Building Update: Demolition Approaches

Dear Friends and Family of University Hills Lutheran Church,

 Greetings to you and your family in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 We’ve been informed that the demolition permit for the old church building should be approved by the city of Denver soon.  This is good news and shows that we are indeed moving toward the construction of a new building in which to worship.  There is, of course, a bitter-sweet aspect to the news as well, as many of us have dear memories of being confirmed, married, even baptized in the old sanctuary.  Some of us attended grade school at U-Hills.  Consequently, there is an element of sadness to this latest news.

 The Gospel lesson that was read recently was from Matthew 16:13-20.  The people were saying all sorts of things about who Jesus was, from “a prophet” to “Jeremiah” to “John the Baptist,” Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”  And Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

 Jesus says in response that the Father has revealed this to Peter, and that Jesus will build his church on this confession, saying that the very gates of hell will not prevail against it.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached at University Hills for sixty-eight years, and the Christians who have gathered there for services in that span of time have continued to make the same confession that Peter made, two thousand years ago:  “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  With that confession, we also confess: “He lived and died and rose from the dead for me and all sinners.  I am saved by grace alone, through faith alone.”

 This reminds me of the hymn which we sung that same Sunday, “Built on the Rock.”  The first stanza is memorable: 

 Built on the Rock the Church shall stand

Even when steeples are falling.

Crumbled have spires in every land;

Bells still are chiming and calling.

Calling the young and old, to rest,

But above all the souls distressed,

Longing for rest everlasting.


 Church buildings don’t last forever.  The recent fire that destroyed a good deal of the Notre-Dame Cathedral illustrated that.  Many churches fell in Europe during the devastation of WWII.  Our own building, it has been determined, is not a good candidate for the remodel necessary to ready it for use as a sanctuary.  We, therefore, have opted to take it down and erect a new one, complete with worship space, offices, and accessible restrooms.  The building will include unfinished space for a warming kitchen and classrooms, which we ourselves will finish at a future date.  Thankfully, God’s Church stands, even when the buildings do not.

 

Verse three of “Built on the Rock” illustrates that perfectly:

 We are God’s house of living stones,

Built for His own habitation. 

He through baptismal grace us owns

Heirs of His wondrous salvation…

 

Ephesians 2:19-22 says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

 Buildings will fall and rise, but the Church, the people of God, built into a holy habitation and temple of God, will remain until the end of time, and on into eternity.

 As we look back and reminisce about the special occasions that we associate with our old church building, we are reminded that what made them memorable was what took place there, and with whom we shared it.  Our baptism, or perhaps that of our child, was a forgiveness of sins, God putting his name on us, putting his Holy Spirit into our hearts.  Our wedding was a commitment before God and each other, God uniting two into one flesh.  The funeral of our loved one was a thanksgiving to God for their life shared with us, and a commendation of their soul to his care until the Day of Resurrection should come and we be reunited once again.  Our confirmation was a day when we proclaimed publicly our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, confessing that the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod was true to the Scriptures, which are the only norm of faith and life. 

 These memories will live on, as will our faith in Christ and our love for him.  We will continue to meet together each Lord’s day.  We will celebrate the holy Eucharist.  We will baptize our children.  We will teach the Scriptures to young and old alike, both in our congregation and to those nearby.  And, we will continue to proclaim Christ as crucified and risen from the dead, and returning one day to take us all home.

 In these days of change and uncertainty and as we move forward in faith with our building project, I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to be your Rock and your Fortress, and that, relying on Him alone, you will have joy and peace.

 In the name of Jesus,

Pastor Vanderhyde

An Update on Resuming In-person Services

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 Psalm 122 begins, “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”  It is my great joy to invite you to “Go up to the house of the Lord” as University Hills Lutheran Church resumes our noon worship services beginning this Sunday, June 21. 

We are working hard to ensure that our gathering will be safe for everyone and that our procedures are in line with state and county health dept. guidelines for large groups.

This transition to in-person services will not include fellowship time or in-person Bible study or Sunday School.  We will continue to offer a virtual Bible study each Sunday, at 10:00am, via Zoom.  Christ Lutheran will be sanitizing the pews, doorknobs, etc. after their 9:00am service to ensure a clean facility for our service.

