Dr. James Wagner
Below are five talks that Dr. James Wagner gave on “The Art of Letting Go.”
Letting Go of Our Children (42:07)
Letting Go of Our Parents (33:26)
Letting Go of Our Younger Selves (31:13)
Letting Go of Our Illusions (32:14)
The Final Letting Go (39:52)
Here is a Sermon that Dr. Wagner preached at Graham Friends Church in Graham, NC, on December 11, 2011.
Advent Comfort (18:38)
You will not need flash cards and you will not need to take tests. You will however, learn The Lord’s Prayer in the language of the New Testament, Koine Greek. You will also learn part of John 1 and Revelation 1. Along the way, you will learn the Greek alphabet, many Greek words, how to spot common characteristics of Greek words, and…you will discover if you want to go even further with the language.
Imagine, being able to read the Bible of the early church by reading the actual New Testament and Old Testament (Septuagint) instead of an English translation.
Classes will begin Sunday, January 8th, from 4 to 6pm in my home in Graham, NC. The atmosphere will be relaxed, fun, and inspirational.
This is not only open to folks from my church. You may take part too. Let me know if you plan to be there.
When I was a boy, we always had Christmas morning at home with just my immediate family — mom, dad, my three sisters, and me. But on Christmas Eve…oh! on Christmas Eve, that is when Christmas really happened.
At 5 o’clock or so, we would gather at Grandma and Grandpa Ryman’s house for dinner. The whole Ryman family as there: Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Thelma and Uncle Richard and Jim and Lori, Ben and Doris Dace (friends of the family), and the six of us. Before the dishes were done and certainly before presents were opened, we packed up the cars (including Grandpa’s Rambler), usually in the snow, and headed off to Calvary Lutheran Church in Springfield, Ohio. Aunt Thelma’s family went to First Lutheran and we went to St. Luke’s, but Calvary was Grandma’s and Grandpa’s church. And we all went there together once a year.
Though I only attended Calvary once a year, I remember so much from those annual visits. I vividly remember the way the church entrance was located off to the left and that, as soon as we entered from the cold snow and the rush of getting there from dinner, the sanctuary gave me a warm, red peace and stillness. And wonder.
But the poinsettias and the people and the carols and the candy are not what made the difference in a little boy’s heart and life. The difference was that for my family it was important to stop and worship on Christmas Eve. Oh, yes, there was a book of Lifesavers waiting under the tree and a crisp dollar bill in an envelope with my name on it stuck in the tree. But those had to wait, as did the new handkerchief and socks that were also part of the annual family gifting. The whole book of Lifesavers (eight or sometimes twelve rolls) would be there when we got back from church. I was taught that at a very early age.
When I was a few years older (I think 14), and the world got more hurried, someone decided we could skip church that year. Nothing doing! I told them the presents could wait; I was going to church. I don’t know how I planned to get halfway across town in the snow. But I looked around to see what the response might be and Aunt Thelma and Grandma Ryman were getting up to put their coats on. Then everyone but the person who’s idea it was to skip church was headed out the door to Calvary.
He would have to wait along with the handkerchief and socks — and the dollar bill and Lifesavers. Jesus was waiting for us.
I went to the local Walgreens to pick up Christmas photos and a Texas Roadhouse gift card. They did not have Roadhouse gift cards but they did have my 100 photos, and I might add that they were very nicely printed. That Walgreens does a great job with prints.
But I still needed the gift card. So I decided to go to Texas Roadhouse since they might also have a nice presentation folder for the card too. They did. They also had a special place inside the door for people buying gift cards. I got there at just about the right time since I was only three deep in the line with more people getting in line behind me.
Just as the lady in front of me was handed her receipt, the waitress knocked the credit card machine off the counter and parts went flying. I stepped up to first place in line and waited while she put the machine back together. But it failed to work. She tried several more times to no avail. Meanwhile more people were getting in line.
Eventually, the manager came over to work on the machine. She could not get it to work either. Another manager went to work on the machine, just as unsuccessfully. I can hear the people behind me shifting and muttering but not as audibly as the manager’s comment: “I’m gonna lose a thousand dollars in gift card sales.”
