January 24, 2012 — The First Commandment

23 Events on February 23, 2012 Board of Education Starts: 6:30 pm Ends: February 23, 2012 - 7:30 pm More details...

25 Events on February 25, 2012 Worship Starts: 5:00 pm Ends: February 25, 2012 - 6:00 pm More details...

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28 Events on February 28, 2012 Church Council Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: February 28, 2012 - 8:00 pm More details...

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Pastor Jennings

So, I was at the gym three days last week and once so far this week. I should be able to go tomorrow and Thursday. My problem is Friday’s. I don’t want to get up early and go. But once I get up, I have to let the dogs out and eat and go out again. Maybe I’ll get up at 7 on Friday and just sneak out of the house, do my 40 minutes on the treadmill and then come home and deal with the dogs. “Deal with the Dogs,” sounds like a reality television show…

Martin Luther continues in the Large Catechism,

For even though otherwise we experience much good from men, still whatever we receive by His command or arrangement is all received from God. For our parents, and all rulers, and every one besides with respect to his neighbor, have received from God the command that they should do us all manner of good, so that we receive these blessings not from them, but, through them, from God. For creatures are only the hands, channels, and means whereby God gives all things, as He gives to the mother breasts and milk to offer to her child, and corn and all manner of produce from the earth for nourishment, none of which blessings could be produced by any creature of itself.

Therefore no man should presume to take or give anything except as God has commanded, in order that it may be acknowledged as God’s gift, and thanks may be rendered Him for it, as this commandment requires. On this account also these means of receiving good gifts through creatures are not to be rejected, neither should we in presumption seek other ways and means than God has commanded. For that would not be receiving from God, hut seeking of ourselves.

Wouldn’t it be neat if God were at the grocery store at the check out, checking us out? Then we would know that our groceries come from Him. Or imagine that God signed our paychecks every week. Then we would know that our income comes from Him. Or what if we had to interview with God so we could get our job. Then we would know that our job comes from Him. It would make Him much more popular. We would realize that all good things come from God. For some reason, instead, God uses our parents, employers, farmers, grocery stores and so many others to give us stuff from God.

Luther continues, “Therefore no man should presume to take or give anything except as God has commanded.” Since God is the one who gave my neighbor his puppy, if I go and steal the puppy, I am telling God that He didn’t do a good job discributing puppies. We are saying that we are smarter than God in distrubuting the wealth. If I steal, I am playing God. On the other side, even if we don’t have much, we need to be content otherwise we are complaining that God didn’t do a good job distributing the stuff.

It all helps if we just thank God who gives all good gifts. Thank God so that we know that our stuff comes from Him. Thank God for what He does each day. Thank you God. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Holy Spirit.

By Pastor Stephen Jennings in Pastor Jennings' Blog on January 24, 2012