Faith

PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Jason Toombs, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberal

On Jan. 6, the Church of the West celebrates the Wise Men coming to view the newborn King of the Jews. We have the union of Jew and Gentile, as these sages from afar, following yonder star, were not Jews but Gentiles.  They read the prophecy which Daniel left behind in Babylon, as the faithful people of God spread the proclamation of His redeeming work on their behalf as He comes to save Jew and Gentile.

They wanted to gaze upon the beautiful face of this One long prophesied, especially as Isaiah writes, “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.”  Jesus comes as a light for all people, shining brightly in this sin-darkened world in which we find ourselves, especially as He fulfills all righteousness.

PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Jason Toombs, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberal

Merry Christmas to you and yours on the eleventh day of Christmas. We have almost reached the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and we hear something different in the world around us. While college bowl games have been played, and while the parade of roses was held in warmer climates, we still have the bleakness of winter settling in upon our land. Not all is solitude and loneliness, as we welcomed family and friends, as we celebrated with kith and kin the joyous celebrations of Christ coming for us.

This is what the Wise Men desired to do as they came to celebrate the Child Who was born King of the Jews. They went to the palace of the reigning king, as that is where a new king should be born, yet it was not of Herod’s line that Christ would deign to come down. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the offshoot from the Root of Jesse, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord, as He would be born of the Blessed Virgin Mary and was made man for us and for our salvation.

PASTOR’S CORNER, Pat Mann, President of Good Samaritan Auxiliary

All during the Christmas season, people look for great gifts, and after Christmas there are surely some great bargains to be found. I want to tell you about an Old Testament character who was offered a great bargain. His name was Mephibosheth. He was the grandson of King Saul, the son of Jonathan, young David’s close friend.  Both Saul and Jonathan deceased. David ascends the throne of God’s people, the Israelites.  Most of King Saul’s descendants, heirs to his throne, were slain in battle.  The new King, David, went looking for any remaining descendants of King Saul.  It would be expected that any remaining threat to the throne of a new king would be slain. David commanded that Mephibosheth be brought to him. 

PASTOR'S CORNER, Pat Mann, President of Good Samaritan Auxiliary

How good is good? How good would you have to be to be received into heaven when you die? I once spoke to a man who thought he was “good enough.” He said he was always faithful in marriage,  he never cheated in business deals, he provided for his family. He said, “I’m as good as any of those people down at the church – better than most.” He believed he was on the “Good Enough” list.   Yet another man told me that he was such a bad sinner, God could never forgive him. He was on the “Too Bad” list.  Both of these men were wrong.

Look at what the Bible says about the condition of mankind: “For there is no one truly righteous person on the earth who does good and never sins”  (Eccles. 7:20). Another text says, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”  What you think about how good you are may depend upon with whom you are comparing yourself. Almost everyone can find someone deemed more evil than he/she.