DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING INCORPORATING WORSHIP AND PREACHING

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DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING

INCORPORATING WORSHIP AND PREACHING CREATIVELY

AS REFLECTION, CONFESSION, REPENTANCE AND RENEWAL

By

Nicole Aimiee Macaluso Collins

BFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1992

MFA, Northern Illinois University 1995

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School:

MACS Master of Arts in Christian Studies 2014

MAM Master of Arts in Ministry 2014

A CAPSTONE APPLIED PROJECT

Submitted to the faculty

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the degree of

Master of Arts in Christian Studies

At Trinity International University

Deerfield, Illinois

April 2014

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Copyright © 2014 by Nicole Aimiee Macaluso Collins

All rights reserved

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_________________________

Academic Reader

_________________________

Program Director

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Abstract

The discipleship task for Lutheran worship and preaching is to reflect on the four key

elements of what Reformer Martin Luther called “daily remembering your baptism.” The

spiritual formation process of daily remembering your baptismal calling into being/

becoming a servant leader is reflection, confession, repentance and renewal. Four

worship services and one sermon were written, delivered and discussed in light of the

church plants—‘The Gathering for Christ and The Gathering North’s’ missional

statement of purpose and vision for communities of disciples focused upon the “why” of

gathering before scattering over the “how” of traditional church practices.

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CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................6

Lutheran worship in light of addressing discipleship

Being creative and Orthodox................................................................................7

The need to develop liturgy that engages

Familiarity does indeed breed contempt...............................................................8

What the future holds

Where to go from here? .......................................................................................8

2. A MONTH OF WORSHIP............................................................................................9

The Season of Epiphany

The Perfect time for enlightening Spiritual Formation.........................................9

February 2nd

, 2014 Step One

Reflection............................................................................................................10

February 9th

, 2014 Step Two

Confession...........................................................................................................13

February 16th

, 2014 Step Three

Repentance..........................................................................................................16

February 23rd

, 2014 Step Four

Renewal...............................................................................................................18

3. PREACHING ...............................................................................................................19

February 23rd

, 2014 sermon: “Adam Bomb”........................................................ 19

REFERENCE LIST...........................................................................................................22

Appendix............................................................................................................................23

A. 4th

Sunday after Epiphany; February 2nd

, 2014 Bulletin.............................................23

B. 5th

Sunday after Epiphany; February 9th

, 2014 Bulletin..............................................25

C. 6th

Sunday after Epiphany; February 16th

, 2014 Bulletin............................................27

D. 7th

Sunday after Epiphany; February 23rd

, 2014 Bulletin...........................................29

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Chapter One

Introduction

“The whole life which we live ought to be a baptism, and to fulfil the sign or

sacrament of baptism; since we have been set free from all other things and given up to

baptism alone, that is, to death and resurrection.”—Martin Luther1

This project emerged out of a need to expand and address spiritual formation

within a 21st century context of a church plant. For the past nearly two years I have

helped to start and serve ‘The Gathering for Christ,’ and most recently; ‘The Gathering

North’ church plants. The Gathering North is unaffiliated as well as considering itself

more about discipleship than doctrine, hence it is addressing itself of Lutheran roots.

This project became a monthly series of worship bulletins created to specifically

address different discipleship themes. These themes interconnected to teach an

overarching plan of action for the disciple’s spiritual formation. Each worship service

addressed the “why” of worship over the “how” of worship as well as address the

problems of worship in the Lutheran context.

My desire and interest in this project stem from seeking to create and implement a

cutting edge theology of corporate fellowship and discipleship. My creative background

was afforded to shine in writing and leading worship as well as preaching. Unlike

formulaic patterns found in most liturgically concerned communities; I want to enhance

and develop liturgically-involved worship that reaches above and beyond traditional

Orthodox Lutheran worship formation.

The worship I would design and implement was crafted to reach the internal

church of the congregant’s heart. In reaching this inner sanctuary, the rubrics were

painstakingly crafted to motivate transformation and thus spiritually build/ grow the level

of spiritual formation the individual is at.

Other elements within the bulletins addressed three areas. The first area was to

address engagement and guided disengagement from the bulletin for the purposes of

growing genuine community and engagement. The second was to address discipleship as

interwoven motifs that educate and guide. The third was to speak to the Lutheran roots

aspect or integrity to the service.

