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August 2017

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.” Acts 2:20

 
Dear Redeemer Family:
I thought that the above text from Acts, where Peter is actually quoting the Prophet Joel’s prophecy in his Pentecost Day sermon, was appropriate for this month.
On the 21st of this month we will be having what the news is calling, “The Great American Eclipse.” I find that a little odd. Eclipses happen all of the time, although most of them occur over the oceans. So, most people don’t get to view them. And although this one is covering virtually the length of our nation, from Oregon to the Carolinas, it is hard to call it the “American Eclipse” because we didn’t do anything to cause it. It is just taking place over our territory. Do we not hold biblically that it is “God who put the heavenly bodies in the sky, and set them in their courses.” Maybe we should call it “God’s Great Eclipse,” or “The Divine Eclipse;” just pondering on this one a bit.

 

The eclipse is anticipated to be a huge event. Estimates, as of this writing, are that there may be over one million extra people coming to the State of Missouri to visit it, with an estimated 379,000 (as of last week) in Jefferson County, and up to 50,000 extra viewers in De Soto alone. This, of course, presents a number of logistical problems for we who are residents. I am telling people to buy all of their groceries and other supplies (this is now including gasoline) about four or five days ahead of the eclipse. I anticipate lots of shortages locally with all of these people here.

 

On the other hand, this should be a magnificent occurrence. I have never seen a total solar eclipse. I have seen partials. And I have seen total lunar eclipses (“the moon turning to blood” in the above text is true). I have been told by some that if you don’t believe in God, witnessing a solar eclipse changes your mind. It is a display full of grandeur. Let us hope that it is a clear day.
But St. Peter, and the Prophet Joel before him, is speaking of “The Lord’s great and glorious day.” This can be interpreted several ways; the birth of Christ, or the Resurrection of Christ, or the Crucifixion is another possible. If we go with the birth of Christ, the only witnesses to the Incarnation, besides Jesus’ parents, were some shepherds; and some wise men who got there much later. The Resurrection is another possible “great and glorious day” of the Lord. But, there weren’t many witnesses of that day either; Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the other disciples. However, when we look at the texts for the Crucifixion, we are told, “It was about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed” (Luke’s account). Doesn’t that describe a solar eclipse? It was there, on the cross, that “The Lord’s great and glorious day” took place. Surrounded by two outlaws, some Roman soldiers, his mother, Mary Magdalene, St. John, and some other lookers on, Jesus died for the sins of the world. Let us also remember that on August 21st at about 1pm.
In Christ, Pastor Rose

July 2017

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” Mark 6:31

 

Dear Redeemer Family:

We are officially in Summer. Although I think that the heat and humidity arrived a couple of weeks early. It is a time when many of us decide that it is time to go on vacation, to kick back and enjoy life a bit differently. There is nothing wrong with that. From the text above, you can see that even Jesus took the apostles off on a vacation to refresh themselves. Leisure is not a bad thing at all. Ironically, Jesus took them to a place called by the locals as “The Gates of Hades.” Seems like an interesting place to choose to vacation.

 

Often we go off and visit friends and relatives. It is a time to renew our relationships and reforge old bonds. It can be refreshing and recreating.

This year, partially in honor of the 500th Anniversary of the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation, we went to Europe. It was a very good, and at the same time, very tiring vacation. But, as one of our tour guides put it, “Many of us were there to scratch things off of our bucket list.” Indeed, she even showed us the movie, “The Bucket List,” on the bus’ video. It was also partially true.

 

We got to stand in front of the doors at Castle Church in Wittenberg where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, and kicked off the Reformation. Inside the church, while trying to take a picture of Luther’s pulpit, I knocked at a stone with my foot. I looked down and read the words, “Here Lie the Mortal Remains of Martin Luther.” I was standing at his grave. I didn’t know that he was buried in that church. Across the way, I saw the grave of Luther’s best friend, and fellow reformer, Phillip Melanchthon, also buried at the front of the church. Later that day, we toured both of their houses. And in honor of the 500th, there was a special exhibition on Luther. In it, I saw Luther’s robe that he wore as a monk. It was a stunning day, and a very fulfilling one.

 

Days later, we were walking through downtown Hamburg, where I took a picture of a McDonald’s – you know, hamburgers in Hamburg. We walked in St. James Church, which has been Lutheran since 1520. They have a magnificent pipe organ. It is simply beautiful. Later, we learned that the pipe organ is world famous. And, that it used to be played by a guy named Johann Sebastian Bach. That was also awe inspiring.

There are many other things that we did on vacation. I will tell you about them later. And don’t worry, I took lots of pictures. May your vacations be just as re-creating.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Rose