The Revealing Mirror

This sermon was preached for my Preaching II course and turned in as a catechetical sermon for my Confessions course. My two primary texts are the catechism and Exodus 20.
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The 10 Commandments have become so popular many have jokingly adapted the commandments to fit their context. On a quick Google search, I found the 10 Commandments of suburbs, fashion, nurses and even the commandments of team teaching and Minnesota. This state has it’s own version of the 10 commandments. I found these 10 Minnesotan Commandments posted on Professor Mary Shore’s blog. Please excuse my non-Minnesota accent.
1. Der's only one God, ya know.
2. Don't make that fish on your mantle an idol.
3. Cussing ain't Minnesota nice.
4. Go to church even when you're up nort.
5. Honor your folks.
6. Don't kill. Catch and release.
7. Der's only one Lena for every Ole. No cheatin'.
8. If it ain't your lutefisk, don't take it.
9. Don't be braggin' about how much snow ya shoveled.
10. Keep your mind off your neighbor's hotdish.
First commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Luther’s Small Catechism asks, “What does this mean?” The Small Catechism answers, “We are to fear, love and trust God above all things.”

Let me offer a quick suggestion for answering the question, “do I have any gods before God?” What do I fear, love and trust most? (PAUSE). Thinking in broad strokes, some gods of today are money and possessions, food and alcohol, sex and pornography. For me, I think that I fear, love and trust my work, my bank account, my professors, my husband and family more than God. Anything that I fear, love and trust more than God is my god.

Luther explains in the Large Catechism, “If your faith and trust are right, then your god is the true one. Conversely, where your trust is false and wrong, there you do not have the true God. For these two belong together, faith and God. Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your God.”

It’s easy for me to say, “oh, that stupid law.” It’s the bad law that caused me to sin. If the law wasn’t there then I wouldn’t have sinned. God would realize that I have my plate full with school, work and family; I am living in the 21st century with many vocations to attend to. It’s not me – it’s that outdated oppressive law. Didn’t Christ come to fulfill the law so that we live in God’s good grace?

Before we jump ahead of ourselves let’s imagine for a moment what would happen if the law was fulfilled. For a moment, let’s envision a world where the law is kept in its entirety. The law is not only the first commandment. So that means we are to fear love and trust God above all things, but we also are keeping the other 9 commandments are as well. With the world full of the law what would or wouldn’t be present? (PAUSE) First I notice a few absences, I see the lack of war, poverty, disease, murder, rape and hunger. In addition to loosing bad aspects, we gain things too. Folks in El Salvador have clean drinking water, universal healthcare is available for the poorest African and or environment is healthy. We would be righteous and justified. We would fulfill God’s law and have no need for Christ.

The truth is, we are sinners and cannot fulfill the law. The law is not bad. In fact, the law is God’s good gift for ordering our lives. We Lutherans agree that there are two main uses of the law. First, it establishes order and justice in creation. This use of the law should be the basis to structure our life here on earth in our structures, institutions, and relationships – in our family life, our work and economics, our church organization, and in our lives as citizens. This use law is intended to establish order for those relationships and to make sure they are just.

The second use of the law is to show us our sin. If we were to examine ourselves by the 10 Commandments, we would never make it past the first commandment without being convicted, as we explored at the beginning of the sermon. The law is a mirror for self-examination – it shows us our sin so that we realize our need for Christ.

We are called to live in accordance with the law, but our salvation does not depend on this. We are justified by faith in the work of Christ, not the law. Christ came for us, sinners, the ones who do not keep God’s good just law. The ones that don’t even keep the first commandment. Christ came even before we saw our sin reflected in the 10 commandments.

Thanks be to God

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, to South Dakota We Go

This evening we had our last internship orientation meeting. After the session, Aaron and I went to talk to our relater about our preference to be in Sioux Falls and Colton, South Dakota for the coming year. She was super excited and told us in a quiet tone, “you know, married couples are placed first.” Translation, “you two are going to South Dakota for internship.” This excited me for a number of reasons.

