Holy Thursday Without the Holy Supper?

Grace to you and peace from God our heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who on this night instituted the blessed gift of the Holy Supper. Amen.

I’ve been looking forward to this Holy Week since last Holy Week. I love the services that take us from the Mount of Olives through the Upper Room to Gethsemane and the betrayal and arrest of our Lord. I look forward to hearing of his sham of a trial and his bloody execution at the hands of sinful men, the very sinners he came to save. I remember fondly watching the men of a congregation we attended sit perfectly still through the Maundy Thursday service, a living depiction of Da Vinci’s famous Last Supper. This, not Christmas, is, in my opinion, the most wonderful time of the year. It doesn’t get any better than this. Here is where God delivers the on His first promise, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between her offspring and yours; you shall bruise his heal, but he shall crush your head.” The Savior’s hour has finally come. He Sacrifice must be made ready, and he will be ready to willingly give his life in exchange for yours.

On this holy night, we return with our Lord to the Upper Room. It’s a familiar place for those who grew up in the church. This is where the climax of the story begins. “When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” (Matthew 26:20-21) Jesus knew full well that Judas had already arranged to hand him over and had collected the payment of thirty pieces of silver for his treachery. Jesus knew, just as the Father knew of Adam’s sin when he cried out, “Adam, where are you?” in the freshly fallen Garden. He knew Adam’s sin. He knew Judas’s sin, and he knows your sin, too. He sees the things that you hide so well from the rest of the world—not only things done and left undone, but also every thought that crosses your mind. He knows, but he’s provided the payment for each and every sinful thought, word, and deed.

As the evening progressed through the usual remembrances of the God’s mighty deliverance of His people from bondage in Egypt, nothing else happened out of the ordinary. At least until the meal was nearly over when Jesus took bread and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take; eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, “Drink of it all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.” (Matthew 26:22-24) By these very words, Jesus gave us the gift of the Sacrament of the Altar, The Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist. And, we’ve grown accustomed to receiving his forgiveness, life, and salvation anew very often—more often than we deserve, and more often than almost any other time and place in the long history of the Church. We know the familiar motions of gathering at the rail with family and friends-brothers and sisters in Christ. I look forward to Maundy Thursday when we see most clearly the unity of the congregation and the communion of saints as we share from the same common cup of our Lord’s blood in, with, and under the wine. But this year, very few people are here physically in the sanctuary of St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Most of the congregation is at home watching the service on a screen! We mourn the loss of in-person fellowship and physical togetherness, and we cry out for a quick end to this separation. We hoped it would be over by now, but God has other plans.

In times of tragedy, novel and uncertain ideas have a way of sneaking into the Church. The Devil and his demons are hard at work trying to destroy what God has built. They want nothing more than to keep us apart for all of our celebrations of Easter. They want the Church to fall apart in trying times, but the Bridegroom who died for His Bride protects her still today. Our Synod is dealing with a familiarly unfamiliar problem. What do we do about communion in times of crisis? Usually it’s easy, we wait for the crisis to pass and it passes quickly. This time it’s different. We have not received our Lord’s body and blood in nearly a month. What are we to do? Many well-meaning, faithful men have dealt with the issue in questionable ways. As we have in the past, the Synod works quickly and in the spirit of brotherly affection to correct error in doctrine and practice where it arises in the hopes of restoring the penitent. The more specific problem we are facing together is this, “Is the Sacrament of the Altar truly the Sacrament of the Altar if the words instituted by Christ are spoken at the altar of the congregation while the congregation watches from afar with unleavened bread and wine on hand to consume as the Lord’s body and blood? Some say, “Yes.” Others say, “No.” Still others say, “We can’t be sure.” Herein lies the problem. 

