Jason's Journey

Easter 4 John 10:22-30

2010-04-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

I have had requests of my sermon manuscript for my Easter 4 sermon that was preached at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Also if you visit their website for a recording www.stpaulscolumbia.com

When and where was the last time you looked at a job description? Was it in the newspaper in prospect of a new beginning? Or was it on the internet at one of the many job search sites? Maybe you were writing one in hopes of finding the right person to fill a position at work.

What is in a job description? This is a job description for an opening position in the Beaufort county school department for an English teacher:

To create and maintain a positive, stimulating environment for students to promote a culture of learning. Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students. Prepare, administer and evaluate tests and classroom assignments following curriculum guidelines. Guide and counsel students with adjustment and/or academic difficulties, or special academic interests.

This is telling us what is desired of the prospective candidate. There is an expectation of certain abilities in order to effectively teach. We can see that the teacher must be creative, clear in their objectives for students, have open communication skills and be organized in order to test the students progress. These desired qualities are necessary for a teacher to be effective. But how do these abilities tell us who the person is? They tell us how they perform. Perhaps they can tell us the education and experience of a person. They don’t however tell us who this person is. Where they grew up, who their family is, what hobbies they have and things they like to do. They don’t tell us where this person lives and what community they are a part of. They simply become a framework of what is required and expected.

What would be the job description of Savior be? One must have the ability to heal those who are sick, blind, crippled, suffering from hemorrhages and cast out demons. There must also be an inherent ability to teach in various settings from synagogues, houses, lake shores, mountains, fields and streets. The candidate must not be fearful of blood donation even when the ultimate price is required. Also the prospective savior must have the ability to walk with those who may not want to hear their teachings or witness their healings and always speak a word of grace to them. Jesus filled this position written by the hand of God, but how do these things tell us who Jesus is?

They certainly tell us what he did and still does for us today. They are the qualities of Christ’s ministry and purpose but who is Jesus?

For a moment imagine a structure larger than anything in town. You are along a wall next to this building and you see a man walking. Now its cold because its winter and you’re in town for a very big event. You recognize this man but before he comes close a few people ask him ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ By hearing this you know it’s Jesus from the little town of Nazareth in Galilee. You’ve heard things about him but never really seen him up close and in person. They say he can heal people and cast out demons. You’ve heard the scriptures and say ok so there have been those before who claim to be prophets and teachers. So you listen to see what he says as you walk closer. “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; ²⁶but you do not believe.”

Jesus says I have shown you. I have healed those who were sick. We can almost imagine Jesus saying didn’t you just see the boy in the temple before the priests? My disciples and I saw this boy who had obviously been blind from birth and I made mud, put it on his eyes and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Even then I have shown you. This is what Jesus does, but how does this tell us who he is?

Who are we? Perhaps you are a healer by vocation or teacher, layer, mechanic, business owner. Perhaps a better description would be father, mother, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, son or daughter. It seems easy to say the I am _____ fill in the blank and that suffices for who we are. I am a seminary student, former business owner and church sexton, a graduate holding a bachelors degree, eagle scout, the son of Bill and Pat Darty and above all a Christian. Surely I can say these are my accomplishment and what I have done with my life so far. But who am I? Who are you? What things describe you?

Although I do not look like one I am a sheep, you are sheep and as a church we are a flock of the Shepherd.

So what might be the job description of a sheep? To eat grass and wander through a field? I would say it goes much deeper than this. We are far removed from this culture of the shepherd. However we can still relate, the shepherd was responsible for his sheep, to protect them from dangers that might be lurking over the next hill or in the next field. The shepherd followed behind the sheep keeping an eye on them. However Jesus does it a little different, he goes before us. Jesus shakes the mold of shepherd by leading from the front. He has taken the first step on the cross for us and saved us.

What are the benefits of a job? Of course there is pay and retirement which give financial stability. Perhaps there is also health insurance as a benefit. There can also be a sense of identity related to ones work. How about the benefits, if I can use that word, of a sheep?

Jesus continues his answer “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’

We are protected by the shepherd, no one can take us from him because what is in the shepherds hand is in the Father’s hand. Imagine that! We hear, believe and follow the shepherd and he is always going to protect us and be with us. Always!

So who is Jesus? We have said that he is a healer, teacher, one who casts out demons, blood donor, guide and shepherd but who is he? Who is Jesus behind what he does? He is one with the Father. He has told them plainly who he is. We have been promised safety because he is one with the Father, and we have been saved by his blood donor status. As we walk along the roads of our lives, “How do you hear Christ voice?” How is he calling us to serve those around us, to be in conversation, to take care of the least of his kingdom? How is Christ calling us into discipleship as a Church?

Good Friday Evening...

2010-04-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

Grace and Peace to you all!

As the day goes on I can't help but ponder the lyrics of "were you there?" This hymn is sung at this time in the church year and for many seems to be just another hymn. To my knowledge this had always been my take on this hymn until I realized the words seemed to flow without using the ELW. One verse stands out amongst the five "were you there when the sun refused to shine, were you there when the son refused to shine..." Returning to my previous post this morning I can't help but think of the "spectators" to Christ' crucifixion. What must have gone through their minds when Jesus bowed his head and breathed his last. Perhaps some thought that he was just another criminal executed by the Roman Empire. Other's perhaps saw in the darkness of that moment the kingdom fulfilled in their sight. So I wonder what it must of been like "when the sun refused to shine."

Peace,

Jason

Maundy Thursday/Good Friday

2010-04-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning All,

Have you ever thought what it must have been like in that upper room? How about being present in the crowd as Christ is carrying his cross for us? I think it would be fair to say, especially for myself, no. We all have been told of the story, heard the readings, attended services and even perhaps watched a movie. All of those examples have been external too us. However what would our experience be if we truly meditated on this weeks events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ? I am not sure what the answer is, but rather am suggesting a meditation for this day. Put yourself in someones shoes 2,000 years ago and try to imagine what they experienced.

Peace,

Jason

(please comment)

Theology of Martin Luther: Discussion Question 2/10

2010-02-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

What does Luther mean by saying that Christian righteousness is a “passive” rather than an “active” righteousness?

When Luther makes this distinction we must realize that he is also dealing amongst the backdrop of Law and Gospel. With this in mind it seems that an active righteousness is one that a person does primarily in the world in relation to the Law i.e. the Ten Commandments. Of course this becomes a loaded statement especially when thinking of this as something that someone simply does. The word active itself lends to a physical motion forward. With this said we can see some insight into what Luther is bringing to light here. An active type of righteousness can be seen as doing “good works” in order to appear righteousness. This as most who have read Luther know to be the antithesis of what is trying to work away from. For if we are a student of Church history even in the least expense we know that in order to make satisfaction for sins one first must know or be aware of their sins, seek confession and then pay penance for their sins. In result the way to forgiveness and ultimately freeing oneself from the bondage of the Devil and sin is to seek out an active way to turn wrong to right. This notion of penance and thus the act of forgiveness plagued Luther as a young Augustinian monk. We can see this even when Christ is challenging the local Jewish authorities in that he recognizes that their works are done for one’s own honor rather than for the honor and love of God. When contrasting this a passive righteousness we can see that when reverting back to being saved by grace alone that righteousness is passive. That in which we have no power to make ourselves right in the eyes of God, but the good news here is that Christ died for our sins and thus by this act we are saved not by our own actions but that of the precious blood of the lamb.

Peace,

Jason

Back to LTSS

2010-01-27T19:05:00.000-08:00

The grace and peace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!

Ok so I am back here at LTSS after a long break (5 weeks!). It was a great break but especially after seeing my grades ( P is for pastor) I was ready to get back here and start classes. By far this week has been the best in my very green seminary career. My classes consist of History 2, Intro to Preaching, Pastoral Conversations, Greek, Confessions, Theo of Martin Luther and Liturgical Song Practicum. Either I am ambitious in my goals here or a glutton for punishment! The semester is going to be a rigorous with Greek, Preaching and Theo of Martin Luther but this is what I have been waiting for. My interest has spiked while sitting in these three classes especially with a little more confidence behind me. I am truly embarking on new adventures this semester. For starters I am getting the chance to dive into the theology in which the Lutheran Church is centered and what its effect has especially on me as a modern day Lutheran. The next great adventure that I have the chance to set foot on is preaching. Now I have preached before in a lay atmosphere in front of small groups from youth to young adult ministries but never in a formal calling of the public ministry of the church. I am excited but also affraid at the same time. I simply asked for prayers and hope I have the courage to take these chances by the horns and make the most out of them.

