A Petition worth Signing

Should our Districts be including un-Lutheran materials, which put forth false teachings, in their official publications?  If you answer "No" to that question, then head over to the Steadfast site and sign your name to the petition Pr. Rossow has started.  You can go here or here to read more about what prompted this petition.   

Choke and Pukes

One of the drawbacks to living in Alma, MI is that there are no White Castle restaurants in the area.  You would think that Mt. Pleasant, that "big" city to our north, would have a White Castle.  Nope.  They got everything else you could think of, and some things you couldn't, but no White Castle.

So, yesterday, while down south for the St. Michael Liturgical Conference, I knew what I would be having for dinner.  After the conference, on the way to my parents' house, where I would spend the night, I stopped at the White Castle I had frequented while growing up and picked up a sack of "choke and pukes" (five to enjoy last night and five more to enjoy this evening).  I know others refer to White Castle burgers as "sliders," but we call 'em "choke and pukes" where I'm from.  Either nickname is ill founded, of course, since they are oh so delicious.  Seriously, is there anything better than a sack of "choke and pukes"?  Mmmm!!!

Here's a pic I took last night of my wonderful meal.  If you move your nose close enough to the monitor, you may even be able to smell 'em! :)  

St. Michael Liturgical Conference

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the Twelfth Annual St. Michael Liturgical Conference at Zion Lutheran in Detroit.  I've attended this conference annually for the past several years and have always enjoyed it immensely.  This year was no exception, to be sure. 

The theme for the conference this year was "The Triduum Sacrum" (The Three Holy Days - Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday).  Rev. Dr. Kent Burreson (Assoc. Prof. and Dean of the Chapel at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis) was the Keynote Speaker and presented a very interesting paper titled, "The Triduum Sacrum and the Paschal Catechumenate."  Workshop presenters included Rev. Dr. Burnell Eckardt, Rev. Dr. Richard Zeile, Rev. Eric Forss, and Rev. Mark Braden (pastor at Zion and gracious host of the conference).  Much was shared about the various rubrics/rites involved in the Triduum Sacrum, and I left with a lot to chew on.  Good stuff, especially for a liturgical nerd, like me. :)

But, as wonderful as the various presentations were, the highlight for me were the Services in the Lord's House.  We began the conference with Holy Mass at 9:00 a.m., and it was simply heavenly.  Pr. Braden (our host) served as Celebrant (man, that dude has been blessed with some beautiful pipes - I wish I could chant the liturgy half as beautifully as him!), Pr. David Petersen served as preacher and delivered a most excellent Law/Gospel sermon, based on the Gospel lesson (raising of the widow's son at Nain), Prs. Eric Forss and Joel Basely served as Deacon and Subdeacon, respectively, and Bishop ( English District President) Rev. Dr. David Stechholz served as Officiant (always wonderful to be blessed by the Bishop!).  At Noon, we gathered again in the Lord's House for the Office of Sext, a beautiful, short prayer Service, and we concluded the business of the day with Solemn Vespers at 4:00 p.m.

I was so happy that three of our congregation's members were in attendance with me at this conference.  While I know that some parts of the presentations they heard were a little over their heads, I also know that they greatly appreciated the Services in the Lord's House, which were simply awesome (did I already mention that?:).   

I also have to say that the folks at Zion did a superb job of hosting the conference.  They were very hospitable to us, and both the luncheon and the Gemutlichkeit (fancy word for "reception") were most excellent.

Lastly, it was great fun to catch up with many brothers I don't get to see that often.  Lots of pastors for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration were at this conference, and it was a blessing to be in their midst.  A great day, indeed!   

 

Where's Jesus, Mr. Osteen?

As promised during Bible Study this morning, below is the "Issues, Etc." segment of Pastor Wilken's latest review of a Joel Osteen "sermon."  Remember, the operative question is, "Where's Jesus?"  If you find Him in this sermon motivational message, please let me know. 

Off the Snide - Finally!

