Be Thankful
Luke 17:11-19 highlighted one out of 10 lepers thanked Jesus after being healed by Him from the skin disease. The lepers said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” The term “Master” is fascinating because it represents ‘commander.’ They recognized Jesus as having authority. When they sought for mercy, that is the cry of sinful man to God. It represents the same thing in our liturgy when we sing, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” They were in an ordeal, and they sought help, and they needed Jesus for relief in their desperation.
The first lesson was Jesus did not state anything about mercy as he just told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Jesus rendered them tasks that did not necessarily make a lot of sense at the time, and He didn’t promise healing. Jesus often places us in stances that we should do, but other ways of doing things and other things we can do may be more inviting. The lepers had faith that Jesus could heal, so they obeyed His command. Trust God, His goodness, trust His good will toward you, and trust that He can make the difference you need. Even when things seem odd, this Gospel would encourage us to live each moment in cheerful dependence on God and His good will toward us.
Interestingly, that one was a Samaritan, the hated Gentile who said “Thank You” to Jesus. We could analyze at the proportion, one out of ten. Is that realistic? The main idea is that thanksgiving is far less common than no thanksgiving. Some people come to church by “duty” rather than out of the delight in the Lord. Some of us are among of the nine, and some of us have come to gracefully give thanks and praise for the profusion of blessings that Jesus has provided to each of us. Forgetting is even a sin.
This forgiveness, life, and salvation doesn't require of us a specific code of conduct, although there are always those who want to tell us that it does, such as that we must walk the Christian walk in order to be saved. But Jesus placed us free from our sin by His own. We are liberated and forgiven from the Law into the glorious liberty of the grace of God.
Jesus said, “Rise, and go your way; your faith has saved you.” We obtain all the good that we receive from God by grace through faith. Your faith, not your church attendance, or your good works, or your good thoughts, but your faith has saved you. Your Bibles may say, “Your faith has made you well,” but the original term of Jesus indicates literally, “Your faith has saved you.”
This tenth man obtained something more, because he believed something more, and acted on His faith. He acknowledged Jesus for who He is, and when he returned, he rendered thanks and praise to Jesus. He believed more than just the healing, but the salvation he received by grace through faith, just like we do.
Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you.” That faith should guide us to holy life. It should lead us to heartfelt thanksgiving. It should guide us to trust Jesus for more than just heaven and so guide us to do what Jesus has placed before us to do.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~~Pastor Andy
The first lesson was Jesus did not state anything about mercy as he just told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Jesus rendered them tasks that did not necessarily make a lot of sense at the time, and He didn’t promise healing. Jesus often places us in stances that we should do, but other ways of doing things and other things we can do may be more inviting. The lepers had faith that Jesus could heal, so they obeyed His command. Trust God, His goodness, trust His good will toward you, and trust that He can make the difference you need. Even when things seem odd, this Gospel would encourage us to live each moment in cheerful dependence on God and His good will toward us.
Interestingly, that one was a Samaritan, the hated Gentile who said “Thank You” to Jesus. We could analyze at the proportion, one out of ten. Is that realistic? The main idea is that thanksgiving is far less common than no thanksgiving. Some people come to church by “duty” rather than out of the delight in the Lord. Some of us are among of the nine, and some of us have come to gracefully give thanks and praise for the profusion of blessings that Jesus has provided to each of us. Forgetting is even a sin.
This forgiveness, life, and salvation doesn't require of us a specific code of conduct, although there are always those who want to tell us that it does, such as that we must walk the Christian walk in order to be saved. But Jesus placed us free from our sin by His own. We are liberated and forgiven from the Law into the glorious liberty of the grace of God.
Jesus said, “Rise, and go your way; your faith has saved you.” We obtain all the good that we receive from God by grace through faith. Your faith, not your church attendance, or your good works, or your good thoughts, but your faith has saved you. Your Bibles may say, “Your faith has made you well,” but the original term of Jesus indicates literally, “Your faith has saved you.”
This tenth man obtained something more, because he believed something more, and acted on His faith. He acknowledged Jesus for who He is, and when he returned, he rendered thanks and praise to Jesus. He believed more than just the healing, but the salvation he received by grace through faith, just like we do.
Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you.” That faith should guide us to holy life. It should lead us to heartfelt thanksgiving. It should guide us to trust Jesus for more than just heaven and so guide us to do what Jesus has placed before us to do.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~~Pastor Andy
Which political candidate should we vote for?
We will be having a major midterm political election. As a Lutheran pastor, I cannot instruct you to vote which party. However, I advise you to elect ones who are aligned to God’s will according to the Bible instead of emotional thinking. The most important is to keep the moral value up and fiscal responsibility in America.
An article, Lutheran Voter Information Guide, provides excellent guidance in voting. You should investigate political candidates related to various issues. You may ask them (from the Guide):
For further information, please visit:
https://lcrlfreedom.org/images/pdf/2020LutheranVoter-InformationGuide.pdf
~~ Pastor Andy
An article, Lutheran Voter Information Guide, provides excellent guidance in voting. You should investigate political candidates related to various issues. You may ask them (from the Guide):
- Are you willing to support changes to school funding that will honor the educational choices of all parents equally, including the choice of religious schools?
- Do you believe that Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, should continue to receive either state or federal funds?
- Do you think it is proper for the government, at any level, to pressure its citizens into accepting a view of human sexuality that denies God’s good design in the social world by normalizing transgenderism and gender fluidity?
- Do you fully support the 1993 (Federal) Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) which currently protects people of faith from having the exercise of their faith unnecessarily restricted by the government?
For further information, please visit:
https://lcrlfreedom.org/images/pdf/2020LutheranVoter-InformationGuide.pdf
~~ Pastor Andy
Online Worship & Fellowship at Christ/Deaf
Sunday worship & fellowship 10:00AM
Wednesday Bible Study 10:00AM
Contact Pastor Andy for log-in information.
Sunday worship & fellowship 10:00AM
Wednesday Bible Study 10:00AM
Contact Pastor Andy for log-in information.
Forgiveness vs Consequences
Recently our men in prison have been studying the life of King David. The Bible describes David as “a man after God’s own heart.” Yet the Bible also clearly shows many of David’s stupid mistakes and his dark, ugly sins – including adultery and murder.
As we read David’s prayers (the Psalms), we see that David clearly understood his own sinfulness. He often begged for God’s mercy and he prayed for God to make him a better person. Where we see David most in sync with God’s heart was when David was quick to admit his guilt. And in times of great need, David looked to God for guidance and help.
Another important lesson we learn from David is that, even though God forgave David for his wrong-doing, God also allowed David to experience full consequences for his hurtful actions. One student observed: “We can choose our sins, but we can’t choose our consequences.” So true!
Many of our men struggle with this truth every day. “If God has forgiven me, then why is He still making me serve time in prison? Why doesn’t He allow the Parole Board see that I have changed?” That is a question for which I have no answer, except to never stop trusting that, no matter our circumstances, our lives are in God’s hands.
I believe that God has a good plan for each of our lives. But often our own stupid ways mess up that plan. When we embrace the consequences that come as result, God gives us opportunities to minister His love to others through those consequences.
~~ Pastor Ron
As we read David’s prayers (the Psalms), we see that David clearly understood his own sinfulness. He often begged for God’s mercy and he prayed for God to make him a better person. Where we see David most in sync with God’s heart was when David was quick to admit his guilt. And in times of great need, David looked to God for guidance and help.
Another important lesson we learn from David is that, even though God forgave David for his wrong-doing, God also allowed David to experience full consequences for his hurtful actions. One student observed: “We can choose our sins, but we can’t choose our consequences.” So true!
Many of our men struggle with this truth every day. “If God has forgiven me, then why is He still making me serve time in prison? Why doesn’t He allow the Parole Board see that I have changed?” That is a question for which I have no answer, except to never stop trusting that, no matter our circumstances, our lives are in God’s hands.
I believe that God has a good plan for each of our lives. But often our own stupid ways mess up that plan. When we embrace the consequences that come as result, God gives us opportunities to minister His love to others through those consequences.
~~ Pastor Ron
Remember those who are in prison
as if you were in prison with them.
Hebrews 13:3
as if you were in prison with them.
