Pastor Kory’s Page for January 2025

            One of the Bible’s most “upbeat” and joyful books is St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Even though Paul wrote this epistle somewhat near the end of his life and from a Roman prison cell, his attitude is thankful and hopeful in the Lord.

            Paul introduces his letter by writing, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:1-5)

            These opening words remind us that Paul did not work alone. He served together with other ministers, including Timothy. (At earlier points in his ministry, he worked hand-in-hand with Barnabas, Silas, Luke and others.) Paul also counted the laity and pastors of Philippi as partners in the Lord’s work. After greeting them with a word of Christ’s grace and peace, Paul gives thanks. The Philippian Christians are a source of joy to him. From the first day that Paul shared the Gospel in their midst (described in Acts chapter 16), until the moment he penned these words, Paul regarded these believers as partners with him in the Gospel.

            The word that Paul uses for “partnership” is the Greek word koinonia, sometimes translated as, “fellowship.” This koinonia between Paul and the Philippians was more than exchanging pleasantries, though. It was their sharing and participating in the blessings of the Gospel and the responsibilities of life in the body of Christ. There was both giving and receiving between Paul and the Philippians. (Read more about this in Phil. 4:14-19.) The Philippians shared Paul’s troubles with him. They did so by praying for him and his ministry and by sending him help (financial support and supplies). In 4:18, Paul states that he has received the gifts the Philippians sent him and that he is well supplied. Clearly, the partnership Paul shared with them was more than sentimental but was very practical for his ministry and his physical needs.

What makes Philippians such an upbeat and joyful book is that it’s really an extended thank you letter to a congregation that faithfully supported Paul and his mission to the Gentiles. Repeatedly, the Philippian Christians proved to be true partners in the Gospel and Paul wrote back to them to encourage and thank them, in turn.

            The Lord has also brought us together in His Church to be partners in the Gospel in our time and place. The Church’s mission cannot be accomplished only by missionaries like Paul or by pastors like me. All the saints in Christ Jesus are meant to contribute to the life and work of the Church. 

            For 2025, I’ve chosen the phrase “Partners in the Gospel” as a congregational theme for us to continue reflecting on and putting into practice. We need to “partner up” just as much as the first generation of Christians! Think of all the different sorts of partners that are needed in the Church: prayer partners, leadership partners, accountability partners, financial partners, volunteer partners, and so on. The Lord’s Church cannot operate without such partnerships!

            Who can you partner with? Is there someone who needs your prayers? Is there someone you can team up with? Is there someone you can “pass the torch” to? Who can we partner with as a congregation? How can we be a blessing not only to those in this church family but beyond it? How can we strengthen partnerships with our circuit, district, and synod? How can we contribute to other ministries like Camp Trinity or to local non-profits as they serve our neighbors? 

Let’s have some conversations about these opportunities for partnership! And let me close by echoing Paul’s thanksgiving for you:  “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you … because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

            Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kory Janneke

Pastor Kory's Page for December 2024

The gift is beautifully wrapped and waiting underneath the Christmas tree. But what makes this gift so exciting is not just the impressive presentation or even what it might contain, but the fact that there’s a gift tag on the box and your name is carefully written as the recipient! Someone cared enough to prepare a gift especially for you … Whether or not you’ll be giving or receiving many presents this Christmas, Christmas is all about God’s greatest gift. And best of all, this gift, God’s Son, is for you! 

It’s as if Jesus’ swaddling clothes have a gift tag on them with your name on it! But the same could be said about Jesus’ entire life, from His baptism to His teaching ministry to His institution of the Lord’s Supper—it’s all for you! Above Jesus on the cross was a notice saying, “King of the Jews.” That placard could just as well have said “For You.” The same goes for Jesus’ empty tomb! Your name is written all over everything Jesus did!

Not only is it powerful to know that Jesus took on our human flesh with you and me in mind, but His names are particularly powerful. Let’s look at seven names for our Lord in the Christmas story and in Isaiah’s prophecies to better appreciate God’s great gift of His Son:

“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”(Matt. 1:21). Every time you hear the name “Jesus,” it’s meant to be a gospel reminder of who Jesus is and why He came. “Jesus,” or Yeshua, literally means, “The Lord saves” or “The Lord is salvation.”

“‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call His name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matt. 1:23). Although our sin separates us from our sinless Creator, God Himself descends to be with us and take on our flesh. But we also have the promise of Jesus’ presence today: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Although we often call Jesus, “Christ,” this is more of a title than a name. Christ means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” Jesus’ ancestors, the kings of Judah, were anointed with oil for their royal offices. When we hear “Christ,” it reminds us that He is the promised “king of the Jews” (Matt. 2:2; 27:37), yet a king who wore a crown of thorns and gave His life upon the cross.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6). The Holy Spirit revealed to Isaiah centuries before Christ that God’s Chosen One would be born for us. As true man, Jesus’ birth was rather ordinary. Yet as true God, divine titles like “Wonderful Counselor” can apply to Christ. He needs no one else’s counsel. As the greatest of counselors, Christ stands ready to listen and respond to your prayers. 

“Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) What a wonder it is that this helpless baby boy in the manger is also our Almighty God! The God of Israel, who powerfully rescued His people in Old Testament times, has come to rescue all people from their sin.

“Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus is One God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, but Jesus Himself is like a father to all His faithful people, the children of God. Even though He is the mighty King of all creation, Jesus loves and cares for you like the best of all fathers.

“Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6) Peace is a universal human longing. As we hear of everything from bullying to senseless shootings to political power plays in this world, we’re reminded again and again that we all need this Prince of Peace. Yet Jesus came to achieve a peace that is so much greater than an absence of violence or disputes. Jesus’ peace is peace with God—an eternally restored relationship with God. Jesus’ peace is the peace of knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you are dearly loved by God! Because of the peace that is ours in Jesus, and the perfect peace that awaits us, we seek to be people of peace in our daily lives.

His names say it all!  And a blessed Advent and Christmas to all!

Pastor Kory Janneke

Pastor Kory's Page for Sunday, November 10, 2024

Through the years, I’ve been in and out of a bunch of gymnasiums at Lutheran schools. It’s not unusual in a Christian school’s gym to see some positive messages or biblical quotations on banners or murals. One of those is a phrase like “Humble in Victory, Gracious in Defeat.” That’s the essence of good sportsmanship!

Whether on the ball diamond or the basketball court or in an academic competition, young people need to learn appropriate responses to both winning and losing. This is important, of course, not only in sports or school but in life itself! Victory can be welcomed with humble gratitude and even excitement without turning into prideful gloating. Defeat can be endured without wallowing, remembering that some defeat is inevitable in both competition and life. Learning to congratulate the victor is a valuable skill, whether you’re playing a game or conceding defeat in an election.

I have a lot of respect for candidates for elected offices who can humbly welcome victory, while giving credit to all the staffers and volunteers and voters who also deserve credit, plus giving credit to the opponent and his or her campaign team and voters. I also appreciate seeing candidates graciously conceding defeat and congratulating the victorious candidate. As hard fought as the 2024 elections were, and as divided as the two major political parties are, I think that even small demonstrations of humility and graciousness can go a long way.

The same principle applies to each of us as citizens and voters. Maybe you got all the election outcomes you were hoping for. Maybe you didn’t. Or maybe it was a “mixed bag”, like much of life. But now is neither a time for boasting nor despair. Instead, humility and graciousness ought to be part of our response to one another and to our neighbors following a major event like an election.

As subjects of God’s kingdom, such attitudes ought to be part of our response to the Gospel in every area of our lives. God’s Word says to us in Philippians chapter 2, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  (Philippians 2:3-11)

Christ endured (what seemed to be) ultimate defeat on Good Friday. He humbled Himself to suffer and face the full verdict of our sins, being forsaken by His Father on His cross. He died and was buried in a borrowed tomb. It seemed to be a shocking defeat right after some of His greatest triumphs, such as raising Lazarus from the dead and parading into Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday.”

Jesus humbled Himself as low as He could go, but in His case, it wasn’t truly a defeat but the beginning of His victory which was sealed by His triumphant resurrection on the third day. Having paid the penalty for our sin, God the Father exalted His Son and gave Jesus Christ our Lord the name that is above every name. And as Jesus now lives and reigns over us and all things, He does so in grace, blessing us and forgiving us and saving us without any merit or worthiness in us. 

Our faith is in Christ alone, the One who showed ultimate humility on His road to the cross and whose grace amazingly flows for us each and every day. How shall we respond? As St. Paul put it, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5). Strive to be humble in your victories and gracious in your defeats (in whatever forms they come), while entrusting yourself and all things to your crucified and risen Savior.

In Christ,

Pastor Kory Janneke