Lions 19

Redskins 14

Buccaneers fans can rest easy.  Their record of having the worst losing streak in NFL history is no longer in danger.   The Lions ended their 19-game losing streak (7 shy of the worst-ever Bucs) today with a victory over the dismal Redskins.  The last time we Lions fans were able to celebrate a victory was December 23, 2007.  Can't even remember back that far! :)  Hey, we're only 2 games out of first with this win.  Playoffs, maybe?  Come on, it could happen! :)  Way to go Lions - IT'S ABOUT TIME!
 

Football is Football, and the Divine Service is the Divine Service

I'm watching the Minnesota Vikings play football against the San Francisco 49ers right now. I would be watching the Lions-Redskins game, but it's blacked out, due to the fact that the Lions are at home and failed to sell out. But, that's besides the point.  The point is that I'm watching a football game.  I know it's a football game.  There are football players.  There is a football.  There are referees and coaches.  There is a play-by-play announcer and color commentator calling the game.  It's a football game, no doubt about it.

But, what if the refs, or the coaches, or the players, or the announcers declared that what I am witnessing is not a football game at all?  What if they told me that I am watching a baseball game?  That would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?  I mean, I know a football game when I see one.  So do you.  Football is football.  If the refs, coaches, players, and announcers claim that they're participating in a baseball game, they would simply be wrong.  They're participating in football, not baseball, as everyone can see.

Of course, I doubt very seriously that the refs, coaches, players, and announcers would claim to be participating in a baseball game.  They know it's football every bit as much as I do, and you do.  To claim otherwise would be utterly absurd.

It would be like those Lutherans who claim that their "contemporary praise worship" is equivalent to the Lutheran Divine Service.  No, it's not.  It is something completely different, as different as football is from baseball.  I know the Divine Service when I see it.  It is not that the Divine Service looks exactly the same everywhere.  There are differences here and there, minor variations in rubrics and ceremonies, but it's the same Divine Service.  The sport of football has many different teams, who wear different uniforms, and call different plays, etc., but they're all playing the same game.  They use the same equipment.  Likewise, the Lutheran Divine Service.  Some congregations chant, others speak; some pastors elevate and genuflect, others bow or don't do any action in those places; some pastors wear chasubles, others wear alb and stole; some congregations use incense, others don't; some congregations employ large choirs to lead the singing, others have small choirs or no choir at all, and so on.  But, they're all playing the same game (I know how bad that sounds, since the Divine Service is certainly no game, but you get my point). 

The common thread among those Lutherans who celebrate the Divine Service is the liturgy.  Following the football analogy, the liturgy is like the rule book.  We may "play the game" a little differently, but the liturgy keeps us playing the same "game."  And, just like with the rules of football, which have changed slightly from time to time, there have been alterations made to the liturgy from time to time.  But, the basic structure remains the same, and has been in place for a very long time.  In the same way that the changes to the NFL rule book have not altered the game in any significant way, so the changes in the liturgy have not altered the structure in any significant way.  In other words, if you watch ESPN Classic and see an NFL game from the 1960s, you'll recognize that it's the game of football being played, just like if you attended the Divine Service at any time throughout history, you would know what you're attending.  

Another common thread among those Lutherans who celebrate the Divine Service is a common confession of the faith and a shared theology of worship.  The Lutheran Divine Service is Christ-centered and Cross-focused.  It is reverent.  It is holy.  It is other-worldly.  It doesn't look like the world.  It looks like the Church.  It has no interest in relevance (as that term is often used in describing "worship" today) or political correctness.  It is focused on the Lord and His Gifts.  It is built upon the belief and confession that Christ is there present with those gathered around Word and Sacrament; that Christ is REALLY there.  In the Lutheran Divine Service, we are in the Lord's House, not our house.  We are the guests, He is the host.  We come to receive that which He desires to give.  In response to the Gifts we receive, we offer Him our thanks and praise.  The movement in the Lutheran Divine Service is from our Lord to us, not the other way around. 

All of this is vividly clear.  The Lutheran Divine Service is recognizable.  It can't be confused with other "styles" of "worship."  There is no debating this.   