Twenty minutes later, she succeeded. The manager ran my transaction and handed me the gift card in its presentation folder. Then she gave me a $5 off coupon. I figured this was a way of making up for the twenty-minute wait. But no; they were giving those coupons to anyone who bought their gift card at the restaurant, instead of another store like Walgreens. Then she handed me a voucher for twenty dollars on my next purchase and thanked me being the only person who waited.
I turned around and found myself alone in line. When I turned back to her she added, “And you didn’t say anything nasty to me either. I appreciate that.”
What do you say to that but, “Thank you.” And, “Merry Christmas!”
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Luke 7:1-10 Peter will encounter a Roman centurion named Cornelius in Sunday’s text. Jesus had also met a commander of 100 Roman soldiers in this morning’s reflection. The centurion whom Jesus met had a sick servant and sent some Jewish elders to Jesus, asking him to heal the servant, who was near death. Jesus went with the elders to see the servant. As he grew near the centurion’s residence, the centurion sent some friends to Jesus to tell him that he needn’t have come. He could have just said the word and the servant would be well. Indeed, by the time the friends got back to the centurion’s house, the servant was healed.
Here was a man who knew the power of God’s word. Just as Jesus spoke all things into creation (John 1:3), he could say the word and the servant would be made well again.
Romans 2:11-13 “In Caesarea there was a certain man…” God is having Peter leave his comfort zone. Peter will have to leave the security of Jewish Joppa for the city bustling with Greeks, or in Peter’s case, to put a fine edge to it, a city full of Gentiles. He would have to learn that here that God puts no restrictions on who he calls righteous. Peter will encounter God’s people, even in the Greek cities.
Romans 3:21-26 Everyone is a sinner. We are born into sin. We are by nature and definition born in sin. Luther insisted that this is the chief and overarching sin of our nature. “All who are naturally born are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with the inclination to sin.” (Concordia. Second ed. [Concordia, St. Louis, 2006], 31.) To deny this brings about the notion that one might actually be able to cooperate with God through good works and personal righteousness, and find justification by “his own strength and reason.” (Ibid. 32)
Church people and other religious people are no better in this regard than anyone else. We are not merely inclined to sin; we are sinners in need of a Savior. There is no natural or original righteousness in any person. The result is ignorance of and contempt for God, a lack of fear of God and a hatred of his judgment, or any confidence in him on the other hand, and putting our trust in the things of the world instead of in the grace of God. Karl Barth said, “Our disposition to [God] is hostile.” (Dogmatics. 515.)
This is not just the Gentile mindset; it is a religious mindset, as is evidenced by our tendency to say things like, “He was a good man.” Thanks be to God that though no man is good, he has sent a Savior for all.
Daniel 9:20-23 God uses prayer to open us up to his leading. Daniel is keeping a regular time of prayer, as is Cornelius, when God sends them each his message. It is when we regularly turn our faces to the Lord (Dan 9:3) that we, in effect, see his. Too often, we get charged up about knowing God’s will and go to him in one or two spurts of prayer. Here we see that the way God usually communicates with us is when we have been regularly coming to him. God talked with Adam in the same way, when he showed up each day for a walk in the garden.
Revelation 8:1-5 The prayers of God’s people are sweet and effective. It is as if they are mingled with incense; they have an effect on God. Our collective prayers toward heaven are cast back on earth with great effect. The more continuously (Acts 10:2; 1Th 5:17) one prays, the more effective her prayers will be.