Peace,

Jason

2009-12-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

Good Evening All,

Well the semester is coming to a close and the old saying of “it feels like just yesterday” is ever so true. Throughout the semester I have been posting my thoughts and struggles on this blog and I thank all or any who have read them for yielding to my psyche. Throughout the semester I have grown, made mistakes, felt as if I was on top of the world, and felt as if I was on the bottom which is to say I am human. During this first step I must realize it is just that a first step that must be taken. Seminary to say the least is nothing of what I had expected given I had no expectations when coming to this place. In this I do not want to portray that my expectations of growing in faith, community and learning more about myself were not there but rather I had no idea what to expect out of a graduate program especially of this nature. When saying this it simply can be stated that there are many graduate schools around the country and therefore many degrees. My cousin is in graduate school as well with the intent of becoming a lawyer and I have faith that he will make an excellent one at that however his schooling cannot be compared to mine beyond the obvious differing of degrees sought after and in the same light mine cannot be compared to his either. Our program here at LTSS encompasses not only academics but also practical work. The academics speak for themselves: introduction to the Bible, Christian history, a basic worship course, Biblical Greek and pastoral care. The practical work however ranges from community, worship at chapel, visitations and assisting in worship on Sunday’s. As many know and at one time a reference was made to my yet still rough working hands that I tend to yield more on the side of “hands on learning.” This is truly where I strive, not that my actions are always correct or doings perfect but rather where I can see the classroom come to life. Both aspects of my education have become woven in such a way they almost at times become indistinguishable. By far the best example of this would be pastoral care in which instead of memorizing models of the theology that support it but rather using it during visitations and working at the parish. Another prime example would be my Greek lesson with the senior Bible study class at the parish. In theory I am not supposed to teach Sunday school until my middler year however it was asked of me to teach a few times this semester. The emphasis of the Greek of the passage we were studying became very significant. For those who are not closet nerds maybe not as much but rather those who are looking to deepen their faith it does. A course which is difficult for me in the minute details of grammar( which has never been my forte) had come to life in a meaningful way for not only myself but also a small group of parishioners who’s age more than tripled my own. This type of experience has been my formation throughout this semester and the close of 2009. Another way that I would like to lift up formation this semester involves worship. Again returning to the hands on approach I have made it a point to when assisting with worship to dive into areas I feel intimidated by. This intimidation is not the kind of a bully or brute but rather an area that when confronted with in essence would make ones palms sweat and butterflies as can be said form in ones stomach. Prior to entering seminary I had preached several times, lead worship in various forms many times, been involved in the technology side of worship, even sat down with strangers who were marginalized for their lack of housing i.e. homeless and ministered to them. When faced with worship there should be nothing to fear with this sort of background, wrong! I will take the example of communion in order to portray my point. Serving in my home congregation and my previous congregation to that I had assisted in communion bearing the blood of Christ/wine which seemed in these previous settings something one would simply just do if asked. In my position now however communion has taken on a much different role. On Christ the King Sunday I was asked by my field education supervisor to set the table. Needless to say I was apprehensive to do this given a) no experience in doing such an activity b) the significance of this responsibility. The significance of this responsibility had not taken a grasp of me until a Sunday or two prior. Much to my surprise at the later service I was to be a communion assistant and thus for the first time administered the body of Christ alongside my field education supervisor. In essence when doing this one is saying this is my body given for you. Literally it is not your body but at that moment you are representing Christ just as the presiding minister does during the words on institution and blessing of the table. With this significance in the aft part of my mind I approached our as I call it walter( wall alter) and prepared the table with shaking hands. I was approaching the same table Jesus was at, in reality I was in the room in which Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Last Supper. I was in all other words blown away at the essence of my duty and responsibility. With all these events is my journey so far, incomplete yet still walking along the path to Emmaus hoping to recognize Christ wherever I go.

Peace,

Jason

Sunday Evening Reflections

2009-11-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

Good Evening Ya'll!

