Category Archives: Resurrection Lutheran Church

Joseph and the Dreamcoat

Leave a reply

Joseph and his brothers by French artist Leslie Xuereb

As Resurrection Lutheran strides through God’s Great Story in Sunday worship, this week we stop to observe Joseph the dreamer. Joseph’s story covers the final third of Genesis, chapters 37 to 50. A character study, we watch Joseph mature and embrace his unique calling from God.  Like many, his story will be a bumpy one.

At first Joseph strikes the reader as an arrogant, self-absorbed, spoiled teenager of 17. He brags to them of his special dreams in which his brothers and even his father bow down to him (Genesis 37:6). Joseph has not learned to acknowledge God as the source of his gift. He has not learned to be humble in his use of it.  His dream will come true when he rises up to become second-in-command in Egypt. However, before Joseph can rise up, he will be beaten down several times.

His jealous brothers will attack him and sell him into slavery in Egypt. He will rise up as a favored administrator in a local household, only to be tossed in jail when he is unjustly accused of adultery. He will languish in prison because others have forgotten his talent with dreams. Joseph is on an emotional rollercoaster. Through all the dips and turns one refrain remains constant: “The Lord was with Joseph.” (Genesis 39:2, 23) God did not prevent Joseph from suffering unfairly, but gave him the strength and courage to walk through it.

When Joseph finally has his chance to help the Pharaoh with his dreams, Joseph gives God full credit.

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” Genesis 41:15-16

Humility can be a difficult lesson to learn. For years, Joseph sat in jail due to a false accusation.  Early in my ministry I faced an unfair accusation from a visitor to my church.  I wanted to yell and shout, but all I could do was keep silent and let the accusation fade away with time and the help of others.  Until it did I was constantly praying, “why Lord, why?”  No direct answer came, only the promise of God’s presence.  Like Joseph, I had to learn the valuable lesson that God was in charge.

When have you learned a difficult lesson through a humbling experience?

Lord Jesus, humble me that I might trust you completely.

Teach Your Children Well

Leave a reply

I am amazed that God’s first act of his Creation Recovery Plan is the birth of a child. (Genesis 12:1-3). God will rescue humanity through humanity. There is something humorous, laughable even, to think that a child could save the world. It was a good thing that Isaac name was linked to laughter (Genesis 18:12-15). Yet the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah will eventually lead to the birth of Jesus to Mary and Joseph.

Children continue to be a prime focus of God’s plan of redeeming the world. Resurrection Lutheran Church has made the faith formation of children a central component of our mission. We will continue that in the years and decades to come. Each generation needs to inspire and educate the next.

Centuries after Abraham and Isaac’s death, Moses was instructed by God to teach God’s word to the Abraham’s descendants.

You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sing a song about teaching our children,

Teach your children well, their father’s hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams,
the one they picked, the one you’re known by.
Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

In my own experience, my parent’s “dream” was to follow Jesus. They brought me to church, taught me to pray and to trust in Jesus. And for this I love them.  And my wife and I are called to do the same. Children deeply matter to God.

How are you passing the faith to the next generation?

Lord Jesus, help me to teach our children well.

On the seventh day they had a picnic

Leave a reply

Yesterday was the kick-off to the fall season for Resurrection Lutheran. Under bright beautiful sky we had our church picnic after worship. The tempting smell of grilled brats, the energetic conversation of friends and neighbors and the loud squeal of dunk-tank participants permeated our church grounds. In the morning worship I joked that for one afternoon we would be Resurrection “Baptist” Church as people were fully submerged in the dunk tank. When my turn came, I was thankful for the cool water on a very warm afternoon.

Two thoughts popped in and out of my head as we celebrated our Vibrant Life in Christ. They both arose from our worship text in the morning: Genesis 1 where God creates the heavens and the earth. Throughout the chapter there is the constant refrain: “And God saw that it was good.” The goodness of God’s creation was being experienced by picnic participants; the joy and wonder on their faces reflected that goodness.

A second thought followed the first. The thought came from part of the Genesis story that I had skipped over in my morning sermon.

So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it because on it God rested from all the work he had done in creation. Genesis 2:3.

