● September 2025 "The Mountain Top Messenger" Newsletter
(please click on above link to open current newsletter)
Welcome to September, rumor has it summer is over, and truthfully the last week has kind of felt like
it, so, like it or not we move into fall. I have noticed trees beginning to change color already particularly
over near Little Girls Point. It seems like summer flew by, I hope fall gives us a chance to unwind
before going down hill too quickly.
In a few weeks we will be starting both Sunday School and confirmation and the Monday morning Bible
Study resumes on Monday, September 8th. I am looking forward to resuming that, we are going
to continue our study of the Augsburg Confession, come join us.
Start thinking about our Fall Harvest Dinner and Music Extravaganza. If memory serves me correctly
it will be the 3rd Saturday in October. If you would like to participate in the musical portion it is not to
early to talk to Tiffany Darling who will be heading up that portion of the program.
For four Sunday's, September 28th, through October 19th, we will be doing a serious call Malachi and
Money, Using God's Gifts for God's Glory. There is a little more on this elsewhere in the newsletter.
So, now on to our study of the month, Commandment number Seven: "You are not to steal". Heck,
what could be more simple than that? Right! Don't steal, well, as simple as that sounds, we have to
look a little deeper, how do we define steal? As we dive into the Large Catechism we find that there is
a whole lot more involved than just taking something that doesn't belong to us.
Dr. Luther puts it this way, "stealing is not just robbing someone's safe or pocketbook but also taking
advantage of someone in the market, in all stores, butcher shops, wine and beer cellars, workshops,
and in short wherever business is transacted and money is exchanged for goods or services." That
kind of expands what we first believed or thought about stealing.
Now tell me if this sounds at all familiar as Luther continues; "I say the same thing about artisans,
workers, and day laborers who act highhandedly and never know enough ways to overcharge people
and yet are careless and unreliable in their work." And guess what, he's not quite done yet as he
continues; "One person openly cheats another with defective merchandise, false weights and
measures, and counterfeit coins, and takes advantage of the other by deception and sharp practices
and crafty dealings."
So now as we look at this expanded definition of stealing are we, or have we ever been guilty? Luther
in his wit and wisdom then adds this statement; "If we look at the whole world in all its situations, it is
nothing but a big, wide stable full of great thieves."
As I look at the world, as I spend time online, watching television, and paging through magazines, I
believe what was true in 1529 is just as true in 2025. It seems the world is doing its best to scam us
out of what we have, they do it through the mail, through our phones, in our emails, and online. People
are scammed out of life savings, led astray by unreputable contractors, and sold all kinds of questionable
services. All of this then begs the question, what about me, am I guilty of any of those infractions?
The answer to that question is even more involved than we might think. Maybe I haven't done
any of those things that I know of, but here is the kicker, have I done my utmost to have helped my
neighbor from having them happen to him? Yup, that's a part of it, not only am I not supposed to
take anything from my neighbor, but I am to do my best to stop other people from taking from him too.
Here is the way Luther explains it; "Let all people know, then that it is their duty, on pain of God's
displeasure, not to harm their neighbors, to take advantage of them, or to defraud them in any
faithless or underhanded business transaction. Much more than that, they are (that's you) also obligated
to faithfully to protect their neighbors' property and to promote and further their interests,
especially when they get money, wages, and provisions for doing so." So, we see it is far more
complicated than just simple stealing, it is part of the far bigger picture, and remembering to put our
neighbor first in all things. How can we do this?
Well, one of the first steps is to be content, be content with what you have so that you do not have
the desire to covet what isn't yours and acquiring it with ill gotten means, but even more then that
remembering the hierarchy of things, that be God, others, self. When we put God and our neighbors
before ourselves we are fulfilling all of God's commandments. After four full pages on stealing
in the Large Catechism Luther closes in part with this statement; "We have now given warning and
exhortation enough. Those who do not heed or believe this may go their own way until they learn it
by experience. But it needs to be impressed upon the young people so that they may be on their
guard and not go along with the old, wayward crowd but instead keep their eyes on God's commandment,
lest God's wrath and punishment overtake even them. Our responsibility is only to instruct
and to reprove God's Word." An interesting line that last one "Our responsibility is only to
instruct and to reprove God's Word." As I consider that line I believe I understand, I see that as my
task as your pastor. It goes along with what I have been trying to share with you these past seven
months and will continue to share in the future. I will do my best to instruct and reprove, giving you
the opportunity to live out that instruction. May
God bless you as you live out His Word.
That's enough for now, I pray you have a happy
and safe Labor Day weekend and I look forward
to seeing you in September.
The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord
make His face shine upon you and be gracious
to you, the Lord look upon you with favor and
give you peace.
Pastor Rick
|
