Whitsunday, The Feast of Pentecost
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time
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I made changes to Ichabod, which have helped.
The Hymn #10 This is the day 3:39
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Acts 2:1-13
The Gospel John 14:23-31
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #370 My Hope Is Built 3.11
We Are the True Pentecostals
The Hymn #231 We Now Implore - Luther 3.38
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #354 In the Cross of Christ 3.84
KJV Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
KJV John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Pentecost
O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou almighty Son of God: We beseech Thee, send Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, through Thy word, that He may rule and govern us according to Thy will, comfort us in every temptation and misfortune, and defend us by Thy truth against every error, so that we may continue steadfast in the faith, increase in love and all good works, and firmly trusting in Thy grace, which through death Thou hast purchased for us, obtain eternal salvation, Thou who reignest, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
We Are the True Pentecostals
One denomination has made a splash in the world. They call themselves Pentecostals but they do not mark this day, which is based upon the Old Testament calendar. Pentecost is still observed today by Jews because it marks 50 days after the Passover. Of course, Easter is directly related to the Passover, but they do observe Easter.
The Day of Pentecost is just as Jesus-centered as Easter, because the Savior’s promises were fulfilled on this day. All the parting sermons from Jesus in John are about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The disciples remained in Jerusalem because of these promises.
On this day, the disciples were gathered with one accord – Concordia. The Book of Concord expresses that harmony. I used to wonder, as an outsider to the old Synodical Conference, why so many things had to be named Concordia. Now that I have seen so much discordia over the years, Concordia sounds so much better. If only we had more Concordia, and pursued the path toward that harmony – study of the Word and Confessions.
The miracle of Pentecost is simply told. The Holy Spirit entered with a great rush of wind. In Greek and Hebrew, the word for Spirit is the same as wind. What better word could be found for the shy member of the Trinity? We do not see the wind but its power is so great that walls are knocked down and roofs torn away in seconds.
Tongues of fire appeared above the disciples. They spoke in foreign languages. When scoffers want to get rid of the miracles of the Bible, they explain that the word in this text really means dialect, so the disciples were only speaking the same language in those various dialects, not unlike Minnesotan compared to Milwaukee or Southern. But the disciples were Galilean, so that was their dialect, whether speaking in Greek or Aramaic. To say they switched dialects is a bit silly – all the rationalisms of apostates are equally strained. When Paul wrote about speaking in tongues, he used another word and made it clear that they were speaking an ecstatic language, not one that made sense to others. See 1 Corinthians 12-14. The love chapter (13) is aimed at the practice.
Most of people were shocked and amazed, hearing the miracles of God in their own language. We know that 3,000 were baptized, so the Word converted them to faith in Christ. At the same time, other mocked and said, “They are drunk.” This encapsulates the effectiveness of the Word. Those who receive the Word with meek hearts find the living Word grafted onto their hearts. Those who harden themselves against the Word feel compelled to mock. Even today, some begin their lives with faith because of infant baptism, but they lose this gift through the various devices and problems described in Mark 4 – the Parable of the Sower.
We are the true Pentecostals because we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit as described in the Scriptures.
When I was began studying the doctrinal problems of Lutherans, I knew about Calvin separating the Holy Spirit from the Word and Sacraments. I looked for Biblical passages that consistently taught what I knew from Lutheran doctrine.
This one is the most extensive treatment:
KJV Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
The passage first establishes that God’s Word and ways are far beyond ours, therefore not subject to man’s approval or analysis – like the person who says, “I cannot believe in a God who…” Nor is there any suggestion that we need to make God’s Word appealing, germane, or in harmony with our own perspective.
Secondly, the role of precipitation in God’s Creation is described as everyone knows it. Rain and snow always have an effect, and that is life-giving – watering the earth, making it fertile, providing seed for the sower and bread for the eater. If we have a long, slow rain in Phoenix, something rare – like Israel – plants simply burst into activity, in a rush to bloom and set seed. Weeds erupt from plastic barriers and gravel. Trees bloom and form their pods. Cactus blooms. Western sage is covered with purple blossoms for a day, and ocotillo (buggy whip) greens up.
Thirdly, the three-fold effect of the Word is portrayed with clarity, in a few words:
A. The Word never returns void – a double negative that excludes any exceptions.
B. The Word will always accomplish what God desires, so we can see that includes both the good and the bad, converting and hardening, enlightening and blinding.
C. The Word will prosper whatever God blesses.
As I saw from studying Luther and the great theologians of the Lutheran Church, this is a passage which destroys any separation of the Holy Spirit from the Word. Notice that the term Holy Spirit is not used, but the concept is clearly taught. God always works through the Word = the Holy Spirit always works through the Word. The WELS theologian Hoenecke said, “The Holy Spirit never without the Word; the Word never without the Holy Spirit. That is sound doctrine.”
In this light we can see why the Bible will use “Word” and “Holy Spirit” as synonyms. In other words, the work of the Holy Spirit is always through the Word and never apart from the Word. The Word is always divine, always powerful and effective.
KJV Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
KJV Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
The only purpose of the Bible is to show us Christ and His death on the cross for our sin. So grace comes to us through the Holy Spirit, which means through the Word, only through the Word.
Paul taught the same thing, using these words:
KJV 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The Church Shrinkers are always saying, “We want something that works.” The word for “works” in the Greeks texts is “effective” or “efficacious,” a different version of the same word. What works? The Word of God works. Nothing else is effective. If they are, it is only because of the Word. Man likes to measure, so the human temptation is to forget the opening of the Isaiah passage (My ways are not your ways) and change the message to get results, to push the hot buttons, as one council president told me.
This means that the only source of God’s grace, forgiveness, and love is the Word. The Holy Spirit creates a meeting place for the individual and Christ – the Word. The individual believer comes before Christ, is known to Him by name, and receives the blessings promised by the Savior.
When the Holy Spirit works through the Law, we do not call that a Means of Grace, because the Law cannot work grace or provide forgiveness. But the Law of God in the Word effectively reminds us of our sinful nature and need for the Savior. God’s Law is a burning fire and a hammer that smashes our stubborn pride.
Our earlier Cattle Dog told me she was there by putting her mouth on my heels, left and right, as I walked through the house. Our new one, Sassy, nibbles on my fingers as I walk. They remind me of the Law – always there, always reminding. The Law is good and useful, as Paul wrote, but limited. When I heard Helmut Thielicke speak in Canada, he compared Law and Gospel to the Shepherd Dog and the Good Shepherd. If we wander from the Good Shepherd, the Shepherd’s Dog (the Law) nibbles at us until we follow again.
When someone has done something horrible, we want to take revenge, but God’s Law will catch up with the miscreant in time. The longer God takes, the greater the terror of conscience that person faces. Sometimes the Law of God takes an immediate toll on the sinner. The folly of this age teaches people they can do whatever they want without consequences.
Sacraments and the Holy Spirit
Calvin separated the Holy Spirit from the Word, and also from the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion – just as Zwingli did.
There are dozens if not hundreds of passages where the Sacraments are clearly taught as the visible Word, as Means of Grace.
First of all, Christ commanded the Sacraments, so they could not be empty rituals condemned as Roman Catholic.
Secondly, they are effective, something lost in the new Calvinistic translations (NIV, etc) loved by the LCMS, WELS, and ELS.
KJV 1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
NIV 1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Or we look at the classic passage about the Lord’s Supper conferring forgiveness upon us:
KJV 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
NIV 1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
In baptism and communion, the Word of God is active through the earthly elements.
We are the true Pentecostals because we look for the Holy Spirit in the Word, which is what God teaches us throughout the Scriptures. So we know from the Word that the Word and Sacraments are instruments of God’s grace.
Quotations
"For neither you nor I could ever know anything of Christ, or believe on Him, and obtain Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Ghost through the preaching of the Gospel. The work is done and accomplished; for Christ has acquired and gained the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, etc. But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew of it, then it would be in vain and lost. That this treasure, therefore, might not lie buried, but be appropriated and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed, in which He gives the Holy Ghost to bring this treasure home and appropriate it to us. Therefore sanctifying is nothing else than bringing us to Christ to receive this good, to which could not attain ourselves."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #38, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 689.
"For now we are only half pure and holy, so that the Holy Ghost has ever [some reason why] to continue His work in us through the Word, and daily to dispense forgiveness, until we attain to that life where there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of godliness and righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #58, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693.
"But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to merit holiness [sanctification], not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves [from this Church]."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #56, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693.
"Everything, therefore, in the Christian Church is offered to the end that we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word and signs, to comfort and encourage our consciences as long as we live here. Thus, although we have sins, the [grace of the] Holy Ghost does not allow them to injure us, because we are in the Christian Church, where there is nothing but [continuous, uninterupted] forgiveness of sin, both in that God forgives us, and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #55, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693.
"Therefore, before the conversion of man there are only two efficient causes, namely, the Holy Ghost and the Word of God, as the instrument of the Holy Ghost, by which He works conversion. This Word man is [indeed] to hear; however, it is not by his own powers, but only through the grace and working of the Holy Ghost that he can yield faith to it and accept it."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, II, Of the Free Will, #19, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 791.
"But as the Confutation condemns us for having assigned these two parts to repentance, we must show that [not we, but] Scripture expresses these as the chief parts in repentance and conversion. For Christ says, Matthew 11:28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Here there are two members. The labor and the burden signify the contrition, anxiety, and terrors of sin and of death. To come to Christ is to believe that sins are remitted for Christ's sake; when we believe, our hearts are quickened by the Holy Ghost through the Word of Christ. Here, therefore, there are these two chief parts, contrition and faith."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XII (V), #44, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 263. Matthew 11:28.
"But if ordination be understood as applying to the ministry of the Word, we are not unwilling to call ordination a sacrament. For the ministry of the Word has God's command and glorious promises. Romans 1:16 The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Likewise, Isaiah 55:11: So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please...And it is of advantage, so far as can be done, to adorn the ministry of the Word with every kind of praise against fanatical men, who dream that the Holy Ghost is given not through the Word, but because of certain preparations of their own...."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XIII (VII), #11, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 311. Romans 1:16; Isaiah 55:11.
"But Christ was given for this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written John 16:15: He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you. Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is received through faith...Then we learn to know how flesh, in security and indifference, does not fear God, and is not fully certain that we are regarded by God, but imagines that men are born and die by chance. Then we experience that we do not believe that God forgives and hears us. But when, on hearing the Gospel and the remission of sins, we are consoled by faith, we receive the Holy Ghost, so that now we are able to think aright."
Augsburg Confession, Article III, #11, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 159.
"The Holy Spirit works through the Word and the Sacraments, which only, in the proper sense, are means of grace. Both the Word and the Sacraments bring a positive grace, which is offered to all who receive them outwardly, and which is actually imparted to all who have faith to embrace it."
Charles P. Krauth, The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology, Philadelphia: The United Lutheran Publication House, 1871, p. 127.
"The Holy Spirit teaches man better than all the books; He teaches him to understand the Scriptures better than he can understand them from the teaching of any other; and of his own accord he does everything God wills he should, so the Law dare make no demands upon him."
Sermons of Martin Luther, III, p. 280.
"The Holy Spirit is given to none except to those who are in sorrow and fear; in them it produces good fruit. This gift is so precious and worthy that God does not cast it before dogs. Though the unrepentant discover it themselves, hearing it preached, they devour it and know not what they devour."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 281f.
"He allows the affliction to remain and to oppress; yet He employs different tactics to bestow peace; He changes the heart, removing it from the affliction, not the affliction from the heart. This is the way it is done: When you are sunk in affliction He so turns your mind from it and gives you such consolation that you imagine you are dwelling in a garden of roses."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 285. John 14:23-31.
"Thus true spiritual leaders fight. They strike Satan dead and rescue souls from him; for to pierce Satan to death is nothing else than to rescue from him a human being whom he has taken captive by deceitful teachings. And that is the right kind of spiritual tactics."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 289. John 14:23-31.
"Neither is he [Satan] truthful; he is the spirit of lies, who, by means of false fear and false comfort having the appearance of truth, both deceives and destroys. He possesses the art of filling his own victims with sweet comfort ; that is, he gives them unbelieving, arrogant, secure, impious hearts...He can even make them joyful; furthermore, he renders them haughty and proud in their opinions, in their wisdom and self-made personal holiness; then no threat nor terror of God's wrath and of eternal damnation moves them, but their hearts grow harder than steel or adamant."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 302. John 14:23-31.
"Again, with truly pious hearts, which in many respects are timid and tender, his [Satan's] practice is just the opposite. He tortures them with everything terrible that can be imagined, martyring and piercing them as with fiery darts, until they may find no good thing nor comfort before God. His object in both cases is to ruin souls by means of his lies and to lead them to eternal death."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John N. Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 302. John 14:23-31
"Therefore, let God's Word be of more authority to you than your own feelings and the judgment of the whole world; do not give God the lie and rob yourself of the Spirit of truth."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 304. John 14:23-31.
"In the eyes of the world, and even in her own estimation, she has not the appearance of a prosperous and well ordered organization; rather she is a scattered group of poor, miserable orphans, without leader, protection or help upon earth. All the world laughs at her and ridicules her as a great fool in thinking that she is the Church and comprises the people of God. Furthermore, each individual is so burdened and oppressed in his need and suffering as to feel that no one else lies so low or is so far from help as he."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 304f. John 14:23-31.
"It will not do for individuals to formulate their own ideas of conduct, act accordingly and then say that the Church is led by the Holy Spirit."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 320. John 14:23-31.
"Secondly, it is shown here that this Word precedes, or must be spoken beforehand, and that afterwards the Holy Spirit works through the Word. One must not reverse the order and dream of a Holy Spirit who works without the Word and before the Word, but one who comes with and through the Word and goes no farther than the Word goes."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 329. John 14:23-31.
"We hear God's Word, which is in fact the preaching of the Holy Spirit, who is at all times present with it, but it does not always at once reach the heart and be accepted by faith; yea, in the case of those who are moved by the Holy Spirit and gladly receive the Word, it does not at once bear fruit."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 330. John 14:23-31.