The words of institution are truly God’s words and they will do what he wants them to do. We Pastors are charged with assuring the congregation of the certainty of God’s promise of forgiveness, life, and salvation, especially in times of tragedy and uncertainty. We strive to give you, the congregation, God’s Word and Sacrament free of any doubts.  This present debate leads us to examine what we, as Confessional Lutherans, believe about not only the Lord’s Supper, but also the Office of the Holy Ministry instituted by God. We are bound as God’s people to do things God’s way, not straying after any and every fanciful idea that comes along. Throughout the history of the church, there are countless times when gathering together for the Lord’s Supper was not possible due to pestilence and plague in times of war and peace. The Church on Earth of old survived, and we the Church on Earth of today will too. We hold, as Lutherans who subscribe to the Book of Concord as a true exposition of scripture, that in the Lord’s Supper, we receive into our mouths the real body and blood of Jesus, the Final Passover Lamb. How it gets there is a great mystery, but we simply trust that Jesus’ words “given for you” and “shed for the forgiveness of sins” are true. God’s Holy Word instructs on the proper use of the Sacrament and gives a warning to any who would use it improperly, as St. Paul says, “Whoever eats the body and blood of the Lord in an unworthy manner is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:27) The proper use and reception of the Sacrament is truly an important manner; get it wrong and we’re in big trouble. 

So, back to the question, “Can we have confidence in the Lord’s Supper delivered via Facebook live?” It is good that you desire to receive this gift, especially on this Holy Thursday. We long to celebrate with the saints around the world this night in this wonderful gift, but this year, it is not possible. We should not, and we will not. We know that in this blessed gift, we are united with our Lord in heaven, as well as the saints of God, both at the rail beside us and those who are already partaking in the heavenly banquet with Christ. The Sacrament is given to us as a community. It was never intended for individual, private use. It’s not to be celebrated across vast distances, but together as the body gathered in one place. There is not a reason for “emergency” communion. If we cannot be physically present together, we wait and we pray that God would bring us back together quickly. But don’t lose heart, we are not cut off from the mercy of God. In his divine wisdom, goodness, and mercy, our Lord set it up so that there are multiple ways that we receive the gift of divine pardon and peace. The Lord’s Supper is not the only means by which God gives you the gift of forgiveness. By his mighty Word, our Triune God offers you his forgiveness on Christ’s behalf. Nothing has changed in regards to the proclamation of the Word. Your ears pick up the sound of God’s holy word, and he tells us that faith comes by hearing the very word of God. Remember your baptisms each and every day as you begin it in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the very name by which you were baptized into Christ Jesus. Remember the baptism that brought to you new life and drowned the Old Adam that lives within you. 

Now is not the time to rush headlong into new practices in regard to the Lord’s Supper. God’s forgiveness is for you. This isn’t the first time that God’s people have been cut off from his gifts due to circumstance. The Exiles provide us with the best model for dealing with the present suffering. Like them, we are unable to gather together in the House of the Lord. So, we look to men like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who faced the fiery furnace because of their faithfulness and devotion to the one true God. We look to Daniel who likewise faced the lions trusting in God’s goodness and grace all while cut off from the Temple in Jerusalem many miles away. Continue to pray to the One True God. Ask for his deliverance from the present evil that has befallen us and from all of you sins of thought, word, and deed. Cry out like Exiles and wait for the Lord, in His time we will return to receive this wonderful, precious gift of His Son’s body and blood. We at St. Matthew will not be celebrating the gift of the Sacrament of the Altar until such time as our Lord provides the way back to in person services as we once knew them and as we long to return to worship here together. It is good that we should desire the Supper and grieve over our absence from the altar. Perhaps that is what God’s will is for us during this time. Still, it is best to refrain from participation in online communion services should you come across one. We, too, are exiled, not to some far away foreign land but to our homes. We are exiled but not abandoned. Even in this time of being apart we are united as members of the body of Christ and so we plead for mercy based on that fact. We have the claim of coheirs with Christ only by sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, who willingly left the safety of the Upper Room to walk with His betrayer to the Garden of Gethsemane. There he is betrayed by a kiss and handed over for the slaughter. Jesus is tried and sentenced to death for claiming what was true, that he is the Son of God. He died and spent three days resting in the tomb. He rose from the grave having conquered death and hell on your behalf. He came to you by the Spirit at your Baptism claiming you as his own, and when the pandemic is over and the danger lessened, He will invite you once again to feast on His body and blood at this altar, as you gather here kneeling beside your brothers and sisters in Christ, in the foretaste of the feast to come. So now, go to dark Gethsemane, gaze upon the Lord of All as he hangs on the tree with pierced hands and feet. Mourn the death of the Innocent One. He died because of your sin, and finally rejoice in His victory as the empty tomb awaits. Amen

And the peace of God which passes all understanding guard your

hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen

Hosanna!

