The Faith of Evolution

Last Tuesday evening Bill Nye and Ken Ham debated for three hours about Creation and Evolution. I was glad to see that over three million people tuned into the debate. That shows how much interest there is in this subject. I wondered how many people actually watched the whole debate. Like many of these debates, a great number of significant statements are made, but most of them are not really examined carefully.

Bill Nye tried to claim that the creation point of view is anti-science and will do great harm to the progress of science and technology. Ken Ham pointed out that there are many creation scientists and inventors. He also pointed out that in the past it was creation scientists such as Johannes Kepler who said "Science is thinking God's thoughts after Him." Kepler once thought of becoming a theologian, but then concluded: "I now see how God is by my endeavors, also glorified in astronomy, for 'the heavens declare the glory of God.'"

Ken Ham stressed the Biblical teaching of a young earth by appealing to the Bible. Bill Nye provided several observations indicating a much older earth (ice cores, ancient trees, etc.). Ken Ham responded with a slide that showed there are over a hundred different observations about the age of the earth. Most of them contradict each other. I wish Ken would have shown a few specific examples such as galaxies winding up too fast or the decay of earth's magnetic field.

It wasn't until late in the program that the problem of complexity was really discussed. As far as I am concerned this is what lies at the heart of this whole debate. The universe is infinitely complex. The more complexity we discover the more we realize there is to discover. Both creationists and evolutionists can agree on this. The disagreement comes when we ask, "How did it get here?" Creationists argue that it had to be created. Evolutionists insist that complexity can and does emerge by a random process of change. Does that really happen? Do things become complex by themselves without intelligence?

Evolution has tried to explain the origin of life without God's involvement. Instead of the Creator, evolutionists believe in a mindless, random process of improving changes. They happen so slowly they can't be observed.  The probability of this happening to the extent that this could have created the universe as we know it is beyond all comprehension. But, as evolutionists will tell you, given enough time and enough universes, anything can happen.  Evolutionists see this as a marvellous mystery. But at what point does it become their faith?

The Duck Dynasty Controversy

The following notes are from our Saturday Morning Men's Ministry Bible study of January 10, 2014. If you would like to listen to the entire Bible study, you can find it at our website under the Bible Study Archives menu.

1. Background of Phil Robertson, from the book Happy, Happy, Happy...

Youth – Phil Robertson and his family grew up in poor circumstances. But he has many happy memories of hunting, fishing, and playing football.

College – Phil received a scholarship to Louisiana Tech to play quarterback. Before he finished, he quit football so that he could spend more time hunting and fishing. The second string QB who took over was Terry Bradshaw, who played for the Pittsburgh Stealers.

S.A.D. – Phil slowly descended into a lifestyle of sex, alcohol and drugs. His wife, Kay, left him with their children.

Conversion – Phil eventually realized the destructive nature of his lifestyle. He begged Kay to let him come back. She allowed this on one condition – that he talk with her pastor. The pastor was busy that day, but Kay insisted because a soul was at stake. The pastor led Phil through a study of God’s word. Phil often refers to his conversion as the time when he “repented.” He also stresses the importance of studying God’s word.

Hard Work – In order to take care of his family, Phil began working as a commercial fisherman. When a friend noticed how good he was at calling ducks, he called Phil, “The Duck Commander.” That was the beginning of an idea that would eventually become a multi-million dollar business – making duck calls. But it was not easy in the early years.

The T.V Show – A & E approached the Robertsons with an idea for a reality show. Phil didn’t think it would work because all the reality shows he had seen show people who were having problems. Phil told A & E: “We’re not messed up!” Eventually he agreed to the program providing he would always be able to end the program with a spiritual lesson and prayer.

2. The Controvesy – Phil paraphrased 1 Corinthians 6.9-11 in an article published in GQ magazine. His paraphrase was coarse, but not necessarily in conflict with what the Bible says. Some members of the homosexual community were greatly offended and called for his suspension. He was suspended, but after a tremendous outcry from fans, he was reinstated. The controversy raises some important questions to which Christians who still believe the Bible need to respond.

