You better watch out,
You better not cry,
Better not pout,
I’m telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He’s making a list,
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out
Who’s naughty and nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He sees you when you’re sleeping.
He knows when you’re awake.
He knows if you’ve been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

What seems to most to be a simple and jolly Christmas carol is in reality terrifying.  The song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, portrays an omnipotent being who keeps a watch over everyone at all hours tallying up their naughty and nice deeds.  The song beckons children to be good lest they find themselves on the naughty list.  And so anxious children everywhere fret over their deeds of the previous months.

Unfortunately, as the false Santa from Tim Allen’s movie The Santa Clause 2 says, every kid is naughty and they all deserve coal.

Of course, the false Santa in The Santa Clause 2 is the bad guy, but theologically speaking he has it right.  No one deserves to be on the nice list.  There really should be no anxiety or doubt about where one is in Santa’s book because no one is righteous, no not one.  We know which list we are on and it is not the nice one.

This is how it also is with God.  As Romans 3 says we are not righteous and nobody does good.  However, unlike the Santa Claus universe, we are not left up to our own devices to somehow make it on the nice list.  Our deeds are not placed upon a scale balancing back and forth as we anxiously wait.  Instead Christ does what we cannot do and he earns our salvation for us.  No amount of wickedness or naughtiness can budge the scale when the cross is on the other side.

Through our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection we are declared to be righteous and holy through.  Our names are written into the book of life not according to any merit of our own, but because of Christ’s merit.  While many live as though their salvation were dependent upon the judgment of a Santa-like God weighing their good and bad deeds, because of Christ we are freed from all doubt and anxiety.

Welcome back to our blog! Today we will be covering the third part of our series on “Chief Articles of the Faith” and will take a look at the second article of the Apostles Creed along with Martin Luther’s explanation of it as found in the Small Catechism.

“And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.”

What does this mean?

Luther answers, “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord,

who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death,

that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness,

just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.

This is most certainly true.

In this second part of the Apostles Creed we confess, along with the entire Christian church, the center of the Christian faith – namely Jesus Christ. Here we confess that our salvation is dependent on just one man – Jesus. For while we are often tempted to put ourselves, our actions, and our decisions on center stage here we proclaim instead the actions of Jesus who for us took on flesh, suffered, died, was buried and on the third day rose again from the dead.

Jesus’ death on the cross speaks loudly a word of law and a word of grace. It speaks death and judgment upon the world who rejects the living God. It speaks judgment upon all those who are indifferent about their sin and upon those would be righteous according to their own goodness. In fact it speaks judgment upon the whole world! But for those who are in Christ there follows powerful words of hope and life – for Christ did not remain in the tomb but on the third day rose! For in our baptism we were joined to the death and resurrections of Jesus Christ (see Romans 6:3-5) and now in Christ, our living savior, we have eternal life! And this life is not dependent on ourselves but in our living Savior!

For the center of the Christian faith is Jesus. The message of the faith is the forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord from God for you. It is a gift and you are the recipient.

On December 5th, the day after my birthday, we will cover the third article of the Creed. Blessings to you and have a wonderful day.

The summer of 2012 at Park River Bible Camp is going to see some additions to its program.  One of those additions is a complete overhaul of our CIT (Counselor in Training) program.

Essentially, we’ve decided to scrap the CIT program and develop something completely new in its place.  At this point we are simply calling it Discipleship Camp.  This camp will run an entire week, Sunday to Friday, and is available for those having finished 10th to 12th Grade.

The intent of this camping session is to give 10th to 12th graders theological, leadership and ministry training within the context we know best: summer camp.

Our vision is to limit registration to one cabin of guys and one cabin of girls so as to create a close environment and to give youth concentrated attention.  Those who finish the week may then be eligible to return later in the summer to act as an assistant counselor alongside one of our trained counselors to put their Discipleship Camp training into practice.  Below is the summer brochure writeup on the new camp.  I hope you consider joining us for Discipleship Camp!

Discipleship Camp

June 24-29

Offered new this summer is a ministry training week for students having completed 10^th-12^th grade. This training will combine elements of camp life along with theological instruction designed to prepare students for ministry.  Students having successfully completed this week may be eligible to serve as an assistant counselor during any of the following 2012 summer sessions with the exception of senior high week.  As a counselor’s assistant you will have the opportunity to lead a Bible study and evening devotion along with other activities.  Space for this camp is limited.

Cost: $214 if registered by May 1^st, $234 after May 1^st.

Welcome back to our blog! Today we will be covering the second part of our series on “Chief Articles of the Faith” and will take a look at the first article of the Apostles Creed along with Martin Luther’s explanation of it as found in the Small Catechism.

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.”

What does this mean?

Luther answers, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.

He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from evil.

All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.

This is most certainly true.

When we as Christians say, “We believe in God,” we do not just mean, “we believe God exists.” While that is certainly true we are also confessing that He is our creator and sustainer through whom we receive all good things. Without His constant care for us we would immediately perish. These words teach us that our relationship to God is one in which He gives us his good and bountiful gifts. The essence of the Christian faith thus lies in God’s giving and our receiving. This will play out more fully in the second article of the creed which we will cover on November 21.