It’s here! Holy Week is upon us! Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The hour has come for the Son of Man to be lifted up and glorified. Like the people gathered to celebrate the Passover Feast so long ago, we, too, look forward to Palm Sunday each and every year. Year after year, the children process down the aisle of churches around the world shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” Year after year we sing songs of praise together in preparation for the week to come.

The celebration this year is vastly different. The pews are empty. There are no children waiving branches, and you are watching service from afar. The shut-in list has grown from three to everyone overnight. The future is uncertain. Years of economic growth have not only come to a halt, in many cases they’ve gone over a cliff. I don’t feel like celebrating much of anything most days. But, here we are, gathered together miles apart to take the final few steps that lead us to the cross and the empty tomb. The reality of this season remains the same as it always has been. This week the sorrowful, penitent reflection of the season of Lent will give way to the joyous celebration of our Lord’s resurrection, but we’ll have to do things a little differently than what we call normal. The important things of the season don’t depend on us; we depend on Him. Everything we do as a congregation and in life through our many and various vocations, is all about Jesus. Whether we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation or we’re isolated during Holy Week because of a pandemic, it’s all about Jesus. Listen to Him.

While they were in the city making preparations for what would be the final Passover sacrifice, Jesus and the Twelve were going about their day when some Gentiles approached Philip asking to see Jesus. Philip went and got Andrew and the two went together to Jesus. It’s easy to pass over this little detail, but don’t. Philip should have been concerned with his own cleanliness. No self-respecting Jew would have been caught in the presence of a potentially unclean Gentile during this time, but Philip knows where true purity comes from—Jesus, who gives the answer, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:23-24) The hour has come. The Son of Man will be lifted up upon the cross and all the world will see it. The only pure, blameless Lamb is about to be led to the slaughter. The Light will overtake the darkness. The Son’s heel will be struck and the serpent’s head crushed.

Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” Isn’t it funny how the people gathered in Jerusalem, waiving branches and singing praises had no clue who they were welcoming. We often don’t know the power and truth of our words. Many times in Scripture (and in life) we see people get what they ask for in unexpected ways. Just before we hear of Jesus’ entry into the Holy City, we’re told the Jewish officials are plotting and planning to do away with him. Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for one man to die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” (John 11:49-50) What a wonderful prophecy given to the High Priest by God Himself. They planned to arrest Jesus and offered a reward to any who would turn Him in. They plotted even to murder newly resurrected Lazarus to halt the news that a man dead for four days was again making the trek to Jerusalem for the Passover.

Be careful what you pray for, you just might get it. Have you prayed for more time together with your family? This stay-at-home order is an answer to your prayer. Have you asked God to rekindle to a fading flame in your marriage? Safely at home you are reminded of why you fell in love in the first place. Have you asked God to help you understand Common Core math? We’ve prayed as a congregation that God would return those who have wandered from the fellowship of the saints on earth. Could He use this time to fan an ember of faith into a blazing flame? He might be.

Holy Week is going to look drastically different. Much of the pomp and circumstance is not possible this year, but the reality is that nothing has changed about this week. Jesus was welcomed as asking, pursued by the priests and the Pharisees, and he will share a final Passover Seder with the Twelve after which one there present will betray Him. He’ll be tried by the Sanhedrin and handed over to the executioners. He’ll be stripped, beaten and paraded through the streets on the way of suffering that leads to a place called “Skull”. His hands and feet will have nails hammered through. He will be lifted up. The crowd that welcomed him will call for his death. He will be mocked and bloodied on the cross for all to see until he cries out with his last breath, “It is finished.”

