Pastor Eric Nelson

A message from the pastor...


Why should we bother to take a place in the pews on a Sunday morning? Is it necessary to attend church? Many will make the argument that they can encounter God by spending a bit of quiet time on the lake or in the woods. After all, isn't God everywhere?

God is omnipresent (in other words, he is everywhere). That is true. But according to Dr. Luther, the question we must consider is, where is he for you?

Where is God located to break into our lives and deliver the gifts of forgiveness and salvation? That is what we need from him. We struggle with temptation. We experience guilt and shame because of what we have done and what we have said. In addition, these bodies are ravaged by sickness, pain, and disease. Death will come for us. All of this is clear evidence that we have been corrupted by sin. For this reason, we need what Christ achieved for us by his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave.

These gifts are not found on a calm lake or in the quiet woods. Our Lord delivers his gifts by means of the Word and the sacraments. It is the words of absolution that proclaim we have forgiveness. The water of Baptism washes our sins away. The Sacrament of the Altar offers the body and blood of Christ so we may receive his salvation.

That is why the Word and the sacraments serve as marks of the church. Where people are gathered to hear the Word and receive the sacraments is the place that church is happening. This is where the Lord is at work for you. This is where he come you to cleanse you and make you his own.

Therefore, if you have no sins, don't bother with church. The Lord set up his church for sinners who need forgiveness.

This means that if you have sins, come and gather in the pews. Come where the Lord has located himself for you. What you will receive is not found on a lake, or in the woods, or anywhere else. What you will receive is comfort and peace for your weary soul. The church is where the Lord takes away the load of your sins. No longer can they doom you. Who doesn't need that?

God's peace be with you,
  Pastor Nelson