Well the semester is coming to a close and assignments are coming due from papers to paraphrases to final exams. It is truly hard to believe that a whole entire semester has come and about to go. I pray that I have grown along this first step of my journey. Honestly looking back upon this semester I can say that I was truly green when coming to seminary. This of course goes without saying, when someone enters a place like Southern Seminary they are green, they do not have everything in their faith figured out or life for that matter. Challenges have come and gone and continue to appear on the horizon. My faith has been tested and reaffirmed. My academic abilities have been challenged and again reaffirmed. I have changed. This is of course for the good and not the bad. There have been moments that I've questioned my being in this place yet almost immediately I have gotten the response that affirms my being here. With this I am amazed and humbled. For it would be very easy to pack up and go home, to say "I gave that a try" and move on. It would be lie if I told someone I did not miss my family, friends and what my life was before I came to seminary. This may seem as a shock especially when it comes to my life prior to seminary but when you become used to a certain way of life and move to another one at times begins to miss the previous. However with this said I am well pleased with my new way of life. It becomes hard to explain this change and the feelings going through this awesome transformation except to say that I went, suffered, died and am being raised in Christ every day. I physically did not die obviously but rather I walked into an unknown place and environment, I suffered through the missing of family and friends, have begun to shed in a way my old life and am being raised into new life and a new identity as a seminary student. Perhaps an example would be best to describe this. Prior to coming to seminary I served in the church as a member, assisted in worship, preached a few times, lead bible studies, ministered to those around me and taken care of the least of the kingdom. I still am doing these things here however I would offer up communion as an example. Of course I have assisted in communion before, many of us have. It simply was something I did when asked and didn't think to much of it. Today was my first day setting the table. This simply means that I prepared the meal prior to the words of institution. Of course in the past I was nervous when administering communion because I didn't want to make a mistake. Now rather my nerves were on edge due to the responsibility of what I was doing. I was preparing the table for the Lords meal, one in which our savior Jesus Christ offered up before he died for us. I suppose in one instance my thoughts went back a few thousand years to the last supper. I can only imagine that Martin Luther's thoughts might have done the same thing. Then came the distribution of communion. Instead of assisting with the wine/blood of Christ I was administering the body of Christ given there were two lines. So far this may seem insignificant but it is exactly the opposite. When the gifts of bread and wine are instituted they become the body and blood of Christ and the presiding minister is representing Christ to the congregation along with all those assisting him/her. In essence those who are distributing communion are saying this is my body given for you, this is my blood shed for you which thus puts the minister/assisting ministers on the cross with Christ. To say the least this was a humbling act that I was blown away by. This is the change that is occurring within me, I'm not sure how to fully explain it but rather can only offer my few and inadequate words.

peace,

Jason

2009-11-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

Good Evening,

I come before ya'll hopefully more humbly than I was last week and even yesterday. Upon saying this most likely I have negated my humble outlook however I feel it is an accurate assumption. Throughout the last several posts there has arose an underlying theme of seminary and its mysteries. I suppose the mysteries do not exist in the academics or the material we are learning, the field work or small groups but rather in the Holy Spirit working through all of the above. If I could honestly say that seminary is easy I would be gravely mistaken. The course load is extremely tough and chaotic during this first year and suppose it does not get any easier but rather the seminarian becomes accustom to t he environment. Currently we are in the rinse cycle after the spin cycle and thus preparing for another spin cycle. There have been several experiences here that have in other words brought me to the point of asking hard questions such as am I really supposed to be here and if so why. With this said today has become a culmination of these questions and pleading to God to reveal these answers. Now I cannot say that a voice on high came to me such as the prophets of the Old Testament but rather through those around me. This is as we refer to in pastoral care through Dr. Yeago's essay an inward discerning and an outward affirming. Today I sat at my desk on the brink of tears struggling with the previous questions of why and prayed for clarity. I proceeded to study for Greek after my frustrating prayer and eventually fell asleep from exhaustion. Later walking in the hallway of our academic building I was again studying for Greek and a classmate of mine came to me and asked how are you? Like most people I replied I'm good/here/ok. He then began to say simply "remember the one who has sent you, making it this far would not of been possible without the one who has sent you." I could of simply ignored this comment except for the minute amount of tears I held back upon hearing these words. I immediately turned and saw one of my small group mentors standing in the hallway, I suppose this is where Lutheran witness comes into play, and thus went to her and told her exactly what had happened. All she could do is smile and promise to keep me in prayer. Besides speaking to my heart and through the actions of others I can honestly say that this might have been the first time that the words of the Holy Spirit have come directly to me. This might seem strange but I suppose the words needed to be said directly to me as a witness to my prayers and frustrations.

Peace,

Jason

Response To Last Thursdays Post

2009-10-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!

Since my post last Thursday I have received many comments and have taken place in several conversations. This has been a very awesome experience for myself but I can honestly say that I was but a mere vessel for the delivery of this message. I am truly humbled by the comments and conversation. I pray that the Lord continues to guide us all and remind all that we must always remember the One who has sent us all.