 We encourage anyone who is especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, and anyone who is uncomfortable gathering in groups just yet, to continue to make use of the services that we will continue to post online.  Please do whatever you feel necessary to ensure your good health. 

This Sunday, please observe the following:

·         Please wear a mask into the sanctuary and until you are seated.

·         Keep proper distance between you and others.

·         Seating in the sanctuary will be limited.  An usher will help guide you to your seat.

·         Once seated, you may remove your mask.

·         As you come forward to receive communion, please wear your mask and keep a good distance (at least 6-8 feet) from the family group ahead of you.

·         Wait to approach the table with the elements until the family group ahead of you has moved on.

·         Remove your mask once you have reached the table to receive the elements.

·         Replace your mask when returning to your seat.

·         When you have returned to your seat, you may remove your mask.

·         An offering plate will be located at the back of the sanctuary.

 

I look forward to seeing those of you who are able this Sunday.  If you have any questions regarding our worship on Sunday, or if you feel you are not comfortable attending but would like me to give you private communion at home, please call me.

It will be a joy to see you all and to worship together again.  God be with you and give you His peace.

In the name of Jesus,
Pastor Vanderhyde

An Update on Coronavirus Concerns and our Community

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

These are trying times as we watch for news of the spread of the Coronavirus in our city, state, and nation.  Our leaders are working hard to get out in front of this disease. Recommendations are changing daily, it seems, and are becoming stricter with each report.  Yesterday, March 16, Governor Polis announced the closing of restaurants, bars and theaters across the state to onsite activities (takeout and delivery is still allowed). 

A few days ago it was mandated in Colorado that all gatherings of fifty people or more be canceled.  Yesterday, the CDC and the president's task force asked that, for at least the next two weeks, any community with minimal to moderate COVID-19 spread cancel gatherings of ten people or more.

As followers of Jesus Christ and as citizens of God's heavenly kingdom, we are not to live our lives in fear of anything save God alone.  Romans 8:28 says, "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  In confident faith we trust that his promise is true. A few verses later we read, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"  The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the demonstration of God's love for each one of us and for the world (Romans 5:8). Therefore we do not live in fear, but we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

While we do not live in fear, trusting ourselves to the Lord's care, we also must act as responsible citizens in our community.  We have been urged by our district office to heed the advice of the CDC and our local authorities in how we respond to and work to minimize the impact and spread of the Coronavirus.  There are many in our congregation and larger circles who are at high risk from this disease. 

I have been in contact with our Elders and Church Council, and we have come to the difficult decision that, for the good of our church community and the community at large, University Hills will discontinue all church-related activities for the time being.  Christ Lutheran and other congregations have decided to do the same. We will continue to monitor the recommendations of the CDC and local authorities and will keep our members informed of any decisions that are made as we go forward.

What we are witnessing is unprecedented.  We don't know what, in the end, the impact will be.  What we do know is that our Lord remains in control, and that he will continue to work for our good.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!

During this time I will continue posting audio sermons to this website, found here. Please hit the “subscribe button” at the top of the page to have the sermons automatically delivered to your phone.  You can also find an expanded online form of our service including the scripture readings for the day, sermon, creed, Lord's prayer, prayer for our congregation and society, and benediction here.  Please contact Roberta or myself if you would prefer an audio CD or a printed copy to be mailed to you each week. I'd also like to be able to offer times when I would be available at the church (Christ Lutheran) for members to receive private communion. Watch for details that will be forthcoming.  Please also continue to update the church office (Roberta) or myself with prayer requests.

There are devotional materials and sermons from The Lutheran Hour Ministries at www.lutheranhour.org and from Lutheran Public Radio at www.lutheranpublicradio.org.  The Lutheran Hour is broadcast each Sunday in Denver at 6:00 a.m. on 850 AM and 94.1 FM.

God is giving us an opportunity to love each other and our neighbor.  If you have any needs at all (grocery shopping, rides to doctor, etc.), please contact me (at the phone number below) or one of the Elders.  We have people ready and able to be helpful to our brothers and sisters. Likewise, remember to check on your neighbors and offer help where you are able.

