GOSPEL SUMMARY

GOSPEL SUMMARY - Lisa Helmel Thomas


Several weeks ago on Facebook, one of my childhood friends posted the following statement: "I'm thinking of becoming a Catholic."  In her case,  this is a somewhat loaded statement that requires further explanation.

Chloe (not her real name) grew up with me in an Assemblies of God church, a very conservative denomination much like those we find in the news today, protesting contemporary human rights issues "in the name of God."  Therefore, her post was borne of a sense of frustration over how her faith was being represented in the media.  Chloe, now having moderate to liberal political views, no longer wanted to be associated with this particular point of view, and felt that her answer to this was to "convert" to Catholicism.

I had no qualms about her decision, but in an effort to inform her of other options, decided to tell her a little bit about my journey as a Lutheran.  While I was baptized in a German Lutheran church at the age of six months, my mother had discovered the Assemblies of God church down the street not long after, and my two siblings and I were raised there for the next twenty years or so.  It was not until after I completed my graduate work and began a career as a church musician that I would "rediscover" Lutheranism and learn to cherish the Gospel in a different way from how I was raised.

This is how I responded to Chloe's post:

Chloe,  I can only speak for myself, but my discovery of the ELCA denomination was truly refreshing, especially after being raised the way we were.  I love the structure and the liturgy and I especially appreciate how they allow EVERYONE to come to the Lord's Table.  Similar to Catholicism, what sets Lutherans apart from most of the other Protestant denominations is their belief that the elements of Holy Communion literally become Christ's Body and Blood (I.e. not only symbols). It (not the Sermon as it was where we grew up), is the high point of their worship service.  I will not speak for Catholicism, but I have heard that they do no welcome everyone to the Table, though I'm not 100 percent sure.

As a Lutheran, the Gospel makes much more sense to me now in spite of all the "good Bible learning" we had while growing up.  The difference is that it enables me to put my faith to good use, truly knowing that we are 'saved' -- not by anything we do ourselves, but because God came down to us in the first place.  Therefore, we don't have to "decide" or earn Brownie points in order to get to heaven. It's already been done for us, as God's idea and plan!

This is really so amazing that we, in turn, as Gods creation, want to serve and follow God out of our gratitude and the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  It then becomes not so much about getting to heaven as it is about responding to God's great love for us in the here and now, not waiting for glory or focusing on the future, where there is a sure and certain hope of the Resurrection  just as Jesus was raised back to life.

Yes, we have a choice - we are all both sinners and saints at the same time - but His grace compels us, not His wrath.  I hope this makes some kind of sense and might be of help,to you.

Our hymns are many, varied and great, and we do throw in some praise songs in there too depending on which church you go to.  Check it out. Sorry I'm so heavy and preachy  on you.  I guess it's my thing and I can't help it.  Take what works and leave the rest.  Best of luck wherever your path will lead you.  Love you!

A few days later, one of the members of our church's Praise Team seemed a bit disillusioned by some of the things he read in another Facebook group known as "I'm Fed Up with Bad Church Music" -- not exactly an uplifting group, and one hat can be rather daunting to lay musicians caught unawares,  The postings here are often fraught with snobbery and judgmental attitudes.  In my response to him, I was trying to explain music selection from a Lutheran's perspective on the Gospel:

My friend, you are great just as you are and God can use you!  There is no such thing as a perfect Christian OR a perfect musician.  We need to remember that ALL we have comes from God, and we're just giving back to Him what is actually His. If we end up having fun in the process, or feeling fulfilled during a really awesome jam session, then that is God blessing us and just an extension of His grace and free gifts.

Part of the reason why I love Luther(anism) is because of,the Latin phrase similar justus et peccator.  This means that we are  simultaneously sinners and saints. We are human, and praise God we were made that way.  God loves us.  In turn, we care -- and because we care, we serve.  Because we serve, we grow into a community of,faith, and our own faith grows as a result.  There is nothing you have to DO to become a "better" Christian.  The Holy Spirit will lead you toward wanting to "walk the talk."

Though both of my friends know Christ and had some familiarity with the Gospel, I was grateful to be able to share my perspective with them, not in an effort to correct or change them, but in the spirit of encouragement inspire them to to perhaps dig deeper in their faith.

As for me, I find connection to the Gospel in the simplest things of everyday life.
 The Gospel feeds me.  It brings miracles, large and small, seemingly out of nothing.

Lately, I have taken time to bake bread.  Especially now, when funds are scarce.  My husband was home all summer, which is an extremely rare occurrence. Usually we pack up the household and travel to wherever he happens to be contracted to perform.  For the past ten to fifteen years, this has generally  been summer opera  festivals, where the family comes along.  Now, because he is less employed, he becomes grumpy at times.  The smell of fresh bread seems to cheer him up, if only momentarily.  But it seems to translate into hope. it makes me feel, if just for a minute, that the stress and uncertainty  surrounding uncertain income, guilt that I am not doing enough to contribute, is lifting. I can always combine the simplest of ingredients, almost magically, into a dough that soon becomes a sumptuous loaf of bread.

Tonight, there happens to be a glorious sunset. I wonder how this happens, especially after a cloudy, rainy day.  But it does.  While it isn't a rainbow, its striated colors bring promise just the same -- a promise that tomorrow is on the heels of this closing day, with another chance to renew itself.

The Gospel feeds me and with it brings the hope of healing.  The Gospel feeds me and the healing brings faith.  Faith comes by hearing the Word, which is where doubt and fear intersect with hope and resurrection. The Cross.

The Holy Spirit, the very Essence of Love itself. creates and sustains life.  Through it, through love, God is able to create life and humanity.  God's Son, Jesus Christ, assumes the very Image of God in human form yet exists eternally and in essence through the Holy Spirit, Who continually reminds, renews, and rejuvenates us in our daily lives.

Thus, the Gospel produces a chain reaction that connects us to God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.  Thanks be to God!