FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK · reframing of the resoluon. People were calling in talking about a toxic...

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

C H U R C H O F T H E SAV I O R - LU T H E R A N

January 2020

Happy New Year and a wonderful Epiphany to you!!

Towards the end of December, I was flipping around the radio and I stopped on Star 99.1, a local Chris�an sta�on. I listen to it periodically. The hosts were talking about the new year and asking callers what will you leave behind in 2019.

I like that phrasing. “What will you leave behind?” Regardless of whether we are one who makes new year resolu�ons, or speaks against the idea, we are all going to be a li�le reflec�ve as the calendar turns. It is very difficult not to be. The idea of leaving something behind was a reframing of the resolu�on.

People were calling in talking about a toxic rela�onship they were leaving behind; others were bad habits like hi�ng the snooze or ea�ng fast food. Heavy stuff, light stuff and all in between. Within all the calls was the implicit trust in God. All the callers sounded so very faithful in their

love and trust of God.

What would you leave behind in 2019? Ask God to help you with that. It might just change you.

John writes in his Revela�on, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Leaving something behind speaks to that passage. God is always making things new in Jesus. We are constantly being turned into a new crea�on. The person I am today will not be the same one tomorrow. God comes to us. Parachutes to us like firefighters pu�ng out the forest fire. God does not give up on us. God is always chasing us, seeking us out and loving us.

So as we enter into the new year my prayer is that we can look to God with hope. I pray we can look to God with the courage to ask God to make us a new crea�ons in Christ.

May God’s peace and love shine through you!

~Pastor Paul

Tuesday, January 7, 2020, U.S. Congressman Josh Go�heimer (NJ-5), U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-9), local elected officials, the NAACP of Bergen County, first responders, and faith leaders from across North Jersey united together against an�-Semi�sm and hate in our communi�es.

“We are all here today because New Jersey is a no hate state. We may have our ups and downs, as has been the case since the beginning of �me, but let me be clear to those who peddle in it: Hate is not – and will never be – welcome here. Today, as we face new tensions, in a world where hate is fueled by social media and cable news, we cannot allow discrimina�on and an�-Semi�sm to seep into our own ranks – between those of us commi�ed to jus�ce and equality,” said Congressman Josh Go�heimer (NJ-5). “Bill and I must keep doing our job in Washington — figh�ng for hate crime legisla�on, for the Vo�ng Rights Act, for more accountability in our vo�ng systems overall, for more resources to protect our religious schools and houses of worship, to stand by our veterans and first responders, and further our fight against terror.”

Today’s gathering of community and religious leaders comes in response to the spike in an�-Semi�c incidents and a�acks in New Jersey and the surrounding area in recent months. In recent weeks, a deadly a�ack occurred at a kosher grocery in Jersey City, a Hanukkah gathering at a rabbi’s home was a�acked in Rockland County, NY, and other an�-Semi�c incidents occurred throughout the region.

The An�-Defama�on League’s (ADL) most recent annual report on an�-Semi�c incidents stated that physical assaults on Jewish individuals had increased 105 percent over the previous year. The ADL has also ranked New Jersey third highest in the country for an�-Semi�c acts. White supremacist propaganda is spreading on American college campuses, with more cases of promo�ng extremism and hate in Spring 2019 than any semester before it. Addi�onally, according to the FBI, the U.S. is amid a five-year upward trend in reported hate crimes — affec�ng people of all different backgrounds, ethnici�es, sexual orienta�ons, gender, and disability.

Speaking today alongside Go�heimer were Hackensack Mayor John Labrosse, Jr.; Congressman Bill Pascrell; Assemblyman Gary Schaer; Assemblywomen Lisa Swain and Valerie Hu�le; Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton; Bergen County Freeholder Tracy Zur; First Vice President of the Bergen County NAACP Nathaniel Briggs; Rabbi David Fine, the President of the North Jersey Board of Rabbis; Imam Mohammad Charaf of the El Zahra Islamic Center of Midland Park; Reverend Marilyn Monroe Harris of First Bap�st Church of Teaneck; Pete S�lianessis, President of the NJ State Troopers Non-Commissioned Officers Associa�on; and Ed Donnelly, President of the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Associa�on (FMBA). Rabbi Mendy Kaminker gave the opening invoca�on.

Photo taken by Pastor Paul who was in a�endance at the North New Jersey Faith Leaders An�-Semi�sm event hosted by the two Local US Congressmen.

