It was cool but pleasant, yet the October wind off Lake Michigan seemed to indicate that it would be another harsh Chicago winter. I walked down the steps to Wacker Drive and then up the steps to the Billy Goat Tavern. A string of orange lights hung in the widow, owner Jack’s homage to Halloween.
The regular crowd was there Alderman Barry King, who never met a bribe he didn’t like, the Ryan brothers, owners of a chop shop on Clark Street, and Jenny whose official title was escort, but her rap sheet called it something else.I caught Jack’s eye as I passed the bar and held up three fingers. He nodded as I went to the back booth and found Philip Melancthon and Dr. Martin Luther. Melancthon was pouring over the “Trib” as Luther worked on his sermon on a yellow legal pad.Luther motioned for me to sit down as Melancthon said, “And yet another rebuilding year for the Cubs. You know they built the great Wall of China, and the Pyramids faster than these guys build a ball team.” Before I could reply, Jack sat three, tall cold ones on the table.“What shall we drink to?” asked Luther. Melancthon quickly chimed in, “To another Word Series before another one hundred and eight years passes.” We drank and the ice cold, amber gold tasted good going down.Before I could put my beer down Luther said, “Joe, what’s with these progressive churches? I don’t know why they even use the word church. The Church is where the Gospel is rightly preached and the Sacraments properly administered. These progressive churches have forgotten the message of the Gospel and replaced the Sacraments with a coffee bar.
bar.”“It’s a new world. They pack ‘em in,” I said.“Yes they do,” replied Luther, “and the leaders make their followers twice as fit for hell as they are themselves. The say that the Bible, ‘contains the Word of God.’ Contains? Mein Gott! IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. Saying it ‘contains,’ means you can challenge or ignore what is in God’s Word. And what is this nonsense about ‘we want you to feel good.’ Feelings are honored, respected more than the truth of the Gospel. Essential doctrines are mocked. Jesus’ resurrection means his words live on. UNSINN! The message of the Gospel has been hijacked and we are no longer dealing with the reality of sin...”
“Uh, you can’t say the word ‘sin’ in those churches as it makes people feel sad,” I said.“SAD? We are supposed to feel sad. The Law, the Word of God CONVICTS us of our sin. We should feel SAD. At the same time, we should be joyful for the Gospel declares that Christ died to pay for our sins and rose to give us new life. If that is not ENOUGH, I don’t know what is.“
“Donuts. When they go to the coffee bar, next to the gift shop, before worship starts, they get coffee and donuts. Helps pass the time and keeps the kids entertained. I’ve heard they put on a great show!” I replied
“SHOW!? It’s worship you ‘tauschen.’ If the FORGIVENESS OF SIN, BEING SAVED FROM THE EVIL ONE, AND HAVING THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE IS NOT ENOUGH, then all the coffee, donuts, and good feelings is nothing but ‘dungen.’ God forgive us.”
“But it’s hard to compete with the donuts and the show,” I answered.“Joe, whatever you do, don’t surrender to that. Preach the Gospel, that is enough.”
We said our goodbyes and I knew my sermon theme for Reformation Sunday.
Veritas - Curt