3. The Bible condemns homosexual behavior in Leviticus 20, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6 and 1 Timothy 1. When it does so, it always includes homosexual behavior along with other sins such as adultery, idolatry, greed, etc. Why is there such an outcry when the Bible condemns homosexual behavior but not when it condemns adultery and pornography? The reason for this is that most people see adultery and pornography as choices that people make. But they do not think homosexual behavior is a choice. This, however, is a very controversial issue. There is no proof that homosexual behavior is determined genetically. However there are many studies that are trying to determine if same sex attraction is influenced by nurture. As Christians living in a fallen world we understand that there are many things that might cause people to suffer from various temptations. People struggle with heterosexual lust, anger, a proclivity to addictions, depression, etc. This does not mean that we should accept these behaviors but rather seek God’s help to overcome them.

4. This is exactly what the Apostle Paul was saying when he wrote to the Corinthians church: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6.11). Our confidence for ourselves and for all is that God, by His grace in Christ, has forgiven us of our sins of every kind, and that He will help us to resist those temptations.

Funeral Sermon for My Father-in-Law

This is the sermon I preached for the funeral of my father-in-law last November.  He was a great blessing and influence upon me along with his wife, Mary, and my own parents. 

Farm, Family, Faith

Psalm 119.65-72

Funeral Sermon for Robert Edward Bauer

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments… The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. (Psalm 119.65-66, & 72)

Introduction

     Dear Mary and all the children, grandchildren, great grand children and friends and neighbors of Robert. I am glad to be here today and so glad that we can gather together in the name of the Lord to thank Him for all the blessings we received from God through His servant Robert and also that we can ask God to help us serve Him and reach the same heavenly home that God has prepared for all who believe in Him.

How God Has Blessed Us All Through Robert?

     I know that all of you have, in many different ways, experienced blessings from God through Robert. My personal experience began when God allowed my to meet his daughter Carol and eventually be married to her and to become part of this family. I was blessed to see how Robert considered himself a servant of the Lord.  He served the Lord in his devotion to his farm, to his family, and to Jesus.

     The summer after we were married I worked for Robert and got to know him fairly well. I admired how he worked so steadily and wisely. He was always thinking ahead, and he was always ready to try new ways to improve. He loved the land, the cows and the horses, and he saw all of these things as great blessings from the Lord that needed to be managed with care.

     Robert loved and cared for his family even more than that. He knew the gift that God had given him in his wife, and though he teased and sometimes aggravated her, he loved her and knew he wouldn’t have accomplished anything without her. To see how he loved his children of each generation you only had to watch his face and to see how happy he was whenever they could be around. He always worked to instill in them the same faith and wisdom that God had given him.  He loved his extended family as well, and it was always one of the highlights of his life to make that long trip back to Illinois to see the kin up there!

    To be very honest, from my point of view, it was his faith in Jesus that was the greatest blessing for me. Sunday morning always started on Saturday night as he got out his Bible and prepared to teach the adult Bible study. He was a good teacher of God’s word, and I still try to use his methods. I remember how closely he stayed with the text, line by line, word by word. Whenever the class ventured into speculations he would often bring them back to the inspired word.  What does it say? What has God called us to do? What has God done for us?  For the rest, he would say, “We’ll have to wait until we get to heaven.”

           

How God Will Continue to Guide Us in Our Lives?

     That brings me to the second question I want to answer in this message, and the one that I know Robert would like us all to really think about:  “How will God continue to guide us in our lives?”

     We can’t just look back. We have to look forward. More important than that, we have to move forward in faith. There are so many ways that we can go astray; and Satan, and the world, and our own sinful natures are more than happy to separate us from God, from what is true, and good – from life itself.  My greatest concern for myself personally, for my family, and for the church is that we are tempted to think that as long as were not quite as bad as the culture around us, we’ll be okay.  This culture is sinking, and it is sinking fast. You will never reach the goal of faith if you just try to stay above it. God has called you and me to a better way.  With the writer of Psalm 119 we need to pray:  “Teach me good judgment and knowledge.”

