False Apology

I despise false apologies. Yet, we are all guilty of using them.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US

As God in Christ forgives us, we forgive those who sin against us. This from the Large Catechism on the Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer (III, 93-96):

There is, however, attached to this petition a necessary and even comforting addition, “as we forgive our debtors.” He has promised us assurance that everything is forgiven and pardoned, yet on the condition that we also forgive our neighbor. For just as we sin greatly against God every day and yet he forgives it all through grace, so we also must always forgive our neighbor who does us harm, violence, and injustice, bears malice toward us, etc. If you do not forgive, do not think that God forgives you. But if you forgive, you have the comfort and assurance that you are forgiven in heaven—not on account of your forgiving (for he does it altogether freely, out of pure grace, because he has promised it, as the gospel teaches) but instead because he has set this up for our strengthening and assurance as a sign along with the promise that matches this petition in Luke 6[:37], “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Therefore Christ repeats it immediately after the Lord’s Prayer, saying in Matthew 6[:14], “If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. . . .”

(Kolb, R. 2000. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Fortress Press: Minneapolis)

BOC Reading inserted into the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church worship bulletin for 7/5/2009 (Pentecost 4)

REPENTANCE

Jesus calls His people to a life of repentance and promises that all of heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. What is repentance? This from the Augsburg Confession, Article XII:

[XII. Concerning Repentance] 

Concerning repentance it is taught that those who have sinned after baptism obtain forgiveness of sins whenever they come to repentance and that absolution should not be denied them by the church. Now properly speaking, true repentance is nothing else than to have contrition and sorrow, or terror about sin, and yet at the same time to believe in the gospel and absolution that sin is forgiven and grace is obtained through Christ. Such faith, in turn, comforts the heart and puts it at peace. Then improvement should also follow, and a person should refrain from sins. For these should be the fruits of repentance, as John says in Matthew 3[:8]: “Bear fruit worthy of repentance.”

Rejected here are those who teach that whoever has once become righteous cannot fall again.

However, also condemned are the Novatians,  who denied absolution to those who had sinned after baptism.

Also rejected are those who do not teach that a person obtains forgiveness of sin through faith but through our own satisfactions. 

Also rejected are those who teach that “canonical satisfactions”  are necessary to pay for eternal torment or purgatory.

(Kolb, R. 2000. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Fortress Press: Minneapolis)

BOC Reading inserted into the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church worship bulletin for 6/28/2009 (Pentecost 3)

THE USE OF THE SACRAMENTS

Christ our Lord gave the Sacraments so that we may know the will of God toward us. From the Augsburg Confession, Article XIII:

[XIII. Concerning the Use of Sacraments]

Concerning the use of sacraments it is taught that the sacraments are instituted not only to be signs by which people may recognize Christians outwardly, but also as signs and testimonies of God’s will toward us in order thereby to awaken and strengthen our faith. That is why they also require faith and are rightly used when received in faith for the strengthening of faith.

Rejected, therefore, are those who teach that the sacraments justify ex opere operato [“by the mere performance of the act”] without faith and who do not teach that this faith should be added so that the forgiveness of sin (which is obtained through faith and not through work) may be offered there.

(Kolb, R. 2000. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Fortress Press: Minneapolis)

BOC Reading inserted into the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church worship bulletin for 6/21/2009 (Pentecost 2)

Post-Surgery Recovery

I had my gallbladder removed yesterday morning. It was a pretty smooth process up through the time I was wheeled into the small operation room. I remember seeing all the nice, shiny instruments in the room, and I recall the anesthesiologist strapping my arms down in a "T" pattern. I joked about how I thought that they were going to crucify me. The surgeon informed me that they were going to take good care of me. We also had some brief dialog back and forth, and we joked a little. The anesthesiologist placed an oxygen mask on me and instructed me to breathe. The next thing I know I awoke in the recovery room and I had the nurses instructing me to breathe. I must confess that I awoke to the worst pain I have ever experienced. They asked me to rate my pain from 1 to 10 and I gave a clear "10" reply. They fed me some chocolate pudding, as well as other snacks. They also gave me a water and a Sierra Mist. The pain medicine they gave me helped slightly, but the pain was just too intense. I had my gallbladder out via laparoscopic surgery. So much for advertisement that claims that a person can go back to work/daily routine the next day following such surgery. But everyone's body recovers differently following surgery.

