The Voice May 2021 Shalom “Shalom, My Friend, Shalom, My Friend, Shalom, Shalom. God’s Peace be with you, God’s Peace be with you, Shalom, Shalom.” These are the words to a song that I first encountered back in the 90’s as a teacher. It had a catchy little tune and the kids at Lutheran High liked to sing it. So, we sang it and I filed away the word “shalom” as the Hebrew word meaning “peace.” Along the way, I picked up that “shalom” was a common Hebrew greeting used for “hello” and “goodbye.” But then I went to seminary and studied Hebrew and learned more about this word “shalom.” This short, little Hebrew word is deep and rich with meaning! “Peace” really doesn’t do it justice at all. When we think about the word “peace” we tend to think about absence of strife – no fighting, no arguing, and the like. The word “shalom” is so much fuller than that. The Hebrew word “shalom” is rooted in the idea of complete- ness and wholeness. When shalom is shared, it is a desire that all would be complete and whole in your life. That’s just the “basic” meaning. Just about every Sunday in worship, we close with the Benediction from Numbers 6:24-26 – “the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His Face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His Countenance upon you and give you PEACE.” That’s the word “shalom” and it takes an even deeper and richer meaning when it is God’s Shalom. When shalom is associated with God the best definition goes something like this… “May all things in your life be exactly the way God wants them to be.” Every Sunday when you receive the blessing in the Biblical Words of the Benediction, you are truly receiving God’s Shalom. God’s Shalom is being placed upon you! With those words, God is saying to you that He desires your life to be blessed with the wholeness and com- pleteness that only He has to offer. God is saying to you that He wants everything in your life to be exactly as He wants it to be for you. At first thought, this seems impossible. How could everything in my life be shalom? We are sinners living in a sinful, fallen world. God’s Shalom is bigger than our sin and far bigger than the sinful, fallen world in which we live. The ulti- mate SHALOM of God is found in Christ Jesus. True Shalom, God’s Shalom, is rooted in the beautiful fact that Jesus Christ became like us and died for us and rose for us! In and through and because of Jesus, “all things in our lives are exactly they way God wants them to be.” Sins are forgiven. Death has lost. Eternal Life in the presence of God is secured. As Jesus hung on the Cross for us, one of the last words He uttered was, “It is finished.” That is, it is com- plete. Through Jesus completing the act of dying (and rising!) for us, we have been made whole and complete. We have SHALOM! So, if you haven’t figured it out yet, I REALLY like this word “shalom.” You will find at the end of my emails and at the end of most of what I write. Please take it to heart when you see it and hear it – especially in the Benediction. Because of Jesus, you have God’s Shalom. A monthly publication of Hanover Lutheran Church, Cape Girardeau, Missouri Page 2 The Voice of Hanover Weekly Catechism and Scripture for Reflection May 2 The Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it. Philippians 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. May 9 The Tenth Commandment You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor’s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty. Philippians 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. May 16 The Close of the Commandments What does God say about all these commandments? He says: “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Exodus 20:5–6) What does this mean? God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore, we should fear His wrath and not do anything against them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore, we should also love and trust in Him and gladly do what He commands. James 4:12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? May 23 The Close of the Commandments What does God say about all these commandments? He says: “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Exodus 20:5–6) What does this mean? God threatens to punish all who break these commandments. Therefore, we should fear His wrath and not do anything against them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments. Therefore, we should also love and trust in Him and gladly do what He commands. James 4:12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? May 30 The Apostles’ Creed-First Article-Creation I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. What does this mean? 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 all 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. Genesis 1:1 The Beginning of Creation In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. May 2021 Page 3 “News from the Church at Large” Seminary Call Day for Concordia St. Louis was Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Please visit csl.edu/callday to view the service and/or see where the Pastors and Vicars are headed. Call Day for Concordia Ft. Wayne was held on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Please visit callday.ctsfw.edu to view the service and/or see where the Pastors and Vicars are headed. For more Seminary news visit csl.edu District MO Shine Event -“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 Come together with other brothers and sisters in Christ in service! Our beautiful state of Missouri has lots of amazing opportunities to SHINE God’s light to our neigh- bors, congregations, and communities. To learn more about this statewide event, please visit mo.lcms.org. For more District news visit mo.lcms.org Synod ‘Missions Unpacked’ program provides online introduction to LCMS mission work. The online re- source, called Missions Unpacked, provides interactive programming so that individuals, families and groups can “learn, sing, eat and pray with missionaries and local church members in Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Latin America & the Caribbean” without ever leaving home. Learn more about Missions Unpacked at international.lcms.org/missions-unpacked KFUO Radio-listen to Lutheran radio, worship services, bible classes, chapels, podcasts, and much more! Visit KFUO.org The LCMS has released the 2020 LCMS Annual Report. To view the report, please visit lcms.org. For more Synod news visit lcms.org The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod celebrates its birthday on April 26. Initial members, which in- cluded 12 pastors representing 14 congregations from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, New York and Ohio, signed the church body’s constitution on April 26, 1847, at First Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Chicago, Ill. Originally named The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States, the name was shortened to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in 1947 on the occasion of our 100th an- niversary.