When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1-4

That first Christian Pentecost must have been something to witness. Rushing wind, tongues of fire and the proclamation of the gospel in many languages formerly unknown to those who spoke. It is such an extraordinary event that it is easy to fall into the trap of celebrating Pentecost as a memorial to an event that is long past.

But the true miracle of Pentecost continues today, and we do well to celebrate the impact of Pentecost in our own lives. I’m not referring to talking in gibberish, falling down in hysterics or other oddities that are blamed on the Holy Spirit. The true miracle of Pentecost is far more spectacular and it continues in every place that the Word of God is proclaimed to this day.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” John 20:21 

They probably thought that we had lost our minds. I guess it was partly true. Maybe not lost, but certainly a seismic change was happening in our lives, and it could not remain hidden. What could our families think as we were buying dozens of Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, and with excitement beaming from our faces, handing them out to our extended family and friends? What has happened to this couple?! 

That was our first experience of partaking in the Great Commission as that well known fisherman John recorded for us: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21, see also Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and Acts 1). At that time, we didn’t even know much about the Great Commission, we didn’t know that we were called and sent to proclaim repentance and forgiveness, to make disciples, or to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. But we had just heard the Gospel, the Good News, the amazing news. Something that was turning our lives and world upside down.  

Pastor Guntars Baikovs reflects on his own experiences and how God calls every member of his body to the Great Commission.

On Saturday, 17 May, LM-A President Matt Anker delivered the Commencement Address to the graduating students of Concordia Seminary St Louis. During the ceremony he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity in recognition of his “outstanding service to the church” …

…Speaking to the students and all assembled in the Main Quadrangle of the 186-year-old seminary, Pastor Matt said:

You are all about to begin a divine adventure that will unfold before you in the coming years and which you will look back on in astonishment as you see the twists and turns it has taken under God’s fatherly and divine providence. Having sat at the feet of faithful professors and heading out into a church body that, for all its flaws, remains a beacon of hope for confessional Lutherans worldwide, you can take these steps with confidence. For you do not embark on a journey of your own making or on your own authority – but you go as one who is sent by the Lord through His church. Ambassadors of reconciliation and bearers of hope.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:34-35

This is an intriguing verse to reflect on.  “Love one another!” As Lutherans, we read the Bible through a Law and Gospel paradigm. The Law is what God demands of us. The Gospel is what God has done for us.

We hear the word love, and we often leap straight towards the gospel. Surely to love is gospel. Yet it is the law in the strongest of language, at least when it applies to that which we are to do. So legalistic is love, when Jesus summarises the Ten Commandments, he does so with a focus on love. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Jesus makes it clear that to love God and to love your neighbour is going to be work, and lots of it – heart, soul, mind, and strength!  It sounds daunting and some might think, “I’m not sure I could keep the commandment to love God, or to love one another.” Let me cut the suspense – you won’t be able to keep this summary commandment any more than you can keep any of the Ten Commandments.

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

John 21:4-6; ESV

Did you have an enjoyable Easter? For most Christians it’s a wonderful time of year, celebrating the joy of Jesus’ resurrection and the hope it brings us with hymns, fellowship and food. But what happens now? How has Easter changed you? Has it changed you?

Gone fishing

It seems somewhat ironic to me that, shortly after the first Easter, the disciples are to be found back at the Sea of Galilee fishing for fish (and unsuccessfully at that). This is ironic because, when Jesus first called those who were fishermen by trade, He told them they would fish for people (see e.g. Luke 5:1-11). Yet, in today’s reading it appears that Easter had not changed the disciples. Instead of “fishing for people” by sharing the Good News of the Resurrection, as Jesus commissioned them to do on Easter Sunday (John 20:21-23), they return to the comfort and familiarity of their old life in the backwater of Galilee.