Peace,

Jason

2009-10-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

"It is an interesting time to be in seminary" this quote or phrase should I say has been coming about a lot during the past few weeks. There is a great deal of truth in this statement. Our nation is in a recession, there is the so called "white elephant" in the room from the August Chruchwide Assembly and as always our world as we know it is constantly changing. People are questioning why they are here when facing Greek tests and History tests along with financial difficulties and where they stand on certain issues. We are being challenged with every turn, asked to take a look at our spirituality and on top of it all balance studying and reading. Hmmm I wonder what this is preparing us for? Perhaps public ministry in the church? Many of us are getting a true taste of parish ministry even though we are not ordained or for that matter only beginning our academic studies. One thing that is becoming even more apparent is that even though we might be cast into the wilderness we must not lose hope or faith that we must hold strong no matter what and remember the one who has sent us.

Peace,

Jason

A Truly Interesting Time

2009-10-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Good Evening!

Let us pray,

Lord let the meditations of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be fruitful unto you this day O Lord,

Amen.

It is indeed a truly interesting time to be in seminary. The world is changing! Unless you have been living under a rock your entire life this is no surprise. The world is always changing whether it be year to year, day to day, hour by hour or minute by minute. If I may draw upon philosophy for a brief moment and make the claim that with every thesis there must be an antithesis which forms another thesis and the process continues. In another sense one chapter begins and another has been finished. Our lives are filled with crucifixions and resurrections. Christ himself died and rose again! For many cradle Christians we often take this for granted and overlook our own crucifixions and even our own resurrections. This can become a very unhealthy thing as we try to follow Jesus. The church is also going through many changes as I write this post from my dorm room overlooking Christ Chapel. As I look out my window I am reminded of the stain glass windows. The main theme for the windows is a descending dove. This is also reflected within the LTSS emblem. This is taken from God the Father descending during Christs baptism. With this I am reminded of my baptismal waters. Just how deep are we in the baptismal waters? I cannot even begin to answer this question for myself but only hope by grace I am at least ankle deep. This does not mean that I as a Christian do no fully believe or recognize the creeds but simply that I truly am green in my Christian sojourn. I can say with the utmost conviction that I do not know everything, that I speak without authority and conviction without first recognizing the one who has sent me. God has chosen me, you and the whole Church for his divine plan. How amazing is this? Sometimes we can see this as imposing on "our" plans. Often this is when God brings down the proverbial hammer, two by four or whatever you might call it. Since I have never truly taken kindly to be repeatedly hit upon my head I tended to learn the first time. Another way we can look at this attention grabbing act is through Moses story in Exodus 3. For those of you good Lutherans this story is on the left hand side of the Bible ( I can make this joke as one of my professor's says because I am Lutheran). In this story Moses is called by God to lead his people out of Egypt. The fact of his leading the Hebrews out of Egypt should be put aside for this is not the focus. Rather we must focus on Moses and Gods way of grabbing his attention. Moses sees a bush consumed with fire but it does not burn? How crazy a notion, wouldn't you at least have to stop and say "what is up with this?" I know this would be the case for me. What bushes are burning in your life? What bushes are burning in society? What bushes are burning in the parish? What bushes are burning in the Church? It could be a simple thing such as reaching out to those who need an ear to listen. This could be as large as the churches recent decision in August. I will not and I repeat will not take sides within this post or publicly. So for those of you reading this post you may take a deep breath for there is no reason for me to sway you either way on the issues at hand. The only issue I will bring up is are we truly following Christ in everything we do? Would it be following Christ if we bicker on either side of an issue and hurt our brothers and sisters in Christ? I truly do have more questions than answers and with this I leave you with.

Peace,

Jason

2009-10-09T05:02:00.000-07:00

Good morning from Southern Seminary!

It's a cloudy day in South Carolina, football is in the air, cookouts are being planned on campus, and studying is commencing for Greek and History. We are entering into what Dr. Everret calls the spin cycle weeks 5-9. Midterms kick this off and finals end it. The pressure is increasing and stress is elevating when trying to balance field education, reading, studying and fellowship. With this said the only balance we have during these weeks is the cross of Christ. Things during these weeks seem to be out of balance and we are told to just hang on! Within our furious studying and worries the one thing that we can rely on is the cross which is the only thing we can cling to in times of transition and stress. This applies to life, no matter what the situation. In life we can worry about finances, paying the bills, work and family but with these dynamics of life Christ will and is always there for us no matter what. As Christians we are called to pray when others cannot, to witness when others don't feel "up to it" and others are called to do the same for us when we feel down trodden and lost others are called to be there with us to stretch out the hand of Christ.

peace,

Jason

2009-09-25T20:28:00.001-07:00

Good Evening!