And yet, amazingly, there are many so-called Lutherans who do wish to debate this.  They follow the "methods" and "styles" of other Christians, creating a "worship experience" that is decidedly un-Lutheran, and absurdly make the claim that it's the Divine Service they're celebrating.  Where they get their ideas for "worship" is no secret.  Visit your local Christian bookstore, watch Christian television (not EWTN, of course!), and listen to Christian radio (steer clear of the likes of "Issues, Etc.", of course!), and you will witness what is driving their "worship."  They use the "methods," "styles," and "songs" of non-Lutherans, who do not share a common confession of the faith or theology of worship with Lutherans.  "Worship" for these other Christians is something they do.  Jesus is not there in their "worship."  He is "up there" in heaven and "worship" for them is an exercise of "giving their all" for Jesus, the idea being that the louder they are, the more fervent they are, the more emotional they are, the better chance their "worship" has of reaching Jesus "up there."  The Lord and His Gifts are not their focus, which is why they have no problem pushing the altar to the side, or removing it altogether, to make room for the "praise band."  They turn the Lord's House into a house of entertainment.  And, they don't apologize for doing so.  They believe differently than we do.  Their theology is not our theology; it is as different as football is from baseball.  They are most certainly not playing the same "game" as we Lutherans are playing!

Thus, it is not only wrong for those who claim to be Lutheran to mimic the practices of those who do not believe as we Lutherans believe and then claim to be celebrating the Divine Service, it is, to put it bluntly, absurd - just as absurd as trying to convince me that I'm watching a baseball game when the TV is tuned to a football game.  I know football when I see it.  And, I know the Lutheran Divine Service when I see it.  Would that those who play a different "game" just be honest and admit it.  That would be oh so refreshing.  As it is, we'll have to continue to endure the absurdity of listening to those who play a different "game" trying to convince us that it's the same "game" we're playing.

In sum (for those of you who are visual learners), this:

is not the same as this:

or this:

That really should go without saying, shouldn't it? 

Pastor's prayer before Divine Service

O Lord God, dear Father in heaven, I am indeed unworthy of the office and ministry in which I am to make known Your glory and to nurture and to serve this congregation. 

But since You have appointed me to be a pastor and teacher, and the people are in need of the teaching and the instruction, be my helper and let Your holy angels attend me. 

Then if You are pleased to accomplish anything through me, to Your glory and not to mine or to the praise of men, grant me, out of Your pure grace and mercy, a right understanding of Your Word and that I may diligently perform it. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, shepherd and bishop of our souls, send Your Holy Spirit that He may work with me to will and to do through Your divine strength according to Your good pleasure.  Amen.  (Lutheran Service Book:  Pastoral Care Companion - Luther's Sacristy Prayer, p. xviii)

Happy Birthday, Charlotte!

This afternoon, the family of one of our members, Charlotte, threw a surprise b-day party for her at the church.  I've been to a few "surprise parties" in my day, but this one was one of the best.  Charlotte had absolutely no clue what she was walking into.  The look on her face was simply classic.  She thought there was a Thrivent meeting being held and walked in TOTALLY unsuspecting.  Great, great fun!

It was wonderful to see so many members from our congregation there to celebrate with Charlotte, who has been blessed with 80 years by her Lord.  The food was delicious and the company was wonderful.  It was a truly blessed event, indeed!

Gracious Lord, we thank and praise You for Your continued goodness to Your servant Charlotte, whom You have blessed with length of days in this present life.  Grant that she may continue to know Your loving-kindness, abide in the confession of Your care and protection, and in all things glorify Your holy name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. (Lutheran Service Book:  Pastoral Care Companion, pp 462-463) 

 