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An audio reflection on my translation of Acts 10:1-8
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Acts 8:14-25 Our journey through Acts has been dealing with Saul of Tarsus. We last encountered Peter in these verses. Peter had dealt with Simon the magician and his desire to pay for the gift of the Holy Spirit. He had a basic misunderstanding of the gospel. He thought that he could do something, pay something for God’s grace. But God’s grace in salvation and the sanctifying power that comes through his Holy Spirit is a free gift. (Rom 6:23)
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An audio reflection on my translation of Acts 9:32-43:
9:32 And then, as Peter traveled throughout the area, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 9:33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, laying on his bed for eight years who was paralyzed. 9:34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you: stand up and make your bed.” And immediately he stood up. 9:35 And all the residents at Lydda and at the Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 9:36 Now there was in Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which interpreted means Dorcas. She was was full of good works and acts of charity. 9:37 And in those days, she became sick and died. And when they had bathed her, they laid her in an upper room. 9:38 And as Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Come to us without delay.” 9:39 And Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they brought him into the upper room, and all the widows stood by him weeping and displaying clothing and garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 9:40 But Peter sent them all outside and knelt down and prayed. Then turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, live again!” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 9:41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 9:42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 9:43 And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.
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Reflections on the Expository Lectionary, October 10-16, 2011
An audio reflection on my translation of Acts 9:23-31:
9:23 And when many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him. 9:24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they also guarded the gates day and night so that they might kill him. 9:25 But his followers took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. 9:26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 9:27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and informed them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 9:28 And then he was with them, moving about Jerusalem, 9:29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Grecian Jews, but they were trying to kill him. 9:30 And when the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 9:31 So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it grew.
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Reflections on the Expository Lectionary, September 26 – October 2, 2011
Psalm 145:1 One mistake that some Christians make is in their assumption that our task is to fill the pews or get people saved. Of course, the latter is important but it is a by-product of a greater aim. King David knew his role well, as did Paul the apostle. The goal of the church, and therefore of the Christian, is to extol and bless the name of the Lord.
“The chief topic of Christian doctrine…illuminates and amplifies Christ’s honor.” (Article IV of The Apology of the Augsburg Confession) Therefore, the proclamation of justification whereby “people obtain forgiveness of sins not because of their own merits, but freely for Christ’s sake, through faith in Christ” (ibid) is the surest way to extol the glory of God. In doing so, it is God’s great work in us that receives the attention, and not the good works we do.
Psalm 75:1-2 Timothy Keller wrote, “On the cross, Jesus is getting what we deserve so we can get what he deserves.” ( The Reason for God, Penguin: New York, 2009, 196) When Paul understood that great in-breaking of light, he was compelled to recount such a wondrous deed — even to those he had believed deserved it less than he.
1 John 5:1 How sorry Paul must have felt, what a crushing weight of guilt had to have lain upon him when he realized he had murdered those whom his Lord had died to save. The only consolation could have been that, though dying, they had died in the arms of the Lord who loved them, and that in dying such a death, they were now born to an everlasting life of glory.
1 John 5:5 We do not overcome the world and its inherent sin by the deeds we do. We conquer the world by one simple non-act: belief. Yet our belief is specific. We may not believe just anything and expect anything but defeat. Our triumph over all that would otherwise conquer us is accomplished by believing Christ has conquered sin and death for us. He is our Victor and by following him into the battle that is this world, we become more than conquerors too. (Rom 8:37) This is the message that resonated in the heart of Paul, that was so overwhelming that he felt compelled to proclaim it immediately.
Galatians 2:20 Paul got it; he understood. He was a dead man; but that made him alive because of how he died. He had been crucified along with Christ and as such, he was also resurrected to a new life with Christ. He could rightly consider himself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ. (Rom 6:11) He was a changed man, a new man because he no longer lived. Now Christ lived in him. (Gal 2:20) Saul of Tarsus had been buried with Christ and now, even like Jesus had been raised from the dead, Paul was raised too, to walk in a newness of life for the glory of God. (Rom 6:4)
Galatians 1:13 How many of us can truly speak of a “former life”? Sometimes people remain the same; they just go to church now. Such people often lament how they do not have a dynamic testimony — they did not abuse drugs, sell their bodies, or murder Christians. They think that they were basically good people who just go to church now.
Yet the scriptures teach us that no one is good. (Psa 14:2-3, Luke 18:18-19, Rom 3:10) That means that everyone must change and that all could have a testimony. It means that each Christian should have a “former life” but some have not figured out yet how God wants them to change.
1 Timothy 1:12 What a wonder it must have been to Paul that God could take a man such as himself and use him in his kingdom. ”He judged me faithful.” But did God judge Paul as faithful due to his history of persecution and murder? Certainly not, so it must be some other criteria by which God judges. Augustine said, “God does not choose a person who is worthy, but by the act of choosing him he makes him worthy.” (trans: T.D. Lea) Therefore, Paul is simply worthy in God’s sight and God strengthened him for the work of ministry. That God chose someone so undeserving must have been empowering to Paul all in itself.
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 What a statement this is. Paul used to be completely confident in himself. He was the Hebrew of Hebrews and in all things excelled. (Phil 3:5-6) Yet now, he placed no confidence in himself. His Hebrew heritage, training in the law as a Pharisee, and devotion to religion are all filthy rags (Isa 64:6) or rubbish. (Phil 3:8-9) Now Paul puts his entire confidence in God. It is God alone who makes Paul both righteous and competent for ministry.
Ephesians 3:7-12
Ephesians 1:1
Colossians 2:1-3
Acts 9:19b-22 My translation:
19b For some days, he was with the disciples in Damascus. 9:20 And immediately, he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, that he is Son of God. 9:21 And all who heard him were amazed, and said, “Is not this the man who attacked those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for this intent, to bring them bound before the chief priests.” 9:22 But Saul increased even more in strength, and confounded the Jews that lived at Damascus, proving that he is the Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:1-2
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Reflections on the Expository Lectionary, September 19-25, 2011
Psalm 27:12-14 G. K. Chesterton once answered a London Times query that was put to a number of authors: “What’s wrong with the world?” Replies of a variety of lengths were offered but none so brief or profound as Chesterton’s. His answer was simply, “I am.”
This fine, English gentleman had cut to the quick of the human condition. With all of the evil so apparent in the world, the worst thing he could see was himself. The world would perhaps be a better place if we all thought of self so perceptibly and honestly. But it is difficult to see so clearly when wickedness so abundantly surrounds us. And this wickedness often comes from the religious camp.
In today’s world we see it as clearly as ever: no one is more cruel than a religious fanatic bent on the physical destruction of those who do not think like himself. And no zealot was more murderous than Saul of Tarsus, by his own later admission. (1Tim 1:15) Yet God can and does call the wicked to righteousness. Thank God for Paul’s sake — as well as yours and mine.
Gratitude comes effortlessly when one realizes oneself is what is wrong with our world. Only then may one be used of God to help others see the truth. Until then, our efforts at changing the world will be thwarted because it is not the world that is in desperate need of changing.
Luke 12:11-12 Who had more reason to fear opening his mouth than Ananias of Damascus? We all fear sharing our love of and faith in Jesus Christ, at least one time or another. Yet few of us who ever read this will be asked of God to witness to someone who would murder us for our words. Ananias was told by God to do exactly that, go and share with Saul of Tarsus the love of Jesus. Ananias went and called the murderer, “brother,” and became God’s avenue of healing for Saul’s blindness. I take this to be both physical and spiritual healing.
Our fear today is not so much to whom we might be speaking but instead, what in the world we would say to them. Indeed, this has become a chronic and paralyzing fear. This points to two factors in the modern Western Church. One, our faith is so mediocre that we know our witness is inadequate. Two, we really do not have faith that God will keep up his end of the faith-sharing bargain.
Whenever God would have you testify before others, he only asks two things of you. First, open your mouth. Second, trust me for the words to say. I contend that if we would do the first, we would find God doing the second.
Luke 21:10-19 We do not want God to speak through us. What we really want is for God to protect us from whatever words we might say. God does not make that promise. In fact, he promises otherwise. If you rise up and go and speak for the Name, you will become a hated and persecuted person. Oh! that there were more hated Christians in America.
Ezekiel 3:22 Some folks never get anything more out of the Christian life than they did when they went to the altar. They get saved but they never grow into their faith; they fail to work out the salvation that was put into them. (Phil 2:12) In order to grow in the Christian faith, one must get up and head out into the desert valley. There, in the trial of life, is where the Lord speaks more. One must go a little further with God, even when it does not make sense. Arise and go when and where he speaks. It is on the plain, not the mountain top, that one receives Spirit power.
