For the last month, all of America has become embroiled in the death of Trayvon Martin.  Many more facts will be revealed in the weeks to come explaining how a young 17 year-old African American male was killed at the hands of a “neighborhood watch” activist using as a defense a relatively new “Stand your Ground” law.  Non-lawyers have been led to understand that this law gives citizens a “right” to use deadly force if threatened by anyone.  Many are of the opinion that our society is moving to a pre-modern state, a pre-civil rights posture as many gun activists desire individual rights elevated above and beyond concern for anyone else.

For the biblical literalists, they may be pleased that we are going back to biblical values.  In the 4th chapter of Genesis, Cain, threatened by the presence of his brother Abel in his life, takes Abel out to the field and rises up against him, killing him.  Standing his ground?

Yet in a short time, the Lord inquires of Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”  Cain’s response is pre-modern and pre-civil. “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”  In response, the Lord says that Abel’s blood is crying out from the ground.

In this “Stand your Ground” ethical world to which we seem to be moving, let us all become more aware that the ground we may be standing on is not our own, but is gifted to us by its creator and therefore calls upon all of us to be concerned for those who are standing on this ground along with us.

It is unfortunate that many people want to treat the death of Trayvon as some unusual event.  Instead it is all to common.  The inclination of Cain and those who would use the “Stand your Ground” defense is a regular feature of our human brokeness.  Instead we are called by the God/man Jesus to move to a different place.

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”  Let us find more effective ways to stand on God’s ground, together.

Looking at the world around us today, I can’t help but raise the question, “Where is Martin Luther when we need him?” Recently in the news, all of Christendom should have been embarrassed by a story describing a local priest who withheld communion from a woman at her own mother’s funeral, because of the priest’s local litmus test of grace and acceptance. Involved in a lifestyle which the priest found objectionable, he took it upon himself to play God; yet we see this same dynamic in any number of social issues that confront the human community today. When in doubt, people have so politicized religion, that they themselves become the measuring stick of righteousness.

Dear old Martin, on the other hand, desired to reform the church “back” to the gospel that the Word of God and his grace might take center stage again. In the process, he found himself excommunicated and threatened with death.

For the blind of his day, Luther believed that God sent “signs” instituted by God himself to lead “by the hand” people back to his good news, and the presence of God’s life giving Holy Spirit. “For nothing is more dangerous,” declared Martin, “for a man to arrange a way to God for and by himself and to depend on his own ideas…..”

WE need you Martin! All of us have become too dependent upon ourselves as the measuring stick of God’s grace and love. Good Lord deliver us, from us! May this Lent lead us to new/old insights.

Every time we come around to this Lenten season, even though I’m a pastor, a small part of me cringes. It seems on a number of levels such an archaic action that the ancient church structures call upon us moderns still to do. Classically the preachers will ask their devotees to give “something up” for the 40 days as a sign of spiritual discipline. Others over the years, have begun to suggest that we “take something on” as a sign of our discipline. Both approaches, though, leave me at times feeling faint. If we are all so unspiritual throughout the whole year, can f 40 really help.

One of the joys of being a pastor is having the time to read, and think about things. As I prepared by Ash Wednesday meditation, I came across one of those gems that seems to help me.

Walter Bruggemann, old testament scholar, suggested this about being attentive to God’s Word. As we focus on God’s Word, that action is meant to move us out of our “alienated silence of exaggerated self, and out of the silence of rage toward an exaggerated God, into a serious, dangerous, subversive conversaton that leads us to communion with God.”

This may be the most important piece of Lent, because for many Christians they will at a minimum attend church a tad more, read or listen to the Word a tad more and if all that leads us to a deeper conversation resulting in communion; this is our need for Lent.

We can’t pick up the local paper or hear the cable news currently without being faced with this question.  Politicians at all levels are struggling with what we think are “limited” resources and deciding where to place them.  On the local scene, we continue to debate the desire of the local community to support our minor league baseball team.  On the state level, at least implied by this morning’s paper, we again will face the possibility of pulling part of the financial foundation away from the MD system here in downtown.

How has it come to pass, that in one of the richest countries in the world, resources seem to have disappeared and no one seems willing to make a commitment to invest?

As people of faith, the challenge is always to be a counter-cultural force.  When the world wants to wash it hands, we dig in.  When the world sees scarcity, we see God’s abundance.  Can we engage the conversation?

Yesterday I had the occasion to visit down at the correctional facility south of Hagerstown.  I was visiting a local guy who I’ve met over the years.  Through his tears it was so apparent that those behind bars live in an alternate world.  People make mistakes, some very serious, and then we send them into a system which is just designed to further destroy all positive human interaction.  People are so closed and defensive with all, because to do otherwise would be to risk your possible destruction.  And then when they are returned to society, we expect them to act civil and human again.  Can these two worlds ever be connected in positive ways?

I think we have done great things with our techonology and need to keep pressing forward, and discover how this can help our disciples and others stay more attuned to God’s work here. For instance, our email file is still incomplete and in this year, to press forward and get as complete a list as we can and use it not only for delivery of the newsletter but more immediate updates and news.

Good morning blogging world. My mind is rushing with so many great ideas to implement in 2012 around St. John’s. I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for the support and encouragement over the last seven years the Technology Team has been around. We have done so many wonderful things though out the church I sometimes cannot even believe it. The Lord is great and gives us some many wonderful things to make our lives fulfilled though his love and grace.

I have a question for everyone, tell what you think about how Technology has changed how you worship or interact with inside and outside the walls of St. John’s.

If you want to leave a comment that would be great. You do not need an account to leave comments and we would love to hear all the feed back we can get. The more help we can get the better we can make everything work.

Psalm 9:9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

In Christ,
Tim Keller

Welcome, if you are reading this you have found the new blogging zone of St. John’s Lutheran Church Hagerstown, Maryland. Our dream is to be able to have a please were staff can communicate with everyone in the internet world. If you see this stop in and say HI!