privilege of watching another generation grow and flourish. We see the faithfulness of God as His blessings continue through our families. Grandchildren have a way of brightening even the most ordinary days with their smiles, hugs and endless curiosity. They remind us to appreciate life’s simple pleasures and to cherish every moment.

God blesses us with grandchildren to not only bring us joy but also to provide opportunities to share our wisdom (which they might not want to hear), values and faith. We can tell them about God’s goodness, pray for them, and encourage them to walk in His ways. These moments create lasting memories and strengthen family bonds.

Every grandchild is a unique gift from the Lord, entrusted in our care and love. Through them, we experience God’s grace in a fresh way. Their presence fills our hearts with gratitude and reminds us that God loves us unconditionally and that His blessings often come wrapped in the laughter and love of family. Thanks be to God!

Patty