Monk of Milwaukee

The USS Kelvin comes across a strange lightning storm. A Romulan ship from the future attacks. Captain Robau is cornered into going over to the Romulan vessel and makes George Kirk acting captain. When Captain Robau cannot provide the location of Ambassador Spock, Captain Nero kills him and resumes the attack on the Kelvin.

With no possible chance of survival, Captain George Kirk evacuates the ship. Including his wife who is currently in labor. Kirk has a medical shuttle ready for his wife and her medical team to be evacuated on. When autopilot is destroyed, he must make a tough choice. Join his wife in evacuating the ship or pilot the ship to increase everyone else’s chance of survival?

He orders the pilot of the shuttle to leave without him on board.

In the face of certain death, Kirk attempts to keep his wife calm. He assures her that “this is the only way [she’ll] survive.” That “the shuttles will never make it if [he] doesn’t fight them off.”

James Tiberius Kirk is born as his father runs from console to console on the bridge of the Kelvin. In the end, setting it on course to fly straight into the Romulan vessel. Sacrificing himself. Fulfilling his vocation - first as husband, doing what he was called to do. Dying for his wife. (Eph. 5:25) Second, as father, protecting his newborn son James T. Kirk and setting an example for him. Finally, as Captain, evacuating his crew and assuring that they get back to safety. All this at the cost of his own life.

When a movie presents that illustration of vocation in just the first 10 minutes, how can it not be a great movie?

Yeah... I watched Star Trek tonight.

There is a bunch of great Reformation Day material this year. So here's a list of some of it since people would get annoyed with me if I shared it all on Facebook. (Note: The blue headings are links that will take you to the full articles.)

The Gospel of Halloween

Witches, wizards, skeletons, devils, and superheroes? Never mind that. Let’s get to the candy! As Halloween approaches, many calling themselves Christians will get all worked up about this supposedly satanic holiday. With emphases on witches and devils and violent horror, these folks get upset and say that Christians have no business observing this holiday and ought to do something better, something more godly and pious. Thus all over “Halloween” celebrations are replaced with “Fall Festivals.” There’s even a group who invented a new holiday on October 31 called “Jesus Ween.” (Does anyone else think that just sounds odd and creepy all at once?) So can you be a Christian and celebrate Halloween? Can you dress up and go to a party? Go trick-or-treating? Have fun? The fact is, a Christian CAN celebrate and enjoy Halloween. Read on to find out why.

How to Be Disciples of Jesus - A Reformation Sunday Homily by Rev. Brent Kuhlman

Yes, His Word! Only His Word! And with His Word He gives Himself. Entirely. Completely. To be God for you! With all His Good Friday benefits. All His Easter gifts! All His pentecosting you with His Spirit! That’s what He gives to you with His Word.

Dead People Don't Accept Jesus

This week's HT-Video short by Pastor Borghardt answer a question on how to talk with your friends about why you don't and can't accept Jesus into your heart.

Higher Things Reflection for Reformation Day

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Happy Reformation Day! Today we celebrate that, through Martin Luther 500 years ago, the Lord brought the light of the Gospel more brightly to His church. And if there is anything Dr. Luther and our Lutheran forefathers taught, it's that Christ's Word is the truth that sets us free.

Luther's Diet of Worms Speech from 2003 Luther Movie

Happy Reformation Day! 

I love baseball. It’s really the only sport that I follow. This love of baseball can very clearly be traced back to my Grandfather. The majority of my memories of him involve him wearing some sort of Chicago Cubs paraphernalia or sitting extremely close to the TV usually getting angry with the Cubs or falling asleep with the game on.

My first baseball game was at Wrigley Field. I went with my grandpa and my sister. I really don’t remember anything about it except that we sat in the upper deck and I probably wasn’t awake for more than 3 or 4 innings. Because of all of that, at that point were I actually became a fan of baseball being a Cubs fan went hand-in-hand with it.

Now most of you know the Cubs. They ended this season with just 71 wins. That’s 91 losses. Making them the 3rd worst team in the National League. Usually they’re known as the “Lovable Losers” this season they weren’t even all that lovable thanks to Carlos Zambrano. But the fans keep watching anyway. The real fans, the ones who really believe that there is always next year, and that maybe, just maybe, next year will be different stand behind the Cubs year after year whether the blue “W” is flying above the scoreboard at the end of the game or not.

The only thing that could make this seasons NLCS better is if the Cubs were in it. But they’re not. There’s always next year.

This year my second favorite team has a real shot at going to and winning the World Series. Milwaukee is electrified with excitement. The Milwaukee Brewers have had an extremely exciting season. I’ve seen 10 games in person. Including games against their NCLS opponents both in Milwaukee and St. Louis. It will be an exciting series. The tension between the Brewers and the Cardinals has lasted all season.

But let’s take a step back for a second. You know how I came to be a Cubs fan, but where did the Brewers come from? Well first it probably has a lot to do with living in Milwaukee just a 10 minute drive from Miller Park. But I think a lot has to do with my best friend Andrew (pictured with me above, in front of Wrigley). Andrew is a true baseball fan: with the Brewers every step of the way, gets angry with them when they mess up, couldn’t contain his joy when they made the playoffs and then advanced onto the NLCS. 9 of the 10 Brewers games I went to this season were with him.

