whyworship.com

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
His love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say this...
— Psalm 107:1-2a

 
         I could hardly believe my ears.  True, the radio station I was listening to was not one I listen to often.  In fact it’s one I try to avoid because I usually get steamed up by comments made by listeners and “shock jocks” alike, often ranging from ignorant to offensive.  But the station is popular enough to make me pay attention.  There are plenty of people out there who like it, so I’m sure it represents a certain way of thinking not uncommon in our world today.
          My ears perked up when I heard words like “Jesus,” “Easter,” “worship,” and “resurrection” enter the conversation on this very secular radio station.  The dj was trying to get reactions to a news story about an elementary school student who was reprimanded for passing out flyers explaining “the true meaning of Easter” to his classmates.  I heard the usual kinds of responses.  One caller thought the student should have the right to pass out the flyers (and conceded that a Muslim or Scientologist should have the same right).  Another caller felt that since the child was so young, he was obviously being coerced or manipulated by his parents. 

          But then came a call from a man whose words really took me by surprise.  He was so outraged, not just that someone would try to share or explain their faith but by the very idea that people would want to practice their religion at all.  “Why do these people go to church, anyway?” he asked.  “I mean, what’s the point of it?  Do these Christians get some kind of high out of it?”  The dj, who did not think much of  religion himself, suggested that some people might want to go to church to feel a part of something bigger than themselves.  “I think they go to find spiritual fulfillment,” he suggested.  The disgusted caller could only respond, “Sounds like stupidity to me.”

             I had to turn off the radio.  It left me stunned and breathless, like I’d just witnessed an accident and was staring into the crash victim’s open wound.  But there it was — all the naked pain, all the confusion and soul-killing emptiness of a heart turned away from God.  I’ve known people like that, and probably you have too.  We know we can pray for them, but is there any way to get through their defenses and help them see the God who is good and loving and, first of all, real?

            Our outreach team at Atonement has been looking into this very issue.  Many people aren’t looking for a church because  they don’t yet know they need God in their lives.  But today’s “spiritual” person who has an inkling that there is some power or force that directs the universe might not even think of attending a church in order to connect or understand that higher power.  Today’s world seems unaware of the entire concept of worship — what it is or why people need it.  
          First off, worship is not about a spiritual high or a good feeling.  It’s about meeting God.  When Solomon finished building the temple, the first building ever dedicated to the worship of God,  the people gathered there with prayers, offerings and sacrifices, and God showed up in a way that made everyone know He was there.  “All the Israelites saw fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple.  They knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘He is good; His love endures forever.’” (II Chronicles 7:3)

            In worship, we come face-to-face with the very one who made us.  There in the presence of the God who loved and saved us, we are given the chance to open up and express our gratitude and thankfulness for life and all its gifts.  The truth of what’s in our heart includes the painful realization of our sin, but even more so, the wonderful awareness of the forgiveness we have in Christ and the new life we have through the Holy Spirit. 
             How do we communicate this to someone who doesn’t know God, doesn’t trust Christians, and has probably never in their life had a healthy experience in church?  We have an idea you can help with.  The outreach team is considering the creation of a website dedicated to explaining and exploring worship — why we do it and what it’s about.  We invite your ideas and input, thoughts and experiences about what worship means to you and how we might explain it to someone who’s never come to church, never opened their heart to God, never truly given thanks to the Lord whose love endures forever.

 

Prophets of Cyberspace

The Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven

and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem...

— Ezekiel 8:3

        Ezekiel is one prophet who would have appreciated the internet.  He seemed to live his life in a kind of virtual reality, slipping in and out of visions, getting teleported in the spirit back and forth from Babylon to Jerusalem, and experiencing the holy presence of God in a form more fearsome and breathtaking than any level boss from a video game.  He had a mind that was wired into spiritual things and that dramatically traversed pathways between matter and spirit. 

        By using the internet more and more and spending greater percentages of our time in cyberspace, we are developing minds like Ezekiel’s.  We experience visions of real or made-up events by calling up Youtube videos.  We send requests and pronouncements instantly across the world by email, twitter and facebook.  We look down on any place on the planet or out into the vastness of space through Google Earth.  Truly these are strange and amazing times we’re living in.
        Having these powers at our fingertips and acquiring new ones with each new app, it is wise to consider what we do with these tempting tools.  All the new knowledge, the potential for great good and increased productivity gained through technology can be offset and even overwhelmed by our tendency to use it to degrade ourselves or others, or to simply waste time.   These technologies are going to continue advancing, and so should our spiritual and ethical awareness about what they’re doing to us.
        With that caution always in mind, I want to recommend a few sites for you to visit next time you journey through the internet.  First off, not surprisingly, is our own website at atonementlutheran.net

Scott Giesking has been managing this site, which started out as a place to post our recordings of Sunday services.  It now houses our newsletter archive as well, and features a brand new up-to-date calendar of church events.

