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ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY ALERT |
ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY ALERT
OR SPIRITUALLY WAYWARD?
Most of us have heard or read about the two Northwest Airlines pilots who overflew their Minneapolis, Minnesota destination by 150 miles.
What was it that caused them to miss their destination? Were they fatigued? Had they fallen asleep? Or was it because they were involved in a heated argument with one another as someone had suggested? Perhaps the real answer will never be known.
According to what these two pilots told federal investigators, it was none of the above. Instead, they said that they were going over schedules---which in itself was in violation of their company policy. They said that both of them had their laptops out while the first officer—who was more experienced with scheduling—was instructing the captain on monthly flight scheduling. They were out of communication with air traffic controllers and their airline for more than an hour and didn’t realize their mistake until a flight attendant contacted them.
In short, the minds of these two pilots had strayed from their primary responsibility which was to land their plane at the right destination as close to schedule as was safely possible.
Whether or not you and I are always conscious of it, all of us without exception are destined to die unless God permits us to experience what Enoch and Elijah did, namely, to be taken directly to be with God in heaven without seeing death.
The Bible says to all of us: "It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgment." All of us die because we are all sinners. Death comes to us but "once" unless God makes an exception for us like he did with Lazarus, with the daughter of Jairus or with the son of the widow of Nain—all who were raised to death by Jesus but then later on died again.
The end of this present church year reminds us of our final end and the coming Day of Judgment. How about it? Are we faithfully preparing ourselves for a safe arrival in heaven?
It’s so easy for you and me to become distracted by earthly things, to take our eyes off our heavenly goal and then not have the opportunity to turn around to correct our mistake like those pilots did who were able to turn around and make a late but safe landing in Minneapolis.
There are many things that make it so easy for college students to become spiritually wayward! A love of "holy (or unholy) mattress" on Sundays that makes it so easy to "sleep in" instead of going to church! An undue amount of time spent on studies and keeping grades up with little or no time set aside for Bible Study, for Divine worship and for spiritual matters. There is the danger of an addiction to video games, TV, movies, or carousing and sexual immorality. Or what about an inordinate amount of time spent surfing the web or"text messaging" friends and family members but little or no time for personal prayer and worship.
As we think about those two wayward airlines pilots, may you and I pray that we will never be numbered among the spiritually wayward as we daily draw closer to the moment of our death.
Instead, may we be diligent in our study of God’s Word which makes us wise unto salvation which is by faith in Jesus Christ. May we keep our minds, eyes, and hearts centered on Jesus Christ Who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. May we develop a daily desire to be in God’s Word which not only shows us our sins and calls us to repentance but most important of all also points us to Jesus Christ Who is our Savior. May we treasure the Sacrament of Holy Baptism which clothes us in the garment of Christ’s righteousness, giving us the perfect covering for all our sins and makes us fit for heaven. May we find ourselves partaking often of the Lord’s Supper as Jesus Christ comes enters us with His own body and blood given and shed on the cross to make us clean both inside and outside so that we are partakers of eternal life.
God bless you with safe traveling through this temporal life to the goal of eternal life in heaven! Stay alert! Do not let any lap-top or anything else cause you to overshoot or miss heaven but nurture your faith daily in Jesus Christ Who is our Life and our Salvation.
In Christ Jesus,
Rev. David V. Dissen, Rev. 2,10b
Lutheran Chapel of Hope
903 College Hill Pl
PO Box 1465
Cape Girardeau, MO 63702
Tel: Home: 573-334-5736 Cell: 573-837-0969
Website: www.lutheransonline.com/chapelofhope | |
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ST. SIMON |
ST. SIMON AND ST. JUDE,
APOSTLES OF THE LORD
On the Calendar of the Christian Church Year, today, Oct. 28th, is observed as St. Simon and St. Jude Day. Both of these Christian men are listed in Luke 6, 14-16 as "disciples" or "apostles" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What is a "disciple?" A "disciple" is "one who learns." These men spent three years in seminary with Jesus as their DIVINE PROFESSOR.
What is an "apostle?" An "apostle" is "one who is sent, a missionary." Jesus sent His 12 disciples or Apostles out into the world of their day to point lost and dying sinners to Himself as the sinner’s only Savior.
Tradition informs us that Simon served as a missionary in the Near East, usually as a companion of Jude.
Tradition informs us that Jude served as a missionary in Persia and Mesopotamia. It also tells us that both of these "disciples" or "martyrs" were put to death for confessing their Christian faith on the same day.
Three days from today, on Oct. 31, we remember another well known Christian, namely, Dr. Martin Luther. God used Luther to begin the Protestant Reformation.
While you and I in this 21st century are far removed in time from all three of these Christian men, we have one thing in common with all of them. What is it? It is that by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are—properly understood—21st century disciples of Jesus Christ. We sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him as we open God’s Word, study it, meditate upon it, hide it in our heart and unashamedly—like St. Simon, St. Jude and Dr. Martin Luther—confess before all people the great, saving truths of God’s Word.
Some of you students might consider yourselves to be more blessed than other students on Campus because you now have as one of your instructors at SEMO a professor who is highly coveted by most of the students.
But let me assure you that THE MASTER TEACHER OF ALL TIMES IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Sitting at His feet in Bible Class, private Bible reading, Divine Worship or elsewhere gives us the privilege to hear the very Word of God that makes us wise unto salvation which is by faith in Jesus Christ.
May we disciples of Jesus Christ in our day take to heart what the Psalmist says in Psalm 119, 11: "Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
With God’s Word hidden in your heart, you students and all of us are well equipped for the rest of our journey through life, yes, even better equipped than all the education that you students are currently receiving in the secular classrooms at SEMO.
God’s Word, hidden in our hearts, impresses upon us that every departure from God’s Law is sin. Sin builds up a wall of separation between our holy God and us. Sin calls forth God’s judgment upon us. It brings temporal death and eternal damnation.
But even more important, God’s Word offers you and me the only escape from sin and its evil consequences, namely the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed on Calvary’s cross which cleanses us from all sin. This Word of God contains for us the power of God to overcome sin so that we no longer serve sin but now serve Jesus Who died for our sins and rose again.
As we think about St. Simon, St. Jude and Dr. Martin Luther, may we ask ourselves: "What am I doing with the Word of God?" Is it only a book among other books that you have lying around in your room? Or is it hidden in your heart and in your mind?
Hiding God’s Word in your heart gives you the power to keep from sinning against God. God’s Word, together with the Holy Sacraments, safeguards your faith in Jesus Christ in this world. It keeps you by the power of God unto eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. It is God’s power that moves you to say with St. Paul, both on and off campus: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." As one who learns from Jesus, you leave a clear witness to Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the only Savior of all sinners. God bless you in your witness and your Christian life.
In Christ Jesus,
Rev. David V. Dissen, Rev. 2,10b
Lutheran Chapel of Hope
PO Box 1465
903 College Hill Pl
Cape Girardeau, MO 63702
Tel: Home: 573-334-5736 Cell: 573-837-0969
Website: www.lutheransonline.com/chapelofhope | | |
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