It has been around two weeks since my last post! I am sorry that I have not been posting as regularly as before. Seminary has kept me very busy. This brings me to this post. First it would be nice to give ya'll an overview of how school is going so far. Although tiring and lots of work it has been very awesome. The days are full and I mean full of classes, spiritual formation, extended orientation sessions, fellowship, and yes lots of reading. All this is very rewarding no matter how tired you become throughout the week. This Sunday will be my first to take part in leading worship at my field education church. To fill ya'll in on this I am at St. Paul's Lutheran church in downtown Columbia. The church is over a 120 years old! The sanctuary is beautiful, the building's are well kept but besides its aesthetic qualities what stands out among everything are the people there. It is a very mixed congregation in far as age, ideas, and walks of life but the one thing that brings them together is their sense of community. I had the chance last Sunday to "sneak" into worship as a visitor and simply watch the congregation. I use the word sneak in parenthesis only because it was hard to sneak in. I was warmly welcomed by several members of the congregation. It is the south and when a visitor comes you are made to feel at home and that is exactly what happened. My supervisor this year is Pr. Tony Metze( a southern alumni). I feel that it will be a very enriching experience working with Pr. Metze over this first year. Continuing with the worship theme here Steve and I are leading chapel this coming Monday morning at 10 (please pray for us!). The unique thing about Steve and I leading worship is that we are both junior M. Div's. This may seem like no big deal but in our rota group we just happened to run out of middlers who are to lead chapel and juniors are only supposed to read. I think we have planned well and will do very well this monday. Switching gears again this week should be intersting we have two papers due along with the usual studying. I also have a presentation to do on the outreach for Lutherans of African Decent on monday. On top of all this there is some serious UF football watching that will be taking place tommorow night upon completion of homework. With this I say goodnight!

Peace,

Jason

2009-09-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

Well the new week is starting. This is the week where we get the full brunt of classes for the first time. The week starts out with chapel then to history, multicultural, intro to the bible and then onto junior worship practicum and good ole Greek! Despite the challenges of learning another language I am extremely excited. We will be learning at a much slower pace then summer Greek which will be very good. On the other aspect of learning Greek I am excited with anticipation of putting sentences and words together in translation. I am dying to be able to read my Greek new testament. Yes the whole entire thing is in Greek. Some of you may think I ma crazy but if you think about it we are always reading a translation of a translation. With the course in new testament Greek I will be able to read the closest we have to the original. It could almost be as if I was there! I just hope that over the next couple of weeks I am able to keep the same enthusiasm. Well keep looking for updates as usual.

Peace,

Jason

A Review of The First Week

2009-09-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Good Evening All,

Well this is the end of the first week here at seminary. This week has been awesome, interesting, and enlightening. With this said I believe a great deal of stress is to come given it has been a so called light week for us here. I am still awaiting my first intro to bible class, greek, worship, and a contextual ed course. Throughout this week I have learned a lot academically and much more about myself. The challenges here so far have not been academic but more on the am I really here side and am I supposed to be here. The answer is yes I am supposed to be here and yes I am really here at Southern Seminary. Throughout this week I have been struggling coming to grips with the so called vow of seminary poverty. That statement may sound more serious than it really is but also be taken as it is. I have been taking my first steps toward my future on my own. Yes of course I have been to undergraduate school or college and stepped out on my own but this type of stepping out on my own has taken a whole new step. I have come to find true peace here among the bustling city of columbia and more so against the backdrop of the Aue Claire community. I truly feel that I have taken up my cross and am following Christ. This image is what I have been meditating on throughout the week. What does my cross look like. So far it looks like ramen noodles, Stafford loans, bank account draining expenses, labyrinth walks, prayer, scripture, and making a joyous noise in chapel( notice the stress on noise). I am able to continue my ministry here as a member of the larger Christian church with the fellowship of classmates. Now I do understand the whole throwing into the fire of life and coming out stronger for that. With this said I would like to say that I love all of my family who may be reading this so very much and everyone in my life here and abroad who have made me who I am today.

May the Peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all!