"Likewise, in the matter of preaching, we must make selection that order may be preserved. But since all who are Christians have authority to preach, what will be the outcome? for women will also want to preach. No so. St. Paul forbids women to put themselves forward as preachers in a congregation of men and says: They should be subject to their husbands."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 375. 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
"Paul does not speak of opposing or antagonistic doctrines, but of those placed beside the true doctrine; they are additions, making divisions. Paul calls it a rival doctrine, an addition, an occasion of stumbling, an offense and a byway, when on establishes the conscience upon his own goodness or deeds. Now the Gospel is sensitive, complete and pre-eminent: it must be intolerant of additions and rival teachings."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 376. Romans 16:16-17.
"The world desires such wolf preaching, and is not worthy of anything better since it will not hear nor respect Christ. Hence it is that there are so few true Christians and faithful preachers, always outnumbered by the members of the false church."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 385. Deuteronomy 29:19.
"For you do not find Him; He finds you. For the preachers come from Him, not from you. Your faith comes from Him, not from you. And everything that works faith within you comes from Him, not from you."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 345. Matthew 21:1-9.
"(3) Hollazius (ib.): 'The Word of God, as such, cannot be conceived of without the divine virtue, or the Holy Spirit, who is inseparable from His Word. For if the Holy Spirit could be separated from the Word of God, it would not be the Word of God or of the Spirit, but a word of man. Nor is there any other Word of God, which is in God, or with which the men of God have been inspired, than that which is given in the Scriptures or is preached or is treasured up in the human mind. But, as it cannot be denied that that is the divine will, counsel, mind, and the wisdom of God, so it cannot be destitute of the divine virtue or efficacy.'"
Heinrich Schmid, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, trans., Charles A. Hay and Henry E. Jacobs, Philadelphia: United Lutheran Publication House, 1899, p. 505.
"The Lutheran theologians, in general, had reason to illustrate very particularly the doctrine of the operation of the Word of God, in order to oppose the Enthusiasts and Mystics, who held that the Holy Spirit operated rather irrespectively of the Word than through it; and to oppose also the Calvinists, who, led by their doctrine of predestination, would not grant that the Word possessed this power per se, but only in such cases where God chose...."
Heinrich Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, trans., Charles A. Hay, Henry E. Jacobs, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1889, p. 511.
"Mrs. Barnhill looked at me and said, with such a loving look in her gray eyes, 'Oh, Grace, Christ said, 'No man cometh unto the Father but by Me,' and, my dear, you have no way of approach to a holy God unless you come through Christ, His Son, as your Saviour.' "The Scripture which she quoted," Mrs. Fuller continues, "was the Sword of the Spirit, and at that moment Unitarianism was killed forever in my heart. I saw the light like a flash and believed at that moment, though I said nothing. She had quoted God's Word, the Spirit had used it, and, believing, I instantly became a new creation in Christ Jesus. She might have talked and even argued with me about it, but instead she just used the Word." [conversion of Mrs. Grace Fuller, wife of Charles Fuller, Old Fashioned Revival Hour broadcast, founder of Fuller Seminary]
J. Elwin Wright, The Old Fashioned Revival Hour and the Broadcasters, Boston: The Fellowship Press, 1940, p. 54.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Whitsunday, The Feast of Pentecost
The Last Day of the Old World
Something to think about today -
The Fall of Constantinople
The assault began after midnight, on the 29th of May, A.D. 1453. Wave after wave the attackers charged. Battle cries, accompanied by the sound of drums, trumpets and fifes, filled the air. The bells of the city churches began ringing frantically. Orders, screams and the sound of trumpets shattered the night. First came the irregulars, an unreliable, multinational crowd of both Christians and Moslems, attracted by the opportunity of enriching themselves by looting the great city, the last capital of the Roman Empire. They attacked throughout the line of fortifications and they were massacred by the tough professionals, who were fighting under the orders of Giustiniani. The battle lasted two hours and the irregulars withdrew in disorder, leaving behind an unknown number of dead and wounded.
Next came the Anatolian troops of Ishak Pasha. They tried to storm the stockades. They fought tenaciously, desperately trying to break through the compact ranks of the defenders. The narrow area in which fighting went on helped the defenders. They could hack left and right with their maces and swords and shoot missiles onto the mass of attackers without having to aim. A group of attackers crashed through a gap and for a moment it seemed that they could enter the city. They were assaulted by the Emperor and his men and were soon slain. This second attack also failed.
But now came the Janissaries, disciplined, professional, ruthless warriors, superbly trained, ready to die for their master, the Sultan. They assaulted the now exhausted defenders, pushing their way over bodies of dead and dying Moslem and Christian soldiers. With tremendous effort the Greek and Italian fighters were hitting back and continued repulsing the enemy. Then a group of enemy soldiers unexpectedly entered the city from a small sally port called Kerkoporta, on the wall of Blachernae, where this wall joined the triple wall. Fighting broke out near the small gate with the defenders trying to eliminate the intruders.
It was almost day now, the first light, before sunrise, when a shot fired from a culverin hit Giustiniani. The shot pierced his breastplate and he fell on the ground. Shaken by his wound and physically exhausted, his fighting spirit collapsed. Despite the pleas of the Emperor, who was fighting nearby, not to leave his post, the Genoese commander ordered his men to take him off the battlefield. A gate in the inner wall was opened for the group of Genoese soldiers, who were carrying their wounded commander, to come into the city. The soldiers who were fighting near the area saw the gate open, their comrades carrying their leader crossing into the city, and they though that the defense line had been broken.
They all rushed through the gate leaving the Emperor and the Greek fighters alone between the two walls. This sudden movement did not escape the attention of the Ottoman commanders. Frantic orders were issued to the troops to concentrate their attack on the weakened position. Thousands rushed to the area. The stockade was broken. The Greeks were now squeezed by crowds of Janissaries between the stockade and the wall. More Janissaries came in and many reached the inner wall.
Meanwhile more were pouring in through the Kerkoporta, where the defenders had not been able to eliminate the first intruders. Soon the first enemy flags were seen on the walls. The Emperor and his commanders were trying frantically to rally their troops and push back the enemy. It was too late. Waves of Janissaries, followed by other regular units of the Ottoman army, were crashing through the open Gates, mixed with fleeing and slaughtered Christian soldiers. Then the Emperor, realizing that everything was lost, removed his Imperial insignia, and followed by his cousin Theophilus Palaeologus, the Castilian Don Francisco of Toledo, and John Dalmatus, all four holding their swords, charged into the sea of the enemy soldiers, hitting left and right in a final act of defiance. They were never seen again.
Now thousands of Ottoman soldiers were pouring into the city. One after the other the city Gates were opened. The Ottoman flags began appearing on the walls, on the towers, on the Palace at Blachernae. Civilians in panic were rushing to the churches. Others locked themselves in their homes, some continued fighting in the streets, and crowds of Greeks and foreigners were rushing towards the port area. The allied ships were still there and began collecting refugees. The Cretan soldiers and sailors, manning three towers near the entrance of the Golden Horn, were still fighting and had no intention of surrendering. At the end, the Ottoman commanders had to agree to a truce and let them sail away, carrying their arms.