Hebrews 13:3
Fifty Things That Shaped Deaf Culture:
Deaf History Month
1972 - 2022
Deaf History Month
1972 - 2022
This year, 2022, both the deaf communities and the library communities celebrate the 50th anniversary of National Deaf History Month!
The first such event was held in November 1972. John A. Love, Governor of Colorado proclaimed the week. The Colorado Association of the Deaf was behind this success with two Deaf movers and shakers, David Anthony and Jerome Moers, members. The next such event was held during the first week of December 1974 when the DC Public Library announced the purchase of TTY (Teletypewriter/phone for the Deaf).
American Originals
In 2016, Time Books, an imprint of Time Inc. Books published a softback (96 pages) called 100 American Originals: The Things That Shaped Our Culture.
I checked it for originals relating to deaf culture such as the first-ever American public school for the Deaf, founded in 1817. This idea was about using government funds that two educators Horace Mann had later for the “normal” school and Samuel Howe for the “blind” school in the 1830s.
The only two Originals related to the Deaf I found are No 46: The Telephone (mentioning Alexander Graham Bell, a teacher of the deaf), and No. 47 the Lightbulb (mentioning Thomas A. Edison but with no word about his deafness).
American Originals: Deaf Culture: 1972-2022
1. The State proclamation (Colorado) (1972)
2. The Phone Access DC (1974)
3. The Deaf of Organizational Culture THE RED NOTEBOOK (1976)
4. Library Friends groups (1986)
5. ASL Access Read ASL (1997)
6. The Maryland Law - Deaf Culture Digital Library (2014)
7. The Ohio Law Deaf History Month (2017), and others
BOOKS! Authors! Future Writers! Support Your Local Public Library
Library Friends for Deaf Action,
Please encourage your local or state organizations to ask the local public library about using their meeting room for presenting a deaf cultural program during Clerc-Gallaudet Week, December 3 - 10, 2022. If the date is too close, then plan for March 13 - April 15, 2023.
If you can, please email your program announcement by November 14, 2022, to FOLDA via ahagemeyer@gmail.com
The first such event was held in November 1972. John A. Love, Governor of Colorado proclaimed the week. The Colorado Association of the Deaf was behind this success with two Deaf movers and shakers, David Anthony and Jerome Moers, members. The next such event was held during the first week of December 1974 when the DC Public Library announced the purchase of TTY (Teletypewriter/phone for the Deaf).
American Originals
In 2016, Time Books, an imprint of Time Inc. Books published a softback (96 pages) called 100 American Originals: The Things That Shaped Our Culture.
I checked it for originals relating to deaf culture such as the first-ever American public school for the Deaf, founded in 1817. This idea was about using government funds that two educators Horace Mann had later for the “normal” school and Samuel Howe for the “blind” school in the 1830s.
The only two Originals related to the Deaf I found are No 46: The Telephone (mentioning Alexander Graham Bell, a teacher of the deaf), and No. 47 the Lightbulb (mentioning Thomas A. Edison but with no word about his deafness).
American Originals: Deaf Culture: 1972-2022
1. The State proclamation (Colorado) (1972)
2. The Phone Access DC (1974)
3. The Deaf of Organizational Culture THE RED NOTEBOOK (1976)
4. Library Friends groups (1986)
5. ASL Access Read ASL (1997)
6. The Maryland Law - Deaf Culture Digital Library (2014)
7. The Ohio Law Deaf History Month (2017), and others
BOOKS! Authors! Future Writers! Support Your Local Public Library
Library Friends for Deaf Action,
Please encourage your local or state organizations to ask the local public library about using their meeting room for presenting a deaf cultural program during Clerc-Gallaudet Week, December 3 - 10, 2022. If the date is too close, then plan for March 13 - April 15, 2023.
If you can, please email your program announcement by November 14, 2022, to FOLDA via ahagemeyer@gmail.com
Laurent Clerc taught French Sign Language to Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet at the school for the deaf in Paris before they departed France for America. During their 52-day voyage across Atlantic Ocean on the ship, MaryAugusta, from June 18 to August 9, 1816, Clerc practiced writing and reading English fluently and Gallaudet practiced signing. When they arrived in America, they continued to communicate with each other in sign language and this language became what we now call American Sign Language.