What if there is no “or else”?

“If you don’t have to do anything [to be saved}, then what are you going to do?”

Gerhard Forde, Lutheran Theologian

Dear Friends,

Lutherans bring a very critical contribution to the Christian theological conversation. After spending most of his life trying to be good enough to be assured that he was going to heaven, Martin Luther ran across passages such as Ephesians 2:8-9:

We are saved by grace through faith

and this is not of our own doing—lest anyone should boast—

but it is a gift from God.

As these words and this idea took root in his heart, he realized that he would NEVER be good enough to earn God’s grace but that God through faith grants this grace freely. It was this insight into the graciousness of God that sparked the Protestant Reformation. In his book, Justification by Faith: A Matter of Death and Life, Gerhard Forde states the consequences for our lives very simply: If you don’t have to do anything [to be saved], then what are you going to do?

I just finished my summer sermon series called Transformed! where I took on the personas of people who had encounters with Jesus that transformed their lives: a blind man, a demoniac, a tax collector, a hemorrhaging woman, a leper, a man with a withered hand, a paralytic, and parents with ill children to name a few. These people experienced some kind of healing but—for the most part—we do not have accounts of their lives after this. It’s possible that they went on to become criminals, hateful people, murderers and such. I find it much more likely, however, that after their interaction with Jesus and receiving healing, their experience was that God loves them and they were inspired and motivated to use their “wholeness” to make lives better for others. But they had a choice… in how they would respond to the good news that the God of the universe cared about and loved them just like the God of the universe cares about and loves YOU!

There are versions of Christianity that are out there today that have a different view of how God relates to us. Many of them have some version of: God will love you and save you if… Underneath these is some kind of threat: Do this or else! Don’t do this or else! In the more extreme versions, the “or else” is about going to Hell. Fear can be a powerful motivator to get people to think or behave a certain way. Just ask Martin Luther!

I must confess, there are times when I think that being a leader of a congregation would be easier if I could use some kind of threat to get people to do things! But it would be completely out of integrity for me. If I believe that I am saved by grace through faith, then it means I must put down the weapon of fear in order to proclaim this grace. Especially, being pastor of First Lutheran Church where we say we are uplifting, connecting, inviting and dynamic, FEAR doesn’t mix well with any of those!

There is a reason I am talking about this right now. The main thing holding back or hampering our ministries right now is a lack of volunteers. We need people who can welcome, make wise decisions, spend time with our children, spend time with our seniors, lead conversations, fix stuff, create stuff, read out loud, organize activities, show up, push buttons, clean up, dream, pray, help others, make new friends, be curious… This is what our ReConnection Sunday is all about. Increasing the participation of everyone in our life together.

Now, I can’t “force” any of you to do anything! I can share that it was my involvement in the Church that developed most of the abilities you see in me as a pastor. Yes… even the cardboard thing!

I invite you to experience the joy that comes with responding to God’s grace by contributing your time and talents to the body of Christ we call the “church.”

Peace,

Pastor Phil