The Pastor's Windshield for Sunday, July 17, 2022

When was the last time you called something “salutary”? Probably never! It’s not in our everyday lingo. However, this word is rich with meaning. We sometimes hear this word in the communion liturgy in which the pastor says “It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord …” Those words (published in 1941) sound old-fashioned to our ears, but the meaning is simple: it’s always good and appropriate to thank and praise the Lord – and Holy Communion especially should be received with thanksgiving to Him!

Another time when the word “salutary” comes up is in this little prayer, often spoken after receiving Communion: “We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another ...”

The “salutary gift” referenced in the prayer is the body and blood of Christ which we’ve just received at His Altar. But what are we saying about Communion when we call it “salutary”?

Here's an example of something that’s not necessarily salutary: one of my loved ones recently gave me a gift. It was a large bag of Andes Mints. I’m a big fan of both chocolate and mint and Andes Mints are the best of both worlds! It was a delicious gift and one that didn’t last long, but was it salutary? Sugar and chocolate are tasty and tempting, but probably not worthy of being called “salutary.”

Something that is salutary is good for you. It is wholesome and beneficial. Things like candy and junk food are fun treats, but we all know that they’re not as good for us as things like fresh fruits and vegetables. 

The Lord’s Supper is one of God’s salutary gifts for us because He gives it to His church for our good. As we receive Christ’s body and blood, He meets our greatest need: the forgiveness of our sins. Without Christ’s forgiveness, we’d face an eternity of God’s wrath toward our sin. But assured of our forgiveness for Christ’s sake, we can confidently approach God and look forward to spending eternity in His perfect presence!

The Lord’s Supper is also “salutary” in the sense of strengthening our union both with Christ and with one another, for we are His body as members of the church. 

Martin Luther had a creative way of illustrating the reasons for receiving this salutary gift. In his “Christian Questions and their Answers”, Luther addresses what we should do when we don’t feel the need to receive the Sacrament. He writes, “To such a person no better advice can be given than this: first, he should touch his body to see if he still has flesh and blood … Second, he should look around to see whether he is still in the world, and remember that there will be no lack of sin and trouble … Third, he will certainly have the devil also around him, who with his lying and murdering day and night will let him have no peace, within or without …”

All three of those things are true of us. We still live in our sinful flesh. We still deal with the troubles of the world around us. We still face the constant assaults and temptations of the devil. These struggles should drive us to Christ and to his house where we join with our fellow sinner-saints in receiving Christ’s salutary gifts!

The introduction to our Lutheran Service Book hymnal offers this helpful summary: “Our Lord serves us today through His holy Word and Sacraments. Through these means, He comes among us to deliver His forgiveness and salvation, freeing us from our sins and strengthening us for service to one another and to the world … With His Holy Word, written in Scripture and preached into our ears, He daily proclaims His abiding love for us through all the joys and sorrows of life in this world. In His Holy Supper, He gives us His own body and blood to eat and to drink as a priceless gift to nourish and strengthen us in both body and soul.”

In closing, remember this: Jesus invites us to come and be nourished through the “salutary gifts” of His Word and Supper!

Peace in Christ,

                  Pastor Kory Janneke

"The Impact of an Invitation"

The Pastor's Windshield for Sunday, July 10, 2022

It feels good to be invited to something. Wouldn’t you agree? It means a lot when someone takes the time to invite you over for a meal they’ve prepared. It’s fun to be invited to go watch a game together or to enjoy a concert or other social outing. For many of you, there was probably a time when you received an invitation to visit St. Matthew or previous churches that you attended. Without that invitation, your journey of faith perhaps would have unfolded differently.

A personal invitation can go a long way! We see a great example of an inviting approach by one of Jesus’ first disciples, Philip. John tells us about Philip in John 1:43-51. Jesus personally invited Philip to follow Him. Philip did! And one of the concrete ways that Philip followed Jesus was by immediately inviting his friend Nathaniel to join him. When Nathaniel voiced skepticism about Jesus of Nazareth, Philip didn’t try to argue with his friend. He simply extended the invitation: “Come and see” (John 1:46). Apparently, the invitation made an impact! Nathaniel (a.k.a Bartholomew) is numbered among Jesus’ original 12 disciples in all four Gospel books of the Bible.

Like Philip, we can invite our friends and loved ones to come and see Jesus. We do this by sharing the hope that we have because of Jesus, taking care to do so in a gentle and respectful way (1 Peter 3:15). We can invite loved ones to see Jesus by inviting them to come to worship and Bible class with us. For some folks, it may be better to first invite them to a more informal setting such as a meal or a service event. As we go forward together in ministry, there will be more opportunities like these. If there are times when it might be helpful for me to extend a more “pastoral” invitation to someone, please let me know. 