The intended dates were for the entire month of February’s Sundays. These dates

included February 2nd, February 9th, February 16th and February 23rd. These bulletins

will coincide with the SOLA Lectionary (the Missouri Synod Lutheran lectionary

adopted by the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Congregations in

Mission for Christ communities.) as well as the weekly discipleship themes beginning

with the discipleship daily spiritual formation process: Reflection, Confession,

1 Luther, Martin (2010-11-19). On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church (Kindle Locations 852-854).

Kindle Edition.

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Repentance and Renewal (the final stage of realizing the transforming self). February

23rd

, 2014 I preached.

Lutheran Worship in light of addressing Discipleship

In expanding on the Lutheran roots skeletal substructure to the

discipleship worship design; the means of Grace as well as the Corporate Confession are

critical. The means of Grace is the Lutheran understanding of how the Word of God and

presence of God is enacted Grace in several areas of the service such as the reading of

scripture, the art of preaching and the consecration of the elements.

Expanding upon the importance of Holy Communion enacted as a means of

Grace; it is of vital importance in announcing Christ’s actual presence in, with and under

the bread and wine through the OBSERVED Word consecrating the elements before they

are given out. Part of the beauty of bringing people to the table as a disciple is to SEE,

Hear, and Taste that the Lord is Good and that the sacramental union of the elements to

Christ is honored.

Expanding upon the Corporate Confession’s importance as a staple substructure

to Lutheran (rooted) worship. It is most necessary and Biblical that we address our need

to both lift up and reconcile our sins unto God for deliverance as well as the fact that

accountability is taught as a staple to discipleship action. Accountability and

intentionality are built starting with the initial rubric of the Corporate Confession and

absolution to harbor a personal humility and obedience to God. Through this personal

humility and obedience to God, we see the imperative to our cost of discipleship and

living into our calling to servant leadership for Christ Jesus and to love neighbor.

The limits of standard Lutheran and non-denominational ecclesiology are

something of an over-arching mission for both Pastor Dawson and myself to address in

this series. How do we form genuine Koinonia away from the overly formed

institutionalism of ‘Church?’ The Gathering for Christ and the Gathering North are

committed to being a community of one on one, faith-based disciples that is not just a

“Sunday event,” or social gathering. It is to be a discipleship spiritual formation camp

that through “gathering,” we learn and grow to be able to scatter and “be” the church

abroad. It is a complex goal of thinking outside the “people and the steeple,” mentality of

being/ living--missionally as the people of God.

Being Creative and Orthodox

My first career in the fine arts and teaching college level art and history has lent

itself tremendously to ministry. It was almost as if God lead me through my conversion

experience to fuse my creativity into every aspect of parish ministry; worship in

particular being my passion.

In continuing to speak about blessings in regards to Orthodox Lutheranism; I have

been privileged to serve yet another community—First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church

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of Joliet. What has been fantastic experience for me there is working from the standard

Lutheran Book of Worship or “LBW.” Pastor Forni is very traditional as well as highly

liturgical. His worship is very ornate and contextualized to the missional aspect of his

parish community which is the Spanish speaking congregation of Santa Cruz.

Having had the opportunity to serve in a very traditional setting has perfectly

prepared me for utilizing and enhancing traditional LBW worship. Yes, many rubrics do

cross that “familiarity” boundary but observing how this particular Body responds to it

exhibits how well it does serve their interests and needs.

I have also been afforded the blessing of being welcomed as a seminarian into the

highly Orthodox Lutheran ministerium of the Society of the Holy Trinity. Observing and

participating in their prayerful, highly liturgical retreats have been another wonderful

layer of spiritual formation for me not just as a pastor in training but coming to design

this worship series that I had implemented for the Gathering North the entire month of

February.

The need to develop liturgy that engages

Familiarity does indeed breed contempt

Fusing creativity into worship without tearing down set standards is the challenge

and also at the discretion of pastor. Sometimes I have felt in serving both communities

that my style of worship is definitely seeking to be somewhere in between highly

liturgical and highly sensitive to spiritual formation needs.

For instance, I do love the ecumenical creeds of the church, but they need to be

truthfully heard that is the problem with working strictly from a hymnal’s set rubrics. I

also love the corporate confession but if congregants are reading the same set confession

each and every week... Are they truly hearing it deeply in the place that matters?