On Sunday we read responsively Psalm 46.  It is very applicable to our situation today.

God is our refuge and strength,

    a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

    though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

    God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

    he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come, behold the works of the Lord,

    how he has brought desolations on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the chariots with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!"

The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

I will be praying for you all and I encourage you to continue in prayer for one another, for our congregation, and for the nation at large.  God be with you!

In Christ,

Pastor Vanderhyde 

303-759-0161

The March Epistle: The Word of the Lord Stands

I think it’s safe to say that we live in a changing world.  The stock market is up, the stock market is down (today it’s down because of the coronavirus scare!).  Oil is boom, oil is bust, oil is boom again. Yesterday the house two doors down was there, today it’s a pile of rubble, waiting for the new owner to build a new and better house.  What seemed a solid, family value (marriage between a man and a woman) has seemingly redefined overnight.  

In this changing world, people come to power and, inevitably, lose that power.  Borders are redrawn, nations rise and fall. Often, leaders and even nations want to leave a legacy about themselves, something that will speak well of them for generations to come.  On our recent trip to Italy, we saw a lot of that in the museums: busts and full sculptures of emperors and senators, monuments to military victories, etc.  

One interesting monument was the Arch of Titus. It was erected by Emperor Domitian in 81 AD to honor his brother’s (Titus) victory in the Jewish rebellion in Judea.  About 35 years before this rebellion was put down in 70 AD, the disciples remarked to Jesus about the beauty of the temple stones.  His reply referenced this very victory and the coming destruction by Rome: 

“You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2).

Solomon’s temple was not forever but was destroyed.  Neither was Herod’s temple forever (the temple was rebuilt in Jerusalem in 516 BC and enlarged and refurbished by Herod the Great in the decades before Jesus was born).  The Arch of Titus has carvings which detail the victorious procession of the conquering army of Rome as it brought away many Jews as slaves and the treasures of the Jewish temple as spoils.  The Arch of Titus still stands today, but even this stone monument is not forever, as it required restoration in the 1800’s.

The Roman Empire spanned 1000 years.  The ancient Romans believed that, no matter what went on in the world, Rome would endure.  Even today it is sometimes referred to as the Eternal City.  

It was striking, then, to see the remains of ancient Rome.  The Forum is a preserved area of the heart of ancient Rome where great pillared colonnades and massive buildings once stood as temples to various deities and even Roman emperors.  

Although the artist’s renderings of the original buildings are beautiful and quite impressive, these great monuments to a civilization did not last.  Neither did the Roman Empire.

All of this might remind us of Psalm 146, where God urges us:

 “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.”

Don’t put your faith in kings and princes, in emperors or presidents, in the government…, because all of the establishments of man will pass away.  After Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple, he says, 

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

The only thing stable in this world, the only thing that will not pass away, is the Word of God.  That Word is the good news of a loving God who sent his only Son to be our Savior, to die on a Roman cross for the sins of the world.

While the world continues to change, while kingdoms rise and fall, God’s eternal Word will continue to change the hearts of people, bringing repentance and creating faith.  Whatever happens in your life today, tomorrow, and over the decades, His love for you will never change, and His claim on you as his dear child will remain true forever.

Swift to its close 

Ebbs out life’s little day;

Earth’s joys grow dim,

Its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all I see;

O, thou who changest not,

Abide with me.

God bless you during this Lenten season as you look forward to the celebration of Christ’s passion and His glorious resurrection, eternal monuments to His great love for you.

- Pastor

The January Epistle: Forth in the Name of the LORD

I pray that your remembrance of Christmas was filled with peace and joy as you celebrated the coming of Christ our Savior in humility to win for us the victory over sin and Satan, over death and hell.

I have a question for you.  Were you victorious in 2019?  You could very well respond, “That depends on how you define victorious!”  How did you fare in accomplishing your New Years’ resolutions?  I can imagine that many of the items that made last year’s list appear as hopefuls on this year’s list as well.  However, our victories and defeats involve much more than whether or not our New Year’s resolutions are met. A change to one’s health, job transition or loss,  a broken relationship, the death of a loved one, or any number of disappointments and difficulties can seem insurmountable at the time. When we’re faced with such obstacles in the coming year, will we be victorious?  Or will they defeat us?