NORTH NJ FAITH LEADERS - ANTI SEMITISM EVENT

MARTIN LUTHER ON HOW TO READ THE BIBLE

One central message - Jesus Christ! - is the “lens” through which you read the Bible. Seeing Jesus Christ as the center of the Bible was common Chris�an prac�ce for centuries before Luther. Late medieval commentators saw Christ bringing a new law to us. Christ was the supreme example. What was different about Luther? Christ as gi�! Not just Christ as example. “The chief ar�cle and founda�on of the gospel is that before you take Christ as an example, you ...recognize him as a gi�, as a present that God has given you and that is your own. This means that when you see or hear of Christ doing or suffering something, you do not doubt that Christ himself, with his deeds and suffering, belongs to you....This is the great fire of the love of God for us, whereby the heart and conscience become happy, secure, and content...Now when you have Christ as the founda�on and chief blessing of your salva�on, then the other part follows: that you take him as your example, giving yourself in service to your neighbor just as you see that Christ has given himself for you...Therefore make note of this, that Christ as a gi� nourishes your faith and makes you a Chris�an. But Christ as an example exercises your works. These do not make you a Chris�an. Actually they come forth from you because you have already been made a Chris�an...So you see that the gospel is really not a book of laws and commandments which requires deeds of us, but a book of divine promises in which God promises, offers, and gives us all his possessions and benefits in Christ...” A Brief Instruc�on on What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels, Luther’s Works 35, 119-120 The central message of the Bible is that God in Christ “gave to all who believe, as their possession, everything that he had. This included: his life, in which he swallowed up death; his righteousness, by which he blo�ed out sin; and his salva�on, with which he overcame everlas�ng damna�on. A poor man, dead in sin and consigned to hell, can hear nothing more comfor�ng than this precious and tender message about Christ; from the bo�om of his heart he must laugh and be glad over it...” Preface to the New Testament, Luther’s Works 35, 359 The law-gospel dis�nc�on is key to understanding the Bible: “See to it, therefore, that you do not make a Moses out of Christ, or a book of laws and doctrines out of the gospel...To be sure, Christ in the gospel, and St. Peter and St. Paul besides, do give many commandments and doctrines, and expound the law...to know his works and the things that happened to him is not yet to know the true gospel, for you do not yet thereby know that he has overcome sin, death, and the devil. So, too, it is not yet knowledge of the gospel when you know these doctrines and commandments, but only when the voice comes that says, “Christ is your own, with his life, teaching, works, death, resurrec�on, and all that he is, has, does, and can do.” Preface to the New Testament, Luther’s Works 35 360-361 Some books of the Bible are be�er than others!

MARTIN LUTHER ON HOW TO READ THE BIBLE (con�nued)

John’s Gospel and St. Paul’s epistles, especially that to the Romans, and St. Peter’s first epistle are the true kernel and marrow of all the books. They ought properly to be the foremost books, and it would be advisable for every Chris�an to read them first and most, and by daily reading to make them as much his own as his daily bread. For in them you do not find many works and miracles of Christ described, but you do find depicted in masterly fashion how faith in Christ overcomes sin, death, and hell, and gives life, righteousness, and salva�on...” Preface to the New Testament, 361-362 What about all those laws in the Old Testament? Luther addresses three ques�ons: 1. Why did God give so many laws? God wants his people to do the works that God considers good. God gives precise instruc�ons so that people may not be in the dark! 2. Do all the laws s�ll apply today? God’s laws are of three kinds. The first kind speaks “only of temporal things, as do our imperial laws.” These are established by God for preven�on. The second kind deal with the external worship of God. The third kind is most important: ...laws about faith and love. All other laws must and ought to be measured by faith and love. That is to say, the other laws are to be kept where their observance does not conflict with faith and love; but where they conflict with faith and love, they should be done away en�rely...faith and love are always to be mistresses of the law and to have all laws in their power. For since all laws aim at faith and love, none of them can be valid, or be a law, if it conflicts with faith or love. Preface to the Old Testament, Luther’s Works vol. 35, p. 240 3. What is the purpose of the law? He comments “the true inten�on of Moses is through the law to reveal sin and put to shame all presump�on as to human ability.” Luther’s Works 35, p. 242 A few other ma�ers to remember: Luther stressed original languages and accurate transla�ons. He used all available language tools to help him understand the biblical witness. Luther recognized that the Bible is wri�en with human words - God uses these to speak his divine Word. Don’t confuse the packaging and the message. Holy Spirit speaks through the words and the stories to preach God’s word - both law and gospel to us. “...Therefore dismiss your own opinions and feelings, and think of the Scriptures as the lo�iest and noblest of holy things, as the richest of mines which can never be sufficiently explored, in order that you may find that divine wisdom which god here lays before you in such simple guise as to quench all pride. Here you will find the swaddling cloths and the manger in which Christ lies, and to which the angel points the shepherds [Luke 2:12]. Simple and lowly are these swaddling cloths, but dear is the treasure, Christ, who lies in them. Preface to the Old Testament, Luther’s Works vol. 35, p. 236 The Word guarantees itself! Christ will ensure proper interpreta�on -no human doctrine, authority, or device (no doctrine of verbal inspira�on and no pope or other authorita�ve human interpreter) is necessary to make scripture clear. Notes prepared by Mary Haemig, professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Page 5

NURSERY SCHOOL NEWS

Dear Congrega�on Members:

The Nursery School Staff would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Staff Christmas dinner on Dec. 13th. The food was delicious and much appreciated. It’s great to share the fellowship, food and fun amongst our li�le “family”.

Again, many thanks. Gail Hayman

Jan 20 Mar�n Luther King Day - Church & School Closed Jan 24 School Closed - Professional Day Jan 27-31 Theme Week - The Neighborhood - Nursery School Feb 1 Men’s Breakfast: 8am

Feb 5-7 Family Dinner Days (Snow Days Feb 10-11) Feb 9 Congrega�onal Mee�ng

Feb Music at Savior: 7pm

Feb 16 Sunday School Bring a Friend to Church Sunday

Feb 17-21 School Closed - Winter Break Feb 25 Shrove Tuesday Pancake Celebra�on & Service Project Feb 26 Ash Wednesday: 12pm & 7pm Imposi�on of Ashes Westwood (6:30am and 1pm)

Nursery School Christmas Program

AMERICAN RED CROSS THANK YOU

PARAMUS COMMUNITY PANTRY THANK YOU

Thank you to the members of COS and Iskon who were in a�endance for the Church Cleanup morning

We remember Rudy Heydt who passed away on December 31st. Pictured are some of Rudy's brothers from Local 164 who were

standing outside the Union HQ as Rudy's procession passed by on Jan. 6, 2020.

God’s Work, Our Hands

643 Forest Avenue - Paramus, NJ 07652

The church office

will be closed January 20

In observance of

Martin Luther King Day

CONTACT US

Pastor Paul Miller

845-234-1223

Church Office & Nursery School

201-261-0420

Church Email

[email protected]

Website

www.churcho�hesavior-lutheran.org

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK · reframing of the resoluon. People were calling in talking about a toxic...

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