QOTW: Part Three

God's Holy Word excluded, What's the best book you've ever read? Part three

Picking the best book is impossible. Picking a memorable book that impacted my thought process is more manageable.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer was a riveting read. A brother of the blogging and cycling domain, Finkelstein, recommended it. Next to Seabiscuit, this was one of the best chunks of non-fiction I've ever read. Stroll through the doggy mall that is Partridge Creek , read this book and then stroll back through mall of gluttony, excess and selfish consumerism. (Yes, I recognize the redundancy of that last phrase.) Your view of The Gap, Baby Gap, Adolescent Gap, Senior Gap, Doggie Gap and Dude, I'm To Cool For The Gap - Gap, won't be the same.

QOTW: Part Two

God's Holy Word excluded, What's the best book you've ever read? Part Two

Music has the ability to transcend time and whisk the listener back to the days of old. Ahhh, "Stairway to Heaven" takes me right back to dances at North Middle School in Saginaw Michigan. The gym was packed, the cool 9th graders ruled over the 7th and 8th graders and Tracy Meachem just happened to say "Sure", when I asked her to dance. I was sporting black pants with some kind of dazzling fake silk shirt that would make Jay Gatsby's collection look like some thrift store reject. Oh, and the cord hanging around my neck was fashionable then.
Music is like that. It creates a manageable sensory sensation and I can close my eyes and still hear the music and see Vince in the corner of the gym dancing with Bonnie Somebodyoranother.

For me, books do the same but I am not teleported to the 9th grade. Oh, no. I've matured. I'm in college flipping through the final pages of Firestarter by Stephen King.
Now, I'm not some crazed Stephen King fan. In fact, that may be the only Stephen King novel I've read. I've perused and even used some of his short stories but for some odd reason that book absorbed me during the summer after my first year of college.
I just finished my 4:30 - 12:00 night shift as a security guard on Concordia, Ann Arbor's campus. (I know, treacherous stuff. Hey, somebody might try and sneak in some after-hours piano practice. I had a badge and a flashlight to make sure that nonsense didn't happen. Not on my watch!) I was tired from the grueling rounds but I had only 100 pages to go. I had to finish. Would they catch the girl? Would she lose all her power? Would she snap and send the world, or her little part of it, up in a fiery plume of violence? I remember my attention fading, eyelids dropping. I was not a coffee addict so I did the only sensible act I could concoct. I stood on my lumpy matress reading the book aloud. I know, I know. Goofy, but it worked and all was well with the FireStarter as she rolled into the Rolling Stone office to tell her story.
These memories are so rich that even though that night was over 25 years ago, it could have happened yesterday.
The power of words.

QOTW: September 29

God's Holy Word excluded, What's the best book you've ever read?

I know this is akin to dumping 5,000 different crayons in front of a four-year-old and demanding the youngster pick his favorite color. Junior experiences sensory overload of titanic preparations that the ensuing meltdown only allows him to work the drive-thru window at Dunkin' Donuts. It's not a bad job because 23% of the time he gives you exactly what you ordered.

Best book is defined as "best book in that category."

Book 39 in the Hardy Boys saga, Myster of the Chinese Junk. You might not have scintillating marathon sessions about the innate symbolism found in the meaning of the work. You might not even like it, but it's a favorite of mine because A) the Hardy boys solve the crime. B) it reminds me of camping with my son, C) Chet and his jalopy made a command performance. Mystery of the Chinese Junk is one of my favorites not because of it possesses great literary merit, but because it reminds me of good days gone by.

What book takes you back in time?

QUOTW

Reverend Todd Wilken's Sermon Diagnositc:

Reverend Wilken has a simple diagnostic tool to guide sermons and chapel messages. I've shared this tool with many people because it's simple, effective and powerfully reveals what we all need: the cleansing righteousness we receive through Christ's death and resurrection.

Wilken's sermon diagnostic:

1) How often is Jesus mentioned? Now just because Jesus is mentioned doesn't mean the Gospel has been proclaimed but if Christ isn't mentioned then the Gospel surely isn't being preached.

2) When Jesus is mentioned is he the subject of the verbs? Who is driving or performing the verbs? If Jesus is not driving or performing the verbs, who is? The Gospel is what Jesus does for us. That can only be stated when Jesus is actually performing verbs. Jesus cleansed our sinfulness. Christ forgives our sins. Christ proclaims us righteous before God. The Savior appeased God's wrath by sacrificing His life.

3) What are the verbs Jesus is performing? Is Christ modeling, motivating, empowering? This isn't the Gospel. Christ models perfection. That's beyond my original-sin tainted existence. Preaching Christ crucified means preaching that Christ forgives, cleanses, declares, pronounces, proclaims, saves.