Perseverance of the saints

You see that title and are probably expecting something theological.  Nope.  I'm referring to the endurance necessary for those of us who "bleed green."  I really am shell-shocked over the Spartans' dismal start to this season.  I really thought all the hype leading into this season was justified.  Then, to see them come out and handle Montana State in their first game, I was sure this was going to be a banner year for Sparty.  Even after the ridiculous loss to CMU, I thought, "Just a fluke; they'll rebound."  Then they go into the hostile environment of South Bend and blow one they should have had.  Little nervous after that, since their defense was awful, but still thinking they'll rebound.  Then, today.  What was that?  I realize how difficult it is to win on the road in the Big Ten, but at least show up, would ya?  I was very disappointed in their effort today.  I thought we were supposed to have our problems on defense fixed this year.  Um, obviously not!  They've gotten worse.  Wow!  But, more than that, the boys were just not in the game at all.  From the opening whistle, they looked flat and unprepared.  The only positive to take away from this game is that they did battle till the end.  They didn't just throw in the towel.  That's something, I guess.  But, then that kick with 0:15 left.  Huh?!  We just scored two late touchdowns to give ourselves a chance and the kicker fails to execute an on-sides kick.  What genius on the sidelines thought it would be a good idea to squib-kick the ball in that situation?  Or, did Stenson just mis-kick it?  Whatever the case, there's no excuse for that.  It was one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.  Would they have recovered the on-sides kick, hooked up on a "hail mary" for a touchdown, and converted the two-point conversion?  Probably not.  But, you got no chance of that when you pooch the ball 35 yards down the field.  Seriously frustrating!

So, no pep talks this week.  No "we'll get 'em next week!"  We have that other team from our state, whose name is never mentioned around here (who were the recipients of a ridiculous call by the refs today to ensure their victory - seriously, how much do they pay the refs? - when the receiver and the defender both have the ball, it's a reception!), coming in, and if someone doesn't figure out how to play defense, it could get ugly.  But, I'll stick with my team.  Always have; always will.  Who knows, maybe they'll show up next week and play like they can.  I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Perseverance of the saints = being a Spartans fan.     

A Must Read . . .

posted by Pastor Rossow over at the Steadfast site.  The similarities between the language used by the current ELCA leaders and our own LCMS leaders is very telling - and very, very scary! 

A Looong, but Blessed Day

One of the great joys of pastoral ministry is being able to deliver the Lord's Gifts to His children who are not able to attend the Divine Service.  These beloved ones are prevented from attending for a variety of reasons, but whatever physical or mental ailments they're suffering, the real tragedy for them is that they're not able to come to Church.  "I miss being able to come to Church" and "I wish I was able to make it there on Sundays" are common sentiments they share with me.  They are genuinely saddened that they are not able to come.  They miss it.  They would be there if they could be. 

What a blessing it is, then, for them to have Church brought to them by their pastor.  It doesn't take the sadness and regret they feel completely away.  They still wish they were able to come.  But, their faces light up when they see me walk in the room, and it is not because they're thrilled to see my goofy mug, but rather because they know that I bring with me Christ and His Gifts.  I'd like to think that they're happy to see me, too, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the object of their true joy are the Gifts I bring to them.   

But, if it is a blessing for them, it is just as much so for the pastor.  I admit that I often forget what a blessing it is for me to visit these beloved brothers and sisters who are shut-in or hospitalized.  There are times when the Old Adam in me sees this as a chore.  How many times have I caught myself saying, "I have to get my visits done"?  How pitiful!  Lord, have mercy!  It should always be, "I get to go out and visit these beloved ones and deliver unto them the Gifts they desire and need."  Of course, that always gets corrected, for it never fails that, no matter how busy I am, and no matter how much the Old Adam in me tries to convince me that it's a chore I'd rather not do, when I do go out and do these visits, it is always pure joy and blessing indeed.

So, today was a day of joy and blessing for me, as I was privileged to begin the day by teaching Bible Study (and we all got to use our new TLSB's as we finished our study of Leviticus - on to Romans next Thursday), continued by meeting with my wonderful secretary to finalize things for Sunday, went out for a tasty lunch (steak fajitas at the local Mexican restaurant) with someone I love dearly, and then spent the rest of the day and early evening traveling to and fro, delivering Word and Sacrament to God's children who are not able to come and receive these Divine and Blessed Gifts.  It was a loooong, but most blessed, day!