One of the great victory accounts in the Bible is found in 1 Samuel chapter 17.  It’s the account of David vs Goliath. I encourage you to take five minutes and reread the account for yourself.  It’s pretty exciting! David is just a young boy who tends his father’s sheep. His older and full-grown brothers are with the army of Israel under King Saul, and are encamped against the Philistines.  Each day the Philistine champion, Goliath, comes out of the ranks of the enemy and challenges one Israelite to face him in battle – winner take all. Goliath is over nine feet tall, his armor alone weighs around 125 lbs, and no one from Saul’s army (including Saul) dares fight with him.

Along comes young David, sent by his father to see how the battle is going.  When David hears the challenge of the giant, and when he sees the army of Israel fleeing before him, he tells Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of [Goliath].  [I] will go and fight with this Philistine.” Saul’s tells David that he can’t, he’s just a boy, and this guy has been practicing war since he was David’s age! But David replies that he’s used to fighting lions and bears and is not afraid.  Saul consents and offers his armor and sword to David, but, of course, they don’t fit the stature of a boy. Instead, David takes his staff and chooses five smooth stones from the brook. With these and his sling he approaches Goliath.

Goliath disdains David, and says, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?”  And then he curses David by Goliath’s gods. David runs at Goliath, fits a stone to his sling, and slings it at the giant.  The stone sinks into his forehead and he falls on his face. David cuts off his head with Goliath’s own sword, and the Philistines flee en masse.

Now, it looks like David has won a great victory over Goliath and the Philistines.  And, to be sure, David is hailed as a national hero. After all, he was bold and brave and didn’t let the size and bluster of Goliath intimidate him.  I could say much here and give you three ways to emulate David and gain victory over the difficulties and obstacles of 2020. But it would all be rubbish.  

I have, you may have noticed, left out some really important details in the telling of the story.  First, David tells Saul that the reason he will be able to strike the giant down is that “[Goliath] has defied the armies of the living God!”  He says confidently, “Yahweh, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  David’s confidence is not placed in himself, in his abilities or wisdom or strength. He is sure of victory because the Lord, Yahweh, is with him.

Then, when David faces Goliath and the Philistine taunts him, David replies, “You come to me with a sword and a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”  David tells Goliath that he will be victorious this day over him and over the entire Philistine army, “For the battle is Yahweh’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

Many of us will be facing Goliaths in this coming year.  I want to encourage you to lift up your heads with confidence and to meet these giants without fear.  Just as David was confident in the Lord Yahweh’s presence with him, you, too, can be confident that the same Yahweh of hosts, is with you.  He has sent his only Son, the Son of David, to be born in the city of David for you. Jesus Christ faced our greatest enemies – sin, death and the devil – and he has utterly defeated them all.  

Because you are the Lord’s, he will be with you as you face your Goliaths this year.  Just as David was able to recite how the Lord had been with him in the past you can point to the past as well.  David looked forward to the coming of the Christ. You can point to the cross and the empty tomb and say with confidence, “Jesus, the Christ, has come for me!”  You can point to your baptism and be reminded that in the blessed waters Yahweh put his name on you and you became his dear child. You can be assured of his presence as you place the very body and blood of Christ into your mouth for the forgiveness of your sins and the strengthening of your faith.

As we step out into the great unknown in 2020, remember that the same God, Yahweh of hosts, is with you, as he was with David, and that the battle is the Lord’s.  As you meet your Goliaths head on, remember that Christ has already won the victory for you. You are his, and he will guard and keep you in 2020 as he has in the past.  We go forth in the name of the Lord!

- Pastor

The December Epistle: Silent Night

So where were you and what were you doing on July 19th of 2012?  On the 20th?  How about the 21st?  Perhaps you, along with millions around the world, were watching and waiting with bated breath for the announcement that Princess Kate had given birth.  When the baby was finally born on July 22nd, the images of Prince William (aka proud papa), Princess Kate (aka proud mamma), and their newborn baby (named George later) were splashed across the internet and television screens around the world.  The birth was announced in a press release from Palace officials and was accompanied by gun salutes in several countries, the ringing of bells in Westminster Abbey, and colorful light displays. Suffice it to say that within minutes of the birth of the baby third in line to Britain’s throne, the event was known around the world.

On December 25th, we celebrate the birth of another king, King Jesus.  Although he is the king of the universe and the very Son of God, his birth occurred in obscurity. Aside from an impressive heavenly choir that terrified some shepherds who were startled out of their wits, it was a very silent night.  There were no reporters camped outside the stable door. Bethlehem’s 7am newscast the next morning spoke of the crowded conditions and the inconvenience of the census, and even hinted at the oppressive Roman occupation, but breathed not a word about the birth of the Savior of the world.

Yet, though the night in this respect was silent, it was indeed holy.  This silent night, as well as Mary, Joseph, and Bethlehem itself, were each set apart by God for this miraculous and glorious event, the birth of Immanuel, “God with us.”  All of the promises that God had made to come to the aid of his people, to send a redeemer, were wrapped up in the incarnate Christ child. He would be the one who would atone for the sins of mankind, who would undo and reverse the curse that had resulted from Adam and Eve’s fall.  And only a doting father, an exhausted mother, and a handful of humble shepherds knew about it.

But the good news that the King had come could not be kept under wraps.  His coming was not designed to be a secret. In this humble birth, God had come to dwell with man, as a man, “Born under the law, to redeem those under the law” (Galatians 4:5).  What began in obscurity and silence would before long be proclaimed to all nations. The King has come!

Will Prince George be king of Britain one day?  If so, what will result? We don’t know. But we do know what has resulted from the birth of the baby, Jesus, that silent night so long ago—Peace.  Peace between God and man, and an eternity with God in heaven. That’s a life far better even than life in Buckingham Palace!

Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light.

Radiant beams from thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.


- Pastor


The November Epistle: Thanksgiving

As November commences, we in America begin to anticipate the coming of Thanksgiving Day, a day when we not only remember God’s providence to the Pilgrims who came to our shores in search of religious freedom, but also a day when we celebrate with friends and feasting the good things that God has done for us during the past year.

And we have many things to be thankful for.  Our Heavenly Father has preserved our lives. He’s given us our daily bread which is more than food and drink, but, as Luther describes, includes “clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers,” etc.  God has listened to and answered our prayers. He has kept us in the one true faith and provided for our every spiritual need through the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Yet these are not all that we are thankful for at this time of the church year. 

The early Christian church had begun setting aside feast days to commemorate the martyrdom of its saints.  However, as the number of martyrs increased, the need to consolidate these feasts into one date became apparent.  As early as 373 A.D. there is mention of a single day being set aside for this purpose. In our church calendar, November 1 is commonly set aside as “All Saints Day,” or “The Feast of All Saints.”

In Luther’s day the church had begun to venerate the saints.  That is to say they had begun to look to and pray to the saints for miracles and for mediation between themselves and a holy God, who they saw as being angry with sinners. The saints, the church taught, stood in the presence of God on the merit of their own good works.  Because they are in His presence, they “have his ear,” so to speak. Therefore, the various saints might mediate between the sinner and God, might request mercy or a miracle from God, or might perhaps perform the miracle themselves. This understanding is contrary to God’s Word which says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5).  Hebrews 9 says, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come…. he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood….Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant….everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” God used Martin Luther and other reformers to restore to the church a proper view of the saints, whose faithful confession claimed Christ as their only mediator before God, by Christ’s own precious blood which He shed on the cross and brought with Him into the heavenly Holy of Holies as payment for the sin of all men.  For Christ our Savior, and for the faithful witness of the saints, we are truly thankful.

But there is one more thing that I am especially thankful for at this time of the year.  I am thankful for you, God’s present- day saints. You see, the word in the Greek that is translated as “saints” is ἁγίους (hagious), which means “holy ones.”  Each of you, my fellow redeemed, are saints because you are “ἁγίους,” you are “holy ones,” by the merit and righteousness of Jesus alone.  And this righteousness, this holiness has been made yours in your baptism.  And one day, you and I and all who put their faith in Jesus will stand in the very presence of God, because we have been made pure and clean, our robes once filthy and crimson because of our sin, now washed white like new-fallen snow by the blood of the Lamb.

I am thankful for our God’s providence.  I am thankful for the saints who have gone before us.  I am thankful for God’s servant Martin Luther and the Reformation that God brought about in the church.  And I am thankful for you, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom I will stand in heaven, to sing the praises of our glorious God forever.


In Christ,

Pastor


The October Epistle: Polycarp of Smyrna, Martyr for the Faith

  Stephen is the first believer in Christ to be killed for his faith.  The story is recorded in Acts chapter 7, and is worth re-reading. Stephen’s life was taken from him because he professed Jesus as Lord and Savior, crucified by men but risen from the dead.  Luke records that from that day, a great persecution arose against the Church. Stephen was the first in a long line of martyrs for the faith.

The word in the Greek that we translate as “Martyr” means “One who gives a witness.”  In our context, a martyr is someone who suffers for some cause. When we think about martyrs in the Christian realm, we think about those who have been put to death for the faith – the most extreme form of suffering or persecution.  It is a testament to the great number of Christians who suffered and who were put to death for their witness that the word “martyr” has come to be synonymous with being killed for the sake of Christ.

One well-known martyr in the early Church was Polycarp, who was born in 69AD.  Tradition says that Polycarp was a student of the apostle John, and that John himself ordained him as bishop in Smyrna (in modern-day Turkey).  Polycarp was a bishop at a time of great persecution.

The pagan crowds, knowing that he was a Christian, insisted that Polycarp be brought to the arena.  Officials went looking for him, but fellow Christians kept moving him from farm to farm. Roman soldiers finally found him in a small cottage.  He was taken into the city on a donkey. The captain of the troops met him and asked, “What’s the harm in saying ‘Caesar is Lord’ and offering a pinch of incense? Save yourself.”  But Polycarp did not respond. They persisted. He answered, “I won’t do it.”

Polycarp was eighty-six when he was brought to the arena.  Legend says that he heard a voice from heaven: “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.”

In the arena, the proconsul also attempted to persuade him to worship Caesar as a god.  “Swear by Caesar. Change your mind! Curse Christ!” Polycarp calmly replied, “Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He never did me any wrong.  How can I blaspheme my King who saved me? I am a Christian. I swear by Christ. If you want me to teach you the faith, tell me when.”

The proconsul countered, “I have wild beasts.” 

“Call them,” responded Polycarp.

“I will burn you with fire,” said the proconsul.

“Your fire lasts for an hour,” replied Polycarp, “There is an eternal fire that will burn the wicked.  Why do you delay? Do what you will.”

The crowds clamored for his death.  Three times it was announced, “Polycarp is a Christian!”

His hands were tied behind him and wood was brought for the fire.  Polycarp prayed as he gazed upward. “Lord God Almighty, Father of Your beloved and blessed Servant Jesus Christ, through whom we have received full knowledge of You…. I bless You because You have deemed me worthy of this day and hour, to take part in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Your Christ for resurrection to eternal life of soul and body in the immortality of the Holy Spirit…. For this and for everything I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Servant, through whom be glory to You with Him and the Holy Spirit both now and unto the ages to come. Amen.”  Polycarp was martyred in the mid-second century.

All Christians have a cross to bear.  Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).  For some, this means physical suffering or even death because of their witness. Jesus said, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”  To the world, it looks as though Stephen and Polycarp lost their lives for the memory of a dead man. But in reality, they found their lives for eternity because of their faith in the risen Son of God, who died that they might live.  Thank God for their witness. Thank God for the gift of Christ Jesus!

God be with you as you live the life of a Christian, as salt and light in the darkness of this world.  God give you His strength as you daily take up your cross and follow Jesus, praying also for your fellow saints at University Hills Lutheran Church and for your brothers and sisters in the faith around the world.  I thank God for you.

Peace in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Pastor


(Content taken from Rev. Brian Wolfmueller’s book, A Martyr’s Faith in a Faithless World, pp. 102-103. Rev. Wolfmueller’s book is available at cph.org or on Amazon.)

The September Epistle: Clearly Seen

I have been wearing glasses for some years now.  At first it was just reading glasses, but for quite a while now I’ve had to have a prescription in order for my sight to be really clear.  Using glass for the correction of eyesight is a simple idea, and one that’s been around for a long time. Light bends as it travels through glass or water, or anything denser than the surrounding air.  This change in density alters the path of the light. This is easily observed if you put a long spoon into a (clear) glass of water. Observing the spoon from the side through the glass, it appears that the spoon has become separated from itself.  Clearly, our eyes can deceive us!

In John chapter 9 there is a wonderful story of Jesus healing a blind man.  Jesus and his disciples were passing along and they saw a man who had been blind from birth.  The disciples think that his blindness is a result of either his own sin, or the sin of his parents.  Jesus says that the man was born blind in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. Jesus spits on the ground and makes some mud, then applies the mud to the man’s eyes.  “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,” Jesus tells the man (Siloam means Sent). So the man went and washed and came back seeing.

Now Jesus and the disciples have moved on, but the neighbors of the man, and those who had seen him before as a beggar were amazed and were asking each other, “Isn’t this the man that used to sit and beg?”  Some said it couldn’t be, but others thought it was the same man. In a humorous touch, the man keeps saying “Hey, guys, it’s me! I am the man!” They ask him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He tells them about Jesus, the mud, and the pool.  They bring him to the Pharisees who question him. When they hear that it was Jesus who did this, they note that it was a Sabbath day, and they pass judgment on Jesus: “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

Now, the man thinks (and says) that Jesus must clearly be a prophet, but the Pharisees doubt that the man was ever blind.  They call in his parents to corroborate his story. “Yes,” they say, “He is our son, and he was born blind. But we have no idea how he has come to see.  Ask him. He’s old enough.”

You know the rest of the story, but it’s worth reading the chapter again.  As things become more heated, the man becomes a bold witness for Jesus. He says, “This is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”  This enrages the Pharisees and they answer the man, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out of the synagogue. They used his condition of being born blind as the disciples had, as a sign of the man’s sinfulness. It’s ironic that the sin of rejecting the Son of God had made the Pharisees blind to what was clearly the truth:  Jesus of Nazareth was (and is) the Son of God.

Of course, this is the story of the entire human race.  We really are spiritually blind due to the fall. The sin that we inherit from our parents means that we are born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1).  No one seeks God (Romans 3:11). We are absolutely blind to things of a spiritual nature. 

The solution to our problem is not a matter of us tweaking ourselves a little.  No guru on earth can help us fix our spiritual blindness. It won’t be resolved simply, like changing the prescription of our glasses or contacts.  What we need is contact with the Savior, like the man Jesus met that day as he was on his way. We need Jesus to reach out to us, to put his hands on us, to give us new spiritual sight that sees beyond the darkness of the world we live in.  What we need is for Jesus to make us part of the new world, to give us a new birth with new eyes, eyes of faith. We need Jesus to change us.  And this he has done.  The Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel.  God washed us clean in the healing waters of baptism that washed away the mud of our sin that blinded us.  He gave us new spiritual eyes, eyes that see our Savior.

Jesus went looking for the man he had healed.  “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” he asked him.  He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”  Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”  He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.  Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

Jesus tells the man, “You have seen him.”  Up to this point, the man had not. And yet the man had testified about who Jesus was to the Pharisees.  The man had seen Jesus more clearly than many who had seen him with their eyes.

We clearly see the Son of Man, because he has also come to us.  Through the eyes of faith we see him in the verses of Holy Scripture.  With new sight we see Jesus in the bread and the wine of Holy Communion, as he gives us his body and his blood for our own healing through the forgiveness of our sins.  

We pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to work in and through us, that by our acts of love, and by our bold witness of Jesus Christ, his hands would continue to reach out to the world, that many more born blind might be healed by Jesus as we have been, and clearly see in the Son of Man their loving Savior.

God be with you all.

- Pastor