Speaking to hearing deeply in ‘the place that matters’ is where I am and where I

came to putting this worship together as well as even composing the sermon for February

23rd

, 2014. It is of my conviction as a future pastor that we engage ourselves creatively

as best as we can in order to truthfully, realistically, authentically and faithfully disciple

our flock to grow in their faith. “Doing church,” can become mere theatre if you over

engage in the familiar as well as not guide and train the congregation to break away from

the paper and truthfully experience worshipping together their Lord and Savior, Jesus

Christ.

What the future holds

Where to go from here?

Starting on the ground floor in church planting, I do aspire to someday be able to

afford to plant a Lutheran church myself but for the moment I am looking forward to

serving an established community with an open mind to focus on creatively building a

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strong community of disciples ready, equipped and engaged for ministry beyond the

“steeple and the people.”

As this entire journey has been walking by faith; I pray for the Lord to continue to

build and equip me for ministry so that I would be able to best serve His people.

The Season of Epiphany

The Perfect time for enlightening Spiritual Formation

Planning and serendipity played a lot to determine the best time to propose this

worship project for the Gathering North and what better time than the season of Epiphany

to do so!

One of the new learning experiences I can truly appreciate from my time at TEDS

has been seeing beyond the liturgical calendar and thinking in terms of large expository

expanses into theological themes or the scriptures. Trinity has greatly afforded me to

develop a much more thorough approach not just to exegesis but to theologically

reflecting on an expansive theme.

What does the theme of Epiphany mean? According to the LCMS (Lutheran

Church of the Missouri Synod) standards of the church year it is our time to focus on the

revelation of “who” Jesus is: both true God and man. This is a time of revealed wisdom

or as the Greek says for Epiphany to make manifest. I understand this that God has

indeed come into our world for the sake of the world. This is a time of joy and

enlightenment.

Being a prodigy of conversion, intentional spiritual formation is also to be a time

of great joy and personal insight as Jesus’ disciples. This made the perfect time and

Pastor Dawson helped to make the Gathering North the perfect place to develop and

deliver this series of worship.

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February 2nd

, 2014 Step One Reflection

(See Appendix I for actual bulletin)

One of the first rubrics I addressed to speak to the theme of Reflection was the

corporate Confession. In the Lutheran church, the corporate Confession is a central

introduction to the flow of worship. It sets up both the “why” and “how” of worship for

the particular evening.

To begin even composing the body, I needed to take into consideration the

liturgical season as well as the lectionary texts for the day. This Sunday’s bulletin was

reflecting the 4th Sunday After Epiphany according to the SOLA Lectionary to which all

of our services and preaching are focused around at the Gathering North.

The texts for this Sunday included Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 and St.

Matthew’s Gospel 5:1-12. The Beatitudes essentially shaped most of this bulletin in

light of the discipleship theme of reflection. In renaming the corporate Confession,

‘Gathering, We Reflect;’ Justification became an element at the heart of reflecting. We

are accountable to God and rely upon Him to help guide our intentionality in all we do

and say to His Will.

With this early in the series bulletin there are a few things not implemented yet

and some that would be later removed from the series to enhance or diminish areas that

work better as such. The scripture readings themselves were not closed with the standard

response of: “The Word of the Lord, Thanks Be to God.” I would later determine it was

better to include this rubric in keeping with both Lutheran tradition and comfortable/

familiarity for the congregants who would be starting to join our community.

The other element to see significant change after this Sunday’s bulletin was the

inclusion of the Words of Institution. They were originally requested by Pastor Dawson

to have complete in the bulletin. After some post worship dialogue, he agreed to allow

me to exclude them but include the statement I formulated saying: “Please take this

opportunity to reflect in your heart how this Means of Grace—Christ actual presence

feeds and restores your soul. As St. Paul would say—Listen with your heart wide open.

Then, TASTE, SEE & DELIGHT that the Lord is Good!”

What was very important to note post worship for the other services to follow is

that people weren’t staring at a bulletin and looking intently at Pastor Dawson officiating

the elements. One of the things I really try to do is to get people away from staring at a

bulletin... We don’t use projectors at the Gathering North which on another level is fine

with me for hearing and experiencing is more important than reading. If I had my choice,

I wouldn’t even include the scripture lessons printed up. The surveys, however, I have

taken over the years about that are always mixed. Some congregants really want to see

the texts while they’re being read others like it for future study on their own. For the

latter reason, I keep the texts intact in the bulletin.