Lord Jesus, our Savior, You have compassion upon all the sick and afflicted.  Be with me, Your servant, in this hour that I may rightly comfort, strengthen, encourage, admonish, and prepare the sick for a blessed death.  Grant me Your Holy Spirit that all I say may be blessed and my prayers and supplications be pleasing to You.  Into Your hands I commend myself; at Your bidding I go.  You will preserve me, for I trust in You.  Blessed be Your holy name.  Amen. (Pastor's prayer before visiting the sick - Lutheran Service Book:  Pastoral Care Companion, p. xx)    

Powder Puff MVP

Tonight, after Divine Service, I headed over to the high school football field to watch my daughter, Sarah, play in the annual Homecoming week "Powder Puff" game. It is always Senior-Sophomore vs. Junior-Freshman, and unless it is simply impossible for the refs (Varsity Football coaches) to fix things, the Senior-Sophomore team always wins. It is actually a lot of fun to watch, even if the outcome is a foregone conclusion (in most cases).

I thought that tonight was going to be one of those times when it was going to be impossible for the refs to see to it that the Senior-Sophomore team won. The Junior-Freshman team was winning 24-20 with 30 seconds left in the game. The Senior-Sophomore team had the ball, 4th down and goal from the 15-yard line (this was the third "4th down" in a row, as the refs called penalties on the two previous 4th downs to keep the Senior-Sophomore team's hopes alive). The quarterback dropped back and threw the ball into the corner of the end zone and there was Senior Sarah making the game-winning catch. The crowd went wild! Woo-hoo!!!

This was Sarah's third TD reception in the game. I think it's safe to say that she was the MVP. I was a proud poppa, to say the least. Way to go, Sarah!

THEY HAVE ARRIVED!

Our congregation received two cases of hardback copies of The Lutheran Study Bible (TLSB) today - FINALLY!  We should have received them a couple of weeks ago and were assured that we would receive them last week, but due to a couple of mix-ups, they didn't arrive until today.  That's okay.  I don't care.  They're here! 

I have spent the last couple of hours looking through this awesome resource.  Wow!  Color me impressed.  I love the introductions to the books, the detailed outlines, and the theological/devotional articles interspersed throughout.  And, the notes are very solid.  I love the little prayers thrown in here and there throughout the notes.  Whoever thought of adding that feature deserves our thanks.  It is a reminder that we should read God's Word prayerfully.  I also like the artwork throughout the book.  I know some who have expressed disappointment over the use of black-and-white drawings from the mid-19th century, but I think they bring some class to this Bible that other modern study Bibles lose with their modern art.  To each his own, I guess.  The charts throughout are very well done and contain tons of valuable info for the Bible student.  The colored maps are nice.  I wish more would have been included, but the ones that are included are nice.

Having quickly skimmed through several passages of interest to me, I am quickly falling in love with TLSB.  I know that this is going to be a valuable aid in my own personal study, but also as I lead corporate study of God's Word.  I have been studying the Bible for a long time and own several Study Bibles, but none of them compare to TLSB.  Finally, we have a Study Bible we can use that doesn't require us to constantly engage in weeding out the bad stuff in the notes.  I think this is going to go a long way toward improving the level of catechesis among our people.  The more laypeople who get their hands on TLSB and use it in place of other Study Bibles which contain lots of false teachings, the better.  In a day and age when the rate of Biblical literacy is shockingly low, TLSB is a most welcomed blessing.  Of course, getting people to actually use it will still be tricky, but at least it is now available.