Peace,

Jason

2009-09-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

Good evening all! It is again another ending to another fabulous day. Today we started with chapel at 10am then to church history. From there we ate lunch together as community. After lunch came theology of pastoral care. These two classes were amazing. Each class is started with devotions and prayer. Which not only is it important as a Christian to be enveloped in reading and prayer but also allows us as a community to center ourselves on the Spirit. Tonight has been homework from the time I was able to sit down to now. I still have some to go tonight but not that much. Which brings me to the topic of my post this evening. I just finished my first 6 of many other chapters to go in church history. The point of reflection whcih I am mulling over in my tired head is that of the firm standing of the early Christians. This in reference to the Christians of the Roman empire and more specifically to those who were persecuted for simply being Chrisitan! Imagine for a moment that you were just baptized, not as a child but just baptized. Take it a few years later still young in your faith and the government sees being a Christian a crime. That if you are found out to be a Christian you are brough to trial. Once there you are given a choice. The first is to recant to the Roman government and their hellenisitic roots. You must worship the Emperor above all else. Next you must curse the name of Christ our Lord and Savior. If you do not commit to either acts you are executed for holding true to your faith. If we could only today have the same firm roots as the Christians of the past.

Peace,

Jason

Grace, Peace, Fatih, and Fellowship

2009-09-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Today was orientation day. Yes I said it orientation day not afternoon but day. Given its length it has become yet another awesome day here at Lutheran Southern. This morning started off with a key point of life here which is chapel. We have all been to many church services throughout our walk with Christ Jesus. Every experience is different, energetic in its own right, and fulfilling also in its own right. I say this with a bit of a bragging tone but it cannot be helped. Chapel this morning was the most amazing church experience I have ever had. There was no sermon, communion, peace, or creeds. Rather it was filled with true spirit filled song, prayer, and scripture reading. It is truly an amazing experience to see a group of people from truly every walk of life gather together whether MDiv/MAR/TSM, faculty, or staff gather together and make a joyous noise for the Lord. This is where true grace began this morning for the community here. We were lead by faith throughout that day by learning about the seminary, forming groups and sharing stories and meeting new people. Today truly was an awesome day of fellowship. This all leads me to share a truly grace filled story. I have a good friend here already at seminary named Steve(another Florida-Bahamas Synod candidate and Gator fan!). Today we were talking about our work in the computer lab. Specifically hoping to make an income enough to pay a few small bills, put gas money in our pockets, and hopefully eat(thank God for Ramen!). The story picks up many hours later after our community wide dinner in the quad. Shortly after during cleanup the dorm was able to take home a gigantic plate of chicken fingers. This seems like an irrelivent event in itself but relating it back to the earlier converstaion of the day it truly was a " I will take care of you" from God. So it is true that one can find God's grace in a simple thing as a plate of food. As Judy & Judy will tell you this is no coincidence. Feed there stomachs and there souls and spirits too will be fed.
Amen!
Peace,
Jason

2009-09-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

I figured some pictures would be good. The one of the left of course is me but with the new look. I will have to be wearing a what I call clergy shirt when assisting in chapel and at my field ed. parish. The picture on the right is the back wall of my room overlooking the chapel. It is hard to see but the chapel is the building that looks to have long vertical windows. I plan on getting some more pictures soon while out and about. I do appologize for the quality, the only camera I could find at the store is a very inexpensive one but it does the job.

Peace,

Jason

A New Week, A New Place, A New Life

2009-09-07T06:35:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! Well this is the beginning of a new week as I sit in a new place(LTSS) and start a new life/chapter in my life. Tommorow we kick off the year with orientation day at 830. The day is to be filled with fellowship, worship, spiritual formation, and much needed ins and outs of the seminary. The rest of the week leads into Church History, Theology of Pastoral Care, Field Ed. I am excited for this week, the new people I will be meeting, and the fellowship I will be a part of. I will keep ya'll posted throughout the week!