    That is what God has given us in His word – and particulary in the Word made flesh – Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus Christ came into this lost and sinful world and redeemed it by being perfectly obedient to God, by teaching the perfect will of God, and by giving up His life as the perfect sacrifice for every last one of our sins. That is the way of life. That is the way of everlasting life. It is better than anything. It is better that all the pleasures this world offers. It is better, as the psalmist says, than thousands of coins of gold or silver.  

Conclusion

    The last time I rode with Robert in the pickup he and I were driving through Winnie. As we drove past the Arboretum Nursing Home, he said, “I’m going to be there one of these days, but God will be with me.”  Not long ago I got to spend a few days with him there even as he was battling the fraility of his body and the feebleness of his mind. I tried to imagine what was going on behind his eyes as we talked. I imagine he was fighting against some kind of fog, some confusion that takes over as life begins to ebb.  He was trying to stay connected to this world. He was trying to realize why he couldn’t go home. He was trying to live while the body was trying to die.  But when I would say, “Robert, let’s have our devotions.” Immediately his big hands came together to listen and to pray. Those were the hands that so often held the saddle and the reins, the hands of his wife and children, and his big black Bible.  They were the hands of the soul that holds one gift that even death cannot take away – the gift of faith in Jesus.  He certainly would agree with our psalm, “Thou hast dealt well with Thy servant, O LORD, according to Thy word.” May the LORD deal well with us according to His word.  In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Obituary for Robert Edward Bauer

Robert Edward Bauer, 85, of Winnie, died Wednesday, November 6, 2013, at The Arboretum of Winnie. He was born on June 1, 1928, in Jefferson County, to Ruby Louise Gaus Bauer and George Richard Bauer.  Robert was brought to Jesus in Holy Baptism in 1928 at St. John Lutheran Church in Hamshire, Texas. He publicly affirmed his faith in the Rite of Confirmation in 1943 at St. John Lutheran Church in Beaumont, Texas. Robert was married to Mary Heiner at St. John’s in Beaumont on June 26, 1949. He and Mary, along with other area Lutherans, helped establish Hope Lutheran Church in Winnie, Texas. He loved to teach adult Bible class and Sunday school. He was a prayerful and generous supporter of many Christian ministries and Christian educational institutions.

Mr. Bauer was a cattle rancher and farmed rice in the area for many years.

Mr. Bauer was involved in many organizations within the community. He served on the Board of Regents, at Concordia Lutheran College in Austin. He established an endowed professorship in religion at Concordia, as well as a music scholarship in memory of his daughter, Marilyn.  He was a representative of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund; President of the Texas Rice Improvement Association for twenty five years; Hardin Jefferson Independent School District School Board, President; Coastal Cattle Association Board of Directors, President; Gulf Coast Bank Board of Directors; East Chambers Agricultural Historical Society, President; ASC Board of Directors; Vice President of Southeast Bancorp of Texas, Inc.; Director of American Rice Growers, Beaumont Division; and LCMS Foundation Board Alternate.

His many honors include Concordia Lutheran College Christo et Ecclesiae Award of Excellence; Concordia University Christo et Ecclesiae Award of Excellence; Texas Rice Festival Honoree; Texas Rice Festival Pioneer Farmer of the Year; FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer and Honorary State Farmer; Friend of Texas A&M Agriculture; Winnie Area Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Award.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Heiner Bauer of Winnie; son, Jack Bauer and his wife, Christie, of Winnie; daughters, Carol Walther and her husband, The Reverend Michael Walther of Maryville, Illinois; Janet Taylor and her husband, Tim Taylor, of Houston; and Linda Bauer of Austin; grandchildren, Gerald Bauer, Sherri George, Jennifer Abshire, Brandon Erickson, Katherine Dube, Emily Penney, Jonathan Erickson, Aaron Walther, David Walther, Paul Walther, Stephen Walther, Lydia Walther, Travis Taylor, Everett Taylor, and Grant Taylor; nineteen great-grandchildren.