Why is this diagnostic important to use? Luke 24: 46-47

Attribution Note: I used Reverend Wilken's article, "A Listener's Guide to the Pulpit" taken from the Issues Etc. Journal as my resource.

The Audacity of Those Who Foolishly Possess Hope

It's simply a ploy to stop the looming financial hemorrhaging. Fans think this will make a difference and the healing can begin.
No.
The blood is pouring profusely from this franchise. Marranelli was Millen's boy. What Millen couldn't accomplish will never be accomplished with Marranelli. Ford believes this diversion will placate fan anger and provide hope in a dismal season.
It won't.

QOTW

So What Should We Sing?

Let's examine the pudding for some proof.


Today I have chapel. I often hear young ones whine about the need for audience participation. I agree. However, my agreement will not take the form of tossing snacks into the crowd to reward correct answers, asking random questions about global issues or stating, "I said, 'Good morning'. I know it's Monday but let's try that again, 'Good MORNingggggggggg!'"

My idea of participation comes in the form of singing. What better participation could there be? So what do we sing? Since I'm a fan of clarity, I want to sing hymns that clearly and powerfully teach about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Melodic generalities that require assumptions and interpretations are dangerous. My rule is that if Oprah can sing it, I don't.

This is exactly why I'm using verse four of hymn 474 in the Lutheran Service Book, Alleluia! Jesus is Risen at the start of today's chapel.

"Weeping, be gone; Sorrow be silent; Death put asunder, and Easter is bright. Cherubim sing; "O grave, be open!" Clothe us in wonder, adorn us in light. Jesus is risen and we shall arise: give God the glory! Alleluia!"

QOTW:

Relevance.

The chapel must be relevant and there is no better way to achieve it than clearly, emphatically declare God's Law.

C.F.W. Walther, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod's first president stated in his book, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel that , “…the Law uncovers to man his sins, but offers him no help to get out of them and thus hurls man into despair.
In the third place, the Law does indeed produce contrition. It conjures up the terrors of hell, of death, of the wrath of God. But it has not a drop of comfort to offer the sinner. If no additional teaching, besides the Law, is applied to man, he must despair, die, and perish in his sins. Ever since the Fall the Law can produce no other effects in man. Let us ponder this well.”


That's as relevant as it gets. We all have sinned and the condemnation of the law must be clear. The condemnation of the Law makes it clear that we are all in need of saving. The time period matters not. We are as sinful as the both thieves on the cross. The penalty for our sins is death. That message may vary in approach but must not vary in meaning.



Once we understand the situation we are in because of our sinful existence, we understand the need for an external agent to save us. God in his abundant grace gave us this external agent in His son, who did what we could never do. Christ paid the penalty for our sins and cleansed us from the damnation made so clear in the Law.



C.F.W. Walther describes the Gospel this way. "The effects of the Gospel are of an entirely different nature. ...The second effect of the Gospel is that it does not at all reprove the sinner, but takes all terror, all fear, all anguish, from him and fills him with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. At the return of the prodigal the father does not with a single word refer to his horrible, abominable conduct. He says nothing, nothing whatever, about it, but falls upon the prodigal’s neck, kisses him, and prepares a splendid feast for him. That is a glorious parable exhibiting to us the effect of the Gospel. It removes all unrest and fills us with a blessed, heavenly peace.
In the third place, the Gospel does not require anything good that man must furnish: not a good heart, not a good disposition, no improvement of his condition, no godliness, no love either of God or men. It issues no orders, but it changes man. It plants love into his heart and makes him capable of all good works. It demands nothing, but it gives all. Should not this fact make us leap for joy?"



Back to relevance. Relevance can't simply be defined as meeting the audience with cultural connections. If that's all it is the chapel message falls short. The relevance of the Law and Gospel transcends time and must be present in all chapel messages.

QOTW: So what should be included in a twelve-minute chapel to Lutheran high school students?

QUOT: Question Of The Week

Here's a new feature I'll send up the flag pole to see who salutes it. On Monday, I'll pose a question and then add my thoughts throughout the course of the week. Please jump into the conversation at any point of the week to share your thoughts on my comments or other blogger's comments

Part One:
This week, I'll share my thoughts on what should be included during a twelve-minute chapel message to students attending a Lutheran high school. Rest assured all my thoughts include the clear and life-saving message of Christ crucified. NOTHING is more imporant.

Until then listen to a recent broadcast of Issues, Etc.
The show's host, Reverend Todd Wilken discussed the importance of Christ Alone during an interview with Rev. Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, a professor of theology at Concordia University in Irvine, California and an ordained minister in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.