Reverend Ruminates
Pastor Ruddat's random ruminations about Christianity and life.
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The coming of Jesus has always been shrouded in mystery. In his first coming, as a baby in Bethlehem, thousands of years of mysterious promises were resolved and realized—and not always in ways God’s people expected. His second coming—at the End of All Things—is also shrouded in mystery. No one even knows the day or hour he’ll reappear. These 25 meditations look back on the mysteries of the Messiah’s first coming and look ahead to the mysteries of his second.
By clicking the link you may order your own booklet, sign up to receive an e-mail each day, Dec. 1-25, or read each devotion online.
These are written and produced by Martin Luther College, our college of ministry for our church body.
The difference between Lutherans and Calvinists: Calvinists worldview is that worship is what we do for God, and because of that, reassessing whether coffee in public worship is an important conversation for their worship is “their show” for the LORD. However, the confessional Lutheran worldview is that worship is what God does for us: He gives his gifts to us in Word and the Lord’s supper. We receive and even our response is not our own, it is worked in us by the Holy Spirit, and what we sing is what the LORD has done for sinners such as us. In other words, it’s the LORD’s show.
The Corinthians had food and drink in their public worship (1 Corinthians 11:2-21), but they were selfish about it and used it as a sign of status amongst those gathering (“I can eat and drink better than you can”). Paul encourages them to eat and drink at home, not because food and drink don’t belong in public worship, but rather it’s selfishness that doesn’t belong.
So bring your coffee and confess your sin of selfishness on Sunday, and receive the Lord’s gifts.
Minnesota pastor’s viral post about people drinking coffee in church ignites fiery debate
Got this from another pastor…
Father’s Day is tomorrow.
For some, it means a round of golf hitting the ball not so hard so that dad still thinks he has it. It means grilling four separate types of meat on the grill. It means taking the tour of dad’s workshop (for the fourth time this year) and commenting on just how nice that birdhouse looks.
In other words, it is a time of thanksgiving for dad.
But this is not true for all of us.
Because some will spend tomorrow without any idea who their dad is. Others will be wondering where dad is. Still more will spend tomorrow remembering dad’s drunken rage, his unfaithfulness to mom, even his lethargy toward being a parent.
In other words, it will be a time of sadness.
Is this the norm? Everyone celebrates Mother’s Day, but Father’s Day?….Divorce. Premarital impregnation and abandonment. Irresponsibility. Drug use. Alcohol abuse. These things have ruined dads. Ruined relationships. Ruined Father’s Day.
This is sad.
This is sin.
But even if you won’t be fishing tomorrow with an earthly father figure, please don’t let Father’s Day be a sad one.
Because you do have the best dad anyone could ask for.
(And I’m not talking about your earthly dad, no matter how wonderful he was…)
I’m talking about the One who is always there for you. The One who always listens. The One who always loves you. The One who disciplines, but only with your best interests in mind.
The One who saw you grow up. Who loves you at the present. Who has a wonderful future in mind for you.
I’m talking about the One who gave up the only Son who perfectly loved, listened to, and obeyed Him. The One who gave up this model child for you–his stubborn, rebellious, wayward child, the one that doesn’t listen–just so that one day you might come home.
I’m talking about the One who never gives up on you. Who always chases after you. Who holds you tightly in his warm embrace.
I’m talking about God.
Your heavenly Father.
Abba.
Divine Dad.
Give thanks tomorrow for any earthly father figure that you have been blessed with. Thank God for those who have had a positive Christian influence in your life. But don’t forget about your Heavenly Father either.
He’d love to have you chat with him. Look through the family history with you and remind you of how much he loves you.
Maybe you could even go to his house!
However you celebrate, may your day be blessed as you remember your fathers and your Father.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, Father’s Day is tomorrow. For some of us it is happy, for others it is sad. Today I am reminded of the joy that I do have in having you as my Father. Forgive me for the rebellion I have had against you my heavenly Father. Thank you for always being kind, for always being loving, for sending Jesus, your son to die and rise again in order to save me. Thank you Dad for your true love. May I always reside in that love. Help me meditate on that this Father’s Day. And I thank you for the father figures you have given me in this life. Be with them. Bless them. Raise them up to be true leaders, fathers who train with God’s Word and love with God’s love. Amen.
As we approach Holy Week and Easter services at Immanuel:
Bring your children to church.
Saturate their lives with Holy Scripture.
Even when they get the wiggle fidgets. Even when they lay on the floor. Even if they need 437 Goldfish crackers and a sucker to be quiet. Even when you stand in the fellowship hall swaying back and forth holding them. Even when it’s hard. Even when when your row looks like a small hurricane just came through. Even when they run from your arms into the chancel and interrupt the sermon. (You know I’ll smile, interact with them, and send them back to you. :-))
Bring your children to church.
Let them see you sing. Let them see you pray. Let them see the Savior serving you in Word and Sacrament.