Daniel 10:1-9 When God gave his visions to Daniel and to Saul, he gave each vision to them and not to the others accompanying them. God’s visions are always to the person. He has something he wants that individual to do. Only that one person was chosen by God to work out the vision. The danger of a group vision would be to form a committee and decide what God really meant and what should be done about it. As is the risk with group decisions, two things are almost bound to happen. Either the vision will be indefinitely put on hold since the group will not be able to determine what to do with the vision that was meant for the one person, or because the understanding of the vision is given to the recipient of the vision, the group will respond wrongly.
If God tells you to do something, you are the one who must be sure to do it, whether the group “sees” or not.
John 12:27-30 If you know what God wants you to do, you need no conforming voice. For example, the voice of Scripture is sufficient. If the word says to rise up and go into all the world, the next step is not to wait for a messenger with news of what country you should go to as a missionary. You might do well to listen for such a word but the next step is to rise up and go to your neighbor next door.
Isaiah 6:8 When one is in the presence of God, as Isaiah was, it should impossible to deny God. Moses had a similar experience but stammered about why he could not do what God asked. (Exo 6:12) Jeremiah also deferred, claiming that no one listen to a lad. (Jer 1:6) Isaiah did not see himself, as Moses and Jeremiah did; he saw God. The result was that he cried out, “Send me!”
Mark 5:21-23 Ananias was told to go and lay his hands on the murderer, Saul. (Acts 9:12) In that instance, he must have thought of how Jesus healed the centurion’s servant with a word from a distance. (Luke 7:1-10) Indeed, that was a way that Jesus himself could work. But we must go. If the gospel is to have an effect through us, it is always because we have laid our hands to the task.
Romans 15:25-26 The early church was concerned for the welfare of the saints in Jerusalem. That is where the church had begun and thus, there were many Christians there. Additionally, the Jerusalem Christians were persecuted and poor. Paul and the other apostles were concerned that their physical needs be met. Ananias is concerned about their emotional needs. How would they deal with him going to help the man who had murdered so many of them? And with that thought, he may have given some thought to his own well-being. Yet, his response was to rise and go assist the murderer.
Romans 1:1 If Paul thought he had made the church suffer, he had seen nothing yet. He was chosen to go to the non-Jewish world with the gospel. There he would suffer much at everyone’s hands — Jews, Gentiles, and Christians alike. (Acts 9:15-16)
Galatians 2:7-9 Paul was entrusted with the gospel to the non-Jew. That word entrusted is compelling. It is from the Greek word “pisteuo.” The noun in this word family is “pistis” and means faith or belief. It may be extended that when God entrusted the gospel to Paul, he believed that Paul would actually rise up and go.
“Time to Die,” an audio Reflection based on my translation of Acts 9:1-19a:
9:1 But Saul, still making strong threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 9:2 and demanded of him letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any in the Christian way of life, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 9:3 And as he traveled, he drew near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 9:4 And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 9:5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 9:6 but stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do.” 9:7 And the men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but observing no one. 9:8 And Saul got up from the ground and his eyes were opened. He saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9:9 And he was without sight and neither ate nor drank for three days. 9:10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 9:11 And the Lord said to him, “Stand up and go to the street that is named Straight and look in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying. 9:12 And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he will be able to see.” 9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 9:14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to bind all who call upon your name.” 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Depart, for he is a chosen person for me, the bearer of my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 9:16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 9:17 And Ananias departed and entered into the house, and laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you in the way by which you came has sent me so that you may find your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 9:18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he found his sight. And he arose and was baptized, 9:19 and receiving food, he was strengthened.
Ephesians 3:7-8 Picking up on Saturday evening’s Reflection, God had faith (pistis) in Paul. And his faith was well-grounded. He did not simply expect a fallen man to bear his name to the rest of the world; he graced and empowered him to do so. Though Paul was the least worthy, and the last one we would entrust to do it, “grace was given” to him by God to accomplish the task. We may expect to less favor or faith.