God’s rest on the seventh day is a powerful reminder that as God’s creatures we need rest as well. The third commandment flows from this: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I sensed that many of us were “resting” at our church picnic, even as we scurried around. Much of my normal week is spent sitting indoors/the opportunity to be outdoors, enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon was restful. And when I engage in meaning conversation with other saints it is holy. The morning worship and the afternoon picnic provided me with a healthy dose of rest and remembrance.

Pastor John becomes John the Baptized

And, to top it off, I had the opportunity to remember my baptism as I went into the tank!

How do you find ways to remember the day of rest?

Lord Jesus, help me to remember the gift of the Sabbath each week.

9/11 and Genesis 1

Leave a reply

9 11 Tribute in Lights

As we approach Sunday and the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I have a mixture of emotions. Like many Americans I have strong memories of that tragic day, first hearing the initial reports on my car radio and then watching the TV news feeds through the day. That evening I led an impromptu worship as people gathered to pray and to grieve. The prayer service had a raw anguished energy as people grappled with their fear and anger that came with the impact of the planes.

The following Sunday churches were packed as people continued to wrestle with the meaning and purpose of such a man-made disaster. Yet that spiritual fervor quickly passed as daily life for most Americans did not change. Many local churches marked the one-year anniversary, but I have not seen or heard of a local church memorial service since 2002.

This Sunday I have chosen not to center our worship around 9/11 but rather on the beginning of the school year and our sermon series, The Narrative Lectionary: The Story of the Bible. If Resurrection Lutheran was in New York City or Washington DC we would respond differently. I understand the national news media’s focus upon 9/11, but I wonder if so much attention only serves the terrorist’s cause, continue to give al-Qaeda the notoriety that it had been seeking.

The day after 9/11 I wrote some of my running buddies about my decision not to run on 9/11 or the day after so as to honor those who died in the Pentagon and World Trade Towers and the many first responders who made huge sacrifices to help others. But the following Saturday I choose to run with my running group as a statement to myself and to others that the terrorists did not win that day. They had not destroyed our culture or community. I would remember but not relinquish.

As I prepare to preach on Genesis 1, I am struck by the contrast of that text and 9/11. In the text we read that God declared that the creation is GOOD. Both Genesis 1 and 2 shows us the beauty and wonder of God’s creation and the special place humanity has.

Yet we know evil has worked itself into our world.  Genesis 3 introduces us to the concept of sin and evil, when Eve and Adam eat from the forbidden tree. Genesis 4-11 reveals how widespread sin and evil are: Cain murders Able (Genesis 4:8), the wickedness of humanity (Genesis 6:5) and the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). 9/11 only reinforces that theme of human sin. But human sin does not negate or destroy the underlying goodness of God’s creation. On Sunday, we will remember the tragedy of 9/11, but we will also go much, much deeper and remember the goodness of God’s creation and his power to restore us.

What do you think is an appropriate way to remember 9/11?

Lord Jesus, help me to trust, live and serve you even on the darkest days.

The Story of the Bible

Leave a reply

Pop Bible Quiz: Place these five famous Biblical characters in their correct chronological/ Biblical order: (answer at the bottom of the blog.)

  • Moses
  • Ruth
  • John the Baptist
  • Elijah
  • Abraham

The reason I popped this quiz is to prep for our upcoming sermon series this fall, winter and spring. This year at Resurrection Lutheran we will be using a series of Bible Readings that covers the WHOLE Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

The series is called the Narrative Lectionary. Narrative means story and Lectionary means series of Bible readings, so our series of Scripture readings will tell the large story of the Bible. We will be racing through the Old and New Testament, touching on the highlights of the God’s interactions with humanity. We will not be reading every chapter or book, but we will be seeking the BIG PICTURE of God’s consistent search to pull humanity back into God’s loving care.

This fall we will be moving through the Old Testament. We will read how humanity rebelled against God and how God chose a special people, the children of Abraham, to be his agents of restoration. This will be a quick survey of major stories and events and will lead us to the birth of Jesus at Christmas.

The Wonder of God's Creation

We will begin this week with the first chapter of the first book, Genesis 1. Many of us know the opening words, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” As one reads the chapter, a constant refrain keeps popping up, “And God saw that it was good.” (v. 4, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). The goodness of creation is especially emphasized with the creation of human being. Humanity is the crowning glory, the best of the very best, in God’s magnificent creation. Humanity is not some fluke of chemistry, but the planned desire of God.

Which means you are not a random act, but a beautiful creation of God, made in God’s image. You are beautifully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). You have purpose and meaning, given to you by the Creator. Part of that purpose and meaning is to discover your role or place in God’s story. So join us as we discover the unending story of God’s love for God’s people, and specifically for you.

Answers to the Pop Quiz: Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Elijah, John the Baptist

Lord Jesus, thank you for the wonder of your creation.  Help me to discover my place in your ongoing story.

Thank You

Leave a reply

This fall our congregation’s theme will be: Generous Living: Responding to God’s Abundance.  One generous response to God’s abundance is to develop a heart of gratefulness.  I am grateful for the wonderful people of Resurrection and the opportunity they give me to be on vacation.   I am also thankful that Sarah Storvick, my capable colleague in ministry, will provide some guest post on this blog next week (if technical challenges allow)> 

A part of my relaxation is rereading Wayne Muller’s book, Sabbath,

Meister Eckhart, the Christian mystic, asserted that if the only prayer we ever prayed our whole life was “Thank you,” that would be enough.  Gratefulness cultivates a visceral experience of having enough.  When we are mindful of what we have, and give thanks for the many gifts we have overlooked or forgotten, our sense of wealth cannot help but expand, and we soon achieve a sense of sufficiency we so desire.  Practice thanksgiving before meals, upon rising, when going to sleep.  Friends, family, food, color, fragrance, the earth, life itself — these are all gifts, perfectly gratuitous.  How can we not give thanks?  During Sabbath time we are less concerned with what is missing, focusing instead on sharing our gratefulness for what has already been given (p. 128).

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17

Here is a spiritual exercise worth doing every month.  Take a blank piece of paper and make a list of 100 people/things/experiences for which you are thankful.

Thank You, Lord.

Cornfields, Pumpkins and Worship

Leave a reply

Cross and Corn

My daughter, Christina, is home from her college in Pennsylvania and worshipped at our outside service on Sunday.  She commented afterwards, “It is so amazing having worship beside a cornfield.”  She went on to say that many of her eastern classmates think Minnesota is covered with cornfields, so our worship reinforced that stereotype. I reminded her that just north of Bailey Road is a golf course and thousands of suburban homes.  Still the cornfield stands out.

Perhaps the cornfield can serve as a symbol of the vibrant life in Christ.  Jesus often used the image of seeds to communicate the growing aspect of our life in him

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat (or corn?) falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

The cornfield also reminds us that we are called to grow together.  The cornstalks are stronger and more resist to wind if they grow in a field together.  Yet each cornstalk is unique in it height, breadth and yield.  We are all unique creations of God, wired with our own dependable strengths, passions and callings.

The cornfield also connects us to a key petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us today our daily bread.”  God uses the farmer, millers, bakers, merchants, and financiers to move the corn in the field to the food on our table.   We can be thankful not only for the food but for all the people who work to feed us.

Scott H tilling the soil

Near the cornfield is the pumpkin patch that our church is  utilizing to grow pumpkins for our harvest festival in October.  Scott Hanson is working the field, trying to keep the weeds down and the vines growing.  It is truly amazing to watch how the vines in such a short time have covered the field.   Pumpkins are rapidly growing into ripe fruit.  I am reminded that God first put Adam in the garden of Eden to till and keep it (Genesis 2:15).   Our patch may not be Eden, but it is direct descendent.

How do you celebrate the wonder of summer growth?

Early Pumpkin

God of the harvest,
I celebrate the earthiness of potatoes just dug up,  the sweetness of corn,
the beads of dew on tiny gourds,
 the orange glow of ripe pumpkins,
 green cucumbers and zucchini,
the garden full of life, health and bounty.

In Our Midst

Leave a reply

At Camp Wapogasset this week, a college-age counselor spoke during chapel about the significance of Christian community.   She evoked the camp theme “In Our Midst,” based on Jesus’ promise, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matt 18:20.  The counselor spoke of the challenges her family faced when her father was laid off from his job and had to search 18 months for a new job in a different state.  She knew that God was giving her strength through the Christian community she experienced on staff at Camp Wapogasset. Her words in turn gave hope and life to those who listened, including me.

Near the end of her talk she quoted from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together, in which Bonhoeffer described his work to build a confessing Lutheran Seminary in Nazi Germany.

But God has put this Word into the mouth of men in order that it may be communicated to other men. When one person is struck by the Word, he speaks it to others. God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother, in the mouth of man. Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him.  He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the divine word of salvation.  p. 23

Campers Enjoy Community

God has created us to be in community, but we often resist it.  Our American culture celebrates the rugged individualist who creates success by his or her self: the self-made man or woman.  Yet I cannot be fully human without being connected to others.  God made me to be with others, with my faults and inconsistencies as well as my strengths and gifts.   Only in community with other Christians do I fully experience the vibrant life of faith in Jesus.

I am so thankful the children and youth have the opportunity to experience Christian community, with all its joys, sorrows, sweat and discomfort through mission trips and Bible camp. Remember, wherever two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is in our midst.

In what ways or places have you experienced authentic Christian community?

Lord Jesus, show me the path that leads me to community with others.

Joyful Noise Sounds Great

Leave a reply

 O come, let us sing to the LORD;
 let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
 let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
 Psalm 95:1-2

Worship Team from Resurrection Lutheran Church

Music has such a joyful, liberating power.  When we sing in worship it starts deep within us and then spreads and fills the whole room.  Many of us love to sing; I see it on faces as worshippers sing praise to God.  That is what draws many of people to Sunday worship–the joyous worship of our God.  I am so thankful for Resurrection’s worship team who faithfully and joyous lead us in song each week.

But joyous worship is not limited to contemporary Christian music. Singing praises to God is as ancient as the Bible.  One of the oldest pieces of song is from the exodus, when the Israelites escaped the Egyptian chariot army as they fled across the Red Sea.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.” Exodus 15:1

The earliest church continued the Hebrew practice of singing praise to God.  Paul encouraged the church at Ephesus, “but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (Ephesians 3:19).  Throughout the centuries, the church has used song as a primary means of worship.  Singing praises to God unites our heart with God’s heart.

Music has a way of touching and stirring our emotions that words cannot do alone.  You can experience it at a concert, whether it is U2 or the Vienna Boys’ Choir.  The power of song is a gift God gives us to express ourselves, whether we can carry a tune or not.  After all, the psalmist commands us to make a joyful NOISE to God.   Let us make some NOISE today!

What is one of your favorite hymns or spiritual songs?

Lord Jesus, help me make a joyful noise of praise to you this day.

Names Matter

Leave a reply

Oh Lord, our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth.
Psalm 8:1

My parents named me John Vincent Keller.  John comes from the Hebrew name, Jonathan (I Samuel 13), which means gift of God.  My middle name is from my father, Vincent Keller, and comes from the same root as victorious or winner.  So my name gives me a certain amount of pride: I am a gift of God and a winner.  Then to keep me in my proper place my last name, Keller, is the German word for basement or cellar.  I need to remember my humble roots.

Names are significant in the Bible because they are not just tags that differentiate one person from another.  Names carry meaning and significance, essential characteristics of a person.  The Lord God revealed his name to Moses at the burning bush when Moses asked him for it: I am who I am.  (Exodus 3:14).  The Hebrew root of this is YHWH and means to be present or to be encountered.   Another translation of YHWH could be I will be present where I will be present, a reflection of God’s promise to be near us and yet free to be God.  Names reveal character.

Jesus is also given a special name.  In Hebrew his name is Yeshua, which means God saves or rescues.  His father Joseph is told to give this name to Jesus because he will rescue his people from their sin (Matthew 1:21).   Later during his ministry, Jesus will rename Simon, the brother of Andrew, to be Peter or Petra (Greek) which is Rock.  Simon Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah is the rock upon which the church is built (Matthew 16:16-18).  Names matter.

I think of that when I walk into Resurrection Lutheran Church.  This congregation is named for the wondrous historical event, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. With Jesus’ resurrection comes the promise that we too shall rise.  We begin the resurrected life here on earth when we die and rise with Jesus in our baptism.  Resurrection begins as we trust, live and serve God.  Our congregation’s name matters because it reminds us of the Vibrant Life of Faith in Christ.

In what ways do you call upon “the name of the Lord?”

Lord Jesus, thank you for fulfilling your calling to rescue us from our sin.