Now, while this reaction is understandable due to our common human frailty, it isn’t what Jesus had called the disciples to do. For the sake of the people yet to be “caught” by the Gospel, He needed the disciples to leave their old life behind and tell others about the resurrection. But note how Jesus doesn’t berate them for their choices. Instead of criticism, Jesus comes to the disciples a third time and equips them again for their calling. He instructs them (showing, in the process, that His Word can be trusted by providing a miraculous catch), feeds them personally with breakfast, and then commissions them anew to tend and feed His sheep in turn (John 21:15-19). (Note that this text is also one of the reasons Lutherans like using the title of “pastor”, which comes from the Latin for “shepherd”.)

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

John 20:11-16

Over the last six weeks of Lent, our focus has been on spiritual disciplines, including repentance, prayer, reading God’s Word, fasting and good works. Throughout these weeks, we reflected on God’s incredible grace to us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). God is continually at work, serving us, loving us and redeeming us because of his great love for us. Love so great that he sent Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16).

As Lent draws to a close and the events of Holy Week consume our focus, it can seem like we are walking further and further into darkness, as we see the corruption of the temple, the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and the crowds, the betrayal by close friends, the bloodlust and brutality of the crucifixion, the sealed tomb.

But that’s not the full picture! Walking with Jesus through this week, we see that the One who set His face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) is at work, fulfilling scripture, cleansing places of worship and human hearts, bringing light in the darkness of our souls, saving us despite our continual failures, defeating the powers of this world, overcoming death and the devil.

However, like Mary rushing to the tomb on the day of the Resurrection and failing to recognise the risen Lord standing in front of her (John 20:11-16), our eyes too are often blinded by the griefs and worries of this life so that we cannot see Christ’s victory and the hope it brings.

Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Lutheran Mission - Australia takes mission very seriously. First and foremost, we want to fulfil Jesus’ Great Commission - to help in the great work of all Christians to make disciples, sharing God’s love and grace with all the world.

Even though we are just beginning our journey as a church, we are conscious that we have been richly blessed as a church and as individuals with support and material goods. Just as we have received wonderful support from our brothers and sisters around the world, we want to begin as we mean to go on - by passing on those blessings to others, both here in Australia and overseas.

The LM-A Committee of Management has voted to become mission partners of a remarkable group of Lutherans serving the Lord in Burundi. Burundi is a land locked country in East Africa which has suffered from its own internal conflicts, as well as the being severely impacted by the fallout from conflict in surrounding countries such as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This has certainly contributed to the reality that Burundi has long been one of the poorest countries in the world.

In “Thank, Praise, Serve and Obey”, Pastor Will Weedon explores the joy of piety. This extract encourages us to look at good works with fresh eyes.

“If you think back to your childhood, perhaps you remember excitement on Easter morning. Not just a basket of goodies, ready prepared with chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and marshmallow chicks. Those were great too, but what I am talking about is the hunt on Easter morning! The hunt for Easter eggs. Picture yourself for a moment again as a little one, with a basket in hand, toddling off. Can you hear yourself squeal in delight when you spy a coloured egg peeking out from under a bush? You run to get it, put it in your basket, and then, eager-eyed, you search the horizon for another one. And another. 

Have you ever thought of good works like that? They are wonderful little surprises that God has strewn all around us to delight us and give us Easter joy as we do them. Is not this how St Paul describes good works in Ephesians 2? 

There are several methods and plans for Bible reading. We are encouraged to read God’s Word regularly, to feed and drink from the Source of Life. We are nurtured and strengthened in faith, and the Holy Spirit causes us to grow in our Christian life and witness to stand on God’s truth and share it. We need to be reminded always that tools are just tools. These are useful as long as they bring us into God’s Word. Jesus says: “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

Methods of Bible Reading

There is not just one way of studying God’s Word. Methods vary greatly. Some people choose to simply read portions of Scripture regularly; some take notes about the reading; others write down personal applications and prayers related to the day’s reading; and still others develop a more comprehensive practice as they survey the contextual, exegetical, and doctrinal elements involving the text.