I only have a few criticisms regarding the hardback edition of TLSB:  1) The pages are too thin.  They wrinkle very easily and it wouldn't take much at all to accidentally tear them if you're not very careful.  Obviously, in a Study Bible this size, the pages are going to have to be pretty thin, but I have other Study Bibles that have thin, but more durable, pages.  2) Bleed-through - because the pages are so thin, the writing on the other side makes it difficult to read at times.  You definitely will struggle with this if you have a light shining directly on the pages as you read.  It is much easier for me to read when I turn off my desk lamp and just allow the light from the room to illumine the pages.  3) Red-lettering of Christ's words - First things first:  I like the red-letter feature in Bibles.  Always have.  Miss it in those Bibles that don't have it.  I know others who don't like it.  Again, to each his own.  I grew up on it and like it.  Deal with it. :)  But, in TLSB, the red is not dark enough and, in some places, looks more pink.  Dimming the lights to deal with the bleed-through makes it difficult to read the red-lettering.  So, I guess I'll have to have the lights dimmed and then, when I'm reading the Gospels, I'll have to turn on my desk lamp.

But, that's it.  I'm sure I'll find other things I wish were different, and I'm positive that I'll find some notes that I disagree with (or think could be better), but, all in all, TLSB is simply awesome.  Maybe the pages will be a little more durable in the genuine leather edition I'm waiting on.  But, even if not, I'll still cherish and use this Study Bible for many years to come.

Can't wait to use TLSB in our Bible Studies this week!  

Morning Sun Article

I am in a rotation of local clergy who write the Saturday religion article in our local newspaper, The Morning Sun.  I've been doing so since the beginning of 2006 (you can click here to read all of the articles I have written).  It has been an interesting endeavor.  Surprisingly, I have only received a handful of negative responses to the articles I've written.  The reason I find that surprising is because I have never held back from confessing the truth about the Christian faith and have not shied away from pointing out the errors of others.  It's not that I'm looking for, or hoping to receive, negative responses to what I write, but I would just think more would come in.  Instead, 99% of the responses I have received over the years have been positive.  Maybe those who disagree with what I write are following mom's advice, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."  

Anyway, below is my latest offering, which was published this past Saturday, September 19.  I decided to do something a little different and sent in a homily I preached this year in observance of Holy Cross Day.  The reaction?  Five responses - all positive.  But, I wonder what those Christians thought who are attending congregations where the cross is hardly, if ever, mentioned. 

A Homily upon the Observance of Holy Cross Day

Published in The Morning Sun on Saturday, September 19.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:25).  Oh, how true this is, dear friends.  God’s ways are indeed foolish according to our sinful human reason.  His plan of salvation is utterly ridiculous in the eyes of the world.  Already the Israelites in the wilderness learned how absurd God’s ways are.  For when they were afflicted with serpents, God didn’t send them a medicinal antidote, but ordered Moses to “make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live” (Num. 21:8).  This, of course, foreshadowed the ultimate foolishness of God which would happen on a hill outside the gates of Jerusalem some time later, when God Himself, incarnate in human flesh, allowed men to pound nails through His hands and feet and hang Him on a cross to die. 

No wonder the world mocks and ridicules Christianity.  No wonder they think Christians are a little “off.”  We believe that God Himself came down from heaven to be born of a virgin.  That the Almighty Creator of all things would enter the world in the human flesh of a baby is “crazy talk” to the world, not to mention the absurdity of His being born of a virgin.  But, what’s even crazier in the world’s eyes is that we believe that this same God took on human flesh, so that He could live the perfect life in place of sinful humanity, and so that He could pay the price for the sins of all people of all time by dying on the cross.  Yes, that’s right, Christians believe that the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the eternal Word of the Father, the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, became Flesh and dwelled among us to die in our place, for our sins. 

It is foolishness, we have to admit it.  It doesn’t compute, doesn’t make sense to our sinful human reason.  But, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men.”  God’s ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts.  The cross is folly to the world.  It is scandalous.  It is a stumbling block.  But, more than that, it is detestable in the eyes of the world, for the world wants a nice religion where no one has to die and everyone is saved, regardless of what they believe.  It wants a religion where the better you behave in this life, the more blessings you will receive from God, but also a religion where nobody has to suffer eternally for sin.  It wants a religion that echoes the wisdom of this world and follows its principles.  It wants a religion where a cross is unnecessary.