Our celebration will be different, but the truth of the gospel story remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. Previous plagues have disrupted the life of the saints on earth before. What got them through will do the same for you. Remember your baptism each and every day. Pray for a quick end to covid-19, for protection from the disease if it is God’s will. Remember the promise Jesus gave to the disciples as they began the final journey to Jerusalem, “We must go to Jerusalem in order that I may die and be raised again on the third day.” Amen.

O Lord, You Know

O Lord, You Know

Grace to you and peace from God our heavenly Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This week our great nation gained the distinction of having the greatest number of cases of COVID-19 of any nation on earth. That’s a prize we don’t want, but we have it. It’s ours; the good ol’ U.S.A. has yet another championship on the world stage. We could go back and forth all day about who to blame for this blunder. As for me, I blame sin. Not some specific sin plaguing our country, just sin. The sin we inherited from Adam that corrupted all of creation—every man, woman, and child; every beast of the field and bird of the air; the very ground itself; and yes, even, viruses. This world is broken; that’s not news to anybody. In spite of the brokenness, we know that the Lord of Creation is at work. He will use this evil to bring about good, just as He has always done.

Today we look at the story from the Prophet Ezekiel read a few minutes ago. The Prophet is taken to a valley of old, dried out, dusty bones where God poses the question, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezk. 37:3) The people in the pungent pit of passing have decayed; they’ve been in there a long time. Their bones are brittle beyond belief. They’re not only merely dead; they’re really most sincerely dead. Anyone with eyes to see knows this, but God asks the preposterous question, “Can these bones live?” The obvious answer is, “Of course not! There’s nothing left but bones. The skin has long been destroyed. Their muscles and tendons have returned to the dust from whence they came. Every essential system of the body has not only shut down the pieces are long gone. They’re dead! How can they live? But, that’s not how Ezekiel replies. He simply says, “O Lord God, You know.” (Ezk. 37:3) Ezekiel knows just who he is standing before. The One who created the cosmos from nothing by his word had brought him to this place of despair and death. Ezekiel had faith in God to do all things. In effect, he’s saying, “These folks look dead to me, but you are the Creator of the universe, the Lord of life. You know the number of hairs that each person here in this valley had on their heads when they were living. If You want them to return to life, then they will.” And God, had even more in mind than simply bringing bones back to life. He was going to give Ezekiel the very words to speak that, by God’s own power, would rebuild and reanimate the dry, dusty deceased. “Thus says the Lord,” declares Ezekiel, and it is so. As amazing as this action is, God has something even greater in mind.

What does this have to do with you and me in the midst of the present plague? As always, our God provides the answer. “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost.” (Ezk 37:11) Like the people in the days of Ezekiel, you are in exile from the Holy House of God. We are unable to gather together in person in this sanctuary around this altar to hear God’s Word and receive the body and blood of His Son. Life as we know it has come to a standstill. Life for the Exiles in Babylon was relatively normal, except for one big thing—the Temple, the very house of God on earth, was back in Jerusalem ruined by the fighting that led to their captivity. They were hundreds of miles away from home among a foreign people and foreign gods. It was impossible to make the sacrifices required of them for the atonement of the people’s sins. There would be no Passover gathering in the Holy City, and the people, like you and I today, pleaded with the Lord for deliverance. We, too, are cut off from the Holy Sacrament that delivers to our mouths the body and blood of the final Passover Lamb for the forgiveness of sins. With our forefathers in the faith, we cry out, “How long, O Lord?” and, it’s only been two weeks since we last gathered together here in God’s house. Many people around the world are wondering aloud, “Did God send this evil upon us?” We know the answer—nothing evil comes from a Holy God. But, we wonder, what did we do to bring this catastrophe upon ourselves? In our sinfulness, we seek someone to blame for our troubles. God seems like a convenient scape goat. He’s used plagues before to punish Egypt and convince Pharaoh to let the captive Israelites go. He once flooded the whole earth as a result of man’s ever growing sinfulness. Could it be? Is this disease punishment for some evil? Maybe it is; maybe it isn’t. Don’t waste your time trying to figure out the hidden things of God. As His people, we are bound by what He has revealed to us, no more and no less. Looking for some hidden meaning in all of this is a dangerous game that we ought not play. 