The excesses that followed during the early hours of the Ottoman victory are described in detail by eyewitnesses. They were, and unfortunately still are, a common practice, almost a ritual, among all armies capturing enemy strongholds and territory after a prolonged and violent struggle. Thus, bands of soldiers now began looting and murdering at will. Doors were broken, private homes were looted, their tenants massacred. Shops in the city markets were looted. Monasteries and Convents were broken into. Their tenants were killed, nuns were raped, many, to avoid dishonor, killed themselves. Killing, raping, looting, burning, enslaving, went on and on. The troops had to satisfy themselves. The great doors of Saint Sophia were forced open, and crowds of angry soldiers came in and fell upon the unfortunate worshippers, butchering them all. Pillaging and killing in the holy place went on for hours.
Similar was the fate of worshippers in most churches in the city. Everything that could be taken from the splendid buildings was taken by the new masters of the Imperial capital. Icons were destroyed, and precious manuscripts were lost forever. Thousands of civilians were enslaved; soldiers fought over young boys and young women. Death and enslavement did not distinguish among social classes. Nobles and peasants were treated with equal ruthlessness.
In some distant neighborhoods, especially near the sea walls in the sea of Marmora, such as Psamathia, but also in the Golden Horn at Phanar and Petrion, local fishermen opened the gates, and while the enemy soldiers were pouring into the city, local magistrates negotiated successfully their surrender to Hamza Bey’s officers. Their act saved the lives of their fellow citizens. Furthermore their churches were not desecrated. Meanwhile, the crews of the Ottoman fleet abandoned their ships to rush into the city. They were worried that the land army was going to take everything. The collapse of discipline gave the Christian ships time to sail out of the Golden Horn. Venetian, Genoese, and Greek ships, loaded with refugees, some of them having reached the ships swimming from the city, sailed away to freedom. On one of the Genoese vessels was Giustiniani. He was taken from the boat at Chios where he died from his wound, a few days later.
The Sultan, with his top commanders and his guard of Janissaries, entered the city in the afternoon of the first day of occupation. Constantinople was finally his and he intended to make it the capital of his mighty Empire. He toured the ruined city. He visited Saint Sophia, which he ordered to be turned into a mosque. He also ordered an end to the killing. What he saw was desolation, destruction, death in the streets, ruins, and desecrated churches. It was too much. It is said that, as he rode through the streets of the former capital of the Christian Roman Empire, moved to tears he murmured: “What a city we have given over to plunder and destruction.”
The Fall of Constantinople marks the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of a new epoch in Europe. Many Greek scholars moved to Italy, initiating there the development of European Humanism, while the legal succession of Byzantium and leadership of the Orthodox Church were transferred to Tsardom and the “3rd Rome” in Moscow. Finally, by losing access to the Black Sea, Europe was deprived of the land route to India; the search for a new sea route brought about the overseas discoveries of the Americas. Thus, the next day, May 30th, 1453, was the first day of a New World.
Pastor Paul Schmeling Memorial Service, May 29th; Funeral Service, May 30th
The Memorial service was conducted principally in the interest of the many young children in our pre-school (the majority of whom are not members), children in our congregation, and community, to help them understand what happened to Pastor -- who they knew from frequent contact with him. Pastor Joel Luetke was asked to preside this service, not only because of his relationship with Pastor, but also because he leads a District program called "Jesus Cares" -- a Gospel ministry to the mentally disabled -- and has quite a bit of experience reducing what can be complex for children to very simple words. An unofficial attendance estimate for this service is on the order of 325.
The Funeral service was presided by Paster Mark Schwertfeger (first half of the service) and Pastor Wayne Hilgendorf (second half of the service). Both are pastors from our District, and classmates of Pastor. Pastor Charles Degner, District President, served as preacher. All musicians were from our congregation, except the choir, which was a group of pastors from our District, and one of the trumpeters, who is a son of our congregation but is now an active member at another congregation along with his new wife and child. A more official count of attendance for this service is on the order of 575.
At most, our nave only seats 200 comfortably. To effectively serve all of the attendees with the Gospel, and provide a means for their participation in the services, four large television screens were placed in adjoining fellowship and banquet halls, in front of several hundred chairs which were set up in rows. Real time video was piped to the screens so that those seated in the chairs could participate in the services along with those in the nave.
Memorial Service for Rev. Paul Schmeling from Faith Evangelical Lutheran on Vimeo.
Funeral Service for Rev. Paul M. Schmeling from Faith Evangelical Lutheran on Vimeo.
Memories of Paul Schmeling from Faith Evangelical Lutheran on Vimeo.
Leonard Sweet Undercuts Barna Book
Leonard Sweet: "It's all a myth---that frog that slowly boils to death without realizing its environment has changed. Wikipedia smashes another illustration."
The Frog in the Kettle, by George Barna.
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GJ - I know about that because I am Facebook friends with Sweet and Stetzer. I am one of the few Lutherans who could be friends with both men and not start a popcorn cathedral of rock (with huge grants and subsidies of course).
I am not at all surprised that Sweet does his research and citations from Wikipedia.
Anyone with a little experience around animals knows that God's creatures are much smarter than the average Church Shrinker.
One WELS member said to me, "Guess what? My WELS pastor is having us read a book - The Frog in the Kettle. Have you heard of it?"
I said, "Yes. And you are the frogs he wants to boil alive."
Dooming the WELS Schools
Someone commented by email that both budget proposals doom the two WELS prep schools, one sooner than the other. Others have noted that Martin Luther College's dependence on prep school candidates has tied its survival to the preps, perhaps even to Michigan Lutheran Seminary alone. In other words, the loss of MLS by itself would push MLC closer to the edge.
The closing of the preps began with Norm Berg squeezing every nickel he could to start more po' folks missions - with ugly little WEFs and misery salaries. He did not want to waste his mission money on congregations with parochial schools, so he cut out financial help for a new parochial school. He made the first unit so hideously cheap that WEF stood for "water, electricity, flush toilet" - because the four cardboard walls contained little else. He wanted salaries kept low so he could have more mission starts. (However, Berg threw tons of money at the building and staff of Coral Springs, Florida, a Church Growth experiment ending in the debt-ridden church closing and being sold to the Antichrist. Rumors claim it was Berg's only attractive mission unit.)
Berg studied at Fuller Seminary, along with everyone else in missions, but he claimed that never affected his thinking. Pastors filled me in on Berg's "new mission mode, felt-needs" and Kelm's role in hyping the Fuller fads.
Cutting out the mission parochial school funds meant that Dr. Martin Luther College no longer had a job to do. It was an unaccredited school designed to create parochial teachers for WELS - period.
Eventually most congregations would close their schools. That was not the only factor, but it was a significant move against the whole concept. Catholics and Missouri Lutherans had once thought, "We will handle our own education." The larger groups eventually began recruiting any child to fund teachers' salaries. In time, WELS turned to that style of marketing.
Church Growth gurus like Berg, Kelm, and Hartman were against schools, so they began changing the percentage allotments in the budget. That change started with Mischke. Each year the schools got less money as a portion of the national budget.
