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April, 2025

 

“I know that my redeemer lives, 

and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 

And after my skin has been destroyed, 

yet in my flesh I will see God.”

— Job 19:25-26 

 

Do you remember your first real encounter with death? For me, it was my great-grandmother on my dad’s side. I was 17 at the time and, as I stood looking into the coffin, it was hard to believe she was gone.
She and my great-grandfather had been a part of my life since I was born (in fact, my first home was one my dad had purchased from them). A marvelous cook, a loving woman with a broken Hungarian
accent, and an avid sheepshead player, it was difficult for me to accept that the pallid figure in this mahogany box was the same person. The memories flooded over me. The summer weekends at their
lake home in Mt. Morris. The big party for their 50th wedding
anniversary. The culinary incense of goulash pervading their home.  All gone now. 

 

It has been nearly 50 years since her passing. Since then, I’ve done a lot of living and seen a lot of dying. Grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, friends and many beloved parishioners have ended their earthly journey leaving me behind to live. A pastor must deal with death more than most people because it’s part of their job description.

 

But in dealing with death, I’ve gained a greater appreciation for life. In the two verses at the top of this page, Job expresses that same appreciation, even amid imminent death. He had lost all his wealth, all his children and, finally, all his health. After unbearable tragedy, the only advice he received from his wife was, “Curse God and die.”
Even the few friends he had remaining berated him for his sins. But in the midst of his impending death, he voiced one of the greatest witnesses to a future life found in all the Old Testament: “I know that my redeemer lives!” 

 

The Saturday between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection probably made the disciples feel a lot like Job. They had lost their best Friend for the last three years. The dreams they had for a better future were now buried in some anonymous hole in a hill. They were hiding in fear of their lives. 

 

But at the very time when they were the most despondent, they
should have been praising the Lord. Within the next 24 hours, God was going to perform the miracle of all miracles: the raising of His Son from the bondage of the grave! Jesus had spoken of His rising from the dead many times during His ministry with them. But somehow it didn’t sink into their hard hearts. I suppose death has a way of doing that. Even for the most faithful among us, death can seem more like the slamming of a door than the opening of a gate. There is something about death that sets off a reverberation in our hearts which never quite fades away. 

 

Yet it is this very feeling that should make our celebration of the Resurrection this month all that more joyous. The last enemy (Death) has been conquered! Doctors can’t cure it, scientists can’t eradicate it, and pastors can’t stop it. But the church has the remedy the world needs: the Good News that we have a Living Savior who has promised, “Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live.” What Job said by faith, my Great-Grandma Steinborn now sees with her own eyes: “I know that my Redeemer lives!” May all of you have a blessed Resurrection Day—both this month and at the end of time! 

 

Your
servant in Christ, 

Pastor
Mike 

 

March, 2025

 

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” — James 1:23-24 

 

     Have you ever gone into the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and seen a smudge on your face or a bit of food hanging from your lips? It can be especially embarrassing if you have been with a group of people for the past hour, all of whom could see the offending flaw, but were too polite to say anything. “Why didn’t someone say something instead of allowing me to look like a fool?” might be your first thought.  

 

     We live in a society where we are afraid to point out the apparent for fear that it could be offensive. It takes an exceptionally good friend who is willing to whisper in your ear and say, “You have lipstick on your teeth” or “Your fly is open.”  When “Silence is Golden,” what could be fixed in a moment’s time can linger for hours. 

 

     A mirror can reveal things we cannot see on our own. Lent is a time for looking intently into the mirror—the mirror of God’s Word. As the season of self-reflection and repentance, it is a time for examining our own lives and discovering what really lies in the core of our being. It is so easy for any of us to fall into the traps of resentment, anger, moodiness, or self-pity that others might not even want to be around us.  If you have ever had to walk on eggshells around a certain relative or friend or boss, then you know what I mean. 

 

     Luckily, as Christians, we have a mirror in which we can judge ourselves and do something about the blemishes. In the verse at the top of this page, James tells us that God’s word acts as a mirror which we can use to evaluate our appearance. Lent is the time for staring into that mirror, not taking a quick glance and forgetting what we see but peering into it and making the necessary adjustments. With that in mind, I recommend the following three spiritual disciplines for the next 6 weeks. 

 

     Prayer. To one extent or another, I hope that we all pray, whether at bedtime or before meals. During Lent, I would recommend that we ask God to show us our “blind spots,” namely, those things that others see but of which we are unaware. This kind of self-discovery takes courage, but nothing gets repaired until the problem is known. 

 

     Love. This is a universal emotion, whether it is love for family or friends, money or power. I don’t know if Dean Martin was right when he sang, “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime,” but everybody loves something. I recommend that we all read God’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13, words should be etched in the heart and soul of God’s people. How does your definition of love line up with God’s? 

 

     Ash Wednesday. Since the time when the Children of Israel left behind their enslavement in Egypt to the 21^st century church, God’s children have always taken one day of the year to humble themselves. For the Jewish people, it is called “Yom Kippur” meaning “The Day of Atonement.” We follow that tradition at the beginning of Lent by having a cross of ashes placed upon our foreheads, reminding us that, without the breath of God, we are only lumps of clay. Consider joining us for our evening worship service on March 5 at 7:00pm to humbly acknowledge all we have been given in Christ and be reminded how precious, yet fragile, life is. 