Peace,
Jason

Isaiah 32:8

2009-09-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

We know not the plans the Lord has for us but that they are to prosper and not perish(Jeremiah 29:11). This passage from Jeremiah has followed me for the past few years in my walk with Christ. Only recently have I truly begun to understand this most true piece of scripture. As many of you know I am at seminary and from my desk in the dorm I am writing this reflecting on the journey thus far. I have been called to first have the courage to leave my family who I love dearly to attend Lutheran Southern. For anyone who has moved you may understand what I have been experiencing. This experience at first was a bit scary with the fact that I was being thrown into a new environment, meeting new people, living with these people who I have never met before. I am now getting accustomed to Columbia and the surrounding area. It could be said that my bearings are being fixed within my new environment. With this said my reflections and meditations have revolved around the usual for many people i.e. money, settling in and overcoming the distance between myself and loved ones. In these reflections Jeremiah 29:11 has come full circle in my walk with Christ. Tonight while doing my bible readings I came across Isaiah 32: 8 "But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands." In this section Isaiah is portraying what will overcome the oppressor nations during his time and thus imaging or shall we say forseeing God's glory and what will come. Verse 8 seems to be of minor relevance to the section of verses 1-12 however it can speak towards how one should act in our modern world. That we as Christians and as Lutherans are called to be noble and yet humble in our actions. We must take in account what we have and thank God for how much we do have and how little we do have. The greater is that of our worldly possesions the lesser is that we are still and always will be trying to understand our purpose for God and our lives in him and our Lord Jesus Christ. I offer this insight up for all those who may feel that hope is lost at times and the odds are stacked against them. I pray that you will not give up hope but instead let go and let God. Trust in him, mind your actions from the smallest task to the largest and know that God is God and we are his.
Amen!

The Time Has Come

2009-09-03T04:30:00.001-07:00

First I must appologize for not being on top of my blog over the summer. To recap my oh so exciting summer I worked and visited with family. Beyond those two things nothing too exciting happened until yesterday. September 2nd was the day when I packed the truck, said goodbye to the parental units ( my Mom and Dad ) and headed north on 95 to South Carolina. I was abruptley met on the northside of Jacksonville by a large thunderstorm which lasted all the way to Brunswick Georgia. Shortly after the rain let up the boxes in which I had my stuff packed decided that they would let their lids fly around in the back of my truck. It seemed there for a while this was an impossible trip, however this made me even more determined to get here. Despite the interesting drive and the lugging four heavy boxes up four seperate sets of stairs I am here, moved in, and somewhat rested from the move yesterday. Now it is time to find a job, continue to get settled, meet new people and prepare for the first day of class next wedenesday. Please keep an eye out for some pictures of the dorm room and campus! God is Good!

Peace,

Jason

Painting A Picture

2009-07-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

No I am not sitting in my house at 7:20 in the morning painting. However I have been painting a mental picture, one that I believe everyone does whether they know it or not. The picture I am painting is that of Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit. I have been reading a book that is taking me along a journey to meet Jesus again which has caused me to sit down and think of what my image of Christ is then to God and the Holy Spirit. So I have a challenge for all those reading or whoever may pass by this post, sit down, go to the beach or wherever you can have no distraction and try painting a mental picture of Christ, who he is for you and your relationship with him.

Good Morning From Jacksonville Florida!

2009-06-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

Ok so I am trying to get into the habit of posting on a regular basis. As you can tell this habit has not gone to far. Regardless I am turning over a so called new leaf and scheduling myself to post weekly. I promise! To fill in the gaps since I have moved back home and this post I have been enjoying being home with my Mom and Dad. I have caught up with friends that I usually only was able to see a few times a year. Alongside relaxing and trying to find work I have been working on registering for classes at LTSS for the fall, applying for housing, and fninancial aid. Lets just say this has been a blast whoo hoo( sarcastically twirls finger in air). I will say however that I have enjoyed looking at the classes which I will be able to take in this upcoming semester. The classes range from introduction to the bible to Greek and worship. I am very excited for september to come so I can move in and get started with the next big step in my life. Before I retire from posting this blog and get started with the day ahead I do have a prayer request, LTSS is awarding scholarships this week which I have applied for, I just ask for ya'lls prayers for a scholarship from the school for tuition. God Bless you all and may the peace of our Lord be with you all!

Peace,

Jason

Greetings!

2009-05-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savier Jesus Christ!

First I would like to thank everyone for their paryers, wishes of good luck, and gifts. What this church or shall I say this family has meant to me over the past four years I cannot even begin to explain. Lamb of God truly has become a second family to me from the moment I walked into worship in August of 2005 to sitting here writing this letter. My faith journey has and continues to be impacted by LOG. When looking back upon my journey and where I am now I can honestly say that I could not of gotten to this point without my family here at LOG. This truly has been my formation process leading up to seminary to a life of ministry, service, and trying to be an example of Christ to the world. I hope that this blog can be a tool in order to keep in touch with my family here, with everything that is going on and will serve as a way for ya'll to get an insiders view of what is happening with me as my journey continues throughout seminary. Just as a weekly call back home I plan to drop in once a week to open up conversation through the blog. Again I thank everyone so very much for what ya'll have done for me over the past four years.

Peace,

Jason