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Dear Friends,
As I write these words, it is Election Day. According to the polls there might be a great change in the make up of Congress because the war in Iraq is making America angry. At least that is what the pollsters are saying. I am not offering my opinion of the war. The point that I want make is that the lives of over 3000 young men and women have been lost, and many more thousands have been maimed from the violence in Iraq. For the friends and families of casualties, what kind of Thanksgiving will this be? Some might be inclined to say, “Is it really possible to give thanks this year?” Lots of people have problems in their lives. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned that has been the case.
Yet, there is good news. We have a God who loves us and wants us to know his love doesn’t quit. It is based on an objective truth – Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to take us from this valley of tears. There is a better place. Because of Jesus that better place is ours. Because of Jesus, God doesn’t withdraw the promise - in fact, he can’t. He promises that he makes all things work for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. God turns tough times into positive times as he prepares us for eternity. James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1: 2-4) So… give thanks even when there are thorns.
In Christ,
Pastor Larry Zahn
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Dear Friends,
Christianity is a matter of the heart. The Lord once said to Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (I Samuel 16:7). Israel was ready to get their first king. Saul was chosen by God. In a room full of people, Saul would have stood out. He could have played defensive tackle for the Falcons. He was big, but he didn’t represent God’s people well after time. His heart strayed from the Lord. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17: 22, 23) While it is true that we can’t go down the street and say that this one is a Christian or that one is a Christian, there is an identifying badge that we wear. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13: 34, 35) Let it show outwardly so others can see who you are inwardly.
In Him,
Pastor Larry Zahn
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Dear Friends,
I am old enough to remember Viet Nam. I was eligible for the draft in those days. They did it by birthday. The draft board drew birthdays randomly from the 365 possible days in a year. About a third of those birthdays were drafted in the armed services. Mine was 322. I didn't go. I did have a grade school friend whose number was called. He was tough as nails. We played football together on a freshmen/eighth grade team. He only weighed about 120 pounds then. I remember he made me see stars once when he hit me in practice. I was glad he was on my side. He eventually became a state wrestling champ in the state of Wisconsin. As tough as he was, he didn't survive a direct hit by a machine gun in Viet Nam. His name is one of the 58,000 on the Viet Nam memorial in Washington DC. He is a real hero to me.
We have another hero... more than a hero. His name is Jesus. He is our Savior. He took a direct hit too. He was like a lightning rod who took the direct hit of the just anger our God had over our sin. He became the target of the wrath of our God and steered the just punishment we deserved onto himself instead of us. Because he did our sin is forgiven. There is nothing to fear in life and death. My friend, Gerry, was one of 58,000 to whom our nation owes much gratitude. We owe Jesus, our hero and Savior, our allegiance and gratitude for making us right with God. Worship him who is more than our hero. He is our Savior. Worship him this Holy Week.
Pastor Larry Zahn
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There is an amazing paradox when it comes to Jesus our King. While born so humbly and so unobtrusively, whose kingdom still remains? His worldly life began in Bethlehem, born in a stable and was cradled in straw. He was rejected by man and nailed to a cross, but whose kingdom is still standing? He still reigns. He reigns among the angels. He reigns in His church – the empire which he rules by love and someday will bring his subjects to his homeland. He reigns on earth by the might of his omnipotence, still governing the destinies of nations. Napoleons, Caesars and Alexanders have come and gone. Dictators and despots, conquerors and crusaders still march through the history books but each only has a little time.
There is an amazing paradox when it comes to Jesus our King. While born so humbly and so unobtrusively, whose kingdom still remains? He worldly life began in Bethlehem, born in a stable and was cradled in straw. He was rejected by man and nailed to a cross, but whose kingdom is still standing? He still reigns. He reigns among the angels. He reigns in His church – the empire which he rules by love and someday will bring his subjects to his homeland. He reigns on earth by the might of his omnipotence, still governing the destinies of nations. Napoleons, Caesars and Alexanders have come and gone. Dictators and despots, conquerors and crusaders still march through the history books but each only has a little time.
But of the Babe of Bethlehem the scriptures say, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Small wonder that from millions of hearts and voices, from believers scattered around the world, his subjects continue to sing:
Oh come let us adore him,
Oh come let us adore him,
Oh come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Blessed Christmas season from Messiah Lutheran Church!
Pastor Larry Zahn
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I have some bad wiper blades on my car right now that need to be replaced. With the rain we have had the last few days, the wipers don’t clean the windshield completely. Sometimes ago I had a head-on collision with a moth and the graveyard became my windshield. I noticed that the windshield wipers don’t do a good job of washing off the remains of the moth. I have also noticed that when I drive, my eyes tend to wander to the accident scene and it is driving me crazy. Even pastors have their idiosyncrasies.
We are in that time of the year when “bugs on the windshield” can do us some spiritual damage. I am talking about the distractions that come at this time of year when there is a danger to focus our attention on things other than the real reason for the season. The bugs on the windshield (partying, enormous monies spent on gifts, the extravagant meal preparations) can get in the way of celebrating the birthday of our Savior. The angel said, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” This is a time of repentance. This is a time to confess our sins. After all, that’s why he came to save us. What a pity if we missed the point of his coming and failed to give him thanks he deserves.
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Larry Zahn
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‘Thankful” etymologically comes from the Word “thinkful.” A thankful person is a person has not taken his life for granted but has given thought that God in his mercy has graced him with blessing after blessing. The thankful person is the person who knows that God will deliver as he promises when he says that he will even make the worst of circumstances work for the good of all who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
In 1636 amid the darkness of the Thirty Years’ War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkhart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners as the Plague swept through Europe. That’s an average of fifteen people a day. While his parish was ravaged by disease and war and economic disaster, he wrote this very famous hymn:
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Now thank we all our God
With heart and hand and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done
In whom the world rejoices.
Who, from our mother’s arms,
Hath led us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today. |
While there seemed to be little outwardly for which to be thankful, he gave a lot of thought and understood that while the world perishes, God’s love and promises of life in heaven cannot be taken from us. No plague or war or anything the devil himself may throw at us. That is something to be truly thankful for. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s remember that.
In Christ,
Pastor Larry Zahn
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In the Lutheran Church, October is the month of the Reformation. We celebrate the time in history when the whole concept of ‘grace’ was restored to the church. We go back to the 16 th century when this great central truth of the Bible was rediscovered and restored by reformers, the chief of whom was God’s servant - Martin Luther. ‘Grace’ is an important word that everyone needs to know. The dictionary has twenty-two meanings . for grace, but the Bible uses the word in a very special way. It means ‘gift.’ Grace assures us that our relationship with God doesn’t depend on the person, but on the tender heart of our God. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)
I sure like the thought that my salvation is not something for which I must qualify. I know I am a sinner. I know my thoughts, words and actions have disqualified me from being acceptable in God’s sight. But grace was shown to the world. Grace came in the form of a Savior who lived and died and rose again to forgive all of absolutely everything. That’s grace! Its source is God! Because grace comes from God, that makes our relationship certain. We are at peace. Sin is gone. Since grace comes from God there is only one thing we can do with it - BELIEVE IT!
In Christ,
Pastor Larry Zahn |
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