No one could miss the implied message from all the Fuller veterans: "Missions are good and make us look fine; schools are bad, costly, and selfish." No one stopped to think that such slogans came from Fuller - a school, one which transformed all American churches with its idiotic slogans based on false doctrine. Education does work that way. It could work the other way, if given the chance.
The money managers want people to think that the answer is more dollars, but the real issue is the pie-chart. Clueless Voss knew enough to show seminary graduates that the school portion had been cut in half, and that was in 1987.
Berg and the other Shrinkers doomed DMLC, so they had to stage a takeover of Northwestern College to justify the New Ulm school's existence. After ignoring everyone's opinion, lying, and flipping the final vote (amalgamation lost), NWC was closed. So was the Prairie prep (now a prison). I heard that $30 million was spent on these cost-saving measures. The announced total was $8 million. Gurgel even boasted that he would shut down the process if the price tag went over $8 million. ("The check is in the mail," and other fables.)
Merging two colleges worked like a charm. Two viable schools became one failing college, thanks to the pie slice shrinking and the parochial schools closing.
More money is not the answer. WELS losts its nerve some decades ago - under Naumann, Mischke, and Gurgel. The sect decided that the Babtists and Pentecostals had all the answers. Ape them and WELS would grow again. Copy false teachers and the birth drought would disappear. If the offering money spent on Fuller, Trinity Deerfield, and Willow Creek had been lavished on school scholarships or teachers' salaries, the situation would be different today.
Fuller Seminary also taught WELS to boost The Love Shack staff every time the synod got smaller. Just like Planned Parenthood (which McGavran boosted), WELS thought the answer to the problem was more of the same. So Gurgel-Mueller cranked up school tuition for cash flow, decimated the school population, and cackled over closing MLS. In aiming at MLS, irrationally hated by Wisconsin-dwelling WELSians, they hit both preps, the college, and the seminary.
No one thought about reducing The Love Shack expenses. And every new Wild Hair world mission project was hailed as an achievement rather than examined as a cost. Fuller - thou has conquered.
Why does papa grin about GA? Does that mean Gator-Aid?"
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dooming the WELS Schools":
OK, you've piqued my curiosity; what is "to zechs" and what is "GA?"
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GJ - Zechsing is taken from the word sechstaner, originally the first year of prep school. Zechsing means the older classmates can impose upon, belittle, humiliate, physically and verbally abuse the first-year students. Some older students enjoy their time as bullies, repeating it in college and seminary. WELS has hazing rites all the way through, but I am not sure how many are done in the open now. GA is a not-so-secret seminary ritual where the first year students are manipulated for a week of mind games until they are sure a bunch of upper-classmen are out to get them for good. The Kinder (first-year students) break through the doors and find out it was all a joke. Some claim GA is gone or tamed, but another source tells me it went underground.
They claim GA creates unity, but in reality it creates conformity and a synod full of victims and bullies. How many synods can boast of a First VP who says, "When I get my hands on the guy who gave Greg Jackson that letter..."? That was said at a public meeting.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dooming the WELS Schools":
GA is not dead. It is underground, carried out by a select few who are deemed worthy and reliable enough not to talk about it with anyone else. The hazing still happens, but not to everyone, just to a select few.
The first year students who are selected for hazing are instructed afterward to carry the tradition on when they are in their final year.
Wendland can think it's dead if he wants. But it's not.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Can Lutherans Overcome Their Implicit Doctrine of Synodical Infallibility?
being sold in Thailand.
Our Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant lesson on Papal Infallibility reminded me of the implicit Lutheran doctrine of synodical infallibility. No one will admit to it, but the doctrine is expressed in many different ways.
Walther could not be wrong about anything, because that would cast the Synodical Conference in a bad light.
Any publication from the recent past must be defended. Holy Mother Synod is never wrong.
Just like the pope, a seminary professor or DP or synod functionary can declare a doctrine to be true on his own authority, and no one can rescind or debate it.
The accumulated mass of synodical rubbish now competes with the errors of Rome in volume, inner contradictions, and anti-Biblical sentiments. Nevertheless, each Lutheran meeting is marked by an orgy of congratulations for maintaining doctrinal purity, maidenly separation from pox-ridden ELCA, and an abundance of grace. If anyone disagrees, the Sisera method of persuasion is applied with vigor.
Long ago, Pope John XXII saw the dangers of infallibility. He did not want his hands tied down by the declarations of former popes. The reigning Antichrist--thanks to Pope Pius IX--is welded to all previous declarations. No matter what Pope Benedict says now, he is just as Medieval as the popes who battled Luther.
Likewise, the conservative Lutheran synod presidents are burdened with all the errors of the last 50 years. Going back too far would remind them how far they have strayed. 
ELCA Convention in Minneapolis
ELCA News
In addition to the election for vice president, the assembly will act on:
- a proposal for full communion between the ELCA and the United
Methodist Church, adopted by the UMC General Conference in 2008 - a proposed social statement, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,"
requested by the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly - a "Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies" requested by
the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly - a fundraising proposal for a churchwide HIV and AIDS strategy
- a proposal for further development of a "Lutheran Malaria
Initiative" (LMI) with Lutheran World Relief, the Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod, and the United Nations Foundation (UNF).
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GJ - Watch the LCMS, WELS, ELS, and the micro-synods condemn ELCA this summer for its Left-wing apostasy. Not once will their publications say, "Why are we working with them through Thrivent?"
ELCA is consistent. The synod has a gay advocacy campaign and a fund-raising effort for HIV/AIDS.
At Trinity Seminary, ELCA, in Columbus, the school bookstore sold homosexual textbooks just above the books on death and dying. Strangely, they did not sell Lenski commentaries, even though the professor taught there.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
WELS Synod President on Issues Etc
http://www.issuesetc.org/podcast/238052709H1S1.mp3
Subject: President Mark Schroeder interviewed by Issues, Etc.
Brothers:
You may wish to listen to President Mark Schroeder's interview with Issues, Etc., which was broadcast on May 27, 2009.
Feel free to pass this link along.
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Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "WELS Synod President on Issues Etc":
He did really good (sic) until the last half minute when he made a grammatical mistake. He said "less hardball questions" when he should have said "fewer."
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Synod President on Issues Etc":
Pastor Schroeder still must contend with a roster full of knuckleheads and not offend them. Offended they will vote Pastor Schroeder out of office.
Many infallible wannabes are lined up to take over the position of SP.