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Another important thematic rubric I have been very particular on including are

creedal statements. There are so many Lutheran churches that whether they are doing a

blended service to a high liturgy use the standard creeds continually. As the statement

goes I feel on some levels it burgeons the notion: “Familiarity breeds contempt...” Are

people going through the motions and not even hearing the Words anymore? Or are they

just being included to address a particular faction of the congregation? The Gathering

North’s congregant Body thus far is fairly mixed in age and attitude. So what I have

done here is find creedal sounding statements that both address the themes of the day as

well as “seem familiar” but actually are very different and get people to truly think about

what they’re saying.

This particular Sunday seemed appropriate to include more of a litany than a

continual read in unison statement. This affirmation of faith which I titled Gathering to

Affirm the Spirit, repeats four words—“We believe in...” and in the response section—

“God!” As we know historically St. Paul penned the very first creed in Philippians 2:11

being: “Jesus is Lord.” This involved litany of affirmation does something similar in a

quasi-indirect way. The lector /worship leader says, “We believe in...” and the

congregants say a sentence ending always with “God!” This in way is familiarity without

the contempt!

One of the things I have enjoyed discovering through liturgical resources is

finding creative variations on litanies and creedal statements. My first exposure to this

was actually through working at a Presbyterian Church a few years ago. I was the office

administrator and helped to compose the bulletins each week. The Pastor there was very

keen on a different statement every week. In my Lutheran realm of experience, I was not

accustomed to that but actually think that successfully addresses the problem of people

just going through the motions within a service.

The only place I feel there should always be a permanent “implied” rubric is the

Lord’s Prayer. That is before the creedal statement each week as well as it is an aspect of

the service, but most everyone in the Gathering North says the traditional form of the

prayer. I have only typed in the following bulletins to recite a form that is comfortable to

you to encourage and comfort visitors. I also believe though too, that this is something

that every Christian should have memorized and really should not be printed in a bulletin.

The rubric penned just before the benediction comes from a wonderful discovery I

made at the North American Lutheran Church’s Discipleship mission’s festival this past

November being composing prayers out of scripture. The name I gave for this bulletin’s

prayer was—“For a Life steeped in Prayer.” I essentially reflected on the Beatitudes to

create a prayer that would be a spiritual formation prayer for each and every congregant.

An insight I have had from creating these prayers is that we need to work away

from set doxologies and be more creative with prayer to disciple and feed more people.

The Benediction is also formulated different per bulletin except on some days where the

lessons or service beckons repeating it again. As you will note, the subtitle of the

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Benediction comes from The Gathering’s theology of discipleship—“We gather to

scatter;” hence you get Scattering Proclamation.

On a final note for this bulletin, why I love composing worship is it has been both

an artistic challenge and blessing for me. I want to see how far I can go pushing the

envelope so to speak, with liturgy addressing, encapsulating the “why” over the “how,”

of worship. Can the Words grasp someone to walk away remembering the worship as

living it?

13

February 9th

, 2014 Step Two Confession

(See Appendix II for actual bulletin)

One of the first rubrics I addressed to speak to the theme of Reflection was the

corporate Confession. In the Lutheran church, the corporate Confession is a central

introduction to the flow of worship. It sets up both the “why” and “how” of worship for

the particular evening.

To begin even composing the body, I needed to take into consideration the

liturgical season as well as the lectionary texts for the day. This Sunday’s bulletin was

reflecting the 4th Sunday After Epiphany according to the SOLA Lectionary to which all

of our services and preaching are focused around at the Gathering North.

The texts for this Sunday included Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 and St.

Matthew’s Gospel 5:1-12. The Beatitudes essentially shaped most of this bulletin in

light of the discipleship theme of reflection. In renaming the corporate Confession,

‘Gathering, We Reflect;’ Justification became an element at the heart of reflecting. We

are accountable to God and rely upon Him to help guide our intentionality in all we do

and say to His Will.