 

Your servant in Christ, 

Pastor Mike 

 

February, 2025 

 

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God.” — Romans 13:1

 

        February is usually associated with love because St. Valentine’s Day falls on the 14^th. However, I wanted to use this month’s message to talk about the Biblical perspective toward government. This is especially timely, because we have a new President and Congress. It does not matter if you are happy with the new administration or disappointed with it. God is noticeably clear in telling His people how they are to act toward their

leaders. 

 

       In the verse above, Paul reminds us of the fact that all authority is appointed by God. This means that the men and women who happen to be in power are there by His design. Before the appearance of Jesus, Israel had its share of both good and bad kings. In fact, Israel’s very first king, Saul, was a very egotistical and troubled man. Despite his faults, David (the man destined to succeed him), considered him “God’s anointed” and would not lay a hand upon him even when he had the opportunity. Bad leaders can be used for God’s purposes. It is the position, and not always the person, that deserves our respect and obedience. 

 

      The second thing we owe our leaders is taxes. Groan.
Let us face it; the people of the first century did not like taxes any more
than we do. Jesus’ words in this regard are well-known: “Render unto
Caesar…” But He was not the only New Testament figure who instructed
God’s people to pay their fair share; Paul did as well. In Romans 13:7, he
writes, “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed,
revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Tax evasion is not only illegal, but also ungodly. It is a sad fact of life that governments need capital, not only to function, but also to protect and aid the people they govern. After all, tax dollars pay for our roads and just imagine where we would be without them (potholes and all!) 

 

        Finally, we owe the leaders of this country our prayers. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul writes, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life.” When
is the last time you prayed for our President? For the leadership in Congress? For those in our local government? Even for those who sit on school boards and judicial benches? We are so apt to complain about those who govern, that we forget they work to protect us, meet needs in time of crisis, and promote the general welfare. People who are engaged in such onerous tasks need all the prayers they can get! 

        Do you ever wonder why the Bible says so much about
respect for the government? Most of the New Testament was written during the reign of one of the most notoriously despised rulers in all recorded history:  the emperor Nero. To show loyalty to the Roman Empire and the emperor, one would salute and say, “Caesar is lord!” But the early Christians were saying, “Jesus is Lord!” This was considered subversive and a threat to the State. The early church wanted the world to know that we Christians could be followers of Jesus and still be good citizens, as long as the State does not demand we act contrary to the will of God. One deserves our worship and the other, our respect. God preserve us from ever inverting that order! 

 

Your servant in Christ,  

Pastor Mike 

 

January 2025

 

“In the beginning…” –Genesis 1:1 

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, it can be with either a
sense of anticipation or anxiety. Since we do not even know what a day may
bring forth, it is impossible to know what may transpire over the next year. 

 

35 years ago, my life was full of beginnings. I began to serve as a
pastor in my first congregation. I began a marriage with the mother of our
three children. I began to hold residency in a state outside of Wisconsin,
something I had never done. There was a lot that was exciting and new but
tinged with a sense of self-doubt and trepidation. Having spent the last 22
years of my life in school, college, and seminary, I was now an adult in an
adult world. I quickly learned that there is a lot in this world that our
institutions of learning cannot prepare us for. It was an exciting albeit scary
time. 

As I get older, my mind dwells more on “endings” rather than
“beginnings.” As I prepare for semi-retirement, I think a lot about ending my
“career” in the secular world. I have spent the last 20 years working in
warehouses and, frankly, I am more than happy to give up that job. I also think about the inevitable end of my life. I am not getting any younger and it is beginning to show. My mind is not as sharp as it once was. My body is certainly not as vigorous as it was in younger days. Please do not misunderstand; I do not live my life feeling as if the “sword of Damocles” hangs over my head. But I realize I am mortal and sometimes wonder about when my earthly journey will be over. 

This year, I have resolved to think more about beginnings. I pray
that wonderful things will happen at Lord of Life in 2025, as I begin to devote more of my time and energy to the ministry here. I have no desire to rock the boat (our congregation has seen enough of that!), but I also do not want to fall into the “same, old routine.” Keeping the old while initiating the new can feel like a tightrope act at times. 

While preparing this article, a hymn from my childhood came to
mind. It may not be familiar to most of you, even though it is in our hymnal.
Its title is “With the Lord Begin Your Task” and the first verse is as follows: 

 

                            With the Lord begin your task;  

                                   Jesus will direct it. 

                            For His aid and counsel ask; 

                                   Jesus will perfect it. 

                               Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise, 

                                 And, when day is ended, 

                         In His name then close your eyes; 

                                 Be to Him commended. 

 

This song reminds me that every day is a fresh start, a new
beginning. I want every day to start by seeking the Lord’s will and asking for
the strength to carry it out. And when I close my eyes, either in sleep or in
death, I can leave all things in His loving hands. Happy New Year to all my
brothers and sisters in Christ! Every morning is a new beginning! 

 

Your servant in Christ, 

Pastor Mike