If they don’t see and learn these things from you, from whom are they going to learn? The world will teach them this is not a priority. The world will teach them it’s okay not to read the Bible or pray. The world will direct them so far off course, confuse them, and misinform them that just being “good” is good enough.
The world won’t teach them about Jesus.
Bring your children to church.
“Some people began bringing little children to Jesus so that he would touch them. But the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said, “Let the little children come to me! Do not hinder them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen I tell you: Whoever will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the little children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:13-16 EHV)
Raising children is a great responsibility. Raising children in the Christian faith is an even greater responsibility. Let your child see Who is most important in your life.
Bring your children to church.
Jesus longs to see your children…and you, too.
Interview with Jeffrey Samelson, Director of Mission Advancement for Christian Life Resources. Pastor Ruddat interviewed him and talked about life issues, and the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court election in April, among other things.
Pastor, if there isn’t __________ in heaven, I’m not sure I want to go there. Pastor, what if I get bored in heaven? Pastor, will I really be happy in heaven?
It’s not just confirmation students asking these questions, it’s adults too. I’ve handled that question as a pastor, and it’s a question I’ve wondered myself. “Is heaven really worth it?” I know I’m not alone. Some, thinking that heaven as like a long church service, are hesitant to commit to heaven as a good idea because they know how they feel at the end of a long drawn-out church service. Some, thinking that heaven is a place of no sin, equate that with “no fun.”
Ultimately, at the root of the question is doubt that God knows what is best for you.
That’s why I appreciated preaching on Isaiah 65:17-25 this last weekend. Not only does the LORD through the prophet Isaiah talk about heaven in negative terms, such as no sorrow, no weeping, no danger from nature, no danger from the devil and his angels, no separation from those you love in the LORD, but also, no wants. “Then it will happen that even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24 EHV)
Even the best thanksgiving dinner needs someone to pass the butter.
If you ever go to a banquet at Von Abel’s in Hollandtown, you know you won’t leave there unsatisfied. And if it’s a banquet where it’s served family-style, you’ll get platter after platter to your table of delicious chicken, potatoes, vegetables, ham, and all the fixings. If you can keep eating, they’ll still bring food to you. You lack for nothing. But there are still sometimes you’ll have to ask for something, because the staff is putting so much in front of everyone they can’t always track if you have enough of each item.
A Thanksgiving dinner, with all the good food, still lacks something. Even if you are sitting at a table with a ton of food on it, you’ll still be asking for this or that to be passed to you. You’re lacking something until everything is passed to you and you have it all on your plate. But then, there’s still something lacking. Maybe the turkey was too dry, or there are raisins in your dressing, or a favorite dish isn’t present. There’s always something that could prevent you from being truly content. Imagine a place where you’ll feel like you have everything you possibly could want. Imagine an existence where you never get to the point where you say, “You know what this needs? More _______.” That’s what LORD through Isaiah was communicating in that one verse. Before you realize you need something, God will provide it. Before you can even think to ask for it, it will be there. This is more than just a genie giving your every wish, but a state of existence where wishes aren’t needed. You won’t even have a wish or a need. God will provide. Can you even imagine an existence where you lack for even a want?
God’s promises are His answer to your future anticipation.
God promises this in Isaiah, that in heaven you won’t have an opportunity to say, “If this had ______, I’d truly be happy.” All your wants will be supplied; you won’t be found asking for more. This is God’s promise. How can you be certain you will go there? Certainly you do not go there through your own effort, for you cannot be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Your best effort will still be lacking the perfect zeal and perfect motivation. Your best words will still lack the perfect love that God demands. But God sent His Son Jesus to die for you. Jesus lived a perfect life and his perfect sacrifice was credited to your heavenly account, thus giving you a place at the heavenly table. God will keep His promise to you because it is based on what His son has done for you. Until the day God fulfills His promises to the letter, there are those you know who, if the end of all things were today, would not spend eternity with you. Take advantage of the opportunities to invite others to this heavenly feast. Jesus Christ paid their way in too. Let them know. There still is room. And whether they listen or fail to listen, you still have an eternity of heaven to look forward to, a place where tears will be dried, sorrows forgotten, sin destroyed, and your every need supplied. You will lack nothing.
Due to scheduling conflicts, a local pastor was needed to teach 5/8 units of “Contemporary Congregational Concerns” senior course at MLHS. while teaching high school was what my father did in the 90’s, I wondered if it would be something I’d enjoy. I certainly cared for these seniors but I also consistently wrestled with myself and my inner “this could be done better” angst. I also did see a definite roadblock with my hearing loss. The kids were understanding and were as engaged as you’d expect seniors to be, but many times I wished I didn’t have to ask them to repeat themselves as it hindered the flow of conversation. Nevertheless, a labor of love giving back to my alma mater is finished. To God be the glory.