Church Growth in WELS Means Unemployment,
Part I
------------------- P O S I T I O N - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Ahlers, Rev Bruce E Albania Mission 06/30/2009
------------------- P O S I T I O N - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Nuss, Rev R Stephen - Christian Giving Cou - Milwaukee WI - 05/15/2009
Schulz, Rev Thomas A - Christian Giving Cou - Milwaukee WI - 05/15/2009
Bivens, Rev David F - Brazil Mission - 05/31/2009
Enderle, Rev Jeffrey D - Mozambique Mission - 05/31/2009
Ewart, Rev Matthew A - Living Hope - Brighton CO - 05/31/2009
Foley, Rev Michael L - Bread of Life/ -
Pan de Vida - Santa Ana CA 05/31/2009
Johnston, Rev Mark J - Malawi Mission - 05/31/2009
Kroll, Rev Daniel R - Zambia Mission - 05/31/2009
Meier, Mr Bill - Mozambique Mission - 05/31/2009
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GJ - The Church Growth Movement in WELS was never acknowledged until the Church and Change fellows had complete mastery of the synod: District Mission Boards, World Missions, The Love Shack, The Sausage Factory, and vital other posts. Valleskey studied Church Growth for the very first time in 1991 - "The Church Growth Movement, An Evaluation." Yes, he was a Fuller Seminary virgin -except for the fact that he had already studied at Fuller with Bivens and many others. When Valleskey gave his odious essay in 1991, he actually claimed it was his first exposure to Church Growth. Yet he taught the same blarney five years before, in 1986 - at the Sausage Summer Session - PT 418: The Church Growth Movement - An Evaluation, June 23 - July 11, 1986. Did I hear an echo? Yes - that was exactly the name of his maidenly exploration of Church Growth joys in 1991.
You're so fine and you're mine,
I made it through the wilderness,
Somehow I made it through,
Didn't know how lost I was
Until I found you.
Sausage Factory President A. Panning wrote "The jury is still out on the Church Growth Movement."
Now the jury has returned it verdict:
- The Schwan money has been blown by the Shrinkers of the CGM.
- The designated funds were skimmed by the Shrinkers.
- The schools were shrunk by the Shrinkers.
- Seminary enrollment went way down - along with graduation calls.
- American missions are closing down.
- Foreign missions are closing down.
- School staffs are being chopped down.
- Large congregations are cutting staff.
- The Conference of Pussycats had to order Church and Change to disinvite Babtist Ed Stetzer.
- The Love Shack is Church and Change, with Kelm, the champion of Leonard Sweet, the latest addition.
- Besides financial and doctrinal bankruptcy, Church and Change has distinguished itself with a Rock N Roll Church (30 in attendance after 3 years); Latte Church with a woman administering the Means of Grace; The CORE, whose staff spends more time at Schwaermer conferences (Drive 08, Drive 09, Granger Community Church, Catalyst, and likely Mark Driscoll) than they do in A-town.
Guilty.
Over the hills and far away, Teletubbies come to play.
Narrator: Teletubbies love each other very much.
Voice trumpet: Time for Tubby bye-bye! Time for Tubby bye-bye!
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church Growth in WELS Means Unemployment, Part I":
When some of us entered Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, President Carl Lawrenz gave his "welcome to the 'mature level' of the seminary speech." He reminded us that we were not at the seminary to learn how to write or preach a sermon, nor to make an evangelism call, nor to teach a confirmation class, nor to make a shut-in call, nor to administer a congregation (even though we learned these things). He told us that we were at the seminary for one purpose and one purpose only. We were at the seminary to learn God's Word so well that, when we were working in our difficult ministries, nothing would be able to move us off from God's Word. Gone are the days! Gone are the days!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Luther versus Universal Objective Justification
From Brett Meyer:
LUTHER:
12. To accept as true the record of Christ--this they call faith. The devils have the same sort of faith, but it does not make them godly. Such belief is not Christian faith; no, it is rather deception.
22. Now, the Cain-like saints have not, as they themselves confess, the Christian faith which would assure them of being the children of God.
37. Note, Paul everywhere teaches justification, not by works, but solely by faith; and not as a process, but instantaneous. The testament includes in itself everything--justification, salvation, the inheritance and great blessing. Through faith it is instantaneously enjoyed, not in part, but all. Truly is it plain, then, that faith alone affords such blessings of God, justification and salvation--immediately and not in process as must be the case with works--and constitutes us children and heirs who voluntarily discharge their duties, not presuming to become godly and worthy by a servile spirit. No merit is needed; faith secures all gratuitously-- more than anyone can merit. The believer performs his works gratuitously, being already in possession of all the Cain-like saints vainly seek through works and never find--justification and divine inheritance, or grace.
74. But what is the process whereby Christ gives us such a spirit and redeems us from under the Law? The work is effected solely by faith. He who believes that Christ came to redeem us, and that he has accomplished it, is really redeemed. As he believes, so is it with him. Faith carries with it the child-making spirit. The apostle here explains by saying that Christ has redeemed us from under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons. As before stated, all must be effected through faith. Now we have discussed the five points of the verse.
108. Paul adds "through Christ" to avoid the implication that the inheritance is bestowed upon us without any merit or cost whatever. Although it costs us nothing, and although it is bestowed without merit on our part, yet Christ was placed under great obligations. For the sake of that inheritance he was put under the Law for us; he paid the cost to secure, or to merit, the inheritance for all who believe in him. (EMPHASIS: "for all who believe in Him" Christ died for all, but only those who have the Holy Spirits faith in Christ are reconciled, forgiven, justified and declared righteous because they, through faith, have Christ as their mediator.)
http://www.trinitylutheranms.org/MartinLuther/MLSermons/Galatians4_1_7.html
YOUR LOCAL WELS SCHOOL:
"If forgiveness were dependent on faith in the sense that God does not forgive until we believe, we would always have to be sure that we are believers before we would be sure that we are forgiven." (p.60)
"And yet many Lutherans still labor under the delusion that God does not forgive us unless we believe. Instead of seeing faith as nothing more than the spiritual hand with which we make the forgiveness of God our own, they see it as a reason why God forgives us. They believe that Christ has indeed provided forgiveness for all men, that God is willing to forgive them, but before he really forgives he first of all demands that we should be sorry for our sins and that we should have faith. Just have faith they say, and then God will forgive you. All the right words are there. The only thing wrong is that the words are in the wrong order. God does not forgive us IF we have faith. He has forgiven us long ago when he raised his Son from the dead." (p. 59) two quotes from Our Great Heritage, WELS and heralded by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, WELS and Evergreen Lutheran High School, (WELS)
"I am in agreement with Pastor Humanns statements as printed in the paragraphs from Our Great Heritage. They are correct and consistent with Gods Word and the position of WELS." Greg Thiesfeldt, Principal, Evergreen Lutheran High School, (WELS)
"When Jesus rose, he rose as the substitute for every sinner. By his resurrection God declared sinners, all of them, forgiven. This is the good news Scripture reveals. This is the good news we proclaim to contrite sinners: “God has reconciled you to himself. Your sins are already forgiven. Calvary and the empty tomb are the proof of it.” Evergreen High School Board of Directors, Pastor Nathan Seiltz, Principal Greg Thiesfeldt (WELS)
"When speaking of salvation, we don’t want to turn a person’s attention inward to his faith, but outward to the grace of God. Preaching about faith will not produce faith, but proclaiming God’s love and mercy and forgiveness will produce believing hearts." Evergreen High School Board of Directors, Pastor Nathan Seiltz, Principal Greg Thiesfeldt (WELS)
"To justify in the Bible always has the meaning “to declare righteous.” Never do the terms denote a qualitative change in man, a physical or medicinal thing. The change which is meant is not a change in one’s person, but a change in one’s status before God." Evergreen High School Board of Directors, Pastor Nathan Seiltz, Principal Greg Thiesfeldt (WELS)
"A quick look at the terms ought to be sufficient to remind ourselves of the Lutheran doctrine of objective or universal justification–that God at the resurrection of Christ declared sinners justified, universally, excluding none, and objectively, whether they believe it or not." Evergreen High School Board of Directors, Pastor Nathan Seiltz, Principal Greg Thiesfeldt (WELS)
"Previously God viewed the world apart from Christ—and it stood condemned. Now God views the world in the light of Christ’s work of redemption and has declared the world righteous, forgiven." Evergreen High School Board of Directors, Pastor Nathan Seiltz, Principal Greg Thiesfeldt (WELS)
"But whoever molests the doctrine of justification stabs the gospel in the heart and is on the way of losing entirely Christian doctrine and personal faith and of falling into the arms of heathenism, even if he ever so much emphasizes justification by faith." August Pieper quoted by Evergreen High School Board of Directors, Pastor Nathan Seiltz, Principal Greg Thiesfeldt (WELS)
LUTHER:
99. In persecuting faith and defaming and condemning it as heresy and presumption, the unbelievers conduct themselves as their father Cain did to his brother Abel. Thus in themselves they slay Christ their brother. His innocent blood will not cease to cry toward heaven against them, as the blood of Abel cried against Cain.