             Take a look at the website of our national church at www.elca.org.  You’ll find news, opportunities to give, resources, and a great “church finder” for when you’re off on vacation.

Our local synod also has a great site at http://www.fbsynod.com/ .  If you haven’t already, submit your email address in the box at the right and receive the synod’s excellent weekly E-Spirit news update to your email.

        You will see the above site has drop down menus at the top, some of which will take you to other sites like the one for Luther Springs and our Florida camps, http://www.lomfla.org/, Daily Devotions http://www.fbsynod.com/resources/daily-devotions or resources for Synod Deacons  http://www.fbsynod.com/ministry/lay-advancement/synod-deacons.

        Looking for a great radio station that plays new Christian music?  You won’t find one better than http://www.lifeairhitradio.com/, run by Atonement members Dave and Krista Jung.

         Because I like to compare various translations when I read or study the Bible, I am a fan of the World Wide Study Bible which includes NRSV and the Message versions of Scripture:

http://www.ccel.org/wwsb/ For an interesting perspective on the news around the world from the religious point-of-view (not just Christianity), I recommend to people

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/, the web site of the PBS show Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.

       These are some of my favorites.  There are also many great sites put up by local churches and aid organizations which tell about the mission work Christians are doing around the world.  I hope you find time in the midst of your summer “surfing,” to check out and be inspired by the positive side of the web.  And if you have any favorites of your own, let me know.

       Oh yeah — Ole and Lena wouldn’t want us to  forget this one:   http://www.oldlutheran.com/

Peace,

Pastor Scott

Gettin' wet

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high
shall break upon us
to shine light on those
who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death
and to guide our feet
into the way of peace
— Luke 1:78-79
 

Luke likes to surprise us.  For instance, when we open up his gospel and begin to read — there’s no Jesus.  At the start of the story where we’d expect to hear about the birth of Jesus, or maybe even a list of ancestors of the Messiah (like we have in Matthew), Luke starts by telling someone else’s story.  And that someone is Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist.

             Like Jesus, John’s birth is also a miracle, his mother Elizabeth being barren, and presumably past the normal age for child-bearing (Luke 1:7).   Like Jesus, John’s birth is announced by the angel Gabriel, and the trusting in that message becomes a test of faith for his family.  Like Jesus, John is holy, and long before the Christian Pentecost, in fact, while he is still in Elizabeth’s womb, he is said to be “filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Like Jesus, John’s birth is an undeniable act of God, a sign of His bright presence shining into a dark world, and good news (Luke 1:19, 2:10) for us all.

        Maybe Luke wants us to see that the Gospel is not just a story about that famous Jesus guy.  John, Elizabeth, Zechariah and Mary all have roles to play before Jesus himself comes onstage.  Each of them are linked to Jesus, and in each of them we see God working.  The Bible really comes alive when we read it as the story of every member of the family of God, whether you’re a cousin or mother or aunt to Jesus, or perhaps, like most of us, His brothers or sisters. 

         One of the most beautiful parts of my weeks at seminary was morning prayer.  Every Monday morning the liturgy we sang from the Lutheran Book of Worship included the Benedictus, the song John’s father Zechariah sings when he names his son.  His song is a thank-you-God, not just for this beautiful baby boy, but for everything that God does for all His people.  The beauty of John’s story, and ours — is that we are all connected through Jesus to the stories of others.  We each have a role in the divine drama, the story of salvation that tells of a God who loves sinners and lights up our dark world to bring to each and every one the possibility of hope.

             Like John, you have a role to play in God’s story.  He was the Fore-runner, the messenger who prepared the way.  We are the ones who come after, but through the witness we make with our lives — deeds of justice and words of kindness, we help set the stage for Christ’s return.  Like John, your birth and presence in this world is a sign of hope for all.  The God who made you made you to share his love.  Like John, you too are a messenger with good news to get out…  God has brought forgiveness and restoration into our lives; God has brought us a Savior!