… There are many right ways to study Scripture. But there is also a wrong way. The wrong way is to approach the Bible without reverence and humility, relying more on your own understanding than on the power of the Word itself. The wrong way is when you distort God’s Word - for example, by taking a historical prophecy and assuming it’s personally about you. The wrong way is when you try to make Scripture say more or less than what it actually says—when you force it to accommodate to your worldview. God’s Word says what it says. It cannot be changed, added to, or subtracted from. It is God Himself speaking to us. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Recommendations to fast are common among medical doctors and dieticians. But abstaining from food or drink for medical or health reasons isn’t what specifically “Christian fasting” is all about.

The Bible records all kinds of fasts, both individual and communal, for various spiritual reasons. Yet they all have one thing in common: fasting helps us to see what is truly important in life, revealing those things that we value too much in life and tossing them at the foot of the cross. And even though food is a big idol for people like me, who couldn’t survive without all-you-can-eat buffets, it is not the only one. Because every one of our personal idols tempts us to depend upon them, instead of the only trustworthy one, Jesus Christ, fasting is a spiritual discipline and a form of repentance. When coupled with self denial and a humble attitude, it empties us of ourselves to be filled with God. We are caused to hunger, so that we can be fed with manna (Deuteronomy 8:3). For, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Jesus is our daily bread. His Word alone is our strength (Psalm 28:7).

Prayer is a discipline that can prepare our hearts during Lent. How do you feel about prayer? Privileged? Excited? Bored? Maybe you are even thinking, “I don't really pray”. We probably believe that “prayer is good for us”, just as “vegetables are good for us”.

Prayer – like all spiritual disciplines – is part of the sanctified (holy) life. God makes us alive from our spiritual death in sin (justification). Once God has made us spiritually alive, we are to actively live in relationship with him. As veggies nourish our already living bodies, so prayer nourishes and strengthens our already living faith. As adopted children of God we have his gift of prayer to help us love him and love our neighbour (and ourselves).

The Bible teaches both God’s command to pray (Luke 18:1 and the Second Commandment) and God’s promise to hear our prayers and respond with good gifts (Matthew 7:11). God wants us to pray for our needs and desires, even though he knows what we need before we ask. Yet this does not mean that our prayers are meaningless or powerless: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16, NIV).

I like to think of prayer as unwrapping gifts that God has already chosen and prepared for us. God often gives “unwrapped” gifts to us even when we haven’t prayed. But sometimes our prayers are part of God’s gift-giving process.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17

Repentance, turning away from sin and returning to God, is not something we can do in our own strength, and it is not something we do once and master. It is a life-long process, which we can only do in faith through God’s word and the Holy Spirit. Lent gives us the opportunity to develop the habit of daily repentance.

Luther on repentance as a spiritual discipline

As we see in the first of Luther’s 95 theses, the whole life of a believer is to be one of repentance:

When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance

Luther provided considerable advice about repentance. In the Small Catechism we find several examples.

Have mercy on me, O God, 
    according to your steadfast love; 
according to your abundant mercy 
    blot out my transgressions. 
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 
    and cleanse me from my sin!

Psalm 51:1-2 

In worship, we prepare to receive God’s blessings by confessing our sins and receiving absolution, so that our hearts and consciences are clean, ready to receive God’s Word as it is read and proclaimed. In our Confessions, we are urged to daily come before the Lord in repentance and daily receive his grace, so that we are set free each day to love and serve God and our neighbours.  

Lent is the 40 days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter, when the church prepares for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Throughout scripture we see forty days as a period of preparation - Jesus' 40 days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness as he prepared for his ministry; Moses' 40 days of fasting and prayer on Mt. Sinai as he waited to receive the Law from God; and Elijah's 40 days of fasting and prayer on his way to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God. 

What is Ash Wednesday? 

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. Its name comes from the practice of marking the foreheads of worshippers with ashes in the shape of a cross. This symbolises our need for repentance, reminds us of our mortality, and proclaims the good news that sin and death have been conquered through the cross of Christ. 