1.I’ll be at Augustana College
a.Colleges have nice breaks
b.Internship will be 9 months instead of 12

2.Summer of 2007 I can do my CPE (aka Clinical Pastoral Education or chaplin)

3.We’ll be in South Dakota in a city with people we know and family an hour and a half away

Aaron and I will make the move to Presho, South Dakota this summer to take over for a pastor on sabbatical. Aaron is responsible for the 3 point perish and I’ll be taking online classes, enjoying the nearby lake and volunteering a few days in Pierre. Pluses here, again, close to family, and I’ll also be free to travel to Ohio for my Grandma’s 90th birthday in the beginning of August.

(Teresa, I’m looking forward to your call to express your excitement!)

Navy Man Returns His Wings

This letter was posted on Truthout. It speaks for itself.
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President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As a young man I was honored to serve our nation as a commissioned officer and helicopter pilot in the US Navy. Before me in WWII, my father defended the country spending two years in the Pacific aboard the USS Hornet (CV-14). We were patriots sworn "to protect and defend". Today I conclude that you have dishonored our service and the Constitution and principles of our oath. My dad was buried with full military honors so I cannot act for him. But for myself, I return enclosed the symbols of my years of service: the shoulder boards of my rank and my Naval Aviator's wings.

Until your administration, I believed it was inconceivable that the United States would ever initiate an aggressive and preemptive war against a country that posed no threat to us. Until your administration, I thought it was impossible for our nation to take hundreds of persons into custody without provable charges of any kind, and to "disappear" them into holes like Gitmo, Abu Ghraib and Bagram. Until your administration, in my wildest legal fantasy I could not imagine a US Attorney General seeking to justify torture or a President first stating his intent to veto an anti-torture law, and then adding a "signing statement" that he intends to ignore such law as he sees fit. I do not want these things done in my name.

As a citizen, a patriot, a parent and grandparent, a lawyer and law teacher I am left with such a feeling of loss and helplessness. I think of myself as a good American and I ask myself what can I do when I see the face of evil? Illegal and immoral war, torture and confinement for life without trial have never been part of our Constitutional tradition. But my vote has become meaningless because I live in a safe district drawn by your political party. My congressman is unresponsive to my concerns because his time is filled with lobbyists' largess. Protests are limited to your "free speech zones", out of sight of the parade. Even speaking openly is to risk being labeled un-American, pro-terrorist or anti-troops. And I am a disciplined pacifist, so any violent act is out of the question.

Nevertheless, to remain silent is to let you think I approve or support your actions. I do not. So, I am saddened to give up my wings and bars. They were hard won and my parents and wife were as proud as I was when I earned them over forty years ago. But I hate the torture and death you have caused more than I value their symbolism. Giving them up makes me cry for my beloved country.

Joseph W. DuRocher

Let It Snow

At 3am this morning our snowcast was 1-3 inches, now it’s 6-9, WAHOO! It's hard to believe the forecast when just two days ago I was playing Frisbee and laying on a picnic table in a t-shirt and sandals. Nevertheless, I’ve been waiting for some big snow and here it comes. So far this year we haven’t been around for a big snowfall to play snowfootball in. Tonight we just might get the snow to make this winter pastime a reality – YEAH SNOW!

Hoping Against Hope

My latest sermon on based on Romans 4:13-25.
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Abraham had faith. He was not one who demanded miracles, signs and wonders. He had faith in God before he trusted God. God made promises to Abraham - HUGE promises. God said, “this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations.” The problem with the covenant - Abraham didn’t have any children. This would be hard to believe for a young guy in his 20’s but Abraham was 99 and without even one child when this promise of having descendants was made to him. At Abraham’s age, he should be worried about heart disease, cancer or Medicare changes. He should not be concerned with conceiving a child. Let’s not forget about his wife, Sarah, who was barren and past childbearing age too. She too should be worried about the issues of aging, maybe Botox or a face lift. Yet, these two hoped against hope for the promise to be fulfilled.

God also promises Abraham saying, “To your descendants I give this land.” Abraham placed hope in God who promised many things to him. For this promise to be fulfilled Abraham not only needed a child but also land. Abraham hoped against hope that these things would come true.

How often do I hope against hope? Many times it is hard to trust promises. We are living in an age where promises are frequently broken and where hope can be hard to come by. What do we place our hope in? Are we hoping for an unexpected scholarship to pay the bills, hoping for a sunny warm day when we can set homework aside for a few hours and relax? Are we hoping for a miracle drug to cure a loved one? I must admit I am hoping against hope for all of these things.

