The Bungee Cord 1-18-21

Hello,

 

As many of you know, I am a Lutheran pastor, specifically a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Why am I a Lutheran pastor?  Well, I suspect the sociological reason is that I grew up in a Lutheran church, but the essential reason is that within the Lutheran community of faith, I experienced a sense of care and belonging that grounded my pre-seminary years.

 

I found out when I went to seminary that my theology wasn’t all together Lutheran, and my years in seminary were years of wrestling with new concepts that were out of tune with my understanding of faith.  But over the course of my four years in Seminary, I found myself with new footings deeply grounded in the bedrock of the Grace of God.  Although not claiming to be a person even close to the stature of Martin Luther, somewhere in my seminary experience, I was given an epiphany that God loves me….period.  That is what Jesus is all about.  My relationship with God is not based upon some goal of love-ability that I need to attain and continue in, but entirely upon a God who will let nothing stop him from loving me….not my sins, not my rebellion, not my theology, and not even death.  And that changed my life…and still is changing my life.  When I hear Scripture say of God, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;  we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand,” I am eternally thankful to be in the hands of a grace-handed potter.

 

Some wonder, especially non-Christians, why Christians can’t just be “Christian”?  Why are some Lutheran, some Catholic, some Presbyterian, some Baptist…on and on?  My answer is this: because God is big enough to gather in all kinds of people.  Ever since the beginning when Jesus gathered his first disciples, they were not all the same kind of people.  Yet Jesus took them as they were, and grew faith and trust in each of them that changed their lives.  As we read the book of Matthew, we see that Matthew was very concerned about Christians keeping their continuity with the Jewish traditions.  The book of John is far less concerned about continuity with Jewish traditions, and far more concerned with living in a community of faith that is shaped by Jesus’ love.  And Paul, although not one of the first twelve disciples, focuses on what the new life in Christ is all about.

 

So, when I look at the Christian Church and the multiplicity of groups of people bearing different names, I do so with thanks.  Thanks, because it is a clear witness to the world that when Jesus stretched out his arms on the cross to gather in all of God’s people, he gathered in all sorts of people.  As a Lutheran Christian, I find my time best spend in coming to know how Jesus holds onto me, and am thankful when other groups do the same for those who gather under a different name.  (Just a note here, even “non-denominational” churches find themselves gathering folks who sport the same feathers….they just don’t name themselves robins, sparrows, or hummingbirds.)

 

For me, I see the wonderful diversity of the Christian faith to resemble an orchestra.  An orchestra is a group of people playing a great diversity of instruments, guided by the conductor to make beautiful music.  The music that is made is best when each instrumentalist plays their instrument with excellence, and when they listen to each other.  And what more beautiful music could there be than Good News of Jesus Christ!  As a Lutheran pastor, I hope to play and teach those in my orchestral section to play with ever greater precision and care so that we carry our part in this orchestra well.  And I delight in seeing other orchestral sections doing the same.

 

This is certainly true: our world needs to hear this beautiful music.  During these days when the world’s music is dissonant and out of tune, broken up and divided we can play a song that opens people’s ears to the melodies of hope, peace, love, and joy.  We can bring a witness to the world that differences don’t need to divide us, but can be brought together to make beautiful music.  So, in these harsh and hate-filled days, Jesus, the conductor is raising his baton and with passion on his face, and he is counting out a rhythm that will make a heavenly sound and drown out the clashing of the world.

 

“Instruments up. Orchestra, play!”

 

Have a great week,

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger