Our Savior Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Proper 24
Announcements
Men’s Bible Study
The first Men’s Bible Study will be on October 26th at 10 AM. Plan to begin discussion of 1 Kings 1-2 by reading it beforehand. The time and day of this study may change based on feedback so let me know!
New Website Functionality
The live calendar has been integrated into the website for Our Savior (oursaviorperry.org). This calendar will be kept up to date by me including appointments and office hours.
I will be keeping up to date with posting sermons including from now on posting the audio version. If you miss a week and want to catch the sermon you know have that ability.
There are also many other fine WELS sermons posted on the internet. One example (not to discount any not mentioned) is the RWJ Daily podcast which you can find on many podcast websites. Several different WELS Pastors post their sermons and devotions on that page. LINK
Hurricanes
As I write this, another powerful Hurricane is heading toward Florida, just days after Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina and other states. Who can say what kind of damage it will bring? Only the Lord God in Heaven. At times like these many people turn their minds to what the Bible says about the end times. I certainly did. Jesus discusses this topic in Matthew 24:
3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 Because many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many people. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because all these things must happen; but that is not yet the end. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are only the beginning of birth pains. 9 Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will put you to death. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away from faith. They will betray each other and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But whoever endures to the end will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Jesus describes a terrifying scene. One thing to notice that often goes unnoticed is that Jesus describes earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, and persecutions as things that must happen before the end of time. Frightening weather events and the prospect of global don’t necessarily mean that Jesus is coming back immediately. This has been the state of the world since Jesus ascended into Heaven.
So what do storms and wars mean for Christians. For one thing, we should keep in mind that God is living and active in the world.
God teaches Job about his power and authority over all of creation in Job:
8Who locked up the sea behind doors when it burst out of the womb?9 When I clothed the sea with clouds, when I wrapped it with thick darkness as its swaddling cloths,10 when I broke its power with my decree, when I locked it up behind barred, double doors,11 I said, “You may come this far, but no farther. Here is the barrier for your proud waves.” (Job 38:8-11)
24 What is the way to the place where the lightning divides,[e]where the east wind is scattered over the earth?25 Who has excavated a channel for the floodwatersand a road for the rolling thunder?26 They bring rain to lands where no one lives,to a wilderness without a person in it.27 The rain satisfies the wilderness and wastelandand causes the dry ground to produce green plants.28 Does the rain have a father?Who is the father of the drops of dew?29 Whose womb produces the ice?Who gives birth to the heavy frost from the sky?30 The water is disguised as stone,and the surface of the deep is trapped under ice. (Job 38:24-30)
God’s point to Job in these chapters is to humble Job before his power in creation. God created the world, he continues to maintain and direct its every movement. Job’s reaction to God is appropriate for all people in the face of God’s awesome power: to humble yourself and repent as Job does.
Jesus makes it clear that those impacted by tragedies and disasters did not commit any particular sin to differentiate them from the rest of the populace:
At that time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? 3 I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse sinners than all the people living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too.” (Luke 13:1-5)
The good news for Christians is that the primary way God reveals himself to us and to the world is not in hurricanes, earthquakes, and other disasters. God has revealed himself to us in Jesus, in whom we have forgiveness of sins. He shows us his love in his Word, in Jesus on the cross and in Jesus raised to life. A hurricane is a reason for us to turn to God in repentance, but in Christ we have confidence that God is favorable to us.
Another reaction Christians ought to have in the face of such tragedy is to pray for those who are affected. James encourages prayers also about the weather by giving the example of Elisha:
The prayer of a righteous person is able to do much because it is effective. 17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the land produced its harvest. (James 5:16-18)
Finally, if you have the means and the opportunity to give material help, this is a great thing to do as well. When such calamities strike the clear path to give aid is sometimes not clear. WELS has its own division that helps with clean up in WELS Christian Aid and Relief. They may be receiving more donations for helping with both of the Hurricane relief efforts. I’ve been seeing lots of stories of people in the area taking it upon themselves to help their neighbors as well. Whenever a disaster strikes, it makes me think about my own preparedness. As Christians, we are called to be ready at all times to share the Gospel, but also to simply love our neighbors. Having more than you need now can be one way to love your neighbors in the event of some kind of disaster in our area.