There are many strategies that churches employ to reach their communities and neighbors. Churches utilize technology, direct mail, large-scale events, and other means to attract visitors. However, research indicates that one of the simplest outreach strategies is still the best. A personal invitation from a trusted friend, family member or neighbor still carries more weight than other attempts of making those connections. 

I encourage you to be a modern-day Philip! Consider who you can invite to “come and see”! Invite them to come and see Jesus with you. Invite them to come and see who we are as a church and what we believe and teach. Invite them to join you on the journey of walking with our Savior Jesus!

“Gifts” for Our Guests

Once the folks we’ve invited take the step of joining us at church, then what? What are some of the best gifts you can give guests when they visit our church? What follows are some ideas that I’ve borrowed and adapted from a pastor friend from South Dakota, Rev. Scott Sailer. Here are four simple “gifts” that we can offer to guests and visitors:

The Gift of a Close Parking Spot - if you are able-bodied, consider parking further from the church entrance to open more close parking spots for visitors, elderly worshippers, or families with young children.

The Gift of a Place to Sit – if you’re able, try sitting at the center of your pew in church so that those arriving after you can find a spot at either end of the pew.

The Gift of Helpfulness - help someone find their place in the order of service, lend a hand to young parents with their children, point someone in the right direction to find restrooms, the church nursery, etc.

The Gift of Warmth - greet others with a smile, introduce yourself by name, and ask for the guest’s name and make a point to remember it. If you forget, just ask them to remind you of their name.

Those gifts don’t cost much – only a moment of your time or a bit of extra thought and attention, but they can make a big difference. God bless you as you invite others to come and see Jesus and as you take these little steps to help them feel welcome and valued in our midst!

Peace in Christ,

                  Pastor Kory Janneke

How are we saved?

The Pastor's Windshield for Sunday, June 19, 2022

[Note: As the title for my pastoral articles, I’ve chosen “The Pastor’s Windshield.” As you know, windshields are much larger and more important than rear-view mirrors. Together, we’re going to look forward “through the windshield” to everything that the Lord has in store for us. I’ll use these articles to teach about the Bible and to share more about our ministry and direction for the future as a congregation. Thank you for reading!]

How are we saved? Hopefully a group of Lutherans can offer a solid, biblical answer to that question. However, before we explore the answer, let’s take a step back. A member asked me this week about a line in the Athanasian Creed which we confessed on Trinity Sunday. Near the end of the creed we confess, “At [Jesus’] coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds. And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.”

There are some serious statements in this section of the creed. We don’t like to think about having to give an account of our deeds. And what about the part about those who have done good and those who have done evil? Are we saved by doing good and avoiding evil?

That’s exactly what many people believe. They hope that their supposed goodness is sufficient to earn them a place in God’s kingdom. Comparing themselves to others, they claim that they haven’t lived such bad lives and that they’re mostly good people. But again, is that how we’re saved? By trying hard to be good, at least most of the time?

The Bible does contain some statements that sound as if this is the case, but it’s also important that we read these within the wider context of Scripture. For example, Jesus says in John 5:28-29, “An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

Jesus’ words are the basis for the statement in question from the Athanasian Creed. What, then, does Jesus mean by doing good? Some followers asked Jesus a similar question: “‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’” (John 6:28-29) Then Jesus offers more Good News: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day” (John 6:40).

God’s Word makes it clear that we cannot be saved by our own efforts. We are saved by believing in Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life! Ephesians 2:8-10 puts it this way: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Passages like this one say repeatedly that we cannot save ourselves. We are saved by God’s free grace through faith in Christ. We are saved by His great gifts toward us of forgiveness and faith, but ultimately, we are saved by God’s gift of His only Son, our Savior Jesus.

Jesus Himself is the greatest good. The greatest good that we can do is not actually our work but the Holy Spirit’s. It’s believing in the One whom God has sent for us (John 6:29). The book of Hebrews tells us, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). Faith in God’s beloved Son is what God most desires to see in your heart and life. And because God poured out His Holy Spirit upon you in Holy Baptism, He does see that faith in you. Of course, faith in Jesus is not stagnant but living and active, for God has created us as His workmanship to produce good works – not to earn salvation but because of our salvation! 

God grant that your heart and life be filled with saving faith in Christ alone and with the fruits of that faith shown forth through what you think and say and do. 

Peace in Christ,

                  Pastor Kory Janneke