The world would be able to tolerate the “silliness” of Christianity if Christianity would only give up its exclusive claims.  It would welcome the cross, as foolish as it is, if it was conceded that the cross is only one of many paths to salvation.  But, alas, Christianity cannot concede this.  The cross is the only way.  For the One who hung on the cross for the sin of the world declares, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). 

There’s the rub, my friends.  There’s the reason the world hates Christianity.  Not only is it viewed as foolishness, but also as stubborn, intolerant, and arrogant.  The world simply cannot abide a religion which claims to have the only way to eternal salvation.   

But, let us not be moved, dear friends.  Let us not buckle under the pressure of the world.  Let us continue to put the cross front and center, “for the cross alone is our theology,” as Dr. Luther put it long ago.  The cross is the focus of all true Christian worship.  The cross is the “hour” for which our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world.  The cross is where the glory of God is fully revealed.  The cross is where our sins are taken away and forgiveness, life, and salvation are won for us by the holy, innocent Blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

A cross-less religion will not do.  The cross is necessary, for there is the once-for-all sacrifice for sin completed.  There, on the cross, our salvation is finished.  There, on the cross, is our redemption. 

Look there, O Christian.  Never stop looking to the cross.  There is your answer.  There are your sins taken away.  There is the fulfillment of the fiery serpent set on a pole in the wilderness.  All who are bitten by the serpent and infected with the poison of sin, which includes every human being born of Adam, when they gaze upon the cross in faith, shall live, now and forever. 

Foolishness?  Yes!  So be it!  The cross is God’s way, not ours; His plan of salvation, not ours.  And, whether the world likes it or not, the cross is the only way to salvation, for there is the only Blood shed that can take away our sins.  Therefore, let us unashamedly preach Christ Crucified.  With St. Paul, let us be “determined not to know anything among us, save Jesus Christ and Him Crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).  May the Holy Spirit open our eyes of faith to see through the foolishness of the cross, that we may recognize the power of God in all His glory revealed on Calvary’s holy mountain for sinners like you and me.  In Jesus’ Holy and Precious Name.  Amen. 

 

In Christ,

Rev. Thomas C. Messer, Pastor

Peace Lutheran Church ~ Alma, MI

  

The Tree of Life

Ever since Pr. Weedon began including quotes from Charles Porterfield Krauth's "The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology" on his blog many moons ago, I have been reading and studying this masterpiece, as time permits.  It is filled with theological gem after theological gem.  Every confessional Lutheran should buy, read, and study this book.  Today, I began reading the section on the Lord's Supper and came across this gem:

The first thing worthy of note in regard to the sacramental mystery is its antiquity.  It meets us at the threshold of the divine history of our race.  In Eden we see already the idea of natural and supernatural eating . . . The great loss of Paradise Lost was that of the Sacrament of Life, of that food, in with, and under which was given immortality, so objectively, positively, and really that even fallen man would have been made deathless by it:  "Now lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever," Gen. iii. 22.  The great gain of Paradise Regained is that of the Sacrament of Life.  Christ says:  "I am the life;" " The bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."  The cross of Christ is the tree of life, and He the precious fruit borne by heavenly grace upon it.  The cross is the centre of Paradise Regained, as the tree of life was the centre of the first Paradise.  Christ's body is the organ of the life purchased by His obedience and death.  The Holy Supper is the sacrament of that body, and, through the body, the sacrament of the life which that body brings.  (Krauth, "The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology," pp. 585-586). 

What Krauth teaches here is beautifully expressed in the Eucharistic Prayer in LSB, Divine Service 4:

Blessed are You, O Lord our God, king of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

In Your righteous judgment You condemned the sin of Adam and Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit, and You justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life.  Yet, in Your great mercy, You promised salvation by a second Adam, Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and made His cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in Him.

We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ.  Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood. 

Here us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:  Our Father . . .

When we receive the very Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, we are receiving the very fruits from the life-giving tree of His cross.  Our Lord has given us access, once again, to the Tree of Life!  When we partake of its Fruit in faith, life eternal is ours!  Beautiful stuff! 

Here, dear friends in Christ, is your Tree of Life: