The Meyer Minute

The Meyer Minute for January 29, 2021

This has been a long, depressing month. Where’s God? Our political leaders seem to wallow in partisan interests. Church? Another college in my denomination is closing, depressing to an education person like me. Media? They give us their versions of truth, always cutting segments short because of a commercial break. And Covid… Is there any comfort? 

 

“If it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet’” (Romans 7:7). Law is a basic principle: there’s right and there’s wrong, but you don’t have to accept that truth. Tell a kid not to put his hand in the cookie jar… Tell a husband to put his dishes in the dishwasher… Tell me I can’t afford that new tech gizmo or new car… What’s my gut reaction? Gonna do it! Everyone of us has strong cantankerous feelings deep within us. What’s right and wrong isn’t the problem; our natural rebelliousness is. “But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. …when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died” (Romans 7:8-9). That’s where our society is at. There’s law and there’s sin, and sin fights against anyone telling us how we should live, be that other people or even our Creator. Yup, we’re deep in the middle of a barnyard. 

 

Acknowledging our mess is the beginning of comfort. “The law (not just a vague right or wrong but all God’s expectations of us) is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. It was sin, producing death in me through what is good (the law), in order that sin might be shown to be sin…. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin” (Romans 7:12-14). So, where’s God? He’s letting us see how wise we are, or not. He’s letting us fantasize that of ourselves know the truth, or not. Read Romans 1:18-32. God’s waiting for us to come to our senses, call it genuine repentance. 

 

Our national mood is not repentant, but you and I can be. “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:26). That for me is the little beginning of comfort.  

The Meyer Minute for January 28, 2021

“Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18), but we won’t experience that fully until the other side. On this side of heaven everyone, God’s people included, have fears. The “Faith and Film Festival” at Concordia Seminary includes a short film, “Ten Meter Tower.” You see normal people facing the fear of jumping into a swimming pool from a ten-meter tower, almost 33 feet high. Seeing normal people, they weren’t divers, struggle with an inconsequential fear invites us to reflect. How do I wrestle with my fears? 

The word “fear” isn’t used in Genesis 32:22-32 when Jacob wrestles with an unnamed “man,” but who wouldn’t be afraid when you’re suddenly attacked? And we are attacked by all sorts of scary things, Covid-19, harmful moods, financial problems, changes in relationships, and on and on until the final fearful thing, death. “And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day has broken.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ And he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.’” 

God lowers Himself to engage a human being, and not engage through conversation but to pull a man into struggle. Is God in the fearful things you’re struggling with? In your struggles, are you really wrestling with God? Whether your struggle traces back to sinful mistakes you’ve made, to the devil, or to God Himself, God certainly is in your fearful struggle, God for you, not against you, with you in His suffering and finally triumphant Son (Romans 8:31-32). Whatever you’re wrestling with, hang on to God and quote Jacob repeatedly, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 

When “we cannot understand why we have to keep on waiting, why God does not take away the pain and suffering, it is then—yes, especially then—that God’s baptismal pledge to us holds true: his promise to be with us and to go with us. His promise gives strength to hold up….” (Oswald Bayer, “In Trouble and in Good Heart,” a sermon by Oswald Bayer). 

   

The Meyer Minute for January 26, 2021

What have we learned through the pandemic? The importance of community! Yes, but what kind of community? For example, if a person believes the Q Anon conspiracy, there’s a community for you. Or if someone believes gender is something you select, there’s a community for you. If you haven’t bought into some cause, casually associating with whatever community can draw you in. Even with social distancing, we’re not lacking for communities, but some communities can be harmful to you and to society. Remember Jonestown in Guyana or the Branch Davidians in Waco? 

Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus. If you think about it, your congregation is a community set amid other communities, but your congregation offers what other communities can’t. Read what Paul said about the congregations in Ephesus and let it be your prayer for your congregation. 

“For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named…” We don’t see much humility today, Your congregation models humility before the great Creator. “… that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” Who doesn’t need inner strength to face our troubled times? “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…” Unlike the tribalism and division we see all about us, us against them, your congregation points you to Jesus Christ, who is greater than the vanities of this world. “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” What community online or in person offers the insights into life, the calmness of faith, the welcome of love and the fullness of God that your congregation offers? 

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think…” “Have good cheer, little flock!” “…according to the power at work with us…” Good things happen when you’re active in your congregation. “…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:14-21). It’s a great time to be the Church! 

The Meyer Minute for January 25, 2021

Who’s not fretting about the chaos of American society? Slow down, Dale; don’t get ahead of yourself. 

My mind was wandering yesterday in church. Had I worshipped online, I probably would have left the screen to pursue whatever little thing jumped into my head, but we were in person, so I had to stay put. When we first sat down, I mentioned to Diane how strange it is to be sitting in the pew after decades of being up front preaching or leading worship. That turned out to be a seminal thought for the blessing of the day. 

The service commemorated Timothy, St. Paul’s young pastoral protégé. Acts 16:1-5 relates how Paul came upon Timothy, and in 1 Timothy 6:11-16 we hear Paul’s encouragement and advice to the young pastor. Our own pastor, Rev. Kyle Wright, focused his sermon on “fight the good fight of the faith,” (verse 12), and said this should be true for us all, not just pastors. While my mind continued to be jumping here and there… the service and sermon were well done; my mind was just scattered… By the end of the service, it all came together. Our final hymn: “Stand up, stand up for Jesus… Let all His faithful serve Him / Against unnumbered foes; / Let courage rise with danger / And strength to strength oppose” (Lutheran Service Book, 660, 2). 

Aha, my blessing for the day! We pastors encourage and give scriptural advice to the congregation, but it’s you, the laity, who are in the trenches on behalf of our Lord Jesus. We ministers are somewhat cocooned. We don’t sit in the pews; we’re upfront leading others. Our interpersonal relationships are mainly with church people and other church workers. People treat us nicely, most of the time. Our faculty at Concordia Seminary urges students to understand their calls are to congregation and community, but still, your workaday life takes you where pastors will never go.  

What can we do about the chaos of American society? First off, be optimistic. The Lord of the Church has already deployed millions and millions of His followers into communities and throughout the nation to give “a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). The challenge is to “walk the walk and talk the talk” wherever you are, and not leave it to the pastor.    

The Meyer Minute for January 22, 2021

The Bible is the Church’s book. It’s the spring of faith and nurture for followers of Jesus. Through Scripture others can come into the fold, like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40), but when the Spirit uses the scriptural word to work faith, a person who was outside is now in the true Church. “Amazing grace, I once was lost but now am found.”  

The Bible is not addressed to the abstract institutions of government. “You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1: 23). “You have been born again” is us, followers of Jesus, the Church. The business of Congress, state legislatures, and local city councils is not Bible study. The Bible is the Church’s book.   

Sunday for many of us is, “National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.”  The new administration in Washington is favorable to abortion, which has me pondering what’s coming for the Pro-Life cause. “Public opinion has trended toward increased abortion restrictions for the past several years” reports the conservative Washington Examiner. But who trusts the media of any stripe? Axios shares that only 46 percent of Americans trust traditional media. Social media? Only 27% trust it. So how do we persuade more people of the sanctity of human life?  Ponder this: the Bible is just one more medium to those outside the Church.  

In a hallway conversation yesterday, a professor said that in today’s climate we want to persuade those outside about truth. Clobbering with quotations won’t work. We accept Scriptures as authoritative for faith and morals, but those outside the Church do not. What puts us in a better position to persuade others? Purity in our own lives, love for one another, and good works in community. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincerely brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again…” “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 1:22-23; 2:12).  

It’s a slow process that starts with you and me. “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3). The Bible is the Church’s Book. 

The Meyer Minute for January 20, 2021

Spirit of God, searcher of hearts, we humbly pray that You hear our sighs and prayers for peace within our nation. 

1 Peter 2:13-17 is apt this Inauguration Day. Most translations begin with something like, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution.” Scholars have shown that’s not the correct translation. It should be “Be subject to every human creature.” Whether by power plays or noise that drowns out other voices, it’s not for us to subject others to our will but rather “in humility to count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). Since He who humbled Himself for us is now exalted, subordinating ourselves to serve others is how we follow in His footsteps (1 Peter 2:21; 3:22).  

“…whether to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.” The Bible doesn’t say much about duties of government but restraining evil and praising good is a biblically defined duty. God wants His protection and care extended to all people, Christians and non-Christians alike. 

“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” 1 Peter identifies two basic motivators for how humans act: emotions or the will of God. Emotions are on full display in America’s public life these days, but the will of God is to subject our emotions to His commands since we have been born again to be “children of obedience” (1 Peter 1:3, 14; 4:2).  

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” True freedom is not unrestrained indulgence, but God’s will working in us to serve others (Philippians 2:13). “Love your neighbor as yourself,” says Jesus, especially people and partisans you don’t like (Matthew 22:39; Luke 14:13). 

“Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood (fellow believers). Fear God. Honor the emperor.” This is a dig at presumptuous politicians. Like everyone, national leaders are to be honored, but only God is to be feared. The Gospel transforms fear of punishment for our sins into awe that He redeems us. This is the true “fear of God” that fills our devotion and conduct (1 Peter 1:17-19)  

If our citizenry takes these verses to heart, our national life will become more civil and peaceful, but if most people don’t, we followers of Jesus will still walk in His ways. 

The Meyer Minute for January 19, 2021

Almost two weeks ago, I sat down to watch the counting of electoral votes. I was yearning for calm after all the chaos of our national life. Tomorrow, exactly two weeks after the insurrection, I’ll watch again, again with the same hope, that calm will come upon us. What will President Biden say? As much as I will listen to him, I’ll hear the echoes of another president.  

“Each (party) looks for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes his aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes. ‘Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.’ If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through his appointed time, he now wills to remove, and that he gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said ‘the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’  

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battles and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” (Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural, March 4, 1865) 

 

The Meyer Minute for January 18, 2021

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and, by good coincidence, today the church observes The Confession of St. Peter. Given the grievous events of the last weeks, both observances invite repentant reflection for faith and life. Five years ago, Pastor Victor Belton preached in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus at Concordia Seminary, and spoke about both days.

He began with quotations from Dr. King, deep insights from which I’ll only quote this. “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final words.”

Pastor Belton shifted to Psalm 118, the psalm appointed for the Confession of St. Peter. “Open to me the gates of righteousness.” “We would have open gates this morning. We would have the gates of righteousness unlocked. We would have the way unlocked to justice in the earth. We would have the gate open so that joy and righteousness, peace and deliverance, are received. So that we by faith may enter, find rest, and give thanks unto the Lord, our God. We would have the gates open so that we might behold the righteous goodness of the Lord and dwell in his presence.” Five years after the sermon was preached, those words are even truer today.

“We need a key.” Pastor Belton lists possible keys, but settles on Romans 10, “‘If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ The word is the key, the confession, the proclamation. When Jesus asked, ‘Who do men say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ.’ That sounds like the dropping of a key. The key to gates of righteousness is in the confession.”

Pastor Belton’s conclusion: “We know from Saints Peter and Martin that opening that gate to glory may mean suffering on earth. But it is bearable, and even in the face of rejection, threats, and even death we can say, ‘Thanks be to God. You have answered me. You’ve become my salvation. And you granted me this grace, the key that unlocks the gates of righteousness. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and the key that opens the gate.’”

You can read Pastor Belton’s sermon at https://scholar.csl.edu/cs1516/57/

The Meyer Minute for January 15, 2021

My quiet place… 

My quiet place is where I retreat when I need to be reminded that God continues to be for me. “When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up” (Psalm 94:18). 

My quiet place is where I listen for Your still, small voice amidst life’s unending noise. “Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge—the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath” (Psalm 94:8-11). 

My quiet place is where I do not ignore the news of the nation or troubles in my little life. Quite the opposite! Without the bad, would I mature in my love for Your salvation? “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from the days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked” (Psalm 94:12-13). 

My quiet place is where You touch my troubled heart and soul. “For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?” (Psalm 94:14-16). In my quiet place You revive hope by turning me from myself to You. You give me confidence You continue with us and Your righteousness will prevail.  

My quiet place is stillness before You. It’s not a favorite chair, or church. It’s not the calm of a peaceful scene or soothing music. It’s me before You and Your Spirit within me, wherever I may be. “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalm 94:19). 

  

The Meyer Minute for January 14, 2021

What I write first is not the best scholarship. Dr. Peter Nafzger shares the story of an author who was looking at the Big Dipper with his son. The son asks, “Who made that?” A Christian would automatically say, “God did,” but not so fast. God didn’t call it the Big Dipper, man did, and seeing the outline of a dipper is only the way we see things. My irresponsible scholarship is not giving the proper credits. My books and journals are not all unpacked! Nevertheless, it is true. We see things as we see them; we interpret things from our own perspective. What we think is objective truth is sometimes only our subjective viewpoint.  

That’s true about time. The Creator put Earth in an orbit around the Sun, but who decided when the new year starts? Who gave the number 2021 to this year, or in Jewish reckoning, 5781? Who gave the days of the week their names? Who decided a day starts in the morning, not in the evening as people reckoned time in the Bible? Just like the Big Dipper, we also interpret time from our perspective. That’s all well and good; how else could we order our lives? The problem comes when we who claim to believe in Jesus let the culture around us be our main teller of time. “You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain” (Galatians 4:10). 

Nicene Creed: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ…who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven…and the third day He rose again…And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.” Doesn’t that mean Christians see time differently than the dominant culture around us? “Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:14). So today is not only January 14, 2021; we should believe today might well see Christ’s return. Do I really look into the sky and think that? Do you?  Peter says, “Set your hope fully…” No compartmentalization of faith to Sunday morning! Be it the Big Dipper or time, we strive to live ever aware of God, always God. My thoughts about time are prompted by “The Contest for Time and Space in the Roman Imperial Cults and 1 Peter” by Wei Hsien Wan.