“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” -1 John 5:13

            Do you live each day with this knowledge of salvation, that eternal life is in your possession? It can give you an entirely different outlook, one which is filled with joy, strengthened by the knowledge that nothing can separate you from Christ. Meet each day with prayer and devotion; this will help orient your outlook so that your focus is eternal. Then, go live incarnate; meaning, live your life knowing Christ dwells within you and He has already overcome the devil with all his attacks and lies.

            Also, have you passed this sure knowledge of eternal life on to your family? How about your friends and neighbors? We are each called to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching. This begins in our household and extends outward. Often, we assume people know their salvation is secure, but when asked, most people will give a response of hope based upon works rather than certainty because of Christ.

           I cannot stress this enough, it is of utmost importance that we daily ask ourselves and then our children and others: “Will you go to heaven.” If the answer is anything other than “YES” make sure you pass on the surety we have because of Christ Jesus. Point to Jesus, not to works, for He did it all for us and gave us the gift of salvation for free through His Word and Sacrament. Ask this question daily until there is no doubt left, chase Satan away with the knowledge of Christ and go live with that laser-like focus. When we know our beginning and are sure of our end, then the middle becomes a joyful journey no matter what the obstacle.

I have already received several questions pertaining to my sermon Sunday, May 18th, in regards to what exactly I meant by not being volunteers but rather stewards. So, I am attaching an article that discusses this topic more in-depth than I was able to in my sermon. Basically though, we are all stewards of God's creation...not by choice or to feel good, but because we are called to rule over the earth. Stewardship recognizes that everything belongs to God. Volunteering says that our time/talent/treasures belong to us and we choose to give some away.

Why is it that we must take time to train our kids to worship? Simply put, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" as Paul writes in Romans 3. "All" includes our children, and it doesn't take long to realize the truth that children are sinners just like adults. They have selfish desires, they are rebellious and disobedient. Therefore, our children must be taught to confess their sins to God for God promises forgiveness. Peter, preaching on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, answers the peoples' question "What shall we do?" with this: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children"

This gift is for you and your children! Take a moment during our time of confession to remind them of their sinful ways the past week, invite them to confess just as you and I confess before the holy and almighty God. Then, teach them to make the sign of the cross as they hear the words of absolution spoken by the pastor. Remind them of their baptism which clothes them with Christ and assure them they are forgiven before the throne in heaven. This gift is for them just as it is for you.

I hope our taking time to go through the Confession/Absolution part of our service has helped you emphasize this to your children. Our worship service is built around God's gifts and is designed to deliver those gifts to us in a decent and orderly manner so that when we go home, we go home knowing we have received Christ and have the full assurance of heaven. This all begins with our confessing our sins and receiving God's gracious forgiveness.

Hopefully you've been with us each week in worship as we take a moment to train our children. If not, you can catch up quickly by teaching them this:

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

Mark 10:14

Dear Parents,

You're doing something eternally important! As parents, we know worship with kids is not easy, our wives (Beka and Margi) remind us often. Parenting in general is tiring. Parenting in church can be really tiring.                          

We know you came to church already tired. Your battle most likely began at home while rushing around to get everyone dressed, fed and off to church. The battle continues at church. Juggling everything/everyone as you find a seat. We see you wince as your child cries and we see you anxiously pull things out of your bag of tricks, anything to try to calm them down. We see you cringe when they “whisper” every thought. We hear the exasperation, the pleading & begging. We see you speaking with your older child for the 10th time, “No, the service is not over.” Not everyone is looking, but we know it feels that way. We’ve sat with you, holding a child/grandchild in the pew, we know the hopeless feeling.

You’re wondering, is this worth it? We know that a few families gave up the battle at home asking, “Why do I bother?” You often leave church more exhausted than fulfilled. Going to church to hear the Word of God, and leaving with the knowledge that no one, including yourself, heard a word. We have seen it in our wives when we come home. We know how hard it is to do what you’re doing, but we want you to know, it matters. It matters to us. It matters to my children (& grandchildren) to not be alone (read: the only kids) in the pew. It matters to the congregation to know that families care about faith, to see young people joining them in worship and passing on the faith. And even on those weeks when you can’t see the little moments, it matters to your children.

What you are doing is eternally important. When you are here, the church is filled with a joyful noise. When you are here, the Body of Christ is more fully present. When you are here, we are reminded that this worship thing we do is a family affair, God’s family, and has been passed down from generation to generation. We gather together around God’s Word and Sacrament to grow in the faith and pass it on to the next generation. When you are here, we have hope that these pews won’t be empty in ten years when your kids are confirmed and are able to behave and be quiet. We know you are trying to teach them how and why we worship now, before it’s too late. They are learning that worship is important.

It matters that they learn at a young age that worship is what we do as a community of faith in response to what God has done in, through and for us. It matters that they see our Lord is a Lord who serves. It matters that they learn about the faith by encountering God’s Word Sunday after Sunday. It is important that they learn everyone is welcome, that their worship matters. When we teach children that their worship matters, we teach them that they are enough right here and right now as baptized members of the church community. They don’t need to wait until they can understand, read, pray or follow along to be welcome here. It’s vital that our children learn they are an integral part of this church and that their prayers, their songs, and even their perfectly timed cries and whines are a joyful noise because it means they are present.

We know it can be hard to bring your children to church, but thank you for all you do. Please know that your family - with all of its joyful ‘noise’ and struggles - is not simply tolerated, but welcomed. You are a vital part of this community, God’s family, gathered in worship to the glory of our Heavenly Father. Together we will encounter God and express our thanks and praise to Him for His many gifts. Together we will educate the next generation of Christians and expand the kingdom of God. Don’t give up hope, what you do this day will make an eternal difference.

God Bless each of you for the work you do in raising His children,

                Pastors Mark and Mike