Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
It's been hard to wait by ourselves. The next step -- waiting together -- might be even harder.
With Michigan's "stay-at-home" order lifted on Monday, some of us are raring to go (maybe we've already been going), and may wonder why we at Messiah can't worship together and restart activities right now. Some of us have concerns about what the risks are of resuming normal activities (like going to church) for others, as well as for ourselves, and may wonder what's the rush? And of course, some of us are someplace in the middle.
Maybe we've developed those viewpoints in relative isolation from each other. As we begin to leave our homes, stretch our comfort zones, connect again after a couple of months, we may be discovering just how much our opinions differ for the first time. And if there's one thing the devil and our sinful natures can always use to generate conflict, frustration and mistrust, it's a good difference of opinion!
This is where reading Martin Luther's letter "Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague" has helped me -- and I hope it can help all of us. Luther actually violated his prince's orders by staying in Wittenberg when bubonic plague struck in 1527, to provide spiritual care and open his home as a field hospital. When a pastor from another German town sought his advice, Luther wrote and published the letter so others might benefit. But he didn't believe his choice was the only right choice.
Luther considered two opinions regarding the plague: 1) that Christians need not and should not flee it, or; 2) that Christians may flee, especially if they have no duty to care for others. Luther commended those who stayed (although he warned them against testing God through recklessness) -- and he also refused to condemn those who fled. Both could be right actions in God's eyes. Luther called for unity among believers (who might hold very different opinions), through letting the mind of Christ dwell in them (Philippians 2:2-11); he called for those who considered themselves strong to restrain themselves and support the weak (Romans 15:1-2); and he called for everyone in the body of Christ to care for each other, loving God by serving their neighbors (1 Corinthians 12:21-27).
I pray that we can practice these good works encouraged by Luther in our life together at Messiah, empowered by the Holy Spirit who made us the Father's children. As we open our livestreamed services for limited attendance in person; as our Board of Elders prepares to study the feasibility of outdoor worship; as you review the updated Guidelines for Re-Introduction of In-Person Worship and Education and give your elder important feedback on them, can we commit to doing all this together? Let's stay in touch with each other, listen to our respective takes on our situation with love and patience, and realize the challenges our church leaders face as they reason together for all our good. Jesus Christ has called us together as His Church at Messiah; the more we listen to Him together (yes, even virtually) as He comes to us in His Word, the better we can work and, yes, even wait together. For what comes next this summer, and for the fulfillment of all God's promises when our Savior returns.
We'll continue our study of "Whether One May Flee From A Deadly Plague" in our next livestreamed Adult Bible study, beginning at 9 am on Sunday, June 7. We’ll see how Luther goes to God’s Word to answer these questions and more:
What two courses of action can be pursued “in God’s name” in a time of plagues & epidemics?
How can Christians avoid taking these courses to absurd lengths?
Who’s really in control?
What’s our duty to our neighbor?
You can get a head start by downloading the letter from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod website. There will be two ways you can participate:
Join our Zoom meeting online (with your smartphone, tablet, or any computer with an onboard camera and microphone) or by phone (audio only). Email rick.krueger@messiahgr.org for login information.
Watch the interactive study on our YouTube channel (live, but with a 20-second delay), and leave a relevant comment below the video. I'll address any comments the following week!
Our Service of the Word will also be livestreamed beginning at 10 am on June 7. You'll be able to watch it as it happens on our YouTube channel. (Thanks to those of you who've subscribed to our channel; if you don't want to miss a service or a study, details on subscribing are below.) An audio recording of the Service of the Word will also be available; it'll be posted on Messiah's website and Facebook page by 12 noon on June 7. If you'd like to attend this service, limited spaces are available (wearing of face-covering masks and 6-foot social distancing will be mandatory for those attending). To reserve a spot, please call the church office or Register on Facebook here. (Click on the blue "Reserve a Spot" button.)
Yours together in God's love,
Rick Krueger