Mr. Bauer was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Marilyn Erickson; and brothers, Orland Bauer and Leroy Bauer.

A gathering of Mr. Bauer’s family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, November 8, 2013, at Broussard’s, 134 West Buccaneer Drive, Winnie. His funeral will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 9, 2013, at Hope Lutheran Church, 9th and Leblanc Street, Winnie, with interment to follow at Fairview Cemetery, Winnie.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to one of the following: Hope Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 701, Winnie, Texas 77665; East Chambers Agricultural Historical Society, (Ag Museum), P.O. Box 1715, Winnie, Texas 77665; or to Concordia University Texas, 11400 Concordia University Drive, Austin, Texas 78726.

Jesus Didn't Condemn Abortion or Homosexual Behavior?

How does a Christian respond?  

1.  Jesus said the Hebrew Scriptures cannot "be broken" (John 10.35). Those Scriptures affirm that life begins at conception: "You formed my inward parts. You knitted me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139.13).  

2. Jesus commissioned the Apostle Paul to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles:   "I am sending you  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26.17-18).

3.  Paul brought the Gentiles out of numerous sins including homosexual behavior:


"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6.9-11)

O Happy Day!

      In the Parable of the Lost Sheep, my text for my sermon this past Sunday, Jesus said "There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15.7).

     The joy of repentance and forgiveness has been expressed in many ways in Christian music. One the most beautiful examples is that of a hymn written by Philip Doddridge in England in the seventeen hundreds.  Doddridge’s grandfather had been a Lutheran pastor who fled from Prague because of persecution.  Doddridge, who also became a pastor, went on to write 400 hymns.  One of those hymns was titled “O Happy Day,” which included the refrain, “O happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away. He taught me how to watch and pray, and live rejoicing every day. Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away.”  

     If that sounds a little familiar, it’s probably because of what laterhappened to that old hymn.  In 1967 Edwin Hawkins wrote a Gospel version of the refrain and recorded being sung by his church choir in a service.  A local disk jockey heard it and began playing it on the radio. By 1968 the hymn had become one of the most popular songs in America. The song rose to number five in the pop charts and won a Grammy. It was the first time a hymn had crossed over.  Hawkins changed it from 3/4 time to 4/4, dropped the verses and used only the chorus. 

      Doddridge's hymn, O Happy Day, was often used at baptisms and confirmations as you can understand by the lyrics below.  The opening words "O happy day, that fixed my choice On Thee..." point to an Arminian view of conversion (that we cooperate with God). But I find the phrase in the third verse interesting:  "Charmed to confess the voice divine."  This could be taken as a more Biblical interpretation of conversion... That I have been called, led by the Holy Spirit, to repent and to confess my faith in Christ.  

     Philip Doddridge also wrote:  “And Will the Judge Descend,” “Great God We Sing Thy Mighty Hand,” “Hark the Glad Sound, the Savior Comes,” “O God of Jacob, By Whose Hand,” “Our Children Jesus Calls,” and “The Savior Kindly Calls.”  One of his most popular books was "The Rise and Progress of Religion of the Soul."  Wilberforce said that it led to his conversion. Spurgen referred to it as "that holy book."  

Lyrics

O happy day, that fixed my choice 
On Thee, my Savior and my God!
 Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
 And tell its raptures all abroad.

Refrain

Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away!
 He taught me how to watch and pray, and live rejoicing every day
Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away.

O happy bond, that seals my vows 
To Him Who merits all my love!
 Let cheerful anthems fill His house,
 While to that sacred shrine I move.

Refrain

’Tis done: the great transaction’s done! 
I am the Lord’s and He is mine;
 He drew me, and I followed on;
 Charmed to confess the voice divine.