Lutheran Mission-Australia President, Pastor Matt Anker, has signed The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity. This new creed was developed by people from churches and Christian entities around Australia and beyond. They were concerned about how many churches, their leaders, institutions and members – in response to increasing pressures from society – have given up on confessing and teaching God’s clear directions on sex, gender and marriage. The new creed isn’t so much a creed to be confessed in worship as a statement pledging what the signatories believe and will teach in this regard.

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Matthew 17:1-8 

The observation of the Transfiguration of our Lord comes on the eve of Lent. As we are about to enter a season in which the Lord is steadfastly making His way to the cross and we are invited to walk with Him in repentance and anticipation, we receive this remarkable glimpse of His glory.  

We need to be reminded that all of the Christian life is a life with Christ, in His presence, radiant with the light that comes from Christ, fulfilled by Christ Himself. There is no boundary between Christ, His light and glory, and our Christian lives. All of heaven’s glory exists wherever He is, even if it’s concealed in an image of humility.  

Wherever the church has been planted and nurtured through God’s spiritual means, it has needed to raise up pastors and workers. Jesus did this in his own ministry, calling the twelve, first as his disciples (students). Later, after his resurrection, he sent them as apostles (commissioned witnesses). Those first pastors of the church with the authority of Jesus to baptise, preach and teach, forgive and retain sins, administer the Lord’s Supper, and to guide and protect God’s people in Christ’s own name.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers

Ephesians 1:15-16

“We have heard your story and are praying for you all.” These are the words I heard again and again from brothers and sisters around the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod as we visited in January. Words spoken by people I had known for years and from others whom I had only just met. Words that I hope you hear as a reminder that we are not alone and that God’s people are bringing our needs to His throne of grace on a daily basis.

We spoke with Sandra Rhein, Deaconess and Sacred Music Educator, LCMS Asia. Sandra, together with her husband Rob, a retired professor of music, recently travelled to Australia to present sessions at ‘Sacred Song,’ a Creative Word Fellowship Young Adults and Families camp.

In this interview, Sandra shares a little about herself, how she came to become a deaconess and how God has used her in that role in surprising ways.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:26-27

It is clear in the Scriptures that women have the same status as men before God, as members of God’s family by baptism (Galatians 3:25-29; 1 Peter 3:7). They are coheirs with Christ as God’s Son, sharing in a common inheritance as the Father’s dearly loved children.  

In worship, women receive the same Spirit (Acts 1:14; 2:1-4). Unlike the men-only synagogue, Jesus makes it clear that women may be disciples/students of the Word (Luke 8:1-3; Acts 1:14; 1 Timothy 2:11. See also the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42). 

Men and women have the same vocation of intercession for others together with Jesus (1 Timothy 2:1-10). In Acts 1:14 after Jesus’ ascension, the apostles “joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Polycarp described widows as ‘God’s altar’ in his letter to the Philippians for offering themselves and others in prayer to God. 

Women are given many gifts, spiritual and practical, in common with men, to be used to the glory of God. This may include prophesying (Acts 21:8-9, 1 Corinthians 11:5), the wise use of wealth (like Phoebe in Romans 16:1 and Nympha in Colossians 4:15, who were patrons of house churches), showing hospitality and witnessing to others about Jesus (John 4:9-42; 20:18). 

… The Bible has many examples of women serving God in a variety of ways. Some of these vocations and giftings are the same as those of men, while others are different but complementary. This is part of God’s plan for humanity, and especially for his church.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

We have a story to tell. A story of a struggle against the powers and the principalities, against sin and death and the devil. A story in which our Lord Jesus Christ is victorious over all these things (Colossians 2:15) and shares that victory with ordinary people like you and me. What makes this story so compelling is the fact that this victory was a costly one that required sacrifice and suffering. On the cross Jesus took hold of all that would rob us of life, and He allowed Himself to be overcome by the power of sin, death, the devil and all the despairing havoc they wreak on our lives. But in His resurrection, He not only defeats these powers, but is ultimately exalted to the right hand of the Father “with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (1 Peter 3:22b). All authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Him, and He shares His victory and all its spoils with you and me. It really is quite a story!