http://www.trinitylutheranms.org/MartinLuther/MLSermons/Galatians4_1_7.html
Dancing Around the Doctrinal Issues
WELS AnswerMan
| Q: | I would like to be pointed to information that the WELS synod has done regarding the insurgence of the "church growth" movement throughout the Lutheran synods and specifically the WELS synod. I have read much information put out by the LCMS synod relating to this topic but I do not find much information on this website or through any other sources. I am beginning to believe that the WELS synod as a whole is confused about the importance of studying this matter and how it impacts the doctrine that our churches practice under. The lack of intelligent discussion on this topic can be seen in the amount of contemporary material being used in our churches and the lack of discussion at the recent convention on any topics other than budget concerns. I am concerned that the synod is directly being guided by a buisness (sic) model and not focusing on the direct practice of delivering the Word and Sacraments. I also believe that the work of missions is the responsibility of each individual member and not the synod. The synod and each individual church should be working on the preservation of each individual member and those members are the ones who are called to do the work of the great commission. This is why I believe that the synod is beginning to loose sight of the return to scriptural truth that Luther set in motion during the reformation. I find myself lost in a synodical distortion of scriptural purity. |
| A: | It is hard to respond to your question since it is too big a question for an email, since you fail to give any specifics to support your allegations, and since you say nothing about the sources of your information, which for the most part appear to be inadequate or misleading. There have been a lot of studies of Church Growth. When Church Growth became the trendy fad more than a decade ago, we published a number of evaluations for pastors conferences and for the synod. You can find a number of them by looking under the topic "Church Growth" in the online essay file of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. The studies by Koester, Valleskey, and Wendland would be a good place to start. Much more of the relevant material does not directly address Church Growth as a phenomenon, but deals with the proper antidote to the errors of Growth Growth, which is a proper emphasis on the means of grace as the source of growth in the church. You will find these studies under topics like the mission of the church or the means of grace or the doctrines of church and ministry. If you search the term "Church Growth" (in quotation marks) on this Q & A , you will find more than 80 discussions of the topic. Including the following one. ______ What exactly is the "Church Growth Movement"? I read on a LCMS website that we, along with the ELS and CLC, embrace this movement. The site stated that LCMS condemns the approach but gave no more details than this. The "Church Growth Movement" teaches a set of principles for doing mission work and evangelism. Some of them are good, common sense suggestions for reaching out to people in a way that will get their attention and interest. Some seem to place excessive emphasis on statistical growth. Some seem to place a greater emphasis on "what works" rather than on "what's right." Others seem to suggest reshaping the church's message so it won't offend people. ________ The statement that this has not been studied is simply untrue. Your view of what is happening in the LCMS also does not seem to be based on reliable information but on the sort of information referred to in the previous answer. Most of the stronger writings against Church Growth coming from Missouri Synod sources, such as the writings of men like Robert Preus or Kurt Marquart, are not from the synod as such, but from indivduals seeking to counter what they see as too strong of an inclination toward Church Growth in the Missouri Synod. There are many other inadequate general statements in your message which you did not support with any evidence. "The lack of intelligent discussion on this topic can be seen in the amount of contemporary material being used in our churches and the lack of discussion at the recent convention on any topics other than budget concerns." The very considerable amount of discussion is listed above. Your statement about the convention is also not correct. There was considerable discussion of other issues including the mission of the church. In fact, the recent letter from the new president of the synod focused on the statement on the mission of the church adopted by the convention. Is everything contemporary Church Growth? "I am concerned that the synod is directly being guided by a business model and not focusing on the direct practice of delivering the Word and Sacraments. " Again you ignore the fact that the convention voted against centralization of power along a business model. You do not seem to have a good source of information of what is actually happening. Certainly, some have such ideas, but the synod has not endorsed them. "I also believe that the work of missions is the responsibility of each individual member and not the synod. " You have set up a false dichotomy here. Certainly, every Christian should share the gospel whenever there is opportunity, but Christians have also always sent out missionaries to do this work on their behalf. Missions along with the education of missionaries has always been a key purpose for the synod. "The synod and each individual church should be working on the preservation of each individual member and those members are the ones who are called to do the work of the great commission. " Again you set up a false contrast. It is not a members or missionaries situation. "This is why I believe that the synod is beginning to lose sight of the return to scriptural truth that Luther set in motion during the reformation. I find myself lost in a synodical distortion of scriptural purity. " It is wrong to make such statements without basis in fact. What has the synod that speaks through its convention done that enables you to say it has lost sight of the scriptural truth? I was a delegate at the convention and I did not see that in the actions of the convention. |
Baby Concord Says
"Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might"
by John S.B. Monsell, 1811-1875
1. Fight the good fight With all thy might;
Christ is thy Strength and Christ thy Right.
Lay hold on life, and it shall be
Thy joy and crown eternally.
2. Run the straight race Thro' God's good grace;
Lift up thine eyes and seek His face.
Life with its way before us lies;
Christ is the Path and Christ the Prize.
3. Cast care aside; Upon thy Guide
Lean, and His mercy will provide;
Lean, and the trusting soul shall prove
Christ is its Life and Christ its Love.
4. Faint not nor fear, His arms are near;
He changeth not, and thou art dear.
Only believe, and thou shalt see
That Christ is All in all to thee.
Hymn #447
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: 1 Timothy 6:12
Author: John S.B. Monsell, 1863
Tune: "Mendon"
German melody
Arranged by: Samuel Dyer, 1828
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day Loss - Pastor Paul Schmeling, WELS
The Memorial service was conducted principally in the interest of the many young children in our pre-school (the majority of whom are not members), children in our congregation, and community, to help them understand what happened to Pastor -- who they knew from frequent contact with him. Pastor Joel Luetke was asked to preside this service, not only because of his relationship with Pastor, but also because he leads a District program called "Jesus Cares" -- a Gospel ministry to the mentally disabled -- and has quite a bit of experience reducing what can be complex for children to very simple words. An unofficial attendance estimate for this service is on the order of 325.
