Pastor’s Perch
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.[1]
When you purchase an expensive item like a car, what makes you confident to go ahead with the purchase? The warranty guarantees the workmanship. It also promises to fix any problems that might arise. Since there is a warranty which guarantees the product, your mind is set t at ease with the purchase. Guarantees give us confidence, however guarantees are only as good as the person who offers them. Well established businesses who guarantee their products are likely to come through with their guarantee.
Now, how much more valuable is the guarantee that our Triune God offers us today! As trustworthy as some businesses are, they may not always come through on their guarantee. No so with our Triune God. When he offers us his guarantee, he holds himself to it and will always come through, even if we mess things up! So, what is it that our Triune God is offering us today which he backs up with his 100% guarantee? Eternal peace!
You might have heard that peace of mind is invaluable! But there is only one way to have true peace of mind and it is not found in us. The eternal peace which our Triune God guarantees must come from him and not ourselves. The Father himself gives us this eternal peace. The Father chose to send his Son into the world to save sinners. That’s right, the Father did not send Jesus because you are so good. He did not send Jesus to save only the good people. The Father sent Jesus to turn his enemies back to him. God the Father chose to send us his gift of eternal peace.
The Father graciously chose to give you eternal peace. And you did nothing to prompt him to do it. If you want to see how powerless and ungodly you were just look at the times you sinned against the Father just this week. Sure, you can point out people who were worse than you, but God the Father does not compare you with them, he compares you with himself. Even knowing how powerless and ungodly you were, he still sent his gracious gift to bring you eternal peace! The Father guarantees this eternal peace by declaring you not guilty of any sins. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God.” No matter how powerless you are to save yourself, no matter who ungodly you have acted in your lives, the Father has graciously guaranteed you eternal peace with him.
But he has not forgotten all the sins you have committed. Your ungodly acts have not vanished. There was a payment that had to be made in order for you gain access to this eternal peace. But the Father did not and will not make you pay it.
In order for you to have the eternal peace which the Father wants to give you, God the Son had to come through with the payment. Jesus has guaranteed your eternal peace by living in your place. Jesus also guarantees this eternal peace by taking your punishment onto himself. Through Jesus, you have access to a certain and sure hope. God’s eternal peace is now in your possession! “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Talk about a confident guarantee! Jesus offered up his body and shed his blood to guarantee eternal peace.
Jesus is the only one who could have made this possible. Jesus is the agent of the guarantee. He put up his body and blood to guarantee us eternal peace so that when we do fall away into sin, Jesus is right there with his body and blood to bring us back to the eternal peace. Look no further than the Supper he gives us. We are guaranteed eternal peace because we have constant access to forgiveness. And this was made possible by Jesus and Jesus alone! And he wants us to have confidence in what he accomplished for us. We have a hope that cannot fail or fade!
A Servant of Christ,
Rev. Patrick Feldhus
Grace’s News
Our Summer worship time moves to 9 am on June 6th through Labor Day.
Pastor Feldhus will be on vacation from June 1st through June 13th. If you need assistance, please call his cell phone 920-918-9949, or contact Pastor Glowicki at 952-492-6303
The council will meet on June 20th at 10 am after worship.
Pastor Feldhus will be attending the Mankato pastor’s circuit meeting on June 19th at Trinity in Smith Mills.
There will be a congregational planning meeting on June 26th at 9 am. Everyone is encouraged to attend and give your input.
We will begin to use our hymnals and the liturgies in them beginning June 6th.
Synod New
Book of Reports and Memorials available online
The 2021 Book of Reports and Memorials is now available online. This book summarizes the activities of each area of ministry over the last year and contains the proposed ministry financial plan for the next biennium. The information in the Book of Reports and Memorials will help guide the delegates of WELS’ 66th biennial convention, which is being conducted in an altered format this year.
The in-person convention is being held at Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis., July 26–28. Only the chairman, secretary, and two laymen from each floor committee will be present. Floor committees will conduct their business and adopt their reports and resolutions via virtual meetings in advance of the convention. Elections will also be held electronically in advance. Delegates who are not attending in person will be able to vote on convention resolutions remotely.
The entire convention will focus on the theme “Here we stand.” This theme reminds us of Martin Luther’s willingness to risk his life with his bold stand on the Word of God 500 years ago at the Diet of Worms. Our convention will focus on this theme to remind us that for the Christian church today to carry out its mission faithfully, the same bold stand on the Word of God is necessary.
Major items for consideration at this convention include:
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the proposed ministry financial plan (budget) for 2021–23,
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increasing opportunities that God is giving our synod to proclaim the gospel to a growing number of people around the world, and
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a recommended change in the WELS Pension Plan.
More details on the proposed changes to the WELS Pension Plan are available at www.welsbpo.net.
Six memorials are also included in the Book of Reports and Memorials. A memorial is a formal request to the synod convention for specific action.
One printed copy of the Book of Reports and Memorials is being mailed to each delegate, congregation, and male called worker. These printed copies should arrive by the first week of June.
To view the online version of the Book of Reports and Memorials, visit wels.net/2021synodconvention.
You can also see details of the proposed change to the pension plan at https://welsbpo.net/proposed-changes-to-wels-retirement-program-2021/.
Teachers and staff ministers assigned at Martin Luther College
The synod Assignment Committee met last week to assign teacher and staff minister candidates from Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., to the places where they will serve. Assignments included first-time calls, calls made permanent, and re-assignments to those called to serve an additional year.
About 160 assignments were announced at the call service at MLC on Sat., May 15. Assignments will continue next week and in the weeks to follow for candidates who are limited to a specific location, such as those female candidates whose spouses will be assigned this week as vicars or pastors at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s graduation and call service.
If you look at the list of assignments, you will notice quite a large number of candidates who have been assigned for one year. One-year assignments include those who have been assigned as dormitory supervisors, those who are assigned to a position where the grade levels or duties are somewhat outside of what was recommended for the candidate, and those who are assigned to a location where the needs of the calling body are uncertain for the following year. As you will see from this year’s assignments, many, if not most, of those assigned to one-year calls will be assigned permanently next year.
Even though many teaching vacancies remain, we are thankful that the Lord of the church has provided another group of well-trained and willing workers who will soon begin their ministry in God’s harvest field.
View the assignment list
Serving together with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Ro 5:1–3). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.