Refrain

Now rest, my long divided heart,
 Fixed on this blissful center, rest.
 Here have I found a nobler part;
 Here heavenly pleasures fill my breast.

Refrain

High heaven, that heard the solemn vow, 
That vow renewed shall daily hear, 
Till in life’s latest hour I bow
 And bless in death a bond so dear.

Refrain

Why I Voted for Matthew Harrison for President of the LCMS

Three years ago I explained why I voted for Matt Harrison at the Synodical Convention in Houston. President Kieschnick had led the Synod for nine years and seemed likely to continue.  He complained that he didn't have the authority he needed to lead the Synod since he was hampered by the gridlock of program boards that opposed his agenda and sometimes stepped on each other. There was some truth to that. But the structural overhaul of the Synod that Kieschnick was pushing gave too much power to the president in my opinion.  To the amazement of many the Synod began to approve the overhaul and then elected a new president - Matt Harrison!  

Structural overhauls of organizations are needed from time to time, but the structure of an organization doesn't necessarily bring healing to its problems... especially when those problems are spiritual in nature.  What are those problems?  I'm sure there are many ways to approach this, but the one problem that really concerns me is the tension between maintaining correct theology and carrying out the mission of the church.  

Some say we spend too much time debating doctrinal issues and not enough time focused on living out the faith and proclaiming it.  Others are concerned that we are letting errors creep into the church, and, if left unchecked, our proclamation will be wrong and won't matter anyway.  President Kieschnick tended toward the former. President Harrison tends toward the latter.  

I have cautiously tended toward the latter when it comes to this tension.  In my mind all problems in the church are ultimately theological because all ministry arises from God's word (theo-God, logical-word).   I do value the resources we can find for ministry in the world of business, psychology, and sociology. I also want those on the other side of this equation to know that I am listening. I'm interested in your evaluations and criticisms. I work very hard for the ministry to which I have been called, and I am very concerned about fulfilling the mission the Lord has given us.

Unfortunately those criticisms (of the theological/confessional priority) are often vague or anonymous.  A few years ago I was involved in a meeting of our synodical leadership in which a ministry of our church was accused of being "divisive." I asked how so? I received blank stares. True Christian ministry must be divisive at times. The only question is whether or not it is unnecessarily divisive. To determine that we need to get to the specifics.

On the other hand I have seen how the title "confessional" can become a shield which some use to hide a lazy or limited ministry.  The first thing my father told me when I said I was thinking about studying for the ministry was, "Just make sure you work forty hours a week." I absolutely love to study God's word, and frankly I do have a temptation to do that instead of sharing it in the most effective ways. But this is also a theological problem, and it is one that we need to discuss in Christian truth and love.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, my biggest fear of all is what I believe is the inevitable pressure of persecution coming to Christians in America.  I am fearful that some will be too willing to compromise with the world for the sake of the mission.  But I am equally fearful that we might be so slack in our labors of love that the world will dismiss us as hypocrites.

The Scriptures point us to the importance of both. "Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed" (Psalm 85.10).  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul... You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22.37, 39). In this election, like the last, I voted for Matt Harrison. Nevertheless I fervently pray that God will help us to have the priority of both, mercy and truth, at all times. 

Good Article: Religion and Public Life

I want to recommend the article "Religion and Public Life in America" by R.R. Reno, published in Imprimis from Hillsdale College.

The author does an excellent job of analyzing the growing hostility toward religion in America.  He points out how many people want to restrict the influence of religion in America by redefining religious liberty. Basically they are saying, "It's okay to practice your religion privately, but you can't take it to the street."  Muslims practice dhimmi, that is, to force non-Muslims to accept Muslim dominance.  Today secularists want to force Christians to accept their dominance. As troubling as this may be, Reno also points out how Christians are stepping up the the challenge. His closing sentence reads:  "Over the long haul, religious faith has proven itself the most powerful and enduring force in human history."