With this early in the series bulletin there are a few things not implemented yet

and some that would be later removed from the series to enhance or diminish areas that

work better as such. The scripture readings themselves were not closed with the standard

response of: “The Word of the Lord, Thanks Be to God.” I would later determine it was

better to include this rubric in keeping with both Lutheran tradition and comfortable/

familiarity for the congregants who would be starting to join our community.

The other element to see significant change after this Sunday’s bulletin was the

inclusion of the Words of Institution. They were originally requested by Pastor Dawson

to have complete in the bulletin. After some post worship dialogue, he agreed to allow

me to exclude them but include the statement I formulated saying: “Please take this

opportunity to reflect in your heart how this Means of Grace—Christ actual presence

feeds and restores your soul. As St. Paul would say—Listen with your heart wide open.

Then, TASTE, SEE & DELIGHT that the Lord is Good!”

What was very important to note post worship for the other services to follow is

that people weren’t staring at a bulletin and looking intently at Pastor Dawson officiating

the elements. One of the things I really try to do is to get people away from staring at a

bulletin... We don’t use projectors at the Gathering North which on another level is fine

with me for hearing and experiencing is more important than reading. If I had my choice,

I wouldn’t even include the scripture lessons printed up. The surveys, however, I have

taken over the years about that are always mixed. Some congregants really want to see

the texts while they’re being read others like it for future study on their own. For the

latter reason, I keep the texts intact in the bulletin.

14

Another important thematic rubric I have been very particular on including are

creedal statements. There are so many Lutheran churches that whether they are doing a

blended service to a high liturgy use the standard creeds continually. As the statement

goes I feel on some levels it burgeons the notion: “Familiarity breeds contempt...” Are

people going through the motions and not even hearing the Words anymore? Or are they

just being included to address a particular faction of the congregation? The Gathering

North’s congregant Body thus far is fairly mixed in age and attitude. So what I have

done here is find creedal sounding statements that both address the themes of the day as

well as “seem familiar” but actually are very different and get people to truly think about

what they’re saying.

This particular Sunday seemed appropriate to include more of a litany than a

continual read in unison statement. This affirmation of faith which I titled Gathering to

Affirm the Spirit, repeats four words—“We believe in...” and in the response section—

“God!” As we know historically St. Paul penned the very first creed in Philippians 2:11

being: “Jesus is Lord.” This involved litany of affirmation does something similar in a

quasi-indirect way. The lector /worship leader says, “We believe in...” and the

congregants say a sentence ending always with “God!” This in way is familiarity without

the contempt!

One of the things I have enjoyed discovering through liturgical resources is

finding creative variations on litanies and creedal statements. My first exposure to this

was actually through working at a Presbyterian Church a few years ago. I was the office

administrator and helped to compose the bulletins each week. The Pastor there was very

keen on a different statement every week. In my Lutheran realm of experience, I was not

accustomed to that but actually think that successfully addresses the problem of people

just going through the motions within a service.

The only place I feel there should always be a permanent “implied” rubric is the

Lord’s Prayer. That is before the creedal statement each week as well as it is an aspect of

the service, but most everyone in the Gathering North says the traditional form of the

prayer. I have only typed in the following bulletins to recite a form that is comfortable to

you to encourage and comfort visitors. I also believe though too, that this is something

that every Christian should have memorized and really should not be printed in a bulletin.

The rubric penned just before the benediction comes from a wonderful discovery I

made at the North American Lutheran Church’s Discipleship mission’s festival this past

November being composing prayers out of scripture. The name I gave for this bulletin’s

prayer was—“For a Life steeped in Prayer.” I essentially reflected on the Beatitudes to

create a prayer that would be a spiritual formation prayer for each and every congregant.

An insight I have had from creating these prayers is that we need to work away

from set doxologies and be more creative with prayer to disciple and feed more people.

The Benediction is also formulated different per bulletin except on some days where the

lessons or service beckons repeating it again. As you will note, the subtitle of the

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Benediction comes from The Gathering’s theology of discipleship—“We gather to

scatter;” hence you get Scattering Proclamation.

On a final note for this bulletin, why I love composing worship is it has been both

an artistic challenge and blessing for me. I want to see how far I can go pushing the

envelope so to speak, with liturgy addressing, encapsulating the “why” over the “how,”

of worship. Can the Words grasp someone to walk away remembering the worship as

living it?

16

February 16th

, 2014 Step Three Repentance

(See Appendix III for actual bulletin)

With this particular bulletin, the third theme to the four fingers of daily

discipleship is addressed: Repentance. Confession was the previous week’s theme. The

Sermon on the Mount continues this week as well as another snippet from St. Paul’s 1st

letter to the Corinthians. The Gospel and Paul’s treatise to the Corinthians is centered

around obedience to being accountable to God in service and in lifestyle. In many ways

living into this theme takes a reconciling, humble introspection.

Speaking of humbling introspection; in reviewing the old 1958 SBH Lutheran

Hymnal, you could even see at a glance, how stiff rubrics were addressed and

transformed into what would eventually become the 1978 LBW (the Lutheran Book of

Worship). The corporate Confession was what would greatly change from the SBH to

the LBW especially in regards to the public confession’s absolution:

[SBH page 252] “On the other hand, by the same authority, I declare unto the

impenitent and unbelieving, that so long as they continue in their impenitence,

God hath not forgiven their sins, and will assuredly visit their iniquities upon

them, if they turn not from their evil ways, and come to true repentance and faith

in Christ, ere the day of Grace be ended.”

It is probably true, that most congregants do not want to be subjected to hearing

this kind of challenge placed upon their hearts to contemplate. I juxtaposed the standard

absolution doxology that everyone knows nearly by heart after an acknowledgment and a

moment of silence.

What made this particular Confession’s strength however, was hearing the

shocking and the familiar juxtaposed alongside apologetics pointing to a great purpose of

finding and building a reconciled relationship to God. The Confession as well continued

to reflect the hope of the Epiphany season and its great message of transformation.

The creedal statement used this week is a favorite of mine I have used before

when I used to compose worship for the Gathering’s main church plant. Much like the

Augsburg Confession’s 3rd article, Irenaeus’ statement sounds very similar to the

Apostles creed but is just different enough to get people engaged to hear differently. At

the former Gathering location some feedback I received was that they either wanted to

know more about who Irenaeus was or that some thought it was too strange to include his

name... I’ve not come across that issue here and I hope to continue to grow a long list of

creedal statements such as this to use.

The closing prayer and the benediction this week highlight both the themes of

repentance and transformation. In fact to carry through into the final Sunday of the

aspects of daily discipleship; I used this same benediction for the last Sunday. It is being

truthful about what we are to do in light of the Gospel that needs to be spoken to the

loudest in the sending. That was the most disappointing for me in researching other

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sources. The sending benedictions were either very boring or frankly just shied away

from being truthful and fruitful: Convert me, Change my heart, My witness in the world

for your sake (is needed)!

18

February 23rd

, 2014 Step Four Renewal

(See Appendix IV for actual bulletin)

This bulletin makes the concluding discipleship finger of reflection, confession,

repentance— renewal. It also makes the boldest statement about the season of

Epiphany’s statement of the Gospel: abiding in love to fully develop (the final stage of

spiritual formation).

The Confession rubric for this month I titled—‘Gathering, We are Renewed.’

The inspirational resources I drew from were Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, Psalm

119 and from ‘Psalms Now!’ Beginning in a 1st person voice the Psalmist draws us into

beginning to reflect on being renewed. With our confession coming through Luther’s

words around what Baptism means for daily living; we are being taken back to that basin

where we are to wash away our sin, renewing daily our commitment to grow as Jesus’

disciples.

Out of the four Sundays, this creedal statement is the most unique or “radical,” for

it is from a now martyred Zimbabwe pastor—“The Disciple’s creed.” It is a bold

witness, profession of faith and determinism that holds profound hope, insight and

empowerment to read in unison. An added benefit has been that it is as well in the first

person. Out of the numerous creedal statements, affirmations I have incorporated in

bulletins for both the Gathering and Gathering North; this statement has been very well

received by the congregations.

I had one of the congregants tell me after worship that after having communion

and then saying this statement it was a little overwhelming for her—“Just what I needed

to say, you found the words.” When the “Why” of worship comes through strongly over

and above the “how” it is in moments like this that you went beyond the paper, beyond

familiarity and were heard in the heart—the true place of worship.

The closing prayer I composed for this service encapsulates the whole theme of

the spiritual fruit born when one is willing and intentional to love, grow into the lifestyle

of GRACE—the full spiritual formation path of the disciple. The benediction or

scattering proclamation is the same as last week to purposely be familiar as well as

accent: Conversion, Change, Repentance and Witness.

