The Crux of the Matter - From the Executive Chair

The Bi-Monthly Newsletter of Augsburg Lutheran Churches

Vol. 3, No. 1 (September-October 2003)

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from the executive chair ...

Lenae Rasmussen

Focus on Our Mission in Christ

Why do we start and support mission churches? What are we doing here ... in ALC? Or, as Rick Warren puts it in his book on living a Christian purpose-filled life, "Why on earth am I here?"

Simply put, we have been called to be here—so, here we stand! How do we know that we have been called? Luther gives us his succinct explanation in the Small Catechism: we have been called by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel to believe Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of salvation in Christ crucified.

For Americans, fulfilling this call is becoming more and more difficult every day. Not only is it "politically in-correct" to be a Christian today, some people are attempting to use the Constitution of the United States of America to prohibit the public practice of our faith! This minority has certainly misconstrued and twisted the meaning of the Constitution to justify themselves and obtain their objective. They have forgotten about the Bill of Rights which protects the individual's right to free speech and his right to free exercise of his religion. The ACLU is attacking Christianity in the courts as it attempts to prohibit all public religious practice. Specifically, they are attempting to outlaw the public celebration of "Christmas" once again this year. No more singing dangerous holiday songs like "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Joy to the World" in school programs. Nativity scenes in public places are banned! Sadly, the mainline Protestant churches are also throwing in the towel on Christ for the sake of "inclusivity" (sic).

Admittedly, it does seem bleak. Many people say, "Why bother with this Christian thing ... it is hopeless!" For these poor folks, it is just "too "hard" to be a Christian in America nowadays.

Perhaps that is why "we're here." As Christians we "bother" and we have a sure hope! The ALC and its members cling to the message of the cross: Man was separated from God by sin; trapped in death and self-justification schemes. God had mercy on us and gave us his Son, that we may have salvation and eternal life in Christ. Our sin is forgiven for Christ's sake. The message of the cross sets us free to go in peace and serve the Lord.

For us, Advent is a time to prepare for the coming of our Lord; we look forward to Christmas, not "happy holidays!" Advent is a time when God's gift to us is rightly on our mind regardless of what the ACLU has to say. We display nativity scenes and sing Christmas carols in celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior. Truly there is joy in the world and peace on earth because God himself became incarnate to save the ungodly–he came to save us!

I believe that God has made me in his image; he loves me and provides for me; I exist to glorify him (Isaiah 43:1-13). This sets me, the Augsburg Lutheran Churches, and other Christians, apart from "the world." We are in the world but we are not of it.

For us, Christ has inaugurated a new age; in faith we live in his kingdom now and yet to come. Soon we shall celebrate again the joyous news that angels brought to the shepherd two thousand years ago:
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone ‘round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:8-11

Our "Mission in Christ" is Christ's commission to spread his gospel of salvation to everyone all over the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Christ promised to be with us always, "to the close of the age." Neither foreign nor internal tyrants can change his mission or God's promise to be our God and to give us salvation in Christ. This is most certainly true, and that is why we're here.