To introduce you to the speakers and a bit of the motivation behind their message, we asked each preacher to share a bit about their preparation. It is impossible, in these pages, to present the messages which stirred our hearts and delivered grace to the hearers. We encourage you to obtain copies of the sermons after reading these introductions (see below for DVD), written by the preachers themselves. For now, enjoy these journeys!

SUNDAY EVENING
We Look to the Lord
CLB President Joel Egge

Because I had been invited to speak several months before the Convention, I had time to reflect on the Convention theme, I Am With You, Always. I read the context because my assignment was to set the table for the following messages that would develop this marvelous promise. A powerful contrast in the text captured me; the disciples' weakness contrasted with Jesus' authority. Then the question dawned on me, How did/does the Holy Spirit lead the readers to this powerful finish? With that question in mind, I read the entire Gospel several times. I wanted to correctly understand the disciples' awe and doubt, the Messiah's mission and authority, Jesus' gracious authorization of people like the eleven and His promise to be with us, which is emphasized throughout Scripture.

I struggled with an outline but began writing without one because the Convention was getting close. Having committed a narrative (of sorts) to paper, an organizing outline came to (was given) me while cutting grass three days prior to the Convention and I rewrote the message. I, myself, relied on the promise, I am with you, always, during the birth pangs of preparation and delivery. I was a worshipping doubter. Jesus was the great deliverer authorizing me to tell fellow disciples He will be with us to the very end of the age.

 

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MONDAY MORNING
He Himself is the Resource
Missionary Paul Szobody

When I was asked to do a seminar and preach at annual convention, my natural reaction was to say "sorry, but...". We were on assignment at the Yale Divinity School library to do research in preparation for our studies in France. We only had two months at Yale and an enormous amount of material to work through. But (my wife and I thought in consultation) this church body has been so good to us in sending and supporting our family in mission that we concluded: "We owe it; how can we say ‘no'?" So, funny thing: as I labored in the stacks at Yale from day to day my mind was flooded here and there with thoughts. I grabbed pieces of paper and, at times, spent hours composing trains of thought that rushed into my heart. I took walks and prayed. In the end, I had a folder full of notes to sort out and spent days shaping it all into a message. More than once I had a keen sense (and I remarked so to my wife): this is from the Lord. I'm not sure I've ever ministered before where I had a deeper sense that I was touching the core of human existence as we know it to be, as well as the mystery of the faith in God incarnate among us.

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MONDAY EVENING
He is With Us Now
Pastor Brad Hoganson

A "sermon journey" sounds so...peaceful. However, mine was less of a journey and more of a "Stop and Go Traffic During Rush Hour with a Church Van of Junior High Students!" I tend to sit with my Bible and a notepad; writing thoughts, underlining, circling ideas, drawing arrows to connecting ideas and scripture cross references...it looks like the work of a mad man! This process is not neat and clean but I love how the living and active Word of God comes to life on the pages.

My thoughts were, "If I really believe that Jesus is with me here and now, shouldn't that change everything?" I should be less fearful. I should be more motivated. I should worship more and doubt less. I'm so much like the disciples...a worship-doubter. Yet it was to that band of worship-doubters that Jesus gave His promise "I am with you." Gospel.

Jesus is with us today. Today. We say in our vision statement that we sense God's stirring...we are hearing His voice. Regardless of the structure or the outcome of a vote, (it was odd preaching before the vote on our constitutional amendments) we are hearing God's voice TODAY...Jesus promises to be with us.
I wish I could preach it over again.

 

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TUESDAY MORNING
He is With Us in Mission
Pastor Bob Heggestad

As I initially began my sermon preparation I was focusing on the "you" of "God is with you in mission." Who is the you? Me? My church? My synod? And - who am I? Who are we? As I studied, I was convinced of the truth that my mission defines who I am, and our mission defines who we are as a church, and who we are as a synod. May we truly sense that God is with us as He guides and directs us and then shapes and defines us in mission!

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TUESDAY EVENING
He is Our Unity
Pastor Rick Bridston

Had I been thinking rationally, I probably would have refused this assignment. But the Lord knew what He was doing and I was not thinking straight! To be asked to speak on spiritual unity on the day of one of the most decisive and divisive actions taken by any CLB convention in many years was daunting, to say the least. But there I was, trapped! I began thinking of texts and was drawn to John 17, and finally to verses 20-23. As I prayed two things were happening: the text was beginning to unpack itself, and I began to realize that part of the message had to go "topical"-to go beyond the text. I would need to speak about "disunity" as much as about "unity." The message came to me in bits and pieces, during waking hours in the night, and on the flight to Minnesota.

By Monday night I still had only a few thoughts and fragmentary notes. (This is not my usual way of preparing sermons, but I was stuck!) I did not finish writing out my notes until 6pm the night of the service. By then we knew the results of the vote, and I kept asking the Lord to keep me from saying anything that would be more divisive. The Lord opened up the text beautifully. But then I knew I had to address a painful issue that would take some common-sense observations that I hoped would be self-evident. The Lutheran Brethren has always had a tension between Lutheran confessionalism and evangelical pietism. That was present at the very beginning, and once in a while comes to the surface in local churches. Although prominent theologians in our group would strongly disagree with me, I see the actual types of confessionalism and pietism in our group as two poles on a continuum. But how does one speak to a general audience about theological issues? I decided to use the obvious words, "Lutheran," and "Brethren" to communicate clearly. Now this involved over-simplification, I admit. But most veteran LB folks would understand what I was talking about. I myself lean strongly to the confessional side, but I can never abandon the pietism in my heart. So I tried to invite the two poles to recognize each other's historical legitimacy in our synod, and to respect one another. I hope they can also enrich each other in Christ. We don't have to agree to be in spiritual unity, but we need to be able to minister to one another.

 

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WEDNESDAY MORNING
He is With Us Always
Pastor Tony Karlik

I really thought that I was prepared to speak at this year's convention because I had prepared two possible sermons knowing that we would all be speaking on a single theme. On Sunday evening my greatest fear became realized when president Egge shared his message and I heard some of the things I had prepared to share. Then the next morning Missionary Paul Szobody shared and I just wanted to go home. Having sat through only two messages, and both had touched on what I hoped to share, I just wanted to throw in the towel.

On Tuesday evening I took all my notes and all my fears and laid them all before the Lord. I asked for wisdom and guidance as I made some revisions but most of all I asked for the ability to trust Him with what needed to be shared. On Wednesday morning I stood before the convention and trusted that our Lord would minister to His people through me and as I shared I knew that He was with us. To God be the glory.

 

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