David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

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In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations. David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com. He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991. Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”

Centered

Ephesians 2:4-7

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

If the center of your faith and heart is not the grace of God in Jesus Christ you will find yourself headed in a different direction as you enter eternity. For some that will be extraordinarily good news. For others, not so much. In Ephesians 1:6, the phrase “praise of his glorious grace” points us toward the true desire of God for his fame and glory. Here the purpose of Jesus’ redemptive work is expressed: “so that in the coming ages…riches of his grace…”

To be sure in other places in the New Testament we discover more about God’s purposes in our redemption: that we may live for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15); that we might bear fruit (John 15:16); that others may glorify God (Matthew 5:14-16), to name just a few. The praise of God’s grace is not the monotonic drone of his effete and zombie-like minions. Rather, the chorus of praise for God’s grace radiates from that center in acts of kindness, love, mercy, blessing and good works – all of God’s working.

Martin Luther, himself the champion of “grace alone” theology says as much in explaining the second article of the Apostles’ Creed. “Jesus…is my Lord,” he says, who purchased and won me from sin and death…”that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him…” eternally. Somehow even our service to Christ, our life under him on this day will one day be a display of “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” I, for one, want to keep that foremost in my mind, and look forward to that celebration with great anticipation!

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