What then shall we do? First, continue to cry out to God. Call upon Him in everything. He listens. He hears your pleas for, and He will respond. Be prepared for this to go on for a while. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for four centuries. The Exiles remained in Babylon for nearly two generations. Jesus promised to return two millennia ago. God’s time is not like our time. Look around the world and see what is happening other places. Some have been social distancing since January. Experts expect a vaccine to take at least a year to safely develop. The virus is better controlled and medical professionals are able to keep up in places where people have sheltered in place. There will be an end to this pandemic as there has been for others. God uses difficult times for the betterment of His creation. He’s given us the ability to fend off all sorts of diseases that a hundred years ago were a death sentence for anyone who contracted them. Be patient, call upon the Lord.

Second, repent of your sins. You’ll have plenty of time for self-examination right now. Is there someone you’ve had an ongoing dispute with? Have you neglected the fellowship of believers by your absence from Divine Service? Have you been lax on your study of God’s Word? Repent. Change your ways. Offer words of apology to those you’ve wronged. Reach out to the people you really don’t want to talk to. Read your Bible. Dust off your Catechism and open it up. Pray with your family. Turn back to Christ and His Church.

Third, Trust that God will work this evil to further His kingdom. Now is not the time to point the finger of blame at God, but rather we are to continue doing what the people of God do. We are staring death in the face with the rest of the world, but we have the ultimate solution. Christ Jesus was raised from the dead. The battle is over. The victory is own. The Unholy Trinity-sin, Satan, and death-has been overcome. Share this comfort with your neighbors. Share it on Facebook. Call up your brothers and sisters in Christ on the phone and remind each other of this good news. Because Christ was raised from the dead; we, too, will rise again to new life with Him. All of us who were baptized with Christ Jesus were baptized into His death and because of this we have the glorious, certain, hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Share this. It’s a matter of life and death. There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. God is already at work, using this evil for His good. Last Sunday our attendance tripled. The pews here were empty, but more than 200 people watched as the service was live streamed.  In the last week 850 separate Facebook accounts have watched a portion of the service. People around the world are turning (or returning) to the Body of Christ! We pray that this virtual return translates to an ongoing walk within the Church when this crisis is over. 

Finally, cling to the hope given to you in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Like Ezekiel, we’re looking at a Valley of Dry Bones. Death is before our eyes.  We could very well find ourselves facing death—our own or that of a loved one. Know without a doubt that on the Last Day, when Jesus returns with the blast of trumpets, the dead in Christ will be raises to meet the Lord in the sky face-to-face as perfect, glorified creatures to live forever with Him in Paradise. The promise given Ezekiel at the Valley of Dry Bones is for you also. As Ezekiel spoke, “there was a sound, and behold a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. And [he] looked and behold there was sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them.” (Ezk. 37:7-8a) Yet they still lacked one thing-the breath of life. So through the prophet, God provided just what they needed. “The breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” (Ezk. 37:10) Take comfort in God’s ultimate promise—“I will open your graves and will raise you from the grave, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live…I have spoken and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezk. 37:14) There is no greater comfort than this; the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live even though he dies; and whoever believes in Me will never die.

And the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

The King of Love My Shepherd Is

Grace to you and peace from God our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

      Henry W. Baker wrote the hymn “The King of Love My Shepherd is” and first published it in 1868. This hymn has been called “perhaps the most beautiful of all the countless hymns based on Psalm 23. In the spirit of the Reformation and its charge to have God’s word heard in the vernacular languages of the people of God, Baker paraphrases the well-loved Psalm in beautiful English poetry. As he does this, his words point us to Christ as He is found in the Old Testament.  Jesus does not mysteriously appear in the gospels. No, He is there from before the foundation of the world. After all, we confess Him as “the only begotten Son of the Father, begotten of His Father before all worlds.” He’s there as the “Let there be’s” of Genesis are spoken. He’s there grieving over the wickedness of creation and the coming flood to destroy all mankind, save for Noah and his family. And, He remains close at hand as the ark is tossed about in the raging waters. He hears Israel’s plea for freedom in Egypt and witnesses the plagues that spared them yet ravaged the rest of the country. He remains today as we face these uncharted waters of the pandemic of 2020. He’s been through plague and pestilence before fulfilling His promise never to leave or forsake His flock.