The Funeral service was presided by Paster Mark Schwertfeger (first half of the service) and Pastor Wayne Hilgendorf (second half of the service). Both are pastors from our District, and classmates of Pastor. Pastor Charles Degner, District President, served as preacher. All musicians were from our congregation, except the choir, which was a group of pastors from our District, and one of the trumpeters, who is a son of our congregation but is now an active member at another congregation along with his new wife and child. A more official count of attendance for this service is on the order of 575.
At most, our nave only seats 200 comfortably. To effectively serve all of the attendees with the Gospel, and provide a means for their participation in the services, four large television screens were placed in adjoining fellowship and banquet halls, in front of several hundred chairs which were set up in rows. Real time video was piped to the screens so that those seated in the chairs could participate in the services along with those in the nave.
Pastor Paul Schmeling died today when he fell from a tree while pruning some branches. His son-in-law saw him land on his head. He still had a pulse but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Click here for a touching series of photos of Paul Schmeling and his family. The service will also be available on this link later on May 30th.
Memorial Service for Rev. Paul Schmeling from Faith Evangelical Lutheran on Vimeo.
Funeral Service for Rev. Paul M. Schmeling from Faith Evangelical Lutheran on Vimeo.
Memories of Paul Schmeling from Faith Evangelical Lutheran on Vimeo.
Paul was the pastor at Faith Lutheran, River Falls, Wisconsin.
My wife and I knew his family from our days in Ohio. Paul knew about the dangers of the Church Growth Movement in the 1980s.
The funeral is tentatively scheduled for Saturday; his youngest daughter was going to have her wedding shower that day.
I once talked to Paul's father, another pastor, about a distant situation. His father took care of it in the best possible way, leading to great happiness as a result. Paul was a pastor like his father, caring about people and sound doctrine.
My wife and I are very sad about Paul's death, what this means for his widow and his children. I will post more information as it comes in.
I heard this anecdote from the area. Paul's children were listed in the dedication of Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure, published by Northwestern Publishing House. Paul had that underlined when he gave a copy of the book for someone to read. Liberalism will soon be published again via Lulu.com.
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Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "Memorial Day Loss - Pastor Paul Schmeling, WELS":
Video of Pastor Paul M. Schmeling giving sermons from his website:
http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.vimeo.com/jbf%20
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Here are the Visitation and Funeral details:
Visitation and Funeral Schedule
Friday, May 29, 2009
Visitation: 3:00-7:00pm
Short Memorial Service: 7:00pm
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Visitation: 9:00-11:00am
Funeral: 11:00am
Meal to follow in banquet hall
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Michael Schottey has left a new comment on your post "Memorial Day Loss - Pastor Paul Schmeling, WELS":
I went to school and am friends with both his daughter, her fiance, and his niece.
They are a beautiful family and he was, by all accounts, a wonderful pastor.
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Obituary
Pastor Paul M.Schmeling 5/25/2009
Paul Michael Schmeling was born on July 5th, 1952 in Springfield, Illinois, the son of Arlyn L. and Evelyn H. (nee Heldt) Schmeling. He was baptized into the Kingdom of God and made an heir of eternal life through the cleansing of Holy Baptism on July 13th, 1952, in Springfield. He attended elementary school at St. John Ev. Lutheran School in Two Rivers, WI. On Palm Sunday, April 3, 1966, he publicly confessed his Christian faith and promised to remain faithful until death to his Savior Jesus Christ.
He attended Manitowoc Lutheran High School for three years until joining the graduating class of 1970 at Northwestern Preparatory School in Watertown, WI to begin preparation for the ministry. Following his graduation from Northwestern College of Watertown in 1974 he enrolled at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI. After spending his vicar year (1976-77) at St. John, Baraboo, WI, he returned to the seminary campus and graduated with the WLS class of 1978. He was assigned to serve Ascension, Roseville, MI and Zoar, Detroit, MI and was ordained and installed as pastor on July 9, 1978. His service to those congregations ended on January 31, 1981. He served Hope Ev. Lutheran Church of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, from 1981-1990 and Bethany Lutheran of Granite Falls, MN from 1990-1992. Pastor Schmeling has served at Faith Lutheran in River Falls, WI since June 1st, 1992. He preached for the last time and conducted his final service here on Sunday, May 24th, 2009. He served the church at large in many capacities, most recently as Coordinator of the MN District Parish Services and currently as Chairman of the MN District Nominating and the WELS Nominating Committees. On December 28th, 1975, he married Beth (nee Berger) at Salem Ev. Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI. The Lord blessed this union with two sons, Andrew and Pastor Benjamin Schmeling and two daughters, Amy (Scmeling) Bryant and Caralyn Schmeling. In addition to his love for the ministry and spending time with his wife, family members and friends, he enjoyed a wide variety of activities and games, golf, swimming, lawn and garden work, music, computers, traveling. The Lord Jesus in his infinite wisdom and love called to himself in heaven the soul of Pastor Paul Schmeling while at home with his family in River Falls, WI on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at the age of 56 years 10 months and 20 days. He is survived by wife, Beth; children, Andrew (Andrea nee Berg) and children, Luke, Jack and Samuel of Wilsonville, OR; Rev. Benjamin (Ann Marie nee Uecker) and children, Noah and Owen of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; daughter Amy (Ethan Bryant) and children, Cole and Landon of Woodbury, MN; and daughter Caralyn and fiancée Brian Wrobel; parents, Rev. Arlyn L. and Evelyn H. Schmeling of Sun City, AZ; Mother-in-law, Marie L. Berger of Milwaukee, WI; siblings, Angela (Darvin) Klatt, LaCrosse, WI; Rebecca (David) Klatt, Buffalo, MN; Marian (Gaius) Wiechmann, Elk River, MN, Rev. James (Martha) Schmeling of Monroe, MI; and Rev. Steven (Paula) Schmeling, Menomonie, WI, along with Beth’s five siblings and spouses, numerous nieces and nephews, many other relatives, friends and beloved members of Faith Ev. Lutheran Church. He was preceded in death by his father-in-law Gerald Berger and sister, Ruth Ann, who died in infancy. The Christian funeral service for Pastor Paul Schmeling is being held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 30th, 2009 at Faith Ev. Lutheran Church, River Falls, WI. Visitation will be on Friday, May 29, 2009 from 3-7 pm at the church with a Memorial Service at 7 pm designed for preschool families, the community and families with small children and on Saturday from 9-11 am before the service. A private committal service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to Faith Ev. Lutheran Church or St. Croix Lutheran High School. Funeral arrangements are with the Bakken-Young Funeral Home of River Falls. Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:21 might best summarize his life of service to his Savior: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
Then I heard a voice in heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” (Rev. 14:13)
Send condolences from this link.
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Cynthia Clement has left a new comment on your post "Memorial Day Loss - Pastor Paul Schmeling, WELS":
A friend gave me a Bible which planted the seed, another new friend asked me to join her one Sunday at Faith Ev. Lutheran Church; which brought me to the garden of Pastor Paul Schmeling's Church, with his teaching my faith in Jesus has grown spreading vines through out my family. My mentor and friend will be missed,he was such a wonderful teacher of the word, his legacy will last forever.