           During these wet weeks of Summer, we are more likely than not to get drenched a time or two.  It may happen on your way home from the store or on your way to work.  It’s not just the flowers or the grass that need the rain.  When I get wet I think of John the Baptist.  I think of the men, women and children who walked for miles to see him by the Jordan River.  I think about the way he challenged them, dared them to leave their sins behind and go down into that dark water.  I think about them going down, letting the water swallow them up, drowning their past mistakes and mis-steps, then  coming up thoroughly drenched, wide-eyed in the chill desert breeze but washed clean and alive to every breath, alert to every sensation, and with every nerve fiber pulsing with the awareness that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.

          Child of God, brother or sister of Jesus — I have a few questions for you: Where do you insert YOUR name into the story of salvation?  How are you giving and receiving God’s grace these days?  What’s our Heavenly Father up to in your heart?  Who have you shared the love of Jesus with today?  And what might God possibly have planned for you tomorrow?  Remember your baptism, and don’t be afraid to get a little wet this Summer!

Peace,

Pastor Scott

Who is able?

Give your servant a discerning heart

to govern your people

and to distinguish between right and wrong,

for who is able to govern this great people of yours?.

— 1 Kings 3:9

Who is able to govern?  This was Solomon’s question as he spoke to God in prayer.  By the world’s estimation Solomon would become a huge success, bringing Israel up from being a tiny nation to a player on the world stage.  But there on the threshold of his reign, he stopped and considered the magnitude of the task before him.  Who in the world is fit for a job as big and important as this one?  Surely not me, he must have thought.

And so, of all the gifts he could have asked God to give him, he asks for wisdom.  Now, I know some people tell us we should pray for finances and prosperity for ourselves and others, but when we see what happens in the life of Solomon and his kingdom, I’m not sure that’s the best we can do.  The time of Solomon  reign was a renaissance — he lacked no material thing.  His court was the richest, most impressive and highly cultured that Israel would see in its history.  But it all grew from the seed of that one simple, heartfelt prayer.

What do you ask for when you pray?  Good health and a good life?  But what does that mean to you?  How do we live a good life? 

Scripture is full of helpful hints and suggestions about what the good life is and is not.   Despite Solomon’s wisdom and early commitment to serving his people, somewhere along the way he began to lose sight of what it was all for.  He became cynical and sad as he found that even his great power couldn’t solve all the world’s problems.  He begins to see that even with the many material comforts he enjoyed, no matter how much he’d try to eat, drink and be merry, life seemed meaningless, like “chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:17, etc.).

So we know we need more than wisdom, success, comforts, food and drink and endless fun.  These things are hollow and dull without real, honest-to-goodness human relationships — without love.

             God knows we need relationships.  In fact we were made that way on purpose.  But why would God make us so dependant on each other?  Why is it we get lonely and crave companionship?  Why do we need other people to help us see and really understand the best and the worst that is in us?

Maybe because God craves companionship too.  He wants to have a relationship with you, and with every person in the whole wide world.  He loved you from the beginning of creation up to today and will go on loving you till the end of time.  Through his Son Jesus, He poured out his heart and soul, and his very life at the cross.  He longs for you to open your heart, confess your sins and receive forgiveness.  He is waiting for  your worship, honor and love.  He is anxious, waiting like a bride at the altar for you to totally accept and embrace him in your life. 

God longs for us to show our love for him, not just in prayer, worship and giving, but most powerfully in loving those He loves — the people of this world, our friends in Christ and those who’ve yet to find him.  One young man came to Jesus (Luke 18:18), wondering what more he could do to honor God in his life.  He was hoping to hear that he was already doing all that was humanly possible, since he was obeying the commandments and being as good as he knew how.  Jesus told him he had one more thing to do — “Give all you have to the poor, then come follow me.”

When Solomon prayed for wisdom alone, he set everything else he could have asked for aside for the chance to become a good and godly ruler.  When the disciples left their fishing boats behind on the Sea of Galilee, they  put their livelihood aside so that they could know and follow Jesus.  God longs to be your God, the God you would choose as he has chosen you.  We have a relationship with God when we allow him to be our GOD — in other words, to set all else to the side and be willing to let go of it, even as Abraham was willing to let go of his only beloved son, Isaac (Genesis 22) and make God number one.

This election year, we are all asking, “Who is able to govern?”  As we keep all of our elected leaders and candidates in prayer, let’s hope they’re asking that too!

Peace,

Pastor Scott

Neighborhood faith

Therefore since we are justified through faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have gained access by faith

into this grace in which we now stand.