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Sermon preached on February 23rd

, 2014 7:00PM The Gathering North

Original content below:

February 23rd

, 2014; 7th

Sunday after Epiphany;

Year A; SOLA Lectionary Nicole Collins

Psalm 119:33-40; Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18; 1 Corinthians 3:10-23; Matthew 5:38-48

The Adam bomb

2,000 plus years ago Jesus was preaching and teaching on the side of a mountain

illumining what would be a whole new way of life, a whole New creation to consider...

In many ways, more than we could ever realize; Jesus’ Words were atomic! Meditating

this whole past week on the entire Sermon on the Mount had me hearing the world news

in the background completing what Missouri Synod Pastor, Craig Massey in his book

about transition and transformation says in its title: “Adjust or Self Destruct.”

“The Old nature affects the intellect of man. The influence of the Old Nature on the

unregenerate mind is devastating. The unsaved man is diametrically and diabolically set

against God....” He goes on to say: “In spite of modern, scientific man’s efforts, we find

society failing to produce his greatest desires. Man wants peace but wages war. Man

wants economic security, but his manipulation of money creates chaos, etc. Man without

God has failed to solve any of these problems. The fact is that the problems increase in

spite of man’s efforts to curtail them.”

Today’s excerpt from Jesus’ continuing Sermon on the Mount reveals a radical New

application to understanding obedience to living “in the world, without being of the

world”: LOVE. Everything in today’s Gospel challenges us to hear these statements as

what we are required as disciples to be accountable to, in order to become fully

developed as the Greek says is “perfect.” 38

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39

But I say

to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the

other also; 40

and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41

and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42

Give to everyone

who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. 43

“You

have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44

But I

say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45

so that you may

be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the

good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

The problem is that we do not resist the evil doer being Satan himself! In fact we bring

him on, we invite him into our lives and all our decisions when we operate from greed

and indifference which are the two core sins at the root of all of human depravity. This is

our destructive Old Nature allowed to reign in our “temples.” St. Paul once again needs

to continue in his campaign to align the Corinthians to not only the Holy Spirit but to the

New Creation planted within them to be obedient to and operate from. “16

Do you not

know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17

If anyone destroys

God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that

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temple. 18

Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you

should become fools so that you may become wise. 19

For the wisdom of this world is

foolishness with God.”

This past month I have been revisiting studying anything and everything about sin and

salvation as I am finishing an hour of Systematic Theology that my seminary is having

me take in efforts to graduate this year. What has been the most fascinating about it

outside of clarifying the Lutheran view next to the Calvinist perspective is that for all we

have defined and all that we have aspired... Were we there when they crucified Our Lord?

What if instead of the dark and dreary news playing in the background alongside the

Beatitudes and the entire Sermon on the Mount being preached by Jesus... We saw the

nails being driven into his wrists and his body contorting to loudly share snippets of

Psalm 22? Would our Old Nature just change the channel, put on our ipods to high and

drown it away for another day? It happened 2,000 years ago, have we buried it away into

our cold deadened hearts?!

Well not all of us sit on the sidelines like Rodin’s Thinker in contemplation; we have

community, we have Pastors, Priests, Nuns, Deaconesses, and basically the entirety of the

Priesthood of all believers engaged in being the Body’s hands and feet in the world

today... don’t we? There is an unrelenting tone of the Law to the start of my message

today because it is something we can’t avoid. We can’t live into it on its own, for that

brings upon us another form of death... We need that beautiful HOPE, PROMISE and

LOVE that only the Gospel of Christ Jesus can deliver!

But what is Hope, Promise and Love to the wisdom of the world’s culture today—

irrelevant and perhaps foolish as we hear of escalating violence against Christians,

politics becoming a perfected socialism, oppression and general “unhappiness?” Let’s

revisit the Pandora’s Box of Satan’s revisionist work: Happiness. What really does that

or should it mean for the Disciple of Christ Jesus? Well it certainly isn’t what the Old

Nature tempted, being led by Satan says it is. It is living into the lifestyle of GRACE, not

a five fingered Grace as our Calvinist brothers and sisters rationalize it to be but GRACE

upon GRACE. GRACE all caps, extra bold and preferably the size of the Hollywood

letters circumsized onto our very hearts!

