July 29, 2007

Vol. 1, no. 6

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From Your Pastor

This week we give thanksgiving to God for the faithful service and martyrdom of St. James, the Elder, apostle of our Lord.

The following brief bio is from Rev. Walt Snyder, pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Emma, MO.

James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John were among Our Lord's twelve disciples. Together with Peter, these two were privileged to behold the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28). They witnessed the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31) and the raising of the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51). Jesus called them aside to watch and pray with Him in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before His death (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33).

James and John may have been from a higher social level than the average fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants (Mark 1:20), and John (assuming him to be identical with the “beloved disciple”) had connections with the high priest (John 18:15).

Jesus nicknamed the brothers Boanerges — Sons of Thunder — (Mark 3:17), probably commenting upon their headstrong, hot-tempered, and impulsive natures. So they seem to be in two incidents reported in the Gospels. On one occasion, Jesus and the disciples were refused the hospitality of a Samaritan village, and James and John proposed to call down fire from heaven on the offenders (Luke 9:51-56). On another occasion, they asked Jesus for a special place of honor in the Kingdom, and were told that the place of honor is the place of suffering (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-41).

In about AD 42, shortly before Passover (Acts 12:1-2), James was beheaded by order of Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus; see Matthew 2), nephew of Herod Antipas (who killed John the Baptist — Mark 6:14-29 — and examined Jesus on Good Friday — Luke 23:6-16), and father of Herod Agrippa II (who heard the defense of Paul before Festus — Acts 25:13-26:32). James was first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom, and the only one whose death is recorded in the New Testament.

James is often called "James Major" (also "the Greater" or "the Elder") to distinguish him from other New Testament people named James. Tradition has it that he made a missionary journey to Spain, and that after his death his body was taken to Spain and buried there. at Compostela. His supposed burial place there was a major site of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, and the Spaniards fighting to drive their Moorish conquerors out of Spain took "Santiago de Compostela!" as one of their chief war-cries. (The Spanish form of "James" is Diego or Iago. In most languages, "James" and "Jacob" are identical. Where an English Bible has "James," a Greek Bible has Iakobos.

The sword (the instrument of his death) and the scallop shell are both traditional representations of the apostle.

Collect

Grant, O Lord, that as Saint James the apostle readily followed the calling of Your Son Jesus Christ, we may by Your grace be enabled to forsake all false and passing allurements and follow Him alone; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

May the Lord be with you!

Pastor Jim

Worship Practices

FAQs

(Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Why do we have different colored paraments and vestments? Do the colors have special meanings?

A: The colors of our paraments and vestments do have significance. This morning the altar is adorned in red as a reminder of the blood spilled for the faith by St. James. Red is also used for Reformation Sunday, Pentecost, Confirmation Sunday, Installations/Ordinations and any commemoration day of a martyr. Red is a constant reminder of those who have lost their lives for the true faith and have found that eternal life in Christ. It also encourages us not to be discouraged when the Church is persecuted, but to rejoice that the One True God would deem His Church worthy to suffer for His name.

The green paraments, which are used for most of the summer (except when we have feast days and commemorations) recalls the green growth of our new lives in Christ. Green paraments and vestments follow the red of Pentecost. This green season is also known as the time of the Church. The readings are more focused on the Church’s growth and the spread of the Gospel. That is one reason it comes after Pentecost, when 3000 souls were brought to the one true faith.

After green, there is the season of Advent. The colors for Advent are either purple or blue. Purple was traditionally used as a reminder of Christ, the newborn King (purple being associated with royalty). In recent decades, blue has become more popular because it reminds us of the heavenly realm, from where Christ came.

White is the color for the seasons of Christmas and Easter, as well as for the commemoration of non-martyred saints. White is a color of purity, as our joy in the seasons of Christmas and Easter is a pure joy in our living Savior. White is the color for non-martyred saints because they did not shed their blood for the faith, but still kept it purely through Christ.

Gold can be used on Christmas and Easter day (we do use gold on these two days) because of the glorious and rich nature of those two feasts, when Christ comes to us in the flesh and the resurrection. As gold has always been considered a precious treasure, so we in the Church highly value and find our treasure in Christ, our Emmanuel, God with us.

Purple is always used for the season of Lent. While purple does denote royalty, it also is a color associated with repentance. Christ, our King, comes to us in Lent humbly, calling the world to repentance and faith. Some churches replace the purple with black for Good Friday to further emphasize the suffering of Christ and our mourning over our own sinfulness.

The Gospel in You

"You're writing a gospel,

A chapter each day;

By deeds that you do,

By words that you say.

Others read what you write,

Whether faithless or true.

Say.....

What is the gospel,

According to you?"

Next week`s readings

Psalm 56

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26

Colossians 3:1-11

Luke 12:13-21

The Lord be with you!

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 908 W. Main Middleville, MI 49333 +269-795-2391+ goodshepherdlcms@gmail.com