As of today I am still in so much pain that I cannot even move an inch. At the completion of my surgery, the surgeon informed Katie that my gallbladder was pretty inflammed and that he was almost positive that THAT was the source of my pain. Time will tell. With the post-surgery pain I am enduring, it is currently impossible to tell whether my pain is still with me. They made three small incisions (one near my chest cavity, one on my right side, and one in my belly button). I assume they took my gallbladder out through my belly button. The pain is the greatest below my belly button. Indeed, with the pushing around of muscle, cutting of muscle, and potential gas still trapped in my body, I should not be surprised by the amount of pain. I just wish I had been prepared for the pain, rather than have people say the recovery is a piece of cake. Hardly!

Nevertheless, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the nurses, did a wonderful job in caring for me. I appreciate their service.

Whether the removal of my gallbladder is the key to feeling better is yet to be determined. If not, following my recovery, I will speak with the surgeon and see if an endoscopy and a colonoscopy would be the next step. At least the wheels are in motion. I am very grateful to the members of Good Shepherd for being so patient throughout my illness. I remember starting off at Good Shepherd with a rather long lasting cold, and now I have been experiencing this for the past seven to eight weeks. I have been a rather sick pastor thus far. However, with God's help, I am looking to improve my health and take better care of myself.

Knocked Out, Cut Open, Plucked, and Billed

As mentioned a while back, I have been suffering from an excruciating pain in my gut since the earlier part of the month of May. The pain has been radiating throughout my entire body leaving me feeling mainly exhausted. I have thought that perhaps I was suffering from a stomach ulcer, acid reflux, etc. However, this past week after undergoing a HIDA scan procedure, I have come to learn that my gallbladder is not working and will need to come out. Receiving such news has actually brought me much happiness, for hopefully the source of my pain has at long last been found.

I spoke with the surgeon today and I have a surgical appointment set up for tomorrow morning at 9:00a.m. eastern time to have my gallbladder removed. I am having mixed feelings over the procedure. On the one hand, I am very much looking forward to seeing whether the removal of my gallbladder will rid me of my pain. However, on the other hand, this will be my first surgical procedure since I was in third grade, and my second overall.

I still remember my first surgical procedure fairly well. When the doctor informed me that I would be having surgery, I recall looking out the window (we must have been two or three stories up), and feeling a sense of dread. I cried as I left the doctor's office--most certainly. However, my mom attempted to take my mind off of the surgery that would be held the next day. Following my visit with the doctor, I had some blood drawn. My mom convinced me that THAT was all I had to go through, and that there would be no operation (though I remember having to drink that awful tasting liquid throughout the day). My mom read me a story that night, and I recall falling to sleep without a care in the world. Of course, the next day my parents drove me to the hospital for surgery. I cannot say if I sad or even terrified. I was probably feeling a tad bit exhausted, and perhaps I simply surrendered to my fate. The last thing I remember prior to falling asleep was the nurses questioning where the doctor was and that the doctor was running late. When I awoke from surgery I recall someone placing a pitcher in my hand. I also recall tossing that pitcher over my head clear across the room. What I had went through was surgery on my bladder. I believe my parents were informed that I had a flat bladder (probably from years of holding it in).

As I approach my gallbladder procedure, I would be crazy to say that I am not a bit nervous. However, I am also aware that if I close my eyes in the operation room, and the next thing I find myself is in heaven, then that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Though I remind myself that it is just a routine, outpatient procedure done quite simply within a half an hour. I expect to do fine. Christ will abide with me. Not to mention, I'll have a loving wife waiting for me within the waiting room. And my surgeon (who reminds me a little bit of Philip Seymour Hoffman) seems to be very professional. I just wish that he had a few gray hairs on him.:)

I recall speaking with and praying over many individuals in pre-op as a hospital chaplain. I knew how meaningful it was for them to have a caring face and a word of comfort. I entrust myself to the Lord and to the care of the surgical staff.

CLINGING TO CHRIST ALONE

In Luke 16 we hear that only the Word of God can convert the sinner and ease the troubled soul. When we cling to the Sacrament of the Altar, we cling to Christ and His Word. From the Augsburg Confession, Article 24:

Our people have been unjustly accused of having abolished the Mass.  But it is obvious, without boasting, that the Mass is celebrated among us with greater devotion and earnestness than among our opponents. The people are instructed more regularly and with the greatest diligence concerning the holy sacrament, to what purpose it was instituted, and how it is to be used, namely, as a comfort to terrified consciences. In this way, the people are drawn to Communion and to the Mass. At the same time, they are also instructed about other, false teaching concerning the sacrament.  Moreover, no noticeable changes have been made in the public celebration of the Mass, except that in certain places German hymns are sung alongside the Latin responses for the instruction and exercise of the people. For after all, all ceremonies should serve the purpose of teaching the people what they need to know about Christ.

(Kolb, R. 2000. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Fortress Press: Minneapolis)

BOC Reading inserted into the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church worship bulletin for 6/14/2009 (Pentecost 1)