For years my cousin Zack’s health problems were misdiagnosed. Finally, at age 5 his condition was correctly identified as Autism. His parents, my aunt and uncle did not know what to think. They had no clue what Autism was or what this diagnosis meant. Their immediate thought was that of hope. The hope that he would get better one day, somehow. The thought process was we’ll get him the right therapy and use medication if we must, but he’ll get better.

As he got older, we realized the implications of Zack’s condition. He understands and responds to words, but he cannot use these words for his own communication. He cannot verbally tell others he wants a cheeseburger instead of chocolate pudding or that he wants to swim instead of swing. He doesn’t respond to physical contact like you and I do. Zack is more content ripping a telephone book into strips than being held or cuddled.

Because of the late diagnosis, Zack missed what is commonly known as the ‘learning window’. However, the doctors say that he can learn a skill for the workplace. So now he is learning how to fold sheets, towels and washcloths so that he can one day work at a hotel in housekeeping.

Zack’s dad has tried every treatment he can find, hoping against hope that something will work. Hoping that one-day Zack will begin to speak and be nurtured by the love and affection he receives. My uncle frequently looks through multiple search engines for the latest information and medical breakthroughs.

I remember learning about one of these breakthroughs while I was in college. A drug that would normally be used for another illness was prescribed for an autistic child. While normally not intended for treating autism, this drug worked a miracle for the autistic boy. Within days of taking the medication, the 10 year old boy began to speak and all the symptoms of autism were gone. The wall of silence crumbled and blank stares were shattered with smiles. My uncle found this drug available through an Internet pharmacy operating in England. He bought drug and gave it to Zack hoping against hope that the same results would occur.

Unlike Zack’s experience, Abraham had promises to hope in. Abraham had a promise from God. From a world as Abraham knew it, the deck was stacked against God’s promises. Abraham had promises from God. The promises that God makes, God keeps.

My families hope against hope comes in a different form for Zack. I can’t hope in a promise of Zack being healed from autism. God has made no such promise. The drugs from England provided some positive behavioral modification, but Zack still lives with autism.

The hope in the promise of healing from the English drugs is not the same hope in a promises made by God.

We talk about promises, but what promises does God make to you and me and Zack?

We are promised that God will be with us in all circumstances, near to us, dear to us, at our side. As God was with Abraham, so God continues with us in Christ. There is nothing we have done or could do to deserve this gift.

We are promised that in Christ we shall live forever with Christ, that we shall never die, that Christ conquered death and that we shall live eternally with God. We did nothing to earn or deserve eternal life with God.

Like us, Abraham didn’t earn what was promised, but thanks be to God that the fulfillment of the promise didn’t depend on the works of Abraham. We remember and celebrate the promise given to Abraham and Sarah still because of the ever faithfulness of God’s word. And it is this word, this promise from God, in which we hope against hope.

Bathroom Bugs

One night, I entered the bathroom. My intentions were to brush my teeth when - lo and behold - a ladybug had entered the cabinet behind our mirror. Yes, a ladybug was in the bathroom snuggled in beside my toothpaste. Instead of killing it myself, I quickly remembered why I married Aaron. He has a gift for killing ladybugs and their cousins.

Story two – one year earlier: One early morning (think 4am) we were at a Shalom Hill Farm, a retreat center in rural Minnesota. The place where we were staying had an Asian Beetle infestation. So, Aaron and I were fast asleep when Aaron jumped out of bed and began shaking his head and making scary noises. Somehow, the light came on and he managed to say, “there’s an Asian beetle in my ear!” It took me a good minute or two to wake up enough to laugh, then another 3 minutes to settle down enough to help. We spent the next 20 minutes sticking things (pen caps, paper clips and finally tweezers) in his ear trying to get it out. That morning he stomped the beetle so many times you’ve thought he was trying to stomp it to the bedrock below.

Henceforth he shall be known as Aaron the Lady Bug/Asian Beetle Slayer.

Not that I don’t value Aaron’s work, but to see a real killer in action check out what Wesley killed in his bathroom at
Wesley's Bathroom Kill.