So by the grace of God, I now cheer for a halfway decent team (at least this season) at all of their games except for those against my team - the Chicago Cubs. The same excitement is there. Milwaukee is going crazy with excitement (when they aren’t distracted by the Packers). This seasons Brewers love playing baseball. You can hear it in their voices. You can see it in their smiles. Prince Fielder gets frustrated when he’s intentionally walked because he just wants to bat. The team likes each other, they make fun of each other in press conferences, most of them have adopted what is called the “beast mode” pose. Beast mode started with Prince Fielder impersonating Sully from Monsters, Inc. to his two kids watching in the stands. Not only are the Brewers a lovable team this year. They’re actually doing well!

So, now we’re just minutes from the first pitch of Game 1 of the NLCS between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. Let’s go Brewers!

And Cubbies - there’s always next year.

I only spent one year away from home living at school. As a freshman living in the dorms at Concordia Wisconsin, being thrown into the freedom and responsibility of college was tough. Add to that being turned down by the girl I asked out, severely struggling with my Greek course, and many days sitting alone at dinner and you end up with a pretty depressing year.

Through that depressing year, daily chapel services and the three nights a week of evening prayer offices were a great blessing to me. When nothing seemed to be going my way, I could still take refuge in the Word of God and the hymns and prayers of the church. The chapels on campus very literally became my sanctuaries from the troubles of life. Most nights when I couldn’t sleep, I walked up to the Prayer and Meditation Chapel and would pray Compline. Sure, I could have prayed in my dorm room, but there is an added element of peace praying before the altar and crucifix. The church nave itself confesses Christ. It is extremely difficult to walk into a church and not be immediately reminded of your baptism and Christ’s death and resurrection for you even when nothing in life is going the way you want it to.

I walked passed the chapels multiple times a day, since I had to walk through chapel hallway to get to anything from my dorm room. At all hours, you could hear students practicing on the organs. It was a constant reminder that not only was the chapel our home away from our home congregations but that it is our home away from our heavenly home. The physical place where heaven comes down to meet earth. The place where Christ physically places His body and blood into our mouths.

I have now been living at home for the past several years as I finish up my schooling. Still, my church, Mount Zion Lutheran, remains a great blessing to me. Each Sunday morning I am able to go to my home away from my heavenly home. I walk in and hear the pre-service music being played by the organist. The icons depicting major points in the life of Christ are displayed on the wall. A crucifix hangs above the altar as an instant reminder of my baptism into Christ’s death. In this home away from home, I hear the words of Christ, words of Holy Absolution and the proclamation of Law and Gospel. I see the altar, the baptismal font, the crucifix, the art, and the architecture itself which constantly point to Jesus for me. I see the bread and wine as Pastor lifts it before me and says, “The peace of the Lord be with you always.” I taste the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ given for me as it is placed into my mouth. I go home my true home in the presence of Christ. I feast with my ancestors, my brothers and sisters - the whole church. I rejoice with the whole company of heaven. All in this place. This physical building set aside for one purpose. The place where Christ’s Word is preached and His gifts are given to His people.

Can the Word be preached and gifts be given in an auditorium, concert hall, houses or classrooms? Absolutely. But why settle for that when you can have a place set aside for just that purpose. A physical sanctuary from all the troubles of this life. A place that no matter what is happening outside its walls, confesses Christ for you.

Here stands the font before our eyes,
Telling how God has received us.
The altar recalls Christ's sacrifice
And what His Supper here gives us.
Here sound the Scriptures that proclame
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
And evermore, our Redeemer.

Grant, then, O God, Your will be done,
That, when the church bells are ringing,
Many in saving faith may come
Where Christ His message is bringing;
"I know My own; My own know Me.
You , not the world, My face shall see.
My peace I leave with you. Amen."

 First coffee:

Today is International Coffee Day! So we can't let that pass without posting this video:

Although, J.S. Bach didn't seem to like coffee all that much in his Coffee Cantata.

Now, The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels:

It's one of my favorite feast days. Though, it's hard to find people who actually observe it. The thing with all Feast Days is that they point us to Christ. If you can't talk about St. Michael and Angels without talking about Christ, you've missed the point.

Hymns for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels are almost as good as Baptism hymns! Michael and All Angels crushing the devil. Jesus crushing Satan and a whole lot of, "You can't touch me! You've been defeated! Christ has made me His! Take that!" So here's one of those hymns - Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken (LSB 521):

Christ the Lord of hosts, unshaken By the devil's seething range,
Thwarts the plan of Satan's minions; Wins the strive from age to age:
Conquers sin and death forever; Slams them in their steely cage.

Michael fought the heav'nly battle, Godly angels by his side;
Warred against the ancient serpent, Foiled the beast, so full of pride,
Cast him earth-bound with his angels; Now he prowls, unsatisfied.

Long on earth the battle rages, Since the serpent's first deceit;
Twisted God's command to Adam Made forbidden fruit look sweet.
Then the curse of God was spoken: "You'll lie crushed beneath His feet!"

Jesus came, this word fulfilling, Trampled Satan, death defied;
Bore the brunt of our temptation, On the wretched tree He died.
Yet to life was raised victorious; By His life our life supplied.

Swift as lighting falls the tyrant From his heav'nly perch on high
As the word of Jesus' vict'ry Floods the earth and fills the sky.
Wounded by a wound eternal Now his judgement has drawn night!

Jesus, send Your angel legions When the foe would us enslave.
Hold us fast when sin assaults us; Come, then, Lord, Your people save.
Overthrow at last the dragon; Send him to his fiery grave.

Blessed Feast of St. Michael and All Angels to you!