Happy Christmas : from my perspective
St. Paul Lutheran Church
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Welcome!
I welcome your comments regarding our shared ministry at St. Paul.
 If you would rather comment privately please, email me at Prshepherd@westriv.com

"Two are better than one," says Ecclesiastes, 
"because if one falls down, his friend can help him up." 

I deeply desire to bring Christian comfort and the power of prayer to those who are challenged with sickness or circumstances in life. However, in this time of restricted visitation call me and I will attempt to contact them.

Please, assume that if you don’t tell us, we do not know. 
Call me at 301-4956 if surgery or hospital stay is imminent or if a visit could be helpful. 

Pastor Dennis
from my perspective…

    Breaking News, or Headline News, is updated by the hour and minute. The programs are designed to get our attention and to sell advertising. (Big surprise!) On the other hand, the Good News of Jesus Christ was proclaimed and is proclaimed today for an entirely different purpose.

    Mark begins his gospel with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mk 1:1, ESV) It sounds like Mark is reporting, “Breaking news! Pay attention! Something important has happened!” 


    Matthew begins his gospel, “The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David.” (Mt. 1:1) It sounds like Matthew is introducing a history lesson whereby we might learn something. Don’t get me wrong – I love history because I believe with George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 


    John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” (Jn. 1:1) This is something totally different. John invites us to lay aside our daily concerns and ponder life’s Big Questions concerning God and “The Word of God.” 


    Each year, we might take a measure of our life on Tax Day, an anniversary, or any number of other milestones. Regardless of the circumstances, we go through a process of reflection, evaluation, and decision-making. We might reflect on the Big Questions of Life, like “Who are we? And “How do I fit in with family and society?” or “What positive difference am I making?” 

    I will grant that the most common daily question is, “Am I happy.” But I believe the Bible teaches us that happiness results from how we think of ourselves and our relationship with others. Therefore, John invites us to ponder anew our relationship with the One God of the Holy Scriptures, as opposed to mental or emotional gods of pleasure, wealth or self-importance. 
In the church year, Lent is the season that encourages us to ponder our relationship with the one and only eternal God and one another or who we desire to become. 

    Join us as we explore Jesus’ great encounters with religious rulers, a disrespected woman from a disrespected people and His disciples. In John, Jesus, the Word of God, invites people to question who we are in God’s eyes and who He desires us to become to live a fulfilling life. (e.g. John 10:10)
As John informs us, Jesus, the true Word of God, comes into the world to save us from ourselves and the destructive temptations brought on by the evil lies of the great Satan. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17, ESV) 

Please join us in our encounter with the Living Word of God, your pastor, Dennis.

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Happy Christmas

by Pastor Dennis on 12/16/19

from my perspective…

A tiny baby lies in the manger with outstretched arms. The parents, Joseph and Mary, who rejoice in birth of a son, look deeply into his eyes. Angels, proclaiming the good news of God have filled the silent night. The shepherds hear the good news, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 ESV) The Shepherds seek the child and they find him.

Joseph must have been gratified to hear the shepherd’s story, for the angels confirmed the words spoken by Gabriel, in a dream, months before, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Outside the stable, the dark wind oppression blows and the people of Israel struggle. They blame their leaders, Judean and Roman, for their plight. They are ordinary people with ordinary needs for peace and security and hope. This winter, many are far away from home, forced to travel so they can be counted, so that more taxes can be added to their burden. It is not a peaceful time. Hope is a luxury that few seem to have - for it is hard to trust and believe that God will act. But they pray anyway for God to save them, to deliver them.

They pray for a warrior-king like David, but God has a different plan. Instead of raising armies that kill, steal and destroy, the Savior-king will raise an army of believers who will trust and hope in Him, who will build up one another with this hope in the midst of hardship and oppression. Like a summer shower, the Savior-king creates drops of rain that fall on the righteous and unrighteous alike. They give life until they are a flood of hope and peace that washes away the armies of darkness and despair.

This hope seems unimaginable to those who have bought into the lie, that possessions or power or political solutions will make everything right. God’s plan - God’s truth is that each person who trusts and receives the gentle showers of the light of God, will have the power and spirit of God to lift their own burdens and lighten the burdens of God’s people.

The Christmas story is not a myth to encourage children but holds the very power of God for life. Those, who in child-like faith, receive the hope of Christmas, find healing and peace and hope; they find their burdens lightened and their regrets forgiven, for God’s salvation is at hand.

Many who thought they were unworthy before God; will find they are welcome at the manger. Many, who thought their sins were unforgivable; will find pardon. Many who struggle with shame and guilt; will find their burdens lightened.  They are invited to go out, justified and healed, reborn into a new life with the Lord.

Christmastime is a gift from God. On Christmas Eve families who rarely worship together, hear the story of God’s plan for deliverance and once again it mysteriously it warms their hearts. They have heard the story many times and yet somewhere in the experience, hope blossoms and once again they find hope and purpose for tomorrow.

Please, join us for Christmas and the New Year in church where the light of Christ, the hope and peace and love of God, prevail against the armies of darkness.

Your pastor, Dennis

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