Living into the lifestyle of GRACE is unnatural and radical but it is the perfect reality of

the fully developed New Creation—the New Adam and the New Eve. A reality brought

to us through great sacrifice and our unimaginable evil inflicted—the crucifixion of

Jesus—the reality of the Cross.

Our Luther says in his sermon around today’s Gospel that: “The Christian way is

altogether different. For we have been transferred to another and a higher existence, a

divine and eternal kingdom, where the things that belong to this world are unnecessary

and where in Christ everyone is a Lord for themselves over both the devil and the world...

The Gospel teaches us about the right relation of the heart to God... Then you will see

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that Christ is talking about a spiritual existence and life... He is telling them to live and

behave before God and in the world with their heart dependent upon God.”

If I am reading Luther correctly here, he is saying what lies at the heart of the Gospel in

regards to our response: Spiritual Formation—Transformation first THEN Reformation!

The other day on one of a myriad of Lutheran FB groups I belong to; I posed a question

for conversation about Spiritual Formation within parish ministry—its implementation

and focus. Outside of receiving very few responses, one friend said that our reality as

Pastoral leaders is purely about reformation and doctrine.

Think about that for a moment—if our reality as the hands and feet of the Body in the

world is merely doctrinal reformation... how can we adjust and grow into the Gospel

reality of the beatitudes? The Beatitudes yet alone all of Jesus’ teachings are to take root,

begin and be deeply developed with the heart. It was almost like misunderstanding St.

Paul’s message about caring for the temple to mean make sure you have a trustee

committee and a good sexton to take care of your new church!

The Gospel of LOVE is a transforming and abstract one that begins in that abstract scary

place—the heart. Were you there when they crucified Our Lord? Whose they? Well yes

of course, the Romans and the Sanhedrin... but couldn’t it also include what we have

done and left undone? I have been working on my first capstone ministry project this

past month around developing a specific worship as discipleship paradigm series around

Reflection, Confession, Repentance and Renewal. The old 1950’s Lutheran Service

Book and Hymnal’s public confession which has the minister at one point say:

“On the other hand, by the same authority, I declare unto the impenitent and unbelieving,

that so long as they continue in their impenitence, God hath not forgiven their sins, and

will assuredly visit their iniquities upon them, if they turn not from their evil ways, and

come to true repentance and faith in Christ, ere the day of Grace be ended.”

Yikes! This obviously was dropped by the time of the LBW but what key things does it

say in connection to our role in living into the very personal message from Jesus to

transform? The battle between the Old Nature and the New is one fought in reconciling

ourselves to God—accountability and obedience are the unspoken response our lives

lived in the light of GRACE are to bear. Our call to discipleship comes with a caveat—

being and becoming a freely responsible servant to the Gospel and realizing the HOPE,

PROMISE, & LOVE takes an inward, internal, spiritual adjustment—transformation

before enacting Reformation.

Let Us Pray,

Heavenly Father, May you help to guide us to become fully-developed,

Perfected to be obedient to your will and purposes for all of creation.

May you nurture our paths of discipleship to realize the true happiness and joy the

Beatitudes bear

Continue to inspire and motivate us to adjust lest we destroy the reality of GRACE

Which is a life led by your Gospel of HOPE, PROMISE & LOVE. AMEN

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References

Bansemer, Richard F. ‘We Believe; A prayer book based on the Augsburg Confession;’

ALPB (American Lutheran Publicity Bureau) NYNY (1999) ISBN: 1-892921-00-6

Luther, Martin ‘Luther’s Catechism;’ Northwestern Publishing House Milwaukee, WI

(1982) ISBN: 0-938272-11-X

Commission on the Liturgy and Hymnal; ‘Service Book and Hymnal, music edition,’

Augsburg Publishing House Minneapolis, MN (1958); 9th printing (1965)

InterLutheran Worship Commission; ‘Lutheran Book of Worship,’ Augsburg Publishing

House Minneapolis, MN (1978) ISBN-13: 9780800633301

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Appendix A—I February 2nd

, 2014 Bulletin

24

25

Appendix B—II February 9th

, 2014 Bulletin

26

27

Appendix C—III February 16th

, 2014 Bulletin

28

29

Appendix D—IV February 23rd

, 2014 Bulletin

30