Christ is our only port in this storm

My pastor, Kevin Martin, and my congregation, Our Savior Lutheran Church in Raleigh, NC, made the national news!  Joy Pullman has the story at The Federalist today entitled Violent Threats, Hate Mail, Hit Raleigh Church For Holding Services With Under 10 People. Unlike other states, North Carolina allowed people to apply as "essential" services, which Pastor Martin did. Technically, the state letter of approval would allow Pastor Martin to hold services with up to 56 persons. But he decided to limit the number of people to 10 or fewer. Martin, of course, speaks quite well for himself, and Pullman makes use of a number of quotes, all of which sound like our Pastor:

Members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Raleigh, N.C. were filmed by local television as they walked with their spouses and children into the church to worship and receive critical spiritual care at a time of unprecedented global panic. Families kept six feet apart and came in limited numbers, and the sanctuary was sanitized between services.

...snip...

“The fact that we’re so afraid to die surely shows that it’s not natural. I know only one remedy,” Martin said. “I know only one person who has died and come back victorious, and that’s Jesus. That’s why I see him as the only port in this storm.”

So he, unlike the vast majority of pastors in the United States, has continued to bring his flock to the altar during this pandemic, while abiding by government health guidelines to allay fears and respect authorities so long as they don’t outlaw the practice of his people’s faith.

For Lutherans, like the Roman Catholics, the Divine Service, during which Communion is served is the central point of worship. We believe that the true Blood and Body of Christ is delivered during this service. We believe that Christ is actively present in the Divine service. Pastor Martin is accomplished in ancient languages, and notes that the words of institution where Jesus says "Do this in remembrance of Me" should be better translated as "Do this to My remembrance." So, we are really performing the Divine service so that on the last day, Jesus remembers each of us. Either way, we see it as a duty and an act of Faith.

Martin is correct that fear of death is driving the effort to separate us and lock us down.  He is also correct that the only real assurance is in Christ.  But for those who may have less faith, something else that Christ said is true as well: " For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  While true as taken literally, it is true as a metaphor as well.  For when we think more about others, with a desire to be helpful, we are indeed giving up our lives, if temporarily, for Christ sake.  But the more we do that, the more our faith takes action in the world, to the betterment of society.  The more we think upon ourselves, and worry about our lives, the less we can make other's lives better.  Thus Faith takes many forms, not all of which involve martyrdom.

It is the clear historic teaching of the Christian church that Christians eat and drink Christ’s own true blood and body in the sacrament of communion, and that doing so strengthens their faith “to life everlasting.” So for faithful sacramentalists like those at this Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation, taking communion is not an option but a duty, and necessary for their eternal salvation, which is far more important than their physical health or even mortal life.

“I find my strength, my purpose for living not just from the Word, but from the Sacrament,” Martin said. “It’s a matter of faith, and you either have it or don’t. If you don’t it’s not something I can reason you into. It’s just one of those things where it’s a matter of belief. The thing I like so much about the First Amendment is, it’s supposed to safeguard our right to believe something other people might find crazy.”

Martin says the disparate treatment of religion during the coronavirus shutdown, and governments’ demand that citizens prioritize physical health over spiritual health, are wakeup calls to himself and the church at large.

As is usual, Pastor Martin said it better, and more succinctly than I could have.  Please read all of Pullman's article.

We all of us need to defend the First Amendment vigorously, even if we are not faithful.  The Lefties used to make the point that we should defend freedom of speech even if we disagree with the person saying it.  The same holds for freedom of religion.  For me, I see the current situation as a Satanic attack on us, which must be resisted.  May I suggest as a first step that we all pray for Pastor Martin, and for the whole Church universal.  Christ truly is our  only port in a storm.