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

— Romans 5:1-2

 

              Think, for a moment, about the people on your block.  Who are they?  What do they like to do?  Where do your neighbors shop, eat, work or play?  Do they go to church?  Are there children playing on your street, or is everyone on your block over 65?

              People come from a wide geographical area to worship with us at Atonement.  And the neighborhoods across that wide stretch are very different.  I live in Quail Hollow Village, which is very different from Quail Hollow.  Think of the contrast between Crystal Lake and Crystal Springs, or Lake Bernadette and Lake Jovita.  People describe Meadow Point itself as a small city, unique from New Tampa or Wesley Chapel. 

             We’re not like a small town church up north where people from the whole community can walk to the church down the block for worship.  Our area is a cluster of developments, mobile home parks and hidden away neighborhoods with a few rural stretches between “Mayberry” towns like Zephyrhills or Dade City.  State Rd. 54 and Bruce B. Downs Blvd. Come together near the center of the large long target area that God has given us to reach for Christ. 

            There are great things that come with living in such a diverse place.  Just head north for a drive through the country, south for shopping in the big city.  But it is also a real challenge for a church to come up with a strategy for reaching into all these different places.  An event held in Zephyrhills may not bring any Land O’Lakes people and New Tampa people may not feel like driving to Dade City.  We’d certainly like to see more Meadowpoint people come and bring their kids to worship, but many of them are used to driving south to work in Tampa, so they may not even know our church is here. 

              It seems to me, our best strategy would be to “divide and conquer,” to look at each area of our ministry separately, one at a time, and creatively come up with ways to impact each place.  To do this, we are going to need your help.  You know your neighborhood or development best — after all, you live there.  You know names and faces of people around you who need to come closer to Christ. You know what might work or not work in your area.  So let’s talk!

             Our outreach team will be arranging some get-togethers in various places around our service area.  We will be calling together members who live in those areas for prayer, conversation, brain-storming,  and just getting to know each other a little better. 

             As people of faith who know a risen Savior, it’s up to us to share the story and shine the glory God has given us.  We share the story of Easter — the good news that death does not have the final say on who we are and where we end up.  When Paul says we “rejoice in the hope of the glory of God,” he’s reminding us that Easter is about us.  It’s about you and me, about what Jesus did for us on the cross, about what God did by raising him from the tomb — for us!  Romans 5 declares this as our story: “we are justified,” “we have peace,” “we have access” to God, and we stand in faith.  Like one candle passing its flame on to another, we light each other up with God’s glory when we share this joyful Easter news. 

            We Easter people are brought together as God’s family so we can be a family for everyone.  Together we practice resurrection — blessing, sharing and feeding each other while growing in God’s grace in love.  I look forward to meeting with you in your neighborhood and talking about how we can practice resurrection together in ways that draw people to Jesus and light them up with the glory of God.

Peace,

Pastor Scott

Easter: Just the Beginning

April 18, 2012

“You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified.

He has risen!”