      “The King of Love my Shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine forever. Jesus said, I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. The Good Shepherd guards His flock, richly and daily providing for all of our needs for this life amidst sickness and death. During this time of uncertainty, it’s easy to lose sight of the peace we have through Christ Jesus. COVID-19 is here. Just this morning, Leavenworth County, where I live, announced a 30 Day stay at home order beginning on Tuesday. We’ve watched from afar as others have faced this peril; it’s always been somebody else’s problem. But, now, it’s our turn. Even in the midst of this suffering we confess boldly along with our brothers and sisters in Christ, “I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine forever.” 

      You know the promises of God, but we have not acted as God’s children. This emergency leads us also to reflect on our sins and repent of them. We’ll have lots of time over the next few weeks to reflect on what really matters, the forgiveness of God through Christ Jesus. Approach the Father by the side of His Only-Begotten Son pleading for mercy with heads held low, wearied by the weight of sin and suffering. “Repent!” Jesus says. Acknowledge your trespasses. Don’t deny your transgressions of God’s holy Law. You are laden with iniquity. You have neglected your prayers and abandoned your fellow believers by your absence from God’s house. You have thought more highly of the treasures of this world that moth and rust destroy than the treasures of heaven which never fade away. Your mouths are filled with harsh, vile words. Your thoughts are even worse. Your prosperity has made you arrogant. You’ve come to believe whatever your itching ears and evil heart’s desire. You think that God owes you more than he has already given you. You despise the precious gift of His Son’s body and blood by neglect and by your own arrogance. You treat the Sacrament as a game, a thing to be passed around as any other possession given to you by God. You think you know better than God who gave you body and soul, eyes, ears, reason, and senses. The same God who gives you food, clothes, family, shelter, and everything else you need. 

      “Perverse and foolish oft I’ve stratyed, But yet in love He sought me, And on His shoulder gently laid And home rejoicing brought me.” God calls you this day to repentance. He wants to give you the forgiveness won for you by the Good Shepherd who laid down His own life that the sheep might live. “In death’s dark vale I fear no ill, With Thee, dear Lord, to guide me, Thy rod and staff my comfort still, Thy cross before to guide me. Thou spreadst a table in mine sight; Thine unction grace bestowing; And oh, what transport of delight From Thy pure chalice floweth.” As we weather the storm before us together as God’s people, what will we do. As Christ’s body, the Church, we know exactly what God expects of us: (1) You shall have no other Gods, (2) Do not misuse the name of God, (3) Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy, (4) Honor your Father and Mother, (5) Do not murder, (6) Do not commit  adultery, (7)Do not steal, (8) Do not give false testimony, (9) Do not covet your neighbor’s house, (10) Do not covet your neighbors wife, servants, or anything else that belongs to him. You know the commandments—Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself.

      As God’s beloved children, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we rejoice in all things. Even social distancing, stay home orders, the end of sports, and the unknown to come. You have nothing to fear; to live is Christ but today is gain. Don’t put God to the test. He promises to watch over you, but also gave you your reason and senses. Stay home. Listen to those you have elected to lead us through these challenges. Faith in Christ’s redeeming work doesn’t make you virus-proof. Check on your neighbors. Check on your friends. Check on your family. Now is the time to show Christ’s mercy. Spare some toilet paper or hand soap. Take a meal to someone. Be a walking, talking witness of the Good News. Tell people of Jesus. Don’t give in to the temptation to turn away from God. Set aside some time each day to spend with him. Talk to him in prayer. Watch President Harrison’s daily devotion on Facebook. Listen to the Lutheran Hour. Read your bible alone; read your bible with your family. Use this time as a renewal of personal faith and spiritual disciplines.

      God is with you through thick and thin. He is with you in health and He will be with you should sickness come your way. “And so, through all the length of days Thy goodness faileth never; Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise Within Thy house forever.”

And the grace of God which passes all understanding keep 

your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.