-- Mark 16:6

 Friends of Atonement,

            What an Easter! 
             The builders and landscapers had worked extra hard to make our property look neat and lush, planting new trees and finishing up the parking.  We had a church packed with faces new and familiar, children hunting eggs, young people serving breakfast, and countless smiles.  There was a brightness in the air and a freshness on the breeze that morning.  Joy bubbled up in our songs, prayers, and the good news we celebrate: Jesus is alive, and his Spirit is with us!
            This year Atonement turns 25, and like most healthy 25-year-olds this congregation is vibrant and energetic.  I see retired members putting in the hours and effort for our ministries that they once did for their jobs.   I see members in the work force who may spend half the weekend doing a project at church.  All of you contribute in some vital way – with finances, time, and prayers – to build on the work God is doing here.  Thanks again for making a difference and for your many faithful contributions.
            As we look at our growing community, the Wal-Mart coming in down the street, the hospital being built down Bruce-B-Downs, the park and community college being planned for Wiregrass, we know God has plenty of work laid out for us for the next 25 years.  The angel proclaimed, “He is risen!” to stunned disciples who stood looking into an empty hole.  Little did they know that their life with Jesus was just beginning!  For us too, 25 years young, God is just getting hold of us, just now positioning us to reach the Wesley Chapel community that is to come. 
            We want to be ready as new people arrive and God sets before us new opportunities to share His love.   That’s why your council has called together a group of people who will organize and lead a capital campaign over the next few years.  Their job is to help us get financially equipped for the future.  Hopefully you have seen the plans for building another building out back to allow for large gatherings and storage space.  Further work also will be done on the current building to keep it in good shape.
            Jean Zabel (otherwise known as Noah’s grandma) has taken on the task of leading the capital campaign team.  Other members on the team are Wayne Stock, Walt Frank, Carol Erlwein, and Frank Reams.  They are deeply committed to helping our church reach future generations, and have chosen the theme, “Laying Foundations for the Children of God.”  They’ve also shown a great concern for accountability, that all the money used for and raised by the capital campaign be used wisely.
           It’s true that we’ve written lots of big checks lately to pay for the work being done around our property.  A couple weeks ago, our treasurer stumbled into my office, looking like he’d just seen a ghost. 
          “What’s wrong, Joe?”  I asked.
          “I just wrote out a $6000 check – for grass!”
It’s pretty incredible how much it costs for materials and labor, not to mention county permits.  But God has blessed us with a debt-free congregation.  We have covenanted to do all we can to stay out of debt, and He is providing us the means. 
           But it’s clear that now is time to begin looking toward tomorrow.  To keep all those young happy faces we saw Easter morning in church and involved, we need to continue welcoming, loving, and encouraging our children and young families.  We also continue “laying foundations for the children of God,” investing in the future of this family of faith we call Atonement.  As our risen Lord called Peter to “feed my lambs,” (John 21:15) Jesus asks us to share our best with those whose faith is fresh and tender.  We know it will mean more work, more sacrifice and commitment, but also more and more joy bubbling up in our hearts as we see the Spirit work and watch God’s kingdom grow.

Peace,

Pastor Scott

All Things New

Therefore since we are justified through faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have gained access by faith

into this grace in which we now stand.

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

— Romans 5:1-2

       We held our breath, and it happened.  The paving was done by Friday night, and Saturday morning there were cars parked all around the church.  We are witnessing the biggest renovation project since Atonement began, almost 25 years ago.  A new driveway, new landscaping, new plumbing and irrigation and a whole new look will greet our Easter visitors this year. 

             But all this is just external.  What really lifts my heart is the sense of welcome and hospitality that I see people offering.  Our April Friends board holds dozens of names of people we are praying for and promising to invite to church.  People are coming to me with ideas about how we can reach out to new people and be more open and user-friendly to first time visitors.  Folks who joined me at the Real Ideas conference last month came away with real enthusiasm for the ministries we are doing and real hope that we will continue to grow.  What an exciting and possibility-filled time this is to be part of Atonement Lutheran Church!
        This is not a place to come if you’re looking for peace and quiet.  Not only has my office been rocking to the music of bulldozers and backhoes, I see a steady stream of people who come to share stories of God at work in their lives.  They may be bringing an opportunity to share in a ministry, or simply a request for prayer.  I imagine things will keep getting busier from here on out as our congregation becomes more active and visible in the community, and our facility more attractive to visit. 
       We have some worries as well about all the changes.  Will the snowbirds taking off for the north this month return to find the same little Lutheran church they love?  For 25 years, Atonement has been a refuge for people seeking upbeat, positive worship in the Lutheran tradition.  The heart of that tradition is our teaching that God’s grace is the core of our relationship with Him.  It is God’s love that defines us, providing the  unchangeable basis of who we are and what our purpose is here on earth.  It is Christ’s gift of his very life that has finally nailed down our identity as God’s people — something no amount of failure or fault on our part can remove.
        That’s what Paul is saying when he tells us that we have peace with God, now that we have been justified by faith.  As God’s very own people, His love is the one unchangeable truth we can be sure of in a busy world that constantly shakes us up.  When he finally figured that out, Martin Luther rediscovered God’s love.  Since we were baptized, God’s Spirit has been constantly calling us to do the same.

      Once we see that Jesus brings us peace with God, it’s clear that all of us are called to grow in our love for God, to follow the commandments and regularly worship and receive the means of grace through confession and communion.  We are a people who live and believe in forgiveness and second chances, and we try our best to leave the judging up to God.  We live with the knowledge that we are, and in this life will always be, both saints and sinners at the same time.   We tell our faith stories and pray that the Spirit open the hearts of others who can hear and accept God’s grace for themselves.
      Close to 25 years, and despite all the new faces and the new look of the place, Atonement is still a place where people find faith lived out and celebrated through the unique and venerable Lutheran outlook on the Christian faith.  That faith always finds its focus on the good news that Easter has happened and Jesus still lives.  What do you know — some things never change!

Peace,

Pastor Scott